Candlestick's 2007 Mock Draft #1

After the first week of free agency, taking into account needs that teams have already addressed, here's how I see the first round shaking down.....

1. Oakland: JaMarcus Russell, QB, LSU .The Raiders are starting over at quarterback -- again. They could go with Notre Dame's Brady Quinn, but Russell's off-the-charts physical skills and arm strength give him enough of an edge to rank as the No. 1 quarterback in the draft. His massive frame is a plus, but his weight at the NFL Scouting Combine (265 pounds) was about 10 pounds heavier than the Raiders or any team would prefer. Of course, given their unpredictable history, the Raiders could go with a different position. Their draft board, like that of many other teams, might very well show Georgia Tech wide receiver Calvin Johnson at the top.

2. Detroit: Joe Thomas, OT, Wisconsin .The Lions will be tempted to use their first pick on yet another receiver, especially after Johnson's highly impressive showing at the Combine. General manager Matt Millen also could give serious thought to selecting Clemson defensive end Gaines Adams, another prospect who gave a strong Combine showing. But of all of their holes, the most logical for them to plug with this choice is offensive tackle. Thomas, who is a superb athlete, is the best at the position in this year's college crop and should be a fixture on the Lions line for many years to come.

3. Cleveland: Adrian Peterson, RB, Oklahoma .Peterson is remarkably talented, offering tremendous burst and explosiveness. He is capable of making an offense instantly better, and that is the sort of help the Browns desperately need. Peterson helped himself with an impressive performance at the Combine, but his injury history is a concern. It might be enough of a concern for the Browns to consider Quinn, an Ohio native who wants to play in Cleveland, or Johnson or perhaps the draft's best defensive tackle, Michigan's Alan Branch.

4. Tampa Bay: Calvin Johnson, WR, Georgia Tech .Although the Buccaneers have multiple pressing needs, Jon Gruden pretty much has a one-track mind when it comes to identifying the best way to improve his team. In Gruden's book, that way is to acquire a dynamic playmaker on offense. Johnson fits that description perfectly. The Bucs coach is feeling some heat to make his team significantly better, and Johnson would figure to make a great complement to the winner of the quarterback battle between free agent Jeff Garcia and incumbent Chris Simms.

5. Arizona: Gaines Adams, DE, Clemson .Defense should be the Cardinals' focus, even though their new coach is offensive-minded Ken Whisenhunt. Adams, who has considerable speed and athleticism, looks to be the best defensive playmaker in the draft.


6. Washington: Jamaal Anderson, DE, Arkansas .The Redskins need a defensive lineman who can bolster their run defense as well as rush the passer. Anderson is the most complete end in this year's college crop.


7. Minnesota: Brady Quinn, QB, Notre Dame .Brad Childress enters his second draft still searching for a franchise quarterback. Having played in an NFL-style offense and received NFL-level coaching at Notre Dame, Quinn figures to be ready to play as a rookie. He didn't take part in Combine drills, but threw the ball fairly well during his workout March 4 at Notre Dame's Pro Day. If the Raiders don't make Quinn the No. 1 overall pick, he should be available here.


8. Houston: Levi Brown, OT, Penn State .The Texans know they need better quarterbacking than they've gotten from David Carr, and if Quinn is still on the board, they will have a hard time passing on him. One way they can help Carr, or any quarterback, is by upgrading their pass protection, which Brown should help them do.

9. Miami: Alan Branch, DT, Michigan .The Dolphins could go a lot of ways here. Quinn's a distinct possibility if he slips this far. If not, the Dolphins likely will address their aging defense. Penn State linebacker Paul Posluszny makes sense, too, because linebacker is a crying need. But if the highly versatile Branch -- who can play end in a 4-3 scheme or nose tackle/defensive end in a 3-4 -- is available, the Dolphins would figure to grab him.

10. Atlanta: LaRon Landry, S, LSU .New coach Bobby Petrino wants to add size and strength to his offensive line, so Brown is a possibility if he is available. If the Falcons stick with their board, Landry would give them the very best player at a position of need and one of the top prospects in the draft.

11. San Francisco: Dwayne Jarrett ,WR, USC. At 6-5 and 230, Jarrett would give 49ers 3rd year QB Alex Smith the go-to guy he so desperately needs. Jarrett would be a considerably upgrade from anyone currently on the depth chart and this seems to be San Frans most pressing need right now, at least on offense.

12. Buffalo: Marshawn Lynch, RB, California .After shipping Willis McGahee to Baltimore, the Bills have a crying need at running back. If they determine they don't have a satisfactory replacement for Nate Clements, they could go with Michigan cornerback Leon Hall. The Bills also will likely consider Mississippi inside linebacker Patrick Willis to replace another free-agent loss, London Fletcher.


13. St. Louis: Amobi Okoye, DT, Louisville .Despite being only 19 years old, Okoye has four years of collegiate experience. He can be the stout run-stuffing presence the Rams desperately need.

14. Carolina: Adam Carriker, DE, Nebraska .For someone who stands 6-6 and weighs 298 pounds, Carriker moves extremely well, as he demonstrated with an impressive showing in the 20-yard shuttle at the Combine.


15. Pittsburgh: Patrick Willis, ILB, Mississippi .Willis shows excellent instincts and is a superb tackler, qualities that would seem to make him right at home in the diversified defensive scheme of new coach Mike Tomlin.

16. Green Bay: Kenny Irons, RB, Auburn .After losing Ahman Green to Houston in free agency, the Packers need a running back. Irons is a superb athlete with excellent acceleration and elusiveness.

17. Jacksonville: Reggie Nelson, S, Florida .The Jaguars could think long and hard about making an offensive pick, but that is not the nature of Jack Del Rio. He is set at cornerback, but needs help at safety. Nelson has good speed and athleticism. With some added bulk and strength, he could be an exceptional player for many years to come.

18. Cincinnati: Leon Hall, CB, Michigan .Hall soared to the top of his position with a 4.39-second 40-yard dash at the Combine, and has great character. He should make a strong contribution immediately.

19. Tennessee: Robert Meachem, WR, Tennessee .The Titans desperately want to add a receiver to Vince Young's arsenal. Meachem greatly improved his draft status by running a 4.39 in the 40 at the Combine and putting on an impressive display in pass-catching drills.

20. N.Y. Giants: Paul Posluszny, OLB, Penn State .Although Posluszny didn't show blazing speed, he worked out better than expected at the Combine. His intelligence and versatility make him a good fit in any defensive scheme. His unselfish attitude also makes him the kind of player Tom Coughlin loves to coach.

21. Denver: Anthony Spencer, DE, Purdue .Spencer offers tremendous quickness to go along with superb instincts and intelligence. He could be switched to outside linebacker. Either way, his athleticism is perfect for the Broncos' scheme.

22. Dallas: Darrelle Revis, CB, Pittsburgh .Revis, who also can contribute as a return specialist, shows good coverage skills and has the size and strength to help against the run. If new coach Wade Phillips can plug in Revis as a starter right away, he could move veteran cornerback Anthony Henry to free safety.

23. Kansas City: Dwayne Bowe, WR, LSU .Bowe is a big, strong receiver who has the toughness to catch the ball in a crowd. His ability to run precise routes is an attribute that will likely make him a significant force as a rookie, especially if he is working with veteran quarterback Trent Green.

24. New England: Lawrence Timmons, OLB, Florida State .The choice here should be to fill a defensive hole. Timmons didn't run well at the Combine, but he was a productive college player.

25. N.Y. Jets: Greg Olsen, TE, Miami .After an impressive Combine performance, Olsen might already be off the board by this point. But his speed and athleticism would make him an excellent addition and provide an added dimension to the Jets' offense.

26. Philadelphia: Aaron Ross, CB, Texas The 6-0, 193-pound Ross has the size and strength to effectively jam receivers at the line. He also has plenty of speed to hold up well in man-to-man coverage, which should allow him to make an immediate impact.

27. New Orleans: Marcus McCauley, CB Fresno State .McCauley has an impressive combination of good size (6-0, 200 pounds) and excellent speed, which he demonstrated by running the 40 in 4.39 at the Combine. He should help the Saints' efforts to cut down on giving up big plays, which happened too often in the playoffs.

28. New England: Ted Ginn Jr., WR, Ohio State Ginn is a first-round talent, although he doesn't appear to be the top-10 choice that he was in some early projections. He didn't work out at the Combine and there is concern over the foot injury he suffered in the BCS title game. Ginn still should have no problem validating the tremendous speed he showed for the Buckeyes, but his receiving skills need work. At the very least, he should make an immediate impact as a return specialist.

29. Baltimore: Justin Blalock, OG, Texas .The Ravens' offensive line is getting old. Blalock would be a quality addition because of his power and aggressiveness, which he uses particularly well in run-blocking.

30. San Diego: Sidney Rice, WR, South Carolina .Rice has dynamic talent that should allow him to enhance the Chargers' passing game, which needs another perimeter threat.

31. Chicago: Michael Griffin, S, Texas .The Bears' lack of depth at safety was never more visible than in the Super Bowl, when Colts receiver Reggie Wayne was often left by himself on deep routes. Griffin is an outstanding athlete with plenty of agility to turn and run. He's also big (6-1-plus, 207 pounds), strong and a willing hitter near the line of scrimmage.


32. Indianapolis: Charles Johnson, DE, Georgia .Johnson has enough talent, to go along with an exceptional work ethic, to help make the Colts noticeably better up front in his first season.