Before I start my mock NFL draft, which is approximately the 304^th mock draft written for this year, I'd like to make something clear:  I have no idea how exactly it will turn out.  Neither do you and neither do the hundreds of "experts" who follow the draft and pretend that they have nailed down how this year's edition will play out.  No one knows who has impressed a team during interviews or who a team may draft because of future moves they plan on making.  The best I can do is look at what position a team needs to upgrade in order to get better.  Still, it is always fun to try and guess what will happen in the NFL draft and I am happy to add my two football cents into the draft equation.

Pick 3- Cleveland Browns 

Who they should pick:  JaMarcus Russell QB/ LSU:
Quick, when was the last time the Browns had a solid quarterback situation?  If your answer is during the Reagan era, you are right.  That's nearly how long it's been since the Browns have been Super Bowl contenders as well.  This is the chance for the Browns to finally create some solid offensive direction. While Brady Quinn has mentioned his fondness for the Browns, Russell's rocket arm is a better fit for the awful Cleveland weather. Getting the quarterback position filled with a potential star would give Browns fans a feeling they aren't familiar with:  hope.

Who they will probably pick:  Brady Quinn QB/ Notre Dame:
Of course, if Oakland decides they want to take Russell and ask for too hefty of a ransom for the Cleveland to trade up and get him, there isn't anything the Browns can do about it.  No problem, Cleveland needs help all over the offensive side of the ball, so I wouldn't be surprised if the Browns picked Quinn, Thomas, or RB Adrian Peterson.  They just need help.  Quinn is the pick here because of the position he plays.

Pick 4- Tampa Bay Bucs

Who they should pick:  Calvin Johnson WR/ Georgia Tech:
Very rarely does the widely regarded best player in a draft fall out of the top three spots.  It still may not happen this year, but there is a good chance it might.  If Oakland doesn't take him, Johnson could fall all the way to the Tampa Bay.Detroit can't spend another first round pick on a receiver and Cleveland already has Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow Jr. to catch passes.  The two teams directly behind the Bucs, Arizona and Washington, don't need to trade up and get a receiver, so Tampa may land the best player in the draft by staying put.  The only wild card is Minnesota at the number seven slot.  The Vikings desperately need playmakers on offense and might take a run at trading up for Johnson.  Thus would begin the great game of draft-day chicken. Who wants him more, Tampa or Minnesota?  I'll say Tampa wins.

Who they will probably pick:  Calvin Johnson WR/ Georgia Tech:
If Johnson is there, the Bucs take him.  He's a game-changing receiver who will give coach Jon Gruden all sorts of dynamics to tweak into his offense.  Now if Johnson could just bring a new spleen with him for QB Chris Simms….

Pick 5- Arizona Cardinals

Who they should pick:  Joe Thomas OT/ Wisconsin:
If Detroit and Cleveland manage to let Thomas slip, you might see the entire Cardinal draft room dance a jig and spray each other with champagne. This team desperately needs offensive line help and if they can land Thomas without giving up too much to get him, their draft would already be a success.

Who the will probably pick:  Gaines Adams DE/ Clemson:
In the event that the Cardinals don't get Thomas, they can at least help out their porous defense.  The secondary will look a lot better if the front seven can generate some sort of pass rush.  Strong safety Adrian Wilson might actually be able to cover people now instead of constantly blitzing the quarterback.  What a novel idea.

Who they should pick:  Gaines Adams DE/ Clemson:
The big question here is will whether the Redskins trade away this pick.  They have already offered the pick in order to get disgruntled Bears LB Lance Briggs.  There is speculation that the Redskins don't like anyone in this slot and want to trade down.  Unfortunately, with Johnson already gone to Tampa, there isn't that one great player that someone will trade up for.  I'm guessing that if Washington doesn't do the deal with Chicago for Briggs, they will be stuck in this slot.  In that case, they should take Adams.  The Redskins pass rush was pathetic last year and Adams is an athletic pass-rusher, it just makes sense.  Plus, as my friend who is hopelessly addicted to puns pointed out, the Washington Post headline the next day could be titled "Capital Gaines".  My friend must be stopped, but that's another story.

Who they will probably pick:  Trade for Briggs:
The Bears dumped the Redskin offer at first. We all know the offer will be raised again once the draft nears.  The problem was with later picks that were involved in the deal, not the actual sixth pick.  Joe Gibbs likes to get proven players versus draft picks and the Bears will probably be more apt to take the deal as the draft gets closer just to stop Briggs from complaining about the team to every media member in the greater Chicago area.  The trade simply depends on who is left for the Bears at this slot.

Pick 7- Minnesota Vikings

Who they should pick:  Brady Quinn QB/ Notre Dame:
I know the Vikes already spent a second round pick on a QB just last year, but Tarvaris Jackson didn't exactly set the offense on fire.  Unless he is making significant strides this off-season, Minnesota still needs a QB to help the offense catch up to the emerging defense.  Minnesota plays in a dome and head coach Brad Childress will makes sure the offense is built around Quinn's strengths.

Who they will probably pick:  Adrian Peterson RB/ Oklahoma:
Unless the Vikings want to get another great defensive player and simply punt the ball on offense, Peterson is the best player still available.  He's not a perfect fit since Minnesota already has the emerging Chester Taylor, but sometimes a team has to settle on getting the player who is by far the most explosive player left to pick from.  You can bet that Minnesota will be open to trade offers for this pick.

Pick 8- Atlanta Falcons

Who they should pick:  LaRon Landry S/ LSU:
He's the best athlete still on the board.Atlanta can actually use an upgrade at several positions and Landry will team with DeAngelo Hall to help make a solid Falcon secondary.  Some people think that the Falcons should grab another WR at this spot, but they've already spent a lot on receivers over the past couple of years and need to address other parts of the team.

Who they will probably pick:  Amobi Okoye DT/ Louisville:
Landry is definitely on the Falcon's short list of players to draft.  The problem is, he didn't play for new head coach Bobby Petrino at Louisville last year, Okoye did.  Familiarity plays a huge roll in the NFL and if Petrino can, he will probably convince the Falcons to grab a guy who he can vouch for.  If not, Landry would be a nice consolation pick.

Who they should pick:  Adam Carriker DE/ Nebraska:
The Dolphins would also like Okoye if the Falcons don't grab him first.  If Okoye is gone, then Miami should grab Carriker because he has a great work ethic and is a versatile defensive lineman.  He would be the perfect strong-side end compliment to weak-side end Jason Taylor.

Who they will probably pick:  Levi Brown OT/ Penn State:
New head coach Cam Cameron is an offensive guy and he knows the Dolphins have had terrible offensive lines the past few years.  Daunte Culpepper will never get healthy again if he keeps getting hit in the backfield.

Pick 10- Houston Texans

Who they should pick:  Adrian Peterson RB/ Oklahoma:
Peterson is about the only player that can begin to make Houston fans forget the colossal mistake the Texans made last year by passing on both Reggie Bush and hometown hero Vince Young.  Peterson is a game-breaking running back who has a running style similar to the great Eric Dickerson.  If the Texans pass up on Peterson, team officials might want to barricade the door because an angry mob will soon be on the way to Texan headquarters.

Who they will probably pick:  LaRon Landry S/ LSU:
If Peterson is gone, the Texans will be happy to land the top defensive playmaker left in the draft.  Landry shouldn't have lasted this long, so the Texans would jump at the chance to add him to an overmatched secondary.  Landry can look forward to dealing with both Vince Young and Peyton Manning twice a year.

Pick 11- San Francisco 49ers

Who they should pick:  Adam Carriker DE/ Nebraska:
Carriker is the perfect player to add to a young team like the 49ers.  He's a solid player and a future team leader.  He seems like an exceptional fit for coach Mike Nolan.

Who they will probably pick:  Alan Branch DT/ Michigan:
The 49ers are going to a 3-4 defense which means they need a giant defensive tackle to plug up the middle of the line.  Branch definitely fits that excessively large mold.  The only question is whether he will play hard all game long.

Who they should pick:  Adrian Peterson RB/ Oklahoma:
This is as far Peterson could drop.  If he makes it to the Bills, team executive should pull a hamstring because they are trying to phone in this pick so fast.  The fans could make up a new name for last year's Buffalo running back:  Willis McGa-who?

Who they will probably pick:  Patrick Willis LB/ Ole Miss:
Alas, Peterson will probably be gone by this point.  That means the Bills can replace Takeo Spikes at linebacker with Willis.  He is a hard working player with a good attitude and would be a positive addition to the team.  He should use his signing bonus to go out and by a winter coat since he probably never needed one in Mississippi.

Pick 13- St. Louis Rams

Who they should pick:  Jamaal Anderson DE/ Arkansas:
Another year goes by, another year where the Rams need defensive help.  Anderson is an athletic defensive end who can help in the trenches.

Who they will probably pick:  Jamaal Anderson DE/ Arkansas:
The Rams could also go with a cornerback here, but chances are they will upgrade a different area of the defense since the team drafted a cornerback in the first round last year (Tye Hill).  This pick simply depends on which defensive player the Rams have ranked the highest.  They're just going to get a guy in there who can play some sort of defense.

Pick 14- Carolina Panthers

Who they should pick:  Ted Ginn Jr. WR/ Ohio State
Can you imagine how far the field would stretch with both Ginn Jr. and Steve Smith flying around all over the place?  Ginn Jr. could be brought along slowly at receiver while doubling as a dangerous return man that the Panthers could really use.  The running game would work better as well because safeties wouldn't be able to crowd the line of scrimmage because of the ridiculous outside speed.

Who they will probably pick:  Reggie Nelson S/ Florida
Ginn Jr. has scared off some teams because of a foot injury he suffered in the Fiesta Bowl this past year.  The Panthers have a glaring need at safety and Nelson is the best player available at the position.  Ho hum pick, but no one can argue with the logic.  This also opens up the possibility that the Panthers will select USC WR Steve Smith in the second round to pair with current Panthers WR Steve Smith.  At this point my dream would be realized as I can look forward to watching NFL announcers stumble over announcing the games for a team whose two starting wideouts have the exact same name.  Imagine the confusion and chaos in the media booth.

Who they should pick:  Leon Hall CB/ Michigan
Hall isn't expected to fall this far, but stranger things have happened on draft day.  If the Steelers get a chance, they need to pounce on Hall, the top rated CB in this draft.  Hall would feel right at home in the defense-intense Steel City and should be a solid addition to the team.

Who they will probably pick:  Leon Hall CB/ Michigan
Many expect that the Steelers would opt for CB Darrelle Revis because he played his college ball at nearby Pitt.  That would be a great story and public relations bonanza, but opting for the local boy only works to an extent.  Hall is the top rated corner and the Steelers didn't become a top NFL franchise by being blinded by hometown loyalty.

Pick 16- Green Bay Packers

Who they should pick:  Marshawn Lynch RB/ California
Lynch played in a Pac-10 offense, so he should know how to block for the passing game and he is only running back left on the board with a first round grade.  The Packers have been mum on Lynch recently citing a lower back health issue.  If that issue checks out okay, the Packers have no business passing up Lynch here.  The team let Ahman Green run off via free agency and have only Vernon Morency to fill the void.  That won't cut it in the NFL.  Teams may be scared away from picking Lynch here because of the name J.J. Arrington.  Arrington was a top runner at Cal before Lynch.  He was drafted early in the second round of the 2005 draft by the Arizona Cardinals to be their runner of the future.  Today he's buried on the Cardinals depth chart and is a complete bust of a draft pick.  Could his draft ghost scare teams away from taking Lynch?

Who they will probably pick:  Greg Olsen TE/ Miami
Nothing scares teams away from a draft pick quicker than character or medical issues.  If there is any lingering concern over Marshawn Lynch's lower back, the Packers will have nothing to do with him.  Olsen is a prospect who has jumped up draft charts recently and the Packers are a team in need of a consistent weapon at tight end.  Olsen would give Brett Favre a good safety valve and an endzone threat.

Pick 17- Jacksonville Jaguars

Who they should pick:  Reggie Nelson S/ Florida
The Jaguars have a need at safety and Nelson is a local boy from Florida.The team would get a great need player and make the fans happy at the same time.The Jaguars also have huge needs on the offensive line, but the team can fill those in the later rounds.

Who they will probably pick:  Jarvis Moss DE/ Florida
If Nelson is gone already, the Jaguars can still make the fans happy by picking Nelson's teammate.  The Jaguars had no pass rush last year and Moss should be able to excel at that position since the Jacksonville stud defensive tackles will take up a lot of attention from opposing offenses.

Who they should pick:  Alan Branch DT/ Michigan
Branch has been all over mock draft boards over the past weeks.  Some people have him going in the top ten; others have him dropping down to the early twenties.  The Bengals will hope the latter is true because then they will have the chance to grab the best run-stuffer of the draft.  Head coach Marvin Lewis knows how important big bodies are in the middle of the line; he was the defensive coordinator of the 2000 Baltimore Ravens that used to massive defensive tackles to anchor one of the best defenses in recent history.  Branch make sure no team runs over the Bengals defense and in a division with Baltimore and Pittsburgh, that is fairly important.

Who they will probably pick:  Jon Beason LB/ Miami
Odds are that Branch will be gone by the time Cincinnati picks.  In that case, the Bengals will grab Beason.  The Bengals are completely unsettled at linebacker since Odell Thurman will serve a year long suspension next year and David Pollack has a devastating neck injury.  Beason has the athletic ability to help secure that position down.  Cincinnati will take a long look at any character issues a player may have.  They can't afford the public relations hit by having yet another player arrested or getting into some sort of scuffle with police.  Actually, Beason may not be the pick.  He did come from Miami, which is practically the Mecca of renegade football players.

Pick 19- Tennessee Titans

Who they should pick:  Robert Meachem WR/ Tennessee
The Titans have no business picking this low in the draft, the team isn't that good.  When you get a player of Vince Young's caliber, however, wins get pulled out of the strangest places.  Now it's time to reward Young with some offensive weapons.  The Titans desperately need a receiver, I picked Meachem just because he is the hometown kid and the fans would already like him.  The key here is to simply get Vince Young some help.

Who they will probably pick:  Marshawn Lynch RB/ California
Something tells me that the Titans aren't sold on running back LenDale White.  Maybe it's the fact the team has been trying to pry RB Michael Turner from San Diego for about a month now.  If Lynch falls to them here, the Titans may just grab him to settle down the running back position. 

Pick 20- New York Giants

Who they should pick:  Joe Staley OT/ Central Michigan
Let's see, the Giants have tons of money and prestige invested in QB Eli Manning and they just let left tackle Luke Petitgout go.  Either the G-men have a secret player they've been hiding away, or they desperately need an offensive tackle to protect their prized player.

Who they will probably pick:  Joe Staley OT/ Central Michigan
Unless the Giants are absolutely in love with another player that falls to them (perhaps Jon Beason?), they will pick up the tackle they need.   Chances are there won't be much to pick from if New York waits another round. When you have that much money and work sunk into Eli Manning, you want to protect your investment.

Who they should pick:  Jon Beason LB/ Miami
The Broncos just released Al Wilson and need an athletic linebacker to keep the defense stout, especially in a division that features LaDanian Tomlinson and Larry Johnson.  Without a good run defense, the Broncos would have to hope that Jay Cutler has a sophomore season similar to Dan Marino's record breaking 1984 campaign in order to win the AFC West.

Who they will probably pick:  Ted Ginn Jr. WR/ Ohio St.
Denver tends to take the best player still available and there is no reason they shouldn't take a flier on Ginn Jr. at this point in the draft.  Even if Ginn Jr. isn't quite ready to start at receiver for the Broncos, he could help the Denver special teams from the beginning.

Pick 22- Dallas Cowboys

Who they should pick:  Ted Ginn Jr. WR/ Ohio State
Terrell Owens and Terry Glenn are old men and the Cowboys don't have anyone to fill the void when one or both retire soon.  Ginn can learn how to play receiver behind fellow Ohio State alumnus Glenn, and learn how not to act by watching Owens behave like an idiot all season long.  At the very least, Ginn would contribute on special teams.

Who they will probably pick:  Dwayne Bowe WR/LSU
I really want to say Dwayne Jarrett here just because owner Jerry Jones loves to make a splash with big name players.  I think, however, that Jones is concerned with making a safe pick here because he knows the critics are watching him now that Parcells is gone.  If Jarrett turned out to be a bust, all Cowboy fans would point the finger at Jones.  Bowe is a big physical receiver who looks a bit like Michael Irvin.  That should be enough for the Cowboys.

Pick 23- Kansas City Chiefs

Who they should pick:  Justin Blalock G/ Texas
Considering they were in the playoffs last year, I don't like the way the future looks for the Chiefs.  They're defense is getting better, but now the offense is falling apart.  There is always Larry Johnson, but who is going block for him and who is going to catch the ball downfield?  Kansas City needs to revamp the offensive line and Blalock gets my vote because he can play both guard and tackle.

Who they will probably pick:  Justin Harrell DT/ Tennessee
Herm Edwards is a defensive guy and will probably look to clog up the middle of the Chiefs defense with Harrell.  Larry Johnson won't be too excited with the pick, but Harrell gives the team a defensive anchor that will allow the linebackers to run free.

Who they should pick:  Jon Beason LB/ Miami
The notoriously frugal Pats suddenly opened their wallets during the off-season to bring in several free-agents.  That means there is a win now thought process going on in Foxboro.  The Pats won't draft for the future, they want guys who can help the team today.  Beason is a versatile linebacker who can help the Patriots aging linebacking corps at both outside and inside backer.

Who they will probably pick:  Darrelle Revis CB/ Pittsburgh
The Pats need safety help more, but they know that the Jets will snatch up a CB, so the Pats grab Revis to help the secondary out and as an added bonus, they get to thumb their noses at the rival Jets.

Pick 25- New York Jets

Who they should pick:  Greg Olsen TE/ Miami
The Jets need secondary help, but it would be nice if Chad Pennington had a security blanket of a tight end he could throw the ball to when he is in trouble.  Having Olsen in the middle of the field would only open things up more for New York's outside receivers.

Who they will probably pick:  Aaron Ross CB/ Texas
Ross is a smart player who would fit right into the Jets system.  The interesting part about this stage of the draft is what New England and New York will do because of the relationship between head coaches Bill Belichick and Eric Mangini.  The teams are division rivals who run similar systems so they already know each other quite well, now you have Belichick and Mangini playing a draft game of cat and mouse.  Don't think they won't be keeping track of each other.

Pick 26- Philadelphia Eagles

Who they should pick:  Michael Griffin S/ Texas
Brian Dawkins is getting up in age and the Eagles need a replacement for him.  Griffin is good enough to play along side of Dawkins next year and learn from one of the top players in the game at the safety position.

Who they will probably pick:  Brandon Meriweather S/ Miami
He has some character issues, but is a top talent in the draft.  The Eagles need a future replacement for the aging Brian Dawkins and Meriweather is worth the character gamble this late in the draft.  If he keeps his nose clean, he'll play along side Dawkins next year and will eventually replace him.  If he doesn't stay out of trouble it won't be too problematic in Philly because he'll fit right in with the thug fans up there.

Who they should pick:  Justin Harrell DT/ Tennessee
New Orleans has an explosive offense that will put points on the board in every game.Now the Saints need a defense to slow opponents down so that every game isn't a shoot-out.  Harrell plugs up the middle of the defense and instantly gives the Saints a better run defense.

Who they will probably pick:  Chris Houston CB/ Arkansas
The Saints need secondary help and with the offense scoring gobs of points, you know teams will be throwing on the Saints.  Houston is raw and needs some major technique work, but he has the ability to be the best cover corner in the draft.

Pick 28- New England Patriots

Who they should pick:  Paul Posluszny LB/ Penn State
Maybe it's just wishful thinking, but does any player deserve a team more than Posluszny does the Patriots?  Posluszny is an intense linebacker that's not super talented, but super instinctive.  That sounds like a carbon copy of Teddy Burschi and we all know how he worked out for New England.  Plus, Posluszny would add depth to the aging linebacker corps.

Who they will probably pick:  Michael Griffin S/ Texas
Rodney Harrison is coming off of a major knee injury and the Patriots don't want to sit back and watch the safety position ruin their Super Bowl run.  Griffin is talented enough to play with Harrison next year, or in the worst-case scenario, replace Harrison if he isn't able to recover from his injury.

Pick 29- Baltimore Ravens

Who they should pick:  Ben Grubbs G/ Auburn
The Ravens lost several offensive linemen last year and need to restock the shelves in order to open up some holes for Willis McGahee.  Grubbs is used to blowing open holes in the running game since he played at Auburn.

Who they will probably pick:  Ryan Kalil C/ USC
Several draft "experts" have the Ravens picking Justin Blalock as the offensive lineman of choice here.  That is very possible considering Blalock's versatility, but Kalil is the top rated interior lineman on many boards and the Ravens don't usually let talent fall past them just because it isn't a perfect fit.

Who they should pick:  Michael Griffin S/ Texas
The Chargers could use safety help and if Griffin drops to them, they will happily snatch him up and plug him right into the lineup.  Chances are Griffin won't get a stupid personal foul penalty after the play has ended like Drayton Florence did last year's playoff loss to the Patriots.

Who they will probably pick:  Steve Smith WR/ USC
The Chargers need speed at receiver and Smith is the only receiver left with premier speed.  It's a reach at the end of the first round, but if the Chargers want to fill in the holes on their team, it's what they'll need to do.  The Chargers could opt to take a highly ranked offensive lineman here if there is one left that they like.  You can never have too many beefy guys up front when you have LaDanian Tomlinson in the backfield.

Pick 31- Chicago Bears

Who they should pick:  Lawrence Timmons LB/ Florida State
If the Bears don't trade Lance Briggs before the draft, they might as well get his replacement in so that the defense doesn't miss a beat when Briggs does finally leave.  Briggs has made it clear that he will be a royal pain in the butt if the Bears force him to play in Chicago next year.  It would be best to get Briggs out of the locker room and replace him with a guy who is excited to play in the NFL…even if it's for a team that keeps trying to short-change its coaches and players.

Who they will probably pick:  Dwayne Jarrett WR/ USC
Mush Muhammad is getting old and Jarrett plays the same style of game that he does.  Jarrett isn't a terrible reach all of the way at the end of the round and if he turns out to be the same type of player that he was at USC, the Bears will have a steal of a pick for Rex Grossman to throw the ball to.

Pick 32- Indianapolis Colts

Who they should pick:   Lawrence Timmons LB/ Florida State
The Colts will be crossing their fingers that Timmons falls all the way to them at the end of the round.  He is the ultra-fast linebacker type whom the Colts love and he would be the prime candidate to fill in the opening left by Cato June.

Who they will probably pick:  Anthony Gonzalez WR/ Ohio State
When you sit at the end of the first round, you have to take what is left for you and if Timmons is gone, look for the Colts to grab Gonzalez.  He has been shooting up the draft boards recently because teams love his intelligence and character.  Brandon Stokely is no longer the third receiver in Indianapolis, so there is a need for another pass-catcher.  The name of the game in Colts land is to keep Peyton happy and Gonzalez should soon become a favorite of Manning.

The NFL Draft is an important time for football teams as they attempt to add pieces to the championship puzzle.  It is equally important for fans as they find out who may eventually help their team hoist the Lombardi Trophy in the future.  On April 28^th, decisions will be made that will eventually affect the balance of power in the league.  Until then, we can only guess what that day holds; which fans will cheer and which fans will boo.