NPC Mock Draft 6.0 (3 Full Rounds, and Steelers Picks in Rounds 4-7)
Round 3
64. Indianapolis Colts: Shea McClellin OLB (Boise State)
Now that Indianapolis is switching to a 3-4 Defense, they are going to need to draft some personnel with skill sets that can make the scheme effective. Dwight Freeney and Kevin Mathis are beginning to age, so the Colts should look to find some outside edge rushers to bolster their pass rush. Shea McClellin (6’3″ 260 lbs.) projects as a solid “tweener” pass-rusher, and he could be the first of many Colts’ draft picks to come off the board to fill their new 3-4 scheme.
(Previous Selection: Marvin Jones, WR, California)
65. St. Louis Rams: Mitchell Schwartz OT (California)
St. Louis needs help along their Offensive Line, and it wouldn’t hurt if they acquired a Tackle in the middle Rounds of the Draft this year. The experienced and heady Mitchell Schwartz might be a guy worth drafting in the 3rd Round. Schwartz started 51 games at Cal at Left (35) and Right (16) Tackle, and earned 1st Team All-Pac 12 Honors in 2011. While he won’t wow anybody with his athleticism, the 6’5” 318 lb. Schwartz is a steady player that has versatility which many teams covet. Like Zebrie Sanders, Schwartz could “Swing Tackle” on game-days in Years 1-2, and eventually find a spot starting at Right Tackle by year 2-3.
66. Minnesota Vikings: Brandon Thompson DT (Clemson)
Minnesota should at least try to recapture the effectiveness of “The Williams Wall,” and add a run stuffer or two to their roster this offseason. Brandon Thompson could be a player that the Vikings have their sights set on to help along the Interior of their Defensive Line in the future. If the Thompson (6’2″ 310) falls, the Vikings could find themselves quite the run-clogging and versatile player. Thompson has the ability to play in either a 4-3 or 3-4 set, and his frame could allow Jared Allen to be matched up one-on-one on occasion as well.
(Previous Selection: Brian Quick, WR, Appalachian State)
67. Cleveland Browns: Brandon Weeden QB (Oklahoma State)
Cleveland missed out on the “RGIII” Sweepstakes, but it still could not hurt them to select another QB prospect later on next month. In spite of his age (29 this October), Weeden (6’4” 219 lbs.) has a skill set that can transfer well to what the Browns want to do on Offense . Weeden has a strong arm, quick release, and displays solid decision making that are good skills to have in a West Coast system. His footwork may need some tweaking as he played in mostly Shotgun formations in college, but Weeden is a mature player that could unseat Colt McCoy and Seneca Wallace this Preseason or later on in 2012.
68. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Bobby Massie OT (Mississippi)
Massie is an early entry guy from Ole Miss that has played against top competition in the S.E.C. and started 2.5 of the 3 years he was with the Rebels. Experience aside, Massie could use some work with honing his athleticism and using his height to his advantage, and it wouldn’t hurt if he added a bit more weight to his already imposing frame (6’6” 318 lbs.). Nevertheless, Massie should develop into a solid Tackle (Right or Left) if developed for a year or two and log some serious playing time for Tampa Bay in the future.
(Previous Selection: Lavonte David, OLB, Nebraska)
69. Washington Redskins LaMichael James RB (Oregon)
LaMichael James could be just the runner that the Redskins are looking for at the beginning of Round 3, and just the kind of weapon to help “RGIII” as he starts his career. James is a shifty and explosive runner that is a threat to score every time he touches the ball and works well in Zone-Blocking schemes. James’ size, 5’8” 194 lbs., might scare some teams into drafting him as an every-down Back, but as a 10-15 Touch per game guy, James could be quite the weapon for a team like the Redskins which will try and take as much pressure off of “RGIII” as possible and get some big plays in the process.
70. Jacksonville Jaguars: Casey Hayward CB (Vanderbilt)
Jacksonville could be looking for some upgrades in their Secondary in the middle Rounds of this draft. No Cornerback on Jacksonville’s roster Intercepted more than 2 passes last season, and the team as a whole only picked off 17. The you factor in Rashean Mathis aging and entering Free Agency, and Jacksonville might have a problem on their hands. Vanderbilt’s Casey Hayward was a three year starter for the Commodores and seemed to only get better throughout his collegiate career. In addition, Hayward displayed a penchant for big plays and notched 15 INT’s and 20 Tackles For Loss in his final three seasons in college. Hayward is a solid tackler and uses his 5’11” 185 lb. frame well to wrap up the ball carrier and make plays in the open field. His speed on tape looks a bit faster than the 4.57 he ran at The Combine, but it still could be a concern to some teams.
(Previous Selection: Josh Norman, CB, Coastal Carolina)
71. Buffalo Bills: Jamell Fleming CB (Oklahoma)
Buffalo could use some help on the Defensive side of the ball, and upgrading their Secondary in the coming years will be extremely important. The Bills are a bit thin at Corner behind Drayton Florence and Terrence McGee. In addition, Aaron Williams is in only his 2nd year, and Leodis McKelvin is more of a threat on Special Teams. That being said, brining in a bigger Corner (5’11” 206 lbs.) like Jamell Fleming of Oklahoma would certainly bolster the depth at the position, and give the Bills a viable option to pair with Williams in the future. If Buffalo wants to compete on the same level as Tom Brady and the Patriots, they have to get some Corners in that can match-up against the likes of Wes Welker and Deion Branch.
(Previous Selection: Orson Charles, TE, Georgia)
72. Miami Dolphins: Cam Johnson DE (Virginia)
If Cameron Wake does indeed hold out, the Dolphins are going to need to find some pass rushers to come into camp this season. One player that could be a nice choice for Miami in Round 3 is Cam Johnson (6’4″ 270 lbs.). Probably Johnson’s biggest asset is that he is a versatile player. Johnson has the ability to not only rush the passer from a 4-3 set, but also had experience playing as a 3-4 OLB under Al Groh during his early collegiate career. To stay competitive against Tom Brady and Ryan Fitzpatrick in the coming years, Miami will need to generate some sort of pass-rush, and Johnson could be just the player to help.
(Previous Selection: Amini Silatolu, OG/OT, Midwestern State)
73. Miami Dolphins: Tommy Streeter WR (Miami FL)
Tommy Streeter could provide an awesome deep threat for a team in need of Offensive weapons. At 6’5″ 219 lbs. and possessing 4.4 speed, Streeter could be a game-changer for the Dolphins if given time to develop. He could be like Mike Wallace if Miami uses him as a deep threat early in his career while developing the rest of his game. Streeter should also be a force in the Red Zone and also allow Davonne Bess to have acres of room underneath after Streeter stretches the Defense vertically.
74. Kansas City Chiefs: Ben Jones C/OG (Georgia)
Casey Wiegmann is pushing 40, and the rest of the Chiefs Offensive Line is not getting any better. For Matt Cassel’s or whichever QB is taking the snaps in Kansas City’s sake, the Chiefs must upgrade the interior of the Offensive Line. Kansas City could look for help along their Offensive Line by selecting Rimington Award Finalist Ben Jones of Georgia. While Jones will not awe anybody with his athleticism, he is a consistent player that logged 49 starts at Georgia during his 4 seasons there, and the 6’2″ 302 lb. Jones uses what weight and leverage he does have well. It will be interesting to see where Jones does go and if he is able to hold up against some of the bigger Nose Tackles as a Center. If not, Jones will likely have to move to Guard for the Chiefs or whichever team he is drafted by at the next level.
(Previous Selection: Michael Brewster, C/OG, Ohio State)
75. Seattle Seahawks: Chase Minnifield CB (Virginia)
Chase Minnifield, whose Dad was Pro Bowler Frank Minnifield from the Browns of the late 80’s and early 90’s, had a stellar career at the University of Virginia and played with two other 2nd Round CB’s in the form of Ras-I Dowling (Patriots) and Chris Cook (Vikings). At 6′ 185 lbs., Minnifield is a solid all-around Corner who does not have many issues when it comes to bringing down a ball carrier either. A 2-Time All-ACC performer, Minnifield could help Seattle’s Secondary because they released veteran Marcus Trufant not too long ago.
76. Houston Texans: Chris Givens WR (Wake Forest)
Houston is in need of finding some other Wide Receiver threats not named Andre Johnson, and should look to target at least two of them in the upcoming Draft. The 5’11” 198 lb. Givens is a speedy WR (4.41 40 time at Combine) that had an effective college career at Wake Forest, and last season put up 83 Catches for 1330 Yards and 9 TD’s. Giving Matt Schaub a speedy underneath threat is a must this off-season for the Texans, and selecting a guy like Givens would be a step in the right direction.
(Previous Selection: Josh Chapman, NT, Alabama)
77. New York Jets: Jonathan Massaquoi DE/OLB (Troy)
The Jets have to find a way to get to attack the Quarterback if they ever want to usurp Tom Brady and the Patriots for supremacy in the A.F.C. East. Jonathan Massaquoi could be a good steal/find for the Jets if he falls to them. Masaquoi has a nice frame at 6’2″ and 264 lbs., but his speed (4.89 in 40) and overall raw strength (20 reps) displayed at The Combine and on tape leave much to be desired. Nevertheless, if Massaquoi given time to develop and work on his strength and leverage, New York could reap the benefits of a pass rusher who knows how to use 34.125 inch arms in an effective manner and take advantage of single-team matchups on passing downs. Massaquoi could come off the edge as a down lineman in a 4-3 system, or he could stand up as an OLB in a 3-4 scheme, and move all around in the exotic Defensive sets which the Jets employ.
(Previous Selection: Janzen Jackson, S, McNesse State)
78. San Diego Chargers: Billy Winn DE/DT (Boise State)
After the release Luis Castillo, San Diego will likely be in the market for a 5-Technique Defensive End this offseason. One guy which San Diego could target is Boise State’s Billy Winn. At 6’4″ 294 lbs. Winn tore apart the Mountain West during his career and has the perfect size and frame to translate to the N.F.L.. While his competition may have been a bit sub-par at times, a year of spot duty could be in order so Winn can adjust to the speed of the professional game.. It might take a year or two for him to develop into a 3-4 DE, but he is definitely worth a 3rd Round investment for a Chargers team in need of Defensive Linemen to add to their roster now.
(Previous Selection: DaJohn Harris, DE/DT, (Boise State)
79. Chicago Bears: A.J. Jenkins WR (Illinois)
Even though they acquired Brandon Marshall, with Johnny Knox likely sidelined, Chicago might consider drafting more than one WR next month. A.J. Jenkins would be a welcome addition to the Bears’ WR corps if he is selected. The Bears could take speedster A.J. Jenkins from Illinois if he is on the board at #79. At 6’0 and 190 lbs., Jenkins ran a 4.39 at The Combine and has been moving up draft boards ever since. Jenkins could figure in to be a solid pass-catching option from the slot, and would really open things up on the underneath routes for a team like the Bears. Giving Jay Cutler all the means as humanly possible to succeed is a must this off-season for Chicago, and selecting a guy like Jenkins would be a step in the right direction.
(Previous Selection: Chris Givens, WR, Wake Forest)