Although I am incredibly excited that it is Draft Week, there is also a sadness that sets in. I have been looking forward to Thursday since the end of the brutal BCS Title Game which saw the Crimson Tide roll over the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame. No college player (outside of some select seniors in Mobile, AL) have played a football game since then and somehow their stocks have gone up and down or remained consistent. Such is the life of an NFL Prospect.
With so much anticipation comes disappointment. I am talking to you Bills fan. We have gone down this path before, we all build up our emotions and expectations for what we would do but fail to remember that we arn't the ones making the actual picks. Remember when Brian Orakpo was on the board and the brain trust at One Bills Drive went with...sigh...Aaron Maybin? Try not to get too fed up because at the end of the day, we won't know how good a player is until Sundays this fall and even then we might not know. Don't listen to what Kiper says on Draft Day. How often has he been right with a "sleeper" pick? He always gets the no doubters right but never quite gets the off the radar guys. I think I was one of the few people who loved Buddy Nix's first pick in CJ Spiller. Luxury pick it was, how does it look now? Give things a chance and don't assume that just because the likes of Mel Kiper and Todd McShay don't care for a prospect does not mean he won't be at least a productive NFL player.
With Revis being traded, the outlook on this draft somewhat changes. I think the Jets could have gotten more and Tampa is really not too connected to Revis. They came out victorious on that deal. (For the record, I had a paragraph here saying Revis would get traded but not until draft day so there's that.)
Only one left after this!
With so much anticipation comes disappointment. I am talking to you Bills fan. We have gone down this path before, we all build up our emotions and expectations for what we would do but fail to remember that we arn't the ones making the actual picks. Remember when Brian Orakpo was on the board and the brain trust at One Bills Drive went with...sigh...Aaron Maybin? Try not to get too fed up because at the end of the day, we won't know how good a player is until Sundays this fall and even then we might not know. Don't listen to what Kiper says on Draft Day. How often has he been right with a "sleeper" pick? He always gets the no doubters right but never quite gets the off the radar guys. I think I was one of the few people who loved Buddy Nix's first pick in CJ Spiller. Luxury pick it was, how does it look now? Give things a chance and don't assume that just because the likes of Mel Kiper and Todd McShay don't care for a prospect does not mean he won't be at least a productive NFL player.
With Revis being traded, the outlook on this draft somewhat changes. I think the Jets could have gotten more and Tampa is really not too connected to Revis. They came out victorious on that deal. (For the record, I had a paragraph here saying Revis would get traded but not until draft day so there's that.)
Only one left after this!
2.) Jacksonville Jaguars: Dion Jordan OLB/DE/Oregon
**Trade**The Oakland Raiders trade the 3rd overall pick to the Arizona Cardinals in exchange for the 7th overall pick and the Cardinals second round pick this year and their third round pick next season.
3.) Arizona Cardinals: Luke Joeckel OT/Texas A&M The Cardinals don't mess around and begin to solidify their offensive line which is arguably the worst in the NFL.
4.) Philadelphia Eagles: Dee Milliner CB/Alabama
**Trade**The Detroit Lions trade the 5th overall pick to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for the 12th overall pick the Dolphins original second round pick, and a 5th round pick this season and a fourth round pick next season. The Dolphins also get the Lions 7th round pick.
5.) Miami Dolphins: Lane Johnson OT/Oklahoma The Dolphins major offseason continues by adding their next franchise LT. I think one way or another Miami looks to use their ammunition and get one of these top tackles this season.
**Trade**The Cleveland Browns trade the 6th overall pick to the St. Louis Rams in exchange for the 16th overall pick, the Rams second and third round picks in this year's draft and a 5th round pick next season. The Rams recieve the Browns 4th round pick next season.
6.) St. Louis Rams: Tavon Austin WR/West Virginia It is all or nothing for the Rams. Have to get a dynamic playmaker for Sam Bradford and still retain thier second first round pick.
7.) Oakland Raiders (from ARZ): Sharrif Floyd DT/Florida
**Trade**The Buffalo Bills trade the 8th overall pick to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for the 18th overall pick, the Cowboys second round pick and 7th round pick in this year's draft and a 4th round pick in next year's draft. The Cowboys will get the Bills 4th round pick in next year's draft.
8.) Dallas Cowboys: Chance Warmack G/Alabama Well Buddy, the phone rang and you answered and got your seventh round pick back. This trade makes sense for both sides. While this team needs a QB there would be greater value at pick 18 and accumulating extra picks always helps. The Cowboys need O-Line help in a bad way so why not go after the most pro ready player.
9.) New York Jets: Barkevious Mingo OLB/DE/LSU
11.) San Diego Chargers: D.J. Fluker OT/Alabama
12.) Detroit Lions (from MIA): Desmond Trufant CB/Washington
13.) New York Jets (from TB): Ryan Nassib QB/Syracuse Whoa Nassib first QB taken? Yup. The Jets have the benefit of picking whoever they want with their additional first rounder in the Revis trade and go with who I believe is the top QB in this class for Sanchez's replacement.
16.) Cleveland Browns (from STL): DeAndre Hopkins WR/Clemson Perhaps a surprise, but the Browns need playmakers.
17.) Pittsburgh Steelers: Jarvis Jones OLB/Georgia
Matt Barkley |
**Trade**The New York Giants trade the 19th overall pick to the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for the 30th overall pick and a third and 5th round pick in this year's draft and a fourth round pick next year. The Giants trade their 6th this year.
19.) Atlanta Falcons: Ziggy Ansah DE/OLB/BYU With the recent issues surrounding Ansah he falls a bit in this mock. The Falcons are rumored to want to move up and are in desperate need for a pass rusher. Ansha's potential is no where near met to this point.
20.) Chicago Bears: Manti Te'o LB/Notre Dame
21.) New Orleans Saints (from CIN): Star Lotulelei DT/Utah
22.) St. Louis Rams (from WSH): Jonathan Cooper G/North Carolina
23.)Minnesota Vikings: Kevin Minter LB/LSU Would like Te'o here but division rival Chicago already picked him.
24.) Indianapolis Colts: Sheldon Richardson DT/Missouri
25.) Minnesota Vikings (from SEA): Cordarrelle Patterson WR/Tennessee Patterson is slipping down boards because of his one year playing at the D1 level. Also he disappears often on film.
**Trade**The Green Bay Packers trade the 26th overall pick to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for their 2nd round pick this year and their 4th and 5th round picks. The Eagles also send their second round pick to Green Bay next year and the Packers give Philly their 5th next year.
26.) Philadelphia Eagles: Geno Smith QB/West Virginia The free fall ends with a trade back into the first round. I think Chip Kelly will love if Geno is still on the board at this point.
27.) Houston Texans: Robert Woods WR/USC
28.) Denver Broncos: Bjoern Werner DE/Florida State Another free fall ends here. The Broncos need to replace Dumervil.
**Trade**The New England Patriots trade the 29th overall pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars in excahnge for the 33rd overall pick their third and 7th round picks this year and a 5th round pick next year. The Pats send their 6th round pick this year to the Jags. 29.) Jacksonville Jaguars: E.J. Manuel QB/Florida State The Jags don't risk it any longer and take their franchise (or so they hope) QB.
30.) New York Giants (from ATL): Menelik Watson OT/Florida State Three Seminoles in a row...interesting.
31.) San Francisco 49ers: Zach Ertz TE/Stanford
32.) Baltimore Ravens: Alec Ogletree LB/Georgia
Onto Round 2:
33.) New England Patriots (from JAX): Xavier Rhodes CB/Florida State
34.) San Francisco 49ers (from KC): Keenan Allen WR/California
35.) Green Bay Packers (from PHI): Margus Hunt DE/SMU
34.) San Francisco 49ers (from KC): Keenan Allen WR/California
35.) Green Bay Packers (from PHI): Margus Hunt DE/SMU
36.) Detroit Lions: Kyle Long OT/Oregon
37.) Cincinnati Bengals (from OAK): Justin Pugh OT/Syracuse
38.) Oakland Raiders (from ARZ): Tyler Wilson QB/Arkansas
39.) New York Jets: Terrance Williams WR/Baylor
40.) Tennessee Titans: Jesse Williams DT/Alabama
Justin Hunter |
41.) Buffalo Bills: Justin Hunter WR/Tennessee I think the Bills are really targeting this player. He has tremendous size and his a very consistent player. In my opinion, I think he is better than his Volunteer counterpart, Cordarrelle Patterson. Hunter is the big time reciever the Bills are coveting in this draft. Give Barkley another player to throw to opposite of Stevie Johnson. I think this will be one of two WRs taken by the Bills in this draft.
42.) Detroit Lions (from MIA): Tank Carradine DE/Florida State
43.) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Kawann Short DT/Purdue
**Trade**The Carolina Panthers trade the 44th overall pick to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for the 54th overall pick and the Dolphins 3rd round pick this year and their 6th next season.
45.) San Diego Chargers: Quinton Patton WR/Louisiana Tech
46.) Cleveland Browns (from STL): D.J. Hayden CB/Houston
Matt Elam |
47.) Buffalo Bills (from DAL): Matt Elam S/Florida If Elam is still on the board at this point, the Bills should be jumping for joy. Elam paired with Jairus Byrd would be a dynamic safety pair.
48.) Pittsburgh Steelers: Johnathan Hankins DT/Ohio State
49.) New York Giants: Damontre Moore DE/Texas A&M
50.) Chicago Bears: Eric Reid S/LSU
51.) Washington Redskins: Datone Jones DE/UCLA
52.) Minnesota Vikings: Johnthan Banks CB/Mississippi State
53.) New Orleans (from CIN): Arthur Brown OLB/Kansas State
54.) Carolina Panthers (from MIA via IND): Jonathan Cyprien S/Florida International
55.) Green Bay Packers: Vance McDonald TE/Rice
56.) Seattle Seahawks: Brandon Williams DT/Missouri Southern State
57.) Houston Texans: Sio Moore OLB/UConn
58.) Denver Broncos: Jamar Taylor CB/Boise State
**Trade**The New Enlagnd Patriots trade the 59th overall pick to the Arizona Cardinals in exchange for the 69th overall pick their 4th round pick this season and their 2nd round pick next season.
59.) Arizona Cardinals: Mike Glennon QB/North Carolina State In true Patriots form that Pats continue to stock pile picks while the Cards can't wait to select their QB of the future. Although the Cardinals have given up a lot in this draft, having a franchise LT and potential franchise QB now on the roster can only be a positive for this team.
60.) Atlanta Falcons: John Jenkins DT/Georgia
61.) San Francisco 49ers: Phillip Thomas S/Fresno State
62.) Baltimore Ravens: Ryan Swope WR/Texas A&M
Round 3:
63.) Kansas City Chiefs: Alex Okafor DE/Texas
64.) New England Patriots (from JAX): Stedman Bailey WR/West Virginia
65.) Detroit Lions: Markus Wheaton WR/Oregon State
66.) Oakland Raiders: Sam Montgomery DE/LSU
67.) Philadelphia Eagles: Barrett Jones C/Alabama
68.) Cleveland Browns: Khaseem Greene OLB/Rutgers
70.) Tennessee Titans: Kiko Alonso LB/Oregon
71.) Buffalo Bills: Gavin Escobar TE/San Diego State Arguably the most athletic TE in this draft, Escobar must improve is blocking but is a tremendous pass catcher. Could provide an immediate impact for the Bills on offense.
So 3 out of the 4 picks here for the Bills are dedicated to offense for good reason. This is my second last mock with the last coming the morning of draft day this Thursday. Can't wait for that. Thanks for reading!
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