2014 NFL Mock Draft Round 1
1. Houston Texans Select Blake Bortles, Quarterback, UCF.
Reasoning: Bill O’Brien will bring a new scheme type to the Texans and are currently looking for a franchise quarterback , Bortles will fit what the Texans are wanting to do and excel.
2. St. Louis Rams Select Jake Matthews, Offensive Tackle, Texas A&M.
Reasoning: The Rams need to find another guy who can help protect Sam Bradford and his glass shoulder, Matthews is a great prospect to do so and has experience at right tackle which he may need to play.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars Select Teddy Bridgewater, Quarterback, Louisville.
Reasoning: The Jaguars badly need a franchise quarterback and have needed it a long time, finally their wait comes to an end as they draft a guy that can lead them into a winning culture.
4.Cleveland Browns Select Sammy Watkins, Wide Receiver, Clemson.
Reasoning: The Browns need another dynamic playmaker outside of Josh Gordon and with the selection of Watkins it easily gives the Browns the best wide receiver duo in the NFL, helping whoever is playing quarterback.
5. Oakland Raiders Select Johnny Manziel, Quarterback, Texas A&M.
Reasoning: Oakland has badly needed a signal caller, Manziel in my opinion, can become a great quarterback with the right coaching and offense around him, giving Oakland finally something exciting to watch and something to look forward to.
6. Atlanta Falcons Select Greg Robinson, Offensive Tackle, Auburn.
Reasoning: Sam Baker isn’t getting any better, I feel he can fit better at right tackle and another reason I believe Robinson will be selected here is they can’t afford for Ryan to get injured. Greg Robinson has a power punch and will be a corner stone piece for this Falcons' offensive line.
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Select Jadeveon Clowney, Defensive End, South Carolina.
Reasoning: Lovie Smith will want a pass rush and that’s something the Buccaneers couldn't generate all year long, Clowney can win with both speed and power and is a dynamic pass rusher that will help the Bucs defense for years to come.
8. Minnesota Vikings Select Darqueze Dennard, Corner Back, Michigan State.
Reasoning: The Vikings could go with quarterback, but I doubt they reach for one. They need another cornerback who can pair with Xavier Rhodes and make one of the best cornerback groups in the league, they will need it especially with Jay Cutler, Aaron Rodgers, and Matthew Stafford in the division. Dennard is a press corner who has smart ball skills and will help this defense a ton.
9. Buffalo Bills Select Khalil Mack, Outside Linebacker, Buffalo.
Reasoning: The Bills hit gold with Kiko Alonso, but they need more pass rushers to get to Ryan Tannehill and Tom Brady, a strong pass rush would help this defense immensely, allowing the pressure to not constantly being put on Manuel to come from behind.
10. Detroit Lions Select Mike Evans, Wide Receiver, Texas A&M.
Reasoning: The Lions badly need to find a weapon outside of Calvin Johnson to help Matthew Stafford out, Evans is a big bodied receiver that wins with the high point which could really help Stafford and the Lions get to the next level in competition.
11. Tennessee Titans Select Kony Ealy, Defensive End, Missouri.
Reasoning: The Titans have a fast and aggressive defense but they need a pass rusher to help get to the great quarterbacks of the AFC South, Wimbley has been a huge disappointment and Ealy is a monster at getting quarterback pressure.
12. New York Giants Select Jason Verrett, Cornerback, TCU.
Reasoning: The Giants desperately need a cornerback who can help out the porous secondary of the Giants. They also have many cornerback contracts expiring and Verrett will make an immediate impact as a Day 1 starter.
13. St. Louis Rams Select DaVante Adams, Wide Receiver, Fresno State.
Reasoning: The Rams have to get Sam Bradford a true No.1 receiver to help him spread the ball, Adams is an explosive yet lengthy player that will help take some of the attention off Tavon Austin and open up the field.
14. Chicago Bears Select Louis Nix III, Defensive Tackle, Notre Dame.
Reasoning: The Bears could not stop the run at all this season, and with Henry Melton being a free agent they will need a big man who can clog the hole and stop the run and that’s what Nix can bring to the Bears defense.
15.Pittsburgh Steelers Select Taylor Lewan, Offensive Tackle, Michigan.
Reasoning: The Steelers have waited long enough on offensive tackle, it’s time for them to spend a pick on tackle to help buy Ben Roethsliberger some time to deliver the ball to his targets, Lewan has a power full punch and will fit well at right tackle in the Steelers scheme.
16. Dallas Cowboys Select Calvin Pryor, Safety, Louisville.
Reasoning: The Cowboys have avoided the safety position for years and it finally caught up with them. Time to upgrade safety with a dynamic safety like Pryor who is both a ball hawk and a great tackler.
17. Baltimore Ravens Select Allen Robinson, Wide Receiver, Penn State.
Reasoning: Joe Flacco needs more weapons besides Torrey Smith, Brown was good but his fit would be best as a slot receiver, Robinson is a big receiver who can go up and get it and can also be a deep threat for Flacco.
18. New York Jets Select Odell Beckham Jr, Wide Receiver, LSU.
Reasoning: Geno Smith needs some pass catchers than can alter the game, and Beckham can develop into one of the best receivers in the league with the right coaching. Santonio Holmes and Beckham will develop into a great tandem helping Smith progress as a quarterback.
19. Miami Dolphins Select Cyrus Kouandjio, Offensive Tackle/Offensive Guard, Alabama.
Reasoning: The Dolphins need a guard after the long dispute with Richie Incognito, Cyrus can be a all pro guard inside which will help the run game in a huge way.
20. Arizona Cardinals Select Anthony Barr, Outside Linebacker, UCLA.
Reasoning: The Cardinals need a pass rusher and with John Abraham aging they will need a replacement, Barr is athletic guy who can be helped by proper coaching and Todd Bowles may be able to develop his skills as a pass rusher.
21. Green Bay Packers Select C.J. Mosley, ILB, Alabama.
Reasoning: The Packers need a instinctive, smart, linebacker inside to help with the run game. Mosley is an athletic and smart backer who can be plugged inside and be a monster for years to come.
22. Philadelphia Eagles Select Vic Beasley, Outside Linebacker, Clemson.
Reasoning: The Eagles need a athletic, versatile player that can be great, Beasley is a strong and explosive player that Chip Kelly is looking for.
23. Kansas City Chiefs Select Brandin Cooks, Wide Receiver, Oregon State.
Reasoning: The Chiefs need a receiver who can stretch the field and Cooks can do so. He is a speed demon that isn’t afraid to go across the middle and catch a pass. Think of a ballsy DeSean Jackson.
24. Cincinnati Bengals Select Kyle Van Noy, Outside Linebacker, BYU.
Reasoning: The Bengals need a play making pass rusher. They had no pass rush after Geno Atkins got injured and James Harrison was both disappointing and aging. Van Noy is versatile and will help this defense in multiple ways.
25. San Diego Chargers Select Kyle Fuller, Cornerback, Virginia Tech.
Reasoning: The Chargers secondary is horrible, adding a playmaker like Fuller could help sure up it out.
26. Cleveland Browns Select Derek Carr, Quarterback, Fresno State.
Reasoning: The Browns finally get their franchise quarterback in Carr, who will have great success with the receivers of Watkins. Gordon, and Cameron Jordan.
27. New Orleans Saints Select LaMarcus Joyner, Cornerback/Safety, Florida State.
Reasoning: Saints need to work on their secondary and Joyner at safety along with Kenny Vaccaro is going to be a damn good secondary for years to come.
28. Carolina Panthers Select Kelvin Benjamin, Wide Receiver, Florida State.
Reasoning: Cam Newton needs more weapons outside of the aging, but great Steve Smith and Greg Olsen, Kelvin Benjamin is a little raw but can develop into a monster with the right coaching which I believe Carolina has.
29. San Francisco 49ers Select Paul Richardson, Wide Receiver, Colorado.
Reasoning: The 49ers need a receiver that can stretch the field which Michael Crabtree and impending free agent Anquan Boldin don’t do so well, Richardson is a sure handed big man that can stretch the field which will help Kaepernick in a huge way and push the 49ers to a SB winning level.
30. Denver Broncos Select RaShede Hageman, Defensive Tackle, Minnesota.
Reasoning: Denver needs to sure up their run defense and add to their pass rushing and Hageman can do both and can be a big piece in this defense.
31. New England Patriots Select Eric Ebron, TE, North Carolina.
Reasoning: Gronk has been injury prone and Hernandez is rotting in jail, Patriots need a strong pass catching weapon that stretches the field and Ebron can do so.
32. Seattle Seahawks Select Jace Amaro, TE, Texas Tech.
Reasoning: Russell Wilson needs more weapons and Zach Miller isn’t doing it, Amaro is a monster and can help spread the field and give the Seahawks more weapons to dominate the NFL.