JFiPA's First Mock of the Season

This is a two round NFL mock with no trades...

ROUND ONE

1. St. Louis: Sam Bradford | Oklahoma | QB
- Seems like the obvious choice here. Ndamukong Suh is a rare talent, but the Rams need a franchise QB before anything else.

2. Detroit: Ndamukong Suh | Nebraska | DT
- The only other option here is OT Russell Okung, but as of now, you have to go with the need/value of one of the better defensive prospects in recent years. Truly a dominant force

3. Tampa Bay: Gerald McCoy | Oklahoma | DT
- Ah, that wonderful time when need meets value very well

4. Washington: Jimmy Clausen | Notre Dame | QB
- The team’s confidence in Jason Campbell seems minimal as indicated by the avid search for a QB last offseason. New regimes often mean new QBs, so they go with Clausen rather than the LT.

5. Kansas City: Russell Okung | Oklahoma St | OT
- Everyone knows you need a good offensive line to be an effective offense and it starts with the blind side. A pretty easy choice here

6. Seattle: Bryan Bulaga | Iowa | OT
- This class is loaded with left tackle prospects early on. The Hawks’ have many needs and a new left tackle is among the top. With the top QBs gone, this is the choice.

7. Cleveland: Eric Berry | Tennessee | DB
- One of the best defensive players in the draft, Berry would upgrade this secondary immediately and his versatility only makes this pick even better

8. Oakland: Bruce Campbell | Maryland | OT
- Al Davis never disappoints on draft day in recent years. The Raiders need some offensive line help and Campbell has the numbers that are off-the-charts.

9. Buffalo: Trent Williams | Oklahoma | OT
- Another top left tackle prospect goes here. Buffalo needs all kinds of offensive line help, especially at left tackle, and Williams is an outstanding prospect.

10. Jacksonville: Dez Bryant | Oklahoma St | WR
- This pick comes down to Bryant vs. Haden in my opinion right now. Bryant has top 5 talent, but had some issues during his senior season, so watch out for his draft stock. But there’s no denying his abilities.

11. Denver: Joe Haden | Florida | CB
- This pick would have been a defensive lineman, but they signed experienced 3-4 players Jamaal Williams and Jarvis Green. CB is also a need and Haden is a major talent.

12. Miami: Derrick Morgan | Georgia Tech | OLB/DE
- Joey Porter was ineffective this season and is gone, so a young OLB is a top need now. The Dolphins are reportedly very interested in Morgan.

13. San Francisco: Earl Thomas | Texas | S
- Safety isn’t a major need for the 49ers, but Thomas is a dynamic playmaker that has drawn comparisons to Ed Reed. Mike Mayock has him rated higher than Eric Berry currently.

14. Seattle: CJ Spiller | Clemson | RB
- Now that the offensive line got a major boost with Bulaga, the Seahawks bring in the man coined as this year’s Chris Johnson. Spiller will be the big play threat that is so sorely needed.

15. NY Giants: Rolando McClain | Alabama | ILB
- Antonio Pierce is gone and the Giants need help at linebacker. McClain is a top talent and a bargain here. ILBs are typically known to fall on draft day anyway.

16. Tennessee: Brandon Graham | Michigan | DE
- Upgrading the pass-rush is a major need and Graham is flying up draft boards. Look for him to go ahead of the less productive linemen, Jason Pierre-Paul and Carlos Dunlap

17. San Francisco: Anthony Davis | Rutgers | OT
- A talented lineman who has had a poor postseason, Davis might see his stock drop further, but the left tackle-hungry 49ers are happy to have a man of his talent here.

18. Pittsburgh: Dan Williams | Tennessee | DT
- Casey Hampton is back, but he’s getting older and to stay dominant in the 3-4, you need a top NT. Williams appears to be a fit here and might end up in the top 10.

19. Atlanta: Devin McCourty | Rutgers | CB
- Here’s another guy who is flying up draft boards. The Falcons are in need of a cornerback even after Robinson was signed and McCourty might be the second one off the board.

20. Houston: Ryan Matthews | Fresno St | RB
- On the topic of high risers, how about Ryan Matthews? Steve Slaton was phenomenal as a rookie but slumped last season. Matthews style of running would complement Slaton’s well and form a potentially frightening one-two punch.

21. Cincinnati: Golden Tate | Notre Dame | WR
- The Bengals are very interested in Brandon Marshall, but it seems unlikely he leaves Denver now. Tate is a dynamic playmaker who would complement the aging Chad Johnson well. Oh by the way, this is another fast-riser.

22. New England: Jermaine Gresham | Oklahoma | TE
- Perhaps a top 10 pick if he was healthy this season, Gresham is a good value here, but his stock is hard to predict as he missed his entire senior season. The Pats lost Chris Baker and Ben Watson so TE is a priority.

23. Green Bay: Charles Brown | USC | OT
- Chad Clifton is no longer as effective as he once was as he enters his 11th NFL season. Brown could stand to add some weight and strength and would be in great hands learning behind Chad Clifton.

24. Philadelphia: Taylor Mays | USC | S/LB
- I would like you to note that he is cross listed as a LB here, which I’ve seen on some sites and agree with. The Eagles need help at safety and linebacker, so this works. A man with phenomenal workout numbers, Mays will likely see his name called early by one team who falls in love with 6-3 230, sub 4.30

25. Baltimore: Kyle Wilson | Boise St | CB
- Wilson is another emerging prospect. The Ravens answered their WR need with Boldin, but CB remains a bit uncertain. Wilson is the best CB available here and a solid value.

26. Arizona: Everson Griffen | USC | OLB/DE
- Griffen may fit best in a 4-3, but it’s debatable. He worked out very well is his stock is on the rise. The Cardinals have many holes to fill and generating a pass-rush is one big one.

27. Dallas: Mike Iupati | Idaho | OL
- The Cowboys need offensive line help, and Iupati is not only very versatile, but a terrific value. He could easily see his name called much earlier. Dallas is reportedly high on him.

28. San Diego: Jared Odrick | Penn St | DE
- A prototype 3-4 DE, Odrick is a prospect on the rise. The Chargers need defensive line help, and Odrick is a fine start. He gets the nod over Cam Thomas or Terrence Cody because Vaughn Martin was chosen in the 3rd round last year.

29. NY Jets: Terrence Cody | Alabama | NT/DE
- There’s no trade down and this is a tough spot especially with Odrick gone one pick earlier. Cody is a massive body who would be able to work at NT and DE. Prospects with this size are just flat out rare and Cody dominated the ultra-talented SEC. With guys like Pierre-Paul, Kindle, and Jerry Hughes around, this wasn’t an easy pick, but it’s never a bad idea to build your lines, especially with this one getting pretty old.

30. Minnesota: Amari Spievy | Iowa | CB
- Who? This is a guy who is a bit under the radar but has reportedly received a first-round grade from some teams. The Vikings need some CB depth with Winfield getting older and Cedric Griffin unlikely to be ready by the beginning of the season.

31. Indianapolis: Maukrice Pouncey | Florida | C/G
- I was debating between Brian Price and Pouncey, but with the releasing of Ryan Lilja and age of Jeff Saturday, this is a fine fit. Pouncey is a rare first-round quality center, although his natural position is guard.

32. New Orleans: Daryl Washington | TCU | LB
- Yes, that’s right. Washington goes ahead of Kindle and Weatherspoon. The Saints could use some defensive help at OLB and DE, but they opt for the LB here whose stock is on the rise. There’s always some surprises, and this may be one. Washington is an extremely athletic linebacker who can cover like a safety. Look for him to get his name called earlier than you think.

(SECOND ROUND COMING IN JUST A SECOND)

 

33. St Louis: Sean Weatherspoon | Missouri | LB
- Now the top of the second round where some great talent has fallen out of the first round for whatever reasons. The Rams complete their group of young talented linebackers with a bargain here.

34. Detroit: Vladimir Ducasse | Massachusetts | OT
- One position that always gets reached for it left tackles, although this isn’t a stretch. The Lions need someone to protect Matt Stafford.

35. Tampa Bay: Demaryius Thomas | Georgia Tech | WR
- An ultra-talented receiver whose stock was hurt due to injury, Thomas is a prototypical number one receiver for a team in need of playmakers for a young QB

36. Kansas City: Jason Pierre-Paul | USF | OLB/DE
- A big fall here for the one-year-wonder, who slides to the 2nd for that reason. We see highly rated guys like this fall every year and here’s my take on one who could. Kansas City is thrilled to get this up-and-comer here.

37. Washington: Jared Veldheer | Hillsdale | OT
- A bit of a reach at this point? Possibly, but this guy has plenty of potential to protect the blind side, which is essential for any team and especially one with a new rookie QB.

38. Cleveland: Jerry Hughes | TCU | OLB/DE
- A steal here, Hughes looks like a sure-fit in the 3-4 defense and would add play-making ability to this defense that sorely needs it.

39. Oakland: Brian Price | UCLA | DT
- A talented pass-rusher, Price is a great value here and a seemingly uncommon logical pick by the Raiders.

40. Seattle: Nate Allen | USF | S
- Take your pick here for the Seahawks, who got a RB and LT in the first round. Allen is a fine value and could be an immediate starter too.

41. Buffalo: Cam Thomas | North Carolina | NT
- It appears Buffalo will be moving to the 3-4 defense. They’ll need a NT prospect such as Thomas, who could see his name called earlier because 3-4 NTs are always in high demand.

42. New England: Alex Carrington | Arkansas St | DE
- The Pats need more youth on defense and with Richard Seymour and Jarvis Green gone, they’ll at least need more depth and Carrington is another 3-4 prospect whose stock is on the rise

43. Miami: Brandon LaFell | LSU | WR
- A guy who’s been compared to Dwayne Bowe, LaFell looks like a potential number one receiver. Let’s hope he’s Dwayne Bowe and not Craig Davis though

44. Tampa Bay: Dominique Franks | Oklahoma | CB
- With their third pick, the Bucs keep the youth coming at corner. Ideally, he can form a very formidable duo with Aqib Talib

45. Denver: JD Walton | Baylor | C
- The number two center of the class now, Walton may be able to start immediately and they need him too.

46. NY Giants: Carlos Dunlap | Florida | DE
- A big fall for Dunlap which I see as possible for a few reasons, but he’s taken here by the Giants as he plays the run and pass well and has excellent triangle numbers.

47. Carolina: Arrelious Benn | Illinois | WR
- Another large WR with star potential, Benn’s draft stock seems relatively uncertain, but he doesn’t get the past Carolina, which appeared to have missed on Dwayne Jarrett a few drafts ago

48. New England: Tim Tebow | Florida | QB/??
- Tell me you couldn’t see New England picking him up. I fully expect Jacksonville to pick him up somehow or some team to fall in love with him much earlier, but this is the kind of project player New England will try and find a place for.

49. San Francisco: Sergio Kindle | Texas | OLB/DE
- A major steal here who takes a surprising fall on draft day like so many others have, San Fran takes this BPA here who is a perfect rush linebacker. I wouldn’t be surprised if a team – the Jets perhaps? – move up to snag him earlier.

50. Kansas City: Brandon Spikes | Florida | ILB
- Another piece of the 3-4 puzzle falls into place here. A great fit in the defense, Spikes takes a hit on draft day, but his intensity will do great things for Kansas City.

51. Houston: Kareem Jackson | Alabama | CB
- The Texans’ secondary is still not completely in place. Jackson is a solid value here and certainly fills a need especially with Dunta Robinson gone.

52. Pittsburgh: Jahvid Best | California | RB
- The next “Fast Willie Parker”, Best is an explosive play-maker and will take carries away from Mendenhall to keep him fresh.

53. New England: Andre Roberts | The Citadel | WR
- A play-making slot style WR, Roberts is a guy who I fully expect to be a second-round pick. Isn’t frightening to see the Pats with four picks in the first two rounds?

54. Cincinnati: Rob Gronkowski | Arizona | TE
- The Bengals need help at TE and continue to add firepower to their offense while defense takes a back seat to value and offense.

55. Philadelphia: Toby Gerhart | Stanford | RB
- A hammering power back, Gerhart is one of the hardest runners I’ve seen in college ball for a long time. His toughness and physicality will finally help the Eagles convert on X&1 situations

56. Green Bay: Akwasi Owusu-Ansah | Indiana PA | CB
- This small-school DB will need some mentoring and time to learn, and who better than behind Al Harris and Charles Woodson. I couldn’t think of a better situation for this guy.

57. Baltimore: Anthony McCoy | USC | TE
- Todd Heap is no longer what he once was. McCoy has a well-rounded game and helps add more to this passing game.

58. Arizona: Kyle Calloway | Iowa | OT
- The hope is that he can protect the blind side in the NFL, although Matt Leinart is a lefty so that job could go to Levi Brown. The Cardinals need offensive line help at one tackle spot at least

59. Dallas: Linval Joseph | East Carolina | NT/DE
- This provides for youth and depth on the line. Joseph could probably play end or tackle

60. San Diego: Montario Hardesty | Tennessee | RB
- The complement to Darren Sproles is here. Hardesty is a name on the rise and understandably so. He has a well-rounded game and will form a fine one-two punch here.

61. NY Jets: Eric Norwood | South Carolina | OLB/DE
- This pick came down to Chris Cook and an OLB in my mind, but with all of the recent additions to the secondary, the Jets opt for a pass-rushing threat. Norwood is an excellent pass-rusher and would complement Calvin Pace excellently. Many gurus compare him to James Harrison.

62. Minnesota: Torrell Troup | UCF | DT
- The next Pat Williams, perhaps? Troup will likely be coveted by teams that run the 3-4, but he goes earlier than expected here.

63. Indianapolis: Chris Cook | Virginia | DB
- A guy with his size, speed, versatility, and productivity can only be overlooked for so long. The Colts need secondary help too.

64. New Orleans: Ricky Sapp | Clemson | DE
- The Saints get pass-rushing help here from Sapp, who looks like a steal this late.

 

This is what's fun about mock drafts. For example, Mike Mitchell was the 30-something rated safety by many when the Raiders nabbed him in the top half of the second round. The point is every year there are guys projected to go higher but almost unpredictably fall... FAR. And vice versa, like Mitchell, lower rated players go much higher...

The fun is going outside the box and predicting some "reaches" because we wont know whether or not it will be a reach or a steal until about ten years from now.

If Jerry Rice was taken first overall in 1985, it would have been considered a MAJOR reach. Now, it would BRILLIANT

 

Thanks for the feedback all.

Cody will absolutely contribute, but probably not as a starter. With a guy like that, you're going to get a basically one-dimensional run-stopper. He'll probably see time immediately in certain packages, probably running downs. I expect to see plenty of rotation on the defensive line with Jenkins and Pouha possibly lining up as a DE at times. It will include plenty of substitution for sure.

Jacksonville just signed Aaron Kampman, don't forget. Plus they invested first and second round picks on Derrick Harvey and Quentin Groves, respectively. So Kampman will be on one side with probably these two on the other. They've invested plenty of money here already, so I don't see another DE going to Jacksonville, especially given their financial situation.