Mel Kiper's Initial First Round Projection (1/25)

[Nick]

MOCK DRAFT: Mel Kiper's Initial First-Round Projection | Jan. 25

This initial projection is based on what I've identified as key need areas for each team.

There are 17 underclassmen among my projections for the first 32 picks of the 2007 NFL draft, including two of the top three. LSU junior quarterback JaMarcus Russell gets the nod as the first overall pick, and North Carolina State defensive tackle Tank Tyler rounds out my first-round projections as the No. 32 overall selection to Indianapolis.

1. Oakland Raiders: *JaMarcus Russell, QB, LSU
2. Detroit Lions: Joe Thomas, OT, Wisconsin
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: *Calvin Johnson, WR, Georgia Tech
4. Cleveland Browns: Brady Quinn, QB, Notre Dame
5. Arizona Cardinals: *Jamaal Anderson, DE, Arkansas
6. Washington Redskins: *Alan Branch, DT, Michigan
7. Minnesota Vikings: Gaines Adams, DE, Clemson
8. Houston Texans: *Adrian Peterson, RB, Oklahoma
9. Miami Dolphins: *Ted Ginn, Jr., WR, Ohio St.
10. Atlanta Falcons: LaRon Landry, S, LSU
11. San Francisco *****: *Reggie Nelson, DB, Florida
12. Buffalo Bills: Leon Hall, CB, Michigan
13. St. Louis Rams: *Charles Johnson, DE, Georgia
14. Carolina Panthers: Levi Brown, OT, Penn St.
15. Pittsburgh Steelers: *Jarvis Moss, DE, Florida
16. Green Bay Packers: *Marshawn Lynch, RB, California
17. Jacksonville Jaguars: *Sidney Rice, WR, South Carolina
18. Cincinnati Bengals: Amobi Okoye, DT, Louisville
19. Tennessee Titans: *Dwayne Jarrett, WR, USC
20. New York Giants: *Lawrence Timmons, LB, Florida St.
21. Denver Broncos: Adam Carriker, DE, Nebraska
22. Dallas Cowboys: *Robert Meachem, WR, Tennessee
23. Kansas City Chiefs: Tony Ugoh, OT, Arkansas
24. New England Patriots (from Seattle): *Darrelle Revis, CB, Pittsburgh
25. New York Jets: Dwayne Bowe, WR, LSU
26. Philadelphia Eagles: Aaron Ross, CB, Texas
27. New Orleans Saints: Daymeion Hughes, CB, California
28. New England Patriots: *Anthony Gonzalez, WR, Ohio St.
29. Baltimore Ravens: Anthony Spencer, DE, Purdue
30. San Diego Chargers: Patrick Willis, LB, Mississippi
31. Chicago Bears: *Greg Olsen, TE, Miami (Fla)
32. Indianapolis Colts: Tank Tyler, DT, NC St.

Usually these look a bit strange early in the year but get better as the draft draws closer. Still, worth looking at.

[Varg6]

Mel Kiper just annoys me. Nick, is he really a good draft analyst, or is just because he has a last name or something?

[Bruce=GOAT]

Mel please don't curse Okoye like that. He will probably get arrested now because u have him going to the Bengals

[keith m. klink]

ya know i really wouldn't care at all if we traded down a few times and grabbed a carracker or simmons at de in the end of the round, and picked up more players in the 2nd and 3rd rd to put on the interior of the line, and another de to go with them. i'm starting to think i might just prefer us doing so , it might just be the best thing to balance this draft for us.