2014 NFL Mock Draft

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Walter of WalterFootball has been WalterFootball'ing since 1999'. Older Content is being kept around here. Thanks for reading.

Last update: Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2013. Major changes in all 3 rounds.
Next update: Next week. Follow me @walterfootball for updates.

The order of this 2014 NFL Mock Draft is based on my NFL Power Rankings.

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2020 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 2/11): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5
Other 2020 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (2/10) /Senior Bowl Mock (1/27) /Overreaction Mock (12/30)
2019 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/25): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 6 /Round 7
Other 2019 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (4/25)

ARCHIVED 2014 NFL MOCK DRAFT

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Jacksonville Jaguars: Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville
Many might say that the Jaguars have the worst quarterback situation in the NFL. They would all be wrong. Jacksonville has a franchise signal-caller. His name is Teddy Bridgewater.

Given how important the quarterback position is, Bridgewater will the No. 1 pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, barring injury or late-season collapse (or Marcus Mariota declaring). There's really no discussion. Jadeveon Clowney wouldn't change the Jaguars' franchise. Bridgewater would.

I should mention that I've seen some project Mariota to be the No. 1 pick. He'd be in contention, but redshirt sophomore quarterbacks seldom declare. Andrew Luck didn't even come out despite being guaranteed the No. 1 spot. Besides, Mariota is only 19. I'm not saying he won't come out, but I think it's more than likely that he'll stay at Oregon. Mariota is the No. 1 pick in my 2015 NFL Mock Draft.

By the way, I'm doing this live because I thought it'd be fun to get instant feedback. I'm going to post my mock anyway, so why not do it this way? Follow @walterfootball for updates.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jadeveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina
A quarterback will be considered, but Mike Glennon has played well in three of his five starts this year, as he most recently went 17-of-23 for 168 yards and two touchdowns in Seattle, nearly upsetting the Seahawks as a double-digit underdog. If he continues to perform well, Tampa Bay may give him another season.

If this is the case, Jadeveon Clowney would be a no-brainer, as he would bolster a pass rush that recently didn't log a single sack against Matt Ryan and his patchwork offensive line.

Some call Clowney the top defensive prospect to come along in years. Clowney has motivational problems, as Charlie Campbell reported before anyone else about two months ago. Clowney is having a mediocre season, but teams will overlook that in favor of his talent. There were similar concerns with Julius Peppers coming out of North Carolina in 2002, and he still went No. 2 overall.
Minnesota Vikings: Brett Hundley, QB, UCLA
The Vikings paid Josh Freeman $3 million to find out if he can be their long-term franchise quarterback. That's how desperate they are for one. Christian Ponder isn't too bad, but he's not good enough to consistently lead the team in the playoffs.

I mentioned earlier that I don't like to slot redshirt sophomores into my mock drafts. Brett Hundley is one, but there were reports this past week that his representatives met with Jay-Z's agency. If that happened, Hundley will likely enter the 2014 NFL Draft, where he will probably be a top-10 pick. Hundley isn't playing up to expectations this season, but he has way too much upside not to be considered here by a team that is in such dire need of a quarterback.

Pick change; previously Anthony Barr, DE/OLB
New York Giants: Jake Matthews, OT, Texas A&M
This was a close call between Jake Matthews and Anthony Barr. I ultimately settled on the left tackle because the Giants, who have major pass-protection issues, need to shield Eli Manning as he continues into his mid-30s. William Beatty has struggled on the blind side this year, while Justin Pugh has totally been out of place at right tackle. This pick would allow Pugh to slide into his natural guard position.
Atlanta Falcons: Anthony Barr, DE/OLB, UCLA
Anthony Barr is a terrific fit for Atlanta's defense. Kroy Biermann had been playing the defensive end-outside linebacker hybrid role prior to tearing his Achilles. Biermann, who will be entering a walk year in 2014, may not be 100 percent. Plus, it's not like the Falcons didn't need an upgrade anyway. Their pass rush is severely lacking, so Barr would definitely bolster that area.

Barr is the best player available; some argue that he should be chosen before Jadeveon Clowney. A former running back, Barr played defense for the first time last season and made an instant impact, recording 13 sacks. He has 13 TFL and six sacks through eight games this season. The sky's the limit for him, as he'll only get better at his new position.

Pick change; previously Louis Nix, NT
Pittsburgh Steelers: Taylor Lewan, OT, Michigan
Kelvin Beachum had a couple of nice starts before bombing against the Raiders. The Steelers then tried Mike Adams, who sucked once again. Beachem was back against the Patriots, and he struggled again. They need a solution at left tackle.

Pick change; previously Sammy Watkins, WR
Houston Texans: Mike Evans, WR, Texas A&M
Wide receiver is not a top need for the Texans, but there isn't a better match for them in this scenario than Mike Evans. They spent a first-round pick on another wideout last year, but the position could be addressed again. Andre Johnson, 33 in July, is owed $28 million over the next three years. That's way too much for a cap-strapped Houston squad. They may ask him to renegotiate, but Johnson, sensing he has just one more shot at a big pay day, may want to move on to a team with a more stable quarterbacking situation.
Buffalo Bills: Vic Beasley, DE/OLB, Clemson
I wrote a couple of weeks ago that it was time to shoot Vic Beasley up in my 2014 NFL Mock Draft. I was a bit reluctant to do so because of his lacking size, but he has been a terror this season. Besides, he makes a ton of sense for Buffalo's defense.

The Bills spent lots of energy addressing their offense in the 2013 NFL Draft, but they didn't do anything to help their pass rush. That would explain why they traded for Jerry Hughes a couple of days afterward.
St. Louis Rams: Louis Nix, DT, Notre Dame
Kendall Langford has been a huge disappointment ever since signing a 4-year, $24 million contract in March 2012. The Rams need an upgrade at defensive tackle, and I'm sure they'd love to snag Louis Nix, who is a force in terms of rushing the passer and stuffing the run.

Pick change; previously Taylor Lewan, OT
Oakland Raiders: Sammy Watkins, WR, Clemson
Terrelle Pryor got off to a hot start, but he has struggled during the past few weeks. Perhaps having a legitimate No. 1 receiver at his disposal would help him develop. Denarius Moore and Rod Streater are both capable, but neither is a legitimate top wideout. Sammy Watkins would easily fill that role.

Pick change; previously Ra'shede Hageman, DT
St. Louis Rams: HaHa Clinton-Dix, S, Alabama
St. Louis' defense has been atrocious this year for many reasons. One is the play of safety Rodney McLeod. He hasn't been terrible, but it's clear that the Rams need to find an upgrade next to T.J. McDonald. HaHa Clinton-Dix is arguably the top defensive player available who makes sense for St. Louis.
Baltimore Ravens: Marqise Lee, WR, USC
It should be quite apparent that the Ravens desperately need help at receiver. Neither Jacoby Jones nor Marlon Brown should be a No. 2 wideout in the NFL. Think Baltimore misses Anquan Boldin?
Philadelphia Eagles: Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M
Nick Foles just threw for seven touchdowns, but that doesn't mean that he's automatically Philadelphia's franchise quarterback. A couple of other signal-callers have thrown seven scores in NFL history, yet they weren't very good. Besides, it's hard to forget how inept Foles looked versus Dallas.

Chip Kelly still might think that he needs a quarterback who will actually be a good fit for his system. The only signal-caller currently on the roster who qualifies is way too injury- and turnover-prone. Matt Barkley is a career backup, at best.

Johnny Manziel is made for Kelly's offense. I don't see how the Eagles pass on him if he's available (barring a great finish by Foles). Manziel is seen as a jerk by some. Scouts told us that he looked like a first-rounder prior to his off-the-field antics. I dropped him into Day 2, but there's once again first-round buzz building for him in the wake of his performance against Alabama. Ultimately, he has too much talent not to go on Thursday.
Cleveland Browns: Tajh Boyd, QB, Clemson
The Browns obviously have to grab a quarterback with one of their two selections. Brandon Weeden is awful with his backhanded, underhanded and hook-shot passes. Brian Hoyer was decent in his two full games, but he's likely not the long-term answer. Jason Campbell has looked solid, but he can't be viewed as the team's future. Cleveland's new regime has to find the quarterback it wants to roll with going forward.

Tajh Boyd struggled in a big game against Florida State and has some height issues, which is why I've moved him down in my mock draft. However, he's still worthy of being chosen in the middle of the first round.
Tennessee Titans: C.J. Mosley, ILB, Alabama
The Titans have a strong pass rush, but their defense has struggled at times this year because their linebackers stink. Moise Fokou has been dreadful in the middle of the stop unit. C.J. Mosley would be a tremendous upgrade.
Miami Dolphins: Ra'shede Hageman, DT, Minnesota
Both Randy Starks and Paul Soliai are impending free agents. If Starks leaves, that would really deplete the team's interior pass rush. Ra'shede Hageman, who has been a monster this year, would be a worthy replacement.

Pick change; previously Antonio Richardson, OT

Go to 2014 NFL Mock Draft: Picks 17-32

Sorry for cutting this into two halves; I've received complaints about load times and putting the mock draft on two pages saves bandwith.

Go to 2014 NFL Mock Draft: Round 2

Go to 2014 NFL Mock Draft: Round 3

2015 NFL Mock Draft