2012 NFL Mock Draft Weekly Update #7
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Round 1
1. Indianapolis Colts 0-7 Andrew Luck Quarterback Stanford Junior Redshirt The Colts blew a 24 to 14 lead to the Kansas City Chiefs before losing to the Bengals to fall to 0-6. The team that gets the #1 overall pick will likely get Andrew Luck.
The Colts are trying to win games, but Luck has not gone their way. Other teams like the Dolphins are tanking their season for Luck which is why the Colts should be rewarded with the first pick in the 2012 NFL Draft.
There were 2 once in a generation quarterback prospects prior to Andrew Luck. Those signal callers were John Elway and Peyton Manning.
The Colts traded Elway hoping for a King’s Ransom in return because Elway did not want to play for the Colts. That didn’t work out and the Baltimore Colts ended up relocating to Indianapolis. This may have influenced the original Cleveland Browns to relocate becoming the Baltimore Ravens.
Peyton Manning went #1 overall 15 years later in 1998. Manning has been the face of the Colts franchise ever since.
The Colts will draft Luck #1 overall if they get the top pick. There are 2 questions if the Colts take Luck #1 overall. Not questions about Luck, but rather questions about whether the Colts keep him.
A) Will the Colts keep Luck as a successor to Manning?
B) Will the Colts trade Luck like they did with another Stanford quarterback 30 years ago when the Indianapolis Colts were the Baltimore Colts?
Colts fans ask yourself those questions. Reflect on those thoughts and then generate your conclusion on what the Colts will do if they get the chance to draft Luck with the top pick.
Rumor has it that Colts owner Jim Isray has hinted that he likes Luck and would consider taking him with the top pick. Their are teams who send smokescreens and teams who reveal their draft plans to the general public.
The Colts wanted a left tackle in 2011 and revealed their draft plan to the public so I am opted to believe that the Colts are going to take Luck if they get the top pick in 2012.
The Colts want to have a quarterback in place for when Manning leaves. Luck could sit behind Manning for a year or 2 if Manning fully recovers. The other scenario could possibilities include Manning retiring or leaving on his own terms via trade.
2. Miami Dolphins 0-6 Matt Barkley Quarterback USC Junior After Andrew Luck the best quarterback with the most experience in a pro style offense is USC’s Matt Barkley.
The Miami Dolphins will take Matt Barkley or Robert Griffin III over Landry Jones if they pick second because Barkley has the most experience in an NFL pro style offense and Griffin III has the ability to be utilized as a dual threat quarterback.
Landry Jones has yet to play in a limelight metropolitan climate. Jones played high school ball in New Mexico. He played in a Fiesta Bowl game against an overrated Connecticut team. In a game where Jones was battle tested against an NFL potential Florida State defense he threw 1 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Jones responded in the clutch against the Seminoles when the game was tied at 13.
Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III, and Landry Jones all have proven themselves in the 4th quarter. Matt Barkley is the only quarterback who has yet to rally a team in the 4th quarter. Will this play into Miami’s decision to draft a quarterback?
At the end of the day I believe Barkley and Griffin are both ranked higher on Miami’s draft board then Landry Jones. What will be interesting to see is if I turn out to be right or wrong. You never know what direction a new regime goes in. That’s why its so difficult to predict what new regimes do with their picks.
One basic rule about new regimes is that new regimes often search for a quarterback with a first round pick. New regimes almost always take a quarterback with a 1st round pick if one is available and the team does not have a franchise quarterback.
If Miami does pick second behind Indianapolis and opt for Landry Jones who many have as the top quarterback prospect after Andrew Luck, I will be inserting 1998 NFL Draft jokes where I compare Luck to Manning and Landry Jones to Ryan Leaf because I am one of those critics who is very skeptical on Jones ability to develop in the NFL.
When Jones executes a 5 step drop he always fires a deep pass. When Jones executes a 7 step drop he is pressured and runs out of the pocket before throwing it away.
People try to pick up on weaknesses that quarterbacks do hoping to game plan against that quarterback. Watching Jones chuck it deep after a 5 step drop in the pocket is something I picked up on.
I need to see more short and medium passes when Jones drops back to do his 5 step drops. Plus quarterbacks who play in spread offenses have higher bust ratios than quarterbacks who play in pro style offenses. Luck and Barkley have played in pro style offenses. Jones hasn’t which is somewhat of a disadvantage at this point.
Boomer Sooner fans can critique my doubts on Jones all they want, but I have watched 5 hours of Landry Jones game tape and 5 games on Jones before writing a scouting report on him.
Barkley’s completion percentage trumps Jones completion percentage. Barkley has a 68.2 completion percentage compared to Jones 66.3 completion percentage which gives Barkley the edge for now.
A lot of people are beginning to believe that Landry Jones is the consensus #2 quarterback after Luck. Some believe Jones could potentially rival and surpass Luck. There was a prospect like that in 1998 who rivaled Peyton Manning for the top pick at one point despite Manning being the consensus #1 pick named Ryan Leaf and that is who Jones reminds me of. I have seen everything I need to see from Jones and I am not changing my opinion of him. I may change his draft stock depending on how he performs, but I still believe Jones is a bust at the end of the day.
The critic in me advises Miami to draft Barkley. The fan in me would kind of like to see Jones get selected here so my Patriots can watch the Dolphins suffer at quarterback for another decade.
3. St. Louis Rams 0-6 Matt Kalil Left Tackle USC Junior Redshirt St. Louis took 19 sacks in his first 4 games. Roger Saffold only surrendered 1 sack all year as a rookie. Saffold is n a sophomore slump at left tackle. Jason Smith has been a waste of a top 5 pick for the St. Louis Rams and he needs to be replaced.
Bradford’s protection has been so horrific this season. I literally wonder if right tackle Jason Smith has been inviting the rest of the Rams offensive line to underground eating competitions so the offensive line is out of shape in terms of conditioning.
Sam Bradford would have so much more time in the pocket if the St. Louis Rams made Matt Kalil Bradford’s blue chip blindside. This would allow Saffold to move to right tackle allowing Jason Smith to move inside to left guard assuming the Rams decide not to release Smith buying out his contract.
Worst case scenario Kalil fails to start on the offensive line allowing him to serve for depth. I doubt Kalil would sit out though because teams throw their top 5 draft picks into the fire right away.
4. Minnesota Vikings 1-6 Jonathan Martin Left Tackle Stanford Junior Redshirt The Vikings have no left tackle to protect Ponder’s blindside. Ponder suffered shoulder injuries at Florida State and the Vikings do not want to turn Ponder into a David Carr type quarterback due to poor pass protection.
The Vikings need someone who can pass protect well. This pass blocker also has to open up lanes for Adrian Peterson.
Andrew Luck lost 3 of his 5 offensive lineman last season. Left tackle Jonathan Martin and right guard David DeCastro were the two returning offensive lineman this season. Martin may be the main reason why Luck’s draft stock hasn’t taken a major hit so far this year.
I realize Luck is a once in a generation prospect. At the same time Jonathan Martin is an underrated asset at the left tackle position. Martin reminds me of Jonathan Odgen coming out of UCLA with the high character that Max Starks has around the community in Pittsburgh.
Martin is a premium blindside at left tackle. Martin is going to give a quarterback more time in the pocket. Quarterbacks will also gain additional composure due to Martin’s pass blocking ability.
Worst Case Scenario, Martin turns out to be as productive as former Stanford Cardinal blindside Bob Whitfield. Come to think of it, Whitfield managed to have a pretty productive career playing for the Atlanta Falcons from 1992 to 2003.
Whitfield helped the Falcons reach Super Bowl by 33 pass blocking for Chris Chandler and run blocking for Jamal Anderson. This is something that haunts the 1998-1999 Minnesota Vikings who finished 15-1 in the regular season that year to this very day. That Vikings team lost to Whitfield and the Falcons 30 to 27.
Martin will be put in a situation where he starts at left tackle right away for the Minnesota Vikings.
5. Arizona Cardinals 1-5 Quinton Coples 3-4 Right Outside Linebacker Senior Arizona needs a left tackle. The problem is they cannot spend a top 5 pick on a left tackle unless Matt Kalil or Jonathan Martin falls their way.
The other 3 players that I have graded out as top 5 talents are pass rusher Quinton Coples, cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick, and cornerback Morris Claiborne.
It would be cool to see Morris Claiborne pair up with former teammate Patrick Peterson. Even though Claiborne is a top 5 talent you have to question a team wanting to spend a top 5 pick on Claiborne to a certain degree when Dre Kirkpatrick is on the board.
Dre Kirkpatrick can play man, zone, and press just like Peterson. Peterson can play special teams while Kirkpatrick is a hard hitting cornerback who blitzes while stuffing the run. Just imagine how difficult it would be for offenses to throw on Patrick Peterson and Dre Kirkpatrick. Still I do not see the Cardinals taking Kirkpatrick here.
Arizona drafted Peterson with a top 5 pick and signed Richard Marshall in free agency. The Cardinals will probably upgrade the pass rush before upgrading the secondary.
After Andrew Luck and Matt Kalil, North Carolina pass rusher Quinton Coples is the best player available. Arizona wants to run a 3-4 defense with a combination of 4-3 plays. The Cardinals need a pass rusher with the ability to be a 4-3 and a 3-4 pass rusher.
That player is Quinton Coples who displays amazing versatility. He can play right end or left end in a 4-3. Coples can be a 4-3 defensive tackle if he bulks up. Coples can play the 5 technique in a 3-4 if he bulks up. Coples could move to a 3-4 outside linebacker role if he drops a few pounds.
Coples seems like a legit plan C if the Cardinals cannot obtain Matt Kalil or Jonathan Martin with this top 5 pick.
6. Jacksonville Jaguars 2-5 Dre Kirkpatrick Cornerback Alabama Junior The Jaguars need a #2 cornerback to pair with Rashean Mathis. The Jaguars won because Baltimore’s offense didn’t show up. Flacco played bad and the running game could not get anything going.
Dre Kirkpatrick could start out as a boundary cornerback playing a #2 cornerback role potentially becoming the primary field cornerback on the Jaguars secondary once Rashean Mathis gets older.
Mathis will turn 32 in August so he will begin the early process of declining from a primary field cornerback to a secondary boundary cornerback.
Field corners have to play a lot of zone coverage hoping to keep opponents flanker receivers from running that deep route that results in a touchdown.. Playing zone coverage requires good speed, footwork, along with the proper hip placement when dropping back into coverage.
When Mathis turns 32 his speed and footwork will enter the early stages of declining as a player. By the time Mathis declines, Kirkpatrick will have fully developed as a field cornerback who can contain flanker receivers.
Plus the officials called a lot of holding calls on Baltimore which usually does not happen when the Ravens are playing.
The Jaguars will gladly settle for Dre Kirkpatrick if Quinton Coples if off the board with this pick.
7. Carolina Panthers 2-5 Morris Claiborne Cornerback LSU Junior Morris Claiborne is a player that the Carolina Panthers need to obtain. He is the only top 5 talent left at this point. I know the Panthers need a wide receiver for Newton to throw to, but cornerback is also a need in Carolina.
Cornerback is considered a higher valued position than wide receiver plus the Panthers may pay Steve Smith 7 million a year the way he has performed in 2011. I may change this pick back to a wide receiver. For now I am giving Carolina a cornerback since none of the wide receivers have convinced me their worthy of going this high.
Morris Claiborne can play a boundary cornerback role for the Carolina Panthers across from field cornerback Chris Gamble. Doing this enables the Carolina Panthers to insert Captain Munnerlyn into his natural role at the nickel.
With the proper development, Claiborne could become a teams primary field cornerback that contains opposing flanker.
8. Denver Broncos 2-4 Trent Richardson Running Back Alabama Junior The Denver Broncos take a running back who can become an effective playmaker. Trent Richardson is the best player available so he would be the perfect fit for the Denver Broncos.
Trent Richardson can start out as the 3rd running back on the depth chart behind Willis McGahee and Knowshon Moreno working his way up the depth chart. Richardson would
9. Seattle Seahawks 2-4 Robert Griffin III Quarterback Baylor Junior Redshirt The Seahawks need a quarterback. I get the feeling that Robert Griffin III would be a quarterback that Pete Carroll would be interested in drafting. Even though RGIII has a good chance of returning I get the feeling that Seattle drafts Robert Griffin III if he comes out.
Robert Griffin III would start right away for Seattle. Tavaris Jackson would move down to a backup role with Whitehurst playing a 3rd string role. This would be a natrual fit.
10. Philadelphia Eagles 2-4 Riley Reiff Right Tackle Iowa Junior Redshirt Riley Reiff is a right tackle who could make an impact on the Eagles offensive line if he ends up declaring.
11. Washington Redskins 3-3 Landry Jones Quarterback Oklahoma Junior Redshirt I have watched so much film of Jones and I hate what I see as a talent evaluator when breaking down the tape. I am more concerned about Landry Jones being a starter than Todd McShay was about Jimmy Clausen. Jones will likely go higher than this. Washington would take Jones with this selection if he slides so far by some miracle.
Landry Jones could start out as a 3rd stringer and work his way up the Redskins depth chart before he becomes the face of the Nations Capital.
12. Kansas City Chiefs 3-3 Vontaze Burfict 3-4 Middle Linebacker Arizona State Junior Vontaze Burfict is the best 3-4 middle linebacker available. Burfict seems like the ideal inside linebacker for a linebacker in Romeo Crennel’s 3-4 defense.
13. Cleveland Browns 3-3 Alshon Jeffery Wide Receiver South Carolina Junior Alshon Jeffery is my top ranked flanker receiver. Even though there is no elite can’t miss receiver prospect my top receiver has to be Jeffery at this point.
Greg Little is currently the teams flanker. Little is more suited for a secondary receiver role. Mohammed Massaquoi and Brian Robiskie have both failed to meet team expectations as primary and secondary receivers. Massaquoi may finally break out as a slot receiver and Robiskie would be a good secondary slot receiver as the teams 4th receiver on the field in limited situations.
14. Tennessee Titans 3-3 Luke Kuechly Middle Linebacker Boston College Junior Luke Kuechly has recorded 100+ tackles over the last 3 seasons at Boston College. Barrett Rudd has had a successful NFL career, but his production has declined significantly over the past 2 seasons. Kuechly is a can’t miss prospect who would provide an upgrade over Barrett Rudd despite Rudd’s talent. Kuechley is pretty much a top 14 pick who may even suprass Burfict as the top middle linebacker at some point.
Kuechly may drop further than expected with a poor combine workout. Kuechly could sit behind Rudd for a year before become the Tennessee Titans full time starter.
15. Dallas Cowboys 3-3 Michael Brewster Center Ohio State Senior The Dallas Cowboys defense played well against the New England Patriots. I feel like the interior offensive line is the Cowboys biggest concern moving forward. Murray took the NFL by storm last week at running back considering he has one of the weakest interior offensive lines in the league. He could have 1,500 rushing yard seasons with the proper interior offensive line in place.
Centers draft stocks continue to soar mainly due to the success of Maurkice Pouncey. Brewster has better intangibles than either Pouncey brother. He does not have the physical blocking strength or the versatility that the Pouncey brothers had coming out of Florida. Still, Brewster’s intangibles get him selected 15th overall.
16. Cincinnati Bengals from Oakland Raiders 4-3 Dontari Poe Defensive Tackle Memphis Junior The 6 foot 5 350 pound nose tackle has the ability to be utilized as a A gap defensive tackle in a 4-3 scheme in addition to being a nose tackle playing the zero technique in a 3-4 scheme.
17. Chicago Bears 4-3 Michael Floyd Wide Receiver Notre Dame Senior Its about time for the Chicago Bears to draft a flanker receiver with the size, speed, and hands to stretch the field. This receiver has to be someone who commands double teams so the other Bears receivers get open.
The Bears do have a crop of secondary receivers who can make big plays at times enabling the Bears to move the chains. I feel like a flanker primary target with Floyd’s ability is a suitable option for the Chicago Bears as it would provide the secondary receivers for Chicago more chances to create mismatches opposing secondaries considering what the Chicago Bears currently have in place at the wide receiver position.
18. New York Jets 4-3 Ricky Wagner Right Tackle Wisconsin Junior Redshirt The New York Jets desperately need a right tackle. Ricky Wagner is a top 10 talent on my recent top 200 draft board. I have him graded out as my 13th best overall player if he declares by leaving Wisconsin a year early.
19. Cleveland Browns from Atlanta Falcons 4-3 Manti Te’o Right Outside Linebacker Notre Dame Junior Manti Te’o would be an excellent addition to the Cleveland Browns defense. The Browns will need a 4-3 right outside linebacker by seasons end.
20. Cincinnati Bengals 4-2 Stephon Gilmore Cornerback South Carolina Junior Stephon Gilmore is excellent in man coverage. Gilmore has the potential to be a field cornerback.
The thing is field cornerbacks usually play zone coverage on opponents primary flanker receiver targets. Gilmore has the man coverage ability, he has played zone accounting for Jeffery as a field cornerback. Gilmore can blitz, and he can stuff the run.
Cincinnati already has a field cornerback named Leon Hall. They could use a boundary corner at that #2 cornerback role who solely focuses on man coverage.
Gilmore has the ability to be an excellent blitzer pass rushing as a nickel corner on blitz schemes.
Gilmore could start out as a nickel corner with his blitzing ability and man coverage skills until he gains enough experience in to jump Nate Clements on the depth chart causeing Gilmore to move up to the boundary corner/#2 cornerback role on the Cincinnati Bengals depth chart. Who knows maybe Gilmore could jump Leon Hall becoming the teams field cornerback and primary cornerback if he helps guide the Bengals to a playoff win with an interception.
Leon Hall was the boundary corner at the #2 cornerback role until this season when Jonathan Joseph left Cincinnati to sign with Houston.
The Bengals drafted a cornerback out of South Carolina who spent a good part of his early NFL career with the Cincinnati Bengals. I could see the Bengals drafting Stephon Gilmore with this selection.
21. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 4-3 Alfonzo Dennard Cornerback Nebraska Senior Alfonzo Dennard is an ideal fit for Tampa Bay’s cover 2 scheme. Dennard could do well in zone coverage. Ronde Barber is not a long term #1 field cornerback and Aqib Talib is more of a boundary corner than a field corner given his track record off the field.
Tampa Bay drafts a player who can start out as a boundary cornerback behind Talib and if Talib has some character issues Denard could get is chance to prove that he is a long term field cornerback for Tampa Bay. Myron Lewis can be utilized as a boundary corner, but he is best suited for a nickel cornerback role.
22. Buffalo Bills 4-2 Brandon Jenkins 3-4 Left Outside Linebacker Florida State Junior Brandon Jenkins could be a good 3-4 left outside linebacker to pair up with Shawn Merriman. If Merriman gets injured, Jenkins could get a chance to prove why he would make a great addition to the Bills.
23. Houston Texans 4-3 Justin Blackmon Wide Receiver Oklahoma State Junior Redshirt Justin Blackmon is a secondary wide receiver. He lacks the physical attributes to be a flanker receiver. There is a top 10 pick who falls much further than their projected to go on draft boards every year.
It happened with Prince Amukamara in 2011 and it happened with Bryan Bulaga in 2010. I could see this happening with Justin Blackmon because he lacks the size of flanker.
Blackmon has elite intangibles. The speed, route running, and hands are there. When you draft a receiver in the first round you usually opt for someone with good size who can stretch the field in the red zone. Justin Blackmon is 6 foot 1 215 pounds. Blackmon’s height is a concern plus he could put on more 5 pounds. Blackmon’s ability in the red zone could be limited due to his size so he is a slot receiver with the ability of a secondary receiver of a secondary receiver at best. Blackmon will not maximize his potential unless he is put in the proper situation where he can be given the proper amount of time to blend into his natural role as a secondary receiver.
Even though I don’t believe Blackmon is a top 5 talent he could go 15 picks earlier than this. If Blackmon falls to the Texans and the Texans by some miracle are fortunate enough to select Blackmon this offense which is already dangerous enough as it is could climb to new heights with Blackmon playing alongside Andre Johnson.
24. New York Giants 4-2 Cordy Glenn Left Guard Georgia Senior The New York Giants need a left guard. David Diehl was an elite blue chip left tackle when the Giants won Super Bowl 42. Diehl got injured in 2010 and has moved inside to left guard in 2011. Diehl has declined significantly over the past 2 seasons. Its time to find Diehl’s replacement at left guard. Cordy Glenn is the best left guard available.
25. Baltimore Ravens 4-2 Donta Hightower 3-4 Middle Linebacker Alabama Senior Redshirt I considered mocking Stanford right guard David DeCastro here because I have him graded out as my 20th best player. I get the feeling though that Ozzie Newsome drafts a 3-4 middle linebacker because its one of the teams biggest needs.
Ray Lewis is nearing retirement and the team needs to address their right guard.
26. San Diego Chargers 4-2 Courtney Upshaw 3-4 Right Outside Linebacker Alabama Senior Courtney Upshaw is a 3-4 right outside linebacker who could become a sack artist for the San Diego Chargers.
27. Detroit Lions 5-2 Andre Branch Right End Clemson Senior Redshirt The Lions take the best available player on defense. That player is Clemson’s Andre Branch. Branch could start out as a backup 4-3 right end behind Kyle Vaden Bosch working his way into a starting role.
With Andre Branch the Lions will have their defensive ends for the next decade with Branch and Avril. They already have their defensive tackles for the next decade with Suh and Fairley. Adding Branch solidifies the offensive line for the next 10 years.
28. New England Patriots from New Orleans Saints 5-2 Melvin Ingram Right End South Carolina Senior Redshirt Melvin Ingram has versatility that Belicheck looks for. The Patriots are mixing up a combination of the 4-3 and the 3-4 scheme now. The Patriots need a sack artist at the 4-3 right end spot. Ingram is a versatile defensive athlete who could play multiple roles in multiple schemes.
29. Pittsburgh Steelers 5-2 David DeCastro Right Guard Stanford Junior Redshirt The 6 foot 5 310 pound right guard can pass block and run block well. I have DeCastro graded out as my 20th best player. I will have a scouting report on DeCastro sometime this week. There are people who have him going as high as #13 overall so this is a huge steal if DeCastro falls 29th to Pittsburgh.
Just imagine how good this interior offensive line can become with Chris Kemoatu at left guard, Maurkice Pouncey at center, and David DeCastro at right guard.
The Baltimore Ravens will either draft 3-4 middle linebacker Donta Hightower or Stanford right guard David DeCastro. Whoever the Ravens pass on could fall to Pittsburgh.
By the way if you check out the website next week I will have a scouting report of the Stanford right guard and his performance against the USC Trojans.
30. San Francisco 49ers 5-1 Chase Minnifield Cornerback Virginia Senior Redshirt The 49ers use this pick to add a field cornerback to their depth chart. Chase Minnifield could contain receivers like Larry Fitzgerald and Sidney Rice in the NFC West.
31. New England Patriots 5-1 Robert Lester Free Safety Alabama Senior Redshirt Patrick Chung has had to adjust from strong safety to free safety. He is more suited to be a blitzer at strong safety. Josh Barrett is not equipped to start at safety.
Lester is the only first round talent at safety so New England would be wise to select him as a safety who can start at free safety allowing Chung to be utilized more as a strong safety.
Chung was a free safety at Oregon and he has the versatility as a free safety and a strong safety. The thing is Chung has struggled in coverage at free safety and is more suited as a hard hitting blitzer at the strong safety spot.
32. Green Bay Packers 7-0 Chris Polk Running Back Washington Junior Redshirt The Green Bay Packers have so much youth and so much talent at key positions that they have the luxury of taking the best player available.
Their are no 3-4 players available on defense. Green Bay takes the best offensive player here. That player would be Washington running back Chris Polk who is a junior redshirt weighing 6 foot 222 pounds projected to run a 4.3 40 time. Polk can make catches out of the backfield.
Polk is playing like a late first round pick right now. A strong combine by Polk and a weak combine by Trent Richardson may even convince scouts that Polk is the top back since Polk has been consistent with a less than stellar offensive line.
Polk could start out as the #3 back on the depth chart behind Ryan Grant and James Starks. By the end of his rookie year he could be the teams #2 back eventually becoming the teams feature back by the time his 2nd year in the NFL ends.
Round 2
33. Indianapolis Colts 0-7 Barrett Jones Right Guard Alabama Junior Barrett Jones is the current left tackle for Alabama. He started at right guard last season before moving to left tackle in 2011.
The Colts could use a right guard to build around Andrew Luck. Jones could even slide into a left tackle role becoming Andrew Luck’s blindside down the road assuming that Anthony Costanzo or Ben Ijalana fails to secure the left tackle spot.
34. Miami Dolphins 0-6 DJ Fluker Right Tackle Alabama Sophomore Redshirt DJ Fluker has been the starting right tackle at Alabama the last two seasons. Fluker would make a nice bookend to Jake Long if he comes out and declares as a sophomore redshirt.
35. St. Louis Rams 0-6 Brandon Thompson Defensive Tackle Clemson Senior The Rams take the best player available with this pick. Adding a defensive tackle would help the Rams boost their run defense on the defensive line.
36. Minnesota Vikings 1-6 Zach Brown Right Outside Linebacker North Carolina Senior The Minnesota Vikings need to add a right outside linebacker who can play the weak side. Zach Brown is a top 32 talent. I have him graded as my 28th best player. Brown is a steal at this point so Minnesota will be happy to add him.
37. Philadelphia Eagles from Arizona Cardinals 1-6 Travis Lewis Right Outside Linebacker Oklahoma Senior Redshirt The Eagles need a weak side linebacker for depth. Travis Lewis will be a good pickup for the Eagles.
38. Jacksonville Jaguars 2-5 Ronnell Lewis Left Outside Linebacker Oklahoma Junior The Jaguars could use a strong side linebacker for depth. Ronnell Lewis is the best player available plus he is a 1st round talent.
39. Carolina Panthers 2-5 Ryan Broyles Wide Receiver Oklahoma Senior Redshirt Carolina has to get a wide receiver. I have Broyles graded out as a first round talent even though I believe he goes midway through the 2nd round. Carolina will gladly settle for Broyles if they go with a cornerback in the first round.
40. Denver Broncos 2-4 Cliff Harris Cornerback Oregon Junior The Denver Broncos need to groom a cornerback for the future. Cliff Harris is a nickel corner at best right now. Maybe he will succeed in Denver though with a few years to develop because he will start out as a nickel cornerback behind Champ Bailey and Andre Goodman.
41. Seattle Seahawks 2-4 Lamar Miller Running Back Miami FL Sophomore Redshirt Lamar Miller is a first round talent. The Seahawks will get a playmaker to build around Robert Griffin III. Lamar Miller could become the starter if the Seahawks opt not to resign Marshawn Lynch.
42. Philadelphia Eagles 2-4 Jerel Worthy Defensive Tackle Michigan State Junior Redshirt The Eagle need a defensive tackle for depth to improve their run defense. Jerel Worthy is a first round talent who would be a good addition at this point.
43. Washington Redskins 3-3 Tyler Eifert Tight End Notre Dame Junior Washington will likely part ways with Chris Cooley after this season. Fred Davis is a #1 tight end. They could use a #2 tight end for depth plus Eifert is the only 1st round talent available at this point.
I have the Redskins taking Landry Jones in round 1 so they build around him in round 2 by drafting Tyler Eifert.
44. Kansas City Chiefs 3-3 Montee Ball Running Back Wisconsin Junior Todd Haley had Thomas Jones ahead of Jamaal Charles on their depth chart. Thomas Jones will be gone. The Chiefs may want a new back. Montee Ball would be the best player available so I could see the Chiefs taking him.
45. Cleveland Browns 3-3 Mike Adams Right Tackle Ohio State Senior Cleveland needs a right tackle. By adding Mike Adams the offensive line will consist of Joe Thomas at left tackle, Jason Pinkston at left guard, Alex Mack at center, Shaun Lauvao at right guard, and they need a right tackle to replace Tony Pashos.
Mike Adams is a 6 foot 8 320 pound offensive tackle who excels in run blocking. The Browns would love to add a run blocker with the talent that Mike Adams displays.
46. Tennessee Titans 3-3 Mohammed Sanu Wide Receiver Rutgers Junior The Titans could use a #2 receiver to pair next to Britt. Mohammed Sanu plays like Kenny Britt without the character issues. Sanu would be a good pickup for the Tennessee Titans in round 2. Pairing the Rutgers receivers next to each other would make this offense much more dangerous plus Jake Locker would finally be considered a legit starter.
47. Dallas Cowboys 3-3 Kevin Zeitler Right Guard Wisconsin Senior The Dallas Cowboys need a lot of help on the interior offensive line. Kevin Zeitler is the best player available.
48. New England Patriots from Oakland Raiders 4-3 Kheeston Randall Defensive Tackle Texas Senior Bill Belicheck loves versatile players. Kheeston Randall can play in a 4-3 or a 3-4 scheme.
49. Chicago Bears 4-3 Peter Konz Center Wisconsin Junior Redshirt Roberto Garza needs to move back to his natural spot at right guard. Drafting Konz allows Garza to move back to his natural position.
50. New York Jets 4-3 Nico Johnson 3-4 Right Outside Linebacker Alabama Junior Nico Johnson can play on the inside or the outside in a 3-4 scheme.
51. Atlanta Falcons 4-3 Dwayne Allen Tight End Clemson Junior Redshirt The Atlanta Falcons need a successor to Tony Gonzalez. Dwayne Allen could be that guy if he slides this far.
52. Cincinnati Bengals 4-2 Mark Barron Strong Safety Alabama Senior The Bengals will take the best player available that plays in a 4-3 scheme. At this point that player would be Mark Barron.
53. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 4-3 Marvin McNutt Wide Receiver Iowa Senior Redshirt Josh Freeman wants another playmaker to throw to. I have to believe that Tampa Bay may consider Marvin McNutt since the Buccaneers have a tendency to draft players from the Northwestern region.
54. Houston Texans 4-3 Chase Thomas 3-4 Left Outside Linebacker Stanford Junior Redshirt Thomas can play the left or the right side when it comes to being utilized as a 3-4 outside linebacker. Stanford is 4th in sacks this year and 2nd in run stopping. Houston has the luxury of going best available player by adding one more pass rusher for depth. That is what drafting Chase Thomas does.
55. Buffalo Bills 4-2 Ryan Tannehill Quarterback Texas A&M Senior Redshirt Ryan Fitzpatrick is the teams starter for the short and distant future. Bringing in a long term developmental quarterback like Ryan Tannehill would not be a bad idea for the Bills.
Just for the record I gave the Bills this pick prior to Fitzpatrick’s 6 year 59 million dollar extension. Next week Buffalo will not have a quarterback going here.
56. New York Giants 4-2 Tydreke Powell Defensive Tackle North Carolina Senior The Giants decide to use this pick on adding a defensive tackle for depth.
57. Baltimore Ravens 4-2 TJ McDonald Free Safety USC Junior The Ravens will need a successor to Ed Reed. TJ McDonald is a good fit at free safety. I have McDonald graded out as my 54th best player.
58. San Diego Chargers 4-2 Ray Ray Armstrong Strong Safety Miami FL Junior The Chargers may need a strong safety for depth due to Bob Sanders injury history.
59. Detroit Lions 5-2 Desmond Trufant Cornerback Washington Junior The Lions need a cornerback. Desmond Trufant would be a good addition to the Lions.
60. New Orleans Saints 5-2 Elvis Fisher Right Tackle Missouri Senior Redshirt The Saints need a right tackle. Elvis Fisher is arguably the top pass blocker available.
61. Pittsburgh Steelers 5-2 Eddie Whitley Free Safety Virginia Tech Senior None of the 2nd round talents really fit a critical need for Pittsburgh. I have Eddie Whitley graded out as a 2nd round talent. Ryan Clark the current Steelers free safety is getting up there in age.
62. San Francisco 49ers 5-1 Donte Paige Moss 3-4 Left Outside Linebacker Junior The 49ers draft a 3-4 pass rusher who could become a bookend to Aldon Smith down the road.
63. New England Patriots 5-1 Kirk Cousins Quarterback Michigan State Senior Redshirt Besides Ryan Tannehill there is only 1 second round quarterback. That player is Michigan State’s Kirk Cousins. Brian Hoyer is in an expiring contract and I am not sold on New England resigning Hoyer or Mallett being the quarterback of the future in New England.
Cousins may be a backup at best, but he has the potential to develop into a starter with the proper development.
64. Green Bay Packers 7-0 Nate Potter Left Guard Boise State Senior Redshirt Green Bay takes an interior offensive lineman. There are some 3-4 pass rushers, but none of them can play on the right side across from Clay Matthews. Green Bay takes an interior lineman for depth with this selection.
Round 3
65. Indianapolis Colts 0-7 Devin Taylor Left End South Carolina Junior Redshirt The Colts add a future starter at left end. Jerry Hughes may be the teams future 4-3 right end, but he needs someone to play next to him down the road because he has yet to produce so far.
66. Miami Dolphins 0-6 Vinny Curry 3-4 Left Outside Linebacker Marshall Senior The Miami Dolphins could use a 3-4 outside linebacker to pair up with Cameron Wake. Koa Misi may be the current starter, but Vinny Curry could challenge him for a starting job.
67. St. Louis Rams 0-6 Michael Egnew Tight End Missouri Senior Josh McDaniels likes to use two tight end sets. The Rams could use a 2nd pass catching tight end to pair with Lance Kendricks. Michael Egnew is the only 2nd round talent available at this point.
68. Minnesota Vikings 1-6 Jeff Fuller Wide Receiver Texas A&M Senior Jeff Fuller is a legit steal at this point of the draft. The Vikings would have an offense to build around Christian Ponder with Percy Harvin and Jeff Fuller.
69. Arizona Cardinals 1-5 Bobbie Massie Right Tackle Ole Miss Junior The Cardinals biggest need is a left tackle. The draft a right tackle here and get a left tackle in 2013 if the Cardinals cannot secure Kalil or Martin.
70. Jacksonville Jaguars 2-5 Whitney Mercilus Right End Illinois Junior Whitney Mercilus leads the nation with 10 sacks. The Jaguars need a 4-3 right end so he provides good value at this point if he comes out a year early.
71. Chicago Bears from Carolina Panthers 2-5 Alameda Ta’amu Defensive Tackle Washington Senior Ta’amu can play the zero technique, the 1 technique, the 2 technique, and the 3 technique. Ta’amu can play in a 4-3 or a 3-4. Jerry Angelo loves adding depth on the defensive line so I see him taking the best player available by adding Ta’amu.
Ta’amu is considered a top 25 pick by some. I had Ta’amu graded out as a 2nd round talent. I moved Ta’amu down to a 3rd round talent because of his performance against Stanford. Ta’amu could reassert his top 25 status with strong games against Oregon, USC, Washington’s Bowl game, and a 2012 Senior Bowl game if he gets the invite. Ta’amu is versatile as a 4-3 and 3-4 defender so I will probably move him back up on my draft board before the season is over.
I know the Bears have more glaring needs, but passing on a defensive tackle with Ta’amu’s upside is not a remote option for the Chicago Bears if Ta’amu manages to slide this far. Angelo knows Denver will take Ta’amu if he slides this far.
72. Denver Broncos 2-4 Levi Adcock Right Guard Oklahoma State Senior Redshirt Broncos fans may hate this pick, but they need to add pass blockers. The Broncos run a run blocking scheme since their offensive line coach was the former Panthers offensive line coach during John Fox’s tenure in Carolina. Lets evaluate Denver’s offensive line because its pretty young.
Left Tackle Ryan Clady Clady has had some durability issues with his feet, has committed penalties now and then, but he has the pass blocking that you look for in an elite blindside. Clady excelled as a pass blocker, run blocker, and zone blocker at Boise State. Pass blocking is Clady’s biggest strength though.
Right Tackle Orlando Franklin Orlando Franklin has been used as a run blocker at Miami FL. He plays in a run blocking scheme in Denver. He was supposed to play inside at guard, but got rushed into a tackle role. His pass blocking is bad and his footwork needs to get better.
Left Guard Zane Beadles Beadles was a zone blocker with great footwork coming out of Utah. He lacked the size to be a tackle despite having good pass blocking ability. Beadles has adapted as a left guard and seems like an ideal fit for Denver at left guard.
Center JD Walton After Clady Walton is probably Denver’s best pass blocker.
Right Guard Chris Kuper Lets not kid ourselves Chris Kuper sucks. Denver let Tebow get pummeled against the Miami Dolphins and their offensive line could use an upgrade.
Kuper needs to be replaced with a pass blocking right guard who can command some double teams making Orlando Franklin’s job as a pass blocker easier because he is mainly a run blocker who has a lack of experience in a pass blocking or zone blocking scheme. Levi Adcock has played right tackle at Oklahoma State as a pass blocker and some even think he has performed so poorly that he should kick inside to guard. Adcock can develop his run blocking skills inside since he already has the pass blocking skills. Adding Adcock at right guard makes Orlando Franklin’s job much easier when it comes to pass blocking since defenses may decide to double team Adcock on passing plays.
73. Seattle Seahawks 2-4 Trumaine Johnson Cornerback Montana Senior This rumor is very low profile since no NFL fans know at the moment, but word on the street is that Bucky Brooks believes that Trumaine Johnson was a first round talent in the mold of Dominique Rodgers Cromartie due to his size at 6 foot 2 215 pounds prior to his arrest.
Its hard for me to take anything Brooks says seriously because his drafts are terrible. Still, he probably has some strong ties to NFL Scouts since he works for NFL Network.
That being said, Carroll always has a tendency to take a small school cornerback 2 rounds too early.
74. Philadelphia Eagles 2-4 Janoris Jenkins Cornerback Northern Alabama Senior The Eagles will need a nickel cornerback for when Asante Samuel leaves. Trevard Lindley got released by the Eagles and Jenkins would be an upgrade over Curtis Marsh.
75. Washington Redskins 3-3 Ryan Steed Cornerback Furman Senior The Redskins use this pick to add cornerback depth.
76. Kansas City Chiefs 3-3 Jerrell Harris 3-4 Left Outside Linebacker Alabama Senior Justin Houston has only generated 16 tackles and 0 sacks in 6 games. Maybe the Chiefs do need a pass rusher next to Tamba Hali with Vrabel gone.
The Chiefs did not spend much on Houston so bringing in a 2nd SEC pass rusher to compete with him for a roster spot may not be such a bad idea.
77. Cleveland Browns 3-3 Bruce Irvin Right End West Virginia Senior The Browns spend a 3rd round pick on a pass rusher who could play next to Jabaal Sheard. I really believe that Irvin has pro bowl ability. He had a breakout junior campaign, but started poorly in 2011. The Browns would take a flyer on Irvin if he managed to slide this far.
78. Tennessee Titans 3-3 Brandon Lindsey Left End Pittsburgh Senior Redshirt The Titans add a pass rusher who could compliment Derrick Morgan.
79. Dallas Cowboys 3-3 Nick Foles Quarterback Arizona Senior Redshirt Jason Garrett never drafted a quarterback for the new regime. I think Garrett will get a developmental project who can sit behind Romo for a few years.
80. Chicago Bears 4-3 Delano Howell Free Safety Stanford Senior The Bears need a free safety. Delano Howell is an effective two way safety.
81. New York Jets 4-3 Dwight Jones Wide Receiver North Carolina Senior The Jets could use a secondary receiver to play next to Santonio Holmes. Dwight Jones is the best receiver available.
82. Atlanta Falcons 4-3 Vince Browne Right End Northwestern Senior Redshirt The Falcons need a 4-3 right end for the future. Vince Browne is my top 4-3 right end available.
83. Cincinnati Bengals 4-2 Sean Spence Right Outside Linebacker Miami FL Senior Spence could be a good outside linebacker for depth. He could play the WILL, MIKE, or SAM role in the 4-3 plus he is the best player available at this point.
84. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 4-3 Ray Graham Running Back Pittsburgh Junior The Tampa Bay Buccaneers need a 2nd back behind Blount. I have Graham here even though I may move him down next week due to his season ending injury.
85. Buffalo Bills 4-2 Matt Reynolds Left Tackle BYU Senior Redshirt Buffalo adds a left tackle for depth here.
86. Houston Texans 4-3 Aaron Henry Free Safety Wisconsin Senior Redshirt The Texans need to obtain a safety at some point in 2012.
87. New York Giants 4-2 William Vlachos Center Alabama Senior Redshirt The Giants add a center for depth to boost the interior offensive line. Vlachos can start down the road because he has the intangibles. He needs to bulk up though because he is undersized weighing 6 foot 1 294 pounds.
88. Baltimore Ravens 4-2 Jared Crick 3-4 Right End Nebraska Senior Redshirt The Ravens have 2 starters at 3-4 end with Ngata and Redding. Adding another end for depth is a priority that must be addressed this offseason in Baltimore.
89. San Diego Chargers 4-2 Baker Steinkuhler 3-4 Left End Junior Redshirt Baker Steinkuhler is a good pickup for a team that could use a 3-4 end for depth.
90. Detroit Lions 5-2 Trevor Olsen Left Tackle Northern Illinois Senior Redshirt The Lions need a left tackle for the future. Trevor Olsen is emerging as a late 3rd rounder for Northern Illinois.
91. New Orleans Saints 5-2 Casey Heyward Cornerback Vanderbilt Senior Casey Heyward is a steal at this spot if the New Orleans Saints are lucky enough to obtain the 3rd round talent.
92. Pittsburgh Steelers 5-2 Jayron Hosley Cornerback Virginia Tech Junior I realize the Steelers have the top ranked pass defense and added 2 cornerbacks in the 2011 NFL Draft. Hosley just provides such amazing value at this spot considering the fact that he was once a top 10 cornerback prospect.
93. San Francisco 49ers 5-1 Ryan Miller Right Guard Colorado Senior Redshirt The 49ers could use a right guard for depth Ryan Miller provides good value at this point.
94. New England Patriots 5-1 Omar Bolden Cornerback Arizona State Senior Belicheck has a tendency fo taking cornerbacks in the top 100.
95. Green Bay Packers 7-0 Coryell Judie Cornerback Texas A&M Senior The Packers could use another cornerback for depth. Coryell Juide is the best cornerback available at this point.
11 Rants to “2012 NFL Mock Draft Weekly Update #7”
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Good mock draft. I have my own Bills mock and I also have them taking Brandon Jenkins in the first round for Right Outside Linebacker (JLB) but in the second round I have them completing the rebuilding of the OLB corps by taking Vinny Curry for Left Outside Linebacker (SLB). I strongly consider you think about doing the same thing. Not only was the Merriman gamble a bust but they have in general mishandled the OLB starter positions and that mistake is absolutely killing this defense. I say they start out the 2012 draft by directly addressing that problem at both OLB positions and then move forward from there. Kelsay was never a good solution for a 3-4 OLB and it’s high time this team address what they have previously tried to take short cuts doing and failing miserably for it.
I may move Curry up. Merriman has looked better in 2011.
Chris,
Great mock.
I know you are going to be changing the 2nd round pick for the Bills. Consider a CB or another OLB or DE/OLB hybrid.
It is obvious to everyone the Bills need a pass rush or better corners, maybe both.
Based on your mock, some players after pick 54 include:
* Donte Paige Moss- UNC
* Vinny Curry – Marshall
* Whitney Mercilus – Illinois
* Trumaine Johnson – Montana (or any bigger DB or corner)
In the 3rd round, I do not see Buddy Nix taking an OT. Mr. Nix seems to want to get them later in the draft or waivers.
Suggestions might be:
* Winston Guy, SS/OLB – Kentucky
* Xavier Rhodes, CB – Florida St (if he comes out)
P.S. You don’t have Billy Winn, DT – Boise St, nor Devin Still, DT – Penn St anywhere in your draft??
I had Billy Winn as a 3rd round talent. I left him out. He could be an option. Devon Still could be a sleeper I probably should move him up. Even though I feel like the Bills could use another quarterback as a backup behind Fitz there not taking one early. I could see a guy like Patrick Witt the Yale QB being a late round pick for the Bills. Then Buffalo would have two Ivy League quarterbacks. You would have a veteran from Harvard and a potential rookie from Yale with Witt.
Matt Barkley actually rallied against a very good Ohio State team as a true freshman. A while back, but I believe that he is capable of it.
Your right he did have that game as a freshman. People forget about it because it seems like forever. I just watched Barkley rally to USC’s 18 to 15 win over the Buckeyes.
“I have watched so much film of Jones and I hate what I see as a talent evaluator when breaking down the tape. I am more concerned about Landry Jones being a starter than Todd McShay was about Jimmy Clausen.”
Good luck cutting excuses for his 505 yards and 5 td’s tonight against #10 Kansas St. If you don’t see Landry Jones’ talent, you really shouldn’t call yourself a talent evaluator.
Sure Jones has talent when it comes to making plays and elite physical tools. You cannot just look at the Steve. Jones had 14 picks as a freshman redshirt, 12 as a sophomore redshirt, and has 9 interceptions through 8 games as a junior redshirt. Please take that into account before you look at the 5 passing touchdowns and 505 passing yards alone. Where were you last week when Oklahoma lost to Tech Steve?
You cannot just look at a quarterback’s numbers. If you did that then Case Keenum would be a 2nd round pick. You got to look at their consistency and the game tape.
Also Kansas State was ranked 8th not 10th. Someone can look this up if you doubt me. Its clear Jones will get pushed up boards after today’s performance. I still would not take Landry Jones over Andrew Luck, Matt Barkley, or Robert Griffin III ahead of Jones when it comes to first round quarterback prospects.
You can say what you want Steve, but at the end of the day I am more of a talent evaluator than you are because I am watching the film and posting legit facts to back up my arguments. Some of your information is true like the 505 passing yards plus the 5 passing touchdowns. Other information you were completely wrong about where Kansas State was ranked. You said they were 10th and they were 8th. Plus you forgot to account for Jones completion percentage or the fact that there has been no consistent effort to lower his interceptions by a significant degree.
There is some good with the bad when it comes to Landry Jones. The good is the elite physical tools. The bad is the completion percentage, inconsistent accuracy, no improvement on lowering interceptions, and potential. Your masking the bad by pointing out the good. I can’t really make the assumption that your a Sooners fan even though that’s the impression you managed to make me believe Steve.
Why so defensive Chris? I never called my self a talent evaluator! I just don’t like your evaluation of Jones -and that makes me question your ability.
For the record, I have seen his numbers as a freshman and sophomore. They’re not that bad. What he’s doing right now is what’s more important though. Certainly you would expect kids to learn more and get better, right? This year he has over 3000 yards, and 26 td’s to those 9 interceptions you mentioned. His completion percentage is 66.5. Do you have a problem with that percentage? I don’t know anyone who would. Did you pass on posting those “legit facts” to back up your argument, because they clearly wouldn’t help? I don’t think his accuracy is as good as Luck’s or Barkley’s, but it’s not bad. So no, I’m not blinded by the good. It would be good to see less interceptions, but that’s not a huge surprise with a qb that airs it out a lot. You seem to mask the good with the bad. And the good outweighs the bad, so you’re really reaching.
I never said I’d take him over Luck. Of course I wouldn’t! Nobody would. Luck is probably the best college qb I’ve ever seen. Probably the best most have seen! I didn’t even say I liked him better than Barkley or Griffin. But I do like him and don’t get why you’re so down on him. And about that Tech game… his numbers were fine. I did see part of that game. He had 412 yards, 5 td’s and 1 interception. You really want to use that game as a knock on him?! If he threw 3+ interceptions and cost his team the game, it would be a different story. But that wasn’t the case.
What’s more funny, is you repeating yourself. During that Kansas St. game, ESPN showed Kansas St. ranked at #10, so that’s where I got that from. And that appears to have been from the AP poll. But does it really matter? The point was the same, which was the fact that he tore-up a higher ranked team. You crying about them being ranked higher, only strengthens my point.
It’s good that you recognize he’ll likely be drafted high. There’s good reason for that. He’s not going to fool talent evaluators at the pro level. There’s no guarantee he, or anyone else, will succeed in the NFL, but the team that gets him will be well aware of what he brings to the table.
By the way, I’m actually not a Oklamhoma fan, Chris. I’m just a fan of good players. Jones is a very good quarterback.
Did I seem defensive? Its just everyone thinks Jones should go higher than Matt Barkley or Robert Griffin III the play this year indicates otherwise. Kansas State was 8th in the BCS also known as the BS College System cause we need a playoff to crown a champ. The reason I doubt Jones is he seems to have a tendency to fire deep passes when watching him on film. How does he adjust to this in the NFL? I realize Jones has elite physical tools and top notch production. It may be good enough for now in the college level. Will it translate to the NFL? I underestimated your points Steve, you made some strong points with your recent comments this is something I can respect.
Another reason am down on Jones is because he has a really good supporting cast who makes him look better than he actually is. He has a pass blocking unit that buys him ample time in addition to 2 receiving targets with Broyles and Stillis.
Want me to say something positive about Landry Jones Steve? Jones plays better than Barkley in the 4th quarter that much I will say about him. He made a clutch play against FSU despite poor stats and he actually made a decent effort to rally the Sooners in the 4th quarter. I loved what I have seen from Luck, Barkley, and Griffin.
Jones has over 10,000 career passing yards for Oklahoma. Jones may have a chance if he can answer some questions about his mental attributes. Still I evaluate an NFL quarterback based on intangibles and mental attributes more so than physical tools.
Jones has the physical tools and production that scouts love. I just do not know if I would take him.
Teams may take Jones ability to play in the 4th quarter into account because Jones seems to play better when Oklahoma is tied or behind in the 4th. I’ve seen this on multiple occasions.
Thanks for the constructive advice on Jones Steve. Its good to here different people share different opinions on players. He’s probably going to Denver in my next mock because Tebow is starting to play really bad and its translating.
What you said about him firing deep, is correct, and a big reason for his interceptions, though it’s paid off many times. It’s my guess that NFL scouts love seeing that he shows no fear going deep. Especially with the success of Cam Newton this year. Not always the smart move, but that kind of aggressiveness will impress many. It was certainly worth noting he has a strong supportive cast as well. Not all the teams that will draft high, will have the support he’s used to. The team that stands out to me for drafting him, is the Seattle Seahawks. With Mike Williams, Sidney Rice, and Zach Miller (and younger guys, like Baldwin). The Seattle offensive line is getting better and may be able to keep him off his back by the time he’s ready to play. I could see Denver snagging him as well, assuming the Tebow experiment stays on-course to blow-up. This is probably the most interesting draft in the works that I’ve seen in a long time!
I expect Jones to go higher than Griffin, maybe even higher than Barkley. It actually surprises me there isn’t more talk about Griffin this year, though that may change when the draft comes closer. Lot of good quarterbacks in this draft.
Anyway, thanks for the added analysis. For the record, I actually liked your mock draft overall.