The 2014 Mock draft Thread.

[Off The Grid]

One Thousand Posts!!

 

[Merril Hoge's Tie Knot]

1. It's something to be aware of and if true, then yes it would bother me. But we don't do interviews so there's no real way for us to know.

We can't know, but we can suspect!

2. Well as things stand, we need a safety but aside from Jimmie Ward and Clinton-Dix, there's none that really excite me. Three possibilities occur to me:

1. Shazier-Tuitt (40) - ASJ
2. Cooks/Beckham-Tuitt-ASJ
3. Use 40+29 to trade up for Ebron or Donald.

I like it.

Cooks and Beckham are great WRs and will make some team very happy, but I'd prefer a bigger, more physical WR. It seems like every year our WRs get 'out-physicaled' in the last game of the season. I'm over that.

 

[mayoclinic]

Pats mock from Eric Frentz:

Patriots mock draft 1.0: Ra'Shede Hageman part of defensive line rebuild - Going Deep - Boston.com

Not too shabby. Hageman, Niklas, Smith, Gaines and Bodine would all be excellent picks. I would be quite content with that draft.

 

[kennyb]

First I think there's only two realistic players the pats would take in the first. Realistic as in they could realistically be there and the Pats would value them there. Marqise Lee and Shazier. Other than that I think they trade down. Why? Just my opinion.

Other IMOs

Niklas - not good, hands iffy, iffy catching in traffic and concussion history. Not a high pick for me. Also supposedly immature.
Hageman - huge bust factor. Looks mediocre for every play in the game except about 3. No thanks.
Nix - Don't see him as a high pick. Also has tendon problems supposedly. Not enough mobility.

Aaron Donald - They might pick him if he were available. But he won't be. And he's a one gapper and can get washed out in the run. BB doesn't like it when people get washed out, opens up big holes.

Which is a good message board topic: Who do you NOT want them to take?

FA DT is the best bet this year. Someone like Bryant or Kevin Williams. Moderately priced FA vs. drafting a DT in a draft without sure DTs (except very high) is a better bet. Plus with a rookie DT, you have the bust factor (Brace) and the learning curve factor.

Undecided about FA Mack. He'd be perfect but too expensive most likely.

So, I will assume FA signings (first year cap hit)

Bryant (4M) or Kevin Williams (4M)
Everson Griffen (3M), if he's too expensive playing Hightower at LE might be a good idea.
Scott Chandler (2.5M)
Sidney Rice (3M)
Talib (4M)
Edelman (4M) -

That's 20M+. Obviously necessitates some cuts.

Trade Mallett for Texans' third.

1. Shazier - I actually mentioned him months ago as being incredibly fast and about the hardst hitting linebacker I'd seen. Ridiculed for it. With a creative defense, a guy with this much speed and power stays on the field quite a bit. Imagine him as a bigger Pryor with more speed and power. Very good tackler in space.

2. Jordan Matthews WR
3. (Mallett) Joel Bitonio - G/OT Very Mankins like
3b. Weston Richburg - C
4. Terrance Brooks CB/S
6a. Michael Campanaro - probably would go higher than this, perfect replacement if they can't resign Edelman
6b. Isaiah Crowell - RB
6c. Deandre Coleman - DT
7. Ted Bolser TE

 

[everlong]

Which is a good message board topic: Who do you NOT want them to take?

Actually that's a great topic. Manx's doesn't want Jernigan because only does one thing. Mayo doesn't want Nix because the value for the position isn't there in the first round. I don't want Amaro because I don't think he's a first round value. Discussing philosophy is just as interesting as the prospects themselves because that tells you why people love/hate certain prospects a lot of the time.

 

[Snake Eyes]

Aaron Donald - They might pick him if he were available. But he won't be. And he's a one gapper and can get washed out in the run. BB doesn't like it when people get washed out, opens up big holes.

Where are you getting this from? Donald is supposed to be very good against the run?

 

[manxman2601]

Where are you getting this from? Donald is supposed to be very good against the run?

He is in terms of getting penetration but he's not all that stout. He can be moved reasonably easily, certainly by double teams and even by single teams. He does have more strength than his size suggests however. He's not a complete washout.

 

[kennyb]

I should add that another first round possibility is tuitt. His 2012 tape is pretty amazing.

Great draft would be shazier, tuitt, matthews, a center like richburg. Easy!

 

[manxman2601]

Doug Kyed at NESN has a first round mock that has the Patriots taking Kelvin Benjamin, and the thing is, I don't think that's so ridiculous. BB loves mismatches and whilst Benjamin doesn't overly excite me, he is certainly a mismatch.

29. New England Patriots (12-4): Kelvin Benjamin, wide receiver, Florida State In this scenario, the Patriots probably trade down. Defensive linemen Stephon Tuitt and Ra’Shede Hageman, tight ends Austin Seferan-Jenkins, Jace Amaro and Troy Niklas, and edge defenders Dee Ford and Scott Crichton are still available. Even with all those players still around, the Patriots, as always, do the unexpected. The Patriots have shown interest in Evans and Lee this offseason. Benjamin, at 6-foot-5, 240 pounds, is a matchup nightmare despite running a 4.60-second 40-yard dash. It doesn’t really make sense to draft another wide receiver a year after picking Aaron Dobson and Josh Boyce and signing Kenbrell Thompkins, but there’s a reason New England is looking at first-round wideouts. Hageman and Amaro, the two most common Patriots mock picks, aren’t perfect fits, either. Hageman is too much of a risk for the Patriots to take in Round 1 (because of questions about his effort), and Bill Belichick is unlikely to take a tight end who can’t block like Amaro. With all the talent in this class, it’s becoming increasingly likely the Patriots trade out of the first round for the second straight year.

Read more at: Patriots Surprise In 2014 NFL Mock Draft By Adding Massive Wide Receiver | NFL Draft | NESN.com

Patriots Surprise In 2014 NFL Mock Draft By Adding Massive Wide Receiver | NFL Draft | NESN.com

 

[mayoclinic]

Doug Kyed at NESN has a first round mock that has the Patriots taking Kelvin Benjamin, and the thing is, I do think that's so ridiculous. BB loves mismatches and whilst Benjamin doesn't overly excite me, he is certainly a mismatch.

Patriots Surprise In 2014 NFL Mock Draft By Adding Massive Wide Receiver | NFL Draft | NESN.com

I was about to post that mock. It's original, I'll say that. Kyed also had this tidbit:

17. Baltimore Ravens (8-8): Aaron Donald, defensive lineman, Pittsburgh Donald might look like an odd fit for the 3-4 Baltimore Ravens at first glance, but if he can cut some weight, he could be a versatile defender like Terrell Suggs. He already has the speed and agility to stand up and play on the edge. Donald worked out for teams at his pro day playing outside linebacker, according to former NFL scout Russ Lande.

:bricks:

I think Donald certainly has versatility, and the speed and agility to stand up at times. But to take the most disruptive interior rusher in the draft and convert him to an edge rusher? That's pretty radical.

 

[manxman2601]

I was about to post that mock. It's original, I'll say that. Kyed also had this tidbit:



:bricks:

I think Donald certainly has versatility, and the speed and agility to stand up at times. But to take the most disruptive interior rusher in the draft and convert him to an edge rusher? That's pretty radical.

Ngata and Donald though. Ouch.

Interesting that Donald has a similar body type to Upshaw but is so much better. It would be so Ozzie to do this and get Donald now that they've locked up TE as a need.

 

[Snake Eyes]

I was about to post that mock. It's original, I'll say that. Kyed also had this tidbit:

:bricks:

I think Donald certainly has versatility, and the speed and agility to stand up at times. But to take the most disruptive interior rusher in the draft and convert him to an edge rusher? That's pretty radical.

That certainly is radical, I'd much rather have him add 10-15lbs and just ask him to bull rush the tackle.

 

[mayoclinic]

Quick mock.

Housekeeping:

Pats currently about $15M under the cap.

- Pats cut or restructure DT Vince Wilfork ($4M-7.5M additional cap space)
- Pats cut Isaac Sapoaga and Adrian Wilson ($3.6M additional cap space)
- Pats cut OL Dan Connolly ($2.5M additional cap space)
- Pats extend S Devin McCourty and K Stephen Gostkowski ($2M additional cap space)

That gives the Pats around $27-30M in cap space entering FA.

Free Agency:

Offense:

- Pats re-sign UFA WR Julian Edelman, or sign UFA WR Emmanuel Sanders (Pittsburgh). Magnitude of deal depends on who is signed. 2014 cap hit around $4M.
- Pats re-sign UFA RB LeGarrette Blount. 3 year/$6M deal plus incentives. 2014 cap hit roughly $2M.
- Pats sign UFA WR Sidney Rice (Seattle). 2 year / $8M deal. 2014 cap hit roughly $3M.
- Pats sign UFA OL Ted Larsen. 2 year / $2M deal. 2014 cap hit roughly $900K.
- Pats sign UFA OC Fernando Velasco (Pittsburgh). 2 year / $4M deal. 2014 cap hit roughly $1.5M.

Defense:

- Pats re-sign CB Aqib Talib. Somewhere around Brent Grimes' 4/$32M, but with less guaranteed up front, and more contingent on playing time and conduct. 2014 cap hit roughly $5M.
- Pats sign UFA DB Brandon Browner (Seattle). 2 year deal with low guarantee and signing bonus. 2014 cap hit roughly $2M.
- Pats sign UFA DE/DT LaMarr Houston (Oakland). 5 year / $39M deal, $14M guaranteed. 2014 cap hit roughly $5M.
- Pats re-sign UFA LB Dane Fletcher. 3 year / $2.5M deal. 2014 cap hit roughly $800K.

Special Teams:

- Pats re-sign LS Danny Aiken. Roughl 3 years/$2M. 2014 cap hit roughly $700K.

That's roughly $25M in 2014 cap space for those 10 contracts.

Draft:

- Pats trade Ryan Mallett to Minnesota for #40.
- Pats trade #29 and 40 to Dallas for #16 and 78.

16. Aaron Donald, DT, Pittsburgh.
62. TE: Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Washington / Troy Niklas, Notre Dame.
78. Joel Bitonio, OL, Nevada.
93. LB: Christian Jones, Florida St. / Jordan Tripp, Montana.
126. Antone Exum, DB, Virginia Tech.
6a. Seantrel Henderson, OT, Miami.
6b. Big DB: Dontae Johnson, North Carolina St. / Phillip Gaines, Rice / Aaron Colvin, Oklahoma / Jonathan Dowling, Western Kentucky.
6 (comp). FB/H-BackL Trey Millard, Oklahoma / Gator Hoskins, Marshall
7. TE: Colt Lyerla, Oregon / Richard Rodgers, Cal / Larry Webster, Bloomsburg (conversion)

 

[zimmy]

Like the mock but you have to question whether Donald, the TE's or Bitonio will be around at the places you've picked them.

My second question is what would your mock look like without the Mallett trade? Would you still try and trade up for Donald?

 

[mayoclinic]

Like the mock but you have to question whether Donald, the TE's or Bitonio will be around at the places you've picked them.

I don't do the trade up if Donald is not available at 16. That's probably the single most mocked landing spot for him. I'm wagering that Dallas would be willing to trade back and get Easley at 40 (or Hageman at 29) plus another top defensive player. It's a mock.

If one of the 3 TEs isn't available then I probably double-dip at OL at 62 and 78, and take another TE day 3. Bitonio might not be around at 78, but a solid OL prospect will - maybe Weston Richburg or Marcus Martin. If Brandon Thomas was around I'd take him in an instant.

Again, it's a mock. There's always the chance that the player you've mocked won't be available. I'm not sure why this one should be any different.

My second question is what would your mock look like without the Mallett trade? Would you still try and trade up for Donald?

I would. I've already answered that. I trade 29+62 to move up for Donald. I don't expect the Pats to do that, but I make that trade for Donald.

 

[everlong]

Not sure if this one was previously discussed but I'll give King credit for going against the current conventional wisdom on where people will go.

Y! SPORTS

Teddy B #1
Robinson #2 ahead of Clowney
Raiders taking Donald at #5 Oh no Mayo say it ain't so! :bricks:
Anthony Barr all the way down to 20
Kouandjio staying in the first round to the Saints
Dee Ford to the Pats
Johnny Manziel............not in the first round.

Some of these I agree with some I don't but at least he was original.

 

[manxman2601]

Not sure if this one was previously discussed but I'll give King credit for going against the current conventional wisdom on where people will go.

Y! SPORTS

Teddy B #1
Robinson #2 ahead of Clowney
Raiders taking Donald at #5 Oh no Mayo say it ain't so! :bricks:
Anthony Barr all the way down to 20
Kouandjio staying in the first round to the Saints
Dee Ford to the Pats
Johnny Manziel............not in the first round.

Some of these I agree with some I don't but at least he was original.

To be honest, I don't know why a team wouldn't take an athletic freak like Donald in the top 10. Although it is a cracking top 10 this year. I've previously mentioned the Falcons as a potential landing spot for Donald.

 

[everlong]

To be honest, I don't know why a team wouldn't take an athletic freak like Donald in the top 10. Although it is a cracking top 10 this year. I've previously mentioned the Falcons as a potential landing spot for Donald.

I can totally see Donald moving into the top ten and Manziel sliding. Really the two I can't bet on board with of his "bold" predictions is Ford to the Pats and Kouandjio staying in the first round.

 

[manxman2601]

I can totally see Donald moving into the top ten and Manziel sliding. Really the two I can't bet on board with of his "bold" predictions is Ford to the Pats and Kouandjio staying in the first round.

I agree on Kouandjio but I could see Ford if BB wants to upgrade the pass rush. ford's good 3-cone makes him a potential Pats fit as a pass rusher. He is undersized, but he had the joint fastest 40 compared to combine DLs, the 2nd best LJ and third best 3-cone. Unlikely, but not impossible.

 

[everlong]

I agree on Kouandjio but I could see Ford if BB wants to upgrade the pass rush. ford's good 3-cone makes him a potential Pats fit as a pass rusher. He is undersized, but he had the joint fastest 40 compared to combine DLs, the 2nd best LJ and third best 3-cone. Unlikely, but not impossible.

I just don't love the tape I've watched of him. His combine was very good and I know you prioritize the 3-Cone feeling it's a BB hot spot but I just can't see him in the first. Maybe if he slid in the middle of the second but in keeping with that draft philosophy article you posted today I have to wonder if he makes their draft board considering they may have 75 names or less.