MOCK DRAFT – ROUND ONE

#1 MATT – Frank Gore, RB (SF) – How about a Gore/Peterson backfield? Scary good, especially if the 49ers ever improve and if Peterson ever gets a quarterback.

#2 ROB M – Marion Barber, RB (DAL) – LT will scare Rob off. Next year, look for the Cowboys to split Barber and Jones right down the center just like the Panthers did with Williams and Stewart.

#3 GRIFF – L. Tomlinson, RB (SD) – He’s not done and this is not another Shaun Alexander situation. The guy had a bad toe, which can kill even the greatest running backs.

#4 RICH B – Joseph Addai, RB (IND) – Do you believe this year was a fluke for Addai and he’ll return to form in 2009?

#5 ERIC – Ronnie Brown, RB (MIA) – One year removed from ACL means he’s okay. Two years removed from ACL means he’s ready to shine again.

#6 DAVID – Brandon Jacobs, RB (NYG) – A bad knee has hampered him two straight years. If he could stay healthy, he could be a top-five back.

#7 BOB – Steven Jackson, RB (STL) – We have to assume a new coach will make the Rams better, but can he do it in one year?

#8 RICH C – Larry Fitzgerald, WR (ARI) – With Slaton already in his back pocket and with so many solid backs already gone, the next batch are all the same, so take a top-flight receiver.

#9 COLBY – Andre Johnson, RB (HOU) – He’s going to probably keep Lynch and Hightower. Can he trust them to start? Probably not, but he can grab another RB later. Johnson is a star.

#10 MOLLY – Clinton Portis, RB (WAS) K – He’s been good for many years, but does he still have a couple more good years in him?

#11 DON – Maurice Jones-Drew, RB (JAX) K – If Don missed the playoffs and had an early pick, then he wouldn’t keep Jones-Drew. However, he’ll have one of the last two picks, thus, MJD will be a great keeper.

#12 ROBIO – Brian Westbrook, RB (PHI) K – Just like Jones-Drew, Westbrook is a solid keeper this late, even with the health issues. Although I could keep Thomas Jones in the 3rd, DeAngelo Williams in the 5th or even Kevin Jones in the 5th round.

*** Obviously I don’t know who will win the title game between Don and myself, so I just gave him the 11th and me the 12th based on our seeding. Either way, nothing would really change.

MOCK DRAFT – ROUND TWO

#13 ROBIO – Randy Moss, WR (NE) – Either Don or I will be looking at a second back or a second receiver. By the time we pick again, the elite receivers will all be gone.

#14 DON – Reggie Wayne, WR (IND) – Read what I just wrote above.

#15 MOLLY – Calvin Johnson, WR (DET) – Molly is set with Portis and Forte (again), how about getting what she didn’t have in 2008, an elite receiver.

#16 COLBY – Marshawn Lynch, RB (BUF) K – He could still keep LT, but Lynch won’t be here in the second round. It’s all about value in a pick and Lynch has more in the second round.

#17 RICH C – Reggie Bush, RB (NO) – He’s still too talented to pass up. If Masterson does end up keeping him and he can stay healthy, then Bush is a first round back – but his punt returns still won’t count towards hims.

#18 BOB – Dwayne Bowe, WR (KC) – Hear me out…he’ll be the top sleeper receiver. Thigpen has been good in KC since he got set in the starting lineup. Bowe will be entering his third season, which is suppose to be the golden season for young receivers.

#19 DAVID – DeAngelo Williams, RB (CAR) – Will people buy into this season? They should. 2009 will only be DeAngelo’s 4th year in the league.

#20 ERIC – Larry Johnson, RB (KC) – He’s a mental case, but can he rebound to be a solid back? Big question in need of answer.

#21 RICH B – Michael Turner, RB (ATL) K – The pick may have hurt Rich in ’08 (because he never landed a stud receiver), but in 2009 Turner is a great keeper deep in the second round.

#22 GRIFF – Willie Parker, RB (PIT) – Griff needs a running back and he’ll have plenty of choices. Assuming Parker will be healthy to start the season, he’s still oh so young.

#23 ROB M – Thomas Jones, RB (NYJ) K – A homer pick indeed and in all honesty, couldn’t Leon Washington be the better pick next season?

#24 MATT – Adrian Peterson, RB (MIN) K – Again, he could just pick him with the first pick and keep Brown. Either way, the decision should be a good one.

MOCK DRAFT – ROUND THREE

#25 MATT – Marques Colston, WR (NO) – And here goes the receivers. Taking the homer pick will be tempting in Jackson, but Colston is proven and the Eagles will either have an aging McNabb or a talent less Kolb throwing the ball.

#26 ROB M – TJ Houshmandzdeh, WR (CIN) – Bad year in 2008, was it a fluke or a trend? He’s young and too talented to be overlooked.

#27 GRIFF – Braylon Edwards, WR (CLE) – He really had a bad year, but if Quinn is the quarterback (with a new head coach), Edwards will bounce back.

#28 RICH B – DeSean Jackson, WR (PHI) – Can he step up to #1 status, despite Eagles offensive issues in ’09?

#29 ERIC – Santonio Holmes, WR (PIT) – He was suppose to breakout in ’08 and didn’t. Did he fail or were expectations to high for the second-year receiver?

#30 DAVID – Tom Brady, QB (NE) K – Yep, coming off a ACL tear and he’s still worth a third round pick. If Dave doesn’t keep him, he’ll be drafted in this round.

#31 BOB – Anquan Boldin, WR (ARI) K – Superstar in 2008, but one has to wonder, how many good years does Kurt Warner have left in him?

#32 RICH C – Drew Brees, QB (NO) – And to think, I didn’t keep him two years ago because I wanted to keep Travis Henry. Yippie. It’s the league MVP stupid, a must-keep.

#33 COLBY – Charlie Wells, RB (Rookie) – The 2009 running back class will be a weak one, but Wells is an old school back who can come right in and be a stud, as long as he gets on a team that really needs him.

#34 MOLLY – Jay Cutler, QB (DEN) – Of course she can keep him in Category Two, but who do you keep, Cutler or Forte? I go with the top back and take Cutler here.

#35 DON – Ryan Grant, RB (GB) – Too high for Grant? Maybe, but look for the Packers to re-establish their running game in 2009.

#36 ROBIO – James Stewart, RB (CAR) – I had one Panthers back this season to lead me to the finals. Can the other do the same for me in ’09?

2009 MOCK KEEPERS

MATT NEATOCK RD 2 – Adrian Peterson, RB RD 10 – Aaron Rogers, RB RD 13 – Wes Welker, WR

ROB MASTERSON RD 4 – Darren McFadden, RB RD 10 – Dustin Keller, TE RD 11 – Brandon Marshall, WR

GRIFF COOMER RD 5 – Roddy White RD 10 – Eddie Royal, WR RD 13 – Jason Witten, TE

RICHARD BURRIER RD 2 – Michael Turner, RB RD 10 – Ted Ginn Jr., WR

ERIC VOZZOLA RD 5 – Tony Romo, QB RD 10 – Lance Moore, WR RD 11 – Buccaneers DST

DAVID HIGHTOWER RD 3 – Tom Brady, QB RD 13 – Owen Daniels, TE

BOB CASTRONE RD 3 – Anquan Boldin, WR RD 7 – Chris Johnson, RB

RICH CALDERON RD 3 – Drew Brees, QB RD 10 – Steve Slaton, RB

DON VOZZOLA RD 1 – M Jones-Drew, RB RD 9 – Greg Jennings, WR

COLBY HALL RD 2 – Marshawn Lynch, RB RD 6 Tim Hightower, RB

MOLLY POP RD 1 – Clinton Portis, RB RD 6 – Matt Forte, RB RD 13 – Dallas Clark, TE

ROB MURRAY RD 1 – Brian Westbrook, RB RD 7 – Antonio Bryant, WR RD 11 – Matt Ryan, QB