Rock out with your mock draft out: Sporting News

by Dan Kadar on Oct 14, 2009 5:54 PM EDT

This is going to be an infrequent feature here at Mocking the Draft. The plan is to showcase some mock drafts from sites of name. Instead of running down however many picks and opining on them, I'll talk about some of the surprising choices.

Today's mock draft of choice was done by the Sporting News scouts from the War Room.

The first eight picks in the latest Sporting News mock draft are fine. Some offensive tackles, defensive linemen, Taylor Mays, etc. Even giving the Raiders Tim Tebow at the ninth spot is fine because Al Davis is bonkers.

Get down to picks 12 and 13 and you start to scratch your head. They give the Cardinals Ohio State junior defensive end Cameron Heyward and the Chargers Rutgers junior offensive tackle Anthony Davis. Fair enough.

Then, the whole thing goes to nuts. With pick 14 they give Idaho guard Mike Iupati to the Steelers. Really? A guard from Idaho is going to be taken 14th overall?

Listen, I know the Vandals gave the NFL Mark Schlereth at guard, but come on. That gives us mockers a bad name. It's been more than a decade since a guard was taken that high in the draft. In 1997, the Saints took Chris Naeole 10th overall.

Sure some good guards like Steve Hutchinson and Davin Joseph have been taken in the first round this decade, but they're not from Idaho -- a team that practically plays college football in a gymnasium.

Okay, composure, composure. This is only a 16-pick mock. How bad can it get?

Well, bad enough to give the Chargers, who still have LaDanian Tomlinson and Darren Sproles a first-round running back. And they have the Redskins taking Cincinnati quarterback Tony Pike.

Holy smokes. So, that's "Rock out with your mock draft out." What a headache.

Tweet Comment 17 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Awful Mock

First of all; No Eric Berry?

Iupati is third-fifth round cailbre.

by TheRealSlimShady on Oct 14, 2009 6:16 PM EDT reply actions

maybe they don’t believe he will come out?

Draft guru in training.

by tj.hendricks on Oct 14, 2009 7:59 PM EDT up reply actions

A lot of mocks don't include juniors until they officially declare

So it can lead to screwy things.

That being said, Berry is insane if he doesn’t come out. He’s a top 3 pick and with a rookie salary cap looming as a real possibility in 2011, he’d be well advised to come out and get paid now.

by Raybin on Oct 15, 2009 9:04 AM EDT up reply actions

This one included juniors, which made it so strange they’d not include Berry.

Mocking the Draft: Your NFL Draft source.

by Dan Kadar on Oct 15, 2009 9:26 AM EDT up reply actions

Totally Disagree about Iupati..

He is Raw so he might fall, but it would be the 2nd round if any. Most Scouting sites have him ranked #1 overall G. The #1 overall G doesnt go in the 3rd-5th. He is a beast. You should really learn more about him before you say stuff like that.

by darwithabar on Oct 16, 2009 4:53 PM EDT up reply actions

Most people have Mike Johnson as their best G. Ithink Lauvuo, Petrus, and Asamoah are better than Iupati

by TheRealSlimShady on Oct 16, 2009 6:21 PM EDT up reply actions

That mock draft is screwed

The Jaguars will not get a pick beyond 17th, more than likely under 15.

"HULU: An evil plot to destroy the world. Enjoy"
The Flavour of the Day is Turf. - Courtesy of the Jacksonville Jaguars
Keeper of the "That's what she said"

by TheTealDeal on Oct 14, 2009 9:07 PM EDT reply actions

Not a real fan of Sporting News and their draft coverage

I haven’t seen the “war room” close in it’s assessments enough to make me confident. I’d rather go with Nawrocki at PFW, or some of the folks at NFL Network.

by Der Jaeger on Oct 14, 2009 9:46 PM EDT reply actions

Laugh at our blimp hangar if you want...

The Vandals are 5-1 at the season’s midway point, and Mike Iupati’s leadership of the O-line is a huge reason why. I haven’t been to a practice yet where there weren’t at least two, sometimes three, NFL scouts watching him. He’s a serious talent and The Sporting News is hardly the only one predicting he could be a first-round pick.

Vandal Nation

by JoeVandalFTW on Oct 15, 2009 2:02 AM EDT reply actions

I agree.

I have no idea who he is, but just cuz he’s from Idaho U doesn’t mean the guy can’t play.

I remember the Patriots took Logan Mankins in round one a few years back. He’s from Fresno State, which isn’t a powerhouse tho it has produced plenty of draft picks, but no one heard of Mankins in the first round.

Mark Schlereth is an idiot as an analyst, but if this guy is thought of as the next Schlereth on the field, there’s nothing at all wrong with that.

And guys like Iupati don’t make mockers look bad…its usually the Raiders.

Actually, I’d think all mock drafters should feel good about themselves for at least a few more drafts…cuz Michael Crabtree basically held out cuz he looked at all these mock drafts that had him in the top 5.

In the back of our minds we all know how meaningless these drafts are (teams can draft whoever the hell they want who’s eligible…), but the fact that a guy held out based on one gives them some credibility.

..."I predict...the Giants are #1"...

...."That's not a prediction meatman, that's a FACT OF LIFE"!.

---Carl

by FreeBradshaw on Oct 15, 2009 8:11 AM EDT up reply actions

Why dont you ever make any mocks?

by TheRealSlimShady on Oct 15, 2009 9:39 PM EDT up reply actions

too lazy..

..."I predict...the Giants are #1"...

...."That's not a prediction meatman, that's a FACT OF LIFE"!.

---Carl

by FreeBradshaw on Oct 15, 2009 9:48 PM EDT up reply actions

Hey Joe

If you see this, email me. Lets talk Iupati.

mockingthedraft@gmail.com

Mocking the Draft: Your NFL Draft source.

by Dan Kadar on Oct 15, 2009 8:56 AM EDT up reply actions

Could you possibly share any highlights of your Iupati conversation?

by TheRealSlimShady on Oct 15, 2009 9:37 PM EDT up reply actions

He's early to mid second round

Maybe late first if a team is drafting on pure need and not best available. In my very first mock a month ago, I had the Steelers taking Mike Johnson out of Alabama 32nd overall.

But a guard at mid-first round? No way.

by Raybin on Oct 15, 2009 9:02 AM EDT up reply actions

Weird, weird stuff

Cameron Heyward in the mid first round? Not seeing it. Maybe next year if he returns for his senior season and develops.

Tebow to the Raiders? Nope. Al would drool over his athleticism, but even Davis is smart enough to know Tebow can’t run the offense that Al insists on.

Most places I’ve read have the Raiders taking Taylor Mays or Carlos Dunlap in the first round. I’m terrified that such will be the case, as they are both prototypical Davis players: insane measureables, ridiculous athleticism, and ENORMOUS bust potential.

As a Raider fan, part of me almost hopes the team goes 1-15 and allows us to land Ndamukong Suh in the top 3.

by Raybin on Oct 15, 2009 9:09 AM EDT reply actions