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Pete Prisco provides live draft analysis and grades for each player selected in the first round of the 2008 NFL Draft on Saturday, April 26.
Round 1 · Round 2
| Prisco's Live NFL Draft Analysis - Round 1 |
| 1. Miami Dolphins select: Jake Long, OT, Michigan | Grade | |
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Comment: It was the safe pick. You can never go wrong getting a tackle in the first round who will be a starter for 10 years. | B+ |
| 2. St. Louis Rams select: Chris Long, DE, Virginia | Grade | |
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Comment: The Rams didn't stay true to their board, but they got a player who I had ranked first on my board. I love the kid. He will be a star. | A |
| 3. Atlanta Falcons select: Matt Ryan, QB, Boston College | Grade | |
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Comment: The Falcons wanted to take Glenn Dorsey, but in the end the medical report on him concerned them. I'm not a big fan of taking Ryan here. They could have landed a quarterback later. | C+ |
| 4. Oakland Raiders select: Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas | Grade | |
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Comment: This was the right pick. The running back situation with the Raiders is not as good as people think. This kid is a home-run hitter. I don't usually advocate a back this high, but McFadden will be worth it. | B+ |
| 5. Kansas City Chiefs select: Glenn Dorsey, DT, Louisiana State | Grade | |
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Comment: They got the top-ranked player on a lot of boards. If his health checks out, this is a great pick. But there is a risk. I still think they did the right thing. | A |
| 6. N.Y. Jets select: Vernon Gholston, DE, Ohio State | Grade | |
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Comment: I'm not as high on this kid as some of the scouts. He doesn't play hard all the time. But the Jets are hoping to liven up the pass rush. It makes sense. He's just a little over-hyped. | B- |
| 7. New Orleans (from San Francisco through New England) select: Sedrick Ellis, DT, Southern California | Grade | |
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Comment: Give the Saints credit for going up and getting the guy they wanted. Ellis is short, but he plays bigger than his size. This was an outstanding pick. | A |
| 8. Jacksonville Jaguars select: Derrick Harvey, DE, Florida | Grade | |
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Comment: Give the Jaguars credit for going up and getting a guy they wanted. Harvey is a pure pass rusher who will help a pass rush in need of it. The aggressive move should be saluted. | B+ |
| 9. Cincinnati Bengals select: Keith Rivers, OLB, Southern California | Grade | |
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Comment: I like this pick. Rivers is a speed linebacker going to a team that was decimated by injuries last year. This makes a ton of sense after Ellis went off the board. | B |
| 10. New England Patriots (from New Orleans) select: Mayo, Jerod, OLB, Tennessee | Grade | |
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Comment: This was one of the fastest rising players in the draft. For a reason. He's a fast, athletic linebacker with good size. The Pats need speed at linebacker and now they have it. | B |
| 11. Buffalo Bills select: Leodis McKelvin, CB, Troy | Grade | |
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Comment: I give the Bills credit for taking a corner over a receiver. The value is much greater and McKelvin is the top corner in the draft. Smart move. | B+ |
| 12. Denver Broncos select: Ryan Clady, OT, Boise State | Grade | |
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Comment: This was a need pick. Their left-tackle position is one of concern. Clady can step in and start right away. His athletic ability is perfect for the Denver system. | B+ |
| 13. Carolina Panthers select: Jonathan Stewart, RB, Oregon | Grade | |
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Comment: This is a little surprisng, but they want to run the football more. Stewart is a bigger runner than DeAngelo Williams, but they had other needs. | C |
| 14. Chicago Bears select: Chris Williams, OT, Vanderbilt | Grade | |
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Comment: I would have gone for Jeff Otah here. There is some talk that Williams has back issues. That makes this a risky pick | C |
| Kansas City Chiefs (from Detroit) select: Branden Albert, G, Virginia | Grade | |
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Comment: Love this move by the Chiefs. They get a defensive lineman earlier and now come back and get a good offensive lineman. Albert will be their left tackle. | A |
| 16. Arizona Cardinals select: Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB, Tennessee State | Grade | |
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Comment: This is the player the Cardinals wanted to fall to them. And they stayed put to get him. He will be an immediate upgrade to what they have now at corner. | A |
| 17. Detroit (from Minnesota through Kansas City) select: Gosder Cherilus, OT, Boston College select: | Grade | |
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Comment: They have a major need at right tackle, so it makes sense from that standpoint.But this is high for him. They could have traded down to land Cherlius. | C |
| 18. Baltimore Ravens (from Houston) select: Joe Flacco, QB, Delaware | Grade | |
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Comment: This is shocking. There were two guys on the board better at quarterback. Brian Brohm will be better. I don't like this move at all. Isn't this Kyle Boller all over again? | D |
| 19. Carolina (from Philadelphia) select: Jeff Otah, OT, Pittsburgh | Grade | |
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Comment: I love what the Panthers have done. They get a big-play runner and then trade back in and get a dominant tackle in Otah. I love this move. | A |
| 20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers select: Aqib Talib, CB, Kansas | Grade | |
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Comment: He is a top-10 talent, so it's a good move from that standpoint. But he has character issues. Then again, Jon Gruden doesn't care about character. | B- |
| 21. Atlanta (from Washington) select: Sam Baker, OT, Southern California | Grade | |
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Comment: This is one of my favorite moves of the entire draft. Baker is the most-underrated lineman in the draft. The Falcons now have a guy who can protect Matt Ryan's backside for years. | A |
| 22. Dallas Cowboys (from Cleveland) select: Felix Jones, RB, Arkansas | Grade | |
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Comment: I really like Jones. I think he'll be able to run inside better than most people. He's a game-breaker. I might have waited until later to take him. | B |
| 23. Pittsburgh Steelers select: Rashard Mendenhall, RB, Illinois | Grade | |
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Comment: The Steelers wanted a back who could play with more power than Willie Parker. Mendenhall was a good pick here. Few thought he would fall this far. | B+ |
| 24. Tennessee Titans select: Chris Johnson, RB, East Carolina | Grade | |
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Comment: They have so many other needs, and used a second-round pick on Chris Henry last year. This is a little strange. Johnson does have great speed. | C- |
| 25. Dallas Cowboys (from Seattle) select: Mike Jenkins, CB, South Florida | Grade | |
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Comment: The Cowboys made a nice move going up to get a corner they needed. With Terence Newman having one year left on his contract, they need help. They might also move Anthony Henry inside. This is a good move. | B+ |
| 26. Houston (from Jacksonville through Baltimore) select: Duane Brown, OT, Virginia Tech | Grade | |
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Comment: They need a left tackle in the worst way, but this is high for Brown. He does have tools and the fact he's a former tight end says something about his athletic ability. | C |
| 27. San Diego Chargers select: Antoine Cason, CB, Arizona | Grade | |
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Comment: They lose Drayton Florence in free agency and fill that hole with a guy I really like. He doesn't time as fast as some corners, but he sure plays fast. This is a nice pick. | A |
| 28. Seattle (from Dallas) select: Lawrence Jackson, DE, Southern California | Grade | |
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Comment: He's a four-year starter, which has to mean something. I like this move. He is a better player than most scouts graded. This is a good move. | B+ |
| 29. San Francisco 49ers (from Indianapolis) select: Kentwan Balmer, DT, North Carolina | Grade | |
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Comment: The 49ers need help on their front and Balmer can play the 3-4 end. My concern is that he might be a one-hit wonder. A lot of scouts questioned him. | C |
| 30. N.Y. Jets (from Green Bay) select: Dustin Keller , TE, Purdue | Grade | |
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Comment: The Jets need a tight end and Keller can stretch the field, but why not quarterback here? Brian Brohm would have been a better pick. | C- |
| 31. New England Patriots: | Grade | |
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Selection forfeited by the NFL | |
| 32. N.Y. Giants select: Kenny Phillips, S, Miami (Fla.) | Grade | |
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Comment: He's a good player, but I would have taken Tyrell Johnson here. The Giants need a safety, so this is a good pick. He will start as a rookie. | B |
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