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Plenty of big questions heading into draft day

Can Lions pass on Suh? Will Redskins trade Haynesworth? Clausen falling?

Luckily for Bill Belichick, they are in a great position to fill their needs. New England’s past few drafts have led to this moment. New England has three second-round picks in the deepest draft in memory.

The only thing predictable about Belichick in the draft is unpredictability. The Patriots know how valuable their picks are and will leverage their assets to the fullest. The Eagles are in a similar position. They have two picks in rounds 2, 3 and 4. Don’t expect either team to stand pat.

9. How far will Jimmy Clausen fall?
Beware the pre-draft buzz. In the days leading up to Aaron Rodgers’ draft, there was very little indication outside of Mike Mayock that he could fall. Brady Quinn’s stock also seemed to be rising late in the process, when in reality no team was that interested.

Plenty of teams like Clausen, but there is doubt whether he’s loved enough to get drafted early. We continue to think about the rumblings early in the draft process that Clausen doesn’t have a logical home if he gets past Buffalo.

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Jacksonville isn’t ready to move on from David Garrard. The 49ers, despite strong rumors tying them to Clausen, liked Alex Smith enough to pass on Donovan McNabb. (Not a bright idea.) The Seahawks have their quarterback of the future in Charlie Whitehurst. A draft-day slide for Clausen out of the top 20 picks wouldn’t be a shock.

Clausen’s best chance may be Oakland. They are the most unpredictable team choosing in the top 10. Clausen would be a great choice for them, which somehow makes the marriage seem unlikely.

10. What teams desperately need a good draft?

 

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