My first Mock Draft of the year — always fun. We may have six more weeks of Winter, woodchuck chuckers, but we’ll have mocks to get us through it — just not every morning at 6 AM with Sonny and Cher blaring.
Here’s what stood out:
1. The Lions have a great chance of doing what Cleveland did several years back when they drafted Brady Quinn and Joe Thomas in the first round — getting a franchise quarterback and a bodyguard to protect him. Personally, I prefer Mark Sanchez or trying to trade for one of the other Matts — Cassel or Leinart. I think the Lions go with Stafford, though. That’s the buzz, anyway. Maybe it’s because he has that big arm and would be able to bomb to Megatron? Not sure. I don’t like the kid.
2. The Eagles can have the best offense they’ve ever had with D-McNabb in 2009 by going offense skill players with their two first-round picks. I went with WR Percy Harvin and then RB LeSean McCoy. DeSean one year, LeSean the next!
3. The Chiefs take Michael Crabtree. As a Chiefs die hard and the lead writer over at Arrowhead Addict, I honestly believe Scott Pioli takes the best player on the board. This pick especially makes sense if Todd Haley becomes the new head coach, allowing Dwayne Bowe and Michael Crabtree to play Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald.
4. The Seahawks are going to be irrate if that happens. Maybe they can trade down for a team that wants Sanchez, who I have slipping to 10.
5. Josh Freeman goes to Da Bears at No. 18. With his size, strength and arm, I think he’ll have a good combine and rise like Joe Flacco did a year ago.
6. Aaron Curry goes No. 5. A linebacker isn’t going to go any higher than that in the modern-day NFL. Unless he comes equipped with a cape and blue-and-red spandex, of course.
7. Lots of offensive tackles, which means somebody gets a steal sometime in round two.
Feel free to leave me feedback! Enjoy…
| # | Team | Pick | |
| 1 | Detroit Lions (0-16) | QB Matt Stafford, Georgia | |
| 2 | St. Louis Rams (2-14) | OT Andre Smith, Alabama | |
| 3 | Kansas City Chiefs (2-14) | WR Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech | |
| 4 | Seattle Seahawks (4-12) | OT Eugene Monroe, Virginia | |
| 5 | Cleveland Browns (4-12) | OLB Aaron Curry, Wake Forest | |
| 6 | Cincinnati Bengals (4-11-1) | OT Jason Smith. Baylor | |
| 7 | Oakland Raiders (5-11) | WR Jeremy Maclin, Missouri | |
| 8 | Jacksonville Jaguars (5-11) | DT B.J. Raji, Boston College | |
| 9 | Green Bay Packers (6-10) | CB Malcolm Jenkins, Ohio State | |
| 10 | San Francisco 49ers (7-9) | QB Mark Sanchez, USC | |
| 11 | Buffalo Bills (7-9) | DE Brian Orakpo, Texas | |
| 12 | Denver Broncos (8-8) | ILB Rey Maualuga, USC | |
| 13 | Washington Redskins (8-8) | DE Aaron Maybin, Penn State | |
| 14 | New Orleans Saints (8-8) | OLB Brian Cushing, USC | |
| 15 | Houston Texans (8-8) | CB Vontae Davis, Illinois | |
| 16 | San Diego Chargers (8-8) | RB Knowshon Moreno, Georgia | |
| 17 | New York Jets (9-7) | RB Beanie Wells, Ohio State | |
| 18 | Chicago Bears (9-7) | QB Josh Freeman, Kansas State | |
| 19 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7) | TE Brandon Pettigrew, Oklahoma State | |
| 20 | Detroit Lions (9-7, Pick via Cowboys) | OT Michael Oher, Mississippi | |
| 21 | Philadelphia Eagles (9-6-1) | WR Percy Harvin, FL | |
| 22 | Minnesota Vikings (10-6) | C Alex Mack, Cal | |
| 23 | New England Patriots (11-6) | ILB James Laurinaitis, Ohio State | |
| 24 | Atlanta Falcons (11-5) | OLB Larry English, Northern Illinois | |
| 25 | Miami Dolphins (11-5) | DE Tyson Jackson, LSU | |
| 26 | Baltimore Ravens (11-5) | DE Everette Brown, FSU | |
| 27 | Indianapolis Colts 12-4) | DT Peria Jerry, Mississippi | |
| 28 | Philadelphia Eagles (12-4; Pick via CAR) | RB LeSean McCoy, Pittsburgh | |
| 29 | New York Giants (12-4) | WR Hakeem Nicks, North Carolina | |
| 30 | Tennessee Titans (13-3) | DE Michael Johnson, Georgia Tech | |
| 31 | Arizona Cardinals (9-7) | OT Eben Britton, Arizona | |
| 32 | Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4) | CB D.J. Moore, Vanderbilt |