2014 NFL Facebook First Round Mock Draft
Every year I conduct a first round NFL mock draft where I let the fans play general manager of a team and select their pick for the real thing. This year we had some good picks, a few surprises, a few risks and a lot of fun. With the real thing happening tonight, May 8, let's keep track and see how well the fans know what their teams will be doing come draft day.
Underneath each selection I gave my personal thoughts on the pick made.
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Pick No. Team Name- (Facebook) GM- selection, position, school
1. Houston Texans, Mark Silva—Jadeveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina
Does it fill the most important need? No. The Houston Texans need a quarterback. But there is a reason why this is still the most likely pick. The gap between the quarterback they could take with the first overall pick in the first round, and the one they could select with the first pick in the second round is not big enough to pass on the best defensive end prospect in years.
2. St. Louis Rams, Alex Desjardin—Khalil Mack, OLB, Buffalo
Kahlil Mack does not fit the biggest needs for the St. Louis Rams either. The Rams are in a good situation, though, because this is just their first of two first round picks. The team can afford to just go with the best player available rather than draft on need here, and there is a good chance that this small-school edge-rusher is on top of their draft board.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars, JR Reyez—Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville
Teddy Bridgewater is not some phenomenal athlete. He does not have the best arm, best accuracy, best speed or best pocket presence, but he is the only total package quarterback in this draft class. You know exactly what you are getting out of Bridgewater. I agree with this pick and think that Teddy Bridgewater is the best quarterback in the draft.
4. Cleveland Browns, Ryan Spooner—Greg Robinson, OT, Auburn
Greg Robinson would be a good pick for any team. He is a phenomenal athlete with instant Pro Bowl potential. The Browns just signed running back Ben Tate in free agency and now they will have the best run-blocking offensive tackle in the draft.
5. Oakland Raiders, Adam Robinson—Sammy Watkins, WR, Clemson
I rate Sammy Watkins as the second-best player in the draft, behind only Jadeveon Clowney. The Oakland Raiders are notorious for making strange moves for wide receivers and instead of taking the best receiver, they take the fastest one. Well in this scenario they get to finally have the best of both worlds. Watkins ran a 4.43 40-yard dash at the NFL combine and he is the best receiver in the draft. The Raiders finally get their top receiver.
6. Atlanta Falcons- Kyle Dolloff- Anthony Barr, OLB, UCLA
Based solely on potential, Anthony Barr is a great prospect. Unfortunately you need a bit more than just potential when we are talking the NFL, especially being a top-10 pick. Barr flashes great athleticism and raw ability. He is not that experienced at the linebacker position, however, and will need some coaching up. This pick is not a bad one but just a bit high.
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Will Holderman—Mike Evans, WR, Texas A&M
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have quite a few needs but this does fill a big one. Vincent Jackson standing opposite of Mike Evans will, at the very least, be extremely intimidating. That will be two outside receivers who are 6’5” and over 220 pounds.
8. Minnesota Vikings, Wayne Carroll—Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M
This is one of my favorite picks in this mock draft. I think that Johnny Manziel would be great for Minnesota. He brings a ton of excitement to the game and with opponents having to focus on Adrian Peterson it could really open things up for Manziel early in his career. He will also be able to grow as a player with their rookie standout from last season, wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson.
9. Buffalo Bills, Ryan Gregorio—Jake Matthews, OT, Texas A&M
This is a strange one for me. I am convinced that the Buffalo Bills will be selecting Eric Ebron the tight end from North Carolina. But when you wave the best pass protector in the draft in front of the Bills after they lost their new starting quarterback to injury for six games last season, could they possibly pass this up? I do not think that Jake Matthews will be available at this pick, but I do think the Bills will make this selection if he is.
10. Detroit Lions, Edward Green—Aaron Donald, DT, Pittsburgh
I cannot agree with the position selection here, but I can certainly agree with the talent. Aaron Donald is without question, the best defensive tackle prospect in this draft. The Lions like to have depth at the position and rotate defensive lineman in throughout the game, but a depth addition just seems like a stretch in the top ten.
11. Tennessee Titans, Tom Bilodeau—C.J. Moseley, ILB, Alabama
Once again, the talent is right but the position is off. The Tennessee Titans have bigger needs at each level of their defense including cornerback, outside linebacker and defensive tackle. This being said, the draft is very deep but one position the depth is not quite as visible would be the inside linebacker position. C.J. Moseley is not only one of the best defensive players in the draft, but he is the only inside linebacker prospect worthy of a first-round pick.
12. New York Giants, Will Jones—Eric Ebron, TE, North Carolina
This is a great pick and a great fit. The New York Giants have got to get their passing game back on track. One key position in need of help is tight end. In each of the last four seasons the New York Giants had a different starting tight end. Eric Ebron is the most athletic tight end prospect since Vernon Davis, and he can solidify a position on the team that has been a question mark for years now.
13. St. Louis Rams, Ace Desjardin—Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Safety, Alabama
The St. Louis Rams go defense once again. They began the mock draft selecting the best outside linebacker and now they have the best safety in the class. The Rams certainly need help in their secondary so I agree with this selection. However, I am thinking that with one of the two picks, the Rams will do something to help their offense.
14. Chicago Bears, Noah Filipe—Calvin Pryor, S, Louisville
Back-to-back safety picks and both were perfect selections. Calvin Pryor is a very talented and physical safety who can instantly become a leader for the Chicago Bears secondary. The team is going to need to address a few other positions on defense but there is not a more glaring need for this team than at safety.
15. Pittsburgh Steelers, Nick Costa—Justin Gilbert, CB Oklahoma State
It was about time a cornerback was taken off of the board. This is the lowest the first cornerback would be drafted since 2001. This is good timing for Pittsburgh, though, because the Steelers need help in the secondary. Justin Gilbert has some work to do in terms of spacing in coverage and his tendency to gamble and overpursue, but he is a phenomenal athlete. He can play in both man and zone coverages and will be a great NFL kick returner.
16. Dallas Cowboys, Steve Wojcik—Zack Martin, OG, Notre Dame
A bit of a surprise pick to me considering the many needs on defense. This does not make this a bad pick, however. The team has a hole to fill at guard and Zack Martin is a versatile offensive lineman who could be a top guard in the NFL and even move to tackle if the team needs him to. The Dallas cowboys have been on the edge of success for years now, and they need to take the best players to help the team win right now. Martin will do that.
17. Baltimore Ravens, Russell Strickland- Kyle Fuller, CB, Virginia Tech
The Baltimore Ravens get a great cornerback with this pick. Fuller has top-notch ball skills and above average speed to make him a dangerous threat to offenses. He could wind up being the best defensive back from this draft class.
18. New York Jets, Sean Choquet—Darqueze Dennard, CB, Michigan State
The New York Jets reel in Thorpe Award-winning cornerback Darqueze Dennard. Another pick that I have no gripe with. This is another corner with outstanding ball skills. He just needs to work on his hand fighting with receivers to avoid penalties, and he should be good.
19. Miami Dolphins, Jonathan Dawson—Taylor Lewan, OT, Michigan
There is NO WAY that the Miami Dolphins should be able to select Taylor Lewan. I believe he will be gone by the No. 19 pick. That being said, it is a fantastic selection. He is truly one of the elite offensive tackle prospects and fills the biggest need on the Dolphins roster. With Jonathan Martin and Richie Incognito both gone, the team needs to clean up the mess made on the offensive line. This pick is, however, one that will get a ton of criticism because Lewan has been compared to Incognito on more than one occasion and, oddly enough, he strongly resembles him too.
20. Arizona Cardinals, Anthony Gonsalves—Blake Bortles, QB, Central Florida
The Arizona Cardinals get a steal here...but a very realistic one. No one knows how much Carson Palmer has left, so a player like Bortles could be a great option as his successor. Bortles has the best pocket presence in the draft. His ability to extend plays is phenomenal, and at 6’5” he draws comparisons to Ben Roethlisberger.
21. Green Bay Packers, Brandon Brown—Jimmie Ward, S, Northern Illinois
Jimmie Ward is a very gifted football player. He moves around the field as fluid as anyone in this draft class. He is also very willing to put on a big hit. The Green Bay Packers certainly have a need at safety and Ward fills that. This may be a bit of a reach, and if the Packers pass on him he could wind up falling to the second round. Ward is, however, the third-best safety in this draft, and if the Packers want to shore up the position, they should select Ward. Reaching for a player does not always equate to bad drafting, it just means that you want your guy.
22. Philadelphia Eagles, Russell Morris—Odell Beckham Jr., WR, LSU
The Philadelphia Eagles cut DeSean Jackson, which I still have trouble believing. With Jeremy Maclin coming back from an injury, the wide receiver position has become one of the biggest needs for this team. Odell Beckham Jr. is my fourth-ranked wide receiver in this class. Beckham would be a good fit and could potentially be the Eagles' top receiver.
23. Kansas City Chiefs, Tim Labree—Brandin Cooks, WR, Oregon State
At 5’10” and under 200 pounds, Brandon Cooks does not have ideal size for a receiver, but with his 4.31 40 time, it is evident that he makes up for this flaw in other areas. The Kansas City Chiefs already have their big-man wideout in Dwayne Bowe. Now to complement him with a burner like Cooks, we may be talking about the Chiefs offense almost as much as their defense this season.
24. Cincinnati Bengals, Jason Maynard—Bradley Roby, CB, Ohio State
With Terence Newman (35) and Adam Jones (30) both getting up there in age, the Cincinnati Bengals need to make sure they restock their cornerback position. Bradley Roby would be a great pick for the team. Roby plays well in man coverage and hustles as much as any player you will watch. He is a good tackler and would fit right in with the Bengals defense.
25. San Diego Chargers, Keith Ellis—Jason Verrett, CB, TCU
I will not complain about any team that picks Jason Verrett. He is my highest-ranked cornerback, and I think that he would be extremely valuable to any defense. Many project him to be a strictly slot corner in the NFL, but I think his game will translate very well to the outside. If you think a 5’9” cornerback can’t cover on the outside, someone needs to call the Chiefs and tell them to move their Pro Bowl cornerback Brandon Flowers.
26. Cleveland Browns, Ryan Spooner—Derek Carr, QB, Fresno State
Having two first-round picks in this draft is very nice for this reason. The Browns started off drafting one of the best offensive lineman in the class, and they now get their quarterback. I am not as high on Carr as most people. He at times displays a strong arm, but his ability to make all the throws of a route tree are in question—he threw a lot of short routes at Fresno State.
27. New Orleans Saints, Russell Bairos—Davante Adams, WR, Fresno State
One pick after the Fresno State quarterback gets drafted, we get the Fresno State wide receiver. Adams has great hands and really good hand-eye coordination. My only issue is the need. I think the Saints would be better suited taking a linebacker or a defensive end in this position.
28. Carolina Panthers, Armando Richardson—Morgan Moses, OT, Virginia
This is a big-time pick for the Carolina Panthers. Morgan Moses one of the best pass protectors in this class, and protecting Cam Newton has got to be the Carolina Panthers top priority. He is a massive prospect at 6’6”, but his weight has been a cause for concern at times. He is not a great athlete, but he has very good hand skills and is big enough to keep any defender away from his quarterback.
29. New England Patriots, Chris Holderman—Ra'Shede Hageman, DT, Minnesota
I thought this would be a likely pick two months ago. Now I feel like everyone is calling for it, and it is making me second guess myself. The New England Patriots are not a team to go with the grain so I would bet, come draft day, Hageman is not on the Patriots radar. As far as the pick itself goes, it does make a ton of sense. No one knows how much longer Vince Wilfork will be with the New England Patriots or if he will come back strong from his injury. Hageman would serve as a great project to learn behind Wilfork for a season or two.
30. San Francisco 49ers, Julius Bello—Paul Richardson, WR, Colorado
I was not thrilled with this pick. There are still three wide receivers on the board whom I ranked higher, but Richardson does have a lot of potential. At only 175 pounds, he could use some bulking up, but he is an impressive route-runner with great acceleration. He could be the 49ers' future inside the slot.
31. Denver Broncos, Chris Donovan—Ryan Shazier, OLB, Ohio State
The Denver broncos are in greater need of an inside linebackers, but the good thing about Ryan Shazier is that he has the skills to transition his game. Granted he will be best served on the outside, and the Broncos may very well use him there, but it would be best to get a guy who can own the middle of the field.
32. Seattle Seahawks, Adam Kelvey—Kelvin Benjamin, WR, Florida State
After losing Golden Tate, receiver became a significant need for this team. They have their speed in Percy Harvin, and now they can add a big receiver in Kelvin Benjamin. Benjamin is a great target with a lot of potential. He needs to improve his concentration because he drops too many easy catches. He is really the ideal red-zone target, however, who will find a way to break those bending defenses.
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