DJ’s Mock Draft Pre Combine V1
Its official, football season is under way. The NFL combine is set to start today, which means agents are finally allowed to speak with teams on their clients and the rumor mills will start overflowing with Days of Our lives drama.
What gets lost in all of this, are the potential athletes trying to make it to the NFL. Here is my take of how the first round will be going down. I am not going to predict trades, as I agree with Mike Mayock in that there isn’t much difference from the 5th player to the 25th player.
Kansas City: Luke Joeckel – OT, Texas A&M
– My reasoning is simple. Luke is the best athlete this draft has to offer. Very similar to how we took Jake Long a few years ago. The Chiefs will play this safe and take Luke to protect their quarterback blind side for the next five years
Jacksonville Jaguars – Damontre Moore – DE/OLB, Texas A&M
– How often are the top two picks from the same school? Moore is scary. And for a team looking for an identity on both sides of the ball, the Jags need to select the best player available
Oakland Raiders – Star Lotulelei – NT – Utah
– Richard Seymour won’t be back, unless he takes a discount. The Raiders have the tools to become a scary offence, they just need to limit their turnover (Palmer). Raiders were killed by the run last year. Reggie Bush, Lamar Miller, Doug Martin all had career days against them. Selecting Star provides some assistance on shoring up the run D
Philadelphia Eagles – Eric Fisher – OT – Central Michigan
– I seriously thought about DeMarcus Milliner here, just based on the fact that Philly lost its starting two CBs to free agency. However, that was over ruled by the fact that Philly OL sucks. Jason Peters was out all season, and I can’t even remember who he was replaced with. They need to add depth if Vick is to perform well.
Detroit Lions – DeMarcus Milliner – CB – Alabama
– The worst part of the Lions D is their secondary. They take the best player available and that is Milliner
Cleveland Browns – Sharrif Floyd – DT – Florida
– I could see a trade here for a team starving for a true DT. (Steelers?) But the Browns D is on the rise. Hayden is the truth, which shores up their secondary. Their line backers need help, but there is no Patrick Willis in this draft. I would put in Floyd day 1 and not worry about him.
Arizona Cardinals – Geno Smith – QB – West Virginia
– The Cards are not going into the season with the same QB they had last year. New coach, new rookie QB. This was a match made in heaven and the Cards didn’t even have to trade up for Smith
Buffalo Bills – Ezekiel Ansah – DE/OLB – BYU
– I could see a trade here as well, but the Bills would have to trade up with Cleveland if they really want Smith. Something to consider post combine? For now, the Bills will look to set the corner opposite Mario and Ezekiel would come and start….I mean you can’t expect the bills to go with Merrian again…right?
New York Jets – Lance Johnson – OT – Oklahoma
– The Jets have more wholes on both sides of the ball, they should just change their names to Swiss Cheese. I thought about a LB, since they just released everyone (Scott, and Pace) , but all I can think of is the but fumble, so I say they need the best OL help they can get. Sorry Lance.
Tennessee Titans – Chance Warmack – G – Alabama
– C2K needs OL help to prove that he can still move and go to the house. Warmack is one of the best pulling guards I have seen in a long time. This match makes sense.
San Diego Chargers – Bjoern Werner – DE/OLB – Florida State
– If the Bills lose out on Smith I can see a trade here with the Chargers, as they would be intrigued with either Johnson or Warmack. They need to protect Rivers and it’s too early to think WR here (pre combine that is). So with Shaun Philips starting to age and Larry English still struggling, you have to take the best available…just watch the Ray Rice 4th and 31 again
Miami Dolphins – Dion Jordan – DE/OLB – Oregon
– Here’s my logic. I like Trufant and Vaccaro a lot, but I think we will sign Cox or Grimes in Free Agency. Vaccaro makes a lot sense, and pairing him with Jones we would have one of the youngest and best safety combinations since Louis Oliver and Brock Marion. What I don’t think we will address is our front seven. There really isn’t that much to talent in the free agency pool, therefore I would pay attention to Jordan. Ireland passed on JGPIII a few years ago and I see a lot of similarities. A front 4 of Jordan, Solia, Ordick, Wake looks great on paper, with Vernon subbing in. Like I said this is pre combine, and Jordan to me makes sense.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Desmond Trufant – CB – Washington
– The Bucs weakest part of their team was their CB play. Barber can’t play too much longer and he was moved to safety. Enter Trufant who would start day 1.
Carolina Panthers – Cordarrelle Patterson – WR – Tennessee
– Steve Smith is getting old. And truth be told I don’t know any other WR on that team. Patterson is the talk of the combine and how he develops his game and his stats might propel him into the top 10, but for now a date with CAM! Is on the horizon.
New Orleans Saints – Sheldon Richardson –DT – Missouri
– One of the worst teams against the run. Similar description as the Raiders. Richardson is the best available at DT and would come in and try to help the Saints D
St. Louis Rams – Keenan Allen – WR – California
– Pre combine, the best biggest need for this team is WR. The best available WR is Allen. If Patterson goes off on the combine, and the Rams loaded with draft picks (thanks to RGIII) look for them to move up. But for now, Allen is what they would take.
Pittsburgh Steelers – Jarvis Jones – DE/OLB – Georgia
– I can’t see how the Steelers would pass on this LB? Wooley and Harrison are getting on the wrong side of 30, so adding some youth would be the best option and Jones would come in and learn day 1
Dallas Cowboys – Kenny Vaccaro, – S – Texas
– The Cowboys are slowing but steadily building one of the best secondaries in the games. Going against Philly, Giants, and Redskins they need to.
New York Giants – Barkevious Mingo – DE/OLB – LSU
– Osi is gone, so they are going to need someone who can come in and replace him. Mingo could be one of the players that sneaks up to the top 15 based on his combine results. But for now, a match with the Giants makes sense.
Chicago Bears – Jonathan Cooper – G/C – North Carolina
– Do I really need to put a description here?
Cincinnati Bengals – Manti Te’o – LB – Notre Dame
– This makes sense because the Bengals had the most dramatic WR in the game, so why not select the most dramatic LB? Seriously though, Lawson is going to be a free agent and Rey Mauluga is not a true LB.
St. Louis Rams – DJ Fluker – OT – Alabama
– They need to protect their QB. Using their first 1st rounder on WR, now they will protect Bradford with Fluker.
Minnesota Vikings – Johnthan Banks – CB – Mississippi State –
– You play against Megatron twice a year and Aaron Rodgers. You need to get better in the secondary. Banks would come in and start.
Indianapolis Colts – Alec Ogletree – LB – Georgia
– Chuck loves LB, and Alec would come and replace Dwight Freeny. Chuck would mentor Alec and make him understand his chaotic D.
Seattle Seahawks – Johnathan Hankins – NT – Ohio State
– It’s scary that the Seattle D could get any better. Enter Hankins, and this might be the best D on the field next year. Scary!
Green Bay Packers – Eddie Lacy – RB – Alabama
– Cedric didn’t really work out. Starks is a change of pace back and I can’t remember who else they have. Lacy would add a dimension to this offence that has not been present since Ahmad Green.
Houston Texans – Kevin Minter – ILB – LSU
– With Cushing injury the Texans need depth. There D is set, and there isn’t anything on O that would make sense. Reaching for a TE might not be that bad of an idea, but lets see what stats they produce during the combine before they enter the 1st round discussions.
Denver Broncos – Sylvester Williams – DT – North Carolina
– The Broncos are building based on team speed. If Williams runs less than 5 seconds at 310, he will shot up draft boards, but for now, look for Fox to grab him
New England Patriots – Tavon Austin – WR – West Virginia
– I cannot see any other position of need to the Pats (that sucks) Austin would be scary with Brady throwing him the ball. Here is hoping we sign Grimes or Cox.
Atlanta Falcons – Alex Okafor – DE/OLB – Texas
– I can see a trade here. There is no secret that the Falcons need a pass rush. Edwards didn’t play out, and Abraham is old. As for now, they take the best player available.
San Francisco 49ers – Kawann Short – DT – Purdue
– Adding beef to their front seven. Although the 49ers have the best interior adding to it makes sense.
Baltimore Ravens – Arthur Brown – LB – Kansas State
– Ravens need a replacement for Lewis. Brown has a big shoes to fill.
So what do you think?