Lou Pickney's 2025 NFL Mock Draft

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What are all these rumors about the vikings trading up, I believe they are in a great position to darft for the best player at pick #7 RB/WR/DE and for need at #18 WR/SS/OG. They should just they put, and make sure they watch the clock.....

Lou: I don't see why the Vikings would go RB with the group of RB talent already on the roster. If Michael Bennett can't stay healthy in 2005, then in the 2006 draft I could see the Vikings doing that, but using a first rounder on a rookie RB seems like a mistake to me.

The problem is that #7 is no-man's land for WRs. Braylon Edwards and Mike Williams will likely be gone, and it will be a bit too early to take Troy Williamson. If you're talking DE, with the money already invested in the defensive line, going DE at #7 seems like a forced move, particularly with Kenechi Udeze on board as the team's first round pick of a year ago. Yes, the Vikings will likely add a DE at some point, possibly even at #18, but at this spot it'd be high to go DE, especially with the need for a solid rookie WR. That's why the rumors are out there for trading. But maybe your outlook is correct; we'll find out on Saturday what the Vikings will do.

From: Rick Burdette
Sent: Sunday, April 17, 2005 10:38 AM
To: LouPickney@hotmail.com
Subject: Lions hypothetical draft plans

I am a mock draft freak, so I've been going through draft after draft after draft. Something that has gotten me is this... Mike Williams, though not consistently, has been falling out of the top 10. Personally, I see him neck and neck with Braylon Edwards, and B.E. is going high. I know you answer more Lions questions than most, so I want to ask you this. If some strange, twisted occurance sees Williams on the board at #10, what are the chances, if any, that the Lions take him there? I mean, I didn't think that they would take Roy Williams last year, already having Charles Rogers, so could it possibly happen, given the oppurtunity, that they could draft another receiver this high, no?

Lou: Because Mike Williams was prohibited from playing NCAA football in 2004, some scouts were afraid that he'd be rusty or felt that he had been surpassed by Edwards due to Edwards' outstanding senior season at Michigan. I've been a believer in Williams for a long, long time. Not because he's from Tampa (geography is meaningless to me), but because in his two years at USC, he made some unbelievable catches. He's only improved since then in that department. Add to that his height advantage, and any complaints about him lacking track star speed I'm willing to overlook. I'll take a receiver who can make all his catches every time over a slightly faster but shorter guy who isn't as sure-handed. And while Edwards shook off the "butterfingers" rep of 2003 this season, he's still nowhere near Williams' league in making catches.

But let's say that Williams does somehow fall to #10. It could happen. He would've likely gone #9 to Jacksonville in the 2004 Draft had the courts not kept the NFL's age discrimination against young adults in place, so I'd hate to see him go LATER in 2005, but it could happen. If so, it's entirely possible that Detroit would sign him. It would be a poor allocation of resources in my opinion; as much as I love Williams as a prospect, Detroit has two stud WRs and would be much better off landing a blue chip defensive talent or a solid offensive lineman like Alex Barron.

I personally think Detroit is in a good spot to trade down. With no pressing needs, they can afford to slide down some, especially if a team really wants Troy Williamson (or, perhaps, Mike Williams). There will be high-end talent of one type or another on the board at #10, and I'd think that there are teams in the 11-19 range that have hopes of a particular player sliding. If a player slides to Detroit, voila, a deal is consummated. Washington is being rather adament about not trading the #9 pick, so Detroit at #10 looks like a gateway for teams who might be looking to snag a Carlos Rogers or a Cedric Benson or a Troy Williamson or a number of other guys.

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