Oh baby, the NFL Draft is less than 48 hours away! I cannot even express how pumped I am for it to start. After months of breaking down tape, watching the combine and paying attention to the pro days, the draft is now here. We're going to get to see where the stars of tomorrow will be playing their football careers. I've never published a mock draft before so I thought I'd just do a mock for the first 10 picks of the draft. There are a lot of talented prospects this season; some who can make impact immediately while others who have the potential to be superstars. My only disclaimer is that I can't predict trades so this mock draft has in mind that nobody trades into the top 10 which is unlikely in my opinion. So without further ado, here is my first ever mock draft.
1. Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck
We've knew Luck was going to the Colts ever since they clinched the top spot all the way back in late December. Now that Peyton Manning has moved on, the Colts seem to have found their heir apparent to the throne. The Stanford quarterback is an excellent choice and is the best quarterback prospect since Peyton Manning, if not John Elway in 1983. They'll be using their time to think about what they want to do in the 2nd round.
2. Washington Redskins: Robert Griffin III
They showed their hand here once they gave up a king's ransom to move up to the 2nd overall pick. I don't think the Redskins have had a franchise-caliber quarterback since Joe Theisman! This makes way too much sense here. RG3 will do wonders in Mike Shanahan's bootleg-heavy offense where he'll be able to show off his mobility. Don't get it twisted though, he's a pocket passer at heart and probably has the most potential of any player in the draft.
3. Minnesota Vikings: Matt Kalil
The past couple weeks we've started to hear that the Vikings have fallen in love with LSU corner back Morris Claiborne. In my opinion it's all smoke screen. If you're the Vikings and you believe Christian Ponder is your franchise quarterback then you have to be able to protect him. Kalil makes too much sense here. He's got all the tools to be a perennial Pro Bowler and will be a top notch left tackle for the next 10-12 years.
4. Cleveland Browns: Trent Richardson
If you look at the tape, you'll probably come away thinking that Richardson is the best overall player in the draft. There's nothing this guy can't do on the football field. It doesn't sound like Cleveland is giving up on Colt McCoy so they need to get him a running game. Especially after losing Peyton Hillis. Richardson is as good a running back that has come out since Adrian Peterson in 2007. This is a no brainer.
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Morris Claiborne
The first corner back to go off the board will be Claiborne. When you look at the tape you can see a clean prospect who will translate to the next level. Tampa Bay has a pressing need at the position because Ronde Barber is on his way out the door and you never know what to expect from Aquib Talib. Even though he scored a 4 on his Wonderlic test, I believe he'll fit in nicely with this young team.
6. St. Lous Rams: Fletcher Cox
Throughout the entire draft process people have said it's almost a certainty that the Rams select a wide receiver with their first pick. Knowing the type of coach Jeff Fisher is, I can't see him passing up on fixing the trenches. Especially if Fletcher Cox is still on the board. Cox is one of my favorite prospects in the draft. He's young, athletic and has a motor like no other. He's going to be a disruptive force in this league for years to come.
7. Jacksonville Jaguars: Stephon Gilmore
For the first reach of the draft, I have the Jaguars taking Stephon Gilmore. Ideally Jacksonville would like to trade down from this spot, but if they can't find a partner they'll go ahead and take the best player available on their draft board which is Gilmore. I think Gilmore will be a good corner back in this league, but not one who merits being taken in the top 10. He has iffy ball skills and is a little tight in the hips.
8. Miami Dolphins: Ryan Tannehill
Miami has not had a franchise quarterback since Dan Marino retired. I believe they find their guy at pick 8 when they select Tannehill. Many draft experts believe he's a guy who doesn't deserve to be picked in the top 10, but in my opinion if you believe a guy is a franchise quarterback then there's no such thing as reaching for him. Tannehill is still raw so he'll need to sit behind a veteran for the next couple of years.
9. Carolina Panthers: Michael Floyd
A lot of people have the Panthers taking a defensive tackle, which is a huge need for them, but I think they get enamored with the big play ability of Michael Floyd make him the first wide receiver off the board. Floyd is a little bit of a knucklehead, but you can't deny his talent. In my opinion he's the best receiver in the draft because of what he's able to do down the field. He'll make the Panthers offense that much more explosive.
10. Buffalo Bills: Riley Reiff
At the 10 spot I have the Bills coming away with a good left tackle. On tape Reiff doesn't look like an elit prospect, but he does show signs of a guy who has the ability to protect the passer and run block as well. Buffalo needs to sure up their offensive line and protect Ryan Fitzpatrick; I believe they take a step in the right direction by taking the left tackle from Iowa.
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