The NFL officially released the names of the draft eligible underclassmen, and the landscape of the 2010 draft is starting to take shape.
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Teams are starting to identify which prospects potentially fill their most pressing needs, and are stacking their respective draft boards accordingly.
There is plenty of work to be done, as scouts still have college all-star games -- starting next week with Senior Bowl practices -- the combine and pro days to better evaluate the talent available. The result of those evaluations could cause the grades of the top prospects to rise or fall during the run up to the draft.
Regardless, it's never too early to look ahead to the draft, so here is my first mock draft of 2010 (*asterisk denotes underclassman):
| First-round mock draft | ||||
|
Team
|
Player
|
Pos.
|
College
|
Comment
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1.
Rams
|
DT
|
Nebraska
|
Uncertainty at the quarterback position will force the
Rams to consider
Sam Bradford, but Suh is too talented to pass up.
|
|
|
2.
Lions
|
OT
|
Oklahoma St.
|
The
Lions desperately need a franchise-caliber offensive tackle to protect
Matthew Stafford's blindside.
|
|
|
3.
Buccaneers
|
DT
|
Oklahoma
|
The Bucs haven't had a dominating interior player since Warren Sapp manned the middle.
|
|
|
4.
Redskins
|
OT
|
Oklahoma
|
Chris Samuels' injury makes acquiring a top tackle a priority, and Williams' ability to play on either side makes him an intriguing prospect.
|
|
|
5.
Chiefs
|
DE/LB
|
Georgia Tech
|
A legitimate pass rusher on the edge would greatly improve a pass rush that ranked 31st in the league with just 22 sacks.
|
|
|
6.
Seahawks
|
DE
|
Florida
|
Pete Carroll's defensive background will compel him to grab an explosive edge rusher to lead the
Seahawks' resurgence.
|
|
|
7.
Browns
|
OT
|
Rutgers
|
Mike Holmgren immediately looks to upgrade the team's offense by nabbing an athletic tackle to pair with
Pro Bowler
Joe Thomas.
|
|
|
8.
Raiders
|
DE
|
South Fla.
|
Al Davis' infatuation with speed and athleticism makes Pierre-Paul the ideal choice for the Silver and Black.
|
|
|
9.
Bills
|
OT
|
Maryland
|
The
Bills are in desperate need of a franchise QB, but their offensive line woes would make it tough for any signal-caller to survive or thrive in the pocket.
|
|
|
10.
Jaguars
|
Brian Price*
|
DT
|
UCLA
|
Jack Del Rio needs a bed rock in the middle to help his defense return to the ranks of the elite.
|
|
11.
Broncos
|
Rolando McClain*
|
LB
|
Alabama
|
A rugged interior defender in the center of the
Broncos' 3-4 would allow
D.J. Williams to act as a playmaker.
|
|
12.
Dolphins
|
Sergio Kindle
|
LB
|
Texas
|
Joey Porter and Jason Taylor are at the end of their careers, so finding an athletic edge rusher is paramount.
|
|
13.
49ers
|
S
|
Tennessee
|
The
49ers' emerging defense needs a ball hawk like Berry in the middle of the field to ascend to the next level.
|
|
|
14.
Seahawks
|
OT
|
USC
|
A QB like
Jimmy Clausen or
Sam Bradford would be intriguing choices here, but Seattle's injuries along the O-line will makes
Pete Carroll's former player a safe pick.
|
|
|
15.
Giants
|
LB
|
Florida
|
The loss of Antonio Pierce robbed the
Giants of a leader in the middle, and contributed to the defense's woeful finish.
|
|
|
16.
49ers
|
CB
|
Florida
|
Mike Singletary fortifies the defense by adding another playmaker to the secondary.
|
|
|
17.
Titans
|
DE
|
USC
|
The
Titans must replace aging pieces on the edge (Javon Kearse and Kyle Vanden Bosch), and Griffen flashes the potential to be a double-digit sack artist.
|
|
|
18.
Steelers
|
CB
|
Florida St.
|
The
Steelers' suspect secondary repeatedly cost them down the stretch, so
Mike Tomlin shores up one side of the field.
|
|
|
19.
Falcons
|
Navorro Bowman*
|
LB
|
Penn St.
|
Mike Smith needs a playmaker at the weakside linebacker spot, and Bowman's athleticism fits the bill.
|
|
20.
Texans
|
S
|
Texas
|
The former Longhorn would give the
Texans' secondary a serious jolt with his speed and range in the middle.
|
|
|
21.
Bengals
|
WR
|
Oklahoma St.
|
Marvin Lewis would love to add a talent like Bryant to his offense to alleviate the pressure on
Carson Palmer and Chad Ochocinco.
|
|
|
22.
Patriots
|
LB
|
Clemson
|
Sapp's presence should bolster a pass rush that was virtually non-existent this season.
|
|
|
23.
Packers
|
RB
|
California
|
The best runner in the draft falls into
Packers' lap, and his talent is too enticing for
Mike McCarthy to bypass despite a pressing need at tackle.
|
|
|
24.
Eagles
|
S
|
USC
|
Andy Reid underestimated the impact of losing Brian Dawkins in the back end, so he nabs Mays to become the new anchor of the secondary.
|
|
|
25.
Ravens
|
WR
|
Illinois
|
The
Ravens' passing game needs a playmaker to help
Joe Flacco continue his development as the franchise quarterback.
|
|
|
26.
Cardinals
|
QB
|
Oklahoma
|
Ken Whisenhunt opts for Bradford over Matt Leinart as Kurt Warner's eventual replacement.
|
|
|
27.
Cowboys
|
OT
|
Iowa
|
Flozell Adams' declining skills make it necessary for Jerry Jones to find a replacement at left tackle.
|
|
|
28.
Chargers
|
RB
|
Clemson
|
The
Chargers officially announce the end of the L.T era with the arrival of the ultra-explosive Spiller.
|
|
|
29.
Jets
|
WR
|
USC
|
Rex Ryan hopes that Williams quickly renews his chemistry with
Mark Sanchez to give the
Jets a lethal passing combination.
|
|
|
30.
Vikings
|
DT
|
Alabama
|
The
Vikings add Cody to their defensive line rotation as a possible replacement for 37-year-old Pat Williams.
|
|
|
31.
Saints
|
OT
|
West Virginia
|
The
Saints would love to upgrade their linebacker corps with a talented playmaker, but Capers fills a pressing need along the offensive line.
|
|
|
32.
Colts
|
DT
|
Penn State
|
The hardworking Odrick is an ideal fit as an interior player in the
Colts' scheme, and his presence will help shore up the team's woes against the run.
|
|
