It can drive you nuts, so I try not to let it.
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| Darrius Heyward-Bey would give Al Davis the speed he looks for at receiver. (Getty Images) |
1.) Go with my first instinct. It usually isn't far off.
2.) Look at the teams' depth charts. Figuring out needs isn't all that hard. Figuring out the men making the decisions isn't either.
So with those two rules in mind, I present my final mock draft -- unless, of course, we hear of more trades.
I'm just glad I'm finished. These things can drive you batty if you let them.
And in the end, do you really care how well I do in my mock?
I didn't think so.
| 2009 NFL Mock Draft |
| 1. Detroit Lions | ||
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Matt Stafford, QB, Georgia: Who else could they take here? They don't have a quarterback, so they must get one. And this kid is the real deal. | |
| 2. St. Louis Rams | ||
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Eugene Monroe, T, Virginia They need to get a replacement for Orlando Pace and Monroe gets the edge over Jason Smith. | |
| 3. Kansas City Chiefs | ||
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Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest: He's the cleanest player on the board, and if the Chiefs don't get out of this spot, which they're trying to do, they take him. Look out for a trade here, maybe with Washington, so the Redskins can get Mark Sanchez. | |
| 4. Seattle Seahawks | ||
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Mark Sanchez, QB, Southern California: Don't believe the talk. They need a quarterback for the future. If he's here, they take him. | |
| 5. Cleveland Browns | ||
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Brian Orakpo, DE, Texas: They need pass-rush help more than they need tackle help. So the instinct is to go with the Texas pass rusher. | |
| 6. Cincinnati Bengals | ||
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B.J. Raji, DT, Boston College: They coached him at the Senior Bowl and word is they love him. He will be a force in the middle of their defense. | |
| 7. Oakland Raiders | ||
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Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland: Speed, speed, and more speed. This makes more sense than Crabtree. | |
| 8. Jacksonville Jaguars | ||
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Andre Smith, T, Alabama: Tra Thomas isn't the long-term answer at left tackle. Smith can play either right or left tackle. | |
| 9. Green Bay Packers | ||
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Michael Oher, T, Mississippi: They need help at both tackle spots with age creeping in the past couple of years. | |
| 10. San Francisco 49ers | ||
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Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech: They will be thrilled if he is still on the board. He is the big-play receiver they've lacked. | |
| 11. Buffalo | ||
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Jason Smith, T, Baylor: They land a replacement for the departed Jason Peters. They go defense with their later pick. | |
| 12. Denver Broncos | ||
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Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU: He's a perfect fit for their 3-4 scheme. There's a chance he will go higher than this. | |
| 13. Washington Redskins | ||
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Aaron Maybin, DE, Penn State: They're in dire need of pass-rush help, so they take the speed rusher. | |
| 14. New Orleans Saints | ||
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Chris "Beanie" Wells, RB, Ohio State: They don't have a big back and Wells will team with Reggie Bush for a good 1-2 combination. We know how much Sean Payton loves offense. | |
| 15. Houston Texans | ||
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Brian Cushing, OLB, USC: He will add more punch to a front seven that has plenty. He plays hard all the time and will team with DeMeco Ryans to form a nice group at linebacker. | |
| 16. San Diego Chargers | ||
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Malcolm Jenkins, CB-S, Ohio State: They need a replacement for safety Clinton Hart and Jenkins can play there or corner. | |
| 17. New york Jets | ||
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Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri: This is a team that needs a deep threat and has one fall into its lap. | |
| 18. Denver Broncos (from Chicago) | ||
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Peria Jerry, DT, Mississippi: They go back-to-back defensive linemen with their two picks. They almost have to do that. | |
| 19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers | ||
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Ziggy Hood, DT, Missouri: They need to get bigger inside at tackle and pass on Josh Freeman. | |
| 20. Detroit Lions (From Dallas) | ||
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Eben Britton, T, Arizona: They get the quarterback early and come back and get the tackle later, just like the Atlanta Falcons did last year. | |
| 21. Philadelphia Eagles | ||
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Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma State: He can be a factor in the passing game, but he also blocks well for the run. Adding him to that line will be great for the run game. | |
| 22. Minnesota Vikings | ||
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Percy Harvin, WR, Florida: This is dicey, but they need to get more playmakers in their passing game. His speed will help back off defenses. | |
| 23. New England Patriots | ||
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Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois: He has some character issues, but that's never a problem in New England. He has top 15 athletic ability. | |
| 24. Atlanta Falcons | ||
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Darius Butler, CB, Connecticut: They need to get a cover corner to take over for the departed Domonique Foxworth. | |
| 25. Miami Dolphins | ||
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Clint Sintim, OLB, Virginia: He's perfect for their 3-4 defense. He played for former Bill Parcells protégé Al Groh at Virginia. | |
| 26. Baltimore Ravens | ||
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Kenny Britt, WR, Rutgers: They landed the quarterback last year. Now it's time to get the receiver to go with him. | |
| 27. Indianapolis Colts | ||
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Brian Robiskie, WR, Ohio State: They love three-receiver sets. With Marvin Harrison gone, they take a reliable, smart player. | |
| 28. Buffalo Bills (from Philadelphia through Carolina) | ||
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Everette Brown, DE, Florida State: They need to get some help for their pass rush. He falls down the board to them and they grab him. | |
| 29. New York Giants | ||
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Hakeem Nicks, WR, North Carolina: They need speed and he has it. But this might be forcing it a bit. | |
| 30. Tennessee Titans | ||
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Robert Ayers, DE, Tennessee: How much longer can Jevon Kearse and Kyle Vanden Bosch go? Ayers is a left end in their defense. | |
| 31. Arizona Cardinals | ||
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Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia: They didn't think he would be there, but they're glad he is. He will be a star in their offense. | |
| 32. Pittsburgh Steelers | ||
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Alex Mack, C, California: They need more push in the middle of their line. Mack can help the running game. | |
