2. Tennessee Titans - Leonard Williams, DL USC: In the end, after much mental debate over this pick, I just don't see the Titans taking Mariota unless they know they can/will trade him afterwards. Williams would be a playmaker on the defensive line for Tennessee, and with two first round picks at QB in his division (Andrew Luck and Blake Bortles), a guy who can play multiple positions in multiple fronts and make plays is someone you really need. He might be the best overall player in the draft, so I have the Titans taking him.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars - Kevin White, WR West Virginia: The Jaguars might be fielding offers for this pick with Mariota not going second overall. But I don't predict trades in my mock drafts, so I have the Jaguars selecting the Mountaineer receiver whose draft stock has skyrocketed with this pick. They've got a QB they feel can lead this team to the playoffs and maybe even a Super Bowl, but if you don't give that guy weapons then the Bortles pick is useless. I have the Jags giving Borltes one heck of a target.
4. Oakland Raiders - Amari Cooper, WR Alabama: The Oakland Raiders have a lot of holes on this team, and could go in a number of directions with this pick because of that. But Cooper is not only the best player available, he fills a big need for the Raiders. They took Derek Carr in the second round last year and he showed promise. Giving him a receiver as polished as Amari Cooper would only help him get better, and help the team get better.
5. Washington Redskins - Dante Flower, OLB Florida: The Redskins I think are going to give RG3 one more crack at being their long-term QB. Also, I don't think they want to take another QB in the same mold as RG3. Instead, I have them taking Fowler, who would line up opposite Kerrigan and get back to what the Redskins once had before injuries to Kerrigan and the now departed Brian Orakpo, an OLB tandem to terrorize quarterbacks.
6. New York Jets - Marcus Mariota, QB Oregon: The Jets have been a disaster at QB for a while now. And while Mariota doesn't have the experience you would probably want in a QB as far as reading defenses and playing under center in a top ten pick...he's extremely smart and has talent. And honestly, he can't be worse than Geno Smith has been. New head coach and a new GM, they want to put their stamp on this team, and Mariota does that. And the Jets don't even have to trade up to get him.
7. Chicago Bears - Danny Shelton, DT Washington: Now the Bears are left with some choices to make. John Fox is the new head coach, and he's transitioning into a 3-4 defense. They could go with one of the stud edge rushers available to play OLB, or they could get a true nose tackle, which would be the lynchpin of the defense. I have then going with the NT, and the best one available in Shelton. When in the base, he can take up two blockers leaving room for linebackers to make plays, and he can collapse the pocket and help stuff the run. If you're going to properly run a 3-4 defense, you need a true NT. If you don't have one and can get a guy who will anchor your defense for 10 or so years, do it.
8. Atlanta Falcons - Vic Beasley, DE Clemson: The Falcons pass rush was putrid last season, and has been bad for a while. In a division with Drew Brees, Cam Newton, and possibly Jameis Winston at QB you want to be able to harass the quarterback. Beasley has a motor that doesn't quit and can consistently get to the quarterback. With new head coach Dan Quinn coming over from the win-with-defense Seattle Seahawks, I think the Falcons go with his forte with this pick.
9. New York Giants - Brandon Scherff, OG Iowa: He is being predicted as a guard in the NFL, but can also possibly play right tackle. Either way, he's one of the top offensive linemen available and if the Giants want to get Eli Manning back to a playoff caliber QB, they'll need to protect him better so he can take advantage of the talents of Odell Beckham, Jr, and Victor Cruz. Scherff would also benefit the RB's on the Giants as he would create nice holes for them to run through.
10. St. Louis Rams - Ereeck Flowers, OT Miami: The Rams need help on the offensive line. Flowers is a great pick for them because they've let Jake Long go after his injury, leaving Greg Robinson to move over to left tackle. Flowers can play either tackle position, so if they had to move Robinson back to the right side, Flowers would just move to the left. Either way it works out, the potential is there for two bookend tackles to protect the QB they traded for, Nick Foles.
11. Minnesota Vikings - Trae Waynes, CB Michigan State: The Vikings could go a few different places here with offensive line, defensive end, or wide receiver. I have them going with Waynes, the best corner prospect in this draft. You face Aaron Rogers, Matthew Stafford, and even Jay Cutler can sling it and have some good games twice a year. Waynes across from Xavier Rhodes would give them two very good corners to help with the air assault of those quarterbacks. They want a starting corner and a 2nd rounder for Peterson, if they don't get that offer by the time their pick is due, Waynes could become a Viking.
12. Cleveland Browns - Devante Parker, WR Louisville: The Browns don't have a #1 receiver, Yeah, maybe they use one or both of their first round draft picks as trade to move up and get Mariota, but that would mean in three of the last four NFL drafts they used a first round pick on a QB, I don't see them moving up to do that. Instead, they see if Manziel has indeed rededicated himself to being a QB and not a guy who parties most nights. To see that, he needs weapons. Bowe and Hartline are not #1 receivers, and Josh Gordon is gone for at least the season, and the Browns may choose to part ways with the troubled receiver after his suspension. Parker gives you a #1 receiver who doesn't come with the baggage of Gordon. Not to mention a guy who could play for you this year and help you figure out if Johnny Football can become your franchise QB.
13. New Orleans Saints - Alvin Dupree, DE/OLB Kentucky: The Saints defensive unit hasn't been very good in a while, and last year the bottom fell out. Dupree would help then pass rush, something the Saints could damn sure use in a division that's likely going to have three top-three picks at QB in the division. A guy who can get to the QB and cause some bad throws is what this defense needs if it wants to get back to winning the division and in the playoffs.
14. Miami Dolphins - Andrus Peat, OT Stanford: The Dolphins have done a lot of work to this team already in the offseason. Adding Suh was huge for the defense, bringing in a guy who is going to intimidate. While they could go CB here, and probably would if Waynes makes it to them, I don't have that happening. Instead I have them taking Peat, a guy who could help bookend the offensive line that was decimated after the bullying scandal from two years ago. Andrus Peat should be able to help give Tannehill the time to take advantage of the weapons that the 'Phins acquired for him this offseason.
15. San Francisco 49ers - Arik Armstead, DE Oregon : The 49ers had a few big losses this offseason. Patrick Willis retired, followed by budding rookie Chris Borland. There was also the firing/mutual parting of ways with head coach Jim Harbaugh, I have the 49ers taking Armstead here, a guy who is perfect to play the run stuffing/take up linemen end position in the 49ers defense. Darnell Docket and Justin Smith are both getting up there in age, along with Smith being hurt more often than not lately. Armstead not only would be insurance for if either get hurt, he could help keep them both healthy by rotating in to keep everyone fresh and be the eventual replacement for Smith when he hangs up the cleats.
16. Houston Texans - Todd Gurley, RB Georgia: The Texans don't have a guy who I believe can be a franchise quarterback in this league. The Texans, if they want to win, are going to have to pound the rock. And even when they eventually do get that QB, having a top notch running game will only help that guy along. Arian Foster, when healthy, is one hell of a back. The problem is, he's not often healthy. Gurley can help not only take the load off of Foster, but eventually replace him.
17. San Diego Chargers - Melvin Gordon, RB Wisconsin: The Chargers lost former first round pick Ryan Matthews to Philadelphia, and I don't think the Chargers were ever all that serious about bringing the often injured RB back on a new deal. Instead, they can replace him with Gordon, a workhorse running back who can come in and take pressure off of Rivers (or whoever their QB ends up being if they trade Rivers) to help this team compete with the Broncos and the Chiefs.
18. Kansas City Chiefs - La'el Collins, OG/OT LSU: Andy Reid loves drafting linemen, and Collins has a lot of potential at both positions. The Chiefs had pass protection problems last season, and signing Ben Grubbs helps, adding Collins to help could make the offensive line a strength. Opening up holes for the speedy Jamal Charles to run through while keeping Alex Smith upright so he could possibly throw a touchdown pass to a receiver this season.
19. Cleveland Browns - Malcom Brown, DT Texas: The Browns went offensive weapon with their first pick, with this one they go defense. Brown can play the nose on this 3-4 defense, Yeah, they get Phil Taylor back, but he has missed big chunks of two out of four seasons with injuries. Brown would not only be insurance against another Taylor injury, he could also end up playing end in the defense. Brown and Taylor next to each other, they could both easily take up two linemen a piece allowing the linebackers to come through the line untouched.
20. Philadephia Eagles - Landon Collins, S Alabama: The Eagles had pass protection problems last year. Bringing in Byron Maxwell could help that a lot, adding Collins to the secondary could help even more. Collins is a hard hitting safety who can stuff the run, intimidate receivers over the middle, and nab a few picks. He's not a sit back in coverage safety, but a roamer who has the speed needed to make plays on the ball once it's in the air, The Eagles could use his talents.
21. Cincinnati Bengals - Randy Gregory, DE/OLB Nebraska: The Bengals haven't taken a player with a troubled past recently, and Gregory's failed drug test for marijuana at the combine is a red flag. However, the Bengals can't get out of the first round of the playoffs, so they take the chance with the best player available. Gregory can help bolster the pass rush, and they could play him at DE or move him to OLB where the have a bit of a need with Emmanuel Lamur manning one of the OLB spots.
22. Pittsburgh Steelers - Marcus Peters, CB Washington: Here the Steelers do something a bit unexpected, they take a player who has some baggage. Did they not learn from the LeGarrette Blount mistake last year? Two different situations, and I think the whole issue at Washington was overblown by the coaches. If the Steelers believe Peters has grown from that experience and moved past whatever the problem was, they get a player at 22 who is a top ten talent, and without the baggage would have been considered by many the top corner in the draft. Ike Taylor has retired, and the team didn't want to re-sign him. Cortez Allen fell flat on his face last year after getting a nice contract extension based on hoped improvement. This makes Willie "Pick Six" Gay the best corner on the team, and he's worked hard to improve, and he has. But he is also now 30, and most guys don't have that breakout season at 30. Peters could start opposite Gay or Allen, or play nickel back. Either way, he would see a lot of playing time right away, and he has the talent to be a star from day one.
23. Detroit Lions - Eddie Goldman, DT Florida State: The Lions lost both Suh and Fairley in free agency, and while trading for Haloti Ngata helps with those two losses, Goldman would help keep the defensive tackle position a strength of the defense. The defense thrived on pressure up the middle, and a combo of Ngata and Goldman might not be the same as Suh and Fairley, but it would still be pretty darn good,
24. Arizona Cardinals - Kevin Johnson, CB Wake Forest: The Cardinals lost Antonio Cromartie in free agency, and while they have a few needs the best player to fit any of those needs is Johnson. He would play opposite Patrick Peterson and could help the Cardinals linebackers get some coverage sacks.
25. Carolina Panthers -DJ Humphries, OT Florida: The Panthers need to upgrade at tackle, and Humphries would be a major upgrade at right tackle. He could help protect Cam Newton, and would help open holes on the right side of the line for Stewart. Not to mention with the Falcons and the Saints upgrading their pass rush in this draft, Newton will probably need the line help.
26. Baltimore Ravens - Devin Smith, WR Ohio State: The Ravens lost Torrey Smith in free agency, and need to replace their deep threat. In steps another Smith, this one the deep ball target from Ohio State. Smith led all of D1 FBS football in yards per reception last year, and everyone knows how much Joe Flacco loves to chuck the ball deep and have his receiver can make a play on the ball. Smith made some catches for the Buckeyes that were eye popping, and he could do the same thing in Baltimore.
27. Dallas Cowboys - Jalen Collins, CB LSU: The Cowboys really need to fix their defense. They have needs at defensive end and cornerback, here I have them fixing the back end of their defense with no DE prosepct that stands out over Collins for me here, Claiborne has been a massive bust, Carr is overpaid, and Scandrick is the best of them but isn't a #1. Collins may be the most raw of the corners that can go in the first round, but he also has the highest ceiling.
28. Denver Broncos - Cameron Erving, OL, Florida State: Erving could play any of the three positions on the offensive line. He would serve as an upgrade at C, G, and RT. Wherever they feel he would be the biggest upgrade would work just fine for the Broncos, not to mention his ability to change positions if need be due to injury or upgrading a position in future free agency or drafts.
29. Indianapolis Colts - TJ Clemmings, OT Pittsburgh: The Colts have some holes on the defensive side of the ball, but they have a franchise QB who often has shown to be very capable of going toe-to-toe scoring points. Clemmings could provide protection for Andrew Luck, and help new running back Frank Gore take some of that pressure off of Luck.
30. Green Bay Packers - Byron Jones, CB UConn: The Packers offense is not the problem, they lost the NFC Championship Game because their defense failed to hold a big lead, and then let the Seahawks throw a long touchdown pass in overtime to take the win. I have the Packers taking Jones, a corner who's draft stock has jumped and he sneaks into the end of the first round. The Packers can fix their defensive tackle and/or inside linebacker hole in the second round. Here they get a guy who can become a shutdown corner in a division with Stafford and Bridgewater.
31. New Orleans Saints - Phillip Dorsett, WR Miami: Sean Payton has reportedly gushed over the receiver from The U and loves how he would fit in the offense. With the trade of Jimmy Graham that got them this pick, the Saints get another weapon for Drew Brees to throw the ball to. Dorsett could be a nightmare for defenses in the slot while Cooks and Colston work the outside.
32. New England Patriots - :Jaelen Strong, WR Arizona State: The Patriots offense isn’t anywhere near bad, but adding a receiver like Strong would be a big upgrade for Tom Brady in the receiving corps. Strong is a big, physical receiver who doesn’t have elite speed but is fast enough to get separation. His size (6’3”, 212 lbs.) also makes him a nice red zone scoring threat. Edleman and LaFell, neither are #1 receivers.
