Denver Broncos Rookies Humbled By First Mini-Camp Experience

The Denver Broncos commenced their first full-team mini-camp today, and reports out of Denver are that the new-look Broncos were still trying to get past the initial learning curve.

“They made a lot of mistakes, and that’s what you expect them to do at this point in time,” coach Josh McDaniels said, “but you know, there’s enough to look at out there, and there’s some promise out there.

“We’ll get better, and I’m sure we’ll make some more mistakes tomorrow morning and tomorrow afternoon. They’re trying. They’re working hard, but they’ve got a long way to go.”  

Despite McDaniels’ analysis that the youngsters struggled in their first NFL practice, he was not overly concerned about it.  Even the team’s head coach has to be having his first year jitters, as he himself is participating in his first full-team organized practice. 

He’s not letting it show.

Criticize McDaniels all you want, but the man finally has Bronco fans back on his good graces after the controversy between he and now Bears quarterback Jay Cutler.  A solid draft and a great free agent signing frenzy have the Mile-High Faithful giddy to the point where Broncos bloggers are even reporting a list of the new players’ names.

I would even go so far as to say, this is the most excited Denver fans have been since some kid named Elway brought his laser of an arm to the Rockies.

Is there still skepticism out there?

Of course, but Bronco fans are intrigued, captivated, and ever alert for the next development in what has been the most active off-season for the Broncos this decade.

Much of that excitement has come from the team’s 27 new rookies, ten of whom were brought in via last Saturday’s NFL Draft. All of those first year players, hoping and praying for a roster spot, have already jumped into Josh McDaniels’ complex playbook.  For wide receiver Kenny McKinley, a fifth-round pick out of South Carolina, the transition has been challenging, but exciting at the same time.

“Me and [Running Back Knowshon] Moreno, we’re roommates, and we were up last night studying for a long time,” McKinley said. “I know he wants to play, I want to play also, and you’ve got to know your plays to get on the field. It’s a job, so we’re both taking it very serious.”

McKinley went on to emphasize the fact that he, like many rookies, are willing to do whatever it takes to “help the team”, and that he hopes to see the field on special teams as well as catching passes.

As for McKinley’s roommate, Knowshon Moreno, there has been no reported news in regards to his first practice as a Bronco, other than the number on his chest and back.

Moreno will don the No. 27 uniform, one that was previously worn by Broncos great Steve Atwater, as well as the slain Darrent Williams.

The subject of Williams is a tender one for Broncos fans, who all hold him in very high regard. His death was undoubtedly one of the most tragic events in Broncos history, and couple that with the stellar career of Hall of Fame snub Steve Atwater, the number 27 is not one to be taken lightly.

According to Bill Williamson of ESPN.com, the Williams family wants Moreno to volunteer at the Darrent Williams Memorial Teen Center in exchange for the privilege of wearing that particular jersey number, and it is assumed that Moreno will agree to do so, no questions asked.

Another number that is very familiar to Broncos fans, No. 30, will be worn by rookie safety David Bruton. Bruton will not have the tall task of living up to the man who wore that number just 10 years ago, as they do not play the same position. That man of course is none other than Bronco great Terrell Davis.

There are no shortage of storylines in Denver these days, and the Broncos will continue their offseason activity tomorrow afternoon at Dove Valley. Hopefully the team will provide the fans with some screenshots of the new players in action, but stay tuned Broncos fans.

Wish Granted? QB Brett Favre Released From Jets—Minnesota Next Stop?

Here we go again.

Longtime NFL quarterback Brett Favre is slowly making his way back onto the football scene. This time, it appears he may have his wish granted.

A year late.

The New York Jets have officially released Favre from their reserve/retired list, and he is currently an unrestricted free agent. Any comeback for Favre would require a letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

But that should only be a minor step—over to the team with which he wanted to make his original comeback.

After being “betrayed” by the Green Bay Packers, Favre openly stated his desire to play for the Minnesota Vikings.

He may finally get his wish.

Now that he is a free agent, he is open to sign with any NFL team. Oddly enough, his release comes just days after the NFL draft, which could be a selling point for the Vikings signing Favre.

The Vikings already have:

• The best offensive skill player in the game, running back Adrian Peterson;
• The best left guard in the game, Steve Hutchinson;
• Arguably the best defensive line in the NFL;
• Possibly the best linebacker group;
• A big-play threat in Bernard Berrian;
• And they just added the most explosive receiver in the draft, Percy Harvin.

What could hold Favre back?

The Vikings are only a star quarterback away from “super” status.

Favre could end his career on good terms, and Minnesota could have its best shot at a title since Daunte Culpepper was playing MVP-caliber football in 1999.

To me, it’s a marriage that has to happen. Brett Favre has to make it happen in Minnesota, and he will.

Denver Broncos Day One Draft Review: McDaniels Bolsters Both O’ and D’

April 25, 2009, marks the busiest draft day in the history of the Denver Broncos.  Josh McDaniels and Co. were wheeling and dealing all day long, and Denver ended up with five picks in the first two rounds of the draft.  How did the Broncos fare given their extreme amount of picks?

 

1 (12) Knowshon Moreno; Running Back, Georgia

I absolutely love this pick.  Despite my “homerism” toward Shonn Greene out of Iowa, Denver came away with the very best running back in this year’s draft.

Josh McDaniels made it a priority to address the running back position this off-season, signing Correll Buckhalter, J.J. Arrington, LaMont Jordan, and now drafting Knowshon Moreno.

Despite Denver’s large group of backs, Moreno is the early and clear favorite to win the starting job.  He went into his redshirt sophomore season at Georgia at 207 pounds, and has bulked up to 217. 

While some are bashing this pick due to Denver’s strong need on the defensive side of the ball, I contend that this was the smartest pick McDaniels could have made given Denver’s top two defensive targets (B.J. Raji, Tyson Jackson) were long gone by now. 

In two seasons for Georgia, Moreno rushed for 2,734 yards and 30 touchdowns, and also caught 53 passes for 645 yards and two touchdowns. 

Josh McDaniels’ offensive scheme requires a running back that can run between the tackles, catch the ball, and block on third down.  Moreno can do every one of those things very effectively.

The Denver Broncos’ offense now features the likes of Brandon Marshall, Eddie Royal, Brandon Stokley, Tony Scheffler, Daniel Graham, Jabar Gaffney, Peyton Hillis, and now Knowshon Moreno.  It’s a very dynamic, athletic group of players that forms one of the top young groups in the entire NFL.

 

1(18) Robert Ayers; Defensive End/Outside Linebacker, Tennessee

If anyone has been keeping tabs, you know that I have strongly opposed the acquiring of Ayers throughout the “mocking” process. 

I didn’t really see a fit for the former Volunteer, and thought that the fact that he only had one really good year meant that he was a second round pick at best.

Now, I’m not so sure.  Ayers is widely considered to be one of the most athletic and versatile defensive linemen in the entire draft, and he looks like the next best alternative to Denver’s top target Tyson Jackson. 

Ayers is 6’3″, 275 pounds, and brings a very complete game to the defensive end position.  Some feel he would have been best fit for the 4-3 scheme as a defensive end, but Josh McDaniels feels that Ayers can stand up as a rush linebacker if needed, as well as dig his hand in the ground and stuff the run.

The key stat with Ayers is tackles for loss, of which he registered 15.5 in 2008.  Many experts feel he was playing his best ball at the end of his college career, and that he will continue to ascend heading into the NFL. 

“When Robert got here, he thought he was God’s gift to football,” former head coach Phillip Fulmer said. “He wouldn’t listen to the upperclassmen…not in a bad way, but he just didn’t take to coaching very well. (As a senior) he’s starving for coaching, and he’s giving great effort. He’s turned into a big-time SEC defensive end.”

Denver needed to upgrade their run defense in the first round, and they did that with Ayers.

 

2 (37) Alphonso Smith; Cornerback, Wake Forest

The Denver Broncos acquired the rights to the 37th overall pick in the second round by trading away their first round pick from 2010, and I doubt they will regret it. 

If not for his height (5-foot-9), Smith would have been a top five pick in this year’s draft.  He has undoubtedly been the most productive cornerback at the collegiate level over the last four years, and even in the past century.

In fact, Smith is only the third cornerback in the last 100 years to have ammassed over 20 interceptions for his career.  Smith’s 21 interceptions complemented his career 189 tackles, 23.5 tackles for loss, nine sacks, and eight forced fumbles. 

Oh yeah, did I mention he was also a special teams ace?  Smith averaged 20.7 yards per kickoff return, and blocked five kicks in his career at Wake Forest.

The three time All-American will start his career in Denver as the nickel cornerback behind Champ Bailey and Andre’ Goodman, but make no mistake about it:  This kid intends on starting sooner rather than later. This was an excellent value pick by the Denver Broncos.

 

2 (48) Darcel McBath; Safety, Texas Tech

This pick really intrigued me.  I never really thought of McBath as a possibility for the Broncos, simply because nobody has him rated as a second-round prospect.  My question now, after doing a lot of research on him is, “Why?”

McBath is a converted cornerback, who at 6’0″ 198 pounds has excellent bulk and size for the free safety position.  He will benefit greatly from the tutelage of future Hall of Famers Brian Dawkins and Champ Bailey as he hones his coverage and tackling skills. 

In three years as the starter, McBath registered 223 tackles, 12 interceptions, and became an All-Big 12 performer over that three year span.

McBath’s banner campaign came in his senior season, which he had 75 tackles, seven interceptions, and seven passes defensed. 

He also returned two interceptions for touchdowns, and forced a fumble.  His stellar play garnered him first team All-Big 12 and All-American Honors.

I have no doubt that Denver made the correct choice with this pick.  I cannot wait to see these two ball-hawking defensive backs in McBath and Alphonso Smith take the field for the Broncos. 

 

2 (64) Richard Quinn; Tight End, North Carolina

This pick, acquired from Pittsburgh along with a fourth round pick in exchange for two third round picks was a head scratcher for many Denver fans. 

Quinn is a blocking specialist who, in his time as a Tar Heel, had only 12 receptions, two of which were touchdowns.

Head Coach Josh McDaniels insists this will have no effect on Tony Scheffler, and while I will believe that when I see it, I think this was probably Denver’s riskiest pick of the day. 

We cannot say Quinn would have been available at pick 79 or 84, but it is highly likely that he would have been.  Quinn himself was surprised that he received a day one call.

Quinn is in a similar mold to current Broncos’ tight end Daniel Graham, and while his receiving skills are not elite, his blocking skills are rivaled only by Brandon Pettigrew among the tight ends available in this draft.

A curious pick by the Broncos, which is sure to raise questions, but a solid player nonetheless.  Quinn is not great value here, but Denver probably would have picked him anyway, and they still have six picks on day two.

Overall, I felt it was a very productive day for the Denver Broncos, who addressed both offensive and defensive needs.

They found their star running back, run-stuffing defensive lineman, two ball-hawking defensive backs, and a blocking specialist at tight end. 

Day two is sure to bring more excitement, and the Broncos are in a good position to add more young talent to their squad.

Sayre’s Day One Mock Draft, with Trades: Anquan Boldin, Braylon Edwards Moving?

The day is finally here, and I thought I’d give you guys an interesting mock draft with some crazy trades included.  Read to find out more…

ROUND ONE
1. Detroit (0-16):  Matthew Stafford; Quarterback, Georgia
2. St. Louis (2-14):  Jason Smith; Offensive Tackle, Baylor
3. Kansas City (2-14):  Eugene Monroe; Offensive Tackle, Virginia
4. Seattle (4-12):  Aaron Curry; Outside Linebacker, Wake Forest
5. Cleveland (4-12):  B.J. Raji; Defensive Tackle, Boston College
6. Cincinnati (4-11-1):  Andre Smith; Offensive Tackle, Alabama

*Projected trade:  New England trades their first round pick (23rd overall) as well as their second round pick (47th overall) to Oakland in exchange for their first round pick (7th overall)

7. New England (from Oakland) (5-11):  Michael Crabtree; Wide Receiver, Texas Tech

*Projected trade:  New York Jets trade their first round pick (17th overall), third round pick (76th overall via New Orleans), and their fourth round pick (115th overall via Washington) to Jacksonville in exchange for their first round pick (8th overall)*

8. New York Jets (from Jacksonville) (5-11):  Mark Sanchez; Quarterback, USC

9. Green Bay (6-10):  Brian Orakpo; Rush Linebacker, Texas
10. San Francisco (7-9):  Aaron Maybin; Rush Linebacker, Penn State
11. Buffalo (7-9):  Michael Oher; Offensive Tackle, Ole Miss
12. Denver (8-8):  Tyson Jackson; Defensive End, LSU
13. Washington (8-8):  Robert Ayers; Defensive End, Tennessee
14. New Orleans (8-8):  Malcolm Jenkins; Defensive Back, Ohio State
15. Houston (8-8):  Clay Matthews; Outside Linebacker, USC
16. San Diego (8-8):  Rey Maualuga; Middle Linebacker, USC
17. Jacksonville (from New York Jets) (9-7):  Jeremy Maclin; Wide Receiver, Missouri
18. Denver (from Chicago)(9-7):  Knowshon Moreno; Running Back, Georgia
19. Tampa Bay (9-6):  Peria Jerry; Defensive Tackle, Ole Miss
20. Detroit (from Dallas) (9-7):  Everette Brown; Defensive End, Florida State
21. Philadelphia (9-6-1):  Chris Wells; Running Back, Ohio State
22. Minnesota (10-6):  Eben Britton; Offensive Tackle, Arizona
23. Oakland (from New England) (11-5):  Percy Harvin; Wide Receiver, Florida
24. Atlanta (11-5):  Brian Cushing; Outside Linebacker, USC
25. Miami (11-5):  Vontae Davis; Cornerback, Illinois
26. Baltimore (11-5):  Brandon Pettigrew; Tight End, Oklahoma State
27. Indianapolis (12-4):  Donald Brown; Running Back, UConn
28. Buffalo (from Carolina through Philadelphia) (12-4):  Larry English; Defensive End, Northern Illinois
29. New York Giants (12-4):  James Laurinaitis; Middle Linebacker, Ohio State
30. Tennessee (13-3):  Darius Butler; Cornerback, UConn
31. Arizona (9-7):  Michael Johnson; Defensive End, Georgia Tech
32. Pittsburgh (12-4):  Max Unger; Center, Oregon

 

ROUND TWO
1-33 Detroit:  Darrius Heyward-Bey; Wide Receiver, Maryland
2-34 New England (from Kansas City):  Connor Barwin; Rush Linebacker, Cincinnati
3-35 St. Louis:  Alphonso Smith; Cornerback, Wake Forest
4-36 Cleveland:  LeSean McCoy; Running Back, Pittsburgh
5-37 Seattle:  Louis Delmas; Safety, Western Michigan
6-38 Cincinnati:  Evander Hood; Defensive Tackle, Missouri
7-39 Jacksonville:  Sean Smith; Cornerback, Utah
8-40 Oakland:  Ron Brace; Defensive Tackle, Boston College
9-41 Green Bay:  William Beatty; Offensive Tackle, UConn
10-42 Buffalo:  D.J. Moore; Cornerback, Vanderbilt
11-43 San Francisco:  Kenny Britt; Wide Receiver, Rutgers
12-44 Miami (from Washington):  Hakeem Nicks;  Wide Receiver, North Carolina

*Projected trade:  New York Giants trade their second round pick (45th overall via New Orleans), and their fifth round pick (164th overall) to Cleveland for WR Braylon Edwards*

13-45 Cleveland (from NY Giants thru New Orleans):  Paul Kruger; Rush Linebacker, Utah

14-46 Houston:  Rashad Johnson; Safety, Alabama
15-47 Oakland (from New England thru San Diego):  Jamon Meredith; Offensive Tackle, South Carolina
16-48 Denver:  Patrick Chung; Safety, Oregon 
17-49 Chicago:  Mohammed Massaquoi; Wide Receiver, Georgia
18-50 Cleveland (from Tampa Bay):  William Moore; Safety, Missouri
19-51 Dallas:  Fili Moala; Defensive End, USC
20-52 NY Jets:  Josh Freeman; Quarterback, Kansas State
21-53 Philadelphia:  Brian Robiskie; Wide Receiver, Ohio State
22-54 Minnesota:  Alex Mack; Center, California
23-55 Atlanta:  Lawrence Sidbury; Defensive End, Richmond
24-56 Miami:  Pat White; Quarterback, West Virginia
25-57 Baltimore:  Clint Sintim; Linebacker, Virginia
26-58 New England:  Jairus Byrd; Cornerback, Oregon
27-59 Carolina:  Shawn Nelson; Tight End, Southern Mississippi
28-60 NY Giants:  Sherrod Martin; Cornerback, Troy
29-61 Indianapolis:  Derrick Williams; Wide Receiver, Penn State

*Projected Trade:  Tennessee trades their second round pick (60th overall) as well as DE Kyle Vanden Bosch to the Arizona Cardinals for WR Anquan Boldin*

30-62 Arizona (from Tennessee):  Shonn Greene; Running Back, Iowa

31-63 Arizona:  Duke Robinson; Offensive Lineman, Oklahoma
32-64 Pittsburgh:  Andrew Levitre; Guard, Oregon State

Sayre’s NFL First Round Mock Draft: Stafford Is Lions’ Man

With two days until the NFL Draft, anticipation is mounting, and the team who holds the first pick in the annual selection process (the Detroit Lions) has already apparently made their decision.

 

1. Detroit Lions: Matthew Stafford; Quarterback, Georgia

Once the draft order was finalized, I put Stafford in the number one slot to Detroit.  While the pick changed to Andre Smith and Aaron Curry at one time or another, I always had a gut feeling that the gunslinger from Georgia was their man.  Sure enough, Steve Wyche of NFL.com is reporting that Stafford and the Lions are close to a deal, and that particular deal could be finalized by Wednesday night.

Stafford had previously told some close friends that he was close to a deal with Detroit, and that it was worth in the ballpark of $40 million in guaranteed money.  Surely, he will be the last number one pick to cash in like that.

 

2. St. Louis Rams: Jason Smith; Offensive Tackle, Baylor

It is becoming apparent that St. Louis is interested in a left tackle, whether it is Smith or Virginia’s Eugene Monroe. I happen to believe that Smith is the best offensive line prospect available, and he would be a great fit in St. Louis who recently released new Bears offensive tackle Orlando Pace.

 

3. Kansas City Chiefs: Eugene Monroe; Offensive Tackle, Virginia

Kansas City did well in last year’s draft to get Branden Albert, and now they need to go after his former teammate at Virginia in Monroe. The addition of Monroe would allow Albert to go back to his natural position at right tackle, and would solidify Kansas City’s bookend of tackles for the next decade plus.

 

4. Seattle Seahawks: Aaron Curry; Outside Linebacker, Wake Forest

This would be the absolute best case scenario for the Seahawks. They can either take Curry or USC quarterback Mark Sanchez, and with the recent departure of Julian Peterson, I think this pick will be Curry, no doubt.  Seattle could use an offensive tackle as well, and Andre Smith is a darkhorse.

 

5. Cleveland Browns:  B.J. Raji; Defensive Tackle, Boston College

This pick seems like a no-brainer, especially now that Raji’s reported marijuana test has been cleared up. Cleveland would love to improve their run defense by having Raji line up at nose tackle, and move Shaun Rogers out to defensive end, where he is free of double teams to make more plays.  

 

6. Cincinnati Bengals:  Andre Smith; Offensive Tackle, Alabama

The Bengals are going to need to keep Carson Palmer healthy if they want any chance of competing in 2009, and adding Smith is a good way to start. Smith was potentially the number one pick at one point, and would be great value here.

 

7. Oakland Raiders: Michael Crabtree; Wide Receiver, Texas Tech

JaMarcus Russell desperately needs weapons if he wants to avoid “bust” status, and adding Crabtree would be a great start. Crabtree compares favorably to Larry Fitzgerald in terms of his ability to go up and get the ball, but lacks elite speed. Oakland could shock the world and take Jeremy Maclin here instead of Crabtree, simply because he is faster.

*Projected Trade—Jacksonville trades their first round pick (eighth overall) to the Washington Redskins for their first round pick (13th overall) and their second round pick in 2010.

 

8. Washington Redskins (from Jacksonville):  Mark Sanchez; Quarterback, USC

This trade makes sense on multiple levels. Jacksonville isn’t staring a “can’t miss” player in the face here, and Washington would like to move on from the Jason Campbell era after a failed attempt to acquire Jay Cutler.

 

9. Green Bay Packers: Brian Orakpo; Hybrid DE/OLB, Texas

The Packers are making the transition to the 3-4 defense, and having Orakpo fall into their laps with this pick would be a dream scenario for them.  Orakpo is widely regarded as the best hybrid defensive end/outside linebacker the draft has to offer, and he would form a great quartet with Aaron Kampman, A.J. Hawk, and Nick Barnett.

10. San Francisco 49ers: Aaron Maybin; Rush Linebacker, Penn State

Maybin will fit in perfectly with the San Francisco 49ers and linebacker guru Mike Singletary. Maybin will combine forces with Patrick Willis and Parys Haralson to form a fairly formidable linebacker duo.

 

11. Buffalo Bills: Michael Oher; Offensive Tackle, Ole Miss

Now that Pro Bowl offensive tackle Jason Peters is gone to Philadelphia, the Bills need to address this position early. Oher would be a steal here, and has the potential to be a dominant left tackle for the next decade.

 

12. Denver Broncos:  Tyson Jackson; Defensive End, LSU

From what I’m hearing, the Broncos are really interested in Jackson.  Denver is switching to the 3-4 defense, and needs an elite five-technique defensive end to begin the transformation. Jackson fits that bill.

 

13. Jacksonville Jaguars (from Washington): Jeremy Maclin; Wide Receiver, Missouri

Jacksonville acquires an extra high pick in next year’s draft, and they still get the receiver they covet here at the 13th overall slot. After failed attempts with former first round picks Matt Jones and Reggie Williams, Jacksonville gets a fresh start here with Maclin.

 

14. New Orleans Saints: Chris Wells; Running Back, Ohio State

The Saints released long-time power back Deuce McAllister, and while Pierre Thomas showed some flashes of brilliance last year, Wells would be a significant upgrade of the thunder to Reggie Bush’s lightning.

 

15. Houston Texans:  Malcolm Jenkins; Defensive Back, Ohio State

How about this for a defensive core: Mario Williams, Amobi Okoye, Dunta Robinson, DeMeco Ryans, and Malcolm Jenkins? The Texans’ defense has slowly grown over the last couple of years, and this move could help put them over the top.  This franchise appears poised for its first playoff appearance ever.

16. San Diego Chargers:  Rey Maualuga; Middle Linebacker, USC

This pick would give the Chargers one of the top groups of linebackers in the entire NFL. Maualuga would join Shaun Phillips and Shawne Merriman to become one of the most disruptive forces in the league.

 

17. New York Jets:  Josh Freeman; Quarterback, Kansas State

In my humble opinion, I think this is much too high for Freeman, but the Jets are in need of a franchise quarterback desperately, and Freeman could potentially be that guy. Jets fans will boo this pick, but New York is obligated to make it with no other glaring areas of need.

18. Denver Broncos:  Knowshon Moreno; Running Back, Georgia

The Broncos do not have an elite running back, and Moreno is simply too good of value to pass on at this point. Denver still has three more picks in the top 84, and likely would use one on a running back anyways.

 

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Peria Jerry; Defensive Tackle, Ole Miss

The Buccaneers made a statement this offseason by completely renovating the defensive side of the ball, and the most glaring hole was left at defensive tackle. Gaines Adams needs some help up front, and the pass-rushing Jerry could help fill Tampa Bay’s defensive tackle void.

 

20. Detroit Lions (from Dallas): Robert Ayers; Defensive End, Tennessee

Detroit traded away its top defensive lineman Cory Redding to the Seahawks, and there is a pretty big hole to fill up front for them.  Ayers is a run stuffing defensive end who has the biggest boom or bust potential of any defensive player in the draft.

21. Philadelphia Eagles: Brandon Pettigrew; Tight End, Oklahoma State

The Eagles would love to trade this pick along with some others for Anquan Boldin, but I don’t see it happening. I think Boldin is going to stay in Arizona. That being said, the Eagles go after the next best alternative by solidifying their tight end position. They got a Pro Bowl left tackle in Jason Peters, and Pettigrew is a solid receiving option for Donovan McNabb.

 

22. Minnesota Vikings: Eben Britton; Offensive Tackle, Arizona

Head coach Brad Childress was enamored with Britton, and it would appear as though Minnesota is in a good spot to get him. Britton would start immediately at right tackle for the Vikings, and would help protect Tarvaris Jackson and/or Sage Rosenfels.

 

23. New England Patriots: Clay Matthews; Outside Linebacker, USC

This is the best case scenario for the Patriots. From what I have heard, they love both Matthews and his teammate Brian Cushing, and would be happy with either. I think they will go with Matthews here.

24. Atlanta Falcons: Brian Cushing; Outside Linebacker, USC

After the acquisition of Tony Gonzalez, the Falcons now are free to address their defense in this draft. Curtis Lofton, Mike Peterson, and Brian Cushing would form an excellent linebacker trio.

 

25. Miami Dolphins: Hakeem Nicks; Wide Receiver, North Carolina

Nicks has been compared to Anquan Boldin, and there is no doubt the Dolphins would love to have him as the complement to Ted Ginn Jr. Nicks has excellent hands, and is a very tough, physical receiver.

26. Baltimore Ravens:  Everette Brown; Rush Linebacker, Florida State

Brown could benefit greatly from the tutelage of Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs, and would keep the pass rush mentality of the Ravens’ defense in tact even with the loss of Bart Scott. 

 

27. Indianapolis Colts: Larry English; Outside Linebacker, Northern Illinois

The Colts need a playmaker at outside linebacker, and English could very well be that guy. He has excellent athletic ability, and finds himself making plays in the backfield more often than not.

 

28. Buffalo Bills (from Philadelphia through Carolina): Conor Barwin; Defensive End, Cincinnati

The Bills would love to upgrade their pass rush with this pick, and with Barwin, that is exactly what they do. He has great versatility, and would be an excellent addition to Buffalo’s defense.

 

29. New York Giants: Kenny Britt; Wide Receiver, Rutgers

Plaxico Burress out, Kenny Britt in. The Giants always draft well, and this pick is no exception. Britt is a big receiver with good speed, and he could potentially be the number one target that Eli Manning needs to succeed.

 

30. Tennessee Titans: Percy Harvin; Wide Receiver, Florida

Despite the questions of character, I think Harvin is the guy the Titans need to pick here. He has phenomenal playmaking abilities, and game-changing speed. Think about the mismatch problems they could create with Harvin and Chris Johnson on the field at the same time.

 

31. Arizona Cardinals: Donald Brown; Running Back, UConn

Edgerrin James wants out, and Tim Hightower is not going to be an every-down back.  Donald Brown brings great character and great physical tools to the Arizona backfield, and he could really flourish as a receiver in Arizona.

 

32. Pittsburgh Steelers: Vontae Davis; Cornerback, Illinois

This would be the steal of the first round, and Pittsburgh would love to have Davis fall into their laps. Bryant McFadden would not be missed if he is replaced by the physical Davis.

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