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17. Cincinnati Bengals – Devonte Fields, DE, TCU

The Bengals lost Michael Johnson to free agency, which could prove to be a bigger than anticipated hole to fill. Fields has top 10 talent but his off-the-field issues could keep him in the back half of the first round.

18. Atlanta Falcons – Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia

The Falcons need a bellcow back to take some of the pressure off Matt Ryan and the passing game. They find one down the street in Todd Gurley. Gurley is a punishing runner at 230+ pounds but has the feet to make him the first RB taken in this talented class.

19. Arizona Cardinals – Noah Spence, Edge Rusher, Ohio State

Spence has elite get-off and could be a perfect transition to standup edge rusher in Arizona’s scheme. John Abraham’s contract is up and likely won’t return due to being 37-years old next season.

20. Carolina Panthers – Cameron Erving, OT, Florida State

I’m not sold on Erving as a first rounder at this point. He’s made the transition from DT but still requires some technique refinement before he can be considered a top flight tackle prospect. That said, Carolina NEEDS a tackle in the worst of ways.

21. Baltimore Ravens – Jaelen Strong, WR, Arizona State

Steve Smith may be a stopgap at the receiver position but Baltimore would be wise to start looking long-term. Strong is a huge target at over 6-foot-3 and really emerged from the JUCO ranks as one of the top WR prospects in the country last season. Expect to hear a ton of buzz on Strong as the draft process takes shape and he may emerge as the top receiver in this draft.

22. Kansas City Chiefs – Ty Montgomery, WR, Stanford

KC avoided the WR market during draft weekend, making it a priority for 2015. Montgomery is a big target that quietly has put up some great numbers in Palo Alto. With Kevin Hogan at the helm, expect another big season in 2013 and for him to start the hype train heading into the draft.

23. Philadelphia Eagles – P.J. Williams, CB, Florida State

The Eagles nabbed Jaylen Watkins in the 2014 NFL Draft but CB still remains a high priority heading into the season with Cary Williams and Bradley Fletcher penciled in as starters. Williams has the length and athleticism that Chip Kelly seeks at the position.

24. Chicago Bears – Nelson Agholor, WR, USC

The Bears roster is in pretty good shape, so they take a guy to add to the offensive firepower. With Alshon Jeffery and Brandon Marshall locked in, they could use Agholor as a dangerous slot option for Jay Cutler.

25. Pittsburgh Steelers – Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State

The Steelers didn’t take a corner in the draft until the 157^th selection – much to my surprise. I think this becomes a huge need as the season wears on. Waynes is a solid value at 25, so it’s not a reach for the Steelers to snag him here.

26. New Orleans Saints – Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin

The Saints are likely to part ways with Mark Ingram after this season – who knows maybe he’s cut prior to this season. That leaves Pierre Thomas, who will turn 30 this season and may not be back if he doesn’t produce this season. Gordon gives the Saints some much needed juice in the backfield and adds another dimension to this offense.

27. Indianapolis Colts – Bernardrick McKinney, OLB, Mississippi State

McKinney is a freak. At 6-foot-5, 255 pounds McKinney has the athleticism to push himself up draft boards. Indy boasts an aging but still productive Robert Mathis, Erik Walden, and Bjoern Werner as rush linebackers. The combo of Walden and Werner may need upgrading if they don’t produce this season.

28. Green Bay Packers – Shawn Oakman, DE, Baylor

No clue where Oakman goes but his combination of size, speed, and strength is sure to intrigue teams as high as the top 10. The bad news is that Oakman has very little film due to being used sparingly thus far. If he breaks out in 2014, expect his name to be called early. This is a very un-Ted Thompson pick, but I anticipate he won’t be around for this possibility.

29. San Francisco 49ers – Alex Carter, CB, Stanford

Alex Carter is a guy that has caught my eye on some initial takes on 2015 prospects. With NFL size and physicality, expect him to draw interest if he performs well in 2014 and enters the draft. The Niners drafted Jimmie Ward to handle slot corner duties and eventually work into the safety rotation. That said, the talent and depth at the CB position could be a sore spot for the Niners, so they should look locally for an answer at the CB position.

30. New England Patriots – Dante Fowler, DE, Florida

I expected New England to target an end that could take some of the heavy workload off Ninkovich and Jones. They didn’t. Equally I expect Fowler to be off the board way before the 30^th pick. This would be a dream scenario for Bill Belichick if he can score Fowler this low in the first.

31. Denver Broncos – Denzel Perryman, LB, Miami

Perryman is one of my early favorites for an official draft crush. He’s a bit undersized but makes plays all over the field for Miami. If he’s still around this late in the first, he’s a steal in my book.

32. Seattle Seahawks – Josh Shaw, CB, USC

Shaw brings that Seattle size and versatility to the defensive backfield. Shaw has played free safety and corner at USC after transferring from Florida. I think Shaw has the goods to stay a corner in a league looking to get bigger at the position but is also a nice fallback option at safety.
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