Underclassmen dominate first mock
21 non-seniors show up in the first round of Mel Kiper's initial mock
Things certainly will change as the workout season commences, but it's time to get the ball rolling for the 2010 NFL draft. Remember that my Big Board and position group rankings (now adjusted so all declared players are grouped) are a good primer. That said, off we go.
Two things that stand out early in the first mock draft of the season are the degree to which the first round is dominated by underclassmen -- they make up 21 of the 32 picks -- and how we're seeing a truly deep class of defensive linemen. Even though many NFL teams now employ the 3-4, the options up front for either 4-3 or 3-4 defenses are pretty significant in this draft.
Nobody questions that the top need for the Rams is a quarterback. But unless St. Louis trades down -- an extremely difficult proposition on multiple levels -- it shouldn't take a quarterback with its first pick. Suh is maybe the most dominating defensive tackle I've seen in 32 years of doing this. He can be effective immediately for the Rams, and they may address the QB with a trade.
Getting McCoy both fills a big need for the Lions and is an extraordinarily good consolation prize for any team unable to get Suh. McCoy makes his living in opponents' backfields and is such a talent he could have landed in this position last year had he declared as a redshirt sophomore.
This is very early for a safety to go off the board, but Berry is that kind of talent. A player compared often (not unfairly) to Ed Reed, Berry is a difference-making safety headed to a league that has seen those types (Reed, Troy Polamalu, Bob Sanders) become more and more prevalent in recent years.
Mike Shanahan and the Redskins can get a quarterback here who might have been the top player taken had he opted to come out last year. The Redskins need to find their franchise quarterback, and when healthy, Bradford is an exceptionally accurate passer with an underrated arm. Shanahan also hit on his last QB selection when he drafted Jay Cutler in Denver.
I think the Chiefs could use help at safety as well, but Berry likely won't fall this far, and they'd be reaching on either of the two other safeties with first-round grades. Okung could solve two problems, making him a good value -- he could step in at LT and allow the Chiefs to move Brandon Albert to the right side. A pick that can pay immediate dividends for the Chiefs.
To read more about Mel's first mock draft and see the rest of the first round, you must be an ESPN Insider.
-
ESPN The Magazine subscribers
-
Need more information?
- ESPN NFL Draft analyst since 1984
- Contributes to SportsCenter and ESPN Radio
- Writes weekly for ESPN Insider
SPONSORED HEADLINES
MORE NFL HEADLINES
- Report: NFL calls for immediate HGH testing
- Goodson legal issues predate recent arrest
- Pack's Rodgers: Urlacher favorite opponent
- Vick says he's still NFL's fastest quarterback
MOST SENT STORIES ON ESPN.COM
2010 NFL Draft
Who will rise to the top of the 2010 NFL draft? Insider follows the top players all season long.
Mock Drafts
- 4/22: McShay final first-round mock
- 4/22: Kiper final first-round mock
- 4/21: Scouts Inc. seven-round mock
- 4/19: McShay's first-round Mock Draft
- 4/14: 4-round AFC mock | NFC
- 4/7: Kiper and McShay Mock Draft 4.0
- 3/10: Kiper and McShay Mock Draft 3.0
- 2/17: Mel Kiper's Mock Draft #2
- 2/10: Todd McShay's Mock Draft #2
- 1/27: Kiper's 'Grade A' Draft: AFC | NFC
- 1/20: Mel Kiper's Mock Draft #1
- 12/15: Todd McShay's Mock Draft #1
Mel Kiper
- Mel Kiper Mock Draft Experience
- The Big Board (4/21)
- The Big Board Tracker (4/21)
- Top five by position: 2010 | 2011 (4/21)
- The Big Board (4/14)
- The Big Board (4/7)
- The Big Board (3/31)
- The Big Board (3/24)
- The Big Board (3/17)
- The Big Board (3/10)
- The Big Board (3/5)
- The Big Board (2/24)
- 2/25: Kiper's Mel-bag
- The Big Board (2/17)
- 2/12: Kiper's Mel-bag: Clausen or Bradford?
- The Big Board (2/10)
- 2/4: Kiper's Mel-bag
- The Big Board (1/27)
- The Big Board (1/20)
- The Big Board (1/13)
- 1/11: Bowl risers and fallers
- 1/8: Jevan Snead's big mistake
- The Big Board (1/6)
- The Big Board (12/31)
- 12/23: Regrading the 2009 NFL draft
- The Big Board (12/23)
- The Big Board (12/16)
- The Big Board (12/9)
- The Big Board (12/2)
- The Big Board (11/25)
- The Big Board (11/18)
- The Big Board (11/11)
- The Big Board (11/4)
- The Big Board (10/28)
- The Big Board (10/21)
- The Big Board (10/14)
- The Big Board (10/7)
- The Big Board (9/30)
- The Big Board (9/23)
- The Big Board (9/16)
- The Big Board (9/9)
Todd McShay and Scouts Inc.
- 4/13: Master draft board: Offense | Defense
- 4/9: Injury not a concern for Clausen
- 4/7: Rolle showing dedication to football
- 2/12: Four most common draft mistakes
- 2/9: Offseason team needs: AFC | NFC
- Player Rankings: Top 100
- NFL Draft Blog (updated daily)
- Cheat Sheets: QB | RB | WR | TE | OL
- Cheat Sheets: DL | LB | DB
KC Joyner
- 2/9: The Draft Lab: Jimmy Clausen
- 1/19: The Draft Lab: Brian Price
- 1/12: The Draft Lab: Jevan Snead
- 1/5: The Draft Lab: Derrick Morgan
- 12/29: The Draft Lab: Dan Williams
- 12/22: The Draft Lab: Bruce Campbell
- 12/15: The Draft Lab: Anthony Davis
- 12/8: The Draft Lab: Tim Tebow
- 12/1: The Draft Lab: Ndamukong Suh
- 11/24: The Draft Lab: Rolando McClain
- 11/17: The Draft Lab: Trent Williams
- 11/10: The Draft Lab: Gerald McCoy
- 11/3: The Draft Lab: Terrence Cody
- 10/27: The Draft Lab: Marvin Austin
- 10/20: The Draft Lab: Navorro Bowman
- 10/6: The Draft Lab: Brandon Lang
- 9/29: The Draft Lab: George Selvie
- 9/22: The Draft Lab: Cornerbacks and size
- 9/15: The Draft Lab: Patrick Robinson
ALSO SEE
- Bowen: 5 second-year breakout candidates
- Sprow: Namath wrong, Smith pick smart
- Joyner: 5 fantasy breakout players
- Red Flags: NFC East | North | South | West
- Kiper: 2014 Big Board | Top TEs | OLBs | ILBs











