{mosimage}#1 Detroit Lions: WR Kenneth Moore, Wake Forest
At 5'11, 195 lbs. Kenneth Moore is a tad undersized and will be an interesting prospect for the Lions. He offers a lot of versatility, as he gained over 500 rushing yards during his junior year at Wake Forest in Jim Grobe's misdirection offense. He could also do some serious damage for the Lions as a return man, as he returned kicks and punts for the Demon Deacons. This is not even mentioning his monster numbers for his senior year at receiver, hauling in 98 catches for 1,011 yards. Moore will make some serious noise for the Lions.

#2 Minnesota Vikings: QB John David Booty, Southern California
At 6'3, 213 lbs. Booty has excellent size. He displayed excellent accuracy and touch on his throws during his time at USC. He threw a lot of shallow crossing routes in USC's offense, but Vikings head coach Brad Childress likes him because he makes a lot of throws that the Vikings like to make in their scheme, so it sounds like a good fit. The Louisiana native had an injury-plagued senior year at USC, but in 2006 when he was healthy for the entire season, he completed 61.7% of his passes for 29 touchdowns and only nine interceptions. Former USC offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian said, "Booty is like Greg Maddux in the way he can put the ball in the spot it needs to be." Booty has all the tools to be an excellent quarterback in the NFL and don't be surprised if he pushes starter Tarvaris Jackson for playing time a year down the road.

#3 Atlanta Falcons: LB Robert James, Arizona State
At 5'11, 219 lbs. James is vastly undersized for the linebacker position at the NFL. He will likely make a transition to safety, where he played on the scout team at Arizona State during his freshman year. If the Falcons are going to play him at linebacker, he's definitely going to need to put on some weight and it is always tough to tell if a prospect will be able to carry twenty more pounds and not lose any speed. In 2007, he was nearly unstoppable for the Sun Devils at the linebacker position, posting 106 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks. He also snagged four interceptions this past season. He's a very interesting prospect who could excel at the next level, as long as he's put in the right position.

#4 Denver Broncos: RB Ryan Torain, Arizona State
Ryan Torain is one of the bigger running backs in this draft class. At 6'1", 222 lbs. he has excellent size to allow him to run between the tackles. He missed more than half of his senior season with a fractured foot, but when he was healthy his junior year he piled up gaudy statistics for the Sun Devils. He rushed 223 times for 1,229 yards and seven touchdowns. The Kansas native also manage to snare 18 passes for 205 yards and three touchdowns. When healthy, Torain has shown that he can be one of the best all-purpose backs in America. It is hard to question the Denver Broncos when it comes to drafting running backs because they are so good at plugging in different running backs into their zone-blocking scheme.

#5 Kansas City Chiefs: DB Brandon Carr, Grand Valley State
This pick is very questionable and I don't like it at all, especially since there were better defensive backs such as South Florida's Trae Williams left on the board. He has solid size at 6'0, 207 lbs. and was a two-time All-American for Division II powerhouse Grand Valley State. He tallied 11 interceptions over the past three years and broke up another 37 passes during that time. He's still raw as a cornerback and needs to work on his technique. The most surprising part of this pick is taking a guy like Carr instead of a much more polished and proven defensive back like South Florida's Trae Williams. Time will be the judge.

#6 Carolina Panthers: TE Gary Barnidge, Louisville
This is an excellent pick-up for the Panthers and Barnidge was definitely one of the better tight ends of the 2008 class. He proved to be another reliable pass catcher in Louisville's high-octane passing attack. The Florida native had an excellent senior season for the Cardinals, snagging 53 passes for 655 yards and seven touchdowns. He is blessed with excellent change of direction for somebody his size and can make defenders miss in the open field with ease. As long as the Panthers can find a quarterback to feed him the football, Barnidge should be an excellent pass-catching tight end in the NFL.

#7 Chicago Bears: DB Zack Bowman, Nebraska
The Bears had a weak draft and it's due to decisions like this one, taking a DB when they don't even really need one and they have a clear need for a quarterback. There were two top-notch signal callers taken in this round that are true sleepers, Josh Johnson of San Diego and Dennis Dixon of Oregon. Both have tremendous upside and would likely beat out Rex Grossman, because he has way too many "ball security" issues as Jay Bilas likes to put it. Grossman is simply too inconsistent and it really doesn't make any sense why the Bears didn't take a quarterback. Bowman has shown that he can be an excellent cover corner when he's healthy. In 2006, in just five games of action he posted 27 tackles, 14 pass deflections, and two interceptions for the Huskers. Health concerns will be a major issue for Bowman, as he had two surgeries on his left ACL and surgery after he ruptured his right knee patella tendon. Time will tell, but it seems like Bowman will never be able to return to his once stellar form due to those injuries.

#8 Dallas Cowboys: DB Orlando Scandrick, Boise State
The junior skipped his senior season to enter the draft, but he's been on many scouts' radars for years. It is a pretty solid pick since the Cowboys are trying to develop some depth at the DB position. Scandrick and Mike Jenkins could offer some insurance in case the whole "Pacman" Jones experiment doesn't work out. Scandrick has character issues of his own to work out, but if he gets those cleaned up, he's shown the ability to be a top-notch cover corner. In 13 games in 2007, the California native racked up 50 tackles, seven pass breakups, three tackles for loss, two interceptions and two forced fumbles. Those are pretty solid numbers and he should help to provide some depth at the cornerback position for the Cowboys.

#9 New Orleans Saints: DT Demario Pressley, N.C. State
Pressley was one of the more underrated defensive lineman prospects in this draft. He was a five-star prospect coming out of high school and never really lived up to the hype, but Pressley is still a solid prospect. He's blessed with excellent athleticism, speed, and quickness for somebody his size. He ran into a rash of injuries his senior year at N.C. State, and if he can get stay healthy, the sky is the limit.

#10 Cincinnati Bengals: DT Jason Shirley, Fresno State
This pick makes no sense for a Bengals' organization that is trying to clean up its "bad-boy" image. They continue to draft prospects that have bad histories of character issues and Shirley is the next man in line. He was suspended twice before being kicked off Fresno State's team in November of 2007. If he can stay out of trouble, Shirley has shown his potential to be dominant on the gridiron because of his sheer size alone at 6'5", 329 lbs. He reminds many teams of a Ted Washington because of his ability to clog up the middle and take on two blockers at once.

#11 Detroit Lions: FB Jerome Felton, Furman
Felton was one of the top fullbacks in the draft and it was a surprise to many that he fell to this spot. He left Furman as the school's all-time record holder in points scored with 414 points after piling up 63 touchdowns on the ground. The shifty fullback has excellent speed and agility for somebody his size and should be a solid player on the next level for Lions.

#12 Buffalo Bills: LB Alvin Bowen, Iowa State
Bowen is a little undersized for the linebacker position, but he was simply dialed in for the Cyclones during his final two seasons, leading the nation in solo tackles(95), and tackles per game(12.92). Many scouts project Bowen as a safety in the pros because of his loose hips and his ability to get excellent depth on his drops in pass coverage.

#13 Denver Broncos: DT Carlton Powell, Virginia Tech
Powell will earn his money as a run-stuffer in the pros, as he was one of the more dominant defensive tackles in the nation versus the run for the Hokies. In the 73 plays he made against the run, he held the opposition to -21 yards rushing. He was constantly clogging up blockers in the middle and allowing playmakers like the talented LB duo of Vince Hall and Xavier Adibi to roam free.

#14 Arizona Cardinals: RB Tim Hightower, Richmond
Hightower was an excellent running back prospect coming out of Episcopal High School in Alexandria, Virginia. He didn't break out until this past college football season, where he posted monster numbers for the Spiders, carrying them to a Football Championship Subdivision playoff berth. The Waldorf, Maryland native grinded out 1,924 yards and 20 touchdowns on the ground in 2007. He also hauled in 32 passes for 208 yards and three touchdowns through the air in route to being named a second team AP All-American.

#15 Green Bay Packers: OT Breno Giacomini, Louisville
The Massachusetts native entered Louisville as a solid tight end prospect at 243 pounds but eventually blossomed to a 303 pound offensive tackle in 2007. He was solid in pass blocking, allowing only four sacks and 2 quarterback hurries on 491 pass plays for the Cardinals. Giacomini is a natural pass-catcher and could be used as a tight end in goal line situations.

#16 Houston Texans: DT Frank Okam, Texas
At 6'5, 320 lbs. Okam is a space-eater that can dominate the action in the trenches, something many NFL teams covet. A very highly recruited player coming out of high school, Okam did not disappoint on the gridiron for the Longhorns, earning All-Big 12 honors three times during his days in Austin. Known as an excellent student, Okam decided against entering the NFL Draft early so he could finish up his degree at the University of Texas. He should be a solid player in the trenches for the Texans because of his excellent size alone.

#17 Minnesota Vikings: DT Letroy Guion, Florida State
Known as an excellent pass-rusher during his days with the Seminoles, Guion posted 12.5 sacks during his three-year career there before deciding to skip his senior season and enter the draft. Tipping the scales at over 300 pounds, Guion is yet another "space-eater" to come flying off the draft board in the fifth round. Florida State's coaches were surprised that he declared early and he probably could've used another year for improvement, but his size alone makes him an intriguing prospect.

#18 New England Patriots: WR Matt Slater, UCLA
It is hard to question what the Patriots as an organization are doing in the draft process, because they've had so much success at getting guys to fit their scheme over the years. Slater was a standout on special teams in 2007 for the Bruins, returning three kicks back for touchdowns. He also averaged a whopping 29 yards per return! An interesting note is that Slater is the son of St. Louis Rams Hall of Fame offensive tackle Jackie Slater.

#19 Atlanta Falcons: LB Kroy Biermann, Montana
Biermann was named the 2007 Buck Buchanan Award Winner as the best defensive player in the Football Championship Series(formerly D-1AA). The biggest transition he'll have to make is learning to play in space instead of with his hand on the ground, as he was a defensive end for the Grizzlies in his college career. Still, there's no disputing Biermann's excellent nose for the football, as he racked up 72 tackles, 15 sacks, and five forced fumbles in leading Montana to a national championship in 2007. If he can make a smooth transition to linebacker, Biermann should definitely succeed for the Falcons.

#20 Jacksonville Jaguars: LB Thomas Williams, Southern California
Williams was a back-up for most of his career, but USC's coaches felt he could have started at a variety of other places. It is a tough task for anyone to start on a unit that included the likes of Brian Cushing, Keith Rivers, and Rey Mauluaga. If Williams wants to prove he could've been dominate elsewhere he will certainly get his chance as a special teams player for the Jaguars.

#21 Pittsburgh Steelers: QB Dennis Dixon, Oregon
Perhaps the biggest steal of the entire 2008 NFL Draft, no quarterback in college football was as efficient and effective at moving their offense down the football field as Dennis Dixon was during the 2007 season. If he didn't suffer a torn ACL against Arizona State, Dixon likely could've reeled in the 2007 Heisman Trophy and in the process bring the Oregon Ducks the BCS National Championship. Known for his blazing speed in the open field, Dixon posted the fastest forty yard dash time(4.49) of any quarterback in the history of the Oregon football program. A dynamic dual threat quarterback; in 2007 he completed over 67 percent of his passes in 2007 for 2,136 yards, while tossing in 20 touchdowns and only four interceptions. He also gashed opposing defenses with his ability to dance in the open field, gaining 583 yards and nine touchdowns on 105 attempts. Despite missing the team's final three games in 2007, he still reeled in Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year honors. It will be interesting to see if the Steelers use Dixon like they once used receiver Antwaan Randle-El or if they keep him at quarterback. His quarterback skills are simply undeniable. The California native is excellent in getting depth on his drops when he drops back in the pocket, has excellent footwork in the pocket, and makes excellent decisions with the football. Dixon has very active feet and a remarkably strong arm, so if anybody wants to make him their signal-caller down the road, they wouldn't be disappointed. The chances of him playing QB for the Steelers are very small, since Ben Roethlisberger just signed a contract well over $100 million.

#22 St. Louis Rams: OG Roy Schuening, Oregon State
Schuening was one of the most dominant offensive lineman in college football for the Beavers over the past few seasons, setting a school record with 50 consecutive starts. He's an excellent drive-blocker and garnered first-team All-American honors in 2007. He led all offensive lineman in the Pac-10 this season with 114 knockdown blocks. The Oregon native also displayed his versatility in 2007, when he played nine games at right guard and four at right tackle. He helped to clear the path for one of the best all-purpose backs in the Pac-10 (Yvenson Bernard) and will be re-united with him in the S-T-L. Schuening should be a starter for years to come for the Rams.

#23 Chicago Bears: TE Kellen Davis, Michigan State
The Michigan native is one of the more versatile prospects in the 2008 draft class. Davis played both tight end and defensive end last season for the Spartans, reeling in four sacks during his limited time on the defensive side of the ball. As a senior he hauled in 32 receptions for 513 yards and six touchdowns. It will be very interesting to see where the Bears line Davis up, because he certainly has options.

#24 Jacksonville Jaguars: DB Trae Williams, South Florida
Williams teamed with cornerback Mike Jenkins to give South Florida what was widely believed as the best cornerback tandem in college football over the past few seasons. In 2007, the Bulls were ranked 8^th in the country in pass efficiency defense due in large part to Williams and Jenkins locking opposing receivers down. Even though Williams was at times overshadowed by Jenkins, he posted gaudy numbers during his South Florida career, snagging 16 interceptions while returning four of them for touchdowns! A shutdown corner with excellent ball skills and uncanny instincts, Williams was easily one of the biggest steals of the fifth round for the Jaguars and should help make their already stout defense even stronger.

#25 Tampa Bay Buccaneers: QB Josh Johnson, San Diego
Yet another steal in the fifth round, quarterback Josh Johnson was one of college football's best-kept secrets. The California native has excellent footwork in the pocket, a quick release, tight rotation on his spirals, and excellent ball placement. He finished his career as the best player in San Diego Torero football history, completing 68 percent of his passes for 9,969 yards and 113 touchdowns, while only tossing 13 interceptions. He was a three-year starter for San Diego and is also the NCAA's all-time leader in passing efficiency with a hair-raising 176.7 rating. In 2007, he led the nation in three major passing categories: total offense, points responsible for, and passing efficiency. Blessed with near flawless football fundamentals at the quarterback position, Johnson has the chance to be a dynamic dual-threat quarterback for the Buccaneers down the road.

#26 Indianapolis Colts: LB Marcus Howard, Georgia
If you want to look for a man who was largely responsible for killing Colt Brennan's draft stock, look no further than Georgia Bulldog defensive lineman Marcus Howard. The South Carolina native posted three sacks against Hawaii in the 2008 Sugar Bowl shellacking of Hawaii. During his senior season he posted gaudy numbers for the Bulldogs, tallying 10.5 sacks, 12 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles, and three pass breakups. Oozing with a jaw-dropping amount of speed, Howard has been timed in the 40 yard dash at less than 4.5 seconds. His blazing speed should help him make the transition to the linebacker position at the next level.

#27 New York Jets: QB Erik Ainge, Tennessee
A golden-armed gunslinger who is a pure-drop back passer, Ainge was an excellent signal-caller over the past few seasons for the Volunteers. In 2007, he saved his best season for last, completing 325 of his 519 (62.6%) pass attempts for 3,522 yards, 31 touchdowns and just 10 interceptions. He's also one of the taller quarterbacks in the 2008 draft class at 6'6" and will rarely have the problem of getting a ball batted down at the line of scrimmage. His 72 career touchdown passes at Tennessee rank third all-time in Volunteer football history. Ainge is a solid quarterback prospect who should be able to jump into the mix and maybe push Kellen Clemens and Chad Pennington for playing time down the road.

#28 Seattle Seahawks: FB Owen Schmitt, West Virginia
At 6'2, 250 lbs. Schmitt was one of the better fullback prospects in this draft class. Known for his willingness to sacrifice his body, Schmitt was an absolute wrecking ball on the gridiron for the Mountaineers, obliterating anyone and anything in his path. He posted excellent numbers at the NFL combine, putting up 26 reps of 225 pounds, tied for fourth most among all running backs at the event. He was a key cog in blazing the trail for one of the nation's most prolific rushing attacks over the past few years for the Mountaineers. Schmitt broke 10 facemasks over the last three years, a testament to his ability to deliver bone-rattling hits. The Seahawks should be very happy with this pick up, because Schmitt is one of the craziest men you will find, something that is treasured in the game of football.

#29 New Orleans Saints: OT Carl Nicks, Nebraska
Nicks is an absolute mammoth of a man, tipping the scales at 341 pounds. In 481 pass plays as a senior at the left tackle position, the California native simply engulfed opposing defensive linemen, only allowing one sack and one pressure. The former 280-pounder had a whopping 76 knockdown blocks as well. His massive frame and long wing span should help to succeed in the NFL once coaches can figure out what position fits him the best.

#30 New York Giants: LB Jonathan Goff, Vanderbilt
The honorable mention All-American was a tackling machine of consistency for the Commodores of the past few seasons. He racked up an eye gouging 307 tackles during his career there. In 2007, he racked up 113 tackles, three sacks, 6.5 tackles for loss, and six QB pressures. Blessed with excellent football instincts, Goff should be a solid linebacker for the Giants on the next level.

#31 San Diego: RB Marcus Thomas, UTEP
Thomas posted numbers that are simply out of this world coming out of high school. He was named a Parade-All-American in 2002 after rushing for 3,573 yards and 47 touchdowns during his senior season at Tolleson High School in Phoenix, Arizona, averaging 10 yards per carry! In 2007, he gashed opposing defenses for 1,166 yards on 227 attempts for UTEP. He also piled up 16 touchdowns and averaged over 5 yard per carry this past season for the Miners. Blessed with a soft set of hands as well, the Arizona native hauled in 20 passes for 268 yards and two touchdowns. There's no way Thomas will ever beat out LaDainian Tomlinson, but he should help to add some solid depth at the running back position for the Chargers.

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io said:

	dixon could make it somewhere but he has to add weight first. i like the lions draft more and more each day...
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May 01, 2008
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