Mock Draft V2.0- Second round

That’s right, I’m going straight into the second round. I’m even doing a third round, but you’ll have to wait until tomorrow to get that.

33. Detroit Lions- Evander ‘Ziggy’ Hood, DT, Missouri

The Lions still don’t have a QB of the future, but there aren’t any more available in this draft that I feel will ever be starting material. Hood is a steal at this point, and it’s a gaping hole on this defense. He’s not quite as big as what Jim Schwartz usually likes in his DT’s, but they have Grady Jackson next to him to clog the run. Hood is extremely strong at the point of attack, and he’s an ideal fit as an active three technique that can impact the pass and run games. I thought for a bit about Robert Ayers, but he’s a bit too much of a one-year wonder for my tastes at this point.

34. New England Patriots- Alphonso Smith, CB, Wake Forest

Smith should be a first round pick, but I just couldn’t find the right spot for him. I don’t care if he’s 5’9”, he plays a lot bigger than this and he flat out makes plays. He had an unreal number of picks, and picks for a TD, in his college career. You don’t get your hands on that many balls at corner unless you are doing something right. He has great instincts, he’s a playmaker, and he’s physical enough to hold the jam long enough to let the Patriot’s pass rush get to the QB. Darius Butler would fit well here too, but I personally like Smith more. On the plus side, he can return punts and kicks as well. It’s not the biggest need for the Patriots, but they have the luxury of taking the best player available and that’s Smith.

35. St. Louis Rams- Brian Robiskie, WR, Ohio State

I know, this version is panning out slightly like the first version did. But as GM of the Rams, I know my two biggest needs going in to the draft are OT and WR. I got my OT in the first, and I get my WR in the second. Robiskie is the perfect compliment to Donnie Avery, and he’s physical enough in the run game to help block in the run game. It’s a no brainer to me, even though Darius Butler was awful tempting.

36. Cleveland Browns- Darius Butler, CB, Connecticut

Butler, like Smith, is a first round caliber corner that will more than likely slip to this point in the draft and provide a great value for the Browns. Cleveland’s cupboard is pretty bare in the defensive backfield, so I think this pick is either the best CB available or one of the two top Safeties (Delmas or Patrick Chung). Butler is a smart player who is just what Eric Mangini is looking for in a DB.

37. Seattle Seahawks- Louis Delmas, FS, Western Michigan

I really like Delmas a lot and think he has more value than where he’s going. Like Ron Brace, I would not be surprised to see Delmas as the other guy who really moves further up come draft day. The whole ‘best player available’ goes out the window when you have a position that doesn’t have much depth, and a player of Delmas’ caliber is sitting there ripe for the picking. The Seahawks need a free and strong safety, and Delmas is the best of either of those so SS can be addressed later.

38. Cincinnati Bengals- Jamon Meredith, OT, South Carolina

After watching the combine, I really started to like Meredith even more than I already did. He’s well put together for a bigger lineman, and he’s very quick for his size as well. He’s the perfect fit for this offense as he has the ability to play RT or OG, and that kind of versatility is what this team seems to really like. You may all say they need a OC, but I know they have Dan Santucci there to take over at the hub. He’s someone to watch out for, and remember where you heard that first.

39. Jacksonville Jaguars- William Beatty, OT, Connecticut

Even though I’m not the biggest fan of Beatty, he doesn’t have to start right now. Tra Thomas is there, and Beatty can be a solid back up at either of the tackle spots, and might even be able to swing inside to guard in a pinch if needed. This is a bit of a luxury pick in drafting for the future, but the future is closer than you think with Thomas as the starter.

40. Oakland Raiders- Robert Ayers, DE, Tennessee

Ayers has a bit of bust potential as he really didn’t have a consistently solid college career, but I’m hitching my horse to the fact that he’s a late bloomer. I think he’ll be a better pro than a college player, and the Raiders desperately need DL help. I’d say DT might be a bigger need, but the value isn’t there for me to reach. If I had put my black and silver velour track suit on and did my best Al Davis impression, probably pick Connor Barwin here since he’s faster. Since I’m no where near as old as Al, I make the right choice and go with Ayers. The Raiders don’t need another undersized DE since they already have Derrick Burgess in that role. This would have been a center if they hadn’t traded for Samson Satele the other day.

41. Green Bay Packers- Connor Barwin, OLB, Cincinnati

Yes, Barwin would be making yet another position change to rush LB, but I am not passing on his potential. If the Packers really want to make a change to a 3-4, they need as many bodies they can get that fit this defense. Barwin is too small to play a down DE position, and I like him slightly better than Larry English, so that’s my pick here. A CB wouldn’t be a bad idea either, but I think a good pass rush would lead to success quicker than good coverage guys would.

42. Buffalo Bills- Max Unger, OC, Oregon

DE and OC were two of the three biggest needs for this team (with TE coming in a close third). A pass catching TE threat like Jared Cook of South Carolina was tempting, but value is there to be had in the next few rounds for this position, so I grab the center for the next ten years in Unger. He fits this team well as the other OL for Buffalo are athletic guys who can move well in space. Unger is polished and ready to start right away. At a position that doesn’t usually have a difference maker at it, Unger can be that type of player.

43. San Francisco- Sean Smith, CB, Utah

Smith is exactly what coach Singletary wants in a defender. Very big for his position, a physical guy who gets in people’s faces, and a playmaker that can lock down the bigger WR’s in the NFC West. I don’t buy the hype of people saying he will have to move to safety. People said that about Peanut Tillman, and he’s been a very good NFL cornerback. Smith has the potential to be even better than Tillman, and the 9ers need some help in the defensive backfield. At worst, he’s the nickel corner, but I seriously doubt Walt “water covers 75% of the Earth and Walt Harris covers the other 25%” Harris will end up being the starter over Smith by the time the season starts (and yes, for those that did not know. Walt Harris actually showed up to his first Bear’s minicamp as a rookie with a shirt that said the above quote. Unreal).

44. Miami Dolphins- Kenny Britt, WR, Rutgers

I think Parcells is hoping and praying that either Britt or Smith falls here. Putting myself in his shoes, I have to agree and be happy with either player at this spot of the draft. CB and WR are big needs, and both those players fit well into what the Dolphins look for in a player. I’m still not sold completely on Britt as I think he body catches far too much, but he’s worth the gamble here for since I know I need a WR bad for my team.

45. New York Giants- Patrick Chung, SS, Oregon

The Jeremy Shockey trade looks great to me now that I know Chung was available. With James Butler leaving for the Rams in free agency, the Giants need some help at the safety position, even if it’s just for depth. I think Chung will beat out incumbent Michael Johnson and will be a big time play maker for this defense. Second year FS Kenny Phillips is a rangy centerfields type and Chung is the perfect physical compliment to him. Chung can do it all and he’s my favorite SS prospect in this draft. He can blitz, he tackles well, and he plays with an attitude that this Giants defense is now known for. Alex- If this works out this way for you, you should be ecstatic.

46. Houston Texans- Donald Brown, RB, Connecticut

The only reason that Brown falls this far is if teams agree with my thought that effective RB’s can be had later in the draft, so you fill the other positions first. Brown is a really good running back prospect and he came out at the right time. He runs a lot bigger than his size indicates, and one less year of pounding on his legs will do him well. He’s not a blazer, but he has good short area burst and can get free and make long runs (evidenced by the fact that he had a 5.7 ypc average and over 2,000 yards rushing in total this past season). It’s a bit of a luxury with impressive rookie Steve Slaton already there, but depth at the position is non existent. I thought long and hard about William Moore here, but Brown was such a good value I could not pass him up.

47. New England Patriots- William Moore, SS, Missouri

From what I’ve read recently about Moore, apparently he played all season with a serious foot injury. I’m not sure if it’s the truth, or his attempt to cover up the fact that his Senior year was not anywhere near his Junior year as far as productivity, but it’s possible that this is the reason why there was such a stark contrast. Based on his Junior year tape and his physical ability, I’m more than happy to take him at #47 overall. The Patriots are really at the luxury point where they can take the best player available or take a player that they like a lot and don’t know if he’ll be available when they pick next. A TE like Jared Cook was hard to look past, and I wouldn’t disagree with that if he were the pick, but Moore presents great value at a position that is perilously thin for New England.

48. Denver Broncos- Fili Moala, DE, USC

I made a bit of a reach here, but I felt it was necessary. For what was left as value on the board right now, nothing was worth taking and overlooking the glaring need in front seven help for this team. A NT would have been ideal, but the ones that are left are not worth taking at this point. Moala puzzles me as he looks amazing at times and lost at others, but I personally believe his problems are more related to lapses I technique than anything. Moala is a good fit as a base 3-4 DE, and he can slide underneath as an undertackle in four man fronts. The Broncos were one of the leagues worst rushing defenses, so the addition of former USC teammates Maualuga and Moala will hopefully help alleviate some of those issues. A corner like DJ Moore would fit as well, but his 40 times scare me a touch, which was enough to pass on him for Moala instead.

49. Chicago Bears- Gerald McRath, LB, Southern Mississippi

Yes, McRath played ILB in a 3-4, so you may wonder why I take him for the Bears. McRath might have played ILB in college, but he’s better suited to the outside in the NFL. McRath is a 230lb LB with very good speed and quickness, and that will fit in perfectly for this defense. Hopefully he will end up as the starting SLB, but at worst he’s a versatile back up who can play any of the three LB positions for this team. This is a bit of a luxury pick with bigger needs and value being present at OC or CB, but I couldn’t pass one of my favorite players up. I think McRath is flying too far under the radar and is going to be an excellent NFL player. He just needs the right scheme to shine, and this is the defense for him.

50. Cleveland Browns- LeSean McCoy, RB, Pittsburgh

Once again, the value of McCoy is shocking at this point in the draft. Even though I may not be a huge fan of his, he’s a versatile playmaker that is needed as a counterpunch to battering ram Jamal Lewis. McCoy might have the best hands of the RB’s available in this class, and he’s a shifty runner who can make a cut and run for long yards. I don’t think he’s ready to be a full time carries guy yet, but he won’t have to be in this situation. If not McCoy, then maybe Rashad Johnson of Alabama, but McCoy has more value than Johnson does overall.

51. Dallas Cowboys- Rashad Johnson, FS, Alabama

Yes, Ken Hamlin is technically the FS, but he can also move underneath and play SS as well. Johnson is strictly a centerfield type who will cover the back half of the field against the pass. I think a true SS type player would fit better, but that player isn’t available to fit the value of a second rounder A lot of places like ESPN keep saying CB, but I think that CB is a strength of this team. They have Terrance Newman and two impressive rookies from last year, Orlando Scandrick and Mike Jenkins, so they don’t need another corner at this point. A big honking guard like Duke Robinson was very hard for me to pass up, but Johnson was technically a better value. If crazy ass Jerry Jones picked Robinson at this point, I’d be very pleasantly surprised.

52. New York Jets- Andre Brown, RB, North Carolina State

I really struggled with who I should pick here. On one hand, RT Phil Loadholt makes sense, but I just do not like him and I said I would pick these as if I were the GM and not how I thought they would go. A WR like Juaquin Iglesias of Oklahoma was very tempting as well, but I just kept going back to Brown. The Jets have Thomas Jones in place, but he’s no spring chicken. Leon Washington is a great returner and a situational back, so he should stay in that role. Brown is the heir apparent to Jones and provides a workhorse, between the tackles physical presence for this team. With a rookie QB in Sanchez, and subpar options at receiver, this team needs to effectively run the ball. Brown can do that for them.

53. Philadelphia Eagles- Larry English, DE/OLB, Northern Illinois

I seriously doubt English lasts this long as he has too much upside to still be on the board. The fact that’s he’s such a tweener player though is what definitely hurts him. The Eagles love undersized DE’s who can rush the passer. And they could also run some packages with him as a SLB who blitzes. The Eagles have a bit of a luxury here, and English is definitely that for this team. DJ Moore, Loadholt, Iglesias, and even Eric Wood were all considered here but English was too good of a value to pass up.

54. Minnesota Vikings- DJ Moore, CB, Vanderbilt

I thought very hard about Loadholt since RT is a big need for this team, but I don’t know if he’s the answer. It’s surprising to see Moore available still as he has always looked very good on tape, but his poor 40 times must be taken into consideration. If people were concerned with Malcolm Jenkins running in the high 4.4’s to low 4.5’s, Moore’s low 4.6’s are a major concern. But he has fluid hips, he tackles well, and he’s physical enough to jam WR’s at the line and not have to worry about his lack of deep speed. Eric Wood is a bit of sleeper as well if the Vikes aren’t sold on John Sullivan as their replacement for Matt Birk.

55. Atlanta Flacons- Jairus Byrd, CB, Oregon

A third Duck goes in the second round, but Byrd is the guy that no one is talking about. He’s and impressive man-to-man cover corner who plays a lot bigger than his size indicates. He has a nose for the ball, and he’s great at press man coverage. CB is a big need for this team, and Byrd is a very good fit as a player that I value a lot more than other might. A DE like Paul Kruger of Utah was hard to pass up, but I felt better about the depth at this position for later in the draft.

56. Miami Dolphins- Clint Sintim, OLB, Virginia

Al Groh is Bill Parcells former defensive coordinator and he is also the man who Bill put in charge of the Jets once he decided to leave there (even though Groh turned the job down to go coach Virginia). That means that Sintim has a leg up on the competition by going to a team where he’ll already be mostly familiar with the type of defense they run. As you all know, I’m not a huge fan of Sintim because I don’t think he’s good in coverage and he struggles to disengage against run blockers. Sintim won’t be asked to do a lot of this though, he’s going to be asked to spell Joey Porter in spots and help put heat on the QB. It’s a good fit for scheme and value, so I couldn’t pass this up.

57. Baltimore Ravens- Cody Brown, DE/OLB, Connecticut

The Ravens still have big need at CB, even with the signing of free agent Dominique Foxworth, but Brown is the type of player the Ravens pick when people least expect it. Brown is a lot like franchise OLB Terrell Suggs in that he’s a hybrid type of defender who can play with his hand on the ground or standing up. I expect Baltimore to lock up Suggs long term, but if they don’t, Brown could be his heir apparent. It’s almost a fact of the rich getting richer where the Ravens defense adds another athletic pass rusher that is versatile enough to play several roles.

58. New England Patriots- Jared Cook, TE, South Carolina

Once again the rich get richer. Cook is the type of receiving TE that you must account for with a safety as a LB will be too slow to cover him. He’s an ideal fit for this offense and I don’t care if he can’t block at all. He won’t need to, and the Patriots won’t ask him to either. He’ll help open up the perimeter for Randy Moss and the underneath for Wes Welker. Shonn Greene of Iowa was hard to pass due to his value, but Cook is a spectacular athlete that New England can’t afford to pass up here.

59. Carolina Panthers- Shawn Nelson, TE, Southern Mississippi

A DT like Sen’Derrick Marks of Auburn would fit well, but the Panthers haven’t had a pass catching TE since the franchise first started (Wesley Walls). Nelson might be the receiving option this team has looked for to compliment Steve Smith. They could look for that WR partner for him, but Nelson is a match up nightmare that this team really needs in order to fully open up their offense.

60. New York Giants- Duke Robinson, OG, Oklahoma

It’s simply the best player available for the Giants. On my board, Eric Wood and Robinson are the two best player available, so I go with the guard who can provide that nastiness in the run blocking game that this OL needs. LT David Diehl is probably best fit inside at guard, but he’s shown me enough over the past two seasons at LT that he can fit well there if he has the right talent next to him on the inside. Robinson could potentially play immediately and help make Diehl that much more effective. I’m sure Brandon Jacobs will approve of this move as well.

61. Indianapolis Colts- Sen’Derrick Marks, DT, Auburn

Marks is an undersized DT who uses quickness to make his mark. I know the Colts could use a bigger run stuffing presence on the interior, but Marks would allow them to play to the personnel they have on hand and penetrate into the backfield to disrupt plays. A pass coverage OLB like Ohio State’s Marcus Freeman is an option as well, but Marks makes too much sense at a position that is lacking bodies.

62. Tennessee Titans- Cornelius Ingram, TE, Florida

If Ingram doesn’t blow his knee out before the season starts last year, he’d be right in the thick of things for being one of the top TE’s available in the draft. He looked great at the combine, and his Junior year tape is enough for me to be comfortable drafting him in the second round. The Titans have very few real needs, but depth at TE would be helpful. Alge Crumpler looked old last year, and Bo Scaife isn’t a great long term answer (even though he led the team in receptions and is currently franchise tagged). CB Victor Harris of Virginia Tech was hard to pass up, especially since he fits this defense so well, but Ingram is a talent I will not pass on here.

63. Arizona Cardinals- Eric Wood, OC, Louisville

There is the distinct possibility that Woods goes much higher than this, but I still have him available and I feel this is about the right value for him. The Cards desperately need help at the center position and Wood can come right in and start from day one. He’s the hard working, blue collar type of player that OL coach Russ Grimm will love.

64. Pittsburgh Steelers- Jarron Gilbert, DE, San Jose State

Yes, he of youtube fame for jumping out of the shallow end of a pool and on to his feet goes to the Steelers as long term replacement for either Aaron Smith or Brent Kiesel. It’s possible Gilbert goes higher than this due to his athletic potential, but I think he has to play DE in a 3-4, this he’s in for a position change in the NFL. This couldn’t be a better fit for him or for Pittsburgh. They attack a major area of need with a player that has potential to one day be a difference maker as a down DE in a 3-4.