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Doctor Football's 2010 Mock Draft

Every year, I like to explain how it is that I come up with my mock draft. Some people use their contacts in the league to determine who's looking at who. Others simply base it off of team needs and their own personal rankings. I try to marry the two and keep my mind open. Of course, it gets more difficult with the amount of misinformation that is spread by teams through the many forms of media.

I try to make it a habit of not listening to ex-NFL general manager turned draft analyst, Charley Casserly, but I have to admit he hit the nail right on the head when he said that this is the best draft he's seen in almost 30 years. I don't know how many Hall of Famers it will produce, but it will prove to be deep.

As always, take a look below, and feel free to let me know what you think with the "Ask the Doc" email link above.

Also, make sure to come back to the site on Thursday, April 22nd, for the live draft blog.

 
1 Sam Bradford - QB
Oklahoma

Teams that have the first overall pick have plenty of needs, and the Rams are no exception. Personally, I would take the best player in the draft, but I can certainly understand the reasoning to grab a quarterback that will be leading your team for the next 10 years.
2 Ndamukong Suh - DT
Nebraska		 Of course, the Rams' decision is a major coup for the Lions, who end up walking away with one of the most dominating college defensive players I've ever seen. Suh will quickly become one of the best interior defensive linemen in the league.
3 Gerald McCoy - DT
Oklahoma		 Ever since the Bucs let Warren Sapp go, they've been trying to get another prototypical 3-technique that can take over a game. With McCoy, they'll have a piece they can build the entire defense around.
4 Russell Okung - OT
Oklahoma St.		 The last of the obvious picks to start off the draft is Okung. He is clearly the best offensive lineman in the draft and the Redskins could not be happier to get him in this spot. With the loss of Jon Jansen and Chris Samuels in the last three years, the Skins are desperate for a left tackle.
5 Trent Williams - OT
Oklahoma		 There's no doubt in my mind that the Chiefs will take an offensive tackle, but I'm just not sure if it's Williams or Brian Bulaga. Either way, they'll be able to get a legitimate left tackle and move Brandon Albert back to his more natural position of guard or right tackle.
6 Bryan Bulaga - OT
Iowa		 The Seahawks could go in several different directions here: Eric Berry, Jimmy Clausen, or even CJ Spiller. However, when it comes down to it, I think Pete Carroll goes with the tackle here and still gets his man later in the round.
7 Eric Berry - S
Tennessee		 In my opinion, the Browns get the second-best player in the draft. Berry reminds me of Ed Reed with his coverage and ball skills. He'll be a welcome addition to a secondary that needs a complete overhaul.
8 Anthony Davis - OT
Rutgers		 Once again, I could get burned by Al Davis and his senility. Last year, I thought he would finally take substance over style by selecting Michael Crabtree instead of Darrius Heyward-Bey. Of course, I was wrong. This year, he makes the right choice instead of the workout warrior Bruce Campbell...I think.
9 Jimmy Clausen - QB
Notre Dame		 Yes folks, the Trent Edwards Era is over, and I know that Bills' fans are absolutely crushed about it (tongue planted firmly in cheek). I don't have Clausen rated this high, but from what I understand, the Bills do.
10 Jason Pierre-Paul - DE
South Florida		 The Jags need a lot of help in the secondary and linebacker corp, but improving the pass rush is a much quicker way to make the back end look better. Pierre-Paul, a Florida native, will certainly make an impact in that area.
11 Dez Bryant - WR
Oklahoma St.		 There's a lot of talk that Denver is sour on Bryant and his attitude. But, after trading Brandon Marshall, I can't see how they can walk away from this draft without the best receiver in this class.
12 Dan Williams - DT
Tennessee		 Williams can play as either a one- or two-gap tackle, which makes him very valuable to Bill Parcells and the Dolphins. After shoring up the offense with Brandon Marshall, Miami goes to the other side of the ball to shore up a weak defensive line.
13 Joe Haden - CB
Florida		 What Haden lacks in speed, he makes up for in ball skills and instincts. While the 49ers have a bigger need at offensive tackle, they can't resist taking the best cornerback in the draft falling to them at this spot.
14 CJ Spiller - RB
Clemson		 I pretty much gave this away with Seattle's first pick. The speedy Clemson back very well might go earlier than this, but he'd be a luxury pick for earlier teams without two picks in the first round. Spiller gives Carroll a "Reggie Bush-like" weapon to play with on the offensive side of the ball. 
15 Rolando McClain - LB
Alabama		 This pick comes down to McClain and Derrick Morgan. I like McClain because, in my opinion, the inside linebacker position is of greater need. I also think the local kid, Devin McCourty, could be a surprise pick here as well.
16 Derrick Morgan - DE
Georgia Tech		 No team has a bigger need in this draft than the Titans' need of a pass rusher. After they lost their only somewhat-effective pass-rusher, Kyle Vanden Bosch, to the Lions, Mother Hubbard's cupboard really was bare.
17 Bruce Campbell - OT
Maryland		 As I stated earlier, the Niners need an offensive tackle after the Joe Staley pick of a couple of years ago just hasn't worked out. While I think that Campbell may be a little bit of a stretch here, he's a better value than any option they'd have at 13.
18 Mike Iupati - OG
Idaho		 This is another spot I really struggled with, because I think the Steelers could just as easily go with Maurkice Pouncey. However, I like Iupati because he's more of a pounder with a mean streak.
19 Carlos Dunlap - DE
Florida		 Plain and simple, the Falcons need a pass rush. John Abraham is a 10-year veteran and looks to have lost a step. In addition, 2007 first round pick, Jamaal Anderson, has registered a paltry 2.5 sacks in three years. Dunlap's a physical freak who reminds me of Jevon Kearse.
20 Earl Thomas - S
Texas		 I absolutely cannot believe that Thomas is still available and neither can the Texans. If the extremely talented defensive back does make it this far, expect the Houston runner to sprint to the podium with Usain Bolt-like speed.
21 Jermaine Gresham - TE
Oklahoma		 This pick is the worst-kept secret in this year's draft. As far as I'm concerned, the Bengals should have started negotiating with Gresham's agent in February. This pick gives Carson Palmer a huge target that will take the pressure off of a declining Chad Ochocinco.
22 Sergio Kindle - LB
Texas		 During their heyday, the strength of the Patriots' defense was the linebacking corp. Of course, Bruschi, Colvin, and Vrabel are gone, and Adalius Thomas just hasn't been the difference-maker they hoped. Teaming Jerod Mayo with Kindle will go a long way to getting the defense back on track.
23 Kyle Wilson - CB
Boise St.		 Ted Thompson will also consider Jerry Hughes out of TCU at this spot to place on the other side of Clay Matthews, but in the end he'll go with the best cover corner in this year's draft.
24 Brandon Graham - DE
Michigan		 Graham fits in very well with what the Eagles like to do at the defensive end position. He's a smaller, quicker, active pass rusher who will wreak havoc at the next level. There aren't many picks in the first round that fit together better than this one.
25 Devin McCourty - CB
Rutgers		 Ed Reed has been covering up for a mediocre set of cornerbacks for a while now, and with his recent talk of retirement, Ozzie Newsome has to be chomping at the bit for the best available cornerback.
26 Sean Weatherspoon - LB
Missouri		 Karlos Dansby's move to Miami and the overall aging of the Arizona linebackers makes this an easy pick. Weatherspoon is a tremendous athlete who can play inside or out, and is an immediate upgrade.
27 Rodger Saffold - OT
Indiana		 The Cowboys should have moved on from Flozell Adams a couple of years ago, but this pick allows them to finally cut the cord. Saffold is a good athlete who will help with Dallas' poor pass protecting offensive line.
28 Ryan Matthews - RB
Fresno St.		 In this scenario, the Chargers are fortunate that their man falls to them. As I said above, though, don't be surprised if they make sure by trading up to get him. They simply can't go into the season with Darren Sproles and a lesser rookie as their only options.
29 Everson Griffin - DE
USC		 Defensive ends for a 3-4 scheme are hard to find, and that's exactly what Griffin is. I don't think he's a great value here, but because of the proliferation of the 3-4, I wouldn't be surprised if he was taken earlier.
30 Taylor Mays - S
USC		 **4-22-10 Update** - I had Kareem Jackson going here, but with the signing of Lito Shepherd, cornerback isn't an immediate need. However, they stay in the secondary by picking the best strong safety on the board.
31 Maurkice Pouncey - C
Florida		 It's time for the Colts to start thinking about life after Jeff Saturday. While he's still one of the better centers in the league, it's a perfect time to bring in someone that can play guard, learn from him, and slide over in a couple of years.
32 Brian Price - DT
UCLA		 As with most teams that pick at the number 32 slot, the Saints don't have a lot of needs, but defensive line depth is at the top of their list. I like Price more than Jared Odrick, but New Orleans could feel the opposite way.

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