2014 NFL Mock Draft

Last update: Monday, May 5, 2014. Round 7 added.
Next update: Next week. Follow me @walterfootball for updates.

The order of this 2014 NFL Mock Draft is based on the full seven-round 2014 NFL Draft Order.

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2024 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/25): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2 /Round 3 /Round 4 /Round 5 /Round 6 Other 2024 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (4/25) /April Fools Mock (3/31)
2025 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/22): Round 1 /Picks 17-32
Other 2025 Mock Drafts: Charlie Campbell (3/23)
(More links to previous NFL mock drafts at the bottom of this page)

2014 NFL Mock Draft

archived mock draft

@walterfootball

Houston Texans: Jadeveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina
I’ve said all along that the Texans were 50-50 between Jadeveon Clowney and Blake Bortles, so Charlie and I decided that it would be a good idea to have our mocks begin with each of those players. That changed two weeks ago, as it appears as though Houston has settled on selecting Clowney with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft.

This pick is pretty close to being locked in. There’s still a chance it could be traded, but the rumored Atlanta deal is probably not going to happen. The Texans would love to get a Robert Griffin-type package for this choice, but it’s not going to happen.

From what I’m hearing, it seems like Houston believes there isn’t enough of a difference between the first- and second-round quarterbacks to warrant passing on the greatest pass-rushing prospect in years. Besides, there’s actually a chance the Texans can grab either Teddy Bridgewater or Johnny Manziel at No. 33; especially the former. Multiple teams believe Bridgewater will fall.

*** OTHER 2014 NFL DRAFT POSSIBILITIES: ***

1. Trade Down – No, not Khalil Mack. That would be ridiculous and wouldn’t make any sense. The only way Houston isn’t picking Clowney at No. 1 is if it moves down, and the only way that’s happening is if it gets a Robert Griffin-type package.

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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 NFL Draft updates.
St. Louis Rams: Khalil Mack, DE/OLB, Buffalo
This is what St. Louis’ preferred options look like, in order:

1. Trade down with a team wanting Jadeveon Clowney or Blake Bortles.
2. Draft Clowney if available.
3. Draft either Khalil Mack or Sammy Watkins.

Most mocks have Watkins or Greg Robinson here, but the Rams are deciding between Khalil Mack or Sammy Watkins at No. 2 barring a trade or Clowney being available. They are also “falling in love” with Mack, per Charlie Campbell’s report. And for those wondering, this is not a smokescreen; it’s the same source that gave us Alec Ogletree in 2013, which is why both Charlie and I had the Georgia linebacker mocked to St. Louis last year.

*** OTHER 2014 NFL DRAFT POSSIBILITIES: ***

1. Greg Robinson, OT – Contrary to the above write-up, it seems as though the Rams have warmed up to Greg Robinson and are now strongly consider him. I’ll have more in the next live update on Tuesday.

2. Sammy Watkins, WR – Per the report we mentioned, the Rams are choosing between Watkins and Mack. Both make sense. A tackle doesn’t at No. 2 based on Jeff Fisher’s history.

3. Trade Down – Unlike the Texans, the Rams are in play to move down because they won’t be asking for two future first-round selections.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Sammy Watkins, WR, Clemson
The Jaguars probably want Khalil Mack if they don’t go with a quarterback at No. 3, but the Rams snatched him off the board. Fortunately, there are other great consolation prizes available, including Sammy Watkins.

Justin Blackmon is suspended indefinitely. Jacksonville has reportedly been conducting business as though it doesn’t expect him to be back anytime soon. Even if Blackmon does return, having Watkins on the team would give their second-round quarterback (Jimmy Garoppolo?) a very potent trio of receivers to work with.

*** OTHER 2014 NFL DRAFT POSSIBILITIES: ***

1. Khalil Mack, DE/OLB – The Rams are deciding between Mack and Watkins. If they choose the latter, Jacksonville will happily select Mack to be its new LEO.

2. Johnny Manziel, QB – A quarterback is in play here, though the Jaguars seem to be focusing on either Teddy Bridgewater or Jimmy Garoppolo in Round 2.
Cleveland Browns: Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M
The Browns are expected to take a quarterback at No. 4, but which one? They’ve been linked to Derek Carr by numerous sources, as you can see in our NFL Draft Rumors page. However, Blake Bortles has surfaced as an option recently as well. Peter King mentioned him as a possibility, as did a source of ours.

Johnny Manziel can’t be counted out either. He has been linked to Cleveland as well. DawgPoundNation, which reported the Joe Banner and Michael Lombardi firings 24 hours before they happened, says that the front office loves Manziel.

This selection will almost certainly be one of those three quarterbacks. Manziel would make the most sense in terms of sparking a morbid franchise that hasn’t been in the playoffs since January 2003.

*** OTHER 2014 NFL DRAFT POSSIBILITIES: ***

1. Blake Bortles or Derek Carr, QBs – As mentioned, the Browns are connected to the top three quarterbacks in this class.

2. Sammy Watkins or Mike Evans, WR – If some team moves ahead of the Browns for Johnny Manziel, there’s a chance Watkins will be available. He would be a strong option. Evans, less so, but he’s the worst-case scenario for Cleveland at No. 4.
Oakland Raiders: Mike Evans, WR, Texas A&M
The Raiders are desperate to trade down. If they can’t move out of the No. 5 spot, this pick will come down to Mike Evans or Greg Robinson. I had previously listed a quarterback as a possibility, but this regime needs to win now.

Both Robinson and Evans make sense. The former might be considered a slightly better prospect, but he fills less of a need. Menelik Watson hasn’t shown much promise thus far, but the Raiders just spent a second-round pick on him and still considers him a viable option at right tackle. They might be willing to give him a chance, which would open up the possibility of drafting Evans, who would give Oakland a No. 1 receiver – something it doesn’t have at the moment.

*** OTHER 2014 NFL DRAFT POSSIBILITIES: ***

1. Greg Robinson, OT – The Raiders still want to give Menelik Watson a chance at right tackle, but if the top two wideouts are off the board, they may just take the highest-rated tackle in this class.

2. Trade Down – The Raiders are absolutely desperate to move down because they have only four picks in the top 200.
Atlanta Falcons: Greg Robinson, OT, Auburn
It’s been speculated that the Falcons want to move up for Jadeveon Clowney, but that’s no longer a possibility if the Texans just take him. Thus, if Houston does go with Clowney, it’s likely that Atlanta will just stay put at No. 6 and draft the best player available who makes sense for them.

The Falcons would prefer a pass-rusher like Clowney or Khalil Mack, but Greg Robinson is not a bad consolation prize. He would fill an immediate need at right tackle and would eventually move over the blind side, unless Mike Tice does a great job of coaching up Sam Baker, which could easily happen. Either way, Matt Ryan’s protection will improve tremendously.

*** OTHER 2014 NFL DRAFT POSSIBILITIES: ***

1. Jake Matthews, OT – The Falcons would love Khalil Mack, but it’s almost impossible that he’d get by St. Louis, Jacksonville and Oakland. Thus, Jake Matthews would be Atlanta’s top option if Greg Robinson is off the board.

2. Trade Up – Would the Falcons move up for Mack? It’s doubtful, but not impossible.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Derek Carr, QB, Fresno State
The Buccaneers are pretty screwed if the draft goes this way. They’d love Sammy Watkins, Mike Evans or Johnny Manziel here, but all of them are off the board. Top options in this scenario include taking Blake Bortles, reaching for Eric Ebron or Odell Beckham, or picking a tackle to move Demar Dotson inside. Thus, they’ll try their hardest to trade down. That could be possible if one team wants to move up for Jake Matthews or Taylor Lewan.

I honestly tried to think of a trade scenario that made sense, but I couldn’t come up with one. So, I’ll slot Derek Carr here – he makes so much sense because of Jeff Tedford – with the premise that Tampa will move down into the teens to obtain him.

*** OTHER 2014 NFL DRAFT POSSIBILITIES: ***

1. Mike Evans, WR – Evans would certainly be Tampa’s top choice if he makes it here, but it’ll be tough for him to get by the Raiders. Still though, it’s possible that Oakland will move down, opening the door for the Buccaneers to land a future No. 1 receiver.

2. Johnny Manziel, QB – Manziel would be Tampa’s top quarterback choice, but he’s off the board in this version of my mock draft.

Pick change; previously Blake Bortles, QB
Minnesota Vikings: Blake Bortles, QB, Central Florida
Bortles has been Minnesota’s quarterback of choice this entire time, as he fits exactly what Norv Turner looks for in a signal-caller. I’d say it’s about 50-50 whether he’ll be available here. If he is, he’s the no-brainer selection. Minnesota needs to find a franchise quarterback, and waiting until Day 2 of the draft has only worked for a select few teams.

*** OTHER 2014 NFL DRAFT POSSIBILITIES: ***

1. Anthony Barr, DE/OLB – If Bortles is off the board, the Vikings will likely have to decide between Barr and Derek Carr. Both make sense, but I’d lean toward it being Barr because the Vikings would be able to move up from No. 40 to snag the quarterback they want.

2. Derek Carr, QB – Having said that, Carr fits Norv Turner’s system perfectly, so he’d be the preferred quarterback if Bortles is off the board.

Pick change; previously Anthony Barr, DE/OLB
Buffalo Bills: Jake Matthews, OT, Texas A&M
The Bills filled some of their holes in free agency, but there are three glaring positions of need that still have to be addressed: wide receiver, tight end and right tackle. Buffalo will likely choose the top player available who can fix those needs. As it stands in this mock draft, the order would likely be Jake Matthews, Mike Evans and Eric Ebron.

Matthews is just too good to pass up. He’d start instantly and could eventually be moved to the left side if the Bills think Cordy Glenn would be better at right tackle.

*** OTHER 2014 NFL DRAFT POSSIBILITIES: ***

1. Mike Evans, WR – The Bills have been rumored to trade up. They’d have to surrender too much for Sammy Watkins, but moving up for Evans makes a lot more sense.

2. Eric Ebron, TE – This is probably the worst-case scenario for the Bills. They need an upgrade at tight end, but taking one at No. 9 isn’t ideal.
Detroit Lions: Anthony Barr, DE/OLB, UCLA
I’ve mocked Justin Gilbert here in the past couple of updates, but the Lions have a couple of young cornerbacks they like, so they may opt to go in a different direction even though I consider the Oklahoma State product to be the best player available at this juncture.

One such direction is Anthony Barr. Jim Caldwell discussed the need for a pass-rushing linebacker, and Barr fits perfectly. Also, Detroit has shown a lot of interest in Barr, so the team could draft him if Mike Evans isn’t available.

*** OTHER 2014 NFL DRAFT POSSIBILITIES: ***

1. Eric Ebron, TE – Ebron has been linked the Lions. They may see him as the best player available, so taking him would fit their style of drafting. Ebron would give Matthew Stafford a potentially great intermediate option.

2. Odell Beckham, WR – Beckham’s stock has risen tremendously, so this has become his ceiling. The Lions signed Golden Tate, but they still need one more receiver.
San Francisco 49ers: Odell Beckham, WR, LSU
TRADE! The 49ers have tons of selections, so they are definitely making a move. Per our NFL Draft Rumors, the player they covet is Odell Beckham. They’ll have to move ahead of the Giants, Rams, Steelers, Ravens and Jets, all of whom could take him. It would take a second-rounder this year and a second next year.

Anquan Boldin was re-signed, but he won’t be around much longer. Also, Mario Manningham just signed with the Giants. San Francisco needs to add a deep threat at wideout, and Beckham certainly fits that.

*** OTHER 2014 NFL DRAFT POSSIBILITIES: ***

1. Justin Gilbert, CB – Gilbert is an option here both for the 49ers and Titans. San Francisco needs a corner, and Gilbert is a great fit for their defense. Tennessee also has to upgrade the position.

Pick change; previously Kelvin Benjamin, WR (No. 30)
New York Giants: Zack Martin, OT/G, Notre Dame
The Giants have to make sure Eli Manning is protected because this past season was a disaster. Taylor Lewan is the obvious choice to improve the offensive line, but his off-the-field concerns will scare off New York. Zack Martin is a more realistic option. He can play left tackle if Will Beatty can’t make it back from injury. If Beatty can recover, Martin can slide inside.

*** OTHER 2014 NFL DRAFT POSSIBILITIES: ***

1. Trade Up – The Giants want to add a left tackle, but they may not wait for one. They’d love to land Jake Matthews, so they could move up to Nos. 7 or 8 to get him if he gets by Atlanta.

2. Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, S – A first-round safety is now in play for the Giants in the wake of Will Hill’s suspension.

Pick change; previously Aaron Donald, DT
St. Louis Rams: Ha Ha 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.

*** OTHER 2014 NFL DRAFT POSSIBILITIES: ***

1. Taylor Lewan, OT – It’s tough to see the Rams going with a tackle at No. 2, but Taylor Lewan is in play for the Rams at No. 13. St. Louis won’t care about his character issues.

2. Justin Gilbert, CB – Here’s another secondary option. Ideally, the corner position will be addressed early, and Gilbert could be seen as the best player available.

Pick change; previously Odell Beckham, WR
Miami Dolphins: Taylor Lewan, OT, Michigan
Another trade! If the draft unfolds this way, the Dolphins will be in panic mode. They need offensive line help, and there’s only one first-round lineman available. There’s no way Taylor Lewan is making it past the Cowboys and Ravens (if he even gets this far).

Miami can move up from No. 19 to 14 for just a third-round pick. I’d say that’s worth it to make sure Ryan Tannehill is protected.

*** OTHER 2014 NFL DRAFT POSSIBILITIES: ***

1. Zack Martin, OT/G – Martin is someone else the Dolphins may trade up for. He actually makes more sense than Lewan, but Miami would have to give up more for him.

2. JaWuan James, OT – If the Dolphins remain at No. 14, they could look at James. As noted in the NFL Draft Rumors page, Miami has a first-round grade on him.

Pick change; previously Zack Martin, OT/G
Pittsburgh Steelers: Justin Gilbert, CB, Oklahoma State
The Steelers always manage to secure a falling prospect. It was David DeCastro two years ago, and it happened to be Jarvis Jones last April. There’s a good chance that it’ll be Justin Gilbert this time around. Gilbert is this top corner in this class, but there isn’t much buzz surrounding him for some reason, despite his excellent Combine performance.

Pittsburgh has to address the cornerback position. Ike Taylor was dreadful this past year, as the receivers he battled – save for A.J. Green, oddly enough – posted season-high totals against him.

*** OTHER 2014 NFL DRAFT POSSIBILITIES: ***

1. Bradley Roby, Kyle Fuller or Darqueze Dennard, CBs – It seems as though the Steelers are targeting a corner in the first round. Here are the other options.

2. Eric Ebron, TE – I’ve had Ebron here for a while. He’s still in play, as he would give Ben Roethlisberger a big target in the red zone.
Dallas Cowboys: Aaron Donald, DT, Pittsburgh
Dallas fans can finally stop complaining about Taylor Lewan. Jerry Jones would love to get his hands on the Michigan tackle, but he’s not available in this version of my mock draft. Aaron Donald is, however, and he would provide a huge boost to an awful offensive line. Donald appears to be a great fit for Monte Kiffin’s scheme.

*** OTHER 2014 NFL DRAFT POSSIBILITIES: ***

1. Taylor Lewan, OT – Jerry Jones would love to get his hands on the Michigan tackle, but he’ll probably have to trade up past the Rams to get him.

2. Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, S – I have to believe Jones would be intrigued with the Alabama defensive back. Unfortunately for Dallas, Clinton-Dix may not be here either.

Pick change; previously Taylor Lewan, OT

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.