2009 NFL Draft First Round Review

1. Detroit Lions- Matthew Stafford, QB- Georgia
A good selection in that they now have a very talented and accomplished franchise quarterback to develop. Some think the Lions are following the formula for failure though. His occasional mental lapses are a concern but he should be fine if he is given enough time to develop. Has a very solid receiving corps surrounding him but will need that offensive line improvement to avoid becoming a bust. Has lots of potential.

2. St. Louis Rams- Jason Smith, DE- Baylor
A fine pick. QB Marc Bulger needed more protection and now he will get it. Should be their franchise LT for years to come. RB Steven Jackson should look to benefit from his presence too after a few disappointing recent years.

3. Kansas City Chiefs- Tyson Jackson, DE- LSU
A somewhat surprising pick in that most scouts did not have Jackson rated this high. He is a true DE in a 3-4 scheme though, which is very hard to find, which increased his value. New GM Scott Pioli has made a name for drafting based on scheme so it makes sense he would covet Jackson's skill set. A very safe player who should be effective for them for years to come.

4. Seattle Seahawks- Aaron Curry, OLB- Wake Forest
A great selection considering that he is the best player in the draft. Needed to fill that WLB slot with Julian Peterson's departure. A little surprising that they did not take an LT considering Walter Jones' age and health. Will contribute immediately and be one of the best linebackers in the league for many years.

5. New York Jets- Mark Sanchez, QB- USC
Traded up and made a great selection. Only had to give up their first rounder, second rounder, and three reserves for their new potential franchise quarterback. Is considered a very safe pick, even considering his 16 collegiate starts, and should be a solid quarterback atleast.

6. Cincinnati Bengals- Andre Smith, LT- Alabama
A good but risky pick. Had a horrendous offseason. Very immature and could have serious weight and conditioning issues in the NFL. Was dominant in college though. This pick was based on his tape. Eugene Monroe would have been a safer pick, but the Bengals obviously viewed him as a better LT.

7. Oakland Raiders- Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR- Maryland
Very shocking, even for owner Al Davis. Was picked simply because of his speed. Not the best pick considering that Michael Crabtree and Jeremy Maclin, with 4.4 speed, were available. Most think this pick was terrible. Would have been smart to trade back with the Jets and pick him at 17 because he still would have been there. However, the Raiders got their guy who will fit their scheme. Will complement QB Jamarcus Russell's big arm and has the most upside of any receiver in the draft, but a very risky pick, especially this high in the draft. Heyward-Bey does gets more criticism than he deserves. Could end up being the best receiver in this class given his blazing speed and good size, but has a steep learning curve.

8. Jacksonville Jaguars- Eugene Monroe, LT- Virginia
Good pick for the Jaguars. Needed to bolster that offensive line after their injury struggles, and then QB David Garrard's struggles, last year. Will learn from their new free agent LT Tra Thomas. Could have drafted DT B.J. Raji, considering their need and his skill, but Monroe is solid.

9. Green Bay Packers- B.J. Raji, DT- Boston College
Excellent pick for Green Bay. Will plug the middle and allow their new 3-4 scheme to flourish. Will take the pressure off every other defensive player. Should be very effective.

10. San Francisco- Michael Crabtree, WR- San Francisco
A no-brainer. Arguably the best player in the draft fell to them to fill the biggest need on their team. Should contribute immediately. One of the best receivers to enter the league this decade.

11. Buffalo Bills- Aaron Maybin, DE- Penn State
A somewhat risky pick but has lots of upside. A pure pass rusher. Has the quickest first step off the line in the draft. Very explosive. Will need to show he can defend the run. A one year wonder. Has lots of potential.

12. Denver Broncos- Knowshon Moreno, RB- Georgia
A questionable pick considering how many running backs are on the roster, including all the free agents they signed in the offseason. Also, running back is usually not a position that is valued this high. Moreno is a fine back though who should start and take pressure off new QB Kyle Orton.

13. Washington Redskins- Brian Orakpo, DE- Texas
An excellent pick. No one expected him to fall this far. Was the best player available and will fill a huge need at DE for the Redskins. Is very versatile and will also play OLB for them too. Should be a star in the league given his skill set, production in college, and work ethic.

14. New Orleans Saints- Malcolm Jenkins, CB- Ohio State
Great pick. Extremely solid, underrated cornerback. Will help to continue improve the subpar Saints secondary immediately. Does not have elite combine speed but did not show it at Ohio State. A very mature, and intense player who should become the leader of the defense within a few years.

15. Houston Texans- Brian Cushing, OLB- USC
Could be the missing link to a playoff berth. Will fill a need at OLB and start immediately. A very solid player with a great work ethic. .

16. San Diego Chargers- Larry English, DE/OLB- Northern Illinois
A surprising pick. A pass rusher was not a need for San Diego and most scouts had him rated in the late first or early second. Could have traded down to select him. Amassed many sacks in college but will need to learn how to drop back in coverage as the OLB in their 3-4 scheme. Will be an insurance policy for OLB Shawne Merriman.

17. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Josh Freeman, QB- Kansas State
The new franchise quarterback for Tampa Bay. New head coach Raheem Morris, has obviously learned from his predecessor's mistake in never developing a young quarterback. Has a cannon for an arm and a huge 6'6" frame. Surprisingly athletic. Will need a few years to develop mentally. Has the most potential of any quarterback in the draft, but also the most bust potential.

18. Denver Broncos- Robert Ayers, DE/OLB- Tennessee
An excellent selection for the Broncos. Will play outside linebacker in their 3-4 scheme and take pressure off the underrated DE/OLB Elvis Dumervil. Is projected to successfully learn the position by most scouts. Was not expected to be avaiable this late. Denver snagged the best player available to fill a huge need.

19. Philadelphia Eagles- Jeremy Maclin, WR- Missouri
Arguably the best pick in the draft thus far. The Eagles made a great move in trading up to grab the premier receiver. Projected as a top 10 pick, the Eagles improved upon their below average receiving corps to give QB Donovan McNabb yet another marquis receiver in the draft in consecutive years. Will need to work on his physicality and tweak his hands, but should help contribute immediately given WR DeSean Jackson's immediate success last year.

20. Detroit Lions- Brandon Pettigrew, TE- Oklahoma State
Although this pick was criticized by some because he is only a tight end, he is a top 10 player and a complete tight end, a rare find in today's game. He will not only help in pass blocking but will be a solid receiving threat for QB Matt Stafford for years to come. A great pick by the rebuilding Lions.

21. Cleveland Browns- Alex Mack, C- California
A very surprising pick. Already had an elite offensive line and Mack was not considered the best player available at this point. Probably could have gone elsewhere considering that they are rebuilding. Mack should be solid though.

22. Minnesota Vikings- Percy Harvin, WR- Florida
The Vikings got their guy. The most explosive first round pick since RB Reggie Bush. Unfortunately like Bush, he will need to work on the technical aspects of his position if he is to have an immediate impact, which Minnesota is expecting in him.

23. Baltimore Ravens- Michael Oher, LT- Mississippi
A surprising pick considering their solidarity on the offensive line. Baltimore even traded up to get him. Regardless, he was one of the best players available and has a ton of upside.

24. Atlanta Falcons- Peria Jerry, DT- Mississippi
A great pick for Atlanta. Jerry was one of the best players available and he will fill a huge hole at DT after Grady Jackson packed his bags for Detroit. They had been coveting all off-season.

25. Atlanta Dolphins- Vontae Davis, CB- Illinois
Another great pick in which a team got their guy. Davis is a freak athletically and has potential to be a premier cornerback in the league. The Dolphins need a corner and they got him at a huge bargain.

26. Green Bay Packers- Clay Matthews, USC
Yet another great pick to fill a hole. Green Bay traded up to snag a great pass rusher to play opposite DE/OLB Aaron Kampman in their new 3-4 scheme. Their defense is now complete after addressing their two biggest needs, which coincidentally are probably the two most important positions in a 3-4 scheme.

27. Indianapolis Colts- Donald Brown, UConn
A typical pick by president Bill Polian. Once again they drafted someone who plays an offensive skill position that is technically sound. Should contribute immediately due to that attribute and due to RB Joseph Addai's struggles last year. Should also figure into the passing game for QB Peyton Manning too.

28. Buffalo Bills- Eric Wood, C- Louisvile
Surprising they did not go with LT William Beatty from UConn given former left tackle Jason Peter's departure. Wood will help with the pass protection though. Was one of the best players available at this point.

29. New York Giants- Hakeem Nicks, WR- North Carolina
Along with WR Michael Crabtree, the most NFL-ready receiver in the draft. A very safe pick. Will step in and perform immediately, which is what the Giants need the most after releasing WR Plaxico Burress.

30. Tennessee Titans- Kenny Britt, WR- Rutgers
The Titans addressed probably their biggest need by selecting the very underrated receiver. Will be a great complement to free agent pick up WR Nate Washington. It's surprising they actually picked a receiver considering how long they have gone without picking one in the first round and after their signing of Washington. Great pick.

31. Arizona Cardinals- Chris Wells, RB- Ohio State
How did he slip this far? Unbelievable pick by the Cardinals. He was by far the best player available and will immediately be a star in the league. Will drastically improve their pitiful running game, which was really their only weakness last year.

32. Pittsburgh Steelers- Evander Hood, DT- UConn
Great pick by the Steelers. Is a very agile DT who will play DE in their 3-4 scheme, which probably fits him best. Hard to find these types of players. Should be very effective for them given his skill set.