First round mock - 14 Feb
 

Here is my latest thinking on the first round (updated 17 Feb).

Let me know your thoughts.


1 Kansas City: Geno Smith QB West Virginia
2 Jacksonville: Luke Joeckel OT Texas A&M
3 Oakland: Star Lotulelei DT Utah
4 Philadelphia: Eric Fisher OT Central Michigan

5 Detroit: Dee Milliner CB Alabama
6 Cleveland: Damontre Moore OLB Texas A&M
7 Arizona: Matt Barkley QB Southern Cal
8 Buffalo: Bjoern Werner DE Florida State

9 New York: Jarvis Jones LB Georgia
10 Tennessee: Chance Warmack OG Alabama
11 San Diego: Lane Johnson OT Oklahoma
12 Miami: Cordarrelle Patterson WR Tennessee

13 Tampa Bay: Ezekiel Ansah DE BYU
14 Carolina: Sharrif Floyd DT Florida
15 New Orleans: Dion Jordan OLB Oregon
16 St. Louis: Kenny Vaccaro FS Texas

17 Pittsburgh: Barkevious Mingo OLB LSU
18 Dallas: Sheldon Richardson DT Missouri
19 New York: DJ Fluker OT Alabama
20 Chicago: Manti Te'o ILB Notre Dame

21 Cincinnati: Alec Ogletree LB Georgia
22 St. Louis F/WAS: Jonathan Cooper OG North Carolina
23 Minnesota: Keenan Allen WR California
24 Indianapolis: Jesse Williams DT Alabama

25 Seattle: Johnathan Hankins DT Ohio State
26 Green Bay: Tyler Eifert TE Notre Dame
27 Houston: DeAndre Hopkins WR Clemson
28 Denver: Arthur Brown OLB Kansas State

29 New England: Desmond Trufant CB Washington
30 Atlanta: Sam Montgomery DE LSU
31 San Francisco: Johnthan Banks CB Mississippi State
32 Baltimore: Kevin Minter ILB LSU

Don't think Oaklands taking Barkely. People act like Al Davis is still there.

Packers likely won't take a TE

Ill take it!

Oakland need a franchise QB; sure Barkley isn't in the class of guys like Luck or RG3, but he is a very experienced QB with a lot of success.

Sure he had some bad games, but Oakland need to move on from the athletic projects of the past or over paying for guys on the downside of their careers.

Besides Barkley is a local guy which helps gets fans to games, sell jerseys etc.

The other factor to consider is, if Oakland doesn't draft Barkley, how do you fix the QB problem?
Are you going to trade for Alex Smith or Joe Flacco (there is already a ton of cash invested in Carson Palmer)?
Do you draft a riskier guy like Glennon, Emanual etc?
or just roll the dice with Carson Palmer again?




As far as the Packers, it all depends on value and need. I think they are looking at moving on from Finlay and Eifert is good value there. The other option that stood out was a CB but Eifert seemed better value.
The Packers could be looking for more weapons for Rodgers.

im liking mingo there, allen may be tough to pass on though

yay for Geno!!!

The Bengals need a LB that won't get exposed in Coverage. Ogletree would be a lot better pick.

Colts have much more glaring needs than a NT. I'd much rather have someone like Xavier Rhodes or Datone Jones.

That's my thought.

Just stop now. Don't even go any further.

Matt Barkley grew up 400+ miles away from Oakland.

You might as well say the New York Jets should draft EJ Manuel in the first round because he's a "local guy." He grew up in Virginia Beach, that's only 370 miles away from the Jets' stadium.

But you wouldn't say that. Because it's stupid and uninformed.

Moving on.

Give the Colts Sharrif Floyd. Jessie Williams isnt the prospect Floyd is.

Fair call, I like that change

Meh

The premise is still solid, using Barkley's Californian fan base to promote the Raiders brand as an added commercial benefit.

updated, forgot Dion Jordan

Barkevious Mingo or Dion Jordan over John Jenkins for Saints. We do not need Jenkins, as we are not running a 2-gap 3-4 system. Jenkins is just a dumb pick!

Palmer may not have had the greatest season for the Raiders, but Barkley at #3 is absurd. Barkley is a borderline first round prospect, according to most sources, most teams have him ranked as the 3rd or 4th QB in the draft right now.

The ticket thing is ridiculous, Carson Palmer is from closer than Barkley. and winning games sells more tickets than a rookie QB.

They're better off taking Landry Jones and giving Pryor a year to prove himself in an offense adapted to his ability

secondary help is def needed! i could dig that pick

I'm no big fan of Floyd for the Colts but we could do worse. I do think I'd look at Rhodes first.

Werner falling to the Bucs at 13??

ILL TAKE IT...

Fire them Cannons!

I am a big Patterson guy, but I do not think he is the type of risk Nix would take that early in the first round, given B. Nix's history.
If Jones clears medically, he's the pick, and since he goes 9, I am guessing in this scenerio he does. Hopkins and Allen IMO are better fits with regards to what B. Nix likes to draft historically speaking, if they were to go WR. Patterson may have the highest ceiling, but also represents the most risk, and Nix as far as I know has never drafted a player w/1 year starting experience in the first round.
Werner is the next guy I think they would pick if Jones does not check out medically, right in the Buddy Nix drafting philosophy wheel house, and a really good value.

As much as I'd like to add one of the top tier TE's (prefer Ertz over Eifert) the position is more of a niche position rather than one which becomes a focal point of the offense. Even if Finley is cut, DJ Williams, Ryan Taylor, Tom Crabtree and Brandon Bostick are strong candidates to make the team next season and each can fill a specific role within the offense. With Greg Jennings becoming a free agent, Donald Driver retiring and James Jones entering a contract year, the receiver position could be a strong possibility in round one. Inside linebacker is also a big need for the defense.

Good Bears pick

Arthur Brown really doesn't fit the 3-4 as an inside backer. They are usually larger.

Depends on the role they play. Brown is a good pick for the Ravens.

I agree, passing on a 3-4 OLB would be foolish.