2014 NFL Mock Draft First Round Version 1
25. San Diego Chargers
Marcus Roberson
CB, Florida
Kyle Fuller and Bradley Roby are two guys I looked closely at in this spot, and it’s obvious that the San Diego Chargers desperately need to make a major upgrade at corner. Roberson can do just that for the Chargers, and he was the best CB on the Gators- not Loucheiz Purifoy. He rarely got burned last year, and Roberson’s length, instincts, and physicality make him an ideal partner for Derek Cox, who will hopefully bounce back next season.
26. Cleveland Browns (from Indianapolis)
Odell Beckham Jr.
WR, LSU
The Cleveland Browns need to make some big moves on the offensive side of the ball, and it makes sense to draft a wide receiver after selecting Johnny Manziel with their first selection in the draft. Josh Gordon deserves every superlative in the book and Jordan Cameron is a great TE, but the other Browns pass-catchers are in need of an upgrade. Greg Little gets plenty of yards after the catch, but he rarely ever gets the catch due to extraordinarily inconsistent play (mostly subpar route-running) and the worst hands in the NFL. Seriously, Little drops nearly everything in his way, and the formerly touted WR is just too inconsistent to be anything more than a depth wideout.
Enter Odell Beckham Jr., who brings the playmaking ability Little was supposed to give the Browns but has the excellent hands to avoid becoming the next Little. Beckham is one of the most underrated prospects in the draft, and it’s great to see the former LSU playmaker gaining some ground. His ability to make plays while also being a reliable target who is mostly open will greatly help both Gordon and Manziel; the Browns would be wise to make this pick.
27. New Orleans Saints
Jeremiah Attaochu
OLB, Georgia Tech
I was strongly considering going with Dee Ford here, but there’s something intriguing about Jeremiah Attaochu that I couldn’t push out of my mind. Both players are excellent pass rushers, and I think those cancel each other out. But I see Attaochu as a more natural fit at OLB, and his ability to drop off into coverage is something that Rob Ryan and the New Orleans Saints could really harness. Ford is the bigger name and might prove to be the wiser pick, but I’m daring to be different and going with an underrated, athletic pass rusher who stands out on tape.
28. Carolina Panthers
Jordan Matthews
WR, Vanderbilt
Captain Munnerlyn is just about a lock to re-sign and UDFA Melvin White showed some promise, but I still think corner is the Carolina Panthers biggest need. Because unlike their other big need (wide receiver), the Panthers don’t have great depth at corner. I still have the Panthers spending a first-round pick on a steady WR, because I think it’s going to be easier for the Panthers to get a solid CB in the second round than it will be for them to get a solid WR in the second the way this draft has gone (I’ve pulled so many talented wideouts lately). Kelvin Benjamin is the latest talented wideout to go, and he’s the epitome of boom-or-bust due to his poor hands. While he’s raw and isn’t close to being the final product due to his inconsistency and weaknesses, the fact that he isn’t close to being the final product is attractive in itself. Benjamin has a world of potential, and his elite blend of size and speed gives him more upside than any WR in this draft class. I think the Panthers need to take him now and then select someone like Bradley Roby later. Jordan Matthews is a better WR now than Benjamin, but I think the Panthers should go for an “X” receiver type at the position and try to go for that kind of upside. I have Matthews ranked higher than Benjamin, but I’m also a sucker for “fit” when it comes to the position; I feel like the Panthers have already surrounded Cam Newton with guys who bring Matthews’s skills to the table.
29. New England Patriots
Eric Ebron
TE, UNC
Although he isn’t my top-ranked tight end, Eric Ebron is unsurprisingly the first TE off the board in my mock draft. I nearly had him going to the New York Jets, but I decided to have him drop to the rival Patriots with the Jets pulling Lee off the board. The Pats could go for a guy like Jace Amaro or even a wide receiver or DT, as they are in a prime position to take the best available player at those three positions. But I like Ebron for New England as a No. 2 TE behind Rob Gronkowski, because Ebron is more than a TE. His incredible athleticism and ability to get yards after the catch make him something more of a slot receiver, and he is a hybrid TE a la Aaron Hernandez. Drafting Ebron would allow the Patriots to turn back their playbook to something resembling the old Boston TE Party, and that’s enough for me to bypass Ebron’s very poor blocking. The Patriots need playmakers, and Ebron is a playmaking TE who would bring back that dimension to the Patriots offense
30. San Francisco 49ers
Kyle Fuller
CB, Virginia Tech
The San Francisco 49ers have one of the deepest rosters in the NFL, and they could pretty much draft anyone they wanted here. To me, Kyle Fuller makes sense, because veteran Carlos Rogers will likely be released in a cap-shaving move. Fuller is one of the most underrated prospects in the draft, and he looks like a perfect nickel corner. Go watch his tape to see how great he is at defending the run, because his physicality makes him great in both man coverage and in run defense. The Hokies were able to use him much more uniquely than other corners, and the certainly outplayed Antone Exum. While Fuller isn’t as big of a name as a corner like, say, Loucheiz Purifoy, he’s one of the better CBs in this class and has all the tools to excel in the nickel, which figures to be a need for the 49ers, who don’t really have a true need.
31. Denver Broncos
Dee Ford
DE/OLB, Auburn
Ryan Shazier could make sense here, but the Denver Broncos are in the same boat as the other elite teams; they have a deep roster and don’t have a true need. Even though Malik Jackson and Robert Ayers are underrated DEs, Ayers is set to become a free agent this season. Meanwhile, Dee Ford could very well be the best available player with this draft slot, and it would make sense for the Broncos to add his edge-rushing ability to further bolster their pass rush. They already have Von Miller as an edge-rushing OLB, but could you imagine the Broncos pass rush and depth with Ford in the fold? Timmy Jernigan could be a legit pick here, too, but I think the upside with Ford is just too good to pass up on.
32. Seattle Seahawks
Austin Seferian-Jenkins
TE, Washington
The Seattle Seahawks could add talent at wide receiver or on the offensive line, but why not go for a tight end who can catch passes and block? “Local” product Austin Seferian-Jenkins gets overlooked by some draft analysts, and I think he could be the best tight end in the class. He’s definitely the best blocking TE among the top prospects at the position, and he’s also plenty good at catching passes due to his length, body-control, quickness, and route-running. ASJ has all the tools to be a very good tight end, and I think he’s the best in the class at the position due to his blocking ability. The Seahawks could really use an all-round TE like Seferian-Jenkins, especially since Zach Miller is set to be released. Miller is making far too much money, and ASJ would be an upgrade anyway. And oh yeah, he’s also both younger and less expensive.