Mock NFL Draft 2-25

The post-combine edition. Some big things happening here, and with it, teams are zeroing in on who they will pick. It's usually around here that my drafts start to resemble more of what the owners will do, so here we go.

1. Detroit (0-16): Matt Stafford, QB, Georgia
Rationale: With Orlovsky leaving, they now need a quarterback. Sanchez could go here if Stafford performs poorly on his pro day, but for now, the overrated Georgia QB is the pick (as opposed to the overrated USC QB).

2. St. Louis (2-14): Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia
Rationale: The Rams haven't hid their man-crush on Monroe, and appear poised to take him at #2. They clearly need a tackle, and Monroe blew them away at the Combine.

3. Kansas City (2-14): Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest
Rationale: Mark Sanchez is a possibility, but new coach Todd Haley needs to give Tyler Thigpen a chance under center. Curry looked great at the Combine, and he's a safe pick in this spot.

4. Seattle (4-12): Jason Smith, OT, Baylor
Rationale: Taking two OT's in the top four is painful, but Smith fills a need here. Steve Hutchinson left several years ago, and nobody's stepped up to take his place. Michael Crabtree could also go here if Seattle finds a nice prospect at the second round level, but OT is a more pressing need.

5. Cleveland (4-12): Brian Orakpo, DE, Texas
Rationale: With Eric Mangini coming to town, Cleveland needs edge-rushers. That's exactly what Orakpo is, and he reaffirmed his status as the top defensive end in the draft with a solid Combine.

6. Cincinnati (4-11-1): Mark Sanchez, QB, USC
Rationale: With linebackers falling left and right, Sanchez is the best need-filler out there. It's clear that Ryan Fitzpatrick isn't the answer as the QB of the future, and Carson Palmer's constant injuries don't bode well.

7. Oakland (5-11): Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech
Rationale: Al Davis loves star power, and there isn't a more exciting player in the draft than Crabtree. He fills a big need in Oakland, and could give the rocket arm of JaMarcus Russell a great target to throw to.

8. Jacksonville (5-11): Malcolm Jenkins, CB, Ohio State
Rationale: His 40 time at the Combine was a bit slow, but he's a very good cover guy, and the Jags might shift him to free safety due to his versatility.

9. Green Bay (6-10): B.J. Raji, DT, Boston College
Rationale: Raji has flown up the charts due to very good Senior Bowl and Combine. With linebackers' stocks falling, Raji is the best fit for a team that needs defensive help very fast.

10. San Francisco (7-9): Michael Oher, OT, Ole Miss
Rationale: SF needs to protect Frank Gore and give Shaun Hill time to throw. Oher's got some question marks that were brought up at the Combine in regards to pass protection, but he's great in the run game.

11. Buffalo (7-9): Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia
Rationale: Insert the token Marshawn Lynch joke here. He's likely to be suspended for his most recent arrest, and Fred Jackson is a free agent. Even if re-signed, though, Jackson isn't a feature back, and Moreno will be in due time.

12. Denver (8-8): Chris Wells, RB, Ohio State
Rationale: They were down to their fifth and sixth-string guys this past season. Wells has a good combination of power and speed, and if he stays healthy, he'll be a good one.

13. Washington (8-8): Everette Brown, DE, Florida State
Rationale: Washington could take Duke Robinson or reach for a tackle, but Brown already has talent and could learn from Jason Taylor, one of the best of his era at defensive end. Ultimately, I think that's too much to pass up.

14. New Orleans (8-8): Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois
Rationale: Davis had the most impressive 40 time of any top corner at the Combine. He has temper issues, but New Orleans desperately needs help in the secondary.

15. Houston (8-8): Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland
Rationale: He's a sleeper, but I've always been extremely high on him. He has the best acceleration of any wideout in the draft not named Michael Crabtree, and the Texans could use a weapon to line up opposite Andre Johnson.

16. San Diego (8-8): Andre Smith, OT, Alabama
Rationale: Andre Smith may very well be the most inept football player in this draft pool. Bailing on the Combine cost him $30 million and 15 spots in this draft, but he won't drop past San Diego, a team that could use youth on the O-line.

17. New York Jets (9-7): Rey Maualuga, LB, USC
Rationale: I love Maualuga, but his Combine was less than stellar, as he tweaked his hamstring while running the 40. Him falling this far is a steal, and is more tempting than Jeremy Maclin, who would also be a good pick in this spot.

18. Chicago (9-7): Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri
Rationale: On the other hand, the situation's much more dire in Chicago. Simply put, Kyle Orton needs a guy with soft hands to throw to, and Maclin's one of the best on the board who fills a definite need.

19. Tampa Bay (9-7): Michael Johnson, DE, Georgia Tech
Rationale: Johnson could go to Buffalo at #11, Washington at #13, or Houston at #15. Jon Gruden compared him to Julius Peppers, and he IS a physical freak.

20. Detroit - from Dallas (9-7): Duke Robinson, G, Oklahoma
Rationale: Unfortunately, Andre Smith doesn't drop here. Still, Robinson is the best guard prospect in the draft by leaps and bounds. He'll never be a tackle, but he helps shore up a lousy front line in the Motor City.

21. Philadelphia (9-6-1): Alex Mack, C, California
Rationale: After Brent Celek caught 10 passes against Arizona, the tight end situation looks a lot more promising. Mack is clearly the best center in the draft, and he's an instant upgrade on the o-line for a coach who loves to draft big guys.

22. Minnesota (10-6): Josh Freeman, QB, Kansas State
Rationale: Freeman's a reach, but that should tell you all you need to know about Tarvaris Jackson. This pick changes if they sign Kurt Warner or Jeff Garcia, which could very well happen.

23. New England (11-5): D.J. Moore, CB, Vanderbilt
Rationale: Simply put, you could trot Deion Sanders out there and he'd compete for a job in this secondary. Moore is the best corner available, and given NE's performance in pass coverage, I think the Pats need him here.

24. Atlanta (11-5): Sen'Derrick Marks, DT, Auburn
Rationale: If Atlanta wants to build upon their success this year, they need to improve their run defense. Marks was the lone good part of Auburn's terrible season, and he'll be a very good pro.

25. Miami (11-5): Trevard Lindley, CB, Kentucky
Rationale: Miami needs secondary help. I had them taking Moore for quite a while, but with the defections from the draft, Lindley's the best defensive back available at this point.

26. Baltimore (11-5): Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma State
Rationale: This is an easy pick with all the first-round wideouts off the board. Pettigrew isn't only a good blocker, but he provides Joe Flacco with a big target in the midrange passing game, so he's a perfect fit.

27. Indianapolis (12-4): Peria Jerry, DT, Ole Miss
Rationale: Not only is Jerry good against the run and pass, but he runs a sub-5.00 40. For a defensive tackle, that's incredible, and for the Colts, who DESPERATELY need a run-stopper, it's too much to resist.

28. Philadelphia - from Carolina (12-4): Aaron Maybin, DE/OLB, Penn State
Rationale: In looking at this defense, nobody in the front seven stands out as a star. Maybin's a bit of a tweener, but he plays hard and puts pressure on opposing quarterbacks. His being a sophomore hurts his status somewhat, but if he drops here, look out for Philly to pull the trigger on the local pass-rusher.

29. New York Giants (12-4): Hakeem Nicks, WR, North Carolina
Rationale: The Giants could do anything here, and I wouldn't be surprised. Nicks, though, is shooting up draft charts, and he's the best WR available. For Eli Manning, who tried to turn Domenik Hixon into Plaxico Burress and failed miserably, Nicks is a good pick. He can replace the aging Amani Toomer and be a viable target.

30. Tennessee (13-3): Clint Sintim, LB, Virginia
Rationale: The drop from Jerry to the rest of the DT's is pretty substantial, and while they could go younger at either QB or WR, Sintim is a versatile linebacker who can play inside or outside in any system, and his 11 sacks in 10 games should say it all about his ability to bust up plays in the backfield.

31. Arizona (9-7): Javon Ringer, RB, Michigan State
Rationale: Arizona has no worries about Wells being off the board, as they've already got a quasi-power back in Tim Hightower. Ringer should be the dash to Hightower's smash, and with both being young, they've got time to mesh together. This could go in a different direction if Edgerrin James re-signs with the club, but that doesn't look probable right now.

32. Pittsburgh (12-4): Eben Britton, OT, Arizona
Rationale: Britton's the last of the marquee tackles in the draft, and Pittsburgh is more than happy to take him here. At 6'6", 310, he's a force, and one Pittsburgh needs in protecting Ben Roethlisberger, who's been on his back more times than any quarterback in the past several seasons.