Here’s a three-round mock draft worth checking
January 5, 2012; New Orleans, LA, USA; LSU Tigers safety Eric Reid (1) during practice for the 2012 BCS national championship game to be played on January 9, 2012 against the Alabama Crimson Tide at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Sayre Bedinger of nflmocks.com has been burning the midnight oil recently and today shared the fruits of his toils – a three-round mock draft that should get everyone talking – especially us Green Bay Packers fans.
The NFL Draft is special to Packers fans – it’s our free agent period because we all know that Packers GM Ted Thompson doesn’t do anything with free agency. The draft is the time to get excited, to dig into the selections and look at them for their impact on the 53-man roster.
So, when Bedinger says that the Packers will select Eric Reid, a safety from Louisiana State University … that’s exciting. Here’s a kid whose ball-hawking skills are well known across the football world. He’s not an all-world athlete, but he’s a football player who makes his presence know in games … in big situations.
Here’s what Russ Lande of The National Football Report said about Reid:
"NFL people inside the stadium told us that Reid was surprisingly quick, nimble and athletic throughout his workout. He displayed the athleticism necessary to patrol the deep end of coverage and to adjust and change directions with ease."
Here’s a video of Reid … get excited about this guy …
In second round, Bedinger has the Packers taking Kawann Short, a defensive lineman from Purdue, and in the third round he’s got the Packers taking Le’Veon Bell, RB, Michigan State.
Hmmmm … interesting picks, but I would rather the Packers address their offensive line before they go with a running back. In his draft, he’s got the Atlanta Falcons taking Barrett Jones four picks later in the third round. To me, that would be the better pick for the Packers.
So with all the picks below, let the debating begin. And while you’re at it, check out http://nflmocks.com – an outstanding Fansided draft site with more information than you can absorb in many sittings … check ’em out.
1. Kansas City Chiefs – Luke Joeckel, OT, Texas A&M
According to reports, the Chiefs are down to four players for the number one pick, and you have to figure it’s four big men. Joeckel is certainly among the finalists, and he’s been a favorite for this pick for a while now, especially given Branden Albert’s situation.
2. Jacksonville Jaguars – Dion Jordan, DE, Oregon
The Jaguars had one of the worst pass rushes in recent memory last season. Jordan is the kind of guy that can come in and immediately demand attention up front and give them what they’ve been looking for.
3. Oakland Raiders – Sharrif Floyd, DT, Florida
The Raiders traded for Matt Flynn, so I don’t think this will be a QB here. Floyd is a perfect fit for Dennis Allen’s defense and will be an instant impact player for one of the worst defensive fronts in the league.
4. Philadelphia Eagles – Eric Fisher, OT, Central Michigan
Fisher may be the most talented pass protector in this year’s draft, and the Eagles certainly can’t have enough of that. They could easily go QB with this pick, but they may let the board play out.
5. Detroit Lions – Ezekiel Ansah, DE, BYU
Losing Cliff Avril and Kyle Vanden Bosch will hurt the Lions’ DL, so they need to start developing a young guy. Ansah is extremely raw but he can flourish with Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley commanding a ton of attention up front.
6. Cleveland Browns – Dee Milliner, CB, Alabama
Milliner paired with Joe Haden for the future is looking more and more realistic, and that has to excite the Browns. They made some great moves to upgrade their pass rush this offseason, and getting Milliner would help this defense reach the next level.
7. Arizona Cardinals – Lane Johnson, OT, Oklahoma
The addition of Carson Palmer doesn’t eliminate the Cardinals from the QB pool in round one, but I don’t think they’d take one at seven. Maybe they would, who knows. I think the bigger need is on the OL. Carson Palmer can still be really solid if given time, and he has some good WRs in Arizona to play with.
8. Buffalo Bills – Jonathan Cooper, OG, North Carolina
The Bills signed Kevin Kolb to a two year deal, proving they are more comfortable with the second tier of QBs in this year’s draft, in my opinion. I think the next best option is to replace Andy Levitre up front with a guard who can do it all. Cooper is more athletic than Chance Warmack, so he gets the nod here.
9. New York Jets – Barkevious Mingo, DE/OLB, LSU
The Jets are a sleeper to take a QB here, especially with a new GM, but I think pass rush needs to be addressed and maybe they can try to trade back into round one for a quarterback. Mingo is a speedy pass rusher who fills a huge hole on their roster.
10. Tennessee Titans – Chance Warmack, OG, Alabama
The Titans pair Warmack on the inside with Andy Levitre, and I think they would be back in business as one of the best OL in the NFL. Warmack is an elite guard prospect and it’s rare to see one guard go in the top 10, much less two, but this is that kind of a draft class.
11. San Diego Chargers – Menelik Watson, OT, Florida State
This could be one of the first shockers of the first round. The Chargers do not hesitate to reach on a guy they like, and Watson is receiving a ton of hype. I think protecting Philip Rivers is priority number one, and this guy could be the LT they’ve been looking for.
12. Miami Dolphins – Xavier Rhodes, CB, Florida State
The Dolphins need to replace Sean Smith on the outside, and Rhodes is a good fit to do so. He’s a big, athletic corner prospect who fills the Dolphins’ top need after an exciting free agent spending spree.
13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Star Lotulelei, DT, Utah
Lotulelei’s heart health has checked out, so I could see him going anywhere from first overall to the middle of the first round. I think the Bucs are a good fit especially with the top two CBs off the board, and Tampa in hot pursuit of Darrelle Revis. If this pick is traded to the Jets, expect them to take Geno Smith.
14. Carolina Panthers – Sheldon Richardson, DT, Missouri
The Panthers need some pass rush from the interior of their defensive line after the great season by their bookend DEs. Richardson is a guy who has great athletic ability, and could be a great fit for Ron Rivera’s defense.
15. New Orleans Saints – D.J. Fluker, OT, Alabama
The Saints missed out on some of the best pass rushers in this class, and so they turn their attention to protecting their passer. Jermon Bushrod bolted for the Bears, and Fluker is coming from a fantastic OL at Alabama and can play the RT spot with Charles Brown taking over at LT.
16. St. Louis Rams – Tavon Austin, WR, West Virginia
The Rams want to get dynamic offensively, and they now need to replace Danny Amendola. I think Austin is the type of guy who could really shock the league as a rookie. This would be a great pickup for St. Louis.
17. Pittsburgh Steelers – Jarvis Jones, DE/OLB, Georgia
The opportunistic Steelers get one of the most productive players in the draft in Jarvis Jones, who didn’t put up good numbers in workouts. They will trust the tape and replace departed James Harrison on the edge.
18. Dallas Cowboys – Kenny Vaccaro, S, Texas
The Cowboys added Will Allen at safety, but I know they are high on Kenny Vaccaro. The local product would be a huge upgrade to their secondary.
19. New York Giants – Bjoern Werner, DE, Florida State
Shockingly, the Giants struggled to rush the passer last season. Bjoern Werner is a top 10 talent who drops here into the Giants’ laps. It’s a value they typically come away with on draft day.
20. Chicago Bears – Arthur Brown, LB, Kansas State
The Bears have a bunch of stop-gap options at LB with D.J. Williams and James Anderson coming in, but Arthur Brown is a potential stud at the ILB position and could start for them right away.
21. Cincinnati Bengals – Alec Ogletree, LB, Georgia
With Manny Lawson bolting to the Bills, the Bengals pick up a former Bulldog All-American in Alec Ogletree. This guy had a phenomenal junior season, and would be the third starter at LB with Vontaze Burfict and Rey Maualuga.
22. St. Louis Rams (from Washington) – Geno Smith, QB, West Virginia
This would be the shocker of the draft right here. The Rams’ new regime has not added a QB of its own yet, and that’s only a matter of time. Sam Bradford’s contract is ridiculous, and he’s not performing up to his #1 hype. This is a good pick range for Smith in terms of value, and the Rams have a lot of high picks in the next couple of years. With Tavon Austin already heading there, why not get the guy who threw him passes? This could open a huge can of worms on draft night.
23. Minnesota Vikings – Jamar Taylor, CB, Boise State
The Vikings’ secondary was atrocious last season. They have a lot of young guys, but I think Leslie Frazier would love to get a physical player like Taylor on the outside, especially if they have to replace Antoine Winfield.
24. Indianapolis Colts – Datone Jones, DL, UCLA
The Colts need some upgrades on the DL, and Jones is a versatile player who could be an ideal 5-tech in Chuck Pagano’s 3-4 look. The only concern is that he may be undersized for that defense, but he’s very strong and stout at the point of attack.
25. Minnesota Vikings (from Seattle) — Cordarrelle Patterson, WR, Tennessee
The Vikings use the pick they got in the Percy Harvin trade to add a speedy receiver with huge upside. Patterson can do all the things Harvin did, but he’s just not as proven. This could be a really good value for them.
26. Green Bay Packers – Eric Reid, S, LSU
Charles Woodson is gone, and the Packers need to replace his ball-hawking skills. They have some young options back there from the middle rounds in recent drafts, but Reid is too good to pass up here in my opinion.
27. Houston Texans – Justin Hunter, WR, Tennessee
The Texans will add speed at the WR position, no doubt about it, and with Justin Hunter, they get it. Hunter is very skinny, but he can be the vertical threat the Texans’ offense needs along with Andre Johnson.
28. Denver Broncos – Tank Carradine, DE, Florida State
The Broncos feel pretty good about their DE situation with Robert Ayers and Derek Wolfe, so there’s not a lot of risk involved here taking Carradine, who finally got a chance to prove he can be an elite pass rusher last year at Florida State. He will work out before the draft, so they’ll know if he’s healthy enough and worth this selection.
29. New England Patriots – Keenan Allen, WR, California
The Patriots’ WR situation is in a shambles. They are so desperate they picked up Michael Jenkins, who may not make the final roster. Keenan Allen has drawn comparisons to Anquan Boldin, and I think he’d be a nice piece for the Pats’ offense.
30. Atlanta Falcons – Desmond Trufant, CB, Washington
Dunta Robinson has moved on to the Chiefs, so Trufant would be a great pickup here. He’s a big, speedy cornerback who would probably start right away for the Falcons.
31. San Francisco 49ers – Tyler Eifert, TE, Notre Dame
As if the Niners didn’t have enough weapons, they get Eifert to take over Delanie Walker’s spot and continue to upgrade their offensive talent. This could be a scary offense and a fun one to watch.
32. Baltimore Ravens – Manti Te’o, LB, Notre Dame
The Ravens cap off the first round by adding ILB Manti Te’o, who has proven he can be an elite player in a 3-4 defensive alignment. This would be a great value for Ozzie Newsome.
Second Round
33. Jacksonville Jaguars: Matt Barkley, QB, USC
34. San Francisco 49ers: Margus Hunt, DL, SMU
35. Philadelphia Eagles: E.J. Manuel, QB, Florida State
36. Detroit Lions: Johnthan Banks, CB, Mississippi State
37. Cincinnati Bengals: Jonathan Cyprien, S, Florida International
38. Arizona Cardinals: Mike Glennon, QB, North Carolina State
39. New York Jets: Zach Ertz, TE, Stanford
40. Tennessee Titans: Robert Alford, CB, Southeastern Louisiana
41. Buffalo Bills: Ryan Nassib, QB, Syracuse
42. Miami Dolphins: Justin Pugh, OL, Syracuse
43. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Darius Slay, CB, Mississippi State
44. Carolina Panthers: Matt Elam, S, Florida
45. San Diego Chargers: Johnathan Hankins, DT, Ohio State
46. St. Louis Rams: Eddie Lacy, RB, Alabama
47. Dallas Cowboys: Larry Warford, OG, Kentucky
48. Pittsburgh Steelers: Quinton Patton, WR, Louisiana Tech
49. New York Giants: Khaseem Greene, LB, Rutgers
50. Chicago Bears: Stedman Bailey, WR, West Virginia
51. Washington Redskins: Shamarko Thomas, S, Syracuse
52. Minnesota Vikings: Kevin Minter, LB, LSU
53. Cincinnati Bengals: Johnathan Franklin, RB, UCLA
54. Miami Dolphins: Alex Okafor, DE, Texas
55. Green Bay Packers: Kawann Short, DL, Purdue
56. Seattle Seahawks: Robert Woods, WR, USC
57. Houston Texans: Jesse Williams, DT, Alabama
58. Denver Broncos: DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Clemson
59. New England Patriots: Blidi Wreh-Wilson, CB, UConn
60. Atlanta Falcons: Sam Montgomery, DE, LSU
61. San Francisco 49ers: Phillip Thomas, S, Fresno State
62. Baltimore Ravens: Terrance Williams, WR, Baylor
Round Three
63. Kansas City Chiefs: Kiko Alonso, LB, Oregon
64. Jacksonville Jaguars: Kyle Long, OT, Oregon
65. Detroit Lions: Markus Wheaton, WR, Oregon State
66. Oakland Raiders: Jordan Poyer, CB, Oregon State
67. Philadelphia Eagles: John Jenkins, DT, Georgia
68. Cleveland Browns: Gavin Escobar, TE, San Diego State
69. Arizona Cardinals: Jamie Collins, DE/OLB, Southern Miss
70. Tennessee Titans: John Simon, DE, Ohio State
71. Buffalo Bills: Vance McDonald, TE, Rice
72. New York Jets: Tyler Bray, QB, Tennessee
73. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jordan Reed, TE, Florida
74. San Francisco 49ers: Tyrann Mathieu, CB/RS, LSU
75. New Orleans Saints: Corey Lemonier, DE/OLB, Auburn
76. San Diego Chargers: Sio Moore, DE/OLB, UConn
77. Miami Dolphins: Christine Michael, RB, Texas A&M
78. St. Louis Rams: Sylvester Williams, DT, North Carolina
79. Pittsburgh Steelers: Montee Ball, RB, Wisconsin
80. Dallas Cowboys: Travis Frederick, C, Wisconsin
81. New York Giants: Terron Armstead, OT, Arkansas Pine-Bluff
82. Miami Dolphins: Ryan Swope, WR, Texas A&M
83. Minnesota Vikings: Giovani Bernard, RB, North Carolina
84. Cincinnati Bengals: Tyler Wilson, QB, Arkansas
85. Washington Redskins: Da’Rick Rogers, WR, Tennessee Tech
86. Indianapolis Colts: Brian Schwenke, C, California
87. Seattle Seahawks: David Bakhtiari, OL, Colorado
88. Green Bay Packers: Le’Veon Bell, RB, Michigan State
89. Houston Texans: Jon Bostic, LB, Florida
90. Denver Broncos: David Amerson, CB, North Carolina State
91. New England Patriots: Aaron Dobson, WR, Marshall
92. Atlanta Falcons: Barrett Jones, OL, Alabama
93. San Francisco 49ers: Trevardo Williams, DE/OLB, UConn
94. Baltimore Ravens: J.J. Wilcox, SS, Georgia Southern
95. Houston Texans (comp): Bacarri Rambo, S, Georgia
96. Kansas City Chiefs (comp): Stepfan Taylor, RB, Stanford
97. Tennessee Titans (comp): Zaviar Gooden, LB, Missouri