2014 NFL Final Mock Draft
Here is my final mock draft. It contains a lot of trade scenarios to make it semi realistic to give an idea of how the draft could turn out. This mock draft is me trying to think how each individual team will deal with the draft as it unfolds. As a result there is a lot of movement as I think there will be tonight.
1. Houston Texans- Jadeveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina
The Texans really have done a good job hiding who they have on top of their board. It does seem likely though they go with the safe pick in Clowney unless they get a trade deal they can't refuse. Their need at QB is glaring but perhaps they get lucky and see Teddy Bridgewater drop to them at No.33. I personally think they should be looking to grab Mike Glennon off the Bucs for their 3rd round pick. He had a solid rookie season and fits the QB traits that Bill O'Brien likes.
2. St Louis Rams- Greg Robinson, OT, Auburn
The Rams have been making some of the biggest smokescreens in terms of interest in Johnny Manziel, Khalil Mack, Sammy Watkins. I don't believe teams will fall for it and so the Rams will have to take the player they wanted need in Robinson. He can slide into guard in the beginning and help protect Sam Bradford as well as become a mauler in the run game. It's him or Jake Matthews for the Rams, if not I don't think Les Snead is going to last much longer in his job. They simply must protect their QB to have any chance of competing in the NFC West.
3. Atlanta Falcons (trade with Jacksonville)- Khalil Mack, OLB, Buffalo
The Falcons give up the No.6, No. 68 and 2015 2nd round pick to move up three spots to grab Mack. I really hope for Falcons fans that they just stay put and grab a tackle but I just don't think GM Dimitroff can help himself. Mack is a great prospect who won't get out of the Top 5 but is the value here for the Falcons? Players like Dee Ford, Demarcus Lawrence and Jeremiah Attaochu could be around at their next pick at No.37 while the tackles available will be thin by that stage.
4. Cleveland Browns- Mike Evans, WR, Texas A&M
I still think the Browns have an interest in Bridgewater but they may use their second pick to grab him. Evans is a red zone threat who complements Josh Gordon better than Sammy Watkins in those terms. The reports of Johnny Manziel going here have never made any sense to me.
5. Buffalo Bills (trade with Oakland)- Jake Matthews, OT, Texas A&M
The Bills give up the No.9, 73 and 2015 2nd rd pick to move up and grab Matthews who will help protect E.J Manuel. The talk of them moving up to No.1 for Clowney is smokescreen. Their O Line didn't receive enough criticism last year in pass protection and opening up holes in the running game.
6. Jacksonville Jaguars- Sammy Watkins, WR, Clemson
Jaguars grab the WR they need to replace Justin Blackmon who won't return from his suspension in a hurry.
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M
The first QB off the board goes and the crowd will go crazy at Radio City. The Bucs have been linked with Manziel for the last month despite Mike Glennon having a good rookie season last year. They really should be focusing on the O Line which was underwhelming last year. Lovie Smith doesn't seem to pay much attention to that if his Bears teams are any indication though.
8. New York Giants (trade with Minnesota)- Taylor Lewan, OT, Michigan
The Giants give up the No.12 and 74 picks to get Lewan. It sounds like the Giants aren't interested in TE Eric Ebron. Aaron Donald is another option here but I think the Giants focus on fixing a porous O line. LT Will Beatty was ineffective last year and is injury prone.
9. Oakland Raiders- Aaron Donald, DT, Penn State
The Raiders go best player available with the Donald who did everything in his power in the draft process to show he is worth a Top 10 selection. Provides a interior pass rush in a division with Peyton Manning and Andy Reid's pass heavy offence.
10. Miami Dolphins (trade with Detroit)- Zack Martin, OT/G, Notre Dame
The Dolphins give up the No.19, and 50 pick to move up and grab Martin. The early selections of the three top OT's means teams with O Line help like the Dolphins may have to trade up. If the Dolphins don't address their O Line in the first that would be one of the bigger shocks of the draft. Zack Martin can play either guard or tackle and is a high character player which is more important for Miami for obvious reasons.
11. San Francisco 49ers (trade with Tennessee Titans)- Odell Beckham Junior, WR, LSU
The 49ers trade up big, giving up No. 30, 56, 94 and 129 to the Titans to grab Beckham. This trade makes sense for both teams. The Titans are short of picks in this deep draft and the 49ers have too many picks to use. The 49ers may look to select a CB here instead like Kyle Fuller but Odell Beckham is a great prospect considering Michael Crabtree is reaching the end of his contract and Anquan Boldin can't last forever.
12. Minnesota Vikings- Darqueze Dennard, CB, Michigan St
Mike Zimmer likes playing nickle a lot so he can't have enough cornerbacks. The Vikings aren't entirely impressed with the top QB options by the sound of things. Maybe they are happy with Matt Cassell as a stop gap for one year while they develop a mid round pick like Logan Thomas or Tom Savage.
13. Arizona Cardinals (trade with St Louis)- Blake Bortles, QB, UCF
Cardinals give up the No.20, 84 and a 2015 2nd Rd to the Rams to grab their QB of the future. If the Cardinals are that interested in Bortles I can't seem them sitting at No.20 and hope he falls to them.
14. Chicago Bears- Ha Ha Clinton Dix, S, Alabama.
The best safety prospect is left on the board for the team with the biggest need, too easy.
15. Pittsburgh Steelers- Kyle Fuller, CB, Virginia Tech
Ike Taylor's days as a shutdown corner are over, time for an heir. Fuller is a physical but sound technician who can learn off the Taylor the nuances of the position. Rashede Hagemann has been linked here a lot but the secondary needs some serious infusion of youth.
16. Philadelphia Eagles (trade with Dallas)- Anthony Barr, OLB, UCLA
The Eagles give up the No.22 and 86 picks to grab Barr. Chip Kelly has been trying hard to trade for Miami's Dion Jordan without success. He really wants that athletic speed rusher for his defence, Barr is best speed option in this draft. The Cowboys are looking for any type of trade back despite the fact they need pass rush help.
17. Baltimore Ravens- Eric Ebron, TE, North Carolina
The Ravens just wait for value to drop to them, Ebron is a perfect addition to Kubiak's offence which uses TE's heavily in the passing game. Will be a problem down the seam's of defences if he can focus on catching the ball consistently. Right tackle is another option here with prospects like Morgan Moses and Jawuan James.
18. New York Jets- Brandin Cooks, WR, Oregon St
The Jets need to give Geno Smith every chance to prove he can succeed in the NFL. Despite the addition of Eric Decker they need someone opposite him. Cooks is a fast and dangerous with the ball in his hands. Can play outside and in the slot. The crowd could lose their minds if they decide to go CB here but it wouldn't be surprising.
19. Detroit Lions- Calvin Pryor, S, Louisville
I just struggle to believe that the Lions will invest in CB this early when they invested in Darius Slay and Bill Bentley in the 2nd and 3rd rounds respectfully last year. Safety is a bigger issue where the addition of James Ideghibo is not a solution, he's a rotation/special teams player at best. Pryor would bring a physical element to the secondary that the Lions have been missing.
20. St Louis Rams- Ryan Shazier, OLB, Ohio State
The Rams need help in the secondary but Fisher may wait till Day 2 to address that area. Shazier will fill the WLB position and help create one of the fastest front sevens in the NFL.
21. Cleveland Browns (trade with Green Bay)- Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville
Browns give up the No.26 and 71st pick to stop the fall of Bridgewater. Rumours that the Chiefs and the Bengals are interested in Bridgewater push the Browns to move ahead of them.
22. Tennessee Titans (trade with Dallas)- Rashede Hagemann, DT, Minnesota
Titans move back up the first round to give Ray Horton a Calais Campbell like DT to work with. Give up the No.30, 94 and 129 to move ahead of the Chiefs. Hagemann is one of the bigger boom/bust prospects in this years draft.
23. Oakland Raiders (trade with the Chiefs)- Derek Carr, QB, Fresno
The Raiders beat the Jaguars to Carr by giving up their No.36, 73 and the Bills 2015 2nd rd pick to move up. I don't like Carr as a prospect but the Raiders are trying. Oakland fans are going to find out very quickly that Matt Schaub is not the answer. The Chiefs are an ideal trade back team as they only have six picks and are missing a 2nd round pick thanks to the Alex Smith trade.
24. Cincinnati Bengals- Bradley Roby, CB, Ohio State
Best player available approach for the Bengals, they need an infusion of new CB blood ad Roby has the best physical tools of this class. Has red flags but that hasn't stopped the Bengals in the past.
25. San Diego Chargers- Justin Gilbert, CB, Oklahoma State
Gilbert falls due to his lack of physicalness and his unwillingness to tackle. Has the speed and change of direction to cover on the outside though which is important against a passing attack like the Broncos. The Chargers need any sort of the infusion in the secondary.
26. Green Bay Packers- C.J Mosley, LB, Alabama
The Packers drop back and still get one of the best linebacker prospects this year. Mosley could very well drop to the backend of the first round due to injury concerns. Will be an instant impact starter for the Packers and can move around the line.
27. New Orleans Saints- Marcus Martin, C, USC
With the lack of center prospects I can see Martin or Colorado States Weston Richburg slipping into the back of the first. The Saints have a big hole there currently. They could also go CB or WR here depending on the way the draft unfolds.
28. Carolina Panthers- Joel Bitonio, OT/G, Nevada
Carolina have the biggest holes in the most spots in the NFL with LT, CB and No 1 & 2 WR positions. Joel Bitonio has been linked with them along with Morgan Moses and Jawuan James. The Panthers have to protect Cam Newton to have any chance of repeating last years success.
29. Jacksonville Jaguars (trade with New England)- Jeremiah Attaochu, OLB, Georgia Tech
Jags give up the No.39, 105 and 114 to the Patriots. Every year there seems to be a surprise selection when it comes to pass rushers. Attaochu fits the 'Leo' linebacker role Dan Bradley wants in his defence, he coached him during the Senior Bowl so he got a upfront view of what he can do.
30. Dallas Cowboys- Xavier Su'a-Filo, G, UCLA
Despite the obvious needs on the defence the Cowboys do need an upgrade at guard, why not get the best prospect in the draft. DE and DT can wait till the second day.
31. Denver Broncos- Jimmie Ward, S, Northern Illinois
Jimmie Ward offers the best coverage skills of any of the safeties this year, would complement T.J Ward well.
32. New York Jets (trade with Seattle)- Jace Amaro, TE, Texas Tech
The Jets give up the No.49, 104, 154 and 233 picks to move back into the first round. The Jets double down on offensive weapons for Geno Smith. Amaro could be a very good safety option for him.
A few surprises I know but the first round always, does so why not make a mock draft with some? Love to hear people's comments and views.
Also here is a link to my other article on the 2014 NFL draft, full of lists of players to look out for over the weekend.
Enjoy the draft!
No comments:
Post a Comment