FBG Board Consensus 2010 Mock NFL Draft (1 Viewer)

1.01 St. Louis Rams select QB Sam Bradford (83% of the vote)

1.02 Detroit Lions select DT Ndamukong Suh (59% of the vote)

1.03 Tampa Bay Buccaneers select DT Gerald McCoy (85% of the vote)

1.04 Washington Redskins select OT Russell Okung (73% of the vote)

1.05 Kansas City Chiefs select S Eric Berry (41% of the vote)

1.06 Seattle Seahawks select OT Trent Williams (41% of the vote)

1.07 Cleveland Browns select QB Jimmy Clausen (28% of the vote)

1.08 Oakland Raiders select OT Bryan Bulaga (23% of the vote)

1.09 Buffalo Bills select OT Anthony Davis (61% of the vote)

1.10 Jacksonville Jaguars select ILB Rolando McClain (30% of the vote)

1.11 Denver Broncos select DT Dan Williams (38% of the vote)

1.12 Miami Dolphins select WR Dez Bryant (47% of the vote)

1.13 San Francisco 49ers select CB Joe Haden (52% of the vote)

1.14 Seattle Seahawks select RB C.J. Spiller (45% of the vote)

1.15 New York Giants select OLB Sean Weatherspoon (37% of the vote)

1.16 Tennessee Titans select DE Derrick Morgan (46% of the vote)

1.17 San Francisco 49ers select CB/S Earl Thomas (26% of the vote)

1.18 Pittsburgh Steelers select G-OT Mike Iupati (40% of the vote)

1.19 Atlanta Falcons select DE-OLB Jason Pierre-Paul (42% of the vote)

1.20 Houston Texans select RB Ryan Matthews (49% of the vote)

1.21 Cincinnati Bengals select S Taylor Mays (38% of the vote)

1.22 New England Patriots select DE-OLB Sergio Kindle (29% of the vote)

1.23 Green Bay Packers select CB Kyle Wilson (33% of the vote)

1.24 Philadelphia Eagles select DE-OLB Brandon Graham (33% of the vote)

1.25 Baltimore Ravens select DT Jared Odrick (31% of the vote)

Arizona Cardinals

Positions of Need (as per NFL.com)

OL, LB, TE, WR

Needs Analysis: The Cardinals took some big hits in free agency, losing Antrel Rolle and Karlos Dansby, and trading Anquan Boldin. They were quick to react to the loss of Rolle by trading for Kerry Rhodes, but they need the draft to attempt to replace Dansby. While all this movement was going on, their left tackle situation went untouched. GM Rod Graves said the club may move Levi Brown to left tackle, but Arizona still needs to address the position in the draft. The team expects Steve Breaston to step up and fill the shoes of Boldin, but they lost Jerheme Urban in free agency and will grab a wideout later in the draft. A nose tackle could be a consideration in the middle rounds. A vertical threat tight end would also be a nice addition to the roster.

Cody

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ap-draft-cardinals

Cardinals look to keep up recent draft success

By BOB BAUM, AP Sports Writer

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP)—The Arizona Cardinals have not had a losing record since Ken Whisenhunt arrived as coach. The same could be said of the team’s success in the draft.

Seventeen of the 20 players selected by the Cardinals in that three-year span still are on the roster.

The first-round draft picks—offensive tackle Levi Brown(notes) in 2007, cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie(notes) in 2008 and running back Beanie Wells(notes) in 2009—are significant contributors. Only one selection could be classified as an out-and-out bust, diminutive linebacker Buster Davis, who was taken in the third round in 2007.

The Cardinals have snagged some overlooked talent in the later rounds, too, notably wide receiver Steve Breaston(notes) in the fifth round in 2007 and running back Tim Hightower(notes) in the fifth round in 2008. Tight end Ben Patrick(notes), a seventh-round pick in 2007, caught a touchdown pass in the 2009 Super Bowl. Running back-kick returner LaRod Stephens-Howling(notes), a seventh-rounder last year, played his way into a steady role.

“We’ve got a good system in place,” Whisenhunt said, “(general manager) Rod Graves, (player personnel director) Steve Keim, our scouts and our coaches. The evaluation process is a lot of give and take and it gives us a very good idea of not only the talent of our players but how they fit into our team.”

That system will be tested again when Arizona picks 26th overall in the opening round Thursday night.

With the uncertainty of what players will still be around by the time they pick, the Cardinals will focus on a handful of possibilities, ranked in order on their draft board. Whisenhunt insists there is no glaring area of need.

“I feel very good about our team,” he said. “We’re in a position where we have flexibility in this draft and that’s a very good thing.”

But the emphasis could well be on the defense, specifically at linebacker, a deep position in this year’s draft. Arizona lost inside linebacker Karlos Dansby(notes) to free agency and outside linebacker Chike Okeafor(notes) was not re-signed.

Whisenhunt said he is comfortable with the quartet of Clark Haggans(notes) and newly signed Joey Porter(notes) on the outside, with Gerald Hayes(notes) and free agent signee Paris Lenon(notes) inside. But Porter is 33 and Lenon 32.

The team needs to improve its mostly ineffective pass rush from the edge. Defensive end Bertrand Berry(notes) retired and probably wouldn’t have been re-signed anyway.

Outside linebackers who could be around when Arizona gets its chance include Jerry Hughes of TCU, Sean Witherspoon of Missouri and Sergio Kindle of Texas. Defensive ends possibly in the mix include Ricky Sapp of Clemson and Brandon Graham of Michigan.

The Cardinals would love it if inside linebacker Rolando McClain of Alabama slipped this low, but that might be a stretch.

On the other side of the ball, Brown is shifting from right to left tackle, leaving Jeremy Bridges(notes) and Brandon Keith(notes), a seventh-round pick in 2008, on the right side, along with gigantic Herman Johnson(notes), picked in the fifth round last year.

If Arizona goes for a tackle, Anthony Davis(notes) of USC is a possibility.

The Cardinals have seven picks—two in the third round but none in the fifth.

If the past few years are any indication, expect Graves and Whisenhunt to look beyond the major universities. Rodgers-Cromartie came from Tennessee State and Hightower from Richmond. Last year, Arizona picked cornerback Greg Toler(notes) from tiny Saint Paul’s College in the fourth round.

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/cardinals/...-nfl-draft.html

Arizona Cardinals have faith in their draft boards

by Kent Somers

While the structure of the NFL draft has changed this year, expanding to a third day and prime-time television, the same cliches and misdirection apply.

Coach Ken Whisenhunt and General Manager Rod Graves didn't drop smoke canisters or install mirrors before their pre-draft news conference Monday. Neither did they reveal much. Or anything.

Whisenhunt, however, might have coined a new phrase when asked the age-old question about drafting to fill a need or taking the best player available.

"There's a line you walk between the both of them, where you draft the best available player for your need," Whisenhunt said.

That produced a few chuckles in the room.

"That was a good one, wasn't it?" Whisenhunt said.

Like every other NFL team, the Cardinals started preparing their draft boards weeks ago. Over the next day or two, they will finish their rankings of the top 120 players, where the teams need and system are factored in, along with a player's talent.

That board looks different from the team's other draft board, which slots players strictly according to ratings given by coaches and scouts.

A player ranked fifth on the big board, for instance, might be 13th on the top 120 board because he might not fit the system or a need, Whisenhunt said.

"We're repeatedly going through the exercise of need vs. best player available," Graves said, "but we're lining that 120 board based on how we would select those players."

The Cardinals started using that system under former coach Dennis Green, and think it results in drafting players who better fit their schemes.

So why 120 players and not, say, 130?

"That's a great question," Graves said, "and believe it or not, that 120 has generally gotten us through the entire draft."

The Cardinals hierarchy isn't going to give many hints about the composition of their board, but it likely includes a number of nose tackles.

Along with inside linebacker, nose tackle is the team's greatest need, and one of the harder to fill.

In the 3-4 defense, the nose tackle is usually taking on more blockers than any other defensive linemen, yet getting the least credit for it. Finding a good one is difficult because not many colleges run a 3-4.

"Just because you're a 6-foot-3, 330-pound guy doesn't mean you can play nose," Whisenhunt said. "It really becomes, 'How does this guy play his technique? Is he good with his hands? Does he understand how to take on double teams?' "

The Cardinals are unsettled at the position. They drafted Alan Branch in the second round in 2007 but have moved him to end. Gabe Watson a fourth-round pick in 2006, has been hampered by knee problems. Veteran Bryan Robinson, who turns 36 this summer, out-played both of them the past two years, but is not under contract.

The Cardinals could take a nose tackle Thursday during the first round. They could wait until Friday, for Rounds 2 and 3, but that would be risky.

"It's a tough position to evaluate," Whisenhunt said. "Obviously some of these guys are very large men and they like to eat. When that happens, you have to monitor how that weight stays on them."

Weight is a problem for Alabama nose tackle Terrence Cody, who is listed at 360 pounds. Tennessee's Dan Williams likely will be gone by the time the Cardinals pick. The club could decide to gamble and hope that someone such as North Carolina's Cam Thomas or East Carolina's Linval Joseph is available in the second round.

Thomas doesn't lack for confidence.

"I love guerilla warfare, baby," he said at the scouting combine in February. "That's where you earn your stripes. I got my stripes. I can anchor that thing. Not everyone can play that position."

Bump for the last of the afternoon crowd before we move on to the Cowboys pick...help us to reach consensus if you haven't yet voted!

http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcwest/post/_/id/...-draft-thinking

The moves teams make in March and into April can help us determine how teams might want to proceed in the draft.

The 49ers added Ted Ginn Jr., making it less imperative for them to find a return specialist in the draft. The Lions acquired guard Rob Sims from Seattle, an indication the team might not be focusing on offensive tackle early (left tackle Jeff Backus might have slid to guard in that case). The Rams signed veteran defensive tackle Fred Robbins without pursuing a starting quarterback, an indication Sam Bradford might be their first-round choice, not Ndamukong Suh.

How have the Cardinals framed their draft priorities? They've added veteran depth at guard, making it less important for them to consider Mike Iupati or another interior lineman early in the draft. They added veteran depth at inside linebacker by signing Paris Lenon, a 70-game starter over the last five seasons. They added a starting outside linebacker in Joey Porter. They added quarterback depth by signing Derek Anderson.

Nose tackle is one key position the Cardinals haven't addressed. They have not re-signed veteran starter Bryan Robinson. They cannot count on Gabe Watson's knees or performance. They cannot count on Alan Branch, who might be a better fit for end. The problem, of course, is that quality 3-4 nose tackles aren't easy to find in the draft. The Cardinals could have a shot at Terrence Cody with the 26th overall choice, but with so many teams playing the 3-4, there are no guarantees.

Inside linebacker could be another position to target even if the Cardinals think Lenon and Gerald Hayes can perform ably this season. Nose tackle stands out more, in my view, based on the importance of the position and the Cardinals' inactivity in addressing its depth so far this offseason.

from early February, but a good look at possible Cardinals picks with the 26th overall selection:

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/cardinals/...rgets-2010.html

featuring:

Jerry Hughes

Jason Pierre-Paul

Sergio Kindle

Ricky Sapp

Carlos Dunlap

Brandon Graham

Dan Williams

Terrence Cody

Taylor Mays

Trevard Lindley

Bryan Bulaga

Trent Williams

Bruce Campbell

Charles Brown

Mike Iupati

I am hoping that a few more votes will get us to a consensus, so that we can close and move on to the Cowboys!

With the 1.26 selection in the FBG Consensus Draft, the Arizona Cardinals select OT Bruce Campbell