No. 56

MIAMI DOLPHINS Pick by The Phinsider Alphonso Smith Cornerback Wake Forest

One cornerback isn't enough for Matty I of The Phinsider after taking Darius Butler in the first. He continued the defensive trend with his first second-round selection of Robert Ayers.

My gamble has paid off! Back at pick 44, I was torn between one of the corners on the board or the highest-rated player remaining on my board. I went with the highest rated player, Robert Ayers. Some questioned the pick because me may not be an ideal candidate for a 3-4 defense. But having selected CB Darius Butler at pick 25, I decided I could wait on taking another corner until 56 because I had a feeling my guy would drop. So I selected the best player available, according to my board, and will let our coaches find a way to get him on the field, whether it's at WOLB, SOLB, or DE. When you have a shot at a Pro Bowl caliber player, you take him and then make a spot for him. After all, we are in the "talent acquisition" business and by taking Ayers instead of reaching on another player, we acquired a major talent.

As I said, my risk paid off now. Alphonso Smith is such a talented cornerback. Many scouts believe that if the 5'9 Smith was just 2 or 3 inches taller, he'd be the top rated corner in the draft. He has amazing ball skills - perhaps the best of all the corners in this draft. While his height is certainly a limitation, I think that Smith, in his worst-case scenario as a player, will be a GREAT nickel back. And, of course, his best-case scenario would probably be as a very good starting corner. To me, that's well worth the 56th overall pick - especially with the Dolphins likely to head into the 2010 offseason with three free agent corners, including current starter Will Allen.

MTD thoughts: Smith here is a great value pick. I'm really not sure why he dropped quite this far in this mock. However, I'm not sure it's a smart pick. A wide receiver is really needed and someone like Ramses Barden would fit really well with smaller receivers Ted Ginn and Davone Bess.

Mocking the Draft's Top Five Remaining Prospects - QB Josh Freeman, RB Shonn Greene, CB Victor Harris, DT Jarron Gilbert, RB Javon Ringer

No. 55

ATLANTA FALCONS Pick by The Falcoholic Michael Hamlin Safety Clemson

Defense continues to be the target of Dave the Falconer fromThe Falcoholic after picking James Laurinaitis in round one.

This pick was made for me, but I actually like it. Go figure!

If the Falcons were going to address their need at strong safety, it might as well be with a player like Michael Hamlin. He's a superb football player, period. He tackles well, is a force against the run and plays like he's in imminent danger of being cut from the team at all times. As a fan, you have to love a guy who plays as aggressively and as tough as Hamlin.

His major weakness is against the pass, and that's something the Falcons would have to work on. I'm sure I'll catch some flak for praising a guy that's superficially similar to Lawyer Milloy, who the Falcons recently released, but the difference here is that this kid is young and coachable. In this league, you have to believe in talent, and I believe in the talent of Michael Hamlin.

MTD thoughts: I, of course, like this pick because I made it. There just weren't any defensive tackles worth the pick and Hamlin is a talented player.

Mocking the Draft's Top Five Remaining Prospects - QB Josh Freeman, CB Alphonso Smith, RB Shonn Greene, CB Victor Harris, DT Jarron Gilbert

No. 54

MINNESOTA VIKINGS Pick by Daily Norseman D.J. Moore Cornerback Vanderbilt

Another day of the SB Nation mock draft comes to close. Gonzo from Daily Norseman took Mark Sanchez in the first round, now he fills a big need.

Having addressed the quarterback position with our first pick, and having taken the pulse of the readers of The Daily Norseman, we've decided to go with D.J. Moore out of Vanderbilt. With Antoine Winfield getting up in age and Cedric Griffin having battled inconsistency throughout his time in Minnesota, the versatile Moore is the sort of player that could step in as a nickel guy at the very least, as well as provide the Vikings with a threat in the return game that they haven't had in a long time.

Moore is a bit on the thin and undersized side, but he's not going to be asked to jam a lot of receivers. He'll be asked to play the typical Cover-2 zone corner and occasionally cover guys coming out of the slot. What he lacks in physicality, he makes up for with his speed and his toughness, as he showed the ability to battle through injuries as a member of the Commodores. He would be able to step in and make an immediate impact on an already talented Minnesota defense.

MTD thoughts: The Vikings really have no bigger need in this draft than cornerback. At this point, it comes down to personal choice on who the pick would be. Gonzo likes D.J. Moore. I happen to like Alphonso Smith much more. Victor Harris might ultimately be a better fit in a cover-2 scheme. Whoever the choice happens to be, this should be a cornerback.

Mocking the Draft's Top Five Remaining Prospects - QB Josh Freeman, CB Alphonso Smith, RB Shonn Greene, CB Victor Harris, DT Jarron Gilbert

No. 53

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES Pick by Bleeding Green Nation Chase Coffman Tight end Missouri

Offense continues to be the target for Philadelphia in this draft following the selection of Jeremy Maclin and Donald Brown in the first round.

If history is any indication, Chase Coffman fits the mold of the TEs that the Eagles look for perfectly. He is first and foremost a receiver who runs good routes and has great hands. Both are a must to be successful in the Reid version of the west coast offense. At 6'6, he also has great size and could become the dependable red zone target the Eagles lacked last year. Coffman doesn't have much blocking experience, but Andy Reid and GM Tom Heckert have said that they can teach a guy how to block(although they haven't)... but you can't teach a guy to have great hands and be able to get open with consistency. Coffman already has those abilities and if he can learn to block he could be a fantastic TE in the pros. It doesn't seem like he lacks the size or strength to block, he just hasn't been asked to do it and needs to learn technique.

I also love that Coffman was so productive in college. The Eagles do value college production and I think Coffman's impressive stats will make them take notice. They probably already have, since Coffman has had a private visit with the Eagles.

MTD thoughts: This would absolutely be the dream draft for both Donovan McNabb and Eagles fans. Almost always devoid of weapons other than Brian Westbrook on offense, this would give the Eagles three new skill position starters. Impressive, crafty drafting. Let's see if the real Eagles can do the same.

Mocking the Draft's Top Five Remaining Prospects - QB Josh Freeman, CB Alphonso Smith, RB Shonn Greene, CB D.J. Moore, CB Victor Harris

No. 52

NEW YORK JETS Pick by Gang Green Nation Jared Cook Tight End South Carolina

After really disagreeing with John B from Gang Green Nation about the selection of Knowshon Moreno in round one, I might just do the same here.

Without counting long snapper James Dearth, who has not played the position in years, the Jets have exactly one tight end on their active roster, 2008 first round pick Dustin Keller. Releasing Chris Baker appears to be a mistake. He was an excellent blocker and had a breakthrough 2007. Baker’s production may have dropped in 2008, but that was not due to anything he did wrong. His opportunities decreased as Keller emerged into one of Brett Favre’s favorite targets. The move only saved $2 million in cap space. Adding injury to insult, Baker signed with the hated Patriots after New York released him.

The Jets need to add a tight end. Specifically, they need a blocking tight end. Keller looks like he could be a special player. His speed and athleticism present matchup problems for most linebackers and safeties. However, he is undersized and struggles as a blocker. With that in mind, I am taking Cook, a guy who might be an even bigger blocking liability.

Why? Because he has the same strengths as Keller. He is fast and athletic, just as difficult of a matchup for linebackers and safeties. He exploits seams and identifies holes in zone coverage. If few teams have the personnel to successfully defend Keller alone, even fewer will be able to defend both Cook and Keller in multi-tight end sets. Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer loves unconventional approaches to create mismatches. He would sign up for Cook in a heartbeat.

Cook also fills needs on the roster. The Jets are looking for a vertical threat. Cook has elite speed for a tight end and gain separation on deep routes. While his Combine time was 4.50, he is believed to have run in the high 4.3’s to low 4.4’s in the past. When he kicks it into high gear, defensive backs have a tough time running with him. The Jets have also lacked a big red zone target since trading Keyshawn Johnson nine years ago. Cook is 6’5" with a 41" vertical leap. This means no more fades to receivers under 6’0" tall as the Jets have run far too often for years.

MTD thoughts: I hate to disagree again with the pick here, but I need to.There is some depth at tight end, and a good blocker like Bear Pascoe could be found in the later rounds. While I like adding some firepower on offense, I really think this pick should have been Josh Freeman.

Mocking the Draft's Top Five Remaining Prospects - QB Josh Freeman, CB Alphonso Smith, RB Shonn Greene, TE Chase Coffman, CB D.J. Moore

No. 51

DALLAS COWBOYS Pick by Blogging The Boys Louis Delmas Free safety Western Michigan

Finally, after a long wait, we are graced by the presence David Halprin, the Jerry Jones of Blogging The Boys and leader of the NFL blogs. Take it away, boss man

The Dallas Cowboys have serious depth issues at a few key positions on defense. One of those spots is at safety, a position they’ve had problems with since the retirement of Darren Woodson and the declining play of Roy Williams. Louis Delmas is a productive four-year starter who excels at covering backs and tight ends, a skill sorely lacking in the Roy Williams era. Delmas is a bit light (202 pounds) and doesn’t always show proper tackling form, but he's not afraid to throw his body around. He would give Dallas much-needed range and ball-skills at the safety position.

Dallas has Ken Hamlin at one safety spot. Free agent pickup Gerald Sensabaugh signed a one-year deal this offseason and is the leading candidate for the other spot. Delmas could compete for a starting spot immediately or at worst provide valuable depth at a position of weakness. We see him as the best safety in the draft for the Cowboys need, a good value pick and feel he could be a mainstay in Dallas for the future.

MTD thoughts: This is about as sensible of a choice a team could make in this draft. Clearly Delmas fills a big need for Dallas. If this is the pick in the actual draft, watching him square up in the open field against Brian Westbrook or Clinton Portis sure sounds exciting.

Mocking the Draft's Top Five Remaining Prospects - QB Josh Freeman, CB Alphonso Smith, RB Shonn Greene, TE Chase Coffman, CB D.J. Moore

No. 50

CLEVELAND BROWNS Pick by Dawgs By Nature Patrick Chung Strong safety Oregon

Following the sound selections of Brian Orakpo in the first round and Percy Harvin in the second, Chris Pokorny from Dawgs By Nature is up for his final pick.

When the new regime chose not to re-sign safety Sean Jones, they had a decision to make. Sign a big-name safety in free agency, or seek one out in the draft. The team didn't really show much interest in free agents like Jim Leonhard and Brian Dawkins, which was a surprise considering it added another position to our draft board that I would've rather have had focused on linebackers and wide receivers.

Nonetheless, I have already selected LB Brian Orakpo and WR Percy Harvin for the Browns at No. 5 and No. 36 overall, respectively. With Oregon strong safety Patrick Chung still on the board at No. 50, it was impossible to pass him up here. He has a lot of starting experience in college and is solid at stopping the run, a category the Browns continued to struggle in last season.

Chung would join a young Cleveland secondary. I would have preferred more veteran leadership, but since we're past that point, it's time to get excited for what Chung can bring to the table.

MTD thoughts: With three first-day selections, it's imperative the Browns come away with three starters. That's what Pokorny has given them with Orakpo, Harvin and Chung. Good job.

Mocking the Draft's Top Five Remaining Prospects - QB Josh Freeman, CB Alphonso Smith, RB Shonn Greene, TE Chase Coffman, CB D.J. Moore

No. 49

CHICAGO BEARS Pick by Windy City Gridiron Eric Wood Center Louisville

WCG from at Windy City Gridiron had had arguably the best draft thus far, and he hasn't even made a pick.

The Bears have to descend off their franchise quarterback cloud for a moment to make another pick. We know that with the next two rounds we have three needs to address. Offensive Line, Wide Receiver and Safety. When the draft hit the #25 pick in the first round, we were feeling pretty good. Darrius Heyward-Bey was still on the board, so there was a good chance that we could see Kenny Britt or Brian Roberskie fall to us, but there was a run on receiver and we were left with the next available receiver which was Juaquin Iglesias or the next lineman which was Phil Loadholt. We wanted Loadholt, but he also went just before our pick.

So the choice now is draft Iglesias or the a guy like Eric Wood. I've never been that high on Iglesias, so I wasn't comfortable drafting him. Instead we opted for Eric Wood, C, Louisville. The deciding factor was by drafting Iglesias we would have been adding depth to a not-so good group of receivers. We already have depth there. We need starters. Or we can take Wood and get depth to our now surprisingly solid offensive line. And when some of our older guys slow down or retire in the next so many years, Wood would be ready to slide in and take over. We are projecting Wood more as a guard than a center, but him being able to play two positions is just a bonus.

MTD thoughts: This is actually a pretty tough spot to be picking in for Chicago. Wood is a little bit of a reach, but the team has no other great needs. Taking the best player available wouldn't help in this instance, either.

Mocking the Draft's Top Five Remaining Prospects - QB Josh Freeman, CB Alphonso Smith, RB Shonn Greene, TE Chase Coffman, S Patrick Chung