Tennessee Titans

Jordan Katz-NFL Media Mock Draft

Posted on April 11, 2016

Here at Draftstock.net we believe in giving you the best content that we can give you. Our mock draft motto is always to mock what we would do in each scenario if we were in the war rooms with the 32 NFL teams.

However, I’ve come to realize that some of you may be wondering what your team are most likely to do on draft day. It’s hard to know which media rumors are true, and which are smoke screens. Since the major media outlets report all the information they’re given, it’s very easy for teams to manipulate smoke screens around draft time.

For those that don’t know, a “smoke screen” is a rumor that teams will feed the media to see if they can get a team to trade up for a certain player. For example, a few years ago there was a rumor that a team in the top ten was going to select Ryan Nassib. Many mock draft experts proceeded to put Nassib in their top tens, but alas he fell to round four, like he should’ve.

Upon request from some readers, I’ve decided to do a media based mock drafts. These will be more like the traditional mock drafts you see on NFL.com or ESPN. The one difference is that I will include trades, because those are rumors as well.

I will try to decipher which rumors hold merit, and which ones won’t happen. Hopefully I can help each of you get a better grasp for what your team might do on draft day.

ROUND ONE

1) Tennessee Titans- Laremy Tunsil, OT Ole Miss- Our first smokescreen rumor is Jalen Ramsey to the Titans at the first overall selection. In the post merger era, there has never been a defensive back selected with the top pick. The Titans are kicking this around to see if a team like the Jaguars will overpay to move up a few spots for their top player. I think the Titans are forced to stay here, and in that case they will take Tunsil.

2) Cleveland Browns- Deforest Buckner, DE Oregon- Paul DePodesta is from the “moneyball” mantra, which means at every draft spot you select your best player available. The signing of Robert Griffin III signaled to me that the Browns aren’t fans of the quarterbacks in this draft.

Buckner has a ton of talent, and the Browns are desperate for defensive line help. They also could use about 40 more guys on their roster that can play in the NFL.

3) Jacksonville Jaguars via San Diego Chargers- Jalen Ramsey, CB/FS Florida State- In my personal mock draft I had the Chargers trade down because I think it’s in their best interest, and apparently they agree. The Chargers have been trying to pawn off the third overall pick for a while. With Ramsey, Carson Wentz, and Jared Goff on the board, the offers will be pouring in.

My guess is Jacksonville will be the most lucrative option. The Chargers stay in the top five, and get a top second round pick. The Jaguars get a game changer in Ramsey.

4) Dallas Cowboys- Joey Bosa, DE Ohio State- I know the rumor is that Bosa’s stock has fallen and he might wind up outside the top ten, but I just don’t see Dallas passing on him. Randy Gregory failed a drug test and Greg Hardy isn’t coming back. They need someone opposite Demarcus Lawrence and Bosa’s tape is phenomenal.

5) St. Louis Rams from San Diego Chargers via Jacksonville Jaguars- Jared Goff, QB California- It’s been a few years since we’ve seen a team trade down twice, but the Chargers are in a perfect position to do so. They slide down a little for a team to come up and take Ramsey, and then slide down again for a team that wants to make a major move for a quarterback.

The Rams are a quarterback away from becoming a potential playoff team. I think they’ll look to be aggressive in this draft if one of the top two QB’s slide a bit.

6) Baltimore Ravens- Ronnie Stanley, OT Notre Dame- I think Ozzie Newsome will be flooded with trade offers from teams that are looking to jump the Niners and Eagles to take a quarterback, but Newsome rarely trades down. He believes in taking the best player available.

Stanley is a starting tackle from day one, making him an immediate contributor to the Ravens offense.

7) San Francisco 49ers- Carson Wentz, QB North Dakota State- Wentz could thrive in Chip Kelly’s system if given the opportunity. If he got the chance to sit the first year as well, he could turn into something really special.

8) Philadelphia Eagles via Miami Dolphins- Vernon Hargreaves, CB Florida- The Eagles have to take a cornerback or a quarterback with this selection. Both QB’s are off the board, so they go with the top cornerback available in Hargreaves.

9) Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Myles Jack, OLB UCLA- Conventional wisdom would say that the Buccaneers need an edge rusher, but I doubt they pass on Jack if he falls this far. The Panthers recent success has been predicated on the strength of their linebacking core. Jack’s athleticism playing opposite Lavonte David would make for a nasty duo.

10) New York Giants- Taylor Decker, OT Ohio State- The Giants are the ultimate wild card team after their big splashes in free agency. There are rumors of them still taking an edge rusher, and rumors that their pick will be on the offensive side of the ball.

I think whatever the Giants do will catch some people off guard. They do need a right tackle, and many think Taylor Decker is worthy of a top 10-15 selection. Therefore, maybe the Giants reach a couple of spots to fortify their offensive line.

11) Chicago Bears- Shaq Lawson, EDGE Clemson- I believe Lawson is better served as a 4-3 defensive end, but that doesn’t mean he can’t be a 3-4 edge rusher. He’s equally as talented when he rushes standing up as he is with his hand in the dirt. The Bears defense really needs someone that can consistently get to the quarterback, so Lawson makes sense here.

12) New Orleans Saints- Mackensie Alexander, CB Clemson- The Saints need just about everything on the defensive side of the ball. I think Alexander is very high on their board because of his ability to play nickel corner. The Saints like Delvin Breaux, so if they don’t need Alexander out wide right away, he can be a nickel corner right away.

13) Washington Redskins from Miami Dolphins via Philadelphia Eagles-Ezekiel Elliott, RB Ohio State- If they made a handbook on how to properly draft running backs in the modern NFL, trading up for one would be what not to do.

However, Washington needs a franchise back to alleviate pressure from Kirk Cousins. It’s also not every day that a running back like ‘Zeke Elliott comes along.

Miami is in a great position to trade down here because they could use some depth players later on in this draft. I could definitely see ‘Zeke falling on draft day and if he does, look for Washington to move up.

14) Oakland Raiders- Reggie Ragland, ILB Alabama- Based on what I’ve seen from media reports as well as individual workouts and interviews, this pick seems like a slam-dunk. Ragland would help the Raiders run defense immediately.

15) San Diego Chargers via St. Louis Rams- Sheldon Rankins, DE/DT Louisville- In weak draft class teams tend to gawk at athleticism. Rankins is a definitive athlete, but he also has the tape to back up this selection.

16) Detroit Lions- Jack Conklin, OT Michigan State- The Lions need to protect Matt Stafford better in 2016. Conklin is low on my personal board, but a lot of scouts and mock draft experts have him as a top 30 selection.

17) Atlanta Falcons- Darron Lee, OLB Ohio State- Dan Quinn’s motto since arriving in Atlanta has been “eat, sleep, compete, repeat.” To that effect, Darron Lee is a leo linebacker that hustles (ran a 4.43 at the combine), and competes every day.

18) Indianapolis Colts- Noah Spence, EDGE Western Kentucky- The Colts have to do a better job of getting to the passer in 2016. Spence has a lot of talent on tape, but his dismissal from Ohio State will have teams concerned. His draft slot on draft day will be determined by the amount of edge rushers that go early.

19) Buffalo Bills- Emmanuel Ogbah, EDGE Oklahoma State- Rex Ryan needs an edge rusher to replace Mario Williams and take double teams away from Jerry Hughes. Ogbah’s speed off the edge would make him a very solid player in this defense.

20) Cleveland Browns via New York Jets- Laquon Treadwell, WR Ole Miss- The Browns haven’t had a number one receiver since Braylon Edwards. If any quarterback is to succeed in Cleveland in the near future, the Browns must get that QB some weapons.

The Jets are a team that not many will expect to move down, but based on their cap situation, they could use to move out of round one. This, of course, is assuming they can still get the player they desire.

21) Miami Dolphins via Washington Redskins- William Jackson III, CB Houston- There’s always a surprise move in the first round that mock draft pendants don’t see coming. He might not go this high, but I think that surprise player is William Jackson. He had a great combine, he shows terrific ball skills on tape, and his length will allow him to jam smaller receivers without losing a step.

22) Houston Texans- A’Shawn Robinson, NT Alabama- Vince Wilfork is over the hill and Christian Covington is a rotational player, not a starter. This pick seems like a layup.

23) Minnesota Vikings- Josh Doctson, WR TCU- Minnesota has visited with Doctson on a number of occasions. I don’t take too much stock into visits with a team, but when it’s at a position of need it needs to be a factor.

24) Cincinnati Bengals- Corey Colmean, WR Baylor- Coleman is the kind of receiver that flourishes in Cincy’s offense. He’s talented with the ball in his hands and he can stretch the field. What he could add to the offense is a third down target. His route running could help take double teams away from Tyler Eifert in the middle of the field.

25) Pittsburgh Steelers- Andrew Billings, NT Baylor- The Steelers never select a first round corner, which means their next pressing need would be to address the nose tackle position. Billings is a huge presence in the middle of a defense, and eats blockers as well as anyone in the draft.

26) Seattle Seahawks- Robert Nkemdiche, DT Ole Miss- Pete Carroll doesn’t shy away from character issues. Don’t expect draft day to be any different if he’s staring at a top five talent with this selection.

27) Green Bay Packers- Jarran Reed, DE/DT Alabama- Reed is very good at getting leverage at the point of attack. He’s a solid run stopper, something the Packers need.

28) Kansas City Chiefs- Cody Whitehair, OT/OG Kansas State- As I said in my personal mock draft, this pick makes too much sense. The Chiefs need offensive line and Whitehair is a prototypical zone blocking guard.

29) Arizona Cardinals- Jaylon Smith, OLB/ILB Notre Dame- I think the Cardinals will either take a quarterback here on draft day, or the best available player if someone slides farther than they should. Smith has top five talent, but the questions regarding his rehab force him to fall into Arizona’s lap.

30) Carolina Panthers- Justin Simmons, FS Boston College- Simmons is the big riser after a phenomenal stretch of workouts during the draft process. The Panthers need to be more consistent in the secondary in 2016, so this seems like a natural fit.

31) Dallas Cowboys via Denver Broncos- Christian Hackenburg, QB Penn State- Based on the Jets sliding out of the first round, and being in the market for the quarterback, Dallas has to jump up for their back up/future starter.

It’s anyone’s guess as to which quarterback of the “next tier,” they prefer, but I think Hackenburg stands the most to gain from sitting multiple seasons.

TRADES

1) Jacksonville Jaguars trade the #5 and the #38 to the San Diego Chargers for the #3 and the #179.

2) Los Angeles Rams trade the #15, #43 and a 2017 2^nd round pick to the San Diego Chargers for the #5 and the #102.

3) Washington Redskins trade the #21 and the #53 to the Miami Dolphins for the #13 and the #186.

4) Cleveland Browns trade the #32 and the #65 to the New York Jets for the #20 and a 2017 5^th round pick.

5) Dallas Cowboys trade the #34 and a 2017 5^th to the Denver Broncos for the #31.

ROUND TWO

32) New York Jets via Cleveland Browns- Paxton Lynch, QB Memphis- Based on the uncertainty still surrounding Ryan Fitzpatrick, I think the Jets are leaning towards trading down for a QB.

33) Tennessee Titans- Eli Apple, CB Ohio State- The Titans need secondary in this draft, and many feel Apple is a day one starter.

34) Denver Broncos via Dallas Cowboys- Joshua Garnett, OG Stanford- I think that the Broncos will eventually work out the contract situation with Colin Kaepernick. Therefore they slide out of the first round and grab Garnett to play right guard.

35) San Diego Chargers- Jason Spriggs, OT Indiana- Spriggs is an athlete and the Chargers need to get younger and quicker on the offensive line.

36) Baltimore Ravens- Leonard Floyd, EDGE Georgia- When in doubt, give the Ravens the best player available. On many people’s board, Floyd is the best player available.

37) San Francisco 49ers- Kamalei Correa, EDGE Boise State- The Niners need a defensive overhaul, so they take the best defensive player available.

38) San Diego Chargers via Jacksonville Jaguars- Keanu Neal, SS Florida- Neal is probably the most complete in the box safety in the draft. The Chargers snag him with the extra pick they acquired from trading down.

39) Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Kevin Dodd, DE Clemson- The Buccaneers continue their dominant offseason by grabbing two of my top 10 players with their first two picks.

40) New York Giants- Braxton Miller, WR Ohio State- The Giants love receivers that move the sticks on third down, which is what Miller will be at the next level.

41) Chicago Bears- Jonathan Bullard, DE Florida- Bullard has the strength and ability to be a 3-4 defensive end. Combine that with his solid move set from the interior and you get a perfect fit for the Bears.

42) Miami Dolphins- Shilique Calhoun, EDGE Michigan State- The Dolphins do have Cameron Wake and Mario Williams, but they need some youth up front for the future. Calhoun could replace Wake as early as next season (Wake is a free agent).

43) Minnesota Vikings via San Diego Chargers from Los Angeles Rams via Philadelphia Eagles- Vonn Bell, SS Ohio State- Many project Bell to be a starting strong safety, so the Vikings come up a few picks to get a future replacement for Andrew Sendejo.

44) Oakland Raiders- Karl Joseph, FS/SS West Virginia- The Raiders signed Reggie Nelson, but they still need someone to play opposite him. Joseph is popular amongst draft pundits because of his elite athleticism.

45) Los Angeles Rams- Will Fuller, WR Notre Dame- I know there’s a lot of buzz around Fuller right now, but I don’t see him as a day one pick just yet. Having said that, he’s a steal for the Rams in round two because of his deep threat ability.

46) Detroit Lions- Vernon Butler, DL Louisiana Tech- Butler has the versatility to play 4-3 defensive tackle with ease. His run stopping ability would be the attraction for the Lions at this selection.

47) New Orleans Saints- Chris Jones, DE/DT Mississippi State- Jones has great athleticism and gets good leverage at the point of attack. He should help the Saints run defense immediately.

48) Indianapolis Colts- Artie Burns, CB Miami Florida- I’m assuming at some point the Colts will opt to address their horrendous secondary. Maybe its this year?

49) Buffalo Bills- Su’a Cravens, OLB/SS USC- Cravens’ versatility and toughness would be a weapon in Rex Ryan’s defense.

50) Atlanta Falcons- Hunter Henry, TE Arkansas- The Falcons need a target in the middle of the field for Matt Ryan. The offense flowed much better when Ryan had Tony Gonzalez as his safety valve. Henry might not be a great blocker, but he has very good hands and runs solid routes.

51) New York Jets- Germain Ifedi, OT Texas A&M- Many believe the Jets will take Ifedi at 20, but he’s very raw. Because of this, I feel that he will be someone who falls to the second round on draft day.

52) Houston Texans- Ryan Kelly, C Alabama- The Texans lost Ben Jones to free agency, which puts them in the market for a center come draft day.

53) Miami Dolphins via Washington Redskins- Shon Coleman, OT Auburn- The Dolphins should continue to acquire offensive line depth during the draft. Coleman has the length to be a starting tackle in the future.

54) San Diego Chargers via Minnesota Vikings- Landon Turner, OG North Carolina- The Chargers continue to bolster their offensive line from the extra picks that they have acquired in this mock draft.

55) Cincinnati Bengals- Austin Johnson, DT/NT Penn State- Johnson would wreak havoc next to Geno Atkins in the middle of the Bengals defense. His ability to win one-on-one matchups would prohibit teams from doubling Atkins on every down.

56) Seattle Seahawks- Jerald Hawkins, OT LSU- The Seahawks have significantly more needs than people realize, and offensive line is a major one. Hawkins has the length and strength to be a solid right tackle one day.

57) Philadelphia Eagles via Green Bay Packers- Connor Cook, QB Michigan State- Cook seems like a prototypical west coast quarterback at the next level. The Eagles jump back into the second round to grab their quarterback of the future.

58) Pittsburgh Steelers- Cyrus Jones, CB Alabama- Jones is a smart, instinctive corner with decent technique. He has to develop a bit, but his upside is very good for someone who is undersized.

59) Kansas City Chiefs- Sterling Shepard, WR Oklahoma- Shepard is a guy who would thrive in a west coast system. He’s quick, and his route running ability is tremendous.

60) New England Patriots- Nick Kwiatkoski, ILB West Virginia- Kwiatkoski is a three year starter who is fundamentally sound in the middle and was a leader for the Mountaineers in college. Sounds like a classic Patriots pick, right?

61) Chicago Bears from New England Patriots via Arizona Cardinals- Derrick Henry, RB Alabama- The Bears might think highly of Jeremy Langford, but he’s not an every down feature back. Henry would provide an immediate punch on short yardage situations, and he could become the every down back of the future.

62) Carolina Panthers- Harlan Miller, CB Southeastern Louisiana- Regardless of whether or not the Panthers are able to bring back Josh Norman after this season, they still need depth at the cornerback position. Miller is a guy that many feel, with time, could turn into a true number two cornerback.

63) Denver Broncos- Nick Martin, OG/OC Notre Dame- Martin has the versatility to play multiple spots on the offensive line, which is something Head Coach Gary Kubiak looks for.

TRADES IN ROUND TWO

1) Minnesota Vikings trade the #54, #160 and a 2017 3^rd to the San Diego Chargers for #43 and a 2017 7^th round pick.

2) Philadelphia Eagles trade the #77 and a 2017 3^rd to the Green Bay Packers for the #57.

3) Chicago Bears trade the #72 and the #106 to the New England Patriots for the #61 and the #204.

This entry was posted in Mock Drafts, NFL Draft Articles and tagged 2016 NFL Draft, 2016 NFL Mock Draft, Carson Wentz, Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, Deforest Buckner, Jacksonville Jaguars, Jalen Ramsey, Jared Goff, Joey Bosa, Laremy Tunsil, Los Angeles Rams, Myles Jack, New England Patriots, New York Giants, New York Jets, NFL Draft, NFL Mock Draft, Philadelphia Eagles, Ronnie Stanley, San Diego Chargers, San Francisco 49ers, Shaq Lawson, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans.

Jordan Katz NFL Mock Draft 4.0- Post Free Agency

Posted on March 28, 2016 Updated on March 28, 2016

We’re officially one month away from the NFL Draft. Free agency has come and gone (for the most part) making the draft the last chance for teams to improve their roster before OTA’s start. Team needs have shuffled around a bit, and my player grades have changed as well. This mock draft will give you more of a feel of what I think teams should do to make themselves better.

1) Tennessee Titans- Laremy Tunsil, OT Ole Miss- Some have started to mock Jalen Ramsey going first overall, but I still think the Titans should go with Tunsil. Even though Ramsey is my top player in the draft, Tennessee shouldn’t pass on the opportunity to fortify their offensive line for years to come.

2) Jacksonville Jaguars via Cleveland Browns- Jalen Ramsey, CB/S Florida State- I have been mocking a quarterback here because I thought it was a no brainer the Browns would do it. Having said that, I never believed a quarterback was worth drafting here.

Apparently, the Browns might agree with me. They signed Robert Griffin III and don’t appear to be locked into a quarterback at this selection.

So If the Browns don’t go QB at the number two, then it seems like an obvious spot to trade down and get extra draft picks. Jacksonville trades up to land a game changer in the secondary.

3) Atlanta Falcons via San Diego Chargers- Joey Bosa, DE Ohio State- If you haven’t guessed by now, I’m going to continue to have Atlanta trade up for Joey Bosa. In a weak draft class, I feel like it is a risk worth taking for a team that almost made the postseason last year. San Diego trades out to help them rebuild.

4) Dallas Cowboys- Myles Jack, OLB UCLA- In the last mock draft I tried to have Dallas trade down here because Bosa was gone, but they stayed here and took Jack. Now I think he’s too much of a talent to consider trading out.

5) Cleveland Browns via Jacksonville Jaguars- DeForest Buckner, DE Oregon- Cleveland could still take a quarterback here (another reason why they should actively pursue a trade), but Buckner is a game changing 3-4 defensive end. None of these quarterbacks have game changing ability right away.

6) Baltimore Ravens- Ronnie Stanley, OT Notre Dame- Ozzie Newsome is known for going best available player without hesitation. In this scenario, I can’t see him passing on a bookend tackle.

7) San Francisco 49ers- Carson Wentz, QB North Dakota State- While I still have Jared Goff as my top quarterback, Carson Wentz is more of a scheme fit for Chip Kelly. He’s a better athlete, and he has a bigger arm. One of the things the Eagles missed to perfect Kelly’s offense was a quarterback to take the top of the defense. Wentz can do that.

8) Philadelphia Eagles via Miami Dolphins- Vernon Hargreaves, CB Florida- The Eagles managed to dump almost every bad contract on their roster, and they even got some value back. Now the Eagles are in position to take a number one cornerback. Hargreaves has the ability to be a number one corner, which is something the Eagles are desperate for.

9) Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Kevin Dodd, DE Clemson- The Buccaneers had a great free agency, but they still need an edge rusher. Dodd has the versatility to be a dominating defensive end, something the Bucs haven’t had since Simeon Rice.

10) New York Giants- Josh Doctson, WR TCU- The Giants overhauled their defense in free agency, which gives them some flexibility to take whoever they want at this pick. I think the Giants next big need is a true number two wide receiver next to Odell Beckham Jr.

Doctson’s ability to high point the ball makes him an ideal deep threat and red zone target in the NFL, two things that would help alleviate double teams from ODB.

11) Chicago Bears- Mackensie Alexander, CB Clemson- I think the Bears could be a surprise team next year. They made solid acquisitions in free agency to help their defense, but they still need cornerback help. Alexander may not have the ball skills, but he’s got the technique to be a very good player.

12) New Orleans Saints- Shaq Lawson, DE Clemson- If new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen wants to switch to a 4-3, he needs an edge rusher opposite Cameron Jordan. Lawson has natural ability as a five tech defensive end. He should fit right in with Allen’s new defensive philosophy.

13) Miami Dolphins via Philadelphia Eagles- Ezekiel Elliott, RB Ohio State- The Dolphins made big splashes on defense, but they lost Lamar Miller in a bidding war with the Texans. Ryan Tannehill has proven time and time again that he needs a successful running game to help him operate. So why not select the best running back in the draft class?

14) Oakland Raiders- Reggie Ragland, ILB Alabama- Until I hear news that Jaylon Smith is back on track with his recovery, Ragland is the pick for Oakland. He can make an immediate impact in 2016, and that alone catapults him ahead of Smith.

15) Los Angeles Rams- Jared Goff, QB California- Jeff Fisher and company would have a serious conundrum on their hands if this scenario played out. Do they draft the QB without having real weapons, or do they draft the wide receiver (Treadwell) without having a quarterback to get him the ball?

I think Goff has a better chance of making sub par weapons better than Treadwell does of impacting the game with a sub par quarterback.

16) Detroit Lions- Laquon Treadwell, WR Ole Miss- Speaking of Treadwell, he would be a perfect fit in Detroit. He’s a big body target for Stafford and could be a very good red zone threat.

17) San Diego Chargers via Atlanta Falcons- Jason Spriggs, OT Indiana- This trade remains the same from the top down. The Falcons move up for Bosa, the Chargers slide down and grab an athletic offensive tackle.

18) Indianapolis Colts- Emmanuel Ogbah, EDGE Oklahoma State- Ogbah’s athleticism makes him a prospect that many are attracted to. He needs to polish his move set, but if he develops one, he could be a premier defensive player.

19) Buffalo Bills- Noah Spence, EDGE Western Kentucky- Rex Ryan doesn’t fear character issues if they have talent. There’s no doubt that Spence has talent, so I doubt Ryan will be deterred from selecting him.

20) New York Jets- Jaylon Smith, OLB/ILB Notre Dame- If you’re wondering why this isn’t a quarterback, I still am very confident the Jets bring back Ryan Fitzpatrick.

The Jets are desperate for youth and talent at the linebacker position. Smith might miss eight weeks, maybe the year. However, he has top five talent and is one of the few true game changers in this draft.

21) Washington Redskins- A’Shawn Robinson, NT Alabama- The Redskins in need of a stopper in the middle of their defense. Robinson’s freakish athleticism and ability to stop the run make him a perfect scheme fit.

22) Houston Texans- Sheldon Rankins, DE/DT Louisville- In my opinion Rankins is better served as a 4-3 defensive tackle, but his quickness and athleticism should make his transition to 3-4 defensive end very easy.

23) Minnesota Vikings- Corey Coleman, WR Baylor- I think one of the reasons the Vikings were eager to let Mike Wallace depart was because this draft has multiple first round receivers with significantly more talent than Wallace has right now. Coleman’s route running ability will allow him to succeed in Norv Turner’s offense.

24) Cincinnati Bengals- Sterling Shepard, WR Oklahoma- I think the Bengals have lacked a “move the chains,” receiver during Andy Dalton’s tenure at quarterback in Cincy. Shepard doesn’t come without risk (he drops some passes and isn’t a jump ball receiver), but in terms of route running ability, there are few better in this draft.

25) Pittsburgh Steelers- Kenny Clark, NT UCLA- Having lost Steve McLendon to the Jets, the Steelers appear to be locked into a nose tackle at the 25. Clark remains this selection because of his ability to stop and gap the run effectively.

26) Seattle Seahawks- Robert Nkemdiche, DT Ole Miss- I almost gave the Texans Nkemdiche to play defensive end, but I’m not sure that team has the personnel to handle someone like him. The Seahawks certainly do.

27) Green Bay Packers- Austin Johnson, DT/NT Penn State- The defensive tackles continue to fly off the board in round one. Johnson has the quickness and technical ability to be an impactful defensive player for years to come.

28) Kansas City Chiefs- Cody Whitehair, OG Kansas State- Whitehair wasn’t on the board in my last mock draft, so the Chiefs were unable to select him. His athleticism and ability to gain leverage at the point of attack make him a no brainer for Kansas City.

29) Arizona Cardinals- Christian Hackenburg, QB Penn State- The Cardinals are a complete team on paper, which gives them two options; draft depth for other positions, or draft a future need. Hackenburg could serve to be both. The Cardinals don’t have a true backup quarterback behind Carson Palmer, and Palmer and Head Coach Bruce Arians could groom him into the quarterback of the future.

30) Carolina Panthers- Kamalei Correa, EDGE Boise State- Charles Johnson was the steal of free agency, but he’s only back on a one year deal. They still need rotational depth, and a future edge rusher. Correa has very good speed off the edge, and can develop in the Panthers defense.

31) Denver Broncos- Connor Cook, QB Michigan State- Four quarterbacks in round one seems incredibly unlikely, but I think this is Cook’s ideal situation. He gets to be a game manager right out of the gate, and he will have very good weapons around him that can make him better. This may be a reach, but it seems worth it.

TRADES

1) Jacksonville Jaguars trade the #5 and the #39 to the Cleveland Browns for the #2.

2) Atlanta Falcons trade the #17, #50, a 2017 1^st and a 2017 3^rd to the San Diego Chargers for the #3 overall pick.

ROUND TWO

32) Cleveland Browns- Taylor Decker, OT Ohio State

33) Tennessee Titans- Andrew Billings, NT Baylor

34) Dallas Cowboys- Jonathan Bullard, DE Florida

35) San Diego Chargers- Jarran Reed, DE Alabama

36) Baltimore Ravens- William Jackson III, CB Houston

37) San Francisco 49ers- Vernon Butler, DT/NT Louisiana Tech

38) Cleveland Browns via Jacksonville Jaguars- Will Fuller, WR Notre Dame

39) Tampa Bay Buccaneers- KeiVarae Russell, CB Notre Dame

40) New York Giants- Joshua Garnett, OG Stanford

41) Chicago Bears- Alex Collins, RB Arkansas

42) Miami Dolphins- Artie Burns, CB Miami Florida

43) *Los Angeles Rams via Philadelphia Eagles- Leonte Carroo, WR Rutgers

44) Oakland Raiders- Justin Simmons, FS Boston College

45) Los Angeles Rams- Landon Turner, OG North Carolina

46) Detroit Lions- Shilique Calhoun, EDGE Michigan State

47) New Orleans Saints- Michael Thomas, WR Ohio State

48) Indianapolis Colts- Devontae Booker, RB Utah

49) Buffalo Bills- Jihad Ward, DE Illinois

50) San Diego Chargers via Atlanta Falcons- Darian Thompson, FS/SS Boise State

51) New York Jets- Sebastian Tretola, OG Arkansas

52) Houston Texans- Nick Martin, OC/OG Notre Dame

53) Washington Redskins- Derrick Henry, RB Alabama

54) Minnesota Vikings- Darron Lee, OLB Ohio State

55) Cincinnati Bengals- Su’a Cravens, OLB/SS USC

56) Seattle Seahawks- Shon Coleman, OT Auburn

57) Green Bay Packers- Joe Haeg, OT/OG North Dakota State

58) Pittsburgh Steelers- Hunter Henry, TE Arkansas

59) Kansas City Chiefs- Adolphus Washington, DL Ohio State

60) New England Patriots- Tyler Boyd, WR Pittsburgh

61) New England Patriots via Arizona Cardinals- Kyler Fackrell, ILB/OLB Utah State

62) Carolina Panthers- Jeremy Cash, SS Duke

63) Denver Broncos- Maliek Collins, DE Nebraska

*- Eagles traded pick to Rams in Sam Bradford trade.

This entry was posted in Mock Drafts and tagged Atlanta Falcons, Carson Wentz, Christian Hackenburg, Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, Deforest Buckner, Jacksonville Jaguars, Jalen Ramsey, Jared Goff, Joey Bosa, Josh Doctson, Laremy Tunsil, Myles Jack, NFL Draft, Ronnie Stanley, San Diego Chargers, San Francisco 49ers, Tennessee Titans.

Jordan Katz: NFL Mock Draft 2.0-Post Super Bowl Mock Draft

Posted on February 9, 2016 Updated on February 9, 2016

The NFL offseason has officially begun, which means the Tennessee Titans are on the clock, more or less. Now it is true that the NFL Combine, and most major free agency moves, will occur before the Titans are actually on the clock.

However, that doesn’t mean that things haven’t changed since our last mock draft. Not only is the draft order finalized, but also Senior Bowl week had a major impact on many players’ draft stock.

Plenty of things will change in the coming months, but for now, this is the way I think the first round of the draft should go down.

ROUND ONE
1) Tennessee Titans- Ronnie Stanley, OT Notre Dame- I think the Titans will listen to trade offers leading up to the draft, but if they stay put, Stanley or Laremy Tunsil seem like the only viable options.

2) Cleveland Browns- Jared Goff, QB California- Even though I wouldn’t take any of the quarterbacks this high, the Browns are going to. Personally, I would trade down if I was in charge. I don’t believe their franchise quarterback is in this draft class. Even if he is, the Browns have so many needs that their quarterback might turn into David Carr due to a lack of pieces around him.

3) San Diego Chargers- Laremy Tunsil, OT Ole Miss- Eventually the Chargers will figure out that in order for Philip Rivers to be successful, he needs to be protected in the pocket. Hopefully it’s this draft, considering there are two talented tackles at the top of the board.

4) Atlanta Falcons via Dallas Cowboys- Joey Bosa, DE Ohio State- I think the Dallas Cowboys are in an ideal position to trade down. They can acquire future draft picks for a top five selection that they don’t need to use. This is how the good franchises stay good.

The Falcons will have to give multiple early selections to move up this high, but it might be worth it. Atlanta’s defense really struggled to get to the quarterback last season, mostly because they didn’t have anyone opposite Vic Beasley. Bosa is an unbelievable talent and he would make a major impact on Atlanta’s defense from day one.

5) Jacksonville Jaguars- Jalen Ramsey, CB/S Florida State- Unless a team trades up past the Jaguars to select Ramsey, then this is probably the easiest selection in 2016. The Jaguars need secondary in the worst way, and Ramsey is a star in the making.

6) Baltimore Ravens- Vernon Hargreaves, CB Florida- I think the Ravens are a sneaky “trade down,” candidate, but the versatility that Hargreaves brings to the cornerback position is too much for them to pass up on.

7) Detroit Lions via San Francisco 49ers- Laquon Treadwell, WR Ole Miss- The Niners have more than one big need, and the positions they need would be a reach here.

Fortunately for them, the Lions just lost Calvin Johnson, and must replace him with a number one receiver if they want to get back to where they were in 2014.

Treadwell would become Stafford’s favorite target in a hurry because of his ability to be physical and his ability to high point the football.

8) Miami Dolphins- Myles Jack, OLB UCLA- This is another pick that seems like a match made in heaven. Jack’s athletic ability would allow him to shine behind an underrated front four.

9) Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Kevin Dodd, DE Clemson- In my opnion, Dodd is the most complete defensive end in this draft class not named Joey Bosa. He seems like the pick for the Bucs, who are in desperate need of a true pass rushing threat.

10) New York Giants- Shaq Lawson, DE Clemson- The Clemson boys go back-to-back in this mock draft. Lawson might have a more complete move set than his counterpart, which makes him a hot commodity in the 2016 draft.

11) Chicago Bears- DeForest Buckner, DE Oregon- Bucker has moved up my personal big board since my last mock draft because of his athleticism and ability to gap the run.

However, he remains at 11 because the teams that need defensive ends at the top of the draft are 4-3 teams.

12) New Orleans Saints- Mackensie Alexander, CB Clemson- Despite solid play from Delvin Breaux last season, the Saints don’t have a true number two corner. Alexander has the versatility to play on the outside as well as in the slot, a skill that the Saints could desperately use.

13) Seattle Seahawks via Philadelphia Eagles- Robert Nkemdiche, DT Ole Miss- I still think this deal is a perfect match. The Eagles add extra draft picks; the Seahawks get a pass-rushing monster to replace Brandon Mebane.

14) Oakland Raiders-Reggie Ragland, ILB Alabama- It’s hard to know whether a Nick Saban defensive product is one that looks good, or one that is good. Ragland appears to be the latter based on his range and ability to read and react in coverage.

15) Los Angeles Rams- Josh Doctson, WR TCU- In the last mock draft I had the Rams jump up to ensure that they landed Doctson, who’s home run threat ability makes him a bona-fide number one receiver. In this mock draft, they don’t have to move up to get him.

16) San Francisco 49ers via Detroit Lions- Carson Wentz, QB North Dakota State- I know Wentz isn’t going to make it this far on draft day, and he might soon surpass Jared Goff on my personal board.

However, based on my evaluations, no quarterback in this class deserves to go in the top 15 (I excluded the Browns from this because they’re going to go quarterback at the second overall pick regardless of logic).

17) Dallas Cowboys via Atlanta Falcons- Ezekiel Elliott, RB Ohio State- One of the reasons that I think the Cowboys are a great candidate to trade down is because their top need is number one running back, which is not something you draft at four. Trading down allows them to pick up assets and select a game changing running back.

18) Indianapolis Colts- Kevin Peterson, CB Oklahoma State- Peterson is a technician at the cornerback position, which allows him to stay with receivers that are bigger than him. He may not be a first rounder in the eyes of most right now, but I think it’s only a matter of time until the National media puts him there.

19) Buffalo Bills-Noah Spence, EDGE Western Kentucky- Noah Spence is the “flavor of the day,” after a phenomenal showing at the Senior Bowl. He flies off the edge and has a very good move set for a 3-4 edge rusher.

20) New York Jets- Jaylon Smith, OLB/ILB Notre Dame- If ‘Zeke is off the board, I think the Jets become the most difficult team to decipher in this draft. They could look to grab an edge rusher like Emmanuel Ogbah, Heisman trophy winner Derrick Henry, or maybe a quarterback to sit behind Ryan Fitzpatrick.

However, I think the most likely option, assuming he’s on the board, is Jaylon Smith. Demario Davis didn’t have a great season, and David Harris isn’t getting any younger. So why not get the third best player in the draft at the 20^th overall pick?

21) Washington Redskins- Kenny Clark, NT UCLA- I know Terrance Knighton has said he wants to resign with the Redskins, but I would let him walk. The depth at defensive tackle in this draft is too great to ignore, and they can easily find a space eater to replace him (like Kenny Clark).

22) Houston Texans- Derrick Henry, RB Alabama- If Arian Foster doesn’t return, then the Texans are in desperate need of a number one running back. Assuming Henry’s 40 time in Indianapolis is solid, his power and vision make him worthy of a first round selection.

23) Minnesota Vikings- Landon Turner, OG North Carolina- Turner isn’t a great athlete on tape, but he’s a smart player and shows great strength at the point of attack. For a team that runs the ball a lot, he seems like a good fit.

24) Cincinnati Bengals- A’Shawn Robinson, NT Alabama- Robinson could go anywhere from 12-24, in my opinion. In this draft, the rise of Alexander and Peterson force him to fall a bit. I’ll bet Bengals fans won’t be complaining.

25) Pittsburgh Steelers- Austin Johnson, DT/NT Penn State- The Steelers are never going to take a first round cornerback. Therefore, even though I think they should trade up for one, we’ll move past that.

One of the Steelers more pressing needs is someone in the middle of their 3-4 defense. Steve McLendon was below average last season, and is an impending free agent.

Austin Johnson’s a great athlete for a nose tackle with very good pass-rushing ability. I think his versatility will help strengthen the Steelers front seven.

26) Philadelphia Eagles via Seattle Seahawks- Corey Coleman, WR Baylor- New Head Coach Doug Pederson is almost surely going to bring the west coast offense to Philadelphia, which means route running technicians are a necessity. Coleman’s biggest weapons are his quickness out of cuts and his ability with the ball in his hands. Both are key in a west coast system.

27) Green Bay Packers- Andrew Billings, NT Baylor- I have Billings slightly higher than Austin Johnson on my own personal board (for now), but Billings seems more limited in terms of his potential. I get the sense he’s strictly a space eater where as Johnson has star potential.

Having said that, the Packers need a run stuffer in the middle of their defense. That is Andrew Billings in a nutshell.

28) Kansas City Chiefs- Taylor Decker, OT Ohio State- I’m not a huge fan of Taylor Decker, but he’s a solid option as a right tackle. The Chiefs are desperate for some stability at that position.

29) New England Patriots- (Forefeit)

30) Arizona Cardinals- Emmanuel Ogbah, EDGE Oklahoma State- The Cardinals still lack a dominant edge rusher that can get to the quarterback at will. Ogbah has to become more consistent against the run, but he can have an immediate impact in Arizona on third down plays.

31) Dallas Cowboys via Carolina Panthers- Christian Hackenburg, QB Penn State- Having picked up extra assets, the Cowboys have the luxury of moving back into the first round for a quarterback of the future.

Many are going to argue that they should just take a quarterback at four, but if you’re going to roll the dice, why not try to roll a natural seven?

Once upon a time Christian Hackenburg was a lock to be the number one overall pick of this class. He still has the size and arm strength of an NFL quarterback; Penn State’s system just didn’t fit him well. If he gets the opportunity to sit and learn behind Tony Romo, maybe he becomes the star we all thought he would be two years ago.

32) Denver Broncos- Darian Thompson, FS Boise State- This is definitely a luxury pick, but when you’re the defending Super Bowl champions, you can afford to make such a pick.

Thompson is a ball hawk in every sense of the word. The only weakness on the Broncos defense was Darian Stewart, who didn’t even play that poorly. Imagine what someone with 19 career collegiate interceptions could do on a defense where he can afford to constantly take risks.

TRADES

1) Atlanta Falcons trade the #17, #50 and a 2017 2^nd round pick to the Dallas Cowboys for the #4 pick.

2) Detroit Lions trade the #16, #46 and the #139 to the San Francisco 49ers for the #7 pick.

3) Seattle Seahawks trade the #23, #55 and a 2017 4^th rounder to the Philadelphia Eagles for the #13.

4) Dallas Cowboys trade the #34 and a 2017 4^th rounder to the Carolina Panthers for the #31.

This entry was posted in Mock Drafts, Uncategorized and tagged Atlanta Falcons, Carson Wentz, Chicago Bears, Christian Hackenburg, Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, Deforest Buckner, Ezekiel Elliott, Jacksonville Jaguars, Jalen Ramsey, Jared Goff, Joey Bosa, Kevin Dodd, Laremy Tunsil, Myles Jack, New York Giants, NFL, NFL Draft, Ronnie Stanley, Shaq Lawson, Tennessee Titans, Vernon Hargreaves.

Mike Reynolds 2016 NFL Mock Draft 1.0

Posted on January 4, 2016

Tennessee Titans: Ronnie Stanley, OT Notre Dame
Cleveland Browns: Jared Goff, QB California
San Diego Chargers: Laremy Tunsil, OT Ole Miss
Dallas Cowboys: Robert Nkemdiche, DT Ole Miss
Jacksonville Jaguars: Jalen Ramsey, FS/CB FSU
Baltimore Ravens: Vernon Hargreaves, CB Florida
San Francisco 49ers: Joey Bosa, DE Ohio State
Miami Dolphins: Jaylon Smith, ILB Notre Dame
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: LaQuon Treadwell, WR Ole Miss
New York Giants: Shaq Lawson, EDGE Clemson
Chicago Bears: Deforest Buckner, DE Oregon
New Orleans: Saints: Kenny Clark, NT UCLA
Philadelphia Eagles: Josh Doctson, WR TCU
Oakland Raiders: Reggie Ragland, ILB Alabama
St. Louis: Rams: Corey Coleman, WR Baylor
Detroit Lions: A’Shawn Robinson, DT Alabama
Atlanta Falcons: Myles Jack, OLB UCLA
Indianapolis: Colts: Desmond King, CB Iowa
Buffalo Bills: Taylor Decker, OT Ohio State
New York Jets: Ezekiel Elliot, RB Ohio State
Minnesota Vikings: Su’a Cravens, SS/LB
Pittsburgh Steelers: Austin Johnson, NT Penn State
Seattle Seahawks: Sheldon Rankins, DT Louisville
Kansas: City Chiefs: Landon Turner, OG UNC
Washington Redskins: Darian Thompson, FS Boise State
Houston Texans: Connor Cook, QB Michigan State
Green Bay Packers: Jack Conklin, OT Michigan State
Cincinnati Bengals: Tyler Boyd, WR Pittsburgh
Arizona Cardinals: Paxton Lynch, QB Memphis
Denver Broncos: Jason Spriggs, OT Indiana
Carolina Panthers: Mackensie Alexander, CB Clemson

(New England forfeits their pick)

This entry was posted in Mock Drafts, NFL Draft Articles and tagged 2016 NFL Draft, 2016 NFL Mock Draft, Baltimore Ravens, Carson Wentz, Christian Hackenburg, Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, Deforest Buckner, Desmond King, Ezekiel Elliott, Jacksonville Jaguars, Jalen Ramsey, Jared Goff, Joey Bosa, Josh Doctson, Laquon Treadwell, Laremy Tunsil, NFL, Paxton Lynch, Robert Nkemdiche, Ronnie Stanley, San Diego Chargers, San Fracisco 49ers, Shaq Lawson, Tennessee Titans, Vernon Hargreaves.

Jordan Katz- 2016 NFL Mock Draft 1.0

Posted on January 4, 2016 Updated on January 4, 2016

It’s that time of year! With the NFL regular season completed, it is officially mock draft season. We still have a long way to go until the NFL Draft, and most of my analysis of players will change with further scouting. This first mock draft is based on the tape that I’ve seen of guys thus far.

*Seeds 21-32 are based on the team’s records heading into the postseason, while taking seeding into account. For instance, because the Washington Redskins own the 21, the 10-6 Seattle Seahawks got the 23, not the 10-6 Green Bay Packers. In terms of the matchups where the teams have the same record, the higher seed gets the later pick.

ROUND ONE

1) Tennessee Titans- Ronnie Stanley, OT Notre Dame- The Titans need defensive help, and they could go there with this pick. However, I don’t think Joey Bosa is a good scheme fit here, and taking a safety like Jalen Ramsey is a bit of a reach.

Stanley gives the Titans two bookend tackles to protect their franchise quarterback, Marcus Mariota.

2) Cleveland Browns- Jared Goff, QB California- Goff is the only quarterback in this draft class that I gave a first round grade. While I do think this is a major reach, the Browns are so desperate for a franchise quarterback.

3) San Diego Chargers- Laremy Tunsil, OT Ole Miss- The Chargers couldn’t block for Phillip Rivers at all this season, so offensive line is definitely a need. Tunsil is one of the top players in this draft because of his size and athleticism at tackle.

4) Dallas Cowboys- Joey Bosa, DE Ohio State- I highly doubt the Cowboys bring back Greg Hardy next year. Therefore, even though they have Randy Gregory waiting, they need a pass rusher.

Bosa is the best player in the draft, in my opinion. His ability to stop the run, and rush off the edge makes him an outstanding collegiate prospect.

5) Jacksonville Jaguars- Jalen Ramsey, CB/S Florida State- This seems like a match made in heaven. The Jaguars need a game changing secondary player, and Ramsey can fix a need at corner or free safety, depending on how Gus Bradley wants to use him.

6) Baltimore Ravens- Desmond King, CB Iowa- Most have the top corner in this draft as Vernon Hargreaves, but I think King has the ability to be a shut down corner. His ability to mirror receivers and play man-to-man defense is incredibly impressive. I think he would be a terrific addition to the Ravens secondary.

7) San Francisco 49ers- Vernon Hargreaves, CB Florida- Yes, the Niners need a quarterback. However, if they draft one here it would be completely unnecessary and a massive reach.

Hargreaves is the best player available at a position of need. He plays solid in both zone and man, and possesses great instincts. The Niners take him, and address quarterback with their next pick.

8) Miami Dolphins- Myles Jack, OLB UCLA- A few days ago this pick would’ve been Jaylon Smith. However, with his knee injury pending diagnosis, the Dolphins take Jack instead.

Jack is an interesting scout because I’ve never seen a player quite like him. His athleticism is unexplainable, but he doesn’t jump off the page in terms of the amount of plays he makes. Having said that, he’s terrific in coverage and disciplined versus the run, so I expect him to have a long, productive career.

9) Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Laquon Treadwell, WR Ole Miss- I have Treadwell and Josh Doctson neck and neck right now for my top wide receiver in this draft. In terms of this pick, Treadwell is a little more polished, which is why I have him here instead of Doctson.

10) St. Louis Rams via New York Giants- Josh Doctson, WR TCU- I think the Giants are a team that could move up or down in this draft, depending on how the board falls. In this case, they have plenty of options, so they can afford to slide down.

The Rams desperately need a true number one wide receiver and I think Doctson has that ability. He’s incredible when the ball is in the air, and his route running is significantly better than people think.

11) Chicago Bears- DeForest Buckner, DE Oregon- This pick is easy. The Bears need defensive line help desperately. Buckner is not only a game changing defensive player, but he’s the only 3-4 defensive end worthy of a first round selection.

12) New Orleans Saints- Kenny Clark, NT UCLA- The Saints should take the best player available that plays defense and fits their scheme. For me, that’s Kenny Clark. He’s a space eating nose tackle and he will help New Orleans stop the run.

13) Seattle Seahawks via Philadelphia Eagles- Robert Nkemdiche, DT Ole Miss- This could be a home run deal for Seattle, but let’s start with the Eagles decision to move down. I think Philadelphia should look to trade out on draft day. The personnel they possess are unlikely to match with the incoming head coach. If they find the right deal, they should take it.

Seattle is going to need a replacement for Brandon Mebane, who should leave via free agency. Nkemdiche has the talent of a top five player in this draft. If his off the field issues can be silenced, this could be a massive addition to the Seahawks defense.

14) Oakland Raiders- Mackensie Alexander, CB Clemson- Alexander can be an immediate boost to the Raiders secondary. He can play in the slot, as well as on the outside, and his technique is what allows him to be strong at both.

15) New York Giants via St. Louis Rams- Shaq Lawson, DE Clemson- The Giants could not have played this draft better. They trade down, pick up an extra draft pick, and still select the game changing pass rusher they would have taken at the 10.

16) Detroit Lions- A’Shawn Robinson, DT Alabama- The Lions need to get better on defense, and A’Shawn Robinson can produce from day one. He’s an athletic defensive tackle who stops the run very well. He does have some developing to do, but he’s going to contribute right away.

17) Atlanta Falcons- Jaylon Smith, OLB Notre Dame- This may not please Falcons fans who want a defensive player that can play right away, but at some point you just take talent and figure it out later.

Smith has top five talent, so even if his knee injury is bad, he should still be a first round pick. After all, Todd Gurley missed four games to start the year, and he went 10^th.

18) Indianapolis Colts- Emmanuel Ogbah, EDGE Oklahoma State- Anything on defense for the Colts will do just fine here on draft day. Ogbah has good speed off the edge and can help bolster Indy’s pass rush.

19) Buffalo Bills- Jonathan Bullard, EDGE Florida- It sounds like Buffalo is going to cut Mario Williams, which makes edge rusher a priority. Bullard has the versatility to line up on the edge and inside the tackles, something Rex Ryan values in a defensive player.

20) New York Jets- Ezekiel Elliott, RB Ohio State- For Jets fans wondering why this pick isn’t a quarterback, don’t overreact to one game. Ryan Fitzpatrick played excellent this season, and deserves to be back under center next year (especially during a year where the quarterback class in the draft is below average).

‘Zeke Elliott would be a terrific replacement for Chris Ivory, a free agent to be. His size and athleticism make him tough to bring down, and he’s more of a “do-it-all,” back than he gets credit for.

21) Washington Redskins- Reggie Ragland, ILB Alabama- The Redskins could use a middle linebacker that can do… well, anything. Ragland covers well, and has great range from sideline to sideline. Plus, and I can’t stress this enough, his presence would mean the benching of Mason Foster. That is what you call a great draft pick.

22) Houston Texans- Carson Wentz, QB North Dakota State- The easy answer here is to give Bill O’Brien his Penn State quarterback, Christian Hackenburg. However, I think Wentz is actually a better fit for what Houston wants to do.

Wentz has great size and arm strength, just like Hackenburg. Where I think Wentz separates himself is his accuracy and mobility. Wentz showed better touch on tape, and he’s also the most mobile quarterback among the top five.

Since the Texans can afford to let both learn while playing (they’re 9-7 with four different quarterbacks), I think Wentz should be the selection on draft day.

23) Philadelphia Eagles via Seattle Seahawks- Corey Coleman, WR Baylor- Even though the Eagles drafted Nelson Agholor last season, they should still look for a playmaker at receiver.

Coleman was a beast this season at Baylor, but it’s his sharp cuts and route running ability that makes me think he can succeed in the NFL.

24) San Francisco 49ers via Pittsburgh Steelers- Paxton Lynch, QB Memphis- The Steelers don’t take first round cornerbacks, which means that there isn’t much for them to do here except trade down.

In terms of the Niners selection, Lynch is an interesting case. On the one hand, he’s massive, with great mobility, and a cannon for an arm.

On the other hand, his accuracy is questionable, and he has a tendency to force throws.

I think he’s got good upside, but he’s a work in progress for sure.

25) Green Bay Packers- Carl Lawson, EDGE Auburn- I really liked the Packers defense when they had Clay Matthews at inside linebacker. Lawson’s pass rushing ability off the edge would allow Matthews to go back to being a menace in the middle of the field.

26) Kansas City Chiefs- Leontae Carroo, WR Rutgers- It might be too much to ask of the Chiefs to add a wide out in consecutive years. However, I am running this draft based on what I would do.

Carroo seems like a very good fit in Andy Reid’s offense. He’s a solid route runner who does great things with the ball in his hands. He also has big play ability, something the Chiefs currently are missing in their offense.

27) Minnesota Vikings- Michael Thomas, WR Ohio State- Thomas has a tendency to commit some bad focus drops, but he’s a strong route runner and makes plays with the ball in his hands, two traits that are vital in Norv Turner’s current offense.

28) Cincinnati Bengals- Austin Johnson, DT/NT Penn State- Austin Johnson could be a terrific fit in Cincy. He’s a nose tackle that has the athleticism to pass rush out of a zero tech in a 4-3. Domata Peko, the Bengals current zero tech, is a like cap casualty that would save the Bengals close to four million dollars.

29) New England Patriots- (Forefeit)

30) Arizona Cardinals- Christian Hackenburg, QB Penn State- Carson Palmer isn’t getting any younger, and his backup will have to be taken eventually. Hackenburg had an awful final two seasons at Penn State, but James Franklin’s system didn’t benefit his skill set. If he gets an opportunity to sit and learn during his first NFL season, he could become the star that scouts thought he was going to be.

31) Denver Broncos- Taylor Decker, OT Ohio State- Decker has limited upside, but he’s a good option at right tackle right away. The Broncos are desperate for offensive line help, so this fit makes sense.

32) Carolina Panthers- Tre’Davius White, CB LSU- Josh Norman has been unbelievable this season, but his counterpart, Bene Benwikere, is probably best served as a nickel corner. White would give them some cornerback depth, and another solid man cover guy.

TRADES

1) St. Louis Rams trade the #15 and the #79 to the New York Giants for the #10.

2) Seattle Seahawks trade the #23, #55 and a 2017 4^th rounder to the Philadelphia Eagles for the #13.

3) San Francisco trades the #39 and the #71 to the Pittsburgh Steelers for the #24.

This entry was posted in Mock Drafts and tagged 2016 NFL Draft, 2016 NFL Mock Draft, Baltimore Ravens, Carson Wentz, Christian Hackenburg, Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, Deforest Buckner, Desmond King, Ezekiel Elliott, Jacksonville Jaguars, Jalen Ramsey, Jared Goff, Joey Bosa, Josh Doctson, Laquon Treadwell, Laremy Tunsil, NFL, Paxton Lynch, Robert Nkemdiche, Ronnie Stanley, San Diego Chargers, San Fracisco 49ers, Shaq Lawson, Tennessee Titans, Vernon Hargreaves.

2015 NFL Draft Grades: AFC

Posted on May 8, 2015

One of the best sports weekends ever has come and went, and with it, the NFL Draft has been completed. The NFL Draft has become a spectacle in recent years, and while some fans may not know every player their favorite team selected, every fan has the same question after the draft ends. “How did my team do?” Well, here are my 2015 NFL Draft Grades for the AFC teams.

AFC EAST

New York Jets (A-)

Picks: DE Leonard Williams (6^th), WR Devin Smith (37^th), OLB Lorenzo Mauldin (82^nd), QB Bryce Petty (103^rd), OG Jarvis Harrison (152^nd), NT Deon Simon (223^rd)- The Jets hit a home run with their first pick in the draft when they selected Leonard Williams. Any time you get the best player in the draft outside of the top five, you basically can snooze for the next six rounds. While I would’ve rather seen the Jets take Jaelen Strong at the 37, they needed a guy that could stretch the field, and Devin Smith is that. Mauldin and Petty were good value picks (I had Brett Hundley over Petty), and you can’t forget that the Jets turned a fifth and seventh round pick in a horrifically weak draft class into Brandon Marshall and Zac Stacy. This was a great first draft for Mike Maccagnan.

New England Patriots (B-)

Picks: DT Malcom Brown (32^nd), SS Jordan Richards (64^th), DL Geneo Grissom (97^th), DE Trey Flowers (101^st), OG Tre Jackson (111^th), OG/C Shaq Mason (131^st), LS Joe Cardona (166^th), LB Matthew Wells (178^th), TE A.J Derby (202^nd), CB Darryl Roberts (247^th), LB Xzavier Dickson (253^rd)- This draft was a tale of the good, the bad, and the ugly. The good was Malcom Brown. Belichick stole someone who many, including myself, was a top 20 player in this draft. Brown will be a force in the middle of the Pats defensive line. The bad were the Patriots later round picks. Now in New England’s defense, there was not a lot of back end talent in this draft. However, any time you take a long snapper, you’ve got some explaining to do. Many felt that Tre Jackson and Shaq Mason were good value, but I never felt either team would be a key contributor at the next level. Then there were the Patriots day two selections, aka the ugly. Jordan Richards and Geneo Grissom were extreme reach picks, and both will probably be special teams players. Overall, Malcom Brown and Trey Flowers keep this draft afloat, but it was average at best.

Buffalo Bills (F)

Picks: CB Ronald Darby (50^th), OG John Miller (81^st), RB Karlos Williams (155^th), LB Tony Steward (188^th), TE Nick O’Leary (194^th), WR Dezmin Lewis (234^th)- The Bills easily had the worst draft in the AFC. Ronald Darby is a good player, and he will be a solid addition to the Bills secondary. Outside of that, the Bills did not address a need, nor did they take anyone that was a good value pick. Not a good first draft for Rex Ryan and company. However, there’s no reason to panic in Buffalo. Rex is great at maximizing talent, and his teams are typically not built through the draft anyway.

Miami Dolphins (A-)

Picks: WR DeVante Parker (14^th), DT/NT Jordan Phillips (52^nd), OL Jamil Douglas (114^th), CB Bobby McCain (145^th), RB Jay Ajayi (149^th), S Cedric Thompson (150^th), CB/WR Tony Lippett (156^th)- The Dolphins had a great draft. They got a wide receiver with true number one potential in Parker. They nabbed one of my favorite players in the in Jordan Phillips, who will bolster their defensive line even further. Phillips will help gap the run and free up Ndamukong Suh and Cameron Wake. Jay Ajayi in the fourth round was incredible value. He will help take pressure off Lamar Miller, and, in my opinion, replace him one day. The final piece was Tony Lippett, who is a terrific football player. He may not be great at one particular thing, but he will contribute from day one.

AFC NORTH

Baltimore Ravens (A-)

Picks: WR Breshad Perriman (26^th), TE Maxx Williams (55^th), NT Carl Davis (90^th), OLB Za’Darius Smith (122^nd), RB Buck Allen (125^th), CB Tray Walker (136^th), TE Nick Boyle (171^st), OL Robert Myers (176^th), WR Darren Waller (204^th)- Ozzie Newsome addressed offense early in the draft, a rarity in the Ozzie Newsome regime. Perriman has a lot of upside, but he’s raw. Just like the Jets earlier, I think Jaelen Strong should’ve been the pick. However, just like Devin Smith, I had Perriman with a top 40 grade, so I don’t mind the selection. Maxx Williams makes a lot of sense as well. While I would’ve rather seen the Ravens go with an impact defensive player, Williams can help the Ravens offense from day one. Of course, in classic Ozzie Newsome fashion, he got his impact defensive player in round three. Carl Davis was an absolute steal. Buck Allen was an underrated pick as well. He will be an impact player on third down. Overall, Ozzie Newsome got a lot of weapons for Joe Flacco in this draft, and helped sure up the middle of the Ravens defense.

Cincinnati Bengals (A-)

Picks: OT Cedric Ogbuehi (21^st), OT/OG Jake Fisher (53^rd), TE Tyler Kroft (85^th), LB Paul Dawson (99^th), CB/S Josh Shaw (120^th), DE Marcus Hardison (153^rd), TE C.J Uzomah (157^th), FS Derron Smith (197^th), WR Mario Alford (238^th)- The Bengals had a great draft, because they preemptively addressed their needs for next year. Ogbuehi and Fisher are great insurance for Andrew Whitworth and Andre Smith, both of whom are expiring contracts and neither of whom appear to be high on the Bengals priority list. Ogbuehi can sit the year and fully recover from his injury. Fisher can move to guard for the time being and replace Clint Boling. Tyler Kroft is a good blocking tight end, and while he may have been a reach, the Bengals needed a blocking tight end after losing Jermaine Gresham. Paul Dawson can play anywhere on the Bengals linebacking core, and Derron Smith or Josh Shaw is bound to be productive enough to replace Reggie Nelson. This was a great draft for Cincinnati.

Pittsburgh Steelers (C+)

Picks: OLB Bud Dupree (22^nd), CB Senquez Golson (56^th), WR Sammie Coates (87^th), CB Doran Grant (121^st), TE Jesse James (160^th), DT Leterrius Walton (199^th), DE Anthony Chickillo (212^th), FS Gerod Holliman (239^th)- This is a polarizing draft for me. On the one hand, they nabbed Bud Dupree about ten picks later than he should’ve gone. On the other hand, every single other pick was either a reach or a risk. Golson is undersized, and there were plenty of other corners I would’ve rather have seen them selected. Sammie Coates has a bad case of the drops and I’m not sure it’ll be corrected during his NFL career. Last but certainly not least, Doran Grant wasn’t worth drafting. The Steelers got good value in Dupree and Gerod Holliman, but other than that the draft was below average.

Cleveland Browns (B)

Picks: NT Danny Shelton (12^th), C/OG Cameron Erving (19^th), OLB Nate Orchard (51^st), RB Duke Johnson (77^th), DE/DT Xavier Cooper (96^th), S Ibraheim Campbell (115^th), WR Vince Mayle (123^rd), CB Charles Gaines (189^th), TE Malcolm Johnson (195^th), TE Randall Telfer (198^th), ILB Hayes Pullard (219^th), CB Ifo Ekpre-Olomu (241^st)- The Browns drafted a ton of players that I really like, yet I’m not a huge fan of this draft. Shelton is a big body to put in the middle of an improving defense, but I would’ve rather have seen them take the versatility of Eddie Goldman or Jordan Phillips. Cameron Erving is best suited at center, but unless Alex Mack opts out of his contract after this season, Erving will be playing guard for the Browns, and I’m not a huge fan of him there. Nate Orchard was better served as a 4-3 defensive end, Duke Johnson was unnecessary because of Terrance West and Isaiah Crowell, and Xavier Cooper will have to convert to a 3-4 defensive end. Having said all of that, I can’t get on the Browns too much, because they took a lot of talent in this draft, and addressed needs in the process (minus wide receiver).

AFC South

Tennessee Titans (B)

Picks: QB Marcus Mariota (2^nd), WR Dorial Green-Beckham (40^th), OL Jeremiah Poutasi (66^th), DE/DT Angelo Blackson (100^th), FB Jalston Fowler (108^th), RB David Cobb (138^th), LB Delontrez Mount (177^th), C Andy Galilk (208^th), WR Tre McBride (245^th)- The Titans made the difficult, yet correct decision in taking Marcus Mariota. I believe he can be a franchise quarterback, and Ken Whisenhunt should be able to work with him to get the best out of him. DGB is a great risk/reward pick because he can learn to grow on a team that is still a few years away. Also, I fully expect David Cobb to compete for the majority of touches in the Titans backfield as early as next season. Outside of those three, there wasn’t much value. Yet, the Titans did what they had to do.

Jacksonville Jaguars (A-)

Picks: DE Dante Fowler (3^rd), RB T.J Yeldon (36^th), OG A.J Cann (67^th), S James Sample (104^th), WR Rashad Greene (139^th), DT Michael Bennett (180^th), WR Neal Sterling (220^th), TE Ben Koyack (229^th)- The Jags draft would’ve been the best of all the 32 teams if it weren’t for unnecessarily reaching on T.J Yeldon, who I full on expect to be a waste of a pick. Fowler, Cann, Sample, Greene and Bennett can all contribute from day one, and Greene and Bennett were absolute steals. The Jags are on the rise.

Houston Texans (C)

Picks: CB Kevin Johnson (16^th), ILB Benardrick McKinney (43^rd), WR Jaelen Strong (70^th), WR Keith Mumphery (175^th), LB Reshard Cliett (211^th), DT Christian Covington (216^th), RB Kenny Hilliard (235^th)- The Texans draft didn’t start off great. I felt Kevin Johnson was a major reach, even though they needed a corner. Benardrick McKinney is just very overrated, and I’ve made my opinions on him well known. However, their draft took a turn when they grabbed Jaelen Strong in round three. I think Strong might just be their number one receiver by the end of this year. Unfortunately, there were no day three value picks at all. Overall, the draft was sub par, despite addressing needs. Despite that, draft Strong late in your fantasy football leagues this year, especially in keeper leagues.

Indianapolis Colts (C-)

Picks: Phillip Dorsett (29^th), CB D’Joun Smith (65^th), DE Henry Anderson (95^th), S Clayton Geathers (109^th), NT David Parry (151^st), RB Josh Robinson (205^th), LB Amarlo Herrera (207^th), OL Denzell Goode (255^th)- I was baffled when the Colts selected Phillip Dorsett with their first pick. Dorsett is a good player, but he won’t play much his first year and wide receiver wasn’t a need. The first pick needed to be an impact defensive player. I like Smith and Anderson in the second and third rounds. Both are needs on defense, and both have a lot of upside. However, there was no late round value picks and they missed on their first selection.

AFC West

Denver Broncos (C-)

Picks: DE Shane Ray (23^rd), OG Ty Sambrailo (59^th), TE Jeff Heuerman (92^nd), C Max Garcia (133^rd), CB Lorenzo Doss (164^th), DT Darius Kilgo (203^rd), QB Trevor Siemian (250^th), CB Taurean Nixon (251^st), S Josh Furman (252^nd): Shane Ray was a good value pick if you talked to most, however I had him as a second round grade. I like the fit because he can learn from Demarcus Ware and Von Miller, but I still say Ray shouldn’t have been a first round pick. Now, Sambrailo was a good selection because he adds versatility to the Broncos offensive line. Other than that though, this was a very weak draft. There’s no value in the picks in the later rounds, and just not enough contributors to their team for the upcoming season.

Oakland Raiders (B)

Picks: WR Amari Cooper (4^th) DE/DT Mario Edwards Jr. (35^th) TE Clive Walford (68^th) OG Jon Feliciano (128^th) LB Ben Heeney (140^th) LB Neiron Ball (161^st) LB Max Valles (179^th) OL Anthony Morris (218^th) WR Andre Debose (221^st) CB Dexter McDonald (242^nd): Mike and I said throughout the whole draft process that scouts would make their money in the second, third and fourth round. The Raiders had a very solid draft in the first four rounds. I’ll move past the Amari Cooper selection because it’s self-explanatory. Mario Edwards isn’t a 4-3 fit as a defensive end, so he’ll probably move inside as a defensive tackle. I’m not opposed to that, but I felt there were a number of better players on the board for the Raiders to take. Clive Walford will provide a good safety blanket for Derek Carr on third down, assuming Walford can keep his head on straight. Lastly, Feliciano has good upside and could become a starting guard. It wasn’t a particularly “sexy,” draft, but the Raiders drafted players of need and a true number one wide receiver.

Kansas City Chiefs (B+)

Picks: CB Marcus Peters (18^th), C Mitch Morse (49^th), WR Chris Conley (76^th), CB Steven “Mighty Mouse” Nelson (98^th), ILB Ramik Wilson (118^th), LB D.J Alexander (172^nd), TE James O’Shaughnessy (173^rd), DT Rakeem Nunez-Roches (217^th), WR Da’Ron Brown (233^rd): I was surprised the Chiefs didn’t address offensive tackle in this draft, but other than that this was another solid draft from Andy Reid and company. Peters has a ton of upside, and Reid has done well with guys with character issues in the past. Morse and Conley both elevated their stocks during the NFL Combine, and both have very good upside themselves. I loved the selections of Nelson and Wilson. Nelson should develop into a very solid nickel corner and Ramik Wilson could become their second ILB in the Chiefs 3-4 set. This was a really good draft for Kansas City.

San Diego Chargers (B-)

Picks: RB Melvin Gordon (15^th), ILB Denzel Perryman (48^th), CB Craig Mager (83^rd), OLB Kyle Emanuel (153^rd), DE/DT Darius Philon (192^nd): The Chargers went into this draft with the intention of getting a number one running back, and they did that with Melvin Gordon. Even though I think it was a little too high for Gordon, after Gurley went tenth, can you really blame San Diego for being cautious and trading up? Perryman was a solid choice because his biggest asset is stopping the run, and the Chargers needed help in the middle of their defense. The Chargers draft will hinge upon Craig Mager. He’s raw, but his upside is immense. If they get a productive corner out of Mager, and Perryman pans out, this could prove to be a very good draft. For now, it’s an average one with potential.

This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, New York Jets, NFL Draft, Oakland Raiders, Pittsburgh Steelers, San Diego Chargers, Tennessee Titans.

Jordan Katz NFL Mock Draft 4.0- Final Mock Draft (3 Rounds)

Posted on April 28, 2015 Updated on April 30, 2015

The NFL Draft is upon us, which means it’s time for one final mock draft from yours truly. Unlike most mock draft analysts, I’m not going to overreact to things teams are reporting to try to “be right.” This mock draft is more about my opinion of what teams should do based on the way the draft fell in front of them. It’s also based on team needs as well as my own evaluation of player.

To sum up, this is not your average mock draft around this time of year. I am giving you the selections and trades I would make if I were running the draft for all 32 teams. Also, I provided a little less analysis in this mock draft, because most of my analysis of players is well documented by now.

Round One

1) Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Jameis Winston, QB Florida State- Eat. Sleep. Draft Jameis Winston. Repeat.

2) Tennessee Titans- Leonard Williams, DT Southern California- I don’t think the Titans will get anyone to trade with them, because I don’t think they genuinely want Marcus Mariota. Teams can dare Tennessee to take Mariota, rather than “giving the farm,” to move up.

3) New York Jets via Jacksonville Jaguars- Marcus Mariota, QB Oregon- Tennessee not trading down puts Jacksonville in a perfect position to do so. In terms of the Jets moving up, I still believe the Jets will win the Mariota sweepstakes.

4) Oakland Raiders- Amari Cooper, WR Alabama- After four months of evaluations, Cooper over Kevin White is my final answer.

5) Cleveland Browns via Washington Redskins- Kevin White, WR West Virginia- Washington wants to trade down, and Cleveland needs a number one wide receiver. This seems like a perfect match.

6) Jacksonville Jaguars via New York Jets- Dante Fowler Jr., DE Florida- Where does Jacksonville sign for this draft outcome? The Jags manage to land Fowler, despite trading down.

7) New Orleans Saints via Chicago Bears- Vic Beasley, OLB Clemson- I think this is an out of the box trade that could happen on Thursday. New Orleans has an extra first rounder, so they can afford to give a couple of later picks to move up and get an impact defensive player.

8) Atlanta Falcons- Alvin “Bud” Dupree, DE/OLB Kentucky- Bud Dupree is a great fit, but I would imagine it would be difficult for Thomas Dimitroff and company to watch their NFC South rival trade up past them and take Beasley.

9) New York Giants- Brandon Scherff, OG Iowa- The Giants drafting a first round offensive lineman with versatility and high character? Oh, unknowable universe.

10) St. Louis Rams- DeVante Parker, WR Louisville- The Rams desperately need a top tier wide receiver for newly acquired quarterback Nick Foles.

11) Minnesota Vikings- Trae Waynes, CB Michigan State- The Vikings could go a number of different directions on draft day, but based on the way this draft played out (Scherff and Parker off the board), Waynes seems like the obvious pick.

12) Washington Redskins via Cleveland Browns- Eli Harold, OLB Virginia- The Redskins could have gone edge rusher at the five, but I think they recognize the need to get more picks in the early portions of this draft.

13) Chicago Bears via New Orleans Saints- Jordan Phillips, NT Oklahoma- This is great value for the Bears. They trade down, grab an extra pick, and get an impactful nose tackle.

14) Miami Dolphins- Shaq Thompson, OLB Washington- This may be a bit of a luxury pick, but it’s a perfect fit. Thompson’s coverage ability will take pressure off the rest of the linebacking core.

15) San Francisco 49ers- Eric Kendricks, ILB UCLA- The 49ers have a lot of needs, but after losing Pat Willis and Chris Borland, inside linebacker is a must early in this draft.

16) Houston Texans- Marcus Peters, CB Washington- Jonathan Joseph is looking more and more like a cap casualty cut next year, which means the Texans need his replacement now.

17) San Diego Chargers- Danny Shelton, NT Washington- The Chargers need a nose tackle above everything else. With Shelton on the board, I suspect they’ll race to the podium in this scenario.

18) Kansas City Chiefs- T.J. Clemmings, OT Pittsburgh- Eric Fisher doesn’t have the support of management in Kansas City, which means they could draft the best tackle on the board at the 18. In this scenario, that’s Clemmings.

19) Washington Redskins via Cleveland Browns from Buffalo Bills- Stephone Anthony, ILB Clemson- Stephone Anthony is one of my favorite players in the draft. He’s a well-rounded inside linebacker, something the Redskins definitely need. Anthony will improve the middle of the Redskins front seven.

20) Philadelphia Eagles- Landon Collins, SS Alabama- The Eagles need any kind of secondary help they can get.

21) Cincinnati Bengals- Eddie Goldman, DT/NT Florida State- Domata Peko struggled last season. Adding an impact player next to Geno Atkins could make this the best front four in the league.

22) Pittsburgh Steelers- Byron Jones, CB Connecticut- The Pittsburgh Steelers haven’t selected a first round cornerback since 1997. It’s time to change that.

23) Detroit Lions- Owamagbe Odighizuwa, DE UCLA- With this pick, the Lions would have Odighizuwa opposite Ziggy Ansah and next to Haloti Ngata. That’s one heck of a front four.

24) Arizona Cardinals- Malcom Brown, NT Texas- Malcom Brown has the versatility to play a 3-4 defensive end and a 3-4 nose tackle. His ability to play multiple techniques in different schemes will make him an attractive pick on draft day.

25) Carolina Panthers- Andrus Peat, OT Stanford- I think many are overthinking this pick for the Panthers. Yes, they signed Michael Oher. However, they still need a left tackle.

26) Baltimore Ravens- Jaelen Strong, WR Arizona State- Despite Joe Flacco’s reported trust in his receivers, I doubt a great football mind like Ozzie Newsome is going to feel the same way.

27) Dallas Cowboys- Todd Gurley, RB Georgia- Even though I have a sneaky suspicion Gurley goes higher than this, I can’t put a running back higher than the 20^th overall in the modern NFL.

28) Oakland Raiders via Denver Broncos- Preston Smith, DE Mississippi State- Preston Smith has great versatility, something Oakland has lacked in their front four for a long time.

29) Indianapolis Colts- Carl Davis, NT Iowa- By virtue of a glaring need I have Carl Davis here. I personally have Davis at a second round grade, but he has a lot of upside.

30) Green Bay Packers- Arik Armstead, DE Oregon- Armstead is arguably the biggest risk/reward pick in the draft. Green Bay can afford to take the risk.

31) New Orleans Saints via Seattle Seahawks- Jake Fisher, OT/OG Oregon– After losing Ben Grubbs, guard is a must in this draft for the Saints. While I think Fisher is a fine tackle, he could be a terrific left guard in the Saints offense.

32) Minnesota Vikings via New England Patriots- Dorial Green-Beckham, WR Oklahoma- New England may shock people on draft day and try to move up, but the one thing I think is certain is that they don’t select at the 32nd overall.

In terms of the trade from the Vikings perspective, I don’t think Mike Zimmer will fear DGB’s character issues. He’s a no nonsense coach, and sometimes that’s exactly what a guy with “character issues,” needs.

Trades

– New York Jets trade the #6 and the #37 to the Jacksonville Jaguars for the #3

– Cleveland Browns trade the #12 and the #19 to the Washington Redskins for the #5 and the #69

– New Orleans Saints trade the #13 and the #44 to the Chicago Bears for the #7

– Oakland Raiders trade the #35 and the #99 to the Denver Broncos for the #28.

– Minnesota Vikings trade the #45 and the #76 to the New England Patriots for the #32 and the #131

Round Two

33) Tennessee Titans- D.J Humphries, OT Florida

34) Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Nate Orchard, DE Utah

35) Denver Broncos via Oakland Raiders- Ty Sambrailo, OG Colorado State

36) Jacksonville Jaguars- Cedric Ogbuehi, OT Texas A&M

37) Jacksonville Jaguars via New York Jets- Duke Johnson, RB Miami Florida

38) Washington Redskins- Ali Marpet, OG Hobart

39) Chicago Bears- Nelson Agholor, WR Southern California

40) New York Giants- Cameron Erving, C Florida State

41) St. Louis Rams- La’El Collins, OT/OG LSU

42) Atlanta Falcons- Melvin Gordon, RB Wisconsin

43) Cleveland Browns- Maxx Williams, TE Minnesota

44) Chicago Bears via New Orleans Saints- Ereck Flowers, OT Miami Florida

45) New England Patriots via Minnesota Vikings- Kevin Johnson, CB Wake Forest

46) San Francisco 49ers- Ronald Darby, CB Florida State

47) Miami Dolphins- Quentin Rollins, CB Miami (Ohio)

48) San Diego Chargers- Tevin Coleman, RB Indiana

49) Kansas City Chiefs- Rashad Greene, WR Florida State

50) Buffalo Bills- Benadrick McKinney, ILB Mississippi State

51) New England Patriots via Houston Texans- Laken Tomlinson, OG Duke

52) Philadelphia Eagles- Breshad Perriman, WR UCF

53) Carolina Panthers via Cincinnati Bengals- Devin Smith, WR Ohio State

54) Detroit Lions- Jay Ajayi, RB Boise State

55) Arizona Cardinals- Danielle Hunter, OLB LSU

56) Pittsburgh Steelers- Randy Gregory, OLB Nebraska

57) Cincinnati Bengals via Carolina Panthers- A.J Cann, OG South Carolina

58) Baltimore Ravens- Mario Edwards Jr., DE Florida State

59) Denver Broncos- Xavier Cooper, DT Washington State

60) Jacksonville Jaguars via Dallas Cowboys- Phillip Dorsett, WR Miami Florida

61) Indianapolis Colts- Damarious Randall, FS Arizona State

62) New York Giants via Green Bay Packers- Derron Smith, FS Fresno State

63) Seattle Seahawks- Michael Bennett, DT Ohio State

64) Houston Texans via New England Patriots- Cody Prewitt, FS Ole Miss

Trades in Round Two

– New England Patriots trade the #64 and the #96 to the Houston Texans for the #51

– Carolina Panthers trade the #57 and a 2016 5^th round pick to the Cincinnati Bengals for the #53.

– Jacksonville Jaguars trade the #67, #139 and a 2016 7^th round pick to the Dallas Cowboys for the #60.

– New York Giants trade the #74 and the #108 to the Green Bay Packers for the #62 and the #166

Round Three

65) Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Anthony Harris, SS Virginia

66) Tennessee Titans- Shane Ray, OLB Missouri

67) Dallas Cowboys via Jacksonville Jaguars- Gabe Wright, DT/NT Auburn

68) Oakland Raiders- David Cobb, RB Minnesota

69) Cleveland Browns via Washington Redskins- Grady Jarrett, DT/NT Clemson

70) New York Jets- Tyler Lockett, WR Kansas State

71) Chicago Bears- Gerod Holliman, FS Louisville

72) St. Louis Rams- Rob Havenstein, OT Wisconsin

73) Atlanta Falcons- Clive Walford, TE Miami Florida

74) Green Bay Packers via New York Giants- Hau’oli Kikaha, OLB Washington

75) New Orleans Saints- Garrett Grayson, QB Colorado State

76) New England Patriots via Minnesota Vikings- Justin Hardy, WR East Carolina

77) Cleveland Browns- Donovan Smith, OG Penn State

78) New Orleans Saints via Miami Dolphins- Josh Harper, WR Fresno State

79) San Francisco 49ers- Lorenzo Mauldin, OLB Lousiville

80) Kansas City Chiefs- Hroniss Grassu, C Oregon

81) Buffalo Bills- Brett Hundley, QB UCLA

82) Houston Texans- Paul Dawson, ILB TCU

83) San Diego Chargers- Trey Flowers, DE/OLB Arkansas

84) Philadelphia Eagles- Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, CB Oregon

85) Cincinnati Bengals- Jake Ryan, OLB Michigan

86) Arizona Cardinals- David Johnson, RB Northern Iowa

87) Pittsburgh Steelers- Jaquiski Tartt, SS Samford

88) Detroit Lions- Kevin White, CB TCU

89) Carolina Panthers- Za’Darius Smith, DE Kentucky

90) Baltimore Ravens- Steven Nelson, CB Oregon State

91) Dallas Cowboys- Chris Hackett, S TCU

92) Denver Broncos- Eric Rowe, CB/S Utah

93) Indianapolis Colts- Charles Gaines, CB Louisville

94) Green Bay Packers- Kwon Alexander, ILB LSU

95) Seattle Seahawks- Tre Jackson, OG Florida State

96) Houston Texans via New England Patriots- B.J Finney, C Kansas State

97) New England Patriots (compensatory)- Denzel Perryman, ILB Miami Florida

98) Kansas City Chiefs (compensatory)- Henry Anderson, DE Stanford

99) Cincinnati Bengals (compensatory)- Devin Funchess, WR/TE Michigan

This entry was posted in Mock Drafts, NFL Draft Articles and tagged Amari Cooper, Atlanta Falcons, Brandon Scherff, Brett Hundley, Bud Dupree, Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns, Dante Fowler Jr, DeVante Parker, Dorial Green-Beckham, Eddie Goldman, Eli Harold, Jacksonville Jaguars, Jameis Winston, Jordan Phillips, Kevin White, Leonard Williams, Marcus Mariota, Melvin Gordon, New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, New York Jets, NFL, NFL Draft, NFL Mock Draft, Oakland Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles, Randy Gregory, Shane Ray, Shaq Thompson, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans, Todd Gurley, Vic Beasley, Washington Redskins.

Jordan Katz NFL Mock Draft 2.0

Posted on February 24, 2015 Updated on February 24, 2015

After a very eventful combine, it’s time for Mock Draft 2.0. Some things have changed since my first mock draft, including my individual grades on players and where I have certain players going.

Another thing that will be different in this mock draft is that I’ve predicted a couple of first round trades. Unlike some other mock drafts, Mike and I believe in putting trades in our mocks. It not only depicts who we think could trade up or trade down, but it’s more realistic, since there are always trades throughout the draft. It’s hard to predict past round one, but in that first round, we like to put trades in.

Now not every team that could trade down did, and my trades may differ from one mock draft to another. The trades in this mock draft, and future mock drafts, are based on team needs and what happened up until that team’s pick. So if your favorite team is trading up or trading down, it doesn’t mean that they are leaning that way necessarily. It means that I believe there is a trade that benefits them based on the way my mock draft happened.

One thing remained the same though. Shane Ray and Randy Gregory are still not in my first round.

Round 1

1) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-14)- Jameis Winston, QB Florida State- This pick probably won’t change… ever.

2) Tennessee Titans (2-14)- Leonard Williams, DT Southern California- Tennessee is going to tempt any team that wants Marcus Mariota to move up here, particularly the New York Jets. If they don’t get a team to move up, then this is Leonard Williams for two reasons. One, he’s the best player in the draft. More importantly, I don’t see the Titans moving on from Zach Mettenberger that quickly.

3) Jacksonville Jaguars (3-13)- Vic Beasley, OLB Clemson- Vic Beasley went absolutely bananas at this year’s NFL Combine. Normally I don’t weigh the combine that heavily, but when a player bulks up and still runs incredibly fast times, showing that even at his new weight he can be as fast as he was on his college game tape, he has to get recognition.

I said on Twitter that after his combine, Vic Beasley became my top edge rusher in the draft. While he’s not a 4-3 defensive end, he can be a LEO linebacker like Von Miller, or a strong side edge-rushing linebacker like Anthony Barr.

4) Oakland Raiders (3-13)- Kevin White, WR West Virginia- I wrote in my great debate article that if Kevin White ran a great 40-yard dash, based on his tape and his upside he would overtake Amari Cooper as this year’s top wide receiver. Well, 4.35 seconds later, and Cooper’s time is up. White’s time is now.

5) Washington Redskins (4-12)- Eli Harold, OLB Virginia- Harold was another member of the edge rushing class that tested off the charts in Indianapolis. Since Vic Beasley moved up, and Dante Fowler is best served as a 4-3 defensive end, Eli Harold jumps all the way to number five for me.

6) New York Jets (4-12)- Marcus Mariota, QB Oregon- I personally believe that the Jets will draft Marcus Mariota on draft day. Whether that’s by trading up, or Mariota falling to them at the sixth overall selection, I believe Mariota will be the Jets starting quarterback in 2015.

7) Cleveland Browns from Chicago Bears (5-11)- Amari Cooper, WR Alabama- Here’s the first trade of this mock draft. I think that Chicago is in a luxury position here. They could use a number of different things, and by Cooper being here, they could use that to their advantage and tempt a team that needs a wide receiver to move up.

Enter the Cleveland Browns. They need a number one target with the Josh Gordon suspension looming and the increased likelihood of Jordan Cameron not returning. They also have a first round draft pick to “play with,” because of the Sammy Watkins trade in last year’s draft. Cleveland moves up to take their top tier wide receiver, and the Bears get a few more picks.

8) Atlanta Falcons (6-10)- Dante Fowler Jr., DE Florida- The most NFL ready pass rusher “falls,” to the Falcons because of the rise of Beasley and Harold. I doubt Falcons fans will be complaining.

9) New York Giants (6-10)- Owamagbe Odighizuwa, DE UCLA- Here’s another player on the rise. Digi is probably my favorite player in the draft because of his upside, and because I have had him pegged as a top tier player in this draft for a while.

The Giants need linebackers, but we all know they won’t go there. They do need offensive line as well. However, they also need a defensive end, as either a replacement for Jason Pierre-Paul or along side him.

Digi does it all, and his combine will have his stock rising.

10) St. Louis Rams (6-10)- DeVante Parker, WR Louisville- While I wish the Vikings could land Parker to have the Louisville connection between him and Teddy Bridgewater, this pick makes too much sense for the Rams. They need a number one target and Parker is that guy.

11) Minnesota Vikings (7-9)- T.J Clemmings, OT Pittsburgh- I still believe Clemmings is a right tackle immediately, but after further studying him on tape, I think he can one day become a big time left tackle. Fortunately for Minnesota, they need a big time right tackle, and Clemmings is already that.

12) Chicago Bears from Cleveland Browns (7-9)- Jordan Phillips, NT Oklahoma- Here’s why I felt that Chicago would move down. If they want to address defensive tackle, defensive backs, or even interior offensive line, they can afford to move back and do so. That makes them a good trade partner for another team.

Phillips would be a terrific fit in John Fox’s defense as a zero technique 4-3 defensive tackle, much like Kris Jenkins from Fox’s Carolina Panthers defense in the early 2000’s.

13) New Orleans Saints (7-9)- Danny Shelton, NT Washington- Shelton ran a slow 40-time, but that doesn’t bother me. He eats blockers and stops the run as well as any defensive tackle in this draft. Rob Ryan and company will love having him in the middle of their defense.

14) Miami Dolphins (8-8)- Eddie Goldman, DT Florida State- This pick stays as is. Goldman and Miami are still a perfect match.

15) San Francisco 49ers (8-8)- Jaelen Strong, WR Arizona State- Jaelen Strong had a great 40-time and vertical leap at the combine, furthering my opinion that he’s easily the number four wide out in this draft class.

16) Houston Texans (9-7)- Trae Waynes, CB Michigan State- Waynes may wind up going higher than this on draft day, but I still don’t believe that there is a top 15 corner, talent wise, in this draft.

17) San Diego Chargers (9-7)- Brandon Scherff, OG Iowa- While I have Scherff as my best offensive lineman in the draft, Clemmings upside and his ability to play tackle puts him higher on my list than a guard.

Having said that, Scherff still deserves to go top 20, just like Zack Martin did last year, and the Chargers could use interior lineman.

18) Arizona Cardinals from Kansas City Chiefs (9-7)- Alvin “Bud” Dupree, OLB Kentucky- Trade number two. Kansas City is another team in a luxury situation. There are a number of teams that need an edge rusher below them, and Bud Dupree showed his freakish athleticism at the combine, to go along with an impressive college tape. I think they can get one of Pittsburgh, Detroit or Arizona to move up a couple of spots for a big time edge rusher.

19) Cleveland Browns from Buffalo Bills (9-7)- Malcom Brown, DT/NT Texas- The Browns grabbed their wide out, they now need a nose tackle. I like Malcom Brown a lot. He’s a great pass rusher from the interior, and I think he can eat blockers as a nose tackle as well.

20) Philadelphia Eagles (10-6)- Landon Collins, SS Alabama- Collins is a hard hitting, in the box safety. Like I said in my first mock draft, that makes him actually fall a bit in the draft.

However, there is no way he makes it past a team desperate for a safety.

21) Cincinnati Bengals* (10-5-1)- Nate Orchard, DE Utah- Orchard fell a bit for me because of his 40-time. It wasn’t bad, it just locked him in to a 4-3 defensive end.

The Bengals need an edge rusher opposite Carlos Dunlap, and Nate Orchard’s tape still speaks volumes for him, in my opinion. I think this is a very good fit.

22) Pittsburgh Steelers* (11-5)- Marcus Peters, CB Washington- This is probably my least confident pick in this mock draft. It’s not because the Steelers don’t need a cornerback, they absolutely do. It’s because of the player.

Yes, Peters has the talent to go even higher than this, but he has a lot of off-the-field issues. I don’t doubt that Mike Tomlin will draft Peters, despite his character issues. I doubt that the Steelers organization will be on board.

Nevertheless, the Steelers need a corner and this is a good scheme fit.

23) Detroit Lions* (11-5)- Preston Smith, DE Mississippi State- I remember when Mike first watched Preston Smith and immediately told me how much I would like him. Low and behold, he was right.

Smith is a good athlete for a 4-3 defensive end, but his strength is in his technique. He has a bevy of pass rushing moves and a motor that doesn’t turn off during games. Preston Smith and Ziggy Ansah will reek havoc in the post Ndamukong Suh era in Detroit.

24) Kansas City Chiefs from Arizona Cardinals * (11-5)- Dorial Green-Beckham, WR Oklahoma- Despite trading down, the Chiefs still get their game changing wide receiver. Make no mistake about it, despite his character issues, DGB is a game changing wide out. There weren’t teams behind them that were going to take a wide out. This is why I felt they could move down in the first place.

25) Carolina Panthers* (7-8-1)- Andrus Peat, OT Stanford- Peat basically swapped spots with T.J Clemmings from my last mock draft. After further evaluation, I think Clemmings has more upside.

That doesn’t mean that Peat won’t be a good tackle at the next level, and if there’s a team that can use his one-on-one blocking well, it’s the Panthers.

26) Baltimore Ravens* (10-6)- Arik Armstead, DE Oregon- This pick might as well be labeled “The Ozzie Newsome Special.” The Ravens draft a guy with top ten potential that falls in the draft because of his lack of college production statistically.

27) Dallas Cowboys* (12-4)- Shaq Thompson, OLB Washington- Thompson is like Vontae Mack from the movie “Draft Day.” If he doesn’t go to the Giants at nine, he’s going to fall hard, just like Mack said if the Browns didn’t take him at seven, he was projected to fall.

Once again, that doesn’t mean that my personal evaluation of Thompson changes. I still think he’s a game changing cover linebacker, and I think he would thrive in Dallas.

28) St. Louis Rams via Denver Broncos* (12-4)- Brett Hundley, QB UCLA- Final trade of round one here. I think one team will move back into the first round for one of Brett Hundley, Garrett Grayson or Bryce Petty. Denver could use to trade out of round one, because I believe they have a few more needs than people may realize.

I think the Rams do want to take a quarterback in the first two rounds, even though they may seem loyal to Sam Bradford. Jeff Fisher has succeeded with mobile quarterbacks in the past, and maybe he’ll find that success with Brett Hundley down the road.

For right now, Hundley’s inability to go to a second read and inconsistent accuracy make him just like every other quarterback in this draft not named Winston or Mariota: a project.

29) Indianapolis Colts* (11-5)- Eric Kendricks, ILB UCLA- Just like the last mock draft, the Colts still take a game changing linebacker in Eric Kendricks.

30) Green Bay Packers* (12-4)- Stephone Anthony, ILB Clemson- Stephone Anthony has elevated to a top ten player on my personal board. The reason why he’s here and not higher is because of the teams that are drafting linebackers above, and how they fit schematically. Thompson is a cover linebacker, a good fit for Dallas. Kendricks is an all-around linebacker, something Indy desperately needs. Anthony is more of a 3-4 thumper, if you will. His ability to play the run will be welcomed in Green Bay.

31) Seattle Seahawks* (12-4)- Nelson Agholor, WR Southern California- Agholor is a playmaking wide receiver. He is a terrific route runner and high points the ball very well. He will be a great target for Russell Wilson.

32) New England Patriots* (12-4)- Ty Sambrailo, OT/OG Colorado State- Ty Sambrailo has really good footwork, and with his athletic ability to pull, I think he could be a terrific guard at the next level. That means he has versatility as an offensive lineman (listed as a tackle on some board), which makes him a prototypical New England Patriot.

TRADES:

1) Cleveland Browns trade the #12, #76 and a 2016 3^rd to the Chicago Bears for the #7 and a 2016 5^th.

2) Arizona Cardinals trade the #24, #86 and a 2016 5^th to the Kansas City Chiefs for the #18.

3) Cleveland From Buffalo: Sammy Watkins Trade

4) St. Louis Rams trade the #41, #72 and the #202 to the Denver Broncos for the #28, #124 and the #156

Round 2

33) Tennessee Titans (2-14)- Devin Smith, WR Ohio State

34) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-14)- Jake Fisher, OT Oregon

35) Oakland Raiders (3-13)- Randy Gregory, DE Nebraska

36) Jacksonville Jaguars (3-13)- Rashad Greene, WR Florida State

37) New York Jets (4-12)- Breshad Perriman, WR UCF

38) Washington Redskins (4-12)- Carl Davis, DT/NT Iowa

39) Chicago Bears (5-11)- D.J Humphries, OT Florida

40) New York Giants (6-10)- La’el Collins, OT LSU

41) Denver Broncos via St. Louis Rams (6-10)- Laken Tomlinson, OG Duke

42) Atlanta Falcons (6-10)- Todd Gurley, RB Georgia

43) Cleveland Browns (7-9)- Maxx Williams, TE Minnesota

44) New Orleans Saints (7-9)- Shane Ray, OLB Missouri

45) Minnesota Vikings (7-9)- Phillip Dorsett, WR Miami

46) San Francisco 49ers (8-8)- Quinten Rollins, CB Miami (OH)

47) Miami Dolphins (8-8)- Ronald Darby, CB Florida State

48) San Diego Chargers (9-7)- A.J Cann, OG South Carolina

49) Kansas City Chiefs (9-7)- Mario Edwards Jr., DE Florida State

50) Buffalo Bills (9-7)- Garrett Grayson, QB Colorado State

51) Houston Texans (9-7)- Hau’oli Kikaha, OLB Washington

52) Philadelphia Eagles (10-6)- Kevin Johnson, CB Wake Forest

53) Cincinnati Bengals* (10-5-1)- Benadrick McKinney, ILB Mississippi State

54) Detroit Lions* (11-5)- Duke Johnson, RB Miami

55) Arizona Cardinals* (11-5)- Clive Walford, TE Miami

56) Pittsburgh Steelers* (11-5)- Danielle Hunter, OLB LSU

57) Carolina Panthers* (7-8-1)- Tyler Lockett, WR Kansas State

58) Baltimore Ravens* (10-6)- Melvin Gordon, RB Wisconsin

59) Denver Broncos* (12-4)- Hroniss Grassu, C Oregon

60) Dallas Cowboys* (12-4)- Tevin Coleman, RB Indiana

61) Indianapolis Colts* (11-5)- Derron Smith, FS Fresno State

62) Green Bay Packers* (12-4)- Ellis McCarthy, NT UCLA

63) Seattle Seahawks* (12-4)- Cedric Ogbuehi, OT Texas A&M

64) New England Patriots* (12-4)- Devin Funchess, WR/TE Michigan

This entry was posted in Mock Drafts and tagged Amari Cooper, Brandon Scherff, Brett Hundley, Dante Fowler Jr, DeVante Parker, Dorial Green-Beckham, Eddie Goldman, Eli Harold, Jameis Winston, Jordan Phillips, Kevin White, Leonard Williams, Marcus Mariota, Melvin Gordon, New York Jets, NFL, NFL Draft, NFL Mock Draft, Randy Gregory, Shane Ray, Shaq Thompson, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans, Vic Beasley.

The Great Debates of the 2015 NFL Draft

Posted on February 11, 2015 Updated on February 11, 2015

By: Jordan Katz

My favorite part of the draft process is the debates that lead up to draft day. They may be a debate between two players, and which one a team should draft. They may be a debate whether to trade down, trade up, or stay put, or sometimes they are as simple as who is the next best player in a crowd of mediocrity. So in this article, I’ll shed some light on what I feel are some of the bigger “debates,” that surround the first two rounds of the draft.

1) The Case: Jameis Winston or Marcus Mariota?

The Facts: This is obviously the biggest debate out there. Does a team chance Winston’s talent, despite his character issues? Does a team draft a system quarterback with off the radar intangibles? Which does a team (maybe Tampa Bay) take first, or does a team pass on them all together?

Personally, I think this debate is actually not as close as people make it out to be. Yes, I’m a believer that Marcus Mariota can succeed, despite the lack of an inventory of throws that come with a system quarterback. His accuracy and decision-making are proof that he can succeed at the next level. However, Jameis Winston is the better prospect. Let’s neglect the off the field issues for a second. Winston is better in the pocket, his arm is bigger, he can make every throw in the book, and he has the same intangibles that Mariota possesses. In fact, you could argue that between the lines of the gridiron, Winston is a better leader, having shown more poise under duress and better ability to play through adversity. Winston’s character flaws may prove to be too much for him to overcome, but in terms of a talent level, there’s not a lot of debate here.

The Verdict: Jameis Winston

2) The Case: What Should the Tennessee Titans Do with the Second Overall Pick?

The Facts: It doesn’t seem like Ken Whisenhunt is quick to move away from the quarterbacks he has, at least right now. That’s why many are not mocking one of the top two quarterbacks to the Titans. However, is that the right move? Should the Titans pass on the quarterback that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers don’t take?

If I were in charge of the Titans draft, and I watched the Buccaneers take Jameis Winston first overall (because if they don’t, I’m drafting Winston), I would tempt the Jets and the Eagles to move up for Marcus Mariota. The Eagles connection is obvious, and if I could somehow swing Nick Foles and a second or third round pick for the number two selection, I’d take it and run. However, I doubt that Chip Kelly is doing nothing more than blowing smoke in this regard, and that he isn’t very serious on moving up for his former quarterback.

The Jets are much more likely to move up. If the Jets have the offseason they expect to have, based on the immense amount of cap room John Idzik left them, they could find themselves heading into draft day with only one glaring need, a franchise quarterback. While the Titans may not believe Mariota is that guy, the Jets may believe he is (and my gut tells me they do).

If no team bites, then I would draft Leonard Williams. Simply put, Williams is a “can’t miss,” prospect, and the Titans just need talent. Yes, this is a quarterback driven league, but since there are doubts about Marcus Mariota, I wouldn’t chance it. Rebuilding in the NFL is a marathon, not a sprint.

The Verdict: Trade Down, or Draft Leonard Williams

3) The Case: Amari Cooper or Kevin White?

The Facts: This debate may not be on a lot of people’s radar, but I think it’s a lot closer than people think. Cooper is a route running technician, he’s quick in and out of his cuts, he has great hands, and despite his size, he’s still a red zone threat.

However, Kevin White does things that Cooper doesn’t. White is a great jump ball receiver. He high points a throw very well, and can stretch the defense down the field with his speed. While Cooper is fast, he’s not a premier deep threat, nor is he a jump ball receiver. What makes this debate interesting is that White is also a very accomplished route runner for the collegiate level.

Personally, I graded Cooper just slightly better than White from watching them on tape. However, and this is a rarity for me, I think the combine will settle this debate. If both run good 40 times, Cooper will retain his slight edge. If White runs an explosive 40-yard dash, he may become the top wide receiver in the class, because he is better suited for the pro game, in my opinion.

The Verdict: Amari Cooper (for now)

4) The Case: Who’s the Next Best Quarterback after Winston and Mariota?

The Facts: I’ll go with Brett Hundley, with Garrett Grayson close behind. I don’t believe that any of these quarterbacks will wind up translating to the pros besides the top two, but I think Hundley has the best chance.

Hundley is tough to bring down, and when you compile that with his ability to scramble, he could change games with his legs. He has a good arm and shows the ability to step into his throws, when the pocket is protected well.

The problem is Hundley isn’t particularly accurate, and when he senses the slightest bit of pressure, he gets happy feet and is quick to run, rather than sliding in the pocket and buying himself time. He also has a tendency to fumble when he takes off, which is not a quality you want in a quarterback.

Despite the mixed bag, Hundley is so much further along than almost all of the “other,” quarterbacks in this draft, that he’s the clear-cut choice for being the third quarterback off the board.

The Verdict: Brett Hundley

5) The Case: When will the First Running Back be drafted, and who will it be?

The Facts: Running backs have become devalued in the NFL, which means they have become devalued in the draft process as well. The interesting thing about this draft is that the running back class is loaded. On my personal board of prospects I have four running backs in my top 35 players for this upcoming draft. There’s a big debate as to who the first running back should be, and where he should go, but, to me, there’s no debate. The first running back off the board should be Todd Gurley.

Gurley tore his ACL, which could steer teams away from him. However, there’s no doubt he’s the best running back in this class, in my opinion. He’s runs downhill and has lightning quick cutback ability. He has great vision and if you’ve seen any film on him or watched a Georgia game in the past few years, you know he’s an athlete.

Yes, Melvin Gordon was incredible at Wisconsin. However, Gordon played behind a better offensive line and in a weaker conference. Gurley put up massive production in the SEC, and I believe that he’s a more physical runner than Gordon, making him much better suited for the professional game. I still don’t see a team taking a running back in round one, but when the time comes, the name that should be called is Todd Gurley.

The Verdict: Todd Gurley, Round Two

This entry was posted in NFL Draft Articles and tagged Amari Cooper, Brett Hundley, Jameis Winston, Kevin White, Leonard Williams, Marcus Mariota, Melvin Gordon, New York Jets, NFL Draft, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans, Todd Gurley.

Jordan Katz NFL Mock Draft 1.0

Posted on January 16, 2015 Updated on January 16, 2015

The wonderful NFL Mock Draft season is upon us. It is the start of the hope that comes with every offseason. For the teams that don’t make the playoffs, it’s a chance to rebuild, and a way to get back to the postseason. For those that made the playoffs, it’s chance to further your chances of making it back next season..

This season there are a lot of talented prospects. There are risk/reward players, a loaded wide receiver class, and one Jameis Winston. In reality, the debate of Winston or Marcus Mariota could determine the way the entire draft plays out. Which player do the Tampa Bay Buccaneers give the keys to their franchise to? Or do they opt to build their team further before taking a quarterback, and draft an elite prospect like Leonard Williams or Amari Cooper?

This is just the first of my mock drafts before the NFL Draft, which has now become a spectacle to behold. Since this is the first one, there are no trades, because not every spot has been set in stone yet. As the draft gets closer and closer, I’ll start mapping out trades based on which teams I think are most likely to move up or down.

ROUND ONE

1) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-14)- Jameis Winston, QB Florida State

The worst kept secret in the world is that Tampa Bay is taking a quarterback, if they stay with the first overall pick. In my opinion, Winston is actually the safer of the two quarterbacks, despite his off the field issues, because he has all the tools to be a franchise quarterback at the next level.

2) Tennessee Titans (2-14)- Leonard Williams, DT USC

Tennessee obviously needs a quarterback, but something tells me they would opt to trade down rather than drafting Marcus Mariota. Williams is my top prospect in the draft. He’s disruptive in the run game, he has elite pass rushing moves, and his versatility makes him a perfect fit opposite a zero technique in Jurrell Casey.

3) Jacksonville Jaguars (3-13)- Dante Fowler Jr., DE Florida

Fowler is my top pass rusher in the draft, and for a team that needs an edge rusher this makes the most sense.

4) Oakland Raiders (3-13)- Amari Cooper, WR Alabama

Oakland is in desperate need of a number one target for Derek Carr, and Cooper is surely that guy. Cooper is an Antonio Brown clone. He excels at route running, he’s explosive out of his break and he has phenomenal hands. This is a no brainer.

5) Washington Redskins (4-12)- Vic Beasley, OLB Clemson

While Beasley isn’t my second best edge player, he’s my best 3-4 outside linebacker, which is what Washington plays. Beasley is a pass rushing extraordinaire and can rush with his hand in the dirt or standing up, which is an underrated asset for edge rushers.

6) New York Jets (4-12)- Marcus Mariota, QB Oregon

Jets fans get the benefit of the Titans passing on Mariota, but is it a positive? The possibility of Mariota not translating to the pros because of Oregon’s system quarterback has been well documented. Also his lack of an inventory of throws could hurt him on draft day.

However, I believe that Mariota’s accuracy, underrated arm strength, and intelligence will allow him to overcome the “system,” critiques.

7) Chicago Bears (5-11)- Brandon Scherff, OG/OT Iowa

In my opinion, Brandon Scherff is the best offensive lineman in the draft, but he is a guard, not a tackle. This could lead the Bears to pass and go for Landon Collins, even though an in the box safety might not go that high.

If they go for offensive line, I think Scherff is so good as a guard that he should be the first offensive lineman off the board.

8) Atlanta Falcons (6-10)- Nate Orchard, DE Utah

Falcons fans, I know what your thinking. Where is Randy Gregory? I’m not as high on Gregory as others. I think he takes plays off, relies too much on his athleticism, and doesn’t set the edge well versus the run. I see Vernon Gholston 2.0.

Nate Orchard, however, is going to start flying up draft boards. He isn’t as gifted as some of the other pass rushers, but he’s smart, he has a nose for the ball and good pass rushing moves.

9) New York Giants (6-10)- Shaq Thompson, OLB Washington

Here’s my thought process with this one. Eventually the Giants are going to draft a first round linebacker. Shaq Thompson has the makings of a stud. Yes, he doesn’t have ideal size and build. Despite this he’s a beast in coverage, he ranges from sideline to sideline incredibly well, and he has a great football I.Q, something the Giants really value. This could be the time the Giants finally go linebacker because of that.

10) St. Louis Rams (6-10)- Kevin White, WR West Virginia

If Amari Cooper is the best wide receiver in this draft, then Kevin White is 1A. White has the ability to be a home run threat, as well as a red zone target. He has lethal quickness out of his cuts and is a beast in the air. If he can sure up his drops and become a more complete route runner, he could be better than Amari Cooper.

11) Minnesota Vikings (7-9)- Andrus Peat, OT Stanford

Minnesota needs a wide receiver, but there are lots of wide outs in this draft. They also need a tackle, and there are not nearly enough of those.

Peat could be a strong tackle at the next level. He has the athleticism and one-on-one blocking ability to be great in pass protection. Even though his balance is off sometimes, Peat has the makings of a solid pro.

12) Cleveland Browns (7-9)- DeVante Parker, WR Louisville

Parker looks like an unpolished A.J Green to me. He’s not as good of a route runner as Green was out of college, but he’s equally as explosive, and equally as good with the ball in the air. Parker will prove to be a great target for whomever Cleveland decides to start at quarterback in 2015.

13) New Orleans Saints (7-9)- Jordan Phillips, NT Oklahoma

Jordan Phillips is my fourth best prospect in this draft. Why? Phillips has everything I look for in a nose tackle. He eats blockers, he’s disruptive in the run game, and you can’t block him one-on-one. He’s a perfect fit for the Saints defense.

14) Miami Dolphins (8-8)- Eddie Goldman, DT Florida State

Right behind Jordan Phillips in my rankings is Eddie Goldman. He’s so disruptive in both the run and the pass game, and constantly makes big plays. The Dolphins need a 4-3 defensive tackle, and putting Goldman with Cameron Wake and Olivier Vernon may make the Dolphins front four one of the best in the league.

15) San Francisco 49ers (8-8)- Jaelen Strong, WR Arizona State

San Francisco could go cornerback here, but I think the need to replace Michael Crabtree is too great to ignore. Strong is one of my favorite players in this draft. Some may question his release and the fact his route tree isn’t complete, but I love the upside. He’s great with the ball in his hands, he has the speed to burn defenders, and he is really good with the ball in the air.

16) Houston Texans (9-7)- Trae Waynes, CB Michigan State

Waynes is an interesting case for me. He has the man coverage ability to be a shutdown corner. He seems to often be in the wide receivers pocket regardless of whether he’s off the line or in press coverage.

However, teams just seemed to avoid him in favor of better matchups. Can Waynes go from being seldom targeted to becoming frequently targeted, and remain as productive?

17) San Diego Chargers (9-7)- Landon Collins, SS Alabama

Collins would be higher if he wasn’t an in the box safety. He rarely misses a tackle, and while he is not a ball hawk, his instincts are terrific. Putting him opposite Eric Weddle could prove to be one of the best safety tandems in the league.

18) Kansas City Chiefs (9-7)- Dorial Green-Beckham, WR Oklahoma

If there is a team that is going to draft DGB’s talent despite his character issues, it’s going to be Andy Reid and the Chiefs. DGB’s massive size (6’6) and explosive speed make him an incredibly difficult guard for any defensive back. If he gets his off the field issues in order, he could be the steal of the draft at 18.

19) Cleveland Browns via Buffalo Bills* (9-7)- Danny Shelton, NT Washington

Shelton is very comparable to Jordan Phillips, in fact they are almost the same player. He eats blockers incredibly well, and is great in the run game. He explodes off the line and sheds blockers with his strong hands.

The difference between him and Phillips, in my opinion, is I think Phillips is dominant in the pass game as well, where as I feel Shelton has some work to do there. Shelton’s pad level is also occasionally too high.

*- Browns acquired pick in Sammy Watkins Trade

20) Philadelphia Eagles (10-6)- Marcus Peters, CB Washington

Marcus Peters has off the field issues, but he also has a ton of tools. He’s got the size to man up taller receivers, the athleticism to guard the shifty wide outs, and he hawks the ball.

Peters needs to become more consistent, and could improve in press coverage, but the talent is there.

21) Cincinnati Bengals (10-5-1)- Owamagbe Odighizuwa, DE UCLA

Someone I have very high on my personal board is Owamgbe Odighizuwa. He does have an injury history, which could keep him out of the first round, but if a team is willing to overlook that, they could get a steal.

Odighizuwa has a great first step, he gaps the run well, and has the pass rushing ability equivalent of the top guys in this draft.

22) Pittsburgh Steelers (11-5)- Eli Harold, OLB Virginia

Still no Randy Gregory? That’s right. Still no Shane Ray? Right again.

Harold might have the most potential of the edge players in this draft. After watching Harold, I saw a number of chances for sacks where he failed to bring down the quarterback. Despite this, he still had a really productive season.

Harold has explosive speed and really good pass rushing moves. He’s also deceptively strong. If he becomes more consistent, watch out.

23) Detroit Lions (11-5)- Arik Armstead, DT Oregon- The talent is there for Arik Armstead, but he needs to become more consistent. Even though the production isn’t there, I think Armstead’s talent, along with his size and power, makes him a great replacement for Ndamukong Suh (assuming he walks in free agency).

24) Arizona Cardinals (11-5)- Shane Ray, OLB Missouri

Shane Ray is only here because I think Bud Dupree is better served as a 4-3 defensive end than a 3-4 outside linebacker. Ray is wildly inconsistent, particularly as a tackler and a run stopper. He does have great athleticism and a quick first step, but he needs to become more consistent.

25) Carolina Panthers (7-8-1)- TJ Clemmings, OT Pittsburgh

I’m not sure Clemmings is the dominant tackle that other mock draft enthusiasts believe he is, but Clemmings is a behemoth in the run game. He’s strong and he does a great job of getting to the second level. I think a team that runs the ball frequently can make great use of him, and the Panthers do just that.

26) Baltimore Ravens (10-6)- Malcolm Brown, DT/NT Texas

Brown doesn’t have long arms, which could make fall on draft day. That doesn’t bother me though. I love his ability to pass rush and eat blockers. He’s strong as an ox too.

27) Dallas Cowboys (12-4)- Alvin “Bud” Dupree, DE Kentucky

Yep, you guessed it. Still no Randy Gregory.

Bud Dupree is actually one of my favorite players in the draft, despite him being in the back end of the first round. He uses his hands incredibly well as a pass rusher, and seems to have a high I.Q for a defensive lineman. Dupree gets really good leverage and he’s fast around the edge as well. There’s big upside here for Dallas with Bud Dupree.

28) Denver Broncos (12-4)- Gerrod Holliman, FS Louisville

Maybe the riskiest first round selection I have in this mock draft is Gerrod Holliman. Holliman is a ball hawk and showed the ability to read the quarterback very well at Louisville.

The negative is that Holliman is an inconsistent tackler and doesn’t put his, “hat in the ring,” versus the run.

With T.J Ward as his counterpart, I think the Broncos system sets Holliman up to succeed at the next level, making him worthy of the selection and the risk.

29) Indianapolis Colts (11-5)- Eric Kendricks, ILB UCLA

Kendricks is incredibly high on my personal board, but team needs finds him falling to the Colts at the 29. I think he’s easily the best middle linebacker in the draft, because there’s nothing Kendricks doesn’t do well. He’s equally as good versus the run as he is in coverage. The Colts would be really happy with this selection.

30) Green Bay Packers (12-4)- Maxx Williams, TE Minnesota

Williams looks a lot like Dwayne Allen to me. I don’t think he’ll ever be the game changer that Jimmy Graham or Rob Gronkowski are, but his ability to block and his soft hands will make him a great weapon in a dynamic Packers offense, particularly in the red zone.

31) New England Patriots (12-4)- Derron Smith, FS Fresno State

Derron Smith needs to improve in his angles to ball carriers, but he is a terrific tackler, he plays the run well, and he is a ball hawk. Should the Patriots lose Devin McCourty to free agency, Bill Belichick will probably be all over Smith’s upside in round one.

32) Seattle Seahawks (12-4)- La’el Collins, OT LSU- Had this been two weeks ago, I would’ve told you that the Seahawks selection at tackle was Cedric Ogbuehi. However, after his injury, he may fall in the draft. This elevates La’el Collins to this position.

Collins is unpolished in pass protection, but he’s a good run blocker and has ideal size for the position. He also does a good job of getting to the second level.

This entry was posted in Mock Drafts and tagged Amari Cooper, Brandon Scherff, Dante Fowler Jr, Jameis Winston, Kevin White, Marcus Mariota, NFL, NFL Draft, NFL Mock Draft, Randy Gregory, Shane Ray, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans.

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