NFL Mock Draft 3.0 – All 7 Rounds

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Round 2

33.) Texans: QB Derek Carr, Fresno St (6’2, 214) – Unless the Texans think Case Keenum is their long-term answer at QB, they will be pretty happy to see Carr still available at the beginning of round 2. Carr had a productive senior season (5082 yards, 50 TDs) and an impressive off-season, showing good confidence, intelligence and charisma in the interviews, a strong arm capable of making all the NFL throws, and better than expected athleticism (4.6 40).

34.) Redskins: WR Kelvin Benjamin, Florida St (6’5, 240) – He’s 240 pounds with 4% body fat. That’s unreal. Benjamin has an elite size/speed ratio, though there is some concern about his hands, acceleration off the line and change of direction ability. His route-running needs work as well, but Benjamin has the physical tools to be unstoppable eventually and should be a dangerous deep threat right away. The Redskins need some size at the position and a deep threat and Benjamin gives them both with the upside for more.

35.) Browns: RB Carlos Hyde, Ohio St (6’0, 230) – Rumor has it the Browns are looking for a workhorse back and that is what Hyde brings to the table. They signed Ben Tate in the off-season but he has missed at least 1 game every season and I don’t think an increase in carries will keep him healthier. Hyde is a tough-runner with surprising burst and wiggle for a guy his size. He averaged 7.3 ypc which is pretty darn impressive for a between the tackles runner in the rugged big ten.

36.) Raiders: QB Jimmy Garoppolo, Eastern Illinois (6’2, 219) – The Raiders get their QB of the future in Garoppolo. I don’t think even the Raiders are stupid enough to consider Schaub their long-term answer at QB and they should be looking for an upgrade for 2015 and beyond. Garappolo doesn’t have the biggest arm, but his quick release and sound decision-making should make him a solid pro and an upgrade over what the Raiders currently have at the position. Signing Schaub gives them a year or two to groom Garoppolo like the Packers did with Aaron Rodgers when Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie was their director of player personnel.

37.) Falcons: LB Kyle Van Noy, BYU (6’3, 243) – Van Noy can do it all at the OLB position. He’s more of a finesse guy than some teams like, but you can’t argue with the results (24 sacks, 54 TFLs over last 3 seasons). Van Noy is unique in that he excels in both coverage and rushing the passer. He should give the Falcons a dangerous edge rusher in their new 3-4 alignment.

38.) Buccaneers: DE Scott Crighton, Oregon St (6’3, 273) – The Bucs finished 23rd in the league in sacks last year. The signings of DE Michael Johnson and DT Clinton McDonald will help, but Lovie Smith’s zone scheme needs a pass rush from the defensive line. Crighton can line up across from Johnson on passing downs and use his impressive burst to  generate pressure off the edge. His pass rush technique needs some work but he has the physical tools to be a force.

39.) Jaguars: QB Zach Mettenberger, LSU (6’5, 224) – Mettenberger has good size and a cannon arm, but showed inconsistent accuracy at the college level and he’s not very mobile. With a year or two of grooming, he could end up being a very good NFL QB, but will need a solid line in front of him because he struggles to escape pressure.

40.) Vikings: CB Bradley Roby, Ohio St (5’11, 194) – The Vikings added CB Captain Munnerlyn in free agency but also lost CB Chris Cook (49ers) so they could use some depth. Roby would be a great developmental pick for the Vikings. He has prototypical physical traits for the position, has shown a willingness to hit in the run game, and just needs some coaching on his technique. Roby was destroyed by Wisconsin’s Jared Abbrederis in their match-up last year and it really exposed Roby’s poor technique. All his issues are fixable though and he could develop into a pro bowl caliber CB with the right situation and coaching.

41. ) Bills: T Morgan Moses, Virginia (6’6, 314) – The Bills need a RT and Moses can fill that role now and possibly move over to LT in a year or two with a little experience and coaching. He has ideal size and good feet in pass pro, but Moses hasn’t shown the aggressiveness or burst to be an impact run blocker. The potential is there though and Moses could be a stud in a couple of years

42.) Titans: RB Tre Mason, Auburn (5’10, 205) – With Chris Johnson released, the Titans need to find another running back unless they plan on Shonn Greene being their feature back. I doubt anyone thinks that’s a good plan. Mason can fly, is sturdy and tough enough to break a tackle or two. He’s a dangerous running back once he gets to the second level and can provide value as a return man as well.

43.) Giants: TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Washington (6’5, 262) – TE Brandon Myers was a bust last year and is already gone (TB). Seferian-Jenkins is a good blocker with surprising agility for a man his size and excellent hands. He’s not a deep threat, but can be a reliable (and huge) target on short to mid range routes and is tough to bring down once he has the ball in his hands. His recent 4.5 40-time (rumored) at a workout for the Jets might boost him a little higher than this.

44.) Rams: CB LaMarcus Joyner, Florida St (5’8, 184) – He’s going to be one of the shortest players in the NFL, but Joyner can play. He’s a fierce hitter despite his small stature, has great speed, and his instincts are so good that he is always around the ball. Joyner is probably too small to cover outside the hash marks, but he can play either safety spot and could be an outstanding slot corner. The Rams just released slot corner Cortland Finnegan, so Joyner can slide into that spot right away and contribute as a rookie. Joyner will also help out on kick & punt returns if Tavon Austin can’t handle the job.

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45.) Lions: WR Cody Latimer, Indiana (6’2, 215) – After signing Golden Tate in the off-season, the Lions have a reliable option across from Calvin Johnson for the first time in years but still need an upgrade over Kris Durham at the 3rd WR spot. A deep threat that can take the top off a defense would be ideal and Latimer has that kind of potential. He’s a big, strong (23 bench reps) receiver who can get deep in a hurry (4.38 40-time) and go up and get the ball (39″ vertical). Latimer was productive as a junior (72, 1096, 9) but would have benefited from another year in college to improve the finer points of his game. He has shown great hands at times but also drops some easy ones. Latimer’s route-running needs work as well, but he has tons of upside and could give the Lions one of the best receiver groups in the league by 2015.

46.) Steelers: WR Allen Robinson, Penn St (6’2, 220) – Rumor has it that the Steelers have promised Roethlisberger a big receiver and they get one here with Robinson. Not only does he have great size, but he has excellent hands and enough acceleration and quickness to get open consistently. Robinson has good strength and is a load to bring down after the catch. His stock has dropped due to a slow 40 at the combine (4.6), but he is a steal in round 2. Robinson should develop into an excellent possession receiver with good YAC potential. 

47.) Cowboys: DE Stephon Tuiit, Notre Dame (6’5, 304) – The Cowboys defense is a mess and they didn’t have enough cap space available to fix it. They addressed the DT position in round 1 with Jernigan and they get him some help on the edge with Tuitt. His 2013 season was a disappointment, but he was recovering from a sports hernia. In 2012 he was a beast and would have been a top 15 pick if he could have entered the draft. Tuitt has prototype size for a DE, impressive strength, and polished pass rush moves. He could be a steal this late in the draft.

48.) Ravens: OT Cyrus Kouandijo, Alabama (6’7, 322) – A lot has been made of his disappointing combine and failed medicals due to an arthritic knee, but when you watch his game tape he was a borderline dominant left tackle against top competition in the SEC. None other than Dr. James Andrews has said his medicals are fine and his knee is normal for a man of his size. Kouandjio is very mobile for his size with a good kick slide and despite some inconsistent play last year, has the tools to be a dominant tackle down the road. If he can earn the starting RT spot, I doubt he will be worse than Michael Oher last year.

49.) Jets: CB Pierre Desir, Lindenwood (6’1, 198) – The Jets missed out on all of the top free agent corners and they still need help. They need a big corner who can play press coverage and Desir dominated the press coverage drills at the Senior Bowl. He is making a huge jump up in competition from tiny Lindenwood college, but showed he could handle it at the Senior Bowl and then ran well at the combine (4.59) for a guy his size. There is a lot of potential here, Desir has great size, arm length and ball skills. It might take him a year before his technique is good enough to crack the starting lineup but once he’s there he should be a solid pro and a great fit in the Jets aggressive scheme. 

50.) Dolphins: G Xavier G Su’a-Filo, UCLA (6’4, 307) – Ideally Su’a-Filo can step in at the RG position and give the Dolphins their 4th new starter on the offensive line. They definitely need a change after the Incognito / Martin fiasco and giving up a league high 58 sacks last year. Su’a-Filo showed fluid mobility at the combine, has good strength and has very few flaws on tape. He’s already 23, so should be ready to play immediately.

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51.) Bears: S Deone Bucannon, Washington St (6’1, 211) – He has been shooting up draft boards since the Senior Bowl and for good reason. Bucannon was one of the biggest hitters in college football and has excellent range in coverage. Bucannon misses his fair share of tackles since he is always going for the big hit, but that can be coached out and it’s really the only flaw in his game. He’s not just a hitter either, he had 15 INTs in his college career and 23 pass defenses. Bucannon is good enough in coverage and has the range to play either safety position in the Bears zone scheme. He can be a big-time play-maker and should be able to contribute right away.

52.) Cardinals: T Joel Bitonio, Nevada (6’4, 302) – Bitonio had a great Senior Bowl and then showed surprising athleticism and speed at the combine with a sub-5 40-time and top five results in the 3-cone, broad jump, short shuttle, and vertical leap. Bitonio’s game tape is solid, specifically his performance against 1st round prospect Anthony Barr who he held without a sack in their match-up. Bitonio is shorter than ideal for a LT, but would be fine at RT and has all-pro potential at guard if he can’t cut it on the edge. It just so happens that the weakest spots on the Cards line are RG/RT, regardless of who ends up where between Bitonio and Bobby Massey they should be able to improve the right spot of the Cards line.

53.) Packers: OLB Trent Murphy, Stanford (6’5, 250) – There are rumors all over the place about the Packers targeting Murphy in round 2. It makes sense, the Packers need edge rushers and that’s what Murphy does best (15 sacks in 2013). He gets surprisingly low to the ground coming off the edge despite his height, has a myriad of sneaky pass rush moves, and is a max-effort type of player. Bear fans are going to hate him.

54.) Eagles: S Jimmy Ward, Northern Illinois (5’11, 193) – Ward can team with recently signed free safety Michael Jenkins to vastly improve the Eagles safety combo from last year (Allen/Chung). I’m not a huge Jenkins fan, but Ward is one of my favorite players in the draft. He isn’t flashy but is a sound tackler and is versatile enough to play either safety spot and even nickel corner in a pinch. He is a little smaller than ideal for the position but makes up for it with flawless technique and excellent instincts in coverage and run support. Ward should be able to step in and start on day 1.

55.) Bengals: CB Bashuad Breeland, Clemson (5’11, 197) – The Bengals top 3 corners will be 30 or older this season and their play is already starting to slip a little. They took Dre Kirkpatrick in the 1st round last year, but the jury is still out on him and either way they need some youth at the position. Breeland might have had a shot at the first round in 2015 if he stayed at Clemson for another year of seasoning. He has good size and speed, but only started for one season and is a bit raw. Breeland did show pro-level athleticism and was a play-maker for Clemson (4 INTs, 10 pass breakups, 3rd team all-ACC). The talent is there to be developed and Breeland could become a lock-down corner in 2-3 years.

56.) 49ers: WR Davonte Adams, Fresno St (6’1, 212) – Re-signing Boldin solidified the Niners starting receivers, but they have no depth and they could lose both Crabtree and Boldin next year. Adams is similar to both in that he just knows how to get open. In two seasons at Fresno St, Adams caught a ridiculous 233 passes for 3,031 yards and 38 touchdowns. Those are Tecmo Bowl numbers, but somewhat inflated by the Fresno St’s spread offense and weak competition. Even taking those negative factors into account, it’s still pretty darn impressive. Adams has good size, reliable hands, and uses his body well to block out defenders. He runs well after the catch with the ability to make people miss and break tackles if they don’t. His straight-line speed was considered a flaw, but after a 4.56 40-time at the combine it’s hard to find anything to complain about.

57.) Chargers: CB Keith McGill, Utah (6’3, 211) – The tallest corner in this year’s draft, McGill helped his stock at the Senior Bowl and again at the combine. He showed surprising fluidity in drop-backs, better coverage ability than expected, and ran a 4.51 at the combine. McGill is an intriguing prospect, but not without warts. He missed as many games as he started in his two years at Utah and does not have good hands. I saw him drop one against ASU that hit him square in the numbers. McGill only had 1 pick in two years as a starter. In his defense, McGill did have a pick at the Senior Bowl so maybe there is hope for his hands after all. The Chargers signed 6-2 corner Derek Cox last off-season and he was a bust, so they try again with another tall corner in McGill.

58.) Saints: WR Donte Moncrief, Mississippi (6’2, 221) – Moncrief has great size and uses it well to shield defenders. He has great hands, runs good routes, and even run blocks a bit. The only question mark was his straight-line speed, but he answered that and then some at the combine with a 4.40 40-time. This might be too low for Moncrief, but the receiver class is stacked and it’s going to come down to team’s preferences. Moncrief is an upgrade over Kenny Stills at the #2 WR spot and should replace Colston as Drew Brees’ #1 target quickly.

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59.) Colts: S Terrence Brooks, Florida St (5’11, 198) – The Colts lost FS Antoine Bethea in the off-season and SS Laron Landry is an in the box safety who should be paired with someone who has strong coverage skills. Brooks is fast and a big hitter despite being a bit undersized. He has a tendency to go for the big hit a little too often which leads to some missed tackles, but he usually finds a way to take down his target. Brooks has great range in coverage and can cover slot receivers when needed. His height isn’t ideal but his excellent vertical leap adds an inch or two. One knock on Brooks is his hands. He only had 4 interceptions in two years despite putting himself in position for at least double that many picks. Brooks only played safety for two seasons, so he is still learning the position and could get considerably better with more experience.

60.) Panthers: T Jake Mewhort, Ohio St (6’6, 309) – The Panthers need upgrades at both tackle positions and guard. Mewhort is a strong, versatile O-lineman who played everywhere but center during his stint at OSU and could potentially help the Panthers at either tackle spot or guard if needed. He showed well at the Senior Bowl, solidifying his 2nd round grade. Mewhort lacks elite athleticism, but is a max-effort player with good technique and should be a starting caliber NFL lineman for years at either T or G.

61.) 49ers: CB Marcus Roberson, Florida (6’0, 191) – The Niners lost both of their starting corners from last year (Brown, Rogers) and despite signing Chris Cook and Perrish Cox they need some starting caliber talent at the position. Roberson had a bad combine and didn’t do much better at his pro day, but the tape doesn’t lie. He was one of the better cover guys in the country last season and has the potential to be a lock-down corner. Roberson is a non-factor against the run, but should improve the pass defense wherever he ends up.

62.) Patriots: DT DaQuan Jones, Penn St (6’4, 322) – The Pats DTs (Wilfork, Kelly) are both old and on their last legs. They may have one or two good years left, but the Pats need some young blood at the position. Jones struggled with weight issues early in his college career, but trimmed down before his senior year and showed more explosion and consistency last season. He looked much quicker in 2013 and flashed some pass rush ability at the Senior Bowl. Jones holds the point of attack well and can be an asset against the run. Jones’ best fit is as a 3-4 NT but could play the 1-technique in a 4-3 as well. 

63.) Broncos: G David Yankey, Stanford (6’6, 315) – The Broncos lost starting guard Zane Beadles to free agency, but find a replacement in Yankey. His speed was disappointing at the combine (5.48), but has great size, position versatility, intelligence and was a team captain at Stanford. Guards don’t need to run very far in the Broncos zone blocking scheme anyway. Yankey is a good value pick this late in the 2nd round and could contribute immediately for the Broncos.

64.) Seahawks: T Ja’Wuan James, Tennessee (6’5, 311) – The Seahawks lost starting right tackle Breno Giacomini in free agency, but probably would be looking for a replacement even if he stayed. James would have been a LT at most colleges, but with Antonio Richardson entrenched there, James got a lot of experience playing on the right side which is beneficial since that is probably his best fit in the NFL. James is a powerful run blocker with good feet and surprising quickness for his size. His technique needs some work, but it’s close enough to NFL ready that he should be able to start at RT from day 1.