My 1st NFL Mock Draft, Picks 1-8

I've been swamped with school lately, so first off i'd like to thank Tyler and Brandon for picking up the slack and putting up so many quality posts.


Now I know it's March Madness and all, but we're all about diversity on this blog. So today, less than 1 hour before The Big Dance kicks off, I will post my first (because i'm sure I will make another before the time comes) NFL Mock Draft. I'm doing this 8 picks at a time, completeing the entire 1st round over the next few days.


The Draft is on April 22nd, and as you may or may not know, is hitting primetime this year. Instead of beginning on a Saturday afternoon as usual, it will begin at 7pm on a Thursday night.


Here we go....

1. St. Louis Rams - Sam Bradford, QB Oklahoma. I don't agree with this pick, but all indications are that the Rams will select Sam Bradford with the #1 overall pick. Bradford ran a spread offense (which has a history of working out terribly in the NFL), and his arm strangth is mediocre at best. But he has great intelligence and decision making which NFL GM's favor greatly over physical attributes (You hear that, Tebow?). Jimmy Clausen SHOULD be the pick.

2. Detroit Lions - Russell Okung, OT Oklahoma State. Many people will find it crazy that I don't have Suh in the Top 2 picks. But Detroit signed Kyle Vanden Bosch and traded for Corey Williams, so I just don't think they can draft another D-lineman when they have so many other needs. They got their franchise QB last year, and now they have to get someone to protect him. Okung is clearly the top O-lineman in this year's draft. But then again, this is the Lions we're talking about afterall, so don't be suprised if they draft a punter or Tim Tebow.

3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Ndamukong Suh, DT Nebraska. The Big Guy Who's Name You Probably Can't Pronounce gets the payday that he rightfully deserves. Suh is an animal. He tore it up all season for Nebraska and I really enjoyed watching his Combine workouts. He's the top overall player according to many including being #1 on Mel Kiper Jr.'s "Big Board". Buccs fans are in for a treat with this guy.

4. Washington Redskins - Jimmy Clausen, QB Notre Dame. Mike Shanahan is head coach/GM in Washington now, and new regimes typically mean new QBs. Jason Campbell has been decent, but "decent" wont cut it in the NFC East. As I said earlier, I believe Clausen is the best QB in this year's draft. So with all of these factors combined, I just don't see the 'Skins passing on Jimmy Clausen.

5. Kansas City Chiefs - Bryan Bulaga, OT Iowa. KC definitely needs help with pass protection and with Okung off the board, the Chiefs take the next best O-lineman in Bulaga. They would LOVE it if Okung falls in their lap.

6. Seattle Seahawks - Gerald McCoy, DT Oklahoma. Todd McShay of Scouts Inc. has McCoy as the #1 player in the entire draft. That's just too good of a value for Pete Carroll to pass on at #6.

7. Cleveland Browns - Eric Berry, S Tennessee. Saying "Cleveland's offense is bad" is about as big of an understatement as it gets. But Eric Berry is just too good to pass on. Berry has been labeled as the next Ed Reed by just about everyone, and I certainly haven't seen anything to discredit that statement.

8. Oakland Raiders - Taylor Mays, S Southern California. At 6'3" and 230lbs, Mays ran an unofficial 4.24 40-yard-dash at the Combine. That's enough to make Al Davis consider trading all the way up to #1 just to make sure he gets to draft Mays....even though NOBODY has him projected as a top 10 player.