My 1st Round Draft Pick Version 1.00 (Updated through 3/18)

[fracdaddy14]

Round 1
1. Indianapolis Colts

- Andrew Luck- QB- Stanford

- Let’s face it. There is no chance this will be someone else. Speaking of Luck, I believe his status as the best QB prospect is overrated. Then again, draft experts picked apart Aaron Rodgers as I sat there and saw a QB in college who looked great. I think Luck may hit the 5-10 list of QBs, but likely not be in the Top 5 conversation.


2. Washington (Trade w/ St. Louis)

- Robert Griffin- QB- Baylor

- Washington didn’t trade 3 1st and a 2nd round picks to draft a non-QB. RGIII will be that guy. I don’t like it and I think the Redskins will regret in a few years. RGIII is extremely raw at progression reading, frail (people forget he was often injured in college, including parts of his Heisman season), took advantage of watered-down Big 12, and never won a meaningful game in his career. That said, the QB class next year is nothing special and you can’t do worse than John Beck and RG1.


3. Minnesota Vikings-

- Matt Kalil- OT- USC

- Anytime evaluators list technique as a negative, its not a good sign for a LT that’s considered elite (see Rams and former no. 2 Jason Smith). Kalil, though, has all the tools and OL is a HUGE need for Minnesota. There is no other OT in the draft with this kind of upside. Also, Ponder looked like a future solid starter in college and rookie year, the people who believed they would be in on the RGIII sweepstakes must‘ve been delirious. Another lock pick.


4. Cleveland Browns

- Ryan Tannenhill- QB- Texas A&M

- Don’t laugh. Ok, go ahead laugh. Tannenhill not only has less than two years of College QB experience. His performance against the best 4 defenses (Ok St, Texas, OK, and Arkansas) he played horrific. His stat line includes a 50% completion percentage and a 6-10 TD-INT ratio. Every game I watched him, he tended to have a half-time lead only to find a way to lose. He took a 9-3 level college team and finished 6-6. He reminds me of a poor man’s Tony Romo. And he might be picked No. 4. The reasoning is that Holgrem likes him and doesn’t believe he’ll be available at no. 22. Also, Trent Richardson’s recent knee scope may scare off a team that can’t keep RBs healthy to begin with.


5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

- Morris Claiborne- CB- LSU

- Finally, this pick makes perfect sense. With Aqib Taliq possibly wearing a different shade of orange and Ronde Barber deciding on retirement, CB is a big need and Claiborne has all the look of an elite, shut-down CB. Best of all, I can‘t see any reason why he won‘t play that way from Day 1. He was the best CB on LSU even when Peterson was on the team.


6. St. Louis Rams (Trade w/ Washington)

- Justin Blackmon- WR- Oklahoma St

- Blackmon as not only a catch-machine in college, but showed elite separation and YAC ability. It is possible he won’t be All-Pro, but will likely be a perennial Pro-Bowl contender and Sam Bradford’s best friend. He is a true No. 1 WR. If the Rams get Blackmon with their haul of top Redskin picks, St. Louis fans should be very, very happy.


7. Jacksonville Jaguars

- Quentin Coples- DE- UNC

- If the Jaguars want to find out if they really did swing and miss on Blaine Gabbert, they need to get their OL healthy and find a true No. 1 receiver. Smith already quickly re-signed Guy Whimper who came off an historically bad performance at RT, so lets hope injured players like Eben Britton are ready. So, his next move must be for an a top WR. He signed Laurent Robinson, who had a great season in Dallas, but has been about as injury-prone and inconsistent as any player could‘ve been before. Mike Thomas has performed great, but is too small to be a match-up nightmare. I’m he’ll justify the Offense being complete and take a pass-rushing DE, likely Quentin Coples from UNC.


8. Miami Dolphins

- Michael Floyd- WR- Notre Dame

- Their needs of QB, TE, FS would all be a reach at this point. So WR, LE, and RT are the only options I could see. Reiff is trending down and Martin is more of a pure LT, Quentin Coples gone, so the obvious choice is Michael Floyd. Floyd was dominant in college while showing the separation and YAC ability to stand out. If Floyd can stay out of trouble, he should be the performer that can make QB TBD look good.


9. Carolina Panthers

- Montari Poe- DT- Memphis

- There is always a workout warrior who skyrockets high up the draft board every year. Poe is likely that guy this year. He dominated the combine enough awesome size and athletic ability to make people forget he wasn’t very special in a weak conference (Conference USA or whatever its called now). The Panthers badly need a run-stuffer, and though Poe fits best in a 3-4 with his wingspan, I predict they will take the big guy.


10. Buffalo Bills

- Jonathan Martin- OT- Stanford

- I once had Melvin Ingram, but obviously the signing of Mario Williams eliminates that need. Riley Reiff struggled in workouts enough that many teams are moving him to guard on draft boards. His cone and shuffle teams (true indicators of a OT’s ability to handle speed rushers) were pretty bad. Although Gailey has traditionally picked from the Southeast, he will likely take the best available player at a position of need, Stanford’s Jonathan Martin.


11. Kansas City Chiefs

- David DeCastro- OG- Stanford

- The chiefs may be stuck with Matt Cassel, but the team has upgraded the OL and took a flier on RB Peyton Hillis. The defense is already pretty good, with the only possible upgrade at NT. Look for the Chiefs to grab NT insurance in Free Agency instead. Pioli was never shy about drafting first round OL with Belichek and may take the best available OL, Stanford’s DeCastro.


12. Seattle Seahawks

- Trent Richardson- RB- Alabama

- When a guy like TR falls into your lap, you use the best player available law and take him. They resigned Beast Mode, but really need a quality 2nd option with Lynch approaching the dreaded age 30. A pass-rusher is another option, as is Luke Kuelchey, but there are a lot of good options that will still be available in Round 2.


13. Arizona Cardinals

- Riley Reiff- OT- Iowa

- Arizona has one of the worst OL in the NFL. In fact, I don’t believe they have a single even mediocre player in the trenches. With the Cardinals sticking with Kevin Kolb or even John Skelton, improving the OL is a must. Reiff may not be able to play OT (they had two of the worst rated OTs in the NFL according to pro football focus), but at this point, it wouldn’t hurt to find out as he may be a guard upgrade at worst.


14. Dallas Cowboys

- Cordy Glenn- OG- Georgia

- I know they signed a couple of guards (Nate Livings and Mackenzie Bernadeau aren‘t really upgrades), but Jerry Jones loves size and potential more. Glenn is similar to former Cowboys OG Leonard Davis. Like Reiff, his cone and shuffle times raise serious doubt about his ability to play OT (remember this division has the Giants and Eagles), but he should be a mammoth OG. Besides the Cowboys got a LT last year in Tyson Smith and are moving grossly overpaid Doug Free to RT, so it’s not a need anyway. The Cowboys can’t afford to go with old struggling veterans or undersized interior backups as starters anymore.


15. Philadelphia Eagles

- Devon Still- DT- Penn St

- I know the Eagles don’t have a single NFL starting-caliber LB on their roster and Luke Kuelchey is the type of player who you can plug in at MLB and be set for years, but those people underestimate Andy Reid. With Nick Perry still on the board, I may lose a bet after predicting that he met the perfect Reid pick of undersized DE and not a need, but all signs are pointing to a DT for the Eagles pick. Hall of Fame writer Ray Didinger said that player would be Devon Still, if available, and I still have Still available, so there you have it. That said, I believe Still is a boom or bust pick, at least until his 4th year (aka contract year)


16. New York Jets

- Mark Barron- DB- Alabama

- A great safety can make a huge difference in a Rob Ryan defense. Jim Leonard is aging and likely won’t return. Ed Reed will be a Raven forever. The Free Agent options aren’t good. The in-house options are worse. Barron isn’t the best available player, but beggars can’t be choosers.


17. Cincinnati Bengals

- Dre Kirkpatrick- CB- Alabama

- What would an NFL Draft be without the Bengals using a high pick on a player with a criminal history. The Bengals have aging Nate Clements and a possible PUP candidate in Leon Hall as starting corners. Its imperative the Bengals get some depth and youth. Kirkpatrick would provide both.


18. San Diego Chargers

- Fletcher Cox- DL- Mississippi St

- Cap reasons caused the Chargers to cut DE Luis Castillo. He may come back at a lower price, but the Chargers need some depth regardless and all of the OL that would fill their other major need are gone or are too big of reaches. Cox fits a 3-4 Defense perfectly and would be a great value.


19. Chicago Bears

- Courtney Upshaw- DE- Alabama

- The Brandon Marshall trade finally gives Jay Cutler the No. 1 target he has needed his whole Bears career. Like with the previous pick, OL is a reach at this point, so its likely the pick will be the pass rusher the Bears have been interested in all off-season. There are plenty of options, Courtney Upshaw has fallen outside of many original Top 10 projections and is the most likely option here


20. Tennessee Titans

- Melvin Ingram- DE- South Carolina

- Ingram had a dominant season in the SEC, but his height and arms are short and he only had 1 season of consistent production. But his combination of speed, tenacity, and explosiveness should make up for those weaknesses and make a nice fit in the Titan’s scheme.


21. Cincinnati Bengals

- Luke Kuelchey- LB- Boston College

- The Bengals have had some talented LBs in their corps, but injuries and inconsistency have made this position more of a need then a quick look at the depth chart would indicate. Kuelchey would provide both instant production and stability. He should give them 10 outstanding years. Keith Rivers is likely an injury casualty and the 3 Ms (Manulaga, Muckelroy, and Moch) can fight the other two spots.


22. Cleveland Browns

- Stephen Hill- WR- Georgia Tech

- If your going to pick Tannenhill, your going to have to give him a couple weapons, both a RB and WR are high possibilities here, so I’m going with the BPA (Of course, this is Hologram we are talking about) and take fast-rising Stephen Hill and his dominant workout numbers and a RB in the 2nd.


23. Detroit Lions

- Janoris Jenkins- CB- North Alabama

- The Lions appear to love Jenkins and he appeared convincing to enough teams that he appears likely to not last much longer. He fits the Lions Defensive swagger and would offer an instant upgrade over the hodgepodge of options at CB. If he keeps his head on straight, this will be a steal.


24. Pittsburgh Steelers

- Stephon Gilmore- CB- South Carolina

- With Ike Taylor the only set CB left on the roster and Kendrick Lewis unproven, its possible that the Steelers will look here even if they resign William Gay. The best available option is South Carolina CB Stephon Gilmore. He should be ready to go after withstanding the rigors of the SEC.


25. Denver Broncos

- Brandon Weeden- QB- Oklahoma St

- Ok, let’s say you have this QB. He’s a fan favorite, the quintessential model citizen, turned your teams fortunes around enough to allow you to make the playoffs after looking like a Top-5 draft pick team, won a playoff game for the first time in years while breaking the single-game playoff passing yard record against the No. 1 rated defense. You give him a chance to work out his flaws in his first full off-season and become the set starter right? Well, if your team Executive President is an extremely jealous and seemingly incompetent former Hall of Fame QB, the answer is of course not. That’s why its no secret that Brandon Wheeden is high on their draft board. Tim Tebow’s success made them unable to wait to Round 2. They make the ultimate reach and pick the older Wheeden at No. 25 and look stupid. By the way, I like Wheeden as the 2nd best QB in this class, but this move makes no sense here.


26. Houston Texans

- Kendall Wright- WR- Baylor

- The Texans have quietly built up their team and organization up to a championship-level quality. They have few obvious holes, but their WR corps is aging and could use some fresh blood. Kendall Wright stock dropped because of a poor combine, but his 4 years of productivity and tape at Baylor suggest he’d be a great pickup here.


27. New England Patriots

- Whitney Mercilus- DE- Illinois

- Here is the point where the 2nd level of pass-rushers start coming off the board. With Mercilus and Nick Perry the options here, I would expect the Hoodie to pick Mercilus who had the better 1 year of production and I believe will be a great NFL DE. He had 9 forced fumbles last year, which is even more impressive than his sack totals to me.


28. Green Bay Packers

- Peter Konz- OC- Wisconsin

- Packer’s GM Ted Thompson is said to love Konz, the Packers have a big need at C with Scott Wells gone, and Konz would be a great pick at this point. Sounds like a match made in heaven to me.


29. Baltimore Ravens

- Donta Hightower- LB- Alabama

- Ozzie Newsome is a great GM who has made a ton of great choices. Even picking low in the 1st Round nearly every year, he finds good talent. The only problem is, his great defense is beginning to age at certain spots. Some conversion to younger players has already taken place and I expect, if available, a player like Donta Hightower to get selected. He was a linchpin of the National Champions and will be undervalued by non-3-4 defense teams.


30. San Francisco 49ers

- Michael Brockers- DL- LSU

- The 49ers defense was a huge part of their success and will bring all 11 starters back. But the DL desperately needs some depth and fresh legs for another presumably lengthy playoff run. Brockers may be available here after a rough combine and has the versatility to offer that depth. I could see Coby Fleener here too, but Brockers has the better potential.


31. New England

- Alonzo Dennard- CB- Nebraska

- The Patriots biggest needs are pass-rush and secondary. Mercilus went to them earlier so its likely they will go DB. Alonzo Dennard out of Nebraska will be the best available at this point and, likely, the pick.


32. New York Giants

- David Wilson- RB- Virginia Tech

- I’m sure the defending Super Bowl Champions may look to trade out of this spot as teams get antsy to get the player they want before Day 2 and Round 2 begin. That said, if they stay here, Reece will go BPA and pick fast-rising RB David Wilson.

[onejayhawk]

11. Kansas City Chiefs

- David DeCastro- OG- Stanford


When in doubt, take special player. The problem is that Trent Richardson is also a special player.

J
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[AP_ALL_DAY_28]

FYI, you have Stephon Gilmore going to both Pittsburgh & New England.

Great pick for the Vikes.
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AP, BM, & CH', & Chiefer's SOTD
NBA: Lakers
NFL: Vikings
MLB: Indians
NCAA: Trojans
NHL: Kings

[fracdaddy14]

[WhODaT888]

Great pick and explination.

Would be extremely difficult to pass on that talent and skill there.
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[oher74]

I love the ravens pick Great Job!!!!!!!
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[Wolfhunt]

The dumbest pick the Browns could take is a guy who has played 19 games at QB. There Browns need playmakers. This kind of a pick removes the ability for them to get a playmaker. Richardson, Claiborne, Blackmon, Coples are all better picks....by far.

Tannehill is not even worth a 1st round pick. I have no idea where you got that Holmgren likes him. You cited his horrendous stats and yet you went ahead and gave him to the Browns. The QB class next year is going to a lot better as far as quality QB's coming out. We will not reach for a joke at the QB position.

You must be a Steelers fan because you want the Browns to suck forever with this kind of a pick.
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[fracdaddy14]

[Wolfhunt]

Peter King has about as much knowledge of what the Browns are doing as I do. Tannehill can't even run a smooth easy offense such as what he ran in college. How will he even be able to cope learning the WCO. His decision making is horrible. Having to face Pittsburgh and Baltimore D twice a year they would eat him alive. He crumbles in the face of pressure.

As for Mary Kay Cabot....she is about as dumb as a box of rucks. She is one of the worst writes in Cleveland. She can't even get breaking stories for the most part. She writes most article just to get people to try and buy the horrible Plain Dealer. She causes more trouble than she is worth. They have already ran off one idiot in Cleveland named Toni Grossi....just wish they would have gave her the walking papers as well.

Any Cleveland fan will tell you she is dumb.

I can guarantee you almost 90% of Cleveland fans don't want Tannehill.
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[1BackInBlackFan]

The Steelers did draft CBs Curtis Brown and Cortez Allen last year so CB is not a high priority let alone a first round selection even if Gay leaves. Sure they are unproven but they have potential to be starters as early as next season.
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The cool high-flying Troy sig courtesy of Lysar529. Great work!

[ochocinco4pres]

I don't hate it for the Bengals. We would need to sign some more FAs though
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Big thanks to kacymcbryant18 for the sig....^^

[fracdaddy14]

[center55]

Browns will not draft Tannehill at 4.

[Wolfhunt]

[bucstopshere]