This is my quick analysis about what happened last night and as always I will refrain from giving actual grades.  A few general things that stuck out to me were some teams drafted good players that don’t really fit their scheme (and I’m not just talking about Clowney) and there were only a few notable reaches but one of them is understandable.

1. Houston Texans: Jadeveon Clowney  DE  South Carolina

It is no secret that I think Clowney is a poor fit in Houston but the pick has been made and now it is up to Romeo Crennel to find the best way to use Clowney’s considerable gifts and it’s up to Clowney to give maximum effort on every play.  Clowney should line-up as an OLB allowing the Texans to move Brooks Reed inside and he and JJ Watt should make life tough for Andrew Luck and every other QB they face.

2. St. Louis Rams (from Washington): Greg Robinson  OT  Auburn

This pick made too much sense not to happen.  Robinson is still a bit raw but he’s got “future star” written all over him.  If Jake Long isn’t back from his knee injury Robinson takes over at LT right now, if Long is back than Robinson can fight Joe Barksdale for the RT spot and if he loses he kicks inside to OG until Long’s days are up or until he beats him out.  In any scenario Sam Bradford ends up with better protection and he runs out of excuses.

3. Jacksonville Jaguars:  Blake Bortles  QB  Central Florida

There is no doubt that Jacksonville needs a franchise QB (they have since Mark Brunell left) and Bortles has loads of talent.  He isn’t ready to start right away and that’s fine because they have Chad Henne to hold down the fort until he is.  Bortles biggest issue is the lack of velocity on his passes and it’s not from a lack of arm strength it’s from poor footwork so he can improve that with time and repetition.  Jacksonville isn’t winning any time soon so they need to be patient and they may be rewarded with a franchise QB.

4. Buffalo Bills (from Cleveland):  Sammy Watkins  WR  Clemson

The first trade of the day saw Buffalo give up the #9 pick, and next year’s first and fourth round picks to move up and get the game breaker Watkins.  The Bills now have Watkins, recently acquired WR Mike Williams and last year’s 2^nd rounder Robert Woods for QB EJ Manuel.  I think this pick means they will look to trade Stevie Johnson because Watkins is there new WR1.

5. Oakland Raiders:  Khalil Mack  OLB  Buffalo

Apparently the Raiders luck is changing because Mack should not have made it this far.  He is a major playmaker on defense which is exactly what the Raiders need and while being an OLB in a 4-3 defense isn’t his ideal fit he is a good LB no matter what and he’s too talented to pass up.  The Raiders will have to figure out a way to use him as a pass rusher but he just became the best player on their defense.

6. Atlanta Falcons:  Jake Matthews  OT  Texas A&M

The Falcons hearts had to break just a little when Mack went to Oakland one pick ahead of them but Matthews is more than a consolation prize.  They had two major needs, a pass rusher and an OT and Matthews is a plug-and-play LT that will make franchise QB Matt Ryan very happy.  Atlanta’s offensive line was terrible last year and Jake Matthews is the most ready-made player at the position.  He should also help get the running game, i.e. Steven Jackson, back on track.

7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers:  Mike Evans  WR  Texas A&M

The second pick that I got right (both number and team in my mock draft) this one was a great choice for the Bucs.  Evans gives them a starting WR opposite Vincent Jackson and should make life pretty easy for QB Josh McCown.  Having a great deep threat like Evans should also loosen things up for RB Doug Martin and I think Tampa Bay is in for a quick turnaround under Lovie Smith.

8. Cleveland Browns (from Minnesota):  Justin Gilbert  CB  Oklahoma St.

The Browns traded down to #9 and then back up to #8 to grab Justin Gilbert.  New GM Ray Farmer knew he needed a CB opposite Joe Haden and he grabbed the top one on the board.  Gilbert has good size, is an unbelievable athlete and brings value in the return game also.  Buster Skrine was the starter opposite Haden last year and now he can slide into the slot corner position he is better suited for.

9. Minnesota Vikings(from Cleveland):  Anthony Barr  OLB  Minnesota

I love the player but I hate the fit.  The Vikings obviously need LB’s but Barr is better suited to a 3-4 defense and while he could help as a situational pass rusher at #9 overall that seems a bit high.  Barr’s LB skills are very raw and will need a lot of time to develop and he doesn’t possess the size needed to be a DE in a 4-3 defense and he never will.

10. Detroit Lions:  Eric Ebron  TE  North Carolina

The Lions passed up WR Odell Beckham or help in their secondary to take Ebron who is basically a really big receiver that lines up as a TE.  Ebron isn’t going to be a blocker but he is going to be a huge threat in the middle of the field for Matthew Stafford and he will make teams pay for rolling coverage to Calvin Johnson.  Ebron, along with the addition of WR Golden Tate in free agency, is going to make the Lions passing game frightening.

11. Tennessee Titans:  Taylor Lewan  OT  Michigan

Lewan looks like a strange fit at first given the overall strength of the Titans line and the recent signing of RT Michael Oher but closer examination shows this makes some sense.  The Titans have had good tackles for years in LT Michael Roos and RT Dave Stewart but Stewart’s play dropped off considerably last season hence the signing of Oher as his replacement.  New coach Ken Whisenhunt knows with the fragile Jake Locker at QB he would rather get Roos’ replacement a year early and not a year too late.  Lewan might take the LT job this year or he’ll be the best swing tackle in the league.

12. New York Giants:  Odell Beckham Jr.  WR  LSU

The Giants were awful last year on offense and while I’m sure they would have loved it if Lewan had dropped another spot Beckham is a ready-made replacement for the departed Hakeem Nicks.  Nicks was a gigantic disappointment last year and Beckham’s great route running and game-breaking ability will be a nice new weapon for Eli Manning.  Beckham can team with former LSU Tiger Rueben Randle on the outside and allow Victor Cruz to remain as one of the best slot receivers in the NFL.

13. St. Louis Rams:  Aaron Donald  DT  Pittsburgh

The Rams play in a division with both San Francisco and Seattle and yet they may now have the best defensive line in the division and possibly in the NFL.  Teaming the undersized Donald with the 6’5 326 lbs. Michael Brockers inside flanked by DE’s Robert Quinn and Chris Long is going to make life miserable for opposing QB’s.  Brockers is the perfect partner for Donald because he brings size while Quinn and Donald will both be outstanding pass rushers.

14. Chicago Bears:  Kyle Fuller  CB  Virginia Tech

The Bears defense is aging all over but they definitely needed to get younger and deeper at CB.  Fuller is a natural eventual replacement for Charles Tillman and he will have a nice apprenticeship for the next year.  Fuller also gives the Bears the third corner for this year that every team needs.

15. Pittsburgh Steelers:  Ryan Shazier  LB  Ohio St.

The Steelers had plenty of needs and getting younger and faster on defense was towards the top of the list.  They don’t make LB’s faster than Shazier and he’ll look great lined up inside next to Lawrence Timmons.  Shazier’s skillset is vast and he can play in any scheme and I expect him to excel playing in a defense as versatile as Pittsburgh’s.  Defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau will figure out a way to use every skill Shazier has.

16. Dallas Cowboys:  Zack Martin  OL  Notre Dame

Someone must have tied up Jerry Jones and stuffed him in a closet so he wouldn’t take Johnny Football and they took the right guy.  RT Doug Free is replaceable and Martin has great versatility.  Keeping Tony Romo healthy had to be a priority over taking his eventual successor.  The defense needs help more but Martin’s value was too high to pass up and he becomes and immediate starter whether that’s at RT or inside at OG.

17. Baltimore Ravens:  CJ Mosley  ILB  Alabama

Ozzie Newsome is an Alabama alumnus and he loves Alabama players but this was no homer pick.  Newsome is always the guy that chooses talent over need and Mosley was just too good to pass up.  The Ravens re-signed Daryl Smith, they return starter Josh Bynes and they have 2^nd year man Arthur Brown so ILB wasn’t an obvious need.  However, Bynes is an average starter at best and Brown failed to impress enough to unseat him so Mosley could come in and steal the job.  Smith was fantastic last year but he’s no spring chicken so Mosley does make sense.

18. New York Jets:  Calvin Pryor  S  Louisville

The Jets probably needed offensive help (OL, WR, and TE) more than defense but there is a need at safety and Pryor was just too much value at #18 to pass on.  Obviously Rex Ryan likes taking defensive players and Pryor is a better free safety than Antonio Allen and he’s probably a better strong safety than Dawan Landry so his versatility will allow Ryan to play his two best safeties either way.

19. Miami Dolphins:  Ju’Wuan James  OT  Tennessee

This is the first real reach of the first round and while I’m usually against that sort of thing this one is completely understandable.  James was more of a second round talent but the Dolphins could not go into the season with Jason Fox as their starting RT and with the first four OT’s off the board James is an understandable choice.  James started for four years at RT for Tennessee and he will immediately start in Miami.  He may never be a Pro Bowl player but he’ll be a pretty good RT for a long time.

20. New Orleans Saints (from Arizona):  Brandin Cooks  WR  Oregon St.

The Saints lost WR Lance Moore and RB Darren Sproles so a speedy offensive weapon was on Sean Payton’s shopping list.  The Saints moved up to the spot once Cooks fell because they had to get ahead of Green Bay and Philadelphia two teams that would have strongly considered him.  Cooks is lightning in a bottle and teaming him with Drew Brees means I now have a favorite for Offensive Rookie of the Year.

21. Green Bay Packers:  Haha Clinton-Dix  FS  Alabama

The Packers stand pat at #21 and end up with the best safety in the draft.  The Packers safeties had ZERO interceptions last season (no that’s not a typo) and Clinton-Dix can be that playmaker in the deep middle they are missing.  He’s solid in run support but patrolling the back end will be his main job and he will excel at it.

22. Cleveland Browns (from Philadelphia):  Johnny Manziel  QB  Texas A&M

I’m obviously not the biggest Manziel fan but he’s a talent and getting him at #22 is far more palpable than in the top 10.  Ray Farmer played this great and Manziel has a chance to actually succeed because he will have to compete for the job, it won’t be handed to him, and if he wins it he will have some really good talent around him.  He’s a better QB than Brandon Weeden was so he will benefit from having WR Josh Gordon (his new version of college teammate Mike Evans), TE Jordan Cameron, recently signed slot receiver Andrew Hawkins and new RB Ben Tate.

23. Kansas City Chiefs:  Dee Ford  OLB  Auburn

This was a bit of a surprise due to the presence of OLB’s Tamba Hali and Justin Houston but the Chiefs seriously lack any sort of back-up to these guys.  Hali is 30 years old so Ford could be his eventual replacement but more stunning than taking Ford is passing on a WR like Marqise Lee.  The Chiefs had a major turnaround last season but they still need offensive playmakers.  The depth at WR and the lack of depth in pass rushers must have had a bearing on the Chiefs thinking.

24. Cincinnati Bengals:  Darqueze Dennard  CB  Michigan St.

The Bengals needed a LB and to get younger at CB and Dennard was far more valuable than any LB still on the board.  He is a steal at #24 and with Leon Hall’s injury issues, Terence Newman being 35 and Dre Kirkpatrick’s seriously underwhelming performance, Dennard is just what they need.  He is a physical CB that won’t back down from anyone and in a division that has Josh Gordon, Torrey Smith and Antonio Brown good CB play is essential.

25. San Diego Chargers:  Jason Verrett  CB  TCU

Verrett is underrated because of his lack of ideal height but even at 5’9 he’ll still be the best CB on the Chargers roster.  He’s seen by many as a slot corner simply because of his height and while he might struggle matched up against a guy like Demaryius Thomas this kid can hold his own outside.  He’s not physical like Dennard but he’s got great natural coverage skills and he reminds me of the old Patriots CB Ty Law, his lack of height never hurt him.

26. Philadelphia Eagles (from Cleveland from Indy):  Marcus Smith  OLB  Louisville

The first major reach of the draft had to have Eagles fans having Mike Mamula flashbacks when the first thing anyone talks about in regards to Smith is that he’s a “workout warrior”.  Smith put up some numbers at Louisville but it was his ridiculous athleticism he displayed in workouts that got scouts talking.  He played DE at Louisville and he will transition to OLB in Philly’s 3-4 defense.  He’s a talented player but his value was end of the second round/ 3^rd round not end of the 1^st round.

27. Arizona Cardinals (from New Orleans):  Deone Buchanan  SS  Washington St.

The Cardinals reach a little bit as Buchanan has been moving up the board steadily and while the end of the first round is a reach Buchanan is a player that will excel.  He’s known as an in-the-box strong safety and he could immediately replace Tony Jefferson in the starting line-up.  His physical presence will be a nice complement to the undersized FS Tyrann Mathieu.  The Cardinals division is filled with excellent defenses and they are just trying to keep up.

28. Carolina Panthers:  Kelvin Benjamin  WR  Florida St.

The Panthers desperately need WR’s and OL so grabbing Benjamin is not a surprise.  I had him falling and I would have taken Marqise Lee here because Lee is ready to play right now.   Benjamin has a lot of growing to do and a lot of learning to do.  He’s not a great route runner and he lacks discipline on the field and he relies on is sheer size to beat opponents and that won’t always work at the pro level.  I think Benjamin is a bust waiting to happen and passing over Lee for him will be a regrettable mistake for the Panthers.

29. New England Patriots:  Dominique Easley  DT  Florida

I love Easley but I’m a bit concerned about drafting an injury risk guy this high.  Easley is an undersized DT and is a relentless penetrator in the middle but his knees have been a problem in the past and this seems too high.  If he stays healthy he will be a dominant player and eventual replacement for aging DT’s Vince Wilford and Tommy Kelly and he gives the Patriots a different look at the position.  Wilfork and Kelly are huge run-stuffing guys that don’t really get into the backfield much anymore so Easley’s penetrating style will be a nice addition.

30. San Francisco 49ers:  Jimmie Ward  S  Northern Illinois

The 49ers are so stacked that there really isn’t a need position so they have the luxury of grabbing the top guy on their board and that was obviously Ward.  They signed Antoine Bethea as a free agent replacement for Donte Whitner and Eric Reid was fantastic last year as a rookie but Bethea is 30 years old and Ward is versatile.  He’ll make for a nice 3^rd safety until Bethea steps aside and then Ward and Reid will make a nice set of safeties.  The position is in good hands for years to come.

31. Denver Broncos:  Bradley Roby  CB  Ohio St.

I’m not a fan of Roby but he is the next best corner on the board and the Broncos need someone to line up opposite Aqib Talib because Chris Harris is coming off a knee injury and there is nothing beyond him.  With Talib on the other side Roby is going to get picked on so he better grow up fast but Talib is an outstanding corner he can learn from and Roby has all the physical attributes to be a top flight corner.

32. Minnesota Vikings (from Seattle):  Teddy Bridgewater  QB  Louisville

I’m not a Vikings fan but I love this pick so I won’t be cheering as hard against them this year.  They can show Christian Ponder the door and let Bridgewater go toe-to-toe with Matt Cassel for the job and while Cassel has the experience Bridgewater is a special talent.  Kudos to the Vikings for making the move up to #32 to snatch Bridgewater out from under the Texans who have the #33 pick.  If the Texans had ended up getting Clowney at #1 and Bridgewater at #33 they would have had the best draft possible.

Things to look for in Rounds 2 & 3 on Friday night.

• Do the Texans have the guts to draft Derek Carr #33 overall after the career his brother didn’t have after being the #1 pick 12 years ago for them? He is the best QB left on the board.
• Where will the “fallers” out of round 1 go? Marqise Lee is the biggest surprise not going in the first round but QB Derek Carr, OT Cyrus Kouandjio, G Xavier Su’a-Filo, DE Kony Ealy, DT’s Tim Jernigan, Ra’Shede Hageman and Louis Nix are all still available. This really is the deepest draft in a long time.
• Will a RB finally get drafted and how long will we wait in the second round to see it? All the good ones are available because no one went in the first round for the second year in a row. Carlos Hyde, Tre Mason, Bishop Sankey, Jeremy Hill or Ka’Deem Carey come on down.
• Only one TE off the board? I thought the league was going to these WR/TE hybrids like Jimmy Graham of course Eric Ebron was the only one of that caliber but Jace Amaro and Austin Seferian-Jenkins should go in round 2. Troy Niklas and CJ Fierdorowicz will also go Friday night.
• Where were all of the defensive linemen on night one? Clowney, Donald and Easley were the only real defensive linemen drafted meaning round 2 is full of them. DE’s Kony Ealy, Stephon Tuitt, Scott Crichton and Trent Murphy along with DT’s Louis Nix, Tim Jernigan, Ra’Shede Hageman, Will Sutton, DaQuan Jones and Ego Ferguson are all 2^nd round possibilities.

Smokescreens and Other crazy scenarios

• “Houston has narrowed their choices at #1 down to DE Jadeveon Clowney or QB Johnny Manziel”. They conveniently dropped the “if we keep the pick” tagline at the end. Clowney and Manziel are the two most talked about trade targets and Houston wants out of the top spot because they prefer OLB Khalil Mack and for good reason. Mack fits, Clowney doesn’t and they don’t want to take the heat for not taking Johnny Football. They have only hours now to make a trade or bite the bullet and take an OLB from Buffalo (the University not the Bills) at #1 overall.

 

• “St. Louis loves Johnny Manziel and they may take him and trade Sam Bradford”. This is my favorite because it’s absolutely crazy. St. Louis went 7-9 in the toughest division in football with Bradford hurt for a large portion of the season. It’s possible the Rams will give up on Bradford if he gets hurt again or completely sucks this season but not yet and not for Johnny Manziel. St. Louis suckered the Redskins into giving up this pick two years ago for RGIII they aren’t blowing it on Manziel so they can start over at QB. They too would like someone that wants Manziel or Clowney to make an offer for the second pick.

 

• “8-9 WR’s will go in the first round of the draft”. Don’t believe the Mel Kiper/ Todd McShay hype on this first round dominated by WR’s there is a reason neither of these two would ever be a GM. After the top 5 WR’s (Sammy Watkins, Mike Evans, Odell Beckham, Brandin Cooks and Marqise Lee) it’s a crapshoot. Teams still understand value and the 9^th best WR is not more valuable than a starting OT or DE. If any position gets overvalued in this draft it will be OT. Cyrus Kouandjio, Morgan Moses and JuWuan James might sneak into the end of round 1 because they can start at OT in the NFL. Maybe Cody Latimore or Allen Robinson sneak into the end of the round but that would only make 6 and I don’t see 2-3 more making it.

 

• “Chip Kelly loves Johnny Manziel and will trade up to get him”. This dumbass rumor comes from the fact that at one time Manziel was committed to Oregon when Kelly was the head coach and somehow now Kelly is going to give up on Nick Foles and go with Manziel. Stupid. Here’s the scenario I would love to see play out. Manziel gets passed over and is still available at pick #13, the Rams second 1^st rounder, and the talking heads are going crazy over the Rams taking him to replace Bradford. Then Roger Goodell steps to the podium and says “there’s been a trade, the Philadelphia Eagles are on the clock”. ESPN’s Chris Berman, Mel Kiper, Todd McShay and Jon Gruden start losing their minds over the prospect of Manziel in Kelly’s offense, Kiper’s head would explode except his hair won’t let that happen. They spend five minutes saying how Kelly is getting the guy he wanted so badly in Manziel. Finally ESPN’s only voice of reason Adam Schefter comes in and says “that not what my sources are telling me.” Roger Goodell strolls back to the podium and says “With the 13^th pick in the 2014 draft the Philadelphia Eagles select…Brandin Cooks, wide receiver, Oregon St.” Kelly gets the guy he wants but it’s DeSean Jackson 2.0 aka DeSean Jackson without the drama. Cooks is the Jackson replacement Kelly wants and he has no intention of giving up on Foles, who was magnificent last year running Kelly’s offense. Yes I wrote that entire scenario out just so I could take a shot at ESPN’s draft guys.

 

• Apparently no one is drafting Johnny Football. In the last 48 hours I’ve seen reports that the Texans (#1), Rams (#2), Jaguars (#3), Browns (#4), Raiders (#5) and Vikings (#8) have no interest in drafting Manziel with their first picks. The Falcons (#6), Bills (#9) and Lions (#10) don’t need a QB so that just leaves the Buccaneers at #7 in the top 10. See, my falling to #13 scenario isn’t so far-fetched.

 

• Every mock draft I read lately has the Vikings taking DT Aaron Donald. All of the sudden the underrated Donald is being over drafted. Donald is a disruptor and everyone is saying that the Vikings are getting “the next John Randle”, I get it they once had John Randle. What doesn’t make sense is they just signed free agent Linval Joseph (one of the best and most underrated signings of the offseason) and they drafted Sharrif Floyd last season. Grabbing a third DT would be nice but the Vikings have bigger needs.

Thoughts and Predictions

• 4 QB’s go in the first round (Manziel, Bortles, Bridgewater and Carr). There have been rumors about each one of these guys falling out of the first round during different parts of the draft process. I’m not buying it, it’s a QB league and too many teams don’t have QB’s.

 

• The San Francisco 49ers have more picks than they have room for on their roster so look for them to use those excess picks to move up and if I were guessing (and I am) I would say they move up in round 1 for either Odell Beckham or Brandin Cooks.

 

• Virginia Tech CB Kyle Fuller is the fast riser and he could go as high as #10 overall to Detroit, he probably won’t but he could be this year’s DJ Hayden. His injury-riddled senior year kept him from being at the top of everyone’s lists to begin with but as scouts went back and looked at his junior year his skills became apparent. Good CB’s are hard to find so he’s climbing the board
• Because of the lack of elite OT in this draft guys like Zack Martin, Cyrus Kouandjio and Morgan Moses will get over drafted. OT is one of the most important positions so teams will reach.

 

• Fuller is the late riser, I think Kelvin Benjamin is the late faller. Benjamin is the huge WR from Florida St. and he made the game winning catch for FSU in the National Championship Game. He lacks great speed and will struggle to get separation against NFL corners. If I were a team needing a WR there are about 15 WR’s I’d take before Benjamin, you think I’m kidding? Sammy Watkins, Mike Evans, Odell Beckham, Brandin Cooks, Marqise Lee, Allen Robinson, Cody Latimore, Jordan Matthews, Donte Moncrief, Davante Adams, Bruce Ellington, Jarvis Landry, Paul Richardson, Jared Abbrederis and Martavis Bryant. Yeah I’m not his biggest fan.

 

• It is a virtual certainty that this will be the second year in a row that no RB’s go in the first round; it would be a monumental upset if one gets picked. That doesn’t mean there won’t be big time contributors like last year’s class (Eddie Lacy, Giovani Bernard, LeVeon Bell and Montee Ball). Carlos Hyde, Bishop Sankey, Jeremy Hill, Tre Mason and Ka’Deem Carey are all very good backs. Sleeper choice: Devonte Freeman from Florida St. Damn that team was talented last year.

 

• Somebody is going to draft Cody Latimore before Marqise Lee and I’m going to want to throw something at the TV. Future prediction: unemployed GM regrets this decision.

 

• The Patriots will draft a QB at some point and it may be in round 2 or 3. Tom Brady will be 37 years old and he only has a few seasons left, the problem is that those few seasons will be enough to run out Ryan Mallett’s contract so the Patriots will have to trade Mallett just to get something out of him. That trade could happen this weekend at some point so the Patriots need a new QB of the future and this draft has some good candidates…I’m crossing my fingers for Aaron Murray.

 

• Haha Clinton-Dix and Calvin Pryor are the only two safeties I have going in the first round but Jimmie Ward from Northern Illinois could sneak in at the end. Ward is a very solid all-around safety and his coverage ability makes him valuable in today’s NFL. He’s a little short but so Matt Elam and he snuck into the first round last year.

 

• Every mock draft, including mine, has the Titans taking OLB Anthony Barr at #11 overall so there is no possible way this will actually happen (that’s just the way mock drafts work). He’s the perfect fit and the right value so someone in Tennessee will over think it and screw it up. The Titans are the dark horse team for a falling QB like Manziel. They could also possibly grab the first CB off the board if Detroit doesn’t take one at #10.

 

• I predicted TE Eric Ebron to the Buffalo Bills and apparently I wasn’t the only one throwing darts at the dart board on that one. I’ve seen WR Mike Evans, WR Odell Beckham, OT Jake Matthews, S Haha Clinton-Dix and I’m pretty sure I saw one with QB Blake Bortles but that makes no sense whatsoever. The point is NO ONE has a clue what the Buffalo Bills are going to do. I’m throwing out CJ Mosley as a possibility just because no one has mentioned a LB.

 

• There are reports that QB Zach Mettenberger and DT Tim Jernigan (along with some other players) failed their drug tests at the combine. If it’s true it could knock them down a bit meaning my Jernigan fall in the mock draft might actually happen. The reports mention marijuana and “diluted samples” and I’m going to refrain from making the obligatory “they can still play for Denver or Seattle” jokes, it’s just too easy.

 

• As an Iowa Hawkeye fan I always enjoy it when a Hawkeye gets drafted so if you feel the same way tune in late Friday because that’s when TE CJ Fiedorowicz is likely to get drafted, after that it’s a crapshoot. I think LB Christian Kirksey goes off the board in round 5 and fellow LB’s Anthony Hitchens and James Morris may go in round 7 but I wouldn’t bet on it. Don’t hold your breath for OG Conor Boffeli or OT Brett Van Sloten, maybe one of them pulls an Adam Gettis and shocks us all. K Mike Meyer, CB BJ Lowery and long snapper Casey Kreiter will get a shot as undrafted free agents and all three have a shot to make a roster. There will be absolute stunned silence across the state if FS Tanner Miller or WR Don Shumpert gets drafted and I’ll be shocked if anyone even brings them into minicamp but stranger things have happened (even James Vandenberg got a shot with the Vikings after his disastrous senior season).

 

I decided that instead of redoing my round 1 Mock Draft from last week I would just keep going so here is Round 2 and 3. This is a great draft with a lot of good prospects left all the way through pick #100. For those of you who don’t know what a Compensatory Pick is (you’ll see them at the end of Round 3) they are picks awarded by the NFL for last year’s free agent losses. There is no rhyme or reason to how they are determined so don’t ask. The 1st Round is just below if you need to refresh your memory.

33. Houston Texans (2-14): Kony Ealy OLB Missouri
Assuming the first round trade that nets the Texans the QB they need they will be looking for a difference maker on the defensive side. A safety or a pass rusher would make the most sense and luckily for them Kony Ealy falls into the second round in this mock draft. Ealy played DE in college but his skills should help him transition to OLB in the NFL and Romeo Crennel could use him the way he used Tamba Hali in Kansas City.

Boom or Bust: I like this pick because Ealy’s skillset fits Crennel’s system. When Crennel was in Kansas City as defensive coordinator he moved Tamba Hali to OLB and his skills translated well to that position, Ealy can make a similar move.

34. Washington Redskins (3-13): Morgan Moses OT Virginia
The Redskins have addressed a number of their issues through free agency with additions like Jason Hatcher on the defensive line and Tracy Porter and Ryan Clark in the secondary. DeSean Jackson and Andre Roberts will transform the WR corps from a so-so group to a team strength. The one big area they have failed to address is the offensive line and the RT position is a huge need. Morgan Moses isn’t going to make headlines but he’s a player with a lot of experience and he can step right in and start at RT and he’ll be a huge upgrade over Tyler Polumbus. If the Redskins want Robert Griffin III to become the franchise QB they need they have to give him the protection that will keep him on the field.

Boom or Bust: Moses doesn’t profile like a future Pro Bowl pick but there are a lot of good players in the NFL that never make a Pro Bowl and they just need a guy to upgrade their protection and Moses is a plug-and-play guy. He will make a nice bookend to LT Trent Williams.

35. Cleveland Browns (4-12): Bradley Roby CB Ohio St.
Adding WR Sammy Watkins and QB Derek Carr to their offense is a step in the right direction now it’s time to address the defense. Bradley Roby is a terrific athlete that looks like a great CB in shorts and a t-shirt but he didn’t look as good on film this last year. He has the ability but he struggles with his consistency and his technique and relies too much on his athleticism to make up for his mistakes. Roby won’t be able to get away with that in the NFL and being paired with Joe Haden in Cleveland could be a blessing and a curse. If he learns technique from Haden that’s a plus but teams will pick on him in order to avoid throwing Haden’s way.

Boom or Bust: Roby has to learn not to believe his own hype and he needs to put in the work to learn the skills necessary to be a great CB. He has as much athletic ability as anyone in this draft but there are great athletes all over the NFL and that’s not enough to be successful. I’m feeling a bust here.

36. Oakland Raiders (4-12): Jace Amaro TE Texas Tech
You can always assume the Raiders will draft for need but that’s only because every position is of need to them. Their TE position is devoid of anything resembling a playmaker and Amaro is just that. He isn’t a great in-line blocker but the Raiders need playmakers wherever they can find them and Amaro will make Matt Schaub and/or Johnny Manziel very happy. A terrific athlete that can make the big play down the field makes Amaro the type of “move” TE teams seek nowadays and he can be a nice piece to their offensive puzzle.

Boom or Bust: Amaro isn’t the all-around TE that Eric Ebron is but he’s a major weapon in the passing game. The only thing that could hold him back here is the fact that Oakland’s offense isn’t exactly overflowing with talent so he will be a focal point for the defense. He is the new age type of TE and the kid can play.

37. Houston Texans (from Atlanta 4-12): Kyle Van Noy OLB BYU
I said that the Falcons should keep this pick but the rumors say that Houston would get it if they trade #1 overall to Atlanta so I’m finishing out my trade scenario. It seems counter intuitive that the Texans would trade the chance to take Jadeveon Clowney only to draft two OLB in the second round. In this case it is simply taking the best player available to them. Houston has that luxury because while they finished 2-14 last year their roster is in pretty good shape. Taking Ealy and Van Noy would allow them to shift Brooks Reed inside next to Brian Cushing while Ealy and Van Noy would join Whitney Mercilus at OLB giving the Texans a very good rotation at the position. Van Noy is simply too good to fall any farther and the Texans get to take advantage.

Boom or Bust: Van Noy is one of the most complete linebackers in this draft and he can play in any alignment be it a 3-4 or a 4-3 defense. His skills translate to any system and he will be a fantastic player wherever he goes. He may be the most underrated and underappreciated player in the draft. Houston’s defense would be outstanding after adding him.

38. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-12): JuWuan James OT Tennessee
One of the Buccaneers many veteran free agents signings is LT Anthony Collins from the Bengals and that is a nice addition to their offensive line but the offensive line is one of the few things they didn’t completely address in free agency. JuWuan James came into the draft process as “the other” Tennessee OT as junior Antonio “Tiny” Richardson was the more heralded player but James started to make a name for himself during the scouting process. He has more experience, is a steadier player than Richardson and he can step right in at RT and give the Bucs an upgrade at the position. QB Josh McCown will appreciate the protection provided by Collins, James and new center Evan Dietrich-Smith.

Boom or Bust: James is a lot like Morgan Moses, no one is going to confuse either of them for Jonathan Ogden, but they are immediate starters at a position of need. Starting tackles, both left and right, have taken on increased importance in today’s pass happy NFL. Sometimes steady is all you need.

39. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-12): Tom Savage QB Pitt
I’m pulling a reverse on my previous thoughts on Savage. He was so far off the radar at the beginning of the draft process that I overlooked him in favor of so many other QB prospects that were ahead of him. In the last few weeks he has become a rising prospect so I went back and started watching more video of him. There isn’t as much on him as there is on many other players because Savage spent so much time traversing the continent while in college. He went from Freshmen All-American at Rutgers to Arizona Wildcat transfer to Pitt transfer and finally to starter at Pitt. Savage has always had a plus arm and watching his tape from Pitt this last year I saw more elusiveness than I remember. He’s good in the pocket and he’s solid in the rollout and in his interviews he seems to have matured during his well-traveled career. I like him better than AJ McCarron or Jimmy Garoppolo and he has all of the arm strength Zach Mettenberger has and he’s not a statue. Jacksonville has Chad Henne who can play while Savage adjusts but the more Savage plays the more he’ll knock off the rust and he has a chance to be a solid starter.

Boom or Bust: Immaturity, injury and circumstance were more to blame for Savage’s unusual college career than a lack of talent. He has obviously matured, evidenced by the fact that he’s admitted he made a mistake leaving Rutgers because he felt entitled to the starting job, and he may give the Jags their best QB since…Mark Brunell?

40. Minnesota Vikings (5-10-1): Scott Crichton DE Oregon St.
The Vikings got their QB of the future with Teddy Bridgewater in the first round now it’s time to turn their attention to defense. CB could be the pick but the signing of Captain Munnerlyn to go with Xavier Rhodes and Josh Robinson makes it less of a priority. They did re-sign Everson Griffen at DE but they lost Jared Allen and Brian Robison isn’t getting any younger. Scott Crichton is actually comparable to Robison and he’s a high motor guy that will be an excellent pass rusher to start with and would work well in a rotation. Griffen can slide inside in pass rush situations and Crichton can bring heat off the edge.

Boom or Bust: No one is going to confuse Scott Crichton for Jared Allen but the Vikings plan on having Griffen replace Allen so Crichton could be a good eventual replacement for Robison. High motor guys at DE are always nice to have and they make life miserable for opponents.

41. Buffalo Bills (6-10): Antonio Richardson OT Tennessee
The Bills gave EJ Manuel a weapon in the first round with TE Eric Ebron and now it’s time to get him some protection up front. Richardson more than passes the eyeball test and at 6’6 336 lbs. he is an imposing figure on the field. RT Eric Pears was less than stellar for the Bills last season and Richardson has a lot of raw talent that could be molded into a dominant power player at RT. He played LT in college and it’s possible he could man that position at some point but the Bills have Cordy Glenn so there would be no need.

Boom or Bust: I like Richardson’s potential at RT because of his sheer size and the physical nature of his game. He’s athletic and can move but he isn’t as technically sound and that could be a bigger problem against elite pass rushers in the NFL.

42. Tennessee Titans (7-9): Stephon Tuitt DE Notre Dame
The Titans transition to a 3-4 defense will be aided by first round pick Anthony Barr as he can bring the pass rush from OLB but another position that can be hard to fill is DE in a 3-4. The five-technique DE isn’t a typical position as it is a cross between a DE and DT responsibilities. Stephon Tuitt played the position at Notre Dame because they often lined up in 3-4 and at 6’6 304 lbs. he fits the mold. The Titans may also be looking for QB in this draft but they still have Jake Locker, they signed Charlie Whitehurst as a back-up and they have Tyler Wilson as their 3rd guy. Unless new coach Ken Whisenhunt is completely in love with one of the QB’s in this draft he may wait to find out what he has in Locker before he makes a change.

Boom or Bust: With the exception of JJ Watt 3-4 DE’s rarely make much of a splash but good ones stick around because of their unique skillset. Tuitt isn’t going to excite the fans or the media much but coaches love solid players like him. He has the skills to have a long career.

43. New York Giants (7-9): Austin Seferian-Jenkins TE Washington
Yep I have the Giants passing on offensive line help again after skipping it in the first round too. Aaron Donald was too good of value to pass up then and Seferian-Jenkins is too good to pass up now. The only position on the Giants in worse shape than their offensive line is their TE’s. Adrien Robinson and Kellen Davis are listed as 1 and 2 on the depth chart and that won’t help Eli Manning get back on track. Seferian-Jenkins is a terrific athlete who was underutilized this last season in the passing game and he’s a good in-line blocker. He should actually help their offensive line because he can block but he’ll also give Manning an actual threat in the passing game.

Boom or Bust: Seferian-Jenkins is a bit of a character risk but the Giants are a good organization with a solid group of veterans and a no-nonsense coaching staff. A veteran QB like Eli Manning should help Seferian-Jenkins adjust and he’ll know how to use him. My only worry here is putting a character risk guy in New York City.

44. St. Louis Rams (7-9): Cody Latimore WR Indiana
Latimore is a fast rising prospect late in the process because he battled a foot injury all year and in a deep WR class he was overlooked. He is still raw but he was productive in Indiana pass happy offense and while Allen Robinson and Jordan Matthews are more polished receivers it’s hard to overlook Latimore’s potential. At 6’3 215 lbs. he is every bit the physical receiver those two are and when he was finally healthy he blazed a 40 time that was around 4.4 seconds. The Rams already have the tiny speedster in Tavon Austin and Latimore would give them the bigger complement for Sam Bradford.

Boom or Bust: I put Latimore here because of the buzz he is receiving late in the process and he may actually go higher. I like Jordan Matthews better because of his polish and the fact that he could step right in but the Rams may try to hit a homerun here. Latimore might become a big impact WR and while I’m skeptical I can honestly say I won’t be surprised if it was Indiana’s offense that was holding him back.

45. Detroit Lions (7-9): Jimmie Ward S Northern Illinois
The Lions are the beneficiary of a top talent dropping twice in this mock draft. First it was Jake Matthews falling in their lap to fix their OT problem and now Jimmie Ward is still available. They are looking for help at CB and WR but Ward is too good to pass up and James Ihedigbo isn’t an unquestioned starter at SS. Ward is a strong safety but he has good coverage skills and he could team with Glover Quin to make a nice safety duo. This team needs talent in a number of places and they can’t pass on a player like Ward if he’s available.

Boom or Bust: Teams are looking for two-way safeties and Ward is exactly that. He has coverage skills and he can come up and support the run defense. He played at NIU but they played some pretty good teams throughout the years and Ward held his own against top competition.

46. Pittsburgh Steelers (8-8): Tim Jernigan DT Florida St.
Jernigan shouldn’t be available this late but for some reason I can’t find a place for him to go. He is a versatile player on the defensive line and the Steelers have to get younger all over their defense. Jernigan is better value than any of the CB’s left on the board and the Steelers rarely just pick for need. After losing Brett Keisel, Ziggy Hood and Al Woods they could use some new depth and Jernigan could fill in at both NT and DE on their three man line.

Boom or Bust: Jernigan won’t be a bust no matter where he goes because he can play in any defense and he’ll be a disruptive force anywhere.

47. Dallas Cowboys (8-8): Trent Murphy DE Stanford
If I was going to be so bold as to predict another trade I would say that if DT Tim Jernigan falls into the second round the Dallas Cowboys will make a play to get into the top five or six picks to grab him because putting him at DT next to free agent Henry Melton would go a long way towards fixing Dallas’ defense. Since I’m not being that bold grabbing DE Trent Murphy would help a pass rush that looks pretty thin even with Anthony Spencer’s return on a one year deal. Murphy is a tweener and could be a DE or an OLB but one thing is for sure he knows how to rush the passer. Dallas will appreciate anyone that can do that at this point.

Boom or Bust: Murphy isn’t exceptionally fast or overly physical and he doesn’t “wow” anyone in his workouts but he’s a player that makes plays on film and he will be a solid player for whoever drafts him.

48. Baltimore Ravens (8-8): Dominique Easley DL Florida
The Ravens rarely reach for need and while RT is a glaring hole on their offense there isn’t an OT worth taking ahead of a talent like Easley. If he hadn’t suffered an injury that knocked him out early last season he would probably be a first round pick. Easley can play DT or DE and in Baltimore that versatility would serve him well on their three man front. Brandon Williams and Chris Canty are listed as DE starters flanking NT Haloti Ngata and Easley would be a welcome playmaker up front.

Boom or Bust: Easley played DE early in his career at Florida but it was when he moved inside to tackle where he’s ability to penetrate really showed up. If he hadn’t been injured this last year we would be talking about him going in the top 15 and he would be right next to Aaron Donald as the most disruptive DT in the draft. He would thrive in Baltimore playing next to a guy like Ngata.

49. New York Jets (8-8): Joel Bitonio OG Nevada
The Jets need help at CB and they need to get younger at LB but Joel Bitonio is another late riser due to his versatility and while some people think he could play center and some even think he could line up at tackle his best position is guard. If Rex Ryan wants Chris Johnson and Chris Ivory to be an effective backfield and take pressure off the passing offense the Jets need better blocking up front. LT D’Brickashaw Ferguson and C Nick Mangold are the only above average blockers on the line and RG Willie Colon is just average. LG Brian Winters and new RT Breno Giacomini can both be improved upon.

Boom or Bust: Sorry but finding a lot of tape on a guard from Nevada isn’t easy so my opinion is based on other scouting reports. Bitonio has some skill and he’ll be an upgrade for the Jets and will allow them some flexibility.

50. Miami Dolphins (8-8): Kelvin Benjamin WR Florida St.
While the Dolphins do still need help on the offensive line grabbing a big bodied WR like Benjamin would help QB Ryan Tannehill when the offense gets to the red zone. Mike Wallace is a deep speed threat and Brian Hartline does great work over the middle but Tannehill would be served well by a guy he can just throw it up to when they get close to the end zone or when they need a 3rd down conversion. Zack Martin can take over the RT spot and they can grab a guard later.

Boom or Bust: Benjamin is a big bodied WR but not in the same way as Calvin Johnson he’s more like former USC/Detroit Lion draft pick Mike Williams. He could eat his way out of the league and he doesn’t exactly have the reputation as a hard working sort of guy.

51. Chicago Bears (8-8): Jimmy Garoppolo QB Eastern Illinois
There is always a team that surprisingly takes a QB especially when someone starts to fall a bit. Garoppolo has his fans in the league and while having Jay Cutler signed long term means there isn’t a big need the Bears lost veteran back-up Josh McCown. The Bears still need to get younger on defense but Garoppolo is too valuable to pass up and if Cutler goes down like he did last year current back-up Jordan Palmer isn’t warming the hearts of fans or coaches and he isn’t scaring any opponents either. Having a good young QB as your back-up is also like investing this pick into a future draft choice.

Boom or Bust: Jay Cutler probably isn’t going anywhere for a while and I’m not the biggest Garoppolo fan but he could be flipped for a future second round pick or if he ends up having to play at some point and does well maybe a first rounder.

52. Arizona Cardinals (10-6): Jeremiah Attaochu OLB Georgia Tech
Adding CJ Mosley at ILB and Attaochu at OLB would make Arizona’s defense incredible. John Abraham might have a good year left in him as a pass rusher but it won’t be much more than that and Attaochu and take some pressure off this year and eventually replace him. Attaochu is an attaching OLB that can get to the QB and Arizona would be off to an incredible start with these two LB’s.

Boom or Bust: In a defense like Arizona’s Attaochu would shine and his skills would not go to waste. The Cardinals have been looking for a young pass rusher for a few years and luckily for them one fell into their laps.

53. Green Bay Packers (8-7-1): Weston Richburg C Colorado St.
Richburg has overtaken Travis Swanson and Marcus Martin as the top center on the board and it’s because he is the most technically sound center in the draft. Richburg is undersized at just under 300 lbs. but he’s efficient and he’s smart and while he isn’t going to physically overwhelm anyone he isn’t going to get beat inside. The Packers lost free agent Evan Dietrich-Smith and don’t have a natural replacement for him so if the top center falls to them here they can’t pass him up.

Boom or Bust: A smart center is worth his weight in gold and while Richburg isn’t huge Aaron Rodgers will take 298 lbs. worth of gold in front of him anytime. Having Richburg added to a line that is returning the injured Bryan Bulaga will help keep Rodgers upright and healthy.

54. Philadelphia Eagles (10-6): Allen Robinson WR Penn St.
The Eagles got the pass rusher they need in the first round with Dee Ford and now they grab a WR to fill the void left by the departure of DeSean Jackson. Robinson isn’t the small speedster like Jackson was but he has plenty of speed and has great size. Chip Kelly’s offense isn’t about big or small guys it’s about playmakers no matter their size. They could have grabbed a WR in the first round but taking Ford and ending up with Robinson in the second round would be a big win.

Boom or Bust: I can’t see a WR with any talent being a bust in Kelly’s offense. Nick Foles proved to be a pretty good QB last year and the return of Jeremy Maclin and the addition of Darren Sproles should make the Eagles offense just as dangerous. If Robinson doesn’t put up huge numbers it will because Maclin returned strong and Sproles stole a lot of catches but he’ll get his turn.

55. Cincinnati Bengals (11-5): Marcus Martin C USC
A team that went 11-5 doesn’t have many holes but one place where they could get better is at center. They Bengals cut veteran Kyle Cook and that leaves them with 3rd year man Trevor Robinson in the pivot. Martin is big and physical and while he still needs some work being on a veteran line with LT Andrew Whitworth, LG Clint Boling, RG Kevin Zeitler and RT Andre Smith would help his development quite a bit. OLB doesn’t offer the value at this point that Marcus Martin does and good teams stay good by getting good value.

Boom or Bust: Martin has a pretty decent bust potential because he is still raw but the Bengals have one of the best offensive lines in football regardless of who their center ends up being. Robinson can be beaten out for the job and the Bengals have to take the best player for them here.

56. San Francisco 49ers (from Kansas City 11-5): Jordan Matthews WR Vanderbilt
The 49ers benefit from Alex Smith’s good year in Kansas City and pick up an extra 2nd round pick. The 49ers have Michael Crabtree back from injury and Anquan Boldin but Boldin does his best work inside so grabbing a big outside WR for Colin Kaepernick would be wise. Matthews is ready to play right away and while he may never be a dominant receiver he can start from day one. They are going to have to make a decision on Kaepernick’s future pretty soon so giving him more weapons would leave no excuses if he doesn’t perform.

Boom or Bust: Matthews is unlikely to challenge Calvin Johnson as the best WR in the NFL but he’s a 7-10 year starter for a team because of his polished route-running and natural pass catching ability.

57. San Diego Chargers (9-7): Ego Ferguson NT LSU
The Chargers lost NT Cam Thomas to free agency and luckily for them there are a few guys at this point that can fill that need for them. Ferguson is still young and a bit raw but at 6’3 315 lbs. he has the size necessary to step in between Corey Luiget and Kendall Reyes on the defensive line. His skillset fits better as a NT than as a DT in a 4-3 because he’s more of a space eater than a penetrator and he’ll allow the Chargers ILB’s to stay clear of blockers. The Chargers took a CB in round 1 and they could double up and take one here but Ferguson is better than an CB left on the board.

Boom or Bust: Ferguson scares me a bit because even though he has lots of physical gifts he sometimes disappears. He is known to have excellent off the field work ethic as he built himself up physically at LSU but it seems like he runs in neutral at times on the field. NT’s rarely make much noise so it should be his more natural position.

58. New Orleans Saints (11-5): Bishop Sankey RB Washington
The Saints plugged their glaring weakness with the choice of Demarcus Lawrence in the first round of this mock draft and they could look to OT or CB in the second round but Sankey fits a need too. They Saints traded Darren Sproles and while they like to talk up Pierre Thomas and Mark Ingram the truth is Ingram has failed to live up to his first round billing and Thomas is pushing 30. Sankey is an adept receiver out of the backfield (maybe not to Sproles’ level but still good) and he’s one of the best pass blocking RB’s in the draft (a handy skill to have in Sean Payton’s offense). Sankey isn’t particularly amazing at any one thing but he’s a great all-around back and could be the Saints starter in two years.

Boom or Bust: I’m not so sure what constitutes a boom at RB anymore because it’s been a while since there was a prospect like Adrian Peterson in the draft. Good RB’s come in all shapes and sizes these days and I think Sankey will be a good fit for the Saints.

59. Indianapolis Colts (11-5): DaQuan Jones NT Penn St.
This is the first pick in the draft for the Colts after they mistakenly traded their first rounder to the Browns for RB Trent Richardson, a move they hope Richardson can begin to justify this season since he did nothing of the sort last year. The Colts 3-4 defense is thin in the middle of the line with Josh Chapman as the only true NT on the roster. Jones is a 6’4 322 lbs. immoveable object that would upgrade their talent up front. He is not quick and he isn’t known as a penetrating tackle but he’s powerful and well-built for the position and with the addition of free agent DE Arthur Jones from Baltimore the Colts defense would notice a big improvement up front.

Boom or Bust: DaQuan Jones dropped a lot of weight last year (about 25 lbs.) to play last season in the 320-325 lbs. range. If he can keep it there and maintain his strength he can be a very good NT. The biggest concern is a guy like him ballooning up to 360-370 lbs. and eating his way out of the league. Jones has shown the discipline to get down to a good weight now he just has to maintain it.

60. Carolina Panthers (12-4): Donte Moncrief WR Ole Miss
Luckily for the Panthers this draft is overflowing with talent at the WR position so their patience is rewarded. The Panthers address their second glaring hole with Moncrief, a thoroughly undervalued WR out of Mississippi. Moncrief doesn’t look fast on tape but he never gets caught from behind either. He’s an excellent route runner and he actually timed faster than anyone expected running a 4.34 40 time. He has excellent hands and is a good run blocker, another plus in Carolina. If he had been in the 2013 draft class he would have gone much higher but the depth of this WR class pushes him down. On Carolina’s roster he’s the top WR from day one.

Boom or Bust: Moncrief could be this year’s version of Keenan Allen, a player that gets pushed down the board but ends up drafted by a team that seriously needs him. Moncrief is ready to contribute right away and he’ll be a Cam Newton favorite very quickly.

61. San Francisco 49ers (12-4): Lamarcus Joyner DB Florida St.
The rich get richer as the 49ers grab one of the best defenders in college football last season. The biggest thing keeping Joyner on the board this long is his lack of size. At 5-8 184 lbs. Joyner will have a hard time matching up with the bigger WR in today’s NFL but he has versatility. Joyner lined up at safety also which is why I listed him as a DB (defensive back) and not a CB or a S. Joyner can excel as a slot corner that is willing to come up in run support and while he may not meet the measurable teams are looking for he is simply a football player and a damn good one. Joyner was also a team leader for one of the best defenses in college football and the National Championship team as a whole. The 49ers aren’t beholden to whether a guy “fits” or not they will take a guy and use his skills wherever they can.

Boom or Bust: I would lose a lot of money betting against Lamarcus Joyner. He will find a way to make a difference regardless of the team that drafts him.

62. New England Patriots (12-4): Carlos Hyde RB Ohio St.
The Patriots still have speedy Shane Vereen, disappointing Stevan Ridley and constant tease Brandon Bolden at RB but their top back from last year LaGarrett Blount left for Pittsburgh. With the lack of big playmakers in the passing game they relied pretty heavily on their big back Blount to shoulder the load on offense. Carlos Hyde can do everything Blount did and more. Hype runs over people, he runs around people and at times he runs away from people and while no one will confuse Hyde with a choir boy that has never been something Bill Belichick concerns himself with. Belichick had an affinity for Florida players when Urban Meyer coached the Gators and perhaps that will shift now that Meyer coaches the Buckeyes.

Boom or Bust: As long as Hyde doesn’t get busted by the cops he will be a workhorse back for whatever team drafts him. He’s a power back and he’ll make a nice complement to Vereen and Ridley will likely be on his way out the door if the Patriots draft Hyde.

63. Denver Broncos (13-3): Keith McGill CB Utah
The Broncos top need, outside of the offensive lineman they took in the first round, is a new MLB but the value of that position is just not available here. They lost Champ Bailey at CB and replaced him with Aqib Talib which is an upgrade but they still need help opposite Talib. McGill played quietly at Utah and really didn’t get noticed until the combine. He’s a big corner at 6’3 211 lbs. and pairing him with Talib would give the Broncos a big set of CB’s. McGill turned heads at the combine by running a 4.44 40 at his size and he looked fluid in the drills.

Boom or Bust: McGill had injury issues after transferring to Utah from junior college and he didn’t play CB until his last year. He has the measurables teams want in a CB but he has very little experience at the position. Throwing him into the fire opposite one of the best corners in the league could get him eaten up by opposing QB’s.

64. Seattle Seahawks (13-3): David Yankey OG Stanford
When you’re the Super Bowl Champions you usually don’t have a lot of holes to fill and that is quite true of the Seahawks as they have been expertly built by GM John Schneider and head coach Pete Carroll. It helps when you find starters like QB Russell Wilson and CB Richard Sherman in later rounds. The one area that could still use an upgrade is the right side of the offensive line and David Yankey could potentially fill the RT spot if needed or he could take over inside at guard. Yankey has played both OG and OT at Stanford and he would be a great addition with the last pick of the second round.

Boom or Bust: Yankey wouldn’t be a great RT but he could hold down the spot for a year if need be but he could excel as the RG if the Seahawks find a good RT.

Third Round (because I just can’t help myself)

65. Houston Texans (2-14): Cameron Fleming OT Stanford
The Texans need some help on the offensive line and Fleming is a solid tackle prospect that could also possibly play inside at guard. Derek Newton is an okay RT but is replaceable and they need a LG.

66. Washington Redskins (3-13): Carl Bradford LB Arizona St.
Bradford was a jack of all trades playing DE, OLB and ILB for the Sun Devils and making plays from all positions. His best position in the NFL will be as an ILB in a 3-4 and with the retirement of London Fletcher the Redskins could use just such a playmaker. Great value for Washington.

67. Oakland Raiders (4-12): Chris Borland MLB Wisconsin
The Raiders defense needs playmakers as much as their offense and Borland tackles everything in sight. Borland won’t wow anyone with his athleticism but he’ll improve the Raiders run defense and give them someone under the age of 30 on their defense that is worth a damn.

68. Atlanta Falcons (4-12): Troy Niklas TE Notre Dame
The Falcons lost Tony Gonzalez to retirement and while some may believe Levine Toilolo has potential if a talent like Niklas falls to them they can’t pass him up. Gonzalez was a large part of the offense and Matt Ryan’s safety valve, Niklas can be a playmaker and make Ryan’s life a lot easier.

69. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-12): AJ McCarron QB Alabama
The signing of Josh McCown and immediate elevation of him to the starting job doesn’t bode well for Mike Glennon. Since it looks quite clear that Lovie Smith and company aren’t enamored with Glennon grabbing a new QB of the future seems like a good idea since McCown is no spring chicken. I don’t love McCarron but he has plenty of fans in the NFL.

70. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-12): Davante Adams WR Fresno St.
The Jaguars have no idea if Justin Blackmon will play this season or ever again and even if he returns there is no guarantee he won’t get suspended again. Cecil Shorts is a nice second receiver but if they ever expect Chad Henne or Tom Savage to have any success they need a #1. Adams was extremely productive teaming up with Derek Carr at Fresno St. and he has game breaking ability.

71. Cleveland Browns (4-12): Jack Mewhort OT Ohio St.
The Browns’ offense has added many weapons over the last few years but they could use a little help on the offensive line. If Mewhort could win the RT job it would shift Mitchell Schwartz inside to guard and that would upgrade two spots on the line.

72. Minnesota Vikings (5-10-1): Christian Jones LB Florida St.
Chad Greenway is the only Vikings LB that is above average but he’s 31 and it’s time for them to restock the position. Jones has some versatility and he could play in the middle or on the outside. The Vikings brought back Jasper Brinkley to man the middle but he’s just a guy and Jones will upgrade whatever position he plays for them.

73. Buffalo Bills (6-10): Martavis Bryant WR Clemson
The Bills traded for Mike Williams from the Buccaneers, they have Stevie Johnson, Robert Woods and Marquise Goodwin but Bryant would bring a different dimension at WR. Bryant played in the enormous shadow of Sammy Watkins at Clemson but he’s 6’4 211 lbs. with excellent speed and that is something the Bills offense could use.

74. New York Giants (7-9): Travis Swanson C Arkansas
The Giants signed JD Walton to be their new center but he’s coming off an injury and there are no guarantees with him. Swanson started 50 games at Arkansas and has the experience to come in and take over if need be. Swanson could also play guard if Chris Snee decides to retire. Swanson is a value pick for the Giants.

75. St. Louis Rams (7-9): Phillip Gaines CB Rice
The Rams parted ways with Courtland Finnegan this offseason and while Trumaine Johnson looks ready to step in next to Janoris Jenkins the Rams could still use a third CB. Gaines is a late rising prospect from Rice with solid measurables. His 4.31 40 time at the combine opened some eyes and got him noticed.

76. Detroit Lions (7-9): Bruce Ellington WR South Carolina
The physical opposite of Calvin Johnson Ellington comes in at 5’9 197 lbs. but he is blazing fast. He’s highly athletic as he showed as a point guard for the Gamecocks basketball team. Ellington would be nice addition to the WR corps with Johnson and newly signed Golden Tate.

77. San Francisco (from Tennessee 7-9): Trai Turner OG LSU
The 49ers might be the deepest team in the league and they have 6 picks in the top 100 of this draft and this is just the 4th one. They also have arguably the best offensive line in the league but they aren’t going to be able to pay all of those guys so grabbing a young guard to sit and wait is a great idea. Turner is a beast but he is still raw and could learn a lot from Mike Iupati and Alex Boone before he replaces one of them.

78. Dallas Cowboys (8-8): Will Sutton DT Arizona St.
So far the Cowboys have added S Calvin Pryor and DE Trent Murphy and now it’s time to get that penetrating DT they need. Sutton was much better his junior year when he was slimmer and quicker and if he gets back to being that guy this is an absolute steal for the Cowboys.

79. Baltimore Ravens (8-8): Billy Turner OT North Dakota St.
Turner is a small school prospect coming out of FCS power North Dakota St. but he went to the Senior Bowl and proved he could hang with the big boys. The Ravens need a RT and Turner could fill that void and he is certainly good enough to beat out Ricky Wagner. Ozzie Newsome doesn’t reach for need but Turner is value at this point.

80. New York Jets (8-8): Marcus Roberson CB Florida
The Jets need help at CB and Roberson is a good prospect that wasn’t always healthy and took a backseat to Louchiez Purifoy even though he ended up being the better prospect. Florida didn’t have a great year so some of their players were forgotten about but Roberson will be a good NFL player.

81. Miami Dolphins (8-8): Gabe Jackson OG Mississippi St.
The 6’3 336 lbs. Jackson is a road grader on the interior and lining him up at LG between C Mike Pouncey and LT Branden Albert would seriously help the Dolphins depleted offensive line. There are still a few really good guard prospects available which is why Miami could afford to wait until round three to grab one.

82. Chicago Bears (8-8): Deone Buchanan SS Washington St.
The Bears have to get younger on defense and they need to get better at safety. Free agent signees MD Jennings and Ryan Mundy are stop-gap measures but Buchanan would bring a physical presence to the secondary and he’s great value as a third round pick. He could easily win the starting strong safety job in camp.

83. Cleveland Browns (from Pittsburgh 8-8): Ed Reynolds FS Stanford
The Browns lost TJ Ward and signed Donte Whitner but they still could use a good center fielder at free safety. Reynolds is underappreciated because he’s not in the same league as Clinton-Dix and Calvin Pryor but he’s a heady player that will make plays. He can win the starting job next to Whitner.

84. Arizona Cardinals (10-6): Zach Mettenberger QB LSU
QB Carson Palmer had a good year in Arizona leading the team to 10 wins but he’ll be 35 this year so the Cardinals need to look to the future. Mettenberger might be the only guy in the draft who makes Palmer look mobile but he’s a great fit for Bruce Arians downfield passing game. He is coming off a knee injury so it’s a great fit because he doesn’t have to rush back but he can learn while he heals.

85. Green Bay Packers (8-7-1): Jared Abbrederis WR Wisconsin
The Packers still have Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb and Jarrett Boykin showed some promise last year but in the last two off seasons they have lost Greg Jennings and James Jones so their depth at WR could use some replenishing. Abbrederis doesn’t look all that intimidating but he’s an excellent route runner who knows how to get open. He will look fantastic catching passes from Aaron Rodgers.

86. Philadelphia Eagles (10-6): Justin Ellis DT Louisiana Tech.
As the saying goes “you can’t teach size” and Justin Ellis has that and then some. At 6’2 334 lbs. he is the prototypical NT size and has the skills to match. He’s a bit under the radar but the Eagles need some beef up front especially in the middle of their three man line.

87. Kansas City Chiefs (11-5): Terrence Brooks FS Florida St.
The Chiefs lost Kendrick Lewis in free agency and they need someone to line up behind Eric Berry. Brooks played on a fantastic Florida St. defense and was overshadowed by his more heralded teammate Lamarcus Joyner but Brooks has skills. He’s good in coverage and he can make plays and there isn’t a lot of competition on the Chiefs roster at the moment.

88. Cincinnati Bengals (11-5): Aaron Murray QB Georgia
That burning sensation Andy Dalton feels is his seating getting just a bit warmer. Dalton has been a pretty good QB but he has had some disastrous results in the playoffs. Murray is coming off a knee injury but once he’s healthy he will definitely put some pressure on Dalton to step up his game. An 11-5 team can take this type of gamble because they have a solid roster.

89. San Diego Chargers (9-7): Pierre Desir CB Lindenwood
I wasn’t joking about how bad the Chargers secondary is especially at CB and adding Desir to first round choice Darqueze Dennard would go a long way towards fixing a huge hole. Desir has good size at 6’1 and almost 200 lbs. but he will be stepping up in competition coming from Lindenwood. Even though he is coming from a small school he can still beat out the competition in San Diego’s secondary.

90. Indianapolis Colts (11-5): Cyril Richardson OG Baylor
The interior of the Colts offensive line leaves a lot to be desired and Cyril Richardson has tested very poorly throughout this draft process which is why he’s still on the board. Richardson is a mountain of a man at 6’5 329 lbs. and while tests show his lack of athleticism he is a beast on the field. Larry Warford of the Detroit Lions suffered a similar fate last year and then he started all 16 games and was fantastic. This Richardson should make life a little easier for that other Richardson, Trent.

91. New Orleans Saints (11-5): Brandon Thomas OL Clemson
Thomas was a guy moving up the draft boards before he hurt his knee during a workout. He will make an excellent guard once he’s healthy and he could possibly slide out to tackle if need be. Ben Grubbs and Jahri Evans are in their 8th and 9th years respectively and Thomas could sit for the year rehabbing and then be ready to step in at some point. Good teams have the luxury of stashing good prospects coming off an injury from time to time and they get good players later because of it.

92. Carolina Panthers (12-4): Dakota Dozier OG Furman
Another small school prospect and good one and the Panthers still need help on their offensive line. Dozier can compete for and possibly win the RG spot given that Garry Williams is penciled into that spot and started exactly one game last year (yeah I don’t know who he is either).

93. New England Patriots (12-4): CJ Fiedorowicz TE Iowa
The last of the good TE’s in this draft the 6’6 265 lbs. player from Iowa was underutilized in the passing game for the Hawkeyes and he will be a good blocker and nice red zone target for Tom Brady. Fiedorowicz has size like Gronkowski and even though he isn’t the athlete Gronk is at least he might stay healthy.

94. San Francisco 49ers (12-4): Daniel McCullers NT Tennessee
Yes I’m getting sick of the 49ers drafting again too and in this case they get the behemoth NT they need. They don’t have a true NT and McCullers, who is 6’7 352 lbs. is the perfect guy to fill the void. A giant of a man McCullers needs some work but a talented team like the 49ers can ease him in and if he works out he’s going to be dominant.

95. Denver Broncos (13-3): Caraun Reid DT Princeton
The Broncos have the luxury of picking the best talent available and Caraun Reid is a quick penetrating DT that will add nice depth behind starters Sylvester Williams and Terrence Knighton. Reid is an Ivy League guy and that’s pretty rare but he’s a talent and he’ll be a welcome addition.

96. Minnesota Vikings (from Seattle 13-3): Tre Mason RB Auburn
Toby Gerhart took a free agent deal from Jacksonville and while Adrian Peterson looks superhuman at times he still needs a complementary back. Mason was ridiculously productive at Auburn and while he’s short he is powerfully built and very quick. Mason would be a great weapon to have to spell Peterson from time to time.

97. Pittsburgh Steelers (Compensatory Pick): Beshaud Breeland CB Clemson
Breeland is an underclassman with a lot of potential and the Steelers need young talent on defense.

98. Green Bay Packers (Compensatory Pick): Shane Skov LB Stanford
The Packers need some ILB help and Skov is a pretty versatile guy that can step right in there.

99. Baltimore Ravens (Compensatory Pick): Jeremy Hill RB LSU
Ray Rice is still working through some legal issues and Bernard Pierce was injured most of last year. Hill would bring a different look as a big power back regardless of Rice or Pierce’s availability.

100. San Francisco 49ers (Compensatory Pick): Ka’Deem Carey RB Arizona
Completely sick of San Fran at this point. Frank Gore can’t play forever, Kendall Hunter only has one year left on his contract, no one believes LaMichael James can carry the load like Gore has and while Marcus Lattimore’s recovery seems miraculous he may not be the same player he was before the injury. Carey is way better than his measured times so at #100 this could be a huge steal.

 

So that’s the Top 100 picks, thank you to the NFL for adding the four compensatory picks to the end of the third round it made it a nice round number.  I was going to do the fourth round but let’s face it I’d just be guessing at this point (because that’s not at all what I’ve been doing so far).  As always this is just a fun thing I like to do and I’m sure come Thursday I will get absolutely none of these picks correct.  Last year I went 0-32 on my first round mock draft, that’s another reason I expanded it to 3 rounds this year, hopefully I’ll get 1 out of my 100 picks right.  Cross your fingers for me.  Oh and watch the draft this week.  I’ll try to get my draft analysis up as quickly as possible after the draft.

I’m predicting a trade of the #1 overall pick with the Atlanta Falcons moving up from #6. As always I reserve the right to completely disavow this whole thing and I probably will in about a week. The draft is 10 days away so start getting excited it’s finally within sight.

1. Atlanta Falcons (from Houston 2-14): Jadeveon Clowney DE South Carolina
Normally I don’t try to predict possible trades in my mock drafts but this trade makes too much sense given that Clowney is clearly the top prospect but is a poor fit for the Texans defense. The Falcons on the other hand are a very good fit and they are a team that is willing to make a move to get the pass rusher they have needed for years. New Falcon’s defensive coordinator Mike Nolan has a history using both 4-3 and 3-4 defensive principles so he will design multiple ways to use Clowney’s skills. The Texans can move down to #6, still get a player they want and add at least an extra pick. There has been speculation that it will cost the Falcons either their first round pick next year or at least their second rounder this year. I wouldn’t usually advise trading a future first round pick but if the Falcons have a choice between next year’s first rounder and this year’s second rounder (#37 overall) I say give up next year’s pick. Adding Clowney and this year’s #37 pick in what is a very deep draft might be enough to help Atlanta make a big turnaround next year and make that first rounder in the late twenties at least.

Boom or Bust: I think Clowney has more potential to be a boom pick for the Falcons than for the Texans. Nolan will do things with him that Texans defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel won’t think of.

2. St. Louis Rams (from Washington 3-13): Greg Robinson OT Auburn
The Rams play in the toughest division in football with three teams with outstanding defenses. Seattle and San Francisco are two elite pass rushing teams and Arizona is not far behind and if St. Louis wants to give Sam Bradford a legitimate chance to stay healthy and prove he’s their future at QB they need to provide him with more weapons and better protection. While I prefer Jake Matthews it is fairly split on which LT is better and it appears that St. Louis likes Robinson’s potential more. Robinson could step in at RT or play OG if need be and if Jake Long doesn’t recover quickly enough from his knee injury than Robinson might have to step in a LT right away. He is the long term solution anyway but if Long can play than the Rams can let him develop before he has to take over that spot. Robinson has elite level LT potential and in five years he might be one of the top 5 LT’s in the NFL.

Boom or Bust: With some good coaching and a little patience the sky is the limit for a guy like Robinson. He has every physical attribute and he is just maturing at this point. I think Robinson is a boom pick and truthfully I think he replaces Long at LT sooner rather than later.

3. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-12): Khalil Mack OLB Buffalo
As much as the Jaguars need a franchise QB they have Chad Henne to hold down the spot until they find one and Khalil Mack may be the transcendent talent head coach Gus Bradley needs to turn around his defense. Bradley worked with some very good defensive players in Seattle before he came to Jacksonville so he knows what it takes to build a defense. Mack is more than just a top-notch pass rusher he is an outstanding all-around linebacker. He has the potential to be Von Miller without the off the field issues. Jadeveon Clowney has received the lion’s share of the hype as the top defender in this draft but Mack has slowly been closing the gap and the reason why you haven’t heard much about Jacksonville trying to trade up to the top spot to get Clowney is because they have a very good feeling they can land Mack at #3.

Boom or Bust: This one isn’t even close, Mack will be a star. He’s an every down player that will make the biggest impact on his team’s defense and he’s my pick (along with a lot of other people’s picks) to be Defensive Rookie of the Year.

4. Cleveland Browns (4-12): Sammy Watkins WR Clemson
The Browns need a franchise QB just like many of the teams choosing at the top of the draft but the value of the top players at the position (Blake Bortles, Teddy Bridgewater and Johnny Manziel) seems to be falling. The Browns have a later pick in the first round where one of them may fall or a player they like better (Derek Carr) will probably be available. Watkins is the top offensive playmaker in this draft and is definitely a top 5 value. The Browns future franchise QB, whomever that may be, would benefit greatly from having Watkins alongside WR Josh Gordon, TE Jordan Cameron, newly signed RB Ben Tate and new slot receiver Andrew Hawkins. Even if the Browns wait until later and take a QB that needs some time to develop they still have Brian Hoyer as the veteran holdover that played pretty well last year before he got hurt and would do pretty well in a new offense featuring these weapons.

Boom or Bust: Watkins catch and run ability would be a superb complement to Gordon’s over-the-top deep speed and Hawkins underneath ability. Cameron proved to be a huge weapon down the seam and Tate is a serious upgrade at RB. If Watkins doesn’t post eye-popping numbers it will be because he has to share the wealth not because he’s a bust.

5. Oakland Raiders (4-12): Johnny Manziel QB Texas A&M
Manziel just seems like the type of player the Raiders with go for given the splash it will make. GM Reggie McKenzie is fighting for his job and his desperation has been evident by his free agent signings of past-their-prime veterans like Justin Tuck, LaMarr Woodley, Donald Penn and Carlos Rogers and the trade for QB Matt Schaub. The Raiders need help all over the field and a choice like OT Jake Matthews would be a far safer investment in the future but McKenzie is trying to buy himself some time and grabbing headline maker Johnny Football might buy him an extra year or two. Having Schaub around would mean Manziel would at least have to beat out a legitimate starting QB to win the job but given how Schaub played last year I don’t think it would take long. Manziel is a playmaker and he knows how to buy time with his feet which is a trait that would come in handy given the state of the Raiders offensive line. WR James Jones was signed from Green Bay so there is at least one legit receiver on the team and perhaps the tandem of Maurice Jones-Drew and Darren McFadden will provide some semblance of a running game. The Raiders don’t seem to have a long term plan to fix their roster so shooting for the moon with the Manziel pick might be worth the gamble.

Boom or Bust: I’m pretty sure you can already see where I’m going with this but just so we’re clear I’m calling bust here. The Raiders are perpetually stuck in rebuilding mode and when you consistently miss on your first-round picks that’s where you stay. I’ll give last year’s 1st rounder DJ Hayden more time before deciding about him and the Raiders didn’t have a 1st round pick in either 2011 or 2012 but here are their previous seven 1st rounders; Rolando McClain, Darrius Heyward-Bey, Darren McFadden, JaMarcus Russell, Michael Huff, Fabian Washington and Robert Gallery. That explains a lot.

6. Houston Texans (from Atlanta 4-12): Blake Bortles QB Central Florida
He isn’t my favorite QB but that doesn’t mean I don’t see the potential in a guy with his size and skills. At 6’5 230 lbs. Bortles profiles like a franchise QB and he fits the profile that new Texans coach Bill O’Brien prefers. He is a pocket passer but he does possess the mobility to move out of the pocket when needed the problem is that his throwing mechanics break down a bit when on the move. In an offense built around the running of Arian Foster and a passing attack featuring Andre Johnson and DeAndre Hopkins Bortles could be pretty good. One other knock on Bortles is that for a guy his size he doesn’t have as strong of an arm as you would expect. O’Brien worked with Tom Brady for years and Brady doesn’t have the strongest arm either but it has never been a problem for him. Also Brady has virtually no mobility and is the quintessential pocket passer so O’Brien can design the offense to keep Bortles in the pocket as much as possible. I don’t see Bortles as an unquestionable starter from day one in the NFL but given that the Texans other choices are newly signed back-up Ryan Fitzpatrick and holdovers Case Keenum and TJ Yates I think Bortles would win the job quickly.

Boom or Bust: I’m not sure Bortles is either one and he actually might just turn out to be the next Matt Schaub. Schaub was never in the same sphere as Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Drew Brees or Aaron Rodgers but he was a pretty good starter for seven seasons. On a team that relies on its running game and leans on its defense Bortles could make a nice starting QB, if O’Brien needs more he may be disappointed.

7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-12): Mike Evans WR Texas A&M
The Buccaneers filled almost all of their glaring needs through free agency but the one remaining issue came up after they traded WR Mike Williams to the Bills. The Bucs needed help at WR even with Williams but now they need a starter opposite Vincent Jackson. Evans is a 6’5 230 lbs. freak and many people actually compare him to Vincent Jackson. Jackson and Evans could form a nice tandem that will remind new QB Josh McCown of the Bears duo Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery that he had so much success with last season. Evans has the size and speed every team looks for and playing with a veteran like Vincent Jackson would be just what he needs to help him learn the nuances of the game and how to be a professional. The biggest concern with Evans is that he is overly emotional on the field and bit of a hot head. A team led by veterans like McCown, Jackson, and Lavonte David and a veteran head coach like Lovie Smith is exactly what Evans needs to succeed.

Boom or Bust: Evans is the new breed of WR in the NFL and his physical abilities are without question. Tampa Bay would be the perfect setting for him to get a chance to learn while actually getting to play and make a difference. He wouldn’t have to be the top guy right away but it won’t be long until he takes over. Veteran players, veteran coach and a veteran staff would be huge given his maturity issues. I think he’s a boom in Tampa Bay, if the Raiders draft him 5th overall he’s got bust written all over him.

8. Minnesota Vikings (5-10-1): Teddy Bridgewater QB Louisville
Three years ago the Vikings made the mistake of reaching in the first round and drafting Christian Ponder well above his value, this year they shouldn’t make the mistake of being gun shy if Bridgewater is available. Bridgewater didn’t have a stellar pro day workout for scouts and he is sliding down draft boards because of it. One of the issues brought up about his workout was that he didn’t wear a glove on his throwing hand during the workout and that seemed to affect his grip. Bridgewater doesn’t have the biggest hands so it is possible he needs the glove to help him grip the football properly. I can confirm that I’ve watched a lot of Bridgewater’s videos and I don’t recall him not wearing a glove during games. The Vikings would be wise to grab Bridgewater here and invest in a case of right handed gloves. Their future at QB would be secure.

Boom or Bust: I’ve been a fan of Bridgewater for a while and maybe he can become the spokesman for Nike or Under Armour’s football gloves as well as someone’s franchise QB. Minnesota would be the perfect place for a QB that needs to wear a glove.

9. Buffalo Bills (6-10): Eric Ebron TE North Carolina
The Bills defense was their strength last season meaning their offense should get some attention early in the draft. Last year’s 1st round pick QB EJ Manuel needs help on the offensive line and at TE. OT Jake Matthews and TE Eric Ebron should be the Bills focus, Matthews could step right in at RT and Ebron is easily the top rated TE in this draft. Both players bring great value and while I love Matthews the combination of Ebron and a second round RT seems better than Matthews and a second round TE. Ebron is the new breed of TE as he is an athletic down the field type of player. He would bring a new dimension to the Bills offense and provide Manuel with a big red zone threat.

Boom or Bust: Ebron could be an even more productive player in the NFL than he was in college. He is the type of athlete NFL teams covet at TE and offensive coordinators love the type of matchup problems he’ll create. Ebron will only be held back if EJ Manuel doesn’t turn out to be the franchise QB the Bills think he is.

10. Detroit Lions (7-9): Jake Matthews OT Texas A&M
I’ve been beating the drum for the Lions to address their secondary as much as anyone but given the fact that the cornerback position seems to be a jumbled pick’em at this point this is an easy choice. Matthews is a value pick at a position of need and while they have Riley Reiff at LT Matthews would allow them the opportunity to either play Matthews at RT or possibly move Reiff to RT depending on who they decide is better suited to the left side. The right tackle position is a major hole in the offense at the moment and regardless of who ends up where having Reiff and Matthews bookending the line would be a huge upgrade in front of Matthew Stafford. WR and CB are two other areas of need but the value isn’t there at #10 overall and the depth of those positions means the Lions can find players available in the second round.

Boom or Bust: Jake Matthews is a day one starting tackle and barring an injury he’ll be a mainstay for the next 10-12 years. He has the versatility to excel at LT or RT and if the Lions get him at #10 he might be the steal of the draft. BOOM, future Pro Bowler.

11. Tennessee Titans (7-9): Anthony Barr OLB UCLA
New defensive coordinator Ray Horton should be doing cartwheels in the draft room if Barr is there for the Titans at #11. Horton’s new 3-4 hybrid look for Tennessee would be the perfect place for Barr to shine. Barr is still a bit raw when it comes to his overall linebacker skills but he’s a pass rushing nightmare. The Titans signed Shaun Phillips to give them some pop at OLB and that’s good because Barr won’t be pressured to come in and have to know everything right away. He can focus on being a pass rusher and learn the position for a year from a seasoned veteran like Phillips.

Boom or Bust: Barr is perfect for Horton and the Titans and he will be a fantastic fit there. If Barr goes to a team like the Vikings or the Lions where he would be miscast in a 4-3 defense then he has huge bust potential because he doesn’t possess the those sort of linebacker skills yet. He is a fantastic athlete that is still learning the position but he will always be better as an attacking OLB getting after the opposing QB.

12. New York Giants (7-9): Aaron Donald DT Pittsburgh
The Giants offensive line was atrocious last season but they signed free agents; OT Charles Brown, OG John Jerry, OG Geoff Schwartz and C JD Walton, trying to address it. They failed to address the losses of DT’s Linval Joseph, Mike Patterson and Shaun Rogers and DE Justin Tuck at all. The Giants built two Super Bowl winning defenses around outstanding defensive line play so it’s safe to assume they will address it early and often in the draft. DT Aaron Donald isn’t your prototypical DT but he does one thing better than any DT in this draft and that’s get into the backfield and disrupt offenses. Donald is too short and too small for many teams but he’s too good to pass up if you’re the Giants. Putting him on the line with Jason Pierre-Paul, Mathias Kiwanuku and Jonathan Hankins will be a good start to rebuilding a dominant defense.

Boom or Bust: I would never underestimate a guy with the heart and the motor that Donald shows on film. He never quits and even when he’s matched up against a superior physical talent he still wins as much as he loses if not more. Doubting or underestimating a guy like Donald is just another reason why he destroys his opponents.

13. St. Louis Rams (7-9): Hasean “HaHa” Clinton-Dix S Alabama
While the Rams could use a true #1 WR to pair with Tavon Austin their need at safety is greater. Clinton-Dix is valued somewhere between 10-15 in this draft so he fits and he would make a huge addition to the secondary. Chris Long and Robert Quinn provide an outstanding pass rush and Janoris Jenkins and Trumaine Johnson are nice duo at CB but pairing Clinton-Dix with TJ McDonald at safety would be a nice upgrade to the back end. The Rams are taking a shot at WR with free agent signee Kenny Britt but even if he doesn’t pan out they have some others (Brian Quick, Austin Pettis and Stedman Bailey) on the roster and could still come away with a WR in round 2 due to the depth in this draft.

Boom or Bust: Haha Clinton-Dix should be just the ball hawk at free safety the Rams need and he would take a lot of pressure off of Jenkins, Johnson and McDonald by roaming the deep middle. Clinton-Dix is a dark horse candidate for Defensive Rookie of the Year.

14. Chicago Bears (8-8): Justin Gilbert CB Oklahoma St.
The Bears need an infusion of youth at virtually every level of their defense and the secondary is no exception. The CB position has become a jumbled mess as Justin Gilbert, Darqueze Dennard, Jason Verrett, Kyle Fuller and Bradley Roby have become almost indistinguishable from each other. Each player has his strengths and weaknesses and the longer the draft process goes on the more the beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I’m giving the Bears Gilbert because besides being a top flight CB prospect he is also a fantastic return man. The Bears resigned Charles Tillman and still have Tim Jennings so Gilbert can contribute in the return game while learning from some veterans and if the Bears need him he can step in for Tillman or Jennings.

Boom or Bust: I’m always a little leery about CB prospects that are better athletes than they are cover guys so Gilbert scares me. I like Dennard better and after re-watching some stuff from Kyle Fuller’s junior year I like him better too. I think Gilbert could be a bust simply because he relies on his athleticism more than a having a natural cover ability. He would be wise if he goes to the Bears to spend as much time around Tillman as possible because he has been a top flight corner for a long time and it’s not because of his athleticism.

15. Pittsburgh Steelers (8-8): Taylor Lewan OT Michigan
As an organization the Steelers have been a model of consistency but their roster is aging and they have a number of holes to fill so they could go in a variety of directions. Due to several misses at OT in the past few years the Steelers would be lucky if Lewan falls this far in the draft. Many mock drafts have Lewan going in the top 10 or 12 picks because of the importance of the LT position and because the drop off after him is significant. Lewan is not in the same class as Robinson or Matthews but he would be a solid starter and a huge upgrade in Pittsburgh. Whether he ends up a LT or swings over to the right side will depend on the team drafting him but either way he would fit the Pittsburgh Steelers mold and will bring some talent and attitude to their line.

Boom or Bust: Lewan has the chance to be an outstanding RT in the NFL or a decent LT. Pittsburgh might play him on the left side because he’s better than anyone they have but I would say they should keep looking for a LT in the future and move Lewan over if possible. Maybe not a boom pick but the Steelers wouldn’t regret it either.

16. Dallas Cowboys (8-8): Calvin Pryor S Louisville
The Cowboys defense was terrible last year and could use help at each level. They recently re-signed DE Anthony Spencer to a one year deal and they added free agent DT Henry Melton from the Bears but that doesn’t solve their issues. DT’s Tim Jernigan and Louis Nix along with DE Kony Ealy are all possibilities here but S Calvin Pryor would solve a long standing need that the Cowboys have been ignoring. Pryor is the next best safety after Clinton-Dix and the drop off after him is pretty steep. The defensive line class is deeper and the Cowboys can address that need in round 2 or 3 but they won’t get a safety like Pryor later. Pryor isn’t the ball hawk Clinton-Dix is but he’s very solid in run support and he would be a coverage upgrade over the current safety group. Teaming him with CB’s Brandon Carr and Morris Claiborne would seriously upgrade the secondary.

Boom or Bust: Pryor is the type of player that brings a new attitude to your defense and adds swagger to the secondary. Carr and Claiborne would play with more confidence having Pryor backing them up deep and that is what you want in a free safety. Pryor is a player and he won’t disappoint.

17. Baltimore Ravens (8-8): Odell Beckham Jr. WR LSU
The Ravens need a RT more than a WR but Ozzie Newsome has never been one to draft need over talent and Beckham is the best player on the board. The addition of Steve Smith in free agency certainly lessened the Ravens’ need for a WR but Smith will be 35 years old this upcoming season and a three receiver set of Torrey Smith, Steve Smith and Odell Beckham would make Joe Flacco a pretty dangerous QB. OT Zack Martin could be the pick here but I’m not sold on him as a RT and I doubt Newsome is either. The RT position is one that could be filled with the Ravens second round pick and passing up a talent like Beckham would be difficult if there is any question about Martin.

Boom or Bust: The Ravens are pretty good at this draft thing and while Newsome’s overall record of drafting WR’s isn’t great he did draft Torrey Smith a few years ago, he once traded for Anquan Boldin and he just signed Steve Smith, so maybe he’s figuring it out. Beckham is a talent and while he isn’t the biggest guy he is a great route runner and he’s got plenty of speed, I don’t think he’s a bust.

18. New York Jets (8-8): Brandin Cooks WR Oregon St.
The more I watch him the more I love him and the less I want the Jets to get him. Cooks is a dynamo and pairing him with free agent addition Eric Decker would go a long way towards turning around the Jets’ horrific WR corps. It’s unfortunate that a talented receiver like Cooks will be wasted by a team that has Geno Smith or Michael Vick at QB but Cooks is a talent the Jets shouldn’t pass up. If he went to a team with a better offense he could put up some eye popping numbers. Cooks is everything Tavon Austin was supposed to be but he doesn’t get the hype because he’s in the deepest WR class in a long time while Austin was in one of the worst.

Boom or Bust: The only thing holding Cooks back from being the Offensive Rookie of the Year is bad QB play. In two years when the Jets are picking #1 overall because Geno Smith has been a bust they can correct their mistake and take Jameis Winston out of Florida St, wait a second I hate that idea. Anyway, Cooks is a star that hopefully won’t be destroyed by the black hole that is the Jets offense.

19. Miami Dolphins (8-8): Zack Martin OT Notre Dame
By the end of last season the Dolphins had the worst offensive line in football and now that Jonathan Martin, Richie Incognito, John Jerry and Martin replacement Bryant McKinnie are all gone the overhaul is in full swing. LT Brandon Albert is an upgrade but free agents Shelley Smith and Jason Fox aren’t turning things around. Zack Martin could be used at RT and he would be a better option than Fox but he may end up as a guard and the Dolphins need those too. While Martin’s versatility makes it hard to project him for some teams it would be a blessing to the Dolphins because it would allow them to play their best linemen and plug Martin in where they need him. Between Brandon Albert at LT, Mike Pouncey at C and Zack Martin the Dolphins would have 3/5 of a solid offensive line and that’s a start.

Boom or Bust: Zack Martin is never going to be a Pro Bowler at offensive tackle and he may never make a Pro Bowl at guard either but he’s a 10 year starter at guard in the NFL and he has the versatility to plug in where you need him. He started a lot of games at LT for Notre Dame and while he doesn’t project to that position full-time in the NFL he could spot start there if you need him. He’s not a boom but he certainly isn’t a bust either, he’s a solid NFL player for the next decade.

20. Arizona Cardinals (10-6): CJ Mosley ILB Alabama
I had the Cardinals ticketed for OLB Dee Ford in my previous mock draft because of their need to get a young pass rusher but that mock had Mosley off the board. They lost ILB Karlos Dansby to free agency and while they do have Kevin Minter available as a replacement he isn’t nearly the playmaker Dansby was or the Mosley can be. Mosley has been a leader for one the best defenses in college football over the last several years and his skill set works in either a 4-3 or 3-4 defense and he would slide in nicely next to Daryl Washington at ILB for Arizona. There will still be some good options at OLB in the second round and the Cardinals shouldn’t pass up the best inside linebacker in the draft.

Boom or Bust: As they say there is no sure thing in the NFL draft but CJ Mosley is about as sure of a thing as you can find. Mosley is a quality player and quality leader and that’s two things you want in an inside linebacker. The Cardinals defense would barely notice Dansby’s absence with Mosley in his place.

21. Green Bay Packers (8-7-1): Louis Nix DT Notre Dame
The Packers ventured into the free agency market to address their lack of a pass rush and signed Julius Peppers given GM Ted Thompson’s usual distain for big free agent signings this is notable. The return from injury by players like OT Bryan Bulaga and WR Randall Cobb will help the offense while DL Jerel Worthy and CB Casey Heyward’s return should help the depth on defense. NT BJ Raji was re-signed to a one year deal and Ryan Pickett wasn’t brought back meaning the Packers need help in the middle of their defensive line. Louis Nix is the best nose tackle prospect in the draft and he is amazing value at #21. Nix is a beast and the fact that he was hurt for part of last year at Notre Dame should make him feel right at home with the guys in Green Bay. The Packers lost a lot of players to injury last year and they need to replenish their depth.

Boom or Bust: Nix is a versatile defensive lineman and he will excel at NT playing between ends Mike Daniels and Datone Jones. Nose tackles aren’t flashy by trade so if you don’t hear his name called a lot next year that’s probably a good sign it means he’s doing his job.

22. Philadelphia Eagles (10-6): Dee Ford OLB Auburn
Trent Cole and Connor Barwin combined for 13 sacks last year and Brandon Graham has been a bust. The Eagles defense was awful last year and a pass rush would certainly help out the secondary. Dee Ford was a terror off the edge at DE for Auburn in their turnaround season but he profiles more as an OLB in the NFL because of his size. Ford even dropped some weight and embraced the move to OLB and his natural pass rushing instincts will still serve him well. The Eagles desire for a playmaker at OLB is even more obvious when you consider there have been rumors that the Eagles have tried to trade for Dolphins bust Dion Jordan who played for Chip Kelly at Oregon. Ford thinks he’s the best pass rusher in the draft, even better than Clowney, so he doesn’t lack for confidence.

Boom or Bust: There are a number of 3-4 teams right in this late teen/ early twenties area that could take Ford and he would excel. The Jets, Ravens, Cardinals, Packers or Eagles would all be great fits for him and Ford would not disappoint for them. If a 4-3 team like the Dolphins take him and try to play him at DE he will get eaten alive.

23. Kansas City Chiefs (11-5): Marqise Lee WR USC
The Chiefs need a free safety and some help on the offensive line but passing on a talent like Marqise Lee would be foolish. Andy Reid isn’t likely to reach for a safety here with Clinton-Dix and Pryor off the board and while he has a propensity to take linemen (offensive and defensive) in the first round there aren’t any offensive linemen that compare to Lee. The Chiefs only have Dwayne Bowe and Donnie Avery at WR so Lee would be a welcome addition especially with Bowe’s love/hate relationship with the franchise. Alex Smith would certainly appreciate the precision with which Lee runs his routes and his ability to get open. The free agent losses of Branden Albert, Jon Asamoah and Geoff Schwartz can’t be overlooked but Reid will find some offensive line replacements deeper in the draft.

Boom or Bust: Marqise Lee is too good of route runner and too elusive to not be an excellent WR in the NFL for years to come. The only thing that could possibly derail his career is a recurrence of the injuries that set him back last year at USC. He’s the type of WR that makes a QB look good, you’re welcome Alex Smith.

24. Cincinnati Bengals (11-5): Kyle Fuller CB Virginia Tech
The Bengals need a linebacker to replace James Harrison but the value just isn’t there and with Terrence Newman getting up there in age and Leon Hall having numerous injury issues grabbing a CB is a smart pick. Fuller is coming off an injury plagued senior season but when he’s healthy he’s a fantastic player. The Bengals have done a great job stacking their defense over the years and they can find a LB later but former 1st round pick CB Dre Kirkpatrick hasn’t lived up to the hype so the Bengals need to refresh the position and Fuller is a good way to start. They also are lucky enough to have in-house replacements for their two biggest free agent defections. LT Andy Whitworth will slide back to his spot to replace Anthony Collins and the Bengals drafted DE Margus Hunt last year knowing that they were going to lose Michael Johnson this off season. They still may look for a DE just in case Hunt isn’t up to the task but they can do that later.

Boom or Bust: Fuller isn’t the biggest guy but he likes to play like a bigger man and that may make him susceptible to injury in his career. Injury ended his senior season early and it is the one thing that may keep him from becoming a top-notch CB.

25. San Diego Chargers (9-7): Darqueze Dennard CB Michigan St.
The worst group of cornerbacks in the NFL resides in San Diego and the Chargers have to do something about that this year. They would be absolutely ecstatic if Dennard falls to this spot because his physical brand of coverage is exactly what the Chargers current group of CB’s can’t do. Shareece Wright, Steve Williams and Richard Marshall are not physical at all and the Chargers defense suffers because of it. The lack of a pass rush and less than stellar strong safety play aren’t helping the secondary but the inability to get physical at the line of scrimmage is a bigger culprit in the poor pass defense. Dennard would bring talent and attitude that’s been missing for quite a while in San Diego.

Boom or Bust: Dennard has a mean streak and he won’t back down from anyone and while he may get beat from time to time by opposing teams #1 WR he’ll step right back up the next play. Guys like Dennard will lose a battle or two but they stick around a long time.

26. Cleveland Browns (from Indianapolis 11-5): Derek Carr QB Fresno St.
The Browns new offense will have Josh Gordon, Sammy Watkins and Andrew Hawkins at WR, Jordan Cameron at TE and feature Ben Tate at RB, all they are missing is the QB of the future and sitting here at #26 is Derek Carr. Carr isn’t as big as Blake Bortles, he doesn’t run around making plays like Johnny Manziel and he isn’t as athletic as Teddy Bridgewater but he is highly accurate and he knows how to get the ball to his playmakers. New offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan is going to love Derek Carr and while he may not be the chic pick Johnny Manziel would have been at #4 Carr can be a very good starter in the NFL. Brian Hoyer will be there to hold down the fort if Carr isn’t ready right away and he won’t go down without a fight so if Carr does become the starter you’ll know he earned it. This isn’t a repeat of the Browns taking Brandon Weeden a few years ago, Carr is a legitimate NFL caliber player.

Boom or Bust: The biggest difference between the Browns taking Weeden a few years ago and taking Carr now is that Carr will have a far better offense to work with and if this happens he will put up the best numbers of any rookie QB this season.

27. New Orleans Saints (11-5): Demarcus Lawrence OLB Boise St.
There is always a late rising prospect in the weeks leading up to the draft and this year it is Demarcus Lawrence from Boise St. Lawrence was a transfer from the JUCO ranks who played two years but left with one year of eligibility remaining. He was a dominant player on the field in the Mountain West Conference but he was suspended three different times for a game each which has brought up some character concerns. He seems to be passing teams’ evaluations of him and his versatility in the Broncos’ schemes makes him a great fit for Rob Ryan’s defense. Junior Galette was fantastic for the Saints last year as a pass rushing OLB but the opposite side left a lot to be desired. Rob Ryan would find a myriad of ways to use a talent like Lawrence and he could help make New Orleans defense scary.

Boom or Bust: I’m skeptical of late rising prospects especially ones with character questions. I’m not sure what each of his suspensions were for but it seems quite obvious that following rules is an issue for him. The Saints have a veteran coaching staff and veteran locker room so perhaps they can keep him on the straight and narrow. I’m still feeling a bust with this one.

28. Carolina Panthers (12-4): Cyrus Kouandjio OT Alabama
I’m not completely sure how a team that went 12-4 has this many holes on it but the release of WR Steve Smith and the retirement of LT Jordan Gross didn’t do them any favors. This team simultaneously has the league’s worst WR corps and the worst offensive line. At least the Raiders WR corps has James Jones (whom the Panthers should have signed) and the offensive line is made up of Ryan Kalil at center and 4 guys no one has ever heard of. Oh sorry I’ve heard of RT Byron Bell which means I know how bad he is. Kouandjio had a disappointing junior year at Alabama but he declared for the draft because of his potential and then he had a horrendous time at the combine because of some medical questions. Usually this combination would have a guy sliding into the third round but luckily for him the Panthers are desperate and they are rolling the dice. Kouandjio will look like a Hall of Famer in camp compared to the rest of the OT’s in Carolina so they just have to hope his knees hold up and they can coach the inconsistency out of him.

Boom or Bust: Overall I think Kouandjio is going to be a bust because he struggled at times last year in college and his knees may be made out of Swiss cheese. He’s lucky because it’s not likely anyone is going to notice his poor play on the line next season in Carolina because the whole line will be terrible, I feel bad for Ryan Kalil.

29. New England Patriots (12-4): Ra’Shede Hageman DT Minnesota
Vince Wilfork is 32 and Tommy Kelly is 33 and both are coming off injuries last year which means the Patriots need someone to take the pressure off this year and eventually replace these two defensive tackles. Hageman is a giant at 6’6 310 lbs. and would be a very versatile lineman just like Bill Belichick likes. Hageman wasn’t always as dominant as his physical skills would lead you to think he would be but Belichick could be the coach that pushes him to reach his full potential. The Patriots have other needs like TE or SS but DT offers the most value and the Patriots would be wise to take advantage.

Boom or Bust: I think Hageman has major bust potential because guys that have always been able to rely on their physical stature to dominate find out quickly that that doesn’t cut it in the NFL. Hageman would do well to go to New England and learn from two grizzled veterans like Wilfork and Kelly and be coached by another grizzled veteran in Belichick. I fear this pick as a Patriots fan.

30. San Francisco 49ers (12-4): Ryan Shazier LB Ohio St.
Shazier doesn’t immediately look like a fit in the 49ers 3-4 defense but he has a lot of versatility and with ILB Navarro Bowman sustaining an injury in the playoffs and OLB Aldon Smith’s future a question mark the 49ers could use a player like Shazier. He could line up inside and be a tackling machine next to Patrick Willis just like Bowman or he could float outside and use his exceptional speed as a pass rusher. The Niners look for playmakers and find a place to play them. When they signed DE Justin Smith as a free agent a few years ago he didn’t look like a fit but he’s been fantastic for them. Shazier can do so many things and his elite speed is something you can’t coach.

Boom or Bust: Shazier may be a Buckeye but I love him anyway. He is a fantastic linebacker that does so many things there is no way he will fail. A great organization, a great coach and great player make for a pretty good combination.

31. Denver Broncos (13-3): Xavier Su’a-Filo OG UCLA
The Broncos signed a number of free agents to address many of their needs. DeMarcus Ware was signed to replace Shaun Phillips, Aqib Talib was signed to replace Champ Bailey and Emmanuelle Sanders was signed to replace Eric Decker. TJ Ward was also signed to upgrade their SS spot and the return of LT Ryan Clady will be much appreciated by Peyton Manning. The one free agent loss they haven’t accounted for was LG Zane Beadles who got a big contract in Jacksonville. Enter UCLA OG Xavier Su’a-Filo, it’s not a sexy pick but keeping Peyton Manning upright is priority #1 and the return of Clady and addition of Su’a-Filo would make a huge difference. The Broncos were dominated at the line of scrimmage in the Super Bowl by the Seahawks relentless pressure and I doubt Su’a-Filo will be the last offensive lineman they draft. Clady at LT and Su’a-Filo at LG would make Peyton Manning sleep a lot better at night.

Boom or Bust: Xavier Su’a-Filo is future Pro Bowl guard and instantly upgrades any line he joins. The Broncos could upgrade at center and right tackle later in the draft but Su’a-Filo is about as sure a thing as you’ll find in this draft. Not only can he be their starting left guard on day one he might be a better RT than what they have right now also.

32. Seattle Seahawks (13-3): Jason Verrett CB TCU
The Seahawks have a need for WR, a RG and they could use some help on the defensive line after the free agent losses of Chris Clemons, Red Bryant and Clinton McDonald but they also suffered some notable losses in the secondary. CB’s Brandon Browner and Walter Thurmond left and while Byron Maxwell takes over for Browner outside they will miss Thurmond as their nickel corner. Verrett isn’t a big corner like the Seahawks have preferred over the last several years but he would make an excellent inside corner and he has the ability to cover outside. What Verrett lacks in stature he more than makes up for in coverage ability and Seattle built their Super Bowl winning team on their defense. Verrett is great value with the last pick of the first round.

Boom or Bust: Verrett is the most natural cover guy in this draft and no one is going to regret drafting him. Even if he were to struggle against bigger WR’s he will always have a job playing the slot because not everyone can do it and it’s an important position in today’s NFL.

The idiocy of the NFL Draft is in full bloom
Apparently having the draft pushed back a few extra weeks has allowed the General Managers and talent evaluators to completely lose their minds even more than normal. Every year NFL people suffer from what I like to refer to as “Analysis Paralysis”, it is the over analysis of every aspect of a prospect and it leads to finding and dissecting every little flaw and finding reasons not to like certain players. The paralyzing fear keeps teams from drafting certain players and it’s completely irrational. A quarterback being a half an inch shorter than the prototype suddenly becomes an overwhelming problem, a wide receiver’s 40 yard time is .02 seconds slower than someone else’s or an offensive tackle’s arms are a quarter of an inch shorter than another guy’s arms so he must not be as good. This is what is happening to Louisville QB Teddy Bridgewater right now because his pro day workout didn’t wow scouts like Blake Bortles or Johnny Manziel. One of the greatest pro day workouts of a QB in history was turned in by none other than JaMarcus Russell when he was coming out of LSU and the Raiders fell hard and took him #1 overall. That set their franchise back years and they are still trying to dig out of that hole. Pro day workouts, especially for QB’s, are incredibly inaccurate measurements of a QB’s abilities.
The rumors out there right now are that Bridgewater may fall out of the first round into the second round and that absolutely blows my mind. I do think there is a chance that all of the top QB’s; Bortles, Manziel, Bridgewater and Derek Carr, fall farther than people think because they don’t seem to be measuring up to the standards of top 5 QB prospects that are franchise defining players. None of these guys are going to step in like Andrew Luck did a few years ago and take the worst team in the league to a playoff spot but if there is one that could do it, it’s Bridgewater. Turning around the Texans is not as hard as it looks simply because of the talent on that roster but Bridgewater is the only one that can step in and play at a high level immediately. Luck carried a mediocre Colts team his rookie year but whoever takes over at QB for Houston will be playing on a much more talented roster. Maybe the Texans will get lucky and they can take Clowney or Khalil Mack #1 and then turn around and grab Bridgewater with the first pick of the second round. If they do, every team in the league will end up looking like idiots.

Johnny Manziel impressed and irritated at his pro day.
Johnny Manziel put on a display of his arm and his playmaking ability at his pro day that had everyone buzzing about his talent on the field. Unfortunately “Johnny Football” also put on a show with his new Nike collection during that same workout and Nike introduced the line for sale the next day. New Vikings coach Mike Zimmer was the only person to come right out and speak about his displeasure with that part of the day but I would guess there are plenty of people that were turned off by Manziel’s off the field antics. Manziel is the single most polarizing prospect in this draft because of his tantalizing talent and obvious ego. Owners and General Managers want to give Manziel a pass because they see the marketing potential but it’s the coaches that are going to bristle at the prima donna act from a rookie that has earned nothing on the field. Coaches like QB’s that lead on the field and in the film room and they don’t like guys that buy into their own hype.

Jadeveon Clowney is a freak but that is hardly news.
Clowney went into his pro day workout with nothing to prove because he put on a show at the combine. He did do some linebacker drills and showed that he can do some things that he was never asked to do at South Carolina and teams took note. I still don’t think he is a great fit for a 3-4 team (especially the Texans) but he may have changed some teams’ minds about that. The Texans defense is coached by Romeo Crennel and while some 3-4 teams use multiple formations (Ray Horton in Tennessee or Mike Nolan in Atlanta for example) Crennel hasn’t always been as flexible. Buffalo OLB Khalil Mack is a better fit but the Texans might not be willing to pass on a talent like Clowney. If the Texans are convinced they can motivate Clowney and find a way to use him they may be willing to wait to grab a QB in round 2.

Pro Football Talk says Tom Savage is invited to the Draft.
According to a report on Pro Football Talk Pitt QB Tom Savage has received an invitation to the NFL draft and it’s not for Saturday’s final four rounds. I’m perplexed by this because Savage is a late round prospect at best but someone must be telling them that he has a chance to go in the late first round. Tom Savage was a big time prospect coming out of high school and was a huge get for Rutgers at the time. Things didn’t work out as planned and Savage transferred to Arizona just in time for the Rich Rodriguez era to begin and Savage was a horrible fit in that offense so off he went to Pitt. He checks all the boxes as far as height, weight and arm strength that NFL teams covet but I’ve seen Savage play over the years and nothing really jumps out about him. Savage has talent and he can throw the ball a mile but he was never a guy that raised the play of the guys around him. While he might make a nice developmental prospect the idea of him going in the late first or early second round seems like drafting a guy way above his value.

The QB carousel spins out of control.
The latest reports from around the league are that Eastern Illinois QB Jimmy Garoppolo and Savage are late rising prospects and Bridgewater is falling. Bortles stock depends on who you ask and Manziel has a love/hate relationship depending on the team and there is no in between. Aaron Murray put on a nice throwing display at his pro day and that only matters because he tore his ACL 5 months ago and is already able to throw. I still think Bridgewater is the best prospect but I love Murray as a future starter in the NFL. Derek Carr is making a late push up the board, I’d be surprised if he goes in the top 4 but starting with the Raiders at #5 all bets are off. He could go #5 or fall to #55 and I won’t be shocked at all. Yep, the QB rankings are all over the place and if you want to know why here it is; Blake Bortles, Teddy Bridgewater, Johnny Manziel, Derek Carr, Jimmy Garoppolo, Tom Savage, AJ McCarron, Zach Mettenberger, Tahj Boyd, Aaron Murray and David Fales. Eleven QB’s that might grade out as 1st-3rd round players. That’s insane.

Quick hits
– Last year I had a few of my favorites in the draft like OLB Jarvis Jones, CB Desmond Trufant and RB Giovani Bernard. Jones struggled to stay healthy and that was the one issue I said could hold him back. Trufant played well he just did it on a terrible Falcons team so no one noticed. Bernard was solid in a situational role but look for the Bengals to use him a lot more this year.
– I was critical of the Sheldon Richardson pick last year by the Jets because I said he didn’t really fit their style, he was the defensive Rookie of the Year, oops. I underestimated Richardson’s versatility and I underestimated Rex Ryan’s defensive prowess. Ryan had the Jets defense playing great luckily as a Patriots fan he is still clueless on offense. I don’t think Michael Vick and Chris Johnson are turning it around for you Rex.
– I usually love writing mock drafts but this year is ludicrous. When you’re a few weeks out from the draft and the team picking first still doesn’t know what they are doing it makes it really difficult. To make matters worse the Texans just scheduled individual meetings with Blake Bortles and Teddy Bridgewater.
– As a Patriots fan I know their flaws better than most teams so I know they desperately need a TE, maybe two. Even the re-signing of DT Vince Wilfork should not preclude them from grabbing DT help early and maybe often. They still need help at safety and Patrick Chung is not the answer. With Revis on board and Logan Ryan playing better at the end of the year I would say CB is alright, it would help if Alfonzo Dennard would stop getting arrested and stay out of jail.
– A few of my favorites in this year’s draft; obviously I’ve already spoken of Bridgewater and Murray at QB. I’m not in love with any RB’s. Brandin Cooks is really growing on me at WR. Jake Matthews is a future Pro Bowler at OT. Two defensive guys coming off injury that I like are Florida DT Dominique Easley and Virginia Tech CB Kyle Fuller. At LB Alabama’s CJ Mosley and Ohio St.’s Ryan Shazier are immediate impact players. Murray and Easley are the only ones in that group that are not going in the first round, if Bridgewater or Cooks fall to round two they are huge steals.