2013 NFL Mock Draft: Projecting the First 3 Rounds

We are extremely early in the process for NFL mock drafts, but I believe they do hold some value at this stage.  In particular, we can start to assess potential team needs and match them with early-season standouts from the college level.

For this mock, I projected every remaining game this season to come up with my draft order.  While my Super Bowl participants may come as mild surprises considering the events of Week 6, the first team on the clock should be a shock to no one...

Kansas City Chiefs

Geno Smith, QB, West Virginia

Smith has clearly established himself as the top QB in this year's class, so he is the logical No. 1 overall pick for Kansas City.

He has excellent mobility and can make all the NFL throws with zip and accuracy.  I also love his willingness to stand tough in the pocket and take a big hit while delivering the ball accurately downfield.

While he was not as efficient last weekend in West Virginia's stunning blowout loss to Texas Tech, he has a chance to redeem himself this Saturday against Kansas State, the No. 4 ranked team in the country.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Dion Jordan, DE, Oregon

This is a loaded DE class, and while Jordan isn't receiving significant attention from the national media at this point, he may have the most upside of any prospect at any position in this draft class.

He consistently displays an explosive first step and has the agility needed to bend and change direction on the edge to finish at the QB. 

Jordan needs to add bulk to his frame and diversify his skill set, but he has the physical and athletic tools to become an elite pass-rusher at the NFL level.

New York Jets

Barkevious Mingo, DE, LSU

Mingo is already at the top of a lot of analysts' boards, and with good reason. 

He's a top-notch athlete capable of producing at a high level both as a pass-rusher and run-stopper. 

LSU is once again loaded with NFL-caliber talent, but Mingo looks to be the cream of the crop.

Cleveland Browns

Dee Milliner, CB, Alabama

As good as Browns CB Joe Haden is, he is just one slip-up away from a year-long suspension, and Cleveland clearly lacks youth and depth at the position outside of him.

Milliner exploded onto the scene with a huge game in Week 1 against Michigan.  He looks like a more complete talent at the position than former Alabama CB Dre Kirkpatrick did last year.

Milliner has the combination of size and athleticism that the NFL loves at his position, and he is more technically sound than past Alabama CB prospects.

Tennessee Titans

Kenny Vaccaro, SAF, Texas

Safeties don't often get selected in the top 10, but most safeties can't play the slot in man-to-man coverage like Vacarro can.

Vaccaro has the speed and agility to cover WRs and TEs all over the field and also possesses the size needed to support the run.

Tennessee's secondary has holes everywhere, and, at this stage, Vaccaro could be the best available defensive back for the Titans.

Buffalo Bills

Keenan Allen, WR, California

The Bills desperately need to upgrade the QB position, but in my mind no one at the position outside of Geno Smith is worth a top-10 pick.

Buffalo has a number of holes on both sides of the ball it could look to fill with this pick, but Allen's explosive playmaking ability could be too much to pass up.

Oakland Raiders

Johnthan Banks, CB, Mississippi State

This will be the the first time Oakland will be picking in the first round since 2010, and the Raiders need to make this pick count.

They are another team that will be looking for a QB of the future, but again, the lack of standout talent at the position could cause Oakland to look elsewhere in the first round.

Banks has the size, speed and athleticism to be an elite player in all forms of coverage, and will be a highly coveted CB come April.

Minnesota Vikings

Johnathan Hankins, DT, Ohio State

The Vikings need to get younger on the defensive line, and in this mock they get their choice at DT.

Hankins has elite strength at the point of attack and is essentially immovable on run plays.

While consistency is at times an issue for the mammoth Ohio State DT, Hankins has too much potential to not be taken early on Day One.

St. Louis Rams

Luke Joeckel, OT, Texas A&M

Who out there believes Wayne Hunter is the long-term answer at right tackle for the Rams?  I think its safe to assume that anyone reading this question would answer "not me."

In the last two years, the St. Louis offensive line has been decimated by injuries and high draft picks that haven't panned out.  Luckily, in this simulation the Rams are in position to select the best tackle in the entire draft class. 

Joeckel has the combination of size, strength and athleticism needed to start immediately at either tackle position.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Jarvis Jones, OLB, Georgia

The Pittsburgh defense has not lived up to its long-maintained reputation for the last two seasons, and a large part of its struggles are due to an inability to consistently rush the passer.

James Harrison and Lamarr Woodley have struggled through multiple injuries, and young players like Jason Worilds have not lived up to expectations.

Jones has had an up-and-down year, but has the elite physical ability to literally take over games with the chips on the table.

Carolina Panthers

Star Lotulelei, DT, Utah

The Panthers need defenders that can stop the run and rush the passer, and Lotulelei can do both.

He reminds me of Haloti Ngata because of his surprising agility and mammoth size.

Lotulelei’s motor seems to run a bit inconsistently, but his ability to dominate at the point of attack could completely alter the mindset and effectiveness of Carolina’s defense.

New Orleans Saints

Sam Montgomery, DE, LSU

2011 first-round selection DE Cameron Jordan is developing into one of the NFL’s better edge-setters against the run, but he has not been productive rushing the passer.

Montgomery would be an instant upgrade in this capacity, as he is a very good athlete with a polished skill set.

St. Louis Rams (From Washington)

Stedman Bailey, WR, West Virginia

This would be a surprise pick considering how productive Danny Amendola was this season before his collarbone injury. However, Sam Bradford is at his best when he can work with reliable targets underneath, and Bailey is an explosive talent.

I expect the St. Louis offense to struggle the rest of the year without its biggest playmaker, so adding a second go-to target via the draft makes perfect sense.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Jake Matthews, OT, Texas A&M

Scouts everywhere will be fixated on this weeks SEC matchup between LSU and Texas A&M, as some believe it will be a showcase game for the top two DEs and OTs of the 2012 draft class.

The Bucs need to add young talent to their offensive line, so it makes sense for them to target the best lineman available with their first pick.

San Diego Chargers

Justin Hunter, WR, Tennessee

Philip Rivers clearly misses having the big-bodied, athletic Vincent Jackson to work with, and the Chargers need to work quickly to find him a reliable new X receiver.

Hunter has the combination of size and athleticism that San Diego loves. By the time we get to April, he could be the top WR prospect in this year’s draft.

Dallas Cowboys

Chance Warmack, OG, Alabama

The Cowboys have holes everywhere on their offensive line, and Warmack is an elite interior prospect.

He has an elite combination of strength and quickness, but it’s his desire to finish that makes him one of the best guards to come out of college in the last decade.

When all is said and done, he could grade out higher than any other prospect this year—regardless of position.

Detroit Lions

Manti Te'o, LB, Notre Dame

The Lions need to continue upgrading their defensive back-seven, and Te’o may be the best available player at this stage.

My biggest concern with Te’o coming into the season was whether he could consistently make plays behind the line of scrimmage. His two goal-line stuffs to preserve Notre Dame’s victory over Stanford last Saturday could go a long way towards changing perceptions about him.

Arizona Cardinals

Eric Fisher, OT, Central Michigan

Throughout the NFL it seems that offensive lines are struggling to protect the QB, and nowhere is that more apparent than in Arizona, where injuries and youth have taken their toll on the Cardinals offense.

Rookie OT Bobby Massie has been a revolving door on passing downs, and I don’t think he has the lower body flexibility or core strength to be a starter for the long term.

Replacing Massie needs to be a priority for the Cardinals, and the fast-rising Fisher might be just the player they’re looking for to step in.

Miami Dolphins

Terrance Williams, WR, Baylor

By all accounts, the Dolphins appear to have hit a home run with rookie QB Ryan Tannehill, but the lack of perimeter weapons on the team is hurting his production and development.

Williams has an excellent combination of size and speed and would provide Tannehill an immediate threat downfield, which is something the Dolphins currently lack.

Philadelphia Eagles

Robert Woods, WR, USC

The struggles of Michael Vick this season have been well documented, but I believe a major part of Philadelphia's offensive struggles stems from lacking a true X receiver.

Woods has very good height and the frame to add weight, giving him the ability to beat press coverage off the line of scrimmage. 

Having this type of threat would allow DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin to have more freedom in their alignments and allow the Eagles to create more mismatches in space.

Indianapolis Colts

John Jenkins, DT, Georgia

The Colts need talent and depth on their defensive front, so while they expect 2011 fifth-round pick Josh Chapman to make more of an impact next year, taking a talented behemoth like Jenkins still makes sense.

Jenkins has the bulk and natural strength to dominate multiple blockers at the point of attack, making him a perfect fit at nose tackle in Indy's 3-4 defense.

Chicago Bears

Tyler Eifert, TE, Notre Dame

The Bears have yet to find a true starting TE since trading Greg Olsen to the Panthers before last season, so Eifert makes a ton of sense in Chicago.

He is a nightmare red-zone matchup and a more capable blocker than Olsen ever was.

Cincinnati Bengals

Marcus Lattimore, RB, South Carolina

The Bengals appear to have taken a step backwards this season, and a large part of the blame goes to the lack of a run game.

Lattimore has struggled through injuries this year, but when healthy he is a dynamic playmaker that can win with power, speed and quickness—the latter two traits being dimensions clearly missing from Cincinnati's current rushing attack. 

Seattle Seahawks

Tavon Austin, WR, West Virginia

While I feel that Seattle rookie QB Russell Wilson has progressed nicely thus far, he would still benefit greatly from being able to throw to a dynamic talent like Austin.

Austin is a dangerous player in space because of his speed and elusiveness. He has also shown the toughness to work in the middle of the field despite his slight frame.

Denver Broncos

Xavier Rhodes, CB, Florida State

While still playing at a high level, long-time Broncos star CB Champ Bailey is nearing the end of his career, and other attempts by Denver to find a worthy successor have failed.

Rhodes not only has the athleticism to be an excellent pro, but the height and length that defensive coordinators love.

Green Bay Packers

David Amerson, DB, North Carolina State

There has been some speculation that Amerson would benefit from a switch to safety, so what better team to draft him than Green Bay?

Learning behind a future Hall of Famer like Charles Woodson could be exactly what Amerson needs in order to tap into his immense potential.

Baltimore Ravens

Bjoern Werner, DE, Florida State

The Ravens have struggled to pressure the QB this season without Terrell Suggs and need to find a legitimate pass-rusher in this year's draft.

Werner could go higher than this, but would be a good fit in Baltimore's hybrid defense. He is a very competitive player at the line of scrimmage and has the speed and explosiveness off the snap to consistently threaten the edge.

Atlanta Falcons

Kawann Short, DT Purdue

The Falcons still need to improve the play of their defensive line. In this mock, Short is the best player available for them.

Short has the size, strength and foot-quicks to consistently penetrate the backfield. 

New York Giants

Barrett Jones, OG, Alabama

New York's offensive line has become old and is in desperate need of young talent, particularly on the interior.

At this stage, Jones is the top interior player available, and it's hard to argue with his physicality and production at Alabama.

New England Patriots

Margus Hunt, DE, SMU

Hunt is a pure project at this stage, but wouldn't it be just like New England to jump on a player like him significantly earlier than anyone projects?

The Estonian is still new to football and has a very under-developed skill set, but his size and athletic potential are enough to vault him into the first round in this scenario.

San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers are loaded everywhere on their roster and at this stage are most likely to focus on depth and developing talent. 

William Gholston has had an underwhelming senior season at Michigan State, but he would be a perfect fit as a 5-technique DE in San Francisco's 3-4 front.  He has the size, length and strength all 3-4 teams desire at the position.

Houston Texans

Matt Barkley, QB, USC

It may come as a shock that the second QB comes off the board to my projected Super Bowl champions, but to this point I have been very unimpressed with this year's QB class.

The Texans need a legitimate backup behind Schaub, and while Barkley isn't an elite physical talent, I believe he'd be able to step up quicker than almost any other QB in this class.

Round 2

33. Kansas City Chiefs - Eric Reid, SAF, LSU

34. Jacksonville Jaguars - Tyler Wilson, QB, Arkansas

35. New York Jets - Zac Dysert, QB, Miami (OH)

36. Cleveland Browns - Forfeited in Supplemental Draft (WR Josh Gordon)

37. Tennessee Titans - Jonathan Cooper, OG, North Carolina

38. Buffalo Bills - Tyler Bray, QB, Tennessee

39. Cincinnati Bengals (From Oakland) - Matt Elam, SAF, Florida

40. Minnesota Vikings - CJ Mosley, LB, Alabama

41. St. Louis Rams - Sylvester Williams, DT, North Carolina

42. Pittsburgh Steelers - Andre Ellington, RB, Clemson

43. Carolina Panthers - Robert Lester, SAF, Alabama

44. New Orleans Saints - Forfeited in Bountygate

45. Washington Redskins - Chase Thomas, LB, Stanford

46. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Jordan Poyer, CB, Oregon State

47. San Diego Chargers - Dion Sims, TE, Michigan State

48. Dallas Cowboys - Sharrif Floyd, DE, Florida

49. Detroit Lions - Ezekiel Ansah, DE, BYU

50. Arizona Cardinals - Corey Lemonier, OLB, Auburn

51. Miami Dolphins - Da'Rick Rogers, WR, Tennessee Tech

52. Philadelphia Eagles - DJ Fluker, OT, Alabama

53. Miami Dolphins (From Indianapolis) - Nico Johnson, LB, Alabama

54. Chicago Bears - Brennan Williams, OT, North Carolina

55. Cincinnati Bengals - Arthur Brown, LB, Kansas State

56. Seattle Seahawks - Shayne Skov, LB, Stanford

57. Denver Broncos - Eddie Lacy, RB, Alabama

58. Green Bay Packers - Levine Toilolo, TE, Stanford

59. Baltimore Ravens - TJ McDonald, SAF, USC

60. Atlanta Falcons - Alex Okafor, DE, Texas

61. New York Giants - Justin Gilbert, CB, Oklahoma State

62. New England Patriots - Gabe Jackson, OG, Mississippi State

63. San Francisco 49ers - Carrington Byndom, CB, Texas

64. Houston Texans - Desmond Trufant, CB, Washington

Round 3

65. Kansas City Chiefs - Cordarrelle Patterson, WR, Tennessee

66. Jacksonville Jaguars - Dallas Thomas, OT, Tennessee

67. New York Jets - Giovani Bernard, RB, North Carolina

68. Cleveland Browns - Michael Buchanan, DE, Illinois

69. Tennessee Titans - Devin Taylor, DE, South Carolina

70. Buffalo Bills - Khaseem Greene, LB, Rutgers

71. Oakland Raiders - Kevin Minter, LB, LSU

72. Minnesota Vikings - Aaron Dobson, WR, Marshall

73. St. Louis Rams - Tony Jefferson, SAF, Oklahoma

74. Pittsburgh Steelers - Tyrann Mathieu, CB, LSU

75. San Francisco 49ers (From Carolina) - John Simon, OLB, Ohio State

76. New Orleans Saints - Khaled Holmes, OC, USC

77. Washington Redskins - Terry Hawthorne, CB, Illinois

78. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Jesse Williams, DT, Alabama

79. San Diego Charges - Leon McFadden, CB, San Diego State

80. Dallas Cowboys - EJ Manuel, QB, Florida State

81. Detroit Lions - Bacarri Rambo, SAF, Georgia

82. Arizona Cardinals - Zach Ertz, TE, Stanford

83. Miami Dolphins - Joseph Fauria, TE, UCLA

84. Philadelphia Eagles - Sean Porter, LB, Texas A&M

85. Indianapolis Colts - Michael Mauti, LB, Penn State

86. Miami Dolphins (From Chicago) - Nickell Roby, CB, USC

87. Cincinnati Bengals - Duke Williams, SAF, Nevada

88. Seattle Seahawks - Oday Aboushi, OT, Virginia

89. Denver Broncos - Michael Williams, TE, Alabama

90. Green Bay Packers - Kevin Reddick, ILB, North Carolina 

91. Baltimore Ravens - Stepfan Taylor, RB, Stanford

92. Atlanta Falcons - Rick Wagner, OT, Wisconsin

93. New York Giants - Philip Lutzenkirchen, TE, Auburn

94. New England Patriots - Quinton Patton, WR, Louisiana Tech

95. San Francisco 49ers - Denard Robinson, WR, Michigan

96. Houston Texans - Kenny Stills, WR, Oklahoma