Joe Posnanski's Mock Draft

[nychief]

Here's a Super Mock NFL Draft

By JOE POSNANSKI

Kansas City Star


KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Everybody does a mock NFL draft. Everybody. You get the sense that Chiefs director of scouting Chuck Cook might not spend his spare time working out, say, cell coverage plans for Sprint or planning possible menus for The American Restaurant.

But everybody does his job for fun.

Yes, all around the country there are people trying to figure out exactly what will happen in this weekend's NFL draft. There was a time, not so long ago, there was only one person doing this - Mel Kiper Jr. Now, everybody's doing it.

And they say that we are evolving as a species.

I'm not mocking the mockers, though. I love the NFL draft. In fact, this year, after talking about it forever, I finally did the soon-to-be-famous "Super Mock Draft." Here's how it works: I found 100 mock drafts on the Internet, magazine racks and newspapers from around the country. This is about 0.00004 percent of the actual mock drafts in the world today.

I took those 100 mock drafts, tallied the results, slotted the players accordingly, had a few newspaper columnists tie up some loose ends, and voila, here's Super Mock.

So yes, Super Mock really is just a mock draft made up entirely of other mock NFL drafts. What a world we live in, huh? I have tried to keep my opinion out of it completely, mostly because I don't know what's going on.

Anyway, here is Super Mock. It should help you talk NFL draft at your next party.

1. San Francisco: Aaron Rodgers, QB, California

The latest word is that the 49ers will take Utah's Alex Smith, but 71 of the 100 mock drafts have them taking local kid Rodgers. Super Mock might be wrong right away.

2. Miami: Alex Smith, QB, Utah

Many mocks have the Dolphins taking Auburn's Ronnie Brown here, but if the 49ers really take Rodgers, then Super Mock expects a team (maybe Tampa Bay) will trade up for Smith.

3. Cleveland: Braylon Edwards, WR, Michigan

Here's another trade possibility (Minnesota?) but if the Browns stay in this spot, the Super Mock has Edwards - probably the best talent in the draft - as the clear choice.

4. Chicago: Ronnie Brown, RB, Auburn

Most mock drafts have the Bears getting Edwards, but it doesn't seem likely he will fall to the fourth spot. Brown barely edges out his teammate, Carnell Williams.

5. Tampa Bay: Carnell "Cadillac" Williams, RB, Auburn

Almost half the mock drafts have the undersized Cadillac going in this spot, with Texas' Oldsmobile Cedric Benson a strong second.

6. Tennessee: Antrel Rolle, CB, Miami

Many recent mock drafts have the Titans taking West Virginia's Pacman Jones here. But overall, more than half of the mock drafts have Rolle, a big corner, in this spot.

7. Minnesota: Mike Williams, WR, USC

Most mockers see the Vikings taking Williams to replace the departed Randy Moss, but Super Mock says don't be surprised if the Browns or some other team trades down to here and takes Texas' Derrick Johnson.

8. Arizona: Cedric Benson, RB, Texas

The mocks are in almost universal agreement that Arizona wants Benson, that big Texas workhorse, to run the football for the Cardinals.

9. Washington: Adam " Pacman" Jones, CB, West Virginia

There is some argument about whether the 5-foot-9 Pacman can be successful in the NFL. He was awfully good in college. The mocks have Washington taking the chance.

10. Detroit: Derrick Johnson, LB, Texas

In some mocks, he goes as high as second. In others, he goes as low as 20th. Most mocks believe that even though the Lions have bigger problems than linebacker, they'll take Johnson.

11. Dallas: Shawne Merriman, DE/LB, Maryland

This year's winner of the "Mike Mamula workout warrior" award wowed them at the combines. The mock drafts are split, but more have Dallas taking Merriman over Troy phenom DeMarcus Ware.

12. San Diego: Marcus Spears, DE, LSU

The mocks are exactly split between the huge Spears and South Carolina receiver Troy Williamson. But we know Marty Schottenheimer. He goes defense.

13. Houston: Alex Barron, OT, Florida State

Super Mock says this is an absolute lock - 37 of the mocks have Houston taking Barron. No other player has more than five votes.

14. Carolina: Troy Williamson, WR, South Carolina

There are supposed to be a lot of gifted receivers in this year's draft - as many as six could go in the first round. Some have the speedy Williamson as a top-10 pick

15. Kansas City: Carlos Rogers, CB, Auburn

All in all, the mock drafts had 13 different players going to the Chiefs. In the more recent mocks, Georgia safety Thomas Davis is the trendy pick. But most of the mockers believe the Chiefs go with Rogers, the best corner left. All this could change, of course, if the Chiefs work out a trade for Miami cornerback Patrick Surtain.

16. New Orleans: Thomas Davis, S/LB, Georgia

Davis is one of the more intriguing players on the board because he can really hit, he might play safety, he might play linebacker. If the Chiefs pass, New Orleans takes him.

17. Cincinnati: Travis Johnson, DT, Florida State

My buddy Jim, a huge Bengals fan, told me there is no way the Bengals would take a defensive tackle_he predicts Wisconsin's Erasmus James. Super Mock says Johnson.

18. Minnesota: David Pollack, DE, Georgia

It's hard to find a single mock draft that mentions Pollack without including the word "motor," as in "his motor's always running" or "this guy's got a great motor."

19. St. Louis: Jammal Brown, OT, Oklahoma

If the Rams take anyone else, it will be a shocker_almost every mock draft has the Rams taking Brown here. Then, Rams coach Mike Martz rarely goes with the obvious.

20. Dallas: Mark Clayton, WR, Oklahoma

Here's another pick_the last one_where the mock drafts are more or less in agreement. Some say Clayton is too small, but he was awfully good at Oklahoma.

21. Jacksonville: Khalif Barnes, OT, Washington

This is where the draft starts to go wild. The mock drafts are all over the board here_cornerbacks, linebackers, even a tight end_but Barnes barely got the most votes.

22. Baltimore: Roddy White, WR, UAB

Actually the player who got the most votes is Mark Clayton. And White, a big-play receiver, is the closest thing to Clayton left on the board.

23. Seattle: Erasmus James, DE, Wisconsin

This is incredible: At least one mock draft had James taken by every single team from the seventh pick through the 30th. And some have him out of the first round. Seattle needs a pass rusher, so Super Mock slots him here.

24. Green Bay: Marlin Jackson, CB, Michigan

Here's the stumper_the mock drafts have Green Bay taking 24 different players. In other words, nobody has any idea what's going to happen. Jackson won by one vote over USC defensive tackle Shawn Cody.

25. Washington (trade from Denver): Jason Campbell, QB, Auburn

Back when Denver still had this pick, the mocks were very much split between Clemson corner Justin Miller and Nebraska's Fabian Washington. But it seems Campbell is the reason why Washington made the trade.

26. Oakland (trade from New York Jets): Fabian Washington, CB, Nebraska

Probably the fastest guy in the draft, and probably the reason Oakland made the trade to get into the first round. Knowing Al Davis, the Raiders will probably try to make him a receiver too.

27. Atlanta: Shaun Cody, DT, USC

When tallying the results, I found myself in constant confusion between Shawn Cody and Oklahoma's Dan Cody. So I may have miscounted here. According to the numbers, I think Atlanta takes one of them.

28. San Diego: Matt Jones, QB/WR, Arkansas

Here's the most exciting player in the draft - exciting because nobody has any idea what to do with him. He's 6-6, he can fly, he played quarterback, now what? Marty will figure it out.

29. Indianapolis: Matt Roth, DE, Iowa

Florida linebacker Channing Crowder actually got one more vote than Roth, but it seems his stock has fallen because of injury concern. Roth seems like a solid Tony Dungy kind of player.

30. Pittsburgh: Heath Miller, TE, Virginia

The best tight end in the draft, I'm not sure how he dropped this far. That's the one thing about going with mock drafts_players drop. Pittsburgh is happy to get him.

31. Philadelphia: Darryl Blackstock, LB, Virginia

Sheesh, how many first-round picks do the Wahoos get? Most mock drafts had Matt Jones going here, and with him gone, it's a crapshoot. Blackstock got seven votes, which is more than 27 other players listed.

32. New England: Justin Miller, CB, Clemson

The mocks seem to believe that the Patriots need cornerbacks. Maybe. The Patriots won without cornerbacks last year. They are so far ahead of everybody, they'll probably figure out how to win next year with nine defensive players.

[Tribal Warfare]

Thomas Davis a damn OLB. We have Woods Wesley, Knight, I will add Julian Battle too but he's playing CB

[Mecca]

Are you sure you want a guy who posted a 4.43 at his pro day playing LB? Also if you've seen any interviews with him he says hes a safety and not a OLB. He said Mel Kiper didn't know what he was talking about when he said he was a better OLB prospect.
Also I believe Chuck Cook said the Chiefs are viewing him as a safety, can't say I blame them with that 40 time and size combined.

[Tribal Warfare]

Originally Posted by Mecca

Are you sure you want a guy who posted a 4.43 at his pro day playing LB?

Yes, Urlacher posted a 4.3 when he came up.

Also if you've seen any interviews with him he says hes a safety and not a OLB. He said Mel Kiper didn't know what he was talking about when he said he was a better OLB prospect.

I haven't seen one that he prefer either since he played both in college.

I believe Chuck Cook said the Chiefs are viewing him as a safety, can't say I blame them with that 40 time and size combined.

That can change since both Vermeil have said he was interesting because so many things. probably propsing that he could play LB. The first attempt was unsuccessful with Larry Atkins, but Atkins didn't have this type of talent either.

[keg in kc]

I have tried to keep my opinion out of it completely, mostly because I don't know what's going on.

Classic.