2009 NFL Mock Draft

After writing the first two mock drafts, Billynho heard from Terry Robiskie (Brian's father, a very nice man) and Marcus Thigpen's brother. Rey Maualuga's sex therapist... I'm waiting.

Check out the original from January 2nd and the January 18th update, then keep reading for the truth on how the April 25 NFL Draft first round will shake out:

1) Detroit Lions- OT Andre Smith. I'm sticking with this. It makes too much sense. Everyone says that the Lions must take a quarterback, a "FACE OF THE FRANCHISE" with the top pick. Why? This season proved that you can win in the NFL without a top-10 quarterback. At some point, the position needs addressed in the long term. But the Lions must get value out of this selection immediately. They need to win fast, and not just because they're coming off the worst season in NFL history. Detroit will be impacted by the economic crisis as much as any city in America. Will laid off motor makers be willing to pay to support a loser? And beyond that... What quarterback could emerge unscathed from that mess?

While can't miss tackles do sometimes miss (Robert Gallery and Leonard Davis), they have a much better track record than underclassmen quarterbacks (Ryan Leaf, et al) in untenable situations. Take care of your left tackle position for the next ten years (it worked for the Ravens and Rams with Jonathan Ogden and Orlando Pace) and go after Matt Cassel, Kyle Orton (depending on how the Bears situation shakes out), Vince Young, or Matt Leinart (if Kurt Warner returns) in trades. The offense would be substantially better next season, and the Lions could focus on defense with their second first round pick and beyond.

2) St. Louis Rams- WR Michael Crabtree. Rumors are floating around that Torry Holt might bolt. Donnie Avery and Dane Looker would be their top two returning wide receivers in that scenario. A quarterback would be excess to requirements. Marc Bulger has been a Pro Bowler quite recently; the Rams have made a huge financial commitment to him in recent years. They should restore his tools and see if he can fix the offense before spending a high draft pick replacing him, only to watch him prove he wasn't the problem after all down the road (see: Kurt Warner). Crabtree is a mega-talent in the mould of Larry Fitzgerald, Calvin Johnson, Marquis Colston and Brandon Marshall. If he can come in and make a big impact, the Rams offense could roll right away. He's a safe pick for a team with the potential to rebound quickly. If he fulfills the promise he's shown up til now, he could be the type of unstoppable force that makes quarterbacks look good on his own.

3) Kansas City Chiefs- OT Eugene Monroe. Adding Pioli as the decision maker in the front office completely alters any perception of what they might draft. New England developed clear patterns during his collaboration with Bill Belichick. Some will speculate that New England found out just how important a good quarterback is; I'd argue the Patriots have proven great value can be found at quarterback later in the draft. At their best, the Patriots have ranked amongst the league's best on both lines. The pick will be a tackle, and they can pick up one of the aforementioned available quarterbacks sure to be shopped around the league. Hopefully Monroe can be as successful as longtime left tackle Matt Light has been for the Patriots since being drafted in the second round in 2001. Look for them to aggressively pursue Albert Haynesworth, too. The Patriots have never been shy to make a splash in free agency, and Haynesworth would be huge for the Chiefs.

4) Seattle Seahawks- OT Michael Oher- The Seahawks could make a case for drafting a quarterback, but Seneca Wallace was excellent in extended playing time this season, and Matt Hasselbeck is a former Pro Bowler. There are many teams with worse situations at quarterback in the NFL. Their main needs are on the lines. They lack high-end talent at defensive tackle and need to infuse young talent at offensive tackle. Because it's hard to spot a defensive tackle worthy of a top-five pick, Monroe is the pick. They were burned when acquiring Deion Branch, but a trade for Chad Johnson (2nd round pick?) might work for both the Seahawks and Bengals. They're another team that could rebound in a big way in 2009.

5) Cleveland Browns- OLB Aaron Curry. The Browns defense managed a measly 17 sacks in 2008 and taking the 2008 Butkus Award winner would go a long way towards turning the unit around. Their offense ranked 31st in points scored in 2008; please take a bow Ken Dorsey. Curry made 15 tackles for loss from his outside linebacker position at Wake and is seen as an elite tackler and a potentially disrupting force. Beanie Wells is an option here, too.

6) Cincinnati Bengals- RB Chris "Beanie" Wells. The Bengals need help on the line, but Wells is the first guy Bob Sanders can't tackle solo. The Bengals need an infusion of toughness and competitiveness. Anyone who watched Beanie at Ohio State knows he'll bring both.

7) Oakland Raiders- OT Jason Smith. Davis loves sexy names so don't rule out a Jeremy Maclin here, but the Raiders need help on the line. This would be four in the first round, which would be a record. A team needs what a team needs, I guess. We'll see.

8) Jacksonville Jaguars- LB Rey Maualuga. Maualuga has been NFL-ready since he was 17 and the 10-time All American (or so it seems) will be an elite linebacker for the next decade in the league. Are Samoans ever busts? It's been confirmed that he is Samoan. And I can already picture him in Jacksonville. The preseason photo spreads will be badass. He's got every chance to be an NFL poster boy for the next decade. The NFL might as well grab their cameras and invite him to a park to play with kids. Every defense needs a Maualuga and he should go higher in actuality.

9) Green Bay Packers- DE Brian Orakpo. The Packers played better than their record indicated in 2008 and have the potential to bounce back and win their division as early as 2009. They were 26th in the NFL in run yards allowed per game in 2008, and shoring that area up could go a long way towards guaranteeing they improve. Signing Albert Haynesworth would be ideal, but who doesn't want him? Orakpo is huge and productive. Adding a young cornerback like Malcolm Jenkins would be wise to consider, too, with Al Harris and Charles Woodson in their 30's.

10) San Francisco 49ers- QB Mark Sanchez. Sanchez's numbers in a pro-style offense at USC are impressive, but so are the guys he handed off and threw the ball to. The 49ers once again are looking for a long-term answer at quarterback. The best thing you'll hear anyone say about Shaun Hill is that he didn't play like Shaun Hill in 2008. How do you feel about that? The 49ers will aim higher with Sanchez, and hope genuine compliments will be paid to him in the near future.

11) Buffalo Bills- DE Michael Johnson It was a statistic that stunned some in a Bills fan forum in my first mock draft... Jason Peters gave up more sacks than any starting tackle in the NFL in 2008. A major pass rusher on defense would be great also, since they made just 24 sacks in 2008. Johnson's blend of size and quickness is oft-compared to Dwight Freeney and Julius Peppers. If the Bills were smart, they'd just swoop for the proven article since Peppers is available.

12) Denver Broncos- DE/LB Everette Brown Denver's defense was awful in 2008, but you'll have that when Ebenezer Ekuban and John Engelberger are every-down defensive players. They're, like, 75's on Madden. Yuck. Adding someone who can get to the quarterback would be tremendous. Hopefully, Brown has that kind of potential? He made 13.5 sacks at Florida State last season.

13) Washington Redskin- DT BJ Raji This would be a throwaway pick, but Raji keeps shooting up draft boards. Fellow mock drafters... he's in too good of shape! Have you never seen Ted Washington or Tony Siragusa!?!? Raji is a bust. I like my DT's like I like my HC's. FAT!!!!!!!!!!

14) New Orleans Saints- CB Malcolm Jenkins Saints fans long ago grew tired of watching their cornerbacks give up leads late in games. Jenkins has the talent to go much higher and might be atop the Saints draft board overall. If he isn't, he should be. With the Saints recent track record in the draft, expect Jenkins to be drafted, lauded, and then cut by training camp. I'm a disgruntled fan. They have to take him here though. Don't you ruin him Sean Payton. Don't you dare.

15) Houston Texans- LB/DE Aaron Maybin Maybin was one of the leaders of Penn State's defense this season, and his hyper-productive style may finally cause a unit chock full of high draft picks to mesh. Teaming Maybin and Mario Williams could have devastating effects on opposing offenses. His multi-position versatility is a plus.

16) San Diego Chargers- C/G Alex Mack Ladainian Tomlinson's productivity slipped in 2008, in large part due to poor line play on the interior. Mack will be a force immediately and could slide over to center should Nick Hardwick ever get injured. Sounds like a fit to me.

17) New York Jets- QB Matt Stafford With the Brett Favre experiment mercifully over, the Jets will nab Stafford to be their quarterback of the future. You probably think I'm crazy for letting him fall this far, but I just don't see what is so great about him. Okay, he throws hard. So did Ryan Leaf. Only Ryan Leaf was much better in college. So maybe they could just try to trade for Chad Pennington? I hear he is a pretty good quarterback...

18) Chicago Bears- WR Jeremy Maclin Maclin would add another gamebreaker to the Bears' offense opposite Devin Hester. How B.A. would it be to see those two B.A.M.F.'s running a double-reverse in which Kyle Orton sneaks out of the backfield to the far sideline and catches a pass from Maclin that he runs in for a touchdown. Maclin could be the first player in history to pass, run, catch, kick return, and punt return for touchdowns in the same game! I'm way down. By the way, the Bears are nuts if they end up running Kyle Orton off before next season. Absolutely bonkers.

19) Tampa Bay Buccaneers- OLB Brian Cushing A four year starter at USC, Cushing will be more than capable of replacing the 35-year old Derrick Brooks. Bucs fans didn't like this choice at last update, but outside of Barrett Ruud, Tampa has very old or very uninspiring options. Cushing could have played in the NFL at age 19.

20) Detroit Lions- CB Vontae Davis The Illinois cornerback and brother of Vernon will immediately upgrade their secondary. What were they thinking when they traded Dre Bly for two pieces of garbage. You could start a lot of sentences with "What were they thinking..." when looking back on Matt Millen. Let's hope this one goes better.

21) Philadelphia Eagles- G Duke Robinson If the economy doesn't rebound and food becomes scarce, Robinson could help sustain the Eagles. Survival of the fittest.

22) Minnesota Vikings- OT Eben Britton The Vikings are crying out for a right tackle, and DAMNET, it wouldn't be fair to end the Tarvaris Jackson experiment until he's got one. When he still sucks with one (and he will), then by all means go ahead and cut away. My first 2010 projection is that the Vikings will be taking Colt McCoy with the 18th pick. Oh wow, the Vikings are looking really good for 2012.

23) New England Patriots- WR Percy Harvin Really? Could they honestly get this lucky? To add arguably the top playmaker in the draft would be unfair. But the Patriots don't play by the rules. Randy Moss only has a few seasons left in him, and New England can afford to look ahead with this pick. Harvin has lightning speed and the Patriots will figure out how to utilize it. That Tom Brady, everything goes his way.

24) Atlanta Falcons- DT Peria Jerry The Falcons have a need at defensive tackle, and this one is a FATTY. Jerry is about to embark on a 16 year career with five teams who will all complain that he needs to cut weight, but damnet, he really shouldn't because it's just hilarious when a fat man rumbles and stumbles on a fumble return, which is how Jerry will become a household name, taking back a 31 yard fumble to the three yard line in the 2017 NFC Championship before falling into a four day coma due to oxygen debt, and when he emerges he'll make the studio rounds and talk about the ordeal, where he'll make contacts that will keep in touch until 2026 when he'll sign a television deal to do what Warren Sapp does, whatever the hell that is. You heard it here first.

25) Miami Dolphins- LB James Laurenitis How did Joey Porter not make the All Pro team this season? An abomination. I'm guessing that Laurenitis makes it if he ever has 18 sacks in a season. He won't, but he'll be damn good.

26) Baltimore Ravens- WR Brian Robiskie Flacco was solid in his debut season, but he needs more weapons to throw to going forward. Maclin and Harvin will be off the board, but Robiskie ain't bad at all. Robiskie has been receiving good reviews from pre-draft games and workouts early. Shout out to Terry.

27) Indianapolis Colts- RB Shonn Greene Joseph Addai has durability issues and his performance is fading. Dominic Rhodes is at the end of the line. If the Colts fail to add a running back this season, it could come back to haunt them. Greene may be one of the more underrated prospects in this draft as he was literally unstoppable for Iowa all year. Trade Addai for a pick and roll with Greene and Mike Hart. You won't regret it Bill Polian. Although you rarely regret anything you do, so go ahead and go with your gut.

28) Philadelphia Eagles- OT Phil Loadholt With aging tackles Jon Runyan and Tra Thomas, Loadholt fills a need and can develop for a year or two. Combined with Robinson, the Eagles are reloaded up front.

29) New York Giants- TE Brandon Pettigrew Kevin Boss is solid, workmanlike and decent, but he's Kevin Boss. No offense, but Pettigrew can be so much more than just Kevin Boss, without the attitude of that Jeremy Shockey guy.

30) Tennessee Titans- WR Hakeem Nicks Nicks had a monster season for North Carolina and capped it off with 217 receiving yards in the Meineke Car Care Bowl. The only weakness of the Titans is a lack of playmakers. At over 16 yards a catch, Nicks is a playmaker, if anything. And he looks great in all shades of blue. A perfect fit!

31) Arizona Cardinals- RB Knowshon Moreno It's been well documented that Edgerrin James is on his way out (and good riddance). Perhaps Moreno can do what so many have failed to in recent years... run for 4 yards a carry.

32) Pittsburgh Steelers- S Patrick Chung Chung is the next Bob Sanders. I promise. Teaming Chung and Troy Polamalu together back at safety... So many sweet YouTube vids are going to be rolling out of Heinz Field. Make it happen. Someone pointed out in my last mock draft that Chung and Polamalu wouldn't be good enough in coverage together. If true, the Saints will slurp him up in Round Two. I can dream at least.

What do you think? Let us know in the official mock draft thread in OUR FORUM.

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