2008 SB Nation Mock Draft Is Underway

With the NFL Draft around three and a half weeks away, SB Nation has started its second annual mock draft.  This year, Mocking the Draft serves as the host of the SB Nation Mock Draft, and already five picks have been made.  Before I dive into the picks, first let's take a quick look at some of the details for this year's version of the mock draft.

Now that you have the skinny on how the SB Nation Mock Draft will work, it's time to start talking about the picks that have already been made.  To start the draft off, The Phinsider selected Virginia defensive end Chris Long.  This pick comes as no surprise as it is expected that a "Long" will be the #1 overall selection.  Of course, there's always the outside chance that the Dolphins go in the direction of Matt Ryan, but I don't see that happening.

Pick #2 was a tad surprising to me as Turf Show Times picked Ohio State defensive end Vernon Gholston.  The reason I say it's a surprise is due to the fact that Gholston has had a tough time cracking the top five in most mocks, but even so, this is a great pick.  As a Michigan fan, I had to watch Gholston torture Chad Henne last November, and that performance alone solidified my opinion on him.  In fact, the third overall pick as chosen by The Falcoholic, Michigan offensive tackle Jake Long, gave up only two sacks in his career.  One came as a redshirt freshman, and the other came against Vernon Gholston last November.

Jake Long is really a perfect pick for any team.  For the Falcons, it is especially perfect as they can build their offensive line and their franchise around him.  I know I am biased being that I am a Michigan fan, but since I've been able to watch Long for the last five years, I can attest to how great of a player and a person he is.  There is no one that will work harder, that's for sure.  And it probably would be tough to find someone who is a better leader.  On top of that, he has the skills and the size needed to be a franchise tackle.  His size is something that amazed me as I met him in a press conference back in 2006, and was astonished at how big his arms were.  It seemed like they were bigger than my entire body.  Not to mention, this was around a year and a half ago, so imagine them now.

With the 4th pick in the SB Nation Mock Draft, Silver and Black Pride selected Arkansas running back Darren McFadden.  There is no doubting McFadden's skills as he is fast as lightning and has power as well.  I'm sure Oakland fans would be hoping for him to make an Adrian Peterson-like impact on the Raiders, but I don't see that happening one bit.  I would say this is the case of taking the best available player, something Lions fans know all about.  I don't fault Silver and Black Pride for making the pick as McFadden will be a great player, but I would keep an eye on his off the field issues down the road.  He must get his head on straight to be successful on and off the field.

The final pick that has been made so far takes USC defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis off the board.  Arrowhead Pride made the selection, and I think it's a good one.  If this would have been made a month or two ago, then you have to imagine Glenn Dorsey would have been picked.  Recently, though, there have been some injury concerns in regards to Dorsey, and although it isn't believed that he will slide down too much, you can understand why a team would opt for Ellis instead.  For the Chiefs, they have a need for an offensive tackle, but since Jake Long didn't fall to pick #5, there was no need to reach at this point in the draft.

The Jets are currently on the clock, and NY Landing Strip's pick should be out by 10 a.m. tomorrow.  As mentioned already, you should expect to see the latest picks to be made in the morning, afternoon, and evening at Mocking the Draft.  I will continue to keep everyone updated on the draft likely after a day of picks are made, but for immediate reactions, head on over to Mocking the Draft.

Once NFL Draft Headquarters is put together (likely by next Monday) here at Pride of Detroit, I will create a separate page to track the 2008 SB Nation Mock Draft.  Until then, you can view the table below to stay updated on each pick.  To view the post that analyzes each pick, click on a player's name.