Not too much intrigue and surprise at the top of the draft, we knew Miami had locked up OT Jake Long (#4 rated player) with the top pick. A bit of a surprise only in that Bill Parcells has a reputation for drafting defense early and often.
Chris Long DE from Virginia to St. Louis makes sense for them.
Atlanta ruined the Ravens draft plans by drafting Matt Ryan QB from Boston College and officially ended the Michael Vick era in Atlanta. Oakland awaits Vick's release. Falcon fans reportedly are upset the team did not go for DT Glenn Dorsey to revitalize the defense, but I'm sure the Falcons felt they could go QB early-DL later with it's second pick and get better overall value, than to go DL (Dorsey) and then QB with the second pick (Brohm, Flacco or Henne).
Darren McFadden falls to the Raider in the four spot. Not much of a surprise. An offensive weapon goes to an Al Davis team. That's a dog bites man story.
Kansas City happily scoops up Dorsey in the five spot. They need so much more.
The Jets pick Vernon Gholston with the six pick and hope he returns the favor by playing hard every Sunday.
Sedrick Ellis DT from USC bolsters the Saints defense.
Derrick Harvey will add to the Jacksonville pass rush immediately. The run on D-lineman begins.
USC LB Keith Rivers is cursed by being drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals. If he doesn't have any character issues by now, he better get some quick or he'll never fit in with the Bungles.
New England drops to the #10 spot and reaches a bit for Jared Mayo LB Tennessee. His stock was rising late, but this is still a reach. (He was rated #58 on our list, but rising to a late first rounder). This is the first real eye-opener.
Buffalo drafts CB Leodis McKelvin from Troy. A 4.44 40 time hopefully comes with great cover skills. He was the highest rated CB on the board, plus or minus Michael Jenkins of USF.
Denver starts the run on OL with Ryan Clady OT from Boise State. He's the second highest rated OT behind Jake Long.
Carolina picks #13 and take Jonathan Stewart RB from Oregon. Not a shocker. He and Mendenhall from Illinois are too close to call.
Chicago goes for OT Chris Williams from Vanderbilt, a bit of a stretch and a surprise to fans who expected fast-rising Brandon Albert from Virginia here. Williams is the third highest rated tackle, Alberts the highest rated guard. The need was more for a tackle.
At #15 the Chiefs select Branden Alberts (#69 rated on our list, but rose to middle first round status late). I always wonder what guys do to rise so far so fast, given that there are no games being played. It must be the intangibles.
At #16 Arizona takes Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie from Tennessee State. He's the third highest rate corner back, but has to shake off a coming from a small school, having a borderline girl's first name, and a long-ass, hyphenated last name. Shows limited decision making skills.
At #17 the Lions take fast-riser Gosder Cherilius OT from Boston College. The fifth rated OT, borderline late first rounder even after rising from #56 on our last board, this pick is not a good value, but this is the Lions and Matt Millen is still on the payroll. Enough said.
At #18, the Ravens cloud their ever cloudy QB situation by trading up to take Delaware QB Joe Flacco. Flacco's fastball and his intimidating eyebrows better translate into performance on the field because I don't think any football fans worth his salt wants any part of a Kyle Boller-Joe Flacco QB controversy.
At #19, Carolina picks Jeff Otah OT from Pitt, the fifth OT taken so far. Sombody is going to be very disappointed three years from now.
At #20, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers reach for Aqib Talib CB from Kansas. Talib fell a bit after the marijuana revelation, but as long as he's not smoking while he's trying to cover a guy, what's the deal. He was a late first rounder, but Bucs needed to replace Brian Kelley.
Atlanta trades up to #21 to get USC OT Sam Baker, six OT's in the first round. Come on guys, one or two of these guys is really a second-rounder. Who is it? My early money is on the Lions.
Dallas predictably takes Arkansas RB Felix Jones so Jerry Jones can curry favor with his alumni buddies. A bit of a reach, but a good fit for Dallas, giving Marion Barber a better complementary back than the departed Julius Jones.
The Steelers get good value at #23 with Illinois Rashard Mendenhall. The #13 ranked prospect on our last board and rising late, Mendenhall is the 2nd or 3rd best RB in the draft behind McFadden and even with Stewart. Great pick and gives a good complement to fast Willie Parker. Now they have sledge-hammer Rashard Mendenhall to move closet dumper Nadje Davenport to the bench.
The Titans pick #24 and draft East Carolina's Chris Johnson. A 4.24 40 yard dash indicates breakaway back potential. We shall see. A bit of a reach, but fills a need.
At #25, the Cowboys get huge value in Michael Jenkins CB from USF. The 12th ranked prospect at #25 = GREAT PICK. Fills a need as well. BONUS POINTS.
At #26 Houston reaches way, way down in the prospect bag for OT Duane Brown. How bad is this pick? Let me count the ways. He wasn't even on our early board, rose to maybe late second round status late, is maybe the 8th ranked OT on the board. Some flunky must have dropped the Texans magnetic draft board, when the big-wigs left the room, and put it back together messed-up. Let's see if they compound this strategy later.
At #27 the rich get richer at CB when San Diego picks Arizona CB Antoine Cason. Good pick, SD will be tough to throw on next year.
At #28 Seattle picks USC DE Lawrence Jackson, a bit of a reach at this spot, he rose from late second round to late first round late, so maybe not so bad.
The 49ers pick North Carolina DT Kentawn Balmer. Prototypical rn stopper in the middle.
At #30 the Jets really reach for Purdue TE Dustin Keller, a fast riser late but maybe a mid second rounder at best. I guess they felt they could roll the dice after getting Gholston. Jets have not had good luck with TE's historically and have Bubba Franks on the roster currently. That makes this a need pick.
Leaving the G-men to close out the first round @ #31 by picking Miami FS Kenny Phillips. Not much of a surprise with Gabril Wilson signing with Oakland. The only question was Phillips of Arkansas State's SS Tyrell Johnson. If the Giants were looking to fill gaps at LB and S, they were probably going to get better value going S and then LB rather than the other way around. The good safeties would have been long gone by their second round pick. There should still be good value at LB then.
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The first round is in the books and no wide receivers have been taken and only two quarterbacks. The guys that protect the QB's, mainly the OT's, and the guys who get to the QB's, mainly the DE's and DT's are at a premium this year. That and corner backs. Even the running back group is long on workmanlike runners and short on flash. It seems like a real blue-collar, lunch bucket type first round. More so than in recent memory.
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The Dolphins lead off the second round by taking Phillip Merling DE from Clemson. A good value pick.
#33 is the first wide receiver selected, Donnie Avery from Houston by the St. louis Rams. Small, but lots of speed. Surprise pick maybe the 10th or 12th highest rated WR on most boards.
#34 goes next to the Redskins, the highest rated WR, Devin Thomas from Michigan State. 6-2, 215, 4.40 40 time. Not a bad pick, he was a fast rising prospect. Good value pick.
Kansas City picks Va. Tech CB Brandon Flowers at #35. A bit of a reach, maybe a mid-second rounder.
Green Bay surprises at #36 with Kansas State WR Jordy Nelson. A big target 6-3,217 4.51 speed, he may have been rated lower than Avery. Somebody is misevaluating this crop of receivers.
Atlanta goes defense at #37 with Oklahoma ILB Curtis Lofton. A good pick here.
Seattle surprise at #38 with Notre Dame TE John Carlson, the 5th highested rated TE, second off the board behind the Jets Dustin Keller. Carlson was rated a possible 3rd rounder. So the TE's are an issue as well it seems.
At #39 the 49ers draft USC OG Chilo Rachal 6-5,315, 5.16. Another third round prospect goes early.
The Saints reach at #40 with Tracy Porter CB from Indiana, a smallish burner 4.37 forty time.
Buffalo goes back to WR with Indiana wide out James Hardy, a big 6-6,217 target with 4.45 speed.
Denver goes WR with Va. Tech's Eddie Royal. Small 5-10,184 with 4.39 speed.
Minnesota picks up the top rated SS Tyrell Johnson from Arkansas State.
The Bears set up a RB showdown with Tulane's Matt Forte. At 6-2,217 with 4.44 speed, he may challenge Cedric Benson. Might have been a reach, but the best big back available.
At #45 Detroit picks Colorado OLB Jordan Dizon, who is on nobodies board this high. Nobody but Detroit. And to quote Mel Kiper, this is why Detroit drafts this high every year. I'll go on record here, this is the worst pick so far, someone need to be fired for this, someone named Millen.
Cincinnati comes in with Jerome Simpson WR from Coastal Carolina, a big target at 6-2 with 4.47 speed. A reach at this position, this pick will seems somehow less bad coming in the shadow of the Lions clunker.
Philadelphia pick Tyler Laws DT from Notre Dame at #47, a 6-1,304 run clogger in the middle. A decent pick here.
Washington gets a top TE in Fred Davis from USC at #48, a good value whose stock fell late for some unexplained reason. Maybe to make room for the risers.
Philadelphia gets the second highest rated WR and best value on the board (#14-21 rated prospect) at the #49 slot with California WR DeSean Jackson, 4.32 speed is a burner with return skills.
Arizona gets 6-8, 282 DE Calais Campbell from Miami, a good value pick here. A late 1st early second rounder at this spot is a good pick. Not a great pass rusher.
At #51 Washington goes WR with Oklahoma's Malcolm Kelly, a 6-4, 224 bookend to go with Devin Thomas, picked earlier.
At #52 Jacksonville takes Tamapa pick and grabs Auburn DE-LB Quentin Groves A 6-3, 259 tweener with 4.53 speed.
Pittsburgh goes WR with Limas Sweed of Texas at #53. A big target at 6-4,215 with 4.5 speed. Was one of the top three WR's early on.
At #54 the Titans go with Jason Jones DE from Eastern Michigan. A projected 3-4 rounder. 6-5,273 a bit of a tweener.
At #55 Baltimore trades up to get Rutgers RB Ray Rice. At 4.53 if he was a step faster he would be a first rounder.
At #56 Green Bay surprises again with QB Brian Brohm from Louisville. Rated in the 17-20 range, this is a great value pick, maybe a bit of a need if that Favre guy stays retired. Not a bad pick, just a surprise.
Which leaves Penn State ILB Dan Connor, LSU WR Early Doucet, Texas RB Jamal Charles and Michigan QB Chad Henne as the highest rated name guys still on the board.
At #57 Miami picks off Michigan QB Chad Henne to provide competition at QB.
Tampa comes in with WR Dexter Jackson from Appy State. A reach. Small school, small WR, 4.33 speed though. Joey Galloway's heir apparent?
The Colts take Arizona State OC Mike Pollak. A classic Colts pick. He's the top rated center and a good value pick here, a mid second rounder. with 4.99 speed at 6-4, 301.
Green Bay reaches for Auburn CB Patrick Lee. We're off the board on this one, so I'm gonna guess this pick stinks...or the Packers are geniuses. One of the two.
Dallas surprise a bit at # 61 with Martellus Bennett, TE from Texas A&M. A 6-6, 259 4.68 physical beast, this is a great value pick, he's the highest rated TE, a mid second rounder but they still have Whitten. Play lots of two TE sets.
New England comes in with CB Terrance Wheatley from Colorado. Another off the board pick, so this one either stinks...or the Patriots are fucking cheaters.
The Giants end the second round and the first day with USC CB Terrell Thomas, a 6-1,202 4.45 speed physical corner. A surprise pick with Dan Connor still on the board at ILB and Va Tech's Adibi and Purdue's Avril at OLB, both bigger need positions for the G-Men. Can't question GM Jerry Reese too much, he hit on all draft picks last year.
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First day is over and Penn State's ILB Dan Connor is left crying in the green room. Texas RB Jamal Charles and LSU's Early Doucet are surpirse leftovers as well.
WR's Andre Caldwell (Florida) and Mario Manningham (Michigan) are also available.
Among QB's, John David Booty of USC, Josh Johnson of San Diego and Andre Woodson of Kentucky are still on the board. Kevin Smith (Central Florida) and Mike Hart (Michigan) lead the RB's after Charles. Folk hero Owen Schmitt from West Virginia might be an interesting pick for a team that still employs a traditional FB. The FS and SS spots have only been picked once each, the most lonely position other than K-P and FB. The OLB position has been strangely silent as well.
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