Lou Pickney's 2024 NFL Mock Draft

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Reader feedback is always welcomed here at DraftKing.com. Send your thoughts to me at LouPickney@gmail.com.

p.s. I believe the Vikes will take Pollack with the 18th pick.....

Lou: I've been on the Mike Williams bandwagon for a long time, only because I think he will end up projecting to teams as the superior choice at WR over Braylon Edwards when the two are compared and contrasted with their relative skills in workouts. If the status quo holds, it appears that it's the Bears' decision to make, with their choice between Edwards or Williams determining who will fall to the Vikings at #7. But at his workout day this week, Williams didn't drop a single ball. At all. And the event lasted 90 minutes.

But at always with the NFL Draft, there are a number of factors that could come into play here. As of this writing, the Minnesota Vikings are still in a state of flux in figuring out who will replace Randy Moss as the prime WR threat. I've heard Plaxico Burress' name mentioned as one that the Vikings are NOT interested in, for whatever that's worth. Travis Taylor seems very interested in signing there, to the point where he'd go there for less than market value. It'd be hard to fathom Minnesota not taking Edwards or Williams at #7.

As for the #18 spot, right now I could see the Vikings actually taking a second WR there, though it might not work out that way. The signing of CB Fred Smoot is a big boost to the secondary, and the D-Line already has two recent first round picks on board (DE Kenechi Udeze and DT Kevin Williams) along with a second round DE (Kenny Mixon). Add in big man DT Pat Williams, and they should be alright along the front four. I don't see David Pollack as being the best option for them at that spot.

You might see the Vikings stretch for a safety at #18 (i.e. Brodney Pool), though they are rumored to be in trade talks right now with Jacksonville for S Donovan Darius. Grabbing another OLB might be nice, though it might be hard to get good value at the spot. It might be best to try trading down, particularly if the Vikings are able to land Darius without giving up the #18 pick (but say if it took their second rounder to land him).

From: Brook Gardiner
Sent: Friday, March 11, 2005 9:12 AM
To: loupickney@hotmail.com
Subject: draft

Lou,
If I'm Dallas and one of the big three runningbacks falls to me at 11, I'm drafting him. What do you think?

Lou: I like all three RBs better than Julius Jones, for sure. But Jones is a steady force at RB, and he has a battle-tested veteran in Eddie George waiting to step in right behind him. The temptation would be high, but from a team need standpoint it would be an imprudent move.

The mistake Dallas made last year was in not drafting Steven Jackson when it had the chance. How do you pass that up? How? The guy fell into their lap, and they traded down. Obviously he wasn't what they were looking for, but that was the time and the place to strike, at least in my estimation.

But what's done is done. Now Dallas is focusing on revamping its defense. The CB position it handled by signing former Browns CB Anthony Henry to a five-year deal. The Cowboys were adamant from the get-go about wanting to land a free agent CB, as opposed to obtaining one via the draft, and that's exactly how they went about things. I'll say this about the Cowboys: they seem to show their hand moreso than any other team as far as free agent moves, draft plans, etc. It's not in a stupid way, though; it seems to be more of a bravado or a strictly business approach.

Improvement of the linebacking corps is something Coach Parcells said was very important, and that's why I think someone like Shawne Merriman (DE/OLB out of Maryland) will be who the team will target at #11. Merriman would be more versatile in a 3-4, but in Dallas he can be used strictly in a linebacking role and can still excel both in coverage and especially as a pass rusher. The chance to land someone of Merriman's calibre likely won't be there at #20 (note my comments earlier about Minnesota being out of luck looking for a value OLB at #18), which is why taking a RB at #11, while tempting on the surface, wouldn't be the best move.

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