2014 NFL Mock Draft

Last update: Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2014. Major changes in all 4 rounds.
Next update: Next week. Follow me @walterfootball for updates.

The order of this 2014 NFL Mock Draft is based on my NFL Power Rankings.

NFL Draft Recent Links:

2025 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 11/20): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2
Other 2025 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (11/15)
2026 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 7/24): Round 1 /Picks 17-32
Other 2026 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (10/26)
(More links to previous NFL mock drafts at the bottom of this page)

2014 NFL Mock Draft (4 rounds) updated Jan. 29

archived mock draft

@walterfootball

Houston Texans: Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville
If the 2014 NFL Draft were held today, Jadeveon Clowney would probably be the pick; Bob McNair stated that he was smitten with him, though that was likely an attempt to create a trade possibility. But this reminds me of the 2011 NFL Draft. Both Kiper and Todd McShay thought a defensive lineman would be the top choice (Kiper said Nick Fairley, while McShay suggested Da’Quan Bowers), yet the Panthers ultimately fell in love with Cam Newton.

With Jay Cutler re-signed, the same thing will almost certainly happen to the Texans, who will have four months to become smitten with Teddy Bridgewater, Blake Bortles or Johnny Manziel. One of those signal-callers will probably be the No. 1 pick.

Given how important the quarterback position is, Bridgewater or another signal-caller will the No. 1 selection in the 2014 NFL Draft. There’s really no discussion. Clowney, Barr and Matthews wouldn’t get Houston’s franchise back into the playoffs. A franchise quarterback would. The Texans will talk themselves into drafting one of them.

So, which one will it be? Bridgewater is considered the favorite right now, but Bortles might be a better fit for Bill O’Brien’s offense. I may slot him here in the near future. Then, there’s Manziel, whom McNair seems to like. There’s also a huge campaign forming for him to be the No. 1 pick. He can’t be counted out, and to be honest, I was very close to switching my pick to Manziel.

By the way, I’m doing this live because I thought it’d be fun to get instant feedback. I’m going to post my mock anyway, so why not do it this way? Follow @walterfootball for updates.
St. Louis Rams: Jadeveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina
Conventional wisdom says the Rams will pick Jake Matthews if they remain here at No. 2 overall, but I’m beginning to think more and more that they’ll select Jadeveon Clowney despite the lacking need for a defensive end.

This pick would be all about the future and the strategy of choosing the best player available. Clowney is a once-in-a-decade talent, so how can St. Louis pass on him for a tackle, which is a position that Jeff Fisher refuses to spend early draft choices on? Fisher believes he can coach up tackles, and besides, there’s a chance Jake Long will be ready for the 2014 season opener after tearing his ACL. If that’s the case, St. Louis will have Long and Joseph Barksdale (played very well last year) as its two tackles, so where would Matthews be a fit?

Clowney would struggle for playing time early, but the Rams like to rotate their defensive ends. Both Chris Long and Robert Quinn were off the field for 12-15 snaps each game this past season. Clowney would get those reps. Perhaps St. Louis would even move Long inside on passing downs, allowing the three dynamic pass-rushers to be on the field at the same time. That’s scary.

Also, consider that the soon-to-be 29-year-old Long is due $10 million in 2015 and $11.75 million in 2016. The Rams may not be able to afford him in those seasons.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Blake Bortles, QB, Central Florida
General manager David Caldwell told reporters last year that his plan was to build Blaine Gabbert. He even used advanced metrics last April when he spent the No. 2 overall pick on a right tackle because the numbers showed him that Gabbert played much better with strong protection on that side. That’s not a good omen.

Jaguar fans better hope that this isn’t a sign for the type of signal-caller Caldwell will choose this May because he’s definitely taking one if Jadeveon Clowney is off the board.

Blake Bortles made his debut in my mock draft a few weeks ago, and he’s here to stay because he officially declared several days ago. Bortles isn’t coming out of nowhere though; he was a top-10 pick in a previous version of my 2015 NFL Mock Draft, and as mentioned, he has a legitimate shot to be selected No. 1 overall this May.
Cleveland Browns: Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M
I gave the Browns a “D” grade for getting rid of Rob Chudzinski so quickly, as you can see in my Black Monday Coach Firing Grades page. Reports have trickled out that the Browns are smitten with Johnny Manziel, and they fired their coach because Chudzinski didn’t like the Texas A&M product very much. It makes sense, as Manziel wasn’t a particularly good fit for Chud’s system, but he’s talented and intriguing enough to be chosen in the top 10. It wouldn’t surprise me if he went No. 1 overall.

The Browns obviously have to grab a quarterback with one of their two selections. Brandon Weeden is awful with his backhanded, underhanded and hook-shot passes. Brian Hoyer was decent in his two full games, but he’s likely not the long-term answer. Jason Campbell will be released soon. Cleveland’s new regime has to find the quarterback it wants to roll with going forward.
Oakland Raiders: Sammy Watkins, WR, Clemson
There is no quarterback worth taking here unless the Raiders want to reach a bit by snatching Derek Carr off the board. But that’s fine. Oakland has no blue-chip players, unless you want to count Lamarr Houston, who happens to be a free agent. The front office would be better off adding a couple of top talents early to bolster the roster and then try for a franchise signal-caller next May (go here for my 2015 NFL Mock Draft).

Perhaps Oakland will settle for a quarterback on Day 2 – Tajh Boyd said the Raiders have shown the most interest in him – if it can land Sammy Watkins, who just put together an unbelievable bowl performance. Watkins is an absolute stud, and he’ll almost certainly be a top-five selection. The Raiders could definitely use him, given that they don’t have anything that resembles a No. 1 receiver. Andre Holmes, Rod Streater and Denarius Moore are all nice players, but they’re all secondary options, at best.
Atlanta Falcons: Khalil Mack, DE/OLB, Buffalo
Many would expect the Falcons to pick Jake Matthews at this juncture, but I don’t see it happening for two reasons. First, Atlanta owes Sam Baker way too much money. Baker was terrible when he was on the field this past season, but why would the front office suddenly give up on him after just one year into his long-term deal? It doesn’t make logical or financial sense. Second, the team hired Mike Tice to be the offensive line coach. What’s the point of bringing in Tice if the Falcons are just going to spend a top choice on an offensive lineman? Tice was likely hired to coach up Baker, if anything. Also, keep in mind that Mike Smith said Baker’s not moving to right tackle, so are they going to keep him on the bench at his ridiculous salary?

Besides, it’s not like the Falcons couldn’t use a dynamic pass-rusher like Khalil Mack, who happens to be a terrific fit for Atlanta’s defense. Kroy Biermann had been playing the defensive end-outside linebacker hybrid role prior to tearing his Achilles. Biermann, who will be entering a walk year in 2014, may not be 100 percent.

Pick change; previously Anthony Barr, DE/OLB
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jake Matthews, OT, Texas A&M
Left tackle isn’t a huge need – click here to see the team needs for the Buccaneers – but it’s definitely a position they’d explore if Jake Matthews fell to them. Donald Penn is due nearly $13 million over the next two seasons, which is way too much for a middling talent who will turn 31 shortly. There always seems to be some sort of weight-related drama with Penn, so Tampa can put an end to that. I’m sure the Buccaneers would prefer a pass-rusher, but Matthews is the best player available. He’s just too good to pass up.
Minnesota Vikings: Derek Carr, QB, Fresno State
The Vikings paid Josh Freeman $3 million to find out if he can be their long-term franchise quarterback. That’s how desperate they are for one. Christian Ponder isn’t the answer, while Matt Cassel, despite playing well at the end of the season, isn’t the long-term solution either. Minnesota knows this, as it’s been reported that its front office is heavily scouting quarterbacks in this draft class.

Derek Carr can make any throw, but he struggled during the Senior Bowl as well as in his loss to USC in his bowl game. However, reports indicate that teams came away impressed with Carr’s maturity. The Vikings met with Carr extensively during the Senior Bowl, so perhaps they’ll be desperate enough to pull the trigger at No. 8.

Pick change; previously Khalil Mack, DE/OLB
Buffalo Bills: Greg Robinson, OT, Auburn
This is a similar pick to the one the Buccaneers made at No. 7; Buffalo is filling a lesser hole, but happens to be taking the top player available on the board. There’s even talk that Greg Robinson, who had a terrific showing in the national championship, could pass Jake Matthews as the No. 1 tackle.

Having said that, Buffalo has more of a need for a tackle than Tampa – click here to see the team needs for the Bills – because there’s a rather large hole on the right side. Greg Robinson could start there right away, and he could eventually switch spots with Cordy Glenn if that’s what the coaching staff wants to do.
Detroit Lions: Mike Evans, WR, Texas A&M
I slotted a receiver to the Lions in a previous version of my 2015 NFL Mock Draft, and I’m going to use the same reasoning here: We all saw what happens to Detroit’s offense when Calvin Johnson is unavailable. The Lions need an insurance policy of sorts. Besides, having a solid No. 2 across from Megatron would make the Lions’ scoring attack even more explosive.

Pick change; previously Marqise Lee, WR
Tennessee Titans: Anthony Barr, DE/OLB, UCLA
It was a close call between Anthony Barr and Taylor Lewan, but both of Tennessee’s tackles are still on the roster. Plus, Ken Whisenhunt is an offensive coach, so he’s more likely to pick a defensive player. That defensive player could be Anthony Barr, who would fit right in as a rush linebacker in Tennessee’s new 3-4 scheme.

A former running back, Barr played defense for the first time in 2012 and made an instant impact, recording 13 sacks. He had 20 TFL and 10 sacks this past season. The sky’s the limit for him, as he’ll only get better at his new position.

Pick change; previously Taylor Lewan, OT
New York Giants: Timmy Jernigan, DT, Florida State
The Giants missed out on the top two offensive tackles, but they need to fix their defensive line as well. Only six teams had fewer sacks than them this past season. They also struggled to contain the run at times, as they were pushed around quite easily in the San Diego game.

Timmy Jernigan would make sense as a replacement for Linval Joseph, who will command a huge contract this offseason. Jernigan was dominant in the national championship. There was some concern that he was so winded in the fourth quarter, but it has since come out that he was battling the flu.
St. Louis Rams: HaHa Clinton-Dix, S, Alabama
St. Louis’ defense came on late in the season, but it struggled at times during the year for a couple of reasons. One was the play of safety Rodney McLeod. He wasn’t terrible, but it’s clear that the Rams need to find an upgrade next to T.J. McDonald. HaHa Clinton-Dix is arguably the top defensive player available who makes sense for St. Louis.
Chicago Bears: Justin Gilbert, CB, Oklahoma State
Chicago was able to re-sign Tim Jennings recently, but Charles Tillman’s contract is expiring soon. The Bears have to deal with Aaron Rodgers and Matthew Stafford twice per year, so they’ll definitely look to upgrade their secondary.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Marqise Lee, WR, USC
The Steelers will never pass up the opportunity to grab a great offensive play-maker if one is available to them. This draft class is top-heavy at receiver, so Pittsburgh can go with the best player available, and that would be Marqise Lee. The team lost its deep threat this past offseason when the overrated Mike Wallace took the money and ran to Miami. The Steelers are definitely interested in bringing in a new top wideout.

Pick change; previously Mike Evans, WR
Dallas Cowboys: Louis Nix, NT, Notre Dame
The Cowboys would love it if someone like Louis Nix fell to them because they have major problems at defensive tackle. Jason Hatcher happens to be a free agent, while the other starter, Nick Hayden, was an abomination this past season. Nix can fit in either defense, so he would make lots of sense just in case Jerry Jones wants to eventually move back to the 3-4.

Go to 2014 NFL Mock Draft: Picks 17-32

Sorry for cutting this 2014 NFL Mock Draft into two halves; I’ve received complaints about load times and putting the mock draft on two pages saves bandwith.