FanHouse MockDraft

It's amazing how a player can rise and fall in the final weeks of the draft. Tyson Jackson hasn't played a game since early January. All through January, February and March, he was looked at as a defensive end who could go somewhere between No. 10 and No. 20.

But now in the final days before the draft, all of a sudden multiple mock drafts are predicting Jackson to go No. 3 overall. We'll find out soon whether it's a true rise or some subterfuge.

With the draft just hours away, here is a final look at who the mock drafts are picking to go where. This is a roundup of 17 different mock drafts, all of the mock drafts are from this week and most are from the last day as experts try to refine their final predictions. Everyone will get No. 1 right, as everyone predicts the Lions will take Matt Stafford.

Eleven days and counting until the mock drafts get shredded in favor of the real one, and the time between now and April 25 is likely to see a frenzy of posturing, positioning and actual activity. I debuted my first-ever mock draft yesterday, but since it ran a number of developments have threatened to shake it up.

So what's happened to my mock draft today? Let's take a look...

With each pick of the FanHouse mock draft, we get into the head of an NFL general manager and let you know who he'll pick and why.

With each pick of the FanHouse mock draft, we get into the head of an NFL general manager and let you know who he'll pick and why.

With each pick of the FanHouse mock draft, we get into the head of an NFL general manager and let you know who he'll pick and why.

With each pick of the FanHouse mock draft, we get into the head of an NFL general manager and let you know who he'll pick and why.

With each pick of the FanHouse mock draft, we get into the head of an NFL general manager and let you know who he'll pick and why.

I won't lie to you, folks. Only in a mock draft run by bloggers will this guy slip to the end of the first round.

The Colts don't have a real need at tight end, what with solid guys like Dallas Clark and Ben Utecht on the roster. They need more help at linebacker, where Cato June's departure leaves a big hole, and more depth at running back behind Joseph Addai.

Still, Olsen is clearly the best player available at this point. I considered him at No. 14 while picking for the Panthers, a team that could use some help at tight end but needed more immediate help at safety. I didn't consider him for the Jaguars at No. 17, because they took Mercedes Lewis last year and signed Jermaine Wiggins.

Olsen has great hands and runs a 4.45 40, which is generally unheard of for a tight end. I'm taking him here because he's the best player available, and if I were Bill Polian in this situation, I would start shopping him to teams that need a tight end and might be willing to sacrifice picks in next year's draft. In the real draft, Olsen won't be available here. A more likely pick for the Colts is Jon Beason or Lawrence Timmons. Make no mistake, though -- Roger Goodell will call this kid's name in the first round. No question.

The Skinny:
Team Needs: CB, LB, Backup RB
Also Considered: Lawrence Timmons, OLB, FSU; Antonio Pittman, RB, OSU

Previous Picks:
No. 1 Raiders: JaMarcus Russell, QB, LSU
No. 2 Lions: Calvin Johnson, WR, Georgia Tech
No. 3 Browns: Joe Thomas, OT, Wisconsin
No. 4 Buccaneers: Gaines Adams, DE, Clemson
No. 5 Cardinals: Adrian Peterson, RB, Oklahoma

See all mock draft picks for the first round.

With each pick of the FanHouse mock draft, we get into the head of an NFL general manager and let you know who he'll pick and why.

With all of the drama and posturing surrounding linebacker Lance Briggs, the Bears will address the LB position with their first pick in draft. Jon Beason, out of Miami, will be picked to step in and make an impact if the Briggs situation is not resolved.

While Beason is a University of Miami product, his character is thankfully not in line with that of the rest of the school's football program. All signs point to Beason, who was a Dick Butkus Award candidate, being a stand-up guy with football smarts. With the way some of the disciplinary actions have been going lately in today's NFL, a good character, stud athlete can never be undervalued. He is also a tremendous athlete who also played some track and field at Miami.

Chicago will likely look for Beason to play outside, but he can play all of the LB positions, giving the Bears some flexibility until the Briggs situation plays itself out. Briggs aside, Beason gives the Bears a young LB who can help fortify the defense for a number of years.

The Skinny:
Team Needs: DT, OLB, WR, TE, RB
The Pick: Jon Beason, LB, U of Miami
Also Considered: Steve Smith, WR, USC

Previous Picks:
No. 1 Raiders: JaMarcus Russell, QB, LSU
No. 2 Lions: Calvin Johnson, WR, Georgia Tech
No. 3 Browns: Joe Thomas, OT, Wisconsin
No. 4 Buccaneers: Gaines Adams, DE, Clemson
No. 5 Cardinals: Adrian Peterson, RB, Oklahoma

See all mock draft picks so far.

Next Pick: No. 32, Indianapolis Colts

With each pick of the FanHouse Mock Draft, we get into the head of an NFL general manager and let you know who they will pick and why.

A quick side note here, why are the Chargers drafting after the Patriots, who beat them in the playoffs? The NFL adjusts the draft order to give the two Super Bowl participants the final picks in the draft, shouldn't that be extended to the rest of the playoff field? This rule has never made sense. But moving on.

This will seem like a curious pick to some. Not in the talent department. Brandon Meriweather has the talent to be the first safety picked in the draft. Many liken him to Sean Taylor, both on and off the field. And the off the field stuff that has many concerned about Meriweather who was the focal point in the Miami and Florida International brawl. (Was A'mod Ned a senior? Because it would be cool for these two to be teammates.) Chargers General Manager A.J. Smith has made an attempt to clean up the team's image by releasing troubled players such as Steve Foley and Terrence Kiel. So would he take such a huge risk here?

That answer is yes. Smith is willing to gamble on talent late in the first round. Remember, Luis Castillo had some questions prior to being drafted by the Chargers and he has done pretty well for himself, both on and off the field. Antonio Cromartie was another risky pick, with him returning from an injury. With the Super Bowl so close, the Chargers really need to roll the dice right here and make a bid on Meriweather. Hey, maybe this move backfires in the long-term. But the Chargers really need to focus on the short term right now. If that means taking a chance on a character risk, so be it.

Having a huge run on wide receivers also helps in this thought process, too. The FanHouse Mock Draft has been very offensive heavy. If the real draft turns out the same way, the Chargers really do need to make this move.

The Skinny:
Team Needs: S, WR, real head coach, new uniforms
The Pick: Brandon Meriweather, S, Miami
Also Considered: Steve Smith, WR, USC

Previous Picks:
No. 1 Raiders: JaMarcus Russell, QB, LSU
No. 2 Lions: Calvin Johnson, WR, Georgia Tech
No. 3 Browns: Joe Thomas, OT, Wisconsin
No. 4 Buccaneers: Gaines Adams, DE, Clemson
No. 5 Cardinals: Adrian Peterson, RB, Oklahoma

See all mock draft picks so far.

Next Pick: No. 31, Chicago Bears

With each pick of the FanHouse Mock Draft, we get into the head of an NFL general manager and let you know you will pick and why.

The Ravens have made no secret of their first-round intentions. And luckily -- at least in this little exercise -- Texas guard/tackle Justin Blalock is still available when Baltimore goes on the clock late in the first round.

Blalock played right tackle in college -- he was a unanimous All-American and All-Big 12 Conference selection as a senior -- but he could move to guard in the NFL. The Ravens have former second-rounder Adam Terry at right tackle (he played left tackle at Syracuse, but made the move because of, well, Jonathan Ogden) but could use Blalock at right guard. Keydrick Vincent currently holds down the position, but he's more of a backup than starter.

However, if Ogden retires -- which he's talked about this off-season -- Terry could move back to his natural position and Blalock could play right tackle. Even if Ogden comes back for 2007, the Ravens will be very young along the offensive line. Chris Chester, a 2006 second-rounder, could start at center, and Justin Brown, drafted in the 2005, will be the starting left guard. That could lead to some 2007 growing pains, but the o-line could be dominant in three or four seasons.

The Skinny:
Team Needs: OL, LB, CB, RB,QB
The Pick: Justin Blalock, G/T, Texas
Also Considered: Ben Grubbs, G, Auburn; Aaron Sears, G, Tennessee; Tony Ugoh, T, Arkansas; Joe Staley, T, Central Michigan

Previous Picks:
No. 1 Raiders: JaMarcus Russell, QB, LSU
No. 2 Lions: Calvin Johnson, WR, Georgia Tech
No. 3 Browns: Joe Thomas, T, Wisconsin
No. 4 Bucs: Gaines Adams, DE, Clemson
No. 5 Cardinals: Adrian Peterson, RB, Oklahoma

See all mock draft picks so far

Next Pick: No. 30, San Diego Chargers