Av's "Top 35" Mock (UPDATED)

[AvengerRam]

Here's my final Top 35 Mock, updated due to the recent trades:

1. Detroit Lions – Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia
2. St. Louis Rams – Jason Smith, OT, Baylor
I think its a toss-up between Smith and Monroe, but in the end, I think the Rams will go with Smith due to his upside and his charisma. The hope there is that Smith and Brown, who are both smart guys with strong leadership skills, will bring the O line together. For all his talent, Pace never had that personality. In some ways, the Rams line has lacked an identity since the donut brothers left.
3. Kansas City Chiefs – Brian Orakpo, DE, Texas
4. Seattle Seahawks – Mark Sachez, QB, USC
5. Cleveland Browns – Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest
6. Cincinnati Bengals – B.J. Raji, DT, Boston College
7. Oakland Raiders – Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech
8. Jacksonville Jaguars – Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia
9. Green Bay Packers – Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU
10. San Francisco Niners – Andre Smith, OT, Alabama
11. Buffalo Bills – Malcolm Jenkins, CB, Ohio State
12. Denver Broncos – Brian Cushing, OLB, USC
13. Washington Redskins – Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri
14. New Orleans Saints – Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois
15. Houston Texans – Michael Oher, OT, Ole Miss
16. San Diego Chargers – Everette Brown, DE, FSU
17. New York Jets – Josh Freeman, QB, Kansas State
18. Denver Broncos – Darrius Butler, CB, Connecticut
19. Tampa Bay Bucs – Peria Jerry, DT, Ole Miss
20. Detroit Lions – Eben Britton, OT, Arizona
21. Philadelphia Eagles – Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma State
22. Minnesota Vikings – William Moore, S, Missouri
23. New England Patriots – Connor Barwin, LB/DE, Cincinnati
24. Atlanta Falcons – Rey Maualuga, MLB, USC
25. Miami Dolphins – Robert Ayers, DE/LB, Tennessee
26. Baltimore Ravens – Clint Sintim, LB, Virginia
27. Indianapolis Colts – Chris Wells, RB, Ohio State
28. Buffalo Bills – William Beatty, OT, Connecticut
29. New York Giants – Kenny Britt, WR, Rutgers
30. Tennessee Titans – Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland
31. Arizona Cardinals – Alex Mack, C, California
32. Pittsburgh Steelers – Eric Wood, C, Louisville
33. Detroit Lions – Evander “Ziggy” Hood, DT, Missouri
34. New England Patriots – James Laurinaitis, MLB, Ohio State
35. St. Louis Rams - Hakeem Nicks, WR, North Carolina
Yes, I'm buying into the latest "rumor." Still, this will be a tough call, as Ron Brace, Evander Hood and Clay Matthews are still on the board. Nicks, though, can really solidify the Rams offense. He can be the chain-mover to compliment home-run threat Avery. The thought here is that, if the Rams can score points and control the ball, they might be able to manage with a defense that is still in need of a talent influx. This pick certainly guarantees that the Rams will take a defensive player in Round 3. They could also trade up for an extra second round pick.

[HUbison]

With Jeremy Maclin still on the board, I'm surprised we went with Nicks.

[AvengerRam]

With Jeremy Maclin still on the board, I'm surprised we went with Nicks.

D'oh!!!!

See, that's what happens when you cut-and-paste too quickly.

But... shoot, I'll fix that.

[KoaKoi]

In some ways, the Rams line has lacked an identity since the donut brothers left.

well sure they had an identity!
in fact, they had a very strong identity in two very distinct places....
on top of the trainers tables and the IR list! haha

thx for the list AV.

man, this sucks that i don't have directv anymore... gawd i hope i can find a bar showing the draft on tv.

[general counsel]

You dont need direct tv. Any basic cable package should have espn and they carry the draft in addition to nfl network.

ramming speed to all

general counsel

[MauiRam]

Yes, I'm buying into the latest "rumor." Still, this will be a tough call, as Ron Brace, Evander Hood and Clay Matthews are still on the board. Nicks, though, can really solidify the Rams offense. He can be the chain-mover to compliment home-run threat Avery. The thought here is that, if the Rams can score points and control the ball, they might be able to manage with a defense that is still in need of a talent influx. This pick certainly guarantees that the Rams will take a defensive player in Round 3. They could also trade up for an extra second round pick.

When you look at the Lion's draft, this is probably the best draft they will have had in years. Does the Lion's GM have your cell number?

You have Laurinaitus going to the Patriots, if he makes it that far - I've felt all along that he'd never make it to us - heck the Lions could take him before the Pats, but you've got the Lions taking Ziggy, darn. I'm with you on Nicks, as he would compliment our current receiving corps nicely..

Now for the critique: Why did you stop at #35? You were on a roll man ..
One more thing ... Aren't Evander and Ziggy the same guy?

[KoaKoi]

You dont need direct tv. Any basic cable package should have espn and they carry the draft in addition to nfl network.

ramming speed to all

general counsel

nah, i'm boycotting the cable in my area. terrible terrible terrible company.

in any event, i'm back to over the air waves tv for the time being. when i find a job, i'll turn it back on. i haven't missed a Rams game in years with directv's sunday ticket... and i don't plan to! So I've got to get that job by August. Soooooo, uh, is your law firm hiring? I graduated from a top aba school...

[eric2810]

Even Clay Matthews? Oh man, your right that would be a tough call. Especially when Av has been behind Brace for quite a while now. But I would still choose Clay Matthews, personally, because of his versatility. If it's OT in round 1, then it's linebacker in round 2, or vice versa.

[jerseyramsfan]

Will you make a Final Final Mock draft?

[Bar-bq]

I quite like it, it's certainly innovative. Barwin and Wood in the first were surprises, I can see the former much more readily than I can the latter, especially with D.J Moore on the board. I don't see both the Chiefs and Seahawks passing on Curry, but it does make a lot more sense to pay top five money to a QB and OLB/DE respectively.

Vontae Davis at fourteen doesn't sit with me... didn't he fail a marijuana test recently? I think the Saints will look elsewhere there if Jenkins is gone. I haven't seen William Moore in the first round for some time, but the Vikings certainly seem like the sort of team willing to give him a Guernsey there.

Great job!

[AvengerRam]

Will you make a Final Final Mock draft?

Unless there's another trade, that was it.

Vontae Davis at fourteen doesn't sit with me... didn't he fail a marijuana test recently?

To my knowledge, that has not been confirmed. If it was, I agree he probably would not go that high (no pun intended).