Scott Wright's latest mock

[RAMarkable]

Here's the top 5:

1. Dolphins - Glenn Dorsey, DT, LSU
2. Rams - Jake Long, OT, Michigan
3. Jets - Chris Long, DE, Virginia
4. Patriots(f/SF) - James Lauriniatus, MLB, Ohio St.
5. Raiders - Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas

Just my opinion, but I don't see this team passing on Chris Long for Jake Long. If we go J. Long, we putting our future in the hands of two right tackles (Long and Barron). Not saying it won't work, but it's an adjustment at best. Not to mention, if we get Pace back in form, we are in the situation of either putting our top pick on the bench or giving up on Barron.

OTOH, Chris Long could be worked into the rotation immediately on this D-line. And there's a symbiotic beauty of having Carriker and C. Long on the same line that warms the cockles of my heart.

Hub, I agree completely with your assessment on our OL needs; but my question is does Chris Long kinda remind you of a Grant Wistrom or Justin Smith type? Not to disparage those players (both 100% hustlers) but if Long is like them is he really the 2nd or 3rd best player in this draft? For C. Long to be a top 5 pick, IMHO, he's definitely got to bring it as a bona fide edge pass rusher. Is he really that kind of player?

WHAT SAY YE?

[moloch41]

I'm thinking that much like Eli, Chris Long is being helped out by his last name.

[39thebeast]

My choice at his point would be to draft high and low enough for Lauriniatus. A stud Junior from Ohio State and originally from Minnesota. My bet is he stays in school though. I have heard several interviews with him and he sounds pretty committed to his education and finishing up at Ohio State.

i like the Laurantis idea we could move spoon back to week side because he could be a beast anywhere. He has been great off the edge for us in the absence of little getting a sack in the past two games imagine him of the edge at olb for the whole season he would be a Julian Peterson type of beast (hate to say it, but he is is a beast). Laurantis would be awesome at MLB because lets face it with the exception of Spoon our line backing core is just mediocre.

Also Kenny Phillips and Campbell look like absolute busts this year their performance hasn't lived up to their hype they should both stay in school refine their skills and get better

[39thebeast]

If we keep winning we should look at Vernon Gholston way before we look at Campbell he is a terror of the edge who tore apart both Michigan tackles Jake Long included getting 3 sacks. Not only is he fast have you seen his guns

[Bar-bq]

I'm thinking that much like Eli, Chris Long is being helped out by his last name.

Oh no, I think Howie's son's production (12 sacks, 20 tackles on last count) has accounted for his rise in stock. He has proven himself a talented player, unlike Calais Campbell, who has proven he should probably stay another year in college to mature.

Chris or Jake....Chris or Jake....you can't really go wrong. Though if we were looking for Jake in 1 and maybe a Lawrence Jackson in two, you may have to trade up.

I would love to se LJ in the horns. But, that said, I think that CL and then an OT is a better fit, because of the sheer depth of the OT draft class.

Wow...way to reiterate what everyone else has said!

[Varg6]

Chris Long is a straight up beast, and like Nick has mentioned in previous posts, there is depth at OL and we can easily pick up an above average OL.

[TekeRam]

I'm thinking that much like Eli, Chris Long is being helped out by his last name.

Yes, he is, in that because he's his father's son, he wants to make his own name, and not just be "Howie's kid". That is why he has a drive and a passion for the game that never quits. His head coach says he's never seen anyone like him since he coached Lawrence Taylor. He's the Jerry Rice or the Peyton Manning of defensive ends. Chris is the real deal, and in an NFL that you pay ridiculous amounts of money to unproven rookies, I would take Chris 1st overall, because, barring injury, he's a sure bet.

Even better, he's a 3-4 DE that has 12 sacks! Some are projecting him at tackle like we did with AC, others are thinking of putting him at the Sam like Kiwanuka.

[HUbison]

I'm thinking that much like Eli, Chris Long is being helped out by his last name.

Yea, I think you're right. It's a little known fact that each of his 69 tackles, 12 sacks, and 17 TFL's this year have come solely from the fact that he is the son of Howie. :x

[moloch41]

Yes, he is, in that because he's his father's son, he wants to make his own name, and not just be "Howie's kid". That is why he has a drive and a passion for the game that never quits. His head coach says he's never seen anyone like him since he coached Lawrence Taylor. He's the Jerry Rice or the Peyton Manning of defensive ends. Chris is the real deal, and in an NFL that you pay ridiculous amounts of money to unproven rookies, I would take Chris 1st overall, because, barring injury, he's a sure bet.

Even better, he's a 3-4 DE that has 12 sacks! Some are projecting him at tackle like we did with AC, others are thinking of putting him at the Sam like Kiwanuka.

I would keep him at DE- we need to stop drafting project guys high.

[moloch41]

Yea, I think you're right. It's a little known fact that each of his 69 tackles, 12 sacks, and 17 TFL's this year have come solely from the fact that he is the son of Howie. :x

College numbers are always gawdy. Eli had some pretty good numbers in college too- I still wouldn't have used a #1 pick on him.

[HUbison]

College numbers are always gawdy. Eli had some pretty good numbers in college too- I still wouldn't have used a #1 pick on him.

Honestly, you can watch Chris Long play, and still think his hype is based solely on his dad's name?

[keith m. klink]

CHRIS LONG , is the first one on the field , and the last one off it. he stays and runs sprints , does extra work , always doing more of what is asked , because , ( like his father ) is totally terrified of being a failure . this kid would be a total player , pass rush/run stopper , all around great person too be on this team. REMEMBER i had mentioned about the next great rams d-line ala: youngblood -dryer-olson , well we are getting in the ballfield with carriker-ryans - long- adeyanju . look how young and strong this line could be for a long time . this kid is and should be the pick .

[PossumBoy9]

I believe Wright has Vernon Gholston going much too late in his mock.

Exactly. I'm talking about depth in this OT rookie class, not depth on our team. Obviously if we had good depth on this team at OT we wouldn't be talking about taking one in the first two rounds.

Getting a Jeff Otah or Chris Williams at the top of round two

Nick, obviously Pitt is a "backyard" rival for the Mountaineers, so I assume you've seen Otah play. Has he looked good this year? He's certainly a beast.

[AvengerRam]

I think the top pick will be determined, to a great extent, by the play of John Beck in Miami over the next six weeks. If he looks the part of a starting QB, the Dolphins could go with a guy like Dorsey. If not, I think they would have to consider taking a franchise QB with that selection.

As for the Rams, I see Chris Long as their guy. I think that a Long/Carriker/Ryan/Little DL (with Wroten and Hall rotating in) could be VERY effective.

As for the OL, if Pace is coming back, I'd look for a big-bodied OT in Round 2. The kind of guy who could play OG as a rookie, and eventually move to the OT spot when Pace retires.

Round 3 - deep threat WR.

[moloch41]

Honestly, you can watch Chris Long play, and still think his hype is based solely on his dad's name?

I will let you know. I've seen highlights, but haven't watched him in full game action yet. I'm very skeptical of how these draftnicks focus on names sometimes and seem to get all hyped up on someone all of a sudden. I've been hearing the praise for Jake Long since he started at Michigan, but the raving over Chris really only started this year. I think you can make up a lack of passrush by blitzing, but as so many people on this board have pointed out in defending Scott Linehan- there's no way to compensate for lack of talent on the offensive line.