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Thursday, May 8, 2014

2014 NFL 1st Round Mock Draft Predictions

1. Houston Texans - Jadeveon Clowney (DE - South Carolina) The Texans are unable to trade down so they "settle" for a defensive player that has been called a 'once in a generation prospect'.

2. St. Louis Rams - Greg Robinson (OT - Auburn) The Rams, who swear they are committed to Sam Bradford, get a mauling OT to help keep him upright and healthy.

3. Jacksonville Jaguars - Khalil Mack (LB - Buffalo) The Jaguars, who need a QB desperately, select defensive maven Khalil Mack instead.

4. Cleveland Browns - Johnny Manziel (QB - Texas A&M) The Browns have some options at this point. They have top prospects Sammy Watkins & Jake Matthews on the board, both positions of need, but instead select electrifying QB Johnny Manziel.

5. Oakland Raiders - Sammy Watkins (WR - Clemson) The Raiders will get a dozen calls from teams trying to trade up at this point and while they receive many entertaining offers, the organization that has fallen in love with speed over the years gives new QB Matt Schaub a legit target to throw to.

6. Atlanta Falcons - Jake Matthews (OT - Texas A&M) I feel like this pick is pretty likely to happen. The Falcons need a solid OT and unless they like Taylor Lewan more, they take one of the most polished prospects in this draft in Jake Matthews.

7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Mike Evans (WR - Texas A&M) The third Texas A&M prospect comes off the board in the top 7 when the Bucs draft Mike Evans to replace recently traded Mike Williams. If Manziel gets past the Browns and into the laps of the Bucs, they may pull the trigger but instead settle for his teammate to be paired up with Vincent Jackson.

8. Minnesota Vikings - Anthony Barr (LB - UCLA) The Vikings could go in a variety of directions. They have quite a few holes to fill, including QB after Christian Ponder failed to pan out for them. I expect them to go defense, choosing between Anthony Barr and DT Aaron Donald. They are also a wild card team to continue the run on QB's if they like Blake Bortles enough.

9. Buffalo Bills - Taylor Lewan (OT - Michigan) The Bills shore up the right side of the OL by drafting Michigan OT Taylor Lewan. The Bills take the clock all the way down as they bounce back and forth between Lewan & Eric Ebron.

10. Detroit Lions - Justin Gilbert (CB - Oklahoma State) Detroit considers Eric Ebron and reaching on Odell Beckham Jr. but they go with the safe pick in Justin Gilbert who enjoyed a nice college career at Oklahoma State both as a return man and as a shut down CB.

11. Tennessee Titans - Kyle Fuller (CB - Virginia Tech) This is the area early to mid-teens where I expect the CB trio of Gilbert, Fuller and Darqueze Dennard to go. The Titans miss out on Gilbert but are able to select Fuller who has been skyrocketing up the boards as of late. The Titans could also be a sleeper team for a QB here.

12. New York Giants - Zack Martin (OT - Notre Dame) The Giants are in both a good spot and a bad spot here. They have to choose between Martin, Eric Ebron and Odell Beckham Jr. as they need to upgrade their offense but decide to address their trenches and take versatile OL Zack Martin.

13. St. Louis Rams - Calvin Pryor (S - Louisville) Pryor overtakes Ha Ha Clinton-Dix as the #1 rated Safety and goes to the Rams with their second 1st round pick of the night. Pryor, who has one of the cooler nicknames of the draft, the Louisville Slugger, helps a defensive end who has plenty of talent at the CB position but very little behind them.

14. Chicago Bears - Aaron Donald (DT - Pittsburgh) The Bears are able to start re-building last years atrocious defense with DT anchor Aaron Donald who can get to the QB, neutralize the run game or take on multiple OL so his teammates can make plays.

15. Pittsburgh Steelers - Darqueze Dennard (CB - Michigan State) The physical press corner from Michigan State lands himself in a defense that he's a perfect fit. Dennard could very well be the first CB taken as he is in that talented trio along with Gilbert & Fuller so don't be surprised if he goes as high as 10 but in this mock, he 'falls' to the Steelers and they should be ecstatic.

16. Dallas Cowboys - Ha Ha Clinton-Dix (S - Alabama) The Cowboys fail to trade up although I think they will try quite hard to do so and end up lucking out as stud Safety from Alabama Ha Ha Clinton-Dix falls to them and helps them secure one of their weakest positions. Would they pass on Clinton-Dix of Manziel fell to them? That could be intriguing!


17. Baltimore Ravens - Odell Beckham Jr. (WR - LSU) It kills me not to go defense with this pick for the Ravens but Beckham Jr., who has been rumored to go in the Top 10, offers too much value for the Ravens to pass up. Eric Ebron who is starting to fall gets an extra hard look here but the Ravens opt for a tough, sure handed WR to start opposite of Torrey Smith.

18. New York Jets - Eric Ebron (TE - North Carolina) The Jets fans should be ecstatic to get Ebron here. The Jets need offensive weapons and most likely have their sights set on a WR but after Odell Beckham Jr. gets taken the pick before, they get Ebron who offers a great security blanket for the awful Geno Smith.

19. Miami Dolphins - CJ Mosley (LB - Alabama) The Dolphins need to upgrade their OL bad but anyone they take here such as JaWuan James or Cyrus Kouandjio would be a reach compared to the safe pick that CJ Mosley offers. The Dolphins shore up their LB corps one year after spending a ton of money on the position and look towards upgrading the OL in Rounds 2 and beyond.

20. Arizona Cardinals - Blake Bortles (QB - Central Florida) The Cardinals know that Carson Palmer won't be around forever so they draft a QB to develop under his tutelage. This situation is very similar to what the Green Bay Packers did when drafting Aaron Rodgers despite having Brett Favre. I don't think this turns out to be as rewarding for the Cardinals but hey, you never know.

21. Green Bay Packers - Ryan Shazier (LB - Ohio State) Shazier is a lightning quick LB who will fit nicely in Green Bay next to Clay Matthews. The Packers could also go TE here to replace JerMichael Finley and give Aaron Rodgers a new shiny toy to play with.

22. Philadelphia Eagles - Brandin Cooks (WR - Oregon State) I expect 5 or 6 WR's to fly off the board to end the first round starting with this pick. The Eagles have a lot of options as they look to replace DeSean Jackson so they take his clone from the PAC-12 where Chip Kelly coaches in Brandin Cooks.

23. Kansas City Chiefs - Jordan Matthews (WR - Vanderbilt) The Chiefs OL lost a lot of talent this off-season but their WR core could use an infusion of talent so they draft big bodied, sure handed Jordan Matthews . Another option at this point would be a similar WR prospect in Allen Robinson. No Kelvin Benjamin you ask? Nope. Not yet.

24. Cincinnati Bengals - Bradley Roby (CB - Ohio State) Roby stays in-state as he dons the stripes of Cincinnati. The Bengals CB's are getting older and Dre Kirkpatrick has been struggling so they stock the cupboard in drafting Roby despite some off his off-season issues.

25. San Diego Chargers - Jason Verrett (CB - TCU) One of my favorite prospects in the draft. I loved watching him play the last two seasons but tried not to get too attached as I knew he wouldn't be considered for the Bills 1st round pick and he'd be gone by their 2nd. The Chargers draft this stud CB to help neutralize the passing attack of Peyton Manning and the Broncos.

26. Cleveland Browns - Joel Bitonio (OT - Nevada) I hate this pick. The Browns have so many picks in this draft and I think are only a few key players away from making a real run in their division. The Browns selected Johnny Manziel with their first pick so naturally you would expect a WR to be drafted next to compliment and grow with him and there are plenty of options but they have a chance to help their OL and get the versatile Bitonio who can play Tackle or Guard. If the Browns go WR, they could pick from Allen Robinson, Marqise Lee, Kelvin Benjamin, Cody Latimer or Davante Adams. This is exactly why I think they go OL and take a WR with their early 2nd round pick.

27. New Orleans Saints - Allen Robinson (WR - Penn State) I was torn between a defensive pass rusher like Dee Ford or DeMarcus Lawrence or Center Marcus Martin but this is an offensive first team and Marquese Colston is always banged up so they go out and grab underrated WR Allen Robinson.

28. Carolina Panthers - Marqise Lee (WR - Southern California) The Panthers could really use an OL but they could also really, really use a WR. I think Marqise Lee will fit perfectly with Cam Newton in Charlotte and give the Panthers a #1 receiver that they sorely lack. The Panthers could go Morgan Moses if they decide to go OL.

29. New England Patriots - Ra'Shede Hagemen (DT - Minnesota) Vince Wilfork is getting old and is coming off an Achilles injury so they draft his replacement here. Hageman is a beast but he doesn't always play to his full potential. I'm sure Belichick can bring out the most in him.

30. San Francisco 49ers - Davante Adams (WR - Fresno State) The 49ers are my top trade up candidate thanks to all of the picks that they have so I doubt they draft in this spot. I will actually bet that they move up for a WR or a CB. If they stay put, they could look to the Defensive Line value that I expect to be sitting there in one of the two Notre Dame prospects Nix III or Tuitt. They need a WR with Boldin getting older so they stay in-state and grab Davante Adams.

31. Denver Broncos - Staley Jean-Baptiste (CB - Nebraska) SJB has shot up the boards and I really have no idea what the Broncos are going to do in this slot. This is a prime spot for a team to trade up to in hopes of grabbing a prospect that they like before Day One ends. The Broncos could go CB, DL or grab a WR to replace Eric Decker.

32. Seattle Seahawks - Morgan Moses (OT - Virginia) One of my favorite prospects, the Seahawks look to strengthen their OL and keep Russell Wilson upright and healthy by selecting Morgan Moses. He is an absolute monster and will fit in perfectly in Seattle.


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