Mock Draft 2013

1) Kansas City Chiefs: Geno Smith, QB, West Virginia

–Tall, slender, strong. Geno Smith‘s arm talent reminds me of Aaron Rodgers. Of course he will take some grooming, but not everyone is Andrew Luck. The Chiefs were in a lot of games last year but ultimately lost because of QB play.

2) Jacksonville Jaguars: Barkevious Mingo, DE, LSU

—Barkevious Mingo defines a relentless, big-time pass-rusher. He’s well-worth a high pick. When playing against Andrew Luck, Jake Locker and Matt Schaub and the weapons those QBs have, getting to the QB is a must.

3) Oakland Raiders: Dee Milliner, CB, Alabama

–Big, physical and a technician. Not often does a cornerback have the combination of talents that Dee Milliner has. From Day 1 in 2012, Milliner took on the opposition’s best receiver and more often than not shut them down. He’s also a good tackler. What do the Raiders’ opposing receivers have in common? They are all huge, at an average size of 6’4″, 223 pounds. (Demaryius Thomas, Eric Decker, Malcom Floyd, Danario Alexander, Dwayne Bowe, Jonathan Baldwin). At 6’1″, 199 pounds, Milliner is equally big (for a cornerback).

4) Philadelphia Eagles: Luke Joeckel, OT, Texas A&M

–This year’s Matt Kalil. All-around skills and as NFL-ready as any lineman in the draft. Will Jason Peter’s be ready? If so, Luke Joeckel may be able to plug-and-play at right tackle. If Peters isn’t ready, Joeckel could step in at his natural left tackle spot, a spot he could conceivably have for the next decade.

5) Detroit Lions: Jarvis Jones, OLB, Georgia

–With maybe the most talent in the draft, Jarvis Jones can instantly make Detroit a better team. Besides penalties, the Lions biggest problem is their defense. Jones can rush the passer as good as anyone is the draft, as was evident when he led the nation in sacks with 14.5 last season. Aaron Rodgers, Jay Cutler and Christian Ponder are all players that possess a lot of talent. If the Lions want to get back to the playoffs, they’re going to have to neutralize that talent.

6) Cleveland Browns: Bjoern Werner, DE, Florida State

–A versatile, physical, tireless worker. He’ll fit in well in Cleveland. Sure, they could go offense here, but to add a player like Bjoern Werner and continue to solidify and legitimize their defense isn’t a bad choice.

7) Arizona Cardinals: Chance Warmack, OG, Alabama

–Quite simply, the Cardinals offensive line is a mess. Chance Warmack graded out as NFL.com’s best overall prospect (95.9). I’ve been keeping close tabs on the Crimson Tide over the past few seasons and I can’t remember the last time Warmarck messed up. He’s the definition of a blue-chip player.

8) Buffalo Bills: Damontre Moore, DE, Texas A&M

–In three years in College Station, Damontre Moore totaled 45 tackles for loss and 26.5 sacks. Here’s the scary thing: scouts say he has room to grow and they compare him to Aldon Smith. Enough said.

9) New York Jets: Star Lotulelei, DT, Utah

—Star Lotulelei is A disruptive force who can anchor a defense. He’s best in a 3-4, which the Jets run, but could excel is just about any base defense. Scouts compare him to Haloti Ngata, someone Rex Ryan coached from 2006-08 in Baltimore. If the Jets are going to re-build (and boy, do they ever need to), Lotulelei represents a step in the right direction.

10) Tennessee Titans: Jonathan Cooper, OG, UNC

–Some scouts will probably think this is too high for Jonathan Cooper, but with the Titans likely targeting Warmack, Cooper is the next best guard prospect. In the last two seasons, Cooper has led the charge for the Tar Heels as he’s helped running back Giovanni Bernard rush for 2,481 yards and 25 touchdowns since 2011. As a former wrestler, Cooper is an excellent athlete for a lineman, able to pull to either side. This could be the pick to help Chris Johnson start dominating again.

11) San Diego Chargers: Eric Fisher, OT, Central Michigan

–The Chargers have good players at the skill positions and on defense. Their offensive line needs help. If you’re a Chargers fan, think of facing Von Miller, Elvis Dumervil and Tamba Hali each twice per year with their current offensive line. Eric Fisher is one of last few highly-touted offensive lineman left at this point. Like the Browns, the Chargers may have other needs but this pick looks to be a wise one.

12) Miami Dolphins: Keenan Allen, WR, California

–The Dolphins made a successful pick taking Ryan Tannehill last year. Now they need to get him some help at the wide receiver position. Fortunately for them, Keenan Allen is probably available at this point, and the Dolphins would happily make him the first wide receiver selected in the 2013 draft. Allen has size (6’3″, 205 pounds), speed and a lot of talent. He scored 79 offensive touchdowns and intercepted 17 passes in the last two years of his high school career. The Dolphins are an instant playoff contender with this selection.

13) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Xavier Rhodes, CB, Florida State

–The Buccaneers need a big, physical corner who can defend any receiver without help. Xavier Rhodes is their man. Drew Brees, Cam Newton and Matt Ryan in your division? Yeah, I’d say a top-notch cornerback is a priority. Paired with Mark Bark, this could be the beginning of a scary Bucs secondary.

14) Carolina Panthers: Dion Jordan, OLB, Oregon

–The Panthers would be fortunate if Dion Jordan feel to them at No. 14. Between him and Luke Kuechly (drafted in 2012), Carolina will start to have a better defense and stop having to depend on Cam Newton to play-mistake free in order to win games. You can’t teach Jordan’s size (6’7″, 241 pounds). To think Jordan defended slot receivers makes you shake your head.

15) New Orleans Saints: Sam Montgomery, DE, LSU

—Sam Montgomery notched 17 sacks and two First-Team All-SEC nominations in his last two seasons at Louisiana State. This figures to be a natural fit for the Saints, as they need a pass-rusher/edge-setter along the defensive line. And for what it’s worth, Baton Rouge and New Orleans are just 80 miles apart.

16) St. Louis Rams: Cordarrelle Patterson, WR, Tennessee

–Although he has limited FBS experience, Cordarrelle Patterson is a bonafide playmaker. He’s a wide receiver but as also played a lot of running back and kick returner. He scored touchdowns as a wide receiver, running back, punt returner and kick returner. According to NFL.com, Patterson was the first player in four years to score a touchdown four different ways. In a defensive division like the NFC West, that’s just the type of player the Rams could use.

17) Pittsburgh Steelers: Sheldon Richardson, DT, Missouri

–Out of the hundreds of draft-eligible players, Sheldon Richardson is one of nine who received a NFL scouting grade of 90 or above. He reminds you of Fletcher Cox, the defensive tackle taken in the first round by the Eagles in last year’s draft. Richardson (6’4″, 295 pounds) is only three pounds lighter than Cox (6’4″, 298 pounds). Like Cox, Richardson possesses strength, agility and good footwork. He pursues like a linebacker but has a the power of a defensive lineman. If the Steelers are looking for the next Casey Hampton, Richardson might be their guy.

18) Dallas Cowboys: Ezekiel Ansah, DE, BYU

–While Ezekiel Ansah admits he’s not always in great shape, his tape shows you he’s a premier defensive talent in this draft. He has all the measurables (6’6″, 270 pounds) and potential you look for, but needs coaching and conditioning–the two things that are most fixable. Anthony Spencer is a free agent and Ansah, given a solid offseason of OTAs and mini-camps, could play opposite DeMarcus Ware. You may not know him well now, but scouts think you will soon enough.

19) New York Giants: Alec Ogletree, LB, Georgia

—Alec Olgetree has a lot of talent and “excellent speed for the position” according to NFL.com. However, he’s a converted safety and missed four games in 2012 via suspension for violating team rules. His play on the field speaks for itself. If the Giants determine Olgetree is on the straight and narrow, drafting him would fill one of their needs. Especially with the emergence of Robert Griffin III, drafting a sideline-to-sideline player like Olgetree is something they will have to consider.

20) Chicago Bears: Kevin Minter, LB, LSU

–Brian Urlacher nearing the end of his career? Sure. Kevin Minter being a plug-and-play, tough-as-nails middle linebacker? You bet. Minter is a smart, physical, whistle-to-whistle linebacker. He’s not the fastest linebacker, but with all of his talent considered, he doesn’t have to be. His style and the personality of Bears football go hand-in-hand.

21) Cincinnati Bengals: Kenny Vaccaro, SS, Texas

–As a “combo” safety, Kenny Vaccaro can also lock up in man coverage while also being effective around the line of scrimmage. The Bengals are an interesting team in that they’re young and have been setting a nice foundation for two years now. If there is a “need” it might be offensive line, but I’m not sure there’s a lineman who’s worth this high of a pick. Putting Vaccaro figures to be an improvement over Taylor Mays, as Vaccaro can do more than just make big hits. Between their defensive line, Leon Hall and Reggie Nelson, the Bengals already have an outstanding defense. Adding Vaccaro would make them younger and more talented–their team theme since 2010.

22) St. Louis Rams (from Washington via 2012 draft): Sharrif Floyd, DT, Florida

—Sharrif Floyd is a physical, diverse defensive lineman. He’s played just about everywhere on the defensive line, but according to NFL.com “has never been allowed to focus on one particular skill set.” Between defensive ends Chris Long and Robert Quinn and defensive tackle Michael Brockers, Floyd could be that fourth and final piece that makes St. Louis’ defensive line a force in the league. With Floyd, the defensive line’s average age would be a whopping 23.

23) Minnesota Vikings: Johnthan Banks, CB, Mississippi State

–The Vikings have elite playmakers at running back (Adrian Peterson), wide receiver (Percy Harvin), defensive line (Jared Allen) and linebacker (Chad Greenway). They’re missing a star defensive back. Assuming Xavier Rhodes doesn’t drop this far, I’d say Minnesota would take a long look at selecting Johnthan Banks. At 6’2″, 185 pounds, Banks is bigger than a lot of NFL receivers. He’s a willing tackler, but not always a sound tackler. Still, he’s above average in coverage and seems to be coachable.

24) Indianapolis Colts: Johnathan Hankins, DT, Ohio State

–This man is a beast, standing 6’3″ and weighing 335 pounds. But Johnathan Hankins is more athletic than you might think. He’s played outside the tackle (five-technique) at time because of his athleticism. The downside is that he’s not a great pass-rusher, but honestly, he doesn’t have to be. He disrupts the pocket and is a good fit for Chuck Pagano’s 3-4 defense.

25) Seattle Seahawks: Robert Woods, WR, USC

–The Seahawks lack talent at the wide receiver position. Their defense is superb, as is their running game, offensive line and quarterback. Robert Woods went to USC. Pete Carroll is the Seahawks’ head coach. Connect the dots.

26) Green Bay Packers: Barrett Jones, OL, Alabama

–There is no more versatile and accomplished offensive lineman in this (or maybe any other) draft than Barrett Jones. He’s won National Championships while playing right guard (2009), left tackle (2011) and center (2012). If the Packers have one glaring hole, it’s the offensive line.

27) Houston Texans: Tavon Austin, WR, West Virginia

–If you think Tavon Austin is frail because of his size, you’re mistaken. He’s the quintessential game-breaker. Putting him opposite Andre Johnson may be the missing piece the Texans have been looking for.

28) Denver Broncos: Matt Elam, S, Florida

—Matt Elam, the younger brother of Abe Elam, can play in the slot, blitz off the corner, or even on special teams. He plays with a lot of energy and sometimes with more risk than reward.

*29) Baltimore Ravens: Eric Reid, S, LSU

–Ed Reed may not be in Baltimore next season. If Eric Reid is on the board, the Ravens should take him. He’s a smart, athletic player who’s still getting better. Check out this description of Reid from NFL.com and see if he fits the mold of a typical Raven: “Flashes excellent closing speed, pummels receivers after the catch when coming downhill and can get into the backfield if smelling out the play after the snap.”

*30) San Francisco 49ers: Jesse Williams, NT, Alabama

–The 49ers don’t have many weakness, but adding a player like Jesse Williams will help them maintain their forth-best run defense. He’s not a great athlete, but he plays with very good leverage and has a good motor. Putting him alongside players with the work ethic of Justin Smith and Isaac Sopoaga should bring the very best out of the Australian Williams. Besides, if there is any college program in America that plays defense like the Niners, it’s Alabama.

*31) New England Patritots: John Jenkins, DT, Georgia

–Like the 49ers, the Patriots don’t need a lot of help. So, you look toward replacing current stars that may be near the end of their career. If John Jenkins is on the board at this point, New England may want to select him to be Vince Wilfork’s replacement. Jenkins may not have the career Wilfork has had, but he (Jenkins) has played at a high level during his two seasons at Georgia.

*32) Atlanta Falcons: Tyler Eifert, TE, Notre Dame

–Tony Gonzalez likely retiring and Matt Ryan often targeting his tight end makes this one of the easiest picks in the draft. There were very few Notre Dame players that played well in the National Championship game, but Tyler Eifert was one of them. At 6’6″, 251 pounds, Eifert has the size to go over the middle while also having the ability to make tough catches on the sideline. He’s good in close spaces and is a very good red zone target. He has no medical or off-field issues to speak of and after the 2012 season, Eifert won the Mackey Award (the Nation’s top tight end).

___________________________________________________________________________________________

1) Jacksonville Jaguars: Matt Barkley, QB, USC

2) Kansas City Chiefs: Dallas Thomas, OT, Tennessee
3) Philadelphia Eagles: D.J. Fluker, OT, Alabama
4) Detroit Lions: Alex Okafor, DE, Texas
5) Cincinnati Bengals (from Oakland): Eddie Lacy, RB, Alabama
6) Arizona Cardinals: Tyler Wilson, QB, Arkansas
7) [Cleveland would be next, but has no pick, due to their selection of Josh Gordon in the supplemental draft.]
8) New York Jets: Mike Glennon, QB, N.C. State
9) Tennessee Titans: Zach Ertz, TE, Stanford
10) Buffalo Bills: DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Clemson
11) Miami Dolphins: Lane Johnson, OT, Oklahoma
12) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Justin Hunter, WR, Tennessee
13) Carolina Panthers: D.J. Swearinger, SS, South Carolina
14) [New Orleans would be next, but has no pick, due to bountygate.] 15) San Diego Chargers: Manti Te’o, MLB, Notre Dame
16) St. Louis Rams: Christine Michael, RB, Texas A&M
17) Dallas Cowboys: T.J. McDonald, FS, USC
18) Pittsburgh Steelers: Desmond Trufant, CB, Washington
19) New York Giants: Terry Hawthorne, CB, Illinois
20) Chicago Bears: Andre Ellington, RB, Clemson
21) Washington Redskins: Terrance Williams, WR, Baylor
22) Minnesota Vikings: Kawann Short, DT, Purdue
23) Cincinnati Bengals: Travis Frederick, C, Wisconsin
24) Miami Dolphins (from Indianapolis): Kyle Long, OG, Oregon
25) Green Bay Packers: Ricky Wagner, OT, Wisconsin
26) Seattle Seahawks: Chase Thomas, OLB, Stanford
27) Houston Texans: Denard Robinson, WR, Michigan
28) Denver Broncos: Jordan Poyer, CB, Oregon State
*29) Baltimore Ravens: Khaled Holmes, C, USC
*30) San Francisco 49ers: Leon McFadden, CB, San Diego State
*31) New England Patriots: Cobi Hamilton, WR, Arkansas
*32) Atlanta Falcon: Brennan Williams, OT, UNC