User Submitted Mock Drafts Week of 3/1-3/6

Mock 1 Larry – Baltimore Ravens

link to mock: https://fanspeak.com/ontheclock/draft.php?d=hdclmn

 

17 WR ODELL BECKHAM JR.

LSU

48 OT CYRUS KOUANDJIO    

ALABAMA

79 S TERRENCE BROOKS

FLORIDA STATE

178 TE COLT LYERLA

OREGON

Why I like it:

It’s tough to look at Ravens drafts at this point as they are missing so many picks that it just doesn’t seem fun. The good news is the Ravens will be getting some picks (and some fairly high ones) from the NFL in return for their free agent losses from a year ago. The bad news is that until they become official they aren’t included in the simulator.

Larry though still did a nice job with his 4 picks in this draft. The Ravens were really missing a WR complement to Torrey Smith last year, and that is something they need to fix this season. I could see a case for a bigger receiver to balance Smith, but when you have an arm like Joe Flacco, having receivers that can get vertical fast is a priority. Smith and Beckham will challenge a lot of teams deep which should clear things out nicely for Dennis Pitta underneath.

In the 2nd round landing Kouandjio is a nice pick here. Kouandjio is going to fall some due to his medical, but he probably won’t have a major slide like some are predicting. Sure he might not be a 10 year option, but guess what most draft picks won’t be. And for a team like the Ravens who are a contender right now, worrying about if Kouandjio is still playing in 6 years is fairly pointless. With both of the Ravens tackles set to hit free agency, adding Kouandjio is really smart. If they can’t find another upgrade, Kouandjio could play LT and perhaps they move Osemele to RT, if they do find a LT Kouandjio should be able to start at RT.

Terrence Brooks in the 3rd round is another really nice pick-up. He’s got a great combination of athleticism and talent as  well as a good character guy. Even if Matt Elam handles one safety role the other safety spot is up for grabs with James Ihedigbo an unrestricted free agent. Taking a shot at Lyerla makes a lot of sense, particularly from a team like the Ravens with an established strong locker room and a leader at the TE position. If Lyerla gets his act together he could be a late round steal, and for a team like Baltimore that could be huge.

 

Mock 2: Mike for the Cleveland Browns

Link to Mock Draft: https://fanspeak.com/ontheclock/draft.php?d=nlafus#.UxlsJOG9yN8.email

 

4 WR SAMMY WATKINS    

CLEMSON

26 QB JOHNNY MANZIEL

TEXAS A&M

35 OLB RYAN SHAZIER

OHIO STATE

71 G CYRIL RICHARDSON

BAYLOR

83 ILB SHAYNE SKOV

STANFORD

102 RB CARLOS HYDE

OHIO STATE

123 CB PIERRE DESIR

LINDENWOOD

133 ILB MAX BULLOUGH

MICHIGAN STATE

164 G JON HALAPIO

FLORIDA

195 QB TAJH BOYD

CLEMSON

Why I like it:

It would probably be easier to list why I didn’t like this Mock draft, as I think this is about as perfect as you can get. I’ll start at the top where the Browns don’t reach for a QB and instead take the best player on the board for them in Sammy Watkins. I know everyone wants to just hand them at QB at 4, but Watkins is the better player and teaming him with Josh Gordon and Jordan Cameron is pretty much unfair to the opposing defense.

Even with passing on a QB at 4 the Browns still land Johnny Manziel with their 2nd first round pick. Some are going to say that is unrealistic, but the reality of it is, it’s very possible that one of the top 4 QB’s falls out of the top 10 and possibly to the end of the round. It’s not a mortal lock that all 4 will be taken high, and Manziel is one that could definitely fall. If that happens this is a no-brainer pick for the Browns at this point.

Next up Ryan Shazier could be an intriguing guy in the 3-4 as an inside linebacker option. The position is further bolstered with Shane Skov and Max Bullough. If the Browns add one average veteran to that group their ILB position will be set. That is a lot of talent and potential in that group and even if one of them bust, the Browns will still be well covered.

Guard is another position the Browns add multiple players to and you have to like them getting Cyril Richardson and Jon Halapio. Those are two big, physical guards that should help Cleveland early on. Add them to a line of Thomas, Schwartz and Mack (assuming he’s retained) and Cleveland’s OL looks pretty good going forward. That line will be blocking for a new feature back in Carlos Hyde, who should give them a big power back. He doesn’t have the best speed, but then again neither did Alfred Morris and Kyle Shanahan got him to break multiple Redskins rushing records behind a worse offensive line.

Finally picks like Pierre Desir and Tajh Boyd are smart pick-ups as well. Boyd at least should offer good depth, and Desir has future starting potential.

 

Mock 3 Mitch Green Bay Packers

Link to Mock: https://fanspeak.com/ontheclock/draft.php?d=jdzqdw

 

21 CB JUSTIN GILBERT    

OKLAHOMA STATE

53 S JIMMIE WARD

NORTHERN ILLINOIS

85 DE MARCUS SMITH

LOUISVILLE

117 WR MARTAVIS BRYANT

CLEMSON

149 DT DANIEL MCCULLERS

TENNESSEE

181 RB DE’ANTHONY THOMAS

OREGON

213 TE RICHARD RODGERS

CALIFORNIA

Why I like it:

I really like the focus in the secondary for the Packers and their top two picks. Sam Shield is a free agent and could be gone leaving a big hole at corner that would need fixing. Even if Shields stays though or is replaced via free agency, the Packers need to boost this secondary. The Bears and Lions have two very strong passing attacks (and the Lions will likely improve this offseason), so the Packers need to match up.

Marcus Smith could be a really good situational pass rusher and a nice complement to Clay Matthews. With Mike Neal expected to walk in free agency this becomes a need, even if Nick Perry finally puts it together this year.

The Packers are going to lose James Jones in free agency this year, and though they still have Nelson, Cobb and Boykin, getting a high upside talent like Martavis Bryant makes a lot of sense in the mid rounds. The Packers can even let him redshirt a year given their depth, and develop him for 2015 when he could be pretty special. McCullers is a nice late round pick as a rotational nose tackle.

Finally adding De’Anthony Thomas and Richard Rodgers late are really smart depth picks to fill out the offense. In this draft the defense vastly improves for 2014, while the offense gets some really nice depth and future upside.