2013 "Jack-Draft"

The "Jack-Draft" is basically a look at what the NFL Draft would look like if I was the GM of all 32 NFL teams.  It's very similar to what Mel Kiper does with his "A-Draft," which is a draft he makes so that all 32 teams earn an A for their first round pick.  You can look at that draft here for comparison.  I'm doing this exactly one week before the actual draft, so while my Big Board could change a little between now and next Thursday, it won't be drastic.  What I do is look at my board and take the top guy that makes sense for a team.  If I can't find a match I'll probably trade down.  I'm literally starting right now, I have no idea what teams will pick whom.  I've rambled, it's 8:05, so the Chiefs are getting some extra time here.  Without further ado, welcome in to the 2013 "Jack-Draft."  The Kansas City Chiefs are on the clock.

2013 NFL "Jack-Draft"

Photo Rights to aggiesports.com

1. Kansas City Chiefs- Luke Joeckel, OT, Texas A&M
Surprise!  The likely #1 pick Joeckel is actually #1 on my Big Board (barely).  He makes a ton of sense for the Chiefs because they need a Left Tackle to protect Alex Smith.  Brandon Albert is solid, but he is on a one-year franchise deal and the Chiefs would like to trade him for a second rounder in this draft.  Joeckel is a cheaper option and a safe bet to play LT at a high level for years to come.

Photo Rights to nflmocks.com

2. Jacksonville Jaguars- Lane Johnson, OT, Oklahoma
This pick is probably a big surprise to you, but Lane Johnson is the #2 player on my board.  Joeckel is a sure thing and that's why he's #1, but Johnson is just growing into his own as a Left Tackle.  His natural ability and dancer feet make him the highest upside Left Tackle I've ever graded.  The Jags can go LT because Eugene Monroe is average there and he is a free agent after next year.  Brandon Albert is better than Monroe, so if KC can go LT so can the Jags.  Johnson is the best player available and fills a need.




3. Oakland Raiders- Ezekiel Ansah, DE, BYU

Photo Rights to ESPN

The Raiders have the worst roster in the NFL.  It's so bad that my computer froze up while I was trying to make a pick for them.  True story.  Anyways, their defense has exactly zero pass rushers and could use any and all help along the defensive front.  Ansah is the top player on my board at this point, and my highest rated pass rusher.  He is a bit raw but has a tremendous combination of power and speed as both a pass rusher and a run stopper.  He's going to grow into a pretty darn complete Defensive End if he's coached well. 

Photo Rights to ESPN

4. Philadelphia Eagles-Star Lotulelei, DT, Utah
Lotulelei fits in with the Eagles at the 5-technique spot in their 3-4.  He would bring stout run support to one of those end spots as well as being a dynamic interior pass rusher on third downs.  His heart problems are pretty much cleared up, so that didn't affect his stock much on my board.  He's the top player available, so we're 4-4 in that regard.


5. Detroit Lions- Eric Fisher, OT, Central Michigan

Photo Rights to Detroit News

The Lions 3 big needs are at Corner, Defensive End, and potentially at Left Tackle if Reilly Reiff isn't the answer.  At this juncture in the draft they satisfy the Offensive Tackle need with Fisher, although he's neck and neck with Bjoern Werner and Dee Milliner on my board.  I went with Fisher for two reasons:  1. Protecting Matthew Stafford needs to be the top priority in the Motor City and 2. I could have told you last year at draft time that Reiff was overrated and wouldn't be capable of playing Left Tackle in the NFL (he was in the high 20's on my board, strictly viewed as a Right Tackle).  Fisher is a local product from Central Michigan and looks to be a legitimate franchise Left Tackle.


6.  Cleveland Browns- Jon Cooper, OG, North Carolina

Photo Rights to goheels.com

The Browns have a need at Offensive Guard, and while it's certainly not a sexy pick to take one 6th overall, it's a good spot for Cooper.  I actually have him pegged 5th on my board, ahead of Fisher.  And yes, I do take into account that Cooper is a Guard:  I weight the grades of each prospect with what position they play, so QBs get the biggest bump, followed by Pass Rushers and Left Tackles.  The biggest drop-offs are Punters and Kickers, followed by Guards/Centers, Running Backs, Safeties, and Linebackers (4-3 OLBs, MLBs and 3-4 ILBs).  Fullbacks don't appear on my board, it's a dying position that's only good for neck and brain injuries, and teams can just use a tight end as a battering ram if they need to.  So, in conclusion, yes, even being a Guard Cooper is worth a Top 5 pick.

Photo Rights to al.com

7. Arizona Cardinals- Dee Milliner, CB, Alabama
The Cardinals would love for a Left Tackle to fall into their laps here, but unfortunately that's not the case.  They could do worse than Milliner though, who would pair up with Patrick Peterson (a former 5th overall pick) to form one of the scariest CB duos in recent memory.  He's the top player on the board right now and would be a solid piece to add to that defense.  The Cardinals should try to acquire Brandon Albert to be their Left Tackle, as he's better than what they could get in the second round.


8. Buffalo Bills- Bjoern Werner, DE, Florida St.
The Bills signed Mark Anderson in Free Agency last year to be a complimentary pass rusher to Mario Williams.  Anderson flopped, but drafting Werner would do wonders to the Bills' pass rush.  The German-born Defensive end has only been playing football for a few years, but he's a natural.  Rushing the passer and stopping the run are both strengths of his, and Werner projects as a prototypical 4-3 Left End in the NFL.

Photo Rights to ESPN

9. New York Jets- Geno Smith, QB, West Virginia

Photo Rights to ESPN

And the first QB is off the board.  The Jets Quarterback woes aren't a secret, and Smith is the top player available on my board at this point.  In my AFC North Draft-Cast a few days ago, I made the remark that the Browns picking Geno at 6 wouldn't be a huge reach, and it's not.  I think Geno is one of the 10 best prospects in this draft.  About the only thing that could save the Jets and Rex Ryan right now is a franchise rookie QB.

10. Tennessee Titans- Chance Warmack, OG, Alabama

Photo Rights to philly.com

Now I'm sure some of my readers will accuse me of conspiring to have an elite Guard prospect like Warmack fall right into the Titans' lap.  The Titans have made it a goal this offseason to revamp the interior of their O-Line, and Warmack would be a huge part of that.  He's the 10th player on my Big Board, so he fits the BPA method and fits a need.  to give you an idea of how tight this draft board is, the difference between the top Guards Cooper (ranked 5th overall) and Warmack (ranked 10th overall) is a whopping 0.5 points out of 100.  It's that type of draft this year.

11. San Diego Chargers- D.J. Fluker, OT, Alabama
Fluker is the top player on my board at this point, but he's strictly a Right Tackle.  He doesn't have the feet to play the blindside, but the Chargers can take what they can get and draft an instant starter and a future All-Pro caliber Right Tackle.

12. Miami Dolphins- Desmond Trufant, CB, Washington
The Dolphins reach a little here- I have Trufant ranked 16th overall- but satisfy a big need with a young corner to replace Sean Smith.  Brent Grimes was brought in on a one-year deal but he's not a long term fix, and Trufant is a good bet to be a productive corner in the NFL.  He has the man to man skills to match up against an opponent's best receiver.

13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Shariff Floyd, DT, Florida
I like Shariff Floyd, I really do.  But that doesn't mean I'm going to mock him in the top 3.  He has a great personal story and he's only 20 years old, so the sky is the limit for him.  But he isn't Ndamukong Suh.  He isn't going to walk into the NFL and be an elite DT.  He is going to have some growing pains, and I fear he'll be drafted too high and have too much pressure to perform at a Pro-Bowl level right away.  He belongs right in this range instead of the top 5.  He's #14 on my board.

14. Carolina Panthers- DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Clemson
The Panthers have real interest in Hopkins, but probably for the second round because they never want to invest in the WR position when they can collect mediocre Running Backs.  But Hopkins wouldn't be a reach at all at 14.  As I said in my NFC South Draft-Cast, Hopkins is a Roddy White clone that I have ranked 12th overall, and the top WR on the board.  He'd be the rightful heir to Steve Smith and provide Cam Newton with a great possession receiver.

15. New Orleans Saints- Dion Jordan, OLB, Oregon
Like Floyd, Jordan won't make it this far down the board, but he should.  I have him ranked 17th, as he has Top 5 upside but second rounder productivity to fall back on.  Still, he's a very good pass rushing prospect that the Saints would love to have for their new 3-4 defense.

16. St. Louis Rams- Cordarrelle Patterson, WR, Tennessee
Patterson has the highest ceiling of any receiver in this draft class.  He's basically a raw version of Julio Jones.  The Rams need to replace Danny Amendola and Brandon Gibson, and adding the draft's 13th rated player overall at a position of need is a slam dunk.

17. Pittsburgh Steelers- Tyler Eifert, TE, Notre Dame
The Steelers have an elite Tight End in Heath Miller, but he's coming off a torn ACL.  Eifert is the top Tight End in the draft by a mile and is the BPA at this point.  When Miller comes back, Ben Roethlisberger will have a pair of stellar TEs at his disposal a la Tom Brady.

18. Dallas Cowboys- Larry Warford, OG, Kentucky
I actually have 3 Guards in the top 20 of my Big Board this year.  Warford is a mauler of a run blocker, and would infuse the Cowboys' Offensive Line with some strength and natiness.  The Cowboys have a dire need at Guard and I doubt Jerry Jones will address it (since it won't get enough hype to fool people into thinking the Cowboys are good) but I have no problem slotting Warford here at 18 for the betterment of America's Team.

19. New York Giants- Margus Hunt, DE/DT, SMU
24-year-old Margus Hunt is a little rawer than you want a 24-year-old first rounder to be, but he has enough upside to compensate.  Hunt blew up the combine and at 6'8" and 277 pounds, with 4.6 speed and 38 bench rep strength, he's worth a Top 20 selection.  The Giants could use a pass rusher with Osi Umenyiora in Atlanta, and they could use Hunt the way they used a young Justin Tuck as a run stuffer in their base 4-3 defense at Left End and an interior pass rusher on third down.

20. Chicago Bears- Khaseem Greene, OLB, Rutgers
The Bears need some youth in their linebacking corps, and Greene is the top fit available.  He's a slight reach (ranked 26th on my board) but he makes a lot of sense for Chicago.  His experience as a former safety makes him an ideal fit for the Cover 2, where Linebackers are asked to play zone coverage and operate well in open space.

21. Cincinnati Bengals- Menelik Watson, OT, Florida St.
This marks the first pick since Joeckel to KC that actually matches up with my latest real mock draft.  The Bengals need to replace Andre Smith at Right Tackle and Watson is the last first round Tackle available.

22. St. Louis Rams (from WAS)- Jarvis Jones, OLB, Georgia
Jarvis Jones has fallen a little on my Big Board because of his poor workout numbers.  He's still a solid first round prospect and the Rams would be hard pressed to find a better solution at 22 with Watson off the board.  Jones could play OLB in a 4-3 and rush the passer on third downs like Von Miller in Denver.  the Rams have a hole at one of their OLB spots.

23. Minnesota Vikings-  Darius Slay, CB, Mississippi St.
Finally, after a few picks in a row of being passed over despite being the BPA on my board, Darius Slay is drafted by the Vikings.  Slay is a speedy corner who has shot up my board because of his ability to play man coverage and run with speedy receivers.  The Vikings just lost Antoine Winfield and have a hole at one of their CB spots.

24. Indianapolis Colts- Jamar Taylor, CB, Boise St.
The Colts also have a need at CB, as they have no one across from Vontae Davis.  Jamar Taylor is a very versatile Corner who has risen up boards league-wide over the course of the draft season.  He is being courted by the New England Patriots but obviously doesn't make it to their pick in this mock.

25. Minnesota Vikings (from SEA)- Bennie Logan, DT, LSU
The Vikings continue to add to their defense here as they address their need at Defensive Tackle.  I think Logan is being really undervalued by NFL teams.  He has all the measureables and the tape of a first round DT.

26. Green Bay Packers- Sheldon Richardson, DT, Missouri
Richardson is viewed as mostly just a 4-3 DT, but I think he could play the 3-4 DE spot in a system like Green Bay's.  Richardson is a quick player who relies on his first step to beat defenders- J.J. Watt has shown that a 3-4 end can play effectively in the scheme like that.  Before, the 5-technique was mostly guys who took up blockers and weren't really playmakers like a Watt or a Richardson.  The Packers need a run stuffer and some pass rushing help, and Richardson provides both.

27. Houston Texans- Terrance Williams, WR, Baylor
Willaims has fallen under the radar recently, but he still has a first round grade on my board.  He has the size, speed, and hands to be a productive receiver in the NFL, and he put up insane numbers at Baylor last year even without RG3.  the Texans need a #2 receiver opposite Andre Johnson.

28. Denver Broncos- John Jenkins, DT, Georgia
The Broncos need help at the Defensive Tackle position, and John Jenkins is the top player on the board at this juncture.  He is a bit heavy for a 4-3 DT but he is pretty light on his feet and could do it with a little more dropped weight.

29. New England Patriots- Damontre Moore, DE, Texas A&M
Moore was an incredibly productive pass rusher at Texas A&M and also excelled in run support.  Unfortunately, like Jarvis Jones, his workout numbers fall way short of his production on tape and raise some red flags.  The Patriots need another pass rusher to pair with Chandler Jones and at 29 Moore is as productive a pass rusher as you will find.

30. Atlanta Falcons- Johnthan Banks, CB, Mississippi St.- Banks is a tall, lanky corner who has man-to man skills.  The Falcons secondary is weak with Dunta Robinson and Brent Grimes leaving only Asante Samuel as an established corner.

31. San Francisco 49ers- Justin Hunter, WR, Tennessee
This is a bit of a luxury pick for the 49ers, who brought in Anquan Boldin this offseason to bolster their receiving corps.  But Boldin is only under contract for a year, and Hunter would give San Fran the deep threat they wanted Randy Moss to be.  He'd be ready to step in next to Michael Crabtree in his sophomore year after Boldin departs/retires.

32. Baltimore Ravens- Kenny Vaccaro, FS, Texas
The Ravens need a safety to go with Michael Huff after they lost both of their starters from a year ago in Ed Reed and Bernard Pollard.  Vaccaro is a tiny reach here (37th on the board) but fills a need for the defending champs and also gives them the premier safety in this class.

ROUND 2

33. Jacksonville Jaguars- E.J. Manuel, QB, Florida St.
This.  And This.  

34. San Francisco 49ers (from KC)- Zach Ertz, TE, Stanford
Jim Harbaugh re-unites with his former college recruit, who replaces Delanie Walker in the Niners Offense.

35. Philadelphia Eagles- Xavier Rhodes, CB, Florida St.
The Eagles cut Asomugha and also lost DRC in Free Agency.  They need help at CB.

36. Detroit Lions- Alex Okafor, DE, Texas
The Lions need a pass rusher to replace Cliff Avril, who wound up in Seattle as a Free Agent.

37. Cincinnati Bengals (from OAK)- Johnathan Franklin, RB, UCLA
The Bengals need a long term solution at Running Back, and Franklin is the best 3-down RB in this draft.

38. Arizona Cardinals- TRADE PICK to KC for LT Brandon Albert
38/ Kansas City Chiefs- Matt Elam, SS, Florida
The Cardinals could really use a Left Tackle, so sending this pick to KC for Albert makes a lot of sense.  The Chiefs can grab Elam to pair with Eric Berry in a loaded secondary.

39. New York Jets- Ryan Swope, WR, Texas A&M
Swope is one of the fasted receivers in this class, and is one of the more underrated prospects.  The Jets need to get Geno Smith some weapons.

40. Tennessee Titans- Jordan Poyer, CB, Oregon St.
A bit of a reach, but the Titans need a CB who can get his hands on the ball and force turnovers.

41. Buffalo Bills- Kevin Minter, ILB, LSU
The Bills need a Middle Linebacker, and Minter is the best one in this draft.

42. Miami Dolphins- Jonathan Cyprien, SS, Florida International
The Dolphins need Safety help, and Cyrien narrowly edges Matt Elam as the best one left available.

43. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Tavon Austin, WR, West Virginia
Real life rumors say the Bucs might like Tavon Austin at 13, but here in the "Jack-Draft" they can get their slot receiver in the second round where he belongs.

44. Carolina Panthers- David Amerson, CB, NC St.
The Panthers have needs all over their secondary, and would be happy to grab Amerson here.

45. San Diego Chargers TRADE PICK to STL for LT Roger Saffold.
45. St. Louis Rams- Barrett Jones, C, Alabama
The Rams send their unhappy Tackle to San Diego, where LT is a dire need.  They then address their need on the interior OL with Jones, a steal at this point in the draft.

46. St. Louis Rams- Giovani Bernard, RB, UNC
Bernard is a good value here and ranks just behind Franklin on the RB board.  The rams need a long term RB solution with Stephen Jackson gone.

47. Dallas Cowboys- Sylvester Williams, DT, UNC
The Cowboys need a DT next to Jay Ratliff for their new 4-3 defense.

48. Pittsburgh Steelers- Logan Ryan, CB, Rutgers
Ryan could replace Keenan Lewis, who left as a FA for New Orleans.  He's the type of physical corner the Steelers love.

49. New York Giants- Alec Ogletree, ILB, Georgia
Ogletree is a first round talent with a lot of behavioral issues.  The Giants could use him in any of their 3 LB spots  in the 4-3.

50. Chicago Bears- Matt Barkley, QB, USC
Jay Cutler is Flacco-ing (playing out the final year of his contract).  The Bears could opt to send him packing if he cops an attitude and the team doesn't do well this year.  Barkley ranked 42nd on my board.

51. Washington Redskins- Keenan Allen, WR, California
A nice weapon for RG3.  Allen is a solid possession receiver despite the bad 40 time.

52. Minnesota Vikings- Stedman Bailey, WR, West Virginia
The Vikings need to replace Percy Harvin and complement Greg Jennings.  Bailey is almost as good as Tavon Austin, but nobody likes him for some reason.

53. Cincinnati Bengals- Arthur Brown, OLB, Kansas St.
The Bengals could use an OLB even with James Harrison signing with them yesterday.  He's 34 and not a fit in a 4-3.

54. Miami Dolphins (from IND)- Kyle Long, OT, Oregon
A bit of a reach, but the Dolphins need an OT to replace Jake Long.

55. Green Bay Packers- Corey Lemonier, OLB, Auburn
A pass rusher to pair with Clay Matthews in Green Bay's 3-4.

56. Seattle Seahawks- Kawann Short, DT, Purdue
An interior pass rusher to add to an already fearsome 3rd down unit in Seattle.

57. Houston Texans- Bacarri Rambo, FS, Georgia
An heir to Ed Reed in the Texans secondary.

58. Denver Broncos- Manti Te'o, ILB, Notre Dame
Te'o could be a fit in Denver, where they need a Middle Linebacker.  This is about where he belongs on the draft board.

59. New England Patriots- Johnathan Hankins, DT, Ohio St.
The Pats double dip on the D-Line and add Hankins as an interior prescience next to Vince Wilfork.

60. Atlanta Falcons- Travis Kelce, TE, Cinicnnati
Kelce can develop as a backup for a year and then take over for Tony Gonzalez in Atlanta.

61. San Francisco 49ers- Datone Jones, DE, UCLA
The Niners make take Jones with one of their first two picks, but I have him #56 on my board.  He's a good fit at the 5-technique in their 3-4.

62. Baltimore Ravens- Quinton Patton, WR, Louisiana Tech.
The Ravens need to replace Anquan Boldin as a possession receiver in their offense.