Yet another mock draft for you folks. Let's get it started.
Colts: Andrew Luck, Stanford – This pick is a lock. The Colts let one franchise QB go in order to draft another.
Redskins: Robert Griffin, III, Baylor – This pick is also a lock. The Redskins paid a huge ransom to find their franchise QB.
Vikings: Matt Kalil, USC – This pick isn’t a complete lock, but it’s close. The Vikings might look to trade down and pick up a nice ransom in picks. But they should draft the best LT prospect in the draft to protect their franchise QB.
Browns: Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State – There is a lot of talk about the Browns drafting Ryan Tannehill with this pick. I’m not buying it. They need playmakers in the worst way. Blackmon would give whoever their QB is a legitimate target that currently doesn’t exist on their roster.
Buccaneers: Morris Claiborne, LSU – The Bucs beefed up their offense in FA with Vincent Jackson and Carl Nicks. What they need now is some more playmakers on defense, especially in the secondary. Claiborne is the consensus best CB in the draft and will give the Bucs a potential lockdown corner.
Rams: Trent Richardson, Alabama – The Rams need to surround Sam Bradford with some weapons. They would love to have Justin Blackmon fall to this pick. However, this draft is so deep at WR, they can go BPA at this point and get an elite RB prospect to pair with Steven Jackson.
Jaguars: Michael Floyd, Notre Dame – The Jaguars have proven over the last few drafts that they will pick the player they like the most, regardless of where he is slotted to go. Floyd is a legitimate first round WR prospect and the Jags need a true #1 target for Gabbert.
Dolphins: Trade with Eagles – Riley Reiff, Iowa – The Dolphins have some options at 8 including drafting Tannehill. Another probable option is trading down and picking up some extra picks. The Eagles lost their LT and need to find a replacement. They haven’t found one in FA yet, so they might look to move up and secure a great LT prospect in Reiff. This pick makes sense for both teams.
Panthers: Fletcher Cox, Mississippi State – Carolina is on the verge of being a contender. They improved by four games last season and could have won a few more if their defense hadn’t given away some games. Their biggest need on defense is DT and Cox is one of the top players on the board.
Bills: Jonathan Martin, Stanford – The Bills had the best O-line last season in terms of sacks surrended. However, they let their starting LT, Demetrius Bell, walk in FA. They have spent a ton of money building their front four on defense and now need to finally spend a pick to get a true franchise LT.
Chiefs: Ryan Tannehill, Texas A&M – When the Dolphins passed on Tannehill, is signaled that they didn’t see him as their franchise QB. The Chiefs do not see it that way. They get a developmental QB to groom behind Matt Cassel.
Seahawks: Luke Kuechly, Boston College – The Seahawks have spent three high picks in the last two drafts building up their O-line, so don’t expect them to go in that direction. They need to build up their linebacker core after whiffing on Aaron Curry a few years ago. Kuechly will become the leader of a very underrated defense.
Cardinals: Melvin Ingram, South Carolina – The Cardinals best pass rusher over the past few seasons have been 3-4 DEs. That’s not good. They need an outside rusher and Ingram fits the bill.
Cowboys: David DeCastro, Stanford – The Cowboys found their franchise LT last year in Tyron Smith (they are moving him from RT to LT for those that didn’t know). They have a huge need at guard and DeCastro is the best guard prospect in the draft.
Dolphins (from Eagles): Trade with Texans – Kendall Wright, Baylor – The Texans’ biggest need is another WR to pair with Andre Johnson. They would love to keep the Baylor product in the state of Texas and they could make this trade in order to jump over the Bengals. (Note: This second trade isn’t "likely". However, if the Texans covet Wright, Ireland should talk up the value of this pick and see if Houston will bite. Both teams stand a lot to gain in this deal. It’s my mock so I’m making it happen.)
Jets: Quinton Coples, UNC – The Jets haven’t had a decent edge rusher in a long time and swung and missed badly on Vernon Gholston a few drafts ago. Coples has top-ten talent, but questionable work ethic. Some scouts say they think he fits better as 3-4 DE or a 4-3 DT. However, Rex Ryan may think he can get the most out of Coples and has the schemes to maximize his talent.
Bengals: Janoris Jenkins, Northern Alabama – The Bengals need some serious help in the secondary, especially with Hall’s injury. Jenkins is one of the best pure cover corners in this draft, but has some character concerns. That has not and will not bother the Bengals.
Chargers: Nick Perry, USC – The Chargers need to add a pass rusher to make their defense moer potent. Perry is a top pass rushing prospect and the Chargers would love to keep him in southern California.
Bears: Mike Adams, Ohio State – The Bears added a true #1 target when they traded for Brandon Marshall. They can now turn their focus on adding a LT to protect Cutler so he can actually get the ball to Marshall.
Titans: Dre Kirkpatrick, Alabama – The Titans have a huge need at CB with Finnegan bolting for St. Louis. Kirkpatrick is a big corner who offers great value at this point in the draft.
Bengals: Mark Barron, Alabama – The Bengals continue to enhance their secondary by adding the consensus best safety in the draft.
Browns: Brandon Weeden, Oklahoma State – The Browns upgraded their receiving core with the first pick and now look to upgrade the QB spot with Weeden. The only real knock against Weeden is his age, but that won’t matter to Cleveland because they will pencil him in as the starter day one. His chemistry with Blackmon will give both players an advantage as they start out in the league.
Lions: Stephen Gilmore, South Carolina – The Lions are an emerging team with a talented offense and fearsome defensive line. However, the Lions’ secondary is a major weakness and they need an upgrade at CB. Gilmore can play inconsistently, but has a knack for big plays.
Steelers: Courtney Upshaw, Alabama – The Steelers are a perennial contender, but are getting long in the tooth on defense. They need to upgrade the offensive line, but take the BPA here and add the heir to James Harrison. The Steelers always seemed to be stacked at LB, and Upshaw continues that trend.
Broncos: Michael Brockers, LSU – The Broncos "won" the offseason by signing Peyton Manning. They have some pieces on offense to work with, but their defense needs some work. They lost Broderick Bunkley in FA to the Saints and he was their best run defender last season. Brockers will fill his role and hopefully open more opportunities for Von Miller to shine.
Dolphins: Coby Fleener, Stanford – And now we come to the payoff. Many fans will be disappointed that the Dolphins didn’t go with Tannehill. However, we have the best inside intel on him and if we pass, there would be a good reason. The Dolphins are very interested in adding the TE. As Gronkowski and Graham have shown, TEs are becoming more than the old "safety valve" option. TEs are becoming go-to weapons. Fleener is 6’6", 245 and runs like a deer. Philbin likes to have a seam threat TE and Fleener would be a welcome addition to the team.
Patriots: Whitney Mercilus, Illinois – The Patriots, like the Jets, are in dire need of a pass rusher. Mercilus has some question marks about his game, but he’s the best available rusher at this point.
Packers: Andre Branch, Clemson – The Packers are one of the most complete teams in the league. They don’t have a great deal of holes to fill. One noticeable role is a complementary pass rusher to pair with Matthews. Branch is the best available pass rusher at this point in the draft.
Ravens: Cordy Glenn – The Ravens, like the Packers, are a fairly complete team. They could use a LT, but may attempt to see if Oher can man that position again. If they do that, they need to draft a new RT. Glenn has the talent to be a decent RT, and if he struggles, he can move to guard. Either way, the Ravens get a value pick that can play two positions of need for them.
49ers: Stephen Hill, Georgia Tech – The Niners added a couple of WRs in FA this offseason, but none of them should be considered true #1 targets. Crabtree seems more like a really good #2 and thus, the Niners look to add a potential #1 WR. Hill is very raw, but with the depth they have at that position now, they can bring him along slowly.
Patriots: Dontari Poe, Memphis – The Patriots have needs all along their defensive line and Poe is the best player available. Some think that Poe will move into the top ten with his ridiculous combine performance. However, his game tape shows that athleticism and power doesn’t show up nearly as much as it should. That will cause his stock to drop. The Pats will pair Poe up with Wilfork in their four man fronts and that should allow Poe to get singled up and get after the QB.
Giants: Alfonzo Dennard, Nebraska – This might be a surprising pick, but the Giants really need help at the CB position. Dennard is the best CB and paired with former Husker teammate Amukamara, he can enhance an already powerful Giants defense.
Round 2:
Rams: Reuben Randle, LSU – The Rams missed out on Blackmon and are looking to find Bradford a target with this pick. Randle is a big WR with decent speed who can develop into a #1 WR for the Rams.
Colts: Dwayne Allen, Clemson – Typically when a team drafts a QB, they like to find him some weapons also. The Colts were able to retain Reggie Wayne which will help out Luck a lot. They would love to add Luck’s former TE Fleener, but he isn’t on the board anymore. So they go with the next available TE.
Vikings: Zach Brown, UNC – The Vikings have some needs in their linebacker core and Brown is the best player available. He has the speed and power to be a fierce weapon in the Vikings’ Tampa-2 defense.
Buccaneers: Lamar Miller, Miami – The Bucs decided to pass on Richardson in the first and took Claiborne. They find their new RB here. Miller can be a nice complement to Blount in that running attack and gives the Bucs a home run threat at RB.
Browns: David Wilson, Virginia Tech – The Brown retooled their offense in the first round and look to continue that in the second with a new RB. The overrated Hillis left in free agency and Hardesty hasn’t shown much in his time there. Wilson gives a weak Browns offense another weapon.
Jaguars: Alshon Jeffrey, South Carolina – Like the Browns, the Jags were really weak at WR last year. That was part of the reason rookie Blaine Gabbert struggled so much. The Jags double down on WRs this year and give Gabbert two legitimate outside WRs to open up the passing game.
Rams: Devon Still, Penn State – The Rams have added to their offense with their first two picks and now turn to their defensive line. They have some talented pass rushers, but need help on the interior. They signed former Dolphin Kendall Langford, but it’s uncertain if he can adapt to the 4-3 DT role. Still is the best player available and would give St. Louis a nice DT rotation.
Panthers: Lavonte David, Nebraska – The Panthers continue to strengthen their defense by adding a solid 4-3 OLB prospect. Thomas Davis has had three knee injuries in the past three seasons and cannot be relied upon to stay healthy. David can take his spot and add speed to that position.
Bills: Dont’a Hightower, Alabama – The Bills added a franchise LT in the first. They built up their defensive line in FA. They can now attend to the linebacker position. Hightower can play MLB for them and also serve as a pass rusher in certain situations, as he did in college.
Eagles: Kendall Reyes, UConn – The Eagles have two very good edge rushers on their defensive line, but need some help with the interior. Reyes is the BPA and can offer an interior pass rush that will make the Eagles’ line more potent.
Seahawks: Brandon Thompson, Clemson – The Seahawks look to improve their defensive line with another good DT prospect in this draft. Thompson will play alongside Red Bryant to make the Seattle run-stop unit much better.
Chiefs: Kevin Zeitler, Wisconsin – The Chiefs add a strong offensive guard from a school that continually produces good offensive lineman. They added Payton Hillis this offseason to pair with dynamic RB Jamaal Charles. Zeitler can play at either guard spot and open running lanes for either back.
Cowboys: Shea McClellin, Boise State – The Cowboys have one of the best pass rushers in the league with DeMarcus Ware. They can look to add a complementary OLB with McClellin who has the athleticism to be a force at that position.
Dolphins: Vinny Curry, Marshall – The Dolphins have a dire need at pass rusher. Curry is a strong player with a good work ethic who can get to the QB. He has the versatility to play OLB in a 3-4 or DE in a 4-3. He will get plenty of opportunities as offense lines continue to focus on Wake.
Jets: Kelechi Osemele, Iowa State – Wayne Hunter is a sieve at RT and he was part of the problem with the Jets offense. Osemele has the versatility to play guard or tackle, and will get likely be drafted to play RT.
Patriots: Chandler Jones, Syracuse – The Patriots continue to build their pass rush with another pass rusher. Jones is the BPA and will work in a rotation with the rest of the Pats defenders.
Chargers: Jayron Hosley, Virginia Tech – The Chargers now have to play in the same division as Peyton Manning and that means they need more CBs. Hosley can play nickel and enhance an already stingy pass defense.
Bears: Peter Konz, Wisconsin – The Bears struggled at center last season with the departure of former center (insert name). Konz will give the Bears a long term center that will open up running lanes for Forte and Bush, while protecting Cutler.
Dolphins: Brian Quick, Appalachian State – You knew this was going to happen right? Quick has been racing up draft boards lately and is an intriguing WR prospect. Allow him to develop and he can be the big target to replace Marshall, especially in the red zone.
Titans: Doug Martin, Boise State – Chris Johnson is a dynamic running back that every defense must focus on. But if he goes down, who do the Titans rely on? Martin will give them a complementary back to take some of the wear and tear off of Johnson.
Bengals: Chris Givens, Wake Forest – The Bengals found their franchise QB and #1 WR in the draft last season. Now they need to build up the offense with more weapons. Givens is a speedy WR who would be a good #2 option for Dalton.
Lions: Zebrie Sanders, Florida State – Left tackle is huge need for the Lions. They resigned Jeff Backus, but he’s not a long term option. Sanders has the athleticism to play LT and could be that long term solution.
Falcons: Mitchell Schwartz, California – The Falcons spent a lot to add a weapon to the offensive arsenal last season. This season, they need to find a replacement for Sam Baker. He was drafted to be the LT, but that experiment failed. He can move inside to guard and Schwartz can be the new LT to protect Ryan.
Steelers: Josh Chapman, Alabama – Casey Hampton has been the foundation for the Steelers defensive line for years now. But he is getting older and coming off of a knee injury. Chapman can be the new NT for the future.
Broncos: Josh Robinson, UCF – The Broncos cannot rely on Champ Bailey to play at a high level forever. They need to find a CB that can take over for him in a season or two. Robinson is a super fast CB that can start out in the nickel spot and eventually start on the outside.
Dolphins: Brock Osweiler, Arizona State – Here is the new QB-of-the-future for the Dolphins. Fans will have mixed feelings about this, but Osweiler is an intriguing prospect for the Dolphins. He fits all of the qualities that Philbin looks for in a QB: leadership, mobility, accuracy, game management. He also fits the bill as a QB who can sit for a year and develop. Osweiler has the potential to be a franchise QB and the Dolphins finally have a staff that can develop QBs.
Packers: Jared Crick, Nebraska - The Packers can use this pick to beef up their defensive line with a player suited to play the 5-technique. The Packers can use another player to build up that rotation.
Ravens: Tyrone Crawford, Boise State - Two drafts ago, the Ravens chose Sergio Kindle to be their edge rusher on defense. He has never shown up. The Ravens choose a versatile edge rusher from Boise State to groom as the complement and eventually replacement for Terrell Suggs.
49ers: Harrison Smith, Notre Dame - Smith falls a little bit in this draft, but the Niners aren't complaining. Smith is a solid safety prospect and will make the great 49ers defense even better.
Patriots: Trumaine Johnson, Montana - The Patriots have a tons of needs in the secondary and Johnson has the ability to play CB or safety. Maybe now, the Pats can stop throwing WRs out there on defense.
Giants: Orsen Charles, Georgia - The Giants signed Martellus Bennett in free agency, but they gave him just a one year deal. He has never really proven much, but could be a starting caliber TE. But even with that addition, the Giants could look to add another receiving TE to give Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning another weapon in his arsenal.
Rest of the Draft for the Dolphins:
Third Round: Brandon Boykin, Georgia
Third Round: Marvin Jones, California
Fourth Round: Jonathan Massoquoi, Troy
Fifth Round: Olivier Vernon, Miami
Sixth Round: Andrew Datko, Florida State
Seventh Round: David Paulson, Oregon
Undrafted Free Agent Targets:
Chris Owusu, WR, Stanford
Travaris Cadet, RB/PR, Appalachian State
Chris Anzevino, C, Kent State
Ishmaa’ily Kitchen, DT, Kent State
Jamie Blatnick, DE/OLB, Oklahoma State