First Mock

[Ohcrap75]

The one position I failed to fill is QB. After watching the success Dallas has had this season I would like to shore up everything around the QB and bring in a young one next year. There are a handful of players that I love in this draft and fill a position of need, but if they are gone at 13, I would like to accumulate as many picks as possible because of a very deep class. That said in this scenario we trade back into early twenties for additional 3rd and 5th Round picks.

1(23). CB Tabor, Conley, Lattimore, Q. Wilson- One will be there.

2(13). DE Demarcus Walker FSU- Extremely explosive off the line. Lives in the backfield

3(13). C Pat Elflein Ohio St

3(23). LB Anthony Walker Northwestern- Very active, smart and can cover

4(13). OG Dorian Johnson Pitt- Performed very well on tape vs Elite competition

5(13). WR Travin Dural LSU- Didn't get a chance to show his elite speed at LSU. Good blocker too!

5(23). RB James Connor Pitt- Physical back that ease DJ's load

6(13). WR/PR Isaiah Mckenzie Georgia- Elite returner and possible replacement if Smokey leaves

7(13). TE Derrick Griffin Texas Southern- Jimmy Graham level physically, but just as raw out of college

 

[Bodha]

The D Walker pick is excellent. I also like Anthony Walker.


I do not like the trade back in the 1st round. You went too far, and the elite players will be gone. Wilson and Conley will 100% not be there. At that point you are looking at the 3rd or 4th best CB in the draft? You couldve had the #1 CB in the draft at #13. Trading back in that situation is greedy and the value drop was huge.

Id be OK if we slide back 3 spots, because maybe then we get the #2 CB Conley. But down to #23 is way too far. And that should get you a 2nd rounder for a drop like that, not just a 3rd and 5th.

 

[Mitch]

I think your choices are excellent, O-75. But, if the Cardinals re-sign Marcus Cooper as they have said they want to do, there is no way they are taking a CB in Round 1 and quite possibly won't take one in the draft at all with the young depth they are currently developing and with Tyrann Mathieu and Justin Bethel covering the slot.

If that happens to be the case, I'd like to see your mock without taking a CB.

 

[Ohcrap75]

So if we dropped back a few spots for a third rounder and took WR C Davis would that satisfy both of you?

 

[Harry]

I don't think Walker fits in a 3-4 line. He lacks strength to hold the edge in tight or move a guard. He's better in a 4-3 where he can use his quickness to penetrate. Great energy though. The kind of attitude that fits any team. Tabor is surely gone by 23, but I'm okay with moving down to 18 or so if Williams is gone by 13. You're way low on Johnson's trade chart only getting a 3 & a 5 for your move. I don't agree with the thinking that the current CBs are adequate. Bethel did improve after BA insulted him. Cooper is a decent backup, but no more. There will be good corners in round 2 and maybe a couple of good WRs.

 

[Ohcrap75]

Just watched some more tape of Anthony Walker. Brutal... Scratch that pick.

 

[Ohcrap75]

I don't think Walker fits in a 3-4 line. He lacks strength to hold the edge in tight or move a guard. He's better in a 4-3 where he can use his quickness to penetrate. Great energy though. The kind of attitude that fits any team. Tabor is surely gone by 23, but I'm okay with moving down to 18 or so if Williams is gone by 13. You're way low on Johnson's trade chart only getting a 3 & a 5 for your move. I don't agree with the thinking that the current CBs are adequate. Bethel did improve after BA insulted him. Cooper is a decent backup, but no more. There will be good corners in round 2 and maybe a couple of good WRs.

Curious if you thought A Donald was a fit for a 3-4 coming out?

 

[oaken1]

I don't think Walker fits in a 3-4 line. He lacks strength to hold the edge in tight or move a guard. He's better in a 4-3 where he can use his quickness to penetrate. Great energy though. The kind of attitude that fits any team. Tabor is surely gone by 23, but I'm okay with moving down to 18 or so if Williams is gone by 13. You're way low on Johnson's trade chart only getting a 3 & a 5 for your move. I don't agree with the thinking that the current CBs are adequate. Bethel did improve after BA insulted him. Cooper is a decent backup, but no more. There will be good corners in round 2 and maybe a couple of good WRs.

I would love to see us pick up Kevin King from Washington.... he is a senior.....6'3"...so he has experience as well as the length that BA and SK claim to covet

 

[Ohcrap75]

I would love to see us pick up Kevin King from Washington.... he is a senior.....6'3"...so he has experience as well as the length that BA and SK claim to covet

If we could get him or a similar player Rasul Douglass from WV in the 3rd or 4th that would be great.

 

[oaken1]

If we could get him or a similar player Rasul Douglass from WV in the 3rd or 4th that would be great.

I was thinking 3rd for King... but I have a feeling he is going to creep up into the 2nd before the draft gets here.

 

[Cards Czar]

You also need to add the Comp pick we will get at the end of the 5th round.

 

[Harry]

Curious if you thought A Donald was a fit for a 3-4 coming out?

Wow! What an interesting question. Most, including me, saw him better in a 4-3. Still his 35 reps in the combine (avg DT 28) and agility in the cone drill said he might work inside. Of course at that combine time he was the fastest DT ever. After his terrible Senior Bowl some even had him in the 4th round. I don't think anyone ever improve their draft position more from the combine. This performance stamped him as such a great athlete he could likely play any where he wanted.

 

[juza76]

Wow! What an interesting question. Most, including me, saw him better in a 4-3. Still his 35 reps in the combine (avg DT 28) and agility in the cone drill said he might work inside. Of course at that combine time he was the fastest DT ever. After his terrible Senior Bowl some even had him in the 4th round. I don't think anyone ever improve their draft position more from the combine. This performance stamped him as such a great athlete he could likely play any where he wanted.

I dont know if u are serious but
Donald was unstoppable in that senior bowl week

 

[iRobot]

1st round pick:
Shouldn't be CB. We have Peterson as #1 CB, and I had a discussion with some draftniks who are #BirdGang and they make a good point.. no reason to heavily invest first round picks at the same position plus this draft is deep at CB. You need a #2 corner that has the ceiling to be #1 eventually.

Could be WR. Your stud WR is likely retiring in the next few years. Mike Williams or John Ross would be nice additions. That being said, I believe Arians likes WRs in later rounds and thinks they fill in fine. Over his tenure as OC in Pittsburgh, he really didn't take WRs before the 2nd round and typically 3rd or later rounds.

Likely will be QB, LB, DL or Safety. And likely in that order. I don't know who they have ranked high etc. etc. but I believe they're going to pull the trigger on whomever they do rate highest, in this order, when they pick. Offseason and free agency can change things but they have no starter ILB besides $LB Drone. They have a need at DE/DT, and a clear need at SS without Jefferson and Swearinger.

 

[Harry]

I dont know if u are serious but
Donald was unstoppable in that Senior Bowl week

You are correct. I had to look at my notes and the issue was not the Senior Bowl, but rather the aptly named Pizza Bowl. Playing Bowling Green, Donald was expected to dominate. It was a chippy game with several fights. Donald got a sack or 2 but often looked disinterested. It was likely his worst game of the year. Going in most had him in round 2. Afterwards some people dropped him as I recall. As far as the Senior Bowl his performance in the game and the prep week were both outstanding. Combining that with his dominant combine was what rocketed him to the 13th pick.

 

[Ohcrap75]

Wow! What an interesting question. Most, including me, saw him better in a 4-3. Still his 35 reps in the combine (avg DT 28) and agility in the cone drill said he might work inside. Of course at that combine time he was the fastest DT ever. After his terrible Senior Bowl some even had him in the 4th round. I don't think anyone ever improve their draft position more from the combine. This performance stamped him as such a great athlete he could likely play any where he wanted.

The reason I brought him up is that I watch a lot of tape on prospects on www.draftbreakdown.com and to this day A. Donald had the most impressive get off I have seen. Most analysts were so preoccupied by his weight and his position that they undervalued him. I'm not saying Walker is the same player, but he has the same rare explosion off the line and best since the year Donald came out. I mostly want players that fall into certain prototypes, but special traits allow outliers to succeed. The predraft process will be very interesting for him. His weight and strength numbers especially!

 

[Ohcrap75]

1st round pick:
Shouldn't be CB. We have Peterson as #1 CB, and I had a discussion with some draftniks who are #BirdGang and they make a good point.. no reason to heavily invest first round picks at the same position plus this draft is deep at CB. You need a #2 corner that has the ceiling to be #1 eventually.

Could be WR. Your stud WR is likely retiring in the next few years. Mike Williams or John Ross would be nice additions. That being said, I believe Arians likes WRs in later rounds and thinks they fill in fine. Over his tenure as OC in Pittsburgh, he really didn't take WRs before the 2nd round and typically 3rd or later rounds.

Likely will be QB, LB, DL or Safety. And likely in that order. I don't know who they have ranked high etc. etc. but I believe they're going to pull the trigger on whomever they do rate highest, in this order, when they pick. Offseason and free agency can change things but they have no starter ILB besides $LB Drone. They have a need at DE/DT, and a clear need at SS without Jefferson and Swearinger.

I would just like to mention that I actually based my first round off of GatorHators scenario posted a couple days ago (Great job GH!). If R Foster, M Williams, M Hooker or M Trubisky are available they would be the pick for me, but I based this off the assumption that they were not.

 

[Ohcrap75]

You also need to add the Comp pick we will get at the end of the 5th round.

I know they always add this pick on fanspeak. Is it official? Thanks Cards Czar!

 

[Chopper0080]

If Dorian Johnson is available in the 3rd round, you grab him there. That would lock up the RG spot for 10 years.