This article is part of our NFL Draft series.
Trades:
-CLE trades No. 4 and No. 71 to STL for No. 2
-ATL trades No. 6, No. 37 and 2015 1st round pick to JAC for No. 3
-SF trades No. 30, No. 56, No. 77, No. 129 and 2015 2nd round pick to OAK for No. 5
-BAL trades No. 17 and No. 79 to TEN for No. 11 and No. 112
-OAK trades No. 30 and No. 77 to PIT for No. 15
1. Houston Texans – Johnny Manziel*, QB, Texas A&M (6-0, 207)
I don't take it as a given that Bill O'Brien prefers Blake Bortles over Manziel merely because O'Brien coached a few big QBs on a team in which he had little or no personnel control in New England, and I think Manziel is a rare talent worthy of exemption from any height-weight rules at the quarterback position. Even if O'Brien prefers Bortles, Manziel's status as an in-state legend could give owner Bob McNair reason to intervene and force the hand of GM Rick Smith.
2. Cleveland Browns (from WAS via STL) – Blake Bortles*, QB, UCF (6-5, 231)
It seems like Teddy Bridgewater is safely behind Bortles and Manziel on most draft boards at this point, in which case Cleveland would have reason to trade ahead of Jacksonville for whichever latter player is left over at the second pick.
3. Atlanta Falcons (from JAC) – Jadeveon Clowney*, DE, South Carolina (6-5, 266)
The Falcons are a yearly threat to make a big trade upward in the draft. If Clowney falls to the third pick, Atlanta would almost certainly pursue him. Jacksonville is nowhere near 'win now' mode, so moving back three spots in exchange for several additional premium assets makes sense.
4. St. Louis Rams (from CLE) – Greg Robinson*, OT, Auburn (6-5, 332)
Joe Barksdale is a serviceable player and Jake Long will return from his ACL tear soon enough, but the Rams still could use an upgrade at tackle. Robinson has rare talent at the position.
5. San Francisco 49ers (from OAK) – Sammy Watkins*, WR, Clemson (6-1, 211)
San Francisco has few needs, but many draft picks. Oakland's situation is mostly the opposite. With extra picks in the second and third rounds and the freedom to move future picks as well, the 49ers would easily justify the bounty paid for an elite talent like Watkins. Oakland, meanwhile, would have additional ammunition to move back up to get their franchise quarterback.
6. Jacksonville Jaguars (from ATL) – Teddy Bridgewater*, QB, Louisville (6-2, 214)
Bridgewater doesn't seem to have many defenders in the media these days, but Jacksonville has little reason to pass on him if he lasts until the sixth pick. Another year of Chad Henne is a tunnel with no light at the end.
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Mike Evans*, WR, Texas A&M (6-5, 231)
Vincent Jackson isn't the most durable receiver in the league, and Mike Williams' off-the-field judgment is far from convincing. Josh McCown excelled with two big jumpball wideouts in Chicago last year in Alshon Jeffery and Brandon Marshall, and Evans would hopefully provide something similar alongside Jackson.
8. Minnesota Vikings – Ha Ha Clinton-Dix*, S, Alabama (6-1, 208)
Playing against wideout combos like Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb, Calvin Johnson and Golden Tate, and Alshon Jeffery and Brandon Marshall gives the Vikings reason to pursue standout safety talent on both halves of the field.
9. Buffalo Bills – Jake Matthews, OT, Texas A&M (6-5, 308)
Cordy Glenn is a rock on one side of the offensive line, but the right tackle spot is a question for the Bills. Although passing on in-town star Khalil Mack would be tough for Buffalo, they already have two returning double-digit sack threats in Mario Williams and Jerry Hughes.
10. Detroit Lions – Khalil Mack, DE/OLB, Buffalo (6-3, 251)
Ezekiel Ansah on one side and Mack on the other would make for a frightening picture in the NFC North.
11. Baltimore Ravens (from TEN) – Anthony Barr, (3-4) OLB, UCLA (6-5, 255)
Terrell Suggs' days are numbered, and the Elvis Dumervil/Courtney Upshaw rotation is a bit limited. Barr has huge upside as an edge defender, and Tennessee has reason to trade back at a modest price since they don't have a third-round pick.
12. New York Giants - Eric Ebron*, TE, North Carolina (6-4, 250)
The Giants have struggled to replace Jeremy Shockey's impact since he left after the 2007 season. Ebron probably isn't as good of a prospect as Shockey was in 2002, but he still has tempting upside.
13. St. Louis Rams – Calvin Pryor*, S, Louisville (5-11, 207)
If Rams miss out on Evans and Clinton-Dix, Pryor would probably be the best third option. Pryor and T.J. McDonald would make a promising safety duo.
14. Chicago Bears – Aaron Donald, DT, Pittsburgh (6-1, 285)
The Bears defensive line was a pitiful sight in 2013, so improving it was a must this offseason. Chicago got to a great start in free agency, adding ends Jared Allen, Lamarr Houston and Willie Young. Putting Donald's incredible explosiveness on the interior would perhaps make Chicago's defensive line one of the league's best.
15. Oakland Raiders (from PIT) – Derek Carr, QB, Fresno State (6-2, 214)
After trading their third-round pick to Cleveland, Pittsburgh has reason to move down at a less than premium price. Oakland would move back up in this scenario with the extra ammo provided by their initial trade down with the 49ers, snagging their quarterback target while getting extra picks in the process.
16. Dallas Cowboys – Demarcus Lawrence*, DE, Boise State (6-3, 251)
Lawrence has character questions to answer, but if he checks out in that regard he just might be able to soften the pain of DeMarcus Ware's departure.
17. Tennessee Titans (from BAL) – Dee Ford, (3-4) OLB, Auburn (6-2, 252)
Tennessee is switching to a Ray Horton 3-4 this year, and the team currently lacks edge defender talent. Trading down and landing Ford would be an ideal scenario for the Titans.
18. New York Jets – Odell Beckham*, WR, LSU (5-11, 198)
Beckham has the deep speed and ball skills to turn into a dangerous deep threat, but he has the big hands and run-after-the-catch skills to make an impact on short routes, too. He'd help burn teams deep while Eric Decker dealt with the double coverage.
19. Miami Dolphins – Xavier Su'a-Filo*, G, UCLA (6-4, 307)
Signing Branden Albert took care of the left tackle spot for Miami, so adding a top guard prospect like XSF would go a long way toward turning a 2013 weakness into a 2014 strength.
20. Arizona Cardinals – Justin Gilbert, CB, Oklahoma State (6-0, 202)
Gilbert's ability to press and chase in an aggressive defense makes him a strong fit for Arizona, especially with Patrick Peterson handling No. 1 WRs.
21. Green Bay Packers - Ra'Shede Hageman, (3-4) DE, Minnesota (6-6, 310)
The Packers currently lack length and height on their defensive line. Hageman can provide both while giving Green Bay a boost of athleticism, too.
22. Philadelphia Eagles – Zack Martin, G, Notre Dame (6-4, 308)
An elite college left tackle for Notre Dame, Martin would move to guard on a Philadelphia offensive line that might lose Evan Mathis and could use an upgrade over Todd Herremans.
23. Kansas City Chiefs – Brandin Cooks*, WR, Oregon State (5-10, 189)
Donnie Avery was a disappointment outside last year, and Dexter McCluster is gone to Tennessee after serving in the slot last year. Cooks will be an upgrade in either role for Kansas City.
24. Cincinnati Bengals – Kyle Fuller, CB, Virginia Tech (6-0, 190)
Fuller's combination of height, length and athleticism is better than that of Darqueze Dennard, and his fundamentals are sharper than those of Bradley Roby. Cincinnati needs cornerback help, and Fuller can press.
25. San Diego Chargers – Kelvin Benjamin*, WR, Florida State (6-5, 240)
Philip Rivers likes tall receivers. Benjamin's an enormous wideout who runs like a smaller one, and he could be a red zone menace while teams focus on Keenan Allen.
26. Cleveland Browns (from IND) - Darqueze Dennard, CB, Michigan State (5-11, 199)
Joe Haden is a beast on one side, and Dennard would provide a significant upgrade at the other.
27. New Orleans Saints - C.J. Mosley, (3-4) ILB, Alabama (6-2, 234)
Durability questions push Mosley this far, but he's well worth the risk at this point. In terms of pure skill, Mosley probably ranks in the top 10.
28. Carolina Panthers – Taylor Lewan, OT, Michigan (6-7, 309)
Lewan's character concerns might push him further down the draft order than his talent warrants. Carolina needs a tackle after losing Jordan Gross to retirement.
29. New England Patriots – Jimmie Ward, S, Northern Illinois (5-11, 193)
The Patriots could use an upgrade at safety over Steve Gregory.
30. Pittsburgh Steelers (from SF via OAK) – Ryan Shazier*, (3-4) ILB, Ohio State (6-1, 237)
Shazier needs to add some lower body strength, but once he does he'll have all the tools necessary to be an elite linebacker. His combination of size and athleticism is close to unparalleled, and he has huge upside as an inside blitzer for a 3-4 team.
31. Denver Broncos – Marqise Lee*, WR, USC (6-0, 192)
A right tackle would be ideal for Denver, but Lee is too good of a talent to pass on at this point. Lee might make one or both of Emmanuel Sanders and Wes Welker irrelevant by Week 10 or so.
32. Seattle Seahawks - Stephon Tuitt*, DE, Notre Dame (6-5, 304)
If someone can sharpen up Tuitt's skill set, he has the raw athleticism to turn into a standout producer on the defensive line. His ability to play both end and tackle would be useful for a Seattle defense that blurs the line at times.
2nd round
33. Houston Texans – Jace Amaro*, TE, Texas Tech (6-5, 265)
Amaro would likely be better than Garrett Graham and Ryan Griffin from Day One for Houston, and it wouldn't hurt the Texans' PR to reel in two in-state stars in a row to start the draft.
34. Washington Redskins - Marcus Martin*, C/G, USC (6-3, 320)
35. Cleveland Browns – Ja'Wuan James, OT, Tennessee (6-6, 311)
36. Oakland Raiders – Davante Adams*, WR, Fresno State (6-1, 212)
Snagging the in-state product would make a lot of sense for the Raiders, especially if they secure fellow Fresno State star Derek Carr beforehand.
37. Jacksonville Jaguars (from ATL) - Troy Niklas*, TE, Notre Dame (6-6, 270)
Niklas is an excellent raw talent with the ability to turn into both an elite blocker and receiver.
38. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Brandon Thomas, G/OT, Clemson (6-3, 317)
39. Jacksonville Jaguars - Jeremiah Attaochu, DE, Georgia Tech (6-3, 252)
40. Minnesota Vikings – Zach Mettenberger, QB, LSU (6-5, 224)
Mettenberger has the biggest arm in the draft and should be able to contribute around mid season despite a November ACL tear.
41. Buffalo Bills – Kareem Martin, DE, North Carolina (6-6, 272)
42. Tennessee Titans – Jason Verrett, CB, TCU (5-9, 189)
43. New York Giants – Weston Richburg, C, Colorado State (6-3, 298)
44. St. Louis Rams – Allen Robinson*, WR, Penn State (6-3, 220)
Robinson has a lot of explosiveness for his size, as well as the high-pointing skills the Rams offense currently lacks at receiver.
45. Detroit Lions - Deone Bucannon, S, Washington State (6-1, 211)
46. Pittsburgh Steelers - Jordan Matthews, WR, Vanderbilt (6-3, 212)
With a rare combination of size, athleticism and college production, Matthews would likely step in as an immediate starter for a Pittsburgh squad that lost Emmanuel Sanders and Jerricho Cotchery in free agency.
47. Dallas Cowboys – Timmy Jernigan*, DT, Florida State (6-2, 300)
48. Baltimore Ravens - Donte Moncrief*, WR, Mississippi (6-2, 221)
Moncrief is one of the best size-speed prospects at receiver in this draft. He'd work largely as a deep-route and red-zone specialist for Baltimore as a rookie while Dennis Pitta and Steve Smith work on the underneath routes.
49. New York Jets – Morgan Moses, OT, Virginia (6-6, 314)
50. Miami Dolphins – Chris Borland, MLB, Wisconsin (5-11, 248)
51. Chicago Bears – Bradley Roby*, CB, Ohio State (5-11, 194)
52. Arizona Cardinals - Marcus Smith, (3-4) OLB, Louisville (6-3, 251)
53. Green Bay Packers - Terrence Brooks, S, Florida State (5-11, 198)
54. Philadelphia Eagles – Jarvis Landry*, WR, LSU (5-11, 205)
Even if he lacks speed, Landry has an incredible combination of hands and blocking skills. He'd be a great fit in the slot for Chip Kelly's offense.
55. Cincinnati Bengals - Carlos Hyde, RB, Ohio State (6-0, 230)
BenJarvus Green-Ellis just isn't worth Cincinnati's time as a starter, but Gio Bernard has some injuries in his recent history.
56. Oakland Raiders (from KC via SF) – Austin Seferian-Jenkins*, TE, Washington (6-5, 262)
Giving Derek Carr all of Seferian-Jenkins, Davante Adams and James Jones to throw to would set the rookie up for a fair amount of success.
57. San Diego Chargers - Pierre Desir, CB, Lindenwood (6-1, 195)
58. New Orleans Saints – Lache Seastrunk*, RB, Baylor (5-9, 200)
The Saints appear set on going to more of a run-heavy offense, but they need to add some explosiveness. Seastrunk would give the team its best big-play threat since Reggie Bush was around.
59. Indianapolis Colts – Joel Bitonio, G, Nevada (6-4, 302)
60. Carolina Panthers – Cody Latimer*, WR, Indiana (6-2, 215)
Latimer's combination of size and athleticism gives him a better chance than most to project as an eventual No. 1 receiver. He might need to serve in that role as a rookie if he should land in Carolina.
61. San Francisco 49ers - Louis Nix, DT, Notre Dame (6-2, 331)
62. New England Patriots – Kony Ealy*, DE, Missouri (6-4, 273)
63. Denver Broncos – Gabe Jackson, G, Mississippi State (6-3, 336)
64. Seattle Seahawks - Billy Turner, G/OT, North Dakota State (6-5, 315)
3rd round
65. Houston Texans - Kyle Van Noy, LB, BYU (6-3, 243)
66. Washington Redskins – Craig Loston, S, LSU (5-11, 217)
67. Oakland Raiders - Trent Murphy, DE, Stanford (6-5, 250)
68. Atlanta Falcons - Bashaud Breeland*, CB, Clemson (5-11, 197)
69. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Logan Thomas, QB, Virginia Tech (6-6, 248)
Thomas has an incredible combination of size, athleticism and arm strength, so he's fairly ideal as far as raw projects go.
70. Jacksonville Jaguars – Tre Mason*, RB, Auburn (5-8, 207)
Even though Toby Gerhart will be paid much better than a third-round pick rookie, Mason would make sure to keep Gerhart's days as starter numbered.
71. St. Louis Rams (from CLE) - Dominique Easley, DT, Florida (6-2, 288)
72. Minnesota Vikings – Scott Crichton*, DE, Oregon State (6-3, 273)
73. Buffalo Bills - Shayne Skov, MLB, Stanford (6-2, 245)
74. New York Giants - DaQuan Jones, DT, Penn State (6-4, 322)
75. St. Louis Rams – AJ McCarron, QB, Alabama (6-3, 220)
The Rams have a bunch of extra picks, and Sam Bradford is only under contract through 2015.
76. Detroit Lions - Bruce Ellington*, WR, South Carolina (5-9, 197)
Ellington would be a steal at this spot, as he has the skills and athleticism to turn into a killer slot wideout.
77. Pittsburgh Steelers (from SF via OAK) - Dontae Johnson, CB, North Carolina State (6-2, 200)
78. Dallas Cowboys - Brock Vereen, S, Minnesota (6-0, 199)
79. Tennessee Titans (from BAL) - Devonta Freeman*, RB, Florida State (5-8, 206)
Freeman is an underrated talent who would prove to be the best runner in Tennessee, so long as they don't add anyone better than Shonn Greene.
80. New York Jets - C.J. Fiedorowicz, TE, Iowa (6-5, 265)
Fiedorowicz would help the Jets' run blocking while giving the offense a big target in the red zone.
81. Miami Dolphins - Jeff Janis, WR, Saginaw Valley State (6-3, 219)
Despite his small school status, Janis is one of the draft's premier athletic specimens.
82. Chicago Bears - Dion Bailey*, S, USC (6-0, 201)
83. Cleveland Browns (from PIT) – TJ Jones, WR, Notre Dame (6-0, 188)
Jones is an excellent route runner who would make defenses pay if they focus too heavily on Josh Gordon and Jordan Cameron.
84. Arizona Cardinals - Ed Stinson, (3-4) DE, Alabama (6-3, 287)
85. Green Bay Packers – Christian Jones, (3-4) OLB, Florida State (6-3, 240)
86. Philadelphia Eagles – Phillip Gaines, CB, Rice (6-0, 193)
87. Kansas City Chiefs - Antone Exum, CB, Virginia Tech (6-0, 213)
88. Cincinnati Bengals – Telvin Smith, OLB, Florida State (6-3, 218)
89. San Diego Chargers - Travis Swanson, C, Arkansas (6-5, 312)
90. Indianapolis Colts - David Yankey*, G, Stanford (6-6, 315)
91. New Orleans Saints - Rashaad Reynolds, CB, Oregon State (5-10, 189)
92. Carolina Panthers – Martavis Bryant*, WR, Clemson (6-4, 211)
Bryant is a product of the nearby state of South Carolina and has the size-speed dimensions to project as a potential WR1 with some development.
93. New England Patriots - Jared Abbrederis, WR, Wisconsin (6-1, 195)
Abbrederis' superb route running and underrated athleticism would give New England a sideline and deep-route threat on the outside.
94. San Francisco 49ers - Brandon Coleman*, WR, Rutgers (6-6, 225)
Even with Watkins already around, the 49ers could use a tall wideout. Anquan Boldin's days are numbered, as well.
95. Denver Broncos - Lamin Barrow, LB, LSU (6-1, 237)
96. Minnesota Vikings (from SEA) - Andre Williams, RB, Boston College (5-11, 230)
Williams would give the Vikings a plug-and-play workhorse option if Adrian Peterson misses any time.
97. Pittsburgh Steelers (comp) – De'Anthony Thomas*, RB/WR, Oregon (5-9, 174)
Le'Veon Bell and LeGarrette Blount have their strengths, but big-play ability isn't one of them.
98. Green Bay Packers (comp) - Caraun Reid, (3-4) DE, Princeton (6-2, 302)
99. Baltimore Ravens (comp) – Antonio Richardson*, OT, Tennessee (6-6, 336)
100. San Francisco 49ers (comp) – Keith McGill, CB, Utah (6-3, 211)
