ESPN's Todd McShay apparently isn't turned off by the heart condition that left Utah defensive tackle Star Lotulelei on the sidelines for the 2013 NFL Combine. In has latest mock draft, McShay has Lotulelei still going No. 1 overall to the Kansas City Chiefs (Insider). His reasoning is simple:
2013 NFL mock draft: Todd McShay has Star Lotulelei to Chiefs
ESPN’s Todd McShay still feels that Star Lotulelei is worthy of the No. 1 overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, despite a heart condition that left the defensive tackle on the sidelines at the Combine.
Russ Isabella-US PRESSWIRE
Until we get confirmation on his condition, Lotulelei's place atop the board is based on his football ability and his being the best fit the for the Kansas City Chiefs at No. 1.
SB Nation's Matthew Fairburn and Dan Kadar are a little more leery. In their latest joint mock draft, Lotulelei fell to the Carolina Panthers at No. 14 overall as a direct result of his heart condition. Instead, Fairburn and Kadar have Texas A&M left tackle Luke Joeckel as the No. 1 overall pick, who McShay agrees is still a possibility for the Chiefs. He has Joeckel going No. 2 overall to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
At No. 2, Fairburn and Kadar predict the Jags to fulfill their desperate need for a pass rusher by selecting LSU's Barkevious Mingo (No. 9 in McShay's draft). Both McShay and SB Nation agree on the No. 3 pick however, with the Oakland Raiders selecting Florida defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd.
They don't agree again until the No. 6 and No. 7 picks, which see the Cleveland Browns selecting Oregon rush linebacker Dion Jordan, followed by West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith going to the Arizona Cardinals.
The biggest disparity among picks revolves around linemen. Kadar and Fairburn feel that Missouri defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson is worthy of the Philadelphia Eagles' No. 4 overall pick, whereas McShay sees him falling to the Panthers at No. 14. Likewise, McShay has UNC offensive guard Jonathan Cooper going No. 10 overall to the Tennessee Titans, while Kadar and Fairburn have him falling to Chicago Bears at No. 20.
SB Nation's No. 10 pick falls even farther. Bjoern Werner has been a top-10 staple in mock drafts since the end of the college football season, but McShay projects him to fall to No. 25 for the Seattle Seahawks, though, he admits that defensive end will be a steal.
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