1.
Kansas City- Eric Fisher / OT Central Michigan
I cannot remember a draft where there was so much intrigue
going down to the finals hours of who would be the number one pick, but it
looks like the Chiefs will go with Fisher over Joeckel. Although perhaps not
the same kind of prospect as Jake Long, Joe Thomas, or even Matt Kalil, Fisher
is a very safe pick at the top for a Kansas City team that is likely to be
trading the disgruntled Brandon Albert perhaps in the next couple of days. Obviously the Chiefs struggled with
quarterback play last season, but the team recently traded for Alex Smith and
they seem to have no interest whatsoever in West Virginia quarterback Geno
Smith.
2.
Jacksonville- Dion Jordan / LB Oregon
Reports out of Jacksonville are saying that whichever tackle
between Joeckel and Fisher goes to Kansas City, the Jaguars will select the
other one. I don’t believe this is the case because Dion Jordan would seem like
a perfect fit at the Leo position in Gus Bradley’s defense. Jordan was the biggest riser from the combine
and is the best pass rusher that the 2013 class has to offer.
3.
Oakland- Luke Joeckel / OT Texas A&M
Joeckel excelled at protecting Johnny Football’s blindside
for the Aggies last fall and is the obvious first pick in the draft. He faced
elite competition this past season in the SEC and was a complete wall on the
left side of the offensive line. The Raiders are reportedly very interested in
grabbing a tackle with their first pick or else trading down a few spots and
perhaps grabbing someone like Sharrif Floyd to help the defensive line.
4.
Philadelphia- Lane Johnson / Oklahoma
The run on offensive tackles will continue as Johnson will
be the third selected in the top 4. Philadelphia has been searching for a left
tackle for a while now after whiffing on Winston Justice a few years back and
having the Demetress Bell signing turn into a bust so they decide to go with
Oklahoma tackle Lane Johnson. Todd Herremans could also easily bump inside to
guard and allow the talented Johnson to play right away from day one. Johnson
is the most raw of the top three tackles but he also projects as the tackle
with the most upside in this daft class based on his athleticism.
5.
Detroit – Ezekiel Ansah / OLB BYU
The Lions lost Cliff Avril in free agency, putting them in
huge need of a pass rusher to free up defensive tackles Ndamakung Suh and Nick
Fairley. Ansah is still rather raw, having only taken up the game beginning in
2010, but his speed has drawn comparisons to Jason Pierre-Paul.
6.
Cleveland- Barkevious Mingo / OLB LSU
Reports are that the Browns are absolutely in love with
Mingo and are even considering trading up to number three to grab him. The
Browns could trade down from this spot, but I do not think there are any takers
especially with the top three tackles off the board. The Browns could also throw
a kind of a curveball and take Geno Smith, but I am not buying the hype that
new GM Mike Lombardi makes that reach this early.
7.
Arizona- Jonathan Cooper / G North Carolina
A pass-rushing outside linebacker may be the first priority
for the Cardinals, but the top three are unavailable, so the Cardinals decide
help solidify the offensive line. Cooper and Alabama guard Chance Warmack are
both neck-in-neck for who is the better prospect, but the Cardinals choose to
go with the more athletic cooper over the mauling Warmack.
8.
Buffalo – Ryan Nassib / QB Syracuse
This is looking like a forgone conclusion as the Bills want
to reunite Nassib with his collegiate head coach and now Bills Head Coach Doug
Marone. A lot of teams may not even have Nassib among the top three in
quarterbacks on the big board, but Nassib has come out of nowhere and it is
looking very likely that he will be the first quarterback taken in the draft.
The Bills recently signed Kevin Kolb, but he is obviously not the long term
solution at the quarterback position.
9.
New York – Tavon Austin/ WR West Virginia
Rumors are circulating that the Jets want to go pass rusher
and guard with their first two picks because they feel confident about the
depth at cornerback in this draft class. However, they really do not have any
weapons for Mark Sanchez and reports are saying that they love Tavon Austin.
Stephen Hill, the team’s first round pick last season looks like a keeper, but
Santonio Holmes is coming off an ACL surgery and Jeremy Kerley looks nothing
more than a return specialist/number four receiver. Tennessee – Sharif Floyd /
DT Florida
10.
Tennessee – Sharrif Floyd / DT Florida
Tennesse doesn’t have a huge need at defensive tackle but
Floyd is the best player on the board and falls all the way to ten due to him
being primarily only a 4-3 defensive tackle. A lot of people are calling Floyd
the next Warren Sapp, but I just do not see that comparison. Floyd has a very
good burst off the line and has been the draft’s biggest riser after a good
combine, but make no mistake: Star Lotulelei is the best defensive tackle in
this draft. However, Floyd has been linked to the Raiders for some time now and
I don’t see the Raiders all of a sudden switching to Lotulelei.
11.
San
Diego- D.J. Fluker/ T LSU
This draft will be on the offensive side of the ball. The
Chargers know that the top three tackles will not get to them, but they still
are enamored with DJ Fluker. Fluker was part of the dominant Alabama offensive
line that paved the way for Eddie Lacy and kept AJ McCarron upright on way to
the National Championship last season. The Chargers will love Fluker as he
becomes a fixture on the offensive line for years to come and finally add some
protection to the awful line in front of Phillip Rivers. The Chargers may also
hope for Tavon Austin to slip here as they have not fully recovered offensively
since Darren Sproles left in free agency a few years ago.
12.
Miami- Tyler Eifert / TE Notre Dame
Dustin Keller isn’t and probably wasn’t ever anything
special in his career so the Dolphins throw a little curveball her and go with
Eifert. Eifert would immediately provide a security blanket for the young Ryan
Tannehill and could find a lot of open holes in the middle of the field (think
of Heath Miller last year) with Mike Wallace stretching the field in Miami.
13.
New York Jets – Chance Warmack / G Alabama
The Jets really want one of the top three guards and will be
delighted to see Warmack sitting for them at 13. Warmack is a mauling guard who
dominated Manti Te’o in the National Championship game and could help solidify
a weak Jets offensive line. Many scouts have called Warmack one of the best
guards to come out in a while, unless Jonathan Cooper has something to say
about that.
14.
Carolina – Star Lotulelei / DT Utah
This is a dream scenario for the Panthers but it is starting
to look like Lotulelei will fall all the way to them. Lotulelei was a top 5
pick before teams found out that he had a heart problem, which was a huge red
flag. However, Lotulelei looks to be all clear and could make an immediate
impact on the defensive side of the ball. A combination of Lotulelei and
Keuchley could be fixtures in the Panthers defense for many years.
15.
New Orleans- Jarvis Jones / LB Georgia
You know the Saints are going to likely make this pick on
the defensive side of the ball after having one of the worst in the league.
Their biggest need is at pass rusher and they would love to see Mingo fall
here, but the Jets grabbed him at pick nine. Jarvis Jones was said to be a
consensus top 5 pick for much of the college football season, but reports
surfaced about his knee and whether it would be able to hold up in the NFL. The
Saints are one team that have the luxury of taking that risk. After having a
down season last year without Sean Payton, the Saints will likely return as one
of the league’s elite teams if they can shore up their defense and get the
offense back to the level it was when Payton was there two years ago. Jones
will fit perfectly in with new Saints defensive coordinator Rob Ryan.
16.
St. Louis- Kenny Vaccaro / S Texas
The Rams would absolutely love to have Austin slip to them
in the 16 slot, but they also have among the worst safeties in the league with
Rodney McLeod and Darian Stewart as the projected starters for next season.
Vaccaro could be next in line of the great safeties to recently come out of
Texas (Michael Griffin and Earl Thomas).
17.
Pittsburgh- Dee Milliner /CB Alabama
Jarvis Jones is the Steelers first pick but he is off the
board. However, with Jones gone, Milliner isn’t a bad consolation prize,
dropping due to injury concerns. The Steelers will likely stick to their
tradition and draft defense, which is Xavier Rhodes comes in. Milliner is the
best corner in this draft and is a steal this late for the Steal Curtain. A
wide receiver such as Justin Hunter or Cordarelle Patterson is also not out of
the question here after the loss of Mike Wallace.
18.
Dallas- Sheldon Richardson / DT Missouri
Dallas gets two players to fall into their lap at positions
of need: Richardson at defensive tackle and Fluker at tacke. Jay Ratliff and
Jason Hatcher are both over 30 years old and the defense struggled at times
versus the run last season so I think they will go with defensive line with
Doug Free still able to play tackle for the Cowboys. Richardson is a beast who
is probably the best run-stuffing defensive tackle in this draft class.
19.
New York Giants- Xavier Rhodes / CB Florida
State
The Giants struggled at times in pass defense and their corners
are average at best, especially since Prince Amukumara can’t seem to stay healthy.
Rhodes, considered the second best corner in the draft, is a tall and physical
corner who would instantly contribute from day one. The Giants could go many
different ways with this pick and are also said to seriously be considering
Justin Pugh, a tackle from Syracuse.
20.
Chicago – Manti Te’o / LB Notre Dame
Chicago really needs a middle linebacker after the loss of
Brian Urlacher. James Anderson isn’t any good and while the team signed DJ
Williams is a decent stopgap but he was very inconsistent on and off the field
in Denver prior to arriving in Chicago. Williams has the flexibility to play
both inside and outside anyway so the Bears could still play Te’o in the middle
and Williams on the outside. Te’o is very instinctive and a true leader and
will definitely fly sideline to sideline. Although he had a rough National
Championship game and a really interesting hoax scandal, that should not deter teams from taking him in
the first round.
21.
Cincinnati – Jonathan Cyprien / S Florida
International
Cyprien was in for a second private workout in Cincinnati on
Monday this week and team is said to be in love with him. Cyprien is by far and
away the second best safety in this draft class and while his ball skills may
still need improvement, he is a very physical player who will come up to the
line of scrimmage and hit you. He reminds many scouts of Bob Sanders and he
would fit an obvious safety need in Cincinnati.
22.
St. Louis – DeAndre Hopkins / WR Rams
If the Rams do not get Tavon Austin with the 16th
pick, they are said to likely go wide receiver with the 22nd pick.
Hopkins is a freak talent-wise who outshined teammate and future first rounder
Sammie Watkins last season at Clemson. Hopkins virtually won the Holiday Bowl
versus LSU with his performance in that game, making some unbelievable catches
late in the ballgame. Hopkins would team up with other young wide receivers
Brian Quick and Chris Givens and would give the Rams fans excitement to watch a
young core of receivers.
23.
Minnesota – Sylvester Williams / DT North
Carolina
Sylvester Williams may not make it this far, especially if
Sheldon Richardson is gone before Dallas picks at number 18. However, the
Vikings are especially weak on the defensive line and Kevin Williams isn’t
getting any younger. Sylvester and Kevin could form the second “Williams Wall”
and be a force in stopping the run, like the old “Williams Wall” was so great
at doing.
24.
Indianapolis – D.J. Hayden / CB Houston
Hayden tore a vain on the practice field in November and
nearly died, so this could be the best feel good story in the draft if he were
selected in the first round. On top of that, Hayden would also bolster a
suspect Colts secondary. The Colts have Vontae Davis on one side of the ball
who is one of the game’s most underrated corners. However, there isn’t much on
the other side of the ball despite some minor free agent acquisitions in that
department earlier in the offseason. Hayden is said to be a perfect fit for
Chuck Pagano’s scheme and is one of the most underrated players in this draft
class.
25.
Minnesota
– Alec Ogletree / LB Georgia
It is rumored
that the Vikings want to go defense and
then wide receiver with their two selections in the first round. However, if a
player like Ogletree to the Vikings falls, it will be difficult for the Vikings
to pass. Ogletree to the Vikings would be a great fit since the Vikings who
have a huge need at the middle linebacker position and need one to step in
right away for week one. Ogletree is an instinctive and fierce linebacker but
he has had his off the field problems such as DUI and a suspension from the
team causing him to miss four games this season.
26.
Green
Bay- Datone Jones / DE UCLA
The Packers have brought numerous defensive linemen in this
offseason for visits such as Chris Canty, only to see them sign with other
teams. It appears that is the direction Ted Thompson will want to go with in
this draft and Jones seems like the perfect fit. A guy with the versatility to
play anywhere on the defensive line in the 3-4, Jones would be a great fit in
the Packers scheme and could allow Dom Capers to once again get creative. Ryan
Pickett is getting older and Jerel Worthy may miss some of the season due to a
torn ACL suffered in the last game of the season, so the Packers are definitely
going with some sort of defensive lineman early in this draft.
27.
Houston – Justin Hunter / WR Tennessee
Keenan Allen was mocked here previously, but his medical
issues seemed to have caused his stock to drop. Hunter may not even be the most
talented receiver on his own team, but he does have the best hands and has good
size at 6-2. He would finally give the Texans a threat opposite the side of
Andre Johnson that it seems like they have been looking for in recent years.
28.
Denver - Bjoern
Werner / DE Florida State
After the Elvis Dumervil fiasco, the Broncos will likely use
this pick on a certain pass rusher from Florida State. The question is which
pass rusher? Tank Carradine is coming off a torn ACL and had a great workout
earlier this week, but I believe the Broncos will opt for Werner. Werner, a
German native, is still raw and isn’t too explosive of an athlete, but he has
power, finesse, and the ability to get to the quarterback.
29.
New England- Desmond Trufant/ CB Washington
This isn’t a huge weakness for the Patriots, but Bill
Bellichek loves versatility and that is exactly what Trufant has to offer, with
the ability to play both safety and corner. The Patriots could very likely go
receiver here after failing to sign Emmanuel Sanders away from the Steelers,
but the position is deep and they could likely get a receiver like Robert
Woods, Terrence Williams or Quinton Patten in the second round.
30.
Atlanta – Jamar Taylor / CB Boise State
Atlanta is said to love Taylor and they need a corner to
start opposite of Asante Samuel on day one. Reports said last week that Atlanta
wanted to trade up and grab a certain pass rusher, so if they are unable to do
so that could also come in to the equation here, with a player such as Tank
Carradine or Margus Hunt.
31.
San Francisco – Eric Reid / S LSU
The 49ers lost Deshaun Goldson in free agency this offseason
to Tampa Bay, so a safety to team up with Donte Whitner is definitely at the
top of the team’s list. Reid is one of my favorite players in this draft who
was typically undershined in his career at LSU by the likes of Tyrann Mathieu
and Morris Claibourne, but Reid is a physical player who would be perfect for
replacing Goldson.
32.
Baltimore- Arthur Brown / LB Kansas State
The Ravens lost Ray Lewis to retirement and there comes an
instant gap in the middle of that defense. Brown has been quiet throughout the
draft process with inside linebackers like Ogletree and Te’o getting most of
the pub but Brown could turn out to be the best of the bunch. A lot of scouts
like him better than the aforementioned two because he is a fabulous run
defender and takes on blocks very well. Like Ray Lewis, Brown is also a hard
hitter and is a very explosive player and should come in and start from day one
for the Super Bowl Champions.
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