2013 NFL Mock Draft: v 1.0


After obsessing over the 2012 draft for so long, it is fun to do a mock with a new crop of names. I am doing this this early to familiarize myself with the guys who will be playing in college this year. This mock includes all the eligible players. Team needs are taken into account because I hate when sites do "mock drafts" and basically rank players with NFL teams next to them for no reason. So enjoy, the next mock probably won't be until I do my NFL predictions in a few months.

1. Jacksonville Jaguars - QB Matt Barkley, Sr, USC. Barkley is the top pick as of right now, but it is in no way set in stone. This should be a tremendous quarterback class. I have six guys going in round one, and it could be even more if guys like Aaron Murray, Logan Thomas and others continue to improve. Plus you always have one or two guys who come out of nowhere to have Heisman type seasons. If the Jaguars are one of the five worst teams in football next year I don't see how you can continue the Blaine Gabbert experiment with so many studs available. You just have to move on and go with a guy who has so much more upside. By the way, do I really think the Jaguars are the worst team right now? I don't know. But a quarterback will go first overall so I cheated and put them number one over the Browns, Vikings and other teams who have young quarterbacks (who aren't Blaine Gabbert).

2. Cleveland Browns - OLB Jarvis Jones, Jr, Georgia. The Browns just drafted a 29 year old quarterback so they could actually take his successor here and it wouldn't seem crazy. But I can't see that happening right now. Jarvis Jones could have been a top 15 pick last year. He reminds me of Von Miller in the fact that he is a pass rushing nightmare who can play linebacker in any defensive scheme.

3. Minnesota Vikings - CB David Amerson, Jr, North Carolina St. Amerson has good size and intercepted 11 passes last year. He is one of the best cornerback prospects to come along in quite some time. He would be a great addition to a Vikings secondary that continues to get torched.

4. Oakland Raiders - QB Tyler Wilson, Sr, Arkansas. The Raiders might be pretty bad next year, due to the fact that they gave up all their draft picks to try to help the quarterback position. That didn't work out so well, and with so many good quarterbacks in this draft they might have to go that route. And no, Terrell Pryor is not an option. Tyler Wilson has everything you look for in a classic drop back quarterback. We will have to see if he can continue to improve without Bobby Petrino around.

5. St. Louis Rams - WR Robert Woods, Jr, USC. The only think keeping Woods out of the discussion for number one pick is that he is "only" 6'1, 180. But he is an absolute burner and the most productive returning receiver in college. He would make a potentially tremendous duo with Brian Quick in St. Louis.

6. Miami Dolphins - WR Keenan Allen, Jr, California. There are several receivers with big time size and speed who could shoot up the draft. At this point I think Keenan Allen, the former top recruit who is putting up very big numbers, is my top choice. He had a very productive junior season and offers everything you look for in a true number one wideout. Ryan Tannehill needs weapons to throw to. Miami might have the worst collection of wide receivers/tight ends in the NFL.

7. Indianapolis Colts - DE/OLB Sam Montgomery, Jr, LSU. Expect to see a lot of pass rushers in the first round of the 2013 draft. Also, expect to see as much as 25% of the first round to be composed of LSU and Alabama defensive players. Any question as to why those two teams played in the National Championship game? The Colts are transitioning to a 3-4 and Montgomery is an absolute beast and a perfect fit for that scheme. He will rotate with the Colts two mainstay pass rushers and overtake them soon.

8. St. Louis Rams (from Washington Redskins) - OT DJ Fluker, Jr, Alabama. Among all of the tackle prospects for this class, Fluker has the look of a prototypical NFL left tackle. He should continue to improve and get looks in the top ten. Tackles are always taken in the top ten because it is such a premium position. The Rams can't live another year with Roger Saffold trying to protect Sam Bradford's blind side.

9. Arizona Cardinals - QB Tyler Bray, Jr, Tennessee. Bray has the look of an NFL quarterback. He stands 6'6, has a good frame and can make all the throws. He has been inconsistent during his two years with the Volunteers, but with a big year he will shoot up the draft board and vault himself into discussion for the first overall pick. If the Cardinals are picking this high again next year, it will be safe to say the Kevin Kolb/John Skelton era is over.

10. Seattle Seahawks - QB Landry Jones, Sr, Oklahoma. Jones stock was all over the place last year as a junior, but he probably would have been a first round pick. He needs to continue to improve his game because with so many good quarterbacks available, he could fall out of the first round pretty easily. I will give him the benefit of the doubt right now and keep him as a solid first round pick. He offers more upside for the Seahawks then both Matt Flynn and Russell Wilson.

11. New York Jets - RB Marcus Lattimore, Jr, South Carolina. Lattimore could easily go higher then this depending on team needs. He is a stud and just as talented as Trent Richardson, who went #3 this past weekend. If he can rebound from his injury he should be in the Heisman discussion. Shonn Greene is painfully mediocre, and Lattimore would be the focal point of the Jets offense immediately.

12. Carolina Panthers - DT Johnathan Hawkins, Jr, Ohio St. Hawkins is a monster of a man that is more then just a run stuffing rock out there on the field. He can make plays, chase down ball carriers and get a few sacks. He could wind up being a top five pick by the time the draft rolls around. The Panthers failed to upgrade the interior of their defense, and Hawkins can fit just as well in a 4-3 as a 3-4.

13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - CB Johnthan Banks, Sr, Mississippi St. Johnthan, without the "a", is a tall, strong corner with a ton of experience. He can intercept passes but also hit the line of scrimmage and drop some guys in the back field. The Buccaneers are now much tougher in the secondary with Banks to go along with Mark Barron.

14. Cincinnati Bengals - DE Alex Okafor, Sr, Texas. Okafor is the best senior pass rusher in the draft. He has good size to hold up against tough offensive tackles and can get to the quarterback. The Bengals lost some pass rushers and weren't able to replace them in the 2012 draft.

15. San Diego Chargers - CB Tyrann Mathieu, Jr, LSU. If Mathieu was three inches taller he would probably be the third straight LSU cornerback to go in the top 10. But at only 5'9, he will fall some. I don't see him falling out of the first round though. He is not the best in coverage, but he is a big play guy who fans will pay to see.

16. Tennessee Titans - OG/C Barrett Jones, Sr, Oklahoma. We have seen a guard or center go in the top 20 for the last few years, and right now Jones will be that guy in 2013. He is very strong and can play any interior position, and even tackle if he has to. The Titans failed to address their interior other then signing the ageless Steve Hutchinson.\

17. Buffalo Bills - WR Marquess Wilson, Jr, Washington St. You don't often see Washington St. guys taken in the first round, but Wilson is special. He put up huge numbers as a sophomore and should be even better as a junior. He flashes true number one wideout ability, and the Bills passing attack would be much better if Steve Johnson was shifted to the number two spot.

18. Detroit Lions - OT Ricky Wagner, Sr, Wisconsin. It seems like Wisconsin has developed into Offensive Lineman U, seemingly churning out first and second round picks since Joe Thomas. Wagner is the latest to come off the assembly line. He has good size and great technique, and should be able to play left tackle in the pros. The Lions now have their offensive tackles of the future.

19. New Orleans Saints - DE Barkevious Mingo, Jr, LSU. Mingo weighs in at 250, so he might be a better fit for the 3-4, but he has the frame to put on another 20 pounds and be a very good pass rusher for his hometown Saints.

20. Dallas Cowboys - NT Star Lotueleli, Jr, Utah. Lotueleli is the immovable object in the middle of the Utes defensive line. Fresh off winning the honor of the Pac-12's best defensive lineman, he should be even better as a junior and would be a great fit for Dallas as that run stuffing nose tackle in the 3-4.

21. Kansas City Chiefs - QB Geno Smith, Jr, West Virginia. When we think of West Virginia we have always thought of run first quarterbacks, guys like Pat White. But Smith is a pure passer who has great size and a cannon arm and will most likely shatter several Mountaineers passing records this year. With continued development he should be a first round pick. Just in time for the Chiefs to find a successor to the painfully mediocre Matt Cassel.

22. Chicago Bears - MLB Manti Te'o, Sr, Notre Dame. Te'o is the best linebacker in this class, and would have been the second best had he declared for the 2012 draft. He has great size and the speed to keep up in the 4-3. He can play on the outside initially and take over for the great Brian Ulracher when he retires.

23. Atlanta Falcons - DE Devin Taylor, Sr, South Carolina. I had Taylor in my first round mocks most of the year, because I believe he will finally turn that potential into big time production. He no longer has Melvin Ingram to compete with, but instead must fight off superstar teammate JaDeveon Clowney for sacks. I'm going to continue to list Taylor in the first round until he gives me a reason not to.

24. Pittsburgh Steelers - OT Oday Aboushi, Sr, Virginia. The Steelers excellent 2012 draft will really help replenish an offensive line in turmoil, but I think more help is needed. Virginia was once known for developing offensive lineman seemingly every year, and after a down period Aboushi is the latest first round prospect. With a good season he could shoot up into the top ten. He has everything you look for in a left tackle.

25. San Francisco 49ers - S TJ McDonald, Sr, USC. Dashon Goldson was franchised, which shows how thin the Niners are at safety. Thankfully for them this is an absolutely loaded safety class. There are as many as five guys who could wind up being first round picks. The son of former 49ers great Tim McDonald, TJ McDonald has linebacker skills and cornerback speed.

26. Denver Broncos - DT Kawann Short, Sr, Purdue. Rankings for defensive tackles fluctuate so wildly during the season. Short could be a top ten pick or a second round selection next year. So I will put him somewhere in the middle. Unlike so many defensive tackles that rise during the combine process, Short is a very productive tackle that puts up stats all across the board. The Broncos drafted Derek Wolfe, which is a nice start, but they still need more help on the inside.

27. Baltimore Ravens - WR Terrance Williams, Sr, Baylor. The Bears were more then just Robert Griffin III last year. He had two first round prospects at receiver to throw to. Williams has great size and should be a first round pick if he shows he can produce without RG3 throwing to him. The Ravens, like always, need receiver help and Williams has the size and skills to be a number one for them.

28. Philadelphia Eagles - QB Logan Thomas, Jr, Virginia Tech. Looking for a guy who can be the next Cam Newton/Robert Griffin III and shoot his way up into the top five of the draft? Maybe he plays in Blacksburg. Thomas was spectacular as a first year starter for the Hokies, showing a cannon arm and a bowling ball running style. The Eagles will like his versatility, and will also like that he clocks in at 6'6, 260 pounds, so that he won't miss every other game with injuries like their starter.

29. New England Patriots - S Eric Reid, Jr, LSU. The Patriots reached for Tavon Wilson in the second round this year but I don't think that will stop Bill Belichick from drafting a stud like Reid next year. The leader of LSU's very talented secondary, he hits like a linebacker and will be a great running mate for Patrick Chung.

30. New York Giants - DE Bjoern Werner, Jr, Florida St. The Giants love to load up on pass rushers, and with Osi Umenyiora probably moving on after this year, the team will want to replace him. The German born Werner has gotten better every year in Tallahassee and could explode during his junior year.

31. Houston Texans - NT Jesse Williams, Sr, Alabama. The only thing the Texans are missing from their front seven is a solid young nose tackle. Williams is the latest in a long line of Alabama defensive lineman that project well to the 3-4 in the NFL.

32. Green Bay Packers - S Robert Lester, Sr, Alabama. Unfortunately for the Packers and Nick Collins, his Packers and most likely NFL career is over due to injuries. The Packers could move Charles Woodson to safety soon, but until then they go with Lester, who doesn't have the upside of Reid or McDonald, but is solid and should be a starter from day one. By my count that is 6 Alabama and LSU defenders in the first round.

Round 2
33. Jacksonville Jaguars - CB Dee Milliner, Jr, Alabama
34. Cleveland Browns - TE Tyler Eifert, Jr, Notre Dame
35. Minnesota Vikings - OT Luke Joeckel, Jr, Texas A&M
36. Cincinnati Bengals (from Oakland Raiders) - S Ray Ray Armstrong, Sr, Miami
37. St. Louis Rams - OLB Shayne Skov, Sr, Stanford
38. Miami Dolphins - DE Jackson Jeffcoat, Jr, Texas
39. Indianapolis Colts - WR Kenny Stills, Jr, Oklahoma
40. Washington Redskins - S Tony Jefferson, Jr, Oklahoma
41. Arizona Cardinals - DE/OLB Brandon Jenkins, Sr, Florida St.
42. Seattle Seahawks - MLB Kevin Reddick, Sr, North Carolina
43. New York Jets - QB EJ Manuel, Sr, Florida St.
44. Carolina Panthers - CB Johnny Adams, Sr, Michigan St.
45. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - DT Kwame Geathers, Jr, Georgia
46. Buffalo Bills - OT Alex Hurst, Sr, LSU
47. Cincinnati Bengals - RB Knile Davis, Sr, Arkansas
48. San Diego Chargers - S Matt Elam, Jr, Florida
49. Tennessee Titans - DE William Gholston, Jr, Michigan St.
50. Detroit Lions - CB Desmond Trufant, Sr, Washington
51. New Orleans Saints - OLB Sean Porter, Sr, Texas A&M
52. Dallas Cowboys - S Baccari Rambo, Sr, Georgia
53. Kansas City Chiefs - TE Joseph Fauria, Sr, UCLA
54. Chicago Bears - OT Chris Faulk, Jr, LSU
55. Atlanta Falcons - RB Montee Ball, Sr, Wisconsin
56. Pittsburgh Steelers - MLB CJ Mosley, Jr, Alabama
57. San Francisco 49ers - DE/OLB Ronald Powell, Jr, Florida
58. Denver Broncos - OG Jonathan Cooper, Sr, North Carolina
59. Baltimore Ravens - DE/OLB Michael Buchanan, Sr, Illinois
60. Philadelphia Eagles - CB Xavier Rhodes, Jr, Florida St.
61. New England Patriots - DT Shariff Floyd, Jr, Florida
62. New York Giants - OT Seantrel Henderson, Jr, Miami
63. Houston Texans - S Jarrick Williams, Jr, Alabama
64. Green Bay Packers - RB Michael Dyer, Jr, Arkansas St.

Jonathan Carrano

Phasellus facilisis convallis metus, ut imperdiet augue auctor nec. Duis at velit id augue lobortis porta. Sed varius, enim accumsan aliquam tincidunt, tortor urna vulputate quam, eget finibus urna est in augue.

No comments: