First Round Mock Draft, Version 1.0

2013 NFL Mock Draft Version 1.0

01. Kansas City Chiefs: Luke Joeckel, OT/Texas A&M
The Chiefs have said that they are going to draft the best player available, but this is a team that doesn’t have a ton of needs. They have a top running back, they are trading for a very good quarterback, their defense isn’t horrible and has some very good players. They are going to need to protect Alex Smith if they want to win games. Once the 49ers really invested in protecting Smith, he began to flourish. Yes, they franchised Branden Albert, but he could be gone next season of they don’t come to a long-term deal. You can also play one of them on the right side, giving you two book end tackles. If the Chiefs are going to throw it as much as I think they will under Andy Reid, then protecting Alex Smith needs to be a big priority.

02. Jacksonville Jaguars: Dion Jordan,DE-LB/Oregon
The Jaguars have whiffed on the DE position in the past, but they need to upgrade their last place pass rush. Jordan is one of the top pass rushers in the draft, and probably the fastest. Playing in a division with quarterbacks like Matt Schaub and Andrew Luck, you’ll have to get after the quarterback to win in the division. Another option would be an offensive tackle to help make holes for the run game and protect Blaine Gabbert.

03. Oakland Raiders: Sharrif Floyd, DT/Florida
The Raiders voided the contract of Richard Seymour and should cut Tommy Kelly if they are smart. That leaves them absolutely thin at the defensive tackle position. Floyd is probably the best player available for the Raiders at a position of need. Floyd could be a defensive player the Raiders can build around and bring an identity to their defense.

04. Philadelphia Eagles: Eric Fisher, OT/Central Michigan
The Eagles restructured the contract of Michael Vick, and the Eagles need to protect their mobile quarterback. The offensive line is in shambles. Chip Kelly is going to ask Vick to do a lot of things in this offense, so keeping him healthy has to be a priority. If they don’t go with the offensive line, I can see them going with a defensive lineman because they need talent there also.

05. Detroit Lions: Dee Milliner, CB/Alabama
The best corner in the draft, Milliner should find himself heading to the Motor City. I know the Lions have taken defensive players in the first round the past few years, but that’s the side of the ball they need to focus on fixing the most because the offensive is explosive, and there isn’t a running back worth taking at this high of a pick. Milliner would help the back end of that defense and give the Lions a potential shut down corner, something they desperately need in a division with Aaron Rogers and Jay Cutler at quarterback.

06. Cleveland Browns: Ezekiel Ansah, DE-LB/BYU
The Browns are moving to a 3-4 base defense, though defensive coordinator Ray Horton is saying it will be a “hybrid” between the 3-4 and 4-3. I don’t believe that for a second because you’d been personnel to run both schemes and there is only a roster of 53 players in the NFL. Ansah would be a rush linebacker for the Browns, but he could put his hand in the dirt if they did go the hybrid route. The Browns pass rush is average at best, and I personally think it’s below average. In a division with Ben Roethlisberger, Joe Flacco, and Andy Dalton…getting to the quarterback is going to be important to win division games. Even with the Browns signing Ravens OLB Paul Kruger, I still think they take Ansah to create what they hope is a dynamic pass rushing duo.

07. Arizona Cardinals: Lane Johnson, OT/Oklahoma
This isn’t an easy pick because the Cardinals also need to figure out what they are doing at the quarterback position. However, I don’t feel there is a quarterback worthy of being a top ten pick. I am going into this assuming that the Cardinals are going to pay Kevin Kolb’s roster bonus (hence not cutting him) and new head coach Bruce Arians then gives Kolb one more shot at being the guy in Arizona. To do this, they need to protect Kolb (or whoever plays the position). The offensive line has never been a strength for the Cardinals, but Johnson can help strengthen it and protect the Cardinals signal caller.

08.  Buffalo Bills: Geno Smith, QB/West Virginia
Now I know I said that I don’t think there’s a quarterback that’s worthy of a top ten pick. But the Bills aren’t the conventional team when it comes to their drafting. General manager Buddy Nix has already said he’s going to take a franchise quarterback in this draft. When he says he’s going to draft a position, he isn’t doing a smoke and mirrors show. Smith is dynamic, and I don’t see the Bills passing on him if he’s available. With the release of Ryan Fitzpatrick, the Bills don’t have a viable starter on the roster. And no, Tavaris Jackson is not a viable starter.

9. New York Jets: Desmond Trufant, CB/Washinton
The Jets shook up their front office this offseason, which makes it difficult to predict what they’ll do. With them looking to trade Darrelle Revis or Antonio Cromartie, either way they are left with a hole at corner. Trufant is rising up draft boards and I can see the Jets taking him to replace one of the two aforementioned cornerbacks. Rex Ryan is a defensive minded coach and I wouldn’t be shocked to see him go defense once again. He likes to “ground and pound” and I don’t see a guard going this high (though they need one) and I don’t think they take a RB at this spot either.

10.  Tennessee Titans: Chance Warmack, OG/Alabama
The best guard in the draft goes in the top ten to the Titans, coached by  Hall of Fame guard, Mike Munchack. His position coach is also a Hall of Fame offensive lineman, Bruce Matthews. The offensive line of the Titans should be a strength of this team with these two coaching the team, but it isn’t. If CJ2K is going to rush for 2000 yards again like he says he wants to…he needs an upgrade on the offensive line. Warmack can be that upgrade, pulling on traps to spring Johnson for long runs and protecting quarterback Jake Locker.

11. San Diego Chargers: Barkevious Mingo, DE-OLB/LSU
The Chargers can go a few ways with this pick. They can go offensive line, depending on who is still on the board. They can also upgrade their pass rush, needed with Peyton Manning now in the division. So I have them taking Mingo, who can play either rush DE or LB, to apply pressure to Manning.

12. Miami Dolphins: Coradelle Patterson, WR/Tennessee
Even with the Dolphins signing former Steelers speedster Mike Wallace, I still think the Dolphins draft a WR with this pick. They signed Dannell Ellerbe to play middle linebacker, so trading back to take one later doesn’t make sense. However, I expect the Dolphins to be a team that throws the ball like the Packers, so two receivers of a high caliber are needed. The ‘Phins are going to want to take advantage of Tannehill’s big arm.

13.  Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Xavier Rhodes, CB/Florida State
The Tampa Bay coaching staff will be dancing in their war room if Rhodes does indeed fall to them at this spot. The Buccs are in need of corner help. Last season they traded talented but troubled off the field corner Aqib Talib to the New England Patriots. Neither of their corners is a #1 corner, and it’s very questionable if either is a #2. So Rhodes would do wonders to upgrade their defensive secondary.

14. Carolina Panthers: Star Lotulelei, DT/Utah
I think the Panthers know their biggest need on defense is defensive tackle after the way they got gashed on the ground last season. I think they’ll look past his heart condition and take the best defensive tackle possible to help plug up the middle of the field, make plays behind the line of scrimmage, and pressure the quarterback. If he is gone, I still expect them to go with a defensive tackle.

15. New Orleans Saints: Jarvis Jones, DE-OLB/Georgia
The Saints fired Steve Spagnuolo and announced they’d be moving to the 3-4 defense this season. They hired Rob Ryan to run the defense, but they need players to play the new positions. Jones is the best pass rusher available, only falling this far due to being diagnosed with spinal stenosis his freshman year at USC. The Saints will get one of the best pass rushers of the past few seasons in college football with Jones, who should easily fill that rush LB need.

16. St. Louis Rams: Jonathon Cooper, OG/North Carolina
The Rams need to protect Sam Bradford if they ever want to even get close to their money’s worth out of him. Bradford can be a very good quarterback in the NFL, but they have to protect that investment for his potential to be reached. Taking Cooper should help with that, and also help whoever plays running back for the Rams this year.

17. Pittsburgh Steelers: Jonathon Jenkins, NT/Georgia
The Steelers can go a few different ways with this pick. They could use a rush outside linebacker to replace the recently cut James Harrison. They could go safety due to injury concern with Troy Polamalu. They could go running back of they feel a back deserves to be taken in the first round at all. I think they go NT to find the replacement for Casey Hampton. Hampton is a free agent, and even if he resigns with Pittsburgh, he’s got very few years left of productive play, and some people would say his productive years are behind him. Jenkins has the size, and he played the NT position for Georgia so he has experience at the position too. The Steelers have been getting younger in the trenches the past couple of years, and I fully expect them to keep that trend going with this pick.

18. Dallas Cowboys: D.J. Fluker, OT/Alabama
The Cowboys need to upgrade their right tackle position to protect Tony Romo. Doug Free has been a disappointment at right tackle and if he isn’t cut, he might be moved inside to guard. That would leave them with an even bigger hole at tackle and that’s why they would draft Fluker.

19. New York Giants: Bjoern Werner, DE/Florida State
The Giants love drafting pass rusher. I see them following that model this year and taking Werner out of Florida State. Justin Tuck has a poor season by his standards last season, and Osi Umenyiora being a free agent and possibly wanting to go to another team, this wouldn’t be a shocker.

20. Chicago Bears: Kenny Vaccaro, S/Texas
With the Bears signing Saints OT Bushrod, I think the Bears go with Texas Longorns product Vaccaro. In Lovie Smith’s nine seasons as Bears head coach, they had 50 changes in the starting lineup at the two safety positions. Drafting Vaccaro would strengthen an already strong defense and help solidify a position that has always been difficult for the Bears to fill long-term for various reasons.

21. Cincinnati Bengals: Matt Elam, S/Florida
The Bengals need an upgrade at safety, and they would have loved to nab Vaccaro…and they still might if they can trade up a few spots. However, if they can’t get the Texas safety they could definitely settle for Elam, who made a lot of big plays last year for the Gators. Reggie Nelson and Taylor Mays aren’t good enough to hold up the back end of the Bengals defense. Elam would be an upgrade over either of those players.

22. St. Louis Rams: Alec Ogletree, LB/Georgia
James Laurinaitis is a very good middle backer. JoLonn Dunbar played well last season. However, they need an upgrade at strongside and Ogletree fits well with this team. Yes he was arrested for DUI, but the Rams will take chances on players who have had some trouble (see Janoris Jenkins).

23. Minnesota Vikings: Keenan Allen, WR/California
With the Vikings trading their most dynamic player, they are now in need for a starting wide receiver. Allen goes to the Vikings to take over a starting WR roll and they hope he helps develop quarterback Christian Ponder.

24.  Indianapolis Colts: Damontre Moore, DE-OLB/Texas A&M
The Colts signed former Lions first round pick Godser Cherilus to play right tackle, I no longer think they’ll be taking one in the first round. Dwight Freeney was released, so they are down a pass rushing outside linebacker in the second year running a 3-4 defense. So I have them taking Moore to fill that spot, if not immediately likely later in the season.

25. Minnesota Vikings: Jonathan Hankins, DT/Ohio State
The Vikings obtain this pick from trading Harvin to the Seahawks, and after using their original first round pick to take a wide receiver to offset losing one of the more dynamic receivers in the NFL, they focus on the defensive side with this pick. They need a defensive tackle that can play every snap and Hankins is more versatile than what they had a few years ago when they
had the “Williams Wall.” He can stop the run and has some pass rush ability.

26. Green Bay Packers: Menelick Watson, OT/Florida State
The biggest need on the Packers is getting help protecting Aaron Rogers. He was sacked a career high 51 times last season, as the Pack ranked 31st in pass protection. Watson doesn’t have the experience that the tackles taken ahead of him do…but he’s a freakish athlete and playing on the right side should keep the pressure of facing the opposing team’s best pass rusher off of him.

27. Houston Texans: Kevin Minter, ILB/LSU
Who’s going to play ILB for the Texans? Brian Cushing is recovering from a torn ACL, and might not be ready to start the season. And even if he is, they don’t exactly have a very good player next to him. Drafting Minter would boost the middle of the Texans defense a lot.

28. Denver Broncos: Sheldon Richardson, DT/Missouri
The Broncos still need help at defensive tackle, and Richardson is the best available. Plug him into the middle of the Broncos defensive line and you’ll see the Broncos good defense improve even more.

29. New England Patriots: Jonathon Cyprien, S/Florida International
The Patriots defense gave up a ton of points last season, and Joe Flacco picked them apart for the second AFC Championship Game in a row. Last year Devin McCourty stepped in to play safety, but I think he might move back to corner to help them there. So I think the Patriots take a small school safety that showed himself to be a late first round pick at the Senior Bowl.

30. Atlanta Falcons: Alex Okafor, DE/Texas
The Falcons are looking for a pass rusher, especially after releasing Ray Edwards in season and then John Abraham after the season. With reports that Tony Gonzalez is going to come back for another season, I don’t see the Falcons targeting a tight end with this pick. Pass rusher is where it is.

31. San Francisco 49ers: Sylvester Williams, DT/North Carolina
Williams is listed as a DT because that’s what he played in college, but in the 49ers 3-4 defense he’d technically be an end. The 49ers are pretty stacked all over, but they need to bolster defensive line depth and Williams can spell Justin Smith, who’s over 30 and decline in play can become sudden in the trenches when you get on that side of it.

32. Baltimore Ravens: Manti Te’o, MLB/Notre Dame
And Te’o goes in the first round! The Ravens had Ray Lewis retire, and then couldn’t keep Ellerbe in free agency. So the Ravens are a bit desperate to get someone in the middle of their defense that knows what they’re doing. While his fake girlfriend story might not cause his draft stock to fall, there’s a good chance his slow 40-yard dash at the Combine and his poor showing against Alabama in the National Championship Game could cause him to fall to the end of the first round. Te’o might be the best available player, and he would fill what has become a big void for the Ravens defense in just a few weeks after winning the Super Bowl.