Mock draft crunching, 4/11

Miami's opening of contract talks with Jake Long has spurred a flurry of activity in the mock draft world. Maybe someday I'll even get around to mine. For instance, Clark Judge at cbssports.com has bumped Jake up to #1 overall and has Chris Long going to the Rams. No problems there. But Judge does a very curious thing at Pittsburgh's #23 pick. He says Branden Albert should be gone by then, though he isn't, has the Steelers take Jeff Otah, and then doesn't have Albert drafted in the first round at all. In the RamView war room, I would find that unbelievable luck, assuming Miami doesn't want to draft offensive linemen first and second (though I would if I were them).

RamView selections: 1 - Chris Long 2 - Branden Albert (Sweed, Groves and Mayo also on the board)

Huh, looks like I'm a big UVa fan.

Also at cbssports.com, Pete Prisco's mock is identical at the top. He remembers Albert and has him drafted at #13 by Carolina. Joining Albert as first rounders: Lawrence Jackson, Brandon Flowers, Justin King. Some possibilities for the Rams' #33 pick: Groves, Dan Connor, James Hardy, Antoine Cason.

RamView selections: 1 - Chris Long 2 - I'm not a big fan, but Chris Williams is usually a mock-draft first-rounder and would be a fine value pick at #33. He or Sam Baker would be great picks here.

The same site also has the Sports Xchange 4/8 mock by Rob Rang, who makes an interesting case that Miami's talks with Jake Long are a smokescreen, and that they'll take Chris Long, making Jake a Ram. In this two-round draft, Rang selects Dan Connor for the Rams in the 2nd round. Other notables: Groves and Campbell as first-rounders; Johnathan Stewart and DeSean Jackson both going to Dallas, (wow) making this a rare mock draft with Felix Jones sliding to the second round.

RamView selections: 1 - I have been slipping off the Vernon Gholston bandwagon lately and am leaning back toward taking Jake Long if Chris Long is drafted by Miami.
2 - Having gone OL in the first, I'm almost obliged to go with Limas Sweed in the 2nd. I agree with Rang's notion that the Rams are looking at LB, though, it's just not the position I would address here. Also available: Baker, Hardy, Flowers
3 - Less than optimal situation as far as RamView is concerned, because d-line has been gutted unless you want to go with project/pass rushers like Jason Jones or Jeremy Thompson. My pick would be Auburn CB Patrick Lee. There's also DaJuan Morgan, though he appears to be a free safety, or Maryland OLB Erin Henderson.
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At nfl.com, Vic Carucci's mock is as of Monday and seems likely to change, currently with Chris Long to Miami and Jake to the Rams. Campbell, King, Flowers and Kentwan Balmer will be happy to hear they're first-rounders here. Rams would probably be looking at Groves, Connor and Cason at #33.

RamView selections: 1 - Jake Long 2 - Quentin Groves

Also at nfl.com, Pat Kirwan has Chris Long going to Miami and Glenn Dorsey to the Rams. Apparently a Chiefs fan, he has them getting Jake Long fifth. He also drafts Albert seventh! - remember, Clark Judge left Albert out of his first round? In a bad mock for the Rams, six d-linemen, including Groves, go in the first.

RamView selections: 1 - Jake Long 2 - Limas Sweed
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nfldraftcountdown appears to be in the process of being updated right now. At least it better be, or else Scott Wright has Chris Williams getting drafted twice in the first round. I'll crunch that again later.
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draftdaddy was updated last weekend, with Chris Long going first, Gholston going to the Rams at #2 and DeSean Jackson coming here at #33. I have little to no problem with that, though they vaguely mention "off-the-field concerns" for Jackson, and the Rams don't need to draft any of those. Quirks here include Matt Ryan falling out of the top ten and Cliff Avril leaping into the first round, where SEVEN DEs and seven offensive linemen are selected.

RamView selections: 1 - Jake Long 2 - DeSean Jackson, unless this rumor pans out. Otherwise, d-line is gutted again and I'd probably take Jerod Mayo, with Lee, Connor, Campbell and Hardy also on the board. 3 - In retrospect, o-line, d-line and CB have been absolutely gutted by this point in draftdaddy's mock. I should have taken a defensive player in the 2nd round and I'd have had my pick at WR here, including Doucet, Bennett and Caldwell. Draft scenarios like this one really fortify the argument for taking Vernon Gholston at #2. But since I went WR in the 2nd, the best values left in the 3rd look like LBs, so I'd be looking at Curtis Lofton or Erin Henderson.
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Finishing with a quick look at the long-range draft sites:
Walterfootball: updated 4/10
1 - Vernon Gholston, with Chris Long going first, also believing Miami's Jake Long talks are a smokescreen
2 - Dan Connor
3 - Mario Manningham HELL NO!
4 - Kirk Barton
5 - Doug Legursky (C, Marshall)

RamView selections: 1 - Jake Long, though I'm starting to like Gholston again; 2 - Lawrence Jackson; 3 - absolutely Reggie Smith if he falls here; 4 - Dexter Jackson; 5 - Bruce Davis.

Walterfootball has Campbell as a FOURTH-rounder, btw.
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Last but not least, drafttek:
1 - Chris Long
2 - Quentin Groves
3 - Charles Godfrey
4 - Will Franklin
5 - Jamar Adams (SS - Michigan)
6 - Kevin O'Connell (QB - San Diego State)
6b - Jamey Richard (C - Buffalo)
7a - Mike Gibson (T - California)
7b - Jerome Felton (FB - Furman)

RamView selections: 1 - Chris Long; 2 - Quentin Groves; 3 - Jordy Nelson; 4 - Josh Barrett; 5 - Drew Radovich; 6a - Terrence Wheatley; 6b - Kenny Iwebema; 7a - Gary Barnidge; 7b - Shannon Boatman.

Boy, drafttek and I were both terrible about offensive line...