Well folks, it is finally draft week, so let me lead into this final mock with some overall comments about this class. As has been said before, this is a draft class that is light at the top. Still, this is one of the deepest classes I have ever seen. There are so many players who will be chosen in the third, fourth and fifth round who will be long time starters in the league. Despite being light at quarterback and running back, this class is deep at almost every other position, so I expect many teams to come away from the weekend feeling very good about what they picked up.
So lets take one last look at the top 3 rounds of this weeks draft, and see what GM EZ would do if he was sitting in charge of every teams war room this weekend.
1. Kansas City Chiefs – Luke Joeckel, OT, TAMU
As you all know, I have been looking at Joeckel with this pick almost all offseason. The recent clamor surrounding a potential Braden Albert trade to Miami solidified this pick in my mind. Although he shouldn't play the right side, it seems KC will indeed deal Albert (draft night trade anyone?) and open the space for their new anchor up front.
2. Jacksonville Jaguars – Dion Jordan, DE/OLB, Oregon
For months I have touted DT Sharrif Floyd with this pick. But after further roster analysis, I am going to change my tune. I am going with Jordan. I still see the Jags having so many needs, but the bottom line is I see a bigger value in the flexibility the team would have with Jordan being able to line up hand in the dirt, or upright at the second level. I still think Floyd is one of the few studs in this draft, but Jordan is also, and he would be my pick here.
3. Oakland Raiders – Sharrif Floyd, DT, Florida
This pick marks another change in direction at the top of my mock. Previous mocks had the Raiders looking at Dee Milliner here, but this offseason the Raiders added some talent at the corner position. It is not top tier talent, and could still use some bolstering, but when you are picking third overall, you do not have the freedom to use the pick for bolstering purposes. They need to make an impact at a position of need, and no player still available would do that better than Sharrif Floyd. I have been laudatory about Floyd's game for months, and the Raiders will benefit greatly from an addition like this.
4. Philadelphia Eagles – Dee Milliner, CB, Alabama
My previous mocks have had the Eagles reuniting new HC Chip Kelly with one of his Ducks, Dion Jordan. Now Jordan is off the board, and despite being disappointed, Kelly and his Eagles will instead focus on filling the hole that was never quite filled by the signing of Nnamdi Asomugha. Milliner is the top cover corner in this class, and starting their rebuild with a potential shut down corner is a nice way to start for Philadelphia.
5. Detroit Lions – Eric Fisher, OT, Central Michigan
With Jeff Backus having retired, the Lions have a need up front, and Fisher has the talent to be an impact player on either the left or right side. Fisher is one of the top 5 players in this class, and the Lions could be looking at a host of suitors trying to trade up for Fisher at this juncture. Since this mock will not try and predict trades, I say the Lions should sit tight, and get Fisher to be their new anchor up front. This should help keep Stafford upright, and with the addition of the dynamic Reggie Bush during the offseason, mark Detroit as one of the most dangerous offenses in the league.
6. Cleveland Browns – Star Lotulelei, DL, Utah
Of all of the mocks that I have read, I have yet to see this projection, but it really does make sense to me. The health scare Star Lotulelei faced at the combine proved to be nothing, and he really is an impact player. In the 3-4 the Browns will play, he would line up at DE. He has Haloti Ngata upside, and I think, although not their biggest need, this pick still makes sense.
7. Arizona Cardinals - Lane Johnson, OT, Oklahoma
Many have predicted that the Cardinals will look to draft West Virginia QB, Geno Smith if he is still available. On the surface this makes sense, but as all of my regular readers know, I'm not overly impressed with any QB from this class. If GM EZ was in charge of the Cardinals war room, I would pull the trigger on the last of the big three OTs, Lane Johnson. I like Johnson's work ethic, and his potential, although not as high as his counterparts', is still such that he could be starting for the Cards a decade from now. If the Cards are going to compete, they need to be better at protecting the QB, regardless of who is under center.
8. Buffalo Bills - Chance Warmack, OG, Alabama
The Bills are another QB needy team, but like with the Cards one pick earlier, GM EZ still doesn't feel good about reaching for a QB here. Instead, I see the Bills adding the best OG who I have ever rated coming out of the collegiate ranks. Buffalo let Levitre go to Tennessee, and as I have said before, although not a headline making move, I think this was big. Warmack would be his immediate replacement, and an asset for Buffalo as they look to do a little rebuilding themselves.
9. New York Jets - Jarvis Jones, DE/OLB, Georgia
If it wasn't before, it sure is now. The Jets are a rebuilding team. They have lost so much this offseason, including most recently dealing Revis to Tampa. This means the Jets could go in any direction with this pick, and now CB needs to be considered too. This means the pick came down to Jarvis Jones, and Xavier Rhodes. Despite the new need at corner, I go with Jones. Bottom line is Jones projects out higher than Rhodes does on my board. Jones has some of the most violent hands I have ever seen, and I think he can develop into a premiere play maker in this league. With this pick, I go with Jones, and hold my breath hoping Rhodes is still available in a few picks.
10. Tennessee Titans - Ezekiel Ansah, DE, BYU
My last mock has the Titans choosing CB, Xavier Rhodes with this pick. When I did this draft that was still a possibility. As I looked over my board and the depth chart of the Titans, I changed my mind. Bottom line here was Ansah earned a higher overall rating than Rhodes and that made the final decision for me. Ansah has some serious upside. As has been said before, he is raw, but he sure can develop into a rare pass rusher in the NFL. A fierce pass rusher can make the whole team better, and that is why he hold the higher rating, and is the choice of the Titans here.
11. San Diego Chargers - Jonathan Cooper, OG, North Carolina
It is always nice when your team's biggest need matches up with the BPA in the draft. In the Bolts case, that is exactly the case here. The Bolts have to improve their o-line and Jonathan Cooper has the flexibility to play anywhere up front. I think he steps into the lineup as a starter on day 1. Considering the growth of Denver, and the developments in KC, I think the Chargers have to hit with this pick.
12. Miami Dolphins – Tyler Eifert, TE, Notre Dame
Some called this pick a reach during my last mock, and I see how they may think that. I don't. I really like what Eifert brings to the table. He really can stretch the seam of a defense and he has the ball skills to be an impact player downfield. The Dolphins have done a great job of adding play makers to Tannehill's arsenal this offseason. Adding this one final piece, and it will be hard not to see this Miami offense as explosive.
13. New York Jets via Tampa Bay - Xavier Rhodes, CB, Florida State
With the CB considering Titans and Dolphins picking in between the Jets two selections, somehow the Jets gets very lucky and find themselves in position to still get Rhodes with this choice. He will not come in and entirely replace what was lost with Revis, but he will begin to stem the tide. Cromartie is aging, and Wilson has been a bust, so adding Rhodes is necessary. New York still has other holes that need to be filled, but getting Rhodes and a likely third next year for Revis is not too bad.
14. Carolina Panthers - Sheldon Richardson, DT, Purdue
When I got on the clock as the GM of the Panthers, this decision came down to two players. It was Richardson vs Tavon Austin. The Panthers need help at both positions and these are two of the top players left. In the end, the decision came down to my feeling that Richardson would make a bigger impact faster, and that Carolina already had a player with a similar skill set to Austin (Steve Smith). I think the Panthers have to hold up better at the defensive point of attack, and I think Richardson will help them do exactly that.
15. New Orleans Saints -Barkevious Mingo, DE/OLB, LSU
I love it when a college standout gets to stay at home to play his pro ball. It has the potential to be very special. Mingo played his college ball at LSU and with this pick, he would get to stay in state and play for the Saints. The Saints have to get better in the front seven, and Mingo has some real upside. He is one of the guys in this class with boom-bust potential. I think Payton will be very happy to add a talent like Mingo in his return from exile.
16. St Louis Rams - Tavon Austin, WR, West Virginia
The Rams are in a good position with this draft because of the RG3 trade from a year ago. Ultimately, they would love to see either Cooper or Warmack fall to them here. In this scenario, neither is available. Thus they look to either OLB or WR. Arthur Brown and Tavon Austin are the top two candidates available. Austin has been rocketing up draft boards this season. Adding a speed demon like Austin to the Rams offense could really help Jeff Fisher get closer to the top of the league's best conference.
17. Pittsburgh Steelers - Desmond Trufant, CB, Washington
This is the first time in a very long time, I can remember looking over the Pittsburgh Steelers and seeing so many holes. They have to fill needs at LB, NT, CB, WR, and RB. When the team looks over the available choices I think they will look to either Arthur Brown or Desmond Trufant. Trufant has very good speed and excellent ball skills. Considering how much trouble the team had in the secondary a year ago, adding a player like Trufant seems like the best possible choice for them at this point.
18. Dallas Cowboys - Kenny Vaccaro, S, Texas
Dallas is a team with a lot of talent that continues to fall short season after season. Last offseason they spent a lot of money trying to upgrade their secondary. They did better in 2012, but they still have some needs there. Adding the local product, Kenny Vaccaro will make the Big D fans happy. Although his measurables are a bit questionable, Vaccaro won everyone over at the combine with his personality and character. Dallas could use some high character influence in their locker room, and his smarts at the safety position will be well received too.
19. New York Giants - Arthur Brown, LB, Kansas State
The Giants are a good team but they have few holes to fill on both sides of the ball. The defense is the larger concern, and there, OLB and S are the areas that are the biggest needs. I really love the game Arthur Brown plays. He covers ground so well, and he is an exceptional tackler. In a very competitive division, this is really an asset for any defense. Brown is one of my favorite players in this draft, and I love how he fits on this Giants squad.
20. Chicago Bears - DJ Fluker, OT, Alabama
The biggest issue the Bears have faced over the last three seasons is the porous o-line they have. This has created erratic play from Cutler, and thus, inconsistent results. This offseason the Bears added Jermon Bushrod to play OT for them. In reality, this should likely preclude them from adding an OT with this pick... but it shouldn't. Bushrod is not the answer. I still see this team needing a real option to keep Cutler upright. If I were calling the shots in Chicago, I'd look at DJ Fluker with this pick. I like his production at Alabama, against some of the best competition anywhere in the nation. Then again, if I were calling the shots in Chicago, I would not have signed Bushrod in the first place.
21. Cincinnati Bengals - Bjoern Werner, DE, Florida State
Look over the AFC North and you will find it is the Bengals that are the best team in this division. They made great strides a year ago, and now they have some needs, but not many. Considering this, my decision with this pick came down to Tennessee WR, Cordarrelle Patterson, and Werner. I picked Werner, because he is the safer of the two candidates. Patterson has better upside, but is much riskier. For the Bengals to solidify themselves as the class of the North, I think they need to draft the player who will more likely pay dividends. Werner is that guy. He has been a bit inconsistent at FSU, but when he is on, he is on.
22. St Louis Rams via Washington - John Cyprien, S, Florida International
With their first pick in this round the team added Austin. Now they need to look to the defensive side of the ball. OLB is their biggest need, but Arthur Brown is gone, and all the other options are too much of a reach. The Rams need a safety, and in ten years from now, I suspect we will view John Cyprien as the best from this class. He has tremendous upside. Despite a lack of big time competition, I think this kid is a stud, and Fisher and the Rams will be thrilled.
23. Minnesota Vikings - Mantei Te'o, LB, Notre Dame
Minnesota was considerably better this year than I anticipated. They still have some room to grow though. The Vikes traded away Percy Harvin in the offseason, but then they went and added Greg Jennings from Green Bay. They still need to add another WR, but they also have some additional holes. The biggest of these is at inside linebacker. Te'o has had a crazy offseason, but in the end, he is still a pretty good football player. He does have some limitations, as evidenced during the National Title Game, but Les Frazier will work to minimize those, and take advantage of the assets Te'o does have.
24. Indianapolis Colts - Alec Ogletree, LB, Georgia
After a demonstration of seriously poor decision making earlier in the offseason, Ogletree fell down my board to the second round. I think I may have overreacted. Ogletree is still a hell of a football player. He makes plays all over the field from his post in the middle of the defense, and the Colts could use that. Ogletree needs to be around some good influences, and Andrew Luck and the coaching staff in Indy will be exactly that.
25. Minnesota Vikings via Seattle - DJ Hayden, CB, Houston
During my previous Mock, I had the Vikes taking Werner with this pick, but now he is gone. There are some other options at DE, including Werner's college teammate Tank Carradine, but Minnesota also has some other needs. One of them is at corner, where my board's fastest riser resides. DJ Hayden was one of the top corners in the college game prior to almost dying a year ago. The injury that almost killed him was a freak thing, and doctors have said it should not impact him in any way. This kid has great cover skills, and if I were sitting in the big chair in the Minnesota war room on Thursday night, it is Hayden's name that I would send in with this choice.
26. Green Bay Packers - Eric Reid, S, LSU
Green Bay has built their franchise around smart draft picks. This team does not often reach for players, and because of that, they get value from their picks, and have become one of the premiere franchises in the sport again. When I cam on the clock as the Packers GM, I looked at the top players on my board who were still available. Reid's name jumped out at me because he feels like a Packer type to me. He does all of the little things well. He may not be the fastest or strongest at his position, but he is one of the smartest, and he has a workman like mentality that I think would play well in the Packers system.
27. Houston Texans - Cordarrell Patterson, WR, Tennessee
Previously, Patterson had been rated much higher on my board, even going in the top 10 at one point. But as is my habit, I look over players again and again to see if I see new things about them. When it comes to his play, Patterson still excites me with his upside. Having said that, it was studying more about the kid that has him falling now. Patterson seems to have some maturity issues right now. The Texans need a receiver but they are otherwise a very solid team. Patterson's issues may be temporary, and if so, he could develop into one of the better receivers in the league, and thus this is a worth while risk for Houston at this point in the draft.
28. Denver Broncos - Sylvester Williams, DT, North Carolina
Denver was awfully close last year, and now they have added Wes Welker to the offense. If they can add a few more pieces to the defense, they could take that next step. The addition of Dominique Rodgers Cromartie to the secondary was nice, and it really leaves the Broncos to look at d-line with this next pick. Many are projecting them to try and replace Elvis Dumerville here, but based on what is available, I like the addition of Sylvester Williams. Williams has grown on me. The more I watch of him, the more I like. This is his first appearance in the top round of my mocks this year, but I think he is deserving of this distinction.
29. New England Patriots - Barrett Jones, OL, Alabama
Another mock, and again GM EZ goes with Barret Jones to the Pats with this pick. I know why everyone hates this pick, but I simply don't see it as a reach. As GM for the Pats, I value smarts, work ethic, and system fit above all else, and Jones has all three of those factors in his favor. The fact that it is also at a position of need, makes this even more appealing. Simply put, Jones fits, and thus he remains my selection, much to the chagrin of many of my readers.
30. Atlanta Falcons - Jamar Taylor, CB, Bosie State
After looking over the Falcons roster in more detail, I decided another change was in order during the first round. Adding a young TE like Ertz would be nice, but since there are other more glaring needs, this luxury pick would have to wait. The Falcons lost Dunta Robinson this offseason, and although he may be a bit overpriced, his loss still leaves a hole to be filled. Jamar Taylor has been moving up boards, including mine this offseason with his all around good performances. He recently had a borderline round 1 grade, but after my final evaluation, I removed the borderline distinction. I think his play fits the need in Atlanta, and thus I make this selection.
31. San Francisco 49ers – Jesse Williams, NT, Alabama
The Niners are a very good team, and I expect for them to be back in the title picture again next season. They really have very few holes so when I got on the clock for San Fran, I simply looked over the best available players. Jesse Williams is an explosive athlete who can fill the middle even on a 3-4 defense. Safety may be a bigger need for this club but Williams provides the better value for them at this point, especially when you consider how many more opportunities the Niners will have to fill their needs later in the draft.
32. Baltimore Ravens - Matt Elam, S, Florida
When you are the Super Bowl champs, you wear a big target on your back. The Ravens learned this only weeks after hoisting the Lombardi trophy as other teams began to pick them clean following their title. Ray Lewis and Matt Birk retired. Then Kruger, Reed, Pollard, Ellerby, and Boldin all committed to continuing their careers elsewhere. This leaves the defending champs with some serious holes, and unfortunately, I suspect that this draft scenario would result in all of their top targets having been selected. Next on their list should be Elam. I love the way this kid plays the game, but I don't project him to be a superstar pro. Can he be good? Yes, and I think that is why the Ravens should select him here. Everyone needs to start rebuild with someone, and I see Elam as the guy.
33. Jacksonville Jaguars - Geno Smith, QB, West Virginia
34. San Francisco 49ers via Kansas City - DJ Swearinger, S, South Carolina
35. Philadelphia Eagles - Alex Okafor, DE/OLB, Texas
36. Detroit Lions - Darius Slay, CB, Mississippi State
37. Cincinnati Bengals via Oakland - Eddy Lacy, RB, Alabama
38. Arizona Cardinals - Matt Barkley, QB, USC
39. Cleveland Browns - Pick Forfeited
40. New York Jets - Dallas Thomas, OT, Tennessee
41. Tennessee Titans - David Amerson, CB, North Carolina State
42. Buffalo Bills - Tyler Wilson, QB, Arkansas
43. Miami Dolphins - Menelik Watson, OT, Florida State
44. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Jamie Collins, OLB, Southern Miss
45. Carolina Panthers - Keenan Allen, WR, California
46. New Orleans Saints - Pick Forfeited
47. San Diego Chargers - Kevin Minter, LB, LSU
48. St Louis Rams - Cornelius Washington, LB, Georgia
49. Dallas Cowboys - Kawann Short, DT, Purdue
50. Pittsburgh Steelers - Robert Woods, WR, USC
51. New York Giants - Zach Ertz, TE, Stanford
52. Chicago Bears - Kiko Alonso, LB, Oregon
53. Washington Redskins - Robert Alford, CB, Southeastern Louisiana
54. Minnesota Vikings - Cornellius Carradine, DE, Florida State
55. Cincinnati Bengals - Justin Pugh, OT, Syracuse
56. Miami Dolphins via Indianapolis - Johnathan Banks, CB, Mississippi State
57. Green Bay Packers - Sam Montgomery, DE/OLB, LSU
58. Seattle Seahawks - Demontre Moore, DE/OLB, TAMU
59. Houston Texans - Jordan Mills, OT, La Tech
60. Denver Broncos - Blidi Wreh Wilson, CB, UConn
61. New England Patriots - Deandre Hopkins, WR, Clemson
62. Atlanta Falcons - Brian Winter, OG, Kent State
63. San Francisco 49ers - Kyle Long, OG, Oregon
64. Baltimore Ravens - Jonathan Bostic, LB, Florida
65. Kansas City Chiefs - Datone Jones, DE/OLB, UCLA
66. Jacksonville Jaguars - Margus Hunt, DE, SMU
67. Detroit Lions - Zaviar Gooden, OLB, Missouri
68. Oakland Raiders - Jordan Reed, TE, Florida
69. Philadelphia Eagles - Larry Warford, OG, Kentucky
70. Cleveland Browns - Dwayne Gratz, CB, UConn
71. Arizona Cardinals - Phillip Thomas, S, Fresno State
72. Tennessee Titans - Vance McDonald, TE, Rice
73. Buffalo Bills - Justin Hunter, WR, Tennessee
74. New York Jets - Travis Kelce, TE, Cincinnati
75. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - EJ Manuel, QB, Florida State
76. San Francisco 49ers via Miami - Marcus Lattimore, RB, South Carolina
77. New Orleans Saints - Logan Ryan, CB, Rutgers
78. San Diego Chargers - Shamarko Thomas, S, Syracuse
79. Miami Dolphins - JJ Wilcox, S, Georgia Southern
80. St Louis Rams - Sean Porter, LB, TAMU
81. Pittsburgh Steelers - Jonathan Hankins, NT, Ohio State
82. Dallas Cowboys - Sio Moore, OLB, UConn
83. New York Giants - Jordan Poyer, S, Oregon State
84. Miami Dolphins via Chicago - Quanterus Smith, DE, Western Kentucky
85. Minnesota Vikings - Ryan Swope, WR, TAMU
86. Cincinnati Bengals - Travis Frederick, C, Wisconsin
87. Washington Redskins - Joe Kruger, DE, Utah
88. Indianapolis Colts - Sanders Commings, DB, Georgia
89. Seattle Seahawks - Terron Armstead, OT, Arkansas Pine Bluff
90. Green Bay Packers - Giovani Bernard, RB, North Carolina
91. Houston Texans - Gavin Escobar, TE, San Diego State
92. Denver Broncos - Brandon Jenkins, DE/OLB, Florida State
93. New England Patriots - TJ McDonald, S, USC
94. Atlanta Falcons - Corey Lemonier, DE, Auburn
95. San Francisco 49ers - Kenny Stills, WR, Oklahoma
96. Baltimore Ravens - Aaron Dobson, WR, Marshall
97. Houston Texans - Tharold Simon, CB, LSU
98. Kansas City Chiefs - AJ Klein, LB, Iowa State
99. Tennessee Titans - Devonte Holloman, LB, South Carolina
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