AllBamaDoesIsWin’s NFL Mock Draft Version 1.0

1. Jacksonville Jaguars: Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville

Jags fans are ready for a new QB. No one on the roster right now is going to turn this franchise around. You won’t win in this league without a franchise QB. Teddy Bridgewater is the top Quarterback on my board right now. He is far from a perfect prospect, but he’s probably the best choice for the Jags.

2. Houston Texans: Jadeveon Clowney, DE/OLB, South Carolina

I certainly didn’t expect Houston to be in this position, I doubt anyone did. But here we are. Once upon a time it was just a fantasy of mine to see JJ Watt and Jadeveon Clowney on the same team, but it may be staring us in the face. Clowney has had a down year, but his talent is still there. Teams are dedicating a lot of time to taking him out of the game, and his head isn’t 100% in it right now. I think that changes when he gets to the NFL. Imagine lining him up next to Watt.

3. Atlanta Falcons: Michael Sam, DE, Missouri

Atlanta is another team who has fallen off this season. They could go a few different directions here, but I think they try and bolster their defense. Michael Sam is the second best DE on my board, and in today’s league you need someone getting after QBs. Sam came out of nowhere, but he’s been one of the more consistent performers this season in College Football. I don’t know that he alone can turn Atlanta back into a playoff team, but he’s their best choice here, in my opinion. They could always trade down.

4. Minnesota Vikings: Anthony Barr, OLB, UCLA

Minnesota could go with a QB here, but I think their FO would rather improve the team with their BPA (Best Player Available) than reaching on another Quarterback. In the second, maybe even the third, round there will still be QBs on the board with starting potential. Barr is the top rush backer left on my board, and in a division with Aaron Rodgers and Matt Stafford, you have to sack the QB. Barr has a lot of upside as a dynamic player, the Vikings bolster their defense with this pick and get their QB later.

5. St. Louis Rams: Jake Matthews, OT, Texas A&M

The Rams will help protect Sam Bradford by adding the top Offensive Tackle on my board, and most everyone’s board.

6. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Derek Carr, QB, Fresno State

I have Carr as the second QB on my board. Some people like Brett Hundley or even Marcus Mariota (who is probably staying in school) here, but I think Carr has all of the tools to be a starting QB in the NFL, and is the safest pick. I know Fresno doesn’t exactly play a tough schedule, but I think Derek is going to be fine at the next level.

7. Cleveland Browns: Mike Evans, WR, Texas A&M

The Browns can afford to wait for their Quarterback. Evans isn’t polished as a route runner, but he’s a physical specimen and the top WR on my board. Yes, a freshman CB from LSU locked him down, but that is a talented Freshman who had the best game of his young career. Evans will be a good number 2 to Josh Gordon (should he still be in Cleveland next season) while he works on the finer details of his game.

8. Buffalo Bills: Kyle Van Noy, OLB, BYU

KVN is the highest rushing LB available on my board. I wanted to slot CJ Mosley here, but I think KVN is a better fit. The Bills front gets after QBs, it isn’t crazy to think they could end up with 3 guys having at least 8 sacks this season. Adding KVN will only boost that rush, but Van Noy is also a solid backer in coverage and will be a more than good addition to a budding Buffalo defense.

9. Oakland Raiders: Sammy Watkins, WR, Clemson

I don’t know if Oakland wants to stick with Terrell Pryor, Matt McGloin, or whoever. But I know whoever is throwing passes for the Raiders will need someone to throw to. With Evans in Cleveland, Watkins is the best WR available. Is he completely polished? No, but he’s a playmaker.

10. New York Giants: CJ Mosley, ILB, Alabama

Mosley would probably be the fifth best player on my overall board, but he doesn’t get chosen until here since he isn’t the flash pass rushing backer. What Mosley is…is consistent. He’s elite in coverage, he uses his long arms to shed blocks to get in on tackles in the run game, and he DOES put pressure on QBs when he blitzes. An all around player, Mosley is also a great player off the field, and every team needs plenty of those guys. New York needs to do something at Linebacker, they get CJ Mosley here and try to figure things out in 2014.

11. Pittsburgh Steelers: Jarvis Landry, WR, LSU

Landry is my #3 WR, and I don’t know why he doesn’t get more first round love. He isn’t going to be as dynamic as Evans or Watkins can be, but he’s a tough WR who is far more polished and catches everything you throw at him. Now, is that type of WR a #11 choice? I believe so. You have to have reliable guys catching the ball, especially if your QB is under fire like Big Ben always seems to be.

12. Baltimore Ravens: Vic Beasley, DE/OLB, Clemson

Beasley is the top pass rusher left and Courtney Upshaw, while good against the run, isn’t going to develop into a good pass rusher. The defending Super Bowl Champions add Beasley to help regain the physicality that has put them in Super Bowls in the past.

13. New York Jets: Khalil Mack, DE/OLB, Buffalo

The Jets run defense has been amazing this year, and their secondary has struggled. Best way to improve your secondary without adding DBs? Put pressure on the QB. Clowney, Barr, Sam, KVN, Beasley, they’re already off the board. Khalil Mack isn’t a bad sixth option by any means. A front of Coples, Wilkerson, Richardson, and Mack can be deadly.

14. Miami Dolphins: Taylor Lewan, OT, Michigan

Miami is gonna have to do something about their OL. It wasn’t exactly great, and now with the Martin/Incognito stuff, time to add an OT. Some people think Lewan has fallen a bit, but he is still my #2 Offensive Tackle. A lot of upside with his size and ability, Miami could go Tiny Richardson or Cyrus Kouandjio here, but I think the Wolverine prospect will draw more attention from South Beach.

15. San Diego Chargers: Cyrus Kouandjio, OT, Alabama

King Dunlap has improved this year, but not so much in pass protection. Well, yes he has gotten better, but if the Chargers are going to win a Super Bowl with Rivers, the window is closing and they can’t leave anything to chance. To be clear, I have Tennessee’s Tiny Richardson above Cyrus, but I think reuniting Kouandjio with Fluker would give Cyrus the job.

16. St. Louis Rams: Ha’Sean Clinton-Dix, S, Alabama

The Rams get another pick and they go back to the SEC for this one. Tide Safety Ha’Sean Clinton-Dix i far and away the best Safety prospect in this class. He falls here because no one above here really needed a Safety more than what I gave them, and the player I gave them, if below HaHa on my board, wasn’t that far down the list. St. Louis needs another Safety to add to their young secondary, which has insane potential.

17. Green Bay Packers: Cyril Richardson, OG, Baylor

Lacy may be one of the best young backs in the NFL, and Rodgers may be the best QB in the league, but the Green Bay O-Line still needs to improve, and Cyril Richardson is the best interior lineman in this draft, from my perspective. Big guy who moves. Not as good a prospect as Chance Warmack was, but I personally feel I would have put him over Jon Cooper.

18. Chicago Bears: Ra’Shede Hageman, DT, Minnesota

Hageman is one of my favorite players in this draft, but he doesn’t leave the board until here at 18. Chicago is involved in a wide open NFC North race, but with Adrian Peterson and Eddie Lacy running around, Chicago needs a solution to stopping them. Eddie Lacy ran all over the Bears on Monday Night Football with Aaron Rodgers missing pretty much the whole game.

19. Philadelphia Eagles: Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, CB, Oregon

Ifo isn’t the top Corner on my board. He isn’t even #2, but the Chip Kelly connection to Oregon will cause Philly to get their CB by way of Ekpre-Olomu.

20. Arizona Cardinals: Tiny Richardson, OT, Tennessee

Arizona has no problem going with the BPA and Tiny is just that. Arizona improves their OL by adding the third ranked OT on my board.

21. Tennessee Titans: AJ McCarron, QB, Alabama

Call me a Bama homer for whatever reason, say he’s a Game Manager, I don’t care. I have AJ as my #3 QB, right above Hundley and Johnny Manziel. He has an underrated arm and all of the intangibles, something no other QB prospect can say. In recent years, the argument can be made that only Andrew Luck had better football IQ and command of an offense coming out. I don’t know that the Titans are the best fit for AJ, but they will probably pick a QB here and they’ve picked a Doug Nussmeier coached QB before.

22. Dallas Cowboys: Louis Nix III, DT, Notre Dame

Somehow the second ranked DT on my board made it this far, and Dallas gets an absolute STEAL at #22. Louis Nix is a top 12 player and getting him here is insane value. The Cowboys need to improve the middle of their defense, and Nix is the best option here.

23. Detroit Lions: Brandin Cooks, WR, Oregon State

Detroit needs someone across from Calvin Johnson and Cooks has lit the CFB world on fire. He catches whatever you throw at him and finds the end zone.

24. Cincinnati Bengals: Xavier Su’a-Filo, OG, UCLA

The Bengals could go in any direction here, but I see them picking up the #2 interior OL to help protect Dalton and open up running lanes.

25. Cleveland Browns: Bradley Roby, CB, THE Ohio State

Roby is the top Corner on my board, but ends up going at 25 in a weird, yet stacked, first round. It all works out because Cleveland desperately needs to put someone opposite of Joe Haden and Roby wouldn’t have to go far.

26. San Francisco 49ers: Louchiez Purifoy, CB, Florida

My second rated Corner is Purifoy from Florida. The Niners need to get younger in the secondary, and getting Purifoy is the first step.

27. New England Patriots: Eric Ebron, TE, North Carolina

I’m not big on taking TEs in the first unless they’re very good, but New England will look to get a TE to replace Hernandez and have in case Gronk’s injuries flare up again. I like Ebron over Amaro, as of now.

28. Carolina Panthers: Odell Beckham Jr, WR, LSU

Cam Newton needs more people to throw to, Beckham isn’t a perfect prospect, but he’s explosive and with Steve Smith aging Carolina has to get Newton the best toys they can. They can look for a Tackle later, and that isn’t something I say a lot.

29. Kansas City Chiefs: Marqise Lee, WR, USC

A sixth WR in the first round. Thus is today’s NFL. Andy Reid can play his offense however he wants, but they need someone to throw to other than Dwayne Bowe. Lee has had a down year, but he is still a strong prospect at his best.

30. New Orleans Saints: Trent Murphy, DE/OLB, Stanford

I’m really high on Trent Murphy, and the Saints will look to add a tough, physical presence up front to help the defense continue to improve under Rob Ryan.

31. Denver Broncos: David Yankey, OG, Stanford

Back to back trenches picks from Stanford. The Broncos add a versatile player to their offensive line. Yankey could potentially be a Tackle, but Denver would probably play him at Guard.

32. Seattle Seahawks: Cameron Erving, OT, Florida State

Seattle is a strong team all around, but Wilson is their QB and you have to protect the franchise. Erving improves the pass protection to keep Russell Wilson upright.

Leave comments below and give me your feedback on my Mock Draft. Later versions will come out as the process draws closer. This is just version 1.0, and it uses my own personal Big Board and Prospect Rankings. The draft order is obviously not final. Finally, thanks for reading this Mock Draft, I broke my leg and fractured my pinkie yesterday so I had some time to do this.