Lou Pickney's 2025 NFL Mock Draft

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We all know that the bus is near the end of the road and Duce is starting to feel what 6 or 7 yrs in the nfl can do to an RB. Behind those two are Verron Haynes and Willie Parker, I think the Steelers would be wise to take a RB early (1st or 2nd Round) so they can groom him for a year and then he can take the bus's spot in 2006. Everyone seems to be overlooking this and I would like to get your opinion.

Lou: With Jerome Bettis coming back for one more season, I'd think that the Steelers would want to wait another year before taking a RB. Now if one of the big three (more on them in a bit) are there at #30, then great. But otherwise they'd be delving into the second-tier to fill a spot that is not an immediate priority. Following this season, the Steelers should have a clearer idea on the long-term possibilities involving Duce Staley and what they need to do to plan ahead for the future.

From: Andrew Nadler
Sent: Thursday, March 3, 2005 2:09 PM
To: LouPickney@hotmail.com
Subject : lou lou lou

to merely switch benson and brown does not do the job, you have to be quite aware of the abilities of these RBs and know that they are both top 10 picks, along with cadillac, get you mock straight dude!!!!

Lou: So you think we'll see three RBs go in the top 10, eh? Don't bet on it. You have to go back to 1989 for the last time that happened: Barry Sanders going #3 to Detroit, Tim Worley #7 to Pittsburgh, and Sammie Smith #9 to Miami.

Cedric Benson, Ronnie Brown and Cadillac Williams are all outstanding RBs, don't get me wrong. I think all three have promising pro careers ahead of them, provided that they fall into the proper situation (i.e. Kevin Jones in a starting role vs. Chris Perry in a backup capacity).

But what must be carefully examined is not only the skill of the "big three", but also the needs of the teams drafting. As it is, most of the teams in the draft already have their RB situation settled, or at least semi-settled. I'm going to go through this pick-by-pick (1-10) to show my thought process:

1. San Francisco: The team has Kevan Barlow, who while having an off-year in 2004 is still the team's primary RB. The whole squad had an off-year last season as it was. There are way too many holes to fill for the 49ers to take a RB at #1.

2. Miami: The Dolphins should take a RB. So mark one off for here. Trading down to do it would be nice, but regardless with how Miami hasn't made a run at any free agent RBs it seems like drafting a RB is the plan for the Dolphins.

3. Cleveland: William Green might have the green light to make his own trade, but Lee Suggs is going to get the shot to be the #1 RB in camp. I feel the best about predicting Derrick Johnson to Cleveland of all my projected picks.

4. Chicago: Thomas Jones was satisfactory with his 4.0 yards per carry average last season. Moreover, he's in the second year of a $10 million dollar deal (which included an estimated $3.5 million signing bonus last year). The Bears may draft a running back in a later round, but going with one here would not be prudent... or anything I would anticipate happening.

5. Tampa Bay: This is a spot where you could argue for a RB pick, but Jon Gruden has been extremely vocal about wanting to revamp his offensive line. With OT Alex Barron likely to be on the board here, and with Michael Pittman avoiding public domestic disputes since signing with the Bucs, I don't think the Buccaneers will take a RB here. But if a second RB goes in the first round, this would be the most likely place for it to happen.

6. Tennessee: The Titans are cap-stretched like crazy. They made some severe cuts to begin the move toward the future, but returning for 2005 will be incumbent starting RB Chris Brown. The former Colorado RB came into the league as an underclassman (bad idea) and thus slipped to the third round, but he has first round talent. But that aside, the Titans have a HUGE need at CB, and there happen to be two blue-chip corners in this draft, Antrel Rolle and Adam "Pac Man" Jones, one of whom I expect to go to the Titans here.

7. Minnesota: There's already a RB logjam with the Vikings, and it would be difficult to fathom a team that just traded Randy Moss passing on Braylon Edwards and/or Mike Williams to take a RB. Unless Michael Bennett pulls a Robert Smith and retires suddenly, it's not even worth considering.

8. Arizona: You and I might find some common ground here. I've been working under the presumption that the Cardinals will trade OT L.J. Shelton for Travis Henry, but that deal has stalled at the moment. Arizona might decide to forego taking a QB and instead go with one of the "big three". If Arizona doesn't have Travis Henry before the draft arrives, they'll almost for sure draft one of them. But, for now, I still think they'll be able to trade for him.

9. Washington: Clinton Portis is on board. 'Nuff said.

10. Detroit: The Lions used a first round pick on Kevin Jones last year and aren't in the market for a RB.

So, barring a trade, the only way I can imagine three RBs going in the top ten is with a 2-5-8, and that seems like a long shot to me. And when you look at the recent trend of RBs in the draft (and how so few have gone in the top ten in the draft from 2000-2004), I don't see the big three being gone by the time the #11 pick comes up on the clock.

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