NFL Draft 2014: Complete First Round Mock Draft

With only one day left until the 2014 NFL Draft kicks off at the iconic Radio City Music Hall in New York City, my fellow NFL writer Jack Lee and I provide a complete mock draft on what can, or what should happen on Thursday night.How many quarterbacks will be taken in the first round? Will anyone trade up for a pass rusher? Has anyone fallen in love with Johnny Manziel? We try to answer all those questions with our first and only mock draft of the year. Enjoy.

#1 Houston Texans

Jadaveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina – Is it going to be Clowney or Mack? With 24 hours to go until Roger Goodell puts Houston on the clock inside Radio City Music Hall, that is the big question that everyone is asking. Analysts and experts have been struggling to find the answer for months, and after endless debate it is still as clear as mud.

Clowney has the higher ceiling, Mack has the higher floor. Mack fits Houston’s system better, Clowney could become the next Lawrence Taylor. Flip a coin. I’m going with Clowney; you can’t ignore what this guy could turn into with the right coaching.

#2 St Louis Rams

Greg Robinson, OT, Auburn – It’s going to be expensive for a team to move to this spot for a quarterback or for Khalil Mack, the only two players I think worth coming up for in this draft. It might happen, but if it doesn’t, Les Snead and Jeff Fisher would both feel very comfortable taking the best offensive lineman available in Robinson.

#3 Jacksonville Jaguars

Khalil Mack, OLB, Buffalo – With David Caldwell saying this past week that it is relatively unlikely that suspended receiver Justin Blackmon will be playing in 2014, the Jaguars would have to think long and hard about taking Sammy Watkins here. Quarterback is also going to be thought about, obviously.

However, the buzz surrounding Khalil Mack can’t be ignored. He is probably the second best player in the draft and a difference maker for any defence. Head coach Gus Bradley comes from a tradition of tough defensive football, and no doubt he’s going to be pounding the table to bring Mack to Florida.

#4 Cleveland Browns

Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M – I don’t know if this is going to happen, but I know that I absolutely think it should happen. The Browns have been irrelevant since before Art Modell shipped the team out to Baltimore, and they desperately need a spark to put them back in the spotlight. Their current roster shows Brian Hoyer, Vince Young, Tyler Thigpen and trick shot specialist Alex Tanney as the quarterbacks of choice. Not a single one of those men can get the Browns above .500.

The man they all call ‘Johnny Football’ could, and he could do it with style. The booming music at his pro day, the association with celebrities and the general immortal persona he carries around with him show that the kid has swagger and charisma in spades. Manziel is not a selection everybody is going to be comfortable with, but he’s going to have the TV cameras flooding to Ohio. If it works, Ray Farmer and Mike Pettine are going to look like heroes.

#5 Oakland Raiders

Sammy Watkins, WR, Clemson – Reggie McKenzie has done a decent job of bringing talent into the Raiders organisation this off-season, to the point where they can probably feel comfortable drafting with the best available strategy at this point. Sammy Watkins is the best player on the board, and will give new quarterback Matt Schaub a great option alongside Denarius Moore and James Jones.

#6 Atlanta Falcons

Jake Matthews, OT, Texas A&M – If Khalil Mack or Jadeveon Clowney aren’t here when the Falcons get on the clock, GM Thomas Dimitroff is smart enough to know that Matt Ryan can’t take another beating like he did last year. Sam Baker needs replacing at left tackle, and Jake Matthews is the guy to do it. He's a plug and play guy who can anchor the left side of their line for the next 10 years.

#7 Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Mike Evans, WR, Texas A&M – Trading Mike Williams out of Raymond James Stadium left a huge gaping hole in the Bucs receiving corps. They replenish the position and fill the void by grabbing Evans, who is comfortably a top 10 type talent and would fit as a nice protege to veteran starter Vincent Jackson.

#8 Minnesota Vikings

Blake Bortles, QB – Putting the strong armed Blake Bortles with offensive co-ordinator Norv Turner is a match potentially made in heaven. The Vikings need some consistency moving forward at the quarterback position, and Bortles might just be the guy to provide that.

#9 Buffalo Bills

Taylor Lewan, OT, Michigan Tight endEric Ebron gets a good look here but with Scott Chandler already on the roster the Bills decide to address a need that may really change their offense for the better moving forward. Cordy Glenn is currently pencilled in as the starter on the left side of the Bills offensive line. By taking Lewan, head coach Doug Marrone can kick Glenn inside to his more natural guard position, and put a true franchise left tackle in to start carving out holes for CJ Spiller and Fred Jackson.

#10 Detroit Lions

HaHa Clinton Dix, S There are a lot of rumours floating around that the Lions want to trade up for receiver Sammy Watkins. That would be a truly bold move, but I dont see it. The Lions offence can already move up and down the field at will without him, and they paid Seattles Golden Tate a lot of money to come in and be the #2 guy. Detroit desperately needs difference makers on the other side of the ball. Clinton Dix has the best range of any safety available here, and he can be a direct replacement and potentially an upgrade for the oft-injured Louis Delmas, who left in free agency.

#11 Tennessee Titans

Anthony Barr, OLB, UCLA The Titans are transitioning to a 3-4 defence under new defensive co-ordinator Ray Horton, whos coming in from Cleveland. That means pass rushing outside linebackers just became their new favourite toys, and Anthony Barr is the best man left on their board at that position by far.

#12 New York Giants

Aaron Donald, DT, Pittsburgh – The Giants could do a lot of things with the 12th pick. Eric Ebron, the top tight end in this draft, would give them some much needed playmaking ability. CJ Mosley would give them a legitimate mike linebacker for the first time in years. They could even pick up an offensive lineman or a receiver here.

However, Tom Coughlin and Jerry Reece won two Superbowls behind a world class defensive line. They are sitting in their draft room looking at a roster with two +30 year old starters at defensive tackle in Cullen Jenkins and Mike Patterson, neither of whom is going to last much longer. Aaron Donald is the best defensive tackle in the draft, and is good value here.

#13 St Louis Rams

Darqueze Dennard, CB, Michigan State – Ebron again gets some consideration here, because incumbent tight end Jared Cook was one of the most frustratingly inconsistent players in the NFL last season. However, Jeff Fisher is not comfortable with what he has at cornerback right now, and this is the right spot to address that need.

Dennard and Oklahoma State’s Justin Gilbert are the top two corners on my board, and there isn’t a great deal to separate them. In the end, this came down to the division the Rams play in. In the NFC West you need tough corners to hold the edge against the run. Dennard is a better tackler and gets the nod over Gilbert, who I think would be picked on a bit with sweeps and screens to his side.

#14 Chicago Bears

Justin Gilbert, CB, Oklahoma State - The Bears have to handle Calvin Johnson, Randall Cobb and Cordarelle Patterson twice every year. Having a top quality cornerback is not only important, it is downright crucial. Chicago has a tradition of superb cornerback play, but Tim Jennings and Charles Tillman are both a bit long in the tooth now, and it's time for an upgrade.

GM Phil Emery is delighted that Gilbert, potentially the best cover corner in the draft, has fallen to them at 14 and he snaps him up without hesitation. He has the size to match up against the opponent's #1 target in every game.

#15 Pittsburgh Steelers

Zach Martin, OT/G, Notre Dame – This could be Virginia Tech cornerback Kyle Fuller just as easily as Martin. He's a big talent and the Steelers are absolutely decimated in the secondary. Having said that, go watch this year’s game-film of UCLA vs Notre Dame. Zach Martin absolutely blanketed Anthony Barr, one of the best pass rushers in this draft. It was brutal.

The hype is real with this kid, and he might not even make it down to Pittsburgh come Thursday. If he does, the Steelers are running to the podium to get their card in. They need help everywhere except centre on the offensive line, and Martin can play all of those positions with ease. That’s versatility you can’t teach.

#16 Dallas Cowboys

Kony Ealy, DE, Missouri - Don't believe the rumours that Dallas wants to trade up for Johnny Manziel. Jerry Jones is a loose cannon, but he isn't quite that bold. Tony Romo still has a lot of time and money left. Realistically the Cowboys need a lot of help in a lot of areas, but no more so than their pass rush now that DeMarcus Ware has moved on.

Ealy is one of the better edge rushers in this draft class, and while not everybody has Ealy graded as highly as Jack and I do, we feel pretty good about this pick. He's a better prospect than Auburn's Dee Ford.

#17 Baltimore Ravens

Eric Ebron, TE, North Carolina - GM Ozzie Newsome can't believe his luck that the best tight end in the draft has fallen all the way to 17. The Ravens offence was one of the most disappointing units in football last season. They need playmakers wherever they can find them, and Ebron is the best offensive playmaker available.

#18 New York Jets

There is every chance this could be a cornerback given that Rex Ryan loves his cornerbacks and Antonio Cromartie was allowed to move on in free agency. That shouldn't happen though. If Geno Smith goes another year having absolutely no-one to throw to on offence, it will be a travesty. The Jets need to give him every chance of succeeding, and John Idzik does what he can here by taking the consensus #3 wide out in this draft.

#19 Miami Dolphins

Cyrus Kouandjio, OT, Alabama - This is a worst case scenario for the Dolphins. It is no secret that they need help on the offensive line, but there is a big drop off in talent from the big four tackles and the next group of players, headlined by Morgan Moses, Joe Bitonio and Kouandijo.

Unfortunately, the Dolphins don't have a great deal of choice. They worked out a lot of the wide receiver prospects back in April, so that may be a temptation for them. But ultimately they have to get better on the offensive line now. Kouandijo's medical concerns are behind him, making him the best of the second tier of tackles. He's the pick.

#20 Arizona Cardinals

Ryan Shazier, OLB, Ohio State -The Cardinals could do a number of things here, but Ryan Shazier is one of the names flying up draft boards in recent weeks and projects as a real difference maker as a 3-4 outside linebacker. John Abraham is far too old to be a consistent threat off the edge now, and adding Shazier to this already stellar defensive group could be what moves Arizona into a playoff place in 2014.

#21 Green Bay Packers

CJ Mosley, ILB, Alabama - It would be a surprise if the best mike linebacker in the draft falls this far, but if he does it's going to be difficuly for GM Ted Thompson to ignore him. He fits a need, and as one of the cleanest prospects in the draft he is great value here too. It's time to add some more quality alongside Clay Matthews in that linebacking corps.

#22 Philadelphia Eagles

Kyle Fuller, CB, Virginia Tech - The Eagles need more playmakers in their secondary and, as a polished player already coming out of college, Fuller projects nicely. There isn't much of a difference in talent between him and the top two cornerbacks already taken. Chip Kelly and GM Howie Roseman hope he can be the man to come in and slow down Des Bryant, DeSean Jackson and Victor Cruz; not a small job by any means.

#23 Kansas City Chiefs

Xavier Sua-Filo, OG, UCLA Wide receivers Brandin Cooks and Marqise Lee will be considered here, but ultimately I like Sua-Filo a little bit more. This offense needs to give franchise running back Jamaal Charles some running lanes, and to do that you need talented guards. The Chiefs lost two guards in free agency, including the talented Jon Asamoah, so this pick makes a lot of sense. They can easily go get their wide receiver in the second round; it's one of the deepest position classes in the draft.

#24 Cincinnati Bengals

Calvin Pryor, S, Louisville – The Bengals need secondary help. That means cornerbacks Jason Verrett and Bradley Roby are in play for this pick along with Pryor. Cincy recently re-signed Taylor Mays, which may mean this doesn’t happen.

However, Pryor is a definite upgrade on Mays and a better prospect than either of the two remaining first-round quality cornerbacks. What's more, corner is a much deeper position than safety in this draft. If you want to upgrade at that position, there isn't a lot on offer after Pryor. He's a great fit for the Bengals, hopefully bringing leadership and organisation to a positional group with a some ability but little consistency.

#25 San Diego Chargers

Jason Verrett, CB, TCU - When you compete in a division with Peyton Manning, Demaryius Thomas and Wes Welker, you need to be able to defend the pass. What's more, the Chargers just watched the Raiders select the most dynamic rookie wide receiver in the last five years in Sammy Watkins. That sets off some alarm bells.

The Chargers need cornerbacks, and nobody knows that more than Tom Telesco. At only 5-9, Verrett's size is a concern for many, but he might have the best pure coverage skills of any player in the draft. The Chargers' defensive scheme usually keeps their corners far off the line and away from press coverage. This should help to hide any limitations his lack of size creates, and help him to focus on just making plays on the ball.

#26 Jacksonville Jaguars (from Cleveland Browns)

TRADE! - The Jacksonville Jaguars make the first trade of the draft.

Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville - The Browns have their quarterback but need to add depth. The Jaguars added depth in free agency but need their quarterback. This trade makes sense. David Caldwell did enough in free agency to believe that his team wasn't far from competing again in the AFC South. All it needed was some blue chip talent and definitely a quarterback.

They got their blue chip pass rusher in Khalil Mack early on, and come back up here to select their quarterback. We're not buying that Bridgewater is falling out of the first round just because he had a bad pro day. The game film shows a quality thrower with enough athleticism to survive in the modern game. He can be Jacksonville's quarterback for the next ten years.

#27 New Orleans Saints

Marcus Martin, C, USC - Last season Jerry Jones shocked everyone by taking Travis Frederick in the first round of the draft. He ended up being one of the best players on that roster in 2013. The Saints hope they can do the same thing here, upgrading a position that currently has an undrafted guard sitting atop the depth chart. The buzz around the league is that Martin is highly coveted by the Saints, and it's easy to see why. He ticks the need and value boxes that every GM is looking at.

#28 Carolina Panthers

Brandin Cooks, WR, Oregon State - The Panthers need receivers in the worst way. This could just as easily be an offensive tackle, as Jordan Gross was an off-season departure and needs replacing. However, Brandin Cooks is a better value here than any of the remaining offensive linemen, so they go get the guy they think has the speed to be a home run hitter for Cam Newton.

#29 New England Patriots

Timmy Jernigan, DT, FSU - Vince Wilfork is coming off a torn achilles tendon, and will turn 33 during the 2014 season. Rookies Chris Jones and Joe Vellano did as well as they could in his absence last year but it wasn't enough. The Patriots need to get better on their interior defensive line, and they're using Timmy Jernigan to do that. Another consideration could be tight end here, but Austin Sefarin-Jenkins and Jace Amaro are the next guys at that position and neither look like they warrant a first round selection.

#30 San Francisco 49ers

Ra'Shede Hageman, DT, Minnesotta - If somebody in the 49ers shiny new building likes Marqise Lee, the receiver from USC might be the pick here. We don't think they do. The Niners don't have a whole lot of real needs, but they could do with getting younger on the defensive line.

Hageman is an inconsistent player on tape, but has the natural talent and consistency to become a pro-bowl level player. He is a risk, but if any defence in the league can afford to take a risk in the first round of an NFL draft it's the 49ers. Hopefully, Jim Harbaugh's natural enthusiasm rubs off on the kid and he takes his play to the next level.

#31 Denver Broncos

Bradley Roby, CB, Ohio State - John Elway would love to pair newcomer Aqib Talib with the talented Roby to make a formidable pair in the defensive backfield. Roby comes with some baggage, but he's as physically gifted as any cornerback in the draft. If he can't sort those problems out in a locker room with Peyton Manning, John Fox, John Elway and DeMarcus Ware, he won't sort them out anywhere. This is a good fit for the Buckeye.

#32 Seattle Seahawks

Morgan Moses, OT, Virginia - The defending Superbowl champs don't have a lot of needs, but an upgrade on the offensive line is always welcome.The best offensive line prospect left on the board is also a great fit for Seattle's zone based blocking system.