1. Indianapolis Colts – Andrew Luck (QB Stanford) – This isn’t really even a question. RG3 may be a better fit for year one, but ultimately Andrew Luck is a more finished product and will be a bigger star in the NFL. You don’t build championship teams by drafting for one year. You draft for the next 10.
2. Washington Redskins – Robert Griffin III (QB Baylor) – This has been a foregone conclusion since Washington traded up with the Rams to get the #2 overall pick. He’s already in Washington signing autographs for the fans, this is a given. They need a Franchise Quarterback, and he’s the second best QB in this draft.
3. Minnesota Vikings – Matt Kalil (OT USC) – There has been a lot of talk about the Vikings trading this pick to move down in the draft to stockpile other selections, but let’s face it. The Vikings have butchered their offensive line in the past two years, and to move down to stockpile other talent while you’re trying to develop Christian Ponder is foolish. You take a guy who can play left tackle for possibly the next 12 years and at a high level. That way you prevent a future David Carr.
4. Cleveland Browns – Trent Richardson (RB Alabama) – This could go one of two ways, but I believe that the Browns, who’ve had an aenemic offense for years, will go for the best halfback prospect to come into the NFL since Adrian Peterson. This guy has it all. He has incredible quickness and agility, and will run people over if he needs to. This takes pressure off of Colt McCoy and gets them a talented playmaker on offense to go with a pretty good defense.
5. Tampa Bay Buccanears – Morris Claiborne (CB – LSU) – With Richardson gone, Claiborne is the obvious choice for TB. With Ronde Barber going into his 53rd year starting for the Bucs, and Aqib Talib being in jail more than Maurice Claret, they need another playmaker on the outside. Claiborne is a guy who can start immediately for Tampa Bay, and give them a lockdown corner for years to come once Barber retires.
6. St Louis Rams – Justin Blackmon (WR Oklahoma State) – The Rams have needed wide receiver help for the past seven years. They have a young, highly accurate quarterback in Sam Bradford under center. Go and get a great route runner in Blackmon to give Bradford a big target, and show your fans you’re actually making a commitment to winning. They could also use offensive line help, but WR is their biggest need.
7. Jacksonville Jaguars – Michael Floyd (WR Notre Dame) – This is the first spot I see there being a big trade, but this draft is going under the assumption that there will be no trades. It’s an “As Is” Mock Draft. That means Floyd. Blaine Gabbart got absolutely demolished last season, and had shades of David Carr with the lack of weapons around him. Give him a big target to throw to over the middle or on deep routes, and let MJD keep the defense honest to keep Gabbart from laying on his back.
8. Miami Dolphins – Ryan Tannehill (QB Texas A&M) – I think this is a few spots too high for Tannehill, but can the Dolphins really afford to start building for their future with Matt Moore and David Garrard? I can see the Dolphins going in a few other directions here, but they desperately need a QB of the future. If they go O-Line or D-Line here, they need to make sure they lose enough games to grab Barkley next year.
9. Carolina Panthers – Fletcher Cox (DT Mississippi State) – Carolina has a solid pass rush on their team, but lacks a definite push up the middle even though they drafted DT last year after the first round. Cox has a non-stop motor who can penetrate up the middle and give this Panther’s defense some much needed toughness in the D-Line.
10. Buffalo Bills – Riley Reiff (OT Iowa) – I could have seen Michael Floyd going here at #10, so don’t be surprised if they trade down out of this spot with Floyd gone. If they don’t. OT is a huge need for this team, so expect them to take the 2nd best Tackle in the draft, in Riley Reiff. He may not project as a prototypical left tackle, but he’s a mauler like Bryan Bulaga was, so plug him in at RT and strengthen your Offensive Line to help out Fitzpatrick.
11. Kansas City Chiefs – Dontari Poe (DT Memphis) – Poe’s biggest concerns coming into the draft is his motor. But his measurables are off the charts. He’s a huge space eating nose tackle who can be plugged into KC’s 3-4 defense and penetrate. He’s a big, strong and quick nose tackle who could remind Pioli of Vince Wilfork. If Poe can keep his desire to play up, you’re looking at a huge steal in this draft.
12. Seattle Seahawks – Melvin Ingram (DE/OLB South Carolina) – Seattle has needed a pass rush as far back as I can remember. Give them arguably the best defensive player in the draft in Ingram and plug him into the 4-3 line you run and have him unleash havoc on the opposing quarterback. Seattle has an outstanding secondary with Earl Thomas leading the charge there, so with receivers locked down, watch what Ingram can do with time to get to the QB.
13. Arizona Cardinals – Michael Brockers (DT – LSU) – OT is a big need for this team, but I think taking Glenn here is a huge reach. They need a more physical defensive presence, so I see them taking Michael Brockers here to give them some penetration and physical toughness. It also will help out their solid pass rush by giving them a push in the middle.
14. Dallas Cowboys – Stephon Gilmore (CB – South Carolina) – The Cowboys have made some improvements in their weak secondary this past free agency, but adding Gilmore – who’s rocketing up draft boards will be a solid improvement. Giving them a press corner who can play zone will do wonders for their defense, which if they can improve in the pass defense department — will be pretty damn good.
15. Philadelphia Eagles – Luke Kuechly (ILB – Boston College) – The Eagles made a bunch of huge acquisitions last year for their team but performed horribly. Linebacker is this team’s biggest need, and Kuechly brings a non-stop motor and high football IQ to this team. He reminds me of a young Zach Thomas, even though he idolizes Ray Lewis. This kid could be a perennial pro-bowler.
16. New York Jets – Mark Barron (S – Alabama) – The one thing Rex Ryan has been missing on his defense to really give it the spark his Raven’s D had, is a playmaking safety. Give them a ball-hawking physical safety in Barron, and that need is done, and Ryan can start employing all of his old schemes and watch the Jets become a dominant force on D once again. No one will throw on this team. Ever.
17. Cincinnati Bengals - David DeCastro (OG – Stanford) – The Bengals are a young team with shades of the Lions a few years ago, just with better results. Giving them a solid mauler up front to open up some holes for BenJarvus Green-Ellis. He’s also a terrific pass blocker, and will do some definite good for Dalton and protecting a Brady/Palmer incident with someone flying up the middle to take out his knees.
18. San Diego Chargers – Cordy Glenn (OT – Georgia) – The Chargers’ biggest need is O-Line, too many guys have left and they’re getting old. I don’t feel that Cordy Glenn is a first round talent for a left tackle, but he’s a guy you can bump inside to play guard, and that can only help the Chargers to develop this guy as a tackle. Once his footwork gets better, you can push him to Right or the Left side. He has the right build to be a blindside protector for Rivers.
19. Chicago Bears – Jonathon Martin (OT – Stanford) – I think Floyd would be a great fit here. Give Cutler another target when coverage starts rolling to Marshall on a constant basis. However, with a new system in place, and Cutler being a gunslinger, putting a solid tackle in this lineup to play opposite Carimi is a smart move. Keep Cutler off his back and let Marshall break coverage and get open and you’ll have a beautiful thing.
20. Tennessee Titans – Quinton Coples (DE – North Carolina) – Coples is projected to go much higher than this in the draft, but I can see him falling because of a weak senior year. Though, he’s got a lot of talent and potential with shades of Jason Pierre-Paul. Tennessee his a abysmal pass rush off the edge, and could use a raw talent like Coples to come in and bring a spark of life to the edge.
21. Cincinnati Bengals – Dre Kirkpatrick (CB – Alabama) – With the bengals addressing the offensive line, there aren’t many needs offensively for this team. They’ve got a standout Wide Receiver, and young developing Quarterback, a solid tight end and a solid line. Now you address the defense. This defense was top notch with it’s CB tandem a few years ago, but losing one of them left a void. Bring in Kirkpatrick who can be a physical, dominating cornerback who reminds me of a young Charles Woodson, and you can bring back another strong CB tandem.
22. Cleveland Browns – Rueben Randall (WR – LSU) – With Richardson picked up early in the draft, now is another chance to bring a big time playmaker to this offense. Whether you’re drafting for the future or not, Cleveland has missed on receivers as often as the Lions have missed on cornerbacks. McCoy right now has nobody to throw the football to, so bring in a big, fast receiver like Randall and you give yourself a legitimate target. With Richardson on the ground to keep the defense honest, and now with a good threat in the passing game. You start to improve a weak offense.
23. Detroit Lions – Janoris Jenkins (CB – North Alabama) – Jenkins is a guy who had top 10 talent last year if he’d have come out of college from Florida, but elected to stay and ran into off-the-field issues. With the top 3 corners off the board already, this guy could be a steal here if he keeps his attitude in check. The Lions desperately need secondary help, or they’re never going to become an elite team in the NFL.
24. Pittsburgh Steelers – Dont’a Hightower (ILB – Alabama) Hightower is a high motor, physical and downhill linebacker. Exactly what the Steelers like, and with losing James Farrior, this is a position they desperately need to fix. Put him in the middle of your LB corp and he could be a potential playmaker on your defense for years.
25. Denver Broncos – Jerel Worthy (DT – Michigan State) – The Broncos signing Peyton Manning is huge. The offense will be much improved, and I think Tamme, Decker and Thomas will all be big targets for Manning this next year. There aren’t a lot of needs offensively for this team. So let’s go defense. The problem I see with Denver’s defense is that it’s too old. A few young guys last year contributed nicely, but they could use a big space eater who can come in and penetrate with his hand in the dirt. That should free up Miller to have a big sophmore year.
26. Houston Texans – Kendall Wright (WR – Baylor) – Gary Kubiak would love to have had Rueben Randall fall here, who’s exactly the type of receiver they like. However, Kendall Wright even with a weak combine is a physical monster. He’s a big, fast, athletic receiver who can go up and get the ball. Pairing him with Andre Johnson could be a potential nightmare for opposing defensive coordinators. Especially considering they still have Foster in the backfield.
27. New England Patriots – Shea McClellin (OLB – Boise State) – This is a guy who’s shot up the draft charts recently, and is a physical presence. He’s a fast, solid pass rusher who can definitely make an impact on the Patriots defense. Especially after they lost Mark Anderson to the Bills. Put him in your linebacking corp and you can have another solid pass rusher on your team to fill that void.
28. Green Bay Packers – Nick Perry (DE/OLB – USC) – Here’s a guy who’s played in a solid linebacking system for pass rushers, and has produced highly in that system. Put another USC guy opposite Clay Matthews and you no longer have offenses rolling protection just to one side, because they need to account for another pass rusher.
29. Baltimore Ravens – Chandler Jones (DE – Syracuse) – The Ravens could use a young pass rusher while Kindle’s future is in doubt. They need to start bringing youth to this defense instead of loading the offense up with it, because this once phenomenal defense has slowed down a step and lost it’s edge.
30. San Francisco 49ers – Alameda Ta’amu (DT Washington) – The 49ers biggest need on defense is a space eater in the middle to let loose that 34 defense of theirs. Ta’amu is the best prospect on the board which can accomplish that, and with the physical toughness of this defense, should skyrocket in ability once he gets plugged into this system.
31. New England Patriots – Harrison Smith (S – Notre Dame) Smith is a smart, physical ball-hawking safety that the Patriots defense desperately needs. They’ve been grabbing up corners like hot cakes in the past few years, but without a deep man to cover over the top, they’ve been getting beat. Add Smith and your secondary becomes just that much better.
32. New York Giants – Mike Adams (OT - Ohio State) – The biggest need on the New York Giants right now is their offensive line. Bring in Adams who’s a very raw product, but has the potential to be a stud on the left side of the line. You can plug him in at right tackle for a year or two and let him learn the system and refine his technique, and then push him to the left where he can start for another 8-10.
