I’m not so certain the coaching staff is sold on CWire as an every down LB. I don’t know why, but I have a sneaky suspicion we will take a CB with the 1st pick. You know what, I’ll bet the other GM’s and HC’s are as uncertain about Dimitroff’s intentions as we are, and that’s probably what he wants.

I’ll say one thing. No matter what decision Dimitroff makes with our picks, I won’t offer a single objection or question his decision.

Other than getting arrested for assault/battery on a police officer, this guy is THE package, without so much speed (but he don’t need it, trust me). Besides, we don’t know just how valid that charge was or how it all happened. Don’t want to be too quick to judge.

But is Pettigrew good enough to want to take a chance on drafting him first?

I see us drafting a safety first, unless a very good defensive tackle or exceptional linebacker falls to us. I don’t figure it will be a linebacker unless Aaron Curry or Brian Cushing falls to us. Don’t see that happening, but stranger things have happened in the NFL draft.

As far as safeties go, I like William Moore of Missouri, and Sean Smith of Utah. Delmas and Chung are also pretty good, but a bit smaller than I’d like, although Chung is a tough cookie.

Lots of mock drafts have us picking a corner before anything else, and it tends to be D.J. Moore of Vanderbilt. Who knows, we could get a guy like Vonta Davis or Malcolm Jenkins.

As far as defensive linemen go, I’m not sure what the deal is. We won’t likely be able to get ends like Orakpo or Tyson Jackson. Michael Johnson is a scary physical specimen, but he’s got some issues. Besides, we could be more or less set with Davis/Anderson and Abraham/Biermann. I think the tackle position will be the emphasis. Hate to say it, but Raji and Perry probably don’t fall this far, so we maybe we get Ron Brace.

Still, I’m not sure we burn that first pick on a defensive lineman or linebacker unless they are top billing at their position, and manage to fall to us. While everybody is picking guys like those, big offensive linemen, and every other position, that will probably push nearly all of the top secondary players to our area (24th pick), and all we will have to do is decide which position (safety or cornerback) we want to upgrade the most at first chance. Not to say that we won’t have another shot at the secondary in the 2nd round, but it wouldn’t surprise me if by then we are looking at LBs or DL-men (depending on what we do in the first round, and what happens in the early/mid part of the second).

I’d look for us to draft a guy who can play safety or corner, or can fit at either safety spot. Such versatility has to be a plus. William Moore can play either safety spot, and Smith can play either safety or corner, though he’s probably better as a safety. The boy has some size, too.

We’ll see. Can’t rule out Dimitroff trading up in the draft, either. But then, if he does that, he probably doesn’t end up with as many picks, and if that’s the case, whomever he’s wanting to grab will have to be special….

I don’t think we’ll see more than 1 or 2 rookie starters on DEF, and that will be at LB and DT. Like I said earlier, I wouldn’t be a bit surprised to see us take a CB with our 1st pick. Even though we’ll have 3 CB’s returning from IR(DIrons, VHutchins and BGrimes), they are all returning from season ending injuries and therefore question marks. The truth is, Smith isn’t all that enamored with CB Houston’s lack of aggressiveness. Therefore, he might be looking to replace him as well as finding a replacement for DFoxworth.

GREG-your point, and the point of the article, can be best illustrated by the success of a former Probowl CB named Rod Woodson. He had lost a step or 2 and the Steelers waived him because he was getting beaten consistently. The Raiders picked him up and converted him to safety and he became a Probowler again. That same thing happened to 2 other former CB’s that were successfully converted to safety after losing a step or 2, but I can’t remember their names. I thought a former Falcon draft pick from VA Tech, CB Jimmy Williams, was a perfect candidate for conversion to safety. He was big, strong, a heavy hitter, with CB cover speed, although he lacked technique. All he needed was seasoning and adequate training to become a standout safety. Maybe that’s what the team that recently signed him has in mind.

Smith- Please stay away! Great athlete, hands, etc., but no blocking. And injuries that could scare anyone away. I realize it’s great idea to give our Offense another Red Zone Weapon, which we need, but draft or let’s wait till 2010 FA when Scheffler becomes available. Pettigrew, kid out of South Carolina are good choices, but still unknown to the average fan.

I am sold on First Round, First pick we go Safety or LB. If we are getting younger and faster and better at the point of attack (aka open field tackling) Defense is our first option. Peele is a decent 2009 starting TE for us. He’s not “sexy” like Smith, but he is already in the fold, been with Ryan, so why not give him another year.

The focus should be on Defense! LB or S or DL, depth….Blah Blah Blah