Way to Early 2013 NFL Mock Draft Part 2: Selections 11-20

Selections from previous posting:

1. Chiefs:  Damontre Moore DE Texas A&M
2. Jaguars:  Luke Joeckel OT Texas A&M
3. Raiders:  Jarvis Jones OLB Georgia
4. Eagles:  Taylor Lewan OT Michigan
5. Lions:  Manti Te'o ILB Notre Dame
6. Browns:  Chance Warmack OG Alabama
7. Cardinals:  Star Lotulelei DT Utah
8. Bills:  Bjoern Werner DE Florida St.
9. Jets:  Geno Smith QB West Virginia
10. Titans:  Johnathan Hankins DT Ohio St.

Continuation of the way to early 2013 Mock Draft; I will post picks 21-32 as the draft order becomes known.

  

11.    Chargers

Needs:  OL, WR, ILB, CB

The Pick:  Alec Ogeltree ILB Georgia

The Why:  The Chargers have not utilized one of their top 3 picks on an offensive player since the selection of Ryan Matthews in the 1^st round of the 2010 draft and whomever the new GM/Coach happens to be must stop the offensive slide.  However, at this point in the draft the top 3 linemen are off the board and the top WR’s can be had at the end of the 1^st or at the start of the 2^nd round.  San Diego goes with the player who best fits their 3-4 scheme.  Ogeltree takes over for Spikes immediately and with Donald Butler, forms a lethal tandem in the middle.  Milliner could be the choice; depending upon the new regime’s evaluation of 2011 2^nd round pick Marcus Gilchrist and the two incumbent starters at CB.

12.    Dolphins

Needs:  CB, RB, Resign Jake Long

The Pick:  Dee Milliner

The Why:  No team has more salary cap flexibility in the 2012 off season which should allow management to resign OT Jake Long to an extension and team him with 2012 2^nd rounder Jonathan Martin as bookend OT’s for the next 5 years.  Even if Miami is able to resign number one CB Sean Smith it is still a position of need; especially in the pass-happy AFC East.  Milliner is the most accomplished player at a position of need.  If Jake Long bolts, who will fill up Miami’s nearly $40 million in salary cap space?

13.   Buccaneers

Needs:  CB, OT, TE, Pass Rush

The Pick:  Johnthan (correct spelling) Banks CB Mississippi St.

The Why:  Tampa possessed the number 1 defense in the league against the run at just over 82 yards per game, but still ended up with allowing the 29^th most yards from scrimmage because they also allowed a league worst 297 yards per game through the air.  The Bucs need help in a bad way with an improved pass rush and/or improved play from the CB position.  Mingo could be a possibility because of perceived value at number 13, but he doesn’t seem to fit with Tampa’s front 7.

14.   Panthers

Needs:  S, Pass Rush, CB, WR

The Pick:  Barkevious Mingo DE LSU

The Why:  Carolina has made a habit of wasting high draft choices on players that aren’t very good; Everette Brown, Jeff Otah, Sherrod Martin, Jimmy Clausen, and Terrell McClain were all high selections made since 2008 and all are already with other teams or playing a very insignificant role for the Panthers.  If not for Cam Newton and Luke Kuechly the last two years the Panthers would be devoid of any draft success over the past 5 seasons (RT Byron Bell was an undrafted FA).  Instead of firing Ron Riviera why not fire whoever was making the draft selections from 2008 through 2011.  Carolina continues their run of underwhelming draft selections by taking perceived value pick Barkevious Mingo out of LSU.  He is highly regarded but I am a Chiefs fan and am sick and tired of overrated LSU defensive players.  Pass rusher is not a position of need but I still think the ‘perceived’ value will be too much for
Carolina to pass up even with Vaccaro still on the board.

15.   Saints

Needs:  Any warm bodies that can play defense

The Pick:  Dion Jordan DE Oregon

The Why:  New Orleans goes with the top rated defensive player left on their board.  Any position, as long as he plays defense.  Could be Sylvester Williams but I think they go more of the pass rush route and take the tall edge rusher out of Oregon.

16.   Rams

Needs:  OL, TE, WR, RB, S

The Pick:  Jonathan Cooper OG North Carolina

The Why: 52; the number of sacks given up by the Rams during the 2012 season.  Get Bradford some protection and perhaps you will find that some of the weapons are better than they currently appear.  The Rams have excellent talent on the defensive side of the ball, especially at the CB position with two rookies; Janoris Jenkins and Trumaine Johnson, who should only get better in 2013.  If St. Louis really wants to make a splash this off season they could sign Jake Long away from the Dolphins which would allow them to move Saffold over to RT to replace the Barry Richardson Super Highway (express lanes to the QB).

17.   Steelers

Needs:  RB, ILB, CB, WR, QB Youth

The Pick:  Kenny Vaccaro S Texas

The Why:  Ryan Clark is getting up in years and Troy Polamalu spends more time in the training room than on the field these days.  The rest of the Steelers top rated defense has young depth poised to fill in for the other aging stars.  Brett Keisel has Cameron Heyward and James Harrison has Jason Worilds, so it must be time to draft the future of the Steelers secondary.  Most assume the Steelers still need help along the offensive line, but the lack of production in 2012 was mostly due to injury.  David DeCastro and Marcus Gilbert both spent significant time in the training room.  I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Steelers add OL depth in the later rounds but it should not be the 1^st round priority.  WR Mike Wallace has most likely played his last game in Pittsburgh, but the top WR’s in this draft will still be available in the 2^nd round.  It will be interesting to see if Pittsburgh retains Alameda Ta’amu after his infamous night of felonies early in the season.  If not, a future replacement for Casey Hampton could be on the menu.

18.   Cowboys

Needs:  DL, OL, S, RB

The Pick:  Johnathan Jenkins DT Georgia

The Why:  The Cowboys need to upgrade their run defense in order to match the Redskins new zone-read running game lead by RGIII and Alfred Morris.  Jenkins possesses circus size, which seems to be what attracts Al Davis…err Jerry Jones’s attention.  DT Sylvester Williams may be the better pick at this point because of the likelihood that Jenkins becomes only a 2 down player, but Jones will go with the player with the more imposing measurable.  Dallas actually possesses one of the best LB corps in the league, with Anthony Spencer, Demarcus Ware, Bruce Carter, Sean Lee, and Dan Conner.  They just need improved luck in the injury department to make a marked improvement in their defensive measurables in 2013.

19.   Giants

Needs:  CB, OL, TE, Injury free pass rushers

The Pick:  Logan Ryan CB Rutgers

The Why:  CB Terrell Thomas hasn’t played a down since 2010 and NY’s defense needs to reload their secondary to allow their electric front 4 to get back to work.  Ryan may look like a reach at number 19 but NY must invest in their defense if they wish to make a return to the playoffs in 2013.  In the past the Giants relied upon intense pressure on the QB and still managed a respectable 33 sacks in 2012, but those sorts of sack totals are not sufficient with NY’s current secondary personnel. 

20.   Bears

Needs:  OL, LB, CB youth

The Pick:  Eric Fisher OT Central Michigan

The Why:  An absolute no-brainer.  Chicago finally possesses high quality receivers and backs but have been unable to keep Jay Cutler upright and out of the training room.  Fisher is the 3^rd OT off the board and could be passed over for fellow OT Jake Matthews out of Texas A&M if Chicago is skeptical of Fisher’s level of competition at Central Michigan.  If the Bears are able to lure Jake Long to the Windy City an offensive lineman could still be the primary 1^st round target, although an aging LB corp could use reinforcement as well.

Top Players still Available:

Sylvester Williams DT North Carolina

Sam Montgomery DE LSU

Ezekiel Ansah DE BYU

Sheldon Richardson DT Missouri

Corey Lemonier DE Auburn

Kawann Short DT Purdue

Keenan Allen WR California

Zach Ertz TE Stanford

Tyler Eifert TE Notre Dame

Matt Barkley QB USC