1. HOUSTON TEXANS - JADEVEON CLOWNEY (DE-SOUTH CAROLINA)
-Manziel mania seems to have taken over in Houston, but I still feel that the Texans would be making a mistake if they pass over Clowney at #1. This freak of nature will undoubtedly lead the line wherever he plays. If Houston really want Manziel, it would be wise for them to trade down a couple of spots, get Manziel & stock up on other assets. Since the Texans need to address the QB position (with T.J Yates, Case Keenum & Ryan Fitzpatrick signed) another possibility would be to take Clowney 1st overall & trade for a veteran (such as Kirk Cousins) & have an open competition at the quarterback position.
Nonetheless, I still think it would be foolish to take anybody other than Clowney here.
2. ST. LOUIS RAMS - GREG ROBINSON (OT-AUBURN)
-Keeping Sam Bradford on his feet will be key for St. Louis & using this pick on Robinson would be wise. The Rams don't know whether they will be getting back an All-Pro in Jake Long after his knee injury & while keeping Roger Saffold was big, the Rams still need to invest in their O-line. At 6'5 & 332 pounds with quick feet & the strength of an ox, Greg Robinson will be hard to turn down at #2. Robinson ran a 4.92 40 yard dash & bench pressed 225 pounds 32 times. Look for the Rams to stay the course & take the Auburn powerhouse.
3. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS - BLAKE BORTLES (QB-UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA)
-The Jags could use help on the D-line, but the biggest need is definitely at QB. Everybody knows that Chad Henne is not the solution at the position, so it will be time for the Jags to invest at the pivot position. In Bortles, you have a guy that could go 1st overall to Texans or that could drop a few spots. I see the latter happening. The big QB could have Jags' fans salivating, resembling Pittsburgh Steelers' franchise pivot Ben Roethlisberger in size but with the arm strength of Andrew Luck (he doesn't have Luck's accuracy though, sorry Jags' fans). Bortles has a long way to go to reach those heights, but playing in his home state of Florida would likely ease the pressure.
4. CLEVELAND BROWNS - SAMMY WATKINS (WR-CLEMSON)
-It is no secret that the Browns need a QB. But I just don't see that happening here with Sammy Watkins available. As enticing as Johnny Manziel is, Watkins is a game breaker that every team needs. Coupling Watkins, who has been called a mix of Baltimore's Torrey Smith & Seattle Percy Harvin, with Josh Gordon & Jordan Cameron in the Browns' passing game could be lethal. What's missing? A quarterback. Look for the Browns to address that need with pick # 26.
5. OAKLAND RAIDERS - KHALIL MACK (OLB-BUFFALO)
-With the signings of Matt Shaub & Maurice Jones-Drew, the Raiders look to be respectable on the offensive side of the ball again. The defense still needs plenty of work though. Signing Justin Tuck was a good start, but the pass rush still needs new & younger faces. Khalil Mack, the draft's 2nd best pass rusher behind Jadeveon Clowney, is the long-term answer for the Raiders. The athletic linebacker from Buffalo can chase the QB, but can also makes play on the ball, something the Raiders have been horrendous at for the last couple of years.
6. ATLANTA FALCONS - JAKE MATTHEWS (OT-TEXAS A&M)
-The Falcons went from pre-season Super Bowl favorites to missing the playoffs last year. And it wasn't even close. The Falcons stunk, plain & simple. Losing their top play maker Julio Jones didn't help, but even with Jones, the Falcons looked flat.
While the Falcons defense needs major work, keeping Matt Ryan upright and giving the aging Steven Jackson running lanes will be just as important. So expect the Falcons to take Texas A&M's behemoth Jake Matthews. who will surprisingly drop to #6.
7. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS - MIKE EVANS (WR-TEXAS A&M)
- After working on the defense the past 2 springs in free agency, look for the Bucs to focus on adding a key piece on offense in the 2014 draft. Tampa Bay has a solid foundation with Doug Martin, Vincent Jackson & Josh McCown going forward. In case McCown doesn't settle in the humid Tampa Bay weather, Mike Glennon is likely keen to take over. Even though Martin is coming back from a major injury, backup Bobby Rainey showed himself capable in the emergency fill-in role. Lovie Smith will need to improve his receiving group as the Bucs require a second option at receiver behind Vincent Jackson, particularly since they just traded away Mike Williams to the Buffalo Bills. With Sammy Watkins already off the board, look for the Bucs to select Johnny Manziel's favorite target, Mike Evans of Texas A&M. The 6'5 231lbs wide-out lining up next to Vincent Jackson would be a nightmare for NFL corners. Pick your poison.
8. MINNESOTA VIKINGS - ANTHONY BARR (OLB-UCLA)
- With Clowney and Khalil Mack off the board, the next best edge rusher is UCLA's Barr. An explosive tackler in the open field and a developing rusher, Barr is the most logical choice for the Vikings at #8. After cutting Jared Allen, the Vikings are in the market to re-stock on the defensive side of the ball. One weakness for Barr is that he is not an effective run stopper at this point, but new Vikings Head Coach & defensive guru Mike Zimmer can certainly help Barr improve on that.
9. BUFFALO BILLS - ERIC EBRON (TE-UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA)
-2nd year quarterback E.J Manuel will need some new weapons to play with in 2014. Stevie Johnson, Scott Chandler & C.J Spiller have proven to be too inconsistent over the past 2 years. As Manuel develops, the Bills need to get him a dynamic weapon who can provide the young QB with a safe pair of hands & plenty of YAC.
Enter Eric Ebron. The UNC product is this year's most dynamic tight-end & will likely be able to make an impact right away as a safe pair of hands for Manuel. Ebron has been compared to 49ers' tight-end Vernon Davis, and has speed to burn for a big man.
10. DETROIT LIONS - JUSTIN GILBERT (CB-OKLAHOMA STATE)
-The Detroit Lions were arguably the NFL's biggest bust last year. A team that possessed scary talent on the offensive side of the ball with Calvin Johnson, Reggie Bush & Matthew Stafford, & a defensive line led by Ndamukong Suh, who strikes fear in the heart's of offensive lines, the team was expected to win the NFC North. Instead they finished 2nd to last in the league's most storied division.
With new coach Jim Caldwell taking the driver's seat in the Motor City after the dismissal of Jim Schwartz, look for the Lions to address the weakest part of their team in the 2014 draft: the secondary. The Lions allowed the 9th most passing yards per game to opposing quarterbacks (247) in the NFL. The Lions secondary has been their Achilles' heel for the past 2 years & it is time to address it in this draft. Gilbert, seen by many as the top corner back in this draft, would bring instant athleticism, confidence & speed to Detroit's secondary.
11. TENNESSEE TITANS - JOHNNY MANZIEL (QB-TEXAS A&M)
-Yes, I think Manziel will drop to #11. His marketing value is high & teams would make plenty of money from jersey sales. No question. But the big question: can Manziel's style cut it in the NFL? Nobody knows the answer to that yet. Given the amount of talent in this draft, I don't think "Johnny Football" is worth the risk until at least pick #8, and even then I think he drops to the Titans.
The Titans need a long-term solution at QB as it looks like Jake Locker is not the answer. The Titans are starting a re-build & they should draft a potential franchise quarterback in Manziel to build around. Manziel would be given a fair chance to succeed in Tennessee with time to develop.
12. NEW YORK GIANTS - TAYLOR LEWAN (OT-MICHIGAN)
-The Giant's O-line was in shambles last year. As a result Eli Manning played some of the worst football of his career in 2013. Manning was hit 83 times (which ranked 15th in the NFL), & the O-line also had little success blocking for the Giants' multiple running backs. Time to build up the offensive line in the Big Apple.
At #12, look for the Giants to take Michigan's Taylor Lewan. The 6'7 309lb Arizonan has a nasty streak & plays with an edge, something the Giants are in dire need of.
13. ST. LOUIS RAMS - DARQUEZE DENNARD (CB-MICHIGAN STATE)
-The Rams front seven on defense is one of the best with Chris Long & Robert Quinn. But the secondary needs plenty of work, particularly since Cortland Finnegan has now moved onto the Miami Dolphins. And while few can match Finnegan's physicality, Darqueze Dennard might come close. An aggressive man on man defender, who can stuff the run, Dennard would be a smart pick for the Rams with their 2nd pick in the 1st round.
14. CHICAGO BEARS - AARON DONALD (DT-PITTSBURGH)
-The Bears need help on defense to stop the run & put pressure on opposing QBs. While Pittburgh's Aaron Donald isn't the biggest of defensive tackles in this draft, he is the most talented. Donald is athletic & can get to the quarterback & in the backfield in a hurry. With the loss of Henry Melton, the Bears need a man in the middle and Aaron Donald is that guy.
15. PITTSBURGH STEELERS - ZACK MARTIN (OT/OG-NOTRE DAME)
-Simply the best player available in a position of need for the Steelers. Martin has traditionally played tackle in university but lacks the foot & hand speed to play the position in the NFL and is better suited at guard.
The Steelers are still improving & getting younger in 2014. Look for them to add O-line depth with Martin at #15.
16. DALLAS COWBOYS - HASEAN CLINTON-DIX (FS-ALABAMA)
17. BALTIMORE RAVENS - TIMMY JERNIGAN (DT-FLORIDA STATE)
18. NEW YORK JETS - BRANDIN COOKS (WR-OREGON STATE)
19. MIAMI DOLPHINS - CALVIN PRYOR (FS-LOUISVILLE)
20. ARIZONA CARDINALS - TEDDY BRIDGEWATER (QB-LOUISVILLE)
21. GREEN BAY PACKERS - C.J MOSELY (ILB-ALABAMA)
22. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES - RYAN SHAZIER (OLB-OHIO STATE)
23. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS - ODELL BECKHAM JR. (WR-LSU)
24. CINCINNATI BENGALS - DEE FORD (DE-AUBURN)
25. SAN DIEGO CHARGERS - KYLE FULLER (CB-VIRGINIA TECH)
26. CLEVELAND BROWNS - DEREK CARR (QB-FRESNO STATE)
27. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS - LOUIS NIX (DT-NOTRE DAME)
28. CAROLINA PANTHERS - MARQISE LEE (WR-USC)
29. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS - JASON VERRETT (CB-TCU)
30. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS - BRADLEY ROBY (CB-OHIO STATE)
31. DENVER BRONCOS - ALLEN ROBINSON (WR-PENN STATE)
32. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS - CYRUS KOUANDJIO (OT-ALABAMA)
What do you think? Like your team's pick? One more Mock Draft to go before the draft! Stay tuned for the last Mock Draft in just under 2 weeks!
