2014 NFL Mock Draft 2.0
By Dennis Amo
Apr 25, 2013; New York, NY, USA; NFL commissioner Roger Goodell claps as New England Patriots former lineman Joe Andruzzi (not pictured) speaks during the 2013 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports
Just after the senior bowl, we look at another mock draft with a couple of changes for some of the teams. Here is the speculation of what will happen in April and where the teams might go.
1. Houston Texans
QB – Teddy Bridgewater – Louisville
With the first pick the Texas will be looking QB, the question will be which QB goes first; Bridgewater, Manziel or Bortles. Bridgewater brings a bit more to the table but I think it will be whatever QB fits in the system the best and what the Texas are looking for.
2. St. Louis Rams (from Washington)
OT – Jake Matthews – Texas A&M
St. Louis needs to upgrade their offensive line and Jake Matthews is the one to do it. Someone that can come in and start playing right away is any coaches dream, especially on the offensive line.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars
DE – Jadeveon Clowney – South Carolina
The Jaguars are a team that is in need of more than 1 first round hole filler. They address defense here in the first round and grab a quarterback in the early second.
4. Cleveland Browns
WR – Sammy Watkins – Clemson
The Browns are in desperate need of a QB and with Bortles and Manziel still on the board, this is where one of them will go, most likely Manziel. The draft simulator felt different, but with the new hire of Pettine as the head coach, defense might be on the minds as well.
5. Oakland Raiders
OLB – Anthony Barr – UCLA
The Raiders need to move their 4-12 season to a step ahead. Defense wins games. They look at the outside edge rusher Anthony Barr with the number 5 pick.
6. Atlanta Falcons
DE – Stephon Tuitt – Notre Dame
Defense is the name of the game and the Falcons need some help. Bulking up at DE with Tuitt is the smart choice for them.
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
DE – Kony Ealy – Missouri
Tampa Bay lacked a dominate edge rusher this past year and will go back to back with the Falcons and take a DE out of Missouri.
8. Minnesota Vikings
QB – Blake Bortles – UCF
The Vikings will take the second ranked QB in the draft this year, Bortles. This is one position that they are very uncertain at and Bortles will be a good fit.
9. Buffalo Bills
ILB – C.J. Mosley – Alabama
The Bills look to strengthen their defensive middle and bring in a true ILB. They move Kiko Alonso to outside and let him run free.
10. Detroit Lions
WR – Jordan Matthews – Vanderbilt
Detroit needs a couple of positions but they bring in some help for Megatron and look at Jordan Matthews out of Vanderbilt.
11. Tennessee Titans
QB – Johnny Manziel – Texas A&M
With Ken Whisenhunt coming in and helping Locker’s stock just a bit, the Titans are still iffy at the QB position. This will be a best available for the QB and the Titans. Here Manziel is the best available.
12. New York Giants
CB – Jason Verrett – TCU
The Giants need to beef up their secondary so this pick should not be a surprise for Giants fans when they go CB.
13. St. Louis Rams
S – LaMarcus Joyner – Florida State
With the Rams going OL with their first pick they are able to begin to secure the rest of the defense. They are in need of safety help and Joyner would be a good fit for them.
14. Chicago Bears
DT – Timmy Jernigan – Florida State
With the defensive line being struck by the injury bug, they will look to bring in some depth at this point and try to minimize the effects that could occur again next year.
15. Pittsburgh Steelers
OT – Greg Robinson – Auburn
The Steelers have an older offensive line corps. To being the purge per se, Robinson is a good pick at this point in the draft.
16. Baltimore Ravens
WR – Mike Evans – Texas A&M
Being one of the best WR in the draft, Evans will ave an immediate impact with whatever team he comes too. The Ravens are in need of a WR after losing Boldin last year.
17. Dallas Cowboys
G – David Yankey – Stanford
Who can’t use an offensive lineman at any point in the draft. Especially when the draft is very deep with OLs.
18. New York Jets
WR – Marqise Lee – Southern California
The Jets look to go WR to help out a struggling QB, whoever it may be. Sanchez, Smith, maybe even Tebow again, but it doesn’t matter, they need a WR to help build that offense.
19. Miami Dolphins
OT – Taylor Lewan – Michigan
With the issues that happened both on and off the field with the Dolphins offensive line, there is no surprise that they are going OL here. Smart Move.
20. Arizona Cardinals
OT – Cyrus Kouandjio – Alabama
With their defense pretty much in good shape, the offensive line could use one more player to make them a great protection team both on the ground and in the air.
21. Green Bay Packers
TE – Jace Amaro – Texas Tech
The Packers need a TE that will be able to help Rogers and company move the offensive and get the much needed first down. Amaro is a guy that can both be productive in the offensive categories as well as help the ground game as well.
22. Philadelphia Eagles
OLB – Khalil Mack – Buffalo
At the 22nd spot, the Eagles may get a steal here if Mack is still available. They are in need of an OLB and Mack is projected to go earlier in the draft. If he is there, they need to jump.
23. Kansas City Chiefs
TE – Eric Ebron – North Carolina
The Chiefs need to add a WR to help stretch the field. Ebron is a TE that can do this as well as block to help the ground game. Two for One in this case.
24. Cincinnati Bengals
ILB – Shayne Skov – Standford
Skov is best available at this point for the Bengals who just need to add position players for depth. They are pretty well set at this point, Skov will add depth at the ILB and be able to play immediately.
25. San Diego Chargers
DE – Michael Sam – Missouri
The Chargers are a team that seem to look edge rusher on the defensive line, just about every year. This year will be no different. Sam will be a stretch but should still make a difference.
26. Cleveland Browns (from Indianapolis)
QB – Derek Carr – Fresno State
The Browns took care of a need at WR in the early part of the draft. They come back and take care of another big need; QB. By the way, who is the Browns QB, exactly.
27. New Orleans Saints
CB – Darqueze Dennard – Michigan State
The Saints seem to be players every year and are similar to the Patriots in that they add depth and build their team through their younger players. This is a depth move for the Saints.
28. Carolina Panthers
WR – Allen Robinson – Penn State
The Panthers need to help out Cam Newton and bring in a guy that will help stretch the field and make plays. Robinson is a good player at this point in the 1st round.
29. New England Patriots
DT – Louis Nix III – Notre Dame
Just like the Saints, the Patriots are making a depth move to bring in younger guys to help build the team. Wilfork is not getting any younger as well.
30. San Francisco 49ers
CB – Bradley Roby – Ohio State
The 49ers are in need of a difference making CB. Roby could be that guy. They could also use a stretch-the-field WR and a DE but this looks to be best available for the 49ers.
31. Denver Broncos
CB – Loucheiz Purifoy – Flordia
The Broncos will join the Saints and Patriots and add depth to their roster. They look to the defensive secondary and take Purifoy from Florida.
32. Seattle Seahawks
G – Cyril Richardson – Baylor
The offensive line could use some help and some depth to their roster. Richardson is a good lineman to add and rounds out what seems to be a very heavy draft of the offensive line.