My last mock before the draft tonight. As in every mock in existence, it will be irrelavant by the time the Texans trade the first pick.
Bookmark this link and check back tonight for instant analysis as the picks happen!
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1. Houston Texans - LB Khalil Mack, Buffalo. Houston is talented enough to be back in the playoff hunt next year, and I believe Khalil Mack will provide the most value and production. He is a perfect fit for Houston's attacking 3-4 defense and a safer prospect and better fit than Jadeveon Clowney. The Texans will try to trade down and still land their man. With that extra ammunition in a trade down, expect them to trade back into the late first round for Teddy Bridgewater or Blake Bortles.
2. St. Louis Rams (from Washington Redskins) - OT Greg Robinson, Auburn. Sammy Watkins is awfully tempting here and would be perfect on that St. Louis turf, but the Rams have to address an offensive line that has been a major sore spot for years. Robinson's pass blocking needs work, but he should be a bulldozer in the run game and will be a great fit at right tackle or guard. Zac Stacy is a very happy man.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars - DE Jadeveon Clowney, South Carolina. The Jaguars will rush to the podium to select Clowney. He would be a great fit for Gus Bradley's defensive scheme. There are plenty of question marks about Clowney, but there is little doubt he is the most talented prospect in this draft.
4. Cleveland Browns - WR Mike Evans, Texas A&M. Rumors have the Browns preferring Mike Evans over Sammy Watkins. I think that would be a mistake, but on paper it makes sense, Evans would be a great compliment next to the blazing Josh Gordon.
5. Oakland Raiders - WR Sammy Watkins, Clemson. The Raiders would be ecstatic in this scenario. Watkins is the premier offensive playmaker in this class. He has everything you look for in a number one wideout. Good size, blazing speed and solid hands. The Raiders need to find their quarterback of the future, but at least he will have a legit stud to throw to.
6. Atlanta Falcons - OT Taylor Lewan, Michigan. Arthur Blank recently stated that Atlanta needs to address the offensive line in the draft. Lewan would have been a top ten pick, and despite some attitude concerns, should go just there. He has prototypical left tackle size and a mean streak to go along with it.
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - WR Odell Beckham Jr., LSU. Mike Evans is almost universally projected to go to the Bucs here. Pairing him with Vincent Jackson would give the Bucs two huge targets, but I like Beckham as a compliment to Jackson better. He has blazing speed and great hands, and it would not be a shock to see him go in the top ten.
8. Minnesota Vikings - DT Aaron Donald, Pittsburgh. The Vikings will not go quarterback here, as Mike Zimmer recently bashed Johnny Manziel. Expect Minnesota to take the best defensive player available here and draft someone like David Carr or Zach Mettenberger on day two. Donald is an undersized pass rushing terror at defensive tackle, and can play all along the defensive line in a variety of formations. With Linval Joseph, Everson Griffin and Shariff Floyd, defensive line will be a major strength.
9. Buffalo Bills - OT Jake Matthews, Texas A&M. Cordy Glenn has developed into a solid left tackle, but there are a ton of problems on the right side. Matthews has a ton of experience and should be able to slide right into the right tackle and contribute immediately.
10. Detroit Lions - S Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Alabama. The Lions would love to add another weapon for Matthew Stafford, but all three receivers are gone here, and I don't see Eric Ebron as a real fit. So Detroit shores up a secondary that has been a problem area for years. Clinton-Dix is the complete package at safety. A good tackler who excels in coverage.
11. Tennessee Titans - QB Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M. I really don't feel that confident about this pick or Manziel in general. He could go in the top ten or fall out of the first round all together. The Titans really should hit the reset button with a true rebuilding effort. Jake Locker is not the answer, and once upon a time a similar quarterback named Steve McNair brought the Titans their best success.
12. New York Giants - OG/OT Zack Martin, Notre Dame. Expect the Giants to go with either Martin or Aaron Donald if he is available here. New York has always spent early picks on the lines and both are currently trouble areas. Martin can play any position on the offensive line, and that versatility has really helped his draft stock.
13. St. Louis Rams - LB Ryan Shazier, Ohio State. Shazier is a fast riser and I would not be shocked if he landed in the top ten. He is very quick and athletic, and could keep up with the high powered offenses taking over the NFL. His addition would give the Rams the best trio of linebackers in the NFL.
14. Chicago Bears - CB Kyle Fuller, Virginia Tech. Scouts have called Kyle Fuller a safe pick who should be a quality starter for ten years. The Bears still have Super Bowl aspirations, and could use an instant starter on defense.
15. Pittsburgh Steelers - CB Justin Gilbert, Oklahoma State. Gilbert bounced back nicely from a terrible junior season. He has prototypical size and talent to be a number one quarterback, and he will get the proper coaching in Pittsburgh.
16. Dallas Cowboys - DT Ra'Shede Hageman, Minnesota. Jerry Jones has never been scared off by off the field concerns. Hageman has a load of talent but never quite put it together in college. Still, he goes 6'6, 320 and has Albert Haynesworth like ability (and bust potential). Dallas has one of the most pathetic defensive lines in the NFL.
17. Baltimore Ravens - TE Eric Ebron, North Carolina. I am not as big of a fan of Ebron as most, but he will still go in the teens. He struggled with concentration at times, but his size/speed combo is extremely intriguing. Gary Kubiak likes to use multiple tight ends, and Ebron can split out and play receiver as well.
18. New York Jets - WR Brandin Cooks, Oregon State. Cooks is a speedster who put up some truly monster numbers for the Beavers. The Jets need to draft offense offense offense. A wideout duo of Cooks and Eric Decker is a step in the right direction.
19. Miami Dolphins - OG/OT Joel Botinio, Nevada. Like Kyle Long and Justin Pugh before him, I think Botinio will rise to the 18-25 round range as that offensive lineman no one has heard of. Like Zack Martin, his versatility will appeal to Miami, who will likely plug him in at right guard.
20. Arizona Cardinals - QB Teddy Bridgewater, Louisville. Bridgewater's bad Pro Day has caused his stock to tumble, but I don't think he will be drafted quite as low as people are expecting. There is little doubt in my mind that Bridgewater will be the best quarterback in this class, and might be the only one who will still be in the NFL in five years. The tape speaks for itself. This is the perfect situation for him. He gets to learn from one of the premier offensive coaches in the NFL and will get to sit and soak up the game before taking over for Carson Palmer in two years.
21. Green Bay Packers - S Calvin Pryor, Louisville. The Packers never ever draft defensive backs high, but Pryor is the best player available that fills a need. He is a hard hitter and would help improve the entire defense.
22. Philadelphia Eagles - DE/OLB Anthony Barr, UCLA. Anthony Barr is still a project as a pass rusher, but he had over 20 sacks the past two years after converting from full back. Philadelphia needs pass rushers for it's new 3-4 defense.
23. Kansas City Chiefs - WR Cody Latimer, Indiana. Andy Reid will be awfully tempted to draft another offensive lineman, but without a second round pick it is vital that the Chiefs find a wideout here. Latimer has great size and has steadily climbed up draft boards.
24. Cincinnati Bengals - CB Bradley Roby, Ohio State. Roby has the talent to be the first corner off the board, but was inconsistent as a junior. Cincinnati has a few aging cornerbacks, but they are still deep enough in the secondary to develop him in a year or two.
25. San Diego Chargers - CB Darqueze Dennard, Michigan State. The Chargers have had trouble at cornerback since the days of Quentin Jammer. Dennard is not the most athletic but has a ton of experience.
26. Cleveland Browns - QB Blake Bortles, UCF. The Browns need to select Bortles here. He won't last until their next pick, as the Texans or Jaguars would probably trade up. I have serious doubt about how good of a pro he will be, I was not a big fan while he was at UCF. But he passes the eyeball test, at 6'5, 240 with a cannon arm. The Browns have a ton of draft picks and can afford to gamble here and still fill other needs.
27. New Orleans Saints - WR Marqise Lee, USC. Lee's junior year was plagued by drops, injuries and Trojans turmoil, but you can't forget how dominant he was during his first two seasons. The Saints need to replace Lance Moore in this offense, and Lee could wind up as a steal this late.
28. Carolina Panthers - OT Morgan Moses, Virginia. I think the Panthers will take a huge step back next year. There are major holes everywhere, but none like offensive tackle. Moses has prototypical size and strength, and was hidden on a terrible Virginia team.
29. New England Patriots - DE/OLB Jeremiah Attaochu, Georgia Tech. I always try to be unconventional with my Patriots selections. 99% chance they trade down, but New England is always looking for versatile defenders. Attaochu is very athletic and could provide pass rushing ability from a variety of fronts.
30. San Francisco 49ers - CB Stanley Jean-Baptiste, Nebraska. Richard Sherman is now the highest paid CB in the NFL, and Jean-Baptiste looks the part of a Sherman-like cornerback. Expect a team from the 25-35 round range to pounce on the potential. The Niners have a ton of picks and could pull the trigger.
31. Denver Broncos - LB CJ Mosley, Alabama. CJ Mosley was a fantastic college linebacker who should have a long NFL career. He falls because of injury concerns, and he is not much of a pass rusher. For Denver, he can step right into the middle and rack up a boatload of tackles.
32. Seattle Seahawks - OT Cyrus Kouandjio, Alabama. Kouandjio had a terrible combine and has some injury concerns, but a team as talented as Seattle can take a chance here. He could help fill the troublesome right tackle position or even kick inside to guard.
Round 2
33. Houston Texans - QB Derek Carr, Fresno State
34. Washington Redskins - S Jimmie Ward, Northern Illinois
35. Cleveland Browns - CB Jason Verrett, TCU
36. Oakland Raiders - DE/DT Kony Ealy, Missouri
37. Atlanta Falcons - DE/OLB Demarcus Lawrence, Boise State
38. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - OG Xavier Su'a-Filo, UCLA
39. Jacksonville Jaguars - WR Allen Robinson, Penn State
40. Minnesota Vikings - S Deone Bucannon, Washington State
41. Buffalo Bills - DE Kareem Martin, North Carolina
42. Tennessee Titans - DE/OLB Dee Ford, Auburn
43. New York Giants - DE/DT Stephon Tuitt, Notre Dame
44. St. Louis Rams - WR Jordan Matthews, Vanderbilt
45. Detroit Lions - DE Marcus Smith, Louisville
46. Pittsburgh Steelers - DT Louis Nix, Notre Dame
47. Dallas Cowboys - DE Scott Crichton, Oregon State
48. Baltimore Ravens - OT Jack Mewhort, Ohio State
49. New York Jets - TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Washington
50. Miami Dolphins - OT Ja'Wuan James, Tennessee
51. Chicago Bears - DT Dominique Easley, Florida
52. Arizona Cardinals - OLB Kyle Van Noy, BYU
53. Green Bay Packers - LB Carl Bradford, Arizona State
54. Philadelphia Eagles - WR Andre Ellington, South Carolina
55. Cincinnati Bengals - DT Timmy Jernigan, Florida State
56. San Francisco 49ers (from Kansas City Chiefs) - WR Davante Adams, Fresno State
57. San Diego Chargers - DT DaQuan Jones, Penn State
58. New Orleans Saints - CB/S LaMarcus Joyner, Florida State
59. Indianapolis Colts - CB Walt Aikens, Liberty
60. Carolina Panthers - OT Cameron Fleming, Stanford
61. San Francisco 49ers - C Marcus Martin, USC
62. New England Patriots - RB Carlos Hyde, Ohio State
63. Denver Broncos - C Weston Richburg, Colorado State
64. Seattle Seahawks - DT Kelcy Quarles, South Carolina
Bookmark this link and check back tonight for instant analysis as the picks happen!
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1. Houston Texans - LB Khalil Mack, Buffalo. Houston is talented enough to be back in the playoff hunt next year, and I believe Khalil Mack will provide the most value and production. He is a perfect fit for Houston's attacking 3-4 defense and a safer prospect and better fit than Jadeveon Clowney. The Texans will try to trade down and still land their man. With that extra ammunition in a trade down, expect them to trade back into the late first round for Teddy Bridgewater or Blake Bortles.
2. St. Louis Rams (from Washington Redskins) - OT Greg Robinson, Auburn. Sammy Watkins is awfully tempting here and would be perfect on that St. Louis turf, but the Rams have to address an offensive line that has been a major sore spot for years. Robinson's pass blocking needs work, but he should be a bulldozer in the run game and will be a great fit at right tackle or guard. Zac Stacy is a very happy man.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars - DE Jadeveon Clowney, South Carolina. The Jaguars will rush to the podium to select Clowney. He would be a great fit for Gus Bradley's defensive scheme. There are plenty of question marks about Clowney, but there is little doubt he is the most talented prospect in this draft.
4. Cleveland Browns - WR Mike Evans, Texas A&M. Rumors have the Browns preferring Mike Evans over Sammy Watkins. I think that would be a mistake, but on paper it makes sense, Evans would be a great compliment next to the blazing Josh Gordon.
5. Oakland Raiders - WR Sammy Watkins, Clemson. The Raiders would be ecstatic in this scenario. Watkins is the premier offensive playmaker in this class. He has everything you look for in a number one wideout. Good size, blazing speed and solid hands. The Raiders need to find their quarterback of the future, but at least he will have a legit stud to throw to.
6. Atlanta Falcons - OT Taylor Lewan, Michigan. Arthur Blank recently stated that Atlanta needs to address the offensive line in the draft. Lewan would have been a top ten pick, and despite some attitude concerns, should go just there. He has prototypical left tackle size and a mean streak to go along with it.
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - WR Odell Beckham Jr., LSU. Mike Evans is almost universally projected to go to the Bucs here. Pairing him with Vincent Jackson would give the Bucs two huge targets, but I like Beckham as a compliment to Jackson better. He has blazing speed and great hands, and it would not be a shock to see him go in the top ten.
8. Minnesota Vikings - DT Aaron Donald, Pittsburgh. The Vikings will not go quarterback here, as Mike Zimmer recently bashed Johnny Manziel. Expect Minnesota to take the best defensive player available here and draft someone like David Carr or Zach Mettenberger on day two. Donald is an undersized pass rushing terror at defensive tackle, and can play all along the defensive line in a variety of formations. With Linval Joseph, Everson Griffin and Shariff Floyd, defensive line will be a major strength.
9. Buffalo Bills - OT Jake Matthews, Texas A&M. Cordy Glenn has developed into a solid left tackle, but there are a ton of problems on the right side. Matthews has a ton of experience and should be able to slide right into the right tackle and contribute immediately.
10. Detroit Lions - S Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Alabama. The Lions would love to add another weapon for Matthew Stafford, but all three receivers are gone here, and I don't see Eric Ebron as a real fit. So Detroit shores up a secondary that has been a problem area for years. Clinton-Dix is the complete package at safety. A good tackler who excels in coverage.
11. Tennessee Titans - QB Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M. I really don't feel that confident about this pick or Manziel in general. He could go in the top ten or fall out of the first round all together. The Titans really should hit the reset button with a true rebuilding effort. Jake Locker is not the answer, and once upon a time a similar quarterback named Steve McNair brought the Titans their best success.
12. New York Giants - OG/OT Zack Martin, Notre Dame. Expect the Giants to go with either Martin or Aaron Donald if he is available here. New York has always spent early picks on the lines and both are currently trouble areas. Martin can play any position on the offensive line, and that versatility has really helped his draft stock.
13. St. Louis Rams - LB Ryan Shazier, Ohio State. Shazier is a fast riser and I would not be shocked if he landed in the top ten. He is very quick and athletic, and could keep up with the high powered offenses taking over the NFL. His addition would give the Rams the best trio of linebackers in the NFL.
14. Chicago Bears - CB Kyle Fuller, Virginia Tech. Scouts have called Kyle Fuller a safe pick who should be a quality starter for ten years. The Bears still have Super Bowl aspirations, and could use an instant starter on defense.
15. Pittsburgh Steelers - CB Justin Gilbert, Oklahoma State. Gilbert bounced back nicely from a terrible junior season. He has prototypical size and talent to be a number one quarterback, and he will get the proper coaching in Pittsburgh.
16. Dallas Cowboys - DT Ra'Shede Hageman, Minnesota. Jerry Jones has never been scared off by off the field concerns. Hageman has a load of talent but never quite put it together in college. Still, he goes 6'6, 320 and has Albert Haynesworth like ability (and bust potential). Dallas has one of the most pathetic defensive lines in the NFL.
17. Baltimore Ravens - TE Eric Ebron, North Carolina. I am not as big of a fan of Ebron as most, but he will still go in the teens. He struggled with concentration at times, but his size/speed combo is extremely intriguing. Gary Kubiak likes to use multiple tight ends, and Ebron can split out and play receiver as well.
18. New York Jets - WR Brandin Cooks, Oregon State. Cooks is a speedster who put up some truly monster numbers for the Beavers. The Jets need to draft offense offense offense. A wideout duo of Cooks and Eric Decker is a step in the right direction.
19. Miami Dolphins - OG/OT Joel Botinio, Nevada. Like Kyle Long and Justin Pugh before him, I think Botinio will rise to the 18-25 round range as that offensive lineman no one has heard of. Like Zack Martin, his versatility will appeal to Miami, who will likely plug him in at right guard.
20. Arizona Cardinals - QB Teddy Bridgewater, Louisville. Bridgewater's bad Pro Day has caused his stock to tumble, but I don't think he will be drafted quite as low as people are expecting. There is little doubt in my mind that Bridgewater will be the best quarterback in this class, and might be the only one who will still be in the NFL in five years. The tape speaks for itself. This is the perfect situation for him. He gets to learn from one of the premier offensive coaches in the NFL and will get to sit and soak up the game before taking over for Carson Palmer in two years.
21. Green Bay Packers - S Calvin Pryor, Louisville. The Packers never ever draft defensive backs high, but Pryor is the best player available that fills a need. He is a hard hitter and would help improve the entire defense.
22. Philadelphia Eagles - DE/OLB Anthony Barr, UCLA. Anthony Barr is still a project as a pass rusher, but he had over 20 sacks the past two years after converting from full back. Philadelphia needs pass rushers for it's new 3-4 defense.
23. Kansas City Chiefs - WR Cody Latimer, Indiana. Andy Reid will be awfully tempted to draft another offensive lineman, but without a second round pick it is vital that the Chiefs find a wideout here. Latimer has great size and has steadily climbed up draft boards.
24. Cincinnati Bengals - CB Bradley Roby, Ohio State. Roby has the talent to be the first corner off the board, but was inconsistent as a junior. Cincinnati has a few aging cornerbacks, but they are still deep enough in the secondary to develop him in a year or two.
25. San Diego Chargers - CB Darqueze Dennard, Michigan State. The Chargers have had trouble at cornerback since the days of Quentin Jammer. Dennard is not the most athletic but has a ton of experience.
26. Cleveland Browns - QB Blake Bortles, UCF. The Browns need to select Bortles here. He won't last until their next pick, as the Texans or Jaguars would probably trade up. I have serious doubt about how good of a pro he will be, I was not a big fan while he was at UCF. But he passes the eyeball test, at 6'5, 240 with a cannon arm. The Browns have a ton of draft picks and can afford to gamble here and still fill other needs.
27. New Orleans Saints - WR Marqise Lee, USC. Lee's junior year was plagued by drops, injuries and Trojans turmoil, but you can't forget how dominant he was during his first two seasons. The Saints need to replace Lance Moore in this offense, and Lee could wind up as a steal this late.
28. Carolina Panthers - OT Morgan Moses, Virginia. I think the Panthers will take a huge step back next year. There are major holes everywhere, but none like offensive tackle. Moses has prototypical size and strength, and was hidden on a terrible Virginia team.
29. New England Patriots - DE/OLB Jeremiah Attaochu, Georgia Tech. I always try to be unconventional with my Patriots selections. 99% chance they trade down, but New England is always looking for versatile defenders. Attaochu is very athletic and could provide pass rushing ability from a variety of fronts.
30. San Francisco 49ers - CB Stanley Jean-Baptiste, Nebraska. Richard Sherman is now the highest paid CB in the NFL, and Jean-Baptiste looks the part of a Sherman-like cornerback. Expect a team from the 25-35 round range to pounce on the potential. The Niners have a ton of picks and could pull the trigger.
31. Denver Broncos - LB CJ Mosley, Alabama. CJ Mosley was a fantastic college linebacker who should have a long NFL career. He falls because of injury concerns, and he is not much of a pass rusher. For Denver, he can step right into the middle and rack up a boatload of tackles.
32. Seattle Seahawks - OT Cyrus Kouandjio, Alabama. Kouandjio had a terrible combine and has some injury concerns, but a team as talented as Seattle can take a chance here. He could help fill the troublesome right tackle position or even kick inside to guard.
Round 2
33. Houston Texans - QB Derek Carr, Fresno State
34. Washington Redskins - S Jimmie Ward, Northern Illinois
35. Cleveland Browns - CB Jason Verrett, TCU
36. Oakland Raiders - DE/DT Kony Ealy, Missouri
37. Atlanta Falcons - DE/OLB Demarcus Lawrence, Boise State
38. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - OG Xavier Su'a-Filo, UCLA
39. Jacksonville Jaguars - WR Allen Robinson, Penn State
40. Minnesota Vikings - S Deone Bucannon, Washington State
41. Buffalo Bills - DE Kareem Martin, North Carolina
42. Tennessee Titans - DE/OLB Dee Ford, Auburn
43. New York Giants - DE/DT Stephon Tuitt, Notre Dame
44. St. Louis Rams - WR Jordan Matthews, Vanderbilt
45. Detroit Lions - DE Marcus Smith, Louisville
46. Pittsburgh Steelers - DT Louis Nix, Notre Dame
47. Dallas Cowboys - DE Scott Crichton, Oregon State
48. Baltimore Ravens - OT Jack Mewhort, Ohio State
49. New York Jets - TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Washington
50. Miami Dolphins - OT Ja'Wuan James, Tennessee
51. Chicago Bears - DT Dominique Easley, Florida
52. Arizona Cardinals - OLB Kyle Van Noy, BYU
53. Green Bay Packers - LB Carl Bradford, Arizona State
54. Philadelphia Eagles - WR Andre Ellington, South Carolina
55. Cincinnati Bengals - DT Timmy Jernigan, Florida State
56. San Francisco 49ers (from Kansas City Chiefs) - WR Davante Adams, Fresno State
57. San Diego Chargers - DT DaQuan Jones, Penn State
58. New Orleans Saints - CB/S LaMarcus Joyner, Florida State
59. Indianapolis Colts - CB Walt Aikens, Liberty
60. Carolina Panthers - OT Cameron Fleming, Stanford
61. San Francisco 49ers - C Marcus Martin, USC
62. New England Patriots - RB Carlos Hyde, Ohio State
63. Denver Broncos - C Weston Richburg, Colorado State
64. Seattle Seahawks - DT Kelcy Quarles, South Carolina
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