This is the Alternative Version of my 2008 NFL Mock Draft.
E-mailer Craig Pawlychyn recently gave me a great idea. He suggested that I create an alternate version of my 2008 NFL Mock Draft where none of my picks would be the same as my regular mock, while still keeping it realistic. Forum poster Bluto then suggested that I should factor in a few trades that I think could happen.
So, here's the alternate version of my mock. I've included my regular selection below each pick. Hope you like it.
Next regular update: 2009 Mock Draft later this week.
We're still not sure whom the Dolphins are going to draft - it may come down to contract negotiations - but one thing is clear: The two front runners are the two Longs, while Vernon Gholston is the dark-horse third candidate.
I'm not sure if drafting a right tackle with the first-overall pick is a great idea, but the bottom line is that Jake Long projects as a great offensive lineman in the NFL who can be an immediate upgrade at the position. Miami cut L.J. Shelton and Anthony Alabi this offseason, and must fill the void with a stellar blocker.
As I mentioned in the first paragraph, the first pick could be determined by contract negotiations; the Raiders couldn't sign JaMarcus Russell until the middle of the 2007 season, and thus couldn't get anything out of their No. 1 overall pick in his rookie campaign.
Though some people are beginning to speculate that Glenn Dorsey could be the second player chosen in the 2008 NFL Draft, I'm not going to drift that way. I have faith that St. Louis' front office isn't completely stupid. Here's a list of reasons why I think taking Dorsey here just doesn't make sense:
1. Defensive End is a Larger Priority: Moving Adam Carriker over to defensive end sounds like a great idea in principle, until you factor in that asking a guy coming off shoulder surgery, who may not even be healthy until the preseason, to drop from 310 to 285-290 is pretty unrealistic. The Rams need an outside pass rusher more than an upgrade at defensive tackle. Anyone remotely familiar with the Rams will tell you that.
2. Dorsey's Not a Good Fit: We don't know if the Rams plan on switching to the 3-4 full time, but the fact remains they ran the 3-4 late in the season. Defensive coordinator Jim Haslett loves the 3-4 and was quoted as saying that he would like to run it on a more permanent basis. If that's the case, where does Dorsey fit in? He's not a nose tackle. Chris Long and Vernon Gholston are much better fits.
3. Injury Risk: If I'm an NFL general manager, there is absolutely no way I'm taking Dorsey in the top five. I'm not drafting the next Courtney Brown. Sure, Dorsey checked out, but don't most players before the draft? Dorsey has played hurt for the last two years and there is some indication that there are other injuries we don't even know about.
Look, I hope I'm wrong - I would love to see Dorsey succeed in the NFL. I loved him at LSU, and I think he's an amazing talent. He's just too much of a risk to be chosen in the top five.
This is a bit of a different situation than the Rams are in. Atlanta's top four needs are offensive tackle, quarterback, defensive tackle and middle linebacker. The former's not an option here because Jake Long is off the board. The latter can be addressed in the second round with Dan Connor, Jerod Mayo or Curtis Lofton. As for quarterback, we've gone over this already; Matt Ryan is not a top-five prospect. He's being overhyped by the national media because he happens to be the top quarterback in the class. Put him in with Matt Leinart, Vince Young and Jay Cutler, and he's a distant fourth.
The Falcons thus have to choose between taking Glenn Dorsey or Sedrick Ellis, or trading down. Deals in the top five seldom happen, so they don't really have much of a choice here.
The main reason some people don't like my Darren McFadden pick is that the Raiders just paid $12 million to Justin Fargas. Well, the same argument can be used against Glenn Dorsey and Sedrick Ellis. Defensive tackles Terdell Sands and Tommy Kelly and are making $17 million and $50.5 million, respectively. Both contracts are more lucrative than Fargas'.
The bottom line is Al Davis has no idea what he's doing. Every single non-quarterback in this draft is a realistic choice at No. 4. Chris Long is the best fit for the Raiders, but he's not making it this far.
The Chiefs are in a tough spot if Jake Long, Glenn Dorsey and Sedrick Ellis are all off the board. If that happens, they can go in one of three directions: cornerback (Leodis McKelvin is a very slight reach); offensive tackle (Ryan Clady and Jeff Otah are major reaches); and running back (Darren McFadden is a dark-horse option because Herm Edwards has ruined Larry Johnson's career).
Out of those three choices, McKelvin seems to make the most sense. Patrick Surtain is old, and Ty Law was just cut. Cornerback is Kansas City's greatest need, save for offensive line.
I'll be shocked if Vernon Gholston drops this far. Jets fans, meanwhile, would have to be thrilled. As Emmitt Smith would say, "The Jets just do not has the personality to get to the doggone quarterback." Seriously though, New York mustered only 29 sacks in 2007. Vernon Gholston would be a tremendous boost to an inept pass rush.
And speaking of Emmitt, I've compiled all of Emmitt's grammatically incorrect quotes from this past year and put them all on one page. Check out the Emmitt Smith Anthology. I'm also currently working on an Emmitt Smith 2008 NFL Mock Draft. It's about 60-percent complete (I had to postpone it a bit because of my 2008 April Fools NFL Mock Draft.)
I still think the Patriots go cornerback with either Leodis McKelvin or Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie with the seventh pick, but I don't think they'd be able to ignore Darren McFadden if he drops to them. Laurence Maroney is a talented, powerful back, but spent way too much time on the injured list last year. I'm not sure if New England can depend on him. And besides, McFadden's speed would be a great complement Maroney's power.
I wrote the following in my Ravens write-up in the real version of my 2008 NFL Mock Draft:
"Is Matt Ryan the automatic selection? No - it really matters whether or not either Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie or Leodis McKelvin is available. Baltimore has to acquire a young, talented corner in this draft. I consider both much better prospects than Ryan. But if neither is on the board, which is the case here, the Ravens won't have much of a choice, other than trading up or down."
That says it all. I believe Baltimore will only take Ryan if the top two corners are off the board. That's not the case in my alternate version.
If Glenn Dorsey and Sedrick Ellis are off the board, there's no doubt in my mind that Keith Rivers will be the pick. Cincinnati's linebacking corps is a mess; already horrendous, the unit lost the team's top tackler, Landon Johnson, to free agency. Johnson was an overrated player, but the fact remains that the Bengals are thinner at the position than they were in the first place.
It's no secret that cornerback is a huge need for the Saints. Even with the addition of Randall Gay, they're going to have to think long and hard about drafting a corner with the 10th overall selection. Jason David sucks out of the cover-2, while Mike McKenzie will soon be celebrating his 32nd birthday. If Keith Rivers and the top two defensive tackles aren't available, New Orleans will choose the top cornerback on the board.
Before I go on, I'd like to announce that we're running an 2008 NFL Mock Draft Contest on the forum. It's free to play, and you can win $250. I hope all of you sign up.
TRADE NO. 1: Eagles trade pick No. 19 and CB Lito Sheppard to the Bills for pick No. 11.
I'm not going to take credit for this idea; this deal was reported by G-Cobb, a credible source who broke the Asante Samuel signing before anyone else.
I think this trade has a good chance of happening. I've had the Eagles taking an offensive tackle in the first round until all of the top guys were off the board. Andy Reid is targeting Chris Williams and Jeff Otah, and has to believe that neither will be available at No. 19. Williams a slightly higher-rated prospect than Otah in my rankings, so I'm going with the Vanderbilt product.
I don't see how the Broncos pass up on Ryan Clady, given their offensive line issues. However, there's a chance they could go after Limas Sweed in the wake of Brandon Marshall's forearm injury. In case you missed it, Marshall severed a vein, nerve, artery and five muscle tendons when he slipped on a McDonald's bag, struck a TV and was anally probed by aliens. And you thought you had a bad week.
In the real version of my 2008 NFL Mock Draft, I said, "The Panthers need a premier offensive tackle so they can move Travelle Wharton inside." Well, that hasn't changed - only I'm going with Ryan Clady instead of Chris Williams. Clady was quoted as saying he's a better fit for the zone-blocking scheme than any other system.
Jeff Otah or any other premier offensive lineman is probably the choice here, but I think there's a good chance the Bears look into drafting Rashard Mendenhall. Cedric Benson is undoubtedly a bust, so one of the many things Chicago needs to do to upgrade its offense via the draft is obtain a top-notch running back. Some experts prefer Mendenhall over Darren McFadden, so I think he qualifies as "top-notch."
Rashard Mendenhall is a no-brainer at this spot if he's available. If not, the Lions can go in a number of directions.
I know they recently signed Dewayne White to a 5-year, $29 million deal, and they like Ikaika Alama-Francis, but the fact remains that they couldn't get to the quarterback last year. Only one player on the team had more than six sacks in 2007, and that player, Shaun Rogers, was recently traded away.
Derrick Harvey gives the Lions a lot of versatility because he can play either end position. If Alama-Francis doesn't work out, Harvey will play left end. If Alama-Francis performs well, Harvey will rotate, and eventually take over for a mediocre White.
Arizona had major problems defending the pass last year, so I expect them to go cornerback early and often. Jonathan Stewart is still the smarter pick, in my opinion, but the team could be so desperate for a corner that they might eschew the better prospect to fill their greatest need.
The Vikings have a huge void at right tackle; neither Ryan Cook nor Marcus Johnson deserves to start in the NFL. If Minnesota is lucky enough, it'll be able to land a premier offensive tackle without trading up. If not, Brad Childress will have to settle for one in Round 2.
TRADE NO. 2: Seahawks trade pick Nos. 25 and 86 to the Texans for pick No. 18.
Unlike my first projected trade, this isn't one that I got from anywhere. I just think it makes sense. The Seahawks need a premier guard to fill the void created by Steve Hutchinson's departure two years ago. They won't be able to get Albert at No. 25, so moving into the 18th slot probably would give them that chance. Houston, meanwhile, has tons of needs and not enough picks to fill them. They're also looking at Sam Baker, but it's a bit too early to snag him off the board.
TRADE NO. 1: Eagles trade pick No. 19 and CB Lito Sheppard to the Bills for pick No. 11.
It's pretty obvious that the Bills need a massive receiver like James Hardy or Malcolm Kelly to complement the lightning-quick Lee Evans. By trading down to No. 19, Buffalo can take one of the better wide outs without compromising draft value.
There's a good chance Matt Ryan falls into the teens, but he won't make it past 20. I don't think teams are going to buy into Mike Mayock's hype machine; Mayock himself even moved Ryan down to No. 5 in his latest mock. It's only a matter of days before Todd McShay does the same.
Brady Quinn dropped into the 20s last year. Aaron Rodgers experienced a similar fate in 2005. Ben Roethlisberger the year before as well. There's precedent for this sort of drop, and I'm willing to bet that history repeats itself on Draft Day.
Washington needs to go after a massive wide out. Santana Moss and Antwaan Randle El were both in and out of the lineup last season, and the Redskins need a large receiver in the mix.
Devin Thomas is quickly moving up draft boards after an outstanding combine, running a 4.32 at 6-1, 215. Phillip Merling is probably the way to go, but I couldn't really blame Daniel Snyder for falling in love with Thomas.
Though this is supposed to be an alternative mock, I still say the Cowboys go receiver with their first pick.
Jerry Jones was quoted as saying that his No. 1 priority is acquiring a top-notch target across from Terrell Owens. That's pretty obvious, as Terry Glenn is nearing retirement, while Patrick Crayton did everything in his power to knock his own team out of the playoffs. If the Cowboys can't trade for Anquan Boldin or Roy Williams, they'll have to spend one of their first two selections on a wide out.
If there's a scenario where all of the top linemen aren't available and Jonathan Stewart is still on the board, I could see the Steelers acquiring Oregon's power back as a replacement for Jerome Bettis.
Najeh Davenport was a huge disappointment when he took over for an injured Willie Parker last year. Frankly, I'll be shocked if Davenport makes the team, especially in the wake of his recent legal problems. The Steelers signed Mewelde Moore, but he can't run inside the tackles. Parker, meanwhile, is too fragile to be relied upon. This selection makes a lot of sense.
I've received a couple of e-mails from Titans fans that all sound like the following: "What's your beef with the Titans? Every Titans pick in your mock include you bashing and insulting them. Seems to be the only team you regularly pick on."
My response to all of these e-mails is: "I pick on a lot of teams. My beef with the Titans is that it seems like they're not dedicated to winning. They drafted Vince Young with a high pick, yet aren't willing to give him the receivers he needs to succeed. I'm a huge Vince Young fan. I want to see him do well. It just seems like the Titans aren't trying their hardest to make that happen."
Well, let's hope they change the way they operate for Young's sake.
TRADE NO. 2: Seahawks trade pick Nos. 25 and 86 to the Texans for pick No. 18.
Owner Bob McNair recently hinted that upgrading the offensive tackle position is the team's greatest priority. You normally shouldn't take what owners, general managers and coaches say in regard to the draft seriously, but McNair is pretty honest in his interviews. I truly believe the Texans are targeting Sam Baker, who looks to be the top zone-blocking lineman available at No. 18. The 18th pick is a bit too early to take Baker, however, so trading down makes sense for Houston, especially considering that it needs to recoup a draft pick it traded to Atlanta for Matt Schaub.
I don't think Phillip Merling will be available at No. 26, but if he is, consider the Jaguars extremely lucky; they needed a defensive end even before Bobby McCray left via free agency.
The Chargers almost have to draft Gosder Cherilus or Carl Nicks because they have a huge hole at right tackle. If they decide to go another direction, however, they'll draft Kenny Phillips to play alongside Eric Weddle for the next decade.
I have a hard time seeing the Cowboys not address the wide receiver and cornerback positions in the first round.
Terence Newman and Anthony Henry aren't exactly young. Newman will be 30 in September 2008, while Henry doesn't have many productive seasons remaining in the NFL. Jacques Reeves, who signed a ridiculous contract with Houston, was one of the worst nickel corners in the NFL. Tracy Porter, who had a solid Pro Day (4.29 40 time) would be a great addition to Dallas' defensive backfield.
Alex Smith and Trent Dilfer were terrible in 2007, but the offensive line didn't exactly do them any favors, as the front five surrendered 55 sacks on the year.
The Packers love using tight ends in their offense, so even though they recently paid Donald Lee $11.88 million, it wouldn't surprise me to snag Dustin Keller off the board at this juncture, especially if they're not enamored with Antoine Cason.
Another reminder that we're running an 2008 NFL Mock Draft Contest on the forum. It's free to play, and you can win $250.
Sam Madison and R.W. McQuarters aren't going to be around much longer. The Giants could benefit from adding some depth to the cornerback position in this draft.
2008 Pro Day Draft Stock Report - A list of prospects who improved and worsened their draft stock at their Pro Days. Three USC players added - two increased their stock, while one prominent player saw his stock plummet. 4/8
2008 NFL Draft Prospects - I've updated some of my 2008 NFL Draft prospect lists based on USC's Pro Day. 4/8
2008 NFL Free Agents - All of the 2008 NFL Free Agents, listed by position, ranking and age (Victor Hobson and Aaron Glenn signed, and other moves - ALL FREE AGENCY LISTS UPDATED.) 4/8
NFL Mock Draft Database - 174 2008 and 2009 NFL Mock Drafts listed, including those updated on April 8. 4/8
2008 NFL Mock Draft - Alternative Version - E-mailer Craig Pawlychyn recently gave me a great idea. He suggested that I create an alternate version of my 2008 NFL Mock Draft where none of my picks would be the same as my regular mock, while still keeping it realistic. Forum poster Bluto then suggested that I should factor in a few trades that I think could happen. I've included my regular selection below each pick. 4/7
Power Rankings: Pre-2008 NFL Draft - I've compiled my Pre-2008 NFL Draft Power Rankings. Are the Patriots my No. 1 team? Who's ranked last? Check it out. 4/3
2008 NFL Mock Draft - My 2008 NFL Mock Draft has been updated on April 2 and now includes a fifth round. 4/2
The Emmitt Smith Anthology - All of Emmitt Smith's grammatically incorrect quotes compiled on one page (special thanks to reader TBod$ who reminded me of one quote I missed - No. 10 in Emmitt's doo-doo list.) 2/14
Miami Dolphins: Jake Long, OT, Michigan 
St. Louis Rams: Chris Long, DE/OLB, Virginia 
Atlanta Falcons: Glenn Dorsey, DT, LSU 
Oakland Raiders: Sedrick Ellis, DT, USC 
Kansas City Chiefs: Leodis McKelvin, CB, Troy State 
New York Jets: Vernon Gholston, DE/OLB, Ohio State 
New England Patriots: Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas 
Baltimore Ravens: Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB, TSU 
Cincinnati Bengals: Keith Rivers, OLB, USC 
New Orleans Saints: Mike Jenkins, CB, South Florida 
Philadelphia Eagles: Chris Williams, OT, Vanderbilt 
Denver Broncos: Limas Sweed, WR, Texas 
Carolina Panthers: Ryan Clady, OT, Boise State 
Chicago Bears: Rashard Mendenhall, RB, Illinois 
Detroit Lions: Derrick Harvey, DE, Florida 
Arizona Cardinals: Aqib Talib, CB, Kansas 
Minnesota Vikings: Jeff Otah, OT, Pittsburgh 
Seattle Seahawks: Branden Albert, G, Virginia 
Buffalo Bills: James Hardy, WR, Indiana 
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Matt Ryan, QB, Boston College 
Washington Redskins: Devin Thomas, WR, Michigan State 
Dallas Cowboys: DeSean Jackson, WR/PR, California 
Pittsburgh Steelers: Jonathan Stewart, RB, Oregon 
Tennessee Titans: Malcolm Kelly, WR, Oklahoma 
Houston Texans: Sam Baker, OT, USC 
Jacksonville Jaguars: Phillip Merling, DE, Clemson 
San Diego Chargers: Kenny Phillips, FS, Miami 
San Francisco 49ers: Gosder Cherilus, OT, Boston College 
Green Bay Packers: Dustin Keller, TE, Purdue 
New York Giants: Antoine Cason, CB, Arizona 