My Mock Draft 1.0

[augustisback003]

I went back and forth between Ryan Shazier and Kyle Fuller but with the recent release of James Harrison I went with the LB.

1. Houston Texans- Blake Bortles* QB 6'5" 232 UCF
2. Atlanta Falcons (from St. Louis)- Jadeveon Clowney* DE 6'5¼" 266 South Carolina
3. Jacksonville Jaguars- Teddy Bridgewater* QB 6'2⅛" 214 Louisville
4. Cleveland Browns- Sammy Watkins* WR 6'0¾" 211 Clemson
5. Oakland Raiders- Khalil Mack OLB 6'2⅝" 251 Buffalo
6. St. Louis Rams- Greg Robinson* OT 6'5" 332 Auburn
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Justin Gilbert CB 6'0⅛" 202 Oklahoma State
8. Minnesota Vikings- Aaron Donald DT 6'0¾" 285 Pittsburgh
9. Buffalo Bills- Jake Matthews OT 6'5½" 308 Texas A&M
10. Detroit Lions- Darqueze Dennard CB 5'10⅞" 199 Michigan State
11. Tennessee Titans- C.J. Mosley ILB 6'2" 234 Alabama
12. New York Giants- Taylor Lewan OT 6'7⅛" 309 Michigan
13. St. Louis Rams- Calvin Pryor* S 5'11⅛" 207 Louisville
14. Chicago Bears- Timmy Jernigan* DT 6'1⅝" 299 Florida State
15. Pittsburgh Steelers- Louis Nix III DT 6'2⅜" 331 Notre Dame
16. Dallas Cowboys- Kony Ealy* DE 6'4" 273 Missouri
17. Baltimore Ravens- Mike Evans* WR 6'4¾" 231 Texas A&M
18. New York Jets- Eric Ebron* TE 6'4⅜" 250 North Carolina
19. Miami Dolphins- Zack Martin OT 6'4¼" 308 Notre Dame
20. Arizona Cardinals- Anthony Barr OLB 6'4⅞" 255 UCLA
21. Green Bay Packers- Ha Ha Clinton-Dix* S 6'1⅜" 208 Alabama
22. Philadelphia Eagles- Bradley Roby* CB 5'11¼" 194 Ohio State
23. Kansas City Chiefs- Marqise Lee* WR 5'11¾" 192 USC
24. Cincinnati Bengals- Ryan Shazier* OLB 6'1⅛" 237 Ohio State
25. San Diego Chargers- Kyle Fuller CB 5'11¾" 190 Virginia Tech
26. Cleveland Browns (from Indianapolis)- Johnny Manziel* QB 5'11¾" 207 Texas A&M
27. New Orleans Saints- Odell Beckham Jr.* WR 5'11¼" 198 LSU
28. Carolina Panthers- Brandin Cooks* WR 5'9¾" 189 Oregon State
29. New England Patriots- Jace Amaro* TE 6'5⅜" 265 Texas Tech
30. San Francisco 49ers- Jason Verrett CB 5'9½" 189 TCU
31. Denver Broncos- Jimmie Ward S 5'10⅝" 193 Northern Illinois
32. Seattle Seahawks- Ra'Shede Hageman DT 6'5⅞" 310 Minnesota

Honorable mention
1. DE/OLB Dee Ford
2. OT Morgan Moses
3. DE/DT Stephon Tuitt
4. CB Lamarcus Joyner
5. OG Xavier Su'a-Filo

 

[DanBengalfan]

Manziel won't fall to 26, they hype will build.

 

[kramer1]

Manziel won't make it past 4

 

[cincygrad]

I'm all for taking the best available player, but I think I'd be disappointed if we took a linebacker.

 

[kramer1]

I'm all for taking the best available player, but I think I'd be disappointed if we took a linebacker.

We're the Bengals, damnit. Logic be damned.

 

[augustisback003]

You guys have no idea what you're taking about. Johnny Manziel's best shot at going in the top 10 just evaporated when the Vikings re-signed Matt Cassel. And the teams after them, 9 to 25, don't need a QB. Trust me, he's going to drop like Aaron Rogers and Brady Quinn as no team is going to invest a high draft pick in a 5'11" QB.

Cleveland Browns like Derek Carr over Johnny Manziel

excerpt~

The team reportedly was "prepared to move heaven and earth" for the rookie passer of its choice, but NFL Media's Daniel Jeremiah says we've been focused on the wrong guy all along.

"The one thing about the combine is, you get there, you're around all your contacts, a lot of different NFL people," Jeremiah told "The Dan Patrick Show" on Wednesday. "And it had been so out there that the Browns loved Manziel under the previous regime, and I talked to enough people that firmly believe that that was a total smokescreen."

Said Jeremiah: "Their guy is (Fresno State quarterback) Derek Carr and they're going to take a different player with the fourth pick and they want to take Derek Carr with their second one (at No. 26). ... I heard that from several different places."

Cleveland Browns like Derek Carr over Johnny Manziel - NFL.com

 

[augustisback003]

And trust me, I want back and forth with Shazier. I really like Kyle Fuller as he reminds of a lot of Jonathan Joseph. But with Harrison's release the Bengals will probably move Rey Maualuga back to LOLB with Vontaze Burfict taking over the middle which would leave an open spot on the right side. A LB trio of Rey, Burfic and Shazier would be a formidable LB Corp.

 

[Clayton]

The Aaron Donald pick sticks out like a sore thumb. Didn't the Vikings select Shariff Floyd, an undersized DT, in the first round last year?

Calvin Pryor at 13 is about a 10-15 spot reach, too, imo.

 

[Shanemansj13]

That would be great if we could get Watkins and Manziel at 26 (wouldn't be as much of a bust pick), but that is highly unlikely. He won't drop out of the top 10, probably top 5

 

[augustisback003]

The Aaron Donald pick sticks out like a sore thumb. Didn't the Vikings select Shariff Floyd, an undersized DT, in the first round last year?

Calvin Pryor at 13 is about a 10-15 spot reach, too, imo.

Kevin Williams is 33 yrs old, is a Free Agent and unlikely to return. The Vikings just signed Linval Joseph but appear to still be looking for help on their D-line as they just hosted Henry Melvin (6'3 295) who's also an undersized DT. Aaron Donald is a Geno Atkins clone and makes since with coach Zimmer taking over the Vikings. Plus Pryor's stock is on fire right now with both ESPN and Scout's INC having him ranked as the 15th best prospect in the draft. You really should start paying a little more attention to what's going on.

excerpt~

After signing New York Giants defensive tackle Linval Joseph on Monday, the Minnesota Vikings apparently aren't done looking to add to their defensive line.

They will bring former Chicago Bears defensive tackle Henry Melton to Minnesota for a visit on Thursday, according to a league source. Melton, who went to the Pro Bowl in 2012 for the Bears, is an unrestricted free agent this spring after tearing his left ACL during the third game of last season.

That injury might be what gives the Vikings a chance at Melton, who's just 27 and would likely have had a much more robust market if he hadn't been hurt. He could still get a multi-year deal from a team looking for a three-technique tackle, if he's able to prove he's healthy.
Henry Melton will visit Vikings on Thursday - Minnesota Vikings Blog - ESPN

 

[Clayton]

Kevin Williams is 33 yrs old, is a Free Agent and unlikely to return. The Vikings just signed Linval Joseph but appear to still be looking for help on their D-line as they just hosted Henry Melvin (6'3 295) who's also an undersized DT. Aaron Donald is a Geno Atkins clone and makes since with coach Zimmer taking over the Vikings. Plus Pryor's stock is on fire right now with both ESPN and Scout's INC having him ranked as the 15th best prospect in the draft. You really should start paying a little more attention to what's going on.

excerpt~

After signing New York Giants defensive tackle Linval Joseph on Monday, the Minnesota Vikings apparently aren't done looking to add to their defensive line.

They will bring former Chicago Bears defensive tackle Henry Melton to Minnesota for a visit on Thursday, according to a league source. Melton, who went to the Pro Bowl in 2012 for the Bears, is an unrestricted free agent this spring after tearing his left ACL during the third game of last season.

That injury might be what gives the Vikings a chance at Melton, who's just 27 and would likely have had a much more robust market if he hadn't been hurt. He could still get a multi-year deal from a team looking for a three-technique tackle, if he's able to prove he's healthy.
Henry Melton will visit Vikings on Thursday - Minnesota Vikings Blog - ESPN

Oh, I'm paying attention. Walterfootball on the safety prospects:

"There is an interesting dialogue among some teams regarding the NFL Draft's top two safeties, Alabama's Ha Ha Clinton-Dix and Louisville's Calvin Pryor. Both are the only consensus first-round prospects at the position. Many fans and draft analysts believe that at least one of the safeties will go in the top 16 picks, and both could go in the top 20. However, we have spoken with sources from playoff teams who believe that both safeties could get to their picks.

The main reason that teams feel that Clinton-Dix and Pryor could make it into the 20s is because neither one is considered to be a rare athlete with elite speed. As one source said, "Neither one of these guys is an Earl Thomas-like athlete." That was proven at the Combine when they had solid, but unspectacular 40 times at 4.58 seconds. Clinton-Dix looked better in the field drills, but neither dominated the Combine.

Multiple sources also pointed out that defensive backs from Nick Saban's programs have disappointed in the NFL. As one source said, the best defensive backs he produced could be Roman Harper and LaRon Landry, and even the latter didn't live up to his billing. Perhaps Dre Kirkpatrick or Dee Milliner will break that mold, but multiple staffers from around the NFL feel that Alabama defenders have been overhyped and haven't validated those expectations at the next level.

However, one source had this to say about Clinton-Dix: "Ha Ha had a so-so workout, but his film is too good for him to drop too far. He's safe in the top 25."

Clinton-Dix and Pryor could also be hurt by teams prioritizing other positions over safeties like quarterbacks, linemen, cornerbacks and wide receivers. "

I do think the Vikings should go defense but Donald is maxed out with his frame and is more of a Randle clone (amazing compliment, btw) than an Atkins clone. They need to focus more on DE than DT and if they do go DT, they really should get a larger one

 

[augustisback003]

Here's a look at the draft order and the teams that could possibly draft Johnny Manziel; including higher ranked prospects and established starters. If he gets past the Vikings at 8th he's going to fall. That's just a fact!

1. Houston Texans- Blake Bortles, Jadeveon Clowney, Teddy Bridgewater
2. St. Louis Rams (from Washington)- Greg Robinson, Jadeveon Clowney
3. Jacksonville Jaguars- Teddy Bridgewater, Jadeveon Clowney, Johnny Manziel
4. Cleveland Browns- Teddy Bridgewater, Sammy Watkins, Khalil Mack, Johnny Manziel
5. Oakland Raiders- Teddy Bridgewater, Greg Robinson, Sammy Watkins, Khalil Mack, Johnny Manziel
6. Atlanta Falcons- Matt Ryan
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Khalil Mack, Justin Gilbert, Johnny Manziel
8. Minnesota Vikings- Matt Cassel, Christian Ponder
9. Buffalo Bills- E. J. Manuel
10. Detroit Lions- Matthew Stafford
11. Tennessee Titans- Jake Locker, Ryan Fitzpatrick
12. New York Giants- Eli Manning
13. St. Louis Rams- Sam Bradford
14. Chicago Bears- Jay Cutler
15. Pittsburgh Steelers- Ben Roethlisberger
16. Dallas Cowboys- Tony Romo
17. Baltimore Ravens- Joe Flacco
18. New York Jets- Geno Smith
19. Miami Dolphins- Ryan Tannehill
20. Arizona Cardinals- Carson Palmer
21. Green Bay Packers- Aaron Rodgers
22. Philadelphia Eagles- Nick Foles
23. Kansas City Chiefs- Alex Smith
24. Cincinnati Bengals- Andy Dalton
25. San Diego Chargers- Philip Rivers
26. Cleveland Browns (from Indianapolis)- Johnny Manziel* QB 5'11¾" 207 Texas A&M
27. New Orleans Saints- Drew Brees
28. Carolina Panthers- Cam Newton
29. New England Patriots- Tom Brady
30. San Francisco 49ers- Colin Kaepernick
31. Denver Broncos- Peyton Manning
32. Seattle Seahawks- Russell Wilson

 

[futballiscool]

Manziel is one of those players where even if half the league gives him a mid rd grade, some team early in the 1st rd will gamble on him. I'd be surprised if he makes it past Minnesota

 

[Clayton]

20. Arizona Cardinals- Carson Palmer

This is the only other team that makes sense, imo. Palmer is 34 and pretty average. Arizona routinely drafts BPA. Manziel could sit for a year or so.

I think Manziel is a late 1st-early 2nd kind of player so I tend to agree with your assessment.

 

[futballiscool]

This is the only other team that makes sense, imo. Palmer is 34 and pretty average. Arizona routinely drafts BPA. Manziel could sit for a year or so.

I think Manziel is a late 1st-early 2nd kind of player so I tend to agree with your assessment.

Palmer's on the last yr of his deal too. Manziel is polarizing so it'll depend on how their front office views him. If Bortles or Bridgewater fall they'd definatley take either one

 

[ckhokie]

I would much rather have Kyle Fuller, in a position of need especially, as compared to Shazier

 

[DanBengalfan]

you should do a little write up about the picks that seem to break from what the copy cats are saying. I'm not doubting that you thought it through, it would be interesting to know your perspective to begin with.

 

[DanBengalfan]

does the Titan's dropping Fitz change anything?

also, I don't see how the Vikings can be sold on Castle as the QB of the future. they can release Ponder, or trade him.

also hard for Arizona to pass on him. The patriots drafted Ryan Mallet just to be the backup QB one year, QB's are the shit in the draft and Johnny Football has some tools.

 

[augustisback003]

It appears the Bengals may be looking at LB'ers

Kyle Van Noy
Cincinnati Bengals attend BYU Pro Day - Cincy Jungle

Avery Williamson
Cincinnati Bengals attend Kentucky Wildcats Pro Day - Cincy Jungle

 

[Davis_Mike]

This is the only other team that makes sense, imo. Palmer is 34 and pretty average. Arizona routinely drafts BPA. Manziel could sit for a year or so.

I think Manziel is a late 1st-early 2nd kind of player so I tend to agree with your assessment.

There is no way in hell that Arians would draft Manziel. Arians likes big strong QB(s) who can stand in the pocket & throw down field. The only guys I see in this draft that Arians would think about drafting would; Bortles, Mettenberger, & McCarron. AZ does draft BPA, but you are assuming that Manziel is rated that high on their board. I doubt he would even be on their board as he doesn't fit their QB mold.

AZ's top priorities in the draft are; safety, cornerback, & pass rusher in no particular order.