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I think there is a great chance we see Star Lotulelei taken in the top five of the draft, even if the Oakland Raiders view Sharrif Floyd as the better and “safer” prospect. The Philadelphia Eagles have significant interest in Lotulelei, and taking the Utah product would make quite a bit of sense for the Eagles. They could play Lotulelei in all spots on the defensive line in their 3-4 defense, as Lotulelei has the talent and versatility to play everywhere in a three-man front.

The Eagles also reportedly have high interest in Lotulelei, and there are rumblings that the Arizona Cardinals could take the blue-chip prospect with the seventh pick in the draft if the falls outside the top five.

I highly doubt the Panthers end up in a position to draft Star Lotulelei with the 14th pick, and it wouldn’t be prudent for the Panthers, who have many needs, to trade up in this draft to take Lotulelei. They are better off trading down or even just staying pat at taking a guy like Sheldon Richardson of the Missouri Tigers (easily the most popular selection for the Panthers in mock drafts). Although defensive tackle is likely the biggest need for the Panthers, they have so many needs that trading up and losing picks would be a poor decision- no matter how good Lotulelei is and how much of a fixture he would be for the Panthers at DT.

You can follow Joe Soriano on Twitter for more NFL updates and analysis @SorianoJoe.

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According to draft analyst and insider Tony Pauline, the Titans view Fluker as “a day one starter” at the guard position. Fluker’s natural position at the pro level could very well be at guard, and the Titans still need some help there even after signing star guard Andy Levitre from the Buffalo Bills. However, it is best for the Titans to take Warmack instead, because they already have bookend tackles and should instead focus on the best prospect available on the inside of the line. To me, that is clearly Warmack.

Now Pauline is also reporting that the San Diego Chargers are considering D.J. Fluker one pick after the Titans at No. 11, and tackle is the biggest need in San Diego. They need to surround Philip Rivers with some competence in front of him on the offensive line, and their situation at tackle is definitely due for an upgrade. The Chargers are setting up Rivers for failure, and they might take Fluker in order to do all that they can to upgrade at a position of huge need. Although Fluker, in my opinion, doesn’t have the talent to be deserving of a top 15 selection, there is a strong chance he ends up going there solely based on need. Lane Johnson is not making it out of the top ten anymore, so the Chargers might feel obligated to take Fluker and upgrade at tackle (even if Fluker is solely a right tackle).

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According to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, Tank Carradine is generating “buzz” after he ran a 4.75 forty at his pro day and seemingly quelled all those injury concerns. La Canfora writes that the Saints “seem quite intrigued among others”.

Now the news that the Saints are interested in Carradine is notable, because the Saints run a 3-4 defense under new defensive coordinator Rob Ryan. That would seemingly not be a good fit for Carradine, who fits best as a 4-3 DE and played there at Florida State, but several teams are intrigued by his ability to play as a 3-4 outside linebacker. The Saints aren’t the only team that wouldn’t be afraid of a schematic fit for Carradine, and they would snap him off the board right in the top-half of the draft.

Carradine will still likely be selected outside of the top 20, but all it takes is one team to see past the ACL tear. Players recover from severe knee injuries all the time now, and teams always draft with the long-term view in mind. Carradine won’t be able to start training camp and will have a delay in learning the ropes, but the main concern on the health-front was how fast he would be and if it is worth taking a potentially hampered player in the first round. To me, I think it is worth only docking Carradine a little bit for the injury, because he is such a talented player and seems to have rehabbed extremely well after posting a 4.75 forty. He has the speed to succeed as a pass rushing OLB in the 3-4 scheme, but you would ideally want to play him in the 4-3 as a DE. The Saints likely won’t take Carradine, but it is wise of them to show some interest. And you know what? It is an intriguing fit, especially since Carradine is a good enough athlete.

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As a former wrestling champion in high school, Thornton certainly has the needed strength and tenacity to be an NFL guard. Thornton has the potential to be a mauling run blocker, and his technique at guard looks natural. The fact that he can fill in at tackle only adds to the Illinois product’s versatility, but Thornton looks best on the inside.

The Rams could use another body on the offensive line, especially a versatile offensive lineman like Hugh Thornton, who can make a solid impact for the Rams at guard or give them an extra body at OT. Thornton’s projections in the 2013 NFL Draft are all over the map, as some think he could go as high as the third round, while others believe he is only worth a sixth-round selection. I believe Thornton is going to end up being selected in the fifth round (possibly the fourth), but a third through sixth-round selection is the range for Thornton. He overcame a lot as a teenager (sister and mother murdered in Jamaica when he visited them), so Thornton is definitely somebody who you want to see succeed in the pros. It’s good to see that the Rams are working him out, because he would be a nice fit for them.

At this point in time, I haven’t seen reports of any other workouts for Thornton.

You can follow Joe Soriano on Twitter for more NFL updates and analysis @SorianoJoe.

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The Cardinals were once thought to be in the prime position to take Central Michigan star Eric Fisher off of the board, but they might not even be able to take Lane Johnson (the third best tackle in the 2013 NFL Draft behind Luke Joeckel and Fisher) with the seventh pick in the draft. Many teams want an offensive tackle in this draft, and Johnson has mouth-watering athleticism that has seen him vault into the top ten in most mock drafts.

Johnson is a sure-fire top ten pick now, because teams like the Miami Dolphins would be more than willing to trade up to land him. He could even be taken off the board by the Detroit Lions with the fifth pick if the Eagles take Fisher at four. Anything can happen at OT, and that’s clearly the Cardinals biggest position of need. They have the worst tackles in the league, and the amount of pressure they give up is dreadful (they are also prone to giving up quick pressure).

So are the Cardinals willing to trade up to take a tackle and not risk them all being off the board before the seventh pick? That might be an impulsive decision, but it might also be the safest decision. It’s a decision that would likely be justified from the Cardinals perspective, because they could really use a tackle. It’s incredible to think, though, that three tackles could be taken off the board in the top five, but that’s just a testament to how important the position as become in this league.

You can follow Joe Soriano on Twitter for more NFL updates and analysis @SorianoJoe.

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Recently worked out by the Eagles, Lotulelei would make sense for the Eagles with the fourth pick. Why? Well, Peter King explained it in his recent Monday Morning QB column, “Hear they like Star Lotulelei a lot to play all along the line, even at nose.”

Lotulelei has the versatility to play anywhere in a three-man front, and King writes that the Eagles are looking for the best fits on the defensive line for their 3-4 defense. The Eagles would do well to nab the former Utah Utes star, but it will be interesting to see if the Eagles are reluctant to draft DTs with back-to-back first-round picks. My guess is that Kelly and the Eagles don’t particularly care, and they will draft Lotulelei if they think he is the best available player on their board.

By working out Lotulelei, the Eagles showed that they are more than willing to draft him, and they are definitely in a position to go “best available” in this year’s draft. Lotulelei could very well be the best available player on the board with the fourth pick, and the fact that the Eagles like his versatility is certainly a step in that direction. The fact that Lotulelei has the ability to play at the five-tech, three-tech, or nose is something that gets lost in the shuffle, because he isn’t just a nose tackle and wouldn’t solely play there for the Eagles (I would think that he would get significant time there).

You can follow Joe Soriano on Twitter for more NFL updates and analysis @SorianoJoe.

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The Buccaneers biggest need is at cornerback, and they should also take a strong look at adding a pass rusher to replace Michael Bennett. However, some are also tabbing wide receiver as a potential pick for the Bucs in the first round, and Sports Illustrated’s Peter King has added some heat to the Austin rumors. In his Monday Morning Quarterback column, King wrote that the Buccaneers “love” Tavon Austin.

He delivered some very notable nuggets about the Revis talks, and this note on Austin was an interesting one from a draft take. The Bucs are expected to draft a CB like Xavier Rhodes if they don’t get their top CB via a trade, so wide receiver is something of an outside-the-box option. Austin is mocked into the top ten by a few analysts nowadays, and while that is not an opinion I share, it serves to show that teams high enough on Austin could feasibly take him anywhere. Are the Bucs one of those teams? To be honest with you, I don’t think they are willing to bypass those pressing needs on defense for Austin.

You can follow Joe Soriano on Twitter for more NFL updates and analysis @SorianoJoe.

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Lotulelei is still regarded by some as the best DT in the 2013 NFL Draft class, but others believe Florida Gators disruptive DT Shariff Floyd is the king of the DTs in this class. There is some good depth at the position, as Alabama’s Jesse Williams, Purdue’s Kawann Short, and UNC’s Sylvester Williams are three other notable names. Sheldon Richardson of Missouri and Ohio State’s Johnathan Hankins are two other heralded prospects at the position.

There is definitely a chance of the Eagles going for a defensive tackle with their first-round pick, and they could also take Floyd with the fourth pick. Lotulelei can play anywhere on the defensive line, and that versatility will be appealing to the Eagles. They did draft Fletcher Cox in the first-round of the draft last season, but it doesn’t sound like that is going to affect their decision significantly this year. The Utah product prefers to play nose tackle, but the Eagles are probably going to move him around the line.

You can follow Joe Soriano on Twitter for more NFL updates and analysis @SorianoJoe.

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Scott would fit Rob Chudzinksi’s vertical offense with his arm strength and athleticism, and Chud wouldn’t mind working with a raw quarterback who has a high amount of potential. After all, Chudzinski worked very closely with Cam Newton as the Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator, and he is a fan of the read option.

It was initially reported that Scott would visit the Browns yesterday back in late March, but Pauline has clarified today that the visit wil take place tomorrow. He has received significant interest around the league from teams looking to add another quarterback, and it seems like the Philadelphia Eagles and Chip Kelly are hot on the former Pac-12 star’s tail. He worked out with the Seattle Seahawks earlier this month, and they are looking for a backup behind Russell Wilson to replace the traded Matt Flynn. The Seahawks already run the read option with Wilson, and Scott has even drawn comparisons to Wilson on account of their athleticism and arm talent.

The issue with Scott is his mechanics, and his technique will need a lot of work from a coach like Chud. But I think he would be a very good addition for the Cleveland Browns. Most people believe that he won’t make it past the third round, and I believe them given the interest Scott has received from teams thus far.

You can follow Joe Soriano on Twitter for more NFL updates and analysis @SorianoJoe.

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Viewed by most scouts as a third day selection in this draft, Ware’s decision to bolt out of LSU early was met with criticism by many. Anyway, Ware is a strong running back at 223 pounds and showed it with 17 reps on the bench press. He was very productive for the Tigers as a sophomore, but things fell off for him as a junior due to the emergence of freshman back Jeremy Hill.

Ware dined with the St. Louis Rams earlier this month, and they are in the market for another running back. Ware could be a potential sleeper for the Rams, because both of their second-year backs that they are high on fit the explosive mold. Ware could be a nice compliment as the third back in a committee to Isaiah Pead and Daryl Richardson, so that’s something to watch for.

The Colts are also in a great position to snap-up a player like Ware on the third day of the draft and add him into their RB rotation, and it’s easy to forget that Ware rushed for over 700 yards and seven touchdowns in 2011 en route to a second-team All-SEC birth.

You can follow Joe Soriano on Twitter for more NFL updates and analysis @SorianoJoe.