18to88 has been mocking the draft for three years now, and our track record has been stellar. But we’ve grown weary with our old fun and games. It’s time to get serious. No more kid’s stuff for us. Without further delay, our 2010 mock draft.
| Player | Position | School | |||
| 1. St. Louis Rams | George Washington | QB | University of Washington |  |
The Rams have needed a quarterback ever since Kurt Warner left several years ago. Honestly, there is no better field general in the draft than Washington. His startling underdog victories have set the state for his ascendancy. He’s a real can’t miss prospect. |
| 2. Detroit Lions | Ronald Reagan | DT | Eureka College |  |
The Lions are concerned with defense and Regan brings the big lumber in that regard. His style of defense is certainly explosive. There are concerns in some circles that he could be expensive, but there’s no question that he won’t back down and packs a wallop. |
| 3. Tampa Bay Bucs | James Madison | DT | Princeton |  |
Madison isn’t as explosive as Regan, but his work at repelling the British hasn’t gone unnoticed. He has a strong family support structure, but there are weight concerns. Rumor has it he’s too big a fan of snack cakes. |
| 4. Washington Redskins | US Grant | QB | West Point |  |
Even though the Skins just traded for McNabb, some think they are still in the market for a quarterback. Grant has an impressive resume, but many question whether his talents will translate to the next level. Todd McShay has already condemned the pick for having too much baggage. |
| 5. Kansas City Chiefs | Jimmy Carter | S | Georgia Tech |  |
Chiefs fans have been in a malaise for years now, and while Carter is not the sexist pick for the troubled franchise, he certainly is attractive for anytime wanting a safety. |
| 6. Seattle Seahawks | James Buchanan | OT | Dickenson College |  |
Despite more talented players still on the board, the Seahwaks are desperate to draft for need. They need a solid lineman, and no one is more obstructionist than Buchanan. You can be sure that little progress will be made by the defensive line with Buchanan manning the post. |
| 7. Cleveland Browns | Abraham Lincoln | WR | Illinois |  |
Mike Holmgren is delighted as his former team whiffs on their pick, leaving him the lanky flanker from the heartland. After dealing Braylon Edwards, the Browns receiving corp is thin, but Lincoln’s impressive wing span and Moss like height make him too attractive to pass up. Holmgren was quoted as saying, “Lincoln might be the best player in the draft”. |
| 8. Oakland Raiders | Dan Quayle | WR | DePauw |  |
Al Davis loves his measurables, but most analysts are left scratching their heads after this pick. Despite an attractive profile, Quayle was taken off the board by most teams once he posted a Wonderlic score of 3. When the pick is announced, Mel Kiper briefly loses consciousness after bashing his head against a table. When he finally comes to, he calls the pick, “a bit of a reach”. |
| 9. Buffalo Bills | Dwight Eisenhower | QB | Texas |  |
The Bills desperately want a QB, and the signal caller from Texas certainly has a rich undergrad record, full of victories. While projected to be a solid pro, he might lack the aggressiveness to take the team to the next level. He’s a bit of a system quarterback, and might be content to just ride out his time in the saddle. |
| 10. Jacksonville Jaguars | Bill Clinton | LB | Arkansas |  |
The biggest enigma in the draft, the Jaguars finally settle on the hard hitting linebacker from Arkansas. Clinton is a talented player, but his considerable off the field issues might be enough to undo him. Coach Jack Del Rio, himself a former linebacker, said, “Matt Jones had really great things to say about Clinton. He vouched for his character.” |
| 11. Denver Broncos | Tomas Jefferson | WR | University of Virginia |  |
Jefferson is one of the great talents in the draft. He has a variety of skills and could play multiple positions. He does carry some tawdry off the field baggage, however, that has caused him to slip to the Broncos at 11. The Saints hoped to trade up for him, but ultimately the Louisiana team couldn’t make the purchase. |
| 12. Miami Dolphins | Lyndon Johnson | DT | South West Texas State |  |
The Dolphins want to continue their resurgence by building their line. LBJ has a solid track resume in defense. He’s a load in the middle and is known for being cantankerous. He prefers playing on the left side and loves to pressure the opposition. |
| 13. San Francisco 49ers | John F. Kennedy | RB | Harvard |  |
Kennedy is perhaps the most dynamic talent in the draft, but many teams question his durability, citing injury concerns as a reason to pass on the talented sophomore who declared early for the draft. Kennedy has an amazing jump cut move in which he steps back and to the right before proceeding through the hole. |
| 14. Seattle Seahawks | Harry S. Truman | DE | Missouri |  |
The Seahawks are looking for a quick strike end with explosive power and believe that Truman is just the player they need. He spent most of his career as a backup, but was thrust into the starting lineup his Senior year, and immediately delivered a bang as he lead the Tigers to a pair of big victories. You can never count Truman out, but one big question is signability. Pete Carroll has to negotiate two first round contracts, and insiders say that he commented, “The bucks stop with Truman.” |
| 15. New York Giants | Woodrow Wilson | G | University of Virginia |  |
The Giants are looking to upgrade the offensive line, and are said to be quite high on Wilson, a quick guard out of UVA. Wilson is a good pocket protector, but may like the kind of fighting instinct necessary in a tough lineman. Still, he showed the ability jump into the scrum when forced. He’ll be a good addition to the League of National Football. |
| 16. Tennessee Titans | Zachary Taylor | DE | Louisville |  |
The Titans have lost a lot of beef on the line in the last couple of years, and Taylor is just the guy they need to bring the head on opposing field generals. He was a bit of a project at Louisville, having never played high school ball, but was a team leader, and his big sacks against the University of Saint Annes caught the attention of pro scouts. His performance at the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans was excellent as well. |
| 17. San Fransisco 49ers | Barack Obama | OT | Occidental College |  |
San Fransisco is a perfect fit for Obama. The Niners need change on their offensive line, and Obama definitely gets good push, seemingly with disregard for his opposition. Critics say that his offenses generated more yards than points, but Obama supporters in the scouting world figure that any progress is important. When asked what side Obama might play, Mike Singletary said, “Left. Definitely the left.” |
| 18. Pittsburgh Steelers | Rutherford B. Hayes | CB | Kenyon College |  |
The Steelers have been rocked by scandal in recent months, and Hayes is exactly the kind of upright locker room guy they’ve been looking for. Hayes wormed his way into the starting lineup, picking off passes intended for other receivers. He is already married won’t be visiting any bars. The one strike against him is that he is not popular with black teammates who accuse him of running out on them during a fight with Florida State. |
| 19. Atlanta Falcons | Theodore Roosevelt | DE | Harvard |  |
Without question, Roosevelt is the steal of the draft. Health and size concerns led to him plummeting to the bottom half of the first round, but the fiery end packs a serious punch. He emerged as an injury replacement in his freshman year and had a stranglehold on the position ever since. Roosevelt is known for his hard charging style and bull rush move. |
| 20. Houston Texans | Franklin Delano Roosevelt | RB | Harvard |  |
The Texans surprise everyone with the selection of Roosevelt. Some scouts question his durability, but others think he’ll play in the league for a long long time. Gary Kubiak said simply, “We can’t pass on Roosevelt. The man has serious wheels.” |
| 21. Cincinnati Bengals | Herbert Hoover | TE | Stanford |  |
Bengals owner Mike Brown loves cheap players and Hoover should be signable. A first round reach, he lacks downfield skill and doesn’t have great field vision when running with the ball. He is a competent blocker and knows how to impede the progress of the rush. Bengals fans are excited about the selection and have put up signs around Cincinnati that say, “Welcome to Hooverville!” |
| 22. New England Patriots | Richard Nixon | LB | Duke |  |
Nixon is a perfect fit with the Patriots. He is highly accomplished, but has had skirmishes with the law and is generally reviled as being a dirty player. Bill Belichick loves his instincts and is certain he can channel Nixon’s aggression in the right directions. “When I look at Nixon, I see a lot of myself,” said Belichick. |
| 23. Green Bay Packers | William Henry Harrison | OT | Penn |  |
Harrison had an exemplary undergrad career, and the Packers are excited about his future. Perhaps the most impressive part about the player, who is older than most first round picks, is that he was willing to stand at the podium and address the media for well over an hour. “I anticipate him having a long, long career with the Packers,” said GM Ted Thompson. |
| 24. Philadelphia Eagles | Grover Cleveland | CB | Clinton Academy |  |
The Eagles are looking for flexibility in their secondary and think that Cleveland could be just the guy to fill the role. He’s been described as so fast that, “you don’t know whether he’s coming or going”. He was up for the Jim Thorpe award, but lost in a controversial vote. No one is sure if the Eagles can sign him though. He’s vetoed several contract offers already. |
| 25. Baltimore Ravens | William Howard Taft | DT | Yale |  |
If you are looking for someone to clog the middle, the mammoth DT out of Yale is just your guy. He’s a classic 3-4 NT, able to occupy a lot of space and blockers. Surprisingly, Ravens scouts had little to say about his college career but picked him anyway because, “Just look at the size of him!” |
| 26. Arizona Cardinals | John Adams | LB | Harvard |  |
Adams is a bit undersized but plays with a chip on his shoulder. He was accomplished in college, but never reveled in his accomplishments. Seriously undervalued by most scouts, Adams has the talent to play in the big leagues, but the only question is to his temperament. He is the kind of player who won’t be happy learning in a backup role. If he isn’t in the starting lineup, he could become a locker room problem. |
| 27. Dallas Cowboys | George W. Bush | CB | Yale |  |
Bush is a controversial pick, and most scouts either love him or hate him. He is very highly thought of by the Texas teams, however. He was quite popular with teammates and loves to jump routes. He struggles to stay disciplined in the parameters of a normal defense, but for a team that values his aggressiveness, that’s not a problem. |
| 28. San Diego Chargers | James K Polk | DT | North Carolina |  |
Polk has slipped below the radar of most drafts, but he’s a real sleeper for the Chargers. There are questions as to his drive, but no one can argue with his accomplishments. He forced runners right or left, because he clogged up the middle. He wore number 54 in college, but expected to switch to 49 in the NFL. |
| 29. New York Jets | Calvin Coolidge | S | Amherst |  |
The Jets have a strong secondary, but they need someone who can limit the size of big plays. Coolidge is their man. Some scouts have said he is quiet on the field, but Cal got the rest of his team off to a roaring start. The Jets have to hope he can hold down the position, because should he leave the field, everything could crash. |
| 30. Minnesota Vikings | William McKinley | C | Allegheney College |  |
A real mountain of a man, McKinley is the gold standard of college centers. Some scouts have called him an injury risk, but his college coach gave him a strong endorsement. “Will was the center piece of our offense really. Without him on the field, it would have been anarchy!” |
| 31. Indianapolis Colts | Ndamukong Suh | DT | Nebraska |  |
Colts GM Bill Polian can’t believe his luck when Suh plummets to the end of the first round. “To be honest, I’m amazed we landed him. It’s surprising that he fell this far, especially considering that most of the guys taken ahead of him are quite old and…well, dead.” |
| 32. New Orleans Saints | George HW Bush | DE | Yale |  |
Bush is a solid, if unspectacular defensive end. Sean Payton was positive when discussing Bush. “He’s the kind of guy who can help us. He’s not an elite talent, but at the end of the first round you take what you can get. I’ll burn in hell before I take that son of a bitch Franklin Pierce for my team. I’ll tell you that right now.” |
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