2014 Mock Draft (2.0) Post Combine

1.  Houston Texans:  Blake Bortels QB UCF
Even though Clowney is the top player in this draft, the Texans will likely take a QB.  O'Brien is a QB guru and wants his guy running the offense.  Bortels can do everything O'Brien wants in a QB and there are obvious ties between the two.

2.  St. Louis Rams:  Jake Matthews OT Texas A&M
With the Rams needing to protect Sam Bradford, they're likely taking a tackle here.  Greg Robinson is the favorite by many, but Matthews is far more developed as a pass blocker than Robinson.  Add in that HC Jeff Fisher has ties to the Matthews family and that makes this pick more likely.

3.  Jacksonville Jaguars:  Jadeveon Clowney DE South Carolina
I'm not ruling out Johnny Manizel here, but Jacksonville made it clear last draft that they are taking the best player regardless of position.  That is clearly Clowney who would fit perfectly as the Leo in Gus Bradley's 4-3 Under defense.

4.  Cleveland Browns:  Johnny Manziel QB Texas A&M
I really want to put Bridgewater here because he is the most NFL ready and the Browns are realistically only a QB and a RB away from being a division contender.  BUT, this is the Browns who we are talking about and they may feel Manziel can give them a spark they don't have.

5.  Oakland Raiders:  Teddy Bridgewater QB Louisville
This might be best case scenario for the Raiders who get the top QB in this class and don't have to move up to get him.  The Raiders desperately need a QB and Bridgewater is a guy that could really make a difference.  But he'll also need weapons around him.

6.  Atlanta Falcons:  Greg Robinson OT Auburn
They need a pass rusher and a left tackle desperately and Mack or Barr could be strong possibilities.  Pass rush is important, but they can't pass on Robinson here who is arguably a top five player. Robinson may have to start at right tackle at first, but even so the protection would be improving for Matt Ryan.

7.  Tampa Bay Buccaneers:  Khalil Mack OLB Buffalo
Tampa desperately needs help rushing the passer and may look at somebody like Kony Ealy because Lovie likes to get a pass rush out of his front four.  But it will be too hard to pass on Mack who some consider the top player in the draft.  Look for the Bucs to use Mack similar to how Denver uses Von Miller.

8.  Minnesota Vikings:  Derek Carr QB Fresno State
This pick may not take place here, but Carr and the Vikings are a perfect match.  With Norv Turner in as the OC the Vikings will look to go vertical.  Carr has a strong arm to go with his quick release and can make all the throws in that offense.

9.  Buffalo Bills:  Sammie Watkins WR Clemson
If Watkins is still available here I would assume somebody moves up with Minnesota (ahead of Buffalo) to take him. Watkins is a #1 caliber WR who has good size, excellent speed, and a knack for getting open.  This addition will give Manuel another weapon and allow Stevie Johnson and Robert Woods to slide in more natural support roles.

10. Detroit Lions:  Mike Evans WR Texas A&M
They'd love for Watkins to fall to them but they'd have to trade up to get him and that goes against what they do.  But they still desperately need to take pressure off of Calvin Johnson and with Evans having a good combine his stock is red hot.  Evans size and catch radius fits with Matt Stafford's style of chucking up the ball to his receivers.

11. Tennessee Titans:  Anthony Barr OLB UCLA
Getting a pass rusher was a priority before their move to the 3-4, but it's even more important now.  Barr is still learning the position, but his skill set is so perfect for the 3-4 that he'll have a ton of success right off the bat for the Titans.

12. New York Giants:  Taylor Lewan OT Michigan
Even with taking Justin Pugh last year, the Giants still need to invest high picks into their offense line.  William Beatty isn't getting it done at left tackle and it may be time to move on.  Lewan isn't the greatest run blocker, but he is the top pass protector in the draft and that's what this line needs.

13. St. Louis Rams:  Calvin Pryor S Louisville
This may seem like a strange pick (and likely could be their choice after moving down), but it makes more sense once you think about it.  Pryor is the top safety in this class and he has the skill set to play the free safety spot which has been a huge liability for the Rams.  Add in that  Fisher took Michael Griffin higher than expected and the thought is coming together.

14. Chicago Bears:  Tim Jernigan DT Florida State
Chicago's run defense was the worst in the NFL last year and that was largely because of injuries to the DTs.  Even if the Bears resign Henry Melton they need more help.  Getting a guy like Jernigan would really help solve their problem because of his ability to take on blocks, clog the lanes and still be able to make plays.

15. Pittsburgh Steelers:  Justin Gilbert CB Oklahoma State
The Steelers secondary has struggled to find a lock down corner for years, but may have found their answer here.  in coverage and could use a true lock down corner.  Gilbert solidified his spot as the top corner with superb combine performance where he showed elite athleticism to go with his instincts.  Now the Steelers have to hope he lasts this long.

16. Baltimore Ravens:  CJ Mosley LB Alabama
Baltimore has a habit of getting good players to fall right into their lap.  Mosley could easily go #11 or #12 and nobody would bat an eye, but since the ILB spot doesn't carry a huge position value he could slip.  Mosley can step into the Rey Lewis role as the run stuffer and blitzer.

17. Dallas Cowboys:  Aaron Donald DT Pittsburgh
Donald really made a name for himself with a dominant performance at the Senior Bowl and then continued his momentum with a Combine performance to puts him square into the first round discussion.  His quickness and speed make him a perfect fit as a 3 technique defensive tackle in a Tampa 2 style defense that the Cowboys are trying to run.

18. New York Jets:  Eric Ebron TE North Carolina
New York really wanted Tavon Austin last year but missed out on him, and the lack of playmakers really hurt this offense.  This pick could either be a receiver or tight end and with Evans off the board it looks like Ebron is the guy.   If the Jets were able to get a couple of big games out of Kellen Winslow last year, imagine what they could do with a guy some are comparing to Vernon Davis.

19. Miami Dolphins:  Zach Martin OL Notre Dame
It's totally realistic that the Dolphins will be starting five new offensive lineman on opening day with Martin, Incognio and Jerry all gone (Pouncey suspended).  I predict they'll land Brandon Albert who they wanted last year, but they still need that guard.  Martin could be the best possible solution because he has the skill set to play tackle, but projects best to guard.  Either way he's good enough to play anywhere on their line.

20. Arizona Cardinals:  Morgan Moses OT Virginia
They'd love to get Taylor Lewan who would fit the Cardinals scheme perfectly, but he's more likely to go in the top 10 than be available here.  Instead they'll go with Morgan Moses who isn't the athlete that Lewan is, but he's a developing prospect with the skill set to help protect the quarterback on those five and seven step drops Arians likes. 

21. Green Bay Packers: Dee Ford DE Auburn
They could go with a tight end, especially with the uncertainty surrounding Jermichael Finley.  However the bigger priority may be getting help for Clay Matthews in rushing the passer.  Dee Ford made a name for himself with a strong three game performance against Alabama, Missouri, and Florida State with this athleticism and ability to get pressure on the QB.

22. Philadelphia Eagles:  Darqueze Dennard CB Michigan State
Cary Williams isn't a slouch, but when he's your number one corner you have issues.  The knock of Dennard is he doesn't have great height, but what he lacks in height he makes up for in speed, quickness, and jumping ability.  He wasn't named "No Fly Zone" for nothing.

23. Kansas City Chiefs:  Brandin Cooks WR Oregon State
The Chiefs are really in a good position here because they should be able to address their three main needs with a quality player here.  Stephon Tuitt or Jace Amaro could be their choice, but instead they go with Cooks who reminds many of Desean Jackson.  The KC offense lacked playmakers outside of Jamal Charles and Cooks gives them that homerun threat on the outside.

24. Cincinnati Bengals:  Lamarcus Joyner S Florida State
In their need to add playmakers to the secondary the Bengals could also find a solution to their free safety position.  Joyner's lack of size will scare some teams off and add that he played mainly cornerback this past year could have him falling.  However he gets compared to Tyrann Mathieu a lot mainly because of his playmaking ability and that's exactly what the Bengals need.

25. San Diego Chargers:  Kony Ealy DE Missouri
When add up that Thomas Keiser is your top pass rusher and Melvin Ingram continues to underachieve, you have some big issues.  Kony Ealy could be a good weapon for this defense because he can play all over the field.  He can line up as a DE in four and three man fronts and even play some OLB in the 3-4.

26. Cleveland Browns:  Kelvin Benjamin WR Florida State
They got their future QB with pick #4, now they can add another weapon to make the offense even better.  Manziel was successful at A&M because he could throw jump balls to Mike Evans.  Benjamin is very similar to Evans but even bigger.  Paring him up with Josh Gordon could do wonders for this offense.

27. New Orleans Saints:  Stephon Tuitt DE Notre Dame
Stephon Tuitt would fit in perfectly with the Saints aggressive 3-4 scheme. Tuitt has good size and is a versatile player that has the potential to dominant.  His quickness and strength fits right into the scheme and at 6'6 300 pounds he has the size teams love out of the position.

28. Carolina Panthers:  Ha'Sean Clinton-Dix S Alabama
There are some that have Clinton-Dix going in the teens, but if a safety goes that high then he needs to be able to cover centerfield.  I don't see that in Clinton-Dix, he's a strong safety and better at playing in the box and matching up with tight ends.  That's not a bad thing, he'll be a vast improvement over Mike Mitchell.

29. New England Patriots:  Louis Nix DT Notre Dame
Louis Nix isn't your typical nose tackle, he possess quickness and explosion you normally see out of sub 300 pound tackles.  For the Patriots they'll see a lot of Vince Wilfork who won't be around forever.  Nix's versatility will allow him to fit right in with the Patriots who love to play a hybrid 4-3, 3-4 defense.

30. San Francisco 49ers:  Kyle Fuller CB Virginia Tech
San Francisco has one of the top defenses in the NFL, but they are still weak at the cornerback position.  Fuller has long been on that second tier of CBs but after an impressive combine his numbers back up his strong play.  His cover skills will come in handy with the 49ers who love to blitz and put their CBs on islands.

31. Denver Broncos:  Scott Crichton DE Oregon State
When the Broncos lost Elvis Dummervill they lost out on a big piece to their defense.  Dummervill was very good in Leo role in their 4-3 Under defense and Shaun Phillips just couldn't fill that role.  Taking Scott Cricthon here gives them an athletic end to come off the edge and provide pressure opposite of Von Miller.

32. Seattle Seahawks:  Xavier Su'a-Filo G UCLA
Who Seattle goes with will be a mystery since they go for fit more than value.  Even with them winning the Super Bowl, their offensive line was an issue.  They could really use a tackle and guard in this offseason.  Su'a-Filo has been shooting up the draft boards and his ability to play in a zone blocking scheme makes him a fit.

Combine Review

The 2012 NFL Scouting Combine has come to and end. And even though the Combine isn't the end all be all, it is still a place where prospects can enhance or hurt their stock. Here are a few players who either improved or hurt their stock.

Improved
Stephon Hill WR Georgia Tech
Even before the Combine came Stephon Hill's name was being toss around as a possible sleeper WR. Well you can throw the sleeper tag out the window now because everybody knows who he is after running a 4.36 40 at 6'4 215lbs. Hill was hidden in Paul Johnson's triple offense, so not too many people knew about him. This will force teams to take a closer look at him. Now Hill will more than likely debut in a lot of 1st round Mock Drafts, but let's hold off on that. Hill has probably gone from a 5th round territory to the 2nd or 3rd rounds.

Dontari Poe NT Memphis

Poe was another player whose stock was starting to grow before the combine. Poe was being compared to Browns DT Phil Taylor. But after dominating the Combine we are starting to see Poe compared to Haloti Ngata, and rightfully so. Poe ran a 4.98 40 at 346lbs which is just incredible. Add in that Poe put up 44 reps in the bench press and it has people seeing that his speed and strength wasn't just a product of playing against lesser competition. Poe stock is so high that he is even being considered a top 10 prospect now.


Kendall Reyes DT UConn
After a strong Senior Bowl, Reyes continued his positive roll and is continuing to move up the draft boards. At the Combine Reyes ran a 4.95 40, 36 reps on the bench, and 34 in vertical leap all of which were amongst the top 10 for DTs. During position drills Reyes showed good feet and a powerful punch on the bags. He's locked up his status as a 2nd round pick. But don't be surprised if he goes in the late 1st round. He'll be coveted by both 4-3 and 3-4 teams.

Luke Kuechly LB Boston College
Going into the combine there wasn't a lot of expectations from Kuechly. He was known for his instincts and that couldn't be measured in this setting. However Kuechly impressed everybody by running a 4.58 40 and jumping a 38 in vertical leap. Both of those drills really improve the perception that he isn't an explosive talent and cements his status at a top 15 prospect.

Bruce Irvin LB West Virginia
Although he was listed as a defensive lineman because he played DE at West Virginia, but Irvin projects better as an outside linebacker. And his Combine performance proves it. He ran the 2nd fastest 40 time (4.50) of all linebackers. He was also a top performer at the vertical leap (33.5) and the 3 cone drill (6.70 fastest of all DL and LB). What makes his performance even better is that he looked very natural in the LB drills. That should make him a good candidate
to be a 3-4 OLB or even now a 4-3 SLB. Irvin reminds me a lot of Von Miller in the type of player he is. With this performance Irvin probably moved himself into the 2nd round territory.

Alfonzo Dennard CB Nebraska
Dennard has long thought to be the 4th best CB in the draft, but a hip injury limited his abilities in the Senior Bowl and now everybody has dropped him. But at the Combine Dennard really showed well and should return himself into that late 1st/early 2nd round range. Dennard finished as a top performer in the 40, vertical, and broad jump. While also looking very solid in position drills. Dennard also looked to have the best hands of all the DBs, never dropping a pass.

Jayron Hosley CB Virginia Tech
An injury really set back Hosley at the beginning of the year, but with his performance at the Combine Hosley was able to remind everybody why he was considered a fringe 1st round pick. Hosley ran a 4.44 40 and looked very fluid in position drills. Teams that play a lot of man to man coverage will really like him. He's probably locked his spot in the top part of the 2nd round.

Harrison Smith S Notre Dame
I'd have to say I'm a little late to the Harrison Smith party. Smith has been talked about a lot lately and some have even listed him as a 1st round pick. Now I don't see him at that level, but his combine really showed what he is capable of. Smith ran a good 4.57 time and showed very good range during position drills. He's more of a SS, but he showed he has the ability to play some FS too. Smith should be off the board somewhere in the top half of the 2nd round.

Hurt
Kendall Wright WR Baylor
When you are thought to be one of the fastest guys in the draft and you go out and run a 4.61 40, that can't be good. Now it's not time to overreact and have him sliding too far down. Wright still has a lot of good firm and looks fast there. However the talk of him going to Jacksonville at #7 is probably out of the question. More than likely Wright will go at the end of the 1st round where he should have gone to begin with. A good pro day can recapture his claim to the #2 WR spot in the draft, but we'll have to wait to see.

Mahamed Sanu WR Rutgers
Nobody was expecting Sanu to run a sub 4.4 40 at the combine. However when his high was 4.67 it definitely wasn't good. This may cause some teams to drop him or back off, but they shouldn't be too surprised. Sanu isn't a burner, but is a good route runner who uses quickness and change of direction well. Plus he has good hands so that shouldn't affect him too much. This reminds me a lot of Damian Williams from a couple of years ago. Good route runner who ran a slow 40 time. Now in year 2 he is contributing.

Dwayne Allen TE Clemson
At one point Dwayne Allen was considered the far and away best TE in the draft. However his stock was sliding and a poor showing at the combine doesn't help. His first stumble was running a 4.89 40. Adding in that he didn't look too athletic in drills and that doesn't look good for a TE who many thought was more of a receiver than a blocker. He'll need to really improve at his pro day if he still wants to be taken in the first three rounds.

Vinny Curry DE Marshall
For a guy that was considered a speed rusher, Curry didn't exactly show very well. His 4.98 was bested by Dontari Poe's 4.96 and he weights 346lbs. Curry also looked stiff in the drills which will cause some teams to question whether he is a 4-3 DE only. Curry was thought to be a good late 1st round DE to either a 4-3 or 3-4 team. However now he looks to be a 4-3 only and very well could be on the board still in the late 2nd or early 3rd. He is going to need a good pro day to put some of these questions to rest otherwise he'll go lower than many expected.

Vontaze Burfict LB Arizona State
Where do I start? Was it his 5.09 40? Or how about how he threw his former coaches at ASU under the bus? Either way you slice it, Burfict is in complete free fall mode. He won't likely be drafted in the first two rounds. Heck there is a chance he goes undrafted. Would that really surprise you? Sure wouldn't to me.

Leonard Johnson CB Iowa State
A lot like Mahamed Sanu, many didn't expect Leonard Johnson to run a low 40 time. So somewhere in the 4.5s and he would have been fine. However running a 4.71 and that raises a few eyebrows. Add in that Johnson really didn't wow anybody with his performance in the position drills and it's easy to believe that he could slide down into the bottom of the 3rd round. It's too bad because some "experts" were thinking was one of the top 5 CBs in the draft. Probably not anymore.