As you may have guessed from the title, this mock draft is going to be a little bit different than most others. This is my second mock of the year, you’re welcome to go check my first mock here. I’m expecting to get slated for some of these picks, but I’ll do my best to offer logical explanations. So without further ado, lets get this mock started.
I’m Ready To Be Mocked After This Mock Draft
1. The Indianapolis Colts Select Andrew Luck, Quaterback, Stanford.
Earlier in the year, I said I wasn’t sold Luck was going to be a Colt. Now I am. He’s incredibly well-rounded and polished for a man coming out of college. There has been lots of Griffin to the Colts hype recently, but I’m not buying it. Luck put up similar measurable’s to Cam Newton last year, is a fantastic character and leader, amazingly intelligent and most importantly, he’s a damn good quarterback! A lot of fans wont understand exactly what Luck’s best assets are. His ability to read a defense, change a play at the line of scrimmage from a bad one to a good one is unrivaled in college football (and possibly better than a lot of NFL quarterbacks right now). While Griffin will be able to exploit holes in a defense, Andrew Luck will be able to manipulate the defense in a way that allows Luck to create the hole in the defense. This kid is special (and if he busts, I will get KILLED for this paragraph).
2. The Washington Redskins Select Robert Griffin III, Quarterback, Baylor.
The fact that Griffin forced the Redskins to give up what they did to get him; and that he’s even in the conversation for the Colts at number one with Luck on the board, is a testament to how talented he is. Griffin’s obviously athletically gifted, but he’s a passer first. He has the best deep ball accuracy and touch I’ve seen of any quarterback coming out in the past few years. With two military parents, Griffin has been raised with a fantastic character, and like Luck is very intelligent. He’s an extremely likable guy who will become the face of a franchise that so desperately has needed a quarterback for the last decade.
Trade - The Miami Dolphins trade their first and second round picks in 2012 along with their first in 2013 to the Vikings for the third overall pick.
3. The Miami Dolphins Select Ryan Tannehill, Quarterback, Texas A&M.
Before the Dolphins fans get their pitchforks, let me explain. The Dolphins swung and missed on first Peyton Manning, then Matt Flynn and finally Alex Smith. Meanwhile, Chad Henne moved across Florida to the Jaguars. This leaves the Dolphins with Matt Moore, who admittedly played respectably to close out their season. But clearly the Dolphins didn't believe he was their long-term answer, or they wouldn't have gone after Flynn or Smith. Ryan Tannehill is underrated in my opinion. If he hadn't missed the senior bowl and combine with a foot injury, I think teams would be talking very highly of him. The best way I can describe him is by saying there isn't a lot the kid can't do; he's athletic, as good as just about anyone out there when throwing on the run, has good pocket awareness, good sense of timing and rhythm with receivers, decent footwork, willing to take a hit to make a throw and the list goes on. Yes he is slightly raw, but the positive side of that is that a team can mold him more in the direction of what they look for in a quarterback. The price is steep, but they have to convince the Vikings to pass on Kalil in order to get above the Browns (who I think would take Tannehill at four).
Trade - The St. Louis Rams trade the sixth overall pick, along with their third rounder to the Browns for the fourth overall pick.
4. The St. Louis Rams Select Matt Kalil, Offensive Tackle, USC.
With Kalil still on the board, the Rams decide he's too good to pass up on. From the Browns point of view, they missed out on Tannehill, but will likely get one of Richardson or Blackmon at six, so take the move back and pick up and extra third. The Rams goals this offseason had to be to protect Bradford, and to get him someone to throw to. With the depth of this receiver class, they can get good players in the second round, where they have two picks. Kalil is potentially an all-pro left tackle in the NFL. He draws comparison to two of the top NFL left tackles, Joe Thomas and Jake Long. His run blocking needs to be worked on, but he's being paid to protect Bradford. He could do just that for the next decade at a very high level.
5. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers Select Morris Claiborne, Cornerback, LSU.
The Bucs needed a lot of help going into the offseason. With the additions of Vincent Jackson, Carl Nicks and Jamon Meredith however, their offense should see a significant upgrade. Time to turn attention to the defensive side of the ball. Now the Bucs did sign free agent corner Eric Wright, which brings this pick into question. But, with Ronde Barber not getting any younger (and possibly being moved to safety) and Aqib Talib's off field issues that could see him miss a significant portion of the 2012 season, the need becomes more obvious. While I personally think Claiborne is overrated, add him to a secondary with Ronde Barber and there is potential for him to grow.
6. The Cleveland Browns Select Trent Richardson, Running Back, Alabama.
So the Browns missed out on a quarterback, but they did the right thing in trading down again, adding an extra pick, and still getting the guy they would have taken at four. Richardson has everything you want in a back. He has the raw strength and power to bulldoze a defender out of the way while also having the agile cutting ability to dodge a tackle. The Browns best option now is to set the table for a quarterback next year. With the draft picks they have this year, they can add a lot of good players and have the team ready for maybe a Matt Barkley to take the reigns next year. A Franchise back like Richardson, who some scouts have said is as good, if not better than Adrian Peterson coming out, is a nice way to start setting the table.
7. The Jacksonville Jaguars Select Justin Blackmon, Wide Receiver, Oklahoma State.
Coples was definitely in the picture here, but with Blackmon falling to the Jags, they went with the wide receiver. They need a pass rush badly, but they also need someone for last year's first round choice (who they traded up for) Blaine Gabbert to throw to. Blackmon is the safer pick at this point, having had more consistent production than Coples last year. With a illegitimate threat at receiver, the Jags run game should also benefit, with safeties having to play deeper to help the corner cover Blackmon. Good news for Maurice Jones-Drew.
8. The Minnesota Vikings Select Dre Kirkpatrick, Cornerback, Alabama.
I know I'll take heat for this one as well, I can hear Vikings fans now... "first we pass on Kalil, then we reach for Kirkpatrick? What is this guy thinking??" Well what I'm thinking is that the Vikings are a bad team with a lot of needs, corner being one of them. They also play in a division that has the Packers, Lions and Bears. All three of those teams have franchise quarterbacks and franchise receivers. I know they need to protect Christian Ponder, but how about keeping the score down so he's not having to score 30 points a game? I actually prefer Kirkpatrick to Claiborne personally. He's more solid in man coverage and is a much better tackler in my opinion. On top of this, the Vikings add an extra second this year, as well as Miami's first next year.
9. The Carolina Panthers Select Quinton Coples, Defensive End, North Carolina.
The Panthers have been actively pursuing the top defensive lineman in this draft, holding visits with both Brockers and Coples. Coples is much more talented in my opinion. He has the potential to be a top pass-rusher in the NFL if he wants to be. He can move from right to left end throughout the game without any significantly noticeable drop in performance. Granted, he does need to improve his run support overall but he knows how to set an edge and maintain gap responsibility. Coples red flag is his commitment to the game. He had a down year where people felt he was taking plays off and trying to avoid injury before he went pro. But if the Panthers can keep him motivated, he could be a double-digit sacks per season guy for them.
10. The Buffalo Bills Select Jonathan Martin, Offensive Tackle, Stanford.
With the Bills going big by signing Mario Williams in free agency, they solidified their immediate need for a pass-rusher (although they may look to grab one in the second round). So their attention turns to the offensive line. Martin looks like the next best left tackle in this class, with Reiff looking more suited to the right side. Martin will have to protect quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, who the Bills heavily invested in last season. He certainly has the athleticism to pass protect against speed rushers and block in space, which will be an asset on screen plays. But he will need to improve his run blocking strength for an offense that was built around Fred Jackson last year.
11. The Kansas City Chiefs Select Dontari Poe, Nose Tackle, Memphis.
An offensive tackle looked a lock at this pick until the Chiefs landed Eric Winston, but with him on board, they can look elsewhere. The Chiefs have lacked a true nose tackle since their switch to the 3-4 defense. Last year they ran with the 35 year-old Kelly Gregg at the nose, but now they have the chance to draft a 6'4", 346 pound monster to plug in at nose tackle for the next decade. Poe blew up the combine with his impressive athleticism and mobility from a man of his size. Some hand times had him at a sub five second 40 yard dash time, which is faster than some of the guys who are at least 50 pounds lighter than him. But Poe is also a good football player. He's solid at the point of attack and will hold his responsibility of eating up blockers well. The Chiefs add Poe to former first round defensive lineman Tyson Jackson and Glenn Dorsey, which gives them a solid young line full of potential.
12. The Seattle Seahawks Select David DeCastro, Guard, Stanford.
I'm sure with this pick, the Seahawks would like to add another weapon for Matt Flynn. But with Sidney Rice already on the roster, and the hole opened up by Robert Gallery leaving for the Pats, they decide to take DeCastro. After all, you have to keep Flynn on his feet so he's actually able to throw. DeCastro is far and away the best guard prospect in this class, and probably in recent years as well. He is an elite run blocker who can be the lead blocker as a pulling guard and is athletic enough to move laterally in a zone blocking scheme. His pass protection could use with a little polishing, but so could everyone who enters the NFL. You rarely find an interior lineman that is as good and as ready as DeCastro is to step in on day one and be your best guard for the next decade.
13. The Arizona Cardinals Select Riley Reiff, Offensive Tackle, Iowa.
The Cardinals need to do something at left tackle. The cut and then re-signed former fifth overall pick Levi Brown earlier this month, but he’s far from a sure answer. Reiff has the ability to play either side of the line in the NFL, which gives them the flexibility to do what they want with Brown. His arms are perhaps a little bit shorter than ideal, but he’s been well coached and has good technique to help make up for it. He’s a grinder in the run game, which is probably his biggest strength. This is a guy you could have confidence in running behind.
14. The Dallas Cowboys Select Michael Brockers, Defensive Tackle, LSU.
Despite the cap penalty imposed by the league on the Cowboys, they still used free agency to fill some of their more immediate needs. Brandon Carr came in to plug up a hole at corner, while Dan Connor was brought in to play inside linebacker next to Sean Lee. They franchised tagged Anthony Spencer to play opposite DeMarcus Ware at outside linebacker. This makes me doubt they'd take a guy like Upshaw or Ingram here because they are paying Spencer a lot of money with the franchise tag. So someone to play the five technique as a 3-4 defensive end is probably the next biggest need. Brockers wasn't particularly productive in college, but he has big upside and potential. At 6'6", 322 pounds, he has rare size and athleticism that could flourish with Ware rushing outside of him.
Trade - The Chargers trade the 18th overall pick and their third round pick to the Eagles for the 15th overall pick and the Eagles fourth rounder.
15. The San Diego Chargers Select Melvin Ingram, Outside Linebacker, South Carolina.
The Chargers jump above the Jets to get their choice of pass-rushing linebacker. Melvin Ingram’s stock is soaring right now and I have him rated higher than Upshaw as a pure pass-rusher. He’s a little undersized, but that will be slightly negated by playing as a stand up linebacker in a 3-4 scheme. He may take a while to adapt to dropping into coverage, but get him on the field and rushing the passer and he’ll bring much needed pressure and sacks to the Chargers defense.
16. The New York Jets Select Courtney Upshaw, Outside Linebacker, Alabama.
Having missed out on Ingram, the Jets get a pretty damn nice consolation prize in Upshaw. Upshaw is a well-rounded player, who is above average in all aspects of his game. I don’t think he’ll be an elite pass-rusher, but I think he’ll become a really good support guy to the main pass-rusher. In addition to that, he’ll be one of their better run defenders and offers the versatility to move down to defensive end in a 4-3 scheme, or even move to inside linebacker in the 3-4. I believe he’ll be a very good, probably underrated, player for the next decade.
17. The Cincinnati Bengals Select Cordy Glenn, Guard, Georgia.
The Bengals could use with some help along the offensive line. Glenn provides some nice versatility. He is a monster at 6’5”, 345 pounds that should be a mauler inside at guard. But he also has the athleticism to step outside and play tackle if the Bengals need him to. Corner is in play here as well, but they would be slightly reaching for anyone left on the board at this point, so they wait until 21 to get better value.
18. The Philadelphia Eagles Select Fletcher Cox, Defensive Tackle, Mississippi State.
Having added DeMeco Ryans at middle linebacker and re-signing DeSean Jackson, the Eagles don't appear to have many immediate needs. So the Eagles trade back to get back the third rounder they lost in the Ryans trade. They take Cox to help strengthen that defensive line rotation. Cox adds some athleticism and versatility to play inside in the Eagle 4-3 scheme, or move outside to defensive end in any 3 man defensive line packages the Eagles may run. A strong pass-rush in the NFC East will be important given that the division will have a strong group of quarterbacks this year, and Cox will help bring the pressure.
19. The Chicago Bears Select Peter Konz, Center/Guard, Wisconsin.
After adding Brandon Marshall in that trade with Miami, the Bears no longer have a need for a receiver like Floyd. Bennett is a good number two receiver, while Knox is more than serviceable as the number three receiver. So the Bears next biggest need is along the offensive line. A left tackle would be nice, but Adams would be a reach at this point, so they go with the best offensive lineman available, Konz. Konz played center in college (and very well I might add) but might be a little too big to play it in the NFL. At 6'5", 314 pounds, he'd fit in ideally at guard. Either way, he's a much needed upgrade for the Bears to continue a dream offseason for Jay Cutler.
20. The Tennessee Titans Select Luke Kuechly, Linebacker, Boston College.
With Konz selected just in front of them, and having already signed Kamieron Wimbley to improve the pass rush, the Titans decide to take the best player available. Kuechly could potentially play any linebacker spot in the 4-3 system. He is a very solid player across the board. He’s a good form tackler and knows his assignments in the run game. He has the ability to drop back into coverage and will rarely miss a tackle in space. He showed off some surprising athleticism at the combine and is good value for the Titans at 20, even if he doesn’t fill an immediate need.
21. The Cincinnati Bengals Select Stephan Gilmore, Cornerback, South Carolina.
Corner is perhaps the biggest need for the Bengals. Leon Hall is out with a torn Achilles’ tendon, Brandon Carr left in free agency for the Cowboys, and on top of that they never really replaced Jonathan Joseph last year. Gilmore is a corner on the rise. At 6’0 and a half, 190 pounds, Gilmore is a big corner who can run well. He can be the start of the rebuilding of the Bengals secondary. Add him to Glenn and the Bengals have picked up two solid players in this draft.
22. The Cleveland Browns Select Michael Floyd, Wide Receiver, Notre Dame.
This is an absolute steal for the Browns. They are in desperate need of offensive play-makers, and with Floyd falling to this pick, they get the best two (non-quarterback) play-makers in the draft, in my opinion. Floyd offers a big 6’3”, 224 pound target to throw to. Floyd is the best receiver in the draft from my perspective; he has good hands, runs good routes and has the ability to go up and get the ball. The Browns continue to set the table for a quarterback to come in next year and succeed straight away.
23. The Detroit Lions Select Janoris Jenkins, Cornerback, North Alabama.
Jenkins is a guy I liked every time I've seen him. He has some character concerns that need to be cleared, but I suspect he'll overcome those. He has all the talent required to be a top 15 pick and the Lions are willing to take the slight risk on him. They have an obvious need in the secondary, although a trade for Asante Samuel might be a good move to make. Still, when you're in a division with the Packers, it's wise to have as many good corners as possible.
24. The Pittsburgh Steelers Select Dont'a Hightower, Inside Linbacker, Alabama.
One of the more underrated players of this draft, Hightower had a quietly very good combine. One of his biggest knocks was that he was too slow, yet he ran an official 4.68 40 yard dash, tied eighth among all linebackers at the combine this year. The bottom line is, Hightower can flat out play. He knows his assignments, he makes good form tackles and he is well above average as a pass-rusher from the inside linebacker spot. The Steelers, with their 3-4 scheme, will find ways to best utilize his abilities and he’ll be a big player on that defense for years to come.
25. The Denver Broncos Select Devon Still, Defensive Tackle, Penn State.
Team Manning has begun to assemble of offense for the Broncos, so they need to improve the defense to make sure they are able to defend any lead Manning gets them. The Broncos defense improved greatly as the season went on, with last year's second overall pick Von Miller headlining. Devon Still has been plugged in to the Broncos on just about every mock draft I've seen, and I'll continue along those lines. With Still's presence in the middle eating up blockers, Elvis Dumervil and Miller will get more one-on-one opportunities, which can only mean good things for Denver.
26. The Houston Texans Select Kendall Wright, Wide Receiver, Baylor.
Having lost starting offensive lineman Mike Breisel and Eric Winston, the Texans might look to solidify their offensive front, but there isn't really a guy worth taking at this point. If Hightower or Kuechly had fallen to 26, the Texans would probably have taken them to replace Ryans at inside linebacker. But a second receiver to pair up with Andre Johnson would be a big plus for this offense. Kendall Wright is an explosive receiver that can get deep in heartbeat. His combine numbers were slow, but track numbers don't always show the true story on the football field. Wright runs good routes, has solid (but can be improved) hands and is a threat to break a big play every time the ball is thrown to him. If the Texans are forcing defenses to keep one safety deep over Wright, Andre Johnson is going to benefit.
27. The New England Patriots Select Whitney Mercilus, Defensive End/Outside Linebacker, Illinois.
The Patriots struggled to get consistent pressure off the edge last season. The switched back to a 4-3, but played out of a 3-4 defense at times. Mercilus offers the versatility to rush the passer in either scheme. Unlike current veterans such as Andre Carter, Mercilus has the body to stand up as a 3-4 outside linebacker or put his hand in the dirt as a 4-3 defensive end and still be effective. The Patriots need to get younger on the edge and this pick does just that.
28. The Green Bay Packers Select Andre Branch, Outside Linebacker, Clemson.
The Packers have to address their woefully poor defense from last year which ranked last in both passing yards allowed, and overall yards allowed per game. The obvious way to help is to draft a corner, but there isn't one worth this pick. So instead the Packers beef up their pass-rush and give the opposing quarterback less time to make his throws. Branch is one of the underrated guys of this draft. He really impressed me at the combine when he dropped back in linebacker drills. He was fluid and looked very comfortable doing so. But he'll get paid to get after the quarterback and while he's not elite in any particular aspect, he's pretty good at most things. He has a nice burst off the line of scrimmage, and can get round a tackle surprisingly quickly. His addition to this defense should help take some double teams away from Clay Matthews, which should help him come back after a somewhat down year by his standard.
29. The Baltimore Ravens Select Alshon Jeffery, Wide Receiver, South Carolina.
With Mark Barron on the board and given the strength of this receiving class, they may be tempted to take Barron here. But receiver is a much more immediate need, and Jeffery represents decent value here after a good pro day. He didn't have a great season, but he shows a lot of upside as a big receiver that has that rare ability to go up and out-jump defenders for the football. Adding Jeffery to Torrey Smith from last year and the Ravens have a making of a nice young receiving corps.
30. The San Francisco 49ers Select Kevin Zeitler, Guard, Wisconsin.
For the 49ers, I believe this would have been a straight up choice between a wide receiver like Hill, or Zeitler. Having a former first round pick Michael Crabtree on the roster as a young receiver with potential, and signing Randy Moss, I think Hill's playing time would be limited. With Chile Rachal unlikely to return, and having already lost Adam Snyder, the 49ers need to plug the hole at right guard to maintain their power run scheme's effectiveness. While Zeitler might be a bit of a reach here, he's the next best guard in my opinion and will start at right guard on day one. He's another in a long line of well coached offensive lineman from Wisconsin and does just about everything well with good technique.
31. The New England Patriots Select Mark Barron, Safety, Alabama.
Lets be honest, the Patriots will more than likely trade one of these two picks to someone who wants a quarterback. But I can’t guess who would want to jump up for one of the second tier guys with so many quarterbacks in that second tier; I just feel like teams will just wait and take the guy that falls because there isn’t much difference in terms of talent. But if the Patriots keep this pick, Mark Barron is the obvious selection. Their secondary was pretty mediocre last year, and that’s putting it nicely. Barron fits in as a prototypical strong safety that should help in run support as well as coverage.
32. The New York Giants Select Lamar Miller, Running Back, Miami.
I'm generally not in favor of drafting a first round running back, but there is no interior offensive lineman worth the pick. The Giants would also like a receiver to fall to them but Hill is the next best guy, and I feel like they already have their burner in Victor Cruz. So instead they decide to improve the run game. Brandon Jacobs left for the 49ers, leaving Ahmad Bradshaw as the only recognizable back on the roster. Lamar Miller helps give Bradshaw a breather and eases any concerns of the loss of Jacobs.
So have at it. The more creative insults, the better!
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