--Written By: Devin Dombrowski --

One round down, three more to go. For the teams involved, four wins down and twelve more to glory. Before getting to my picks for round two, I’d like to discuss the first round for a little bit.

1. Welcome to the playoffs Columbus. You have a stud rookie goalie who could possibly win both the Calder Trophy and the Vezina Trophy, but none of that mattered once the second season started. The only thing I could think of when pondering the first post-season appearance in Columbus franchise history was how much it resembled Elaine dancing on “Seinfeld”. It was a nice effort but to everyone else watching, an epic disaster. Hopefully they have more playoff appearances in the future, and hopefully they actually win a game or two next time.

2. Happy 100th season Montreal! This season could potentially be classified as a natural disaster up in Montreal. I mean, I know they limped into the playoffs and definitely weren’t deserving of any playoff glory, but I thought they would at least put up a fight against Boston. This is one of their most hated rivals. Just one year ago the top seeded Canadiens were given all they could handle by the 8th seeded Bruins, couldn’t the Habs have at least returned the favor and looked like they cared? I think the only thing worse than missing the playoffs is getting swept in the first round. Embarrassing.

3. Want to win in the playoffs? Here is your key: goaltending. It’s the reason teams like Philly, Montreal, San Jose and St Louis are going home early. Nothing against their respective goaltenders, but goaltenders are the players that absolutely have to turn it up a notch once the playoffs start. It’s the reason a little seventh seeded team like the Rangers can put up such a fight against Washington (and I covered this very exact scenario in my first round picks). Despite losing in the first round and somewhat struggling, if the match-up stays Lundqvist vs. Theodore, the Rangers are moving on and not the Caps. It’s the reason why Buffalo would’ve at least put up a fight against Boston and it’s definitely the reason why the Pens went to the Finals last season (and have a great shot again this year).

4. Can we PLEASE stop with this trend of having the home crowd dress the same? PLEASE?? I’m not going to pick on crowds in Washington and Pittsburgh (the two cities where I first noticed the trend this year) because Buffalo has been guilty of this in the past as well. I’m going to pick on all crowds guilty of this trend, regardless of what city it is in. This goes for the NBA too. Nothing screams “Amateur Hour” more than this trend. Why can’t the fans just wear shirts, jerseys and related team merchandise while rooting on their team like a bunch of rabid jackals? Why do we have to hand out matching shirts and to create this illusion on television? It’s embarrassing. It started with the real fans getting priced out by corporate greed, and now we’re giving those wagon hoppers identical shirts to give this idea to the home viewer that the crowd is “crazy” and “die-hard”. I can see this for a fan base like the Carolina Hurricanes since they could easily change their team name to the Carolina Bandwagons, but please… the real fans aren’t falling for this. STOP IT ALREADY! (Ok, I’m done ranting).

5. San Jose…whoa there buddy. I mentioned in my first round picks that we’ve seen this before but that this year will be different. I guess you can count me in with the rest of the idiots who thought this year was going to be different. Once a choke artist, always a choke artist. For as bad as I’ve seen fans of other teams react (ahem Buffalo), I can only imagine what San Jose fans must be feeling right now.

6. Finally, here are the standings through the first round in our pick contest. Each person received five points for picking the series winner and an extra five points if they picked the number of games correctly.

Chuck: 35 Points (Boston, Pittsburgh in 6, Detroit in 4, Carolina, Washington)
Scott: 30 Points (Boston, Pittsburgh in 6, Detroit, Washington in 7)
Devin: 25 Points (Boston, Detroit, Vancouver, Chicago, Washington)
Brian: 20 Points (Boston in 4, Detroit, Carolina)

And now on to the picks for round two:

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Detroit Red Wings (2) vs Anaheim Ducks (8)

Luckily I’m not a fan of Detroit because this series would scare the crap out of me if I were. Remember the 2002-03 season when Anaheim came out of nowhere to take the Western Conference crown before losing to New Jersey in seven games? Few things to note:

1. Mike Babcock was the coach of that Ducks team and he is now… the coach of the Red Wings.
2. The Ducks were a 7 seed that year and swept Detroit in the first round.

This year’s Ducks remind me exactly like that team. Maybe it’s because nobody expected them to make it past the first round, maybe it’s because they are being led by a relatively unknown goaltender, I haven’t decided just yet. One thing for sure, Detroit better bring their best game or they’ll be joining San Jose on the golf course soon.

I thought Detroit would struggle a bit more with Columbus than they did. If Detroit has one glaring weakness, it’s goaltending. Combine that with the fact that Columbus was led by rookie sensation Steve Mason, I figured Columbus could steal a game or two. Granted the Jackets almost took game four as Osgood returned to form, the Wings still found a way to score more. I don’t think Detroit will be as lucky in the second round. One could argue that Mason suffered through some playoff jitters, but Jonas Hiller definitely won’t be. He already shut down the President’s Trophy winners, so I doubt he’ll care that Detroit racked up 295 goals during the regular season (3.6 goals a game).

I still can’t bring myself to pick Anaheim though. For weeks leading up to the playoffs, Detroit was my pick to repeat as the Stanley Cup Champs and I can’t change that on the fly just because of one gigantic upset. Detroit has been through the playoff grind plenty of times so they will be ready to play and not rattled by huge expectations. San Jose on the other hand…they seem rattled in every game that isn’t on the regular season schedule.

My Pick: Detroit in 6

Vancouver Canucks (3) vs Chicago Blackhawks (4)

This series has the makings of being a classic seven game slugfest. At first glance, I’d give the advantage to Vancouver because they have been the hotter team down the stretch, they have great goaltending and they dusted off the St Louis Blues like they were a minor league team. However, the Blackhawks will be much tougher competition. Not only are they are better overall team than St Louis, they have a Stanley Cup champion between the pipes. Never underestimate that experience when games are being played in May and June.

My pick in the Vancouver/St Louis series was almost dead on. In fact, my pick for the ‘Hawks was equally as close. In both series, I missed the prediction by one single game and I was the only person out of our pick group to even pick the winner for both series. If I lose this prediction contest, you can point to those two series where I left 10 points on the table.

It’s important when picking games to not over think a match-up. So for that reason alone, I’m going with the Canucks. Like I said in the first paragraph, my gut says Vancouver. Rather than sitting here and analyzing stats, I’m going with my first impression and hoping it pays off.

My Pick: Vancouver in 7

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Boston Bruins (1) vs Carolina Hurricanes (6)

Boston has had a very long layoff after dusting away Montreal which could affect them in the first game, but I don’t see it being a very big problem afterwards. With San Jose out of the way, Boston is the highest seeded team remaining which means they will have home-ice throughout the remainder of the playoffs.

The fact that Carolina is in the second round both surprises me and enrages me. If there has ever been a luckier team in the NHL, I’ve yet to see it. Twice in the series they pulled a game out when it was just about over. To give credit where credit is due, I applaud the effort of the team to not give up and to pull it out. But to think that Carolina will keep getting these lucky bounces against a far superior team, well that is just borderline crazy.

It should be interesting to see if the Hurricanes “fans” can actually sell these games out. I’m 100% positive if I were in the area I could easily get tickets on game day. I still haven’t figured out why the organization hasn’t just given up with this charade of saying what great fans they have and start covering seats up like they do in Jacksonville. Nobody is falling for it.

I’m picking Boston to win this series for a few reasons:

1. Boston is the better team
2. Boston defense > Carolina Defense
3. Tim Thomas > Cam Ward
4. I hate Carolina

My Pick: Boston in 6

Washington Capitals (2) vs Pittsburgh Penguins (4)

Oh boy. I’m sure when Gary Bettman saw this match-up he wet himself. This is the absolute dream match-up that the NHL has been wishing for since Crosby, Malkin and Ovechkin came into the league. This is so big that ESPN might even start Sportscenter with hockey highlights for the first time in the network’s history.

I’ve said it a million times so what does one more time hurt… goaltending wins above all in the playoffs. Marc-Andre Fleury absolutely saved Pittsburgh in the first round. If it weren’t for him, they might not have advanced. Then again, the Flyers were trotting Martin Biron out so who knows. I talked in my first round predictions about how Jose Theodore could be the downfall for Washington and it took only one game for that to come true. Now Washington has Simeon Varlamov in net and he has looked very solid so far. I only had the pleasure of watching him once in the regular season and I wasn’t very impressed. Regardless, he came into a pressure packed situation and helped Washington get rid of the annoying Rangers. (Has there ever been a better scene than a dejected Sean Avery sitting on the bench with his head down at the end of Game 7?)

Despite what all the media will tell you, this series is going to come down to more than just Crosby, Malkin and Ovechkin. So please, don’t fall for the media hype. It’s going to be a great series between two very good teams. I wouldn’t be shocked if the winner of this series advanced to the Finals, along with the winner of the Detroit/Anaheim series. I have to admit, Fleury knows when to turn it on and I don’t see this series being any different.

(Side Note: Remember my article a few months ago about how Ovechkin should be the face of the league and not Crosby? The very same that was chastised because the NHL wouldn't want a cocky Russian being the face of the league (as opposed to a whiny crybaby who jumps people with the same testicular fortitude of a 14 year old girl). Well look who is being nominated for the Hart Trophy this year? Crosby? Nope. It's not a coincedence. Crosby isn't even the best player on his own team, let alone the entire league. Can we finally lay this discussion down to rest? Thanks.)

When a series is very close, there has to be a few defining factors that pushes the winning team over the edge. Since I’ve been watching the NHL playoffs, these factors have been A) Goaltending B) Playoff Experience C) Luck D) Injuries. Here is how I see this series breaking down according to those factors.

Goaltending: Pittsburgh > Washington
Playoff Experience: Pittsburgh > Washington
Luck: Pittsburgh > Washington
Injuries: Pittsburgh = Washington

My Pick: Pittsburgh in 7

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--Written By: Scott Lunn –-

EASTERN CONFERENCE

#1 Boston Bruins vs. #6 Carolina Hurricanes

Boston tore through Montreal like a team on an absolute mission and earned themselves a little break between rounds. I'm not always sure that's a good thing however as it can certainly kill off any momentum a team has, and in this case, Carolina will bring a good deal in after taking out New Jersey in the final minute of a Game 7. If you ignore that aspect and simply look at ability alone, Boston is certainly the superior team. Personally, I think Carolina's luck is due to run out at this point. They scraped by against New Jersey, at one point blowing a 3 goal lead and getting a lucky bounce off a skate that ended up in the net with .2 seconds left on the clock to win one game. If the Devils win that game in OT instead, the series is as good as over. Then they win Game 7 by scraping together two goals in the last 1:20, a simply epic meltdown by the Devils. Boston is a much more physical team and will wear the Hurricanes out in this series. The only chance for Carolina is if Cam Ward catches absolute fire and can't be beat. But hey, at least those "Caniacs" get a few more chances to actually sell out a playoff game...

Boston in 5

#2 Washington Capitals vs. #4 Pittsburgh Penguins

The Capitals came out sluggish against the Rangers in their first round series and looked destined for an early exit, that is until their big guns came alive and lead them to win the last 3 games of the series. Ovechkin and Semin have started putting the puck in the net, and that's a scary trend for any opponent. In the NHL's wet dream, Pittsburgh dispatched of Philly with relative ease and set up the Ovechkin vs. Crosby/Malkin series that was made for VS. The Penguins didn't really have much trouble with Philly, though the series did go 6 games. Marc Andre Fleury was kind of up and down in this series though, and that has to concern Penguins fans. On the other hand, Malkin and Crosby combined for 17 points in those 6 games, which has to be reassuring. At any rate, the firepower is going to be unleashed between these two teams and it's going to come down to who can steal a game at the goalie position. Simeon Varlamov stepped in after Game 1 for the Caps and played fantastically, allowing only 1.17 goals against on average and showing almost no signs of pressure as a rookie in his first playoff action. I think he gets tested a little more in this series though. I expect a high scoring series and I expect to be absolutely sick and tired of hearing about 3 certain guys from the announce crews in short order.

Pittsburgh in 6

WESTERN CONFERENCE

#2 Detroit Red Wings vs. #8 Anaheim Ducks

Detroit scored 18 goals in just 4 games while dispatching of Columbus with relative ease and making goalie Chris Mason look like the rookie he is, despite a magnificent season. Meanwhile, they only gave up 7 goals in the series, 5 of which came in Game 4. The Red Wings power play is an absolutely scary thing to deal with and Anaheim better plan on not taking many penalties if they want to survive this series. The possible weak link in the armor for Detroit is Chris Osgood, who again, looked good until Game 4, but he doesn't appear to be 100% healthy and missed some fairly routine plays in that last game. Perhaps the time off between series will have helped him however. Anaheim is a team nobody really wants to face right now either. The Ducks took out the top seeded Sharks (who are making playoff choke jobs an art form these days) in 6 games. Goalie Jonas Hiller (who???) looked fantastic throughout and has a 1.65 GAA so far to show for it. As Devin pointed out the other day, and I had the very same thought myself, this Ducks team looks very much like the one that came out of nowhere to win the Cup behind the play of goaltender J.S. Giguere 2 years ago. Hiller is hot as can be and the Ducks are coming into this series with a lot of momentum on their side. I look for Detroit to stumble early because of this and their lengthy layoff and have to play catchup against the Ducks. Ultimately, I think the Red Wings simply have too much fire power to be beaten at this stage however, but the Ducks are going to put up a fight.

Detroit in 6

#3 Vancouver Canucks vs. #4 Chicago Blackhawks

My clear upset pick of St. Louis to win in the first round was obviously a foolish one, and I should be kicked for picking against Roberto Luongo. The Canucks had no real trouble at all in getting rid of the Blues in just 4 games. Luongo only allowed 5 goals in the 4 games and currently leads all net minders with a 1.16 GAA in the playoffs. The Sedin twins lead the way for Vancouver's offense, combining for 9 points in the series, though it's certainly not the offense you have to worry about when playing Vancouver. Chicago won it's first playoff series since 1996 by out battling the Calgary Flames in 6 games. This series was a very hard fought one and I was blown away by some of the physical play I saw. There is no doubt that the West is a much more physical conference. Everybody finishes their checks and it's amazing that some people walked away after the hits I saw. The Blackhawks are full of youth and energy and that ultimately seemed to propel them to the 2nd round. Khabibulin didn't look overly impressive in the net, but Chicago found plenty of offense to make up for it. 6 different players had 6 or more points in the series, lead by Kris Versteeg with 7. Patrick Sharp, Martin Havlat, and Cam Barker each chipped in with 3 goals and 3 assists apiece. So ultimatley this series would appear to be offense vs. defense, and I'm going to give the nod to great goaltending almost every time. I learned my lesson from the first round, and in Luongo I now trust!

Vancouver in 6

Fresh off the 2009 NFL Draft and our own D&S Sports Mock Draft, here are the winners and losers from this past weekend.

-- Written By Devin Dombrowski –-

The saying has been beaten to death recently, so I’ll spare everyone from saying “It normally takes three years to evaluate a draft class, but here are my early takes.”

Oops…

Anyways, the 2009 NFL Draft wrapped up this weekend and now we can finally move the talk from mock drafts to first round hold-outs as we await the start of “voluntary” OTA’s and training camp. I have a very brief list of winners and an even shorter list of losers from this weekend’s festivities. I try to be as simple as possible because there is no way I can possibly sit here and evaluate a draft class two days later.

WINNERS

Atlanta Falcons – I’m giving the Falcons a winning grade for scoring tight end Tony Gonzalez in the week leading up to the draft. They didn’t even have to give up a pick in this year’s draft, instead opting to give up a second in the draft next year. So they get immediate help for their passing game this year, and basically didn’t give up anything. Combine that with the fact that Gonzalez will be extremely motivated (more than normal) because he is on a winning team and has a real QB tossing him the ball… this could be scary for the teams playing Atlanta this season.

Baltimore Ravens – I enjoyed the story about their first round pick Michael Oher until I realized one thing, in about three more days his story is going to be pounded into our skulls via the media so many times that we’ll be sick of it. Then the movie will be released. Regardless of all that, it’s a good story and the Ravens got themselves a real good player. I loved his interview right after being drafted. Despite playing for Baltimore, I’ll be rooting for Oher.

Buffalo Bills – I love the Maybin pick. Love it. He is exactly what the Bills needed. Considering the fact that the Bills could’ve replaced Chris Kelsay with an uneven washer, this is an immediate upgrade. They also addressed the o-line effectively and grabbed tight end Shawn Nelson in the fourth round, which could be been the steal of the draft. Never have I watched the entire fourth round rooting for one guy to drop to Buffalo, only to see it happen. Loved it.

Jacksonville Jaguars – The Jags were ravaged with injuries to their o-line last season and they addressed it with their first two picks; Eugene Monroe and Eben Britton. I never thought Monroe would drop to the 8^th spot, and unless I was missing something, nobody else saw it either. If those two players play to their potential, the Jags just got franchise tackles to build around for the next decade.

Miami Dolphins – The pick of QB/WR Pat White honestly scares me. The Wildcat was annoying enough to worry about last season (even though you knew it was coming), but now to add a legit threat instead of Ronnie Brown, that’s scary. Sure Brown is a better runner than White, but they are adding someone who can run and also has a cannon of an arm. I’m not looking forward to facing that this season.

Philadelphia Eagles – The Eagles acquired Jason Peters from Buffalo prior to the draft, which will most likely work out for them. They also addressed the other positions of need on offense. Jeremy Maclin fell to them in the first round and should be a great weapon opposite DeSean Jackson this season.

San Francisco 49ers – The 49ers must have been pinching themselves when Texas Tech WR Michael Crabtree fell to the 10^th spot. Although they still have a gaping hole at QB, they have now addressed the WR position with one of the top players in this draft. The 49ers front office should probably send out some thank you cards to Cleveland and Oakland.

All of us Non-Oakland Fans – I was driving home from Buffalo Saturday afternoon listening to the draft on the radio when the first Oakland pick was announced. It took every ounce of energy to not swerve off the highway from shear laughter. I could not believe it. After taking some time to think about it, I should’ve expected it with C.A.D. (Crazy Al Davis) running the show. Their next two picks only cemented this draft as one of the most memorable for another team besides Buffalo (more on those picks later).

LOSERS

Dallas Cowboys – Include me in the group that is never impressed with the Cowboys on draft day. After getting fleeced by Detroit in the Roy Williams trade (not something to put on a resume), the Cowboys didn’t make one significant pick in the two day span. I’ll gladly eat my words if one of these players turns out to be a major game day performer. Just to define “major”, doing something more than a few special teams tackles will qualify as “major”. For all the people who want me to eat my words, here is the exact list so you’ll have it ready on Week One.

OLB Jason Williams

OT Robert Brewster

QB Stephen McGee

DE Victor Butler

DE Brandon Williams

CB DeAngelo Smith

FS Michael Hamlin

K David Buehler

SS Stephen Hodge

TE John Phillips

CB Mike Mickens

WR Manual Johnson

Denver Broncos – Never have I seen one team completely self-destruct within in a five month span. The Broncos went from a three game lead and imminent division title to collapsing and missing the playoffs, firing their long time and only Super Bowl champion head coach, trading their young gun franchise QB and rivaling the Oakland Raiders for most botched draft picks.

The Broncos defense was the definition of terrible last season. I’m talking Ashlee Simpson on Saturday Night Live bad. So they follow it up by signing Correll Buckhalter, J.J. Arrington and Lamont Jordan in the off-season. Yeah I know it’s nothing major, but a very solid combination at running back. Those three could platoon and easily provide Denver with a solid running game, all while destroying fantasy owners everywhere.

Let’s go back to Saturday. They have two first round picks and can easily beef up their defense with both picks. What do they do? They draft Knowshon Moreno with the 12^th overall pick, leaving Brian Orakpo on the board. It was a mind blowing pick. I NEVER would’ve expected it and I doubt anybody else did. For the record, Moreno might end up being a good pick, but unless he is scoring at least three touchdowns a game, I don’t see how this will help Denver in the immediate future.

While I’m piling on Denver, I recently read that they are considering signing J.P. Losman to come in and compete with Chris Simms and Kyle Orton. Good luck Denver fans.

NFL – I hate rookie contracts every season and this year is worse than ever. There is no way anybody can explain/justify the contract that Matthew Stafford was given by Detroit. Terrible. Horrible. Those words don’t even fully explain it. Something has to be done about this and it has to be done sooner rather than later. They need some kind of rookie contract scale where the money has to be earned in the first few seasons before they get the big payday. It’s ludicrous on the level of the Yankees shelling out billions every off-season, except they usually sign proven players with that money. On the bright side, Stafford could always justify it because he is guaranteed on improving them from a year ago.

Oakland Raiders – Even though Denver tried their hardest, nobody botches a draft quite like the Oakland Raiders. Just when you thought they couldn’t screw up the second and third round picks like their first, they fully outdid themselves. I was listening to ESPN’s coverage of the second round while catching up on my NHL 09 season and had to pause it and turn the television back to ESPN for this one. Their second round pick, Michael Mitchell was the 73^rd rated safety overall by Mel Kiper Jr. Please, read the sentence again. The 73^rd rated safety. Not the 73^rd rated player. Even then, they took him 47^th overall. This defies all logic. He probably wasn’t even going to get drafted at all, let alone in the second round. The NFL should probably step in here and see what exactly C.A.D. was drinking Saturday afternoon while making his picks.

-- Written By Scott Lunn –-

Winners from the 2009 NFL Draft:

Buffalo Bills - It seems that so far most everybody really likes the picks made by the Buffalo Bills over the weekend, that is, everyone except Bills fans of course. Every year is the same regardless of what Buffalo does, the majority of their fans are disgruntled and need a reason to complain at every turn. Now, being one of those fans myself, it's taken a day or so for the draft to sink in, and while I'm not entirely keen on everything they did, for the most part, they really addressed some areas of need, which is always a plus. Maybin is largely considered the best edge rusher in the draft and the team desperately needs some sort of ability to pressure opposing quarterbacks. Maybin is undersized, but so are the rest of the Buffalo DEs.

While I think 28 was a small reach for Wood, the center out of Louisville, by all indications, he's a very solid player and a good fit for the "high character" players Buffalo usually covets (and needs to make up for some transgressions with the law as of late). He looks to be headed to the guard position, but seems equally capable in that role. Buffalo's second round started off with Jarius Byrd, a DB out of Oregon, in a pick that aggravated me a great deal at first. It seems every year that the Bills go crazy on DBs in the draft, and this year was no different, picking a total of 4. Byrd is a ball hawk and that's something Buffalo certainly needs, and his likely transition to safety fills a bigger need than CB for Buffalo, but I felt as though they could have addressed a bigger need here, that being a tackle specifically. The team went back to the OL later in the second round, trading up to get Guard Andy Levitre from Oregon State. A solid pick for Buffalo, the center of the line seems to be shored up now, though the more important position of tackle remains a question mark.

In the 4th round, Buffalo got very good value in tight end Shawn Nelson from Southern Miss, filling a position that has been desperately lacking for years now. Tight Ends dropped big time and that benefited the Bills, as Nelson was graded as high as the 3rd best TE by some experts heading into the draft. Overall, they hit their needs for the most part and didn't reach too much, or give up a ton in order to do so, and really that's about all you can ask for. Only time will tell if their picks really pan out or not, but short term, they did a solid job.

Green Bay Packers - Green Bay's transition to a 3-4 defensive scheme was greatly aided by 2 first round picks on Saturday. At #9, the Packers grabbed NT B.J. Raji from Boston College, easily the best DT available in this year's draft, and a definite day one starter to anchor the middle. They then traded up into the later first and took LB Clay Matthews from USC with the 26th pick. Matthews began his college career as a walk on, but became a force by the end of his career, showing a true nose for the defensive aspect of the game, no doubt inherited from his father, a former Cleveland Browns linebacker in the late 80s. The Pack gave up quite a bit to New England to procure their second first round pick, but it will likely prove worth it in the long run. The Packers also grabbed a couple of big bodied offensive lineman on Day 2, to help add depth to the trenches.

Cincinnati Bengals - The Bengals have a true Boom or Bust list of draft picks on their plate after the weekend, but the potential is there for them to have walked away with the top draft class in my opinion. With the #6 pick in the draft, the Bengals took Tackle Andre Smith from Alabama. Smith is perhaps the most talented lineman in the draft, but made a real mess of things between the end of his college career and the draft itself. A horrible showing at the NFL combine and his Pro Day left many wondering if his potential was worth the early pick. Cinncy, never one to worry about off field issues took the risk.

In the 2nd round, the Bengals found themselves staring at a gift wrapped Rey Maualuga, the LB from USC who played at 100 mph during his time with the Trojans. Manning the middle of the LB corps in Southern California, Maualuga tended to be all over the field, but ended up being the last of the 3 starters from that team drafted. At the 38th pick in the draft, I think the Bengals get a lot of bang for their buck and a potential fan favorite to boot. In the 3rd, the Bengals went defense again, drafting DE Michael Johnson from Georgia Tech. The guy has all the measurable skill in the world, but questions arose about his actual on the field skills. 19 sacks in just 15 career starts as a Yellow Jacket is impressive, but the kid likely needs a lot of coaching to become a consistent producer in the NFL.

They followed this with another 3rd round pick in Chase Coffman, TE out of Missouri, and last year's Mackey award winner as the nations best at the position. Coffman is a great pass catching threat and grabbed 30 TDs in his time at Mizzou. Add in a multiple time Best Center nominee in Jonathon Luigs from Arkansas, and Cinncy could have really cleaned up this past weekend.

Losers from the 2009 NFL Draft:

Oakland Raiders - I don't even know where to begin with this mess of a franchise. Al Davis is certifiably insane and it was proved over and over again throughout the draft. They start by taking WR Darrius Heyward Bey out of Maryland at #7, when nobody expected him to go until closer to 20 or so. Not to mention Michael Crabtree who is the closest thing to a no doubt talent at WR in awhile was still on the board at the time. This completely puzzling act was followed up in the 2nd round as the Raiders took Michael Mitchell, a safety from Ohio that ESPN didn't even have any video on, and was dubbed a "5th rounder" at best by the ever so wise Mel Kiper. Trying to further cement themselves as champs in the hunt for worst draft ever, they spent their 3rd round pick on a DE from Wisconsin, who the NFL Network crew said was maybe a 6th or 7th round guy. Way to stick to your guns Al Davis... This once proud franchise is now the biggest laughing stock in the league and the black hole is not just a section in their stadium anymore... it's a place where careers go to die.

Denver Broncos - The Broncos just continued to baffle me on draft day with the moves they were making. Denver clearly has huge needs on the defensive side of the ball after an abysmal season last year, yet with the #12 pick they drafted Knowshon Moreno, the RB out of Georgia. Moreno's skill set seems to translate very well to the NFL, and the Broncos could use a solid back, but it wasn't at the top of their priorities in my book. Nor was Moreno probably worth the 12 pick when few teams were looking RB in the 1st round. They then turned around and drafted Robert Ayers, a DE from Tennessee with the 18th pick. A smarter pick here, addressing the front 7, which is where Denver needed the most help, but like the rest of the "tweener" OLB/DE picks in the draft, I'm not sure how well their pass rushing abilities will translate.

In the 2nd round, Denver grabbed CB Alphonso Smith from Wake Forest, who is a talented playmaker at the position, but again, not the biggest need for Denver. In fact, the Ayers pick was the only one all weekend by the Broncos which added anybody at the defensive front 7 positions. The other area of concern for Denver had to be QB after the trading of Jay Cutler to Chicago. I guess Kyle Orton or Chris Simms is enough for them though, as they waited until the 6th round to get Tom Brandstater from Fresno St. The Broncos had some decent picks, I just don't feel like they really addressed their areas of concern in a convincing matter at all.

Dallas Cowboys - Let me say right off the bat, a bad draft by Dallas is always just fine with me. After trading away their only day 1 pick to Buffalo, the Cowboys had to wait until Sunday before they started to acquire any new talent. The Cowboys mostly just seemed to add depth, particularly at linebacker and in the secondary. Their most notable picks were QB Stephen McGee from Texas A&M in the 4th round, who analysts labeled a "very solid NFL backup" and then perhaps a steal late with WR Maunel Johnson from Oklahoma in the 7th round at 229 overall. Described as a high character, strong work ethic player, though undersized and not all that fast, Johnson seems to be the Anti-Terrell Owens. Maybe that's all Wade and Jerry wanted though? Certainly the pressure will be on Roy Williams this season to step up at the WR spot, because no splash was made to grab a top talent wideout in this draft. I'm not sure what the Cowboys are thinking by adding little talent to replace what they've lost, on a team that's already proven themselves not good enough to get the job done, especially late in the season.

Mock Draft Results:

So as a fun little excercise to see how Devin and I faired in our first attempts at a Mock Draft, I devised a scoring scheme to try and grade ourselves. Simple and to the point, 5 points were given to every player matched up with the proper team who drafted them. Additionally, 10 points were given for picking a player in the exact spot that they were drafted, with 8 points given for being 1 position off, 6 points for 2 spots off, 4 points for being 3 off, 2 points for being 4 picks away, and 1 point for missing by 5 spots.

In the end, it was a very close battle, but I came out the winner barely, scoring a 153 to Devin's 148. Devin picked 7 players to their correct teams, but only 6 were at the right # draft spot, thanks to Tampa moving up to grab Josh Freeman, while I had 7 players to their correct teams and also in the correct spot. I haven't had a chance to compare our mocks to some of the "professional experts" using this same formula as of yet, but this was a very tough draft to pick, especially with some unexpected moves in the top 10 shifting things around a bit.

All in all, I think we did fairly well for two guys who spent a few hours each coming up with this draft, based on our limited knowledge. It's not like we're paid to watch tape on every player under the sun all year round after all!

Everybody's favorite past time in April seems to be doing NFL mock drafts, and we're jumping on the bandwagon here at D&S Sports. Devin and I have each made our picks for the first round of this Saturday's draft, assuming no further trades from here through the draft itself. As always, comments are greatly appreciated, so please feel free to leave us any agreements, disagreements, etc in the comment section.

1. Detroit Lions

Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia

Obviously Detroit has so many needs that it's hard to find a place to start. You have to figure they'll try and make the splash instead of going with common sense and take the QB first. Stafford surely has NFL star QB potential, but I'm not sold that it's really going to pan out. Taking a tackle here would be the smart move in my opinion, but Detroit hasn't shown me the capability to do anything smart in recent years, and I don't think it'll change with the new regime in place. (Scott)

Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia

If I’m a Lions fan, I’m not very happy with this pick. Then again, if I’m a Lions fan, it’s a shock that I haven’t attempted to hang myself in the garage yet. I almost don’t envy teams that have a top five pick because they will pay so much money for the pick and it’s a total crapshoot whether or not they will pan out. The QB position is an even bigger risk where for every Peyton Manning that gets drafted; another Ryan Leaf and Rick Mirer also get drafted. (Devin)

2. St. Louis Rams

Jason Smith, T, Baylor

Jason Smith has pulled away as the top talent at tackle in this draft, and it's become increasingly obvious to NFL teams that tackle is a hugely important position. I really think these top two picks would be better off if switched and the Rams got Stafford, and Smith went to the Lions, but this is how I ultimately see it shaking out. The Rams need to replace Orlando Pace, who was let go to save cap space, as well as recent injury problems and the simple fact that he has begun to enter the twilight of his career. Smith would be a day 1 starter for the Rams at tackle and I don't think they'll be so foolish as to pass him over. (Scott)

Jason Smith, OT, Baylor

There are several directions St Louis can go with this pick, but I think picking up a franchise tackle is the best move for the Rams. They recently let Orlando Pace go, but not before they saw the immense value they got out of him and I’m sure they would like to do it all over again, this time in the form of Jason Smith. (Devin)

3. Kansas City Chiefs

Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest

Regarded by many, myself included, as the top overall talent in the draft, Kansas City should be salivating to grab him with the 3rd pick. GM Scott Pioli is attempting to build the Patriots Lite with the Chiefs and already grabbed Mike Vrabel, but they still have a hole at linebacker. Curry has the ability to play pretty much any LB spot in any scheme, so they can plug him into the starting lineup right away, regardless of what they go with. The Chiefs have plenty of needs, but Curry's talent should make him impossible to pass up for them here. (Scott)

Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia

I’ve seen almost every mock with Kansas City taking Aaron Curry, including my first one, but I think I’ve decided to go in a different direction. The Chiefs picked up Matt Cassell during the off-season and hope to have their franchise QB for years to come, and taking a bookend tackle to protect that investment only makes sense. (Devin)

4. Seattle Seahawks

Eugene Monroe, T, Virginia

As I already mentioned, tackles, and especially left tackles have become a premier spot in the NFL. The Seahawks shored up their WR issues to some extent with the signing of free agent T.J. Houshmandzadeh, so I don't think they'll be looking at Michael Crabtree as hard at this point. Instead, they need to beef up their offensive line, which really hasn't been the same since Steve Hutchinson left 3 years ago. Now Walter Jones is coming off knee surgery and is 35 years old, much like Pace in St. Louis, he's going to need replacing. Monroe fits the bill for that job. He's a solid run blocker, but excels in the passing game, and with QB Matt Hasselbeck's injury concerns looming large in Seattle, they'll want to make sure his blind side is protected. (Scott)

Aaron Curry, OLB, Wake Forest

I’ve gone back and forth on this pick and I’m going with Curry to Seattle. Seattle had a desperate need to fill the wide receiver void and effectively filled that need with the free agent signing of T.J. Houshmandzadeh. I could still see them picking Crabtree with this pick, but they may want to fill another need and Curry is one of the top talents in this draft. (Devin)

5. Cleveland Browns

Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech

In my opinion, Crabtree is perhaps the 2nd most talented player in the draft, and while WRs often take awhile to showcase their talents in the NFL, the transition should be easier for him than most. The rumors that Braylon Edwards is going to be traded seem to continually pick up steam in Cleveland, and drafting Crabtree seems the most fitting solution. He might be a touch undersized at just over 6'1 and around 215 lbs., and some may wonder if he was a product of the Texas Tech offensive system, but I think his talent is real. Even if Edwards stays, Donte' Stallworth has a heaping helping of possible prison time on his hands and a lack of production last season won't make the Browns keen to count on him this year. (Scott)

Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech

Rumors have been rampant lately that the Browns are dealing Butterfingers Braylon Edwards on or before the draft, most likely to the Giants. If they deal Edwards, they won’t have another competent receiver on the team since Donte Stallworth will be playing for the prison team next season. Unfortunately, Crabtree is a top talent but I don’t see a ton of success for him in Cleveland. (Devin)

6. Cincinnati Bengals

Andre Smith, T, Alabama

Andre Smith's last few months have been nothing short of disastrous. He's left scouts concerned over his maturity level and work ethic after train wrecks at the NFL combine and his pro day. However, most still believe the talent exists and just needs to be placed in the right hands. Well, Cincinnati may not be the right hands, but they are always amongst the most willing to ignore character flaws in building their team. That, and they desperately need help on their offensive line. Last year's starting right tackle is gone via free agency, and at left tackle they have yet another aging veteran with injury problems. I have doubts that Smith can harness his ability and become a top level player, but the Bengals are always up for a risk it seems. (Scott)

Andre Smith, OT, Alabama

When you have a team in such disarray like Cincinnati, the best place to start is with the offensive line. Combine that with the fact that the Bengals are completely useless without a healthy Carson Palmer, and building a solid line becomes that much more important. (Devin)

7. Oakland Raiders

Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri

There seems to be a consensus that the Raiders are going to take a wide receiver with their top pick, it's just a question of which one. Since I already have Crabtree off the board, that means it's going to be Jeremy Maclin. The need is unquestioned, as the Raiders leading receiver is a guy whose name you likely don't know, and he only had 22 catches. There is some chance that Maclin would be the pick even if Crabtree is still on the board because we all know Al Davis has an infatuation with speed receivers, and Maclin is certainly that. He has 4.3 speed in the 40, which will outweigh his 6', 200 lb. frame for Davis. Maclin has also excelled as return specialist at Mizzou, which will probably only put him even in more favor with the craziest owner in sports. (Scott)

Jeremy Maclin, WR, Texas

If I had the ability to read someone’s thoughts, I’d love to see what crazy Al Davis is thinking when his team is on the clock. Everyone knows that crazy Al loves speed, so crazy Al has to go with Jeremy Maclin since James Jett is no longer playing. (Devin)

8. Jacksonville Jaguars

B.J. Raji, DT, Boston College

I think there is little doubt that Jacksonville would like to have either Crabtree or Maclin with this pick, and if either happens to be around, that's where this pick will go. However, I have them both off the board at this point, so the Jaguars would have to look elsewhere. The Jags defense wasn't the most impressive last year, particularly against the pass. With an abundance of defensive linemen expected to go in the 1st round, the talent is available for the Jaguars to go their with the #8 pick. Most of those linemen are Defensive Ends, but I think DT is where Jacksonville needs the help most, as they have jet to replace Marcus Stroud who left before last season. Easily the top rated DT in the draft is B.J. Raji out of Boston College, and despite a possible failed drug test that could hurt his stock, I still expect him to go top 10. (Scott)

Mark Sanchez, QB, USC

I thought about this pick for a while before settling on Sanchez. I know Jacksonville has David Garrard in the fold, but last year couldn’t have left them full of confidence and Sanchez will be sitting there waiting for someone to pick him. Considering the way Jacksonville handled the Leftwich/Garrard situation, I’m left to think that they wouldn’t hesitate to put a little pressure on Garrard. On top of all these factors, Sanchez is said to be a huge talent and not many teams are going to want to pass on him. (Devin)

9. Green Bay Packers

Brian Orakpo, DE/OLB, Texas

Green Bay will likely be looking defense first in the draft as well and as they prepare to make the switch to a 3-4 defense, they need to find some pass rushing talent to bolster their total of just 27 sacks last season. Orakpo is generally regarded as the best pure pass rusher in the draft, but there is still some question as to what position he would play in the NFL. Does he have the ability to drop back into pass coverage when needed if he plays OLB? Is he good enough to stuff the run playing DE? These questions need answering, but I think the Packers will be willing to try to figure out those issues in return for his ability to get in the backfield, which he did constantly at the college level. (Scott)

Brian Orakpo, DE, Texas

Orakpo is a solid choice for Green Bay at the ninth spot. The Packers defense was very suspect last year and if Orakpo can have an immediate impact, it will be a worthy pick. (Devin)

10. San Francisco 49ers

Mark Sanchez, QB, USC

Mike Singletary will be at the controls for his first full season in 2009 and it's doubtful he wants to commit himself to either Shaun Hill or Alex Smith, and I can't say I blame him at all for that. This leads me to believe that Mark Sanchez will be their pick at #10. He's got the size and potential to be a franchise quarterback, plus he obviously has California ties. Singletary is clearly a defensive minded guy, but I think it would be foolish of him to pass up a chance at getting a solid QB here. (Scott)

Everette Brown, DE, Florida State

If Sanchez falls, he would be a good fit in San Francisco, but since he is off my board I have the Niners going with Everette Brown. Mike Singletary will want to build a strong defense that can win games and going with a playmaking DE like Brown is a good move. (Devin)

11. Buffalo Bills

Aaron Maybin, DE/OLB, Penn St.

Read what I said about Brian Orakpo and then transfer it here for Aaron Maybin. They face similar questions as Maybin is an excellent pass rusher, but undersized for the DE position at the NFL level. The Bills will almost assuredly pick a defensive end as their sack total was putrid last season. I've seen many names mentioned from Maybin, Orakpo, Everette Brown, Robert Ayers, and Michael Johnson. It seems as though most have come to their senses and realized that there is no TE worthy of the 11 pick, despite Buffalo's need for one. I originally did this mock before the Jason Peters trade, but even afterwards, I think the Bills have to snag one of the top DEs at this spot. Michael Oher would probably be the only other offensive lineman possibly worth taking here, but I think it's definitely too early for him. Maybin is my pick here, the Bills are used to smaller DEs and they could use him as a situational pass rusher until his skills and size develop a bit more. (Scott)

Aaron Maybin, DE, Penn State

Most mocks have the Bills taking a DE with the 11^th pick and they definitely need to go in that direction. If they don’t, they might as well concede that their defense will be a complete pushover with NFL celebrations leader Chris Kelsay starting. So when it comes to a toss-up between several players as the position, I defer to the people who watched these guys in college. When I asked an avid PSU fan about Maybin, he had nothing but good things to say, which helped make my pick. The Bills could also consider taking a tight end with this pick or Jason Peters replacement, but I’d stick with defense. (Devin)

12. Denver Broncos

Everette Brown, DE/OLB, Florida St.

While Denver now finds itself in need of a QB after dealing away Jay Cutler, they have an extra pick to rely on now at 18 as well. I think they'll roll the dice at 12 and leave Josh Freeman on the board for later and address their primary need, which is defense. The Broncos D was awful last season and really prevented the team from having any success. They are yet another of the teams looking to switch a 3-4 scheme this season and they'll look to grab themselves somebody for OLB within that scheme here. Everette Brown is another of the "tweeners" like Orakpo and Maybin, but unlike the other two, I think he is the one that will make the switch to the linebacker position at the pro level. 23 sacks and plenty of tackles in the backfield mean he can get the job done as a blitzer, but I think he's also the best suited to convert to a linebacker who can cover a TE or RB in some passing situations as well. The potential is also here for Denver to package some of their picks and move up to get Sanchez earlier if they can find a dance partner. (Scott)

B.J. Raji, DT, Boston College

The only thing worse than a kick in the groin was Denver’s defense from the 2008 season. They worked on improving this aspect of the team during free agency but it still needs plenty of work. Kyle Orton isn’t a great QB by any means, but if he has a solid defense keeping them in the game, he can provide enough to win a few games. Denver did work out Mark Sanchez before the draft, so if he happens to fall to Denver, expect them to consider that over anybody else. (Devin)

13. Washington Redskins

Brian Cushing, OLB, USC

Cushing is the first of the true linebackers to come off the board here at #13. The Redskins upgraded their defensive line significantly by signing Albert Haynesworth to a huge deal in the offseason and now they'll turn their attention to linebacker. London Fletcher and Rocky McIntosh are solid starters, but another outside LB is definitely an area of need for the Redskins and Cushing's stock has been on the rise as of late. He could also possibly transition to middle linebacker as Fletcher is likely nearing the end of his career. Washington might choose to address defensive end as well with Robert Ayers or Tyson Jackson being possibilities to line up opposite Andre Carter. (Scott)

Robert Ayers, DE, Tennessee

I’m never sure what the Redskins are thinking when it comes to the off-season. With the addition of DT Albert Haynesworth, the Redskins need to provide some help on the outside. They recently released Jason Taylor so they will need to replace him in some form and Ayers will be good for that. (Devin)

14. New Orleans Saints

Malcom Jenkins, CB/S, Ohio St.

New Orleans most glaring weak spot at this point has to be their secondary, so logic would dictate that this pick is spent improving that area. Jenkins has seen his stock drop quite a bit after the combine due to disappointing 40 speed as well as perceived problems with his ability to turn his hips in coverage. He played corner in college, but because of those aforementioned issues, he seems destined to moved to safety in the NFL. Either way, New Orleans needs both and this seems like a good fit for them. On a side note, I've heard a lot of talk of another Ohio St. guy being the pick here instead as the Saints are supposedly looking for a compliment to Reggie Bush in the form of Chris Wells. (Scott)

Chris Wells, RB, Ohio State

When the Saints had the most success as a team, the offense was clicking and they had a two headed monster at RB. They definitely need a bruiser to help out Reggie Bush and Wells fits this role. Assuming he can stay healthy, he has the chance to make an immediate impact for the Saints. (Devin)

15. Houston Texans

Clay Matthews, OLB, USC

Houston has been improving as a team and while they could still use a boost on the offensive line to help protect Matt Schaub, I think they'll focus on the defensive side of the ball with this pick. They upgraded defensive end through free agency but still need help at both linebacker and in the secondary. With Cushing and Jenkins off the board at this point, Clay Matthews and Vontae Davis would be the likely solutions in my book. I think they go with Matthews at strongside linebacker and look to the secondary later in the draft after the premium LBs are already gone. (Scott)

Malcolm Jenkins, CB, Ohio State

Dunta Robinson is a very good CB, but there isn’t anybody else on Houston who really worries me. It’s for that reason that I see them taking Jenkins. Having two elite corners is a huge deal for a team on the fringe and Jenkins has that potential. Now whether he turns into Antoine Winfield or Ashton Youboty, only time will tell. (Devin)

16. San Diego Chargers

Michael Oher, OT, Ole Miss

Oher's stock has dropped a bit after a down performance at the combine, but he's still regarded as the best offensive lineman on the board at this point, and there's not much question that San Diego could use an upgrade on the right side of their line. Oher could play either tackle or guard for them and help protect Phillip Rivers. Other positions of need for the Chargers include ILB and DE and there is still talent at both those spots here as well (Maualuga, Laurinitis, Ayers, Jackson). (Scott)

Rey Maualuga, ILB, USC

This is an interesting pick for the Chargers. After already making the playoffs last season, they have the chance to add Maualuga from the draft and Shawne Merriman back from injury. In a division that is theirs for the taking, this will be a huge step to finally advancing to the Super Bowl this season. (Devin)

17. New York Jets

Chris "Beanie" Wells, RB, Ohio St.

After all the attention that has been paid to the defensive side of the ball in free agency, one would think that the offense would have to be the focus with their first pick. All 3 of the skill positions need help for the Jets, with Brett Favre and Laverneous Coles now gone, and Thomas Jones will be a free agent after the season. Jones wants a contract extension but there has been little sign that the Jets have intentions of doing so right away. The same GM that brought in Kellen Clemens is still in charge and he may think he's sufficient at QB. Fans seem to be hung up on wanting a receiver, but is anybody worth drafting at this spot? I think the Jets go with Wells, who has the making of a solid, dependable NFL running back and would allow them to let Jones move on. Other possible picks here would be Percy Harvin or Josh Freeman. (Scott)

Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU

I’m going to go ahead and ignore the Jets offense for now. Teams like the Ravens have proven that even an inept offense can win with an elite defense. New Head Coach Rex Ryan can definitely build an elite defense and has already started with the free agent signing of Bart Scott. Add in Tyson Jackson from LSU and their defense gets that much better. (Devin)

18. Denver Broncos

Josh Freeman, QB, Kansas St.

Again, we're assuming no trades here and that the Broncos didn't move up to get Sanchez, so their gamble at 12 pays off here. Freeman has good size for an NFL quarterback at 6'5 and somewhere in the 250 lb. range and the current quarterbacks on Denver's roster are Kyle Orton and Chris Simms, neither of which I would imagine the Broncos want to rely on for very long. Freeman may not have the same natural ability as Stafford or Sanchez, but he did play in a pro style offense at Kansas State which is definitely a plus. The Broncos are likely not contenders right away at any rate, so they could afford a few years to develop Freeman. (Scott)

Brian Cushing, OLB, USC

I already stated earlier above that Denver’s defense was the definition of horrible last season, so I believe they will continue to try and re-build it through more draft picks. Cushing can give them some speed on the outside to help compliment all the other pieces. (Devin)

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Percy Harvin, WR/RB, Florida

Signing Byron Leftwich lessens the need for a quarterback here, and since the top 3 are all off the board, it's a moot point anyways. No other quarterback is worth going this early, so the Bucs will have to focus their attention elsewhere. Tampa Bay is obviously looking to revamp the offense under a new GM and new Head Coach, as seen by bringing in Kellen Winslow and now Leftwich. They'll continue the trend in the draft, going after a multi-tool threat at wide receiver in Percy Harvin. The Florida connection helps and Harvin, while undersized at 5'11 and under 200 lbs., obviously has big play ability. Many see him in a Reggie Bush mold as a receiving threat who can come out of the backfield, but I'd expect him to be primarily used at wideout, opposite Antonio Bryant who became the primary target for Tampa last season. (Scott)

Josh Freeman, QB, Kansas State

Normal logic would tell you that the Bucs won’t take a QB because they already have four on the roster. Read that again. They already have FOUR on the roster. But even with a new regime in charge, the Bucs have been known for stock piling QB’s and I don’t see it changing. They don’t have a set starter so I see no reason why they shouldn’t bring in some more competition to make sure they have the best possible talent starting on opening day. (Devin)

20. Detroit Lions

William Beatty, OT, Connecticut

Since I have the Lions taking Stafford first overall, logic would dictate that they need to get him some protection as well. Beatty is the best remaining tackle on the board at this point and therefore he's the pick. His stock has been on the rise since the combine and reading the current projected starters for the Lions offensive line would cause most to say "Who?". Again, there are a ton of needs for the Lions here, so they could just go best player available and come away happy. Either way, they're probably picking 2 starters in the first round. (Scott)

Michael Oher, OT, Mississippi

The Lions don’t do very many smart things, but taking a tackle to help protect their number one pick would be a smart move with this selection. (Devin)

21. Philadelphia Eagles

Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU

Now with just one pick in the first round, I look for the Eagles to get an every down player at left defensive end. Most expected Jackson to be gone well before this, so I think it'll be hard for the Eagles to pass him up here. At 6'4 and about 300 lbs., Jackson is the most solidly built of the first round projected DEs. He doesn't have the pass rushing abilities of the other guys, but he's very strong and still has some quickness for his size. He'd be a solid all around DE with this pick, however, the Eagles definitely need help on offense as well, especially at WR. They could also look at Darrius Heyward-Bey, Kenny Britt, or Hakeem Nicks with this pick, assuming the rumors that they are going to trade for Anquan Boldin don't come true of course. (Scott)

Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia

Brian Westbrook has already gone on the record as saying that he wouldn’t mind if Philly took a RB in the draft. Westbrook is a great talent, but needs to see less wear and tear on his body so ensure that the Eagles take that final step towards a championship. (Devin)

22. Minnesota Vikings

Eben Britton, OT, Arizona

It seems to be pretty unanimous amongst the mock drafts I've seen so far that the Vikings are looking for somebody to play right tackle with this pick, and Britton would fill that spot nicely for them. They shopped hard for somebody in free agency, but their main targets ended up re-signing with their teams, so now it falls to the draft to get somebody. Britton could succeed making the switch from LT to RT at the NFL level and would almost assuredly be a day one starter. Other potential picks here for the Vikings would be a CB or WR. Vontae Davis is still on the board here in this mock, and would be pretty enticing as well. (Scott)

James Laurinaitis, ILB, Ohio State

The Vikings have this habit of building a great defense and leaving the offense go, aside from taking Adrian Peterson two years ago. Since they believe they have solved their QB problem with the acquisition of Sage Rosenfeles, I see them upgrade the defense a little bit more. (Devin)

23. New England Patriots

Rey Maualuga, ILB, USC

It's no secret that the Patriots linebackers were far from a youthful group, but the turnover has begun for Bill Belichick. Mike Vrabel is gone to KC, Tedy Bruschi is still hanging on somehow, and Adalius Thomas is now well into his 30s as well. Jerrod Mayo proved to be a great pick last year and the Patriots will go back to that well with this pick. Maualuga would step in at MLB alongside Mayo and Thomas could be moved back to the outside. I hate the term "high-motor" but that's exactly what Rey is, the guy just goes nonstop and has a nose for the ball. The Patriots have a way of making almost every pick work for them somehow, but a MLB tandem of Mayo and Maualuga is a scary thought. (Scott)

Louis Delmas, S, Western Michigan

The Patriots return a very good non-playoff team this season but they need to upgrade few spots on defense. One of those positions is safety and Delmas can fill that void. (Devin)

24. Atlanta Falcons

Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma St.

Atlanta surprised a lot of folks last year with their success, and Matt Ryan proved to be a franchise QB right out of the gate. The one thing that would make Ryan even scarier? A legit threat at tight end. Pettigrew is pretty unanimously the top TE in the draft and though his speed is a concern, he's a solid pass catcher and could add another dynamic to the Falcon offense. More importantly, he's a very solid blocker as well and has plenty of size at 6'6, 263 lbs. I could also see the Falcons looking at DT Peria Jerry or Vontae Davis who is somehow still available in my mock. (Scott)

Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma State

I’ve read rumors that Atlanta is trying to acquire Tony Gonzalez from KC, which would be a smart move, but until they do I will have them taking Brandon Pettigrew in the first round. They really can’t go wrong with either choice. It’s just a matter of whether they want the immediate short term impact, or want to risk it with Pettigrew and take time to develop him. (Devin)

25. Miami Dolphins

Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois

Ok, so he's no longer available. Miami's needs include WR, DB, and LB, and knowing Bill Parcells, WR isn't going to be the one they focus on. With Davis slipping this far, I don't know how the Dolphins could pass him up and they'd likely be getting a steal taking him at 25. Davis is probably the best pure CB in the draft and has good size at 5'11, 200 lbs, good speed at 4.40 in the 40, and is freakishly strong, putting up 25 reps in the bench press. His 40 speed (4.49) was 2nd best and his bench press was tops amongst all CBs who participated at the NFL combine. Davis would likely be an immediate starter opposite Will Allen. (Scott)

Darrius Hewward-Bey, WR, Maryland

The Dolphins have a glaring hole at the WR position and they should look to fill it as soon as possible during this draft. Bill Parcells doesn’t have an extended track record of taking a WR in the first round, but I see him going away from that slightly for this pick. (Devin)

26. Baltimore Ravens

Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland

Derrick Mason is no spring chicken at 35 and while Mark Clayton has been decent for Baltimore, they could really use a speed receiver to give Joe Flacco a downfield target. Heyward-Bey and speed go hand in hand, as he put up the top 40 time at the NFL combine with a 4.30. He is not the most polished receiver, but he would suit the Ravens needs nicely here, and as a Maryland product, he has a built in local fan base. At 6'3, he has good height for a speed guy as well and will really make his mark as a downfield threat. If the Ravens choose to go with defense instead, CB Darius Butler from UConn would fill a need for them nicely. I'm betting on a Darrius/Darius either way. (Scott)

Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois

The Ravens have a definite need a CB and will fill it with this pick. If there is one thing this franchise knows, it’s building a great defense is the first key, and I don’t see any reason that will change this year. (Devin)

27. Indianapolis Colts

Peria Jerry, DT, Ole Miss

Jerry is another one of those almost unanimous picks in every mock I've seen and you can't argue with the logic. The Colts desperately need a DT, as their running defense is nothing short of horrible. Their current projected starters had a combined 0 sacks last year as well, so it would be nice for them to get a tackle with at least a shred of pass rushing ability too. Jerry is easily considered the #2 DT in this draft and at 6'2, 299 he has decent size. He's also got pretty good quickness for his size to compliment good strength as well. He'd be a starter right away for the Colts without a doubt. Assuming he's still on the board, I see no way he's not the pick here, but other options would include WR or OLB. (Scott)

Percy Harvin, WR, Florida

If there is one team that can really use an overall talent like Percy Harvin, it’s the Colts. It’s almost scary to think what someone like him can do under the direction of Peyton Manning. I’ve read a few reports about Harvin’s character, but I think the Colts will ignore that risk and take a chance on the former Gator. (Devin)

28. Buffalo Bills

Larry English, DE/OLB, Northern Illinois

After picking up this pick from Philadelphia in the trade for Jason Peters, the Bills will be faced with a tough decision here. They are basically lacking a left side of the offensive line at this point and could use this pick to try and fill that gap, but none of the remaining Tackles or Guards are really worth this pick, so perhaps they'll try to fill that hole in the 2nd round. Instead, I think they'll look to further secure some talent for the defense. After picking Maybin at 11, I think Buffalo goes with another of the "tweeners" here at 28. Larry English is 6'3 and right around 250 lbs., and of those already mentioned as DE/LB hybrids, English seems much more suited for the LB mold. English could move into a starting spot as the weakside LB, replacing Keith Ellison. Other possibilities here include Robert Ayers in the same DE/LB mold or possibly a Center, either Alex Mack or Max Unger, which would cause further shuffling of the Bills makeshift OL. (Scott)

Eben Britton, OT, Arizona

The Bills created an obvious hole at LT when they traded Jason Peters late last week, so the extra first round pick they received from Philadelphia should be used to fill that hole. Britton is a 6’6”, 309lb tackle that should be an adequate replacement for the Bills. (Devin)

29. New York Giants

Hakeem Nicks, WR, North Carolina

The Giants have had a busy offseason bringing in talent, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. The glaring weak spot has to be at receiver however, now that the Giants have parted ways with sharp shooter Plaxico Burress. The remaining receivers on the roster have less combined years of service than some individuals in this league, with only Domenik Hixon having played more than 3 seasons. Nicks doesn't have particularly great size at just 6'1, 210 lbs., and he obviously just brings more inexperience, but he is a solid all around receiver. He's considered one of the better route runners of the receivers in the draft and he has very good hands. Concerns include his lack of speed and strength, which might make it difficult for him to get open at the NFL level. OLB is another area where the Giants could still use somebody and Larry English or Clint Sintim would still be available here. (Scott)

Hakeem Nicks, WR, North Carolina

This pick is being made before any potential trade with Cleveland for Braylon Edwards, so I should really put an * next to it. They most likely will go in another direction if the trade goes down, but it hasn’t yet, so I have them taking Nicks. (Devin)

30. Tennessee Titans

Darius Butler, CB, Connecticut

The Titans true need is a top receiver, but after the run in the two previous picks, there is nobody left worth grabbing with this pick. The Titans could use some help at cornerback at current starter Nick Harper will be 35 at the start of the season and will need replacing relatively soon. I've seen Butler going in the early 20s in a few mocks, so the Titans would be getting pretty good value out of this pick by taking him here. He's 5'10, 183 lbs. but makes up for a lack of size with good speed and incredible leaping ability. He ran a 4.40 at his pro day and had the best vertical of anybody at the NFL combine with a 43" leap. He was also utilized as a return man at UConn, which may be of increased interest to Tennessee if he's not starting in the defensive backfield right away. (Scott)

Peria Jerry, DE, Mississippi

The Titans thrived on defense last season and they will need much of the same this season if they want to succeed. Well, that is assuming that Kerry Collins doesn’t turn into a scoring machine, which I don’t anticipate. (Devin)

31. Arizona Cardinals

Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia

Luckily for Arizona, running back is not a high need position for most of the NFL, because that means some solid talent could slip to them at 31. With Edgerrin James essentially done in Arizona, the Cardinals will need to add depth behind Tim Hightower. Moreno isn't particularly big at 5'10, and around 220 lbs., but he has a tendency to run bigger than he is. Some pretty poor 40 times at the combine have hurt his stock a bit, but he'd certainly be worth the pick at this spot as there are still some who consider him one of the top 10 talents in this draft class. While his size and speed are very similar to Hightower's, Moreno is a stronger runner who is more likely to pick up the straight ahead yardage. The Cardinals had a tough time with short yardage situations last season and Moreno could solve that problem nicely. (Scott)

Clay Matthews, LB, USC

Arizona has a pretty solid season returning for the 2009 campaign, assuming they hold on to Anquan Boldin. Their defense, while good at times, struggled quite a bit and could use some better depth and some more playmakers. (Devin)

32. Pittsburgh Steelers

Alex Mack, C, California

First, I can't make this pick in good conscience without mentioning the old Nickelodeon show, "The Secret World of Alex Mack". I'm sure this guy hears about it plenty, but Larisa Oleynik deserves to not be forgotten. She's still pretty attractive after all, though she's kind of ended up in obscurity. Alright, back to business. Ben Roethlisberger is probably offering bribes to the Steelers' front office at this point to bring in some offensive line help after getting beat up all year again. While there are multiple weak spots here for the Steelers, center would probably be the most pressing, as last year's starter gave up more sacks than any other center in the NFL. Mack would be a great fit with the Steelers at 6'3, 313 lbs., he's got the size, but strength is amongst the concerns with him. Widely touted as the best prospect at center, his technique may need some work, but he has most everything else going for him and would be a good answer for Pittsburgh. Defensive End is another potential need for the Steelers and with names like Robert Ayers and Michael Johnson available, they might go in that direction and try to grab a center later on. (Scott)

Darius Butler, CB, Connecticut

If the defending champs had one glaring weakness last season, it was at the CB position. This would be a smart move for Pittsburgh since they already have a pretty solid chance at repeating next season. (Devin)