This is a slam dunk no-brainer, the Colts are taking Andrew Luck. Luck is without a doubt the best quarterbacking prospect since Peyton Manning in 1998, who was ironically drafted by the Colts. With Manning, the Colts were a 10+ win team. Without him they were 2-14 last year. The Colts are clearly rebuilding much like '98 as they moved on from Manning and will go to Luck. Speaking of luck (not the player), how lucky are the Colts? They get 13 awesome years with Manning and should get another 12-15 with Luck. Luck has pretty much been the 1st overall pick since last year before he declared he was going back to Stanford for his junior season. There are reports that the Colts are considering taking RG3 with the 1st overall pick. Even though I think highly of RG3 and think he'll be a great QB in his own right, he's not Luck. They did not just cut their best quarterback of all-time to pass on the best QB prospect since that exact same player.
2. Washington Redskins (from St. Louis) - Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor
With Luck off the board, the #2 pick falls to the Heisman Trophy winning quarterback in Robert Griffin III. Griffin is a really close #2 and even a #1 in some scouts eyes. The Redskins need a franchise QB and they traded 3 1st round picks and a 2nd round pick to move up from #6 to #2 with the St. Louis Rams to take Griffin. Here's my blog on that subject: http://buffalosportsbeat.blogspot.com/2012/03/why-redskins-traded-up-for-rg3.html
3. Minnesota Vikings - Matt Kalil, OT, USC
Matt Kalil is the best tackle prospect in this year's draft and is probably the best non-quarterback prospect in the draft. The Vikings really need a dominant franchise left tackle to protect the blind side of their young QB, Christian Ponder. Some reports are they could take cornerback Morris Claiborne as they need a corner and he's the best corner in the draft. But they really need a left tackle bad and they cannot afford to pass up on Kalil. It's almost a slam dunk guarantee that the Vikings take Kalil.
Other possible choices:
Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU - The Vikings seem like every year they need an offensive tackle and a corner back. They will address at least one of those two major needs this draft.
4. Cleveland Browns - Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama
The Browns need help at many positions, especially on offense. This will certainly be an offensive pick. The Browns missed out on the RG3 sweepstakes when they were beat out by the Washington Redskins to move up to #2 despite having two 1st round picks this year. They could reach for Texas A&M QB Ryan Tannehill, who seems to keep climbing up the boards. But I don't think the Browns would reach for the "3rd best QB" in the draft this early plus Mike Holmgren doesn't like to take a QB in the 1st round. Plus they want to surround Colt McCoy with better talent. Justin Blackmon is a possibility because they are in desperate need of a number one wideout. But the Browns take running back Trent Richardson. He's the best player in the draft at this spot despite the fact that running backs should really never be taken this high. But Richardson is a special case to be taken here as he is I think the best running back prospect since Adrian Peterson in 2007. Richardson is elusive and fast and can catch the ball out of the backfield. Richardson is a perfect dual threat in Cleveland's West Coast Offense. Plus the Browns need someone to replace Peyton Hillis.
Other possible choices:
Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State - Colt McCoy needs a number one target to throw to and Blackmon is that guy.
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU
Despite signing corner back Eric Wright, the Bucs still have a need at corner and take the best corner in the draft. In a division that features Drew Brees, Matt Ryan, and Cam Newton, the Bucs need as much help at stopping the pass as possible. Claiborne has the ability to defend the league's best receivers and has the possibility of being a shut down corner.
Other possibly choices:
Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama - If Claiborne is taken and Richardson is available, they take Richardson as LeGarrette Blount is not a number one running back.
6. St. Louis Rams (from Washington) - Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State
The Rams need all the help they can get as they finished 2-14 and traded down with the Washington Redskins in order to pick up more picks and moved down only 4 places. The Rams need an offensive tackle first and foremost, followed by wide receiver (another position of desperate need for the Rams) and cornerback. Sam Bradford has never had a left tackle in two years as a starter as 2009 1st round pick Jason Smith is a right tackle and injury prone. Plus Bradford was sacked 36 times in only 10 games last year. But there is no tackle available at this spot and they don't want to reach at this spot as they can surely grab one in the 2nd round. The Rams give Bradford help as they take Justin Blackmon. Blackmon is the best receiver in this draft and has the ability to be starting Pro Bowl receiver in this league. Although just 6'1, Blackmon has the ability to go up and make an incredible catch. Although not blazingly fast, Blackmon can still get behind defenders as he made some spectacular long catches at Oklahoma State. He is also a tremendous route runner and uses his body to get separation. Bradford will be happy to be throwing the ball to him.
7. Jacksonville Jaguars - Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame
With one wide receiver off the board, the Jacksonville Jaguars make it two in a row as they take the second best receiver in the draft in Notre Dame's Michael Floyd. The Jaguars have needed a wide receiver or two since the good ole days of Jimmy Smith and Keenan McCardell. The Jags get a guy in Floyd who has great size, hands, and is good at getting yards after the catch. The Jags need a guy for Blaine Gabbert, who struggled badly as a rookie last year as he was last in the league in QB Rating and Yards Per Attempt.
Other possibly choices:
The Jaguars need a pass rusher so they could either take Melvin Ingram or Quinton Coples.
8. Miami Dolphins - Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M
The Dolphins failed at getting free agent Peyton Manning so despite signing David Garrard, the Dolphins will select Ryan Tannehill. Tannehill has been climbing the charts into the top-10 despite being a wide receiver for his first two years in college before being converted to a quarterback. Tannehill has great athleticism and mobility but lacks the arm strength and frame to be a QB. He is 6'4 though but only 220 lbs. and needs to bulk up. This could be a reach for the Fins, but you need a QB in order to win and guys like Tannehill, who would be a late 1st to 2nd round pick, moves into the top-10 because of the need for a franchise QB plus the rookie wage scale with the new collective bargaining makes it more attractive to take a QB much earlier than before. Last year was proof of this with the early picks of Jake Locker and Christian Ponder. Even though Matt Moore had a pretty good year last year, he is not a franchise QB. He can start for now, but the Dolphins need to find their guy.
9. Carolina Panthers - Luke Kuechly, LB, Boston College
The Carolina Panthers were horrible against the run and on defense in general so they take the best defensive player available in Luke Kuechly. The Panthers have a need at linebacker and Kuechly has great size and speed and is a tackling machine. Kuechly can make a lot of tackles behind the line of scrimmage not just down field. He has a knack at getting to the football. He is also good against the pass.
Other possibly choices:
The Panthers need a defensive tackle so they could take Memphis' Dontari Poe and also need a guard so they could take Stanford's David DeCastro.
10. Buffalo Bills - Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa
With the big and I do stress big signings of defensive ends Mario Williams and Mark Anderson, a pass rushing defensive end is not a need at this spot and GM Buddy Nix stressed even before signing Williams and Anderson that he did not like the pass rushers at this spot anyways. So the Bills need a left tackle, another wide receiver to complement Steve Johnson, and a cornerback. If for some reason, Morris Claiborne falls here he will be the slam dunk pick. But I am not sold on Alabama's Dre Kirkpatrick at this spot. That leaves tackle and receiver. If Michael Floyd were here, he could very well be the pick. But he isn't so the Bills select the second best tackle in the draft in Iowa's Riley Reiff. He is a great right tackle but he has to show he can be a left tackle in order to be taken here. If he can, he will be a great addition for the Bills. Reiff is a great run blocker and needs a little work at pass blocking. He does bring intensity on every snap. The Bills need to fill the hole as they won't re-sign Demetrius Bell and need to protect Ryan Fitzpatrick. Stanford's Jonathan Martin, who protected Andrew Luck's blind side in college, could also be a pick here as he has great athleticism and a high IQ. But he needs a lot of improvement at pass blocking in order to be taken this high so the pick is Reiff.
Other possibly choices:
Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame - If Floyd is available, he could be the pick as the Bills need a strong number two to Steve Johnson and Floyd will definitely be that guy.
Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford - If Martin improves at pass blocking or Reiff is taken off the board or they like Martin more than he is the pick.
No comments:
Post a Comment