Welcome to the second half of my January mock. Did you miss the first part? It can be found here, alongside the rest of LWOS 2014 NFL draft coverage.
17. Dallas Cowboys- Stephon Tuitt, DE/DT
You have to feel for Dallas fans. They have gone 8-8 for the last three seasons in a row, and there are a lot of issues with their roster. But the biggest of these is by far the front seven on defense (a unit that conceded on average 415.3 yards per game this season). Whether they end up playing in a 4-3 or 3-4, Tuitt will find a way to be disruptive, and the Notre Dame player would certainly help the Cowboys defense.
18. New York Jets- Eric Ebron- TE
Who on earth saw this coming? After the embarrassment of 2012, the Jets had some impressive games this season (finishing with a two-game win streak and a 6-2 home record). Although Geno Smith was certainly less than stellar, a fair portion of the blame can be given to his poor supporting cast. Eric Ebron gives the team a much needed upgrade at tight end, and should make Smith’s live a lot easier next season.
19. Miami Dolphins- Cameron Erving, OT
20. Arizona Cardinals- Greg Robertson, OT
I have bundled these picks together because they are essentially the same. Both teams are in desperate need for a tackle (Miami gave up over 3.5 sacks per game this season, Arizona finished in the bottom six for rushing yards per carry), and so I have them taking the best two tackles available to help their offensive lines. Cameron Erving has been fantastic in pass protection for Jameis Winston, and Greg Robertson has been a crucial part of Auburn’s successful run game.
21. Green Bay Packers- Darqueze Dennard, CB
After just making it into the playoffs thanks to a timely return by Aaron Rodgers (and his incredible fumbling ability), the Packers must address multiple needs this off-season. Although finding a replacement to Jermichael Finley is a necessity, they have bigger needs and should be able to find a replacement later on. One of those bigger needs is upgrading their bad secondary and replacing free agent Sam Shields. Darqueze Dennard is an impressive cover corner who can also help out in the run game.
22. San Diego Chargers- Louis Nix III
Although getting a new nose tackle is not the Chargers to priority (they could also do with a linebacker, corner and left tackle), if Louis Nix falls to them in May I expect them to sprint to the podium to pick him. The 345 lb. behemoth is the best nose tackle prospect by far in this year’s draft, and his size and relatively good athleticism means he would be an instant upgrade for San Diago (yes, that was an awful attempt at an Anchorman reference).
23. Philadelphia Eagles- Kyle Van Noy, OLB
The difference between Philadelphia on offense and defense is like night and day. Their pass defense has been atrocious this season, and a large part of this has been the inability to get pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Kyle Van Noy has got 17 sacks over the past two seasons, including getting three in one game against Georgia Tech this year. But the BYU linebacker isn’t a one-trick pony- he got his hands on nine passes this year, and is a solid run defender.
24. Kansas City Chiefs- Jace Amaro, TE
Unless you are a fan of a AFC West team, you have to be impressed with the Chiefs quick turnaround. Although they excelled in the run game and turning the ball over on defense, their passing offense lacked spark. As a result, they will go into the off-season looking for a Dynamic receiver to get the most out of Alex Smith. Texas Tech tight end Jace Amaro fits the bill perfectly. He broke the FBS record for tight ends this season, yet he hasn’t let this get to his head.
25. Cincinnati Bengals- Ryan Shazier, OLB
As long as Andy Dalton isn’t in the mood when he likes to give out interceptions like the are free product samples, the Bengals are one of the best teams in the league. But they need to make a few improvements, one of which is finding a replacement for the aging James Harrison at outside linebacker. Ohio State’s Ryan Shazier would be a definite upgrade, and is fast with good instincts.
26. Cleveland Browns (from the Colts)- Ifo Ekpre-Olumu, CB
Most mock drafts have the browns taking a wide receiver here. And although bringing in another weapon to compliment John Gordon and Jordan Cameron would give a lot of help to whoever the next quarterback is, the depth at wide receiver in this draft class means there will still be good options available at their second or third round pick.
Instead, I have them filling their only hole on defense. There is little wrong with the outstanding Joe Haden (apart from his questionable dress sense), but the Browns need to find a second corner to compliment him. Oregon corner Ekpre-Olumu has the skills to fill the void, and his excellent performance in the Civil War against Oregon State proves this point perfectly.
27. New Orleans Saints- Austin Sefarian-Jenkins, TE
This pick may seem a bit left-of-field, but hear me out. The Saints biggest priority is undoubtedly on defense, I would not be surprised if they go that way. But although the team does not need a tight end now, they most likely will after free agency. Star Jimmy Graham’s rookie contract finishes at the end of the season, and he is likely to demand top dollar after racking up over 3500 yards over the past three seasons.
Due to the Saints limited cap space, I would not be surprised if he leaves for pastures new. If the front office ends up needing to find a replacement, I believe they should get the best available prospect to maintain the Saints incredible pass attack. ASJ has a near identical height and 40 time coming out of college as Graham, and is more polished than he was after his one season in Miami.
28. New England Patriots- Ra’shede Hageman, DT
In an ideal world, the Patriots would like to take either a top tight end or nose tackle prospect with their first round pick. Unfortunately, neither of those are available at 28. The next best thing is to beef up the rest of the defensive line. Hageman is a 6-6 monster who should terrorize offensive lines at the next level, and has the potential to become a nose tackle is he beefs up a bit.
29. San Francisco 49’ers- Marquise Lee, WR
This is the dream scenario for the 49’ers. Lee is unlikely to last this long come May, but could fall due to injury questions and lack of production this year. But that doesn’t mean he isn’t a top player- just go back and watch him dominate the Las Vegas bowl and you will see how talented he is.
30. Carolina Panthers- Allen Robinson, WR
The Panthers are likely to miss out on one of the top wide receivers (especially if San Francisco use any of their haul of draft picks to trade up), but Allen Robinson is a more than adequate alternative. The Penn State player has had back-to-back 1000 yard seasons with different QBs, and would finally give Cam Newton the decent second receiver he has been needing for years.
31. Denver Broncos- Jason Verrett, CB
This is a pick that should have been made a year ago. The broncos biggest problem is stopping the pass (they gave the up the 6th most passing yards per game in 2013), and 35 year-old Champ Bailey is not a number one corner anymore. To replace him, I have the Broncos taking TCU star Jason Verrett, who should help shore up the secondary in no time.
32. Seattle Seahawks- Cyril Richardson, OG
If there is one position of weakness for Seattle, it is a guard. The poor play of the ‘Hawks guards is the primary reason Russell Wilson has faced so much pressure (Wilson is sacked roughly twice every 21 plays, the highest frequency in the league), and getting better here will be crucial for the success and longevity of the former Wisconsin QB. Baylor’s Cyril Richardson is currently my favourite guard in this draft class, and excels as both a pass and run blocker.
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