It's that time of year again. Mocks are abundant, prospects are hopeful, teams are fantasizing, and the media is in full-on spectacle mode.
But, of course, when all is said and done, NFL mock drafts are a total
crapshoot. Mockers who proclaim themselves experts are no more of an
expert than the next guy. I may not be an expert, but it's always fun to speculate and think about all the possibilities that stem from the draft. In celebration of this wonderful time of year (my favorite time of the year), I present my mock draft for The Flurry.
No. 1 - Indianapolis Colts- Andrew Luck, Stanford QB
It has recently been announced that Luck will indeed be
taken by the Colts, however I’ll still write a quick bio. He is hands down the
safest pick at quarterback in the past decade and looks to have the best chance
as Peyton Manning’s replacement. He has all the physical and mental tools to be
a Super Bowl caliber quarterback, and should have a very successful career in
the NFL.
No. 2 - Washington Redskins- Robert Griffin III, Baylor QB
It is pretty much a guarantee that Griffin will be taken
here by the Redskins after they gave up what many people considered to be far
too much in this year's first and second round picks, plus first round picks in
the following two years. While it is indeed a large amount to pay, you really can’t
put a price tag on possibly getting a pro-bowl caliber, franchise quarterback
for the next decade. I myself am a big believer in Griffin and while he may
struggle early on partly due to the lack of talent on offense around him,
eventually he will live up to the hype.
The Vikings shouldn’t have to think twice about taking
Kalil here considering he is arguably the best non-quarterback player in the
draft. He is one of the more talented tackle prospects in the past few years
and exactly what the Vikings need to beef up their mediocre offensive line and
provide more protection for their second year quarterback, Christian Ponder.
The other option here is Morris Claiborne, but in the end I think the Vikings
opt for Kalil and hope to get a solid defensive back in the second round.
No. 4 - Cleveland Browns- Trent Richardson, Alabama RB
The Browns could actually go in a number of directions here
with Justin Blackmon still being on the board and a need for a quarterback,
however Trent Richardson is the smartest pick. To take someone like Tannehill
this early would be a huge reach and although Blackmon is hands down the best receiver in the draft, they can still get another quality wideout with the 22nd
pick if they desire. Trent Richardson has the kind of talent at running back
that just doesn’t come around very often, and with the loss of Peyton Hillis,
Richardson should quickly assert himself as one of the better every down backs
in the league
No. 5 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Morris Claiborne, LSU CB
If Claiborne is there at number five the Buccaneers will be
taking him. It makes sense in too many ways for them to not swoop in on the
best corner in this year’s draft. Ronde Barber is done, Aqib Talib may be going
to jail, and LSU’s secondary coach is now the Buc’s defensive backs coach. The
secondary is a pressing need for Tampa Bay and the ideal fit for Claiborne.
No. 6 - Saint Louis Rams- Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State WR
Blackmon is without a doubt the most proven receiver available
in the draft, but I am not quite as high on him as some people. He has great
hands, good speed, and is an amazing person off the field, however I am still
slightly concerned with his overall size. I actually see him as more of a
possession, second wide receiver in the future (and a very talented one at that,
think Boldin in Arizona or Houshmandzadeh in Cincinnati), because based on his height
he could have trouble beating double teams consistently. With that being said I
still think he will be a dangerous red-zone target and after losing Brandon
Lloyd to the Patriots this offseason, the Rams are in desperate need for a
consistent option at receiver. I think Blackmon is the safest pick in the draft
and look for Bradford and Blackmon to form a solid passing combination in the
future.
No. 7 - Jacksonville Jaguars- Melvin Ingram, South Carolina DE
Originally I had the Jaguars taking Quinton Coples from
North Carolina, however recent questions about his work ethic have been going
around the league, slightly diminishing his draft value. The Jaguars could also
possibly go receiver here with someone like Michael Floyd, who I would still
consider a bit of a reach at number seven. At this point Ingram is the highest
rated pass rusher in the draft and should instantly be able to start across
from Jeremy Mincey. With the combination of those two defensive ends, the
Jaguars will be able to get much more consistent pressure on the quarterback
next year. There have recently been rumors of Jacksonville eyeing Stephen Hill
at wide receiver, but I don’t see any way they take him this early, meaning
they would probably trade down in the first round or move up in the second if
that is indeed their plan.
No. 8 - Miami Dolphins- Ryan Tannehill, Texas A&M QB
This could be one of the bigger reaches in the draft and a
decision that I personally don’t agree with. The Dolphins missed out on
Manning, Flynn, and Alex Smith in this year’s free agency and are in desperate
need of a quarterback. While they most likely will take Tannehill here at
number eight, the smarter decision would be to get a receiver to replace
Brandon Marshall and wait until next year to draft a franchise quarterback.
Unless Miami truly sees something special in Tannehill, I don’t see why they
wouldn’t just draft some supporting players, play this season out, and then be
in the running for an exceptional talent like Matt Barkley next year.
No. 9 - Carolina Panthers- Fletcher Cox, Mississippi State DT
Fletcher Cox has shot up draft boards over the past month
and is now being considered the top defensive tackle in the draft. He excels in
pass rushing and also plays the run very well. The Panthers could look for a
linebacker, but I think the more pressing need is a playmaker to shore up the
middle of the line. Cox is someone that can start from day one and should make
an immediate impact.
No. 10 - Buffalo Bills- Stephon Gilmore, South Carolina CB
I think the Bills could just as easily go with a receiver
like Michael Floyd to pair across from Stevie Johnson or maybe even a tackle
like Riley Reiff, however recent reports have said that Buffalo has a lot of
interest in upgrading the cornerback position and they brought in Gilmore for a
visit. Gilmore’s ball hawking skills and solid character have really separated
him from some of the other defensive backs in this year’s draft and it would be
a wise pick for the Bills to take him here.
No. 11 - Kansas City Chiefs- David DeCastro, Stanford OG
Generally guards are not rated as a top 11 pick in the NFL
draft, however it isn’t often that one comes around with DeCastro’s talent. He
is a player that should be able to start from day one and immediately play at a
high level. The Chiefs could also take Luke Kuechly from Boston College, but in
the end I think it will be tough for them to pass up on the highest rated guard
since Steve Hutchinson.
No. 12 - Seattle Seahawks- Luke Kuechly, Boston College MLB
I’ll admit I’m a fan of Kuechly and strongly believe he will
be a franchise player if he lands in the right situation. He has some of the
best instincts seen by a college linebacker in the past five years and is
always around the ball. The main knock on him at the end of the season was that
he wasn’t big or athletic enough to compete at the next level, which is an absolutely
ridiculous statement. At 6’3” and 248lbs, with 4.58 speed and the hit power
equivalent to most defensive ends, look for Kuechly to be one of the top
tacklers in years to come and a force in the middle of a 4-3 defense. After the
Seahawks lost David Hawthorne in free agency it opened up a huge need at
linebacker that Kuechly should be able to fill immediately.
No. 13 - Arizona Cardinals- Michael Floyd, Notre Dame WR
With DeCastro most likely being off the board at this point,
I think the Cardinals will go in another direction to help their offense by
taking Michael Floyd of Notre Dame. Floyd definitely has some character issues,
but at the same time he also has the potential to be a dangerous threat opposite
Larry Fitzgerald. At 6’3” and 224lbs, Floyd has the ideal size of a number one
receiver, and seeing as how Fitzgerald should be taking most of the double
coverage his way, Floyd could really do some damage in the coming years.
No. 14 - Dallas Cowboys- Mark Barron, Alabama FS
While Dallas could take a DE/OLB here, the word is that they
don’t really value anyone at this spot much higher than current starter Anthony
Spencer. Barron is the best safety in a fairly thin class this year and should
be taken by the Cowboys to help their struggling secondary.
No. 15 - Philadelphia Eagles- Quinton Coples, North Carolina DE
Originally Coples looked like he would be a lock to go in
the top ten, however after teams took a closer look at his character issues, he
began to slip down many draft boards. He took too many plays off in college and
lacks the high motor that many NFL teams covet. With that being said, Coples
has the ideal size for a defensive end and is a monster when he is giving a
strong effort. Eagle’s defensive line coach Jim Washburn is known for getting
the best out of his players, think Albert Haynseworth in Tennessee, and I think
ultimately Coples upside will be too hard to pass on.
No. 16 - New York Jets- Courtney Upshaw, Alabama OLB
Upshaw definitely has some limitations and isn’t a great
pass rusher, but Rex Ryan can still find a way to utilize his skills and work
on improving him as a tweener position at OLB/DE. Taking him at number sixteen
is a fairly good spot for him to go off the board and I don’t really have a
problem with the pick, although I think it could also be Chandler Jones from
Syracuse who has risen up draft boards a lot lately.
No. 17 - Cincinnati Bengals- Riley Reiff, Iowa OT
This pick is a bit of a toss up and the Bengals could very easily
go cornerback here. The reason I have Reiff is because the Bengals need to do
everything they can to protect promising second year quarterback Andy Dalton
and Reiff would be a great value pick at seventeen. Since guard is more of a
need than tackle for the Bengals, I could see them moving Reiff inside, which may
be an even better fit given his size and shorter arms.
No. 18 - San Diego Chargers- Chandler Jones, Syracuse DE
Jones has flown a bit under the radar until recently and
while many people would consider this pick to be a reach, I think Jones could
become an outstanding pass rushing specialist given the right situation. There
are also a few other needs for the Chargers such as offensive line or wide
receiver, which could be addressed here.
No. 19 - Chicago Bears- Nick Perry, USC DE
Perry had a solid year at USC and backed up his production
with a great combine. He has an ideal frame to be a 4-3 defensive end and
excels at pass rushing. The Bears need a younger presence to start opposite
from Julius Peppers, so getting Perry here would be a great pick.
No. 20 - Tennessee Titans- Dontari Poe, Memphis DT
Poe is one of the more intriguing prospects of the draft
because he had an absolutely incredible combine, but doesn’t have the
production in college to back it up. Any defensive tackle with his size and
athletic abilities should have been able to dominate at the collegiate level
and he just didn’t do it on a consistent basis. I have the Titans picking him here
based on his immense upside and the need for a star player at the defensive
tackle position. Look for Poe to be the big “boom or bust” player of this
year’s draft. As a side note, the Titans could also go with a corner at this
pick.
No. 21 - Cincinnati Bengals- Dre Kirkpatrick, Alabama CB
Kirkpatrick has slipped recently because of character issues
and off-field problems, however the Bengals don’t always put a lot of value in
those traits. He is an extremely physical corner who generally doesn’t lose a
lot of separation and while he isn’t a great ball-hawking player, he will still
be a talented upgrade for the Bengals. If they can nab Reiff at seventeen and
Kirkpatrick here, it will be a great first round for Cincinnati.
No. 22 - Cleveland Browns- Kendall Wright, Baylor WR
The Browns really need another weapon to put around Colt
McCoy and Wright is the safest receiver available at this point in the draft.
Although he had a somewhat disappointing combine, he still had great season for
Baylor and should be a dangerous deep threat in the NFL. I still have concerns
about the lack of quality defenses he faced in the Big-12 and personally would
go with Stephen Hill here, but ultimately I think Wright will be the pick.
No. 23 - Detroit Lions- Cordy Glenn, Georgia OT
The Lions top priority at this point should be cornerback or
fortifying their offensive line and protecting their star quarterback Matthew
Stafford. I have them going lineman here because I think they can still get
someone like defensive back Janoris Jenkins in the second round. Although Glenn
most likely won’t be able to play left tackle at the next level, he should
still be a very solid guard or right tackle. With Detroit focusing on
bolstering their offensive line early in the draft, look for their already
dangerous offense to be even better next year.
No. 24 - Pittsburgh Steelers- Dont’a Hightower, Alabama ILB
There isn’t a better fit in the draft to replace James
Farrior than Hightower. He has the perfect build and play style as a 3-4
linebacker in the Steelers system. As long as he can stay healthy Pittsburgh should
have a great prospect and a long-term solution to solidify their already strong
group of linebackers. The only other pick that I could see happening here is
possibly Cordy Glenn if he’s still available, to plug in alongside Maurkice
Pouncey on the interior of the offensive line.
No. 25 - Denver Broncos- Michael Brockers, LSU DT
Getting Brockers this late in the draft would be huge for
the Denver Broncos. They have absolutely no one at defensive tackle and Brockers
is arguably a top fifteen talent if it weren’t such a deep class of tackles.
While he doesn’t display great pass rushing skills, he is a force up the middle
and a great run stopper. He is also still very young, leaving lots of room for
improvement. My only concern here is that some of the past LSU defensive
tackles to go early in the drafts such as Glenn Dorsey and Tyson Jackson
haven’t exactly panned out, but maybe Brockers can break that streak.
No. 26 - Houston Texans- Jonathan Martin, Stanford OT
This pick is really up in the air and the Texans could go a
number of ways such as outside linebacker, receiver, or offensive tackle. I
believe Martin is the best player still on the board out of those positions and
after re-signing Arian Foster to a big deal, they might as well get another
player to help pave the way for him while also providing extra protection for
Matt Schaub. Martin should be able to start from day one at right tackle and
develop into a solid player.
No. 27 - New England Patriots- Andre Branch, Clemson OLB/DE
The Patriots desperately need to improve their pass rush and
Andre Branch looks to be a great fit as an outside linebacker/defensive end
tweener. There are a few other players that fit the role such as Whitney
Mercilus and Shea McClellin, but ultimately I think the Patriots will go with
the best pass rusher in Branch. He can get to the quarterback from standing up
or with his hand on the ground, giving Belichick plenty of ways to utilize him
in different situations.
No. 28 - Green Bay Packers- Shea McClellin, Boise State OLB
This is a bit of a reach in my opinion, but apparently
the Packers have shown great interest in the Boise State prospect, and pass
rushers always tend to go earlier than expected come draft day. Green Bay could
use an aggressive outside linebacker opposite Clay Mathews and although Whitney
Mercilus is a higher rated player, I think the Packers go with McClellin here
because he would fit better in the system. He definitely has some
limitations and may not have an immediate impact, but over time he could
definitely develop into a solid starter.
No. 29 - Baltimore Ravens- Peter Konz, Wisconsin C
Sports columnist Peter King has been saying that for
whatever reason the Ravens are not particularly interested in Konz and while
King definitely has more insider information than myself, I can’t see who else
the Ravens would have as a bigger need. I think they will go with Konz to add
another road grader to their interior line and provide more protection for
Flacco. They could possibly take Stephen Hill, however in my opinion Torrey
Smith showed promise as a playmaker for them last season and deserves another
year to take a step forward and be more consistent. With that being said, you
can never have too many receiving threats in today’s game, so this pick is
another toss-up for me.
No. 30 - San Francisco 49ers- Stephen Hill, Georgia Tech WR
Hill has flown up draft boards lately after his amazing
combine performance. He didn’t get many looks at receiver this year for Georgia
Tech, but that may have had more to do with their run-heavy system rather than
Hill’s ability. Calvin Johnson and Demarius Thomas both came from Georgia Tech
and have definitely lived up to the hype, so look for Hill to keep that streak
going with his rare blend of speed and size. The 49ers can’t rely on Randy Moss
to be the number one option for long and although it may take a season for Hill to
perform on a consistent basis, he is definitely worth a late round pick here at
thirty. Their other two options would be taking Kevin Zeitler at guard or Coby
Fleener at tight-end, neither of which I would have a problem with.
No. 31 - New England Patriots- Kendall Reyes, Connecticut DT
It really looks as though the Patriots will be trading out
of the first round with this pick, but assuming they decide to stay I think
Reyes will be chosen here. I went back and forth for awhile with the safety Harrison
Smith and eventually decided to go with Reyes because having the combination of
him and Andre Branch added to the front seven should drastically increase their
pass rush. Reyes can move from inside to the edge on the line, making him a
great fit for Belichick’s scheme.
No. 32 - New York Giants- Coby Fleener, Stanford TE
Fleener was Andrew Luck’s favorite target in college and
has a chance to become a dangerous passing weapon in the NFL. He doesn’t
possess great blocking skills for a tight-end, but in today’s pass happy league
that isn’t really a huge problem. The tight-end has evolved into more of a
receiver over the past few years and can be a match-up nightmares for defenses.
Bringing in the 6’6” Fleener would add
another solid weapon to the Giants passing game, giving Eli Manning even more
options.
Random Notes:
*A few first round caliber guys that may slip into the
second include: Jerel Worthy from Michigan St., Whitney Mercilus from Illinois,
Harrison Smith from Notre Dame, Kevin Zeitler from Wisconsin, Doug Martin from
Boise St., and Mike Adams from Ohio St.
*Something to keep in mind is that these picks reflect the players
I think the teams will draft and not necessarily who they should
draft. This is also assuming that every team stays in its original spot and no
trades occur, which most likely will not happen.
*The hardest positions to project in my opinion are the
defensive line and outside linebackers. Many of those guys could easily switch
spots as they possess similar talents and sometimes it just comes down to which
player the team feels most comfortable taking based on character and
intangibles.
*I think one of the big shocks in the draft could be a
fourth quarterback making his way into the first round. Quarterbacks always
tend to go earlier than projected come draft day when a team in need panics and
decides to reach, such as Jacksonville and Minnesota taking Blaine Gabbert and
Christian Ponder last year.
*Lastly, feel free to comment and voice your opinion if you
think I’m a complete idiot and screwed up the entire draft or maybe a genius
and got every pick right. Either way I’d like to see what people think and will
respond back to the criticism.
No Coby Fleener to the 49ers? I dunno man...
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