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Mel Kiper, Todd McShay Mock Draft: 5 worst picks

By Stanford Crissey

May 8, 2014; New York, NY, USA; A general view of a helmet and NFL shield logo before the start of the 2014 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
May 8, 2014; New York, NY, USA; A general view of a helmet and NFL shield logo before the start of the 2014 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports /
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May 8, 2014; New York, NY, USA; A general view of the stage and podium before the start of the 2014 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
May 8, 2014; New York, NY, USA; A general view of the stage and podium before the start of the 2014 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports /

ESPN’s Mel Kiper and Todd McShay revealed their final mock draft, and we take a look at the mock’s five worst picks.

The NFL draft is fast approaching (the first round begins April 30), which means it’s time to wind down the silly season of mock drafts. Say goodbye to wild rumors of trades, overanalysis of pro days, and other nonsense, because it’s time to get those final mock drafts in before the real one begins.

ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay, the two biggest names in the NFL draft world, joined forces like the Avengers to reveal their final mock draft on Thursday. The draft was done live on ESPN, with each analyst taking it in turns to make each pick, so no, this wasn’t exactly the result of careful analysis and thought (like their regular mock drafts). Here is the full first round:

But just like a real draft, a mock draft is going to have plenty of picks that aren’t so great. Whether it’s a team picking a player they don’t need, or a player going way too high, we’ll take a look at the five worst picks (and non-picks) of the Kiper/McShay mock draft.

1. Kevin White to the Chicago Bears

Do Kiper and McShay really think receiver is the Bears’ most pressing need right now? This is a team with a run defense that has strongly resembled a revolving door these last few years; it’s also a team that lost two of its few good defenders, Charles Tillman and Stephen Paea, in free agency. And they’re going to use their first top-ten pick since 2005 on a wideout? If they needed wide receivers, they wouldn’t have traded Brandon Marshall away for nothing.

2. Todd Gurley Is Going No. 9 Overall

The past decade has been about as kind to running backs as it has to AOL. Both started out the decade on top of the world: Priest Holmes and LaDanian Tomlinson were breaking touchdown records, Jamal Lewis was rushing for 2,000 yards, everyone was using instant messenger. Now, running backs aren’t even sniffing the first round, Chip Kelly is getting panned for giving 2,000 yard rusher DeMarco Murray $25 million less than he gave cornerback Byron Maxwell, and AOL is… still around I guess, but nowhere near as popular.

So why would the Giants, or any team for that matter, spend a top-ten pick on a running back? Gurley looked exceptional in college, but he’s not exactly an Adrian Peterson-level prospect, and when you can get 1,000 yard rushers basically off the street (hello, Justin Forsett), why waste such a valuable asset on one?

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