2009 NFL Mock Draft

OK, the NFL regular season is over--and your team sucked. It was a long year for you, you suffered, you were miserable, maybe you drank (a lot). But hope springs eternal and you're looking forward to next year. You aren't looking forward to the playoffs, YOU are looking towards the 2009 draft. This is the chance for your team to get those guys that are going to turn your team around. Or they'll pick another guy that will bust and you'll be in the same situation next year. These are the worst teams in the league, the dirty dozen, and if your team is on this list, these are the guys you will want them to pick:

* this list includes underclassman who are expected to leave school early

1. Detroit Lions 0-16: Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma

I've always argued that in order to win football games, a team must control the line of scrimmage. The Lions were pushed around all year long. So they should take a stud tackle, right? Someone to solidify their line that will be a starter for the next twelve years, right? Wrong! That's the logical choice, unless your quarterback's name is Dan Orlovsky. The Lions really can't go wrong with this pick, unless they take a wide receiver; they need help at every position. Take the franchise quarterback. Some will say Georgia's Matthew Stafford is the better pro prospect. But I like Bradford here. Yes, he'll struggle next year. But this is a rebuilding project that is going to take years.

2. St. Louis Rams 2-14: Andre Smith, OT, Alabama

The Rams have a lot of needs, especially on defense and on the offensive line. The Rams allowed 45 sacks this year. The best offensive lineman in this draft is Alabama's Andre Smith. The Rams need someone to protect Bulger and block for Steven Jackson. Orlando Pace is getting older and is injured too often. Expect the big tackle to go here, but don't be surprised if the Rams give up on Bulger and take Stafford.

3. Kansas City Chiefs 2-14: Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia

With a new general manager, likely a new coach, why not go for the hat trick and get yourself a new quarterback. While Kansas City's defense was terrible and a pressing need, I don't think they can pass on a quarterback like Stafford. They ended the season with Tyler Thigpen as their starting quarterback. And while he didn't play terribly, Stafford would be an upgrade. Improve your defense in rounds two and three.

4. Seattle Seahawks 4-12: Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech

Coach Mike Holmgren's final season was a disaster for the Seahawks. Injury to quarterback Matt Hasselback and the lack of any kind of receiving talent really crippled the offense. This pick is really a no-brainer. Their leading receiver was the tight end and the wide receivers are old. Crabtree is hands down the best receiver in the draft. Expect this pick to take about fifteen seconds.

5. Cleveland Browns 4-12: Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest

Cleveland's defense was in a word: pathetic. They were 26th in the league, allowing 357 yards per game and only had 17 sacks--as a team! The Cowboy's DeMarcus Ware and the Dolphin's Joey Porter had more sacks, as individuals. So the Browns could look at someone like DE Brian Orakpo. But Aaron Curry is probably the best line backer in the draft and makes a lot sense here. Expect the Browns to focus on defense.

6. Cincinnati Bengals 4-11-1: Michael Oher, OT, Mississippi

Where to start with the Bengals? How about on offensive line. The Bengals will need someone to protect an ailing Carson Palmer and to help an anemic rushing attack that averaged a measly 95 yards per game. And then try to find a running back (Javon Ringer or LeSean McCoy). And a defensive lineman.

7. Oakland Raiders 5-11: Brian Orakpo, DE, Texas

The Raiders would desperately love to see Michael Crabtree fall to this position. JaMarcus Russell needs a receiving weapon and Crabtree would be an ideal choice. Ain't gonna happen. So look at another glaring need: a pass rusher. That Raiders haven't had a dominant lineman since Howie Long (yes kids, that old guy on the Fox pre-game show used to be a football player--and a damn good one). Orakpo would provide a instant impact and is one of those freakish physical specimens that Al Davis loves. Another choice could be OT Eugene Monroe. Look for a receiver in the second (Darius Heyward-Bey) or third round (Mohamed Massaquoi).

8. Jacksonville Jaguars 5-11: Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia

This was a disappointing season for the Jaguars. It seems they were out-physicalled in a lot of games, which is a surprise for a Jack Del Rio coached team. Solidify the line and get back to smash mouth, pound Maurice Jones-Drew and Fred Taylor, push the other guy around football. Listed at 6'6" and 315 lbs, Monroe fits the bill.

9. Green Bay Packers 6-10: Michael Johnson, DE, Georgia Tech

With only 27 sacks this season, the Packers could use an outside pass rusher. Michael Johnson is a freaky athlete who can get to the quarterback. He may lack great bulk (listed at 260 lbs), and that may cause him to be a bit of a liability on run defense. But he's incredibly quick and a great pure pass rusher.

10. San Francisco 49ers 7-9: Malcolm Jenkins, CB, Ohio St.

Mike Singletary will return as the 49ers head coach and we all know (after his infamous rant following his first game as a head coach) that he wants winners, stand-up guys. He'll love Malcom Jenkins. The 49ers won't be able to pass on the best cornerback in the draft. They ranked 20th in the league allowing 219 passing yards per game. Pair Jenkins with Nate Clements and watch that number go down. An alternative is OT Jason Smith.

11. Buffalo Bills 7-9: Taylor Mays, S, USC

Mays is probably the best defensive player left on the board. The Bills only managed ten interceptions this season. With great size and speed, Mays will help solidify the Bills secondary.

12. Denver Broncos 8-8: Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia

The Broncos have always had the ability to put just about anyone in at running back and make a thousand yard rusher out of them. Not this year. An inconsistant ground game made the Broncos one dimensional. I like Moreno over Chris Wells. Although Wells may have the combine numbers that make scouts drool, Moreno has heart. Another need for Denver is defense. The Broncos allowed 28 points per game. If they don't take Moreno, look at William Moore (S, Missouri), Everette Brown (DE, Florida St.), or Rey Maualuga (LB, USC).

There they are, the top twelve picks in the 2009 NFL draft. Or at least the way I see them.

Loose Lips Sink Ships

There was an old World War II saying that went, "Loose lips sink ships." It meant: be careful with what you say because it could cost lives. On Sunday, the ship was the Dallas Cowboys and after a season of drama, in-house fighting, public criticism of teammates and coaches, it sunk like the Titanic.

After a 44-6 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, which cost the Cowboys a playoff spot, there was plenty of blame to spread around, and plenty of finger pointing.

Quarterback Tony Romo hinted that the Cowboy offense, engineered by coordinator Jason Garrett, was exposed by the Eagles defense. Wide receiver Terrell Owens did more than hint, blaming the Cowboy's offensive ineptitude squarely on Garrett, "Putting guys in position to win. It all starts with the guys who are calling the plays." Of course the guys ON the field PLAYING the game had nothing to do with it. Owens would have us believe that they are merely pawns on a chess board, being moved about by offensive and defensive coordinators.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who usually has plenty to say, will only say that head coach Wade Phillips will keep his job after this debacle of a season in which the Cowboys were practically the consensus pick to win the NFC. And Phillips, as usual, continues to say nothing.

Of course, Jones refuses to acknowledge his mistakes, signing Adam Jones, trading for Roy Williams, stubbornly keeping the coaching staff intact, publically questioning running back Marion Barber's toughness.

With all of the arguing, blame, and refusal of players to accept responsibility for their play on the field, it is obvious that this team lacks at least one thing: TEAM. They have no chemistry and no accountablity to one another. So what are they playing for? Simply paychecks.

For all of the mouthing and blaming being tossed around, cornerback Terence Newman said the most insightful thing after the game, "We aren't the team we thought we were." But it took the Cowboys sixteen games to figure this out. Maybe Romo, Owens, Garrett, Jones, Williams, and Jones will shut their mouths, listen to Newman, and all take their share of the blame.

BCS for BSU?

The Boise State Broncos made their case for a BCS bid last night by drubbing rival Fresno St. 61-10 on the blue turf in Boise. The win sealed the Broncos' second perfect regular season in three years by running their record to 12-0. But is an undefeated season enough to get the Broncos a BCS invite?

Probably not. Well, not if you play in a non-BCS conference such as the WAC.

The Broncos are currently ranked 9th in the BCS poll. The problem for BSU is that the University of Utah is also undefeated, also plays in a non-BCS conference, and is ranked 6th in the BCS. What are the chances that the BCS would select two non-BCS teams for BCS bowl games?

Highly unlikely.

And BSU fans would certainly cry foul play if the Broncos are snubbed by the BCS. But if the Broncos want to know why they are left out of the BCS party, they need look no further than their schedule.

The WAC conference is weak. Hawaii is down, Fresno St. had a bad year, and Nevada was inconsistent. And the bottom feeders of the WAC, Utah St., New Mexico St., and Idaho, are among the worst teams in major college football. So voters are forced to look at BSU's non-conference schedule. This year the Broncos played Idaho St., Bowling Green, Oregon, and Southern Mississippi, with Oregon being the only ranked team the Broncos faced all year. While BSU has no control over their conference foes, they do have the ability to strengthen their non-confernce schedule. And if the Broncos want BCS consideration, year in and year out, they have to start playing a tougher non-conference schedule. Sure, by playing, and beating, other mid-major schools, BSU increases their likelihood of going undeafeted. But BSU is an excellent program. And they need to start playing tougher competition, even if it puts a perfect season at risk.

The Broncos may feel like they are being cheated out of a BCS bowl by the BCS poll, or the coaches poll, or the AP poll. But perhaps they are cheating themselves by not challenging themselves.

Major League?

Most people will agree that, in baseball, pitching is everything. Teams try to stock pile arms; starters, closers, doesn't matter. Want to trade for another teams player? The first thing they'll ask for is your young pitching. What's the value of a good arm? Just look at the deal the Yankees are reportedly offering this year's free agent darling, C.C. Sabathia. And every team is scouring the globe looking for the next potential Cy Young winner.

But the Pittsburgh Pirates have taken their search for good young pitching to another level. On Monday the Pirates signed Rinku Singh and Dinesh Patel to free agent contracts. What's interesting about the signing is not that Singh and Patel are the first Indians to sign professional contracts. But Singh and Patel have never played organized baseball--at any level. The duo were part of an Indian reality television show called, "Million Dollar Arm." The goal of the show was to find athletes, in a country with a population topping one billion, who could throw Major League fastballs. Singh and Patel ended up as the top hurlers and came to the United States to audition for major league scouts. Singh's heat was clocked at 84 mph and Patel's at 90 mph. And while the Pirates acknowledge that the two pitchers are raw, they must see something in the two. Otherwise, this is a publicity stunt usually relegated to AA baseball clubs.

And this is why the whole thing reeks. The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball team, one with a rich history. They have won the World Series five times, the last one coming in 1979 and they were one out away from winning the NL pennant in 1992.

But their recent history has shown that this is not a good ball club. The 2008 campaign found the Pirates ending the season with a 67-95 record and 30.5 games back of the division winning Chicago Cubs. The last time the Pirates finished a season above .500 was in 1992. That's a lot of years with a lot of losing. And the future looks pretty bleak for Pittsburgh fans. The team traded their two best players last year (Jason Bay and Xavier Nady).

Now they are signing reality show contestants to contracts. I understand that smaller market teams are not going to be signing the top tier free agents. They will need to develop their talent in the farm system. But this signing is, at best, a terrible PR stunt. Is this what you are going to sell your fans who are sick and tired of losing? Is this the talent that their scouts are finding: two guys who throw (sort of) hard, although they've never played a game of baseball in their lives? Do you really expect fans to show up to your games?

While most of the Pirate players don't seem to be ready for the big leagues, Pirate management certainly has shown that they aren't either; sixteen straight losing years and countless more to come. Which leads me to question the validity of the Pittsburgh Pirates' major league status. Are they a major league ball club or simply a AAAA team?

OU Romps!

College football's game of the week turned out to be the beat-down of the year as the Oklahoma Sooners absolutely destroyed the second ranked Red Raiders of Texas Tech on Saturday night in Norman, Oklahoma. The Sooners won the game 65-21.

Oklahoma dominated the game. QB Sam Bradford threw for 304 yards and 4 touchdowns and the Sooners ran for 299 yards. The Sooner defense held the vaunted Red Raider offense in check and forced three turnovers.

But was it good enough to put the Sooners into the national championship picture? It is premature conversation considering that the Sooners still have to play a tough Oklahoma St. team. But, where should the Sooners be in the BCS standings?

Obviously, Alabama will stay at the top spot. But the big question is who is number two? Three teams will lay claim to the spot, and all have a right to that claim. Florida, Texas, and Oklahoma. Florida is a one-loss team in the tough SEC. Texas is a one-loss team in the tough Big 12, and perhaps hold the trump card with a victory over Oklahoma earlier in the year. Oklahoma is a one-loss team in the tough Big 12, but trounced the team that gave Texas their only loss.

So, who should get that second ranking?

Florida is probably the hottest team in the country. And Texas does have that defeat over Oklahoma. But the way the Sooners demolished Texas Tech last night (the previous number 2 team), I have to give it OU. Sam Bradford probably put himself at the top of the Heisman list. DeMarco Murray is a stud. And the defense showed it's mettle by shutting down Texas Tech. The way I see it: 1. Alabama 2. Oklahoma 3. Texas 4. Florida.

BUT...

There is still a lot of football left to play this year.

Pedroia Wins A.L. MVP

Dustin Pedroia added some more hardware to his collection of post-season awards today. The Boston Red Sox second baseman won the 2008 American League Most Valuable Player. The 2007 AL Rookie of the Year adds the '08 MVP to his 2008 Gold Glove award and Silver Slugger award. But the MVP award tops the list of what was a break-out season for Pedroia.

The diminutive (5'9" 180lb) slugger put up huge offensive numbers for the Red Sox. He ranked first in the American League in runs (118) and doubles (54) and was second in the league in batting average (.326). He also socked 17 home runs, drove in 83 runs, and had a .376 on base percentage. Pedroia also played stellar defense at second base.

With 16 first place votes and 317 points overall, Pedroia comfortably defeated Minnesota Twins first baseman Justin Morneau (257) and Boston's first baseman Kevin Youkilis (201). Pedroia is also the first second baseman to win the American League's MVP since the Chicago White Sox Nellie Fox won the award in 1959.

The award was well deserved for Pedroia. He's a hard-nosed, tough player who goes all out on every play. Have you ever seen the guy not run out a routine ground ball? He provides a spark at the top of the Red Sox lineup, batting in the second position. In fact, manager Terry Francona moved Pedroia all over the lineup, even batting him clean-up for a period of time while Youkilis, David Ortiz, and Mike Lowell were injured. He's a grinder at the plate, taking pitches, fouling off pitches--he never gives away an at-bat. And not only does he have the offensive statistics and solid glove in the middle of the infield to merit the award, but Pedroia, in only his second year, has emerged as one of the leaders of a veteran ball club. Pedroia's presence in the clubhouse, dugout, and on the field, was, in a word, invaluable. That makes Dustin Pedroia deserving of the MVP award.