11. Buffalo Bills – Mike Jenkins, CB, South Florida
Mike Jenkins will probably never be considered a shutdown corner in the vein of Champ Bailey or Deion Sanders, but he is a talent to complement Buffalo’s young safeties. He’s also the most complete and experienced corner prospect.
–Paul M. Banks
12. Denver Broncos – Ryan Clady, OT, Boise State
Ryan Clady is a big body that can move at the offensive tackle position. Can you think of a better marriage than a big mobile lineman and the revered Broncos zone-blocking scheme that has led to big rushing totals by nearly every running back that has lined up behind it? Me neither. It is hard to believe that the knock on the 6’6â€, 317 pound Clady is his strength, but with that size I’d say that he’s still plenty strong.
Mike Shanahan knows that his team has some positions to fill if they are looking to improve enough to compete for the AFC West title (only one Division title in the past 9 seasons). Still, Shanahan is of the mind that you ensure you have your bread and butter ready and you build from there. Clady would definitely make the running game better, no matter who is carrying the ball. The Broncos could also use help on the defensive side of the ball, especially up the middle but unless someone like Sedrick Ellis falls to the Broncos at 12, Denver will most likely take advantage of the top shelf Offensive Tackles available in this year’s crop. As I’ve stated before, the Linebackers in this year’s draft aren’t worthy of a first round pick, let alone a top half first rounder. Even if veteran safety John Lynch retires (which I don’t think he will), a pick to replace him at this point would also be a stretch.
–Peter Christian
13. Carolina Panthers -Sam Baker, OT, USC
Baker would need a tremendous combine to go this high,, but the Panthers need help for whoever is healthy enough to play quarterback for them this fall. Some good blocking up front might help these signal callers stay healthy. Baker has a lot of athleticism to complement his tremendous size. He’s a solid prospect in a deep class for offensive linemen.
–Paul M. Banks
14. Chicago Bears – Jeff Otah, OT Pitt
I know all the casual fans out there will be hooting and hollering for the Bears to draft a QB. Sexy Rexy is injury-prone and inconsistent and Kyle Orton will never be more than a glorified game manager. Unfortunately, this year’s QB class is weak. By the time the Bears’ pick rolls around the highest-rated remaining signal-caller will probably be Kentucky ’s Andre Woodson, but he’s not worth a first round selection. The experts weren’t impressed with his Senior Week practices/game and even at his best I don’t think he’s the answer. After the first two guys (Ryan and Brohm), the rest of the QBs are all fairly interchangeable and will likely still be available in later rounds. The truth is, even Tom Brady would have trouble succeeding if he had to depend on the Bears’ aging offensive line. Chicago ’s gotta get a superstar for their front line; thankfully this year’s draft is chock full of solid offensive tackles. Otah is fairly new to the game—he started playing his senior year in high school—but he’s got a big body and a huge upside. Otah could play either the right or left side in the pros, a versatility that will be key as the futures of Fred Miller and John Tait remain up in the air.
–Sarah Spain
15. Detroit Lions –Calais Campbell, DE, Miami (FL)
Detroit is one of those teams that is OK in a lot of places, but could use help where they can get it. The defensive line could use another big time guy that can become a play-maker down the line (pun intended). I really think Campbell can give this team a big boost because defensive linemen make the guys around them better as well. I guess that could be said for any position in any sport, but I think it really rings true on the d-line. Another BIG positive, this guy is huge. 6’8’’, 280. Good luck trying to get any passes over his hands.
–Bill Port
16. Arizona Cardinals – Leodis McKelvin, CB, Troy
The race to be called the best cornerback in the draft has become a three horse marathon. McKelvin, Aqib Talib and Mike Jenkins have all been given the title at some point over the last 60 days. The question remains as to how the race will end. McKelvin is the smallest of the three prospects, but he is also the fastest. His 4.4 speed will allow him to be a factor on the field from day one. Aside from his speed, McKelvin is an underrated tackler. He had 50 solo tackles last season and three forced fumbles. Add in his experience as a kick returner and his stock goes up even higher.
The Cardinals have been teetering back and forth between underachieving and overachieving for most of this decade. At some points they look as if they are only missing one or two pieces but at other times look like they need to throw the keys at the roster and start all over. Coming off an injury riddled 2007, we know that the Cardinals have definite needs but we also know that they aren’t desperate for help at any position. If McKelvin, Talib and Jenkins are all gone at this point, it is a good bet the Cardinals will select Illinois RB Rashard Mendenhall. With McKelvin, Adrian Wilson and Rod Hood all patrolling the defensive backfield, the Cardinals defense should be in good shape to limit the big gains of their opponent to a minimum.
–Peter Christian
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17. Minnesota Vikings – DeSean Jackson, WR, Cal
DeSean Jackson will probably be one of the most exciting rookies in 2008. His speed, agility and elusiveness make him a threat to find pay dirt every time he touches the ball. His versatility to be used on both offense and as a kick returner makes him even more appealing to teams in need. He does have some weaknesses on offense that will need to be addressed if he is ever going to be anything more than a slot WR. His ability to get off the line against physical corners was an issue in 2007 that played a part in Jackson’s drop in receiving yardage and yards per catch. If Jackson can adjust to the physicality of the NFL and still keep his speed, he should be in good shape.
The Vikings have a major dilemma on their hands. Actually, they have two. The first is a chicken or the egg type paradox and the other is a repeating pattern issue. The first has to do with the fact that the Vikings passing game stinks and no one is sure if it is due to the fact that the team’s receivers are awful or the team’s quarterbacks are awful. What we can be sure of is that is definitely a mixture of both. A good receiver can make a quarterback better and vice versa, but it seems that Head Coach Brad Childress is leaning towards giving the developing Tarvaris Jackson a few more chances by surrounding him with as much talent as possible. DeSean Jackson would definitely be an effective addition to the team because he can be both a deep threat as well as a possession receiver. The second issue is the fact that even though the Vikings seem to draft 2-3 defensive ends every year (including some high regarded prospects in the first round), they always seem to be in need of another one. One would assume that with Pat and Kevin Williams taking up at least three blockers on the defensive interior that Minnesota’s defensive ends would be eating up their opponents in the backfield. They aren’t. The Vikings would also be very likely to select Florida DE Derrick Harvey with this pick. However, selecting DeSean Jackson addresses a much bigger need and has the ability to make the team better immediately.
–Peter Christian
18. Houston Texans – Jonathan Stewart, RB, Oregon
I really like this year’s crop of running backs, and I think Stewart is the most underrated of the group. He has the ability to change a franchise. He has good size and speed that is often overlooked. He was pretty consistent in 2007, and I think he finally got the recognition he deserves. The best comparison I can make to Stewart is Fred Taylor, Not necessarily for the running style, but because of the way they are viewed. Taylor had an amazing career, but nobody gave him any recognition until he was at the end of the line. Look for Stewart to be tearing up the turf in a year or two.
–Bill Port
19. Philadelphia Eagles- Rashard Mendenhall, RB, Illinois
 Rashard is above average in terms of making defenders miss, and ran for the most yards in school history. Mendenhall possesses good change of direction skills and displays great vision as a runner. He also adds an extra burst in the second level and has an excellent ratio of touchdowns to number of touches, making several big plays out of the backfield. He seems to have worked out the fumbling problems he had in ’06 and is now considered the prototype “3 down back†of this draft. He has a nose for the pylon and flourished in his new role as the feature back. The best testament to his abilities is the fact that his production increased despite playing in a one dimensional offense as opposing defenses have continuously focused on stopping the run. The tough junior tailback had a very strong showing in the combine running a 4.37 and 4.45. And also doing 26 reps of 225 pounds and displaying a 33.5-inch vertical leap for good measure.
–Paul M. Banks
20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Mario Manningham, WR, Michigan
This junior wideout failed to impress at the combine so far and may find himself sliding much lower than this. He ran a disappointing 4.59 and 4.6 40 yard dash times that may cost him some payday. He also did only 16 bench press reps and posted a mediocre 32-inch vertical leap. He needs a strong showing at pro day to keep this slot. He may have a slight frame but Manningham would bring a new dimension to the Bucs offense because he can stretch the field vertically. Not to mention the man from “that school up North†has a real knack for finding the endzone.
–Paul M. Banks
