1. Detriot Lions: QB Matt Stafford, Georgia - The Lions will look to follow in the footsteps of the Falcons and Ravens and draft a game-changing QB in the first round. Stafford has all the tools and experience to be a great QB in this league. The talent surrounding him in Georgia was great with Moreno at RB and players like Mohammed Massoquai at WR sure helped him look good, but Detriot has a great up and coming RB in Kevin Smith and obviously one of the best WRs in the game in Calvin Johnson. If the Lions can grab a premiere lineman with their second 1st round pick, this could be the start of a great turnaround for them.
2. St. Louis Rams: OT Jason Smith, Baylor - Again I’m gonna go with the popular pick and choose Jason Smith for St. Louis. The rams line has been in shambles for a while now and the “Greatest Show on Turf” has been everything but that because of that. Smith will instantly shore up the Rams line and help protect Marc Bulger who has been sacked 124 times in the past three seasons. The loss of Torry Holt and Issac Bruce in successive seasons hurts the WR corp, but Smith is just too good of a prospect to pass up here. The ceiling in him is endless.
3. Kansas City Chiefs: OT Eugene Monroe, Virginia - Some may wonder how the Chiefs can pass up a player like Aaron Curry, who many say is the best player in the draft, but to me LB is not so much of a need for the Chiefs after the Cassel trade brought Vrabel to KC. The chiefs see this as the perfect time to draft the other premiere OT in the draft and protect their new QB. With Cassell having time to throw to receivers like the underrated Dwayne Bowe, KC could surprise in the weak AFC West. Also, Monroe will be able to pave the way for All-Pro RB Larry Johnson, who could change his mind about his feeling about Kansas City if he sees an improvement in his supporting cast.
4. Seattle Seahwaks: QB Mark Sanchez, USC - The Seahwaks will make the first surprise pick when they select Sanchez at #4 in the draft. Despite the official backing up of Hasslebeck by the organization, the seriousness of a back injury is too risky for the Seahawks to gamble on. Sanchez can sit on the bench for a year or two with no pressure and learn from the still-wise QB and be the starter with two seasons under his belt. Other drafts have players like Crabtree or players like Andre Smith, but Sanchez makes the most sense for the Seahawks who are clearly in a rebuilding mode.
5. Cleveland Browns: LB Aaron Curry, Wake Forest - The Browns are elated to see that the safest pick in the draft is still there when their name is called and they will pick him in a heartbeat. Curry will quickly add a punch to a previously weak defense that was 26th in the NFL and gave up over 350 yds per game in 2008. Curry and D’Qwell Jackson will now make the Browns LB core one to be feared. Not to mention Shaun Rogers in the middle causing trouble. Now if only they could stop the pass.
6. Cincinnati Bengals: DE Brian Orakpo, Texas - The Bengals were 30th in the NFL last year with only 17 sacks for the whole year. The Giants started a trend of having star pass rushers to make even the best QBs ineffective, and the Bengals simply can’t succeed getting only one sack per game. Orakpo is a little bit of a risk, but a DE of his caliber is worth it especially in a draft with so few quality DEs. Add all of this to the fact that the current starters of Antwan Odom and Robert Geathers are getting up there in age to say the least, you have the perfect situation to make this pick.
7. Oakland Raiders: DT B.J. Raji, Boston College - The Raiders make the surprising smart move and select the #1 rated DT in the draft in Raji. Raji stuffed holes like no other in college and the Raiders are not known for stopping the run. Al Davis also knows that he can get a speedster receiver like Harvin or Bey later in the draft to satisfy his need to get some weapons for Jamarcus Russell. The loss of Gibril Wilson due to monetary problems is another reason for this pick. He was a major run stopper at the Safety position, and this pick lessens the blow of losing a quality player like him.
8. Jacksonville Jaguars: WR Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech - In a dream situation, Crabtree falls right into the laps of the Jaguars. With the addition of Holt, the Jaguars WR corps suddenly becomes respectable with Holt, Crabtree, Northcutt, and Mike Walker. Crabtree is the all-around WR that the Jaguars have been looking for since they started out searching for Jimmy Smith’s replacement in 2004 when they drafted the now Free Agent WR Reggie Williams. Since then it has been bust after bust with the first round WRs like Matt Jones. Crabtree fits in perfectly with the new Jaguars direction and will be a staple of their offense for years to come. (Rookie of the Year) ;)
9. Green Bay Packers: DE Tyson Jackson, LSU - The packers have a tough decision to make here between Tyson Jackson and Everette Brown. However, Jackson is the better fit for the Packers change to the 3-4 because of his speed more so than Brown. Jackson will be under the tutelage of Pro Bowler Aaron Kampman and will have the luxury of not facing the double teams that usually comes with being a top ten pick in the NFL draft. The 27 sacks that the Pacers accumulated last year is only middle of the road, and Jackson could only add to that total and improve the already fierce Packers Defense. The Packers have to look at Maclin here as a BAP, but they have no need at WR with the mergence of Jordy Nelson and the solid play of Jennings and Driver.
10. San Francisco 49ers: WR Jeremy Maclin, Mizzou - The 49ers need for a receiver is no more as Maclin falls down the boards to their spot. The Niners can pair Bruce with Maclin and give whoever wins the QB job some legitimate targets along with Vernon Davis who is due for a breakout season. Frank Gore should put some pressure off Maclin as he always requires someone else in the box to stop him. With the supporting cast of Davis Gore and Bruce, the only question is who will get them the ball?
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