Tag: NFL

2020 NFL Draft Recap: AFC West

Denver Broncos

Favorite Pick: Round 1, Pick 15 Overall – Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama – You can easily argue Jeudy was the best receiver in the draft and I had both the Raiders and 49ers taking receivers in my mock so I was shocked to see Jeudy slide to the Broncos. Courtland Sutton is a very good receiver, but he may be demoted to WR2 by week one, Jeudy is that talented. You can look at Alabama draft picks in the Nick Saban era and find plenty of inconsistency at the NFL level, but WR has been one position that has translated well, and Jeudy should continue that trend.

Least Favorite Pick: Round 3, Pick 77 Overall – Michael Ojemudia, CB, Iowa – Not a terrible selection and definitely a need given Chris Harris moved on to the Chargers, but there were better options here. I had Troy Pride, Josiah Scott, Bryce Hall, Cameron Dantzler, and Amik Robertson ahead of Ojemudia on my board and all guys I feel could have stepped in better than him. Ojemudia struggles in man coverage, and may be best suited to be a free safety in the long term, not exactly something the Broncos with Justin Simmons already there.

Day Three Sleeper: Round 4, Pick 118 Overall, Albert Okwuegbunam, TE, Missouri – Tight End was far from a need for the Broncos, but the fact Albert O was still on the board in day three was a luxury too good to pass up. He is not much of a blocker, but his big body allows him to win contested balls and he ran a sub-4.50 40-yard dash, so he can stretch the field. Adding him to Noah Fant, Jeff Heuerman, Troy Fumagali, Jake Butt, and Nick Vannett gives the Broncos as deep and competitive a TE room as any in the league.

Undrafted Free Agent to Watch: Kendall Hinton, WR, Wake Forest – The Broncos loaded up the offense with weapons in the draft, and they continued it in UDFA. Considered by many as one of the big snubs not invited to the NFL combine, Hinton likely would have truly raised his stock to a sure-fire draft pick had he gone. He is a slot receiver who should make the back end of the roster but could be in competition as one of the slot options in four and five wide sets by year two.

Kansas City Chiefs

Favorite Pick: Round 1, Pick 32 Overall – Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB, LSU – The Broncos may have loaded up on offensive weapons in an attempt to keep up with the Chiefs, but the Chiefs went ahead and drafted one of the better all-around RBs in the draft and that offense just gets better. There is a real chance Edwards-Helaire is the go to back ahead of Damien Williams on Week 1. He is short, but sturdy, so he can run inside, but won’t be much of a goal line threat (hint to fantasy owners out there) so he will be more of a guy who is effective between the 20s.

Least Favorite Pick: Round 2, Pick 63 Overall – Willie Gay Jr., ILB, Mississippi State – I don’t necessarily dislike this pick, I just don’t love it. I liked Gay in the third round, so round two was a bit rich for me, plus there were other inside backers I liked btter. Zack Baun and Troy Dye are both guys I would have preferred, that said, Gay should be a quality player and this being my least favorite pick for the Chiefs is actually a complement to their draft.

Day Three Sleeper: Round 4, Pick 138 – L’Jarius Sneed, S, Louisiana Tech – I don’t like Sneed as a safety, but the Chiefs believe he can transition to corner where he played in 2018, and could bring good value there. He can fly once he gets going and will slide right in as a package defender for the team. Look for him to be a situational player in year one with a shot to be a starter by year two.

Undrafted Free Agent to Watch: Kalija Lipscomb, WR, Vanderbilt – Lipscomb plays like a big receiver but is only 6’ tall. He is no burner, so different from most Chiefs players, however he has long arms and very good hands that allow him to keep moving for the catch and run. He is likely a fifth or sixth option as receiver, but could offer Patrick Mahomes yet another weapon as his game speed is better than his 4.57 40-yard dash would suggest.

Las Vegas Raiders

Favorite Pick: Round 1, Pick 12 Overall – Henry Rugs III, WR, Alabama – Both first round Alabama receivers go to the AFC West with Ruggs being the surprise first WR off the board. At least, somewhat of a surprise, as this pick screams late owner Al Davis if anything. Ruggs ran a combine best 4.27 40-yard dash and was disappointed by it. Considering his biggest competition for targets is likely the TE duo of Darren Waller and Jason Witten (Tyrell Williams was the Raider number one receiver before this) Ruggs should have every chance to shine in Vegas.

Least Favorite Pick: Round 1, Pick 19 Overall – Damon Arnette, CB, Ohio State – A guy I had as my eighth corner going late in round two, Arnette was a shocker going pick 19 overall, fourth among corners. Then again, this is the Raiders who picked Clelin Ferrell fourth overall a season ago. Don’t get me wrong, Arnette will be a starting corner Week One, I am just not sure he was the best option here.

Day Three Sleeper: Round 4, Pick 139 Overall – Amik Robertson, CB, Louisiana Tech – Robertson will be given every opportunity to earn a spot as a nickel corner, but likely more of a dime back in season one. He is only 5’8” otherwise he would have been a day two selection and he packs a punch despite his smaller stature. I expect him to line up over the slot receiver for the entirety of his career, but I wouldn’t be shocked to see him become a quality blitzer from that position.

Undrafted Free Agent to Watch: Javin White, S, UNLV – Considering the Raiders didn’t have a ton of selections in the draft, and none after round four, it is a bit baffling to see their UDFA list at just seven as of my writing, and two of those are a kicker and long snapper. White is the best fit for the Raiders as he can play a downhill strong safety or linebacker. In order to be safety, he needs a lot of work on technique, while he probably needs to add 20 lbs. if he wants to be linebacker. Despite this, he is a hometown kid two times, growing up in Oakland (where the Raiders were) and going to school in Vegas (where the Raiders are) so he is as easy an UDFA to root for as there is in Raiders camp.

Los Angeles Chargers

Favorite Pick: Round 1, Pick 23 Overall – Kenneth Murray, ILB, Oklahoma – The Chargers moved back into the first round when they saw Murray still on the board late into round one, and got a guy who fits a need perfectly. They lost Thomas Davis, the team’s leading tackler a year ago, and Murray will slide right into that spot. He could battle for the team lead in tackles himself this season and will improve a run defense that was about league average a season ago.

Least Favorite Pick: Round 1, Pick 6 Overall – Justin Herbert , QB, Oregon – The fact the Chargers had two picks in round one and none on day two didn’t give a ton of options to choose from for least favorite, but I would have considered Herbert to be the selection to any team in the top half of round one. He has all the tools and has the look of a QB in LA, but the inconsistencies are a real concern as is his accuracy. The fact the Chargers have Tyrod Taylor may be the best part of this selection, as they can truly let Herbert work as the backup and soak in the speed of the NFL, but then again what team is really patient enough to let that happen these days?

Day Three Sleeper: Round 5, Pick 151 Overall – Joe Reed, WR, Virginia – This is one of those picks that only die-hard Chargers fans will truly appreciate this season. Reed averaged better than 28.5 yards per return during his time at Virginia and he amassed 17 tackles, meaning he can make an impact returning and covering kicks. As a receiver, he is a well-built slot receiver who was a HS running back so he will be a threat on shovel passes and coming around in jet sweeps. There might not be team that would have suited Reed better, so an excellent fit all around.

Undrafted Free Agent to Watch: Joe Graziano, DE, Northwestern – The UDFA class for the Chargers isn’t great, but there may not have been a more productive player in the class than Graziano. He was a very effective edge rusher in the Big Ten with Northwestern, and that alone is worthy of note. He saw plenty of future NFL offensive lineman and still managed to get to the QB, although his short arm and lack of burst doesn’t suggest he will have the same success at the next level. Overall, I doubt he makes the team, but he may be a practice squad guy asked to put on 20 lbs. or so and work as a hybrid lineman who can attack guards rather than tackles.

2020 NFL Draft Recap: AFC South

Houston Texans

Favorite Pick: Round 2, Pick 40 Overall – Ross Blacklock, DT, TCU – One could easily argue Blacklock should have gone in the first round, so always good to see a team without a first-round pick get first round value. Blacklock will not be a run-stuffing plugger like they once had in Vince Wilfork, instead he will more often line up over a guard and work to get after the QB, and interior pass rush is becoming more and more important in today’s NFL.

Least Favorite Pick: Round 3, Pick 90 Overall – Jonathan Greenard, Edge, Florida – The value here isn’t poor and there really wasn’t a better edge rusher available at the time, but seeing guys like Bradlee Anae, Curtis Weaver, and Khalid Kareem fall to round five, the Texans would have been off going corner in this spot as I feel there was better value there at the time.

Day Three Sleeper: Round 4, Pick 126 Overall – Charlie Heck, OT, North Carolina – A Heck of a pick here (see what I did there?) The Texans have had plenty of trouble keeping Deshaun Watson upright in recent years, so adding depth to the O-line was definitely a need. Heck will likely never be a starter, but he can fill in at either tackle as a backup and be serviceable in the role.

Undrafted Free Agent to Watch: Scottie Phillips, RB, Ole Miss – David Johnson is not the RB he once was, and Duke Johnson is purely a third down back and the RB depth chart is pretty barren after that for the Texans. This should open up a real opportunity for Phillips to earn a spot on the roster, and potentially as the primary backup to David Johnson. He was not a main target in the passing game in Oxford, but he has good enough hands to catch the ball and he is a big play back if he can get the edge.

Indianapolis Colts

Favorite Pick: Round 2, Pick 34 Overall – Michael Pittman, WR, USC – Watching the draft I immediately gained a soft spot for Pittman as they flashed him in his youth football jersey for the SCVAA Warriors, which happened to be the same organization I played for when I was a kid. After that, I looked at the player and the Colts may finally have a valid option opposite T.Y. Hilton. He was incredibly productive at USC, a Biletnikoff Award finalist, and the bloodlines that come from his father having played 11 seasons in the NFL. Another receiver who would garner first round consideration in another draft, but the depth this year assured he fell to round two.

Least Favorite Pick: Round 2, Pick 41 Overall – Jonathan Taylor, RB, Wisconsin – Looking at the highlights and numbers there is little doubt Taylor would be a favorite pick for the Colts, but the fumbles are too big a concern. He touched the ball more than 300 times in three consecutive seasons and averaged 5 fumbles a season. This means he is a turnover risk every time he touches the ball and he has as much wear and tear as any RB to enter the draft in recent memory, a recipe for disaster.

Day Three Sleeper: Round 4, Pick 122 Overall – Jacob Eason, QB, Washington – With the addition of Eason, the Colts may have the deepest QB room in all of the NFL as they now have Philip Rivers as the starter and Jacoby Brissett as the backup. I fully expected Eason to go on day two of the draft and was shocked to see him still on the board here for the Colts. He is big, potentially too big given recent history at the position, standing 6’6” and with a massive arm. His big problems are inconsistency, but the Colts should have a well above average backup QB and potentially someone who develops in to a quality starter.

Undrafted Free Agent to Watch: Rodrigo Blankenship, K, Georgia – The Colts had trouble at kicker a season ago as Adam Vinatieri finally started to look his age. Enter the goggle wearing star from Georgia, Rodrigo Blankenship. He may be remembered mostly for his miss against South Carolina, and he had three kicks blocked, but he was 6/9 from 50+ and made 92.7% of his kicks inside 40.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Favorite Pick: Round 2, Pick 42 Overall – Lavishka Shenault Jr., WR, Colorado – I really liked the first three selections by the Jaguars, as C.J. Henderson could become a lock down corner, and K’Lavon Chaisson will slide in as an immediate starter as an edge backer opposite Myles Jack. With Shenault though, the Jags get a multi-faceted playmaker who can score anytime he touches the ball and get do just that via a deep route, bubble screen, or even carrying the ball. He is my early favorite to be my top rookie in fantasy leagues this season.

Least Favorite Pick: Round 3, Pick 73 Overall – DaVon Hamilton, DT, Ohio State – As big a body as there is at DT in the draft, there was little doubt a team would fall in love with Hamilton, but not sure he is worth a third rounder. He only started for Ohio State one season and is athletic for a guy weighing in at 320 lbs., but he isn’t really a run stuffer, and he isn’t really a pass rusher. Overall, he is a guy that is good at a lot, but great at nothing, so the upside is rather limited.

Day Three Sleeper: Round 4, Pick 137 Overall – Josiah Scott, CB, Michigan State – I nearly went with fifth round selection Collin Johnson here, but I feel Scott has the quicker path to impact. He ran a 4.42 40-yard dash at the combine and came away with seven picks in 30 college games, including more than a pass defended a game. If he was a 6’ corner, he would have been day two pick if he had more prototypical size but being just 5’9” he is likely best suited as a slot corner in the NFL.

Undrafted Free Agent to Watch: J.R. Reed, S, Georgia – The Jaguars have actually had a very good UDFA class, but none are expected to shine brighter than Reed. Many had him as an early day three selection, instead he goes undrafted and the Jags were quick to sign him up. He is a smart safety and has the ball skills you expect as the son of former NFL receiver Jake Reed. He can go get the ball in the air and will be able to cover tight ends one-on-one.

Tennessee Titans

Favorite Pick: Round 2, Pick 61 Overall – Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU – I had Fulton as a first-round pick, but he goes near the end of round two. He has the perfect size at 6’ and 195 lbs. while running a 4.46 40-yard dash. There is some concern about the makeup as he was suspended all of 2017 after falsifying a specimen for a drug test, otherwise he would have more tape and likely been a sure fire round one selection.

Least Favorite Pick: None – The Titans didn’t have a phenomenal draft, but I don’t feel they missed with any pick. Darrynton Evans is going to be a really good change of pace option for Derrick Henry, and their first-round pick of Isaiah Wilson should slide right in at right tackle.

Day Three Sleeper: Round 7, Pick 224 Overall – Cole McDonald, QB, Hawaii – Good athleticism, quality touch, looks off defenders well equals a seventh round pick that should be able to earn a spot as a long term backup in the league. His deep ball needs plenty of work, but an athletic game manager isn’t the worst thing to have as QB depth.

Undrafted Free Agent to Watch: Kobe Smith, DT, South Carolina – Often overshadowed by teammate Javon Kinlaw, Smith was the less sexy run stuffer to Kinlaw’s pass rushing acumen. Smith won’t be a guy who gets after the passer but is a guy who can play on early down to help stuff the run. He will never be a stand out star, but he is just the kind of ancillary piece a team needs to stay competitive.

2020 NFL Draft Recap: AFC North

Baltimore Ravens

Favorite Pick: All from the first two days – Seriously, what the heck do the Ravens do to ensure the right players fall to them every draft? Patrick Queen was the best LB in the draft for me, LB was the biggest need for the Ravens, and he falls right in their lap. Next round they go ahead and grab J.K Dobbins to start working with Mark Ingram and should be the featured back by the end of the season. Then Justin Madubuike slips to them as a DT that fits the Ravens way perfectly. Devin Duvernay is easily a second-round talent but, due to the depth in WR this year, falls to the end of round three and will be able to be a quality second receiver across Hollywood Brown. Malik Harrison is a quality player and basically just gravy for the Ravens in round three.

Least Favorite Pick: None – Seriously, I could try and make a case for Malik Harrison, but I would just be blowing smoke, so I am gonna say I did not have a least favorite pick for the Ravens.

Day Three Sleeper: Round 7, Pick 219 Overall – Geno Stone, S, Iowa – James Proche in the end of round six is another guy to keep an eye on and he easily could have been a selection on day two, but I am going deeper sleeper than that. Nothing about him is prototypical, but he is an intelligent center fielding safety that the Ravens will almost certainly get the most out of.

Undrafted Free Agent to Watch: Tyler Huntley, QB, Utah – The Ravens brought in Trace McSorley a season ago as a sixth-round pick and, despite being inactive most regular season games, he balled out in the preseason. Now they bring in Tyler Huntley to add to the QB room, but he has the athleticism to potentially shift to WR. I thought he was a draftable guy based purely on athleticism, although the he is quite skinny which is a concern and the time it takes to let the ball loose may be what prevents him from sticking at QB.

Cincinnati Bengals

Favorite Pick: Round 1, Pick 1 Overall – Joe Burrow, QB, LSU – Burrow was set to go first overall for months and it came to fruition despite reports of the Dolphins making a real push to trade up. Burrow has possibly the greatest single season in college football history and pulled off the rare feat of Heisman Trophy winner, National Champion, and first overall pick all within the same year. If there is a knock it is the fact he was little more than average in seasons prior, but there is no arguing what he did in 2019.

Least Favorite Pick: Round 3, Pick 65 Overall – Logan Wilson, LB, Wyoming – I didn’t dislike this pick, but I didn’t love it either and you can’t argue with Joe Burrow at the top of the draft and Tee Higgins at the top of round two. Zack Baun was still on the board when the Bengals selected Wilson and I don’t think there is much argument that Wilson is a better prospect. Given the new CBA rules, a diluted urine sample doesn’t have the same impact it once did, so that should not have prevented the Bengals from selecting Baun.

Day Three Sleeper: Round 5, Pick 147 Overall – Khalid Hareem, Edge, Notre Dame – Kareem was never a dominant pass rusher at Notre Dame and that won’t be what the Bengals are looking for from him despite his size being that of a traditional edge rusher. Instead, he will be the kind of guy who lines up on the right tackle and stuffs him in his place allowing the second level to come up and stop the run. He is first and second down depth, and quality value at this point in the draft.

Undrafted Free Agent to Watch: None – Again, I am not going to force a name I don’t believe in. The Bengals had a quality draft, but they haven’t brought in much talent thus far in UDFA. Not a knock, it is still somewhat early, just none that I see as worthy of calling out.

Cleveland Browns

Favorite Pick: Round 2, Pick 44 Overall – Grant Delpit, S, LSU – A throwback strong safety, Delpit is a downhill defender looking for the big hit to dislodge the football in the passing game and can stop a running back in the open field. His final season at LSU was hampered by injuries after a stellar 2018. Had he repeated what he did a season ago, he would have been a first-round pick, so grabbing him in round two is a great grab for Cleveland.

Least Favorite Pick: Round 1, Pick 10 Overall – Jedrick Wills, OT, Alabama – Said it in regards to the Jets first round selection, I don’t dislike Jedrick Wills, I just love Tristan Wirfs. Wills’ size screams for a potential move down to guard at some point in the future but he will probably be the week one left tackle, something I just feel there were better plug and play options at this spot.

Day Three Sleeper: Round 4, Pick 115 Overall – Harrison Bryant, TE, Florida Atlantic – The Browns have no shortage in pass catching TEs as they bring back David Njoku, signed Austin Hooper, and now draft Harrison Bryant. Bryant will be the clear cut third option at tight end this season but could have a breakout sophomore campaign if they cut ties with Njoku. Unlike Njoku, Bryant is a quality blocker and will bring a multi-dimensional skill set to the club.

Undrafted Free Agent to Watch: Kevin Davidson, QB, Princeton – Anytime there is an Ivy League QB added in UDFA it is worthy of keeping an eye on. Davidson did not see the field much his first three seasons but broke out in his senior year. He is an intelligent QB, not just because he is an Ivy Leaguer, with good touch and accuracy in short to intermediate throws. He does not have a big arm and struggles with the deep ball, so a trip to the practice squad is most likely for Davidson.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Favorite Pick: Round 2, Pick 49 Overall – Chase Claypool, WR, Notre Dame – it seems you could really highlight any team that took a WR in this draft and call it a favorite pick or a day three sleeper simply based on the depth at the position this year. Claypool fell right around where he should have been drafted, but you can make the argument to take him in round one, so the Steelers first pick coming in round two and getting Claypool is good value. He is a big body pass catcher that just missed a 4.40-flat 40-yard dash. Full package at receiver that should be a quality number two or three option.

Least Favorite Pick: Round 3, Pick 102 Overall – Alex Highsmith, Edge, Charlotte – Highsmith was productive in the Sun Belt, but he does not have great size or strength, making him primarily a third down edge rusher. Taking him on day three may have made him a sleeper, but on day two ahead of guys like Bradlee Anae and Curtis Weaver I just don’t like the pick.

Day Three Sleeper: Round 4, Pick 135 Overall – Kevin Dotson, G, Louisiana – Dotson was seen by more scouts than would typically be at a Rajin’ Cajun game thanks to fellow line-mate Robert Hunt, but Dotson made the most of the exposure. He is a punishing run blocker who regularly took care of the first level defenders and moved onto the second level. He will be a two position backup to start, but could easily be a starting guard by 2021.

Undrafted Free Agent to Watch: Josiah Coatney, DT, Ole Miss – It wasn’t much of a surprise to see Coatney go undrafted, but he has landed in a great spot for his game. He has ideal size for a DT but can get knocked back too easily and does not excel in pass rush. Overall, he will really have to battle to make the team and will likely start on a practice squad, but I anticipate enough development to stick around and see some playing time over the next few seasons.

2020 NFL Draft Recap: AFC East

I will be running through each team’s draft highighting my favorite and least favorite picks (typically from days one or two) and a day three sleeper to keep an eye on. I will also feature my favorite undrafted free agent signing for each team.

Buffalo Bills

Favorite Pick: Round 3, Pick 86 Overall – Zack Moss, RB, Utah – I really liked the selection of A.J. Epenesa in round two, but I think Moss will be the one we look back on as the best pick. As much as I like Devin Singletary, a fellow third round selection just a season ago, I believe Moss will become a true committee back along with him. The combo will give the Bills a very good two-headed monster in the backfield, while I believe Epenesa will open the season as a true backup.

Least Favorite Pick: Round 4, Pick 128 Overall – Gabriel Davis, WR, UCF – Typically my least favorite will be somebody from the first three rounds, but the Bills only had two picks in those rounds and I liked them both. I don’t have a real issue with Davis, I just didn’t feel he was the top WR on the board at the time, and he certainly was not a position of need given the fact they traded for Stefon Diggs. I feel they would have been better suited going after a position of need with Troy Dye or Bryce Hall.

Day Three Sleeper: Round 5, Pick 167 Overall – Jake Fromm, QB, Georgia – Fromm is certainly not an immediate need of the Bills, but Matt Barkley got starts when Josh Allen was out a season ago and another QB to battle for the backup gig is never a bad idea. Fromm’s biggest knock is a lack of arm strength and heading to the AFC East where three of the four teams are in environments that have adverse weather is not ideal, Fromm is exactly what you want from a backup. A smart QB with a winning pedigree, a solid selection.

Undrafted Free Agent to Watch: Trey Adams, OT, Washington – One of the best offensive lineman to go undrafted, Adams has a real shot to make the Bills team. He stands 6’8” and weighs in at 318 lbs., he has to prototypical size for a tackle, although he does not use his body ideally, often playing smaller than his size. He has plenty of athleticism, so he may be best suited to play guard despite his length.

Miami Dolphins

Favorite Pick: Round 1, Pick 5 Overall – Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama – The Dolphins came into the season “Tanking for Tua”, end up with a winning record over the final 9 games of the season, and still land Tua. The injuries are an obvious concern but, by all accounts, nobody throws a better ball that Tua and he does not have to start this season since they have Fitz-Magic on the roster. I loved the fact they added a trio of blockers to go ahead of him, and Raekwon Davis is a quality run stuffer, but the player this draft will be known for is Tua.

Least Favorite Pick: Round 1, Pick 30 Overall – Noah Igbinoghene, CB, Auburn – Putting aside the fact few had Igbinoghene as the top corner on the board at the time, it was one of the few positions the Dolphins actually didn’t need help at. Xavien Howard and Byron Jones are well paid and top tier corners, while the safety position needs help as does the linebacking and receiving groups.

Day Three Sleeper: Round 5, Pick 164 Overall – Curtis Weaver, Edge, Boise State – I actually really liked the Dolphins draft as a whole, and I easily could have chosen Solomon Kindley as a bruising guard, or Malcolm Perry for the intrigue of the QB turned WR from Navy, but I wound up going Weaver here. I had Weaver as a day two selection and actually like him better than the end the Dolphins also selected ten spots ahead of him, Jason Stowbridge. Weaver got after the QB and was very productive for Boise who should be a situational pass rusher with success for the Dolphins.

Undrafted Free Agent to Watch: Kirk Merritt, WR, Arkansas State – An absolute physical freak, guy can jump out of the building and has great strength. He ran track at Oregon before transferring out to the JuCo levels and heading to Arkansas State. He is still raw but has a real shot to make the club as a special teamer who can return kicks and the speed/strength combo to be a quality gunner on kickoff and punt teams.

New England Patriots

Favorite Pick: Round 2, Pick 37 Overall – Kyle Dugger, S, Lenoir-Rhyne – I would have loved to see the Patriots take Yetur Gross-Matos here, a player who went one spot later, but they wound up getting two quality edge rushers so that wound up working out for them. Dugger is a guy I struggled with ahead of the draft because, as a D-II player, I saw practically no tape on him. After the draft, having spoken with many about the pick, I am officially sold. He plays tough downhill like a strong safety but can go get the ball like a traditional free safety. Overall, the perfect fit for the Patriots defense.

Least Favorite Pick: Round 5, Pick 159 Overall – Justin Rohrwasser, K, Marshall – I never come away from the draft really liking what the Patriots did, and for the most part that is the case yet again. I did not get the two TEs they took at the end of Round 3 as I felt there were better available, I had a list 750 names deep with me at the draft and they Patriots managed to select someone not on that list in Cassh Malula in the sixth, but Rohrwasser was a special kind of miss. Not only was it the first kicker off the board, granted it was a need, it comes out after he has an anti-government tattoo with some, well, questionable ties.

Day Three Sleeper: Round 6, Pick 182 Overall – Mike Onwenu, G, Michigan – Standing 6’3” and weighing in at 344 lbs., there is no denying Onwenu is a massive human being. Add to that 26 reps on the bench and a knack for pancaking defenders in run blocking, the Patriots may have stolen a future league average starter in round 6.

Undrafted Free Agent to Watch: Brian Lewerke, QB, Michigan State – The Patriots surprised many by going through the entire draft without selecting a singe QB, so it is no surprise they landed on of the top undrafted guys at the position. The fact he never completed 60% of his passes and often missed hitting receivers in stride is a real concern, but there is plenty of arm strength and ability to slide around the pocket to buy time.

New York Jets

Favorite Pick: Round 2, Pick 59 Overall – Denzel Mims, WR, Baylor – Baylor got a lot of air time this season given their undefeated run before seeing Oklahoma twice, and every time you put on a Baylor ballgame, Mims was making plays. He has good size, a sub-4..40 40, and can block. In another draft he is a first-round receiver but depth at the position caused him to fall to the back end of round two in this draft.

Least Favorite Pick: Round 1, Pick 11 Overall – Mekhi Becton, OT, Louisville – This is the start of what will be a trend for me, essentially marking any tackle not named Tristan Wirfs as a least favorite pick. I actually like Becton a lot and think he will be a quality player; I just don’t think he was anywhere close to the best available.

Day Three Sleeper: Round 5, Pick 158 Overall – Bryce Hall, CB, Virginia – Hall went back to Virginia for another year to try and become a first-round selection, but instead he slides to the fifth. This was undoubtedly one of the top needs for the Jets, and they get a guy who was once a no-brainer day two selection mid-way through day three, this decision was easy for me.

Undrafted Free Agent to Watch: Lamar Jackson, CB, Nebraska – Yes, there are now two Lamar Jackson’s in the NFL, although this one will never be the star the QB in Baltimore is. I was actually quite surprised Jackson did not get drafted, as there were some that saw him as a potential day two selection. He is a big corner, standing 6’2”, and may eventually have to move to safety as he is very good with the ball in the air but can be beat by quick receivers. If he moved to free safety, his size and ability to get after contestable balls could make him a multiple year contributor to the Jets secondary.

2020 3 Round NFL Mock Draft

Rnd.	Pick #	NFL team	Player	Pos.	College
1	1	Cincinnati Bengals	Joe Burrow	QB	LSU
1	2	Washington Redskins	Chase Young	Edge	Ohio State
1	3	Detroit Lions	Jeff Okudah	CB	Ohio State
1	4	New York Giants	Tristan Wirfs	OT	Iowa
1	5	Miami Dolphins	Tua Tagovailoa	QB	Alabama
1	6	Los Angeles Chargers	Justin Herbert	QB	Oregon
1	7	Carolina Panthers	Isaiah Simmons	LB	Clemson
1	8	Arizona Cardinals	Jedrick Wills Jr.	OT	Alabama
1	9	Jacksonville Jaguars	Javon Kinlaw	DT	South Carolina
1	10	Cleveland Browns	Derrick Brown	DT	Auburn
1	11	New York Jets	Andrew Thomas	OT	Georgia
1	12	Las Vegas Raiders	CeeDee Lamb	WR	Oklahoma
1	13	San Francisco 49ers	Jerry Jeudy	WR	Alabama
1	14	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Mekhi Becton	OT	Louisville
1	15	Denver Broncos	Henry Ruggs III	WR	Alabama
1	16	Atlanta Falcons	C.J. Henderson	CB	Florida
1	17	Dallas Cowboys	K’Lavon Chaisson	Edge	LSU
1	18	Miami Dolphins	Austin Jackson	OT	USC
1	19	Las Vegas Raiders	Jordan Love	QB	Utah State
1	20	Jacksonville Jaguars	Xavier McKinney	S	Alabama
1	21	Philadelphia Eagles	Justin Jefferson	WR	LSU
1	22	Minnesota Vikings	A.J. Terrell	CB	Clemson
1	23	New England Patriots	Yetur Gross-Matos	Edge	Penn State
1	24	New Orleans Saints	Patrick Queen	LB	LSU
1	25	Minnesota Vikings	Tee Higgins	WR	Clemson
1	26	Miami Dolphins	D’Andrew Swift	RB	Georgia
1	27	Seattle Seahawks	A.J. Epenesa	Edge	Iowa
1	28	Baltimore Ravens	Kenneth Murray	LB	Oklahoma
1	29	Tennessee Titans	Joshua Jones	OT	Houston
1	30	Green Bay Packers	Laviska Shenault Jr.	WR	Colorado
1	31	San Francisco 49ers	Ross Blalock	DT	TCU
1	32	Kansas City Chiefs	J.K. Dobbins	RB	Ohio State
2	33	Cincinnati Bengals	Zack Baun	LB	Wisconsin
2	34	Indianapolis Colts	Denzel Mims	WR	Baylor
2	35	Detroit Lions	Neville Gallimore	DT	Oklahoma
2	36	New York Giants	Grant Delpit	S	LSU
2	37	Los Angeles Chargers	Trevon Diggs	CB	Alabama
2	38	Carolina Panthers	Jalen Hurts	QB	Oklahoma
2	39	Miami Dolphins	Brandon Aiyuk	WR	Arizona State
2	40	Houston Texans	Justin Madubuike	DT	Texas A&M
2	41	Cleveland Browns	Antoine Winfield Jr.	S	Minnesota
2	42	Jacksonville Jaguars	Jacob Eason	QB	Washington
2	43	Chicago Bears	Kristian Fulton	CB	LSU
2	44	Indianapolis Colts	Cole Kmet	TE	Notre Dame
2	45	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Jonathan Taylor	RB	Wisconsin
2	46	Denver Broncos	Jeff Gladney	CB	TCU
2	47	Atlanta Falcons	Terrell Lewis	Edge	Alabama
2	48	New York Jets	Michael Pittman Jr.	WR	USC
2	49	Pittsburgh Steelers	Ezra Cleveland	OT	Boise State
2	50	Chicago Bears	Terrell Burgess	S	Utah
2	51	Dallas Cowboys	Jaylon Johnson	CB	Utah
2	52	Los Angeles Rams	Cesar Ruiz	C	Michigan
2	53	Philadelphia Eagles	Damon Arnette	CB	Ohio State
2	54	Buffalo Bills	Clyde Edwards-Helaire	RB	LSU
2	55	Baltimore Ravens	Jalen Reagnor	WR	TCU
2	56	Miami Dolphins	Ashtyn Davis	S	Cal
2	57	Houston Texans	Curtis Weaver	Edge	Boise State
2	58	Minnesota Vikings	Josh Uche	Edge	Michigan
2	59	Seattle Seahawks	Isaiah Wilson	OT	Georgia
2	60	Baltimore Ravens	Robert Hunt	OG	Louisiana
2	61	Tennessee Titans	Marlon Davidson	DE	Auburn
2	62	Green Bay Packers	Adam Trautman	TE	Dayton
2	63	Kansas City Chiefs	Noah Igbinoghene	CB	Auburn
2	64	Seattle Seahawks	Tyler Johnson	WR	Minnesota
3	65	Cincinnati Bengals	KJ Hamler	WR	Penn State
3	66	Washington Redskins	Lloyd Cusheberry III	C	LSU
3	67	Detroit Lions	Julian Okwara	Edge	Notre Dame
3	68	New York Jets	Nick Harris	C	Washington
3	69	Carolina Panthers	Jordan Elliot	DT	Missouri
3	70	Miami Dolphins	Lucas Niang	OT	TCU
3	71	Los Angeles Chargers	Cam Akers	RB	Florida State
3	72	Arizona Cardinals	Akeem Davis-Gaither	LB	Appalachian State
3	73	Jacksonville Jaguars	Cameron Dantzler	CB	Mississippi State
3	74	Cleveland Browns	Prince Tega Wanogho	OT	Auburn
3	75	Indianapolis Colts	Jake Fromm	QB	Georgia
3	76	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Bryce Hall	CB	Virginia
3	77	Denver Broncos	Tyler Biadasz	C	Wisconsin
3	78	Atlanta Falcons	Zack Moss	RB	Utah
3	79	New York Jets	Bradlee Anae	Edge	Utah
3	80	Las Vegas Raiders	Jeremy Chinn	S	Southern Illinois
3	81	Las Vegas Raiders	Devin Duvernay	WR	Texas
3	82	Dallas Cowboys	Jared Pickney	TE	Vanderbilt
3	83	Denver Broncos	Troy Dye	LB	Oregon
3	84	Los Angeles Rams	Jonathan Greenard	Edge	Florida
3	85	Detroit Lions	Jonah Jackson	OG	Ohio State
3	86	Buffalo Bills	Troy Pride Jr.	CB	Notre Dame
3	87	New England Patriots	Chase Claypool	WR	Notre Dame
3	88	New Orleans Saints	Donovan Peoples-Jones	WR	Michigan
3	89	Minnesota Vikings	Matt Hennessy	C	Temple
3	90	Houston Texans	Netane Muti	OG	Fresno State
3	91	Las Vegas Raiders	Amik Robertson	CB	Louisiana Tech
3	92	Baltimore Ravens	Lamical Perine	RB	Florida
3	93	Tennessee Titans	Hunter Bryant	TE	Washington
3	94	Green Bay Packers	Malik Harrison	LB	Ohio State
3	95	Denver Broncos	Matt Peart	OT	Connecticut
3	96	Kansas City Chiefs	Jack Driscoll	OG	Auburn
3	97	Cleveland Browns	Willie Gay Jr.	LB	Mississippi State
3	98	New England Patriots	Nate Stanley	QB	Iowa
3	99	New York Giants	Khalid Kareem	Edge	Notre Dame
3	100	New England Patriots	Albert Okwuegbunam	TE	Missouri
3	101	Seattle Seahawks	Raekwon Davis	DT	Alabama
3	102	Pittsburgh Steelers	Davon Hamilton	DT	Ohio State
3	103	Philadelphia Eagles	Anfernee Jennings	Edge	Alabama
3	104	Los Angeles Rams	Michael Ojemudia	CB	Iowa
3	105	Minnesota Vikings	Alex Taylor	OT	South Carolina State
3	106	Baltimore Ravens	Jabari Zuniga	Edge	Florida

Predicting the NFL Season

AFC

North	WLT	Div
Steelers	12-4	4-2
Ravens	10-6	4-2
Browns	10-6	3-3
Bengals	3-13	1-5

South	WLT	Div
Texans	10-6	4-2
Jaguars	8-8	3-3
Titans	7-9	3-3
Colts	7-9	2-4

East	WLT		Div
Patriots	12-4		6-0
Dolphins	6-10	3-3
Bills	4-12	2-4
Jets	2-14	1-5

West	WLT	Div
Chiefs	12-4	5-1
Chargers	12-4	4-2
Raiders	5-11	2-4
Broncos	5-11	1-5

NFC

North	WLT	Div
Packers	12-4	3-3
Vikings	10-6	4-2
Bears	10-6	4-2
Lions	3-13	1-5

South	WLT	Div
Falcons	12-4	4-2
Saints	12-4	4-2
Panthers	11-5	4-2
Buccaneers	5-11	0-6

East	WLT	Div
Eagles	11-5	5-1
Cowboys	10-6	5-1
Redskins	3-13	1-5
Giants	2-14	1-5

West	WLT	Div
Rams	14-2	5-1
Seahawks	9-7	4-2
49ers	5-11	2-4
Cardinals	2-14	1-5

Super Bowl: Chiefs over Rams

2019 NFL Mock Draft

1. Arizona Cardinals – Kyler Murray – QB – Oklahoma
2. San Francisco 49ers – Nick Bosa – DE – Ohio State
3. New York Jets – Quinnen Williams – DT – Alabama
4. Oakland Raiders – Drew Lock – QB – Missouri
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Devin White – ILB – LSU
6. New York Giants – Dwayne Haskins – QB – Ohio State
7. Jacksonville Jaguars – T.J. Hockenson – TE – Iowa
8. Detroit Lions – Josh Allen – OLB – Kentucky
9. Buffalo Bills – Ed Oliver – DT – Houston
10. Denver Broncos – Devin Bush – ILB – Michigan
11. Cincinnati Bengals – Jonah Williams – OT – Alabama
12. Green Bay Packers – Noah Fant – TE – Iowa
13. Miami Dolphins – Christian Wilkins – DT – Clemson
14. Atlanta Falcons – Cody Ford – OT – Oklahoma
15. Washington Redskins – Chris Lindstrom – G – Boston College
16. Carolina Panthers – Jawaan Taylor – OT – Florida
17. New York Giants – Brian Burns – OLB/DE – Florida State
18. Minnesota Vikings – Erik McCoy – G/C – Texas A&M
19. Tennessee Titans – Rashan Gary – DE – Michigan
20. Pittsburgh Steelers – Greedy Williams – CB – LSU
21. Seattle Seahawks – Montez Sweat – DE – Mississippi State
22. Baltimore Ravens – Garrett Bradbury – G/C – NC State
23. Houston Texans – Josh Jacobs – RB – Alabama
24. Oakland Raiders – Hollywood Brown – WR – Oklahoma
25. Philadelphia Eagles – Darnell Savage Jr. – S – Maryland
26. Indianapolis Colts – Jeffery Simmons – DT – Mississippi State
27. Oakland Raiders – Clelin Ferrel – DE – Clemson
28. Los Angeles Chargers – Dexter Lawrence – DT – Clemson
29. Seattle Seahawks – Byron Murphy – CB – Washington
30. Green Bay Packers – Johnathan Abram – S – Mississippi State
31. Los Angeles Rams – Andrew Dillard – OT – Washington State
32. New England Patriots – Daniel Jones – QB – Duke

The Good, Bad, and Confusing of NFL Moves

We aren’t even a week into the new league year, but already there have been a ton of moves that will help shape the 2018 NFL season. Here is a quick take on the teams I feel have gotten better, worse, and completely confused.

Better

Chicago Bears – They have parted ways with Mike Glennon after giving the reigns over to Mitch Trubisky and brought in two solid backups. I feel like the idea of Chase Daniel is better than the quarterback Chase Daniel, but he is now in Chicago to be the primary backup and will land high on many people’s lists of top backups in the league. Time will tell if Tyler Bray will make the team, but he is another backup with experience. The Bears are where highly thought of college receivers go to die, so it is about time they sign a big time receiver, and Allen Robinson gives Trubisky a real number one target. Add Prince Amukamara, Aaron Lyncch, Sam Acho, and resign Kyle Fuller, and the defense gets a boost as well.

Green Bay Packers – Getting DeShone Kizer as the new backup to Aaron Rodgers is an upgrade, Muhammad Wilkerson for just $5M is all upside, and Jimmy Graham gives Rodgers a scary weapon at tight end. Will be interesting to see how the loss of Jody Nelson will impact the team.

Kansas City Chiefs – They dealt away Alex Smith to make room for Patrick Mahomes and brought in a stud receiver for him in Sammy Watkins. Kendall Fuller will take the place of the departed headache in Marcus Peters, while they also add linebacker Anthony Hitchens to an already solid defense.

Los Angeles Rams – Speaking of Marcus Peters, he is now in LA with the Rams, along with new acquisition Aqib Talib improve the Rams secondary, although they did lose talent up front.

Oakland Raiders – Goodbye Michael Crabtree, make room for Jordy Nelson. In addition to adding a reliable receiver, they are taking their chances on former Pro Bowl running back Doug Martin.

San Francisco 49ers – There won’t be a move that goes further under the radar than the 49ers signing Weston Richburg. He takes over as center along side two underperforming first round guards in Laken Tomlinson and Josh Garnett, making the raw talent in front of Jimmy Garappolo something that could become elite. They replace the departed Carlos Hyde with Jerick McKinnon and were the winners in the rush to get Richard Sherman after he was released.

Tennessee Titans – The Titans had DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry, two backs that run very similarly, but now part ways with Murray and bring in Dion Lewis who will serve as an excellent change of pace back and easy underneath target for Marcus Mariota. They also spend the money get Malcolm Butler as corner, and word is they will allow him to play.

Worse

Dallas Cowboys – Ready for the list of new players the Cowboys have brought in this season? Ok, here it goes:

Did you miss it? Yeah, they haven’t brought in anyone of note, their big signing has been the re-signing of their long snapper. Meanwhile they have said goodbye to Anthony Hitchens, Keith Smith will no longer be in at fullback, and Orland Scandrick has been released. Not a good sign for the Cowboys.

New England Patriots – Ok, maybe my fandom is getting in the way here, but I am not one to say “they always lose talent and somehow win the division”. I am one to say “you just traded Jimmy G for practically nothing after sending off Jacoby Brissett in the preseason, who is gonna be the QB of the future?” Add to that the departure of Julian Edelman (I don’t care if he didn’t play last year, he is still the best receiver the team had) and replace him with the always underwhelming Cordarrelle Patterson? Oh, and we already touched on the fact that Dion Lewis and Malcom Butler are gone.

Confused

Arizona Cardinals – Let’s face it, this tweet perfectly sums up the signing of Sam Braford.

Live look in as Sam Bradford arrives in Arizona pic.twitter.com/ymlHA40sGi

— NFL Memes (@NFL_Memes) March 13, 2018

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

But they also sign Mike Glennon, one who we at The Stain have long been fans of. You also bring back Larry Fitzgerald but lose the Brown brothers, John and Jaron (not really brothers).

Cleveland Browns – Ok, you have picks one and four in the draft and seem to be debating between quarterback and running back…so you trade for Tyrod Taylor and sign Carlos Hyde? I am confused. You trade for Jarvis Landry, a very good WR, but you are going to have to give him a very large contract as he is currently under the franchise tag.

New York Jets – The Jets resigned Josh McCown and went out and brought in Teddy Bridgewater, which would be a solid QB room for a team who just might be a few good pieces away from being respectable…so they go out and trade away their 6^th overall pick along with picks 37 and 49 and a second next year to jump up to three where they will no doubt add a QB? What a mess.

2014 NFL Mock Draft: Shaun’s Picks

I did six different mock drafts, all looking at different ways to fill certain needs or by taking a look at draft prospect rankings that differed significantly from the norm just to see different options for the first round. I then took all six mocks, added a bunch of my own bias, and came up with my final and official mock draft. This is somewhere between what I think will happen and what I think should happen. If you are interested in seeing the six other mock drafts, they can be found here.

1) Houston Texans: Jadeveon Clowney – DE/OLB – South Carolina – Clowney is the best talent in the draft in years, making him an easy number one pick. There has been some buzz about Khalil Mack possibly being the guy based on scheme versatility, but lining up Clowney on the opposite side of the line as J.J. Watt could make for one of the greatest defensive lines ever.

2) St. Louis Rams::Jake Matthews – OT – Texas A&M – Most boards have Greg Robinson going here, and I originally did too, but the Rams need help now and Matthews is probably the most NFL ready tackle in the draft. Robinson has the higher upside and will likely be the one selected, but he also has bust potential, and at this point in the Rams development, they can’t afford a but at offensive tackle.

3) Jacksonville Jaguars: Sammy Watkins – WR – Clemson – With many reports that Justin Blackmon will not be playing at all in 2014, the Jaguars need a playmaking receiver they can count on. Watkins is as impressive a wide receiver I have seen in college football since Larry Fitzgerald at Pitt.

4) Cleveland Browns: C.J. Mosley – ILB – Alabama – In my other mock drafts, I found the Browns could probably get Mosley all the way down at pick 26, but he fits the need best here. Sure they need a quarterback, but the thought that each of the top three will be gone by then just doesn’t seem likely to me. They need someone that can be a leader in the middle of that defense, and Mosley can be just that.

5) Oakland Raiders: Khalil Mack – OLB/DE – Buffalo – People have said Mack is the surest pass rusher to come into the draft since Aaron Curry, and we have seen how well that went. I don’t see him being the bust Curry was, but I also don’t see him being a league leader in sacks. The Raiders need talent at every position, and lots of it, so look for them to take the best player on the board

6) Atlanta Falcons: Eric Ebron – TE – North Carolina – Julio Jones has proved to be an injury risk and the team has lost a future Hall of Famer in Tony Gonzalez, so a playmaking tight end is an easy selection. Ebron is one of the most talented receiving tight ends in the draft in some time, and could be a real star on a team like the Falcons.

7) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Greg Robinson – OT – Auburn – The Bucs might not know who their long term quarterback is going to be, but regardless of who it is, they will need to protect him. Robinson has the most natural tools of any offensive lineman in the draft, he just doesn’t have the polish. He has brute strength and is very athletic. He can protect the quarterback and blow up the defense on running plays, making him a perfect fit in Tampa.

8) Minnesota Vikings: Darqueze Dennard – CB – Michigan State – Defensive back might not be the most pressing need for the Vikings, and with them declining Christian Ponder’s fifth year option, they could very well go quarterback here, but Dennard might be too tempting to pass up. Unlike most of the corners in this draft, he has number one corner upside rather than the nickel corner profile of most guys. In an incredibly pass happy division, adding another play making corner could benefit the Vikings moving forward.

9) Buffalo Bills: Mike Evans – WR – Texas A&M – The Bills had some young receivers show flashes of brilliance last season, to go with flashes of rookie mistakes. I was tempted to put Marqise Lee as a surprise pick here to give them the duo the USC fans became used to of Lee and Robert Woods, but Mike Evans is the big bodied receiver that can wreak havoc in the AFC East.

10) Detroit Lions: Justin Gilbert – CB – Oklahoma State – Detroit ranked 23^rd in the NFL in passing yards allowed in 2013 and 28^th in sacks. They have spent plenty of money and draft picks on the defensive line, but really need help on the back end. Gilbert might be the most athletic of the first round corners, but he also needs the most refining. He will get beat by the top receivers in the division, but he should make plenty of big plays too.

11) Tennessee Titans: Teddy Bridgewater – QB – Louisville – I am not one of those people who think this draft is bad at quarterback, but I also don’t think there is a real star available either. There are a lot of quality game managers who have the upside of someone the likes of Joe Flacco. If there is one player that can become a star, it is Bridgewater, but he needs to be in the right environment to do so. He will struggle in cold weather locations like the East and North divisions, and while Nashville has it’s cold stretches, games in Jacksonville, and two stadiums with a roof on it (Indianapolis and Houston) should allow Bridgewater to really shine.

12) New York Giants: Aaron Donald – DT – Pittsburgh – The Giants have had the mot success when they have disruptive pass rushers off the edge, but Donald could give them an all around disruptor right up the middle. Donald might be the second most talented player in this draft, and can be an absolute steal at 12, but defensive tackle is actually pretty deep in this draft and is not a major need for the teams at the top, so Giants fans should be very happy if Donald gets to them.

13) St. Louis Rams: Ha-Ha Clinton-Dix – S – Alabama – Clinton-Dix to the Rams at 13 has been the longest consistent pick in mock drafts ever since the draft order was determined. The Rams have decent corners, but their safeties are a major weakness. Clinton-Dix could step in and make a major impact right away.

14) Chicago Bears: Jason Verrett – CB – TCU – While the Bears have an excellent duo of starting corners, both are over the age of 30, so it is time to start grooming the heir apparent. Verrett is under 5’10”, so he will probably be a lined up on the traditional slot receiver, and he ran a sub-4.40 40, so he can run with the best of them.

15) Pittsburgh Steelers: Brandin Cooks – WR – Oregon State – Over the past two seasons the Steelers have lost Mike Wallace, Emmanuel Sanders, and Jericho Cotchery, leaving them with a massive need at wide receiver. Cooks would join former Oregon State teammate Markus Wheaton up in Pittsburgh to give them a pair of burners opposite number one receiver Antonio Brown.

16) Dallas Cowboys: Calvin Pryor – S – Louisville – The Cowboys just might be set to pick in in the top ten of the draft next year. They need help at almost every position on the defensive side as their depth was exposed as a massive weakness last season. They will likely spend the majority of their picks on the defensive side of the ball, and Pryor would be a fantastic start.

17) Baltimore Ravens: Taylor Lewan – OT – Michigan – Michael Oher has a fantastic story which turned into a quality movie, but it turned out he wasn’t a very good NFL player. Eugene Monroe is set in at left tackle, and Lewan has never played right tackle, but if he slips this far, he is a must pick.

18) New York Jets: Odell Beckham Jr. – WR – LSU – If the Falcons don’t pick Ebron at six, he is the pick here, but since he is off the board, the best receiver is the obvious pick, and for me it is Beckham Jr. The Jets clearly are not sold on Geno Smith at quarterback given the fact they brought in Michael Vick, but it is too early to add another QB to their roster. Look for the Jets to add other offensive weapons to the recently signed Erik Decker and Chris Johnson to help on offense.

19) Miami Dolphins: Zack Martin – OT/G – Notre Dame –The Dolphins lost two starters on the offensive line due to scandal in 2013, so they need help on the offensive line. Martin can play either tackle or guard, both positions of need, and he can play right from the start.

20) Arizona Cardinals: Blake Bortles – QB – UCF – The Cardinals were the best team in the league that did not make the playoffs in 2013, and were arguably better than some that did taste the postseason, so drafting a quarterback rather than an immediate need may be tough, but Bortles makes it easier. Bortles would get the chance to sit behind Carson Palmer for part of the season but will work his way into playing time. Bortles would be a fantastic pick for the Cardinals.

21) Green Bay Packers: Marqise Lee – WR – USC – At first glance, with Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb already on the team, receiver doesn’t look like a need, but the depth at the receiver position was exposed in 2013 after their receivers suffered injuries. If Lee was in the draft last year, he would have been a top-10 guy, but he will side this year, and become a steal for the Packers.

22) Philadelphia Eagles: Ryan Shazier – OLB – Ohio State – Trent Cole and Connor Barwin are the current outside backers for the Eagles, and neither of them are exactly spring chickens. Shazier is the top outside linebacker on a lot of boards after Anthony Barr has slipped for a lot of teams. One of the two will likely go here, and my money is on it being Shazier, although I believe Barr is the better player.

23) Kansas City Chiefs: Xavier Su’a-Filo – G – UCLA – Su’a Filo being the first round pick for the Chiefs the season after they went tackle with the top overall pick last season, but he will help create to core of a team that will compete to win championships for many years to come.

24) Cincinnati Bengals: Kyle Fuller – CB – Virginia Tech – The Bengals lost their defensive coordinator and two of their top corners are already into their thirties. Fuller is a quality corner that can serve as the dime back in his first season but be a legit starter in a year.

25) San Diego Chargers: Louis Nix III – DT – Notre Dame – The Chargers need a true nose tackle, and that is just what Nix is. He is the type of guy that could drop to the third of fourth round, or go as early as 25. Maybe this is my Notre Dame fandom shining through, but I think he is a difference maker so long as the team determines his knees won’t be an issue moving forward.

26) Cleveland Browns: Johnny Manziel – QB – Texas A&M – I don’t like Manziel. I don’t get how he has been so successful, but he has been. Eventually I fully believe his antics will cause him to go down in flames, and is there any more fitting city for him to do that in than Cleveland? I think not.

27) New Orleans Saints: Bradley Roby – CB – Ohio State – The Saints got significantly better on defense in 2013, but they currently have Champ Bailey listed as a starting corner on their depth chart, making corner a desperate need, and Roby is the best available.

28) Carolina Panthers: Cyrus Kouandjio – OT – Alabama – The Panthers offensive line is an embarrassment for a team that has Super Bowl aspirations, as are their receivers. Kouandjio is an incredibly underrated offensive lineman and I think is going to be really good, maybe even make a Pro Bowl or two.

29) New England Patriots: Stephon Tuitt – DE/DT – Notre Dame – Tuitt is a top-10 talent, but an his makeup are off the board. If a team can take an outspoken, me-first player and turn him into a team-first mute who does his talking on the field, it is the Patriots. The Patriots are a great fit for this guy.

30) San Francisco 49ers: Kony Ealy – DE – Missouri – The 49ers need an edge rusher, and this could be another spot for Anthoy Barr, but a guy that can rush with his hand on the ground is a bigger need. Ealy fits that need and would be my pick for them.

31) Denver Broncos: Jordan Matthews – WR – Vanderbilt – I absolutely love this kids game. In the first game of the season he got hit so hard he was puking on the field. He came off the field for one play, then went back in and made one of the biggest catches of the college football season. He went on to break several SEC receiver records. With Decker gone, Matthews could fill that role, and might even be better.

32) Seattle Seahawks: Ra’Shede Hageman – DT – Minnesota – I saw a lot of Hageman this season, and he looked fantastic. He could very well be the second best defensive tackle in this draft, and would fit the Seahawks perfectly.

Round 2

#	Team	Player	Pos	School
1 (33).	Houston Texans	Tom Savage	QB	Pittsburgh
2 (34).	Washington Redskins	Anthony Barr	OLB	UCLA
3 (35).	Cleveland Browns	Kelvin Benjamin	WR	Florida State
4 (36).	Oakland Raiders	Derek Carr	QB	Fresno State
5 (37).	Atlanta Falcons	Morgan Moses	OT	Virginia
6 (38).	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Davante Adams	WR	Fresno State
7 (39).	Jacksonville Jaguars	Jimmy Garoppolo	QB	Eastern Illinois
8 (40).	Minnesota Vikings	Chris Borland	ILB	Wisconsin
9 (41).	Buffalo Bills	Dee Ford	DE	Auburn
10 (42).	Tennessee Titans	Carlos Hyde	RB	Ohio State
11 (43).	New York Giants	Cody Latimer	WR	Indiana
12 (44).	St. Louis Rams	Gabe Jackson	G	Mississippi State
13 (45).	Detroit Lions	Jimmie Ward	S	Northern Illinois
14 (46).	Pittsburgh Steelers	Lamarcus Joyner	CB	Florida State
15 (47).	Dallas Cowboys	Demarcus Lawrence	DE/OLB	Boise State
16 (48).	Baltimore Ravens	Marcus Martin	C	USC
17 (49).	New York Jets	Austin Seferian-Jenkins	TE	Washington
18 (50).	Miami Dolphins	Bishop Sankey	RB	Washington
19 (51).	Chicago Bears	Deone Bucannon	S	Washington State
20 (52).	Arizona Cardinals	Jeremiah Attaochu	OLB	Georgia Tech
21 (53).	Green Bay Packers	Jace Amaro	TE	Texas Tech
22 (54).	Philadelphia Eagles	Stanley Jean-Baptiste	CB	Nebraska
23 (55).	Cincinnati Bengals	David Yankey	G	Stanford
24 (56).	San Francisco 49ers	Jarvis Landry	WR	LSU
25 (57).	San Diego Chargers	Martavis Bryant	WR	Clemson
26 (58).	New Orleans Saints	Kyle Van Noy	OLB	BYU
27 (59).	Indianapolis Colts	Allen Robinson	WR	Penn State
28 (60).	Carolina Panthers	Keith McGill	CB	Utah
29 (61).	San Francisco 49ers	Weston Richburg	C	Colorado State
30 (62).	New England Patriots	Troy Niklas	TE	Notre Dame
31 (63).	Denver Broncos	Phillip Gaines	CB	Rice
32 (64).	Seattle Seahawks	Ja’Wuan James	OT	Tennessee

Round 3

#	Team	Player	Pos	School
1 (65).	Houston Texans	Antonio Richardson	OT	Tennessee
2 (66).	Washington Redskins	Joel Bitonio	OT/G	Nevada
3 (67).	Oakland Raiders	Donte Moncrief	WR	Ole Miss
4 (68).	Atlanta Falcons	Telvin Smith	OLB	Florida State
5 (69).	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Pierre Desir	CB	Lindenwood
6 (70).	Jacksonville Jaguars	Tre Mason	RB	Auburn
7 (71).	Cleveland Browns	Ka’Deem Carey	RB	Arizona
8 (72).	Minnesota Vikings	A.J. McCarron	QB	Alabama
9 (73).	Buffalo Bills	Billy Turner	OT	North Dakota St.
10 (74).	New York Giants	Jeremy Hill	RB	LSU
11 (75).	St. Louis Rams	Brandon Coleman	WR	Rutgers
12 (76).	Detroit Lions	Scott Crichton	DE	Colorado State
13 (77).	San Francisco 49ers	Marcus Roberson	CB	Florida
14 (78).	Dallas Cowboys	Caraun Reid	DT	Princeton
15 (79).	Baltimore Ravens	Kareem Martin	DE	North Carolina
16 (80).	New York Jets	Trai Turner	G	LSU
17 (81).	Miami Dolphins	Dakota Dozier	G	Furman
18 (82).	Chicago Bears	DaQuan Jones	DT	Penn State
19 (83).	Cleveland Browns	Cyril Richardson	G	Baylor
20 (84).	Arizona Cardinals	Terrence Brooks	S	Florida State
21 (85).	Green Bay Packers	Marcus Smith	DE	Louisville
22 (86).	Philadelphia Eagles	Dominique Easley	DT	Florida
23 (87).	Kansas City Chiefs	Bruce Ellington	WR	South Carolina
24 (88).	Cincinnati Bengals	Zach Mettenberger	QB	LSU
25 (89).	San Diego Chargers	Bashaud Breeland	CB	Clemson
26 (90).	Indianapolis Colts	Trent Murphy	OLB/DE	Stanford
27 (91).	New Orleans Saints	Dri Archer	RB/WR	Kent State
28 (92).	Carolina Panthers	Paul Richardson	WR	Colorado
29 (93).	New England Patriots	Travis Swanson	C	Arkansas
30 (94).	San Francisco 49ers	Jackson Jeffcoat	DE/OLB	Texas
31 (95).	Denver Broncos	Shayne Skov	ILB	Stanford
32 (96).	Minnesota Vikings	Brandon Thomas	G/OT	Clemson
33 (97).	Pittsburgh Steelers	Will Sutton	DT	Arizona State
34 (98).	Green Bay Packers	Dion Bailey	S	USC
35 (99).	Baltimore Ravens	Ego Ferguson	DT	LSU
36 (100).	San Francisco 49ers	Jordan Tripp	OLB	Montana

2014 NFL Mock Draft – Torsten’s Picks

Who doesn’t like making a mockery of things, especially the NFL draft. Before we get started, a few points.

· The player listed will be who I think the team WILL select, not SHOULD select, though that player will often be mentioned in the comments too.

· I won’t be mocking trade scenarios. While it’s an absolute certainty that there will be some trading up and down going on, it doesn’t work. The possibilities may also be mentioned in the pick comments, but the projected pick is who I think the team will pick, postulating that they keep it.

· I understand I’m in the minority, but I’m not a scheme guy. I believe a guy can play football, or he can’t. So whether a team plays a 3-4 or a 4-3, are you telling me Khalil Mack doesn’t make their defense better? Exactly. Ok, moving on.

1. Houston Texans – Jadeveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina: He’s the most talented player in the draft, and I don’t think the Texans will be able to resist the temptation of a pass rush featuring Clowney and JJ Watt. Personally, I take Khalil Mack here, who has a slightly lower ceiling but is more of a “sure thing,” and fills a position that currently is more of a need. But it’s hard to argue against Clowney. I think the persisting questions about his work ethic are a little overblown. Defenses won’t be able to triple team him with Watt on the other end.

2. St. Louis Rams – Greg Robinson, OT, Auburn: They’re featuring a power run attack. Robinson is the best run blocking tackle to come out of the draft in ages. Match made in heaven, right? Well, you don’t know what you are going to get from the current brain trust of Fisher and Snead. They’ve shown shrewdness and acumen with some of their drafting and signing. They’ve also shown shocking incompetence and lack of forethought. I think they trade the pick if a good enough offer comes along, but they absolutely must upgrade the tackle position in round one, be it with Robinson, or another capable guy like Matthews or Lewan.

3. Jacksonville Jaguars – Blake Bortles, QB, Central Florida: After the Blaine Gabbert fiasco, they’ll probably be reticent to use another high pick on a quarterback. But they did resign Chad Henne, and while he isn’t a long term solution, the classy veteran can mentor Bortles for a year or so. Unlike Gabbert, he wouldn’t have to jump right out of the frying pan and into the fire. Bortles has the reputation of being a little raw, but having the most upside, even though I hate that word,

4. Cleveland Browns – Khalil Mack, OLB, Buffalo: I don’t know if this is awesome value here, or if this draft is just really deep. Probably the latter. Sometimes it’s hard to ascertain exactly what you’re going to get when you draft a star player from a smaller school that plays against iffy competition. With Mack, this is not the case. He is all that, several bags of chips, and as close as you can get to a guaranteed star.

5. Oakland Raiders – Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville: It’s pretty much a certainty that the Raiders won’t be as horrid as they were last year. The Matt Schaub acquisition would appear to give them some time and possibly wait until the middle rounds for a quarterback, but the opportunity to get Bridgewater might be too tempting. If I’m the Raiders, I would go after Sammy Watkins. Perhaps being successful with the drafting of a receiver in the first round can erase some of the stink from the Darius Heyward-Bey disaster.

6. Atlanta Falcons – Eric Ebron, TE, North Carolina: How many years have they been talking about Atlanta bringing in the successor to Tony Gonzalez? Well, Gonzalez actually IS retired now. They didn’t draft Zach Ertz or Tyler Eifert this year. Do they have choice this year? I think their preference is probably trading up to a position where they can get Clowney to address their woeful pass rush, but I don’t think they’ll be too disappointed with Ebron.

7. Tampa Bay Bucs – Sammy Watkins, WR, Clemson: The Bucs would be delighted if Watkins dropped to them at the 7^th spot. Of course, that’s no guarantee. The Raiders and Jacksonville also have a big need at the receiver position. Don’t believe the Manziel stories here. Not happening.

8. Minnesota Vikings – Jake Matthews, OT, Texas A&M: I don’t buy the Manziel stories here either. The team’s best player, running back Adrian Peterson, is beginning to entire the twilight portion of his career, and Manziel is not a plug and play starter. He’ll need a year or two to develop, and if they don’t want to end up in a situation where Peterson leverages a trade, they’ll make do with Cassel, who isn’t as terrible as you think if you give him protection. Another good tackle to pair with Kalil would do that.

9. Buffalo Bills – Ha Ha Clinton Dix, S, Alabama: It just so happens that the team lost Jairus Byrd to the Saints in free agency, and the best available safety is on the board for them. And while he’s maybe a little bit of a reach at 9, it shouldn’t be enough to deter a team from filling a need. Taylor Lewan is also a possibility here because he’s the best remaining offensive lineman, and they’re invested in keeping EJ Manuel healthy.

10. Detroit Lions – Mike Evans, WR, Texas A&M: There’s been a lot of chatter about Sammy Watkins here but I doubt he’d last, and I’m not convinced Detroit will want to trade the assets it would take to move up. No worries, though. Evans, is not much of a step down, if at all. And gone will be the days that defenses can octuple team Megatron.

11. Tennessee Titans – Darqueze Dennard, CB, Michigan State: The Titans too end up in the position where they can fill the void created by their biggest free agent departure (Alterraun Verner). That is, of course, if you don’t count Chris Johnson, who was released and subsequently signed by the Jets.

12. New York Giants – Taylor Lewan, OT, Michigan: The Giants will be counting their lucky stars if Lewan drops to them. Their offensive line play last season was nothing short of cataclysmic. There’s no possible way that Eli Manning is as bad as he was last year. He’s won two Superbowls when he’s been kept upright.

13. St. Louis Rams – Stanley Jean-Baptiste, CB, Nebraska: The Rams get to see twice a year what giant cornerbacks can do defensively when they play Seattle. At 6 foot 3, Jean-Baptiste is a monster. Most have Gilbert and Roby rated higher, but the position is changing. (editor’s note: I’m hoping for Anthony Barr, if only because the thought Robert Quinn, Chris Long and Barr simultaneously rushing the passer gives me gleeful heart palpitations)

14. Chicago Bears – CJ Mosley, LB, Alabama: The Bears were nothing short of calamitous at stopping the run in 2013. Had they been merely pathetic, they probably make the playoffs. I’m not saying Mosley is Brian Urlacher, but fans and teammates alike will be able to get behind his style.

15. Pittsburgh Steelers – Brandin Cooks, WR, Oregon State: Few quarterbacks buy time quite like Big Ben. Guys with blinding speed and good hands like Cooks would seem to be a perfect fit. This team has lost quite a bit at the receiver position the last couple of years, and replacing some of it with Cooks makes sense to me.

16. Dallas Cowboys – Odell Beckham, WR, LSU: I’m putting Beckham here because I’m assuming it’s Jerry Jones who has the final call, and while Beckham is a good player worthy of getting picked in this neighborhood, Dallas has different needs. Like the offensive line.

17. Baltimore Ravens – Morgan Moses, OT, Virginia: The Ravens are an astute organization, and one of the first things astute organizations do after giving their quarterback a Brinks truck of Benjamins is to surround him with some good blocking. This could also easily be Zack Martin, Cyrus Kouandijo, Joe Bitonio, or another talented tackle. I just think Morgan Moses is a really cool name.

18. New York Jets – Justin Gilbert, CB, Oklahoma St.: It’s hard to pass on a first round talent at cornerback if it falls to you. I’m wracking my brain and I can’t come up with a need pressing enough to pass up Gilbert. Wide receiver maybe, but they just signed Eric Decker. I’m stumped here, I’ll admit it.

19. Miami Dolphins – Jordan Matthews, WR, Vanderbilt: I’ve got a bit of a man crush here. Mike Wallace stretches the field, Matthews would offer a nice complement. Other receivers are rated higher in other people’s mocks, but I think whoever ends up with Matthews gets a great value.

20. Arizona Cardinals – Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M: Nope, not kidding. Carson Palmer showed that this is an entirely different team with decent quarterback play, but he’s not a spring chicken anymore. What he is is smart, competitive, and classy. If you could pick a current veteran starter to tutor his eventual successor, wouldn’t Palmer be on your short list? There is, of course, the chance that Manziel doesn’t even fall close to this far…

21. Green Bay Packers – Anthony Barr, LB, UCLA: There are a lot of issues on the defensive side of the ball in Green Bay. In Barr, they get a disruptive pass rusher who at one point was being mentioned alongside Clowney and Mack as defensive players worthy of a top five pick. I wouldn’t be shocked with an offensive lineman here like Joel Bitonio, especially since Aaron Rodgers is at his most effective when he has a pulse.

22. Philadelphia Eagles – Marquise Lee, WR, USC: Wide receiver is the trendy idea here for Philly in the wake of DeSean Jackson’s departure. Probably because it makes the most sense. They have defensive needs too, and the very good Aaron Donald is somehow still on the board, but I see Chip Kelly wanting more on offense.

23. Kansas City Chiefs – Kyle Fuller, CB, Virginia Tech: Their defense, vaunted at the early part of 2013, was exposed late in the year. When you’re playing Peyton Manning twice a year, you need to be solid on the back end. You can also make cases for Brad Roby and Jason Verrett.

24. Cincinnati Bengals – Aaron Donald, DT, Pittsburgh: If by some chance Donald actually falls this far, you’d have to think the Bengals would set a land speed record on the way to the podium. Difference makers on defense aren’t often found this late.

25. San Diego Chargers – Jace Amaro, TE, Texas Tech: A little high for Amaro? Probably a little, but Antonio Gates hasn’t put a full healthy season together in a while, and another receiving option to go with the excellent Keenan Allen is probably high on Phil Rivers’ wish list too.

26. Cleveland Browns – Calvin Pryor, S, Louisville: This may end up being another one of those situations where even though a player doesn’t fill a giant need, he’s too good to not pick. Having already added Mack, this suddenly looks like a really good defense.

27. New Orleans Saints – Kyle Van Noy, LB, BYU: Van Noy doesn’t fill a glaring need, but he’s the type of player who can make any defense better. I am not buying that the departure of Lance Moore means that the Saints MUST add a receiver here… but it wouldn’t shock me to hear Davante Adams’ or Cody Latimer’s name called either.

28. Carolina Panthers – Joel Bitonio, OL, Nevada: Look, I’m perfectly willing to admit that a significant chunk of my “research” on players involves YouTube and Google. That said, when the “negatives” that are pointed out about a player include that you’d like to see him a little taller or have arms that were a little longer, it’s often a case of, “well, we gotta find SOMETHING wrong with the guy, let’s criticize something like limb proportion…” But if you want something more concrete, Cam Newton is this organization’s future, and only makes sense to protect him with good linemen. Like Bitonio.

29. New England Patriots – Louis Nix, DT, Notre Dame: This boils down to needing a Vince Wilfork clone. Nix is enormous, and well-schooled at the home of the Fighting Irish. I was close to adding another weapon for Tom Brady like the aforementioned Adams, Latimer, or maybe even Kelvin Benjamin, but I couldn’t pull the trigger.

30. San Francisco 49rs – Ryan Shazier, LB, Ohio State: Is it cheating that I’m putting this here in the wake of the Aldon Smith fiasco? I don’t know which rumor is correct: the team not exercising the option or the team not giving up on him. But I’ll tell you one thing, 9 million is a lot of dollars to risk on someone facing multiple criminal charges, not to mention a very recent bout with alcohol abuse. So…enter Shazier, who is very very good.

31. Denver Broncos – Bradley Roby, CB, Ohio State: I concede, this is kind of a cop out pick for me. The best reason I can come up with is that the Broncos figure to have multiple touchdown leads by halftime of many of their games, so defending the pass has to be a priority, right? Right??? Hey, like I said, cop out. But Roby is a lightning bolt.

32. Seattle Seahawks – Cyrus Kouandijo, OT, Alabama: The ‘Hawks could use some upgrading along the offensive line…eventually. Hear me out. Or…see me out? Anyway, there’s concerns out there that he’s not ready, or maybe not healed completely from some college injuries. Whatever. He doesn’t even have to play much in year one. He can learn, or recover, or whatever, but I don’t see Seattle letting a guy who was once considered a possible top 15 pick fall past them at 32.

Wow. There it is. And I’m sitting here looking at 8 more players who could easily go in the first round. Wait, there’s 3 more. Oh well. Enjoy!