By John Loop
Staff Writer
Pick No. 16 – The New York Jets
TEAM NEEDS: Wide Receiver, Defensive Lineman, Linebacker, Safety
Rex Ryan will probably hold his usual press conference and say the exact same words he has said the last couple of years, something along the lines of “Super Bowl or Bust!”
But Rex…you can’t win a Super Bowl with a now defunct quarterback and a non-existent receiving corps.
That’s why the Jets’ should take South Carolina deep threat Alshon Jeffery.
Jeffery, who caught 49 passes for 762 yards and eight touchdowns, proved himself as an elite college receiver. The junior was mulling the NFL jump as late as January before declaring his intentions to become a pro.
The Gamecock wideout would have no trouble becoming a reliable number two receiver to Santonio Holmes, who recently signed a lucrative five-year contract worth close to $45 million.
Because of his size, it would give Mark Sanchez a large upgrade in a receiver with the ability to win possession against some of the league’s best cover corners.
There has also been a lot of talk surrounding Notre Dame’s Michael Floyd.
Floyd has served as Notre Dame’s star playmaker, and developed into an outstanding receiver between and outside the hashmarks. Even though the Irish lacked a pocket presence, Floyd hit the century mark in receptions (100) for over 1100 yards.
On the defensive side of the ball, the majority of the experts are pointing to two defensive ends; Illinois’ Whitney Mercilus and South Carolina’s Melvin Ingram.
Both Ingram and Mercilus have wreaked havoc upon SEC and Big Ten opponents.
Mercilus was “merciless”, to say the least, registering 16 sacks among his total 57 tackles during his junior season last year.
The senior end Ingram is the more popular name among NFL Draft analysts, though. He racked up 48 total tackles and 6.5 sacks, proving that he is a force on the outside.
There are also rumors circulating that the Jets could pounce either on Alabama senior safety Mark Barron or senior linebacker Courtney Upshaw if they are still on the board at the midway point of the first round.
Whichever direction the Jets decide to go, let’s hope that they’ll be soaring high afterwards.
Pick No. 15 – The Philadelphia Eagles
TEAM NEEDS: Offensive Tackle, Inside Linebacker, Offensive Guard
The Boys from the “Land of Cheesesteaks”all but struggled with their pass rush last season, tying for first in the NFL with the Minnesota Vikings.
The Eagles are lacking on their offensive line, particularly at the tackle spot. I can see them taking a guy like Georgia’s Cordy Glenn.
Glenn was the anchor for a Bulldog line that gave up just under three sacks per game.
The Eagles rank 10th in the overall rankings with 32 sacks allowed. After Jason Peters suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon earlier in the offseason, scouts have began to eye the possibility of trading up to snag Iowa’s Riley Reiff, or taking Stanford tackle Jonathan Martin.
Martin paved the way for Cardinal running back Stepfan Taylor to plague Pac-10 defenses for over 1300 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also stood steadfast in protecting the “blind side” of surefire top pick Andrew Luck, who threw for over 3500 yards.
Reiff is ranked higher on many scouts’ lists. Some experts have him going as high as pick number 10 to the Buffalo Bills, which I agree will happen, I have no doubt. He has played both tackle positions, so that gives the Eagles some choice on where they can pencil him in on the depth chart.
Turning to the defense, the inside linebacker position could use a lot of help. This could come from a fellow Eagle in Boston College’s Luke Kuechly.
Remember, Kuechly played alongside the Giant’s Mark Herzlich for two/three seasons, and still managed to break the ACC single season tackles record as a junior (191 last season). He is an athletic guy who could play outside linebacker if asked.
Any help the Eagles can get will be greatly appreciated to win the most competitive division (East) in the NFC.
Pick No. 14 – The Dallas Cowboys
TEAM NEEDS: Secondary (CB, S), Inside/Outside Linebacker, Defensive Tackle, Offensive Guard, No. 3 Wide Receiver
It is only fair that “America’s Team” receive the most attention in my draft analysis.
Experts seem to keep pulling more and more names from the draft pool every day. Here are some that are recurring themes.
1. Alabama safety Mark Barron-Barron is most certainly at the top of the Boys’ priority board. He may also be the best available pick at 14 if he ends up sliding. Besides, the Cowboys could use some help in the pass defense department. The team struggled last year in coverage, especially against some guy named Cruz. Even with the Jones’ paying a hefty price to keep Gerald Sensabaugh and bringing in the Jets ballhawk Brodney Pool, those two aren’t exactly the best in football; they just fill space. Barron has a chance to be a first day starter and impact player.
2. Alabama cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick-Kirkpatrick is the second best corner in the draft. He did have some issues at Alabama last year, but still played on a BCS champion team. A team like the Cowboys would jump at the chance to snag this physical presence before he gets off the board. Although the past few defensive backs that Jerry and the coaching staff have not really panned out, Kirkpatrick could be the one to swing tradition.
3. Stanford offensive guard David DeCastro-DeCastro is a big man. Standing at a menacing 6’5” and weighing 316 pounds, I would not want to get in his way on the gridiron. DeCastro had an exceptional Pro Day at Stanford, though all the attention was focused on the engineering major who is probably Peyton’s successor. Local media have moaned and groaned about the apparent lack of a sufficient running game , and the Stanford “Man-mover” will certainly give it some much needed beef.
4. Memphis defensive tackle Dontari Poe-It would be a miracle if Poe slipped this far. Most have him going to the Cardinals at 13 or the Panthers at 9. But, if Poe survives past pick 10, the possibilities of a Pro Bowl pairing alongside nose tackle Jay Ratliff are stunning. There are already comparisons surfacing about the talent level of the two.
5. LSU wide receiver Rueben Randle-This is a big reach for the first round. NFL scouts have given Randle a early-mid second round grade. He will easily be available at number 45. This pick could fill a big hole with the departure of TD stud Laurent Robinson to the Jaguars. Randle would step into the slot receiver role, as he is tall (6’4”) and quick enough to run right around smaller corners. This would be a great fit for the Cowboys.
Come April 26, one of these players will be walking off the stage wearing the hat with the blue star, then stepping on the practice field in Oxnard, CA to “earn it”.
Pick No. 14 – The Arizona Cardinals
TEAM NEEDS: Defensive Tackle, Inside Linebacker, Quarterback
The Redbirds have a lot to do in order to recapture their old glory that has escaped them since their trip to Miami in 2008.
Fans have been throughly disappointed with Arizona’s on-field production. This is because the quarterback position is practically invisible. Kevin Kolb, last year’s starter (who couldn’t seem to stay healthy), former Cowboy fourth stringer Richard Bartel, and second year man John Skelton manage only 10 years of NFL field time, combined. A perfect pick up for them would be Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill, if he slips past the top eight picks.
Tannehill has led a career of position moves, serving a small stint as a slot receiver for the Aggies. As a quarterback last year, he threw for 29 touchdowns and 3744 yards. He was, at times, a little turnover-prone, finishing the year with 15 interceptions. But he has all of the skills and the big game experience to succeed in the NFL.
I would also not be surprised if the Cardinals took a stab at Boston College’s Luke Kuechly. Kansas City lacked a linebacking corps that the coaching staff could rely on consistently to make plays and get them off the field as quickly as possible. A guy like Kuechly could be a great improvement over the aging Paris Lennon or youngsters Sam Acho and Stewart Bradley.
Stanford offensive guard David DeCastro is also in the mix, albeit he slips through the top 10. He would provide a lackluster running game with a big body up front, something this team has not had since Leonard Davis’ days in Glendale.
Pick No. 12 – The Seattle Seahawks
TEAM NEEDS: Defense
This Seattle team isn’t as bad as it usually looks on paper every year.
The front office hopes they have found their “quarterback of the future” in former Packer Matt Flynn. Pair Flynn with standout receivers Doug Baldwin, Golden Tate and Mike Williams, and you could be talking about one of the NFL’s high octane offenses. Those guys can make you pay for lapses in coverage.
Which brings us to the problem. Where Seattle has talent, they make up for it with their lack of defense whatsoever.
North Carolina defensive end Quinton Coples and Mississippi State defensive tackle Fletcher Cox both are intimidating presences on the defensive line. When drafting defensive lineman, the first thing you look at is pass rush ability. Both of these guys have an uncanny knack for getting to the quarterback, and that is just what a team like Seattle, who have a plethora of questionable options at both positions, could use. Cox or Coples could be the kind of guy that I would be able to build a strong defense around, like a Haloti Ngata (Cox) or a Dwight Freeney (Coples).
I could also see Seattle trading down in the round, maybe as far as Cleveland’s spot at 22, for more picks. More picks mean more of a chance to find a hidden gem, a diamond in the rough, per se.
All in all, maybe this draft could be the one that will turn Seattle’s rainy days into sunshine.
Pick No. 11 – The Kansas City Chiefs
TEAM NEEDS: Defensive/Offensive Line
The Chiefs have stood firmly through injuries to Eric Berry, Jamaal Charles and Tony Moeaki. Even though they finished last in the AFC West, quarterback Matt Cassel & Co. are looking up.
Now, if only they could buy some pass protection and pass rushing.
Well, the good news is they can. Since KC is strictly a run-first team, contrary to most of the league, they need big men up front. They have five solid starters in Branden Albert, Eric Winston, Jon Asamoah, Ryan Lilja, and new center Rodney Hudson. Both Lilja and Albert, on the last legs of their contracts, have a lot to play for this season, if they are worthy of extensions. Asamoah’s deal lasts only through this year. Getting younger on the front line should be among GM Scott Pioli and head coach Romeo Crennel’s priorities in the draft. Either Georgia’s Cordy Glenn or Wisconsin’s Keith Zeitler could be locks to go here. Both were anchors for their respective front five in the running and passing games.
On the defensive line, Memphis’ Dontari Poe‘s name seems to come up a lot. If he gets past Pick 9, then the Chiefs are sure to snag him.
Linebackers Dont’a Hightower of Alabama and Nevada’s James-Michael Johnson are also targets.
Hopefully the Chiefs will shoot straight and hit the bull’s eye with their draft strategy this year.
Pick No. 10 – The Buffalo Bills
TEAM NEEDS: Offensive Tackle, Wide Receiver
Buffalo almost pulled it off last year. Beating the Patriots twice would have been a kings ransom for the state of New York, continuing to be mentioned alongside of the 28 World Series’ the Yankees have claimed. But this fairytale did not exactly have a happy ending.
Harvard-bred quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick engineered quite a few comeback wins throwing to Stevie Johnson. But the Bills could use a bit of help in the pass-catching department.
Buffalo is the best example of cashing in on low grade talent. Both Fitzpatrick and Johnson were seventh round picks themselves. Running back Fred Jackson was’t even drafted.
The Bills have been pretty consistent with hitting on top talent, with a few busts (Aaron Maybin, Levy Adcock) thrown in here and there. Since they have a top 10 pick this year, they are bound to take advantage of it.
The team is especially thin at linebacker, with only six active players on their roster, but the draft is not.
Alabama’s Courtney Upshaw, South Carolina’s Melvin Ingram, and Boise State’s Shea McClellin are all first round talents. Even though Upshaw and Ingram are probably ranked higher on the big board, McClellin is the guy that intrigues me the most from this group. He is also a huge reach, as experts have given him late first and early second round grades, but he continues to climb towards the top with each passing day.
The Boise State defense was discounted this year because, put plainly, they play in a conference with a bunch of “nobodies”. With little competition between those nobodies in a small conference, the Broncos are a top 10 team any given year. Even though most of the credit goes to the offense, the defense are the ones keeping them in the game.
Also in the conversation is offensive tackle Riley Reiff. There is no guarantee that he will last past the top 10, but Buffalo desperately needs a big tackle to protect Jackson and the running game. Mediocre blocking was part of the reason that Jackson was hurt for most of the latter half of the year.
They could also use some help at reciever. None of the guys on the roster, besides Johnson, are big play guys. Notre Dame’s Michael Floyd or Georgia Tech’s Stephen Hill would be opportune picks here.
If I were the Bills ownership, coaching staff, and scouting department, I would grab this draft by the horns and ride with it.
TEAM NEEDS: Defensive Line, Wide Receiver
The Panthers cannot even manage much of a snarl in the NFC South anymore. These are not the DeShaun Foster days where you get to a Super Bowl or two built on a power running game. This team needs help desperately and is in the right position to get it.
The team who holds the ninth overall selection is almost always sitting pretty. The cream of the crop, the top 15 or 16 players are mostly gone, but there are still a few talents to be picked. One of these such players is LSU defensive tackle Michael Brockers. Brockers,a third year sophomore anchored a Tiger defense that was the key to their berth in the BCS National Championship. He only had two sacks last year, but still showed the natural skill and talent level to be a strong rusher.
Another option, if he is still available, is Notre Dame’s Michael Floyd. Just like I’ve said in my previous predictions, Floyd is a hot commodity. He could go as early as pick eight and as late as pick 15.
A third option, which has been widely speculated, is that the Panthers will trade up to the number four spot and take LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne, giving Cleveland running back Jonathan Stewart and another Carolina pick. Chris Gamble needs a partner on the opposite side of the field.
The Panthers are heavily hoping that they can retool, rebuild, and pounce on the Buccaneers, Saints, and Falcons in the division in a return to their former glory.
Pick No. 8 – The Miami Dolphins
TEAM NEEDS: Quarterback, Wide Receiver
The Dolphins all but got Peyton Manning’s ‘John Hancock’ after they had worked so hard to court him. Thankfully , the draft rolls around just in time to plug up this gaping hole.
Right off the bat, the first name that pops into my mind that Miami would hope to snag is Texas A&M’s Ryan Tannehill. Tannehill is a proven passer and is capable of connecting on all the route packages. He has big game experience and a illustrious career that will make him very successful in the NFL
Speaking of routes, another position of need is wideout. This early in the draft, the only talent worth testing is Oklahoma State’s Justin Blackmon. Blackmon is projected to be off the board within the top six picks, but there still is always a slim chance that he could slip past the sextet of teams and go to Miami. After losing Brandon Marshall to the Bears just over a month ago, the people of South Beach are yearning for a new top target in the passing game. Notre Dame’s Michael Floyd is also a viable option.
Many are also speculating that owner Stephen Ross and new head coach Joe Phlbin will elect to attempt to trade up and swipe Tannehill earlier than eighth overall. Trading up is not always convenient for either team, but it always tends to happen a lot on draft day.
Pick No. 7 – The Jacksonville Jaguars
Pick No. 6 – The St. Louis Rams
TEAM NEEDS: Wide Receiver, Running Back, Cornerback
Here is where it gets interesting. Picks 4-6 are teams that have the same needs; the St. Louis Rams, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Cleveland Browns.
The same three players are at the top of each team’s priority list, Oklahoma State’s Justin Blackmon, LSU’s Morris Claiborne, and Alabama’s Trent Richardson.
The player that is ranked atop the big board for the Rams is Richardson. Starting tailback Steven Jackson has already played seven years in the NFL, and is slowly but surely running out of steam. New head coach Jeff Fisher and the Rams ownership would be smart to see that they need to start grooming a replacement for Jackson very soon.
Both Claiborne and Blackmon are wild cards, as they could slip off the board before pick number six, but they also fill gaping holes in their lineup and on their roster.
Pick No. 5 – The Tampa Bay Bucaneers
These swashbuckling stealers have a long list of holes that need to be filled.
Three positions stand out above the rest, corner, running back, and wideout.
Most experts predict that Louisiana State’s Morris Claiborne will become the Bucs’ pick. Claiborne will be a sizeable upgrade to improve a lax secondary led by the aging Ronde Barber.
Also in the mix are Oklahoma State’s wideout threat, Justin Blackmon.Blackmon impressed many NFL scouts at the Combine in early April. He should factor in to be a franchise receiver and an impact player immediately. He never ceased to make opposing collegiate corners look just plain silly.
The third option for the Bucs is to snag Alabama’s Trent Richardson. Richardson is a ground and pound runner, a physical presence when he needs to be, but still has tip-top speed when running from endzone to endzone.
TEAM NEEDS: Running Back, Cornerback, Wide Receiver
The Browns have been trapped at the bottom of the draft order for almost as long as they’ve been in existence. Team president Mike Holmgren can only hope that this draft can be their best in a long time.
The Browns’ top choice is Trent Richardson. He provides a injury-filled backfield with a durability boost. Any running back taken within the top ten is destined to become an immediate starter. With both Montario Hardesty and Chris Ogbonnnaya both in and out of the lineup with injuries, the Browns need a steadier running game to beef up their offensive production.
Oklahoma State’s Justin Blackmon and LSU’s Morris Claiborne are still guaranteed to be available in the top four if the first three picks play out as they are expected to. Claiborne is a top-tier college corner that makes plays when the ball is in the air, as well as run support when the ball is on the ground. Blackmon is an all-around receiving threat. He can catch almost anything you throw at him, and also has good speed, size and strength to outrun, outmuscle and outgain any unsuspecting coverage man for a big chunk of yards.
Again, any of those three could go at any pick between four and six. What matters is each team’s greatest need, which determines the direction that could change a team like the Browns from being stuck in te dumps to being among the best of the best.
Pick No. 3 – The Minnesota Vikings
TEAM NEEDS: Offensive Line
These Northerners are currently in a holding pattern, waiting ever so patiently for their new stadium deal. While they are pondering the direction the Vikings franchise is trying to go, the draft gives them a good chance to kill the time.
Minnesota’s most likely selection will be USC offensive tackle Matt Kali. Kalil will have to adjust quickly to playing in the much colder weather of Minnesota (for now), stepping in to take the assignment of protecting quarterback Christian Ponder.
Offensive line is really the only big need for the Vikings in the draft. After a so-so free agency period where Minnesota lost perennial All-Pro guard Steve Hutchinson, the Vikings can only hope that the draft will be an instant moneymaker for new GM Rick Spielman.
Pick No. 2 – The Washington Redskins
TEAM NEEDS: Quarterback
The first two picks have already been pre-determined.
Earlier today, it was confirmed that Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck will be the number one overall pick of the Indianapolis Colts.
This leaves the Redskins with the draft’s consolation prize, Baylor’s self-proclaimed “Superman”, quarterback Robert Griffin III.
As much as Cowboy fans hate to think, Griffin is a freak athlete and a dual threat on the gridiron. He threw for 4236 yards and 36 touchdowns, with a measly seven interceptions, including a stellar performance in the Valero Alamo Bowl. Griffin is the caliber of player, the cornerstone and the face of the franchise that you can build a team around.
Auburn alum Cam Newton was the original Man of Steel for the Panthers last year when they drafted him first overall.
The Redskins hope that Griffin III will unseat seasoned veteran Rex Grossman as the starter, be ready to play by the beginning of the season, and compete for Rookie of the Year honors.
Pick 1 – The Indianapolis Colts
TEAM NEEDS: Quarterback
The draft’s most unkept secret is finally here.
The Colts have officially made known that they will select Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck.
Luck is the cream of the crop of this draft. He has all of the tools (a cannon of an arm, spilt second decision making skills and pristine vision) and the smarts (He’s going to Stanford for crying out loud!) to make it big as a pro.
After watching ESPN analyst and former NFL head coach Jon Gruden’s sit-down with the Cardinal star, I am thoroughly convinced that Luck will be a sure star for Indy. Although the drama of a certain quarterback will be hanging over the franchise at least until the season begins, Luck will make the Colts forget about Manning and focus on winning some games.
