goodfellas31

1. Dolphins- Jake Long- Its done. No need speculating on this pick.

2. Rams- Glen Dorsey- They have publically said they are not worried about his injuries. That is the one thing that could drop him in this draft. And if the Rams dont care they will take Dorsey. Who for a long stretch was considered the best talent in this draft.

3. Falcons- Chris Long- Matt Ryan is not a clear cut stud right now. He may very well turn into one, but i dont think the Falcons take that chance. Instead they take a clear cut stud in Chris Long and try for a QB later in the draft and pay far less.

4. Raiders- TRADE. Lions swap 1st round picks and a package of later picks. Lions draft Darren McFadden. Tatum Bell is not a top shelf RB. The Lions may need some more help in other areas, but you cant pass up McFadden. This will take some pressure off Kitna and allow the Lions to have a steady running game they havent had since Barry Sanders left.

5. Chiefs- Vernon Gholston- After trading away Jared Allen today, this makes perfect sense. They now need another elite pass rusher. A young quick extremely athletic kid instead of an aging Allen. They could use help on the OL though, but Clady or Williams arent good enough to spend the 5th pick on. A trade is not out of the question earlier.

6. Jets- Matt Ryan- Lets face it, Pennington isnt good, neither is Kellen Clemens. Neither are going to have great careers in the NFL. Ryan is not guarantee but he has a better shot then anybody they have. This isnt a bad team, they have a solid defense and a pretty good ground game, they need the QB and they will have all the pieces.

7. Patriots- Keith Rivers- Im going back to my earlier prediction. While they may need another CB, there are some decent ones that you can get later in the draft and mold them into another Asante Samuel. Rivers has an excellent skill set. He wont start right away but he will get alot of knowledge learning from guys like Bruschi, Vrabel and Seau. This kid will be a stud.

8. Ravens- Ryan Clady- I still believe their most pressing need is OL. The reason the offense did so bad was because that line was terrible last year. The defense still is excellent. They can figure out the QB situation and McGahee is a great RB. Add an anchor to that OL to get that offense back up and running.

9. Bengals- Sedrick Ellis- While he is more of a NT, he can be groomed into a regular DT. He has almost the same skill set as Dorsey just not the big name. He is still an elite talent and the Bengals cannot strike out with this pick. They need any kind of help they can get of defense.

10. Saints- Mike Jenkins- Their most pressing need is secondary help. The CB pool is a big cluster. Guys keep flipping as the top and what their talents really are. Its a gamble. But Jenkins is the one guy that hasnt fallen or risen much on anybodys board. He is probably the safest pick at CB.

11. Bills- Chris Williams- This isnt a bad team. They could use some more help on the OL though. This is a little high for Williams, so they may look to trade down and get more picks.

12. Broncos- Rashard Mendenhall- They have a mass of DEs. We all know what Shanahan can do with RBs. Henry is a little risky. Mendenhall is an elite talent right now .You add him into the Broncos system, great things can happen.

13. Panthers- Derrick Harvey- Their main stay at DE Mike Rucker just retired. They need somebody to fill those shoes. Harvey isnt on the level of a Vernon Gholston yet, but he can get there with a little work. Him and Peppers rushing from the ends in a couple years is a scary thing to think about.

14. Bears- Jeff Otah- The biggest thing we need is a OL. We struck out in FA. I wouldnt be shocked if JA trades this pick either. I would also like to see us bring in Kenny Phillips.

15. Raiders from Lions- Branden Albert- We all assume that Russell is going to be the starting QB this season. It never hurts to give him some extra protection. Albert is listed as a G, but some say he will be better at T. Time will tell. No matter where you stick him he should be solid.

16. Cardinals- Dan Connor- He has risen on the boards these last few weeks. Hes a very good talent and knows how to play his position with the best of them. The cards could also be looking for a RB so a  trade is a possibility as well.

17. Chiefs-Sam Baker- Acquiring this pick from Minnesota helps alot. They get the OL they so desperatley need and avoid having to pay Allen a huge sum of money like he just got.

18. Texans- Malcom Kelly- This draft doesnt bring that stud receiver that so many do. But it is deep at that position. It is really a revolving list on who the best are. Malcom Kelly is very good. Matt Schaub did ok last season, as did Rosenfels. Who will be the starter, im not sure. But adding another threat for whoever the QB is doesnt hurt.

19. Eagles- Quentin Groves- A hybrid OLB/DE. The Eagles do need a reciever, but they may be able to steal one in the 2nd or 3rd round. Groves is a good talent that can become elite with a little bit of work and getting in the right system. Hes one of the fastest LBs in this draft. 4.43 40.

20. Buccaneers- Devin Thomas- He had one good season in college and impressed at the combine. Some are skeptical. It may take him a year to really get his feet under him but he will get there. Galloway is still producing but hes up there in age, how long can that last. Clayton hasnt done anything of significance since his rookie year. They need another WR.

21. Redskins- Mario Manningham- This is one thing that hasnt changed in any of my mocks. The Bengals turned down their offer for Chad Johnson. That means they are really looking to land a receiver. Manningham will compliment this team perfectly. He gives you down field speed along with being able to go over the middle and be a posession receiver.

22. Cowboys- Chris Johnson- Hes a bit unkown to most. But he has blazing speed. 4.29 40. All the Dallas fans are screaming that they need another RB opposited MBIII. Well here you go. Hes the perfect compliment to Barber as well. Barber is the smashmouth RB that gets the tough yards. And Johnson is the blazing fast RB that can break a big one at any moment.

23. Steelers- Aqib Talib- The Steelers are always looking for help at CB. They have some solid guys that can play. Add in Talib who is a top talent at corner this defense only gets better.

24. Titans- Limas Sweed- Bring back the old Texas connection. You know if Sweed is still out there VY will push for this. And you have to try and please your franchise player. Sweed is also very talented. Hes coming off knee surgery so it may take him some time to adjust but he will get there. This is the main thing that the Titans need in this draft is a top shelf WR.

25. Seahawks- Jonathan Stewart- Yes i know they just got Duckett and Jones. But what do those guys bring? They just let go of Alexander, so that gives them some money to play with. Stewart has better promise than Jones does at this point. He can be a stud RB and Holmgren can get him there even if he is only around for one more year.

26. Jaguars- Phillip Merling- They still need a solid WR, but that can come later. Merling fell a little bit. He is a very good DE and the Jags are getting a steal landing him at 26.

27. Chargers- Leodis McKelvin- Needing some more help in the secondary, they take McKelvin. They lost a few guys to FA this year and with this league turning pass happy, an abundance of good DBs is a must. McKelvin also brings a great return game to the table.

28. Cowboys- Calais Campbell- They could use another guy that can rush from the outside. Calais Campbell is a question mark at this point. We all know he has the talent but can he get it going in the NFL. Only time will tell. But he will get a good chance playing in Dallas.

29. 49ers- Kenny Phillps- They need help all over. Starting in the secondary isnt a bad start. I still really like Phillips and i think he is going to be a stud. The 9ers are committing grand larceny by landing Phillips this late.

30. Packers- Fred Davis- Lets try this again. I was tarred and feathered when i said they would take Davis in my original mock. Lets see what happens this time. This pick makes sense especially with Favre leaving. Rodgers is going to need all the help he can get. Addind a good pass catching TE can work wonders for a young QB just getting his 1st start.

31. Giants- Dominique Rodgers Cromartie- They dont need more help on the defense, but it wont hurt. I really dont think their CBs are anything to cheer about. Adding Cromartie will pay dividends. Hes also a solid return guy.

Western Conference 1st round.

1. Lakers V. 8. Nuggets- Lakers in 6. Denver will put up a fight. They are a very strong 8 seed. They don't play much defense, but they run and score with the best of them. They will give the Lakers fits at times. But overall the Lakers are a better all around team. Especially if Bynum comes back and contributes. Kobe will play stopper on Iverson and Anthony. Also the big game experience of guys like Derek Fisher will come into play. The Nuggets dont have many playoff tested guys after AI.

2. Hornets V. 7. Mavericks- Hornets in 6. Another 1st round exit for Dirk. No matter which way this series swings it will be a grueling battle with both teams trading games on eachother's courts. The Hornets overall talent level will trump the Mavs. They just havent really been clicking with Jason Kidd yet. They should be by now. But who knows they may figure it out by the time the playoffs start.

3. Spurs V. 6. Suns- Suns in 7. The Spurs got the best of them in a series that could have gone either way last year. I dont see that happening again. Especially with the adittion of Shaquille O'Neal. Many have critcized the move but it will work against the Spurs. In past series' the Suns havent had another big guy they can throw at Duncan. And thats why the Spurs have gotten the better of them. Now they have 2 monsters down low that can guard Duncan all game. Parker and Ginobli are very good, but without Duncan producing like usual i cant see them winning. The Suns are a very battle tested team, and i think this year they will finally get past San Antonio.

4. Jazz V. 5. Rockets- Jazz in 5. I dont think the Rockets are that good. Scolia and Mutumbo have been a decent down low combo so far in the absence of Yao, but that will be exploited in this series. This is a Utah team that likes to go in the paint. Boozer is dominant and without a real down low defensive presence (dont say Mutumbo still is) i cant see the Rockets winning. Especially with the way the Jazz play at home. Houston doesnt really have anybody else that can score at will besides McGrady, Utah has many options and that will prove huge.

Eastern Conference 1st Round-

1. Celtics V. 8. Hawks- Celtics in 5. This series wont be close. I see the Hawks taking a game at home because Boston kinda lays it down a little. But in the end it wont matter.

2. Pistons V. 7. 76ers- Pistons in 6. This series could be closer than alot think. The 6ers are a solid, athletic team. They have a very good and underrated PG in Andre Miller, and up and coming superstar in Andre Igudola, and some young talent that can contribute (Louis Williams, Thaddeus Young) and a solid post player in Samuel Dalembert. The Pistons are still the better team and will play it close but ultimatley end up on top.

3. Magic V. 6. Raptors- Magic in 5. The Magic will dominate the post. Toronto doesnt really have a post player than can match up with Dwight Howard. Yes Bosh is a PF but he doesnt play like one. Hes a finesse PF if you want to call it that. They have nobody that can stick Howard and he will dominate this series. You also add in the their 3 point ability, this series may not even be close. Sam Mitchell cant make up his mind on who his PG is and that will cost him.

4. Cavs V. 5. Wizards- Wizards in 7. Arenas is back, Butler is healthy, Jamison is having his best season, how will they not win. That trade in my mind hurt the Cavs. They got smaller in getting Ben Wallace, not that they were big to begin with. Lebron is ailing a little. The Wizards have given guys like Blatche and Stevenson more time in the season because of injuries, and that will pay off in this series. Arenas has a grudge on a lot of people, and alot of times he takes it out by scoring alot of points, as we have seen with all the teams that he said he would torch last year, and did. Except for the Blazers i think it was. His presence now will be huge, and i dont see them losing again to a Cavs team that is not as good as they were last playoffs.

Western Conference 2nd Round-

1. Lakers V. 4. Jazz- Jazz in 7. I dont trust the Lakers. I dont think they are as good as everybody is portraying them to be. And the Jazz are no flukes. They made it to the Western Conference Finals last year for a reason. Deron Williams is even better. Boozer is better. This team has all the pieces to make a nice run. I think they handle the Lakers in a 7 game series.

2. Hornets V. 6. Suns- Suns in 7. Battle of the PGs. Nash comes out on top because he has the better supporting cast. Amare and Shaq down low are too much for Tyson Chandler too handle. His game is defense, he cant play both these mammoths. Then you add in guys like Barbosa, Hill and Bell who all play their roles extremely well, they have the team that can finally make it this year. The key is going to be how Raja Bell guards Paul. I dont think Dantoni can put Nash on Paul because of his lack of defensive skills. Bell will have to step up and play stopper like he has so many times before.

Eastern Conference 2nd Round-

1. Celtics V. 5. Wizards- Celtics in 5. The Wizards are going to be drained from a long battle with Cleveland. The Celts will be coming off their very easy series against the Hawks. The Big 3 are doing to be too much for the Wiz to handle. The only way Washington makes this close is if they somehow can score 110 ppg against the Celtics. And this being the best defensive team in the league, i highly doubt that will happen.

2. Pistons V. 3. Magic- Magic in 7. The Pistons are a very good team. But so are the Magic. They have the perfect formula for winning. They have so many guys that can step back and hit the 3. And then the most dominating big man in the game. Feed and Kick all game. This will be a very good back and forth series. But Wallace and McDyess arent big enough to stop Howard. He will dominate yet again. The only thing the Pistons have over the Magic is their experience and their overall ability to just win no matter how. But the Magic will overcome.

Western Conference Finals

5. Jazz V. 6. Suns- Suns in 6. This is finally the year that they make the Finals. Shaq puts them over the top. Two 7'0 big men that can both play at a high level is just too hard to stop. Its hard to win a championship without any big men these days. The Suns have 2. While Shaq is not what he once was, he is still a 7'2 body that can easily grab 10 boards and score 15 points. Thats still pretty good. And then add in Amare who can grab 10 rebs and score over 20 at will. Also the best PG in the game in Steve Nash, and a great supporting cast, Pheoniz finally gets in. The Jazz just cant handle them yet. The Jazz are a very good and young team. 2 straight trips to the Western Conference Finals will be a huge morale boost for next season.

Eastern Conference Finals

1. Celtics V. 3. Magic- Celtics in 6. The Celtics actually have somebody that can stop Howard while dominating the game himself. Kevin Garnett will finally make that trip to the Finals hes been waiting for. They are just too much for the Magic to defend. Howard is still going to have a very good series, but Garnett will prevent him from dominating like he will in the Pistons and Raptors series. Rajon Rondo will be the X factor in this one. His play will determine if the Celts win or not. Its time for him to step up and prove to everybody that he is a playoff caliber PG and can lead a team to a championship.

NBA Finals-

1. Celtics V. 6. Suns- Suns in 7. This will go down as one of the best Finals series' ever. The Celtics may havea slight advantage coming in because they have played far less games and havent had to give it everything they got every night like the Suns have thus far. But by game 3 that fatigue will wear off and the Suns will take control of the series. Hill and Bell are pretty good defenders and will prevent Allen and Pierce from lighting it up from the floor. Garnett will find it hard to get going with having to deal with Amare and Shaq two very good shot blockers. After Garnett the Celts dont have another guy that can play good defense down low. The Suns will exploit that and either Shaq or Amare will have a huge night every game. In the end its just too much for the Celts to handle. The Suns are too deep and this is their best team since Steve Nash came over. The Suns finally get that championship that they have been so close to for the last several years. And a move by Steve Kerr that was once blasted by all, will be glorified and he will be thought of as a genious. The guy that finally got Pheonix over the top.

It may be a little bit out there, but hey thats how i see it playing out. We shall see.