Round 1
- Kansas City Chiefs
OT Eric Fisher - Central Michigan
A rye and a bourbon pre-draft (in a tumbler with ice), how long will I last? Hopefully to the Steelers pick. The only thing predictable about this draft is my inebriation. The unpredictability starts at the top. Everyone had Joeckel penciled in as the top pick until Wednesday when news broke that the Chiefs' scouts preferred him and the coaches preferred Fisher. Coaches win. I don't really have an opinion to be honest. Both should have long, productive careers barring injury during which those outside of Kansas City and Jacksonville (probably) rarely hear of them.
- Needs: OT, ILB, DE, QB, FS, G/C
- My pick: OT Eric Fisher - Central Michigan
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- Jacksonville Jaguars
OT Luke Joeckel - Texas A&M
Safe pick, sane pick. New GM David Caldwell didn't feel the need to make a statement. Definitely better than doing something crazy like trading up to 8 to take Derrick Harvey or reaching for Tyson Alualu at 10. The rest of the NFL will miss former GM Gene Smith. Chris Berman just informed me this is the first time offensive linemen have gone 1-2 since Ron Yary and Bob Johnson in 1968. I'd switch to NFL Network, but I tried that earlier and if anything it was worse.
- Needs: QB, DE, CB, RT/G, OLB, SS
- My pick: OT Luke Joeckel - Texas A&M
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- Miami Dolphins (from Oakland)
DE Dion Jordan - Oregon
Holy shit. Dolphins move up wasn't particularly a shock. Everyone thought they were moving up for Lane Johnson to replace Jake Long. Instead they add the edge rusher to play opposite Cameron Wake. Jordan could have been the second pick so this is not a reach. Just a really big surprise. Only giving up the 42nd pick to get from 12 to 3 was actually an incredibly cheap price to pay. Branden Albert is still in play.
- Needs: OT, CB, DE, RB, TE, OG
- My pick: DT/DE Sharrif Floyd - Florida (at 3 to Oakland)
- My pick: CB DJ Hayden - Houston (at 12 to Miami)
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- Philadelphia Eagles
OT Lane Johnson - Oklahoma
Three out of four ain't bad. I actually saw Meatloaf at the Somerset County balloon festival a few years ago. He can put on a show, but his voice is sadly shot. But I digress…. Dolphins surprise targeting of an edge rusher allows Johnson to get to the Eagles. No surprise here.
- Needs: OT, DE, CB, QB, G/C, NT
- My pick: OT Lane Johnson - Oklahoma
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- Detroit Lions
DE Ezekiel Ansah - BYU
Barry Sanders announces the pick. Not sure what Madden 25 is (thought they were named after years) or why Barry is on the cover. Kudos to Barry in any case. I'm four of five. Patting myself on the back. The top three tackles and Jordan were off the board making this a no-brainer.
- Needs: OT, DE, CB, G/C, WR, DT
- My pick: DE Ezekiel Ansah - BYU
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- Cleveland Browns
OLB Barkevious Mingo - LSU
Dolphins guaranteed there was no way I could get this one right. Browns wanted an edge rusher. They took the best available edge rusher.
- Needs: QB, CB, OG, FS, OLB, WR
- My pick: OLB Dion Jordan - Oregon
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- Arizona Cardinals
OG/C Jonathon Cooper - North Carolina
Guard in the top ten for the first time since 1997. I had the wrong guard. Cooper's athleticism has him come off the board before the more physical Warmack.
- Needs: OT, OG, S, OLB, CB, QB
- My pick: OG Chance Warmack - Alabama
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- St. Louis Rams (from Buffalo)
WR Tavon Austin - West Virginia
The greatest show on turf returns.
- Needs: WR, S, RB, OLB, OG, DT
- My pick: QB Ryan Nassib - Syracuse (at 8 to Buffalo)
- My pick: OG/C Jonathon Cooper - North Carolina (at 16 to St. Louis)
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- New York Jets
CB Dee Milliner - Alabama
The two picks I mocked to the Jets are both gone. I thought this selection came down to Austin or Milliner so this makes perfect sense. Even the notoriously fickle Jets fans like the pick.
- Needs: QB, OLB, WR, CB, TE, RT/G
- My pick: WR Tavon Austin - West Virginia
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- Tennessee Titans
OG Chance Warmack - Alabama
The fifth offensive lineman in the top ten, the second guard in the top ten.
- Needs: DE, CB, OG, DT, LB, TE
- My pick: CB Dee Milliner - Alabama
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- San Diego Chargers
OT DJ Fluker - Alabama
Third straight member of the Crimson Tide off the board. More than half the picks at this point have been offensive lineman. Eddie Lacy was a lucky man.
- Needs: T/G, NT, LB, CB, SS, RB
- My pick: OT DJ Fluker - Alabama
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- Oakland Raiders (from Miami)
CB DJ Hayden - Houston
Reggie McKenzie took pennies on the dollar to get out of the third pick. I'm not sure how to view the deal because the Raiders need quantity, especially in a draft weak at the top. Their own second rounder had been dealt in the ill-advised Carson Palmer trade. I got the right player in this spot, wrong team. There were rumors earlier today the Raiders had targeted Hayden. Reaching for a player not worth the third pick with no return would have been worse than what unfolded.
- Needs: DE, CB, DT, LB, FS, RT/G
- My pick: DT/DE Sharrif Floyd - Florida (at 3 to Oakland)
- My pick: CB DJ Hayden - Houston (at 12 to Miami)
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- New York Jets (from Tampa Bay)
DT Sheldon Richardson - Missouri
Another 3-4 end after taking Quinton Coples in the first round last year and Muhammad Wilkerson in the first round the year before. Not sure I get it despite having no problem with Richardson in this general area of the draft. Mel Kiper doesn't get this pick either. Not sure if that makes me feel better or worse.
- My pick: OLB Barkevious Mingo - LSU
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- Carolina Panthers
DT Star Lotulelei - Utah
Best case scenario for the Panthers.
- Needs: DT, CB, OT, S, OG, WR
- My pick: DT Star Lotulelei - Utah
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- New Orleans Saints
S Kenny Vaccaro - Texas
Time to hold my breath. Will the Saints snag Jarvis Jones? Personally I'm holding up surprisingly well, only on my third bourbon after that first rye. I breath a sigh of relief. The Saints need at safety was so great that Vaccaro was indeed the pick.
- Needs: OT, S, NT, OLB, DE, CB
- My pick: S Kenny Vaccaro - Texas
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- Buffalo Bills (from St. Louis)
QB EJ Manuel - Florida St
The Bills actually got value to trade down unlike the Raiders. Just goes to show which team was desperate in each deal. Raiders were desperate to move down. Rams were desperate to move up. Supposedly enamored with Doug Marrone's college QB Ryan Nassib with Matt Barkely as a close second. Then they pull Manuel out of their ass. Buddy Nix has a reputation for showing his hand early. This time he bluffed and really played the rest of the league. I actually like Manuel way more than Nassib and think he has more upside (and admittedly downside) than both Smith and Barkley. I hate to say it but I can’t help myself. I like this pick.
- Needs: QB, WR, OG, ILB, DE, TE
- My pick: QB Ryan Nassib - Syracuse (at 8 to Buffalo)
- My pick: OG/C Jonathon Cooper - North Carolina (at 16 to St. Louis)
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- Pittsburgh Steelers
OLB Jarvis Jones - Georgia
I have nothing to say. This was a no brainer.
- Needs: RB, WR, LB, S, TE, OT/G
- My pick: OLB Jarvis Jones - Georgia
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- San Francisco 49ers (from Dallas)
S Eric Reid - LSU
49ers definitely had the extra picks to move up. Safety was their biggest need. I actually had them nabbing Reid at the top of the second round with the pick they acquired from the Chiefs. He definitely looks like a top safety. Two years ago he played like a top safety. Last year he regressed. In the 2012 draft I thought the 49ers reached for AJ Jenkins. This is also not my favorite pick.
- Needs: S, NT, DE, TE, OLB, CB
- My pick: DT Sheldon Richardson - Missouri (at 18 to Dallas)
- My pick: DE Datone Jones - UCLA (at 31 to San Francisco)
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- New York Giants
T/G Justin Pugh - Syracuse
Elvis has left the building. I was doing pretty well with my mock through the Steelers pick. Now all hell has broken loose. Pugh started 34 games at Syracuse, mostly at LT, and dominated. Short arms could force him inside.
- Needs: DE, LB, CB, RT, OG, S
- My pick: DE Cornellius Carradine - Florida St
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- Chicago Bears
G/T Kyle Long - Oregon
Wow. The offensive linemen continue to fly off the board.
- Needs: LB, CB, OT, G/C, WR, QB
- My pick: LB Alec Ogletree - Georgia
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- Cincinnati Bengals
TE Tyler Eifert - Notre Dame
Value over need. Solid pick. Eifert in the slot with Jermaine Gresham inline and AJ Green outside is a scary thought.
- Needs: S, RB, LB, RT, G/C, WR
- My pick: S Jonathan Cyprien - Fla International
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- Atlanta Falcons (from Washington through St. Louis)
CB Desmond Trufant - Washington
Definitely needed a corner. There is so much depth at the position this move up does not seem necessary. Guess they really liked Trufant.
- Needs: CB, DE, DT, LB, RT, G/C
- My pick: WR DeAndre Hopkins - Clemson (at 22 to St. Louis)
- My pick: CB Jamar Taylor - Boise St (at 30 to Atlanta)
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- Minnesota Vikings
DT Sharrif Floyd - Florida
Sharrif Floyd? I thought you were dead. Sorry about the Snake Plissken reference. Can't quibble with this pick. Floyd could have easily gone in the top 5.
- Needs: MLB, CB, DT, WR, DE, S
- My pick: CB Xavier Rhodes - Florida St
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- Indianapolis Colts
OLB/DE Bjoern Werner - Florida St
High motor edge rusher that can stand up and pressure the passer to start his career. Adding bulk to put his hand down in a 3-4 is not out of the question.
- Needs: CB, OLB, DE, WR, OG/C, OT
- My pick: NT/DE Sylvester Williams - North Carolina
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- Minnesota Vikings (from Seattle)
CB Xavier Rhodes - Florida St
Stayed put and drafted for value with both their picks. Good job. Mel Kiper is surprised they didn’t go ILB. The way things are going one could well be available for them in the second round.
- My pick: MLB Manti Te’o - Notre Dame
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- Green Bay Packers
DE Datone Jones - UCLA
Good player. Good pick to fill a definite need. Packers know what they are doing even as bourbon is sapping my will to continue. Just six more picks (and probably one more bourbon) to go. Let’s pick up the pace.
- Needs: RB, DE, WR, OLB, S, TE
- My pick: WR Cordarrelle Patterson - Tennessee
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- Houston Texans
WR DeAndre Hopkins - Clemson
NFL ready receiver to start opposite Andre Johnson. Just the second receiver off the board (unless my ability to count has been compromised which is not out of the realm of possibility).
- Needs: WR, RT/G, ILB, NT, OLB, TE
- My pick: TE Tyler Eifert - Notre Dame
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- Denver Broncos
DT Sylvester Williams - North Carolina
Best player available. Fills a need. I had the Colts and Broncos picks flipped.
- Needs: DE, DT, S, RB, MLB, CB
- My pick: DE Bjoern Werner - Florida St
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- Minnesota Vikings (from New England)
WR Cordarrelle Patterson - Tennessee
A third first rounder for the Vikings. Patriots only had five picks heading into the draft so the bounty received will help them add depth. Kudos to Joe Andruzzi and Neil Diamond. Hard to argue with what the Vikings have done today. I am starting to ramble. No more bourbon. Maybe one more.
- My pick: LB Arthur Brown - Kansas St (at 29 to New England)
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- St. Louis Rams (from Atlanta)
LB Alec Ogletree - Georgia
Traded down and got a player I thought would be gone when they were supposed to pick in the first place. Rams like the Vikings had a really good night.
- My pick: WR DeAndre Hopkins - Clemson (at 22 to St. Louis)
- My pick: CB Jamar Taylor - Boise St (at 30 to Atlanta)
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- Dallas Cowboys (from San Francisco)
C Travis Fredrick - Wisconsin
Jerry Jones doesn't disappoint. A player that should not have been off the board when the Steelers pick in the second round.
- Needs: G/C, DT, S, RT, DE, OLB
- My pick: DT Sheldon Richardson - Missouri (at 18 to Dallas)
- My pick: DE Datone Jones - UCLA (at 31 to San Francisco)
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- Baltimore Ravens
S Matt Elam - Florida
Te'o does drop out of the first. Jonathan Cyprien is also still available. Would the Steelers take either at 50? There are also three top receivers left for the Steelers. The expected run on QBs at the top of the second round should push plenty of talent down. This pick by a divisional foe does not bother me. Good night and good luck.
- Needs: ILB, WR, S, OT, CB, OG/C
- My pick: WR Keenan Allen - California
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