Written by • April 17, 2012• 10:45 pm• Sports

The Connecticut College NFL Mock Draft

As a Cleveland Browns fan the most exciting day of the year does not take place in January or February but in late April during the NFL draft.  Since returning to Cleveland in 1999 the Browns have made the playoffs exactly once and have earned picks at number 1, 1, 3, 3, 3, 4, 6, 6 and 7 in the first round, spending the picks on quality players such as Tim Couch, Gerard “Big Money” Warren, Courtney Brown and Kellen Winslow Jr.  This is where my fascination with the NFL draft stems from.  Every year the Browns have a chance to greatly improve their team on one fateful Saturday and Sunday (or Thursday through Sunday this year) and even though they usually fail the draft is where many teams determine the destiny of their franchise for the next decade.  The draft is one of the reasons such parity exists in the NFL.  Unlike the NBA, one player cannot dominate the game and take a team to a championship.  The NFL is a true team sport and each draft pick matters.  A few years of missed draft picks and you could end up 0-16 like the Detroit Lions did a few years ago.  If you make your picks correctly you could end up like the Packers or Giants, winning the Super Bowl almost solely on home-grown talent acquired in the draft.  Teams spend millions of dollars flying to watch player workouts and on advanced metrics to find out what star college players will translate their skills into being an All-Pro in the NFL.  Below I have mapped out what I think teams will do on Thursday April 26th.  Remember, picking the first round of the NFL draft even half right is nearly impossible but I do my best to try to fit players with team needs and give alternative options to many teams.  One trade by the Dolphins for #3 or a team like the Browns going out and taking Ryan Tannehill will throw the whole thing off but the point of it all is to see what a team needs and who fills that gap.

Note: Teams are listed followed by their record, their offensive rank in yards per game, their defensive rank in yards per game, the player I think they will draft, his position and his college.

  1. Indianapolis Colts (2-14, 30th, 25th) – Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

The best prospect to come out of college since Peyton Manning in 1998, and we all know how that turned out.  The Colts have been flirting with Robert Griffin III but do not be confused, Andrew Luck will be the number one pick in the draft.  The Colts have way too many holes for him to come in and make the playoffs but he is still the best player available in the last ten years.

  1. Washington Redskins from St. Louis (5-11, 16th, 13th) – Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor

The Redskins did not mortgage their future to do something fancy here at number two.  I think that Griffin will be injury prone in the NFL but he is a huge upgrade over their other signed Quarterbacks: John Beck and Rex Grossman.  If he can stay healthy Griffin will be the face of this franchise for the next decade and could revitalize a team that is certainly willing to spend to bring in help for him.

  1. Minnesota Vikings (3-13, 18th, 21st) – Matt Kalil, OT, USC

There have been recent rumors about a possible trade down with Miami.  I do not think even the Dolphins are dumb enough to trade up to this pick to draft Ryan Tannehill.  I do not think that the Browns will draft him and after that the Bucs, Rams and Jaguars already have their QB of the future.  Kalil is an elite talent at offensive tackle.  The All-American started two years blocking for Matt Barkley and is far and away the best offensive lineman in the draft.

  1. Cleveland Browns (4-12, 29th, 10th) – Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

As a Browns fan I would love them to take Justin Blackmon here but all signs point to Richardson.  He dominated college football last year running for the best team in the country.  There is a common perception amongst teams not to take a running back in the top ten and wait for later, but many believe Richardson is the best running back prospect since Adrian Peterson and he will be worth the pick.  Mike Holmgren, who will be making the pick for the Browns, hates drafting wide receivers early (the only one he has drafted in the first round was Koren Robinson who had sixteen career receiving touchdowns in his eight year career) and has an infatuation with Richardson.  Tannehill and Claiborne are the other options here but the Browns have vowed to go offense and Holmgren will most likely wait on a QB until the second round and snag Brandon Weeden.

  1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-12, 21st, 30th) – Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU

Despite his alleged score of 4/50 on the NFL’s Wonderlic Test (an IQ test with an average score of 20) Claiborne has the quick hips and speed to be one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL.  The Bucs ranked third worst in defense last year and after the ageless Ronde Barber have no quality cornerbacks (EJ Biggers is their next listed CB.  I have not heard of him either).  The only other option here is Richardson if the Browns draft Tannehill, Claiborne or Blackmon.

  1. St. Louis Rams from Washington (2-14, 31st, 22nd) – Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State

The Rams experiment with Brandon Lloyd failed as he left for the Patriots in free agency.  The Rams best wide receiver listed is Brandon Gibson.  Justin Blackmon is one of my favorite players in the draft.  Measuring a little short at 6’1”, he tore up college football winning the Biletnikoff Award given to the best wide receiver in football the last two years.  Granted the only other player to do that is Michael Crabtree but he had off the field issues while Blackmon seems to be relatively clean.  No matter what happens with the Rams they have already won this draft after fleecing the Redskins for everything they had for 2012 and 2013 trading down for this pick.

  1. Jacksonville Jaguars (5-11, 32nd, 6th) – Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina

This is the first place where the draft could go one of many turns as the top six picks seem to be pretty set in stone in some order.  The Jaguars need offense, placing last in the league, but there are no game-changers in the skill positions (QB, RB, WR) on offense for them to take except for Ryan Tannehill but the Jags need to see if Blaine Gabbert is their future before spending another first round pick on the quarterback position.  Ingram is considered to be the top player left on the board and with the probable loss of Aaron Kampman, who also missed last season due to multiple knee surgeries, the Jags have no pass rush.  If not Ingram then another defensive end, Quinton Coples, makes sense.

  1. Miami Dolphins (6-10, 22nd, 15th) – Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M

Pretty much everyone has the Dolphins drafting Tannehill here at number eight.  The Dolphins signed David Garrard this offseason and have Matt Moore already but the common perception is that neither of them are good enough to be the franchise quarterback.  Miami failed at signing Peyton Manning or Matt Flynn and are left with no other option but drafting Tannehill.  Despite what Jim Irsay, the Colts owner, tweets about Tannehill he is not a top-10 talent.  He is going here purely out of their need for a quarterback and the reluctance of the Dolphins to trade down and potentially miss out on another QB this offseason.

  1. Carolina Panthers (6-10, 7th, 28th) – Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State

The Panthers struck gold last year with Cam Newton and dug up diamonds by finding a rejuvenated Steve Smith.  The Panthers now need to fix their defense.  Last year the Panthers spent two picks in the third round on defensive tackles Terrell McClain and Sione Fua.  McClain seems to be a bust while Fua’s ability is still pretty unknown.  The Panthers gave up 130 yards per game on the ground last year finishing 25th in the league.  Cox has been moving up mock draft boards everywhere and will be a great addition to the Panthers front line.

  1. Buffalo Bills (6-10, 14th, 26th) – Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

Iowa knows how to produce great offensive linemen.  The Bills failed to resign Demetress Bell, losing him to the Philadelphia Eagles this offseason and need to replace him at left tackle.  Riley Reiff is largely considered the second best offensive lineman on the board and after giving Ryan Fitzpatrick an absurdly large deal this offseason the Bills need to be able to protect him.  Reiff gives them this protection.

  1. Kansas City Chiefs (7-9, 27th, 11th) – Dontari Poe, NT, Memphis

The Chiefs will be better on offense once Jamaal Charles returns next season.  In the meantime Dontari Poe has been another prospect quickly climbing the mock draft ladder.  Poe stands 6’5” and weighs 350 pounds.  That’s taller and heavier than Vince Wilfork.  His big size allows him to plug up holes to stop the run and to throw off double teams and open up lanes for the pass rushers.  Romeo Crenell, the Chiefs head coach, runs the 3-4 offense which needs a massive defensive tackle to block up the middle and Dontari Poe is that guy.  If the Cheifs do not take Poe then look for offensive guard David DeCastro or Tannehill if he gets past the Dolphins.

  1. Seattle Seahawks (7-9, 28th, 9th) – Luke Kuechly, LB, Boston College

Kuechly had an amazing combine and is certainly a top-10 talent.  He won the Dick Butkus award, Bronko Nagurski award and the Vince Lombardi/Rotary Award last season.  He also led the league in tackles making 191 on an otherwise terrible Boston College team.  You cannot pass him up here.  If for some reason the Seahawks did, a hybrid end-linebacker would also work in either Melvin Ingram or Courtney Upshaw or they could go with Quinton Coples.

  1. Arizona Cardinals (8-8, 19th, 18th) – Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford

The Cardinals were pretty much as middle-of-the-road of a team as you can be finishing 8-8 and in the middle both offensively and defensively.  I would like DeCastro here but the Cardinals signed Levi Brown and brought back Adam Snyder to shore up their guards on the offensive line so he is not an option despite being the best player available on the offensive line.  Instead the Cardinals reach and take his teammate Jonathan Martin.  Martin is a great run blocker but is not as big as most would want so he may be a weak pass blocker in the NFL.  He protected and learned from Andrew Luck at Stanford which will only help him.

  1. Dallas Cowboys (8-8, 11th, 14th) – Mark Barron, S, Alabama

Barron has started for three years at Alabama and his experience should help him deal with being on America’s Team under Jerry Jones.  The Cowboys are expected to target Dontari Poe but because he is off the board they will shore up their safety problem they have had for the last decade.  The Cowboys signed Brodney Pool this offseason but he certainly is not the answer to their safety problems.  The Cowboys finished the season ranked 24th defensively in passing yards per attempt so any help in the secondary will be welcome in Dallas.

  1. Philadelphia Eagles (8-8, 4th, 8th) – Michael Brockers, DT, LSU

I believe that the Eagles will have a very strong year as long as Michael Vick stays healthy.  Last year seemed like a fluke and the talent on this team is too good to finish 8-8.  Slightly smaller than the massive Poe, Brockers is the perfect player for the Eagles.  He only started one year at LSU so he is inexperienced and may need a year or two to get acclimated to the NFL but the Eagles are fairly solid all-around and can afford that.  Andy Reid is famous for taking offensive and defensive linemen in the first round and this year should be no different.

  1. New York Jets (8-8, 25th, 5th) – Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame

This is the first place where I disagree with nearly all NFL mock drafts.  Plaxico Burress is unsigned and Santonio Holmes continues to alienate everyone in the locker room.  The Jets are already set at most of their defensive positions and could really use a wide receiver to help out Mark Sanchez who has been falling apart over the last couple of years.  Give him some wide receivers who buy into him and maybe he can stay as their quarterback for another few years.  If the Jets take Floyd and Sanchez still fails look for the Jets to have QB at the top of their needs next season.  The common perception is that the Jets will go defense here which would mean Courtney Upshaw, Melvin Ingram (if he drops), Mark Barron (if he drops) or Nick Perry.

  1. Cincinnati Bengals from Oakland (9-7, 20th, 7th)  – David DeCastro, OG, Stanford

Another player who protected Andrew Luck goes in the first round of the draft.  Guards usually do not go very high but DeCastro is arguably the best player at his position since Steve Hutchinson, who coincidentally went #17 in 2001 and has made the pro bowl seven times.  Someone needs to protect Andy Dalton and open up holes in the middle for Cedric Benson and DeCastro can do both very well.  The Bengals have a large need at guard and cornerback and can fill both of those with their two picks in the first round.  Carson Palmer for David DeCastro and whoever the Bengals take next year may go down as one of the most lopsided trades in NFL history.

  1. San Diego Chargers (8-8, 6th, 16th) – Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina

San Diego needs a lot of help on the outside.  Only one player had more than four sacks on their team last year.  Coples has been constantly dropping in most mock drafts as his character continues to be questioned.  One line from Walter Football describes Coples character flawlessly, “When asked to evaluate his own effort as a senior in an interview with Charley Casserly, Coples gave himself a C, admitting that he didn’t give 100 percent in 2011”.  If that does not scare you then you have never been in a locker room or on a team with someone who does not give top effort every play.  He may destroy the locker room and blow up but he is also very talented and after dropping this far San Diego has to take a chance on him.

  1. Chicago Bears (8-8, 24th, 17th) – Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

The draft this year is very deep defensively.  The Bears do not need to go defense here, they can go offensive line, but it is too tough to pass up the top CB in the draft at this point.  The Bears have one of the best linebacker cores led by Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs and they have Julius Peppers on the defensive line.  Add in a solid cornerback in Kirkpatrick and this could be one of the best defenses in the game.  I would prefer offense for the Bears here but there just are not any good skill position players on offense who are worth taking at number nineteen.

  1. Tennessee Titans (9-7, 17th, 18th) – Courtney Upshaw, DE/OLB Alabama

Whitney Mercilus and Nick Perry are the other options at the hybrid DE/OLB but the best available at this point is Courtney Upshaw.  The hybrid is an important player because he tends to be a great pass rusher, which Upshaw is, having 9.5 last season including one in the National Championship game.  At 6’2”, 265 pounds he will fit in nicely with the Titans who pretty much need every defensive position on the field.  Seriously, go look at their depth chart.

  1. Cincinnati Bengals (9-7, 20th, 7th) – Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina

If the Bengals can pull off Gilmore and DeCastro I am pretty sure they will receive an “A” grade on their draft no matter who else they take.  The Bengals lose 32-year old Nate Clements to free agency at the end of the 2012 season and will be without Leon Hall for most, if not all of the year due to a torn Achilles.  That leaves the Bengals with Pacman Jones at CB and a bunch of filler.  They need to make one of their two picks in the first round a cornerback.  Many people have them taking Kirkpatrick at #17 but he has had a pot possession charge against him (which was dropped) and the Bengals seem to be trying to get a better image.  After last year’s fantastic drafting of AJ Green and Andy Dalton this team could be going places.

  1. Cleveland Browns from Atlanta (4-12, 29th, 10th) – Cordy Glenn, OG, Georgia

While I think it is dumb for the Browns to not take a wide receiver with either of their first two picks, they have never been a team to make sense when they draft.  I am an avid follower of the Browns and I have never heard of any of their guards currently on their roster and have no one to play opposite Joe Thomas on the outside.  Cordy Glenn can move to tackle even though he weighs 345 pounds because he has some speed and agility (5.15 40 yard dash including a 1.76 10 yard split which is very fast for any offensive lineman).  The more I read about Glenn the more I like him.  The Browns could also go for Kendall Wright or Ohio native Mike Adams.

  1. Detroit Lions (10-6, 5th, 23rd) – Janoris Jenkins, CB, Northern Alabma

The first and only player from a non-BCS school (other than Notre Dame) to go in the first round, Jenkins has some legal questions after being caught for marijuana possession and, in a separate incident, for getting into a fight with a police officer.  He also started out at the University of Florida before being dismissed due to misconduct.  The Lions, however, have never shied away from players with legal issues as can be seen by their selecting Nick Fairly last year (who was, coincidentally, just busted for marijuana possession).  The Lions seem to have a pretty set-in-stone offense so look for them to draft a defensive pass stopper, especially in the NFC north when you have to face Aaron Rodgers twice per year.  The Lions were surprisingly good against the pass last year but they still have to take the best player available and that is Jenkins.  Ideally Kirkpatrick or Gilmore will drop to them but if not the Lions do not have a choice but to take the risk with Jenkins and his past.

  1. Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4, 12th, 1st) – Dont’a Hightower, ILB, Alabama

Most picks at this point in a mock draft are a crapshoot.  The first ten or so picks are usually somewhat predictable but one trade can change everything.  This Steelers pick, however, seems to be pretty unanimous across the board.  Hightower recently visited Pittsburgh and they seem to really like him.  After cutting James Farrior there really is no other person they could take.  As Walter Football states, “[Hightower] was made to play for the Steelers”.  If it is not Hightower than an offensive lineman seems likely.

  1. Denver Broncos (8-8, 23rd, 20th) – Devon Still, DT, Penn State

While many people think that Peyton Manning will demand a wide receiver at this pick I really do not see it.  The Broncos have many other pressing needs and Manning, when healthy, can make any group of wide receivers into Pro Bowlers.  Everyone who does not believe in Peyton Manning begging the Broncos to take a WR have the Broncos taking a defensive tackle.  I have Brockers going at fifteen but if he were to fall expect the Broncos to snatch him up.  Otherwise, Still is the best player available on the board in the Broncos most needed area.  The Broncos finished 22nd against the run last year and Still is known primarily as a run stopper.  He will fit in nicely on their defensive line.

  1. Houston Texans (10-6, 13th, 2nd) – Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor

Wright falls far in this draft and lands alongside Andre Johnson in Houston.  After losing Mario Williams, a defensive lineman might work here but the Texans have been in search of a number two wide receiver for the last half dozen years and now have found one.  Wright has great hands and can create space with his speed despite only being 5’10”.  He could be a Wes Welker type of wide receiver which would certainly help take away the double teams from Johnson.  This combination could create a poor-man’s 2007 Patriots with a better running back and worse quarterback.  Look for Houston’s offense to explode next year and if they can hold their defense together without Mario Williams they will be in the Super Bowl hunt.

  1. New England Patriots from New Orleans (13-3, 2nd, 31st) – Nick Perry, DE/OLB, USC

The biggest need for the Patriots is obviously defense.  The offense is going to be able to succeed no matter what as long as Tom Brady is under center.  Belichick has failed the last few years but Nick Perry would help to set the ship straight.  Perry had 9.5 sacks last season and would work as an outside linebacker / defensive end hybrid that would be perfect in New England.  After going 4-3 last year Belichick may return them to 3-4 after a full off-season or, most likely, a hybrid, but Perry can play in either: defensive end when they go 4-3 and outside linebacker at 3-4. The Pats need to produce a pass rush as they have failed to do in their last two Super Bowl appearances and Perry is the player to do that.  Other options include hybrids Andre Branch or Courtney Upshaw if he were to fall this low.

  1. Green Bay Packers (15-1, 3rd, 32nd) – Whitney Mercilus, DE, Illinois

This would be a steal for the Packers if Mercilus were to drop this far.  The Packers have to go defense as much as they can in this draft as their offense is about as set as it could be.  Mercilus will give the Packers a pass rusher along with Clay Mathews.  In the defense-dominated Big 10 Mercilus racked up 16 sacks last season in winning the Ted Hendricks Award for best defensive end.  On the downside, Mercilus is somewhat unrefined and small for the pro level.  He also tends to over-pursue and be poor against the rush.   He should still have the quickness to rack up double-digit sack numbers within his first few seasons with the Packers.

  1. Baltimore Ravens (12-4, 15th, 3rd) – Peter Konz, C, Wisconsin

The Ravens appear to be all set on defense and their only glaring need is offensive line.  Konz has the intelligence to be an NFL center coming from “offensive lineman U” at Wisconsin.  He is always able to pick up the middle linebacker and leads the Wisconsin offensive line that saw six make the first, second or third-all big ten team two years ago.  He plays well against the rush and against the pass.  Konz will be a staple of the Ravens offensive line for years to come.

  1. San Francisco 49ers (13-3, 26th, 4th) – Stephen Hill, WR, Georgia Tech

The 49ers biggest weakness last season was the pass.  While Alex Smith was serviceable due to his low interception rates, that statistic tends to regress towards the mean following outlier years as can be seen by Tom Brady this past year.  The 49ers need a playmaker at wide receiver that will not be inconsistent like Michael Crabtree or have hands made of butter like Braylon Edwards.  Mario Manningham and Randy Moss were signed by the 49ers but I still feel that Stephen Hill, if available, is the obvious pick.  Hill had a fantastic combine and while he is a raw talent the 49ers can make time to develop him as their wide receiving core can handle most of the load this season.  While I never love WRs coming out of a triple option offense he was still able to average nearly 30 yards per catch which, no matter what system you are in, deserves some recognition.  If not Hill look for the 49ers to take Coby Fleener from Stanford and expect Harbaugh to run a two tight end system like the Patriots do.

  1. New England Patriots (13-3, 2nd, 31st) – Harrison Smith, S, Notre Dame

This pick is where Bill Belichick thinks he is better than he is.  The Patriots badly need a safety but reaching for Smith at this point seems like a long shot.  He is ranked in the high-40s of prospects overall but the Patriots will select for need here over best defensive player available strategy, which would most likely give them Andre Branch.  Smith reads the quarterback well and will come up and help pass protect.  The downside about him is that he is not fast enough to hang with the fastest wide receivers or have closing speed on deep balls with only a 4.57 40-yard dash, but his reaction speed makes up for his leg speed.  He is strong, however, and is probably the top free safety in the draft.  If this works, Belichick is considered a genius.  If it does not then Belichick’s recent draft record would continue to not live up to Patriot fans’ expectations.

  1. New York Giants (9-7, 8th, 27th) – Mike Adams, OT, The Ohio State University

The Giants probably need more help on defense but protecting Eli is always a priority.  The Giants have gone with a “best player available” mentality since Jerry Reese took over control of the drafting duties and Mike Adams is certainly that player at this point. While raw due to being suspended for seven games at Ohio State, Adams has ideal size to be a tackle in the NFL at 6’7” and 323 pounds.  The Giants starting offensive tackles are currently William Beaty and James Brewer.  Brewer has not played an NFL down and Beatty has missed 18 games over the last two years.  Adams would be an ideal pick for the Giants at this spot.

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