Rivals.com Early Mock Draft

[Captain Erv]

First Round: 29. Green Bay (11-2)
The Pick: Rashard Mendenhall, RB, Illinois*
The Buzz: The Packers want a well-developed feature back to balance this offense.

Second Round: 61. Green Bay
The Pick: Fred Davis, TE, Southern Cal
The Buzz: The Packers want to add speed in the middle, and Davis is NFL-ready.

[ReasonablySober]

Saw that earlier and I'm not one to bash a mock, but this one was pretty crappy IMO.

Some picks that stuck out:

8. Baltimore (4-9)
The Pick: Antoine Cason, CB, Arizona
The Buzz: The Ravens defense needs younger talent on the corner, and Cason is a top-flight cover man.

9. Cincinnati (5-8)
The Pick: Steve Slaton, RB, West Virginia*
The Buzz: The Bengals are looking for an impact playmaker out of the backfield for this offense.

23. San Diego (8-5)
The Pick: Keith Rivers, LB, USC
The Buzz: The Chargers' front seven would benefit from another strong defender.

24. Tampa Bay (8-5)
The Pick: Mario Manningham, WR, Michigan*
The Buzz: The Bucs are lacking playmakers in the passing game.

29. Green Bay (11-2)
The Pick: Rashard Mendenhall, RB, Illinois*
The Buzz: The Packers want a well-developed feature back to balance this offense.

38. Kansas City
The Pick: Mike Jenkins*, CB, South Florida
The Buzz: The Chiefs secondary needs a talented young corner.

41. Carolina
The Pick: Martin Rucker, TE, Missouri
The Buzz: The Panthers want to add speed in the middle for their passing game.

43. Philadelphia
The Pick: Ali Highsmith, LB, LSU
The Buzz: The Eagles love this blue-chip defender for their front seven.

48. Detroit
The Pick: Jonathan Stewart*, RB, Oregon
The Buzz: The Lions add a tough feature back to an injury-prone position.

52. Tennessee
The Pick: Felix Jones*, RB, Arkansas
The Buzz: The Titans offense and special teams are looking for a big-time playmaker.

57. NY Giants
The Pick: Xavier Adibi, LB, Virginia Tech
The Buzz: The Giants want to add a fast, every-down linebacker for the weak side.

61. Green Bay
The Pick: Fred Davis, TE, Southern Cal
The Buzz: The Packers want to add speed in the middle, and Davis is NFL-ready.

I think Cason goes no higher than the 3rd round.

Slaton probably won't sniff the first round either.

Rivers would be a steal at #23.

I don't even think Manningham goes on the first day.

I like Marshall, not ahead of Jones and Stewart.

Jenkins would be a steal in round 2.

I don't see Rucker going in front of Davis, Carlson or Bennett.

Highsmith should go, um, higher.

[Flames24Rulz]

Why would we need a TE in the 2nd round?

As an Illini fan, I really believe Mendenhall will be a special player. But I'd like to see us use our 1st rounder on a position in the secondary. RB's are a dime a dozen in this year's draft.

[ReasonablySober]

Like someone else said, I think it was BP, I'm not a fan of the DBs in the this draft, whether it's at the top of round one or the bottom. Whereas last season there were a few that I really liked such as Revis and Nelson, there isn't any that I'd love to see with our first pick in 2008.

Maybe Reggie Smith. Great athlete, excellent size, nice program, has upside. Though even he's given up his share of plays when I've watched Oklahoma, and he's sharing the backfield with two studs in D.J. Wolfe and Nic Harris.

[Mags FTW]

Ryan Grant would like to speak with the author of the mock about us using our 1st on an RB.

[Profound23]

Saw that earlier and I'm not one to bash a mock, but this one was pretty crappy IMO.

Some picks that stuck out:

8. Baltimore (4-9)
The Pick: Antoine Cason, CB, Arizona
The Buzz: The Ravens defense needs younger talent on the corner, and Cason is a top-flight cover man.

9. Cincinnati (5-8)
The Pick: Steve Slaton, RB, West Virginia*
The Buzz: The Bengals are looking for an impact playmaker out of the backfield for this offense.

23. San Diego (8-5)
The Pick: Keith Rivers, LB, USC
The Buzz: The Chargers' front seven would benefit from another strong defender.

24. Tampa Bay (8-5)
The Pick: Mario Manningham, WR, Michigan*
The Buzz: The Bucs are lacking playmakers in the passing game.

29. Green Bay (11-2)
The Pick: Rashard Mendenhall, RB, Illinois*
The Buzz: The Packers want a well-developed feature back to balance this offense.

38. Kansas City
The Pick: Mike Jenkins*, CB, South Florida
The Buzz: The Chiefs secondary needs a talented young corner.

41. Carolina
The Pick: Martin Rucker, TE, Missouri
The Buzz: The Panthers want to add speed in the middle for their passing game.

43. Philadelphia
The Pick: Ali Highsmith, LB, LSU
The Buzz: The Eagles love this blue-chip defender for their front seven.

48. Detroit
The Pick: Jonathan Stewart*, RB, Oregon
The Buzz: The Lions add a tough feature back to an injury-prone position.

52. Tennessee
The Pick: Felix Jones*, RB, Arkansas
The Buzz: The Titans offense and special teams are looking for a big-time playmaker.

57. NY Giants
The Pick: Xavier Adibi, LB, Virginia Tech
The Buzz: The Giants want to add a fast, every-down linebacker for the weak side.

61. Green Bay
The Pick: Fred Davis, TE, Southern Cal
The Buzz: The Packers want to add speed in the middle, and Davis is NFL-ready.

I think Cason goes no higher than the 3rd round.

Slaton probably won't sniff the first round either.

Rivers would be a steal at #23.

I don't even think Manningham goes on the first day.

I like Marshall, not ahead of Jones and Stewart.

Jenkins would be a steal in round 2.

I don't see Rucker going in front of Davis, Carlson or Bennett.

Highsmith should go, um, higher.

I only watched Cason twice, in those games he had 2 INT's and a few batted passes. He stuck to his WR like glue, and never committed penalties. Didn't see him have to make a tackle, because he never let his man catch the ball. If he is available in the 1st I would take him, if he goes 3rd round I will be mad we passed on him twice.

[skitch815]

Ryan Grant would like to speak with the author of the mock about us using our 1st on an RB.

Not that we dont have the cash, but what do you figure Ryan Grant is going to get as a free agent this offseason?

[Ayt]

-= original quote snipped =-



Not that we dont have the cash, but what do you figure Ryan Grant is going to get as a free agent this offseason?

He's an exclusive rights RFA which means he'll get like $400,000 and can't do anything about it unless we offer him more. Barring an extension offer, he either signs the small deal or doesn't play football.

[ReasonablySober]

-= original quote snipped =-



I only watched Cason twice, in those games he had 2 INT's and a few batted passes. He stuck to his WR like glue, and never committed penalties. Didn't see him have to make a tackle, because he never let his man catch the ball. If he is available in the 1st I would take him, if he goes 3rd round I will be mad we passed on him twice.

I'm not saying I don't like him.

I just cant see an NFL team taking a CB that comes up short on the stopwatch.

More than anything I believe the 40 yard dash to be overrated, but guys that don't possess top end speed don't get picked in the first round, despite their ball skills. He also isn't the most physical corner out there.

If you're comparing him to anyone from this past draft, I think he's somewhere between Tanard Jackson and Daymeion Hughes. Hughes was a monster of a playmaker at Cal but fell to the 3rd round. Jackson and Cason are remarkably similar. Great college cornerbacks, same size and speed. Jackson fell to the 4th round and had to switch to free safety, a position in which he's been outstanding thus far.

I think Cason may end up being a real nice player. I also think that he's going to drop.

[El Duderino]

It would take Johnathan Stewart showing up at the combine with a crack pipe in his mouth and an AK-47 strapped to his chest for him to last to the 48th pick.