Early April Mock Draft

[Jason]

Trade back in 1 pick up a 3.

Rankings based on CBS Sportsline.

 

1. Ryan Shazier OLB, OSU. - Adds athleticism too the LB corps.  Burfict moves inside.  Maualuga/Lamur/Rey fight it out for SLB.

2. Morgan Moses OL, UVa - Plays LG for now, eventually takes over for Whit at LT

3. AJ McCarron, QB, Alabama - Adds talent and competition to the QB room.

3. Phillip Gaines CB Rice - A nice piece of athletic clay for Vance Joseph to mold.  Good size/speed combo.

4. Terrance West RB, Towson - A faster big back than BJGE.  Makes a nice combo with Gio.

5. Brent Urban DE UVa - Another developmental big athletic guy.

6. JC Copeland FB, LSU - Sledgehammer lead blocker

6. DeAnthony Thomas  RB/WR, Oregon - Joystick 2.0

7. Travis Carrie CB, Ohio - A late round PS developmental CB

7. Marcel Jensen TE, Fresno St. - A good blocker with some upside as a WR.

[Marvin]

Pretty solid. I would prefer a CB and DE earlier.

Shazier's tools are pretty special but I haven't really watched enough of him to speak to his on-field use of those tools.

Did D. Thomas run any faster at his pro day? I was kind of disappointed with his times at the combine and as history has shown (James, Barner, Austin, McCluster) that guys who are built like that take a few years to really hit their stride. In the sixth, it probably doesn't matter and his game speed is real.

I really like Moses, Gaines, West and Urban where you have them.

The more I see of McCarron the less I like him before the 5th and even then I might take L. Thomas, purely for the upside. McCarron has the size but not the arm strength to match. He's also really slow with his reads, he could afford the time because he had NFL-type linemen up front. I guess I'm not sold he'll be anything but Chad Pennington.

[Jason]

Pretty solid. I would prefer a CB and DE earlier.

Shazier's tools are pretty special but I haven't really watched enough of him to speak to his on-field use of those tools.

Did D. Thomas run any faster at his pro day? I was kind of disappointed with his times at the combine and as history has shown (James, Barner, Austin, McCluster) that guys who are built like that take a few years to really hit their stride. In the sixth, it probably doesn't matter and his game speed is real.

I really like Moses, Gaines, West and Urban where you have them.

The more I see of McCarron the less I like him before the 5th and even then I might take L. Thomas, purely for the upside. McCarron has the size but not the arm strength to match. He's also really slow with his reads, he could afford the time because he had NFL-type linemen up front. I guess I'm not sold he'll be anything but Chad Pennington.

 

Under 4.4.  Which is part of why i Mocked him.

[fluhartz]

Serious year for BPA...

I think Jason has a lot of knowledge about this shit... and I am sure his Buckeye love isn't pulling the strings for Shazier.. i like it. Dude is a player...

 

I like Mettenberger better than AJ if available.

[happyrid]

Not bad. I don't think this is the year for an early LB though. With Vontaze, Vinny R., Lamur, Maualuga, Porter, Dimanche, and Mays there is plenty of depth. And I think they want to see exactly what they have in guys like Lamur, Porter, Rey and Dimanche this season. Next year if Maualuga walks and Lamur and some of those guys disappoint seems like the draft to address LB if needed. (Also, projecting a trade down and still getting a top 24 type guy like Shazier seems like cheating a little bit.) 

 

I love Morgan Moses, though I think he is a top 40 pick. He would be a realistic trade down target if we wanted to move to the top of the 2nd for a team looking to add a QB. I'd spring to the podium if he made it to our 2nd round pick. A big OT/OG is exactly what we need. 

 

I like the rest of the picks as well. Addresses all of the major needs and some wants too (though it's a lot easier with the free 3rd rounder thrown in). If you have to choose between a QB and CB in the 3rd because you just have 1 3rd rounder, that's where it gets tough in these mocks.