Smith is far and away the best quarterback in this draft class. He might be the only one to develop into an above-average starter in the NFL.

Jones is this draft’s most complete pass rusher. He’ll give the Jaguars someone who can consistently generate pressure on the quarterback. This team desperately needs someone to fill that role.

Lotulelei is a nice replacement for the aging and expensive Richard Seymour or Tommy Kelly.

Jason Peters is too injury-prone to have a guaranteed spot on the roster. Joeckel Keep Reading...]]>

1. Kansas City - Geno Smith – QB – West Virginia
More Videos of Geno Smith	Smith is far and away the best quarterback in this draft class. He might be the only one to develop into an above-average starter in the NFL.
2. Jacksonville - Jarvis Jones – OLB – Georgia
More Videos of Jarvis Jones	Jones is this draft’s most complete pass rusher. He’ll give the Jaguars someone who can consistently generate pressure on the quarterback. This team desperately needs someone to fill that role.
3. Oakland - Star Lotulelei – DT – Utah
More Videos of Star Lotulelei	Lotulelei is a nice replacement for the aging and expensive Richard Seymour or Tommy Kelly.
4. Philadelphia - Luke Joeckel – OT – Texas A&M
More Videos of Luke Joeckel	Jason Peters is too injury-prone to have a guaranteed spot on the roster. Joeckel is someone capable of stepping in and immediately playing at a high level.
5. Detroit - Dee Milliner – CB – Alabama
More Videos of Dee Milliner	Detroit has very limited talent at the cornerback position. This is why they should make a move to bring in the draft’s most talented cover man.
6. Cleveland - Damontre Moore – DE – Texas A&M
More Videos of Damontre Moore	Ray Horton has stated he plans on keeping some 4-3 principles, but expect to see some of his 3-4 alignment. Moore is versatile enough to excel in either system.
7. Arizona - Eric Fisher – OT – Central Michigan
More Videos of Eric Fisher	Fisher’s excellent showing at the Senior Bowl really helped his stock. He’d be the answer to the Cardinals’ issues at left tackle.
8. Buffalo - Dion Jordan – DE/OLB – Oregon
More Videos of Dion Jordan	Mike Pettine will absolutely run some type of a 3-4 attack in Buffalo. Jordan will fit nicely as an outside linebacker capable of rushing the passer and playing some coverage.
9. New York Jets - Barkevious Mingo – DE/OLB – LSU
More Videos of Barkevious Mingo	Adding a top-notch pass rusher to this defense would again make this one of the better units in the league.
10. Tennessee - Bjoern Werner – DE – Florida State
More Videos of Bjoern Werner	Werner will give the Titans a cheaper and likely more effective option from Kamerion Wimbley.
11. San Diego - Chance Warmack – OG – Alabama
More Videos of Chance Warmack	Warmack is a dominant player capable of consistently winning the battle up front. His addition will go a long way towards improving the Chargers’ offensive line.
12. Miami - Cordarrelle Patterson – WR – Tennessee
More Videos of Cordarrelle Patterson	The Dolphins must surround Ryan Tannehill with players capable of making big plays. There isn’t a wide receiver in this draft capable of making more big plays than Patterson.
13. Tampa Bay - Johnthan Banks – CB – Mississippi State
More Videos of Johnthan Banks	Banks’ toughness and coverage ability will fill a major need for the Buccaneers.
14. Carolina - Sylvester Williams – DT – North Carolina
More Videos of Sylvester Williams	The Panthers need a force in the middle of their defense capable of penetrating the pocket and occupying blockers. Williams is that versatile player who’s able to fit that need.
15. New Orleans - Johnathan Hankins – DT – Ohio State
More Videos of Johnathan Hankins	With the Saints making the move to a 3-4 system, they need a space-eater like Johnathan Hankins to plug the middle. He’s the ideal candidate to fill the team’s need for a nose tackle.
16. St. Louis - Lane Johnson – OT – Oklahoma
More Videos of Lane Johnson	Johnson still needs time to fully develop, but his ability to protect the passer will make him a hot name come draft day. The Rams could use an upgrade at three spots along the offensive line.

]]> http://draftbreakdown.com/new-mock-by-jon-dove-2/feed 11 http://draftbreakdown.com/the-quarterback-prospect-shuffle http://draftbreakdown.com/the-quarterback-prospect-shuffle#comments Fri, 11 Jan 2013 03:05:08 +0000 Jon Dove http://draftbreakdown.com/?p=240993 The fact the 2013 NFL Draft doesn’t have a clear-cut No. 1 quarterback prospect makes this draft very interesting. Look for the last half of the first round to include a mad scramble of trades. This is what happens when a quarterback class features prospects so closely graded.

Let’s first look at the different quarterback prospects. West Virginia’s Geno Smith is the only quarterback I have with a solid first-round grade. He represents the most balance between NFL readiness and upside.

Smith is generating the most buzz as the potential No. 1 overall pick. The workouts and interviews will be key to where he lands. This is a good sign for Smith, as he boasts a high football IQ and displays leadership.

After Smith, the rest of the group is jumbled together as early second-round prospects. This group includes Matt Barkley, Tyler Wilson, Mike Glennon, and Ryan Nassib. Each Keep Reading...]]> The fact the 2013 NFL Draft doesn’t have a clear-cut No. 1 quarterback prospect makes this draft very interesting. Look for the last half of the first round to include a mad scramble of trades. This is what happens when a quarterback class features prospects so closely graded.

Let’s first look at the different quarterback prospects. West Virginia’s Geno Smith is the only quarterback I have with a solid first-round grade. He represents the most balance between NFL readiness and upside.

Smith is generating the most buzz as the potential No. 1 overall pick. The workouts and interviews will be key to where he lands. This is a good sign for Smith, as he boasts a high football IQ and displays leadership.

After Smith, the rest of the group is jumbled together as early second-round prospects. This group includes Matt Barkley, Tyler Wilson, Mike Glennon, and Ryan Nassib. Each one of these quarterbacks has a legitimate shot of coming off the board in the first round. This is why we can expect to see a flurry of trades between picks 26 and 32.

The quarterback-needy teams that might consider making a move include the Kansas City Chiefs, Jacksonville Jaguars, Arizona Cardinals, New York Jets, and Buffalo Bills. Each of these teams have varying degrees of need at the position. However, they all must come out of this draft with a young quarterback to develop for the future.

Owning the No. 1 overall pick puts the Chiefs in the past position to land the quarterback they prefer the most. They need to decide if Geno Smith is worth the No. 1 pick, or they’ll have to consider a trade to get back into the first round.

The Jets, Bills and Jaguars all have a quarterback in place that can hold down the fort. These are the teams that are more than likely willing to sit back and wait to see who falls into their laps. However, if they favor a specific quarterback, making a trade is the right decision.

Arizona is the other team that desperately needs to address the quarterback position. This is the one team that could reach on a quarterback early in the first round.

After listing the quarterback-needy teams, it’s time to identify those teams that might consider moving out of the first round. These are typically teams that have solid starters at most positions, or don’t see a worthy prospect at a position of need.

The Denver Broncos, San Francisco 49ers, and New England Patriots are teams that don’t have a pressing need. Of course, they could add talent in different areas, but they have enough to address those holes in the second round.

Teams like the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks have specific needs that they might be able to be addressed at the end of the first round.

Now, it’s time to look at some scenarios.

As we get closer to the draft, rumors about which players teams are targeting really start to influence the world of mocks.

Andy Reid knows how much a shaky offensive line can impact an offense.

The Jags need someone who can generate pressure on the quarterback.

Oakland just needs a young stud to build around.

In today’s NFL, a linebacker must be able to play multiple roles. Greene boasts the athleticism to support the run, drop in pass coverage and rush the quarterback. This versatility only increases Greene’s value, as he can potentially fit in either a 4-3 or 3-4 attack.

The image below shows the quickness and balance Greene has coming off the edge. It’s important to note that he’s under control and also keeping contain. Too often, edge-rushers take a straight shot to the quarterback but lose contain. This typically results in a big play.

It’s inaccurate to say that Greene is Keep Reading...]]> It’s easy to fall in love with Rutgers’ Khaseem Greene, as this is a player with the potential to do great things in the NFL. Greene is the complete package who’s capable of fitting in any system. Look for his draft stock to continue to rise through the draft process.

In today’s NFL, a linebacker must be able to play multiple roles. Greene boasts the athleticism to support the run, drop in pass coverage and rush the quarterback. This versatility only increases Greene’s value, as he can potentially fit in either a 4-3 or 3-4 attack.

The image below shows the quickness and balance Greene has coming off the edge. It’s important to note that he’s under control and also keeping contain. Too often, edge-rushers take a straight shot to the quarterback but lose contain. This typically results in a big play.

It’s inaccurate to say that Greene is a top-notch pass-rusher. However, he possesses the athleticism, timing and suddenness to develop.

Greene’s athleticism and balance make him an above-average cover linebacker. The image below shows his ball skills and ability to gain depth. This skill set would make him a great fit as a cover-2 middle linebacker. We’ve seen someone like Brian Urlacher do this his entire career.

Greene isn’t just a physical talent, as he was highly productive through his college career. This season he was named to ESPN.com’s 1st-Team All American squad. ESPN’s Andrea Adelson had this to say about Greene:

“Greene was a beast of a linebacker last season. He was even better this year. The Big East Defensive Player of the Year did more than just rack up tackle after tackle, to the tune of 125 on the season. He also ranks second in the nation with six forced fumbles, led his team with 5.5 sacks, broke up five passes and had two interceptions from his weakside spot. He essentially doubled his career sacks and forced fumbles in the span of 12 games. There is no defensive player in his league as consistent or as good”

One concern surrounding Greene is the fact that he can become a little hesitant at times. He must learn to trust his instincts and attack the football.

Greene also must do a better job using his hands at the point of attack. He isn’t afraid to attack the line of scrimmage, but can get taken out of the play from time to time. He’d be much more effective if he used his hands to create space.

The image below shows how Greene took on the block with his shoulder, which limited his ability to reach the edge.

Teams like the Chicago Bears, Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Giants and Cincinnati Bengals could all consider taking Greene in the first round.