Mel Kiper's Initial First-Round Projection

[dmq]

MOCK DRAFT: Mel Kiper's Initial First-Round Projection | Jan. 25

This initial projection is based on what I've identified as key need areas for each team.

There are 16 underclassmen among my projections for the first 32 picks of the 2007 NFL draft, including two of the top three. LSU junior quarterback JaMarcuss Russell gets the nod as the first overall pick, and North Carolina State defensive tackle Tank Tyler rounds out my first-round projections as the No. 32 overall selection to Indianapolis.

1. Oakland Raiders: *JaMarcus Russell, QB, LSU
2. Detroit Lions: Joe Thomas, OT, Wisconsin
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: *Calvin Johnson, WR, Georgia Tech
4. Cleveland Browns: Brady Quinn, QB, Notre Dame
5. Arizona Cardinals: *Jamaal Anderson, DE, Arkansas
6. Washington Redskins: *Alan Branch, DT, Michigan
7. Minnesota Vikings: Gaines Adams, DE, Clemson
8. Houston Texans: *Adrian Peterson, RB, Oklahoma
9. Miami Dolphins: *Ted Ginn, Jr., WR, Ohio St.
10. Atlanta Falcons: LaRon Landry, S, LSU
11. San Francisco 49ers: *Reggie Nelson, DB, Florida
12. Buffalo Bills: Leon Hall, CB, Michigan
13. St. Louis Rams: *Charles Johnson, DE, Georgia
14. Carolina Panthers: Levi Brown, OT, Penn St.
15. Pittsburgh Steelers: *Jarvis Moss, DE, Florida
16. Green Bay Packers: *Marshawn Lynch, RB, California
17. Jacksonville Jaguars: *Sidney Rice, WR, South Carolina
18. Cincinnati Bengals: Amobi Okoye, DT, Louisville
19. Tennessee Titans: *Dwayne Jarrett, WR, USC
20. New York Giants: *Lawrence Timmons, LB, Florida St.
21. Denver Broncos: Adam Carriker, DE, Nebraska
22. Dallas Cowboys: *Robert Meachem, WR, Tennessee
23. Kansas City Chiefs: Tony Ugoh, OT, Arkansas
24. New England Patriots (from Seattle): *Darrelle Revis, CB, Pittsburgh
25. New York Jets: Dwayne Bowe, WR, LSU
26. Philadelphia Eagles: Aaron Ross, CB, Texas
27. New Orleans Saints: Daymeion Hughes, CB, California
28. New England Patriots: *Anthony Gonzalez, WR, Ohio St.
29. Baltimore Ravens: Anthony Spencer, DE, Purdue
30. San Diego Chargers: Patrick Willis, LB, Mississippi
31. Chicago Bears: *Greg Olsen, TE, Miami (Fla)
32. Indianapolis Colts: Tank Tyler, DT, NC St.

http://insider.espn.go.com/ncf/insi..._mel&id=2742255

[Zaxor]

Originally Posted by dmq

MOCK DRAFT: Mel Kiper's Initial First-Round Projection | Jan. 25


22. Dallas Cowboys: *Robert Meachem, WR, Tennessee


http://insider.espn.go.com/ncf/insi..._mel&id=2742255

I think RM is gonna be a very good player..he has gotten better and better

[CoachHodnett]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica]Robert Meachem[/FONT]



[FONT=Arial, Helvetica]Class:[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica]Junior[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica]Hometown:[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica]Tulsa, Okla.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica]High School:[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica]Booker T. Washington[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica]Height / Weight:[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica]6-3 / 210[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica]Position:[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica]Wide Receiver[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica]Experience:[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica]2L[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica]Major:[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica]Communications[/FONT]













Full Name: Robert Emery Meachem
Born: Sept. 28, 1984
Coach at Booker T. Washington HS: Antwain Jimmerson
CAREER GAMES/STARTS - 24/2
2005 - Games/Starts: 11/2 ... Finished season as team leader in catches (29) and receiving yards (383) and also caught two TD passes ... Has led Vols in receiving yards each of his two seasons ... Hauled in two passes for 25 yards in win versus UAB ... Also returned one kickoff for 15 yards against Blazers ... Gained 29 yards on pair of catches at Florida ... Caught three passes for 44 yards at LSU and had two receptions for 19 yards against Mississippi ... His four catches for 49 yards versus Georgia included 24-yard TD catch (first TD of season) ... Totaled eight yards on two catches at Alabama ... Led the Vols with six catches for 44 yards against South Carolina ... Had team-high three catches for 46 yards at Notre Dame ... Caught two passes for 39 yards vs. Memphis ... No catches vs. Vanderbilt, breaking streak of 15 straight games with at least one reception ... Three catches at Kentucky, including 50-yard TD reception on Vols' first possession.
2004 - Games/Starts: 13/0 ... First-year Vol led squad in both receiving yards (459) and yards per catch (18.4) ... Added four touchdowns to tie for second on team ... Only Vols receiver with 100-yard game in 2004 ... First career reception was good for 35-yard TD in victory over UNLV ... Vols' leading receiver at Mississippi, gaining 82 yards on three impressive catches ... Four catches vs. Notre Dame for combined 67 yards ... Enjoyed best game of season vs. Kentucky, catching five passes for 145 yards and TD ... Caught 17-yard TD in SEC Championship Game and added three catches for 30 yards in Cotton Bowl.
2003 - Redshirted ... Preseason knee mishap led to August surgery.
HIGH SCHOOL - Parade and SuperPrep All-America ... Rated No. 2 wide receiver prospect in nation by SuperPrep ... Gatorade Player of the Year in Oklahoma ... Rated nation's No. 1 overall prospect in Oklahoma by Rivals.com ... All-State selection and also nominated for Jim Thorpe Award ... As senior, racked up 543 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns and rushed for 531 yards and eight touchdowns ... Guided team to 13-1 record and runner-up finish in state AAAAA championship ... Played point guard on two-time state basketball championship team.

[trueblue1687]

I've watched him alot here in Knoxville and he is going to be a good reciever in the NFL...I'd also be surprised if we took him. Another big guy who is a run after the catch type.

[Bob Sacamano]

Anthony Gonzalez in the 1st??

wouldn't mind Meachem at all

[CrazyCowboy]

What is he's 40 time?

[Bob Sacamano]

gotta wait to combine time to get a real 40 time CC

[trueblue1687]

He's not going to have a blistering 40, but he is pretty fats after the catch...kind of a long strider type with some open field moves.

[CoachHodnett]

Originally Posted by trueblue1687

He's not going to have a blistering 40, but he is pretty fats after the catch...kind of a long strider type with some open field moves.

Another Mike Williams.....

[5mics]

Bleeech.....I'd rather give up our 1st rounder for Lovie Smith if that's the case.....

[marchetta]

Robert Meacham WR Tennessee

Listed: 6'3'' 210 4.4(40)

STRENGTHS
Robert has good size, strength and speed for his position. He has great hands, will go after the ball in the air and fight for it. Robert shows decent quickness to go along with his speed and runs fine routes. He reminds me a lot of Rod Smith (WR Denver Broncos). He has that same type of quiet efficiency, mental strength and dependability to his game. Robert is a franchise WR. He is a WR you can build your passing game around. He has the speed to get deep, the size and strength to avoid being knocked off his route, the brains to adjust his route on the fly, the soft hands to catch the ball, the quickness in and out of his breaks and the “leadership by example” qualities that you look for in a franchise WR. He is a worker with talent just like Rod Smith was.

NEEDS TO IMPROVE
More than anything else, Robert needs to build confidence in himself and his game on the field. This will come with repetitions and experience and should not be a big problem.

TALENT BOARD ROUND: 1
Robert is a hard worker and every time I saw him play this year, he improved from the game before. He improved doing the little things. He started to get lower when blocking, he was quicker off the line, he ran his routes with just a little bit more precision than the game before and he did all of this in spite of the QB position that was erratic to say the least. Robert is a franchise WR because of his talent and work ethic on the field. He is the only WR in this draft that improved from game to game and still is learning; I don’t believe he’s in for a shock at the next level. If Robert works out well at the combine, you are going to see some teams rate him above Calvin Johnson because, even though he is still learning the position, his game is more mature at this stage than Calvin’s is and he has as much athletic ability to impact as Calvin does. Personally, for me, Calvin and Robert will be in my top ten picks of this draft -- that’s how good their potential is to impact at the next level. I don’t know at what pick in this draft Robert will be drafted, but I do know this: this draft class has overall excellent talent, but a host of players coming out with character and work ethic issues. This is not the case for Robert.

- Drew Boylhart (thehuddlereport.com)

[aikemirv]

IF we go back to the 4-3 and Okoye slips to 18, we better go up and get him!!!!

[InmanRoshi]

Quintin Moses falls out of the first round now?

[JIMMYBUFFETT]

Originally Posted by aikemirv

IF we go back to the 4-3 and Okoye slips to 18, we better go up and get him!!!!

If Okoye slips to Dallas they had better take him no matter what defense they are playing . He's talented enough to play DE in the 3-4 , and could add enough weight to play NT in the 3-4 as well . Guys with his size , ability , and youth don't come along very often .

[alancdc]

Originally Posted by summerisfunner

Anthony Gonzalez in the 1st??

wouldn't mind Meachem at all

I do like Gonzales, but not in the first. Having said that Colin Cowherd thinks he will play a more significant role in the PRO's than Ted Ginn. I just think TN receivers have been a bit sketchy in teh nfl.