Rams news, 4/30: Rams cut Josh Brown

The Rams cut Josh Brown yesterday, making 6th-round draft pick Greg Zuerlein, who's never had to hit a field goal in front of more than 6,000 people, the starting kicker heading into the 2012 season.

Not that Brown is irreplaceable, however. He never kicked with the league-elite distance (on FGs or kickoffs), accuracy or consistency he should have when he was made the highest-paid kicker in the league when the Rams signed him as a free agent in 2008. Last year he made barely half his kicks of 40 yards or over and his 75% field goal percentage was 32nd in the league.

Brown seems like a good-enough guy, so it's regrettable this happened to him, but he was eminently replaceable. The question will be if the Rams found the right replacement for him.

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The one area of the team the Rams left basically unaddressed during the draft was linebacker. They did draft Aaron Brown in the 7th round and have several rookie free agents coming in, but that's a pretty borderline plan.

Jeff Fisher did mention that the Rams could go back to free agency to shore up roster depth, so RamView would like to quickly recommend that both Rocky McIntosh, formerly of the Redskins, and Brandon Johnson, last with the Bengals, are still available. Both are 29. McIntosh has shown a lot of playmaking ability in the past and has been good dropping back in coverage as well. He's been durable, makes plays from sideline to sideline, and had 110 tackles two years ago. Johnson is a versatile LB who's played nickel LB, an excellent tackler and an impact special teams player. He's been a team captain in Cincinnati and was often the best LB on the field for them.

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Photo: Seattle Times

Draft thoughts

Most draft analysts seem to be giving the Rams a grade in the B to B-minus range for this year's draft picks. I'd have to say I'm comfortable with that. They addressed several positions well. You could figure out their thinking on just about every pick. (Unlike, say, the 49ers taking LaMichael James. Is that a franchise that's really short at RB?, or the Redskins taking Kirk Cousins.) They by all accounts got a bunch of talented players. (So did every team, right?) I think on the average, they got decent value for their picks. Some were reaches but others looked like bargains. What I'm not thrilled with was the amount of risk they took with a lot of their picks. Seems like a 2-14 team needs to add guys who can play now, not guys who might be good in 2-3 years, or guys who might end up in jail in 2-3 years. Draft thoughts by player:

14 - Michael Brockers: one big year in college at a position he's not going to play in St. Louis, and he's the #6 man on their board? Wow. Good value at 14 + a draft pick, though. My concerns about changing his position, his fitness, and LSU's bad record producing d-linemen remain.

33 - Brian Quick: Ray Sherman knows a lot more about receivers than I do, and he says Quick is going to be the next Terrell Owens. We'll see. I don't think he was a top-of-2nd-round value, he's extremely raw, and he's one of many Rams draft picks who didn't play against very tough competition.

39 - Janoris Jenkins: you guys out there yelling, "drafting Boy Scouts didn't work!" have pretty damn short memories. The Super Bowl champion Rams were built with men who were and are exemplary off the field. Kurt Warner. Trent Green. Isaac Bruce. Torry Holt. Orlando Pace. Adam Timmerman. Grant Wistrom. Mike Jones. That was the thing that made their victory even more joyous. Granted, those weren't all drafted players. But character always has mattered and always will matter. I didn't think the idea behind accumulating draft picks was so you could just roll the dice with them. Jenkins has the talent to pay off big-time if they can keep his nose clean. Fisher sure didn't do that with Pac-Man Jones. I have no evidence to suggest it a good idea for this franchise to draft this player at this time. With a more veteran locker room, maybe.

50 - Isaiah Pead: probably drafted a little too high, but he also fills a need the Rams have left unanswered for about five years. Badly-needed infusion of speed.

65 - Trumaine Johnson: a good draft value and his off-field transgression looks like a one-time thing to me. Lack of tough competition is an issue, as is a likely position change from corner to safety, where I assume they'll look at him to replace Craig Dahl. Unless their opinion of Darian Stewart varies vastly from mine. I also didn't think secondary was an area of bad enough need at this point to use another pick there. Might have been a good opportunity to take a guard or a WLB.

96 - Chris Givens: badly-needed speed element and field-stretching receiver. Some call him the best route-runner in the draft; some say he runs routes like Mardy Gilyard. Great draft value, though; you could easily make a second-round case for him.

150 - Rokevious Watkins: scouting reports give me the impression he's not the mauling guard the Rams need. Fitness is also a question. But he could be a valuable swing man.

171 - Greg Zuerlein: talk about freaking gambles - they draft a kicker one day and boot the veteran kicker the next. I hope they've got somebody on speed-dial in case this kid starts shanking kicks all over the place. The draft value is correct IF you believe in drafting kickers. Later in the week I'll post my list of one player at each position the Rams ought to have drafted instead. They're pretty much caught with their pants down if this pick doesn't work out.

209 - Aaron Brown: admire the kid. No idea why they thought he had to be drafted. They didn't completely ignore WLB by making this pick, but they might as well have.

252 - Daryl Richardson: poor level of competition but has some elite athletic skills. To make the team, all he has to do is beat out Quinn Porter. Not a high hurdle. If your #252 pick can make the roster, it's a good pick.

The Rams got talent. I'm concerned too much of it, especially at the top, projects as talent down the line instead of right away.  Three rap sheets in ten picks wasn't really the ratio I was looking for with a rebuilding team with a young roster. And how many times have Rams fans been promised that so-and-so is going to be a great player once we get him coached up? Fisher and Snead set the bar high for themselves with their opening draft. They're going to have to have some gambles pay off and Fisher's going to have to prove he and his staff are an x-factor that will create star players.

Well, I sure know I'd never turn my finances over to these guys. We'll see how they do with the football team.

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2nd-round mocks

Bucky Brooks at NFL.com has the Rams opening tonight with Cordy Glenn at 33, followed by Stephen Hill at 39 and Lamar Miller at 45. Rueben Randle fell between 33 and 39.

FWIW, in that scenario, RamView would open tonight with Randle (the Rams HAVE to take a WR at 33 after bypassing the position last night), Miller and Mychal Kendricks. Randle and Hill are about the only WRs left who entice me as high second-round values, and I see Randle as a much more complete receiver.

The Scouts Inc. mock 2nd round on ESPN.com has the Rams taking Randle, then Lavonte David, then Trumaine Johnson. My problem with that is the worst offense in the NFL in years using three of its first four picks on defensive players. I think I'm stretching it only taking two offensive players in the round.

That scenario could just as easily go Randle, Alshon Jeffery or almost any guard, and Lamar Miller.

The Rams need to pick up at least three offensive players, TONIGHT.

Update: Mel Kiper also likes Glenn for the Rams at 33. Has Janoris Jenkins at 39 and Lavonte David at 45. No, no, no, no, no, Mel. I don't need three defensive players in four picks, especially when one has the terrible off-field of Jenkins. Just call him Pac-Man Junior right now.

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Thoughts on Michael Brockers

The Rams didn't exactly add a dynamic playmaker, which their offense needs like Kim Kardashian needs attention, (I know, I've used that one before) in last night's draft. In fact, I dare say yet another first-round pick on a defensive tackle did little to thrill the season-ticket base or instill confidence in the new regime.

Let's see - you got nothing done in free agency on offense except add a career-injured wideout, and treat us in the first round of the draft with the third-best defensive tackle. Feel the season ticket renewals! Going to be thrilling to watch the Rams struggle to crack the 13-point mark every week yet again in 2012!

Let's really break the Rams' first round down:
1. They didn't trade up for Justin Blackmon. I'm actually fine with that. Blackmon comes with too many questions. If they didn't consider Blackmon an elite enough player to make a high first-round consideration on, I don't argue with that position a lot. But they still need offensive playmakers.
2. RamView would have taken Morris Claiborne at #6. He was still one of the elite six players in the draft. A lot of analysts ranked him above Blackmon anyway. (For instance, #2 by Pro Football Weekly.) Put him with Finnegan, Fletcher, Mikell and Stewart, and the Rams were shaping up to have a shutdown secondary and would have been a LOT tougher against the pass in '12. But would still need an offensive playmaker.
3. When they traded down, they traded to right behind two teams, in their own division, thought to be looking hard at Michael Floyd. And what do you know, Floyd went the pick before them. Leaving the Rams still needing offensive playmakers.
4. Then, at 14, David DeCastro would have been a fantastic value. One of the best guards to come out of college in many years. They could have plugged him right in at left guard, where he would have seriously upgraded the Rams' run-blocking and rushing game. It would have been like adding an offensive playmaker. Instead, still need one.
5. Positives on taking Brockers: though it is decidedly not their biggest need, which would be offensive playmakers, defensive tackle is definitely a need. Brockers should step in immediately as a run-stuffer, definitely a need. The Rams' tackling in the back seven actually improved last year, but it was nearly impossible to notice because the middle of the line got overwhelmed. Fred Robbins got too old too quick and got worn down to a nub by double-teams, and there simply was never enough talent next to him to make teams pay for that. Brockers may be the biggest DT the Rams have had since the dreaded summer days of Kirksey and Osborne. Oh, he'll tie up blockers. But the Rams still need offensive playmakers.
6. Negatives on taking Brockers: one of the problems is the amount of convincing it will take to make me think that drafting Brockers is a good move.
   * One of the big draft no-no's we learned about five years ago is that you don't draft 3-4 DEs expecting to turn them into 4-3 DTs. They tried it here with Adam Carriker, and he stank. Move him to 3-4 DE at Washington, though, and lookee here! Looks like a good player again. Brockers played all of last season as a very large 3-4 DE. That's essentially his entire high-level football experience. Sure, he's very young and can certainly learn a new position, but where is the evidence that he will indeed make for an excellent 4-3 DT in the NFL? It sure isn't on tape.
   * School and position are important. Let's start the positive way. USC consistently puts out good offensive linemen. Miami produces good tight ends and running backs. Penn State produces good linebackers. Purdue produces good pass rushers. Wisconsin and Iowa produce excellent o-linemen. Ohio State tends to produce good o-linemen and DBs. But it goes both ways. Penn State has produced massive busts at defensive line. (One good thing about the Brockers pick - it means the Rams aren't taking Devon Still.) Nebraska's been a bust minefield, especially in the St. Louis Rams era. And LSU is not distinguishing itself in the area of producing defensive linemen, where Glenn Dorsey and Tyson Jackson have been major disappointments in the last 5 years. Whether that's Kansas City misusing them (again, failure to convert college 3-4 players into other positions), or a program that manages to produce players that just look good until they hit the pros, I guess we'll have to find out.
   * We're told of Brockers' magnificent physical tools. But how well does he use and maintain them? His Combine performance was one of the worst of any of the DTs. You can factor some of that as being his size. Not a lot of 320-pound men are going to crack 5.0 in the 40-yard dash. (Dontari Poe wasn't available, anyway.) But it's coming out that he improved his performances nicely at his pro day, and it was because he lost some weight. Is that going to be an issue for him? He got pretty out of shape in the space of about six weeks. He's put on, what, 70 pounds since he arrived at LSU? Does he know when to quit? Will his body let him? Is he going to show up for June minicamp at 350? He already had issues with endurance in college. Sure, he'll be part of a rotation in the pros, but he's supposed to take the majority of snaps and be on the field late in big games to make big plays. Will he be lined up on 4th-and-1 in the 4th quarter, or will he be on the bench taking oxygen? I guess I'm a little stunned that the Rams graded a player who could easily have weight issues and endurance issues to the point it downgrades his athletic performance as the #6 player in the entire draft. The Rams may have taken him as a building block, but will he hold up?

I "get" the logic behind drafting Michael Brockers. When I compare drafting him to drafting Ryan Pickett, I mean it in a good way. Charlie Armey drafted Pickett in 2001. He was very young then, like Brockers is now, and seeing his potential, Armey intended for him to develop into a role. Which he did, becoming an 11-year starter in the NFL and an excellent run-stopper. Nope, he didn't do it for the Rams, but that's neither his nor Armey's fault. Armey made the right pick there (one for three that round, woo-hoo!).

But Armey had a Super Bowl team, and extra draft picks, giving him the luxury to take a project player like Pickett. He also had more than a few offensive playmakers. The Rams have a luxury of picks tonight, in part because of the trade down to #14 and Brockers last night. But I don't feel they had the luxury of starting the damn draft with a project player at freaking defensive tackle who doesn't inspire with his conditioning.

If Jeff Fisher coaches Michael Brockers up into becoming the next Albert Haynesworth, then great. He and Les Snead are geniuses. All I know is, the Rams have drafted plenty of players in St. Louis and left fans the promise that they'd be coached up to greatness. It's time for somebody to deliver on that damn pledge, or this pick, riskier on its face than trading up for Blackmon or drafting Claiborne or possibly even Floyd, is not going to work.

And the Rams still don't have any offensive playmakers.

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Todd McShay seven-round Rams mock

The only thing that bothers me about the seven-round mock draft McShay and Scouts Inc. put up on the ESPN website today is that what he has for the Rams is too good. Seriously, this is a beauty to behold:

1/6 - Matt Kalil
2/33 - Doug Martin
2/39 - Reuben Randle
3/65 - Josh Norman
4/96 - Mike Daniels, DT, Iowa
6/171 - Jaye Howard, DT, Florida
7/209 - Dwight Jones, WR, North Carolina
7/252 - Drew Butler, P, Georgia

This draft doesn't address Will LB, so I might have taken James-Michael Johnson in round 4 instead. At 209, I might have gone after Chris Owusu or Junior Hemingway, both compensatory picks at the end of round 7, instead. And drafting a punter at Mr. Less-than-Irrelevant is almost not drafting a punter at all, I can live with that.

And I agree with Matt Kalil over Justin Blackmon. And 100 tons on Martin, Randle and Norman. And Howard is super-quick off the ball and would be a nice sixth-round pickup.

If the Rams have a draft this good, I'll be crying tears of joy Saturday evening.

Guess I'd better brace myself for Fletcher Cox, no wide receivers and a fourth-round punter, just in case.

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More details on the private WR workouts

The Rams held private workouts over the weekend with four wide receivers they could easily be considering with their first-round or second-round picks:


- Justin Blackmon

- Michael Floyd

- Kendall Wright

- A.J. Jenkins






Jeff Fisher, Les Snead and Brian Schottenheimer appear to have attended all the workouts.
Blackmon's workout was also attended by Kevin Demoff and Sam Bradford.

The Rams have investigated Floyd and his alcohol arrests and are said to be satisfied they won't have to downgrade him on their board for the off-field issues.
The visit with Jenkins wasn't previously reported. Have I ever mentioned he runs routes just like Brandon Lloyd? Kellen Clemens and Tom Brandstater were the QBs for that workout.


Late draft buzz, if it's worth anything, has the Vikings taking Morris Claiborne now at #3 overall. The potential upshot of that is that the Rams could have Matt Kalil and Blackmon to choose between at #6. I said I'd take Kalil when the Rams had #2; I can hardly change my mind now.

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Rams news, 4/25: Jackson wants new contract??

* Jackson unhappy?  I simply have no idea what to make of what I have to call a rumor started by Michael Lombardi on NFL.com yesterday. Lombardi says "a league source" tells him that Steven Jackson is unhappy with his contract and wants to re-negotiate it. Lombardi then uses this as the launching point for speculating that the Rams are going to trade up to draft Trent Richardson and/or trade Steven Jackson over draft weekend. Lombardi lit the fire, then Mike Sando stoked it on ESPN.com.

I find this flummoxing for several reasons. First and foremost, this isn't the Steven Jackson we've come to know. He's been the consummate team player here (since holding out in 2008 training camp) and hasn't been any kind of disruptive personality in the locker room. He's even said he's willing to mentor Richardson if the Rams draft him. To be publicly grousing at this date about his contract just isn't Steven Jackson. (Also, why isn't this news coming from a local source? Is this "league source" even the Rams?)

Second, he's scheduled to make $7 million each of the next two seasons. What's to complain about there? Seriously? If the Rams weren't willing to pay him next season, he'd have been cut already. The Rams do have big future deals for Chris Long and James Laurinaitis to think about, but it's also been reported that after this season, they have the best salary cap situation in the whole league. I doubt Jackson has to worry about getting squeezed out, or getting a restructure-or-else ultimatum, this year or next.

I mean, the whole thing absolutely doesn't make sense. Steven Jackson is not a complainer, and if he were, he wouldn't have anything to complain about.

I think Alvin Reid at 101Sports has the right idea. Blame the Vikings.

* Draft visits.  Except this time, it was the Rams doing the visiting. Jim Thomas reported that Jeff Fisher, Les Snead and Brian Schottenheimer attended private workouts with Justin Blackmon, Michael Floyd, and Kendall Wright last week. Kevin Demoff also attended Blackmon's workout. Fletcher Cox has been throwing a wrench into the Rams' draft projection for a couple of weeks; I think this news just threw a wrench into that.

* Jerome Simpson got a 3-game suspension from the league today for a marijuana-related arrest last fall. The Rams should just go ahead and sign Simpson today and cut Austin Pettis. Simpson is a far better receiver and athlete, has the same number of strikes as Pettis, and would only be out an extra week this season; Pettis is suspended the first two weeks. Major upgrade, no added risk, a pillar-neutral move.

(Forget it, he signed with the Vikings.)

* Mel Kiper's three-round Rams' mock draft, if he were doing the picking for everyone:
1/6 - Justin Blackmon
2/33 - Mike Adams
2/39 - Kendall Reyes
3/65 - Lamar Miller

Adams at 33 would be a hideously bad pick. If the Rams pick Adams with Doug Martin, Kendall Wright, Stephen Hill, and Jerel Worthy available, that long, loud cursing you'll hear will be me. What are you thinking here, Mel?

* Ex-Rams news: Bryan Kehl has signed with the Redskins.

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Rams news 4/23: Smith re-structures

Tackle Jason Smith agreed to a re-structuring of his contract with the Rams over the weekend. He'll be paid $4.5 million this season vs. the $10 million he was scheduled to be paid. The Rams will get $2.2 million in cap space as a result of the deal.

The deal also essentially makes Smith a free agent after the 2012 season. There is a roster bonus for 2013 in excess of $10 million that the Rams are certain never to pay. A lot like O.J. Atogwe's contract situation a couple of years ago.

Having heard nothing, I'm not sure this deal means anything re: the draft. It certainly makes Matt Kalil an appealing pick if he does fall to #6, but I don't suspect the deal means the Rams believe that's going to happen. I also believe they already had room for their rookie salaries under the cap, so I don't think the deal was done for that reason. If anything, they know they've got to sign more veteran free agents to fill out the roster (albeit cheap ones) and re-structured Smith with an eye toward being able to do that.


Ex-Rams news: Bryan Kehl had a tryout with the Bears last week.

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Mock draft is up...

See the home page at ramview.com.

Wanted to add the schedule and free agent bios to the home page today, but I'm out of time. Good night.

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Path to the Draft, 4/20

Appearing: Fran Charles, Charles Davis, Michael Lombardi, Charlie Casserly

Happy 4/20 from Mike Adams, Janoris Jenkins, and what's Claude Wroten up to these days? (Surprisingly, still in football at last update, with the Toronto Argonauts. Equally surprising, not in jail)

* Team news:

Cincinnati at 17/21: Radio announcer sees both picks going to defense, starting with a corner at 17, Stephon Gilmore or Dre Kirkpatrick. 21 would go to a defensive lineman; he thinks Michael Brockers could fall to there. Also says the Bengals would “jump” if Quinton Coples is available. Not out of the question.

San Diego at 18: Kevin Acee believes the draft has enough depth at the pass rusher positions that the Chargers can afford to pick David DeCastro or a wide receiver (I assume Michael Floyd) in the event they fall, and actually predicts DeCastro will be the pick. So apparently yet another beat writer who has never watched this show. Whitney Mercilus, Nick Perry, or Andre Branch (quite a reach) could be the direction they go if DeCastro or a WR don't plop in their laps.

Bears at 19: Correspondent believes they'll go defensive line, upgrading the defensive end rotation if they can. Makes it sound especially like the Bears will participate in a run on pass rushers if one starts. Nick Perry's being mentioned a lot, but don't rule out Floyd. Coples, Mercilus and again, Branch are considered in play.

Ravens at 29: The Ravens radio announcer, with the most awkward name in football history, Gerry Sandusky, calls interior offensive line Baltimore's most pressing need. Peter Konz will be a great fit, starting at guard, learning under Matt Birk and eventually moving to center. Torrey Smith is reportedly lobbying for Stephen Hill. They're also looking for an edge pass rusher and an inside LB, and can see Ozzie Newsome trading up to get Don'ta Hightower.

* Player news:

His top six fall in the standard way, with Justin Blackmon to the Rams at #6, but Lombardi has plenty of surprises in his mock draft:

7 – Stephon Gilmore to Jacksonville. Jagwires supposedly like Gilmore more than Melvin Ingram now. Ingram falls to the Jets at 16.

10 – Mark Barron to Buffalo. Cowboys have to settle for Michael Brockers.

15 – Chandler Jones to Philadelphia.

Michael Floyd getting passed on by the Seahawks, Cardinals, Jets, Bengals and Bears, and falling out of the top 20. None of the other panelists question Lombardi on this.

I was going to complain that the show had Brandon Weeden live in the studio yet again until I realized they were featuring someone named “Weeden” on 4/20. Nice call, NFL Network! Hopefully this segment will be sponsored by Doritos.

And now, it's The Most Interesting Ex-Coach in the World (He can drink Charlie Sheen under the table)! He doesn't always call young QBs the next Jamarcus Russell, but when he does, he says that QB, Ryan Tannehill, should still be a first-rounder. He's just not a top ten pick. A team picking him that high is expecting him to start right away, and he won't be ready. Has great potential/upside, but very few career starts and “has difficulty” throwing in the middle of the field. Has all the skills, but has moved up the draft board way too quickly. Unlike The Most Interesting Ex-Coach in the World (until they met him, the Eskimos had no word for “awesome”). Stay draft-y, my friends.

Casserly doesn't think Tannehill is a franchise QB, either. Telegraphs his throws and isn't consistently accurate. Casserly and Davis both agree he gets a bad rap for the games Texas A&M lost in the fourth quarter. They lost one where he never got on the field, and lost others because they started running the ball with the lead too early.

Charles interviews Les Miles about the LSU players in the draft, but it's not like Miles will ever say anything about flaws his players may have, so I pretty much ignore it. He does say Morris Claiborne is more fluid and flips his hips better than Patrick Peterson. Also wishes he could have gotten the ball to Reuben Randle more.

LaMichael James says he doesn't have to be as big, fast or strong as other players because he's smarter. Lombardi says his draft status and playing time hinge on how well he can protect the passer.

Oregon State defensive back Brandon Hardin was invited to pre-draft visits by 15 teams despite missing his senior season due to a shoulder injury. Goes 225-230 lbs and will probably be a safety. Played well at the Shrine Game.

Dontari Poe seems to be moving back up the draft board. His effort shows on tape and more teams believe they can make him more productive by coaching him up. He's also a very likeable personality and teams think that will make him more coachable than a similarly-talented player with a bad attitude.

OK, even though Path to the Draft continues into next week, and Mayock reveals his mock draft Wednesday night, RamView's done with NFL Network recaps unless something major happens or is said. Got to get the mock draft out, and prepare for the big event Thursday. Until then, stay draft-y, my friends.

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Path to the Draft, 4/19

Appearing: Paul Burmeister, Charles Davis, Michael Lombardi, Charlie Casserly, Mike Mayock

* Team news:

Colts at #1: It's Andrew Luck! Shocking! Casserly believes Luck will be paid about the same $22 million deal Cam Newton got. Lombardi mentions Stanford's one of the schools with that stupid rule that won't let Luck join the Colts until his college class has graduated. I swear, I am so sick of that rule – from now on, if all other things are equal enough, I would just pass on a Stanford or Ohio State player. (Although that rule would have stuck me with Rey Maualuga over James Laurinaitis three years ago.) Mayock gives a completely unnecessary scouting report on Luck.

Colts at #34, not #33: One week before the draft, and the NFL Network's main show dedicated to all things draft still thinks the Colts are picking first in the second round. No, it is the Rams. Somebody tweet this to these dummies or something. Wide receiver, tight end, and interior lineman are all offensive needs for the Colts. They'll still be in range to pick up a fine player, possibly among Stephen Hill, Coby Fleener, Kevin Zeitler or Amini Silatolu. But Chuck Pagano wants to get bigger and tougher on defense, too. Just a pick later than this show thinks.

Bills at #10: Lombardi's sources tell him the Bills are now thinking more along the lines of wide receiver or defense at #10 instead of offensive line.

Cowboys at #14: After weeks of assuming Mark Barron will be taken here, things have gotten much less simple at #14. Their correspondent lists three defensive tackles first, then Barron. They're pretty sure Fletcher Cox will be gone, and apparently, they're not sold on Dontari Poe. Interesting. So they're thinking Barron or Michael Brockers. In fact, the correspondent thinks Brockers will be the pick, though Barron would be an immediate impact starter for them. They need size in the middle of the line.

Eagles at #15: How about the Eagles drafting a cornerback after spending all that jack on corners last offseason? After their correspondent raises the dumb idea of Fletcher Cox falling, he speculates that Dre Kirkpatrick could be a dark-horse pick.

Jets at #16: Jets are staying on outside pass rushers like Courtney Upshaw or Quinton Coples, but will have an interesting decision if Michael Floyd is available.

Packers at #28: Dead last in the league in total defense last year. Might have trouble getting the OLB they want, though; chances are pretty good there will be a run at the position in front of them. They would jump for Shea McClellin if they could get him. Failing that, they could take Harrison Smith because of Nick Collins' medical problems or beef up the interior o-line with Zeitler, Silatolu or Peter Konz. Their running back situation isn't great, either.

* Player news:

Interesting draft statistics from Mayock: In the last 8 drafts, 23 quarterbacks were selected in the first round, producing 15 starters. In the other rounds combined, 83 QBs were taken, with only seven becoming starters. That's less than a 10% success rate. Of the seven, two were second-rounders (Kevin Kolb, Andy Dalton), two were third-rounders (Matt Schaub, Colt McCoy) and THREE from round 7 (Matt Flynn, Matt Cassel and Ryan Fitzpatrick). Mayock thinks the Browns will pass on Ryan Tannehill, who will go 7^th (Jagwires trade down) or 8^th, and take a hard look at Brandon Weeden at #22 or in the second round at #37.

Head-to-head: Dwayne Allen vs. Orson Charles

Lombardi says Allen will be the better pro because he's the better blocker, but pretty much all the tight ends in this draft need to improve their blocking skills. Plays with great balance and catches the ball well but lacks speed and separation ability. Still compares well to TEs like Brandon Pettigrew. Charles can be a nasty blocker, has a strong competitive streak. His size might suit him better to fullback or H-back. Catches well and plays with good effort. Davis likes Orson Charles better because of that effort. Plays to the whistle and wins a lot of battles. No one mentions Charles' DUI right after the Combine six weeks ago. Narrow win for Allen.

Mike Adams tested positive for marijuana at the NFL Combine. He was also suspended for five games last year in the Ohio State tattoo parlor scandal that felled Jim Tressel. Casserly says failing the drug test has to knock his draft stock down. He'd drop him off his board. Failing a drug test when you know it's coming means you either have a problem you can't control, you're stupid, or you don't care, and none of those are good. Mayock adds that's already strike one for Adams under the NFL drug policy. The next time he fails a test, it's a four-week suspension, then a full season. The Redskins drafted Trent Williams under similar conditions, and now he's a strike from a full-season suspension.

Time for The Most Interesting Ex-Coach in the World (Policemen give him free donuts). He doesn't always draft quarterbacks who are really tall, but when he does, he would draft Brock Osweiler the second day. He's a better athlete than he looks for being as tall as he is. Not as good as The Most Interesting Ex-Coach in the World, though (He can throw a knuckleball with his foot). Stay draft-y, my friends.

Tim Ruskell pops back on to project where on the field all of these hybrid DE/OLBs will play.

Melvin Ingram – has the instincts and plays well enough in space to ultimately play 3-4 OLB, and he adds a pass rush element from there. Isn't sure that he's a top ten player but his athleticism and productivity in college merit drafting him high.

Courtney Upshaw – should be a 4-3 DE. Ruskell calls him a cross between Hugh Douglas and Dwight Freeney. Can play either side. Size may not be ideal, but his explosiveness should put him in demand. Suspects he doesn't have the instincts, movement in space or coverage ability to do well as a 3-4 OLB. Doesn't really suit his skillset. Middle-first round pick.

Whitney Mercilus – should be perfect fit as a 4-3 DE. Perfect pass rusher, long with excellent change of direction. Better off as a RDE. Physical strength is going to be an issue. He also hasn't really been exposed to any of the things he'd have to do as a 3-4 OLB. Mid-late first round.

Shea McClellin – better fit as a 3-4 OLB. Makes plays all over the field, can rush the passer, is stout at the point of attack. Has the instincts, coverage skills and movement in space to be successful. Mayock Zone pick.

Chris Polk's draft stock has been pretty flat despite excellent college numbers. Very early on he was graded as a top-five RB but has fallen ever since the draft process started. Lacks breakaway speed and had a ton of carries in college; teams are worried there are already too many miles on him.

If the Bills pass on Riley Reiff (see team news), he could go for a pretty long slide. A team like Arizona's not going to want to draft him in the top 15 if they're not convinced he can play left tackle.

Only one more of these suckers to go!

-$-

Path to the Draft, 4/18

Appearing: Paul Burmeister, Michael Lombardi, Charles Davis, Charlie Casserly, Mike Mayock

* Team news:

New England at 27/31: Patriots have made 19 draft-day trades the last five years, so there's a good chance one of these picks gets traded, possibly to a team wanting to trade up for Brandon Weeden. They might try to turn a pick into picks after the fourth round; oddly enough, they have none this year. Saying Patriots fans have been complaining about their pass rush for a couple of years, the beat writer calls that their #1 need without even mentioning that 20 of their 40 sacks from last season went out the door in free agency. She intriguingly mentions Vinny Curry as the first prospective pick before also bringing up Whitney Mercilus and Shea McClellin. They will probably draft mostly defense; their main offensive need is a guard, and they can find good ones later. Casserly has them going after Harrison Smith if they keep the #31 pick. Chandler Jones and Andre Branch are also mentioned as pass rusher candidates, Peter Konz, Kevin Zeitler and Amini Silatolu as interior line candidates.

Cleveland at 4: Mayock discusses how teams often draft with their divisional opponents in mind, and says that's a primary reason the Browns should draft Trent Richardson. They go up against three of the top ten defenses in their own division and need to control the game on the ground and be able to shorten games. Mayock remarks that they might not be able to get Justin Blackmon the ball in the fourth quarter on a windy day in Cleveland. (Well, if that's the case, maybe who they should draft is Ryan Tannehill.)

Mayock also says that the 49ers' success in the NFC West dictates that the other teams look for ways to get tougher, but only applies that to the Big Dead and Seattle. Both teams may be tempted by offensive skill players but should really beef up their lines with tough guys.

* Player news:

Talk today focuses on the top linebacking prospects:

Luke Kuechly vs. Melvin Ingram – Kuechly should be an immediate starter. Instinctive player who finds his way through traffic well. Runs well and has enough speed to get outside. Very good instincts in pass defense, had seven career interceptions. Reacts to the pass like a safety, incredible feel for routes. Can run with tight ends. Better than Rolando McClain coming out, compared by Casserly to Jonathan Vilma for the fifteen-thousandth time. Needs to go to a team that will let him flow freely to the ball. Kuechly's skills translate directly to what the NFL wants linebackers to be able to do today. Davis says Ingram will be the bigger-impact LB because he sacks the QB. Says it's like James Laurinaitis and Aldon Smith. Laurinaitis is an excellent MLB but is not the impact player Smith is because he doesn't get many sacks. Mayock says skepticism is starting to build around the league on Ingram because of his short arms and because teams aren't sure where to put him. He now sees Ingram sliding in the first round, and it may work to Quinton Coples' benefit.

And though Ingram has always been projected in the top 10 on this program, and Kuechly hasn't, a week before the draft, Davis calls Kuechly the safer pick and Mayock calls him the better player. The hell. Kuechly wins despite everything this program has said in the last month.

Shea McClellin – Lombardi breaks out the Karl Mecklenburg reference again, because McClellin can play all over the field, inside, outside, or line up on the LOS with his hand in the dirt. Excellent athlete who played well in big games. Should fit any scheme. Best skill is his pass rushing – good quickness off the edge, explosion, punch and inside moves. Needs to improve his counter moves. Casserly calls him a more athletic Brooks Reed, and a lot like Clay Matthews, though not as athletic. Casserly also brings up the concussion issue again. Meanwhile, RamView's wondering if there is any non-Caucasian linebacker anywhere to compare Shea McClellin to. Seconds after I write that, Mayock compares McClellin to... Mike Vrabel.

Whitney Mercilus vs. Andre Branch – Branch is definitely a 3-4 OLB. Mercilus may or may not end up there. Davis thinks the team that takes Mercilus needs to have a plan for using him like the 49ers did for Aldon Smith, and says Mercilus and Smith are somewhat similar players. Lombardi says Mercilus will be better at setting the edge than Branch. Branch also doesn't play with enough power. As a pass rusher he gets washed behind the QB too often. Doesn't turn his speed into power. Mayock also questions Mercilus' power. Thinks Mercilus plays like Aldon Smith, but isn't big enough to realize that kind of potential. Both players are concerns at the point of attack. Mercilus wins the matchup here, but didn't come away with much of a ringing endorsement from anyone, either.

Don'ta Hightower – probably going in the 20s, not that many teams looking for a 3-4 inside linebacker. Casserly thinks Hightower's best attribute is his instincts, which serve him well against the run and the pass. Thumper who plays downhill and can attack the pocket. Versatile enough to stay on the field on nickel downs. Has good range but isn't a very good pass rusher because he doesn't have enough burst. Does have the speed and instincts to play 4-3 OLB. Mayock says opinion around the league is split on whether Hightower can be a 3-down linebacker; says he can.

Brandon Taylor – competitive, physical player who loves to tackle. Has good speed and hits hard. Overaggression leads to him sometimes missing tackles. Some stiffness in his movement, so may not be a great man-to-man defender, but is fast enough to run with tight ends. Sideline-to-sideline range and good field vision. Needs to work on ball skills and reading route combinations. Similar player to Craig Steltz. Third-round grade.

The Most Interesting Ex-Coach in the World (Women hold the door open for him) is on! He doesn't always talk about Brandon Weeden, but when he does, he prefers to repeat the same old stuff about him being old and a second-day pick. You can do that, though, when you're the Most Interesting Ex-Coach in the World (the Pope considers him infallible). Stay draft-y, my friends.

After minutes of careful consideration, I have finally figured out who I think Weeden looks like, though. 

 

-$-

 

Path to the Draft, 4/17

Appearing: Paul Burmeister, Michael Lombardi, Charles Davis, Charlie Casserly

* Team news:

Whoa, we open with the Rams at #6. So why the hell are they asking Brian Burwell anything? He establishes the pecking order as Justin Blackmon, Trent Richardson, Morris Claiborne and... Fletcher Cox. The Fletcher Cox train is really gaining steam in St. Louis, and I have to admit, I'm getting a little afraid of it. Barely a week before the draft, I have yet to hear anyone call Fletcher Cox a better player than any of the “Big Six,” yet, here he is. Wasn't Burwell at the front of the line for taking best player available a couple of years ago? I can maybe see passing on Claiborne for Cox, but that's about it.

Jagwires at #7: Beat writer says Jagwires are now looking to trade down, thinks Seattle could want to jump over Miami for Ryan Tannehill. More and more, their draft strategy appears to be hoping a wide receiver will fall to them. Not sure I'd want to plan my draft around that.

Dolphins at #8: Tannehill is a major possibility, but the beat writer reminds us that he was barely a first-round prospect when the draft prospect began, and Miami has plenty of other needs, including pass rushers and receivers. Melvin Ingram and Michael Floyd are top possibilities there, and the beat writer doesn't rule out drafting either over Tannehill.

I start to wonder if the teams aren't just planting these beat writer reports sometimes. Is Burwell trying to convince the Eagles to trade up for Cox? Is the Dolphins beat writer trying to convince teams they don't need to trade up for Tannehill, so they can get him at #8? What a fun, and paranoid, time of year this is.

Texans at #26: 8 of Houston's last 9 first-round picks have been on defense. 2003 was the last time they took a skill player! (Andre Johnson) Though everyone else appears to be saying receiver for the Texans, beat writer John McClain agrees with RamView that their biggest need is an offensive lineman. They averaged 27 points a game last year while Johnson was injured! But even though any receiver they pick would be the #4 guy and have to work his way up, McClain thinks that'll be the pick, Kendall Wright or Stephen Hill. But he says they'd better get some depth on the right side of their line. Davis and Casserly, the ex-Texans GM, agree the pick should be a WR. Reuben Randle could be in their mix as well. Lombardi thinks they'd better pick offensive line, though they have a good position coach who could coach up a later pick.

* Player news:

Defensive tackle talk today:

Fletcher Cox – most complete tackle in the draft. His tape matches his talent and he's a bona fide pass rusher. Solid, consistent player, good size and can get bigger. Casserly calls him the safest pick.

Lombardi says Dontari Poe has the most overall ability and wonders if teams that pass on him won't regret it like the Eagles do from a couple of years ago, passing over Jason Pierre-Paul to take Brandon Graham. Doesn't make a lot of tackles but plays the man in front of him well. Lombardi also compares Poe to Albert Haynesworth, minus the head-stomping and moving violations, I suspect. Big, fast and has unlimited upside once he gets pro coaching. May need a year to really develop. Quick and explosive, holds up against double-teams, can shed and get off blocks. Good counter moves, quickness, explosion and finishing ability as a pass rusher. Loses track of the football sometimes. Casserly sees no issue with his effort and says he'll be the best pro among this year's DT prospects.

Michael Brockers – holds his ground in the middle very well, but hasn't yet shown to be the kind of inside pass rusher teams depend on. Coming out as a redshirt sophomore, a team would be taking him making the gamble they can develop him into a pass rusher. He has all the physical tools.

Jerel Worthy – really gets your attention with his quickness off the ball, but he's inconsistent as a pass-rusher and doesn't show a secondary move after that great burst. Has all the physical tools, but if he doesn't win with quickness, he doesn't win.

Kendall Reyes – Flashed and was a consistently strong performer Senior Bowl week. Outstanding, violent hands. Some question his play-to-play consistency, but that was not an issue for him throughout the Senior Bowl process.

Brandon Thompson – big, strong, physical nose tackle. Has some explosion and quickness and can hold the point attack. Not a pass rusher at all, though.

Derek Wolfe – Casserly and Lombardi (and Mel Kiper) can see the Cincinnati DT sneaking into the first round. Can play 3-technique, 5-technique or nose, consistently plays hard. Can rush the passer and makes plays all over the place. Under the radar though he's Big East Defensive Player of the Year.

Nick Perry – Casserly doesn't believe there's a clear best pass rusher in the draft this year. Perry is quick-twitch, has a good second gear, plays with good leverage and has a good counter move. Casserly likes how well he uses his hands the most. Doesn't appear to like him much against the run.

Vinny Curry does not have prototype size or speed, but he did have 40 tackles-for-loss in Conference USA the last two seasons. Uses his hands well, has good strength and a good bull rush. Good edge quickness, range and pursuit. Plays faster than his timed speed and looks like a natural pass rusher. Solid second-round grade.

Shea McClellin – fast from the outside, has quick moves as an inside rusher, also a good blitzer. 6'3”, 260 with 4.6 speed. Has had three concussions, which hasn't come up about him before on this show.

Bruce Irvin – most explosive DE in the draft off the ball. 245 lbs with 4.4 speed. May not have a position in the pros, too small to hold up at DE, may not have the instincts to be a linebacker.

The show also gives us repetitive analysis of Ryan Tannehill and Brandon Weeden from former scout Greg Gabriel. Beware QBs from simple spread offenses! And Gabriel becomes the latest analyst I've heard say that Matt Kalil isn't as good coming out of USC as Tyron Smith. Clearly I don't know something here... wasn't Smith stuck at right tackle there because he couldn't beat out Kalil for left tackle? Gabriel is big on Whitney Mercilus, though. Rejects the one-year wonder argument, saying that's just how college players develop. Only a junior, he hadn't gotten a lot of time on the field until now. Might have been a top-5 pick in the 2013 draft if he stayed in school AND continued to develop, so the team that drafts him could be catching him still on his way up.

Now that Brian Billick's chances of coaching in the NFL seem dormant at best, I see he's taken the opportunity to grow a Most Interesting Man in the World beard. Yeah, that doesn't look silly. I don't always draft quarterbacks. But when I do, I prefer Robert Griffin. He has Steve Young potential.

Illini o-lineman Jeff Allen is mentioned on this show for the first time, and as a player whose stock is rising. Can play either guard or either tackle position. Could start as a swing lineman for a team and eventually develop up to a left tackle. Scouts believe he can play there eventually.

-$-

Path to the Draft, 4/16

Appearing: Paul Burmeister, Charles Davis, Michael Lombardi, Brian Baldinger

* Team news:

Vikings at 3: Beat writer says the Vikings are “100% sold” on Matt Kalil's skillset and it would take an “eye-opening” deal to get them to trade out of their spot. What they're weighing now is the relative positional value of Kalil at LT vs. Justin Blackmon at WR or Morris Claiborne at CB, which player can help make them better faster.

Browns at 4: Team radio announcer thinks Cleveland has settled on Colt McCoy for another year and are deciding between Blackmon and Trent Richardson.

Bucs at 5: HC Greg Schiano really wants a bell-cow RB but Claiborne will be a great fit. No new news here.

Cowboys at 14: This is still universally expected to be where Mark Barron is drafted. Lombardi believes the Cowboys' fallback plan (say, if another team trades ahead and takes Barron) will be David DeCastro, who'd be a perfect fit with their offense, or Michael Brockers.

Broncos at 25: This is still projected as a defensive front seven pick. They haven't done much there in free agency, but they need to get younger anyway, so they need a rookie who can come in and start right away. Expecting Michael Brockers or Jerel Worthy to be available. If there's an early run on defensive tackles, the beat writer can see them taking a running back. Lombardi adds corner and safety as needs.

* Player news:

Lots of defensive back talk to start the week:

How does Morris Claiborne compare to Patrick Peterson? You're not getting Patrick Peterson if you draft Morris Claiborne. Peterson is a more physical player at corner; Claiborne plays corner more like a wide receiver, winning with speed, positioning and being able to go up and get the ball. Peterson is a lot more likely to blanket a receiver; Claiborne seems to leave a little more space to give himself room to make plays on the ball. The panel votes Peterson the better of the two without even mentioning that he is easily a more explosive athlete than Claiborne.

Interesting analysis of what teams want when they draft defensive backs. The Lions want corners who win early in the route, says Lombardi. With Claiborne off the board, that points them toward Stephon Gilmore or possibly Dre Kirkpatrick. In the dome environment, Gilmore could succeed for the Lions right away. The Bengals, another team expected to draft a corner in the first round, want corners who win later in the route. Gilmore's looked at as an outside defender while Kirkpatrick's being looked at more for his ability to defend the slot.

Mike Mayock currently has Janoris Jenkins slotted as a second-round pick due to off-the-field issues. Baldinger says trouble is going to continue to find Jenkins and likens him to Pac-Man Jones. (So, again, part of my mock draft isn't going to look very original. I swear I'm not copying off of these guys.) Thinks the GM that takes him is always going to be worried about him – and won't be able to sleep at night? Davis suggests the main reason Jenkins won't slide out of the second round is that he's too good a player. The panel jokes about teams who always think a player with off-field troubles will be OK once they draft him. “It'll work for us!”. Been watching this show for a month now, and have heard nothing even close to this negative an assessment of Jenkins. Where's it been all this time?

Is Mark Barron really a top-15 player, or is his stock inflated because of the need for safeties? Baldinger thinks a little of that is going on, but Barron is an excellent defensive leader, excellent at calling audibles and getting everyone lined up where they need to be. Very smart player, knows defenses and knows what everyone needs to do.

There's a noticeable dropoff from Barron to Harrison Smith because Barron had to do so much more in Alabama's defense. Lombardi says Smith's going to have to prove he can play high safety and can cover people to be a first-round pick. I guess he means at private team workouts? Pro days are over. Davis thinks the Ravens and Patriots will be considering Smith at the end of the first round. Baldinger adds that Smith's intelligence, movement skills and tackling are so good that coaches won't flinch at having him on the field on important plays in big games.

Davis says Trumaine Johnson's stock is rising, even though it's actually falling, if talk about him being a first-rounder has dropped off like he said. A big, physical corner who can play outside, cover the slot or even convert to safety. So good at his level of competition that a receiver quit trying to run routes against him one game and just blocked him all day. Expects him to be drafted in the Mayock Zone.

Will the analysis of Mike Adams be as frank as the analysis of Janoris Jenkins earlier? Adams takes pride in his pass protection and in finishing his blocks. Says he likes to talk on the field and get in opponents' heads. He points out a tattoo that honors a young relative who died in a car accident. Am I a bad person for still thinking recent Ohio State football players shouldn't bring up the subject of tattoos? Mayock ranks Adams third at tackle. He has size, athletic ability and his feet are ideal for left tackle. But Baldinger can't figure out why he wasn't a more dominant player. Concerned with his inconsistency. He isn't currently a good enough player technically to risk a first-round pick on, not that he couldn't be coached up, however. Some scouts see him as a better right tackle, but he should start getting consideration as high as the Chargers and Bears at 18 and 19. Looks the part, but Davis isn't completely sold that he's the man, so to speak. I believe this broadcast was before news came out that Adams tested positive for marijuana at the NFL Combine.

Former GM Tim Ruskell is asked about Ryan Tannehill. He says there's not much not to like. Big, athletic, nice arm. His athleticism (former wide receiver) really comes across. Moves very well. No throw he can't make. Accurate deep and short thrower, though with some bouts with inaccuracy. Great mind for the game, quick mind, runs the team. Sees the field well and makes good decisions. Inconsistencies in his game come from inexperience, not lack of any skill. But that inexperience is still an issue, and he gets knocked again for his inability to rally Texas A&M from behind late in games. That's seen as a leadership flaw. Ruskell rates him behind Cam Newton, Jake Locker, Christian Ponder, and Andy Dalton coming out last year, which, frankly, ain't saying much. (Nor for Blaine Gabbert, ranked behind Tannehill.) Ruskell grades him a late-first rounder but acknowledges he's obviously going to be drafted higher. He's a risk to take in the top 10 but not necessarily a bad pick. He needs to go to a team where he can play some as a rookie, but without having too much of a load on his shoulders, like Tennessee did with Locker last year.

-$-

Path to the Draft, 4/13

Appearing: Paul Burmeister, Charlie Casserly, Charles Davis, Michael Lombardi

* Team news:

Jagwires at 7: Pete Prisco thinks the Jagwires need a pass rusher more than a wide receiver. That's about all the analysis we get. For crying out loud, NFL Network, call a passionate fan or something if you can't do any better than paid correspondents who barely say two words.

Chiefs at 11: If their choice is between David DeCastro and Luke Kuechly, who should they pick? Casserly rates them pretty evenly, and says his tiebreaker is based on what position is better in the later rounds. Since he believes there's less available at inside linebacker than at guard, Kuechly is his pick. Also thinks the talked-about idea of the Chiefs going after Ryan Tannehill is a bad one. They already have Matt Cassel and don't have to get reachy at QB, at the expense of their other needs.

Chargers at 18: Let me guess, Nick Perry? No! But just when you think you've got a beat writer with a fresh view, he says the Chargers should take Mark Barron. Yeah, that's brilliant, there's only three teams right in front of you that say they want him. After that, he's just throwing darts. Whitney Mercilus, Michael Brockers, Cordy Glenn, and, of course, since he must never watch this show, David DeCastro. Starting to think Path to the Draft should just be a weekly show, for all the meaningless and repetitive babble it's putting out at this point of its run.

Steelers at 24: Beat writer says there's no way they're letting Mike Wallace go. They need to focus on getting younger on defense, and need an inside linebacker and a nose tackle. Don'ta Hightower still looks like the favorite, but they could still take OLBs like Nick Perry or Melvin Ingram if either slides. They need a guard, but that's a need they feel they can let slide to the later rounds. Hightower fits exactly what they want to do.

Falcons at 55: Beat writer believes they'll address offensive or defensive line and mentions Brandon Thompson, Andre Branch and Mitchell Schwartz as players Atlanta could have a crack at in the second round. Hooray, a beat writer (Orlando Ledbetter) who did his homework!

* Player news:

Fletcher Cox calls himself a high-motor player and names Demarcus Ware and James Harrison as his football influences. Casserly still sees him going ninth to Carolina. Has fewer holes and is the most efficient of the top-rated defensive tackles. Athletic, strong at the point of attack, effective inside pass rusher with good moves, effective bull rusher, always moving upfield. Good hand use, uses hands and feet together. Could also succeed as a 3-4 DE. Best pass rusher of the top DTs, so he has best potential as a 3-down player. At 298 lbs, not huge for the position, but plays bigger than that and could easily add 15-20 lbs.

Matt Kalil is compared to the top tackles from past drafts. Casserly says Tyron Smith was better, a much more natural athlete, better movement, better pass protector. (Wasn't Kalil the player who kept Smith out of the LT slot at USC?) Lombardi calls Kalil even with Nate Solder. Davis likes Kalil a lot better and calls him closer to (but not better than) Joe Thomas. He showed plenty at the Combine in terms of athleticism and movement and smoothness during position drills to believe he has a lot of upside.

Head-to-head: Jonathan Martin vs. Riley Reiff. Martin may not have the athletic ability to be a consistent blocker on the edge. Reiff is a more consistent run-blocker, more consistent in space, gives up fewer bad plays. Martin also doesn't project to be as good a power blocker if he ends up at right tackle. There are teams that don't even have Martin in the first round according to Davis. He made Nick Perry look like an all-pro. Reiff wins this matchup decisively.

Cordy Glenn's stock takes another hit as the panel decides he's the lineman most likely to slide to the second round. They rank him behind Peter Konz and even Mike Adams. Lombardi calls him just a good guard. Davis picks Konz, pointing out his ankle injury and concerns about his strength.

Casserly finishes the first-round mock draft he started a while back.

23-Detroit, Dre Kirkpatrick.

24-Pittsburgh, Jonathan Martin.

25-Denver, Jerel Worthy. Big guy inside who stops the run well.

26-Houston, Rueben Randle. Gary Kubiak likes big receivers and Randle ran well at his pro day. Wins out over Kendall Wright for his size.

27-New England, Chandler Jones. Good quickness, can play 4-3 DE, can add 20 lbs without hurting his speed.

28-Green Bay, Shea McClellin. Packers need a complement to Clay Matthews and McClellin can play inside or outside. Lombardi compares him to Karl Mecklenberg.

29-Baltimore, Peter Konz. Top-rated center in draft can start at guard before becoming Matt Birk's successor.

30-San Fancisco, Kevin Zeitler. 6'4”, 335, smart, physical player with long arms who can knock people off the football.

31-New England, Harrison Smith. Big, fast, smart; Bill Belichick likes smart safeties.

32-N.Y. Giants, Don'ta Hightower. Smart, instinctive, natural linebacker with range; upgrades weakest spot on the team. Lombardi says Hightower is one of the most natural pure LBs in the draft and is going to go higher.

Casserly's not going to make my mock draft look very original once I get it out – we match exactly at 27, 28 and 30.

Value picks at cornerback (3rd round):
Casey Hayward, Vanderbilt - very productive, reads the QB well, reads patterns well, breaks well on the ball, plays smart, effective from just about any alignment. Needs to play more physical and doesn't have great timed speed.

Jayron Hosley, Virginia Tech - zone-scheme corner, reads QB well and breaks on the ball well. Ball-hawking playmaker. Willing tackler but not the most physical. Has punt-return ability.

-$-