2014 NFL Mock Draft Update: Into the 3rd Round
By Erik Lambert
Nov 9, 2013; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback AJ McCarron (10) looks to throw the ball against the LSU Tigers during the second quarter at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
Experts believe things will really start to get interesting around the third round this coming May. Does the 2014 NFL mock draft bear that out?
Click below to review rounds one and two. Enjoy!
#65 – Houston Texans – Antonio Richardson – OT – Tennessee
Protecting their new investment at quarterback is paramount for Houston. Antonio Richardson has experience on the left side but the immense size, strength and length to play on the right.
#66 – Washington Redskins – Dakota Dozier – OG – Furman
A small school sleeper for certain. Jay Gruden knows he has to protect RGIII and the guard position is not up to snuff. Adding a sleeper like Dakota Dozier who can run and pass block very well would help a lot.
#67 – Oakland Raiders – Jarvis Landry – WR – LSU
Oakland has some receivers in-house with athletic upside but they still need somebody who can emerge as the go-to guy for Matt Schaub. Jarvis Landry is polished, savvy, and remarkably consistent at making big catches in big situations.
#68 – Atlanta Falcons – C.J. Fiedorowicz – TE – Iowa
Tony Gonzalez is gone and the Falcons need to find a way to replace him at tight end for Matt Ryan. C.J. Fiedorowicz is an accomplished blocker with big upside as a receiver provided he continues to work.
#69 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers – A.J. McCarron – QB – Alabama
Josh McCown is the starter for TampaBay but Lovie Smith can’t put his team in the hands of a 34-year old without some insurance. A.J. McCarron is a smart, efficient and deceptively talented leader who did nothing but win at Alabama.
#70 – Jacksonville Jaguars – Joel Bitonio – OT – Nevada
Offensive blocking wasn’t up to snuff for Jacksonville in 2013. Adding some punch on the edges, particularly the right side can help a lot. Joel Bitonio has the size and the punch coupled with good fluidity to handle the edge.
#71 – Cleveland Browns – Tre Mason – RB – Auburn
A huge value pickup here. Cleveland could use more punch from their running game and getting Tre Mason, the Auburn star who gutted defenses all the way into the national title game, in the middle of the third round is a steal.
#72 – Minnesota Vikings – Jaylen Watkins – CB – Florida
Mike Zimmer can use help at both the corner and safety positions. Jaylen Watkins is considered a tweener coming out of Florida but has the capacity to play both positions. He has the athleticism for corner and the toughness for safety.
#73 – Buffalo Bills – Telvin Smith – OLB – Florida State
Kiko Alonso was a huge steal last year for Buffal and they may have struck again in this 2014 NFL mock draft. Scouts get on Telvin Smith for his size at just 218 lbs but the kid can fly around the field, tackling and shows plenty of instinct for a linebacker.
#74 – New York Giants – Marcus Martin – C – USC
Free agency was very good to the Giants offensive line but the group is still not completely out of the woods. They have unanswered questions at center. Taking the physically gifted Marcus Martin would provide those answers.
#75 – St. Louis Rams – DaQuan Jones – DT – Penn State
The defensive line drives the truck for the St. Louis defense and they could use more beef up front to help against the run. DaQuan Jones is not only big and strong but also very quick, which makes him very difficult to get out of the way on run plays.
#76 – Detroit Lions – Travis Carrie – CB – Ohio
Travis Carrie is overlooked quite a bit because he’s not a pure cover corner but he is an outstanding athlete with great instincts and toughness. Detroit will love having him on the depth chart, especially on special teams early on.
#77 – San Francisco 49ers (f/TEN) – Keith McGill – CB – Utah
The 49ers continue to load up their defense and here they take a page from division rival Seattle by adding a tall, long cornerback in Keith McGill who is strong in coverage and has a knack for playing the football.
#78 – Dallas Cowboys – Cyril Richardson – OG – Baylor
Interior blocking remains a work in progress for Dallas. Adding more beef at the guard spots can go a long way. Cyril Richardson is more athletic than many realize and he might be the best run blocking guard in this 2014 NFL mock draft.
#79 – Baltimore Ravens – Jeremy Hill – RB – LSU
John Harbaugh isn’t afraid to take on head cases and Jeremy Hill qualifies. The superb running back from LSU would give Baltimore a ton of insurance at a needed position provided his character flaws that appeared too often in college are in the past.
#80 – Chicago Bears (f/NYJ) – Bashaud Breeland – CB – Clemson
GM Phil Emery said the Bears are on the lookout for tough corners who play a complete style of game. Bashaud Breeland is raw but quite athletic who looks good in coverage and doesn’t shrink from his tackling duties against the run.
#81 – Miami Dolphins – Ka’Deem Carey – RB – Arizona
Another value pick at running back. Ka’Deem Carey has his own history regarding bad decisions but 2013 was a coming out party for him. He runs less with power but determination, can break tackles, catch passes and doesn’t fear throwing a shoulder in pass protection.
#82 – Chicago Bears – Marqueston Huff – FS – Wyoming
Emery loves athletes, especially ones who show up at the Senior Bowl. Marqueston Huff did exactly that coming out of Wyoming. He is a rangy, fast free safety with good instincts but has the versatility to shift to corner.
#83 – Cleveland Browns (f/PIT) – E.J. Gaines – CB – Missouri
Joe Haden is the cornerstone on defense for Cleveland but the Browns must look to maximize him by adding another quality corner to the mix. E.J. Gaines might be a tad undersized but he is smart and instinctive in coverage and helps against the run.
#84 – Arizona Cardinals – Logan Thomas – QB – Virginia Tech
Carson Palmer is 34-years old. Bruce Arians can’t bank on him forever in Arizona. He needs a project in the wings. Logan Thomas is probably the most physically gifted QB in this draft. The key issue is whether Arians can help him fix his accuracy problems.
#85 – Chicago Bears (f/GB) – Devonta Freeman – RB – Florida State
Don’t be fooled by his short 5’8″ frame. FloridaState standout Devonta Freeman is a complete back. He is a classic slashing type of runner with good vision and lower body strength to break tackles. On top of that he is stout in pass protection and shows good hands receiving.
#86 – Pittsburgh Steelers (f/PHI) – Trent Murphy – DE/OLB – Stanford
All the guy does is sack the quarterback. Trent Murphy isn’t a premier athlete but he’s big, strong and utterly relentless at getting into the opposing backfield. Pittsburgh should be able to find a place for him.
#87 – Kansas City Chiefs – Craig Loston – SS – LSU
Craig Loston is at his best when he’s playing next to a safety who’s better than him, which he would be in Kansas City. The LSU standout isn’t a physical marvel but he hits and tackles well and brings a valuable vocal leadership to any secondary he plays in.
#88 – Cincinnati Bengals – Zach Mettenberger – QB – LSU
Andy Dalton is running out of mulligans with Cincinnati. The team knows they are Super Bowl ready given their roster. If Dalton can’t deliver, they will have to have somebody ready who can. Zach Mettenberger has the size and the arm talent.
#89 – San Diego Chargers – Marcus Roberson – CB – Florida
Another corner helps bolster the Bolts secondary. Where Verrett can dominate in the slot, Marcus Roberson has the length and athleticism to make a home on the outside. He needs to get more physical though.
#90 – Indianapolis Colts – Marcus Smith – DE – Louisville
Pass rushers are pass rushers. Robert Mathids isn’t the ideal outside linebacker but he still sacks quarterbacks for Indianapolis. Marcus Smith won’t fly around the field but his 14.5 sacks in 2013 proved he knows how to do one very important thing really well.
#91 – New Orleans Saints – Billy Turner – OT – North Dakota State
The offensive line continues to undergo changes for the Saints. They have to add more bodies to the mix. Billy Turner is a major sleeper out of NDSU with the size and athleticism to not only fill in but start at left tackle.
#92 – Carolina Panthers – Rashaad Reynolds – CB – Oregon State
Captain Munnerlyn was a big loss for the Panthers and they can’t afford to wait long on investing at the position. Rashaad Reynold gets dismissed because he’s not very tall at 5’10”. That makes it even more puzzling how he made so many plays and shut down receivers for OregonState.
#93 – New England Patriots – Brandon Coleman – WR – Rutgers
The average height of the Patriots receiving corps is hovering around 6’0″. They really could use more size at the position. Rutgers standout Brandon Coleman would obliger at 6’6″ and give Tom Brady another huge red zone target.
#94 – San Diego Chargers (f/SF) – Brandon Thomas – OG – Clemson
Considering Brandon Thomas played left tackle in school but has the size and strength to become a fixture at guard means he offers the Chargers loads of versatility. That is something they need more of up front.
#95 – Denver Broncos – Jordan Zumwalt – LB – UCLA
Every defense needs a player like a Jordan Zumwalt on it. Not only is he versatile and delivers good hits but he’s also fiery and brings an edge every time he steps on the field. Denver needs more of that in their defense.
#96 – Minnesota Vikings (from SEA) – Russell Bodine – OG/C – North Carolina
Guard and center are soft spots for the Vikings that could use some attention. So why not solve both problems with one player. Russell Bodine has played each position out of North Carolina and is very gritty and nasty, which belies how effective he can be.
#97 – Pittsburgh Steelers (comp) – DeAndre Coleman – DT – Cal
Nose tackle has been a problem for Pittsburgh ever since Casey Hampton left. Stopping the run is priority one for this defense, which makes that position so crucial. DeAndre Coleman doesn’t do everything great, but he is a real headache to run against.
#98 – Green Bay Packers (comp) – Will Sutton – DT – Arizona State
Everybody gets on Will Sutton about his weight but the Green Bay Packers have good reason to let him keep it on. Sutton is a big pass rusher who primarily plays defensive tackle but has the speed and quickness to kick outside to end in the Packers 3-4 scheme.
#99 – Baltimore Ravens (comp) – Weston Richburg – C – Colorado State
Protecting Joe Flacco remains an ongoing job for Ozzie Newsome and getting more out of the center position is at the top of the list. Weston Richburg is not an overpowering type but he’s very smart, technically advanced and shows the mobility to pull.
#100 – San Francisco 49ers (comp) – Phillip Gaines – CB – Rice
Trent Baalke doubles down on the corner market by adding high upside talent Phillip Gaines from Rice. He’s wily in coverage and a tremendous athlete but also very raw and in need of work. A perfect stash-away pick.