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pre-combine mock draft 2.0

1. Tampa Bay - QB Marcus Mariota, Oregon
I'm not sure Tampa can get over Winston's poor off the field and mediocre on the field decision making, and instead opt for the squeaky clean Mariota. While there will be a learning curve and some growing pains, Mariota has all the physical and mental tools to become a really good pro. Pair him with some exceptional weapons and let him run some of the concepts he's comfortable with, and you've got your signal caller for a decade.

2. Tennessee - DE Leonard Williams, USC
I think there would be some temptation to take Winston second overall, but Whinsenhunt and co. have said that they are comfortable with Mettenberger under center for 2015 and beyond. In that case Tennessee simply takes the best player on the board and instantly improves.

3. Jacksonville - OLB Randy Gregory, Nebraska
This pick could go in a million different directions, but Gus Bradley wants some versatility and some team speed out on the edge and that's what Gregory brings. He's a high energy guy, which Bradley likes, and he'll add a much needed pass rusher to a rising Jags defense.

4. Oakland - WR Amari Cooper, Alabama
There will be debate in the building about Kevin White or Devante Parker, but Cooper offers the highest floor of any player in the draft. He runs crisp routes, has good size, blocks well and has a tremendous work ethic. If you pair him with QB of the future Derek Carr, you have a solid one-two punch for the next decade.

5. Washington - S Landon Collins, Alabama
This pick could go in a hundred directions but I have the Skins taking the best safety in the draft. They were atrocious at the position last year and Collins has a high floor and is a really solid tackler. He can play in the box or deep zone and does both well and he's an instant upgrade.

6. New York Jets - QB Jameis Winston, Florida State
A lot of  QB hungry teams may try to jump up to Washington's spot and nab Winston, but in this scenario I'm not predicting trades so the Jets stand pat and get Winston. Jets fans are praying he stays out of trouble in the city that never sleeps.

7. Chicago -DE Dante Fowler Jr, Florida
They could take a number of different options here but Fowler provides the versatility that Fangio might want out of a new look 34 defense. He's a versatile player with a lot of upside and there isn't much he can't do defensively.

8. Atlanta Falcons - DE Shane Ray, Missouri
This is an easy pick. The Falcons desperately need a pass rusher and Ray's motor and array of pass rush moves means he'd fit in well in Atlanta and upgrade new head coach Dan Quinn's defensive front.

9. New York Giants - OL Brandon Scherff, Iowa
The reason the G-men go with Scherff here is because of his overall versatility. He can shift inside to guard and have a Zach Martin type impact or move out to either tackle spot, becoming an above average left tackle or a dominant right tackle. This move would give New York some needed balance offensively.

10. St. Louis - OT Andrus Peat, Stanford
St. Louis's future with Jake Long is way up in the air, and although the Rams really could use a receiver in this spot, it's a deep draft for wideouts. Peat could provide the bookend to number two pick Greg Robinson. They can look to take a really quality WR in round 2 and create a nice corps out there.

11. Minnesota  - WR Devante Parker, Louisville
This would be a pretty cool story. Parker would reunite with college teammate Teddy Bridgewater and give the Vikings a true number one receiver. Teddy proved he could be the long term answer for the Purple and this just takes his ascension up one more year.

12. Cleveland - DT Danny Shelton, Washington
The second ranked player on my board falls all the way to Cleveland and the worst ranked run defense in the league. This is a coup for the Browns and he instantly upgrades everything they do defensively.

13. New Orleans  - OLB Vic Beasley, Clemson
It would be tempting to take one of the two top corners here at 13 because of how bad the number two CB spot was last season for the Saints, but instead they opt for quick productive Beasley. A pass rush will help out the corners anyway, especially if you ask Rob Ryan's ultra blitz heavy scheme.

14. Miami  - OLB/S/RB Shaq Thompson, Washington
The Dolphins have some needs and they solve a bunch by taking the versatile athlete Thompson. He will probably play strong safety or nickel in early downs and move to linebacker on late downs. He could even provide a nice spark offensively or as a kick returner as well. Really good player for a team that simply needs to upgrade.

15. San Francisco - DE Arik Armstead, Oregon
The 49ers have one of the best 34 DE's in all of football but he is getting really long in the tooth. Armstead could develop behind Smith and rotate in while he learns and progresses. He has an enormous upside but he's a major risk at 15.

16. Houston - WR Kevin White, West Virginia
Houston would love this scenario. Andre Johnson is getting up in age and his contract situation is getting sticky. Adding White would give the Texans a nasty receiving corps and would take some of the pressure off ascending star Deandre Hopkins.

17 - San Diego - RB Melvin Gordon, Wisconsin
The Chargers tried four years ago to find the next LT when they drafted Ryan Mathews, but Mathews couldn't stay healthy and is sure to leave in free agency. That leaves a really solid Chargers roster without a lead back. Gordon is a dynamic playmaker and would instantly turn that offense into a juggernaut.

18 - Kansas City - OL La'el Collins, LSU
They could really use a receiver here but there is a big risk in going with DGB or reaching on Devin Smith or Devin Funchess here. Collins is an extremely versatile player who could really help shore up a porous right tackle position for Andy Reid, who loves versatile quick lineman.

19 - Cleveland - WR Devin Funchess, Michigan
Funchess is a tall, physical receiver who can make plays down the field. Cleveland may have found a couple nice complementary weapons last season, but they are in desperate need of someone to stretch the seem and work in the redzone. Funchess has his limitations but he's got his upside too.\

20 - Philadelphia - CB Marcus Peters, Washington
Peters is the best corner in the draft if you don't factor in off the field issues. I think the second corner for Philaelphia last season was one of the five worst starting positions in the NFL. Peters gives them an instant upgrade if he can keep his nose clean.

21 - Cincinnati - DT Eddie Goldman, Florida State
The Bengals really struggled last year when they lost Atkins for a spell and Devin Still didn't work out so some depth or a potential starter at the three technique makes a lot of sense for a team without many holes to fill.

22 - Pittsburgh - CB Trae Waynes, Michigan State
Waynes reminds me a lot of a young Ike Taylor so this move would be ideal for the Steelers. They need help in an old secondary and Waynes could come right in, and play that physical AFC North style of football that they take pride in.

23 - Detroit - DT Malcolm Brown, Texas
Whether or not Detroit ends up getting Suh back in free agency, they have a hole at offensive line and on the defensive line and Brown is a quick powerful defensive tackle who could help them right away.

24 - Arizona - RB Todd Gurley, Georgia
If you give Arizona a true number one running back that team could be really dangerous. If Gurley comes back healthy he reminds me of a faster Marshawn Lynch in how he runs the football, give that to Bruce Arians and this team could be superbowl bound.

25 - Carolina  - OT T.J. Clemmings, Pitt
I don't like Clemmings and i think he'll really struggle as a pro, but a lot of people love his upside. Carolina drafts on potential so Clemmings would seem like a logical pick to a team that really needs to improve its offensive line and weapons around Cam Newton.

26 - Baltimore - TE Maxx Williams, Minnesota
I'm guessing if this were the case Ozzie would trade down but if not, Williams makes a lot of sense. Pitta can't stay healthy and Williams is the power run blocker and seam stretching player that Pitta was, except he's a better version. Williams is a damn good player and a high floor candidate that Newsome and the Ravens organization like.

27 -  Dallas - LB Benardrick McKinney, Mississippi State
McKinney is a physical specimen and he provides a really good athlete on the inside for the Cowboys defense. It's a bad draft for safeties and McKinney gives them assurance in case Sean Lee doesn't come back. This would give them a nasty inside duo at the 34 ILB spots if he does though.

28 - Denver - OT Erik Flowers, Miami
Denver needed help on the right tackle position for most of the year last season, they moved Vazquez out there and weakened the interior while he struggled out of position. Flowers is a really good player with a high upside and if anything were to happen to Clady he could seamlessly slide to the left tackle position.

29 - Indianapolis - C Cameron Erving, Florida State
Erving would be the perfect fit for Indianapolis who has struggled at center ever since Jeff Saturday left. Erving is athletic and long for the position, and if something happened he could play all four other offensive line positions and be above average at all of them, although he has all-pro potential at center.

30 - Green Bay - ILB Erik Kendricks, UCLA
Kendricks isn't the biggest or strongest but he's very fast, active, and can play all three downs. He moves very well for his size and his draft slot would mean that Clay Matthews could spend more time on the outside, where he's one of the top 5 defenders in the league at his position.

31 - Seattle - WR Dorial Green-Beckham, Oklahoma
DGB is the best wide receiver to come out of the draft since Calvin Johnson. That being said he has a huge amount of red flags and was kicked off of his Missouri team and never played a down for the Sooners. Seattle can afford the risk because if he can't grow up, they have figured out how to win to NFC championships without a high end receiver, and they could probably figure it out again. If DGB gets his life in order the Seahawks have perhaps the best playmaker in the draft.

32 - New England - OLB Bud Dupree, Kentucky
They don't really have any needs, although a better weapon for Brady would make some sense here. If they don't go that route though Dupree and his ability to play multiple positions and multiple fronts gives him the versatility that Belicheck loves in his defensive players.


Highest rated guys not picked yet: Denzel Perryman, Clive Warford, Brett Hundley

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