2014 NFL Mock Draft

NFL MOCK DRAFT

There have been probably 3-4 million mock drafts this year, especially with the extension of the NFL Draft due to the fact someone forgot to look at the Radio City Music Hall calendar to see if it was booked for the weekend the NFL was planning to have the draft. Therefore, we've been given an extra couple of weeks, and as such, I decided to do my own Mock Draft for the first 2 rounds including some potential trades that could bring chaos to New York in 2 weeks.

ROUND 1

             1. Houston Texans - Jadeveon Clowney DE – South Carolina

The Atlanta Falcons have called every team in the top 5 trying to mortgage their future again to take who they feel is the the best player in the draft, but Houston didn't bite. Everyone in Houston is screaming for the Texans to take a QB, but the Texans can't pass on a guaranteed pass rushing machine that tag teamed with J.J. Watt just made Andrew Luck, Peyton Manning, and Tom Brady start working on their agility drills. Clowney obviously had a down year in 2013, but no one wants to be the guy who let a potential future Hall of Famer go when they decided to reach on a QB.

             2.  Oakland Raiders (from the Washington Redskins) swap 1^st Round Picks with the St. Louis Rams and the St. Louis Rams acquire Oakland's 2^nd and 4^th Round Picks - Sammy Watkins WR – Clemson

St. Louis got an absolute gift from the horrible season the Redskins had this past year.  They trade away the No. 2 pick for RGIII and 2 years later wind up right back with the No. 2 pick again, plus the No. 13 pick. Rather than take a player with the No. 2 pick, St. Louis patiently waits for the phone to ring and keeps stock piling draft picks. Oakland can't help themselves with Watkins. They know he won't be there when they pick at No. 5 and they have one legitimate WR (James Jones), who Schaub can throw to. The Raiders now have MJD and McFadden in backfield along with Jones and Watkins on the outside, and this Raiders team just got a whole lot better.

3. Jacksonville Jaguars - Khalil Mack DE/OLB – Buffalo

Jacksonville needs a lot of help in a lot of areas. They finally cut ties with Blaine Gabbert and the rumors are that they aren't taking a QB early. Normally, they'd take a WR here, but this draft is loaded with at the position, so they take the best player available and sure up their Defense against Andrew Luck.

4. Cleveland Browns – Greg Robinson OT - Auburn

Cleveland's drafting at the QB position has been abysmal to say the least, and Brian Hoyer played pretty well until he was injured last year. Cleveland has 7 draft picks in the first 4 rounds of this draft, so they can load up at WR and take a chance at QB in the 2^nd or 3^rd round if need be. Everyone is screaming for Johnny Football or Bortles, but the safe play is to sure up your O-Line and let the hometown kid have another crack at it.

            5. St. Louis Rams (from Oakland Raiders) – Jake Matthews OT – Texas A&M

St. Louis picks again at No. 13 and Matthews is the best Offensive Lineman available, a position of need for the Rams if they want to give Sam Bradford any time to throw. St. Louis was wise to trade down and acquire more picks, because if they want to win the NFC West they are going to need them.

             6. Atlanta Falcons – Aaron Donald DT - Pittsburgh

The Falcons tried so hard to take Clowney with the No. 1 overall pick and they almost got him, but Houston wouldn't deal. They need help on the D-Line getting to Brees and Newton, which was something they just couldn't get done over last season. The Falcons Defense was near the bottom of the league in 2013, and the quickest way to bounce back is to get better up front. Donald has great speed and can play DE as well as DT. Smart move Atlanta.

             7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Mike Evans WR – Texas A&M

With Mike Williams moving on, the Bucs have Vincent Jackson as their sole reliable WR.  Lovie Smith brought over Josh McCown who will immediately compete with Mike Glennon for the starting job. No matter what QB suits up against Carolina for the season opener (Spoiler Alert: it's going to be McCown) he will need more than one WR to throw to. Lovie Smith loves defense, but it's hard to pass up a talent like this and Mike Evans finds a home in Tampa Bay.

              8. Dallas Cowboys trade Tony Romo to the Minnesota Vikings swapping 1^st round picks and giving Minnesota their 3^rd round pick - Johnny Manziel QB – Texas A&M

And Twitter just exploded!  The Dallas Cowboys have officially parted ways with Tony Romo for Johnny Football.  Overnight, jersey sales skyrocket, and Jerry Jones just paid for renovations to Cowboy Stadium through 2050.  Romo has won 1 playoff game since coming to Dallas and that doesn't cut it in Big D.  Romo and Garrett are close, but Jerry doesn't care.  Garrett's likely gone after this year anyways, and with Romo being 34 and coming off back surgery, he's likely only to decline.  The Cowboys Defense is a mess and it's not likely they're going to win big this year anyways.  Jerry knows what he gets with Tony and that's 8-8.  Manziel is as exciting a player as anyone can remember and his Pro-Day was off the charts.  The Cowboys make a bold move and pull the trigger and give Skip Bayless a heart attack in the process.  You're welcome ESPN and NFL Network.  Meanwhile, the move makes a lot of sense for the Vikings.  They get a Top 10 QB to pair with Adrian Peterson and both of them know they have a limited window to win.  The Vikings don't have time to wait another 3 years to develop a QB, Peterson needs someone now who can help take the burden off him, and he gets that with Romo.  

9. Buffalo Bills – Taylor Lewan OT - Michigan

Buffalo needs to protect their 1^st round pick from 2013, E.J. Manuel. Lewan is the best OT still available and arguably the best in the draft, though he is still raw. The Bills need someone who can start on day 1, and Lewan is that guy. He's physical, strong, aggressive, and at 6'7 and 300lbs won't be intimidated by pass rushers.

                10. Detroit Lions – Odell Beckham, Jr. WR - LSU

Detroit wanted Sammy Watkins bad, and they were willing to do a lot to get him, but Oakland had more chips and Watkins is now a Raider. Mike Evans would have been a nice fit as well, but Tampa Bay wasn't going to let that happen. So, the Lions take Beckham out of the bayou and into the Motor City. Along with Megatron and newly acquired Golden Tate (wonder why the Seahawks let him go....hmmm) the Lions now have a legitimate receiving corps and along with Beckham's ability to return kicks and punts, Jim Caldwell has a lot to be happy with on Offense in Detroit.

11. Tennessee Titans – Anthony Barr OLB – UCLA

Barr's a good player, plain and simple. He can fit a 3-4, a 4-3, or a hybrid, which it looks more and more like Tennessee will go hybrid. Titans fans are willing to give Locker one more season, but don't be surprised if they take a QB in the 2^nd or 3^rd round.

12. New York Giants – Eric Ebron TE – North Carolina

Eli Manning needs help with Hakeem Nicks gone, and a good pass catching TE can be very helpful to a QB. The Giants go with another Tar Heel in Ebron who has been rumored to be heading to New York since the end of the season. The current Giants roster has Kellen Davis, Adrien Robinson, Larry Donnell, and Daniel Fells listed as a TE. So, ummm yea, they're taking Eric Ebron.

                13. St. Louis Rams – Justin Gilbert CB – Oklahoma State

The Rams secondary needs help, and Justin Gilbert is the best CB in the draft. They'll need to improve the defense against Russell Wilson, Colin Kaepernick, and Carson Palmer. They make a good move on this pick and get a player who starts immediately.

                14. Chicago Bears – Darqueze Denard CB – Michigan State

The Bears need a CB to help out their secondary on a defense that was 30^th in the NFL in team defense. You read that right, the Chicago Bears had the 30^th best defense.  The Bears have made huge strides on Offense and with Marshall and Jeffery they are set at WR. However, if they had a decent defense they might have won an NFC North last year that was ripe for the taking. The Bears go across the lake to Sparty and get a solid shutdown CB.

                      15. Pittsburgh Steelers – Louis Nix NT – Notre Dame

The Steelers love defense, and with a draft that is heavy at WR they'll wait to replace Emmanuel Sanders and Jericho Cotchery. Nix moves well for a big guy and if they can keep his weight down he should be a strong force in the AFC North.

                      16. Minnesota Vikings (from Dallas Cowboys) – Ha Ha Clinton-Dix S - Alabama

The Vikings trade with Dallas, get a QB to help out Adrian Peterson, and get the player they wanted in the first place in Ha Ha Clinton-Dix. He had a ton of expectations at Bama and while he had a good career in college never fully lived up to the hype, but he's still a very good safety and should start immediately for the Vikings.

                      17. Baltimore Ravens – Zack Martin OT – Notre Dame

Baltimore needs a RT, actually they need a whole new Offensive Line and that's being kind to how well the Ravens protected Joe Flacco last year. They lost Michael Oher to the Titans and with Ray Rice having a sub-par year and let's just say some “gambling/relationship issues” they need a sturdy long-term solution to the O-line. Zack Martin comes in and provides Flacco with more time to find Steve Smith, Tory Smith, and Owen Daniels, as well as giving the backfield a better shot at running the football.

                       18. New York Jets – Marquis Lee WR - USC

I'm not a big absolute guarantee guy, but if I was a betting man, I'd let it ride on this pick. The Jets have Eric Decker, a No. 2 WR at best, Stephen Hill, who can't catch the ball, Josh Cribbs, who in the last two years has caught 9 passes, and Jeremy Kerley. The Jets will unequivocally go WR in the 1^st round and Marquis Lee fits in well moving from Southern Cal to NYC.

                       19. Miami Dolphins – Cyrus Kouandjio OT - Alabama

After the Offense Line bullying circus that happened last year, you can believe Miami wants someone new in the locker room and they need someone who can take a beating and protect Ryan Tannehill while allowing the RB tandem of Miller and Thomas to improve. Kouandjio has been on the rise in recent weeks, and this should be a good pick for the franchise that wants to challenge New England.

                       20. Arizona Cardinals – Ra'Shede Hageman DT - Minnesota

Arizona was going to go with the best player available and a position of need at CB by taking Bradley Roby with the 20^th pick, but the recent arrest nixed that choice and Roby continues to fall. Instead they go with the DT out of Minnesota also a spot they can improve on. The Cardinals have apparently met with Hageman multiple times and love him. DT is vital in a division that houses opponents who love to run the football.

                        21. Green Bay Packers – Kony Ealy DE - Missouri

The Packers need a pass rusher opposite Julius Peppers, who may have 2 years at best left in the league. A lot of people are projecting they take C.J. Mosley out of Bama with this pick, and they may very well do so, especially with the success they had with Eddie Lacy last year. But they already have two very good players at LB in Hawk and Matthews. Kony Ealy was a huge part of that fierce Mizzou defense that sent them to the SEC Championship game and he's a legit 1^st rounder.

                         22. Philadelphia Eagles – Brandin Cooks WR – Oregon State

The smart decision here is to take a CB or defensive player on a defense that was 29^th in the league last year. Chip Kelly didn't get to the NFL by playing it safe though. With the dismissal of DeSean Jackson Philadelphia's best receiver is Riley Cooper, Riley Cooper. Brandin Cooks was the Biletnikoff Award winner. He may be small, but he's a younger DeSean Jackson without the problems. Kelly having come from Oregon coached against Cooks last year and knows how good he can be.

                         23. Kansas City Chiefs – Kelvin Benjamin WR - FSU

Kelvin Benjamin is an absolute boss of a receiver. This guy is a jump ball touchdown machine. All Alex Smith has to do is throw the ball up in the air and let Benjamin go and get it. He's a mismatch nightmare for cornerbacks in the red zone. He may not have the speed or route running ability but when you're 6'5 with an 83” wingspan it doesn't matter.

                         24. Cincinnati Bengals – Brandon Roby CB – Ohio State

If there ever was a team that gives people second chances it is the Cincinnati Bengals. Regardless of the recent arrest, hell they brought Pacman Jones back, the Bengals need to take a CB in this draft and Roby should have been long gone by now. They take an in-state kid who is too good to pass on at No. 24 and hope it works out.

                         25. San Diego Chargers – Tim Jernigan DT - FSU

Jernigan's weight caused him to fall to No. 25 but if John Pagano and Mike McCoy can trim him down and get a strength and conditioning program in place (which I guarantee you no matter which team takes him will be a priority) then San Diego could have just made the phenomenal move in this draft for a player that many people had in the top 15.

                       26. Cleveland Browns (from the Indianapolis Colts) – Allen Robinson WR – Penn State

The Browns need depth at WR for whomever their QB is to throw to. Allen Robinson was highly underrated but he's a big physical receiver who led the Big Ten in catches and yards last season. According to scouts he isn't afraid to be hit, which is good considering he plays in the AFC North, and catches the ball well in traffic. With Josh Gordon on the other side, this should make for a good tandem in Cleveland.

                        27. New Orleans Saints – Jason Verrett CB - TCU

The Saints need some help at WR, but as long as you have Drew Brees, you can pretty much put furniture movers out there and he'll still throw for 5,000 yards. Rob Ryan (aka Kenny Powers in 15 years, if you haven't seen the picture please look up Rob Ryan Kenny Powers, it is absolutely frightening) is thrilled that Mickey Loomis agreed to help out his secondary in the 1^st round with this pick. Verrett's ball skills are phenomenal and he routinely cuts off receivers resulting in interceptions.

                         28. Carolina Panthers – Morgan Moses OT - Virginia

The Carolinas had a come-apart this off-season when Steve Smith was let go. Then when Dave Gettleman failed to sign a No. 1 or even arguably a No. 2 receiver as a replacement, things got pretty nasty pretty fast. That having been said, Jordan Gross retired, and Byron Bell is not a LT. Gettleman's a firm believer that you build your team from the lines out, and fortunately this draft is deep at WR. The fans will hate this move at first, but it's the smart play and it ensures protection for Cam for the foreseeable future.

                         29. New England Patriots – C.J. Mosley LB - Alabama

Bill Belichick must be ecstatic that Mosley falls to him at No. 29. The Pats Defense needs help and Mosley is a 3 down linebacker who can play a number of roles. He's fast, smart, and an excellent tackler.

                        30. San Francisco 49ers – Dee Ford DE - Auburn

This pick probably would not have been made 2 months ago, but times change.  Aldon Smith wins the 2014 Darwin Airport Award and subsequently is sent packing from San Fran. That leaves a void at DE and San Francisco goes and fills it with Dee Ford out of Auburn. Ford had a great Senior Bowl and San Fran will be thrilled they don't have to pay Smith a huge contract that would have been a lock 12 months ago.

                        31. Denver Broncos – Kyle Fuller CB – Virginia Tech

The Broncos have pretty much gone all in on the next two years. It's do or die time as Peyton Manning gets another year older. They went nuts in free agency signing T.J. Ward, Aqib “Ice Up Son” Talib, and Emmanuel Sanders. Fuller gives them depth at CB and he will eventually be the No. 1 corner after Talib moves on.

                         32. Seattle Seahawks – Jace Amaro TE – Texas Tech

Amaro gives Russell Wilson a security blanket to throw to in a 6'5 receiver who can also get down the field in a hurry. Seattle is going to run the football, that's their game, and Wilson is probably never going to be a pure vertical passing QB.  However, a running game often works best when you have a good two tandem TE set and Amaro along with Miller provides that for Wilson. Amaro caught over 100 balls last year, even in Ryan Gosling's Offense, that's pretty impressive.

First Round Recap: There was some action early, but obviously the story of the Draft is Dallas trading away Tony Romo for Johnny Manziel.  Oakland goes after Sammy Watkins and it should be a fun show in The Black Hole. Tampa Bay gets a No. 1 WR, while the Eagles get a younger problem-free DeSean Jackson. It's a long night for Blake Bortles and Teddy Bridgewater as they sit there only to watch as teams pass on them. Only 1 QB goes in the first round. All that talk about how deep this QB draft is and only one goes in the 1^st round. We'll see how interesting things get in Round 2 with a boat load of players at QB and WR still available.

ROUND 2

                         33. Cleveland Browns swap 2^nd Round picks with the Houston Texans and trade Houston their 4^th Round pick – Blake Bortles QB - UCF

Apparently, the Browns don't trust Brian Hoyer that much. They take Blake Bortles with the No. 33 pick, which many people would consider a steal. Bortles is the most prototypical of those at the QB position. Many say he reminds them of Big Ben in Pittsburgh. The Browns get an OT, a WR, and a QB with their first 3 picks, all before Washington even gets on the board. Not bad at all.

                         34. Washington Redskins – Xavier Su'a-Filo G - UCLA

The Redskins finally get to pick after trading away the world for RGIII 2 years ago. They obviously need to be able to make sure RGIII can throw the ball to his new dynamic duo of Garcon and Jackson and I'm sure Alfred Morris would like some blocking help as well, which is why they go with the Guard out of UCLA.  He's got great feet and can play Guard as well as Tackle if needed. It's not a sexy pick, but the Skins already got that with DeSean Jackson in free agency.

                          35. Jacksonville Jaguars swap 2^nd Round picks with Houston Texans and trade their 4^th Round pick – Teddy Bridgewater QB - Louisville

The Jaguars know that Chad Henne isn't the future in Jacksonville. They see that Cleveland made a play for Bortles and don't want to miss out on a QB for themselves. Bridgewater had a rough Pro-Day but he had a great regular season and most teams would love to develop him into their starter.

                           36. St. Louis Rams – Calvin Pryor S – Louisville

St. Louis uses the pick from the Raiders to upgrade their secondary again with Pryor. He's a hard hitting safety who has great instincts and can make adjustments on the fly. St. Louis picks again at No. 44 we'll see where they go then.

                            37. Atlanta Falcons – Joel Bitonio OT - Nevada

Atlanta has to make sure Matt Ryan can get the ball to Julio Jones and Roddy White. Tony Gonzalez is gone, so he doesn't have a short outlet anymore, and Steven Jackson is on the wrong side of 30, so he needs some help. Bitonio is a ferocious pass blocker and is a versatile player who can play multiple positions along the line.

                             38. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Demarcus Lawrence DE/OLB – Boise State

Lovie Smith isn't going to let 2 rounds of top draft picks go by without improving his defense. Lawrence is an elite tackler and had 20 sacks in his last two seasons at Boise State. He lacks considerable strength but some time with a trainer can fix

that.

                             39.  New England Patriots trade Ryan Mallett to the Houston Texans swap 2nd Round pics and take Davante Adams WR - Fresno State

Houston gets their QB, as Mallett is reunited with Bill O'Brien in Houston, and they get Clowney. Mallett is in the last year of his contract and if he's a bust Houston can simply cut him without much loss. The Pats realize Brady can't play forever and he needs weapons. They picked up LaFell in the off-season, but he's a possession receiver at best and Brady needs weapons to get them back to the Super Bowl. This was a sound move as Adams has great ball skills and elite jumping ability.

                              40. Minnesota Vikings – Ryan Shazier OLB – Ohio State

Shazier surprisingly falls to the 2^nd Round and Minnesota pounces on him. He was a projected mid-late first round pick, but another team's loss is the Vikings' gain.  He can play very well off the edge and has explosive speed. Shazier is also seen as a team leader in the locker room and should be a good fit for the Vikings.

                              41. Buffalo Bills – Troy Niklas TE – Notre Dame

The Bills add another pass-catching threat for E.J. Manuel. Notre Dame gives the NFL another play-making TE after Tyler Eifert went to the Bengals last year.  He's a 6'6 270lbs TE, who has both the hands and the blocking ability to succeed in the NFL.

                              42. Tennessee Titans – Tre Mason RB - Auburn

The first RB is finally taken with the 42^nd pick by the Titans. Mason has ridiculous speed and cutting ability. With Chris Johnson off to the Jets, the Titans get a younger cheaper upgrade who along with Dexter McCluster should make the Titans backfield lightning quick.

                              43. New York Giants – Stephen Tuitt DE – Notre Dame

The Giants get that upfront pressure that in the past got them 2 Super Bowl rings. With RGIII, Manziel, and Chip Kelly's offense, they need their defensive front to be effective. Tuitt can play multiple positions and should be a nightmare for opposing offensive linemen.

                               44. St. Louis Rams – Jimmy Garoppolo QB – Eastern Illinois

Sam Bradford just got put on notice. He was the last QB to get a massive deal on his rookie contract, and has been mediocre at best. With the number of picks St. Louis has this is a gutsy but not unwise pick. If Bradford doesn't deliver this year, you can let him go and move on to Garoppolo, and if he does you keep Garoppolo as your back-up, develop him, then trade him away for more picks. The bigger issue is that Garoppolo may have to sit in Radio City Music Hall for the entire 1^st night without hearing his name called, then watch as other teams let him fall to the mid 2^nd round of the draft. We'll see how he handles the pressure.

                              45. Detroit Lions – Jimmy Ward SS – Northern Illinois

Ward gives the Lions an immediate upgrade at the Safety position, especially with having to face Rodgers, Cutler, and now Romo twice a year. He's got very good hands and does a great job ball-hawking. He had a 38'' vertical at the Combine and does a good job supporting the run defense.

                              46. Pittsburgh Steelers – Cody Latimer WR - Indiana

Latimer has been shooting up draft boards lately. The Steelers have a huge need at WR after the vast majority of their corps departed. He beats press coverage well and is a good run blocker (Hines Ward 2.0?). Pittsburgh has to get better on Offense and that means giving Big Ben effective targets, with this pick they address a major issue at WR.

                              47. Dallas Cowboys – Scott Crichton DE – Oregon State

The Cowboys broke the Internet with the signing of Manziel, but now they need to address the need at the Defensive line, as their best pass rusher Ware is now a Bronco. They do that with Crichton out of Oregon State. Crichton has good closing speed with a knack for forcing fumbles. He's a raw player but some attention could do wonders and this Defense isn't getting fixed overnight.

                              48. Baltimore Ravens – Donte Moncrief WR – Ole Miss

Baltimore goes to Oxford for a WR to eventually replace newly acquired Steve Smith. Moncrief had a great Combine running one of the fastest times for a WR. He has a good frame and is able to create separation. With some time he can be a No. 1 WR and teamed with Steve and Tory Smith, it should give Joe Flacco plenty of options.

                              49. New York Jets – Dion Bailey S - USC

The Jets go back out to Southern Cal with their 2^nd Round pick for a safety. Bailey is known for his hands and he's a big safety who converted from linebacker, so you know he can hit. Rex Ryan should be thrilled he gets to bulk up his defense after going with a WR in the 1^st round.

                              50. Miami Dolphins – Chris Borland ILB - Wisconsin

Borland has a great work ethic and plays every play to the whistle. He's got decent pass coverage skills and has forced 14 fumbles in his career at Camp Randall. Miami needs more pass coverage assistance as the league develops into a pure passing league.

                               51. Carolina Panthers swap 2^nd Round picks with the Chicago Bears and trade their 4^th round pick to Chicago – Jordan Matthews WR - Vanderbilt

Panther nation rejoices as the heir to Steve Smith has been named. Jordan Matthews out of Vandy is an stud. He's a 1^st round pick most years and how he managed to fall the 2^nd Round is nothing short of fortuitous for Carolina. He's got great hands, good size, and can beat double teams on a regular basis. Dave Gettleman might have quietly pulled off a better receiving corps than a 12-4 team had last year with Matthews as a No. 1, Cotchery as a No. 2, Avant as a No. 3, and Underwood as a No. 4. Carolina wasn't going to wait to see if he fell any further and they move up to get their future franchise WR.

                               52. Arizona Cardinals – Marcus Roberson CB - Florida

This was a tough pick for Arizona with Terrance Brooks the Safety out of FSU still on the board, but CB is a bigger need for the Cardinals. Roberson has long arms and good instincts. He can be a little aggressive, so watch the interference penalties but he should be a good compliment to Patrick Peterson.

                                53. Green Bay Packers – Terrance Brooks S - FSU

Green Bay knew Arizona was going to take one of the two players out of the Sunshine State, and they are glad Brooks wasn't it. He will have to adjust to the NFL quick with Stafford, Cutler, and Romo throwing against him twice a year. He has some issues wrapping up, yet his hitting ability can't be denied.

                                 54. Philadelphia Eagles – Keith McGill CB - Utah

McGill is a tall corner, and that seems to be the way the league is going with bigger taller corners who can fight for the jump balls against receivers. The Eagles have other needs at Defense but facing RGIII, Eli, and now Johnny Football twice a year mandates that they improve their secondary.

                                  55. Cincinnati Bengals – Weston Richburg C – Colorado State

The Bengals don't quite pull the trigger on a QB yet, as Andy Dalton has only had 3 years, all in which the Bengals have made the playoffs. They may do so though in the 3^rd round, but for now they sure up the O-line with Richburg who is largely considered to be the best Center in the draft. He's been the starting Center for the last 3 years and started 12 games on the O-line in 2010 so he's got plenty of experience and should provide stability for Dalton and the running backs.

                                  56. San Francisco 49ers – Martavis Bryant WR - Clemson

San Francisco has to get better in the passing game. They came out of the gate hot last year, but Kaep didn't put up big numbers consistently throughout the season. Brandon Lloyd is a one year player at best, and Boldon is on the downswing of his career, but this is a team that has been to at least the NFC Championship game each of the past 3 seasons, and doesn't intend to stop anytime soon. Crabtree and Bryant will be the future for Kaep and Clemson sends both of their wide receivers to the Bay Area.

                                 57. San Diego Chargers – Jeremiah Attaochu DE/OLB – Georgia Tech

The Chargers need help on the Defensive Line and at the Linebacker Position.  Attaochu can fill either of those needs if he can bounce back from a poor Senior Bowl performance. He's good at stopping the run but can sometimes get lost in pass coverage. He still fits a position of need for the Chargers and they sure-up their Defense in the 1^st and 2^nd round.

                                58. New Orleans Saints – Jarvis Landry WR - LSU

It may be a reach but NOLA loves local talent and they go with Landry out of LSU at No. 58. If Odell Beckham would have been available they'd have taken him in the 1^st round, but he was gone long before they had a chance. They get LSU's No. 2 WR in Landry who is a little thin, but is hard to bring down after contact. He also has Special Teams experience, something the Saints will love with Sproles gone.

                                 59. Indianapolis Colts – David Yankey G/OT - Stanford

You can never have enough Offensive Linemen and Andrew Luck lobbies for Indy to go after another Stanford player in Yankey. He was the Pac 12's top lineman in 2012 and was the Team Captain so he should fit right in in Indy. Being versatile enough to move along the O-line will also be a major asset to a team that is primed for another playoff run.

                                 60. Chicago Bears (from the Carolina Panthers) – Kyle Van Noy OLB - BYU

The Bears go Defense again with Van Noy out of a BYU. Van Noy had a good year at BYU, especially against big competition. He's got good size at 6'3 244lbs, and has the ability to be disruptive to the passing game while being a big sack threat.

                                 61. San Francisco 49ers – Bashaud Breeland CB - Clemson

Another Clemson player heads out west. Breeland would probably have been a 1^st round pick if he came out in 2015. He had 74 tackles, broke up 10 passes, and had 4 picks last year. San Fran has major questions at CB and they answer it with Breeland, who may have had a bad Combine but had a great season in the ACC.

                                 62. New England Patriots – Carlos Hyde RB – Ohio State

With Blount gone to Steeler Country the Pats need to add to their RB by committee backfield. It was a tough call between Hyde and LSU's Jeremy Hill but the Pats head to C-BUS, Ohio and take an explosive bruising RB. He's not a home run-hitting RB but that's not the Patriots style and he'll be great in the red zone.

                                  63. Denver Broncos – Trent Murphy DE/OLB - Stanford

John Elway's a Stanford man, and the Broncos go and get a pass rusher who can also play LB in Murphy out of Palo Alto. Murphy is about as physical as they get, the guy is a former steer-wrestler (I'm not making that up). People obviously compare him to new Chicago Bear, Jared Allen, and that's a pretty good player to be compared to when entering the NFL Draft.

                                  64. Seattle Seahawks – Kareem Martin DE – North Carolina

Pete Carroll isn't going to let this draft go by without making the league's best Defense even better. Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril anchor the ends right now, but Avril could easily be gone in a year and this allows Martin to move right in.  This position may not be of vital concern this year, but Seattle is looking at 2015 and beyond and they want to make sure they are in the playoffs for years to come.

Second Round Recap: Houston gives their fans a scare by trading down three times in the 2^nd round, only to get themselves a QB and Clowney, and they look like geniuses. Cleveland has a legit QB competition between Hoyer and Bortles. The Jags can't believe they got Teddy Bridgewater in the 2^nd round.  Tennessee takes a chance on the speedster from Auburn, while

Pittsburgh gives Big Ben a new receiver to throw to. Lastly, the Panthers calm their fan base by trading up to take Jordan Matthews, while the Saints take their own WR from just down the road.

I hope y'all enjoyed this post, and the analysis. I enjoyed doing the research and writing it. I could have gone the boring route and just picked all 32 teams in order with them taking exactly what every major analyst has been predicting they'd take for the last 3 months, but there's no fun or excitement in that. The NFL Draft begins on Thursday May 8^th and ends on Saturday May 10^th. If you don't believe football is the No. 1 sport in America, watch as the NFL Draft gets higher ratings than the NBA Playoffs.

Ranking The Best SEC Network Promos By School

Alright, the SEC Network officially becomes a reality on August 14, 2014.  I, for one, am pretty psyched.  That having been said, they haven't finalized a deal with all the major networks yet....pick it up Time Warner Cable!  And while you're at it, make it so I can record more than 2 shows at once.    Sunday nights are terrible, I literally have to record shows at 1am, or heaven forbid wait until it comes On Demand.  What is this North Korea?  That was a joke, North Korea is a very real and terrible place...according to the documentaries on Netflix.

Also, the SEC Network is going to have their very own College Gameday that will rotate to different schools throughout the SEC, with Joe Tessitore, PAAAAWWWWL (Roll Damn Tide / War Damn Eagle) Finebaum, and possibly Timothy "The Patron Saint of Jacksonville" Tebow.  So if you're looking for thoughtful insight and analysis, don't watch this show.  I literally can't wait though until they have to make the obligatory stop to Vanderbilt and 15 people show up with with "Anchor Down" shirts and red eyes from studying particle physics for 26 straight hours.

The SEC Network has officially released videos for each of the 14 schools in the conference.  Some are pretty good, some are ok, and some make you wonder what they were trying to accomplish.  I find it hard to believe that there were college graduates gathered in a room who looked at some of these videos and said, "Yes, that looks good.  Let's go with that."  Anyways, here's my ranking of each of the videos in a completely unbiased (let's be honest it's biased, but I at least tried to be as objective as possible) review and account of what the "filmmakers" were trying to express.  Enjoy.



1.  OLE MISS

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5KpURoP49s

Regardless of the fact this is where I spent 3 awesome years of law school and I'm a huge fan, the video is the best of the 14.  The music is awesome, the view of The Grove on game day is absolutely stunning, and the let's just say the eye candy would give you instantaneous diabetes.  Wilford Brimley wouldn't make it down The Walk of Champions.  Seriously, the video is upbeat, it shows off food spreads that rival any cookbook,  bow ties (you gotta have bow ties), kids playing football, and it does a great job showcasing that if you go to Oxford on a game weekend, you will have a phenomenal time.  I was there for 3 years and our best season was 4-8.  You read that correctly 4-8!  And I still had an awesome time.  Great job on the video.


2.  LSU

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=iGpfRnDHrgA

Bravo, Bayou Bengals.  The video with soundtrack by Guru, yes I had to look it up, is very chill.  It's got a good vibe and a hand painted framed portrait of a tiger that lives better than 95% of the population of Louisiana.   Football is prevalent throughout the video; however, the best part is Mike the Tiger just hanging out in his habitat.  I was disappointed I didn't see any Les Miles cameos though.



3.  Alabama

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MJskfXycB3U

This video gives you chills even if you hate Bama.  Bear Bryant's words wash over the listener like your grandfather telling you a story about the war.  It's mesmerizing and somber.  If you've ever been to Tuscaloosa you know you don't dare wear anything but crimson and houndstooth in that town.


4.  South Carolina

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QuD0OBbA2-w

Hats off Gamecock fans.  You won't make a techno fan out of me, (I don't have robot ears) but I applaud you for trying.  I've never seen so many Southerners in my life praise a rooster that much and then not try to eat it.  The energy level though is infectious and with The Ol' Ball Coach at the helm, y'all finally have something to crow about.


5.  Mississippi State

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4aEs_2Y33jU

Maybe it's the fact that I just love baseball, or maybe it's the fact that the down home feel of the video makes me nostalgic for playing ball in the summer, but this is a good video.  The music makes it feel like a Ken Burns documentary is about to start.  The ingenuity of 20,000 engineers with a love for sports and time on their hands if not to be trifled with.  Well played State.


6.  Florida 
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=GU_jof6LPhw

I think watching the stadium do The Chomp in unison is pretty cool, but the best part is the guy who is dead serious that you are not allowed to do the Chomp with your left hand coming over your right.  May the Good Lord help you if you get that Chomp wrong.  The Jaws theme was a nice touch.


7.  Missouri

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=G-SsY7kYNIs

This video started off weak.  Sorry, I'm not a fan of a cappella groups.  However, it finished strong.  The ride around campus, the cheerleaders, the female rugby team all built up to forced indoctrination of small school children singing your anthem.  Start 'em young, raise 'em right!  Way to go Mizzou.



8.  Texas A&M

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JKm-bXu0vd8

This video would have ranked lower, but I'm a dog lover.  It's hard not to get sentimental about your own dog when you see someone else enjoying their's.  They make life far better.  Thanks for pulling on the heart strings A&M.




9.  Georgia

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xWFNmD6eR7A

It's not that this is a bad video.  It's just 30+ years old.  We all know Herschel Walker was unbelievable, but you really went all in on this one Georgia.  You've got a great school, awesome football, great downtown life, and game day is a lot of fun, it would have been nice to see some of that instead of an ESPN Classic highlight.



10.  Arkansas 

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4mLPvdYhx34

Call me an elitist if you want, but starting off your video with a guy in blue jean overalls calling hogs is not doing wonders for your school's reputation.  Arkansas actually has a lot of tradition, show some Lou Holtz, throw in some Nolan Richardson "40 Minutes of Hell," talk about how your stadium becomes the 3rd largest city in the state on game day or something.  Please note I am fully aware I just talked about not making this an ESPN Classic highlight, but some nostalgia sprinkled in is not a bad thing.




11.  Auburn

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=e2FEurZH7Fs

Lazy Auburn, lazy. Yes, you roll Toomer's Corner, we get it.  Don't make your entire video about beating Bama though, it reeks of little brother syndrome.  You're better than that.

12.  Vanderbilt

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=g0eY85dzA8g

Vandy, oh Vandy.  I'm sorry maybe it's me, but it's difficult to get excited about that video.  I literally almost fell asleep during it.  You need to come with some more enthusiasm.  The overall feeling was it's everybody gets a trophy day, and when everybody gets trophy, it makes me feel like no one got a trophy.


13.  Tennessee

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kosxY1zrLx8

Rocky Top, this video was terrible.  Plain and simple, it was terrible.  Read it in a Charles Barkley voice if you want, but it was terrible.  The only reason I didn't rank it dead last was because it has a baby and a mother in it, and I don't want to seem completely heartless.  Texas A&M already pulled at my emotions with Lassie, and now you deliberately try and make me cry with a baby and its mother singing Rocky Top.  I'd rather watch the Sarah McLachlan Animal Cruelty video again than this.  Low blow Vols, low blow.


14.  Kentucky

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=locTXsSiD_k

Wildcats, first off I respect your basketball program.  I do, but you make a basketball video and you don't include Ashley Judd.  Seriously?  I kept waiting for this video to start getting interesting.  This was the sparklers of videos.  That's it?  I'm supposed to get excited about...that?  The people at Midnight Madness in Lexington weren't excited about that.  Stick to bourbon and horse racing Kentucky.

Greetings Y'all

If you enjoy Southern sports, history, politics, food and drink, entertainment, culture, traditions, and reveling in the fact that living south of the Mason-Dixon just basically makes you more awesome than those living north of it, then I hope you will enjoy this blog.