Iowa shut out in NFL draft’s first 2 rounds

IOWA CITY — No former Iowa football players, including running back Shonn Greene, were selected today in the first two rounds of the NFL draft.

Most NFL analysts expected Greene to be drafted between rounds two and four. Other Hawkeyes likely to be drafted Sunday include cornerback Bradley Fletcher, defensive tackle Mitch King and offensive lineman Seth Olsen. Center Rob Bruggeman, defensive tackle Matt Kroul, tight end Brandon Myers and wide receiver Andy Brodell also could be drafted. 

Greene, 23, rushed for 1,850 yards and 20 touchdowns, both school records at Iowa. He ran for at least 100 yards in all 13 Iowa games last season.

Greene won the Doak Walker Award last December, which annually is given to college football’s best running back. He was named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year. He was a consensus All-American, Iowa’s first at running back since Nile Kinnick, and finished sixth in Heisman Trophy voting.

At the NFL Combine in February, ran the 40-yard dash in a sub-par 4.66 seconds But he then cut that time at Iowa’s pro day from anywhere from 4.59 to 4.50 seconds at Iowa’s pro day, ranging from scout to scout. He also increased his 225-pound bench press repetitions from 19 at the NFL Combine to 23 at Iowa’s pro day.

Three running backs were selected in the first round. Georgia’s Knowshon Moreno was picked at No. 12  by Denver. Indianapolis drafted UConn’s Donald Brown at No. 27 to Indianapolis, while Arizona selected Ohio State running back Chris Wells.

Philadelphia drafted University of Pittsburgh running back LeSean McCoy in the second round (No. 53). The Eagles were Greene’s favorite team when he was a youth in south New Jersey.

Fletcher and King are projected as third- or fourth-round picks. Olsen is projected as a fourth- or fifth-round selection. Bruggeman and Kroul are viewed as late-round picks, while Myers and Brodell are likely free agents or seventh-round picks.

2009 NFL Mock Draft, 1st 2 rounds; Iowa draftee predictions

Here’s a look at Saturday’s first two rounds of the NFL draft. Along with the annual infusion of new blood into the NFL, the most intriguing part will include trades.

I anticipate Washington will get antsy for USC QB Mark Sanchez and will give away the farm to Kansas City to get him. That will include a No. 1 this year and next year, and their own No. 2 next year. Washington will trade starting QB Jason Campbell to the New York Jets for the Jet’s second-round pick, which then will be dealt to the Chiefs.

I expect Cleveland to deal WR Braylon Edwards to the New York Giants for a first-round pick.

At the bottom are Iowa’s draft hopefuls and where I think they could land.

1. DETROIT - Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia

2. ST. LOUIS - Jason Smith, T, Baylor

3. WASHINGTON (from Kansas City in a draft-day trade) – Mark Sanchez, QB, USC

4. SEATTLE - Eugene Monroe, T, Virginia

5. CLEVELAND - Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest

6. CINCINNATI - B.J. Raji, DT, Boston College

7. OAKLAND - Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri

8. JACKSONVILLE - Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech

9. GREEN BAY – Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU

10. SAN FRANCISCO – Aaron Maybin, DE/LB, Penn State

11. BUFFALO - Everette Brown, DE/LB, Florida State

12. DENVER - Brian Orakpo, DE, Texas

13. KANSAS CITY (from Washington in a draft-day trade) – Andre Smith, T, Alabama

14. NEW ORLEANS - Malcolm Jenkins, CB, Ohio State

15. HOUSTON - Brian Cushing, LB, USC

16. SAN DIEGO - Michael Oher, T, Ole Miss

17. N.Y. Jets – Robert Ayers, DE/LB, Tennessee

18. DENVER (from Chicago) – Peria Jerry, DT, Ole Miss

19. TAMPA BAY – Josh Freeman, QB, Kansas State

20. DETROIT (from Dallas) – James Laurinaitis, LB, Ohio State

21. PHILADELPHIA - Alex Mack, C, California

22. MINNESOTA - Eben Britton, T, Arizona

23. NEW ENGLAND – Connor Barwin, LB/DE, Cincinnati

24. ATLANTA - Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois

25. MIAMI - Rey Maualuga, LB, USC

26. BALTIMORE - Darrius Bulter, CB, UConn

27. INDIANAPOLIS - Ron Brace, DT, Boston College

28. BUFFALO (from Carolina through Philadelphia) - Max Unger, C/G, Oregon

29. CLEVELAND (from NY Giants in a draft-day trade) - Chris Wells, RB, Ohio State

30. TENNESSEE - Alphonso Smith, CB, Wake Forest

31. ARIZONA - Clay Matthews, LB, USC

32. PITTSBURGH - Jamon Meredith, G/T, South Carolina

SECOND ROUND

33. DETROIT - Ziggy Hood, DT, Missouri

34. NEW ENGLAND (from Kansas City) – Donald Brown, RB, UConn

35. ST. LOUIS – Percy Harvin, WR, Florida

36. CLEVELAND - Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma State

37. SEATTLE - Jarius Byrd, CB, Oregon

38. CINCINNATI - Paul Kruger, DE, Utah

39. JACKSONVILLE - Eric Wood, C, Louisville

40. OAKLAND - William Beatty, T, UConn

41. GREEN BAY - Craig Urbik, G, Wisconsin

42. BUFFALO - Duke Robinson, G, Oklahoma

43. SAN FRANCISCO – Antoine Caldwell, C, Alabama

44. MIAMI - Hakeen Nicks, WR, North Carolina

45. NY GIANTS – Scott McKillop, LB, Pittsburgh

46. HOUSTON - Shonn Greene, RB, Iowa

47. NEW ENGLAND – Bradley Fletcher, CB, Iowa

48. DENVER - Jasper Brinkley, LB, South Carolina

49. CHICAGO - Brian Robiskie, WR, Ohio State

50. CLEVELAND - Larry English, DE/LB, Northern Illinois

51. DALLAS - William Moore, S, Missouri

52. KANSAS CITY (from NY Jets through Washington in a draft-day trade) – Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia

53. PHILADELPHIA - LeSean McCoy, RB, Pittsburgh

54. MINNESOTA - Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland

55. ATLANTA - Marcus Freeman, LB, Ohio State

56. MIAMI - Patrick Chung, S, Oregon

57. BALTIMORE - Kenny Britt, WR, Rutgers

58. NEW ENGLAND – Gerald Cadogan, T, Penn State

59. CAROLINA - Mike Mickens, CB, Cincinnati

60. NY GIANTS – Phil Loadholt, T, Oklahoma

61. INDIANAPOLIS - Kenny McKinley, WR, South Carolina

62. TENNESSEE - Dorell Scott, DT, Clemson

63. ARIZONA - Louis Delmas, S, Western Michigan

64. PITTSBURGH - Fili Moala, DE, USC

IOWA DRAFTEES

2. Shonn Greene, RB, Houston (46)
Perfect tandem back with Houston’s Steve Slaton
2. Bradley Fletcher, CB, New England (47)
Ascending player with good size, speed; perfect for Belichick
3. Mitch King, DT, Washington (80)
Will make a great combination with hulking Albert Haynesworth
4. Seth Olsen, G, Indianapolis (127)
A solid, dependable player on team with Iowa ties
6. Rob Bruggeman, C, Chicago (190)
Eventual replacement for Olin Kreutz?
7. Matt Kroul, DT, Minnesota (221)
Could make a good back-up this year behind Kevin Williams and Pat Williams
7. Brandon Myers, TE, Cincinnati (252)
Only way Bengals can get Myers in their camp
F/A Andy Brodell, WR, Minnesota
Vikings like to snag Iowa players as free agents