Remember the standard for picks is what teams should do based on their needs and weaknesses. I also project trades where they make more sense then a selection.
21st Pick – Arizona Cardinals (traded from Cincinnati Bengals) - Sergio Kindle, OLB, Texas – The Cardinals have had a tumultuous offseason, losing quarterback Kurt Warner to retirement, linebacker Karlos Dansby to free agency, and wide receiver Anquan Boldin via a trade to Baltimore. The gut reaction for many will be to insist the Cardinals draft a WR to replace Boldin and to work on repairing the explosive offense that led the team to playoff berths for the last two years.
But with Kurt Warner gone, it seems foolish to try to replicate that success. Matt Leinart isn’t the same kind of passer Warner was, and the team will probably be more successful next year if it focuses on pounding the ball with Beanie Wells and defending well. Sergio Kindle is seen by many as a top-fifteen talent, a player who for some is even a better prospect than Rolando McClain is. He also is a player who could be snatched up by the Patriots, who hold the twenty-second overall pick. Kindle could be an immediate high-impact player, and that is what the Cardinals desperately need on defense.
The Cardinals only would have to sacrifice a third-round pick to move up to get Kindle, of which they have two this year anyways, and should make the move up. The Bengals benefit from moving down because the player they likely covet, Oklahoma TE Jermaine Gresham, will likely still be around five picks later.
22nd Pick – New England Patriots – Demaryius Thomas, WR, Georgia Tech – With Kindle no longer available, the Patriots focus on strengthening their receiving corp, which could be without Wes Welker due to the brutal injury he sustained last year. Thomas also provides security for the future, as Randy Moss is 33 years old already.
23rd Pick – Green Bay Packers – Anthony Davis, OL, Rutgers – The Packers are another good team that gives up way too many sacks to their quarterback. The problem could be part Aaron Rodgers’ fault, as the quarterback tends to wait out deep routes instead of hitting short patterns, but it is an issue that needs to be addressed. In 2009, because of injuries, the Packers consistently had an offensive line that looked like it had been put together Frankenstein-style. Players were out of position, on the other side, etc. Clearly the team needs depth at the offensive line, and Davis is the best prospect available at 23. Green Bay should supplement this pick with more offensive linemen later in the draft.
24th Pick – Philadelphia Eagles – Jared Odrick, DL, Penn State – Much like the Falcons, the Eagles are a team that is fairly complete. One area they could improve in is their pass rush, and so drafting a defensive linesmen makes sense. The best defensive teams often have depth stacked on top of more depth at their defensive line, as players who play the strenuous position often tire easily or are injured. Odrick is a solid player who comes from a good college system and should fit right into the Eagles’ locker room.
25th Pick – Baltimore Ravens - Patrick Robinson, CB, Florida State – Robinson is talented enough to draw comparisons to playmakers such as Antonio Cromartie. His biggest knock is an attitude problem, and if that is indeed the case then the Ravens are the perfect fit for him. With proven leaders on defense, like Ray Lewis and Ed Reed, the Ravens should have no problem steering in Robinson and getting the most out of his talents.
Robinson also fills a need for Baltimore, as the team recently lost Samari Rolle to retirement.
26th Pick – Cincinnati Bengals (traded from Arizona Cardinals) – Jermaine Gresham, TE, Oklahoma – A tight end is often a quarterback’s best friend, and Carson Palmer needs a best friend in Cincinnati. Gresham, when healthy, is a reliable, big target that should open up the Bengals’ passing game and make the offense more dynamic. The fact that the Bengals got Gresham and an extra third-round pick in this mock should make them very happy.
