Football Memo

The Skinny: Mock Draft 2.0 Picks 17-32

The draft stock of Xavier Su'a'Filo is rising and New Orleans has their sights set on him.

The draft stock of Xavier Su’a’Filo is rising and New Orleans has their sights set on him.

17. Baltimore Ravens – Marqise Lee, WR, (USC) – Lee is an exemplary human being, as well as a gifted receiver. Lee could emerge as the potential third receiver in Baltimore, aside newly-acquired Steve Smith. Lee is bigger in size than the “Smith Boys” and as a true possession receiver, he will add another layer to Baltimore’s reconstructed receiving corps.

18. New York Jets – Brandin Cooks, WR, (Oregon State) – The best receiver in the draft in my opinion, goes to the New York Jets. The only criticism about Cooks, is his size. The 5’10 receiver has 4.3 speed, and has won the Biletnikoff Award two years in a row. Despite his size, Cooks is a true possession receiver that will be a great asset to fold into a developing receiving corps anchored by Eric Decker.

19. Miami Dolphins – Carlos Hyde, RB, (Ohio State) – The first running back taken in the draft comes from none other than Ohio State University. The Buckeyes have had a staple of NFL rushing talent, and Carlos Hyde is another name that will remain circled on the long list. The combination of Knowshon Moreno and Carlos Hyde can be an intimidating prospect for future opponents. Both are physical, downhill and relentless runners, and Hyde would be a perfect handcuff to the Georgia Bulldog.

20. Arizona Cardinals –  QB Blake Bortles (UCF) – With Bortles on the board, the Cardinals will scoop up the UCF product who will fall to them at  No. 20. The Cards fancy a quarterback, and apparently Bortles is the best available. He has a prototypical NFL build and delivery, and this is attractive on paper.

21. Green Bay Packers – Eric Ebron TE (UNC) – Ebron is an absolute freak of nature. Scouts have drooled over this prospect from North Carolina. Due to other team needs, Ebron will fall all the way to Green Bay despite his high ranking. Ebron has all the tools and intangibles to be a weapon in the Aaron Rodgers lead Green Bay offense who are searching for a reliable target due to Jermichael Finley’s injury problems.

22. Philadelphia Eagles – Ryan Shazier, LB, (Ohio State) – The third Buckeye taken in the draft will be linebacker Ryan Shazier. The Eagles are in need of a linebacker, and Shazier can help fortify the interior core of this weak Philadelphia defense.

23. Kansas City Chiefs –  Stephon Tuitt DE (Notre Dame) – Tuitt is a malevolent force on the field and the Chiefs would welcome Tuitt with open arms. The Chiefs already have a comparable front seven. Tuitt, adds yet another layer to this talented Chiefs defense. Look for the Chiefs to add some depth with this heralded 3-4 stud.

24. Cincinnati Bengals – Darqueze Dennard, CB, (Michigan State) – Another defensive back goes off the board. The No Fly Zone’s own Darqueze Dennard heads to Cincinnati even more stout in shutting down the pass. Dennard has the potential to become a true shut-down corner in the NFL. In his career at Michigan State, he was like stickum on opposing receivers.

25. San Diego Chargers – Zack Martin,, OT, (Notre Dame) – This 6’4, 308-pound workhorse is just what San Diego needs to manicure their offensive line. Martin is the only remaining first-round talent available at this point, and the primary need for the Chargers are linemen. SD will not hesitate to draft Martin at 27th overall.

26. Cleveland Browns – Derek Carr, QB, (Fresno State) – Arguably the best quarterback in the draft, the Browns will address their need for a franchise QB here and now. The Browns will not pass on the chance to take Sammy Watkins, and they wont pass either on this prolific Fresno State product, who will be the face of the future for the Dogs.

27. New Orleans Saints – Xavier Su’a’Filo, OG, UCLA – The Saints will dip their nose in to some projected second-round talent, and grab this excellent offensive guard to sew their offensive line’s oats. The UCLA product is just what the Saints need to protect franchise quarterback Drew Brees.

28. Carolina Panthers – Kelvin Benjamin, WR, (FSU) – In need of a wide receiver, the Panthers will take Kelvin Benjamin despite his descending draft stock. Benjamin has had a mystique about him, as well as a 6’5, 240-pound frame. This will be great for a Carolina team that needs some refurbishment in their receiving corps. Furthermore, Benjamin is a potential number one receiver and is extremely physical and fast.

29. New England Patriots – Louis Nix III, DT, (Notre Dame) – The Patriots are fond of the 3-4 defense and Louis Nix is the prototypical 3-4 defensive tackle. This first-rounder had top-10 potential written all over him as a sophomore at Notre Dame. Nix can plug gaps and be a disruptive force with his 6’2, 331-pound frame. He is an ideal fit for a New England defense that has a made a slew of key signings in the offseason to renovate their defense.

30. San Francisco 49ers – Ra’Shede Hageman, DT, (Minnesota) – Another team looking to address defensive line needs in the first round will be the 49ers. Hageman is just the man they are looking for. However, as of recent, the 49ers have made some stark proclamations that they will make a big move in the first round for a big player. Nevertheless, this can be some innocent promenading by the eccentric 49ers’ front office.

31. Denver Broncos – Demarcus Lawrence, DE, (Boise State) – The defending AFC Champions need some help on the defensive line and Lawrence is the perfect hybrid DE/OLB for the Broncos. The Broncos have since released Shaun Phillips and Lawrence is a younger edition of Shaun Phillips. The Denver defense has become a juggernaut through free agency and Lawrence will only strengthen this unit further.

32. Seattle Seahawks – Donte Moncrief, WR, (Ole Miss) – An unsung talent in this draft, Moncrief will get his kicks in as a Hawk. The Seahawks are missing the likes of Golden Tate, but return both Sidney Rice and Percy Harvin. Now Moncrief and Kearse will add some depth to their pool.

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *