Shogun's Pre-Combine Mock Draft (2.3)

[Shogun]

1. Detroit - QB Matthew Stafford, Georgia
2. St. Louis - WR Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech
3. Kansas City - QB Mark Sanchez, Southern Cal
4. Seattle - OT Eugene Monroe, Virginia
5. Cleveland - LB Aaron Curry, Wake Forest
6. Cincinnati - OT Andre Smith, Alabama
7. Oakland - WR Jeremy Maclin, Missouri
8. Jacksonville - OT Jason Smith, Baylor
9. Green Bay - DE/LB Brian Orakpo, Texas
10. San Francisco - DT B.J. Raji, Boston College
11. Buffalo - DE Everette Brown, Florida State
12. Denver - LB Rey Maualuga, Southern Cal
13. Washington - OT Michael Oher, Ole Miss
14. New Orleans - CB Malcolm Jenkins, Ohio State
15. Houston - CB Alphonso Smith, Wake Forest
16. San Diego - RB Knowshon Moreno, Georgia
17. New York Jets - LB James Laurinaitis, Ohio State
18. Chicago - DT Jeria Perry, Ole Miss
19. Tampa Bay - QB Josh Freeman, Kansas State
20. Detroit (via Dallas) - DE Aaron Maybin, Penn State
21. Philadelphia - RB Beanie Wells, Ohio State
22. Minnesota - CB Vontae Davis, Illinois
23. New England - CB D.J. Moore, Vanderbilt
24. Atlanta - TE Brandon Pettigrew, Oklahoma State
25. Miami - LB Brian Cushing, Southern Cal
26. Baltimore - DE Larry English, Northern Illinois
27. Indianapolis - DT Ziggy Hood, Missouri
28. Philadelphia (via Carolina) - S William Moore, Missouri
29. New York Giants - LB Clint Sintim, Virginia
30. Tennessee - WR Darrius Heyward-Bey, Maryland
31. Arizona - DB Sean Smith, Utah - I know, I know. I know that RB is our biggest need and LeSean McCoy is just staring us in the face at this pick. He's a go-getter and can be a impact back, but I don't like his vision and the two backs that I'm more impressed with didn't make it this far so I went in another direction. Sean Smith has been a forgotten underclassmen. Listed at 6-3, 215 Smith is a converted receiver and is still learning the position of corner, but he is a big play DB like Rolle who can hit. Kept Julio Jones in check in the Sugar Bowl. He shows good speed when he plays and is expected to run in the 4.4s at the Combine. He immediately addresses our depth at corner and because he could play both safety spots he is instantly our third safety and makes Francisco expendable. He's very similar to Nnamdi Asomugha when he came out of Cal.
32. Pittsburgh - DE Tyson Jackson, LSU

Cardinal picks 2-4
Round 2 - RB Rashad Jennings, Liberty
Round 3 - OC Antoine Caldwell, Alabama
Round 4 - DE/LB Lawrence Sidbury, Richmond

Thoughts?

 

[Shzm13]

No pass-rushers til the 4th??


:-/


Its one thing to go for the small school back in the 5th round.. Not much of a risk.. but in the first day?

:-/

 

[JerkFace]

I like Caldwell in the 3rd...... the combine will make or break DBs, until then I have no opinion on the Smith pick. I don't know anything about jennings.

 

[Zeno]

You think San Diego will go RB, does that mean LT will be gone?

 

[Shogun]

Cody Brown and possibly Connor Barwin have played themselves out of our reach in the second or third round. Pass rushers go quickly and because we're at the end of the round we won't get the pick of the litter like we're used to. I'm iffy on Michigan's Tim Jamison.

Rashad Jennings is better than you give him credit for. Just because he's from a small school doesn't discount his talent. He reminds me of Michael Turner.

I'm not married to the picks yet. It's still early.

 

[Shogun]

You think San Diego will go RB, does that mean LT will be gone?

LT has been asked to take a paycut and there have been indications that he might leave. LT has been showing signs of breaking down and with Darren Sproles becoming a pending free agent, they'd have no one back there but the 'tweener Jacob Hester. Even if/when LT comes back I think RB could be a strong possibility. He's at the point where he needs a back to split carries with.

 

[Zeno]

LT has been asked to take a paycut and there have been indications that he might leave. LT has been showing signs of breaking down and with Darren Sproles becoming a pending free agent, they'd have no one back there but the 'tweener Jacob Hester. Even if/when LT comes back I think RB could be a strong possibility. He's at the point where he needs a back to split carries with.

Ok..makes sense to me.

Now with Atlanta, don't they have more needs on the defensive than to be able to afford to go TE in round 1? Or is Pettigrew that much better than the defensive players left on the board at that point.

Crabtree VS DRC twice a year for the next few years is going to be something to watch.

 

[Shogun]

Ok..makes sense to me.

Now with Atlanta, don't they have more needs on the defensive than to be able to afford to go TE in round 1? Or is Pettigrew that much better than the defensive players left on the board at that point.

Crabtree VS DRC twice a year for the next few years is going to be something to watch.

Atlanta is sort of stuck. They need defensive tackles and the top two are gone in my mock, and they also need a safety but this class lacks and there really hasn't been a safety that has separated themselves from the pack - they all look like second round players at this pont. So I went with a value pick. Pettigrew is one of the best blocking tight ends to come out in a while (Since Daniel Graham...?), he'd be an excellent addition to an already great rushing attack and be a solid safety valve for Matt Ryan.

 

[SuperSpck]

Everything seems sensible and plausible. So it's got no chance.

Sanchez is the only surprise for me in the top 5.

What're you thoughts behind this pick?

 

[Brian]

Man I hope Larry English falls to us.

:crossesfingers:

 

[perivolaki]

Everything seems sensible and plausible. So it's got no chance.

Sanchez is the only surprise for me in the top 5.

What're you thoughts behind this pick?

I agree, most of us were way off last year. Everyone raise their hands that had us taking two defensive ends in the first four rounds.

 

[Shzm13]

Why is Sanchez a surprise in the Top 5?

Just curious..

Hes got a great arm, decent vision, tough, and can scramble.

Ill take that over Ty Thighpen any day

 

[Mainstreet]

As an NBA fan, I find it interesting that NFL draft seedings are not based on regular season records instead of post-season records.

I would have thought the Cardinals would have had a much better draft pick because of their regular season record.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

that's a solid mock. You can't really argue with any picks. Nobody is way over or under rated. You could split hairs and say Alphonso Smith may not go that high because of his size but you never know. Everything i've read about Sean Smith has been good. He may be one of those guys that shoots up the charts at the combine if he puts up a good 40 time.

 

[Evil Ash]

As an NBA fan, I find it interesting that NFL draft seedings are not based on regular season records instead of post-season records.

I would have thought the Cardinals would have had a much better draft pick because of their regular season record.

The only draft picks that change are for those that are in the Superbowl. If the Cards didn't make it to the Superbowl they would be picking at 21 IIRC

 

[Shogun]

Everything seems sensible and plausible. So it's got no chance.

Sanchez is the only surprise for me in the top 5.

What're you thoughts behind this pick?

Sanchez is pretty much the consensus #2 QB at this point and some feel that he's better than Stafford. With such an awful QB class, you can't quite hold off and think you'll get a decent QB in later rounds. With a new regime coming in to KC, bringing in a franchise signal caller is a safe way to kick things off right. Tyler Thigpen is alright, but he's still a huge question who might end up no better than average.

If Sanchez isn't picked at 3, I can see him being picked by San Fran despite how Singletary feels about Shaun Hill.

 

[joeshmo]

Safety just may be a big need come draft time. We still dont know how big this bonus Rolle is supposed to be due in a couple of weeks, and we still dont know if the cards will eat it, try to renegotiate it or if they cant, cut him. Even if Rolle is kept, Smith would get a lot of playing time spending time as our primary Nickel and Dime back, Primary S backup, CB backup and special teamer.

Not sold on Jennings. Only been able to see him at the senior bowl and I wasnt all that impressed. But thats just one week of info so...?

Also after the 4th I would stock up on more pass rushers with David Veikune of Hawaii in the 5th round or Williams out of Texas Tech who sucks against the run and is nothing but a pass rusher specialist.

Then Louis Vasquez, OG, out of Texas Tech in the 6th. Perfect size and tools for Grimm to work with.

 

[football karma]

Shogun:

any thoughts on another Utah player: DE/OLB Paul Kruger

6-4, 260 -- kind of an ideal 3-4 olb. His reputation is a very high motor player, had been productive as well. Currently projected as a high 2nd. I havent seen him play, so I just dont know.


i do like Sean Smith. Good size and speed -- a kind of guy who can come in as a rookie in nickle and dime packages and contribute.

 

[bg7brd]

Safety just may be a big need come draft time. We still dont know how big this bonus Rolle is supposed to be due in a couple of weeks, and we still dont know if the cards will eat it, try to renegotiate it or if they cant, cut him. Even if Rolle is kept, Smith would get a lot of playing time spending time as our primary Nickel and Dime back, Primary S backup, CB backup and special teamer.

Not sold on Jennings. Only been able to see him at the senior bowl and I wasnt all that impressed. But thats just one week of info so...?

Also after the 4th I would stock up on more pass rushers with David Veikune of Hawaii in the 5th round or Williams out of Texas Tech who sucks against the run and is nothing but a pass rusher specialist.

Then Louis Vasquez, OG, out of Texas Tech in the 6th. Perfect size and tools for Grimm to work with.

What are your thoughts on DE Mitch King in the 5th?

 

[joeshmo]

What are your thoughts on DE Mitch King in the 5th?

Depends on what you want. Do you want another Iwebema type who can be a good rotational guy but not much of a pass rusher. Or a rotational guy that could be a pass rusher. I think he would work best on a team that runs a 4-3 where he can rotate at DT and DE.

 

[Shogun]

Shogun:

any thoughts on another Utah player: DE/OLB Paul Kruger

6-4, 260 -- kind of an ideal 3-4 olb. His reputation is a very high motor player, had been productive as well. Currently projected as a high 2nd. I havent seen him play, so I just dont know.


i do like Sean Smith. Good size and speed -- a kind of guy who can come in as a rookie in nickle and dime packages and contribute.

He's a high motor guy, but he's relatively unpolished because of his mission trips. He only has two years of experience. He's a solid rusher and plays the run very well. He's a fringe first-mid second round prospect like his teammate Smith, but all it takes is one team to fall in love with him. There are a lot of decent ends/rush linebackers this year, so he might get pushed down the board.

 

[Skkorpion]

Interesting exercise, Shogun. Entertaining.