When looking at my calendar today to see how much longer until Commissioner Roger Goodell takes the podium at Radio City Music Hall in New York on May 8th, it seems like it’s almost an eternity. But with a little more than five weeks until the draft begins, I figured it was as good as time as ever to do my first mock draft…ever. Being mainly a baseball writer and baseball fan, not many people know about my second love in sports: football. I’ve decided to take a leap of faith and come out of my comfort zone a bit and do a mock draft.
So without further adieu, with the first selection in the 2014 NFL draft, the Houston Texans select
1. Houston Texas: Blake Bortles (QB) – I am a big Johnny Manziel fan. But I think standing just shy of six feet tall and questions about his ability to stay in the pocket is what is going to push the Texans to draft Bortles. Bortles is a big, big, man. Standing at a modest 6’4″ 230 pounds, he fits the build of the ideal quarterback body. Some concern was brought about Bortles ability to throw the deep ball accurately, but at his pro day he silence a lot of doubters and I feel solidified himself as the quarterback the Texans decide to move forward with.
2. St. Louis Rams: Greg Robinson (OT) – With Jake Long recovering from a torn ACL, getting the best offensive tackle in the draft makes sense for the Rams. With two picks in the first 13 selections of the draft I think the Rams should think about trading down to six and letting Atlanta draft Jadevon Clowney. At both six and thirteen there will still be plenty of offensive tackles to choose from. And trading down will allow the Rams to stockpile a few more picks in this draft and potentially for next year too.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars: Jadevon Clowney (DE) – The Jaguars could definitely use a quarterback, but with Clowney still around I think the Jaguars have no choice but to take him. They can get their quarterback in the second round by looking at A.J. McCarron or Jimmy Garoppolo.
4. Cleveland Browns: Jake Matthews (OT) – Yes, I realize that Brian Hoyer is the Browns’ starting quarterback, But the Browns — just like the Rams — have two picks in the first round and I think this is where they are going to benefit from it. I love Johnny Manziel. So much so that if I was the Texans GM, he would have been gone by now. But he is not Andrew Luck, so I don’t feel like passing on Manziel here in favor of Matthews is going to hurt them much. The Browns could very well get their franchise quarterback at pick 26.
5. Oakland Raiders: Sammy Watkins (WR) – If you would have asked me a week ago I would be saying that Johnny Manziel better get ready to put on the black and sliver. But with the addition of Matt Schaub I think that the Raiders pass on a quarterback here in favor of getting Schaub some weapons for his first year in Oakland.
6. Atlanta Falcons: Khalil Mack (LB) – This pick is a no-brainer. The Falcons are switching to a 3-4 defense and need a good pass rusher. Mack is the best one there and the best linebacker in the draft.
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Johnny Manziel (QB) – By this point in time you’re probably tired of reading the name Johnny Manziel. Well no worries! He finally has a home. Johnny Football is taking his talents to South Beach. Okay, maybe not south beach per-say, but he will be in Florida taking the reigns of the Buccaneers. Josh McCown was recently signed to join his former head coach Lovie Smith, but I have a hard time believing that McCown — at age 34 — his eight game stretch he started in Jay Cutler’s absence was legitimate. I think his great eight stretch was an anomaly and played just good enough and long enough to cash in one more time. Manziel might not start right away, but I truly believe he will be the starter by years end.
8. Minnesota Vikings: Teddy Bridgewater (QB) – Ever since Bridgewater’s pro day, which draft expert Mike Mayock referred to as “average at best”, Bridgewater’s stock has taken a bit of hit. Depending which mocks you read the Louisville quarterback has fallen as far as 26 to the Browns which I find farfetched and hard to believe. Merely two weeks ago some “experts” had Bridgewater going number one overall. I think a players pro day is important, but not big enough to let him fall out of the top 10. No chance the Vikings — who currently have Matt Cassel and Christian Ponder slated as could be starting quarterbacks — let Teddy pass them by.
9. Buffalo Bills: Mike Evans (WR) – The Bills have holes at tight end, right guard, and wide receiver. Taylor Lewan looks good here, but how about giving sophomore quarterback E.J. Manuel a legitimate weapon to throw to?
10. Detroit Lions: Justin Gilbert (CB) – For a while I thought the Lions would be taking a wide receiver with their first selection. But with the recent addition of Golden Tate I think the Lions address the glaring hole that is cornerback by taking Gilbert. Wide receiver depth is the deepest it’s been in years and If the Lions still want to grab a wide out I think they’ll be able to fill that hole in round two.
11. Tennessee Titans: Anthony Barr (LB) – The Titans pass rush last year was far from good. Ranked 21st in the NFL with 36 total sacks — 10.5 coming from Jurell Casey alone — it’s a safe assumption that the Titans are going to look to add another pass rusher. Barr would be a great pick and help bolster a weak pass rush.
12. New York Giants: Eric Ebron (TE) – The Giants could use a defensive tackle, but I don’t think it matches their need for a tight end. Currently on the Giants’ roster they have two tight ends: Larry Donnell and Adrien Robinson. Combined they have three career receptions. I do not see the Giants passing on Ebron here. They need a tight end and Ebron would be a great weapon for Eli Manning.
13. St. Louis Rams: Ha Ha Clinton-Dix (S) – This man is no laughing matter ( I can’t wait to hear that joke beat into the ground this upcoming season). I was tempted to go against the grain here and have the Rams take a wide receiver, but yet again the receiving depth in this draft is deep. So I think taking arguably the best safety to go along with Matthews is a great way for the Rams to start out day one of the draft.
14. Chicago Bears: Timmy Jernigan (DT) – Jernigan would be a great fit to go along with Lamar Houston and Willie Young. In the Bears 4-3 defense, I think Jernigan is the ideal fit.
15. Pittsburgh Steelers: Darqueze Dennard (CB) – The Steelers could use a defensive tackle, but I think their hole at cornerback should be addressed first. With that said former Spartan Darqueze Dennard, would be a great fit in Dick LeBeau’s system.
16. Dallas Cowboys: Aaron Donald (DT) – Calvin Pryor or C.J. Mosley both look like good fits, but I think the Cowboys will take a defensive tackle here and fill a huge hole in their defensive line.
17. Baltimore Ravens: Taylor Lewan (OT) – There has been some legal troubles surrounding Lewan, which I think will cause Lewan — who is viewed to have top ten pick potential — to fall to the Ravens. That could be the ideal clubhouse for Lewan to go to and mature as a football player in.
18. New York Jets: Marqise Lee (WR) – Whether it’s Geno Smith or Mike Vick lined up under center at the start of the year, the Jets must get another wide receiver to compliment the newly acquired Eric Decker.
19. Miami Dolphins: Zack Martin (OT) – The Dolphins signed Brandon Albert to play left tackle, but Dolphins could really use another offensive tackle to help out their offensive line. Lets just hope for the Dolphins’ sake that these group of offensive lineman manage to get along.
20. Arizona Cardinals: Kony Early (DE) – Early is a versatile defensive end that can play in a 4-3 but is athletic enough to be able to move to a 3-4 outside linebacker if needed. With John Abraham going into his 15th season, Early could be a great successor.
21. Green Bay Packers: Calvin Pryor (S) – Another no-brainer pick. With Pryor still available, no chance Green Bay — who has a big hole at safety — passes up on Pryor. The hard-hitting Louisville safety needs some refinements to his tackling technique, but has monster turnover potential and would be a great pick up for the Packers.
22. Philadelphia Eagles: Louis Nix III (DT) – The Eagles were one of the worst run stopping defenses in the NFL last year. They were ranked the 30th run defense and are in desperate need of a run stopping defensive tackle. Nix is a monster of a human, weighing in at 331 pounds and standing at 6’2″. This could be just the piece the Eagles need.
23. Kansas City Chiefs: Brandin Cooks (WR) – Alex Smith needs another weapon to throw to. Dwayne Bowe is an outstanding wide out, but the Chiefs could really use another receiver to boost the receiving corps.
24. Cincinnati Bengals: Dee Ford (DE) – The Bengals are already a deep defensive team. But adding Dee Ford — a great pass rushing defensive end — will do nothing but make an already great defense even better.
25. San Diego Chargers: Jason Verrett (CB) – It was an opposing quarterback’s dream last year to throw the football on the Chargers slipshod pass defense. A cornerback like Verrett is a necessity if the Chargers want to shape up their pass defense in 2014.
26. Cleveland Browns: Derek Carr (QB) – Passing on Manziel at six to instead draft Carr here I think will be one of the Browns’ better decisions in this years draft.
27. New Orleans Saints: C.J Mosley (LB) – Injury concern has really hurt Mosley’s stock, who was once viewed going in the middle of the first round. But with his high motor, explosiveness to the ball carrier, and solid tackling abilities, he’ll still be a great addition to Rob Ryan’s defense.
28. Carolina Panthers: Kelvin Benjamin (WR) – With the release of the long time Panthers stalwart wide receiver Steve Smith, the Panthers have to take a wide out here. The Panthers current receiving corps has a combined total of six career receptions. They have to give Cam Newton to throw the ball to.
29. New England Patriots: Ra’shade Hageman (DT) – Vince Wilfork’s days sporting a Patriots uniform are numbered. So with that said the Pats need a defensive tackle to replace him with. Hageman would do just the trick.
30. San Fransico 49ers: Odell Beckham Jr. (WR) – I was torn whether or not the 49ers would draft a cornerback or a wide receiver here. But I think with Anquan Boldin not getting any younger and Micheal Crabtree’s injury risk, Colin Kaepernick will have new wide out to throw to next year.
31. Denver Broncos: Ryan Shazier (LB )- The Broncos have had an exceptional off season garnering the talents of both DeMarcus Ware and Aquib Talib to help strengthen their defense for another run at the Super Bowl. Shazier would be another nice piece to add to a much enhanced defense.
32. Seattle Seahawks: Xavier Sua-filo (OG)- Offensive guard has been a position of inconsistency for the Seahawks. With not much left to improve on the defensive side of the football, Sua-filo would be a great pick to end day one of the draft.