The Kansas City Chiefs select:
Devonte Holloman | ILB | South Carolina
 

The Green Bay Packers select:
Matt Elam | SAF | Florida
 

The Oakland Raiders select:
Manti Te’o | ILB | Notre Dame
 

The Baltimore Ravens select:
Chris Harper | WR | Kansas State
 

The Philadelphia Eagles select:
Kyle Long | LT | Oregon
 

The Cleveland Browns select:
Gavin Escobar | TE | San Diego State
 

The Atlanta Falcons select:
Zach Ertz | TE | Stanford
 

The Cleveland Browns select:
Jordan Poyer | CB | Oregon State
 

The Buffalo Bills select:
Da’Rick Rogers | WR | Tennessee Tech
 

The New York Jets select:
Johnathan Franklin | RB | UCLA
 

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers select:
Darius Slay | CB | Mississippi State
 

The San Francisco 49ers select:
William Gholston | DE | Michigan State
 

The New Orleans Saints select:
Johnthan Banks | CB | Mississippi State
 

The San Diego Chargers select:
Leon McFadden | CB | San Diego State
 

Trade: Miami trades 3.15 to Pittsburgh for 3.17 and 6.18
The Pittsburgh Steelers select:
Montee Ball | RB | Wisconsin
 

The St. Louis Rams select:
Eddy Lacy | RB | Alabama
 

The Miami Dolphins select:
DJ Swearinger | SAF | South Carolina
 

Trade: New Orleans trades 3.18 to Cincinnati for 3.22 and 6.22
The Cincinnati Bengals select:
Sam Montgomery | DE | LSU
 

The New York Giants select:
Dallas Thomas | OL | Tennessee
 

The Miami Dolphins select:
David Quessenberry | OG | San Jose State
 

Trade: Minnesota trades 3.21 to Denver for 3.28 and a 2014 5th
The Denver Broncos select:
Giovani Bernard | RB | North Carolina
 

The New Orleans Saints select:
Trevardo Williams | Rush LB | Connecticut
 

The Washington Redskins select:
Terrance Williams | WR | Baylor
 

The Indianapolis Colts select:
Justin Hunter | WR | Tennessee
 

The Seattle Seahawks select:
Xavier Nixon | OT | Florida
 

The Green Bay Packers select:
Christine Michael | RB | Texas A&M
 

The Arizona Cardinals select:
Zac Dysert | QB | Miami University of Ohio
 

The Minnesota Vikings select:
Sanders Commings | CB | Georgia
 

Trade: Pittsburgh trades 3.29 to Arizona for 7.14 and a 2014 3rd
The Pittsburgh Steelers select:
DJ Hayden | CB | Houston
 

The Atlanta Falcons select:
Quanterus Smith | DE | Western Kentucky
 

The San Francisco 49ers select:
Dwayne Gratz | CB | Connecticut
 

The Baltimore Ravens select:
Travis Frederick | C | Wisconsin
 

The Houston Texans select:
Jordan Reed | TE | Florida
 

The Kansas City Chiefs select:
Zac Stacy | RB | Vanderbilt
 

The Tennessee Titans select:
Barrett Jones | OL | Alabama
 

 

 

 
 
The Pittsburgh Steelers select:
Tank Carradine | Rush LB | Florida State
 
The cupboard at Rush Linebacker isn’t bare in Pittsburgh, but it’s not as plentiful as we’re used to seeing. Tank Carradine is a top 10 talent, even if experts disagree. Pittsburgh will take the top talent on the board over reaching for bigger needs at WR and CB. I’ve also mocked Oregon State WR Markus Wheaton here, who is a fantastic fit.
 

The New Orleans Saints select:
Terron Armstead | LT | Arkansas Pinebluff
 
A reach? Sure. Will revisionist history agree? I’m not so sure. Terron Armstead is as naturally athletic as Lane Johnson and functionally stronger at this point. New Orleans has a huge need at Left Tackle after Jermon Bushrod left for Chicago.
 

The New York Giants select:
Bjoern Werner | DE | Florida State
 
Some will question this pick because Jason Pierre-Paul is switching to Left Defensive End full-time, but plans change quick in the NFL. The fact Werner tallied 14 sacks last season without the aid of the blitz will intrigue the New York front office, as Werner becomes the long-term pairing with Pierre-Paul in the post-Tuck era.
 

The Chicago Bears select:
Datone Jones | DE | UCLA
 
Chicago is still pondering resigning israel idonije, but if the deal doesn’t get done they might be in the market for another Defensive End, despite drafting Shea McClellin in the first round two years ago. McClellin hasn’t lived up to his lofty potential and Julius Peppers is quickly approaching the end of his viability as a high-end starter. Datone Jones is a better fit in the 3-4, but his strength in collapsing the pocket will help prolong Peppers’ career and may even help McClellin show some potential.
 

The Cincinnati Bengals select:
Johnathan Cyprien | SAF | Florida International
 
In my opinion Cyprien is the draft’s best Safety. He’s got unrivaled range against the run and although his routes aren’t nearly impressive in coverage, his range is equally as astonishing. Pairing him with Reggie Nelson will allow Cyprien to live in the backfield.
 

The St. Louis Rams select:
Robert Woods | WR | USC
 
St. Louis isn’t going to get cute after having Jacksonville take their guy in the first round last year. Woods may not be a “value” pick at 22 but moving down to maximize value may leave you looking at your plan B. Whether or not Plan A is actually Robert Woods is to be announced, but he is who I would anticipate.
 

The Minnesota Vikings select:
Sylvester Williams | DT | North Carolina
 
He’ll be 25 by the time his rookie year is done, so that may give you some pause, but he’s an immediate impact guy. Minnesota isn’t hurting at Defensive Tackle but they can be upgraded. Minnesota will slide him in as the under while Kevin Williams plays the over.
 

The Indianapolis Colts select:
Jarvis Jones | RLB | Georgia
 
Just brought in for an official visit, Jarvis Jones has been the most common player mocked to Indianapolis by me. Jim Irsay signed Free Agent Erik Walden, but he’s not much of a solution.
 

The Minnesota Vikings select:
DeAndre “Nuke” Hopkins | WR | Clemson
 
The Vikings brought in Free Agent Greg Jennings, but they needed to ass a Wide Receiver before they lost Percy Harvin, and the situation hasn’t changed much. Jarius Wright is likely to take over the slot-duties, so adding another perimeter Wide Received that is comfortable and strong in the intermediate passing range is ideal for Christian Ponder.
 

The Green Bay Packers select:
Tyler Eifert | TE | Notre Dame
 
Most everyone has Tyler Eifert going before this point, I just don’t see it. Eifert has great body control and excellent hands, but he just doesn’t have the speed that game-changers at Tight End have in the NFL right now. He’s not a Gronkowski, Gonzelez, Gates, or Graham type. (But who is?) Eifert will have plenty of room to opperate in Green Bay when he takes over for Jermichael Finley, who assured he was playing on borrowed time when he refused to restructure his deal.
 

The Houston Texans select:
Keenan Allen | WR | California
 
The best Wide Receiver in this draft class by far, Keenan Allen was under-rated by the draft community prior to his PCL injury and is even further hurt by his worrisome knee. Allen, however, isn’t making it out of the first round; he’s just too good. He’s polished in the short-and intermediate and has the strength and speed to make you pay after the catch in a non-traditional way. He’ll force arm-tackles with quickness and break them with strength. He won’t just be the #2 Andre Johnson and Houston has always needed, he’ll become the heir-apparent to Johnson’s #1 role.
 

TRADE: Denver trades 1.28 to New York (Jets) for 2.08 and 4.09 and a 2014 4th round draft choice
The New York Jets select:
EJ Manuel | QB | Florida State
 
New York moves up in the first round to take the Quarterback of the future; which clearly isn’t Mark Sanchez any longer. Sanchez will be forced into an awful situation where he’s expected to start on a team that develops his replacement while he practices. This has all the makings of a train-wreck, but it just seems like what the Jets will do.
 

The New England Patriots select:
Jonathan Hankins | DT | Ohio State
 
There’s one thing you can count on when it comes to New England and the draft: Bill Belicheck loves Urban Meyer prospects. And while Hankins is only a partial Meyer-product, that, combined with his fit, make him the favorite.
 

TRADE: Atlanta trades 1.30 to Buffalo for 2.10 and 4.08 and a Conditional 2014 Conditional 4th/5th round draft choice.
The Buffalo Bills select:
Matt Barkley | QB | USC
 
When evaluating the Bills situation and the fit with Ryan Nassib about a month ago on Twitter, I made the note that Nassib just isn’t a great fit in Doug Marrone’s system, and for that matter, either is EJ Manuel. Buddy Nix might like those quick Quarterbacks, but I just don’t see Marrone being on board with that. Instead, they take Matt Barkley, who I believe is the next-best fit outside of Geno Smith. The timing deep routes are right up Barkley’s ally, as are the timing routes in the short and the intermediate-field. Buffalo will need to stockpile talent around him, and his arm-strength in the Buffalo weather is a bit of a concern.
 

The San Francisco 49ers select:
Bacarri Rambo | FS | Georgia
 
This follows my “San Francisco crazy reach” theory, although Rambo isn’t THAT big of a reach here. Eric Reid gets a lot of hype as a the #3 Safety in the draft class but I don’t think he’s as naturally gifted as Rambo, and he’s certainly not as aggressive. Trent Baalke takes Dashon Goldson’s replacement.
 

The Baltimore Ravens select:
Arthur Brown | MLB | Kansas State
 
A mid-first round prospect by most accounts, Ozzie Newsomme finds a steal at the end of the first round. He can do everything at the Linebacker position you want, except grow a couple of inches and twenty pounds.
 

 
 

 

The Jacksonville Jaguars select:
Jesse Williams | DL | Alabama
 
Listed as a Defensive Lineman because the new regime would have some freedom with where he lined up. He’s not a pass rusher by any stretch of the imagination, but he can two-gap and has outstanding size and foot quickness.
 

The San Francisco 49ers select:
Travis Kelce | TE | Cincinnati
 
The best blocking Tight End I’ve gotten the chance to watch, could rival any Offensive Lineman for nastiness, and will allow for an even better 2 TE formation than with Delaney Walker.
 

The Philadelphia Eagles select:
Jamar Taylor | CB | Boise State
 
Despite their moves in Free Agency, Philadelphia is a team with several holes. Corner is near the top of the list. They find the second best CB in the draft in the second round.
 

Trade: Detroit trades 2.04 to Denver for 2.08 and 4.28
The Denver Broncos select:
Damontre Moore | RDE | Texas A&M
 
Detroit moves back anxious to recoup picks after their deal with Oakland and feeling comfortable with the talent on the board. Denver moves up to replace Elvis Dumervil.
 

The Cincinnati Bengals select:
Andre Ellington | RB | Clemson
 
Cincinnati goes with their top rated Running Back here to avoid having to go with another plan B.
 

The Arizona Cardinals select:
Markus Wheaton | WR | Oregon State
 
A deadly perimeter Receiver who has the ability to stretch the field vertically and move into the slot.
 

The Cleveland Browns select:
N/A
 
This draft pick was used by the Cleveland Browns in the Supplemental Draft with the selection of Josh Gordon.
 

The Detroit Lions select
Cornelius Washington | DE | Georgia
 
Detroit didn’t bring in Jim Washburn to work with finished products. They take a guy they got familiar with during the Senior Bowl and feel comfortable about their ability to teach him while he plays. He’s bigger and has a higher ceiling than Alex Okafor, who is more likely to contribute at a high level immediately.
 

The Tennessee Titans select:
Alex Okafor | DE | Texas
 
Kamerion Wimbley is detached from the Titans (Smith?) and didn’t play particularly well in 2012. Okafor will play on the right side opposite from Derrick Morgan.
 

The Atlanta Falcons select:
Desmond Trufant | CB | Washington
 
Atlanta moved out of the first-round because they felt comfortable with their team following their free agent blitz, but still manages to find a Corner a lot of people are talking about as a first round guy.
 

The Miami Dolphins select:
Xavier Rhodes | CB | Florida State
 
A local product, Rhodes showed athleticism I didn’t think he had, but still doesn’t have the hips of a shutdown Corner. He’ll compete for playing time as long as Brent Grimes stays healthy.
 

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers select:
Tyler Wilson | QB | Arkansas
 
This is not in response to the news story about Greg Schiano’s opinion on Josh Freeman because that’s not really a story. I’ve heard that for the better part of the last eight months.
 

The Carolina Panthers select:
Cordarrelle Patterson | WR | Tennessee
 
Patterson falls in the draft because of his weakness in running routes and a particularly strong WR class. His fall ends here, where he’s paired with Steve Smith. Defensive Coordinators in the NFC South immediately begin their defense.
 

The New Orleans Saints select:
N/A
 
The Saints forfeit this draft pick in accordance with “bountygate.”
 

The San Diego Chargers select:
Quinton Patton | WR | Louisiana Tech
 
San Diego has failed to put talent around Phillip Rivers for so long people are forgetting how much talent he has. Adding weapons and blockers for Rivers has to be the #1 priority in San Diego.
 

The St. Louis Rams select:
Sio Moore | OLB | Connecticut
 
Sio Moore as the #2 LB off the board? Character and discipline issues surrounding Alec Ogletree push him down the board, and the media circus and the Alabama game has murdered Manti Te’o's stock. Because of that, no one is really talking about just how good Sio Moore is. Moore is not quite as athletically gifted as Ogletree but it’s fairly close, and he’s more disciplined and skilled vs. the pass.
 

The Dallas Cowboys select:
Justin Pugh | OT/OG | Syracuse
 
Pugh was brought into Dallas for a visit and is probably being considered as both a Guard and a Right Tackle because of the way Doug Free has played. He can do either.
 

The Pittsburgh Steelers select:
Stedman Bailey | WR | West Virginia
 
Pittsburgh replaces the lose(s of Emmanuel Sanders* to New England and) Mike Wallace to Miami by taking Stedman Bailey in the 2nd round. He tested a little slower than I expect but he’s obviously not a burner. He’s a gifted route runner that plays well beyond his measureables.
 

The New York Giants select:
Alex Ogletree | OLB | Georgia
 
Mathias Kiwanuka seems to be shifting back to Defensive End full-time while the rest of the Linebacker group was purged off the roster. There have been some additions, but nothing spectacular.
 

The Chicago Bears select:
Brian Winters | OG | Kent State
 
Not a value pick at Guard, but he comes off the board earlier than expected because of strength as a run blocker and his experience at Left Tackle.
 

The Washington Redskins select:
Eric Reid | SAF | LSU
 
Always in the right spot and has been glorified because of his leadership and “intangibles” in the back-half. Washington would prefer a more impactful player but don’t have a starting Safety on roster.
 

The Minnesota Vikings select:
Kiko Alonzo | ILB | Oregon
 
The 4th Linebacker off the board, Oregon’s Kiko Alonzo is an immediate upgrade at Inside Linebacker and is a vast improvement in the nickel package as well.
 

The Cincinnati Bengals select:
Manelik Watson | RT | Florida State
 
Sort of a no-brainer of Cincinnati does let Andre Smith walk.
 

The Miami Dolphins select:
Margus Hunt | DE | SMU
 
An honest I-don’t-know-what-to-do pick. Miami could use to add a strong-side Defensive End to add to an already talented group. He has as much upside as you can have at 26 years old. He may be an impact situational guy early on and a full-time starter on the strong side in a couple of years.
 

Trade: Green Bay trades 2.25 and 6.25 to Jacksonville for 3.02 and 5.02
The Jacksonville Jaguars select:
Corey Lemonier | LEO/OLB | Auburn
 
Jacksonville considered him at 2.01 and got tired of seeing team-after-team pass on him. Jacksonville moves back into the 2nd round to acquire their LEO. Lemonier becomes the third 1st-round graded prospect to find a new home in Jacksonville.
 

The Seattle Seahawks select:
Brandon Williams | DT | Missouri Southern State
 
Could look to add a Linebacker here but the guys I see as scheme fits and value fits aren’t available. Instead, they go after the middle of their defense, where they were a little shaky last season before they lost Alan Branch.
 

The Houston Texans select:
Kevin Minter | ILB | LSU
 
A thumper on the inside, but struggles mightily in coverage.
 

The Denver Broncos select:
Kawann Short | DT | Purdue
 
Denver could still use to add a Running Back, but I have more faith in their current group than most. They go with the risky Kawann Short and hope they hit on their risk.
 

The New England Patriots select:
Khaseem Greene | OLB | Rutgers
 
Assuming they snatch Emmanuel Sanders away from Pittsburgh, this pick is only a little odd given the circumstance. New England appears set at Linebacker, but two of their three starters struggle against the pass.
 

Trade: Atlanta trades 2.30 to Arizona for 3.07 and 5.07
The Arizona Cardinals select:
Larry Warford | RG | Kentucky
 
Warford slips in the draft for the same reason Andre Smith is probably heading out of Cincinnati. Weight fluxuations dictate how he plays, and at Kentucky he showed little personal discipline. Arizona moves back into the 2nd round to take a risk on a guy who showed first-round potential at times.
 

The San Francisco 49ers select:
John Jenkins | NT | Georgia
 
A great player if you are OK with his very limited stamina. Very much a first-half player at Georgia, just not as productive down the stretch. The 49ers take him and give him a rotational role, but look to stretch him out over the next couple of years.
 

Trade: Baltimore trades 2.32 to Oakland for 3.04 and a 6.04
The Oakland Raiders select:
Ryan Nassib | QB | Syracuse
 
The final pick in the 2nd round is a bold move from Reggie McKenzie. Worried Kansas City would stash him with the very next pick, Oakland throws the draft a curve-ball and drafts a developmental Quarterback to work with behind Matt Flynn.

 
 

 
 

Disclaimer: This mock draft has mocked trades… But they don’t follow the “trade value chart” which I reject with all of my being. Do not tell me the trades don’t make sense and quote that damned chart. Use your brain and form your own thoughts. This is an incredibly deep class with very little top-end talent. Those chart figures don’t make sense this year.

 
 

The Kansas City Chiefs select:
Luke Joeckel | LT | Texas A&M
 
Kansas City has reportedly narrowed it down to four. Who are those four? I’m not completely sure, but a needs evaluation leads me to believe it’s Eric Fisher, Luke Joeckel, Star Lotulelei, and Geno Smith, although I’ve heard Dion Jordan’s name here and some believe he’s the pick. Until I see something more definitive, I’m leaving Luke Joeckel in this spot.
 

The Jacksonville Jaguars select:
Geno Smith | QB | West Virginia
 
Reportedly “down to two,” it looks like Jacksonville has narrowed it down to Geno Smith and Dion Jordan with a slim possibility of Sharrif Floyd (Although I don’t see him as 1st round value in Bradley’s scheme.) The new regime takes the draft’s best Quarterback with the belief he’s a Franchise-signal caller. Geno has the ability and character to become the new face of the franchise, and his image will help distance Jacksonville from an embarrassing recent history.
 

Trade: Oakland trades 1.03 to Detroit for 1.05 and 3.03.
The Detroit Lions select
Eric Fisher | LT | Central Michigan
 
Detroit decides not to play games and offers Oakland a deal to beat any offers San Diego or Miami might put forward to take their guy at the top of the draft. Eric Fisher is my #1 overall player and will be an immediate fixture at Left Tackle. The addition of Fisher will create a competition on the right side of the offensive line to see who fits in where.
 

The Philadelphia Eagles select:
Star Lotulelei | DL | Utah
 
With the two Left Tackles gone this pick will probably come down to the three Defensive Tackles. If Philadelphia is going to spend a lot of time in the 3-4, I don’t think Sharrif Floyd will be in consideration. Sheldon Richardson is the quickest-footed of the bunch but ultimately Chip Kelly’s familiarity with the PAC-12 product gives him an edge. Dion Jordan will be considered as well.
 

The Oakland Raiders select:
Ezekiel Ansah | LDE | BYU
 
A move that proves two things: Reggie McKenzie has a long leash, (or at least thinks he does), and is satisfied with building for the future. Ansah is a project on the outside, but his best fit is split away from the middle of the field, even though some want him to slide into a Defensive End role in a 3-4. Ansah is regarded as the top Defensive End prospect by most scouting outlets.
 

Trade: Cleveland trades 1.06 to San Diego for 1.11, 3.14, and a 2014 3rd round draft choice.
The San Diego Chargers select:
Lane Johnson | LT | Oklahoma
 
San Diego’s best offer beats Miami’s offer as they continue to play hard ball. San Diego finds a long-term Left Tackle prospect in Lane Johnson that will be asked to start right away. Mike McCoy knows how important building the Offensive Line is to success.
 

The Arizona Cardinals select:
Barkevious Mingo | Rush LB | LSU
 
A bit of a curve ball considering offense has been the topic of discussion in regards to Arizona and the draft, but I think they stay true to their drafting philosophy and take the best player on the board, and in my opinion that’s Barkevious Mingo. Mingo is an incredibly fluid athlete and is a talented pass rusher, although his performance in 2012 in a contain-function has allowed some knowledge-gaps when it comes to his ability.
 

Trade: Buffalo trades 1.08 and a 2014 5th to Tennessee for 1.10 and 3.08
The Tennessee Titans select:
Dee Milliner | CB | Alabama
 
Tennessee gets impatient and makes the move to move up two spots, just in case New York does something stupid. Tennessee has been looking for a #1 CB for a couple of off-seasons and do their best to make sure they leave the 2013 draft not having to return to the search the following season.
 

The New York Jets select:
Dion Jordan | Rush LB | Oregon
 
I get the feeling Dion Jordan comes off the board in the top four picks. There is no one with as much buzz as Jordan with less three weeks to go. The Jets would be thrilled to take him here, and while he isn’t the dominating pass rusher Rex Ryan wants, he can do everything else. At 23, he has elite length and athleticism and is a good bet to be a much better pass rusher down the road if developed correctly.
 

The Buffalo Bills select:
Jonathan Cooper | LG | North Carolina
 
A “Wait… That’s it?” pick at 10 after moving back two spots. Buffalo finds an elite interior Offensive Lineman that will help to open lanes and finish runs for their two-pronged attack of CJ Spiller and Fred Jackson. They immediately start to look at options to move back into the first round.
 

The Cleveland Browns select:
Tavon Austin | WR | West Virginia
 
After consulting Brendan Leister, I just didn’t like what was left here for Cleveland. There are a couple of interesting fits, like Missouri’s Sheldon Richardson and Alabama’s Chance Warmack, but I went with the pick that I thought would best benefit their offense. At first glance, Tavon doesn’t seem to fit Cleveland’s game-plan of pounding Trent Richardson, but nothing will clear up the box like the threat of getting Tavon Austin in the open field.
 

The Miami Dolphins select:
DJ Fluker | RT | Alabama
 
Miami fans would be upset, but I get the feeling it’s at least somewhat likely. Jon Martin is a Left Tackle, even if you don’t like how athletic he isn’t. With this strong front, Miami will be able to establish the run and protect Ryan Tannehill by spacing out the defense and giving them pause on play action fakes instead of traditional blindside protection.
 

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers select:
Sharrif Floyd | DT | Florida
 
Sharrif Floyd has good foot speed and can control multiple gaps against the run. He needs a lot of polish, but that’s the benefit of getting a guy with this kind of potential at the age of 20. For now, he’s a technically raw physical specimen on the interior. In time, he will be a dominant under tackle while Gerald McCoy fills up the stat sheet and competes for Defensive Player of the Year awards.
 

The Carolina Panthers select:
Sheldon Richardson | DT | Missouri
 
Richardson is probably a good bet to be the best of the group in terms of immediate impact, considering Star’s positional switch and Sharrif’s age. Carolina will throw him in the middle, where they’ve needed to add talent for years, and let him create havoc against interior offensive lines. He needs to improve against the run, but Luke Kuechly and Jon Beason will probably limit the damage.
 

TRADE: New Orleans trades 1.15 and 5.11 to Dallas for 1.18 and 3.18
The Dallas Cowboys select:
Kenny Vaccaro | SAF | Texas
 
Dallas moves up to acquire the hometown Safety to add talent to a group that doesn’t return either starter from last year’s squad. They brought in veteran Will Hill to compete, but all signs point to Dallas going Safety early, and Vaccaro is likely their top choice.
 

The St. Louis Rams select:
Chance Warmack | RG | Alabama
 
Roger Saffold is likely on his way out of St. Louis, so just a few weeks after it seemed like St. Louis was going to be out of the Offensive Line market, they’re back in again. They happen to find Chance Warmack, a power-Right Guard on the board and available at 16. Veteran Harvey Dahl will shift back out to Right Tackle.
 

 

 

BYU (7-5)  AT  San Diego State (9-3)
SD Union Credit Union Poinsetta Bowl
Time: 8:00 PM EDT | Spread: BYU -3 1/2

 

 

Nevada (7-5) AT Arizona (7-5)
Gildan New Mexico Bowl
Time: 1:00 PM EDT | Spread: Arizona -8 1/2

 

 

Toledo (9-3) AT 22 Utah State (10-2)
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
Time: 4:30 PM EDT | Spread: Utah State -10 1/2

 

 

Ball State (9-3) AT Central Florida (9-4)
Beef O’Brady’s Bowl
Time: 7:30 PM EDT | Spread: UCF -7

 

Week 6 Waiver Wire:
 
Each week, I will compile a list of the best Fantasy Football Free
Agent pickups. Free Agents fluctuate between leagues, so not everyone
listed here will be available in every league, and even better guys
may even be available in some leagues. If you have a question about
anyone not included (or anything Fantasy-related for that matter), hit
me up on Twitter (@BigDKey19) and I’ll gladly answer your question.
Good luck with your teams and have fun.
 
Add (in order of most-to-least desirable):
QB:
Jay Cutler (CHI)
Brandon Weeden (CLE)
 
If Cutler happens to be available in your league and you need a QB, he
is by far the best option. Weeden has been dramatically improved the
last two games, averaging 261 yards and 2 TDs per game (plus 1.5
INTs). In leagues that don’t punish turnovers too much, Weeden is a
good backup/fill-in option. The Browns are likely going to throw a lot
every game, so as long as he can be somewhat efficient, he’ll put up
good numbers.
 
Wait and see: Kevin Kolb (ARI), Matt Hasselbeck (TEN), Russell Wilson
(SEA), Ryan Tannehill (MIA)
 
Kevin Kolb has not been a consistent fantasy producer this season, but
the upside is certainly there. He faces a tough stretch of defenses
over the next few games, so I’d be on him being more bad than good in
the near future. Matt Hasselbeck seems to be locked into the starting
QB spot on the Titans (at least for now), so if you have Locker, you
probably need him. He doesn’t bring much value, but he at least is a
starter and has a nice array of weapons to work with. His value
depends a lot on how pass-happy the Titans are willing to get (and how
Chris Johnson plays). Russell Wilson exploded against the Patriots in
Week 6, and may finally be turning the corner as a player. He showed
great promise in the Preseason. He has a tough matchup this week
though against San Francisco. Ryan Tannehill is on Bye in Week 7, so
he doesn’t make much sense as an add right now. He has a decent
schedule down the stretch though, so he may have some big days before
his rookie years wraps up.
 
RB:
Felix Jones (DAL)
 
This is about as good as it gets as far as RB Waiver Wire claims go.
Felix A: was bad enough and unused enough to not be stashed on a
roster spot already, B: inherits a workhorse’s workload (if he can
handle it), and C: will get at least a week of being the man (and
maybe more) and could earn a larger role even after he is relegated to
being the backup. If you’ve been holding out hope for a RB claim (or
need a bye-week starter for LeSean McCoy, Ryan Mathews, Michael
Turner, Willis McGahee, Jamaal Charles, or Reggie Bush), this is your
moment. I hope you have really high waiver priority.
 
WR:
Randall Cobb (GB)
Davone Bess (MIA)
Josh Gordon (CLE)
Kendall Wright (TEN)
Sidney Rice (SEA)
Domenik Hixon (NYG)
 
If Cobb is available, why? Get him. Bess had a down week but remains a
lock for at least decent production. Josh Gordon has been a big-play
and TD machine the last two weeks to go along with Brandon Weeden’s
emergence. Snatch him up and hope the big plays continue to rain down
in Cleveland. Kendall Wright has put together two productive weeks in
a row and has some value. Sidney Rice had a nice long TD in Week 6 and
will only improve as a fantasy option as Russell Wilson gets better.
However, I’m still not a huge fan. Buyer beware… Hixon has been very
good as a replacement for Hakeem Nicks, but his magic run may end as
soon as Nick returns, which may be this week.
 
TE:
Jermaine Gresham (CIN)
Dennis Pitta (BAL)
Brandon Myers (OAK)
 
Gresham’s new-found consistency has been, well, unprecedented. His
production is finally starting to resemble the expectations of where
he was drafted. Snatch him up and hope for continued production.
Dennis Pitta may be on the wire in your league after a few bad weeks.
I’m not sure how to feel about him. On the one hand, he was so good
early in the year. On the other hand, the Ravens’ offense seems to
have shifted in Anquan Boldin’s direction. He and Boldin compete for
slot/over-the-middle targets, and Boldin has been hot lately. Tough to
say he’ll bounce back, but he certainly has shown the ability to be a
very good TE option when given opportunities. Brandon Myers continues
to just be a solid TE. He won’t win your team any games, but he’ll be
solid enough to give you a chance and won’t likely drag you down.
 
K:
Shayne Graham (HOU)
Dan Bailey (DAL)
Kai Forbath (WAS)
 
If you really need one.
 
DEF:
St. Louis
New England
Carolina
Buffalo
 
If you need a fill-in Defense this week, the Rams aren’t the best
option. They have the best long-term value in my opinion, but they may
actually cost your team points if you start them this coming week.
They face Green Bay, whereas New England (NYJ), Carolina (DAL), and
Buffalo (TEN) have much more favorable matchups. The Carolina play is
a high-risk/high-reward one. If Dallas implodes with turnovers (not
that unlikely), they could be a great play this week. But Dallas
certainly has the firepower to come out and stomp the Panthers too. It
will be interesting to see what happens, but if you’re feeling bold,
the Panthers may be the Defense for you this week.
 
 
Drop (in order of most-droppable to least-droppable):
QB:
N/A
 
RB:
Jahvid Best (DET)
LaRod Stephens-Howling (ARI)
Toby Gerhart (MIN)
Mark Ingram (NO)
DeAngelo Williams (CAR)
Jonathan Stewart (CAR)
 
Best failed his concussion test after one year of waiting for
improvement, and if you’re counting on him saving your team, I’m sorry
to hear that. If he plays at all this year, I’d be surprised.
Stephens-Howling is a guy who many added (but was not a recommended
add in this column) and he stinks. Pair that with his brutal upcoming
schedule and there’s no reason to have him on your roster. He is a
waste of space. You know by now how I feel about the other four RBs on
here.
 
Wait and see: Shonn Greene (NYJ), Michael Turner (ATL), Brandon Bolden (NE)
 
Trade Greene right now. He may not score as many points the rest of
the season as he did in Week 6. If you’ve followed this column, you
know my thoughts on Turner. I’d move him. Bolden suffered a knee
injury, and depending on the severity, he may be worth dropping.
 
WR:
Greg Little (CLE)
Robert Meachem (SD)
Kevin Ogletree (DAL)
 
Meachem had one nice day. Whoop-de-freaking-doo. There is literally no
excuse for him to be owned over Randall Cobb right now. None. Now,
re-read those previous sentences, but this time insert “Ogletree” in
the spot where I said “Meachem.” Now do it one more time, but replace
“Meachem” with “Little,” and replace “one nice day” with “____”
 
TE:
Dallas Clark (TB)
 
I don’t know why he’s on a roster, but he apparently is in some leagues.
 
K:
Billy Cundiff (N/A)
Matt Prater (DEN)
 
Hopefully you cut Cundiff after he was released (after last week’s
Waiver Wire column was posted), but if not, do it now. He’s
unemployed. Prater has not only been unproductive, but he’s also
entering a Bye. No reason waste a roster spot on him for a week. Take
this opportunity to upgrade at Kicker.
 
DEF:
Philadelphia
Baltimore
Miami
 
The Eagles and Dolphins are both headed into Bye Weeks, and neither is
worth holding onto in my opinion. Baltimore, meanwhile, gets Houston
next and may surrender 500 yards rushing in that game alone (only
slight hyperbole there). They then head to Bye themselves. I can’t
imagine starting them in Week 7, and you can’t in Week 8, and they
haven’t been that great of a unit even when healthy. Move on.

Week 5 Waiver Wire:

Each week, I will compile a list of the best Fantasy Football Free
Agent pickups. Free Agents fluctuate between leagues, so not everyone
listed here will be available in every league, and even better guys
may even be available in some leagues. If you have a question about
anyone not included (or anything Fantasy-related for that matter), hit
me up on Twitter (@BigDKey19) and I’ll gladly answer your question.
Good luck with your teams and have fun.

 

Add (in order of most-to-least desirable):
QB:
Alex Smith (SF)
Brandon Weeden (CLE)
Ryan Tannehill (MIA)

 

Tannehill came back to earth a bit this week, and only has two passing
TDs on the season. He puts up solid yardage on a weekly basis, but the
Dolphins just don’t score a lot of passing TDs. He’s going to be
hit-or-miss all year as a fantasy player. Smith had maybe the best
game of his career against Buffalo, and he’s about as consistent and
solid as a fantasy backup QB option gets. Weeden continues to benefit
from the Browns losing games, and will be a high volume play (but with
a few turnovers) seemingly all year.

 

Wait and see: Matt Hasselbeck (TEN), Kirk Cousins (WAS)

These guys are injury replacement options.

 

RB:
Jahvid Best (DET)

If you need a RB, good luck. Best is potentially getting medically
cleared this week, and even that isn’t certain. If he’s cleared, he
could be a fantasy asset. That is, until he gets hurt again and goes
on IR again.

 

Wait and see: David Wilson (NYG)

Good news: 40 yard TD run. Bad news: 2 carries in the game. He’s
literally only a stash option currently.

 

WR:
Randall Cobb (GB)
Davone Bess (MIA)
Nate Burleson (DET)
Kendall Wright (TEN)
Andre Roberts (ARI)
Josh Gordon (CLE)

If Cobb is available, get him. Bess is another nice option who
probably is available too. The rest are going to be inconsistent from
week-to-week. Just hope you start them on a good week.

 

TE:
Brandon Myers (OAK)
Jermaine Gresham (CIN)

Neither of these guys are going to be difference-makers for you.

 

K:
Phil Dawson (CLE)

 

DEF:
St. Louis
Miami
Minnesota

 

Drop (in order of most-droppable to least-droppable):
QB:
Josh Freeman (TB)
Sam Bradford (STL)

 

RB:
Ryan Williams (ARI) (IR)
Toby Gerhart (MIN)
Mark Ingram (NO)
Shonn Greene (NYJ)
DeAngelo Williams (CAR)
Jonathan Stewart (CAR)

 

Wait and see: Michael Turner (ATL), Ahmad Bradshaw (NYG)

I’d still be trying to move these guys in the form of a trade.

 

WR:
Greg Little (CLE)
Sidney Rice (SEA)

 

TE:
N/A

 

K:
Nate Kaeding (SD)
Jay Feely (ARI)
Garrett Hartley (NO)

 

DEF:
N/A

iPad Playbooks Experience Setback 

 
One of the more interesting stories from last year’s offseason was that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers ushered in a new era of the NFL by adapting their playbooks and game film to be iPad-compatible. Every member of the organization, who in the past received a paper playbook, now instead got a shiny new team-issued iPad. This was an expensive decision, no doubt, but a seemingly worthwhile one. Players now had a one-stop-shop for all of their studying needs. They could organize and sort through an unlimited amount of game film however they wanted to, add a telestrated diagram of a play to a live action example of it, easily download each week’s gameplan, and more. It seemed like the perfect setup for the modern NFL player.
 
Unfortunately, all is not well on the iPad playbook front. The Buccaneers, after being the pioneers of the movement last year, are now already scrapping the concept entirely and going back to paper playbooks and in-house film. While the iPad era certainly boasts obvious conveniences for everyone involved, it also requires a bit more responsibility than the paper and ink playbooks of old do. If a player forgets to charge their iPad before practice, they’re going to quickly fall behind in the day’s lessons. If a player forgets to download the newest version of the playbook, they either fall behind or the team has to wait for their download to complete before beginning. Worse yet, if a player spends all of their time using the iPad as a toy instead of as a learning device, the system is actually being counter-productive.
 
As a student in an online-based college program, I sympathize with the players in that last aspect. It’s really hard to resist the temptation of using your technology in counter-productive ways when you should be studying instead. That said, NFL teams need to find a way to solve these problems. It will probably take working together with Apple to make it work, but it is a necessary inconvenience to work through. Here are my fixes for the current iPad system (some of which I’m sure are in effect with teams who are successfully using iPads still):
 
- Browsers need to be completely blocked, with the exception of any team or league-related website that the players must access to get their materials. With the power of today’s Parental Controls, this should not be hard to accomplish.
 
- Standard apps (aside from beneficial ones like an Alarm Clock) need to be wiped. Only team and league-related apps are present on the device. Getting this done from the factory is probably out of the question, but downloading an update that does the job prior to issuing the device seems realistic.
 
- Device usage information is continuously sent to the team. That way, coaches can keep track of how often people are actually utilizing their device and what they’re using it for specifically.
 
- Have proper technical support. I’m sure the teams that have adopted iPad technology all have this, but we all know that there are differing levels of technical support out there. Make sure there’s an easy way for players to get in touch with quality people who know how to fix whatever issues might arise.
 
- Have a very strict fine system. If a player forgot to bring his paper playbook to practice, he’d be fined. If a player is unprepared in any way with their iPad playbook, they need to be fined as well. There’s no excuse for not having your device ready to go, and players will have to learn to be more responsible.
 
- Integrate download sessions into practice time whenever possible. If at the end of practice everyone was required to download the new materials before being able to leave to go home, the team would know for a fact that everyone was up-to-date. This, however, requires that the team is ready to disperse the new materials at that point in time, but that’s just something the team needs to find a way to get done.
 
Obviously, if you’ve been keeping track of the staggering arrest total this offseason, it’s obvious that NFL players aren’t exactly the most responsible people in the world. That’s why they need help, in the form of structure. If teams set up a strong structure for their iPad system, there is no reason it should fail. The benefits are just too great to cast the entire thing aside when a little bump in the road happens. As long as at least one team continues to utilize iPad technology, the kinks will all get worked out in time. Meanwhile, those who refuse to accept and adapt to the demands of the technology will fall behind their competitors.

Today was former Baylor WR Josh Gordon’s unofficial “Pro Day.” The main headliner in an overall underwhelming Supplemental Draft class, Gordon came in at 6’3/224 and ran his 40 in 4.52 seconds today. Gordon also participated in other drills, posting 36” in the vertical, 10’1 in the broad jump, and 13 bench press reps.
 
Actual film on Gordon is scarce, but I was able to find one game from his 2010 season with Baylor. It was the Texas Bowl against Illinois, and while my overall assessment of him as a player is very incomplete, a few things did stand out to me.
 
Gordon’s size is one of his main assets. He contorts his body well to outreach smaller DBs who are in better position.
 
Short-area burst is not his forte. Doesn’t create space for himself in confined areas and doesn’t possess overwhelming strength to shake off one-on-one tackles. Won’t be a big YAC guy from what I saw.
 
Build-up speed guy who can outrun people once he’s going. Catches the ball well, plucks it out of the air.
 
Solid as a run blocker, which he did quite a bit of in the game I watched.
 
Didn’t show much as a route-runner, so I’ll withhold judgment in that regard. Lots of Screens and 9-routes in the game I saw. Would have liked to see what his toughness was like over the middle, but sadly that didn’t get put on display.
 
Overall, my take on Gordon is that he’s much more of a possession guy than anything else. He can get deep, but I think his game will be more of the short and intermediate variety, with an occasional jump ball thrown his way when he gets single coverage on the outside. Gordon appears to have pretty strong stock as he heads into the Supplemental Draft though, with many expecting him to get off the board in the 2nd-3rd Round range. I’m not convinced he’s worth that high of a price based on what I saw, but teams certainly have been able to utilize their own resources to get a more complete picture of what he’s like, both as a person and a player. But with as many receiver-needy teams as there are out there, his value is probably as inflated as it can possibly be.
 
Update: Gordon reportedly injured his left quadriceps during his 40 Yard Dash. However, he was able to fully complete the workout.