xlewandowski

[xlewandowski]

NFL Mock Draft — 2021

Cracks fingers and neck

LET’S GO!!

It’s that time of year again ladies and gentlemen! 

It’s time for my annual mock draft!

Been running this baby for 10 years now(!!!) and have yet to be noticed from the NFL media, except for that one time Charles Davis responded back to me and said to tone it back on the amount of running backs taken in the 1st round (he’s not wrong) and also when Bruce Murray (@brucemurraynfl) said my name flawlessly on the air; you’re a great man Bruce, with even greater hair!

Before I ultimately layout how I believe the first round will unfold (goal is to get 10/32!) I want to share my rankings of the 5 top quarterback prospects for this year, as I feel that after Trevor Lawrence it’s a tossup within the NFL world.

Trevor Lawrence

Justin Fields

Zach Wilson

Trey Lance

Mac Jones

Trevor Lawrence, my man! Is far and a-way the number one quarterback; I know Matt, tell me something I don’t know. This is why I will keep his brief. He has been ranked the best prospect since not just Andrew Luck, but I believe Peyton Manning. There is so much to like about this kid, the size, the arm strength, the leadership, THE HAIR! He’s got everything and then some. Also, I truly believe that if the Jets had the #1 overall pick he would have went back to Clemson for his Senior Year.

Justin Fields I have second as it just makes sense. I ask you, what changed from the end of the college season for him to be rated the second quarterback behind Lawrence to now the third or fourth guy? I’m serious, nothing changed. Zach Wilson threw a cool pass at his Pro Day off balance, k… Fields, for some reason has taken heat and I don’t know what for. He has the leadership and (especially) toughness that teams dream of, and he has the mobility that fits the new age NFL. Though for some reason he has been slandered. I do believe that he will have a bit of a Lamar Jackson tumble in the draft, I hope I’m wrong and I hope he goes in the top 2, yes 2.

I’m going to combine Zach Wilson and Trey Lance here as I believe they are a 3a and 3b ranking for me. Though they may be on similar platforms they are both very different players with a very high risk/high reward feel to them. Wilson I see as a hybrid of Russell Wilson and Baker Mayfield, in that he has a similar build between the two but can also make savvy plays in and outside the pocket. Lance to me would be a hybrid (going green again) of Josh Allen and… can I say his name? I hope it’s ok… Colin Kaepernick. He has the elite size teams want and very good mobility, it’s just he is very raw and may (should) be given time to develop. 

If both these guys are thrown into the fire right off the bat I only think one of them walks out with a great NFL career.

Lastly is Mac Jones, who has all the accolades, a fresh National Championship, but just feels like a guy who was in the right place at the right time, but hey, it worked for Joe Burrow. Since Alabama won the Championship to now, I don’t think there is a player in this draft who has skyrocketed up draft boards more than Jones. Not long ago was viewed as a second rounder to now being viewed as potential top 3 pick. I personally don’t buy it. And please, this is not me hating on Jones, it’s me ranking the quarterbacks and if I was GM and had all these guys on the board he would be locked into my fifth choice.

Now, without any further ado, lets get this baby rolling!

Please note, that I will not be predicting trades.

Trades are inevitable but also impossible to predict; ex: who saw the San Francisco/Miami/Philadelphia trades happening? My prediction is between 5-7 trades on Thursday night.

Jacksonville, you are on the clock!

Jacksonville Jaguars — Trevor Lawrence, Quarterback This pick has been locked in since the end of the 2020 draft, the only thing that needed to be sorted was the team. Jacksonville gets the cornerstone franchise quarterback they have been dreaming of since they came into existence. The fans have bought him gifts from his registry for his wedding. This man is already beyond loved and he hasn’t even crossed the boarder into Florida. Don’t screw this up, Jacksonville!

New York Jets — Zach Wilson, Quarterback I want this pick to be Justin Fields, I really do, but I can’t do it as Wilson to the Jets has felt like a lock for months now. New York looks to be building their franchise right, they have a great GM, one of the best new hires for a head coach in Robert Saleh and they have the draft capital to surround their new Broadway quarterback with talent. Wilson needs to preform right out the gate and not let the headlines get to him, if he can do that, he has a shot.

San Francisco 49ers — Trey Lance, Quarterback Surprise! But is it though? Look, when the 49ers sold the farm for this pick it’s not for Mac Jones, who would have been there for them at #12. San Francisco is going for the highest ceiling pick here; you knew when those comparisons to Patrick Mahomes came up that some team was going to get infatuated. Lance can be brought in slowly with the team keeping Jimmy Garoppolo and having him start the season. If Lance can develop into the star San Francisco believes he is, the draft capital they gave up will feel like a bargain.

Atlanta Falcons — Penei Sewell, Offensive Tackle Atlanta is in a very interesting situations their team doesn’t feel like they should be drafting in the top 5 with the talent on their roster. They have a former MVP in Matt Ryan who is beyond underrated who is in his only in his mid-30s and an offence that can still put up points. The issue with Atlanta is they can’t run the ball that well, and the hire of Arthur Smith who had the back-to-back rushing champion Derrick Henry in Tennessee, Smith knows that the best way to win is to take pressure off the quarterback and and hammer the defense with a running game. Sewell is by far and away this years best offensive tackle and getting him at 4 feels like an absolute win for the Falcons.

Cincinnati Bengals — Ja’Marr Chase, Wideout I mean, a bengal is essentially a tiger, is it not? Joe Burrow needs protection, and if Sewell was on the board that would be the pick, but with the fifth pick being a bit rich for Rashawn Slater, Zac Taylor and the gang take Chase and reunite him with his college quarterback. Some may have Kyle Pitts and his upside here, however, I believe Cincinnati makes the smart choice and go with familiarity (at least for Burrow) here and try to recapture that LSU magic.

Miami Dolphins — Micah Parsons, Linebacker This may be my boldest pick of this draft. The narrative right now for Miami is to surround Tagovailoa with as much talent as they can so he can be successful, right? Though I argue, did he not have success? Now it may not be to the insane statistical standards, but as just a pure quarterback, he preformed well in spurts. One of the biggest needs for Miami, before offensive playmakers, is a defensive playmaker. People tend to forget that defence is what takes you over the top, just look as recently as the Super Bowl, and within that Super Bowl what did Tampa have that completely floored Kansas City? Playmakers at the linebacker position. Parsons is an elite linebacker with range and pass rushing ability. Flores had great players at the linebacker position in New England, now it’s time for him to start building that in South Beach.

Detroit Lions — Jaylen Waddle, Wideout Detroit is in need of outside talent for the offence. With newly acquired quarterback, Jared Goff, the best way to maximize his skillset is to surround him with talent. Goff’s best season came when he had a deep threat in Brandin Cooks at his disposal, enter Jaylen Waddle. Waddle has drawn comparisons to Tyreek Hill minus the off-field issues. With his playmaking ability and top gear speed, this is a pick worth investing in.

Carolina Panthers — Kyle Pitts, Tight End With newly acquired Sam Darnold, Carolina opts to help out their young quarterback (crazy that he is still just 23) than give him competition. Pitts is the pick here as the tight end is the quarterbacks best friend, and with how Darnold played the last couple of years, he’ll need all the friends he can get. Pitts is by far and wide the best tight end in this years class, but count me out as one of the believers that think he is one of the best players in this years draft. He has the size, wingspan and ability to be a great tight end, I’m just not ready to say he is the best non-quarterback in this years class, and I am especially not ready to call him the next Megatron. But hey, I’ve been wrong before!

Denver Broncos — Kwity Paye, EDGE Probably one of my more shocking picks here as Denver elects to pass on both Fields and Jones here. The reasoning, Denver has gone pretty heavy on the offensive side as of late, which is a bit shocking considering Vic Fangio is an old school defensive minded coach, well, with John Elway relinquishing some of his power and pulling a back a bit on player personnel, the pick here is Kwity Paye, arguably the top edge rusher in the draft. With Von Miller and Bradley Chubb already in place, Paye has the ability to perfect his craft, learn and contribute to a Denver defense that has reloaded quite quickly.

Dallas Cowboys — Jaelan Phillips, EDGE I know the infatuation Jerry Jones has with making splashy picks on offense and that we’ve heard him say how Kyle Pitts would be great to have on his team, but Dallas needs to go back to those unflashy, bland, boring picks. Tyron Smith wasn’t flashy but was the best left tackle for years, Travis Frederick wasn’t flashy, but was arguably the best centre before injury, Zach Martin wasn’t flashy….look, you see my point. Dallas got cute last year with drafting Ceedee Lamb when they should have been rebuilding their defense. In drafting Phillips they get a player who is just scratching the surface of his potential. Teaming him up with Demarcus Lawrence gives Dallas the pass rush that will severely help out a secondary that has been one of the worst, statistically.

New York Giants — Caleb Farley, Cornerback Farley is in the conversation as the top corner in this years draft with his blend of speed and size, the main factor holding him back is his lengthy injury history, having dealt with an ACL tear and herniated disk. If he can find away to stay out of the trainers office and remain on the field, New York will be set in the secondary for years to come – just imagine if Deandre Baker had worked out…

Philadelphia Eagles — DeVonta Smith, Wideout Raise your hand if you’ve heard this one before, but the Philadelphia Eagles needs playmakers at the wideout position. This is a team that has blown it multiple times in successive years at the wideout position. I mean, could you image if this team had drafted DK Metcalf AND Justin Jefferson?! Could have been unreal, but instead, it’s back to the drawing board for Philadelphia. Some can argue that DeVonta Smith is the best wideout in this years class, and with the year he just put up at Alabama I wouldn’t blame you, but since winning the Heisman concerns over his size have grown, and to be fair, yes, he is bit too small (weight wise), but to quote (paraphrase) Kyler Murray a couple of years ago, “I have always played at this size, it’s nothing new to me”, can be used for Smith. Will he sacrifice a few yards if it means staying healthy? It worked for Marvin Harrison..

Los Angeles Chargers — Rashawn Slater, Offensive Tackle The Chargers have shown their hand a bit too much in this years draft process with them being vocal that they need an upgrade at the tackle position, and you know what, it’s not hard to see why, they absolutely hit a grand slam in Justin Herbert last year, and the best way for them to finally make it back into the playoffs is to protect that young man, I mean, also not blow late game leads, all their defensive stars getting injured, all their offensive stars (sans Herbert) getting injured, etc., etc.. Slater is this years second best offensive tackle after Sewell. Slater can be an absolute mauler in the trenches and immediate contribute at the left tackle position.

Minnesota Vikings — Justin Fields, Quarterback Minnesota hits the absolute jackpot with Justin Fields inexplicably falling. Though the Vikings may have Kirk Cousins under contract they need to start thinking about the future and building around their already young stars in Justin Jefferson and Dalvin Cook. Cousins is an average quarterback at best, with Fields they could be catching lightning in a bottle twice with similarities to what they had in the early 2000s with Daunte Culpepper, Randy Moss and Michael Bennett. Fields is the second best quarterback in this years draft, and the only quarterback in this years draft who has beaten the unquestioned number one quarterback in Trevor Lawrence. Fields offers the arm strength, the mobility and the toughness that you want in todays NFL.

New England Patriots — Christian Barmore, Defensive Line There may be some reading this that are scratching their heads with New England passing on Mac Jones, but I just don’t see it. I feel Cam Newton will have a much better year this year, especially being in the McDaniels system for a second consecutive season, plus New England needs to get better on the defensive side of the ball to be in the closer games they will now be accustomed to. Belichick trusts Nick Saban, and Alabama doesn’t mess around when it comes to defense. Barmore is the top defensive tackle in this years draft, and getting him in the middle of the first round seems like a dream scenario for the former powerhouse that is New England.

Arizona Cardinals — Patrick Surtain II, Cornerback Surtain II to me is the best corner in this years draft, not only does he have NFL bloodline, but put simply, he just passes the eye test. He has the size, height and speed to play along any wideout in todays NFL, he can also play any scheme a defensive coordinator will throw at him. Arizona had a great run with Patrick Peterson, and with the Surtain II pick, they can hopefully transition without skipping a beat.

Las Vegas Raiders — Mac Jones, Quarterback Some may view this too low for the former Alabama quarterback, but midway through the first round just seems right. Jones is an average quarterback that made the absolute best out of his situation in Alabama; he has great adaptability, which is something NFL teams should be ecstatic about. Las Vegas has always seemed like they are flirting with Derek Carr, they like him enough but aren’t in love with him. Gruden and Mayock ultimately want to groom their own quarterback from the start, with Jones they (finally) get THEIR quarterback of the future.

Miami Dolphins — Kadarius Toney, Wideout After getting their playmaker on the defensive side, it’s time to address the offensive side. Miami currently has an offense that is middle of the pack, but doesn’t have the one player that defenses have to plan around. Kadarius Toney is that game changer the Dolphins have been searching for. He doesn’t have the prototypical size but he does have the ability to break games wide open. Think of him as a hybrid between Percy Harvin and Deebo Samuel minus the always being broken part.

Washington Football Team — Zaven Collins, Linebacker If anyone knows the importance of having a leader at the linebacker position it’s Ron Rivera. In being a linebacker himself and having one the best at the position at Carolina in Luke Keuchly, Washington cements another defensive cornerstone in Collins. Collins has the skillset to be a sideline-to-sideline linebacker, plus he has the size be a real difference maker. The biggest challenge for Collins will be honing in these challenges and realizing his full potential.

Chicago Bears — Jaycee Horn, Cornerback Chicago is at their best when their defense can say the same. Chicago wasn’t able to retain the very hot and cold Kyle Fuller, which leaves them with a need at the cornerback position. Jaycee Horn gives the Bears the perfect running mate alongside Jaylon Johnson. The knock on Horn is that he can be a touch aggressive, but with Chicago having the elite safety help in the backfield, those aggressive plays will look more like positives than negatives.

Indianapolis Colts — Christian Darrisaw, Offensive Tackle With Indianapolis banking on getting 2017 Carson Wentz and not 2020 Carson Wentz, the Colts realize they need to keep him upright and a strong run game. Darrisaw provides both those and can be slotted immediately in to the left tackle position with Anthony Castonzo recent retiring.

Tennessee Titans — Rashod Bateman, Wideout Bateman is one of the more under-the-radar wideouts in this years class. He has natural catching and playmaking ability, and though he may lack the elite size at the position, only 6ft, that didn’t stop AJ Brown from being the game breaker he is. Wideout became more of a position of need for Tennessee as Corey Davis left in free agency, but with teams keying in on Derrick Henry, now is the time to break in a new receiver to hopefully take off the pressure of Henry.

New York Jets — Greg Newsome II, Cornerback The Jets have a plethora of needs but have slowly chipped away at it in free agency. With their quarterback of the future already in tack they start to address the defense. Saleh is a master at getting the most out of his defensive line, but to further the development you need a strong secondary. Enter Newsome II who can play any style of coverage; will fit perfectly into whatever scheme the Jets roll out.

Pittsburgh Steelers — Travis Etienne, Running Back There are some that believe that the running back position doesn’t belong in the first round, I am not one of those believers. Though they may have one of the shortest shelf life of any position, they also provide the most immediate impact, which is a perfect segue into the Pittsburgh Steelers. Pittsburgh is in win now mode, and for however long Ben Roethlisberger is under centre. Etienne can excel at every level a running back needs to excel in; he can run, he can catch, he can block. Aside from that one year from James Connor Pittsburgh severely misses Le’Veon Bell, with Etienne they gain a player that’s fits the new motto for Pittsburgh, speed.

Jacksonville Jaguars — Teven Jenkins, Offensive Tackle Jacksonville has done a great job building a respectable offense since their near Super Bowl berth a few seasons ago. Though it may not show in the win column, the Jags could have a sneaky good offense this season with Lawrence at the helm. To ensure that, potential success Jacksonville invests into their offensive line, enter Teven Jenkins who has the raw power to hold up in this league. Only issue may be his footwork, but with Lawrence’s savvy and quick realize, that can be fixed on the fly.

Cleveland Browns — Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Linebacker Would you believe that Cleveland doesn’t really have a true weakness on their team? I know that it’s hard to believe, but with how their roster has been built since their 0-16 season there hasn’t been that many questionable draft decisions. Owusu-Koramoah gives them the range at the linebacker position that would put them over the top. With the ability to cover backs, tight ends and even the odd receiver, Owusu-Koramoah has the potential to be something special, in Cleveland of all places.

Baltimore Ravens — Trevon Moehrig, Safety It feels like every since Ed Reed retired Baltimore has been looking to fill the void at safety; they tried Matt Elam (bust), Eric Weddle (short term fix), and most recently Earl Thomas (still blocking for Derrick Henry). Nothing has stuck, until Trevon Moehrig. Moehrig is at the top of a very shallow safety class, after him there is a sharp drop off. With him Baltimore gains a do-it-all safety that can support against the run and have the deep coverage skills that have severely been missing in the Ravens backfield.

New Orleans Saints — Azeez Ojulari, EDGE With it looking more and more like a questionable pick in Marcus Davenport, New Orleans quickly reloads in drafting Ojulari who has had a bit of a fall in this mock. Average height for the position, but terrific burst will help in getting to the quarterback quickly, though he may need to add a bit more to his frame to hold up in the run game. New Orleans is in a bit of transition on the offensive side, so if the defense can make more strides to make sure the fall in the wins column may not be as great as some may be predicting.

Green Bay Packers — Jamin Davis, Linebacker I know, I know, everyone was hoping for a skill position, more specifically a wideout for Green Bay, and to be honest I did have Rondale Moore in initially but ultimately, the Packers don’t love Aaron Rodgers like the rest of us do. Jamin Davis is the pick here as the Packers defence is still weak against the run and he is a tackling machine. With Davis in the middle and the Smith brothers on the edge, the defense will start to win the Packers games, meaning Rodgers doesn’t always have to play hero ball.

Buffalo Bills — Joseph Ossai, EDGE Buffalo continues to bolster their defensive line; with players like Ed Olivier, Harrison Phillips and others, Ossai joins in the rotation in giving Buffalo more and more pass rush. This will be beneficial for Ossai as he hasn’t been around football as long as his fellow draftees. With the physical tools to be a great pass rusher, Buffalo needs to bring him along slowly to reap the rewards.

Baltimore Ravens — Levi Onwuzurike, Defensive Line With the trading of Orlando Brown netting Baltimore an additional first round pick, the Ravens look to continue their infusion of youth on the defensive side. Though wideout would make sense here, Baltimore is hoping some of the prospects still left on the board fall to them in the later rounds. Onwuzurike gives them more depth along the defensive line as well as a player who can learn alongside Calais Campbell. Onwuzurike has the explosive first step you want in a man his size, but needs to improve on his pass rushing ability, a feat that has been learned by many in the Baltimore system.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Asante Samuel Jr., Cornerback Tampa hit on a second generation defensive back in Antonie Winfield Jr. why not go to the well one more time with Asante Samuel Jr.? Samuel Jr. has a lot of similar traits to his father, he’s an undersized scrappy player that jumps breaks to make game changing plays. With this pick, Tampa continues its steps in becoming an elite defense.

And there you have it!

Thank you everyone who has made it to the end!

Can’t believe that I have been writing these mocks for a decade – the world was a very difference place 10 years ago, I mean, we could go outside freely, malls, sporting events, shake people’s hands, not wait in massive lines, oh wait… that was just 14 months ago…

I hope that your teams gets the player you want or fills the position of need, unless you’re an Eagles fan like me, then prepare to be disappointed and look at your screen in disbelief when Howie Roseman drafts a late second rounder with the 12th pick because new head coach Nick Sirianni liked the competitiveness they brought to their rock/paper/scissors bout. I’m not bitter, just confused!

Enjoy the 2021 Draft everyone!

[xlewandowski]

NFL Mock Draft — 2020

Feel the rhythm! Feel the rhyme! Get on up, it’s mock draft time!

That’s right ladies and gentlemen, it’s time for my annual mock of the 1st Round in the 2020 NFL Draft. 

I’m going to start off my article with a little additional information; I will be listing out my top players for each position. 

Lets just jump in, shall we…

Quarterback 1. Tua Tagovailoa 2. Joe Burrow 3. Justin Herbert 4. Jalen Hurts 5. Jordan Love

Running Back 1. D’Andre Swift 2. Jonathan Taylor 3. Clyde Edwards-Helaire 4. J.K. Dobbins 5. Cam Akers

Wideout 1. Jerry Jeudy 2. CeeDee Lamb 3. Justin Jefferson 4. Henry Ruggs III 5. Tee Higgins

Tight End 1. Cole Kmet 2. Thaddeus Moss 3. Albert Okwuegbunam 4. Hunter Bryant 5. Harrison Bryant

Offensive Tackle 1. Tristan Wirfs 2. Jedrick Wills Jr. 3. Andrew Thomas 4. Mekhi Becton 5. Austin Jackson

Interior Offensive Lineman 1. Cesar Ruiz 2. Lloyd Cushenberry 3. Netane Muti 4.Nick Harris 5. Joan Jackson

Defensive Line 1. Chase Young 2. Derrick Brown 3. Javon Kinlaw 4. K’Lavon Chaisson 5. Yetur Gross-Matos

Linebacker 1. Isaiah Simmons 2. Patrick Queen 3. Kenneth Murray 4. Zack Baun 5. Willie Gay Jr.

Cornerback 1. Jeff Okudah 2. CJ Henderson 3. Kristian Fulton 4. Trevon Diggs 5. A.J. Terrell

Safety 1. Xavier McKinney 2. Grant Delpit 3. Antoine Winfield Jr. 4. Jeremy Chinn 5. Ashtyn Davis

And kickers and punters obviously don’t matter.

Now, before I jump into the actual picks I know that there are some debatable rankings, mainly at the quarterback and the wideout position.

I ranked Tagovailoa over Burrow because Tagovailoa is a more proven player; he had been a star with Alabama for a few years, while Burrow had one season of greatness, though yes, it may have been the greatest collegiate quarterback season ever it was still only one. It’s also worth noting that he (Burrow) transferred from Ohio State to be the starter at LSU, not compete for the starting position at Ohio State had he stayed. Lastly, is the age; Burrow will be 24 this year, while Tagovailoa has just turned 22.

The other ranking that may catch people off guard is the ranking of Ruggs III being my fourth wideout. To most there is a top tier at the position, that being Jeudy, Lamb and Ruggs III in whatever order. My top tier is Jeudy and Lamb and then the second tier would be Jefferson and Ruggs III. I have Jefferson ahead of Ruggs III solely because I trust the size of a player like Jefferson more than the speed from Ruggs III. Speed is sometimes deceptive; look around at the NFL landscape, how many of the fastest players (at their respective positions) are the best or at the top? Now of course that is an even bigger debate, but for me I’ll trust a guy who is only 0.1sec slower but is a bigger human being.

Now, now is the time!

Let’s get this baby rolling! 

Please note, I will not be predicting trades in this mock. Trades are inevitable, though with everything going on in the world this time around I wouldn’t be surprised if there are less trades than typically. My prediction, because that’s what this article is all about, is 5 trades.

Cincinnati Bengals — Joe Burrow, Quarterback Remember what I said about the Tagovailoa comparison above? Forget it! Cincinnati is going all in on the former Heisman, National Champion. Burrow has the ideal size that you want in a quarterback, and though he may be a touch older than the front office would like, with age comes maturity, and Cincinnati needs that and a vocal leader to bring them back to relevancy.

Washington Redskins — Chase Young, Defensive End Arguably the best player in the draft, and if it wasn’t for his (questionable) suspension in the middle of the Buckeyes season he would have set the NCAA sack record. Young is a generational edge rusher and adding him to an already loaded front in Washington will give you 2019 San Francisco vibes when the 49ers added Nick Bosa.

Detroit Lions — Jeff Okudah, Cornerback How does Matt Patrica want to build his team? All signs point to him chasing the successes he had in New England, and though that hasn’t worked for him, he’ll still keep trying… It’s unfortunate for Okudah as he is head and shoulders the top cornerback in this years class with a good combination of length, speed and aggressiveness. Just pull a Jalen Ramsey in a few years, Jeff!  

New York Giants — Tristan Wirfs, Offensive Tackle As badly as the Giants need defensive playmakers, taking Wirfs, the most complete offensive tackle in the draft as well as an Iowa alum, seriously, check the track record of Iowa offensive lineman - they are tremendous! Wirfs will help solidify the picks of Saquon and Daniel Jones in the previous two drafts, Dave Gettleman’s job depends on it.  

Miami Dolphins — Tua Tagovailoa, Quarterback The last time Miami passed on a shorter quarterback with a major injury the year prior was Drew Brees. Not this time. Tagovailoa is the player that Miami essentially set their sights on WAY back in September when they were getting blown out. Tank for Tua exists solely because of Miami. This is their guy, and if you think some late chatter is going to change their minds then you are dead wrong. Tagovailoa brings excitement and hope back to a Dolphins franchise that hasn’t had it since another Dolphin dawned #13.  

Los Angeles Chargers — Justin Herbert, Quarterback Herbert is a calm, cool and collective guy. He’s not a rah-rah guy. I guess what I’m trying to say is, he’s a California guy. He fits the LA market to a T and aside from quarterback, that is exactly what the Chargers need, a market(able franchise quarterback). Herbert has all the intangibles that you want in a quarterback; I would compare him to a more accurate Josh Allen.

Carolina Panthers — Isaiah Simmons, Linebacker Out is Kuechly. In is Simmons. I don’t want to say that Simmons can replace Kuechly right off the bat, but he brings the sideline-to-sideline and passion to the game that is eerily similar. On top of that Simmons has the athleticism to play both safety spots as well as slot corner. Simmons is one of the few can’t-miss-prospects in this years draft. But just to throw some doubt (shade?) in your mind, remember that Seattle thought linebacker Aaron Curry was a can’t-miss-prospect in ’09.

Arizona Cardinals — Derrick Brown, Defensive Tackle First surprise of the draft! Most, if not all, have Arizona taking an offensive tackle to further protect Kyler Murray. I believe that the current offensive line that Arizona has put together is average, but there have been plenty of great offences, Super Bowl winning offences that win with an average o-line. Kyler has the escapability to make an average line good, just look within their division, Russell Wilson has had (at best) an average o-line his entire career. I give the nod to Brown here as it’s the defence of Arizona that needs to step up; aside from Chandler Jones and Patrick Peterson, Arizona needs an infusion of talent on the defensive side to truly soar.

Jacksonville Jaguars — Xavier McKinney, Safety The Jags are an interesting team in this years draft, as they are clearly rebuilding though there are so many positions that need to be filled/upgraded. I want to go offensive tackle here, but going with a pick that makes sense isn’t Jacksonville’s style. Under the Caldwell/Marrone regime defence has been there go-to in the 1st round. McKinney has the ability to play both safety spots as well as corner, he’s a player that can be thrust into the starting lineup and would feel seamless.

Cleveland Browns — Jedrick Wills Jr., Offensive Tackle Cleveland is the biggest beneficiary of Arizona and Jacksonville going against the grain as it’s been no secret that they are in desperate need for o-line help. New head coach Kevin Stefanski knows the difference what a good offensive line can do for a quarterback - just ask Kirk Cousins when he was the OC for Minnesota. Wills Jr. provides Cleveland with a winners mentality and is in the mix for the best tackle in this years draft. It’s a no-brainer.  

New York Jets — Henry Ruggs III, Wideout The most glaring needs for the Jets have been offensive tackle and wideout, I went with the latter on this one, but not necessarily the name you thought. Ruggs III gets the nod here as New York and Darnold need a game changer at the wideout position, a true home run hitter. Ruggs III is what Robby Anderson could never develop to be. Adam Gase has a tendency to take risks in the 1st round, he has to hit eventually, right?  

Las Vegas Raiders — Jerry Jeudy, Wideout It’s almost poetic that Jon Gruden selects a true number one receiver from Alabama after having a true number one receiver from… Alabama. Look, Gruden just wants to a build a team his way… I don’t want to say that Jeudy is an Amari Cooper clone, but… This is what I wrote about Cooper in 2015 “…Cooper is the best wideout in the draft and has the better hands and route running…”, now I know that wasn’t groundbreaking stuff, but it still holds true for Jeudy.  

San Francisco 49ers — CJ Henderson, Cornerback There’s a reason San Francisco made the trade for a premium pick, my guess is that they know how good their defensive line is (plus how expensive it’s getting) but also know how their corners were exposed in the Super Bowl. As good of a corner Richard Sherman is, he’s never been a fast guy and with his speed starting to slip it’s time to find a successor. Enter Henderson who is a well sized corner with the only real issue being his tackling, but on a 49ers defense with their GM being a former DB with impeccable tackling skills, I think he’ll pick it up just fine.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Mekhi Becton, Offensive Tackle Easy, easy pick. Tampa needs to protect Brady at all costs. With Becton they easily get the highest ceiling lineman in the draft. Brady has a knack for making his tackles look elite, but with Becton, I don’t think he’ll need to try very hard.

Denver Broncos — CeeDee Lamb, Wideout Denver has been a good landing spot for a wideout, and the chips fall in that direction as well. Lamb is arguably the best wideout in this years class with great hands, route running and body control. He’ll be added to an offensive that could be sneaky good with a ton of young talent; add in Lamb alongside Sutton, Fant and the big arm of Lock and they could be building something special in Denver.

Atlanta Falcons — Andrew Thomas, Offensive Tackle Atlanta is in limbo with this pick, do they go along the defensive line which they have swung and missed too many times, or do they go along the offensive line where they’ve dealt with injuries the last few seasons? Here I’m going with the local Georgia Bulldogs kid, Andrew Thomas. In him, Atlanta finally finds a bookend tackle to pair with Jake Matthews. Atlanta was at it’s best when they were scoring a ton of points, and signing Todd Gurley to a 1-year deal tells me that that is the direction they want to go.  

Dallas Cowboys — Cesar Ruiz, Centre Even with a ton of defensive linemen still on the board, Dallas stays true to themselves and drafts the best centre in the draft to replace Travis Frederick to his shockingly but unsurprising retirement. Similar to Tyron Smith back in 2011, Ruiz is a young player at just 20, but with Dallas’ elite offensive line, Ruiz will fit right in and learn from some of the absolute best.

Miami Dolphins — Javon Kinlaw, Defensive Line Miami adds a gem at the 18th spot with Kinlaw, who has outstanding length, size and explosiveness for a man his size. For as bad as Miami was last year, they are building something special down there in South Beach. With the free agent acquisitions and adding game changer draft picks, maybe Flores was right in selling the farm last year to restock in this years draft.

Las Vegas Raiders — Yetur Gross-Matos, Defensive End Mike Mayock loves the potential and the versatility, Gross-Matos (underrated name) gets the nod as he has tremendous upside with the ability to add to his already 6’5 frame. Playing him opposite last years picks in Ferrell and Crosby, Oaklan…uhh Las Vegas starts to build depth along a defensive line that can match up against a trending upward division that is the AFC West.

Jacksonville Jaguars — Kenneth Murray, Linebacker Despite the addition of Joe Schobert, the Jags look to further strengthen their linebacking core. Murray needs development in coverage, though that is typically anchored by Myles Jack. Murray has the potential to develop into a hybrid of Schobert and Jack as he is the perfect blend of athleticism and instincts.

Philadelphia Eagles — Justin Jefferson, Wideout Philadelphia may have shown their hand a little bit in addressing the cornerback position through free agency and acquiring Slay, so it’s no secret (or surprise) that they target a wideout in the 1st round. Jefferson exploded this past year for LSU as he provides the perfect blend of speed, size and hands. He will finally provide Wentz with a reliable, healthy target that he has needed throughout his entire tenure of being an Eagle.  

Minnesota Vikings — K’Lavon Chaisson, Defensive Line Out with the old and in with the new! Minnesota and Everson Griffen opted to mutually part ways this off-season and though corner and wideout may be a bigger priority, they are pleasantly surprised to see Chaisson still available this late in the draft. Chaisson already has the move and explosion to excel at the d-end position, the one thing he needs is a bit more mass. The challenge is accept by head coach Mike Zimmer who has a knack in getting the most out of his front seven.

New England Patriots — Zack Baun, Linebacker Baun is the typical do-everything-player that Belichick absolutely loves (though you’d never know). Baun plays best as an outside backer with experience rushing off the edge, think Mike Vrabel in his prime and to a lesser extent, Tedy Bruschi. I know some are thinking Jordan Love here, but I suspect that Belichick is holding on with his belief in Jarrett Stidham; I also believe that if Jalen Hurts is available in the second that’s when New England would give thoughts to upgrading their quarterback position.

New Orleans Saints — Jordan Love, Quarterback Drew Brees is done after this year, right? I mean, how much more heartbreak can this man sustain… Sean Payton finally finds the real successor to Brees (sorry Taysom) in Love. Love has the potential and the raw ability to be great in this league, though I do feel he needs a little seasoning, and who better to learn from then one of the all-time greats. Patrick Mahomes has been the lazy comparison for Love, to me I feel he fits more of a Cam Newton mold; time will tell.

Minnesota Vikings — Josh Jones, Offensive Tackle Minnesota has been trying to revamp their line for what feels like a few years now. Jones gives them a potential impact blocker for the future. The knock on him is that he is a raw player that needs to improve in the running game, which can be viewed as a knock as Minnesota loves to run the ball, but with an elusive back like Cook and a more statuesque quarterback in Cousins, Minnesota opts for improvement in the pass game.

Miami Dolphins — Lucas Niang, Offensive Tackle Miami wisely invests in an offensive tackle after securing their quarterback of the future in Tagovailoa. Niang is one of the most well-rounded tackle prospects in the draft, though he doesn’t have eye-popping measurements he has the ability to grow and be a day one starter for the Dolphins.  

Seattle Seahawks — Trevon Diggs, Cornerback Seattle is always a hard team to predict, as they either, by an analysts standpoint, reach for a guy that would have been available in later rounds (see Bruce Irvin, James Carpenter, Rashaad Penny…) or they trade out of the spot all together. This year however they take a corner with a ton of upside and can be a bit of hothead and/or vocal (like his brother, Stefon). Diggs brings a ton of athleticism, which is perfect as sometimes his aggressiveness gets in the way.

Baltimore Ravens — Patrick Queen, Linebacker Baltimore missed more than they thought when CJ Mosley cashed in a year ago. Queen has a winning pedigree and will give Baltimore exactly what they were missing when they got gashed continuously by Derrick Henry in the playoffs. Queen isn’t at the Ray Lewis level of linebacker, though I can see him easily matching (if not passing) the level that was Mosley.  

Tennessee Titans — Austin Jackson, Offensive Tackle Sometimes it’s as easy as addition from subtraction. Tennessee didn’t want to shell out top dollar for Jack Conklin who, in his own right is a very good tackle, but the price tag was out of reach. Jackson fills the void, and though he has some deficiencies; he has room to bulk and add strength, he won’t be asked to take the premier left tackle spot as Taylor Lewan has that position locked down.

Green Bay Packers — Tee Higgins, Wideout Aaron Rodgers needs another receiver. Aaron Rodgers can’t do it all himself. Aaron Rodgers expresses frustration with his receiving core… There are dozens of these statements and all showcase the same thing, Aaron Rodgers needs help, and that’s ok! Who doesn’t?! Higgins give Rodgers a big-bodied redzone threat that he has never had (at the wideout position). He won’t light you up with his speed, however his catch radius is phenomenal. He reminds me of another former Clemson Tiger, Mike Williams.

San Francisco 49ers — Jeremy Chinn, Safety It was a coin flip between Jeremy Chinn and Grant Delpit. Both are two of the bigger safeties in the draft, and both can play multiple positions, the difference is what those other positions are; where Delpit is more finesse, Chinn brings the hammer as he can play the hybrid safety/linebacker position. Infuse Chinn into a Robert Saleh defence and the potential is endless.

Kansas City Chiefs — Kristian Fulton, Cornerback The lone weakness working against Kansas City is their secondary, they have elite and depth at almost all positions aside from cornerback, nothing close to a lockdown corner. Fulton sticks to his receivers like glue; press coverage is unbelievable. His only real knock is he has above-average speed and was suspended for a year, que the Marcus Peters comparisons. Andy Reid has never been wavered by character issues.

Well there you have it!

Thank you for taking the time to read my prediction for the 1st Round in this years 2020 NFL Draft. If you have been reading since the start back in 2013, thank you for the support. 

This year should definitely be an interesting year, as we will be witnessing the first every virtual draft. How will it go down? Will it get hacked? Did the NFL really need to announce that Roger Goodell will be making the picks from his basement which is probably a palace? Tune in!

Enjoy the draft next Thursday ladies and gentlemen! There is literally no excuse seeing as we are all locked inside, and unless Netflix releases Tiger King: The Exotic Return, we’ll all be tuning in #ratings

[xlewandowski]

NFL Mock Draft — 2019

conflicted, adjective having or showing confused and mutually inconsistent feelings.

Let me start off this mock draft with saying that I’m conflicted. I’m conflicted at what Arizona will be doing with their pick. I’m conflicted because I don’t know if Kliff Kingsbury is a genius or in over his head; does he truly have an infatuation with Kyler Murray or is this the ultimate smokescreen. This is one of the toughest drafts to read because the two players that I’m conflicted with Arizona choosing, Kyler Murray, Nick Bosa, could not be more opposite, obviously Matt, they play a completely different position. The entire first half of the draft is going to be determined between whichever one of these players gets his name called first.

Another thing I’m conflicted on, is Tumblr still a thing?… So, without any further ado, my annual 1st round mock draft beings now!

Please note, I do not try and predict trades as they are impossible to determine, which makes this entire exercise useless, but we have fun!..

Arizona Cardinals — Kyler Murray, Quarterback I’m doing it! I’m committing to it! Look, this move may be questionable or it may be perfect, all depends on which side of the coin you look at. Kingsbury doesn’t owe Josh Rosen anything; he wants his first pick to be his guy and what better guy then Murray whom he called out way back in October that he would draft him number 1 overall if he had the chance. Plus, Josh Rosen always felt like he had this entitlement that he was better than everyone, and not in the fun Jay Cutler way. Bold prediction: after the draft Arizona fires GM Steve Keim.

San Francisco 49ers — Joey Bosa, Defensive End Bosa has been said to be the best overall player in this years draft for awhile now and with Arizona passing on him he will have two times a year to prove them that they got it wrong for passing over him. San Francisco’s defensive line has become one of the best this off-season.

New York Jets — Josh Allen, Defensive Line The pick of Allen just makes too much sense especially with the new Gregg Williams defense that’s being installed. Allen can flip between putting his hand in the dirt and rushing the passer to dropping back and being a giant linebacker. See how Houston utilizes Jadeveon Clowney, that’s how New York will try and utilized Allen.

Oakland Raiders — Ed Oliver, Defensive Line A few of you may be shocked that it’s not Quinnen Williams, but over the past few drafts Alabama defensive lineman have slipped a little in the draft for unknown reasons. However I made this pick as recently Oliver's workouts have flashed potential to be in the Aaron Donald mold, and even though it’s potential I feel that Gruden and especially new GM Mike Mayock can’t pass that up and deliver the first surprise of the draft.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Devin White, Linebacker The new era linebacker started with Roquon Smith last year in Chicago, this year Tampa continues the trend in drafting athletically gifted linebackers early. White is the pick that not only works for need at position (Kwon Alexander leaving in free agency) but as well with a need in the division; with so many weapons in the NFC South, Tampa needs a player that can defend on all levels. 

New York Giants — Quinnen Williams, Defensive Tackle New York desperately needs help along the defensive line and at quarterback, but the latter Dave Gettlemen (stubbornly) refuses to admit. Williams is the pick here as he is one of the few players that you can justify putting an on hold prior to getting your franchise quarterback. He will also anchor down a defensive line that has grown scarce on talent and production.

Jacksonville Jaguars — Jawaan Taylor, Offensive Tackle So you spend 88M on a quarterback, what do you do next? You either get him weapons or protection, I’m (surprisingly) going with protection as I believe there will still be talent at wideout in the second round. Taylor is an aggressive mauler and gets the Jags doing what they do best, running the football.

Detroit Lions — Rashan Gary, Defensive End With Detroit slowly but surely building up their defence why not add a physical specimen like Gary to a what is becoming a deep defensive line. Gary can initially be used in pass rush situations while he learns to play the run more stoutly, and who better to learn from then a do-it-all player like the recently signed Trey Flowers.

Buffalo Bills — Andre Dillard, Offensive Tackle Similar to Jacksonville, Buffalo opts to protect it’s young quarterback and roll with their newly signed and returning weapons. Dillard isn’t the sexiest of picks but with the investment of Josh Allen and the focus on building for the future this pick makes too much sense. Buffalo has quickly solved it’s issues from two years ago when the bulk of their offensive line abruptly retired.

Denver Broncos — Montez Sweat, Defensive End Instead of John Elway chasing another tall quarterback he goes in a different direction, that direction is that of new head coach Vic Fangio. Denver continues to rebuild (reload?) it’s defence that now can deliver a pass rush from all across the front seven. Sweat is a huge athlete that can immediately learn from the best in Von Miller and last years first round pick, Bradley Chubb in how to adapt to attacking the offence.

Cincinnati Bengals — Dwayne Haskins, Quarterback I mean, do you believe in Andy Dalton? Have you ever believed in Andy Dalton? Does Zac Taylor believe in Andy Dalton? Look, Cincinnati doesn’t have a lot going for them, they barely made any moves in the off-season and they’ve become the worst team in Ohio, Haskins breathes new life into a Bengals offence that has grown stale and with him at the helm, I don’t want to say it will help them win, but it will make them more entertaining. Do it for Joe Mixon’s fantasy value at least.

Green Bay Packers — D.K. Metcalf, Wideout Ok, let me start this off by saying I believe Metcalf’s stock rose an insane amount after his combine. I also believe that from a stature standpoint he is what NFL teams want their wideouts to be built like HOWEVER he is not nearly as polished a route runner and still has a lot of learning, but this is a new Green Bay, this is a team that needs to make and continue to make Aaron Rodgers happy. Metcalf is the perfect compliment to Devante Adams + he won’t be thrown into the fire to be the teams number one wideout. Reward can definitely trump risk with this pick.

Miami Dolphins — Jonah Williams, Offensive Tackle With the pick of Williams this solidifies what Miami has planned for the 2019 season, and that is development, it’s a nicer, more political way of saying tanking. Brian Flores wants to build his team from the lines out; creating a well oiled unit along the offensive line will pay dividends for when Miami does draft their franchise quarterback.

Atlanta Falcons — Brian Burns, Defensive End Atlanta has been searching for a consistent pass rusher for what seems like forever; they had a taste of it when Vic Beasley decided to live up to his top 10 drafting, but that turned out to be a fluke. Enter Brian Burns, a former basketball player that has thrust himself into the first round with his outstanding athleticism. He still needs some seasoning but a player that can not only rush the passer but also cover isn’t easy to find.

Washington Redskins — TJ Hockenson, Tight End Washington is hoping for the best with Case Keenum and also the (eventual) return of Alex Smith, they are also trying to restock in the weapons department which haven’t existed since DeSean Jackson. Hockenson may be a bit of a surprise considering the presence of Jordan Reed and Vernon Davis, however the former is a shell of his former self and the latter is shockingly still playing, Hockenson provides the start of a youth movement in D.C. and what better player to select then one of the best tight ends to come out in years.

Carolina Panters — Greg Litte, Offensive Tackle Priority #1 protect Cam Newton. Priority #2 protect Cam Newton. Priority…well you get the point. Carolina needs to protect their former MVP quarterback, I mean, he could also not run as much and slide, but we all know that’s not going to happen. Carolina needs to erase that mistake of thinking Matt Khalil was a competent left tackle and build through the draft. Little can develop into an elite left tackle, his most notable knock is his run game could use some improvement, but with Carolina a very run heavy team, Little will pick it up quickly.

New York Giants — Clelin Ferrell, Defensive End New York continues to rebuild their defence from the line out; while also refusing to accept the fact that Eli Manning hasn’t been relevant for awhile now. Ferrell slides into the role that was left from Olivier Vernon. With both Quinnen Williams and Ferrell the Giants have significantly upgraded their line especially in the run game.

Minnesota Vikings — Garrett Bradbury, Offensive Line Minnesota lost a year of production of Kirk Cousins as their line wasn’t anywhere close to be competent let alone elite. Bradburry gives Minnesota the flexibility of centre and both guard positions, as well as gives Mike Zimmer what he wants in an offence, to run the ball down the oppositions throats.

Tennessee Titans — Dexter Lawrence, Defensive Tackle Let’s start with the obvious, Lawrence is one of the biggest prospects we’ve seen in awhile, he is massive standing at 6’5 and almost 350lbs, and the crazy thing is, he’s very quick. Tennessee has rebuilt their front seven over the last few drafts and pairing Lawrence with the very underrated Jurrell Casey will allow last years picks (Evans, Landry) and newly signed Cameron Wake get after the passer.

Pittsburgh Steelers — Devin Bush, Linebacker I just want to get this out of that way, the Ryan Shazier story is one of the best in not just the NFL but sports, what he is doing now is bigger than all of us and he is injecting hope for those who were told they can’t, but, football is still a business and as many strides as he’s taking, he should not ever play the game again; it’s a harsh reality, but a reality Pittsburgh has to accept. Devin Bush is neck and neck with Devin White as being the best linebacker that has those hybrid skills to play in the modern era, the fact that they can get him 15 slots after White is beyond a steal. Pittsburgh gets their sideline-to-sideline field general back with the Bush pick.

Seattle Seahawks — Noah Fant, Tight End Russell Wilson just received the largest (per year) contract in NFL history, and the best way to let the league and especially themselves know that they made the right decision is to surround Wilson with (actual) weapons. When Seattle opted not to resign Jimmy Graham it left a big hole in the middle for production; Wilson can make a lot of guys look good, but having a top notch big bodied receiving weapon is where he thrives. Enter Fant, a kid who has the body of a tight end, but the moves of a wideout; think Evan Engram, but not as prone to concussions. Tight ends don’t typically have monster rookie seasons, but keep your eye on Fant.

Baltimore Ravens — Hakeem Butler, Wideout Let’s be honest, the only type of player that is going to further help develop Lamar Jackson from glorified running back to legitimate quarterback is a receiving option with an absurd catch radius, and seeing as Baltimore drafted their tight ends of the future last year, this year they get a tremendous upgrade in the receiver department in Hakeem Butler, a man who has drawn comparisons to Calvin Johnson FROM Calvin Johnson. Butler still has a long way to go in developing into a true weapon at the wideout position, but so does Jackson in the quarterback position, why not team them up and grow together.

Houston Texans — Dalton Risner, Offensive Tackle Houston opts for Risner over Ford as they view him as the cleaner, more versatile player. Risner has experience playing all across the line which is a plus for Houston as they need help all across the line in hopes that Deshaun Watson doesn’t get David Carr syndrome and sees his line breaking down in his sleep. Risner is best suited to play guard at the pro level, but regardless, Houston (Watson) is happy.

Oakland Raiders — Christian Wilkins, Defensive Tackle Oakland, similar to the Giants, continues to strengthen their line in what is a draft filled with top end defensive talent. Pairing Wilkins with the earlier drafted Ed Oliver will further the notion that trading away Khalil Mack was the right decision. Wilkins, though may not have the ceiling of Oliver he does have a much higher floor; he is one of the safest prospects in this year’s draft.

Philadelphia Eagles — Cody Ford, Offensive Tackle The end of a glorious era is coming to an end for Jason Peters and his hall of fame career. Philadelphia needs to start thinking of life after Peters and drafting Ford allows him to have a smooth transition into the pros while learning from one of the best. It would be in Philadelphia’s best interest to strengthen the line so Carson Wentz can stay healthy for the first time while shaking that injury prone label he current has placed over him.

Indianapolis Colts — Byron Murphy, Cornerback Indianapolis is going with the best player available, and seeing how you can never have enough corners they opt with arguably the number 1 corner in this years draft. Murphy posses a below average size that todays NFL is currently seeking, however think Jason Verrett, before the injuries completely derailed his career. Murphy can cover a wideout all over the field and then has the ball skills to make big plays.

Oakland Raiders — Josh Jacobs, Running Back Rounding out the third pick in the 1st round for Oakland, Josh Jacobs is built for the modern day NFL, he can run, he can catch, and the trait everyone forgets about, he can block; he’s Alvin Kamara without the discount of being a third round pick. Jacobs, though didn’t have a lot of carries in college shouldn’t be viewed as a bad thing. Running back is one of the few positions where the jump from the pros isn’t as difficult and with significantly less wear and tear Jacobs should explode out of the gate with the revamped Raiders.

Los Angeles Chargers — Greedy Williams, Cornerback If I say that this is more of luxury pick for the Chargers I don’t have to make a pun of them being greedy (dad joke)… San Diego Los Angeles has two stud corners in Casey Hayward and Desmond King, however both are on the smaller/average size at 5’11; Williams stands in at 6’3. With his size he can not only blanket whoever is up against him but with his speed can also keep up with the smaller/shifter receivers in the league. With Antonio Brown and all the Kansas City weapons, it’s best for the Chargers to continue to stock up at the corner position.  

Kansas City Chiefs — Deandre Baker, Cornerback Kansas City has an amazing high powered offence, and a very very average defence. The main issue is that their offence scores so much and so frequently that their defence is often playing with a lead, which means the opposition needs to throw. Add Baker and a huge upgrade at corner is in play. Baker is a very physical corner and in division that has Antonio Brown, Mike Williams and Keenan Allen, physicality is a must.

Green Bay Packers — Nasir Adderley, Safety Even with the signing of Adrian Amos Green Bay is one more safety away from completely rebuilding their secondary from 2 years ago. Adderley is one of the few safeties that has a first round grade in this year’s class; he has average size but has phenomenal ball skills, pairing him with Amos will certainly allows Green Bay to pick off a ton more passes than they’ve grown accustom to.

Los Angels Rams — Jerry Tillery, Defensive Line Tillery has the prototypical size and versatility that is needed in this era of the NFL for a defensive lineman, think Chris Jones of Kansas City. Last year LA showed that one of their strengths, if not their best strength is along the defensive line. Tillery slides into the vacated spot left by Ndamukong Suh right beside Aaron Donald, which will benefit him adjusting to the pros as he doesn’t need to be relied on as ‘the guy’.

New England Patriots — Marquise ‘Hollywood’ Brown, Wideout I know I know, Marquise Brown isn't the typical wideout New England usually rosters… New England needed to address their receiving situation, with age, retirements and suspensions Tom Brady doesn’t have as much ammo as he’s used too, and he’s already not used to a lot. Brown gives them the deep threat that was solely missed from when they shipped off Brandin Cooks. Also New England was looking to add Antonio Brown, so why not add his cousin and hope that he has the athletic traits and not the social traits.

As you can see I do not have Drew Lock or Daniel Jones being picked in the first round HOWEVER I do believe that Lock and probably (though he shouldn’t) Jones are going to be picked in the first round via trade. There is also a good chance Seattle trades Frank Clark for a late first round pick which would of course throw more wrenches into my mock which is all but certain to be completely botched.

Thank you for taking the time to read my thoughts and how I believe the first round will unfold.

Enjoy the draft on Thursday ladies and gentlemen! I know I would be but my girlfriend bought us tickets to a play, yes a play. Good times…

[xlewandowski]

NFL Mock Draft — 2018

Welcome to my annual 1st round mock draft! 

Why I lead off like an announcer I will never know..

Before I get into my picks I need to get something off my chest, it’s obviously quarterback related, because with this years draft how could it not. It’s my ranking of the top 5 quarterbacks, yes FIVE. This whole nonsense of Lamar Jackson not being in the mix of the top quarterbacks is simply ridiculous.

Josh Rosen. Over this draft process I’ve read and heard a lot on how Rosen is the most pro ready and natural thrower of all the quarterbacks. So why is he not in contention for the 1st overall pick, mainly cause Cleveland isn’t the most intelligent, but I feel the real reason, not this ‘he’s too smart’ thing (actually), I believe it’s his injury concerns with sustaining two concussions as well as a shoulder injury in his final collegiate season.

Lamar Jackson. Picture Michael Vick, but more committed to the game (early in his career that is), will put in the time and not just rely on his God given ability. He could add a bit of weight to his frame, but overall he is the most dynamic player in this draft. And no, he’s not a wide receiver, that was simply an ignorant statement to make.

Sam Darnold. Has the potential to be the best all around/overall quarterback in this years draft. Has all the tools to be a franchise quarterback (height, weight, health). Biggest knock on him is the turnovers in college, and that’s where you have to wonder if it was the talent around him or his decision making.

Baker Mayfield. Let me just go on the record with that I do not like Mayfield, I think he’s too arrogant, cocky and immature to last long in the NFL, however, he won games and no matter how much I am not a fan of his character you can’t deny that he can win. Now there is the whole height thing, but I don’t think that’s the biggest flaw; when Ryan Leaf and Johnny Manziel are mentioned within the same sentence as you, red flags will be raised. Tread lightly.

Josh Allen. He’s big, he’s tall, he has a cannon for an arm and could very well be the next Carson Wentz! Look, if people keep telling themselves that or saying that they will believe it, and a lot of people believe that, I just don’t. When (Lamar) Jackson was getting trashed about his accuracy and Allen is being praise, yet he had a lower average I just don’t get it. The only way Allen can be successful is if he sits behind an experienced veteran. The ceiling is there, but the floor is also very, very low.

Without any further ado, this is my prediction for the 1st round for the 2018 NFL draft:

Please note that I will not be predicting trades in this mock; they are inevitable, a mock draft is already a guessing game so why add to the fire with trades.

1. Cleveland Browns — Quarterback, Josh Allen


Let’s be honest, Cleveland is going to screw this up, they just are, and the real sad part that it may not be the talent around Allen, and you know what it may not be Allen himself - he does have the potential to be great, but that’s the thing, potential and Hue Jackson don’t coexist. Sorry Cleveland, but you deserve better then Hue Jackson and his average of 0.5 wins a season. Good luck, Josh!

2. New York Giants — Quarterback, Sam Darnold

You guys all know Sam, he’s the quarterback that has been predicted to go to Cleveland for months on months. New York said they wanted Darnold and that he is the only quarterback they like out of the bunch. Darnold gets a chance to learn behind a successful quarterback who too turnovers the ball more than you’d like.

3. New York Jets — Quarterback, Josh Rosen

Baker Mayfield is the flashier, more Joe Namath pick, but Todd Bowles does not strike me as the flashy guy, nor do I think he cares. Rosen is the best pure passer in this draft and he gets to learn behind a real pro in Josh McCown (All the Joshs!). This further makes you wonder why they even bothered bringing in Teddy Bridgewater for the year.

4. Cleveland Browns — Defensive End, Bradley Chubb

Hue Jackson said he fantasizes of teaming up Myles Garrett and Bradley Chubb; I’ll refrain from making an innuendo joke on how Hue gets a chubby… Look this pick is a solid pick because you can never go wrong with multiple pass rushers, just ask the Philadelphia Eagles.

5. Denver Broncos — Running Back, Saquon Barkley

I mean C.J. Anderson was just released 10 days before the draft, it just makes too much sense + Case Keenum is good, he proved this last year, so why not equip him with the best player in the draft which also happens to be one of Denver’s biggest needs.

6. Indianapolis Colts — Offensive Guard, Quenton Nelson

Andrew Luck is going to be back… right?… maybe?… Look I have no idea, but I do know that Indianapolis finally has to upgrade their line. Nelson is in the running with Barkley for one of the best and safest picks in the draft. Guard isn’t a sexy pick, though sometimes you need to go against the grain. Protection isn’t for everyone, but sometimes you need to play it safe.

7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Offensive Tackle, Mike McGlinchey

I had Minkah Fitzpatrick in this spot but I couldn’t commit to it as Dirk Koetter is now grasping at straws on how to make Jamesis Winston somewhat competent. McGlinchey shores up the offensive line giving Winston the time he needs to connect with 2017 free agent acquisition DeSean Jackson.

8. Chicago Bears — Cornerback, Denzel Ward

Chicago had surprisingly a pretty decent defence last year; though in a division with the likes of Rodgers, Stafford and Cousins, you can never have enough talent at the cornerback position. Ward is the best pure corner in the draft and Chicago is banking on him being like ex-college teammate Marshon Lattimore of New Orleans.

9. San Francisco 49ers — Wideout, Calvin Ridley

Linebackers (Roquan) Smith and (Tremaine) Edmunds have been flipping back and forth for the 9ers since mocks came out but I just have a feeling that this pick has the ripple effect of Jimmy Garoppolo. Ridley is slightly undersized, but so was Sammy Watkins when he came out of Clemson. He is a fluid runner that can hopefully be for them what Buffalo thought/wanted Watkins to be for them.

10. Oakland Raiders — Linebacker, Tremaine Edmunds

I’m going to do my best Jon Gruden impression in describing Tremaine Edmunds: 
Tremaine Edmunds, man, wow, I mean that guy is a freak, I call him Freak-a-Leek. Man that’s crazy, it’s like Pablo Petey went to Virginia Tech or something man. He’s a joker as well, you know why, he makes you laugh but not cause you’re happy, cause you’re scared man. Wow.


But seriously, this kid is 6’5, 250lbs and he’s not even 20, just let the resinate with you. Edmunds has the potential to not only be a sideline to sideline linebacker, but could also rush the passer as well - scary next to Khalil.

11. Miami Dolphins — Defensive Tackle, Vita Vea

Adam Gase still believes in Ryan Tannehill, why I do not know, especially with Jackson and Mayfield still on the board. Miami goes with Vea in a lateral move in shipping off Suh and plugging in Vea. Miami is basically where they were to begin the off-season just without a significant cap hit owed to one player. Vea is however the most dominant interior defensive lineman in the draft, and with him it will allow Wake and newly added Quinn to put pressure on the quarterback.

12. Buffalo Bills — Quarterback, Baker Mayfield

This is the dream scenario for Buffalo, as they don’t want to use the 12th pick to reach for Mason Rudolph and they hate any quarterback that reminds them of Tyrod Taylor, sorry Lamar, it’s not you, it’s Buffalo. Mayfield brings the spark and excitement back(?) to northwestern New York where he has some pieces to be successful in LeSean McCoy and Kelvin Benjamin. Buffalo may actually be the most ideal place for Mayfield to land, as the media market is very small and unless he’s going to Niagara Falls on a weekly basis there are very few places for him to get into trouble.

13. Washington Redskins — Defensive Back, Minkah Fitzpatrick

The slide stops at lucky number 13! Fitzpatrick’s slide has less to do with his abilities and more for the teams ahead of them going for players that fit their scheme and need. Fitzpatrick can play in either the slot corner position but I believe his best spot may be safety; he’s a very rangy and ballhawking defensive back that will bring stability on the back end for Washington.

14. Green Bay Packers — Linebacker, Roquan Smith

Like Rodgers back in 2005 falling to them, Green Bay lucks out in getting a top talent that somehow fell to them. Roquan is the linebacker Green Bay has needed for what seems like forever now. Smith will shore up the linebacking corps and allow Matthews and Perry to get back to what they do best, focusing solely on rushing the passer.

15. Arizona Cardinals — Quarterback, Lamar Jackson

Jackson trades in his Louisville cardinal for the Arizona cardinal. Teaming Jackson and his all world abilities with David Johnson and an ageless Larry Fitzgerald just makes sense. Steve Wilks was part of a team (Carolina) that had a running quarterback (Cam Newton) so he has seen the pros that the mobility can bring to the game. The fact that Arizona signed Sam Bradford means nothing, as two years ago Philadelphia resigned Bradford then traded up to get Carson Wentz, it’s just science.

16. Baltimore Ravens — Defensive Tackle, Da’Ron Payne

This is what Ozzie Newsome does, he drafts Alabama players, and with his final draft as GM for the Baltimore Ravens, he says why not. Payne also works with the rotation alone the defensive line and further anchors that position. Baltimore could use more playmakers on the offensive side, none available (to them) are worth drafting this high.

17. Los Angeles Chargers — Safety, Derwin James

Derwin James has the potential to burst on the scene like Eric Berry and Earl Thomas; he’ll make an already solid defence and take them to dominant/elite status. If Jason Verrett can stay healthy LA may have one of the best secondaries in the NFL.

18. Seattle Seahawks — Edge Rusher, Marcus Davenport

With the release of Michael Bennett, Seattle is in desperate need of restoring what used to be a once dominant defence. Davenport brings not only size but also versatility and could be that chess piece that Seattle has desperately been needing. With the back end not as potent as it once was, Seattle needs to get to the quarterback faster; Davenport helps tremendously.

19. Dallas Cowboys — Cornerback, Josh Jackson


Dallas needs more impact players for their defence, and with a not so elite pass rush they need guys who can cover. Jackson, a taller ballhawking corner can team up with second year player, Chidobe Awuzie and then allow Byron Jones to move to safety (his more natural position) and Dallas will have solely built up their secondary that desperately needs to make the jump to help out their middle of the pack pass rush.

20. Detroit Lions — Edge Rusher, Harold Landry

Detroit has one pass rusher that strikes fear into opposing offensive lineman, Ezekiel Ansah, that’s it, that’s all; Matt Patrica needs to bring in an impactful player to take the focus solely off Ansah. Landry (like Davenport) has the ability to play with his hand in the dirt or as a stand up edge rusher.

21. Cincinnati Bengals — Offensive Guard, Will Hernandez

Hernandez is the second best guard in the draft after Nelson; his height is a bit on the shorter side, however his power and footwork make up for anything he may be lacking physically. Andy Dalton borders on the line of not great and passable, and the only way Cincinnati has a prayer in the AFC North is if he can be protected and they have a solid run game. Hernandez brings the physically back to the Bengals that was solely lacking last year.

22. Buffalo Bills — Offensive Tackle, Orlando Brown

Bit of a reach here for Brown, but Buffalo is hoping that what Baker Mayfield told them that Brown is an ideal left tackle and someone who he trusts in blocking for him from college and into the NFL. Brown was horrible at the combine, I mean dreadful, but his game tape was fantastic; he is the player that will define if the combine measurables mean absolutely nothing.

23. New England Patriots — Offensive Tackle, Connor Williams

Brady is 41 and Nate Solder just left via free agency, look just because it’s obvious doesn’t make it not true. Williams fills a massive need for New England and provides much needed leadership along a line that is good but not great.

24. Carolina Panthers — Edge Rusher, Sam Hubbard

Carolina needs to (finally) address their aging pass rush, Julius Peppers can’t play forever, (I mean he probably could) and there hasn’t been a player ready to take the reigns from him. Enter Hubbard, he has all the measurables to be a dominant pass rusher, but it is his athleticism that leaves something to be desired, however Hubbard can use his tremendous motor to get off blockers.

25. Tennessee Titans — Tight End, Michael Gesicki

Mike Vrabel was brought in to be creative for Marcus Mariota; Gesicki gives them a younger option to learn behind a real pro in Delaine Walker, who is still serviceable but is getting up there in age. A young core of playmakers is being brewed in Tennessee, and Gesicki could be that final piece that could make the Titans a dangerous offence, if they gel.

26. Atlanta Falcons — Cornerback, Mike Hughes

Hughes is what Dan Quinn thinks is the final piece to creating a secondary that resembles what he had in Seattle as their defensive coordinator. Hughes isn’t the biggest corner in the draft but his coverage makes up for his lack of height, think Jason Verrett of the Chargers but who can stay healthy. 

27. New Orleans Saints — Tight End, Dallas Goedert

New Orleans, and especially Drew Brees, has missed a game changer at the tight end ever since they traded Jimmy Graham away to Seattle. Goedert may as well be a Jimmy Graham clone, and seeing as New Orleans tried to sign their former tight end but failed, why not get a younger, significantly cheaper option. Goedert would be the perfect compliment to the outside presence of Mike Thomas and the dual threat of Kamara and Ingram. This offence would be downright scary.

28. Pittsburgh Steelers — Linebacker, Rashaan Evans

I don’t mean to be the bearer or bad news, but Ryan Shazier isn’t coming back. Don’t get me wrong he is a tremendous story, an inspirational story but for his short term and long term health, his career is over. Enter Evans who can anchor the middle of a linebacking corp that has severally been lacking a dominant presence, even when Shazier was in the lineup the group left something to be desired. Evans hits like a linebacker but has the speed of a safety.

29. Jacksonville Jaguars — Wideout, Courtland Sutton

Jacksonville has a lot of number 2 wideouts but not a true number 1, big bodied wideout to keep the defence honest. Sutton will give the Jags what they had briefly with Allen Robinson. Sutton isn’t the fastest in this years draft but with his size he can out muscle the majority of corners. You can’t teach 6’4.

30. Minnesota Vikings — Offensive Tackle, Kolton Miller

When you pay 84M guaranteed for your quarterback you want to keep him upright, hell, you don’t want him to be touched, ever. So solidifying the offensive line, which made great strides with it’s upgrades last year isn’t a bad idea. 

31. New England Patriots — Linebacker, Leighton Vader Esch

New England has needed a big rangy linebacker ever since Chandler Jones was shipped off. Vader Esch just looks like a Patriot, not just because he’s white, but he reminds you of a Mike Vrabel, Rob Nikovich do everything linebacker except he can rush the passer and easily get around blockers with his enormous wingspan.

32. Philadelphia Eagles — Running Back, Derrius Guice

Your Super Bowl Champions just keep getting better and better! If Philadelphia wants to reduce the amount of hits and runs Carson Wentz receives the best way is to keep the ball on the ground and let the running backs do the damage. Guice is a luxury pick who teams up with an already formidable running back core in Jay Ajayi, Corey Clement, (pending return off injury) Darren Sporles. Guice will be the hammer that LeGarrette was, but with more juice (I’m horrible) in his legs.

Thank you for taking the time and hope you enjoyed reading what I believe, but will ultimately not even come close to unfolding in Round 1 of the 2018 NFL Draft!

If only I lasted as long as my articles..

Enjoy the Draft on Thursday!

[xlewandowski]

NFL Mock Draft — 2017

Waited til the last possible moment to write this baby, but here we are!

We’ll skip the intro because lets be honest, no one ever reads it.

Without any further ado, this is my prediction for the 1st round for the 2017 NFL draft:

Please note that I will not be predicting trades in this mock; they are inevitable, a mock draft is already a guessing game so why add to the fire with trades.

Cleveland Browns — Myles Garret, Defensive End
 No need to overthink this, Cleveland. Garrett is the best player in the draft, despite most recent reports of him being lazy and taking plays off. Randy Moss had that rep. Look past the smokescreens people.

San Francisco 49ers — Deshaun Watson, Quarterback First big surprise of the 2017 draft. I personally believe, and have always believed that Watson is the much better prospect between he and Trubisky, but for some reason Watson has been lost in discussion in this draft process. Watson is a proven winner and San Francisco desperately needs a quarterback to bring the fan base back to the Bay Area.

Chicago Bears — Jamal Adams, Safety John Fox is hoping for a kind of impact that the Jags received last year in the form of Jalen Ramsey, minus the whole smack talking thing. Adams is the drafts best safety and arguably one of this years draft best overall players. Chicago has been dreadful in the secondary for years, aside from Kyle Fuller, who is probably still injured.

Jacksonville Jaguars — O.J. Howard, Tight End This is Blake Bortles final piece to the puzzle to have him be a consistent, elite quarterback in this league…look I don’t believe it either but the Jags do and that’s what I’m trying to get at. Jacksonville, despite their struggles last year have a top tier offence that they have built quite well through the draft, adding Howard gives them what they thought they paid for in Julius Thomas a couple of years ago minus the health concerns.

Tennessee Titans — Solomon Thomas, Defensive End/Tackle Tennessee needs some secondary help, as well as wideouts to help in the further development of Marcus Mariota, however, the value and slight slide of Thomas is too much to pass up. Thomas adds even further depth to an already underrated Titans defensive line. Mike Mularkey’s philosophy in building from the lines out continues.

New York Jets — Marshon Lattimore, Cornerback New York desperately tried to make a quick fix of their secondary when they brought the band back together in Revis and Cromartie…which worked out horribly. Who would of thought over paying corners in their 30’s and past their primes was a smart move.. Lattimore brings what Todd Bowles believes to be is his Patrick Peterson when he was the defensive coordinator in Arizona.

Los Angeles Chargers — Malik Hooker, Safety Everyone has Hooker going to the LA Chargers, why, because it just makes sense. LA has a star cornerback in Jason Verrett as well as at defensive end in Joey Bosa, Hooker gives them the free range safety they have been lacking for years. This draft has the chance to offer what Kansas City and Seattle received in 2010 with Eric Berry and Earl Thomas (respectively) with Adams and Hooker.

Carolina Panthers — John Ross, Wide Receiver Running back has been the prime landing spot for Carolina, however I’m going in a bit of a different offensive weapon direction. Cam has a big strong arm, why not take advantage of that with a wideout who is the fastest in NFL history (according to the 40 yard dash time). Ted Ginn did well in the deep threat roll for Carolina, and he could barely catch, now imagine a wideout that can and who is even faster.

Cincinnati Bengals — Derek Barnett, Defensive End Cincinnati, aside from having their offensive line purged over free agency has a decent roster despite finishing under .500 and picking in the top 10; they are a classic example of a team reloading rather than rebuilding. Barnett gives an added rusher to an already talented line in Dunlap and Atkins + this allows not all the pressure to be solely on Barnett’s shoulders.

Buffalo Bills — Jabrill Peppers, Safety/Linebacker Because who doesn’t like surprises? Prior to the in-depth draft process Peppers was talked about as a potential top 15 pick, then talks about what position he actually plays, lack of interceptions came into play and all that other fun stuff people talk about when there’s nothing to talk about in the NFL off-season. Peppers is the most versatile defensive player in the draft, and with this being Sean McDermott’s first go as a head coach he wants an impactful player that will make plays wherever and whenever on the field.

New Orleans Saints — Reuben Foster, Linebacker Couldn’t you just see New Orleans drafting McCaffrey or Fournette just to screw with us? I’m going more logical, which isn’t always the smartest route to go, but Foster gives the Saints something they haven’t had at linebacker since… Jonathan Vilma came via trade the New York Jets, maybe? Foster is the do everything rangy linebacker the Saints desperately need to take them from absolutely dreadful to at the least mediocre, and that’s one hell of a step.

Cleveland Browns — Mitchell Trubisky, Quarterback Fun fact, at the start of the draft process Trubisky wanted everyone to call him Mitchell rather than Mitch as it sounded more professional. Be strong Mitch! In all seriousness though, Cleveland finally gets their quarterback of the future (?). In being chosen with the 12th pick rather than the 1st it takes a ton of pressure off of Trubisky from performing right out of the gate. Hue Jackson wants a quarterback who he can finally groom and call his own and Trubisky has the skillset (although not the experience) to finally FINALLY give Cleveland some hope.

Arizona Cardinals — Mike Williams, Wide Receiver  It was a toss between Williams and quarterback Patrick Mahomes, my belief is that Bruce Arians still has faith (though he shouldn’t) in Carson Palmer. Arizona didn’t seem like they’d be in the receiver market for a few years but with Fitzgerald getting closer to retirement, John Brown getting injured, and Michael Floyd being an idiot, wideout become more of a need. Williams is arguably the best wideout in the draft and though he may not have elite speed, he does have the size and the hands to excel in the NFL, which bodes well for Arizona as he’s virtually a carbon copy of Fitzgerald.

Philadelphia Eagles — Leonard Fournette, Running Back Fournette is a potential generational running back who somehow falls to Philadelphia, though you won’t hear them complaining. Fournette gives the Eagles what they’ve never had, a huge back with tremendous power and surprising speed. Philadelphia has the receiving back in Sproles and made acquisitions for a rebuilt receiving core that was severely lacking prior to free agency. Last year gave the Eagles hope with Wentz, a year later, this offence could be downright scary with the addition of Fournette.

Indianapolis Colts — Christian McCaffrey, Running Back This is what Indianapolis does, they have a franchise quarterback, a terrible defence and just add to their offence in hopes that they out score you, classic Indianapolis! McCaffrey is the most versatile offence player in the draft, the fact that the Colts desperately need a running back it’s almost a perfect pairing. 

Baltimore Ravens — Jonathan Allen, Defensive Tackle/End Baltimore needs an impact at the running back position but with the two cleanest runners getting drafted right before them and with the two best still available having character issues, Baltimore goes the safe route and opts for the best remaining defensive lineman in Allen. Allen is able to help the Ravens both inside and outside and with an aging Terrell Suggs and Elvis Dumervill being released the drafting of Allen just makes sense.

Washington Redskins — Forrest Lamp, Offensive Guard Everyone’s favourite dysfunctional franchise! Washington says they want to keep Kirk Cousins, so what better way to keep your franchise quarterback from leaving in free agency in a year? You keep him clean and give him all the time in the world to find his receivers. Lamp is the best of a very thin offensive line group, he was originally a tackle however his lack of athleticism will ultimately kick him inside which works out perfect for Washington as they can pair him with former first rounder Brandon Scherff to form a very impressive guard duo.

Tennessee Titans — Corey Davis, Wide Receiver  In waiting to draft a wideout with their second 1st rounder, Tennessee is rewarded with one of the top receivers in this years draft. Davis for some reason didn’t receive (pun intended) as much fanfare as he should of; he is the all-time leader in receiving yards for the NCAA. Davis is by far one of the safest picks in the entire draft, a true plug and play player.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Budda Baker, Safety As fun as it would be to see Jameis Winston and Dalvin Cook reunite in the Bucs backfield a la Florida State, Tampa actually has great depth at that position despite what you think of Doug Martin. Baker is a smaller safety that can make a tremendous impact for the Bucs, think Bob Sanders but a little taller. Tampa has quickly built a contender ever since the arrival of Winston and Mike Evans, now the defence is just putting together those final pieces to put them over the top.

Denver Broncos — Cam Robinson, Offensive Tackle Really debated putting David Njoku in this spot but ultimately keeping the quarterback (whoever it is) upright won out over giving the quarterback an easy out. Denver’s o-line hasn’t been great, or even mediocre for the last few seasons. Robinson, like Forrest Lamp, is the best of a very weak offensive line draft class. He’s a bit of a risk/reward prospect, but Denver is desperate for an upgrade.

Detroit Lions — Marlon Humphrey, Cornerback Don’t look now but Detroit has slowly built themselves a contender with smart free agent signings as well as great drafting. Humphrey would be opposite of Darius Slay and immediately form a very formidable cornerback tandem. Plus, playing in a division where Aaron Rodgers is lined up against you, you can never have enough cover corners.

Miami Dolphins — Chidobe Awuzie, Cornerback Miami is only a few pieces away from making a big impact in the AFC, now unfortunately one of those pieces involves quarterback but Ryan Tannehill has played well (mediocre?) enough to hold down that position. Awuzie adds depth to a thin cornerback group in Miami; and no, Byron Maxwell is not the reason to not draft a corner, he’s terrible at best. The lone knock on Awuzie is that he could play a bit more aggressive… couldn’t we all.

New York Giants — David Njoku, Tight End New York needs to upgrade their offensive line, this is an obvious, but with no lineman worth of a 1st round pick in their eyes, and the best off the table the Giants opt for the second best pass catching tight end in the draft. New York hasn’t had a reliable tight end since Jeremy Shockey. Maybe the reason Eli kept getting killed and had lower numbers last year had more to do with the lack of trust he had of his tight ends. 

Oakland Raiders — Takkarist McKinley, Defensive End Oakland goes with their best player available approach. With Marshawn Lynch being acquired, Oakland can now focus on adding a playmaker along the defensive side. McKinley is the pick here as you can never have enough pass rushers, and with Aldon Smith future still in question Oakland plays it smart and continues to draft well. 

Houston Texans — Patrick Mahomes, Quarterback The choice was either quarterback, or quarterback for Houston. Mahomes gets the slight edge over Kizer solely because of the arm strength he showed off in recent weeks, which, no knock on Kizer as he too has tremendous arm strength. Honestly, I just flipped a coin. All this kid has to do is throw it up to DeAndre Hopkins, not hard, unless your name is Brock Osweiler..

Seattle Seahawks — Ryan Ramczyk, Offensive Tackle I mean, Seattle has to upgrade their offensive line eventually, right? Russell Wilson had a bit of a down year last year, and the main culprit behind that was the offensive line, half the time Wilson was running for his life; the running game also suffered because of the line. Enter Ramczyk who is an absolute mauler and would bring Seattle back to it’s roots in running the ball down the oppositions throats.

Kansas City Chiefs — DeShone Kizer, Quarterback The end is near for Alex Smith, it was a fun ride, like that roller coaster you go on but never truly get excited. Kizer would sit behind Smith and pretty much be red shirted for the year as he learns about the game and perfects his craft. Andy Reid would have no pressure to start this kid, unless of course Smith unravels and the season starts to slip away.

Dallas Cowboys — Obi Melifonwu, Safety Massive safety! Think Kam Chancellor of Seattle. Melifonwu is one of the most athletically gifted athletes in the draft, and paired with Byron Jones, drafted a couple of years ago and Dallas has completely rebuilt their safety position to help them against what is sure to be a high flying NFC East division.

Green Bay Packers — Dalvin Cook, Running Back Ty Montgomery is the current starting running back for Green Bay, a converted wideout who was put in that position out of pure desperation. Green Bay gets exceptional value with Cook sliding all the way to the end of the 1st round. The last time the Packers had this gifted of a runner in the back field Ahmad Green was suiting up for the green and gold. 

Pittsburgh Steelers — Charles Harris, Outside Linebacker James Harrison can’t play forever..? Pittsburgh wants to get back to having a dominate linebacking core, and with Jarvis Jones doing next to nothing, the Steelers reload with Harris. Harris on one side, Bud Depree on the other and Ryan Shazier in the middle gives offensive coordinators nightmares. 

Atlanta Falcons — Adoree’ Jackson, Cornerback Playing against Brees, Cam, and Jameis six times a year makes drafting Jackson an easy decision. Dan Quinn prides himself on building a dominate secondary and with last years 1st rounder Keanu Neal and current starting cornerbacks Desmond Trufant and Robert Alford, Atlanta has built a starting secondary that could soon resemble the Broncos or Seahawks in pure dominance.

New Orleans Saints — Sidney Jones, Cornerback The achilles injury Jones suffered at his pro day cost him from being a top 10 pick, however his drop off isn’t as devastating as initially thought. Jones will still be out for at least 4 months with injury, however if he can make his way back midway through the season New Orleans may have gotten the steal of the draft and would have significantly upgraded their defence.

And there you have it! 

Thank you to those who have stuck around this long to see how I predict the 1st round of the 2017 draft will unfold. Best of luck to your team and hope that they draft whomever your little heart desires!

Enjoy the Draft on Thursday!

[xlewandowski]

NFL Mock Draft — 2016, 2.0

A lot can change in three weeks!

Remember in my previous mock when I said that trades are nearly impossible to predict? Remember when I also said that Tennessee was too boring of a franchise to trade away the first overall pick? BUT to you also remember when I stated that Jeff Fisher’s faith in Case Keenum was an absolute joke AND that Cleveland would be content with RGIII at quarterback? Look, I’m not saying I can predict the future, but right now I’m batting .500 which is exactly what the Jays are.

All I’m saying above is this, the league hates you, they hate me, and they most definitely hate mock drafts. Remember Leo from Lethal Weapon 2 where he goes “they fuck you at the drive-thru”? well replace ‘drive-thru’ with ‘mock draft’.

This mock will have not as much of an in-depth of description, because I’d like to think that I have a life.

One more thing before I begin. This years draft has a very 2011 feel to it. Allow me to explain, in 2011 teams were scrambling to find the next franchise quarterback, this resulted in 4 quarterbacks going within the top 12 (Cam Newton, 1st overall; Jake Locker, 8th overall; Blain Gabbert, 10th overall; Christian Ponder, 12th overall). Teams reached hard that year and it would not be a surprise if 4 quarterbacks go in the top 20 this year.

Ok! So without any further ado, lets get this road on the show!:

Los Angeles Rams — Carson Wentz, Quarterback
 The first big trade of the 2016 draft, LA trades up to grab who they believe can be their franchise quarterback. Wentz is the higher risk/higher ceiling prospect between him and Goff. Why not swing for the fences?

Philadelphia Eagles — Jared Goff, Quarterback The second big trade of the 2016 draft. Philadelphia has a young core which is why they felt the reward outweighed the risk. Also, you know who likes Sam Bradford? No one. But hey, mediocrity brings in 18 million a year. Yeah, football is stupid..

San Diego Chargers — Laremy Tunsil, Offensive Tackle This is where the actual draft begins. San Diego can literally go in any direction they please. People have been pumping up King Dunlap and Joe Barksdale #offseason. Tunsil gives Rivers a legit franchise tackle to protect him and also get the run game going, which was absolutely dismal last year.

Dallas Cowboys — Joey Bosa, Defensive End I’m sticking with Bosa here. Dallas needs to improve their pass rush dramatically, Bosa can be the high energy guy the Cowboys have been lacking on defence for quite sometime. I’m also not buying the Elliot hype; Dallas is content with the Alfred Morris/Run DMC combo.

Jacksonville Jaguars — Jalen Ramsey, Cornerback/Safety This years draft best player just falls into the Jags lap. I mentioned in my previous mock on how Hargreaves would have been a great fit; Ramsey would be the perfect fit. Gus Bradley (potentially) lands a player that is a hybrid of Richard Sherman and Earl Thomas #hard

Baltimore Ravens — DeForest Buckner, Defensive Tackle Buckner is still the perfect fit for Baltimore. The Ravens need more pass rushers and though it’s been mentioned before, the comparisons to Calais Campbell cannot be ignored. Buckner is the exact opposite of Elvis Dumervil, which is a plus not a negative.

San Francisco 49ers — Ronnie Stanley, Offensive Tackle Kaepernick is still a 9er. And I do still believe that Chip wants to build his team from the lines out. He learned last year from Philadelphia that you can’t just have a bunch of lower tier lineman to run his offence. Chip wants to run, and with Stanley he enforces that.

Cleveland Browns — William Jackson III, Cornerback Cleveland has become the ultimate wildcard in this draft; with so many holes on their roster they can virtually go in any direction. I feel Hue Jackson will go the best player available route and will go with a bit of a surprise pick here in Jackson III, the fast rising corner who has tremendous ball hawking abilities.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Shaq Lawson, Defensive End You can never have enough pass rushers, and though the signing of Robert Ayers addressed the problem, it did not fix the problem. Pairing Ayers with Lawson will go a long way in pushing Tampa towards the NFC South crown.

New York Giants — Jack Conklin, Offensive Tackle I debated Myles Jack in this position, but with Eli in his mid 30′s the Giants need more of an impactful, immediate starter then the high risk Jack. Conklin gives the Giants two bookend tackles to stabilize what was once a glaring need for New York. Conklin also becomes the third first round lineman for New York in the past four years.

Chicago Bears — Vernon Hargreaves, Cornerback Chicago’s defence is still very much a work in progress, and though strides have been made they still need to address a secondary that outside of Kyle Fuller is just downright dreadful. Enter Hargreaves, who has the size to square up against bigger receivers. His ball skills aren’t the best so don’t expect a Marcus Petters impact right off the bat.

New Orleans Saints — Laquon Treadwell, Wide Receiver Yes the Saints defence is terrible, and yes the emergence of Brandin Cooks makes wide out not a necessary need, but Brees is still the quarterback, and though he may be getting up there in age he is still one of the best. Treadwell can give New Orleans what they had when Marques Colston was in his prime. Treadwell is the real clone of Colston, not Brandon Coleman who the Saints have been claiming for years.

Miami Dolphins — Ezekiel Elliot, Running Back The mini slide ends for Elliot as he lands in a perfect scenario in Miami. Miami has been looking all off-season to upgrade the running back position as they don’t trust Jay Ajayi. Adam Gase gets a true work horse back, someone who he will use as he did with C.J. Anderson in Denver and the Matt Forte/Jeremy Langford combo he had in Chicago.

Oakland Raiders — Emmanuel Ogbah, Defensive End Bit of a surprise pick here from Oakland with the selection of the Nigerian born Ogbah, though the last time an African born defensive end was drafted high he evolved into one of the best ends in the league, that off course is Ezekiel (Ziggy) Ansah of the Detroit Lions. Ogbah combined with Mack, Irvin, Edwards and Williams and all of a sudden Oakland is projected to be a top 10 unit.

Tennessee Titans — Myles Jack, Outside Linebacker The slide has ended! Myles Jack at this point in the draft is an absolute steal. Even though his knee has been quoted as being a “ticking time bomb” Tennessee couldn’t pass up a game changing talent like Jack. Also, with the bounty of picks they received from LA, Tennessee can afford to take a gamble or two.

Detroit Lions — A’Shawn Robinson, Defensive Tackle The rebuild of Detroit’s defensive tackle position begins with Robinson. Ngata has been a tremendous stop gap player, but that’s exactly what he is, a stop gap player. With the addition of Robinson along side Ansah, Detroit will be getting penetration inside and out along their line. Penetration.

Atlanta Falcons — Darron Lee, Linebacker I had Ragland in this spot last time and though I feel he is the much safer/closer to a sure thing in the NFL, Dan Quinn and Atlanta need a pass rush, desperately. Lee can cover the entire field, and it’s his pass rushing skills that give him the nod over Ragland. 

Indianapolis Colts — Jason Spriggs, Offensive Tackle Still sticking with Spriggs over Decker. He will be a more impactful tackle and a monstrous upgrade over anyone that Indianapolis has on their roster. Luck is still recovering from his lacerated kidney, and if that’s not any further indication that they need protection upfront then I really don’t know what is.

Buffalo Bills — Noah Spence, Defensive End Noah Spence is just too good of a fit for Buffalo and Rex Ryan that I’m having a tough time moving him from this spot. He fits a need, he has the attitude, it’s just too perfect. Buffalo gets an immediate player to replace Mario Williams and place opposite Jerry Hughes.

New York Jets — Taylor Decker, Offensive Tackle Does anyone else really think that Fitzpatrick isn’t going to resign with the Jets? Paxton Lynch needs to develop before he’s thrown into the fire, and New York is in a more win now scenario. With the retirement of Ferguson it just makes sense to replenish talent along the offensive line so that whoever starts at quarterback will have time. Decker just makes sense for need and value at this spot.

Washington Redskins — Sheldon Rankins, Defensive Tackle With the addition of Josh Norman, Washington has upgraded their secondary and can now focus upfront where their defensive line is lacking much needed talent. Rankins can play inside and outside and is as close to a Geno Atkins clone as there is in the draft. 

Houston Texans — MacKensie Alexander, Cornerback Houston can go in a number of directions including wide out, offensive line, defensive line but I have them upgrading a secondary that has been holding tight on Jonathan Joesph for what feels like forever. Kareem Jackson has developed into a nice corner, but in a division that is slowly starting to get quite competitive, especially at the quarterback position, Houston needs to find and develop a lockdown man.

Minnesota Vikings — Josh Doctson, Wide Receiver Minnesota seems destined to draft a wide out, and with only Treadwell off the boards Minnesota gets what they’ve been looking for in Doctson, who I choose here over prospects such as Coleman, Fuller and Thomas because of his height advantage. Minnesota has had shorter wide outs before, but lets see what Teddy can do with someone who can go up and get the ball.

Cincinnati Bengals — Corey Coleman, Wide Receiver Cincinnati has a lot of weapons at their disposal, but what seems to be lacking is the speedster. Enter Coleman who can take the top of the defence. Coleman also not being the focal of the offence will help him flourish alongside Green and Eifert.

Pittsburgh Steelers — Eli Apple, Cornerback Pittsburgh has not drafted a corner in the first round in what feels like forever, and it shows. Pittsburgh finally addresses a very glaring need and draft the best remaining corner. Apple is aggressive and can match up well with division foes A.J. Green, Steve Smith and Josh Gordon(?). 

Seattle Seahawks — Ryan Kelly, Centre Seattle’s offensive line was a revolving door last year and if it weren’t for Russell Wilson’s escapability it would have been disastrous. Kelly can provide the leadership across the offensive line that desperately needs it. The loss of Max Unger last year hurt Seattle more then they would like to admit. And if you think this is too high for a centre, just remember that Pete Carroll and John Schneider don’t care what you think.

Green Bay Packers — Reggie Ragland, Linebacker Need meets best player available; Green Bay always seems to luck out in that aspect. Ragland will immediately (and drastically) improve the middle linebacker position. A very instinctive player who is a tackling machine. In drafting Ragland this also allows Green Bay to move Clay Matthews back to his more natural outside linebacker position. Win-win-win for absolutely everyone involved.

Kansas City Chiefs — Leonard Floyd, Outside Linebacker Another team that hits on a need and (extreme) value. Floyd becomes an instant starter opposite an aging Tamba Hali as Justin Houston recovers from ACL surgery. In drafting Floyd this allows Kansas City to not rush Houston back and also allows them to see the future of their pass rushers with him alongside Dee Ford.

Arizona Cardinals — Paxton Lynch, Quarterback Do I realistically think that Paxton Lynch falls all the way down to the bottom of the first round? No, I do believe a team will trade for him in the teens or early 20′s, but with teams focusing on other needs rather then a developmentally quarterback he falls. Arizona needs to start thinking about life after Carson Palmer. Lynch is a future pick.

Carolina Panthers — Chris Jones, Defensive Tackle Carolina has built their dominate defence through the front seven, and though an offensive lineman, wide out, or corner can also be invested in with this pick, Jones has too much upside to pass up. With his massive 6′6 frame he will provide even more disruption, which will be needed, especially with the lack of talent and coverage skills their current crop of corners have to offer.

Denver Broncos — Connor Cook, Quarterback Denver surprisingly has a lot more holes on their roster then expected for a defending Super Bowl champion. Quarterback is the most important position, and Mark Sanchez and important just don’t go together. Cook becomes the new franchise quarterback and John Elway laughs (scoffs?) at all those who doubted him.

And that’s a wrap!

Thank you to all who took the time to read my predictions on what I believe will unfold in round one of the 2016 NFL Draft.

Also, if there is another big trade that shakes up the first round, I’m done.

Enjoy the Draft on Thursday!

[xlewandowski]

NFL Mock Draft — 2016

We all know what time it is! And if you don’t, kindly leave and don’t come back or look at me ever again. Seriously. It’s draft season! The time of year where free agency has died a slow death and the NFL owners have had their high priced meetings to discuss rule changes. The touchback rule isn’t going to have the effect you want it to, Roger! #savethekickreturns. It’s time for my annual mock draft! I believe this is my 5th year anniversary for writing one of these babies! Before you give me your speech that a mock draft is a complete waste of time, I will tell you this… I know, everyone knows, the odds of me getting every pick right are the same as you getting your March Madness bracket correct, we know it’s not gonna happen, and for the most part, we don’t really care.

I will not be predicting trades in this mock draft, because the odds of getting that correct are also very minimal + not a lot of trades make sense, like remember when Minnesota traded their 3rd overall pick with Cleveland for their 4th overall pick back in 2012? Cause you know, that made sense... Also those two picks resulted in Trent Richardson and Matt Kalil.

So without any further ado, this is my prediction for the 1st round of 2016 NFL draft:

Tennessee Titans — Laremy Tunsil, Offensive Tackle
 GM Jon Robinson is saying that he is listening to offers to trade the 1st overall pick and that it will take a kings ransom. Yawn, everyone says that Jon, and you know what, no one ever trades. Tennessee hit on their franchise quarterback last year with Marcus Mariota, and since no team wants to be the first to take a corner/safety (Jalen Ramsey) with the first overall pick it’s pretty obvious that Tennessee will draft Tunsil. That’s not a knock on Tunsil, he is a massive human being that will make an immediate impact, it’s just a boring pick, like Tennessee…

Cleveland Browns — Jalen Ramsey, Cornerback/Safety Quarterback was and is still the talk of the town in Cleveland, but with the signing of RGIII that becomes less of a priority. I personally think he’ll do very well, especially if his ex-Baylor teammate Josh Gordon gets reinstated. Jalen Ramsey is the most exciting player in the draft, and is the definition of a true player maker. That is precisely what Cleveland needs, especially with Joe Haden a little banged up.

San Diego Chargers — Myles Jack, Outside Linebacker I heard that San Diego loves their line backing core, but teams like to lie and throw smokescreens around this time of year. Myles Jack is an explosive linebacker that will get after the quarterback. This will give the Chargers a legit threat on the outside that they haven’t had since Shawn Merriman’s career came to an abrupt end when the league found out he was doing steroids #lightsout 

Dallas Cowboys — Joey Bosa, Defensive End Joey Bosa seems like a very arrogant/cocky individual, I am not saying this as a negative or a knock, because Dallas already has a player like that on the offensive side, hey Dez! Bosa is a true 4-3 lineman, and this is what Dallas runs with Rod Marinelli. Some may think Dallas would be wary of drafting a player like Bosa with his larger than life persona, however unlike James Hardy (post domestic abuse) and Johnny Manziel (drunk idiot), Bosa can play and has a true love for the game.

Jacksonville Jaguars — Vernon Hargreaves, Cornerback Everyone is hoping on the Jags bandwagon because of their explosive offence and slowly coming around defence. People also keep pegging the Jags to take an edge rusher, but oh how we all forget about Dante Fowler, Jr., the first round pick from a year ago. Hargreaves looks like a natural fit for the Jags, and yes I realize that they have Davon House and recently signed Prince Amukamara, however the former plays better in the slot and the latter has had injury issues throughout his career. Gus Bradley has yet to draft a quality corner and model him after Richard Sherman, Hargreaves can be that corner.

Baltimore Ravens — DeForest Buckner, Defensive Tackle Baltimore completely fell off a cliff in the pass rushing department when Terrell Suggs tore his achilles, for the second time I might add. They need a quality big man to rush the passer to take the pressure off (and ultimately take the reins) of Suggs. Buckner has been compared to Calais Campbell because of the 6’8 300lbs plus frame, and though Campbell has never been a top the sack list at the end of the season, sacks can be overrated at times, it’s the pressures and disruptions that count, and Buckner will be a top that list sooner rather than later.

San Francisco 49ers — Ronnie Stanley, Offensive Tackle In Chip Kelly’s first draft as Philadelphia’s head coach he drafted an athletic tackle that can play his style of football (Lane Johnson). What was once a strength of the 9ers has slowly become a weakness. Kelly will rebuild the line starting with Stanley so that he can do what he loves, run the ball and play action. Also, Kaepernick will be the starting quarterback for San Francisco, it is the best place he has to succeed and with Stanley it is the step in the right direction.

Philadelphia Eagles — Laquon Treadwell, Wide Receiver So Laquon Treadwell ran a 4.63 40 yard dash, who cares. Analysts have blinders on and think that great straight line speed makes a great wideout. Remember that in 2013 Tavon Austin who ran in the 4.3s went in the top 10 and DeAndre Hopkins who ran in the 4.5s went in the 20s. It’s not always about speed people! Now I know Philadelphia drafted a  wideout in the first round last year in Nelson Agholor, but he is built more for the slot and Treadwell would bring the physicality; Matthews brings the technicality and Agholor brings the speed. I know the obvious Ezekiel Elliot pick but Doug Pederson made his run game work with fantasy darlings Charcandick West (undrafted) and Spencer Ware (6th rounder), so they can add a running back later in the draft.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Shaq Lawson, Defensive End The last time Tampa had an effect pass rush was… when Simeon Rice was kind of a big deal? The before his prime Michael Bennett? Yeah, I can’t remember either. Now don’t get me wrong, Gerold McCoy has done a fantastic job, but he’s a defensive tackle and he can’t be the one providing everything. Dirk Koettor, Tampa’s new head coach, knows that he has an up and coming high flying offence, and to play off that the defence has to start being fearful, add in Shaq Lawson and place him opposite newly signed Robert Ayers and maybe, just maybe, that fear will start to get restored.

New York Giants — Ezekiel Elliot, Running Back Speaking of Tampa not having a pass rush, when was the last time the Giants had a competent run game? Right now New York just has a bunch of guys at the running back position and despite what everyone likes to think, running backs are still valuable. Yes they may have a shorter shelf life than other players, but hitting on a stud running back takes a ton of pressure on the quarterback, especially an aging one. Elliot gives the Giants something more than just the Eli-to-Odell show, he would make defences be honest and possibly shift their focus. Todd Gurley was a revelation for the Rams last year, and they have no one on offence but him. Adding Elliot gives the Giants their version of the triplets.

Chicago Bears — Jack Conklin, Offensive Tackle Jermon Bushrod was a very underwhelming left tackle with Chicago, I mean to be fair, he was underwhelming with the Saints as well, it was Drew Brees who made him look great. Last year Chicago tried moving Kyle Long to tackle and though it wasn’t terrible, in doing so they took him out of his natural all-pro position of guard. Enter Conklin, who is the definition of a mauler. This is what John Fox wants, he wants to run the ball with his two up and coming backs in Langford and Carey. Chicago hasn’t had a cornerstone left tackle for a very long time. Hell, Cutler may even smile with this pick, doubtful, but stranger things.

New Orleans Saints — Carson Wentz, Quarterback Well it took until the 12th pick to finally see a quarterback off the boards, but we made it! This is a bit of a luxury pick for New Orleans and though defence or even a wideout may make sense, this is a pick for the long term. Wentz needs a year to learn the pro game instead of just being thrown into the fire. Learning behind Brees and having Sean Payton to teach him everything about their complex playbook is much needed and will definitely work to their advantage in the long run, except Brees…

Miami Dolphins — Mackenzie Alexander, Cornerback A corner for Miami in the first round? But they just traded for an all-pro in Byron Maxwell?! See that’s a joke, like Maxwell, who’s terrible. Alexander is the player that will be shutting down the opposing wideouts for Miami this year, not Maxwell. Alexander isn’t the biggest corner, but neither were Kyle Fuller or Jason Verrett for Chicago and San Diego, respectively. He won’t back down from the competition and will have some game changing moments as a rookie.

Oakland Raiders — A’Shawn Robinson, Defensive Tackle Oakland has slowly become a well drafting, well managed, well coached team. I know. Reggie Mackenzie laid out the blue print a few seasons ago and Mark Davis has kept to his guns and allowed him to build a team the right way, through the draft with free agency being used as compliments and not necessities. With the offence all but locked and loaded to be a top 10 in all categories, their defence can take one step closer to reaching the top 10 for themselves. Robinson gives them a powerful human being in the heart of their line. Even if he’s unable to get to the quarterback, he’ll be able to take up blockers and have their talented linebacking core finish off plays.

Los Angeles Rams — Jared Goff, Quarterback The biggest knock on Goff... his hands are too small. Fun fact, my hands are an inch larger than Goff’s and you know what, he’s a much better quarterback than I’ll ever be. He’s still a big man at 6’4 and have drawn comparisons to Matt Ryan. Also, LA needs a quarterback, because this whole Case Keenum thing is working almost as well as that time Jeff Fisher wore a backwards cap in that game against Seattle last year. Make better choices, Jeff, start with Goff.

Detroit Lions — Robert Nkemdiche, Defensive Tackle So Nkemdiche may have some work ethic issues to go along with some character concerns, don’t we all! The big plus here, it’s not a weight issue thing, which is the reason Nick Fairly is now on his third team. These issues can be kicked, especially since fellow exotic named Ngata will be Nkemdiche mentor until he ultimately takes the reins. Detroit needs to regain that fear along the defensive line, and with a potential line up of Ansah, Ngata, Nkemdiche not only will it be the most difficult line up to say, the fear will finally start to be restored.

Atlanta Falcons — Reggie Ragland, Linebacker Hotlanta has needed a linebacker for quite some time now. They have also needed a leader on defence for almost as long as they’ve needed a linebacker. Alright I’ll just say it because we’re all thinking it, Keith Brooking. Hotlanta needs a general, a captain, and that man is in the form of Reggie Ragland, he even has a general sounding name! Alabama middle linebackers have done very well in the pros, most recently as C.J. Mosley of the Ravens. Alabama is basically already an NFL caliber team, and if you’re coming from a Nick Saban coached team and he plays defence, I don’t want to say can’t miss, BUT, Ragland is almost as close to a can’t miss prospect in this entire draft.

Indianapolis Colts — Jason Spriggs, Offensive Tackle Will Ryan Grigson and Chuck Pagano finally learn? In my choice I believe that they have. Andrew Luck is the franchise and is soon to be worth 24$ million plus a year, so hopefully, maybe, they will finally spend a first round pick on providing him with some protection, not a speedy wideout who is basically a T.Y. Hilton clone in Philip Dorsett, or a pass rusher that isn’t from this country and played a 4-3 end in college but tried to make him a 3-4 outside backer in Björn Werner, or hey, remember when they traded a first rounder for Trent Richardson? Good times! Spriggs for some reason isn’t considered a top 5 tackle in this years offensive lineman draft class which is a mistake; he is a pro-ready tackle that can finally and I do mean FINALLY give Luck the protection he most desperately needs and deserves.

Buffalo Bills — Noah Spence, Defensive End Noah Spence has attitude and bravado, so he’s basically Rex Ryan as a player. Spence’s abilities make him one of the most talented edge rushers in this years draft class, however his off the field antics knock him down a few, if not many pegs. Spence is almost like the Randy Gregory from last years draft, superior talent, but an idiot, except, Gregory had a marijuana issue, Spence, ecstasy. Maybe he’s just a huge fan of EDM, I don’t know. Regardless, the reward and more important, the need far outweighs the risk. If Spence is the player he can and should be, everyone will being saying I told you so... and by everyone, I mean Rex.

New York Jets — Darron Lee, Linebacker Lee is the definition of a rangy, all over the field linebacker. His biggest knock is that he isn’t the tallest linebacker, though what he lacks in height he makes up for in heart... I’m kidding, or I’m not, we’ve never met. The fit within the Todd Bowles system would be seamless, he would be similar to what Bowles had in Daryl Washington in Arizona, minus all the red flags (some many red flags). Lee may not match the top end speed that Washington had but that doesn’t mean he wouldn’t have a huge impact. Think Kiko Alonso for the Bills in his rookie, that’s what Lee could be for the Jets.

Washington Redskins — Eli Apple, Cornerback I’m just going to start off by saying Washington’s pass defence, outside of Bashed Breeland (who?) is downright dreadful. And no, DeAngelo Hall is not good, he makes ill-advised risks, has lost a few steps, and has suffered a few major injuries in his career. It’s time Washington finally invests in a top talent at cornerback to play alongside Breeland. Apple has the size and speed to hang with NFL wideouts. May play to aggressive at times but he’ll learn quickly as to what he can and can’t get away with.

Houston Texans — Hunter Henry, Tight End The hate for tights ends in the first round have gone to far! Now I know there haven’t been huge impact players in the past few drafts, and there have also been a lot of hype on some, looking your way Eric Ebron. But there just has’t been a ton of love for Hunter Henry. Yes he is viewed as the top tight end prospect this year but apparently not for the first round. Houston has been linked to a wideout for basically the entire off-season, but when given the chance, Jalen Strong played well at times. Also, Houston hasn’t had a stud at the tight end position for...ever...? Osweiler has also never had a great tight end (I’m ignoring Julius Thomas in Denver practices). With the offensive fire power of Osweiler, Hopkins, Lamar AND Hunter, Houston finally has an offence that can match it’s defence in talent.

Minnesota Vikings — Corey Coleman, Wide Receiver Raise your hand if you’ve read a recent mock where Minnesota has them drafting a wideout. Just because it’s obvious doesn’t mean it’s wrong. Minnesota gave Mike Wallace a go last year but for the most part did nothing. Cordarrelle Patterson has also been a bust, but yeah he’s one hell of a kick returner! Last year they found a gem in Stefan Diggs. This year Mike Zimmer will go against the grain and draft an offensive skill set player early. We all know that Bridgewater doesn’t have the strongest arm in the league, so he being able to take advantage of Coleman’s lighting speed will mostly been done through the short passing game, allowing Coleman to use his true playmaking ability. With Peterson nearing the end, Minnesota is slowly shifting to a more pass friendly offence.

Cincinnati Bengals — Will Fuller, Wide Receiver Oh look, anything draft pick that is being predicted all across the board! I’m not coping out, I swear I still have some surprise picks up my sleeve. Cincinnati is one of the best drafting team in the league, why, because they draft the best available player regardless of need. It has worked for them in the past and it will continue to work here. Will Fuller was one of the fastest wideouts at the combine, and though speed can be somewhat overrated at times, it works as the perfect compliment to all world receiver A.J. Green who can do absolutely everything, but can use some help to make the Bengals offence that much more dynamic. It will also help Fuller’s development because he doesn’t have to be “the guy” right out of the gate.

Pittsburgh Steelers — Sheldon Rankins, Defensive Tackle Don’t look now but Pittsburgh’s defence has slowly started to turn the corner and are starting to become a respectable unit. Their secondary can still use some work but there isn’t a player of value available, so Pittsburgh goes the best player available and end up with a steal in Rankins. He’s a versatile tackle who can line up all anywhere along the line. Rankins may be able to be Pittsburgh’s version of Cincinnati’s Geno Atkins.

Seattle Seahawks — Ryan Kelly, Centre Is this a bit to high for a centre? Not anymore. Dallas broke down the barrier of drafting centres in the first round when they picked Travis Frederick a few years back. Seattle greatly missed Max Unger, their former centre who they shipped off for Jimmy Graham. Though Seattle has become a bit more pass happy, if Russell Wilson wasn’t as athletic as he is, he would of been killed behind that line. Seattle has been a great drafting team, just not in the first round which is a bit puzzling - remember James Carpenter? Yeah... Hopefully Kelly breaks that trend. 

Green Bay Packers — Jarran Reed, Defensive Tackle Need meets best player available. Green Bay, like Cincinnati, are one of the best drafting teams in the league, living and dying by their draft choices. Even if B.J. Raji hadn’t retired an upgrade was certainly needed as he had been on the decline for quite sometime and just sort of become a guy. Enter Reed, who is better known for his space eating and strength than his pass rushing ability, which is actually more of a positive then a negative, as he would finally allow Green Bay to deploy Matthews, Peppers and Perry to go and get the quarterback, rather then hanging back and playing run support.

Kansas City Chiefs — Josh Doctson, Wide Receiver A bit of a slide we see for Doctson which is met with open arms from Andy Reid and Kansas City. Doctson provides another weapon for Alex Smith and don’t look now but suddenly Kansas City has some legit threats on the outside which was downright dreadful only a couple of years ago. Doctson would be the quote on quote big receiver to the shifty ness of Maclin.

Arizona Cardinals — Paxton Lynch, Quarterback Hey, remember that game against Carolina in the playoffs? The one where Carson Palmer threw like 4 interceptions? Yeah, the game that was 49-15. You know if there was at least a semi-decent, even Mark Sanchez type player on the Cardinals roster Palmer would have been pulled. Ok, I see I’ve made my point. Arizona needs to draft and groom a young quarterback to take over for Palmer who doesn’t have as many years left as you may think (I’m thinking 2). Paxton Lynch needs to sit back and learn the game as he never played top competition at the college level. Think of Lynch as a taller Mariota or a more athletic Osweiler. He’s a good fit for the very downfield thinking of Bruce Arians.

Carolina Panthers — Taylor Decker, Offensive Tackle Carolina is either taking a tackle or a wideout, that has been the discussion for quite sometime now. I have opted the tackle route as Cam can’t keep taking as many hits as he’s been taking over the past few seasons. Carolina needs a solid tackle, something they haven’t had since Jordan Gross. Though Decker may makes his mistakes from time to time, Cam will do a good job at masking his faults with his escapability. Also, Cam should have dove for that fumble.

Denver Broncos — Connor Cook, Quarterback Nothing says Super Bowl Champions like trotting (see what I did there, cause horses trot) out Mark Sanchez for the banner hanging ceremony on opening kickoff! John Elway gambled with the not resigning of Osweiler and lost. Denver doesn’t have the same elite defence it had just a season ago, yes they are still a top unit, but they won’t finish as the best. So they need a smart quarterback who has played in big games before. You know what Cook’s biggest knock is that have caused some teams to completely take him of their draft boards? He wasn’t elected captain of his team. That’s his knock, not his abilities, not his leadership, no, because he doesn’t have a ‘C’ on his chest. Cook will bring fire back to the quarterback position in Denver.

And there we have it! Thank you to all who have taken the time to read what I think will go down in the 1st round of the 2016 NFL Draft.

Best of luck to your team and that they draft who your heart desires!

[xlewandowski]

NFL Mock Draft — 2015

It’s almost that time of year again!

The beauty with this draft is there aren’t any sure fire prospects married to any teams; Jamesis Winston to Tampa is the closest thing to a sure thing, but even they could throw a wrench into everyone’s plans. The talking point this year is Marcus Mariota and if he can fit into a pro style offence and if his old college coach, Chip Kelly, will sell the farm to acquire the Oregon quarterback, and until Roget Goddell announces a team choosing Mariota, Philadelphia will be in conversation. There also no prospects with a ton of backstory and that analysts won’t stop talking about; ie. Johnny Manziel, and thank God for that! Like any year there are a few players that have some off the field issues, some more serious than others, but other than the odd few, this is a pretty common feat for any draft.

So without any further ado, this is my 1st round mock for the 2015 NFL Draft.

Please note that I will not be predicting trades in this mock; they are inevitable, but a mock draft is already a guessing game so why add to the fire with trades.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Jamesis Winston, Quarterback
 The Bucs have been sold on Winston since the draft process basically started; the talks of all the off-field issues coming out of their front office is basically a smokescreen. In the end, Winston gets two huge wideouts in V-Jax and Mike Evans, something he was awfully familiar with with his time at Florida State with Kelvin Benjamin.


Tennessee Titans — Marcus Mariota, Quarterback
 Remember throughout the 2014 NFL season when the saying “Suck for the Duck” was a thing? Mariota was (is) the best quarterback in the draft, and all this talk about people saying that he won’t transition to the NFL has been blown way out of proportion. I don’t care what system you play in, when you only throw 14 interceptions in three years, you’re good. Also, when you have the second pick in the draft, you want a franchise player, not a building block.


Jacksonville Jaguars — Dante Fowler, Jr., Outside Linebacker/Defensive End
 Dante Fowler, Jr. is the pick everyone has Jacksonville choosing, hell even Fowler has the Jags picking him. Just because it’s obvious doesn’t mean it’s not true. Fowler fits perfectly with what the Jags want to do, and it will finally give Gus Bradley that special player to put anywhere on the field and go get the quarterback. I originally had Shane Ray hear as a surprise pick, but he decided to get charged for speeding and possession of marijuana three days before the biggest day of his life, smart.


Oakland Raiders — Leonard Williams, Defensive Tackle
 Oakland will continue to take the best player available (see 2014, Khalil Mack), and they will wait to get their offensive playmaker in the second round. With the Williams pick, Oakland is slowly but surely building a rock solid foundation. Amari Cooper could always be the pick here as well but I just don’t see Jack Del Rio picking an offensive player with his first pick as the Raiders head coach.


Washington Redskins — Bud Dupree, Defensive End/Outside Linebacker
 Ryan Kerrigan gets his running mate in Dupree and the Redskins front seven has now rebuilt itself quite nicely. With Washington already having an established rusher in Kerrigan all the pressure won’t be solely on Dupree, which will help him transition into a better rusher and have experience to lean on. Trae Waynes could also be the pick here, but Washington has a ton of faith in their young corners on the roster.


New York Jets — Randy Gregory, Outside Linebacker
 Todd Bowles had to deal with a very talented yet troubled linebacker back in Arizona in Daryl Washington, the difference, Gregory never took PEDs or has any assault charges against him. Bowles also never had issues with Tyrann Mathieu. New York needs some playmakers on the defensive side after signing some offensive ones this off-season.


Chicago Bears — Amari Cooper, Wide Receiver 
A toss up between Cooper and White but I feel Chicago already has a receiver with White’s ability in Alshon Jeffery. Cooper is the best wideout in the draft and has the better hands and route running. Cooper can jump right into the Brandon Marshall role minus the headache that Chicago claimed Marshall wasn’t. Also, John Fox knows the advantage in having two top flight wideouts from his experience in Denver.


Atlanta Falcons, Vic Beasley, Outside Linebacker
 Without a doubt Atlanta is going pass rusher in the first round, and with Beasley still on the board you just know whoever the card runner is is running full tilt. Can you name a Falcons player along their front seven that strikes fear into their opponents eye? Yeah, that’s what I thought.

New York Giants — Arik Armstead, Defensive Tackle/End 
The Giants could use an offensive tackle, there’s no hiding that, but the Giants used to be known for having such a dominate pass rush, and that hasn’t existed for a couple of years now. Armstead is a massive human being, and pairing him with (a motivated) Jason Pierre-Paul could be very dangerous. Armstead could very well be like Calis Campbell from Arizona, he sure as hell looks like him.


St. Louis Rams — Brandon Scherff, Offensive Tackle 
There couldn’t be an offensive lineman not taken in the top 10. I thought about giving St. Louis Kevin White, but how many receivers careers must the Rams destroy; but in all honesty, St. Louis has a ton of offensive playmakers, they just need to get creative to use them, and who best to help with that creativity than with Scherff providing Nick Foles with that extra time to have those plays develop.


Minnesota Vikings — Kevin White, Wide Receiver 
Realistically, there is no way White makes it outside of the top 10, if he drops, some team trade up to catch him. Just because this team added Mike Wallace, don’t let that make you think that Minnesota is done adding playmakers, and with Adrian Peterson refusing to take part, maybe the Vikings slowly start to transition to a more pass happy offence. 


Cleveland Browns — Trae Waynes, Cornerback 
Cleveland just wishes that they could press the reset button on the 2014 draft, especially in the first round. Waynes is much more suited to play opposite Joe Haden than Justin Gilbert ever was. And getting this drafts best corner with the 12th pick is tremendous value. Cleveland will look to add a playmaker at the wideout position with their 19th pick.


New Orleans Saints — D.J. Humphries, Offensive Tackle 
This pick is more of an indication on what the New Orleans offensive is evolving to - with the resigning of Mark Ingram, and the signing of C.J. Spiller the Saints want to become a more ground and pound team and rely less on the right arm of Drew Brees. New Orleans needs to start adding some talented youth to their line if they want to keep Brees for the few years he has left.


Miami Dolphins — DeVante Parker, Wide Receiver 
Miami continues to surround Ryan Tannehill with offensive weapons, and with last years emergence of Jarvis Landry and the signing of Jordan Cameron AND the trading of Kenny Stills, Tannehill has absolutely no more excuses to not succeed in the NFL. Parker also gives Miami a tall and long receiver they have lacked since trading Brandon Marshall.


San Francisco 49ers — Danny Shelton, Defensive Tackle 
With all the changes along the front seven San Francisco needs to start rebuilding and what better way then the forefront of their defence. Shelton can take over the Ray MacDonald role and take it to new heights. Ultimately Jim Tomsula doesn’t seem like he’s going to think to far out-of-the-box so he’ll start rebuilding his team from what he knows best.

Houston Texans — Byron Jones, Cornerback 
Houston needs to start grooming their eventual replacement for Jonathan Joseph who is slowly getting up there in age and I have never been sold on Kareem Jackson, even after his solid year. Jones also has experience at safety, so if Rahim Moore or D.J. Swearinger struggle he can jump in and not skip a beat.


San Diego Chargers — Breshad Perriman, Wide Receiver 
The talk of the town has been running back, or has it been trading Philip Rivers? Regardless of what it is or was San Diego needs add depth behind Keenan Allen. Perriman will provide Rivers with a deep treat that he hasn’t had for quite sometime; he may not have the height as V-Jax (6’2 compared to 6’5), but has that speed that will be a nice compliment to Allen’s possessive skill set.


Kansas City Chiefs — Marcus Peters, Cornerback 
With the signing of Jeremy Maclin it makes wideout not as high as a priority as you may think, don’t get me wrong they absolutely need more depth, they just don’t need to burn a first rounder one one. However they also need depth behind Sean Smith than constantly rotating players in and out opposite of him. Some may argue that Peters is the most talent corner in the league, and if it weren’t for him getting into arguments with the coaching staff at Washington he could very well be a top 10 pick, but in this case he drops – Andy Reid has never let character issues be the final deciding factor (see DeSean Jackson).


Cleveland Browns — Devin Smith, Wide Receiver 
Speaking of DeSean Jackson, Devin Smith has a lot of characteristics that are similar to the former Eagle. He has game breaking speed and is a home run hitter, now being a player that is reliant on the big play is never a good thing, but for Cleveland he’ll open up the field for their ground attack and make the Browns forget about that Josh Gordon guy.

Philadelphia Eagles — Dorial Green-Beckham, Wide Receiver 
What’s Chip Kelly going to do? Your guess is as good as mine, and if last years draft pick is any indication of this years (Marcus Smith) then we don’t have a clue. Green-Beckham is the massive receiver Kelly wants on his offence, and character issues aside, when you draw comparisons to Calvin Johnson with your size and speed, teams will take notice. Green-Beckham has a chance to become the best receiver out of this draft class if he decides to keep his head solely on football.


Cincinnati Bengals — Shane Ray, Outside Linebacker 
Cincinnati is the land of misfit toys so what better team for Ray to land in than the Bengals. I originally had Ray all the way up at pick number three, but with his recent altercation he drops significantly. Marvin Lewis and the Bengals have had a lot of practice with misguided players (Vontaze Burfict, Ray Maualuga, Pacman Jones) conveniently all on defence.. Ray will help a Cincinnati pass rush that was one of the worst last year.

Pittsburgh Steelers — Landon Collins, Safety 
Troy Polamalu out, Landon Collins in. Collins may not have the coverage skills that Polamalu had but his hitting is right up there. Collins is a better run defender than pass defender; picture him like an Adrian Wilson but just a little bit shorter.


Detroit Lions — Malcolm Brown, Defensive Tackle 
With the lose of Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairly, the Lions pick has been predetermined since free agency. Ngata is only one piece of their defensive line, depth needs to be added, and that starts with Malcolm Brown, he’ll be the speed while Ngata will be the power.


Arizona Cardinals — Melvin Gordon, Running Back 
If Arizona wants to ease Carson Palmer back from his ACL tear then they will need to get a lot more production from the run game than what Andre Ellington and company was able to provide. Gordon is the home run, physical runner the Cardinals have lacked for a very long time. Gordon can punish defenders and run through them. Picture him as what Darren McFadden was suppose to be, or better yet, DeMarco Murray.


Carolina Panthers — Andrus Peat, Offensive Tackle 
Carolina has a few big needs, which usually isn’t the case when you’re picking in the mid-20’s; finishing 7-8-1 will do that. With Cam getting knocked around all last year, mostly due to the retirement of Jordan Gross the year prior, the Panthers need to find their new left tackle for the next decade and help keep Cam upright and clean. Peat is a mauler and will fit in with the running style of Carolina.


Baltimore Ravens — Shaq Thompson, Safety/Outside Linebacker Shaq Thompson just has the look and feel of a Raven. It’s not often that you see a hybrid player of both a safety and a linebacker but that is exactly what Thompson is. He is what the prototypical player is to cover the upper echelon of tight ends.


Dallas Cowboys — Todd Gurley, Running Back 
The replacement for DeMarco Murray is in the shape and form of Todd Gurley. Gurley can still very much shoot up into the top half of the first round, but even though ACL tears aren’t what they once were, it still is surgery on a major ligament. Dallas could very well be getting the steal of the draft, especially if he turns out to be the Adrian Peterson style of player that people are comparing him to. Also behind that offensive line, Gurely will not just play well, but set records.


Denver Broncos — Cameron Erving, Centre/Offensive Guard 
The thing with Peyton Manning is that he wants everything tailored his way, may it be wideouts, running backs, or offensive lineman, whichever team (Denver, or Indianapolis) almost all the picks go towards helping him reload (Brandley Roby being the exception last year). This is why Erving fits for Denver, he is versatile and can play anywhere along the line, and with age slowly starting to creep up on a few lineman, keeping Manning upright, especially at this stage in his career, is an absolute must.

Indianapolis Colts — Eddie Goldman, Defensive Tackle 
The Colts defence held up nicely for a good portion of last year, but then came crashing down, hard, especially when the games started to mean a little bit more. Goldman can be the anchor for Chuck Pagano’s defence that desperately needs one. He’ll be a run stuffer more than a pass rusher, but hey, that’s what they drafted Björn Werner for..


Green Bay Packers — Maxx Williams, Tight End 
Green Bay needs to fill their tight end position eventually, yes they do have Andrew Quarless and Richard Rodgers, but they’re just guys, they don’t have a real impact and they sure don’t strike fear into any of their opponents. Williams has been compared to Jeremy Shockey, both in talent and, lets call it outspokenness. Williams having played at the university of Minnesota has already prepped him for the weather that he is sure to face in Wisconsin.


New Orleans Saints — Devin Funchess, Wide Receiver/Tight End Even though I have New Orleans picking an offensive tackle with the 13th pick doesn’t mean that they can’t help Brees in the passing game with a big talent to replace his favourite big target that was Jimmy Graham. New Orleans would be able to move Funchess all over the field, which isn’t a huge deal, seeing as he was technically a wideout at Michigan. This is more of a luxury pick and why not try to hit on it with a player that you just got rid of.


New England Patriots — Jalen Collins, Cornerback
 Malcolm Butler was the hero that sealed the deal for New England and their Super Bowl victory, but that doesn’t mean that they are set at the position, especially after losing both Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner in free agency. Collins is a reload at the position, and though he didn’t play a ton of games at the collegiate level, he does have all the raw skills to be a top cover man over his career. And Bill Belichick has to eventually hit on one of these corners he keeps drafting, right?

If you are still here, thank you for reading my mock draft of the 2015 NFL Draft, and I hope your team gets exactly who you’re hoping for, except Dorial Green-Beckham! #GoEagles

[xlewandowski]

NFL Draft Team Needs

The top 5 needs will be listed.

This is pre-free agency so top needs are bound to change or be created.

Arizona Cardinals • DE, QB, OT, LB, CB As well as Arizona’s defence held up with all the injuries, they need to get some youth, especially along the line, with question marks surrounding John Abraham’s return and Darnell Dockett’s recover, depth needs to be added as Calais Campbell can’t do it all on his own. Quarterback is a wildcard because of the Carson Palmer injury, they need depth that’s for sure.

Atlanta Falcons • DE, S, TE, DT, RB Atlanta seems to have been looking for a dominate, hell even a mediocre pass rusher since they let John Abraham go. With Dan Quinn hired as head coach, expect a very defence focused draft. They also need a half decent tight end that posses some sort of threat as well. The talent at cornerback is there, it’s the development that is not.

Baltimore Ravens • WR, RB, S, TE, OT Even if Baltimore retains Torrey Smith, are they going to feel good about trotting him and  a 36 year old Steve Smith? I can see Justin Forsett being a very Fred Jackson player, so they may invest in some more talent and depth at running back.

Buffalo Bills • TE, QB, DE, OG, LB How much faith does Rex have in EJ Manuel, that’s the real question; maybe Greg Roman can fix him, either way they need a lot more playmaking ability at the tight end position. Defensive end could use more depth and youth with Jerry Hughes potentially leaving via free agency.

Carolina Panthers • OT, OG, CB, S, WR Cam dealt with a ton of injuries last year and I would think that Carolina doesn’t want to roll the dice with Cam behind that line again – upgrades across the board except centre is needed. A new secondary would also benefit; the front seven hid a lot but with Chris Gamble’s sudden retirement a couple of years ago, which really buried them.

Chicago Bears • S, DE, DT, C, LB Lets be honest, the whole defence with the exception of Kyle Fuller could be upgraded; if Lamarr Houston wasn’t an idiot he’d be on that short list as well. How Chris Conte still has a job is beyond me. John Fox will build this defence the right way, that is for sure. Jay Cutler’s attitude could change, but that’s not going to happen.

Cincinnati Bengals • QB, S, LB, DT, CB Cincinnati is actually a pretty solid team, it’s Andy Dalton that will continue to plummet everyone’s value around him, but the Bengals have never been one to make bold moves. Cincinnati is mostly looking for depth then they are a game changer. Until they get rid of Andy Dalton, they will always be just good enough to get to the playoffs but ultimately be one-and-done once they get there. Take what you can get, right Ohio?

Cleveland Browns • WR, QB, DT, TE, S Speaking of Ohio… What was once a strong point is now a weakness, thanks to Josh Gordon getting caught being addicted to illegal substances (alcohol is illegal to him), Cleveland now needs to invest highly in a wide out. It’s sad really, Cleveland could of had any wide out from last years draft, hell could of had two! Manziel was never going to catch lightning in a bottle like he did at Texas A&M; nothing ever comes good from that 22nd overall pick when drafted by Cleveland (see Brandon Weeden, Brady Quinn).

Dallas Cowboys • CB, LB, S, RB, WR If Dallas can keep both DeMarco and Dez cross running back and wide receiver out. Morris Claiborne isn’t what they thought he was and Brandon Carr is so hit and miss. They could also use a game changing safety, though J.J. Wilcox did play well down the stretch.

Denver Broncos • LB, OG, DE, DT, QB Manning will give it one more go, but Denver has been to reliant on free agents that if they don’t start building up depth through the draft they will drop to a sub .500 team. This years draft should be more focused on depth then flash. Look from Gary Kubiak to try and find a Brian Cushing type linebacker to resemble what he had in Houston.

Detroit Lions • OT, CB, DT, LB, OG Ndamukong Suh and Detroit’s faith in Nick Fairly will determine the first round for the Lions. Giving Matt Stafford protection should be a top priority as well. Though the overall numbers looked good, Stafford just didn’t seem right this past season, the passing game seemed to disappear which was very bizarre.

Green Bay Packers • LB, OT, TE, DT, CB Green Bay just can’t seem to get that other playmaking linebacker opposite of Clay Matthews in the draft; Julius Peppers was a great addition, however, he has at most two productive years left. Keeping Rodgers upright is never a bad idea. Ted Thompson should take a page from Jerry Jones and draft along the offensive line rather then go for the headline pick — bet you never thought that would ever be the case.

Houston Texans • QB, RB, CB, WR, LB Ryan Fitzpatrick can only take his team so far (7-9 wins); the only thing I’ve ever heard about Tom Savage is that he has a big arm, Ryan Mallet really didn’t have enough time to prove anything. Arian Foster is always a hamstring pull away from missing significant time. On defence, Jonathan Joseph  is getting up there in age and Kareem Jackson may not be retained.

Indianapolis Colts • DE, OG, C, S, WR Surprised that running back isn’t listed, don’t be, Vick Ballard was out all last year and Dan Herron did ok. The defence started off actually pretty well but then the lose of Robert Mathis really started to show, and the Björn Werner pick a couple of years ago was never going to work out. Almost the entire offensive line could us an upgrade, Indianapolis doesn’t want their future highest paid player in the league getting knocked around like a rag doll.

Jacksonville Jaguars • CB, LB, OT, RB, TE The Jags defence was better than you thought they were, it was their offence that put them in a tough spot the majority of the time. Jacksonville has their future at quarterback (or they hope they do), an underrated receiving core, which could potentially get Justin Blackmon back. It’s running back where they need that game changer; Dennard Robinson is more change-of-pace than he is a feature back. A game changer at the outside linebacker position would help immensely. The Jags are one of the few teams that should opt for flash.

Kansas City Chiefs • WR, DE, OT, CB, OG I debated just writing wide receiver five times, and I don’t think to many Chiefs fans would oblige. It’s no secret that they need a game changing wide out, though a corner opposite Sean Smith would help. Also, Eric Fisher isn’t getting nearly enough criticism, to think he was the number one overall pick a couple of seasons ago is mind boggling – probably a reason why Central Michigan players don’t typically go that high.

Miami Dolphins • CB, WR, DT, LB, OG Miami is a tough team to gauge, they are similar to Cincinnati in that they don’t have to many glaring needs, but are stuck in mediocrity with a head coach that has to long a leash then he should. You can never have to many corners (by the way, remember when Miami drafted Vontae Davis and Sean Smith in the same draft?). A wide out to compliment Jarvis Landry and Mike Wallace would do great things to further Ryan Tannehill, but more of red zone threat than an quick speedster.

Minnesota Vikings • WR, OT, DE, RB, CB The future looked bright for Cordarrelle Patterson, but returns and reverses can only take you so far. A receiver that actually knows how to run routes would benefit Teddy Bridgewater a lot, and so would an upgrade at tackle; Matt Kalil may better suit the right side then the left. But with Mike Zimmer at head coach, he may opt to continue around his defence and create a nice one-two-punch to go opposite Anthony Barr at either outside linebacker or defensive end.

New England Patriots • DT, WR, S, OG, DE New England has a ton of depth and roll players on all counts, which makes them tough to figure out exactly what their greatest need is – that’s what happens when you’re the champions, few flaws. A defensive tackle to groom to be the heir of Vince Wilfork is the most obvious. A big time receiver would help as well; another red zone target outside of Rob Gronkowski.

New Orleans Saints • LB, CB, OT, DT, DE Don’t believe the hype that New Orleans is looking to find Drew Brees’ replacement, yes he didn’t have a good year but all the blame can’t be put on him, the protection was severely lacking and  his pass catchers left a lot on the field. Defence is another issue entirely, they have some pieces, but Rob Ryan is just terrible. New Orleans needs to shake the me-against-the-world MO, oh and tackling, tackling helps; sometimes it’s better to go with the sure tackle rather than the hit stick highlight, isn’t that right Kenny Vaccaro?

New York Giants • LB, DE, S, OG, TE The Giants are either really good at certain positions, or are hurting and desperately need an impact player. Seriously, name a starting Giants linebacker… I’ll just wait over here. New York always was known for their ferocious defensive line, but since the primes of Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyoria and the early stages of Jason Pierre-Paul it’s been quite scarce. Speaking of Pierre-Paul, he’s looking to cash out, his mind is on money more than it is football, New York should let him walk.

New York Jets • CB, LB, QB, OG, OT I know the easy route is to say quarterback, because Geno Smith is mostly terrible mixed in with some mediocrity, but do you think Geno is worse than the Ryan Lindley/Logan Thomas/Drew Stanton combo that Todd Bowles had to deal with in Arizona? It’s a loaded question, I know. I feel Bowles is going to do a lot what Mike Zimmer did with the Vikings last year, draft his playmaker on defence, and if a quarterback falls, he will stretch out his arms and reel him in.

Oakland Raiders • DT, DE, WR, RB, CB Oakland is not as bad as you think they are, yes they relied on a few to many older veterans rather than retain stud free agents (Jared Veldheer). But Oakland has there quarterback of the future and just needs to surround him with some big play wide outs and hope that Latavius Murray can hold up. Also, Gabe Jackson was a steal in last years draft, just wanted to point that out. Defence is set at the linebacking core with Khalil Mack and Sio Moore. Some man power along the defensive line wouldn’t hurt. Jack Del Rio being a defensive minded coach may opt to improve the lines before anything else.

Philadelphia Eagles • S, CB, OG, WR, LB Philadelphia is not trading up to get Marcus Mariota, the last time a team traded the future for quarterback it resulted in everyone being fired and turmoil within the locker room, don’t do it Chip. Philadelphia’s secondary has been neglected for years; Cary Williams and Bradley Fletcher are not starters in this league, and Brandon Boykin is more suited for the slot than out wide. A safety opposite Malcolm Jenkins would also do wonders, as he’s more built in the Kam Chancellor big hitter/run stopper than the Earl Thomas all over the field playmaker type.

Pittsburgh Steelers • CB, S, OT, TE, DT The state of Pennsylvania has a bit of a theme going on. Besides Mike Mitchell, and you can make an argument even for him, Pittsburgh has lacked depth and playmakers for a few years now; Troy Polumalu is a shell of his former self, and Ike Taylor hasn’t been a top corner for a few years, he actually hasn’t been average for a couple years either. Offensive line is one more tackle away from being fixed, Mike Adams is better suited for guard. Heath Miller is more name than game changer at this point in his career.

San Diego Chargers • OT, C, WR, CB, OG The Super Chargers could draft any position along the offensive line as it would be an upgrade, aside from right tackle. A big play, speed receiver would also take a lot of pressure off Phillip Rivers and Keenan Allen, with isn’t built to be the go-to-guy, he fits the mold as a wide receiver 1B, rather than 1A.

Seattle Seahawks • OG, TE, WR, CB, DT Pete Carroll needs to start hitting on some first round talent (James Carpenter, back-up, Bruce Irvin, situational pass rusher), however hitting on almost any round after gets him a pass. Chris Matthews may be the future at wide out for the Seahawks, as he is a game changer, yes he was held in cheque in the second half of the Super Bowl, but still, the kid made one hell of a debut. Outside of Luke Willson making the big play here and there (that’s all he really is) they need some consistency at the tight end position.

San Francisco 49ers • DE, CB, WR, DT, OG The downward swirl may have just begun for the 9ers; with an unknown head coach in Jim Tomsula the most logical would be to reload on defence, and with age and injuries slowly starting to catch up (see Justin Smith, Patrick Willis, NaVarro Bowman) it may be time to start adding much needed depth along the front seven. An impact/speed, receiver to finally take advantage of Kaepernick’s big arm would be long overdue as well.

St. Louis Rams • QB, CB, OG, WR, S St. Louis was awarded three 1st round picks from Washington and have done….. nothing, well not nothing, they have built a top 10 defence, but not wins. It’s time to throw in the towel on Sam Bradford; injuries happen and life isn’t fair, also, most people aren’t awarded three chances to make the job theirs, sorry Sam, but it’s time for the Rams and Bradford to go their separate ways.

Tampa Buccaneers • S, QB, LB, DE, CB The sleeper pick from a year ago, is now on the clock. Tampa was just a mess all around, quarterback play was not good, however Mike Glennon isn’t a terrible option. The defence that was suppose to be the backbone of this team crumbled; another example that winning in the off-season does nothing when the games matter. The giving up on Mark Barron was a head scratcher and just sets the defence back further. Impact players all around, side from Gerald McCoy and Lavonte David could be upgraded to some degree. The secondary that looked like a strength is now one of their greatest weaknesses.

Tennessee Titans • DE, C, S, QB, CB Tennessee’s defence which looked like such a strength at the beginning of the season just eroded as the season wore on; the highly invested offensive line looked very average, and that’s being generous, the running game was virtually non-existent, and quarterback play was all over the place with mediocrity and injuries leading the way. All in all, Tennessee is a boring team with a lot of holes and outside of the underrated Jurrell Casey and under appreciated Kendall Wright and Jason McCourty, the Titans are in draft-the-best-player-available mode – though for the franchises sake, flash and name should be a factor.

Washington Redskins • S, CB. OG, DT, DE Outside of Jay Gruden hating Robert Griffin III, the positive is that they finally have a 1st round pick. Cornerback needs to be upgraded, because when DeAngelo Hall is considered the best on your team at the position, you’re in a lot of trouble. Ditto can be said about the safety position. Daniel Snyder needs to leave his cheque book at home once free agency begins and work on a successful draft to give this team something else to talk about other than their nickname and the Gruden and RGIII love/hate relationship.

[xlewandowski]

NFL Mock Draft 1.0 – 2014

With the draft less than a month away I say we just jump right into this instead of starting this mock draft off with a couple of paragraphs explaining what most of you already know, so without any further ado:

Please note that I will not be predicting trades but I’m guessing that there will be at least a dozen trades come draft day — the rookie cap, gotta love it!

Houston Texans — Jadeveon Clowney – DE

This pick comes down to two things, do the Texans want to draft a position of need (quarterback) or the best player in this years draft (Clowney). Clowney has been the top prospect since last year, and I can’t find a good reason for the Texans to pass up a once in a generation type player for a quarterback that doesn’t have Andrew Luck potential. Plus J.J. Watt AND Clowney - scary!

St. Louis Rams — Khalil Mack – LB

I know that everyone has been projecting an offensive tackle or Sammy Watkins here, but why not take the second best player in the draft? With their second first round pick, St. Louis can still pick a top flight wide out and potentially still a top three tackle. The NFC West is also built on defence, Mack will help the Rams be apart of that division.

Jacksonville Jaguars — Teddy Bridgewater – QB

If Clowney or Mack fall to the Jags I believe that they will draft one of them, Gus Bradley prefers to build his team through defence, but with how the chips fall I believe they go with the number one quarterback (I don’t believe that Bridgewater hurt his draft stock because of his average pro day). Sammy Watkins could be in play here and the Jags could opt for what the Bengals did a few seasons ago with A.J. Green in the 1st and Andy Dalton in the 2nd.

Cleveland Browns — Greg Robinson – OT

How bold will Cleveland be? Watkins is there, but wide out isn’t really a position of need. Manziel and Bortles are there, but maybe one of them falls a bit and Cleveland opts to trade further up the 1st round (they have the picks to move around). For now lets go with Robinson; some may argue that Jake Matthews is the top tackle (I personally believe he is) but Robinson is a better athlete and has just that much more potential, plus with Joe Thomas still locked and loaded on the left side, Cleveland gets a dominating right tackle and that much more protection.

Oakland Raiders — Johnny Manziel – QB

Manziel brings life to an Oakland franchise that has been starving for potential and hope at the quarterback position for a long while now. He is also a true playmaker. Wide out is a possibility, a tackle is a possibility, but the pick of a quarterback, and not just any quarterback, the quarterback that has the most boom or bust potential. Reggie MacKenzie hasn’t made a lot of football moves that are exciting, the pick of Manziel will make everyone forget about that.

Atlanta Falcons — Jake Matthews – OT

Don’t be surprised if Atlanta moves up to get either Clowney or Mack, but with them long gone in this mock, they get arguably the best left tackle in the draft. Atlanta’s offensive line was dreadful last year; Matty Ice needs some protection!

Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Sammy Watkins – WR

The slide stops for Watkins. I thought about the selection of Mike Evans, but he is of the very similar build to Vincent Jackson, so instead the Bucs draft the best/most complete receiver in this years draft. Whether it be Mike Glennon or Josh McCown, Tampa’s offence is ready to compete.

Minnesota Vikings — Darqueze Dennard – CB

Mike Zimmer is a very aggressive defensive coach, the reasoning why he can be so aggressive is because the coverage allows him to be. Minnesota already has a stud at safety in Harrison Smith, and an up and comer at corner with Xavier Rhodes. Quarterback or pass rusher could and will be in the mix, as for right now, the Vikings go defence and creating an imposing secondary.

Buffalo Bills — Ha Ha Clinton-Dix – S

Jarius Byrd out, Ha Ha Clinton-Dix in. Buffalo may have taken themselves out of an early round receiver with the acquisition of Mike Williams, and though their offensive line can use an upgrade, Buffalo needs to replace their centre fielder, Clinton-Dix will do that, and will be a playmaker all over the field.

Detroit Lions — Justin Gilbert – CB

Detroit tried to address their need in the secondary last year with the signing of Glover Guin and the drafting of Darius Slay, but with the division they play in they need more coverage guys. Gilbert fills a position of need and finally puts an end to the Lions ignoring what they should have drafted a few years ago. Mike Evans is also a possibility but Detroit needs to focus more on stopping their opponent rather than trying to out gun them.

Tennessee Titans — Anthony Barr – OLB

Barr has been projected for the Titans for awhile, and it’s a pick that just makes sense. Shaun Phillips is more of a stop gap/situational player and he shouldn't stop them from taking a top talent like Barr. A corner may be in the cards but with Dennard and Gilbert gone the talent just doesn’t match up to the pick.

New York Giants — Mike Evans – WR

Roll the dice between Mike Evans and Eric Ebron. It comes down to personal preference. Mike Evans provides Eli with a receiver that he has missed since Plaxico, Victor Cruz is also better suited for the slot. Either way, the Giants get a big bodied receiver, and Evans will provide fits for defensive coordinators because of his range, playmaking ability and his catch radius.

St. Louis Rams — Calvin Pryor – S

With Clinton-Dix gone, the Rams get the hard hitting, aggressive safety out of Louisville, whom has been compared to Bob Sanders (the healthy one). St. Louis doesn’t have anyone at the safety position that scares anyone, and though receiver is still a need, it’s not their top need, they have playmakers at the wide out position its just the cohesiveness that is missing, Sam Bradford also tearing his ACL didn’t help matters.

Chicago Bears — Jason Verrett – CB

Chicago is trying to avoid what has happened to Pittsburgh and is trying to get youth at critical defensive positions. Yes Verrett is short at 5’8, so what, he can play, and play very well; if he were just 2 inches taller he’d be gone by the 14th pick. He also lands in the perfect situation in learning from Charles Tillman and Tim Jennings.

Pittsburgh Steelers — Eric Ebron – TE

Pittsburgh does need to get some youth on the defensive side, especially in the secondary, but with the run there’s been on defensive backs any player would be a reach in the middle of the first round. So instead they draft the best tight end available and give Ben Roethlisberger a very dependable weapon in the middle of the field, it would also provide him with something he has never had, dual threat at the tight end position. Wide out may also be in the mix, however Antonio Brown, Lance Moore, Markus Wheaton and Darrius Heyward-Bey provide enough depth at that position, for now.

Dallas Cowboys — Dee Ford – DE

Because Jerry Jones opts for excitement over practicality. This is not a knock on Ford, he’s a high motor guy with tremendous upside but defensive tackle is just more of a need, but the Cowboys have to replace DeMarcus Ware somehow.

Baltimore Ravens — Aaron Donald – DT

The Ravens get a gift with the drafts best defensive tackle falling right towards them at 17. With the acquisition of Steve Smith, wide out isn’t a need. Baltimore could always upgrade at offensive tackle however instead Ozzie Newsome & Co. go with the best player available, fortunate enough for them it’s a player they can use immediately.

New York Jets — Marqise Lee – WR

Just because the Jets signed Eric Decker and Jacoby Ford (don’t scoff, that’s a very good/underrated signing) they could still use another receiver. Lee isn’t a burner but he can make any type of catch thrown his way, he’s also a precise route runner. With Decker as the deep threat and Ford in the slot, Lee becomes the perfect secondary outside receiver for whoever is throwing the ball.

Miami Dolphins — Taylor Lewan – OT

This is to easy, Miami’s line was atrocious last year and Ryan Tannehill almost had a David Carr experience. Miami needs to upgrade everywhere along their line sans centre.

Arizona Cardinals — Blake Bortles – QB

Once projected as the number one overall pick to some, Bortles falls all the way to Arizona. Bortles can learn from Carson Palmer and with his size and arm strength, Bruce Arians gets the type of quarterback he loves.

Green Bay Packers — Jace Amaro – TE

Amaro fills a position of need with the loss of Jermichael Finley. Green Bay seems to have solved it’s pass rushing problem with the signing of Julius Peppers, and Clay Matthews and Nick Perry being healthy. This may be a little high for Amaro but if the shoe fits, who cares.

Philadelphia Eagles — Kelvin Benjamin – WR

Kelvin Benjamin has Calvin Johnson traits, if that alone isn’t worth drafting him I don’t know what is. Philadelphia does need to improve it’s secondary this is true but with the abrupt departure of DeSean Jackson the Eagles go in a different direction in type/build of their wide outs with Benjamin. Benjamin also gives the Eagles a big receiver they haven’t had since TO.

Kansas City Chiefs — Xavier Su’a-Filo – G

Andy Reid opts for protecting Alex Smith rather then getting him a playmaker on the outside. Kansas City took a hit in free agency along their line losing 3/5 starters. This isn’t a sexy pick, but it’s a very Andy Reid pick.

Cincinnati Bengals — Kony Ealy – DE

Ealy takes the roll that Michael Johnson left behind. The Bengals don’t need to provide Andy Dalton with anymore weapons, he has enough. Ealy can be a situational passer and learn the position throughout the year. With the secondary suffering from age and injuries the Bengals will try to mask it’s flaws with a very aggressive up front that gets after the quarterback.

San Diego Chargers — Odell Beckham – WR

Phillip Rivers needs more help at the receiving position, with the release of Danario Alexander, Keenan Allen can’t do it all on his own. Beckham is a top flight, smart receiver where if it weren’t for the depth at the position he’d be a top 15 pick.

Cleveland Browns — Derek Carr – QB

With the top 5 wide outs off the board, Cleveland gets their quarterback of the future with the Trent Richardson trade. Carr is a smart, strong armed quarterback, and with the early pick of Greg Robinson he’ll have the time to find Josh Gordon down the seam. If need be, Cleveland can pick up a still very talented receiver at the start of the second round.

New Orleans Saints — Barndin Cooks – WR

Marques Colston has been known to disappear at times, and it can’t be Jimmy Graham all the time, Sproles being traded also didn’t help. Drew Brees gets a shifty true receiver in Cooks. Cooks can be used all over the field but will probably line up for the majority in the slot, making short passes into big gains – if all goes well he becomes the Saints version of Victor Cruz of the Giants.

Carolina Panthers — Jordan Matthews – WR

Jericho Cotchery and Jason Avant aren’t what some people call real top flight talent at the receiver position, they are reliable but not game breakers. Matthews is a big receiver (something that Cam Newton has yet to experience in a Panthers uniform), he may not be the fastest, but his route running and catching ability are up there with the top talents. He is truly what Carolina needs to help their offence be relevant and not predictable.

New England Patriots — Louis Nix – DT

Though Vince Wilfork just signed an extension, and Tommy Kelley is still present, they are both north of 30. Nix gives them a fresh, young, huge body that can learn from one of the best in Wilfork and provide a true transition at the position.

San Francisco 49ers — Jerry Jernigan – DT

San Francisco needs to start planning for the future along the defensive line; they started that last year with the drafting of Tank Carradine and unless the 9ers want to put all their eggs in the Glenn Dorsey basket, Jernigan is smart/need pick. He’s still very young and a bit undersized however he can mature quickly under Harbaugh and the rest of the defence.

Denver Broncos — C.J. Mosley – LB

With the lose of Wesley Woodyard, The Broncos don’t have a field general in the linebacking core. Mosley is this years best middle linebacker and will not only pick up where Woodyard left off but provide more game changing plays as well.

Seattle Seahawks — Kyle Fuller – CB

Seattle doesn’t have a true need, which is what happens when you’re Super Bowl champions, though Byron Maxwell played well they still lost Walter Thurman and Brandon Browner to free agency. Fuller would learn from the best corner in the game and maybe one day be able to tell Skip Bayless that he is better at life than him.

Thank you for reading.

The NFL Draft is only a short 27 days away!

[xlewandowski]

NFL Mock Draft 3.0 – 2013

The draft is hours away – it's almost Christmas again! I've made a few super bold predictions within this draft, mainly because this is the year where there are just so many players that are rated so close to each other you just don't know who's going to be drafted where and when.

This draft will be a bit more brief from my previous one.

I will not be predicting trades in this mock, though there will be movement, my guess is 10-12 trades tomorrow.

Now without further ado, let the mocking begin!:

Kansas City Chiefs – Luke Joeckel – OT I'm still convinced that Kansas City go with Joeckel instead of Fisher; yet getting closer to the Chiefs being on the clock this could be a coin flip between them.

Jacksonville Jaguars – Ezekiel (Ziggy) Ansah – DE Jacksonville has nothing to lose and everything to gain, why not take a risk and draft the prospect with arguably the highest ceiling in the draft.

Oakland Raiders – Dee Milliner – CB Chalk this up as the first shocker of the draft - Oakland needs upgrades absolutely everywhere, any pick is a good pick.

Philadelphia Eagles – Dion Jordan – OLB/DE Chip Kelly coached at Oregon. Dion Jordan went to Oregon. I'm just connecting the dots here. Plus I just really want Jordan to be drafted by Philadelphia.

Detroit Lions – Eric Fisher – OT Riley Rieff is a solid right tackle. This is an obvious pick as Detroit runs through Matt Stafford and Megatron, the offensive line is the unsung hero and Fisher will be their Superman.

Cleveland Browns – Star Lotulelei – DE/DT Cleveland wants to trade out of this pick, but if they don't they will further build depth throughout their defensive line, which is starting to look pretty damn good.

Arizona Cardinals – Lane Johnson – OT Lane Johnson is like Ansah (pick by the Jags), a ton of upside and he fills a massive need.

Buffalo Bills – Ryan Nassib – QB Buddy Nix wants his franchise quarterback and Doug Marrone just knows Nassib too well - some may say it's a perfect pairing. 

New York Jets – Barkevious Mingo – OLB/DE Rex Ryan's last hooray of getting a player that reminds him of Terrell Suggs. 

Tennessee Titans – Chance Warmack – OG Levitre and Warmack - how happy would Jake Locker and Chris Johnson be if this became a reality? Warmack is also one of the best (if not the best) prospect in the draft.

San Diego Chargers – Xavier Rhodes – CB Little bit of a shock? Yes. Quentin Jammer is aging and Antoine Cason wasn't resigned. Also there is that Peyton Manning guy in their division. 

Miami Dolphins – Kenny Vaccaro – S Miami did one hell of a job upgrading their team on both sides of the ball... except for their secondary. Vaccaro will become the leader of an up-and-coming defense.

New York Jets (from Tampa Bay Buccaneers) – Tyler Eifert – TE Even Mark Sanchez can't miss this guy, can he?

Carolina Panthers – Cordarrelle Patterson – WR Defensive line has been the general consensus here but Steve Smith is in his mid-30s and Cam needs someone to grow with.

New Orleans Saints – Tavon Austin – WR New Orleans needs help on defense but we all know the Saints run through Drew Brees. If this were to actually happen Austin would have Rookie of the Year on lockdown.

St. Louis Rams – Jarvis Jones – OLB Jones teamed up with Laurinaitis? Jeff Fisher is following in the 49ers footsteps, except St. Louis has better corners. 

Pittsburgh Steelers – Alec Ogletree – ILB Pittsburgh could draft any position but quarterback - they get their new spiritual leader in Ogletree.

Dallas Cowboys – Shariff Floyd – DT Shariff in Dallas? How could they not make this pick if Floyd is there? Also Floyd is arguably the best defensive player in this years draft - Dallas lucks out.

New York Giants – D.J. Hayden – CB Heart condition aside, Hayden could be a steal, he's been rising up draft boards and New York needs a star in their secondary.

Chicago Bears – Jonathan Cooper – OG Remember when Chicago had a weak offensive line? They are finally learning.

Cincinnati Bengals – Matt Elam – S One of the hardest hitting safeties on a Bengals defense that's a top 10, possibly top 5. Cincinnati isn't what it once was.

St. Louis Rams (from Washington Redskins) – DeAndre Hopkins – WR This ones for Sam! But seriously, who are his receivers? David Givens and........

Minnesota Vikings – Justin Hunter – WR My favourite receiver of the draft. Greg Jennings is nice but he's not what he once was, Hunter has all the attributes you'd want in a receiver.

Indianapolis Colts – Tank Carradine – DE Carradine is a better fit for a 4-3 but he has all the traits to become a top pass rusher in the league.

Minnesota Vikings (from Seattle Seahawks) – Sheldon Richardson – DT Kevin Williams is at the end of his career, Minnesota needs to start grooming a replacement.

Green Bay Packers – Manti Te'o – ILB With all the media surrounding Te'o Green Bay would be the best city for him to land + I personally believe Te'o would be a better fit as a 3-4 linebacker.

Houston Texans – Geno Smith – QB 99.9% that this will not happen but recently Matt Schaub has been good and not great. Houston could take the Aaron Rodgers approach.

Denver Broncos – Eddie Lacy – RB John Fox likes big bodied, busing backs, Lacy fits the bill.

New England Patriots – Keenan Allen – WR Precise route running, great hand, below average speed - sounds like a Patriots receiver to me.

Atlanta Falcons – Bjorn Werner – DE Werner is a steal at the end of the draft + Atlanta needs pass rushers, desperately.

San Francisco 49ers – Datone Jones – DE With Justin Smith nearing the end of his career, San Francisco needs to start finding his replacement. Also Datone Jones has been drawing comparisons to J.J. Watt.

Baltimore Ravens – Arthur Brown – ILB I thought Rolando McClain would fill the void... inside he blew it. Arthur Brown is everything Baltimore looks for in a linebacker, he also fills a great need.

[xlewandowski]

NFL Mock Draft 2.0 – 2013

We're just over 2 weeks away from Draft Day! We all know that this is a depth draft and that there are few superstar players at the skill position, which makes this draft a bit difficult to mock. Teams will be looking for ‘their guy’ so except the unexpected.

I will not be predicting trades in this mock.

Now without further ado, let the mocking begin!:

Kansas City Chiefs – Luke Joeckel – OT I realize Eric Fisher has been making some waves in trying to claim the top tackle spot and ultimately the number 1 overall pick but Joeckel has been ranked as the top guy for sometime – don’t over think this. Plus Brandon Albert is a better right tackle then left – it just makes, too much sense.

Jacksonville Jaguars – Barkevious Mingo – DE This is where the draft gets interesting, as the Jags could draft absolutely anyone and no one would question the pick (well to a certain degree). I went with Gus Bradley’s forte, defense and the fact that he came from Seattle and he doesn’t care what you think or what’s most logical (see Bruce Irvin, 2012). Mingo provides a great need for the Jags; they’ll draft a quality defensive end eventually, why not now? The fact that he was with Seattle when they drafted Russell Wilson in the 3rd round; I believe Bradley will wait to replace Blaine Gabbert.

Oakland Raiders – Dion Jordan – OLB/DE This pick kills me as I really want Philadelphia to draft the former Oregon Duck but if Reggie McKenzie and Dennis Allen learned anything with their former teams it’s that a great pass rusher off the edge can provide huge dividends (see Clay Matthews and Von Miller, respectively).

Philadelphia Eagles – Dee Milliner – CB Philadelphia has done a nice job filling needs during free agency, they didn’t make a huge splash but they made smart, logical signings. If Dion Jordon was on the board he’d be in this spot, so instead I’m giving them Milliner. Yes I realize the signings of Cary Williams and Bradley Fletcher and even Brian Boykin but in this day and age you can never have enough corners and with the top-flight receivers in the NFC East and NFC as a whole you can never have enough.

Detroit Lions – Eric Fisher – OT A player that many consider to be in line to be the number one overall pick and a position that would fill a huge need – seems like a no brainer.

Cleveland Browns – Tavon Austin – WR That you hear is the tears of St. Louis and Minnesota. Cleveland addressed their pass rush and was hoping to pair Milliner with Haden, that dream did not happen. However Brandon Weeden would be ecstatic with this pick. Cleveland has the speed and size on the outside with Josh Gordon and Greg Little, now they add the best slot receiver in the draft and possibly the drafts best game breaker.

Arizona Cardinals – Lane Johnson – OT Much like Detroit this is a big need. Lane Johnson may have the highest ceiling of any offensive tackle in this draft + he can play anywhere along the line which will help Arizona immensely seeing as they didn’t have anyone who could play anywhere along the line.

Buffalo Bills – Ryan Nassib – QB What’s more shocking, the fact that Nassib is the first quarterback taken or the fact that Jake Locker and Christian Ponder were first rounders? Doug Marrone coached Nassib for 4 years at Syracuse; if anyone knows what this kid can and cannot do it’s him. Buffalo gets their quarterback of the future.

New York Jets – Shariff Floyd – DT If Geno Smith is still available as I’m predicting does a team (like Minnesota) package it’s picks to go up and get him? For now Rex Ryan adds to his defense and takes one of the top tackles in Floyd. With Floyd and previous 1st round picks (Wilkerson and Coples) the Jets are building their team properly, now we’ll see if the personnel can mesh.

Tennessee Titans – Chance Warmack – OG Tennessee continues to add to their line, which makes Chris Johnson a very happy man. With Warmack and Levitre (though free agency) Tennessee now has the best pair of guards in the league. Recently I’ve read that Jonathan Cooper is gaining on Warmack, believe it if you'd like but Warmack has been regarded as one of the best players (not just guards) in this draft from the start.

San Diego Chargers – Star Lotulelei – DT The top tackles are gone…on the offensive side. With Lotulelei proving to be healthy after his heart scare at the combine San Diego gets an anchor they’ve been searching for, ever since Jamal Williams.

Miami Dolphins – Kenny Vaccaro – S St. Louis can’t believe it. Miami needs secondary help, yes they have Jones and Clemons at safety and maybe I’m putting a bit too much faith in Brent Grimes but this is my mock draft dammit! Vaccaro may not have the top end speed but he does have the size and physicality. Miami will look for a corner in round 2.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Bjorn Werner – DE Michael Bennett left via free agency and for some reason people are a bit down on Werner, I still believe he will be in the top half of the draft. Xavier Rhodes is a possibility as well given how atrocious Tampa’s secondary was last year but as mentioned with Miami, Tampa is willing to take the risk and wait til round 2 – there’s also that whole Revis trade thing..

Carolina Panthers – Cordarrelle Patterson – WR Carolina does need to upgrade their defense put I would also guess that keeping Cam happy is as much of a top priority. Steve Smith is good but he’s also in his mid-30s, the time is now to draft a receiver to grow with Cam and with Patterson’s size and speed he will be a perfect compliment to Newton’s big arm. There will be no pouting on the sidelines this year.

New Orleans Saints – Jarvis Jones – OLB I read that Jones may drop out of the first round (pulling a Courtney Upshaw) the difference, Jones is a top 5 player and the only reason he fell this low is because teams have concerns about his spinal stenosis. This is tremendous value and New Orleans would love for Jones to fall, the fact that he provides a need is a bonus.

St. Louis Rams – Keenan Allen – WR Once regarded as the top receiver in this draft, Allen’s knee injury has scared off a few teams. Think of Allen as a Michael Crabtree type receiver, they both don’t have top end speed but are both physical enough or better yet picture Allen like Kenny Britt, except Allen isn’t an idiot and his knees aren’t nearly as tattered as Britt’s.

Pittsburgh Steelers – Xavier Rhodes – CB Pittsburgh needs to upgrade it’s secondary as the only constants are Ike Taylor and Ryan Clark, Keenan Lewis left via free agency and Troy Polamalu, though a great player, he’s barely on the field. Rhodes is a physical corner that can play alongside Taylor and has stated that he has no problem switching to safety later on in his career – sounds like a 2-for-1 for Pittsburgh.

Dallas Cowboys – Ezekiel Ansah – DE Dallas wasn’t going to let New York get another Pierre-Paul clone. I’ve never been a fan of Anthony Spencer; DeMarcus Ware needs someone who can help him for once. Ansah is at his best as a 4-3 end and coincidentally Dallas has made the switch under Mel Kiper.

New York Giants – Alec Ogletree – ILB New York has been searching for a middle linebacker ever since Antonio Pierce, Ogletree has his red flags but the upside is far to great to pass up. The Giants have a strong locker room and can keep the young man focused and in-line – just another thing they do better then the Jets.

Chicago Bears – Jonathan Cooper – OG Just keep upgrading that line Chicago, it’ll do wonders. Chicago filled it’s tackle position with Bushrod and tight end position with Martellus Bennett via free agency, last year they solved their receiver problem in the Marshall trade and the drafting of Jeffery. Chicago is in a good place and no one is happier then Jay Cutler, even though you couldn’t tell.

Cincinnati Bengals – Giovani Bernard – RB Running backs still belong in the first round. BenJarvis Green-Ellis has the power, Bernard will have the speed, and the fact that he would also be a threat out of the backfield will help Andy Dalton immensely.

St. Louis Rams (from Washington Redskins) – Matt Elam – S Jeff Fisher has done a tremendous job rebuilding a fierce secondary, adding Elam will only further that process. Elam also has a nose for the football, now I’m not going to say Elam has the makings of being the next Ed Reed, only time will tell.

Minnesota Vikings – Geno Smith – QB There is no way that Smith lasts this long but if for some reason he is here Minnesota would be foolish to not draft him. Christian Ponder has done all right, but when your running back runs for over 2,000 yards and you average 150 yards a game, and please don’t say he didn’t have an elite receiver, though that’s true it’s still an excuse. Smith would take advantage of Peterson not fall back on him.

Indianapolis Colts – Kevin Minter – ILB Chuck Pagano knows defense and he also sees how well of a duo Patrick Willis and NaVarro Bowman of San Francisco are so why not try to make his own duo with Pat Angerer and Kevin Minter? Minter has the athleticism to succeed and Chuck seems to always get the best out of his players.

Minnesota Vikings (from Seattle Seahawks) – Sheldon Richardson – DT Minnesota needs to find a replace for Kevin Williams and Richardson’s value is to high to pass up. Richardson will not only help the run defense but will contribute in the pass rush as well.

Green Bay Packers – Tyler Eifert – TE Bye Jermichael Finley, it was fun while it lasted. Eifert will provide everything Finley provides except he’ll actually hold onto the ball and won’t complain. Eifert is a massive human being and the fact that Green Bay has no problem putting points on the board this could be downright scary.

Houston Texans – DeAndre Hopkins – WR DeAndre learning from Andre? It’s almost too perfect. And did you know that Houston has been looking for a receiver to play opposite Andre Johnson for what feels like ever since he was drafted? Hopkins plays bigger then his 6’1 frame and did I mention that this is a big need?

Denver Broncos – Marcus Swearinger – S With the loss of Elvis, Denver could use another pass rusher opposite Von Miller but this is a deep draft for pass rushers and there will be tremendous value in the 2nd round. Swearinger has the makings of a young Brian Dawkins, seeing how Denver had the old Dawkins; everything comes full circle. Also Rahim Moore helps this pick.

New England Patriots – Justin Hunter – WR New England has never been one to draft receivers in the first round but with the lose of Welker and the release of Lloyd they almost have to take a receiver. Justin Hunter is everything a team wants in a wide out, he’s fast, he runs precise routes and he has good hands. He and Tom Brady could make beautiful music together.

Atlanta Falcons – Tank Carradine – DE Carradine could easily shoot up draft boards but teams are still concerned about his ACL tear suffered in November. If Carradine proves to be healthy this could be the steal of the draft. Plus his name is Tank!

San Francisco 49ers – Jonathan Cyprien This pick is directly linked to the loss of Goldson. If San Francisco has any type of weakness it’s its secondary. Cyprien is one of the hardest hitting safeties in the draft; he may be a clone of Goldson, which is what San Francisco is hoping for.

Baltimore Ravens – Blidi Wreh-Wilson – CB Lardarius Webb is coming back from injury and Jimmy Smith has been all right in his young career. Wreh-Wilson is shooting up draft boards and he’s more of a value pick for the Ravens. Ozzie Newsome knows what he’s doing and if there’s anything he does best it’s drafting football players.

[xlewandowski]

NFL Mock Draft 1.0 – 2013

Found out the hard way that the internet likes to freeze thus losing all my previous information. The 'save' key is a wonderful tool, learn from me!

Now previously I was writing the draft pick with a description but my wounds are still healing from losing all my data - I'm bitter, what can I say.

So without any further ado lets get this mock draft underway. I may add a sentence, only time will tell.

Kansas City Chiefs – Luke Joeckl – OT

Jacksonville Jaguars – Dee Milliner – CB

Oakland Raiders – Shariff Floyd – DT

Philadelphia Eagles – Dion Jordan – OLB/DE

Detroit Lions – Eric Fisher – OT

Cleveland Browns – Jarvis Jones – OLB

Arizona Cardinals – Lane Johnson – OT

Buffalo Bills – Geno Smith – QB

New York Jets – Barkevious Mingo – OLB

Tennessee Titans – Chance Warmack – OG

San Diego Chargers – Star Lotulelei – DT

Miami Dolphins – Kenny Vaccaro – S

Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Bjorn Werner – DE

Carolina Panthers – Cordarrelle Patterson – WR

New Orleans Saints – Sheldon Richardson – DT

St. Louis Rams – Eddie Lacy – RB

Pittsburgh Steelers – Tyler Eifert – TE

Dallas Cowboys – Jonathan Cooper – OG

New York Giants – Xavier Rhodes – CB

Chicago Bears – Alec Ogletree – MLB

Cincinnati Bengals – Manti Te'o – MLB

St. Louis Rams (from Washington Redskins) – Keenan Allen – WR

Minnesota Vikings – Tavon Austin – WR

Indianapolis Colts – Barrett Jones – C

Minnesota Vikings (from Seattle Seahawks) – Ezekiel Ansah – DE

Green Bay Packers – Giovani Bernard – RB

Houston Texans – Justin Hunter – WR

Denver Broncos – Matt Elam – S

New England Patriots – DeAndre Hopkins – WR

Atlanta Falcons – Tank Carradine – DE

San Francisco 49ers – Jonathan Cyprien – S

Baltimore Ravens – D.J. - Fluker – OT

I didn't end up tacking on a brief sentence - I promise to add more detail come next mock draft.

Thank you for reading.

[xlewandowski]

NFL Mock Draft 2.5 – Lite Edition

I apologize for my last mock draft which only made it up to pick 20 as I took to long to complete it and the players I had picked for certain teams just don't work anymore.

This mock draft will be quick to the point with only a sentence or two per pick.

Indianapolis Colts – Andrew Luck – QB Indianapolis needs a new franchise quarterback and Luck is the best quarterback to come out since Peyton Manning.  

Washington Redskins – Robert Griffin III – QB You don't trade away three 1st round picks and a 2nd rounder for Matt Kalil – this pick has been decided since Washington made the trade with St. Louis. Griffin is also the type of quarterback Mike Shanahan has been dreaming about.  

Minnesota Vikings – Matt Kalil – OT Ignore the smokescreens, Minnesota needs a protector for Christian Ponder and Kalil is one of the best offensive tackles to come out in a long time.  

Cleveland Browns – Trent Richardson – RB But the running back position has been devalued over the past few years, Richardson is also the best running back to come out since Adrian Peterson, case closed.  

Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Morris Claiborne – CB Claiborne is the best corner in the draft + this is a position of need. Tampa drafted themselves a shutdown corner.  

St. Louis Rams – Justin Blackmon – WR Don't over think this pick, Blackmon may not have Larry Fitzgerald or Calvin Johnson size but he has the game to become an elite receiver, something St. Louis and Sam Bradford desperately need.  

Jacksonville Jaguars – Mark Barron – S Surprise! Jacksonville can use a pass rusher, yes but there is a reason alot of teams want Barron. Jacksonville gets the best safety in the draft and a general in the backfield.  

Miami Dolphins – Michael Floyd – WR Remember when Miami were suppose to draft Brady Quinn? Everyone expects Tannehill which is why you shouldn't expect Tannehill. Floyd is a top receiver minus the headache Miami had with Brandon Marshall.  

Carolina Panthers – Stephon Gilmore – CB Gilmore has gained a ton of tread, he's a more physical corner than Claibrone and will team up perfectly with the underrated Chris Gamble.  

Buffalo Bills – David DeCastro – OG Similar to St. Louis don't look to much into this. DeCastro is the best guard to come out since Steve Hutchinson. Everyone on the offense is smiling ear to ear.  

Kansas City Chiefs – Fletcher Cox – DT Could be Tannehill but Romeo Crennel is all about defense and Cox will make an already up and coming defense that much better. Cox will be the penetration Kansas City needs (sorry I had to).  

Seattle Seahawks – Luke Kuechly – LB Seattle needs a leader in the heart of their up and coming defense. Kuechly is the best linebacker in the draft that can do anything he's asked of and than some.  

Arizona Cardinals – Riley Reiff – OT Arizona needs to keep Kevin Kolb upright, keep him upright and Fitzgerald gets the ball, Fitzgerald gets the ball everyones happy, and than everyone will say 'Thank you Riley!'  

Dallas Cowboys – Ryan Tannehill – QB You know that vote of confidence everyone is giving Tony Romo? Now those are smokescreens. In drafting Tannehill, Dallas can follow in Green Bay's footsteps and have him sit back and prepare himself for a couple of years before taking over.  

Philadelphia Eagles – Dontari Poe – DT Poe just has a name that says 'Philadelphia'. Jim Washburn will be able to move him around the line and be able to use him in certain situations minusing the pressure he'd have if he was forced into the starting line up.  

New York Jets – Whitney Mercilus – DE/OLB Mercilus is raw but so was Jason Pierre-Paul, Rex Ryan loves the sound of that + the Jets desperately need an edge rusher, Mercilus is worth the roll of the dice.  

Cincinnati Bengals – Courtney Upshaw – OLB/DE Cincinnati can use an upgrade at corner but with the signing of Terrence Newman their hoping to fill another need first. Upshaw can play either outside linebacker or defensive end, Mike Zimmer likes that versatility.  

San Diego Chargers – Dre Kirkpatrick – CB San Diego has an aging Quinton Jammer and an underachieving Antoine Cason, they can use a pass rusher but they could also use corner. Kirkpatrick is a big corner which immediately causes match-up problems.  

Chicago Bears – Quinton Coples – DE Coples reminds a lot of people of Julius Peppers. Urlacher, Briggs and Peppers will make sure to keep him in line especially if he decides to take a play or two off. Coples will flourish as a Bear.  

Tennessee Titans – Chandler Jones – DE Tennessee has virtually no one to rush the passer + with the lose of Finnegan opposing receivers will need even less time to find open room. Chandler Jones gives Tennessee what they thought they had in Derrick Morgan and than some.  

Cincinnati Bengals – Michael Brockers – DT Cincinnati gambled and lost thinking Kirkpatrick would be here, they'll just fill another position of need with Brockers. Brockers is another piece to an already underrated defense.  

Cleveland Browns – Kendall Wright – WR Cleveland walks out of the first round with the best running back and the third ranked receiver who plays much faster than his time indicated. Did I just give Cleveland a compliment? 

Detroit Lions – Cordy Glenn – OT Detroit is in much need of some youth along the line, it also helps that Glenn is versatile and can play both at the tackle and guard spot.

Pittsburgh Steelers – Janoris Jenkins – CB Pittsburgh needs help at every position on it's defense except for maybe safety. Jenkins has some off the field issues which is why Pittsburgh is a perfect place for him to land, it also helps that he's the best coverage corner in the draft – Pittsburgh gets a steal.

Denver Broncos – Melvin Ingram – DE This is to low for Ingram and someone will trade up for him if he drops this low; Ingram is to good of a player for Denver not to take even though the greater need is at defensive tackle. Denver gets a very lucky surprise.

Houston Texans – Jonathan Martin – OT I still don't get why Houston cut Eric Winston but maybe they knew something we didn't, Martin should step right in at right tackle and fill the void immediately.

New England Patriots – Shea McClellin – OLB/DE McClellin can play all over the field and New England needs anyone to rush the passer. He may remind people of Mike Vrabel.

Green Bay Packers – Harrison Smith – S New England just beat them to McClellin. Nick Collins was released today and their going to need someone to take his place, Charlie Peprah isn't going to cut it. Smith is a smart player and will form a perfect pairing with Morgan Burnett.

Baltimore Ravens – Kevin Zeitler – OG Baltimore lost Ben Grubbs in free agency, this pick will ultimately come down to Konz or Zeitler and they go with the mauler, something that fits the Ravens persona perfectly.

San Francisco 49ers –  Coby Fleener – TE Jim Harbaugh may not have been able to get his Stanford quarterback in Andrew Luck but he is able to get his favourite target. San Francisco will try to do their best New England impersonation but instead their guys are faster.

New England Patriots – Dont'a Hightower – LB Does New England keep this pick? Probably not but for now they get the second rated middle linebacker that starts immediately beside Brandon Spikes. If this happens New England has one of the youngest, fastest linebacking corps in the NFL.

New York Giants – Doug Martin – RB Another weapon for Eli and this one can also take some of the pressure off him. New York does a great job in running the football when they have a committee, Ahmad Bradshaw also needs to stay healthy, Martin can split carries or carry the load if his number is called upon. 

[xlewandowski]

NFL Mock Draft 2.0

The big names of free agency have come and gone now it's time to focus back on the draft.

Indianapolis Colts – Andrew Luck – QB Ignore the talks about Luck or Griffin III for the top spot. Luck has been the unanimous number one overall pick since last off-season.   

Washington Redskins – Robert Griffin III – QB Washington gave up a ton of picks for Griffin but they won't care especially if he is who everyone thinks he is. Griffin is a phenomenal athlete who, like I pointed out before, is a hybrid between Newton and Vick + now Washington has some youth and speed on the outside in receiver, this'll be fun to watch.  

Minnesota Vikings – Matt Kalil – OT Minnesota has mentioned that they could possibly pick Claiborne but I think that's all for show and are only saying that to see if they can get a trade done for a team in desperate for a top flight corner. Kalil is their guy and no one has a bigger smile than Christian Ponder.  

Cleveland Browns – Trent Richardson – RB All the talk about Cleveland taking Ryan Tannehill is absurd, though Tannehill has the ability to be a very good quarterback keep in mind that if Matt Barkley and Landry Jones came out he would be the 5th best quarterback, maybe 4th. Also would you rather have the 3rd best quarterback in the draft or the top running back? Some may argue that Blackmon could be the pick here but Cleveland has another 1st round pick that could fill that need. Richardson has also been compared to Adrian Peterson and Eric Dickerson, case closed.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Morris Claiborne – CB There's a chance that Tampa could orchestrate a trade with Minnesota to land Trent Richardson but Minnesota seems pretty set with it's pick and wouldn't want to risk missing out on a franchise left tackle. So instead Tampa chooses Claiborne (poor them) who now all of a sudden has a strong group of corners - Ronde Barber is on his last legs but could try and pull his best Charles Woodson impression, Aqib Talib is somehow not in jail, Eric Wright is solid, not flashy but solid and now you add in the athleticism of Claiborne; watch out for Tampa Bay.

St. Louis Rams – Justin Blackmon – WR Not only does St. Louis pull off a blockbuster trade but they also get the exact same guy they were looking at at number 2. Blackmon isn't the tallest or the fastest but the way he plays will be a combination of Dez Bryant and Anquan Boldin, this man will fight for every yard and will not shy away from contact. This is the type of player/receiver the Rams need on offense, desperately.

 Jacksonville Jaguars – Michael Floyd – WR Yes the Jags did just sign Laurant Robinson in free agency but other than him and occasionally Mercedes Lewis (when he decides to catch the ball) Jacksonville doesn't have to many threats outside. Mike Thomas isn't threatening anyone on the outside with his small stature (he's 5'8") and if they are committed to Blaine Gabbert they should do there part in giving him the right pieces. Floyd is a tall, fast, physical receiver and much like Blackmon and St. Louis, he's the type of player the Jags need on offense.

Miami Dolphins – Ryan Tannehill – QB I don't agree with putting Tannehill in the top 10 but the Dolphins are desperate, it seems like the only players that want to play in Miami are in the NBA. I don't really know what Miami is doing this off-season, they had a solid defense (they still do but minus Yermiah Bell, who they cut, which didn't make much sense)< there offense was looking high powered especially if they had landed Peyton Manning (or even Matt Flynn) along with Brandon Marshall but they missed out on both and jettisoned Marshall, the only threat on the Miami offense is Reggie Bush. Tannehill can be a very good player but with the lack of star power could be an uphill battle.

Carolina Panthers – Quinton Coples – DE Coples is Julius Peppers 2.0 and what better team for Coples to go to than Carolina. Drafting him will take Carolina back to the glory days where they had a young Julius Peppers and an in his prime Mike Rucker. The Panthers could go defensive tackle but Coples is to great of a talent to pass up.

Buffalo Bills – David DeCastro – OG Buffalo did an amazing job upgrading there defense with the addition of Mario Williams and Mark Anderson; the Bills could upgrade there linebacking core with Courtney Upshaw but the talent of DeCastro is just to great to pass up. The fact that their offensive line has needed an upgrade for some time, this is a perfect fit - I still believe Buffalo will resign Demetrius Bell at left tackle so drafting Riley Reiff isn't a need.

Kansas City Chiefs – Courtney Upshaw – LB Kansas City solved there tackle problem by signing Eric Winston after he was released from Houston, that gives the Chiefs a bit more freedom in there draft pick. Courtney Upshaw would be a perfect fit playing opposite Tamba Hali, when a team would double up on Hali, Upshaw would be free to roam. 

Seattle Seahawks – Dontari Poe – DT Seattle can go a number of ways in the draft; offensive line, linebackers or corner but as we know through the New York Giants, you can never have enough defensive lineman. Poe has sensational athleticism, he's strong, he's fast, Pete Carroll would love to have him in a Seahawks uniform. Along with Chris Clemons and Red Bryant Seattle's line becomes dangerous.

Arizona Cardinals – Riley Reiff – OT Arizona resigned Levi Brown, which is good... if they shift him to guard, they do that and not only do they have a massive human being familiar with the offense but also to help Reiff along the way. The concern for his arms length I don't find that big of a deal, if he has quick feet that'll make up for it, though I don't believe it will be a big deal.

Dallas Cowboys - Mark Barron - S The Cowboys solved their cornerback problem by signing Brandon Carr to team up with Mike Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick now they need a playmaker at the safety position. Last year Dallas had Gerald Sensabaugh and Abrm Elam at the safety position, fear to no one basically, Barron becomes the reason for teams to avoid centre field. Barron would also become the leader that Dallas desperately needs. Ignore the double hernia surgery, he'll be ready. 

Philadelphia Eagles – Michael Brockers – DT Philadelphia found their linebacker in the trade for DeMeco Ryans. They just recently signed Demetress Bell with Jason Peters going down with what looks like for the year so the next best bet would be to strengthen their defensive line. Brockers can be the player that helps close running lanes and can ultimately be a younger Cullen Jenkins. You can't go wrong in having depth along the defensive line and Philadelphia knows all about that having to play New York twice a year.

New York Jets – Whitney Mercilus – DE/OLB Every year we hear about a couple of players that are raw, Mercilus is this years top player who has that label - Jason Pierre-Paul was raw coming out of college too, see where I'm going with this? New York needs a player like this and as much as Rex Ryan hates to admit it the Giants have the perfect blue print - build through the line and have depth. The Jets did a nice job with Aaron Maybin from Buffalo but they need someone opposite of him to put just as much, if not more, pressure on the quarterback. It helps to that Mercilus can also play outside linebacker though defensive end would be better suited but it's good to know, Rex Ryan loves to move people around.

Cincinnati Bengals – Dre Kirkpatrick – CB Cincinnati lucked out with Kirkpatrick falling to them at 17; Kirkpatrick has the size and speed to match up extremely well with receivers, the fact that he is just as tall or even taller in some cases is a rarity for the corner position. The difference between Kirkpatrick, Stephon Gilmore or Janoris Jenkins isn't huge, they all can make the argument in being the second best corner behind Morris Claiborne but Kirkpatrick has the size and playing in the AFC North is exactly what you need. Teaming him up with Leon Hall will have quarterbacks a little nervous throwing to the sidelines.

San Diego Chargers – Melvin Ingram - DE San Diego has been looking for a pass rusher since Shawn Merriman (before the injuries). They've missed on their most recent high draft choice in Larry English + the Jets already did the deciding for them in taking Mercilus. Ingram is a much more consistent player than his other first round counter part in Quinton Coples. San Diego needs to start getting to the quaterback again and drafting Ingram will only make that process easier.

Chicago Bears – Jonathan Martin ��� OT Chicago found their big play receiver in the trade for Brandon Marshall and the only thing that'll make Jay Cutler even happier will be drafting a a player that can protect his blindside. Martin's stock has been up and down but the Bears won't be complaining. Teaming Martin and their first round choice from last year in Gabe Carmi will give Chicago the bookend tackles that Cutler has been dreaming of + if they still want J'Marcus Webb starting along the line, they can push him to guard where he was probably best suited anyways.

Tennessee Titans – Stephon Gilmore – CB With the lose of Cortland Finnegan this is pretty  much a no-brainer. Gilmore has the size, speed and physically that the Titans were used to with Finnegan (except he won't want to punch anyone in the face). He may remind people of Carlos Rogers, the 2011 Carlos Rogers, where he actually decided to hold onto the ball.

Cincinnati Bengals – Jerel Worhty – DT  

[xlewandowski]

Free Agency 2012

Updates will be made every time a big name/noteworthy free agent signs/resigns.

Brandon Marshall - traded to the Chicago Bears This wasn't technically a free agent signing but it was a blockbuster trade to say the least. Chicago finally has there big bodied receiver that they've been hoping for, the fact that it was Jay Cutler's top receiver in Denver is even better. Cutler and Marshall already know each other and play at an exceptionally high level when they were part of the Broncos. Marshall fits into Chicago beautifully, he doesn't have that break away speed but that's what Knox and Hester are for, he is however extremely physically and doesn't shy away from hits + he's almost half a foot taller than all the current receivers on Chicago's roster. Huge trade for Chicago, I think Miami is really going to miss him, but hey they did get two 3rd round picks for him...

Pierre Garcon & Josh Morgan - signed by the Washington Redskins Very, very smart move by Washington. Both Garcon and Morgan are under the age of 25, they'll be drafting a quarterback in Robert Griffin III who is 22 - this makes a ton of sense, instead of growing a rap our with Santana Moss and Jabar Gaffney, who are in there 30's, he'll be familiar with Garcon and Morgan - Washington really set themselves up nicely with these signings. Garcon is a very past player who's just starting to reach his potential, he's had an issue with drops throughout his career but that's just a concentration problem that I believe he'll solve also immediately. Morgan was just starting to hit his stride with San Francisco but broke his ankle 5 games into last season. He doesn't have the speed that Garcon has but he has better hands.

 Vincent Jackson - signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Good sign by Tampa, may have been a little to high of a price for a player like Jackson (5 years $55M) but they have the cap space and lets face it Tampa needed an exciting player like Jackson. Jackson can spread the field, even though he is not a burner he has the height and physicality to fight off defenders not only get the ball but make plays after the catch. Mike Williams and Arrelious Benn weren't ready to be a number one and two receiver respectively but add Jackson into the mix and that frees up coverage for the two 3rd year players which will help their development as receivers in the NFL. Josh Freeman will also be extremely happy to have a receiver of this caliber along the line. 

Carl Nicks - signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Nicks got what he wanted in becoming the highest paid guard in the game. This is a very good signing by Tampa. Tampa is hoping Nicks can do what he did for New Orleans for them; this will ultimately give Josh Freeman more time in the pocket and create more running room for LeGarrette Blount or whoever will be running the ball for them.

Cortland Finnegan - signed by the St. Louis Rams The Rams now have a some attitude in there secondary along with skill. Finnegan may not have all world speed but he's a very good man-to-man coverage corner that will get in the number one receivers face. St. Louis has been looking for a star at corner for a while now and seeing how they kept missing in there draft choices, picking up a proven free agents was the next best thing. Seeing him match up with Larry Fitzgerald will be fun to see.

Mario Williams - signed by the Buffalo Bills Buffalo finally found their pass rusher. This is a signing that a city and team like Buffalo needed; they're not known for star power but with a move like this many team will notice, especially the ones in the AFC East. Williams had stated that he never was a big city guy and if you're going to lure a guy like Williams to your team you need to offer him more than just money and Buffalo did that. The Bills defense gets significantly better, they already have the ball hawking secondary, an above average linebacking corp and now their defensive line will be superb. Also, the fact that Buffalo is changing back to a 4-3 this just works to their advantage and the timing could not be better - Williams on one said, Kelsey (or a top draft pick on the other), Dareus and Kyle Williams on the inside, Buffalo may not even need to send extra players to get to the quarterback. Tremendous signing. 

Martellus Bennett - signed by the New York Giants Low risk, high reward signing by New York. Bennett always had the talent he just never put it together in Dallas but that may be because Dallas lacks the discipline that New York has. Another reason why this is a very smart signing by New York is now the Giants don't need to use a first round pick on a tight end. Bennett also offers much more athleticism than Jake Ballard + they wouldn't need to rush him back from the torn ACL he suffered in the Super Bowl.

Mario Manningham - signed by the San Francisco 49ers Smart signing by San Francisco, Manningham will be a nice mix with Randy Moss and Michael Crabtree as he has above average speed and can make that clutch catch (as proven in the Super Bowl). We'll see if he can put it all together and become a complete receiver in the 49ers offense. The advantage is that he will be playing in a run first offense and won't have to shoulder the load or blame if there are any miscues. It'll be interesting to see who will be throwing him the ball, all signs point to Alex Smith but after San Francisco flirted with Peyton Manning and lost and may become a little awkward.

 Peyton Manning - signed by the Denver Broncos The signing that everyone was waiting for, the one person that can change a franchise immediately, when healthy (Indianapolis knows all about that). This is one hell of a signing by Denver because lets face it there really aren't many opportunities to go and get a future hall of fame quarterback on the market. I do think that the contract is a little high for a player who's had 4 neck surgeries in the last 2 years (5yrs 96M), it's a lot of money for a player with an injury like that but the Broncos felt the need to roll the dice. Now John Elway has his pocket passer he always wanted. I do feel that he should have signed on to San Francisco as they have the better, more Super Bowl ready team but maybe Manning didn't want that pressure, even though whatever team he chose will be expecting a Super Bowl before he retires.

[xlewandowski]

NFL Mock Draft 1.0

Alright this is my first attempt at a mock draft; I've done my fair share of reading/research so now I must put my knowledge to the task. I'll be writing a second mock draft after free agency.

Indianapolis Colts – Andrew Luck – QB This is inevitable - they just released Manning and Luck has been the prospect that has been talked about to go first overall since last off-season

Washington Redskins – Robert Griffin III – QB – projected trade Washington is aggressive and somewhat desperate. Shanahan needs a quarterback like Griffin, the Grossmen/Beck combination was fun while it... who are we kidding they need a franchise guy and this is their franchise guy. I just have to throw this in as well, Griffin is a hybrid of Vick and Newton - that's very, VERY good company!

Minnesota Vikings – Matt Kalil – OT This is almost getting as obvious as Luck and Indy but unless Claiborne does something amazing at his pro day or Minnesota picks up a tackle through free agency this marriage seems like it will last.

Cleveland Browns – Justin Blackmon – WR I'm a little torn here because I think if the Browns drafted Claiborne and teamed him up with Joe Haden that would become one of the best corner duos in the NFL but I'm thinking they go offense and get Colt McCoy some weapons (and yes I am one of the few that believe Cleveland should stick with McCoy, who were his weapons last year? Greg Little?). Blackmon is like Dez Bryant minus the love for diamond jewelry.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Morris Claiborne – CB A top corner does not fall out of the top 5 and this is a need for Tampa, between the age of Ronde and the will he/won't he go to prison of Aqib Talib, this is a must.

St. Louis Rams – Michael Floyd – WR – projected trade The Rams are the first to pull the trigger with a shocker; is this a little high for Floyd? Yeah probably, but with all the picks the Rams just received from Washington they can afford to shock a few people. Floyd is a big receiver and has potential to be the top receiver in this years draft and Bradford desperately needs a big time receiver; Danny Amendola is good... for the slot and Bradford needs to be able to take those shots downfield or he will be viewed as conservative passer.

Jacksonville Jaguars – Quinton Coples – DE Even though Mularkey is an offensive guy and needs to get Blaine Gabbert some weapons downfield a receiver would be a reach right now. They need pass rushers and I think they're over their miss of Derrick Harvey. Coples is known as the next Julius Peppers... read that again 'the next Julius Peppers'!

Miami Dolphins – Riley Reiff – OT With Peyton Manning under centre they need even more protection. Draft Reiff and you have two top end tackles and a star at centre. There was a concern about his arms being a bit short for a tackle but Drew Brees was also to short to be quarterback and we all know how that's working out for him.

Carolina Panthers – Dontari Poe – DT Poe tore it up at the combine with speed, strength and great athleticism. Carolina will be getting Jon Beason back and a few others from its defense from injury, it was a tough break for the Panthers last year but Poe would be able to be the spark that Cam was for the offense.

Buffalo Bills – Courtney Upshaw – LB Upshaw didn't have a mind blowing combine but that's what tape is for. Buffalo needs pass rushers and have for for some time, they have the run stuffers in place in Dareus and Williams now time to get to the quarterback. You could also make the argument to switch Upshaw with Ingram but this is where I stand now.

Kansas City Chiefs – Ryan Tannehill – QB This predicting that Peyton Manning lands in Miami. Matt Cassel is good but nothing special (surprised that Ricky Stanzi never got a shot but that's how it goes in the NFL). Tannehill may still be very raw but my guess is that Romeo Crennel will want to start his era in Kansas City with a player he hand picked. Even though Tannehill was a former receiver it may work to his advantage in reading coverages.

Seattle Seahawks – David DeCastro – OG The comparison between him and Steve Hutchinson may be to great to pass up. Is this to high for a guard? Maybe, does it matter? No. Pete Carroll did a great job with his current set of corners that he doesn't feel the need to use a first round pick on one. Seattle had some offensive line struggles and Marshawn Lynch won't be the only one who loves DeCastro in Seahawk blue and lime green.

Arizona Cardinals - Jonathan Martin - OT Arizona would like to add another threat opposite Larry Fitzgerald but Michael Floyd is long gone. The next viable option is to replace Levi Brown who has done better and if they decide to resign him they could shift him to guard and start fresh with Martin.

Dallas Cowboys - Dre Kirkpatrick - CB Kirkpatrick is a top 10 talent that slipped a little for no good reason but the fact he smoked pot - news flash kids smoke pot in college, they also drink too! This is a big man for the corner position, at 6'3" Dre is taller than half the starting receivers, mix in his speed and he can play with the big boys. This is also a crucial need for Dallas as Newman showed us that his skills have dropped off. Place Kirkpatrick beside Jenkins and you have a solid group of starting corners, whenever Jenkins doesn't decide to whiff on a tackle that is.

Philadelphia Eagles - Luke Kuechly - LB Philadelphia really started to hit it's stride especially in the last few games. They need a leader in the linebacker core; Casey Matthews may have the name but he didn't have what it takes on an NFL level. If the Eagles are able to sign Stephan Tulluch or Curtis Lofton this pick may change though I don't believe it should, Kuechly will shore up the defense especially in the running game and bring a physically that severally lacked.

New York Jets - Trent Richardson - RB The slide stops! Richardson is a top 5 talent, maybe even a top 3 but you just don't see teams drafting a running back that high anymore. Richardson has been labeled as the best running back prospect since Adrian Peterson. New York wants to get back to the running game and Shonne Greene is, well Shonne Greene, if they really want Mark Sanchez to take the next step they need a back like Richardson. Even though he had a minor knee incident around the combine there is no reason for him to be this low. I do believe that there is a good chance that someone will trade for Richardson earlier though.

Cincinnati Bengals - Stephon Gilmore - CB Cincinnati needs another corner opposite Leon Hall, they tried out Nate Clements who played alright but they need some youth as they desperately missed Jonathan Joseph when he left for Houston. Gilmore has the speed, physicality and cover skills to make a good first impression.

San Diego Chargers - Stephen Hill - WR Stephen Hill really opened peoples eyes as to what he can do at the combine, he's big, fast and sure handed, he's also from Georgia Tech (Calvin Johnson reference). San Diego is losing Vincent Jackson in free agency and they very much need a deep threat to replace him and Hill is much, much faster than Jackson. They can always go pass rusher but I believe that with the lose of Jackson it pretty much seals the deal.

Chicago Bears - Melvin Ingram - DE Shocked to not see a receiver here? The Chargers just beat Chicago to Stephan Hill and Kendall Wright didn't wow anyone at the combine which caused his stock to slip + Chicago already has a bunch of short, fast receivers (I also believe that they'll sign a top flight receiver in free agency in Jackson or Colston). Idonije is set to hit the open market and Mario Williams' price will be high. In comes Ingram who may be one of the top if not the top defensive ends in the draft and the amount he can learn playing opposite Julius Peppers is insurmountable. Monster of the Midway is back!

Tennessee Titans - Michael Brockers - DT You can argue that Brockers is the best defensive tackle in the draft but few big men do what Dontari Poe did at the combine. Tennessee could have a few needs here especially if Cortland Finnegan leaves through free agency but I just don't see a team that drafted Pacman Jones want to risk it on Janoris Jenkins. Peter Konz could also be the name called here but his strength was called into question when he only benched pressed 225lbs 18 times. Brockers will make a good defense even better by occupying the middle of the line.

Cincinnati Bengals - Lamar Miller - RB Cedric Benson is gone, in steps Lamar Miller who has what looks like twice the speed that Benson had. Miller is a home run back that will team up nicely with Green and Dalton; they could also show him the ways in being a young player that a lot of people are counting on to help Cincinnati stay relevant in the AFC North.

Cleveland Browns - LaMichael James - RB Having a mini run on running back in the mid/late round. LaMichael is fast! He's like Javid Best minus the concussions. LaMichael will easily help Cleveland fans forget Peyton Hillis (and easily the worst Madden cover boy). He may not have the power that Hillis had but when you're that fast you're probably making over half those guys miss anyways. Also if Colt McCoy can't make it work this year with both Justin Blackmon and LaMichael James then you can start looking for a new quarterback.

Detroit Lions - Mike Adams - OT Detroit is starting to get a little long in the tooth on the offensive line and you just don't see possible franchise tackles at the end of the first round. Matt Stafford finally played a full healthy season and look where it got them. Mike Adams is a monster at 6'8" and 320lbs with room to grow.

Pittsburgh Steelers - Jerel Worthy - DT Pittsburgh lack a ton of youth on the defensive side + Casey Hampton went down with a torn ACL at age 34. You could flip Worthy with Devon Still in this spot but Pittsburgh needs to step out of their comfort zone a little and draft a guy like Worthy who has more upside than Still.

Denver Broncos - Janoris Jenkins - CB Jenkins is arguably the second best corner in the draft but drug problems and having 4 children with 3 different women doesn't help his case that much, but Jenkins did show a lot of maturity in his interviews at the combine. Denver is getting old at corner and even though Champ Baily is timeless, Andre Goodman is not. Tim Tebow would also help out Jenkins as they did both at one time wore Gator blue together. I'm not sure if Jenkins falls this low but if he does Denver would be foolish not to draft him.

Houston Texans - Kendall Wright - WR Wright is 'game speed' fast. After Houston spent most of its picks last year on defense this year they finally need to get a solid number 2 wideout opposite Andre Johnson. In Houston Wright wouldn't have to worry about being the number one guy and facing double coverages, he can grow into his roll as a top receiver + he'll probably be out to prove to everyone that his slow 40 time was just the case of an off day.

New England Patriots - Mark Barron - S This is a dire need for New England. The hernia surgery may be some red flags to a few teams but not New England, Barron is the best safety in the draft. He has the size and speed to match up well in zone and man coverage. He can be the rock in the secondary after Brandon Meriweather failed to take that role.

Green Bay Packers - David Wilson - RB I know many are thinking a pass rusher opposite Clay Matthews but Green Bay's running game minus Aaron Rodgers was almost nonexistent which could have been a key reason why they allowed so many yards on defense, there offense just scored to quickly. Wilson is a fast player that would be perfect for the Packers offense; he'd rarely face 8 men in the box and because of that he'd make defenses pay and then everyone will ask 'how do we stop these guys'... again.

Baltimore Ravens - Peter Konz - C Matt Birk considered retirement this year, whenever you have a veteran player considering retirement you have to find the heir to him. Konz is the top centre in this years draft and even with Matt Birk returning Konz can step in as guard and learn the game at that position before ultimately taking over for Birk. If Baltimore loses Ben Grubbs in free agency this pick goes from a luxury pick to a need.

San Francisco 49ers - Alfonzo Dennard - CB This may come as a shock to not see a receiver here and San Francisco could very well choose Mohaned Sanu or Alshon Jeffery but if they do in fact lose Carlos Rogers in free agency (I don't believe they will) but if that happens they would need to address the corner position + with all the 3-4 receiver sets now have 3 top flight corners isn't a bad thing. Dennard has average height and decent speed but under Jim Harbaugh he would flourish.

New England Patriots - Harrison Smith - S If New England walks out of the first round with 2 starting caliber safeties, I'd call that extremely productive. Belichick tends to trade away his picks for more but this should be the year that he takes advantage - case and point, Ras-I Dowling. Smith has all the right intangibles for what it takes to be a top notch safety, he's a smart player and if you team him up with Mark Barron, the safety position in New England is set for 10 years, and watch out!

New York Giants - Doug Martin - RB Martin is one of the most underrated players, think of him as what Knowshon Moreno could have become. Dont'a Hightower could also be a possibility here but I think New York wants to show that they can still be an effective running team and teaming Martin up with Ahmad Bradshaw could be a beautiful thing.