The time has come for my FINAL mock draft. I can’t believe it’s here but I’m ready to celebrate. This has been an excellent draft and a great experience for me. Now before you start questioning my mock draft, just think about the other mocks out there from all of the other experts. Everything you’ve heard is just teams and reporters blowing smoke to try to create some kind of fire. If you believe them, then they got you. There hasn’t been one thing confirmed in this draft so it’s all open for business. It’s been fun and enjoy!
1. Houston Texans – DE from South Carolina – Jadeveon Clowney – I’ve been saying it all along and now it seems to be a certainty. Chalk this one up as 1 for 1 on my scorecard. The best overall player in the draft. You just can’t pass him up.
2. St. Louis Rams (from Washington) – WR from Clemson – Sammy Watkins – As intriguing as a receiver is at 13, the Rams can’t pass up on someone who has elite written all over him. The play after the catch from Watkins is outstanding, the plays he makes to get a catch is outstanding…this kid is outstanding. #SaveSamBradford
3. Minnesota Vikings (MOCK TRADE with Jacksonville) – QB from UCF – Blake Bortles – The Vikings are saying they could trade down…yeah so could every other team. Part of Bortles’ coaching staff from college is on the Vikings, they’ll do what they can to get him. The weapons are there for him to succeed now.
4. Cleveland Browns – QB from Texas A&M – Johnny Manziel – They apparently like Bridgewater at 26…yeah and a few weeks ago it was Derek Carr. At the 4th pick, they like Manziel. They have plenty of picks to build, get your franchise quarterback now.
5. Oakland Raiders – OT from Auburn – Greg Robinson – The biggest hole on the Raiders isn’t in their pass rush and not so much in ability for a wide out but their lacking ability to protect the quarterback. They don’t have an offensive tackle worth naming or starting. Grab Robinson while you can.
6. Atlanta Falcons – OLB from Buffalo – Khalil Mack – Best player on the board. It’s a miracle. As much protection as Matt Ryan needs, Mack is the best fit for them. Hands down.
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – WR from Texas A&M – Mike Evans – I’ve heard Aaron Donald as a possibility and I’ve heard about the Buc’s trading up. They stay put and grab Mike Evans and give McCown two big targets in Tampa, much like he had in Chicago.
8. Jacksonville Jaguars (MOCK TRADE with Minnesota) – OLB from UCLA – Anthony Barr – The Jaguars do the smart thing and trade down. They put themselves in position to grab some receivers and defensive backs in later rounds. For now they get an off the edge rusher which they need. Barr is still raw but in a year or two with head coach Gus Bradley, he could be the best edge rushers in football.
9. Buffalo Bills – OT from Texas A&M – Jake Matthews – It’s a miracle that Matthews is here. Maybe not though. He could go in the top 5 but in my opinion he falls to the Bills who desperately need him to keep EJ Manuel upright. Excellent pick.
10. New York Jets (MOCK TRADE with Detroit) – WR from LSU – Odell Beckham Jr. – I’ve heard that the Jets are looking to move up, that’s a rumor I buy. They overpaid Eric Decker and now they’ll over pay to get OBJ — who is still a very good pick. Just not at the 10th overall selection. I can still see it and in the Downtown Draft Drinking Game though.
11. Tennessee Titans – CB from Oklahoma State – Justin Gilbert – I wouldn’t be surprised if the Jets trade up to get Gilbert or if he’s already gone at this point. However, he’s not and the Titans gladly select him as he may take a year to really be great but he will be great.
12. New York Giants – TE from North Carolina – Eric Ebron – The Giants need to bring in another weapon for Eli or else they’ll have to start considering in revamping the coaching staff and bringing in a new quarterback.
13. St. Louis Rams – OT from Michigan – Taylor Lewan – They pass at the 2nd pick and snag their future LT or RT, whichever they feel fit. Lewan could be a Jake Long in the making.
14. Chicago Bears – FS from Alabama – Hasean Clinton-Dix – The Bears have a glaring need at safety. Major Wright signed with Tampa and they need an upgrade. Ha Ha will be no laughing matter in the windy city.
15. Pittsburgh Steelers – CB from Michigan State – Darqueze Dennard – They love their Spartan product in running back Leveon Bell, what’s to say they won’t like Dennard? He’s the most ready corner and should fit well in the Steelers defense.
16. Dallas Cowboys – DT from Pittsburgh – Aaron Donald – Falls a little bit as teams take other needs but with Henry Melton, you have a really good interior defensive line. I could see them passing and going after a defensive end but Donald is the best player on the board outside of Timmy Jernigan.
17. Baltimore Ravens – FS from Louisville – Calvin Pryor – The Ravens added Matt Elam last year and he was a great fit but they still need another safety next to him. Pryor and Elam would absolutely be a terror for teams to pass against.
18. Detroit Lions (MOCK TRADE with New York Jets) – CB from Virginia Tech – Kyle Fuller – The best thing for the Lions to do is take a corner after trading down. They add some picks and can easily add depth at receiver like everyone wants. Fuller is a physical corner and the Lions new coaching staff will love him.
19. Miami Dolphins – OG from Notre Dame – Zack Martin – The Dolphins are being reported to be trying to find a trade partner to trade down with. Expect teams like San Francisco to come running so they can either take a corner or a receiver. However, I don’t see a move happening. The Dolphins settle for Zack Martin, the best interior offensive lineman in the draft.
20. Arizona Cardinals – QB from Louisville – Teddy Bridgewater – I still believe that Teddy Bridgewater is a first round pick and the Cardinals need to add depth behind Carson Palmer as he’s not getting any younger. Bridgewater can ease his way into Arizona and be the future for the next 10 years.
21. Green Bay Packers – ILB from Alabama – CJ Mosley – I don’t understand why CJ Mosley is all over the board but I wouldn’t be surprised if he went as high as the 8th pick or as low as right here. The Packers could use him in their 3-4 scheme and he would be much help to the defense with AJ Hawk and Clay Matthews.
22. Philadelphia Eagles – WR from Oregon State – Brandin Cooks – The Eagles go one of two ways, corner or receiver. I think with a receiver like Cooks on the board, that’s their guy. They need to replace Desean Jackson after Jeremy Maclin is coming back from injury.
23. Kansas City Chiefs – WR from USC – Marqise Lee – To me Marqise Lee has the ability to be an excellent possession receiver. The Chiefs apparently want a QB in the first round but I doubt they go that route. The Chiefs are probably trying to get a pick to possibly trade out but either way, they need help alongside Dwayne Bowe. Lee is the best receiver on the board.
24. Cincinnati Bengals – DE from Missouri – Kony Ealy – Michael Johnson fled to Tampa so the Bengals have a need at defensive end. Ealy is the best defensive end on the board, in fact he’s the 2nd best DE in the draft. The Bengals get a really good college talent who will be very similar to Michael Johnson.
25. San Diego Chargers – DT from Florida State – Timmy Jernigan – A failed physical will have Jernigan out of the top 20 of this draft. No big deal though as he’s still a first round talent and the Chargers would love to use him as a nose tackle as Cam Thomas left and went to Pittsburgh.
26. Cleveland Browns (from Indianapolis) – CB from Ohio State – Bradley Roby – The Browns are in position to take two Buckeyes within the first 35 picks. Carlos Hyde, the former Buckeye running back is being rumored to Cleveland at the 35th pick. Roby would be a solid selection as he still needs time to develop but in a year or two, he could be a solid pairing with Joe Haden.
27. New Orleans Saints – OLB from Ohio State – Ryan Shazier – The Saints could very well be targeting a wide out, a safety or even an edge rusher such as Dee Ford but I believe they go with Ryan Shazier. They let Jonathan Vilma go and need to get some kind of upgrade at their linebacker position. Shazier is the best linebacker on the board.
28. Carolina Panthers – OT from Virginia – Morgan Moses – Despite having the need for a number one receiver, the Panthers need to get a left tackle. Morgan Moses is the best offensive tackle on the board and the Panthers would have no choice but to make him a day one starter. Could be similar to Kyle Long of the Bears from last year.
29. New England Patriots – DT from Notre Dame – Louis Nix III – Nobody ever knows what the Patriots are going to do but if I had my choice, I’d go with Louis Nix or Dee Ford. Vince Wilfork is coming off an injury and finding another pass rusher to pair with Chandler Jones would be a smart choice. I prefer Louis Nix over Dee Ford because of his ability in stopping the run and still being able to rush the quarterback.
30. San Francisco 49ers – DE from Auburn – Dee Ford – Apparently the 49ers are looking to trade up and they have the picks to do it. Something tells me that they hold off and wait to see what falls to them. Dee Ford is the best player on the board and has the potential to replace Aldon Smith if his legal troubles continue.
31. Denver Broncos – OG from UCLA – Xavier Su’a Filo – After losing OG Zane Beadles, the Broncos need to upgrade their offensive line. It got stronger as the season went on but it still was very poor and that was clear at the Super bowl. Su’a Filo has been considered the best ‘pure’ guard in the draft and he immediately steps in as a starter.
32. Seattle Seahawks – WR from Penn State – Allen Robinson – No more Golden Tate has to diminish the fantasy value of Russell Wilson…at least a little bit right? Not if the Seahawks grab this guy. He’s big and has great hands. He’s also not afraid of going up and getting it. Reminds me of Jonathan Baldwin from a few years ago as a receiver taken at the back-end of the first round but Robinson is better and has a better shot to succeed in Seattle than Baldwin did in San Francisco.
Mock Trade Predictions
*Jacksonville Jaguars trade 2014 1st round pick (3rd overall) to Minnesota Vikings for 2014 1st round pick (8th overall), 2014 2nd round pick, 2015 2nd round pick
*New York Jets trade 2014 1st round pick (18th overall) to Detroit Lions for 2014 1st round pick (10th overall), 2014 2nd round pick, 2014 4th round pick
