Live NFL Draft Diary

1:05 PM: The Detroit Lions have already said they will take Matt Stafford with the first overall pick. I think this is disastrous. Yes, they're sort of stuck having to take a QB in a below-average QB crop, but giving him the most guaranteed money of anyone to ever play the game is atrocious. Even better, they're planning to SIT him behind Culpepper this coming year? I understand not wanting to throw Stafford into the fire, but are they trying to get the #1 pick in NEXT year's draft, too? Culpepper hasn't been relevant since Moss was there to bail him out of bad throws. They should have never let Dan Orlovsky walk; he was actually starting to get it after a few 250+ yard games. No, he wasn't great, but he's a heck of a lot cheaper than Stafford is.

I'll be grading each pick after it's made. This one: C. Again, they needed to take a QB, but in typical Detroit fashion, they've screwed up how to do it.

4:00: Welcome to the draft! Our first pink sighting comes in the form of Michael Crabtree. I'm watching this upstairs with Mike Polak, who may chime in with his usual snide remarks from time to time.

4:03: Goodell comes up, met with a mixed reaction. He makes his standard awkward speech, followed by announcing Stafford going to the Lions. See above.

4:06: Polak comes down and makes the first "Erin Andrews is hot" comment. Guaranteed that there'll be several of those, especially when Nate March comes back from his errand to Rochon's house. Both of us agree that the $42 million Stafford is guaranteed to get is too much money.

4:08: St. Louis is on the clock. Pretty much assumed that they'll take an offensive lineman (either Jason Smith or Eugene Monroe).

4:10: Mel Kiper just ranted about how Mark Sanchez should be the #2 pick. Not worth much when their O-line stinks to high heaven. Mortensen says they might trade the pick to whoever gets Sanchez. Time winds down, and the Rams finally select...

4:14: Three minutes after the "pick is in" graphic comes up, the Rams announce they've taken Jason Smith. Good pick; scouts have fallen in love with his footwork. He'll move in where Orlando Pace left and give Bulger and Jackson some time to make things happen. GRADE: A-.

4:17: Next up, the Kansas City Chiefs. For their sake, I hope they, unlike Kiper and McShay, watched college football and take Aaron Curry over Tyson Jackson. Jackson's good against the run, but has no pass-rushing skills at all whatsoever.

4:21: Viewers bear me out, as Curry wins a poll over Jackson 65%-19%. Does common sense prevail?

4:25: The answer: NO!!!!!! Tyson Jackson gets drafted to a mixed reaction. Horrible pick; if Scott Pioli wanted to go d-end, draft Brian Orakpo, who has a nose for the football, hits hard, and knows how to get to the QB. I acknowledge he can stop the run, but despite the reactions of Kiper and Co., I think this is a lousy pick on the whole. GRADE: C-.

4:30: On to the Seahawks. If it's me, I take Eugene Monroe; they need to find a guy to fill the void Steve Hutchinson left years ago.

Bigger question: Since when is Chris Berman "Boom" instead of "Boomer?" Inquiring minds want to know!

4:32: Minor shock, as the Seahawks take Aaron Curry. Bigger story is Polak completely ripping him for crying as he walks to the podium. Apparently the NFL has turned into "A League of their Own."

Anyway, nice pick by Seattle. He replaces Julian Peterson and is a very steady player who always plays hard. GRADE: B+.

4:35: Make it two "Erin Andrews is hot" comments from Mike, complete with a Howard Dean "Pyahhhhh!" for good measure.

4:40: Cleveland on the clock. I've had Orakpo going here forever, but Mortensen expects a team to possibly trade to this spot. With a new regime, I don't see that happening. Orakpo's a good fit here, as every 3-4 team needs a big-time edge rusher, which Cleveland doesn't have.

4:41: Good reporting, Mort; bad move, Mangini. The Jets have moved up to the #5 spot, and Jet fan Mike Polak is elated. General wisdom is Sanchez here, and the video bears us out. I don't hate the pick, but I do think there's a chance this officially gives them too many cooks in the proverbial kitchen. Still, I see the wisdom, and I've always liked Sanchez more than Stafford. GRADE: B.

4:43: Polak is happy with the pick. He doesn't trust Kellen Clemens, and he says they still need a wide receiver, but is generally pretty even-tempered. Which is surprising considered he throws around exclamation points like they're going out of style.

4:46: Now the Cincinnati Bengals. They need to go O-line or Crabtree; Monroe is the safe choice, but Crabtree sells season tickets.

We hear that the Jets gave up a ton for Sanchez, including a second-rounder and QB Brett Ratliff. It's a little much, but new regimes do need new QB's, so it all comes out in the wash.

4:51: One of the most fun games to play is watching the players who ESPN has video cameras on. For all aspiring poker players, this is vital practice in reading people. Cincy's pick is in, and it appears they decide to go with Andre Smith, judging by the mile-wide smiles of him and his 30-person entourage...and they do. I don't like this pick long-term considering he's got more character flaws than Liz Berkley's character in Showgirls, but he does have talent, and Marvin Lewis is probably a year away from being fired so he's desperate. GRADE: B-.

4:58: Al Davis is on the clock! Exciting words, for sure, and his pick is in quickly so nobody can make fun of him for long. He's picked Darrius Heyward-Bey, the wideout out of Maryland who I have a substantial man-crush on. His stats stunk, but his Combine numbers were fantastic. I don't understand how they passed on Crabtree, who is a better overall wideout...oh wait, this is Al Davis. Still, I think he'll surprise a lot of people. GRADE: C-.

5:00: Crabtree Pink Shirt Watch is officially on as ESPN wonders where he's going. Polak and I are waiting for the Giants to trade up, and Nate March and Ara Eckel, our RA, come in. Hilarity is bound to ensue.

5:03: Jacksonville is on the clock. Look out for Malcolm Jenkins here; they need secondary help. Crabtree is also a possibility for any pick from here on out.

5:05: As Polak stiffs Ara for something he bought for him, Jacksonville selects Eugene Monroe. Not a horrid pick, but a bit unexpected given their needs. Still, Monroe is going to be a good player given his speed and agility at his position. GRADE: B-.

5:10: Green Bay is on the clock, and B.J. Raji and Michael Crabtree would both be no-brainers at this spot. They show Raji taking the phone call, and his face lights up. He'd help the 26th-ranked rush defense last year. Any doubt about the pick is erased when the customary 20-man entourage goes batshit nuts. Nice, safe pick, and he'll start right away. GRADE: A.

5:13: Ara gives his impression of Rivera choking with several hip thrusts. Nate and I are scarred for at least the next several hours.

5:15: San Francisco is on the clock, and, again, Crabtree's on the short list. Other possibilities: Michael Oher, Brian Orakpo, and some extra underwear for Mike Singletary.

5:18: Kiper makes the case for trading down, which everyone seems obligated to do at some point. However, they show Crabtree smiling on the phone, and their cycle of phone-shot, five-minute delay, then announcing the pick is getting REALLY old.

5:21: Anyway, Crabtree's the pick, and he went several picks too late. They needed a #1 receiver, and Crabtree immediately makes them more explosive. Now if they can draft an O-lineman in the second round, they've got the offense to contend for a division title in two or three years. GRADE: A.

5:26: The Bills are on the clock, and Aaron Maybin is shown getting the phone call. I thought they might go with Pettigrew here, but as good as he is, #11's high for a tight end, and Jared Cook and Chase Coffman will both be available later on. Regardless, nice pick. He's the most versatile front seven guy in the draft, and while he's only got two years of college experience under his belt, it means he's got a high ceiling and a lot of room to grow given a few years where he's not asked to do too much. There are some caveats, but I do like this pick. GRADE: B+.

5:30: Denver goes on the clock, and one would think they'd be eying either a running back (Knowshon Moreno) or a defensive lineman (Brian Orakpo). Either would be a need-filling pick, and with another pick later on at #18, they should do both within the next hour or so with relative ease.

5:32: Moreno it is, and it draws a HUGE reaction from the NYC crowd. I love Moreno, and I think he's the main reason why Matt Stafford looked so good at Georgia. Denver found out Selvin Young and everyone behind him were not effective last year, and Moreno can do it all. He's not a breakaway guy, but he'll be just fine here. GRADE: B+.

And right away, the Redskins take Brian Orakpo. Great value pick at #13, and he'll learn from Jason Taylor. Nice job, Snyder...wow, did I just say that? GRADE: A-.

5:40: New Orleans coming up. They need a defensive back, reaching for a RB would be unwise.

5:41: And the pick is Ohio State cornerback Malcolm Jenkins. Good pick; he's a tweener, but he's physically-gifted and is easily better than anyone they've got right now. Not a bad start in rebuilding the defense. GRADE: B+.

5:43: Mmm...burgers. Thanks Ara!

Anyway, next up is the Texans. Tough to figure what they'll do here; maybe Jeremy Maclin to line up alongside Andre Johnson.

5:45: Houston takes Brian Cushing, and the crowd goes indifferent! I don't like this guy as a first-rounder. Clay Matthews has been more impressive, and Rey Maualuga's a beast. Not a great pass-rusher, and there are better defensive players out there. GRADE: D+.

5:51: San Diego: Larry English, Northern Illinois. Who? They could have taken Michael Oher to plug their o-line here. I gotta say, I don't know much about him. GRADE: C.

5:56: Here's Cleveland. No, wait, they've traded to Tampa Bay. OK, so here's Tampa Bay. They need...pretty much everything, so it wouldn't surprise me to see anything at this point. If it's me, it's either Josh Freeman or Michael Oher.

6:02: The Bucs take Josh Freeman. This is a bit of a reach, but I understand the reasoning, and Tampa Bay does need to rebuild. Every rebuild starts with a new QB, and Freeman is the best one left. GRADE: C+.

6:05: Ed Werder excitedly reports that Denver will take Robert Ayers of Tennessee. Good series of picks by the Broncos if that's the case, and it is. Ayers isn't spectacular, but they had a gameplan and stuck to it. Good damage control by Josh McDaniels. GRADE: B.

6:10: Cleveland's on the clock for the third time. Could we see Brandon Pettigrew or Jeremy Maclin here?

6:15: NO!!!!! Mangini trades down AGAIN, this time to Philadelphia. I'm not saying he doesn't know what he's doing, because he's stacking up second and third-round choices, but this is getting old, quick.

Philly takes a wideout in the first round for the first time in forever, taking Jeremy Maclin. Great pick; Desean Jackson can't do everything himself, and Maclin has speed to burn. Philly got lucky with Maclin dropping, and they pounced. GRADE: A.

6:17: Detroit is back on the clock. One would think Michael Oher is the slam-dunk pick here; they need help on the line.

6:20: Or not, as they take Brandon Pettigrew. On second thought, I like this pick. Stafford needs help around him that extends beyond Calvin Johnson, and he can block a little as well. It wasn't the conventional pick, but there's wisdom there. GRADE: B.

6:22: Cleveland is on the clock for the fourth time today. Assuming they keep the pick, they could use Chris Wells at running back or Rey Maualuga at linebacker.

6:25: Oofa. There's no doubt Alex Mack is the best center in the draft. However, I don't necessarily think he's a need here as much as running back is. Mangini did this much wheeling and dealing, and this is all he came up with? GRADE: C.

Minnesota's pick is in quickly, a la Washington...and it's Percy Harvin. A lot of pure talent, but there are tons of issues here. His character is in question, as is his durability. Nate likens him to a Reggie Bush without the inhuman college resume, and I agree. GRADE: C+.

6:30: The Patriots are on the clock, and there are tons of guys who have slipped to this point. They'll probably go defense, given their guys are approaching social security-age.

6:33: NO!!!!!! They traded the pick to Baltimore. With the pick, the Ravens take Michael Oher, and his free-fall ends. He's the replacement for Jonathan Ogden they need, and while he's got some issues that need to be worked out, he'll be just fine in due time. He's a steal at this point in round one. GRADE: A-.

6:40: Atlanta's pick, and I've had them going D-line for a while. Everette Brown is still available, and he might be my pick if I was there.

6:42: THE VOICE OF REASON IS LISTENED TO! Peria Jerry gets picked. He's a little small for a D-tackle, but he's really fast for a lineman, and Atlanta will appreciate his help. Evander Hood had better combine numbers, but Jerry's still a good pick. GRADE: A-.

6:45: Up next, the Dolphins. Vontae Davis is the pick, and he's slipped a LONG way. I had him going to New Orleans, and while an offensive lineman may have been the better pick, this is still a good one in pushing Miami to the next level. GRADE: B+.

6:50: New England's next after trading down earlier, and reports are they're looking to trade down and stockpile picks in the 2nd round. Sneaky, yet again, this is Bill Belichick.

6:55: Indeed, the pick goes to the Packers. They use it on Clay Matthews, who I like a lot as a player. I still think Maualuga's the steal of the draft, but Matthews gives Green Bay further defensive help. GRADE: B+.

6:58: Indy's up now, and if they don't do something to address their poor run defense, there's something wrong.

7:02: The Colts take Donald Brown out of UConn. I think this is an overreaction due to Addai's injury last year, but Brown's got a lot of talent and the drop-off from here onward is noticeable. GRADE: B-.

7:05: Onto the Buffalo Bills. William Beatty could make this two UConn picks in a row, and Eben Britton is also a possibility.

Instead, they get Wood...Eric Wood (HEYOOOOOO sexual innuendo). Wood started a ton of straight games at Louisville, and is very consistent. Offensive line was a need, and they filled it, albeit not at the most crucial position, left tackle. GRADE: B.

7:08: Here come the G-Men. Nothing they could do would surprise me at this point, as they really don't have too many need positions. Best available is either Wells or Maualuga.

7:10: The pick is Hakeem Nicks, which gives them some depth at WR. It gives Manning the big target he wants, and, again, there really wasn't a bad pick they could make here. GRADE: B.

7:13: The Titans are up, and one would think they could use some front seven defensive help.

7:20: After teasing Chris Wells, the Titans take Kenny Britt out of Rutgers. They'd shied away from taking a wideout for years, but they desperately needed one at some point in the draft. Nice pick despite them having needs to fill on the other side of the ball later on. GRADE: B+.

7:25: OK, one would be wise to assume Wells is going to Arizona, right? They showed him on the phone, and he's perfect for their system.

7:30: And Wells goes. Perfect pick by the Cards, and Wells is easily the 2nd-best back in the draft. If this isn't an A+ pick, I don't know what is.

7:35: ZIGGY!!!!! Otherwise known as Evander Hood, he went nuts at the Combine, and he's now a Pittsburgh Steeler. I think offensive line was a bigger need, but Hood is a first-round talent, and they went with one of the best guys available. GRADE: B.