Shutdown Corner Mock

[|High School Harry|]

1. Houston Texans
Louisville QB Teddy Bridgewater
I am far more unsettled on this pick than you might suspect. Sure, everyone is projecting Bridgewater first, and the Texans need a quarterback. Seems obvious. But recent rumblings from his camp suggest he’s not locked into coming out, as there have been enough concerns about his physical makeup holding up in the NFL to make some scouts worry. Still, he’s here until further notice.

2. St. Louis Rams (from Washington Redskins)
Texas A&M Jake Matthews
There are some who think that Matthews isn’t the player that former Aggies linemate Luke Joeckel was coming out, but Matthews has shown up well in head-to-head battles with future NFL talent, and he has the right-left tackle flexibility the Rams would covet. They could park him on the right side — a big need — for 2-3 years and then shift him over when Jake Long is gone. A nice fit.

 

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3. Oakland Raiders
Central Florida QB Blake Bortles
Whoa, right? First, reread our intro: So many factors here. Is Dennis Allen the coach next season? Is general manager Reggie McKenzie making the picks? The last part is likely yes; the first is not so clear. But the Raiders never have been shy about gambling on greatness with their first-round picks, and even following the death of Al Davis, they’d have to consider the rising talent of Bortles, who has shown up big this season and will go very high if he enters the draft. I’d love to see Oakland go after Kirk Cousins at a lower cost, but who am I?

 

4. Jacksonville Jaguars
South Carolina DE Jadeveon Clowney
Of two minds here: One, the Jaguars need a quarterback. Two, the team has a chance to land an elite defender for a defensive-minded head coach in Gus Bradley, who could fire up Clowney and make him one of the best strong-side ends in football. A front of Clowney, Sen’Derrick Marks, Tyson Alualu and Andre Branch could be something to watch. Of course, knowing the Jaguars’ need for some zest at QB, they could pull the trigger on either Derek Carr or Johnny Manziel to rev up the fan base and solve a trouble spot, too.

5. Cleveland Browns
Fresno State QB Derek Carr
Their dream scenario would be to have their choice of franchise quarterback fall in their laps — and Carr makes a lot of sense for this offense — without having to trade picks to move up, and then they can use their second first-rounder to secure more offensive talent. Bet you that Browns execs will be watching closely how Carr fares in the bowl game against USC on Saturday, but one game won’t make or break his draft stock.

6. Atlanta Falcons
UCLA LB Anthony Barr
Falcons fans might not be wild about taking a linebacker with such a high pick, but Barr has the pass-rushing skills to make him a rare breed at the position. He can move in reverse well, too, and could kick down into a defensive end spot in nickel situations. This defense needs help in many ways, and Barr could provide a boost.

7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Alabama OT Cyrus Kouandjio
I debated this pick for a while. The Bucs’ biggest needs and what’s available might not be a perfect mesh, so maybe they are trade candidates here. But that’s a long way off. For now, we project them a not-quite-ready, but high-upside tackle for the future. Donald Penn and Demar Dotson have played well, but maybe one of them can kick inside to guard, which has become a weak spot, once Kouandjio is ready.

8. Minnesota Vikings
Texas A&M Johnny Manziel
There are so many variables with this projection. Could we see Manziel playing for Leslie Frazier? Frankly … no. (We’d be curious as heck how it would play about, but it’s tough to picture.) But all the guts and athleticism that GM Rick Spielman favored in Christian Ponder can be found in Manziel — along with much more natural talent — that would make Vikings fans hearken back to the days of Fran Tarkenton. Whom, some have suggested, Manziel might be the second coming of. A Manziel-Adrian Peterson-Cordarelle Patterson offense would be fun heaped upon gratuitous fun, would it not?

9. Buffalo Bills
Buffalo LB Khalil Mack
Forget where Mack played his college ball; or pretend for a minute he played at, like, Bowling Green or something. The dude can play. Flip on the Ohio State tape if you need convincing. Or, if you’re up for it, check out the Idaho Potato Bowl (I wanted so badly for the Bulls to end up in the Buffalo Wild Wing Bowl) Saturday against San Diego State, where he could lock horns with San Diego State OT Bryce Quigley, a later-round draft pick, in a nice matchup.

10. Tennessee Titans
Alabama LB C.J. Mosley
The Titans have invested heavily at linebacker the past 3-4 drafts and might not care to do so again, but they could get a three-down player in Mosley, an upgrade over Moise Fokou, who is a free-agent-to-be, and Colin McCarthy inside. But another factor: We don’t know who the coach will be, they have grand plans to make sweeping changes and that could include taking a quarterback if they move on from Jake Locker. Things are so fluid in Nashville these days.

 

View galleryDarqueze Dennard (USA Today Sports Images)

11. New York Giants
Michigan State CB Darqueze Dennard
The Giants have not picked this high in a while, and yet it makes sense for them to upgrade a position that needs a boost. Corey Webster could be gone next season, and Terrell Thomas’ contract is up after this season. Pairing Dennard across from Prince Amukamara, and having Trumaine McBride or Jayron Hosley inside wouldn’t be bad. Dennard is a riser; you can get a good look at him in the Rose Bowl against Stanford.

 

12. Pittsburgh Steelers
Auburn OT Greg Robinson
Robinson has dominated of late, and if he has another big performance in the BCS title game, he could rise pretty high in this draft. The Steelers’ need for a left tackle has been well-documented, even with Kelvin Beachum’s emergence. Robinson has worked well in Auburn’s up-tempo game, and he has made some beastly run blocks to pave the way for Tre Mason’s breakout season.

13. New York Jets
Clemson WR Sammy Watkins
Rex Ryan would do shirtless roundoffs through Times Square to get a playmaker of Watkins' talent with the 13th pick. Maybe it’s the luck of No. 13 — the same slot they stole Sheldon Richardson a year ago — who knows? But Watkins instantly would upgrade the downfield passing game and give us a better idea if Geno Smith is the quarterback the team should be building around.

14. St. Louis Rams
Texas A&M WR Mike Evans
They have a number of needs, such as safety, interior offensive line or perhaps quarterback, but those can be addressed down the line. A trade back also would be a strong possibility given GM Les Snead’s recent track record. But passing on Evans might be too tough. Imagine a three-WR set of Evans at split end, Tavon Austin in the slot and the winner of Chris Givens/Austin Pettis/Brian Quick flanked outside. No more excuses, Sam Bradford.

15. Detroit Lions
Oregon CB Ife Ekpre-Olomu
For the umpteenth year in a row, the Lions could use help on the back end. Ekpre-Olomu fits their style of defender; of course, head coach Jim Schwartz’s possible departure could bring in a new style of defense, too. This situation also is quite fluid, so this pick is written in pencil for sure, even if their needs are fairly defined.

16. Dallas Cowboys
Alabama S Hasean "Ha Ha" Clinton-Dix
Jerry Jones will seek active, playmaking defenders, and he loves good pedigrees such as that of Clinton-Dix. Jones got a first-class seat last season to see him and his 'Bama teammates dominate Michigan at Jerry World. Jones will covet Clinton-Dix’s size, athleticism and ballhawking skills at a major need position.

17. San Diego Chargers
Oklahoma State CB Justin Gilbert
This might be their top need, but it also could be tough to pass on one of the quality offensive tackles available. Gilbert, however, is a strong cover corner who needs to sharpen up his technique only a little bit, and he also can be an impact returner. He has a great matchup against Missouri’s excellent wide receivers in the Cotton Bowl to display his skills.

 

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18. Green Bay Packers
North Carolina TE Eric Ebron
The Eric Ebron-Jace Amaro debate could be a fun one, and we think it will bleed into Wisconsin quite a bit the next five months or so. Ebron has the feet, body control and receiving ability to make a difference from Day 1 in this offense. Amaro will be a strong consideration, too, and he’s a little bigger, but maturity concerns could be a red flag for GM Ted Thompson. We’ll side with Ebron for now. Of course, the defense also could use help …

 

19. Miami Dolphins
Michigan OT Taylor Lewan
We’re not naïve to suggest that owner Stephen Ross will lean on GM Jeff Ireland (if he still has a job) to take a Michigan Man here, but considering it’s coincidentally a position of need, the fit makes some sense with Jonathan Martinunlikely to return. Perhaps Florida State’s Cameron Erving has the higher upside. But Lewan would help solidify a need spot and give them a poor man’s version of Jake Long.

20. Arizona Cardinals
Florida State OT Cameron Erving
A left-side combo of Erving and Jonathan Cooper (who has missed his entire rookie season with injury) could make this Cardinals offense something to watch next season. They have other pressing needs, but athletic left tackles do not grow on trees, especially in the desert. The Cardinals long have sought help here, and they could finally solve a real problem for an offense that is growing nicely.

21. Baltimore Ravens
USC WR Marqise Lee
No, they wouldn’t be getting an Anquan Boldin clone to pair with Torrey Smith, but GM Ozzie Newsome isn’t afraid to gamble on top-end talent, and it just so happens that Lee fills a need for another dynamic receiver on this offense. This could be a perfect landing spot for a still-fertile talent coming off an "off" senior season.

22. Chicago Bears
Notre Dame DE Stephon Tuitt
The Bears’ D-line has been a sieve, and they could use a strong, versatile talent such as Tuitt, who can line up inside or out, give them flexibility to switch to a 3-4 at some point and help offset the likely release of Julius Peppers in the offseason. No, Tuitt does not rush the passer like Peppers used to, and Tuitt had a disappointing 2013 campaign, but his upside is strong.

23. Philadelphia Eagles
Stanford DE-OLB Trent Murphy 
This is a tough team to project here, and there are other needs, such as safety and wide receiver, worth considering. But Murphy is the kind of versatile edge talent who could fit into almost any scheme, and he’s someone whom Chip Kelly has seen up close in Pac-12 action. Murphy can play with his hand in the dirt, or even standing up.

24. Cleveland Browns (from Indianapolis Colts)
Fresno State WR Davante Adams
They wouldn’t, would they? Carr-to-Adams has been one of the nation’s most fun and effective passing combinations this season, so why break up a good thing? The Browns need a running back, more interior offensive help and, of course, Josh Gordon needs a running mate. Both receivers would have size and deep ability, and put with Jordan Cameron down the seam, the Browns could feature a vertical offense that would be entertaining and tough to defend.

25. Cincinnati Bengals
Ohio State LB Ryan Shazier
Talented player who fits in this area of the draft find a great home of a defense that badly needs a shot of talent at linebacker. He can cover from the weak side, seek and flow, and hit. A good fit with Mike Zimmer’s group, and it could allow Vontaze Burfict to move back inside and put Rey Maualuga on the bench.

 

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26. New England Patriots
Minnesota DT Ra'Shede Hageman
A trade always is a possibility; they almost never stick with the first-round pick they start with. But with such a big need up front, and age creeping up on Vince Wilfork and Tommy Kelly, both of whom are rehabbing serious injuries, Bill Belichick might not afford passing on a lineman who — at least physically — looks like Richard Seymour getting off the bus and who can play multiple techniques.

 

27. New Orleans Saints
Clemson OLB Vic Beasley
Rob Ryan will flip for Beasley’s white-hot motor and closing skills on the outside, giving him another toy to use on third downs when the Superdome noise is reaching ear-splitting levels. This almost makes too much sense.

28. Carolina Panthers
Stanford OG David Yankey
Adding another strong offensive lineman would go a long way toward protecting Cam Newton for years and offering a lynchpin in the run game they like employing. Travelle Wharton is merely a placeholder at left guard, and the Panthers could have their choice of replacements at this spot, with either Yankey or Baylor’s Cyril Richardson.

29. San Francisco 49ers
Penn State WR Allen Robinson
Even with the return of Michael Crabtree to the fold, the 49ers could stand to add more talent at wideout, and they can’t be gun-shy for their previous missteps in evaluating this position in the draft. Robinson would give the Niners four extremely gifted and well-sized receivers who not only can help move the sticks, but also run block on the exterior.

30. Kansas City Chiefs
Texas Tech TE Jace Amaro
Amaro has spent most of his season in the slot, torturing Big 12 defenses, and he’d be the perfect addition to this Chiefs offense that needs a little additional boost. Alex Smith had strong tight ends in San Francisco, and Amaro could be just the seam target he’s looking for to take that next step.

31. Denver Broncos
TCU CB Jason Verrett
They have managed this position for a while, and though their other corners are a little more sturdy, Verrett has the hips, the athleticism and the ballhawking ability this Broncos defense could use more of. Champ Bailey’s replacement.

32. Seattle Seahawks
Vanderbilt WR Jordan Matthews
Bit of a hunch pick here, but this could help protect them against the injury histories of Sidney Rice and Percy Harvin, and give the Seahawks a solid, chain-moving target on the outside. Matthews has a little bit of Marques Colston in him in that he doesn’t wow you with his speed, but he finds ways to get open and produce. That’s good enough for Pete Carroll, John Schneider and Darrell Bevell, if he’s not a head coach somewhere else next season.

[alleycat]

Ahh, someone has stolen my line (move Rey Maualuga to the bench)!

[Jason]

I will be shocked if we draft a LB in 1, especially a WLB.

[JC]

I wouldn't be surprised.  It may not be Shazier, but judging by them valuing Mingo so high last year, they won't pass up a playmaker at the linebacker position.  Vontaze is great, flies to the ball, tackles well, but they need someone that can get after the quarterback a little bit at the linebacker position.   Shazier has pretty good sack numbers for a linebacker.  Plus incredible instincts.  He's going to need to add some bulk, though.  

 

Van Noy is a guy that I could see Marvin falling in love with.  A lot of different area's they could go in the draft, CB/WR/OT, but I don't think they will shy away from linebacker because of our current group.  A lot of interchangeable guys there.  Plus, its like clockwork, we seem to suffer a huge injury in that group every season.

[Bengals1181]

I will be shocked if we draft a LB in 1, especially a WLB.

Exactly, considering how they feel about Lemur, Mays and Rey.

[happyrid]

I would be shocked to see a true LB like Shazier. So I agree with 1181 on that. 

 

To JC's point about Mingo, I do think we would take a DE/LB tweener type. Nobody besides James Harrison on the current roster really fits that role and it is one the Bengals have long been trying to fill (Manny Lawson, Dontay Moch, etc.). 

[JC]

I would be shocked to see a true LB like Shazier. So I agree with 1181 on that. 

 

To JC's point about Mingo, I do think we would take a DE/LB tweener type. Nobody besides James Harrison on the current roster really fits that role and it is one the Bengals have long been trying to fill (Manny Lawson, Dontay Moch, etc.). 

 

That's kind of what I'm thinking as well.  Its harder for me to see Shazier coming to us, because we have too many guys with ability to play WLB, not to mention, the best WLB in the league.  Vinnie Rey and Lamur are going to fill that spot.  I really think they are going to try to find a playmaker at the SAM spot.  If you have a SAM backer who can cover/blitz, you don't have to take him off the field or you can move him to end on obvious passing D&D's. Porter?  Maybe.  He's not a big thumper you want on your strong-side, though.  James has had a huge impact blowing up lead blockers this year.  We will need someone to fill that role when he leaves.

[alleycat]

 

That's kind of what I'm thinking as well.  Its harder for me to see Shazier coming to us, because we have too many guys with ability to play WLB, not to mention, the best WLB in the league.  Vinnie Rey and Lamur are going to fill that spot.  I really think they are going to try to find a playmaker at the SAM spot.  If you have a SAM backer who can cover/blitz, you don't have to take him off the field or you can move him to end on obvious passing D&D's. Porter?  Maybe.  He's not a big thumper you want on your strong-side, though.  James has had a huge impact blowing up lead blockers this year.  We will need someone to fill that role when he leaves.

 

Porter came quite close to not even making the team, and IMO his IR saved him, so I don't think he's going to be much depended on.  As I've been saying all fall, it's a good year for the Joker-type of LB, and if that guy is BPA when we pick I think we'll run for him.  Otherwise at LB, let's just keep letting Guenther turn shit to gold.

[Jason]

I would be shocked to see a true LB like Shazier. So I agree with 1181 on that. 

 

To JC's point about Mingo, I do think we would take a DE/LB tweener type. Nobody besides James Harrison on the current roster really fits that role and it is one the Bengals have long been trying to fill (Manny Lawson, Dontay Moch, etc.). 

 

They have been trying to find that guy since Marvin got here and haven't done it.  I wish they would stop and draft a true SLB.

[Bengals1181]

 

They have been trying to find that guy since Marvin got here and haven't done it.  I wish they would stop and draft a true SLB.

 

 

do true SLB's exist anymore in the college game?

[happyrid]

do true SLB's exist anymore in the college game?

I'm not even sure what a "true" SLB is.

Most of the 4-3 teams have former DE tweener types. The Ravens, who I believe play a mix of 3-4 and 4-3, have Elvis Dumervil and Courtney Upshaw and just drafted Johnny Simon.The Pats have Jamie Collins and Rob Ninkovich. The Bills signed Manny Lawson. And on down the list...

It is definitely a tougher position to scout. Some guys just can't make the transition. I suspect the Bengals will keep trying. We had wanted a dynamic pass catching RB for a decade and finally got our guy in Gio. Maybe we can do it again at SLB and find a difference maker there also.

[Randle P McMurphy]

I would be shocked to see a true LB like Shazier. So I agree with 1181 on that. 

 

To JC's point about Mingo, I do think we would take a DE/LB tweener type. Nobody besides James Harrison on the current roster really fits that role and it is one the Bengals have long been trying to fill (Manny Lawson, Dontay Moch, etc.). 

 

That guy could be Vic Beasley from Clemson maybe.  DE in college but considered to short at 6'2" for DE in the pro's.

At 235 lbs might have to add a little weight but he's only 20 yrs old.  12 sacks, 9 tackles for loss and 4 forced fumbles.

4.5 40 time.  He was a 16 year old Senior in High School and didn't turn 17 until shortly after graduation.  This kid could

have a high ceiling.

[Jason]

 

 

do true SLB's exist anymore in the college game?

 

They are a lot rarer now.