Mock draft crunching (3/18)

Mock draft crunching (3/18)
One of these days I'm going to have to work out the RamView AccuDraft, but for now, I'm content to play off the projections of others and offer my alternative draft strategy. Here's where we sit 40 days before the draft.

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NFLDraftcountdown
2 - Chris Long
33 - Mario Manningham

Scott Wright makes my decision easy by changing his mock to have Miami select Jake Long first. I am not at this point a Manningham fan; you can get better size for the same speed at the 2nd round pick. Wright isn't projecting the third round yet, but since I doubt Miami would take a second OT, I'll go after someone who can step in at third tackle and be groomed to become a starter in the near-term. An All-America, super pass blocker at #65? Sold.

I'd go: 2 - Chris Long, 33 - James Hardy, 65 - Anthony Collins

The Hardy pick is complicated by Antoine Cason still being on the board then, combined with what appears to be a growing need at Rams Park for another CB. Certainly worth considering.

Also, I want some of what Wright must be smoking to have Jeff Otah going at #5 overall.

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Draftdaddy
2 - Vernon Gholston

They still have Chris Long going first, and right now, I'm inclined to agree that Gholston is the player to pick if Miami takes Chris Long. Unless you think the Rams are better off with Adeyanju at RDE than Barron at RT. They really screw me up for the 2nd round pick, though, because they take Hardy, Limas Sweed, Cason, Gosder Cherilus and Sam Baker off the board in the first round. With the selection left, I'd almost rather trade down out of #33.

But for now I'd go 2 - Gholston, 33 - Tracy Porter, given the selections left. Devin Thomas is the
top WR left, but he has "workout wonder" all over him.
Alternatively, one could go 2 - Jake Long, 33 - Lawrence Jackson.

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Walterfootball
2 - Gholston
33 - Cherilus
65 - Eddie Royal
97 - Steve Justice
128 - Wesley Woodyard

I would pretty much jump up and down if the Rams get the players Walterfootball projects.
If I can get Cherilus in round 2, I'm taking him. That doesn't leave a great selection at CB
in the third round, though, unless you want to get another raw Jonathan Wade-type like
Justin King or Charles Godfrey.

My call:
2 - Gholston, 33 - Cherilus, 65 - Andre Caldwell, 97 - Steve Justice, 128 - Chevis Jackson.


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Drafttek
2 - Chris Long
34 - James Hardy
66 - Erin Henderson
98 - John Sullivan
130 - Wesley Woodyard
162 - Jo-Lonn Dunbar
174 - Jack Ikegwuonu
202 - Michael Grant

One one hand, the Drafttek mock plays out great: Hardy AND Cherilus are available at 33.
On the other hand, I can't see drafting Ikegwuonu, who blew out his knee in January.


My call:
2 - Chris Long, 34 - Hardy, 66 - DaJuan Morgan, 98 - Sullivan, 130 - Patrick Lee,
162 - Drew Radovich, 174 - Taj Smith, 202 - Terrence Wheatley

Alternately, Cherilus at 34 and a WR like Royal or Jordy Nelson at 66. I'm really
starting to like the idea of drafting Morgan, though.

I'll want to do a lot more defensive back research to see why Patrick Lee is one
man's 2nd-rounder and another's 5th-rounder. Same for Wheatley, who was 3rd round
in Walterfootball and 7th on Drafttek.

I'll try to keep up more quickly with mocks as they come out.