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Welcome to the first NFL Mock Draft at TastefullyDriven.com. I’ve been pouring over stats, players, teams, videos, interviews, blogs, players personal diaries (just kidding, but I would have) and I’m ready to deliver my first NFL Mock Draft. The process was more difficult than I first thought but really fun to do. I’ve picked the players that I thought were most likely to be taken by their teams and one alternate pick, from the remaining players at that point in the draft. There is likely to be some trades that will throw some of these picks way out of whack but for now this is as good as it gets. Enjoy!

2008 NFL Mock Draft

1.Miami Dolphins – Jake Long OT
I questioned Bill Parcells as a coach at times, but not usually as a GM or VP (same difference to me in this case.) I believe Parcells is disciplined and knows this team will realistically need 1 – 3 years to really turn around. Therefore he is not going to gamble on a QB with his first pick. He will build out from the lines and take a year to see what he has at the talent positions. Long is a Parcells kind of guy who fits the mold of his “type” of player. Solidifying the offensive line will help him evaluate their QB situation and run the ball which Miami will do a lot. Alternate Pick - Chris Long

2.St. Louis Rams – Chris Long DE
The Rams probably would have preferred Jake Long but Chris Long is an excellent choice here as well. The Rams have pieces of a good defense but need to start getting more pressure on opposing QBs. Long should step in right away and be an impact player and toughen up this defensive line. If the Rams can finish with a strong draft look for them to rebound and compete for their division title. Alternate Pick - Glenn Dorsey

3.Atlanta Falcons – Matt Ryan QB
Atlanta desperately needs to turn things around, put Michael Vick further in their past and Matt Ryan could be the start of that. The Falcons will not be great this coming year which will give Ryan some time to develop without the overwhelming pressure of winning. Ryan has been solid throughout college and I believe he’ll do well in the NFL, if the Falcons continue to find more play makers to add to their offense. Alternate Pick – Darren McFadden

4.Oakland Raiders – Darren McFadden RB
Eat your heart out Jerry Jones, Al Davis will not this stud slip through his hands. Do the Raiders really need a RB? No. Does this pick make a lot of sense? No. Does Al Davis’s hair cut/jump suit selection make sense? No. However it’s tough to argue with taking the best player available. McFadden jersey’s will be flying off the shelves and optimism will fill the Raiders, at least until September. Alternate Pick - Glenn Dorsey

5.Kansas City Chiefs - Glenn Dorsey DT
The Chiefs are thrilled to get the guy who has looked like the top pick for at least two years at #5. Dorsey is extremely quick at getting up and taking on multiple blockers. Expect Jared Allen to have a big improvement with this addition. I would expect Dorsey to be a very good lineman by next year or possibly midway through his first season. Alternate Pick - Vernon Gholston

6.NY Jets – Vernon Gholston DE
Well the Jets really have absolutely no choice here, they have the perfect player that would fit their defense or the Pats. There is no chance they let this guy slip through to the Pats at pick #7. Gholston is a beast whose work outs were absolutely stunning. I expect him to be an exceptional player right from the get go as long as he’s in a 3 – 4 defense. Alternate Pick – Keith Rivers

7.New England Patriots - Leodis McKelvin CB
The Patriots address their biggest need with the most talented player at this position. He’s got great ball skills and is extremely well rounded. I know he comes from a smaller school but I just love his raw talent. He should be a very good starter in New England for a long time. Alternate Pick – Keith Rivers

8.Baltimore Ravens – Sedrick Ellis DT
I consider there to be 6 truly elite players in the draft and Sedrick Ellis is the last one off the board. I know the Ravens need help on both sides of the ball, but taking Ellis would really help re-establish their dominant defense. He’s a solid pick that you just can’t argue against for a team that needs help against the run. There are positions with greater need on this team, but not where this kind of elite talent is available. Alternate Pick – Derrick Harvey

9.Cincinnati Bengals - Keith Rivers LB
Cincinnati’s defense has not been great or even average in a really long time and Rivers helps them dramatically. LB is one of the easiest positions to transition to at the NFL level, so I expect Rivers to start Week 1 and excel. He’s got the size, speed and aggressiveness that makes him an impact player right away. The Saint’s won’t be happy about this but Rivers is a stud and a safe pick. Alternate Pick – Ryan Clady

10.New Orleans Saints – Jared Mayo LB
The Saints will claim they wanted him all along but would have taken Rivers if given the chance. Mayo hasn’t got that much attention but he is the real deal. He flies around the field making plays everywhere. He just seems to understand the game at a high level and when you combine that with his athletic prowess you have a great player. Again LB is one of the safer positions to draft at so you can’t fault the Saints for maybe making a little bit of a reach. Mayo and newly acquired Vilma should be a huge upgrade on a vulnerable defense. Alternate Pick - Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie

11.Buffalo Bills – Malcolm Kelly WR
Kelly had a poor Pro Day workout and a poor attitude in his interview immediately after. However the worst kept secret in the draft is that the Bills need a WR and they still like Kelly. The Bills have absolutely no #2 WR on their roster, so when you back yourself in to a corner you are forced to act accordingly. Kelly has outstanding hands, leaping ability and game breaking talent so the Bills take a chance on him. Missing out on Kelly could force the Bills to take risks on lesser known WRs in later rounds and potentially doom their offense for 2008. Alternate Pick – Devin Thomas

12.Denver Broncos – Ryan Clady OT
The Broncos had their first losing season since 1999 and they should have done much better. Despite the fact that Shanahan is the most tan man in snowy Denver, he can’t hide the embarrassment. Shanahan goes back to basics and beefs up the offensive line by adding Clady. He knows how to run the ball and a big OT will help the run game, Cutler and the rest of the offense. Clady is a giant man, which is usually a very good thing for an offensive lineman (just stating the obvious) and the Broncos will rebound in 2008. Alternate Pick – Devin Thomas

13.Caroline Panthers – Derrick Harvey DE
The Panthers are in a tough position here because there is no premier talent at their highest positional needs. The Panthers are not desperate for a DE but they could be very easily if Peppers leaves next year or other players leave/retire/stay injured. Additionally you always need multiple DE’s in this league and Harvey looks like the logical choice here. He has put on weight since his last NCAA game and really impressed at his work outs. Alternate Pick – Jeff Otah

14.Chicago Bears – Rashard Mendenhall RB
The Bears have a horrible taste in their mouth after taking Benson as the #4 overall pick in 2005 draft and trading away Thomas Jones. They finally admit it was a terrible pick and get the #2 RB in this draft. Unfortunately they have not made the same realization with their QBs, but that will probably be in later rounds, next years draft or Free Agency. Mendenhall has proved he can play in cold weather and should be the RB answer for the Bears. He’s got great speed on the outside but still has power to run in between the tackles. Basically he should be everything Benson has turned out not to be. Alternate Pick – Jeff Otah

15.Detroit Lions – Chris Williams OT
The Lions have one of the most complete receiving corps in the NFL if you evaluate positions 1 – 4. Say what you will about Kitna but the guy can distribute the ball and this team should have finished much better than they did in 07. Adding Williams will help give Kitna more time to really get the ball in their play makers hands. Williams should be solid already but needs work to become a great player. Alternate Pick – Philip Merling

16.Arizona Cardinals - Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie CB
Elite talent and bloodlines give the Cardinals the chills with this pick (the good kind). If he played at a larger school or had a thicker build I think he would have been a lock for a top 10 pick. When you watch him play you just can’t help but feel that he could be a truly elite player. He seems to break on the ball at just the right time. The Cardinals are thrilled with this pick and their defense pushes in to that above average category if this pick materializes. Alternate Pick – Aqib Talib

17.Minnesota Vikings – Devin Thomas WR
Benard Berrian was a great addition to this team but the Vikings were not one person away from having a good WR core. Thomas and Berrian will help open up the offense and give Tavarius Jackson some target to throw to. This will also help free up Adrian Peterson for more running room and less players in the box. Thomas has fantastic speed while changing directions and should help be a game breaker. He’s shown that he has the complete physical package if he can continue to improve his skills. Alternate Pick – Aqib Talib

18.Houston Texans – Aqib Talib
There are so many good CBs in this draft and the Texans get outstanding value with this pick. I don’t think Talib is one of the top two CBs taken in this draft but you could easily argue he is the best. He comes from one of the bigger schools, in a tougher conference and produced at a high level. He had plenty of interceptions and game breaking plays on defense. Don’t forget Talib’s return ability as well, which makes him highly versatile. He’ll need a good coach to refine his technique but should be a great pick for the Texans. Alternate Pick – Mike Jenkins

19.Philadelphia Eagles – Branden Albert G
McNabb would love a WR and the Eagles really must get him one but they don’t do it here. Offensive line help will make the team better all around but I’m not sure it is significant enough. Albert knows how to be physical and continuously block a man down field. The Eagles have always had hard working blue collar guys at the OT position and Albert should fit right in there. Alternate Pick – Limas Sweed

20.Tampa Bay Bucanners – Limas Sweed WR
Joey Galloway may appear to have found the fountain of youth, but he did not and the Bucs need young WR talent. Tampa Bay is thrilled to get Limas Sweed and really open up the offense. The Bucs have yet to fill there #2 WR role with reliable talent. Sweed is fast, tall and has good hands on deep and short routes. He’s a great red zone threat on fades with his height and leaping ability. You have to be happy as a Bucs fan to get a top talent at the #20 pick. Alternate Pick – DeSean Jackson

21.Washington Redskins – Michael Jenkins CB
A fantastic talent from South Florida that will really help relieve some pressure off the secondary. Jenkins is the real deal and should do quite well in the NFL almost immediately. Jenkins has average height, good strength and NFL quickness. He’ll need to learn how to be more physical but I don’t see this being a problem, considering he already has the size. The Redskins got the last stud CB from this stacked CB class. Alternate Pick – James Hardy

22.Dallas Cowboys – DeSean Jackson WR
The Cowboys already have one of the premier offenses in the NFL but Jerry Jones is looking to stack the deck. DeSean Jackson will be an excellent slot receiver with game breaking talent. He should be perfect for underneath routes, while TO stretches the field. Sprinkle in a little Terry Glenn and Patrick Crayton and you may have the best core of receivers in the NFL. The Cowboys will also get extra value from this pick because of his return ability. DeSean has turning ability at high speeds that is rivaled by few if any players. He should be an ESPN highlight kind of guy with ankle breaking moves and amazing acceleration. Alternate Pick – Mario Manningham

23.Pittsburgh Steelers - Gosder Cherilus OT
I had to double check on the spelling of his name, but it only took one glance to recognize his talent. This extra large man should help minimize the damages of losing Pro Bowler Faneca to the Jets. He seems to have a big heart and a motor that never stops working. Despite his large frame he moves relatively quick and should do well with other experienced starters in the Steelers line up. I really like this guy and expect him to be an above average lineman in 1 – 2 years. Overall though I’m not sure how much the Steelers improve by loosing a Pro Bowler and replacing him with a rookie. Alternate Pick – Kenny Phillips

24.Tennessee Titans - Philip Merling DE
Merling is a typical NFL DE, big, strong and fast. He’s got the power to get through blockers and get after the QB. Some people have him falling on their draft boards, but I don’t see him slipping out of the top 25. Merling should make Tennessee’s defense much more dangerous. Merling really makes the defensive line much better and if Young improves with their new Offensive Coordinator watch out for the Titans. The Titans barely made the playoffs in 07 but they may be poised for a much deeper run. Alternate Pick – Kentwan Blamer

25.Seattle Seahawks – Fred Davis TE
Despite the terrible weather Seattle is a throwing team and why not, you have a reliable QB with Hasselback. No outstanding WRs are left in the draft so the next best option is to take the top TE in this years draft. A lot of people like Keller from Purdue but with the first round pick I think Seattle takes the most polished and accomplished TE in the draft. Davis can block, catch well and stretch the field. A solid pick this late in the first round for Seattle. Alternate Pick – Dustin Keller

26.Jacksonville Jaguars – Kentwan Balmer DT
Marcus Stroud will not be missed if Kentwan Balmer can live up to his potential. Playing next to Henderson and a solid defensive unit should allow him to play well early and only face single coverage on virtually every down. Balmer can be disruptive and potentially look better than he is on this above average defense. Alternate Pick – Brandon Flowers

27.San Diego Chargers – Jonathan Stewart RB
Wow, a surprise pick here considering LT is still a Charger. However having no Michael Turner forces San Diego to make sure they have a reliable back up. Stewart is the complete RB that can alleviate some of the pressure and wear and tear on LT. In reality this pick is an insurance policy on LT if he is injured or in need of less carries. If Stewart becomes an absolute stud he’ll become excellent trade bait or a very productive Charger. The position isn’t an extremely high need but I really like Stewart and the Chargers can’t resist either. Alternate Pick – James Hardy

28.Dallas Cowboys – Felix Jones RB
Jerry Jones kind of gets his way and takes his second place prize of Felix Jones home to Dallas. If he doesn’t trade up to get McFadden then expect the Cowboys to take a RB early, to round out the most complete offense in the NFL hands down. Four good wide receivers, two good tight ends, two good running backs, good offensive line and a top quarterback makes this team scary on offense. Alternate Pick – Pat Sims

29.San Francisco - Antoine Cason CB
Antoine is a great person and a great corner and San Francisco should have an amazing secondary now. San Francisco pairs him with Clements to form an impressive duo of CB talent. If the offense doesn’t keep the defense on the field so much this year you can expect their defensive rankings to go much higher. Alternate Pick - Brian Brohm

30.Green Bay Packers – Dustin Keller TE
Oh man this would have made Brett Favre’s day but rest assure folks he’s not coming back. Keller is very fast and has the most upside of any pick in this draft. He’s very talented and can use his speed to exploit slower LBs in coverage. Remarkably he’s still strong enough to block on the line and take on larger LBs at the line of scrimmage. I believe he’ll be an outstanding player or total flop at this level. It should be interesting to watch his development. Alternate Pick – Chad Henne

31.New England – Forfeited
Cheaters caught cheating while cheating, equals cheating. I’m sorry, but I’m still bitter over this terrible act that has robbed many fans of their NFL innocence. New England got the pass of a life time by not receiving a more stern punishment. I’m guessing this is in part because it was the first time this type of cheating has been caught. If and when there is a second offender the punishment will be more stern, because there will not be any “misinterpretation of the rules” despite the fact the NFL issued a reminder weeks earlier. The NFL has more clearly outlined their rules to coaches and teams so I’d be surprised to see it happen again. Alternate Pick – Canon XH A1 MiniDV HD (It’s smaller)

32.New York Giants - Kenny Phillips S
Another young stud added to this already feared defense will help steady the Giants in 2008. A few losses on defense will make them more vulnerable but Phillips is a prototypical safety and the top safety in this draft. While not elite he’s still very capable of contributing right away. Gabril Wilson is gone and they fill that void right away with a somewhat similar player. Giants must continue to draft well if they have any chance at a repeat of last year. Alternate Pick - Dan Connor

Thank you for reading and please let me know if you have any comments or suggestions.