Omar’s 2 Round 2013 NFL Mock Draft updated 02/04/13
1) Kansas City Chiefs – Geno Smith QB, West Virginia
The Chiefs cannot go in a different direction here. They need a quarterback and the must take one with the first pick in the draft. This quarterback class is a mess as no one has been able to establish himself as an elite prospect or even a top ten player in terms of talent. Despite his recent struggles Geno Smith has probably been the best out of the bunch, though that is not saying a lot. Regardless of this quarterback class’ weakness, the Chiefs have no other options; they cannot keep showing up with Matt Cassel or Brady Quinn as their starter.
Despite his mid-season struggles, Geno Smith is the top quarterback in this class right now. He is a good athlete with a nice arm, but what stand outs of Smith’s game is his incredible pocket presence. He rarely gets nervous inside the pocket and has a great awareness to avoid sacks and get rid of the ball quickly. Whether or not Smith is an elite athlete remains to be seen, so if he shows well at the combine—especially in the non-passing drills—, he could consolidate his spot as the top quarterback in this class. If not, however, he could easily be beaten by other prospects and fall on draft day.
2) Jacksonville Jaguars – Damontre Moore, DE, Texas A&M
Chad Henne has been serviceable since he replaced Blaine Gabbert , so I cannot imagine this pick being a quarterback, especially considering that any quarterback at this point would be a major reach. Instead, the Jaguars can take a much needed pass-rusher to shore up what used to be a really solid defensive unit. The Jaguars have no pass-rush whatsoever as Jeremy Mincey has been terrible this season and Andre Branch has shown nothing to prove he should be a starter in this league. Damontre Moore has had a monstrous campaign for the Aggies making hard for anyone to disagree he is the top pass-rusher in this class—though I do not like him as much as others do.
Moore is one of the most athletic pass rushers in this class and has an extremely good first step to beat blockers. He had a monster game against LSU absolutely dominating Josh Dworaczyk and creating as much havoc as he wanted in LSU’s backfield. Damontre Moore finished the season tied for third in sacks with 12.5, but what is more important is that he performed excellent against top-offensive lines while still taking advantage of the weak ones. A consistently disruptive pass-rusher is a hard thing to find in college football, and that is what Damontre Moore is.
3) Oakland Raiders: Star Lotulelei, DT, Utah
The Oakland Raiders could very well lose their top two defensive players this year. With that being said they could decide to go defensive tackle early in the draft or wait until the 2nd round as there is depth in this draft class. Star Lotulelei is the best DT in this 2013 NFL Mock Draft (analysis by Hunter).
4) Philadelphia Eagles: Luke Joeckel, OT, Texas A&M
Philadelphia’s mess of season was largely caused by injuries and awful performances on the offensive line. Demetress Bell and King Dunlap have been pathetic at left tackle for the Eagles, and if they want whoever their quarterback is next season to succeed, they need to make sure he is well protected. Luke Joeckel has been nearly perfect this season and has turned himself into an elite prospect for next year’s draft. He would give the Eagles an stud pass protector and a more than decent run blocker. It would be an upset if Joeckel does not become one of the best tackle in the NFL early in his career.
When thinking of elite offensive tackle prospects, one immediately thinks of Joe Thomas, Jake Long, and Matt Kalil. Well, Joeckel belongs to that group, and even though he is not as dominant in the run-block as those guys were as prospects, he is arguably more polished in pass protection. If you have not watched Joeckel’s tape against LSU stud defensive ends, go and do it. His technique and leverage are incredible. He completely dominated every pass rusher he faced this season shutting down even the sternest competition. Joeckel needs to gain a little more weight to become a better run-blocker, but that should be no problem (Matt Kalil did the same last year.
5) Detroit Lions: Bjoern Werner, DE, Florida State
If you are looking for the worst defensive starter in football, Kyle Vanden Bosch should be one of your strongest candidates. He gets completely dominated by even the most mediocre left tackles. Besides, Detroit could also loose Cliff Avril this offseason, so a pass rusher will be a big need for the Lions. Fortunately, this is a strong class to find a pass rusher, and the best available at this moment is Bojern Werner. In fact, he is probably the best in the whole class. I am higher on Werner than most, so I totally love this pick for the Browns. Some might think this is too early for him, but I completely disagree.
While Bjoern Werner is not an elite athlete at the position, there is no defensive end with better technique and football IQ from the defensive end position than the Florida State product. He is an all-around defensive end who can get to the quarterback and be effective against the run. Werners has shown during his outstanding career with the Seminoles that he can handle any kind of offensive tackles with his superb technique. Werner reminds me a lot of Chris Long with the Rams, and if used correctly, he could be one of the most dominant defensive end is the NFL sooner rather than later.