Thread: Mountain Viking's 2008 Mock First Round

Well, here it is my first full first round Mock Draft 2008, complete with surprise picks, trades, and nearly completed trades
;D


Dang.
These are work.
I'm going to say about 3.5 hours of checking depth charts,
http://www.sportsline.com/nfl/teams/depth-chart/JAC

draft trade charts, rankings and other mocks,
http://www.nfldraftcountdown.com/rankings/top.html
http://www.thefootballexpert.com/coxmockdraft.html
http://www.profootballtalk.com/draft/draft-trade-chart/
http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/players.php?genpos=DE&draftyear=2008&sortby=tsxpos &order=ASC

and stats from last year's teams...to further determine needs,
http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/stats/byteam?group=Special&cat=Returns
http://www.nfl.com/stats



1 Dolphins Vernon Gholston-I think he’s the biggest, baddest fastest, all out athlete in the draft that could play DE if they stay 4-3, or move to OLB if they decide to go to the 3-4.
22.5 sacks and over 30 TFL over the past two years is enough production to solidify his incredible workout numbers.

2 Rams Jake Long-Their Oline injuries killed them last year.
They’ve got too much talent on offense to let that happen again.

3 Falcons Sedrick Ellis-a cornerstone DT to build their Defense around is the value.
They go QB in rd2, or trade their two 2nds to get a guy at the end of the first.

4 Raiders Dorsey-A big bad mofo to take Sapp’s place, and improve the entire defense.

5 Chiefs Jeff Otah-The Chiefs simply have to improve their Oline
Word is that Otah is the mauler/run blocker type they like.

6 Jets trade w MN Chris Long for Bryant McKinnie and No.17
The Vikings finally get the DE they’ve been searching for.
He’s athletic enough to play either side and may get reps at both, and best of all fits their need for “high character players.”

7 Patriots Quentin Groves (OLB) Vrabel takes Seau’s place in the middle and Groves gives them a dangerous weapon to play opposite Adalius Thomas.
He has plenty of speed to rush and the experience at both positions to play some OLB coverage too.
I know, I know, they need a CB, but, they could still plug Troy Brown in that position if push came to shove…what I really mean, is that they’ll probably get lucky on a late aging vet FA…Ty Law is available.

8 Ravens trade w CAR McFadden is a playmaker and the starter.
DeAngello stays as third down back.

9 Bengals Keith Rivers-the Bengals couldn’t keep a healthy LB last year.
Top end depth.

10 Saints Derrick Harvey-They signed some secondary depth, now they need pass rush.

11 Bills Dominic Rogers Cromartie-They got Stroud at DT and Kawika at LB.
DRC gives them a tall fast playmaker that improves their defense…even though somebody might have to move to S.

12 Broncos Dan Connor-To some extent, injuries and bad luck (choices?) have kept DT their biggest need, but the top two are gone, and Balmer is another Boom or Bust player they don’t want to gamble on.
They signed two cast off LBs, but the value fits the need here, and moving DJ back to OLB is a great idea.

13 Panthers Trade BAL-Matt Ryan-a team that needs a QB more than the Vikes? Teams 9 thru 12 don’t need a QB, Allowing BAL to get their QB and CAR’s third and fourth round picks, leaving CAR a 2nd to address their OL

14 Bears Chris Williams improves their Oline more than another RB would.
He has experience at OG and can start there till one of their old OTs retires.
(Going for versatility)

15 Lions Jon Stewert-Tatum Bell is not the answer for a team that says it wants to run and the Lions like to reach for playmakers in the first round.
I think Stewert is the best all around (pound it) back, and will make Bell a good third down and change of pace guy.

16 Cardinals Ryan Clady is too good to pass up here.
And, these guys know from their time in PIT, that it takes an Oline to run the ball.
Might consider Mendenhall, but there will be good RBs later.

17 Vikings Trade Cliff Avril’s 40 time gets him to the first round, and a starting spot at OLB in the Jets 3-4.
He upgrades their pass rush and overall athleticism up front.
The Jets also get a first round upgrade to their running game with McKinnie at LT.
Former first Dbrick moves to RT or maybe Guard depending on who they’re big on.

18 Texans Leodis McKelvin-They want to go RB, but they know talent drops off a lot more at CB in the later rounds.

19 Eagles Limas Sweed-Just the big, fast WR the doctor (McNabb) ordered.
With Curtis, Reggie, and Basket, their core looks solid, and Andy Reid really likes to pass…a lot.

20 Buccaneers Philip Merling gives their aging defense some more youth and provides an upgrade to Chukwurah at LDE.
Gruden wants to go WR or OT, but can’t quite justify the next best guy.
I know, they signed Marques Douglas, and he can hold down the fort if Merling misses time, and together, they’ve got a nice rotation there.

21 Redskins Kenny Philips-Yeah, they go there.
They like their first round S tandem and once again, the guy from the U is the best available.

22 Cowboys Rashad Mendenhall-They’re so stoked he fell this far…now they’re not nearly as worried about signing Barber next year.

23 Steelers Branden Albert-They need some “nasty with a killer instinct” in their running game.
And, Faneca got overpaid in New York, so he fills a hole.

24 Titans Desean Jackson-fills a need at WR and makes problem child PacMan more expendable.
Last year without Jones, they ended up being 6th worst in KR and not much better on PR.

25 Seahawks Kentwan Balmer-They got some OG and RB help in FA.
Now they upgrade their inside pressure and DT rotation.

26 Jaguars Erin Henderson-Tice has Del Rio by the ear and insists on the boy from his alma mater, since he also knows the older brother
Seriously though, a playmaker at OLB could make this defense even more dangerous.
My other choice is Trevor Laws as he could play DE in their 3-4 since he had his 112 tackles in a similar situation last year…yeah, I might switch this one.

27 Chargers Reggie Smith provides depth at two places of need for the Chargers, CB and S.

28 Cowboys Devin Thomas’ 4.40 speed fits in nicely between TO and Patrick Crayton’s size.
And, he can help with returns…the boys were near the bottom third of the league in return yds.

29 49ers James Hardy has the size and reach to make a QB look better than he really is.
However, If somebody, for example, ATL was looking at Brian Brohm they may be willing to trade their two second round picks to the 49ers for this pick, and the 49ers could still get the DT (Okam is a BIG strong DT fit for a 3-4, but rated later) that they need, and a good WR prospect too (possibly, still Hardy.)
Cause, Parcells might be looking QB in the 2nd round too, and he has the first pick.
But, the QB situation is sticky here, with Brohm falling kind of even with Flacco and Henne as the next best guy.
My guess is the top 4 QBs are gone by mid way through the 2nd round, maybe even more given the depth/injury issues there last season, but that teams will be willing to gamble a guy they like will still be there in the 2nd at this point in the first…

30 Packers Mike Jenkins provides some youthful talent at CB and/or S…probably starts the season as the nickel and may push the starters by late season.
Maybe he can cover Plaxico Burress…?

31 Giants Jerod Meyo-adds a smart fast athletic presence at OLB that could go a long way toward helping cover the middle.
He’s not a great pass rusher, but they already have that covered with the talent up front as they led the league in sacks last year…the stat that
likely won them the Superbowl.


Dang.
WOText.
Hope you like it...let me know what ya;all think
;D

So you're saying we trade our pick to the Jets? What do we get for it? I'm probably just not reading it right lol...

Looks like we swap first rounders with the Jets and they get McKinnie.

That would be nice, but it won't happen.
Especially with McKinnie facing suspension...

Nice work.
disagree with the trade scenerio. No way the 'Vikes move up. If anything, they move down. That's unlikely as well. Just based on the last few drafts. Chris Long will probably be a Fish. Spielman will stay put and grab whomever drops or happens to be there, BPA that is.

The Jets have d'Brickashaw, why would they want McKinnie?

"mountainviking" wrote:

15 Lions Jon Stewart-Tatum Bell is not the answer for a team that says it wants to run and the Lions like to reach for playmakers in the first round.
I think Stewert is the best all around (pound it) back, and will make Bell a good third down and change of pace guy.

Only Millen would draft a tiny Jewish comedian over the age of 40...good guess. ;D

predicting draft day trades is ridiculous

Oops.
Somehow missed my favorite WR, Malcolm Kelly.
He goes to the Buccs, cuz I thought they were looking at WR anyway.
Malcolm Kelly adds a tough playmaking WR over the middle to the outside speed they’ve got in old Galloway.
Maybe Crayton can succeed as their No. 3 wideout, and eventually No.2 when Joey retires.

That puts Philip Merling potentially out of the first round, if his injury doesn't clear up, OR, maybe, he goes to TEN at 24 or JAX at No. 26.
But if he can't play right away, he doesn't really fill the need in TEN, and I like DeSean Jackson in TEN for his return skills and their need of a playmaker for Young.
JAX is a great fit for Merling...but, once again depending how he checks out physically.

Once again, yet ANOTHER mock draft that disses my homey, Early Doucet III. >

Very interesting mock my friend.
I disagree with your top 5 picks (don't think Gholston goes that high) but I still like the overall draft.

As to your trade, if the Vikes trade with anyone (Miami/1rst would cost way to much) I would think they might try to move up into the Pats spot.
They don't seem to be to enamoured with anyone (by most mocks so we know how valid that statement is) and traditionally like to move down.
They also don't seem to be so well off in CAP so they probably won't want to pay a guy what he is worth at 7.

Anyway if I was gonna engineer a trade like that I would envision the top 7 picks having to go something like this......


1 Dolphins Chris Long, DE
2 Rams

Jake Long, OT
3 Falcons
Matt Ryan, QB
4 Raiders
Darren McFadden, RB
5 Chiefs

Cedric Ellist, DT
6 Jets


Glen Dorsey, DT
7 Vikings (Patriots)(49ers) Vernon Gholston, DE

Because most value charts used have the 7th pick valued at 1500 pts, Vikings would have to give up a mix of thier picks to get to that number. For instance....

17th 950
74th 220
83rd 175
114th 66
145th 33.5
= 1419.5 (Pats give us a discount).

Even at that discount we give up 6 of our 10 picks to get one guy.
Here are the rest of the picks we have and thier values based on a value chart I use.

17th - 950
48th-
420
74th- 220
83rd- 175
114th- 66
145th- 33.5
176th- 21
187th- 16.6
194th- 13.8
211th-
7


http://www.theredzone.org/2006/draft...valuechart.asp