The 2014 Mock draft Thread.

[manxman2601]

:ugh::violent:

All I did was copy Wilfork#75's list, except that I moved Adrian Wilson into the early cut category to free up some money.

FWIW, I think it's a reasonable list of guys who either are (1) likely to be on the bubble and probably cuts (T. Wilson, Bequette, White, DJ Williams, Forston) or guys who could be camp cuts and who would free up significant amount of money (Wilfork, Kelly, Gregory):

- I've suggested that Wilfork could be an early cut, but it makes some sense to convert some of his money to NLTBE incentives to free up money and buy some time to see if he can come back. If he's not able to recover adequately for 2014, the choice would be IR vs. a cut.

- I think the odds are in favor of Kelly making the team and I've said so, but he is coming back form an ACL injury and is 33. If Armstead comes back strong, then BB might decide to carry only 5 DTs and go with Donald/Chris Jones at 3-tech, Ellis/Siliga at NT, and Armstead as a DT/DE hybrid, and save some money. Again, I don't think it's terribly likely, but I don't think listing Kelly as a "potential camp cut" is unreasonable.

- I'm in the same boat with Gregory. Odds are he will make the team (and possibly be extended, lowering his cap number for 2014), but if a rookie like Exum shows promise and if Duron Harmon and Tavon Wilson develop, then Gregory could be expendable. Again, I don't think listing him as a "potential" camp cut is unreasonable.

Not everyone agrees with your viewpoint on Gregory and Kelly, and I think that Wilfork#75 listing them in the "TBD later" category was a fair compromise at the moment, so I carried it over.

Not every does agree with my view on Gregory and Kelly, but guess what, I do. I was giving you my opinion, not everyone else's. It's a shame you seem to have a problem with that.

 

[mayoclinic]

Not every does agree with my view on Gregory and Kelly, but guess what, I do. I was giving you my opinion, not everyone else's. It's a shame you seem to have a problem with that.

No, I understand your opinion (you've made it clear on dozens of threads) and respect it. It just seems like sometimes you are arguing for the sake of arguing with every little thing, and it gets frustrating and tiring.

 

[everlong]

1. Trade down for high 2nd and high 4th
trade Mallett for Houston's #3


2a. ASJ TE
2b. Kyle Van Noy LB
3a. trade for lower 3rd and 5th
3a. Bitonio G/T
3b. EJ Gaines CB
4. Weston Richburg C
4. Deandre Coleman DT
5. Aaron Colvin CB
6. Cody Latimer WR
6b. Gator Hoskins TE/FB

Love ASJ and Van Noy. Richburg would be good valuein the 4th. I don't think I would take Coleman that high. I think he's a 6th or 7th rounder.Love Colvin and Latimer.

Good job.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

I think Edelman walking in FA is quite likely anyway, as teams overspend for WRs.

FWIW, I think things went particularly crazy in 2012, and Percy Harvin aside, settled down significantly in 2013. The relatively flat cap likely will continue to hold things down in 2014.

 

[Coach42]

Aww, what the heck. I was going to wait until after the Combine to put up another mock, but Brother Wilfork threw down the gauntlet. So, here's one with swinging for the fences (borrowing heavily from Wilfork#75's number analysis, with gratitude).


Current Cap Space = $10.887M. Based on the new predicted league-wide cap of $130M and the adjustments and costs listed by Miguel.


Goals:

- Retain key personnel wherever possible
- Rebuild the TE position to one of dominance
- Fortify the interior OL to keep Brady clean
- Get faster, more athletic and more disruptive on defense
- Add depth and size at DB


Cap Housekeeping

Re-structure Vince Wilfork ($4M saving) *Turn $4M of salary into NLTBE Incentives - keeps options open for now
Extend Devin McCourty ($1M saving)
Extend Stephen Gostkowski ($1M saving)
Extend Matt Slater ($250K saving) - I think this could me more, but I'm using Wilfork#75's number
Cut Dan Connolly ($2.5mil saving)
Cut Isaac Sopoaga ($2.005mil saving)
Cut Adrian Wilson ($1.1M saving)
Trade Mallett ($282k saving) - I'm including a Mallett trade, however unlikely, for now

Net Cap Saving - $12.137mil

Available Cap Space = $23.024mil


Retain Internal Free Agents

Re-sign CB Aqib Talib - 4 years $26M + Incentives ($12M signing bonus) *1st year cap hit $4M

Re-sign MLB Dane Fletcher - 3 years $2.5M ($300K signiing bonus) 1st year cap hit $830K

Re-sign RB LeGarrete Blount - 3 years $5M ($900K signing bonus) *1st year cap hit $1.050M

Re-sign OT/G Will Svitek - 2 years $1.9M ($100K signing bonus) *1st year cap hit $900K

Re-sign LS Danny Aiken – 2 years $1.375M (vet minimum, no guaranteed money) *1st year cap hit $645K


Re-signings 1st year cap hits = $7.425M

Net Cap Impact = about -$5.5M cap space (accounting for replacing top 51 players)

Available Cap Space = $17.524M


Sign External Free Agents

Sign FA DE Michael Johnson - 5 years $45M ($20M guaranteed, $15M signing bonus, 1st 2 years fully guaranteed) *1st year cap hit $4.5M. Impact DE to team with Chandler Jones and Rob Ninkovich.

Sign FA OC Alex Mack - 5 years $48M ($20M guaranteed, $15M signing bonus, first 2 years fully guaranteed) *1st year cap hit $5M. Pro Bowl caliber center, will keep Brady clean and give him time to find receivers.

Sign FA WR Sidney Rice - 3 years, $6M + Incentives (with playing time incentives up to $12M; $3M signing bonus, 1 year fully guaranteed) *1st year cap hit $2.5M. Cap casualty in Seattle, talented big WR who is only 27. He will help extend the field and will make a nice complement to the existing WRs. Rice is injury prone (which keeps his cost down), so contract is incentive-based to playing time.

Sign FA C/G Ted Larsen - 2 years $2.25M ($500k signing bonus) *1st year cap hit $1M. Former Pats draftee provides good low-cost Connolly replacement for interior line depth. Nice call by Brother Wilfork.


External Free Agent 1st year cap hit = $13M

Net Cap Impact = about -$11M (accounting for replacing top 51 players)

Total Cap Space = $6.524M


Potential Additional Camp Cuts (Net Cap Saving)

S. Gregory ($2.335mil)
T. Kelly ($1.611mil)
V. Wilfork ($3mil)
T. Wilson ($278k)
J. Bequette ($80k)
DJ Williams ($150k)
C. White ($150k)
M. Forston ($75k)


Draft

*Trade QB Ryan Mallett to Houston for 2(33)*
I know is this unlikely but it’s a mock draft. Mallett to Minnesota for #40 is also another option.

1 (29). DT: Aaron Donald, Pittsburgh. 6'1" 290#.

The most explosive and disruptive defensive prospect in the draft. Adding Donald and Michael Johnson will transform the DL.

* TRADE 2(33) + 4(126) to SF for 2(61) + 3(77) +3(94)*

2(61). TE: Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Washington or Troy Niklas, Notre Dame.

Big, versatile TE to double up with Gronk.

2(62). DE/OLB: Marcus Smith, Louisville. 6' 3 1/2" 258#.

A Jamie Collins-like athletic freak who can play in space or explode off the edge.

3(77). LB: Christian Jones, Florida St. 6' 3 1/2" 236#.

Versatile speedy LB who can line up at OLB, ILB or DE, with tremendous range and coverage ability as well as explosiveness coming off the edge.

* TRADE 3(93) to Jax for 4(101) + 5(138)*
* TRADE 3(94) to Minn for 4 (104) +5(136)*
Lots of depth, move on back and get similar rated players and accumulate picks

4(101). DB: Antone Exum, Virginia Tech. 6' 220#.

A day 1-2 talent who slips because of injuries, with the versatility that BB covets. I think he'd be a great SS opposite McCourty, but he can also play outside CB.

4(104). NT: Justin Ellis, Louisiana Tech. 6'3" 342#.

Massive NT with surprising agility and explosiveness. Ellis/Siliga and Donald/Chris Jones gives the Pats great depth at the NT and 3-tech positions.

5(136). TE: Richard Rodgers, Cal. 6'4" 257#.

Pats double-dip at TE. Rodgers is similar to Jace Amaro, at much better value.

5(138). QB: Aaron Murray, Georgia. 6' 207#.

I'll go with Wilfork#75's guy for now. A backup QB is obligatory if a Mallett trade actually occurs. A vet FA signing is more likely.

6(182). QB/TE: Logan Thomas, Virginia Tech. 6' 6" 248#.

Originally recruited to Virginia Tech as a TE. 10 7/8" hands and 34 1/4" arms combined with great speed and elusiveness.

6(190). CB: Aaron Colvin, Oklahoma. 5' 11 1/2" 194#.

I can go with this pick by Wilfork#75, though I'd be thrilled with Dontae Johnson (6'2 1/2" 199#) as well. Colvin is another day 2 talent who falls due to injury.

6c. FB/H-Back: Trey Millard, Oklahoma or Trey Bruton, Florida.

Either one would be a versatile offensive weapon.

6c. OG: Spencer Long, Nebraska. 6'5" 320#.

Good value here.

7. WR: Chris Boyd, Vanderbilt. 6'4" 206#.

A moon shot on a big, talented WR.

Target UDFA’s

Wifork#75's list is a good one.

I really like everything you've done here with the exception of Alex Mack. Mack is a stud there is no argument there. My personal opinion is we could upgrade that spot without having to break the bank and still be very good instead of unbelievable. With that savings we could maybe grab a couple of higher FA's at some other positions of need.

For instance if Edelman gets the kind of money people are throwing around on here I say let him walk. Instead of Sidney Rice (a perfectly reasonable option) maybe we go up a tier to the Emmanuel Sanders/James Jones level. Or possible Rice and one of those two.

I like the Ted Larsen suggestion but I also like Fernando Velasco. I'd also like to see a veteran TE brought in AND draft a youngster. Maybe someone like Chandler or Brandon Myers.

I love Michael Johnson but I'm also intrigued by Justin Tuck. DE like TE seems like a position where double dipping wouldn't be a bad idea. Two vets or Vet rook. Most realistic is Johnson and a rook. Finally I would try to add some back end completion. Not anyone too flashy think Corey Graham Tarell Brown.

So to summarize:

WR: Sanders or Jones (no more Edelman)
TE: Chandler or Myers
OL: Svitek is back add Larsen and Velasco (see ya Wendell)
DL: Johnson and maybe Tuck? I have no clue what his market is like. Cam Thomas in. (Wilfork is gone)
CB: Talib is back. Cheap camp competition too.

29: Zach Martin OG
62: Marcus Smith DE/OLB
93: Troy Niklas TE
126: Justin Ellis DT
182: Brent Urban DT/DE
213: Colvin CB
221: Grimble TE

Also sign Adam Seward

 

[mayoclinic]

Also sign Adam Seward

That's probably the key to the whole offseason plan.

 

[manxman2601]

I really like everything you've done here with the exception of Alex Mack. Mack is a stud there is no argument there. My personal opinion is we could upgrade that spot without having to break the bank and still be very good instead of unbelievable. With that savings we could maybe grab a couple of higher FA's at some other positions of need.

For instance if Edelman gets the kind of money people are throwing around on here I say let him walk. Instead of Sidney Rice (a perfectly reasonable option) maybe we go up a tier to the Emmanuel Sanders/James Jones level. Or possible Rice and one of those two.

I like the Ted Larsen suggestion but I also like Fernando Velasco. I'd also like to see a veteran TE brought in AND draft a youngster. Maybe someone like Chandler or Brandon Myers.

I love Michael Johnson but I'm also intrigued by Justin Tuck. DE like TE seems like a position where double dipping wouldn't be a bad idea. Two vets or Vet rook. Most realistic is Johnson and a rook. Finally I would try to add some back end completion. Not anyone too flashy think Corey Graham Tarell Brown.

So to summarize:

WR: Sanders or Jones (no more Edelman)
TE: Chandler or Myers
OL: Svitek is back add Larsen and Velasco (see ya Wendell)
DL: Johnson and maybe Tuck? I have no clue what his market is like. Cam Thomas in. (Wilfork is gone)
CB: Talib is back. Cheap camp competition too.

29: Zach Martin OG
62: Marcus Smith DE/OLB
93: Troy Niklas TE
126: Justin Ellis DT
182: Brent Urban DT/DE
213: Colvin CB
221: Grimble TE

Also sign Adam Seward

I would be very very happy with that mock.

 

[Joey007]

I'll give one a try I'll go easy on draft day trades except-
First we trade Mallet for Houston's 65th pick (3rd rounder)
Now..
29. Ra'Shede Hageman DT
62. Austin Seferian-Jenkins TE
65.(From Houston) Marcus Smith DE/OLB
93. Weston Richburg C
126. AJ McCarron QB
182. Ross ****rell CB (censors C ockrell )
190. Max Bullough ILB
221. Chris Burnette OG

Btw, does anyone know how much value we could get for a 62th and 65th pick say if we wanted to trade up?

 

[manxman2601]

I'll give one a try I'll go easy on draft day trades except-
First we trade Mallet for Houston's 65th pick (3rd rounder)
Now..
29. Ra'Shede Hageman DT
62. Austin Seferian-Jenkins TE
65.(From Houston) Marcus Smith DE/OLB
93. Weston Richburg C
126. AJ McCarron QB
182. Ross ****rell CB (censors C ockrell )
190. Max Bullough ILB
221. Chris Burnette OG

Btw, does anyone know how much value we could get for a 62th and 65th pick say if we wanted to trade up?

Old trade chart says it gets you to about pick 35.

 

[ashley]

I'll give one a try I'll go easy on draft day trades except-
First we trade Mallet for Houston's 65th pick (3rd rounder)
Now..
29. Ra'Shede Hageman DT
62. Austin Seferian-Jenkins TE
65.(From Houston) Marcus Smith DE/OLB
93. Weston Richburg C
126. AJ McCarron QB
182. Ross ****rell CB (censors C ockrell )
190. Max Bullough ILB
221. Chris Burnette OG

Btw, does anyone know how much value we could get for a 62th and 65th pick say if we wanted to trade up?

One of my favorite mocks I've read so far....love love love Hageman!!!! Also you hit the tight end and OL postions as well. The only position I would have added would be a safety.

 

[Deus Irae]

Slightly OT, but something I was thinking about while on the way to the grocery in the past hour or so:

What if the following, definitely possible, scenario played out at the top of the draft:

1. Clowney
2. Matthews/Robinson
3. Bridgewater/Bortles
4. Watkins

I think that would liven things up for a bit, and Houston would be pairing potential monster pass rushers while the Browns were pairing potential monster WRs. It would almost set up next year as "2014 NFL draft, part 2", because of the supposedly better QB class coming out.

 

[Joey007]

One of my favorite mocks I've read so far....love love love Hageman!!!! Also you hit the tight end and OL postions as well. The only position I would have added would be a safety.

Well with safety I thought about how we've already put three draft picks into the position over the last two years, I think we look to FA for improvement at safety.

 

[mayoclinic]

I'll give one a try I'll go easy on draft day trades except-
First we trade Mallet for Houston's 65th pick (3rd rounder)
Now..
29. Ra'Shede Hageman DT
62. Austin Seferian-Jenkins TE
65.(From Houston) Marcus Smith DE/OLB
93. Weston Richburg C
126. AJ McCarron QB
182. Ross ****rell CB (censors C ockrell )
190. Max Bullough ILB
221. Chris Burnette OG

Btw, does anyone know how much value we could get for a 62th and 65th pick say if we wanted to trade up?

That's very similar to what I've been mocking, though I've been more of a convert to Aaron Donald. Hageman would be fine, though. I think ASJ at 62 (especially with a foot injury) is about right, and an interior OL at 93 works fine.

One very good point that your mock brings up is the possibility of trading Mallett for #65, perhaps with a conditional 2015 pick thrown in. This is such a deep draft that #65 in this draft is easily the equivalent of a mid-2nd round pick last year. At 65 you could get a guy like Marcus Smith or Christian Jones, who could be a really solid addition. And using a conditional 2015 pick could even out the value depending on how Mallett performs.

Nice job.

 

[ashley]

Well with safety I thought about how we've already put three draft picks into the position over the last two years, I think we look to FA for improvement at safety.

I know, it stinks that we put so much into the safety position in recent years without any great results. I am not holding out much hope for Harmon, although I really hope I'm wrong. I am a believer that we need an upgrade over Gregory!!!

 

[ausbacker]

That's very similar to what I've been mocking, though I've been more of a convert to Aaron Donald. Hageman would be fine, though. I think ASJ at 62 (especially with a foot injury) is about right, and an interior OL at 93 works fine.

One very good point that your mock brings up is the possibility of trading Mallett for #65, perhaps with a conditional 2015 pick thrown in. This is such a deep draft that #65 in this draft is easily the equivalent of a mid-2nd round pick last year. At 65 you could get a guy like Marcus Smith or Christian Jones, who could be a really solid addition. And using a conditional 2015 pick could even out the value depending on how Mallett performs.

Nice job.

I'm all for an approach that puts explosive Defensive Lineman on the line. Truthfully, Chandler Jones is the only big play potential guy in that unit. The rest are all solid performers (without knowing what we have in Armstead). If Armstead is as good as some people hope and assuming the Patriots can pry Johnson away from his supposed landing destination in Minnesota then Jones, Johnson, Donald and Armstead looks young, athletic and fast.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Well with safety I thought about how we've already put three draft picks into the position over the last two years, I think we look to FA for improvement at safety.

Two picks.

Ebner was picked to play ST.

 

[JerseyShore99]

Mid-Combine Mock (no trades):
What I want:
1. Darqueze Dennard, CB
2. ASJ, TE
3. Will Sutton, DT
4. Arthur Lynch, TE
6. Aaron Murray, QB
6. Max Bullough, OLB
6. John Urschel, OG
7. Jeremy Gallon, WR
What BB would do (still no trades):
1. Xavier Su'a-Filo, OG
2. Austin Seferian-Jenkins, TE
3. Jackson Jeffcoat, DE
4. Colt Lyerla, TE
6. Mike Campanaro, WR
6. Vinnie Sunseri, SS
6. Tom Savage, QB
7. Tyler Starr, OLB

 

[Joey007]

Two picks.

Ebner was picked to play ST.

Well I thought of that. I was just going by technicality. Regardless a 2nd and 3rd rounder have been spent on the position.

 

[Joey007]

That's very similar to what I've been mocking, though I've been more of a convert to Aaron Donald. Hageman would be fine, though. I think ASJ at 62 (especially with a foot injury) is about right, and an interior OL at 93 works fine.

I'm a big fan of Donald as well, but my guts telling me he's gonna move up the draft boards out of our reach before we can even get him.

 

[mayoclinic]

I'm a big fan of Donald as well, but my guts telling me he's gonna move up the draft boards out of our reach before we can even get him.

Maybe. I'm not worrying much about that, personally. We'll see how the draft falls - it's pretty hard to predict.