This post brought to you by BigBlueShoe over at Stampede Blue

Best Draft: Houston Texans (Tim at Battle Red Blog)

You got the sense that when everyone agreed to trades in this mock draft, Tim's eyes lit up; because oh brother did this guy wheel and deal. When all was said and done, he took a 1st round pick and a 3rd round pick and turned them into a 1st, 2nd, and two 3rd round picks. He managed to address the #1 issue for the Texans (o-line) by snagged OT Joe Staley with the #21 pick and he caught WR Jason Hill in the third round. Very impressive. Tim knew what his team needed and wanted, and he went out and got them. Bravo!

Worst Draft: Seattle Seahawks (Shrug at Field Gulls)

That's right, cats and kittens! Our host for the draft had the worst mock draft of all of us. Man, does he suck! I mean, he sucks harder than a Thai hooker during Fleet week. He is so bad he... oh, who am I kidding. Literally everyone that voted had a different selection for worst. Some even voted THEMSELVES as the worst. The only reason Shrug falls here is he really, really wanted a first round pick, but couldn't swing a trade to do it despite interest in WR Darrell Jackson. Teams like the Colts and 49ers were involved in such trade talks, but as usual everything BigBlueShoe touches turns to ashes and dust. When Shrug's picks did comes up, he drafted a questionable RB (Michael Bush) and a DT (Paul Soliai) that some think was a reach. Again, in fairness, the draft is especially tough this year for Seattle, and Shrug was in a no win situation. However, since we are all brutal, savage sports bloggers who spit on weakness and mock futility, we will place Shrug in the Worst Mock Draft of 2007 category because we are evil I tell you... EEEEEEEEEEEEVIL!

Steal of the Draft: Jon Beason (LB) drafted by Kirkendall at Cincy Jungle

Jon Beason is listed in just about every mock draft as a mid-late first round pick. Beason fell in our mock draft all the way to pick #49. With so many loses at the LBer position for the Bengals, finding Beason there at pick #49 was a coup. Kirkendall entertained offers to trade Beason for additional picks later in the draft, but instead decided wisely to keep him. Beason might be the second best linebacker in the draft, and to get him in the mid-second round was the steal of this mock draft.

Biggest Reach: Eric Weddle (S) drafted by Tommasse at Pats Pulpit

This was near unanimous. Weddle is projected by many as a third round pick. Tommasse drafted him with New England's #24 pick, bypassing better safeties like Michael Griffin or a corner like Chris Houston. To be fair, Tommasse was not the only mock drafter to think Weddle would get picked early, and the whole point of this mock draft was to act the way your team's GM would act on draft day. It seems, with that in mind, Tommasse did his job, but that was not enough for the voters. Tommasse's reasoning for taking Weddle was a Belichick guy, and that with no second round pick, it was likely Weddle would be gone by the time New England drafted again. The problem with this is New England picked again just four picks later, at #28. At #28, Tommasse selected OG Ben Grubbs. It would have made more sense to take Grubbs at #24 and then Weddle at #28. Because Weddle is drafted at #24, he must be paid first round money... more money than Grubbs, Houston, and others drafted after him (which to many makes no sense). The bottom line here is if safety was the "need," Michael Griffin was a better option. If Weddle was New England's target, a trade was necessary. Many teams would have traded second and third round picks for the #24th overall (maybe even Tim at Battle Red Blog). Again, in fairness, Tommasse isn't the only one saying Weddle will go early. And even though the "experts" say Griffin is a better safety, the "experts" also said Ryan Leaf was going to be a great QB in 1998. You can read Tommasse's reasoning for picking Weddle here.

There you have it, the Best and Worst of the 2007 SB Nation Mock Draft. We SB Nation football bloggers hope you enjoyed this little experiment on our part. Very few community sports blogs can manage to get their writers to do a one round mock draft. We squeezed three rounds out of our writers, and painted a very unique picture of what the draft could be. This draft was organized by the taskmaster himself, SkinsPatrol at Hogs Haven, and hosted by Shrug at Field Gulls. SeanYuille at POD provided excellent charts for tracking the mock draft, especially in the later rounds. TheSportsGuru, JasonB, BrianG, and Grizz helped a great deal in organizing things when SkinsPatrol was busy yelling at people to get their damn picks in. BigBlueShoe wrote the Best and Worst thread. Special thanks to the LSU college bloggers at And The Valley Shook for drafting the New Orleans Saints for us and to our guest Arizona Cardinals blogger for drafting the for desert red birds. Thanks to all that helped and everyone that participated. If you weren't named, it is BigBlueShoe's fault, and you can go on hating him per usual.

Has the season started yet? Because it sure feels like it!

To start, let's take a look at how the third round has gone to this point.

65. Oakland - Tank Tyler, DT, North Carolina State
    
66. Detroit - Drew Stanton, QB, Michigan State
    
67. Cleveland - Ikaika Alama-Francis, DE, Hawai'i
    
68. Tampa Bay - Quinn Pittcock, DT, Ohio State
    
69. Arizona - Justin Durant, LB, Hampton
    
70. Denver - Victor Abiamiri, DE, Notre Dame
    
71. Miami - Ryan Harris, OT, Notre Dame

So, with that, here are the guys I took into consideration for the 72nd overall pick.

(Scouting reports again taken from NFL Draft Countdown)

Jason Hill, WR, Washington State
6'0.5", 204#
40-yard dash time:  4.32

Strengths:
Has good size with a strong, solid build...Runs good routes and just knows how to get open...Physical and knows how to use his body...Was extremely productive and a big play threat...Hands are big and reliable...Good body control and adjusts well to poorly thrown balls...Natural athlete with nice quickness who timed faster than expected...Agile and elusive in the open field...Has a nose for the endzone.

Weaknesses:
Does not play up to his timed speed and he will have a considerably tougher time separating from pro corners...His concentration and focus have been an issue at times...Has trouble beating the jam at the line...Is only an average blocker...Fell of as a senior and did not have the great final campaign that most were expecting.

Notes:
Almost went pro after his junior season...One of the most prolific wideouts in the college game the past few years...An overachiever whose lack of ideal physical tools will become more apparent at the next level...Is not the elite pro prospect his statistics might lead you to believe but he can still be a solid #2 or #3 option.

I know that we've already snagged one wide receiver in the mock draft to this point. . .but, really, can the Vikings actually have too many new faces at WR this year?  I don't think so.  Hell, I was actually thinking about taking him in Round 2.

Matt Spaeth, TE, Minnesota
6'7.1", 270#
40-yard dash time:  4.81

Strengths:
Has very good size and the frame to get bigger yet...Superb blocker...Knows how to get open and use his body...Great focus and concentration...Extremely reliable hands...Physical and will deliver a blow rather than accept one...A good redzone target...Tough and has proven that he will play through pain...Has been relatively durable for the most part...Smart and a team leader with exceptional intangibles.

Weaknesses:
Average athleticism...Lacks the timed speed and quickness you prefer...Not a big play threat and won't stretch the field vertically...Doesn't provide much after the catch...Needs to play with more consistent leverage as a blocker...Had his college career cut short by injury and it is unclear how healthy he'll be prior to the draft.

Notes:
Father, Ken, played football at Nebraska and was drafted by the Buffalo Bills...He began his college career as a defensive end...Missed the Gophers bowl game in '06 after he underwent reconstructive shoulder surgery...A great all-around tight end who does everything well but nothing great...He is not the dynamic receiving threat that the pros are looking for these days but could be an excellent backup.

Frankly, I think that Spaeth was probably the best TE in the nation last year.  Yeah, Greg Olsen has that pretty 40-yard dash time. . .he also probably couldn't keep me from getting to the QB in terms of blocking.  Plus, Spaeth is, as the owner of All Things Scottish might say, friggin' huge.

Ray McDonald, DL, Florida
6'3.5", 276#
40-yard dash time:  4.88

Strengths:
Has excellent size and the frame to get even bigger...A good athlete who is quick and explosive...Versatile with experience at both end and tackle...Has good range and pursues well...Sure tackler...Strong and gets a good push...Able to penetrate and makes plays in the backfield...Hard worker with top intangibles...Has upside.

Weaknesses:
A DE / DT 'tweener who might not have a true position at the next level...He does not have great speed...Plays too high and leverage is an issue at times...Can get knocked back when he lets his technique slip...Not a dynamic pass rusher...Missed most of the 2005 season with knee injuries and durability is still a major concern.

Notes:
His father, Ray Sr., played wide receiver for the Gators back in the 1980's...Was overshadowed by Marcus Thomas and Jarvis Moss to a degree but he had a great senior season and saw his draft stock soar...Could realistically play in either a 4-3 or 3-4 defensive scheme...Needs to stay healthy but has some intriguing physical tools and could interest 34 teams as an end or 43 teams as an undersized tackle.

McDonald is rather intriguing.  With Pat Williams possibly approaching retirement, McDonald could be a candidate to replace him if he can add some more mass.  We might even be able to play him at end.

Brian Robison, DE, Texas
6'3.1", 259#
40-yard dash time:  4.67

Strengths:
A fantastic all-around athlete...Very good timed speed and quickness...Tough and physical...A disruptive pass rusher...Has a motor that never stops and is excellent in pursuit...A hard worker with top-notch intangibles...Has some versatility...Good special teams player and kick blocker...Lots of experience...Was quite productive.

Weaknesses:
Does not have the ideal bulk that you look for...Does not necessarily translate his workout numbers to the field...Needs to get stronger...Struggles versus the run and at the point...Has trouble shedding blockers...Lacks fluid hips and top change of direction skills...Not real explosive and lacks a burst...Minor durability concerns.

Notes:
Also a standout track star for the Longhorns in the shot put and discus...Began his career as a middle linebacker...His father, Jimmy, played linebacker on Ranger Junior College's National Championship team in the 1970s...Cousin, Casey Jones, played offensive guard at Texas Tech (1994-96)...Has a 40+-inch vertical leap...A bit of a workout warrior who could surprise...Could project to outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme at the next level...A solid backup at worst and perhaps a lot more.

Robison looks like the kind of guy that could be a very good situational pass rusher for the Vikings.  It doesn't look like he's ready to be a full-time DE yet, but if he came in for Udeze in passing situations, he could be a very nice addition.

All four of these players, in my opinion, would provide immediate help to the Vikings at their respective positions.

But, in the end, I have to look at where the Vikings struggled the most last season on offense. . .other than Brad Johnson's complete and utter suckage at the quarterback position, I mean.  That place would be in the red zone, where we saw way too much of Ryan Longwell and far too few end zone celebrations by the purple.

So, that being said. . .

With the 72nd pick in the 2007 SBNation Mock Draft, the Minnesota Vikings select

Matt Spaeth, TE, University of Minnesota

Discuss away, folks!

As you all know, since you've been keeping track of the 2007 SBNation Mock NFL Draft (hosted by Field Gulls), with the Vikings' first-round selection, I took Adrian Peterson, the running back out of Oklahoma (where the wind does, indeed, go rolling down the plain).  I made this pick despite the fact that Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn was still on the board.

This apparently caught the eye of the folks over at SBNation's fine Notre Dame site, Rakes of Mallow (linked above there).  In fact, in their analysis of the first round of the SBNation Mock Draft, they were so kind as to address this pick explicitly.

Now. . .while I've never been what you'd call a Notre Dame fan or anything, I do respect Notre Dame football, Chris runs a pretty fine site over at Rakes of Mallow, and I like hearing Beano Cook say "NO. . .dramatic pause. . .traDAME."

So, with that in mind, here's my rebuttal.

1)  Have you seen our skill position players?

-Yes, Chester Taylor is a nice back. . .Chester Taylor also wore down in a big way towards the end of last year.  I don't know if he was just tired of being the only competent player on the offensive side of the ball or what, but over the last 3 games of 2006, Taylor had 38 carries for 118 yards, averaging just a shade over 3 yards per carry.

-Our next best running back, Mewelde Moore, has two ankles that are apparently held together with chicken wire and scotch tape.  Talk about Peterson's injury troubles, Moore is hurt all the damn time.

Peterson would immediately be used in tandem with Taylor, much like the other pairs of great NFL RBs are (Rhodes/Addai, Bush/McAlister, etc.)

2)  Have you seen our skill position players?

-Our #1 and #2 guys in terms of receptions last season were Travis Taylor (51) and Jermaine Wiggins (46).  They're both gone.

-Taylor was #1 in terms of yardage, too.

-Our #1 guy in terms of TD catches was Marcus Robinson (4).  He's gone.

We've got a whole lot of nothing at the skill positions right now, outside of Chester Taylor.  Hence, we have the most predictable offense in the league.  Run on first down, run on second down, throw a pass 3 yards short of the sticks on third down, punt.

Peterson could potentially change this.  Brady Quinn would not.  If we draft Peterson, we have another potential weapon for Jackson to utilize.  If we draft Quinn, then instead of Tarvaris Jackson behind center with nobody to throw the football to, we'd have. . .Brady Quinn behind center with nobody to throw the football to.

3)  Seriously, have you seen our skill position players?

4)  There wasn't a WR worth going with at #7.

5)  I went with the voice of the people.  The people wanted Adrian Peterson.  The second choice of the people wasn't Brady Quinn, either. . .it was LaRon Landry. He would have been my second choice as well.

So, yeah. . .there you go. That's why I did what I did.

Well, the poll for which WR we should take at this spot (post-Dwayne Jarrett version) ended up being split between two players. . .Ohio State's Anthony Gonzalez, and Southern Cal's Steve Smith.  So, let's take a look at both of these players, and I'll tell you which one I picked and why.

(Scouting Reports taken from NFL Draft Countdown.)

Anthony Gonzalez, Ohio State
6', 193#
40-yard dash:  4.44 sec

Strengths
Adequate height and bulk...A fantastic route runner who just knows how to get open...Has very good timed speed and quickness...Hands are excellent....Is very smart...An above average blocker who gives a good effort...Excellent intangibles and a hard worker who's dedicated to being the best player he can be...Can also help out as a return man...Still improving, got better every year and has upside.

Weaknesses
Only started for one season in college and was never the main focus of defenses attention...Did not make many big plays...May have some trouble beating the jam at the line...Has some trouble with physical corners...Was shut down in the BCS Championship game (along with the rest of the Buckeye offense) when Ted Ginn, Jr. was injured...Doesn't do much after the catch...May never be a true #1 target.

Steve Smith, Southern California
5'11.75", 197#
40-yard dash:  4.44 sec

Strengths
A smooth natural athlete with good quickness...Runs excellent routes and knows how to get open...Has reliable hands...Elusive after the catch...An above average blocker...Good body control...Tough and will work across the middle...Productive, got better every year and had some big games as a senior...A lot of experience.

Weaknesses
Does not play as fast as he times...Lacks a burst and is not very explosive...Size, strength and bulk are average...Struggles to separate, won't stretch the field and is not a vertical threat...Has some character concerns...Was never really the main focus of opposing defenses...Durability is a question...Doesn't have much upside.

So, there you have it.

Having had plenty of occasions to watch both Ohio State and USC last season, what it comes down to between two very similar players is this.

There were many times when I was watching Ohio State that I thought Anthony Gonzalez was the best WR in the Buckeye offense. . .I've never been much of a Ted Ginn fan, and think he's a bit overrated as a WR.  If I was looking for a return man, I'd take Ginn. . .if I was looking for someone to immediately contribute at WR, I'd take Gonzalez.

I don't ever remember having the feeling that Steve Smith was USC's best WR.  He was clearly and consistently overshadowed by Dwayne Jarrett (and it's absolutely ridiculous that Jarrett lasted all the way to #30 here, and even more ridiculous that Jarrett might actually make it to Round 2 on draft day).

So, when it's all said and done. . .with the 41st pick in the 2007 NFL Draft, the Minnesota Vikings select. . .

Anthony Gonzalez, wide receiver, Ohio State

Update [2007-4-12 23:15:2 by Gonzo]:

The Ragnarok has an excellent write-up/scouting report on Anthony Gonzalez for your viewing pleasure.

We're up to the New England Patriots and the 24th pick in the SBNation Mock NFL Draft.  That means it's time to start looking towards the second round of the draft.

After seeing an overwhelming majority (79%) emerge from our last poll, it's pretty clear that we'll be looking to go for a wide receiver in the second round.  So, the new poll has half a dozen WR prospects that should (or could) be available when the 41st pick comes up.  Same rules apply as the last poll. . .we'll go with whoever gets the most votes.  If it turns out that the person with the most votes is NOT available when the selection comes up, I'll move to the person with the second-most votes.  Should a couple of players come up tied, I'll use some extremely scientific method of determining who we're taking.

(Coin flips DO fall under the heading of "extremely scientific," don't they?  No?  Well, who the heck asked you, anyway?)

I think I've found the six best possible choices at the position.  However, if there's someone you'd like to see considered, feel free to leave a comment right under this post here.  And if you're trying to comment and can't, it's probably because you haven't signed up for an account with us.  The registration link is right up in the upper-right corner there, it takes all of about 15 seconds, and I'll never use your e-mail address for anything.  Unless you're here to troll. . .in which case I'll pass it along to someone who may think you have an interest in the Church of Scientology.*

* - Nah, I wouldn't do that.  It would be hilarious, but I wouldn't do that.

The Minnesota Vikings are proud to select:

Adrian Peterson, running back, Oklahoma

There are several questions in life that really, truly, have no answer.  Questions such as, "Why, exactly, do Snickers bars taste better after they've been sitting in the freezer for a few hours?"  Or "How DID Wilder Valderrama manage to bag Lindsay Lohan?"  (Before Lindsay went to hell, I mean.)  And finally, "Should one draft for need, or should one take the best player available?"

The last one is the quandary I find myself in with this pick.  Certainly, the "sexy" pick that most people have the Vikings making here is Brady Quinn.  Does Quinn fill a pressing need for the Vikings?  In my opinion, no.  Just because the "popular media" wants to throw Tarvaris Jackson to the side after two starts doesn't make it the prudent thing to do.  Far from it.

Is Quinn the best player available at this point?  Again, no, he's not.  The best player in the draft at this point is Adrian Peterson.  And that's why he's now, at least in this mock draft, a Minnesota Viking.  In the Brad Childress offense, Peterson can spell Chester Taylor, he can be on the field at the same time as Taylor, he can be on the field with Mewelde Moore, he can motion out wide and catch passes. . .basically, he can add a dimension that this offense just doesn't have at the moment.  Between Jackson's inexperience and the lack of a quality WR corps, this offense simply needs some playmakers.  And outside of Calvin Johnson, Peterson is the guy in this year's draft that best fits that description.

In short, you don't pass on Michael Jordan to take Sam Bowie. . .you don't pass on Joe Mauer to take Mark Prior. . .and you don't pass on Adrian Peterson for the second coming of Ron Powlus.

The Redskins have made their pick, selecting Jamaal Anderson out of Arkansas with the #6 selection.  That means it's finally time for us to make our selection at #7.

It doesn't appear as though a trade down is going to materialize. . .too many teams trying to move down and not enough trying to move up.  So, with that said, I'll be posting the Vikings' pick between 11 AM and Noon Central Time.

If you haven't already voted in the poll over there and have been waiting for the last minute. . .well, this is pretty much the last minute.  Polls close in approximately an hour and a half.

Enjoy your Monday, folks!

We've gone through four picks in the 2007 SportsBlogs Nation Mock NFL Draft. . .this means that, hopefully, Minnesota's pick will come sometime either late this morning or early this afternoon.  In any event, as soon as it comes time to make the pick, it will get posted up here.

I've put some feelers out about trading down a few spots. . .haven't heard anything back yet, but hopefully something will develop soon.

The first four picks have gone as follows:

Oakland started off the festivities by taking JaMarcus Russell from LSU.  Detroit was scheduled to pick at #2, but traded down instead, sending the #2 pick to Tampa Bay.  The Bucs then proceeded to select Calvin Johnson from Georgia Tech.  Cleveland continued the party by selecting Joe Thomas out of Wisconsin, and the Lions used their newly acquired pick at #4 to select Gaines Adams from Clemson.

So that's where we stand now.  The Arizona Cardinals are currently on the clock.  Their pick will be made by one of our guests from outside of SBNation, as we don't have a Cardinals' blog here yet.

There you have it. . .our pick (or a trade down) should be coming up here soon.  Woo-hoo!

Update [2007-3-31 18:5:0 by Gonzo]:

The Vikings' pick approaches, as the Cardinals used the #5 pick to select Levi Brown out of Penn State. The Redskins are now on the clock, and have said they'll likely be taking Jamaal Anderson if they're unable to trade down.

So, if any of you were waiting until the last minute to vote in the poll over there on the right. . .well, this here is pretty much the last minute. Hop to it!