Round 1

| NFL Draft History
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Analysis by ESPN Scouts Inc.

Round 1
PK(OVR)	TEAM	NAME	POS	SCHOOL
1(1)	Miami	Jake Long	OT	Michigan
	Jake Long's not the best overall player on the board, but the Dolphins needed a left tackle. Some people say he's a better fit on the right side, but we disagree. He's fundamentally sound enough in pass protection to be a capable blind-side protector from Day 1, and while he's certainly not as athletic as Joe Thomas -- Cleveland's first-round pick a year ago -- Long is a better run blocker than Thomas was coming out of college. Long can play a similar role to the one Jumbo Elliot played with Bill Parcells with the Giants in the 1980s. Video Complete analysis
2(2)	St. Louis	Chris Long	DE	Virginia
	Chris Long doesn't have elite size or as much upside as the aforementioned Gholston, but he's a tough run defender and a relentless pass-rusher, who has good but not great speed. He also does an excellent job of using his hands to control blockers. He's capable of stepping in and making an immediate impact because he's so fundamentally sound, as you would expect from the son of Hall of Famer Howie Long. Video Complete analysis
3(3)	Atlanta	Matt Ryan	QB	Boston College
	Matt Ryan doesn't have the arm strength of a JaMarcus Russell, and he isn't a dynamic open-field runner, but he is clearly the most NFL-ready quarterback in this year's draft class. He has better-than-average arm strength, he's accurate and he understands the game. A lot has been made of the amount of interceptions he threw during his senior season at Boston College, but it's important to remember that he didn't have a strong receiving corps and that BC put the ball in the air far more often in 2007 than in years past. Video Complete analysis
4(4)	Oakland	Darren McFadden	RB	Arkansas
	Although we think defensive line is a bigger need, and Glenn Dorsey is still out there, this is still a very good pick for Oakland. It appears the Raiders have good depth at running back, but McFadden gives them the big-play threat they lack at the position. He's quick around the corner and he shows rare speed when he gets into the open field. Obviously, McFadden has been compared to Adrian Peterson a lot. Critics are correct to point out that McFadden isn't as powerful of a runner as Peterson is. But this weakness has been overstated; McFadden is still a tough runner who can pick up yards after contact. Video Complete analysis
5(5)	Kansas City	Glenn Dorsey	DT	LSU
	The thought was that Kansas City would address the defensive end and offensive tackle positions with its two first-round picks. However, the Chiefs need help at defensive tackle and they have to be excited that Glenn Dorsey fell. Dorsey lacks elite size, but he is on the shorter side and his ability to get under offensive linemen allows him to control the point of attack. It's also noteworthy that he plays with an excellent motor for a big guy. Chances are his stock dropped some because of concerns stemming from a leg injury. But it doesn't look like the injury is a serious concern -- it caused him to miss one half of one game in college -- and he should be healthy for training camp. Video Complete analysis
6(6)	NY Jets	Vernon Gholston	DE	Ohio State
	No prospect at this or any other position in the draft has more upside than Gholston. The 6-foot-3, 266-pound defensive end ran a 4.67 40-yard dash, and showed excellent upper-body strength at the NFL scouting combine. He's also athletic enough to move to outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme. However, he is a boom-or-bust prospect, especially this early. He's just not as consistent on film as a player with his talents should be. Video Complete analysis
7(7)	New Orleans (From 49ers through Patriots)	Sedrick Ellis	DT	USC
	Sedrick Ellis isn't ranked quite as high as Dorsey on our board. But make no mistake about it: Ellis is an excellent pick here. New Orleans is ecstatic it was able to move up to get him. He doesn't have elite size or top-end speed, but he's more quick than fast and he excels at getting into gaps to disrupt plays in the backfield. He also shows rare athletic ability for a player of his size. This allows him to make plays while scraping down the line of scrimmage. Although Ellis doesn't have great closing speed, he has the ability to drive interior blockers into the quarterback. Video Complete analysis
8(8)	Jacksonville (From Ravens)	Derrick Harvey	DE	Florida
	Jacksonville is yet another team drafting for need in the first round. Harvey isn't as explosive or dangerous off the edge as former college teammate Jarvis Moss, whom Denver took with the 17th pick last year. On the other hand, Harvey is a more complete player than Moss. He has the power to hold his ground against the run and the quickness to make plays in the backfield, and he shows good athletic ability for a 271-pounder. In addition, he has very long arms and he times his jumps well. So Harvey can disrupt pass plays even when he doesn't get to the quarterback, which is important because he doesn't have great closing speed. Video Complete analysis
9(9)	Cincinnati	Keith Rivers	OLB	USC
	Rivers doesn't have as much potential as some of the other linebackers in this class, but he's clearly the most complete player in this year's outside linebacker class. Also, he is the kind of player a team wants in its locker room representing the organization. He doesn't have elite top-end speed and he isn't much of a playmaker, but Rivers reads his keys quickly, gets to the ball and doesn't miss open-field tackles. He's going to be better in zone coverage than in man coverage, but he isn't going to get caught out of position very often. Video Complete analysis
10(10)	New England (From Saints)	Jerod Mayo	OLB	Tennessee
	Mayo isn't quite as instinctive as Rivers, and he has to improve his cover skills. But Mayo has more upside than Rivers. He has very good top-end speed for his size, and although he lacks ideal strength, he explodes into hits. In addition, he's versatile enough to line up on the inside or the outside, depending on how a team wants to use him. Video Complete analysis
11(11)	Buffalo	Leodis McKelvin	CB	Troy
	McKelvin doesn't have elite ball skills and he isn't tough against the run, but he has great speed (4.38), changes directions quickly and flashes great instincts. In addition, he's a dangerous open-field runner who can contribute in the return game and is always a threat to turn an interception into points. If he can adjust to the speed of the pro game, McKelvin can make an immediate impact. Video Complete analysis
12(12)	Denver	Ryan Clady	OT	Boise State
	This pick comes as somewhat of a surprise because Virginia's Branden Albert and Vanderbilt's Chris Williams are still on the board. That said, Clady has the potential to develop into an outstanding starter in Denver's scheme; he moves extremely well for his size, so he's an ideal player for a zone-blocking system. Also, he should develop into a good run-blocker. The one concern is that he's raw and needs to work on playing with a wider base. Video Complete analysis
13(13)	Carolina	Jonathan Stewart	RB	Oregon
	Carolina still has a need at offensive tackle, so it wouldn't have surprised us if the Panthers had taken one here. However, their second most pressing need, in our opinion, is running back. Stewart's stock dropped because of a toe injury that required surgery; it is one of a few nagging injuries he's endured during his career. His stock has really bounced back recently because he will likely be ready for training camp. He's a power back who can pick up the tough yards between the tackles and has the burst to go the distance when he gets into the open field. Video Complete analysis
14(14)	Chicago	Chris Williams	OT	Vanderbilt
	Our first reaction is surprise because the Bears didn't take Branden Albert, whom we think is a higher-rated prospect, or Jeff Otah, who is a good fit for the Bears' scheme. In addition, Williams is a far better pass-blocker than run-blocker, and there are questions about whether or not he's tough enough to improve in that area. On the other hand, the Bears can move John Tait to right tackle and play Williams on the left side, where he has the athletic ability and initial quickness to hold up in pass protection. Video Complete analysis
15(15)	Kansas City (From Lions)	Branden Albert	OG	Virginia
	Albert lined up at guard for most of his college career, which is a concern because the Chiefs will likely play him at tackle. However, he has great athletic ability for his size and solid footwork, and he moves well in open space. But he does struggle to adjust when tracking moving targets on the second level. Also, Albert plays with an attitude and brings a nasty streak to the field, and he does a great job of finishing. All that being said, a Chiefs team that had several needs coming into the draft has done an excellent job of improving its lines on both sides of the ball. Video Complete analysis
16(16)	Arizona	Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie	CB	Tennessee State
	Rodgers-Cromartie isn't as strong against the run as teams would like and he needs to add some weight to his frame. On the flip side, he quieted concerns about facing small-school competition with an excellent showing during Senior Bowl week and an outstanding performance at the combine. There's little question about his upside; he's fast enough to run with any receiver and he can cut on a dime. In addition, he can line up at free safety and he has the range to play a center fielder type role. Video Complete analysis
17(17)	Detroit (From Vikings through Chiefs)	Gosder Cherilus	OT	Boston College
	We understand the pick in the sense that Detroit needs an offensive tackle. Still, we are surprised to see Cherilus come off the board before Pittsburgh's Jeff Otah. Although they are both expected to be effective run-blockers at the NFL level, Cherilus is more of a developmental prospect in our opinion. The greatest concern with him is that he needs to learn to keep his pad level low and get under defensive ends. On the other hand, he's capable of becoming an excellent starter on the right side if he progresses as expected. Video Complete analysis
18(18)	Baltimore (From Texans)	Joe Flacco	QB	Delaware
	Baltimore fills its greatest need here. Flacco certainly has the makings of a franchise quarterback. He's tall enough to scan the field from the pocket, flashes good pocket presence and has the strongest arm of any quarterback in this year's class. However, he isn't nearly as polished as Matt Ryan and he played against a lower level of competition at Delaware. Keeping that in mind, he's going to have a steeper learning curve, so it's going to take time for him to realize his potential. Video Complete analysis
19(19)	Carolina (From Eagles)	Jeff Otah	OT	Pittsburgh
	Trading back up to get Otah makes sense for the Panthers. The other five tackles who were projected to go in the first round all have been selected. Otah lacks ideal athletic ability and needs running back or tight end help at times in pass protection. Still, he has excellent size and is a fierce competitor who excels at driving defenders off the ball. Video Complete analysis
20(20)	Tampa Bay	Aqib Talib	CB	Kansas
	Talib takes too many chances and gets caught out of position far too often for a player with his skills (see: struggles against Jordy Nelson of Kansas State). There are also concerns about his character stemming from three failed drug tests. On the flip side, he has good size and can be physical in coverage. Although he could improve in this area, he's an adequate open-field tackler who provides above-average run support skills for a corner. It's also worth noting that he has good ball skills and can make big plays. Video Complete analysis
21(21)	Atlanta (From Redskins)	Sam Baker	OT	USC
	Injuries hindered Baker during his senior season at USC and his stocked dropped considerably leading up to the draft. In addition, he isn't a physical run-blocker who is going to consistently drive defenders off the ball. Six tackles have been drafted thus far, and Baker had been a top-three tackle prospects before his senior season. In addition, the Falcons' greatest offensive need is at tackle. Although Baker doesn't dominate the point of attack as much as you would like for a first-round offensive tackle, he moves well, gets into position quickly and can sustain his blocks once he's locked onto the defender. Video Complete analysis
22(22)	Dallas (From Browns)	Felix Jones	RB	Arkansas
	Jerry Jones may not have gotten Darren McFadden, but he did get an Arkansas running back. Felix Jones is not a power back who is going to consistently push the pile in short-yardage situations, and the fact that he shared carries with McFadden in college and lacks elite size raise concerns about his ability to carry a heavy workload. However, he is a big play waiting to happen; he's quick around the corner, shifty enough to make the first defender miss and turns on the jets in the open field. Video Complete analysis
23(23)	Pittsburgh	Rashard Mendenhall	RB	Illinois
	Mendenhall isn't going to make many people miss and he's a two-down back at this point; he catches the ball fairly well, but he needs to work on catching the ball away from his frame. Also, he doesn't pick up the blitz consistently. He does have great size and is a tough interior runner who can pick up yards between the tackles, though, and Mendenhall has the second gear to go the distance when he gets a seam. Video Complete analysis
24(24)	Tennessee	Chris Johnson	RB	East Carolina
	This is a reach in our opinion. At 197 pounds, there are concerns about Johnson's ability to take the kind of pounding NFL running backs endure. He's also not great between the tackles and has had fumble issues. His biggest strengths are his speed and versatility; Johnson can line up in the backfield or motion out to the slot. His rare speed (4.24) makes him a home run threat regardless of where he lines up. Johnson can also make an impact in the kickoff return game. Video Complete analysis
25(25)	Dallas (From Seahawks)	Mike Jenkins	CB	South Florida
	Jenkins doesn't have a great deal of upper-body strength and struggles to reroute receivers at the line of scrimmage. You'd also like to see him capitalize on more opportunities to make big plays. That said, he has the potential to develop excellent man-to-man cover skills because he opens his hips well and is a quick, fast athlete. There's also a lot to like about his versatility; he can line up at safety and can make an impact as a kick returner. Video Complete analysis
26(26)	Houston (From Jaguars through Ravens)	Duane Brown	OT	Virginia Tech
	Houston clearly placed an emphasis on need over value. Brown is a reach because he's not a great drive-blocker and he can get pushed into the backfield by bull rushes. On the flip side, he's a former tight end who has the quick feet, athletic ability and initial burst to develop into an outstanding pass-blocker and an effective starter on the left side. It's also worth pointing out that he was the best tackle left on the board (seventh rated overall). Video Complete analysis
27(27)	San Diego	Antoine Cason	CB	Arizona
	San Diego needs a right tackle, but the value isn't there after the run of offensive tackles. The Chargers obviously thought Cason was the best athlete on the board, but we thought his inability to open his hips quickly and his inconsistencies in press coverage would cause him to slip into the second round. However, he ran better than expected at the combine and clearly has the speed to run with receivers downfield. He's also instinctive, locates the ball quickly and fills hard in run support. Video Complete analysis
28(28)	Seattle (From Cowboys)	Lawrence Jackson	DE	USC
	This is one of the most surprising picks in what has already been a surprising first round. We thought the Seahawks would address their needs with this pick, and they need help at tight end and wide receiver. Clemson defensive end Phillip Merling was still on the board, too, and we think he would have been a better fit than Jackson. All that being said, Jackson has good quickness for a 271-pounder and has the upper-body strength to become a good run-stopper. However, he doesn't have the closing speed you'd like to see in a first-round end and he struggles to hold his ground when the opposition double-teams him. Video Complete analysis
29(29)	San Francisco (From Colts)	Kentwan Balmer	DT	North Carolina
	There are concerns that Balmer is a one-year wonder, and he's a developmental prospect who needs to learn to play with better leverage. Still, he has good size and the frame to get even bigger. He's also athletic for his size, so if he bulks up and learns to play with better leverage, he should develop into an excellent nose tackle. Video Complete analysis
30(30)	NY Jets (From Packers)	Dustin Keller	TE	Purdue
	No tight end in this year's class projected as a first-round pick in our opinion, making this pick a reach. One of the biggest knocks on Keller is that he's probably never going to develop into an excellent in-line blocker. Also, he doesn't have the frame to add a lot of bulk without sacrificing his greatest strength: his speed. However, Keller certainly has the athletic ability, versatility and burst to make an immediate impact as a receiver. He will be a tough matchup for opposing defenses; his size can cause enormous problems for defensive backs and most linebackers are going to have problems turning to run with him. Video Complete analysis
31(31)	NY Giants	Kenny Phillips	S	Miami (FL)
	We thought the Giants would address the safety position here, but we thought they would take Arkansas State's Tyrell Johnson. However, the fact that Johnson played at such a small school may have given the edge to Phillips in the eyes of the Giants' personnel department. At this point, Phillips is a better athlete than football player; he gets caught out of position too often and takes too many false steps. He has a great deal of upside based on his 4.48 40-yard dash, which is impressive for a 212-pounder. He also changes directions very well, plays with great intensity and is big enough to line up in the box once he proves his ability to shed blocks. Video Complete analysis

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