2014 NFL Mock Draft 4.0
Number 17: Baltimore Ravens – Zack Martin | OT | Notre Dame
With Eugene Monroe officially locked up the Baltimore Ravens offensive line is beginning to look a bit more sturdy. The Ravens also went out and traded for now former Buccaneer offensive lineman Jeremy Zuttah; Zuttah can play either guard or tackle. But even with the aggressiveness of Baltimore to fix the line, they still have a huge need at right tackle, as they lost Michael Oher to the Tennessee Titans. Drafting Zack Martin can help fill the need at the right tackle position. However, one of the best traits that the Ravens will be getting with Martin is his flexibility. He can tackle, and, if needed, he can be kicked inside to play guard.
Number 18: New York Jets – Kelvin Benjamin | WR | Florida State
There have been many rumors connecting DeSean Jackson with the New York Jets. If he does indeed get traded to New York, then that would obviously change my pick here. But as of now, there is nothing set, making the receiver position a major area of concern heading into next season. They brought in Eric Decker, but he is more of a slot receiver and not a true number one. Kelvin Benjamin is a player that has everything that teams look for in a receiver. He has the size, speed and athleticism to really contribute to this offense; especially with the addition of Michael Vick.
Number 19: Miami Dolphins – Eric Ebron | TE | North Carolina
Last season, the Miami Dolphins offensive line was absolutely horrid. Not only did they fail to produce on the field, but they also served as a huge distraction for the team due to the off the field antics of a few starters. The Dolphins quickly attempted to fix the problem as they traded away Jonathan Martin and refused to re-sign either John Jerry or Richie Incognito. They brought in Pro Bowl left tackle Brandon Albert and will look to add to the line during the draft. However, with that being said, there are still other positions that they could add to. Miami already has Charles Clay at the tight end position, so adding another one would greatly improve the offense. Eric Ebron would be a very good compliment to Clay. They can then go out and draft a right tackle in the second round and add a veteran guard come training camp.
Number 20: Arizona Cardinals – Ryan Shazier | LB | Ohio State
The Arizona Cardinals are a team that has made major upgrades heading into next season. They went out and brought in players that filled their needs. They needed a cornerback, so they brought in Antonio Cromartie. They needed a new left tackle, so they went out and signed Jared Veldheer. The one position that they might have digressed at was the linebacker position, as they let Karlos Dansby walk. With a need for an inside linebacker, it would make sense for Arizona to select Ryan Shazier. In his last season at Ohio State, Shazier recorded 143 tackles with 22.5 of them resulting in a loss. What is even more impressive is what Shazier was able to do off the football field. In the past few months he has added a substantial amount of weight, while maintaining his superb speed. At his Pro Day, Shazier ran a 4.4 forty. His speed and ability to cover a large amount of ground will make him a perfect fit for the Arizona Cardinals.
Number 21: Green Bay Packers – Scott Crichton | DE | Oregon State
The Green Bay Packers could go with either a defensive end here or an inside linebacker. Ultimately, I believe that the Packers will decide to upgrade their pass rush with a young face. Scott Crichton is a name that hasn’t been receiving a lot of attention, however, he can easily become a first round pick. Coming off of a strong season at Oregon State, Crichton was able to increase his draft stock as he was quite impressive at the NFL Combine. Crichton was very productive last season, getting to the quarterback 7.5 times. In what could easily be his best game of the season, he didn’t generate a sack, but he was consistently applying pressure to Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota.
Number 22: Philadelphia Eagles – Timmy Jernigan | DT | Florida State
The Philadelphia Eagle could use this draft to get increase the size of the defensive line. Timmy Jernigan is an absolute beast. He is a 300 hundred pound man who stays very light on his feet. Jernigan isn’t the best pass rusher in the draft, but his ability to draw a double team up front is something that the Eagles would love have.
Number 23: Kansas City Chiefs – Marqise Lee | WR | Southern California
Outside of Dwayne Bowe, the Kansas City Chiefs really lack a true play making receiver for Alex Smith to throw to. Marqise Lee is very good route-runner and extremely quick on his feet. Drafting Lee would give another viable option opposite of Dwayne Bowe.
Number 24: Cincinnati Bengals – Dee Ford | DE | Auburn
The Cincinnati Bengals are a very deep team. They don’t have a lot of holes that they need to fill; however, they could use another pass rusher. They lost Michael Johnson to free agency, so expect them to fill his spot by drafting an end with the twenty-forth pick. Dee Ford is a very good prospect coming out of Auburn and is someone who the Cincinnati Bengals would love to have.
Number 25: San Diego Chargers – Bradley Roby | CB | Ohio State
The San Diego Chargers made almost every opposing quarterback look like Peyton Manning, as they finished twenty-ninth in defending the pass. Unfortunately for the Chargers, they play in a division that has Peyton Manning. Roby has track star speed and plays very tight in coverage. He might not be the savior, but he is definitely a good piece to have moving forward for San Diego.
Number 26: Cleveland Browns (from Indy) – Derek Carr | QB | Fresno State
There has been some speculation that Derek Carr will not get passed the Raiders at the fifth spot in the draft. Apparently, the Raiders have a huge crush on Carr and it should not surprise anyone if they select him. I think Oakland will go a different way, leaving the door open for Cleveland to bring in Carr with the twenty-sixth pick.
Number 27: New Orleans Saints – Marcus Roberson | CB | Florida
As long as Rob Ryan is the defensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints, they need to have an abundance of cornerbacks. In Ryan’s system, cornerbacks are often left out on an island with their receiver. It is important that the Saints add-on another cornerback to this roster who excels in man-to-man coverage. Luckily for the Saints, it just so happens that Marcus Roberson will be available at twenty-seven. Although he has had some injury concerns at the University of Florida, Roberson is at his best while he is in coverage. Florida produces some pretty quality cornerbacks, and with a little more work and a healthy body, Roberson can have a very successful career.
Number 28: Carolina Panthers – Odell Beckham Jr. | WR | Louisiana State
Last season, one of the biggest problems that the Carolina Panthers had been faced with was the lack of weapons on the offensive side of the football. To make that problem even worse, they lost receivers Steve Smith, Brandon Lafell and Ted Ginn Jr. Now, the Panthers are left with Jericho Cotchery and Greg Olsen as Cam Newton’s top options. On top of that, Cam Newton will be out for an extended period of time due to his recent ankle surgery; giving him less time to work with his new receivers. Odell Beckham Jr. is a wide receiver that should be available at the twenty-eighth pick and one that would make a tremendous impact on the Panthers. He is very shifty and possesses very dependable hands. At this point, I’m sure Newton would love to have another SEC receiver to throw to.
Number 29: New England Patriots – Louis Nix III | DT | Notre Dame
It appears that the Vince Wilfork era in New England has come to an abrupt end. Wilfork, who asked for his release recently went to his locker to grab his belongings before walking out of Gillette Stadium. According to multiple sources, Wilfork angrily ripped his name plate off of his locker. It is likely that the Patriots will bring in another young defensive lineman to add to their rotation. Coach Belichick loves his defensive lineman and there is a lot to like with Nix. Nix is a BIG dude and would be an ideal match for the Patriots.
Number 30: San Francisco 49’ers – Jason Verrett | CB | Texas Christian
The San Francisco 49’ers will be looking to add some youth to the cornerback position. Jason Verrett has many traits that San Francisco might find attractive. He is very fast and has excellent coverage skills. He is also quite versatile, as he can play anywhere from the outside to the nickel position. One part of the team that the 49’ers would like to work on is the secondary. They can continue to do so by drafting Jason Verrett.
Number 31: Denver Broncos – C.J. Mosley | LB | Alabama
A couple of months ago there was no chance of C.J. Mosley’s stock falling. We saw this happen last draft with Manti Te’o. Well, according to many reports, Mosley’s stock has fallen so much that he could drop to a second day pick. I don’t see him being a second day pick as he would have to get past the Broncos, who need help at the inside linebacker position.
Number 32: Seattle Seahawks – Jeremiah Attaochu | DE | Georgia Tech
The Seattle Seahawks have a history of building their team through the draft and not spending a prodigious amount of money on free agents. They let Red Bryant and Chris Clemmons both walk, which puts a priority on drafting another pass rusher. Jeremiah Attaochu is very athletic and has extremely long arms. He gets off of the line very quickly and excels in rushing the quarterback — which is just what the Seahawks like.