NFL Bloggers Mock Draft

SportProjections.com is creating a mock NFL draft from the best resources around. The bloggers who cover their respected NFL teams know as well as anyone the heartbeat of their teams and the players they need to select to contend for the Super Bowl next season.

SportProjections.com did an NBA mock draft last season with the best NBA bloggers. The results were astounding. Out of hundreds of mock drafts on the web - from the top sport sites in the nation to bloggers doing their own drafts - only two publications had more correct selections than the bloggers on SportProjections.com.

Will the NFL bloggers have the same success? View the bloggers' selections and visit their websites to find out more about their selections and news about their favorite teams.

PICK	TEAM	PLAYER	WEBSITE
1	Miami	Chris Long DE Virginia	www.thephinsider.com
My feelings on this will probably change weekly, especially once free agency starts. But right now, assuming the Dolphins can't trade the pick, Chris Long is probably the selection. The new regime in Miami wants to build this team from the inside out and Long is a Parcells kind of guy. He's also the safest bet in terms of investing $30+ million in guarantees that the top pick will command.
2	St. Louis	Glenn Dorsey DT LSU	mvn.com/nfl-rams
I'd prefer the Rams trade down from this spot (especially if Jerry Jones comes calling), but assuming they keep the pick, it's nearly a no-brainer. Dorsey may be the most NFL-ready, impact rookie in the draft and, along with Adam Carriker and Clifton Ryan, will give the Rams a formidable young trio of defensive linemen. A lot of people will be pushing for the Rams to take Jake Long, but with a stable of healthy linemen returning and the chance to build a legitimate defense for the first time since '99, the Rams can't pass up on Dorsey. As an added bonus, he'll give the Rams the flexibility to move Carriker around on the line, and given James Hall's play last year, that has to have Jim Haslett salivating.
3	Atlanta	Jake Long OT Michigan	mvn.com/nfl-falcons
With injuries accross the OLine, the Falcons have no choice but to take Long. Long will provide protection for any QB Atlanta plugs into the starting spot and he can open gaping holes for newly acquired RB Michael Turner. Previous Selection: Sedrick Ellis
4	Oakland	Vernon Gholston DE/LB Ohio State	www.silverandblackpride.com
At Silver and Black Pride, there is a three way tie for who we should select with the #4 pick. Chris Long, Vernon Gholston and D-Mac are all knotted up at 27% apiece. With Chris Long off of the board it comes down to the two best athletes in the draft, Vernon Gholston and D-Mac. Gholston fills the biggest weakness, a pass rushing DE/SAM that will complete our defense. With DeAngelo Hall, Nnamdi, Michael Huff and Gibril Wilson able to provide the best man/shut down defensive backfield in the League, Gholston will team with Derek Burgess to make the clock in the QB's head sound much like the ticking croc in Peter Pan. Although it will be tough to pass on D-Mac, I am a firm believer in Fargas, Rhodes and Bush. Previous Selection: Jake Long
5	Kansas City	Sedrick Ellis DT USC	arrowheadpride.com
The Chiefs still desperately want Jake Long to fall to them and Sedrick Ellis represents the best possible player on the board for Kansas City. Darren McFadden really isn't a workable pick for the Chiefs with Larry Johnson on the roster and picking an offensive lineman like Ryan Clady from Boise St. here would be a reach. Previous Selection: Darren McFadden
6	NY Jets	Darren McFadden RB Arkansas	www.jetscentral.com
I had chosen Vernon Gholston before free agency, and the Jets went out and signed Calvin Pace to a six-year deal. With that said, there is no choice. I definitely have to take Darren McFadden. He is the best player available at the position and possible the best overall talent in the draft. There is no passing him up when it comes to the Jets. When you think of almost any other team, you can at least name one of their franchise players. With the Jets, you can't name an impact player right away without thinking. Getting McFadden gives you that household name to build your team around for years. Based on what happened in Minnesota with Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor, the Jets have no reason not to go with the two-headed runningback and split the carries between McFadden and Jones. Previous Selection: Vernon Gholston
7	New England (From S.F.)	Keith Rivers LB USC	mvn.com/nfl-patriots
Previous Selection: Leodis McKelvin
8	Baltimore	Leodis McKelvin CB Troy	blogimoreravens.com
During my visit to USC's Pro Day, I spoke with a couple of NFC scouts, both of whom sold me on McKelvin being the best corner in this year's draft. Sorry, Mike Jenkins, but these scouts do this for a living. I'm just a blogger, and according to them you're just a second-round talent. Previous Selection: Michael Jenkins
9	Cincinnati	Derrick Harvey DE Florida	stripehype.com
With Justin Smith headed out of town (thankfully with his 2 sacks and 8 million cap hit), Cincinnati will be looking for an upgraded pass rusher at DE. With the expected move from a 4-3 defense to a 3-4 defense, Harvey will be counted on early in the DL rotation to occupy the TE and tackles and get to the quarterback.
10	New Orleans	Aqib Talib CB Kansas	mvn.com/nfl-saints
New Orleans is in desperate need of an upgrade at the cornerback position and Talib has the athleticism to make an immediate impact with the Saints. The knock on the All-American coming out of the combine is that he doesn't have great technique in his coverage skills. My feeling is that Talib will be playing under a quality coaching staff in New Orleans and he will see a dramatic improvement in his technical skills once he gets into camp. At 6'2, 205 Talib has the ideal size to succeed at the NFL level and would fill a huge hole in the Saints defensive backfield.
11	Buffalo	Devin Thomas WR Michigan State	buffalorumblings.com
Priority Number One heading into the NFL Draft for the Buffalo Bills? Find a starting wide receiver. The Bills were the only team to offer free agent WR Bryant Johnson a multi-year contract, but hoping for a big season and striking gold in the 2009 off-season, Johnson accepted a one-year offer from the San Francisco 49ers. Add in the fact that Lee Evans is likely to opt out of his rookie contract after this season - thus making him a 2009 free agent as well - and the Bills are in an even more difficult situation at WR. There are, in my opinion, four wide receivers in this draft class who can come in to the league and start for any team: Oklahoma's Malcolm Kelly, Texas' Limas Sweed, Michigan State's Devin Thomas and Indiana's James Hardy. We're going with Thomas for three main reasons. First - Kelly was long thought to be the Bills' top WR target, but after his disastrous Pro Day performance (note: I speak of his calling out his alma mater and placing blame on them, rather than his poor running time), Thomas - who is also high on Buffalo's list - gets the nod. The team is reportedly NOT high on Sweed, and Hardy is a late first-round prospect only at this point. Second - Buffalo is switching to a form of the West Coast offense under new coordinator Turk Schonert, a move that will be highly beneficial to our young, methodical signal-caller, Trent Edwards. The coaching staff would like size and physicality at the WR position, but that type of player can always be found later in the draft. What's more difficult to find is a receiver with a solid frame that can take a short pass the distance. No WR comes close to being as excellent as Devin Thomas in the yards-after-catch department; with time, those skills could make Edwards' development much more swift. Third - Note that, from the outset, I said the Bills need a starting receiver. Hardy is the only receiver somewhat likely to be available in the second round, so taking a cornerback (like Antoine Cason or Brandon Flowers, whom the Bills are reportedly very interested in) or a defensive end like Derrick Harvey would be a huge gamble as far as their passing game goes. The Bills are being linked to a lot of corners recently, and Mel Kiper Jr. has the Bills taking Harvey in his latest mock draft. Don't believe the hype. They may trade down to do it, but the Bills are likely going wideout in the first round. Put all of that together, and Devin Thomas became a relatively easy pick to make here. Add in his kick return capabilities and extraordinarily high ceiling, and the Bills could end up with the most explosive offensive threat out of round one this year. You heard me, Darren McFadden. Previous Selection: Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie CB Tennessee State
12	Denver	Rashard Mendenhall RB Illinois	milehighreport.com
Denver WILL NOT be picking at #12. There is a 98% chance they will trade down, and a 2% chance they will trade up. There simply isn't anything at #12 that they can't get elsewhere, and when you factor in escalating rookie contracts and tight purse strings in Dove Valley, Denver will be looking elsewhere for their first pick in the draft. But there are several players that are worth listing at the #12 spot for mock draft purposes, including OTs Ryan Clady and Chris Williams, which would fill a debatable need, and DE Derrick Harvey, which would be more about forcing a trade than enhancing the roster, though there are few NFL rosters he WOULDN'T enhance. But for this mock there is an opportunity to address a concern that for Shanahan has definitely been on his mind, and could be handled with just the right amount of "Shanny Surprise" to please the Mastermind. It should be known that Mike Shanahan has no problem drafting a RB early. Forget the success he has had picking them late. He recognizes that of all the late round names to file through Denver, only Terrell Davis was a truly special player. When Denver traded up to nab Cutler at #11 in 2006, Shanahan is on the record stating that if Cutler had gone before Denver could trade up for him, they would have traded up anyways and taken Laurence Maroney. So it is definitely something he would do for the right guy. And Rashard Mendenhall could definitely be that guy. Like Terrell Davis, Mendenhall is a quick runner, not a fast runner. His game is a power, inside style, and he has the physical strength and size to compete well in that game. He shows that trait of traits for the zoneblock scheme, which is patience: patience to set up his blocks, patience to wait for the cutback lane, and patience to follow his lead blockers. You won't catch Rashard running into the backs of his guys and coming to a standstill. He has excellent leg churn to finish off runs in trash, and the presence to keep his pads down and break tackles. He has courage, and if I have a major complaint about him it is that he might be TOO courageous, as he will take on tackles and tacklers that are better left in his deceptively elusive dust. Denver won't ask him to run off tackle, which is a good thing, as he doesn't quite have that kind of speed, and he will definitely have to show improvement in his lean and upper body control. He seemed to be getting his fumble problem under control, but when I watch him, I see the root of the problem still present, i.e. arms that flail wildly when cutting back and quick stepping. This MUST be addressed, but it is a correctable problem. All in all he is a tough guy for a tough job, a one cut running game between the tackles, and he should free up the home run hitters in Denver for years to come. With Denver's redzone woes and an unreliable powerback in Travis Henry, nothing would make Shanahan happier. Previous Selection: Keith Rivers
13	Carolina	Chris Williams OT Vanderbilt	catscratchreader.com
If Derrick Harvey was here it would be easy to select him to replace Mike Rucker. With Harvey gone I have to go with the Panthers biggest need, left tackle. Williams is a ‘can’t miss’ left tackle who should be the starter game one in 2008. He looked good all season, at the Senior Bowl and at the combine where he ran a 5.07 40 yard dash. He has the size, speed and long arms needed to be a dominate left or right tackle for years to come. Some might wonder why I passed on Ryan Clady? He’s from a mid-major school who by-passed the combine which always makes me leery. Williams is the safer pick who also survived four years at high-intellect Vanderbilt playing against top-notched SEC competition.
14	Chicago	Brandon Albert G Virginia	windycitygridiron.com
With Mendenhall off the board there is not reason for the Bears to not do the obvious as start rebuilding their line. A bit ragged in some places and a bit old in others, infusing some young talent is just what the doctor ordered. We might have looked at Chris Williams had he still been on the board. It would have been nice to move LT John Tait back to the right side to easy some pressure on him, but he is still serviceable on the left, so for now he gets left there. At the guard spot the Bears have a bit more questions. Projected starter John St. Clair isn't exactly instilling confidence. So the Bears take the best guard on the board. Albert is likely to be in the starting line up by the time the season rolls around or shortly after. The talent is too great to pass over even for inexperience. Previous Selection: Rashard Mendenhall
15	Detroit	Ryan Clady OT Boise State	prideofdetroit.com
The Lions have quite a few needs that will have to be addressed via the NFL Draft, but as April nears, the focus of what positions need help the most luckily is starting to become clearer. Before last week, I would have said that cornerback was the biggest need for Detroit. Since then, though, the Lions have signed Dwight Smith and have traded for Leigh Bodden. Cornerback is by no means set just yet, but I do not feel a first-round draft pick should be spent on one, especially when the top players at that position have already been selected. The other needs the Lions have includes middle linebacker, defensive end, defensive tackle, offensive line, and maybe even running back. Out of all of those positions, it isn't easy to pinpoint which needs a top talent the most, but with the current scenario in this mock draft, I would say the best option is to start rebuilding the o-line. Detroit has committed to running the ball this year, and in order to do that they will need a somewhat decent offensive line, which is something that doesn't exist right now. With that in mind, I have the Lions taking Boise State offensive tackle Ryan Clady. I have seen him scattered all over top 15 picks in various mock drafts, and some even have him going in the top 5. He may not be well-known just yet as he is coming from a smaller school and didn't make it to Indy for the Combine, but his name just isn't going away. Drafting an offensive tackle fills a need and gives the Lions something to build the rest of their offense around.
16	Arizona	Michael Jenkins CB South Florida	raisingzona.com
With one of the top three CBs still on the board, the Cards will not pass by Mike Jenkins. With Antrel Rolle making the long-overdue move to Free Safety next year, Cornerback is an area of critical need for the ballclub as there is little to no depth behind current starters Rod Hood and Eric Green. Jenkins has the speed, athleticism and physical toughness to be a lock down corner in the NFL. While he may not have the speed of Rodgers-Cromartie or the size of Talib, Jenkins has a great blend of both size and strength, meaning he can still go vertical with any wideout in the league and is excellent in run support. RB Jonathan Stewart would still be tempting with this pick, and it wouldn't be a bad one if the Cards decided to pull the trigger on him. But with the depth at RB in this draft class, I'd look for the Cardinals to grab Jenkins in the first round to address their defensive issues and spend their second round pick on a RB like Texas' Jamaal Charles or ECU's Chris Johnson. Previous Selection: Jonathan Stewart
17	Minnesota	Matt Ryan QB Boston College	dailynorseman.com
With the 17th pick in the 2008 NFL Mock Draft, the Minnesota Vikings. . .unbelievably. . .select Matt Ryan, QB, Boston College. The Vikings are hoping that a DE falls to them here, but the Big 3 DEs are off the board, and there's nobody left worth reaching for at #17. Wide receiver would be the next biggest spot of need, but with all of them sliding down the board like this, there will be plenty of solid receivers available in the second and third rounds. While I'm a supporter of Tarvaris Jackson and a believer in his talents, if Matt Ryan were to actually fall to the Vikings' spot in the draft, I'm not sure if there would be any way the Vikings could pass him up. Ryan is being talked about as a potential Top 5 selection, and possibly even the first overall pick. He's head and shoulders above the rest of the quarterbacks in this year's class, and he represents the best value available at this point in this draft by a wide margin. With this pick, the Vikings set them up to have a passing game that will really be able to keep defenses honest and allow Adrian Peterson to run wild in that special way that only Adrian Peterson can.
18	Houston	Jeff Otah OT Pittsburgh	mvn.com/nfl-texans
With the top corners (McKelvin, Jenkins, Talib, Cromartie) and running backs (McFadden, Mendenhall, Stewart) off the board, I decided to address the offensive line. In the real draft, the Texans will probably pick another defensive lineman, but I digress. The Unknown Man It's hard to believe this man can go unrecognized at 6?6?, 340 pounds, but Otah was not recruited coming out of high school in 2004 and attended Valley Forge Military Academy. Born in Nigeria, he came to the U.S. as a basketball player, and his first year of football came during his senior year. In 2006, he enrolled at Pittsburgh and started all 12 games at left tackle. In 2007, he started all 12 games and was an All-Big East first team selection. His background as a basketball player will benefit him in the NFL, where he will have to compete with some of the best athletes in the nation. His lateral quickness will be key if he is to protect the quarterback's blindside from the left tackle position against the speed rushers. Simply put, he is a mauler that has the potential, with coaching, to become great. With the 18th pick, a franchise left tackle would be a great value.
19	Philadelphia	Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie CB Tennessee State	insidetheiggles.com
The Eagles will be looking for a LT in this draft, and it is very likely that they would trade up to get one. They have been dangling Lito Sheppard in front of everybody hoping to get a big trade. If they are not able to trade up, and still trade Lito(2nd round pick) then you could see them go for the best CB available at 19. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie would be the pick here. He is a tall CB with blazing fast speed and agility. He has natural athletic ability that no other CB in the draft has. He played at a small school, but proved he belongs with top competition when he was MVP of the Senior Bowl. DRC can also return kicks wich is a huge need for the Eagles. There is also a small chance that Cromartie could be moved to FS. It may be a waste of his talent there, but with some added bulk he could do it. Brian Dawkins is not getting any younger, and the Eagles could really use a Safety in this draft. Previous Selection: Malcolm Kelly
20	Tampa Bay	Antoine Cason CB Arizona	bucem.com
With the 20th Pick in Sport Projections Mock Draft, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers select CB Antoine Cason from the University of Arizona. With the Bucs losing out on CB's Asante Samuel, Drayton Florence, and Randall Gay via Free Agency, Monte Kiffin will ask his guys to Draft a Defensive Player in the 1st Round for the third year in a row. Cason is a big, physical cornerback who can keep pace with vertical threats and big possession guys. Closes on opponents extremely fast and has good hands to make plays. Supports well against the run and is a good tackler for a cornerback. When you look at the big board, Cason is clearly at the top. He's bigger than the prototypical Cover 2 CB, but his ability outweighs any potential for him not fitting into Kiffin's system. The Fan base will be clamoring for a Wide Receiver with this pick and some may even hope for a pass-catching Tight End, but if the Bucs Free Agency targets are any indication, Cornerback is clearly a position they are trying to upgrade this off-season, sorry Phillip Buchanon. The Bucs could go a number of directions with this pick however and may even attempt to move up and Draft CB Mike Jenkins from South Florida. Other sleepers: CB Tracy Porter (Indiana), TE Martin Rucker (Missouri), and WR Limas Sweed (Texas).
21	Washington	Calais Campbell DE Miami(FL)	hogshaven.com
With CB Aqib Talib and DE Vernon Gholston off the board, and with the glaring need along the defensive line, the Redskins should be looking at DE Calais Campbell from Miami. He's a tall, big defensive end that would be a perfect fit opposite Andre Carter. Given his size and athleticism (and the arrival of Mario Williams in Houston as a big time player) it will be hard for the Redskins to pass on this guy. They have other needs and could be looking at a WR here (such as UT's Limus Sweed) or a CB, especially with the uncertainty surrounding Carlos Rogers and his injury and the uncertainty of Shawn Springs' future with the team. DE Philip Merling from Clemson is a possibility, as are some other offensive and defensive linemen (DT Kentwan Balmer and OG's Bendon Albert and Chilo Rachal come to mind.) But with the top CB's gone, the pick should be Campbell.
22	Dallas (from Cleveland)	Felix Jones RB Arkansas	bloggingtheboys.com
With the departure of Julius Jones for greener pastures, this is a win-win for the Cowboys. It fills a need and it adds a "wow" factor to an already potent offense. Adding Desean Jackson is a tempting move but Felix Jones has been in a running back by committee offense before. And despite the emergence of Marion Barber, the Cowboys are still pushing that philosophy. He adds the home-run threat to Barber's bulldozer approach. And Felix is from Arkansas, just like Jerry!
23	Pittsburgh	Branden Albert OG Virginia	mvn.com/nfl-steelers
This is a tough call for the Steelers. Their most likely pick, offensive tackle Jeff Otah, is off the board, as are the top cornerbacks. That leaves them a decision between the best remaining tackle (Sam Baker) or the top guard in the draft (Branden Albert). Baker plays the left side, where the Steelers have a solid starter in Marvel Smith. There's a big need for depth, but there's no way this team is drafting for depth at left tackle in the first round when that's the only remotely solid position in the entire group. That leaves Albert, who would battle with Chris Kemoeatu for the now-vacant left guard spot vacated by Alan Faneca. Albert is big and versatile, having lined up at left tackle for a game in 2007, but a little slow if asked to pull. He's only a borderline first-round prospect, though, so there's a chance the Steelers could take the best player available at this point and try to grab USC guard Chilo Rachal in the second round instead.
24	Tennessee	Limas Sweed WR Texas	mvn.com/nfl-titans
Heading into the offseason, the Titans' biggest need was finding a playmaker at the wide receiver position.Almost two weeks into free agency, the team has yet to sign a free agent WR. Limas Sweed would provide a combination of size and speed and would give the Titans a homerun threat at WR. Sweed already has a rapport with Titan quarterback and ex-college teammate Vince Young. Drafting Sweed would satisfy the need for WR speed in Nashville.
25	Seattle	Phillip Merling DE Clemson	www.seahawkaddicts.com
With the 25th Pick, The Seahawks are kind of in a pinch. The way the draft has worked out to this point has done them no favors. They would have taken a RB, but the top 4 are gone. They would have taken a tackle or corner too, but the top 4-5 from both of those positions are gone. Therefore the Hawks would be LOVE to give up their pick to one of the many teams who passed on Matt Ryan and now want to move back into the first for a QB. The Hawks want a DT or TE and none present a good value at this point. For the mock sake, we can assume no trade is worked out. In that case, the Seahawks select DE Phillip Merling from Clemson. He is the 11 best player as ranked by NFL Draft Scout. He is 6'4" and can get to the QB. The Hawks have little depth at DE and considering that their defense revolves around pressure, that is risky. Following the Giants success, the Hawks take another Pass Rusher, because you can never have too many.
26	Jacksonville	Lawrence Jackson DE USC	mvn.com/nfl-jaguars
In this scenario, Jacksonville would likely package their first-rounder and one of their two third-rounders to trade up several spots if Phillip Merling makes it past the 20th pick. However, the Jaguars will settle on Lawrence Jackson out of USC. This might be a bit of a reach, but Jacksonville is desperate for defensive end help, and Jackson will come in right away and contribute. Last season, Jacksonville was one good pass-rusher away from beating the Patriots in the AFC playoffs. Tom Brady went 26 of 28 against the Jags, and then the next week he threw more interceptions (3) against the Chargers, than he did incompletions against the Jaguars. If Jacksonville had a player to apply more pressure, they likely beat the Pats and move on, but that wasn't the case. Jackson is a solid blend of size (275 lbs) and speed (4.8-4.7 40-yard dash) and has all the tools to be effective immediately. He has experience for a big program and could help push Jacksonville over the top. The Jaguars might try to trade out of the pick because they would likely be reaching for a DE at the 26th pick, and if Merling did fall, the Jags would likely make a play to trade up in the draft. However, the Jaguars are fine landing Jackson and will hope he can bolster their pass-rush.
27	San Diego	DeSean Jackson WR Cal	bolthype.com
The Chargers are so loaded that they can take the best player available at just about any position. Sure they have needs and would certainly be looking for depth on the offensive and defensive lines, but the Chargers currently have precious few draft picks and need to maximize their value. Chargers GM AJ Smith has stated he is looking at all positions except Tight End, Quarterback, and Kicker/Punter. So if at pick 27 wide receiver Desean Jackson was still on the board, he could easily hear his name called by the San Diego Chargers. Jackson is arguably one of the best 15 prospects in this draft class regardless of position and would present tremendous value if he were available at the bottom of the first round. While the Chargers may not need many more pass catchers on the team, there is no denying that Desean Jackson is an absolute terror with the ball in his hands and could immediately contribute in the return game. Coach Norv Turner would also love to have Jackson's speed on the field because his system is a down-field passing attack which places a premium on guys who can fly. The Chargers are trying to capitalize on their window of opportunity to win a championship and need guys who can help them win games right now. With the way this mock draft played out, Desean Jackson is an easy pick to make.
28	Dallas	Mario Manningham WR Michigan	bloggingtheboys.com
Mario Manningham fills a want and a need with aging receivers (T.O. and Terry Glenn) at the top of the Cowboys roster. It's all about the goods and Manningham has them. He will go and get the ball; he's got speed and the ability to separate. If it weren't for Appalachian State's blocked field goal, we'd still be talking about Manningham's amazing 46-yard catch to set up the game-winning field goal. His combine times were slow but his game film and Pro Day times weren't (one scout clocked him at 4.38). Dallas really wanted to pickup one of the top corners on the board in the first round, but the corners with first-round grades were all gone by their initial pick at #22. Devin Thomas was also a consideration here but he's only done it for one year while Manningham has proved his worth over his career at Michigan.
29	San Francisco (From Indy)	Gosder Cherilus OT Boston College	ninersnation.com
The 49ers offensive line was one of several areas they needed to improve this offseason. Defensive line and wide receiver remain issues that could be addressed with this pick, but I believe one of them can be handled in the second round. A big guy like Cherilus would not reach the 49ers in the second round and needs to be grabbed here. Cherilus played left tackle his senior year, but spent his first three years of college at right tackle, which appears to be his natural position. Offseason discussion has centered on moving second year standout Joe Staley to the blind side and after losing Justin Smiley to free agency and Larry Allen to likely retirement, depth is thin on the line in general. Drafting Cherilus would allow the Staley move and add some depth to a 2007 weakness.
30	Green Bay	Kentwan Balmer DT North Carolina
The Packers would prefer to address an aging secondary but with Balmer on the board, they go with the best player available. Balmer has top 15 talent but has slid in the draft because of bigger fish to fry for most teams picking ahead of the Packers. Balmer is big, strong and can play in a 4-3 or 3-4. I expect teams to be trying to move into this spot to get Balmer, don't be surprised if someone else makes this pick. Either way, Balmer goes here if the draft falls this way.
31	New England	Forfeit pick
32	NY Giants	Kenny Phillips S Miami	www.bigblueview.com
If the draft really does break this way, it would be a dream for the Giants. They would get to choose between Phillips, a safety who can probably help them right away, and linebackers Dan Connor (Penn State) and Jerod Mayor (Tennessee), since they need help at both spots. My choice here is Phillips. The Giants have only veteran Sammy Knight, adequate at best James Butler, and the still developing Michael Johnson at safety. They need a big-time playmaking safety, and Phillips is the best one in this draft. Phillips comes a school with a reputation for producing outstanding safeties -- see Bennie Blades, Ed Reed, Sean Taylor and Brandon Meriweather. He should be the next in line, and is a perfect fit for what the Giants need.