Daryl's 2008 NFL Mock Draft

By Daryl Breault: Mock Draft #4: The Best Yet!  Updated 22 April 2008      

#1 Miami Dolphins- Jake Long OT

Okay, I was wrong, I can admit it.  Gholston would still be the better pick but the Dolphins have so many needs they could have taken just about anybody, they just need someone who will produce.  I have been saying all along that Long is not a franchise LT like Joe Thomas.  He will make a great RT who could play LT, but he is best suited for the right side.

#2 St. Louis Rams- Chris Long DE

            This will be either of the Long boys, Chris or Jake.  Both are perfect fits, but I think they can get a tackle later and they can’t pass up Chris.  Cliff Ryan and Adam Carriker are good enough inside but Leonard Little is getting older and no one else strikes fear on their defensive line.

#3 Atlanta Falcons- Matt Ryan QB

            Whether or not Ryan will be great QB is still debatable, but regardless if he is here, the Birds have to make this pick.  If only to repair their image as much as possible.  Hopefully, the Falcons have a completely revamped QB chart next year.  Atlanta has quite a bit to do and is obviously entering into a rebuilding phase.  Usually, I would suggest teams build around strong lines, but circumstance dictates that the Falcons need (really need) someone like Ryan.  Could start Day 1 for them and not look back for a long, long time. 

#4 Minnesota Vikings (Trade with Oakland)- Vernon Gholston DE/OLB

Oakland is cash strapped, so while adding a talent like McFadden or Gholston has to be enticing for Al Davis, they can’t really afford it.  I think Minnesota moves up to grab defensive line help, which they do badly need.  Gholston and most likely Derrick Harvey as well won’t be around come 17.  I know they signed Bernard Berrian but they still need a #1 receiver, which Berrian is not, despite his reputation in Chicago and all the money they shelled out for him.  With the first 3 picks eliciting a yawn, a trade is just what was needed to spice things up a little bit.

#5 Kansas City Chiefs- Ryan Clady OT

Clady is suddenly battling Brandon Albert to be the 2^nd o-lineman taken off the board, which I feel is a mistake.  Clady might still be a little raw and quite unproven, but he has the potential to anchor the left side of that line and Brandon Albert will only be a guard in the NFL, and any team that tries him at tackle, especially LT, will be asking for trouble.

#6 N.Y. Jets- Darren McFadden RB

Despite their need to add a franchise QB, the Jets may take the BPA and nab McFadden, who comes with serious questions about his character.  I like Thomas Jones but the Jets rushing attack needs a major boost.  McFadden is the type of back who will make Jets fans forget about Curtis Martin.

#7 New England Patriots- Devin Thomas WR

I had Malcolm Kelly here for a while but I think Thomas is by far the best receiver in the draft.  He would fit in nice alongside Moss and Welker.  I know they have needs on defense, but I also watched an offense that scored 589 points last season and carried the Pats to a perfect season and minutes from sneaking off with a Super Bowl victory.  Sorry but no amount of persuasion will lead me to believe that the Patriots will do anything but try to replicate that success. 

#8 Baltimore Ravens- Brian Brohm QB

The Ravens could wait until Round 2 or trade back into the late-1^st but they have had problems with that before (see Kyle Boller) and they need to make things right at this position finally.  The Ravens still have an incredibly talented roster, and will still have a solid core in place when Brohm finally matures.  In the mean time, the defense is fully capable of carrying that team a long, long way.

#9 Cincinnati Bengals- Sedrick Ellis DT

           The Bengals desperately need Ellis to work out and be a run stuffing force for them inside.  With Odell Thurman reinstated linebacker is not a pressing need and can be addressed later.  DT has been an issue for them for years and Ellis is a monster who should be able to remedy that problem.  If Cincy can ever get their act in order and field a halfway competitive defense, watch out man.

#10 New Orleans Saints- Mike Jenkins CB

            After their horrendous secondary pretty much cost them their season, the Saints should target defensive backs early and often.  Jenkins has solid size and good top speed but is not the most polished.  The CB class is deep but has no clear-cut difference maker, leaving the first corner off the board a toss up.  Leodis McKelvin is making a strong push up draft boards but I’m not sold on him.  Keith Rivers would be a good pick for them as well if they don’t think a cornerback is worthy of this pick.

#11 Buffalo Bills- Keith Rivers LB

            Buffalo needs sure things, or as close to sure as possible.  Rivers is an incredible athlete and prototypical weakside linebacker.  The Bills Cover-2 scheme is the perfect showcase for Rivers closing speed and ability to cover just about anyone on the field, Rivers could be a Pro Bowl player for them. Rivers, a healthy Paul Posluszny and Angelo Crowell would give Buffalo a fast and physical set of linebackers.

#12 Denver Broncos- Chris Williams OT

           Denver is one of the league’s most overrated teams.  It is incredible how far the talent level has fallen in the Mile High City, as the once mighty Broncos look, on paper at least, to be a fading team unless Cutler is really the second coming of Elway.  Williams would fill a huge need for them up front and he’s a great fit in a zone blocking scheme, very nimble footed.

#13 Carolina Panthers- Derrick Harvey DE

Harvey added weight since college and still managed to test very well at the combine and that has sent his stock soaring very close to the Top 10 with an outside shot of sneaking in.  I say beware of workout wonders.  It was a down year for the Panthers and star DE Julius Peppers was MIA for much of it.  Mike Rucker has retired as well, leaving a gaping hole at DE. 

#14 Chicago Bears- Rashard Mendenhall RB

              The Bears look in state for a pounding runner tailor made for the frozen winters in Chicago.  This also keeps him from division rival Detroit who needs an impact back.  The Bears offense is devoid of playmakers and things appear to getting worse in Chi-Town.

#15 Detroit Lions- Quentin Groves DE/OLB

            A blend of speed and explosiveness that is rare in a 260 pounder.  Groves is an elite athlete and was awesome at the combine and pro day.  He a project, yet he’s a chance the Lions need to take right now and improve that defense finally.

#16 Arizona Cardinals- Leodis McKelvin CB

            The Cardinals are a pretty good team on paper and have been a player away for quite some time now.  McKelvin is a dangerous playmaker to add to their secondary as he’s in that Devin Hester mold that can take it to the house any time he gets a ball in his hands.  The cornerback crew in the desert is sub-par.

#17 Oakland Raiders (Trade with Minnesota Vikings)- Brandon Albert OG

            The Raiders trade back in hopes of amassing more picks and fixing a terrible offensive line.  Albert would give them their only starting quality OG if not lineman period.  The Raiders appear to be finally trying to invest in their line, using high draft picks is must as well.

#18 Houston Texans- DeSean Jackson WR

            I had Jackson going to Dallas in my last mock on the basis that next to size Jackson would look less small, or something along those lines.  This still applies to the Texans since they’re in Houston and everything in Texas is bigger, even midget wide receivers. 

#19 Philadelphia Eagles- Malcolm Kelly WR

            My wide receiver run starts.  I don’t believe for an instant the Kelly is the 2^nd best receiver in the draft but he is very talented nonetheless.  He doesn’t strike me as someone who is going to be a real playmaker but in a West Coast offense he could be pretty dangerous.  Of all the big receivers in this draft, no one uses it to their advantage quite like Kelly.

#20 Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Mario Manningham WR

            With everything they’ve done so far it looks like the Bucs may be leaning toward drafting a receiver.  With such a veteran receiving corps I guess it makes sense.  Toss Manningham’s workout numbers out the window, in my opinion they mean absolutely nothing.  This kid is going to be great one day, he just needs to fill out his frame a little more and he’s got just about everything you could want.  Truly has the talent to be a lead receiver and you can’t say that about a lot of the guys in this class.  This will look like a steal.

#21 Washington Redskins- Limas Sweed WR

            The Skins just need a big receiver.  Hardy ran pretty good, but Sweed looked phenomenal at his Pro Day and is more of a sure thing.  I can see the Skins brain trust being blinded by Hardy’s enormous size but Sweed is the better receiver.  As I’m sure most are, I’m still a little flabbergasted at the Skins laid back approach to free agency, but that could mean that cooler heads will prevail and they take the better player.

#22 Dallas Cowboys- Felix Jones RB

           Jones is versatile and would be a perfect fit next to Marion Barber.  This is one talented team that has a big hole at backup RB and Jones is a great choice to fill it.  He didn’t time as fast as everyone thought, which I said he wouldn’t by the way, but he plays in fast forward. 

#23 Pittsburgh Steelers- Jeff Otah OT

The Steelers are another team in need of offensive line help and can look no further than their own back yard for one of the last lineman worthy of being taken in round 1.  Otah could shift to guard and help make up for the loss of Alan Faneca.  The Steelers are one of the leagues best at drafting, rarely whiff in the 1^st round, and should have a strong team for the foreseeable future.

#24 Tennessee Titans- Antoine Cason CB

            I think Cason is the best CB available and should go a lot higher, but I’m in the minority, so this is probably around the spot where Cason will land.  The Thorpe Award winner posted a sub 4.5/40, which helps immensely and is the best CB at attacking the football.  He’s tough, with solid size and can start very quickly.  Also in the market for a receiver.  Is there like a receiver shortage in the NFL right now or something?

#25 Seattle Seahawks- Glenn Dorsey DT

            Thought I forgot about him didn’t ya?  I think he drops like a stone come April.  For no other reason why than I just have a feeling.  His medical concerns pretty much put the feather in the hat for me on this one.  Overrated.  Yeah I said it.  He is a great fit for a defense that is in need of interior lineman.  Dorsey would slide right into the rotation and add another fierce pass rusher to an underrated group.

#26 Jacksonville Jaguars- Calais Campbell DE

This was a tough choice.  It’s obvious the Jags need help along the d-line but will it be a tackle or end?  Campbell has more versatility then Phil Merling or Lawrence Jackson in that he has enough size to shift inside on 3^rd downs giving him the edge.  His sophomore season is more indicative of his abilities and future impact than his junior season.

#27 San Diego Chargers- Kenny Phillips S

            The Chargers don’t normally draft for need but with such a weak safety class and that position being the only real weak spot on the defense, I was prompted to switch Cliff Avril for Phillips.  It should be a secondary pick for the Bolts regardless but safety has better value at this point with all of the top corners gone unless they reach for someone like Aqib Talib. 

#28 Dallas Cowboys- Andre Caldwell WR

            Florida’s offense never allowed Caldwell to fully showcase his skills as a receiver but he was dynamic every time he got the ball in his hands.  I have a thing against Florida receivers, maybe it’s from watching too many Reidel Anthony or Jacquez Green drops as a Bucs fan, but Caldwell ran a sub-4.4/40 and has great size.  The Cowboys add two playmakers with great potential in Jones and Caldwell, giving Romo all sorts of new toys to play with.  As good as the Boys offense was last year, they could be even better this season.

#29 San Francisco 49ers- Cliff Avril DE/OLB

            This version works out pretty good for the Niners as pass rushers are at a premium and happen to be scarce in the Bay Area.  Manny Lawson has potential on one side but has only 2.5 sacks in 2 seasons after spending most of 2007 on IR.  Tully Banta-Cain was a poor move that didn’t pan out and it may be much to ask Parys Haralson hold down a starting gig.  I’m higher on Avril than Groves because I think he is a more fluid athlete and Avril is better when dropping back in coverage.  He played out of position at DE in college but will need to stand up in the pros.

#30 Green Bay Packers- Brandon Flowers CB 

            I know all about Flowers struggles over the off-season but he is exactly the type of corner the Pack want, physical and aggressive.  He may not be a blazer but he sneaky quick and knows how to slow down the opponent.  He could help push Charles Woodson to safety, which may be a year or two late anyways.

#31- New England Patriots- Forfeited

#32 N.Y. Giants- Dan Connor LB

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