Astrobot

RD PICK WHO YOU WANT 1 #9 Bryan Bulaga LT 2 41 Brandon Spikes ILB 3 72 Cam Thomas NT 4 104 Brandon Lang OLB34 5 136 Mike Neal DE34 6 168 Kevin Haslam OT 6 182 Blair White WR 7 193 Nate Byham TE 7 200 Clifton Geathers DE34

I'd much rather answer the phone and trade down than take Berry because taking Berry means one of the 3 big needs won't get met in RD1-3, there are limited NT's in the draft, 4 QB's and about 5 OT's with big potential.

I missed the memo a week ago that Casey Hampton was given a new contract. However, it's his 10th season, and would be Jamal Williams' 13th season, I believe. Big rigs tend to blow tires easily. Just sayin'.

Here's the problem. There are FOUR (4) Nose Tackles in this draft, and here's where we have them slated to go: RD1: Dan Williams RD2: Cam Thomas (definitely available) RD3: Cam Thomas (possible) RD4: Torrell Troup RD5: NONE RD6- NONE RD7- NONE The demand for these four NT's is stiff: Buffalo, Denver, KC, Miami, and Pittsburgh list NT as a P1, P2 or P3 need. There isn't enough to go around. This means that there could be a run on NT's, moving Dan Williams up, Cam Thomas into the 2nd, and Troup into RD3. I'm okay with drafting any of them, but taking Jamal Williams only signals we aren't taking a RD1 Nose Tackle. If I had to guess, JWilliams ends up in Pittsburgh, DWilliams ends up in Miami, we get Cam Thomas, KC stands pat , and Denver gets Troup

Dan Williams will go #9 to the Bills, #12 to the Dolphins, or #18 to Pittsburgh Ducasse is a OG going #37 to Washington because they took their QB in RD1. Could be us.

Fully agree; Bulaga is the most NFL-ready. Campbell is the young physical phenom with impressive combine who "could" be the next Jason Smith. Sound like Maybin? Davis has the weight, power, arm width but is more raw than Bulaga--possibly more upside. I suspect at worst 1 of these 3 will be there at #9.

It was also before a replacement for Lynch (Tate) started zooming up the charts. I doubt Tate's a 4th rounder now.

Uncle Al Davis likes shiny objects, don't he?! Another draft I've seen has him choosing Dez Bryant here. With Al ahead of us, anything is possible. Here's one: Imagine having at #9 the choice of Clausen Morgan, Derrick - DE - Georgia Tech Bryant, Dez - WR - Oklahoma St. Mcclain, Rolando - ILB - Alabama Bulaga, Bryan - T - Iowa Increidble!

Pouncey is late first at best. This is too early. I'll say Dallas at #27 at the earliest and RD2#5 to Washington at the latest. RD2#1 to St. Louis has been a popular spot. Agree with Pierre-Paul to a 4-3 team would be the best value at that pick, especially if matched with team needs.

Drafttek was asked to prepare a mock draft for Fanball.com, who will be putting out a Draft magazine in April shortly before the NFL Draft. Over the past couple days, we team analysts got together and we produced our entry - listed below. It's a hybrid computerchoice/analystchoice model which largely resembles CMD#19 over on the DraftTek website. The deviations begin with the NY Giants at #15, and of course once there is one little crack in the windshield, chaos ensues. The guys picking at the end of this draft made comments like "I'm surprised that [Georgia Tech running back] Jonathan Dwyer is still available" Ditto for Jason Pierre-Paul. For Discussion: 1) Who went too early? (My opinion: Dez Bryant) 2) Who should be in the 1st round but wasn't drafted? (I'll start - Golden Tate) 3) Bad pick? (Pouncey to Houston at #20) 4) Great picks? (Clausen to SEA 1 pick before Cleveland, Bills pick of Bulaga, Miami taking Spiller (grr), Odrick to Dallas) 1 STL Bradford 2 DET Suh 3 TB McCoy 4 WSH Okung 5 KC McClain 6 SEA Clausen 7 CLE Berry 8 OAK Campbell 9 BUF Bulaga 10 JAX Haden 11 DEN Bryant 12 MIA Spiller 13 SF Thomas 14 SEA Charles Brown 15 NYG Dan Williams 16 TEN Dunlap 17 SF Iupati 18 PIT Anthony Davis 19 ATL Morgan 20 HOU Pouncey 21 CIN Gresham 22 NE Graham 23 GB Trent Williams 24 PHI Sapp 25 BAL McCourty 26 ARI Kindle 27 DAL Odrick 28 SD Mathews 29 NYJ Hughes 30 MIN Price 31 IND Dwyer 32 NO Pierre-Paul

Patrick Willis...AJ Hawk...Brian Cushing...all favored by somebody in the Bills War Room. Rolando McClain in RD1 or Spikes in RD2 this year, anyone?

A clarification: Longball's research on Clausen isn't going to drop him to Round 2, but I wouldn't be surprised if he's there at Philly's pick at #24. A couple of players named Lynch and Whitner might help grease the skids to deal us the pick. RD1-Davis LT (or Bulaga, I'm not fussy) RD1-Clausen QB RD2-Spikes ILB RD3-Thomas NT RD4-Tate RB RD5-Arthur Jones DE34 Syracuse RD6-O'Brien Schofield OLB34 Wisconsin RD6-Linval Joseph DE34 ECU RD7-Chris Marinelli RT Stanford RD7-Danny Batten OLB34 South Dakota State

I like it. Brandon Carter BTW, is an animal. A penalty now and then but he'd add another Richie Incognito to that line. Why are you taking a CB in RD6? How about TE Peek or OT Wang? Put Donald Butler ILB Washington in RD7 and we'll call it a draft.

Skelton's big. So was Jared Lorenzen. Skelton's problem is (and has been) accuracy...a bad problem to have when you just waived 2 WR's.

I'm OK with taking Bradford in RD1, but not Clausen. We did some research and Clausen could experience a Leinart-like fall in April. Here's what Longball (in charge of our Big Board) says: So if we take Bradford, is there a way of getting what we need? This draft scenario says yes: RD1 - Bradford QB RD2 - Selvish Capers OT RD3 - Eric Norwood ILB RD4 - Torrell Troup DT34 Central Florida RD5 - Arthur Jones DE34 Syracuse ---- Local product RD6 - O'Brien Schofield OLB34 Wisconsin ---- Take injured Schofield, who Saffold said he was the best he faced RD6 - Lindsey Witten OLB34 Connecticut RD7 - Marcus Easley WRF Connecticut RD7 - Chris Marinelli OT Stanford

I like Schofield, too. Saffold was the OG that was the darling of the Senior Bowl, so when he talks, I listen. Wouldn't mind either guy. I like the more mobile QB's in the intermediate rounds for us this year. Dunno if LeFevour lasts, and I like Robinson and Jarrett Brown if they last until our LT-NT-LB needs are filled--4th or 5th round.

Skelton--big arm low accuracy, Shrine Game didn't impress, may not be drafted so bring him in as UDFA, suffers from Jay Cutler Disease-- takes chances and suffers as a result, needs more touch or arc than the bullet, use feet more, needs lots of harness and discipline to not throw into tight coverage.

I think Brown goes #14, Williams goes #17, and Campbell goes #23. I ran a simulation with us taking Bulaga or Davis with our RD1 (with similar results). Here are the players that would be available to us at our RD2 pick: Brandon Spikes ILB Florida Jerry Hughes OLB34 TCU Damian Williams WRF USC Sean Weatherspoon OLB43 Missouri Dexter McCluster WRS Mississippi Daryl Washington ILB TCU Aaron Hernandez TE Florida Greg Hardy DE43 Mississippi Vladimir Ducasse OG Massachusetts Rodger Saffold OG Indiana Morgan Burnett SS Georgia Tech Nate Allen FS South Florida Terrence Cody DT34 Alabama Chad Jones SS LSU T.J. Ward SS Oregon Selvish Capers OT West Virginia Demaryius Thomas WRP Georgia Tech Tony Pike QB Cincinnati You could take Selvish Capers here, but we're committing to a 3-4 defense, and selecting Spikes, Hughes, or Cody would help you get R done more than Capers would help you here. If you took Bulaga, why not wait until RD4 and take Bulaga's Iowa counterpart Kyle Calloway? In RD3 it's a little early to think about Jared Veldheer, but he could be a steal--he'd just need time to develop. I could also argue that an ideal replacement for Reed is sitting there who knows Chan Gailey--Demaryius Thomas.

Is anyone sure we need two NT's in this draft? I can see two OLB's maybe. I'll send these in at 9EST. Thank you for your comments. Anyone else?

I must submit my positional needs changes by 9pmEST this evening to DraftTek. You can see the current Positional Needs, and every team's, right here. Any other Positional Needs Changes? I have OT remains P1 (minimum 2), QB, DT3-4, ILB remain P2, DE3-4 and OLB3-4 remain P3, WRF raising to P3 and raising WRP to P4 , OG lowering to P5, TE lowering to P5, OC lowering to P5, I can put a grab on any player in any round for us as well. Astro

Bryan Bulaga OT Iowa Brandon Spikes ILB Florida Cam Thomas DT34 North Carolina Jarrett Brown QB West Virginia Arthur Jones DE34 Syracuse O'Brien Schofield OLB34 Wisconsin Chris Scott OT Tennessee Naaman Roosevelt WRF Buffalo Jeron Mastrud TE Kansas State This was off our simulator this morning. Love the local connections, although with the loss of Owens and Reed, I'll now be increasing our Priority Need for WRF (featured receiver) and WRP (possession receiver), which hopefully will show up on Monday's Mock here.

DraftTek has him going RD2#57 to Baltimore. He's one of the best possession receivers in this draft. Would you take him at RD2#41?

Great Connections! Great Post!

That's what I read, too. We're taking Cam Thomas. "You want to say 6-2, 6-3, 340 (at nose tackle) " does not describe Terrence Cody. It DOES describe Cam Thomas in the second (if we don't take him, we'll be seeing him twice a year in Miami --remember I said this). Thomas is #61 on our Big Board. After Thomas, you have to go down quite a ways for a Nose Guard (first possibility is Georgia's Jeff Owens at #276, roughly 7th Round #200 Pick). I think we'll go for Dan Williams or Cam Thomas or make a play in FA. The problem with FA is, unless you want damaged goods (Maake Kemoeatu), they've all been re-signed or franchised.

CG said that he also likes to ask them questions at the combine about X's and O's--who they'd cover/block on a given play or a given situation.