As part of the 2009 RotoRob NFL Draft Kit, we wanted to present you with the results of the 2009 Fantasy Football Expert Mock Draft No. 3, hosted by the folks at MockDraftCentral.com on Tuesday. I represented RotoRob.com in this mock draft and I picked seventh overall. The expert panel consists of 12 guys representing various media outlets, including Mock Draft Central, KFFL, Fantasy Pros 911, Roto Experts, Sports Illustrated and Time Warner. The 15-round draft included the following starting positions: QB, RB, RB, WR, WR, WR, TE, FLEX, DEF, K. This is a non-PPR mock with QB touchdowns worth four points, one point for every 20 pass yards, one point for every 10 rushing or receiving yards, and six points for a rush or receiving touchdown.

5:08 p.m.: Just starting to do some pre-mock preparations when I notice that the guy picking 10th, Scott Swanay, has an Applied Math & Computer Science degree from Harvard. I expect him to fool us all with his mathematical trickery.

5:14 p.m.: When I prepare for a draft, I like to take a look at my position and try to get a feel for what options I am going to have for the first five rounds. I will be picking sevent, 18th, 31st, 42nd, and 55th overall. My first five rounds could look like this: Chris Johnson, RB, Tennessee Titans; Randy Moss, WR, New England Patriots (I almost wrote Vikings; apparently, I am stuck in 2003); Jonathan Stewart, RB, Carolina Panthers; Braylon Edwards, WR, Cleveland Browns. I am not sure how much I would love this draft, but I do love me some young and energetic running backs. The draft is scheduled for 8:00 p.m.

5:26 p.m.: Taking a closer look at the first round pick, I will most likely have to choose from the following: Steven Jackson (RB, St. Louis Rams), Johnson (RB, Titans) and DeAngelo Williams (RB, Panthers). Under this scenario, I think I would lean towards Johnson. I love his game, but he could be overvalued this early.

5:29 p.m.: As far as quarterbacks go, my strategy most likely will be to wait until late and grab two starting QBs with the potential for breakout years and have the ability to pick based on matchups throughout the year. I think once you get past Tom Brady, Drew Brees and Peyton Manning, there is not a huge difference between someone you can steal late. My plan is to get these two guys in the late rounds: Trent Edwards (QB, Buffalo Bills) and Jason Campbell (QB, Washington Redskins). I would take a look at Carson Palmer if the price was right.

6:08 p.m.: Looking at the top 20 rankings from a bunch of different sites, it is amazing to me that Steve Slaton was taken so late in the actual NFL Draft last year. He is arguable the ninth or 10th best Fantasy running back coming into this year, which is exactly how many running backs went before him in last year’s draft.

6:13 p.m.: I think Jackson and LaDainain Tomlinson will bounce back with amazing years, if healthy.

6:15 p.m.: This year’s rookie running backs to watch include Knowshon Moreno, Donald Brown, LeSean McCoy, and Chris “Beanie” Wells. This group probably won’t best the 2008 class of Matt Forte, Stewart, Johnson and Slaton, but it will be interesting to see how their situations play out. I think Wells could easily beat out Tim Hightower and be the starter from Week One in Arizona. Brown is an amazing runner and will push Joseph Addai for playing time. McCoy could see a ton of action if Brian Westbrook keeps getting hurt. Moreno is a stud, but Josh McDaniels likes to have a stable of running backs and use them all.

6:21 p.m.: Note to all Willie Parker fans and owners: Rashard Mendenhall is awesome and, if healthy, will leave Parker with fewer carries.

6:23 p.m.: My pre-season vote for NFC Rookie of the Year goes to Michael Crabtree of the 49ers. In the AFC, I have Brown of the Colts. The stat that typically gives the best idea of whether a receiver will translate to the next level: receiving touchdowns in college. Crabtree had 41 in two years at Texas Tech.

6:31 p.m.: My sleeper of the year is Earl Bennett, WR, Chicago Bears. Bennett was a teammate of Jay Cutler during their Vanderbilt days, so Cutler trusts him. Plus, the Bears have a lack of depth at WR, so Bennett is sure to see the field a ton. Think Eddie Royal-type performances.

6:55 p.m.: Seared Ahi Tuna with soy sauce, ginger, and sesame oil. It’s the pre-mock draft dinner of champions.

7:00 p.m.: My main target for TE is Greg Olsen of the Chicago Bears. Cutler loves using his TE and Olsen is actually the best target they have. I am ready to have my annual “laugh at the guy who takes Tony Gonzalez way too early” moment. This is an expert’s draft though…I might have to wait until August.

7:15 p.m.: 45 minutes until go time. I fully expect Adrian Peterson to go No. 1, but after that it could get interesting. This is not like other years where there is basically no guesswork in the top three. I think Maurice Jones-Drew could see a huge spike in production with Fred Taylor heading north to New England.

7:25 p.m.: I am convinced that I am going to go RB in the first round and then WR in second round. Wow, I absolutely hate picking between fifth and eighth in a 12-team league.

7:53 p.m.: After some technical SNAFUs I am in the draft room and ready to rock it!

Round One: No real surprises here except Jackson fell all the way to 11, about four to six spots farther than he really should land. I end up taking Johnson with the No. 7 pick. Late in the first round, Moss and Andre Johnson go off the board. I think Slaton going No. 10 is a little high.

Round Two: Wide receivers dominate the deuce by filling seven draft spots. The biggest surprise here for me is Brees going 13th overall. I think that you will overpay for him this year and if you want a top tier QB, it may be best to wait another couple rounds and snag someone like Aaron Rodgers, who may even give Brees a run for his money. I took WR Steve Smith (Panthers) in the second round — a player I usually shy away from because of candy-armed Jake Delhomme.

Round Three: After taking a RB and WR, I was planning on taking another wide out in this round until I saw Brady was still on the board. I am a huge advocate of waiting on QBs for the later rounds, but I just think Brady is worth more than a mid-third round pick. I ended up taking him and passing on a running back such as Pierre Thomas, Thomas Jones, Darren McFadden, or Marshawn Lynch, all of whom went in this round after my pick.

Round Four: Going into this round, I had three guys on my list to take with this pick. Since I needed a running back they were, in order, Larry Johnson, Moreno and Stewart. All three were available and I took LJ, banking on him staying injury free and happy. The first rookie went off the board this round when Moreno was drafted with the 10th pick. So after four rounds, my roster looks like such: QB Brady, RB Chris Johnson, RB Larry Johnson, WR Smith. I think that is a fairly explosive squad thus far.

Round Five: Just like last round, I had running back on the mind. I wanted to take either Stewart or the rookie Brown. Stewart gets picked third, leaving me to see what Brown can do for me. Many would question this move, but I think Addai will be phased out and the Colts did not spend a first-round pick for the guy to ride the pine. I love having Brown as my third running back.

Round Six: Nothing too crazy here. I drafted Santonio Holmes to shore up my receiving corps. It was a tough decision between Holmes and second-year guy Donnie Avery. I like the fact Avery plays on turf at least eight times a year, but I think Holmes will put up better numbers. Lee Evans, my target pick for this round, was snagged a couple slots ahead of me.

Round Seven: Instead of filling my starting positions, I took a fourth running back here in Felix Jones. This second-year guy is super talented and will get every opportunity to get as many touches he can handle. I like the depth my squad has and Jones is a wildcard who could pay off greatly. I did not see any WR that I had to have in this round, so I will wait to fill the starting WR and TE spots I have left.

Round Eight: Needing a TE, I selected Olsen of the Bears. I believe he is the best option for Cutler and he will use him to the fullest. I really think Olsen will have a Pro Bowl year and put up numbers comparable to new Falcon TE Gonzalez. Call me crazy. FYI: Crabtree was selected late in this round. He may be a better option in keeper leagues, but we’ll see.

Round Nine: I go WR and take Jeremy Maclin, a rookie for the Eagles, who will surely see the field a lot this year. The Eagles love to pass and Maclin gives them another option. The first defense (Pittsburgh) goes off the board with the next pick.

Round 10: I like what I have so far. I added another rookie wide receiver when I take Hakeem Nicks of the Giants. I think he will try to replace Plaxico Burress in that offense. I saw Nicks play a lot in college and I think he has what it takes. My hope would be that either Maclin and Nicks step up and play a prominent role in their respective offense.

Rounds 11-15: The last five rounds I took Edwards, Redskins’ Defense, Chris Henry (WR, Cincinnati Bengals), Devin Thomas and kicker Robbie Gould.

Final Roster

QB: Tom Brady, Trent Edwards
RB: Chris Johnson, Larry Johnson, Donald Brown, Felix Jones
WR: Steve Smith, Santonio Holmes, Jeremy Maclin, Hakeem Nicks, Chris Henry, Devin Thomas
TE: Greg Olsen
K: Robbie Gould
DEF: Redskins

I would like to thank the guys at Mock Draft Central for putting on the mock draft; I had a blast. Here is a link to the results.

Last month, we released our first pass at a mock of the 2009 NBA Draft. Here is our second attempt at projecting the draft, which will take place on June 25.

1. Los Angeles Clippers: Blake Griffin, PF, Oklahoma – All indications still point towards the Clippers taking Griffin with the first pick. It is pretty much a lock, unless they get stupid and try to trade the pick. Griffin is far and away the biggest talent in the draft and he should have an impact next year. Look for the Clip Show to try to trade Zach Randolph or Chris Kaman to anyone unfortunate enough to take on their bad contracts. If Randolph stays, it may hamper Griffin’s rookie campaign numbers, but I still think he could average 14 points and eight rebounds a game. If you are in a keeper league, there is even more incentive to take the former Sooner, as he will continue to get better and should be a dominant player by year three.

2. Memphis Grizzlies: Hasheem Thabeet, C, UConn – The Grizzlies seem to be actively shopping this pick, but I really do not see them moving it. Ricky Rubio has spurned Memphis, mostly because of its dealings with Juan Carlos Navarro and Pau Gasol, so I don’t see the Grizz considering the Spainard. If the Grizzlies keep the pick, I think they will take Thabeet to solidify their back line of defense. Although Thabeet is not offensively sound, he will be an impact player defensively from Day One. He should be considered next year in Fantasy leagues solely due to his shot blocking ability. Other possibilities: Rubio.

3. Oklahoma City Thunder: Ricky Rubio, PG, Spain – I think general manager Sam Presti sees Rubio as the second best prospect in the draft, which also makes him the second best asset. I think the Thunder drafts Rubio with intentions of trading him to the highest bidder. This could totally blow up the rest of the draft if a trade happens on draft day. Regardless of the scenario, I think Rubio will be selected third, but I have no clue who he plays for next year. Also, if OKC can not find a deal that suits the team, oh well, it has Rubio! Other possibilities: James Harden, Stephen Curry, Hasheem Thabeet.

4. Sacramento Kings: Jonny Flynn, PG, Syracuse – It is possible that Rubio slips to the Kings at this spot, and it would be a no brainer to go with him because they desperately need a point guard after inconsistent Beno Udrih pretty much proved he’s not a legitimate NBA starting PG. With Rubio off the board in this mock draft, I think the Kings reach out and take Flynn of Syracuse, even though he is projected later in the lottery by most. This lightning-fast guard really impressed the Kings’ brass during workouts as he provided a great deal of energy and leadership. Flynn could be a Fantasy stud right away next year if he ends up in Sactown. Other possibilities: Rubio, Jrue Holiday.

5. Washington Wizards: James Harden, SG, Arizona State – All indications point to the Wizards trying to move this pick for a veteran that will give them a chance to compete. It is possible that the Celtics could trade Ray Allen for this pick and some salaries. Under that scenario, the Celts would take Tyreke Evans, whom Danny Ainge loves. If the Wizards keep the pick, they will be deciding between Harden, Evans, and Jordan Hill, with the former two being the lead candidates. Ultimately, I think it would be foolish to trade for Allen and his one year left and give up the chance at a young stud. I say the Wizards keep the pick and take Harden out of Arizona State. Other possibilities: Curry, Hill, Evans.

6. Minnesota Timberwolves: Tyreke Evans, SG, Memphis – I could easily see the T-wolves taking Curry in this spot, but Evans projects as a more dominant pro, and fits better on their roster. If Tyreke lands here, I think he has a good chance to start next year in the backcourt with Randy Foye, which would give the Wolves some decent guards to pair with Kevin Love and Al Jefferson. Evans should be an immediate impact player in Fantasy to some extent. Other possibilities: Curry.

7. Golden State Warriors: Jordan Hill, PF, Arizona – I have always thought Hill should be the pick for the Warriors at No. 7. While the Warriors have a number of lanky prospects, Anthony Randolph and Brandan Wright are not the same type of players that Hill could become. When Andris Biedrins was injured last year, the lack of frontcourt depth was very evident. Hill is also a big man that can run with the Warriors’ up-tempo offense and pound the boards. Other possibilities: Flynn, Brandon Jennings, Curry, Terrence Williams.

8. New York Knicks: Stephen Curry, PG/SG, Davidson – I think the only real threat to take Curry before this spot is the Timberwolves at No. 6. If Curry does land in New York, the fans will be ecstatic. I think it would be hilarious to see what would happen if Curry is available and New York passes on him, especially considering he’s been rumoured to be earmarked for MSG for weeks. In Mike D’Antoni’s offense, Curry becomes an immediate Fantasy asset because of his long-range shooting ability. Other possibilities: Hill, Flynn, Jennings.

9. Toronto Raptors: DeMarr DeRozan, SF, USC – With Anthony Parker and Shawn Marion headed for free agency, the Raptors need an athletic wingman to fill the void. DeRozan really came on at the end of last year and showed some of the promise he had coming out of high school. I am not sure how the move across the border would affect a guy who is always been in the Southern California area. DeRozan is fairly raw still, but should get a good amount of playing time next year. Other possibilities: Holiday, Gerald Henderson, Earl Clark.

10. Milwaukee Bucks: Jrue Holiday, PG, UCLA – Holiday could go as high as No. 4 in the draft, with his worst case scenario falling here to the Bucks. Head coach Scott Skiles will love the defense and length that Holiday can bring to the table. With Ramon Sessions likely leaving via free agency, Holiday is sure to get his fill of playing time. Other possibilities: Flynn, Jeff Teague, Jennings, Clark.

11. New Jersey Nets: Tyler Hansbrough, PF, North Carolina – Most people have Hansbrough going later in the first round, but I think the Nets want and need a guy like this Tar Heel legend. During workouts he showed that he was taller and more athletic than most gave him credit for. Hansbrough also showed off an improved jumper that could allow him to have a long NBA career. I think this is a solid choice for the Nets and he could contribute right away. Other possibilities: Williams, James Johnson, DeJuan Blair.

12. Charlotte Bobcats: Gerald Henderson, SG, Duke – The fact that he’s a solid defender, a capable shooter, and a fan favourite all come into play here. The Bobcats would appease many of their loyal fans by taking the Duke product with the 12th overall pick. Other possibilities: Clark, B.J. Mullens.

13. Indiana Pacers: Brandon Jennings, PG, Italy – Jennings is a lightning-quick point guard who I think hit a bit of culture shock in the Euroleague. Teams over there do not really play on potential as much as what you can do in their system. The Pacers could take a risk on this point guard with the 13th pick and hope he becomes a star. Other possibilities: Eric Maynor, Teague, Austin Daye, Blair.

14. Phoenix Suns: Austin Daye, SF, Gonzaga – Daye decided to stay in the draft this year which makes me think he knows that he will go in the top 20. He said in the past that he would like to stay in the top 20 or go back to school. Daye seems like the type of player the Suns would take, even though he is a string bean and gets pushed around, even at Gonzaga in the West Coast Conference. Other possibilities: Clark, Johnson.

15. Detroit Pistons: Earl Clark, SF, Louisville – The Pistons need an overhaul and this could be started with taking this small forward from Louisville. Clark is a versatile player that could help infuse the Piston lineup with some exciting young talent. Other possibilities: Johnson.

16. Chicago Bulls: B.J. Mullens, C, Ohio State – The Bulls could definitely use a 7-footer that is a paint filler and post presence. I think if Mullens is still on the board at 16, he will be wearing red next season. I am not a huge fan of Mullens as I think he will be a total stiff in the NBA and I really do not think he is much of a Fantasy sleeper next year. He is also rumored to be going to the Knicks at No. 8, which I think would be crazy. Other possibilities: Blair, Hansbrough (if the Nets don’t take him).

17. Philadelphia 76ers: Eric Maynor, PG, VCU – I think this is a steal if Maynor slips to 17. He can contribute right away and even make some Fantasy noise. Other possibilities: Teague.

18. Golden State Warriors (Projected trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves): Terrence Williams, SG/SF, Louisville – The projected trade sends Wright and 2010 lottery protected first round pick to the Minnesota Timberwolves for the 18th pick in the 2009 NBA Draft. The Warriors really like Williams and the Timberwolves already have three first round picks this year and would like to gain assets for the future.

19. Atlanta Hawks: Jeff Teague, PG, Wake Forest – If the Hawks trade Josh Smith and use the cap space to sign Mike Bibby, they may go in a different direction. As of now, it looks like Smith will still be in Atlanta come draft day and there is no guarantee that Bibby will re-sign. Look for the Hawks to take Teague if he is still available. He is very talented and could go as high as 10 to the Bucks, but this draft is pretty heavy at the point guard position.

20. Utah Jazz: DeJuan Blair, PF, Pittsburgh – Worries about Blair’s knee may send his draft stock downward. He dominated the Big East, but the NBA is a different animal. I really do not see him evolving into an Elton Brand type. I think his best case scenario would be a Paul Millsap type of player, which the Jazz may need to replace this coming season.

21. New Orleans Hornets: James Johnson, PF, Wake Forest – Johnson is a super athletic big man would can play all over the court. He was quite inconsistent last year and I think he lacks the intangibles and overall basketball IQ to be a lottery pick. I do not see him contributing much next year from a Fantasy perspective, but he could earn court time if he outworks some guys in front of him.

22. Dallas Mavericks: Ty Lawson, PG, North Carolina – If Lawson really falls into the 20’s I think he will be disappointed. After his insane March performances, he was probably thinking he would go in the lottery. The Mavs need a point guard to replace Jason Kidd, and Lawson may be the best on the board at this point.

23. Sacramento Kings: Chase Budinger, SG/SF, Arizona – Budinger could fall anywhere from 15 to 30 in my eyes and rightfully so. He is a very athletic scorer who can thrive if placed in the right system. A year or two ago, he looked like a top 10 pick on potential alone, but he never really took the bull by the horns and relished the go-to guy role at Arizona.

24. Portland Trailblazers: Darren Collison, PG, UCLA – The Blazers already have Steve Blake, Sergio Rodriguez, and Jerryd Bayless, but none of these guards is known as a lock down defended. I think Portland will try to move Rodriguez, opening up some playing time for a more defensive-minded guard in Collison.

25. Oklahoma City Thunder: Omri Casspi, SF, Israel – Think of a skinnier version of Andres Nocioni who could give the Thunder some needed toughness on a rather finesse team.

26. Chicago Bulls: Toney Douglas, PG, Florida State – Douglas is a gamer who I think can make it in the league. The Bulls would also have another scorer who could replace Ben Gordon if he leaves via free agency. If you have seen Douglas play at Florida State, I am sure you would think he is a first round talent.

27. Memphis Grizzlies: Sam Young, SF, Pittsburgh – A crafty lefty scorer can certainly be a nice addition to Memphis’ stable of young talent. The future is bright in Memphis and Young could be a part of something special in two years. I like his ability to create shots off the dribble, something that is needed to be a consistent NBA scorer.

28. Minnesota Timberwolves:  Patrick Mills, PG, St. Mary’s – I have the T-Wolves taking Evans with the sixth pick and trading the 18th pick to the Warriors. Here, with their third first round pick, I think they may take a shot with Mills. The speedy guard could give the Wolves some backcourt depth, but I do not think Mills will be a Fantasy factor over the next few years.

29. Los Angeles Lakers: Dajuan Summers, SF, Georgetown – Summers is a good passer with a decent overall skill set who should be able to produce in the Triangle Offense. He should be ignored for Fantasy purposes next year, though, as the Lakers have their skilled guys locked up. If Lamar Odom does leave via free agency, Summers is a candidate to be groomed to fill that spot in the lineup.

30. Cleveland Cavaliers: Derrick Brown, SF, Xavier – Brown is a definite upgrade to aging Wally Szczerbiak and he would help add depth the Cavalier bench. Brown was a great scorer and defender for what seems a decade at Xavier. Cleveland sorely needs someone like him and he could actually be a key for them to win a championship. This would be a great pick and a great spot for Brown to start his career.

Look for the final edition of our Mock Draft next week right before the NBA Draft on June 25.

Here’s our first take at projecting the 2009 NBA Draft.

1. Los Angeles Clippers: Blake Griffin, PF, Oklahoma – The consensus No. 1 overall pick in this draft will undoubtedly go to the Clip Show. Fantasy-wise, this is not a great landing point for Griffin to put up stud numbers right away. Zach Randolph is under contract for another two years and he is virtually immovable, plus the Clips also have Chris Kaman and Marcus Camby in the frontcourt. Griffin is a fairly polished prospect and will definitely still see a lot of action next year and can still compete for Rookie of the Year. If you are in a keeper league, the former Boomer Sooner is fairly close to a can’t-miss, and he will help your squad for the next decade.

2. Memphis Grizzlies: Hasheem Thabeet, C, UConn – The Grizzlies are one of the few teams that may pass on Ricky Rubio at the second pick. Mike Conley showed great improvement last year and he teams up nicely with O.J. Mayo in the backcourt. Thabeet would give Memphis a nice inside presence rotated with Marc Gasol, who is more of a defensive liability. As Thabeet continues to become more offensively potent, he could round into a solid centre. The Grizzlies’ owner has already declared he prefers the big man, and Michael Heisley usually calls the big shots with this franchise.

3. Oklahoma City Thunder: James Harden, SG, Arizona State – This is a pretty good scenario for the Thunder. It gets to pick between Ricky Rubio and a couple of other highly touted prospects. I think OKC will pull a bit of a shocker and take Harden. The Thunder seems content with the development of Russell Westbrook and Harden gives them another silky smooth scorer to go with Kevin Durant. Rubio will get high consideration, but I think he is much farther away from contributing than many people think. Harden deserves Fantasy consideration immediately, especially in deep leagues.

4. Sacramento Kings: Ricky Rubio, PG, Spain – The Maloofs would go gazooks if this scenario played out. They really need a point guard for the future and it would take them no less than 10 seconds to submit the pick for Rubio. He would join a rather young team that likes to run and he would be allowed to play right away. The Kings are building for three years from now and Rubio would be the cherry on the sundae. He could put up big assist numbers right away, but he will not fill up the scoring column.

5. Washington Wizards: Stephen Curry, PG/SG, Davidson – Yes. I just went there. I could easily see the Wizards taking Jordan Hill here, but I am not sold on the big man from Arizona. Harden, another option, is a silky smooth lefty who is a NBA ready scorer, but he may be off the board. Although the Wizards have been grooming Nick Young at SG, I think Curry is a lights out prospect that will at the very least be a gunner off the bench. Washington’s outside game struggled at times last year and Curry would make this a much more dynamic team. Wherever Curry goes, he will be a Fantasy commodity in roto leagues due to his long range shooting.

6. Minnesota Timberwolves: DeMar DeRozan, SF, USC – With Corey Brewer not really panning out for the Wolves, look for them to go with the swingman out of USC. DeRozan really came on late last year and would be a good fit on this roster. Randy Foye will enjoy having an athletic wingman that can contribute in multiple facets of the game.

7. Golden State Warriors: Jordan Hill, PF, Arizona – Last year, the front line of the Warriors seemed short handed whenever Andris Biedrins was out of the lineup. Hill slips a little to No. 7 in my mock, as many have him as the fourth-best prospect. He is athletic enough to keep up with the pace of Nellie ball and he gives them some active size to pair Biedrins.

8. New York Knicks: Brandon Jennings, PG, Italy – Jennings is a lightning quick point guard who I think hit a bit of culture shock in the Euroleague. Teams over there do not really play on potential as much as what you can do in their system. Jennings would have free range of the court in New York and could develop into the superstar that he was destined to be. New York, in my opinion, would be the best place for Jennings to land. Consider him a Fantasy sleeper for next year, as if he gets court time he could put up much better numbers in the NBA than he did in Italy last year.

9. Toronto Raptors: Tyreke Evans, SG, Memphis – Evans is an explosive scorer who would certainly be an upgrade over the likes of Anthony Parker.  Jose Calderon could also get some time off from bringing the ball up, keeping the Raptor rotation fresh. I really like Evans to come in a make an immediate impact in Raptorland if selected here.

10. Milwaukee Bucks: Jrue Holliday, PG, UCLA – Holliday would give the Bucks a stud PG which they sorely need. Luke Ridnour’s contract is up after next season and Ramon Sessions is a free agent. Holliday could step in and be an immediate contributor. Also, he is a good defender which will certainly help his case with head coach Scott Skiles.

11. New Jersey Nets: DeJuan Blair, PF, Pittsburgh – I think this could be the biggest reach in the draft. In my opinion, Blair is one of those college studs that will not translate to the NBA. How many moose-like undersized power forwards have worked out in the NBA? I am pretty sure Blair is not the next Charles Barkley.

12. Charlotte Bobcats: Gerald Henderson, SG, Duke – The fact that he’ s a solid defender, a capable shooter, and a fan favourite all come into play here. The Bobcats would appease many of their loyal fans by taking the Duke product with the 12th overall pick.

13. Indiana Pacers: Jonny Flynn, PG, Syracuse – The Pacers would be quite happy to see Flynn on the board here at 13. I think they’ll pick a point guard no matter what as there are many to choose from in this draft. Jeff Teague, Patrick Mills, Eric Maynor, and Ty Lawson are also possibilities. Flynn is lightning quick and will love feeding the ball to Danny Granger.

14. Phoenix Suns: Ty Lawson, PG, North Carolina – Steve Nash is on his basketball deathbed. Well not quite, but enough so that the Suns need to prep the future by taking a legit point guard in the draft. Lawson gets the slight edge over Flynn and Maynor largely due to his post-season performance this year. I think he has proven what kind of leader and floor general he can be and the Suns’ management will be intrigued enough to select the Tar Heel guard.

15. Detroit Pistons: James Johnson, PF, Wake Forest – Johnson is a super athletic big man would can play all over the court. He was quite inconsistent last year and I think he lacks the intangibles and overall basketball IQ to be a lottery pick. I do not see him contributing much next year from a Fantasy perspective, but he could earn court time if he outworks some guys in front of him.

16. Chicago Bulls: Earl Clark, SF, Louisville – Talent-wise, Clark is a lottery pick, but you never really know what you are going to get. The Bulls might fall in love with him during the pre-draft leadup only to see him get complacent after he has a contract locked up.

17. Philadelphia 76ers: Eric Maynor, PG, VCU – I think this is a steal if Maynor slips to 17. He can contribute right away and even make some Fantasy noise.

18. Minnesota Timberwolves: B.J. Mullens, C, Ohio State – The Wolves could use another big man to complement Kevin Love and Al Jefferson. I think Mullens is somewhat of an overrated stiff, but being seven feet tall usually gets you drafted high. I would not touch him in a Fantasy league.

19. Atlanta Hawks: Patrick Mills, PG, St. Mary’s – Mills may opt to return for his senior season, but there is a surely a spot in the late first round for him if he stays.  Mike Bibby may be leaving Atlanta as a free agent and the Hawks do not seem sold on Acie Law taking over the reins. Mills is very quick and skilled and could become a nice Fantasy sleeper for next season.

20. Utah Jazz: Tyler Hansbrough, PF, North Carolina – With the possibility of Paul Millsap leaving via free agency, Hansbrough could immediately fill in the void. Somewhat undersized and relying on his motor, this would be a storybook fit. I think Jazz fans would go nuts for Psycho T.

21. New Orleans Hornets: Chase Budinger, SG/SF, Arizona – Budinger could fall anywhere from 15 to 25 in my eyes and rightfully so. He is a very athletic scorer who can thrive if placed in the right system. A year or two ago, he looked like a top 10 pick on potential alone, but he never really took the bull by the horns and relished the go-to guy role at Arizona. Budinger could take over the role that Peja Stojakovic currently fills if he can prove he can hit the NBA three ball. Peja has one more year left on his huge contract.

22. Dallas Mavericks: Jeff Teague, PG, Wake Forest – There is no secret that the Mavericks need to bring in a point guard to develop under Jason Kidd. Teague is certainly talented, but I am not sure he will have much value next year if he goes in this spot.

23. Sacramento Kings: Terrence Williams, SG/SF, Louisville – Williams has all the talent in the world, but you never know what you are going to get. He reminds me somewhat of cross between Donte Greene and Corey Maggette. This is a high-reward, low-risk pick here, so Williams is definitely worth the price. My prediction is that he turns into a headache wherever he goes and he fades into oblivion within five years. I would not touch him in a Fantasy league with somebody else’s 10-foot pole.

24. Portland Trailblazers: Darren Collison, PG, UCLA – Collison is a much different point guard than Jerryd Bayless and Steve Blake. Collison is more of a defensive minded, quick penetrating guard that could give the Blazers an added dimension they desperately need. I love Blake, but can he really play lock down defense?

25. Oklahoma City Thunder: Gani Lawal, PF, Georgia Tech – There is a good chance Lawal could return to school, but he is most likely a late first rounder if he stays. The Thunder could use his ability to rebound, although he is at least a year or two away from being an offensive threat in the NBA.

26. Chicago Bulls: Toney Douglas, PG, Florida State – Douglas is a gamer who I think can make it in the league. The Bulls would also have another scorer who could replace Ben Gordon if he leaves via free agency. If you have seen Douglas play at Florida State, I am sure you would think he is a first round talent.

27. Memphis Grizzlies: Sam Young, SF, Pittsburgh – A crafty lefty scorer can certainly be a nice addition to Memphis’ stable of young talent. The future is bright in Memphis and Young could be a part of something special in two years. I like his ability to create shots off the dribble, something that is needed to be a consistent NBA scorer.

28. Minnesota Timberwolves:  Austin Daye, SF, Gonzaga – Daye is a long and skillful big man who could be special if he puts it all together. He was very inconsistent in college, but his game may be more suited to the NBA. He is someone who could be a solid pro in three-t0o-four years, but don’t touch him next year.

29. Los Angeles Lakers: Dajuan Summers, SF, Los Angeles Lakers – Summers is a good passer with a decent overall skill set who should be able to produce in the Triangle Offense. He should be ignored for Fantasy purposes next year, though, as the Lakers have their skilled guys locked up.

30. Cleveland Cavaliers: Derrick Brown, SF, Xavier – A definite upgrade to aging Wally Szczerbiak would help add depth the Cavalier bench. Brown was a great scorer and defender for what seems a decade at Xavier. Cleveland sorely misses someone like Brown and he could actually be a key for them to win a championship. This would be a great pick and a great spot for Brown to start his career.

Look for Take Two of the NBA Draft in a couple weeks.

The established format was 12 teams, 23 rounds, 5X5 roto scoring that includes a full starting lineup made up of: one 1B, 2B, SS, 3B, CI, MI and UT, two Cs, five OFs and nine pitchers. The draft order was predetermined and went as follows:

1. Todd Zola, Mastersball
2. Nate Stephens, Rotoworld
3. Alex Cushing, MLB.com
4. Scott Swanay, Fantasy Baseball Sherpa
5. Mike Kuchera, The Fantasy Man
6. Doug Anderson, RotoExperts
7. Brian Pelowski, Rotowire
8. Tim McLeod, RotoRob
9. Brandon Funston, Yahoo!
10. David Gonos, OPEN Sports
11. Chris McDonnell, FantasyBaseball.com
12. Nicholas Minnix, KFFL.com

My plan going in was to hope that Grady Sizemore fell to me with the eighth pick and then focus on building a solid power base at the corners and up the middle. In the event Sizemore was gone, I was going to target either Miguel Cabrera or Ryan Howard early and attempt to build a strong balanced offense, foregoing starting pitching until the middle rounds. A solid closer was a must this year with so much uncertainty in that category. Normally, I’m a huge proponent of securing stolen bases early and in abundance, but for this exercise I wanted to try a more balanced approach. With Jose Reyes and Hanley Ramirez sure to be gone by my pick, I didn’t want to be forced into one-dimensional speed later in the draft.

Round One – Ryan Howard, 1B: Grady and Miggy are gone, it’s time to get me the best pure power bat available, so Howard it was. The low batting average is a bit of a concern, but hopefully I can gain some of that back in the later rounds.

Round Two – Ian Kinsler, 2B: I was a bit surprised that Kinsler fell to me, but couldn’t pass on this opportunity. I don’t think that a 25-25 season is out of the question for Kinsler, with a .300 BA and at least 110 runs hitting in front of Josh Hamilton in Texas.

Round Three – Justin Morneau, 1B: I’ve now procured a second slugger at the corner in Morneau, and between him and Kinsler, I’ve managed to salvage my slow start in the batting average category. In a bit of a surprise, Jacoby Ellsbury went in this round with the 31st pick overall. Ellsbury has a ton of potential, no doubt, but with Ichiro Suzuki, Brian Roberts, Alex Rios and Shane Victorino still on the board, this pick was a bit too high risk for my liking.

Round Four – Brian McCann, C: I wanted a top-tier catcher and probably moved a bit early here. Hindsight says I could have waited a round and built on the stolen base category with a Victorino or Rios pick. With 14 picks before my next selection, I paid a heavy price for nabbing potentially the best player at a relatively shallow position, but on the other hand he’s now locked up. Carl Crawford went with the No. 40 pick and it looks like the early verdict suggests that this perennial first rounder has taken a serious plunge.

Round Five – Nick Markakis, OF: Surprise, surprise, surprise! I certainly wasn’t expecting Markakis to fall into my lap in Round Five, but I have no complaints here whatsoever. If he can up those stolen bases just a tad I’ll be a very happy camper.

Round Six – Nate McClouth, OF: McClouth is one of the few Pirates that I want on my team for the ’09 campaign. I like the power/speed mix and this pick fits in well with my overall plan.

Round Seven – Jon Lester, SP: There was no shortage of quality pitchers out there, but I really like Lester heading into 2009 and wanted what I consider to be a top-tier pitcher to anchor my staff. Mission accomplished! A potential 20-game winner with great peripherals was just too tough to pass on.

Round Eight – Joe Nathan, RP: It was now time to find that top-tier closer and Nathan fits the bill to a “T.” The number of question marks entering Spring Training in the closer role leads me to believe that a solid base is a necessity in the saves category.

Round Nine – Edinson Volquez, SP: A quick glance revealed a solid group of starting pitchers still on the board, including the likes of Carlos Zambrano, Scott Kazmir, Ben Sheets, A.J. Burnett, Cliff Lee and Daisuke Matsuzaka. However, I went with the 25-year-old former Ranger Volquez. Those 206 punchouts in 196 IP in 2008 were just too enticing.

Round 10 – Matt Cain, SP: Eventually the Giants will score some runs for this guy, won’t they? Cain just turned 24, and with three seasons under his belt, I think the odds of just a few more wins to go along with those overall solid numbers makes him a good risk/reward pick at this stage of the draft. For those hoping to scoop a late-round bargain at catcher, it should be noted that it probably won’t be with Matt Wieters, who went this round with the No. 119 overall pick.

Round 11 – Adrian Beltre, 3B: Those of you that know me realize I have a serious man crush happening here, but the reality of the situation is that Beltre posted 25 HR and 77 RBI in 556 at bats while playing hurt for the bulk of 2008. Again, he fits my requirements — power and the potential for modest stolen base numbers.

Round 12 – Mike Aviles, SS: Shortstop was getting just a tad thin, so I made the move on a player that I have high hopes for in 2009. Those 10 HR, 51 RBI combined with a .325 BA and eight thefts in only 419 at bats that he put up are more than credible numbers to be building on heading into 2009. The remaining group of shortstops at this stage were Orlando Cabrera, Cristian Guzman, Ryan Theriot, Khalil Greene and Edgar Renteria. It does get lean fairly quick at shortstop, doesn’t it? Nelson Cruz left the board in this round, as did one of the top-touted rookies in David Price.

Round 13 – Jose Valverde, RP: Normally I’d already be in vulture mode, looking for those cheap end-game saves, but I just couldn’t pass on this one. This dude had 40-plus saves in back-to-back seasons with better than a strikeout per inning and he’s taken after Brian Fuentes? This should give me a fairly strong position in saves and allow me to toss out a gamble in the last couple of rounds. There is no shortage in closer gambles in a mock this early in the offseason, well before roles have been established.

Round 14 – Xavier Nady, OF: What’s not to like with a guy that hit to the tune of a .305 BA with 25 HR and 97 RBI in 2008? The move to New York was a definite positive and the former Pirate should be able to sustain those numbers heading into 2009.

Round 15 – Adam Jones, OF: Up until the leg injury, Jones was enjoying a fine 2008 campaign in Baltimore and is one of my picks to make that next move up the ladder in this coming season. A 20-HR, 15-SB season should be a lock for Jones in 2009.

Round 16 – Denard Span, OF: In 2008, Span managed six homers, 47 RBI and 18 SB in only 347 at bats in a lead-off capacity for the Twins. Given a full season, the possibility for 20 to 25 thefts is high; throw in his modest power potential and that makes him a solid pick at this stage of the draft.

Round 17 – Wandy Rodriguez, SP: In 2007 it was the road woes, in 2008 it was the health issues, although the ERA was a solid 3.54. In 2009, he will put both of those problems where they belong — behind him — and will manage both double digit wins and 180 strikeouts.

Round 18 – Joe Saunders, SP: The ERA is due for a bit of an increase from that solid 3.41, but I’ll take a 17-game winner this late in a draft and be very happy. The closer gambling commences with Matt Lindstom, Brian Wilson (actually that’s a nice pick this late) and Heath Bell going in this round.

Round 19 – Kevin Kouzmanoff, CI: I just couldn’t pass on the Kouz, coming off that 23-HR, 84-RBI season in 2008. More closers (or closers in waiting) disappeared off the board this round with Joey Devine, Frank Francisco, Jose Arredondo and George Sherrill all going in this round. There is not a lot of faith in Sherrill, but those doubts are fully justified with former Oriole closer Chris Ray on pace to be ready for Spring Training.

Round 20 – Jesus Flores, C: The 24-year-old former Rule 5 pick did a commendable job in a half-season in 2008 with eight homers and 59 RBI in only 301 at bats. This pick also saves me from that last-minute rush to grab one of the half dozen Ranger catchers still on the board (oh, what’s that? They traded Gerald Laird? Okay, make that “near-half dozen”).

Round 21 – Mark Buehrle, SP: Getting a 15-game winner that managed to get his strikeouts up into the 140 range at the bottom of the draft is a nice safe pick.

Round 22 – Scot Shields, RP: It’s either Arredondo or Shields who will close for the Halos at this stage of the game, and Shields — even with Francisco Rodriguez breaking records — has always managed to pick off a few saves here and there. I think this represents a safe pick in conjunction with Nathan and Valverde that potentially has big upside. Speaking of how the mighty have fallen, Travis Hafner was finally chosen this round. Those who believe in a Pronk resurgence are obviously few and far between, but this late it could turn out to be a very nice bargain.

Round 23 – Mark Ellis, MI: It’s Round 23 and there were several options available with Ellis providing the best opportunity for 10 to 15 thefts, again fitting my team’s needs.

Summary

Overall, I’m happy with the results achieved in this early glance at the 2009 season. I would have loved to have snared Sizemore, but he wasn’t there so you move on and build based on the best options available. As a rule, I’m very big on moving early on the stolen base category, but took a different approach this time and believe it was successful.

I ended up with three guys in Kinsler, McClouth, and Span that should provide 20-plus thefts each and with Jones, Aviles, Markakis, Ellis and Beltre contributing in that category I should be able to finish mid-pack in stolen bases. The power potential for this team is very solid (probably top three in this mock), although the batting average could be somewhat of a concern. I like my starting pitching, although strikeouts, with both Saunders and Buehrle, could be a bit low.

The bullpen is anchored by two stud closers and one decent gamble.

Shortstop and first base thin out rather quickly this year, but that is offset by the outfield options being deeper than I’ve seen in a few years (hence, I steered clear of my “all outfielder, all the time” strategy from last season). Starting pitching is plentiful and seems to again be again continuing its fall in the pecking order. A solid starting pitcher can be found in the middle rounds heading forward into this spring’s drafts, and don’t forget to find a stud closer with all of the current uncertainty surrounding that position.

In conclusion, I’d like to thank all the skilled participants, Lenny, Paul and the crew over at Melnick and Greco for the live analysis, and to the fine folks over at Mock Draft Central for both the opportunity to partake in this mock and doing another great job in hosting the event. The 2009 season is not all that far down the road (WBC participants have to report in seven and a half weeks — speaking of which, keep your eyes peeled for our exclusive WBC Preview) and here’s hoping that this very early glance at it provides some insight into what is in store just around the corner.

As you may or may not know, ESPN likes to “edumacate” viewers with a mock fantasy football draft every preseason. But instead of getting people who, you know, actually play fantasy football, it lets quasi celebrities and crusty ESPN “talent” throw random darts at a board. It has been a terrible exercise from the beginning, and it just gets worse every year. I tried to avoid it this season. It just causes heartburn and upset stomachs. In fact, that should be a part of the description of the show.

But, I caught parts of it anyway, against my better judgment. Those on fantasy football forums have mocked the draft. I must exorcise the demon. ESPN actually posted the whole draft online. (Fools!) So I will, pick by pick (*gulp*) take this monster apart.

What follows is horrific. Please don’t read it without anesthetizing yourself first. I am sitting down with the draft in one hand, and a bottle of Everclear in the other. I don’t have the heart to mix my grain alcohol with anything. This is going to suck.

By the way, the “competitors” in this draft:

Merril Hoge – Probably would have benefitted having Jaws around.
Suzy Kolber – Once took the Steelers in round two of a fantasy draft. But damn, she’s cute.
Method Man – *Swig*
Chris Mortensen – Somehow comes off less knowledgeable than Method Man.
Roy Williams – Chances he takes himself in the draft? Ninety eight per cent.
Nick Bakay – Actually the best owner. *Swig*
Michael Smith – Well, at least he is aware of his lack of fantasy acumen.
Summer Sanders – Riding Phelps’ wave.

Round One

1. Hoge – Adrian Peterson – *Golf Clap*
2. Kolber – LaDainian Tomlinson – Wow. Two out of two! Maybe this year will be different! Maybe ESPN has finally come through after so much disappoinment. Maybe it has put together a mock draft that will actually help viewers! I may not even need the booze anymore!
3. Man – Frank Gore – *Chugs*
4. Mortensen – Brian Westbrook – Okay. A little woozy, but I’m hanging in there.
5. Williams – Tom Brady – Not the guy I’d take, but I can’t really fault him here.
6. Bakay – Joseph Addai – Bakay, while clearly being the best in this draft, would finish in the bottom half of every league our readers partake in.
7. Smith – Randy Moss – No, this isn’t a PPR league, at least not according to the settings.
8. Sanders – Marshawn Lynch – I think I’m in love.

Round Two

9. Sanders – Tony Romo – Well, that crush lasted about five seconds.
10. Smith – Clinton Portis – Portis is kind of getting up there in years, and Steven Jackson may not hold out all season. I’m just saying.
11. Bakay – Steven Jackson – Thanks, Bakay.
12. Williams – Marion Barber – Boring, but acceptable.
13. Mortensen – Darren McFadden – Well, that’s about 30 picks too high. Congrats to Mort for taking the early lead in the “Worst pick of the worst draft in the history of the world” award.
14. Man – Peyton Manning – He just took Manning cause his surname is the prefix to the Golden Boy’s last name. Or something like that.
15. Kolber – Drew Brees – It’s way too high for Brees, but at least I like the player.
16. Hoge – Brandon Jacobs – Hoge is jealous of any back who gains more than 700 yards in a single season.

Round Three

17. Hoge – Matt Hasselbeck – After the top four quarterbacks are off the board, you might as well wait a while before taking the fifth-ranked one. Hoge just skipped ahead and took the tenth-ranked signal caller. But you get the point.
18. Kolber – Maurice Jones-Drew – Kolber impressed me a little here. (Of course, it might have been those adorable moon-shaped eyes.) This makes up for the Brees pick. A little.
19. Man – Larry Johnson – Obviously, we think Johnson is to be avoided, but his value is about right for the 13th back.
20. Mortensen – Braylon Edwards – Actually, this is a decent selection. I’m not being sarcastic! Stop laughing!
21. Williams – Terrell Owens – Never let active players draft.
22. Bakay – Reggie Wayne – Correct.
23. Smith – Andre Johnson – Fitzgerald makes a little bit more sense, but okay. I’m drunk now, but at least I’m not depressed. Yet.
24. Sanders – Ryan Grant – Woah. Summer, maybe we can work out after all.

Round Four

25. Sanders – Larry Fitzgerald – Wow. Awesome. I think I might have some fantastic dreams tonight.
26. Smith – Jamal Lewis – Maybe Smith knows Willis McGahee’s injury is bad?
27. Bakay – Carson Palmer – Yeah, sounds about right.
28. Williams – Marques Colston – There are, obviously, good backs on the board. But I’m sure Barber will do the work of two backs with his ten carries a game.
29. Mortensen – Calvin Johnson – Fantasy drafts should involve tasing.
30. Man – Chad Johnson – Probably the second-best wide out on his team, but I’ll give MM a pass. He was probably tricked into doing this, anyway.
31. Kolber – T.J. Houshmandzadeh – Aw, I think Suzy reads my writing. (And did I mention I love her?)
32. Hoge – Santonio Holmes – Not as bad as the Johnson pick, but not acceptable. There are at least five wide outs on the board who should be taken before Holmes.

Round Five

33. Hoge – Rashard Mendenhall – Starting backs are so overrated. By the way, for those keeping track at home, Hoge and Mortensen are neck and neck for the claim as the worst owner in the league.
34. Kolber – Jason Witten – Nooooo! Suzy! Why?! Worst pick ever. But damn, you’re cute.
35. Man – Antonio Gates – Clearly frightened by the Witten pick (like the rest of us), MM compounds the horror. Gates is being taken around 49th in drafts across the nation. So this is at least 14 slots too high. *Swig*
36. Mortensen – Derek Anderson – And this pick would be about 20 slots too high. Seriously, Mort, we can tell you haven’t even put five minutes of preparation into this.
37. Williams – Roy Williams – Cute.
38. Bakay – Wes Welker – Don’t get me wrong, Bakay isn’t “good.” It just seems like he is because of the other people here. It’s all relative.
39. Smith – Thomas Jones – For the record, there are seven backs I would, conservatively, put ahead of Jones that were still on the board. One is McGahee, who I realize has some injury concern, but he’s still a top 15 back.
40. Sanders – Rudi Johnson – For the record, Rudi was not one of those seven backs I just mentioned.

Round Six

41. Sanders – Plaxico Burress – Well, whatever.
42. Smith – Michael Turner – Okay. At least Smith’s taking better players as the draft goes on, although that might be something of an indictment of his overall strategy.
43. Bakay – Anquan Boldin – As the biggest Boldin fan on the planet, I apologize to Bakay for saying that mean stuff about him in Round Five.
44. Williams – Willis McGahee – Thank God.
45. Mortensen – Kellen Winslow – Ah. The Anderson to Winslow connection. Awesome.
46. Man – Dallas Clark – Most choose not to take a back-up tight end. Others pick tight ends in both rounds five and six – in an eight-team league, mind you. And a new challenger for worst pick arises.
47. Kolber – Chargers D/ST – In standard scoring, the difference between the top defense and the eighth-ranked defense is somewhere around two points per game. Always wait on a defense.
48. Hoge – Anthony Gonzalez – See, Hoge’s problem is value assessment. It’s not that he picks terrible players. His guys have upside, some might even call them sleepers. But the whole point of a sleeper pick is taking them lower than you think their final stats will reflect. Hoge just takes them at the value he thinks they’ll end up at. At least we’ve figured this out. Oh, and, umm, *swig*.

Round Seven

49. Hoge – Reggie Bush – Okay. Sweet pick.
50. Kolber – Greg Jennings – Note that Steve Smith is still available.
51. Man – Bears DEF/ST – Poor MM. He just gets flustered any time anyone takes a new position. I will bet $8 million that he won’t wait until the last round for a kicker. And no, I didn’t look ahead to find out.
52. Mortensen – Devin Hester – *Hiccup* I need more booze here. Okay, Steve Smith or Devin Hester? Steve Smith. Devin Hester. ADP 28 vs ADP 131. Hmmm…
53. Williams – Steve Smith – Oh, bra-vo. Fifty push-ups for everyone. Yes, that includes you Bakay.
54. Bakay – Willie Parker – Well, I would have preferred Laurence Maroney here, but Bakay already won the league, so I guess it doesn’t really matter.
55. Smith – Ben Roethlisberger – Hoge should feel extra dumb about that Hasselbeck pick after this one.
56. Sanders – Marvin Harrison – A worthy gamble I suppose. Lots of quality backs are left, though.

Round Eight

57. Sanders – Ronnie Brown – At least it’s a high ceiling player at this spot.
58. Smith – Brandon Marshall – I wonder how far Brady would drop if he were suspended for two games.
59. Bakay – Chris Cooley – I don’t know, Bakay. Too many good players left and Cooley isn’t head and shoulders above the other tight ends on the board. Not a good pick.
60. Williams – Laurence Maroney – You might be interested in knowing Maroney’s ADP is 33rd. I really have no clue why he fell this far or who this mock draft is helping.
61. Mortensen – Felix Jones – Let’s take a look at what rounds Mortensen’s player’s should have been taken in with the round he actually picked them in parentheses. One (one), seven (two), two (three), five (four), six (five), six (six), 17 (seven), and now 14 (eight). All around, one of Mort’s better drafts.
62. Man – Donvan McNabb – Not bad. Oh, unless you consider that he still needs two starting wide outs. But, other than that, not bad.
63. Kolber – Aaron Rodgers – Hey, I’m only just past the halfway point. Someone shoot me.
64. Hoge – Joey Galloway – I’m running out of mocking steam. Galloway is 44 years old. Just saying.

Round Nine

65. Hoge – Robert Meachem – Meachem showed a little bit this preseason, and I get that. I really do. Maybe he’ll turn into a late-round gem. But Hoge could have waited until his last non-kicker, non defense pick. I feel badly for Hoge. Here’s to the good ol’ days! *swig*
66. Kolber – Nick Folk – Awful. Method Man will draft a kicker soon, though. He takes his cues from Suzy. Actually, I wouldn’t mind taking my cues from her, either. So to speak.
67. Man – Laveranues Coles – MM also defends Chad Pennington to any naysayer.
68. Mortensen – Brett Favre – Where the hell is that slurping sound coming from? (Thank you, thank you, I’ll show myself out.)
69. Williams – Giants DEF/ST – No comment.
70. Bakay – Torry Holt – It was fun to do this until right about now. Not because it’s unimaginable that Holt could fall until the 70th pick. Not because a kicker, a back-up tight end, and three defenses were taken before a wide out with eight consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. Nope. It’s because I know this mockable draft kept going on. That’s the problem here. If I had any say, I would have shut down production right here. Everybody shut up, turn the lights out, stop the cameras and go home. Oh, and tase yourselves this time. My arm is tired. *Chug*
71. Smith – LenDale White -

Alright. Honestly, I can’t go on. I’m done. Method Man indeed took a kicker in Round Ten. Most teams took back-up tight ends. A couple took back-up defenses. One took a back-up tight end and a back-up defense. I’m not kidding. I mean, come on, I can’t make this stuff up.

The following players weren’t drafted at all in this 120-pick mock (ADP is in parentheses):

Lee Evans (53)
Roddy White (64)
DeAngelo Williams (71)
Kevin Curtis (78)
Jay Cutler (79)
Matt Forte (81)
Kevin Smith (83)
Eli Manning (88)

But hey, who needs a starting back when back-up tight ends are available? *Collapses*

A couple of weeks ago, the fine folks over at Mock Draft Central assembled their first “Expert” mock of the New Year, with yours truly being fortunate enough to pick up an invite. My apologizes for the lateness of this draft summary, but unfortunately I got both a bit long-winded and a tad light on the number of fingers required to type this thing. (Note to self: when falling off the back of a truck, the wrist does not work well in cushioning the blow.)

Well, better late than never I say! As you can see, the list of participants was a veritable who’s who from the fantasy world. The draft order:

1. David Gonos - CBS Sports
2. Andy Behrens - Yahoo!
3. Derek Carty - The Hardball Times
4. Jason Pliml - Mock Draft Central
5. Chris Bracke - Mock Draft Central
6. Brent Grooms - Baseball HQ
7. Ray Flowers - Baseball Guys
8. Tim McLeod - RotoRob
9. Nate Stephens - Rotoworld
10. Peter Kreutzer - AskRotoman
11. Mike Kuchera - Fantasy Baseball Express
12. Mike Inglett - Sport Fanatics

I have a tendency when formulating my draft strategy to revert to what I call the “safe” mode, or my comfort zone. I have a history of placing a very high value on steals, vulturing saves and looking at starting pitching in the middle to late rounds. A lot of these philosophies stem from my play in larger 15- and 20-team formats, where I find these strategies work exceptionally well.

For this draft, a 12-team, 5×5 format, I decided to work towards a different goal. Picking eighth, the plan was to look for Chase Utley with my first pick, grab Johan Santana with the fourth pick in Round Two and follow up with Victor Martinez in Round Three. With catcher and second base being relatively weak positions in terms of depth heading into 2008, I wanted to look at position scarcity early as a strategy.

Ah, the best laid plans of mice and men. Utley went early, Peter Kreutzer shattered my dreams by grabbing Santana, and both Martinez and Russell Martin went before my third pick. Okay, so that didn’t work. So let’s build ourselves a power/speed package and head back to familiar ground with the pitching later on, my safe zone.

Again I can’t stress enough when drafting the value of having that “Plan B” ready and the ability to change horses in the middle of the stream. That and the Boy Scout’s motto “Be Prepared,” should be part of every fantasy player’s vocabulary. With that in mind, let’s move forward and give this the old once over.

Round One – As mentioned, Utley went a bit higher than I expected (fifth), with Albert Pujols sliding into seventh. No big surprises as I watched all the big stolen base guys taken off the board. Utley in the eighth slot was apparently a bit of a reach on my behalf, so Matt Holliday it was.

Round Two – Okay, Santana is gone, so let’s pick up some five-category talent in Grady Sizemore. I was a bit surprised that he fell to me, but I certainly was not going to complain. I found the fact that Vladimir Guerrero fell to the No. 21 slot a bit odd. I believe it is more of a statement reflecting the need for speed and those seven third basemen and shortstops moving in the first round rather than a perception that Guerrero’s skill set is deteriorating.

Round Three – There I was, mulling over Curtis Granderson, Alex Rios and one of my personal favourites, Nick Markakis, with my third pick. I wanted the stolen base potential so Granderson it was. It would seem that Nate Stephens and Kreutzer were on the same page as me, as Rios and Markakis went with the next two picks. No major surprises here as the top two catchers went early in this round. I thought one might fall to me, but it wasn’t happening.

Round Four – At this stage, I was off to a decent start on offense but was still looking for a bit more power. With three outfielders on board already can I make a move on a fourth and still build a decent team? I think I can, so I proceeded to grab Adam Dunn in the fourth. The worst that can happen here is I’ve now built a top-tier outfield and hopefully shorted the position a bit, allowing me some bargains later on. My power and speed were now in good shape.

Round Five – Time to head back towards that original train of thought with regards to position scarcity. Robinson Cano went with the first pick in Round Five, so with the top four second basemen now gone, I reached a bit and took Ian Kinsler. After Kinsler, the dropoff gets rather pronounced in my opinion and I really like that 25-home run, 25-stolen base potential. The first closer went this round, Jonathan Papelbon, and I really liked the Corey Hart pick by Brent Grooms in the 54th spot overall.

Round Six – With the top two catchers gone, it was time to fill that slot with Brian McCann. I think the 20-90 potential in a relatively weak position works just fine.

Round Seven – Traditionally, I’ve been very high on gambling on the closer slot and for this mock I wanted to get a top-tier closer to shore up the position. With Papelbon gone, I went with the Mariners’ J.J. Putz. The outfield was basically done, I was strong up the middle and had a top-tier closer, so I was starting to really like the way my team was falling into place.

Round Eight – The pitching started moving a bit this round with three starters and two closers taken off the board. I went with one of my favourite picks at this stage of the draft and grabbed Adrian Beltre. There’s nothing wrong with 25-100 potential and 10 or so stolen bases at the corner. Remember, Beltre has seemingly been around forever, yet is only 28 and heading into what could be potentially his peak power years. I really like the Vernon Wells pick here by Chris Bracke. A healthy Vernon in the spring makes this pick a potential steal.

Round Nine – Time to start building a pitching staff, so Kelvim Escobar it was. As long as he can stay healthy, he’ll certainly provide adequate numbers across the board.

Round 10 – Back down the ladder, and I grabbed another of my favourite picks to click in 2008, Matt Cain. Don’t let that won/loss record dissuade you; those peripherals are solid and any semblance of either offense or breaks and it wouldn’t shock me to see 15 wins this coming year. Finally we get to the round where the pitching starts to fly, with eight of the 12 picks used on hurlers.

Round 11 – I happened to be following the first base situation fairly close and it was getting to be that time, so I reached a bit and took James Loney. With my cumulative offense, I like the BA potential and I could sacrifice a bit of power. I really didn’t want to be the owner of Carlos Delgado and that .250 BA.

Round 12 – I went back to the pitching here, taking Chad Billingsley, and hoping he can further build on that excellent second half of 2007. Given a full year in the rotation, 15 wins with 180 Ks is a distinct possibility.

Round 13 – Time to continue working on that starting rotation and I just couldn’t pass on the risk/reward of grabbing the Brew Crew’s Ben Sheets. If Sheets can stay healthy and, yes, it’s a huge “if,” getting a potential “ace” at this stage is a steal. I really like the Kosuke Fukudome pick by Andy Behrens at this stage. In Round 13, how many players have that .300 BA, 20-80, 10 SB potential?

Round 14 – Coming back down the ladder it was time for me to fill in the outfield and I went with some youth with decent upside in Jacoby Ellsbury. I like the potential for 25-30 SB with a decent BA. It was time for that young talent to start moving as Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Joba Chamberlain, and Joey Votto went with the next three picks.

Round 15 – Time for my first serious faux pas of the evening. I reached a bit and took Carlos Marmol of the Cubs. Not that this isn’t what I believe to be a decent gamble based on those 2007 numbers and the very real possibility of him closing this year, but there were other closers available with much lower risks. Mike Kuchera made a very nice grab this round when he went with a much underrated Aaron Hill at second base — a very solid choice at second base this late in the draft.

Round 16 – I’d been watching the SS position intently since early on and made the decision to sit back a bit here and let things fall to me in the later rounds. Jhonny Peralta was still available and at this stage of the draft that 25-75 potential just couldn’t be passed on. With both the depth in this category and quality at the top end, some very nice bargains can be had for those with a bit of patience. There was another great grab by Kuchera this round when he plucked Gary Sheffield at No. 182 overall.

Round 17 – Someone in 2008 has to be the one driving in Hanley Ramirez, so why not Josh Willingham? Adding a bit to the power base this late is certainly not going to hurt. Six of the 12 picks this round were starting pitchers as it was time for most to start filling in the gaps.

Round 18 – It was time to round out my bullpen, so I took Eric Gagne. Here’s hoping in 2008 we see the Texas Ranger Gagne and not the Red Sox model. Again, the chase for pitching continues, with nine more pitchers taken this round.

Round 19 – The end is drawing near. It was time to bolster my rotation and I was sitting there with Zack Greinke ready to roll, when Ray Flowers grabbed him right in front of me. Nice scoop, Ray; that one hurt a bit. I went with option two, and Mark Buehrle was mine. It was the outfielders’ turn to be taken from the board, with six going this round.

Round 20 – It was time to gamble on some youth, so I went with Evan Longoria to fill out the corner infield slot. If one is going to roll the dice, these are most certainly the rounds to be doing it in.

Round 21 – It was time to go with a very steady and conservative play to fill out the middle infield slot, so I grabbed Freddy Sanchez. My speed/power base is pretty decent so that .300 BA this late works. There were more late gambles in the starting pitching as the elderly trio of Randy Johnson, Greg Maddux, and Curt Schilling all went this round.

Round 22 – We’re down to those last two slots, and I needed a back-up catcher for McCann and one more starting pitcher to round out the rotation. About this time, Kate was pulling a fresh load of chocolate chip cookies out of the oven. The cookies won this round without a doubt, as I ended up with Johnny Estrada filling out my catcher slot. You did it to me again, Andy, grabbing Hiroki Kuroda as we head for home.

Round 23 – I needed one more starting pitcher to round out my effort and Wandy Rodriguez it was. If Wandy can ever figure out how to pitch on the road this could be a very nice addition to my rotation. Those 150 or so Ks will certainly be an asset.

You can find the complete draft results here.

Summary

Overall, I’m rather happy with the results. I was a bit light on my usual five or six former NPB players, but nonetheless, I wound up with a good balance of power and speed with what could be a decent batting average. I managed to build a nicely balanced team even after taking four outfielders in those first four rounds. Sure, it was a bit of a different strategy, but one that I think merits a close look as the outfield does get a little short heading into those later rounds.

As far as pitching is concerned, this draft just reinforced the fact that in a mixed, 12-team, 5×5 format, building the offense early and using the mid to the later rounds for the pitching is a solid play. I took my first starting pitcher in Round Nine, and believe I have at least a mid-level rotation.

In conclusion, my thanks to all the many skilled participants and the fine folks over at Mock Draft Central; great job as always. Kudos to both Paul Greco and Lenny Melnick for both the live podcast of the draft itself and the follow up analysis. Just remember Lenny, Freddie’s the Man!

For most of us, another fantasy baseball season has already begun. Of course, for some of us it simply never ends.

The countless hours of research commence as we begin to assemble our best laid plans for the 2008 season. We rank, re-rank, start listing all those deep sleepers and scour our favourite sites for all the latest scoops that might give us that “edge” we are all looking for.

Do you realize that in a standard 12-team league, you are looking at pouring all those hours of hard work into approximately 20 minutes of actual player selections on draft day?

The annual draft is the vehicle that leads us into another season and is without a doubt the key to a successful season. You won’t win your league championship at the draft, but you can sure lose it. A large portion of your baseball season hinges on less than one half hour of very crucial decision making.

Over the years, one of the biggest problems I’ve been privy to is not in the ranking or in the research, but the actual mechanics of the draft itself. If you want to be successful, not only is the ability to analyze important, but also the actual mechanics of the draft vehicle itself. To this end, I’m a huge proponent of the practice or mock draft.

A typical 12-team draft with the standard 23 positions and a six-player team bench, might take all of three hours to complete and then you have the next six months to deal with the repercussions. Why, after spending countless hours researching, would you want to stumble through the draft when the opportunities are there to prevent that from occurring?

Work on the actual process of queuing up players and spotting those trends and unique situations that tend to arise during a draft. When that first run on third base occurs, how do you react? See what the world is up to before it passes you by.

We all formulate plans and strategies and the opportunity to actually see how they unravel before you sit down for your league draft is a most invaluable tool. It is much easier to test them and familiarize yourself with the draft mechanics before that first draft, compared to when you’re scrambling to find that sleeper in the 12th round with 20 seconds left on the clock.

I have spent many live drafts practicing the strategies that Roto players today can have access to in a matter of hours. Take advantage of those opportunities to make yourself into a complete and well-rounded player.

Commencing January 27 at 8 p.m. EST, and every Sunday evening for the following five weeks, I’d like to invite all our readers to a Mock Draft over at mockdraftcentral.com. The format will be a 15-team mixed 5×5 league, and it will be set up as RotoRob’s Regulars. Come on over and practice, share some thoughts and ideas, and become that top notch drafter, a skill that will lead you onto victory for the 2008 season.

It’s been a while since I checked in, but the vacation’s over and it’s time to get back to the business that is always at hand — baseball.

First off, let me pass on my congratulations to the Chunichi Dragons on their recent Japan Series triumph. History was made as Daisuke Yamai and Hitoki Iwase combined on a perfect game to wrap up the series four games to one, ending the Dragons’ 53-year drought. It’s a shame most of the mainstream American media missed this historic event, but with the semi-finals of the Celebrity Lawn Dart Championships running at the same time, it’s most understandable. I sense some future venting material coming up here.

Baseball in my world is an ever-evolving and constant project. As one season ends, another starts and this fall has been no different. My NPB research picks up as we near Fantasy Guide time; my keeper league, the NABL, is currently in the midst of a fall dispersal draft, and I’m also working on a research project, attempting to sort through the many mysteries of the large format league. Here at RotoRob.com, I’m currently working on a series of articles that will be rolled out over the next several months dealing with draft preparation. At the same time, we’ll, of course, be taking a pre-season look at the rankings by position.

This past week, I had the privilege of partaking in my first draft of the 2008 season, the annual Creativesports.com mock draft. Curated by Lawr Michaels and hosted by Geoff Stein over at Mock Draft Central, this is a 15-team, mixed, 5X5 draft and hold, snake draft.

I’m a big proponent of doing the homework, but in this case with just a couple of days’ notice, that pretty much went by the wayside. I received my slot the day before the draft and ended up with the No. 3 pick. Being a draft and hold, my first thought was let’s get those stolen bases out of the way pronto. So I deciding to go with the old approach of buy the steals early, work on my starting pitching mid to late rounds, look for bargains in players coming off down years and attempt to vulture my saves at the end.

So there we were on a cold snowy mid-November evening (at least where I was), 15 guys attempting to unveil the secrets to 2008 — a challenging task, to say the least.

When the third pick came up, I was left flipping a coin between Hanley Ramirez and Jose Reyes, and we were off.

Immediately, my computer moved into cranky mode and a switch to auto made me the proud owner of Ramirez. Not the choice I wanted, but certainly one I was more than happy to live with. With 24 picks before my next kick at the can, normally I’d be queuing up players left, right and centre for future reference. But having been through many drafts and with a cranky computer, I had to steer clear of this tactic. The thought of seeing one of my end plays turning up in the third round did absolutely nothing for me.

After the first round, which saw very few surprises, I happened to glance at pitching and, lo and behold, Johan Santana was still out there — my first clue as to what would be occurring just around the corner. What is happening? Isn’t Santana a top 10 player, or at least first round pick? Heading back down the old ladder, he was still there. Is this just a five-category league?

The old ticker started picking up just a bit as more picks followed and still no one grabbed pitching! Now what do I do if he’s still there at my pick? But ah ” finally — with the 22nd pick, the suspense was over. This was the first big surprise of the evening.

Time for that second pick and with Chone Figgins being out there, I grabbed him and my speed was a done deal. A couple of quick picks later and then it was back to me for Round Three. Being a 15-team league, with two catchers required, it was time to take care of that position, so I wisely grabbed Victor Martinez.

Again, I had the long wait and with my Round Four pick, took Nick Markakis. I like this kid, and after coming off a solid year, the potential upside is there.

That brought us to Round Five, and time to gamble, so I grabbed Vernon Wells. Last year, in most leagues, Vernon was a solid Round Two pick, and with a healthy shoulder heading into the spring, I’m counting on a bounce back to the 2005-06 level, making this both a decent gamble and potential big bonus.

Again I had that 22 pick wait and I took the time to start perusing rosters to see if anything jumped out at me. Did it ever! With five rounds now complete, eight teams had no pitching at all and nine teams had no starting pitching. My original plan was to look late for pitching, building an offense first, but with this many teams laying off the pitching, I decided it was time to change horses mid-stream.

I just didn’t like the odds of going head to head with more than half the league in an attempt to build a rotation. Round Six saw me grab Dice-K, and coming back around the bend I grabbed Roy Oswalt in Round Seven. Dice probably went a bit early, but that NPB bias of mine kicked in and I just couldn’t say no. I really like Oswalt with the 93rd pick.

Okay, the pitching has a base, so let’s get back to a bit more offense, I figured. My next two picks were Mike Lowell and Josh Willingham, both solid if unspectacular.

Reviewing those Round Six through to Round 10 picks, 36 of the 75 selections were pitchers, with relief pitchers being snatched up in a big way. Looks like that end game play on the bullpen is going to be a gamble, and it was. Round 10 found me looking at adding to that rotation and I really like what I found. Matt Cain was out there and the combination of ERA, WHIP and Ks was just too hard to turn down. If that ugly 2007 won/loss record drives him down too far, he could most certainly be a very nice bargain in 2008, I believe.

Round 11 saw me fill out my middle infield with Khalil Greene. I like the power potential here, but the BA could take a hit. One of my pre-draft targets was next on the list and Joey Votto, grabbed in Round 12, was now mine. Let’s just hope that Dusty Baker takes notice of that very solid September, as the power/speed combination is very real.

Since that first problem back in Round One, my computer had been performing as it should so I took the chance on queuing up a couple players for later perusal. Thank goodness it was just a couple as the good times were just about to roll. Round 13 saw me take Kaz Matsui, filling out my middle infield.

My team was probably a bit top heavy now on the SBs, but a decent average, runs scored and 30+ SB was too enticing for me to pass on at this stage.

Next up, with relief pitchers falling all over the place, it was time to grab some saves, so I took Todd Jones. With the Joel Zumaya injury, Jones should be guaranteed some decent save numbers for 2008, and it saved me from picking Joe Borowski.

Then, I went back to starting pitcher and took the sure and steady route by grabbing Derek Lowe, followed by another long shot in Franklin Gutierrez. If Gutierrez gets the ABs, he could be a nice grab at this stage.

In Round 17, and with my corner infield still vacant, I went with Eric Chavez. How the mighty have tumbled! If there is some semblance of health, there is at least potential for decent numbers here. A long shot, maybe, but we are nearing the end and it’s time to reach.

With my Round 18 pick nearing,

So Derek and I were minding our own business, chatting about important things like how bad Larry Johnson will be and how MTV’s The Hills is the greatest show since MTV’s Laguna Beach. It was at this point that RotoRob started screaming at our poor souls.

“DO THIS DRAFT, YOU WORTHLESS DOLTS!”

After Derek stopped crying, we decided it would be best to do the master’s bidding. We joined 11 other fantasy football fanatics in what will go down in history as one of, if not the most suspenseful and cut-throat fantasy football drafts ever. Okay, maybe not, but it’s worth analyzing.

We’ll take a look at each round as a whole, and specifically explain our picks. Going into the draft, having the third pick, we knew who we weren’t going to take. But, aside from that, we figured we’d take some risks and go for the best team possible. So without further ado, here’s our draft. We were RotoRob’s Minions, which means we already had the best team name. Yay!

Round One

1. LaDainian Tomlinson, Philly Freaks
2. Steven Jackson, Aiello’s Avalanche
3. Frank Gore, RotoRob’s Minions
4. Shaun Alexander, The Rays Bullpen
5. Rudi Johnson, Swashbucklers
6. Willie Parker, Hallstenators
7. Maurice Jones-Drew, Madison Greene
8. Larry Johnson, Eat Fresh
9. Peyton Manning, JohnstonCo Hogs
10. Laurence Maroney, Romo’s Rodeo Clowns
11. Reggie Bush, Tony’s Texas Terror
12. Tom Brady,

Even though we have to wait until the very end of the month for regular season games to begin, that didn’t stop Rotoworld from staging its Expert League mock draft last night. And, of course, RotoRob was a participant, a season removed from a second-place finish in the Auction Player’s NBA Expert League.

Besides RotoRob, participants in this year’s pool include: Beckett Media; Tom Carpenter from Roto Times; Steve Alexander, who runs basketball coverage for Rotoworld and who set up the league; Jonathan Gangi and Matt Lawrence, both Rotoworld columnists; HoopsKlyce.com; Brian Styers of USAToday; Roger Rotter from Fox Sports; Brian McKitish and Dave Gawron, both of Talented Mr. Roto; and Matt Buser from Yahoo.

To put things in context, we’re playing standard eight-category roto (points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, three-pointers, FG%, FT%), and it was a 12-team snake draft. Active rosters have to have four guards, four forwards and two centres every week, with four guys riding your pine.

I didn’t exactly luck out like I did last year, when (if memory serves) I had the fourth overall pick in the 12-team draft. This year, I had to wait until No. 9 to make my first pick. But I was pretty darned stoked to get Elton Brand, who I had ranked No. 7, with this pick.

Here’s how the first round looked:

1. LeBron James, SF, CLE: Last year, it was King James and KG duking it out for No. 1. This year, James is a slam dunk as the top pick.

2. Shawn Marion, F, PHO: This is who I got at No. 4 last year, and he carried me, so it’s hard to argue with his overall game at No. 2. I had him third on my list, but it’s too close to quibble.

3. Kobe Bryant, SG, LAL: Now this might be a minor stretch. While I had Kobe at No. 4, passing up the all-around game that Kevin Garnett provides might be a mistake. Bryant will probably lead the league in scoring again, but he doesn’t rack up enough rebounds or assists to compensate. Still, we’re talking about a 35-PPG dude.

4. Garnett, F, MIN: Great pick at No. 4. Nice to luck out and have a stud like KG drop to you at this spot and also makes it one of those picks where the decision has been removed for you. All you to is click. Don’t think…just click.

5. Dwyane Wade, G, MIA: I prefer Dirk at No. 5, but again, Wade is a stud in points and assists and keeps getting better, so I can’t really argue this choice.

6. Dirk Nowitzki, PF, DAL: Easy call here considering his improved shooting that led to a career-best 26.6 PPG last year.

7. Gilbert Arenas, PG, WAS: As mentioned, I had Brand ranked here, but if you want a point guard, Arenas is a great selection. He and Steve Nash will alternate as one-two in the point guard race depending on your league, but this is a good pick. It certainly worked for me, letting Brand slip to me at No. 9.

8. Allen Iverson, PG, PHA: This pick made me giddy, and not because I thought the Answer was the answer at No. 8. If I wanted a PG here, I would have definitely grabbed Nash over Iverson, but to each his own. Like I said, I wasn’t going to complain as Brand dropped another slot.

9. Brand, PF, LAC: I opted for the scoring, rebounding and blocks of Brand over getting a stud PG like Nash. I dealt for Nash last year, and he almost helped me win it, so it’s not like I don’t love the Canadian kid. But with Amare Stoudemire back this year, it’s hard to see Nash’s point total approaching the 18.8 PPG he racked up last season. Plus Brand got in shape last year, and emerged as a true stud. He’s 27 and still getting better. I’m very happy with this pick.

10. Andrei Kirilenko, F, UTAH: A surprise pick this high. Because this was a snake draft, I think Gangi could have had Kirilenko with his next pick at 15 and he could have grabbed Nash here, who would definitely be gone by 15. I love Kirilenko’s all-around game, but this was a mistake, considering he’s a late-second round talent and his owner had another pick scheduled before AK-47 would have been off the board. Maybe Gangi hates Nash, but there are other superior choices he could have made here.

11. Nash, PG, PHO: What did Lawrence think when Nash fell to him at No. 11? “No. 1 assist guy — saweeet.” Talk about a nice break. You know he’s going to lead the league in assists again, especially with Amare back.

12. Ray Allen, SG, SEA: Another surprise pick this high. I had Allen lasting to the middle of the second round, but Rotter had back-to-back picks here and grabbed Chris Paul with his second choice. Paul’s a good pick at 13, but I might have preferred taking Paul Pierce here with the first pick, as he brings more all-around game than Allen. Or he could have gone big and taken Chris Bosh or Tim Duncan with Paul.

Here’s how the rest of my draft fared:

Round Two (16th overall) — Paul Pierce, G/F, BOS: I was stoked to add Pierce here, given that he’s coming off a career season. He’s a seven-cat guy, with blocks being the only stat he doesn’t offer much help in.

Round Three (33rd overall) — Ron Artest, SF, SAC: What the hell? Let’s take a nice safe, stable pick in the third round…not! I figure with the advantage of actually having a training camp this year, Artest’s shooting will improve. And you know he’s the king of steals, plus will offer some help in blocks. So he brings a bit of everything to the table. Well, everything but sanity, that is. I’ll keep my fingers crossed that Artest can avoid a suspension for at least a half a season.

Round Four (40th overall) — Shaquille O’Neal, C, MIA: I’ ve never owned the Diesel before and I might regret not grabbing Mehmet Okur, Brad Miller or even Chris Kaman in this slot, especially when I learn first-hand what fantasy owners have been moaning about for years as they struggle to get out of the basement in the FT percentage category. I tried to compensate for this pick with strong FT shooters later, but at least I’ll be good to go in scoring, boards and blocks.

Round Five (57th overall) — Mike James, PG, MIN: I needed a point guard still, so what do I do? I pick the best shoot-first-I’m really-more-of-a-shooting-guard PG I could find in James. But he’s coming off a career season, so I’d thought I’d pounce and hope that with (somewhat) more scoring options in Minny, James will get more assists this year. Maybe? It’s not that he was that bad last year, racking up almost six assists per game, it’s just that after watching a full season of him hog the ball until three seconds remained on the shot clock before dishing off to someone who was put on the spot to put up a prayer, I understand the frustration of dealing with a shoot-first guard.

Round Six (64th overall) — Richard Hamilton, SG, DET: Rip’ll help with my scoring and assists. He’s an excellent FT shooter and his outside game showed signs of life last year. Plus he’s one of the league’s classiest guys, so he helps take the Artest edge off Team RotoRob.

Round Seven (81st overall) — Nenad Krstic, F/C, NJ: I wanted to land a second centre before I had to scratch and crawl to find someone with a clear-cut job, so I opted for Krstic here. He established himself as the main man in New Jersey last year, and his scoring (13.5 PPG) is developing nicely. A big man who will put a few points up on the board is sweet. I also expect Krstic’s rebounding to keep getting better this season.

Round Eight (88th overall) — Eddie Jones, G/F, MEM: Okay, here’s where I screwed up big time. I had been religiously tracking all the picks, but somehow I missed Josh Smith getting taken – in the third round. Why the hell I thought Smith would still on the board in the eighth round is a question better left to a team of psychiatrists, but suffice it to say I let my two-minutes run down while searching the board for his name. Only it wasn’t there. I panicked, had no one in my draft cue to grab as a last-second alternative (big mistake…don’t do that), so I got an automatic pick by the system. Players left on the board at that time included Jamal Crawford, Deron Williams, Andres Nocioni, Troy Murphy and Chris Wilcox, any one of which I would have been happy to see grabbed for me. But no. The dumb-ass system takes Eddie Jones for me. Eddie Jones. Thanks a freakin’ lot! Jones will be 35 before the season starts and his PT is on the decline. Granted, he’s good for steals, but so is the Hamburgler. I screwed the pooch here and have no one to blame but myself and my own lack of attention. Dumb. I’ll dump Jones as soon transactions can be made and pick up another swingman or maybe a point guard.

Round Nine (105th overall) — Stephen Jackson, G/F, INDY: I grabbed another swingman here for some positional flexibility (this time, on purpose even!). Jackson was a starter last season, and may have to come off the bench this year, but other than rebounding, he does a bit of everything. Maybe not my greatest pick, but Jackson has a tendency to get hot every now and then, so he can be a useful player to have when he’s on.

Round 10 (112th overall) — Adam Morrison, F, CHAR: Let’s see what the rook can do. I think he’ll be instant offense in the NBA, but either way, with his flop of a ‘do and cheesy ’stache, he’s a fun player to have. And this is supposed to be fun, so you have to like your team (again, Artest comes to mind…). All indications are, though, Morrison is a pure scorer who will be able to make the transition to the pros.

Round 11 (129th overall) — Primoz Brezec, C, CHAR: Let’s start a run on Bobcats! I grabbed Brezec to act as my main backup at centre. He’s a starter who wasn’t able to build on a solid 2004-05 season, but Charlotte was a mess last year with non-stop injuries, so I figured it was tough for him to get anything going with a constantly-changing lineup. I’m betting Brezec bounces back this season, and if he doesn’t, he’s a steady enough option that he can still help me.

Round 12 (136th overall) — Jamaal Magloire, C, POR: I didn’t get Nash this year, so opted instead for the next-best Canadian NBA player (are there any others?). Magloire helps provide depth at centre, although his exact role is unclear. He thinks he’ll be the starter, but Portland already has Joel Przybilla. I was torn which of these two I wanted, but opted for the Can-con. Magloire was healthy last year and will really help me in rebounding. Unfortunately, he’s going to hurt me in FT shooting, so I better not play him and Shaq in the same week.

Round 13 (153rd overall) — Kenny Thomas, PF, SAC: Thomas took over as the starter for the Kings about a third of the way into last season and while he’ll probably return to the bench this year, he offers good rebounding and nice FG percentages. But that’s about it. Still, at this point, you’re looking to shore up particular categories, and here’s a guy that simply won’t hurt me in anything.

Round 14 (160th overall) — J.J. Redick, SG, ORL: Again, I was thinking about category help here with my final pick. I realized I needed some outside shooting, so I’m hoping the rookie can fill it up from outside. Also, Redick missed, what, maybe four FTs his entire college career? He’s the FT-shooting Shaq antitode that may help take the sting out of owning Shaq Daddy. Redick could miss the start of the season with some foot issues, and he’ll probably be coming off the bench to start the year, but I wouldn’t be shocked if he takes over the Magic starting SG position in short order. This guy is the best pure shooter to hit the association in a long time.

All told, I’m more or less pleased with my results picking out of the nine-hole. The Jones’ screw-up in the eighth round flustered me, but I quickly wolfed down a Jos. Louis to regain my energy for a strong finish.

I’ll have a solid rebounding team, with good FG percentages and lots of blocks, but may come up short in assists. Scoring should be okay, and with Artest, my steals will be strong. I might be weak in three-pointers, but James and Redick will help me there. Finally, FT shooting could be a problem thanks to Shaq, but I’m trusting Pierce to get back over the 80% mark and for Redick to be a 90% stud from the line (of course, he’ll actually need to get to the charity stripe on a regular basis for it to matter).

I’ll check in periodically, especially when I relaunch my Three in the Key column on RotoRob, to provide you with details of how things are going.

In the meantime, if you’d like to see a complete list of the mock draft, let me know and I’ll hook you up.