SB Nation Writers Mock Draft: Round 1, Pick #26

by Dan Kadar on Apr 2, 2009 3:00 PM EDT in SB Nation Writers Mock Draft

No. 26

BALTIMORE
RAVENS
Pick by Baltimore Beatdown

Hakeem Nicks
Wide receiver
North Carolina

The latest team to turn their note card into the commissioner is Baltimore. Let's see if blogger Rexx in fact beat this pick down.

Hakeem Nicks is listed at 6'1" and 210 pounds. The measurements vary slightly between different websites, but this appears to be close enough. Nicks had 68 receptions for 1,222 yards and 12 touchdowns, leading the ACC with an average of 94 receiving yards per game in the 2008 season for the North Carolina Tar Heels. He earned First Team All ACC honors and needed only three seasons to set 14 school records, including career receptions (181), career receiving yards (2,580) and career touchdowns (21). Nicks' hands are like glue and while he is known through this YouTube clip for his incredilbe catches in the 2008 Meinke Care Care Bowl game versus West Virginia, his season was full of highlight reel plays (Click here to see more).

You can have your Jeremy Macklin, Percy Harvin, Darius Heyward-Bey, even Michael Crabtree (his foot injury worries me). For pure football skills, including the combination of size, strength, route running, YAC ability and yes, speed (football speed, not just 40 yard dash speed), Hakeem Nicks would be the perfect fit for the Baltimore Ravens with the 26th pick in the first round in April's NFL Draft.

MTD thoughts: Another good pick. If Baltimore wants Joe Flacco's improvement to continue, a wide receiver needs to be the pick early in the draft.

Mocking the Draft's Top Five Remaining Prospects - RB Chris Wells, QB Mark Sanchez, DE Michael Johnson, OT Phil Loadholt, TE Brandon Pettigrew

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Comments

Good pick.

Nicks has the best overall skill-set of all receivers this year. He’s big and strong. He has great hands and runs excellent routes. On top of all that, he has surprising game-speed. He would be catching touchdowns from Flacco for years to come.

You’ve made us proud, Rexx!

by BAL_Hawk on Apr 2, 2009 3:26 PM EDT reply actions

By the way...

I’m still surprised that you took Nicks over Pettigrew. That’s also what I would have done, but I remember that you were really high on Pettigrew. What changed your mind?

by BAL_Hawk on Apr 2, 2009 3:28 PM EDT reply actions

Just think Nicks would be ready to help us right away, ...

…while Heap is still the #1 TE on our roster and could make a huge turnaround and improve to become an important target for Flacco. Plus there are other decnt TE’s in the later rounds available but there is only one Nicks in the draft and to me, he will end up being the top receiver of this year’s class, unless Crabtree makes a full recovery and instant success.

Rexx

by Rexx on Apr 2, 2009 7:09 PM EDT up reply actions