Thursday, May 8, 2014

NFL Mock Draft

Pick #
Team
Selection
Position
School
Comments
Possible Trade Target
1
Houston Texans
Jadeveon Clowney
DE
South Carolina
The best prospect by a mile in the draft.  Even if someone trades up, Clowney should be the pick.
Blake Bortles
2
St. Louis Rams
Greg Robinson
OT
Auburn
The Rams will listen, but I think nothing will sway them from taking the best of a good group of tackles.
Khalil Mack
3
Jacksonville Jaguars
Khalil Mack
OLB/DE
Buffalo
Mack would probably be the best pass rusher in a non-Clowney draft.
Jadeveon Clowney
4
Cleveland Browns
Sammy Watkins
WR
Clemson
As tempting as Manziel will be, I think the Browns can get their quarterback later.  Watkins/Gordon will instantly be a top 3 receiver combo.
Johnny Manziel
5
Oakland Raiders
Mike Evans
WR
Texas A&M
The ghost of Al Davis lives with another receiver in the top-5.  Best in-air skills in the draft.
Khalil Mack
6
Atlanta Falcons
Jake Matthews
OT
Texas A&M
They will look to trade up or down for a pass rusher, but will settle for a good tackle if they stay put.
Jadeveon Clowney
7
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Aaron Donald
DT
Pittsburgh
I don't see them taking a quarterback with so many other needs.  Donald could end up being the second best player in the draft.
Mike Evans
8
Minnesota Vikings
Justin Gilbert
CB
Oklahoma St.
The Vikings will be a high possibility to trade into the back end of the round for a quarterback, so they shore up their secondary here.
Blake Bortles
9
Buffalo Bills
Taylor Lewan
OT
Michigan
As much as Ebron makes sense here, Scott Chandler is serviceable while their O-line is not.
Jadeveon Clowney
10
Detroit Lions
Darquez Dennard
CB
Michigan St.
The Lions need help in the secondary and Dennard will be a definite upgrade.
Sammy Watkins
11
Tennessee Titans
Anthony Barr
OLB/DE
UCLA
I think the Titans roll with Locker for one more season, and get some much needed pass rush help.
Blake Bortles
12
New York Giants
Zack Martin
OT
Notre Dame
Eli Manning cannot handle pressure so if the Giants want to contend they must keep him upright.
Aaron Donald
13
St. Louis Rams
Ha Ha Clinton-Dix
S
Alabama
The biggest weakness on the team is solidified by the well-rounded Clinton-Dix.
Mike Evans
14
Chicago Bears
Calvin Pryor
S
Louisville
Chicago is lacking a starting safety, and no other needs match the players available here.
Aaron Donald
15
Pittsburgh Steelers
Kyle Fuller
CB
Virginia Tech
Pittsburgh gave up a very un-Steeler-like amount of passing yards last year and will look to fix that problem.
Darquez Dennard
16
Dallas Cowboys
Ryan Shazier
OLB
Ohio State
I doubt the Cowboys stay here with Manziel still available, but if they do they take the best defender left.
Aaron Donald
17
Baltimore Ravens
Eric Ebron
TE
North Carolina
Joe Flacco does back-flips after adding Steve Smith and Ebron to Torrey Smith and Pitta.
Calvin Pryor
18
New York Jets
Odell Beckham Jr.
WR
LSU
The Jets are lacking one more receiving option opposite Decker.
Brandin Cooks
19
Miami Dolphins
Cyrus Kouandjio
OT
Alabama
The Dolphins will probably go tackle no matter what here, and Cyrus seems like the best fit.
Zack Martin
20
Arizona Cardinals
Blake Bortles
QB
UCF
Arizona would have been happy with Carr; but will be ecstatic to get Bortles.
Johnny Manziel
21
Green Bay Packers
C.J. Mosley
LB
Alabama
Mosley has probably been the best player on the board for a few picks, so you know that the Packers will snap him up.
Ryan Shazier
22
Philadelphia Eagles
Brandin Cooks
WR
Oregon St.
Fastest receiver in the draft going to Chip Kelly? Sounds like a perfect fit.
Odell Beckham
23
Kansas City Chiefs
Marqise Lee
WR
USC
Alex Smith needs a downfield target and will Cooks off the board, they will settle for Lee.
Brandin Cooks
24
Cincinnati Bengals
Bradley Roby
CB
Ohio State
Cincy needs a corner and has no problem with head cases (Pac-Man, Geno Atkins, Ochocinco, etc.)
Ryan Shazier
25
San Diego Chargers
Louise Nix
DT
Notre Dame
San Diego will definitely go defensive front seven, and I think Nix is the best left here.
Anthony Barr
26
Cleveland Browns
Johnny Manziel
QB
Texas A&M
The Browns get what they want after all, although I would still rather have Bridgewater.
Teddy Bridgewater
27
New Orleans Saints
Jason Verrett
CB
TCU
New Orleans would love to slip Champ Bailey into the slot, and Verrett gives them that option.  A top-8 pick if 2 inches taller.
Kyle Van Noy
28
Carolina Panthers
Morgan Moses
OT
Virginia
Carolina is screwed at left tackle after Jordan Gross retired so they will most definitely take one in the first two rounds.
Marqise Lee
29
New England Patriots
Ra'Shede Hageman
DE/DT
Minnesota
The Patriots need depth on their defensive line and Hageman is a big body to pair with Vince Wilfork.
Stephon Tuitt
30
San Francisco 49ers
Stan Jean-Baptiste
CB
Nebraska
A lot of people are thinking receiver here, but I think San Fran shores up their secondary.
Cody Latimer
31
Denver Broncos
Lamarcus Joyner
DB
Florida St.
The Broncos reach a little bit to get the versatility of Joyner.  He will be like a Charles Woodson-type roaming all over the field.
Jason Verrett
32
Seattle Seahawks
Joel Bitonio
OL
Nevada
Seattle goes with a multitalented offensive lineman who can play anywhere along the line.
Xavier Su'a-Filo


Obviously I am not factoring trades into my actual selections, but I did select a player that each team might target to trade up or down for.  For instance, Teddy Bridgewater will get drafted tonight almost assuredly.  It will probably be the Texans/Raiders/Jaguars/Vikings trading back into the last few picks of the first round.  Any of the last four teams will be willing to trade down several picks to pick up a first or second rounder next year.  The other trade most likely to happen is with the Cowboys at 16.  If Manziel is still available, they will not take him but will most likely trade down with the Cardinals or Browns.  An appealing scenario there might be the Texans trading the 33rd pick, their first rounder next year, and a mid-rounder this year to get up to 16 for Johnny Football.  They would be too good to pass up for Dallas, which needs more than one key player to solidify its roster.
Now for the Cowboys actual selections, there are a number of players at 16 (or lower) that would help them now.  Aaron Donald, Anthony Barr, Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Calvin Pryor, Ryan Shazier and Louis Nix would all be immediate starters and upgrades to their current defense.  It would be ideal to trade down a few spots, pick up an extra pick or two, and get Shazier, Nix or Timmy Jernigan.  The other sought after scenario would be Donald falling to them at 16, but that is looking less and less likely. 
One final scenario that has not been mentioned much but is definitely in play: trade up to number 1 for Clowney.  What would it take?  Going by the draft pick value guide, they would need to give Houston numbers 16, 48, a first rounder next year, a first rounder the year after and swap down in the fourth for their fifth round pick.  Now, would that be worth it for Clowney?  If he is the game-changing, Hall-of-Fame projection that some teams have him as, then yes I would do it.  Could you maybe switch the second first-round pick to a second or third and still get it done? Possibly, and then I would definitely do it.  But think about it this way: how much of a Twitter-Blow up, ESPN headlining splash would that be?  Then, how much would that tickle Jerry’s “Glory Hole”? 

For once, I would be okay with it.  The Cowboys are not one player away from being a Super Bowl favorite.  However, unlike previous trades that yielded a second-tier (arguably) corner, a third round player at the end of the first, and a spare tight end, they would be getting a game-changing, best player in the draft.  If Clowney is on the field with a healthy Dallas defense, they would be a playoff favorite for sure.  Then, it’s a dice roll anyway.

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