1. Houston Texans (2-14): Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville
Teddy Teddy Teddy!!!! What more can I say he is by far the best quarterback in this year’s draft class. I have gone back and looked at the tape of this quarterback and I must say I am very impressed. Bridgewater has arm talent and he can make every throw at every level of the field. He possesses the ability to loft balls over linebackers and the touch to pass the ball under safeties. His ability to read defenses is impressive. Bridgewater is also very athletic and he is a threat once he is out of the pocket because he can also beat you with his feet. Bridgewater’s ability to throw on the run is also very impressive. The Texans who need a quarterback are trying to part ways with Matt Schaub. New head coach Bill O’Brien knows that he needs a quarterback he can have a good relationship with and will put the team before himself. Bridgewater has every quality O’Brien is looking for at the quarterback position.
2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-12) (projected trade with STL from WAS): Jadeveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina
New head coach Lovie Smith wants to focus on the defense for TampaBay. Lovie is bringing back the Tampa-2 philosophy to the Buccaneers. For Lovie Smith to effectively run the Tampa 2 defense you need to have fast linebackers and a viable four man rush. The Buccaneers already have fast linebackers and Gerald McCoy who is one of the premier defensive tackles in the league. Adrian Clayborn can generate more pressure at the left defensive end. Jadeveon Clowney will be able to generate pressure off the right side and is the kind of destructive player who can create chaos on a consistent basis. Smith would love the chance to coach a player of Clowney’s caliber.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-12): Blake Bortles, QB, UCF
Gus Bradley is one of the upcoming coaches in the NFL. Coach Bradley is going to feature a stellar defense. The Jacksonville Jaguars need a franchise quarterback to be able to contend in the AFC South. Bradley and the General Manager have decided to shift the offensive play calling to more of a pass first offense. Blake Bortles has tools to run a pro-style offense even though there are still questions about how ready Bortles is to adapt at the next level, he has the size and football IQ to be the franchise quarterback for the Jaguars.
4. Cleveland Browns (4-12): Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M
Johnny Football is the name and I must say he does have the game. The Browns are reputedly willing to trade up in order to get Johnny Manziel according to multiple sources. The Browns have all the pieces to be a successful football team and they have depth at key positions. I believe the Browns will take a gamble on the most polarizing player in this draft class. The Browns desperately need a franchise QB and a reason for fans to buy tickets and by selecting Johnny Manziel they will be killing two birds with one stone and injecting life into this franchise.
5. Oakland Raiders (4-12): Sammy Watkins, WR, Clemson
With the top three signal callers expected to be off the board by the time the Raiders pick at No.5 GM Reggie McKenzie and HC Dennis Allen will select Sammy Watkins. He is the best player remaining on the board. At 6’1, 205 pounds he has the size and frame to be successful at the next level. He is the most explosive receiver in this year’s draft. He has big play ability and his speed gives him the ability to stretch the field. You can line him up at the “Y”, “Z” and “X”. He is the weapon this team needs in order to turn them into a dynamic offense.
6. Atlanta Falcons (4-12): Anthony Barr, OLB, UCLA
The Falcons only had 32 sacks last season and Osi Umenyiora led the team with 7.5 sacks. The Falcons pass rush was awful in 2013. Therefore General Manager Thomas Dimitroff will have to select game changer who could play on day one and impact the game as a pass rusher and coverage linebacker. Anthony Barr can play the “Sam” and “Will” at the linebacker position and can line up as a defensive end on the right or left side. Barr had 23.5 sacks the past two years at UCLA. He has a lot of upside and will be a cornerstone of their defense for many years to come.
7. St. Louis Rams (3-13): Greg Robinson, OT, Auburn (projected trade with TB)
The Rams have had one of the weakest offensive lines in the league giving up 36 sacks. With left tackle Jake Long sustaining a serious knee injury at the end of the season and right tackle Rodger Saffold, an impending free agent. HC Jeff Fisher will have to think about selecting an offensive tackle. Greg Robinson is arguably the best offensive tackle in this years draft class. At 6-5, 320 Robinson has the footwork and fundamentals needed to be a stud at the next level. Robinson is a mauler who can protect Sam Bradford’s blind side for many years to come.
8. Minnesota Vikings (5-10-1): Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, FS, Alabama
The Vikings have the best running back in the NFL in Adrian Peterson and a true number one wide receiver in Greg Jennings and a young emerging star receiver in Cordarrelle Patterson. Quarterback is the team’s biggest need but since the top three quarterbacks off the board, new head coach Mike Zimmer will have to select another position of need. The Vikings secondary was in shambles last season and the pass defense was ranked 31st in the league giving up 287 yards a game. With Chris Cook an impending free agent, Shaun Prater and Robert Steeples backups at best. The only two bright spots are Xavier Rhodes, who is still developing as a cornerback and free safety Harrison Smith who was drafted in 2012. Upgrading at the strong safety position would go a long way at solidify the secondary. Ha Ha Clinton-Dix is a three-drown safety that could contribute immediately.
9. Buffalo Bills (6-10): Khalil Mack, DE/ OLB, Buffalo
The Buffalo Bills are in the AFC East, a division that the Patriots have controlled for the past decade. New defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz will likely want a player who fit as a hybrid defensive end/outside linebacker for the wide nine scheme that he ran in Detroit. The Bills need a player who can set the edge on run plays and a player who can get after the quarterback. Khalil Mack is a hybrid defensive end/outside linebacker who is very explosive and is excellent pass rusher. He gets a great first step off the line of scrimmage, and the speed to get around offensive tackles and a good rip and go move and the strength to utilize a solid bull rush to drive offensive tackles back. Mack is also stout run defender at the point of attack and the closing speed to get after ball carriers. He also possesses the lateral quickness to drop back into coverage and make plays. Mack was one of college football’s best playmakers for the past two years and he will contribute immediately.
10. Detroit Lions (7-9): Justin Gilbert, CB, Oklahoma State
The Detroit Lions biggest needs are in the secondary. They ranked 23rd against the pass; giving up 247 yards a game. Chris Houston a cornerback who you can use in your dime packages, is not a starting caliber cornerback and showed that time and time again this season only having two interceptions. Rashean Mathis was a pro bowl caliber cornerback in his prime but he no longer possesses athleticism to play on the outside but, he still has the football IQ to contribute in nickel packages. I think the Lions have top cornerback, in Bill Bentley if he can reach is potential therefore he needs sidekick on the other side. Enter Justin Gilbert, he is the top playmaker among defensive backs in this year’s draft class and would be a great addition for Detroit Loins. Gilbert is a good athlete with solid coverage skills, during his senior season at OklahomaState he emerged as a shutdown corner. Gilbert can also help the Lions in the return game as well because he returned six kickoffs for touchdowns in his collegiate career.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
