2013 NFL Mock Draft

Last update: Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2013. Major changes in all 4 rounds.
Next update: Next week. Follow me @walterfootball for updates.

You can find the complete seven-round 2013 NFL Draft Order by clicking the link.

NFL Draft Recent Links:

2025 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 11/20): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2
Other 2025 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (11/22)
2026 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 7/24): Round 1 /Picks 17-32
Other 2026 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (11/23)
(More links to previous NFL mock drafts at the bottom of this page)

Kansas City Chiefs: Luke Joeckel, OT, Texas A&M
I’ve been mocking Geno Smith to the Chiefs since the regular season ended. I still think he’d be the pick if the draft were to happen tomorrow. But that’s not the case. There are still two months to go, which gives Kansas City plenty of time to orchestrate a trade for a quarterback. Of course, I’m referring to Nick Foles.

Everything changed when the Eagles foolishly restructured the contract of their rapidly regressing, turnover-prone quarterback. He’ll be their starter until he inevitably gets injured again – and that’s when Dennis Dixon or a second-day rookie will take the reins. It won’t be Foles. He does not fit Chip Kelly’s offense. It’s been obvious that Foles would be shipped out the day Kelly was hired – it was just a matter of when. Restructuring the other signal-caller’s contract only will expedite that process because Philadelphia now has the assurance of having a veteran at the helm to start the season. The Eagles have been stating that Foles is not on the trading block, but that’s only a half-hearted attempt to gain leverage.

Foles’ likely destination is to Kansas City. Andy Reid spent a third-rounder on him last year, so why wouldn’t he do so again? I wouldn’t even be surprised if Reid surrendered a second-round selection for Foles because that’s where the Arizona product would be selected if he were in this draft class. And thus, the Chiefs would finally have a young, potential franchise quarterback, as the awesome @saveourchiefs movement has been pining for.

*** OTHER 2013 NFL DRAFT POSSIBILITIES: ***

1. Star Lotulelei, DE/DT – If the Chiefs re-sign Branden Albert and trade for Foles, Star Lotulelei would make sense. He’d fill a big need at defensive end and could be viewed as the top player available.

2. Geno Smith, QB – I’m still convinced Smith will be the pick if the Chiefs can’t acquire Foles.

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.

Pick change; previously Geno Smith, QB
Jacksonville Jaguars: Star Lotulelei, NT, Utah
Chris Mortensen previously reported that Tim Tebow would be a Jaguar next year. Well, new general manager David Caldwell shot that down, telling the media he couldn’t imagine Tebow being on his roster. Caldwell went on to say that he plans to build around Blaine Gabbert. Yeah, the future looks very bright in Jacksonville.

I’d love to give the Jaguars a quarterback here, but there are none available. Caldwell can just get a signal-caller atop Round 2. Instead, he might take the top defensive player in the 2013 NFL Draft.

Tyson Alualu has been a major disappointment thus far, but the real reason why Star Lotulelei makes sense is because Terrance Knighton will be a free agent in March. Jacksonville will obviously have big shoes to fill if it can’t retain him. Lotulelei is the type of big defensive tackle that Gus Bradley likes to have in his front.

*** OTHER 2013 NFL DRAFT POSSIBILITIES: ***

1. Sharrif Floyd, DT – Another defensive tackle option if the Chiefs take Lotulelei.

2. Damontre Moore or Bjoern Werner, DE – Lotulelei is the best player available, but the Jaguars may want to address the defensive end position if they re-sign nose tackle Terrance Knighton. Doing so won’t rule out Lotulelei though.
Oakland Raiders: Sharrif Floyd, DT, Florida
Mike Mayock rated Sharrif Floyd above Star Lotulelei, and he’s not the first to do so. There’s a ton of buzz about Floyd, with some of the ESPN and Scouts Inc. analysts ranking him in the top 10 of their big boards. He has so much upside and versatility that he could end up being a top-five pick. It’s possible that the Raiders would view him as the best player available.

Floyd makes a ton of sense from a needs staindpoint. Richard Seymour’s contract has been voided. Meanwhile, Tommy Kelly is a bum who doesn’t care about winning. He’s a thug who has played so sluggishly this year in the rare instances when he wasn’t trying to injure the opposing quarterback, so there’s no chance he’s going to see a penny of his $6.5 million salary in 2013. He’s as good as gone, and 15-year-old head coach Dennis Allen lost all respect in the locker room for not cutting him after the opener.

*** OTHER 2013 NFL DRAFT POSSIBILITIES: ***

1. Damontre Moore/Bjoern Werner/Ezekiel Ansah, DE – Only the Jaguars had fewer sacks than the Raiders this past year. The pass rush must improve.

2. Geno Smith, QB – There’s been speculation that the Raiders have taken a liking to Geno Smith. If the Chiefs pass on him, another AFC West team could draft him.

Pick change; previously Damontre Moore, DE/OLB
Philadelphia Eagles: Eric Fisher, OT, Central Michigan
There’s no question the Eagles have to upgrade their offensive line. Their tackle position is in shambles. Jason Peters tore his Achilles; Demetress Bell was released after being a bust signing; while King Dunlap simply sucks. Even if Peters comes back close to 100 percent, an upgrade could be made at right tackle, which would allow Todd Herremans to move back to his natural guard position. Joeckel would then become the heir apparent to Peters on the blind side.

This pick was a close call between Eric Fisher and Demarcus Milliner, but I’m giving the edge to the former for two reasons: 1) No cornerback has been picked in the top four since Charles Woodson in 1998. Milliner is a very good prospect, but he’s not as talented as Morris Claiborne, who went sixth last year. 2) The right tackle position must be addressed because Philadelphia restructured the contract of its mobile quarterback. Finding a right tackle is paramount because the Eagles have to protect their signal-caller’s blind side.

*** OTHER 2013 NFL DRAFT POSSIBILITIES: ***

1. Luke Joeckel, OT – The no-brainer pick. Joeckel will be snatched off the board if he drops to No. 4.

2. DeMarcus Milliner, CB – As mentioned, a cornerback hasn’t been chosen in the top four since Charles Woodson in 1998, but that trend could be broken this year because of the lack of talent atop the class. The Eagles need corner help with Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie hitting free agency and Nnamdi Asomugha likely to be released.

Pick change; previously Luke Joeckel, OT
Detroit Lions: Ezekiel Ansah, DE/OLB, BYU
The Lions’ draft strategy is to pick the top player on their board. It just so happens that the best prospect available happens to fill a huge need. I expect that to be Ezekiel Ansah once he gains even more momentum after what should be a terrific Combine for him.

Kyle Vanden Bosch was recently released because of his $5 million salary, while the other exterior pass-rushers, excluding Cliff Avril, barely did anything this past year. Avril also happens to be a free agent, which is just one more reason why this pick will be used on a defensive end.

*** OTHER 2013 NFL DRAFT POSSIBILITIES: ***

1. Damontre Moore or Bjoern Werner, DE – The other defensive end options. Chances are the Lions will take a pass-rusher with the fifth-overall pick.

2. DeMarcus Milliner, CB – Again, cornerbacks are seldom chosen this high, but Detroit could deem DeMarcus Milliner to be the best player available.

Pick change; previously Bjoern Werner, DE
Cleveland Browns: Damontre Moore, DE/OLB, Texas A&M
The Browns have to find a franchise quarterback to compete for the AFC North. They may want to look at Geno Smith, but I just don’t get the sense that they’re going to pick him – I could be wrong, but I think I remember hearing Michael Lombardi say there was no quarterback worth taking early this year. Maybe I’ll learn something or change my mind during the next two months.

For now, I’m slotting Damontre Moore to the Browns because they need to improve their pass rush as well. Jabaal Sheard led the team in sacks with only seven. Juqua Parker-Thomas was next with six, and he’ll be a 35-year-old free agent this offseason.

*** OTHER 2013 NFL DRAFT POSSIBILITIES: ***

1. Ezekiel Ansah, DE/OLB – Another pass-rushing possibility. Lombardi will likely want to bolster this group.

2. DeMarcus Milliner, CB – The Browns need cornerback help across from Joe Haden with Sheldon Brown hitting free agency.

Pick change; previously Ezekiel Ansah, DE/OLB
Arizona Cardinals: Chance Warmack, G, Alabama
It feels weird to slot a guard as high as No. 7. Guards never are picked in the top 10 nowadays, but if a prospect were to snap that trend, it would be Chance Warmack. The Alabama product is the best guard prospect to come around in decades. He’s at the top of everyone’s big board, and Gil Brandt recently said that Warmack was a “better college player than the great Steve Hutchinson, who was picked 17th overall.”

The ideal area for Warmack is the 11-16 range, but he could be chosen at No. 7 if the draft goes down like this. The Cardinals are desperate for offensive line help, and if both Luke Joeckel and Eric Fisher are off the board (and the top two 3-4 pass-rushers are gone as well), they may have to take Warmack.

*** OTHER 2013 NFL DRAFT POSSIBILITIES: ***

1. Eric Fisher, OT – There’s no doubt the Cardinals will be all over Fisher if he makes it to them.

2. Geno Smith, QB – New general manager Steve Keim recently defended this quarterback class. He could be preparing his fans for an early selection on a signal-caller. However, XTRA 910’s Mike Jurecki does not expect Arizona to take a quarterback at No. 7 overall.

Pick change; previously Eric Fisher, OT
Buffalo Bills: Geno Smith, QB, West Virginia
General manager Buddy Nix, who is generally forthcoming about his offseason plans, told the media that he plans on drafting a franchise quarterback. He even said he’ll trade up for one in the 2013 NFL Draft. He may have been talking about Geno Smith if the Chiefs pass on him, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he moves up to No. 5 in order to leapfrog the Browns and Cardinals.

Many will criticize this move, but Nix is desperate. If he wants to keep his job, he’ll have to find a franchise quarterback quickly. I think he’ll swing for the fences with Smith, who undoubtedly has first-round talent; he just needs to put it all together. I’m pretty convinced that Nix will talk himself into taking Smith or another quarterback at No. 8 overall. Don’t look for it to be Ryan Nassib though; it’s been reported that Buffalo doesn’t like him very much.

*** OTHER 2013 NFL DRAFT POSSIBILITIES: ***

1. Mike Glennon, QB – It’ll be a huge upset if the Bills don’t go with a quarterback and a receiver in the first two rounds. Mike Glennon is the other signal-caller option.

2. Cordarrelle Patterson, WR – Buffalo could go with a wideout here and then a quarterback in Round 2. Patterson’s the big type of receiver Buddy Nix is looking for.

Pick change; previously Mike Glennon, QB
New York Jets: Bjoern Werner, DE/OLB, Florida State
With tons of holes thanks to a poor cap situation, New York has to take the best player available who makes sense for the roster. The Jets’ inability to get to the quarterback needs to be fixed, so Bjoern Werner makes lots of sense. Werner is viewed as more of a 4-3 prospect, but the Jets run a hybrid defense with tons of 4-3 looks. Werner would be a good fit.

The Jets have a ton of options, including Kenny Vaccaro, DeMarcus Milliner (if they trade one of their corners) and Dion Jordan (if they don’t like Werner). With tons of needs, it makes sense for them to trade down.

*** OTHER 2013 NFL DRAFT POSSIBILITIES: ***

1. Ezekiel Ansah or Dion Jordan, DE/OLB – I’ve mocked Ezekiel Ansah here a couple of times. Rex Ryan would love his versatility if Ansah were available. Jordan would also work.

2. Kenny Vaccaro, S – The Jets desperately need safety help. This is the top of Vaccaro’s range.

3. DeMarcus Milliner, CB – If the Jets trade either Darrelle Revis or Antonio Cromartie, they’ll definitely consider Milliner if he’s available.

Pick change; previously Barkevious Mingo, DE/OLB
Tennessee Titans: DeMarcus Milliner, CB, Alabama
The Titans were interested in drafting a highly ranked cornerback at No. 20 back in April, but neither Stephon Gilmore nor Dre Kirkpatrick fell to them. Maybe they’ll have more luck in the 2013 NFL Draft, as they do in this situation with one of the top players available filling a big need. Alterraun Verner will be entering his contract year in 2013, so Tennessee will need a new starter if it can’t retain him. Besides, the Titans need to fix their 24th-ranked pass defense.

This is definitely the basement of DeMarcus Milliner’s draft range. He is not getting past Tennessee. However, there’s a good chance he’ll go in the 5-9 range; I just couldn’t fit him in. I could see the Dolphins or another team moving up to obtain him.

*** OTHER 2013 NFL DRAFT POSSIBILITIES: ***

1. Kenny Vaccaro, S – The Titans desperately want to address their secondary. Kenny Vaccaro is the likely pick if DeMarcus Milliner’s unavailable.

2. Chance Warmack, G – Tennessee is also looking to upgrade the interior of its offensive line. The front office believes it has tons of needs to fill, so it could be looking to trade down. If the Titans move back, they could get Warmack around No. 15.
San Diego Chargers: Lane Johnson, OT, Oklahoma
I usually don’t have teams reach for need unless it involves the quarterback position. However, Lane Johnson had a terrific Senior Bowl, so this isn’t really considered a reach anymore.

The Chargers could be forced into making this selection. Philip Rivers appears to be regressing, but it’s impossible to tell if that’s the case because he’s getting slaughtered behind a pathetic offensive line. San Diego cannot, under any circumstances, enter the 2013 season with Jared Gaither as its starting left tackle. He’s just way too injury-prone and unreliable.

*** OTHER 2013 NFL DRAFT POSSIBILITIES: ***

1. Barkevious Mingo or Dion Jordan, DE/OLB – San Diego may deem Dion Jordan (or Barkevious Mingo) to be the best player available. He’d make a ton of sense as a replacement for free agent Shaun Phillips.

2. Johnathan Hankins, NT – The Chargers could also have Hankins atop their board. They could stand to upgrade the nose tackle position.
Miami Dolphins: Sheldon Richardson, DT, Missouri
Stud defensive tackle Randy Starks will be a free agent in March. Starks and the Dolphins had preliminary talks about a contract, but nothing has really progressed. There was some speculation that Jared Odrick would move inside in the event that Starks left, but the Miami Herald recently suggested that Odrick will be traded.

If Starks leaves and Odrick is dealt, this will open up a huge need at defensive tackle, as Miami will not have any sort of interior pass rush. Thus, the rising Sheldon Richardson will make a ton of sense.

*** OTHER 2013 NFL DRAFT POSSIBILITIES: ***

1. Lane Johnson, OT – It’s looking less likely that Jake Long will be back in Miami. If he leaves, the Dolphins will have to find a bookend for Jake Long.

2. DeMarcus Milliner, CB – The Dolphins have four Day 2 picks, so they’re a prime candidate to trade up. They’ll have to find a new No. 1 cornerback if they don’t retain Sean Smith.

Pick change; previously Sharrif Floyd, DT
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Desmond Trufant, CB, Washington
The Buccaneers decided they didn’t like Morris Claiborne very much, so they traded out of the No. 5 spot in the 2012 NFL Draft and selected Mark Barron two picks later. They really need cornerback help, especially in the wake of the Aqib Talib trade, so they’ll almost have to remedy that need at this juncture.

*** OTHER 2013 NFL DRAFT POSSIBILITIES: ***

1. Lane Johnson, OT – The Buccaneers have shown interest in Lane Johnson. Right tackle Demar Dotson is entering his contract year, while left tackle Donald Penn, who struggled down the stretch, is owed about $18 million over the next three years.

2. Johnathan Banks, CB – The other cornerback option.

Pick change; previously Johnathan Banks, CB
Carolina Panthers: Kenny Vaccaro, S, Texas
Hiro Nakamura could stop time. Haruki Nakamura can’t stop anyone. He has to be upgraded. The Panthers desperately need safety help.

Kenny Vaccaro is one of the top prospects available, so he makes a ton of sense at this juncture, especially if Nakamura is released. There’s been talk about Vaccaro being considered as highly as No. 5 to the Lions, but his draft range is probably 9-16.

*** OTHER 2013 NFL DRAFT POSSIBILITIES: ***

1. Sheldon Richardson or Johnathan Hankins, DT – Here are some defensive tackle options for a team desperate for help at the position.

2. Cordarrelle Patterson, WR – The Panthers could stand to find a better No. 2 receiver and a future top wideout once Steve Smith moves on.
New Orleans Saints: Dion Jordan, DE/OLB, Oregon
The Saints fired Steve Spagnuolo and announced that they are moving to a 3-4 defense. A new scheme doesn’t mean they’ll be able to fix their old problems, however. They still need to find a top pass-rusher to make things easier for an overmatched secondary. Dion Jordan makes a ton of sense here as one of the top prospects available.

*** OTHER 2013 NFL DRAFT POSSIBILITIES: ***

1. Barkevious Mingo or Jarvis Jones, DE/OLB – More pass-rushing options for the Saints’ new 3-4.

2. Johnathan Hankins, NT – Brodrick Bunkley is currently slated to be the team’s nose tackle. New Orleans may not view him as a viable option for the position. If that’s the case, Johnathan Hankins will be considered.
St. Louis Rams: Cordarrelle Patterson, WR, Tennessee
If there’s one thing I’m disappointed with in my past couple of mock draft updates, it’s that I couldn’t slot Cordarrelle Patterson earlier. I think there’s a very good chance he’ll be taken in the top 14. Buffalo makes a ton of sense at No. 8, but Buddy Nix seems to want a quarterback there.

I don’t think the Rams will necessarily be targeting a receiver in the first round because they’re still developing Brian Quick, but they will absolutely consider Patterson if he’s available at No. 16 because he’s arguably the top player on the board. It’s pretty obvious that Jeff Fisher needs to find receiving help for Sam Bradford.

*** OTHER 2013 NFL DRAFT POSSIBILITIES: ***

1. Chance Warmack, G or Lane Johnson, OT – It’ll be tough for the Rams to pass on Chance Warmack or Lane Johnson if they’re available. They have to find an upgrade at tackle.

2. Kenny Vaccaro, S – This is probably the bottom of Kenny Vaccaro’s draft range. St. Louis’ front office has stated that it wants to improve the safety position.

Pick change; previously Chance Warmack, G

Go to 2013 NFL Mock Draft: Picks 17-32

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