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Draft Day is so close you can smell it, and amidst the flurry of risers, fallers, smokescreens and misinformation a hazy picture is slowly coming into focus. Here’s a final look at what might transpire this Saturday at Radio City Music Hall.
In this mock I’ve done my best to set aside my personal biases (the “what I’d do if I were GM” approach can be found in Mock Draft 5A) and take my best stab at getting inside the collective braintrusts for each team to determine what they might do on Draft Day.
Version 5.0A | Version 4.0 | Version 3.0 | Version 2.0 | Version 1.0
 1. Detroit Lions — Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia
Mock 4.0: Jason Smith, OT, Baylor; Mock 3.0: Smith; Mock 2.0: Aaron Curry, OLB, Wake Forest; Mock 1.0: Stafford
New coach, new unis… might as well get a new franchise quarterback, especially when you can make the connection from Stafford to Bobby Lane—maybe the last good quarterback the Lions have had.
2. St. Louis Rams — Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia
Mock 4.0: Monroe; Mock 3.0: Monroe; Mock 2.0: Monroe; Mock 1.0: Andre Smith, OT, Alabama
The Rams need a left tackle, and Monroe is the better pass protector. Assuming the late-surfacing knee issues are cleared up, he gets the nod over Jason Smith.
3. Kansas City Chiefs — Aaron Curry, OLB, Wake Forest
Mock 4.0: Curry; Mock 3.0: Curry; Mock 2.0: Everette Brown, DE/OLB, Florida State; Mock 1.0: Brown
The latest buzz is that Curry’s stock is falling because he’s not a Lawrence Taylor-type pass rusher. Not many are, and Curry can be plugged just about anywhere into the Chiefs’ defense and be an impact player for a long time.
4. Seattle Seahawks — Jason Smith, OT, Baylor
Mock 4.0: Mark Sanchez, QB, USC; Mock 3.0: B.J. Raji, DT, Boston College; Mock 2.0: Smith; Mock 1.0: Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech
The Sanchez love isn’t a smokescreen, but if one of the elite tackles is still on the board here then the Seahawks lock him up—likely to play on the right side now and eventually to slide over and replace Walter Jones. Matt Hasselbeck still has a couple good years left in him.
5. Cleveland Browns — Brian Orakpo, DE/OLB, Texas
Mock 4.0: Orakpo; Mock 3.0: Orakpo; Mock 2.0: Orakpo; Mock 1.0: Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest
If Braylon Edwards gets dealt prior to Draft Day, this pick possibly changes to Michael Crabtree depending on what the Browns get in return. With three of the first 50 picks—maybe more, if Edwards and Brady Quinn are traded—expect Cleveland to add a pass rusher, pass catcher, and eventual replacement for Jamal Lewis… probably in that order.
6. Cincinnati Bengals — Andre Smith, OT, Alabama
Mock 4.0: Smith; Mock 3.0: Michael Oher, OT, Mississippi; Mock 2.0: B.J. Raji, DT, Boston College; Mock 1.0: Oher
A Chad Johnson trade could turn this pick into Michael Crabtree, and if Orakpo or Curry slide the Bengals might be willing to go to bat with Andrew Whitworth and Anthony Collins at the tackles and shore up the interior of the line later. But if the top two defenders are gone, Cincy can leave Whitworth at guard and give Carson Palmer another layer of protection.
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