2008 NFL Mock Draft Preview

Devin Thomas????? I sure hope the Niners do something about this draft, because it ain't looking too good as of now. If they really want a playmaker, have them trade up a few spots and grab Desean.

 

I think the Seahawks would be best suited to wait until the second round to draft a TE. Johnathan Carlson will be more than adequate in Holmgren's offense.

In the first round, the Hawks need to go for either a half-back to replace Shawn "I'm afraid of arm tackles" Alexander, or a left-tackle to groom. Big Walter Jones won't be around forever.

 

Rivals.com must have read my first post on this thread before posting this

I think Ellis or Dorsey is the pick. If either of the Longs are available, I think they could also be the choice.

I never thought the Raiders would not sign Fargas back, after the season he had.

The only way I see them considering McFadden, is if they fill some of their needs via free agancy, or think Fargas will not make it through an entire season. I want to see how Michael Bush pans out.

 

He has speed. The Raiders are absolutely addicted to speed. They will draft him, no doubt, simply because of his 40 time if nothing else.

 

I don't think the Raiders want to pay #4 RB money. It is possible they trade down.

I wouldn't mind McFadden, but from what I have read, the Raiders like the Longs, Dorsey, and Ellis more.

 

Yeah the raiders need to fill in the spot Sapp left when he retired. McFadden will no doubtedly cause some serious consideration, and the teams that will pass on him will do so with heavy hearts I think.

 

As long as Pittsburgh gets quality O-Line value in the draft this year, I'll be happy. If there's an impact d-lineman available, that's fine, too, but I really want to see O-Line all over this draft. Every mock I've seen so far has seen us going O-Line in round one, so that's good.

 

It seems like a lot of mocks have the Raiders taking McFadden. I can admit if I am wrong....

But as a fan, I don't see how that pick makes sense. OL/DL/WR are their biggest need. Drafting a star rb with the 4th overall pick would be expensive also.

 

I'd have to imagine the Raiders go with one of the top DTs. There are several gooduns, and they definitely need one.

 

2008 Mock Draft: Round One by Walterfootball.com


Last update: Wednesday, March 5, 2008. Free Agency and Fifth Round!
Next update: TBA
This NFL Draft order is based on the 2008 NFL Draft Order and 2008 Draft Prospect Rankings. I've posted a 2009 NFL Mock Draft for those who are interested.

Miami Dolphins: Chris Long, DE/OLB, Virginia
Before I talk about this selection, I want to address the rumor that Dallas is interested in the No. 1 overall pick. It's not happening. And while I think Jerry Jones is really interested in Darren McFadden, he doesn't need to move all the way up the draft board. A swap with the Rams would make more sense, though that's just almost as unlikely. Dallas would just have to give up too much. The Saints suffered for years after dealing all of their picks for Ricky Williams. It's just not worth it. Moving on...

Is there any doubt now that Chris Long is the No. 1 overall selection? Long had an outstanding combine, even though he was frustrated with some of his stellar numbers because he knew he could do better. Long is a perfect fit for Miami's dreadful defense, and seems like a Bill Parcells guy.

There are rumors that the Dolphins could go quarterback here, but all of those seem to stem from Mike "I want to have Matt Ryan's babies" Mayock, a Boston College guy who allegedly has ties to the Ryan family. Mayock is an outstanding draft analyst, but I disagree with his belief that Ryan will be drafted first. I don't think Parcells is planning to be around for a long time, so I'm not sure if he's willing to have the patience to sit through a young quarterback's developmental process. He'll likely pursue a veteran free agent this or next offseason, and draft a signal caller in the middle rounds. And besides, why would the Dolphins pass on Brady Quinn last year for John Beck, and not give Beck a full season as a starter?


St. Louis Rams: Vernon Gholston, DE, Ohio State
I'm glad I boldly predicted the Rams to go with Vernon Gholston prior to the combine. I said it was obvious Gholston was going to tear it up in Indianapolis because he's a workout warrior. Well, Gholston ran a 4.64, benched 225 pounds 37 times, and had vertical and broad jumps of 35.5 inches and 10'5", respectively.

I still don't think there are a lot of mocks that have Gholston going second, though some are starting to pop up. But I'm not afraid to make a bold draft prediction - I was among the first to put Gholston at No. 6 with the Jets - and you'll see another example of this at No. 7.

Besides the fact that Gholston had an incredible combine, this selection just makes too much sense. St. Louis needs to address its pass rush. Thanks to Leonard Little (who turns 34 in October) missing nine games and James Hall being a bust acquisition, the team didn't have a defensive end with more than two sacks last year. That's just pathetic.

Furthermore, there are rumors that defensive coordinator Jim Haslett wants to switch to a permanent 3-4 (the Rams played the 3-4 in some situations last year). If that's the case, Gholston would be a perfect fit for the Rams' new scheme because he can slide into the pass-rushing linebacker position. Gholston is relentless and will accumulate countless sacks for St. Louis. Remember, while some experts are projecting Jake Long to fall here, Gholston was the only player who befuddled the Michigan tackle during the entire 2007 campaign.

Speaking of Long, he is an option here. However, I believe St. Louis will pursue one of the next-tier offensive tackles atop the second round.


Atlanta Falcons: Jake Long, OT, Michigan
With Glenn Dorsey out of the picture - more on this later - and Darren McFadden no longer a factor in the wake of the Michael Turner signing, the Falcons have two options to choose from. Let's take a look at both of them:

Matt Ryan: Mike Mayock, as well as a lot of mocks in my 2008 NFL Mock Draft Database have Matt Ryan going to the Falcons. Up until about a month ago, I believed he wou

 

Hash Mock Draft, Volume Two.

(from ESPN.com)

1. Dolphins

Chris Long, DE/OLB, Virginia: This is the most tight-lipped organization in football right now. There are reports that Bill Parcells fined one position coach for making extended eye contact with a reporter at the combine. Don't believe the Matt Ryan smoke screen. I'm told that Chris Long's attitude reminds Bill of Jim Burt's, and that's all you need to know.

Previous pick: Chris Long

2. Rams

Jake Long, OT, Michigan: I'm pretty familiar with the folks representing Long (CAA), and this seems like a done deal. If the Rams could trade down and take Ohio State DE/OLB Vernon Gholston, they might do it. But I'm not sure anyone behind them is desperate to land Long. The Dolphins are interested in this Long, too, but I don't think they'll be able to trade down.

Previous pick: Jake Long

3. Falcons

Matt Ryan, QB, Boston College: Like a lot of teams, the Falcons are concerned about those 19 interceptions last season. But not enough to pass on a franchise quarterback. The Ravens probably have a better feel for Ryan than anyone in the draft, but he's not going to slip to No. 8. I know. I know. Some people thought the same thing about Brady Quinn.

Previous pick: Matt Ryan

4. Raiders

Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas: OK, here's our first major change. I've talked to two people inside the organization who say Al Davis has been infatuated with this kid for more than a year. When he ran a 4.27 40-yard dash at the combine, Davis was officially sold. Then he took a long nap.

Previous pick: Sedrick Ellis

5. Chiefs

Glenn Dorsey, DT, LSU: The Chiefs sent a large scouting party to watch Matt Ryan in case he's available. But even if Ryan slips past Atlanta, I think Herm Edwards will be inclined to take Dorsey. One veteran AFC scout had this to say about Dorsey on Tuesday: "He's the type of kid who would keep playing if his arm fell off in a game. All this talk about injuries is funny because they've never kept him out. I hope people pass on him, though."

Previous pick: Vernon Gholston

6. Jets

Vernon Gholston, DE/LB, Ohio State: The Rams would love to trade down and select Gholston. He ran a 4.58 at the combine, and his 42-inch vertical blew scouts away. Of course, he'll rarely be leaping over offensive linemen. In my mind, he could be this season's Patrick Willis.

Previous pick: Darren McFadden

7. Patriots

Leodis McKelvin, CB, Troy: Some of my counterparts in the mock drafting industry are convinced the Patriots are interested in Boise State offensive tackle Ryan Clady here. That's certainly not what I'm hearing. The club has had a strong interest in McKelvin for a long time. The Pats love his speed (4.38), and it's definitely an area of need. And no, the Fernando Bryant signing isn't going to derail my prediction.

Previous selection: Leodis McKelvin

8. Ravens

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB, Tenn. State: The Ravens will be ready to catch Matt Ryan if he falls, but Rodgers-Cromartie is a solid pick. He's the No. 1 cornerback on a lot of draft boards, but I still think McKelvin will go first because he played well against superior talent. The Cowboys covet this kid at No. 22, but he probably won't be around.

Previous pick: Brian Brohm

9. Bengals

Sedrick Ellis, DT, USC: The scout I talked to last night actually preferred Ellis over Dorsey. "He's just a beast," he said. "I didn't see anyone move him in the couple of games I saw in person." The Bengals need to add players on defense, and Ellis is a good start.

Previous pick: Glenn Dorsey

10. Saints

Keith Rivers, OLB, USC: I think the Saints should take Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie here if he's available, but I'm hearing they love Rivers' motor and leadership qualities. He can play inside or outside linebacker, and he even has the athleticism to drop back and play safety. Scott Shanle and Scott Fujita are two of my favorite guys in the league, but they could use some help. Rive

 

The Bears need to have the entire offense completely redone, imo. The line is old and crusty. While we are in desperate need of RB,QB, WR, the OL is a more pressing matter. If we don't have a good line up front, we won't be able to do jack with an awesome RB and the QB will get killed. I understand the appeal of RB Rashard Mendenhall from Illinois, but I think OT Jeff Otah from Pittsburg. Pick him up as the 14th overall pick. If they don't get him, maybe pick up Boston College offensive tackle Gosder Cherilus for 14 th overall. Either way, the OL needs to be taken care of first.

 

You know, for as much as everyone quotes Al Davis' history with getting the "flashiest player available, I think the fact that he has that insane logjam at RB discounts getting McFadden. The Raiders need picks on the O-Line and at DE WAY more than they need yet another RB. Seeing how Jake Long just got signed by the Dolphins, and how Atlanta needs a QB, and how much the Rams supposedly like Dorsey, I say the Raiders will have to choose between Chris Long (Howie Long's kid) and McFadden.

With this in mind, I say the Radiers draft Long. Why?

1) Name factor (the whole "He's Howie's kid!!" thing)

2) Positional needs (RB is not anywhere close to a need; DE and the O-Line are, but since the only O-Lineman worth a Top-5 pick is gone, and no one wants to trade up, you go for the DE)

3) To screw the Chiefs, who have the very next pick and suddenly find themselves in need of a DE now that they've traded away J. Allen.

Specterace