Ol' Bag of Donuts » Everson Griffen

Final Mock Draft: 3 man weave

admin — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 10:30:17 +0000

Here we are, hours before the 2010 NFL draft kicks off and we are sure that you haven’t had your fill on mock drafts yet. Chris has done a great job so far in his not one, not two, but three mock drafts so far. We also gave scouting reports for 71 different players from first rounders to deep sleepers that the Packers should have their eyes on. It is true that all of this is an inexact science, but on the morning of draft night (still sounds awfully weird to me), how about one last mock draft to get you ready? This time all three of us will rotate picks and just a quick teaser, the Packers have a new choice from our last mocks.

1. St. Louis (1-15) – Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma. No doubt in my mind he’s the pick here. The Rams have no real quarterback after releasing Marc Bulger and they are clearly in love with Bradford, especially after his strong pro day showing. He’ll bring some buzz back to a team that has lacked it in recent years. (Chris Lempesis)

2. Detroit (2-14) – Russell Okung, OT, Oklahoma St. A lot of people have Suh or McCoy pegged here, but the Lions have a bigger hole on the offensive line. Okung will quickly become Matt Stafford’s best friend and hopefully prevent him from becoming another Joey Harrington. (Adam Somers)

3. Tampa Bay (3-13) – Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma. You could go with Ndamukong Suh just as easily here, but McCoy gets the nod for his pure pass-rushing ability, which the Bucs badly need in the middle of their line. McCoy projects nicely as a three-technique tackle in their scheme who could give them some burst. (Gene Bosling)

4. Washington (4-12) – Bryan Bulaga, OT, Iowa. Even with Okung no longer available here, the ‘Skins will still look to upgrade their o-line. The unit is horrible, as of now, and Donovan McNabb will get punished playing behind it. Bulaga is an above-average athlete with excellent footwork. He’ll be a major addition for that group. (CL)

5. Kansas City (4-12) -Ndamunkog Suh, DT, Nebraska. Even though the Chiefs have drafted d-lineman in their last two first rounds (Glen Dorsey, ‘08 and Tyson Jackson, ‘09) they still go with perhaps the most dominate player in college football last year to form a young, scary unit. Suh is not necessarily a need, but is the best player available and if he lasts this far look for a possible trade-up. (AS)

6. Seattle (5-11) – Eric Berry, S, Tennessee. There are a number of directions the Seahawks could go with this pick — offensive line has been mentioned, and Clemson running back C.J. Spiller’s name has also come up on multiple occasions. But playmakers of Berry’s reputation don’t come around often, and new coach Pete Carroll could use an athlete like Berry, who has drawn comparisons to Ed Reed. (GB)

7. Cleveland (5-11) – Earl Thomas, S, Texas. The addition of Sheldon Brown was a nice upgrade for Cleveland’s secondary (one of the worst in football last season). The Brownies still need help there, though. Thomas is a big-time playmaker with speed to burn. Those qualities more than make up for his lack of size (just 5-feet, 10-inches). Good pick for Mikey. (CL)

8. Oakland (5-11) – Anthony Davis, OT, Rutgers. Al Davis loves measurables, he loves potential and he loves raw skill. Davis has all of that and the Raiders have never shied away from character issues. If Davis had his head screwed on straight he might be the top tackle prospect in this draft and now he has the duty of protecting another offensive tackle in JaMarcus Russell. (AS)

9. Buffalo (6-10) – Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Ryan Fitzpatrick, Trent Edwards and Brian Brohm. Yep, those are the quarterbacks for Buffalo. The Bills can not expect to do anything significant until they upgrade at that spot. I have doubts about Clausen, but I still think he’s better than those three. Plus, he brings hope – something Bills fans need in a major way. (CL)

10. Jacksonville (7-9) – Derrick Morgan, DE, Georgia Tech. Morgan is smallish (6-foot-3, 265 pounds), but is a good edge rusher for a team that needs help in that area. That’s a big part of the reason the Jaguars threw so much money at Aaron Kampman, but it can’t hurt to have another good, young, healthy option in case Kampman’s knee isn’t ready to go. (GB)

11. Denver (8-8) — From Chicago (7-9) – Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma St. Maybe the easiest pick to peg in this draft so far, besides Bradford, after trading Brandon Marshall. Bryant is a playmaker the Broncos desparately need and McDaniels has had a good history with questionable character wideouts (see Moss, Randy). Bryant has the talent to start right away. (AS)

12. Miami (7-9) – Sergio Kindle, DE/OLB, Texas. The Dolphins could take a look at Spiller here, with Ronnie Brown coming off an ankle injury. But this is a Bill Parcells team now, and it’s also a team that needs an impact pass rusher. For both of those reasons, Kindle makes sense here. A trade down isn’t out of the question, either — the Seahawks like Spiller, and the Dolphins might be able to get a pass-rusher a few spots down. (GB)

13. San Francisco (8-8) – Joe Haden, CB, Florida. The Niners’ war room will be going crazy if Haden’s still on the board at this point. He’s the best corner in this draft and fills a real need for San Fran. He’s got the skills to start – and excel – right away. The Niners need o-line help, too, but they can address that later in round one. (CL)

14. Seattle (5-11) — From Denver (8-8) C.J. Spiller, RB, Clemson. This would be the dream scenario for the Seahawks landing Spiller here. They are in desperate need of playmakers and Spiller fills that void. He’s not an every down back, but is the biggest homerun threat in this draft and can help the new Carroll regime is multiple ways. (AS)

15. New York Giants (8-8) — Rolando McClain, LB, Alabama. The Giants’ defense has shown its age a little in the last two seasons, and with Antonio Pierce gone, McClain makes sense here. He’s probably only on the board because of slipping draft stock – which might or might not have something to do with reports that he might or might not have Crohn’s disease. This draft stuff is cooky. Anyway, McClain is a big, prototype linebacker who would fit well in New York. (GB)

16. Tennessee (8-8) – Jason Pierre-Paul, OLB, South Florida. The Titans would love it if Morgan or Kindle were still on the board. But with those two both gone, they’ll turn to Pierre-Paul. He doesn’t have much in the way of stats (just six sacks last season, his only year of Division I ball), but he’s got fantastic measurables (6-feet, 6-inches, 260 pounds with 4.64 speed). He’s a freak and, last time I checked, Tennessee likes freaks (see: Kearse, Jevon). (CL)

17. San Francisco (8-8) — From Carolina (8-8) – Trent Williams, OT, Oklahoma. After addressing CB issues with Haden earlier the 49ers turn to the other side of the ball to upgrade their offensive line. Alex Smith showed a little bit of life last year and if has any chance to improve on that he’ll need protection. Some have Williams going as high of #4 to Washington, so he is a great value here at #17 and can be plugged into right tackle immediately. (AS)

18. Pittsburgh (9-7) — Mike Iupati, G, Idaho. There’s probably some concern in Pittsburgh about the quarterback position with Ben Roethlisberger continuing to prove what a meathead he is, but there’s nothing of value the Steelers could do at that position with the 18th pick. So they shore up a bad offensive line with Iupati, a road grader of a guard who’s got the size, if not the polish, to move to tackle. (GB)

19. Atlanta (9-7) – Sean Weatherspoon, OLB, Missouri. Atlanta’s pretty much set, offensively. The Falcons’ defense could still use some work, though, and Weatherspoon would help that cause tremendously. He’s a high-energy player who knows how to tackle (and can hit like a ton of freakin’ bricks). (CL)

20. Houston (9-7) – Kyle Wilson, CB, Boise St. After losing Dunta Robinson in free agency, the Texans have a void to fill. With Haden gone, Wilson is arguably the second-best prospect at this position and joins an intriguing young defense with Brian Cushing, DeMeco Ryans and Mario Williams. Texans could look at RB at this spot, but there will be plenty of good backs available come Friday. (AS)

21. Cincinnati (10-6) – Jermaine Gresham, TE, Oklahoma. He’s been called “the most dynamic tight end prospect since Keith Jackson,” and the Bengals’ rapidly aging offense could use another weapon for Carson Palmer. They’ll get one here by taking Gresham, a 6-foot-5 tight end who ran a 4.73 40 at the NFL Scouting Combine. (GB)

22. New England (10-6) – Brandon Graham, DE/OLB, Michigan. If you know anything about The Hoodie’s draft approach, you know that he’s never been scared off by “Tweeners.” Graham is certainly one of those, although he’s more likely an outside linebacker in the pros. He goes 120 MPH on just about every play and he’ll need to in the pros because of his short arms. (CL)

23. Green Bay (11-5) – Maurkice Pouncey, G/C, Florida. Last year you could probably peg a few different guys Thompson would be drafting. This year? It could go in so many directions. Do they draft tackle? Do they pull the trigger on a heat-seeking missile like Mays? What about an outside rusher to pair up with Matthews? Charles Brown has been a popular pick on our past mocks and with many of our readers, but there has been a lot of buzz lately that he is more of a project than an immediate impact player. For a team with Super Bowl aspirations, that isn’t good enough. There has been little doubt that Pouncey can provide immediate impact on the line and is one of those versatile lineman that Thompson has loved in the past. Josh Sitton is solid at RG, but you would have a hard time convincing me that Pouncey wouldn’t beat out the LG/C contingent of Colledge/Spitz/Wells. An outside pass rusher could be a very real possibility here for an immediate impact this team needs in the first round, but with Weatherspoon, Kindle and Graham off the board, Pouncey is the pick here at #23. (AS)

24. Philadelphia (11-5) – Taylor Mays, S, USC. There’s a lot of talk about Mays going to the Packers at No. 23, but if he’s still here, it’s going to be hard for the Eagles to pass on him. He struggles in coverage, but he’s a sledgehammer of a safety, and that fits more in the Eagles’ scheme than a safety like South Florida’s Nate Allen. (GB)

25. Baltimore (9-7) – Dan Williams, NT, Tennessee. I think the Ravens would love to see Gresham fall to them here, but since he’s gone, my guess is that they’ll turn their focus to the defensive line. Kelly Gregg is still very good, but he’s getting older. Williams brings pure strength, and decent enough athleticism, with him and will look good playing next to Haloti Ngata for the next 10 years. (CL)

26. Arizona (10-6) – Jared Odrick, DT, Penn St. The Cardinals would love to see Williams fall to them to anchor the defensive line, but will settle for 2009 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. The birds want to improve their pass rush and with many of the top linebackers gone, they will look toward the versatile and athletic big man up front. (AS)

27. Dallas (11-5) – Charles Brown, OT, USC. Rumors have had the Cowboys making a play for Ravens’ tackle Jared Gaither, so there is a need on the offensive line, especially with Flozell Adams out the door in Dallas. Brown may not be ready to start right away, but is a far safer pick than Bruce Campbell. Taylor Mays could be a real option here if he is available. (AS)

28. San Diego (13-3) – Ryan Matthews, RB, Fresno St. With Tomlinson out of the picture, the Bolts can finally land their running back of the future. Sproles was and never will be an every down player and now can go back to his multi-faceted position. Matthews runs as hard as anyone in the draft and can take heat off Rivers and their vaunted passing game to make that offense even more scarier. (AS)

29. New York Jets (9-7) – Carlos Dunlap, DE, Florida. It is clear that Rex Ryan holds no regard for character as long as it helps the team win, so I don’t think Ryan is scared away by Dunlap’s off the field issues and inconsistent effort. The kid is a physical freak and has the talent to produce right away, bringing back flashes of Terrell Suggs. Jets need an outside pass rusher and fill find a way to fit Dunlap into their scheme. (AS)

30. Minnesota (12-4) – Kareem Jackson, CB, Alabama. Even though the Vikings just signed Lito Sheppard, I don’t think it will affect their draft plans. Cedric Griffin is probably out for at least the first six weeks and Antoine Winfield is showing his age more every day. Jackson is pro-ready and can step in right away in a now pass-heavy division. He will be groomed to take over for Winfield when that time comes. (AS)

31. Indianapolis (14-2) – Devin McCourty, CB, Rutgers. Did you watch the Super Bowl? Granted Drew Brees can pick apart just about any defense, but the Colts’ secondary is average without Bob Sanders. With many of the top AFC contenders having strong passing games (Chargers, Patriots, maybe Jets now) McCourty is a quick injection of talent the Colts need. (AS)

32. New Orleans (13-3) – Everson Griffen, DE, USC. After parting ways with Charles Grant the Saints need a new pass rusher. Griffen fits that bill bringing strength and size to the position. Jerry Hughes of TCU could get a strong look here, but Griffen is a better fit in the Saints’ 4-3 scheme. (AS)

Strap in boys and girls, Christmas morning in April is almost here.

-Adam Somers, Chris Lempesis and Gene Bosling

OBOD Mock Draft: The sequel

admin — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 05:12:17 +0000

Now that we are roughly 12 days into free agency, it seemed like the perfect time to run an updated mock draft.

(Plus, as you likely know, we LOVE doing mock drafts.)

Most of the “big fish” free agents have signed their respective deals and, as a result, some teams’ draft plans have changed. Our new mock has certainly taken those moves into account as there are some major changes from our first mock.

What are those changes? Well, let’s find out, shall we?

1. St. Louis Rams - Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma. The biggest jump in this current mock belongs to Bradford (whom I previously had going to Buffalo at No. 9). Why the sudden rise? Well, from everything I’ve read, it just sounds like the St. Louis brass rather likes Bradford. Plus, it’s a lot easier to sell the selection of a quarterback No. 1 overall than it is a defensive tackle. I have my doubts about Bradford, but from a business standpoint, I can see where St. Louis is coming from.

2. Detroit Lions – Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska. By signing Kyle Vanden Bosch and trading for Corey Williams, Detroit is definitely putting an emphasis on getting to the quarterback more. Those were both decent moves, but neither of those guys is a game-changer. Suh, on the other hand, surely could be. He’ll be NFL-ready from day one and could be head coach Jim Schwartz’s Haynesworth 2.0.

3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Eric Berry, S, Tennessee. While there is change with the top two picks, this song remains the same. In five years, Berry could very well end up the best defensive player to come out of this draft. Athletic, fast and rangy, he’s the type of do-it-all player who could make an impact on Tampa Bay’s defense right away. His playmaking numbers dipped a bit last season (just two picks as opposed to 12 combined in the two years previous), but don’t let that fool you. This kid’s for real.

4. Washington Redskins – Russell Okung, OT, Oklahoma State. Many analysts seem to think the ‘Skins will jump at Notre Dame quarterback Jimmy Clausen if he’s here. I disagree. New head coach Mike Shanahan has already said he wants Jason Campbell back. He’ll use 2010 to evaluate Campbell and see if he is, in fact, the future at quarterback. He’ll also give Campbell some added protection. Enter Okung, the most complete – and best – lineman in the draft.

5. Kansas City Chiefs – Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma. My previous mock had the Chiefs going with Alabama linebacker Rolando McClain as Okung, McCoy and Suh were all already gone. This time around, McCoy is available and I can’t see how Kansas City passes on him. He’s not overly big (just 295 pounds), but has explosive pass rushing abilities. Sure, the Chiefs whiffed on Glenn Dorsey and Tyson Jackson didn’t do much as a rookie, but if they just keep taking d-tackles, one of them will hit, right? Maybe?

6. Seattle Seahawks – Bryan Bulaga, OT, Iowa. A replacement must be found for 35-year old Walter Jones. Originally, I had Rutgers’ Anthony Davis as that guy. But Davis’ weight issues and shaky combine (his character has come into question) make Bulaga the pick now. Some questions exist as to how high Bulaga’s ceiling really is. But the 6-feet, 6-inch, 312 pound Bulaga was also voted Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year last season. A couple of recent winners of that award, Jake Long and Joe Thomas, have done pretty well in the pros and Bulaga should follow suit.

7. Cleveland Browns – Joe Haden, CB, Florida. Another pick that has not changed since our first mock. The Brownies still need secondary help in a major way as they finished 29th in passing yards allowed per game (a whopping 244.7). Haden is, hands down, the best corner in the draft. He’s physical, aggressive and extremely fast and the Browns will jump at him here. Mike Holmgren will find his future quarterback later in the draft.

8. Oakland Raiders – Jason Pierre-Paul, OLB, South Florida. Yet another pick that has not changed, although this one is for different reasons, the biggest being I just do not want to climb into Al Davis’ head and try to figure out what he’s going to do. I’m just not man enough for that mission. I know he loves measureables and Pierre-Paul has those in abundance (6-feet, 6-inches, 265 pounds and lightening fast). Pierre-Paul could team with Kameron Wimbley, recently acquired from Cleveland, at OLB for the Raiders.

9. Buffalo Bills – Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame. As they can no longer get Bradford here, the Bills will jump at Clausen. Why? Brian Brohm, Trent Edwards and Ryan Fitzpatrick, that’s why. That’s the quarterback group for the Bills as of now. None of those three bring any hope for the future, if you’re a Bills fan. And, as I said previously, that’s what Buffalo needs to give its fans here – some hope. Quite frankly, I have major doubts about Clausen as a pro, but I don’t doubt he’ll be the pick.

10. Jacksonville Jaguars – Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma State. Everyone had the Jags going defensive end here before they signed Aaron Kampman. I always thought they’d go with Bryant and, well, I still do. Simply put, Jacksonville hasn’t had a gamebreaking receiving threat since the days of Jimmy Smith. Well, those days are long gone. Bryant is an athletic, tough wideout with very good hands who could loosen the strain on Maurice Jones-Drew.

11. Denver Broncos – Rolando McClain, ILB, Alabama. Previously, I had Clausen going here. But, by acquiring Brady Quinn from Cleveland last weekend, Denver is no longer in the market for a quarterback (which is good because if things play out like I think, it couldn’t get one here anyways). The Jamal Williams signing beefs up the Broncos’ d-line, but they still have holes in the second level. McClain can remedy that as he is an absolute beast, particularly in stuffing the run.

12. Miami Dolphins – Brian Price, DT, UCLA. Nose tackle was a position of need for the Dolphins before 35-year old Jason Ferguson was suspended for the first eight games of the season (performance-enhancing drugs). Now, of course, it’s even more so, and I still think Price is the guy here. Price is similar in size – Ferguson’s 310 pounds and Price is 300 – and the Pac 10 Defensive Player of the Year also has the explosion to get into the backfield on passing downs. He’ll open things up for newly acquired ILB Karlos Dansby.

13. San Francisco 49ers – Anthony Davis, OT, Rutgers. Yes, the issues surrounding Davis aren’t necessarily good. But he’s also a 6-feet, 6-inch, 325 pound monster who is looked at by many as the best pass protecting lineman in the draft. In other words, his equally large upside will prevent him from falling as far as some analysts think. Plus, something tells me Mike Singletary can keep this guy in line. Just a hunch.

14. Seattle Seahawks (from Broncos) – C.J. Spiller, RB, Clemson. With the combine Spiller had, Pete Carroll and Co. will be doing backflips if he’s still available here. A dual threat back, Spiller could be Pete’s new Reggie Bush (hopefully, minus the whole Kardashian thing). By nabbing Bulaga and Spiller, the Seahawks will have cleared up two of their biggest issues (offensive line and a lack of gamebreakers).

15. New York Giants – Dan Williams, DT, Tennessee. After chatting with my good friend (and huge Giants fan) Matt Anderson, I’m convinced New York will attempt to move up if it feels it’s in danger of losing McClain. But, since I’m not going to predict any trades here, I’ll stick with Big Blue selecting Williams. New York’s d-line wasn’t as good as many (myself included) thought it would be before last season. At 325 pounds and strong as a bull, Williams could go a long way towards fixing that.

16. Tennessee Titans – Derrick Morgan, DE/OLB, Georgia Tech. Originally, I had the Titans addressing some of their needs along the o-line with Idaho’s Mike Iupati. But after losing Vanden Bosch, I now think Tennessee turns to the defensive front, where it struggled last season without Fat Albert. At 275 pounds, Morgan is right on the fence as far as where he can play in the pros (depending on whether or not he adds weight). With 12 sacks and two forced fumbles last season, Morgan could replace Vanden Bosch in a major way.

17. San Francisco 49ers (from Panthers) – Earl Thomas, S, Texas. Having already upgraded at o-line with Davis, the Niners now turn their focus to finding a big-time playmaking safety in the secondary. Thomas’ size (5-feet, 10-inches, just under 200 pounds) isn’t exactly what you’d like at that position. But his numbers (63 tackles, eight interceptions last season) and speed definitely are. By taking Davis and Thomas, the Niners would walk away with a very nice first round haul.

18. Pittsburgh Steelers – Mike Iupati, OG, Idaho. Previously, Maryland’s Bruce Campbell was the pick here. But there are some fairly significant question marks on Campbell – like, if he’s so good, why did he receive no votes for All ACC-First Team last season? - and I think he’ll drop a good deal as a result. Still, the Steelers need o-line help badly. The 6-feet, 5-inch, 330 pound Iupati has the strength to be able to play, and flourish, right away. He could end up being very. very good. A typical Steeler pick.

19. Atlanta Falcons – Sergio Kindle, DE/OLB, Texas. With Morgan – the player I previously had them taking – off the board, the Falcons will turn to Kindle. At 255 pounds, he’ll play outside linebacker in Atlanta’s 4-3 scheme and he should be very good at that spot. He’s got great athleticism, knows how to get to the quarterback and could be for the Falcons what Brian Orakpo was for the ‘Skins last season.

20. Houston Texans – Jared Odrick, DT, Penn State. I’m not sensing much change at this spot for Houston. As usual, the Texans are set, offensively. Again, as usual, their defense still needs more work if they are to finally get over the top and into the playoffs. Last year’s first rounder, linebacker Brian Cushing, was the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, but the team still needs one or two more pieces. Odrick (306 pounds with seven sacks last year) could very well be the nose tackle to open things up for Mario Williams and Amobi Okoye.

21. Cincinnati Bengals – Maurkice Pouncey, C, Florida. Believe it or not, I actually left the Bengals off my first mock draft. I’m not sure how that happened, but if you’re a Bengals fan reading this, I am very sorry. Anyways, Cincinnati has major needs on the offensive line, particularly at center and guard. Lucky for them, Pouncey can play either of those spots in the pros. He’s also intelligent and plays with a mean streak that the Bengals’ offense sorely lacks.

22. New England Patriots – Brandon Graham, DE/OLB, Michigan. The Pats did not, as some expected, end up with Julius Peppers. They also cut Adalius Thomas, making outside linebacker a huge priority. Truth be told, I think Kindle will be a better pro, but Graham is not a bad consolation prize at all. Over his last three seasons at Michigan, Graham averaged over nine sacks a season, with ever-improving tackle numbers. He’s got short arms, yes, but he’s also a hard-worker who comes at you on every play. The Hoodie will love this guy.

23. Green Bay Packers – Charles Brown, OT, USC. Since this is a Packers’ blog, I’ll go a little more in-depth here. The re-signings of Chad Clifton/Mark Tauscher, at first, had me thinking Ted Thompson might go in a different direction with this pick (i.e., defense). But when I thought about it more, I still think the team has to nab a left tackle of the future. Clifton could break down at any minute and, while we all love T.J. Lang, I’m beginning to think he’s strictly a right tackle. The Packers need someone who can step in if Clifton goes down (which you know he will, if only for a game or two at a time). At just 290 pounds, Brown must bulk up a bit before he’s game ready. But his athleticism and NFL-ready pass protection skills would cover him if forced to play right away. He’s got a ton of upside and could protect Aaron Rodgers’ blindside for the next decade. At some point, this move has to be made. Why not here?

24. Philadelphia Eagles – Everson Griffen, DE, USC. Having whiffed on Kampman and Julius Peppers, the Eagles look to the draft to find their pass rushing end of the future. Previously, I had them going to Graham, but since he’s no longer available, they’ll go with Griffen. Not always the most motivated player, Griffen is still blessed with great athleticism and pass rushing skills. If the Eagles can keep a fire under his butt, he should be a productive player.

25. Baltimore Ravens – Carlos Dunlap, DT, Florida. Baltimore’s trade for wide receiver Anquan Boldin took care of its need for a big-time playmaker not named Ray Rice. That being the case, the Ravens will focus on d-line with this pick. Kelly Gregg is still very good, but will turn 34 during the season and the team needs to find a player to team up with Haloti Ngata for the future. There are some questions surrounding Dunlap (lack of motivation and a DUI arrest in particular). But he’s also had nine sacks in each of the past two seasons.

26. Arizona Cardinals – Jerry Hughes, DE/OLB, TCU. Having lost Dansby, you could argue that the Cards should go inside linebacker here. But since there are no real ILBs worth taking at this spot, they’ll stick with Hughes (whom I had them taking in our original mock). Clark Haggans and Chike Okeafor are both aging and merely decent and, with 26 sacks over his final two years at TCU, Hughes has shown a knack for getting to the quarterback.

27. Dallas Cowboys – Trent Williams, OT, Oklahoma. Again, I’m sticking with what worked the first time here. Flozell Adams, for all the hype and money, just isn’t very consistent in pass protection. Plus, he’s getting older, so the team needs to upgrade there for the future. Williams would have gone much higher if not for his subpar 2009 season, but he still has a lot of tools and could be a good pro, if he regains his 2008 form.

28. San Diego Chargers – Terrence Cody, DT, Alabama. In our first mock, I said this pick “could be surprising” considering the Bolts, at that point, still had Jamal Williams. Seeing as though Williams got cut (and signed with Denver), this pick is no longer a shock. In fact, it makes a lot of sense. San Diego needs its next Williams and “Mount Cody” could be just that, provided he stays motivated and keeps his weight down. Remember, Cody dominated for long stretches in the toughest conference in the country.

29. New York Jets – Sean Weatherspoon, OLB, Missouri. The names change (previously I had Clemson’s Ricky Sapp here), but the position remains the same. Like I said before, it’s time for New York to just suck it up and admit that Vernon Gholston is a bust and find someone else to go opposite Calvin Pace at OLB. Weatherspoon is not the biggest linebacker, at just 245 pounds, but like his good buddy Clay Matthews, he’s an intense, non-stop player who is good in mulitple facets. He was a leader for Mizzou’s defense and you can never have too many of those.

30. Minnesota Vikings – Kyle Wilson, CB, Boise State. With the Williams sisters still on trial (and possible facing four-game suspensions), Minnesota could very well look d-tackle here. But with all of the first-round tackles already gone, the Vikings turn their attention to cornerback. Good idea as Antoine Winfield is getting older and Cedric Griffin could miss the first six weeks due to his torn ACL. Wilson is a bit small at 5-feet, 9-inches, but is an aggressive, playmaking corner.

31. Indianapolis Colts – Bruce Campbell, OT, Maryland. Charlie Johnson was serviceable at left tackle last season, but is far from the long-term solution there. As I previously mentioned, there are some big questions surrounding Campbell. But he is also a freak, physically (6-feet, 7-inches, 310 pounds, with a sub-4.8 40 time). In fact, some think he’s got the most upside of any lineman in the draft. After a year of learning, he could protect Peyton Manning’s blindside for the rest of Manning’s career.

32. New Orleans Saints – Taylor Mays, S, USC. Darren Sharper’s knee injury/contract demands place his future in New Orleans in doubt. The team needs someone who can play right away in the event Sharper walks and that player could be Mays. Before last season, it would have been unthinkable to have him this low. But a bad 2009 season (just one interception) and doubts about his ceiling land him here. Still, Mays brings great value at this spot.

-Chris Lempesis