2014 Mock Draft ~ Final Exams!!

[Off The Grid]

Actually, I don't think I'll post the Long Version here.

I really have to give it up to Ian & Crew for an enormous jump in the Functionality & Enjoyability of the Site, but of course my Mock is so ridiculously sprawling that I'd have to break it up into 20 pieces or so, which'd make it a gigantic pain in the @$$ both for me and for anyone who wished to read it.

I might change my mind tonight after a day's rest, though, or find a middle ground.

 

[Off The Grid]

*** RePosted For Ease of Access ~ I got in Under The DeadLine!! ***

*********​

PreDraft Trades

1 ~ #244 to Beefalo for WB Evan Rodriguez.
2 ~ OT Marcus Cannon to the Rams for WB Lance Kendricks.
3 ~ HB Stevan Ridley & XB Brandon Bolden to the Raiders for WB Marcel Reece & OT Matt McCants.
4 ~ LD Armon Armstead & RB Duran Harmon to the Eagles for DD Vince Curry & #169.
5 ~ QB Ryan Mallet to Planet Hoosten for #101 & #216.
6 ~ DD Donta HighTower & GD Joe Vellano to the Ravens for #48 & WB Kyle Juszczyk.
7 ~ CB Aqib Talib (Tag &Trade) to the RedSkins for #34, #102, and #178.
8 ~ TE Rob Gronkowski to the Cardinals for #20, #120, #196, and their 2014 1st Rounder.

Draft Day Trades

1 ~ #20 & #48 to the Giants for #12 & #113.
2 ~ #29 & #206 to the Vikings for #40 & #96.
3 ~ #34 to the CowBoys for #47 & #78.
4 ~ #40 to the Lions for #45, #133, and #189.
5 ~ #45 to the Jets for #49 & #154.
6 ~ #47, #113, and #125 to the Packers for #53, #85, and #197.
7 ~ #49 to the Lightning Bolts for #57 & #125.
8 ~ #53 to Tampa for #69 & #143 & #221.
9 ~ #62 to Planet Hoosten for #65 & #177.

The Picks

1 ~ #12 ~ WD Aaron Donald.
2 ~ #57 ~ CB Stanley Jean Baptiste.
3 ~ #65 ~ OC Markus Martin.
4 ~ #69 ~ FD Christian Kirksey.
5 ~ #78 ~ WD Will Sutton.
6 ~ #85 ~ CB Phillip Gaines.
7 ~ #93 ~ XB Jerick McKinnon.
8 ~ #96 ~ OG Brandon Thomas.
9 ~ #101 ~ XB DeVonta Freeman.
10 ~ #102 ~ GD Justin Ellis.
11 ~ #120 ~ SE Kevin Norwood.
12 ~ #130 ~ FD Kevin Pierre Louis.
13 ~ #133 ~ OG Dakota Dozier.
14 ~ #140 ~ DD Aaron Lynch.
15 ~ #143 ~ WD Caraun Reid.
16 ~ #154 ~ OC John Urschel.
17 ~ #169 ~ FB Jared Abbrederis.
18 ~ #177 ~ RB Antone Exum.
19 ~ #179 ~ QB David Fales.
20 ~ #189 ~ PK Pat O'Donnell.
21 ~ #196 ~ OT Laurent DuVernay Tardif.
22 ~ #197 ~ OT Garrett Scott.
23 ~ #198 ~ XB Marion Grice.
24 ~ #216 ~ WB Trey Milard.
25 ~ #221 ~ GD Zach Kerr.

UFA's

1 ~ QB Bryn Renner.
2 ~ WB Nikita Whitlock.
3 ~ WB Colt Lyerla.
4 ~ XB Zach Bauman.
5 ~ SE Quincy Enunwa.
6 ~ SE Geraldo Boldewijn.
7 ~ SE Kofi Hughes.
8 ~ WD Christopher Whaley.
9 ~ FD Christian Jones.
10 ~ RB Victor Hampton.

FA's

1 ~ CB Darrelle Revis.
2 ~ OG Davin Joseph.
3 ~ OG Will Rackley.
4 ~ OT Charlie Brown.
5 ~ CB Antonio Cromartie.

Cut Loose

1 ~ SB Danny Amendola.
2 ~ SB Julian Edelman.
3 ~ OC Ryan Wendell.
4 ~ HB LaGarrette Blount.
5 ~ DT Tommy Kelly.
6 ~ MF Brandon Spikes.
7 ~ CF Steve Gregory.

Retain

1 ~ MF Dane Fletcher.

 

[Off The Grid]

I thought this was a "backdraft", not an entire off-season re-do.

1 ~ That's a surprising response from you, of all people, as my BackDraft last Year was the Complete Works, as nobody knows better than you. You and I have always communicated in terms of entire OffSeasons, and if you really had any doubts about that, you had almost 3 weeks to ask.

2 ~ Folks were free to be as inclusive or as narrow in their Approach as they wished to be. I readily admit that I could've been clearer, but who cares? Is somebody grading my UFA's against somebody else's non-existent UFA's?

We'll just compare the Drafts, and see what we've learned.

3 ~ I was thrilled that 10 people participated!! Last Year, ZERO had participated. I hardly thought I'd entice more to join the Party by laying an entire OffSeason Challenge on them!!

The idea is for this to be fun, son!! Not everyone obsesses about this like you and Manx and me!!

4 ~ Like I said in the OP: There are no Rules, here. It's a Learning Exercise, more than anything.

 

[mayoclinic]

1 ~ That's a surprising response from you, of all people, as my BackDraft last Year was the complete Works, as nobody knows better than you. You and I have always communicated in terms of entire OffSeasons, and if you really had any doubts about that, you had almost 3 weeks to ask.

2 ~ Folks were free to be as inclusive or as narrow in their Approach as they wished to be. I readily admit that I could've been clearer, but who cares? Is somebody grading my UFA's against somebody else's non-existent UFA's?

We'll just compare the Drafts, and see what we've learned.

3 ~ I was thrilled that 10 people participated!! Last Year, ZERO had participated. I hardly thought I'd entice more to join the Party by laying an entire OffSeason Challenge on them!! The idea is for this to be fun, son!! Not everyone obsesses about this like you and Manx and me!!

4 ~ Like I said in the OP: There are no Rules, here. It's a Learning Exercise, more than anything.

I'm not criticizing, and as I said, I agree with many of your picks. But it's a bit of an apples vs. oranges comparison, as your effort was far more comprehensive in scope than any others. Again, not a criticism, just an observation.

My effort was a draft re-do, in the context of the offseason had progressed to date. I'm content with that, and I think the effort loses accuracy when you assume that the draft would have fallen the way it did but the offseason could have gone different. Needless to say, I would have made more changes if attempting a comprehensive off-season re-do.

Regardless, I think it's a useful exercise, which is why I participated.

 

[captain stone]

I love all of those trades Grid; I wish that NFL GMs were this bold & unrestrained. I also wish that there was enough leeway in the salary cap rules to make more wheeling & dealing possible.

 

[mmasterkillah]

My mock feels ignored and shunned, and I didn't even do any ludicrous deals.

I wish I had.

I would've considering moving a 4th and change to try to get into the 3rd for Brandon Linder, thought I'm not sure it wouldn't been worth the assets.

 

[midwestpatsfan]

It is still Tuesday, and I think this is late, but I want to throw my redo into the ring:
29. Easley, sticking with him, was #12 overall on my board so I am really excited for this pick
62. Marcus Martin, C-Was my #1 Center in the draft, a little raw, but has the tools to be a star.
93. keep the trade with Jacksonville
104. Justin Ellis, DT- I think Ellis and Easley would have made a great D-line duo that could get pressure
130. Telvin Smith, LB- coverage LB
140. Zach Mettenberger, QB-Here is where I take my QB and don't have the controversy.
179. Laurant Duverney-Tardiff, potential LT
206. Terrence Fede, DE- Bigger DE that has great measurables.
244. Jeremy Gallon, WR- I actually really liked this pick and will stand pat.

 

[Off The Grid]

I love all of those trades Grid; I wish that NFL GMs were this bold & unrestrained. I also wish that there was enough leeway in the salary cap rules to make more wheeling & dealing possible.

Thanks, Brother Stone!!

I thought that you were gonna Cut & Paste your Final Mock from the other Thread, though?

 

[Off The Grid]

I'd have the HOPE of landing an elite interior o-lineman or Ryan Shazier, but the way it turned out, I would've gone:

Rd 1 Dominique Easley DT or TE Sefarian-Jenkins
Rd 2 Kareem Martin DE
Rd 4 Bryan Stork C, Kevin Pierre-Louis LB, Cameron Fleming OT
Rd 6 David Fales QB, Seantrel Henderson OT, Brandon Watts LB
Rd 7 CB Carrington Byndom

My mock feels ignored and shunned, and I didn't even do any ludicrous deals.

I wish I had.

I would've considering moving a 4th and change to try to get into the 3rd for Brandon Linder, thought I'm not sure it wouldn't been worth the assets.

Brother M, I'm very sorry you feel that way. I've been extremely busy, but no Disregard was intended.

I, for one, appreciate your Contribution to this Thread, and if my previous response came across as dismissive, then I apologize. I write as I speak, and try to compensate for the limitations of written words with Italics and Emoticons and such to convey the tone that I'm trying to get across, but much is often Lost In Translation: I was going for a mildly humorous tone with my previous response to your Mock, and that evidently did not get across. I regret that.

However, I must in all fairness say that the basic message was fully intended as written: Whatever thoughts you wish to share are your Call to make, and I would not presume to censor or even edit them. But I would've been remiss if I didn't point out that the character of your Post was completely different from what everyone else put out there: The very Title of this Thread is "Final Exams".

If Question #17 shows you a picture of a Fish and asks you "What is that?" and you answer "Well, it's either a Fish, or a Dog, or a Cat." then you get no credit for a correct answer, my friend.

Likewise, any answer in a "Final Exam" Mock Draft that answers with a Multiple Choice is inadmissible, because you were given a Multiple Choice and invited to answer.

I was actually hoping you'd respond with a definitive Mock Draft.

None of which is to say that your Submission is without value, Bro, or that it isn't appreciated: Only that it lies outside the scope of Final Exams.

 

[Off The Grid]

It is still Tuesday, and I think this is late, but I want to throw my redo into the ring:

29. Easley, sticking with him, was #12 overall on my board so I am really excited for this pick
62. Marcus Martin, C-Was my #1 Center in the draft, a little raw, but has the tools to be a star.
93. keep the trade with Jacksonville
104. Justin Ellis, DT- I think Ellis and Easley would have made a great D-line duo that could get pressure
130. Telvin Smith, LB- coverage LB
140. Zach Mettenberger, QB-Here is where I take my QB and don't have the controversy.
179. Laurant Duverney-Tardiff, potential LT
206. Terrence Fede, DE- Bigger DE that has great measurables.
244. Jeremy Gallon, WR- I actually really liked this pick and will stand pat.

I like that!!

It's a great idea: There's no reason why anyone can't add as many "ReDo's" as they want, in the days, months, and even Years to come: There is a Bragging Rights context to anything like this, of course, but far more important, I believe, is the Flow Of Thought Aspect, which is what my driving purpose was, in suggesting this Thread in the first place: Producing a Ready Reference for the Evolution of our Thinking: I've learned a lot just by keeping my own past Mocks and all their Foolishness close at hand.

 

[Off The Grid]

But it's a bit of an apples vs. oranges comparison, as your effort was far more comprehensive in scope than any others.

Well, sure it's apples and oranges...Doesn't that go without saying?

If some of my Fellow FootBall Fanatics choose to compare my Comprehensive OffSeason, now or in the Future, to simple Mock Drafts, then I would be the first one to remind them that they'd of course have to add Gronkowski, HighTower, Cannon, and Mallet to other Drafts or subtract them from mine...And that the Picks I got for Talib are an outside item, obviously, and that would need to be taken into account.

That goes without saying.

 

[Off The Grid]

General Message to Any & All ​

1 ~ Did anyone other than Mayo, Manx, or me want to post a more comprehensive OffSeason Game Plan?

2 ~ If so: Anything y'all wrote before May 27th on the Mock Draft Thread ~ or anywhere!! ~ qualifies.

3 ~ If anyone cares to Cut & Paste to this Thread ( with Links, please!! "Trust but Verify" ) anything that they proposed at any time or place, previous to 0400 May 27th, I hope you will not only feel free to do so, but I beseech you to do so: The more Ideas we have, the better!! Don't forget the Links!!

4 ~ Any Signings you proposed that you wish to Share With The Group.

5 ~ Any Trades you proposed.

6 ~ Any UFA's ~ that's "UDFA's", to you Earthlings!! ~ you proposed.

7 ~ Any Mock Drafts based on those Signings & Trades ~ to such extent, of course, as the Players you proposed to draft were ultimately available at the spots you proposed to draft them at.

8 ~ Frankly, any Mock Draft at all or any Comprehensive OffSeason Game Plan qualify for this Thread, and are more than welcome, provided of course ~ ahem ~ that this was the final Mock Draft or Comprehensive OffSeason Game Plan of the Author. We'll be watching you!!

9 ~ And as a sort of Special Stipulation which only seems fair, in light of my admittedly vague Opening Post: If anyone has already posted a simple Mock Draft on this Thread but has previously published a Comprehensive OffSeason Game Plan elsewhere, I think it's only fair to allow them ~ if they wish ~ to FrankenStein the two together. That's for you, Mayo, so you can stop your bellyaching, now!!

10 ~ And obviously: If some of the Picks in said Mocks proved to be unrealistic ( already gone at the number they were mocked at ) as was probably the case in many Picks in everyone's Mock Drafts ~ then we can disqualify those Picks, but keep the rest of the Mock...or we can just argue about it!!

Here's a Link to the Mock Draft Thread.

Needless to say: As long as you posted it before May 27th, you can dig these up Years from now if Johny LateBloomer suddenly blossoms in his 4th Year and you want to crow about it!!

This Chat Room's pretty barren, right now, so I'll probably bump this, once in a while, but I'd highly recommend anyone who's interested jumping now, while their memory's fresh.

 

[captain stone]

Thanks, Brother Stone!!

I thought that you were gonna Cut & Paste your Final Mock from the other Thread, though?

It took me a while to remember how to do this high-tech stuff:

Trade 29 to Minny for 40 & 108: Ebron, Zach Martin, Shazier, Buchanon, Pryor & Clinton Dix are all gone; Bitonio, XSF, ASJ, Amaro & Kony Ealy are my next favorite targets, but I just don't know if any of them are #29 overall worthy. I want more picks in a deep draft, so I'll take a chance that I can get one of them later.

Trade 40 to St Lou for 44 & 153: Bitonio, XSF & ASJ are gone, but Amaro & Kony Ealy are still available, and getting a 5th-rounder (which I didn't previously have) for moving down a mere 4 spots is worth the risk.

At 44 I select TE Jace Amaro: there is not one single TE in the rest of this draft who can do what Amaro can do, and we absolutely Must have a Move TE to make this offense work. I would not have felt real great about taking him at 29, but I feel a lot better taking him at 44 while adding 108 & 153.

At 62 I select either DE Scott Crichton or DE Kareem Martin (I would've been happy with either of them): by far the 2 best remaining pass-rushers in the draft. C/G Marcus Martin was strongly considered, but the available depth at interior OL greatly exceeded the depth at DE.

Like Bill, I also would've traded 93 to Jax for 105 & 179, especially after Trai Turner (my best available OG) was just taken at 92.

At 105 I select RB Andre Williams: Blount's immediate replacement, and Ridley's future replacement. I realize that I was very, very strongly opposed to drafting a RB anywhere at all; but now I have 3 additional picks, so I'm pulling a Rick "I meant it at the time" Pitino and taking one here. The kid's a class act, too.

At 108 I select CB Pierre Desir: another position I would not have addressed with only 8 picks, but with the shaky legal standings of Browner & Dennard, the one-and-done likelihood of Revis, and the bloated contract of Arrington, taking one of the Best Players Available regardless of position seems like a good idea. Another good kid, too.

At 130 I select DT Caraun Reid: here's the penetrating DT we've been asking for; if Dom Easley is still available, then I'll take him instead.

At 140 I select OG John Urschel: much better athletically than originally thought, he has the physical & mental makeup to eventually become a starting-caliber Center. The conversations between him & Reid during practices would be mind-boggling.

At 153 I select either LB Jordan Tripp or LB Lamin Barrow: both are athletic enough to hang with TEs & RBs in space, and both appear sturdier than Telvin Smith, who seems to have attempted to gain weight the old-fashioned method - by getting the Munchies.

At 179 I select DB Antone Exum: he might need a medical redshirt year, but by 2015 he could very well become our starting SS.

At 198 I select OT Laurent Duvernay Tardif: one of the most athletic OLmen in the entire draft, he could become our Swing Tackle by 2015, and our starting RT by 2016 if Vollmer continues to have health "issues" that would make his contract unworthy of his production. I'm sure that LDT is a Montreal Canadiens fan, but I won't hold it against him if he can play football.

At 206 I select WR Jeff Janis: like LDT, he's one of the most athletic players at his position in the entire draft; and again like LDT his level of competition is his biggest question mark. At this point of the draft, I feel that he's easily worth the risk to learn the answer.

And finally, at 244 I select DE Zach Moore: another athletic, small-school kid with potential at a position of perpetual need. I would love it if he were to last this long; but if he were already taken, then there are multiple options still available, including DEs Adrian Hubbard, Jackson Jeffcoat & James Gayle, not to mention many other players at other positions.

 

[Off The Grid]

Bravo!! Tremendous Work, Sir!!

*** Edit ***

I just noticed your "OR"!!!

"At 153 I select either LB Jordan Tripp or LB Lamin Barrow: both are athletic enough to hang with TEs & RBs in space, and both appear sturdier than Telvin Smith, who seems to have attempted to gain weight the old-fashioned method - by getting the Munchies."

Sorry, Brother Stone: All "Or's' are DisQualifed!!

 

[mmasterkillah]

As is, you're kind of hypocritical for giving people a hard time for taking the time to write their thoughts to you, when YOU specified so vaguely, with many assumed roadblocks in mind.

The rules you presented, were far from the rules we were expected to abide by, brother Griddy. So look in the mirror, and blame yourself... my man!

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 

[Off The Grid]

Sorry you feel that way, Bro. Thanks for posting.

 

[captain stone]

Bravo!! Tremendous Work, Sir!!

*** Edit ***

I just noticed your "OR"!!!

"At 153 I select either LB Jordan Tripp or LB Lamin Barrow: both are athletic enough to hang with TEs & RBs in space, and both appear sturdier than Telvin Smith, who seems to have attempted to gain weight the old-fashioned method - by getting the Munchies."

Sorry, Brother Stone: All "Or's' are DisQualifed!!

In that case, I'll go with Jordan Tripp; if he had Barrow's arm length, it would be decisively Tripp.

I also did an either/or at 62 with DEs Scott Crichton & Kareem Martin. I'll go with Crichton, though Martin is much more physically gifted, is a smart kid, and has no known off-field concerns. Crichton's relentless,
non-stop motor is the difference-maker. I also could have stomached Dom Easley here far easier than I did at 29, had he been available of course.

 

[patsfaninpa]

One of the newbie's who haven't signed up yet need to make DomEasleyACL's their handle.

 

[State]

Trade 29 to Minny for 40 & 108: Ebron, Zach Martin, Shazier, Buchanon, Pryor & Clinton Dix are all gone; Bitonio, XSF, ASJ, Amaro & Kony Ealy are my next favorite targets, but I just don't know if any of them are #29 overall worthy. I want more picks in a deep draft, so I'll take a chance that I can get one of them later.

Trade 40 to St Lou for 44 & 153: Bitonio, XSF & ASJ are gone, but Amaro & Kony Ealy are still available, and getting a 5th-rounder (which I didn't previously have) for moving down a mere 4 spots is worth the risk.

I’m going to tag along with Captain Stone’s brilliant trade projections. He is right about one thing—Trai Turner is the real deal at OG—but he is wrong about Jace Amaro being the only move TE. We could have beaten Ted Thompson to UFA Colt Lyerla, but we didn’t want another potential criminal. I understand. But when we lose to the Packers in the SB as Colt makes the game-winning grab, others will be less so inclined.

Here goes, fellas:

Trading down twice per Cap’n Stone, whose logical appears unimpeachable:

I go with TE Jace Amaro at #44. It’s STILL our weakest position, even if Tavon Wilson and his stone cold hips starts at strong safety. We didn't go out and be proactive and the good players were taken earlier than many had predicted. We should have gone out and made it work.

At 62 it’s the American Samoan all the way, Scott Crichton, a relentless pass rusher with enough physical tools to get the job done. A cross between Vrabel and Ninkovich. He's coming out to pay for his dad's medical bills. Awesome guy!

At 105 I’d differ from CP and go interior offensive line help, which is a definite need. I’m not that high on Bryan Stork, but am more so by Russell Bodine at center, whom Cincinnati picked at 111. They had a good draft, folks.

At 108 Aaron Colvin, CB, out of Oklahoma. Isn’t he like a first round talent with an injury, which puts him play to be a player for us? An NFL starter, gentlemen, we let out of our grasp.

At 130 I’d go for OG in David Yankey from Stanford, who was The Steal of the Draft, being picked #145. I can’t understand why.

At 140 I’d stick with who we took, another Cardinal on the offensive line in Cameron Fleming, who was personally scouted by Dante and can fill in for an injured Seabass, which seems to happen with annual regularity.

At 153 I go defense or running back. Oops, not supposed to say “or.” Or.. I’m expelled. Nope, I’m wrong. Alabama QB A. J. McCarron, who looks to be an ideal third string player for us to slowly develop. We know he has adequate arm strength and doesn’t make unforced errors.

At 179 I love the choice of Antone “Don’t Call Me Antoine” Exum., FS, CB, or whatever. He’ll need a redshirt year. Think of the nicknames we could come up with him? He is very versatile and will play for the Vikes. He was a good pickup.

At 198 we need another run-stopping plugger at the D line, someone like Beau Allen, the wide body from Wisconsin, to spell the old veterans who were both injured last season.

At 206 I’m in agreement with Captain Stone. Jeff Janis from lil Saginew State whatever. Have you seen his physicality? His size and speed? I think he makes almost any team that drafts him. He’s very intriguing. Kudos to Ted Thompson, one of the best NFL GM’s, for drafting him. He has far more upside than the Smurf WR we took in the seventh, Gallon something.

At 244 Zach Moore. Like Janis, his physical tools deserve a look-see above and beyond the free agency route, which I had hoped we’d do with Colt Lyerla.

I’m hoping DT Armond Armstead, the player who’s disruptive at defensive line and missed all last year with an infection, comes back and plays well for us, making not having Domique Easley more palatable.

Right now this team is being held hostage by the nonentities manning the tight end position.

 

[captain stone]

Thanks for the plug; a couple of comments:

If The Prisoner Show didn't happen last year, then I feel that the FO would've been far more amenable to signing Lyerla as a UDFA. Unfortunately it did happen, so a possible Lyerla signing now became a completely impossible signing.

OTOH, I still can't get over Bill's ignoring of drafting a TE to help Brady, whose utter lack of throwing a consistently accurate deep pass demands having a TE who can get open in the seams/flats.

I too would've taken Russell Jethro Bodine ahead of Stork. I would not have taken Aaron Colvin ahead
of Pierre Desir, however.

I gave serious consideration to taking Yankey at 130/140, but couldn't resist taking two of the smartest Linemen in the draft, Caraun Reid on defense & John Urschel on offense. Reid fills our gap-penetrator need, and Urschel could very well become a better Center than either Bodine or Stork.

I admit that without a doubt, AJ McCarron at 153 is much, much better value than Jimmy Small Hands Garoppalo at 62. I'd still prefer to wait until next year to draft Mallett's replacement.

Seeing that both Wilfork & Kelly were restructured, I didn't feel the need to draft a run-plugger DT like Beau Allen. Siliga should fill that role decently enough. Besides, if I were to take one at 198, then I would've taken Dan the Mountain Man McCullers.

I also agree: without a healthy Gronk, we have the worst group of TEs in football, bar none.
Our WRs aren't much to write home about either. Brady's got his work cut out for him, again.