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Mock this! BGN Mock draft v4.0

The draft is now less than 2 weeks away and the trade rumors have started swirling wildly. Teams are hosting potential draft picks left and right. Retirements, cuts ,and suspensions have changed teams' needs and the draft is really starting to take shape.

So I present version 4.0 of the BGN Mock draft. If all goes well, I'll be doing one final mock before we see the real thing on April 28th. Of course, you can always check out SBN bloggers mock draft.

Click read more to get you mock on!

Star-divide

  1. Oakland Raiders - Calvin Johnson, WR, Georgia Tech - I'm sticking to my guns here. I think Randy Moss will be dealt on draft day, likely to the Packers and Oakland is going to find a QB. Maybe Josh McCown from Detroit. They may also draft a guy like Drew Stanton or Troy Smith later, but they'll take the best player in the draft here. Johnson is just not a talent you pass up on.
  2. Detroit Lions - JaMarcus Russell, QB, LSU - The Lions won't be able pass up Russell if he falls into their lap. Russell would actually land in a pretty good situation in Detroit. With Kitna there, he wouldn't be asked to start from day one like he would in Oakland or Cleveland. Russel would greatly benefit from some time to learn the system.
  3. Cleveland Browns - Brady Quinn, QB, Notre Dame - Early in the draft process it looked like Quinn might be in for a Leinart-esque drop and some team could grab him in the lower half of the top 10, but that no longer seems the case. Quinn is a talent and the most polished QB in this draft. He'd give Cleveland the franchise QB they so sorely need.
  4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Joe Thomas, OT, Wisconsin - This is just a good value pick here. The Bucs seems to have visions of Calvin Johnson dancing in their head, but Joe Thomas is just the smart pick. Whether it's Garcia or Simms running that offense, either would greatly appreciate a franchise tackle  to protect them from guys like John Abraham coming off the edge.
  5. Arizona Cardinals - Levi Brown, OT, Penn State - The Cardinals greatest need is at offensive tackle. Plain and simple. Oliver Ross has not gotten the job done and Leonard Davis left in free agency leaving a gaping hole at either tackle position. There's nothing more important to a young QB and his development than giving him solid tackles. Leinart will love this pick.
  6. Washington Redskins - Jamaal Anderson, DE, Arkansas - Although this pick seems to be burning a hole in Dan Snyder's pocket, the smart move is to stand pat and take the best DE you can get to help the anemic Washington pass rush. While I think Gaines Adams is the best pass rusher available here, Anderson is the better two way player. With Kevin Carter, a good pass rush poor run defense type end, locked up long term Washington would be wise to pick Anderson here.
  7. Minnesota Vikings - Gaines Adams, DE, Clemson - Although LaRon Landry would be a tempting pick here, the Vikings are to thin at DE to ignore Adamsif he falls to them. The Vikings were in the bottom half of the league in sacks and a premier pass rusher would help their pass defense which was ranked 2nd worst in the NFL.
  8. Atlanta Falcons(from HOU) - Adrian Peterson, RB, Oklahoma - If Peterson falls into Atlanta's lap here at #8 and the value is too great too pass up. Warrick Dunn is reaching the end of his road and they simply can't allow Mike Vick to run an offense without an effective run game to fall back on. Vick, Peterson, & Norwood will ensure that the Atlanta run game should stay the best in football for years to come. Laron Landry is another possibility for ATL, but if either of the top 2 defensive ends, Adams or Anderson fall here I think ATL will pounce on them.
  9. Miami Dolphins - LaRon Landry, S, LSU - Safety s a solid need for Miami and Landry is good value at #9. The Dolphins should be very happy he fell to them here.
  10. Houston Texans(from ATL) - Amobi Okoye, DT, Louisville - The Texans were probably hoping Levi Brown or LaRon Landry would fall to them, but DT is just as big a need. The team's new 4-3 scheme would greatly benefit from a big, athletic talent like Okoye in the middle. With Alan Branch's stock dropping, Okoye is the pick here.
  11. San Francisco 49ers - Patrick Willis, ILB, Ole Miss - Willis' stock has rocketed in the past few weeks as he has displayed that rare combination of speed, power, and size that is not often seen at the middle linebacker spot. Willis would not only complete and impressive young linebacker corps for San Fran, but would anchor the young defense as a whole for many years to come.
  12. Buffalo Bills - Leon Hall, CB, Michigan - I know everyone seems to think the Bills will take Marshawn Lynch here, but they aren't taking a back this high. If Marv Levy and co think they needed a high pedigree back, they would have kept Willis McGahee. They'll address RB in this draft, just not in the first round. Leon Hall can start right in place of the now departed  Nate Clements and fill a huge need for the Bills.
  13. St. Louis Rams - Alan Branch, DT, Michigan - The Rams struggled against the run last year again and the main culprit of that has been their DT play. Although his stock has dropped due to some poor pre draft workouts, Branch still did the job on the field and the Rams will be able to plop him right in the middle of their defense and start to toughen up what has been a pretty soft middle of their defense.
  14. Carolina Panthers - Jon Beason, OLB, Miami (FL) - Beason may be a stretch at 14, but he's the player that makes the most sense for Carolina here. The Panthers are in an interesting position in that there's not a player with great value at 14 that really fills their holes. Beason is about as close as it gets. After losing Will Witherspoon last year, the Panthers could really use a solid guy to replace him. Beason may not have ideal size, but he plays bigger than he measures. Trading down for a guy like Beason, Timmons, or even TE Greg Olsen would be a smart move for Carolina here.
  15. Pittsburgh Steelers -Darrelle Revis, CB, Pittsburgh - The Steelers' defensive backs were pretty disappointing last year and with a cover 2 mind like Mike Tomlin taking over, good corners are important. Plus, I think they were a bit disappointed with some of the decisions made by their young returners last year. Revis could represent an upgrade both at corner and I the return game. Plus, he'd be playing his pro ball on the same field he played his college ball! He'd be a very popular pick in Pittsburgh.
  16. Green Bay Packers - Marshawn Lynch, RB, California - This pick should be a no brainer. RB is a big hole for the Packers, they do value the position (unlike the Bills), and Lynch is the best RB in the draft.
  17. Jacksonville Jaguars - Reggie Nelson, S, Florida - Although defensive end could be a solid pick here, the Jags like Nelson and he'd fill a big hole left by the now departed Deon Grant.
  18. Cincinnati Bengals - Adam Carriker, DE, Nebraska - Carriker represents such good value at #18 the Bengals won't be able to pass him up, plus defensive line represents a definite need for Cincy. They aren't bad, but have no impact players. Carriker could be just that and would take some pressure off a depleted LB corps.  
  19. Tennessee Titans - Aaron Ross, CB, Texas - I hear the Titans could use a corner! Ross is good value here and is the kind guy who can step in and start in place of Pacman right away. He's not the dynamic playmaker and certainly not the return man Pacman is, but he's solid and will be a good replacement for now and in the future.
  20. New York Giants - Paul Posluszny, OLB, Penn State - The Giants shed alot of excess veteran weight in their linebacking corps this offseason and only signed Mitchell from KC on a one year deal. Although they signed Mitchell from the Chiefs on a one year deal, the G-Men need to stock some talent at the LB position.
  21. Denver Broncos Jarvis Moss, DE/OLB, Florida - DE Jarvis Moss will bring the kind of edge pass rushing specialist that Shanahan has been trying to get for a few years now. Another big need, good value pick.
  22. Dallas Cowboys - Dwayne Bowe, WR, LSU - Everyone seems to think the Cowboys will go safety here, but by signing FS Ken Hamlin to a one year deal as a stop gap, they have shown that they think their long term solution at safety is still Watkins. If that's their mindset, they'll go WR in round one especially since there's no offensive lineman with good value here. The Cowboys 2 top WRs are approaching their mid 30s and behind them are several undrafted free agents. Dwayne Bowe would be a great pick not only this year but for the future as he and QB Tony Romo grow together.
  23. Kansas City Chiefs - Joe Staley, OT, Central Michigan - With several good WRs still on the board, it would make perfect sense for the Chiefs to go after that #1 they've never really had. That said, the Chiefs know where their bread is buttered and that's right up front with a power run game and a dominant offensive line. Replacing Willie Roaf & Will Shields has to be their top priority and Joe Staley is the best guy left on the board to do that.
  24. New England Patriots -Michael Griffin, S, Texas - With Rodney Harrison unable to stay healthy and getting up in years as it is, Griffin would represent a solid depth pick here. The Patriots, like several teams at the bottom of round one, don't necessarily need a starter right here and can afford to make a pick for next year and beyond. Griffin would bring the same kind of intimidating physical presence that Harrison does.
  25. New York Jets - Ted Ginn, WR, Ohio State - Corner is a solid need for the Jets and they could certainly take a guy like Chris Houston here, but the Jets offense could use a burner like Ginn. At #25 Ginn is a tremendous value and will be hard for the Jets to pass up.
  26. Philadelphia Eagles - Greg Olsen, TE, Miami (FL) - Everyone has the Eagles pegged as going defense in round one, but Olsen is too hard to pass up. LJ Smith is going into the final year of his deal and judging by what some less TEs got in free agency this offseason, he's going to paid bigtime. Getting Olsen would give them the option of letting LJ walk for the huge money, while replacing him with a guy that very well may be more talented... The draft is deeper at safety and corner than it is TE, so the Eagles will look to fill those needs later in the draft.
  27. New Orleans Saints - Chris Houston, CB, Arkansas - The Saints need to go defense at this point and their biggest needs are at LB and corner. Lucky for them, Houston falls into their lap here. Chris Houston is the kind of corner who can be left on an island and has a reputation for stepping up his game against good competition, he had some of his best games against Dwayne Jarrett, Robert Meachem, and Dwayne Bowe who were three of the best WRs in the country last year.
  28. New England Patriots (from SEA) - Lawrence Timmons, OLB, Florida St - Linebacker is a spot the Pats could use some depth at and Timmons would be a great pick for the future. Scouts love his physical tools, but have worried about him that he's too inexperience and raw after only one year starting. The Pats could afford to groom him as a backup for a year and end up finding themselves a year from now with a guy that may have been a top 15 pick had he stayed for his senior year.
  29. Baltimore Ravens - Anthony Spencer, DE, Purdue - With the loss of Adalius Thomas to free agency, the Ravens will be in the market for a speed rusher off the end. While Spencer was a DE in college, his size(which is small for a DE) would make him an ideal OLB in the Ravens' 3-4 scheme.
  30. San Diego Chargers - Robert Meachem, WR, Tennessee - A true playmaking speedster at WR would make the Chargers already formidable offense very scary. With what already may be the best defense, run game, and TE in the NFL... Phillip Rivers and Robert Meachem could develop together into one of the more formidable QB to WR combos.
  31. Chicago Bears - Ben Grubbs, OT, Auburn - The Bears have the freedom to fill a few needs early due to the improved second round pick they got from the Thomas Jones Jones trade. Despite some attractive options at WR here, I think the Bears go in the trenches and grab Ben Grubbs from Auburn here. Grossman(or whoever ends up playing QB) is going to need time and Cedric Benson is going to need holes, Grubbs should help with that for the next 5-6 years at least.
  32. Indianapolis Colts - Marcus McCauley, CB, Fresno St. - Linebacker is probably the Colt's biggest need, but there just isn't really good value at that position here. With the loss of Nick Harper they could use some depth at corner and McCauley is a guy that could end up starting for them before next season is over.

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Makes sense, but...
I don't like it.

I realize the Eagles like to think a year ahead, and address what will probably be a need after next season when free agents leave/players retire. But I want them to address the biggest need this season, which is defense.

by depressedfan on Apr 17, 2007 2:39 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

It's a question of value
I'd agree that for this year defense is a bigger need, but I don't think the Eagles will pick a defensive player just for the sake of doing it. If they don't think the value is there, they'll either move down or take the best player at another need position.

I'd actually be fine with a drop down to grab a guy like Timmons, Beason, MacCauley, Griffin, or Merriweather. Otherwise, there's several LBs, safeties, and corners I'd be interested in the 2nd and 3rd round.

I think if they were going to resign LJ, they'd have done it last year. When he leaves, that will be a huge hole and lot of production that needs to be replaced.

Bleeding Green Nation Philadelphia Eagles Blog

by JasonB on Apr 17, 2007 3:08 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Look at History
I know this isn't all under the Reid Era, but since 1991, we have had 16 1st round picks, and 13 have been lineman of some sort.  (Reid is 5 for 8) Why would we expect anything different?  

My theory is that we know coming to Philly makes you fat w/ the cheese steaks and tasty cakes, so why risk getting a skilled player who will just get slower.  (Blame the steaks and cakes on Mamula holding the record for almost sacks, being defined as a sack that would have occurred if player was 1 step quicker)

by brooksy on Apr 17, 2007 2:58 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

I think the lines are done
Look at what we have. The offensive line is stocked with young talent that's locked up long term. Only RT doesn't appear to have a young heir apparent, unless that's Andrews...

The defensive line has two first round picks at DT plus a new free agent, we just locked up one young DE in Cole and a decent depth guy in JT. That said, it would not shock me to see Andy take a DE in the first round if he likes one. That's the one spot where there is question marks at.

No doubt at some point, Andy will draft a lineman or two. Definitely a defensive end and probably a RT, but I doubt it will be in the first round.

Bleeding Green Nation Philadelphia Eagles Blog

by JasonB on Apr 17, 2007 3:11 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Trading up...
Andy has traded up twice (I think) in the past couple of years to get a lineman. You think he goes that route again? If so, for whom?

by depressedfan on Apr 17, 2007 3:21 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Maybe
Adam Carriker if he falls to the mid teens? It honestly wouldn't surprise me.
Bleeding Green Nation Philadelphia Eagles Blog

by JasonB on Apr 17, 2007 3:22 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

"Almost sacks"
I thought they were actually called "Mamulas"

by BrianS on Apr 17, 2007 4:56 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Yes
Although, they've since been renamed "hurries."
Bleeding Green Nation Philadelphia Eagles Blog

by JasonB on Apr 17, 2007 5:25 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Here's an idea...
Why not keep LJ Smith?

Make a verbal agreement with him. If he gets voted to the Pro Bowl in 2007 he'll be rewarded with a pro-bowl caliber contract, one that puts him in the top 3 for TE contracts, but he has to sign before FA starts. If he doesn't get voted to the Pro Bowl, the Eagles will promise to not Franchise him and give him full freeedom to explore his options.

There's really no downside here. If Smith gets voted to the Pro Bowl he'll be worth the $$$ and if he doesn't he'll still be playing his very best in an effort to land the contract. If Smith doesn't put up the numbers he'll probably get less on the FA market tha  he hopes and the Eagles will still be in a position to re-sign him at a number closer to what they're already comfortable with.

This way you have the flexibility to use your 1st round pick in any way you choose. You aren't drafting for need in Olsen and if you don't see the value you like at 26 you can always trade down.

By the way, I saw an interesting rumor. The Eagles are actively shopping Ryan Moats and yes... there seems to be interest. The price is probably a mid-round pick. What I find interesting is this makes it even more likely the Eagles are looking to draft a RB on Day 1. Maybe the kid from Rutgers?

by grover on Apr 17, 2007 9:22 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Brian Leonard
I really hope the Eagles take him, but every mock I've seen has him gone before the Eagles second round pick. He'd be perfect in the Eagles offense. I think I read that the Giants and Pats are interested in him.

by depressedfan on Apr 17, 2007 11:46 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Nice, but there is no such thing
LJ and his agent have no incentive whatsoever to verbally agree to anything. He's in a position of power right now. The Eagles can either pay him what he wants or he'll go someone else for nothing at the end of the year. PLus, I think he probably feels fairly confident the Eagles won't use the franchise tag on him.
Bleeding Green Nation Philadelphia Eagles Blog

by JasonB on Apr 18, 2007 10:25 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Have they ever franchised someone?
And actually forced them to play for them?  If I remember correctly, they withdrew the tag from Trot and Simon.  Which I still don't completely understand.  Why tag someone just to withdraw it?

by brooksy on Apr 18, 2007 10:52 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

They were hoping to trade them
Or at the least force them back to the table to work out a long term deal. They use it as a bargaining chip, they have never shown that they'd actually be willing to pay to franchise someone.
Bleeding Green Nation Philadelphia Eagles Blog

by JasonB on Apr 18, 2007 11:22 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Franchise Tag
They have used the tag and they could slap it on Smith and mess up the market for his services. Even if the Eagles cut him loose later it would cause his potential suitors to go in other directions with their dollars. They'll have the cap room in 2008 to pay him Franchise money, so its not really an empty threat.

by grover on Apr 18, 2007 8:53 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

They put the tag on guys
But I don't ever remember them actually leaving it on and paying the guy.
Bleeding Green Nation Philadelphia Eagles Blog

by JasonB on Apr 18, 2007 9:34 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Seems like...
an ego thing for Reid actually. In both cases, I think they put the tag on the guys, gave them a little time to work out a deal, but as soon as the word "hold out" was uttered, Reid just cut bait.

In both cases, it was probably the right thing to do, if you look at what the guys did where they wound up.

What would a franchise tag on a tight-end cost?

by depressedfan on Apr 18, 2007 9:42 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

TE franchise tag
would cost $4,371,000
Bleeding Green Nation Philadelphia Eagles Blog

by JasonB on Apr 19, 2007 9:18 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Too good a deal.
Sign LJ to an extension or slap the Franchise tag on him.

by grover on Apr 19, 2007 12:35 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Just because
they haven't used it in the past, doesn't mean they can't use it in the future.

Simon got tagged (I think out of spite) but there was no way his play the prior season merited the $$$ it would cost to hold on to him.

Trotter played a position that Reid considered a complimentary post, linebacker has never been a priority in Johnson's defense. (Whether or not that is an accurate viewpoint is a topic for another time.)

But TE is huge in the West Coast offense. Reid has rarely made a big deal out of the WR corp and RBs need to know pass routes but the TE has always been a critical element. Reid learned that back in Green Bay with Jackson and Chumura. Hell, you can follow the line all the way to Bill Walsh with SF in the early 80's.

by grover on Apr 19, 2007 2:39 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

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