Updated 4/12/11

QB RB FB WR TE OT G C DE RLB DT 3-4 DE NT MLB OLB CB S K P

Scoring System 

100 Once in a decade prospect 
95-99 Elite talent 
90-95 Solid top 10 pick 
85-90 Solid first round pick 
80-85 Late 1st-early 2nd 
75-80 Solid 2nd round pick 
70-75 Solid 3rd round pick 
65-70 3rd-4th round pick 
60-65 4th-5th round pick 
55-60 5th round pick 
50-55 6th round pick 
45-50 7th round pick 
40-45 Undrafted, invite to training camp 
30-40 Career practice squader 
20-30 No NFL future 
0-20 No football future  

 

1. Patrick Peterson 98 (LSU)

2. Prince Amukamara 95 (Nebraska)

3. Brandon Harris 89 (Miami)

4. Jimmy Smith 85 (Colorado)

5. Ras-I Dowling 84 (Virginia Tech)

6. Curtis Brown 79 (Texas)

7. Brandon Burton 78 (Utah)

8. Aaron Williams 77 (Texas)

9. Rashard Carmichael 76 (Virginia Tech)

10. Davon House 73 (New Mexico State)

11. Jalil Brown 72 (Colorado)

12. Kendric Burney 71 (North Carolina)

13. Richard Sherman 70 (Stanford)

14. DeMarcus Van Dyke 66 (Miami)

15. Johnny Patrick 63 (Louisville)

16. Shareece Wright 61 (USC)

17. Chimdi Chekwa 60 (Ohio State)

18. Mario Butler 58 (Georgia Tech)

19. Chykie Brown 57 (Texas)

20. Marcus Gilchrist 57 (Clemson)

21. Curtis Marsh 54 (Utah State)

22. Kevin Rutland 53 (Missouri)

23. Buster Skrine 52 (UT-Chattanooga)

24. Cortez Allen 49 (Citadel)

25. Brandon Hogan 48 (West Virginia)

26. Justin Rogers 47 (Richmond)

27. Javes Lewis 46 (Oregon)

28. James Dockery 46 (Oregon State)

29. Charles Brown 44 (North Carolina)

30. Devon Torrance 43 (Ohio State)

 

  

 

Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4 Round 5 Round 6 Round 7 Round 8 Round 9 Round 10

 

Round 4 Pick 1

Justin Mertes-Mistretta- The Sports Bank

Pick: RB Jahvid Best DET

I’m a little hesitant to draft Best this early, because he is so unproven, but my gut feeling couldn’t be any higher on this guy. The Detroit Lions have a plethora of young talent and head coach Jim Schwartz has already said that he wants Best to be the feature back. I think if Best can hold up, which has been a concern for him in college, he could put up monster numbers as a rookie. This is the ultimate “boom-or-bust” pick, but I’m hoping for the Best (sorry, I had to).

Round 4 Pick 2

Walter Cherepinsky- Walter Football

Pick: WR Steve Smith CAR

I’m not sure why Steve Smith keeps falling into Round 4 of my mock drafts. His injury isn’t serious and he should be ready by Week 1. He had a down year because of Jake Delhomme, but finished strong with Matt Moore. Smith is still one of the most talented receivers in the NFL. He’s a steal here.

Round 4 Pick 3

Paul Greco- Fantasy Pros 911

Pick: QB Tony Romo DAL

With a ton of weapons at his disposal, Romo likely will reach the 4,000 yard passing plateau. I have him ranked as my No. 4 QB, so getting him now only makes sense since I’ll have no shot if I would have waited to my next pick.

Round 4 Pick 4

Steve Adler- Fantasy Daddy

Pick: QB Matt Schaub HOU

I passed on a QB last round because between Romo, Schaub, and Rivers at least one would come back to me. I’m selecting Schaub because I feel that he has great value with this pick. He is still underrated and I until Vincent Jackson shows up, Rivers is down graded on my board. With that said, I think you have a major drop off after Schaub.

Round 4 Pick 5

Scott Carasik- Scardraft

Pick: QB Carson Palmer CIN

Carson Palmer is the biggest sleeper at the QB position. With the weapons he has he is poised for a HUGE season.

Round 4 Pick 6

Eric Stashin- Rotoprofessor

Pick: RB Ronnie Brown MIA

I considered continuing the run on QBs, but decided that I could gamble that one of the two QBs I want will be left on the board when my next pick comes up. What won’t likely be there is one of the RB I want, so that’s where my pick went. Ronnie Brown is the top RB on my board so that’s who I’m going with.

 

Round 4 Pick 7

Sam Arker- Rothstein Sports

Pick: WR Pierre Garcon IND

This is a definite stretch, but with the retirement of Brett Favre looming, I now need another quality receiver to go with Sidney Rice. Garcon was inconsistent in his first year breaking the starting line up, but another off season with Manning should turn into more frequent double digit fantasy points. He shined when it counted most, recording 21 catches to go with 251 yards and 2 scores in the playoffs.

Round 4 Pick 8

Hunter Ansley- Draft Zoo

Pick: QB Philip Rivers SD

With Favre gone, for now, there’s one less quarterback worth taking in the draft. I like Rivers even without Vincent Jackson. I’m pretty sure he’s completed passes to other receivers before, and even with all the hype surrounding Ryan Mathews, I don’t expect this team to lean on anyone but Rivers offensively.

Round 4 Pick 9

Steven Lourie- Football Fan Spot

Pick: WR Steve Smith NYG

 

He may be the lesser known of the two Steve Smiths, but I’d take them both around the same time. The Giants’ Steve Smith is a consistent producer that only had less than 57 yards 2 times last year. I think he’s pretty close to a lock for 1000 yards and at least 50-60 yards every week, with a good chance of more. I’ll take his consistency as a starter on a weekly basis here in the 4th.

Round 4 Pick 10

Jeff Malloy- Beast or Bust

Pick: RB Matt Forte CHI

We like Forte as a solid strategy selection at this spot. We view him as an upside pick here considering his diminished value following a marginal 2009 season. While his career ypc average (3.7) has been disappointing, he has been overly impressive in the passing game averaging 60 receptions per season – a trait that should serve him well in his new (Mike Martz) offensive system. The addition of Chester Taylor will also limit some of the workload that has previously been all Matt Forte in the Windy City. Seeing that we have 5 picks until our next selection, we will pass on a WR here knowing we will land one of our high upside receivers at the start of the next round.

Round 4 Pick 11

Vin Sadicario- FF Toolbox

Pick: WR Michael Crabtree SF

Michael Crabtree is a bit of an upside pick here, but I feel that he should put up great numbers in his first full season. Crabtree will have a full training camp and preseason to get accustomed to his teammates, and he has the talent to soon become one of the leagues best wide receivers. An upgraded offensive line should give Alex Smith more time to find Crabtree all over the field.

Round 4 Pick 12

Ryan Lester- Lester’s Legends

Pick: WR Chad Ochocinco CIN

Ocho bounced back last year and I think he’s motivated to play well so he can stay in the limelight. T.O.’s arrival could take some of his production, but this is still a guy who is capable of 1200 receiving yards and 8 TDs.

 

 

Updated 4/4/12 

QB RB FB WR TE OT G C DE RLB DT NT 3-4 DE OLB MLB CB S K P 

Scoring System

100 Once in a decade prospect 
95-99 Elite talent 
90-95 Solid top 10 pick 
85-90 Solid first round pick 
80-85 Late 1st-early 2nd 
75-80 Solid 2nd round pick 
70-75 Solid 3rd round pick 
65-70 3rd-4th round pick 
60-65 4th-5th round pick 
55-60 5th round pick 
50-55 6th round pick 
45-50 7th round pick 
40-45 Undrafted, invite to training camp 
<40 No NFL Future

  

1. Morris Claiborne (LSU) 91

2. Stephon Gilmore (South Carolina) 85

3. Dre Kirkpatrick (Alabama) 82

4. Casey Hayward (Vanderbilt) 80

5. Janoris Jenkins (North Alabama) 78

6. Alfonzo Dennard (Nebraska) 77

7. Josh Robinson (UCF) 76

8. Brandon Boykin (Georgia) 73

9. Chase Minnfield (Virginia) 70

10. Leonard Johnson (Iowa State) 65

11. Jayron Hosley (Virginia Tech) 64

12. Dwight Bentley (Louisiana Lafayette) 63

13. DeQuan Menzie (Alabama) 63

14. Jamell Fleming (Oklahoma) 62

15. Coty Sensabaugh (Clemson) 62

16. Omar Bolden (Arizona State) 61

17. Josh Norman (Coastal Carolina) 60

18. Shaun Prater (Iowa) 59

19. Keith Tandy (West Virginia) 57

20. Ryan Steed (Furman) 57

21. Coryell Judie (Texas A&M) 56

22. Donnie Fletcher (Boston College) 53

23. Antonio Fenelus (Wisconsin) 50

24. Greg McCoy (TCU) 48

25. Cliff Harris (Oregon) 46

26. Ron Brooks (LSU) 45 

 

 

Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4 Round 5 Round 6 Round 7 Round 8 Round 9 Round 10

 

Round 5 Pick 1

Ryan Lester- Lester’s Legends

Pick: RB Joseph Addai IND

Taking a rookie RB, even if he is in a great situation like Mattews, is a bit risky. Addai is a productive back, and perhaps even more important, one that Manning trusts. He can produce on the ground and through the air. Quality RBs are drying up, meaning I wouldn’t get a good RB3 the next time my picks swing around, so I am filling the need now.

Round 5 Pick 2

Vin Sadicario- FF Toolbox

Pick: TE Dallas Clark IND

With no sure things left on the board at running back, I decided to go with the top tight end available. Clark is the safest tight end on the board, as he does not have the question marks surrounding him, as some of the other top options do. I will gladly take Clark at the top of the fifth round, as it is unlikely that any of the top tier tight ends will be around when I pick next.

Round 5 Pick 3

Jeff Malloy- Beast or Bust

Pick: WR Percy Harvin MIN

We are going to stick with the playmakers theme for our wide receiver unit. No WR in the NFL broke more tackles than Percy Harvin last year. In addition to his slot receiver duties, Harvin is a threat out of the backfield and in the return game. We considered Hakeem Nicks and his immense upside with this pick, but ultimately decided that Harvin’s triple threat skills were the best fit. Whether Brett Favre comes back or not, we are expecting steady growth from Harvin this season as he develops into a reliable WR2.

Round 5 Pick 4

Steven Lourie- Football Fan Spot

Pick: RB Felix Jones DAL

Felix Jones strikes me as the type of guy who could be a perennial fantasy football 1st round pick if he gets 300+ carries per year. The issues, he still has to share carries with Marion Barber and he hasn’t had more than 154 carries in a season in any level since high school. He did put on about 10 pounds of muscle this offseason and if he can maintain his speed with the heavier weight, the added muscle should make him more durable and if he starts showing that he can handle 20+ carries in a game, it’s going to be pretty obvious to the Cowboys coaching staff who the best running back on the team is. I love Felix Jones’ upside at this point.

Round 5 Pick 5

Hunter Ansley- Draft Zoo

Pick: WR Hakeem Nicks NYG

Nicks has great potential this season after a nice rookie year, and Eli Manning should be more comfortable throwing his way. I think he’s got a good shot at becoming the Giants’ leading receiver, and his upside is high enough for me to take a shot on him as my WR2 considering his size and strength make him a unique fit in New York’s red zone passing game. Plus, I don’t think there’s any way Nicks will fall back to me with my next pick, so I’m not taking any chances on missing out on him.

Round 5 Pick 6

Sam Arker- Rothstein Sports

Pick: RB Brandon Jacobs NYG

Word out of Giants camp is that Jacobs has looked better than ever. I don’t mind a buy low strategy with him here since I still need a quality starter at my RB2. In the 5th round, I would be happy with 1000 yards and 8 touchdowns.

 

Round 5 Pick 7

Eric Stashin- Rotoprofessor

Pick: WR Dwayne Bowe KC

With my RB set, it’s time to find a counterpart to Andre Johnson. Bowe lost time last year due to injury, but had over 2,000 yards over his first two years and could be primed for a career year in 2010. At this point in the draft, that’s more then enough for me.

Round 5 Pick 8

Scott Carasik- Scardraft

Pick: TE Tony Gonzalez ATL

I’d be stupid here to not take the top player at his position ever. Especially since Mr. Gonzalez doesn’t seem to show any signs of slowing down yet.

Round 5 Pick 9

Steve Adler- Fantasy Daddy

Pick: WR Wes Welker NE

Welker looks to be healthy heading into the season and that’s good enough for me. You don’t earn points for activity (PPR), but you do earn points for production and that is what Welker will do, produce. Based on the what is left at the wide receiver position I feel more comfortable talking Welker in this spot than taking a tight end and crossing my fingers he comes back to me. I’m sure a solid tight end or running back will make it back my way in the next round.

Round 5 Pick 10

Paul Greco- Fantasy Pros 911

Pick: RB Marion Barber DAL

Get a No.1 guy here was important. After covering the Cowboys camp, head coach Wade Phillips assured me that Barber was still man, especially when it comes to goal-line.

Round 5 Pick 11

Walter Cherepinsky- Walter Football

Pick: WR Mike Sims Walker JAC

Mike Sims-Walker was pretty inconsistent last year, but that’s because he was often hurt. When he was healthy, he was a big producer. He’s not the ideal WR2, but I think he’s passable in that spot

Round 5 Pick 12

Justin Mertes-Mistretta- The Sports Bank

Pick: WR Vincent Jackson SD

I’m taking a huge risk here taking VJax, given his suspension and holdout. However, if he plays by week 4, I just got a huge steal here. When he’s on the field he’s a top-5 WR.

 

 

 

Running Back

Oregon

5-8 194

Draft board overall prospect rank: #124

Draft board overall running back rank: #10

Overall rating: 62 (4^th round)

40 time: 4.37

Game notes: USC/Oregon, Stanford/Oregon, California/Oregon, Oregon/Wisconsin

Positives

·         Incredibly fast

·         Incredibly explosive

·         A threat to score at any time

·         Very productive over the last 3 years (2009: 1546 yards and 14 touchdowns on 230 carries, 2010: 1731 yards and 21 touchdowns on 294 carries, 2011: 1805 yards and 18 touchdowns on 247 carries)

·         Elusive

·         Good vision

·         Deadly in the open field

·         Good pass catcher (51 catches in 3 years in a run heavy offense)

·         A team leader

·         Great toughness

·         All the intangibles

·         Played through injuries

·         Return ability

Negatives

·         Played in a weird offense

·         Undersized (5-8 193)

·         Has a history of injury problems

·         Not much of a between the tackles runner

·         Doesn’t push the pile

·         Struggled against elite defenses

·         His game relies on defense’s breaking contain

·         Won’t carry the load at the next level

·         Already has a lot of tread on his tires (771 carries)

·         Doesn’t get a lot of yards after contact

·         Not a short yardage back

NFL Comparison: Reggie Bush

Bush is a little bigger (6-0 200), but the comparisons are obvious. Both were explosive playmakers for good teams for years in college football. Bush obviously went #2 overall, but that was an obvious mistake in hindsight. I think James will be overdrafted as well, but not nearly as much. I have a 4^th round grade on him and he should come off the board in the 2^nd or 3^rd round.

He has a history of injury problems. He already has a lot of tread on his tires (771 carries). He’s undersized. He doesn’t get a lot of yards after contact and he was pretty inconsistent in his career. He struggled against good defenses that didn’t often break contact and his game is so dependent on defenses breaking down and missing assignments. That doesn’t happen that often in the NFL. He also played in a weird offense in college that won’t translate to the NFL and a lot of his production was as a result of the offense he played in.

I think someone will overdraft him on his production, his name, and his game breaking ability. Like, Bush, he’d be best as part of a tandem, but I do question his ability to stay healthy. It’s also worth noting that Bush rushed for fewer than 4 yards per carry in 3 seasons, something that could happen to James as well, as is evidenced by his struggles against elite defenses.

He’ll probably come off the board in the 2^nd or 3^rd round to a team like San Diego (needs a #2 back behind Ryan Matthews and I’m sure Phillip Rivers wouldn’t mind a Darren Sproles like player on his offense), Cincinnati (needs another back to go with Bernard Scott and BenJarvus Green-Ellis), Tampa Bay (needs a compliment for LeGarrette Blount), and the Jets (needs a compliment for Shonn Greene.

 

 

 

2010 Record: 6-10

Draft Position: 9

2010 Season Recap: Click Here

Offseason Needs: Click Here

Free Agents/Team Transactions: Click Here

Draft Grades: Click Here

Key Offseason Moves: None

Cowboys Blogger: Jim Keller

  

2010 Posts 

Dallas Cowboys vs. Jacksonville Jaguars, Preview, Cowboys/Vikings Preview, Cowboys-Titans Preview, Cowboys Win, Texans/Cowboys Preview, Cowboys/Bears Preview