There’s a secret that most good fantasy football owners don’t want you to know: Knowing how good (or how bad) an offensive line is could be the difference between you making the playoffs in your league, and winning the whole damn thing.

The bottom line is that the offensive line is the key to whether or not an offense is going to be successful in any given season. They’re the reason why guys like Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Drew Brews are able to rack up terrific passing yards year in and year out, and why Brandon Jacobs, Michael Turner and Adrian Peterson continue to be solid fantasy backs. So knowing which O-lines are quality and which act like revolving doors to their team’s backfield will give you an edge on draft day.

Below is a ranking of the top five best lines, the top five most improved lines and the top five worst lines in the NFL heading into the ’09 season. Use these rankings as a tool to help you make better decisions on draft day and to also aid you when you’re stuck between a couple of players in later rounds.

Granted, we’re not advocating bumping certain players to the top of your pre-draft rankings just based on these rankings. The Lions offensive line is the worst in football, but if Kevin Smith is there for the taking in the 5th round, by all means jump on him. This article is purely meant to be a helpful aid; obviously you still have to use solid judgment on draft day.

The Five Best:

1. New England Patriots
One of the biggest reasons that a highly inexperienced quarterback like Matt Cassel can step in for a multiple Pro Bowl and Super Bowl winner like Tom Brady and still win 11 games is because New England’s offensive line is the best in the business. No O-line works better together than the unit that comprises of Dan Koppen, Logan Mankins, Nick Kaczur, Stephen Neal and Matt Light. All five know their assignments and carry them out with near flawless execution.

2. New York Giants
One of the best-kept secrets in football is how good the Giants’ offensive line is at run blocking. Thanks to Pro Bowlers Chris Snee and Shaun O’Hara, running backs Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw should have no problem finding running room once again this season. Simply put, this is one of the most cohesive offensive lines in football that rivals only the Patriots in terms of stability.

3. New Orleans Saints
Drew Brees, Reggie Bush, Marques Colston, Pierre Thomas and Jeremy Shockey get a lot of credit for how good the Saints’ offense is (and deservedly so), but the backbone of New Orleans’ offensive success lays with one of the most underrated lines in the NFL. Led by tackle Jammal Brown and outstanding young guard Jahri Evans, the Saints’ line gave up a league-low 13 sacks last season and might just be the best pass blocking unit in the league. Hopefully mauler Carl Nicks will continue to develop and help this unit improve even more in the run-blocking department.

4. Denver Broncos
If the Broncos take a step back in 2009 after going 8-8 and coming up one win short of a division title, it won’t be because of their offensive line. Denver has one of the best units in all of football, led by their pair of young tackles Ryan Clady and Ryan Harris, who were both outstanding in ’08. Throw in a pair of underrated guards in Ben Hamilton and Chris Kuper – as well as the veteran presence of center Casey Wiegmann – and you have the makings of a solid all-around unit.

5. New York Jets
The addition of free agent guard Alan Faneca was pivotal to the Jets’ offensive line last year, not only in terms of strengthening the interior of their O-line but also lifting the production of youngsters D’Brickashaw Ferguson and Nick Mangold. Veteran Damien Woody also played surprisingly well after getting out of football hell in Detroit, and meshed well with the rest of the unit. As long as guard Brandon Moore recovers from the sports hernia surgery he underwent this offseason, the Jets should once again have one of the better offensive lines in all of football.

Offensive lines that also deserve mention: Carolina, Tennessee, Indianapolis, San Diego, Tampa Bay (see below), Philadelphia (see below), Miami, Baltimore, Minnesota and Cleveland.

One could make the argument that either Carolina or Tennessee deserve to be in the top 5 and the rest of the lines mentioned above are definitely top 15 material. One thing to keep in mind about Minnesota, however, is that they lost center Matt Birk (who signed with Baltimore). The Vikings should still have one of the better offensive lines in the NFL, but it’ll be interesting to see what kind of an effect not having Birk will have on the success of Adrian Peterson.

The Five Most Improved:

1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
I struggled with whether or not I should list the Bucs in this category given how they’re already at a top level, but I wanted to talk about them because they have one of the best up-and-coming offensive lines in football. Right guard Davin Joseph is a Pro Bowler, tackles Jeremy Trueblood and Donald Penn continue to improve with each passing season, left guard Arron Sears is a force to be reckoned with and center Jeff Faine is a steady presence in the middle. This unit is already solid and there’s still room for improvement, which is why I feel I’m justified in listing them in his category.

2. Philadelphia Eagles
With their addition of former Bills offensive tackle Jason Peters in the offseason, the Eagles have one of the most improved offensive lines in the NFL. As long as Peters’ play doesn’t drop off after cashing in on a new six-year, $60.7 million contract this offseason, the two-time Pro Bowler should dramatically improve Philly’s offensive line play. But this unit doesn’t come without some concern. Tackle Shawn Andrews continues to deal with back problems and brother Stacy (an offseason addition from the Bengals) is just eight months removed from ACL surgery. Still, if the Andrews brothers can bounce back, the Eagles have the makings of a great offensive line.

3. Atlanta Falcons
Entering last season, offensive line was supposed to be a massive weakness for the Falcons. But Atlanta’s O-line came together and formed a tight bond that should only aid in their success in 2009. Hopefully left tackle Sam Baker can stay healthy this year and improve on the success he had as a rookie last season, while guard Justin Blalock should continue to sharpen his game as he enters his third season. Believe it or not, the strength of the unit might be on the right side, where Tyson Clabo and Harvey Dahl form a nasty run-blocking duo (just ask Falcons’ opponents and running back Michael Turner) that should once again pave the way for Atlanta’s excellent running game. Veteran center Todd McClure also continues to be the glue that holds this underrated line together.

4. Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jags were absolutely ransacked by injuries to the O-line last year, which unsurprisingly had a negative affect on a team that many thought would contend for the Super Bowl. But all indications are that this line is healthy again and the additions of free agent Tra Thomas, as well as rookies Eugene Monroe and Eben Britton should only help. Jax also re-signed center Brad Meester in the offseason so as long as this revamped O-line comes together, the Jags should be in better shape than they were a year ago.

5. St. Louis Rams
It’s hard not to like what the Rams did in the offseason by signing the best young center on the free agent market in Jason Brown (formally of the Ravens) and selecting the best offensive tackle prospect in April’s draft in Baylor product Jason Smith. While this line still has a ways to go in terms of resembling a unit that can keep quarterback Marc Bulger upright and open enough holes for running back Steven Jackson, there’s no question that St. Louis has vastly upgraded its O-line. (Assuming of course that Brown pans out and Smith isn’t a massive bust, that is.)

The Five Worst:

1. Detroit Lions
This is by far the worst unit in the NFL and even though new GM Martin Mayhew upgraded other positions this offseason, he failed to add talent on Detroit’s miserable offensive line. Outside of selecting solid blocking tight end in Brandon Pettigrew in April’s draft, what did Mayhew do to upgrade this unit? Gosder Cherilus should develop more in his second year and Daniel Loper is an upgrade over Damion Cook at left guard, but Jeff Backus often resembles a turntable at left tackle and chances are quarterbacks Daunte Culepper and/or Matthew Stafford will be on their backs a lot this season. With how bad Detroit’s O-line is, running back Kevin Smith doesn’t stand to have that big of a year either, though he performed pretty well in ’08 behind a similarly bad line.

2. Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals certainly don’t have the worst collection of talent on their offensive line, but nobody really stands out and who knows how well they’ll play as a unit. Rookie first round pick Andre Smith has all of the talent in the world, but his work ethic and conditioning have been criticized in the past and therefore he remains a huge question mark. Cincinnati views him as a right tackle, so maybe that will take the pressure off of him in his first year. That said, is Andrew Whitworth the guy you want protecting Carson Palmer’s blindside? Can Kyle Cook overcome his lack of experience with good football IQ? There are a lot of question marks surrounding a unit that will have new starters at four different positions this year.

3. Buffalo Bills
There’s really not much to like about a unit that significantly under performed in 2008 and then lost its best player, tackle Jason Peters, in the offseason. Buffalo plans on starting two rookies (albeit, two promising rookies) in Eric Wood and Andy Levitre at guard and also has to shift Brad Butler to right tackle. That’s a ton of change for one unit and while there is some excitement surrounding Buffalo’s offense this year with the addition of Terrell Owens, I wouldn’t set expectations to high on quarterback Trent Edwards or even running back Marshawn Lynch. Granted, a case could be made that Wood and Levitre might blossom and the Bills’ line will be better than advertised, but it’s never wise to count on rookies excelling because don’t make a significant impact in their first years.

4. Seattle Seahawks
This was once one of the best offensive lines in football, but has since fallen off dramatically. Every starter in this unit missed time last season due to injuries, including Walter Jones, who is still a solid left tackle but is no spring chicken at 35. Rookie Max Unger is a good young talent, but he has to make the transition to guard after playing center at Oregon. Rob Sims showed flashes of potential in his rookie season two years ago, but last year was a disaster after he tore his pectorals muscle in September and was placed on IR. Chris Spencer is another player coming off season-ending surgery, so while Seattle has some budding youth on its O-line, there are still some major injury concerns surrounding this group.

5. San Francisco 49ers
I’ll make this quick: The Niners surrendered a league-high 55 sacks last year and then decided to concentrate on adding position players in free agency and the draft. Nobody is going to argue with San Fran taking dynamic wide receiver Michael Crabtree with the No. 10 pick in April’s draft, but this team shouldn’t have ignored its offensive line in later rounds.

I hate the word “value” on draft day because essentially, all it means is that a team chose a player later than he was projected to go. But who projects where these players are supposed to be selected? The media – not the teams. So is it fair to talk about “value” when we don’t know where these teams have these players rated? And value means absolutely nothing if the player doesn’t pan out.

That said, below are the five teams who I felt got tremendous values out of their first round picks. These players should have gone much higher based on their talent and potential, yet for whatever reason (i.e. Al Davis took Darrius Heyward-Bey), they slipped. Will they pan out? We won’t know for a while, but nevertheless these teams made out well on Day 1.

1. San Francisco 49ers No. 10: Michael Crabtree, WR
For the Niners to land one of the best prospects in the draft at No. 10 was impressive. Teams were scared off by Crabtree’s offseason foot surgery and lack of top end speed, but the foot is healed and top end speed doesn’t hold as much water in the NFL as it does in college football because everyone is fast in the pros. Go back and watch games of Crabtree at Texas Tech; he catches the ball away from his body, he uses his body well and he performs in the clutch. I know Heyward-Bey has a ton of speed and could turn out to be a great deep threat, but Crabtree is the real deal and the total package. Word is that Crabtree had a very “diva” attitude on visits to Cleveland and St. Louis, but if there’s one head coach in the league who could humble the young wideout, it’s Mike Singletary.

2. Jacksonville Jaguars No. 8: Eugene Monroe, OT
Monroe doesn’t have the athleticism of Baylor’s Jason Smith or the overall natural talent of Alabama’s Andre Smith, but he’s solid across the board. He does have some durability concerns and while he doesn’t excel at one fact of the game, he’s a steady pass blocker and a mauler in the running game. He was also considered one of the safest prospects in the draft and considering he could have went anywhere in the top 4 picks, the Jags got a steal at No. 8. He’ll likely start at left tackle as a rookie and immediately upgrade a Jacksonville offensive line that was decimated by injuries last year.

3. Washington Redskins No. 13: Brian Orakpo, DE
The Skins are seemingly always in need of pass rushers, which is why they gave up a 2009 second record pick for Jason Taylor last offseason. But after they cut Taylor in March, pass rusher once again became a top priority and everything fell right when Orakpo slipped to No. 13. The former Texas defensive end has a great burst off the line and saved his best effort for top competition Oklahoma, Texas Tech, etc.) last year in college. He’ll also benefit from playing alongside Albert Haynesworth, Andre Carter and Cornelius Griffin. A case could be made that he should be ranked higher than Monroe on this list, but as I wrote above, Monroe could have gone to any of the top 4 teams and fell to No. 8, which I thought was a great value for Jacksonville.

4. Arizona Cardinals No. 31: Chris “Beanie” Wells, RB
No knock against fellow running back prospects Knowshon Moreno and Donald Brown, but how does Beanie Wells fall this far? He has a great balance of power and speed, has completely healed from the foot injury he suffered earlier in the 2008 college football season and he was arguably the best running back prospect in the draft. For him to slip to No. 31 was a major surprise and he could turn out to be a fantastic steal for the Cardinals. This selection also allows the Cardinals to part ways with free agent mistake Edgerrin James, who wanted out of Arizona anyway.

5. Baltimore Ravens: No. 23: Michael Oher, OT
I’m shocked Oher fell to No. 23, even though there were concerns about his ability to learn an offense at the next level. Still, Baltimore had a need at offensive tackle and when Oher fell past Detroit at No. 20, the Ravens jumped at the opportunity to select him by trading up with New England. With Jared Gaither being as productive as he was last year (he only allowed two sacks), Oher can take his time learning the offense and eventually develop into a starting tackle.

Other 2009 NFL Draft Coverage:

NFL Draft: 5 Second Day Steals
NFL Draft: 5 First Round Values
NFL Draft: 5 Questionable Day 1 Decisions
NFL Draft: 5 Day 1 Winners
Official 2009 NFL Draft Post & Rumor Mill

It’s absolutely ridiculous to claim that a team “won” on draft day when none of the players have even played one down in the NFL yet. But it is fair to debate which teams made quality decisions on draft day (i.e. trades, overall maneuvering, etc.), and below are five franchises that I thought made out well after the first two rounds.

1. Cleveland Browns
Alex Mack, C (21); Brian Robiskie, WR (36); Mohamed Massaquoi, WR (50); David Veikune, DE (52)
The Browns became one of the day one draft winners the moment they were able to trade out of the No. 5 pick, because there wasn’t a prospect at that spot that Cleveland loved and they saved a ton of money getting out of the top 5. So they were able to make a deal with the Jets and landed the 17th and 52nd picks, as well as three players (Kenyon Coleman, Brett Ratliff and Abram Elam) that used to play for Eric Mangini in New York. The underrated Elam is the best of the group and should start at strong safety after the team decided to not re-sign Sean Jones. After the deal with the Jets, the Browns made yet another move, trading the 17th overall pick to Tampa Bay for the 19th and 191st selections. Still not satisfied, the Browns again traded back, this time dealing the 19th pick to Philadelphia for the 21st and 195th selections. When they finally did select a player at No. 21, they got the best center prospect in the draft in Mack, who joins a solid offensive line that already features Eric Steinbach and Joe Thomas. Although I was surprised that they passed on OLB Everrette Brown early in the second, they got a polished receiver in Brian Robiskie and then eventually filled their linebacker need with Veikune, who is raw but has good upside. Massaquoi was a bit of a surprise, especially considering the Robiskie selection earlier in the round, but it’s hard to criticize what Mangini and new GM George Kokinis did on the first day. It also must be noted how well the Browns played everything before the draft, keeping things close to the vest and not tipping their hand. Obviously that trade with the Jets for the No. 5 pick had to be in the works for a while given the players involved.

2. New England Patriots
Patrick Chung, S (34); Ron Brace, DT (40); Darius Butler, CB (41); Sebastian Vollmer, OT (58)
I thought they reached on Chung at the top of the second round, but it’s hard to question Bill Belichick on draft day and it was interesting that safeties started flying off the board once Detroit took Louis Delmas at No. 33 and New England followed with Chung with the next pick. So maybe Belichick knew that Chung would fly off the board if he didn’t reach at 34. The Pats got two players in Brace and Butler who many pundits thought were first round prospects and Vollmer gives them nice depth at the tackle position. But New England did its most damage in the first round, when they acquired the 26th and 162nd picks from Baltimore in exchange for the 23rd pick, then turned around and absolutely fleeced Green Bay for the 41st, 73rd and 83rd picks in exchange for the two picks they acquired from the Ravens. Belichick and the Patriots have long mastered the art of the draft day trade.

3. New York Giants
Hakeem Nicks, WR (29); Clint Sintim, LB (45); William Beatty, OT (60)
The Giants had a solid first day by filling needs and also drafting some of the best players on the board at their selections. The G-Men had an obvious need at wideout after releasing Plaxico Burress and while Nicks isn’t a burner, he was a productive player at UNC and should make an impact right away. I absolutely love the Sintim pick because I felt as though he should have went in the first round, although I wonder how he fits into the Giants’ plans with Danny Clark and Michael Boley already filling the starting outside linebacker spots. Still, Sintim was a beast at Virginia and the Giants will definitely game plan ways to get him on the field in special situations. Beatty adds depth at tackle and could develop into a starter if he shows more mental toughness.

4. Seattle Seahawks
Aaron Curry, LB (4); Max Unger, C (49)
The Seahawks got tremendous value with the fourth overall pick when the Chiefs passed on Curry at No. 3. They landed arguably the best player in the entire draft and didn’t upset the applecart by selecting quarterback Mark Sanchez. Then with their second pick, they landed a player in Unger that could possibly fill in at guard this season. The only debate will be whether or not they gave up too much to land Unger after trading the 68th and 105th overall picks to Chicago for the 49th. They probably did, but this team should rebound next year and compete in a garbage division, plus they wound up with the best prospect in the draft. Not to mention, they landed a first round pick in next year’s draft after trading their second round (37th overall) pick to Denver.

5. Jacksonville Jaguars
Eugene Monroe, OT (8); Eben Britton, OT (39)
Some might scoff at the fact that the Jags took two offensive tackles, but they were decimated with injuries along their O-line last year and the entire offense fell apart. The team also parted with Khalif Barnes in the offseason, so Monroe (who was considered one of the safest picks in the draft) fills their left tackle need and Britton is slated to play on the right side. It’s not too often that a team lands two starting offensive tackles in the first two rounds and while this wasn’t a flashy draft, it was solid nonetheless.

Honorable Mention Section:

San Francisco 49ers: Michael Crabtree, WR (10)
Crabtree shockingly slipped to San Fran at No. 10, who finally landed a true No. 1 receiver since trading Terrell Owens away years ago. The Niners also traded their second round pick (43rd overall) to Carolina for their first round pick in 2010. That’s an outstanding first day and definitely worth a mention.

Other 2009 NFL Draft Coverage:

NFL Draft: 5 Second Day Steals
NFL Draft: 5 First Round Values
NFL Draft: 5 Questionable Day 1 Decisions
NFL Draft: 5 Day 1 Winners
Official 2009 NFL Draft Post & Rumor Mill

There is no such thing as a “can’t-miss” prospect in the first round of an NFL draft. They just don’t exist. For as much as teams scout and prepare, it’s inevitable that some prospects just aren’t going to pan out, which means they hop the train to Bustville right out of the gates.

Before you check to make sure that you’ve taken the correct dosage of your medication today, I realize that the first line of this article directly contradicts the title. That’s because even though there is no such thing as “can’t-miss” prospect in the first round, this is the time of year to have a little fun by making some predictions.

Two weeks ago, I complied a ranking of the top 5 potential first round busts in this month’s draft. So I thought it was only appropriate that I construct another top 5 ranking, this time of players I deem to be “can’t-miss” prospects. These are first round prospects that I think are low-risk, high-reward players.

Fair warning, don’t flip out when you read names of prospects that are expected to go in the top 10. This isn’t a piece dedicated to first round steals – it’s one that centers around prospects that should have the least amount of risk involved and the highest success rate.

Just as I mentioned in my top 5 first round busts piece, I realize that one or two of these prospects might slip to the second round (see Alex Mack). But on average, most pundits would agree that all five of the players are first round talents.

1. Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest
Some believe Curry is the best prospect in the entire draft and I’m one of them. What’s impressive about the Wake Forest product is that he projects as either a middle or outside linebacker in any defensive scheme. Some linebackers and defensive ends don’t have a true position in the NFL because of lack of size, but Curry is projected to have multiple positions at the next level. He’s also a three-down player who not only can be a force against the run, but he’s so athletic that he can stay on the field in passing situations and cover backs and tight ends in coverage. Curry is the ultimate package and has limited weaknesses, which is why some Lions fans are holding out hope that Detroit will make him the No. 1 pick.

2. Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia
Baylor’s Jason Smith is rated as the best offensive tackle in this month’s draft – and for good reason. He has great size, athleticism and is projected to be the best pass blocker of any offensive lineman in the draft. But while Smith might have a higher ceiling in terms of potential, Monroe is arguably the safest prospect in the entire draft. He doesn’t excel at any one facet of the game, yet is fundamentally sound in both run blocking and pass protection, and is also more athletic than what people give him credit for. Monroe is the prototypical NFL offensive tackle in terms of size (he’s 6’5”, 309 pounds) and has tons of experience (he was a three-year starter and could have played as a true freshman if it wasn’t for D’Brickashaw Ferguson). He also has outstanding footwork, which is often the most important thing when pro scouts are looking at offensive line prospects. Whichever team lands Monroe will probably be able to plug him in at left tackle and forget about having to draft the position again for the next 10 to 12 years.

3. Alex Mack, C, California
Some people are going to take one look at Mack’s position and wonder what I smoked right before sitting down to write this piece. A center for a first round pick? Believe it. The last center to be selected in the first round was Nick Mangold by the Jets in 2006. While he struggled a bit during his sophomore season, he’s been a quality player in the middle of the Jets’ offensive line and will likely continue to be for years to come. Centers are often the most overlooked position on the field and yet they’re responsible for getting their linemates set, calling out audibles and making pre-snap adjustments so their quarterbacks don’t get killed. They’re often the most intelligent players on the field and prospects like Mack are changing the way teams view centers in the draft. Mack doesn’t come without his flaws (he can be overly aggressive at times), but he’s extremely intelligent, has great technique and he’s an incredibly hard worker. He also comes loaded with experience, is strong and doesn’t have any durability issues. Mack won’t be selected in the top 20 and could fall into the early second round, but he’s the best center prospect to come out in several years and chances are he’s going to be very successful at the next level.

4. B.J. Raji, DT, Boston College
Some will argue that since Raji comes with off field baggage (i.e. he was ejected from a game in 2006 for throwing a punch, he missed the entire 2007 college season because of an academic issue and he also tested positive for marijuana before the 2008 season) that he could be one of the bigger first round risks this year. But back in 1995 there was a defensive tackle out of Miami named Warren Sapp that had some off field issues (including a reported failed drug test leading up the draft) too, yet he turned the doubts and criticisms into motivation and wound up being a seven-time Pro Bowler. Raji has a ton of talent and if he’s motivated, he could become one of the more dominant interior defensive linemen in the NFL some day. He’s big enough and quick enough to play either tackle position in a 4-3, and has enough size to play nose in a 3-4. He has outstanding strength, can occupy multiple defenders and flashes good instincts and quickness at the point of attack. If he winds up in a solid organization (i.e. Green Bay), he could turn out to be one of the best first round picks in this draft. He just needs to stay focused and motivated.

5. Rey Maualuga, LB, USC
Maualuga isn’t a three-down player. He won’t be very good in coverage if he’s left in obvious passing situations and he’s not Aaron Curry in that he can play multiple ‘backer positions in either a 4-3 or 3-4. Maualuga is a true thumper in every sense of the word and if he winds up playing inside linebacker in a 3-4 or middle linebacker in a 4-3, he’s going to be a force. He has the size and strength to shed blockers and despite not having ideal speed, he’s a solid pass rusher and decent blitzer. The bottom line is that Maualuga has to fit into the right defensive scheme to be completely successful, but if he does, he could become one of the better young ‘backers in the NFL in a short amount of time.

Be sure to return to The Scores Report the week of the draft as John Paulsen and I break down what positions are the safest bets in the first round.

SI.com’s Peter King shares 10 draft nuggets that he got from Mike Mayock:

1. “This is by far the worst year for the top 10 that I’ve seen. Down around 18, 20, you’ll get every bit the player you’ll get in the top 10 for a third of the price.”

2. His gut feeling is Detroit’s taking Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford with the first pick of the draft.

3. “I can’t bang the table for Stafford the way I did for Matt Ryan last year. I don’t see an elite player in him every time I watch, which you need to see if you’re taking a quarterback that high.”

4. Mayock, if he had his choice of first-round picks for talent and value, would be around 22. “The value in this draft is at 15 and beyond.”

5. He says eight or nine tight ends will be drafted in the first three rounds. He loves the best of the bunch, Oklahoma State’s Brandon Pettigrew. (I’d love to see the Bills land him, by the way. Perfect offensive weapon for a coordinator, Turk Schonert, who loves to use the tight end.)

6. He likes Eugene Monroe over Jason Smith, if you’re picking a franchise tackle. “Smith’s got a better upside. Very aggressive. But Monroe’s got the best feet in the draft. He’s a really accomplished technician.”

7. He thinks Wake Forest linebacker Aaron Curry — who Detroit would play at middle linebacker if the Lions made him the first pick of the draft — would be optimally used at strongside linebacker in the 4-3 because he can cover, he can play physically over the tight end, and he’s got upside pass-rushing ability.

8. He’s scared of Brian Orakpo, the Texas defensive end who’s the apple of a few teams’ eyes in the top half of the first round. “Buyer beware,” Mayock said. “He’s boom or bust. I don’t know if he’s DeMarcus Ware or Vernon Gholston. I’ve seen him have some really good games, and I’ve seen what I considered to be Brandon Pettigrew tearing him apart. The point is, I don’t see it all the time from Orakpo, which concerns me.”

9. Of the elite quarterbacks, he likes USC’s Mark Sanchez the best. “He’s the most ready made for the pro game right now.”

10. If you need a cornerback in this draft, sit it out. There are no corners even well above average, never mind great.

Those are 10 pretty solid observations and outside of maybe deeming Mark Sanchez an elite quarterback-candidate, I can’t find fault in anything Mayock said.

When asked specifically about Jay Cutler and if Mayhew would consider trading the top pick for the unhappy Broncos quarterback, he didn’t shoot down the idea.

“We’re open to all options with that pick,” Mayhew said during a break at the NFL Annual Meeting.

“Obviously, it has value to us, and if it has value to somebody else, then we can talk about that.”

On Sunday, Lions president Tom Lewand told Tom Kowalski of Booth Newspapers in Lansing, Mich., that the team was looking forward to discussions with “agents of players we’re interested in.” Speculation elsewhere has identified the Lions’ leading candidate as Baylor offensive tackle Jason Smith.

Before Lion fans start doing back flips about the possibility of trading out of the No. 1 slot in hopes to acquire more draft picks and essentially get better value for their selections, trading out of the top spot isn’t like shopping for toilet paper. It’s just not that easy – especially when there isn’t an elite prospect that multiple teams are after. (I know Aaron Curry is a stud, but he’s still not a prospect that multiple teams are going to trip over in trying to trade for the No. 1 pick.)

The last time the No. 1 overall pick was successfully traded was in 2001 when the Chargers dealt the top selection to the Falcons for the 5th overall pick, a third round pick and a second round pick in 2002. But Atlanta wanted Michael Vick and didn’t know if he would slide to No. 5 if they waited. Guys like Curry, Matthew Stafford, Jason Smith and Eugene Monroe aren’t going to garner that kind of attention, so I would imagine that the Lions will still be drafting out of that slot come next month.

Growing up with four other siblings, hand-me downs and competition for everything were commonplace. Each day was an exercise in fast feet, quick reflexes, and the occasional chop block. You learn too, that if you want to stand out from those around you, it takes dedication.

Comparatively speaking, I had it easy. In a family of 16 children, one can imagine Eugene Monroe has had a lot of practice protecting what was valuable. Now all we need to do is trade out the remote control for a quarterback, add about 250 pounds and we get quite possibly the best offensive lineman in the class of 2009.

Born and raised in Plainfield, New Jersey, Monroe got his chance to stand out while playing football at Plainfield High School. While there, Monroe made the all-state team twice, did not allow a single sack in his last 25 games, and was widely regarded as the best offensive lineman of any high school in the country.

With accolades and accomplishments such as that, a spot on the line of any of the top football schools in the country was assured. Rather than accept a free ride at a perennial favorite, however, Monroe chose to dive back into the middle and work his way to the top. The University of Virginia, while certainly not one of the bottom tier football programs, has nonetheless been a team generally traveling under the 10 in the country. Of course this seems like an unlikely choice to make, but according to his agent Sanat Shah, when asked about why he chose the Cavaliers, Monroe responded:

“I wanted to be a part of something that’s much more meaningful than being one of many.”

Well, choosing to join Virginia certainly appears to have been the right move. Despite having a somewhat mediocre first season in 2005, he played in every game and his promise was certainly recognized by the coaching staff. From the next season on he was a regular first-stringer, exchanging starts with Zak Stair, as well as receiving his first letter.

The 2007 season was when Monroe really began to turn heads. Starting again at left tackle, Monroe played in every game – save two due to an injury – and despite the presence of Brenden Albert (a first round draft pick that year), Monroe kept his position, continuing to improve his skills throughout the season. 2007 ended with Monroe having not allowed a single sack.

Monroe’s steady climb reached its zenith this past season. As a senior, Monroe started every game, dominating defenses around the country with his strength and speed. He was awarded the 2008 Jacobs Trophy as the best blocker in the ACC.

Along with Alabama’s Andre Smith, Baylor’s Jason Smith, and Mississippi’s Michael Oher, Monroe is widely regarded as one of the best linemen prospects in the 2009 NFL Draft. The main reasons Monroe has worked his way to the top of the list are his fast feet, even switching into a tight end on some plays, long arms, and overall mentality. Monroe doesn’t stop blocking until the whistle has finished blowing.

As is the case with all prospects, Monroe does have a few weaknesses: he is a bit heavy in the mid-section and needs to work on being more mindful of late rushers during a broken play. Scouts have also been concerned that the sprained knee he suffered in 2007, which kept him off the starting line-up for two games, may be a reoccurring issue.

In terms of draft day, Monroe has been a bit of a wild card. While it’s pretty much certain that he’ll be selected in the top 10, there are quite a few teams that could use a blocker as skilled as Monroe. A lot of speculation has been made in regards to the Seahawks and Bengals, but the truth is that nearly every team could use him. Whatever the case, Monroe is very high on any mock draft you might come across.

There’s no way to know for certain where Eugene Monroe is going, but he’s going to be a key player in whatever line he finds himself on. Then it’s just going to be a simple matter of making sure no one gets through it. As Monroe has shown throughout his career, the dedication required to stand out when surrounded by some of the largest athletes in the world is something that he has in spades.

Latest on Monroe

In the latest edition of his mock draft, NFL.com senior analyst, Pat Kirwan has listed Monroe as the top overall pick. Matthew Stafford’s poor performance during the scouting combine may be the reason for this, as well as previous comments from the Lions hinting at a plan to rebuild from the inside rather than simply obtain a star quarterback. Jason Smith would be another highly likely choice for the first pick; it’ll just be a matter of preference for the Lions when choosing between two such high caliber athletes.

Career

Eugene Monroe Biography- University of Virginia Cavaliers Official Athletic Site
Official UVA listing of player statistics and personal information.

News and Commentary
Eugene Monroe Scouting Report
FFtoolbox.com gives their take on Monroe’s strengths and weaknesses.

Plainfield’s Eugene Monroe trying to stand out at NFL Scouting
Article focusing on Monroe and his relationship with friend/agent Sunat Shah.

Virginia’s Eugene Monroe named Jacobs Blocking Trophy Recipient
ACC’s official website detailing Monroe’s award.

Monroe says

on his ability to succeed in the NFL:
“Over my career at Virginia I’ve proven I can block anybody,” said Monroe, who gave up only two sacks this past season. “I have the determination to improve my game and the ambition to succeed and I never stop. I continue to set goals. When one step is completed, I set another goal. I make sure I do everything in my power to achieve that. If I can’t, I’ll reset everything and I’ll go back to the drawing board and just continue to grind.”
Posted on: NJ.com

Sources and Links
NFL.com

ESPN INSIDER.com

Pro Football Scout