With the 9th pick in the NFL draft, the Green Packers have selected Boston College’s B.J. Raji, a defensive tackle.

The move comes as the Packers look to switch to a 3-4 defense next year. Raji’s strength, size and speed could make him a vital piece of the puzzle going forward.

That’s the only local pick in the top 10 so far.

As expected, the Lions took Georgia QB Matthew Stafford #1. Another big pick is Darrius Heyward-Bey going to the Raiders at #7, adding a big time wide receiver to the corps of young offensive potential in Oakland.

Stick with http://blastmagazine.com for more sports coverage!

I will be constantly updating this and you can keep checking in for my latest version here. I also have all good intentions to live blog the NBA Draft tomorrow starting at 7 p.m. should I not pass out on Early Times whiskey first. Actually, the only reason it wouldn’t happen is if I have technical difficulties. So, here is the mock draft:

1. Chicago Bulls select Derrick Rose, Memphis
Derrick Rose’s nickname is ‘Pooh,’ given to him by his grandmother because she thought he looked like Winnie-the-Pooh. He attended Simeon Career Academy where he led his team to back-to-back titles in the Chicago Public League and compiled a 120-12 career high school record. This guy is a leader, a winner, and the only no-brainer pick in this year’s draft. Chicago has found their man.

2. Miami Heat select Michael Beasley, Kansas State
Don’t get sucked into the rumors of the Heat trading this pick. It’s not gonna happen. However, he’ll have to work on his defense if he wants to live up to being the number two pick of the draft. His offense is not a question. This kid can flat-out score.

Kevin McHale is one of the worst GMs in this league. Common sense is to take OJ Mayo with the third pick, but McHale does not have common sense. This is the GM that cost his team $3.5 million and five draft picks by trying to sign Joe Smith to a max contract under the table. Part of me believes McHale thinks he is still employed with Boston after he hand-delivered Kevin Garnett to the Celtics in exchange for Al Jefferson and a 20% off coupon to Bed Bath & Beyond. My point? Some other team is getting OJ Mayo tomorrow night.

3. New York Knicks select OJ Mayo, USC (assuming a trade, but not predicting the details)
If the Knicks don’t get him here then someone will. The intriguing story here is that OJ Mayo and Lebron James are friends. In a perfect world, OJ Mayo lands in New York Thursday night, the Knicks somehow clear cap space for next year, and Lebron James becomes a Knickerbocker for 2009-10 season.

4. Seattle Sonics select Brook Lopez, Stanford
Tons of rumors about Seattle moving up to the two-spot in a trade with Miami, but really don’t see that happening. Seattle doesn’t have anyone to trade other than Chris Wilcox. If Seattle does trade, it will be down, but I see them drafting Brook Lopez.

5. Memphis Grizzlies select Kevin Love, UCLA
I liked him in college and I think he will be a solid pro. Memphis needs a big man, so why not take the best available?

6. Minnesota Timberwolves select Eric Gordon, Indiana (moving down from the three-spot)
Worst case scenario for Kevin McHale. He’ll trade his third pick hoping to get Lopez or Love with the sixth pick, but has to settle for his third option, Eric Gordon, who I like. I don’t like this mock draft right now. Kevin McHale is screwing this up for me. This is very similar to how Minnesota had to buyout Troy Hudson’s contract ($12.3 million), because GM McHale signed him to a six-year, $37 million contract. Yeah, Troy Hudson.

7. LA Clippers select Jarryd Bayless, Arizona
The Clippers have a lot of off-seasoning to do this summer. What is Elton Brand gonna do, are we trading Corey Maggette, is Shaun Livingston ever going to be good? Lots of questions. So, with two of those questions at the guard position, why not take the best guard available? Jarryd Bayless has tremendous upside. The only reason I say this is to prepare you for how many times ‘upside’ will be used tomorrow night. Last year it was used 2,381 times with 152 different words used before it.

8. Milwaukee Bucks select Joe Alexander, West Virginia
All the talk has Milwaukee taking Joe. In the top ten picks, there seems to be two definites. Rose at number one and Alexander at number eight. Joe was predicted to be taken in the middle to end of the first round a couple months ago, but GMs/coaches/scouts have been falling in love with his athleticism, work ethic, and size. I’ve been saying this for awhile now.

9. Charlotte Bobcats select Russell Westbrook, UCLA
This is a Larry Brown guy. I’m preparing you again. Whoever is taken at this spot, whether its Love or B. Lopez dropping to this pick or they take a reach on Augustin, you will hear the announcers say, "This is a Larry Brown guy" numerous times. You will also hear this during the 38th pick or if Charlotte acquires another first round pick in attempt to get Roy Hibbert, because Hibbert is a Larry Brown guy!

10. New Jersey Nets select Danilo Gallinari, Italy
Alright, this guy shouldn’t have dropped this far. I don’t know how this happened. He worked out really well with the Knicks, twice. So, if my fun little trade doesn’t happen then Danilo probably won’t be here. At this point of the draft there will be at least two significant trades that will shake this whole mock draft up. I see the Clippers and the Bobcats making some movement.

11. Indiana Pacers select DJ Augustin, Texas
If Toronto and Indiana somehow can agree to exchange TJ Ford and Jermaine O’Neal and ‘players with contracts’ then maybe this won’t be the pick. However, I don’t see that happening, so DJ is the pick here. What does Perry mean when he says ‘players with contracts?’ Don’t they all have contracts? Thanks for asking. Yes, they do, but some aren’t viewed as players anymore, just contracts. For example, Keith Van Horn is just a contract. Theo Ratliff is an expiring contract. And thanks to Isiah Thomas, everyone on the Knicks is a ridiculous contract. These are the players you need to include in trades so the salary numbers are close to being equal.

12. Sacramento Kings select Mario Chalmers, Kansas
Mike Bibby was one heck of a point guard for Sacramento and now he plays in Atlanta. Nobody better to fill that void than Mario Chalmers. Also look for the Kings to take Anthony Randolph or Roy Hibbert.

13. Portland Trailblazers select Brandon Rush, Kansas
I’m a big fan of Brandon Rush. Not as an NBA star, but a solid NBA player. Put him with Greg Oden, Lamarcus Aldridge, and Brandon Roy, and you have yourself a team that will dominate.

14. Golden State Warriors select Darrell Arthur, Kansas
I have no clue if the Warriors are even looking at this guy, but I thought it would be a good idea to have three straight Kansas players selected.

The lottery portion of the draft is over. Picks 16 thru 30 will now be listed without explanation due to the fact this is taking way too long.

15. Phoenix Suns select Anthony Randolph, LSU
(look for Leandro Barbosa to be dealt to Toronto)

16. Philadelphia 76ers select Kosta Koufos, Ohio State

17. Toronto Raptors select Robin Lopez, Stanford
(look for TJ Ford to be dealt to Phoenix)

18. Washington Wizards select DeAndre Jordan, Texas A&M

19. Cleveland Cavaliers select Jason Thompson, Rider

20. Denver Nuggets select Marreese Speights, Florida

21. New Jersey Nets select JJ Hickson, NC State

22. Orlando Magic select Roy Hibbert, Georgetown

23. Utah Jazz select Donte’ Greene, Syracuse

24. Seattle Sonics select Alexis Ajinca, France

25. Houston Rockets select Ante Tomic, Croatia

26. San Antonio Spurs select Chris Douglas-Roberts, Memphis

27. New Orleans Hornets select JaVale McGee, Nevada

28. Memphis Grizzlies select Courtney Lee, Western Kentucky

29. Detroit Pistons select DJ White, Indiana

30. Boston Celtics select Jamont Gordon, Mississippi State

I will be doing a live blog of the draft on Thursday starting at 7 p.m. I will dish out my thoughts on the picks and make sure I put in writing every ridiculous thing that comes out of the mouths of Mark Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy.

There are a ton of clowns out there handing out draft grades this week for a draft in which no one has played yet. How can you grade the draft now? The closest we’ve ever seen to being able to grade a draft is to just go by position. You needed a LB. You took two in the first four rounds. Ok, you addressed the issue, well done. We don’t know if they will be any good, but nobody does.

They say the best way to grade a draft is three years later. Give the busts time to prove they are busts. Give some of the slow starters a chance to blossom. So we’re going to do that by looking back at the 2005 Draft. We’re just going to look at the first three rounds though…why? Because we are lazy. So here we go:

Arizona Cardinals:
1 8 Antrel Rolle DB
2 44 J.J. Arrington RB
3 75 Eric Green DB
3 95 Darryl Blackstock LB

Grade: D+

Atlanta Falcons:
1 27 Roddy White WR
2 59 Jonathan Babineaux DE
3 90 Jordan Beck LB

Grade: White turned into a good player this year. C

Baltimore Ravens:
1 22 Mark Clayton WR
2 53 Dan Cody LB
2 64 Adam Terry T

Grade: B

Buffalo Bills:
2 55 Roscoe Parrish WR
3 86 Kevin Everett TE

Grade: Parrish is a dynamite return man. Everett’s situation was tragic. B-

Carolina Panthers:
1 14 Thomas Davis DB
2 54 Eric Shelton RB
3 79 Evan Mathis G
3 89 Atiyyah Ellison DT

Grade: Ehhh…D

Chicago Bears:
1 4 Cedric Benson RB
2 39 Mark Bradley WR

Grade: I guess this depends on what you think of Benson. We didn’t like the fact that they already had Thomas Jones on the roster. We’re grading harshly today. D

Cincinnati Bengals:
1 17 David Pollack LB
2 48 Odell Thurman MLB
3 83 Chris Henry WR

Grade: Shame about the Pollack injury, he looked like he could have been something. He retired last week. Thurman and Henry have spent more time being suspended than they have on the field. F

Cleveland Browns:
1 3 Braylon Edwards WR
2 34 Brodney Pool DB
3 67 Charlie Frye QB

Grade: Edwards is a baller, Frye was traded last year after Week 1. B+

Dallas Cowboys:
1 11 DeMarcus Ware OLB
1 20 Marcus Spears DE
2 42 Kevin Burnett LB

Grade: Ware is an absolute monster. The other two, not so much. B+

Denver Broncos:
2 56 Darrent Williams CB
3 76 Karl Paymah DB
3 97 Domonique Foxworth CB
3 101 Maurice Clarett RB

Grade: Clarett never played a down. Sadly, Williams is dead, but that’s not the Broncos. Still…D

Detroit Lions:
1 10 Mike Williams WR
2 37 Shaun Cody DE
3 72 Stanley Wilson DB

Grade: What a waste of a #1. D

Green Bay Packers:
1 24 Aaron Rodgers QB
2 51 Nick Collins FS
2 58 Terrence Murphy WR

Grade: We like Rodgers and think he’ll be the guy. Great value at #24. Terrence Murphy? C+

Houston Texans:
1 16 Travis Johnson DT
3 73 Vernand Morency RB

Grade: Ehh. C-

Indianapolis Colts:
1 29 Marlin Jackson DB
2 60 Kelvin Hayden DB
3 92 Vincent Burns DE

Grade: We like Jackson and Hayden. B

Jacksonville Jaguars:
1 21 Matt Jones WR
2 52 Khalif Barnes T
3 87 Scott Starks DB

Grade: Jones hasn’t done anything. Barnes has issues with the law. D-

Kansas City Chiefs:
1 15 Derrick Johnson OLB
3 99 Dustin Colquitt P

Grade: C

Miami Dolphins:
1 2 Ronnie Brown RB
2 46 Matt Roth DE
3 70 Channing Crowder

Grade: We like Brown and Crowder. B

Minnesota Vikings:
1 7 Troy Williamson WR
1 18 Erasmus James DE
2 49 Marcus Johnson G
3 80 Dustin Fox DB

Grade: Williamson is terrible. C-

New England Patriots:
1 32 Logan Mankins G
3 84 Ellis Hobbs CB
3 100 Nick Kaczur T

Grade: Good stuff. B+

New Orleans Saints:
1 13 Jammal Brown T
2 40 Josh Bullocks FS
3 82 Alfred Fincher LB

Grade: Brown was All-Pro in 2006. B

New York Giants:
2 43 Corey Webster DB
3 74 Justin Tuck DE

Grade: Webster plays out of necessity more than anything else. But we LOVE Justin Tuck. B

New York Jets:
2 47 Mike Nugent K
2 57 Justin Miller CB
3 88 Sione Pouha DT

Grade: Nugent was not worth it in the second. D

Oakland Raiders:
1 23 Fabian Washington CB
2 38 Stanford Routt DB
3 69 Andrew Walter QB
3 78 Kirk Morrison LB

Grade: Washington just got traded for a fourth rounder to the Ravens. Andrew Walter isn’t very good. We love Morrison though. C

Philadelphia Eagles:
1 31 Mike Patterson DT
2 35 Reggie Brown WR
2 63 Matt McCoy LB
3 77 Ryan Moats RB

Grade: Patterson is a very nice tackle. Brown is a serviceable #2 if he has dynamite on the other side (which he doesn’t). McCoy is a joke. Moats can’t learn a playbook or pickup a blitz. He’ll be cut shortly. C

Pittsburgh Steelers:
1 30 Heath Miller TE
2 62 Bryant McFadden DB
3 93 Trai Essex T

Grade: Miller is a nice TE. C

San Diego Chargers:
1 12 Shawne Merriman OLB
1 28 Luis Castillo DE
2 61 Vincent Jackson WR

Grade: We’re going to bump them up because of Jackson’s emergence last year. A-

San Francisco 49ers:
1 1 Alex Smith QB
2 33 David Baas G
3 65 Frank Gore RB
3 94 Adam Snyder T

Grade: We think Smith is a stiff and he went #1. Gore is injury prone. C-

Seattle Seahawks:
1 26 Chris Spencer C
2 45 Lofa Tatupu MLB
3 85 David Greene QB
3 98 Leroy Hill OLB

Grade: Tatupu is a baller. David Greene? C+

St. Louis Rams:
1 19 Alex Barron T
2 50 Ronald Bartell CB
3 66 O.J. Atogwe DB
3 81 Richie Incognito C

Grade: Barron is a holding machine. Atogwe had a good year last year. C

Tampa Bay Buccaneers:
1 5 Cadillac Williams RB
2 36 Barrett Ruud LB
3 71 Alex Smith TE
3 91 Chris Colmer T

Grade: Smith could be worse. Cadillac wears down. C-

Tennessee Titans:
1 6 Pacman Jones CB
2 41 Michael Roos T
3 68 Courtney Roby WR
3 96 Brandon Jones WR

Grade: What do you think? F+ (the plus is for Roos)

Washington Redskins:
1 9 Carlos Rogers DB
1 25 Jason Campbell QB

Grade: Rogers is ok at best. Campbell we like, but the jury is still out. C

The NFL Draft will be going all weekend and so will Off The Record (for the most part). Join us here at 3pm today as the NFL Draft kicks off.

Don’t watch the Draft without guidance! How will you know whether or not Mort and Berman are full of it again? What will the Dolphins do with the first pick (we’ve got the inside scoop)? Does Mel Kiper seriously expect us to believe him when he says “so and so will anchor that line for the next 10 years,” when meanwhile so and so has never played a down in the NFL and the draft is an inexact science and Kiper has no idea or else he’d have a general manager job? Can the guys on the set ruin every damn pick by telling us who will get drafted just seconds before Roger Goodell does? Will the ESPN yahoos suggest that “they may take Darren McFadden” on every team’s pick? Will Susie Kolber ask more brilliant questions to free-falling players like “what’s the game plan now?” (damn Susie, what do you think the plan is? Ummmmm….wait to get picked?) Will the Eagles move Lito Sheppard? Will the Giants trade Jeremy Shockey? Will the Saints acquire more of someone else’s retreads? How many picks will the Redskins trade away for aging veterans, some has-beens, and a few never-will-be’s? Where will Jason Taylor land? Are Roy and Chad really staying put?

We’ve got the information and insight you need to follow the Draft!

Pop on by. Perry will be watching the NFL Network broadcast and I’ll have the (sigh) ESPN broadcast.

A source close to the situation has told Blast that the Eagles really love Pittsburgh OT Jeff Otah. The source also says that the Eagles are enamored with Vandy’s OT Chris Willams and Michigan State WR Devin Thomas. Read more here.

Jay Glazer of Foxsports.com is reporting that the Dolphins have struck a deal with Michigan tackle Jake Long. The deal guarantees $30 million and is worth a total of $57 million over five years.

Ah, America. Where else can you get someone to guarantee you $30 million for proving absolutely nothing? The St. Louis Rams are now on the clock and free to negotiate with any of the players.

Ray Didinger is a Hall of Fame journalist and I challenge anyone to find someone that has more knowledge of the entire history of the NFL. Who started the West Coast offense? Bill Walsh! Nope, Red Hickey was running early versions of it with the 49ers back in the 1950′s. Just ask Ray. So, here are Ray’s sleeper picks for the upcoming NFL Draft.

Wide receiver Jordy Nelson, Kansas State, 6-foot-3, 217 pounds, timed at 4.54 in the 40-yard dash. Nelson is likely to be available in the third round because his 40 time is “considered a step slow,” Didinger says, adding that teams want a 4.4 or below. But Nelson is “one of these guys who plays faster than he times” because of his size, smooth breaks and “great intelligence and feel for the game.” Despite double coverage and facing different defensive schemes every week, Nelson still had 122 catches. Because his size and excellent route-running could make him a nice Red Zone target, “I would love to see the Eagles get him in the third round,” Didinger said.

Fullback Jacob Hester, LSU, 5-11, 226 pounds, ran the 40 in 4.62. Hester’s expected to be a fourth-rounder, despite rushing for over 1,100 yards and scoring 13 touchdowns for the national champion Tigers, Didinger said. The knocks are he’s not quite big enough, not fast enough. But “he plays with great effort and great pride” and played on all special teams at LSU, making him “a solid all-around player who, I think, is real versatile,” Didinger said. Hester (no relation to Chicago return sensation Devin Hester) blocks well for his size, showing he can pick up a blitz, and might fit in well with the Eagles, because “he’s a real sure-handed receiver,” Didinger said, adding, “I really have a feeling about this guy.” He wouldn’t be surprised if “eight years from now this guy’s still going to be playing in the league.”

Safety Corey Lynch, Appalachian State, 6-foot, 205 pounds, 4.52. Projected as a fifth rounder despite making 111 tackles for a team that upset Michigan and won the national 1-AA title over Delaware. But he, too, is perceived as “a step slow.” But he can play man to man coverage, can blitz, and even blocked three kicks, including a field goal in the Michigan game. During games he even seemed to reposition teammates. “It looks to me likes he was the leader of that defense,” Didinger said. Plays free safety or strong safety. On the Eagles, he’d have a shot to succeed Brian Dawkins, but at the very least could help on special teams.

Defensive end Brian Johnston, Gardner-Webb College, 6-foot-4, 275 pounds, 4.9 in the 40. Projected as a sixth-rounder because he’s from a small school. But he was twice defensive player of the year in the Big South, and played well in the Hula Bowl, getting six tackles and two sacks, while forcing a fumble against Division One players. “Every year, you just see him getting better and better,” Didinger said. Each draft seems to have a couple of small-college linemen who go low but do well, and Johnston might be the next one to join that group, he says. The Eagles, however, probably don’t see a big need at defensive end, since last year’s second-round pick Victor Abiamiri and off-season acquisition Chris Clemons are expected to join a cast that already includes Trent Cole and Juqua Thomas.

Running back/receiver/returner/quarterback/holder Jayson Foster, Georgia Southern, 5-9, 170 pounds, 4.32 time in the 40. Shhh. Don’t tell anybody. This guy’s name doesn’t even show up in a lot of draft books, Didinger said. But … “to me, he has the potential to be the most exciting player out of the bunch.” Didinger envisions this undersized but “lightning-fast” athlete as “a wonderful wild card player.” As a quarterback – yes, quarterback – last season, he rushed for 1,844 yards and 24 touchdowns. OK, he’s not going to be an NFL QB, but he’s “electrifying,” with “tremendous acceleration,” and on one 60-yard touchdown run made everyone miss so badly he was hardly touched, Didinger said. Note to the Eagles: Foster was also a threat as a place holder, because he’d run with the ball or throw it. So if used creatively at receiver and maybe running back, as well on as special teams, he could be a dandy asset. If people aren’t impressed that he also won the Walter Payton Award as the nation’s best small-college player, recall a few other winners: Steve McNair, Tony Romo and the Eagles’ Brian Westbrook.

Last night, the VS Network held a primetime special to conduct the 2008 NHL Entry Draft Lottery, which determines the sequence teams will select in at the summer’s draft. The program filled around ten or fifteen minutes of airtime by name-dropping former 1st-overall picks, chatting at a table with the general managers of the five teams with a chance of drawing the first pick (never really explaining the math in detail, just showing a graphic with the five teams and their percentages of winning the lottery), and offering a few live shots of projected first overall choice, OHL Sarnia Sting centerman Steven Stamkos.

After this fluff, it was time to find out which lucky team would choose first overall this summer.
According to the list of mystery percentages, the Tampa Bay Lightning had roughly a 48 % chance to get the 1st overall choice. The other four teams with a mathematical shot of choosing first were the Blues, Islanders, Kings, and Thrashers. The NHL has some type of weighted, reverse-sequence lottery where the weakest teams are sure to pick high; the complex system, unexplained in the show, is poorly described on www.nhl.com (for those of you with a graduate degree in Statistics from M.I.T.).

The Lightning upheld the mathematics of probability by landing the 1st-overall pick. The top five choices were announced, for reasons of sweaty, nail-biting suspense (sarcasm, kids), in reverse order: the L.A. Kings wound up with the 2nd pick; the Atlanta Thrashers will be 3rd; the St. Louis Blues are going to choose 4th; and the N.Y. Islanders hold the 5th selection.

Again, the consensus prize of choosing first overall is Steven Stamkos of the Ontario Hockey League club the Sarnia Sting. Stamkos, a 6’1", 183 lb. center, is likely to jump right into the pro game with an immediate impact for the team that selects and signs him. In 61 OHL games with the Sting, Stamkos has tallied 58 goals and 47 assists for a total of 105 points (around 1.72 pts/game… much easier to calculate than the NHL draft pick weights). Despite his value, it’s not unthinkable that the Lightning could move this pick between now and draft day. This year’s draft is reportedly very deep and the Lightning have a bona-fide #1 center in Vincent LeCavalier.

For readers who root for teams that missed the playoffs, but weren’t awful enough to be a basement-five club in the running for 1st overall, the complete sequence of the top fourteen picks is below:

1. Tampa Bay Lightning
2. L.A. Kings
3. Atlanta Thrashers
4. St. Louis Blues
5. N.Y. Islanders
6. Columbus Blue Jackets
7. Toronto Maple Leafs
8. Phoenix Coyotes
9. Florida Panthers
10. Vancouver Canucks
11. Chicago Blackhawks
12. Edmonton Oilers
13. Buffalo Sabres

I’ve spoken to a source who told me that the Eagles will look to use cornerback Lito Sheppard in a trade that would allow them to move up in the first round of the NFL Draft. Apparently, they really want an offensive tackle and don’t believe their guy will last until their current 19th pick.

It’s well known that the Eagles want to unload the unhappy corner, but early reports were that they wanted a high-end wide receiver in return. With just about all of those options exhausted, I’m hearing that he will be used to improve draft position.

Andy Reid and company have proven in the past that they aren’t afraid to move up in the first round to get a lineman. In 2003, the Eagles traded halfway up the first round from the #30 slot to the #15 slot to take Miami DE Jerome McDougle. The following year in 2004, they traded up to the #16 position and nabbed Arkansas offensive lineman Shawn Andrews.

It’s that time of year again, and since we saw that everyone and their mother is doing a mock NFL draft, we decided it wasn’t too early. We are guaranteeing that every single pick is accurate. Ok…maybe not. Anyway, here is Micah Warren’s 2008 NFL Mock Draft:

1. Miami Dolphins: Chris Long, DE, Virginia

I can’t imagine the Dolphins want anyone at this slot. No one is really worth it, but Chris Long is close. If possible, the Dolphins should trade down and accrue multiple picks, but I just don’t see anyone willing to play ball with them. When you barely win one game (because a veteran misses a field goal that he rarely misses), you have a lot more needs than one guy can fill. That said, Long is the safe pick.

2. St. Louis Rams: Jake Long, OT, Michigan

I was tempted to say Glenn Dorsey, and that very well could happen (like how I’m covering myself in case they take Dorsey?), but their offensive line was simply a mess last year.

3. Atlanta Falcons: Matt Ryan, QB, Boston College

Unless they really have an aversion to Ryan, I don’t know how they can pass on a QB. Currently, they have Chris Redman, Joey Harrington and D.J. Shockley on their roster. I just don’t see how you can win football games with those players. It’s easy to make a case for a bunch of other players they could draft because there is a reason they are drafting this high.

4. Oakland Raiders: Vernon Gholston, LB, Ohio St.

I know, no one wants to believe that Al Davis will pass on Darren McFadden. But he has a logjam at running back and his current group can get it done. The Raiders currently have six RB’s on their roster, four of which are of note. Dominic Rhodes could have been Super Bowl MVP two years ago. Lamont Jordan can do some damage with a little room. Justin Fargas was great at times last year. And the wild card is Michael Bush. Many thought he was a sure first-rounder last year before he broke his leg in the season opener at Louisville. The Raiders need help elsewhere.

5. Kansas City Chiefs: Ryan Clady, OT, Boise St.

The key to the Chiefs success in the past was that dominant offensive line. It made superstars out of Priest Holmes and Larry Johnson. Willie Roaf, Brian Waters, Will Shields…studs. Waters is still there, but not much else. Rebuilding the offensive line will be the key for the Chiefs.

6. New York Jets: Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas

The running game just wasn’t working last year, and I personally blame the offensive line. As soon as Pete Kendall left, it was a mess. Thomas Jones is an excellent back who didn’t have a lot of room last year. But the Jets will take McFadden anyway. GM’s are drunk with thoughts of Adrian Peterson last year and everyone wants to add an All Day to their roster.

7. New England Patriots: Leodis McKelvin, CB, Troy

The Patriots defense woes were largely covered up last year by the high-flying offense. In close games, they showed their holes. Their secondary in particular isn’t very good and they lost their top player in the back, Asante Samuel. They need to replace him. I may suggest that the Patriots use all of their draft choices on the secondary.

8. Baltimore Ravens: Brian Brohm, QB, Louisville

I know, I know, Brohm’s stock has fallen considerably. But, the Ravens need a quarterback and John Harbaugh knows this. He watched how the Eagles were built and it started with the selection of Donovan McNabb.

9. Cincinnati Bengals: Sedrick Ellis, DT, USC

Anytime you ring up 45 points in a game and lose, something is wrong on the defensive side of the ball. Seriously wrong. Ellis will hopefully provide an anchor to the defensive line and set up everything else on the defense. A disruptive force in the middle changes everything.

10. New Orleans Saints: Glenn Dorsey, DT, LSU

Again with the defensive tackles. Dorsey wouldn’t have to move very far to play for the Saints. This New Orleans team desperately needs playmakers on defense and newly acquired LB Jonathan Vilma would love to see Dorsey on the roster. With the additions of Vilma and Dorsey, the Saints would have the beginnings of a real NFL defense. Oh wait, the secondary. Well, there is always round two. This would be the perfect time to trade for Lito Sheppard, especially considering the Saints affinity for former Eagles.

11. Buffalo Bills: Malcolm Kelly, WR, Oklahoma

I don’t love Kelly, but Limas Sweed has injury issues. At 6-4, Kelly would be that target that they would love to put opposite Lee Evans.

12. Denver Broncos: Chris Williams, OT, Vanderbilt

Quick: Name an offensive lineman on the Broncos. Exactly. Jay Cutler would love some blind side help.

13. Carolina Panthers: Phillip Merling, DE, Clemson

The Panthers need help in a lot of places, especially QB, but I don’t see a QB worth taking this high. They lost DT Kris Jenkins in a trade and that makes it even more important that they get Julius Peppers some help.

14. Chicago Bears: Limas Sweed, WR, Texas

The Bears desperately need o-line help, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see Jeff Otah go here. But the Bears best WR right now is Marty Booker. Yep, read that again. Marty Booker. Bernard Berrian and Muhsin Muhammed weren’t even that great, and now they don’t even have that. The simple fact is that Jerry Angelo needs to prove that he can draft offensive players.

15. Detroit Lions: Rashard Mendenhall, RB, Illinois

The Lions need help in a lot of places, but with the loss of Kevin Jones, they’ll need someone to pound the rock. Especially with the pass-happy Mike Martz gone. Tatum Bell and Brian Calhoun just don’t do it for me.

16. Arizona Cardinals: Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB, Tennessee St.

All I heard was "Cromartie" and I was sold. They didn’t make the move for Lito Sheppard and they desperately need help in the secondary (thanks for nothing, Antrel Rolle). This guy is big, fast and makes plays. All things the Cardinals need.

17. Minnesota Vikings: Devin Thomas, WR, Michigan St.

I’ve seen many mock drafts that have the Vikings taking a DE here because of the sad news about Kenechi Udeze (leukemia). But they’ve invested a lot of first rounders in recent years on the defensive line (Kevin Williams, Erasmus James) and they desperately need more playmakers on offense. Adrian Peterson is going to get killed with no threat of the pass. I think they should address QB in the second round.

18. Houston Texans: Jeff Otah, OT, Pittsburgh

The offensive line of the Texans has become a running punch line in the NFL. They need to protect Matt Schaub and give their mediocre running backs a little room.

19. Philadelphia Eagles: Kenny Philips, S, Miami

I really think the Eagles want an offensive lineman first, but there aren’t any tackles right now that they like. Brian Dawkins isn’t getting any younger and the Eagles value the secondary enough to take a safety in the first round.

20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Keith Rivers, LB, USC

The Bucs get a steal here. The Cover 2 requires athletes and the Bucs linebackers could use a shot in the arm.

21. Washington Redskins: Derrick Harvey, DE, Florida

While the Redskins desperately want to add a big-time WR, they need help on the defensive line. This would be the smart thing to do, but as we all know, Dan Snyder and Vinny Cerrato don’t always do the smart thing.

22. Dallas Cowboys: Felix Jones, RB, Arkansas

Jerry Jones will get his Arkansas running back, just not the one everyone expected. With Julius Jones gone, they need a compliment to Marion Barber. His running style is just too violent to be conducive to long-term health.

23. Pittsburgh Steelers: Branden Albert, G, Virginia

They need to replace Alan Faneca. Didn’t have to dig too deep to figure this one out.

24. Tennessee Titans: James Hardy, WR, Indiana

I was thinking of going with Desean Jackson from Cal, but then I remembered he’s not that big and Vince Young isn’t the best passer. Hardy solves this problem. At 6-7, he is basically daring Young to over throw him. In all fairness to Young though, he really hasn’t had any weapons to play with during his time in the NFL. That has to change.

25. Seattle Seahawks: Fred Davis, TE, USC

This may be a bit of a reach here, but the Seahawks would love to get Matt Hasselbeck a good tight end. Jerramy Stevens was a waste of time, and Marcus Pollard is going to be 64 in August. Davis is a nice, big target and averaged 14.2 yards per catch last year.

26. Jacksonville Jaguars: Gosder Cherilus, OT, Boston College

The offensive line is just too important, especially when you like to pound it. Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew just got that much better. If one of the 18 WR’s that they acquired in the offseason turns out to be something, extra time for Garrard could mean a lethal offense.

27. San Diego Chargers: Reggie Smith, CB/S, Oklahoma

The Chargers really don’t have any glaring needs. They came close to beating the mighty Patriots in the playoffs last year with an ACL-less QB, no starting MVP-caliber RB, and no all-world TE. The addition of Chris Chambers last year and the emergence of Vincent Jackson downgrades the priority of wide receiver. Why not bolster the secondary?

28. Dallas Cowboys: Aqib Talib, CB, Kansas

I can’t believe he fell this far. I know they need WR help, but they need a corner even more. Did anyone else not realize that Terrence Newman turns 30 in early September? Don’t be surprised if they grab DeSean Jackson here as their WR’s are ancient too, but defense has to come first.

29. San Francisco 49ers: Kentwan Balmer, DT, North Carolina St.

They could grab tweener Quentin Groves, but a good defensive tackle is tough to pass up. Imagine if Patrick Willis had a monster in the middle of that line? 174 tackles will seem like a down year.

30. Green Bay Packers: Brandon Flower, CB, Virginia Tech

Green Bay really doesn’t have many holes. Even the retirement of Brett Favre is covered by former first-round pick Aaron Rodgers. Running back was a problem, then along came Ryan Grant. Greg Jennings and James Jones look like they are going to be fine at WR. The big issue is the age of Al Harris and Charles Woodson at corner. They should start grooming a new guy.

31. New England Patriots: Forfeited

32. New York Giants: Dan Connor, LB, Penn St.

If you watched Penn St. over the last couple of years, you know about Dan Connor and Paul Posluszny. All they do is play football. I don’t know about their 40 times or high jumps or bench press reps, but these guys are damn good football players. The Giants will be getting help immediately if they can nab Connor.