Washington Post mock (you won't like No. 9)

[bbgun]

[font=Arial]Mark Maske's Mock NFL Draft
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Web Posted: Thursday, April 21, 2005; 12:53 p.m. EDT


Editor's Note: The number in parenthesis is Mark's projection from Tuesday's mock draft.
[font=arial,helvetica]1. 49ers
Alex Smith, QB, Utah (1) [/font]
Assuming they can get the contract done with agent Tom Condon, who's driving a hard bargain and wants Smith to get more money than Eli Manning.

[font=arial,helvetica]2. Vikings (from 7th via trade with Dolphins)
Mike Williams, WR, USC (7)[/font]
Minnesota trades up to get the receiver that it apparently prefers.

[font=arial,helvetica]3. Browns
Braylon Edwards, WR, Michigan (4)[/font]
Cleveland passes up a quarterback of the future (Aaron Rodgers) for a receiver who might help immediately.

[font=arial,helvetica]4. Bears
Cedric Benson, RB, Texas (5)[/font]
Chicago needs an offensive workhorse and a tough between-the-tackles runner.

[font=arial,helvetica]5. Buccaneers
Carnell "Cadillac" Williams, RB, Auburn (8)[/font]
Tampa Bay is thwarted in its effort to trade up for Smith, and settles for a runner to spark its offense.

[font=arial,helvetica]6. Titans
Antrel Rolle, CB, Miami (6)[/font]
Tennessee gets a top cornerback to replace the departed Samari Rolle (no relation).

[font=arial,helvetica]7. Dolphins (from 2nd via trade with Vikings)
Ronnie Brown, RB, Auburn (2)[/font]
Miami moves down and gets the all-purpose back that it might have taken at No. 2.

[font=arial,helvetica]8. Cardinals
Aaron Rodgers, QB, Cal (3)[/font]
Cardinals can't pass up a potential solution to their glaring quarterback problem.

[font=arial,helvetica]9. Chargers (from 12th via trade with Redskins)
Demarcus Ware, LB, Troy (28)[/font]
San Diego moves up to get the draft's late riser.

[font=arial,helvetica]10. Lions
Derrick Johnson, LB, Texas (10)[/font]
Johnson or Merriman?

[font=arial,helvetica]11. Chiefs (from 15th via trade with Cowboys)
Adam "Pac-Man" Jones, CB, West Virginia (9)[/font]
Kansas City moves up to get the pass defender that it so desperately needs.

[font=arial,helvetica]12. Redskins (from 9th via trade with Chargers)
Carlos Rogers, CB, Auburn (15)[/font]
Redskins trade down to add badly needed extra picks and fill a big hole on their defense created by Fred Smoot's departure in free agency.

[font=arial,helvetica]13. Texans
Troy Williamson, WR, South Carolina (12)[/font]
Some people around the league are convinced that Houston is picking a receiver despite its offensive-line needs.

[font=arial,helvetica]14. Panthers
Mark Clayton, WR, Oklahoma (14)[/font]
Carolina gets a receiver to go with Steve Smith after Muhsin Muhammad's exit.

[font=arial,helvetica]15. Cowboys (from 11th via trade with Chiefs)
Shawne Merriman, DE, Maryland (11)[/font]
Dallas trades down for additional picks and gets a coveted 'tweener.

[font=arial,helvetica]16. Saints
Erasmus James, DE, Wisconsin (16)[/font]
New Orleans bolsters the position so that it can afford to trade Darren Howard, its franchise player.

[font=arial,helvetica]17. Bengals
Travis Johnson, DT, Florida State (17)[/font]
The draft's top defensive tackle in a down year for the position.

[font=arial,helvetica]18. Dolphins (from 2nd via trade with Vikings)
Alex Barron, T, Florida State (13)[/font]
Miami can use all the first-round selections it possibly can get.

[font=arial,helvetica]19. Rams
Jammal Brown, T, Oklahoma (19)[/font]
St. Louis fills its need created by Kyle Turley's ailing back.

[font=arial,helvetica]20. Cowboys
Khalif Barnes, T, Washington (20)[/font]
Everyone expects Dallas to take a wide receiver here. Since when did Bill Parcells do what everyone expects? The Cowboys need offensive-line help, too.

[font=arial,helvetica]21. Jaguars
Marcus Spears, DE, LSU (18)[/font]
Jacksonville bolsters a spot that was a problem area last season.

[font=arial,helvetica]22. Ravens
Shaun Cody, DT, USC (23)[/font]
Baltimore needs to be better up front on defense.

[font=arial,helvetica]23. Seahawks
David Pollack, DE, Georgia (24)[/font]
Could be an outside linebacker, or even an inside linebacker, in the NFL.

[font=arial,helvetica]24. Packers
Channing Crowder, LB, Florida (29)[/font]
Green Bay adds some toughness to its defense.

[font=arial,helvetica]25. Redskins
Roddy White, WR, Alabama-Birmingham (22)[/font]
Yes, it could be Auburn quarterback Jason Campbell here. But, when it comes down to it, is a team with an old offensive coaching staff really going to use a first-round pick on a quarterback? Wide receiver is a more pressing need, although White could go to Dallas at No. 20.

[font=arial,helvetica]26. Raiders
Justin Miller, CB, Clemson ( - ) [/font]
Oakland replaces the traded Phillip Buchanon.

[font=arial,helvetica]27. Falcons
Thomas Davis, S, Georgia (25)[/font]
The draft's best safety could go higher.

[font=arial,helvetica]28. Chargers
Reggie Brown, WR, Georgia (27)[/font]
San Diego bolsters its offense with its second first-rounder.

[font=arial,helvetica]29. Colts
Fabian Washington, CB, Nebraska (32)[/font]
Indianapolis adds a speedster to its secondary

[font=arial,helvetica]30. Steelers
Heath Miller, TE, Virginia (26)[/font]
The draft's best tight end might tempt someone with a need to trade up and get him.

[font=arial,helvetica]31. Eagles
Matt Roth, DE, Iowa (21)[/font]
Philadelphia lost blossoming defensive end Derrick Burgess in free agency.

[font=arial,helvetica]32. Patriots
Marlin Jackson, CB, Michigan ( - )[/font]
The champs somehow survived being short-handed at cornerback last season.

[font=arial,helvetica]Dropped Out: Dan Cody, DE, Oklahoma (30); Matt Jones, WR, Arkansas (31)[/font]

[Sarge]

I love the number 9 pick quite frankly.

[k19]

Originally Posted by Sarge

I love the number 9 pick quite frankly.

And I dont mind the move they suggest from 11 to 15 either IF they get who they want there

20 I'm not 100% sold on though

[Sarge]

Originally Posted by ‹^› ‹(•¿•)› ‹^›

And I dont mind the move they suggest from 11 to 15 either IF they get who they want there

20 I'm not 100% sold on though

NO way do I like Barnes at 20 either. In fact - I don't like any of the OT's in the 1st.

Not this year.

[slick325]

A move down to #15 from #11 looks good if Merriman is not on the board at #11. However, to do so while he is sitting there is kinda risky since Houston (a 3-4 team) could use an OLB after letting Sharper walk. If Dallas were to do this it would show that they don't see much difference between some of the DE/OLB "tweeners" in this draft. Much the position they took last year with the RB's.

As for #20, I think that is too much of a reach. I wouldn't complain if Jamal Brown were at 20 and we drafted him but Barnes is a project unlikely to start his rookie season IMO.

[JohnsKey19]

I actually expect something like that to happen. Everyone pretty much "knows" we want Ware or Merriman at #11. So you have to expect that one team is going to jump in front to take one of them. The thing is, one of these players will still be available at #11. Worst case scenario - both are gone at #11, we probably trade a 2nd for Darren Howard. Then we trade down from one or both 1st round picks.

[Canadian BoyzFan]

11 to 15...great.

Don't like the 20 pick with Spears or Davis there.

[bbgun]

I have yet to see one credible mock that has Ware going in the top ten. He's rising, but not that much.

[Cbz40]

If this did happen.......Houston would take Merriman.

[mullet]

I think it is a well thought out mock.
I would not be too fired up about barnes at 20...
but, the mock is well crafted.

[JohnsKey19]

Originally Posted by bbgun

I have yet to see one credible mock that has Ware going in the top ten. He's rising, but not that much.

True. But I don't think that really matters at this point. Remember just 2 weeks ago most people were saying that #20 was too high for him. Teams are always desperate to add a guy who they think can rush the passer. Rememeber Dwight Freeney was thought of as a late teens-20s pick right up until the day of the draft before Indy took him 10th or 11th.

[slick325]

Originally Posted by Cbz40

If this did happen.......Houston would take Merriman.

Come to think of it Cbz, if this scenario plays out on draft day with these trades and the Skins' pick at #12, I can see them taking Merriman. They need a DE, he is an area kid and he works out with LaVar Arrington in the offseason. Yep, the Skins' or Texans could take Merriman before we pick at 15.

[JohnsKey19]

Washington needs a CB. Their front 7 was pretty stout last year and that was without Arrington.

[Cbz40]

Originally Posted by slick325

Come to think of it Cbz, if this scenario plays out on draft day with these trades and the Skins' pick at #12, I can see them taking Merriman. They need a DE, he is an area kid and he works out with LaVar Arrington in the offseason. Yep, the Skins' or Texans could take Merriman before we pick at 15.

Spears drops to 21........Maybe we take spears???

Hey maybe Spears and Pollack????

[speedkilz88]

Originally Posted by slick325

A move down to #15 from #11 looks good if Merriman is not on the board at #11. However, to do so while he is sitting there is kinda risky since Houston (a 3-4 team) could use an OLB after letting Sharper walk. If Dallas were to do this it would show that they don't see much difference between some of the DE/OLB "tweeners" in this draft. Much the position they took last year with the RB's.

As for #20, I think that is too much of a reach. I wouldn't complain if Jamal Brown were at 20 and we drafted him but Barnes is a project unlikely to start his rookie season IMO.

I live north of Houston. Sharper was an ILB for Houston. They drafted Babin for outside LB last season and moved OLB Kailee Wong to the ILB position vacated by Sharper so that they can get Antwan Peek on the field at that other OLB position.