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National Football League
Draft King Analysis
January 15, 2009
Lou Pickney, DraftKing.com
Reader feedback is always welcomed here. Send your thoughts to Draft King at LouPickney@gmail.com.
Today is deadline day for eligible underclassmen to declare for early entry into the 2009 NFL Draft. And, as of this writing, we know most (if not all) of the plans for the major players.
Keep in mind that for all players who have declared for the NFL (but who haven't signed with agents yet) that they have until January 18 to change their minds and return to college for 2009 with their remaining eligibility.
 | Percy Harvin could be the second receiver taken in the 2009 NFL Draft. (Icon SMI)
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USC QB Mark Sanchez decided to leave Southern Cal and head to the NFL. It's unclear to what degree (if any) the decision by Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford to return to college had on Sanchez's decision, but as of this point Sanchez seems to have the early edge on the rest of the field for the #2 spot, with Georgia QB Matthew Stafford all but locked up as the #1 quarterback with his cannon arm.
Had Bradford come out, it would have been an interesting battle to see who would the top QB drafted slot, perhaps the closest battle since 2005 (Alex Smith vs. Aaron Rodgers) and/or 2006 (Vince Young vs. Matt Leinart vs. Jay Cutler). Instead it will be Stafford in a landslide, and he could very likely end up as the #1 overall pick by the Lions, who today hired Titans defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz as its new head coach.
One angle that hasn't been played up is the connection Schwartz has with Titans DT Albert Haynesworth, who enters unrestricted free agency on March 1. Joining a moribund squad might have otherwise seemed unlikely for Haynesworth, but if the money is right and if he believes that Schwartz will have the right scheme for him to attain his maximum potential, perhaps Haynesworth will be lured up to Detroit. We shall see.
Also announcing for the 2009 NFL Draft today was Florida WR Percy Harvin, who is a likely first round selection. Harvin's teammate LB Brandon Spikes, who was also on the fence about coming out, has opted to return to Gainesville for his senior season.
Here's a deadline day mailbag for you to enjoy...
|  | Jonathan Vilma was picked #12 overall in 2004 by the Jets. (Icon SMI)
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From: Kent
To: LouPickney@gmail.com
Date: Tue, Jan 13, 2009 at 11:03 AM
Subject: saints first round pick
I've always liked you mock draft and this year is no different! Thanks and keep up the good work.
As an avid Saints fan, most signs point toward the Saints resigning Vilma to a long-term deal as soon as they are able, without having to give up the first round pick. Vilma has expressed that he wants to stay here and the Saints have indicated that he is their number one priority in signing.
With that said, hopefully the Saints will go for an OLB, S, or CB? Looking forward to your thoughts and updated mocks!
Lou: It appears that the Saints and Vilma would be a strong match for the long-term, and there have been plenty of whispers about plans for a strong contract being offered to Vilma once unrestricted free agency begins on March 1 (which avoids activating the penalty clause included in the trade made with the Jets to obtain Vilma last year if he was to be re-signed before becoming an unrestricted free agent if he played in 85% or more of the snaps in 2008, which he did).
Since you wrote me, I've modified the draft on here to reflect my latest projection of both USC MLB Rey Maualuga and Ohio State MLB James Laurinaitis being off the board by the time New Orleans picks at the #16 spot. It would be a real roll of the dice for New Orleans to lose Vilma and to risk not only hoping that one of those two players would fall to them, but also that either one could be a day one starter.
Vilma thrived in New Orleans in 2008, recapturing the flair he showed early in his career with the Jets (before that team switched to a 3-4 defense). Barring a team sneaking in at the last minute and making a huge offer, I could see Vilma and the Saints reuniting for 2009 and beyond.
An outside linebacker like USC's Brian Cushing could be a great pickup for the Saints. Head coach Sean Peyton brought along OLBs Scott Shanle and Scott Fujita from the Cowboys when he left that team (where he was an assistant under Bill Parcells) to become head coach of the Saints in 2006. But both Shanle and Fujita turn 30 this year, and for Fujita 2009 is the final year of his contract with the Saints.
Going with a safety is an option, though with USC FS Taylor Mays opting to return to school, the Saints may not go in that direction. Without a second or third round pick, the Saints will need to aim at a need position with its first round selection.
From: Kaylin Sigsworth
To: LouPickney@gmail.com
Date: Thu, Jan 15, 2009 at 1:21 PM
Subject: (no subject)
Hi Lou my name is Kaylin and I would like to start off by saying that I love your site and typically the picks you choose. However I do have a complaint and it may seem very bleak to most but being a Titans fan I will look for whatever shout out we can. You have in your latest mock draft the Titans taking a wr. I would normally say yes this is a great idea as the receivers the Titans have other then Gage and Scaife (although he is a TE) have proven to be pretty useless and don't come out in big games. Although the reason you had stated for them to take a wr I find very questionable. You mentioned that one main reason is because of his kick return ability and how the Titans have lacked that since Pacman left. I would like to just remind you that they had the best return avg in the NFL. I feel that Chris Carr has done and excellent job. Other than this one slip up I feel you have done an excellent job over the ast few years and will continue to read your mock drafts.
Lou: It's been a tough week for Titans fans, to be sure, and living in the Nashville area I'm certainly sensitive to that fact. I had a guaranteed ticket for the AFC Championship Game if the Titans had beaten the Ravens. But they didn't, and instead the Ravens will travel to Pittsburgh in what should be a great defensive battle.
You make a very valid point about Chris Carr having success in kick returns for the Titans, and I was negligent in not giving him proper credit for that. However, the Titans may lose Carr this off-season, as he will be an unrestricted free agent, and he has expressed a desire to return only if he will receive more playing time on defense. I've revised my comments about the Titans pick to reflect Carr's contribution to the team.
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