JACKSONVILLE – Twenty-four days and counting …
That's the time remaining until the 2014 NFL Draft. That's less than four weeks and because there hasn't yet been a jaguars.com mock draft this offseason, that must mean it's time:
Jaguars.com 2014 NFL Mock Draft, version 1.0.
That's all it is at this point – version 1.0 – which means there will be a few more versions before the May 8-10 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. A lot will change between now and then, but this is the version as of now.
It's based on Pro Days, combine, last season, what's in the wind, etc. …
Mostly, it's based on speculation, conjecture and trying to read as many conflicting tea leaves as you can imagine. Because all pre-draft periods are full of uncertainty, it's not fair to say this year's is the most unreadable draft in recent memory, but it is fair to say it's isn't far off.
As often is the case, much of the drama and uncertainty centers on the quarterback position, with three quarterbacks – Johnny Manziel of Texas A&M, Teddy Bridgewater of Louisville and Blake Bortles of Central Florida – the most widely discussed prospects at the position this year.
That's where the uncertainty starts, with no one quite sure if the Houston Texans will select one of those players No. 1 overall, or if they'll go another direction – perhaps Jadeveon Clowney, a pass-rushing defensive end from South Carolina who many consider the draft's best prospect.
For the purposes of this mock, we're going Clowney at No. 1, which is counter to what many believe but which makes sense given the buzz around Clowney in recent weeks.
We should also explain the Jaguars' selection at No. 3: Khalil Mack of Buffalo.
As is the case with the Clowney selection at No. 1, it feels right – for today, anyway. Wide receiver Sammy Watkins feels pretty right, too, and other picks make sense, too. It's quite possible one or more of those will make more sense between now and the draft. Such is the nature of mocks.
But for today, Mack makes sense because the Jaguars need playmakers and they need pass rushers, and Mack is the highest-rated playmaking pass-rusher on the board.
As for quarterbacks, in this draft Manziel is first off the board – to Oakland at No. 5 – with Bortles going No. 8 overall to the Minnesota Vikings. That's two quarterbacks in this mock's Top 10, but few would be surprised if none went so early in the real draft. Time will tell.
That's true of the entire mock, of course, as it is true with all mocks; so without further ado, here's this mock, which makes a little sense (today, anyway):
Selection. Team| Player, Position, School
- Houston | Jadeveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina
- St. Louis | Greg Robinson, OT, Auburn
- Jacksonville | Khalil Mack, LB, Buffalo
- Cleveland | Sammy Watkins, WR, Clemson
- Oakland | Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M
- Atlanta | Jake Matthews, OT, Texas A&M
- Tampa Bay | Mike Evans, WR, Texas A&M
- Minnesota | Blake Bortles, QB, Central Florida
- Buffalo | Eric Ebron, TE, North Carolina
- Detroit | Justin Gilbert, CB, Oklahoma State
- Tennessee | Anthony Barr, LB, UCLA
- NY Giants | Aaron Donald, DT, Pittsburgh
- St. Louis | Ha-Ha Clinton Dix, S, Alabama
- Chicago | Timmy Jernigan, DT, Florida State
- Pittsburgh | Taylor Lewan, OT, Michigan
- Dallas | Zack Martin, OT, Notre Dame
- Baltimore | Calvin Pryor, S, Louisville
- NY Jets | Darqueze Dennard, CB, Michigan State
- Miami | C.J. Mosley, ILB, Alabama
- Arizona | Kony Ealy, DE, Missouri
- Green Bay | Louis Nix III, DT, Notre Dame
- Philadelphia | Odell Beckham, Jr., WR, Louisiana State
- Kansas City | Brandin Cooks, WR, Oregon State
- Cincinnati | Bradley Roby, CB, Ohio State
- San Diego | Ra'shede Hageman, DT, Minnesota
- Cleveland | Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville
- New Orleans | Dee Ford, DE, Auburn
- Carolina | Morgan Moses, OT, Virginia
- New England | Kyle Fuller, CB, Virginia Tech
- San Francisco | Marqise Lee, WR, Southern California
- Denver | Jason Verrett, CB, Texas Christian
- Seattle | Kelvin Benjamin, WR, Florida State
This article is presented by Turner Pest Control.
