Welcome to my first mock draft of this year. The Combine process is ongoing throughout the weekend and stocks will rise or fall rather quickly in Indianapolis. Who will be the number one pick? Who will the Titans select? There will be no trades in this mock but future editions will have them.Now onto the festivities!
1. Houston Texans - Blake Bortles QB UCF
- Bortles is the pick here with Bridgewater trending down due to a myriad of factors.
2. St. Louis Rams - Jadaveon Clowney DE South Carolina
- Yes I know that they already have a fearsome defensive line but a talent like Clowney can't hurt.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars - Johnny Manziel QB Texas A&M
- The Jaguars desperately need a QB, will Johnny Football be the answer?
4. Cleveland Browns - Mike Evans WR Texas A&M
- Yeah, good luck to the secondaries on the Browns schedule. Who do you cover, Evans or Josh Gordon?
5. Oakland Raiders - Teddy Bridgewater QB Louisville
- Bridgewater stops his fall with Oakland selecting him. The Raiders really need a QB after seeing multiple quarterbacks failing their auditions last year. GM Reggie Mckenzie deserves a shot with his own QB.
6. Atlanta Falcons - Khalil Mack OLB Buffalo
- The Falcons fail to grab Clowney so they select Mack, probably the best pass rusher in this year's draft. I'm sure DC Mike Nolan can make some use of him in a hybrid 3-4/4-3 system that Atlanta runs.
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Sammy Watkins WR Clemson
- Whoever ends up being the Buccaneers QB, they get a new dynamic weapon in Watkins to throw to. The Bucs need some receivers so the second best one is available.
8. Minnesota Vikings - Kony Ealy DE Missouri
- Standout defensive end Jared Allen is a free agent and is getting up there in age as well. Even if Allen is brought back, a heir apparent wouldn't hurt.
9. Buffalo Bills - Jake Matthews OT Texas A&M
10. Detroit Lions - Darqueze Dennard CB Michigan State
- The Lions are seemingly always searching for help at corner. Dennard could be the best one this year and right in the Lions backyard.
11. TENNESSEE TITANS - Anthony Barr OLB UCLA
12. New York Giants - Zack Martin OG/OT Notre Dame
13. St. Louis Rams - Jason Verrett CB TCU
- Former Titan Cortland Finnegan might be cut so help alongside Janoris Jenkins is needed even if Finnegan is retained as his play severely declined in 2013.
14. Chicago Bears - Cyrus Kouandijo OT Alabama
15. Pittsburgh Steelers - HaHa Clinton-Dix S Alabama
- Troy Polamalu's heir apparent can learn under one of the best to ever play the game.
16. Baltimore Ravens - Eric Ebron TE UNC
- Joe Flacco's favorite target, Dennis Pitta is a free agent so a replacement is needed. Ebron is the best tight end this year.
17. Dallas Cowboys - CJ Mosley ILB Alabama
- The Cowboys need Sean Lee insurance after he suffered a season ending leg injury in 2013.
18. New York Jets - Marqise Lee WR USC
- Geno Smith needs more weapons other than Santanio Holmes and not so good Stephen Hill.
19. Miami Dolphins - Greg Robinson OT Auburn
- Miami is in the middle of a rebuild of the line after the well publicized incidents (which I won't get into here). I wanted to put Taylor Lewan here but that's the last thing the Dolphins need, a head case with off field problems.
20. Arizona Cardinals - Calvin Pryor S Louisville
- The Cardinals fortify their secondary that could rival Seattle for the game's best soon.
21. Green Bay Packers - Louis Nix III NT Notre Dame
- BJ Raji is a free agent and may be out of the Packers' price range. Nix is the ideal nose tackle that fits their 3-4 scheme.
22. Philadelphia Eagles - Kelvin Benjamin WR Florida State
- Nick Foles could lose both Jeremy Maclin and Riley Cooper to free agency so a solid number two option is needed to help DeSean Jackson. Benjamin would provide a huge target at 6'5 230.
23. Kansas City Chiefs - Odell Beckham, Jr WR LSU
- The Chefs need a number two option opposite Dwayne Bowe. Beckham can also help on special teams immediately.
24. Cincinnati Bengals - Bradley Roby CB Ohio State
- As monster as the Bengals defense is, their weak point is the secondary. Roby fits the classic head case that turns quiet after Marvin Lewis has a come to Jesus meeting with them. See Burfict, Vontaze this past year. The instate connection is also there.
25. San Diego Chargers - Taylor Lewan OT Michigan
- San Diego is a good fit for Lewan as they as an organization know how to handle controversial players. On field, tackle is a weak spot opposite DJ Fluker.
26. Cleveland Browns - Derek Carr QB Fresno State
- Here's the surprise pick. As we all know, the Browns are an organization in disarray and needing a QB. Carr isn't a first round pick but a team like the Browns could fall in love with him.
27. New Orleans Saints - Dee Ford OLB Auburn
- This year's version of the Bruce Irvin pick. Ford fits as a 3-4 outside linebacker in the Saints' 3-4 scheme and is needed due to Victor Butler's injury last year.
28. Carolina Panthers - Antonio Richardson OT Tennessee
29. New England Patriots - Jace Amaro TE Texas Tech
- We all know about the Aaron Hernandez case so I won't go into that here. Rob Gronkowski as talented as he is, just can't stay healthy so a reliable insurance option is needed.
30. San Francisco 49ers - Stanley Jean-Baptiste CB Nebraska
- The NFL is a copycat league and the 49ers just watched their bitter rivals win the Super Bowl with a dominant secondary full of tall and lanky defensive backs. SJB fits that profile and the 49ers have few weaknesses and plenty of draft picks to fill them with.
31. Denver Broncos - Justin Gilbert CB Oklahoma State
- Future Hall of Fame cornerback Champ Bailey is on his last legs and a replacement is needed. While DRC played well in Bailey's absence, the depth got terribly exposed when Chris Harris was lost for the year in the AFC playoffs.
32. Seattle Seahawks - Xavier Su'a-Filo G UCLA
- Seattle needs to upgrade their interior OL after they struggled mightily in 2013. XSF fills a need position and fits the typical Pete Carroll draft pick (Pac-12 connection and from the crosstown rival Bruins program).