1. Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck, QB
Stanford
There’s no doubt about this pick, and I do subscribe to the theory that this
many scouts and personnel experts can’t be wrong. The kid might not walk on water, but he’s
going to be a hell of a player. Indy
fans might want another Peyton Manning, I think what they’re getting in Luck is
the next Aaron Rodgers. He’s mobile (his
combine numbers were identical to Cam Newton’s) he’s the most accurate thrower
in the draft, played in a pro system, has a very strong arm, and he’s the
smartest football player to come out in years.
2. Washington Redskins: Robert Griffin III, QB
Baylor
The Skins have to take RG3 not only because
they gave up a king’s ransom to get him, but also because he’s the first
potential franchise changing player they’ve had an opportunity to draft in
years. Washington has some nice pieces
on defense, and they added Josh Morgan and Pierre Garcon to complement Chris
Cooley in the passing game. Griffin has
Mike Vick speed, with better accuracy, and an infinitely better head on his
shoulders. Both Luck and Griffin will be
stars, and either would be great #1 overall picks.
3. Minnesota Vikings: Matt Kalil, LT USC
The Vikings are trying to screw this up as
only they could, attempting to trade back and stockpile picks when they have a
chance to draft a franchise player at a true position of need. Kalil is athletic, strong, smart, durable,
and fills a huge void on the Vikings offense.
He plugs in immediately and protects last year’s investment, Christian
Ponder. Kalil’s brother, Ryan, is an
all-pro center for the Panthers, Matt might turn out to be even better.
4. Cleveland Browns: Trent Richardson, RB
Alabama
Don’t tell me they have to give Colt McCoy
a receiver unless you believe Colt McCoy is the answer at quarterback. Getting Richardson gives you a franchise back
that can run behind studs Joe Thomas and Alex Mack for the next 5-7 years. Yes running backs have a short life span in
the league, but a truly impactful one can make you relevant fast. Richardson like Luck is the best runner to
come out in a while, since Adrian Peterson.
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Justin Blackmon, WR
Oklahoma St.
My Draft Philosophy is that unless you have
a glaring need; take an opportunity to make yourself really good at
something. Adding Blackmon to newly
signed Vincent Jackson and incumbents Mike Williams and Kellen Winslow would
give the Buccaneers one of the best receiving corps in football. With the addition of all-pro guard Carl Nicks
to an already strong offensive line, bringing Blackmon into the fold sets up
Josh Freeman with everything he should need to return to his form of two
seasons ago.
6. St. Louis: Morris Claiborne, CB LSU
St. Louis is mad if this is the way things
go, but really they shouldn’t be.
Claiborne is an elite prospect and would form a formidable duo with
newly signed Cortland Finnegan. The Rams
defense has some promise with Chris Long and James Laurinitis, and Claiborne
would represent the next building block of something truly special. I know Sam Bradford needs weapons, but the
worst thing to do is reach to get him a weapon, when you could have gotten a
similar player in a later round.
Besides, sometimes a good defense is a quarterbacks best friend (ahem
Alex Smith).
7. Jacksonville Jaguars: David DeCastro, OG
Stanford
Yes all conventional wisdom will say this
is too high to select a guard. People
will say Jacksonville needs some sex appeal, something to draw people to the
games etc. Well, ultimately what draws
people to games is winning teams. And
the Jaguars have missed on a whole lot of picks lately. DeCastro is maybe the best lineman in the
draft and he will help be the glue to a young and struggling line in
Jacksonville. Not to mention, he will
help protect Blaine Gabbert, who showed some bad tendencies last year, but it’s
way too early to bail on him after selecting him in the first round. Maurice Jones Drew would also probably like
this pick.
8. Miami Dolphins: Melvin Ingram, DE South
Carolina
Don’t reach for the wrong guy; I just can’t
say it enough. Ryan Tannehill is
talented, but he was a wide receiver for two years, and then played in the wide
open big 12 where the game is very different from the NFL. Pair Ingram with Cameron Wake and you’ve
built on an already impressive defense. Draft
a passer in round two or three where you get a good value for them, and don’t
have to reach. The draft is about
improving your team, not taking chances or making panic boom or bust
moves.
9. Carolina Panthers: Fletcher Cox DT, Mississippi
State
Jon Beason will be back for the Panthers at
linebacker so as tempted as I am to put Luke Kuechly here, I think Cox fits a
bigger need. Cox is a good pass rusher
from the inside, an active and disruptive player that excelled in a man’s
league, the SEC. Pair him with Beason
and add some defensive backs later in the draft and the Panthers begin to
rebuild what was a really bad defense last year.
10. Buffalo Bills: Luke Kuechly LB, Boston
College
Kuechly is just a good all-around
player. He’s smart; runs well, can
cover, and is a sure tackler. I think he’s
the type of guy that makes a few pro-bowls and is always a positive contributor
to your team. Marcel Dareus is going to
be a star, and putting Kuechly behind him along with the return of a healthy
Kyle Williams is an exciting thought for the Buffalo defense.
11. Kansas City Chiefs: Stephen Gilmore CB,
South Carolina
The Chiefs have some really nice pieces
coming back to the offense- Jamal Charles, Tony Moeaki, and last year’s top
pick Jonathan Baldwin will hopefully develop to complement Dwayne Bowe. I don’t love Matt Cassel or Kyle Orton, but
this is a team with enough weapons to make those players serviceable. Gilmore would make a really nice complement
to budding star Brandon Flowers at the other corner and Tamba Hali rushing the passer
will make Gilmore’s transition easier.
12. Seattle Seahawks: Quinton Coples DE, North
Carolina
In terms of size and ability Coples is very
reminiscent of another former Tarheel, Julius Peppers. Seattle has some nice pieces on defense, and
adding premier pass rusher could take them to the next level.
13.
Arizona
Cardinals: Michael Floyd, WR Notre Dame
I like Floyd, I don’t know that he’s a star
but he’s a big physical talented player that will be trouble if you try to
single cover him. Alongside Larry
Fitzgerald Floyd should flourish as a second receiver. If Kevin Kolb can’t make it work with those
two wide receivers than he’s just not the guy.
14. Dallas Cowboys: Mark Barron, S Alabama
The offense is loaded with talent, the
front 7 is strong, and it’s the secondary that really needs help. Dallas needs corners as well, but Barron is
the best defensive back on the board at this point. He hits like a linebacker and covers a lot of
ground. He should start immediately and
develop into a good starter.
15. Philadelphia Eagles: Michael Brockers, DT LSU
Brockers is a huge man with great talent
who produced at a big time program. He
also fits a need as the Eagles were terrible up the middle of their defense
last year. New middle linebacker Demeco
Ryans and Brockers should be a true shot in the arm for this defense.
16. New York Jets: Dontari Poe, DT Memphis
The Jets defense is starting to age and the
defensive front could use an influx of youth and talent. Poe is a big time risk with big time upside,
sounds just like Rex Ryan’s type of player.
17. Cincinnati Bengals: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB
Alabama
Kirkpatrick is a big time talent and fits
the zone scheme the Bengals tend to use in coverage. Jonathan Joseph’s departure hurt last year
and Kirkpatrick can help fill the void opposite Leon Hall.
18. San Diego Chargers: Kendall Wright, WR Baylor
Some might see this as a reach but Phillip
Rivers too often is expected to just carry the team. Wright is an explosive player that catches
the ball well, is good after the catch, and seems the perfect weapon in the slot. Wright, Antonio Gates, and Ryan Matthews are
pretty nice Weapons to put around Rivers.
19. Chicago Bears: Riley Reiff, OT Iowa
The Bears could use a solid, smart player that
can come in and hold his own on the offensive line immediately. That’s Reiff.
He may never be spectacular, but he should be solid right away and will
turn into a good tackle opposite Gabe Carimi.
20. Tennessee Titans: Whitney Mercilus, DE
Illinois
Mercilus is a pure pass rusher, and has a
ton of talent. It’s a position of need
and if Mercilus is on the board, this is a no brainer.
21. Cincinnati Bengals: Cordy Glenn, G Georgia
They could probably use a complement to AJ
Green, some help in the defensive front 7, and a running back to take Cedric
Benson’s place since his wheels are about to fall off. But, they also need to replace Bobbie
Williams at guard, and Glenn is the best value above any wideout, d-lineman or
running back left in my draft.
22.
Cleveland
Browns: Ryan Tannehill, QB Texas A &
M
I don’t love Tannehill but at pick 22, and
needing a quarterback this is too good of a scenario for Cleveland to pass
up. In all reality there’s no way he lasts
this long, but in a world where logic prevails (my draft world) Tannehill is a
Brown with the 22nd pick.
23. Detroit Lions: Jonathan Martin, OT Stanford
The Lions have needed line help for a long
time, and Martin is an above average athlete with solid technique and good
intelligence. Matt Stafford and Calvin
Johnson are true superstars, give them time to operate and they will win a lot
of games. Running back is also a need as
is secondary help, but the line I think has to come first.
24. Pittsburgh Steelers: Don’t’a Hightower, ILB
Alabama
Hightower is really a Steeler type of
player. He’s physical, strong, bruising
and fits well as a replacement for James Farrior.
25. Denver Broncos: Coby Fleener, TE Stanford
Everyone gets better when Peyton Manning is
on their team. That means a Denver
defense with some holes will get better just by virtue of Manning holding the
ball longer and putting up more points.
So I say give Peyton the weapons he’s going to need. Fleener is a good athlete, he’s big, will be
great in the red zone and can contribute immediately.
26. Houston Texans: Courtney Upshaw, DE/OLB
Alabama
Is it me, or could you basically field a
team with just Alabama and Stanford’s draft class this year? Upshaw is a big strong player that can both
rush the passer from the outside linebacker spot, and occupy blockers as a 3-4
end. I think he continues to build the Texans
defense into one of the best units in the league.
27. New England Patriots: Janoris Jenkins, CB
North Alabama
You’d be correct in saying that this guy
doesn’t really epitomize the “Patriot Way” but Bill Belichick also relishes
reclamation projects, and loves to mold talent.
Jenkins is a top 15 player in this draft in terms of talent, and if put
in the right environment like New England, maybe he flourishes. New England needs corner help, and Jenkins
has the raw talent to be a star.
28. Green Bay Packers: Jerel Worthy, DT
Michigan State
I’m convinced the Packers defensive
backfield has enough talent to regroup and play much better, and the offense is
historically good. They need help in the
trenches and Worthy can probably play any spot along the defensive front. He represents depth, versatility, and an
upgrade in talent.
29. Baltimore Ravens: Peter Konz, C Wisconsin
Matt Birk is as old as time and Konz could
probably play guard until Birk retires and then slide over. Ben Grubbs left via free agency so the
interior line is a must to address.
Stephen Hill might be another thought at wide receiver, but they already
drafted their burner last year in Torrey Smith.
30. San Francisco 49ers: Stephen Hill, WR
Georgia Tech
Yes they need a guard and they stocked up
on wide receivers in free agency, but if Moss doesn’t work out, then they’re
down to Mario Manningham and Michael Crabtree.
I think Hill represents a good value because of his rare size and speed,
but I won’t be mad if the Niners go with Kevin Zeitler (guard, Wisconsin)
here.
31. New England Patriots: Chandler Jones,
DE/OLB Syracuse
So the Patriots get a cover corner and a
pure pass rusher, this would be a good day for New England fans.
32. New York Giants: Doug Martin, RB Boise
State
I don’t love taking a running back in the
first round unless it’s a rare breed like Richardson, but it’s at the back end
of the first round, Brandon Jacobs is gone, and Ahmad Bradshaw can’t carry the
load by himself. I think Martin will
help right away, and reminds me of Mark Ingram coming out. A balanced, solid runner who will go over
1,000 yards a time or two in his career.
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