2014 NFL Mock Draft: Round 1 - Picks 17-32

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Last update: Wednesday, Nov. 13, 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.

    *** THIS IS A LIVE 2014 NFL MOCK DRAFT. PICKS ARE BEING POSTED NOW. TO SEE PREVIOUS VERSIONS, CHECK OUT THE ARCHIVED 2014 NFL MOCK DRAFT SECTION. FOLLOW @walterfootball FOR UPDATES ***

  1. 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.

    As you can tell, I'm not completely sold on Foles yet, and I'm willing to bet Chip Kelly isn't either. Kelly, at least, will secretly want 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.

    Follow @walterfootball for updates.

  2. Green Bay Packers: Eric Ebron, TE, North Carolina
    With Jermichael Finley heading for free agency, Green Bay could grab a replacement. Eric Ebron has been fantastic year and has passed Austin Seferian-Jenkins as the top tight end on the board. He'd likely provide the Packers with more consistency at the tight end position.

  3. Chicago Bears: Ra'Shede Hageman, DT, Minnesota
    Henry Melton, an impending free agent, tore his ACL earlier in the season. This could make it easier for the Bears to keep him, but they'll need a replacement if he walks. Ra'Shede Hageman, who has been a monster this year, would be a worthy substitute.

    Note: I slotted Ra'Shede Hageman to the Dolphins originally, but I changed that pick to Louis Nix.

    Pick change; previously Timmy Jernigan, DT

  4. Arizona Cardinals: Khalil Mack, DE/OLB, Buffalo
    Khalil Mack made the biggest jump in a recent mock draft. Mack completely dominated the Ohio State offensive line. The Buckeyes simply couldn't do anything about him. Mack is now in the conversation to be a top-15 pick. He'd fill a need across from Sam Acho in Arizona.

    Pick change; previously Derek Carr, QB



  5. Dallas Cowboys: Timmy Jernigan, DT, Florida State
    I have no idea what the Cowboys were thinking when they passed on Sharrif Floyd at No. 18 overall. Moving down and then selecting a third-round center made it clearer than ever that they need a real general manager. In the meantime, Jerry Jones will continue to run the team into the ground.

    Perhaps Jones will suddenly realize that Dallas has a glaring need on the interior of its defensive front. Timmy Jernigan would be a nice fit as Monte Kiffin's three-technique - just as Floyd would have been.

    Charlie Campbell recently reported that a scout believes Timmy Jernigan will be a late first-round pick.

    Pick change; previously Anthony Johnson, DT

  6. New York Jets: Kyle Van Noy, DE/OLB, BYU
    New York will go with the top player on its board, and that could be Kyle Van Noy. The Jets have a nice interior pass rush with Sheldon Richardson and Muhammad Wilkerson. Drafting Van Noy would give them a great bookend on the exterior with Quinton Coples. New York's pass rush could be the league's best.

  7. Cincinnati Bengals: Bradley Roby, CB, Ohio State
    Defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer has done a great job of getting the most out of Terence Newman and Pacman Jones, but the Bengals will have to get younger at cornerback sooner or later. Leon Hall's second torn Achilles makes this an even more pressing need.

    Bradley Roby, who is yet another player who screwed up by not declaring early, has taken a tumble in my 2014 NFL Mock Draft because of poor play. He still has tremendous talent though, so maybe the Bengals will think they can turn him around.

  8. Detroit Lions: Jordan Matthews, WR, Vanderbilt
    I slotted a receiver to the Lions in my 2015 NFL Mock Draft, and I'm going to use the same reasoning here: We all saw what happens to Detroit's offense when Calvin Johnson is unavailable. The Lions need an insurance policy of sorts. Besides, having a solid No. 2 across from Megatron would make the Lions' scoring attack even more explosive.



  9. Carolina Panthers: Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, CB, Oregon
    The Panthers have tried out several cornerbacks across from Captain Munnerlyn, but none of them have performed very well. Carolina has a fantastic defense, but this is one position that needs to be upgraded.

  10. Cleveland Browns: A.J. Johnson, ILB, Tennessee
    The Browns have a great front seven, but the one liability in the group is Craig Robertson, who has been abused in coverage this season. A.J. Johnson is the best player available and happens to fill a big need.

  11. San Francisco 49ers: Aaron Colvin, CB, Oklahoma
    The 49ers need to fix their secondary. Their group of cornerbacks isn't very strong, as Carlos Rogers has understandably declined at 32. He's due $6.25 million next year, so San Francisco could cut ties with him.

    Pick change; previously Scott Crichton, DE/OLB

  12. New England Patriots: Austin Seferian-Jenkins, TE, Washington
    Austin Seferian-Jenkins is a dynamic athlete. He has the potential to be a matchup nightmare, much like Rob Gronkowski and Jimmy Graham. With Aaron Hernandez gone forever, the Patriots may want to bring in another talented tight end.



  13. New Orleans Saints: Scott Crichton, DE/OLB, Oregon State
    The Saints had several holes to fill in the 2013 NFL Draft, so they weren't able to obtain a pass-rusher until the sixth round with Rufus Johnson. They'll probably need to do so earlier next April.

  14. Denver Broncos: Cyril Richardson, G/OT, Baylor
    What's better than Peyton Manning and four awesome targets? Peyton Manning and four awesome targets with upgraded protection. Zane Beadles, the weak link on a solid Denver front, is an impending free agent.

  15. Seattle Seahawks: Cyrus Kouandjio, OT, Alabama
    The Seahawks' biggest issue right now is pass protection, as we all saw a couple of Monday nights ago. They have so many injuries on the offensive line, but that was an area that had to be upgraded even before multiple blockers went down.

  16. Kansas City Chiefs: Antonio Richardson, OT, Tennessee
    The Chiefs just spent the No. 1 overall pick on the disappointing Eric Fisher, but they'll need a bookend for him once Branden Albert moves on. If you don't think Kansas City would draft two consecutive offensive tackles with its first-round picks, well, remember who's making the decisions now.



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