2013 NFL Draft 1st Round Results and Reactions:

1. Kansas City- OT Eric Fisher, Central Michigan

• Offensive tackle is probably one of the biggest needs for the Chiefs, and there were two upper echelon tackles on the board to choose from. While OT Luke Joeckel had more experience against top competition, the Chiefs decided to go with the athleticism and upside of Fisher.

2. Jacksonville- OT Luke Joeckel, Texas A&M

• The Jaguars have many holes to fill and could have gone in a number of different directions with this pick. They won’t complain drafting Joeckel to protect QB Blaine Gabbert, especially since Joeckel was the top player on their wish list.

3. Miami- DE Dion Jordan, Oregon

• The Dolphins feared that Chip Kelly (Jordan’s college coach) and the Eagles would take Jordan with the next pick, so they gave up their 1^st Round pick (#13) and 2^nd Round pick (#42) to move up to take him. As the Dolphins continue to transition their defense back to a 4-3, they needed another pass rusher to play opposite DE Cameron Wake. The biggest question I have here is: will his speed and athleticism be enough for him to succeed as an undersized defensive end (248-pounds)?

4. Philadelphia- OT Lane Johnson, Oklahoma

• The Eagles’ offensive line is getting old and banged up, so why not take a youthful offensive tackle with a lot of athleticism and upside. Johnson has only played offensive tackle for two years and still needs to work on his technique, but he just might have more potential than any tackle in this draft.

5. Detroit- DE Ezekiel “Ziggy” Ansah, BYU

• Heading into the draft, the question for the Lions was: do we take the guy who can get after the opposing quarterback or the guy that can protect our quarterback? As the draft played out, the answer became quite obvious. The top three offensive tackles were taken in the first four picks, so the Lions drafted the defensive end that they were very high on. Ansah has only played two years of football, so he is inexperienced and raw. His athleticism and potential are off the charts however. If the Lions can develop his technique and skills, he could easily be a Pro Bowler next to DT Ndamukong Suh and DT Nick Fairley.  

6. Cleveland- LB/DE Barkevious Mingo, LSU

• I was a little surprised that with CB Dee Milliner still on the board that the Brown didn’t run up to the podium to take him. They instead added another pass-rushing linebacker. Mingo played more defensive end in college, but he’s a much better fit as a linebacker in the 3-4 defense. He has a lot of talent and knows how to use his speed to get to the quarterback or chase down a play from behind. He’ll give the Browns defensive coordinator a lot of options.

7. Arizona- OG Jonathan Cooper, North Carolina

• The Cardinals might have looked at one of the top pass-rushers or one of the top offensive tackles with this pick, but all of those players are already off the board. They instead addressed the interior of their offense line, which gave up a league-worst 58 sacks last season. Cooper is the best offensive guard to come out of college in a long time. He is very good at locking onto a defender and stay between him and his quarterback pass protection and also driving defensive lineman back and getting to the second level in the rushing game. He will be a big piece of shoring up that line and protecting new QB Carson Palmer.

8. St. Louis- WR Tavon Austin, West Virginia

• The Rams were afraid the Jets would take Austin with the next pick, so they gave up one of their 1^st Round picks (#16), their 2^nd Round pick (#46), and their 7th Round pick (#222) to move up and take him here. Wide receiver became a position of need when WR Danny Amendola signed a free agent contract with New England. Even with Amendola on the team, St. Louis needed an explosive receiver for QB Sam Bradford. Austin is the explosive game-changer the Rams are looking for. The only question with him is how well he’ll hold up at 5’9”, 175-pounds.

9. NY Jets- CB Dee Milliner, Alabama

• The Jets traded Pro Bowl CB Darrelle Revis to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the 1^st Round pick (#13) and a conditional pick in next year’s draft. With WR Tavon Austin and the top pass rushers (Dion Jordan, Ezekiel Ansah, and Barkevious Mingo) off the board already, it makes sense for the Jets to replace Revis with the top cornerback on the board. Milliner’s stock may have dropped a little due to some durability issues (he’s had five surgeries already) and questions about his ball skills (not enough interceptions). While Milliner will not be Revis, he will do a nice job from Day One as a starter for the Jets.

10. Tennessee- OG Chance Warmack, Alabama

• After signing free agent OG Andy Levitre in the offseason, the Titans drafted OG Chance Warmack to fill the other guard position. Warmack does a decent job in pass protection, but his forte is as a run-blocker. This couldn’t be a better fit for the Titans, who like to run the ball. Warmack should easily lock down the starting spot at right guard and help the Titans rushing attack.

11. San Diego- OT D.J. Fluker, Alabama

• The Chargers’ biggest needs are on the offensive line. Unfortunately, the top offensive tackles and offensive guards were off the board by the time their pick came around. In any case, they needed to add a piece to this offensive line and they did by drafting Fluker. Fluker is a big man (340-pounds) that doesn’t quite have the foot speed or agility to play at left tackle. Like Warmack, his forte is as a run-blocker and he should fit in nicely as a right tackle for the Chargers.

12. Oakland- CB D.J. Hayden, Houston

• The Raiders needed picks to fill a lot of holes on their team, and they gained a 2^nd Round pick from Miami by trading down to this pick. With so many holes to fill, the Raiders chose to take a cornerback with this pick. Hayden is one of the best stories of this draft. After taking a knee to the chest in practice, it was discovered that the vein leading to his heart was torn. Normally, this type of incident has a fatality rate of 95%, so you see how serious of an injury this was. Hayden is back on the field however and is now a 1^st Round pick. While he could still use some improvement against the run, Hayden is excellent in coverage and is rarely out of position. He will be a big improvement for the Raiders at corner.

13. NY Jets- DT Sheldon Richardson, Missouri

• The Jets received this pick along with a conditional pick in next year’s draft from Tampa Bay, who received CB Darrelle Revis. After taking Milliner with their first 1^st Round pick, they chose to focus on the defensive line with this pick. This was a little surprising to me. I figured the Jets would look at possibly bringing in a quarterback to compete with QB Mark Sanchez or bring in an offensive weapon like TE Tyler Eifert. Regardless, Richardson is quick, strong, and very athletic for a guy his size. The thought is that the Jets will move him to defensive end when they’re in the 3-4 and play him at defensive tackle any times they play in the 4-3.

14. Carolina- DT Star Lotulelei, Utah

• The Panthers could have looked at the defensive secondary (corner or safety) with this pick but taking a defensive tackle like Lotulelei makes a little more sense here. Lotutelei does a great job clogging up the middle and occupying blockers. His better at stuffing the run than getting pressure on the quarterback, but his presence alone should help Carolina’s defensive ends receive less attention and LB Luke Kuechly the freedom to fly to the ball and make plays.

15. New Orleans- S Kenny Vaccaro, Texas

• With the Saints switching to a 3-4 defense, I expected them to draft LB Jarvis Jones with this pick. Whether Jones’ medical concern scared them off or that just didn’t have him rated as highly as I did, the Saints chose to address their defensive secondary with Vaccaro. Vaccaro has the coverage skills of a cornerback, but he’ll still come up in run support and deliver a big hit. He has the ability to play either safety position or play some corner in obvious passing downs if needed. And when you play in the NFC South, having guys that can cover is not a bad thing.

16. Buffalo- QB E.J. Manuel, Florida State

• The Bills made a nice move by trading down and adding two picks from St. Louis- in the 2^nd and a 7^th Round. With quarterback being one of the biggest needs for Buffalo, it didn’t surprise me that they took a quarterback with this pick. Drafting Manuel however did surprise me a little. Manueal is a very athletic quarterback that can extend plays with his feet and has a powerful arm to make all the throws he needs to. He can be a little inaccurate at times, will force some balls into coverage sometimes, and doesn’t seem to go throw his progressions as well as she should. With Geno Smith and Ryan Nassib (the starter for Bills head coach Doug Marone at Syracuse) still on the board, I expected to hear one of their names. The Bills must have been worried that Manuel wouldn’t last till they picked in the 2^nd Round.

17. Pittsburgh- LB Jarvis Jones, Georgia

• The Steelers could look in a lot of directions with this pick, but they need another linebacker that can get pressure on the quarterback after LB James Harrison left in free agency. Jones has the talent to be a Top Ten pick, but he has a medical concern (Spinal Stenosis- a narrowing of the neck canal) that scared some teams off. There were also some concerns about his speed after a poor 40-time at his pro day. If there is one thing Jones has shown through his collegiate career, it’s that he can get pressure on the opposing quarterback. He should be a great addition to the Steelers playing opposite LB LaMarr Woodley.

18. San Francisco- S Eric Reid, LSU

• After All-Pro S Dashon Goldson signed a free agent contract with Tampa Bay, the safety position became one of the biggest needs for the 49ers. After Vaccaro was taken by the Saints a couple picks earlier, San Francisco might have been worried that there would be a run one safeties and would miss out on Reid. Reid has great athleticism and is solid in both pass coverage and in run support. He should fill in nicely in the starting lineup from Day One.

19. NY Giants- OT/OG Justin Pugh, Syracuse

• I really expected the Giants to go with a linebacker or a cornerback with this pick, so I was a little surprised when Pugh was the selection. There was some uncertainty about the Giants offensive line last season, and they chose to address it with this pick. Pugh has the versatility to play at offensive guard or at right tackle, which are both positions that could use some help. Pugh has the potential to jump into either one of those spots right away.

20. Chicago- OT/OG Kyle Long, Oregon

• As with the Giants, I really expected linebacker to be the pick here for the Bears. They lost two starters at linebacker from last season, and either Alec Ogletree or Manti Te’o would have fit in nicely at this pick. They instead decided to address their offensive line, which needs to do a better job at giving QB Jay Cutler enough time to throw. Long has the versatility to play at offensive guard or at right tackle and could step into any one of those positions as the starter or as the backup…we’ll see which one he is.

21. Cincinnati- TE Tyler Eifert, Notre Dame

• As the Bengals continue to try to negotiate a deal with their free agent OT Andre Smith, they could have look to take OT Menelik Watson for insurance, but the safety position was their top need. They decided to go in a different direction by taking Eifert. Tight end was not necessarily a need position with Jermaine Gresham and Alex Smith already on the roster. While this may look like a luxury pick, it does fit a particular need. The Bengals continue to look for ways to take attention off of WR A.J. Green and adding another tall, quick receiving option is another way of doing that. Eifert is not a great blocker, but he does a good enough job to play at the end of the line. He can also play in the slot or flexed out wide, and he is a great option in the red zone.

22. Atlanta- CB Desmond Trufant, Washington

• With Trufant being on the board and cornerback being the top need for Atlanta, they could wait any longer and traded up eight spots to get him. Trufant is a ball-hawking corner that can play on the outside or move inside against the slot receiver. He is not however great in run support and needs to improve in that area. In the NFC South, it’s always good to have good coverage corners though.

23. Minnesota- DT Shariff Floyd, Florida

• The Vikings could have looked in a number of different directions with this pick. Either a linebacker or a wide receiver wouldn’t have surprised me with this pick, but the Vikings saw a Top Ten talent at a need area fall to them and pulled the trigger. Floyd’s stock going into the draft was sky high, and he was at one point predicted to be the 2^nd pick overall to the Oakland Raiders. I’m not sure what really caused his stock to slip this far, but the Vikings got a steal here. Floyd is very quick at the snap and does a nice job of getting penetration. He does an equally good job against the run as he does getting after the quarterback, and he brings the versatility of being able to play defensive end at times. His quickness and youth will be a welcome addition to the Vikings’ aging defensive line.

24. Indianapolis- DE Bjoern Werner, Florida State

• The Colts needed an outside linebacker to play in their new 3-4 defense, and they choose to hopefully fill that need with Werner here. Werner had a ton of production at Florida State- 13 sacks and 18 tackles for loss just last season. Werner is more of your prototypical defensive end in the 4-3, but the Colts intend to use him as an outside linebacker in the 3-4. He should be interesting to see how well he adjusts to the position change.

25. Minnesota- CB Xavier Rhodes, Florida State

• I figured that the Vikings again would add a wide receiver or a linebacker with this pick, but they again looked elsewhere. Rhodes is a big corner (6’1”, 210-pounds) with good quickness and long arms. He does a very good job in man-to-man coverage as well as coming up in run support. He needs to improve his instincts and anticipation skills to be better when playing zone coverage, but he is a good enough athlete to still play well in zone. He also does a nice job on corner blitzes, which the Vikings like to use sometimes. He should be able to step into one of the starting positions, especially with CB Antoine Winfield no longer in Minnesota.

26. Green Bay- DE Datone Jones, UCLA

• I really expected the Packers to take either RB Eddie Lacy or S Matt Elam here, but they surprised me by picking Jones. Jones is a great fit for what the Packers want to do. He can play defensive end in the 3-4 and can move inside to defensive tackle when they play in the 4-3 scheme. Jones has great size and the strength to hold up against the run, and he uses that strength and his quickness to get after the quarterback. He was also one of the best defensive ends at the Senior Bowl, which improved his stock even more. He should fit in very nicely on the Packers’ defensive front.

27. Houston- WR DeAndre Hopkins, Clemson

• The Texans wanted to add another receiving weapon for QB Matt Schaub to play opposite of All-Pro WR Andre Johnson, and they found one in Hopkins. While Hopkins has good speed, he’s not necessarily a deep threat. He runs good routes and has experience as the go-to guy as well as the 2^nd option. His best attribute however are his hands. Hopkins has some of the best hands of any receiver in this draft. He snatches balls out of the air and does a good job of adjusting to poorly thrown balls. If the ball is anywhere near him, he will catch it. He should fit in nicely in Houston to help take pressure off of Johnson.

28. Denver- DT Sylvester Williams, North Carolina

• The Broncos could look to fill a need a defensive end with this pick, but they won’t be able to turn down a dominant defensive tackle like Williams. Williams is quick for his size and does a good job getting into the backfield. He will most likely play in a rotation at defensive end and defensive tackle for the Broncos.

29. Minnesota- WR Cordarrelle Patterson, Tennessee

• The Vikings felt they needed to get one more pick in the 1^st Round and traded their 2^nd Round pick (#52), 3^rd Round pick (#83), one of their 4^th Round picks (#102), and one their 7^th Round picks (#229- they got this one back in a later trade) to the Patriots to draft Patterson. Patterson is one of the most electric players in this draft with the ball in his hands. He has the speed, quickness, and shiftiness to make defenders miss him in the open field. He is not a great route runner however, and his hands can be a little inconsistent. But when the ball is in his hands, look out.

30. St. Louis- LB Alec Ogletree, Georgia

• The Rams moved down and were still able to get Ogletree. While I somewhat expected them to possibly go with RB Eddie Lacy or S Jonathan Cyprien here, adding Ogletree is a very nice linebacker and fit a need. Ogletree is a big-time hitter with great range. While he’s not necessarily a guy that will take on a block, shed it, and make the tackle, he is at his best in space and pursuing the ball. As a former safety, he also does an excellent job in pass coverage. He should fit in as the starting weakside linebacker for the Rams very nicely.

31. Dallas- C Travis Frederick, Wisconsin

• The Cowboys had two big needs- one on offense and one on defense. And while they filled one of those needs with this pick, it wasn’t the need I expected them to fill first. Frederick has the versatility to play center or guard for the Cowboys, who needed someone to help shore up their line. He is very smart and has good footwork. He will easily step into one of the starting positions for the Cowboys from Day One.

32. Baltimore- S Matt Elam, Florida

• No team was hit harder in free agency and with retirements than the Ravens. Baltimore lost a number of starters from their defense, so you can expect that many of their draft selections will be on the defensive side of the ball. After losing both of their starting safeties in free agency, the Ravens pounced on the opportunity to take a safety of Elam’s ability. While not very tall, Elam flies around the field and makes a lot of big plays. He will be inserted into the starting lineup immediately.

Top Ten Players Available in Round Two:

• LB Manti Te’o, Notre Dame
• RB Eddie Lacy, Alabama
• QB Geno Smith, West Virginia
• S Jonathan Cyprien, Florida International
• TE Zach Ertz, Stanford
• RB Montee Ball, Wisconsin
• LB Kevin Minter, LSU
• QB Matt Barkley, USC
• WR Justin Hunter, Tennessee

Michigan Sports Chat's 2013 NFL Mock Draft:

1. Kansas City- OT Luke Joeckel, Texas A&M

Offensive tackle is probably one of the biggest needs for the Chiefs, and there are two top offensive tackle prospects to choose from. Joeckel did a fantastic job last season protecting the blindside of Heisman winner, QB Johnny Manziel. The Chiefs will be looking for him to do the same for new QB Alex Smith.

• Secondary Option: OT Eric Fisher, Central Michigan
• Third Option: DT Star Lotulelei, Utah

2. Jacksonville- DE/LB Dion Jordan, Oregon

Which immediate need will the Jaguars address first? They could look to shore up the cornerback position by taking Dee Milliner, but that position seems fairly deep this year and can be addressed in Round Two. Ultimately the Jags will try to gain that pass rushing specialist that they’ve been searching for for the past few seasons.

• Secondary Option: DE Ezekiel Ansah, BYU
• Third Option: CB Dee Milliner, Alabama

3. Oakland- DT Shariff Floyd, Florida

The Raiders are another team that has a lot of holes to fill. Determining which hole to address first is tough enough, but adding the uncertainty of what style defense you’re going to play makes it even tougher. I see the Raiders addressing their defensive line first. Floyd has the versatility and quickness to play defensive tackle in a 4-3 or defensive end in a 3-4, which makes him a smart pick.

• Secondary Option: DE Ezekiel Ansah, BYU
• Third Option: CB Dee Milliner, Alabama

4. Philadelphia- CB Dee Milliner, Alabama

The Eagles could bring in OT Eric Fisher to help their aging and injured offensive line, but they also let their top two cornerbacks go this offseason. Milliner is the only cornerback in the draft worthy of being taken this high, and the Eagles could use a player with his skills.

• Secondary Option: OT Eric Fisher, Central Michigan
• Third Option: QB Geno Smith

5. Detroit- OT Eric Fisher, Central Michigan

With the temptation of taking Milliner off the table, the Lions can address one of their top two needs. But do they take the guy who can get after the opposing quarterback or the guy that can protect their quarterback? The Lions’ plan to make QB Matthew Stafford a big part of their future and will look to keep him protected by taking the top offensive tackle still on the board and moving OT Riley Reiff, last year’s 1^st Round pick, to right tackle or right guard.

• Secondary Option: DE Ezekiel Ansah, BYU
• Third Option: OT Lane Johnson, Oklahoma

6. Cleveland- TE Tyler Eifert, Notre Dame

The Browns would prefer to have Milliner drop to them with this pick or to move down in the draft. With no other cornerbacks worth taking this high, the Brown will look to address another need. Management still isn’t sold on QB Brandon Weeden and could look at the quarterback position, but I think they’ll choose to give whoever they have at quarterback a weapon at tight end. Eifert is very much like another Notre Dame alum- TE Kyle Rudolph. Both are big pass-catching tight ends that are great options in the red zone. And if the Browns get the production from Eifert that the Vikings have gotten from Rudolph (79 catches and 12 TDs in his two seasons), this will be a great pick.

• Secondary Option: OG Jonathan Cooper, North Carolina
• Third Option: QB Geno Smith, West Virginia

7. Arizona- OT Lane Johnson, Oklahoma

The Cardinals could use a quarterback, so QB Geno Smith could intrigue them. They could also look to bring some pass rush ability from the outside linebacker position by taking DE Ezekiel Ansah and developing his raw skills. With needs on the offensive line however, Johnson should develop into a very good left tackle. Johnson turned some heads at the Senior Bowl with his excellent athleticism. And while still has some work to do with his technique, he is definitely worth being selected in the Top Ten.

• Secondary Option: QB Geno Smith, West Virginia
• Third Option: DE Ezekiel Ansah, BYU

8. Buffalo- OG Jonathan Cooper, North Carolina

The Bills released QB Ryan Fitzpatrick in the offseason and signed QB Kevin Kolb in free agency, so drafting a quarterback here could make some sense. There are still too many uncertainties regarding the top-rated quarterback- Geno Smith, and none of the other quarterbacks are worth taking this high. The Bills could also gamble on DE/LB Ezekiel Ansah, but they are already developing a couple young linebackers. I think they will go for more of a sure thing by drafting Cooper. Cooper is the best all-round guard in the draft and will do a nice job replacing OG Andy Levitre.

• Secondary Option: OG Chance Warmack, Alabama
• Third Option: DE Ezekiel Ansah, BYU

9. NY Jets- DE/LB Ezekiel Ansah, BYU

The Jets have been looking for a force off the edge for a while and will be more than happy to take a chance on the raw skills of Ansah. The ceiling on Ansah’s potential is very high, but he will have to be coached up. If he plays anything like he did at the Senior Bowl however, the Jets got a steal!

• Secondary Option: DE/LB Barkevious Mingo, LSU
• Third Option: QB Geno Smith, West Virginia

10. Tennessee- DE/LB Barkevious Mingo, LSU

While the Titans could draft an offensive guard with this pick, they will instead look to get some more production from their defensive line. Tennessee would have loved Ansah to last one more pick, but they’ll satisfied bringing the more experienced Mingo in. Mingo is an undersized defensive end, but he is very quick and uses that quickness to put constant pressure on the quarterback.

• Secondary Option: OG Chance Warmack, Alabama
• Third Option: DT Star Lotulelei, Utah

11. San Diego- OG Chance Warmack, Alabama

The Chargers’ biggest needs are on the offensive line, and they will jump at the chance to take one of the top guards in the draft…especially with the top three left tackles already off the board. Warmack is a guard that is known more for his run-blocking, but he does a nice job against the pass ruch as well.

• Secondary Option: OT D.J. Fluker, Alabama
• Third Option: DT Star Lotulelei, Utah

12. Miami- OT D.J. Fluker, Alabama

This couldn’t have worked out better for the Dolphins. Last season, they drafted OT Jonathan Martin, who took over at right tackle. With OT Jake Long leaving in free agency, Miami can shifted Martin back over to his more natural position at left tackle. Fluker is a dominant run blocker at right tackle and fits in perfectly.

• Secondary Option: CB Desmond Trufant, Washington
• Third Option: WR Tavon Austin, West Virginia

13. NY Jets- QB Geno Smith, West Virginia

The Jets received this pick along with a conditional pick in next year’s draft from Tampa Bay, who received CB Darrelle Revis. With Revis gone, the Jets could and probably should grab the top cornerback left on the board with this pick. They instead like the athleticism of Smith and hope he will step up and take the starting quarterback position from QB Mark Sanchez or light enough fire under Sanchez. Either way, the Jets are preparing for another quarterback controversy.

• Secondary Option: WR Tavon Austin, West Virginia
• Third Option: CB Desmond Trufant

14. Carolina- DT Sheldon Richardson, Missouri

The Panthers could look to the defensive secondary (corner or safety) with this pick, but defensive tackle makes a little more sense here. Richardson is one of the more athletic defensive tackles in the draft and looked unblockable in some games last season. Carolina could really use a force like Richardson at defensive tackle.

• Secondary Option: DT Star Lotulelei, Utah
• Third Option: S Kenny Vaccaro, Texas

15. New Orleans- LB Jarvis Jones, Georgia

With the Saints switching to a 3-4 defense, they need a linebacker that can get pressure on the quarterback. If there is one thing Jones can do, it’s get pressure on the opposing quarterback. Jones has the talent to be a Top Ten pick, but he has a medical concern (Spinal Stenosis- a narrowing of the neck canal) that scared some teams off. Having medical clearance to play and with so much talent, the Saints might be willing to take the chance on him.

• Secondary Option: S Kenny Vaccaro, Texas
• Third Option: DE Datone Jones, UCLA

16. St. Louis- WR Tavon Austin, West Virginia

The Rams will be surprised and ecstatic that Austin is still on the board here. Wide receiver became a position of need when WR Danny Amendola signed a free agent contract with New England. When with Amendola on the team, St. Louis needed an explosive receiver for QB Sam Bradford. Austin is the explosive game-changer the Rams are looking for. The only question with him is how well he’ll hold up at 5’9”, 175-pounds.

• Secondary Option: WR Cordarrelle Patterson, Tennessee
• Third Option: S Kenny Vaccaro, Texas

17. Pittsburgh- WR Cordarrelle Patterson, Tennessee

The Steelers could look in a lot of directions with this pick. If LB Jarvis Jones had lasted two more picks, Pittsburgh might have been tempted. S Kenny Vaccaro and TE Tyler Eifert could also look good with this pick, but I think the Steelers will look to replace WR Mike Wallace with this pick. Patterson has a lot of potential and has the speed to be a deep threat for QB Ben Roethlisberger.

• Secondary Option: TE Tyler Eifert, Notre Dame
• Third Option: S Kenny Vaccaro, Texas

18. Dallas- S Kenny Vaccaro, Texas

The safety position is one of the biggest needs for the Cowboys, and they’ll jump at the chance to take the top safety in the draft. Vaccaro has the coverage skills of a cornerback, but he’ll still come up in run support and deliver a big hit. He has the ability to play either safety position or play some corner in obvious passing downs if needed.

• Secondary Option: DT Sylvester Williams, North Carolina
• Third Option: DE Bjoern Werner, Florida State

19. NY Giants- LB Alec Ogletree, Georgia

With linebacker being one of the biggest needs for the Giants, this could be the landing spot for LB Manti Te’o. After his performance in the National Championship game and his lack of speed at the Combine however, I think the Giants will go with a different linebacker. Ogletree is very good in coverage, and he has as good of sideline-to-sideline range as any linebacker in the draft. He’ll give the Giants the play-making linebacker they need.

• Secondary Option: LB Manti Te’o
• Third Option: CB D.J. Hayden, Houston

20. Chicago- LB Manti Te’o, Notre Dame

After 13 seasons with the Bears, LB Brian Urlacher has decided to move on. Chicago also lost LB Nick Roach in free agency, making the linebacker position one of need. Te’o was one of the best, if not the best linebacker in college this past season. His stock dropped some due to three events: his poor performance in the National Championship game, his slow 40-time at the Combine, and an internet hoax that doesn’t bear repeating. While replacing Urlacher will be no easy feat, I believe Te’o will be up for the challenge and will do quite well.

• Secondary Option: LB Kevin Minter, LSU
• Third Option: TE Tyler Eifert, Notre Dame

21. Cincinnati- S Jonathan Cyprien, Florida International

As the Bengals continue to try to negotiate a deal with their free agent OT Andre Smith, they could look to take the top offensive tackle on the board. Before signing LB James Harrison, outside linebacker could have been the direction Cincinnati looked with this pick. While depth is still needed at linebacker, the Bengals will look to fill their need at safety with this pick. Like S Kenny Vaccaro, Cyprien has the coverage skills and range to be a fantastic safety in the NFL. He also showed at the Senior Bowl that he has the talent to play with the top athletes.

• Secondary Option: OT Menelik Watson, Florida State
• Third Option: LB Sio Moore, Connecticut

22. St. Louis- RB Eddie Lacy, Alabama

The Rams would have had to consider Vaccaro or Cyprien had they still been on the board, but I see running back being the position to fill with this pick. With RB Steven Jackson now in Atlanta, St. Louis could use a big back to pair with RB Daryl Richardson, who played very well in his rookie season. Lacy is a dominant downhill runner, which is exactly what the Rams need to pair with the speedy Richardson.

• Secondary Option: S Matt Elam, Florida
• Third Option: OT/OG Kyle Long, Oregon

23. Minnesota- DT Sylvester Williams, North Carolina

The Vikings could look in a number of different directions with this pick. A number of potential targets are already off the board however- WRs Tavon Austin and Cordarrelle Patterson and LBs Alec Ogletree and Manti Te’o. Williams is quick for his size and does a nice job getting into the backfield. His hard-working attitude and youth will be a welcome addition to the Vikings’ aging defensive line.

• Secondary Option: CB D.J. Hayden, Houston
• Third Option: WR Keenan Allen, California

24. Indianapolis- CB Desmond Trufant, Washington

The Colts could really use an outside linebacker to play in their new 3-4 defense, but they’ll wait till the next round with the top linebackers already off the board. Instead, they’ll take the top cornerback left on the board with this pick- Desmond Trufant. Trufant is a ball-hawking corner that is excellent in coverage but does need to improve his tackling and run-support. He’ll be a nice addition to their defensive secondary.

• Secondary Option: CB D.J. Hayden, Houston
• Third Option: LB Cornelius Washington, Georgia

25. Minnesota- WR Keenan Allen, California

After trading WR Percy Harvin for this pick, the Vikings went out and signed WR Greg Jennings from the rival Packers. They still need a better 2^nd receiver than what they have now. Allen has nice size at 6’2”, 205-pounds and could easily hold his own as the top receiver if Jennings gets injured again.

• Secondary Option: WR Justin Hunter, Tennessee
• Third Option: LB Kevin Minter, LSU

26. Green Bay- S Matt Elam, Florida

The Packers would have loved to take RB Eddie Lacy here, and there are no other running backs really worth a 1^st Round pick…maybe Montee Ball. Instead they will replace Charles Woodson at safety with Elam. While not the tallest safety in the draft (5’9 ½”), Elam makes plays all over the field. That is exactly what the Packers defense can use.

• Secondary Option: RB Montee Ball, Wisconsin
• Third Option: DE Datone Jones, UCLA

27. Houston- OT Menelik Watson, Florida State

The Texans could look to add another receiving weapon for QB Matt Schaub, but I think they’ll take a receiver in the 2^nd Round. Houston could use a right tackle and with four tackles already off the board, they don’t want to miss out on someone with the talent of Watson. Watson does a nice job moving his feet to stay between the defender and the quarterback…even adjusting well to secondary moves. After giving up only one sack in his 13 games as a starter with the Seminoles, the Texans will hope he can be just as effective in the NFL.

• Secondary Option: WR Justin Hunter, Tennessee
• Third Option: WR Robert Woods, USC

28. Denver- DT Star Lotulelei, Utah

The Broncos could look to fill a need a defensive end with this pick, but they won’t be able to turn down a dominant defensive tackle like Lotulelei. Lotulelei’s stock dropped due to a medical concern regarding his heart that showed up at the Combine. Every medical check since that time has shown up as normal, which will give the Broncos just enough comfort to draft him. Lotuelei is better as a run-stuffer, but he will get some pressure on the quarterback. He will give Denver tremendous value with this pick.

• Secondary Option: DE Bjoern Werner, Florida State
• Third Option: CB D.J. Hayden, Houston

29. New England- WR Justin Hunter, Tennessee

The Patriots were unable to re-sign WR Wes Welker to a contract. They brought in WR Danny Amendola to replace him, but Amendola has had trouble staying healthy for a full season. While other receivers were also added via free agency, New England could really use a deep threat to keep opposing safeties honest. Hunter can provide just that. Hunter is a high potential receiver with the speed to stretch the field…something the Patriots haven’t really had since WR Randy Moss was in town.

• Secondary Option: DE Datone Jones, UCLA
• Third Option: CB D.J. Hayden, Houston

30. Atlanta- CB D.J. Hayden, Houston

In a division that throws the ball A LOT, cornerbacks are a MUST! Hayden can easily step into the starting lineup from Day One and is probably a steal at this point in the draft. While an offensive guard or center is also need, it makes way more sense to bring in a quality corner like Hayden and look for an offensive lineman in the 2^nd Round.

• Secondary Option: OG/OT Kyle Long, Oregon
• Third Option: OG/OT Justin Pugh, Syracuse

31. San Francisco- DE Margus Hunt, SMU

With such a good team returning, the 49ers have the luxury of being able to gamble with this pick. They need more depth along their defensive line and while Hunt is still a little raw, his potential is very high. There are other defensive ends still on the board that are more NFL-ready that could make sense as well or San Francisco could look to replace S Dashon Goldson, but I think they’ll gamble on the potential of Hunt.

• Secondary Option: DE Datone Jones, UCLA
• Third Option:S Eric Reid, LSU

32. Baltimore- S Eric Reid, LSU

No team was hit harder in free agency and with retirements than the Ravens. Baltimore lost a number of starters from their defense, so you can expect that many of their draft selections will be on the defensive side of the ball. After losing both of their starting safeties in free agency, the Ravens will bring in another “Reed”- Eric Reid. Reid was a big-time player in the secondary for LSU and has enough talent to adequately fill the shoes of the departed Reed.

• Secondary Option: LB Kevin Minter, LSU
• Third Option: LB Cornelius Washington, Georgia

Michigan's Trey Burke Wins Wooden Award...Could NCAA Champion Be Next?

While becoming the NCAA Player of the Year in just his sophomore season, PG Trey Burke has also helped lead Michigan to their first Final Four since 1993.If Michigan point guard Trey Burke had a checklist of his individual goals, it might look like this: Mr. Basketball of Ohio…CHECK, Big Ten Freshman of the Year…CHECK, Big Ten Player of the Year…CHECK, First-Team All-American…CHECK, NCAA Tournament Regional MVP…CHECK. After averaging 18.8 points and 6.8 assists per game this season, Burke can now add another CHECK...next to the John R. Wooden Award winner. Not a bad list for the sophomore who has led the Michigan Wolverines to the first Final Four since 1993. Just as he did to win the Big Ten Player of the Year honors, Burke just edged out Indiana guard Victor Oladipo (2,808 votes to 2,718) to win the Wooden Award. Also on the list were Creighton’s Doug McDermott (2,344 votes), Georgetown’s Otto Porter (2,144), and Gonzaga’s Kelly Olynyk (2,079). Should Burke be able to turn in a couple more good performances, he could also add NCAA Champion and NCAA Tournament MVP to his list of accomplishments. Soon enough he should also be able to put yet another CHECK on his list of goals…NBA Lottery pick. (Picture from Google Images)

With the Fifth Pick, Which Position Do the Lions Need to Address First?

The NFL Draft is less than a month away. With the 5^th pick in the draft, the Detroit Lions could look in a few different directions to fill one of their many glaring holes. On the offensive side of the ball, the Lions lost OT Jeff Backus to retirement and OT Gosder Cherilus in free agency. Detroit also released OG Stephen Peterman to create a little more space under the salary cap. That makes three starting offensive line positions that need to be filled. 2012 1^st Round pick Riley Reiff will fill one of those three positions…which position is still to be determined. The Lions also have Jason Fox and Corey Hilliard on their roster as offensive tackles, which could fill one or both the openings at that position. At offensive guard, Rodney Austin, Dylan Gandy, and Bill Nagy are currently on the roster to potentially fill that opening. Another option would be to look at drafting an offensive lineman with the 5^th pick. Eric Fisher of Central Michigan and Luke Joeckel of Texas A&M are the top two offensive tackles in the draft and are both expected to be selected in the first ten picks. A little bit of a reach would be to select from the next tier of offensive tackles - Lane Johnson of Oklahoma, D.J. Fluker of Alabama, or Menelik Watson of Florida State. While there are talented players at offensive guard worthy of going in the 1^st Round (Jonathan Cooper of North Carolina, Chance Warmack of Alabama, or even Justin Pugh of Syracuse), I don’t think any of them should be in consideration with the 5^th pick.

Once considered a position of strength for the Lions, now the defensive end position is one that needs some immediate attention. The Lions released Kyle Vanden Bosch this offseason for the cap space and then lost Cliff Avril in free agency. Detroit may have filled one of the openings when they signed Jason Jones from Seattle in free agency, but they still need another starter. The other three defensive ends on the roster are Ronnell Lewis, Jimmy Saddler-McQueen, and Willie Young. Of those three, Young is the only one with any playing experience. There have been some rumblings about DE Dwight Freeney being interested in possibly signing a free agent contract with Detroit, but that would only be a short term fix. The Lions will definitely select a defensive end in the draft. There are a couple players at the position that could make sense with the 5^th pick- Ezekiel “Ziggy” Ansah of Brigham Young and Dion Jordan of Oregon. The biggest issue with Jordan is that he is a little undersized for the defensive end position at nearly 250-pounds and would probably be a better fit as an outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme. Ansah is a little raw due to his lack of playing experience (didn’t start playing football until 2010 after coming to the U.S. from Ghana), but he has the size, speed, athleticism, and talent to develop into an outstanding defensive end. It wouldn’t hurt that Ansah would be playing next to DT Ndamukong Suh or DT Nick Fairley either, which makes the selection even more enticing.

Even after selecting three cornerbacks in last year’s draft, the position continues to be a weakness on the Lions’ roster. The position could have even been a bigger priority had the Lions not re-signed CB Chris Houston, their top corner for the past few years. Bill Bentley (3^rd Round pick) started opposite Houston before a shoulder injury ended his season after just four games. Chris Greenwood (5^th Round pick) spent the entire season on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list. Jonte Green (6^th Round pick) played in parts of 15 games for the Lions and showed some promise. If Bentley and Greenwood can stay healthy and Green can build on his experience from last season, the position could have some decent depth. The area of concern is the starting spot opposite Houston. The only cornerback in the draft worth taking with the 5^th pick would be Dee Milliner of Alabama. Milliner is not a shutdown corner by any means, but he is solid. At 6’1”, 200-pounds, he has the size to stand up well against bigger receivers. He also has nice speed to stay with the fast, deep-threat receivers. In the two years he played at Alabama, Milliner only had 4 interceptions (2 INTs each year).

If I had to make the selection for the Lions, I don’t think you can go wrong by drafting Ziggy Ansah. The fact that he is a prospect already good enough to be considered with a Top 5 pick after only playing football for two years is amazing. Even more incredible is that he can still get better! Then consider Detroit’s defensive philosophy of only wanting to use the front four to put pressure on the opposing quarterback…who better to draft than a guy that already creates havoc with his relentless approach and that will only get better with time and experience? Should Ansah already be off the board by the 5^th pick, which is a possibility, I would switch my focus to offense. A quarterback needs time to throw and running backs need a hole to run through. I think Reiff will make a much better right tackle than a left tackle, and Detroit needs someone to protect Stafford’s blindside. While Fox could still develop into a nice left tackle, he’s not there yet and Hilliard is also more of a right tackle. I think either Joeckel or Fisher will be drafted by Kansas City with the 1^st overall pick to protect their new quarterback, Alex Smith. It would be wise for Detroit to select whichever one is left if Ansah is also off the board. If all three of those players are off the board, the Lions better run up to the podium to grab Milliner before he somehow disappears. While Milliner is not a shutdown corner, he would be an upgrade over every corner currently on the Lions roster whose last name is not Houston. And playing in the NFC North, having good corners is somewhat of a must. The only reason that I didn’t value Milliner higher than the other three players is that the cornerback class is fairly deep this year. I think the Lions could still get a quality starter in the 2^nd or 3^rd Round. And if Detroit doesn’t find what they're looking for in the draft, there are some quality players still on the free agent market. If someone all four of those players get taken before Detroit’s picks, I really hope some team will be chomping at the bit to move up and select DE/LB Dion Jordan or another player. If not, the Lions could look at taking Jordan, maybe reach a little by taking OT Lane Johnson, or take a flyer on the talented, but injury-concerned LB Jarvis Jones. (Picture from Google Images)

Red Wings Land Coveted College Free Agent Defenseman:

Western Michigan defenseman Danny DeKeyser decided to play for the hometown Red Wings and signed a 2-year entry level contract.After a week of listening to the pitches of each team interested in his services, Western Michigan D Danny DeKeyser made his decision. DeKeyser, a native of metro Detroit, decided that the hometown Detroit Red Wings were the best fit for him. After missing out on prize free agent defenseman Ryan Suter and another prized college free agent defenseman- Justin Schultz, the Red Wings have to be ecstatic about landing DeKeyser. The Red Wings were always considered the frontrunners due to their many connections with the young defenseman- being a Detroit native, playing midget hockey with the son of Assistant GM Jim Nill, and having been coached at one point by the Grand Rapids Griffins coach Jeff Blashill (the minor league affiliate of the Red Wings). There were especially three reasons why so many teams were interested in signing DeKeyser- he has pro size at 6’3” 198-pounds, his skills are NHL ready, and he could only sign the maximum entry-level contract. And while he will need some practice time to catch up and get acquainted with his new teammates, expect to see DeKeyser on the ice very some for the Red Wings. (Picture from MLive)