Post NFL writer Bart Hubbuch examines the problem areas of all 32 teams and whom they are expected to take with their early picks in this week’s NFL Draft:
ARIZONA CARDINALS
First pick: No. 26
Biggest needs: NT, ILB, WR
The skinny: The defense, which wasn’t very good to begin with, took some major personnel hits in the offseason.
Leaning toward: Jared Odrick, DT, Penn State
ATLANTA FALCONS
First pick: No. 19
Biggest needs: DE, OLB, WR
The skinny: Quarterback pressure is a must after the pass defense ranked 28th in the league last season.
Leaning toward: Sean Weatherspoon, OLB, Missouri
BALTIMORE RAVENS
First pick: No. 25
Biggest needs: CB, DE, WR
The skinny: The defense needs some heft up front, but Joe Flacco needs weapons more.
Leaning toward: DeMaryius Thomas, WR, Georgia Tech
BUFFALO BILLS
First pick: No. 9
Biggest needs: OT, QB, NT
The skinny: The Bills will go for beef first, but don’t be surprised to see them grab Tim Tebow in the second round.
Leaning toward: Bryan Bulaga, OT, Iowa
CAROLINA PANTHERS
First pick: No. 48 overall (second round)
Biggest needs: DE, OLB, WR
The skinny: With plenty of defensive needs to fill, the Panthers might try to trade into the first round.
Leaning toward: Mardy Gilyard, WR, Cincinnati
CHICAGO BEARS
First pick: No. 75 overall (third round)
Biggest needs: FS, OL, CB
The skinny: Without a trade, the Bears won’t be heard from until Saturday. But free-agent signings filled a lot of holes.
Leaning toward: Jerome Murphy, CB, South Florida
CINCINNATI BENGALS
First pick: No. 21
Biggest needs: TE, DE, S
The skinny: The Bengals could go in a lot of directions, but a pass-catching tight end is a glaring hole on an otherwise capable team.
Leaning toward: Jermaine Gresham, TE, Oklahoma
CLEVELAND BROWNS
First pick: No. 7
Biggest needs: QB, OLB, FS
The skinny: Will the Browns risk another first-round pick on another Notre Dame quarterback? They might go for defense instead.
Leaning toward: Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame
DALLAS COWBOYS
First pick: No. 27
Biggest needs: LT, FS, WR
The skinny: The Cowboys famously passed on a top-flight wideout (Randy Moss) because of character questions. They won’t make the same mistake again.
Leaning toward: Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma St.
DENVER BRONCOS
First pick: No. 11
Biggest needs: WR, RB, DE
The skinny: Dez Bryant will probably still be here, but will the Broncos risk another head-case wide receiver?
Leaning toward: Jason Pierre-Paul, DE, South Florida
DETROIT LIONS
First pick: No. 2
Biggest needs: DT, CB, OL
The skinny: The Lions are looking to trade down, but if they can’t, fortifying the defensive line is a no-brainer
Leaning toward: Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska
GREEN BAY PACKERS
First pick: No. 23
Biggest needs: OLB, OT, S
The skinny: The Pack has more pressing needs, but their cornerbacks are aging and youth is a must.
Leaning toward: Patrick Robinson, CB, Florida State
HOUSTON TEXANS
First pick: No. 20
Biggest needs: CB, FS, RB
The skinny: The secondary is bad enough by itself to keep the Texans out of the playoffs once again without a talent injection.
Leaning toward: Earl Thomas, S, Texas
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
First pick: No. 31
Biggest needs: OL, DE, CB
The skinny: The Colts will have “offensive line” on the brain, but they probably won’t pass up a chance to give Dwight Freeney help.
Leaning toward: Brian Price, DT, UCLA
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
First pick: No. 10
Biggest needs: DE, LB, WR
The skinny: Jack Del Rio, a preening fraud with one career playoff win, keeps drafting defensive busts. Maybe Morgan will be different.
Leaning toward: Derrick Morgan, DE, Georgia Tech
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
First pick: No. 5
Biggest needs: S, ILB, OL
The skinny: The Chiefs are looking to pounce on one player — Eric Berry — who could turn their sorry defense around in a hurry.
Leaning toward: Eric Berry, S, Tennessee.
MIAMI DOLPHINS
First pick: No. 12
Needs: NT, RB, OLB
The skinny: With their receiver gap filled by the Brandon Marshall trade, the Fish look to restock an inexperienced D.
Leaning toward: Dan Williams, DT, Tennessee
MINNESOTA VIKINGS
First pick: No. 30
Biggest needs: CB, S, OG
The skinny: Confident of a Favre return, the Vikes will go for secondary help instead.
Leaning toward: Taylor Mays, S, USC
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
First pick: No. 22
Biggest needs: OLB, WR, ILB
The skinny: It seems the Pats couldn’t live on a diet of Bill Belichick’s supposed defensive genius alone last season.
Leaning toward: Sergio Kindle, OLB, Texas
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
First pick: No. 32
Needs: DE, OLB, DT
The skinny: The Saints need to retool their defense in a hurry before they can even think of repeating.
Leaning toward: Carlos Dunlap, DE, Florida
GIANTS
First pick: No. 15
Biggest needs: MLB, OL, DT
The skinny: Big Blue could use a pass-rushing end, but a replacement for Antonio Pierce is a much bigger must.
Leaning toward: Rolando McClain, ILB, Alabama
JETS
First pick: No. 29
Biggest needs: OLB, DE, FS
The skinny: Even if they sign Jason Taylor, the Jets still need pass rushers for Vernon Gholston’s eventual, inevitable release.
Leaning toward: Jerry Hughes, OLB, TCU.
OAKLAND RAIDERS
First pick: No. 8
Biggest needs: OT, DT, QB
The skinny: Al Davis loves glittery skill-position players with his high picks, but the offensive line is too glaring of a hole.
Leaning toward: Bruce Campbell, OT, Maryland
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
First pick: No. 24
Biggest needs: CB, LB, OL
The skinny: Anyone who watched the Birds get torched in the playoffs knows how much they need secondary help.
Leaning toward: Kyle Wilson,
CB, Boise State
PITTSBURGH STEELERS
First pick: No. 18 overall.
Biggest needs: CB, OL, DE
The skinny: Even with doubts about Roethlisberger’s future, you can count on the Steelers making a safe pick.
Leaning toward: Mike Iupati, G, Idaho
ST. LOUIS RAMS
First pick: No. 1
Biggest needs: QB, OLB, WR
The skinny: Sam Bradford is the sure pick, but is he also The Answer? Steve Spagnuolo’s job will depend on it.
Leaning toward: Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma
SAN DIEGO CHARGERS
First pick: No. 28
Biggest needs: NT, RB, RT
The skinny: L.T. is now a Jet, and Darren Sproles isn’t big enough to be an every-down back.
Leaning toward: Ryan Mathews, RB, Fresno State
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
First pick: No. 13 (also have No. 17)
Biggest needs: OT, CB, OLB
The skinny: The Niners aren’t far from being a very good team, and two first-rounders could put them over the top.
Leaning toward: Joe Haden, CB, Florida; Anthony Davis, OT, Rutgers.
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
First pick: No. 6 (also have No. 14)
Biggest needs: LT, DE, RB.
The skinny: New coach Pete Carroll has a lot of holes, but the Seahawks are drafting high enough to fill them immediately.
Leaning toward: Trent Williams, OT, Oklahoma; C.J. Spiller, RB, Clemson.
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
First pick: No. 3
Biggest needs: DT, DE, WR
The skinny: Rumor is the cash-strapped Bucs are eager to trade down. Otherwise, they’ll pounce on one of the DTs.
Leaning toward: Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma
TENNESSEE TITANS
First pick: No. 16
Biggest needs: DE, CB, OLB
The skinny: Defensive woes derailed the Titans’ otherwise impressive playoff bid last year.
Leaning toward: Brandon Graham, DE, Michigan
WASHINGTON REDSKINS
First pick: No. 4
Biggest needs: OT, OG, FS
The skinny: Will the Redskins snub the safe pick and go for Jimmy Clausen even with McNabb now on board?
Leaning toward: Russell Okung, OT, Oklahoma State