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1 - Colts: Andrew Luck, QB Stanford: The shakeup in the Colts front office tells me that Polian and Irsay had a disagreement over what to do with this pick. I'm guessing Polian felt that Manning was still their guy and that they could continue to make a run by taking Kalil to protect Manning's backside or dealing that pick and adding a bunch of young talent and maybe a developmental guy at QB to groom for a couple years behind Manning, but Irsay wanted the Franchise guy in front of him right now because that's what worked with Manning. Pure speculation on my part, but Irsay won out which means Manning might be traded himself, but the Colts probably won't be passing on Luck with this pick.
2 - Rams: Justin Blackmon, WR Oklahoma St: The Rams demonstrated they have a host of needs to get this team up and running, but the reality is they have a Franchise QB and RB in place on Offense, they have high value picks invested on the OL in place, and their young Defense is starting to come around a bit. They have to keep Bradford healthy and give him some weapons and that's what this pick is designed to do. Blackmon has had a great career and now he's matched that with a great final Bowl performance that should stick in Pro Personnel guys' minds right throught he Combine/Workouts/Draft season. I expect the Rams will pull the trigger on a new toy for Bradford to develop with.
3 - Vikings: Matt Kahil, OT, USC: Seems like the Vikings are focused in on Kalil at LT at this point. With a porous OL and a horrible situation at LT right now, the team has to be able to give Ponder some time to throw and add another guy up front for AP to run behind once he's recovered from knee surgery. Kalil is a tall, lanky OT with excellent athleticism to play the position, but he is a little light and needs to add some weight. Expect him to come in at about 315 or so by game day and be an opening day starter for the Vikings on the left side.
4 - Browns: Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama: I want to see what happens with RG III, but if he continues to climb the board, this could be the spot where he is selected. Either the Browns could take him or the Browns could trade down, add another high pick (2nd this year and 1st next year?) to a team like Washington to jump up and get him and then still be in position to make a run at Richardson if he's still on the board. Two high 1st Rounders and two high 2nd Rounders this year, plus two high 1st Rounders next year would be huge for a team still building for the future. With Richardson, the Browns can part ways with their headache at RB today and still add a power back with young fresh legs and more overall athletic ability. Have to add skill position guys to this Offense.
5- Bucs: Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa: The Bucs are in the process of overhauling this coaching staff right now and that could mean an overhaul of the roster is likely as well. With huge additions to the DL last year with the first two picks, the Bucs could consider beefing up their Offensive front wall as well. A move like adding Reiff could force a little reshuffling of the OL in Tampa, but it would give the Bucs an anchor LT of the future to build an Offense around and improve both the passing game with a little more time to throw the ball and a healthy QB and the running game with another big up front who knows how to run block for LeGarrette to run behind.
6 - Redskins: Robert Griffith III, QB, Baylor: With a severe shortage of elite level QB's in this class with Barkley and Landry Jones returning to school, the Redskins, always known for making a splash, go out and get RGIII. Griffin is an elite athlete with speed on par with Michael Vick and his overall athletic ability is downright scary. Expect the Redskins to try and work him into the system, but if there is any indication that he is better than what they have, even without knowing the system very well, the Redskins will get him on the field. Take their lumps, have a tough season, but get Griffin that invaluable experience.
7 - Jaguars: Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame: I've been hearing that recently announced WR Alshon Jeffrey could be sliding down Draft boards a little bit. He could be getting pegged as more of a one dimensional talent at WR who lacks the kind of speed that a guy like Floyd has. Floyd has everything that Jeffrey brings to the table and then some. They are both big bodies, but Floyd isn't quite as large as Jeffrey whose enormous frame could be seen as the next Mike Williams. Decent receiver, but not what you are looking for in the top 10 of the Draft. Floyd seems like a better choice today.
8 - Dolphins: Quentin Coples, DE, North Carolina: The Dolphins could be looking to add Jeff Fisher and there are rumors that Miami could be his first choice of teams to take over. Fisher built his 4-3 Defenses on strong front lines and there is reason to believe that he would look to try and do that again. An aging Jason Taylor just announced his retirement from the NFL, which wasn't unexpected, and which means the Dolphins will need a new DE who can wreak havoc in backfields and get to the QB consistently. Coples is a huge DE with great size and excellent overall ability. Cameron Wake is too small, at around 250 lbs to make the move to DE and would likely move to an OLB position.
9 - Panthers: Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU: Claiborne is a lock down CB with incredible ability. When combined with Chris Gamble on the other side, they form a very dynamic CB tandem that could free up the Defense to get a little more aggressive…in theory. Overall, the Panthers need playmakers on the Defensive side of the ball and Claiborne is the best on the board who can best impact football games next season.
10 - Bills: Devon Still, DE/DT, Penn St: A guy who is seeing his Draft stock really climb is Devon Still. With Buffalo in a 3-4 Defense and Marcell Dareus just added at the nose, getting a guy like 310 lbs Still to step into one of the DE positions and really beef up that front wall is a great investment. The strength of any Defense is in their front wall and Dareus alone isn't enough to dramatically improve this team's fortunes.
11 - Chiefs: Luke Kuechly, LB, Boston College: The Chiefs have added some flashy players to this Defense, but now it's time to add a blue collar, meat and potatoes, smash mouth ILB to help anchor this Defense. Kuechly is that player. Packaged with the major investments this team has made so far and with the development with some of their weapons on Offense, including those returning 100% from injury last year, the Chiefs should be ready to contend in 2012 for the weakest division in the NFL.
12 - Seahawks: Courtney Upshaw, OLB, Alabama: Upshaw is a monster at OLB and he brings some serious athleticism and size to the Defense for the Seahawks. The Seahawks are equally bad or average across the board as this team really lacks pure athletes and just pulling one of the best ones on the board is the best fit.
13 - Cardinals: Dave DeCastro, OG, Stanford: The Cardinals need to beef up their interior OL to allow them to be able to run between the tackles a little better. Beanie Wells is a freight train back there, so adding some additional beef up front to improve the overall play of this OL is a value pick for these Cardinals.
14 - Cowboys: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama: The days of Terrance Newman in Dallas are clearly over. He has been a train wreck all season and Victor Cruz was his arch nemesis all season long, embarrassing in one game after another. With Kirkpatrick, the Cowboys add a super athlete with some freakish dimensions (6'2" CB w/ incredible wingspan and excellent speed). Kirkpatrick should start for the Cowboys on opening day.
15 - Eagles: Zach Brown, LB, North Carolina: The Eagles have no business picking this high in the Draft with the talent on their roster, but sure enough, here we are. Bottom line is that this is a value pick for them. They need to improve fundamentally and in the coaching game, so a luxury pick like Brown who could line up opposite of surprising young rookie Brian Rolle would dramatically improve the LB group for this football team.
16 - Jets: Brandon Thompson, DT, Clemson: With the Jets just adding Muhammad Wilkerson last year, you would think this wouldn't be an area of need, but the reality is that you'd be wrong. The Jets have rotated so many guys inside this year and a position of strength three years ago has gradually eroded to one of incredibly thin depth. Adding Thompson with Wilkerson the year before just pads the stats inside and gives the Jets two monsters up front. The Jets are built around Defense and without a front seven, that Defense is suspect.
17 - Bengals (from Raiders): Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford: The Bengals Offense has played well with their new young stars at QB and WR. There are number of ways they could go with this pick, but really strengthening that OL makes the most sense to me. Whitworth has been a starting OG for a long time until he slid out to LT, and while he's played well there, getting a 10 year anchor on the left side to grow with Dalton and Green is very important to this team. Let Martin find his way next season. Maybe play a little OG himself until the team is comfortable having him on that edge, but ultimately sliding Whitworth back inside to OG would give the Bengals a monster front wall.
18 - Chargers: Mark Brown, SS, Alabama: The Chargers roster always looks more talented than it plays. This team is no exception. The Chargers have Weddle in the secondary at FS, but they could use an upgrade at the SS position. Barron could be the best SS in the nation out of College and at 6'2", 220 lbs., he has excellent size, looking more like a rolled up LB than a Safety at the next level.
19 - Bears: Mike Adams, OT, Ohio St: A bit early to project Adams this high in the Draft, but the Bears are really in need of OL help and so far JaMarcus Webb has leveled off into a below average LT prospect. The Bears need some fresh blood and improved depth at the position. Adams gets a late 1st/early 2nd Round grade most places you look, but he has a few things going for him the Bears might like. He's huge at 6'8", 325 lbs., has incredibly long arms for separation, and moves his feet well. He's a little raw still from a technique standpoint, but with a top 5 OL Coach on the planet in Mike Tice as the new OC, this could be just the kind of player the Bears would love to develop into the LT of the future.
20 - Titans: Whitney Mercilus, DE, Illinois: The Titans have lacked a serious pass rusher for quite some time now. It's time to get back to getting after the QB and Mercilus who led the Big Ten and the nation in sacks with 20+ is a guy who can improve their overall ability to penetrate into the backfield with regularity.
21 - Broncos: Donta Hightower, ILB, Alabama: The Broncos Franchise, as long as Tebow remains the QB, will require a very strong Defense. Tebow's Offensive style does not allow for a large number of points with regularity. It is about ball control, moving the chains, and slow methodical pace. In exchange, excellent Special Teams and Defense are required and a rock star interior LB like Hightower turns the Broncos LB group into one of the most talented in the NFL.
22 - Bengals: Peter Konz, C/G, Wisconsin: Another 1st Round pick and another OL taken by the Bengals. Not sure they would make this move, but they should consider it if given the option. With the selection of a pair of 1st Round OL, the Bengals shore up that front wall with two huge key positions. A new potential Franchise LT and a new potential Franchise C are both critical for the function of an OL and the Bengals just upgraded both in exemplary fashion.
23 - Giants: Jared Crick, DE/DT, Nebraska: The Giants got a little beat up on the DL and they are also getting a little older up front. You can never have too much depth on the DL and to be able to add another pass rusher to deepen that front unit a little more could be ideal for them. Crick is a huge DE at 290 lbs and with Umenyora, Tuck, and Pierre-Paul already locked in at DE, the Giants may slide Crick inside and pack on about 10 lbs on him to get him closer to the 300 lbs range. He has the body size and athleticism to slide in and out and still get up field to make plays behind the line.
24 - Texans: Juron Criner, WR, Arizona: Criner is a huge WR at 6'4" and provides another immediate weapon for the Texans. He also gives a healthy Matt Schaub another viable target to keep this very balanced football team very difficult to defend against. It came out in yesterday's playoff game that Andre Johnson had contemplated retirement due to his constant injury plagued history in the League, so the Texans have to start planning for his eventual exit from the League, be it after next year or the year after.
25 - Browns (from Falcons): Brandon Weeden, QB, Oklahoma St: The only way the Browns pass on RGIII in the 1st Round is if they feel they can get some quality at QB with their 2nd pick. They have to get some competition in here for McCoy. Weeden is a big, prototypical pocket passer, but he'll also be 28 to start the NFL season next year. For the Browns, that could mean that he has fresh legs and a mature mind. Either way, Weeden's big time arm (former baseball player), excellent performance at the College level including in big games, solid decision making, and likely outstanding interviewing at the Combine should open some eyes and he could surpass Tannehill in the Draft.
26 - Lions: Alphonso Dennard, CB, Nebraska: The Lions simply can't pass on Dennard. He's a mid-round talent who is falling in the Draft in this scenario and with the team having needs in the secondary, Dennard makes sense as a quality pick at this point. He's an excellent talent at CB and would be a good fit in their secondary.
27 - Ravens: Vontaze Burfict, LB, Arizona St: Once again, the reality is that Ray Lewis is getting up there in age and that is ultimately going to result in a retirement either at the end of this season or at the end of next season. His body is starting to break down, injuries taking longer to heal, and more and more, the team has to start preparing for life without Ray. Burfict is a huge LB who plays the game with an attitude.
28 - Steelers: Levy Adcock, OT, Oklahoma St: The Steelers have to continue the youth movement on the OL and Adcock is a big addition for them. Roethlisberger has a tendency to hold onto that ball forever and while his toughness has never come into question (at least not as much as his judgment), a stronger front wall could mean less of a pounding and an increased likelihood of Big Ben making it through the season.
29 - Patriots (from Saints): Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama: The Patriots should do nothing but add secondary help with both of these picks. Their pass defense was atrocious this year and could be their Achilles Heel in the playoffs when they get into a shootout with Drew Brees or Aaron Rodgers if they make it that far. Jenkins would've been a top 15 pick in last year's Draft and should probably be a top 10 pick in this one, but his off-the-field issues prevent that. He falls to the Patriots who can't pass on his potential with their needs.
30 - 49ers: Stephon Hill, WR, Georgia Tech: Hill is a massive WR target at 6'5" and while the 49ers have their QB of the future in Kaepernick, the best thing they can do to develop this extremely raw prospect is to surround him with elite weapons. With a pair of very talented WR's, a guy like Ginn working in the slot, a tremendous talent at TE, Gore a dominant RB, a young and talented OL, and a monster Defense, if the 49ers can keep moderate production from their QB's, they can be a perennial playoff contender.
31 - Patriots: Chris Polk, RB, Washington: The Patriots have continued to look for that talented RB for some time to help them balance out their Offensive attack (not that they really need more balance than Brady throwing apparently). Polk brings the ability to develop into an every down runner. At around 220 lbs, he has enough size to carry between that tackles at the NFL level, especially on the number of carries he would likely be looking at.
32 - Packers: Chase Minnifield, CB, Virginia: Like the Patriots, the Packers Achilles Heel is in the secondary a pass Defense that is suspect against other teams that can throw the ball. The Saints and Patriots pose enormous problems for them on paper when it comes to matching up. Minnifield is a very talented DB and brings instant impact to this football team as a possible replacement for Charles Woodson.
Top Remaining Players
TE Dwayne Allen Clemson
DE/OLB Nick Perry USC
DT A. Taa'amu Washington
RB Lamar Miller Miami (FL)
DE Melvin Ingram South Carolina
DT Kwame Feathers Georgia
Possible Chicago Bear 2nd Round picks
WR Kendall Wright Baylor
Wright could work his way into the 1st Round, but a small speed guy.
OG Keleche Osemele Iowa State
Huge road grading 350 lbs OG that would be ideal for Tice's power running game.
QB Ryan Tannehill Texas A&M
If the Bears decide they don’t want to cash in the season if Cutler goes down.
OLB Ronnell Lewis Oklahoma
Nice fit at OLB so the Bears can get younger at the position.
CB Johnathan Banks Mississippi State
CB is a major concern for this team and starters can come in the 2nd.
WR Alshon Jeffrey South Carolina
Speed/weight issues could see him anywhere from 5th overall to 45th overall.
WR Dwight Jones North Carolina
Another huge bodied WR. Imagine paired with DeSean Jackson in Bears uniform.
LB Audie Cole NC State
Power SLB prospect who strengthens the Bears LB group.
OG Cordy Glenn Georgia
Another massive roadgrader like Osemele that is ideal for Tice's power ground game.
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