SELECTED: JAKE LONG
ANALYSIS:No brainer for Miami. Long help starts solidifying the offensive line which should help QB John Beck grow and mature as a starting QB in the league.
SELECTED: CHRIS LONG
ANALYSIS: Solid selection by the Rams. Long will be great as a pass rushing end as will as possibility playing some at linebacker. The Rams resisted the overtures of the Baltimore Ravens to move up and select QB Matt Ryan. Questions persisted about the leg of Glenn Dorsey and the past failures of first round draft picks that were defensive tackles so Long was the obvious choice.
SELECTED: MATT RYAN
ANALYSIS: The page is now turned and for owner Aurthur Blank and the fair weathered Falcons hopefully better days are ahead of them. Ryan is a franchise type QB and in a poor spots city like Atlanta, the team will draw more interest and get more attention with the prototype talented, clean cut, white boy QB, rather than a defensive tackle.
SELECTED: Darren McFadden
ANALYSIS: What a surprise!! Ignoring the fact that the Raiders already have 26 running backs already on the roster, and their best interior lineman retiring, along with multiple deficiencies (to bad they couldn’t draft an OWNER!!), but they go with value over need.
SELECTED: Glenn Dorsey
ANALYSIS: The best defensive player in college last season, along with best interior lineman, Dorsey only fell this far because of injury issues. Even though the last defensive tackle Kansas City selected in the first round turned out to be a bust (Ryan Simms), Dorsey is a far better prospect. The Chiefs have multiple picks throughout the first few rounds in the draft, it was not as imperative to trade out if this pick.
SELECTED: VERNON GHOLSTON
ANALYSIS: Hybred linebacker/defensive end will fit well in a 3-4 defensive scheme. New York was starving for playmakers on the defensive side of the ball and Gholston should ease the loss of Johnathan Vilma. Many people have compared Gholston to Mike Mamula because of his impressive workout numbers, which seems to have outshined his overall production at Ohio State, but athletic wise, Gholston is off the charts for his position.
#7. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (TRADE FROM NEW ENGLAND) 
New England gets a
SELECTED: SEDRICK ELLIS
ANALYSIS: New Orkeans saw and New Orleans conquered in their desire to get the defensive tackle from USC. Ellis is the Eva Mendez to Glenn Dorsey, Selma Haydek… That is one might think Haydek is the better looking women, but in comparing her with Mendez, the difference ain’t that much.
SELECTED: Derrick Harvey
ANALYSIS: Jacksonville needed a pass rusher in a division with Peyton Manning and a conference with Tom Brady and Randy Moss. They may have reached a bit with this selection (especially when you realize they traded up to this selection) but there are not many impact players left on the defensive side of the ball.
SELECTED: Keith Rivers
ANALYSIS: Not an impact linebacker, but a solid linebacker who is solid andversatile. The Bengals really wanted Ellis, but with Sedrick being off the board this was the best plan B. Maybe the most important thing about Rivers is he is a solid citizen with good character. Odell Thurman cannot be counted on and Rivers should replace him on the depth chart.
SELECTED: Jarrod Mayo
ANALYSIS:New England had to do something about getting younger at linebacker so drafting one was not the surprise. The surprise for some was passing up on Rivers and drafting Mayo. The Washington Redskins had Mayo high on their board and were looking to select him if still available. Patriots thinking was Mayo is more versatile than Rivers and better equipped to play in the 3-4 scheme.
SELECTED: Leodis McKelvin
ANALSIS: Leading up to the draft, many rumors abounded that the Bills would select a WR regardless of where they drafted. Many also thought they would try to trade down so to match the value of the prospect with the selection. Buffalo ignored both andwent with the CB. WIll also look to be a return specialist for Buffalo andadd depth in the secondary.
SELECTED: Ryan Claddy
ANALYSIS: An athletic offensive left tackle who fits into the style of line play the Broncos employ. Denver needs a left tackle with the retirement of Matt Lepsis and Claddy was considered one of the better offensive linemen in the draft.
SELECTED: Jonathon Stewart
ANALYSIS: WOW!!! Talking about reaching!! The drafting of Stewart would have been deemed a success if not for the fact Stewart injured himself and will not be ready when the season starts. When healthy, he is compared to St Louis’ Steven Jackson.
SELECTED: Chris Williams
ANALYSIS: Might have done better to draft Rashard Mendenhall, but the Bears also had to address their needs on the offensive line. he was drafted as a left tackle and will have a real shot at starting from game one.
#15 KANSAS CITY CHEIFS (TRADE WITH DETROIT LIONS) 
SELECTED: Brandon Albert
ANALYSIS 
layed guard in college, but workout for NFL teams as a left tackle. Kansas City needed a left tackle (along with left guard, right tackle, and right guard) and with this pick along with Dorsey, Kansas City has addressed both of their major needs along the offensive and defensive line.
SELECTED: Dominic Rodgers Cromartie
ANALYSIS: Lifted his stock with a strong combine workout. Antrell Rollecan play both safety and conerback but is better suited for safety. Cromartie will provide depth and talent in the pass happy NFC West.
#17 DETROIT LAMBS 
SELECTED:Gosder Cherilus
ANALYSIS:In what is considered a great first step, Matt Millen didn’t select a wide receiver!! Detroit needed help along the offensive line and had many options to chose from. While not known among many outside the process, Cherilius is more than capable of holding his known.
#18 BALTIMORE RAVENS (TRADE FROM HOUSTON) 
SELECTED: Joe Flacco
ANALYSIS: QB with a strong arm and standing 6′6″ and 230+ pounds. Some may question the level of competition of playing at Delaware, but examples of Tony Romo (Eastern Michigan) going all the way back to Neil Lomax (Portland St) prove that’s mostly false.
#19. CAROLINA (TRADED WITH PHILADELPHIA) 
SELECTED: Jeff Otah
ANALYSIS: Not a finished product but has quick feet for a big man and fits into what head coach John Fox wants to do.
#20. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS 
SELECTED:Aquib Talib
ANALYSIS: On talent he is the best CB prospect in the draft. Off the field issues (failed three drug tests) have led to his stock dropping like it did. If he can keep himself out of trouble and workon his craft, Tampa Bay may have found a suitable replacement for Ronde Barber.
#21. ATLANTA (TRADED WITH WASHINGTON REDSKINS) 
SELECTED: Sam Baker
ANALYSIS: Offensive tackle (can play left tackle or guard) who will be asked eventually to protect the blind side of Matt Ryan.
#22. DALLAS COWBOYS
SELECTED: Filex Jones
ANALYSIS: The other great running back at the University of Arkansas along with Darren McFadden. The trend of the running game in the NFL is to have two running backs. WIth the way Marion Barber runs, Jones can be the perfect compliment to Barber.
SELECTED: Rashard Mendanhall
ANALYSIS:The Steelers just hit a home run withthis selection. Mendenhall was considered the second best running back in the draft and was expected to be taken somewhere between picks #12-17. His running style and body type scream he become a Pittsburgh Steelers. QB Ben Roethlisberger just signed franchise QB money and Mendenhall is a 20-25 carry a game player.
#24. TENNESSEE TITANS 
SELECTED: Chris Johnson
ANALYSIS: Power and speed running back along with being able to catch the football. Vince Young needs some skill players to work with and with teams being skeptical with the current wide receiver crop, Tennessee goes for a running back.
#25. DALLAS COWBOYS
SELECTED: Mike Jenkins
ANALYSIS: One of the few weaknesses of this team is in the secondary and drafting Jenkins is the first step in correcting that problem. Jenkins came into his senior year as the highest rated CB prospect. He slipped just a little but still remains a valuable pick.
#26. HOUSTON TEXANS 
SELECTED: Dwayne Brown
ANALYSIS: Another offensive tackle taken in the first round. Experts say he can play either tackle or guard can is just the latest offensive lineman the Texans have brought into the organization to try and protect the QB.
#27. SAN DIEGO CHARGERS 
SELECT:Antoine Carson
ANALYSIS: Another team that has few glaring weaknesses, San Diego looked to improve the secondary by drafting Carson. This was a value pick more than anything else.
#28. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS 
SELECTED: Lawrence Jackson
ANALYSIS: Defensive end out of USC will rotate on the defensive line for Seattle to keep the likes of Patrick Kearny fresh. Jackson is a pass rushing end who played consistently well throughout his tenture at Southern Cal.
#29. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS 
SELECTED:Kentwan Balmar
ANALYSIS:Thought the 49ers would select from the offensive side of the ball and try to help QB Alex Smith. Instead they concentrated on the defensive line. San Fran was weak up front and Balmar does have the ability to stop the run while getting pressure on the QB.
#30. NEW YORK JETS 
SELECTED: Dustin Keller
ANALYSIS: The first tight end/ receiver taken in the first round, Keller was rated as one of the top two TE in this class. Not much of a blocker, Keller will have to make his impact as a receiving TE that can move the chains on third down for the Jets.
#31. NEW YORK GIANTS
SELECTED: Kenny Phillips
ANALYSIS: Safety from the University of Miami, saw his draft stock drop with a mediocre senior year. Great athlete who will benefit from the coaching of defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, Phillips should realize his enormous potential.
Filed under: 2008 NFL DRAFT, NFL | Tagged: CHRIS LONG, dallas cowboys, darren mcfadden, Football, glenn dorsey, JAKE LONG, MATT RYAN, miami dolphins, NFL, Sports, st louis rams
Very nice Miami Dolphins information. I hope to be in Miami for a game this fall.