2014 NFL Mock Draft: #MockMonday Phinsider Community Mock Draft

Houston Texans

Battle Red Blog

bbickley - With the 1^st Pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, the Houston Texans select...

Jerry Ricecake.

What? You were expecting someone else? This kid has the best hands I have ever seen and looks like a Hall of Famer to me.

Ok, now seriously.... With the 1st Pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, the Houston Texans select... Jadeveon Clowney!

It really doesn't get any easier than this pick.

Why Clowney?

Scheme
In some draft circles he is the highest rated defensive player entering the draft since Bruce Smith. I agree 100% with that evaluation and it is why Clowney is hands down my #1 pick. From a pure talent standpoint, this player is a specimen. At 6'5" and 270lb. I believe he will flourish in the Houston 3-4 scheme as a 5 technique defensive end. For those skeptics out there that think Clowney cannot convert from a 4-3 end playing a 7-technique where he was asked to routinely penetrate his gap and wreak havoc in the backfield, look at JJ Watt. JJ Watt had some of the same criticisms concerning his scheme fit when he entered the draft and he is now one of the best 3-4 DEs in the NFL. I expect Clowney to be able to make a similar transition. I believe Clowney has the size to take on double teams and successfully hold the point of attack on run plays. On passing downs he can put his hand in the dirt and go after the Quarterback. With a front line of JJ Watt and Clowney, whom are teams really going to double team?

The depth of the defense around him means Clowney will not have to bear the weight of the franchise on his shoulders early in his career and can just concentrate on football. Sure Clowney will have to compete with players already on my roster for playing time, but that only means I will have fresh players late in games. Clowney can rotate in with WOLB Whitney Mercilus and/or DE Antonio Smith throughout the games. Hopefully, this depth will prevent Clowney from hitting the proverbial rookie wall the second half of the season keeping him fresh enough to complete what I hope to be a DROY campaign.

Versatility
Clowney already has experience at a 4-3 end and can reprise that role whenever Houston wants to give a 4-3 look. Few teams in the NFL are exclusively 3-4 or 4-3. Most teams utilize traits from both and use them based on whichever suits them best based on their weekly match-up. Houston will be no exception to this rule. Houston's new Defensive Coordinator Romeo Crennel will scheme a weekly game plan to maximize our personnel advantages and will have a new weapon in his arsenal to attack opposing offenses.

One approach I anticipate Crennel using with Clowney is all defensive end 3-man line. This is something the NY Giants used in their 2 SB runs. Houston can line up in a 3-4 front with Smith, Clowney, and Watt across the line. The personnel would create mismatches based on necessary double teams and create free rush lanes for LBs to blitz from. Another option Houston can run is a ‘speed' package similar to the Miami Dolphins where I place 5-7 players in a two-point stance up at the line only to blitz some and drop some.

Character Concerns
I know there are character concerns with Clowney and many of those do not bother me because he is a 21-year old kid! Yes, he makes mistakes like driving too fast down the highway, he dogged it at times on field, over-exaggerated minor injuries to avoid having to practice in South Carolina 100+ degree temperatures, and mailed it in for the LSU game. In my opinion, he played not to get hurt at times last season. I cite players like Da'Quan Bowers, Brandon Thomas, and James Hurst. These are 3 players who each have seen their draft stock plummet because of injury. These are cautionary tales for incoming NFL draftees to NOT get hurt in college because it can potentially cost you millions in the NFL. Every draft season GMs, scouts, analysts, journalists, and fans tear apart players for what they don't do or can't do. I am going to choose to look at what I believe Clowney can do. There is something not to like about every prospect in the NFL draft, Clowney simply provides me the most to like from a talent standpoint moving forward.

Why didn't you draft a QB?
Because last time I checked the draft is 7 rounds and Houston has the 1st pick of the 2nd Round #33 overall. I feel like the drop off at defensive end position is greater from Round 1 to Round 2 than at the QB position. I feel confident like I can get my starting QB at the top of Round 2.

St. Louis Rams

Turf Show Times

Jacksonville Jaguars

Big Cat Country

Cleveland Browns

Dawgs by Nature

Oakland Raiders

Silver and Black Pride

bacattack51 - Not going to reach on a QB with a top 5 pick and with the talent in the draft. Greg Robinson is the #1 player on the board for me but with the acquisitions of Penn and Howard along with Menelik Watson still developing, Mack is the pick here.

Mack will be an immediate impact player on a team short of impact players. They can use him various ways. At DE they would have a nice rotation with Woodley and Tuck. Also can play LB and be an asset in coverage and blitz schemes.

Atlanta Falcons

The Falcoholic

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Bucs Nation

Dolfankenny -Would probably have looked hard at either elite pass rushers that went the last two picks. Also praying for Watson to fall to them as they view him as an elite WR. They feel they may also pick up a solid offensive lineman in round 2 (bad news for Miami). Also I can't see them going QB this high.

With all that said, Evans replaces the WR lost this offseason and immediately becomes the red zone target for Tampa.

Minnesota Vikings

Daily Norseman

Buffalo Bills

Buffalo Rumblings

Detroit Lions

Pride of Detroit

Brian Naidus -Detroit has been one of the teams said to have some interest in possibly trading up for receiver Sammy Watkins. While Watkins is easily the best offensive playmaker in the draft, Detroit is still strong at the position and honestly will likely have a lot of solid options if they stay put at pick 10 on draft day.

Eric Ebron and Taylor Lewan may be around and both offer solid options to help Stafford's offense. However I think Detroit will take a long hard look to likely take the top corner in this league's draft. That honor will likely come down to Oklahoma State's Justin Gilbert or hometown Spartan, Darqueze Dennard. While Dennard very well may be the best man cover corner down the line, it will be hard to resist the athleticism and speed of Gilbert. He posted the combine's top speed, has great strength and can even contribute in special teams. He's the pick.

Tennessee Titans

Music City Miracles

New York Giants

Big Blue View

small balls - The Giants may have bigger needs, but they can use a play-maker on the interior of their defensive line. Donald may be undersized but his production in college was great and he will boost the Giants' pass rush and collapse an offense's interior.

Was the first Pitt defensive player to earn unanimous All-America honors since Hugh Green in 1980. Also was the recipient of the Bronko Nagurski Award, the Outland Trophy and the Rotary Lombardi Award. Was the NCAA leader in tackles for loss.

St. Louis Rams

Turf Show Times

Chicago Bears

Windy City Gridiron

Pittsburgh Steelers

Behind the Steel Curtain

Blue or CONKZILLA - With needs on the DL, DB, and WR I felt it was too early to select Louis Nix or any of the remaining WR's. There is a need for a CB, and Darqueze Dennard would have been the pick had Lewan not fallen this far.

The need to protect Ben Roethlisberger, and keep him healthy, after missing on several OL picks the last few years with an offensive line that has been ranked in the lower half of the league the past couple of seasons, should improve quite a bit with Lewan on the left side.

Dallas Cowboys

Blogging the Boys

Baltimore Ravens

Baltimore Beatdown

New York Jets

Gang Green Nation

Miami Dolphins

The Phinsider

Arizona Cardinals

Revenge of the Birds

socalphinfanatic - I went real back and forth with this pick, deciding between C.J. Mosely and Manziel. In the end, while I felt LB was a bigger need, passing up a top 10 Franchise QB talent at 20 wasn't something I could do. We all know Palmer isn't the long term solution, and while this draft is deep with other later round QB's I like (Carr, Fales, Murray), I believe Manziel has a much higher ceiling. Inserting an electric player like Manziel into this already talented team would immediately make the Cardinals a bigger headache for the Niners and Seahawks. After this, trade Palmer to a QB needy team for some middle round picks to help shore up Johnny's O-line.

Although I may be biased, I feel this is a steal similar to when the Packers nabbed Rodgers after his free-fall. Johnny Football to the Cardinals at 20.

Green Bay Packers

Acme Packing Company

Philadelphia Eagles

Bleeding Green Nation

dolphinfan4lyfe -With this pick I notice that Linebackers are are coming off the board. I don't like any of the Safeties at this spot so I reach and grab: Kyle Van Noy OLB Brigham Young University.

Between projected cap casualties next year, and the fact that the drop off is huge next round, I think this is a much needed look into tomorrow's roster.

Kansas City Chiefs

Arrowhead Pride

Finzphan68 - Kansas City (temporarily at least) have a solution at QB, even though it cost them this year's 2nd round pick. In the real draft, I'd expect them to possibly trade back and recoup that pick plus extra.
That being said, we aren't trading picks, so let's go directly to what the Chief's areas of need/concern are this year
WR, OG, S.

With the two top safeties off the board, it's a little too early to grab an OG now the Martin is gone, so the Chiefs select another area to help Alex Smith this season:

Odell Beckham, JR. WR, LSU

Cincinnati Bengals

Cincy Jungle

San Diego Chargers

Bolts from the Blue

Cleveland Browns

Dawgs by Nature

New Orleans Saints

Canal Street Chronicles

Carolina Panthers

Cat Scratch Reader

New England Patriots

Pats Pulpit

San Francisco 49ers

Niners Nation

Denver Broncos

Mile High Report

Seattle Seahawks

Field Gulls