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Daily Madden: Mocking The Mock Draft

SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) - The NFL Draft will go on as usual this week, even though the lockout continues in the league's contract dispute with players.

Madden advised the KCBS morning crew to pay no attention to what team officials are hinting about as to players they might draft.

"The closer you get, the bigger the smokescreen. No one is going to say exactly what they're going to do," said Madden. "Unless you have the first choice, you don't know who you're going to get anyway because you don't know who will be available."

Madden said when he was drafting as head coach of the Raiders he always knew who he wanted, but that top choice was usually gone by the time he had a chance to pick. He said that was a hard reality in cope with during his first draft in 1967, when he thought he would be getting everyone he wanted.

"I thought it was like Christmas," said Madden.

He also said mock drafts are "a bunch of baloney... They're just guessing. If one guy goes before they think they're going to, it just fouls the whole thing up."

KCBS morning sports anchor Steve Bitker asked John if he thought top quarterback prospect Cam Newton might still be available when the 49ers pick seventh. John didn't think so.

"For him to slip to seventh, there'd have to be a lot of smokescreens," said Madden.

Madden said which ever team picks Newton, they should be prepared to install the type of offense he played at Auburn.

"Shotgun quarterback, spread offense, option... those things. You have to adjust and adapt to the guy you took,." said Madden.  (8:00)

(Copyright 2011 by CBSSan Francisco. All Rights Reserved.)

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