WHY THE COMMUNITY SHIELD MATTERS TO ARSENAL

The red side of north London is raucous, jubilant & full of optimism heading into the new English Premier League season. After winning their first trophy in over 9 years, by beating Hull City in last May's FA Cup Final, the Gunners have finally broken the hoodoo that surrounded the Emirates Stadium & its trophy case.

The growth in confidence doesn't stop there. Three of Arsenal's first team players (Mesut Ozil, Lukas Podolski & Per Mertesacker) are coming back to training at the club's training ground of London Colney as World Cup champions. Add stand-out Costa Rican winger Joel Campbell, who returns from a loan with Olympiakos & a successful World Cup for his country & you have the makings of an improved Arsenal squad already. But there's more. To top it all off: the historically stingy club has spent over £65 million this summer in signing new players! Buying World Cup standouts Alexis Sanchez (from Barcelona), Mathieu Debuchy (from Newcastle) & David Ospina (from Nice) has undoubtedly given Gooners hope that this could be the year that they re-claim the EPL title (it would be their 1st since 2003-04).

Mathieu Debuchy: One of Arsenal's Top Summer Signings

And while the season effectively starts on August 16th when the Gunners play Crystal Palace, this weekend's Community Shield tilt versus defending Premier League holders Manchester City may give us a better idea on whether Arsenal are the real deal or pretenders.

If you flashback to December 14, 2013, Arsenal were sitting a top the Premier League table, with a lead of 5 points over Manchester City, at the beginning of the day. After the two teams played each other later that day, the Gunners' lead shrunk to 2 points, but Arsenal had lost much more than just 3 points on the day. City's 6-3 mauling of the Gunners revealed a lack of composure & a lack of confidence in the squad. The Gunners were exposed as impostors, & not contenders for the Barclay's Premier League crown. This started a trend: when Arsenal were faced with pressure away from home, they folded like a cheap tent. We saw this repeated in matches against Chelsea & Liverpool (6-0 & 5-1, respectively). In fact it almost cost the team the FA Cup as well, as Arsenal fell behind 2-0 to Hull City early in the final & were forced to storm back late in the match.

So why does Sunday's pre-season Community Shield match against Manchester City matter for the Arsenal? First impressions can make big impressions. Even though Arsenal are still a young side, putting up a solid effort against Manchester City will go a long way to help their confidence for the beginning of a new year & instilling confidence in the team's young stars. Getting crushed early in the season by your biggest obstacle to the EPL title on the national stage at Wembley Stadium will not be the way that Arsene Wenger will want to start the new season. That is not to mean that Arsenal MUST win. They just cannot be blown out, as they have been in the past. They MUST show resolve. The Gunners have been a young squad for some time now. But at some point, they will need to take the next step and compete with the Manchester City's & Chelsea's of the world. For many a year, Arsenal fans complained that Arsene Wenger & the board refused to spend money to improve the squad. While a back up striker and defensive midfielder could really add to the squad's depth, Wenger has splashed money to improve the squad significantly. Now it is up to the players to show whether they are capable of competing with the best. Will the boys from Hornsey Road in North London finally turn into men? We'll find out this Sunday.

　

EPL FOOTBALL IS BACK!

PARTY OVER: 3 REASONS WHY BRAZIL WILL LOSE TO GERMANY

　
1. MORE STEEL THAN STYLE

This isn't the Brazil of your younger years. The samba like style, the attacking with flair & the dynamic finishing have been replaced by gritty, crushing tackles, garbage goals & very few sequences of slick passing. This Brazil team is more likely to put in some very hard tackles & often illegal tackles via Thiago Silva, Fernandinho & Paulinho rather than catch you on the counter.

We've seen Brazilian flair in spurts, like the wonder free kick goal by David Luiz against Colombia yesterday or Neymar's superb strikes against Cameroon, but even the most casual football fan can see that Brazil is not attacking as they are accustomed to. The attack which shell shocked the Spaniards at the Confederations Cup last year is nowhere to be seen. Instead the Brazilians have adopted a rather intimidating & uncharacteristic approach: playing an aggressive defensive game in the midfield & taking advantage on set pieces. Why have they employed this style? It's quite simple: the Brazilian's cannot live off their superiority in skill as they have had over other teams in the past. The players that Scolari has selected are the best that the country has to offer, but they do not have the offensive talent to put away games. Instead Scolari's men are working their tails off & grinding out games.

In the past 2 matches, all 3 of Brazil's goals in open play have come through set pieces, two of which came off of corner kicks that were poorly defended. While this is a dimension of Brazil that we have never seen, there is no coincidence that in the past 2 matches (against Chile & Colombia), Neymar was kept relatively quiet. This goes to show that if is a team is able to contain Neymar (or come close to it), the Brazilians do not have many other ideas. You can blame it on squad nervousness, a lack of strategy or a lack of chemistry, but the Brazilians are a one man team offensively. With Neymar ruled out for the rest of the tournament, a Selecao will need to find a new strategy to employ by July 8th or otherwise the Germans will put an end to the party & send the hosts packing.

　
2. OSCAR & FRED STRUGGLES

While the tactics of Luis Felipe Scolari may be questioned, I don't think much can be changed on that front. Every team has certain strengths in its squad, and subsequently a few weaknesses as well. Only the top 1 or 2 teams in the world have little or no weaknesses. Brazil, although a good team, have plenty of weaknesses. The team's strength & depth lies in its midfield, but unlike previous years, skilful flair players are at a minimum, but gritty and combative midfielders, who play farther back, are its strength. The likes of Ramires, Fernandinho, Luis Gustavo & Paulinho have had their ups & downs in this tournament but have provided decent cover in front of Thiago Silva & David Luiz, in addition to scrappy & physical play (particularly against Colombia).

However Brazil really needs help at the creative midfielder and striker positions. Service to strikers has been poor, but so has link play between the strikers & the midfielders. Brazil has looked most dangerous when Neymar has taken defenders on & put opponents in uncomfortable situations. The downside to this though is that Brazil has looked like a group of individual players trying make an impact on the match all by themselves (mainly through Neymar & sometimes Hulk).

But without Neymar & his attack for the rest of the tournament, due to a fractured vertebrae, Brazil's link up play will have to be much better. Oscar has underachieved in most matches thus far, as the young Chelsea FC star is failing to take control of the midfield & follow in the footsteps of Kaka.

Coupled with Oscar's poor play is that it seems as though Fred is aging by the second. Runs behind opposing defences have been few & far between for the Fluminese man. While his play for the most part has been predictable, the service to him has also been poor. If Brazil want to make it past Germany, they will likely need to score at least 2 goals, but without Oscar, Fred, Hulk & Neymar's replacement (likely Willian or Bernard) playing at their top form, that will be virtually impossible.

3. DEFENSIVE FRAGILITY

For one moment in the 69th minute during yesterday's match, almost everyone could agree with Paris Saint Germain's valuation of David Luiz. A superb free kick from almost 30 metres out beautifully soared past the reach of David Ospina & into the top corner of the Colombian net. On that play, Luiz looked like a £50 million player. That is the price that the Parisian giants paid Chelsea FC for his services prior to the World Cup. Offensively, Luiz is without a doubt, the best defender in the world. His surging runs from the back into opposing defences are what other defenders can only dream of doing. On top of that, yesterday's free kick showed how sweetly he can strike a ball.

Defensively however is another an issue. Luiz could not cement a full time starting role at Chelsea FC due to the fact that he can be a defensive liability at times. Often caught surging forward & or out of position, Luiz's erratic defensive play coupled with the offensive tendencies of Marcelo & Dani Alves puts an extra burden on Thiago Silva & Brazil's combative midfielders. Luis Felipe Scolari opted to start Maicon instead of Dani Alves against Colombia, in part to make up for Brazil's limited defensive options. While Maicon’s inclusion in the side helped, Scolari has another major problem: he will be without his captain & defensive stalwart Thiago Silva, who picked up a yellow card against Colombia. What does this mean? Dante, solid defender from Bayern Munich will take his place. But can Dante play at Silva's level?  The likes of Mesut Ozil, Thomas Muller & Miroslav Klose will put extra stress on Luiz, Dante & Brazil's midfield. Now the question is: will they bend & survive or break entirely?

　

　

3 THOUGHTS ON: COTE D' IVOIRE 2-1 JAPAN

　
1.  OVERBURDENED HONDA

The Japanese started the match very well by defending around their 18 yard box, counter attacking superbly & having their attacking players, namely Keisuke Honda & Shinji Kagawa, taking on the Cote D'Ivoire defenders. This resulted in a special goal from Keisuke Honda that completely shell-shocked Les Elephants. Even right back Atsuto Uchida got in the mood, by bombing forward & almost doubled Japan's lead.

The 2nd half was another story. Cote D'Ivoire were more direct & confident on the ball, while Didier Drogba's introduction undoubtedly had a psychological effect on the match. The Japanese midfield also lost its way. Honda had no room to manoeuvre, while Shinji Kagawa disappeared completely.

The Japanese team's manager Alberto Zaccheroni will need to figure out how to incorporate Kagawa & the rest of the team to help Keisuke Honda carry the load in time for Thursday's match against Greece. If they do not, team Japan can kiss their hopes for the next round goodbye.

　

2.  THE DROG EFFECT

Call it psychological or otherwise, but Didier Drogba's introduction had a major effect on Les Elephants. The grizzly veteran, wearing a new Arda Turan-like beard, stepped onto the pitch & made an immediate impact. A hard nosed run along the right side of the 18 yard box of Japan put Zaccheroni's men on notice & freed up room for Drogba's team-mates, such Bony & Gervinho. Moments later Bony scored to tie the game & you could tell Japanese were starting to collapse. The Samurai Blue fears were confirmed when 2 minutes later in the 66th minute Gervinho scored the eventual match winner.

While this result is undoubtedly an uplifting one for Sabri Lamouchi's men, it poses him a bit of a conundrum as well: do you start Didier Drogba in the next match against Colombia? There was an undeniable lift from Drogba's presence on the field, but who do you take off in his place? Wilfried Bony is a dangerous & coveted striker who will convert most of his chances when he gets them. Gervinho offers speed that most other players just do not have & is able to dribble past defenders or make great runs behind them. Salomon Kalou is another option, but Kalou is very active in tracking back for defensive responsibilities, which will be needed against Colombia & Greece. Not an easy decision for Lamouchi at all.

3.  AURIER ANNOUNCES HIMSELF

Didier Drogba's introduction to the match had a massive effect on Cote d'Ivoire's play & subsequently the win, but so did a little known right back's play. Serge Aurier, the 21 year old who currently plays for Toulouse in France, set up both of Les Elephants goals in the 2nd half with 2 pin-point crosses that Bony & Gervinho both converted. But even beyond those 2 goals, Aurier had already made his mark on the match in 1st half, by bombing up the pitch, linking up quite well with Gervinho & delivering 2-3 perfect crosses that his team-mates could not convert.

The muscular full back has recently been linked to the likes of Liverpool & Arsenal, but expect that list to grow after today's stellar Man of the Match performance.

　

Movin' On Up: Top 5 Rising Stars at the World Cup

The World Cup is a one of a kind sporting event, where nations sit on edge of their respective seats as their teams duke it out on the pitch for soccer supremacy. On July 13th, FIFA President Sepp Blatter will hand the Jules Rimet trophy to the winning team's captain, but that one nation will not be the only winner flying home from Brazil this July. Little known footballers from all corners of the globe will show off their skills over the next month, with new endorsements, new club contracts & moves to bigger clubs soon to follow. Some of them will go home even more rich & more famous than they are now!

So who are those little known footballers that are ready to show off their immense skill & take the leap to the next level? Here is my list of the Top 5 footballers who are ready to hit the big time!


#5

DAVID OSPINA (COLOMBIA)

Colombia's custodian will have to come up big for the South Americans to make it out of their group which features Ivory Coast, Greece & Japan. While the group may not seem all that difficult, it will be a very difficult group to navigate for Colombia since all the teams are quite equal in ability & also because Los Cafeteros will be without their lethal goal scorer (& holder of one of the 5 greatest names in sports) Radamel Falcao. Without Falcao in the line up & the expected drop in goal production, conceding less goals will be even more important for Colombia. That is why Ospina, who played in France for Nice this past season, will need to be on his A game.

Colombia has not played in the World Cup since 1998, so the pressure will be on. But in Ospina Colombia have the right keeper for the job as he plays an aggressive keeper with world class reflexes. If extra incentive is needed: Ospina is a free agent & looking for a new club after the World Cup. An impressive performance in Brazil will certainly help with that!

#4

JOEL CAMPBELL (COSTA RICA)

If scoring an impressive goal against Manchester United in the Champions League wasn't enough, 2014 could get even better for Costa Rica's Joel Campbell. Campbell, who is Arsenal FC player, but has never actually played a match for them, will be leading a largely untested Costa Rican side into Group D with Uruguay, England & Italy. If Campbell & his mates can make it out of that group, expect a Disney film based on them to follow! I wouldn't put my money on it though, as the likelihood of Costa Rica making it out of Group D is likely as David Moyes returning to Manchester United this season. Even though Costa Rica is expected to be at the bottom of Group D, the team is fully capable of shocking 1 of the 3 other teams in this group. If that is to happen, it will have to happen through Campbell as he can change a match with his speed & attacking prowess, particularly on the counter-attack. Warning to England's Gary Cahill: don't let Campbell get on his left foot or otherwise you could be featured on a lot of highlight packages!


#3

ANTOINE GREIZMANN (FRANCE)

The winger from Macon, France was not even a certainty to make the World Cup squad a couple of months ago. How things can change quickly! The Real Sociedad speedster has now been thrust into the spotlight & is expected to fill Franck Ribery's position on the right wing, as Ribery will sit out the World Cup with a back problem.

Filling in for Ribery will not be easy, as the Bayern Munich man placed 3rd in FIFA World Player of the Year voting, only behind Cristiano Ronaldo & Lionel Messi. Ribery, without a doubt, would have been one of the most skilled players in the World Cup. But Greizmann is no slouch either. The 23 year old has impressed with Real Sociedad since 2009, racking up 49 goals in 179 matches & possesses superb speed, dribbling skills & a mean left foot. It is rumoured that the likes of Paris Saint-Germain, Arsenal, Liverpool & Manchester United are interested in signing Greizmann after the World Cup. For how much? That depends on his performance at the World Cup. Expect a high price.

#2

MIRALEM PJANIC (BOSNIA-HEREZGOVINA)

The 24 year old Roma midfielder is already one of the most versatile midfielders in Europe. A superb tactician with pinpoint passing and an eye for goal, Pjanic gives Bosnia-Herezgovina many options from midfield. Pjanic will serve as play maker for striker Edin Dzeko, who scored 16 goals for English Champions Manchester City this past season. Adding a superb play maker like Pjanic could improve Dzeko's game even more, especially against the likes of Nigeria & Iran.

Despite this being their 1st World Cup as an independent nation, Bosnia-Herezgovina have a solid & experienced line up anchored by Pjanic. But don't let the baby face fool you, Miralem has a pretty fierce mean streak as well. Want proof? Just look up his play & some of the tackles in a "friendly" against Toronto FC last summer. The man likes to win & if he can build a unique rapport with his teammate Dzeko, we may even see the debutantes go deep into the World Cup's knockout stages like Croatia did in 1998.

 

 

 

#1

JULIAN DRAXLER (GERMANY)

Don't let his boyish looks fool you. Despite looking like the German version of nerdy Hollywood actor Michael Cera, Julian Draxler is anything but innocent on the soccer pitch. Draxler possesses speed, excellent footwork, the ability to take defenders on & make them look foolish while doing so & an eye for goal. Having made over 100 appearances for his club team Schalke & 11 caps for Germany at the age of 20, Draxler is already an established talent in Europe at such a young age.

 

 

With winger Marco Reus injured in a friendly last week & subsequently being forced to sit out the World Cup because of it, Draxler is likely to see more playing time. With Real Madrid & Arsenal sniffing around Draxler earlier this year, the young German midfielder could be destined for bigger and better things very soon, particularly if Brazil 2014 turns into his coming out party!

 
Do you agree with this Top 5? Leave your comments below!

NFL DRAFT 2014 - Mock Draft 3.0

Draft is here! Less than 4 hours to go. Here is my latest & final Mock Draft! What do you think?

1. HOUSTON TEXANS - JADEVEON CLOWNEY (DE-SOUTH CAROLINA)

2. ST. LOUIS RAMS - GREG ROBINSON (OT-AUBURN)

3. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS - KHALIL MACK (OLB-BUFFALO)

4. CLEVELAND BROWNS - SAMMY WATKINS (WR-CLEMSON)

5. OAKLAND RAIDERS - MIKE EVANS (WR-TEXAS A&M)

6. ATLANTA FALCONS - JAKE MATTHEWS (OT-TEXAS A&M)

7. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS - JOHNNY MANZIEL (QB-TEXAS A&M)

8. MINNESOTA VIKINGS - BLAKE BORTLES (QB-UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA)

9. BUFFALO BILLS - TAYLOR LEWAN (OT-MICHIGAN)

10. DETROIT LIONS - ZACK MARTIN (OG-NOTRE DAME)

11. TENNESSEE TITANS - TEDDY BRIDGEWATER (QB-LOUISVILLE)

12. NEW YORK GIANTS - ODELL BECKHAM JR (WR-LSU)

13. ST. LOUIS RAMS - DARQUEZE DENNARD (CB-MICHIGAN STATE)

14. CHICAGO BEARS - AARON DONALD (DT-PITTSBURGH)

15. PITTSBURGH STEELERS - JUSTIN GILBERT (CB-OKLAHOMA STATE)

16. DALLAS COWBOYS - ANTHONY BARR (OLB-UCLA)

17. BALTIMORE RAVENS - HASEAN CLINTON-DIX (FS-ALABAMA)

18. NEW YORK JETS - RYAN SHAZIER (OLB-OHIO STATE)

19. MIAMI DOLPHINS - C.J MOSELY (ILB-ALABAMA)

20. ARIZONA CARDINALS - CALVIN PRYOR (FS-LOUISVILLE)

21. GREEN BAY PACKERS - ERIC EBRON (TE-UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA)

22. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES - KYLE FULLER (CB-VIRGINIA TECH)

23. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS - BRANDIN COOKS (WR-OREGON STATE)

24. CINCINNATI BENGALS - JASON VERRETT (CB-TCU)

25. SAN DIEGO CHARGERS - LOUIS NIX (DT-NOTRE DAME)

26. CLEVELAND BROWNS - DEREK CARR (QB-FRESNO STATE)

27. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS - MARQISE LEE (WR-USC)

28. CAROLINA PANTHERS - CYRUS KOUANDIJO (OT-ALABAMA)

29. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS - TIMMY JERNIGAN (DT-FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY)

30. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS - DEE FORD (DE-AUBURN)

31. DENVER BRONCOS - XAVIER SU'A FILO (OG-UCLA)

32. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS - ALLEN ROBINSON (WR-PENN STATE)

Miller Time Comes to an End in Vancouver

Most knew it was coming, but didn't expect it to happen so suddenly. Another designated player bites the dust in Vancouver, as Kenny Miller & the Vancouver Whitecaps FC have "consciously uncoupled". By all accounts it was pleasant, mutually decided & respectful. Like some marriages that are falling a part, the two parties ended it before it really started affecting the kids (fans in this case). It seems both sides wanted to extend Miller's contract past this summer, but not at the price that the Scot was asking for, so both have decided to move on.

There were some moments of brilliance from Miller in Vancouver, such as his world class finishes against the New England Revolution last year. But while Miller had his moments in a Whitecaps FC shirt, he was far from a success. Scoring 13 times in 43 matches is not a bad goal scoring tally, exceeding Miller's output in Cardiff City for whom he scored 10 goals in 43 matches in 2011-2012. But in a league with a salary cap & limited designated player spots, 10 goals in 43 matches for a player on the wrong side of 30 and a $1.3 million salary is not good enough. Expecting that much more from Miller is probably not realistic either, the 34 year old is not going put up the goal scoring numbers he did with Rangers in between 2008-11 (tallying 49 times in 81 matches), but there were certain signals showing that Miller's play had dropped off recently. For instance, last year Miller developed a strong relationship Camilo Sanvezzo as the Brazilian took defenders on & created space for Miller who often played behind Camilo. Sanvezzo & Miller formed a solid partnership, that was aided by the fact that Darren Mattocks had a poor sophomore season & found himself on the bench quite often.

Fast forward to this year with a new manager in charge, Mattocks, Erik Hurtado & 19 year old Kekuta Manneh are torturing MLS defenders with their speed, while the South American contingent in the midfield is providing service & scoring. Miller was sitting on the bench for a good chunk of the 2014 season's opening 2 months. In his last Whitecaps' appearance as a substitute yesterday against the San Jose Earthquakes, Carl Robinson chose to put Miller on the left side playing behind Hurtado. With minimal speed, & a weak left foot Miller was pretty ineffective in his limited minutes on the left side. So why did Robinson play him there? Out of necessity as there was nowhere else to play him. With Mattocks, Hurtado, Manneh, & Sebastian Fernandez playing so well right now, it didn't make any sense to play Miller ahead of any of them. Add a continually improving Russell Teibert to the Whitecaps forward pecking order & you can see why the manager didn't play the 34 year old veteran very much.

That is not to say that Miller was not a key piece of the Whitecaps squad. He scored some huge goals for the club last year & there is a downside to his departure as the Whitecaps will lose veteran presence. Miller was a great team mate & provided leadership to a relatively young midfield & forward group.

Despite his leadership, reducing Miller's role or letting him go completely was an absolute necessity for the long term development of the team. The Whitecaps realize it is in their best interest to develop their young players & build a strong team for the future. As the last few matches have shown, this season will be a bit of roller coaster ride for the Whitecaps & their fans, with ups and downs as the young Whitecaps come of age. But as we have seen in the first 2 months of the season, there is an exciting young core to build upon for the future. There will be winning & losing streaks, leads that will be lost & frustration, but those sort of growing pains are vital in order for a young team to develop. For all the criticism that the Whitecaps front office has received in recent years, the departure of Kenny Miller is a necessary step to improve the team from a financial & player development point of view.

Mock Draft 2.0: Clowney Reigns Supreme & Bridgewater Drops

With Chris Johnson signing with the New York Jets last week, it's safe to say that the free agent rush is now officially over. With big names like Johnson, Darelle Revis, Desean Jackson, Jared Allen, & Jared Veldheer finding new homes and others like Michael Bennett & Riley Cooper staying put, teams have addressed some of their positional needs heading into next month's draft. How does all this activity in free agency effect the 2014 NFL Draft? Here's my latest Mock Draft!

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!