2014 NFL Mock Draft First Round Version 2
25. San Diego Chargers
Bradley Roby
CB, Ohio State
Bradley Roby entered the 2013 college football season as a sure-fire first-round pick, but he exited the season without a first-round grade from many analysts. I thought he was used incorrectly by the Buckeyes, who used him in zone coverage instead of in man coverage. While he isn’t bad in zone, he’s much better suited to play in man coverage and press-man due to his excellent aggressiveness and athleticism. Roby needs polish, but he has so much upside and can also defend the run and blitz to boot. The San Diego Chargers biggest need is undoubtedly at corner, and they could potentially hit one out of the park wit ha guy as talented as Roby, especially if they use and develop him correctly; this guy has all the potential in the world. Ra’Shede Hageman was also a tempting pick here, and I think he also be an excellent addition for the Chargers defense.
26. Cleveland Browns (from Indianapolis)
Mike Evans
WR, Texas A&M
Maybe I should have had the Cleveland Browns taking Johnny Manziel with the fourth pick in the draft, because the combination of Manziel and Mike Evans in the NFL would have been amazing. Both players had terrific team chemistry at A&M, as Manziel put a whole world of trust in Evans, and his star wideout would almost always deliver. He was clearly the Aggies most talented wideout, and he makes up for his lack of speed with intense physicality, jaw-dropping size, elite ball skills, long strides, and savvy route-running. Evans really took a tumble in this mock and I probably undervalued him on the grounds of “fit”, but he would be an amazing pick for the Browns here. I mean, he and Josh Gordon would make a great tandem at WR, as Evans’s size and playing style would really play off of Gordon’s all-around elite ability.
27. New Orleans Saints
Jeremiah Attaochu
OLB, Georgia Tech
I had the New Orleans Saints taking Attaochu last week, and I’m not about to change that pick- not even for BYU’s Kyle Van Noy. Attaochu sometimes tries to get too “cute” with his pass rushing moves, which need to get better, but he has elite physical tools and those can take control of the game at times. There aren’t many pass rushers better at disengaging off of offensive tackles as Attaochu, who also beat double teams at times last year. He sure knows how to wreak havoc on defenses, and he has some upside as a run defender despite his rawness. One thing that stands out about Attaochu’s athleticism is his ability to drop off into coverage, and there are plenty of things that make Attaochu a potentially huge addition for Rob Ryan as an edge rusher in the Saints defense. As a hybrid 4-3 DE and 3-4 OLB, the fit here is pretty mouth-watering.
28. Carolina Panthers
Brandin Cooks
WR, Oregon State
It’s a matter of Brandin Cooks vs. Kelvin Benjamin here, and I decided to go with Cooks, who is less raw than Benjamin. Cooks gets compared often to Steve Smith, and the OSU product stated that he models his game off of Smitty. I think comparing Cooks to Smith is a disservice to Smith, who is a future Hall of Famer and did a whole lot more on the outside and against tight coverage than Cooks will probably do in his career (but that’s not an insult, since Smith has done some incredible things that very few receivers in recent memory have done), but Cooks is still a top-notch prospect. While Benjamin has the ridiculous size and speed combo with tantalizing upside, he also commits detestable drops and is ridiculously raw- too raw for a first-round pick. Meanwhile, Cooks fits right in as the 28th pick, and I always like the Victor Cruz comparisons. Cooks is a better WR than Tavon Austin coming out of college, because he has better hands, route-running, and does a better job of winning matchups on the outside and downfield. Cooks is small, but he has shown that he can win on flag and- at times- go routes.
29. New England Patriots
Jace Amaro
TE, Texas Tech
I have Austin Seferian-Jenkins rated higher than Jace Amaro due to ASJ’s better blocking, but Amaro fits the Patriots better due to his pass-catching ability. While ASJ is no slouch as a receiver, he can’t really line up in the slot- at least not as well as Amaro can. The Patriots need a TE who can fill that Aaron Hernandez “joker” role as a receiver to complement Rob Gronkowski, and that’s exactly what Amaro can do. The Patriots need more guys who can win on the outside, but they can’t give up on their intriguing young wideouts yet. Amaro is a solid chain-mover with plenty of upside and athleticism as a pass-catcher, and he’s the best pick for the Pats here. Timmy Jernigan would also make sense if the team wants to take a DT, but Amaro is the player most-often mocked to the Patriots for a reason. And while he isn’t a good blocker right now, he has the strength and upside to be a good blocking tight end in the future.
30. San Francisco 49ers
Kyle Fuller
CB, Virginia Tech
Like most great teams, the San Francisco 49ers don’t really have a true position of need, but nickel corner is one area in which the 49ers could get an upgrade. Carlos Rogers is still a quality player, but the 49ers current slot cornerback is going to be too expensive and is not expected to be on the team next season. Kyle Fuller is arguably the most underrated CB prospect in this year’s draft class, and it would be a shame for him not to be picked in the first round. He’s more than just a nickel corner, but he would fit in perfectly as a slot CB (yes, even better than Louchiez Purifoy) due to his elite run defense. Seriously, his run D was so good that the Virginia Tech Hokies felt comfortable lining him up differently. Fuller has top-flight coverage skills as well, and he knows how to use his frame. As far as I’m concerned, Fuller would be a home-run pick for the Niners. Kelvin Benjamin would also be a nice pick here, but Fuller is the better prospect overall due to Benjamin’s bust potential.
31. Denver Broncos
Dee Ford
DE, Auburn
I’m not really sure which direction to go here, so I’m going to give Dee Ford to the Denver Broncos again. They could use some more help on the defensive line, and you can never have too many quality pass rushers in your rotation. Ford is talented and has an explosive first step, and he put himself on the map after shining in the National Championship and throughout the Senior Bowl practices and game (he was the MVP, of course). Ford’s run defense is more difficult to project and he can get overrated by some, but he fits right in as the 31st pick in the draft. I like Malik Jackson and Robert Ayers, but the Broncos would do well to add another DE. I could also see them taking Aaron Donald or Timmy Jernigan here, so watch closely for the DT position as well.
32. Seattle Seahawks
Austin Seferian-Jenkins
TE, Washington
I don’t anticipate selecting anyone but Austin Seferian-Jenkins with the Seattle Seahawks first round pick in my mock drafts in the near future, because it just makes too much sense. ASJ’s great blocking ensure that he’s the best all-around TE in the class, because he’s also a very good pass-catcher. Even though he isn’t as touted of a receiver as Amaro or Ebron, he’s a better blocker than both and fits what the Seahawks want at the tight end position- someone who is proficient at catching passes and staying into block. With Zach Miller likely to be released (although he could take a paycut and stay) from his expensive contract, ASJ makes perfect sense as a replacement. Teams like the Seahawks have so much depth that it’s about getting talented players at positions where they aren’t quite as deep, and this line of thinking makes Seferian-Jenkins look like an even more logical pick.