The NFL Draft is not only decided by first round picks, every pick a team makes is important to their future. The second round is a pick where a lot of value can be found, and some really great players can be picked up after the first 32 picks. Without further ado here are my second round picks.
33. Jacksonville Jaguars- Lane Johnson , Offensive Tackle, Oklahoma.
Lane Johnson is a fast riser up the draft boards. A rather athletic tackle at 6’7 and 303 pounds, Johnson could step in on either side of the line for Jacksonville. He’s improved every year of his college career, and could become a stable force for an offensive line that needs it. I have Jacksonville going defense with Damontre Moore, the defensive end from Texas A&M; in the first round, so they will be focusing on improving the line on both sides of the ball.
34. Kansas City Chiefs- Matt Barkley, Quarterback, USC.
Kansas City needs some help at the quarterback position, as they have not found a good match with Matt Cassel or Brady Quinn. Barkley seemed to regress slightly his senior year, but he is still a very good professional level prospect. If the Chiefs can sign a short term veteran quarterback to start for a few years, and let Barkley develop, he could be very good in a couple years. I have the Chiefs taking Texas A&M; offensive tackle Luke Joeckel in the first round, so Joeckel could be protecting Barkley’s blind side for years to come.
Previous pick: Tyler Wilson-QB-Arkansas.
35. Philadelphia Eagles- D.J. Fluker , Offensive Tackle/Offensive Guard, Alabama.
Fluker is a guy that can play either guard or tackle at the next level. He has the size at 6’6 to be a tackle, and the quickness to be a guard. He is excellent in pass protection, and does not shy away from run blocking either. He excelled so much as part of the outstanding Alabama offensive line, it is possible that he could find his way into the first round. In my mock draft, however, he goes to the Eagles in the second, and with their taking Bjoern Werner, the defensive end from Florida State, in the first round, they are going to be improving both lines a lot in the first two rounds.
36. Detroit Lions- Zach Ertz , Tight End, Stanford.
Detroit needs some help in the passing game from someone not named Clavin Johnson. Brandon Pettigrew and Tony Scheffler were both extremely disappointing for Lions fans at the tight end position, and Ertz is a player that could be a savior for Matthew Stafford. The 6’6 tight end has soft hands, and moves well. He caught 69 passes for 898 yards and six touchdowns on the year, and would provide a lethal option over the middle for the Lions. I have the Lions going with Jarvis Jones, the outside linebacker from Georgia, in the first round, so they will be shoring up both sides of the ball in the first two rounds.
37. Cincinnati Bengals (From Oakland Raiders)- DeAndre Hopkins , Wide Receiver, Clemson.
One of the best receivers in college football this year, DeAndre Hopkins is not exactly a burner, but he has amazing hands, and finished with 82 catches, 1,405 yards, and a whopping 18 touchdowns on the year. The Bengals have always been playoff contenders, but once they get there, they have not accomplished much. Getting another dynamic wide out for Andy Dalton would certainly help the offense grow. In my mock draft I have the Bengals taking Alex Okafor, a defensive end from Texas, with their first pick. They need to improve on both offense and defense in the draft.
38. Arizona Cardinals- Eddie Lacy , Running Back, Alabama.
Arizona needs offensive help, which is why I have them reaching to draft Geno Smith, the quarterback from West Virginia, in the first round. Here they do more to improve one of the worst offenses in the NFL by drafting Eddie Lacy, the stud running back from Alabama. Lacy rushed for 1,322 yards and 17 touchdowns, while averaging 6.5 yards per carry on the year. Lacy could find himself in the first round, but I find him to be too one dimensional as a halfback. He only caught 22 passes on the year, and will need to improve his pass-catching ability to help out all phases of the offense. Even so, he will be a huge upgrade for Arizona.
39. New York Jets- Tyler Wilson , Quarterback, Arkansas.
I was always pretty high on Tyler Wilson, but it turns out my opinion is not shared by many experts. Arkansas’ poor season, and Wilson’s apparent regression in his senior year have him falling out of the first round in people’s minds. With this pick the Jets can hopefully find a quarterback capable of leading their offense, and Wilson will be the ultimate steal of the draft at pick 39. With picking up LSU defensive end Barkevious Mingo in the first round, the Jets look to improve on both sides of the ball.
Previous pick: Oday Aboushi-OT-Virginia.
40. Tennessee Titans- Sharrif Floyd , Defensive Tackle, Florida.
The Titans will be working hard to improve their defense, which is why I have them picking up Barkevious Mingo, the defensive end from LSU, in the first round. They will follow up by shoring up their defensive line once more with the 6’3, 303 pound Floyd on the interior. Floyd finished the year with 46 tackles, three sacks, and a forced fumble on the year. He finds his way into the backfield, and is great at stuffing the run. Look for both Mingo and Floyd to contribute immediately.
41. Buffalo Bills- Ryan Nassib , Quarterback, Syracuse.
Here is an interesting pick, as the Bills’ new head coach is Doug Marrone , Nassib’s head coach at Syracuse. The Bills need a new quarterback, and Nassib and Marrone have already had a lot of success together. Nassib has improved every year in college, finishing his senior year with 3,749 yards, and 26 touchdowns to just 10 interceptions. The Bills go with Jonathan Hankins, the defensive tackle from Ohio State, in the first round of my mock draft. After shoring up their defensive line, they go with the hopeful solution to their offensive woes here in the second round.
42. Miami Dolphins- Jordan Poyer , Cornerback, Oregon State.
The Dolphins definitely need help in the pass defense, as they constantly gave up big plays through the air. Jordan Poyer could turn out to be part of the solution to fix this. The senior cornerback finished the year with seven interceptions and six passes defended. With a nose for the ball, and good coverage skills, Poyer could make an impact immediately for Miami. In my mock draft the Dolphins go with Keenan Allen, the wide receiver from California, in the first round, so Poyer and Allen could be going against each other in practice as the number one player at their respective positions sooner rather than later.
43. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Kenny Vaccaro , Safety, Texas.
Tampa Bay was literally the worst team in defending through the air this year, so it is safe to say they need help. In my mock draft I have them taking Jonathan Banks, the cornerback from Mississippi State, in the first round, so this pick goes along with further improving their horrendous pass defense. Vaccaro is a smart safety with athleticism, and finished the year with 91 tackles, two interceptions, and four passes defended. Banks and Vaccaro can both come in and make an impact immediately.
44. Carolina Panthers- Terrance Williams , Wide Receiver, Baylor.
Terrance Williams was the NCAA leader in receiving yards this year. He has the perfect size for a wide receiver, and can catch just about anything thrown his way. Cam Newton needs more offensive weapons, especially as Steve Smith ages. Williams could come in and make an impact right away for the Panthers as they continue to improve after going defense in the first round of my mock draft with Missouri defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson.
45. San Diego Chargers- Phillip Thomas , Safety, Fresno State.
San Diego gets some good help in the secondary with the pick up of Thomas. Athletic enough for both safety positions, Thomas led the nation in interceptions on the year with eight. He also returned three for touchdowns, and finished with 84 tackles and four sacks. His ball hawking ability, along with his hard hitting tendency could make him an exciting safety for San Diego for years to come. I have the Chargers taking Eric Fisher, the offensive tackle from Central Michigan, in the first round of my mock draft, so they improve on both sides of the ball in the first two rounds.
46. St. Louis Rams- John Jenkins , Defensive Tackle, Georgia.
St. Louis is a team that is just a few pieces away from making a playoff run. After going with Chance Warmack, the guard from Alabama, in the first round of my mock draft, the Rams improve the interior of their defensive line here with the 6’3, 358 pound monster Jenkins. Athletic for his size, and rather hard to move out of the trenches, Jenkins is the type of player that can provide some great depth for the Rams on the defensive line.
47. Dallas Cowboys- Margus Hunt , Defensive End, Southern Methodist.
Margus Hunt is a physical freak. If he was more experienced playing football, he could be a surefire first round pick. At 6’8, 280 pounds with a combination of speed and strength like few other prospects, Hunt has the ability to make an impact at the next level on the interior of Dallas’ defensive line, or even providing depth for the outside linebackers. If he can continue to build off of the eight sacks he had this year, he has the chance to be a star in the NFL. I have the Cowboys taking quarterback Mike Glennon from North Carolina State in the first round, so they are building for the future taking two picks that need to be developed in the first two rounds.
48. Pittsburgh Steelers- Justin Hunter , Wide Receiver, Tennessee.
Mike Wallace is probably going to leave as a free agent next season, which will leave a hole at wide receiver in Pittsburgh. One player that can fill that hole is Justin Hunter. Hunter has the size at 6’4 of a big target receiver, and has some decent speed too. He has to bulk up a bit, but he still caught 73 passes for 1,083 yards, and nine touchdowns in a tough SEC conference. I have the Steelers selecting Manti Te’o in the first round, so they are trying to get two players to make an impact for years to come in the first two rounds.
49. New York Giants- Logan Ryan , Cornerback, Rutgers.
Logan Ryan is a player that is just able to get to the ball. Not only did he finish with four interceptions, but he also had an astounding 17 passes defended. A fundamentally sound cornerback, he could make an impact on a terrible secondary in New York. With the Giants taking Ezekial Ansah, the defensive end from BYU, in the first round of my mock draft, I have the Giants shoring up a shaky defense in the first two rounds.
50. Chicago Bears- Kyle Long , Offensive Tackle, Oregon.
It is a well known fact that the Chicago Bears need offensive line help badly. I have the Bears taking Alec Ogletree, the middle linebacker from Georgia, in the first round, so they need to adress their needs in the second round, and Kyle Long does that perfectly. The 6’7, 300 pound tackle could step in at either tackle right away. I want the Bears to pursue Jake Long, the tackle from the Miami Dolphins, in free agency. If they sign Jake Long, and draft Kyle Long, the Bears would have two long Longs at both tackle positions. Gabe Carimi could potentially move to guard, and suddenly the Bears’ line will look a lot better.
51. Washington Redskins- Oday Aboushi , Offensive Tackle, Virginia.
The Redskins need to do a better job of protecting Robert Griffin III in order for him to have a lengthy career in the NFL. Aboushi is 6’6, and could play either offensive tackle or guard in the NFL. He may not be an immediate starter, but he truly could be. The Redskins need to do whatever possible to protect their quarterback, and Aboushi has the potential to be outstanding in both pass and run protection. The Redskins do not have a first round pick, so Aboushi is their first pick of the draft.
Previous pick: Dallas Thomas-OT-Tennessee.
52. Minnesota Vikings- Da’Rick Rogers , Wide Receiver, Tennessee Tech.
Minnesota needs receiving help outside of Percy Harvin for Christian Ponder to continue to improve as a quarterback. Rogers is a big, athletic receiver that is capable of being the second wide receiver in Minnesota. Rogers inhales every pass thrown his way, and will be able to produce at a high level in the NFL if he can get his act together. I have the Vikings taking Xavier Rhodes, the cornerback from Florida State, in the first round, so the Vikings improve offensively and defensively in the first two rounds.
53. Cincinnati Bengals- Khaseem Green , Outside Linebacker, Rutgers.
Cincinnati took a chance with signing linebacker Vontaze Burfict last year, and it paid off as he excelled as a weak-side linebacker. Here Cincinnati has a chance to find the long term answer opposite Burfict in Green. Green is a well rounded stud who finished the year with 137 tackles, six sacks, two interceptions, and five passes defended. With his talent, and athleticism, Green could combine with Burfict to make a dangerous outside linebacker duo. I have the Bengals taking defensive end Alex Okafor from Texas in the first round, so they are focusing on defense in the early rounds.
54. Miami Dolphins (From Indianapolis Colts)- Dallas Thomas , Offensive Tackle, Tennessee.
Miami will probably lose Jake Long in free agency, and Dallas Thomas is a player that could potentially make an immediate impact for the offensive line in Miami. A main reason for Tennessee’s production in the passing game, Thomas is not exactly afraid of bulldozing defenders over in the running game either. I have the Dolphins taking California wide receiver Keenan Allen in the first round, and Oregon State cornerback Jordan Poyer earlier in the second, so Miami addresses many needs in the first two rounds.
Previous pick: Justin Pugh-OT-Syracuse.
55. Seattle Seahawks- John Simon , Defensive End/ Outside Linebacker, Ohio State.
The Big Ten’s defensive player of the year, Simon mainly played defensive end in college, but would probably translate better as an outside linebacker in the NFL. A hard working, tenacious defender, Simon would be able to contribute right away to a great Seattle defense after finishing his senior year with nine sacks. His relentlessness should be admired, and since I have the Seahawks taking Notre Dame tight end Tyler Eifert in the first round, so the Seahawks are working to improve on both offense and defense in the first two rounds.
56. Houston Texans- Desmond Trufant , Cornerback, Washington.
Houston has a pretty complete team, but could use some depth in the secondary. Desmond Trufant could help out there as the senior has very solid coverage skills. Trufant comes from a family of NFL caliber defensive backs, and could be as good, or better than his brothers. I have the Texans taking West Virginia’s wide receiver Tavon Austin in the first round, so they improve both their passing offense, and defense in the first two rounds.
57. Green Bay Packers- Justin Pugh , Offensive Tackle, Syracuse.
One thing that great college quarterbacks tend to have in common is having great offensive linemen, and Ryan Nassib is no different, as he had Pugh, a dynamic 6’6 tackle to protect him. Pugh needs to bulk up a little bit, but he has good lateral quickness, and Green Bay really needs to focus on protecting Aaron Rodgers. I have the Packers taking Alabama center Barrett Jones in the first round, so that focus is really brought out in the first two rounds.
Previous pick: Giovani Bernard-RB-UNC.
58. Denver Broncos- Giovani Bernard , Running Back, UNC.
Willis McGahee and Knowshon Moreno both got hurt this year, and Denver needs to focus on their running game for the future. Bernard is a very solid runner with toughness and speed working for him. He’s rushed for over 1,200 yards this year and last year, and scored double digit touchdowns along with that. He also proved solid in his pass catching ability, catching 47 balls for 490 yards and five touchdowns this past year. He could be the running back of the future for Denver. I have the Broncos taking LSU Inside Linebacker Kevin Minter in the first round, so the Broncos look to the future in the first two rounds.
Previous pick: Will Davis-CB-Utah State.
59. New England Patriots- Will Davis , Cornerback, Utah State.
Will Davis led a very good Utah State defense, and had an exciting five game interception streak, returning one of them for a touchdown. On top of the five picks, Davis had 64 tackles, and 17 passes defended. For New England, Aqib Talib’s return is in question, and the Patriots could look for his replacement here in Davis. I have the Patriots taking wide receiver Robert Woods from USC in the first round of my mock draft, so they look to improve their passing game on offense, and their passing defense as well in the first two rounds.
Previous pick: Jamar Taylor-CB-Boise State.
60. Atlanta Falcons- Travis Frederick , Center/Guard, Wisconsin.
The Falcons drafted Wisconsin lineman Peter Konz in the second round of this past draft, and he has been rather successful on their line. Here, they keep the trend going, and pick up Frederick. A big man at 6’4 and about 330 pounds, Frederick has no issues moving around interior defensive linemen around. His strength and build make him successful in both pass and run blocking. I have the Falcons taking Sam Montgomery, the Defensive End from LSU, in the first round of my mock draft, so the Falcons improve on both sides of the line in the first two rounds.
61. Baltimore Ravens- Arthur Brown , Linebacker, Kansas State.
It’s sad, but the time has come for Ray Lewis to retire. Brown is undersized at 6’1 and roughly 230 pounds, Lewis is the same height, though a little bigger in terms of strength. The athletic Brown could step in and make an impact immediately for the Ravens as they start a new era on defense. I have the Ravens taking wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson from Tennessee in the first round, so after improving their game through the air in the first round, they look to find Lewis’ replacement in the second.
62. San Francisco 49ers- Markus Wheaton , Wide Receiver, Oregon State.
The 49ers have decided to go with Colin Kaepernick as their quarterback of the future, and will need to look for weapons to surround him with outside of Michael Crabtree and Vernon Davis. Markus Wheaton could be a player that fits well in the 49ers’ offense as he has speed, and the ability to catch any ball thrown his way. I have the 49ers taking guard Jonathan Cooper from UNC in the first round, so they look to build around Kaepernick in the first two rounds.
That concludes my second version of my second round mock draft. I would love your input, so if you have any questions or comments, please leave a comment!
