Every year, there are two days in the month of April on which every team in the NFL has to draft either the next big star or the next big bust.

Ladies, and gentlemen, I am talking about the NFL Draft. This is where a team will either draft the next John Elway or the next Ryan Leaf. As soon as the regular season ends, NFL teams all around the league start to decide who will be worthy of their draft picks in order to help build for the future or to just help with needs that need to be filled due to free agency.

For the past few years, I have followed the NFL draft very closely. The main reason is that I am a big Dallas Cowboys fan and I am so interested in what my team is going to do.

This year’s draft is shaping up to be an interesting one. There are many big-name college players who will be available in the first round who could have bright futures in the NFL.

I have been following the mock drafts very closely during the off-season, and I think that I have enough information to be able to lay out my 32 picks in the draft and how I think they are going to go.

1. San Francisco – Alex Smith, QB, Utah – With the 49ers in a rebuilding mode, they have their eyes on this franchise quarterback.
2. Miami – Ronnie Brown, RB, Auburn – With the departure of Ricky Williams, the Dolphins will definitely not pass up the chance on this great runner.
3. Cleveland – Aaron Rodgers, QB, Cal University – With the trendy pick here being Michigan wide receiver Braylon Edwards, the Browns are not about to let a quarterback with the skills of Rodgers get away from them.
4. Chicago – Braylon Edwards, WR, Michigan – The Bears, who released past draft pick bust David Terrell this off season, will need someone to pair up with the newly-signed free agent wide receiver Mushin Mahhammed.
5. Tampa Bay – Carnell Williams, RB, Auburn – The pick here looks like a no brainer for the Buccaneers. There is no way Chucky will let this pick get away.
6. Tennessee – Antrel Rolle, CB, University of Miami – With the loss of Sammari Rolle to the Ravens via free agency, the Titians will  have their eyes on this outstanding player.
7. Minnesota (acquired from Oakland in trade for Randy Moss) – Derrick Johnson, LB, Texas – The Vikings will use this pick and land a true game-breaker.
8. Arizona – Cedric Benson, RB, Texas – The Cardinals will not let this bruising runner slip past them with their fist pick.
9. Washington – Adam “Pac Man” Jones, CB, West Virginia – With the loss of Fred Smoot to the Vikings during the off-season due to free agency, the Redskins have to use this pick to help beef up the secondary.
10. Detroit – Dan Cody, DE, Oklahoma – The Lions will need to find some help with the pass rush, so look for Cody to go before Georgia standout David Pollack.
11. Dallas – Shawn Merriman, DE, Marylnad – Now that the Boys are going to the 3-4 defense, Merriman will help give the Cowboys a solid front line.
12. San Diego ( from the NY Giants in the 2004 draft trade) - Mike Williams, WR, USC – Williams stock has dropped, and the Chargers will not let him fall any farther.
13. Houston – Alex Barron, OT, Florida State – The Texans still need help along the front line to help block for David Carr, and this is the player who will provide protection for the fourth-year quarterback.
14. Carolina – Heath Miller, TE, Virginia – Miller will give quarterback Jake Delohme a target he will need after the loss of WR Muhammed.
15. Kansas City - Carlos Rogers, CB, Auburn – The Chiefs have all the offense they need but always seem to lack on defense. This pick will give the Chiefs much needed help in the secondary.
16. New Orleans – Jammal Brown, OT, Oklahoma – The Saints will not let this anchor get away.
17. Cincinnati – Travis Johnson, DT, Florida State – The Bengals are set on offense and now look to build up the defense.
18. Minnesota – Troy Williamson, WR, South Carolina – The Vikings will need to get someone to help fill the void left by the departure of Moss, and Williamson should be a good fit.
19. St. Louis – Bill Swancutt, DE, Oregon State – The Rams need some help on the defensive line. Swancutt would be a nice pickup.
20. Dallas – Mark Clayton, WR, Oklahoma – The Cowboys will not let this Steve Smith-type player get past them. With Johnson and Glenn getting up in age, it’s time for a youth movement at the WR position.
21. Jacksonville – Elton Brown, OT, Virginia – The Jags need some help on the line to protect quarterback Byron Leftwitch.
22. Baltimore – Marcus Spears, DE, Louisiana State –The Ravens will use this pick to add more depth to the defensive line.
23. Seattle – Shaun Cody, DT, USC – The Seahawks will use this pick to help with the defensive front line.
24. Green Bay – Channing Crowder, LB, Florida – The Pack will use this pick to help with a defense that seemed to struggle at the beginning of the season last year.
25. Denver – David Pollack, DE, Georgia – Pollack was a player who was projected to go early in the first round, but his stock dropped amid allegations of a huge ego and not a very coachable player.
26. New York Jets – Fabian Washington, CB, Nebraska – This player was not projected as a first-round player but recently saw his stock rise. He could become an impact player.
27. Atlanta – Khalif Barnes, OT, Washington – The Falcons will use this pick to help secure some protection for Michael Vick for when he actually decides to throw the ball instead of run over everyone.
28. San Diego – Thomas Davis, S, Georgia – The Falcons need help in the secondary. This pick will surely help.
29. Indianapolis - Barrett Rudd, LB, Nebraska – The Colts need help with their defense to hopefully get over the Patriots next season.
30. Pittsburgh – Demarcus Ware, DE, Troy State – The Steelers will use this pick to find a pass rusher they so sorely missed last season.
31. Philadelphia – Anttaj Hawthorne, DT, Wisconsin – The Eagles will use this pick to get some help for Jevon Kearse, who seemed to disappear late in the playoffs.
32. New England – Corey Webster, CB, Louisiana State – Webster was originally slated as a top first-round pick but saw his stock fall late in the off-season. The Patriots will use this pick to fill the void left by the departure of Ty Law.

There you have it my projected 32 picks for the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft on April 23-April 24. Hope you enjoy, and maybe, just maybe, one of my picks will be right.