[Roy P]

Okay, I've moved some things around, but won't post my new draft board until the Eve of the draft. I'm sure I'll be updating some more before then anyway. However, I wanted to give some insight into what I'm thinking a week before the draft.

In the 1st round I want to make sure that I don't whiff. I always try to imagine who would I want to build my team around if I didn't have ANYBODY on my roster. That makes me more objective and more likely to take the BPA. I don't want to sign a guy who has the "potential" to be good in the 1st round, I'd rather have a player who has shown production at the college level as an indicator he'll be able to carry that forward. In addition, the idea of getting a prima donna or a thug as my 1st pick worries me that I'll be sending the wrong message to the rest of the team. My first pick has to be a guy who will be accepted as a leader by his teammates on the 1st day. My heart says Clay Matthews, but my head has 5 guys ahead of him.
DE Brian Orakpo
LB Aaron Curry
DE Everette Brown
DT B.J. Raji
WR Jeremy Maclin

I'm pretty sure that Orakpo and Curry are off the board before we pick. Raji slides because I never know what I'm going to get from him, but his talent is undeniable. Maclin is one of my favorite players because he can do so much. My eyes must be playing tricks on me because I keep seeing Everette Brown sliding down draft boards and mock drafts. I get the fact that his Cone and Shuttle times were not great, but they were about the same as "Mr. Senior Bowl" aka Robert Ayers. To me, Brown is not a 3/4 LB, but he'll be an awesome RDE in a 4-3 defense (which we run). Mario Williams is a prototypical LDE and E. Brown would be the perfect complement on the other side. I don't care how much we gave Antonio Smith, like I said, I treat my 1st round picks like I'm building the team around them.

The 2nd round has pretty good talent (as it normally does). There may be 1st round talent available here that just slid because of need. The OCs in the class are going to come off the board here -- Mack, Unger, & Wood. As most of you know, I like Wood the best, and I've seen him in a few mocks last until the 3rd round. That would be a steal in my opinion and also not very likely. Another option is to get a playmaking S for the Secondary. William Moore has more talent than Kenny Phillips or Brandon Merriweather, but will probably go in the 2nd round because he played with injuries. The question becomes, can he regain his Junior form, or was that the anomoly. I've heard rumors that Moore may fall to the 3rd or even 4th rounds, but I don't give them much credence. There are a couple of pass-rushing specialists who may be good for the team should we not be able to draft E.Brown in Paul Kruger or Clint Sintim. I just don't think we'll be going there. The 800lbs gorilla in the room is the fact that this team needs a 1a or 1b to go along with Steve Slaton. This draft may not have the depth at RB we all hope for so that we can wait until the 3rd or 4th round to get that accessory for the backfield. I don't know if we want to trade up for Knowshon Moreno or Donald Brown or simply "reach" for Andre Brown or Shonn Greene. Perhaps we wait until one gets drafted and then immediately begin making calls to trade up to get the other. If the Giants take Greene at #60, then I'm calling Indy to see what I have to do to move up to #61 to get Brown.

The 3rd round is like a paradise of riches. I just don't get why so many players that I love are sitting here waiting for a phone call. This is now the 2nd day of the draft, people. I'm getting the feeling if I don't have a pass-rush specialist after this round, then I'm not going to be getting one who has a real shot of making an impact. Cody Brown and Lawrence Sidbury are the two players who could fill this vital need. However, if I haven't gotten an enforcer at S with William Moore, then Chip Vaughn and Patrick Chung have to be on my radar. In my perfect world, I get Moore and Vaughn to man the Secondary. Speaking of the Secondary, the thought of seeing DeMarcus Faggins wearing a Texans uniform in 2009 makes me a little nauseaus. If I were to be able to draft Asher Allen and/or Keenan Lewis, I'd breathe a little easier. Did I mention that I'd love to get a LB or two in this round? Marcus Freeman may be off the board like Sintim, but Dannell Ellerbe and Gerald McGrath would be perfect for my defense. That's assuming I didn't have to take Clay in the 1st round.