6. Vikings Justin Blackmon WR Okst
The Vikings have started 0-3, and are learning what my Redskins did last year, McNabb is finished. This experiment has failed again and I expect rookie QB, Christian Ponder, to be starting before week 10. With the departure of Sidney Rice, the Vikings will need to draft a new #1 target and push Percy Harvin back into the slot. Blackmon will be the #1 or #2 WR on everyone’s boards in April and the Vikings will be happy to take him. I expect the Vikings to post no more than 5-6 wins this season.
7. Browns Quinton Coples DE, UNC
The Browns have made impressive strides on offense over the past couple of years. They also have a much improved secondary anchored by cornerback Joe Haden. The one key ingredient they are missing is an elite pass rusher. Coples is the top defensive end in the country and has Justin Tuck type versatility. Coples can play out wide or slide inside and play as a pass rushing defensive tackle. Despite the improvements, the Browns will post under 7 wins this year and be picking in the top ten.
8. Rams Jonathan Martin, OT Stanford
The Rams are a complete mess so far this season. Outside of the Rams last 2 first round picks (Sam Bradford Qb, and Robert Quinn DE) they need help at every other position. The receiving corp is insignificant, the secondary isn’t stopping anyone, and that goes double for the offensive line. If the Rams plan on succeeding going forward, they need to protect Bradford, and Jason Smith has been a bust. Martin is the consensus number 2 tackle and can step in at left tackle immediately. It’s not a sexy pick, but the Rams have to be concerned about hurting their franchise quarterback.
9. Dolphins Landry Jones, QB Oklahoma
The dolphins are off to a terrible start and I’m not a fan of Landry Jones at all. However it seems pretty clear that after this season Chad Henne is gone and so is the rest of the Dolphins front office. Whoever the new coach is will want to draft his own qb to mold, and this will push Landry Jones up draft boards. Jones has all the physical tools to play in the NFL but still needs another 2-3 years to mature his game. At this point it’s hard to see the Dolphins not picking in the top 10 and that means a new quarterback is coming to town. Look for the Dolphins to finish with 5-7 wins this year.
10 Jaguars Dre Kirkpatrick CB, Alabama
While the Jags have played some sloppy games and treated Garrard like a cheap used toy, they seem to believe in Gabbert. The rookie played well in his first game (in the middle of a monsoon no less) and looks poised to have a decent year. However that secondary is still in complete shambles. The Jags need a lockdown corner to anchor their secondary around and Kirkpatrick is going to be that player. Kirkpatrick faced dominant talent in the SEC and played like a star. While not as dominant as Peterson, Kirkpatrick is still talented enough to take away a teams #1 receiver in man-to-man coverage. I expect the Jags to finish with 6-8 wins.