FanHouse Position Preview

To get ready for this weekend's draft, we're looking position-by-position at who could go in the first round. Click here for the rest of the breakdowns.


CB/S Malcolm Jenkins (mid first round), CB Vontae Davis (mid-to-late first round).
This isn't a good year if you're looking for a shutdown corner. The top cornerback in this draft, Jenkins, is thought by some experts to be a free safety in the NFL because of his questionable man-to-man coverage skills. Davis is the best athlete among the corners, but he's shown lackadasical effort during his college career, which leads one to wonder, what will he do when he has millions in the bank? Neither are slam dunk picks, but with the constant need for cornerbacks, both are first-round picks this year.

To get ready for this weekend's draft, we're looking position-by-position at who could go in the first round. Click here for the rest of the breakdowns, beginning with quarterback.

DT B.J. Raji (Top 15 pick), DE/OLB Brian Orakpo (Top 15 pick), DE Tyson Jackson (Top 15 pick), DE Aaron Maybin (mid-first round), DE Robert Ayers (mid-to-late round), DE Everette Brown (mid-to-late first round), DT Peria Jerry (late first round).

Teams can never have enough defensive linemen and the good news for teams this year is there are a number of linemen with solid first round grades. The picking is better for teams looking for an edge rusher than a big monster to absorb blockers, but there is a little of both, with Raji looking like a potential stud 3-4 nose tackle or 4-3 defensive tackle while Jackson projects as either a run-stuffing 4-3 defensive end or a perfect fit as a 3-4 DE. For teams who don't pick in the top 15, Jerry is another productive inside run-stuffer with enough athleticism to also get some pressure on the quarterback.

To get ready for this weekend's draft, we're looking position-by-position at who could go in the first round. Click here for the rest of the breakdowns, beginning with quarterback.

Michael Crabtree (Top 10 pick), Jeremy Maclin (Top 15 pick), Darrius Heyward-Bey (mid-first round), Kenny Britt (late first round), Hakeem Nicks (late first round), Percy Harvin (who knows?)

Five years ago, tight end Heath Miller was expected to go in the middle of the first round. But a sports hernia injury that limited his pre-draft workouts caused him to slide all the way to pick No. 30. He was fully healthy before training camp, and has not been bothered by the injury since, but the injury concerns helped ensure a solid talent slid to later than he should have fallen.

To get ready for this weekend's draft, we're looking position-by-position at who could go in the first round. Click here for the rest of the breakdowns, beginning with quarterback.


OT Jason Smith (Top 10 pick), OT Eugene Monroe (Top 10 pick), OT Andre Smith (Top 15 pick), OT Michael Oher (mid-first round), OT Eben Britton (late first round).

Last year, seven offensive tackles were taken in the first round, and there's a chance that seven o-linemen will once again go this year. Because of the dire need for tackles, it's probable that several tackles will be nabbed 10 to 15 spots ahead of where they rank on most team's draft boards.

To get ready for this weekend's draft, we're looking position-by-position at who could go in the first round. Click here for the rest of the breakdowns.


Brandon Pettigrew: There aren't many teams in the market for a first-round tight end, but when pick No. 21 pops up onto the TV, the Oklahoma State tight end will be waiting by the phone hoping to hear from the Eagles. Pettigrew is the rare first-round caliber tight end whose blocking is even better than his receiving, although he's also a good pass catcher. He would give the Eagles an every-down compliment to go with pass catching tight end Brent Celek.

To get ready for this weekend's draft, we're looking position-by-position at who could go in the first round. Click here for the rest of the breakdowns, beginning with quarterback.


Knowshon Moreno (mid-to-late first round), Beanie Wells (mid-to-late first round), Donald Brown (late first-round).

Moreno's chances of becoming a high first-round pick likely disappeared when he ran a hourglass-slow 4.60 40-yard dash, but he was never really thought of as a burner--he's more of a shifty back who can also catch the ball out of the backfield. Wells also ran poorly at the combine (4.59), but he did follow it up by running a sub 4.5 at his Pro Day workout. Because the Saints already have Reggie Bush to catch passes out of the backfield, they are more likely to be interest in Wells, which means there's a good chance that Moreno will slide to the Eagles at No. 21.

To get ready for this weekend's draft, we're looking position-by-position at who could go in the first round, starting with the quarterbacks.


Matt Stafford (top 10 pick), Mark Sanchez (top 10 pick), Josh Freeman (mid-to-late first round).

Stafford may not go No. 1, and if he doesn't go No. 1, there is a chance he could slide to late in the top 10 because few teams at the top of the draft have quarterback as their biggest need. Sanchez is the true wild card. There were plenty of rumors that the Jaguars are interested in him at No. 8, even if the Jags already have a solid quarterback under contract for another six years in David Garrard. Whatever happens with Sanchez, it's hard to see him falling much past the Broncos at No. 12.