Before Roger Goodell, the commissioner of the NFL, strides to the podium on the stage at Radio City Music Hall to announce each pick of the first round of the NFL Draft on Saturday, here?s a look at which 31 players will hear their names called.
1. MIAMI DOLPHINS: Jake Long, OT, Michigan: Bill Parcells got his man.
2. ST. LOUIS RAMS: Glenn Dorsey, DT LSU: A building block for a team that is far from the “Greatest Show on Turf” anymore.
3. ATLANTA FALCONS: Matt Ryan, QB, Boston College: Quarterback is as good a place as any to start building a franchise that?s collapsed.
4. OAKLAND RAIDERS: Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas: Maybe the draft?s most talented player.
5. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS: Chris Long, DE, Virginia: Team better hope he turns into the next Jared Allen after trading him to the Vikings.
6. NEW YORK JETS: Vernon Gholston, DE, Ohio State: Expected to be the final piece for a team that spent $140 million on free-agent contracts during the offseason.
7. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS: Leodis McKelvin, CB, Troy: Desperately need help in the secondary after the unit lost three members, including Asante Samuel during offseason.
8. BALTIMORE RAVENS: Sedrick Ellis, DT, Southern Cal.: When teamed with Haloti Ngata, the opposition may not be able to see between the hashmarks.
9. CINCINNATI BENGALS: Ryan Clady, OT, Boise State: How much better will Carson Palmer be if he has a running game?
10. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS: Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB, Troy: Admit it, Saints fans: Signing Jason David to a four-year, $16.5 million contract last year was a bad idea.
11. BUFFALO BILLS: Devin Thomas, WR, Michigan State: Lee Evans
is so happy he?ll do snow angels after the team drafts a legitimate, No. 2 receiver.
12. DENVER BRONCOS: Chris Williams, OT, Vanderbilt: Having to protect former Commodore and current Bronco starter Jay Cutler is nothing new. Team IQ rises exponentially.
13. CAROLINA PANTHERS: Derrick Harvey, DE, Florida: Goodbye Mike Rucker, hello Harvey.
14. CHICAGO BEARS: Jeff Otah, OT, Pittsburgh: It?s never a good idea when a team?s two starting tackles aremore than 30 years old.
15. DETROIT LIONS: Rashard Mendenhall, RB, Illinois: Lions fans, who do you want carrying the ball: Tatum Bell or Mendenhall. That?s what we thought.
16. ARIZONA CARDINALS: Mike Jenkins, CB, South Florida: He?s fast, but can he tackle?
17. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS: Branden Albert, OL, Virginia: The former Glen Burnie star joins his college teammate Long to make it an all- Virginia Cavalier first round in K.C.
18. HOUSTON TEXANS: Aqib Talib, DB, Kansas: Twenty-fifth ranked defense needs a third defensive back to contend in an AFC South Division loaded with great receivers.
19. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES: Keith Rivers, LB, Southern Cal.: Philly fans hope he?s not a Trojan horse hiding a Winston Justice.
20. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS: James Hardy, WR, Indiana: Do the math: Joey Galloway is 36, Ike Hilliard is 32 and Hardy is 22.
21. WASHINGTON REDSKINS: Phillip Merling, DE, Clemson: Three of the Redskins? past four first-round picks were used on defense. The trend continues.
22. DALLAS COWBOYS: DeSean Jackson, WR, California: Jerry Jones couldn’t trade for Chad Johnson, so Jackson will have to do.
23. PITTSBURGH STEELERS: Gosder Cherilus, OT, Boston College: Plays both side of the line and will protect Ben Roethlisberger.
24. TENNESSEE TITANS: Jonathan Stewart, RB, Oregon: LenDale White will be so nervous he could put all of the buffets in Nashville out of business.
25. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS: Kentwan Balmer, DT, North Carolina: He takes on the lead blocker, and linebacker Lofa Tatupu gets all the big hits and glory.
26. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS: Calais Campbell, DE, Miami: If you need a defensive end and you see a player who went to “The U,” here?s some advice: draft him.
27. SAN DIEGO CHARGERS: Brandon Flowers, DB, Virginia Tech: Chargers hope Flowers blossoms into top-flight cornerback like 2006 first-round pick Antonio Cromartie.
28. DALLAS COWBOYS: Felix Jones, RB, Arkansas: Jones gets an Arkansas running back, just not the one he really wanted.
29. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS: Dan Connor, LB, Penn State: Teams with Patrick Willis to make the 49ers golden at the position for the next decade.
30. GREEN BAY PACKERS: Brian Brohm, QB, Louisville: Not sold on Aaron Rodgers as Brett Favre?s heir apparent? Neither are the Packers.
31. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS: Spygate, baby! The Patriots lost their pick because they were caught cheating. Let?s talk next year.
32. NEW YORK GIANTS: Jerod Mayo, LB, Tennessee: The Giants take the best player available, and when you?re the Super Bowl champ, you must be doing something right.
