Post-Combine ‘09 NFL Mock Draft (Pt. 1)

In the interests of keeping this as non-complicated as possible, this mock draft will consist of the choices that I think the teams should make. I'll explain why I think they should take who they do, but as we all know, it's definitely not an indication that its who I think the team will actually take. Anything can happen on any given NFL Draft Saturday and Sunday after all (see: the Houston Texans taking Mario Williams with the first selection in 2006).

Anyway, without further ado, let's get into part one, which will encompass the first eight picks. Please do enjoy and feel free to vehemently question my football intelligence in the comments!

1. Detroit Lions: Jason Smith, OT, Baylor

It seems like everyone and their cousins, ex-boyfriends, florist thinks that the Lions are going to go with Matthew Stafford with the first overall pick. This is all well and good and could most definitely happen — however, I just can't shake the fact that the team has not one, but two young and possibly starter-worthy quarterbacks that they haven't really even seen pan out yet in Dan Orlovsky and Drew Stanton.

The Lions' staff, of course, knows more than we all do about the potential of these two, but you have to think that even if they both had the ability to pretty decent that the team would want to go with a cornerstone, franchise offensive tackle like Jason Smith. Besides, it's not like they couldn't take one of the other quarterbacks in this year's crop — despite the fact that it's supposed to be a very weak year overall. It seems like every year, we put all of our hopes in the quarterbacks who are supposed to be taken very early and assume that everyone else can barely manage to throw a tennis ball skillfully.

It can really go either in any direction — heck, they could even take Michael Crabtree for all we know (which would be the highest of high comedy) — so as with most years number one pick predictions, expect the debate on this one to rage right up until the seconds before the actual selection.

2. St. Louis Rams: Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech

Despite the fact that there are three top-10 caliber offensive tackles, which is a spot that the Rams sorely need, unless Jason Smith falls to them, then Michael Crabtree is a very plausible selection. For one, Isaac Bruce is gone and Torry Holt is getting ever closer to finally becoming eligible for his AARP subscription. The Rams' "Greatest Show on Turf" offense of yore was successful with a multi-talented running back in Marshall Faulk complimented by a fearsome duo of wide receivers in Bruce and Holt. Currently, the Rams have the multi-talented back in Stephen Jackson and Donnie Avery certainly showed signs of being able to fill in one of the fearsome wide receiver roles.

Pair Crabtree with Avery and Jackson, somehow ensure Marc Bulger you're going to protect him and he doesn't have to worry about his emergency room concussion bills after every single game, and what you get is an offense that can put up quite a lot of points on any given Sunday. Done aaaand done.

3. Kansas City Chiefs: Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia

Most of the mock drafts that have Stafford going number one to the Lions have Mark Sanchez going to the Chiefs at three. However, even if Stafford does go number one, I don't think that Scott Pioli would fall into the trap of taking any quarterback unless it's Matthew Stafford with their number three pick. All signs would point to them taking an Aaron Curry-type player and I assure you of this because I've had the immense pleasure of watching Pioli (along with partner in crime Bill Belichick) select someone who was never who the pundits all said they would — and it almost always ended up being the correct selection. Think Jerod Mayo last year.

But if Jason Smith does indeed go number one to the Lions as I have occurring in my little fantasy NFL universe, then I can see Pioli pulling the trigger on the Georgia alum and then building around him. I'm sorry, Mark, but I just can't get over your under-thrown and erratic ball throwing at the Combine. I just can't do it!

4. Seattle Seahawks: Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri

It seems like, besides from Deion Branch, that Matt Hasselbeck has never really had anyone even close to being considered an elite receiver. This is a testament to both Hasselbeck's skill and precision as a passer, as well (to a lesser extent) as the coaching philosophy of Mike Holmgren. Despite the likelihood of Michael Crabtree being taken in the first three selections and thus not being available for Seattle, Jeremy Maclin cemented his status as the number two wideout in this year's class with his sub-4.4 40.

Hopefully, we are gifted with a shot of Matt Hasselbeck's living room after the Seahawks take a promising young receiver at number four. I just can't see the pick going any other way — especially with Mike Holmgren gone to the prospect of golf and lazy Sunday's beside a Florida pool.

5. Cleveland Browns: Aaron Curry, OLB, Wake Forest

Sometimes teams are given the gift of a player falling to them in the first round that just makes sense and despite what they say to the press to disinformation everyone, the whole entire thing is really a no-brainer and they probably just giggle and talk about "Lost" episodes in the meeting rooms each Friday.

This is exactly the case with the Browns and the high possibility that Aaron Curry will fall to them at pick number five. Curry has done nothing but rise up everyone's draft boards the past few weeks and nothing changed at all in large thanks to his Combine performance. He was the quickest outside linebacker there and he hung right up there strength-wise, as well, with 25 bench press reps.

Then again, this is Eric Mangini we're talking about here, so he may very well take someone completely different just because everyone thinks he's going to take Curry. He's very special like that.

6. Cincinnati Bengals: Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia

Thanks to Andre Smith's incredibly questionable decision to publicly state that he's lazy and cause himself to drop out of the top offensive tackle debate, Eugene Monroe is now considered by many to be the second best at his position in this year's draft.

The entire Bengals team is a mess and they have needs at almost every conceivable position, but it would make the most sense for them to cash in on this rare and talented class of offensive tackles by selecting either Eugene Monroe or Michael Oher. My money is on Monroe being the second tackle taken, though.

7. Oakland Raiders: Michael Oher, OT, Ole Miss

Like the Bengals, the Raiders are tasked with the wonderful pleasure of having more holes to fill than Little Jack Horner. It's highly likely that they are going to stay on the offensive and defensive lines in terms of their first overall selection and with the offensive tackles likely being taken like wildfire up until this portion of the draft, it's hard to see them passing up on the last of the top three before someone rolls the dice with Andre "I Don't Like Money" Smith.

8. Jacksonville Jaguars: Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma State

I haven't seen many mock drafts that think this is the route that the Jaguars will take, but as I'm sure you've surmised, this is the direction that I think they will go. The Jaguars don't really have top-echelon wide receiver talent and a big, reliable and athletic tight end target like Pettigrew will probably have David Garrard giggling with glee.

Unless one of the top three offensive tackles is still available, it just seems like a good fit for them to take one of the most talented tight end prospects to come out in a long, long time.

Stay tuned for the next part of this series!