Catfish's final mock:

[Catfish]

This is mine for 2013:

#7. Chance Warmack, OG, Alabama. Anchors our OL for the nest 10 years or so.

#38. Matt Elam, SS, Florida. Athletic, Instinctive, Physical, Makes big plays at critical points in the game.

#69. Phillip Thomas, FS, Fresno St. Top closing speed. Reliable ball skills w/soft hands. Big hitter with wrap-up technique.

#103 Travis Kelce, TE, Cincinnatti, Balanced athlete. Strong hands-catcher with speed to stretch the middle. Plays with a mean streak.

#140 Kenjon Barner, RB, Oregon, A threat to score on any carry.

#174 Erik Martin, OLB, Nebraska, A young prospect. The most consistent defender on the Husker's 2012 defense. Had 16.5 tackles for loss, and 8.5 sacks. A Strong team-first player.

#219 Ace Sanders, WR, S. Carolina, Has explosive initial acceleration. Excellent start-stop quickness and lateral agility making him extremely dangerous ----- a nightmare to tackle in the open field.

 

[Solar7]

I don't know about drafting two safeties, but I would come out of this draft very happy if those were the results.

 

[az jam]

I like the draft except for taking safeties on rounds 2 & 3. I would see them taking QB Mike Glennon on round 3 as I think he will slip.

 

[GatorAZ]

I like the first two picks but would like another OL in the 3rd...

 

[ndhillst]

Personally I think we need to go OLB earlier than #174 if the talent is there at an earlier round.

 

[WildBB]

I don't know about drafting two safeties, but I would come out of this draft very happy if those were the results.

That's what I was thinking, not really gonna happen but if it did those are two really good prospects. Saftey is pretty deep in the draft this year along with a few other positions.

Nice find on Eric Martin - Nebraska. I haven't heard about him much at all on here or anywhere really.

 

[Bodha]

Its either or with Elam and Thomas. You cant have both. Both will be gone in the 2nd round.

 

[NashDishesDimes]

I like it, im just afraid Bowles wont have the scheming that Horton did and the pass rush will take a huge step back. I think Cards are going to need a good OLB to compensate...

 

[RugbyMuffin]

Thanks for posting.

That is a solid mock.

 

[Catfish]

I don't know about drafting two safeties, but I would come out of this draft very happy if those were the results.

Since this draft was deep in safeties, I chose to try to find eventual replacements for Rhodes and Wilson. Elam can walk up into the box, and still cover deep. Thomas looks to make an ideal center fielder. This was where our defense took the biggest hit when Keim/BA cleared cap space, so I tried to make the recovery as best I could.

 

[Catfish]

I like it, im just afraid Bowles wont have the scheming that Horton did and the pass rush will take a huge step back. I think Cards are going to need a good OLB to compensate...

By taking the safeties when I did, I missed out on elite pass rushers. I found Martin later, and though he is raw, having played OLB only his senior year, he only seems to lack technique to get better. He is already pretty solid as you can see from the stats last year in a good program. The kid is a work-out freak, and a guy who will also take every opportunity to learn. (We have the staff to provide that). He is a consummate team-player and will do whatever it is that you need without hesitation. He may turn out to be a steal in this draft.

 

[Catfish]

I like the first two picks but would like another OL in the 3rd...

I would like that too, but we took such a big hit at safety, that I couldn't pass Elam and Thomas by as replacements for Rhodes and Wilson. I did add TE Kelse, and with the way BA will use TE's, he will be like an additional lineman, (just one who can also catch the ball). He will add some of that meanness that we lost when Whiz benched Lutui, and paired with Warmack, will bring a considerable amount of this to our pitiful OL. I believe that, (like they did when Lutui was feelin' it), the other linemen will feed off Warmack and Kelce, and establish some much needed toughness to our OL. I believe that they might also inspire Snyder to work hard enough to replace Sendlein at center. (He did a very good job there late in 2012, and might be a decent replacement in the middle next to Warmack.) I believe that Warmack and Snyder could keep the pocket from collapsing in the middle, (as Sendlein was wont to do), and keep a safe place for Palmer to step up into when the outside rush comes. We have lacked that with Sendlein at Center.

 

[Catfish]

With Barner, and Sanders, I tried to provide some punch to the offense. Both are home-run hitters who can score on any catch or carry. Both could help special teams as well. Granted, Barner is just a change of pace back, and is not likely to become a starter at this level, but he does bring 'lightning in a bottle' to the offense, as does Sanders. Both are very dangerous with the ball in their hands.

 

[Chopper0080]

I like that you tried to improve specific positions and didn't get sidetracked by our many needs. Personally I prefer different players and positions, but I liek that you focused on improving the offensive line early, and then added offensive weapons later in Kelce, Barner and Sanders. These players provide our offense with players that do different things than the personnel that we currently have do.

I also like that you focused on upgrading the S position early and often in a strong S class. I would prefer to upgrade at OLB and OL, but you saw a need, saw good players and used those to improve a specific unit.

Lastly, I think you might have been a bit generous with Thomas and Kelce making it to the 3rd and 4th rounds, but it is very hard to project that far in the draft and those players do have a chance of being available, so it is not a huge issue for me.

 

[crisper57]

I refuse to look at any Catfish mock that doesn't include Manti T'eo.

Ba-dump-bump.

 

[jjjcardsfan85]

That would be a solid draft. I could definitely live with that!