words_Brandon Richard

It’s that time of the year again, football fanatics! Pull out your NFL jerseys and fan gear. The 2010 NFL Draft is right around the corner. On April 22nd, the NFL Draft will get primetime coverage for the first time in its history. The three day event kicks off next Thursday at 7:30pm EST. The second and third rounds will be in prime time Friday, April 23, starting at 6 p.m. The final four rounds are Saturday, April 24, at 10 a.m.

In anticipation for the big night, I’ve worked out a preview mock of the top 10 draft picks. If I’ve learned anything watching the Draft, its that I’d be lucky to get anymore than three of these picks right. Nevertheless, its always fun to try and guess the direction NFL teams will take with their future. Take a look and give me your feedback in the comment section below.

1. St. Louis Rams
2009 (1-15): What can you really say about last year’s Rams? They were the worst team in the NFL. St. Louis ranked 31st in team defense and dead last in team offense.
Offseason: The Rams failed to make any noteworthy splashes in free agency, but sent a strong message by releasing quarterback Marc Bulger.
Needs: The Rams have a lot of holes to fill, perhaps none bigger than that of franchise quarterback. Prior to the draft, there was a lot of talk about DT’s Ndamukong Suh and Gerald McCoy competing for the #1 selection. Either one of these guys would be a great snag at #1. Truth is, the Rams need a direction. They need a starting point – and a young quarterback would fill that void.
The Pick: Quarterback Sam Bradford, Oklahoma. Here’s your starting point. A guy you can give the ball to and call on the team to rally around him. We saw it last year with Mark Sanchez. Is it the best pick? That remains to be seen. Is it the right pick? Yes. It appears that it’s almost a lock to happen, as well.

2. Detroit Lions
2009 (2-14): That’s two more wins than they had in 2008. The Lions showed some promise in 2009, but injuries to rookie QB Matt Stafford and WR Calvin Johnson made their tough road even more challenging. Still, a team with a lot of young playmakers on the roster looking to build on that foundation.
Offseason: The Lions were active in improving their roster, trading for CB Chris Houston and DT Corey Williams in addition to signing WR Nate Burleson to shore up the receiving corps.
Needs: The Lions need to protect Matthew Stafford and should start by having a LT in mind. They also need help at DT and CB.
The Pick: DT Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska. Suh is a playmaker who’s known to take over games. Most teams projected him as a home-run #1 pick coming out of school. Gerald McCoy, of course, is the other possibility. Russell Okung is also tempting here, seeing as how they need a body to keep Stafford off the turf, but Suh is too much of a talent to pass here. Especially considering that they need his services, as well.

3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2009 (3-13): Last year was a transitional year from the Bucs, as they moved from a veteran lead team into a youth movement. Though they had a disappointing season, the Buccaneers finished strong, winning 2 of their last 3, including a win against the Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints.
Offseason: Outside of placing high tenders on free agents of their own, the Bucs remained relatively quiet in free agency. They did trade for wide receiver Reggie Brown, while losing troubled wide receiver Antonio Bryant to the Cincinnati Bengals.
Needs: They have their franchise quarterback, so this pick is essentially a #1 for Tampa. Perfect spot for them. They need a big time DT, impact DE, and playmaking WR.
The Pick: DT Gerald McCoy, Oklahoma. His ability to penetrate and make plays in the backfield complimented by his run stopping ability make him a no-brainer here for Tampa Bay.

4. Washington Redskins
2009 (4-12): The Jim Zorn Era came to an end with a highly disappointing season in Washington. The head coach knew he was going to be fired before the season ended, the quarterback position was uncertain, DT Albert Haynesworth didn’t really give them the bang for their buck, and the injury bug made its annual trip to the nation’s capital.
Offseason: Eager to get back to winning ways, the Redskins hired former Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan to right the ship. They didn’t stop there, as they completed a blockbuster trade with the Philadelphia Eagles to bring quarterback Donovan McNabb to Washington. Other new Redskins include RB Larry Johnson, RB Willie Parker, QB Rex Grossman, CB Phillip Buchanon, and NT Ma’ake Kemoeatu. The Redskins have certainly had a busy offseason and have  the #4 pick to top it off.
Needs: Left and right tackle, strongside linebacker, and center. You bring in Donovan McNabb, you have to protect them. Fortunately for them, that protection should still be on the board.
The Pick: OT Russell Okung, Oklahoma State. A big, solid, all around blocker who will surely give McNabb the extra time to make plays that he needs.

5. Kansas City Chiefs
2009 (4-12): Last year was rough for the Chiefs. Their problems were highlighted by the league’s worst offensive line, and it’s inability to hire their $63 million dollar investment – QB Matt Cassel.
Offseason: Kansas City’s lone impact move came by signing 32-year old RB Thomas Jones as they look to improve on what was a largely ineffective run game.
Needs: Like Washington, Kansas City needs somebody to protect that quarterback. Many feel that OT Branden Albert regressed last season, and that the Chiefs should correct that problem early. The Chiefs could also use some playmaking in their secondary.
The Pick: OT Bryan Bulaga, Iowa. Bulaga brings versatility and physical play to an offensive line in need of both. He can also flourish against the pass and run. The Chiefs may look at play making safety Eric Berry here, but reports have surfaced saying that the Chiefs won’t take him this early. Kansas City may also look to trade down at this spot of they get the right offer. They have plenty of holes to fill.

6. Seattle Seahawks
2009 (5-11): Jim Mora Jr.’s final stand resulted in a disappointing season in Seattle. The Seahawks went from a veteran team to a team full of old guys who couldn’t get the job done. Coach Mora’s lack of direction didn’t help matters.
Offseason: Seattle made a huge splash filling their head coaching vacancy when USC head coach Pete Carroll agreed to take his show back to the NFL. He also went out and got himself a quarterback, trading a second round pick to San Diego in exchange for QB Charlie Whitehurst.
Needs: After the pending retirement of future Hall of Fame tackle Walter Jones, it has become clear that Seattle should look to fill that void. They should also look for help at DE, DT, RB, and WR.
The Pick: OT Trent Williams, Oklahoma. Good all around player who can contribute as a pass protector and run blocker.

7. Cleveland Browns
2009 (5-11): The 2009 season looked to be a wash after Cleveland’s 1-11 start. However, their 4-0 finish gave the franchise hope for a promising 2010.
Offseason: The Browns were an extremely busy team this offseason. Super Bowl winning coach Mike Holmgren was brought in to be the team’s President. Last year they started off with a quarterback controversy involving Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn. In the offseason, they parted ways with both and brought in QBs Jake Delhomme and Seneca Wallace. The Browns also made noise when they acquired CB Sheldon Brown from the Eagles in a trade.
Needs: The Browns are in an interesting spot. They brought in two new quarterbacks, but neither of those guys are going to take Cleveland to the promised land. They need safety help as well as an elite receiving target.
The Pick: S Eric Berry, Tennessee. Not only do the Browns need a safety, but they can afford to make a luxury pick at this stage in the draft. Berry gives Cleveland much needed play-making in the secondary.

8. Oakland Raiders
2009 (5-11): Not much changed in Oakland, as the Raiders suffered their seventh-consecutive losing season. It appears that the Jamarcus Russell experiment has crashed and burned and that Bruce Gradkowski will be the starter this season.
Offseason: The Raiders kept it simple. Their biggest moves were holding onto K Sebastian Janikowski and DE Richard Seymour.
Needs: Offensive line improvement is key for the Raiders. As well as depth at linebacker and a potential franchise quarterback.
The Pick: OT Bruce Campbell, Maryland. If history tells you anything, Bruce Campbell is their guy. He fills a need and he’s an athletic freak. Perhaps this is the year that the Combine standout will actually work out for owner Al Davis.

9. Buffalo Bills
2009 (6-10): Every year, we think Buffalo is knocking on the door. Every year, they come up just a little short. They’ve won no less than 5 games for the last eight years. They’re a quality personnel decision away from making a splash. The Terrell Owens experiment didn’t go as they hoped, and a large part of that was because they haven’t found a game changing QB for their team.
Offseason: The Bills interviewed Mike Shanahan for their head coaching vacancy and would have loved to convince Bill Cowher to come out of retirement. However, when neither showed real interest, they brought in Chan Gailey to help get this team over the hump. Player wise, the Bills didn’t make many splashy moves, but added some veteran leadership to their defense by bringing in DE Dwan Edwards and LB Andra Davis.
Needs: Franchise QB. Much like the Rams, this team needs a player they can build around. The Bills also need some offensive line help and may take it here if their QB isn’t still on the board.
The Pick: QB Jimmy Clausen, Notre Dame. They’d be thrilled to see him slip this far. Washington landing McNabb may have helped them land their guy.

10. Jacksonville Jaguars
2009 (7-9): 2009 was a tale of three seasons for the Jags. A mediocre start, good middle, and miserable finish. They finished with a very unimpressive 2-6 record away from home, which was ironic, because their home attendance found itself at dismal lows.
Offseason: Apparently under the impression that big free agents wouldn’t bring the fans back, Jacksonville was pretty quiet in free agency. They did, however, bring in DE Aaron Kampman to help improve their lowly pass rush.
Needs: After a season in which they registered a league low 14 sacks, the Jaguars need somebody to help get pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Kampman will help, but won’t solve the problem alone. They also need some help at safety, center, and right guard.
The Pick: DE Derrick Morgan, Georgia Tech. Morgan may not have the ability to be an elite pass rusher in the NFL, but he’ll be an excellent compliment to what Kampman brings to the team. He has good size and is effective against the run and pass.

Well, that’s a brief look at my top 10 picks for tomorrow night’s NFL Draft.  How do you see the first round shaping up? Which players would you be happy to see your team land? Let us know in the comment section below. If you’d like a more in depth look at the NFL Draft prospects, please check out Eastbay’s exclusive NFL Combine videos.

Remember, you can find fan gear for the 2010 NFL draft here on Eastbay.

images via NFL.com