This is a fun idea I saw in other places on the internet, a dream draft. The point is, to give myself the 16.5^th pick (right in the middle of the round) in every round, and take the best available player on my board, not paying any attention to team need, and knowing who would be available in the next round. Let’s see some results.

1^st round: CB Prince Amukamara (Nebraska)

Amukamara inexplicably fell on draft day, but he was a consensus top 10 prospect among draftniks (though obvious not among NFL teams). I had him 7^th so I snatch him up here at pick 16.5 before he can go to the Giants at 19.

2^nd round: CB Brandon Harris (Miami)

Two cornerbacks? Why not? I don’t have anyone on my team. Harris went late 2^nd to the Texans, but I was a huge fan of his abilities and had him ranked 12^th. He’s short, lacks elite speed and elite ball skills, but he shuts guys down. Until Michael Floyd (a first round talent) burned him in Miami’s bowl game, he held his own with every receiver he faced, until Jonathan Baldwin, the 26^th pick in the first round, who has at least 6 or 7 inches on him.

3^rd round: DT Drake Nevis (LSU)

I had a borderline first round grade on Nevis as a 4-3 player, but he doesn’t fit a 3-4 at all. The Colts took him in the 3^rd, but I don’t give them a chance to do so by taking him ahead of him. He’s a little small, but he fits the 4-3 under tackle role like a glove. He’s a good pass rusher and has a great motor.

4^th round: MLB Casey Matthews (Oregon)

I had a 2^nd round grade on Casey Matthews. Casey Matthews is Clay Matthews’ younger brother and he’s essentially Clay without Clay’s athleticism. He’s undersized and slow, but he’s got great instincts, he’s intelligent, and he’s extremely hard working. He won’t let you cut him. At the very least, he’s a strong special teamer and I think he can start at middle linebacker in this league for a long time. Middle linebacker is the one position on a defense where hustle and instincts are more valuable than 40 times, size, and leaping ability.

5^th round: OLB Greg Jones (Michigan State)

Jones technically would have been available when I picked in the 6^th, but Jerrell Powe would have been as well as he’s the 2^nd best available at this point according to my board (of all players that wouldn’t be available in the 7^th). I was shocked when Jones fell to the late 6^th. Leave it to the Giants to snatch him up. I had a low first round grade on him and thought he was a lock for the first 3 rounds (and I wasn’t alone in that). I think he’s a future above average starter at any of the 3 linebacker positions.

6^th round: DT Jerrell Powe (Mississippi)

Given the premium on nose tackles, I was surprised that Powe fell to round 6. I had a 3^rd round grade on him and thought he wouldn’t get out of the first 4 rounds. He moves like 330 pounders shouldn’t be able to. He’s got character issues in his past, but he’s had a clean record for a couple years.

7^th round: S Deunta Williams (North Carolina)

Williams presumably went undrafted because his leg injury. I’m not a doctor and I don’t have the x-rays or the medical on him, but at full health I had a 2^nd round grade on the North Carolina safety so he’s worth the risk in the 7^th round. I find it ridiculous he didn’t get drafted.

3 undrafted:

S DeAndre McDaniel (Clemson)

I don’t understand how McDaniel went undrafted. He probably would have been a 2^nd round pick had he come out after his 9 interception junior season in 2010. He definitely had a down year as a senior, but I thought he was at least a 4^th round value. The upside is definitely there. It just needs to be coached out him.

MLB Josh Bynes (Auburn)

What Casey Matthews was to Oregon, Bynes was to Auburn’s defense. He was the emotional leader of that defense, a very instinctual and hard working player that lacks elite athleticism. I’m not surprised he went undrafted. He didn’t even get invited to The Combine, but plenty of starters in the NFL today didn’t get invited to The Combine either and I think Bynes can be the next in that line.

CB Kendric Burney (North Carolina)

Short and slow is bad for cornerbacks so when Burney ran in the 4.7s at 5-9, I had him dropping out of day 2 into the 4^th and 5^th round. But undrafted? Anyone who watched the Senior Bowl knows this was the best defensive back there. Size and speed is important, but this guy has phenomenal technique and ball skills and figures to start as a Tampa 2 cornerback in the future.