Cincinnati Bengals
1st round: Ahmad Dixon, S, Baylor
Despite an elite front four, Mike Zimmer is no longer the mastermind of the Bengals defensive attack. To compensate, they must add more talent on defense. Dixon would come to Cincinnati and be an enforcing safety.
2nd round: Zach Mettenberger, QB, LSU
Andy Dalton has one final year to prove if he is worth a second contract. If he proves so, then Mettenberger will make for a solid backup. If Dalton proves unworthy, Mettenberger is their best option for a high-upside replacement outside of the first round.
3rd round: Andre Hal, CB, Vanderbilt
With Terence Newman and Adam Jones reaching the end of contracts, as well as their careers, it is time to look for a replacement, along with the two-year veteran Dre Kirkpatrick. Despite being relatively under the radar, Hal can be argued as the best man coverage cornerback in the class, yet he will not go nearly as high as that title may suggest.
4th round: Gabe Ikard, C, Oklahoma
5th round: Ego Ferguson, DT, LSU
6th round: Wesley Johnson, OL, Vanderbilt
7th round: DeDe Lattimore, LB, USF
Baltimore Ravens
1st round: Jarvis Landry, WR, LSU
Tall “climb the ladder” receivers are assumed to be the biggest need for Baltimore, but truly, it is not. Jacoby Jones is not a good slot option and his receiving role must be replaced. Landry is dominant in the slot, but can also win in contested situations, like the type of receiver so commonly seen fit for Baltimore.
2nd round: Cameron Fleming, OT, Stanford
Michael Oher is still good because he has a movie about him, right? Wrong. Oher was outright awful in 2013 and was not much better in years previous. His contract is up and it is certainly time to replace him. Fleming, coming from a prestigious Stanford offensive line, would be a perfect fit.
3rd round: Weston Richburg, C, Colorado State
After Matt Birk’s retirement, Baltimore’s interior crumbled. Gino Gradkowski was the worst center in the NFL in 2013 and that is not an exaggeration. Richburg’s violent, nasty demeanor is polar opposite of Gradkowski, which is exactly what Baltimore needs.
6th round: Jacob Pedersen, TE, Wisconsin
Pittsburgh Steelers
1st round: Louis Nix III, NT, Notre Dame
Once again, the Steelers could use a dominant force in the middle of the defensive front and Nix is the best player to do so. Nix is a large nose tackle that will bring a more respectable force to Pittsburgh’s defense.
2nd round: Taylor Lewan, OL, Michigan
Talent aside, Lewan’s mean streaks mesh perfectly with Pittsburgh’s football mentality. Lewan could potentially play either tackle spot or even guard. As of now, he plays left tackle, but could fill any role Mike Tomlin sees fit.
4th round: Loucheiz Purifoy, DB, Florida
5th round: Morgan Moses, OL, Virginia
6th round: Marcus Williams, CB, North Dakota State
7th round: Austin Wentworth, OL, Fresno State
Cleveland Browns
1st round: Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M
Plain and simple, Cleveland needs a quarterback. Year after year, they have been riding the quarterback carousel and Johnny Manziel could be their ticket off. Despite his erratic style of play, Manziel can be tamed to be one of the most deadly quarterbacks in the game.
1st round: Mike Evans, WR, Texas A&M
In college, Manziel and Evans meshed perfectly, so why not reunite them if the opportunity arises? Outside of Josh Gordon, Cleveland’s receivers are replaceable and Mike Evans would provide comfort for Manziel.
2nd round: Carlos Hyde, RB, Ohio State
After shipping off Trent Richardson (smart move), Cleveland knows they are in the market for a running back again. Carlos Hyde is not explosive, but he is a hard-nosed runner that refuses to go down without giving everything he has.
3rd round: Ed Reynolds, S, Stanford
TJ Ward is a stud safety, but he needs a more serviceable counterpart. Reynolds is not much of a tackling safety, but his range and instincts in coverage should be coveted and will land him a starting role as an NFL free safety.
3rd round: Donte Moncrief, WR, Ole Miss
Double dipping with receivers seems a tad extensive, right? With this receiver class and Cleveland’s current receivers, not at all. Like Evans, Moncrief has impressive height to be a troublesome receiver to handle.
4th round: Marcel Jensen, TE, Fresno State
4th round: Jordan Zumwalt, LB, UCLA
5th round: Jon Halapio, OG, Florida
6th round: DeAndre Coleman, DT, Cal
7th round: Jeremy Gallon, WR, Michigan