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It's the evening before the 2008 NFL Mock Draft, and I have locked in my final mock projection. And, as I told ESPN Radio 104.5 The Team (WTMM-FM) in the Albany, NY market yesterday, this has proven to be the most difficult draft to project since I started doing full-on mock drafts in 2003. There are many trades that can potentially happen, and just one of those can change the fortunes of several high-end players.

A few final thoughts going into tomorrow:

-I plan to do some sort of live blogging on the site tomorrow. A few people wrote me in the past couple of months asking if I would be doing something of the sort, which I've only done once (this two rounder in 2004, which was pretty rough around the edges looking back now but which was fun to do.) I doubt I'll be doing any pick-by-pick recaps, since with two networks covering the draft and plenty of websites providing up-to-the-second coverage there's no need for me to do so. But I'm sure I'll have thoughts and comments to add along the way.

My friend Scott, who sat in for that 2004 running commentary when I lived in Tampa, works as a news producer for the FOX affiliate in Seattle now, so barring Scott calling in to comment on the Seahawks, it'll be just me writing my thoughts. If nothing else, it will be here later for you to check out and agree/disagree with. Feel free to send in draft reaction throughout the weekend, and I'll look to post that early next week.

-My plan is to flip back and forth between ESPN and the NFL Network, which will be my first opportunity to do that from the get-go. I had just moved to Nashville last year when the 2007 Draft took place, and I had to help with a move that my former employer made from its old building to its new one that morning. I had to work one Saturday in my entire time with the company, and it had to be Draft Day. That's up there with my fraternity brother Brad getting married on Draft Day 2001 (and in a pre-cell phone era for me, leaving me way out of the loop for hours) and Livestock 13 falling on draft weekend in 2003, though we were able to keep tabs on the draft in our luxury bus, which was equipped with DirecTV.

-I strongly suspect that the Giants will trade tight end Jeremy Shockey to the Saints for a 2008 second round pick and perhaps another pick, be it conditional or a straight-up pick in 2008 or 2009.

-The Saints reportedly have dangled offensive tackle Jamaal Brown in trying to trade up from #10 to #2 with St. Louis, but I don't think that will be enough to get the Rams to budge.

-Tracking up late: Virginia OG Branden Albert, Tennessee ILB Jerod Mayo, and Michigan QB Chad Henne.

-Tracking down late: Penn State LB Dan Connor, Miami (FL) FS Kenny Phillips, and USC TE Fred Davis. There will be some bargains to be had toward the top of round two, as is usually the case in the NFL Draft.

And, finaly, one last letter for the mailbag.

From: Charles Lane, Jr.
To: LouPickney@gmail.com
Date: Fri, Apr 25, 2008 at 1:15 PM
Subject: Doubt Cowboys would draft a CB with dur problems.

2nd first rd pick prediction Dallas Cowboys - Aqib Talib, CB, Kansas. I like Talib a lot great CB but he comes with baggage, failing 4 drug tests for marijuana. With picking up Pacman I doubt they would draft Talib to team up with Pacman. I do think Dallas will draft a CB, but not sure who will be there when they pick. I figure they will use their 22 pick for CB and not draft a RB in the first rd.

Great web site.

Lou: Point taken on the "character issue" for Talib, though from all indications he has matured greatly from 2006 to now. If anything, Dallas would probably be inclined to trade down from the #28 spot (regardless on if they need a RB or CB) if the late talk of a team possibly being interested in trading into the late first round for Michigan QB Chad Henne is true.

Under such a scenario, if Talib is still there when Dallas picks in round two (with a pick acquired by trading down), I think they'd pull the trigger on him. But one advantage that Dallas has is that there is a relatively deep pool at CB this year, so they should have multiple corners from which to choose even after trading back. And, if it's a running back they need, Dallas could wait until their own second rounder comes up at #61 overall to pick a running back to pair with Marion Barber.

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