After working feverishly the last few days, I’ve put together a full, 32 team NFL mock draft. Each pick also has a short note describing the need or the prospect. Don’t hold me to this for the Pittsburgh Steelers picks, however, as you can’t always get the guys you really like. It’s still a fun exercise to see how things could actually turn out.
And at the least, you get to see a couple new names and learn a little more about needs and prospects. The list is below. Feel free to leave a comment.
Here are the first three rounds and the final four will be along in about 90 minutes in a separate post.
First Round
1. TB – Jameis Winston/QB Florida St: Obvious choice. Elite when he puts his game altogether.
2. TEN – Leonard Williams/DT USC: Most say he’s the best player in this class. Physical and will collapse pockets in the NFL.
3. JAC – Kevin White/WR West Virginia: Edge him over the rest due to his explosion. Jaguars need playmakers for rookie QB Blake Bortles.
4. OAK – Amari Cooper/WR Alabama: Logical choice for a long time. Polished route runner with insane productivity.
5. WSH – Bud Dupree/OLB Kentucky: One of my favorite prospects. Athleticism is off the charts and experience playing with his hand up.
6. NYJ – Marcus Mariota/QB Oregon: Probably goes with the number two pick but I don’t project trades. QB of their future.
7. CHI – Dante Fowler Jr/OLB Florida: Nice edge piece in the Bears new 3-4 defense
8. ATL – Vic Beasley/OLB Clemson: Falcons 22 sacks last year, tied next to last in the NFL. Beasley will quickly change that.
9. NYG – Andrus Peat/OT Stanford: An offensive line that was great has fallen apart. Peat is one of the true tackles in this class with a huge lower body.
10. STL – DeVante Parker/WR Louisville: Rams have drafted a lot of receivers high but without much success. Parker vertical threat despite lack of the speed a guy like White has.
11. MIN – Marcus Peters/CB Washington: Opposite vs Rhodes. Zimmer likes aggressive corners. Most talented one in this year’s class.
12. CLE – Brandon Scherff/OT Iowa: RT to replace Mitchell Schwartz.
13. NO – Danny Shelton/NT Washington: Brodrick Bunkley 31 coming off injury. Re-tooling terrible defense, starts up front.
14. MIA – Todd Gurley/RB Georgia: BPA. Miller in contract year. Offense continues to add juice.
15. SF – Byron Jones/CB UConn: BPA, high upside. Position needs addressed after losing Chirs Culliver.
16. HOU – Melvin Gordon/RB Wisconsin: Talent justifies it. Foster is such a talented back but injury issues, missed 11 games last two years, two years left on deal, and is 29 years old.
17. SD – La’el Collins/OG LSU: Interior line was a mess last year for the Chargers. Collins long body who can move.
18. KC – Trae Waynes/CB Michigan St: Good value. Opposite Shaun Smith, Gaines to nickel. Love his tape.
19. CLE – Eddie Goldman/NT Florida St: Replace Ahtyba Rubin. Goldman athlete, can play 1 and three. Upside is high, game needs to be more consistent.
20. PHI – Landon Collins/SS Alabama: Immediate starter, coming from system that challenged him and gave him a good football IQ. Could start over Earl Wolff.
21. CIN – Shaq Thompson/OLB Washington: SAM over Emanuel Lamur, WILL if Burfict isn’t the same. Great athlete, hybrid guy like Taylor Mays and a little bit like Reggie Nelson. Can run and hit, they love those guys.
22. PIT – Kevin Johnson/CB Wake Forest: CB isn’t taken often but Johnson best play on the board. Fits scheme well at position of need.
23. DET – Ereck Flowers/OG Miami (FL): Most see a tackle, I see a LG who is better in a booth as a mauler. No LG on the roster right now. Rob Sims 31 years old.
24. ARI – Randy Gregory/OLB Nebraska: Talent difficult to ignore at this point. Lot of questions but there is upside as a dominant pass rusher the team needs.
25. CAR – Jake Fisher/OT Oregon: Between him and a WR but Fisher upside is high. Team needs to stop ignoring the tackle spots, which are woeful. Oher not an NFL tackle.
26. BAL – Devin Smith/WR Ohio St: Seems like a surprise but they love vertical threats with Joe Flacco’s arm. Pass interference offense.
27. DAL – Malcolm Brown/DT Texas: One-gapper who fits well in their odd front. Can penetrate and disrupt.
28. DEN – Michael Bennett/DE Ohio St: Doesn’t have the height you look for but above average length and strong. Asset as a pass rusher too. OT a possibility but Bennett more of an impact in their 3-4.
29. IND – Shane Ray/OLB Missouri: Draft faller, finally gets scooped up. Mathis is 34, Bjoern Werner never produced like he should, Ray may still get a year to develop strength.
30. GB – Preston Smith/OLB Mississippi St: Little crazy but next Mike Daniels. True Leo type they can play all over. They love that.
31. NO – Jaelen Strong/WR Arizona St: Replacement for Stills. Triangle numbers are impressier for Strong.
32. NE – Dorial Green-Beckham/WR Missouri: Classic Bill Belichick, bordering on cliché. Take troubled receiver, put him in a stable, strict system. Could flourish.
Second Round
33. TEN – Arik Armstead/DT Oregon: Double-down on pass rushers. Armstead high upside but just 4 career sacks.
34. TB – Cedric Ogbuhei/OT Texas A&M: Would have been a first rounder had it not been for the torn ACL. Bucs’ line is a mess, dumped Collins. Erving also considered.
35. OAK – Owamagbe Odigizuwa/DE UCLA: Like him a lot as a 4-3 guy who won’t have to bend the edge. Could even be an undersized tackle.
36. JAC – Eric Rowe/FS Utah: CB/S hybrid who timed well and does a great job finding the football.
37. NYJ – Eli Harold/OLB: Been looking for a dominant pass rusher for the longest time. Harold is raw but provides that.
38. WSH – Nelson Agholor/WR USC: Some good value here and makes Washington three deep. Give Robert Griffin weapons, really give him a chance to shine.
39. CHI – Breshard Perriman/WR UCF: Fill the void left in Brandon Marshall trade. Burner with lots of upside. Will at least make a few splash plays even though there will be growing pains.
40. NYG – Eric Kendricks/OLB UCLA: Off the line linebacker who can start Day One. Need for the Giants. Replace Devon Kennard.
41. STL – TJ Clemmings/OT Pittsburgh: LT addressed with Robinson last year, now they go fix the right side.
42. ATL – Donovan Smith/OT Penn St: Little hard to believe he goes this high but invited to the draft for a reason. Good feet for a big man, becomes their RT.
43. CLE – Maxx Williams/TE Minnesota: Replace for Jordan Cameron. Only 20 and refined. Willing blocker with great body control.
44. NO – Laken Tomlinson/OG Duke: Traded Ben Grubbs away, Evans falling off. Need interior help and fast.
45. MIN – Stephone Anthony/OLB Clemson: Terrific athlete. Five star recruit out of high school. 4.56 40 at the Combine.
46. SF – Denzel Perryman/ILB Miami (FL): Need a physical thumper and Perryman fits that extremely well. Chris Borland didn’t time well either…
47. MIA – Ronald Darby/CB Florida St – Some have liked him over teammate PJ Wiliams for quite some time. The draft reflects it.
48. SD – Cameron Erving/C Florida St: Board isn’t particularly kind to them right now. Erving awfully tall as a center but won All-ACC honors there. Injuries crippled team there last year. Five centers.
49. KC – Paul Dawson/ILB TCU: Didn’t time well but highly productive at TCU. Pairs with Derrick Johnson inside.
50. BUF – Kwon Alexander/OLB LSU: Run on OLB continues. Could become starting SAM linebacker.
51. HOU – Benardrick McKinney/ILB Mississippi St: Brian Cushing’s injuries have caught up to him, no other worthwhile options.
52. PHI – Phillip Dorsett/WR Miami (FL): Speed to replace Desean Jackson. Compliments Jordan Matthews well, too.
53. CIN – DJ Humphries/OT Florida: Nice value in the mid-second. Sit for a year behind Whitworth to build upper body strength.
54. DET – Mario Edwards/DE Florida St: Lions like to have a rotation along the defensive line. All about getting pressure. Good value who can kick inside in sub-package.
55. ARI – Tevin Coleman/RB Indiana: No true back on the roster. Need playmaker.
56. PIT – Hau’oli Kikaha/OLB Washington: Perhaps the biggest need for the Steelers. Playmaker who is a better than timed athlete and fluid in coverage.
57. CAR – Damarious Randall/FS Arizona St: Tre Boston probable started right now at FS. Randall good athlete who is praised for his aggressiveness.
58. BAL – Ameer Abdullah/RB Nebraska: Ravens go skill positions in back-to-back rounds. Abdullah knocked for his 24 career fumbles but is supremely talented.
59. DEN – Clive Walford/TE Miami (FL): Charles Clay clone who can be another weapon for Peyton Manning in perhaps his final season. Replace Julius Thomas.
60. DAL – PJ Williams/CB Florida St: Williams with some off the field issues but Cowboys haven’t been shy of avoiding those players like Rolando McClain. Good athlete who is physical and finds the football in the air.
61. IND – Carl Davis/DT Iowa: One-gapper who can penetrate. Must get stronger against the run.
62. GB – Jalen Collins/CB LSU: Fall finally ends. Off the field issues, rawness, stiffness, and foot surgery all bog him down. Developmental guy for Green Bay.
63. SEA – Sammie Coates/WR Auburn: Sort of like Paul Richardson, Seahawks take a big, fast receiver that is rough around the edges. But vertical presence at his size is what team is really looking for.
64. NE – Danielle Hunter/OLB LSU: Another developmental player that will take three years to make an impact but has big “boom” potential.
Round Three
65. TB – Alex Carter/CB Stanford: Big, physical corner Lovie Smith will like. Could move to safety if he doesn’t have enough speed but zone defense will help mask it.
66. TEN – Rashad Greene/WR Florida St: Trusty possession receiver who can run the whole route tree.
67. JAC – Trey Flowers/DE Arkansas: Not a high-upside pass rusher but can be a strong side end that is better against the run than most. Like him with his hand down than up.
68. OAK – Grady Jarrett/DT Clemson: Back-to-back DL. Jarrett three tech who presents good value in the early third.
69. WSH – Tre Jackson/OG Florida St: Big hole at LG, Shawn Lauvao current starter. Power blocker with some movement skills if he controls his weight.
70. NYJ – Jordan Phillips/NT Oklahoma: Can’t say I love the pick but potential is high. Back concerns me. Damon Harrison is a rock but they did lose Kenrick Ellis.
71. CHI – Daryl Williams/OT Oklahoma: Tackle spots have been a mess. Hopefully find a true LT next year.
72. STL – Quinten Rollins/FS Miami (OH) – One-year kid who is a ballhawk, 7 INTs in 2014.
73. ATL – AJ Cann/OG South Carolina: Falcons continue to address their atrocious offensive line. Matt Ryan sacked 31 times last year. Harold Gunn current left guard.Ugly.
74. NYG – James Sample/SS Louisville: Much better prospect than Holliman. Nat Berhe is liked but isn’t going to stop the Giants from spending a high pick on a safety.
75. NO – Nate Orchard/OLB Utah: Nice value in the third. No-nonsense pass rusher with high production. Team needs a source of a pass rush.
76. MIN – Ali Marpet/OG Hobart: Team isn’t afraid to go after small school lineman, paying off with Brandon Fusco from Slippery Rock. David Yankey set to start Day One. Marpet could compete though transition is immediately tough.
77. CLE – Tyler Lockett/WR Kansas St: One of my personal favorites. Bit like Andrew Hawkins but more explosive with elite return value.
78. NO – Bryce Petty/QB Baylor: Full blown rebuild mode and they start to look for Drew Brees’ replacement.
79. SF – Henry Anderson/DE Stanford: Personal favorite five tech prospect. Heir to Justin Smith. Wins with quickness.
80. KC – Andy Gallik/C Boston College: Only true center is Eric Kush. Competition. BC prospect has gotten some love, risen in mocks.
81. BUF – Marcus Hardison/DT Arizona St: Team values its pass rush, ability to rotate. Hardison is a quick-footed DT with ten sacks in 2014.
82. HOU – Blake Bell/TE Oklahoma: Surprising pick, perhaps a bit early, but poor class and Bell has lots of upside. Take another QB to TE a la James Casey.
83. SD – David Johnson/RB Northern Iowa: Best receiving back in this year’s class, Chargers look to add a small school talent to help replace Ryan Matthews.
84. PHI – Shaq Mason/OG Georgia Tech: Chip Kelly surprises everyone with Mason. Short but moves exceptionally well and is a good scheme fit. If Collins doesn’t go in Round One, this is where Adrian Amos goes. Book it.
85. CIN – Adrian Amos/SS Penn State: Amos goes one pick later. Versatile guy who can be a hybrid, which they’ve done with a guy like Taylor Mays before. Not a playmaker but few flaws and a practical pick.
86. ARI – Hroniss Grasu/C Oregon: Center has needed addressed for awhile as the Cardinals continue to devote their offseason to fixing the interior offensive line.
87. PIT – John Miller/OG Louisville: BPA and Miller is still one of my top guys. Power guard who can move, he becomes the likely future replacement for Ramon Foster, who is in the last year of his contract.
88. DET – Steven Nelson/CB Oregon St: Little bit of BPA here with not a lot obvious on the board for the Lions. Could use the depth behind aging Mathis. Nelson physical kid with enough size to start in this league.
89. CAR – Markus Golden/DE Missouri: Back-to-back years of a Missouri DL after Kony Ealy in the second. Beef up the pass rush lost with Hardy officially gone.
90. BAL – Ifo Expre-Olomu/CB Oregon: Without a lot of holes, the team can afford to take a flier on Ifo, potentially losing him for half the season.
91. DAL – Jordan Hicks/OLB Texas: Protection for Sean Lee who as good as he is, can’t really be trusted at this point.
92. DEN – Jaquiski Tartt/FS Samford: Top small school kid with good ball skills as they look to replace loss of Rahim Moore.
93. IND – Jay Ajayi/RB Boise St: Knee concerns cause him to fall. Team did bring in Gore but will only be there for two years. Long-term future who can split and keep Gore fresh.
94. GB – Ben Heeney/ILB Kansas: Inside linebacker is a big need and perhaps ignored a little too long for the Packers. Henney a throwback kid. Hard hitter.
95. SEA – Doran Grant/CB Ohio St: Cornerback sneaky need after losing Maxwell, Lane’s injury, Simon’s ineffectiveness. Grant good starting experience from a top school.
96. NE – Rob Havenstein/OT Wisconsin: Big kid with better feet than you’d expect but struggles to bend. RT only.
97. NE – D’Joun Smith/CB Florida Atlantic: Fast corner who ran in the 4.4’s. Great 2013 campaign with 7 INTs.
98. KC – Josh Shaw/CB USC: Possible switch to safety. Big body teams look for if you can overlook the unusual off the field issues.
99. CIN – Xavier Cooper/DT Washington St: Feels like Bengals are always collecting mid-round lineman. Penetrator in their 4-3. Geno Atkins, Brandon Thompson, Margus Hunt.
