2014 NFL Mock Draft 1.0, First Round
17. Baltimore Ravens
Mike Evans
WR, Texas A&M
The Ravens’ offense fell into disarray in 2013 when Anquan Boldin was lost via a trade to the 49ers. I think the Ravens absolutely have to help the offense with the first pick. Tight end Dennis Pitta was just signed to a five-year deal, so Eric Ebron isn’t a logical pick here.
Evans would help Baltimore regain a little bit of its 2012 Super Bowl winning squad. He is actually comparable to Boldin in terms of his physical stature (6’5″, 225 pounds). Evans is a matchup nightmare for every team — he’ll frequently draw double and triple coverages, perhaps freeing up receiver Torrey Smith and tight end Dennis Pitta.
18. New York Jets
Odell Beckham Jr.
WR, Louisiana State
The Jets’ offense was much like the Ravens’ in 2013, but much worse. In fact, the unit was arguably the worst offense in football last season. I see the receiver position as the biggest need for the team (I’d honestly be surprised if even avid football fans can name more than one receiver on the team). Beckham generates separation so easily, something that Geno Smith might need — a majority of his struggles was due to the lack of a legitimate target. Although Beckham doesn’t have good size for a receiver (5’11”), he’s well-built and isn’t afraid of contact. The Jets need a playmaker on offense and Beckham, one of the best remaining prospects at this point in the draft, could be the guy.
19. Miami Dolphins
Antonio Richardson
OT, Tennessee
I have no doubt that the Dolphins take an offensive lineman here. What a mess. Incognito and Martin are both gone, but people fail to recognize that Incognito was actually a solid starter. Ryan Tannehill was sacked a league-high 58 times in 2013, and most were the offensive line’s fault rather than cabin fever in the pocket. For Richardson’s size, he has exceptional footwork and athleticism. He’d be a good starting right tackle for Miami, a team that absolutely must prioritize pass protection. There aren’t many good linemen who are free agents, and Richardson has the potential to turn out into a solid starter. There’s a lot of talent that needs to be developed with Richardson, but Miami must upgrade its worst-ranked offensive line.
20. Arizona Cardinals
Morgan Moses
OT, Virginia
Outside of quarterback and maybe running back, there aren’t many needs on the Cardinals’ team. After all, it was the first team to go to Seattle and get a win in two years. Carson Palmer was one of the most inconsistent quarterbacks in 2013, but he did go 10-6 and I think he still has a few more years left in him.
Like Buffalo, an offensive line upgrade would be the smartest move for Arizona rather than a skill position upgrade. Arizona’s defense is one of the best in the league – after all the team did beat Seattle in the state of Washington for the first time in two years, and other than maybe quarterback, there are no obvious needs on the team. Moses, described as the “Rock of Gibraltar”, would provide a large presence on the offensive line for run and pass blocking.
21. Green Bay Packers
Eric Ebron
TE, North Carolina
Although Green Bay might seem like a deep team without many needs, the Packers actually have many needs on both sides of the ball. We all saw what happened without Aaron Rodgers. The defense struggled in 2013, but the defensive back class is deep enough to take someone in the second round. Jermichael Finley’s health is in question, and adding a pass-catcher to help one of the best quarterbacks in the league succeed is a good idea. Ebron is a little bit like Jimmy Graham in terms of his physical stature and playing style – Ebron can line up at tight end or receiver and would provide a security blanket for Aaron Rodgers. He’d also take some pressure off of receivers Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb, often drawing double teams from opposing defenses.
22. Philadelphia Eagles
Calvin Pryor
FS, Louisville
The team just resigned Riley Cooper and Jeremy Maclin, so there’s no way they’d take a receiver here. Tight ends Brent Celek and Zach Ertz are more than solid, and Philly’s offensive line and running game was the best in football last year, so an offensive first-round pick would be illogical.
The secondary could use an upgrade, especially at the safety position – I have Pryor ranked behind Ha Ha Clinton-Dix – the only two safeties worth a first-round grade. Pryor is a ball hawk. The Eagles struggled a little last year in generating takeaways, so the Louisville safety would help in that department.
23. Kansas City Chiefs
Brandin Cooks
WR, Oregon State
The Chiefs don’t have much depth at receiver behind Dwayne Bowe. The team in general might be the deepest in the NFL (remember when KC rested 20 of 22 starters and were a made field goal away from winning the game?). Cooks is an excellent route-runner and generates separation easily – he almost always requires the attention of a safety. Alex Smith isn’t a bad quarterback, so Cooks won’t have to adjust much. But at Oregon State, he did a tremendous job of making tough catches on passes that were off-target. Cooks would give the Chiefs a solid number two target behind Bowe and improve the unit on the team which has the least depth.
24. Cincinnati Bengals
Derek Carr
QB, Fresno State
This is the most controversial pick so far in this mock draft. The Bengals have been one of the safest (and best) drafting teams over the past few seasons, but with I really don’t think Andy Dalton is the answer. This will shock a lot of people — taking a quarterback in the first round is a statement, especially when your team’s starter is entering only his fourth season.
I have Carr rated ahead of Manziel, but Carr will slip to 24 simply because Manziel is the more “exciting” player with a higher “ceiling”. He’s been more prolific (50 touchdowns and just eight interceptions in 2013) yet he’ll slip all the way to 24, much like Aaron Rodgers did. With the team around him (top-ranked defense, A.J. Green, Giovani Bernard, and a solid offensive line), I believe Carr would be an upgrade to the offense. Dalton should be allowed to start the season pending injury, but if when Dalton starts becoming inconsistent, the coaching staff needs to put Carr into the lineup.