Mock draft: Despite suspension, Bryant goes No. 1

SportingNews 7 hours, 4 minutes ago

Here's a look at the first 16 picks in the NFL draft, as projected by Sporting News' War Room scouts. Draft order is as of the end of Week 8 (*—underclassman):

Dez Bryant's season-ending suspension shouldn't hurt his draft stock.

1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Dez Bryant*, WR, Oklahoma State
The Bucs need playmakers on offense, so despite Bryant's suspension, they should jump at the chance to get the big, athletic receiver who can make big plays with the ball in his hands.

2. St. Louis Rams: Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska
The Rams' defensive line has struggled in recent seasons, and Suh would give them a powerful and athletic tackle who can change games.

3. Cleveland Browns: Trent Williams, OT, Oklahoma
Even with Joe Thomas(notes), Cleveland needs a lot of help on its offensive line, and Williams would give the inevitable new head coach and GM a pair of elite tackles.

4. Kansas City Chiefs: Russell Okung, OT, Oklahoma State
To give Matt Cassel(notes) a chance at long-term success, the Chiefs have to protect him. Okung is an athletic and strong tackle who would start on the right side in 2010 and could take over the left spot eventually.

5. Tennessee Titans: Gerald McCoy*, DT, Oklahoma
The Titans' defense has not been the same since losing Albert Haynesworth(notes), so they should jump at the chance to get another impact tackle in McCoy.

6. Detroit Lions: Eric Berry*, S/CB, Tennessee
Berry plays safety at Tennessee, but he is best suited to cornerback in the NFL. His athleticism, instincts and playmaking ability would really upgrade the Lions' secondary.

7. Oakland Raiders: Taylor Mays, S, USC
The Raiders' strength is their defense, but adding the versatile Mays would make the unit even better.

8. Seattle Seahawks: Bryan Bulaga*, OT, Iowa
Walter Jones'(notes) career might be over, and Bulaga is a big-time athlete who might be able to replace him.

9. Washington Redskins: Sam Bradford*, QB, Oklahoma
Whoever takes over the Redskins will be looking to rebuild, and adding Bradford—who likely would have been the No. 1 overall pick if not for his shoulder injury—would make too much sense.

10. Buffalo Bills: Joe Haden*, CB, Florida
Rookie safety Jairus Byrd(notes) has improved the Bills' secondary, but now they need to upgrade at cornerback, and Haden would bring them a rare athlete with great instincts and playmaking skills.

11. Jacksonville Jaguars: Sergio Kindle, DE/OLB, Texas
The Jags need to greatly improve their pass rush, and Kindle would bring his rare explosiveness to the defensive end position.

12. San Francisco 49ers: Thaddeus Gibson*, OLB, Ohio State
For the 49ers' defense to become elite, they need to improve their pass rush, and Gibson would bring the explosiveness and skills necessary to do so.

13. Miami Dolphins: Brandon Spikes, ILB, Florida
Many believe Channing Crowder(notes) is not long for Miami, and Akin Ayodele(notes) is not a long-term answer at inside linebacker, so it would make sense to add the tremendously instinctive Spikes, who fits Miami's defense perfectly.

14. San Francisco 49ers (from Carolina): Jon Asamoah, OG, Illinois
The 49ers must improve their offensive line, and Asamoah would bring the athleticism, strength and competitiveness to start as a rookie.

15. New York Jets: Cameron Heyward*, DE, Ohio State
The Jets' defensive line lacks youth and depth, and Heyward would bring the size, strength and athleticism to fit perfectly as an end in New York's 3-4 scheme.

16. Arizona Cardinals: Rob Gronkowski*, TE, Arizona
The Cardinals have a lot of talent at receiver, but adding an impact tight end could turn the offense from very good to elite. Gronkowski could be a top receiver and very good blocker.

Billy, why oh why did you post a mock draft from The Sporting News? They are the absolute worst at it to the point that they've become laughable. And it doesn't look like they've improved any this year. Dez Bryant #1? One QB in the top 16? Gibson, Asamoah, Gronkowski, and Heyward in the top half of the 1st round?

Billy, why oh why did you post a mock draft from The Sporting News? They are the absolute worst at it to the point that they've become laughable. And it doesn't look like they've improved any this year. Dez Bryant #1? One QB in the top 16? Gibson, Asamoah, Gronkowski, and Heyward in the top half of the 1st round?

We could create a new thread that is dedicated solely to mock drafts from any site. . . jmho

Done. This thread is it.

I just hope that Billy doesn't get pissed that I changed his thread title

1. St. Louis Rams: Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska
The Rams have drafted two defensive linemen in the first round in recent seasons (Adam Carriker and Chris Long), but neither is productive. Suh is an impact interior defender who would upgrade the defense immediately.

2. Kansas City Chiefs: Trent Williams, OT, Oklahoma
The Chiefs' offensive line needs a lot of help, and Williams would start at right tackle early before replacing inconsistent LT Branden Albert.

3. Cleveland Browns: Eric Berry*, CB, Tennessee
The Browns need help in many, many areas, but Berry is the athletic playmaker who would upgrade their secondary immediately.

4. Detroit Lions: Gerald McCoy*, DT, Oklahoma
The Lions must upgrade the pass rush and interior defensive line. McCoy is athletic, explosive and strong, capable of making game-changing plays routinely.

I finally found a full 7 round Mock Draft. I wouldn't call it very accurate, but it's interesting to look at the later round prospects.
http://www.draftsite.com/nfl/2010mock.htm

Mock draft has Lions taking Oklahoma DT Gerald McCoy
The Detroit News
ESPN's Todd McShay predicts that the Lions will take Oklahoma defensive tackle Gerald McCoy with the fourth pick in the 2010 NFL draft.

McCoy is 6-foot-4 and 297 pounds. He has 31 tackles this season and 14.5 for loss -- second on the team to Jeremy Beal's 18. McCoy also has five sacks and a team-best nine quarterback hurries.

McShay ordered the first round of his mock draft according to current NFL standings; ties between teams with identical records were broken based on 2009 strength of schedules.

Here is his first round, released Tuesday:

1. St. Louis -- DT Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska

2. Tampa Bay -- S Eric Berry, Tennessee

3. Cleveland -- DE Derrick Morgan, Georgia Tech

4. Detroit -- DT Gerald McCoy, Oklahoma

5. Kansas City -- OT Russell Okung, Oklahoma State

6. Oakland -- DE Carlos Dunlap, Florida

7. Washington -- QB Sam Bradford, Oklahoma

8. Denver (from Chicago) -- LB Rolando McClain, Alabama

9. Seattle -- OT Trent Williams, Oklahoma

10. Buffalo -- OT Anthony Davis, Rutgers

11. San Francisco -- CB Joe Haden, Florida

12. Pittsburgh -- OT Bruce Campbell, OT, Maryland

13. San Francisco (from Carolina) -- DE/LB Sergio Kindle, Texas

14. Houston -- S Earl Thomas, Texas

15. Tennessee -- DE Jason Pierre-Paul, South Florida

16. Atlanta -- LB Navorro Bowman, Penn State

17. Baltimore -- WR Dez Bryant, Oklahoma State

18. Jacksonville -- LB Bruce Carter, North Carolina

19. Giants -- LB Brandon Spikes, Florida

20. Jets -- OT Bryan Bulaga, Iowa

21. Miami -- WR Golden Tate, Notre Dame

22. Arizona -- TE Jermaine Gresham, Oklahoma

23. Seattle -- QB Jimmy Clausen, Notre Dame

24. Dallas -- S Taylor Mays, USC

25. New England -- DE/LB Ricky Sapp, Clemson

26. Green Bay -- RB C.J. Spiller, Clemson

27. Cincinnati -- DT Marvin Austin, North Carolina

28. Philadelphia -- OT Vladimir Ducasse, Massachusetts

29. San Diego -- RB Jonathan Dwyer, Georgia Tech

30. Minnesota -- DT Brian Price, UCLA

31. Indianapolis -- DT Jared Odrick, Penn State

32. New Orleans -- DT Dan Williams, Tennessee