You know that feeling after Christmas comes and goes, and you’re just having fun with your gifts?  Thats feeling I have right now. Being a Giants fan, I’m just relishing in the idea of all these draft picks contributing to another Giants postseason run. Thats right people. Get used to hearing “Manning to Hicks” for the next few seasons. But enough about my team, I want to talk to about all the teams and how they did in this year’s draft. My grades are always fair. In my eyes, if a team met every need, then thats at least a C depending on the quality of the players at the position of need. For example, the Raiders needed a strong safety in the second round and took someone that should not have been selected until the 5th round. That kind of stuff gets you an F, whereas the Browns very shrewdly traded down three times to get Alex Mack, a position of need. So here we go.  Let the grading begin.

Arizona Cardinals – The Cards really didn’t address all their needs and could have drafted an outside linebacker or two. I don’t know if they really needed to take two defensive backs in the third and fourth rounds. Chris Wells is a great pickup at 31 and he’ll be a good replacement for Edgerrin James. C-

Atlanta Falcons – Mike Smith knows defense and he did a great job in the draft securing players that the team really needed. Peria Jerry was a great pickup along the defensive line and William Moore should add some depth to the secondary. B

Baltimore Ravens – Ozzie Newsome doesn’t like to address his team’s needs in the draft so its hard to judge what he’s been able to do in the draft. I would’ve liked him to take a wide receiver because Derrick Mason is getting up there in age and their other receivers aren’t really gamebreakers. Michael Oher is a great player with a great story, and they got great value in Cedric Peerman in the sixth round. B-

Buffalo Bills – The Bills had a lot of needs and they didn’t address them all. I liked the fact that they got Aaron Maybin and traded back into the first round to take Eric Wood but what I like the most is that they drafted Nic Harris, who could become a very good linebacker with the right coaching. They could have taken a running back because Marshawn Lynch is suspended for the first three games of the season. C+

Carolina  Panthers – The Panthers didn’t address their need at backup quarterback and they need depth at wide receiver but for a team without a first round pick, I thought they did well. They got great value in the fourth and fifth rounds by taking Mike Goodson from Texas A&M and Duke Robinson from Oklahoma (who happens to be related to Smokey Robinson). C+

Chicago Bears – I really like what the Bears did in the draft because they didn’t have a day one pick at all. Juaquin Iglesias is one of the best route runners in college football, Marcus Freeman is very versatile and DJ Moore is an above average defensive back. B+

Cincinnati Bengals – The Bengals got a little lucky but took advantage of everyone passing on Rey Maualuga. Rey Rey is going to be good playing alongside his former Trojan teammate, Keith Rivers. I think Andre Smith is a better run blocker but will pick up the slack quickly. Outside of Chase Coffman, I don’t think any of their other picks will have huge impacts for a while. B-

Cleveland Browns – The Browns had a smart draft. They didn’t address all their needs, but they tried to and they got some smart players. Kaluka Maiava flew under the radar at USC with all their linebackers and he comes from a great pedigree. His uncle is The Rock. Brian Robiskie and Mohammed Massaquoi were solid picks at wide receiver, which leads me to believe the Browns are still trying to trade Braylon Edwards. B+

Dallas Cowboys – I hate Dallas as much any other team but I have to admit, they draft well. A lot of their starters have been drafted in the later rounds including Tashard Choice, Marion Barber, Patrick Crayton, just to name a few. We may not be able to name a lot of the guys they drafted (all of whom were taken in the 3rd round or later) but they met all their needs and I wouldn’t be surprised if those players turned out to be important parts of the Cowboys organization. A

Denver Broncos – I will continue to say it. The Broncos are stupid for taking Knowshon Moreno. They didn’t even need a running back but they took one anyway. What they needed was a pass rusher and they let Everette Brown pass by them several times. They didn’t address their needs at safety and on special teams. I will give them credit for Alphonso Smith, Robert Ayers and Kenny McKinley, but not too much credit. C-

Detroit Lions – Its hard not to like what the Lions did. I don’t think the Brandon Pettigrew pick was smart, but they don’t really have a threat at tight end. I would have gone with a pass rusher in that spot. Derrick Williams wasa  good pickup and he should have some success the way other young receivers have had in Denver. B

Green Bay Packers – The Packers didn’t have too many needs but they went above and beyond expectations. BJ Raji was a no-brainer but trading back into the first round to take Clay Matthews was very smart. Matthews comes from a strong football background and could be a cornerstone for that franchise for years. B+

Houston Texans – I understand why the Texans wouldn’t want to take a running back early on, but to not take one at all bothers me because they do need someone to split carries with Steve Slaton. Also they aren’t very deep at wide receiver and they didn’t take one. C-

Indianapolis Colts – The Colts needed a linebacker and didn’t take one. Donald Brown was a good pick up but Rey Maualuga was there and he doesn’t really fit into that Tony Dungy style of defense but Jim Caldwell is calling the shots now. Fili Moala was also a solid pick because it gives them a different look up the middle on defense. Moala could help free up some blockers from Freeney and Mathis. B-

Jacksonville Jaguars – For a team that seemed to be interested in taking Mark Sanchez, they didn’t address any need at quarterback. I also like the value they’d be getting from Tiquan Underwood from Rutgers. Not too many people hear about him because of Kenny Britt but he’s talented. C

Kansas City Chiefs – In my mind, the Chiefs blew a chance to take a really good player in Aaron Curry. I can understand why they would want to take a pass rusher but Tyson Jackson is not a top five pick, and you don’t waste the third overall pick on a guy who’s not top five material. Jackson’s good, but not that good. If you can trade down and still get him, do it. The Chiefs also neglected to take a linebacker or a safety, two positions they needed to address. D

Miami Dolphins – The Dolphins did well, bringing in Vontae Davis late in the first round and getting Pat White in the second. The Dolphins used that Wildcat formation well and will be adding a new look with White. I also think that getting some depth at wide receiver was a good idea with Brian Hartline. I think they could have taken a defensive end to replace Vonnie Holliday, but they might be able to bring back Jason Taylor. A

Minnesota Vikings – The Vikings addressed all their needs, they brought in Percy Harvin, who can be great if he stays out of trouble. I like Jasper Brinkley, and Phil loadholt wll join his former Sooner teammate Adrian Peterson. Good draft. B+
New England Patriots – I think Patrick Chung might have been taken a little too early, but thats my only issue. Darius Butler was a solid pick and Bill Belichick always finds guys that are versatile. B+

New York Jets – The Jets were the talk of the draft. Sanchez is a great pick for them. He’s marketable, he’s a great player, and he’s a leader. I don’t know if that’s going to translate into wins, but he’ll work out. The Jets’ aggressiveness didn’t allow them to draft a wide receiver, which is what they really needed, but I like what they did to get Shonn Greene, even though it might have been a bit much. A+

New York Giants – Hakeem Nicks is a great pick. Rhett Bomar might have been unncessary but he was once one of the best high school quarterbacks in the country, and his own stupidity cost him his position at Oklahoma. He’ll develop into a very good backup. The Giants filled all their needs. Clint Sintim reminds me of Mathius Kiwanuka because he’s a linebacker that could also play on the line. William Beatty could develop into a good right tackle to eventually replace McKenzie, Ramses Barden is a project but he’s 6’6″ and Stoney Woodson got rave reviews from his old coach, Steve Spurrier.  A

Oakland Raiders – I think Al Davis forgets that he owns a football team and thinks its track and field. I don’t care if Darius Heyward-Bey ran a 3.62 40 yard dash, Michael Crabtree was the best receiver in this year’s draft and they passed on him. And then to make matters worse, they drafted some safety no one knows. F

Philadelphia Eagles – I have to hand it to the Eagles. They know how to draft. They got valuable players all throughout the draft. LeSean McCoy is like another Brian Westbrook, Victor Harris is a very good defensive back and can play both corner and safety, and Cornelius Ingram could have very well been a first round pick, or at least the first tight end taken if he had been completely healthy. A+

Pittsburgh Steelers – Its hard to stay on top when a team is usually drafting in the late first round. The Steelers needed corners and receivers to replace Bryant McFadden and Nate Washington and they got guys to put in those spots. A

San Diego Chargers – The Charfers passed on a special player in Rey Maualuga but so did everyone else. Between Larry English, Demetrius Byrd, and Kevin Ellison, the Chargers had a solid draft. B

San Francisco 49ers – The Niners got the steal of the draft with Crabtree at 10. I think Nate Davis is a good pick because it gives them someone to develop if Shaun Hill goes south and Alex Smith continues to underachieve. Ricky Jean-Francois is a very good defensive tackle even though I think he should have stayed in school for another year, and Glen Coffee is another one of those Alabama running backs like Darren McFadden and Felix Jones. B+

Seattle Seahawks – Even though the Seahawks didn’t necessarily need Aaron Curry, it was a good pick and now they have a very good linebacking corps. Mike Teel was a good pickup and he’ll learn well behind Matt Hasselbeck. Max Unger can play both center and tackle, so that should be fun for the team, and Deon Butler is a speedster. B-

St. Louis Rams – Outside of Jason Smith and James Laurinaitis, the Rams draft was pretty average. C+

Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Josh Freeman was what they needed but I don’t like the fact that they didn’t get anyone to replace Warrick Dunn or Derrick Brooks… not that it would be easy to do. B-

Tennessee Titans – Kenny Britt was a great pick for them, and they took another Rutgers product in Jason McCourty. I’ve seen Jared Cook in action and I like what I see from him. B

Washington Redskins – The Redskins were patient and got a steal in Brian Orakpo. He should have been a top five pick but I guess the Chiefs like Jackson better. The Browns valued a center more and traded down and it ended up becoming the perfect storm for the Skins. They address their need at linebacker and the Skins defense should be very solid. B

There were a few guys I’m surprised didn’t get drafted. Rudy Carpenter, Cullen Harper, Chase Daniel, Graham Harrel, Brian Hoyer, and John Parker Wilson are all solid quarterbacks. Some of them were Heisman candidates at one point. PJ Hill, Marlon Lucky, Ian Johnson, Brandon Ore, and Kory Sheets were very productive running backs. Lucky had a great week at the Senior Bowl. Quan Cosby, Jon Cooper, and Alex Boone are all names we’ve heard. Darry Beckwith, Dannell Ellerbe, and Worrell Williams were productive and could produce in the NFL on special teams. Kevin Ogletree was a guy I watched throughout high school and college, I really hope he gets a look and maybe signs on somewhere as undrafted free agent. Maybe all of these guys can catch on somewhere. Some of the NFL’s best players have been undrafted free agents.

Alright so its not secret that the Lions at this point were going to take Matthew Stafford so here’s a pick by pick rundown of my thoughts as the draft is happening… kinda like Twitter, but slower.

4:13pm - Well, the Rams just took Jason Smith from Baylor. Isn’t really a shock. They needed a lineman to protect Marc Bulger. Next up is the Chiefs.

4:23pm – This is why the Chiefs suck. They take players like Tyson Jackson this early. At one point, Jackson wasn’t even a top 10 pick. Don’t get my wrong. He’s good. Maybe the best pass rusher in this year’s draft. But they could have traded down to get him. And I really disagree with passing on Aaron Curry. That kid is a player, and he’s one of those high character guys. Maybe the Bengals could use him if the Seahawks take Sanchez.

4:31pm – The Seahawks lucked out with Curry here. Now the Jets could trade up to take Sanchez at 8. Browns are on the clock.

4:39pm – I love the way Keyshawn Johnson is going nuts about the Jets taking Mark Sanchez. This choice confuses me a bit. They need a quarterback, but Sanchez is inexperienced. I think he’s ready though. Now they have to get him some targets.

4:45pm – The Browns didn’t get much from the Jets for that pick. Brett Ratliff is a backup quarterback, Abram Elam is decent, and Coleman is a body. Then again, two picks and three players for one pick is the kind of thing Mike Tannenbaum likes to do. This pick might affect what the Giants do.

4:48pm – I don’t like the fact that Eugene Monroe is still on the board, and it makes sense that the Bengals would take the guy with the character issues. Oh yeah, and one of his weaknesses is pass blocking. Carson Palmer’s knee is already shaking.

4:54pm – Holy crap. Al Davis is dead. He has to be. There’s no way Davis could have let Michael Crabtree get past him. The Raiders are stupid. ITS MICHAEL CRABTREE!!!! This is why the Raiders suck. Jags on the clock. I like Monroe here but it’ll be tough for them to pass on Crabtree too.

5:03pm – Eugene Monroe’s bracelet is sick. I think it’s worth the price of my car. The Jags are getting a damn good blocker here. I don’t know how smart is would be to pass up on Crabtree. The Packers don’t really need him as much as they need BJ Raji.

5:07pm – So the Packers pick isn’t in yet, but the way BJ Raji’s family is going crazy, I think its a foregone conclusion. This is probably the smartest pick of the day or at least the smartest pick since the Rams at number 2. The Packers are moving to a 3-4 and need a run stuffer, especially in the NFC North. Here comes the real test. The 49ers need a defensive end but they won’t pass up on Crabtree. I’m surprised Brian Orakpo is still on the board.

5:17pm – It looks like Crabtree is on the phone with the Niners.

5:19pm – Niners took Crabtree. Good pick, even though I would’ve liked for them to take Brian Orakpo.

5:22pm – It looks like Aaron Maybin is on the phone with the Buffalo Bills. Umm, I’m pretty sure Brian Orakpo, A BETTER PROSPECT, in on the board.

5:24pm – Don’t get me wrong. I like Maybin. He’s good. But Brian Orakpo is there. By the way, Maybin tried get a handshake from what looked like his dad and he was left hanging. I thought that was funny.

5:29pm – Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. The Broncos are stupid. Very stupid. Sooooo stupid. Whats wrong with you, Denver? Knowshon Moreno? YOU NEED DEFENSE, BUBBLEHEADS!!! DEEEEEE FENSE!!!

5:31pm - The Redskins wasted no time taking Orakpo. Thats a no brainer for them.

5:38pm – The Saints took Malcolm Jenkins here. I’m not mad at the pick.  I originally thought he was the best defensive back in the draft despite his lack of speed but he’s smart and he can hit. Beanie Wells wouldn’t be a bad pick for Houston as a complement to Steve Slaton.

5:43pm - The Houston Texans took the Jersey Boy. Bergen County star Brian Cushing. I really like this pick.

5:50pm - I like Larry English but I think the Chargers took him too soon. Especially with Rey Maualuga on the board. The Browns should capitalize on San Diego’s stupidity.

5:55pm - The Browns just traded down with Tampa Bay. Maybe the Bucs want to take Freeman now instead of waiting.

6:00pm – The Bucs did a good job here. Let Josh Freeman manage the game. He’s a big, mobile guy with a strong arm… a lot like Joe Flacco.

6:05pm – The Broncos make a good pick here by taking Robert Ayers, but they’re still stupid for wasting that other pick on Knowshon Moreno. On the bright side, the Eagles can’t take him.

6:09pm – The Browns traded down again. This time with the Eagles. I’m confused as to what  Cleveland is doing. The Eagles needed some help at wideout and took Jeremy Maclin. Good pick.

6:18pm – Is a tight end really going to help Matthew Stafford stay off the ground? Their next pick better be an offensive lineman.

6:24pm – Alex Mack to the Browns is a good pick but not at 21. They could have traded down again.

6:26pm – Wow. Minnesota making me a prophet. Except not on my last mock draft. I originally thought Percy Harvin would fall to the Vikings but I thought his stock would have fallen because of his durability and character issues.

6:34pm – The Ravens took Michael Oher and I think thats a really solid choice. He’s a great person and people don’t know as much about him as they should. Tremendous story behind this kid. Read the book called “The Blind Side”. This kid is awesome.

6:39pm – The Falcons pass on a good linebacker and take Peria Jerry from Ole Miss. They did need help at defensive tackle so I’m not mad at the pick.

6:46pm – Even though I don’t like Vontae Davis’ overall game, he can tackle, he’s fast, and he’s strong.

6:53pm - The Packers traded with the Pats to take Clay Matthews. Oddly enough, I thought that the Patriots would have taken Matthews, who comes from a great football family with Clay Matthews Sr, and Hall of Famer Bruce Matthews.

6:59pm – A rare mistake by Bill Polian. The Colts needed a defensive tackle and took a running back. Don’t get me wrong. He’s good but I don’t think they needed him.

7:03pm – The Bills did a good job taking Eric Wood here. Personally, I thought that Wood might have been around in the second round but I don’t think they wanted to take a chance.

7:07pm – The Giants took Hakeem Nicks. He’s big, he can get yards after the catch, and he’s a big play waiting to happen. I love this pick.

7:17pm – Kenny Britt to the Titans is smart. They needed a wideout and got one. Beanie Wells has to go to the Cards next.

7:25pm – The Cards have done a good job taking Beanie Wells. He’s a very tough power back that will provide a complement to Tim Hightower.

7:30pm – The Steelers got a great player in Ziggy Hood.  There’s nothing wrong with depth on the defensive line.

7:33pm – Even though James Laurinitis and Rey Maualuga are still there, the Lions took Louis Delmas. I don’t agree with it.

7:34pm – Back to back safeties going here. The Patriots took Patrick Chung. Again, I don’t like the fact that people are passing on two of the best linebackers in college football.

7:40pm – The Rams got great value in James Laurinaitis in the second round. Spags wouldn’t have let him go.

7:45pm – This is where the draft gets interesting and I stop commenting on every pick. Cleveland took Brian Robiskie is a very good receiver and I like what he can do.

7:57pm – I like what the Bengals have done. They bring together former teammates in Keith Rivers and Rey-Rey and get Maualuga here is great value.

8:04pm – The Pats just traded up with the Raiders. Best move of the night for the Raiders. Eben Britton was picked up by the Jags. Interesting discussion here. Who picks up Pat White. Hopefully, someone that wants to use him as a quarterback because he deserves it.

8:19pm – The Panthers took Everette Brown. They pretty much lucked out because I didnt think he’d get past the first round. Does this mean the end of the line for Julius Peppers?

8:28pm – The Dolphins took Pat White. I like this pick. They really ushered in the Wildcat plays this past season so I’d like to see how they use him.  The Giants just drafted Clint Sintim from Virginia. You can never have too many linebackers.

8:42pm – As the Bears trade their second round pick to  Seattle, people are once again baffled by the Raiders front office after drafting Michael Mitchell from Ohio. I watch a lot of college football. I watch the combine, and the Senior bowl. I read up on the pro days. This kid wasn’t at any of these. Why did the Raiders just draft him the second round?

8:56pm – It looks like the Browns are loading up on wide receivers after taking another one in Mohamed Massaquoi from Georgia. Hopefully this means that the Browns are planning on trading Braylon Edwards to the Giants.

9:04pm – LeSean McCoy just went to the Eagles. I guess he’ll be sort of a replacement for Corell Buckhalter or more like a Brian Westbrook alternate. I know they wanted Knowshon Moreno but McCoy is a good pick. He’s similar to Reggie Bush but less explosive and isn’t a threat on special teams.

9:27pm – The Colts needed a defensive tackle and got a good one in Fili Moala from USC. At one point, I thought Moala could be a first round pick.

9:37pm -The Giants just drafted an offensive lineman from UConn, William Beatty. I watched one game UConn played against Rutgers and he was playing left tackle. If they could move him to right tackle, he can learn under Kareem McKenzie, who’s getting up there in age.

So thats it for day one of the draft. There were a few surprises. I didnt think the Raiders front office could be any more stupid than they are. Josh McDaniels is in over his head and will be fired within three seasons. My boy KO Rey Mo was on the board way too long. The Giants and Jets did a good job on day one. Soon enough, I’ll have my draft grades up, so look out for that.

It seems like every time I think I’m done doing a mock draft, something happens and I’m left with no choice but to update it. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining. I love football to the point where the NFL Draft is my own personal Christmas.  I have to work the night before the draft this year so I won’t be attending it, but I’m still considering going to Day 2 of the draft. Thats really where the action is. Guys slipping farther than you thought they would, teams jockeying for position, players you might have watched for four or five years getting a look. Sometimes the story isn’t the big time prospect slipping from 4th to 14th, but its the redshirt junior wide receiver that went to your high school that you’d love to see get drafted. But I digress, the Eagles went out and traded their 28th overall pick (among other picks) to Buffalo for Jason Peters, the “best left tackle in football”. So who is Buffalo going to draft with that pick? Well, that’s what you’re here to find out. There also may be a few other changes I make to my mock draft that I wouldn’t have made before because I’m so damn stubborn. So here we go.

1. Detroit Lions – Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia – This is the constant. This pick will never change. Even if the Lions decide to take someone else, I’ll still have this pick here. And just to prove a point, I’ll say it again. You don’t pass on a franchise quarterback… especially after an 0-16 season.

2. St. Louis Rams – Jason Smith, OT, Baylor – Another constant, however there is some talk of Mark Sanchez possibly going this early. Someone said that Marc Bulger is declining and the Rams could opt to take a quarterback here. I disagree because there’s a lot of money invested in Bulger and putting a lot of money into another quarterback that won’t play doesn’t make sense. Good try though.

3. Kansas City Chiefs – Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest - I look at Curry as almost a Patrick Willis type of player. He’s going to make an immediate impact but I don’t know if his impact alone is going to make the team any better.

4. Seattle Seahawks - Mark Sanchez, QB, USC - I was trying to convince myself that the Seahawks wouldn’t take Sanchez here and that he’d fall to the Jets. I’m not even a Jets fan. But you know what? Hasselbeck is 34 years old and he’s been banged up the past few seasons. Maybe he has a few years left in him. Or maybe he doesn’t. The Seahawks don’t normally draft this high so they might as well pull the trigger on a future franchise quarterback while they can.

5. Cleveland Browns – Brian Orakpo, LB/DE, Texas - I think the idea is that Orakpo is looking to play more linebacker than defensive end so that he can fit into that Demarcus Ware/James Harrison mold where he’ll get a good amount of sacks. I like this for Orakpo. That kid has a motor.

6. Cincinnati Bengals – Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia -Its funny that a somewhat prolific aerial offense would take a guy that seems to be a better run blocker than pass blocker, but hey they need help along the offensive line.

7. Oakland Raiders – Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech – The Raiders offense would be pretty fun to watch with Jamarcus Russell, Darren McFadden, Michael Crabtree, and Johnny Lee Higgins. Like playing pitch and catch really.

8. Jacksonville Jaguars - Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri – Even though the Jaguars picked up Torry Holt, Maclin would be a solid pick here.

9. Green Bay Packers – B.J. Raji, DT, Boston College – This pick would be just as good of a defensive pick as taking AJ Hawk a few years back. Maybe the Packers should only take players who have initialed first names.

10. San Francisco 49ers – Everette Brown, DE, Florida St – The Niners don’t appear willing to trade up to take Sanchez especially since they’d have to trade into the top three to take him so they should stay right here and take a defensive end. Now, some people can make the argument that the Niners already have two good pass rushers, but if you look at what the Giants did two seasons ago by adding depth along the defensive line, this is a good idea.

11. Buffalo Bills – Andre Smith, OT, Alabama – The Bills were going to go offensive line here no matter what. It just so happens that they traded Jason Peters.

12. Denver Broncos – Brian Cushing, LB, USC – I wouldn’t put it past Denver to trade down here and maybe take a defensive tackle which is really what they need but Cushing is a decent value pick right here.

13. Washington Redskins – Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU – I like Jackson going to Denver because they also have a need for pass rushers but I think that Denver has to rebuild the defense on all three levels, which will allow Jackson to fall here to the Deadskins.

14. New Orleans Saints – Chris “Beanie” Wells, RB, Ohio St – Reggie Bush is going to benefit the most from Wells being on the team. Reggie’s best year statistically came when Deuce McAllister was in the backfield with him.

15. Houston Texans – Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois – Lately the knock on Davis has been his technique, but I think he’s a better corner prospect than Malcolm Jenkins. Does that make him a better defensive back? Not at all. In fact, I think if Jenkins were mainly a safety, he’d be a top 10 pick.

16. San Diego Chargers – Rey Maualuga, LB, USC – I’m personally starting a movement for his nickname to be changed to KO Rey Mo. Especially considering he’ll need a nickname to rival his soon to be teammate, Shawne “Lights Out” Merriman.

17. New York Jets – Josh Freeman, QB, Kansas St. – I think the Jets would be helping themselves a bit by trading up to take Mark Sanchez. The only problem is that with Sanchez likely landing in Seattle, it would take a lot to trade up to get him. So if the Jets don’t mind settling for Josh Freeman, they’ll take him. The good news is that Freeman is mobile, he has a strong arm, he’s big, and he’s used to making something out of nothing because he barely had an offense around him… kinda like Joe Flacco.

18. Denver Broncos – Aaron Maybin, DE, Penn St. – In one swoop, the Denver Broncos can change their defenses culture. They already went out and signed Brian Dawkins and even though he’s getting up there in age, he’s one of the league’s smartest defenders and he’s a leader. They can draft a really smart linebacker at 12, and take a very good pass rusher here at 18. They could take Tyson Jackson at 12, and then take James Laurinitis here. Who knows maybe they could even trade down to take Laurinitis.

19. Tampa Bay Bucanneers – Robert Ayers, DE, Tennessee – The Bucs would have to trade up to take a quarterback because the “big three” won’t be available to them. Ayers is a good value pick here, and maybe they could look to draft a quarterback in the second round like Pat White.

20. Detroit Lions – Michael Oher, OT, Ole Miss – A pass rusher would work well for the Lions but they any help along the offensive line would be appreciated by Matthew Stafford and Kevin Smith.

21. Philadelphia Eagles – Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia – This is a no-brainer, and Moreno is going to be close to home.

22. Minnesota Vikings – Eben Britton, OT, Arizona – Since the Eagles won’t need to take this guy at 28, the Vikings can take him. Percy Harvin’s stock dropped when people found out that he tested positive for marijuana at the combine. That, combined with his attitude, might scare the Vikings away.

23. New England Patriots – Malcolm Jenkins, CB/S, Ohio St. – Jenkins is a definate upgrade at either corner or safety for the Pats.

24. Atlanta Falcons – Clay Matthews, LB, USC – Clay Matthews is versatile and the Falcons have to address their need at linebacker.

25. Miami Dolphins – Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland – The Dolphins lack of depth at wide reciever is an obvious hole. I thought Heyward-Bey at one point could have been a top 15 pick, and he’d be good here.

26. Baltimore Ravens – Hakeem Nicks, WR, North Carolina – At this point, its hit or miss. Nicks is higher on most draft boards than Kenny Britt is, and Harvin went down because of his durability and attitude. Either way, the Ravens go wideout here, whether its Nicks or Britt.

27. Indianapolis Colts – Evander “Ziggy” Hood, DT, Missouri – This is a smart pick and Bill Polian is a notoriously good evaluator of talent.

28. Buffalo Bills – Larry English, DE, Northern Illinois – This late in the first round, there might not be too many offensive line prospects for the Bills to look at. I wouldn’t be surprised if they traded up to get a guy like Britton.

29. New York Giants – Kenny Britt, WR, Rutgers – If the Giants don’t make that trade for Braylon Edwards, Britt could be a possibility. As a matter of fact, they can get both. There are no other teams looking to trade with the Browns so the Giants could take advantage of that by offering a 2nd round pick and a 5th round pick. Edwards is coming off of a down year where he had a lot of drops. Combine that with the lack of suitors and the Giants could land a Pro Bowl caliber player and a kid with a lot of potential and still have 8 picks to work with.

30. Tennessee Titans – James Laurinitis, LB, Ohio St. – The Titans have a good defense but lack depth at linebacker. This would be a good pick to keep their guys fresh. This kid is tough, smart, and really instinctive.

31. Arizona Cardinals – LeSean McCoy, RB, Pittsburgh – The Cards might want to cut Edgerrin James, and McCoy is a touchdown machine. He’s a bit similar to Tim Hightower but the Cards are a passing team anyway. The only problem would be his pass blocking ability.

32. Pittsburgh Steelers – Percy Harvin, WR, Florida – Pittsburgh seems like an odd place for Harvin to land before they’re a tough, gritty no-nonsense organization, but Harvin would be coming from one winning program to another, and the Steelers have taken guys with questionable backgrounds before like Santonio Holmes. Plus, Harvin’s talent speaks for itself. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Steelers work on some gadget plays with Harvin in mind.

So there you have it. My final mock draft. Its now 3:22 am on Thursday morning. Here are a few things on my mind.

– The Lions are pretty close to signing Matthew Stafford, but stop the presses… Aaron Curry says he’ll take a pay cut to play in Detroit. Thats a first for me. He wants to take less money to play for a team that won zero games last season. Curry says he’d like to line up in between Julian Peterson, Ernie Sims and Demarcus Tyler, his high school teammate. I like the initiative, Aaron. He’s also a really nice guy. He invited a leukemia patient from Alabama as his personal guest at the NFL Draft. These are the stories I like to hear about. This are the things that make sports so great. I have a good friend of mine that barely cares about sports anymore because of athlete’s attitudes and I don’t blame him. I hope Aaron Curry is the first of many athletes that are genuinely good people.

Aaron Curry with Bryson Merriweather, a cancer patient from Alabama.

– A lot of times you hear stories about high school basketball players that don’t care about going to college and last year there was Brandon Jennings that didn’t want to go to college and instead chose to play basketball overseas until his was eligible to play in the NBA. Time will tell if his experiment worked but here’s a story thats a little different.  Jeremy Tyler is a high school junior thats deciding to skip his senior year of high school to play in Europe. Apparently, the competition isn’t up to his level and instead of transferring schools to play against tougher players, he’s skipping his senior year and college to play overseas. Personally, I look at these situations in case by case fashion because in some cases, college doesn’t help. Lebron James would not have gained anything from college, and the NCAA would have reaped all the benefits without Lebron seeing any of it. I like the way the NBA has it where players have to be one year removed from high school. It makes the college game so much better. In fact, I think that the NBA should employ the MLB’s way of doing things. If a player chooses to enter the draft, its up to that player. But if they go to college, they have to stay for at least three seasons. That way, the college game doesn’t suffer and the NBA gets quality players.  As far as Tyler goes, I’ve seen highlights of him and he’s NBA-ready right now. If playing against grown men helps him, then more power to him. Playing in Europe will be a learning experience and he can always go back to school.  I just hope some other kid that isn’t as good doesn’t try the same stunt and end up throwing away an education as well as a career.

Jeremy Tyler

– I hate catch-22′s. For example, I like Lebron James and he deserves every penny of his next contract. The problem is, his next contract won’t be coming from the Knicks. I’ve come to terms with that. Now, the Knicks are desperate to get under the cap to sign either Lebron (who will likely stay with his Eastern Conference powerhouse Cavaliers), Wade (who will either go to his hometown Bulls or stay in Miami), or Bosh (who shouldn’t be a number one go-to player). The Knicks are risking losing one or two players in David Lee and Nate Robinson to have a low payroll and have an opportunity to sign a big time free agent. What if they get way under the cap and don’t bring in any free agents? Then where are we?

– All I can say about my Mets is that the season is only 14 games old and there’s plenty of time for them to right the ship. This team is too talented to be playing the way they have been. On the bright side, at least they haven’t given up 22 runs, including 14 in the second inning.

– Lance Stephenson is starting to annoy me. At this point, is he really going to St. John’s or is that just a ploy to keep people interested? Just commit already and stop teasing fans the way Bryce Brown did to Miami fans!!!

– And finally, I think that everyone should take time to read about any pay homage to the 1936 Long Island University basketball team for standing up for what they felt was right and upholding their convictions as a team. They declined to play int he 1936 Olympics in Berlin because of Hitler’s oppression of the Jews, even though they would have been an easy favorite to win a gold medal. The team is being inducted into the Jewish Hall of Fame this Sunday on April 26th.

LIU's 1936 starting five.

Any questions or comments? Email me at s_talouis@yahoo.com. You can also listen to me on Keeping It Real Sports on Mondays from 7pm-9pm. For information, visit www.kirsnow.com and also visit www.showoffradio.net.

So the pro days are just about done, and with the Jay Cutler trade, there could be some changes made. There are also some rumblings about the 49ers looking at Mark Sanchez, but I’ll get into that later on.

On a more personal note, I think the Giants pulled the Plax plug a little too soon. I don’t think he’s going to do any jail time and the Giants aren’t a contender without him. However, I can see it from the Giants point of view. I see why they would cut him, but its almost as if they’re cutting off their nose to spite their face.

1. Detroit Lions – Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia – Live I’ve been saying, you can’t pass up on a potential franchise quarterback. I know the Lions could possibly take Jason Smith from Baylor. Taking a lineman number one overall worked out for the Dolphins. But the Dolphins also had Bill Parcells in the front office and a rejuvenated Chad Pennington fell into their laps. This is a completely different situation. This is a team with an inept front office, a first year head coach, and a lot of other issues. I know they’re afraid after the Joey Harrington debacle, but they need a quarterback.

2. St. Louis Rams – Jason Smith, OT, Baylor – The Rams essentially are an offensive line away from being a playoff team. You know going in that they’re going to run the ball so they’ll definately be addressing the line.

3. Kansas City Chiefs – Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest – Aaron Curry could really be the number one overall pick. He’s that good.

4. Seattle Seahawks – Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia – Whats all this about the Seahawks taking Mark Sanchez? Why do that when you have a very capable Matt Hasselbeck? They’ll have to pay Sanchez a lot to ride the bench for a few years. They could trade out of this spot to take a wideout, but if not Monroe is a solid pick here.

5. Cleveland Browns – Brian Orakpo, LB/DE, Texas – Orakpo’s versatility is what makes him so attractive. Mangini shouldn’t have the same excuses with him that he did with Vernon Gholston.

6. Cincinnati Bengals – Andre Smith, OT, Alabama – The Bengals always take guys with questionable backgrounds. Why should this pick be any different?

7. Oakland Raiders – Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech – Al Davis will not, I repeat, WILL NOT, pass up on a chance to take Crabtree if he’s there. Then again, what the hell do I know? The smart pick would be a lineman.

8. Jacksonville Jaguars – Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri – The difference between Maclin and Heyward-Bey is really Maclin’s return ability. I think MoJo is going to get a good amount of snaps in the backfield so I wouldn’t use him in the return game as much. That said, Maclin is a great returner and they wouldn’t miss a beat with him back there.

9. Green Bay Packers – BJ Raji, DT, Boston College – Do you really think that this whole allegation of a failed drug test for Raji is going to affect him? He’s the best defensive line prospect in the draft. They can’t afford to pass on him. And call me naive, but he’s disputing the test and I believe him. The smart thing to do if a test comes up positive is to admit it… unless you didn’t fail it.

10. San Francisco 49ers – Everette Brown, DE, Florida St. – I don’t think that the Niners would take another quarterback knowing how Shaun Hill has played and how much they’ve invested in Alex Smith.

11. Buffalo Bills – Michael Oher, OT, Ole Miss – As much as taking Aaron Maybin would be nice here, why would the Bills draft another defensive end when they have Schobel and Kelsay there on the edges? Especially when they have a need along the offensive line?

12. Denver Broncos – Brian Cushing, LB, USC – There is no way BJ Raji is falling to the Broncos here, even though he’d be an awesome pickup for them. I wouldn’t be surprised if they traded up to take him. If they don’t, Cushing is a good pick for them.

13. Washington Redskins – Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU – Jackson’s stock has risen over the past few weeks, and the Redskins could use someone to play opposite of Andre Carter. Plus, Albert Haynesworth is going to draw a lot of attention and may free things up for Jackson and Carter.

14. New Orleans Saints – Chris Wells, RB, Ohio St. – The Saints might be looking to get a Deuce McAllister type player to complement Reggie Bush. If not, Vontae Davis makes the most sense here.

15. Houston Texans – Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois – Davis is virtually a steal here for the Texans. They need help in the secondary and Davis could be a playmaker.

16. San Diego Chargers – Rey Maualuga, LB, USC – Rey Rey reminds me of Junior Seau and he could help solidify that linebacking corps with Shawne Merriman and Shaun Phillips.

17. New York Jets – Mark Sanchez, QB, USC – All these rumors about Sanchez to Jacksonville and San Francisco don’t make much sense to me on a few levels. 1) Jacksonville has David Garrard as a starter it wouldn’t make sense to pay Sanchez that much to be a backup. 2) San Francisco has cheaper alternatives in Shaun Hill and Alex Smith, especially the way Hill played toward the end of last season. The Jets have a legitimate need at quarterback and the options they have aren’t starters. It doesn’t matter if Ratliff has a strong arm because he’s shown it off against backup defenders. I wouldn’t put it past the Jets to trade up for Sanchez, either.

18. Denver Broncos – Aaron Maybin, DE, Penn St. – Now that the Broncos have addressed a need at linebacker, they should address another need and pick a pass rusher. The Cutler trade worked out better for the Bears because they got a franchise quarterback. The Broncos may have taken a few steps back but they can build on the picks they have and take advantage of the weak AFC West.

19. Tampa Bay Bucanneers – Josh Freeman, QB, Kansas St. – Its always nice to have the highest paid tight end in football, but who the hell is going to pass to him?

20. Detroit Lions – Robert Ayers, DE, Tennessee – The Lions need a pass rusher and Ayers’ stock has been rising since his pro day where he showed a lot of versatility.

21. Philadelphia Eagles – Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia – I’ve said this before and I’ll keep saying it. If Moreno is available when Philly is on the clock, as a Giants fan, I won’t be comfortable.

22. Minnesota Vikings – Percy Harvin, WR, Florida – His durability is an issue, but not only is this kid versatile but he’s a lot stronger than people give him credit for.

23. New England Patriots – Malcolm Jenkins, CB/S, Ohio St. – Last season, Aqib Talib could have been an option, but I really feel like Jenkins is a great value pick for the Pats right here.

24. Atlanta Falcons – Clay Matthews, LB, USC – The Falcons lost Michael Boley to the Giants but could have a capable replacement in Matthews.

25. Miami Dolphins – Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland – The Dolphins don’t have a lot of depth at wide reciever and whatever Sparano did for Ginn may work for Heyward-Bey.

26. Baltimore Ravens – James Laurinitis, LB, Ohio St. – The Ravens might be looking to replace Bart Scott and Laurinitis is a tough, gritty linebacker that fits into their system.

27. Indianapolis Colts – Evander “Ziggy” Hood, DT, Missouri – The Colts could use the interior presence to help out Brock and Dwight Freeney.

28. Philadelphia Eagles – Eben Britton, OT, Arizona – Britton gets a lot of comparisons to Joe Thomas. And all he’s done is go to a Pro Bowl in his first two seasons.

29. New York Giants – Hakeem Nicks, WR, North Carolina – In my opinion, the Giants showed their hand too early by cutting Plaxico Burress. The consensus was that they would likely draft a wide reciever but now that they don’t have Plax, its pretty much a foregone conclusion that they’ll take a wideout. They still have options though. I would consider trading this pick, along with one of the second rounders to Arizona for Anquan Boldin. Torry Holt is also available.

30. Tennessee Titans – Michael Johnson, DE, Arizona – I still like this pick for Tennessee.

31. Arizona Cardinals – LeSean McCoy, RB, Pitt – I don’t know if JJ Arrington is still a factor in Arizona so McCoy would look good here. With Tim Hightower getting a majority of the snaps and Edgerrin James being used a blocker, McCoy would be essential.

32. Pittsburgh Steelers – Alphonso Smith, CB, Wake Forest – Like I said before, the Steelers could look to replace Bryant McFadden or maybe they draft an offensive lineman like William Beatty, Alex Mack, or Max Unger.

So there’s version 3. It might be the last. Once again, here are a few things going on in the sports world that have caught my eye.

– I told you that Courtney Paris would be eating her words, and stupid Oklahoma won’t let her pay back the scholarship. I don’t care if her dad is rich, it still would have been funny because I’m tired of these damn athlete guarantees.

– So Jack Elway decided he doesn’t want to play football anymore. My question is, why did he wait this long? You get all the way to Arizona St and you (the son of legendary quarterback John Elway) don’t want to play football anymore. Nice one.

–  Who didn’t expect UNC to win the national title? Now we get to hear how bad of a pro Tyler Hansbrough will be but he’ll get drafted because of his heart and toughness. Yay.

– Andrew Gallo isn’t just one guy that got drunk one time and caused a hit and run. Gallo is a disgusting human being and his possible 55 year sentence for killing Nick Adenhart is not nearly enough. Its one thing if its a first time offense, but he’s a multiple offender with a suspended license. Nick Adenhart will be missed.