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Last year Mike Shanahan took over in Washington, and many thought that when they got 
Donovan McNabb that maybe they were going somewhere. Not so much, and they find themselves back in the top 10 of the draft. Shanahan opened up a big controversy with McNabb, and now he has those questions to answer, along with numerous other ones about his team, and up is not necessarily where they are heading, except maybe in their selection of next year's draft.
The Redskins do have a few positions figured out, on defense their secondary is all relatively young, and pretty good, despite what Michael Vick did to them on that one Monday night. Their linebackers are solid too, with three of the four having very productive year's in 2010. The defensive line needs a little work, and youth, so in terms of the defense that would be the place to look.
On offense it is really tough to find really where their strengths are. Their offensive line play was good, could have been better, though Trent Williams is going to be an absolute stud. Their receivers are a hodge podge of attributes, and not really consistent. They are at this point going to start Ryan Torrain, who we are unsure of what to expect of, and their quarterback situation is entirely way too confusing. The rock on the offense is still Chris Cooley though, who is as solid as they come, especially in Washington lately.
So pressing needs in Washington: figure out quarterback situation, get some receiver roles, figure out confidence in Torrain, and sure up that defensive line. They seem to have a lot more question marks than the teams selecting in front of them oddly enough. The quarterback situation has to be addressed, but this point in the draft with the talent pool where it is they just do not reach here. They may trade down if they are in line to do so and get a quarterback they like at a more relative selection. There are no running backs that are worth the 10th pick when they have talent available for other needs at this point in time. That then points to the defensive line and the wide receiver position.
When you are the Redskins at this pick and the positions you are looking at are wide receiver and defensive line, the choice should be easy. There have been two defensive ends taken, and two defensive tackles, so the top of those talent pools have already been plucked. You have both A.J. Green and Julio Jones sitting there, waiting to be selected
, top of that talent pool, you have to pull that trigger, it fulfills a need. I am more partial to Jones than most people, his run times, hands, size, build all scream top talent in the NFL, and he has the motor and confidence to boot. Here though, Green will be their choice because Snyder loves the names and the prestige, and Green has been forecast as a top three talent. Though Jones might be better, fit what they need better, they will take Green because he is the number one rated at the position and still available for them at 10.
Predictions as of today for this pick:
Me: A.J. Green, WR, Georgia
Mel Kiper: Julio Jones, WR, Alabama
Todd McShay: Julio Jones, WR, Alabama
NewNFLDraft.com: Julio Jones, WR, Alabama
Step one for the now official Dallas Cowboys coach Jason Garrett was to get the job. He did enough at the end of last year to get Jerry Jones to believe in him and take away the interim tag. Now he has to move on to step and build the team that he needs to win in his system. The question is, where should they go with this selection?
The Dallas Cowboys are continuing the trend at this point in the draft of underachieving teams, countless people had the Cowboys playing at home in last year's Super Bowl going into the season, and they have a lot of that same talent both coming back, and only getting better. On offense they are set at running back, wide receiver, tight end, center, guards, and of course quarterback. So they could look into their tackle positions here and see if they can draft for that.
On defense they have one of the scarier defensive players in the league in DeMarcus Ware, two former Pro Bowl cornerbacks, young safeties that are growing into their position, an experienced and good defensive tackle, and solid though aging middle linebackers. They could look into their end and other outside linebacker position at this point in the draft too. The thing about this pick is the Cowboys last year were one of the more talented teams, and they just underachieved. They still have all that great and emerging talent, so this pick really can fit right into a need to make this team almost complete, or at least more so in the future.
With that in mind there are a couple positions they should be looking at, on that offensive side they should be looking at the tackle position, while they could look to take a top talent defensive back to sure up both the present, and almost as importantly the future, or a defensive end to come in and 
maybe play right away. With the depth of this class though, and the picks that they have in the future, it would seem the best course of action here to go with the offensive side of the ball. If they were lucky to have something happen that would land a guy like Da'Quan Bowers into their lap that would be ideal, but that seems unlikely. So to go with Tyron Smith, the number one tackle and offensive lineman on the board, would make complete sense and would really be a great building block in this draft, and for the Garrett regime.
Predictions as of today for this pick:
Me: Tyron Smith, OT, USC
Mel Kiper: Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska
Todd McShay: Tyron Smith, OT, USC
NewNFLDraft: Tyron Smith, OT, USC
Last time we saw the Tennessee Titans they were in a completely different situation than they find themselves now, and that makes this an interesting pick. They have pieces set, and some young guys in those positions like Kenny Britt, Chris Johnson, their secondary consists of nobody over the age of 30, and their linebackers had solid years last year. The Titans are another one of those teams that people had high hopes for coming into the 2010 season. They were on a roll at the end of the 2009 season, Vince Young had a great end to the year and had another off season under his belt, and they had one of consensus three best running backs in the league. They were supposed to be going places. Now they have a different coach, lost their top five pick of five seasons ago, and are in a situation where they have many directions where they could go.
This pick comes down to what they need, but also as to what talent is still available. A.J. Green is still on the board, and many believe him to be a top three, top five talent. To get that sort of talent at pick eight wo
uld be a bit of a steal. Problem is they had one receiver emerge last year as a star in Britt, they have faith in Nate Washington, and just last year selected Damian Williams who just last year as a rookie showed some flashes as to what he is capable of out of USC. So the question there is a popular one that people debate about all the time, do you draft for need, or do you take the best available player. In that debate it seems like the idea of taking what you need, because at this point they should all be talented in the top 10, should be the prevailing train of thought. You need a few things if you find yourselves in the top 10 selecting a player, so to load up on talent at a spot where you might already be set, at least more so than at other positions, seems rather silly for lack of a better word.
The other direction that they could go in would be on the defensive side of the ball, because both at defensive tackle and the end spot opposite of Justin Babin they seemed to under produce. In this spot if Patrick Peterson were still available that would probably be the direction in which they would go, but with him off the board they should be looking up front. Robert Quinn jumps to mind here because of his talent and work ethic on that defensive line. With Babin on one side and Quinn on the other the Titans would have a good pass rush, and a good one for the near future as Babin is coming off of his best year as a professional.
It really comes down to whether they want to take that talent still left on the board, or go for that defensive 
line. At this point in the draft, with the Titans probably looking for a new quarterback to follow the same line that Young did and watch Kerry Collins before being thrown into the fire, they might want to try and trade down in the draft and pick up a quarterback later in the round that they might not have available to them come the second round. However, if they were to stay in this pick, the route for them to go would be to sure up that line and take Robert Quinn.
Predictions as of today for this pick:
Me: Robert Quinn, DE, North Carolina
Mel Kiper: Da'Quan Bowers, DE, Clemson
Todd McShay:Nick Fairley, DT, Auburn
NewNFLDraft.com: Da'Quan Bowers, DE, Clemson
Who was the big get of the coaching offseason in the NFL? Many would say that it is the San Francisco 49ers head man Jim Harbaugh, coming off of one of the best seasons in Stanford University his
tory, leading them to a victory in the Orange Bowl to cap off a 12-1 season. That lone loss came in a game that Stanford played at eventual runner-up Oregon back in early October. Quite a turnaround from where the program began with Harbaugh at the helm, the year previous to him stepping in the team went a woeful 1-11. In essence a complete 180 degree change for the program.
Now he has gotten his pay day, and he joins his brother as the head coach of an NFL team (his brother of course the head coach of the Baltimore Ravens). Harbaugh grew up right near the team, so this is a staying home of sorts, and now he has his chance to turn this team into what he wants, what he needs to win, and that all can start with this pick in the top 10.
He inherits a team that could potentially win right away, as they were a very popular pick to make a playoff run under Mike Singletary last year. The positions that are filled for this team need not even a second glance, running back, tight end, offensive line, middle linebackers, outside linebackers they are more than set there with talent, and young talent in spots. The quarterback position is something they may need to address, though it could be interesting to see if Harbaugh can come in and make a difference with the talent on the roster, something that defensive minded predecessors Mike Nolan and Singletary could not do.
Then there are the players you are looking at to see who is available, and what best fits what we need to build 
that solid foundation for the future of this franchise under Harbaugh. They have three spots to look at, defensive tackle, wide receiver, and the secondary. At this point in the draft, with the players that are available, and the linebackers that you have quite honestly, you can pass on the defensive tackle spot for this pick. This leads into three players that keep coming up on the lists of the teams ahead of the 49ers, Patrick Peterson, A.J. Green, and Julio Jones.
In previous posts and picks it was suggested that coaches like Ron Rivera of Carolina, and John Fox of Denver, pick a defensive stud to build their team and defense around because that was their specialty, their niche. Offense is what Harbaugh does, and that is the precise reason I am going to say that receiver here is not the direction the should go in. They have a bonafide number one in the making in Michael Crabtree, and then they have talent there in former top 10 pick Ted Ginn Jr., and Josh Morgan, talent that Harbaugh can work with at that position moreso than Fox or Rivera could have on their defenses.
With that faith in Harbaugh, the pick for them right here is a run up to the commissioner before som
ething unexpected happens, and get him to announce with that seventh pick the 49ers select Patrick Peterson. He can step in right away and play any spot in the secondary you will ask of him. Need a corner opposite Nate Clements, there he is. Need a roaming safety to make plays and be an incredible one-two punch with Patrick Willis, and get this team that much closer to where they want to be. This pick alone could once again make them the favorites in the recently down NFC West.
Predictions as of today for this pick:
Me: Patrick Peterson, DB, LSU
Mel Kiper: Patrick Peterson. DB, LSU
Todd McShay: Patrick Peterson, DB, LSU
NewNFLDraft.com: Nick Fairley, DT, Auburn
Mike Holmgren came to Cleveland last year and he was supposed to begin the resurgence 
of the Browns organization, well year two in that rebuild starts with this selection. With some overhaul to the roster they were able to achieve that same 5-11 record that they had the year before Holmgren had arrived, but they were able to do that in transition.
The Browns do have positive aspects to their team, and relatively young ones that they hope to hold onto and really give Holmgren a chance to build this franchise up. They have one of the best left tackles in the league in Joe Thomas, a top up and coming center in Alex Mack, and a solid guard in Eric Steinbach. The left side of their line is young and rather good, and the right side has a good set of skills as well, though at this point they are on the back ends of their careers. They have depth at the quarterback spot, and Colt McCoy really seemed to show signs of being able to be a solid starting NFL quarterback. Then with Peyton Hillis they have one of the bigger surprises of the season, but also one that they can seemingly count on for the near future.
On defense they made their choice last year to go with cornerback Joe Haden with their top 10 pick, and he payed off with six interceptions in his rookie season. They still have Shaun Rogers 
on that defensive line, as well as linebackers like Matt Roth and Chris Gocong who had their best years in the league last year. Their safeties seem to be set for the future as well, as the second round selection by Holmgren in T.J. Ward played great as a rookie accumulating more than 120 tackles to go with two interceptions, and Abram Elam had more interceptions and pass deflections in 2010 than he did in his first four years in the league.
So with those positions seemingly set, and given the players that are both available and worthy of the sixth overall selection there seem to be four names that could, or even should, be called by commissioner Roger Goodell for the Browns. The only three names that they should be considering at this point with both defensive tackles off of the board are Da'Quan Bowers, A.J. Green, Patrick Peterson, and Julio Jones. They need help on both sides of the ball, and at this point they have to look at what they can get now, and hope to get later.
The talent that Jones and Green possess put them far and away above the rest of the receivers in this class, but there are other players that can be picked in that second round. Jonathan Baldwin can be that big wide receiver across from Mohamed Massaquoi, as can Leonard Hankerson, and that is something that they could risk because of the run that will be made on defensive ends. There are a lot of good defensive ends available, and at this point the top one is still out there, and hard to pass up for a team that had the seventh fewest amount of sacks in the NFL last season. Lastly, Peterson is a talent that they could put on the other side of Haden and have a set of corners to shut down the NFL for the next 10 plus years, along with their young and talented safeties.
It would seem that this is a good position to be in for the Browns, as the positions that they are finding themselves in need of, have not really been snatched off the board yet, so they have options. Though 
I think that Peterson is the best player available, at this point they have the players in that secondary right now where they have the ability to choose a player elsewhere and make their team better for both tomorrow and the future. Then with a little foresight they can see that a wide out will be available come pick 37, though obviously not at the talent level of Green and Jones, who they can maybe see as a better fit into the offense and compliment to Massaquoi. The biggest need for the Browns is that pass rush, give their secondary that much more help with a pass rush, and that guy is Bowers, the best pass rusher in the draft, and the national leader in sacks in 2010. Bowers at that pick is the best for their team in both this draft, and for their team.
Predictions as of today for this pick:
Me: Da'Quan Bowers, DE, Clemson
Mel Kiper: A.J. Green, WR, Georgia
Todd McShay: Da'Quan Bowers, DE, Clemson
NewNFLDraft.com: A.J. Green, WR, Georgia
That also includes what a difference losing a Hall of Fame caliber quarterback makes. In losing Kurt Warner to retirement the Arizona Cardinals looked as if they lost their quarterback, offensive line, defensive line, a couple linebackers, and their special teams units. The loss of Warner killed the Cardinals, and two years removed from the Super Bowl, they now find themselves with a top five draft pick.
Looking at the Cardinals roster they have some pieces that are set like the running backs they have, if healthy, can be a decent one-two punch, and then with Larry Fitzgerald you have a good rec
eiver set right there, but Steve Breaston appears to be able to make the move from slot to the number two receiver. Their cornerbacks and safeties are under control and though Patrick Peterson would be a great fall to number five, that is just not where the most help is necessary.
That is because with the players that are available at this point in the draft, they have more pressing needs. There is still a quarterback available in Cam Newton that some say could go as early as number one. There is a freak of a pass rusher in Da'Quan Bowers, that could be the opposite of Darnell Dockett, and their pressure on the quarterback would be that much more immediate. Peterson could be an outside shot here simply because of the sheer talent that he possesses, and the fact that he is someone you want on your team and could really build a defense around.
The choice for Arizona though should be clear, they need help at that quarterback 
position, and there is a top flight potential quarterback with a history of winning on the board, and Cam Newton should be their choice. He has the intangibles and swagger that a team like Arizona needs. He has the ability to come in and play right away, learn on the job, because he will be a bit of a project, but someone who can and will learn quickly. He has tools around him that will aid to an immediate amount of success, and he could be like Vince Young who people said needed time to watch the game develop in front of him, but with pieces around him became the rookie of the year.
Predictions as of today for this pick:
Me: Cam Newton, QB, Auburn
Mel Kiper: Von Miller, OLB, Tecas A&M
Todd McShay: Cam Newton, QB, Auburn
NewNFLDraft.com: Von Miller, OLB, Texas A&M
A lot of teams have had issues this offseason, aside from the obvious lockout situation, but the Cincinnati Bengals are right up there in terms of in your face issues. What are they going to do with their receiving core, that went from scary to start last season, to gone this offseason. Their franchise quarterback wants to be traded or is threatening to retire, and their pro bowl running back of 2009 was a bit of a dud in 2010.
When looking at the defense they seem to be rather solid, to have young players growing into their positions at spots, and veterans and established players at other spots. Their corners are among the best duo in the league, and with young guys like Carlos Dunlap and Ray Maualuga in the front seven, to go with veterans like Dhani Jones and Domato Peko and Patrick Sims on the line they are set there in terms of spending a top four selection on those positions.
Where the Bengals are in the draft, and what they are being pressed into needing for this team to make last season a detour from the 2009 season's success, comes down to those two positions, wide receiver and quarterback. Terrel Owens and Chad Ochocinco might both be on their way out, 
the former moreso than the latter, but that means you need someone to fill that void. Losing not just one, but maybe two receivers of that caliber needs to be addressed and addressed quickly. Then on the other hand you can have all the receivers you want, but if there is nobody to get them the ball that is not going to help anyone. Is Carson Palmer really going to be out of Cincinnati? If that answer is yes then the club has to address that before anything else, because you can bring in a receiver to work with a quarterback and that can mesh quicker than a new quarterback trying to work with older receivers, learning curve is much more difficult.
So this pick comes down to one criteria, is Palmer the quarterback for Cincinnati's future? For the sake of this mock draft gonna have to say that Palmer is going to be gone, and with that comes the need for another quarterback. So now you have two names that are sort of hovering above the rest, Cam Newton and Blaine Gabbert. Both have highs and lows, and question marks, but those are the names that the Bengals will have been dealt. Given that Marvin Lewis is indeed back as coach, the type of success they have had in the past with a quarterback like Palmer, and the easiest transition for the Bengals it would seem that the pick for Cincinnati would be Gabbert.
Predictions as of today for this pick:
Me: Blaine Gabbert, QB, Missouri
Mel Kiper: Cam Newton, QB, Auburn
Todd McShay: AJ Green, WR, Georgia
NewNFLDraft.com: Blaine Gabbert, QB, Missouri
Donovan McNabb that maybe they were going somewhere. Not so much, and they find themselves back in the top 10 of the draft. Shanahan opened up a big controversy with McNabb, and now he has those questions to answer, along with numerous other ones about his team, and up is not necessarily where they are heading, except maybe in their selection of next year's draft.
, top of that talent pool, you have to pull that trigger, it fulfills a need. I am more partial to Jones than most people, his run times, hands, size, build all scream top talent in the NFL, and he has the motor and confidence to boot. Here though, Green will be their choice because Snyder loves the names and the prestige, and Green has been forecast as a top three talent. Though Jones might be better, fit what they need better, they will take Green because he is the number one rated at the position and still available for them at 10.
