2014 NFL Mock Draft and Five Things I Think, I Think

Posted by Brad On February – 20 – 2014

"Johnny Manziel"

USA TODAY Sports

My absenteeism from the draft process this season has been purposeful and very tough. I haven’t scoured through the Draft Breakdown videos as I normally do. That said, I haven’t been a dormant watcher of the game and think I’ve come up with some solid opinions on many of the players this season.

Five Things I Think, I Think

1. I say my peace on John Football

John Football has been getting a lot of buzz and we can expect that will continue going forward. His latest ranting about the regrets of Houston and winning the Browns a Super Bowl were priceless. Many don’t believe Johnny is capable of backing up these statements – what you will come to find out is that I don’t reside in that camp.

As many of you know, I’m an astute observer of the quarterback position having played and coached the position at different levels. When I watch Manziel, it goes against my grain to fall in love with someone as reckless with the ball as he is. I’ve spent years preaching ball security and the value of not turning the ball over – all for it to come crashing down with my Manziel evaluation.

Look, it’s important to take care of the football but some guys knack for making plays supersede my need to controlling offensive touches. Manziel is that rare guy that I throw caution to the wind on.

The great ones have an “it” factor to them. It’s something that you can’t describe but a feeling that this person was put on this planet to play this game. Johnny Manziel is that guy for me. His throws off balance, into coverage, and running around recklessly are superseded by my belief that he’s going to be a star in the league.

"Lamarcus Joyner"

USA TODAY Sports

2. Lamarcus Joyner will disappoint in Indianapolis but not on the field

Joyner figures to check in at the 5-foot-8, maybe 5’7” range and won’t weigh over 195 pounds. Those numbers aren’t going to win him any NFL beauty contests.

Aside from the measurements, don’t expect Joyner to blaze the 40 or test off the charts in any one particular area. There are many draft analysts out there drastically underrating Joyner as we speak and it will continue as he measures and test in Indianapolis.

All that accounted for, when I watch Joyner play I can’t help but be impressed. If I didn’t know his size I would never guess it. He plays fearlessly, bordering on reckless at times – but in a good way. Joyner could be in trouble in scout’s books because he really doesn’t have a position. Is he is nickel corner or can he play the backend? Those are answers that I don’t have and frankly don’t care about.

A few guys in my time evaluating players have transcended the positional outlook and Joyner is one of them. Take him and worry about where he fits later.

3. Josh Huff could be the guy I regret this year

Every year there is one player that catches my eye and I end up underrating them. This year, I think its Josh Huff. Huff currently sits at 62 on my top 75 board – due to come out next week. When I watch him I can’t help but think he’s everything I thought Greg Little was going to be.

A solid build with plenty of speed and runs like a running back in the open field. I can vividly remember thinking that if Greg Little could catch with more consistency and stay out of his own way, he’d be a star in the NFL. Thus far, he hasn’t done that and he’s been a disappointment.

Huff comes in with fewer question marks than Little and I’m left wondering why I don’t have him at least in my top 50. This will remain a head scratcher for me and it’s my most likely evaluation to change…if I don’t I think I’ll be destined to regret it.

4. Lead Pipe Lock

"Carl Bradford"

USA TODAY Sports

This probably shouldn’t fall into the I Think, I Think category but what the hell. The past couple of years I’ve issued my ‘lead pipe locks’ for success in the NFL. Former LPL winners were Russell Wilson and Lavonte David. Last year the award went to Markus Wheaton, I’ll hold off on my celebration on that one for another year.

The only criteria is that it’s someone who’s outside of the consensus top 32. With this in mind, the 2014 LPL goes to Carl Bradford, OLB, Arizona State. Congratulations Carl.

Bradford is a guy that I think is drastically underrated at this point – that could change after Indianapolis. That said, I don’t envision him being a round one guy, making him a cinch for the award. Runner-up this season went to Jared Abbrederis.

5. Bill O’Brien is going to love him some Teddy B

I’ve professed my love on John Football and spoke of his pending greatness, yet he’s not my top QB in this draft. Huh.

That honor has always went to Teddy Bridgewater. I know he’s too lean, his hands are too small, and he’s going to melt in the snow. Hence why throwing him in Reliant Stadium under the tutelage of Bill O’Brien is a great fit all around.

If Houston doesn’t trade for Brian Hoyer – I Think, I Know they’ve called about him – or make a run at another veteran, this pick is all QB. Teddy ‘Ballgame’ Bridgewater may be best suited to take Houston back to the days of contenders.

It’s mock draft time – with a bonus second round just for fun. 

 

TEAM

PLAYER

POSITION

COLLEGE TEAM

1

Houston Texans

Teddy Brigewater

QB

Louisville

2

St. Louis Rams

Sammy Watkins

WR

Clemson

3

Jacksonville Jaguars

Jadeveon Clowney

DE

South Carolina

4

Cleveland Browns

Johnny Manziel

QB

Texas A&M

5

Oakland Raiders

Blake Bortles

QB

UCF

6

Atlanta Falcons

Greg Robinson

OT

Auburn

7

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Jake Matthews

OT

Texas A&M

8

Minnesota Vikings

Khalil Mack

OLB

Buffalo

9

Buffalo Bills

Zack Martin

OT/OG

Notre Dame

10

Detroit Lions

Mike Evans

WR

Texas A&M

11

Tennessee Titans

Anthony Barr

DE

UCLA

12

New York Giants

Dee Ford

DE

Auburn

13

St. Louis Rams

Ha’Sean Clinton-Dix

S

Alabama

14

Chicago Bears

Kony Ealy

DE

Missouri

15

Pittsburgh Steelers

Darqueze Dennard

CB

Michigan State

16

Dallas Cowboys

Aaron Donald

DT

Pittsburgh

17

Baltimore Ravens

Odell Beckham Jr.

WR

LSU

18

New York Jets

Eric Ebron

TE

North Carolina

19

Miami Dolphins

Morgan Moses

OT

Virginia

20

Arizona Cardinals

Derek Carr

QB

Fresno State

21

Green Bay Packers

CJ Mosley

LB

Alabama

22

Philadelphia Eagles

Justin Gilbert

CB

Oklahoma State

23

Kansas City Chiefs

Calvin Pryor

S

Louisville

24

Cincinnati Bengals

Cyrus Kouandijo

OT

Alabama

25

San Diego Chargers

Louis Nix III

DT

Notre Dame

26

Cleveland Browns

Marqise Lee

WR

USC

27

New Orleans Saints

Taylor Lewan

OT

Michigan

28

Carolina Panthers

Brandin Cooks

WR

Oregon St.

29

New England Patriots

Ra’Shede Hageman

DT/DE

Minnesota

30

San Francisco 49ers

Allen Robinson

WR

Penn State

31

Denver Broncos

Timmy Jernigan

DT

Florida State

32

Seattle Seahawks

Xavier Su’a-Filo

OG

UCLA

        
 

TEAM

PLAYER

POSITION

COLLEGE TEAM

33

Houston Texans

Kyle Van Noy

OLB

BYU

34

Washington Redskins

Kyle Fuller

CB

Virginia Tech

35

Cleveland Browns

Carlos Hyde

RB

Ohio State

36

Oakland Raiders

Scott Crichton

DE

Oregon State

37

Atlanta Falcons

Jace Amaro

TE

Texas Tech

38

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Brad Roby

CB

Ohio State

39

Jacksonville Jaguars

Jimmy Garoppolo

QB

Eastern Illinois

40

Minnesota Vikings

AJ McCarron

QB

Alabama

41

Buffalo Bills

Ryan Shazier

OLB

Ohio State

42

Tennessee Titans

Bashaud Breeland

CB

Clemson

43

New York Giants

David Yankey

OG

Stanford

44

St. Louis Rams

Dominique Easley

DT

Florida

45

Detroit Lions

Marcus Roberson

CB

Florida

46

Pittsburgh Steelers

Stephon Tuitt

DE

Notre Dame

47

Baltimore Ravens

Weston Richburg

C

Colorado State

48

Dallas Cowboys

Jason Verrett

CB

TCU

49

New York Jets

Davante Adams

WR

Fresno State

50

Miami Dolphins

Ka’Deem Carey

RB

Arizona

51

Chicago Bears

Jimmie Ward

S

Northern Illinois

52

Arizona Cardinals

Marcus Smith

OLB

Louisville

53

Green Bay Packers

Deone Bucannon

S

Washington State

54

Philadelphia Eagles

Trevor Reilly

OLB

Utah

55

Cincinnati Bengals

Kelvin Benjamin

WR

FSU

56

San Francisco 49ers

Bishop Sankey

RB

Washington

57

San Diego Chargers

Pierre Desir

CB

Lindenwood

58

New Orleans Saints

Carl Bradford

OLB

Arizona State

59

Indianapolis Colts

Gabe Jackson

OG

Mississippi State

60

San Francisco 49ers

Stanley Jean-Baptiste

CB

Nebraska

61

Carolina Panthers

Joel Bitonio

OT

Nevada

62

New England Patriots

Austin Seferian-Jenkins

TE

Washington

63

Denver Broncos

Trent Murphy

DE

Stanford

64

Seattle Seahawks

Jarvis Landry

WR

LSU