Round 1
- Indianapolis Colts
QB Andrew Luck, Stanford
Nothing to see here....
- Needs: QB, OG, TE, WR, NT, CB
- My pick: QB Andrew Luck, Stanford
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- Washington Redskins (from St. Louis)
QB Robert Griffin III, Baylor
Move along....
- Needs: QB, RT/G, ILB, S, NT, CB
- My pick: QB Robert Griffin III, Baylor
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- Cleveland Browns (from Minnesota)
RB Trent Richardson, Alabama
Entered the draft with 13 picks. Trading three on the second day is really not that big a deal to guarantee they get the player they obviously wanted. Still the volume of picks seems to indicate they panicked at least a little. Must have been really scared the Buccaneers would leapfrog them.
- Needs: QB, WR, RB, RT/G, CB, OLB
- My pick: RB Trent Richardson, Alabama (at 4)
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- Minnesota Vikings (from Cleveland)
OT Matt Kalil, USC
Claiborne proves to be a smokescreen. Took quantity to move down one pick knowing they would still get the player they wanted. Then got the player most everyone had them taking at three for months. Kudos to Rick Spielman.
- Needs: CB, LT, S, OG, WR, LB
- My pick: OT Matt Kalil, USC (at 3)
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- Jacksonville Jaguars (from Tampa Bay)
WR Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma St
Got ahead of the Rams for the relatively small price of a fourth rounder to take Blackmon to pair with Laurent Robinson. Blaine Gabbert has no more excuses.
- Needs: WR, DE, OT, G/C, CB, DT
- My pick: DT Fletcher Cox, Mississippi St (at 7)
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- Dallas Cowboys (from Washington thru St. Louis)
CB Morris Claiborne, LSU
The rookie wage scale has made mock drafts obsolete. Claiborne pairs with free agent Brandon Carr in a complete remake of the secondary.
- Needs: DE/NT, S, OG/C, WR, TE/FB, CB
- My pick: S Mark Barron, Alabama (at 14)
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- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (from Jacksonville)
S Mark Barron, Alabama
Did a good job of hiding the fact they wanted Barron to QB their defense. Got him and an extra fourth rounder. Reportedly had him higher on their board than Claiborne. Greg Schiano is obviously following the beat of his own drummer which to be honest is OK.
- Needs: RB, CB, LB, OT, DT, FB/TE
- My pick: CB Morris Claiborne, LSU (at 5)
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- Miami Dolphins
QB Ryan Tannehill, Texas A&M
Best case scenario for Tannehill. Should be interesting to follow his career arc.
- Needs: QB, WR, RT/G, S, DE, OLB
- My pick: QB Ryan Tannehill, Texas A&M
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- Carolina Panthers
LB Luke Kuechly, Boston College
Every down player and leader for the defense. Connor left via free agency. Jon Beeson is expected to play outside. I am still surprised this was not a DT.
- Needs: DT, CB, LB, WR, RT/OG, DE
- My pick: DT Dontari Poe, Memphis
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- Buffalo Bills
CB Stephon Gilmore, South Carolina
Continue building the defense. Nothing wrong with this selection. Dave Wannstedt has to be a happy man.
- Needs: OT, OLB, WR, CB, QB, DT
- My pick: WR Michael Floyd, Notre Dame
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- Kansas City Chiefs
NT Dontari Poe, Memphis
Scott Pioli rolls the dice. Talk of Poe dropping due to game film from Memphis proves completely untrue. If anyone can develop him it is Romeo Crennel.
- Needs: NT, OG/C, QB, CB, ILB, S
- My pick: LB Luke Kuechly, Boston College
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- Philadelphia Eagles (from Seattle)
DT Fletcher Cox, Mississippi St
Reportedly wanted Cox badly. Rumors had them possibly dealing all the way up to the fifth pick. Only had to deal fourth and sixth rounders to guarantee his availability. Solid value and they still have eight picks remaining.
- Needs: OLB, DT, SS, CB, DE, QB
- My pick: DT Michael Brockers, LSU (at 15)
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- Arizona Cardinals
WR Michael Floyd, Notre Dame
Larry Fitzgerald openly advocated for Floyd. What Fitzgerald wants, Fitzgerald gets. Good value. Failure to address offensive line and pass rush could come back to haunt them.
- Needs: OT, OLB, WR, ILB, OG, S
- My pick: OT Riley Reiff, Iowa
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- St. Louis Rams (from Dallas)
DT Michael Brockers, LSU
Can't be particularly happy Cox and Floyd came off the board with the previous two picks. Still have a lot of ammunition to rebuild with four picks this year in the top 45 and an extra first rounder in each of the next two drafts. Brockers is a high upside project that only had two sacks in his college career. A much bigger gamble than Poe in my opinion.
- Needs: WR, OT, DT, OLB, RB, CB
- My pick: WR Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma St (at 6)
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- Seattle Seahawks (from Philadelphia)
DE Bruce Irvin, West Virginia
Holy crap.... The first total shocker. A one dimensional pass rush specialist that has no other skills. Plus he has major off the field issues although Pete Carroll at least knows him after recruiting him at the JUCO level. A decent gamble in the mid-to-late second round. Crazy pick at 15.
- Needs: LB, DE, OG, RB, CB, WR
- My pick: DE Quinton Coples, UNC (at 12)
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- New York Jets
DE Quintin Coples, UNC
Rare athlete that Rex Ryan will have to figure out a way to motivate. Coples might have been better off stepping into a more stable locker room. Still a solid gamble at this point based on talent level. Hard to believe he comes off the board after Irvin.
- Needs: OLB, RT, S, WR, OG, CB
- My pick: OLB/DE Melvin Ingram, South Carolina
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- Cincinnati Bengals (from Oakland)
CB Dre Kirkpatrick, Alabama
Gilmore was gone. Get the next best corner and only other one that can safely be taken in the first round. Depressingly enough a very solid pick.
- Needs: DE, WR, OG, SS, RB, CB
- My pick: CB Stephon Gilmore, South Carolina
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- San Diego Chargers
OLB Melvin Ingram, South Carolina
Best player available.
- Needs: CB, OG, OT, OLB, NT, RB
- My pick: OG David DeCastro, Stanford
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- Chicago Bears
OLB/DE Shea McClellin, Boise St
Definitely was on the rise. Thought he was a better fit for the 3-4. I still have no problem with the pick. Could actually play standing up on the strong side in their 4-3 scheme and put his hand on the ground in nickel packages.
- Needs: OT, DE, CB, WR, RG/C, DT
- My pick: DE Chandler Jones, Syracuse
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- Tennessee Titans
WR Kendall Wright, Baylor
I thought the pick would definitely be an edge rusher. Not bad value. Just a surprise position for them to take. Wright does seem to compliment Kenny Britt perfectly. Jake Locker and Matt Hasselbeck have to be pleased.
- Needs: CB, DE, C/G, OLB, DT, WR
- My pick: DE Whitney Mercilus, Illinois
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- New England Patriots (from Cincinnati)
OLB Chandler Jones, Syracuse
Bill Belichick trades up to target a player instead of down to accumulate more picks. The sky is falling. Can't begrudge them for moving up to get the edge rusher they desire at the cost of a third rounder. Good move.
- Needs: OLB/DE, DT/DE, CB, S, RB, T/G
- My pick: OLB/DE Shea McClellin, Boise St (at 27)
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- Cleveland Browns (from Atlanta)
QB Brandon Weeden, Oklahoma St
Seems like another panic move with Wright off the board. I had them taking him at 37. Pick actually excites me as a Steelers fan. There is going to be a lot of talent available at 24.
- My pick: WR Kendall Wright, Baylor
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- Detroit Lions
OT Riley Reiff, Iowa
Durable, well coached football player. Excellent value to replace Gosder Cherilus on the right side in the short term before eventually stepping in for Jeff Backus on the left.
- Needs: CB, OT, RB, WR, SS, C/G
- My pick: CB Dre Kirkpatrick, Alabama
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- Pittsburgh Steelers
OG David DeCastro, Stanford
Reaped the rewards of standing pat and letting the draft come to them. Raced to the podium to take DeCastro. Who can blame them? I am thrilled,
- Needs: OT, OG, NT/DE, ILB, FS/CB, RB
- My pick: ILB Dont'a Hightower, Alabama
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- New England Patriots (from Denver)
LB Dont'a Hightower, Alabama
Dealt up for a second time at the cost of a fourth rounder. Could this be the sign of the apocalypse? Is the Mayan calendar correct? Excellent move to be honest. The versatile Hightower can play anywhere in Bill Belichick's multiple fronts. I really liked the idea of Hightower on the Steelers before DeCastro fell. I would rather have him in New England than have to face him twice a year in Baltimore so I want to thank Belichick for that at least.
- My pick: T/G Cordy Glenn, Georgia (to Denver)
- My pick: DE/DT Jerel Worthy, Michigan St (at 31)
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- Houston Texans
OLB Whitney Mercilus, Illinois
Let Mario Williams walk so they wanted to add another edge rusher. Got a good one.
- Needs: RT/G, NT, WR, OLB, TE, CB
- My pick: TE Coby Fleener, Stanford
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- Cincinnati Bengals (from New Orleans thru New England)
OG Kevin Zeitler, Wisconsin
Fortified line with powerful interior blocker while picking up an extra selection. Bengals had a good first day. At least we can still laugh at the Browns.
- My pick: DE Courtney Upshaw, Alabama (at 21)
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- Green Bay Packers
OLB/DE Nick Perry, USC
I had every first rounder in my first round up to this point except Irvin. And I can hardly be blamed for the dementia of Pete Carroll. Still it is nice to finally again hit a pick to team exactly. My thanks to Ted Thompson.
- Needs: OLB, DE, S, CB, RB, C/G
- My pick: OLB/DE Nick Perry, USC
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- Minnesota Vikings (from Baltimore)
S Harrison Smith, Notre Dame
Traded a second and fourth to get back into the first round. Certainly had the third day picks to move up after their deal with the Browns. This is a pure case of supply and demand. Smith is at best a high second round value yet after him the safety class takes a big drop off.
- My pick: OG Kevin Zeitler, Wisconsin (to Baltimore)
- My pick: WR Ruben Randle, LSU (at 35)
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- San Francisco 49ers
WR AJ Jenkins, Illinois
Jenkins has been moving up. This is not a ridiculous reach. Position not a shocker. Yet there clearly seemed to be more productive and higher upside receivers plus excellent options to improve the offensive line. Not a crazy selection like the Seahawks, but this pick leaves me flat.
- Needs: DE, OG, WR, CB, RT, OLB
- My pick: G/T Amini Silatolu, Midwestern St
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- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (from New England thru Denver)
RB Doug Martin, Boise St
The extra pick they got earlier allows them to move back up ahead of the Giants for Martin. Savvy move. The Broncos bail on the first round. There is still a ton of talent to help Peyton Manning.
- My pick: RB Doug Martin, Boise St (at 36)
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- New York Giants
RB David Wilson, Va Tech
Looking to replace Brandon Jacobs. Wilson was the next back on just about everyone's draft board. I am just a little surprised GM Jerry Reese reached for him with Martin off the board. Best player available has been the way for Reese in the past and there were some good offensive lineman still available. Wilson will definitely benefit from landing with Tom Coughlin. No one is better addressing fumbling issues.
- Needs: OT, G/C, WR, RB, TE, CB
- My pick: C/G Peter Konz, Wisconsin
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