NFL Draft is right around the corner

By Ryan Costello
Collegian Reporter
April 25, 2007

Cos' Mock Draft

1) Oakland Raiders - QB JaMarcus Russell - Louisiana State. While I hate drafting for need, I do feel the Raiders need a quarterback badly and will pass on Calvin Johnson.

2) Detroit Lions - DE Gaines Adams- Clemson. I think the Lions will swap with Tampa Bay, but if they stay at the two-hole it will be Adams.

3) Cleveland Browns - QB Brady Quinn - Notre Dame. The Browns will be too enticed to pass on the local boy, and they will pull the trigger, even with Charlie Frye as their starter.

4) Tampa Bay Buccaneers - WR Calvin Johnson - Georgia Tech. The Bucs will probably swap with Detroit for the number two pick, but they might still stay at four and get Johnson.

5) Arizona Cardinals - OT Joe Thomas - Wisconsin. Arizona signed Edgerrin James and drafted Matt Leinart, and they will now be able to protect both investments.

6) Washington Redskins - S LaRon Landry - Louisiana State. In desperate need of secondary help, Washington will go with the best athlete and safety on the board.

7) Minnesota Vikings - RB Adrian Peterson - Oklahoma. The Vikings will be dancing all the way to the podium to get the second-best player in the draft at number seven.

8) Atlanta Falcons - DT Amobi Okoye - Louisville. He will be reunited with his old Louisville coach and will help a shotty D-line.

9) Miami Dolphins - CB Leon Hall - Michigan. Having to play New England twice, the Dolphins could really use as much DB help as possible.

10) Houston Texans - OT Levi Brown - Penn State. While I have Patrick Willis in my top 10, Houston needs O-line help and will go with Brown.

Cos' Top 10 Players

1) WR Calvin Johnson - Georgia Tech. Johnson is far and away the best player in the draft, and his 6’5” height and 4.35 speed are two reasons why.

2) RB Adrian Peterson - Oklahoma. Although he was injured a lot in college, he can be an instant home run threat. He has decisive speed, with a 4.30 40.

3) OT Joe Thomas - Wisconsin. Thomas is the best lineman in this draft by far and is a typical Wisconsin lineman: big and nasty.

4) QB JaMarcus Russell - Louisiana State. At 6’6”, he is a big QB with a rocket arm and above-average speed. He did have a weight problem, though, as he got up to almost 300 pounds.

5) DT Amobi Okoye - Louisville. An interesting prospect is this 19-year-old senior with a 25-year-old body (6’2”, 305 pounds).

6) QB Brady Quinn - Notre Dame. He was the Heisman favorite to begin the season, but had a few bad games. However, he impressed scouts at the combine in Indianapolis.

7) S LaRon Landry - Louisiana State. The best athlete in the draft can and will hit anything that moves. He has 4.35 speed and can also play CB.

8) LB Patrick Willis - Mississippi. He is the best linebacker to come out in the last five years. He will be an immediate starter on any team and was a four-year starter in college.

9) DE Gaines Adams - Clemson. The best defensive end in the draft can plays off, especially on running downs, but he is a presence in the backfield.

10) CB Leon Hall - Michigan. Hall is a good tackler for a corner and will one day be a lockdown cornerback, but he needs to be more consistent in big games.

costellor1@lasalle.edu