17. Minnesota Vikings
- Kelly, Malcolm, WR Oklahoma
In order for Detroit Head Coach Rod Marinelli's cover 2 defense to be effective, a strong tackling corner is needed. The Lions will pick Talib in the hope he can recreate the impact Ronde Barber had for Marinelli's old Tampa defenses. Talib is huge for a corner at 6'2 and has good recovery speed and excellent tackling ability. He also has great ball skills, and has shown great hands playing not only as a corner, but as the teams 3rd receiver at times. |
18. Houston Texans
- Slaton, Steve, RB West Virginia
Although Trent Cole has been more improved as of late, Campbell's upside is too much to pass on. At 6'8 the man is gigantic, and possesses a physical set of traits similar to Julius Peppers. Although Campbell is a raw prospect and he has yet to dominate games as effectively as he can, all the skills are there for Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Johnson to work with. |
19. Philadelphia Eagles
- Campbell, Calais, DE Miami
Travaris Jackson shouldn't be starting for any NFL team, and in hopes of reinstaling a balanced offense, the Vikings pick Andre Woodson. Woodson throws a pretty ball and has shown great accuracy over the past year. He has great size and resembles a less mobile Daunte Culpepper when he played for the Vikings. |
20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Okam, Frank, DT Texas
The Redskins need to address both sides of the line, and they start their draft off with Gholston, a great athlete at defensive end who has skyrocketed up draft boards ever since his dominating performance against all-american tackle Jake Long. Gholston may be a little undersized, but plays the run well enough to warrant his top 20 selection. Teamed with Andre Carter, the Skins pass rush will be bolstered immediatly. |
21. Washington Redskins
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| Since the Cowboys have 2 first round picks, they can provide a very strong young base for their team. The central position of the 3-4 defense they run is the NT, and Okam has the phyiscal ability to dominate the game. He is 6'5 and around 330 pounds and eats up at least 2 blockers every play. Okam is a player who has a lot of potential which he has yet to consistently live up to. |
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22. Seattle Seahawks
- Stewart, Jonathan, RB Oregon
This is a case of Best Player Available over team need. Although a lot of teams will learn from taking the speedy receiver who can't get off the line in the top 10 (Ted Ginn Jr.) Jackson is still someone you have to account for on every play because of his speed and after the catch ability. Jackson will at least be a game changer in the return game for Tampa who until week 14 had never had a kick return touchdown, ever. |
23. Dallas Cowboys
- Jackson, DeSean, WR California
Vince Young has taken a step backwards this year, and it is partly because he does not have a consistent receiving threat to throw to. Young's collegiate teammate Sweed would instantly help Young out. They played together for 2 years so the chemistry would already be there, and Sweed has great hands and good speed for his size.
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24. Pittsburgh Steelers
- Smith, Reggie, CB Oklahoma
Sean Alexander has fallen far from his MVP form of years past, and is beginning to get old, so the Seahawks will choose Jonathon Stewart who is a complete back, and can effectively replace Alexander in time. |
25. Tennessee Titans
- Sweed, Limas, WR Texas
With the possible release of all pro guard Alan Fanacea, Pittsburgh will look to retune their offensive line with the addition of Michael Oher. Oher is easily the most physical and dominating o-lineman in the draft. Still has a lot of technique issues but has the potential to become a force at either guard or tackle. |
26. New York Giants
- Adibi, Xavier, OLB Virginia Tech
Outside of Antonio Pierce, the Giants don't have a playmaker at the linebacker position. Adibi is a 3 year starter who this year made big play after big play and especially thrives in coverage. Although his lack of size doesn't allow him to play on the strong sized, he is perfectly suited to command a lot of attention as a weak side linebacker. |
27. San Diego Chargers
- Ellis, Sedrick, DT USC
Ellis is a rare player since he plays nose tackle yet is explosive enough to get after the quarterback one play, yet hold up the line the next. The only reason he drops this far is injury concerns, but a team as talented as the Chargers is in a position to take risks such as this. He may also be constricted by his inability to put on that much more weight, but he is an enforcer in the middle of the line, perfectly suited for a 3-4 defense. |
28. Jacksonville Jaguars
- Baker, Sam, OT USC
Baker was viewed as a top 10 pick last year before deciding to return for his senior year at USC. He didn't play as well as expected but Baker is a prospect without any major flaws. Although he exhibits no standout attribute, he is among the most dependable players to come out this year having started all 4 years at USC. He will help bolster Jacksonville's offensive line and will also provide an added bonus to the Jaguar's already stellar run game. |
29. Green Bay Packers
- Jones, Felix, RB Arkansas
Not a knock against Ryan Grant, but he is not a feature back as admirably as he has performed this year. Felix Jones has been a standout playmaker despite being in the huge shadow of teammate Darren McFadden. He possesses good size at around 200 pounds and 6'0 for a speed back. Also a phenominal returner, Jones would help the Packers straight away both in the return game and providing a change of pace from Grant's more physical running style. |
30. Dallas Cowboys
- Barrett, Josh, S Arizona State
Smith played corner in college, but lacks the top end speed to contiue to stay in that position at the pro level. The Cowboys will attempt to play him at free safety since current safety Hamlin has said he wants to test the free agent market. The Cowboys have needed help in coverage for the last few years since Roy Williams is now committed to the line of scrimmage because of his inadequacies in coverage. Smith's success at his new position will hinge on his tackling ability, which was good for a corner, will have to improve to solidify the Cowboy's defense. |
31. San Francisco 49ers
- Hardy, James, WR Indiana
Alex Smith was another quarterback who took a step back this past year, and the solution to that problem is to give him a tall possession receiver. Hardy is in a class of his own at 6'7 and will create matchup problems for any defense. He will quickly turn into a top redzone threat and has the route running ability to nullify his lack of deep speed. If Hardy could improve his hands he could turn into one of the top steals of the draft. |
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