Grant’s 32-team first round mock draft: 1.0

This is my first attempt to mock the first round of the upcoming draft. I have the 49ers trading up once, and the Raiders trading down three times.

Enjoy.

  1. Chiefs – OT Luke Joeckel. Kansas City drafts a left tackle to protect Alex Smith’s blindside.
  2. Jaguars – CB Dee Milliner. Both of Jacksonville’s starting cornerbacks are free agents, so the Jags draft Milliner.
  3. TRADE: Bills – QB Geno Smith. Buffalo trades the eighth pick, their second-round pick, their sixth-round pick and a second rounder next year to the Raiders. With the third pick, the Bills draft their franchise quarterback, they hope.
  4. Eagles – OG Chance Warmack. Philadelphia had an awful offensive line last season, so they draft Warmack, who will improve the Eagles’ running game and pass protection.
  5. Lions – OT Eric Fisher. Detroit’s right tackle, Gosder Cherilus, is a free agent. Their left tackle, Jeff Backus, is 35 years old. The Lions need a tackle.
  6. Browns – OLB/DE Dion Jordan. Cleveland is switching to a 3-4 defense and they need an edge rusher.
  7. Cardinals – OT Lane Johnson. Arizona needs a quarterback, but they can’t draft one in the first round because they can’t protect him. The Cardinals had the worst offensive line in the league last year, so they must draft a left tackle here.
  8. TRADE: Chargers – OG Jonathan Cooper. The Chargers, who need about five offensive linemen, trade their fourth and fifth-round pick to the Raiders to jump three spots and draft the last elite O-line prospect available, Cooper, before the Titans can get him at No.10.
  9. Jets – WR Cordarrelle Patterson. The Jets need receivers and Patterson has more potential than any receiver in the draft. The Jets like potential.
  10. Titans – DT Sharrif Floyd. Tennessee needs an O-lineman, but there are none available who are worth the No.10 pick. So the Titans draft Floyd, a stud defensive tackle, because they could use one and he’s the best player available.
  11. TRADE: 49ers – CB Xavier Rhodes. The Raiders trade down for the third time because they need help everywhere. The 49ers give Oakland the 31st pick, the 34th pick and the 94th pick for the 11th pick and the 138th pick. With the 11th pick the 49ers draft Rhodes, who is similar to Nnamdi Asomugha, only stronger, faster and more explosive.
  12.  Dolphins – CB Desmond Trufant. I’m presuming Miami signs a No.1 wide receiver, like Mike Wallace or Greg Jennings, and drafts the best cornerback available.
  13. Buccaneers – DE Ezekiel Ansah. Tampa Bay misses out on the top-three quarterbacks, so they take the top pass rusher available.
  14. Panthers – DT Sheldon Richardson. Carolina needs a defensive tackle, and Richardson is a top-10 talent.
  15. Saints – OLB/DE Barkevious Mingo. The Saints are switching to a 3-4 defense next season, so they take the No.2 edge rusher in the draft.
  16. Rams – S Kenny Vaccaro. The Rams need a free safety.
  17. Steelers – DT Jesse Williams. The Steelers do not have an impact defensive lineman. They draft one here. Williams is a run-stuffing nose tackle who can also play defensive tackle in a four-man front, like Vince Wilfork.
  18. Cowboys – OT D.J. Fluker. Dallas needs a right tackle.
  19. Giants – DT Datone Jones. The Giants like defensive linemen who can rush quarterback from the inside and the outside. Jones can do that.
  20. Bears – TE Tyler Eifert. The Bears need a tight end.
  21. Bengals – DE Bjoern Werner. With Werner, Geno Atkins and Michael Johnson, the Bengals have arguably the best defensive line in the NFL.
  22. Rams – WR Keenan Allen. The Rams need a No.1 receiver who can play on the outside. Allen is perfect. He’s like Michael Crabtree, but bigger and faster.
  23. Vikings – WR DeAndre Hopkins. The Vikings need a No.1 outside receiver, too, so they draft the best one available. Hopkins caught 18 TDs last season for Clemson. Some scouts compare him to a mini-Larry Fitzgerald.
  24. Colts – OLB/DE Jarvis Jones. Indianapolis cut Dwight Freeney, so they need a replacement pass rusher.
  25. Seahawks – DT Kawann Short. Seattle takes the best defensive tackle available.
  26. Packers – TE Zach Ertz. Green Bay needs a running back, but there is no one worth drafting at No.26. The Pack will cut their overpriced tight end, Jermichael Finely, and so they’ll replace him with Ertz. Ertz can line up at tight end, in the back field, in the slot and at wide receiver. He will become a key weapon for Aaron Rodgers.
  27. Texans – WR Tavon Austin. The Texans need a slot receiver and they need speed on offense.
  28. Broncos – CB Jonathan Banks. Champ Bailey will be 35 years old next season, so the Broncos draft the best corner available.
  29. Patriots – WR Justin Hunter. The Patriots also need a cornerback, but they missed out on Trufant and Banks, so they draft a tall, fast wide receiver here and wait until the second round to draft a corner.
  30. Falcons – OLB/DE Alex Okafor. The Falcons cut defensive end John Abraham, and now they have no pass rushers. So they draft Okafor, who has experience playing outside linebacker, defensive end and defensive tackle.
  31. Raiders – OLB/DE Damontre Moore. Oakland draft the best player available. Moore was considered a top-five pick a month ago, but performed poorly at the Combine. The Raiders draft again at picks No.34 and No.41.
  32. Ravens – ILB Kevin Minter. To replace Ray Lewis.

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