NFL Mock Draft 2013: Jacksonville Jaguars Snag Geno Smith
By Josh Sanchez
Each week Fansided.com will have a new mock draft to preview and showcase this upcoming April’s draft. For more in depth analysis of each pick, be sure to visit the Fansided site of your favorite team and check back each Monday for a new and updated Mock Draft.
1.
– Luke Joeckel, Offensive Tackle, Texas A&M
Despite some rumbling that Eric Fisher could be overtaking Joeckel as the top offensive tackle in the draft, Joeckel seems poised to become the No. 1 overall pick.
2
.There is some belief that the current Jaguars regime is not sold on Blaine Gabbert and Smith could give them the potential franchise signal-caller they are looking for. There are a lot of options for the Jaguars with this pick, but it’s hard to see them passing on Smith if they believe he can be the quarterback that Gabbert never turned out to be.
Floyd’s best fit is in a 4-3 defense, so he will benefit from playing in Oakland where they desperately need to bolster the middle of their defensive line.
With the Eagles going to a 3-4 defense and Chip Kelly’s familiarity with Jordan, this seems like a perfect match that would be too good to be true for the Eagles organization and their fans.
Detroit is expected to go defensive end or offensive tackle with their first round pick and Fisher is a top-tier tackle that will help protect Matt Stafford and keep him off of the injury report. If the team can’t add any playmakers at number five, the least they can do is add a guy that will give Stafford all the time he needs to find his only current weapon, Megatron.
The Cleveland Browns were linked to a number of top cornerbacks on the free agent market, but they were unable to convince any of them to join their team. With a major hole remaining in their secondary and the top cornerback still on the board, Milliner makes all of the sense in the world.
Arizona picked up Carson Palmer from the Raiders and now they need to focus on improving their offensive line. While they would like to add Fisher with this pick, he is off the board and it may be too early to select Lane Johnson. With that, the Cardinals take the best available prospect and the best run blocking guard prospect of the past decade.
The Bills need a quarterback and it is believed that they aren’t as high on Ryan Nassib as many had thought. If they don’t take Barkley here, they could miss out on him in the second round. Some will question his arm strength, but Barkley’s intangibles should have him poised to become an NFL star.
The Jets are looking to add a pass rusher and Ansah has the most upside out of anyone in this draft class. If the Jets decide to go an unconventional route, a name to watch would be North Carolina’s Sylvester Williams, who could jump off of the board much earlier than people imagine.
Despite adding Andy Levitre, the Titans still have a big hole at the guard position. There is a growing belief that Cooper is their top target in the draft and there are multiple scenarios that would allow him to fall right in to the Titans lap.
Lane Jones would make sense here, but if Mingo falls out of the top ten he would be a great addition in San Diego. As one of the most naturally talented pass rushers in this year’s draft class, Mingo would give the Chargers a dynamic their defense has lacked since Shawne Merriman was in his prime.
After Jake Long left in free agency, the Dolphins were in desperate need of an offensive tackle. If the team fails to sign a free agent tackle before the start of the draft, tackle could be their top priority. The opportunity for Miami to take a second-tier corner remains a possibility, but if one of the top three tackles falls to the 12th pick they will need to pull the trigger.
This is the perfect scenario for Tampa Bay. The team has been involved in trade talks for Darrelle Revis, but things appear to be developing slowly. If they hang on to their first round pick then corner would make the most sense. Of course, there have been rumblings that Tampa Bay could trade up for Ezekiel Ansah, so don’t be surprised if those whispers get louder the closer we get to draft day. Ultimately, the most likely scenario is that the Bucs trade for Revis. Despite the latest buzz coming from both camps, it seems like the deal will get done before the draft.
Lotulelei received some excellent news when his medicals checked out and his heart showed no abnormalities, but his stock has still taken a hit while the questions surrounded him. While Lotulelei was staying put in the rankings, players were continuing to shoot up draft boards. That turns out to be a blessing for Carolina who is able to land one of the top three players in this year’s draft class.
The Saints are a wild card pick in the first round, but there is a lot of talk that they will be looking to add a defensive back early in the draft. With Milliner and Rhodes off the board, Kenny Vaccaro is the best player in the secondary. He can be a playmaker at safety for the team and he brings the added ability to come up and defend the opposing slot receiver.