Submitted on: 04/24/2009 by
Christian McLeod
With the 2009 NFL Draft only days away, I am taking a look at the last 10 picks of the first round. There is still some major talent left on the OS draft board at this point. In other words, the top teams in the league are only going to get richer.
22. Minnesota Vikings - Eben Britton OT Arizona
What it means for the Vikings
You really can never go wrong with a 6-foot-6, 310-pound offensive lineman -- especially when you have Adrian Peterson in your backfield. Britton will further strengthen one of the best rushing attacks in the league and may open up even more holes for AD to scamper through.
What it means for the Madden 10 Vikings
This pickup could be huge, especially for those looking to start a franchise with the Vikes. Britton may not reach his full potential in terms of ratings until a few seasons into a franchise, but once he does, prepare to be impressed. Again, much like other offensive linemen in the league, Britton’s impact in Madden 10 is dependent upon the Madden team cleaning up the offensive line/defensive line interaction.
23. New England Patriots - Brian Cushing LB USC
What it means for the Patriots
The Pats love big, strong, versatile linebackers, and Cushing is the perfect fit for Bill Belichick’s defense. Cushing is the type of player that will be in the Patriots organization for years to come and is a physical athlete who loves to hit. New England never seems to miss a beat in the draft, and 2009 will be no different.
What it means for the Madden 10 Patriots
Cushing is just another piece of a Patriots defense that should be rated pretty high in Madden 10. Look for him to be an impact player almost immediately, and he will be another great weapon for those who love playing as LBs. Cushing was one of the best pass-rushing LBs in all of college football last season so I bet he has great speed to the outside in this year's game.
24. Atlanta Falcons - Vontae Davis CB Illinois
What it means for the Falcons
Ever since the loss of DeAngelo Hall, the Falcons have been missing a DB with star potential. Davis could potentially come out of this years draft and become one of the top corners in the league in a matter of years. This pick tightens up the Falcons pass defense, and finally adds the defensive playmaker the Dirty Birds sorely missed in last year's playoff game against Arizona.
What it means for the Madden 10 Falcons
This pick could make the Madden 10 Falcons as fun to play with on defense as on offense. Davis should be given some respectable coverage ratings and will be able to lock down a team's star receiver. Look for him to also become a user pick machine, and be the type of player that can force fumbles via Hit Stick tackles. Davis is the number one CB target for my Madden 10 Lions franchise, and I can only assume that, in time, he will become one of the best DBs in the entire game. (Please EA, iron out the progression issues within the franchise mode.)
25. Miami Dolphins - Clay Matthews LB USC
What it means for the Dolphins
Simply put, Clay Matthews is a beast. This is the type of linebacker that I could see the Dolphins building a solid young defense around. Matthews is going to be a franchise defensive player who Bill Parcells will mold into an old-school, smash-mouth player. If Matthews slips this far on Saturday, Dolphins fans should be very excited.
What it means for the Madden 10 Dolphins
Much like Brian Cushing, Matthews will be the type of player linebacker users will love to use. The addition of Matthews will make Miami a lot of fun to use on defense, especially when it comes to the LB position (Joey Porter and Channing Crowder are already on the squad). Miami’s offense will already be a blast to use because of the recently revealed Wildcat formation being added to this year's game -- the defense is just a bonus.
26. Baltimore Ravens - Darrius Heyward-Bey WR Maryland
What it means for the Ravens
This has to be the biggest no-brainer of the entire draft. If Heyward-Bey is still on the board at pick 26 on Saturday, and the Ravens have not already traded the pick, I see no possible scenario where the ex-Terp does not end up as a Ravens player. Heyward-Bey is local, has already worked out for the team and fills a huge need on offense for the Ravens.
What it means for the Madden 10 Ravens
Heyward-Bey could be phenomenal in Madden 10. He is big, he is quick, and he catches everything thrown his way. I fully expect him to emerge as one of the best players to come out of the 2009 Draft and also become one of the highest-rated wideouts in Madden 10 by season's end. Watch out for this guy over the middle, heading deep and even on screens. He will single-handedly make the Ravens relevant on offense in Madden 10 -- something I have not been able to say about the team in years.
27. Indianapolis Colts - Knowshon Moreno RB Georgia
What it means for the Colts
I know it may seem like a long shot to see Moreno slip this far in the first round, but if he is not picked up by Philly at number 21, there really is not a team in need of the versatile RB until the Colts at pick 27. Joseph Addai needs someone to take the wear and tear off him during the season, and Moreno is the perfect option. Mike Hart was a nice pickup last year but is undersized and has proven he cannot stay healthy. Moreno would be a great fit in the Colts offense and is able to catch the ball just as well as he can run it. Moreno and Addai could be a powerful one-two punch that could put Indy over the top in 2009.
What it means for the Madden 10 Colts
Both Addai and Moreno would have the ability to rip off huge chunks of yardage on the ground, and both could be complete cheese on the halfback screen pass. Regardless, Moreno gives the Colts another offensive weapon, so expect to see the Colts offensive rating hovering in the high 90s in this year's game. It is almost scary to think about how unstoppable this Madden 10 offense may be if Moreno were to fall this far in the draft.
28. Buffalo Bills (From Philadelphia in Peters Trade) - William Beatty OT Connecticut
What it means for the Bills
I would have to assume that since the Bills just traded away a left tackle in Jason Peters, that they would like to draft another offensive tackle with this pick in the draft. Beatty blocked for Donald Brown at the University of Connecticut, and anyone who follows college football knows that the Huskies had an impressive ground game last year. Beatty is widely criticized by scouts because of his lack of size, but if there is anything to be learned from NFL strength and conditioning programs, it is that the people running them can bulk up players in a matter of weeks. Beatty is extremely athletic and has tremendous upside.
What it means for the Madden 10 Bills
Beatty will not have an immediate impact on the Bills in this year's Madden. He may buy Trent Edwards a few more seconds on passing plays, but I think he is the type of player that will become a statistical monster in a gamer's Bills franchise two or three years down the road. I expect Beatty to only improve and get bigger as the season progresses.
29. New York Giants - Hakim Nicks WR North Carolina
What it means for the Giants
OK, before everyone starts posting the negative comments about how this pick is terrible, blah, blah, etc., I want to make the following point very clear: I fully expect this pick to be traded for a deal involving Braylon Edwards or Anquan Boldin.
With that out of the way, I wanted to have a little fun with this pick so I took Nicks over another star wideout in Kenny Britt. The Giants lost Plaxico this offseason and need a wide receiver to replace him. Nicks gets the nod because his numbers at UNC are eerily similar to Plaxico’s 1999 school-record season at Michigan State. Although Nicks gives up four inches to Plax, their stats were too close to not give Nick’s the nod as Plax’s heir apparent.
What it means for the Madden 10 Giants
The addition of Braylon Edwards is going to be huge for the Giants in this year's game -- I mean the addition of Nicks will be huge for the Giants in this year's game. Look for Edwards or Nicks to give Eli a reliable target that can head deep down the field or pull up short on curl routes. Let us be real here though, Braylon and Eli are going to be a heck of a combination. Good luck defending that gamers.
30. Tennessee Titans - Rey Maualuga LB USC
What it means for the Titans
What a perfect fit this would be for both Rey and Jeff Fisher. Tennessee has the luxury of taking the best player available at pick 30 because the team does not have a specific pressing need. Maualuga is slipping down some draft boards because of "character issues." Maualuga could learn from both Keith Bulluck and David Thornton while making an immediate impact when he gets a chance to play a few downs. Maualuga also makes Bulluck expendable after this season since he is a free agent in 2010. What I find most intriguing about this possibility is that Maualuga could force the Titans into rethinking certain defensive schemes just to utilize him more as the season progresses.
What it means for the Madden 10 Titans
If the Titans land Maualuga, they would have the best linebacking corps in the game. Not only would Bulluck, Thornton, Tulloch and Maualuga give offensive run games fits, but they would also be deadly when dropped into zone coverage. Good luck passing over the middle against Tennessee in Madden 10. We can only hope the days of LBs intercepting anything and everything thrown close to them are over.
31. Arizona Cardinals - LeSean McCoy RB Pittsburgh
What it means for the Cardinals
McCoy is my sleeper pick of the 2009 NFL Draft. Not only does he fill the need of a future franchise running back for the Cards, he is arguably just as good as Chris Wells and Knowshon Moreno. McCoy is a shifty power back who has the potential to develop into a very good,if not great, NFL back.
What it means for the Madden 10 Cardinals
McCoy and Edge could be a decent tandem that compliments the Cards aerial attack. Look for McCoy to have a high break tackle and truck ratings and prove to be a force on short yardage plays. This guy will be an excellent option for all you Cardinals franchise players out there, so make sure to hang onto him, train him and get his ratings as high as possible. By year's end, you could have a Marshawn Lynch kind of back on your roster.
32. Pittsburgh Steelers - Max Unger OL Oregon
What it means for the Steelers
There have been several names thrown around at this pick for Pittsburgh, but I find it hard to believe that the Steelers will address anything but the offensive line with their first pick. Unger can play several offensive line positions, but will most likely play center for the Steelers. Unger had an outstanding career at Oregon and is the prototypical offensive lineman that will flourish in the NFL.
What it means for the Madden 10 Steelers
Unger should sure up the somewhat weak Steelers offensive line that was featured in Madden 09. Expect Unger to take the heat off Big Ben during passing situations, which will allow Steelers users to pick teams apart. Unger may not make a huge impact in Madden 10, but when you are as good as the Steelers, even a small impact can make the team that much better.
That wraps up the first round of the OS NFL Mock Draft. With a draft as unpredictable as the NFL’s, there is no way anyone can predict what is going to happen on Saturday. I hope everyone enjoyed this mock first round for what it was worth, and is looking forward to seeing how things really shake out in a few days.
Who are you hoping your team picks Saturday? Sound off below, it is an exciting time time to be an NFL fan.
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