11. Houston Texans 6-10
The Texans are a team that has been hovering around the .500 mark for what feels like forever. Despite drafting well, especially on defense, the team has been unable to get it all together in the AFC South. One last disruptive force in the middle of the defensive line may just get this team over the top. Colorado corner Jimmy Smith is a possibility, but I speculate that the Texans will be big players in the quest for Nnamdi Asomugha. No offense to Smith, but I’d rather have Aso.
Corey Liuget looks a lot like an unpolished Warren Sapp to me. High praise, and I don’t give it out easily for defensive linemen, but Liuget’s natural explosiveness and burst make the comparisons easy. This is a good fit for Houston especially because in Wade Phillips’s 3-4 scheme, having linemen to move all over the place is never a bad thing. I think that Liuget will be wreaking havoc in backfields for Houston come next season.
12. Minnesota Vikings 6-10
Cornerback is high on the wish list for the Vikings, too. Jimmy Smith is still on the board, and seems like the right pick. The only problem is, the Vikings have a familiar dilemma facing them in the draft. An outrageous offensive talent has fallen to them in the first round.
The Vikings add another prodigious cog to their offense, and create the most desirable QB job in the NFL when they select A.J. Green, WR from Georgia (I’m personally pulling for a Kurt Warner comeback). The best receiving prospect since Calvin Johnson, Green completes a Vikings offense that becomes absolutely petrifying. And that’s even assuming they lose Sidney Rice. Green is explosive, with hands and acceleration that are leaving NFL scouts salivating. To beat the Packers’ corners, you need receivers to match, and the Vikings have a quality set with this pick.
13. Detroit Lions 6-10
The Lions are another team who has done a good job drafting, and the selection of Colorado’s Jimmy Smith is a smart move for the rebuilding effort. He’s 6-2 and fast, with excellent man coverage skills. The NFC North features a lot of potent passing attacks, and the addition of Smith will help the Lions to keep pace in the short term.
If not Smith, then the Lions could look at Anthony Castonzo. The BC product can play either tackle position, and has started since his true freshman season with the Golden Eagles. Offensive tackle is a position the Lions will address in the draft, and Castonzo would go a long way towards solidifying the line. Nonetheless, Smith is the selection.
14. St. Louis Rams 7-9
I’m not going to beat around the bush here. The Rams are taking Julio Jones. Congratulations, Sam Bradford, meet your new playmaker. And Jones is some kind of beast. A wide receiver who loves to hit defenders (think Hines Ward), Jones can run and jump with anyone. He ran a 4.39 40 and broad jumped 11’3” at the Combine. On a broken foot. Hold on, I don’t think you heard me. JULIO JONES RAN A 4.4 AND BROAD JUMPED OVER 11 FEET ON ONE FOOT. This kid is absolutely out of this world; he has an outrageously high upside. This is a match made in heaven, and the Rams are thanking their lucky stars that Jones lasted this long.
15. Miami Dolphins 7-9
The lockout hurts the Miami Dolphins more than perhaps any other team. The Fish are losing both Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams, not to mention quarterback Chad Pennington. Miami would love to be big players in the free agency market, but unfortunately until a deal gets done the draft is their only option for improving their leaky roster. The Dolphins can’t win without a tailback, and there’s only one worth a first-round selection this year: Mark Ingram. The former Heisman trophy winner from Alabama finds his draft stock creeping up after improving on an abysmal 40-yard dash time. Ingram is an every-down kind of back, and is the heir-apparent to either or both of the Dolphin’s free agent runners.
If not Ingram, Ryan Mallett from Arkansas is a possibility here. The statuesque signal caller has NFL scouts buzzing over his size and rocket arm. The Dolphins’ offense is in tatters all around.
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