2014 NFL Mock Draft 5.0 (Final)
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 – Odell Beckham Jr. | WR | Louisiana State
The Jets really lack an outside receiver, making the 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. Odell Beckham Jr. is a player that was able to use his elite speed and athleticism to make big plays for the Tigers last season. After an impressive season and great workouts, Beckham has shot up the draft boards of many. He is very good at creating separation between him and the defender and is even better after the catch.
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 – C.J. Mosley | LB | Alabama
Inside linebacker is a huge need for the Green Bay Packers and this pick could easily be flipped with the prior selection of the Arizona Cardinals. C.J. Mosley is your prototypical inside linebacker. This is the most logical pick for a very logical franchise.
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 Cal
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: Cincinnatti 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 – Kyle Fuller | CB | Virginia Tech
Despite making it to the playoffs last season, the San Diego Chargers had real problems in stopping the pass. Although they did re-sign and sign a couple of cornerbacks, drafting a young prospect would be extremely beneficiary. They play Peyton Manning twice a year, so having depth at the cornerback position is a pretty good thing to have. Fuller can come in and start day one, making an immediate impact on the team.
Number 26: Cleveland Browns (from Indy) – Teddy Bridgewater | QB | Louisville
This is the pick that I was referring to earlier. Will Bridgewater be here at twenty-six? Possibly. If he is, the Cleveland Browns will obviously take him. They have done a really good job at filling out their team this offseason, and if their draft picks pan out, the AFC North can get really interesting this year.
Number 27: New Orleans Saints – Bradley Roby | CB | Ohio State
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. Despite not having the ideal size that teams look for at the cornerback position, Roby has world class speed and is extremely efficient in coverage. Luckily for the Saints, this year’s cornerback class is VERY deep.
Number 28: Carolina Panthers – Morgan Moses | OT | Virginia
With the sudden retirement of Jordan Gross, the Panthers must immediately find a replacement at the left tackle position. With Morgan Moses being the best available tackle remaining, the Panthers must pull the trigger. They have other wholes that need to be filled at the wide out position; however, they can always fill those whole during the second day of the draft. Protecting Newton should be first priority.
Number 29: New England Patriots – Louis Nix III | DT | Notre Dame
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. You would think that the Patriots are on the lookout for a future replacement for Vince Wilfork. If they play their cards right, New England could very easily find it right here.
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 – Xavier Su’a-Filo | G | UCLA
The Broncos did an exceptional job in terms of filing out their team during the free agency period. They were able to bring in big time players with T.J. Ward, Demarcus Ware and Aqib Talib. They were even able to fill out the loss of Eric Decker by signing Emmanuel Sanders (who is an upgrade in my opinion). The only thing remaining for the Broncos to continue to work on is the offensive line. As long as they have Peyton Manning, it is imperative that they keep him upright. Su’a-Filo is the best offensive guard in the draft and with him being available to the Broncos, this pick should be a no brainer.
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.