So, everyone with any forum any place is doing a mock draft, so why not join this new media craze. Of course, I don't really watch college football too much, and outside of like the projected top-10 and Tim Tebow, I'm not really sure how good anyone is (top-10 = good, Tebow = overrated, but at least is a good citizen while being overrated). So let's go, 32 picks, one round:
1.) The St. Louis Rams select..... Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma
They really don't have any choice. St. Louis desperately needs a QB. Sure, Suh is the more talented player at his position, and Spags would love to get his hands on a versatile DT, but QBs are what win in the NFL, and with Bradford's supreme accuracy and capable arm, he is the perfect top guy. He's got the look, the leadership, the arm and the name of a top overall selection. I've heard him being compared to Kurt Warner. Let's calm down. I think Aaron Rodgers is the best comparison. Someone with great accuracy and great moxie.
2.) The Detroit Lions select...... Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska
Jim Schwartz knows how great a DT can be, because he coached an exceptional one in Haynesworth for many, many years. Suh is that good, but also gives a damn every single play. He's also obviously a great character guy as seen by his 2.6 million dollar donation to Nebraska. The Lions need a OT more than a DT, but there are good OTs to be found with that first pick in the second round, or even late in round one if the Lions are willing to trade up.
3.) The Tampa Bay Buccaneers select.... Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma
I believe Tampa Bay still runs a Tampa-2 (that's not a joke. With Monte Kiffin gone and the Raheem Morris era sucking eggs, that might not last as their defense forever), and McCoy is the perfect Tampa-2 DT, Warren Sapp style. He has the speed to collapse the pocket, and the durability to be a three-down tackle. Defensive Tackles are usually risky propositions this early in the draft, but McCoy is better than any other prospect not named Eric Berry, and safety is an even weirder pick this high up.
4.) The Washington Redskins select..... Russell Okung, OT, Oklahoma St.
Shanahan, and make no mistake, he is the man making this pick, usually picks defenders in the first round (save for Cutler) because he feels his genius can make any offensive player good, but their o-line is just too bad, and McNabb too important, to pass up the most sure thing on the o-line. There are OTs who supposedly have higher upside, but the Redskins need the more pro-ready player to help their pricey investment today.
5.) The Kansas City Chiefs select..... Rolando McClain, LB, Alabama
The Chiefs have needed an impact player on that defense for years, and after wiffing on two consecutive top-5 defenders in Dorsey and Jackson, they still need defenders. McClain is the best inside LB in a weak draft class, but he would probably be the best in a strong draft class. My real guess is that the Chiefs trade this, but if I start making up trades, things get complicated. Scott Pioli knows how important defenders are, and he's stupid enough to believe that Matt Cassel can actually be a franchise quarterback.
6.) The Seattle Seahawks select..... Trent Williams, OT, Oklahoma
Take the sure thing. The Seahawks have done that for years, like their selections of Tatupu, Curry and Jon Carlson. The Hawks take pro-ready players that are capable of making easy transitions to the NFL. Trent Williams is just that, and with hall-of-famer Walter Jones' retirement eminent, getting his replacement is of the upmost importance. If the Hawks did not make that strange Charlie Whitehurst trade, I would have thought that Jimmy Clausen would be a possibility here.
7.) The Cleveland Browns select..... Eric Berry, S, Tennessee
Being in the same division as Polamalu and Reed, the Browns know just how much a safety can mean. Berry is the best safety to come out of college since Sean Taylor, and Taylor was on the way to stardom before his tragic death. He's said to be the "next Ed Reed". Again, that is unfair to Eric. If he turns out to be the next Darren Sharper or Brian Dawkins, that would be great value for this pick, for a team that needs a leader of that secondary.
8.) The Oakland Raiders select..... Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame
Everyone thinks the Raiders will select Bruce Campbell because of his 40 time, but if Al only cared about 40 times, he would have taken Chris Johnson two years ago instead of McFadden, and not taken Robert Gallery back in 2004. Also, people think Clausen is not a possibility here because they still believe in Russell. That's bunk, as evidenced by the fact the Raiders were active in the McNabb sweepstakes. If they don't trade this pick for Roethlisberger (a real possibility), Clausen is a logical choice for a team that with a QB isn't that far off.
9.) The Buffalo Bills select..... Bryan Baluga, OT, Iowa
The Bills would've loved to get Jimmy Clausen, because they need someone flashy. Good chance if he's gone they trade this pick. However, Chan Gailey loves to run the ball and build o-lines, and Baluga is thought of by many as the best run-blocker and the guy with the most reasonable upside. The Bills need an offensive tackle to protect Trent Edwards, or some other QB, and Baluga is a great value for the number nine slot.
10.) The Jacksonville Jaguars select..... Derrick Morgan, DE, Georgia Tech
They busted mightily on two DEs two years ago in Quentin Groves and Derrick Harvey, and there is a chance they bust on Morgan as well, but Jack Del Rio knows that in a division with Matt Schuab and Peyton Manning, he needs someone, anyone who can rush the passer. Morgan is the more ready player, and since Jack Del Rio is on a micro-short leash, he has to pick him over the local boy Jason Pierre-Paul, who has more upside.
11.) The Denver Broncos select..... Markuice Pouncey, G/C, Florida
Yup, the shocker of the draft. I kinda stole the idea from walterfootball.com, but it makes complete sense. It has already been proven that Josh McDaniels' doesn't know shit about drafting, as evidenced by the picks of Robert Ayers, Alphonso Smith and Darcel McBath, so why not reach for, admittedly, a good player, but at a less-than-premium position. The Broncos need a new center, as they haven't been able to replace Tom Nalen, and Pouncey is the best one in the draft. Dez Bryant would be the best pick, but McDaniels probably doesn't want another bad character guy after shipping Marshall out of town.
12.) The Miami Dolphins select..... Dan Williams, NT, Tennessee
The Dolphins need a NT after Jason Ferguson's departure, and Dan Williams is the best one in the draft. Bill Parcells loves his nose tackles, and his four-year college starters, which Williams is on both counts. Plus, Williams has good durability, and underrated pass rush skills. For a team with few real holes in other areas, this is a perfect match.
13.) The San Francisco 49ers select..... Kyle Wilson, CB, Boise St.
Reportedly, Wilson has passed Joe Haden, the presumed top corner, on many a draft board, and I don't know if the 49ers are one of said draft boards, but I don't want to keep copying walterfootball.com. Wilson is extremely fast, and agile enough to play lock-down man, which is what the 49ers do. Mike Singletary also loves hard workers, and coming from Boise St. Wilson has a chip on his shoulder.
14.) The Seattle Seahawks select...... C.J. Spiller, RB, Clemson
The best running back in this years draft gives Seattle the 1-2 punch they were looking for, with a good OT, and a good running back. Spiller has Chris Johnson speed, and even if he is just Frank Gore good, the Seahawks would be super happy with the way their top two picks worked out. Spiller fills an area of need in Seattle, and makes, if healthy, Seattle a frisky offense.
15.) The New York Giants select..... Brandon Graham, DE, Michigan
He's not the greatest of DEs available, but he fits the Giants specifications. He's quick enough to get to the passer, big enough to slide inside on third down, and went to a major school. The Giants seem to get players exclusively from big time programs. Sure, Michigan is embarrasingly bad the past two years, but they still merit the top school title, for now.
16.) The Tennessee Titans select..... Jason Pierre-Paul, DE, South Florida
Jeff Fisher has no problem taking workout wonders early. He took Chris Johnson two years ago, who was taken primarily for an insane 40 time. Pierre-Paul has the raw athleticism that scouts drool over, and Fisher has the track record of developing raw athleticism on the d-line into great players, as shown by Jevon Kearse and Albert Haynesworth. Pierre-Paul is one of the more polarizing players because he barely played at a division 1 school at all, but he has the upside and the athleticisim that will make it hard for Fisher to pass up, even though he smells like a bust.
17.) The San Francisco 49ers select..... Mike Iupati, G, Idaho
The man with the weird name doesn't have to travel far. The 49ers are primed perfectly to make a run this year. Warner is gone, they are on the rise and they have two top-20 picks. They have to fortify need at all cost, and picking Iupati helps better a dire situation at guard. Singletary and new GM Tony Baalke can check interior o-line and corner back off their list of needs, which is really all the places they really needed someone.
18.) The Pittsburgh Steelers select..... Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma St.
Although he will be tough considering the Steelers run-ins with bad judgement recently, the departure of Holmes and the aging of Ward makes WR a huge need. Dez Bryant represents the best WR in the draft, and a guy who has Chad Johnson like ability. Being able to get that for the 18th pick, and suring up the only hole on the team (apart from possibly QB), makes the Steelers instant contenders again.
19.) The Atlanta Falcons select..... Sean Witherspoon, OLB, Missouri
The Falcons need help in their front seven, and with some of the best DEs off the board, they can still get tremendous value by getting the best 4-3 OLB in the draft. Witherspoon has great instincts and run-stop ability. He has the size to stop the run and hold contain and the speed to cover TEs and backs. The Falcons would've needed a corner back but getting Dunta Robinson closes option.
20.) The Houston Texans select..... Joe Haden, CB, Florida
Because they gave up Dunta, they get the chance to draft Joe Haden. He was seen by many as the best corner, and a top-10 talent. He still is, but most of the teams in the top-20 just have other needs. The Texans have very few needs, but corner is one of them. Again, being in the same division as Peyton, you need to have able bodies in the secondary, and Haden gives the Texans one more.
21.) The Cincinnati Bengals select..... Earl Thomas, S, Texas
Sure, the secondary is the Bengals major strength, but as the Colts prove time and time again, making a strength even stronger is as important as making a weakness better. Thomas fits in perfectly as the playmaking safety to help relieve the pressure that Jonathan Joseph and Leon Hall face each week. The Bengals have done fine with their great corners and average safeties, but add the second best safety, and their secondary could be arguably the league's best.
22.) The New England Patriots select..... Jared Odrick, DE/DT, Penn St.
The Patriots are really weak up front, as two of their top three are gone in one year, in Seymour and Jarvis Green. Jared Odrick has the size to be an ideal 3-4 DE next to the mammoth Wilfork. They say that Odrick has enough strength and girth to slide inside on passing downs, or play in a two-DT scheme, which Belichick did a lot in 2009. He is in a position of need, and is versatile, but since these are the Patriots, there is a 80% chance they trade this pick in their master plan to own every single pick in Round 2 in 2014.
23.) The Green Bay Packers select..... Charles Brown, OT, USC
Anybody with eyes could see that the Packers fluctuated between horrific and average in pass-blocking last year. Their team is built around Aaron Rodgers, and right now protecting the edges for the Packers are two aging players. Charles Brown is a player that will probably never make the all-pro team, but he will be a solid player that will provide ample protection, never get embarrassed by Jared Allen the way other Packers' LTs did, and give Rodgers time, which is more important than anything.
24.) The Philadelphia Eagles select..... Sergio Kindle, DE/OLB, Texas
After pretty much trading every relevant DE that they had for draft picks, the Eagles have a massive need for a pass rusher. Many of them have already been selected, but Kindle is still there on the board, representing an versatile option. Kindle can rush from the set DE position, or even be an edge OLB rusher, or even drop into coverage. A Jim Johnson scheme needs versatility, and Kindle provides just that.
25.) The Baltimore Ravens select..... Jermaine Gresham, TE, Oklahoma
The Ravens have realized that they might have a special talent at the QB position, and it may be time to finally warm up to the idea of bringing in weapons. Anquan Boldin was a nice start, Gresham can be a great finish. He's the best TE in the draft, and with Heap getting older by the day, he can provide a nice alternative until Heap retires and make the Baltimore offense that much better. Taking a cornerback is another strong possibility, as the Ravens haven't recovered completely from the loss and aging of Samari Rolle and Chris McAlister.
26.) The Arizona Cardinals select..... Anthony Davis, OT, Rutgers
The Cardinals have few real holes, other than at QB, and there are no answers at QB because McCoy seems to be a slightly more tolerable Leinart. Anthony Davis fills, literally with his obese ponchiness, one of the holes at offensive tackle, either replacing Levi Brown or playing opposite him. He will give Matt Leinart time, and for a scatter-brain QB like Leinart, that is important.
27.) The Dallas Cowboys select..... Taylor Mays, S, USC
The Cowboys lost Ken Hamlin, and still need good safety play after finally cutting the cord of the baby that is Roy Williams (no, not the awful WR they still continue to employ). Taylor Mays is the Roy Williams of Free Safeties. He is an athlete, with incredible speed, but doesn't really have great instincts to play the Ed Reed centerfield position. The Cowboys, however, have good corners so that puts some of the pressure off. Mays is a big name, and Jerry Jones loves those.
28.) The San Diego Chargers select..... Ryan Matthews, RB, Fresno St.
The Chargers need a running back, badly. Darren Sproles is many things, including a past Colts killer, but he is not an every down running back. Ryan Matthews is, and in some eyes' he is the best in the draft. The Chargers should do cartwheels if he is still available. I think they have quite a few other holes, particularly the d-line, but their offense was alarmingly one-dimensional last year, and they are an offense-first team. They need Matthews to take some pressure of Rivers and that passing game, and open up more free space downfield.
29.) The New York Jets select..... Terrence Cody, NT, Alabama
The obese one would make a nice fit giving Kris Jenkins some time off and later replacing him as the token obese guy when old man Jenkins finally hangs it up. The Jets are really going for depth, and since pass rushing LB is not exactly a true need anymore with the Jason Taylor signing, they need depth up from. Cody provides great depth, and a solid player for years to come.
30.) The Minnesota Vikings select..... Devin McCourty, CB, Rutgers
That's right, two Rutgers players in one first round. McCourty can replace Cedric Griffin who tore his ACL in that title game loss, and provide to a be a good nickel corner and eventually replace Antione Winfield. You can never have enough solid corners, especially in a division with Aaron Rodgers and the Cutler/Martz combo, and McCourty is a damn good one.
31.) The Indianapolis Colts select..... Jerry Hughes, DE/LB, TCU
The Colts biggest need is o-line, but really, they didn't lose the Super Bowl because the blocking was bad, they lost the Super Bowl because they could not rush the passer with an injured Freeney. The Colts cut their token third pass-rusher in Raheem Brock, and Hughes is the best pure-pass rusher in the draft. I do not imagine he falls this far, but there is a chance, because I don't think any of the above 30 picks were unreasonable. Polian does the best player available route, so even though he has two star DEs who have at least four good years left, he can take Hughes.
32.) The New Orleans Saints select..... Tyson Alualu, DT, Cal
He might be a bit of a reach, but its the 32nd pick, reach doesn't matter. He fills a spot of need: the second DT spot next to Sedrick Ellis. Ellis is more a pass-rusher, and Alualu is a huge-body Ngata type, so they can work well together. The Saints have a bigger need at linebacker but none of the options provide the value that Alualu, or DE Eversen Griffen, do.
So, there goes the first round. I don't know nearly enough players, let alone how good they are, to do another round, so I'll just do a starting-lineup of the best players available.
QB - Colt McCoy, Texas, great accuracy, not great arm strength.
RB - Jahvid Best, Cal, Very fast, and has alot of size, Durability is a concern.
RB - Jonathan Dwyer, Georgia Tech, he has all the measurables, the only concern is that he came from a triple-option offense in college so there are questions of how effective he'll be as a set NFL runner.
WR - Arrellious Benn, Illinois, has great size. A good possession, boldin type.
WR - Damian Williams, USC, a lot like Benn, or past USC player Steve Smith, a jack of all trades who doesn't excel in any one area.
WR - Golden Tate, Notre Dame. Everyone wants the next Wes Welker and in most people's minds, Tate is the closest there is to that in this draft.
TE - Rob Gronkoski, Arizona, there are injury concerns, as he had a back surgery in the offseason, but projects as a Dallas Clark-type player at the next level.
OT - Bruce Campbell, Maryland. Great athlete and has the potential to be great, but has laziness and technique questions.
OT - Roger Saffold, Indiana, the opposite of Campbell, he doesn't have great size but is effective. The only problem is he won't get that much better.
OT - Vladimir Ducasse, Massachusetts. He is the best Division-II lineman out there and in a top-heavy, but thin class, that sets up well for him. Not a lot truly known about him.
OG - Jon Asamoah, Illinois, does not have very good measurables at all, including very short arms, which seem to be uber-important in the NFL world these days, but was a four year starter.
C - J.D. Walton, Baylor. At times dominant, Walton was a first team All-American, and has long arms (as you can see, I'm stretching here).
DE - Eversen Griffen, USC, this is a very deep DE class so expect Griffen to be taken off early on Day 2 (round 2 now). He has the ability, but seemed a little casual at times last year.
DE - Carlos Dunlap, Florida, an athletic freak, he will have to fight off serious character questions and the simple question of: "Why weren't you better on gameday?"
DT - Brian Price, UCLA, he's a more athletic DT, a Warren Sapp type, perfect for a team like the Colts or Bears who need more pass rush from their DTs. He's young, so he can get a lot better.
DT - Linval Joseph, East Carolina, he's a big, big guy, perfect for a nose tackle for all of those teams that switched to a 3-4 recently without the right personnel (I'm looking at you, Kansas City).
OLB (3-4) - Ricky Sapp, Clemson, he's got extreme speed, but huge size (6-4, 255) that makes him perfect as a versatile edge rusher/drop back cover-guy, that teams love these days. Reminds you of Adalius Thomas, when he was good.
OLB (4-3) - Darryl Washington, TCU, yeah, the 4-3 OLB position is pretty weak these days, as even in college everyone is switching to a 4-3. He's good, but not great. Nice 2-4 round pick.
ILB - Pat Angerer, Iowa, great name, and comes from a great school that has produced such LBs and Chad Greenway and Leroy Hill. He's a prototype cover-2 inside line backer.
ILB - Sean Lee, Penn St, obviously comes from linebackerU, and has had a great career and even translates well, but there are injury concerns because of a torn ACL that might allow him to drop.
CB - Kareem Jackson, Alabama, great man-cover guy, which teams need desperately after finally expunging years of zone. Was the national champs' top corner.
CB - Brandon McGhee, Wake Forest, best thing going for him is his size, at 6-0, which makes him all the more valuable than his more diminuative peers.
S - Nate Allen, South Florida, a do it all safety, he was a monster at the line of scrimmige, and played his zones perfectly in coverage. A bit of a tweener, though, between FS/SS
S - Reshad Jones, Georgia, great size and strength makes him an ideal SS in the NFL. He's a bit undervalued because it is a good safety class, but provides a low-risk option in late round 2.
