2014 NFL Mock Draft Update: Where Will Top QBs Land?
Dec 31, 2013; Atlanta, GA, USA; Texas A&M Aggies wide receiver Mike Evans (13) catches a pass between Duke Blue Devils cornerback Ross Cockrell (6) and Kyler Brown (56) during the second quarter in the 2013 Chick-fil-a Bowl at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
1. Houston Texans — Jadeveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina
The Texans are making a last ditch effort to increase the value of this pick in a trade, but it is going to come down to one of Johnny Manziel, Khalil Mack, or Jadeveon Clowney. The Texans have a really tough choice but Clowney is too tough to pass on.
2. St. Louis Rams (f/WSH) — Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M
With one of the picks received in the RGIII trade, the Rams take another Heisman winner of their own. Sam Bradford’s injury history and the unreal length of time it’s taking him to ascend to the level they need him to be is grounds for this regime to move on.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars — Sammy Watkins, WR, Clemson
The Jags are planning on Justin Blackmon being out all year. If he’s not, they’ll have a heck of a young trio with which to work in the passing game.
4. Cleveland Browns — Khalil Mack, LB, Buffalo
I haven’t mocked this before but it would make for a really interesting pick a year removed from picking Barkevious Mingo in the top 10. They have Jabaal Sheard and Paul Kruger as well, but Mack has the potential to be a dominant pass rusher in the NFL.
5. Buffalo Bills (f/OAK) — Greg Robinson, OT, Auburn
**TRADE**
The Bills trade up from their #9 spot with the Raiders in order to snag the best OT in this year’s draft…as well as start a run on OTs.
6. Atlanta Falcons — Jake Matthews, OT, Texas A&M
The Falcons fail to trade up in this mock draft, and wind up taking Jake Matthews who will start out at RT but eventually end up blocking for Matt Ryan’s blind side.
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Mike Evans, WR, Texas A&M
The Bucs add a huge complement to Vincent Jackson, a guy who compared himself to Brandon Marshall. This would be a really fun WR group to watch.
8. St. Louis Rams (f/MIN) — Zack Martin, OT, Notre Dame
**TRADE**
The Rams trade up five spots from that #13 pick to get Zack Martin, a player who could start at either guard or tackle but has scouts drooling right now. This would solidify their OL and the protection for new QB Johnny Manziel.
9. Oakland Raiders (f/BUF) — Aaron Donald, DT, Pittsburgh
The Raiders are able to trade down and still get one of the best defensive playmakers in the draft. Donald is a very disruptive force on the defensive interior.
10. Detroit Lions — Taylor Lewan, OT, Michigan
The Lions take Lewan, a local product, and plug him in at left tackle moving Riley Reiff over to the right side.
11. Tennessee Titans — Anthony Barr, LB, UCLA
The Titans have long had a connection to Barr in the mock draft world, and at this point it almost seems like it would be an upset if they failed to come away with him.
12. New York Giants — Morgan Moses, OT, Virginia
Every year, there are some picks that shock us a bit. Morgan Moses hasn’t been mocked in the top 12 picks before to my knowledge, but Todd McShay said he’s a top 15 player and the more you look at him the more you can see it. He has great size, great feet, and has been compared to Ryan Clady.
13. Minnesota Vikings (f/STL) — Blake Bortles, QB, UCF
The Vikings trade down a few spots and still secure the QB who best fits their offense in this year’s draft. Bortles has drawn comparisons to Ben Roethlisberger and could thrive in Norv Turner’s offense.
14. Chicago Bears — C.J. Mosley, LB, Alabama
The Bears seem to have an offensive unit on the rise, but the defense needed to be rebuild. One step is getting a leader and enforcer in the middle to replace Brian Urlacher, a tall task for any young player. Mosley may be the best non-pass rushing LB in the draft.
15. Pittsburgh Steelers — Justin Gilbert, CB, Oklahoma State
Gilbert is a CB prospect with great size, speed, and playmaking ability. He’s also a heck of a return specialist.
16. Dallas Cowboys — Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, S, Alabama
The Cowboys stand pat and take the top safety on the board to complement Barry Church. This Dallas defense needs a makeover in the backfield, and really at all areas. They could address a few situations here.
17. San Francisco 49ers (f/BAL) — Odell Beckham Jr., WR, LSU
**TRADE**
As is typical for the Ravens, they obtain a bevy of extra picks while the 49ers deal away some of theirs in an effort to find the right formula of picks that will allow them to have a shot at keeping all of them on the roster. With this pick, the Niners don’t address a glaring need but they add some speed to the edges of the WR position and get a guy who can provide some more explosiveness.
18. New York Jets — Bradley Roby, CB, Ohio State
The Jets take a bit of a risk here, but snag Roby and get a guy who can complement last year’s first rounder Dee Milliner. Roby has all the tools you look for in a top CB prospect and Rex Ryan is the coach to get the potential out of him.
19. Miami Dolphins — JuWuan James, OT, Tennessee
The rumor train is out of control when it comes to James and Miami. I’m not talking about LeBron, I’m talking about JuWuan. This would give the Dolphins a new right tackle to pair with free agent prize Branden Albert, and although it’d be a bit of a surprising pick based on big boards across the draft community, the Dolphins would be getting a very athletic young lineman with phenomenal size.
20. Arizona Cardinals — Derek Carr, QB, Fresno State
The Cardinals make some headlines here, picking a QB after Carson Palmer’s solid year. However, this team needs something long-term at the position and Derek Carr would be a nice fit for Bruce Arians’ offense.
21. Green Bay Packers — Eric Ebron, TE, North Carolina
The Packers replace Jermichael Finley with an ultra-athletic mismatch in the passing game. Ebron can stretch the field and this is a pick that would make Aaron Rodgers a very happy man.
22. Philadelphia Eagles — Kyle Fuller, CB, Virginia Tech
The Eagles need to upgrade one of the league’s worst pass defenses from a year ago, and get a guy here in Fuller with size, speed, and the ability to make plays on the ball. This would be a very solid pick.
23. Kansas City Chiefs — Calvin Pryor, S, Louisville
The Chiefs get a hammer to pair with Eric Berry on the back end, although Andy Reid going after an offensive guard here is seeming more and more likely by the day. Someone could trade up to snag Pryor here.
24. Cincinnati Bengals — Ryan Shazier, LB, Ohio State
The Bengals get a new weak-side linebacker to fill up the stat sheet week in and week out. Shazier will be a tackling machine in the NFL, and he’ll be among the draft’s best defenders. He is so athletic and such a hard worker. He is a candidate for DRotY.
25. San Diego Chargers — Darqueze Dennard, CB, Michigan State
The Chargers take advantage of the fall of Dennard here, a guy who would start for them immediately. Their CB position was not good at all last year, and despite some additions this offseason, there’s no way San Diego can pass up on this kind of a player here.
26. Cleveland Browns (f/IND) — Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville
The Browns get their guy. After going with Khalil Mack at that top spot, Bridgewater falls to the bottom of round one and gives Cleveland someone to build the franchise around, yet again.
27. New Orleans Saints — Brandin Cooks, WR, Oregon State
Speed, strong hands, route running ability. Cooks is the whole package at WR save for being 6’3″ or bigger. He could be a fantastic addition to the Saints’ offensive attack.
28. Carolina Panthers — Cody Latimer, WR, Indiana
With literally every top OT off the board, the Panthers could go for versatile Joel Bitonio here, or they could go for a WR with some intriguing potential. Latimer has size, speed, and the ability to win when the ball is at its highest point.
29. New England Patriots — Louis Nix III, DT, Notre Dame
The Patriots upgrade their defensive line and get a potential future replacement for Vince Wilfork.
30. Baltimore Ravens (f/SF) — Jimmie Ward, S, Northern Illinois
Ward has some of the same type of skills as Kenny Vaccaro, and could be a steal here for Baltimroe who acquired a great deal of value in extra picks in the mock trade with San Francisco.
31. Denver Broncos — Marqise Lee, WR, USC
This isn’t a popular opinion, but the Broncos have to take the best player on the board and in my eyes it is a no-brainer at this point. Marqise Lee has the look of a Reggie Wayne type of stud in the NFL, and he can also provide value in the return game.
32. Seattle Seahawks — Joel Bitonio, OT, Nevada
Versatile OL who could play RT immediately for the World Champs.