And with the #7 overall pick in the 2008 Arrowhead Pride Community Mock Draft, the New England Patriots select:
Ohio State DL Vernon Gholston
mikvogel with the pick.
The Patriots will choose (without the courtesy of a reacharound for the 49'ers idiot move last year) all around defensive freak Vernon Gholston.
Now I'm quite sure that the huddled masses will decry this move as insipid, idiotic, and downright foolish given the Patriots obvious need at CB since the departure of Asante Samuel and Randall Gay.
But I disagree... The Patriots secondary may seem depleted by the lack of big names, but there are currently 7 CBs on their roster, 5 with significant in-game experience. The Patriots don't succeed on D by the use of a shutdown corner- they succeed by pressuring the QB into poor decisions and bad passes. Their system has created the big names- and they've been just fine in the past to let those players leave for greener pastures as they reload more players from their roster. Need I remind you that the much-heralded Asante Samuel was a 4th round pick???
They have the hands-down best scouting department in the league and there's no way they use this pick to overpay a corner when they can invest in a physical specimen who'll help out their LB corps, excel as a pass rusher where Adalius Thomas did not last year, and who will make another unknown CB lots of money in the future when said CB leaves to cash in on the name he's built from the pressure Vernon brings every game.
1. Miami Dolphins - QB Matt Ryan
2. St. Louis Rams - OT Jake Long
3. Atlanta Falcons - DT Glenn Dorsey
4. Oakland Raiders - DE Chris Long
5. Kansas City Chiefs - DT Sedrick Ellis
6. New York Jets - RB Darren McFadden
7. New England Patriots - DL Vernon Gholston
On the clock: Baltimore Ravens (Ben)