Rick Gosselin's Second Mock Draft - 4/17

[hawaiiansteel]

Rick Gosselin's Second Mock Draft: Dez Bryant to Cowboys

Saturday, April 17, 2010


by Rick Gosselin


The St. Louis Rams cannot pass up a franchise quarterback for the third consecutive year – not after having released incumbent starter Marc Bulger this off-season.

So pencil in Oklahoma's Sam Bradford to the Rams at the first overall pick of the 2010 draft. Next up is finding a home for Notre Dame's Jimmy Clausen, the only other quarterback on this draft board with franchise traits.

A couple of other teams in the top 10 could use a quarterback, most notably Cleveland and Buffalo. But don't rule out Kansas City and Washington.

Clausen's college coach, Charlie Weis, is now the offensive coordinator of the Chiefs, and the Redskins need to start grooming a successor for Donovan McNabb, who turns 34 this season. Washington may not be in this position to draft a talented young quarterback such as Clausen again any time soon.

Washington selects fourth, Kansas City fifth, Cleveland seventh and Buffalo ninth.

If Clausen is not drafted in the top 10, he could fall victim to an Aaron Rodgers-type slide. There isn't a team in the teens in this draft in the market for a quarterback, so Clausen could wind up available into the 20s.

Rodgers projected as a top 10 pick in 2005 but slid to 24, where the Packers stole a Pro Bowl quarterback. Clausen could be a similar bargain if he slips out of the top 10.

Give Clausen to the Redskins in the second mock draft offering from The Dallas Morning News. The first one last Sunday was based on best available player. This one places a greater emphasis on team need.

1. ST. LOUIS RAMS
Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma

Bradford's accuracy will remind the Rams of Kurt Warner


2. DETROIT LIONS
Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma

The Lions still looking for the next Alex Karras


3. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska

The Buccaneers still looking for the next Warren Sapp


4. WASHINGTON REDSKINS
Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame

Donovan McNabb is Mike Shanahan's short-term solution


5. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
Russell Okung, OT, Oklahoma State

The Chiefs allowed way too many sacks (45) in 2009


6. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
Trent Williams, OT, Oklahoma

Too many hits, too many injuries for QB Matt Hasselbeck


7. CLEVELAND BROWNS
Eric Berry, S, Tennessee

Browns take the best player available – and he's a good one


8. OAKLAND RAIDERS
Kyle Wilson, CB, Boise State

Al Davis prefers speed and skill with his premium picks


9. BUFFALO BILLS
Dan Williams, DT, Tennessee

The Bills need an anchor in their new 3-4 scheme


10. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
Derrick Morgan, DE, Georgia Tech

The NFL's worst pass rush needs help


11. DENVER BRONCOS
Jason Pierre-Paul, DE, South Florida

The Broncos have bodies at end; they need impact


12. MIAMI DOLPHINS
Ryan Mathews, HB, Fresno State

Ricky Williams is 32 and Ronnie Brown 29 this season


13. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
Anthony Davis, OT, Rutgers

The 49ers need a tackle to bookend Joe Staley


14. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
C.J. Spiller, HB, Clemson

The Seahawks still looking to replace Shaun Alexander


15. NEW YORK GIANTS
Rolando McClain, MLB, Alabama

The release of Antonio Pierce leaves a hole at MLB


16. TENNESSEE TITANS
Brandon Graham, DE, Michigan

The Titans need to dial up the heat on Peyton Manning


17. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
Joe Haden, CB, Florida

The 49ers finished 21st in the NFL in pass defense


18. PITTSBURGH STEELERS
Jared Odrick, DE, Penn State

Could be the next Aaron Smith for the Steelers


19. ATLANTA FALCONS
Bryan Bulaga, OT, Iowa

Gives the Falcons flexibility at guard and tackle


20. HOUSTON TEXANS
Earl Thomas, S, Texas

The Texans in dire need of a playmaker at the back end


21. CINCINNATI BENGALS
Maurkice Pouncey, C, Florida

Gives the Bengals flexibility at center and guard


22. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
Jermaine Gresham, TE, Oklahoma

Starting TE Benjamin Watson bolted in free agency


23. GREEN BAY PACKERS
Sergio Kindle, OLB, Texas

A stereo pass rush with Clay Matthews


24. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
Jerry Hughes, DE, TCU

Eagles moved Darren Howard and Chris Clemons off the roster


25. BALTIMORE RAVENS
Rob Gronkowski, TE, Arizona

Pro Bowler Todd Heap starting to get up in years


26. ARIZONA CARDINALS
Demaryius Thomas, WR, Georgia Tech

QB Matt Leinart needs the weapons to succeed


27. DALLAS COWBOYS
Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma State

Best WR in draft slides to a team that needs WR help


28. SAN DIEGO CHARGERS
Devin McCourty, CB, Rutgers

A hole at CB with the trade of Antonio Cromartie to Jets


29. NEW YORK JETS
Kareem Jackson, CB, Alabama

The most physical cornerback in the draft


30. MINNESOTA VIKINGS
Rodger Saffold, OT, Indiana

Brett Favre took a beating in NFC title game


31. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
Mike Iupati, G, Idaho

The Colts are trying to get bigger up front


32. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
Brian Price, DT, UCLA

NFL's 21st-ranked run defense needs help

[url="http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent"]http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent[/url] ... ea398.html: Dez Bryant to Cowboys

[Flasteel]

I thought Gosselin was supposed to be highly credible when it comes to mock drafts? There's no way a year after we burn a number one on a DE that we go back there...especially with a playmaker like Thomas on the board.

Sorry Rick... you FAIL!

[NJ-STEELER]

i know he has a good track record

but i cant see taking a DE with thomas and pouncey still on board. and if the argument is not to take pouncey at 18 cause its too high....its BS cause he isn't going to drop much further down

and kyle wilson now goes in the top 10.... wow

also cant see the skins passing on the best OT... their OL is bad

[Lebsteel]

Gosselin is a GENIUS!! That would be a great pick for the Steelers...I remember someone else calling that pick! Ha, Ha...I'm not going DD on everyone (just joking Dub). I seriously can't see us passing up Earl Thomas to take Odrick. Odrick would be a great fit in our 3-4 D, but I think we need to fix our secondary first.

[papillon]

If McClain, Haden, Thomas, Odrick and Graham are all there from position 1.14 down to the Steelers at 1.18 I hope the Steelers try and make some moves to get two of those players. I would love McClain and Thomas, but I'd be extremely happy with any two of them.

Pappy

[RuthlessBurgher]

Gosselin does a 3rd mock (usually released the day before the draft). That is the one where he gives his actual predictions for what he thinks will happen. In his first two, he is simply playing around with who is the best player available, and then what would fill specific team needs.

That said, if the draft fell this way, I'd take Bulaga.

[Sugar]

I'd think the Steelers would rather have Thomas at that point, but at least it's Defense!

[Shawn]

Gosselin does a 3rd mock (usually released the day before the draft). That is the one where he gives his actual predictions for what he thinks will happen. In his first two, he is simply playing around with who is the best player available, and then what would fill specific team needs.

That said, if the draft fell this way, I'd take Bulaga.

The Graham punching bag? No thanks.

[steelernation77]

No way the Steelers pass on Bulaga if he's still there.

[phillyesq]

Gosselin does a 3rd mock (usually released the day before the draft). That is the one where he gives his actual predictions for what he thinks will happen. In his first two, he is simply playing around with who is the best player available, and then what would fill specific team needs.

That said, if the draft fell this way, I'd take Bulaga.

And I think his success lies more with predicting who will be a first round pick than with who each team actually selects. I think he usually predicts better than 90% of the first rounders.