Lou Pickney's 2025 NFL Mock Draft

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Reader feedback is always welcomed here at DraftKing.com. Send your thoughts to me at LouPickney@gmail.com.

From: Jared Gruber
To: LouPickney@gmail.com
Date: Apr 1, 2007 1:33 PM
Subject: March 30 mailbag

I must say I completely disagree with Marcus Thomas fitting with the Colts. Thomas is a pot smoking, bad attitude punk, and Tony Dungy is a Christian man who wants good character guys. He doesn't want anyone who will cause strife in his locker room. Thomas is a good talent, but we don't need someone like him. He'll be taken a lot later than his talent demands just because he's such a disruptive force in the locker room. No crtcism of your opinion, I just whole-heartedly diagree with you.

Lou: Do you remember the Warren Sapp era in Tampa Bay? Sapp was the embodiment of a bad attitude punk, spitting chewing tobacco all over the floor during post-game interviews, acting like a total prick to fans and journalists alike, etc. But when it came time to play, Sapp in his prime was a great DT. As much as I don't like the guy personally, I have to hand it to him on how well he performed during his tenure with the Bucs.

Why do I mention this? It's because he excelled under the coaching of Tony Dungy. I'm not willing to classify Marcus Thomas as a "bad attitude punk" (I haven't heard any first-hand stories about him like I did Sapp), but even if that was the case, he could be a bargain pickup for the Colts if he lasts until their third round selection. As long as he can either lay off the marijuana or borrow Ontario Smith's Whizzinator, I'd think that Thomas to Indy would work out great, though the Colts would need him to drop to the end of round three since their second round pick belongs to Tampa Bay (because of the Anthony McFarland trade.)

Dungy has a certain set of beliefs, but one thing that he is very good about is separating his beliefs from the real world and not being judgmental about others, at least outwardly. And Thomas is a game-changer. Without Thomas, I don't think that Florida would have beaten Tennessee in Knoxville in 2006 -- the Vols had negative rushing yards in that game as a team, and even if you don't count Eric Ainge's sack yards in there, Tennessee simply couldn't run the ball, in no small part because of Thomas.

Thomas will likely fall because of fear over the NFL's crackdown on player conduct. But if the Colts can take him at the end of the third round, he has the talent to make the risk worthwhile.

From: Jared Gruber
To: LouPickney@gmail.com
Date: Apr 1, 2007 1:45 PM
Subject: Alan Branch to the Eagles

Are you serious with this pick? Branch's stock is dropping because of work ethic concerns, but falling from the top ten to #26 is absolutely crazy. How do you figure he will go to the Eagles when they just traded away Darwin Walker because they wanted to have Mike Peterson and Broderick Bunkley starting and Montae Reagor to be the guy to give them a breather? If they wanted four good DTs they would have kept Walker. IF, and I stress IF, he starts to fall he won't make it past the Bangals with there SEVERE need at a run-stopping DT. I'm VERY curious as to why you believe he will fall that far and why the Eagles will make him their pick.

Lou: It may be crazy for Branch to plummet from the top ten to #26, but it is not outside the realm of possibility. Consider that, besides QB (or maybe WR), the DT position tends to be the largest boom-or-bust spot in the draft. And if red flags start to show up about a player's discipline or conditioning, then it can cause some serious concern, and rightfully so.

It's possible that falling to #26 might be a bit much, and perhaps Dallas will take Branch if he is on the board at #22, but nonetheless his stock is on the decline. On the upside for Branch, all is takes is one GM to believe in him for his name to be called, and his size cannot be ignored. I don't know that he has the "X Factor" of Ted Ginn, but there seems to be a pretty wide range in which he could fall.

From: Barry Irvin
To: LouPickney@gmail.com
Date: Apr 1, 2007 9:51 PM
Subject: (none)

Sorry about your uncle.I enjoy your mock draft so much every year.I am a big COWBOY fan and I think they will pick a receiver or cornerback.I am hearing they like ROBERT MEACHAM and AARON ROSS alot.I think if MEACHAM is on the board when DALLAS picks ,it will be MEACHAM.I do not like BOWE, think he will be a bust.I think PATRICK WILLIS will be best player in this draft as he has star written all over him.

Lou: Thanks Barry -- it's never easy to lose a loved one.

As for the Cowboys, I doubt the likelihood of them using a first round pick on a corner. I could see going CB with a later pick, someone who could develop into a starter, but with the Cowboys having more glaring needs at WR and in pass rushing (front seven) I think they'll pass unless someone like Leon Hall happens to unexpectedly free-fall down the draft board.

The wide receiver picture is pretty muddled below Calvin Johnson. In recent years a pecking order of sorts has emerged at one point or another (at least to a degree), but there seem to be widely varying opinions about the ability of the second tier wideouts (since, as mentioned before, Johnson is in his own tier.) This will make things intriguing as far as who is willing to risk moving down (or up) to get a player who other teams might not even consider to be first-round material.

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