Rick Gosselin's first mock draft

[txramsfan]

This guy usually gets it right.



Rick Gosselin's NFL mock draft (4/11)

01:37 PM CDT on Friday, April 11, 2008

This is the first of three Rick Gosselin mock drafts. It is based on a draft board compiled through discussions with NFL talent evaluators. This mock draft primarily adopts the best-player-available philosophy. Next weekend's mock draft will more heavily weigh team needs.

Bill Parcells loves size.

With a primary voice in his last eight NFL drafts, Parcells has used his influence to draft six defensive front seven players in eight first-round selections: linebackers Bobby Carpenter (2006) and DeMarcus Ware (2005) and defensive end Marcus Spears (2005) in Dallas, and ends Shaun Ellis (2000) and John Abraham (2000) and linebacker James Farrior (1997) with the New York Jets.

In his first draft as president of the Miami Dolphins in 2008, Parcells continues to covet size. He believes you win championships up front with your offensive and defensive lines.

Parcells has four solid options with the first overall pick of the 2008 draft: defensive ends Vernon Gholston and Chris Long, defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey and offensive tackle Jake Long.

The most glaring need on his roster is at offensive tackle, so give Jake Long to the Dolphins in the first mock draft offering from The Dallas Morning News.


Team Player Pos. School
1. Miami Jake Long OT Michigan
Comment: Safest pick on the draft board
2. St. Louis Glenn Dorsey DT LSU
Comment: Won Lombardi, Lott, Nagurski and Outland trophies
3. Atlanta Matt Ryan QB Boston College
Comment: Falcons need reason for hope
4. Oakland Darren McFadden RB Arkansas
Comment: The next Adrian Peterson?
5. Kansas City Keith Rivers LB Southern California
Comment: Player who knows how to win championships
6. NY Jets Chris Long DE Virginia
Comment: The Long family stays in the AFC
7. New England Vernon Gholston DE Ohio State
Comment: Best pass rusher in the draft
8. Baltimore Ryan Clady OT Boise State
Comment: Heir apparent to Jonathan Ogden at left tackle
9. Cincinnati Sedrick Ellis DT Southern California
Comment: NFL's 27th-ranked defense starts building an identity
10. New Orleans Leodis McKelvin CB Troy
Comment: Best kick returner in draft
11. Buffalo Branden Albert G Virginia
Comment: Better blocking makes Marshawn Lynch a better runner
12. Denver Jonathan Stewart RB Oregon
Comment: A potential NFL rushing champion for the Broncos
13. Carolina Derrick Harvey DE Florida
Comment: The heir apparent to Mike Rucker on the weakside
14. Chicago Jeff Otah OT Pittsburgh
Comment: Best run blocker in the draft
15. Detroit Rashard Mendenhall RB Illinois
Comment: Gives hope to the NFC's worst rushing attack
16. Arizona Dominique
Rodgers-Cromartie CB Tennessee State
Comment: Help for the NFL's 28th-ranked pass defense
17. Minnesota Devin Thomas WR Michigan State
Comment: Vikings desperate for speed on the flank
18. Houston Mike Jenkins CB South Florida
Comment: Help for the NFL's 25th-ranked pass defense
19. Philadelphia Chris Williams OT Vanderbilt
Comment: Heir apparent to William Thomas at left tackle
20. Tampa Bay Chris Johnson RB East Carolina
Comment: Give the fastest player in the draft to the Bucs
21. Washington Phillip Merling DE Clemson
Comment: You need muscle to compete in the NFC East
22. Dallas Felix Jones RB Arkansas
Comment: A speed complement to Marion Barber
23. Pittsburgh Kentwan Balmer DE North Carolina
Comment: Beefing up the NFL's best defense
24. Tennessee Fred Davis TE Southern California
Comment: An underneath target for QB Vince Young
25. Seattle Kenny Phillips S Miami
Comment: Seahawks still looking to replace Ken Hamlin
26. Jacksonville Brian Brohm QB Louisville
Comment: Quarterbacking depth to compete in AFC South
27. San Diego Jerod Mayo LB Tennessee
Comment: Chargers love linebackers
28. Dallas James Hardy WR Indiana
Comment: More TDs in fewer games in 2007 than Terrell Owens
29. San Francisco DeSean Jackson WR California
Comment: ***** are desperate for offensive playmakers
30. Green Bay Aqib Talib CB Kansas
Comment: Packers like big, physical corners
31. NY Giants Malcolm Kelly WR Oklahoma
Comment: Giants like big, physical wide receivers

[39thebeast]

Chris Long 6th best player????

[txramsfan]

Remember Brady Quinn last year.....dropped like a lead weight.

[Mooselini]

Ohhh...how come this doesnt look too appealing? Chris Long will be gone in the top 4...

[txramsfan]

Gosselin is usually one of the most accurate mock draft experts out there, normally around 75% correct. He isn't 100% but no one is.

[RAMarkable]

Originally Posted by txramsfan

Bill Parcells loves size.

With a primary voice in his last eight NFL drafts, Parcells has used his influence to draft six defensive front seven players in eight first-round selections: linebackers Bobby Carpenter (2006) and DeMarcus Ware (2005) and defensive end Marcus Spears (2005) in Dallas, and ends Shaun Ellis (2000) and John Abraham (2000) and linebacker James Farrior (1997) with the New York Jets.

Well let's review the Tuna's performance to date:

1.) B. Carpenter--BUST
2.) D. Ware--HIT
3.) M. Spears--BUST
4.) S. Ellis--BUST
5.) J. Abraham--HIT
6.) J. Farrior--BUST
This list shows that Parcells has had BUSTS in 4 out of 6 first round defensive picks that he picked personally. This may tell us something: Namely that Mr. Bill is going to go for the safest offensive player on his board. And by all indications that is Jake Long.

Also, recall that it was Mr. Parcells that had the first pick in the '97 draft and traded it to the Rams so we could grab Orlando Pace. And who did Parcells get with our first rounder? The immortal James Farrior. I think Mr. Bill remembers that fiasco and does not want a repeat performance this year. You can pencil in Jake Long (I agree with Gosselin in that he is the safest pick in this draft) to the Miami Dolphins.

WHAT SAY YE?

[Tony Soprano]

.
Good teams have luxuries that bad teams don't.

I've wondered for 5 weeks now if Gholston wouldn't somehow fall to New England. That sounds like something NE/Belichick would do.

I bet he's clinging to the hope that Gholston falls to him.

Belichick loves those type of players.

[Nick]

I see some hits and misses in here. Some of the misses...

Chiefs taking Keith Rivers @ 5.... huh?

The Bills have a talented LT in Jason Peters and aren't going to spend the 11th pick on a guard. So I'm labeling Albert to Buffalo as a "no way" and will gladly eat a huge plate of crow if it somehow happens.

Jacksonville just signed David Garrard to a $60 million deal, I guess Gosselin didn't get the memo.

...and that's passing over a couple others. This is the first of three he'll attempt, so I'm sure the others will get better as the draft gets closer.