Will the Browns take a quarterback with one of their first two draft picks? Find out with Chris Fedor's latest Mock Draft.
CLEVELAND, Ohio - The 2014 NFL Draft is just over one month away. The Scouting
Combine is over and done, and a number of Pro Days have already taken place. Next
up, teams will work out prospects individually. There will be lots of smoke
puffing from teams drafting high as rumors fly around daily. This year's draft
has plenty of talent near the top, and enough depth to appease the teams armed
with picks, such as the Browns, who have 10 of them.
1. Houston Texans - Blake Bortles, Quarterback, Central
Florida
I've been hesitant to put a quarterback in this spot because
of how difficult it will be for any team to pass up on defensive end Jadeveon
Clowney. However, Bill O'Brien understands that he will be married to whichever
quarterback he takes in this year's draft. He won't settle on a mediocre option
beyond Round One that would only lead to his team being stuck in quarterback
purgatory. It's easy to connect the dots with O'Brien and Bortles. O'Brien
played against him at Penn State and it was Central Florida head coach George
O'Leary who helped O'Brien break into the business.
2. St. Louis Rams (from Washington Redskins) - Greg
Robinson, Offensive Tackle, Auburn
As much as Clowney would deserve consideration here, I can't
see it happening because of Robert Quinn and Chris Long already occupying the two end
spots on the defensive line. The Rams need to find out once and for all what
they have in quarterback Sam Bradford. The only way they will be able to do
that is to change the situation around him. Robinson has a unique combination
of size, strength and athleticism. He's more of a mauler in the run game but he
has the skills to be an all-around great blindside protector for years to come.
Jadeveon Clowney has the talent to be the next great pass rusher in the NFL.AP Photo/John Raoux 3. Jacksonville Jaguars - Jadeveon Clowney, Defensive End,
South Carolina
The temptation will be there to draft a quarterback. But Gus
Bradley is a defensive-minded coach and the Jags have finished last in the NFL
in sacks for two consecutive seasons. That needs to change. They don't make too many
prospects like Clowney. He's special, with an ability to be the next great
defensive lineman in the NFL. Bradley would turn him into even more of a
monster.
4. Cleveland Browns - Teddy Bridgewater, Quarterback,
Louisville
I go back to something that general manager Ray Farmer and
head coach Mike Pettine said earlier this off-season. They both hinted about
how much stock they put in the film, what they see on the field. On film, there's
no quarterback better than Bridgewater. He's smart, accurate and poised. He has
the best pocket presence and movement of any QB in this year's draft and is
polished - having run a pro-style offense since he arrived on campus at
Louisville. Along with his leadership, he checks all the boxes that Farmer said
he covets. Bridgewater has all the makings of a franchise quarterback. One poor
showing at a Pro Day doesn't eliminate three years of carving up defenses and
showing off the best skills at quarterback in the draft.
5. Oakland Raiders - Sammy Watkins, Wide Receiver, Clemson
All of the moves the Raiders have made this off-season point
to them wanting a winning season. Justin Tuck, James Jones, Matt Schaub and Lamarr
Woodley aren't in Oakland to go through a rebuild. Watkins, though just 20
years old, is fast, explosive and ready to make an impact from day one, just
like he did when he arrived on campus at Clemson.
6. Atlanta Falcons - Khalil Mack, Outside Linebacker,
Buffalo
The Falcons attempted to fill a lot of holes this
off-season. The one thing that's still missing is a disruptive pass rusher.
Mack, overlooked coming out of high school, turned himself into one of the best
defensive players in the draft. The versatile linebacker can stop the run, rush
the passer and make plays in coverage. The kind of guy that never has to come
off the field would be a cornerstone piece for the Falcons.
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Jake Matthews, Offensive Lineman,
Texas A&M
The Buccaneers started an overhaul on their offensive line,
saying goodbye to guard Davin Joseph, center Jeremy Zuttah and offensive tackle
Donald Penn. While they added Anthony Collins and Gabe Carimi in free agency,
another tackle to protect young quarterback Mike Glennon would be a wise move.
Plus, the value of Matthews - an experienced technician - would be too tough to
pass up at this spot.
How high will Johnny Manziel go in the draft?AP 8. Minnesota Vikings - Johnny Manziel, Quarterback, Texas
A&M
He's the best of the Big Three quarterbacks remaining. While
he needs some polish and there are questions about how his game translates,
Manziel's competitiveness, attitude and natural playmaking ability would be a
welcomed addition to the Vikings, who still have questions at the most
important position.
9. Buffalo Bills - Taylor Lewan, Offensive Tackle, Michigan
There are some off-the-field concerns with Lewan as he faces
assault charges stemming from a December fight. But there is also a lot of
talent. A starter since he stepped on campus in Ann Arbor, Lewan is big,
athletic and nasty.
10. Detroit Lions - Darqueze Dennard, Cornerback, Michigan
State
The Lions were 23rd against the pass in 2013. In
a division with receivers Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, Alshon
Jeffery and Brandon Marshall, Detroit needs to find some corners to matchup.
Dennard is a tough cornerback, who sticks with his man very well. His 40-yard
dash time only helped a big, physical cornerback like him.
11. Tennessee Titans - Anthony Barr, Outside Linebacker,
UCLA
With new defensive coordinator Ray Horton coming to town,
Tennessee is likely switching to an attacking, aggressive 3-4 scheme. Barr, a
former running back, has a great combination of size (6-5, 255), speed and
athleticism to create havoc off the edge.
12. New York Giants - Aaron Donald, Defensive Tackle,
Pittsburgh
Donald had a terrific showing the last year. It started
with his final season at Pitt where he recorded 11 sacks and 28.5
tackles-for-loss, earning him the Outland Trophy. Then he dominated at the
Senior Bowl and put on a show at the Scouting Combine. He struggles disengaging
with blockers because of his length, but he is too quick for interior lineman. New
York lost Linval Joseph and Justin Tuck on the interior of the defensive line,
making it a top priority in the draft.
Mike Evans, a former basketball player, has great size and strength.Associated Press 13. St. Louis Rams - Mike Evans, Wide Receiver, Texas
A&M
Avoiding the temptation to draft Watkins with the No. 2 pick pays off
for the Rams, who finally get a legitimate No. 1 weapon in the passing game for
QB Sam Bradford. Evans, the former basketball player, is a big target (6-5,
233) with sticky hands and a physical style that would play perfectly in the
NFC West.
14. Chicago Bears - Justin Gilbert, Cornerback, Oklahoma
State
Look at the cornerback depth chart for the Bears: It's bad
and old. Those are two things that won't work in the NFL. After a poor showing
in 2012, Gilbert jumped back into the spotlight with a dazzling 2013 campaign.
He's tough, physical and fast. He has the talent to be a lockdown corner at the
next level if he pays more attention to his technique.
15. Pittsburgh Steelers - Louis Nix III, Defensive Tackle,
Notre Dame
When the Steelers defense was at its best a few seasons ago,
Pittsburgh was strong up the middle. It started with Casey Hampton plugging the
middle of the defensive line, but he's long gone. Nix, who was dominant for the
Irish during their run to the national title game, took a bit of a step back
because of a knee injury this past year. But his size, strength and athleticism
makes him a unique force with ability to take on double teams and also get up
field to disrupt plays in the backfield.
16. Dallas Cowboys - Tim Jernigan, Defensive Tackle, Florida
State
An immensely talented player, Jernigan is also incredibly
frustrating. He takes plays off and his conditioning will need to be monitored.
The Cowboys added Henry Melton in free agency, but the Dallas defense needs a
lot of work and Melton is coming off a Torn ACL, making an insurance policy
very important.
17. Baltimore Ravens - Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Safety, Alabama
The Ravens used a first rounder on the position last year,
but Matt Elam's physical style makes him better suited as a strong safety. The
Ravens need a rangy safety with the speed and athleticism to patrol the last
line of defense. That's Clinton-Dix. With good range, ball-skills and
instincts, the former Alabama star usually finds himself right in the middle of
the action.
18. New York Jets - Brandin Cooks, Wide Receiver, Oregon
State
Geno Smith - largely due to his four fourth-quarter comebacks - is likely
to remain the Jets starting quarterback for another year. New York needs to
give him more help. Last year he had Jeremy Kerley, the disappointing Stephen
Hill and oft-injured Santonio Holmes to throw to. They plucked David Nelson
during the season and he actually turned into a reliable threat, showing how
weak the position was. Cooks lit up the combine showing speed, explosiveness
and reliable hands that made him a dynamic pass-catcher for Oregon State.
19. Miami Dolphins - Zack Martin, Offensive Tackle, Notre
Dame
They have young quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who has been
battered around behind a shaky offensive line in his first two seasons. Signing
Branden Albert was a start, but the Dolphins line still needs work. Martin is
versatile, showing ability to play guard and tackle. A very seasoned and smart
prospect, Tannehill would send the GM a basket of muffins for bringing Martin
to Miami.
Calvin Pryor, a hard-hitting safety, usually ends up near the action.Associated Press 20. Arizona Cardinals - Calvin Pryor, Safety, Louisville
Last year's third-round pick Tyrann Mathieu was having a
terrific rookie year, but it ended early when he tore his ACL. Pryor would not
only be insurance if Honey Badger doesn't recover quickly, but also a great
partner to patrol the back-end. Pryor is a hard-hitting safety that was born to
play in the NFC West.
21. Green Bay Packers - Eric Ebron, Tight End, North
Carolina
Ebron, one of the most talented players in the draft at any
position, should go higher. But I just couldn't find a spot for him. The
Packers would love to have an athletic, big-bodied target to make their offense
even more dangerous.
22. Philadelphia Eagles - Jimmie Ward, Safety, Northern
Illinois
With the Eagles offense set to fly high again in 2014, Chip
Kelly will need to focus on improving that defense. Ranked dead-last against the
pass in 2013, the Eagles need someone to patrol the last line. Ward - who played
cornerback, nickelback, safety and special teams for the Huskies - would bring
coverage ability, ball-skills, range and toughness to the secondary.
23. Kansas City Chiefs - Odell Beckham Jr., Wide Receiver,
LSU
The only impact receiver the Chiefs have is Dwayne Bowe, who
is tough and physical. In order to spread out the defense and threaten it
downfield, Kansas City needs to find someone to complement him. OBJ has speed, elusiveness
and run-after-catch ability, which is perfect for Andy Reid's offense.
24. Cincinnati Bengals - C.J. Mosley, Inside Linebacker,
Alabama
At some point, talent is too much to pass up. Mosley comes
to the NFL a little dinged up - like most Alabama players. But he's also the
rare three-down linebacker. He can run, cover, rush the passer and help when it
comes to stopping the run. Polished and instinctive, he is ready to play
immediately.
25. San Diego Chargers - Bradley Roby, Cornerback, Ohio State
The Chargers were ranked 29th in the NFL and, somehow, still made it to the playoffs. Inconsistency and excessive burns in 2013 caused Roby to not live up to expectations for the Buckeyes. His athleticism and speed
will thrust him into the first round.
Davante Adams was extremely productive during his time at Fresno State.Associated Press 26. Cleveland Browns (from Indianapolis Colts) - Davante
Adams, Wide Receiver, Fresno State
The Browns have Josh Gordon, who is clearly the team's No. 1
receiver. But the player opposite him last year, whether it was Greg Little or
Davone Bess, stunk. With a young quarterback in the mix, it will be vital for
the Browns to surround him with weapons. Adams is a productive receiver who
knows how to separate from defenders and snatches everything thrown is his direction.
27. New Orleans Saints - Kony Ealy, Defensive End, Missouri
New Orleans defense made good strides in 2013, but they need
to continue to add to a defense that will be tasked with pressuring Cam Newton
and Matt Ryan twice a year for the foreseeable future. He was overshadowed by
teammate Michael Sam, but Ealy has the tools to be a more productive pro player.
28. Carolina Panthers - Cyrus Kouandjio, Offensive Tackle,
Alabama
Jordan Gross, the Panthers starting left tackle, retired
this off-season. But there were plenty of other losses felt along the line in
Carolina. The knee issues with Kouandjio could turn some teams off and
while he doesn't have great feet, he's still new to the game and is a big body
that can keep defenders out of the backfield.
29. New England Patriots - Ra'Shede Hageman, Defensive
Tackle, Minnesota
Who knows what's going to happen with defensive tackle Vince
Wilfork? He requested to be released, but owner Robert Kraft wants him to stay.
Hageman had bouts of inconsistency with the Gophers. But he's bulky, athletic
and versatile.
30. San Francisco 49ers - Marqise Lee, Wide Receiver, USC
2012's Biletnikoff Award winner dealt with a knee injury and
bad quarterback play in 2013. It led to a disappointing junior season. However,
he has the speed, quickness and playmaking skills that would complement
reliable possession receivers Anquan Boldin and Michael Crabtree.
31. Denver Broncos - Xavier Su'a-Filo, Offensive Guard, UCLA
After an extremely busy off-season, the Broncos don't have
many needs left to fill. But one that's remaining is on the offensive line,
especially with Zane Beadles heading to Jacksonville. Su'a-Filo, with
experience at guard and tackle, is ready to play now. His power and athleticism
should help with issues that showed up against the Seattle Seahawks during the
Super Bowl.
32. Seattle Seahawks - Jason Verrett, Cornerback, TCU
Verrett is a bit undersized, but plays physically and carries
an attitude with him onto the field. With a nose for the ball and ability to
react quickly, Verrett would be perfect for Seattle, who lost Walter Thurmond
in free agency.