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Since the NFL draft is only a few days away, it’s time to speculate on how the first round will play out. The first ten picks were revealed last thursday and the final 11 picks will be revealed friday. Click the “NFL Draft 2008″ tab to see the accumulated picks.

The player that each team will most likely draft will be written in bold under each team’s name. The other players that each team will be thinking about drafting will be listed further down. Iapprovedthismessage’s selections will be noted as well.

11. Buffalo Bills

Devin Thomas (WR, Michigan State)

• Derrick Harvey (DE, Florida) <— Iapprovedthismessage.com selection
• Leodis McKelvin (CB, Troy)
• Mike Jenkins (CB, South Florida)
• Aqib Talib (CB, Kansas)
• Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (CB, Tennessee State)

Bills Wide Receiver Lee Evans went from 82 catches in 2006 to just 55 in ‘07, so the Bills would like to draft a tall, fast receiver to draw some attention away from him. However, the Bills ranked 31st in rushing the passer as well as 25th in run-blocking last season, so there are other needs that they should look to address first. In drafting Thomas, Buffalo is also taking a huge risk on a receiver that, according to some analysts, may have been just a one-year wonder at Michigan State. Nonetheless, Thomas could bring some much-needed explosiveness to the Bills’ passing game.

12. Denver Broncos

Ryan Clady (OT, Boise St.)

• Jeff Otah (OT, Pittsburgh)
• Chris Williams (OT, Vanderbilt)
• Rashard Mendenhall (RB, Illinois)
• Jerod Mayo (LB, USC) <— Iapprovedthismessage.com selection

Everyone is talking about how Denver needs an offensive tackle at this selection, but the Broncos ranked in the top half of the league in run blocking as well as pass protection last season, so O-line is not a primary need. It would be wise for them to draft someone on the defensive front since they ranked 27th in the league at defending the run last season. However, after Ellis and Dorsey, there aren’t any Defensive tackles of considerable value at #12. Look for Denver to either trade up, down, or select the best offensive tackle available – whether they really need one this early or not.

13. Carolina Panthers

Derrick Harvey (DE, Florida) <— Iapprovedthismessage.com selection

• Jeff Otah (OT, Pittsburgh)
• Ryan Clady (OT, Boise St.)
• Chris Williams (OT, Vanderbilt)
• Rashard Mendenhall (RB, Illinois)

Now that Deshaun Foster has moved to the 49ers, Carolina is left with just Deangelo Williams and LeBrandon Toefield in its backfield. While Deshaun Foster was terrible last year (55th out of 56 in FO’s DPAR), Deangelo Williams actually ran fairly well. Mendenhall would make some sense at this point in the draft as he would be a fairly decent complement to Williams. However, the Panthers ranked 30th in the league in rushing the passer last season and could use a solid defensive end as a security blanket for newly-signed Tyler Brayton and Julius Peppers, who is in the final year of his contract.

14. Chicago Bears

Chris Williams (OT, Vanderbilt) <— Iapprovedthismessage.com selection

• Jeff Otah (OT, Pittsburgh)
• Ryan Clady (OT, Boise St.)
• Rashard Mendenhall (RB, Illinois)

It’s now evident that Chicago drafted, and traded, the wrong running back. But while Cedric Benson and Adrian Peterson ranked 54th and 50th in running back DPAR respectively last season, it didn’t help that they had to run behind the third worst O-line in the league. As evidenced by their 7-9 record last year, when the Bears have to rely on Rex Grossman to win games, it’s not pretty. As a result, Chicago will either pick Mendenhall or the best available OT at #14. Keep in mind, Seattle just released Shaun Alexander.

15. Detroit Lions

Rashard Mendenhall (HB, Illinois) <— Iapprovedthismessage.com selection

• Derrick Harvey (DE, Florida)
• Jeff Otah (OT, Pittsburgh)
• Chris Williams (OT, Vanderbilt)
• Ryan Clady (OT, Boise St.)
• Mike Jenkins (CB, South Florida)
• Aqib Talib (CB, Kansas)
• Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (CB, Tennessee St.)

Detroit can go in a number of directions here, but now that Mike Martz is gone, Detroit will be able to run the ball as they please. Look for Detroit to embrace this fact and draft Rashard Mendenhall if he’s still available. However, Detroit ranked 32nd and 26th respectively in run blocking the last two seasons, so unless the Lions grab some O-line talent before the season, don’t expect for Mendenhall to set any rushing records.

16. Arizona Cardinals

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (CB, Tennessee St.)  <— Iapprovedthismessage.com selection

• Leodis McKelvin (CB, Troy)
• Mike Jenkins (CB, South Florida)
• Aqib Talib (CB, Kansas)
• Kenny Phillips (S, Miami)
• Felix Jones (RB, Arkansas)
• Jonathon Stewart (RB, Oregon)
• Rashard Mendenhall (RB, Illinois)

Arizona ranked below average in defending the run and the pass last season, so they could use all the help they can get on defense. However, they could also use another back to split carries with an aging and, pretty average, Edgerrin James. If Mendenhall is still on the board, it would be likely that he’d go at 16. If not, look for them to draft the best available defensive player since Felix Jones or Jonathon Stewart would be somewhat of a reach at this point.

17. Kansas City Chiefs (Traded from Minnesota 4/23)

Phillip Merling (DE, Clemson) <— Iapprovedthismessage.com selection

• Derrick Harvey (DE, Florida
• Mike Jenkins (CB, South Florida)
• Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (CB, Tennessee St.)
• Leodis McKelvin (CB, Troy)
• Aqib Talib (CB, Kansas)

This Minnesota-Kansas City trade complicates things a bit because it’s unclear why Kansas City wanted this pick bad enough to trade 2008 sack-leader Jared Allen for it. Trading to this position specifically would set them up to draft DE Phillip Merling out of Clemson to replace Allen, while using the other picks they’ve received to establish more depth at O-line, corner, and defensive tackle. But if they can somehow get Chris Long at #5, they obviously won’t need Merling. This trade also increases the chance that the Redskins will trade their #21 pick, especially if Devin Thomas is picked early.

18. Houston Texans

Mike Jenkins (CB, South Florida) <— Iapprovedthismessage.com selection

• Kentwan Balmer (DT, North Carolina)
• Aqib Talib (CB, Kansas)
• Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (CB, Tennessee St.)
• Leodis McKelvin (CB, Troy)

Houston ranked 27th in the league at defending the pass last season, so they would love for one of the top four corners to last this long. But the Texans were also towards the bottom of the league in pass rush as well as defending the run last season so a defensive tackle here wouldn’t hurt either. In the likely scenario that Mckelvin, Talib, Rodgers-Cromartie, or Jenkins are still on the board, look for them to go that direction. If not, they may try to trade down or draft Kentwan Balmer out of UNC.

19. Philadelphia Eagles

Kenny Phillips (S, Miami) <— Iapprovedthismessage.com selection

• Jerod Mayo (LB, USC)
• Devin Thomas (WR, Michigan St.)

If Michigan State’s Devin Thomas is still on the board at #19, it’s very likely that Philadelphia will take him. The Eagles don’t need any help on either line and their only need on defense is adding a little more depth at linebacker as well as a SS to play alongside Brian Dawkins. If Jerod Mayo’s still on the board, Philadelphia will take him. Safety Kenny Phillips would be a reach at this point in the draft, but Philly may be stuck with him as their only legitimate option.

20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Aqib Talib (CB, Kansas)<— Iapprovedthismessage.com selection

• Devin Thomas (WR, Michigan St.)
• Desean Jackson (WR, California)
• James Hardy (WR, Indiana)
• Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (CB, Tennessee St.)
• Leodis McKelvin (CB, Troy)
• Mike Jenkins (CB, South Florida)

While Joey Galloway is still doing well at 36 years of age, he’s not getting any younger, so the Bucs would be wise to select the best available receiver at this point. They would love for Devin Thomas to last this long, but if he’s off the board, they could go with either Desean Jackson out of California or James Hardy out of Indiana. While Tampa Bay ranked 4th in defending the pass last season, they could still use a little depth at corner, and If one of the top four corners lasts this long, any of them would be of great value at this point in the first round.