2013 NFL Mock Draft Update: 49ers Cashing In
17. Pittsburgh Steelers — Jarvis Jones, DE/OLB, Georgia
Jones could fall due to health concerns, but I don’t know that the Steelers would pass him by. He is an incredibly productive player who will wind up being a huge steal if he is healthy at this point.
18. Dallas Cowboys — Jonathan Cooper, OG, North Carolina
Cooper is one of the best offensive linemen in this year’s draft, and the Cowboys could cash in here. They need an upgrade on the offensive line, and this guy could be a staple for them for the next decade.
19. New York Giants — Alec Ogletree, LB, Georgia
Ogletree is a fantastic linebacker prospect, and despite his DUI before the Combine, I think a team like the Giants will be able to keep him tame and allow him to be a star in the NFL.
20. Chicago Bears — Manti Te’o, LB, Notre Dame
I have this huge debate going on in my head of whether or not Te’o will go in the first round, and I’ve come to the consensus that his off-field girlfriend issue is far more prominent in the media and with the fans than it is with NFL GMs and coaches. Te’o is a potentially elite MLB prospect who could learn from one of the best in the league in Brian Urlacher before he plays his final seasons with the Bears.
21. Cincinnati Bengals — Kenny Vaccaro, S, Texas
The Bengals don’t have many needs, but safety is certainly one of them. Vaccaro is the best safety prospect in this year’s draft, and could fill the void the Bengals have been trying to fill with temporary free agent fixes.
22. St. Louis Rams (from Washington) — Tavon Austin, WR, West Virginia
Austin is an incredible talent, and would be a really intriguing fit with the Rams’ offense. Sam Bradford can’t have too many targets, and with the development of Brian Quick and Chris Givens, I think this could be a really interesting pickup, especially since Danny Amendola could be on his way out.
23. Minnesota Vikings — Keenan Allen, WR, California
The Vikings’ WR situation is a shambles, and even worse if they really trade Percy Harvin. I don’t think they’ll be able to get that done, but if they are, that becomes priority number one. Allen is a top talent who falls here due to injuries.
24. Indianapolis Colts — Damontre Moore, DE/OLB, Texas A&M
The Colts are parting ways with Dwight Freeney, so pass rush is needed. I like Damontre Moore, but he showed average athletic ability at the Combine. His stock has fallen considerably but he’s still a good fit with the colts here.
25. Seattle Seahawks — Alex Okafor, DE, Texas
The Seahawks could look to upgrade their defensive front in a number of ways here, but Okafor could be too good to pass on for what they need. Chris Clemons could miss the season with an ACL injury, and Bruce Irvin can’t be relied upon (yet) to be an every down player, which is what Okafor brings to the table.
26. Green Bay Packers — Eddie Lacy, RB, Alabama
Enough playing around, Green Bay. If Eddie Lacy falls into their laps, I don’t see any reason why they shouldn’t take him. He could be the missing piece for their offense.
27. Houston Texans — John Jenkins, DT, Georgia
Shaun Cody is a free agent, and the Texans need a replacement nose tackle. Jenkins is a big body who could be a great fit at nose in the Texans’ defense.
28. Denver Broncos — Desmond Trufant, CB, Washington
The Broncos could go a number of directions with this pick. I chose Desmond Trufant because his stock is soaring, and I think Denver needs to start grooming a replacement for Champ Bailey in such a pass heavy league. They could go defensive line here too, but this could be too good of a situation to pass on.
29. New England Patriots — Datone Jones, DE, UCLA
The Patriots need to continue to upgrade their defensive front, and Jones is the kind of versatile player they flock to. He can play every position up front and would be a great pickup here.
30. Atlanta Falcons — Johnathan Hankins, DT, Ohio State
The Falcons’ defensive line needs to be upgraded, and with the defensive end situation here not being great, I think they’ll go from the inside out. Hankins has top 10 potential and would be great value at this juncture.
31. San Francisco 49ers — Margus Hunt, DE, SMU
I don’t know if there is a more perfect player to learn from Justin Smith than Margus Hunt. This could be a match made in heaven, if the Niners decide to stand pat and not trade up with any of their picks, or acquire a stud veteran.
32. Baltimore Ravens — Jonathan Cyprien, S, Florida International
The Ravens need help at all levels of the defense, but I think they’ll be really intrigued by the potential of Cyprien here. With Ed Reed potentially leaving, they could be in the market for a replacement.