Mel Kiper's March 4th Mock Draft

[Nick]

Miami remains mum on No. 1 overall pick
By Mel Kiper Jr.
ESPN.com

Updated: March 4, 2008

A few notes from my second first-round projection for April's NFL draft:

• The most notable change between my initial first-round projection and this one is that I have Virginia defensive end Chris Long going No. 1 overall to the Miami Dolphins. This is based on discussions with various NFL sources; however, Boston College QB Matt Ryan is still a distinct possibility to be the first pick. If Ryan goes No. 1 overall, then Long would go No. 2 to St. Louis, and Atlanta would take DT Glenn Dorsey with the third pick. The sources with whom I have spoken have no concerns about Dorsey's medical history.

• The name you can expect to hear more leading up to the draft is Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. Now that the Patriots have lost Asante Samuel to free agency, I have the Division I-AA cornerback going to New England with the seventh pick. If the Pats pass on Rodgers-Cromartie, the Saints could take him with the No. 10 pick.

• Don't expect the Falcons to take Darren McFadden, because they just signed running back Michael Turner. Also, Minnesota won't be looking at a wide receiver in the first round because they've signed Bernard Berrian, so look for the Vikings to take a pass-rushing defensive end.

1 Miami Dolphins Chris Long, DE Virginia
2 St. Louis Rams Glenn Dorsey, DT LSU
3 Atlanta Falcons Matt Ryan, QB Boston College
4 Oakland Raiders *Darren McFadden, RB Arkansas
5 Kansas City Chiefs Jake Long, OT Michigan
6 New York Jets *Vernon Gholston, DE Ohio St.
7 New England Patriots (from SF) Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB Tennessee St.
8 Baltimore Ravens Sedrick Ellis, DT USC
9 Cincinnati Bengals *Phillip Merling, DE Clemson
10 New Orleans Saints Leodis McKelvin, CB Troy
11 Buffalo Bills *Malcolm Kelly, WR Oklahoma
12 Denver Broncos *Ryan Clady, OT Boise St.
13 Carolina Panthers *Derrick Harvey, DE Florida
14 Chicago Bears Chris Williams, OT Vanderbilt
15 Detroit Lions *Rashard Mendenhall, RB Illinois
16 Arizona Cardinals Keith Rivers, LB USC
17 Minnesota Vikings *Calais Campbell, DE Miami
18 Houston Texans *Jonathan Stewart, RB Oregon
19 Philadelphia Eagles Jeff Otah, OT Pittsburgh
20 Tampa Bay Buccaneers *DeSean Jackson, WR California
21 Washington Redskins *Aqib Talib, CB Kansas
22 Dallas Cowboys (from CLE) *Felix Jones, RB Arkansas
23 Pittsburgh Steelers *Branden Albert, OG Virginia
24 Tennessee Titans *Jerod Mayo, LB Tennessee
25 Seattle Seahawks *Devin Thomas, WR Michigan State
26 Jacksonville Jaguars Kentwan Balmer, DT North Carolina
27 San Diego Chargers *Justin King, CB Penn State
28 Dallas Cowboys *Brandon Flowers, CB Virginia Tech
29 San Francisco ***** (from IND) Gosder Cherilus, OT Boston College
30 Green Bay Packers Mike Jenkins, CB South Florida
31 New England Patriots Forfeited pick
32 New York Giants *Kenny Phillips, S Miami

I know the text formatting didn't copy over well, but it shouldn't be too painful to figure out who is going where.

[RebelYell]

It copies well. Great post. I don't agree with it but great post.

[Ramer]

I see us taking Jack long if Chris is gone.

[rammiser]

Wow Cromartie is a top 10 pick now. Man amazing how a Senior Bowl, and combine performance can take you from the second round to top 10. His play on the field during the season had him a second round projection because of the combine and senior bowl this guy is projecting top 10. Amazing how much money that kid made for himself.

[Mooselini]

I would have Gholston over Jake Long and Dorsey as of right now. If we don't have a pass rush, we have the same problem we had last season on defense. No reason to draft Dorsey or Jake Long (especially with the signing of Bell)

[STLunatic]

im surprised he has Justin King going in the first round, I love penn state and love king, but that seems a bit ridiculous to me.

[Bald_81]

So does Mel Kiper's sources shut some of you up about Dorsey's medical status? Honestly, so overblown... Obviously it shouldn't and won't until it comes out officially what is status is, but everyone should've known that was a smokecreen sent out by a team in order to make him drop. Gholston/Dorsey to us with the assumption Chris Long is gone is great IMO.

[Mooselini]

So does Mel Kiper's sources shut some of you up about Dorsey's medical status? Honestly, so overblown... Obviously it shouldn't and won't until it comes out officially what is status is, but everyone should've known that was a smokecreen sent out by a team in order to make him drop. Gholston/Dorsey to us with the assumption Chris Long is gone is great IMO.

Well I think its true too. I'm a strict believer that DL is our priority. However, I believe is C Long is gone...its Gholston. Not taking anything away from Dorsey, but Gholston is a NEED. A DE

[Bald_81]

Well I think its true too. I'm a strict believer that DL is our priority. However, I believe is C Long is gone...its Gholston. Not taking anything away from Dorsey, but Gholston is a NEED. A DE

It's not a matter of need, its whether we feel he is worth the pick at #2. That is why there is reports of trying to trade down with KC by enticing them to think we are heavily interested in Jake Long, but of course that gets even harder with the Jacob Bell signing. On draft day, once again given Chris Long is gone, we gotta decide whether the value for Gholston at #2 is too high for him or not. If they think its too high, we might go with Dorsey and then a DE at the top of round two.

[Nick]

So does Mel Kiper's sources shut some of you up about Dorsey's medical status? Honestly, so overblown... Obviously it shouldn't and won't until it comes out officially what is status is

You answered your own question. Mel Kiper's sources do not definitively address the concern. Only additional medical tests will. Regardless of how legitimate you think the concerns are, the fact of the matter is Dorsey was injured in 2006, injured in 2007, and admits that the injury has been lingering. Again, according to NFL Network's Adam Schefter, Dorsey told him the leg was sore before leaving the combine. These aren't concerns that are going to be silenced by Mel Kiper's sources.

That is why there is reports of trying to trade down with KC by enticing them to think we are heavily interested in Jake Long

What reports? The only mentioning I've seen of this is by fans, nothing close to anything legitimate.

[Bald_81]

What reports? The only mentioning I've seen of this is by fans, nothing close to anything legitimate.

The article you posted from Sporting News claiming we showed alot of interest in Jake and would consider him alot is one report, for one. I've read it other places as well and by alot of people having us take Jake in mock drafts also raises the Chiefs awareness as well.

[Nick]

The article you posted from Sporting News claiming we showed alot of interest in Jake and would consider him alot is one report, for one. I've read it other places as well and by alot of people having us take Jake in mock drafts also raises the Chiefs awareness as well.

Right, but I'm asking about the reports that suggest we're trying to trade down with Kansas City, not the ones about us showing interest in Long.

[tomahawk247]

The only reason we are showing interest in Jake Long is because we are interested in Jake Long. The guy had a beastly combine and will walk into a starting job at some position on the Rams OL. After Pace got injured two seasons in a row, and Barron has failed to impress at RT, Long would be needed to replace one of those guys when the time comes, which may even be the season after next.

I just hope Long is more Joe Thomas than Robert Gallery. I remember going into the draft that Gallery was called the safest pick in the draft and that he would be a fixture at LT on the Raiders line for years to come. Yet he manages to get more penalties than even Alex Barron, and hasnt even been able to play at LT as far as i know

[Bar-bq]

I'm not high on the Dorsey pick right now. I'm worried by injuries, and the fact that he may struggle to find a true position on this DL with Carriker and Ryan purporting to become the future starters.

I think Long is a better choice for us, as is Gholston.

Wow Cromartie is a top 10 pick now. Man amazing how a Senior Bowl, and combine performance can take you from the second round to top 10.

Let's not forget his famous cousin, who is presently making waves (and Pro-Bowls) in San Diego.

[chiguy]

Unless I missed something, Mel's draft gives us the chance to draft Derrick Harvey in the second round. I wouldn't cry about a combination of Harvey and Dorsey as our first day picks.