The Phinsider's #MockMonday fun continues today as we take a look at the latest 2014 NFL Mock Draft from the aptly named Mocking the Draft. In this week's edition, Dan Kadar and Matthew Fairburn teamed up to put together the projection, with Kadar making the odd picks and Fairburn taking the evens.
They start off with the growing popularity of quarterbacks starting to slide. In this case, the Houston Texans select defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, followed by Auburn tackle Greg Robinson to the St. Louis Rams. Pick three sees the Jacksonville Jaguars add outside linebacker Khalil Mack from Buffalo, with the Cleveland Browns picking Clemson wide receiver Sammy Watkins with the fourth overall selection. The Oakland Raiders pick the first quarterback, taking UCF's Blake Bortles with the fifth pick.
The second quarterback to come off the board, Texas A&M's Johnny Manziel, has to sit in the green room until the 19th overall selection, a pick held currently by the Miami Dolphins. The Browns move up into the position to add Manziel, sending Miami the 26th and 35th overall selections.
The Dolphins then use the Browns' 26th pick (originally from the Indianapolis Colts) to select UCLA guard Xavier Su'a-Filo. Of the pick, Kadar writes:
Could this trade have worked out any better for the Miami Dolphins? They trade back a few spots, collect more picks, and still land Xavier Su'a-Filo, the best guard in the 2014 NFL Draft. Miami needs help all over its offensive line, and Su'a-Filo would be a great start.
Jumping to the newly acquired 35th pick, the Dolphins add wide receiver Davante Adams from Fresno State. Kadar explains the selection:
The benefit of dropping back in the first round scores the Dolphins an extra second-round choice which they can use on a big-upside wide receiver like Adams. Mike Wallace, Adams and Brian Hartline would give Miami one of the better wide receiver groups in the NFL. That is, of course, if Wallace isn't released first.
Finally, with the 50th pick, Miami again returns to the offensive line, grabbing tackle/guard Joel Bitonio from Nevada. Fairburn takes his turn to explain the pick, writing:
Drafting just one offensive lineman isn't going to cut it for the Dolphins. Joel Bitonio could either play right tackle or move inside to guard in the NFL. Either way, he would be an upgrade in Miami.
I like the draft Kadar and Fairburn put together, though I would shift the wide receiver selection a little. Both Kelvin Benjamin and Jordan Matthews are still on the board at 35, and I would likely select one of those two. That's not to say Adams is a bad choice, just that I would have selected someone different.
And, on a side note, I don't know why so many people love to throw in this idea that Wallace is not going to be in Miami, either by being released or traded, but it shows up again here. I don't see any way that Wallace is not starting opening day for the Dolphins.
What do you think of the combined effort from Kadar and Fairburn? Let us know in the comments below.