DraftView: Mel Kiper's mock draft

This will kick off draft coverage on RamView for 2009. With the Rams drafting second overall for the second straight year, 2009's draft will again be crucial to the long-term future of the franchise. A couple of years of high picks can turn a franchise right around if done right (see: Penguins, Pittsburgh), or just make your team a historical laughingstock if done wrong (see: Lions, Detroit).

Out of courtesy, here's the link to Mel Kiper's current mock (the first one of his I'm aware of).

My notes: It sounds like a LOT of mocks are going to project Andre Smith to the Rams. I'm torn, with the little I know right now. There's a lot of sentiment that Smith's not even the best tackle available, let alone the best player available. It sure seems like Michael Crabtree would rank as the BPA of this draft, and it's not like the Rams couldn't use him. And as much as I would like to cashier Alex Barron and put some new blood at RT, is that the team's biggest need? Well, it sure is if they don't bring Orlando Pace back, but if Aaron Curry, who Billy Devaney has already said he loves, is a run-stopper, I don't know how this awful run defense can pass on him from a needs standpoint. So right now, my pick is Crabtree, because after last year's draft, I've become a BPA guy. Curry is my needs pick.

Some more: I believe the Rams need to be one of those teams that trades up into the bottom half of the first round this year. Rather than sitting and keeping their fingers crossed that Rey Maualuga (won't) or Alex Mack (might) fall to them, they need to deal up and get their guy.

A little more: I'm happy for him, but surprised to see Jeremy Maclin in the top 10. I think he's a pretty big step down from Crabtree. I didn't see Maclin taking over any games this year. And as for Vontae Davis, I don't see it, never did. He was not a difference-making player in any Illini game I watched, especially the Missouri game. Bigger Illini fans than me complain the team played too-soft coverage, and that opponents threw away from Davis, so that is worth considering in the overall analysis.

Also, Mel: you've got the Chiefs picking a QB when Tyler Thigpen emerged as one of their few bright spots, when they have an offensive line still under construction and their pick of the top tackle prospects, and when they had one of the worst pass rushes ever? (TEN sacks last year? Are you kidding me? TEN?)

Better think that one over again, Draft Guru.

Kiper's first round 1-16

Pick	Team	Player	Position	College
1	Detroit	Matthew Stafford	QB	Georgia
2	St. Louis	Andre Smith	OT	Alabama
3	Kansas City	Mark Sanchez	QB	USC
4	Seattle	Michael Crabtree	WR	Texas Tech
5	Cleveland	Aaron Curry	LB	Wake Forest
6	Cincinnati	Jason Smith	OT	Baylor
7	Oakland	Jeremy Maclin	WR	Missouri
8	Jacksonville	Eugene Monroe	OT	Virginia
9	Green Bay	Malcolm Jenkins	CB	Ohio St.
10	San Francisco	Aaron Maybin	DE/OLB	Penn St.
11	Buffalo	Brandon Pettigrew	TE	Oklahoma St.
12	Denver	B.J. Raji	DT	Boston College
13	Washington	Brian Orakpo	DE	Texas
14	New Orleans	Vontae Davis	CB	Illinois
15	Houston	Everette Brown	DE	Florida St.
16	San Diego	Knowshon Moreno	RB	Georgia