2013 Mock Draft

Apr 26, 2012; New York, NY, USA; A general view of Radio City Music Hall before the start of the 2012 NFL Draft. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-USA TODAY Sports

1. Kansas City Chiefs – Luke Joeckel, OT, Texas A&M
No change here, the Chiefs are even talking about trading Branden Albert after making him their franchise player. If that happens, they will most certainly be taking a left tackle, and the only question at this point is whether or not it will be Joeckel. There are some insiders who believe Eric Fisher is the better overall player.

2. Jacksonville Jaguars – Dion Jordan, DE, Oregon
The Jaguars NEED pass rush. I can’t stress that enough. They signed Jason Babin and have second rounder Andre Branch from last year, and those guys are going to need to step it up. Adding Dion Jordan would be a huge pickup for this team’s defense, especially with its needs on the back end. Jordan would help make the entire defensive backfield better.

3. Oakland Raiders – Geno Smith, QB, West Virginia
The Raiders have a big decision to make with Carson Palmer’s contract coming up, and they may decide to cut him. If he is kept and paid $13M, you can expect this pick to be used on the defensive line. The rumors that Oakland will take Smith are heating up because it’s unlikely Palmer will take a paycut to remain a Raider. This could be destiny.

4. Philadelphia Eagles – Eric Fisher, OT, Central Michigan
With Dion Jordan and Geno Smith off the board, the Eagles get likely their best fit by far anyway. Eric Fisher has been the hottest prospect in the draft this offseason, rising to top five status in a matter of months. He is a perfect fit for this team at right or left tackle, whatever they should choose. He will be a starter for a long, long time.

5. Detroit Lions – Ezekiel Ansah, DE, BYU
Detroit could go with Dee Milliner here, but there’s growing speculation that they prefer a pass rusher with their top pick. Likely all the top pass rushers will be gone by the time the second round rolls around, so they take a guy whom many are saying has the most potential of this draft. Ansah hasn’t been playing football for very long, but the Lions have the pieces around him on the defensive line to help bring him along.

6. Cleveland Browns – Dee Milliner, CB, Alabama
The Browns fortified their front seven in free agency, and now it’s time to work on the back end of that defense. They need some more playmakers out there, and even though their defense was pretty tough last year, I think they would love to add Milliner to a CB group featuring Joe Haden.

7. Arizona Cardinals – Jarvis Jones, DE/OLB, Georgia
No Geno Smith, no Eric Fisher, so the Cardinals go with the next best thing and next biggest need on their roster, arguably–pass rush. Jarvis Jones is the type of player who can significantly impact their defense as a whole, and I think at this point in the draft, they’d love to be able to add him. We’ve had Jones as high as #2 overall in mock drafts.

8. Buffalo Bills – Ryan Nassib, QB, Syracuse
There are many Bills fans who would riot if this pick happened, but step into the shoes of Titans and Vikings fans from a couple years ago when they used top picks on guys like Jake Locker and Christian Ponder, players whom many thought would be second rounders even leading into the draft. Nassib is a guy who is drawing rave reviews and getting better with each day. He could easily be the pick here for the QB hungry Bills.

9. New York Jets – Barkevious Mingo, DE/OLB, LSU
Besides quarterback, pass rush is the Jets’ top overall need without question. Mingo is a smaller guy but the Jets have big enough players up front to be able to free him up in space to make plays. His speed is tough for any offensive lineman to handle, and I think Rex Ryan will be salivating at the opportunity to coach such a talent after having two of the slowest pass rushers in the game for years.

10. Tennessee Titans – Jonathan Cooper, OG, North Carolina
The Titans have already added Andy Levitre this offseason, but I don’t think their OL overahaul is done there. They need to get back to running the ball well and on a consistent basis, and while I feel like Chance Warmack is a great prospect, he’s no guarantee to be the first guard off the board. Jonathan Cooper is very athletic, and offers a ton of versatility up front. I think he’d be a great fit with the addition of Levitre at LG.

11. San Diego Chargers – Lane Johnson, OT, Oklahoma
I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times. Johnson fills the biggest need in San Diego, which is protecting Philip Rivers. If Rivers has time to throw the ball, he will find receivers, even if the crew the Chargers have is well below average out there.

12. Miami Dolphins – Xavier Rhodes, CB, Florida State
The Dolphins have a pretty big void at the CB position, and Rhodes will have to start from day one. He is a big, athletic corner prospect to replace Sean Smith on the outside.

13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Star Lotulelei, DT, Utah
The Bucs would love to have Rhodes with this pick, but there are some really good DL options out there. They’ve struggled to find a #2 DT to play with Gerald McCoy (when healthy) and I love the idea of Star Lotulelei lining up next to him. Lotulelei’s health has checked out, and he’d be great value here.

14. Carolina Panthers – Sharrif Floyd, DT, Florida
The Panthers get a great value with this pick and a guy who’s been considered for the #1 overall pick by the Chiefs. You never know what way the draft board is going to fall, but if the Raiders pass on Floyd there’s no telling how far he might go. I don’t think he’d make it much further past the Bucs or Panthers.

15. New Orleans Saints – Datone Jones, DE, UCLA
The Saints need pass rushers, and more importantly they need upgrades in the front seven. Last year, they were absolutely terrible. Jones offers versatility, and is a guy who will give maximum effort on every play. He’d be fun to watch with Cameron Jordan up front.

16. St. Louis Rams – Tavon Austin, WR, West Virginia
The Rams have gotten rid of Danny Amendola (Patriots) and now have a need at the slot receiver position. Austin not only adds that, but he gives their offense a whole other dimension that they’ve lacked for years. This could be a huge pickup for Sam Bradford and co.

17. Pittsburgh Steelers – Eddie Lacy, RB, Alabama
The Steelers would probably love to replace Mike Wallace with Tavon Austin, but I don’t think they’d complain much about Eddie Lacy. The former Alabama back is a big, hard-nosed, powerful kid who can move the chains and put the ball in the end zone.

18. Dallas Cowboys – Chance Warmack, OG, Alabama
The Cowboys get a great value here in Warmack, a big and powerful guard prospect who has the chance to go in the top 10. I don’t know where he’ll ultimately land, but Cowboys fans would have to be jumping for joy if he makes it this far.

19. New York Giants – Bjoern Werner, DE, Florida State
The Giants struggled to generate pass rush last year, and with Osi Umenyiora out and Justin Tuck not looking like himself, they could be in the market for a bookend to pair with Jason Pierre-Paul for the future. Werner has had a top 10 grade most of the year and slips a little bit here.

20. Chicago Bears – D.J. Fluker, OT, Alabama
The Bears have to continue to protect Jay Cutler, at all costs. They could go a variety of directions with this pick, but adding to the OL is the smartest in my opinion. Gabe Carimi could play inside at guard, or maybe Fluker could, but getting talent on the O-line is critical for the Bears moving forward.

21. Cincinnati Bengals – Kenny Vaccaro, S, Texas
This could be a match made in heaven. Vaccaro’s physicality and balls kills are just what the doctor ordered for the safety-needy Bengals.

22. St. Louis Rams (from Washington) – Sheldon Richardson, DT, Missouri
The Rams would love to look toward the OL with this pick, or maybe even secondary, but they can’t pass on the athleticism of Richardson to pair with Michael Brockers on the defensive interior. Richardson could add to an already stellar pass rush.

23. Minnesota Vikings – Cordarrelle Patterson, WR, Tennessee
The Vikings need a playmaker to replace Percy Harvin, and there aren’t many better suited to do that from this class of players than Cordarrelle Patterson, who can fill in as a KR, PR, and part-time RB if the need arises. This would be a dream pick for the Vikings.

24. Indianapolis Colts – Johnathan Hankins, DT, Ohio State
Hankins is a guy who can line up over the nose but is athletic enough to kick outside. The Colts signed Aubrayo Franklin, but he’s merely a stop-gap. They realize the need for a powerful DL in a 3-4 defensive alignment. I could see WR as a sleeper option here.

25. Minnesota Vikings (from Seattle) — Matt Elam, S, Florida
The Vikings take the small but athletic and hard-hitting safety from Florida to pair with Harrison Smith on the back end of their defense. This was an area they really struggled last year, so getting a talented player like Elam here would go a long way to improving their secondary.

26. Green Bay Packers – Alec Ogletree, LB, Georgia
I am so confused about the Packers’ pick, so I simply gave them the best player available. They have some intriguing players at the ILB position, but I think Ogletree would be an upgrade over pretty much all of them. He’s got the DUI thing, but the Packers’ locker room is strong enough that he’d merely blend in there, rather than stand out.

27. Houston Texans – Justin Hunter, WR, Tennessee
The Texans are reportedly interested in adding speed at the WR position, and it’s about time. Justin Hunter has speed to burn, and great size for a WR. He’s a bit on the skinny side, but he could be a solid #2 option with Andre Johnson and their other young receivers.

28. Denver Broncos – Desmond Trufant, CB, Washington
The Broncos plan on getting big at the CB position, and while Trufant is no Xavier Rhodes, he’s 6’0″ and fits the mold of what the Broncos are looking for. He’s got great speed on the back end, and while he wouldn’t be a huge contributor as a rookie, he’d fill the shoes of Champ Bailey someday.

29. New England Patriots – Keenan Allen, WR, California
The Patriots score a nice value here with Keenan Allen, and fortify the outside of their WR group. Danny Amendola was signed to take Wes Welker’s spot on the slot, and Allen is a good young player who could be a mismatch on the outside.

30. Atlanta Falcons – Jamar Taylor, CB, Boise State
Taylor is a strong corner prospect who likes to press, and I think the Falcons’ top need right now has to be either DE or CB. This would be a great fit in my opinion after the release of Dunta Robinson.

31. San Francisco 49ers – Margus Hunt, DE, SMU
The Niners are going to have to replace Justin Smith someday, and Ricky Jean-Francois has already left town for another starting job. Margus Hunt is a tough, athletic, 6’8″ defensive end who would be a perfect fit for their defense.

32. Baltimore Ravens – Manti Te’o, LB, Notre Dame
This would be so like the Ravens, to have a crazy offseason, and then gain some momentum by signing guys like Chris Canty, Marcus Spears, Elvis Dumervil, and then drafting a leader like Te’o to shore up their depleted ILB position.

Second Round

33. Jacksonville Jaguars: E.J. Manuel, QB, Florida State

34. San Francisco 49ers: Johnthan Banks, CB, Mississippi State

35. Philadelphia Eagles: Jesse Williams, DT, Alabama

36. Detroit Lions: Robert Woods, WR, USC

37. Cincinnati Bengals: Arthur Brown, LB, Kansas State

38. Arizona Cardinals: Matt Barkley, QB, USC

39. New York Jets: Tyler Eifert, TE, Notre Dame

40. Tennessee Titans: Darius Slay, CB, Mississippi State

41. Buffalo Bills: DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Clemson

42. Miami Dolphins: Damontre Moore, DE/OLB, Texas A&M

43. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: David Amerson, CB, North Carolina State

44. Carolina Panthers: Jonathan Cyprien, S, Florida International

45. San Diego Chargers: Quinton Patton, WR, Louisiana Tech

46. St. Louis Rams: Kawann Short, DT, Purdue

47. Dallas Cowboys: Eric Reid, S, LSU

48. Pittsburgh Steelers: Sam Montgomery, DE/OLB, LSU

49. New York Giants: Justin Pugh, OG, Syracuse

50. Chicago Bears: Markus Wheaton, WR, Oregon State

51. Washington Redskins: Zach Ertz, TE, Stanford

52. Minnesota Vikings: Sylvester Williams, DT, North Carolina

53. Cincinnati Bengals: Menelik Watson, OT, Florida State

54. Miami Dolphins: Jordan Poyer, CB, Oregon State

55. Green Bay Packers: Montee Ball, RB, Wisconsin

56. Seattle Seahawks: Khaseem Greene, LB, Rutgers

57. Houston Texans: Kevin Minter, LB, LSU

58. Denver Broncos: Cornellius “Tank” Carradine, DE, Florida State

59. New England Patriots: Alex Okafor, DE, Texas

60. Atlanta Falcons: Larry Warford, OG, Kentucky

61. San Francisco 49ers: Phillip Thomas, S, Fresno State

62. Baltimore Ravens: Terrance Williams, WR, Baylor

Round Three

63. Kansas City Chiefs: Jonathan Bostic, LB, Florida

64. Jacksonville Jaguars: Johnathan Franklin, RB, UCLA

65. Detroit Lions: Robert Alford, CB, Southeastern Louisiana

66. Oakland Raiders: Brandon Williams, DT, Missouri Southern State

67. Philadelphia Eagles: Kyle Long, OL, Oregon

68. Cleveland Browns: Mike Glennon, QB, North Carolina State

69. Arizona Cardinals: Terron Armstead, OL, Arkansas Pine-Bluff

70. Tennessee Titans: Gavin Escobar, TE, San Diego State

71. Buffalo Bills: Alvin Bailey, OG, Arkansas

72. New York Jets: Giovani Bernard, RB, North Carolina

73. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Vance McDonald, TE, Rice

74. San Francisco 49ers: Tyrann Mathieu, CB, LSU

75. New Orleans Saints: Sio Moore, DE/OLB, UConn

76. San Diego Chargers: Da’Rick Rogers, WR, Tennessee Tech

77. Miami Dolphins: Dallas Thomas, OT, Tennessee

78. St. Louis Rams: Shamarko Thomas, S, Syracuse

79. Pittsburgh Steelers: Tyler Bray, QB, Tennessee

80. Dallas Cowboys: Travis Frederick, C, Wisconsin

81. New York Giants: Barrett Jones, OL, Alabama

82. Miami Dolphins: Jamie Collins, DE/OLB, Southern Miss

83. Minnesota Vikings: Logan Ryan, CB, Rutgers

84. Cincinnati Bengals: Joseph Randle, RB, Oklahoma State

85. Washington Redskins: B.W. Webb, CB, William & Mary

86. Indianapolis Colts: Trevardo Williams, DE/OLB, UConn

87. Seattle Seahawks: Blidi Wreh-Wilson, CB, UConn

88. Green Bay Packers: Dwayne Gratz, CB, UConn

89. Houston Texans: John Jenkins, DT, Georgia

90. Denver Broncos: Stepfan Taylor, RB, Stanford

91. New England Patriots: Stedman Bailey, WR, West Virginia

92. Atlanta Falcons: Devin Taylor, DE, South Carolina

93. San Francisco 49ers: Jordan Reed, TE, Florida

94. Baltimore Ravens: Bacarri Rambo, S, Georgia

95. Houston Texans (comp): Ryan Swope, WR, Texas A&M

96. Kansas City Chiefs (comp): Tyler Wilson, QB, Arkansas

97. Tennessee Titans (comp): David Bakhtiari, OL, Coloradoq