1. Carolina Panthers--Cam Newton (QB, Auburn)
At first, I was skeptical that Newton would go #1 but the closer we get to draft day, it seems increasingly likely that he is going to be the guy. I don't think the Panthers are sold on Jimmy Clausen at all and in order to compete in the NFC South, you need a QB. The Panthers are severely lacking in star power (unless you still consider Steve Smith to be a star) and I believe that they take the biggest star in college football with their number one pick.
2. Denver Broncos--Marcell Dareus (DL, Alabama)
Denver couldn't stop anybody in the running game. John Fox is switching to a 4-3 defense and the team has already released its former nose tackles, so Dareus comes in to stop the run and provide a pass rush with pure power up the middle. Elvis Dumervil will be returning, so getting a pass rush will become easy. They could go cornerback here, but Champ Bailey was resigned and they cannot ignore their huge need at the defensive tackle position.
3. Buffalo Bills--Von Miller (OLB, Texas A&M)
I was REALLY tempted to take Peterson here. I think he is the best football player in the draft but the Bills don't really have a glaring need at CB. So instead, I'm going to steal your pick from your last mock and take Von Miller. While I think comparing him to DeMarcus Ware is a little strong, he is a perfect fit for their 3-4 defense as an OLB and will drastically improve their defense. Side note: Aaron Maybin is officially on BUST ALERT.
4. Cincinnati Bengals--Patrick Peterson (CB, LSU)
Cam Newton is gone so they won't hit the reset button to have Gabbert take over where Palmer left off. They need help on defense. Patrick Peterson has the potential to be a shutdown corner from day one. He also has the skills to pick the ball of and take it all the way back. The defense is average all over, but Peterson makes it one to fear.
5. Arizona Cardinals--Blaine Gabbert (QB, Missouri)
This is a no-brainer. Cardinals fans are thrilled to have Blaine Gabbert fall into their laps after having to endure the terrible trio of Derek Anderson, Max Hall and John Skelton last year. In Gabbert, the Cardinals get a QB with prototypical size, 4.6 speed and a big arm. Ken Whisenhunt played a key role in Ben Roethlisberger's development as the offensive coordinator in Pittsburgh and I believe that he can have a similar effect on Gabbert's career.
6. Cleveland Browns--Robert Quinn (DE, North Carolina)
The Browns' defense needs a pass rusher. Many will say a receiver should go here, but Shurmur made a name for himself by making no-name receivers have an impact. So they grab Quinn, assuming his interviews and meetings go well. He missed last season because of a suspension but kept in shape and showed it at the combine, then improved for his pro day. He shows great speed and explosiveness coming off the edge.
7. San Francisco 49ers--Prince Amukamara (CB, Nebraka)
I agree with you that Jim Harbaugh will give Alex Smith one more chance to prove that he can be a successful NFL QB. The 49ers need a CB: Nate Clements turns 32 in December and was already getting burned every other week. Amukamara had a stellar career at Nebraska and is the best CB on the board.
8. Tennessee Titans--Nick Fairley (DT, Auburn)
Gabbert is gone so they fill their next biggest need with Fairley. He was nearly as dominant as Suh last year. He is a bit more finesse than most of their linemen which only makes him more attractive.
9. Dallas Cowboys--Da'Quan Bowers (DE/OLB, Clemson)
Bowers' supposed "freefall" in the draft is being highly exaggerated. While he does have some injury concerns, he is one of the premier pass rushers in this draft, which are hard to come by. Bowers will make teams think twice about doubling Ware and as an Eagles fan, I am absolutely terrified of a Ware/Bowers pass rushing duo, especially against our suspect offensive line. I think that Jerry Jones will recognize this and we both know that he won't shy away from taking a talented prospect with a few red flags (see: Dez Bryant). I think Bowers is the pick.
10. Washington Redskins--A.J. Green (WR, Georgia)
The Redskins will look at QB, OLB, and DL here as well. It is too early to pick Locker, and no lineman worth #10. So they basically pick the best player available. Although there are some great pass rushers they can get, the position is deep enough that they can get one in the 2nd round if they want. Green is a beast. He reminds me so much of Calvin Johnson. If he is available here, though, I expect the Redskins to make a deal with someone like New England (they have 2 picks in each of the first three rounds), so they can address 3 of the big 4 needs (QB, DL, OLB, C/G).
11. Houston Texans--J.J. Watt (DE, Wisconsin)
It's obvious that the Texans have holes in the secondary. The disastrous Hail Mary they allowed against Jacksonville was a microcosm of their season. I could see the Texans trying to trade up to get one of the top 2 CBs in the draft or they could trade down and get multiple picks to address their secondary. If they stay at #11, I don't think there is a cornerback or safety they can justify taking with that high of a pick. Aside from Super Mario Williams, the Texans don't really have any pass rushers that scare you. I think they take Watt, a versatile defensive lineman who can play tackle in a 4-3 and end in 3-4. With the Texans reportedly experimenting with a hybrid defense, I think Watt could be a good fit.
12. Minnesota Vikings--Jake Locker (QB, Washington)
The Vikings have so much money in their receivers and can't see them go to waste. They franchised Sidney Rice (which is only for one year) so they need him to have a good year. They need someone to throw it to them. Locker's pro day showed a lot of progress in his footwork so he shoots up to this pick. They could address their either of their lines, but QB is their biggest priority.
13. Detroit Lions--Tyron Smith (OT, USC)
You had it right on in your previous mock. If the Lions are ever going to be contenders in this league, they need to protect their $40 million dollar investment in Stafford. They have a stud WR in Calvin Johnson, they got a talented RB last year in Best. This year, I think they take Smith, the consensus #1 OT in this draft. While he played mostly right tackle at USC, I believe that he has the athleticism to make the transition to left tackle. They can move their longtime starting left tackle Jeff Backus to guard and improve their line in two spots.
14. St. Louis Rams--Julio Jones (WR, Alabama)
The Rams did well last season, but fell short of the playoffs. They want to maximize Bradford's production so they will give him a weapon. Jones reminds me much of Larry Fitzgerald. Remember--Josh McDaniels (their OC) drafted a top WR last season in Denver despite all of their other needs, so I am sure he will lobby for Jones.
15. Miami Dolphins--Mark Ingram (RB, Alabama)
The Dolphins were a disappointing team last year. While many blame Chad Henne for this, (and I agree with you, he is NOT their QB of the future) their running game was lackluster compared to where it was a few years ago. Ronnie Brown is a free agent and turns 30 in December. Ricky Williams turns 34 in May and is probably best suited as a situational back moving forward. Enter Mark Ingram. I know his 40 time was slower you would ideally like but all he did at Alabama was produce. Look for the Dolphins to take the Heisman trophy-winning back in the first round and try to address their QB situation with a guy like Christian Ponder or Colin Kaepernick in a later round.
16. Jacksonville Jaguars--Rahim Moore (S, UCLA)
The Jaguars need a play maker on defense. Rahim Moore reminds me a lot of Ed Reed. I know that's a huge thing to say, but he is a ball hawk and will instantly be making plays for the Jags. They will look at a pass rusher, but they will look later or hope that Kampman can stay healthy.
17. New England Patriots--Aldon Smith (DE/OLB, Missouri)
Smith is probably a better fit in a 4-3 than a 3-4, but the Patriots pass rush was inconsistent last year and was one of the main reasons why they lost to the Jets in the playoffs last season. The Patriots did not record a single sack against their playoff game against the Jets and allowed Mark Sanchez to pick them apart. Smith will juice up their pass rush and Bill Belichick will put him in a position to be successful by occasionally using a hybrid defense, allowing him to rush the QB with a hand in the dirt.
18. San Diego Chargers--Cameron Jordan (DE, California)
I am not in love with this pick because the Charger's don't have huge holes. They signed Bob Sanders, so their next biggest holes would be DE and LB. Jordan's workouts have been great and he is a big guy that plays with great power. He can stuff the run and rush the passer as well. He could stay at end or possibly switch to linebacker.
19. New York Giants--Nate Solder (OT, Colorado)
Nate Solder is HUGE. He is a 6'8", 320-pound mammoth of an offensive tackle. While he is a bit raw, the Giants have enough stopgap options to be patient with Solder, allow him to develop and groom him to be their starting left tackle of the future. When Solder is ready to play, they can move Dave Diehl to his more natural position of left guard, strengthening their offensive line in two different spots.
20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers-- Aaron Williams (CB/S, Texas)
Williams may be a better safety than Moore. He is excellent in zone coverage and has good instincts. Barber is getting old, so Williams can play safety or nickelback until he is ready to take over for Barber. He fits their scheme and a need at safety and a future one at cornerback.
21. Kansas City Chiefs--Phil Taylor (NT, Baylor)
At #21, I'm going to piggyback your pick from your previous mock and take Phil Taylor. The Chiefs are solid up front with Glenn Dorsey and while Tyson Jackson has been incredibly disappointing for a #3 overall pick, I think that Taylor is big and powerful enough to occupy double teams, allowing Jackson to face more single teams and play up to his potential.
22. Indianapolis Colts--Anthony Castonzo (OT, Boston College)
Peyton looked like Eli (not a blow on Eli, but he is not near the level of Peyton) when the protection broke down. Castonzo may have some trouble against speed, but their division doesn't have speed rushers so he will be fine. Plus, the Colts know how to use backs and tight ends to help with their blocking.
23. Philadelphia Eagles--Mike Pouncey (G/C, Florida)
YES!!!!!!!!!! As an Eagles fan, having Pouncey fall to the 23rd pick is a dream scenario for me. I CAN HARDLY CONTAIN MY ENTHUSIASM!!!!! Our offensive line was mostly terrible last season and allowed a whopping 49 sacks. FORTY-NINE! Mike Vick won't make it past Week Three if we don't do something to fix the offensive line. Pouncey has the ability to play three positions and can really solidify the middle of our line, especially since our starting center Jamaal Jackson suffered a second straight season-ending injury. We saw what his brother Maurkice did for Pittsburgh's O-Line last year. Hopefully, Mike can do the same for ours. Besides, you have to love the symmetry of both of the Pouncey brothers playing in Pennsylvania. No-brainer.
24. New Orleans Saints--Adrian Clayborn (DE, Iowa)
They need to get better at rushing the passer. Especially playing Matt Ryan and Josh Freeman twice each. Will Smith needs some help, plus he is aging. Clayborn can become his eventual replacement and an immediate starter.
25. Seattle Seahawks--Ryan Mallett (QB, Arkansas)
The Seahawks thought they had their QB of the future when they traded a third-round pick for Charlie Whitehurst last season. Unfortunately for the Seahawks, Charlie Whitehurst sucks. In Mallett, they get their QB of the future and can have him sit behind Matt Hasselbeck for a year or two until he is ready to play.
Correction: Matt Hasselbeck is a Free Agent. Which means Charlie Whitehurst is their QB of the present. Yikes!
26. Baltimore Ravens--Torrey Smith (WR, Maryland)
The Ravens still need a threat down field and Mason may be playing his last year. Smith has been opening eyes as the draft gets closer. He may just be a downfield threat right now (like Mike Wallace coming into the league) but that's all they need him to be for now. They'd like a corner here, but the pick doesn't match the value so they will wait, trade back, or trade up. REMEMBER: They won't be targeting a pass rusher unless they have already given up on Sergio Kindle who was out all of last year because of a freak accident.
27. Atlanta Falcons--Muhammed Wilkerson (DE/DT, Temple)
I think that Wilkerson is a versatile guy who can play defensive end on rushing downs and defensive tackle on passing downs. John Abraham had a great season last year, but he turns 33 in May. Jamaal Anderson is a former first-round pick who has done absolutely nothing since entering the league in 2006 and could get cut in training camp. Wilkerson is a more than suitable replacement.
28. New England Patriots--Ryan Kerrigan (DE/OLB, Purdue)
This is a steal in my opinion. Kerrigan is incredibly talented and versatile enough to play LB or DE. He plays hard every down and is incredibly talented at forcing fumbles.
29. Chicago Bears--Gabe Carimi (T, Wisconsin)
Gabe Carimi says he's "the best tackle out there". He's going to have to be if the Bears want to keep Jay Cutler upright. Say what you want about Cutler, but he got sacked an insane 56 times last season. That takes some toughness to take all of those hits. If he is ever going to live up to the hype, the Bears HAVE to solidify their offensive line. Taking Carimi is a step in the right direction.
30. New York Jets--Sam Acho (DE/OLB, Texas)
The Jets are in desperate need of a pass rusher. Acho has been flying up draft boards and showed in drills that he can transition to a 3-4 linebacker. Now the Jets can get pressure without going zero coverage, and get pressure on Brady, who they may (again) play 3 times in a season.
31. Pittsburgh Steelers--Corey Liguet (DE/DT, Illinois)
The Steelers would LOVE to get an offensive tackle with their first round pick. Unfortunately, all four tackles with a first round grade have been taken already. So instead, they take Liguet, who can play defensive end in a 3-4 and is the best player on the board. Starting defensive end Aaron Smith has played 11 games in the past two seasons and can no longer be counted on to stay healthy for a 16-game season. BLACK AND YELLOW BLACK AND YELLOW
32. Green Bay Packers--Danny Watkins (G, Baylor)
They would have loved to get Corey Liguet but he just got picked so they address their O-line. I want to get this straight- their line is not even decent. It's crap with an elite QB making them look better than they are. Rodgers was concussed twice last year and the Pack barely made the playoffs. Protecting Aaron Rodgers is the key to securing a division title. Watkins is a guy that blocks with more power than finesse, and the Packers like those types. So he fits a huge need and their prototype lineman.
Here's more on my man Yous:
Yousef Nasser is a die-hard Philadelphia Eagles fan who is currently a student at the University of Connecticut. He also is a big fan of the SIXERS, Phillies, Flyers and of course, the Connecticut Huskies. After college, he aspires to be a radio/TV host for ESPN. You can follow him on Twitter: @thebigyous.
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