A couple of months ago I did division-by-division draft needs for every team. But now that we’re a couple of hours away from Roger Goodell taking the stage at Radio City Music Hall, I’ve decided to put together an updated post together on all 32 teams. So below you’ll find team-by-team needs for the NFC, as well as a quick summary for each division. (Click here to check out the AFC.)

NFC East

Cowboys: OT, DE, OG, S, CB
Giants: OT, OLB, ILB
Eagles: OL, LB, CB
Redskins: QB, WR, RB, OL, DE, ILB, CB, S

Quick & Dirty Summary: The Cowboys’ biggest need is arguably safety, although there won’t be a safety worthy of taking at No. 9. If neither of the top corners (Patrick Peterson and Prince Amukamara) fall to them in the first round, it’s possible the ‘Boys will take the top OT on their board…The Giants don’t have a ton of holes to fill (at least not compared to other teams around the league), so they might draft the best player available at No. 19. But they’ll have to re-evaluate their offensive line at some point, which could mean drafting at OT and moving David Diehl inside…The Eagles had the worst red zone defense in the league last year and may look to remedy the situation by adding a cornerback in the first round, or a pass-rushing outside linebacker that can provide pressure off the edge…What don’t the Redskins need? With so many holes to address, it’s no wonder why Mike Shanahan said his team would like to acquire more picks. Quarterback is at the top of the list, but this is a team lacking playmakers on the offensive side of the ball. Defensively, there are needs on almost every level.

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The closer we get to Thursday’s NFL draft, the more muddled Missouri quarterback Blaine Gabbert’s stock appears to be.

According to NFL Network’s Mike Lombardi, Gabbert’s draft stock is “slipping” and the 49ers, who hold the seventh overall pick, are only “lukewarm” on the Missouri product. Lombardi even suggests that Gabbert “could easily slide out of the top 10.”

I don’t buy this. I can see the 49ers not being interested in Gabbert, but I don’t see him falling out of the top 10. Yes, the fact that he played in the spread at MIZZOU raises concerns. But Sam Bradford proved last year that just because a QB played in the spread in college, doesn’t mean he won’t be able to tie his shoes without falling over as soon as he reaches the pros.

Gabbert is a big, strong-armed passer with above-average athletic ability and a good football I.Q. Is he unpolished? Yes, much like all quarterback prospects are at this stage. Is he a sure thing? No, but no prospect is a sure thing heading into the draft.

Assuming Carolina passes on him with the first overall pick, the Bills, Bengals, Cardinals, 49ers, Titans and Redskins are all possibilities for Gabbert in the top 10. In fact, I really like him at No. 8 overall to Tennessee, which will obviously need a quarterback once it dumps Vince Young. I’m not as connected as Lombardi and I would need a calculator to add up how many times I’ve missed on observations when it comes to previous drafts (a fact readers are never shy to remind me about…a-holes). But I don’t see a well put-together quarterback prospect like Gabbert slipping out of the top 10.

According to a report by FOX Sports’ Jay Glazer and Alex Marvez, Georgia DE/LB Justin Houston tested positive for marijuana at February’s scouting combine. Iowa DL Christian Ballard also failed a drug test, which isn’t good considering he’s already facing question marks about his lack of production in relation to his immense talent.

In Houston’s case, the failed drug test could cost him the opportunity to be selected in the first round. He’s too good of a talent to fall out of the second round, but teams were already wary of his abilities to stand up and produce as an outside linebacker in a 3-4. For those observers who have watched tape on the former Bulldog, most of them say that he’s better with his hand in the dirt as a DE in a 4-3.

The other thing that was already hurting Houston’s draft stock was the fact that the defensive line position is deep in this year’s draft. When you couple the failed drug test with the questionable tape, it stands to reason that eight or nine defensive ends could be selected before Houston comes off the board. Granted, that may have happened anyway (even before FOX’s report came out), but the positive drug test certainly doesn’t help.

It never ceases to amaze me how NFL prospects are willing to potentially lose thousands (if not millions in some players’ cases) of dollars just so they can smoke a little ganja. Hopefully the crap Houston smoked was worth potentially falling into the second round and costing him guaranteed money on his first pro contract.

While appearing on FOX Sports Radio with the Charlotte Observer’s Darin Gantt, Panthers’ general manager Marty Hurney suggested that Carolina will take a quarterback with the No. 1 overall pick on Thursday.

“This is a quarterback league,” Hurney said. “Look at the order of the draft. The ones who have them are picking low, and the ones who don’t are pick high.”

Hurney went onto say that “this has nothing to do with Jimmy Clausen.” It’s noteworthy that Gantt is convinced that the Panthers will take Cam Newton with the top pick, although that conflicts with Tony Softli’s prediction over the weekend that Carolina will take Alabama DT Marcell Dareus. Softli is a former high-ranking executive with the Panthers, so take his Dareus prediction for what it’s worth.

Hurney could be setting up a smokescreen with his comments about quarterbacks, although the only benefit there would be if some team were interested in trading up for Newton. If no team is, then there’s really no reason for Hurney to be coy about the Panthers’ draft plans at this point. It’s not like someone is going to sneak up ahead of them seeing as how they hold the first overall pick.

My gut says Newton and when I release my final mock draft on Thursday, I don’t imagine that you’ll see anyone else’s name written into that top spot.

In his column about character assessments, Nolan Nawrocki of Pro Football Weekly writes that Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett confirmed to NFL teams during the scouting combine that he at least experimented with drugs during his college years.

Arkansas QB Ryan Mallett — One GM said Mallett was the first quarterback ever to admit his drug usage to him in interviews, and his willingness to be honest about his past and acknowledge issues is viewed as a positive. Concerns about his history of use could impact his draft position, though. Although Mallett did not produce an official positive test at Arkansas, he has been arrested for public intoxication and carries a reputation as a “big party guy,” per sources who have interviewed him. How much teams believe he has matured will weigh into his draft status. “I would not take him at any point,” one executive not in need of a quarterback said. He still figures to be drafted in the second round.

If I were an NFL draft evaluator I would be more concerned about his work habits than his drug use. Just because a player experimented with drugs in college doesn’t mean he’s going to be a loose cannon in the NFL. Granted, giving him millions of dollars and more free time usually only fuels young players’ appetites for partying but again, that doesn’t mean they’ll be a malcontent in the NFL. I would be more concerned if Mallett was lazy, failed to show up to meetings and practice on time, or if he generally couldn’t grasp a playbook.

That said, I don’t blame any team for wanting to stay away from him. You invest that much money in a player, he better eat, sleep and drink football until his career is finished or else why draft him? There’s a reason why a guy like Peyton Manning is viewed as the best: because he’s willing to work at the game he loves. If teams get the sense that Mallett is the second coming of Ryan Leaf, then why bother even having him on their draft board?

If Mallett does wind up falling into the second round, one team I’d keep an eye on is Oakland. The Raiders run a vertical offense with Hue Jackson at the helm and Al Davis doesn’t give a squat about whether or not a prospect has questionable character. Granted, quarterback isn’t necessarily a need for the Raiders but Davis has always been a guy who is attracted to big-time talent.

Despite a report a week ago that stated the Redskins were trying to move up in the first round, Pete Prisco of CBSSports.com writes that Washington is actually trying to trade down.

According to a league source, the Redskins are looking to trade down in the first round with the idea they will draft either Florida State quarterback Christian Ponder or TCU quarterback Andy Dalton.

The Redskins, who pick 10th overall, would like to get a second-round pick from a team in exchange for moving back to their spot in the first round. They could then use their two second-round picks to bolster the defense.

For a team that doesn’t have a third-round pick, this scenario makes a lot more sense than trying to trade up.

The X-factor here would be if Missouri quarterback Blaine Gabbert were to fall to them at the 10th spot. The Redskins would likely take him there, rather than trading back.

I share in Prisco’s thoughts exactly. Teams can’t trade 2012 draft picks without a CBA in place, so it would be difficult for a team like the Redskins to move up in the first round without having enough 2011 selections to make a deal. Besides, why would the Redskins want to sacrifice maybe first, second and fourth round selections to move up a couple of spots when they don’t have a third rounder? I get that if a team is in love with a player, you move up and get him. But the Redskins may wind up sacrificing their entire draft for one player if they traded up, which might not be worth it in the end.

It sounds like if Gabbert is there at N0. 10, the Skins will take him. If he doesn’t fall, then they could wait to see if Ponder or Dalton is there in the second or third. (Assuming of course that they trade down and acquire a third round pick.)

More red flags are starting to emerge for Auburn defensive tackle Nick Fairley.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Fairley missed his flight to the scouting combine, missed a team meeting while he was there and was late for a team interview at his Pro Day. This is a prospect that has a reputation for taking plays off, so this news won’t surprise some observers.

You knew there was something going on when heading into the combine, Fairley was viewed as a potential No. 1 overall pick and then since that point, his stock has seemingly fallen off a cliff. Granted, nobody knows what teams’ draft boards look like right now, so maybe Fairley will still go among the top 5-10 picks. But there have been more than enough reports that lead you to believe he could fall out of the top 10 because of his work ethic (or lack thereof).

Of course the flip side of this is that Fairley is one hell of a prospect. I mean, this kid could really dominate if he’s motivated, focused and willing to put in the work. His skill set and abilities are off the charts but he doesn’t have the drive of someone like Ndamukong Suh. Or at least, that’s what the perception is and perception is often reality.

The Vikings need someone to replace Brett Favre and according to ESPN 1500’s Tom Pelissero, they may have their eyes on a quarterback prospect who has Favre-like qualities in their eyes. (Uh, on the field.)

After doing “a lot of digging,” Pelissero believes that Washington quarterback Jake Locker could be the Vikings pick at No. 12. The former Huskie has apparently generated “comparisons internally” to Favre at Vikings headquarters, and there’s a growing sense around the league that Locker is bound for Minnesota.

The fit certainly makes sense. First and foremost, head coach Leslie Frazier told the media a couple of weeks ago that the Vikings want to draft and start a rookie QB. The team also brought Bill Musgrave over from Atlanta to be the new offensive coordinator because he works so well with young quarterbacks (i.e. Matt Ryan). I’m sure the Vikings would love to give Musgrave a similar opportunity to groom someone like Locker, who has great intangibles and an abundance of athleticism, but who needs a fair amount of coaching.

If Locker does wind up in Minnesota, one thing he must make strides with is his accuracy. He fits the mold of a West Coast Offense quarterback in that he’s mobile and can get the ball out of his hand quickly, but his accuracy runs hot and cold. If he’s going to run Musgrave’s version of the WCO, Locker must improve that area of his game. Of course, the nice thing about landing in Minnesota is that Locker will have Adrian Peterson to take most of the load off his shoulders as he learns the ropes. Obviously not all young quarterbacks have AP lining up behind them in the backfield.

We’ll find out in a couple of weeks if Locker does indeed wind up in purple and white.

If someone had suggested three months ago that Nevada’s Colin Kaepernick could go in the first round of this year’s draft, that person would have probably been laughed at. In fact, ‘No way!’, ‘You’re an idiot!’, ‘I hate your face!’ would have likely been some of the typical responses.

But times have changed.

About a week ago, NFL Network’s Albert Breer was the latest to suggest that Kaepernick could merit first-round consideration. Granted, he did say late first-round consideration, but first-round consideration nonetheless.

Breer isn’t alone either. Kaepernick’s combination of size, athleticism and arm strength has garnered some attention over these last couple of months and it appears as though the former Wolfpack is steadily rising up draft boards. According to FOX Sports, he’s “scheduled to take 13 trips” to meet with NFL teams before the draft, with another three “in the works.” A few more teams are also reportedly set to come out to Reno to watch him workout as well.

That said, the biggest challenges that Kaepernick faces are that 1) he played in the pistol offense at Nevada and therefore has never ran a pro-style offense, and 2) he may have to adjust his unorthodox throwing motion when he gets to the next level. Granted, he’s not a work-in-progress like Tim Tebow was last year but he’s not Philip Rivers either in terms of his release (even though the ball does come out of his hand quickly).

Depending on how far guys like Jake Locker, Ryan Mallett and Christian Ponder fall, Kaepernick will likely go somewhere in the middle rounds (i.e. 2 through 4). It still seems like a stretch that he would go in the first round, although it’s certainly not as big a stretch as it was three months ago.

We knew that Da’Quan Bowers’ Pro Day on Friday was important after several reports have come out this month indicating that teams are worried about his knee. Unfortunately for Bowers, it doesn’t appear as though he put those concerns to rest.

According to Pro Football Weekly, Bowers “really struggled” at his workout on Friday.

He clearly looked fatigued, and left evaluators strongly questioning whether he will be ready in his first season. One evaluator in attendance estimated that Bowers’ knee appeared to be 70 percent healthy, at best.

“If he falls to us, we would have to discuss it,” said one evaluator, whose team holds a pick in the back half of the first round, “and I’m not sure we would pull the trigger. We’ll listen to our doctors. He had a real difficult time bending. I question whether he will be ready.”

Another evaluator added: “He’s not ready. He was hobbling around out there. The shuttles were bad. There’s no way to sugarcoat it. He cost himself millions of dollars.”

Ouch. Once regarded as a top-5 pick, it appears as though he’ll fall considerably at the end of the month. There’s always a chance that teams are sending out negative vibes about him in hopes that he’ll fall, but there hasn’t been one positive report about his knee since he had it scoped following the 2010 season.

Making matters worse for Bowers is that this year’s defensive end class is deep. North Carolina’s Robert Quinn, Missouri’s Aldon Smith, Cal’s Cameron Jordan, Iowa’s Adrian Clayborn, Ohio State’s Cameron Heyward, Wisconsin’s J.J. Watt, Georgia’s Justin Houston (considered to be a “tweener”) and Purdue’s Ryan Kerrigan are all regarded as first round picks. It would be easy for a defensive end-needy team to simply move Bowers down and one of those prospects up, causing Bowers to fall. Of course, depending on how far he drops, he could also be considered a major bargain. (Assuming his knee does eventually heal, of course.)

We’ll see. There’s still a month before the draft and that means a month of recovery more of recovery for Bowers. This news is certainly disappointing but who knows what teams are thinking at this point? His draft fate will be decided soon enough.