2008 SB Nation NFL Mock Draft: Round 1 Recap

by Brian Galliford on Apr 11, 2008 10:12 AM EDT in NFL Draft

The 2008 SB Nation NFL Mock Draft, hosted over at Mocking the Draft, has just wrapped up the first-round selections (it only took us two weeks!). Below are the 31 selections (thanks to Sean at Pride of Detroit for being a wizard with table coding); we'd love to hear feedback on how you think the first round unfolded. We're also looking for suggestions for second-round picks for the Bills. Fire away, Bills fans!

2008 SBNation NFL Mock Draft - ROUND 1
Pick	Team	Player	Pos.	Ht.	Wt.	College
1	Miami Dolphins	Chris Long	DE	6-3	272	Virginia
2	St. Louis Rams	Vernon Gholston	DE	6-3	266	Ohio State
3	Atlanta Falcons	Jake Long	OT	6-7	313	Michigan
4	Oakland Raiders	Darren McFadden	RB	6-1	211	Arkansas
5	Kansas City Chiefs	Sedrick Ellis	DT	6-1	309	Southern Cal
6	New York Jets	Glenn Dorsey	DT	6-2	297	LSU
7	New England Patriots	Leodis McKelvin	CB	5-10	190	Troy
8	Baltimore Ravens	Matt Ryan	QB	6-5	228	Boston College
9	Cincinnati Bengals	Keith Rivers	LB	6-2	241	Southern Cal
10	New Orleans Saints	D. Rodgers-Cromartie	CB	6-2	184	Tennessee St.
11	Buffalo Bills	Malcolm Kelly	WR	6-4	224	Oklahoma
12	Denver Broncos	Derrick Harvey	DE	6-5	271	Florida
13	Carolina Panthers	Ryan Clady	OT	6-6	309	Boise State
14	Chicago Bears	Rashard Mendenhall	RB	5-11	225	Illinois
15	Detroit Lions	Chris Williams	OT	6-6	315	Vanderbilt
16	Arizona Cardinals	Mike Jenkins	CB	5-10	197	South Florida
17	Minnesota Vikings	Phillip Merling	DE	6-4	276	Clemson
18	Houston Texans	Jonathan Stewart	RB	5-10	235	Oregon
19	Philadelphia Eagles	Limas Sweed	WR	6-4	215	Texas
20	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	DeSean Jackson	WR	5-10	169	California
21	Washington Redskins	Aqib Talib	CB	6-1	202	Kansas
22	Dallas Cowboys	Antoine Cason	CB	6-0	191	Arizona
23	Pittsburgh Steelers	Branden Albert	OG	6-6	309	Virginia
24	Tennessee Titans	Calais Campbell	DE	6-8	290	Miami (FL)
25	Seattle Seahawks	Brian Brohm	QB	6-3	230	Louisville
26	Jacksonville Jaguars	Trevor Laws	DT	6-1	304	Notre Dame
27	San Diego Chargers	Kenny Phillips	S	6-2	212	Miami (FL)
28	Dallas Cowboys	Felix Jones	RB	5-10	207	Arkansas
29	San Francisco 49ers	Gosder Cherilus	OT	6-6	314	Boston College
30	Green Bay Packers	Sam Baker	OT	6-5	309	Southern Cal
-	New England Patriots	Forfeited Pick (Spygate)
31	New York Giants	Dan Connor	LB	6-3	233	Penn State

0 recs | Comment 15 comments

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Comments

Things have changed

since this was done. Kelly almost certainly will not be going to us at 11. Devin Thomas is now clearly the #1 WR. Also some are saying Branden Albert may be a Top 15 pick.

As for the second round, I wouldn't mind any of the top TE's there. Keller, Davis, or Bennett would be great.

by RabidBuffalo on Apr 11, 2008 10:25 AM EDT 0 recs

Well...

This is a really interesting mock with a ton of value still on the board. There are still a lot of good WRs left but we took Kelly in Rd 1.

Still available with value:

Kentwan Balmer B+
Fred Davis B+
Dustin Keller B+
Devin Thomas B+
Brandon Flowers B
Jerod Mayo A
Jeff Otah B+
Reggie Smith B+
Phillip Wheeler B
Patrick Lee B
Tracy Porter B
Tyrell Johnson B-
Chris Ellis B+

From these values coupled with need our board should go something like this for round 2.

1. Jerod Mayo
2a. Dustin Keller
2b. Fred Davis

Kentwan Balmer
Chris Ellis
Reggie Smith
Brandon Flowers
Patrick Lee
Tracy Porter
Devin Thomas
Jeff Otah

I'm pretty confident in the top 5 on this board. 6-10 could be shuffled a bit because a lot of the value is so close. Jeff Otah would be an awesome pick but he was bumped down a grade because we are solid on the O-line.

Jerod Mayo is there he has to be the pick. He's got the best value and LB is a position of need because the last time I checked the Bills hadn't resigned Crowell, who is not even a good fit in the Cover 2.

"I don't agree with a damn thing you say, but I would die for your right to say it."

by ForeignArrow on Apr 11, 2008 11:04 AM EDT 0 recs

LB

_Jerod Mayo is there he has to be the pick. He's got the best value and LB is a position of need because the last time I checked the Bills hadn't resigned Crowell, who is not even a good fit in the Cover 2. _

He's not a FA, unless you are inferring we haven't extended him instead of waiting until next offseason.

I don't see the need for a LB yet. Next year, probably, but not now. Why take a LB who wouldn't play much and miss out on filling other much, much more pressing needs? If anything, take a LB in the mid-late rounds who has some upside that can develop for a year and take over next year if necessary....

by Kurupt on Apr 11, 2008 11:18 AM EDT up 0 recs

No

It's a value pick, but it's not a stretch in the need department either. Mayo actually fits our scheme. And Crowell is going to want to some serious dough because he is one of the most productive LBs in the league. So, Mayo would be a steal in the 2nd considering he's a first round talent. He had Patrick Willis type of production in college.

"I don't agree with a damn thing you say, but I would die for your right to say it."

by ForeignArrow on Apr 12, 2008 10:49 PM EDT up 0 recs

round 2

It'd be so hard to pass on Devin Thomas if he was still there. I can't believe he's still on the board.

My round 2 board would probably be:

Brandon Flowers
Martellus Bennett
Tracy Porter
Dustin Keller
Kentwan Balmer
Reggie Smith
Fred Davis
Lawrence Jackson

I don't know where I'd put THomas in there. I doubt he'll last much further anyhow.

by Kurupt on Apr 11, 2008 11:16 AM EDT 0 recs

idea?

nfl. com has DCR as our # 11. Shall we wait to get a WR in the second rd?

by BILLZ4EVER on Apr 11, 2008 11:20 AM EDT 0 recs

Do you want one in the first?

by krytime on Apr 11, 2008 5:47 PM EDT up 0 recs

Round 2 Prospects

I think it that there are players with value at a few different positions going into the second round so here are the ones I'd look at or hope slide to us.

Brandon Flowers
Martellus Bennet
Fred Davis
Dustin Keller
Lawrence Jackson
Chris Ellis
Jerod Mayo
Tracy Porter

9.Reggie Smith
10. Kentwan Balmer

Playoff Bound in '08!

by SP on Apr 11, 2008 11:29 AM EDT 0 recs

hahaha

Told you Kelly was a bad pick at 11, hahahahaha

by bills on Apr 11, 2008 4:21 PM EDT 0 recs

Is he?

I still don't view Kelly in the first as a bad pick. Kelly at eleven, however, is a much different story...

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by Brian Galliford on Apr 11, 2008 5:53 PM EDT up 0 recs

It's gotta be...

Defense, defense, defense, in Round 1. Why is no one clamoring for a LB? They have a ton of money locked up in DE, but depth along the defensive line (any DT's that pique your interests?) is never a bad thing.

Malcolm Kelly has huge bust potential. Take a defensive player (or how about taking an offensive lineman: the line was awful for so many years, why not keep it rolling there in case someone goes down?) and get James Hardy in Round 2. Win-win.

Gotta be all about best player available in Round 1, and address the WR-TE need in Round 2.

by Docs Sports Predictions Guy on Apr 12, 2008 2:27 AM EDT 0 recs

The way I look at it

is that Buffalo needs to find a starter in Round One. This team is not yet good enough to be stockpiling first-round picks at positions where starters are set.

Defensively, the front seven starting lineup is set (Schobel/Stroud/McCargo/Kelsay up front, Mitchell/Posluszny/Crowell at linebacker), so in my mind, drafting a DE, DT or LB in Round One would be a bad move. The team could stand an upgrade at starting corner over Greer. So cornerback is the only defensive position that could be addressed in the first.

Offensively, we've thrown around wide receiver, tight end and center. Obviously we're not taking a tight end or center in the first round. So really the pick comes down to corner or wideout. That's really the long and short of it.

I'm not denying the appeal of adding an offensive or defensive lineman, and I like that you're thinking outside the box. I just don't think the team can afford to address any position but the two I just mentioned early. We're not good enough to not get those positions settled quickly.

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by Brian Galliford on Apr 12, 2008 8:14 AM EDT up 0 recs

Brian - I disagree with this.

Now, you know I recognize the need for a WR, CB, and TE. But, I do think they are getting close enough to draft the BPA. I'm starting to like some of those OL that might be available. I also think, what would happen if Rivers was available at #11? Sireric & his club have made me somewhat of a believer in Harvey, and I still really want another DT chosen up high.

I really dont' think we "have to" take a WR/CB one/two or vice verse.

On a side note, I think it will really tell us what they think of Yobouty when and where and even if they draft a CB.

by krytime on Apr 12, 2008 8:30 AM EDT up 0 recs

I didn't say "WR/CB one/two"

I said starter in round one. We need a starter with our first-round pick. That's it.

That's why that pick should be either wideout or cornerback. I don't care how it gets done. But we can't go into next season with our top pick being a backup LT (Chris Williams) and Jordy Nelson starting at wide receiver. That's not going to work.

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by Brian Galliford on Apr 12, 2008 8:53 AM EDT up 0 recs

Unfortunately, no guarantee

no matter who we draft, be it CB, WR, or DE. The Bills are good enough all around that you cannot guarantee our 1st pick will start. I would hope our first round pick would be a starter from day one, and the second and third round picks would be able to contribute by mid season, but a combination of NFL experience and time in the system make starting from day one as a rookie a very difficult thing to accomplish at those positions. Of the three, DE has the best shot. All you need to tell a DE is go get the ball. CBs and WRs have so much to learn and adjust to at the NFL level.

by Joe P. on Apr 12, 2008 2:47 PM EDT up 0 recs