17. San Diego (9-7)
Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin
HT: 6’1″ WT: 215 lbs 40: 4.52 VERT: 35″
Melvin Gordon is a copy and paste of DeMarco Murray. The both run the same way, cut the same way, and break tackles the same way. The only difference is Murray is a little bit faster but Gordon has a little more power. San Diego really needs help at running back since Ryan Matthews has departed and they will use their first selection on Melvin Gordon.
Pro Comparison: Eagles RB DeMarco Murray
18. Kansas City (9-7)
Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford
HT: 6’7″ WT: 313 lbs 40: 5.18 BENCH: DNP
Andrus Peat doesn’t isn’t the meanest offensive lineman in the world, but he is exactly what a team looks for in a blindside protector. He won’t punish defensive lineman in the run game, but will keep his Quarterback’s jersey clean for the most part. You can teach a player to be a meaner blocker, but you can’t teach the athleticism that he brings to the Left Tackle position. That means you can move former top pick Eric Fisher to the right side or put Peat there. Either way, you will have your bookends for years to come.
Pro Comparison: Jets LT D’Brickashaw Ferguson
19. Cleveland – from Buffalo (9-7)
Eddie Goldman, DT/DE, Florida State
HT: 6’4″ WT: 336 lbs 40: DNP BENCH: DNP
Cleveland needs some help on the defensive line badly. Eddie Goldman is versatile and could fit in at any of the three defensive line positions in the Brown’s 3-4 defense, which will give them some much needed versatility to go with newly signed Randy Starks and veteran Phil Taylor.
Pro Comparison: Browns DL Randy Starks
20. Philadelphia (10-6)
Landon Collins, SS, Alabama
HT: 6’0″ WT: 228 lbs 40: 4.53 VERT: 35″
Chip Kelly needs help at Safety that isn’t going to cost and arm and a leg here in the near future since he’s already spent those on bringing in a very overrated Cornerback. Landon Collins is a great help defender against he run and good enough against the pass to stay on the field every down.
Pro Comparison: Browns SS Donte Whitner
21. Cincinnati (10-5-1)
Malcom Brown, DT, Texas
HT: 6’2″ WT: 319 lbs 40: 5.05 BENCH: 26 reps
Geno Atkins is coming off a down year and Domata Peko isn’t getting any younger. I’m not saying that Brown can be a direct replacement for either, but it would do the Bengals wonders to add another talented player to the mix to take some of the load off both those veterans.
Pro Comparison: Broncos DT Sylvester Williams
22. Pittsburgh (11-5)
Owamagbe Odighizuwa, DE/OLB, UCLA
HT: 6’3″ WT: 267 lbs 40: 4.62 BENCH: 25 reps
James Harrison isn’t getting younger and Jarvis Jones is a bust so the Steelers have to look to add another pass rusher. Odighizuwa is a physical masterpiece, but still has some growing to do as a football player. The Steelers have a little time to let him grow as a football player because James Harrison will be around for one more season.
Pro Comparison: Cardinals OLB Sam Acho
23. Detroit (11-5)
Ereck Flowers, OT, Miami
HT: 6’6″ WT: 329 lbs 40: 5.31 BENCH: 37 reps
Flowers is by far the strongest offensive lineman in this years draft class, but with that comes some injury concerns. His knees are the problem, which can be a death sentence for any NFL player, but he should be okay. No news has surfaced to the contrary. Flowers would help stabilize Detroit’s offensive line that is looking for three new starters from the group that opened last season.
Pro Comparison: Bengals LT Andrew Whitworth
24. Arizona (11-5)
Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia
HT: 6’1″ WT: 222 lbs 40: DNP BENCH: 17
Todd Gurley is the total package. If it wasn’t for a pesky knee injury and the diminished value of Running Backs in the NFL there would be legitimate discussion of Gurley going in the top three picks. Gurley is that good, but likely won’t be ready for the beginning of the season. Going to Arizona might just be the perfect fit for him, as he won’t need to be the every down back right away, and they have plenty of veterans on offense to help him grow.
Pro Comparison: Seahawks RB Marshawn Lynch
25. Carolina (7-8-1)
La’el Collins, OL, LSU
HT: 6’4″ WT: 305 lbs 40: 5.12 BENCH: 21 reps
The Panthers might be forced to trade up to get the offensive tackle they really need, but if La’el Collins falls into their lap, they will be very happy. Collins profiles more as a finesse Right Tackle, but could be an average Left Tackle if he is called upon.
Pro Comparison: Jets OG James Carpenter
26. Baltimore (10-6)
Devin Smith, WR, Ohio State
HT: 6’0″ WT: 196 lbs 40: 4.42 VERT: 39″
What better to replace an aging veteran, who is still performing at a high level mind you, with a carbon copy of him. Devin Smith didn’t but up the biggest numbers at Ohio State, but that more had to do with they system than anything else. Devin Smith is cut from the same cloth as Steve Smith Jr. who will likely retire from the NFL in the near future.
Pro Comparison: Ravens WR Steve Smith Jr.
27. Dallas (12-4)
Michael Bennett, DT, Ohio State
HT: 6’2″ WT: 293 lbs 40: DNP BENCH: DNP
Michael Bennett isn’t the biggest or the most physically impressive Defensive Tackle in the world. His best quality is his quickness off the ball, which makes up for his other deficiencies. The Cowboys need a lot of help at Defensive Tackle as their returning squad isn’t terribly talented and overachieved in 2014. Bennett might be a slight reach here, but the Cowboys should covet his explosiveness off the ball.
Pro Comparison: Packers DE Mike Daniels
28. Denver (12-4)
Cameron Irving, OL, Florida State
HT: 6’5″ WT: 313 lbs 40: 5.15 BENCH: 30 reps
The Broncos have a lot of aging veterans in their interior offensive line in Louis Vasquez, Manny Ramirez, and Will Montgomery. Irving could be a plug and play option at 3 of the 5 offensive line positions and even could play tackle in a pinch. This will be a great value pick especially for a team that lost Orlando Franklin and his versatility to free agency.
Pro Comparison: Bills C Eric Wood
29. Indianapolis (11-5)
Jalen Collins, CB, LSU
HT: 6’1″ WT: 203 lbs 40: 4.48 VERT: 36″
The top three corner backs on the Colts roster are all getting long in the tooth and they will quickly be in need of replacements. It is the best for both parties if corner backs aren’t needed to play starters reps right away so they can adjust to the pro game, and taking the physically talented but still slightly raw Jalen Collins will be a wise investment for the Colts at the end of round one.
Pro Comparison: Bills CB Stephon Gilmore
30. Green Bay (12-4)
Jordan Phillips, NT, Oklahoma
HT: 6’5″ WT: 329 lbs 40: 5.17 BENCH: 28 reps
Phillips is an absolute mountain of a man. He should be an awesome nose tackle in a 3-4 defense, but has an injury history that could cause some teams to shy away. Lower back problems plagued him at Oklahoma, but he might be worth the risk for the Packers, who desperately need help inside.
Pro Comparison: Redskins NT Terrance Knighton
31. New Orleans – from Seattle (12-4)
Ronald Darby, CB, Florida State
HT: 5’11” WT: 193 lbs 40: 4.38 VERT: 41 1/2″
New Orleans’ secondary is absolutely atrocious. Darby is a very physically skilled corner back but he needs to improve in the mental side of the game. I love his physical ability, I just need him to be able to play right away if I’m New Orleans, which might not go well, but if you give him time to develop, he could be an absolute stud for the Saints.
Pro Comparison: Texans CB Jonathan Joseph
32. New England (12-4)
Mario Edwards Jr., DT/DE, Florida State
HT: 6’3″ WT: 279 lbs 40: 4.84 BENCH: 32 reps
New England always covets versatility and Mario Edwards Jr. is very versatile. He has some maturity and hustle issues, but that doesn’t concern me with New England because they always take the trouble makers and turn them around. Edwards is very strong and should fit right into the New England defensive line rotation. I compare him to Denver’s Derek Wolfe, but Wolfe is Charley Hustle, unlike Edwards. Other than that, the players are very similar.
Pro Comparison: Broncos DE Derek Wolfe
Here is the link to part 1 of the mock draft containing picks 1-16.
