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Every year, a debate breaks out here on the Phinsider, and all over the internet and TV pre-Draft coverage. That debate centers on how to draft: need versus best player available. Neither route is the one used by General Managers, who land somewhere in between, with needs playing into how they grade a player, or a grade on a player playing into a need.
With today being our penultimate #MockMonday for 2014, I thought we would take a look at how the 2014 NFL Draft would fall if all 32 teams simply picked the best player available.
The first problem is, of course, how do we decide who is the best player available? Every big board in existence differs from all the other big boards - just as all 32 teams will have slightly different grades on players as well. Who the Miami Dolphins have as the best player available may not be the same as whomever the New England Patriots, New York Jets, Buffalo Bills, or 28-other teams rank in that position. Perhaps something came out in an interview with the Dolphins. Perhaps GM Dennis Hickey just did not like something on tape, something he has seen before, and dropped that player a few positions. Perhaps it's the other way, and something about a player stands out as exactly what the team needs. Did the Dolphins draft the best player available, or did they draft based on need? We will never know - maybe the offensive lineman was the best player they had remaining on the board - and the truth is, again, that it's not a mutually exclusive situation. Needs and player grades go into every pick made. Otherwise, there would never be drama to an event millions of people tune in to watch every year.
For our #MockMonday today, I took eight different big boards - from SB Nation, Mel Kiper, Todd McShay, CBS Sports, Walter Football, Sports Illustrated, USA Today, and Yahoo! Sports - to build our mock draft. You can see any of the big boards in their entirety by clicking on the appropriate name within each pick's table. Using each big board, I simply ran down their top 32 rated players, in order, and gave that player to the team picking in the same position. No analysis. No need consideration (otherwise, you probably would not see the Patriots selecting Derek Carr in the first round (Yahoo! Sports) or the Philadelphia Eagles selecting Johnny Manziel (USA Today)). Everything is straight "BPA."
Using this method, the Dolphins address the defensive side of the ball using six of the eight big boards. The other two (McShay and Walter Football) have a wide receiver as their 19th ranked prospect. Those defensive picks encompass the entire defensive line, with both ends and tackles in the mix, as well as safety.
What do you think of the BPA style draft?
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Houston Texans |
Battle Red Blog |
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| SB Nation | Mel Kiper | Todd McShay | CBS Sports | Walter Football | SI.com | USA Today | Yahoo Sports |
| Jadeveon Cowney | Jadeveon Cowney | Jadeveon Cowney | Jadeveon Cowney | Jadeveon Cowney | Jadeveon Cowney | Jadeveon Clowney | Jadeveon Clowney |
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St. Louis Rams |
Turf Show Times |
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| SB Nation | Mel Kiper | Todd McShay | CBS Sports | Walter Football | SI.com | USA Today | Yahoo Sports |
| Teddy Bridgewater | Sammy Watkins | Greg Robinson | Greg Robinson | Sammy Watkins | Sammy Watkins | Greg Robinson | Greg Robinson |
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Jacksonville Jaguars |
Big Cat Country |
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| SB Nation | Mel Kiper | Todd McShay | CBS Sports | Walter Football | SI.com | USA Today | Yahoo Sports |
| Jake Matthews | Khalil Mack | Khalil Mack | Khalil Mack | Khalil Mack | Greg Robinson | Jake Matthews | Khalil Mack |
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Cleveland Browns |
Dawgs by Nature |
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| SB Nation | Mel Kiper | Todd McShay | CBS Sports | Walter Football | SI.com | USA Today | Yahoo Sports |
| Khalil Mack | Greg Robinson | Sammy Watkins | Sammy Watkins | Greg Robinson | Khalil Mack | Anthony Barr | Jake Matthews |
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Oakland Raiders |
Silver and Black Pride |
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| SB Nation | Mel Kiper | Todd McShay | CBS Sports | Walter Football | SI.com | USA Today | Yahoo Sports |
| Sammy Watkins | Taylor Lewan | Jake Matthews | Jake Matthews | Jake Matthews | Jake Matthews | Khalil Mack | Sammy Watkins |
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Atlanta Falcons |
The Falcoholic |
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| SB Nation | Mel Kiper | Todd McShay | CBS Sports | Walter Football | SI.com | USA Today | Yahoo Sports |
| Greg Robinson | Mike Evans | Taylor Lewan | Blake Bortles | Taylor Lewan | Anthony Barr | Sammy Watkins | Mike Evans |
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
Bucs Nation |
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| SB Nation | Mel Kiper | Todd McShay | CBS Sports | Walter Football | SI.com | USA Today | Yahoo Sports |
| Mike Evans | Jake Matthews | Mike Evans | Johnny Manziel | Anthony Barr | C.J. Mosley | Mike Evans | Aaron Donald |
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Minnesota Vikings |
Daily Norseman |
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| SB Nation | Mel Kiper | Todd McShay | CBS Sports | Walter Football | SI.com | USA Today | Yahoo Sports |
| Eric Ebron | Eric Ebron | C.J. Mosley | Taylor Lewan | Eric Ebron | Mike Evans | Justin Gilbert | Anthony Barr |
Must Reads
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Buffalo Bills |
Buffalo Rumblings |
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| SB Nation | Mel Kiper | Todd McShay | CBS Sports | Walter Football | SI.com | USA Today | Yahoo Sports |
| C.J. Mosley | C.J. Mosley | Blake Bortles | Mike Evans | Justin Gilbert | Sammy Watkins | Eric Ebron | Teddy Bridgewater |
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Detroit Lions |
Pride of Detroit |
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| SB Nation | Mel Kiper | Todd McShay | CBS Sports | Walter Football | SI.com | USA Today | Yahoo Sports |
| Ha'Sean Clinton-Dix | Zack Martin | Aaron Donald | Justin Gilbert | Mike Evans | Aaron Donald | Zack Martin | Blake Bortles |
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Tennessee Titans |
Music City Miracles |
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| SB Nation | Mel Kiper | Todd McShay | CBS Sports | Walter Football | SI.com | USA Today | Yahoo Sports |
| Taylor Lewan | Aaron Donald | Eric Ebron | Eric Ebron | Ryan Shazier | Darqueze Dennard | Aaron Donald | C.J. Mosley |
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New York Giants |
Big Blue View |
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| SB Nation | Mel Kiper | Todd McShay | CBS Sports | Walter Football | SI.com | USA Today | Yahoo Sports |
| Louis Nix III | Brandin Cooks | Ha'Sean Clinton-Dix | Anthony Barr | Blake Bortles | Louis Nix III | Darqueze Dennard | Zack Martin |
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St. Louis Rams |
Turf Show Times |
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| SB Nation | Mel Kiper | Todd McShay | CBS Sports | Walter Football | SI.com | USA Today | Yahoo Sports |
| Aaron Donald | Odell Beckham, Jr. | Morgan Moses | Aaron Donald | Ha'Sean Clinton-Dix | Johnny Manziel | Taylor Lewan | Darqueze Dennard |
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Chicago Bears |
Windy City Gridiron |
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| SB Nation | Mel Kiper | Todd McShay | CBS Sports | Walter Football | SI.com | USA Today | Yahoo Sports |
| Blake Bortles | Justin Gilbert | Zack Martin | Darqueze Dennard | Johnny Manziel | Julstin Gilbert | Teddy Bridgewater | Justin Gilbert |
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Pittsburgh Steelers |
Behind the Steel Curtain |
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| SB Nation | Mel Kiper | Todd McShay | CBS Sports | Walter Football | SI.com | USA Today | Yahoo Sports |
| Xavier Su'a-Filo | Darqueze Dennard | Teddy Bridgewater | Teddy Bridgewater | Aaron Donald | Blake Bortles | C.J. Mosley | Ryan Shazier |
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Dallas Cowboys |
Blogging the Boys |
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| SB Nation | Mel Kiper | Todd McShay | CBS Sports | Walter Football | SI.com | USA Today | Yahoo Sports |
| Johnny Manziel | Teddy Bridgewater | Johnny Manziel | Zack Martin | Calvin Pryor | Calvin Pryor | Louis Nix III | Taylor Lewan |
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Baltimore Ravens |
Baltimore Beatdown |
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| SB Nation | Mel Kiper | Todd McShay | CBS Sports | Walter Football | SI.com | USA Today | Yahoo Sports |
| Kony Ealy | Blake Bortles | Darqueze Dennard | Ha'Sean Clinton-Dix | Austin Seferian-Jenkins | Marqise Lee | Ha Ha Clinton-Dix | Johnny Manziel |
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New York Jets |
Gang Green Nation |
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| SB Nation | Mel Kiper | Todd McShay | CBS Sports | Walter Football | SI.com | USA Today | Yahoo Sports |
| Jason Verrett | Johnny Manziel | Brandin Cooks | Odell Beckham, Jr. | Odell Beckham, Jr. | Taylor Lewan | Timmy Jernigan | Calvin Pryor |
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Miami Dolphins |
The Phinsider |
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| SB Nation | Mel Kiper | Todd McShay | CBS Sports | Walter Football | SI.com | USA Today | Yahoo Sports |
| Ra'Shede Hageman | Ha'Sean Clinton-Dix | Odell Beckham, Jr. | Timmy Jernigan | Marqise Lee | Ra'Shede Hageman | Kony Ealy | Louis Nix III |
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Arizona Cardinals |
Revenge of the Birds |
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| SB Nation | Mel Kiper | Todd McShay | CBS Sports | Walter Football | SI.com | USA Today | Yahoo Sports |
| Darqueze Dennard | Ryan Shazier | Clavin Pryor | Brandin Cooks | C.J. Mosley | Dee Ford | Dee Ford | Eric Ebron |
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Green Bay Packers |
Acme Packing Company |
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| SB Nation | Mel Kiper | Todd McShay | CBS Sports | Walter Football | SI.com | USA Today | Yahoo Sports |
| Anthony Barr | Clavin Pryor | Justin Gilbert | Clavin Pryor | Teddy Bridgewater | Zack Martin | Blake Bortles | Kony Ealy |
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Philadelphia Eagles |
Bleeding Green Nation |
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| SB Nation | Mel Kiper | Todd McShay | CBS Sports | Walter Football | SI.com | USA Today | Yahoo Sports |
| Zack Martin | Anthony Barr | Ra'Shede Hageman | C.J. Mosley | Kelvin Benjamin | Odell Beckham, Jr. | Johnny Manziel | Brandin Cooks |
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Kansas City Chiefs |
Arrowhead Pride |
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| SB Nation | Mel Kiper | Todd McShay | CBS Sports | Walter Football | SI.com | USA Today | Yahoo Sports |
| Bradley Roby | Marqise Lee | Timmy Jernigan | Ryan Shazier | Kyle Fuller | Ha'Sean Clinton-Dix | Calvin Pryor | Ha'Sean Clinton-Dix |
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Cincinnati Bengals |
Cincy Jungle |
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| SB Nation | Mel Kiper | Todd McShay | CBS Sports | Walter Football | SI.com | USA Today | Yahoo Sports |
| Clavin Pryor | Kyle Van Noy | Louis Nix III | Dee Ford | Zack Martin | Kelvin Benjamin | Odell Beckham | Odell Beckham, Jr. |
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San Diego Chargers |
Bolts from the Blue |
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| SB Nation | Mel Kiper | Todd McShay | CBS Sports | Walter Football | SI.com | USA Today | Yahoo Sports |
| Dee Ford | Chris Borland | Marqise Lee | Louis Nix III | Darqueze Dennard | Eric Ebron | Marqise Lee | Demarcus Lawrence |
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Cleveland Browns |
Dawgs by Nature |
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| SB Nation | Mel Kiper | Todd McShay | CBS Sports | Walter Football | SI.com | USA Today | Yahoo Sports |
| Jimmie Ward | Derek Carr | Bradley Roby | Derek Carr | Derek Carr | Jace Amaro | Derek Carr | Timmy Jernigan |
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New Orleans Saints |
Canal Street Chronicles |
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| SB Nation | Mel Kiper | Todd McShay | CBS Sports | Walter Football | SI.com | USA Today | Yahoo Sports |
| Ryan Shazier | Kelvin Benjamin | Jason Verrett | Kyle Fuller | Ra'Shede Hageman | Xavier Su'a-Filo | Kyle Fuller | Marqise Lee |
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Carolina Panthers |
Cat Scratch Reader |
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| SB Nation | Mel Kiper | Todd McShay | CBS Sports | Walter Football | SI.com | USA Today | Yahoo Sports |
| Justin Gilbert | Stephon Tuitt | Kyle Fuller | Marqise Lee | Louis Nix III | Jason Verrett | Brandin Cooks | Jason Verrett |
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New England Patriots |
Pats Pulpit |
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| SB Nation | Mel Kiper | Todd McShay | CBS Sports | Walter Football | SI.com | USA Today | Yahoo Sports |
| Stephon Tuitt | Cody Latimer | Ryan Shazier | Jason Verrett | Stephon Tuitt | Kony Ealy | Ryan Shazier | Derek Carr |
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San Francisco 49ers |
Niners Nation |
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| SB Nation | Mel Kiper | Todd McShay | CBS Sports | Walter Football | SI.com | USA Today | Yahoo Sports |
| Marqise Lee | Carlos Hyde | Anthony Barr | Allen Robinson | Brandin Cooks | Cyrus Kouandjio | Xavier Su'a-Filo | Dee Ford |
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Denver Broncos |
Mile High Report |
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| SB Nation | Mel Kiper | Todd McShay | CBS Sports | Walter Football | SI.com | USA Today | Yahoo Sports |
| Odell Beckham, Jr. | Davante Adams | Kony Ealy | Tom Savage | Carlos Hyde | David Yankey | Ra'Shede Hageman | Xavier Su'a-Filo |
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Seattle Seahawks |
Field Gulls |
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| SB Nation | Mel Kiper | Todd McShay | CBS Sports | Walter Football | SI.com | USA Today | Yahoo Sports |
| Cyrus Kouandjio | Cyrus Kouandjio | Kelvin Benjamin | Bradley Roby | Kony Ealy | Brandin Cooks | Cyrus Kouandjio | Kyle Van Noy |