2009 NFL Mock Draft

1. Detroit Lions – Andre Smith | OT | Alabama

   I’m curious as to why most NFL mock draft sites have the Lions taking a QB here – I just don’t see it.  They already have Culpepper, Kitna, Stanton and Orlovsky to deal with this off-season.  Do I think any of them are franchise guys?  No.  But the former two are veterans who can lead a team, and can handle an offense when given time in the pocket.  I think they are more likely to nab a young project in the later rounds than pay an unproven QB $35 million guaranteed. Yes, Ryan and Flacco succeeded as first-round rookies after the 2008 NFL draft, but I don’t think it happens two consecutive years. Unless they become infatuated with Stafford, I foresee Jim Schwartz building this team like the Titans – a team that wins at the line of scrimmage, runs the ball and plays solid defense.  With a talented, young RB in Kevin Smith and an all-world WR in Calvin Johnson, I think Schwartz asks either Culpepper or Kitna to limit mistakes.  This will allow them to be patient, and the running game will eventually create room for Megatron in the secondary.Andre Smith will fit right in with this philosophy, as he instantly provides a massive body up front to battle in the trenches.

2. St. Louis Rams – Eugene Monroe | OT | Virginia

   Much like Detroit in the previous pick, the Rams are copying the Dolphins method from a year ago – utilize a veteran QB, surround him with a solid OL and RB core, and you will have a chance to win every game – even if you don’t dazzle or fill the stat sheet.  Luckily for the Rams, they have the necessary components in Bulger and Jackson, and I bet they take their chance on solidifying their line by drafting the best available OT.If Andre Smith is off the board, Eugene Monroe is the likely candidate to be #2.  His knee injury history has to be a concern, but if he checks out during his workouts and the combine, he could vault himself into top five territory.

3. Kansas City Chiefs – Aaron Curry | OLB | Wake Forest

   Here’s another pick where many NFL mock draft sites have the Chiefs taking a QB.  The Chiefs may go after Matt Cassel in the off-season, but if they don’t, I expect them to develop Thigpen – by year’s end he showed a lot of promise with solid play down the stretch, gaining the acceptance of veteran Tony Gonzalez and many other teammates.The Chiefs are a very young team that have a lot of potential, and adding a guy like Curry will certainly improve the talent level of the roster.  He has everything you could want in a LB prospect – size, speed, strength and no gametime lost due to injury.  With another year of experience and another youthful crop of rookies, I could see the Chiefs being a surprise team by the end of 2009.

4. Seattle Seahawks – Michael Crabtree | WR | Texas Tech

   This would be a dream scenario for the Seahawks, who desperately need a playmaker at the WR position.  In a year riddled with injury at the position, it would truly be a godsend for the Hawks to get a guy like Crabtree to jump start the offense.  The redshirt sophomore was a machine at Texas Tech, piling up 231 receptions, 3127 yards and 41 TDs in his brief tenure.It would be wise of the Seahawks to use the majority of their remaining picks on the defensive side of the ball – they were porous as a unit, finishing 30th in total defense.

5. Cleveland Browns – Malcolm Jenkins | CB | Ohio State

   The Browns probably would like Curry to slip to them, but in the end Jenkins should prove to be a solid pick.  They could use a corner opposite Eric Wright, and Jenkins is an ideal candidate – at 6′0”, 195 lbs, he has ideal size for a corner and doesn’t lack in the speed department, either.Regardless, the Browns need to step it up on offense if they expect to compete in a tough AFC North, with the new reigning champion Pittsburgh Steelers, and the always physical Baltimore Ravens.  It will be interesting to see how the QB situation pans out.  The likely scenario would be the Browns trading Anderson, since he is owed a $5 million bonus in March, and the Browns only have four picks in the NFL draft this April.

Stay tuned for a full 32-team 2009 NFL mock draft!

12:30 Tennessee Titans @ Detroit Lions
Remember when watching the Lions on Thanksgiving meant an opportunity to witness Barry Sanders the league’s most exciting back? This just in, Barry left the Lions a decade ago, and maybe the NFL should have followed his lead. If Matt Millen doesn’t have to watch this game why do we? The Titans, despite their loss to the Jets, are a well-oiled machine. The Lions are a pathetic excuse for an NFL franchise. If the NFL insists on playing a game in Detroit, an alternative could be the 19th ranked Michigan State Spartans who are off this week. MSU’s senior running back, Javon Ringer, may be next year’s Chris Johnson. Speaking of Chris Johnson, expect the Titans running back tandem of Johnson and LenDale White to exploit the Lions league-worst rushing defense. Albert Haynesworth and the stellar Titans defense will treat the Lions like a sparring partner; beating them at will throughout the contest. Detroit’s lone bright-spot this season, wide receiver Calvin Johnson, can be expected to make his standard handful of sensational plays. However, that won’t be enough as Tennessee’s Titans maul Detroit’s Cubs.

4:15 Dallas Cowboys @ Seattle Seahawks
What a difference a few years makes. The Cowboys are back among the NFC’s elite, while the Seahawks membership has been revoked. After stumbling through a few games without quarterback Tony Romo, in which Brad Johnson did his best seashell impression, the Cowboys have gotten back on track since Romo’s return. T.O. is all smiles after a highly productive week against the 49ers and there is no reason why Seattle’s lowly defense shouldn’t keep him happy. Season’s end and impending retirement can’t come soon enough for Seattle coach Mike Holmgren. Much like the Philadelphia Eagles, coached by Holmgren protégé Andy Reid, the Seahawks current regime appears to have reached the end of the line. Serious rebuilding is in order. In the meantime, Romo, Owens and Co. will feast in Seattle and then probably talk about it over dinner afterward.

8:30 Arizona Cardinals @ Philadelphia Eagles
Before the season began, this game projected as a division leader against a team with a lot talent in the middle of pack; and that’s exactly what it is except the Eagles got the roles reversed. Kurt Warner is playing like an MVP-candidate while Donovan McNabb’s inconsistent play suggests that his best days are behind him. These teams are very similar offensively. Both the Cardinals and Eagles rely heavily on the passing game and do a very poor job running the ball. However, the Cardinals have the best receiver tandem, of Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin, in the league. That being said the game should be decided on the defensive side of the football where Philadelphia’s 5th ranked pass defense holds a distinct advantage over Arizona pass defense which ranks 17th. This game figures to be a high-scoring affair and while I give Philadelphia a slight advantage based on home-field advantage, the Eagles defense and Arizona’s track-record playing on the east coast: Philadelphia has found a way to lose winnable games the last two weeks. Why not make it three?

I anticipated the Eagles to come out hot in this game and take over early. After a 90 yard TD to Koren Robinson and a rare red zone interception from Donovan McNabb, my thought process shifted. It looked like another seemingly dormant team would come alive and compete against a heavy favorite.

Fortunately for Philadelphia, the poor start was an aberration and the Eagles scored the final 26 points of this contest to win the battle of the birds. McNabb passed for 349 yards and scattered completions 10 different receivers, including the big OL Todd Herremans. Brent Celek also set a record for the most yards in a regular season game by an Eagles TE with 131 yards on 6 receptions.

This brings up the interesting question – who will start for Eagles at TE when L.J. Smith is healthy? Some may argue that since he is their franchise player, it’s difficult to bench him, but I just can’t use that as justification. Celek may not be as athletic as Smith, but he performed better in one start than L.J. could over his long tenure here. Celek seems more sure handed and I would be shocked if he didn’t get another start after this solid performance.