2012 NFL Mock Draft Machine, Player Visits, and More Links

If you are a fan of the NFL Draft, it’s likely that you enjoy a good mock draft. Don’t run or write a blog and want to make a mock draft? Here is ESPN’s mock draft machine, something that I have used a couple of times and really enjoy. ESPN gives you their big board from Scout’s Inc. in order to make the mock, and you can have some fun with it. I have used it as a tool to get a jump start on my newest mock as well as look at some different intriguing scenarios. What does Ryan Tannehill to Cleveland do to the draft board? What does Shea McClellin’s name look like in a first round projection? It’s all possible through this tool!

I finally found Pro Football Talk’s 2012 player visit and workout tracker. This is a useful tool if you simply can’t stand not knowing who your team is bringing in for visits, who they are working out, etc. I wouldn’t put too much stock into it, but there’s a good chance that when this list is finalized, at least one player per team list is going to wind up with that team. Teams get few workouts/visits so they are not wasted. For example, last year I remember the Broncos sent a contingent to watch Julius Thomas at his pro day, and then they worked him out with their tight ends coach. They wound up drafting Thomas in the fourth round in 2011, and trading up to do so.

Detroit Lions “second year” back Mikel LeShoure was…chewing (?) marijuana during his time off with injury this past year. Apparently being a second round pick in the NFL draft was not enough to get this guy to put his head on straight. I’m not saying no one ever makes mistakes, but Mikel–give us a friggin break. There’s a line from Liar Liar that I simply love: “STOP BREAKING THE LAW, A-HOLE!” It applies with every athlete getting in trouble. I’m looking at you, Ryan Leaf.

Pro Football Weekly outlines exactly what pick each team has in every round. This is a good tool to have if you like making team seven round mock drafts, or if you’re a Raiders fan and all of your picks are compensatory picks.

Odds and Ends thoughts:

I think the Cleveland Browns could very well take Ryan Tannehill at number four overall, but right now, I’m still not convinced their pick is going to be anyone but Trent Richardson. That team needs a superstar, and Richardson is exactly that. Bucky Brooks compared him to Maurice Jones-Drew, but I think Richardson is speedier and has far more potential, which is pretty crazy. If you’re asking me to make a bet on it right now, I think the Browns and Richardson are a lock, making the top four picks in the draft essentially a lock (Luck, Griffin, Kalil, Richardson).
I think the Denver Broncos are legitimately interested in drafting a quarterback in the first three rounds, and the guy they like the most is Brock Osweiler. Osweiler is a kid who could come in and sit and learn from two of the greatest of all time. Ironically, it was actually a great situation for a guy like Tim Tebow to go into if he were hand-picking a situation in today’s NFL, to learn from John Elway and Peyton Manning. Still, I think Osweiler has a ton of potential and a very strong arm, and he could be Denver-bound if he’s available in the third round.
I think the Chiefs need to make a play to get Ryan Tannehill. They don’t have hardly any needs, and getting a guy who could potentially be a franchise quarterback would be a wise move. Matt Cassel has been injury prone and not very good, and Tannehill is one of my favorite prospects in this draft. I think he would be a good fit for Kansas City, and it probably wouldn’t cost them too much to move up four spots with the Jaguars and jump ahead of the Dolphins to get him.
There are a few guys who could be sleeper first round picks: Boise State DL/OLB Shea McClellin, Midwestern State OL Amini Silatolu, UCF CB Josh Robinson, Syracuse DE Chandler Jones, UConn DL Kendall Reyes, Utah State LB Bobby Wagner, just to name a few.
I’m not a big fan of power rankings, but here’s how I’d rank the teams coming out of free agency:

New York Giants
New England Patriots
Green Bay Packers
Denver Broncos
San Francisco 49ers
Baltimore Ravens
Houston Texans
New Orleans Saints
Detroit Lions
Pittsburgh Steelers

Toughest team to leave off of this list was the Chicago Bears, because I think with Cutler and Marshall and a few picks they are easily a top ten team in the NFL, which I think indicates just how good this year is going to be. I could have also easily included the Atlanta Falcons on this list. I think Chicago is going to be really good this year, and unfortunately, they play in the best division in football. Or maybe that’s a good thing.
Nike’s new jerseys come out today. I told myself I was done buying jerseys, but when I see these things I doubt there’s any chance I’m going to be able to resist. I have already succumbed and bought a new Nike dri-fit shirt and one of the new New Era hats.

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