Updated Mock Draft : 12/08

I have become utterly disgusted with the secondary play. From this point on I probably won't be changing the Steelers pick unless we continue to lose out, in which case it would still be a secondary pick, and have a shot at getting a better prospect.

1. Cleveland Browns: Ndamukong Suh DT, Nebraska
After watching Suh absolutely dominate Texas’ lineman in the Big12 championship to the tune of 4 & ½ sacks, I no longer feel as though this is a risky pick from him to go number one overall. It may be somewhat of a long shot but Suh may possibly be the first lineman to win the Heisman Trophy, and he looks to be the best defensive lineman prospect since Warren Sapp. Cleveland needs help everywhere. This franchise is a disaster. I could possibly see them going after a QB if they don’t feel as though Brady Quinn is the answer in which case they would go for Notre Dame QB Jimmy Clausen. Already having a cornerstone LT in Joe Thomas means they won’t target OK ST OT Russell Okung. In the event that team owner Randy Learner fires coach Mangini at the end of his first season, this will almost definitely change to QB as most new coaches would prefer to start with a QB of their own choosing. Given the amount of money that is due to the number one overall pick it is unlikely that Cleveland will be able to trade out of this pick, which they may very well like to do.

2. St. Louis Rams: Jimmy Clausen QB, Notre Dame
The Rams number one priority this off season will be to find a new Quarterback. There’s no debate about it. In the last two years they have passed on Matt Ryan and Mark Sanchez. Clausen is having a great season despite his teams overall poor play and scouts will love the fact that he plays in a pro-style offense under center. Heading into an uncapped year means the Rams can dump Marc Bulger’s salary without any future consequences. If they manage to find a QB in free agency they might target Tenn. safety Eric Berry.

 3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Eric Berry S, Tennessee
The Bucs would love for Ndamukong Suh to fall into their laps here but it’s unlikely to happen. Getting Eric Berry would be a great consolation prize though. Not only myself but every draft pundit you hear, including Mel Kiper and Todd McShay of ESPN, have said that Berry is an absolute stud and top player of this draft. He's drawing comparisons to Ed Reed, which is just about the best compliment a safety can get. Berry is a nightmare for opposing QB's. College teams don't even throw in his direction. He's got a nose for the ball and is a serious threat to take a pick back to the house every time. Tampa Bay may also consider Oklahoma DT Gerald McCoy, who would fill a greater position of need.

4. Detroit Lions: Russell Okung OT, Oklahoma State
The Lions need a cornerstone LT to protect their 40 million dollar man in Matt Stafford. Okung is the top LT prospect and plays a near-flawless game. He's athletic, uses his hands very well, and has quick feet to get out in front of speed rushers. Current Lion Jeff Backus is having an up and down season and would better serve the team being moved to RT and they could move Goster Cherilus to RG. If Okung is off the board at this point, look for the Lions to take the best defensive player available or trade back to acquire more picks.

5. Kansas City Chiefs: Bruce Campbell OT, Maryland
Matt Cassell needs a LT that will give him enough time to throw the ball down field. KC spent a lot of money on Cassell and it would be nice if they got a return on their investment. It would also allow them to move 2008 1st round pick Brandon Albert to LG, his natural position, since it doesn't seem like he can make it playing on the outside. Campbell is showing strong play this season and is very similar to Okung. With Berry already off the board there are no other elite prospects available at a position of need for the Chiefs to consider with a top 5 pick aside from OT. In the event that KC decides to skip on Campbell given his injury history, look for them to trade back and target USC OT Charles Brown or Florida CB Joe Hayden.

6. Washington Redskins: Sam Bradford QB, Oklahoma
With the way Jason Campbell is continuing his poor play the Redskins(Dan Snyder) will definitely look to replace him, regardless of the fact that Snyder’s impatience with head coaches and coordinators is the reason for it or not. In all likelihood Coach Zorn will be fired at the end of the season. Regardless of whom Snyder gets to replace him they will want to bring a new QB to start fresh. A better pick would be an OT but Snyder is going to go with a flashy, big name like Bradford. As ESPN has reported, Bradford is having his shoulder operated on by the renowned Dr. James Andrews, who also just happens to be the Redskins team doctor. So Snyder will definitely have the inside track on whether Bradford’s shoulder is going to hold up. If Snyder doesn’t think Bradford shoulder will hold up they may target Washington’s Jake Locker or even Arkansas’ Ryan Mallett.

7. Buffalo Bills: Gerald McCoy DT, Oklahoma
McCoy is considered by many to be the most technically sound defensive lineman and would be perfect to help the Bills horrendous run defense. Look for the Bills to fill the gaping hole left by the Jason Peters trade to Philly if McCoy isn’t available. It’s also not out of the question that they target one of the top tier QB’s such as Washington’s Jake Locker, given that they will have a new head coach and as of yet Trent Edwards hasn’t been able to distinguish himself.

8. Oakland Raiders: Taylor Mays S, USC
I continue to waffle on this pick. Al Davis’ love for speed might be too big to pass on Mays, although he will stumble out of the top 10 to 15 on draft day if he falls past Oakland. As many who have read my mock draft before already know, I’m not very high on Mays. He plays without discipline, has stiff hips, takes poor angles, and is usually more worried about laying someone out rather than holding his coverage. If Oakland comes to its senses and picks a replacement for the failed JaMarcus Russell experiment, Davis will surely go with Washington QB Jake Locker. Locker has the arm strength to throw the deep passes and is very mobile with a 4.6 40 time. And don’t be surprised if Davis goes with Florida DE Carlos Dunlap, whose freakish measurables Davis with also love.  

9. Seattle Seahawks: Jake Locker QB, Washington
Look for the Hawks to find an heir apparent to often injured Matt Hasselbeck. Locker comes from a shotgun style offense and will take some time to develop, but he’s a solid player with a strong arm and great mobility. Another dire need is to replace the aging and oft-injured Walter Jones. They may consider Rutgers’ Anthony Davis or USC OT Charles Brown here. If Bruce Campbell or even Russell Okung manages to slip then I would expect the Seahawks to go for one of them and try to find a project QB later in the draft such as Old Miss. QB Jevan Snead, Arkansas’ Ryan Mallett, or even Texas’ Colt McCoy.

10. Denver Broncos(via Chicago Bears): Rolando McClain ILB, Alabama
The Broncos have very few holes to fill although they are starting to fall apart. After going 6-0 they have been exposed for their lack of the deep ball. If given the opportunity they may look to go QB with this pick if one of the top prospects at the position slips. With Eddie Royal, Brandon Stokley, and Brandon Marshall they really need a strong armed QB that can sling it downfield.  Look for them to take the best defensive player available if none of the QB’s slip down this far. McClain is continuing to rise up draft boards and would be a perfect fit considering he already plays in a 3-4 defense at Alabama. Another consideration would be a NT like Alabama’s Terrence Cody, be he’s starting to fall due to conditioning concerns.

11. San Francisco 49ers(via Carolina Panthers): Joe Hayden CB, Florida
Hayden is the top CB prospect in this draft. The 49ers need someone to shore up their secondary. Perhaps their greatest need is a RT to play opposite Joe Staley which they could address with their other first round pick. There will also be good RT prospects available in the second round such as Notre Dames’ Sam Young.

12. San Francisco 49ers: Bryan Bulaga, OT, Iowa
Bulaga has had a down season with injuries and a thyroid condition but would be a perfect fit at RT at the pro level with his work ethic and run-blocking ability. I know this seems high for a right tackle but having a road grader to open up more running lanes for Frank Gore is worth the price. They may also consider a long-term solution to their QB troubles with Arkansas’ Ryan Mallett.

13. Houston Texans: Earl Thomas S, Texas
The Texans need help in multiple areas but the biggest concern is in the secondary, especially if they let the unhappy Dunta Robinson leave via free agency in the offseason. Thomas is only a red shirt sophomore but is having a great year and being a local boy will only help boost ticket sales. Thomas may not declare for the draft in which case this pick will most likely be Georgia Tech safety Morgan Burnett. They would absolutely love for Joe Hayden to slip to them.

14. Tennessee Titans: Derrick Morgan DE, Georgia Tech
Who would have thought that Vince Young would turn this season around? The Titans are starting to roll after the most disappointing start a team could have. They have multiple needs but Young’s play so far means they won’t be looking for a QB. Cornerback is their biggest need but without one worthy of this pick they’ll address their D-line which has been exposed by the loss of Albert Haynesworth to free agency. Morgan’s stock is continuing to grow with each passing week as he is having a great year.

15. New York Jets: Dez Bryant WR, Oklahoma State                                                                                                      
The Jets biggest need is in the secondary, particularly a corner to play opposite Darrell Revis. Unfortunately there are no corners besides Joe Hayden that are worthy of a pick this high. They may also look for defensive line help at DT where Kris Jenkins has had the second season-ending injury of his career and also for a defensive end that can play in a 3-4, but there are none worthy of a pick this high. The suspension of Bryant for lying about conversations with Deion Sanders will not hurt is draft stock. He’s got all the intangibles you look for in a receiver and looks a lot like Andre Johnson did when he came out of Miami. The Jets may also consider USC WR Damian Williams, whom QB Mark Sanchez had a great re pore with during his last year in college and will almost assuredly lobby for.

16. Atlanta Falcons: Navorro Bowman OLB, Penn State
The Falcons will take the best defensive player available, particularly an OLB or DE. Previously I had them taking Ole’ Miss. DE Greg Hardy but he has some injury issues the last two years and wasn’t even able to finish out this season. Look for the Falcons to also target a CB if another prospect emerges. Bowman is a beast with great physical tools although it may be likely that he stays for his senior year at PSU.

17. Miami Dolphins: Terrence Cody DT, Alabama
With the secondary shored up in last years draft look for the Fins to plug up their defensive front. They have been using aging veterans to plug the gaps for some time and could really use a shot of youth. Alternatives here could be help at linebacker. Team architect Bill Parcells may not look favorably on Cody’s prior weight issues in which case he may go for a receiver to help the progression of young QB Chad Henne. The best option would be USC WR Damian Williams, who many consider to be the most complete WR in the draft. They would also consider Missouri OLB Sean Weatherspoon or trading up for ILB Rolando McClain.

18. Pittsburgh Steelers: Morgan Burnett S, Georgia Tech
Without question the Steelers greatest need is in the secondary, either a cornerback or safety. It’s become ridiculous to watch this group give up leads, and eventually the game, each week to far inferior opponents. They need a safety who could replace Ryan Clark given that he’s in the final year of his contract and he’s over 30 years old and Tyrone Carter who has been burned badly in each game while filling in for Troy and he is in the final year of his contract as well. Burnett has got great range, good hands, and he’s not afraid to lower his shoulder on a running back. He could sub for Troy when he’s MIA due to injury, be the eventual successor to Ryan Clark, and fill in on special teams in the mean time. I’m positive Ryan Clark will take a discount to finish his career in the Burgh which would give Burnett time to learn the Steelers complex system. If this pick is anything other than safety they may still be able to find a quality safety in rounds two or three. South Florida Safety Nate Allen may even still be available in round two. An option I’ve been high on is Alabama NT Terrence Cody if he manages to slip, which many think he will do considering his weight issues. He’s managed to lose almost 50 pounds in the last year and keep the weight off so it’s not out of the realm of possibility that he could continue that positive trend into the NFL, especially with the right guidance. Weight issues or not, the Steelers are going to need someone large enough to anchor their defense so the linebackers can continue to flow freely to the opposing QB. Casey Hampton is 32 years old, in the final year of his contract, and with two Super Bowl rings already on his chubby fingers he may seek a big pay day somewhere else.  I’ve seen mock drafts where Cody is a top 10-15 pick and some where he doesn’t even go in the first round. The offensive line has been getting better every week and no longer seems like a dire position of need, but Idaho’s Mike Iupati could fill the one weak point at RG where Darnell Stapleton and Trai Essex are lacking and rookie Craig Urbik didn’t show much during the off season. He’s a big road grader and could possibly slide over and play RT if Willie Colon leaves via free agency. Of course there’s also a chance the Steelers may be able to get him or Alabama OG Mike Johnson in the second or third round. Cornerback could also be another option considering none of the rookies from last year have seemed to distinguish themselves, although it’s definitely too early to tell. To a lesser extent would be to find an eventual replacement for James Farrior. He’s playing at a high level this year but he’s 34 years old and since it takes a couple years for linebackers to learn the system anyway it would be nice to find his replacement now. A lot of people are high on Florida ILB Brandon Spikes, who may be great against the run but is somewhat of a liability in zone coverage. A better option in the third round would be TCU ILB Daryl Washington. A player I really like in the later rounds would be Baylor’s ILB Joe Pawelek. Clemson RB C.J. Spiller would be a slightly long-shot option. Willie Parker is most likely not going to be resigned in the off season and Spiller would be a great speedy compliment to Mendenhall’s power for a lot less cost than Parker. But more importantly he would also fill what has become a dire position of need over the years as a return man. Stephan Logan has been serviceable but it’s inefficient to have a return specialist on the active roster, plus he can’t manage to down a kickoff for a touchback even when he’s 7 yards deep. One player I would love for the Steelers to take in the second or third round would be Stanford RB Toby Gerhart who has become my official man-crush, regardless of whether the Steelers need him or not.

19. Baltimore Ravens: Damian Williams WR, USC
This is a toss-up between a WR and Oklahoma TE Jermaine Gresham. Todd Heap has been surprisingly healthy this year which is the first time in a long time. Many consider Williams to be the most complete WR in the draft. He can also give a boost in the return game as well. A lot of people will think that the Ravens will draft a CB, especially considering how badly they have been torched through the air, but the Ravens draft on value and there won’t be any other first round CB’s left. If not Williams then Gresham will be the pick.

20. Jacksonville Jaguars: Tim Tebow QB/H-Back, Florida
The Jags young receiving corps has come on this year and as such seems to be no longer a dire position of need. This is the first time all year that I’ve had Tebow going in the first round of the draft. As the Jags continue to win games and fall back in the draft order Tebow has become are real option for them, especially since team owner Wayne Weaver had said previously that he would draft him given the opportunity. What the Jags need most is a big name to lure fans to the game so they don’t eventually become the L.A. Jaguars. Another option here would be a 4-3 defensive end as the Jags make the transition back to after a woeful attempt at using a 3-4 in which case Georgia Tech DE Derrick Morgan would be a good option if he manages to slip down this far. I would’ve considered giving them Florida’s Carlos Dunlap but I think they have had their fill of under-performing and immature DE’s from Florida like Derrick Harvey.

21. New York Giants: Ras-I Dowling, CB/FS Virginia
Previously I would’ve thought the Giants would continue to stock pile D-linemen but they have been shredded through the air and could really use secondary help, particularly at safety. Dowling has played CB at Virginia but has the size to also develop into a quality free safety in the pros and would be a good match with Kenny Phillips when he returns from injury next year. They may also consider a MLB to eventually replace Antonio Pierce, who even before his injury this year was struggling.

22. New England Patriots: Sergio Kindle DL/OLB, Texas
The Patriots need more youth and depth in their linebacking corps. Kindle lines up all over the field for Texas and is the sort of versatile player Belichick loves. And speaking of versatility, it wouldn’t shock me to see them draft Tim Tebow if he slips past Jacksonville. He could be their QB for life after Brady. And yes I know this is high for a QB who could be a back-up for a few years, but he can also serve as an H-back and be put in for trick plays such as the Wildcat. He also has that air of smugness that reminds me of Brady that I hate so much.

23. Seattle Seahawks (via Denver Broncos): Anthony Davis OT, Rutgers
Having taken care of their QB needs earlier in the draft, the Seahawks will look to take the best OT available. Walter Jones will probably retire at the end of the season and Sean Locklear cannot stay healthy. They will need someone to keep Matt Hasselbeck upright long enough for them to develop Jake Locker. They may also look for a RB, but they should be able to grab either Cal’s Jahvid Best or Georgia Tech’s Jonathan Dwyer in the second round.

24. Arizona Cardinals: Charles Brown OT, USC
Arizona needs LT help bad. They drafted Levi Brown a couple years ago to be a RT when they thought Matt Leinart, a lefty, would be the QB of the future. Well he hasn't been so far and Warner is suffering because of it. Having Brown slip down this far would be ideal for the Cards.

25. Philadelphia Eagles: Travis Lewis OLB, Oklahoma
Without any tackle prospects left to replace the often injured Shawn Andrews, look for the Eagles to take the top DE or Linebacker prospect available. Lewis is only a redshirt sophomore and in the event that he decides to stay in school this pick would change to Missouri’s Sean Weatherspoon. They also need to fill the DE spot opposite of Trent Cole but may find better value for that in the second round.

26. Dallas Cowboys: Carlos Dunlap DE, Florida
Anyone who’s read my mock draft before knows I’m not big on Dunlap and I have likened him to Vernon Gholston. But there’s no denying his physical gifts and how much Jerry Jones is enamored with big names. Other options may be to take an OT to replace the aging Flozell Adams with Trent Williams or if Anthony Davis falls to them. They also need help at safety and perhaps a receiver like Notre Dame’s Golden Tate to go with Miles Austin.

27. Green Bay Packers: Trent Williams OT, Oklahoma
Green Bay will take the best tackle available after watching QB Aaron Rogers eat dirt every week. It’s obvious that Rogers is starting to show that the never-ending beatings each week are taking a toll on him. The only other consideration would be to add an OLB to replace Aaron Kampman who’s in the final year of his contact and clearly not comfortable after making the switch from DE to OLB.

28. San Diego Chargers: Dan Williams NT, Tennessee
Assuming they resign LT Marcus McNeill and in all probability franchise tag Shawn Merriman, they will most likely target someone to replace the aging Jamal Williams . Dan Williams is continuing to watch his stock rise and may even find himself rated higher than “Mount” Cody before all is said and done. Other options may be to take Clemson RB C.J. Spiller since they will most likely lose either Darren Sproles to free agency or cut LaDainian Tomlinson after the season or to add another weapon to Phillip River’s arsenal like LSU’s Brandon LaFell, who fits the mold of a taller wideout that the Chargers prefer.

29. Cincinnati Bengals: Jermaine Gresham TE, Oklahoma
The Bengals don’t have many real needs at this point, so look for them to take Gresham to shore up the weak point on their explosive offense. Even though he's been out with a knee injury for the year, he will have plenty of time to rehab before the NFL combine.

30. Minnesota Vikings: Ryan Mallett QB, Arkansas
This doesn’t address any immediate need the Vikings have right now, but they will need to find someone to play after Favre retires (for good). Mallett has a few kinks to work out with his footwork but he has a rocket for an arm and has played impressively this year. The biggest need for them immediately is a defensive end to play opposite Jared Allen, or perhaps an outside linebacker but there will be plenty of both in the next two rounds.

31. Indianapolis Colts: Sean Weatherspoon OLB, Missouri
As always, the defense is the weak spot on this team. Weatherspoon is probably the best OLB suited to play in a base 4-3 defense. The Colts will also consider a CB such as Wake Forest’s Brandon Ghee. Also, don’t be surprised to see them trade up for a LT prospect to replace Tony Ugoh.

32. New Orleans Saints: C.J. Spiller RB, Clemson
There are rumors that the Saints will be letting go of Reggie Bush in the offseason. His injury history and unreliability are not worth the 8 millions dollars he will be due. The Saints will need to find someone to replace him. Spiller is similar in the aspects of speed and vision, only he does not shy away from contact. They may also consider taking a linebacker, especially if Sean Weatherspoon is still available.