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After the first round of the playoffs have been completed, the draft order is slowly coming together. BGN's Mike Kaye and Josh Collacchi examine the draft order as is at this instant. A lot will change by May, but the possibilities will likely remain the same. Most teams have similar draft needs, and this will show what the draft may bring.
Spoiler alert: The Eagles select 22nd, and no, it is not Johnny Football.
| Team | Selection | School | Expert | Comment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Houston Texans | QB Teddy Bridgewater | Louisville | Mike | It is easy to go with Clowney here, but with an offensive mind like Bill O'Brien coming in, he is going to want to have his quarterback. It is really that simple. |
| 2 | St. Louis Rams (via WSH) | OT Jake Matthews | Texas A&M | Josh | Despite the best player on the board being Clowney, the Rams already have two very good defensive ends. Matthews is one of the best players in college football, and will be a good anchor for a long time. |
| 3 | Jacksonville Jaguars | DE/OLB Jadeveon Clowney | South Carolina | Mike | The Jaguars have needed a solid pass rusher for longer than they have needed a starting quarterback. Clowney can serve as the face of the franchise and is considered as close to a sure thing as you will find in this draft. |
| 4 | Cleveland Browns | QB Derek Carr | Fresno State | Josh | Whoever the new coach is in Cleveland, whether it be Ken Whisenhunt or someone else, the Browns need a quarterback. With Bridgewater gone, Derek Carr is the best available and is a great fit for Josh Gordon and Jordan Cameron. |
| 5 | Oakland Raiders | QB Blake Bortles | Central Florida | Mike | The Raiders have failed to settle on a quality quarterback since Rich Gannon and it has been the main reason for their lack of success. While Bortles is probably not worth this pick, the quarterbacks are dwindling with first-round talent. Offensive coordinator Greg Olsen is a former QBs coach and he will be good for Bortles development. |
| 6 | Atlanta Falcons | OLB Khalil Mack | Buffalo | Josh | Khalil Mack is the best defensive player not named Clowney in this draft, and has no real weaknesses. Mack will be a great add to a Falcons defense who has not been able to stop anyone. Look for Mack to be used in a Von Miller role where he can rush the passer, but also drops in coverage at times too. |
| 7 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | DE Kony Ealy | Missouri | Mike | The Buccaneers absolutely need a pass rusher. Da'Quan Bowers has been a bust and they have been starting Daniel Te'o-Nesheim on the opposite side. With the Cover 2 serving as the basis for the Bucs defense, they need to have more power in their pressure department. |
| 8 | Minnesota Vikings | QB Johnny Manziel | Texas A&M | Josh | Johnny Football may be the most talked about draft prospect of all time, and the hype hasn't even breached the surface yet. The Vikings get a mobile quarterback who can run around and make throws down the field. Sound familiar? |
| 9 | Buffalo Bills | WR Sammy Watkins | Clemson | Mike | Watkins is a solid wide receiver talent, and with the Bills possibly cutting Stevie Johnson, it will give Robert Woods a reliable starter across from him. Watkins is a versatile player that will open up the Bills offense for E.J. Manuel. |
| 10 | Detroit Lions | CB Darqueze Dennard | Michigan State | Josh | The Lions have a need at the wide receiver position, but seeing as this is one of the deepest classes at the position, the Lions get the top corner in this draft. Dennard can do everything on the field, and is an excellent fit for the Lions secondary. He will not be a combine star, but Dennard is a very good football player. |
| 11 | Tennessee Titans | ILB C.J. Mosley | Alabama | Mike | The middle linebacker position has been a back-and-forth between marginal talent like Moise Fokou and Colin McCarthy. Mosley will serve as a general of the Titans defense for the next 8-10 years. |
| 12 | New York Giants | OT Greg Robinson | Auburn | Josh | Robinson is an excellent run blocker, and is a mammoth of a himan being, and the Giants need just that. Eli Manning is at his best when the run game is working, and Robinson will be able to provide that. There is not much tape on his pass protection, but he fared well in the national championship in that department against a great Florida State defense. |
| 13 | St. Louis Rams | CB Jason Verrett | TCU | Mike | The Rams are likely to move on from Cortland Finnegan after an awful year and with the lack of guaranteed money in his deal. Verrett is younger and much more talented than Finnegan has been really. He and Janoris Jenkins could be a tandem for a long time. |
| 14 | Chicago Bears | DT RaShede Hageman | Minnesota | Josh | The Bears need help on defense, and it starts in the trenches. Hageman will be a big difference maker right away as he uses his huge frame to his advantage. Some compare him to Cardinals' defensive lineman Calais Campbell, and although that may be unfair to Hageman, it certainly shows his ability. |
| 15 | Pittsburgh Steelers | DE Stephon Tuitt | Notre Dame | Mike | The Steelers need youth on their defensive front and Tuitt is their type of player. He is a mammoth man that can get pressure but is also solid against the run. |
| 16 | Baltimore Ravens | WR Mike Evans | Texas A&M | Josh | Joe Flacco struggled mightily this season without having a target he can throw jump balls to. Mike Evans is a monster of an offensive weapon, and can win at the point of the catch. Evans is young, but his potential and size is too much to pass on for the Ravens at 16. |
| 17 | Dallas Cowboys | CB Justin Gilbert | Oklahoma State | Mike | The Cowboys secondary is just awful and while injuries don't help, they could move on from Brandon Carr and eventually Morris Claiborne, who have been busts since being acquired. Gilbert can play and is a solid prospect for the Cowboys as the Eagles continue to build more firepower on offense. |
| 18 | New York Jets | WR Kelvin Benjamin | Florida State | Josh | Kelvin Benjamin is nearly impossible to cover. At 6'5 and over 230 pounds, he uses his frame perfectly. Not to mention his ability in the red zone is second to none. A sure number one receiver for the New York Jets. Benjamin would be a top 15 pick if he was not 23 years old already. |
| 19 | Miami Dolphins | OT Cyrus Kouandjio | Alabama | Mike | The Dolphins clearly have issues at left tackle, right tackle and pretty much everywhere on their offensive line that isn't manned by Mike Pouncey. Kouandjio is the best remaining tackle and will have to fill in right away. |
| 20 | Arizona Cardinals | OLB Anthony Barr | UCLA | Josh | Barr is as raw as prospects come, but with good coaching and his continued progression, he can be a very good player. With the talent around him, Barr could be a steal at 20 for Arizona. |
| 21 | Green Bay Packers | TE Eric Ebron | North Carolina | Mike | Wow! How did he last this long? This will open up the Packers offense even more and he has Jimmy Graham like talent. Ebron will be an elite tight end in this league. |
| 22 | Philadelphia Eagles | OLB Vic Beasley | Clemson | Josh | Vic Beasley is one of the better pass rushers in this draft. Other than Clowney, He has the best first step in this class, and always seems to be the first one moving on the field. This is a huge trait, and the Eagles need a consistent pass rusher. Safety is a need here as well, but a good one can be had in the second round. |
| 23 | Kansas City Chiefs | LB Ryan Shazier | Ohio State | Mike | This pick is out of the norm for Andy Reid, but the Chiefs really struggled down the stretch when they realized they didn't have another inside linebacker next to Derrick Johnson. The injuries to Tamba Hali and Justin Houston didn't help either. Shazier is talented and can be used in coverage and on inside blitzes. |
| 24 | Cincinnati Bengals | CB Bradley Roby | Ohio State | Josh | With the injuries the Bengals had at corner this season, and with Dre Kirkpatrick not being the player the Bengals thought, Bradley Roby becomes a target here. Roby has struggled at times, but has great athleticism and can be a good player with good coaching, which the Bengals have on the defensive side. |
| 25 | San Diego Chargers | OT Cameron Erving | Florida State | Mike | There is only so long you can go with King Dunlap as your left tackle. Erving has been stellar for Jameis Winston, so he definitely can block for Philip Rivers, who is enjoying a career revival. |
| 26 | New Orleans Saints | OL Zach Martin | Notre Dame | Josh | Martin can play four positions along the offensive line, and the Saints may need him to do so. Martin lacks "ideal" size to be a tackle, but he is very good at doing his job, as shown in the Irish's bowl game. Expect him to start right away. |
| 27 | Cleveland Browns (via IND) | WR Brandin Cooks | Oregon State | Mike | Cooks is a versatile wide receiver with the ability to play the slot, the outside and return kicks and punts. He will be a great compliment to breakout star Josh Gordon and newly-drafted passer Derek Carr. |
| 28 | San Francisco 49ers | WR Jordan Matthews | Vanderbilt | Josh | The Niners need another big bodied receiver with Boldin being a free agent. Jordan Matthews is ready to play in the NFL right now as he has no real weaknesses. He can catch, run after the catch, block, and is a perfect fit in San Francisco. |
| 29 | New England Patriots | WR Allen Robinson | Penn State | Mike | A Bill O'Brien product going to a Bill Belichick-coached team just seems right. Robinson is a solid receiver that will give Tom Brady more options on the field. Julian Edelman could leave in free agency and Danny Amendola has been an injured mess since joining the Patriots |
| 30 | Carolina Panthers | WR Marqise Lee | USC | Josh | Lee has been listed as high as a top five pick early in the season, but poor quarterback play and his injury history has led him to fall. Lee is still a very good player, and can be an immediate starter in Carolina. He will soon be Cam Newton's favorite target. |
| 31 | Denver Broncos | C Travis Swanson | Arkansas | Mike | After a revolving door at center this season, Peyton Manning can finally have a guy that he can depend on. |
| 32 | Seattle Seahawks | OG Cyril Richardson | Baylor | Josh | Richardson is the best pure guard in the draft, and it is not close. He is a huge individual and is a dominant run-blocker. Richardson will be an immediate starter, and a pro bowler in a few seasons. The rich get richer, and the Seahawks offense gets a great player. |
