Dave Richard

I tried doing something new in my mock draft this Tuesday -- and I fell flat on my face!

(No, I did not try a cartwheel or hand stand).

Instead of going with my usual QB-WR-WR theory that's been working for me, I took the No. 2 overall pick and went with Adrian Peterson in Round 1. The idea was that I could swipe a quality QB and WR in Rounds 2 and 3, then finagle talent elsewhere down the line.

Maybe it was my last minute change of theory, or maybe it was the 11 bright guys in the mock draft with me, but I found myself scratching my head more times in this mock than in any of my previous three drafts. NOT GOOD.

Here's the rundown ... I picked 2nd overall in the odd rounds and 11th in the even rounds.

ROUND 1: Adrian Peterson, RB, MIN

This was on the heels of my detailed look at the Vikings' schedule. I like their schedule quite a bit and wanted to see what it felt like to draft him. He's going to go second overall in a lot of leagues, so hopefully my team will be somewhat indicative of what a No. 2 overall team might look like.

ROUND 2: Drew Brees, QB, NO

I was hoping for Tony Romo to slip, but he went 14th overall (wow!). I would have gone with any of the three players taken in front of me over Brees: Clinton Portis, Larry Fitzgerald or Marques Colston. Six WRs went in Round 2.

ROUND 3: Plaxico Burress, WR, NYG

The first of many tough picks for me. I could have settled for Chad Johnson or Wes Welker, but Burress says he's 100 percent healthy and hoping to get paid. He's been working hard in New York ever since he got there and could be amazing if he can stay out of the trainer's room. A reach of sorts, but I bit. Also, I haven't been able to pull the trigger on Jamal Lewis in Round 3 yet this year ... something's stopping me from doing it in my mind. I guess Jamey Eisenberg's theory of Lewis getting paid and cutting back is weighing on me.

ROUND 4: Darren McFadden, RB, OAK

I'm finding myself drafting him a lot in Round 4 this summer, which could mean that either I'm taking him too high or everyone else isn't biting on him (or both). Maybe people are scared off by the whole Raiders thing, but they've become a good unit with the run. I think he's a high-yardage, low-TD type as a rookie. Other considerations: Thomas Jones, Willie Parker, Matt Forte, Michael Turner, LenDale White.

ROUND 5: Willie Parker, RB, PIT

I know, I know ... now i have TWO high-yardage, low-TD guys on my team. Hey, Parker will at least be my third RB, which is really not bad at all. Matt Forte, Brandon Marshall, LenDale White and Ronnie Brown were also considerations.

ROUND 6: Dwayne Bowe, WR, KC

Soooo many good players went in Rounds 5 and 6 that it made this pick really difficult. I needed a WR and Bowe had the best shot at 1,000 yards. Problem is, Brodie Croyle is his QB. Should I have gone with Marshall to be my No. 2 WR in Round 5 and gone with a RB or TE here? Perhaps so.

ROUND 7: Chester Taylor, RB, MIN

Always good to handcuff your studs, and Taylor is a pick between Rounds 7 and 9 anyway. I recommend this for anyone who takes Peterson in Round 1.

ROUND 8: Jerious Norwood, RB, ATL

I really did not like this pick, but felt like there was no one else really worth a look otherwise. I wanted Bernard Berrian, but he went two picks in front of me. Chris Johnson and Rashard Mendenhall also went in my mind, but I figure Norwood has the experience edge over both of those guys and could play more than both of them. It was a tough call.

ROUND 9: Santana Moss, WR, WAS

Turned out to be my last WR pick in the draft. Should be a hit in the West Coast offense.

ROUND 10: Jaguars DST

Another pick I had to wrestle with. Do I take a backup QB? I just missed on the Patriots and Cowboys DSTs and Ahman Green (wow, a starting RB in Round 10). I think I would have been better off with Seattle or the N.Y. Giants. Obviously, the right move would have been to take a player over a DST (Tony Scheffler?), but I had players in mind for my last two reserve spots.

ROUND 11: Brett Favre, QB, GB

Low-risk, high, high-reward if he does come back, and right now it looks like he wants to play. If we were to play this league out, I'd be dangling Favre for the entire month of August for a wide receiver.

ROUND 12: Greg Olsen, TE, CHI

I needed a tight end. Olsen should be fine. They all look the same at the bottom of the draft, anyway.

ROUND 13: SURPRISE SUPER SLEEPER PICK

ROUND 14: Ryan Longwell, PK, MIN

Might as well pick up the extra points scored by Peterson and Taylor, right?

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The mock was interesting otherwise. Would you believe there was trash talking?