Pro Football Articles Opinion & Fantasy – Football Diner

At this point, all indications are that the Lions will use the first overall pick on Matthew Stafford. Detroit needs a new face of the franchise and they have set themselves up well enough to make Stafford the first pick. He would be able to come in and sit behind Daunte Culpepper as he develops.

The Rams recently released their starting offensive tackle Orlando Pace. With Pace out the door, it’s almost a foregone conclusion that St. Louis is now going to use the No. 2 pick on an offensive tackle. Jason Smith has elevated to being the best offensive lineman in the draft and he could potentially go first overall.

Historically, Scott Pioli has gone with key defensive players in the first round (Vince Wilfork, Richard Seymour, Ty Warren, Jerod Mayo, Brandon Meriweather) and recently signed Adalius Thomas, a similar player to that of Wake Forest’s Aaron Curry. This make makes too much sense for it not to happen. Curry is one of the safest picks in this year’s draft.

Seattle may be the biggest question mark in the draft right now. They filled their needs in free agency and don’t have a glaring hole. With the future in question regarding left tackle Walter Jones, it’d be in Seattle’s best interest to find his future replacement here in the draft. Michael Crabtree would add another playmaker to the offense while Chris Wells would bring a physical running style that Seattle is looking for.

New head coach Eric Mangini has said that the Browns will remain in a 3-4 defense under his watch. He’s also mentioned that outside linebacker is one position that needs to be upgraded. One of Cleveland’s key players on defense is former Florida State defensive end Kamerion Wimbley. It’d be a smart move for the Browns to select another defensive end/linebacker to play in the rush spot opposite Wimbley. The Browns recently had a private workout with Orakpo and appear to be high on him.

I’ve been told that the Bengals are very high on Andre Smith and they will make him the pick if he is available. They badly need help on the offensive line. The only other player that would be a good fit with this pick would be B.J. Raji, who the team coached in the Senior Bowl.

The Raiders filled their need at left tackle with Khalif Barnes in free agency. They need a wide receiver and at this point, its just a question of which one it is. Some have said that Al Davis won’t take a receiver without getting a 40 time on him. I don’t buy it. If it ends up being true, then good luck to the Raiders as they continue their streak of being one of the worst teams in the last decade.

While many are speculating that the Jaguars could be interested in Mark Sanchez, I’ve been told that the speculation could be a big smokescreen. This offseason Jacksonville cut both Matt Jones and Jerry Porter, leaving the team with virtually no one at wide receiver. I’ve also been told that many teams at the bottom portion of the Top 10 as well as the early ‘teens are hoping that Jeremy Maclin falls to them. His stock is pretty high right now. He’d be a great fit with the Jaguars.

This pick is a no-brainer for the Packers if B.J. Raji is available. An ideal nose tackle prospect for Green Bay’s 3-4 scheme, Raji would immediately be able to come in and play right away. The Packers desperately need bodies up front as they are lacking serious depth along the defensive line. Malcolm Jenkins or Everette Brown are two other options for the Pack.

There’s talk that the 49ers are prepared to pass on quarterback Mark Sanchez if he is available at No. 10. San Francisco found their right tackle when they signed Marvel Smith from the Steelers. With Jeremy Maclin off the board and two of the top 3-4 outside linebacker prospects still available, the 49ers go with Brown here who could come in and provide a much-needed pass rush for the team.

The Bills’ pass rush was among the worst in football last season. They desperately need to add a defensive end who is capable of getting to the quarterback. Robert Ayers’ stock is extremely high right now. With the news that he recently had a visit with the Bills, it appears that this would be a perfect fit. Ayers would be an instant starter for Buffalo if they took him here.

The Broncos defense was among the worst in the league this season. They suffered from more injuries than any other team in the league. Denver needs to add as many productive defensive players as possible in this year’s draft. Aaron Maybin is a player whose stock is on the rise following his great Pro Day. He’d be a great fit in the Broncos’ new 3-4 defense as a rush linebacker outside.

The Redskins beefed up their defensive line big-time this offseason when they signed Albert Haynesworth from the Titans. However, they still lack depth at linebacker and they could really use a leader and intimidating presence inside. Rey Maualuga would be a perfect fit for them at inside linebacker and he’d be an instant contributor for the team.

The Saints signed Darren Sharper, Jabari Greer, and Pierson Prioleau to add depth and starters in their secondary. With three big signings, I get the feeling that they aren’t going to go with secondary help. They need an outside linebacker, however they could also use a big, powerful back who would take some heat off of Reggie Bush. Adding Wells to an already talented backfield would make this offense even more exciting than it already is. Sean Payton has said that Wells is a player they are considering.

I’m pretty sure that the Texans will take Clay Matthews with the No. 15 pick if he is on the board when they are selecting. They addressed their need at defensive end by signing Antonio Smith, however they still have a need at outside linebacker. Houston also recently hired Bruce Matthews, the Hall of Fame uncle of Clay Matthews, to work in their organization. Adding Clay, who some feel could be the best of the three first-round USC linebackers, would be a big help for the Houston defense.

From the outside looking in, it appears that San Diego plans to enter the 2009 season with Darren Sproles and LaDanian Tomlinson as its two running backs. The Chargers lack depth on the defensive line, and with Igor Olshansky leaving for Dallas, defensive end has become a large need for the Bolts. Tyson Jackson is one of the safer picks in this year’s draft and would immediately be able to come in and produce.

New York is entering the 2009 season with Kellen Clemens as their starting quarterback and Brett Ratliff as his backup. If Sanchez falls, it’d be in the best interest of the Jets to take him with this pick. He’d be able to sit the bench for a year as he gains experience before taking over the reins in 2010. Wide receiver is also a need, so Hakeem Nicks or Darrius Heyward-Bey could be two options.

The Bears essentially exchanged offensive tackles this offseason went John St. Clair went to the Browns and Kevin Shaffer signed with Chicago. While they have last year’s first round pick Chris Williams entrenched at left tackle, the team has a hole at right tackle, and Shaffer only appears to be a short-term option. They also lost John Tait to retirement this offseason. If Michael Oher were to fall to the Bears, I’d expect to see them make him the pick as they continue to re-build their offensive line.

With a whole new staff in place this season, it’s a bit hard to predict which way Tampa Bay will go this offseason. From what I’ve been hearing, the most likely option is Kansas State quarterback Josh Freeman. Freeman is a very talented player in the mold of Daunte Culpepper. The Buccaneers staff reportedly would like to get younger at the quarterback position and bring in a future franchise quarterback, which is what Freeman would be capable of being. With new offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski, the former tutor of Matt Ryan, the team could be more inclined to take a quarterback and let him learn from Jags.

The Lions received this pick as a result of the trade that sent wide receiver Roy Williams to the Cowboys. The Lions need to add leadership and experience to their defense. They signed Phillip Buchanon and traded for Anthony Henry, however I think that they could still use help in the secondary. Adding an elite defensive back like Malcolm Jenkins would go a long way towards upgrading the overall defensive unit in Detroit.

This is a pick that I am fairly confident about. The Eagles let L.J. Smith leave via free agency this offseason. They have Brent Celek, however they’d like to add another tight end to their offense. Coming into the offseason, Philadelphia’s general manager Tom Heckert said that he likes seeing tight ends who can both block and catch the ball, and that there have been too many hybrid tight ends entering the NFL. Pettigrew is one of the most complete tight ends in the past few years and would be a perfect fit in Philly.

I’ve been told that the Vikings are high on Percy Harvin and would likely take him if he lasts until No. 22. However, Harvin’s stock is high right now and he may not last that long. Minnesota could also use the pick on a cornerback. The Vikings plan on selecting the best player available with this pick, but Harvin is a player to keep an eye on for them.

Is there a better fit than Connor Barwin to New England? The Patriots love versatile players, and who better than a career tight end-turned-defensive end to be their pick in 2009. Barwin would be a great fit as an outside linebacker for the Patriots and could also likely play some offense as well for New England.

Thanks to their excellent 2008 season, Atlanta can afford to take the best player available with this pick. Peria Jerry would fill one of the teams’ few needs as they could stand to upgrade at defensive tackle. Jerry is a fringe first/second round pick and could go later than this. Atlanta could also use help in the secondary and at tight end.

There’s been a lot of talk that the Dolphins need a cornerback and wide receiver. They have shown interest in both Darius Butler as well as Hakeem Nicks. Butler appears to be the best bet as of now. His stock is soaring after a great Combine and Pro Day and there appears to be a good chance that he’ll be taken at the end of the first round.

The Ravens have recently shown interest in Maryland wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey. They need to add a big-play threat to their offense who can chase down the deep balls that Joe Flacco is capable of throwing. Cornerback doesn’t appear to be a big need anymore after the signing of Dominique Foxworth.

There’s been plenty of talk that the Colts could use the upcoming draft to find Marvin Harrison’s replacement. Hakeem Nicks is a very nice prospect at the receiver position and would be a perfect candidate to replace the potential Hall of Fame receiver. Nicks is a tall possession receiver, similar to that of Harrison. Kenny Britt is another option.

Philadelphia could stand to continue to upgrade its receiving core. Kenny Britt is a player that I like a bit more than others do and I think that he could be a nice fit in Philadelphia. Adding Pettigrew and Britt to their offense after drafting DeSean Jackson last year would do a lot towards upgrading to their offense.

While they could use a receiver, there’s a chance that none of the elite ones of will be available here. There’s talk that the Giants like the three linebackers out of USC and could use one of their first round picks on one of them. I personally think that Brian Cushing could last the longest of the three. He’d be a nice fit at outside linebacker in New York, especially considering he grew up in New Jersey.

Losing Albert Haynesworth to the Redskins was a rather large blow to the Titans defense. However, they have depth there and they could use their first round pick to upgrade the unit. Jarron Gilbert has seen his stock rise dramatically this offseason and could end up going within the Top 32 picks.

The Cardinals run game was inconsistent, and at times non-existent this season. Edgerrin James appears to be gone, and their backup Tim Hightower profiles best as a short-yardage back. Adding an elite talent at the running back position, who is capable of carrying the ball 20+ times per game would really help out the Cardinals offense and would make the team even that much more dangerous than they already are. Knowshon Moreno is a very good, competitive back who would bring some excitement to the Cardinals’ run game.

What used to be one of the strongest units on the team, the Steelers offensive line has now become one of the weaker units. The loss of guard Alan Faneca, center Jeff Hartings, and now tackle Marvel Smith in the past few years has really left the team with a big hole on their offensive line. William Beatty is a talented player who really saw his stock rise at the Senior Bowl and could be a nice starter at the next level. He’d be a great pick to help replace Smith at tackle.

Shawn Zobel is a nationally recognized expert on ranking college football players. Every year he has proven to be one of the most accurate and reliable sources for player selection in the draft. Shawn has consistently graded higher than both Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay of ESPN over the past two years. His 2009 Draft Preview can be pre-ordered today at www.draftheadquarters.com