NHL Mock Draft

Just for fun I decided to do an NHL Mock Draft. I never have before but this year's draft has gotten me in the mood to do one the day before draft day. This will involve no trades simply because it's the NHL and they are impossible to predict. This draft class is also very deep and could produce some incredible hockey players. I'll give it my best shot and see what happens tomorrow afternoon in Jersey.

1.) Colorado Avalanche: Nate MacKinnon C/Halifax (QMJHL)

2.) Florida Panthers: Jonathan Drouin LW/Halifax (QMJHL)

3.) Tampa Bay Lightning: Aleksander Barkov C/Tappara (SML)

4.) Nashville Predators: Seth Jones D/Portland (WHL)

5.) Carolina Hurricanes: Rasmus Ristolainen D/TPS (SML)

6.) Calgary Flames: Valeri Nichushkin RW/Traktor (KHL)

7.) Edmonton Oilers: Hunter Shinkaruk LW/Medicine Hat (WHL)

8.) Buffalo Sabres: Darnell Nurse D/Soo (OHL)

9.) New Jersey Devils: Elias Lindholm C/Brynas (SEL)

10.) Dallas Stars: Max Domi C/London (OHL)

11.) Philadelphia Flyers: Sean Monahan C/Ottawa (OHL)

12.) Phoenix Coyotes: Nikita Zadorov D/London (OHL)

13.) Winnipeg Jets: Alexander Wennberg C/Djugardens (ALLSVENSKAN)

14.) Columbus Blue Jackets: Ryan Pulock D/Brandon (WHL)

15.) New York Islanders: Bo Horvat C/London (OHL)

16.) Buffalo Sabres (from Minnesota): Adam Erne C/Quebec (QMJHL)

17.) Ottawa Senators: Valentin Zykov LW/Baie-Commeau (QMJHL)

18.) Detroit Red Wings: Pavel Buchnevich LW/Cherepovets (KHL)

19.) Columbus Blue Jackets (from New York Rangers): Anthony Mantha RW/Val (QMJHL)

20.) San Jose Sharks: Steven Santini D/U.S. National U18 (USHL)

21.) Toronto Maple Leafs: Ryan Hartman C/Plymouth (OHL)

22.) Calgary Flames (from St. Louis): Zach Fucale G/Halifax (QMJHL)

23.) Washington Capitals: J.T. Compher C/U.S National U18 (USHL)

24.) Vancouver Canucks: Robert Hagg D/Modo (SEL)

25.) Montreal Canadiens: Jacob De La Rose D/Leksand (ALLSVENSKAN)

26.) Anaheim Ducks: Madison Bowey D/Kelowna (WHL)

27.) Columbus Blue Jackets (from Los Angeles): Mirco Mueller D/Everett (WHL)

28.) Calgary Flames (form Pittsburgh): Josh Morrissey D/Prince Albert (WHL)

29.) Dallas Stars (from Boston): Kerby Rychel RW/Windsor (OHL)

30.) Chicago Blackhawks: Ian McCoshen D/Waterloo (USHL)

I have no idea how it will all play out but I have never been so amped for an NHL draft to take place. Watch it tomorrow starting at 3pm on NHL network.

Final Mock - Happy Draft Day!

I cannot believe tonight is the night. NFL Draft 2013 is finally here. I'm not going to go into one of my long spiels here, just focus on the draft. Not much commentary for much of the picks. Enjoy the draft all!

1.) Kansas City Chiefs: Eric Fisher OT/Central Michigan

2.) Jacksonville Jaguars: Dion Jordan OLB/Oregon

**Trade**The Oakland Raiders trade the 3rd overall pick to the San Diego Chargers in exchange for the 11th overall pick, the 45th overall pick, and the 110th overall pick this year and a 3rd round pick next year. The Raiders also trade their 5th round pick next year.
3.) San Diego Chargers: Luke Joeckel OT/Texas A&M

**Trade**The Philadelphia Eagles trade the 4th overall pick to the New York Jets in exchange for the 9th overall pick, the 39th overall pick and the 141st overall pick in this year's draft and a 2nd round pick next year. The Eagles also trade their 4th round pick next season.
4.) New York Jets: Dee Milliner CB/Alabama  Has to be done. Losing Revis leaves this team with a depleted secondary. Now they have ammunition to go get the best player available at this point.

5.) Detroit Lions: Ziggy Ansah DE/OLB/BYU

**Trade**The Cleveland Browns trade the 6th overall pick to the St. Louis Rams in exchange for the 16th overall pick, the 46th overall pick, and the 78th overall pick in this year's draft. The Browns also trade their 5th round pick this year.
6.) St. Louis Rams: Tavon Austin WR/West Virginia  I've had the Rams trading up for Austin for awhile now and I get the hunch the Browns will be the dance partner.

7.) Arizona Cardinals: Lane Johnson OT/Oklahoma  If it falls this way, this pick will last about 10 seconds.

**Trade**The Buffalo Bills trade the 8th overall pick to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for the 31st overall pick, the 34th overall pick and the 128th overall pick in this year's draft and their 1st round pick next year. The Bills trade their 5th round pick next year.
8.) San Francisco 49ers: Sharrif Floyd DT/Florida  The 49ers are rumored to be interested in moving up in the draft. The Bills, I believe, would prefer to move back. With Justin Smith getting up there in age, the Niners want to find his eventual replacement. The Bills move back and acquire necessary picks and manage to get a first next season because of the large disparity in picks.

9.) Philadelphia Eagles (from NYJ): Geno Smith QB/West Virginia

10.) Tennessee Titans: Star Lotulelei DT/Utah

11.) Oakland Raiders (from SD): Sylvester Williams DT/North Carolina

**Trade**The Miami Dolphins trade the 12th overall pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for the 17th overall pick, the 79th overall pick and the 186th overall pick in this year's draft. The Dolphins also trade a 4th round pick next season.
12.) Pittsburgh Steelers: Barkevious Mingo OLB/LSU  The Steelers could not afford to wait with the Jets looming and very interested in Mingo. They had to make a move to get in front of the Jets.

13.) New York Jets (from TB): Chance Warmack G/Alabama  I think the Jets are all talk when it comes to QB interest.

14.) Carolina Panthers: Kenny Vaccaro S/Texas

15.) New Orleans Saints: Jarvis Jones OLB/Georgia

16.) Cleveland Browns (from STL): Margus Hunt DE/SMU  Might be a reach but I think this will be the Bruce Irvin of this year, an out of nowhere pick.

17.) Miami Dolphins (from PIT): D.J. Hayden CB/Houston

**Trade**The Dallas Cowboys trade the 18th overall pick to the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for the 32nd overall pick, the 62nd overall pick, and the 200th overall pick in this year's draft. The Ravens also trade a 3rd round pick next year and the Cowboys send their 4th round pick next year to the Ravens.
18.) Baltimore Ravens: Manti Te'o LB/Notre Dame  Had to do it. What a story it would be to have a guy fall from grace and have the World Champs surprise everyone and move up to take Te'o.

19.) New York Giants: Jonathan Cooper G/North Carolina

20.) Chicago Bears: Sheldon Richardson DT/Missouri

21.) Cincinnati Bengals: Eddie Lacy RB/Alabama  If they want their guy at RB, they have to make a move now.

22.) St. Louis Rams: Jonathan Cyprien S/Florida International

**Trade**The Minnesota Vikings trade the 23rd overall pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for the 33rd overall pick, the 98th overall pick in this year's draft and a 3rd round pick next year.
23.) Jacksonville Jaguars: E.J. Manuel QB/Florida State  The Jags don't wait and take a chance, they move up to get their guy.

24.) Indianapolis Colts: Bjoern Werner DE/Florida State

25.) Minnesota Vikings (from SEA): Justin Hunter WR/Tennessee

26.) Green Bay Packers: Desmond Trufant CB/Washington

27.) Houston Texans: Robert Woods WR/USC

28.) Denver Broncos: Datone Jones DE/UCLA

**Trade**The New England Patriots trade the 29th overall pick to the Arizona Cardinals in exchange for the 38th overall pick, the 69th overall pick, and the 174th overall pick in this year's draft. The Cardinals also trade their 4th round pick next year while the Pats trade the 235th overall pick this year.
29.) Arizona Cardinals: Tyler Bray QB/Tennessee  Might be a surprise but I have heard rumors that the Cards are very high on Bray and many teams believe he has the best arm talent out of any QB in this year's draft.

30.) Atlanta Falcons: Xavier Rhodes CB/Florida State

31.) Buffalo Bills (from SF): Ryan Nassib QB/Syracuse  By trading back in this scenario, the Bills get the guy they have been targeting and get extra picks in the process. This would be a monumental thing to have happen to this franchise that has seen one too many dark days. Nassib is the future and this marriage between the two just makes too much sense. If teams are skeptical on the Qbs this year there is no reason to believe this scenario would workout.

32.) Dallas Cowboys (from BAL): D.J. Fluker OT/Alabama

Round 2

33.) Minnesota Vikings (from JAX): Jamar Taylor CB/Boise State

34.) Buffalo Bills (from SF): Tyler Eifert TE/Notre Dame  If Eifert were to get to this spot in the draft, it should be a no brainer. A game changing TE could help Nassib's development move quicker than anticipated, not to mention another pick in a few spots here.

35.) Philadelphia Eagles: Menelik Watson OT/Florida State

36.) Detroit Lions: Justin Pugh OT/Syracuse

37.) Cincinnati Bengals (from OAK): Alec Ogletree LB/Georgia

38.) New England Patriots (from ARZ): Matt Elam S/Florida

39.) Philadelphia Eagles (from NYJ): Johnthan Banks CB/Mississippi State

40.) Tennessee Titans: Kevin Minter LB/LSU

41.) Buffalo Bills: DeAndre Hopkins WR/Clemson  Same situation with Eifert, if he falls to this spot which is very likely, I think the Bills should be running to the podium. Nassib will now have two big options to throw to as a young QB.

42.) Miami Dolphins: Terron Armstead OT/Arkansas Pine-Bluff

43.) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jesse Williams DT/Alabama

44.) Carolina Panthers: Johnathan Hankins DT/Ohio State

45.) Oakland Raiders (from SD): Matt Barkley QB/USC

46.) Cleveland Browns (from STL): Cordarrelle Patterson WR/Tennessee

47.) Dallas Cowboys: Tank Carradine DE/Florida State

48.) Pittsburgh Steelers: Eric Reid S/LSU

49.) New York Giants: Montee Ball RB/Wisconsin

50.) Chicago Bears: Alex Okafor DE/Texas

51.) Washington Redskins: Arthur Brown OLB/Kansas State

52.) Minnesota Vikings: Kawann Short DT/Purdue

53.) Cincinnati Bengals: Phillip Thomas S/Fresno State

54.) Miami Dolphins (from IND): Damontre Moore DE/Texas A&M

55.) Green Bay Packers: Zach Ertz TE/Stanford

56.) Seattle Seahawks: Keenan Allen WR/California

57.) Houston Texans: Blidi Wreh-Wilson CB/UConn

58.) Denver Broncos: Kyle Long OT/Oregon

59.) New England Patriots: Tyrann Mathieu CB/LSU

60.) Atlanta Falcons: Sio Moore OLB/UConn

61.) San Francisco 49ers: Sam Montgomery DE/LSU

62.) Dallas Cowboys (from BAL): Vance McDonald TE/Rice

Round 3

63.) Kansas City Chiefs: Tyler Wilson QB/Arkansas

64.) Jacksonville Jaguars: Giovani Bernard RB/North Carolina

65.) Detroit Lions: Quinton Patton WR/Louisiana Tech

66.) Oakland Raiders: Darius Slay CB/Mississippi State

67.) Philadelphia Eagles: D.J. Swearinger S/South Carolina

68.) Cleveland Browns: David Amerson CB/North Carolina State

69.) New England Patriots (from ARZ): Terrance Williams WR/Baylor

70.) Tennessee Titans: Stedman Bailey WR/West Virginia

71.) Buffalo Bills: Barrett Jones C/Alabama  Much like Eric Wood, Jones is a Center by trade but can play anywhere on the offensive line. This would be a great pick to fill the void at guard and in the (hopefully) unlikely event Wood does not resign, Jones can slide right into the center position.

So there it is, my final mock draft for the 2013 season. I really enjoy doing this and appreciate all the reads I am getting. I will be back next year with my first mock draft being released the week after the BCS Title game. Thanks and enjoy draft night!

Mock Draft #6 - Draft Week

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!

 

1.) Kansas City Chiefs: Eric Fisher OT/Central Michigan

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

10.) Tennessee Titans: Tyler Eifert TE/Notre Dame  Need a TE why not nab the best one in the draft?

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.   

       14.) Carolina Panthers: Sylvester Williams DT/North Carolina **Trade**The New Orleans Saints trade the 15th overall pick to the Cincinnati Bengals in exchange for the 21st overall pick and their original second round pick in this year's draft and a 5th round pick next season.15.) Cincinnati Bengals: Kenny Vaccaro S/Texas  The Bengals back end defensive secondary help and Vaccaro is the cream of the crop.

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

18.) Buffalo Bills (from DAL): Matt Barkley QB/USC  Expecting Geno? I just don't see a good fit in Geno Smith and this offense. I think the Bills would prefer Nassib but with him off the board already they go with the other guy who they talked up immensly at the pre draft luncheon. Barkley is not going to impress you with athleticism but he will with his QB smarts and instincts. Don't fall into the trap of "Great, another Sounthern California QB who won't make it." Judge Barkley, not those who came before him. Barkley fits Hackett's offense well and could be a very productive and accomplished NFL player.

**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

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.

44.) Miami Dolphins: Tyrann Mathieu CB/LSU  The Dolphins are not messing around this season. Mathieu is a first round talent and appears to be heading in the right direction. They are in need of secondary help so a trade up to get one of the best is warranted.

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



Gavin Escobar



69.) New England Patriots (from ARZ): Larry Warford G/Kentucky

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!

Mock Draft #5: 2 Weeks Away!

April is here and the NFL Draft is a mere 2 weeks away. All the time and preparation that goes into the draft for the players, coaches, and other staff personnel comes to a screaching halt in a matter of a few weeks. With all the movement at the Quarterback position in recent weeks by Quarterback needy teams, it leads me to believe that most if not all NFL teams are not confident there is a franchise QB in this class. Of course, it has been said countless times that there are no Andrew Luck's or RGIII's but there are guys like a Tannehill or Andy Dalton. Which leads to the biggest question on every draft enthusiast's mind: When will a QB be drafted? My answer: I'm glad I'm not a GM. I don't know. It is so difficult to evaluate this class because of the lack of success. All have really good qualities but all of them have a plethora of negative qualities. Only those most closely associated with the draft process will get a handle on who or who won't be a successful NFL QB.

As for those QB needy teams who seem to be tipping their hand, the Raiders, Cardinals, and Bills all made what I would call significant moves at the position. The Raiders were involved in two trades while the Bills picked up a former Cardinal while one of the Raider trades involved the Cardinals. Coincidence they all need QBs? Matt Flynn, the high priced free agent last year who was beat out by a third round pick, is now a Raider. Carson Palmer, who was drafted number one overall and was traded for a first and second round pick only to be traded two years later, is now a Cardinal. Kevin Kolb, who was a hot commodity after four good games in Philly then traded to Arizona where he signed a huge contract but was cut after two seasons, is now a Bill. All are deficient at their craft as evident by their career paths to this point. Will they find an answer in this year's class? Check back next year when I still probably won't have an answer.

Mock Draft #5 with two more still to come...

1.) Kansas City Chiefs: Luke Joeckel OT/Texas A&M  I think the Chiefs want to trade back but ultimately won't find a partner. 

**Trade**The Jacksonville Jaguars trade the 2nd overall pick to the New York Jets for the 9th overall pick, 3rd and 5th round picks this year, and their 2nd round pick next year.

2.) New York Jets: Geno Smith QB/West Virginia  If you believe the report that the Jets are intrigued by Smith like I do, this trade makes sense. Even though many teams are seemingly shying away from taking a QB, the Jets pounce on the opportunity to get their starting, yes, starting QB for 2013 and beyond.


3.) Oakland Raiders: Eric Fisher OT/Central Michigan  The Raiders throw a curveball here and begin to rebuild a subpar O-Line. Fisher could still challenge for the top overall pick.

**Trade**The Philadelphia Eagles trade the 4th overall pick to the Detroit Lions in exchange for the 5th overall pick and a 3rd and 5th round pick in this years draft.
4.) Detroit Lions: Dee Milliner CB/Alabama  I know it is a trade up to one spot, but the Browns proved last year if you want a player, you must secure him. Milliner is wanted by a lot of teams and the Lions can't afford to miss yet another strong CB prospect like they did on Patrick Peterson and Stephon Gilmore. And with a much lower rookie wage scale, moves like this will be more and more common once GMs get used to it.

5.) Philadelphia Eagles (from DET): Ziggy Ansah OLB/DE/BYU  Perhaps could be Dion Jordan, but Ansah is picking up steam at exactly the right time. I think he is now a lock top 5 pick. And the Eagles need pass rushers.

**Trade**The Cleveland Browns trade the 6th overall pick to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for the 12th overall pick and a 2nd (pick from IND) and 6th round pick in this year's draft.
6.) Miami Dolphins: Lane Johnson OT/Oklahoma  With all the offseason additions in SOuth Beach, the Dolphins are just a few pieces away from becoming an elite team. Losing Jake Long hurts but they find an immediate replacement in Johnson. Versatile and very athletic, he is a former QB. Also had to leap frog Arizona to get one of the top 3 OTs.

7.) Arizona Cardinals: Chance Warmack G/Alabama  After missing out on a tackle, the Cardinals look to repair their interior O-Line. Warmack is considered the best Guard prospect in years.

**Trade**The Buffalo Bills trade the 8th overall pick to the Carolina Panthers in exchange for the 14th overall pick and a 3rd and 4th round pick in this year's draft.
8.) Carolina Panthers: Sharrif Floyd DT/Florida  The Panthers see arguably the best player in the draft continue to fall and can't wait any longer. They move up to nab a stud inside for their D-Line.

9.) Jacksonville Jaguars (from NYJ): Barkevious Mingo DE/OLB/LSU  The Jags need to build their team up with young pass rushers. Dion Jordan or Jarvis Jones are an option here but health concerns make Mingo more desirable.

**Trade**The Tennessee Titans trade the 10th overall pick to the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for the 21st and 25th overall picks and a 3rd round pick in this year's draft and a 3rd round pick in next year's draft.
10.) Minnesota Vikings: Tavon Austin WR/West Virginia  The Vikings take advantage of getting another first round pick and immediately replace Percy Harvin with a player without the baggage.

11.) San Diego Chargers: Jonathan Cooper G/North Carolina  The Chargers need an improved O-Line. Many believe Cooper is just as good as Warmack.

12.) Cleveland Browns (from MIA): Xavier Rhodes CB/Florida State  The Browns need a compliment to Joe Haden. Rhodes could push for top CB taken but unlikely.

**Trade**The Tampa Bay Buccaneers trade the 13th overall pick to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for the 18th overal pick a 2nd and 4th round pick in this year's draft. The Bucs also send a 6th round pick to Dallas.
13.) Dallas Cowboys: Dion Jordan OLB/DE/Oregon  Second year in a row that the Cowboys move up to get an impact player. Jordan easily could go top 10. Injury is a concern.
  

Cordarelle Patterson



14.) Buffalo Bills (from CAR): Cordarrelle Patterson WR/Tennessee  The Bills find their much coveted playmaker. Whoever starts at QB for this team needs more weapons and Patterson is exactly that. If a scenario works out in this way and Patterson falls in their lap, they would be sorely mistaken to pass on this type of talent.15.) New Orleans Saints: Jarvis Jones OLB/Georgia  The Saints need a pass rusher and Jones is top 10 talent but again injuries are a concern.

16.) St. Louis Rams: Desmond Trufant CB/Washington  The Rams need more than Janoris Jenkins to be successful in this division. They need corners who are not afraid to come up in run support.
17.) Pittsburgh Steelers: Star Lotulelei DT/Utah  The Steelers need to regain their dominating form of defense that they have seemed to have lost. Lotulelei will be the NT for Dick Lebeau's defense.

18.) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (from DAL): Kevin Minter LB/LSU  The Bucs need to find the next Derrick Brooks. The just have not had the same defense look since he retired. CB is also a major position of need.
 
**Trade**The New York Giants trade the 19th overall pick to the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for the 32nd overall pick and a 3rd and 5th round pick this year and a 2nd round pick next year.
19.) Baltimore Ravens: Manti Te'o LB/Notre Dame  After finding a replacement for Ed Reed, the focus should be to replace Ray Lewis. Te'o helped himself at his pro day and the most polarizing player in the draft finds a home with the defending champs. The Ravens have to get in fornt of Chicago if this is the direction they wish to go.

20.) Chicago Bears: Bjoern Werner DE/Florida State  The Bears miss out on Te'o but still get good value at 20 by selecting Werner. His stock has fallen but in a good situation, can be a dominating player in the NFL.
21.) Cincinnati Bengals: Kenny Vaccaro S/Texas  The Bengals have a good defense but adding a piece to the secondary can only make them better. They have a chance to be a top defense in the NFL next season.

22.) St. Louis Rams (from WSH): Johnathan Hankins DT/Ohio State  In order to make Robert Quinn and Chris Long more effective, they need a guy to demand double teams. Hankins is very athletic for his size and has pretty good footwork for a big man.
23.) Tennessee Titans (from MIN): Sheldon Richardson DT/Missouri  Need a guy to fill the gaps and take on double teams. Better as a 3-4 DE.

24.) Indianapolis Colts: Damontre Moore DE/Texas A&M  The fall from grace ends here at 24. Damontre Moore easily was a top 5 pick in February, then the Combine happened. Still a first round pick but this is where he fits best.

25.) Tennessee Titans (from MIN via SEA): Tyler Eifert TE/Notre Dame  They lose Jared Cook in FA so they need a threat at this position and Eifert is the best TE, in my opinion, since Vernon Davis.

26.) Green Bay Packers: Matt Elam S/Florida  The Packers have had a porr secondary since their Super Bowl win a few years ago. Elam is not the best cover guy but he is a monster in run support, something the Packers have lacked. Has big shows to fill in Charles Woodson.

27.) Houston Texans: Keenan Allen WR/California  I don't think it will be any surprise if the Texans go WR in round one. They need another player oppostie Andre Johnson to make an impact. Allen would have been first WR taken had it not been for injuries.

28.) Denver Broncos: Margus Hunt DE/SMU  This specimen burst onto the scene after the Combine. Explosive athlete, will replace Dumervil.

**Trade**The New England Patriots trade the 29th overall pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for the 33rd overall pick, their 3rd and 5th round pick this year as well as a 2nd round pick next year.29.) Jacksonville Jaguars: Matt Barkley QB/USC  One of the QB needy teams could wait no longer. The Jags jump up with who else but the Patriots and get their real QB of the future, sorry Blaine, it's not happening. 

30.) Atlanta Falcons: Kawann Short DT/Purdue  The Falcons need to improve the run defense in order to be considered a real threat in the NFC.

31.) San Francisco 49ers: Jonathan Cyprien S/Florida International  THis team is loaded and adding depth in the secondary is never a bad idea.

32.) New York Giants (from BAL): D.J. Fluker OT/Alabama  An underrated player in my opinion goes to New York for depth and eventually become the franchise LT for years to come.

Onto Round 2:

33.) New England Patriots (from JAX): Eric Reid S/LSU

34.) San Francisco 49ers (from KC): Datone Jones DE/UCLA

35.) Philadelphia Eagles: E.J. Manuel QB/Florida State
36.) Detroit Lions: Alex Okafor DE/Texas

37.) Cincinnati Bengals (from OAK): Arthur Brown OLB/Kansas State
38.) Arizona Cardinals: Alec Ogletree LB/Georgia

39.) New York Jets: Zach Ertz TE/Stanford
40.) Tennessee Titans: Johnthan Banks CB/Mississippi State



Ryan Nassib



41.) Buffalo Bills: Ryan Nassib QB/Syracuse  In the end, I went back to Nassib. It makes a lot of sense in the fact that he knows the offense. In any other year and different circumstances, Nassib is a third or fourth round pick. But because of his familiarity with Hackett's system, he has to at least be considered at this spot.

42.) Miami Dolphins: David Amerson CB/North Carolina State

43.) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jamar Taylor CB/Boise State

44.) Carolina Panthers: Justin Pugh G/Syracuse

45.) San Diego Chargers: Robert Woods WR/USC

46.) St. Louis Rams: Eddie Lacy RB/Alabama

47.) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (from DAL): Quinton Patton WR/Louisiana Tech
48.) Pittsburgh Steelers: Markus Wheaton WR/Oregon State

49.) New York Giants: Vance McDonald TE/Rice
50.) Chicago Bears: Sylvester Williams DT/North Carolina

51.) Washington Redskins: Jesse Williams DT/Alabama

52.) Minnesota Vikings: Sam Montgomery DE/LSU
53.) Cincinnati Bengals: Le'Veon Bell RB/Michigan State

54.) Cleveland Browns (from MIA via IND): Sio Moore OLB/UConn

55.) Green Bay Packers: Tank Carradine DE/Florida State

56.) Seattle Seahawks: Barrett Jones C/Alabama
57.) Houston Texans: Jordan Poyer CB/Oregon State

58.) Denver Broncos: Travis Frederick C/Wisconsin
59.) New England Patriots: Aaron Dobson WR/Marshall
60.) Atlanta Falcons: Tyrann Mathieu CB/LSU

61.) San Francisco 49ers: Terrance Williams WR/Baylor

62.) Baltimore Ravens: Kyle Long OT/Oregon

 

Round 3:

63.) Kansas City Chiefs: Justin Hunter WR/Tennessee

64.) New England Patriots (from JAX): John Jenkins DT/Georgia

65.) Philadelphia Eagles (from DET): Robert Alford CB/Southeastern Louisiana

66.) Oakland Raiders: John Simon DE/Ohio State
67.) Philadelphia Eagles: Da'Rick Rogers WR/Tennessee Tech


Baccari Rambo



68.) Cleveland Browns: Mike Glennon QB/North Carolina State

69.) Arizona Cardinals: Tyler Wilson QB/Arkansas

70.) Tennessee Titans: Darius Slay CB/Mississippi State

71.) Buffalo Bills: Larry Warford G/Kentucky  Need to find Levitre's replacement.

Bills Pick from Carolina: Baccari Rambo S/Georgia  Need depth and help at Safety.

Like I said earlier, 2 more mock drafts still to come. One the Monday of draft week and one the morning of the First round on April 25.

Mock Draft #4 - Post Combine/Free Agent Frenzy

Inching ever closer to April 25th, this is the time of year where mock drafts really start to make the most sense. After the combine and now in the middle of prodays, prospects have begun to separate themselves from the rest of the pack. Oh by the way, free agency has also begun. But before I touch on some of the more interesting moves to this point, I want to go back and give my three impressions coming from the Combine.

1.) Failure to Launch: I was expecting at least two or three QBs to really make a case for themselves at the combine. Not so much. No prospect took the bull by the horn and turned into a "no-doubter". The usual suspects of Geno Smith and Mike Glennon showed off their impressive arm talent but really did not show much anything else. People were really impressed with Smith, I was more along the lines of, "Nice job, you have more to give." I just have not been wowed yet by this crop of QBs which is major cause for concern as a Bills fan.

2.) Blazing Saddles: I can't remember a year in which 40-yd dash times were so disgustingly impressive. It is becoming a norm now year after year to almost expect sub 4.4 40s. That number used to be unheard of. My favorite part of the 40-yd dash was certainly the duel between West Virginia WR Tavon Austin and Texas WR Marquise Goodwin. Austin was the first receiver to run his 40 and unofficially flashed a 4.25. Not to be outdone, track star Goodwin clocked the same unofficial time. Officially Goodwin took the honors with the second fastest official time ever of 4.27, only behind Chris Johnson's 4.24.

3.) Te'o's Circus: I have never seen so much hype for a combine interview quite like the one Manti Te'o had. Of course, it was to be expected but in all honesty, what more could he have said that wasn't said already. Each reporter got the proverbial, "I'm embarrassed" or "I'm moving on" response. I don't believe the hoax will impact his draft stock but his performance at the combine certainly did. ESPN anaylst Mark May went as far as to say "Any team that wastes a 1st round pick on Manti Te'o, should fire their GM." That statement might be a little extreme but shows how much Te'o has fallen in the eyes of many. His proday will prove to be the biggest day in his football career, he will either here cha-ching or be an invisible presence, much like Lenay Kekua.

Now to the guys who already play. Last year at this time, being a Bills fan was absolutely amazing. Signing Mario Williams to the largest contract for a defensive player was something we have never seen. Being on top of the free agent market was an awesome feeling. As for this year, not much has happened to this point. However, the biggest move of course for the Bills this offseason has been the release of QB Ryan Fitzpatrick. I like the move. The team was going nowhere with Fitz as their QB and this all but ensures a QB will be drafted at somepoint in this draft. I like the Manny Lawson addition as well as the resigning of Leodis McKelvin. More needs to be done in the form of a WR in free agency, but there is time left. 
Outside of the Bills, here are my top 5 moves of the NFL free agency period.
1.) Wes Welker signs with Denver: Did not see this one coming. Bold move by the Broncos.
2.) Seahawks trade for Percy Harvin: The Seahawks are a very legitimate SuperBowl contender this season.
3.) Kansas City trades for Alex Smith: With their QB in place, the Chiefs can do what they want to improve via the draft.
4.) Greg Jennings signs in Minnesota: Surprise, another Packer signs with the Vikes.
5.) Broncos are forced to release Elvis Dumervil: I love NFL technicalities.

Mock Draft #4 has some pick differences from previous mocks. I will cut down on the pick descriptions from on out as well.

1.) Kansas City Chiefs: Luke Joeckel OT/Texas A&M  

2.) Jacksonville Jaguars: Geno Smith QB/West Virginia  Perhaps a surprise pick, but the Jags need a desperate upgrade at this position.

**Trade**The Raiders trade the 3rd overall pick to the Lions in exchange for the 5th overall pick and the Lions 3rd round pick.
3.) Detroit Lions: Dee Milliner CB/Alabama  The Lions could not afford to wait with the Eagles lurking.

4.) Philadelphia Eagles: Dion Jordan DE/OLB/Oregon  A Duck reunion in Philly.

5.) Oakland Raiders (from DET): Sharrif Floyd DT/Florida
 
**Trade**The Cleveland Browns trade the 6th overall pick to the Jets in exchange for the 9th overall pick and the Jets 3rd round pick this year and compensatory pick next year.
6.) New York Jets: Eric Fisher OT/Central Michigan  The Jets had to get in front of the Cardinals and Bills to get a very coveted player.

7.) Arizona Cardinals: Lane Johnson OT/Oklahoma 

**Trade**The Buffalo Bills trade the 8th overall pick to the Rams in exchange for the 16th and 23rd overall picks and a 5th round pick and a 4th round pick next year. The Bills trade their 4th round pick this year.
8.) St. Louis Rams: Cordarrelle Patterson WR/Tennessee  With Warmack landing in their lap, the Bills have too many needs and look to trade back. 

9.) Cleveland Browns (from NYJ): Ziggy Ansah DE/OLB/BYU

**Trade**The Tennessee Titans trade the 10th overall pick to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for the 18th overall pick their 3rd and 4th round picks this year as well as a 4th round pick next year. The Titans also trade their 5th round pick this year.
10.) Dallas Cowboys: Chance Warmack G/Alabama  The Cowboys pounce on the opportunity to get arguably the best player in the draft.

11.) San Diego Chargers: Xavier Rhodes CB/Florida State

**Trade**The Miami Dolphins trade the 12th overall pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for the 17th overall pick the 3rd round pick this year and a compensatory pick next year. The Dolphins also trade their 5th round pick next year.

12.) Pittsburgh Steelers: Jarvis Jones OLB/Georgia  With the linebacking corp in flux, the Steelers move up to nab the best in this class.

13.) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Star Lotulelei DT/Utah

14.) Carolina Panthers: Kenny Vaccaro S/Texas

15.) New Orleans Saints: Barkevious Mingo OLB/LSU

**Trade**The Buffalo Bills trade the 16th overall pick to the Houston Texans in exchange for the 27th overall pick this year as well as the Texans 3rd round pick this year and 1st round pick next year. The Bills also trade the 5th round pick from STL to Houston.
16.) Houston Texans (from BUF via STL): Tavon Austin WR/West Virginia  The Bills cease the opportunity to get a WR hungry team to bite. If history proves anything, the more picks a team has, the better off they will be.

17.) Miami Dolphins (from PIT): Jonathan Cooper G/North Carolina

18.) Tennessee Titans (from DAL): Kawann Short DT/Purdue

**Trade**The New York Giants trade the 19th overall pick to the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for the 30th overall pick the 3rd and 4th round picks this year and a 3rd round pick next year. The Giants also trade their 4th round pick this year.
19.) Atlanta Falcons: Bjoern Werner DE/Florida State  The German phenom falls due to a less that spectacular workout, but still is a first round talent and goes to a pass rush needy team. 

20.) Chicago Bears: Alec Ogletree LB/Georgia  After announcing they would not keep Brian Urlacher, ILB became a major position of need.

21.) Minnesota Vikings: Desmond Trufant CB/Washington

22.) Cincinnati Bengals: Arthur Brown OLB/Kansas State

23.) Buffalo Bills (from STL via WSH): Matt Barkley QB/USC  Finally, the Bills make a pick. And it just so happens to be their franchise QB, or so they hope. Barkley has been getting so much criticism for a poor season last year but his overall body of work is truly an outstanding career really when you factor in all the distractions during his tenure at USC. He has an above average arm and makes appropriate quick decisions an NFL QB needs to make. Easily would have been a top 5 pick last season.

24.) Indianapolis Colts: Alex Okafor DE/Texas

25.) Minnesota Vikings (from SEA): Robert Woods WR/USC  After losing Percy Harvin, the Vikes use the pick they received in return to get his replacement.

**Trade**The Green Bay Packers trade the 26th overall pick to the Arizona Cardinals in exchange for the 38th overall pick and their 3rd round pick this year as well as a compensatory pick next season.26.) Arizona Cardinals: Mike Glennon QB/North Carolina State  Rumblings are Bruce Arians is very high on Glennon. He likes the pocket passers with the big arm, Glennon fits the bill. 

27.) Buffalo Bills (from HOU): DeAndre Hopkins WR/Clemson  The Bills add a much needed deep threat playmaker. Much like current Bill and former Clemson Tiger, CJ Spiller, Hopkins is explosive when he has the football. Barkley will now have a pretty solid stable of weapons to choose from as a rookie QB. As for the defense...well...thats another story.
28.) Denver Broncos: David Amerson CB/North Carolina State

29.) New England Patriots: D.J. Fluker OT/Alabama  Losing Vollmer forces their hand, if they lose him.

30.) New York Giants (from ATL): Damontre Moore DE/Texas A&M  Amazing what poor workouts will do to a player.

31.) San Francisco 49ers: Tyler Eifert TE/Notre Dame
32.) Baltimore Ravens: Matt Elam S/Florida  Reed signed in HOU, they need to find a replacement asap.

Onto Round 2:

33.) Jacksonville Jaguars: Datone Jones DE/UCLA

34.) San Francisco 49ers (from KC): Eric Reid S/LSU

35.) Philadelphia Eagles: Menelik Watson OT/Florida State

36.) Detroit Lions: Margus Hunt DE/SMU

37.) Cincinnati Bengals (from OAK): Eddie Lacy RB/Alabama

38.) Green Bay Packers (from ARZ): Jonathan Cyprien S/Florida International

39.) New York Jets: Ryan Nassib QB/Syracuse

40.) Tennessee Titans: Keenan Allen WR/California



41.) Buffalo Bills: Manti Te'o LB/Notre Dame  As down as I am on Te'o, he still can play and LB is a major need position for this team. Not having the first round label on him should help him ease into things. He is an incredible gifted player that if he were to fall here to the Bills, they would be stupid not to take him.

42.) Miami Dolphins: Andre Ellington RB/Clemson

43.) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Johnthan Banks CB/Mississippi State

44.) Carolina Panthers: Sheldon Richardson DT/Missouri

45.) San Diego Chargers: Zach Ertz TE/Stanford

46.) St. Louis Rams: Trevardo Williams OLB/UConn

47.) Dallas Cowboys: E.J. Manuel QB/Florida State

48.) Pittsburgh Steelers: Terrance Williams WR/Baylor

49.) New York Giants: Barrett Jones C/Alabama

50.) Chicago Bears: Justin Pugh G/Syracuse

51.) Washington Redskins: Jordan Poyer CB/Oregon State

52.) Minnesota Vikings: Jesse Williams DT/Alabama

53.) Cincinnati Bengals: Sam Montgomery DE/LSU

54.) Miami Dolphins: Kevin Minter LB/LSU

55.) Green Bay Packers: Giovani Bernard RB/North Carolina

56.) Seattle Seahawks: Vance McDonald TE/Rice

57.) Houston Texans: Khaseem Greene OLB/Rutgers

58.) Denver Broncos: Johnathan Hankins DT/Ohio State

59.) New England Patriots: Sio Moore OLB/UConn

60.) Atlanta Falcons: Joseph Randle RB/Oklahoma State

61.) San Francisco 49ers: John Jenkins DT/Georgia

62.) Baltimore Ravens: Tyler Wilson QB/Arkansas

Round 3:

63.) Kansas City Chiefs: Quinton Patton WR/Louisiana Tech

64.) Jacksonville Jaguars: Jamar Taylor CB/Boise State

65.) Oakland Raiders (from DET): Landry Jones QB/Oklahoma

66.) Oakland Raiders: Markus Wheaton WR/Oregon State

67.) Philadelphia Eagles: Tank Carradine DE/Florida State

68.) Cleveland Browns: Justin Hunter WR/Tennessee

69.) Green Bay Packers (from ARZ): John Simon DE/Ohio State

70.) Tennessee Titans: Darius Slay CB/Mississippi State

71.) Buffalo Bills: Tyrann Mathieu CB/LSU  Two picks with question marks for the Bills? Unlikely but Mathieu is worth the risk. He is an extremely talented player that had he stayed out of trouble would have been a top 10 pick. Worth the shot here in round 3.

With the pick acquired from the Texans, the Buffalo Bills select: Brian Winters G/Kent State  Glaring need at the guard position.

Mock draft #5 will be coming out 2 weeks from draft day and only 2 more after that. I can feel it already and I can't wait til draft day. Thanks for reading!