How long has it been since a true guard was selected in the Top 10 of the NFL Draft? Not counting tackles-turned-guards like Leonard Davis and Robert Gallery, you have to go all the way back to the 1997 NFL Draft, when the New Orleans Saints took Notre Dame guard Chris Naeole at No. 10 overall. There may be no safer bet this year, however, than Alabama's Chance Warmack - and he has a good chance at ending that 15-year drought at guard.
2013 NFL mock draft: Chance Warmack to New York Jets
The last true guard drafted in the Top 10? Chris Naeole in 1997.
Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
| Pick | Player | Position | Height | Weight | Class |
| 9. New York Jets | Chance Warmack, Alabama | OG | 6'2" | 317 | SR |
| John Butchko: "The run on edge rushers makes this pick surprisingly easy for the Jets. Some might say that it is a bad idea to take a guard in the Top 10, but they would not say that if prospects like Warmack were more common. Warmack makes sense here for the Jets on every level. "The biggest hole the Jets currently have is not at a particular position. It is the lack of a functional offense. There was nothing the Jets could do consistently well in 2012. Putting Warmack at guard on an offensive line with D’Brickashaw Ferguson, Willie Colon, Nick Mangold and Austin Howard gives the Jets an offensive line that will blow people off the ball in the run game. The Jets will have come close to recreating the dominant run blocking line that was such a key part in the team’s success in 2009 and 2010. The Jets can base their offense on the run game, which will help make life easier on whichever unremarkable quarterback starts. With both starting guards likely leaving in free agency, Warmack’s presence keeps 2010 second-round bust Vladimir Ducasse out of the starting lineup. The word "turnstile" best describes Ducasse’s play to this point. "Finally, the Jets have so little talent on their roster that they cannot afford to miss on this pick. Warmack is probably the safest bet in the entire draft to start on day one and be a dominant player at his position for the next decade." |  | ||||
Here’s our own Dan Kadar to break down the pick:
The goal for the Jets’ offense going forward is to rely on the running game. That’s a good thing with Mark Sanchez at quarterback. Warmack, one of the draft’s most highly-regarded players, would be the final piece on the offensive line to go in that direction. He’s a premier run blocker and could open up running lanes for free agent signing Mike Goodson. This is a good pick because it has value and fits a big need. Warmack will add toughness on the line and lock the position down for years.
That wraps up today's trio of picks. We'll be back at it early Tuesday morning with picks coming for the Tennessee Titans, San Diego Chargers and Miami Dolphins tomorrow.
Top 5 Players Remaining
| # | Player | Pos. | College | Ht. | Wt. |
| 2 | Star Lotulelei | DT | Utah | 6'3" | 311 |
| 4 | Dee Milliner * | CB | Alabama | 6'0" | 201 |
| 5 | Sheldon Richardson * | DT | Missouri | 6'3" | 294 |
| 11 | Bjoern Werner * | DE | Florida State | 6'3" | 266 |
| 12 | Jonathan Cooper | OG | North Carolina | 6'2" | 311 |
2013 SB Nation NFL Writers’ Mock Draft Results
| No. | Team | Player | Pos. | College |
| 1 | Kansas City Chiefs | Luke Joeckel | OT | Texas A&M |
| 2 | Jacksonville Jaguars | Geno Smith | QB | West Virginia |
| 3 | Oakland Raiders | Sharrif Floyd | DT | Florida |
| 4 | Philadelphia Eagles | Eric Fisher | OT | Central Michigan |
| 5 | Detroit Lions | Ezekiel Ansah | DE | BYU |
| 6 | Cleveland Browns | Dion Jordan | OLB | Oregon |
| 7 | Arizona Cardinals | Barkevious Mingo | OLB | LSU |
| 8 | Buffalo Bills | Jarvis Jones | OLB | Georgia |
| 9 | New York Jets | Chance Warmack | OG | Alabama |
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