01-08-2009, 07:05 AM
Just like last year's offseason spectacle, the 2009 NFL Draft is dependent on the underclassmen who decide to forego their collegiate careers and pursue the ultimate dream of playing in the National Football League. This mock draft projects 18 seniors and 14 underclassmen being selected in the first round.
With the future of underclassmen not officially determined at this time â besides Illinois CB Vontae Davis, who already declared â it's impossible to include every draft-eligible prospect. Some notable underclassmen that were left out of the projections were: Florida QB Tim Tebow, USC QB Mark Sanchez, TCU DE Jerry Hughes, Oklahoma DT Gerald McCoy, Pittsburgh RB LeSean McCoy and Ole Miss DE Greg Hardy.
With that said, the intrigue builds as to who the Detroit Lions will select with the first pick in the 2009 draft. The Lions are on the clock ...
1. Detroit Lions â *Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma
The Lions are a team that has to rebuild with a new regime, and they will decide between an offensive tackle and a quarterback. It's a tough choice, but they select Bradford.
2. St. Louis Rams â Michael Oher, OT, Mississippi
The Rams could use an upgrade in their secondary, but with two of the premier offensive tackles on the board, it comes down to Oher or Smith. The pick is Oher.
Read more at... Want more NFL Draft info? Check out the NFL portal on the Scout.com network for the latest news and draft rankings.
3. Kansas City Chiefs â *Andre Smith, OT, Alabama
With Bradford off the board and not wanting to reach for a defender, this is a classic trade down point for the Chiefs. Either way, Smith comes off the board.
4. Seattle Seahawks â *Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia
With Matt Hasselbeck getting older and becoming more fragile, it's apparent that Seneca Wallace isn't the answer at quarterback. Stafford is the future in Seattle.
5. Cleveland Browns â Malcolm Jenkins, CB, Ohio State
Statistically speaking, the Browns are not that bad at creating INTs and against the pass, but they need a front line CB who is a game changer. Jenkins is the answer.
6. Cincinnati Bengals â *Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech
There is a chance that Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh are not in Cincinnati next year and with Crabtree being the best available, he's the pick.
7. Oakland Raiders â Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia
Disappointed that Crabtree is off the board, the Raiders could turn their attention to Jeremy Maclin. But protecting JaMarcus Russell is a must, and Monroe is a great fit.
With the future of underclassmen not officially determined at this time â besides Illinois CB Vontae Davis, who already declared â it's impossible to include every draft-eligible prospect. Some notable underclassmen that were left out of the projections were: Florida QB Tim Tebow, USC QB Mark Sanchez, TCU DE Jerry Hughes, Oklahoma DT Gerald McCoy, Pittsburgh RB LeSean McCoy and Ole Miss DE Greg Hardy.
With that said, the intrigue builds as to who the Detroit Lions will select with the first pick in the 2009 draft. The Lions are on the clock ...
1. Detroit Lions â *Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma
The Lions are a team that has to rebuild with a new regime, and they will decide between an offensive tackle and a quarterback. It's a tough choice, but they select Bradford.
2. St. Louis Rams â Michael Oher, OT, Mississippi
The Rams could use an upgrade in their secondary, but with two of the premier offensive tackles on the board, it comes down to Oher or Smith. The pick is Oher.
Read more at... Want more NFL Draft info? Check out the NFL portal on the Scout.com network for the latest news and draft rankings.
3. Kansas City Chiefs â *Andre Smith, OT, Alabama
With Bradford off the board and not wanting to reach for a defender, this is a classic trade down point for the Chiefs. Either way, Smith comes off the board.
4. Seattle Seahawks â *Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia
With Matt Hasselbeck getting older and becoming more fragile, it's apparent that Seneca Wallace isn't the answer at quarterback. Stafford is the future in Seattle.
5. Cleveland Browns â Malcolm Jenkins, CB, Ohio State
Statistically speaking, the Browns are not that bad at creating INTs and against the pass, but they need a front line CB who is a game changer. Jenkins is the answer.
6. Cincinnati Bengals â *Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech
There is a chance that Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh are not in Cincinnati next year and with Crabtree being the best available, he's the pick.
7. Oakland Raiders â Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia
Disappointed that Crabtree is off the board, the Raiders could turn their attention to Jeremy Maclin. But protecting JaMarcus Russell is a must, and Monroe is a great fit.
