Alan’s 2014 NFL Mock Draft: Round 1

Picks: 1-16 | 17-32

2014 NFL MOCK DRAFT: UPDATED September 25, 2013

1 Jacksonville Jaguars: QB Brett Hundley, UCLA

The Jacksonville Jaguars could be a historically bad football team. They are not rebuilding but simply building. The Seattle Seahawks scored three touchdowns before the Jags could record a first down on Sunday and Seahawks HC Pete Carroll showed mercy on his former defensive coordinator at USC by pulling his starters in the third quarter. Jacksonville should even consider trading the pick because they need so much. They would still be able to get a franchise QB in this draft by doing and possibly another franchise player.

2 Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Teddy Bridgewater, QB Louisville

It is likely the Buccaneers will be starting from scratch—–AGAIN. With Josh Freeman struggling and now benched in favor of rookie Mike Glennon and Greg Schiano very much out of touch with his locker room, look for yet another rookie head coach and quarterback scenario in Tampa Bay next season. I have no idea whom the new head coach will be but I’m pretty sure the Bucs won’t let Teddy Bridgewater slip past No.2. The Louisville QB missed on only five passes while throwing four TD’s in the Cardinals 72-0 romp over FIU.

3. Minnesota Vikings: Marcus Mariota, QB Oregon

The Vikings are a bad football team with a bad quarterback. Losing to the Browns at home may have been the worst loss the franchise has suffered in years. So far this season Christian Ponder has 2 Td’s and 5 INT’s. Adrian Peterson is averaging 93.7 YPG and if Ponder does not improve, teams could stack the box with nine. This pick will be a QB and we will debate which one all the way to draft day—but today it’s Marcus Mariota. All-Day may get his 2,500 yards in the pistol read option.

4. Oakland Raiders: Jadeveon Clowney DE South Carolina

Terrell Pryor kept the Raiders from being completely embarrassed on Monday Night against Denver. Oakland appears to have a QB they can move forward with in Pryor. That means the pick here has to be Jadeveon Clowney, who resurfaced vs. Vanderbilt two weeks ago. The junior standout had four tackles; a forced fumble and a sack in the Gamecocks’ 35-25 win over the Commodores. However, Clowney told reporters following the game that he would undergo surgery after the season to remove bone spurs from his right foot.

5. New York Giants: Jake Matthews, OT Texas A&M

The Giants embarrassed themselves and their head coach Tom Coughlin on Sunday. They were shutout 38-0 in Carolina and Coughlin said after the game, “Disappointed isn’t a strong enough word. I expected more.” Despite a bad defense that possesses a poor secondary, protecting Eli Manning and getting back to running the football will be the first order of business. Manning was sacked seven times on Sunday, the third-highest single-game total of his career and highest since Week 15 of 2008. Manning has been sacked 14 times already in 2013 and is on pace to take a seat 70 times this season. That stat will even out but he could still fall nearly 60 times this year. Look for the Giants to take a franchise LT and the top one in this class is Jake Matthews. He was phenomenal against Alabama and has great NFL bloodlines. He has strong skills as both a pass-protector and a finisher in the run game.

6. Cleveland Browns: Johnny Manziel, QB Texas A&M

The Browns do not appear as if they are throwing in the towel after all. Their inspiring 31-27 come from behind victory in Minnesota was actually a fun game to watch. Brian Hoyer became the 1st QB in Browns history to throw for at least 300 yards in his debut with the team. Hoyer also threw 3 INT’s and is not the long term answer so the Browns rebuild or keep building by taking a QB with their first pick in round one. I know this may sound crazy but if Johnny Manziel keeps playing the way he is, it will be hard to justify not taking him in the top 10. With a few teams needing a signal caller before Cleveland picks again later in the round, the Browns roll the dice and they take Manziel sooner than later.

7. Carolina Panthers: Taylor Lewan, OT Michigan

It is hard to believe but Jordan Gross will be finishing his 11^th season in the NFL, Cam Newton will need to have faith in a blindside protector and Lewan is a great option to be that player.

8.St. Louis Rams (from Washington): Cyrus Kouandjio, OT Alabama

This is a luxury pick for the Rams and I would not be surprised to see St. Louis trade out of this spot. If the Skins do not get their act together, this could be a top five selection before the end of the year. With that said, Jeff Fisher would love to have another Tackle and Kouandjio could be the pick. Roger Safford, the current RT in STL, can play any position on the line and would likely move to guard but he is also a pending free agent and he has been unable to stay healthy over the past three seasons. Kouandjio would likely play right tackle for a couple years, then move over to left tackle when Jake Long’s days are up.

9. Buffalo Bills: Anthony Barr, OLB, UCLA

So far this season, Barr has one sack, four forced fumbles and five tackles for a loss. The Bills need a partner for Mario Williams and Barr would be make as good a candidate as anyone. The QB run drops Barr to this spot making Williams and the Bills very fortunate. This tandem would give Buffalo a formidable duo of hunters to chase after franchise signal callers Geno Smith, Ryan Tannehill and Tom Brady.

10. New York Jets: Marquis Lee WR, USC

If anyone told you the Jets would be the best team in New York after three weeks, you might still be laughing—but at 2-1 and a win over the Bills– they are. Rex Ryan’s defense has played exceptional to start the season. This pick will be all about getting QB Geno Smith some weapons. Lee has just 1 TD and 293 receiving yards this season but given the state of USC’s QB situation, he’s forgiven. Pairing Lee with Stephen Hill and veteran Santonio Holmes would give Smith plenty of options in his second year.

11. Arizona Cardinals: Tahj Boyd, QB Clemson

It’s my mock draft and I’ll have as many QB’s as I want in the first 11 picks. The Cardinals see firsthand the effect that a signal caller with Boyd’s skill set can bring. In the NFC West. Although he struggled a bit in Thursday’s conference opener against NC State, Boyd would take his place alongside Colin Kaepernick and Russell Wilson in the division. So far this season Boyd has passed for 683 yards with six touchdowns and no interceptions. He’s added another 90 on the ground and three more rushing TD’s.

12. Pittsburgh Steelers: Louis Nix III, DL Notre Dame

Pittsburgh outgained the Bears 459-258 in Sunday night’s contest but dropped to 0-3 for the first time since 2000. Despite the high number of yards, Pittsburgh is showing they need a lot of help on offense. The Steelers could trade back to draft OT Cameron Erving from Florida State but if Louis Nix III is on the board, they will grab him. This may not be a popular pick in the Steel City, considering the O-line situation but the Steelers have drafted a lot of youth on the O-line that have succumb to injuries. At 6-foot 2, 352-pounds, Nix is a an immediate upgrade over Steve McClendon and a natural fit for Pittsburgh’s 3-4 defense.

13. Philadelphia Eagles: Bradley Robey, CB Ohio State

The Eagles turned the football over four times in the first half vs. KC last Thursday night and are a controlled mess on both sides of the football. Chip Kelly would love to get Marcus Mariota or Johnny Manziel but both are likely to be gone. The Eagles may try to wheel and deal and I would not be surprised to see them make a deal similar to the one the Skins made with the Rams two years ago to get into position to get their signal caller. With that said, if they stay here, they will likely look to bolster the secondary and at the moment in my opinion that means taking Bradley Robey, who along with Loucheiz Purifoy and Jason Verrett are the top corners in the draft.

14. San Diego Chargers: Jason Verrett, CB, TCU

San Diego has the worst pass defense in the NFL and when Jake Locker looks like a Pro Ball QB, you need help in the secondary. Verrett could be the top CB in the draft once the season ends. The Chargers pass defense isn’t likely to improve with receivers such as Mike Wallace, AJ Green, Victor Cruz, as well as Denver’s formidable trio left on the schedule this season.

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

The Rams drafted T.J. McDonald back in April, but they need more in that tough division. Through three weeks, the Rams secondary is 23 in the NFL vs. the pass. Dix would probably play over Rodney McLeod now in St. Louis.

16. Detroit Lions: CJ Mosley, LB Alabama

DeAndre Levy and Stephen Tulloch have turned in pretty decent seasons thus far. Moseley would be a great addition behind a stout Lions front line. According to Mel Kiper, Mosley is gifted in coverage, and has the all-around versatility that will make him an appealing linebacker in any scheme. He flies to the ball and makes a ton of plays; now he simply needs to get a bit stronger and show the leverage against the run. But on the weak side, he gets through blocks and chases everything down (or just beats people to the ball).

Picks: 1-16 | 17-32