By David Hollinshead, Staff Writer
Indianapolis Colts select Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford
The draft was just a formality; everyone knew Luck was going to the Colts. Luck has been given the pressure of resurrecting the Colts franchise after they fell off the map.
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Washington Redskins select Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor
Every mock draft in the world is now 100 per cent correct. This is another quarterback pick that we all knew was going to happen, and is also under tremendous amounts of pressure to win immediately.
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Cleveland Browns select Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama
The Browns trade up one spot to get their man. Richardson will bring a whole new dimension to the Browns’ offense, taking pressure off Colt McCoy.
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Minnesota Vikings select Matt Kalil, OT, USC
Most people predicted these first four picks, despite the trade that swapped the Vikings and Browns. Kalil is a great decision after rumors that the Vikings might be looking at a receiver. Kalil will protect long-term investment, quarterback Christian Ponder.
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Jacksonville Jaguars select Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma St.
The Jaguars traded up to get Blackmon, giving quarterbacks Gabbert and Henne a great weapon, and the first receiver capable of a 1,000-yard season since Mike Sims-Walker had a one-year explosion.
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Dallas Cowboys select Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU
Another trade in the top 10 picks. Dallas gets a corner that will instantly improve their defense with playmaking ability. This is an interesting choice for the Cowboys, who were widely believed to be going after safety Mark Barron.
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers select Mark Barron, S, Alabama
A definite reach. Barron wasn’t expected to be selected until at least the 12th spot, and could drop to the end of the first round. Barron will start from day one for the Bucs. He is all around a great strong safety, but is not a playmaker.
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Miami Dolphins select Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M
The reach that we all knew was going to happen. If Tannehill wasn’t the selection, Dolphins general manager Jeff Ireland would be run out of town. Miami’s needed a quarterback for years.
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Carolina Panthers select Luke Kuechly, LB, Boston College
The Panthers shore up their linebacker corps. They now have four linebackers that could not only start, but have a great effect on the Panthers overall defense.
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Buffalo Bills select Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina
Another reach, who was expected to go in the late teens, but the Bills get one of the drafts risers after impressive draft workouts. Gilmore looks like he’ll be a successful corner and start right away for the Bills, in a division with Tom Brady.
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Kansas City Chiefs select Dontari Poe, DT, Memphis
Reach of the draft. This is a terrible pick. Poe was not successful in college, and was only considered a first-round pick after he ran a great 40 time—which his position doesn’t call for. Fletcher Cox was considered a much better player at the same position.
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Philadelphia Eagles select Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi St.
The Eagles get the best defensive tackle in the draft, and improve all aspects of their defensive line play. He can stop the run, and is a two-gap player, opening holes for the pass rush to get to the quarterback.
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Arizona Cardinals select Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame
The Cardinals have the worst passing game on both sides of the ball, but they decide to improve their offense. If there were a better quarterback available, it may have been the pick, but instead try to make the job easier for the below average quarterbacks they have with a good playmaker.
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St. Louis Rams select Michael Brockers, DT, LSU
New head coach Jeff Fischer knows the value of having a talented front seven. Brockers is a bit of a project but has been compared to the likes of Richard Seymour. He’ll step in right away next to last year’s first-round pick Robert Quinn.
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Seattle Seahawks select Bruce Irvin, DE/LB, West Virginia
I lied earlier. This is the reach of the draft. This is also the worst pick in recent draft history. Irvin has had legal issues, including being arrested for punching a sign at a sandwich shop after the combine. All he has going for him is that he is a great pass rusher, and could’ve been snagged in the second round.
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New York Jets select Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina
The Jets, as always, are building their team to attack the Patriots and Tom Brady.
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Cincinnati Bengals select Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama
Kirkpatrick looked better than he actually is playing for college football’s best defense. This is a good value/need pick though.
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San Diego Chargers select Melvin Ingram, DE/OLB, South Carolina
Ingram didn’t have a position in college, but was athletic and had a knack for rushing the quarterback. He could thrive in the Chargers 3-4 defense and be used in several looks.
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Chicago Bears select Shea McClellin, DE, Boise State
McClellin this early is a reach. He also doesn’t seem to fit the mold of a Bears defensive end, and is more suited for a 3-4 linebacker role. He can rush the passer though, has a high motor, and will be great with Julius Peppers.
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Tennessee Titans select Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor
The Titans make a huge surprise by drafting a receiver this early. Wright is a great playmaking receiver though who can play wide or in the slot.
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New England Patriots select Chandler Jones, DE, Syracuse
Jones is a player that fits the Patriot’s mold of versatility. He plays well on the line, and has been seen dropping into coverage.
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Cleveland Browns select Brandon Weeden, QB, Oklahoma State
Remember when I said the pressure was off McCoy? I lied again. Now McCoy has a player forcing him to perform at his best, or he will be replaced. Weedon has his age against him as he just turned 29 years old.
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Detroit Lions select Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa
The Lions had success despite quarterback Matthew Stafford getting knocked around, and contributed to the Lions’ post-season failure. Reiff is a step to improve that.
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Pittsburgh Steelers select David DeCastro, G, Stanford
It was expected that the Steelers would look to improve their defense for the future with Dont’a Hightower, but instead look to protect their quarterback and improve their running game.
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New England Patriots select Dont’a Hightower, LB, Alabama
After the Steelers passed him over, the Patriots jumped on him. They traded up to get the defensive captain for the most professional college defense. Hightower can be used in so many ways, but how he will be is still a mystery.
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Houston Texans select Whitney Mercilus, DE/OLB, Illinois
After losing Mario Williams, the Texans get another pass rusher. He has a red flag as a one year wonder, but if he doesn’t pan out, the Texans aren’t going to falter all too much with J.J. Watt and Conner Baldwin.
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Cincinnati Bengals select Kevin Zeitler, G, Wisconsin
The Bengals don’t have a lot of needs, but offensive line depth is one of them. Zeitler improves the protection in both the passing and running game.
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Green Bay Packers select Nick Perry, DE/OLB, USC
The Packers might be happier with this pick than Perry is. Perry came out and said he’d prefer to play defensive end in a 4–3 system, but was picked in a 3–4 defense. He will most likely start as linebacker for the Packers, and will be a great pass rusher.
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Minnesota Vikings select Harrison Smith, S, Notre Dame
The Vikings traded back into the first round to reach for Smith. A lot of scouts believed that Smith would be selected in the mid-second round, but he will instantly start for a weak Vikings defense.
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San Francisco 49ers select A.J. Jenkins, WR, Illinois
The 49ers continue to stock their receiving corps after signing Josh Morgan and Randy Moss with Jenkins to improve their anemic passing attack. Jenkins was a pick that the 49ers liked, but didn’t believe he would drop to them in the second.
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers select Doug Martin, RB, Boise State
Believing that the Giants would take him, the Bucs jump back into the first to take Martin, who can do anything asked of him and can succeed in any role.
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New York Giants select David Wilson, RB, Virginia Tech
After losing Brandon Jacobs, the Giants select Wilson to back up Ahmad Bradshaw, and continue their tradition of a nice one-two punch in the backfield.
