2010 Post Combine NFL Mock Draft

With the 2010 NFL Combine officially in the books, there will no doubt be floods of knee-jerk reactions rocketing speedsters up the boards. Bench presses will apparently become more important that film, and running in a straight line will outweigh production.

But while film will always overshadow one weekend of workouts, the combine can provide some invaluable information and maybe even a leg up for a prospect in hot contention to become a higher pick. So here’s a look at how the first round might go down after spending a week in Indianapolis.

1.) St. Louis Rams — Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma
There are plenty of reasons to like Ndamukong Suh here, and he’s a strong possibility, but I think that the nod goes to the quarterback. When you’re in a position to draft a franchise passer, and you just spent part of a season with Keith Null at the helm, you don’t pass on the opportunity. Showing up to the NFL Combine with 20 extra pounds of bulk was a good move. He’s really making a move to be the consensus top quarterback.

2.) Detroit Lions — Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska
The Lions would benefit greatly from either Suh or Gerald McCoy, but I think Suh is the better prospect, and I believe that Detroit will end up valuing him over his OU counterpart. He was freakishly athletic in Indianapolis, and he’s got a great attitude and demeanor for a top pick. When you couple what he did in the Combine drills with an amazing collegiate resume’ (12 sacks as a DT last year), it’s hard to imagine anyone else in this pick.

3.) Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma
Not a bad consolation prize at all here. There are some that have McCoy rated about Suh, and while I don’t agree with that, McCoy is a special prospect. His 23 reps in the bench will be talked about for weeks, but he shows well on tape and was dynamic and charismatic in the spotlight. Tampa Bay needs a defensive tackle in a bad way, and they’ll take Suh or McCoy depending upon who’s available.

4.) Washington Redskins — Russell Okung, OT, Oklahoma State
I really thought the Redskins were looking to take a quarterback, but even though I don’t agree with all of the talk about Jimmy Clausen’s character concerns, it’s hard to see Mike Shanahan taking a chance on another QB with even a whiff of diva around him. If Bradford’s gone, it’s got to be an OT. Shanahan told me the O line was the team’s biggest question mark, and since they’re bringing Jason Campbell back, it makes sense to protect him with the top tackle prospect. Okung’s 36″ arms were really impressive, and he’s got loads of experience.

5.) Kansas City Chiefs — Bruce Campbell, OT, Maryland
The Chiefs are another team desperate for help up front. If they were picking in the 9-13 range, I’d have them taking Dez Bryant after the way Todd Haley talked about his receiver’s continued problems with catching the ball. But, as it stands, Branden Albert needs to be moved from the blindside to right tackle or possibly inside to guard. Campbell was easily the most athletic tackle in Indianapolis posting a 4.85 40 yard dash at 6’7″ 310 pounds. They’ve got to do a better job protecting Matt Cassel if they want to climb out of the AFC West cellar.

6.) Seattle Seahawks — Eric Berry, S, Tennessee
We saw it happen last year. Teams passed on arguably the top defensive player in the draft through the first three picks, and Seattle happily scooped Aaron Curry. Berry may not be the best defenisve prospect in a draft that contains a guy like Suh, but he’s great value at a position of big need for Seattle. He’s much better in coverage than Taylor Mays, and any guy that can do this is worthy of a lofty pick.

7.) Cleveland Browns — Joe Haden, CB, Florida
There will be a knee-jerk backlash after Joe Haden ran in the 4.57 range at the Combine on Tuesday. People will start to drop him in their rankings, and he’ll be talked about as a late first rounder. But I expect Haden to have a great pro day, and his stock will spike again. He was a three-year starter in the toughest conference in college football, and the guy can flat out cover. Plus, he’s a good tackler, which is an underrated aspect of playing corner in the NFL. Cleveland could really use a corner across from Eric Wright, and Haden’s value should rebound into this range.

8.) Oakland Raiders — Taylor Mays, S, USC
Here it comes. Last year, Darrius Heyward Bey was thought to be a ludicrous suggestion as the seventh overall pick, but his athleticism sparked a fire in ole Al Davis, and the flames were fanned on draft day. Mays ended up with an official 40 time of 4.43, but this has been a slow track over the last couple of years since the move to Lucas Oil Stadium, and considering he was clocked unofficially at 4.24, he should be able to win Al over at his pro day in Los Angeles.

9.) Buffalo Bills — Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame
Buffalo benefits in a big way here. Clausen is a highly underrated quarterback who comes from a pro style offense that forced him to play under center and make reads in a more NFL-friendly fashion. He’s been coached by one of the great NFL offensive minds in Charlie Weis, and he clearly improved each season. The Bills need a quarterback, and new coaches usually like to find their own guy at that position. If Clausen falls here, I can’t see the Bills passing on him for another year of Trent Edwards and the world’s shortest passing game.

10.) Jacksonville Jaguars — Jason Pierre-Paul, DE, South Florida
The Jaguars are suckers for athletic freaks. They love speed and flash almost as much as the Raiders. Here, they get a guy who was semi-productive for only one season, but tested off the charts at the combine with a 4.64 40 at 6’5″ 270 pounds. The Jags have struckout on defensive ends in the past, but the fact remains that they’re getting desperate for a pass rush from this spot. Pierre-Paul has a lot of potential, but he’s raw.

11.) Denver Broncos — Rolando McClain, ILB, Alabama
It’s going to be interesting to see how this whole Brandon Marshall situation works out. On the one hand, it seems that Marshall has scuttled through all nine of his lives, but then again Josh McDaniels told me he thinks they can work it out simply because they’ve done it before. But with the only receiver worthy of the pick carrying some character concerns of his own, it just doesn’t make sense to mock Dez Bryant to Denver.

I got to talk to Michael Lombardi, and he told me that he was really impressed with Brandon Lloyd’s improvement at the end of the year, and Jabar Gaffney really stepped up in the closer, even though it was against the Chiefs. Plus, forgetting about Eddie Royal would be easy, but hopefully foolish. Things could be worse at receiver, especially if Tony Scheffler comes back.

That leaves McClain, in my mind, as the only viable option. The Broncos were gashed by the Raiders’ and Chiefs’ rushing games in must-win games down the stretch. That can’t happen again. I don’t see any see and nose tackles or defensive ends worth the pick, and we know McDaniels has no fear given his short, but busy, history. So maybe trading down is an option. But, if they stay put, the smart money’s on the “smartest guy” Nick Saban ever coached. He’s got experience in the 3-4, and he should step in as a starter from day one. Something has to be done to keep opponents from handing it off 40 times a game on the way to record days and upset wins.

12.) Miami Dolphins — Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma State
The Dolphins really need a receiver. Davone Bess played pretty well last season, and Brian Hartline looks like he might have been a steal last year, but the absence of a big-bodied redzone target is palpable. If Chad Henne is going to fully develop, he could use a strong, sizeable target like Bryant who was as productive as receiver when it came to snagging TDs inside the 20.

13.) San Francisco 49ers — Bryan Bulaga, OT, Iowa
A few years back, Amobi Okoye was a 19 year-old-draftee whose age made him an attractive prospect because of the possible added longevity of his career. At 20, Bryan Bulaga may get a boost from the same situation. He’s not the most athletic specimen in the draft, but he possesses excellent technique and instincts, and he’s got the strength to play on the right side, which is where San Francisco needs him. A tough guy who completely shut down Georgia Tech’s Derrick Morgan in the Orange Bowl, he just seems like a Mike Singletary guy.

14.) Seattle Seahawks — CJ Spiller, RB, Clemson
The Seahawks really need a replacement for the departed Walter Jones, and rebuilding this offensive line has to be a priority. But there just aren’t and tackles worth the pick. That leaves Spiller, a dynamic homerun threat running back with great hands and added versatility as a dangerous kick returner. Someone has to jolt the Seahawks’ stagnant running game.

15.) New York Giants — Everson Griffen, DE, USC
Everson Griffen is an impressive athlete. At 6’3″ 273 pounds, he blazed through a 4.64 40 yard dash and was very fluid every time he moved. The Giants seemed stocked along the defensive line heading into last season, but injuries and poor play haunted them, and they suddenly found themselves void of a pass rush. Griffen has the size they like in defensive ends, and he has the potential to become a terror if he can find some consistency.

16.) Tennessee Titans — Derrick Morgan, DE, Georgia Tech
Tennessee’s defensive line hasn’t been the same since losing Albert Haynesworth. The problem isn’t as much at defensive tackle as it is at defensive end. They finished 18th in the league in sacks, and they’ve got a lot of defensive ends with expiring contracts this offseason. Morgan was a little smaller than expected at the combine, but he’s got a lot of great tape, and seemed to have a knack for disrupting plays in the backfield.

17.) San Francisco 49ers — Kyle Wilson, CB, Boise State
This is a guy that is rocketing up big boards. I got the chance to talk to Kyle a couple of weeks ago after his lights-out performance at the Senior Bowl and he told me he thought he could run in the 4.20-4.30 range. If he does that at his pro day coupled with his versatility, years of production, and 25 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press; he could go even higher. The Niners need a second corner in a bad way. Wilson is another Mike Singletary guy. Tough, confident, and active.

18.) Pittsburgh Steelers — Dan Williams, NT, Tennessee
The Steelers always seem to do a great job of drafting with forethought. They took Ziggy Hood last year in anticipation of their need at defensive end this year. I think they’ll do the same in 2010. Casey Hampton isn’t done yet, but Dan Williams has emerged as the top nose tackle in this class, and he would be a smart future investment.

19.) Atlanta Falcons — Brandon Graham, DE, Michigan
If, and I stress if, Brandon Graham lasts this long I’d bet on this pick with my life savings. Atlanta is desperate for a pass rushing threat, and I have to believe that the “Jamaal Anderson as a sack artist” experiment is over. Graham is drawing Elvis Dumervil comparisons at 6’1″ 269 pounds with good speed at 4.69. He was highly productive in college leading the nation in tackles for loss with 26 last year.

20.) Houston Texans — Earl Thomas, S, Texas
Earl Thomas put on some weight before the combine, and he showed up at over 200 pounds. His 4.53 40 time was pretty good in comparison, and the guy was the tops in interceptions last season. There’s a school of thought that says he’s a corner at the next level, but on the outside or at safety he fills a need for Houston.

21.) Cincinnati Bengals — Arrelious Benn, WR, Illinois
When TJ Houshmandzadeh packed up his consonants and left Cincinnati, he apparently took the Bengals’ passing game with him. In their playoff loss, the Bengals had no options through the air once Darrelle Revis took Chad Ochocinco out of the equation. Benn’s production suffered in college due to inconsistent quarterback play, but he’s a superior athlete and should look great across from Ocho.

22.) New England Patriots — Jerry Hughes, OLB, TCU
The Patriots suddenly found themselves with no pass rush whatsoever. And now that Adalius Thomas and his seemingly lost abilities will likely end up elsewhere, this need grows even more. Hughes stood up some in college so he should be able to transition to the 3-4. He just has a sense when it comes to making sacks.

23.) Green Bay Packers — Charles Brown, OT, USC
Charles Brown made himself a lot of money by weighing in at over 300 pounds at the combine. There’s no secret difference between 299 and his new weight of 303, but it’s always nice to be over that limit. He fits the Green Bay blocking scheme pretty well, and they’ve got to plan for a future without their current starters if they want to have any future with Aaron Rodgers.

24.) Philadelphia Eagles — Sean Weatherspoon, OLB, Missouri
Sean Weatherspoon is an instant leader. Even after only a few days at the combine, you could see the other prospects gravitate to him. The Eagles need some leadership on their team, and it wouldn’t hurt to bring in a premier linebacker after whiffing on Chris Gocong.

25.) Baltimore Ravens — Golden Tate, WR, Notre Dame
It wasn’t super publicized, but Joe Flacco was really lobbying for a speedy receiver last offseason to help take advantage of his strong arm. That didn’t really happen. This is contingent on whether or not TO ends up in Baltimore, but with Derrick Mason’s possible retirement and Golden Tate’s blazing 4.36 40, this pick seems like a cinch.

26.) Arizona Cardinals — Ricky Sapp, OLB, Clemson
The Cardinals love athletic players. They continually draft potential. Ricky Sapp has more polish than most think, and there’s no denying his physical prowess. He’s got top speed and good size to play in the Cards’ defense. Last year’s pick, Cody Brown, was injured and missed the season, and there’s a need for pressure from this position.

27.) Dallas Cowboys — Mike Iupati, OG, Idaho
The Cowboys could use some help up front and Iupati is the top guard in this class. He fits the Jerry Jones “giant” requirement, and he fills a need.

28.) San Diego Chargers — Ryan Matthews, RB, Fresno State
Ryan Matthews looked pretty good at the combine. He ran a great 40 time, but more importantly looked fluid in the agility drills. For a guy whose supposed big weakness was rigid lateral mobility, he really helped himself. He brings a physical nature, good size, and homerun ability to a team losing both of their top running backs.

29.) New York Jets — Carlos Dunlap, DE, Florida
This was a difficult pick to mock, but I think Dunlap represents great value here. He’s got some consistency issues, but he still put up over 18 sacks in his career, and at 6’5″ 277 pounds his 4.66 40 was very impressive. He’s got the bulk to play defensive end in the 3-4, and that’s an area the Jets want to address.

30.) Minnesota Vikings — Devin McCourty, CB, Rutgers
Devin McCourty is another guy that is really on the rise right now. He’s a great athlete and displayed special instincts throughout his career. He brings added value as a kick returner, and he’s got great speed. With Cedric Griffin unlikely to be ready for the season opener, this becomes a huge need for Minnesota.

31.) Indianapolis Colts — Trent Williams, OT, Oklahoma
The Colts have got to do better than protecting Peyton Manning with this kind of offensive line. He’s rarely sacked because he’s so quick with his decisions, but can you imagine how deadly he’d be with ample time in the pocket. Williams just finished running a 4.88 40 at 6’5″ and over 300 pounds, and he fits the Colts blocking scheme. Should be a nice grab for Indy if he falls.

32.) New Orleans Saints — Jermaine Gresham, TE, Oklahoma
This is a pure value pick. New Orleans has bigger needs right now, but there are no defensive ends or nose tackles worth a first-rounder here. When Jeremy Shockey went down, this offense lost a step, and the Saints can’t be unprepared in the event that he’s banged up again. Plus, it wouldn’t be bad to have a serious talent like Gresham waiting in the wings. Like I said, this is mostly value, and there’s a good chance that Gresham won’t be available this late.

See more from Hunter at DraftZoo.Com