2008 NFL Mock Draft: Picks 21-32

It's that time of year again where NFL teams switch from the regular season mode to the off-season. Well, many teams were forced to make the switch at the end of week 17. However, it's just now starting to sink in for all of us fans that we won't see another meaningful football game again for almost 6 months. The good news is the NFL Draft is scheduled to take place April 26-27, meaning we've got at least one event to tide us over until then. In the following article, we're going to take a closer look at what NFL rookies Madden gamers can expect to be playing with next season with their favorite teams. We begin breaking down this year's NFL Draft with picks 22-32 below:

	#22 - Dallas Cowboys RB - Rashard Mendenhall - Ill	Dallas most likely won't be able to retain both Julius Jones and Marion Barber for next season, so Mendenhall will be a welcomed addition to the team. Mendenhall's 5'11, 225 lb frame gives him plenty of size to run between the tackles, as well as picking up blitzing defenders. In addition, Mendenhall's receiving skills out of the backfield are the best among all halfbacks in the draft.
	#23 - Pittsburgh Steelers OL - Chris Williams - Vanderbilt	Offensive linemen Chris Williams will be a nice piece for the Pittsburgh Steelers, but it won't do much for Madden users. Williams is said to be very athletic with great balance. I'm sure Willie Parker will appreciate the selection, but the skill positions are what get Madden players truly excited.
	#24 - Tennessee Titans WR - Limas Sweed - Texas	Tennessee will finally please Vince Young users by giving them a little help at the wide receiver position. Former Texas Longhorn Limas Sweed will bring his great size (6'4, 215) to a Titans offense that badly needs it. Unfortunately, Sweed's 40-yard dash time of 4.50 won't provide fans with the speed needed to beat the defense deep consistently. Regardless, it's nice to see the inaccurate VY getting a big target that he should be able to hit next season.
	#25 - Seattle Seahawks HB - Felix Jones - Arkansas	So many questions surround current Seahawks' starting running back Shaun Alexander that Seattle will make a push for running back Felix Jones in the draft. Jones is the second running back from Arkansas taken in the first round of the draft. Don't expect him to break many tackles, but he does have nice speed (4.30 40-yard dash time) that Madden users will certainly appreciate.
	#26 - Jacksonville Jaguars DE - Phillip Merling - Clemson	The Jacksonville Jaguars will be looking to improve their pass rush this off-season. The Jags hope the addition of defensive end Phillip Merling, combined with their already two monster defensive tackles, will help provide consistent pressure similar to what we saw the Giants do to the Patriots. Jacksonville already has a sound defensive unit everywhere else, so Merling could be just what they need to get them one step closer next season. Expect Merling's 40-yard dash time of 4.73 to be good enough to make him a consistent threat on the line next season.
	#27 - San Diego Chargers DT - Kentwan Balmer - UNC	Most of the early NFL Draft rumors regarding the Chargers' selection at this spot has them going after defensive tackle Kentwan Balmer. San Diego appears to want to add depth at this position just in case starter Jamal Williams continues to be hampered by injuries. The position that Balmer plays in addition to his inconsistent play will result in him being a non-factor in the upcoming Madden season.
	#28 - Dallas Cowboys CB - Dominique-Rodgers Cromartie - TSU	Yes, this is the brother of San Diego Chargers' cornerback Antonio Cromartie....and he's said to be just as good. Dominique Cromartie has the same 6'2 size as Antonio, but he weighs in at a mere 183. Cromartie's 4.4 40-yard dash time should give him enough speed to cover deep as well. It's safe to assume that Cromartie will be one of the best defensive additions in Madden 09 because of his size and speed. This selection makes sense for the Cowboys because their secondary got smoked all season long and Cromartie's arrival would greatly help slow down this area of the field.
	#29 - San Francisco 49ers WR - James Hardy - Indiana	One of the more exciting first round selections for Madden would take place if the 49ers actually did draft 6'6 receiver James Hardy. The 49ers desperately need a receiving threat out wide to force defenses from stacking defenders in the box to stop running back Frank Gore. Hardy won't be a deep threat, but he will be a big target with great jumping ability that San Francisco users will grow to love quickly.
	#30 - Green Bay Packers CB - Reggie Smith - Oklahoma	Another cornerback with decent size is headed to Green Bay with their selection of 6'1 Reggie Smith. The Packers' current cornerback duo of Al Harris and Charles Woodson got abused in the playoffs and they aren't getting any younger. Smith should slide in to the nickelback position, then take over a starting spot when the time comes. Packers' users will love his size, but his 4.47 40-yard dash time won't provide you with as much speed as you'd like to cover the field with.
	#31 - New England Patriots Pick Forfeited	See: Spygate
	#32 - New York Giants LB - Dan Connor - Penn St.	The G-men will look to improve their front seven because by the time they select all of the top cornerbacks will be off the board. Connor is a solid pick because he's a heady player that should have great awareness in Madden. Plus, he'll have adequate speed (4.67 40-yard dash) to make enough plays on the field. The Giants as a team will be much improved overall anyways because of the championship, but adding a quality player like Conner will help even more.