Sheer brilliance by the NFL over the weekend. Having the first round on a Thursday made the entire draft an event. It was football's version of Woodstock. Going to New York for the NFL Draft has now made it to my bucket list. It's this strange phenomenon of hope for every team, no matter how "good" or "bad" your team picks. Expect a live blog from NYC next year from MPTY.
So the draft is over. And no surprise, every mock draft went down in flames. I think I hit something like five picks. I doubt a lot of draftniks did a whole lot better. But my "Mock Draft Project" wasn't about accuracy; it was about dissecting each team and their decision makers. To see *how* they pick from a strategic standpoint, which might help us do better in determining *who* they might pick.
So what exactly did we learn from all of this? Let's take a look, team by team.
Arizona Cardinals
1.26 (26) - Dan Williams, DT, Tennessee
2.15 (47) - Daryl Washington, LB, TCU
3.24 (88) - Andre Roberts, WR, Citadel
4.32 (130) - O'Brien Schofield, DE/OLB, Wisconsin
5.24 (155) - John Skelton, QB, Fordham
6.32 (201) - Jorrick Calvin, DB, Troy
7.26 (233) - Jim Dray, TE, Stanford
Trades:
Acquired #47 (Daryl Washington) for #58 and #89
Acquired #130 (O'Brien Schofield) and #201 (Jorrick Calvin) for #123
Acquired #155 (John Skelton) for CB Bryant McFadden and #195
This was Coach Whiz's first draft where he had final say over GM Rod Graves. Need met value with Williams, but they traded up twice. That tells me Whisenhunt (like most coaches) is going to pick based on need. Arizona was just fortunate a talent like Dan Williams fell all the way to pick #26. The pick of Schofield shows they aren't afraid to take a chance on an injured guy if the upside is right.
Atlanta Falcons
1.19 (19) - Sean Weatherspoon, LB, Missouri
3.19 (83) - Corey Peters, DT, Kentucky
3.34 (98) - Mike Johnson, G, Alabama
4.19 (117) - Joe Hawley, G, UNLV
5.04 (135) - Dominique Franks, CB, Oklahoma
5.34 (165) - Kerry Meier, WR, Kansas
6.02 (171) - Shann Schillinger, S, Montana
Trades:
Acquired #135 (Dominique Franks) for #149, #189
The Falcons made me look dumb by not selected a pass-rusher in the entire draft. Still, their top two picks filled glaring needs on their defense. Thomas Dimitroff continues to pick based on position rather than value. I think that's going to hurt Atlanta in the long run.
Baltimore Ravens
2.11 (43) - Sergio Kindle, DE/OLB, Texas
2.25 (57) - Terrence Cody, DT, Alabama
3.06 (70) - Ed Dickson, TE, Oregon
4.16 (114) - Dennis Pitta, TE, BYU
5.25 (156) - David Reed, WR, Utah
5.26 (157) - Art Jones, DT, Syracuse
6.25 (194) - Ramon Harewood, T, Morehouse
Trades:
Acquired #43 (Sergio Kindle), #70 (Ed Dickson) and #114 (Dennis Pitta) for #25
Ozzie Newsome continues to be one of the brilliant minds of the draft. Instead of taking Dan Williams at #25, he gets a huge offer from Denver and takes it. He's clearly a value-based drafter and will make the right moves for his team. Let's not forget the Ravens were short picks going into the draft thanks to the Anquan Boldin trade, and Newsome gets a third and fourth just for moving down 18 spots. Brilliant!
Buffalo Bills
1.09 (9) - C.J. Spiller, RB, Clemson
2.09 (41) - Torell Troup, DT, Central Florida
3.08 (72) - Alex Carrington, DE, Arkansas State
4.09 (107) - Marcus Easley, WR, Connecticut
5.09 (140) - Ed Wang, T, Virginia Tech
6.09 (178) - Arthur Moats, DE/OLB, James Madison
6.23 (192) - Danny Batten, DE/OLB, South Dakota State
7.02 (209) - Levi Brown, QB, Troy
7.09 (216) - Kyle Halloway, T, Iowa
Trades:
None
Buddy Nix and the Bills eschewed need in round one with the pick of Spiller, but seemed to spend the rest of the draft trying to fill spots on their 3-4 defense. They passed on their biggest need (offensive tackle) until the fifth round, which makes me wonder if they actually perceived a need. The pick of Spiller shows coach Chan Gailey wasn't fibbing when he said Buffalo needed a "waterbug"; or a smallish running back. Will Gailey and the Bills be as honest in the future with their draft plans?
Carolina Panthers
2.16 (48) - Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame
3.14 (78) - Brandon LaFell, WR, LSU
3.25 (89) - Armanti Edwards, QB/WR, Appalachian State
4.26 (124) - Eric Norwood, LB, South Carolina
6.06 (175) - Greg Hardy, DE, Mississippi
6.29 (198) - David Gettis, WR, Baylor
6.33 (202) - Jordan Pugh, DB, Texas A&M
6.35 (204) - Tony Pike, QB, Cincinnati
7.16 (223) - R.J. Stanford, DB, Utah
7.42 (249) - Robert McClain, DB, Connecticut
Trades:
Acquired #124 (Eric Norwood) and #198 (David Gettis) for #112
Acquired #89 (Armanti Edwards) for 2011 second-round pick
It's never a good idea for a GM (or coach) to run a draft while trying to save his job. That's exactly what Marty Hurney is doing, and he pushed the panic button by drafting two wide receivers in the third round. Even if Jimmy Clausen ends up as the team's starter, he likely won't be around to see him develop. I applaud his willingness to grab Clausen, but trading a second-round pick for a conversion project at WR? I don't get it. Simply put, teams with GMs on the hot seat will draft for need. Carolina is no exception.
Chicago Bears
3.11 (75) - Major Wright, S, Florida
4.11 (109) - Corey Wootton, DE, Northwestern
5.10 (141) - Joshua Moore, DB, Kansas State
6.12 (181) - Dan LeFevour, QB, Central Michigan
7.11 (218) - J'Marcus Webb, T, West Texas A&M
Trades:
None
The Bears put themselves in a no-win situation. They have no draft picks, and both GM (Jerry Angelo) and coach (Lovie Smith) are dead in the water, minus a Christ-like resurrection this season. Chicago's job? Do whatever it can to win, and it was evident with its draft. Obviously Chicago's draft wasn't going to do much without a first- and second-round pick, and Chicago filled its biggest need with its first pick. The Bears will likely have new management before the end of the season, but it's pretty clear Chicago was picking purely for need in this draft.
Cincinnati Bengals
1.21 (21) - Jermaine Gresham, TE, Oklahoma
2.22 (54) - Carlos Dunlap, DE, Florida
3.20 (84) - Jordan Shipley, WR, Texas
3.32 (96) - Brandon Ghee, DB, Wake Forest
4.22 (120) - Geno Atkins, DT, Georgia
4.33 (131) - Roddrick Muckelroy, LB, Texas
5.21 (152) - Otis Hudson, G, Eastern Illinois
6.22 (191) - Dezmon Briscoe, WR, Kansas
7.21 (228) - Reggie Stephens, G/C, Iowa State
Trades:
None
The Bengals continued a few trends in this draft. For starters, they didn't make a single trade. Next, they appear to have gone with conventional wisdom with their top picks. The Bengals are notoriously cheap, and I legitimately wonder if Mike Brown handles the first portion of the draft just from what appears in the media, and tells his scouts to worry about late-round guys. You could save a lot of money by not bringing in a mountain of guys for visits, as well as travel costs by not sending lots of scouts to pro days. I have zero evidence to back this up past pure speculation, mind you. Their top five picks all were projected to go much higher than the Bengals took them. Is there a chance they just went bargain-hunting on scouting?
Cleveland Browns
1.07 (7) - Joe Haden, CB, Florida
2.06 (38) - T.J. Ward, S, Oregon
2.27 (59) - Montario Hardesty, RB, Tennessee
3.21 (85) - Colt McCoy, QB, Texas
3.28 (92) - Shawn Lauvao, T, Arizona State
5.29 (160) - Larry Asante, SS, Nebraska
6.08 (177) - Carlton Mitchell, WR, South Florida
6.17 (186) - Clifton Geathers, DE, South Carolina
Trades:
Acquired #59 (Montario Hardesty) for #71, #134, #146
This draft should clarify one thing. Mike Holmgren is in charge of the Browns, not Tom Heckert. A quote straight from Peter King's MMQB Column:
"We had to pick him. I said to Tom, 'Let's pull the trigger.' I tried to run this draft the way Ron Wolf used to in Green Bay. Everyone contributed. But I kind of pulled rank a little bit. I said, 'Let's do this.'"
If I was Tom Heckert, I would have quit on the spot. If I'm a GM, and I have alleged "final say", the team president doesn't step in and tell me who to take. Maybe Heckert was cool with McCoy, but clearly Holmgren will get what Holmgren wants. Every single Cleveland pick looks like a need-based pick to me, and I expect Holmgren to continue to step in and handicap Heckert every step of the way in the latest embarrassing chapter of the Cleveland Browns.
Dallas Cowboys
1.24 (24) - Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma State
2.23 (55) - Sean Lee, LB, Penn State
4.28 (126) - Akwasi Owusu-Ansah, CB, Indiana (PA)
6.10 (179) - Sam Young, T, Notre Dame
6.27 (196) - Jamar Wall, CB, Texas Tech
7.27 (234) - Sean Lissemore, DE/DT, William & Mary
Trades:
Acquired #24 (Dez Bryant) and #119 (traded to Miami) for #27 and #90
Acquired #55 (Sean Lee) for #59 and #125
Acquired #126 (Akwasi Owusu-Ansah) and #179 (Sam Young) for #119
The most revealing of all things was Dallas' draft board, and the brilliant minds on the internet who have pieced together where they had everyone ranked. As usual, Jerry Jones will find a way to get who he wants, and he moved up in round one and two. He continues to avoid drafting purely based on need, but appears to make decisive moves if a player he wants takes a tumble.
Denver Broncos
1.22 (22) - Demaryius Thomas, WR, Georgia Tech
1.25 (25) - Tim Tebow, QB, Florida
2.13 (45) - Zane Beadles, T, Utah
3.16 (80) - J.D. Walton, C, Baylor
3.23 (87) - Eric Decker, WR, Minnesota
5.06 (137) - Perrish Cox, CB, Oklahoma State
6.14 (183) - Eric Olsen, C, Notre Dame
7.18 (225) - Syd'quan Thompson, CB, California
7.25 (232) - Jammie Kirlew, DE, Indiana
Trades:
Acquired #13 and #113 for #11
Acquired #24, #70 and #87 (Decker) for #13
Acquired #22 (Thomas) for #24 and #113
Acquired #25 (Tebow) for #43, #70 and #114
Acquired #225 (Thompson) and #232 (Kirlew) for fifth round pick in 2011
Talk about confusing. Josh McDaniels and Brian Xanders have acted in the last two drafts like two guys who get in a limo for the first time. They're pushing buttons just to see what happens. They essentially traded pick #11, #43 and #114 for #22, #25 and #87 once everything was finished. Regardless of your opinion of Tebow, Denver is going to build this team how they want. That means they aren't afraid to reach for players, and that's going to continue until the eventual removal of McDaniels and Xanders.
Detroit Lions
1.02 (2) - Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska
1.30 (30) - Jahvid Best, RB, California
3.02 (66) - Amari Spievey, CB, Iowa
4.30 (128) - Jason Fox, T, Miami
7.06 (213) - Willie Young, DE, NC State
7.48 (255) - Tim Toone, WR, Weber State
Trades:
Acquired #30 (Best) and #128 (Fox) for #34, #100 and #214
Acquired sixth-round pick in 2001 for #220
Martin Mayhew cemented himself as a needs-filler thanks to his panic-button trade for Jahvid Best. Obviously Detroit felt a tremendous need to fill a problem at running back, and didn't have much left to make moves with after the trade. Maybe Best becomes a star in Detroit, but need clearly prevails in Mayhew's book.
Green Bay Packers
1.23 (23) - Bryan Bulaga, T, Iowa
2.24 (56) - Mike Neal, DE/DT, Purdue
3.07 (71) - Morgan Burnett, SS, Georgia Tech
5.23 (154) - Andrew Quarless, TE, Penn State
5.38 (169) - Marshall Newhouse, T, TCU
6.24 (193) - James Starks, RB, Buffalo
7.23 (230) - C.J. Wilson, DE, East Carolina
Trades:
Acquired #71 (Burnett) for #86 and #122
Ted Thompson cemented his status as a GM who is likely to stay put in the first round of the draft. He waited and snagged Bulaga, who most thought would go a lot higher than #23. The rest of the draft he appears to have filled needs on Green Bay's 3-4 defense. Thompson isn't afraid to take the best available player in the first round, but he appears to fill needs later in the draft.
Houston Texans
1.20 (20) - Kareem Jackson, CB, Alabama
2.26 (58) - Ben Tate, RB, Auburn
3.17 (81) - Earl Mitchell, DT, Arizona
4.04 (102) - Darryl Sharpton, LB, Miami
4.20 (118) - Garrett Graham, TE, Wisconsin
5.13 (144) - Sherrick McManis, CB, Northwestern
6.18 (187) - Shelley Smith, G, Colorado State
6.28 (197) - Trindon Holliday, WR/KR, LSU
7.20 (227) - Dorin Dickerson, WR/TE, Pittsburgh
Trades:
Acquired #62 and #93 for #51
Acquired #58 (Tate) for #62 and #150
Acquired #102 (Sharpton) and #144 (McManis) for #93
Texans GM Rick Smith clearly favors players from larger schools. He's not going to shock us with a no-name type of player very often, and he's going to fill a need. Clearly he favors filling needs to taking value, and he's going to get a guy from a big school.
Indianapolis Colts
1.31 (31) - Jerry Hughes, DE, TCU
2.31 (63) - Pat Angerer, LB, Iowa
3.30 (94) - Kevin Thomas, CB, USC
4.31 (129) - Jacques McClendon, G, Tennessee
5.31 (162) - Brody Eldridge, TE, Oklahoma
7.31 (238) - Ricardo Matthews, DT, Cincinnati
7.33 (240) - Kavell Conner, LB, Clemson
7.39 (246) - Ray Fisher, DB, Indiana
Trades:
None
Bill Polian stuck to his guns, and made no deals. The picks were all needs, even Hughes. But Polian is smart enough to look a few years ahead, and will take value as well. It's rare he'll reach for someone who isn't at the top of his board, particularly in the first round.
Jacksonville Jaguars
1.10 (10) - Tyson Alualu, DT, California
3.10 (74) - D'Anthony Smith, DT, Louisiana Tech
5.12 (143) - Larry Hart, DE, Central Arkansas
5.22 (153) - Austen Lane, DE, Murray State
6.11 (180) - Deji Karim, RB, Southern Illinois
6.34 (203) - Scotty McGee, KR, James Madison
Trades:
Acquired fourth-round pick in 2011 for #158
Acquired LB Kirk Morrison and #153 (Lane) for #108
Jags general manager Gene Smith showed he has, well, big ones. He's going to do things his way, and he'll pick the top guy on his board no matter what the national reaction will be. Obviously the pick of Alualu was a surprise at #10, but Smith stuck to his guns. So much for all the draftniks who think the Jaguars will make picks based on ticket sales. As long as Smith is running things in Jacksonville, they'll build his way. Clearly the Jaguars were taking the best available player at each pick, as they loaded up on defensive line help.
Kansas City Chiefs
1.05 (5) - Eric Berry, S, Tennessee
2.04 (36) - Dexter McCluster, WR, Mississippi
2.18 (50) - Javier Arenas, CB, Alabama
3.04 (68) - Jon Asamoah, G, Illinois
3.29 (93) - Tony Moeaki, TE, Iowa
5.05 (136) - Kendrick Lewis, S, Mississippi
5.11 (142) - Cameron Sheffield, DE/OLB, Troy
Trades:
Acquired #93 (Moeaki) for #102 and #144
Scott Pioli surprised me by grabbing Berry at #5. So much for not paying a safety that kind of money. His next two picks (McCluster, Arenas) both will add much-needed explosiveness to the Chiefs. This draft only cements in my mind that Pioli is going to fill needs on the Chiefs. Of course value can meet need easily when a team has so many holes to fill.
Miami Dolphins
1.28 (28) - Jared Odrick, DE/DT, Penn State
2.08 (40) - Koa Misi, DE/OLB, Utah
3.09 (73) - John Jerry, T, Mississippi
4.21 (119) - A.J. Edds, LB, Iowa
5.14 (145) - Nolan Carroll, CB, Maryland
5.32 (163) - Reshad Jones, SS, Georgia
7.05 (212) - Chris McCoy, DL, Middle Tennessee State
7.45 (252) - Austin Spitler, LB, Ohio State
Trades:
Acquired LB Tim Dobbins, #28 (Odrick), #40 (Misi) and #126 for #12, #110 and #173
Acquired #119 (Edds) for #126 and #179
Acquired #163 (Jones) for #174 and #219
No surprise here, Bill Parcells traded down in the first round and spent a bunch of picks on defense. That's his blueprint. He's simply not going to bother with a lot of flashy offensive players with early picks. He's going to build an aggressive 3-4 defense and attack. Like the Pats, the Dolphins are going to draft for need on defense early.
Minnesota Vikings
2.02 (34) - Chris Cook, CB/S, Virginia
2.19 (51) - Toby Gerhart, RB, Stanford
4.02 (100) - Everson Griffen, DE, USC
5.30 (161) - Chris Degeare, T, Wake Forest
5.36 (167) - Nathan Triplett, LB, Minnesota
6.30 (199) - Joe Webb, QB/WR, UAB
7.07 (214) - Mickey Shuler, TE, Penn State
7.30 (237) - Ryan D'Imperio, LB, Rutgers
Trades:
Acquired #51 (Gerhart) for #62 and #93
Acquired #34 (Cook), #100 (Griffen) and #214 (Shuler) for #30 and #128
If anyone was surprised when Minnesota didn't take Jimmy Clausen, they shouldn't have been. Clearly the Vikings are putting all their eggs in one basket, and playing to win now. It was obvious they were going to take impact players with their top picks, and they did just that with Cook and Gerhart. They both fill needs at safety and backup running back. The question is, did Minnesota do enough to win the NFC this year?
New England Patriots
1.27 (27) - Devin McCourty, CB, Rutgers
2.10 (42) - Rob Gronkowski, TE, Arizona
2.21 (53) - Jermaine Cunningham, DE/OLB, Florida
2.30 (62) - Brandon Spikes, LB, Florida
3.26 (90) - Taylor Price, WR, Ohio
4.15 (113) - Aaron Hernandez, TE, Florida
5.19 (150) - Zoltan Mesko, P, Michigan
6.36 (205) - Ted Larsen, G/C, NC State
7.01 (208) - Thomas Welch, T, Vanderbilt
7.40 (247) - Brandon Deaderick, DE/OLB, Alabama
7.41 (248) - Kade Weston, DE/DT, Georgia
7.43 (250) - Zac Robinson, QB, Oklahoma State
Trades:
Acquired #24 and #113 (Hernandez) for #22
Acquired #27 (McCourty) and #90 (Price) for #24 and #119
Acquired #42 (Gronkowski) for #44 and #190
Acquired #58 and #89 for #47
Acquired #62 (Spikes) and #150 (Mesko) for #58
Acquired second-round pick in 2011 for #89
Acquired #208 (Welch) for #229 and #231
Lather, rinse and repeat. The Patriots own the draft every year. They stockpile picks and crush teams in trades. Why would you make a deal with the Patriots if you were an NFL GM? Every year people say it's the year the Pats might trade up and grab a star player. It's not going to happen. They'll continue to trade down and give themselves an arsenal of bullets. They already have an extra first- and second-round pick next year, thanks to the stupidity of the Raiders and Panthers. As for the picks themselves, the Pats draft for need early on, but aren't afraid to grab a valuable player later in the draft if he slips like Aaron Hernandez.
New Orleans Saints
1.32 (32) - Patrick Robinson, CB, Florida State
2.32 (64) - Charles Brown, T, USC
3.31 (95) - Jimmy Graham, TE, Miami
4.25 (123) - Al Woods, DT, LSU
5.27 (158) - Matt Tennant, C, Boston College
7.32 (239) - Sean Canfield, QB, Oregon State
Trades:
Acquired #123 (Woods) for #130 and #201
Acquired #158 (Tennant) for fourth-round pick in 2011
New Orleans had an interesting combination of need and value in its draft this year. Robinson will fill an immediate need, but they weren't afraid to step up and grab Brown at the end of round two, despite having a nice talent pool at offensive tackle. I suppose it never hurts to have extra guys ready to protect Drew Brees. Mickey Loomis and Sean Payton stuck to big-school guys, which is something to look for in the future when projecting picks for the Saints.
New York Giants
1.15 (15) - Jason Pierre-Paul, DE, South Florida
2.14 (46) - Linval Joseph, DT, East Carolina
3.12 (76) - Chad Jones, FS, LSU
4.17 (115) - Philip Dillard, LB, Nebraska
5.16 (147) - Mitch Petrus, G, Arkansas
6.15 (184) - Adrian Tracy, DE, William & Mary
7.14 (221) - Matt Dodge, P, East Carolina
Trades:
None
The Giants are the only team that made zero trades involving this draft. They didn't acquire or trade a single pick, they didn't even have a compensatory pick. Pierre-Paul clearly was a value, and the Giants seem to grab their big guys early. If there's a big guy on the board who isn't a big reach, expect him to spend a few years in blue. They aren't afraid to fill needs late in the draft, but they're not going to draft solely for one position early.
New York Jets
1.29 (29) - Kyle Wilson, CB, Boise State
2.29 (61) - Vlad Ducasse, G, Massachusetts
4.14 (112) - Joe McKnight, RB, USC
5.08 (139) - John Conner, FB, Kentucky
Trades:
Acquired #112 (McKnight) for #124 and #198
Acquired #139 (Conner) for RB Leon Washington
Like the Vikings, we knew the Jets were going to grab impact players. Wilson was a good value, but I have no doubt the Jets were taking an impact player at #29 no matter who was still on the board. They were just fortunate Wilson was there. As long as Mike Tannenbaum and Rex Ryan are there, the Jets will be playing to win now.
Oakland Raiders
1.08 (8) - Rolando McClain, LB, Alabama
2.12 (44) - Lamarr Houston, DT, Texas
3.05 (69) - Jared Veldeer, T, Hillsdale
4.08 (106) - Bruce Campbell, T, Maryland
4.10 (108) - Jacoby Ford, WR, Clemson
5.07 (138) - Walter McFadden, DB, Auburn
6.21 (190) - Travis Goethel, LB, Arizona State
7.08 (215) - Jeremy Ware, DB, Michigan State
7.44 (251) - Stevie Brown, DB, Michigan
Trades:
Acquired #42 and #153 for #39
Acquired #44 (Houston) and #190 (Goethel) for #42
Acquired #108 (Ford) for LB Kirk Morrison and #153
Funny stuff from fans who suggested Al Davis overslept the first two days of the draft, then broke into the room and started taking speed guys on Saturday. This draft proves nobody can predict what the heck Al Davis is going to do. All those people who had Bruce Campbell going #8 look a little silly when he ended up going nearly 100 picks later. It's a mistake to think Davis will do things only one way. This draft proves he's unpredictable more than anything.
Philadelphia Eagles
1.13 (13) - Brandon Graham, DE, Michigan
2.05 (37) - Nate Allen, S, South Florida
3.22 (86) - Daniel Te'o-Nesheim, DE, Washington
4.07 (105) - Trevard Lindley, CB, Kentucky
4.23 (121) - Keenan Clayton, LB, Oklahoma
4.24 (122) - Mike Kafka, QB, Northwestern
4.27 (125) - Clay Harbor, TE, Missouri State
5.03 (134) - Ricky Sapp, DE, Clemson
5.28 (159) - Riley Cooper, WR, Florida
6.31 (200) - Charles Scott, RB, LSU
7.13 (220) - Jamar Cheney, LB, Mississippi State
7.36 (243) - Jeff Owens, DT, Georgia
7.37 (244) - Kurt Coleman, SS, Ohio State
Trades:
Acquired #13 (Graham) for #24, #70 and #87
Acquired #59 and #125 (Harbor) for #55
Acquired #71, #134 (Sapp) and #146 for #59
Acquired #86 (Te'o-Nesheim) and #122 (Kafka) for #71
Acquired #159 (Cooper) and fifth-round pick in 2011 for #146
Acquired #220 (Cheney) for sixth-round pick in 2011
If you need a manual on how to work the draft, just watch Philadelphia and New England. The Eagles drafted an astonishing 13 players, including four fourth-round picks. That's quite a haul. You can count on Philadelphia drafting big guys early, much like the Giants. They didn't disappoint with Graham in round one. Only Harbor wasn't from a power conference school (Missouri State).
Pittsburgh Steelers
1.18 (18) - Maurkice Pouncey, G, Florida
2.20 (52) - Jason Worilds, DE/OLB, Virginia Tech
3.18 (82) - Emmanuel Sanders, WR, Southern Methodist
4.18 (116) - Thaddeus Gibson, DE/OLB, Ohio State
5.20 (151) - Chris Scott, T, Tennessee
5.33 (164) - Crezdon Butler, CB, Clemson
5.35 (166) - Stevenson Sylvester, LB, Utah
6.19 (188) - Jonathan Dwyer, RB, Georgia Tech
6.26 (195) - Antonio Brown, WR, Central Michigan
7.35 (242) - Doug Worthington, DE/DT, Ohio State
Trades:
Acquired CB Bryant McFadden and #195 (Brown) for #155
Kevin Colbert and the Steelers did their thing. They took pass-rushers and role players on offense. They generally play it safe with prospects, especially after getting burned on wide receivers in round one (Plaxico Burress and Santonio Holmes.) The Steelers will always take players to keep their 3-4 defense going strong.
San Diego Chargers
1.12 (12) - Ryan Matthews, RB, Fresno State
3.15 (79) - Donald Butler, LB, Washington
4.12 (110) - Darrell Stuckey, S, Kansas
5.15 (146) - Cam Thomas, DT, North Carolina
5.37 (168) - Jonathan Crompton, QB, Tennessee
7.28 (235) - Dedrick Epps, TE, Miami
Trades:
Acquired #146 (Thomas) for #159 and fifth-round pick in 2011
Acquired #79 (Butler) for #91, #173 and a fourth-round pick in 2011
Acquired #12 (Matthews), #110 (Stuckey) and #173 for LB Tim Dobbins, #28, #40 and #126
Put the Chargers in the same boat as the Vikings and Jets, as teams who are looking to win right now. A.J. Smith better know what he's doing, because he paid a huge price for Matthews. Combine that with trades that leaves San Diego short a fourth- and fifth-round pick in 2011, and the Chargers are going for it all now.
San Francisco 49ers
1.11 (11) - Anthony Davis, T, Rutgers
1.17 (17) - Mike Iupati, G, Idaho
2.17 (49) - Taylor Mays, S, USC
3.27 (91) - Navorro Bowman, LB, Penn State
6.04 (173) - Anthony Dixon, RB, Mississippi State
6.13 (182) - Nate Byham, TE, Pittsburgh
6.37 (206) - Kyle Williams, WR, Arizona State
7.17 (224) - Phillip Adams, DB, South Carolina State
Trades:
Acquired #11 (Davis) for #13 and #113
Acquired #91 (Bowman), #173 (Dixon) and a fourth-round pick in 2011 for #79
Clearly the 49ers felt they had a strong need at offensive line, and filled those positions in round one. They locked in on Davis and felt the need to move up two spots to secure him. That tells me Trent Baalke isn't quite as patient as Scot McCloughan was, or that coach Mike Singletary had a little more influence in the war room. Could San Francisco be shifting for a value-based drafting system to picking for need?
Seattle Seahawks
1.06 (6) - Russell Okung, T, Oklahoma State
1.14 (14) - Earl Thomas, S, Texas
2.28 (60) - Golden Tate, WR, Notre Dame
4.13 (111) - Walter Thurmond, CB, Oregon
4.29 (127) - E.J. Wilson, DE, North Carolina
5.02 (133) - Kam Chancellor, S, Virginia Tech
6.16 (185) - Anthony McCoy, TE, USC
7.29 (236) - Dexter Davis, DE, Arizona State
7.38 (245) - Jameson Konz, WR, Kent State
Trades:
Acquired RB Leon Washington for #139
Acquired RB LenDale White, DT Kevin Vickerson, #111 (Thurmond) and #185 (McCoy) for #104 and #176
I had a ton of questions about Pete Carroll's drafting style before the draft. Like most coaches in charge of personnel, he's going to fill a need when necessary. I'm not saying Seattle's picks weren't good value, but Seattle has said if Okung hadn't been there at #6, they were likely going to reach for a tackle at some point in the draft. Maybe they were fortunate Okung and Thomas fell to them, but they won't always be that fortunate in drafts. If there's a conflict between need and value, expect need to win out. The pick of McCoy showed Carroll isn't afraid to take a chance on a player with questionable character. Of course, he did get a good look at McCoy at USC.
St. Louis Rams
1.01 (1) - Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma
2.01 (33) - Rodger Saffold, T, Indiana
3.01 (65) - Jerome Murphy, CB, South Florida
4.01 (99) - Mardy Gilyard, WR, Cincinnati
5.01 (132) - Michael Moomanawanui, TE, Illinois
5.18 (149) - Hall Davis, DE, Louisiana-Lafayette
6.01 (170) - Fendi Onobun, TE, Arizona
6.20 (189) - Eugene Sims, DE, West Texas A&M
7.04 (211) - Marquis Johnson, DB, Alabama
7.19 (226) - George Selvie, DE, South Florida
7.47 (254) - Josh Hull, LB, Penn State
Trades:
Acquired #149 (Davis) and #189 (Sims) for #135
Billy Devaney preached about value, and then grabbed Sam Bradford instead of the top player on the board. Perhaps this speaks more to the importance of quarterback, but I wonder if they to do it all over again, if the Rams would have taken Suh in round one and Clausen in round two. The future will tell the truth about Devaney's commitment to value or need. Because the Rams are so bad right now, there aren't a lot of players that wouldn't fill a need.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
1.03 (3) - Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma
2.03 (35) - Brian Price, DT, UCLA
2.07 (39) - Arrelious Benn, WR, Illinois
3.03 (67) - Myron Lewis, CB, Vanderbilt
4.03 (101) - Mike Williams, WR, Syracuse
6.03 (172) - Brent Bowden, P, Virginia Tech
7.03 (210) - Cody Grimm, LB, Virginia Tech
7.10 (217) - Dekoda Watson, LB, Florida State
7.46 (253) - Erik Long, DE, Stanford
Trades:
Acquired fifth-round pick in 2011 for #225 and #232
Acquired #39 (Benn) for #42 and #153
Mark Dominik had need and value collide nicely with his draft. McCoy and Price should both be starters for a team that was atrocious against the run last season, while Benn and Williams could also start at wide receiver. He still strikes me as a needs drafter, but luckily need met value here.
Tennessee Titans
1.16 (16) - Derrick Morgan, DE, Georgia Tech
3.13 (77) - Damian Williams, WR, USC
3.33 (97) - Rennie Curran, LB, Georgia
4.06 (104) - Alterraun Verner, CB, UCLA
5.17 (148) - Robert Johnson, DB, Utah
6.07 (176) - Rusty Smith, QB, Florida Atlantic
6.38 (207) - Myron Rolle, S, Florida State
7.15 (222) - Marc Mariani, WR, Montana
7.34 (241) - David Howard, DT, Brown
Trades:
Acquired #104 (Verner) and #176 (Smith) for RB LenDale White, DT Kevin Vickerson, #111 and #185
Mike Reinfeldt filled a big hole when Morgan fell to #16. While things fell right in this draft, the Titans are showing a pattern of filling needs instead of grabbing value. Each of their top four picks filled a need and could start at some point in 2011, if not in 2010.
Washington Redskins
1.04 (4) - Trent Williams, T, Oklahoma
4.05 (103) - Perry Riley, LB, LSU
6.05 (174) - Dennis Morris, TE, Louisiana Tech
7.12 (219) - Terrence Austin, WR, UCLA
7.22 (229) - Eric Cook, C, New Mexico
7.24 (231) - Selvish Capers, T, West Virginia
Trades:
Acquired #174 (Morris) and #219 (Austin) for #163
Acquired #229 (Cook) and #231 (Capers) for #208
Mike Shanahan used most of his ammo on Donovan McNabb and others, but took on need when he did have picks. Williams clearly was a pick that was based on a need, and fit Washington's scheme better than the rest of the linemen. Expect Shanahan to continue to build the team to fit his standards, not the other way around.
1.10 (10) - Tyson Alualu, DT, California
3.10 (74) - D'Anthony Smith, DT, Louisiana Tech
5.12 (143) - Larry Hart, DE, Central Arkansas
5.22 (153) - Austen Lane, DE, Murray State
6.11 (180) - Deji Karim, RB, Southern Illinois
6.34 (203) - Scotty McGee, KR, James Madison
Trades:
Acquired fourth-round pick in 2011 for #158
Acquired LB Kirk Morrison and #153 (Lane) for #108
Jags general manager Gene Smith showed he has, well, big ones. He's going to do things his way, and he'll pick the top guy on his board no matter what the national reaction will be. Obviously the pick of Alualu was a surprise at #10, but Smith stuck to his guns. So much for all the draftniks who think the Jaguars will make picks based on ticket sales. As long as Smith is running things in Jacksonville, they'll build his way. Clearly the Jaguars were taking the best available player at each pick, as they loaded up on defensive line help.
Kansas City Chiefs
1.05 (5) - Eric Berry, S, Tennessee
2.04 (36) - Dexter McCluster, WR, Mississippi
2.18 (50) - Javier Arenas, CB, Alabama
3.04 (68) - Jon Asamoah, G, Illinois
3.29 (93) - Tony Moeaki, TE, Iowa
5.05 (136) - Kendrick Lewis, S, Mississippi
5.11 (142) - Cameron Sheffield, DE/OLB, Troy
Trades:
Acquired #93 (Moeaki) for #102 and #144
Scott Pioli surprised me by grabbing Berry at #5. So much for not paying a safety that kind of money. His next two picks (McCluster, Arenas) both will add much-needed explosiveness to the Chiefs. This draft only cements in my mind that Pioli is going to fill needs on the Chiefs. Of course value can meet need easily when a team has so many holes to fill.
Miami Dolphins
1.28 (28) - Jared Odrick, DE/DT, Penn State
2.08 (40) - Koa Misi, DE/OLB, Utah
3.09 (73) - John Jerry, T, Mississippi
4.21 (119) - A.J. Edds, LB, Iowa
5.14 (145) - Nolan Carroll, CB, Maryland
5.32 (163) - Reshad Jones, SS, Georgia
7.05 (212) - Chris McCoy, DL, Middle Tennessee State
7.45 (252) - Austin Spitler, LB, Ohio State
Trades:
Acquired LB Tim Dobbins, #28 (Odrick), #40 (Misi) and #126 for #12, #110 and #173
Acquired #119 (Edds) for #126 and #179
Acquired #163 (Jones) for #174 and #219
No surprise here, Bill Parcells traded down in the first round and spent a bunch of picks on defense. That's his blueprint. He's simply not going to bother with a lot of flashy offensive players with early picks. He's going to build an aggressive 3-4 defense and attack. Like the Pats, the Dolphins are going to draft for need on defense early.
Minnesota Vikings
2.02 (34) - Chris Cook, CB/S, Virginia
2.19 (51) - Toby Gerhart, RB, Stanford
4.02 (100) - Everson Griffen, DE, USC
5.30 (161) - Chris Degeare, T, Wake Forest
5.36 (167) - Nathan Triplett, LB, Minnesota
6.30 (199) - Joe Webb, QB/WR, UAB
7.07 (214) - Mickey Shuler, TE, Penn State
7.30 (237) - Ryan D'Imperio, LB, Rutgers
Trades:
Acquired #51 (Gerhart) for #62 and #93
Acquired #34 (Cook), #100 (Griffen) and #214 (Shuler) for #30 and #128
If anyone was surprised when Minnesota didn't take Jimmy Clausen, they shouldn't have been. Clearly the Vikings are putting all their eggs in one basket, and playing to win now. It was obvious they were going to take impact players with their top picks, and they did just that with Cook and Gerhart. They both fill needs at safety and backup running back. The question is, did Minnesota do enough to win the NFC this year?
New England Patriots
1.27 (27) - Devin McCourty, CB, Rutgers
2.10 (42) - Rob Gronkowski, TE, Arizona
2.21 (53) - Jermaine Cunningham, DE/OLB, Florida
2.30 (62) - Brandon Spikes, LB, Florida
3.26 (90) - Taylor Price, WR, Ohio
4.15 (113) - Aaron Hernandez, TE, Florida
5.19 (150) - Zoltan Mesko, P, Michigan
6.36 (205) - Ted Larsen, G/C, NC State
7.01 (208) - Thomas Welch, T, Vanderbilt
7.40 (247) - Brandon Deaderick, DE/OLB, Alabama
7.41 (248) - Kade Weston, DE/DT, Georgia
7.43 (250) - Zac Robinson, QB, Oklahoma State
Trades:
Acquired #24 and #113 (Hernandez) for #22
Acquired #27 (McCourty) and #90 (Price) for #24 and #119
Acquired #42 (Gronkowski) for #44 and #190
Acquired #58 and #89 for #47
Acquired #62 (Spikes) and #150 (Mesko) for #58
Acquired second-round pick in 2011 for #89
Acquired #208 (Welch) for #229 and #231
Lather, rinse and repeat. The Patriots own the draft every year. They stockpile picks and crush teams in trades. Why would you make a deal with the Patriots if you were an NFL GM? Every year people say it's the year the Pats might trade up and grab a star player. It's not going to happen. They'll continue to trade down and give themselves an arsenal of bullets. They already have an extra first- and second-round pick next year, thanks to the stupidity of the Raiders and Panthers. As for the picks themselves, the Pats draft for need early on, but aren't afraid to grab a valuable player later in the draft if he slips like Aaron Hernandez.
New Orleans Saints
1.32 (32) - Patrick Robinson, CB, Florida State
2.32 (64) - Charles Brown, T, USC
3.31 (95) - Jimmy Graham, TE, Miami
4.25 (123) - Al Woods, DT, LSU
5.27 (158) - Matt Tennant, C, Boston College
7.32 (239) - Sean Canfield, QB, Oregon State
Trades:
Acquired #123 (Woods) for #130 and #201
Acquired #158 (Tennant) for fourth-round pick in 2011
New Orleans had an interesting combination of need and value in its draft this year. Robinson will fill an immediate need, but they weren't afraid to step up and grab Brown at the end of round two, despite having a nice talent pool at offensive tackle. I suppose it never hurts to have extra guys ready to protect Drew Brees. Mickey Loomis and Sean Payton stuck to big-school guys, which is something to look for in the future when projecting picks for the Saints.
New York Giants
1.15 (15) - Jason Pierre-Paul, DE, South Florida
2.14 (46) - Linval Joseph, DT, East Carolina
3.12 (76) - Chad Jones, FS, LSU
4.17 (115) - Philip Dillard, LB, Nebraska
5.16 (147) - Mitch Petrus, G, Arkansas
6.15 (184) - Adrian Tracy, DE, William & Mary
7.14 (221) - Matt Dodge, P, East Carolina
Trades:
None
The Giants are the only team that made zero trades involving this draft. They didn't acquire or trade a single pick, they didn't even have a compensatory pick. Pierre-Paul clearly was a value, and the Giants seem to grab their big guys early. If there's a big guy on the board who isn't a big reach, expect him to spend a few years in blue. They aren't afraid to fill needs late in the draft, but they're not going to draft solely for one position early.
New York Jets
1.29 (29) - Kyle Wilson, CB, Boise State
2.29 (61) - Vlad Ducasse, G, Massachusetts
4.14 (112) - Joe McKnight, RB, USC
5.08 (139) - John Conner, FB, Kentucky
Trades:
Acquired #112 (McKnight) for #124 and #198
Acquired #139 (Conner) for RB Leon Washington
Like the Vikings, we knew the Jets were going to grab impact players. Wilson was a good value, but I have no doubt the Jets were taking an impact player at #29 no matter who was still on the board. They were just fortunate Wilson was there. As long as Mike Tannenbaum and Rex Ryan are there, the Jets will be playing to win now.
Oakland Raiders
1.08 (8) - Rolando McClain, LB, Alabama
2.12 (44) - Lamarr Houston, DT, Texas
3.05 (69) - Jared Veldeer, T, Hillsdale
4.08 (106) - Bruce Campbell, T, Maryland
4.10 (108) - Jacoby Ford, WR, Clemson
5.07 (138) - Walter McFadden, DB, Auburn
6.21 (190) - Travis Goethel, LB, Arizona State
7.08 (215) - Jeremy Ware, DB, Michigan State
7.44 (251) - Stevie Brown, DB, Michigan
Trades:
Acquired #42 and #153 for #39
Acquired #44 (Houston) and #190 (Goethel) for #42
Acquired #108 (Ford) for LB Kirk Morrison and #153
Funny stuff from fans who suggested Al Davis overslept the first two days of the draft, then broke into the room and started taking speed guys on Saturday. This draft proves nobody can predict what the heck Al Davis is going to do. All those people who had Bruce Campbell going #8 look a little silly when he ended up going nearly 100 picks later. It's a mistake to think Davis will do things only one way. This draft proves he's unpredictable more than anything.
Philadelphia Eagles
1.13 (13) - Brandon Graham, DE, Michigan
2.05 (37) - Nate Allen, S, South Florida
3.22 (86) - Daniel Te'o-Nesheim, DE, Washington
4.07 (105) - Trevard Lindley, CB, Kentucky
4.23 (121) - Keenan Clayton, LB, Oklahoma
4.24 (122) - Mike Kafka, QB, Northwestern
4.27 (125) - Clay Harbor, TE, Missouri State
5.03 (134) - Ricky Sapp, DE, Clemson
5.28 (159) - Riley Cooper, WR, Florida
6.31 (200) - Charles Scott, RB, LSU
7.13 (220) - Jamar Cheney, LB, Mississippi State
7.36 (243) - Jeff Owens, DT, Georgia
7.37 (244) - Kurt Coleman, SS, Ohio State
Trades:
Acquired #13 (Graham) for #24, #70 and #87
Acquired #59 and #125 (Harbor) for #55
Acquired #71, #134 (Sapp) and #146 for #59
Acquired #86 (Te'o-Nesheim) and #122 (Kafka) for #71
Acquired #159 (Cooper) and fifth-round pick in 2011 for #146
Acquired #220 (Cheney) for sixth-round pick in 2011
If you need a manual on how to work the draft, just watch Philadelphia and New England. The Eagles drafted an astonishing 13 players, including four fourth-round picks. That's quite a haul. You can count on Philadelphia drafting big guys early, much like the Giants. They didn't disappoint with Graham in round one. Only Harbor wasn't from a power conference school (Missouri State).
Pittsburgh Steelers
1.18 (18) - Maurkice Pouncey, G, Florida
2.20 (52) - Jason Worilds, DE/OLB, Virginia Tech
3.18 (82) - Emmanuel Sanders, WR, Southern Methodist
4.18 (116) - Thaddeus Gibson, DE/OLB, Ohio State
5.20 (151) - Chris Scott, T, Tennessee
5.33 (164) - Crezdon Butler, CB, Clemson
5.35 (166) - Stevenson Sylvester, LB, Utah
6.19 (188) - Jonathan Dwyer, RB, Georgia Tech
6.26 (195) - Antonio Brown, WR, Central Michigan
7.35 (242) - Doug Worthington, DE/DT, Ohio State
Trades:
Acquired CB Bryant McFadden and #195 (Brown) for #155
Kevin Colbert and the Steelers did their thing. They took pass-rushers and role players on offense. They generally play it safe with prospects, especially after getting burned on wide receivers in round one (Plaxico Burress and Santonio Holmes.) The Steelers will always take players to keep their 3-4 defense going strong.
San Diego Chargers
1.12 (12) - Ryan Matthews, RB, Fresno State
3.15 (79) - Donald Butler, LB, Washington
4.12 (110) - Darrell Stuckey, S, Kansas
5.15 (146) - Cam Thomas, DT, North Carolina
5.37 (168) - Jonathan Crompton, QB, Tennessee
7.28 (235) - Dedrick Epps, TE, Miami
Trades:
Acquired #146 (Thomas) for #159 and fifth-round pick in 2011
Acquired #79 (Butler) for #91, #173 and a fourth-round pick in 2011
Acquired #12 (Matthews), #110 (Stuckey) and #173 for LB Tim Dobbins, #28, #40 and #126
Put the Chargers in the same boat as the Vikings and Jets, as teams who are looking to win right now. A.J. Smith better know what he's doing, because he paid a huge price for Matthews. Combine that with trades that leaves San Diego short a fourth- and fifth-round pick in 2011, and the Chargers are going for it all now.
San Francisco 49ers
1.11 (11) - Anthony Davis, T, Rutgers
1.17 (17) - Mike Iupati, G, Idaho
2.17 (49) - Taylor Mays, S, USC
3.27 (91) - Navorro Bowman, LB, Penn State
6.04 (173) - Anthony Dixon, RB, Mississippi State
6.13 (182) - Nate Byham, TE, Pittsburgh
6.37 (206) - Kyle Williams, WR, Arizona State
7.17 (224) - Phillip Adams, DB, South Carolina State
Trades:
Acquired #11 (Davis) for #13 and #113
Acquired #91 (Bowman), #173 (Dixon) and a fourth-round pick in 2011 for #79
Clearly the 49ers felt they had a strong need at offensive line, and filled those positions in round one. They locked in on Davis and felt the need to move up two spots to secure him. That tells me Trent Baalke isn't quite as patient as Scot McCloughan was, or that coach Mike Singletary had a little more influence in the war room. Could San Francisco be shifting for a value-based drafting system to picking for need?
Seattle Seahawks
1.06 (6) - Russell Okung, T, Oklahoma State
1.14 (14) - Earl Thomas, S, Texas
2.28 (60) - Golden Tate, WR, Notre Dame
4.13 (111) - Walter Thurmond, CB, Oregon
4.29 (127) - E.J. Wilson, DE, North Carolina
5.02 (133) - Kam Chancellor, S, Virginia Tech
6.16 (185) - Anthony McCoy, TE, USC
7.29 (236) - Dexter Davis, DE, Arizona State
7.38 (245) - Jameson Konz, WR, Kent State
Trades:
Acquired RB Leon Washington for #139
Acquired RB LenDale White, DT Kevin Vickerson, #111 (Thurmond) and #185 (McCoy) for #104 and #176
I had a ton of questions about Pete Carroll's drafting style before the draft. Like most coaches in charge of personnel, he's going to fill a need when necessary. I'm not saying Seattle's picks weren't good value, but Seattle has said if Okung hadn't been there at #6, they were likely going to reach for a tackle at some point in the draft. Maybe they were fortunate Okung and Thomas fell to them, but they won't always be that fortunate in drafts. If there's a conflict between need and value, expect need to win out. The pick of McCoy showed Carroll isn't afraid to take a chance on a player with questionable character. Of course, he did get a good look at McCoy at USC.
St. Louis Rams
1.01 (1) - Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma
2.01 (33) - Rodger Saffold, T, Indiana
3.01 (65) - Jerome Murphy, CB, South Florida
4.01 (99) - Mardy Gilyard, WR, Cincinnati
5.01 (132) - Michael Moomanawanui, TE, Illinois
5.18 (149) - Hall Davis, DE, Louisiana-Lafayette
6.01 (170) - Fendi Onobun, TE, Arizona
6.20 (189) - Eugene Sims, DE, West Texas A&M
7.04 (211) - Marquis Johnson, DB, Alabama
7.19 (226) - George Selvie, DE, South Florida
7.47 (254) - Josh Hull, LB, Penn State
Trades:
Acquired #149 (Davis) and #189 (Sims) for #135
Billy Devaney preached about value, and then grabbed Sam Bradford instead of the top player on the board. Perhaps this speaks more to the importance of quarterback, but I wonder if they to do it all over again, if the Rams would have taken Suh in round one and Clausen in round two. The future will tell the truth about Devaney's commitment to value or need. Because the Rams are so bad right now, there aren't a lot of players that wouldn't fill a need.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
1.03 (3) - Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma
2.03 (35) - Brian Price, DT, UCLA
2.07 (39) - Arrelious Benn, WR, Illinois
3.03 (67) - Myron Lewis, CB, Vanderbilt
4.03 (101) - Mike Williams, WR, Syracuse
6.03 (172) - Brent Bowden, P, Virginia Tech
7.03 (210) - Cody Grimm, LB, Virginia Tech
7.10 (217) - Dekoda Watson, LB, Florida State
7.46 (253) - Erik Long, DE, Stanford
Trades:
Acquired fifth-round pick in 2011 for #225 and #232
Acquired #39 (Benn) for #42 and #153
Mark Dominik had need and value collide nicely with his draft. McCoy and Price should both be starters for a team that was atrocious against the run last season, while Benn and Williams could also start at wide receiver. He still strikes me as a needs drafter, but luckily need met value here.
Tennessee Titans
1.16 (16) - Derrick Morgan, DE, Georgia Tech
3.13 (77) - Damian Williams, WR, USC
3.33 (97) - Rennie Curran, LB, Georgia
4.06 (104) - Alterraun Verner, CB, UCLA
5.17 (148) - Robert Johnson, DB, Utah
6.07 (176) - Rusty Smith, QB, Florida Atlantic
6.38 (207) - Myron Rolle, S, Florida State
7.15 (222) - Marc Mariani, WR, Montana
7.34 (241) - David Howard, DT, Brown
Trades:
Acquired #104 (Verner) and #176 (Smith) for RB LenDale White, DT Kevin Vickerson, #111 and #185
Mike Reinfeldt filled a big hole when Morgan fell to #16. While things fell right in this draft, the Titans are showing a pattern of filling needs instead of grabbing value. Each of their top four picks filled a need and could start at some point in 2011, if not in 2010.
Washington Redskins
1.04 (4) - Trent Williams, T, Oklahoma
4.05 (103) - Perry Riley, LB, LSU
6.05 (174) - Dennis Morris, TE, Louisiana Tech
7.12 (219) - Terrence Austin, WR, UCLA
7.22 (229) - Eric Cook, C, New Mexico
7.24 (231) - Selvish Capers, T, West Virginia
Trades:
Acquired #174 (Morris) and #219 (Austin) for #163
Acquired #229 (Cook) and #231 (Capers) for #208
Mike Shanahan used most of his ammo on Donovan McNabb and others, but took on need when he did have picks. Williams clearly was a pick that was based on a need, and fit Washington's scheme better than the rest of the linemen. Expect Shanahan to continue to build the team to fit his standards, not the other way around.
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