Heisman day

So we'll know who has won the 2009 Heisman Trophy today. Tim Tebow, Colt McCoy, Ndamukong Suh, Toby Gerhart and Mark Ingram are in the running. Who will win? I expect Ingram to get it, with Gerhart and Suh fighting it out for second place. Who should win it? I'd say Suh or Gerhart. Too much influence is placed on the teams record and whilst Ingram has certainly helped Alabama to an undefeated campaign so far, is he truly the best player in college football this year? I'd say no - Suh is clearly that man and could easily be the first overall pick in 2010. Gerhart would also be a worthy winner due to his stats this year, which are off the charts. McCoy and Tebow surely move out of serious consideration after poor display's last week. If either do win the award, it'll become nothing more than a 'lifetime achievement' for senior prospects who have enjoyed stellar careers.

So who should win it? Let me know in the comments section.

Jake Locker - top five pick?

My knowledge of Jake Locker (QB, Washington) is relatively limited - I've had no access to Huskies games this year so to date, I've been unable to offer a critique on the guy who could easily be the most intriguing quarterback prospect legible for the 2010 draft. There's some debate if Locker will declare or not, but with the January deadline looming we're likely to find out soon. It's a difficult one for Locker - stay in school and spend another year learning your trade in a pro-style offense or head for the NFL knowing what happened to Sam Bradford this year.

Matt McGuire at Walterfootball.com has watched Locker, and he offers this review today: "He is a highly unpolished prospect, but has shown the potential and intangibles to warrant a team believing he can develop. He will be a top-five pick."

I've got him at #4 in my rankings right now on the basis of what others have said, McGuire's words included. Is it justified? Should the Seahawks be looking to keep Locker in Seattle if he does choose to declare? Let me know your thoughts in the comments section.

Kiper and McShay talk Heisman

Getting in on the Mock Draft Fun

After looking at the excellent mocks by Matt and Rob, I decided I should do a first-round mock as well. It should be noted that while I generally get a decent feel for the Seahawks by the time draft day approaches, this early in the year I'm going to be wildly off on all of my picks.

In general I try to base my mock drafts off of what I think the team will do. Since Seattle has not figured out who will be making their decisions for 2010, I'm instead going to go off of what I would do if I were Seattle. The rest of the teams are my attempts at predicting what each team front office will do.

Kyle's 2010 Mock Draft:

Picks 1-5

#1 Cleveland - Ndamukong Suh (DT, Nebraska)
#2 St Louis - Gerald McCoy (DT, Oklahoma)
#3 Tampa Bay - Dez Bryant (WR, Oklahoma state)
#4 Detroit - Anthony Davis (OT, Rutgers)
#5 Washington - Sam Bradford (QB, Oklahoma)

Suh is largely accepted as the #1 prospect and Cleveland needs him. St. Louis already has a high pick at McCoy's spot (Adam Carriker), but McCoy presents obvious value and Carriker hasn't performed. Tampa continues to lack that big-time WR, and Bryant could be that presence for promising QB Josh Freeman. Davis fits Detroit's philosophy (and I think he'll rise post-combine) and Sam Bradford barely edges out Jake Locker, as Washington needs a QB who can start immediately.

Picks 6-10

#6 Kansas City - Dan Williams (DT, Tennessee)
#7 Buffalo - Russell Okung (LT, Oklahoma State)
#8 Oakland - Jake Locker (QB, Washington)
#9 Seattle - Joe Haden (CB, Florida)
#10 Denver - Rolando McClain (LB, Alabama)

Kansas City gets put in a tough spot, as they have many of the pieces (Brandon Albert, Tyson Jackson, Brandon Flowers, etc.) but have to support those pieces and wait for them to mature. Ideally they'd pick a quarterback, but Cassell's contract prohibits them from giving up on him this early. Williams could see his stock rise as Monte Kiffin's connections come through, and he fits the role of a 3-4 NT quite well.

Buffalo is a complete wildcard here, they could go Quarterback but until they figure out their coaching situation I don't want to draft a system-specific player for them. Okung is high on a lot of boards (not mine, though I haven't yet scouted him as a senior) and makes some sense here. Locker is a quintessential Raiders pick and while he isn't ready to start, I don't expect that to stop Al Davis. Rolando McClain is one of my favorite players in the draft, and would be my pick if Seattle was planning to switch to a 3-4. Denver gets a steal.

Seattle doesn't do poorly here, either. While I generally would not pick a player I haven't scouted, I keep hearing awesome things about Haden's physical talents... and talent is a lot of the cornerback position. With Marcus Trufant hurt and playing pretty poorly, there isn't a lot of long-term security here. Cornerbacks are like WRs... you never have too many in this day and age.

Picks 11-15

#11 San Francisco - Trent Williams (OL, Oklahoma)
#12 Houston - Derrick Morgan (DE, Georgia Tech)
#13 San Francisco - CJ Spiller (RB, Clemson)
#14 Tennessee - Sean Weatherspoon (LB, Missouri)
#15 Pittsburgh - Mike Iupati (OG, Idaho)

Trent Williams is too good of a run-blocker to fall much farther, and his troubles sliding his feet would be mitigated at SF as he could be a guard for a while. Houston really only has Mario Williams as a pass-rusher on the DL, and even though I really like Connor Barwin I don't see them passing up Morgan's versatility. San Fran again presents a tough choice, and even though they love Frank Gore, I think CJ Spiller could be a possibility here. The 49ers seem confused as to whether or not they're smashmouth or spread on offense, and this way they can be both. If I felt any of the "pass-rushing" OLBs were worth it, I'd go there, but Ricky Sapp (Clemson) and Sergio Kindle (Texas) have thoroughly disappointed me. Tennessee's defense went from great to awful in a year, and while they really need to address Haynesworth's departure, I don't see a tackle capable of doing that for them, so they'll add some youth, athleticism, and production to their decent LB group. While it pains me to give Pittsburg Mike Iupati, who I feel will be a stud, it seems very possible at pick # 15.

Picks 16-20

#16 Atlanta - Jason Pierre-Paul (DE, USF)
#17 NY Jets - Damian Williams (WR, USC)
#18 Baltimore - Brandon LaFell (WR, LSU)
#19 Miami - Brandon Spikes (LB, Florida)
#20 Jacksonville - Jimmy Clausen (QB, Notre Dame)

I largely agree with Rob's choices at #16 and #17. It wouldn't surprise me if LaFell went way earlier, but he'd be a great choice here for Baltimore, who desperately needs WR help. Spikes gives Miami a tough leader for their defense, and though I love Channing Crowder I hear that the Miami FO does not. I could not in good conscience have Jacksonville take Tebow, but then I believe he will kill his stock at the senior bowl when coaches get to see him outside Florida's offense. The opposite could also happen, though.

Picks 21-25

#21 New England - Everson Griffen (LB, USC)
#22 NY Giants - Eric Berry (FS/CB, Tennessee)
#23 Green Bay - Charles Brown (OT, USC)
#24 Arizona - Ricky Sapp (OLB, Clemson)
#25 Philadelphia - Jahvid Best (RB, Cal)

New England needs linebacker help so badly it actually hurts to watch them on defense. Everson is a bigger OLB, but New England loves size on defense. New York needs secondary help and Berry offers versatility at S and CB. Green Bay's OL has had major problems and since I don't think we'll see Bulaga declare, I think Brown is the guy for them. Arizona's pass rush turns on and off, but they have the luxury of drafting a high-risk high-reward prospect here, though I'm sure they'd rather get OL. Philadelphia was a little tougher for me, but with Brian Westbrook mulling retirement I could see them drafting a possible replacement - and yes, I know they have LeSean McCoy. Neither back can handle 300+ carries, but together they help a stacked Philadelphia team.

Picks 26-32

#26 Dallas - Taylor Mays (S, USC)
#27 Seattle - Jonathan Dwyer (RB, Georgia Tech)
#28 Cincinnati - Jermaine Gresham (TE, Oklahoma)
#29 San Diego - Jared Odrick (DE, Penn State)
#30 Minnesota - Syd'Quan Thompson (CB, Cal)
#31 New Orleans - Patrick Robinson (CB, Florida State)
#32 Indianapolis - Jerry Hughes (DE, TCU)

Mays just seems like a Jerry Jones player and at this point presents good value. Cincinnati never seems to have a good TE... I think getting someone like Gresham could take the heat off of Ochocinco and the young WRs they have. I know nothing about Odrick, but San Deigo needs front-7 help and he seems like their type of defensive end, having played defensive tackle at Penn State. After originally assigning Minnesota Weatherspoon, who actually went to Tennessee earlier (oops!), I decided to go with Syd'Quan Thompson out of Cal. I think, due to system, the Vikings would have Thompson higher than Patrick Robinson, who went to New Orleans. New Orleans seems like a team constantly needing cornerbacks, and Robinson is too good to go much later than this. Hughes is a guy a lot of teams might look at as a OLB in a 3-4, but Indianapolis would be wise to consider him at defensive end - one of the only teams both willing to take a smaller DE and willing to draft a small-school player.

I think I can hear Rob's unhappiness several thousand miles away with the Dwyer selection, but I actually think this could be a steal. While I am disappointed that I didn't get a chance to have Seattle draft Iupati, Denver's pick was just too low and Seattle's too high to take him. Dwyer played through an injury earlier in the year but in looking at 2008 film and later-2009 film, Dwyer has good speed, a great frame, and would provide some "umph" to Justin Forsett's slashing. I'm concerned about the offense, but Dwyer was fairly successful in part-time duty as a true Freshman in 2007, before Paul Johnson arrived at Georgia Tech, showing at least decent vision and capability to function outside the wacky system GT runs.

Note: The exclusion of Carlos Dunlap is intentional - I've heard from a reliable source that several NFL scouts can't even justify taking him in the first two rounds. It wouldn't surprise me if Dunlap blew away teams at the combine, but until that happens I'm going off of what film is telling people.

Updated mock draft - December 9th

We're still a long way away from having a firm grasp of how the 2010 NFL Draft will pan out, but I've published an updated mock draft today. I've set out to do two things in this prediction. Firstly, to try and think outside the box as much as physically possible. Secondly, to try and be as logical as possible when predicting the Seahawks' two first round picks considering we are awaiting the appointment of a new GM. Feel free to let me know your thoughts in the comments section at the bottom of the article, or email rob@seahawksdraftblog.com

The draft order is based on current records and tie breakers. You can find the reference list I used by clicking here.

Picks 1-5

#1 Cleveland - Ndamukong Suh (DT, Nebraska)
#2 St Louis - Gerald McCoy (DT, Oklahoma)
#3 Tampa Bay - Russell Okung (OT, Oklahoma State)
#4 Detroit - Derrick Morgan (DE, Georgia Tech)
#5 Washington - Jake Locker (QB, Washington)

Despite Cleveland and St Louis' obvious issues at quarterback, at this stage I have to put Suh and McCoy at the very top. The quarterback class of 2010 is filled with pit falls and despite the fact the NFL is clearly a QB league, this will be a draft best remembered for the elite talent on the defensive line. Suh and McCoy are by far the best prospects in this class.

Russell Okung is hugely over rated in my opinion, but then it's hard to understand what direction the Buccs are heading under their new GM. They would undoubtedly love to draft Suh or McCoy, but with both gone they'll look to protect Josh Freeman - a nice idea in method but I really think Okung is a mid-late first rounder. With a weak class at offensive tackle and the premium placed on the position, he could go this early. Washington will almost certainly go quarterback. I'm not convinced Locker will declare, but if he does I have to assume it'll be between him and Sam Bradford to be the first quarterback off the board.

Picks 6-10

#6 Kansas City - Dez Bryant (WR, Oklahoma State)
#7 Buffalo - Sam Bradford (QB, Oklahoma)
#8 Oakland - Carlos Dunlap (DE, Florida)
#9 Seattle - C.J. Spiller (RB, Clemson)
#10 Denver - Rolando McClain (LB, Alabama)

I'll talk about the other picks before getting onto Seattle (and I know I've left myself wide open for criticism for picking Spiller in the top ten, but I'll try to explain the thinking). Kansas City made a left field pick last year when they took Tyson Jackson third overall - it could happen again in searching for a playmaker to help Matt Cassel. Buffalo will have a new head coach and could look at drafting a new QB to match. Oakland and Carlos Dunlap - never have two parties been so perfect since, well, Oakland and Darren McFadden or Oakland and Darrius Heyward-Bey.

The Seahawks would be picking at ninth overall if the season ended today. In this projection, they would be on the board having seen the top four defensive lineman gone, the top two quarterbacks gone and the seemingly consensus top offensive tackle gone. As you will see later in the mock, I don't think Jimmy Clausen is going to go as early as some people think and wouldn't be taken by Seattle here. I have to believe the Seahawks would love to add a lineman, be it offensive or defensive. Charles Brown could be an option, but he has to prove he can add weight (currently playing at 285lbs) before I can put him amongst the top 10-15.

With options limited I chose C.J. Spiller. Many people will say, "you cant do anything on offense until the line is better." In watching the Seahawks the last two years, I've made one observation. Yes - the offensive line has been hit by injuries or performed poorly. However, teams simply do not respect Seattle's skill position players. It allows them to regularly stack the box, blitz freely and in numbers. They gamble that the Seahawks offense won't be able to hurt them - on the ground or through the air - and therefore commit extra men to attack the line. I don't care who you are - when you're trying to block two guys off the edge it's going to be tough to handle. I'm not sure if you put any of the rookie left tackles taken last year on that 'Hawks line, the results would be much improved.

Seattle has to get better on both lines but it also needs to get guys who can make things happen. I've watched Spiller a few times this year and am convinced he can be a big playmaker at the next level. He has elite speed and will see his stock propel after he runs at the combine. The Seahawks simply do not have anyone like Spiller. He's a threat to score every time he has the ball. He can be used in any play call and he's a brilliant return man. Durability concerns were somewhat tempered when he ran for 233 yards and four TD's in the ACC Championship despite clearly suffering from a turf toe injury.

The pick represents my opinion of where Spiller could go, but also my opinion of what Seattle could do. It doesn't mean it will happen and things could change when we know who the new GM will be. However - I wanted to represent this in the mock. I know a lot of people will disagree with taking a running back early, but there is a very real possibility the Seahawks will not be well placed to draft for the offensive line in the first few picks. With two first rounders, they have the potential to explore those areas later on.

Picks 11-15

#11 San Francisco - Joe Haden (CB, Florida)
#12 Houston - Earl Thomas (S, Texas)
#13 San Francisco - Bryan Bulaga (OT, Iowa)
#14 Tennessee - Brian Price (DT, UCLA)
#15 Pittsburgh - Dan Williams (DT, Tennessee)

The Niners will pick twice very quickly in the first fifteen picks thanks to Carolina's difficult season. Haden could be a top ten pick and would present good value here. Bulaga is a powerful run blocker who would be a good fit for San Francisco. I've made my feelings known about Eric Berry in the past, but it would not surprise me at all if Earl Thomas was the first safety taken off the board. He's been a bigger playmaker than Berry this year, but is a much better tackler.

Picks 16-20

#16 Atlanta - Jason Pierre-Paul (DE, USF)
#17 NY Jets - Damian Williams (WR, USC)
#18 Baltimore - Jermaine Gresham (TE, Oklahoma)
#19 Miami - Eric Berry (S, Tennessee)
#20 Jacksonville - Tim Tebow (QB, Florida)

I'm loathe to simply place Tebow with the Jaguars like every other mock draft out there. However, having watched the Jags vs Texans game last weekend and seen the empty seats - maybe they will draft for season tickets? Eric Berry going 20th overall? I've raised concerns about him in the past - he could be a liability in the NFL with his tackling. Jermaine Gresham's injury has knocked him down boards, I still think he'll go fairly early.

Picks 21-25

#21 New England - Sergio Kindle (OLB, Texas)
#22 NY Giants - Everson Griffen (DE, USC)
#23 Green Bay - Charles Brown (OT, USC)
#24 Arizona - Anthony Davis (OT, Rutgers)
#25 Philadelphia - Bruce Carter (LB, North Carolina)

I'm a big fan of Bruce Carter's. He could go higher than this if he declares, although he claims he's staying with North Carolina. Charles Brown has the potential to be this year's Jason Smith if he can add weight and show well at the combine. Until he does though, I want to keep him at this level. If he does show well in Indianapolis, he could be an option for Seattle.

Picks 26-32

#26 Dallas - Taylor Mays (S, USC)
#27 Seattle - Mike Iupati (OG, Idaho)
#28 Cincinnati - Jahvid Best (RB, California)
#29 San Diego - Brandon Spikes (LB, Florida)
#30 Minnesota - Travis Lewis (OLB, Oklahoma)
#31 New Orleans - Sean Wetherspoon (LB, Missouri)
#32 Indianapolis - Trent Williams (OT, Oklahoma)

One of the things I wanted to represent here is the fact Seattle will change at least some philosophies from the Tim Ruskell era. As we all know, Ruskell was not keen on drafting from smaller schools. I think it's fair to say he would not consider a guard from Idaho. However, it at least becomes a possibility now. This might not be a great draft for offensive tackles, but the Seahawks can still upgrade their line. In my previous mock I touted the possibility of taking Rodney Hudson (OG, Florida State). If he declares, he too would become an option in the late first round. However, it's not often that junior interior lineman leave school early - it's one to monitor.

So what about Jimmy Clausen? When I've scouted the Notre Dame quarterback this year, I've not been impressed. He has mechanical issues with a low, side arm throwing motion which often leads to deflected passes. Clausen loses all velocity throwing off his back foot - which can be often. The vast majority of his passes are high percentage outside slants to two of the most productive receivers in college football - he hasn't shown an ability to make a deep range of NFL throws. I think this will be enough to put teams off at the top of the board and he could suffer a substantial fall.

Obviously we're a long way away from the draft right now and things can change. However, I wanted to portray a situation I could potentially see happening. A lot of mocks have Clausen going in the top ten, or even first overall, so I wanted to take an objective view because personally - I wouldn't rate Clausen that highly.

Tuesday links

Harry King discusses the probability of Ryan Mallett (QB, Arkansas) declaring for 2010: "A redshirt sophomore, Mallett is not ready for the NFL. But, some who dream of what Arkansas might be with Mallett deduced his early departure from his eligibility and from national experts gushing about his unequaled arm."

Also from King the pro's and con's of Mallett in discussion with Chris Mortensen: "Mallett’s pros are obvious. Mortensen started with his arm — “There isn’t a big throw he can’t make” — moved on to his height, explained how NFL people like that Bobby Petrino demands so much of his quarterback, and said Mallett’s few interceptions shows he understands how to take care of the ball. Intangibles include a passion for the game and football smarts, he said."

Marc Morehouse reports from Iowa and the potential declaration by offensive lineman Bryan Bulaga: "Any college football player who wants to leave school before his eligibility is up must notify the NFL office by Jan. 15. That’s either two weeks or 10 days after the Hawkeyes finish their season in the Orange Bowl."

Tom Fitzgerald ponders whether Heisman candidate Toby Gerhart will apply for another year at Stanford or head for the NFL: "In the coming months, he'll have to decide whether to pull his name out of the NFL draft. He could obtain another year of eligibility at Stanford and said he might do that depending on how high he is expected to be drafted. Coach Jim Harbaugh says he'd encourage him to turn pro "if he's going to be drafted high enough. ... He's more than ready to make that step."

Rob Rang rallies for Ndamukong Suh to win the Heisman. He's got a point: "On the behalf of college football fans across the world, Heisman voters, I challenge you with proving that the greatest individual honor in sports hasn't become a joke. For a change, lets award the best player in the country the honor supposed to be bestowed upon the best player in the country... even if he plays defense and isn't in a BCS bowl game. Award the Heisman Trophy to Ndamukong Suh."

Matt McGuire publishes an updated mock. The Seahawks get Derrick Morgan and Ryan Mallett: "The Seahawks are desperate for a franchise quarterback, but passing on Mark Sanchez shouldn't be thought of as a bad move. The bottom line is Matt Hasselbeck has two years left on this contract and they would be paying a backup No. 4 overall money for one or two seasons. This team needs to draft for the future if the future is on the board."

Notre Dame's Clausen, Tate to declare

Notre Dame quarterback Jimmy Clausen and playmaking receiver Golden Tate will both declare for the 2010 draft. No surprises here.

Reader's mock: Matt Rocha

I was planning on publishing an updated mock draft last week, but the resignation of GM Tim Ruskell led to a re-think. Obviously this changes the complexion of a potential Seahawks draft - there's no GM or philosophy from which to use as a basis to predict. I'll compile some thoughts and publish a new mock draft at some point this week, probably on Wednesday. In the meantime, reader and contributor Matt Rocha emailed me a mock draft which is worth checking out. I've published it so have a look and let me know what you think in the comments section. Also, if you ever want to have a mock draft published on the blog feel free to send it to me at rob@seahawksdraftblog.com

To see Matt Rocha's full mock draft click here or select 'read more'.

Matt Rocha:
"I did this mock draft with the idea of Mike Holmgren as the Seahawks GM. I made selections based on things he has said in the past and what he said today (Friday) when was a co-host on 950 KJR. I do not think Holmgren should be given the job as GM of the Seahawks, but he is a strong candidate at this early stage of the process.

Mike Holmgren has said in the past that if he had to do things over again as a GM he would draft defensive players and sign free agent players for the offense. His reason was it takes young guys a longer to learn the intricacies of an offense, whereas with young defensive players you just wind them up and let them go. But, Holmgren might be forced to draft offensive players early and often due to Tim Ruskell neglecting that side of the ball during his tenure as GM. Keep in mind when reading this mock that we cannot address all our needs in one draft.

Here are a things on the Seahawks, that Holmgren talked about when he was on 950 KJR.

-He thinks Hasselbeck has 4 good years left.
-He said the Seahawks need to get bigger players at certain positions.
-The offensive line needs to be addressed. - He is willing to take a shot on players that may have character concerns, because he thinks he can help out troubled players.
-He also said that he likes taking QB’s in later rounds of the draft, because he thinks he can hit on a QB late in the draft."

1. Browns (1-10) - * (QB) Sam Bradford 6-4 218 lbs Oklahoma
Brady Quinn has been a bust so far and may likely be traded or cut before next season. The Browns have one of the worst QB situation in the NFL, so they take Bradford the most NFL ready of the top rated QB’s.

2. Rams (1-10) - (DT) Ndamnukong Suh 6-4 300 lbs Nebraska
The Rams have a hard decision, take a QB or the best player in the draft. The Rams two former 1st round defensive lineman have been a disappointment, so Suh will take over for the often injured DT Adam Carriker.

3. Bucs (1-10) - * (DT) Gerald McCoy 6-4 295 lbs Oklahoma
McCoy has the potential to be the next Tommie Harris. McCoy will greatly improve the Bucs pass rush.

4. Lions (2-9) - .(OT) Russell Okung 6-6 305 lbs Okalahoma St
The Lions reach with this pick, but LT is a premium position, and the Lions need someone to protect the Matt Stafford’s blind side. (Head coach Jim Schwartz is trying to get his undersized defense bigger & more physical players, so DE Carlos Dunlap is another option for this pick.)

5. Redskins (3-8) - * QB) Jimmy Clausen 6-3 217 lbs Norte Dame
The new coaching staff next year is going to want their own hand picked QB to lead their offense and Clausen is their man.

6. Raiders (3-8) - * QB Jake Locker 6-3 222 lbs Washington
The Raiders have lost all faith in Jamarcus Russell so I have them taking Jake Locker as their franchise QB.

7. Chiefs (3-8) - (DT) Terrance Cody 6-5 365 lbs Alabama
The Chiefs need help on the offensive line, but they need someone to anchor their 3-4 defense just as bad. The Chiefs reached last year on DE Tyson Jackson and I think they will reach again.

8. Seahawks (4-7) - (DE) Carlos Dunlap 6-6 290 lbs Florida
Holmgren said he would get bigger at certain positions, so he gets a big DE just like he had back in Green Bay (Reggie White).

9. Bills (4-7) - (OLB) Sean Weatherspoon 6-2 245 lbs Missouri
The Bills have a good MLB in Paul Posluszny, but their other two LB’s are average at best. Weatherspoon has good size/speed and has a knack for making plays.

10. Broncos (from Bears 4-7) - * (S) Eric Berry 5-11 203 lbs Tennessee
The Broncos used a 2nd round pick last year on safety Darcel McBath and signed a 36 year old Brian Dawkins who was a good signing, but they need to find a replacement for Dawkins. Eric Berry might be considered a steal at this point of the 1st round by some draft pundits.

11. 49ers (from Panthers 4-7) - * (CB) Joe Hayden 5-11 190 lbs Florida
Head coach Mike Singeltary like physical players and Hayden is one the most physical CB’s in the draft.

12. 49ers (5-6) - (OT) Trent Williams 6-5 308 lbs Oklahoma
Williams will start at RT for the 49ers, which is the position he played with success his junior year.

13. Jets (5-6) - (WR) Dez Bryant 6-2 215 lbs Oklahoma St
The Jets take Bryant to team up with Braylon Edwards. Dez Bryant, Braylon Edwards, and TE Dustin Keller will be a outstanding trio for QB Mark Sanchez to throw to.

14. Texans (5-6) - (RB) C.J. Spiller 5-11 195 lbs Clemson
Texans RB Steve Slaton has had a fumbling problem and is in the coach’s dog house, so Spiller makes sense here. The Texans offense will be extremely dangerous with C.J. Spiller and WR Andre Johnson.

15. Dolphins (5-6) - * (MLB) Rolando McClain 6-4 249 lbs Alabama
The Dolphins have three LB’s that are over 30 years old and need to get younger at that position. McClain is a big physical player which Bill Parcel’s loves, and he is a great fit for Miami’s 3-4 defense.

16. Titans (5-6) - (DT) Dan Williams 6-2 327 lbs Tennessee
The Titans lack a big body DT that who could take on double-teams, so Williams fit’s a need. He also has some quickness and could help collapse the pocket.

17. Steelers (6-5) - * (OT) Bryan Bulaga 6-6 312 lbs Iowa
The Steelers offensive line has struggled a bit with pass protection, but some of the blame should go to Big Ben for having a bad habit of holding onto the ball too long. Bulaga is a extremely strong guy and might be a better fit at RT. The struggling RT Willie Colon would have to take a back seat to the rookie.

18. Jaguars (6-5) - * (DT) Brian Price 6-2 295 lbs UCLA
The Jaguars defensive line has struggled this year so I think they take Price. Price playing along side DT John Henderson should greatly improve their defensive line.

19. Falcons (6-5) - * (DE) Derrick Morgan 6-4 270 lbs Georgia Tech
Morgan is an absolute steal this far down in the draft. Seven of the teams selecting before the Falcons run a 3-4 defense and Morgan is not 3-4 DE & and unknown as a LB in a 3-4. Former 1st round pick DE Jamaal Anderson has been a bust. Morgan should help the defensive line as a rookie.

20. Ravens (6-5) - (CB) Patrick Robinson 5-11 194 lbs Florida St
The Ravens CB’s are the weak link on the defense and need so major help. While Robinson has had a bit of an inconsistent year, he is a great athlete with good ball skill.

21. Giants (6-5) - (S) Taylor Mays 6-3 230 lbs USC
The Giants need a DT but they would have to reach for one at this point of the draft, so I have them upgrading their secondary. With Kenny Phillips as a the FS Mays would be a SS which should be a good position for him.

22. Packers (7-4) - (OT) Charles Brown 6-6 295 lbs USC
Brown should be able to win the starting LT position his rookie year. This would be the first time this decade that the Packers use a 1st round pick on a offensive lineman.

23. Cardinals (7-4) - (DE/OLB) Jerry Hughes 6-3 257 lbs TCU
Hughes can take over for 34 year old Chike Okeafor as a rush LB/DE.

24. Eagles (7-4) - * (DE) Everson Griffen 6-3 265 lbs USC
Head coach Andy Reid believes in using high round selections for his defensive line and he does it again this year with the selection of Griffen. An alternative selection could be TE Ed Dickson or TE Jermaine Gresham, but they may want to see what they have in last years 5th round pick TE Cornelius Ingram.

25. Patriots (7-4) - (DE/DT) Arthur Jones 6-4 291 lbs Syracuse
Jones is stout against the run and has a lot of experience taking on double-teams. He should be a good replacement for the departed Richard Seymour in the Patriots 3-4 defense.

26. Seahawks (from Broncos 7-4) - (OG) Mike Iupati 6-5 330 lbs Idaho
Holmgren said the Seahawks offensive line needs to be addressed so he takes Iupati. The big man is a good athlete and a monster in the run game.

27. Bengals (8-3) - (OG) Mike Pouncey 6-5 320 lbs Florida
The Bengals solidify the interior of the offensive line with the selection Pouncey. They could also consider Anthony Davis, but the Bengals feel LT Andrew Whitworth can hold that position down.

28. Chargers (8-3) - - (DT) * Jerrell Powe 6-2 330 lbs Mississippi
Powe will be the future replacement for NT Jamal Williams. Powe is quick off the ball and powerful.

29. Cowboys (8-3) - (OT) Anthony Davis 6-6 325 lbs Rutgers
LT Flozell Adams is 35 years old and its time for the Cowboys to draft a young OT to replace him. Davis is a steal this late in the draft.

30. Vikings (10-1) - (QB) Tim Tebow 6-3 245 lbs Florida
I think the Vikings are the team most likely to take a chance on Tebow. Add Tebow to a already loaded offense with the likes of Percy Harvin, RB Adrian Peterson, WR Sidney Rice, WR Bernard Berrian, and TE Visanthe Shiancoe.

31. Saints (11-0) - * (OC) Maurkice Pouncey 6-5 318 lbs Florida
The Saints could lose OG Jahri Evans to free agency this year, so they take Pouncey to replace Evans.

32. Colts (11-0) - (OT) Jason Fox 6-7 310 lbs Miami
LT Tony Ugoh has struggles in pass protection in the past and he might be a better fit as a RT, with Fox taking over as the LT.

2nd round Seahawks (CB) Brian Jackson 6-1 202 lbs Oklahoma
Like I stated earlier, Holmgren said he would get bigger at certain positions and I think he had CB in mind. So I have him taking Jackson, who is the best of the “6-0 ft & taller” CB’s in the draft. He is real physical, and fairly fluid/smooth for his size.

3rd round Seahawks (traded away last year)

4th round Seahawks (RB) Keiland Williams 5-11 229 lbs LSU
Williams runs with good power and has some quickness, although he is not a home run threat. Williams and Justin Forsett would be a good two RB rotation.

5th round Seahawks (QB) John Skelton 6-5 256 lbs Fordham
Holmgren said he prefers QB’s that stay in school their senior year, which Skelton did. Holmgren also said he prefers taking QB’s in the later rounds of the draft, because he beliefs he can hit on a late round QB. Skelton has a lot of playing experience having played all four years at Fordham. Brett Farve came from a small school proving Holmgren is not afraid of getting guys from small school (via Atlanta).

Here is a good article on John Skelton

6th round Seahawks (WR) Kerry Meier 6-3 220 lbs Kansas
Meier brings some size to the receiving core. Meier has very good body control and good hands. He is not quick nor fast, but he has proved in college that he can be very productive.

7th round Seahawks (OT) Derek Hardman 6-6 300 lbs Eastern Kentucky
Hardman was a team leader and was a first team selection in his division. Hardman could be a late round steal.

C.J. Spiller is needed in Seattle

I've just finished watching the Clemson vs Georgia Tech game from yesterday, where the Yellow Jackets ground out a 39-33 victory to win the ACC Championship. I have nothing against GT (but I do find the system they use completely unpleasant on the eye), but I was desperate for Clemson to win just for C.J. Spiller. Simply put - the guy was immense. Clearly hurting, Spiller was suffering terribly with a turf toe injury that's dogged him all year. It seemed like after each play he was limping back to the line of scrimmage or the sideline.

Quite the miracle then, that he managed to post a career high 233 rushing yards and four touchdowns. He was outstanding. People question his durability and yes it's a legitimate concern whenever you're thinking of taking a running back in round one. However - that was some gutsy performance. He never got out of third gear because of his injury, but even so he was out running everyone to break off big runs. He took the tough, hurtful yards - hitting the hole with purpose and making the most of everyone one of his twenty carries.

I truly believe he can be the focal point of a running game in the NFL. Yes - you keep someone on the roster who can spell him, that's what Clemson have done all year. But he can take most of the carries. The added bonus is you can leave him in there on any play call - his pass protection is above average and he runs exceptional routes with good hands.

The Seahawks simply don't have anyone on their roster with Spiller's game breaking ability. Team's will have to gameplan for his speed. They'll be cautious of giving him the ball on kick offs, surrendering field position. He can score six points every time he has the ball and right now Seattle does not score enough cheap points. The Seahawks offense is predictable, lacks any kind of spark and needs someone like C.J. Spiller.

He's too explosive to ignore, even at 50% health. Of his four TD's, two were short range hard runs to pound the ball over. The other two - bouncing out wide to break off 40 yard runs and take it all the way. He regularly found the edge or a crease. Put the ball in his hands, get him into space and it's over. In that sense he reminds me so much of Chris Johnson in Tennessee, a guy who you fancy to break off one big run a game. The two aren't identical prospects - Johnson is a bit bigger but Spiller perhaps is a little more savvy. However - they both share one trait which is elite speed. The Clemson runner's stock could explode if he runs a Johnson-esque time at the combine in the 4.2's.

Elsewhere, I was thankful for the opportunity to watch Derrick Morgan again and his performance confirmed my original opinion of him. He was consistently making plays in the backfield despite battling strict double teams throughout. Morgan didn't record a sack, but then Clemson didn't throw all that often. He did press the QB when he needed to, again showing that relentless style and always playing to the whistle. On one play he moved inside, explodes past the first blocker (left guard) escapes the left tackle in support and gets to the QB 12 yards behind the line of scrimmage.

He flashed quickness off the snap instantly putting blockers on the back foot and getting into the backfield. Morgan has the prototype size for a 4-3 defensive end and the size/speed combo which will make him a threat at the next level. I feel confident enough to keep him third overall on my prospect rankings for 2010 - he should be a top 10 pick.