MOCK DRAFT PICKS 1-10
| Mock NFL Draft No. 3 |
| Pick |
Team |
Pos. |
Player |
College |
Class |
Ht. |
Wt. |
| 11 |
 |
WR |
Limas Sweed |
Texas |
Sr. |
6-4 |
215 |
|
With the Bills in the market for a tall, athletic receiver who can go up and get the ball, they're well-positioned to take their pick between Sweed or Oklahoma's Malcolm Kelly. At the combine, Kelly didn't run due to a lingering quad injury, so we're giving the nod to Sweed for now. He was superb in Indy, measuring in at 6-4, 215, with a 40 time in the 4.4s and a 37-inch vertical.
|
| 12 |
 |
OT |
Ryan Clady |
Boise St. |
Jr. |
6-6 |
317 |
|
With the retirement of Matt Lepsis, finding a replacement at offensive tackle rises to the top of the Broncos' need list. If Clady is gone, Denver could easily shift its focus to Vanderbilt's Chris Williams, who has great size (6-5, 318) and NFL-ready footwork.
|
| 13 |
 |
DE |
Phillip Merling |
Clemson |
Jr. |
6-4 |
275 |
|
With the Panthers having franchised left offensive tackle Jordan Gross and re-signed right tackle Travelle Wharton, the focus at the top of the draft shifts to defensive end, which could use an infusion of youth, or receiver, where they still need someone to draw some coverage away from Steve Smith. Merling didn't work out at the combine due to a groin injury and had a disappointing 17 bench press reps in Indy, but he's one of the top-rated ends and has some Carolina ties.
|
| 14 |
 |
RB |
Rashard Mendenhall |
Illinois |
Jr. |
5-11 |
225 |
|
With the Bears re-signing both Rex Grossman and Kyle Orton to short-term deals, quarterback doesn't appear to be their first-round objective. Some scouts like Mendenhall's blend of size, speed and running style more than McFadden's, and he could wind up cracking the second half of the top 10. If he's still around at No. 14, the Bears can take the Illini junior and officially start shopping the disappointing Cedric Benson, their 2005 first-round pick.
|
| 15 |
 |
CB |
Aqib Talib |
Kansas |
Jr. |
6-2 |
193 |
|
The Lions need an upgrade in the secondary, and Talib is a proven playmaker who has prototypical NFL size for a cornerback (6-2, 193) and can also be a situational receiver on offense. He might have hurt his standing a bit with his combine workout, in which he seemed to struggle in terms of his technique in coverage, but he still carries a first-round grade. The other area of need that makes sense here is offensive tackle, where Vandy's Chris Williams and Pitt's Jeff Otah remain possibilities.
|
| 16 |
 |
RB |
Jonathan Stewart |
Oregon |
Jr. |
5-11 |
233 |
|
Stewart's stock is on the rise after the combine, where he checked in at 235 pounds and ran a 40-yard dash in 4.48. Besides speed and power, Stewart showed good hands in his drill work and he could be very enticing to a Cardinals team that's looking for a back to pair with -- and eventually replace -- Edgerrin James.
|
| 17 |
 |
WR |
Malcolm Kelly |
Oklahoma |
Jr. |
6-4 |
215 |
|
Ideally, the Vikings would like to come away with a top-notch defensive end, but our top four are gone and Miami junior Calais Campbell's stock is sliding after a poor combine showing. With the expected trade of Troy Williamson to Jacksonville, the Vikings could use Kelly, who's big and fluid and (unlike Williamson) is known for his good hands.
|
| 18 |
 |
CB |
Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie |
Tennessee St. |
Sr. |
6-2 |
181 |
|
Arkansas running back Felix Jones could be a consideration here, but we're going to roll the dice a bit and wager that Rodgers-Cromartie's rise could take him all the way into the teens. The Texans need help at corner, and Rodgers-Cromartie is an intriguing small-school prospect who showed great speed, fluidity and athleticism at both the Senior Bowl and the combine.
|
| 19 |
 |
OT |
Chris Williams |
Vanderbilt |
Sr. |
6-5 |
318 |
|
The Eagles have plenty of options here, from taking safety Kenny Phillips as Brian Dawkins' eventual replacement, to nabbing the highest-rated remaining receiver (DeSean Jackson, Mario Manningham or Devin Thomas). But with their offensive tackles both having some age issues, Williams gives them a much-needed injection of youth at one of the game's most vital positions.
|
| 20 |
 |
QB |
Joe Flacco |
Delaware |
Sr. |
6-6 |
232 |
|
If this seems high for Flacco, who was one of the big stories of the combine, look at the teams that pick after Tampa Bay and tell me which one is in position to select a young quarterback who might need a couple years of seasoning? I could see quarterback-collector Jon Gruden falling in love with the idea of the big, strong-armed Flacco taking over for Jeff Garcia in 2010.
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