DMN: Rick Gosselin's second mock draft

[Cbz40]

[SIZE=+2]Rick Gosselin's second mock draft

[/SIZE] [SIZE=-1]11:00 PM CDT on Saturday, April 21, 2007

[/SIZE]
http://www.***BANNED-URL***/sharedcontent/dws/img/standing/sports/columnists/mugs/mug_rgosselin.jpg
Since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970, there have been 37 college drafts and not once have four safeties been selected in the opening round.

But there could be four chosen in the first round of the 2007 NFL draft Saturday. LaRon Landry of LSU, Reggie Nelson of Florida, Michael Griffin of Texas and Brandon Meriweather of Miami carry first-round grades into this draft.

Only five times in those 37 drafts have as many as three safeties gone in the first round, including 2006, when Michael Huff (Oakland), Donte Whitner (Buffalo) and Jason Allen (Miami) all went in the top 16 picks.

In this week's mock draft, we assign Landry to the Washington Commanders at No. 6, Nelson to Jacksonville at 17, Griffin to the Cowboys at 22 and Meriweather to New England at 28. Griffin led the Longhorns in tackles in 2005 (116) and 2006 (126), had eight career interceptions and blocked a school-record eight punts.

But the draft will begin with offense, with four of the first five picks on that side of the ball, starting with Georgia Tech wide receiver Calvin Johnson to the Oakland Raiders with the first overall pick.

No., Team Player Pos. College
1. Oakland Calvin Johnson WR Georgia Tech COMMENT: Say goodbye to Randy Moss

2. Detroit Gaines Adams DE Clemson COMMENT: Best pass-rusher in the draft

3. Cleveland JaMarcus Russell QB LSU COMMENT: Browns like his 85-yard arm

4. Tampa Bay Adrian Peterson HB Oklahoma COMMENT: Bucs need more big plays on offense

5. Arizona Joe Thomas OT Wisconsin COMMENT: LT Leonard Davis left in free agency

6. Washington LaRon Landry S LSU COMMENT: Landry-Sean Taylor a stout safety combo

7. Minnesota Brady Quinn QB Notre Dame COMMENT: Too much value to pass up

8. Atlanta Jamaal Anderson DE Arkansas COMMENT: DE Patrick Kerney left in free agency

9. Miami Amobi Okoye DT Louisville COMMENT: DL Kevin Carter a salary-cap casualty

10. Houston Darrelle Revis CB Pittsburgh COMMENT: Texans must play the Colts twice each year

11. San Francisco Adam Carriker DE Nebraska COMMENT: DE Bryant Young getting up in years

12. Buffalo Leon Hall CB Michigan COMMENT: CB Nate Clements left in free agency

13. St. Louis Robert Meachem WR Tennessee COMMENT: Speed to complement WRs Isaac Bruce, Torry Holt

14. Carolina Patrick Willis MLB Mississippi COMMENT: MLB Dan Morgan's concussions a concern

15. Pittsburgh Ben Grubbs G Auburn COMMENT: Soft in middle with retirement of G Jeff Hartings

16. Green Bay Marshawn Lynch RB California COMMENT: RB Ahman Green left in free agency

17. Jacksonville Reggie Nelson S Florida COMMENT: Safety Deon Grant left in free agency

18. Cincinnati Alan Branch DT Michigan COMMENT: Injecting 325 pounds into the run defense

19. Tennessee Ted Ginn Jr. WR Ohio State COMMENT: Need a kick returner with Pacman suspended

20. N.Y. Giants Levi Brown OT Penn State COMMENT: LT Luke Petitgout a salary-cap casualty

21. Denver Jarvis Moss DE Florida COMMENT: Pass-rushing help arrives

22. Dallas Michael Griffin S Texas COMMENT: Best special-teamer in the draft

23. Kansas City Joe Staley OT Central Michigan COMMENT: Chiefs struggled in 2006 without LT Willie Roaf

24. New England Lawrence Timmons OLB Florida State COMMENT: An old LB corps gets younger

25. N.Y. Jets Aaron Ross CB Texas COMMENT: Can't have enough ballhawks in the AFC

26. Philadelphia Jon Beason OLB Miami COMMENT: Eagles need to replace all three linebackers

27. New Orleans Justin Harrell DT Tennessee COMMENT: Beefing up NFL's 23rd-ranked run defense

28. New England Brandon Meriweather S Miami COMMENT: Cover safeties are hard to find

29. Baltimore Dwayne Bowe WR LSU COMMENT: Ravens get bigger, younger, better on the flank

30. San Diego Paul Posluszny MLB Penn State COMMENT: ILB Donnie Edwards a salary-cap casualty

31. Chicago Greg Olsen TE Miami COMMENT: Another weapon for QB Rex Grossman

32. Indianapolis Anthony Gonzalez WR Ohio State COMMENT: Third WR Brandon Stokley left in free agency

 

[bbgun]

That's the highest I've seen Meachem and Grubbs projected.

 

[tomson75]

Say it aint so Goose...say it aint so.

 

[The30YardSlant]

I'd probably raise an angry mob, storm the gates of Valley Ranch and deliver a swift kick in the junk to one Jerry Jones

 

[Hoofbite]

I'd probably raise an angry mob, storm the gates of Valley Ranch and deliver a swift kick in the junk to one Jerry Jones

won't take much effort to get me on board. Griffin would be a waste of a pick.

 

[Bryan8284]

His logic for the pick is that he's the best special teamer on the board?

 

[Coakleys Dad]

i really dont like this mock very much

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

Of all the possible first round safeties and he lists this guy...ARGGGHHH NOOOOOO

Oddly enough another writer kept saying this name over and over.

Please No...NOOO.

 

[bbgun]

http://img174.*************/img174/5258/4dcco42ly8.jpg
"Gooooooooooooooose!!!"

 

[Cowboys&Caps]

What a horrible mock!! isnt' this guy supposed to be one of the most accurate? or is that someone else? this boy is sloppy as can be! his comments on the picks have been seemingly been written by 9 year olds.

 

[Rack]

22. Dallas Michael Griffin S Texas COMMENT: Best special-teamer in the draft

Great. So he thinks we're gonna draft a special teamer in the first round. Wonderful.


Don't quit your day job, Goose. Griffin isn't worth a first round pick.

 

[Tristan]

It doesn't appear he put much thought into this one. Why in the world would Tampa draft a RB with the fourth overall pick, when they just drafted Cadillac Williams in the top ten a couple of years ago, and IMO is one of the most exciting young backs in the league?

I could see if there was huge drop off in talent, but not with the likes of Joe Thomas available. Tampa is more than set at RB IMo, this mock lost all credibility with me on that pick.

 

[5mics]

What a horrible mock!! isnt' this guy supposed to be one of the most accurate? or is that someone else? this boy is sloppy as can be! his comments on the picks have been seemingly been written by 9 year olds.

Aren't you being contradictory? Goose IS one of the more accurate "mock drafter". Just because you and others don't like his pick doesn't mean it's a horrible mock AND he doesn't know what he's talking about. We'll soon find out.....

 

[5mics]

Great. So he thinks we're gonna draft a special teamer in the first round. Wonderful.


Don't quit your day job, Goose. Griffin isn't worth a first round pick.

Can't wait to see how this plays out. I believe Griffin will be taken between the 22nd - 32nd pick of the 1st round. I think he's more of a 1st rounder than Aaron Ross and Ross will be a 1st rounder; strange days indeed....

 

[Cowboys&Caps]

Aren't you being contradictory? Goose IS one of the more accurate "mock drafter". Just because you and others don't like his pick doesn't mean it's a horrible mock AND he doesn't know what he's talking about. We'll soon find out.....

yea you didn't really understand what I was TRYING to say, by no fault of your own btw

yea i was saying

"wow i though he was a good mock maker but this one is horrible, what gives?"

Got me??

 

[Cowboys&Caps]

Aren't you being contradictory? Goose IS one of the more accurate "mock drafter". Just because you and others don't like his pick doesn't mean it's a horrible mock AND he doesn't know what he's talking about. We'll soon find out.....

I dont' just dislike our pick i think the whole thing is off

Darrell Revis going ahead of Leon Hall

dumb!

 

[JBS]

to be completely honest - michael griffin just may be the ONLY player that has a realistic possibility of being selected at 22 that would piss me off. Just about every other conceivable selection I can live with - for whatever reason, I do not think griffin will solve our FS issues long term....

 

[Cowboys&Caps]

to be completely honest - michael griffin just may be the ONLY player that has a realistic possibility of being selected at 22 that would piss me off. Just about every other conceivable selection I can live with - for whatever reason, I do not think griffin will solve our FS issues long term....

I dunno about you but I really feel like we dont' know alot about him, I think he has been somewhat overlooked and may even be a good pick we just need to look at him and figure out if he will help our defense more than a true corner.

 

[JBS]

i will agree with your initial assessment. I have by no means done enough research on Griffin to make an educated assessment. However, based on what I have read from Griffin himself that he is more of a SS and from draft sites stating that he had a subpar season last season. To go along with the fact that its been known that his coverage skills are less than stellar- I have indeed jumped to the conclusion that he is NOT who I want at 22. Can Griffin turn out to be a great selection, sure, but my gut feeling tells me to look in another direction.

 

[5mics]

I dont' just dislike our pick i think the whole thing is off

Darrell Revis going ahead of Leon Hall

dumb!

I think Revis will be drafted ahead of Hall. He's moving up and I think will overtake Hall as the #1 CB on many teams' board.....