1. Oakland Raiders
JaMarcus Russell, QB, LSU -- The Raiders passed on Matt Leinart and Jay Cutler last season because they believed they had their quarterback of the future in Andrew Walter. After Walter threw for three touchdowns
against 13 interceptions in 2006, the expectation is the Raiders will add a quarterback here. Russell is more of a project than Brady Quinn, but his size and amazingly strong arm make him a better fit for the deep passing attack preferred by the Raiders.
2. Detroit Lions
Gaines Adams, DE, Clemson -- The Lions are closer to fielding a competitive team than their record indicates, and an increased pass rush would lift the entire defense. However, word out of Detroit is the Lions are looking to move down.
3. Cleveland Browns
Joe Thomas, OT, Wisconsin -- An impact skill position player makes a lot of sense for the Browns with the team needing to improve quickly to save coach Romeo Crennel's job. But the Browns first need to control the trenches, and Thomas would provide the bona fide left tackle they have been missing.
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Calvin Johnson, WR, Georgia Tech -- Michael Clayton looked like a future star as a rookie when he caught 80 passes for 1,193 yards and seven touchdowns. Unfortunately, he hasn't come close to matching that production over the past two seasons, catching a combined 65 passes for 728 yards and one score. The Bucs have talent at receiver. Joey Galloway continues to rank among the game's premier deep threats despite being 36 years old. The team added Maurice Stovall last year and liked his development. But when a prospect as talented as Johnson falls in your lap, he has to be a strong consideration.
5. Arizona Cardinals
Jamaal Anderson, DE, Arkansas -- With Bertrand Berry missing 14 games over the past two seasons due to injury, the Cardinals need to improve their depth at the position. Anderson, who signed with Arkansas as a wide receiver but grew into a 6-foot-6, 274-pound monster, led the SEC with 13.5 sacks last year. He is a bit of a reach here, but Houston proved last year that end is the one defensive position where teams are willing to gamble on greatest.
6. Washington Redskins
Alan Branch, DT/NG, Michigan -- Coach Joe Gibbs' championship teams of the past were able to run the football and stop the run defensively.Washington finished 27th in the NFL last season, allowing an average of 137.3 rushing yards per game. Branch isn't going to pressure the quarterback, but he'll swallow up blockers at the point of attack and allow the linebackers to make more plays at the line of scrimmage instead of five yards down the field.
7. Minnesota Vikings
Brady Quinn, QB, Notre Dame -- Tarvaris Jackson, a second-round pick last year, deserves more than the two start audition he received, but his strengths aren't a great fit for coach Brad Childress' offense. If Quinn is available -- and he very likely could be -- the Vikings must consider him. Quinn's accuracy and experience in Charlie Weis' offense could make him a quick contributor.
8. Houston Texans
Adrian Peterson, RB, Oklahoma -- The Texans made the unpopular choice of passing on Reggie Bush last year because they believed injured Domanick Davis (now Domanick Williams) would anchor the running game.
Williams instead missed the season, and the team struggled with a running-back-by-committee approach. Peterson, a difference-maker sincehe first stepped onto the field for the Sooners, could provide the same impact for the Texans in 2007.
9. Miami Dolphins
Levi Brown, OT, Penn State -- Cam Cameron was hired to improve Miami's offense after the Dolphins averaged only 16.3 points last season, their lowest output since 1967. The team's current skill position players would produce more with improved pass protection, and current starting left tackle Damion McIntosh is expected to be a highly sought-after free agent.
10. Atlanta Falcons
LaRon Landry, S, LSU -- The Falcons' safety tandem of Chris Crocker and Lawyer Milloy was one of the league's worst in 2006, especially against the pass. Landry's older brother, Dawan, was a fourth-round pick
for the Ravens last year and made an immediate impact on the league's No. 1-ranked defense. Laron is better, and the Falcons need the help considerably more.
11. San Francisco 49ers
Adam Carriker, DE, Nebraska -- Whether the 49ers continue to transition to a 3-4 alignment or elect to stick with the 4-3, Carriker makes a lot of sense. He played defensive end throughout his time at Nebraska in the 4-3, but is considered a better fit at this position in the 3-4. Carriker has such rare size and strength, however, that some scouts are also looking at him as a 4-3 defensive tackle. Carriker was the most physically dominant lineman at the Senior Bowl and the 49ers couldn't have missed him since they coached the North team he pushed around on game day.
12. Buffalo Bills
Dwayne Jarrett, WR, USC -- Despite a lack of deep speed, Jarrett is among the best playmakers at receiver in this draft. Many projected his statistics would drop off with Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush and LenDale White off to the NFL last year, but he still finished with 70 catches for 1,015 yards and 12 touchdowns. Despite leaving with a year of eligibility remaining, Jarrett is the Pac-10's career record holder for receiving touchdowns with 41. The Bills don't need a deep threat with Lee Evans emerging as one of the league's premier big-play threats, and Jarrett's size and strong hands would provide the perfect complement.
13. St. Louis Rams
Paul Posluszny, OLB, Penn State -- The Rams finished eighth in pass defense last year, but that number is deceiving because their run defense was so porous. MLB Will Witherspoon had a solid first season in
St. Louis, but he would be far more effective with better talent flanking him. Posluszny could provide that, and would give this defense a leader in the locker room.
14. Carolina Panthers
Dwayne Bowe, WR, LSU -- With Keyshawn Johnson averaging just 11.6 yards per reception last season and contemplating retirement, the Panthers are still searching for the right complement to Steve Smith. Bowe isn't a burner, but his size and hands make him the best senior wide receiver available.
15. Pittsburgh Steelers
Darrelle Revis, CB, Pittsburgh -- The Steelers thought they had the cornerback position locked down for years, but Ike Taylor was a disappointment last season after signing a big multi-year contract. Revis lacks prototype downfield speed, but is a playmaker who comes up strong against the run and is the best all-around corner available.
16. Green Bay Packers
Marshawn Lynch, RB, California -- Ahman Green proved he still has the legs to be a feature back, but that won't keep the Packers from adding depth and looking for his future replacement. Lynch, like Green, has big-play ability as both a runner and receiver out of the backfield.
17. Jacksonville Jaguars
Reggie Nelson, S, Florida -- It is entirely possible the Jaguars will again look to roll the dice with another receiver here. Perhaps the smarter move would be to continue to fortify their strong defense with another playmaker in the secondary. Starting FS Deon Grant is a free agent and will test the waters, while SS Donovin Darius finished each of the past two seasons on injured reserve.
18. Cincinnati Bengals
Amobi Okoye, DT, Louisville -- The Bengals' defense continues to be more dangerous off the field than on it. The team needs to add playmakers and leadership on this side of the ball. Despite entering the league at only 19 years old, is a natural leader and an emerging force in the middle. He was graded by most scouts as a second-round prospect throughout the season, but watch his stock rise as the draft approaches. Not only is he one of the few headliners in a terrible class at defensive tackle, his upside is undeniable.
19. Tennessee Titans
Daymeion Hughes, CB, California - The Titans have a talented young star in Pac Man Jones operating on one side, but Reynaldo Hill is a poor fit opposite Jones due to his lack of man-to-man skills. Hughes was arguably the most impressive defender at the Senior Bowl, rarely giving up receptions of any length. The concern with Hughes is his speed. A slow time in workouts will drop him, but he remains one of the draft's top playmakers at the position.
20. New York Giants
Leon Hall, CB, Michigan -- Hall may not be the next Deion Sanders in terms of pure shutdown coverage ability, but he is the draft's safest, most accountable cornerback. The Giants' revamped secondary simply didn't pan out last season, and they need a cover man they can count on for years to come.
21. Denver Broncos
Aaron Ross, CB, Texas -- he Broncos not only have to deal with the emotions of the tragic death of CB Darrent Williams, but also the reality that they need another confident, big-play cornerback to put opposite Champ Bailey. Ross emerged as a senior to win the Thorpe Award as the nation's top defensive back. While he has lacked consistency, Ross' natural ability is obvious.
22. Dallas Cowboys
Ted Ginn, Jr., WR, Ohio State -- On the surface, the Cowboys appear loaded at receiver. But Terrell Owens isn't a 100 percent lock to return, and both he and fellow starter Terry Glenn are in their 30s. The slender Ginn could drop down the board as teams question just where he fits. Considered by some to be a returner who can help at receiver, rather than a receiver who can help as a returner, Ginn doesn't fit every team.
23. Kansas City Chiefs
Robert Meachem, WR, Tennessee -- The Chiefs' once potent offense has steadily declined in production each of the past two years. If the team is going to avoid wasting RB Larry Johnson's best seasons, it will need to find a deep passing attack to keep defenses honest. Meachem is a talent who only falls this far because of the depth of this year's receiver crop.
24. New England Patriots (from Seattle)
Anthony Spencer, DE/OLB, Purdue -- Linebacker is a major area of concern for the Patriots with Tedy Bruschi and Mike Vrabel aging, Rosevelt Colvin carrying a large cap number, Junior Seau a candidate for retirement and Tully Banta-Cain a free agent. Spencer was quietly among the Senior Bowl's most impressive defenders and appears athletic enough to transition to OLB.
25. N.Y. Jets
Chris Houston, CB, Arkansas -- Andre Dyson was slowed by injury last season and Hank Poteat and Justin Miller aren't long-term starting options on the other side. The Jets are also in the market for a defensive tackle, but a playmaking corner like Houston makes a great deal of sense.
26. Philadelphia Eagles
Patrick Willis, ILB, Mississippi -- The decline of MLB Jeremiah Trotter is one of the biggest reasons the Eagles' run defense finished 26th in the league and allowed 136.4 yards per game on the ground.
Willis is the top inside linebacker of the draft and proved as much with a strong performance at the Senior Bowl.
27. New Orleans Saints
Lawrence Timmons, OLB, Florida State -- The Saints' ability to play surprisingly stout defense with a mediocre linebacking corps was one of their bigger accomplishments in 2006. Timmons would increase the unit's
outside speed, and his athleticism is an asset in attacking the line as well as in coverage.
28. New England Patriots
Zach Miller, TE, Arizona State -- With good depth at the position, the Patriots would appear prepared for the potential loss of Daniel Graham in free-agency. But the team utilizes a lot of two tight end sets, and Zach Miller is best as a blocker and would complement Ben Watson, who is heavily involved in the passing game. With an extra first-round pick due to the Deion Branch trade, the Patriots can splurge.
29. Baltimore Ravens
Michael Bush, RB, Louisville -- The Ravens' once-punishing running game fell to 25th in the league in 2006. With only 11 rushing touchdowns on the season, running back is a position the Ravens will be considering. Jamal Lewis eclipsed the 100-yard mark only twice and didn't play with the power or speed of years past. Bush may have emerged as an early first-round pick had he not broken his leg in September.
30. San Diego Chargers
Brandon Meriweather, S, Miami -- Teams will have to weigh Meriweather'
31. Chicago Bears
Greg Olsen, TE, Miami -- Desmond Clark has arguably been Chicago's most dependable receiver this season. Not only did he finish the regular season tied for the team lead in touchdown catches (six), he contributed
45 receptions and 626 yards. However, the depth behind the eight-year veteran is thin. Olsen would provide the team a pair of secure hands in the middle, and has the athleticism to challenge defenses down the seam.
32. Indianapolis Colts
Charles Johnson, DE, Georgia -- With Dwight Freeney coming off a down season sack-wise and looking to cash in as an unrestricted free agent, the Colts may be forced to look to the draft for a replacement. Johnson was the better of Georgia's defensive ends in 2006, despite entering the season in Quentin Moses' shadow
The Phanatic's John Gottlieb
NFL Scout Frank Coyle
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