2008 NFL DRAFT LIVEBLOG

Welcome to the 2008 NFL Draft liveblog! Keep refreshing, as I'll just keep making edits to this post.

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2:44 PM
God, I forgot how much I hated ESPN.

I'll kick things off by saying I like Miami's trade for Anthony Fasano and Akin Ayodele. Fasano's at least good enough to start for a rebuilding team, Ayodele is fine.

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2:52 PM

Did the ESPN cameraman just confuse McFadden and Dorsey? Also, apparently Matt Ryan has "IT."

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2:53 PM

OH GOD MATT RYAN TALKING. His voice is...lilting?

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3:01 PM

Matt Ryan: Personable! Surely a pro on the football field.

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3:03 PM

THE MIAMI DOLPHINS ARE ON THE CLOCK! SUSPENSE!

Oh, wow, they actually didn't wait.

1. Miami Dolphins: Jake Long, OT, Michigan

I said it yesterday - the best guy available, and just what a rebuilding franchise needs. Extremely safe pick at a crucial position.

TIME FOR THE RAMS! Everyone's saying Chris Long goes here.

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3:05 PM

Okay, end the liveblog now, the highlight of the night's already happened: ESPN shows Chris Long, who is...watching the draft on the NFL Network.

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3:09 PM

2. St. Louis Rams: Chris Long, DE, Virginia

Ehhhh. A good pick in and of itself, but I still think last year's pick, Adam Carriker, is better at DE than DT. But still, hard to complain - like the other Long, a safe pick for a bad team.

Atlanta's on the clock! Maybe there'll finally be a pick I can rip.

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3:16 PM

3. Atlanta Falcons: Matt Ryan, QB, Boston College

Chris Berman just said the Falcons are "literally" turning over a new leaf. If only I gave him enough credit to think that was a funny Ryan Leaf reference. So yeah, Matt Ryan, essentially Patrick Ramsey but with "IT", with intangibles. Hopefully "IT" or intangibles includes an offensive line. This isn't going to end well, though there's at least the suspense of if people will want him out of town by the time Michael Vick gets out of prison.

C'mooooooooon Oakland.

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3:25 PM

4. Oakland Raiders: Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas

Thank God the Jets won't be taking him. He's their best running back, so it's not a DISASTER of a pick, but still. Really? He'll be decent if character issues don't knock him out of the league. And hey, on the bright side, at least they may dumbly cut Michael Bush and let him succeed somewhere else. And, for the record, I think Michael Bush has the potential to be much better than McFadden ever will be.

C'mon Hermanator, do something dumb!

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3:33 PM

5. Kansas City Chiefs: Glenn Dorsey, DT, LSU

Good pick! He's very good. Like the Rams pick, can't complain, but if New Orleans was offering their pick and more, trading down and grabbing Clady might have been worth it.

Jets time, please take Gholston.

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3:36 PM

I hate these Coors Light commercials. COACH, PLEASE TALK ABOUT HOW MUCH YOU LOVE BEER, BUT USING THE WORD "FOOTBALL" INSTEAD OF "BEER."

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3:42 PM

6. New York Jets: Vernon Gholston, DE, Ohio State

WOO! And Chris Berman immediately kills my buzz by making his usual bad "AND THE JETS HAVE WON THE SUPERBOWL!" joke when the crowd cheers. I have trust in the Jets to not fuck Gholston up, so he should be scary good in 2010 or so.

Time for the Pats pick, which should be fascinating. Keith Rivers?

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3:49 PM

Saints trade up! Sedrick Ellis time, most likely.

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3:51 PM

...New York Patriots? Stupid Goodell.

7. New Orleans Saints: Sedrick Ellis, DT, USC

Excellent pick, Ellis was the best player available, fills a need, just wonderful. Hopefully they didn't give up too much to the Pats.

Now what does Baltimore do - will they be smart and take Brohm or will they...oh, they traded the pick. Jacksonville trades up from 26 to 8. Oooh.

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3:55 PM

Pats get #10 and a third-rounder, Saints get #7 and a 5th-rounder. Not too bad at all, it seems, though we'll see who the picks wind up being.

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3:59 PM

8. Jacksonville Jaguars: Derrick Harvey, DE, Florida

Dumb, especially with what they probably gave up. Very dumb. Harvey's a good player, but this is an extreme reach and an extreme price to give up for a player who I don't think is considerably better than fellow DEs Phillip Merlin and Quentin Groves. Duuuuumb.

Bengals are up!

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4:04 PM

Oh jeez, Jacksonville gave up a 1st, two 3rd and a 4th. I guess they could've given up a future first, but still.

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4:05 PM

9. Cincinnati Bengals: Keith Rivers, LB, USC

Excellent pick. Much like Leon Hall last year - safe pick, fills a need, excellent character. He'll be solid for years, if never a superstar.

Patriots back on the clock.

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4:11 PM

10. New England Patriots: Jerod Mayo, LB, Tennessee

Ooh, a bit of a surprise, but a good pick. Mayo's a versatile, talented player than they can probably sign a bit cheaper than the slot, and he'll probably be a player more productive in the NFL than in college, like fellow Tennessee Volunteers Travis Henry and...um...not Michael Munoz, not Tee Martin, I guess Peyton Manning can beat a team from Florida now, so him. But yeah, very good pick, especially when ESPN's rumor mill was saying this would be Dominque Rodgers-Cromartie. Shit.

Time for the Bills to reach for Devin Thomas!

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4:16 PM

11. Buffalo Bills: Leodis McKelvin, CB, Troy

Meh. Better than reaching for any of the receivers on the board, and McKelvin at the very least will be an excellent return man. He'll probably be a solid corner at the worst, plus Troy has become an excellent program for sending defensive players to the pros. I think McKelvin was a bit overrated, and would've rather had Jenkins or mayyyyybe even Antoine Cason from Arizona - but yeah, not Devin Thomas, not Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, a solid enough pick.

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4:21 PM

12. Denver Broncos: Ryan Clady, OT, Boise State

Solid pick - he slid a bit to where he probably deserves to be. Not a sure thing by any means, but I like him slightly over Branden Albert or Chris Williams. Kind of the offense equivalent of Vernon Gholston - should be upper-tier in two or three years if he's not screwed around with.

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4:26 PM

13. Carolina Panthers: Jonathan Stewart, RB, Oregon

Not good news for DeAngelo Williams. Or Jonathan Stewart, really. Stewart has the potential to be the best back in this draft, and has the potential to have an Adrian Peterson-like impact, but um, an offensive line is kind of necessary for that. It's a deep draft for tackles, so we'll see what the Panthers do later in the draft, but offensive line should've been much more the priority.

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4:34 PM

14. Chicago Bears: Chris Williams, OT, Vanderbilt

The right pick. No WR worth taking here, I'm not exactly sure Cedric Benson is a bust yet, and Rashard Mendenhall isn't all that impressive. Should at least stick in the league, and could develop into something great.

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4:41 PM

Chiefs trade up! Did the Lions actually do the right thing? Whaaaaa.

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4:42 PM

15. Kansas City Chiefs: Branden Albert, OG, Virginia

Guard/tackle Branden Albert. The right pick since they need offensive line and he's versatile, but he's raw, so it's no guarantee it'll pan out. I'd take him over Otah, it's a need, it's a gamble, it's the right one.

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4:50 PM

Detroit did the right thing! They move up in the third and get a fifth. Trade helps both teams.

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4:51 PM

16. Arizona Cardinals: Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB, Tennessee State

Frankly, who knows with these I-AA players, but this guy was taken way too early. I thought legacy only applied to the Ivy League, not the NFL. He wouldn't get half the type without the "Cromartie", and he's a raw but fast player that I wouldn't take ahead of Jenkins, Cason, or the previously taken McKelvin. He could be a star, but he's still the kind of guy you take a flier on late in the second round, not someone you take this high, even though other teams were willing to. At least he didn't go top ten, though.

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5:01 PM

Sorry for the delay, had to be away from the computer for a bit.

17. Detroit Lions: Gosder Cherilus, OT, Boston College

A...great pick. Really. Kinda forgot about him in the glut of tackles, but he may wind up being better than anyone but Long. And he doesn't have the downside of Albert, Jeff Otah, or even Chris Williams. And it's not Rashard Mendenhall. Wow.

Baltimore trades up to 18 for Houston's pick. Otah or even KU's Anthony Collins could be available later for the Texans. And Baltimore's pick looks like it's...

18. Baltimore Ravens: Joe Flacco, QB, Delaware

Like Cromartie, unproven and taken way too high. These I-AA guys are a crapshoot, but a franchise QB should've at least beaten out Tyler freakin' Palko at Pitt. He could develop into a solid QB, he could be Giovanni Carmazzi. Like Cromartie, he's the guy you take a flier on in the second round, not someone you TRADE UP to take before Brian Brohm or Chad Henne.

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5:08 PM

Carolina trades up with Philly - probably Otah here, kinda curious with Philly trading out of the first round again.

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5:09 PM

19. Carolina Panthers: Jeff Otah, OT, Pittsburgh

A big project. Could be something great, but will probably follow the Dewayne Robertson career path - be decent, but get traded a few years down the line after John Fox gets fired. This will not help Stewart have the Adrian Peterson-type rookie season, although it will help the offensive line down the...line.

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5:15 PM

Philly gets Carolina's 2nd, 4th, and 2009 1st. Well done, Andy Reid.

20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Aqib Talib, CB, Kansas

CHARACTER CONCERNS! Although if Eric Wright could succeed for the Browns so far, Talib should be fine. Very good pick, especially when I was expecting Devin Thomas. Great pick for the system, actually, since the Cover 2 plays to his strengths, or covers his weaknesses.

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5:19 PM

Oh, Talib's character concern is pot - IN PRO SPORTS, WHAT? Who cares.

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5:26 PM

Atlanta trades up for Washington's spot. Huh.

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5:28 PM

21. Atlanta Falcons: Sam Baker, OT, USC

Ooh. Should stick in the league, unsure if he was really worth trading up for though. Probably won't be a left tackle, but probably got a bit underrated after injury concerns this past year. Could've been much more of a reach, but....ehhhhh. Worth it with the run on tackles, I guess.

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5:36 PM

22. Dallas Cowboys: Felix Jones, RB, Arkansas

Perfect. Jones may not be an every-down back, but he's an excellent committee back. And here, he's needed to be...a committee back! Beautiful.

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5:42 PM

23. Pittsburgh Steelers: Rashard Mendenhall, RB, Illinois

Okay. He'll be fine. I'm sad for Mewelde Moore. A nice pick - not much more, not much less, and excellent for a young backup.

So will the Titans choose Bennett, Sweed, or the wrong receiver?

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5:49 PM

24. Tennessee Titans: Chris Johnson, RB, East Carolina

HORRIBLE. HORRIBLE. HORRIBLE. Take Bennett, he's the best and safest WR. Take Sweed, him and VY played in college together. If you want a RB/WR from Conference USA, TAKE ANTHONY ALRIDGE, HE'S ACTUALLY BEEN PLAYING AS A RECEIVER. Fucking awful. Fucking idiotic, especially for a team that took Chris Henry last year. Fucking horrible.

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5:57 PM

Dallas trades up! Hm, must be urgent.

25. Dallas Cowboys: Mike Jenkins, CB, South Florida

Excellent. Might be the best cornerback in the draft, and is a safe pick at the very worst. Dallas is having a very good draft.

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6:04 PM

26. Houston Texans: Duane Brown, OT, Virginia Tech

Probably a bit of a reach, but hey, they've always needed a tackle. A bit of an upside pick, but versatile and should wind up somewhere on the offensive line if he doesn't develop into a left tackle.

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6:08 PM

27. San Diego Chargers: Antoine Cason, CB, Arizona

Excellent, safe pick. He'll be a solid cornerback for years, with the potential for more. I'd have taken him over Cromartie definitely, and about even with the rest taken so far.

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6:10 PM

Eagles apparently trade a 4th for Lorenzo Booker. Loved the pick when Miami took him, definitely worth the flier.

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6:14 PM

28. Seattle Seahawks: Lawrence Jackson, DE, USC

I like the pick - Jackson was a guy I felt had slipped, but he got taken high enough where he's a solid pick rather than a steal. Solid player, was kind of hoping they'd take a QB of the future in Brohm or Henne.

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6:17 PM

29. San Francisco 49ers: Kentwaun Balmer, DT, North Carolina

Well, why not. Good pick for a nose tackle - highly rated out of HS but never came on until his senior year. For the need, a good pick.

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6:20 PM

Jets trade up to take Green Bay's spot...please be Brohm or Henne.

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6:23 PM

The Jets fans chanting for Devin Thomas are idiots.

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6:26 PM

30. New York Jets: Dustin Keller, TE, Purdue

Ehhhhh. Better pick than Devin Thomas, but I don't think he was worth trading up for. I don't hate the pick, but it's fine and they didn't give up too much. Still was hoping for the QB of the future, though.

Is Kenny Phillips to the Giants a complete lock?

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6:33 PM

31. New York Giants: Kenny Phillips, S, Miami

Yes he is. Stupid easy pick. He's not Ed Reed, but an excellent value at this point, and easily the top safety.

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6:36 PM

HERE COMES THE SECOND ROUND!

32. Miami Dolphins: Phillip Merling, DE, Clemson

Great value, probably should've taken a QB though. Excellent developmental player, though.

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6:39 PM

33. St. Louis Rams: Donnie Avery, WR, Houston

Whoa, big upset as the first WR off the board. It's not completely dumb, though, as Avery has elite-level speed and a history of production for the Cougars. Honestly, as a high-risk, high-upside attempt for a home-run receiver, this might have been a better choice than Devin Thomas.

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6:43 PM

Thank you, local commercials. WHO DID THE REDSKINS PICK? I MUST KNOW!

34. Washington Redskins: Devin Thomas, WR, Michigan State

Oh. Well then. Like Trent Edwards last year, Thomas fell to where I can't really mock his selection anymore. I still don't think he'll amount to much, though.

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6:45 PM

35. Kansas City Chiefs: Brandon Flowers, CB, Virginia Tech

Excellent pick. I don't think he'll be a superstar, but he should be a good #2 at the worst.

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6:49 PM

36. Green Bay Packers: Jordy Nelson, WR, Kansas State

Ehhhhhh. Not that he'll be a bad player, but Bennett would've definitely been a better pick, and a number of guys possibly could've been - Sweed, Doucet, or in a riskier mold, James Hardy or DeSean Jackson.

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6:54 PM

37. Atlanta Falcons: Curtis Lofton, LB, Oklahoma

Excellent pick, unlike Matt Ryan. Lofton's a bit on the small side, but he's one of those high-motor gamers, and should be very good for years to come.

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6:58 PM

38. Seattle Seahawks: John Carlson, TE, Notre Dame

Meh. Solid enough pick, Carlson got a bit underrated after UND's horrible year, but they probably could've done better. QB of the future, QB of the future.

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7:04 PM

39. San Francisco 49ers: Chilo Rachal, OG, USC

Yay linemen! Raw, high-upside pick - he'll probably develop into something solid at the least.

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7:10 PM

40. New Orleans Saints: Tracy Porter, CB, Indiana

SPEED! A pretty good value this late on the board, and it fills a need. Very good pick, even if Porter's not a sure thing.

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7:16 PM

41. Buffalo Bills: James Hardy, WR, Indiana

Hey, back to back Hoosiers. I like the pick - he's like a safer version on Thomas. Excellent size and athleticism, but very raw, but he's actually produced in college. Should eventually develop into an excellent weapon alongside Lee Evans.

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7:20 PM

42. Denver Broncos: Eddie Royal, WR, Virginia Tech

Um...alright. Pretty baffling - Royal wasn't overly productive and is pretty much just a return man. And he's not Devin Hester or anything. Just...baffling, especially with Bennett, Sweed, and, in the same exact mold, DeSean Jackson still on the board. Did they set up a robot to make this pick automatically assuming all those guys would be off the board? I mean, what.

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7:23 PM

Minnesota trades up with Philly - oh god, if they take an actual QB, this may be the start of a dynasty.

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7:24 PM

43. Minnesota Vikings: Tyrell Johnson, S, Arkansas State

Well, still a good pick - Johnson's a close #2 to Phillips at safety and was an absolute stud at AK State.

ESPN still lists Minnesota at 48, so they may not have traded that 2nd rounder - they may get that QB yet. Although the Bears are on the clock, so they get first dibs.

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7:26 PM

ESPN updated their list - nevermind. Sigh. Tarvaris Jackson - really.

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7:28 PM

44. Chicago Bears: Matt Forte, RB, Tulane

Should've been Henne or Brohm, but I still really like the pick. Forte's a pretty safe pick, he'll at least be a physical RB to back up Benson, if he doesn't wind up eventually taking the job for his lonesome.

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7:34 PM

45. Detroit Lions: Jordon Dizon, LB, Colorado

Ooh, interesting. Dizon's a low-measurables, excellent-motor guy who'll probably stick if not excel.

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7:38 PM

46. Cincinnati Bengals: Jerome Simpson, WR, Coastal Carolina

Who knows? Apparently he's a deep threat, I have no idea what Earl Bennett or Limas Sweed did to people.

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7:44 PM

47. Philadelphia Eagles: Trevor Laws, DT, Notre Dame

Very good value here - Laws is a pretty good, high-motor guy, and the best DT left.

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7:46 PM

48. Washington Redskins: Fred Davis, TE, USC

Excellent value - Davis is as good as Keller, who the Jets traded up to get late in the first. And Davis is in the same mold - all catch, no block.

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7:51 PM

49. Philadelphia Eagles: DeSean Jackson, WR, California

Excellent excellent excellent pick. Fills a need for depth at receiver, fills a need as a return man, just beautiful. Philly really didn't even need a first-rounder, they've gotten two first-round talents in the second.

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7:55 PM

50. Arizona Cardinals: Calais Campbell, DE, Miami

Another excellent value pick. Campbell's 6-8 and a great developmental prospect - he could be scary come 2011 or so.

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8:01 PM

51. Washington Redskins: Malcolm Kelly, WR, Oklahoma

Very good pick, though I'd rather have taken Sweed or Bennett. Fills a need, an still excellent value, though.

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8:05 PM

52. Jacksonville Jaguars: Quentin Groves, DE, Auburn

Jacksonville traded up to get this pick. So...they traded for Derrick Harvey why, then?

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8:08 PM

53. Pittsburgh Steelers: Limas Sweed, WR, Texas

Beautiful. SWEET SWEET VALUE.

Tennessee takes Bennett here or their draft is horrible.

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8:17 PM

54. Tennessee Titans: Jason Jones, DE, Eastern Michigan

A nice pick of an underrated guy, but still - idiots.

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8:19 PM

55. Baltimore Ravens: Ray Rice, RB, Rutgers

Lotta R's. Pretty solid pick - he might wind up being better than McGahee pretty soon.

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8:22 PM

56. Green Bay Packers: Brian Brohm, QB, Louisville

The Madden Curse strikes Aaron Rodgers - they drafted a QB way better than him.

Miami's next - if it's Henne, they have an excellent draft.

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8:27 PM

57. Miami Dolphins: Chad Henne, QB, Michigan

Beautiful. Henne's as much of a sure thing as any QB in this draft, sorely what this team needs. Beautiful.

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8:33 PM

58. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Dexter Jackson, WR, Appalachian State

A raw project - if Jerome freakin' Simpson went off the board, why not. I feel bad for Earl Bennett, unless he winds up at like Dallas or the Giants.

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8:38 PM

59. Indianapolis Colts: Mike Pollak, C, Arizona State

Easily the best center out there, low-risk, should be pretty good and hey, he gets to be groomed by some pretty good guys. The Colts are good at this.

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8:43 PM

60. Green Bay Packers: Patrick Lee, CB, Auburn

Huh. Well then. A bit of a reach - Lee is mediocre, and there are guys like Reggie Smith, Justin King, Charles Godfrey, Trae Williams, and others on the board.

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8:46 PM

61. Dallas Cowboys: Martellus Bennett, TE, Texas A&M

An excellent gamble. An elite prospect out of high school, an insane physical specimen, but didn't really produce up to that level. He could easily blossom into something great, and with Witten around, there's not an insane amount of pressure or anything. I'm loving Dallas's draft.

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8:48 PM

62. New England Patriots: Terrence Wheatley, CB, Colorado

Safe, solid pick who'll contribute. Shit.

Giants close out the night next!

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8:53 PM

63. New York Giants: Terrell Thomas, CB, USC

Very good pick, some injury concerns. One of the better players left. Good for the Giants.

So that's it for Day One - I won't give any full-on grades or anything, I'll let that wait until the draft is over - but off the top of my head, I like Miami, Dallas and Philly's drafts, while Tennessee are king idiots. In terms of second day coverage, I'm playing it by ear, but until next time, same Feely time, same Feely channel.