#
|
Team
|
Projected Pick
|
Actual Pick
|
Comments
|
1
|
Miami
|
OT Jake
Long
|
OT Jake
Long
|
The
Dolphins had Long signed sealed and delivered heading into the draft.
Long certainly fills a huge need on the Dolphins' leaky offensive line
. Long also probably represents the safest pick among the players the
Dolphins were considering. Still, there aren't many teams around the
league with Long at the top of their draft boards. Indeed, there are
real questions whether Long will be able to handle NFL speed rushers at
LT. The Dolphins also don't appear to have been able to do much with
the leverage the team with the top pick has prior to the draft as Long
ended up getting over $30 mil guaranteed over just 5 years. Pretty good
for a guy who is no lock to play LT at the pro level.
|
2
|
St. Louis
|
DE Chris
Long
|
DE Chris
Long
|
Rams
appear to go for need over grade in selecting Long over LSU DT Glenn
Dorsey who most teams reportedly have as the #1 player on their board.
Certainly, the Rams get a character kid who goes hard every down, but
may lack the pure athleticism that usually characterizes top picks at
the position. |
3
|
Atlanta
|
DT Glenn
Dorsey
|
QB Matt
Ryan
|
Michael
Who! Falcons also pass on LSU's Dorsey to go after only real potential
franchise QB in 2008 draft, although not many teams have Ryan graded
out as highly as other top players at the postion over the past decade
or so. Interceptions and accuarcy are concerns, but Ryan is another
character player with good size, decent arm strength and excellent
leadership intangibles.
|
4
|
Oakland
|
RB Darren
McFadden
|
RB Darren
McFadden
|
Al Davis
broke the heart of the Jets' fans who, with Dorsey still on the board,
had a glimmer of hope that McFadden might fall to them. In the end,
Davis probably just could not bring himself to pass on McFadden because
he'd never forgive himself if the former Razorback went elsewhere and
ended up tearing up the league. Of course, it doesn't hurt that
McFadden is a 210-plus pounder with the kind of seed usually reserved
for CBs - or Olympic sprinters.
|
5
|
Kansas City
|
DT Glenn
Dorsey
|
DT Glenn
Dorsey
|
Jared Who!
Tomorrow morning all 32 teams in the league will proclaim they couldn't
believe their guy was there wnen then made their pick. The Chiefs, who
likely never dreamed that Dorsey, arguably the top player overall, will
probably be the only ones that really mean it.
|
6
|
New York
Jets
|
DE Vernon
Gholston
|
DE Vernon
Gholston
|
Nice
consolation prize for the Jets who didn't get McFadden but get a
potentially explosive edge rusher to juice up their 3-4 scheme. It also
doesn't hurt that Gholston was likely the guy that the hated Patriots
wanted one picks later. Interesting that Golston will get to face #1
pick Jake Long a couple of times a year after they battled each
year in the annual OSU-Michian shootout.
|
7
|
New
Orleans (from New England)
|
DT Sedrick
Ells (to New Orleans)
|
DT Sedrick
Ellis
|
Nice
consolation prize for the Saints who worked the phones to try and move
up to get hometown hero Glenn Dorsey, but get the next best thing in
Ellis, another guy who leaves nothing on the field.
|
8
|
Jacksonville
(from Baltimore)
|
CB Leodis
McKelvin
|
DE Derrick
Harvey
|
Look out
Peyton and Tom. Jags figure their close but with the road to the Super
Bowl in the AFC running through Indy and New England. Harvey is another
relentless type with a quick first step but isn't overly explosive.
Jacksonville had to give up a pair of threes and a fourth to move up
that far.
|
9
|
Cincinnati
|
LB Keith
Rivers
|
LB Keith
Rivers
|
Bengals
had hopes that that either Ellis or Harvey would be there, and had to
settle for a pretty good LB, although probably not the impact defender
that either Ellis or Harvey have the potential to be.
|
10
|
New
England (from New Orleans)
|
CB Leodis
McKelvin
|
LB Jerod
Mayo
|
First real
surprise pick in the 2008 draft; Mayo was one of the fastest risers in
the draft and fills a major need for the Patriots, however, they passed
on some great prospects to get him; indeed, could the Patriots have
traded down a few more spots and still gotten Mayo. |
11
|
Buffalo
|
WR Devin
Thomas
|
CB Leodis
McKelvin
|
Bills who
have gone off the board in recent years to draft for need stick with
the board and grab the top CB in this year's draft, McKelvin isn't
going to pick off a lot of passes but he can run with just about any
receiver and can be physical if needed.
|
12
|
Denver
|
OT Branden
Albert
|
OT Ryan
Clady
|
Right
position; wrong player. Interesting choice as both players were pretty
evenly rated but Albert is the more physical, while Clady is the more
athletic and perhaps a more guaranteed prospect at LT. Clady might also
be a better fit in the Denver system, but brings some maturity issues.
|
13
|
Carolina
|
OT Branden
Albert
|
RB
Jonathan Stewart
|
You knew
someone was going to take Stewart sooner rather than later who likely
would have been a top 5-10 pick if it weren't for the toe injury. What
the Panthers get is a big back with speed who can catch the ball, but
there are some durability questions. If he's healthy the Panthers may
have a real steal, although passing on an OL like Albert was probably
tough. |
14
|
Chicago
|
OT Branden
Albert
|
OT Chris
Williams
|
Bit of a
surprise as Williams reportedly wasn't as highly rated as some of the
other OTs still on the board but was clealy the best pure LT
still around. Still an odd choice in some ways for the Bears who are
still goin to need the run, however, Williams is not known as a
particulalry physical drive blocker, although with long arms and
reasonably athletic feet is a potential shut down pass blocker
|
15
|
Kansas
City (from Detroit)
|
CB D
Rodgers-Cromartie
|
OT Branden
Albert
|
Great job
by the Chiefs to get Albert who they probably were on the verge of
taking until Dorsey showed up at #5.
|
16
|
Arizona
|
RB Rashard
Mendenhall
|
Dominique
Rodgers-Cromartie
|
Six of
one, half a dozen of another as Cardinals get a choice between RB
Mendenhall and CB Rodgers-Cromartie who they likely didn't expect to be
there. RBs though can be a dime a dozen; cover corners are worth their
weight in gold.
|
17
|
Detroit
(from Minnesota thru KC)
|
RB Rashard
Mendenhall
|
OT Gosder
Cherilus
|
Lions
desperately needed a RT and got a big one in Cherilus. Also have to
like what the Lions did in moving down and
getting an extra pick, but time will tell whether passing on a
potential star RB like Mendenhall who might have made Lions' fans
forget Barry Sanders wasn't another draft day mistake in Detroit.
|
18
|
Baltimore
(from Houston)
|
RB Rashard
Mendenhall
|
QB Joe
Flacco
|
If at
first you don't succeed...the Ravens of course made a big move in
moving up to get Kyle Boller in 2004, and went back to the well once
more with a couple of convoluted trades to
|
19
|
Carolina
(from Philadelphia)
|
OT Jeff
Otah
|
OT Jeff
Otah
|
Right
player; wrong team! Panthers passed on OT at #13 but moved up from mid
second round to get last quality OL on board. Panthers, though paid way
too much giving up a 2009 first rounder plus a pair of other picks this
year.
|
20
|
Tampa Bay
|
WR Devin
Thomas
|
DB Aqib
Talib
|
Bucs'
coach Jon Gruden has a reputation of being willng to take a chance on a
player with character questions and he gets one in Talib. Based on pure
talent, Talib was easily the best player on the board, but there are
plenty of red flags including a somewhat spotty work ethic.
|
21
|
Atlanta
(from Washington)
|
WR Devin
Thomas
|
OT Sam
Baker
|
Talk about
a run on a position; Baker becomes the 7th OT taken in the first 21
picks and the 6th in the past 10 selection. On paper, Baker looks like
the kind of player who would have lasted a few more picks, but Falcons
may have felt they needed to jump the Steelers to get him. Baker has
good feet, but isn't very physical and doesn't always play with a real
passion.
|
22
|
Dallas
(from Cleveland)
|
RB Rashard
Mendenhall
|
RB Felix
Jones
|
Jones has
been slotted in this spot literally since day one; and with Mendenhall
still on the board just shows that Arkansas blood is thicker than
something.
|
23
|
Pittsburgh
|
RB Rashard
Mendenhall
|
RB Rashard
Mendenhall
|
Steelers
had bigger needs but went with the best player available who just
happens to give them some depth at the position with Willie Parker
coming back from injury.
|
24
|
Tennessee
|
WR Devin
Thomas
|
RB Chris
Johnson
|
You can't
teach speed and Johnson is one of the fastest players - and likely the
fastest back - to come into the NFL ever. Period. Johnson isn't overly
physical but he'll be the lightning to LenDale White's thunder. Pick
will provide plenty of fodder for debate given the fact the Titans have
taken some hits in free agency but a case can be made that Johnson just
might bring Tennessee closer to the big dance than other players still
on the board.
|
25
|
Dallas
(from Seattle)
|
DT Kentwan
Balmer
|
CB Mike
Jenkins
|
Not a very
neighborly thing as Jerry Jones and the Cowboys' jumped Houston to get
Jenkins. And that fills the Cowboys other big need.
|
26
|
Houston
(from Jacksonville thru Baltimore)
|
CB Brandon
Flowers
|
OT Duane
Brown
|
The Texans
had a shot at Pitt OT Jeff Otah with the 18th pick, but passed as there
are questions whether Otah has LT potential. No question the athletic
Brown has that LT potential, but still looks like something of a reach,
although he clearly was a player on the rise heaing into the draft.
|
27
|
San Diego
|
CB Brandon
Flowers
|
CB Antoine
Cason
|
Nice late
round pick of a player who should be able to come in and contribute as
a nickle right away.
|
28
|
Seattle
(from Dallas)
|
DT Kentwan
Balmer
|
DE
Lawrence Jackson
|
Seattle
didn't have a lot of holes to fill heading into the draft and may not
have filled anything with this pick. Jackson plays hard and has long
arms but isn't very fast or quick for a 270-pound DE.
|
29
|
San
Francisco (from Indianapolis)
|
WR Devin
Thomas
|
DT Kentwan
Balmer
|
The 49ers
had to address an undermanned DL, but Balmer is something of an odd
pick in that the 49ers run a 3-4 deense and Balmer doesn't appear to be
either at prototype NT and lacks the quickness to play DE.
|
30
|
NY Jets
(from Green Bay)
|
CB Brandon
Flowers
|
TE Dustin
Keller
|
'We traded
up for who?' was the cry of Jets fans at the draft. However, Keller who
is really a bulked up WR should provide whoever the Jets go with at QB
a nice target who can get into the seams. Don't expect him to do much
blocking though.
|
31
|
New England
|
|
Pick
forfeited
|
|
32
|
New York
Giants
|
FS Kenny
Phillips
|
FS Kenny
Phillips
|
The streak
is alive as Giants fill need with nice value pick. |