NFL

Ravens Trade For Calais Campbell

The Baltimore Ravens stole the sports headlines by announcing a trade for defensive end Calais Campbell. The 33 year-old Pro Bowler was sent to the Ravens from the Jacksonville Jaguars for a fifth-round pick (170th overall).

Campbell has been a premier pass rusher for years now, with Pro Bowl appearances in five of the past six years, along with an All-Pro designation in 2017. The move makes a ton of sense for both parties, with the Ravens massively improving a position of need. The Jaguars also clear $15 million in cap space, as it increasingly looks like their rebuilding.

Campbell was in the final year of his four-year $60 million deal, with the Ravens quickly agreeing to a two-year $27 million extension. The move gives Campbell another two years with a premium salary, whilst it helps lower the $15 million cap hit for the Ravens. According to @RavensSalaryCap on Twitter, this now leaves the team with $17.8 million in cap space heading into free agency on Wednesday.

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Calais Campbell (left) scooped the MVP prize at the 2019 Pro Bowl. Both him and Lamar Jackson (right) are premium players at their positions for the Baltimore Ravens. Photo: SI

Baltimore now have a formidable front seven, with Campbell teaming up with defensive tackle Brandon Williams to provide a big interior presence. The Ravens like to add big defensive tackles, to help with stopping the run. The Ravens recently franchise-tagged linebacker Matt Judon, but he could be traded to improve the salary cap position.

The Ravens will look for a boost from recent draft picks at linebacker, Jaylon Ferguson and Tyus Bowser. The team had already inked veteran linebacker L.J Fort to a two-year $5.5 million extension back in November.

The Ravens defense improved massively throughout the 2019 season, but they have notable free agents this year. They include run-stuffing defensive tackles Michael Pierce, Jihad Ward and Justin Ellis along with linebackers Patrick Onwuasor, Josh Bynes and Pernell McPhee. The front seven position group could experience high turnover in 2020, so signing Campbell eases their concerns massively.

With the Campbell trade news, does this mean Michael Pierce will be leaving the Ravens this free agency? Photo: USA Today Sports

It’s likely the Ravens will add to this group with a high draft pick this year, as they don’t have massive cap space to sign premier free agents. It’s an excellent move from GM Eric DeCosta, who has now traded two fifth round picks for Pro Bowl talent. Trading for cornerback Marcus Peters made a massive difference to the Ravens defense last season, and now acquiring fellow Pro Bowler Calais Campbell shows the Ravens are in a SuperBowl window and looking to win now.

What do you think of this trade? Let me know in the comment section below and thank you for reading. Find me on Twitter @JWjournalism.

College Football Week One Talking Points

This is the first in a new series, examining the main talking points from the opening week of the college football season, from the eyes of an Englishman now living in the U.S.

The opening weekend didn’t throw up many shocks, however here are my ten major talking points. Also a quick disclaimer before I begin, this is simply a shallow dive into the main stories of the week through the eyes of a fan, if you want more in-depth articles it’s probably best to read the analysts articles.

1) Big Win for Auburn and Bo Nix

Bo Nix and the Auburn Tigers took down the Oregon Ducks 27-21 in the only surprise result between ranked teams last week. The true freshman Nix threw a go-ahead touchdown with nine seconds remaining in a legendary moment on his debut.

Nix struggled during the game, going 13-31 for 177 yards with 2 INT to match 2 TD’s, but the five star phenom has Auburn fans feeling excited about the next three years. Auburn jumped to tenth in the AP Top 25 poll, and now face Tulane in their home opener on Saturday.

2) Oregon Big Losers in Week One

Oregon will feel distraught after an especially tough opening week loss. The team played well throughout and led right up until the final nine seconds, with a long recovery ahead if they want to compete for the College Football Playoff.

Senior QB Justin Herbert was the better QB in the game, going 28-37 for 242 yards and a TD. Receiver Johnny Johnson III built good chemistry with Herbert, to the tune of seven receptions for 98 yards. This is a tough loss, but starting this week against Nevada, their schedule helps them going down the stretch.

Bo Nix played beyond his true freshman status to earn the comeback win against Oregon last weekend. Photo: Ron Jenkins (AP).

3) Jalen Hurts Already Anointed Heisman Favourite?

Jalen Hurts proved the pre-season hype on him as a Heisman contender was justified in week one. The Oklahoma QB had a monster six touchdown game in their 49-31 win over a good Houston team. 332 passing yards and 3 TD’s was matched with 176 yards rushing and another 3 TD’s.

The Alabama graduate transfer smashed the Oklahoma record for single game yardage with 508, Baker Mayfield previously held it with 396 yards. Some call it the Lincoln Riley effect, but Oklahoma could have three consecutive Heisman Trophy winners come December.

4) Big Debut for Justin Fields

Another high-profile summer transfer showed up big in week one, Ohio State QB Justin Fields. The sophomore standout was key as Ohio State rolled over Florida Atlantic 45-21. He lit up the first quarter with 4 TD’s, in a statement performance on his debut after transferring from Georgia.

This Ohio state team is loaded with NFL talent, and Fields has shown after week one he can take over from Dwayne Haskins. The team will face a tougher test this week against Cincinnati, but they have already shown this team will be a serious play-off contender this season.

5) Florida State Return Still on Hold

The Florida State Seminoles hoped to put last season behind them, but old demons returned in a 36-31 loss to Boise State in Tallahassee. The team collapsed in the second half after looking dominant in the first half.

QB James Blackman looked good with 327 yards and 3 TD’s, but they let Boise State score 23 unanswered points to steal the win. This FSU team has plenty of NFL talent, but under Willie Taggart they struggle to close games out. 5-7 is not acceptable at FSU, and Taggart will feel the pressure even more after this loss.

A Florida State players reflects the mood of the team as they let Boise State come back for the win as the pressure piles on head coach Willie Taggart. Photo: Mark Wallheiser/AP.

6) Georgia State Win Upset of Week One

Another historic program currently struggling is Tennessee, and their home loss to Georgia State 38-30 was undoubtedly the shock of the opening week. It’s been a while since Tennessee has been a title contender, but this is a new low for the once proud program.

A fourth quarter collapse gave the underdog Georgia State team the win. This is a historic win for their team and they deserve the plaudits. This season may prove tough for Tennessee fans in the ultra competitive SEC.

7) USC QB J.T Daniels Out for Season

Week one was brutal for USC despite a 31-23 win against Fresno State. This is because of a torn ACL for starting QB J.T Daniels, after being sacked in the second quarter.

Daniels was a five star phenom in California and was hoping to step up after a mixed freshman season. USC had PAC-12 championship hopes, which now lie in the hands of true freshman Kedon Slovis. The season just got a whole lot tougher for USC.

8) Running Backs Put on a Show

Running backs stole the show for a lot of Offences in week one. Clemson junior Travis Etienne led the way with 205 yards in their win against Georgia Tech. Fellow junior D’Andre Swift ran for 147 yards in Georgia’s win over Vanderbilt. Jonathan Taylor got 135 yards and 2 TD’s against USF.

Cam Akers of Florida State and Eno Benjamin of Arizona State are two more highly touted backs who ran for over 100 yards on opening weekend. All of these players are juniors, which means the 2020 NFL Draft running back class may be the best in years.

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Clemson Running Back scampers past his sideline in one of his three touchdown runs to open the season. He will likely be a first round NFL Draft pick next year if he declares. Photo: Richard Shiro/AP.

9) UCLA Struggle Once Again

The Chip Kelly era started with massive promise, but is now in danger of flaming out. The once heralded coach is now on the hot seat after they lost their opening game 24-14 to Cincinnati.

UCLA struggled with ugly turnovers from QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson, and struggled for identity in a tough loss to a better Cincinnati team. The 3-9 record last year is well below expectations and this season hasn’t started any better.

10) No Major Top 25 Surprises in Week One

Week one didn’t provide much upsets for the top 25 ranked sides, other than Auburn upsetting Oregon. Ranked teams usually like to start the season with easier opponents to give them time to get up to speed before the real season starts.

The NCAA does try to provide showcase games in the opening week, but more needs to be done to ensure we get bigger games in the opening week. For now the AP top 25 has stayed largely the same other than Auburn and Oregon moving.

That wraps up my brief look at some of the major talking points from the opening weekend of college football. Do you have any thoughts on these points or your college football team? Let me know either in the comments section below or find me on Twitter @JWjournalism. Finally, a massive thank you to anyone who reads this I really appreciate it!

What’s Going Wrong For The Ravens?

Two weeks can be a long time. Especially in the NFL. Two weeks ago the Baltimore Ravens were riding high in the NFL, having started the season 2-0 in very convincing fashion. Yet as I write this on Monday October 2nd the Ravens season looks a lot less promising. Two successive emphatic defeats leave them at 2-2 and looking to get their season back on track.

Whilst the defense faltering has contributed to their recent poor two games, the Ravens offense hasn’t really got firing all season. Not one unit has stood out this season, from quarterback Joe Flacco, to the wide receivers, running backs and tight ends. The offensive line has also been hit with injuries already this season, as the Ravens hold the dubious honour of leading the NFL in injuries.

It’s hard to point to one single problem which explains the Ravens offensive woes. They have struggled since Gary Kubiak led Joe Flacco to his best statistical season in 2014. With current offensive co-ordinator Marty Mornhinweg in his second season since taking over from the fired Marc Trestman, Flacco has struggled so far this season. He ranks 32nd in the NFL with 601 passing yards through the first four games, and only 5.09 yards per passing attempt.

Something Ravens fans are not used to seeing this season, an offensive touchdown. Photo: Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images.

His bare statistics are also not pretty. He has thrown for four touchdowns and six interceptions, whilst also setting a current NFL record with an interception in ten straight games stretching into this season. Flacco himself admitted after the most recent loss to bitter rivals the Pittsburgh Steelers “I sucked.” He also admitted about the offense “We’re not creating a lot for ourselves right now. We’re just going the hard way.”

Whilst the quarterback is the leader of the offense, Joe Cool has not been helped from his wide receivers this season. The Ravens signed receiver Jeremy Maclin after he was cut by the Kansas City Chiefs in June, with the team heading into the season with arguably the best receiving unit since Flacco joined the Ravens in 2008.

Maclin was signed for big money on a two-year $11 million dollar deal, but so far through four games the 29 year-old has accumulated only 116 yards and two touchdowns. Mike Wallace was another big name receiver signed for big money in free agency, with his two-year $11.5 million dollar deal producing his first 1000 yard season 2011. So far he has 76 yards this season and one touchdown.

The teams next highest profile receiver is third year player Breshad Perriman. He was the teams first round selection in the 2015 NFL Draft, but has so far not lived up to his draft position. He was unlucky to lose his entire rookie season to injury, however through last season and the season so far he has accumulated 510 yards and three touchdowns. The failure to meet expectations so far with Perriman is evidence of a wider recent issue with the Ravens.

Mercedes Lewis scoring one of the Jaguars touchdowns as they obliterated the Ravens 44-7 in London. Photo: Alex Pantling/Getty Images.

Excluding the recent 2017 NFL Draft, from 2014 through 2016 they have drafted 12 offensive skill position players. Of these 12 only three(Crockett Gillmore,Breshad Perriman and Buck Allen have so far contributed over 500 yards, with just as many players already out of the league.

GM Ozzie Newsome and Assistant GM Eric DeCosta are very highly regarded within the league, especially for drafting players, but you have to begin to question their recent success in the last three draft classes. Of course this is only my opinion and I’m not saying they should be fired, it’s simply an observation of a recent trend which could prove problematic the longer it carries on.

No matter what offensive stat you look at, it doesn’t look pretty. The team are averaging 270 yards per game(30th in the NFL), 60 total points from four games (tied 30th)and 150 passing yards per game (32nd). It’s not just in the stats that a problem shows up. Any Ravens fan watching the games this season will have seen the offensive sputtering, with Flacco missing throws, receivers not on the same page as him and runners who are struggling to find running lanes.

By no means at all is this crisis point for the Ravens, but the recent two defeats have given cause for concern amongst fans. Of course we are only four weeks into the season, but the manner of the defeats highlight obvious offensive weaknesses which will need to be addressed if the team has any hope of returning to the playoff’s for the first time since 2014.

All stats sourced with thanks from Ravens.com and ESPN.com.

Have any thoughts on this article? Feel free to leave them in the comments section below. I hope you enjoyed reading it and if you want to reach me I’m on Twitter @JWjournalism.

2016 NFL Mock Draft Part 1

The 2016 NFL Draft is less than a week away now, and the buzz surrounding one of the hugely momentous event of the NFL calendar is reaching fever pitch. Teams are finalising their draft boards and completing their final pre-draft meeting with the array of prospects hoping their dreams will come true next week.

This years draft has already made major headlines with the huge trades of the top two picks, something that has not happened since 1997. The Los Angeles Rams and Philadelphia Eagles have already said they will use their first and second picks to select a quarterback, with Jared Goff and Carson Wentz the two prospects who are very likely to be selected.

At this present moment it seems every pick in the top ten is up for grabs if the right offer is made, and teams with positions of needs are feeling worried the player they want will not be available by the time their on the clock. This could mean this final week before the draft seems a lot more trades, but at this present moment let’s take a look at who each team is likely to choose when they are on the clock next Thursday night in my opinion as purely an NFL fan and in no way an expert.

#1st Overall Pick: Los Angeles Rams – Jared Goff – Quarterback – California

Jared Goff was a three year standout quarterback at Cal-Berkeley, improving both personally and helping his team over his three years as starter. He led the team to it’s first winning season (7-5) since 2011.

An average combine performance was tempered by a very good pro day workout, and his stock has been steadily rising since the draft process started. He and Carson Wentz have separated themselves from other prospects, and many feel the Rams are a good QB away from becoming a play-off team.

The general consensus between draft experts is that Goff is the better immediate prospect, but Wentz may have a slightly better upside potential in the coming seasons. For this reason I think the Rams won’t be able to pass on Goff, who will energize the team in their move to L.A and can immediately challenge Nick Foles and Case Keenum for the starting role come the season opener.

Goff in action for the Cal Golden Bears. He could immediately improve Rams to a potential play-off side. Photo copyright USA Today Sports.

#2nd Overall Pick: Philadelphia Eagles – Carson Wentz – Quarterback – North Dakota State

Carson Wentz has become a major talking point of this years draft class, after a standout career at North Dakota State. As a fifth year senior he led the Bison to his second FCS National Championship, despite missing the majority of the season with a broken wrist.

This has not deterred NFL personnel from declaring he is one of the top two QB’s in this draft class, along with Goff. The debate has been running for weeks as to who should be selected with the first pick, and seemingly both players are garnering equal backing to be the first name commissioner Roger Goodell calls.

Wentz is considered to have more longer term potential, but a major knock on him has been the level of competition he has faced at FCS level. Many NFL experts believe he will need some time to adjust to the huge leap from FCS standard to the NFL. This is why I think Goff will be selected first. But Philadelphia may end up the perfect place for Wentz.

The Eagles have signed Sam Bradford and Chase Daniels to lucrative contracts, therefore Wentz will have the opportunity to sit behind these players without huge pressure to be the day one starter. Whilst Bradford is said to be requesting a trade after the Eagles made this trade earlier this week, Wentz could still learn and develop behind Daniels. This is a win-win situation for both sides and could prove to be a very smart trade by the Eagles in several years time.

Wentz impressed in his final two seasons at NDSU, and would provide huge insurance for the Eagles at the QB position for the future. Photo copyright Mike Stone/Associated Press.

#3rd Overall Pick: San Diego Chargers – Laremy Tunsil – Tackle – Ole Miss

After the two blockbuster trades, the San Diego Chargers will likely be fielding calls for the third overall selection in the coming week. If the Chargers remain with the third pick it’s likely the team will fill a major position by selecting the premier tackle in this draft, Laremy Tunsil.

This is a very sensible pick from the Chargers, who need to rebuild the offensive line to protect Philip Rivers. He is widely predicted to be a premier left tackle and potential Pro Bowler in the coming years once he’s made the transition to the NFL.

Tunsil had a standout career at Ole Miss, and tackle is a position that usually is the safest position to draft from the college ranks. Tunsil has cemented himself as one of the best overall players in this draft, and with the first two picks almost certain to be QB’s, the Chargers will have acquired a steal by selecting a player of Tunsil’s quality with the third overall pick.

Tunsil solidified himself as the top tackle in this year’s draft, and will likely be an immediate starter for the Chargers. Photo copyright Aaron M Sprecher/NFL.

#4th Overall Pick: Dallas Cowboys – Jalen Ramsey – Defensive Back – Florida State

The Dallas Cowboys are rumoured to have been eyeing running back Ezekiel Elliot with this fourth overall pick, but the more sensible move is to select defensive back Jalen Ramsey from Florida State.

Ramsey is the best defensive player available this year, and is extremely versatile. Many teams in the NFL are unsure whether he will transition into a cornerback or safety at the next level, and was successful playing linebacker for portions of his three year Florida State career.

Some have question marks on how Ramsey will adjust to the NFL, especially against quicker change of direction agile wide receivers. These are only small concerns however, and he is the second best player overall this year amongst most experts and NFL personnel.

For the Cowboys this selection will be a case of picking the best player available, something that could very well prove to be a major building block towards the Cowboys returning to play-off contention after a poor 4-12 season. The team have a very good offensive line and Tony Romo returns from injury at QB, and Ramsey could prove to be an immediate impact player in Dallas.

Jalen Ramsey was the first true freshman since Deion Sanders to play in the secondary at FSU. Will he come close to Sanders achievements in the NFL? Photo copyright USA Today Sports.

#5th Overall Pick: Jacksonville Jaguars – Myles Jack – Linebacker – UCLA

The Jacksonville Jaguars have proved in free agency their intentions are to become a very good football team, and fast. The amount of money they spent in free agency significantly improved their team and they are building a very talented young roster for the future.

Fitting with this new direction will be whoever they select with this fifth selection, most likely to be UCLA linebacker Myles Jack. He is one of the most athletic players in this draft class, and proved to be a weapon both on offense and defense whilst at UCLA.

The only major concern on Jack is his recovery a season ending knee injury, which is not progressing as quickly as some NFL personnel would like. A medical re-check a few weeks ago produced mixed results, with teams split on whether they were happy with his results or whether they deemed them a red flag.

For now the Jags are developing quickly and with this pick they can afford to take a risk on a player such as Jack. He has bucket loads of potential and fills a position of need for the team also. If the Jags are happy with his recovery then they would be fools not to select him with this pick, as he would immediately upgrade a key position on the defense for this franchise.

Myles Jack excelled in two and a bit years at UCLA, and once fully recovered from his knee injury could become a high level linebacker for the Jags in the NFL. Photo copyright Jae C.Hong/Associated Press.

#6th Overall Pick: Baltimore Ravens – Joey Bosa – Defensive End – Ohio State

The Baltimore Ravens suffered an uncharacteristic 5-11 season after numerous years of making the play-offs. This is the earliest selection the franchise has had since the 2000 Draft, and the Ravens will want to draft an immediate starter to help their roster.

The Ravens and GM Ozzie Newsome are famed for their policy of draft the best available player over positional needs, but this year they can select a player that can do both. Ohio State defensive end Joey Bosa is a very good player who excelled in three years with the Buckeyes.

The Ravens have two very good pass rushers in Elvis Dumervil and Terrell Suggs, but both are close to the end of their careers and an injection of youth at the position will do the team a world of good. There are no glaring red flags with Bosa and in tandem with two long term Pro Bowlers such as Suggs and Dumervil this will be a pass rush every NFL team will fear.

Joey Bosa showed his talents consistently at Ohio State, and looks likely to translate his skills into a successful NFL career. Photo copyright Darron Cummings/Associated Press.

7th Overall Pick: San Francisco 49ers – Paxton Lynch – Quarterback -Memphis

The 49ers have suffered a lot since narrowly losing Superbowl 47 in 2013, with the team embroiled in a public conundrum whether to move on from quarterback Colin Kaepernick or not. It seems Kaepernick himself is ready to move on from San Francisco, but despite many links to other franchises the organization have not been able to find a trade partner for him.

With such uncertainty at the most valuable position on the roster the 49ers will look to address this in this draft. With only Blaine Gabbert at backup, the position needs to be improved if the franchise want to return to a winning season. With this in mind and the early run on signal callers at the beginning of this draft, I sense the 49ers will nab the best available QB before Cleveland get’s the chance to one pick later.

Early in the draft process Memphis QB Paxton Lynch was considered on a similar par to Goff and Wentz, but has slipped now to a clear third best QB in this class. Whilst the team may wait and select a player such as Christian Hackenberg or Connor Cook in the second round, they need a potential immediate starter as insurance and Lynch is the perfect player to provide this.

Paxton Lynch was at one point with some draft experts considered the best QB prospect in this class. He can provide immediate insurance for the 49ers. Photo copyright USA Today Sports.

8th Overall Pick: Cleveland Browns – DeForest Buckner – Defensive End -Oregon

The Cleveland Browns have made the majority of headlines this off-season, as they have adapted a completely new approach under the “Moneyball” philosophy that has worked so well in Baseball. The team has been completely gutted as they have accumulated draft picks to the point they now have a league high 12 picks this year, including six in the top 100.

With so many glaring needs for this team it would be sensible for the organization to adopt a best available player mantra, and based on this they will select DeForest Buckner from Oregon. He is up there with Bosa as the best pass rusher in this draft, and has been a projected top six pick for the majority of this draft process.

Some have questioned if he will transition well to the NFL, but this has not stopped many still declaring him a top six pick.If the Browns are able to select him with the eighth pick it would be a steal of a first move for the franchise as it’s enters a completely new era.

Buckner has some concerns in how he will translate to the NFL, however for the Browns he would be a steal if he’s still available with the eighth pick. Photo Copyright Ryan Kang/Associated Press.

9th Overall Pick: Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Vernon Hargreaves – Cornerback – Florida

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have developed an exciting young offense led by Jameis Winston. On one side of the ball the team are a formidable proposition, but to become a play-off contender they will need to add some youth to their defense.

With this in mind and the top pass rushers such as Bosa and Buckner off the board I think the team will add a future starting cornerback Vernon Hargreaves. The local man has developed into a top tier prospect at the University of Florida and was considered a potential top five selection earlier in the draft process.

The trades for QB’s have reduced his stock, and for him to fall to Tampa with the ninth pick will be one they will be very excited to make. For Hargreaves the opportunity to join a rising football team and get to stay in the state of Florida ensures this pick will provide plenty of excitement for both parties. Watch out for Hargreaves to make an impact in the coming years for the Bucs.

Could Florida prospect Vernon Hargreaves be taking his talents to nearby Tampa come Thursday night? Photo copyright Butch Gill/Associated Press.

10th Overall Pick: New York Giants – Ronnie Stanley – Tackle – Notre Dame

The New York Giants have a lot of the pieces needed to be a play-off team. They have good offensive weapons, but a major area of need for the franchise is on the offensive line. Giants QB Eli Manning can only show his tremendous throwing skills when he has the time to make the throws.

After using their first round pick last year on Ereck Flowers, this year the franchise will once again add a young player to the offensive line. Tackle Ronnie Stanley is one of the premier O-linemen in this draft aside from Tunsil, and would instantly provide competition to start week one in New York.

There have been some question marks surrounding his technique and how it adjusts to the NFL level, but with a need on the offensive line they could instantly counter this by selecting Stanley, who has the potential to be an NFL starter for the next ten years.

Ronnie Stanley has the potential to be a very good offensive linemen in the NFL for the next ten years, but will the Giants select him? Photo Copyright Rick Scuteri/Associated Press.

That wraps up Part 1 of my NFL mock draft. Whether any of these predictions became fact next Thursday, only time will tell. I would like to thank you for reading and any comments would be greatly appreciated. Watch out for Part 2 of my mock draft, looking at picks 11-20, which will be posted on here in the next few days.

Why L.A Rams Trade Is So Momentus

The NFL Draft. For fans of American football, it’s one of the key events of the year. Superbowl victories are born and die in equal measure in this one three day extravaganza. For the prospects being selected, draft day is something they have dreamed about since they were children first playing the game. It’s very rare that headlines are made before the draft itself, but that’s exactly what happened last Thursday.

The Los Angeles Rams shocked the NFL by making a blockbuster trade with the Tennessee Titans to secure the first overall pick. It’s been well known over the past weeks and months that the Titans were looking to trade the first overall pick, but no one was predicting it would be the Rams that would make the deal.

On the face of it, the move makes a lot of sense. The L.A Rams have the majority of the parts needed to become a consistent play-off team, but their quarterback play has been a source of concern for them for the past season. Case Keenum and Nick Foles have not established themselves as the definitive starter, and this is what prompted the trade.

The Rams have arguably the best young running back in Todd Gurley, along with a good defense also. The blaring question however is under centre. The prospect of selecting a player such as Jared Goff or Carson Wentz was clearly too tempting for them, hence their successful attempt to move up to the first pick.

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Jared Goff has impressed in his college career at Cal-Berkeley. Has he done enough however to be selected by the Rams first overall next week? Photo copyright USA Today Sports

They are investing a lot in the player they select however. The Rams swapped first round pick this year, along with two second round picks and a third rounder this year. On top of this huge ransom they gave up their first and third round picks next year. These are a lot of top picks for the Rams to give up, with their only return being a fourth and sixth round pick this year.

After giving up this much to move up, the Rams have immediately put a lot of pressure on the player they select. Their move to Los Angeles has put the Rams in a position of high levels of media scrutiny. L.A is a lot more magnified area in terms of media than St Louis, and this will only be amplified by the blockbuster trade.

It’s difficult enough at the best of times for a rookie quarterback to adjust to the huge step up that is the NFL. For Goff and Wentz they have already received a small dose of this thanks to the intense media attention of both in the pre-draft process. Both have been analysed and scrutinised on seemingly everything they do and dissected like few players in other sports ever are.

Some have suggested there is not a single elite quarterback in this year’s draft, but that should not be a huge concern for the Rams. With Keenum and Foles the Rams currently have two average quarterbacks on their roster. All Goff or Wentz have to prove is that they are a significant step up from these two for the trade to make sense.

hi-res-b48d63973bb72b90d1d8c9d2f1c93815_crop_north Carson Wentz has excelled at North Dakota State. Despite the fact he’s coming from a small school he has scouts drooling on his NFL potential. Photo copyright Mike Stone/Associated Press.

Both have the potential to be very good quarterbacks in the NFL, with all the techniques and skill set’s to succeed for a long time in the pro’s. Whilst the amount given up is a lot to give up and will draw inevitable comparison to the 2012 trade the Washington Redskins made to select Robert Griffin the third. Whilst this move was a mistake all teams should certainly learn from, this is something the Rams will hope won’t be repeated when they select first overall next week.

It’s likely neither player will be immediately thrust into the starting role. The Rams will likely build them up and let them develop during the season. This may well end up changing the dynamic of who the Rams select. It’s believed amongst NFL draft experts that Wentz has the slightly better long term potential, but that Goff is the better short term option.

After moving to such an important and vibrant city in Los Angeles, will be Rams want some instant bang for their buck with the selection or take the player with a better potential future? This is a question that will keep everyone associated with the Rams on edge right up until the moment they are on the clock next Thursday evening. So just who will the Los Angeles Rams select? Read my mock draft coming up in the next week to find out who I think they will select.

Any thoughts on this trade or who the Rams will select? Please feel free to comment and let me know. And finally, of course thank you for reading. Find me on Twitter @brfcjordan95.

Will there be a European NFL franchise anytime soon?

After experiencing the first of the three NFL international series games at Wembley stadium last Sunday between the Miami Dolphins and the Oakland Raiders, in the aftermath I found myself wondering as a fan, will there be a fully fledged international franchise in the NFL anytime soon?

The idea for the first NFL franchise to come from outside the United States of America has been slowly building momentum since the first international series game at Wembley in 2007. That one game has now turned into three regular season games with the promise of more to come in the ensuing years. This growing momentum could well lead to a permanent NFL franchise in the next 10 years, but could it work logistically?

Many at first glance would simply dismiss this idea with a quick “no”, citing the vast distance that would be between every other NFL franchise in America and a European franchise. The move would also meet with a widespread resistance from within the NFL, as I’m sure a large majority of the current 32 NFL franchises would not be willing to travel across to Europe to play, despite the obvious commercial benefits of the NFL branching out into Europe.

When actually giving this idea some thought some other considerations have to come into play also. Firstly history, whilst this may sound a bit strange to hear at first we must first look at the success and ultimate failure of NFL Europe when discussing a permanent franchise in Europe. Whilst NFL Europe contained some good players during it’s tenure from 1991 and 2007. The league was supported by the NFL with the teams using the European teams as a development league for young players not yet ready for the NFL. Alongside these players were those in the later stages of their career or free agents not picked up by the NFL after college. The attendances were steady if not spectacular with an average of just over 20 000 across the league for their final season in 2007. Whilst the attendance of 83 459 for last Sunday’s game is very impressive and shows the support the NFL has in Europe, yet could this be realistically sustained across a 16 week season?

Another factor to consider is the logistics with starting an NFL franchise. This is something that is difficult enough to start in America, let alone Europe with the last NFL franchise being the Houston Texans in 2002. The infrastructure needed to start the franchise would take several years to put in place, with obvious factors such as training facilities alongside finding a permanent stadium would all be things to organise. Aside from the infrastructure the actual roster itself would pose problems as it would likely be much harder to attract top line players to join a team so removed from their own culture, despite the growing international flavour of the NFL.

With all these factors considered for me the most logical step is to carry on with what the NFL is planning at the moment, to slowly increase the level of support in Europe with a gradual increase in the amount of games hosted in Europe to effectively gain the required support needed before any thoughts of a permanent franchise can be considered. For now the NFL has the right recipe for success with a crucial market such as Europe, it’s now up to them to follow through with it.

Why NCAA should pay College athletes

First of all, I want to make it clear that I do not claim to be an expert on this subject or indeed have an abundance of expert knowledge on this subject. This is simply written by a regular college sports fans who doesn’t understand how it’s fair for Universities and head coaches to collect millions of dollars from college athletics, yet the athletes themselves are forced to live a hand-to mouth existence until they complete their degree or turn professional in their respective sports.

This is a topical subject at the present moment as a judge ruled in favour of student athletes only a few days ago that they can sell the rights to their names and images, with the money being given to them once they’ve completed College. Although it’s unlikely to generate mega sums for student athletes the opportunity to be given $20 000 dollars after 4 years of College is a lot better than current athletes receive. Lead plaintiff in the case Ed O’Bannon, former UCLA basketball star, stated he joined the lawsuit against the NCAA after he saw his image used in a NCAA licenced video game that he was not paid for.

The role of “improper benefits” and the rules sanctioned by the NCAA are constantly being challenged or broken by student athletes. A Notable example is include Reggie Bush being forced to hand back his 2005 Heisman Trophy, awarded to College football’s best player that year, for receiving “improper benefits” whilst at USC between 2003-2005. For many student athletes the problem occurs when Universities “boosters” get involved, “boosters” are linked to Universities and help with their funding. The problems however is that whilst many student athletes become nationwide stars they are not allowed to receive any benefits from their status.

Whilst the NCAA stance that student athletes are students first and University should only be about furthering their education is a very noble idea in principle, it’s hard to see past how NCAA athletics have simply become farm systems for professional sports such as the NFL,NBA or MLB. It does seem absurd in 2014 that whilst the Universities receive tens of millions of dollars a year from NCAA athletics, and coaches receive millions of dollars a year that the actual players themselves cannot even have someone pay for their breakfast as this would be deemed a NCAA violation under the “Improper benefits” policy.

Whilst I am not suggesting that College players should start being paid an astronomical amount, I simply feel they should be fairly compensated for their efforts with a modest salary that will allow them to have a slightly better existence whilst at College. For many players, they commit NCAA infractions for simple things such as having a meal paid for them or being given money for clothes. This is something most regular teenage students do yet when the NCAA are involved it’s deemed students are using their status for benefit, therefore forfeiting their amateur status.

In the last few years it has become common for College athletes to declare for the NFL or NBA draft increasingly earlier than in the past. Whilst many who follow College sports are trying to work out how to keep students in College for longer so they can complete their degrees, it seems simply that these students jump at the first opportunity they get to go professional and earn enough money to take care of themselves and their family. For College football players they have to wait 3 years whilst for the NBA players can declare at any time during their College career.

The final comment is that throughout the years their have been plenty of incredible College players who have been unable to convert their considerable talent into the money they deserve for an abundance of reasons such as injury or NCAA violations, and this is exactly why College athletes should receive a modest salary in a billion dollar industry as it seems highly unfair in my opinion that players such as Marcus Dupree, Melvin Bratton and Maurice Clarett should be have their dreams of reaching the NFL taken away and yet not be compensated for their previous efforts of playing in front of 60- 80 000 fans. If the University and Coaches should receive mega bucks benefits from College athletics, shouldn’t the players receive a small portion of that too.

Photo sourced from http://www.thesportspost.com , http://www.Cleveland.com and http://www.wisescholar.com

Photo credit goes to http://www.thesportspost.com , Julie Jacobsen and http://www.ap.org and http://www.wisecholar.com

Why are Quarterbacks falling so far in the NFL Draft?

Going into the 2014 NFL Draft may were hailing the best Quarterback draft class in a long time with 4 consensus 1st round QB’s with plenty more following on in the 2nd and 3rd rounds. Things initially started well as the Jacksonville Jaguars shocked the nation by selecting Blake Bortles with the 3rd pick of the 2014 NFL Draft, making him the first QB taken. From this point however the stock of the Quarterback has nosedived with the first warning signs being the fall of media darling and consensus top QB in the draft, Johnny Manziel. On draft night he fell from being a consensus top 5 pick to eventually be selected with the 22nd pick by the Cleveland Browns.

From the predicted four 1st round QB’s only one more was taken with the Minnesota Vikings trading back into the 1st round with the 32nd and last pick to select draft free faller Teddy Bridgewater of Louisville. At this point the fortunes of the Quarterback had been mixed in the 1st round with Bortles and Bridgewater being picked far before they were predicted to have been, yet fellow 1st round talent Derek Carr was forced to wait overnight for his time to be drafted.

Friday night saw the 2nd and 3rd rounds of the draft with plenty more QB’s expected to be drafted during the course of the night. The first off the board in the 2nd round was unsurprisingly Fresno State’s Derek Carr who took his cannon arm to Oakland where he can learn from Matt Schaub before eventually replacing him at the Raiders. With Carr off the board who was going to be next was open to debate. Some felt it was the pro ready Jimmy Garoppolo from Eastern Illinois whilst others fancied LSU’s Zach Mettenberger.

After a long while and plenty of Quarterback needy teams passing on a new signal caller eventually it was a surprise selection as the New England Patriots selected Jimmy Garoppolo with the 62nd pick late in the 2nd round. This seemed a slightly strange selection at first as the team has future Hall of fame Quarterback Tom Brady as the starter with impressive backup Ryan Mallet behind him in the depth chart. It was soon worked out however that Garoppolo is an insurance policy against Mallet potentially leaving as this is the last year of his rookie contract and is highly regarded around the NFL.

Going into the 3rd round it was expected that we would see a flurry of QB’s taken in this round as the value on these falling draft prospect would surely be irresistible to the many Quarterback needy teams in this draft. What actually happened was quite the opposite as no QB’s were selected at all in the 3rd round meaning there are plenty of signal callers who have to wait until today before being drafted.

For many it appears injury and poor combine/pro day performances are the reasoning why they remain on the board going into the 4th round. For Zach Mettenberger this is definitely the case as he must be frustrated to fall from a 2nd round prediction to falling into the 4th round, although this may be because of recent revelation about a diluted drug test at the scouting combine in February. Indeed on draft expert Mike Mayock’s board Mettenberger is rated above Teddy Bridgewater who went in the 1st round.

For other QB’s such as Alabama’s AJ McCarron it appears many NFL teams doubt he can be a regular winning QB in the NFL despite have an exemplary record of success whilst in college at Alabama.He will be a huge value pick if he falls below the 4th round today. The next rated QB is Pittsburgh’s Tom Savage who appears to have one of the biggest arm’s in the QB class with many tipping him to sneak into the 2nd round and expect him alongside McCarron to be selected in the 4th round.

For the likes of Aaron Murray of Georgia injury has curtailed his draft stock, expect him to be selected late in the 4th round/early 5th round . From the other Quarterback’s in this draft the likes of Logan Thomas from Virginia Tech, Tajh Boyd from Clemson and Stephen Morris from Miami expect these guys to be drafted in the later rounds or might even go undrafted as they are purely developmental Quarterback’s who need several years of development before they could be challenging for starting QB slots in the NFL. It should be very interesting to see where these young signal callers are all selected today in the final day of the 2014 NFL Draft.

NFL Draft: Who’s going where? Round 2

After the surprises and excitement of last night’s 1st round of the 2014 NFL Draft tonight see’s the 2nd and 3rd rounds take place as many 1st round talents hope to be taken off the board early in the 2nd round. Here are my prediction for the 2nd round picks although like my 1st round mock draft potential trades will automatically render most of my predictions incorrect as teams jostle to take the best available players for their organization. Without further ado, the Houston Texans are on the clock.

33rd Pick: Houston Texans – With the opening pick of the 2nd round I predict the Texans will finally address their weakness at Quarterback by selecting a consensus 1st round talent who amazingly slipped out of the 1st round in what was a tough night for the QB class. I’m of course talking about Fresno State’s Derek Carr, a big physical pocket passer with a cannon arm who could immediately come in to training camp and become the game 1 starter for the Texans.

34th Pick: Washington Redskins – The Washington Redskins enter the 2014 NFL Draft after the last of their blockbuster trade in 2012 to grab RG3 meant St Louis used their 2nd overall pick. Nevertheless, the team is in a rebuilding stage with a new head coach and a QB out to prove the critics wrong after a disappointing 2013 season. Their biggest need appear in protection for RG3, which is why I think they’ll be thrilled that Alabama Offensive tackle Cyrus Kouandjio, someone who is ranked 24th on Mike Mayock’s top 100 board. Therefore he represents a steal for the Redskins early in the 2nd round.

35th Pick: Cleveland Browns – The Browns made a splash in the 1st round by addressing two big needs with top quality players, their 22nd overall pick of QB Johnny Manziel that affects this 2nd round pick however as I predict the Browns will immediately add protection for Manziel. The best available Offensive line prospect is UCLA Guard Xavier Su’a-Filo. He’s a 1st round talent and would immediately give Manziel the added protection he’ll need to make plays.

36th Pick: Oakland Raiders – After they managed to grab a steal in selecting Khalil Mack in the 1st round like the Texans I see the Raiders addressing their Quarterback situation with this pick. Of the QB’s still available I predict they’ll go with rising draft prospect Jimmy Garoppolo. Although he went to a small school in Eastern Illinois he’s wowed draft scouts during the draft process and could be a serious challenge to Matt Schaub from day 1.

37th Pick: Atlanta Falcons – After selecting an Offensive tackle in the 1st round the 2nd round will see the Falcons again address a big need for them in a pass rushing edge player. Of the remaining Defensive end class I predict the Falcons will select Kony Ealy from Missouri. He’s a really good player whilst simultaneously filling a need for the Falcons in what is a beneficial selection for both parties.

38th Pick: Tampa bay Buccaneers – After the selection of Mike Evans in round 1 the Buccaneers I predict they’ll swap and select a defensive player with their 2nd round pick. The player in question I sense will be Linebacker Demarcus Lawrence from Boise state. He’s a real good player and also helps fill a need at linebacker.

39th Pick: Jacksonville Jaguars – With the shock selection of Blake Bortles at the 3rd pick the team still need to give him some offensive weapons to throw too if he’s to stand a chance of success. Therefore the Jags will be ecstatic to find a Wide receiver in the calibre of USC’s Marquise Lee still available. Although he has injury concerns if he stays healthy watch out for the Jags offense this year.

40th Pick:Seattle Seahawks – After trading out of the 1st round last night the Seahawks will finally make their 1st selection with the 40th pick. The team lost a lot of players during free agency and therefore go into the draft with more needs than they would have liked. One of the top needs is on the Offensive line which is why it makes sense for them to select Joel Bitonio from Nevada. He can immediately start for the team and will add brilliant depth on the line.

41st Pick: Buffalo Bills – The Bills provided a shock last night as no one predicted they would trade up to select Wide receiver Sammy Watkins. That doesn’t appear to be the end of their offensive selections as it seems most likely they will upgrade their offensive line by selecting draft faller Morgan Moses from Virginia. Many mock drafts had him late in the 1st round so it would be a steal for the Bills to select him in the middle of the 2nd round.

42st Pick: Tennessee Titans – The selection of Taylor Lewan was no surprise as the team needed an instant upgrade on their offensive line. With this upgrade the team have given Jake Locker even more protection going into a crucial year for him . Many have raised doubts however as to his long term potential with the Titans and it appears the Titans will select a QB in this draft. I sense they’ll go early and select Zack Mettenberger from LSU. He has injury concerns however he’s a very talented QB who can learn from Locker this year before challenging for the starting job in the next few years.

43rd Pick: New York Giants – Wide receiver Odell Beckham was their 1st round selection and it appears their offensive selections won’t stop there. One of their biggest needs is at Tight end and is something that can be easily upgraded with this selection. The Giants will select the second best Tight end in this class with Jace Amaro of Texas Tech. He can start from game one and will be another weapon for Eli Manning to throw too.

44th Pick: St Louis Rams – After a pretty conservative 1st round with the selections of Offensive tackle Greg Robinson and Defensive end Aaron Donald which will improve both sides of the ball for the Rams, now it appears the teams will make the more eye catching selections as I sense they’ll go after a Wide receiver in the 2nd round. Indiana’s Cody Latimer will be a good selection for the team as Sam Bradford will get a new offensive weapon to throw too in a crucial year for both him and the Rams.

45th Pick: Detroit Lions – With the 45 pick my prediction is that the Lions will go after highly rated linebacker Kyle Van Noy from BYU. He’s a draft sleeper and can be considered a steal for the Lions at this spot in the middle of the 2nd round.

46th Pick: Pittsburgh Steelers – After the defensive selection of Outside linebacker Ryan Shazier with their 1st round selection last night with the 2nd round choice I predict the Steelers will again stay on the defensive side of the ball by selecting Cornerback Anotone Exum from Virginia Tech. He’s someone who will immediately improve what was the biggest positional need for the Steelers and makes great sense for them to address this need in the 2nd round.

47th Pick: Dallas Cowboys – With so many defensive needs for the Cowboys it was a slight surprise they selected Offensive tackle Zack martin in the 1st round last night. Therefore the team will surely address their defense with this pick. One of their biggest needs is at Defensive tackle which is why I see them selecting Minnesota’s Ra’shede Hageman. A very good Defensive tackle, he will most likely immediately start and therefore upgrade the Cowboys defensive.

48th Pick: Baltimore Ravens- The Ravens pulled their classic pick the best player routine last night by selecting Inside Linebacker C.J Mosley from Alabama. Their 2nd round selection I feel will simply go for their draft needs now of which Tight end is the one with the best value at this pick. The Ravens can select the third best Tight end of this draft class is Austin-Seferian- Jenkins from Washington. He might not get much game time in the first year but can learn from Dennis Pitta and Owen Daniels before eventually getting his chance in the next few years.

49th Pick: New York Jets- After addressing their need at Safety by selecting Calvin Pryor in the 1st round it would therefore seem logical the Jets will use their 2nd round pick to address another big need for them at Wide receiver. From the receiver class still available one of the top talents is Vanderbilt’s Jordan Matthews, who was once in the 1st round discussion before settling in most mock drafts to the middle of the 2nd round. Alongside Eric Decker Geno Smith will be very happy with his new offensive weapons to throw too.

50th Pick: Miami Dolphins – For the Miami Dolphins their draft needs are glaringly obvious. After a bruising 2013 the team has a serious lack of depth on the offensive line therefore it was no surprise they selecting O-lineman Ja’Wuan James in the 1st round. Also it shouldn’t be a huge shock to see them select another O-lineman in the 2nd round with another Tennessee man Antonio Richardson. Both selections will bring much needed depth and talent to a struggling Offensive line going into the 2014 season.

51st Pick: Chicago Bears – The Bears played the 1st round smart last night by selecting a player to address their biggest overall need at Cornerback in Kyle Fuller. The Bears organization I believe will play their 2nd round selection smart too by getting the best value whilst simultaneously filling a need also by selecting Florida State Defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan. The fact he would have fallen this far will be viewed as a complete steal by the Bears as they will get an upgrade at a key position whilst simultaneously nabbing a player who is a late 1st round talent.

52nd Pick: Arizona Cardinals – After moving back in a trade with the Green Bay Packers the Cardinals still managed to fill a need for their team at Safety by selecting Deone Bucannon. Many were slightly surprised they did not select a Quarterback as Carson Palmer is nearing 35 and will need to be replaced in the next few seasons. The fans I sense will get their way as the Cardinals will select a young QB to develop and learn from Palmer before replacing him. Tom Savage is a QB who will be hard to pass up on at this point as he is a stocky pocket passer who could effortlessly take over from Palmer after a few years of development.

53rd Pick: Green Bay Packers – The Packers made the brave move of trading up from 27 to the 20th pick to select Safety Ha Ha-Clinton Dix in the 1st round. This was a clever move from the Packers as they managed to select one of the top Safeties in the draft, whilst also filling their biggest need going into the draft. The Packers will therefore play it sensible and use their 2nd round pick on the team’s second biggest need which is at Tight end. The team will therefore select Notre Dame Tight end Troy Niklas. The team will get a top 5 rated Tight end and for their position in the draft this pick has to be viewed as a steal.

54th Pick: Philadelphia Eagles – To the surprise of many the Eagles did not select a Wide receiver with their 1st round pick, instead trading back to select Defensive end Marcus Smith. Whilst he’s a top quality player he didn’t fill any of the Eagles top needs therefore I would be very surprised if they didn’t address one of these needs with this 2nd round pick. The Eagles biggest need is at Cornerback and I feel the team will make a reach and select the best available corner in Clemson’s Bashaud Breeland.

55th Pick: Cincinnati Bengals – The Bengals were quick to select Safety Darqueze Dennard with their 24th pick, as the team looked to improve their Cornerback position by selecting an immediate starter in Dennard. With their 2nd round pick I sense the team will improve their biggest need which is at the Defensive end position. By far the best available Defensive end is Oregon State’s Scott Crichton. He could immediately challenge for a starting role and is rated as the 46th best player on Mike Mayock’s big board, representing how this pick is a steal for the Bengals.

56th Pick: San Francisco 49ers – Last night’s 1st round selection for the 49ers was Safety Jimmie Ward, yet it appears for their 2nd round selection the team will improve their offense. The team seems to be one speedy receiver away from the Super bowl and with this selection they have the perfect opportunity to rectify this. I predict the team will select LSU Wide receiver Jarvis Landry, someone’s who’s highly rated and will be an immediate for the 49ers offense.

57th Pick: San Diego Chargers – With the Chargers filling their biggest need at Cornerback by selecting Jason Verrett in the 1st round the team will follow a similarly sensible path by filling their second biggest need at Wide receiver with this 2nd round pick. The Wide receiver class is deep this year therefore I sense the team will take a chance and select a slightly unpolished receiver is Clemson’s Martavis Bryant. He has tremendous upside yet needs a year or two to develop before he becomes an NFL starter.

58th Pick: New Orleans Saints – The New Orleans Saints gave Drew Brees a new receiver to throw too with Brandin Cooks from Oregon State. Therefore it seems logical the team will use their 2nd round pick on a defensive player now with a big need on that side of the ball being at Cornerback. A deep class at the position means the team can select a player of the calibre of Florida State’s Lamarcus Joyner who will arrive at a winning program and can become the future starting corner for the Saints.

59th Pick: Indianapolis Colts – After trading away their 1st round pick to Cleveland for Trent Richardson early in the season the team finally arrives at the NFL Draft with the 59th pick. The team have a lot of defensive needs yet a lack of available talent at this spot seemingly will force the team into selecting the best available player in Mississippi State’s Guard Gabe Jackson. He’s a consensus top 4 at his position and will add some extra depth in the protection of Andrew Luck going into the 2014 season.

60th Pick: Carolina Panthers – After seemingly disabling most of their offense this off-season the Panthers finally gave Cam Newton another weapon to throw too in Florida State’s Kelvin Benjamin in the 1st round. With the 60th pick it seems the team will address a big need on offense at Offensive tackle by selecting the best available in Clemson’s Brandon Thomas.

61st Pick: San Francisco 49ers – With their second pick in quick succession late in the 2nd round the 49ers having nothing to lose by drafting another Wide receiver to create some early competition for a future starting job. With such a deep class there seems little risk in selecting someone like Fresno State’s Davante Adams as a perfect challenge to Landry for the future.

62nd Pick: New England Patriots – With a late 2nd round pick like this a well set team like the Patriots have the flexibility to draft someone out of the ordinary which is why I sense they’ll be the first team to select a Running back in this draft by selecting Ohio State’s Carlos Hyde to help fill a positional need whilst also receiving a great talent from a low 2nd round pick.

63rd Pick: Denver Broncos – With the penultimate pick in the 2nd round I sense the Broncos will attempt to fill the best potential need available at the Offensive line position by selecting Ohio State’s Jack Mewhort. Whilst he’s not likely to be an immediate starter he can develop over the next few years before becoming a future starter for the Broncos.

64th pick: Seattle Seahawks – The final pick of the 2nd round goes to the defending Super bowl champions with their second pick of the 2nd round I sense the team will look to select a positional need at Defensive tackle as the team lost a number of starters during the free agency period. Therefore I predict the team will select Defensive tackle Will Sutton from Arizona State. The team can use him in certain schemes whilst allowing him to grow and develop before taking the starting reign’s himself in the next few seasons.

2014 NFL Draft: Who’s going where? Part 2

After previewing the first half of the 2014 draft in my previous post now it’s time to look at the second half of this draft. With the teams at this end of the draft being far less needy they have a lot more flexibility in terms of their selections. First up in the second half of the 2014 NFL Draft are the Baltimore Ravens.

17th Pick: Baltimore Ravens – Despite it being a re-building year for the Ravens after winning Super bowl 47 the team were still disappointed to miss out on the play-off’s with an 8-8 season. Therefore the team have been very active in the free agency period to improve going into next season. Another key opportunity for them to upgrade is with the draft of which GM Ozzie Newsome is famous for finding talent in all rounds of the draft. With the 17th pick I see them taking the best player available, who just happens to fill a need for them too. If he’s still on the board at 17 of which I predict he will be the Ravens would be crazy not to pick Tight end Eric Ebron. He’s by far the standout Tight end in this draft and would challenge Pro bowler Owen Daniels for the next few seasons.

18th Pick: New York Jets – The Jets are a team that are almost play-off calibre they simply need a few more impact players to make it into the post-season. Although they’ve already added a dynamic Wide Receiver in Eric Decker I feel they’ll go in for another receiver with this pick. I see them taking Odell Beckham JR from LSU. They seem enamoured with the guy and clearly believe he can be another impact player alongside Decker.

19th Pick: Miami Dolphins – After a tumultuous year it seems fairly apparent which position the Dolphins will be upgrading with this pick. After the bullying scandal of last season the Offensive line is depleted and in serious need of improvement if their to compete for the play-off’s. With already a decent run on Offensive tackle’s so far I still feel they’ll go this way and select Cyrus Kouandjio from Alabama. He’s a talented player who will immediately strengthen the Offensive line going into the 2014 season.

20th Pick: Arizona Cardinals – The Cardinals go into the 2014 with the luxury of having very few immediate needs with their roster. The team can therefore think to the future with this draft and it seems they’ll look to inject some youth into their most important position of all with this pick . There seems a lot of buzz that the Cardinals will select University of Central Florida Quarterback Blake Bortles with this pick. He’s a very talented young signal caller who can immediately learn from the ageing Carson Palmer before he takes the starting reigns himself.

21st Pick: Green Bay Packers – The Green Bay Packers are a team that struggled when Aaron Rodgers was out injured last season. It was at this time that the defensive unit was exposed as they also showed weakness throughout the year. Therefore I sense they’ll rectify this starting with their defensive backfield and the Safety position. From the Safeties left available I think they’ll go with Deone Bucannon from Washington State. He’s a underrated Safety who will bring immediate improvements to the position for the Packers.

22nd Pick: Philadelphia Eagles – The Eagles have enjoyed a relatively quiet free agency period aside from the Desean Jackson saga. Now with that in their rear view mirrors they can focus on simply selecting the best available player for their franchise. Based on my previous selections I feel the best player available is Inside Linebacker C.J Mosley from Alabama. He’s the best Inside Linebacker in this draft and the fact he’s around at 22 will be enough for the Eagles to quickly snap him up.

23rd Pick: Kansas City Chiefs – After a unexpectedly good season for the Chiefs which saw them go from the worst team in the NFL to the play-off’s in one season was remarkable to watch play out. Yet this team still has needs going into the 2014 season and a quiet free agency period clearly means their looking to the draft to get their upgrades. With this pick I’m going to go along with what the fans want and predict they’ll take a Wide receiver with this pick. Which one is a lot harder to call yet I sense they’ll go with the best available on most boards and select Brandin Cooks out of Oregon State. He’s a great player in a deep receiver class which explains him only being taken at 23.

24th Pick: Cincinnati Bengals – After a decent season which saw them into the play-off’s the team is looking solid going into 2014. Yet solid doesn’t mean there’s not room for improvement which is what the Bengals will be looking for with this pick. It seems their most pressing concern is with the Cornerback position, something which can immediately be solved with this deep class at the position. Whilst the top Corner’s will be off the board by now I sense they’ll go with the best available at the position in Bradley Roby from Ohio State. He’s a talented player with limitless potential for this team at Cornerback.

25th Pick: San Diego Chargers – As with many teams at this end of the draft the Chargers already have a play-off calibre roster, giving them plenty of freedom to select the best player available. In my estimations the Chargers will be thrilled at this point as they will be able to take one of the best available players whilst also filling a need for their team. I predict they’ll select Defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan from Florida State. He’s a beast of a player and can easily be a game 1 starter for the Chargers.

26th Pick: Cleveland Browns – With their second first round selection from the Indianapolis Colts in a previous trade I predict the Browns will again improve their Offence. After selecting QB Johnny Manziel with their 4th pick I sense they’ll use this pick to give him another weapon to throw to in Wide receiver Marquise Lee from USC. He has injury problems yet when he’s healthy he will instantly energise the Browns Offence.

27th Pick: New Orleans Saints – The Saints are a very talented team with explosive players at almost every position. Yet their always looking to upgrade and I sense they’ll use this 27th pick to snatch Defensive End Stephen Tuitt from Notre Dame. If he’s still available here the Saints will feel like they’ll got a steal by selecting a player predicted to go 10-18 with the 27th pick.

28th Pick: Carolina Panthers – The Panthers have an explosive offence under QB Cam Newton yet the flip side to that is the importance of him receiving good protection from his Offensive line as the Panthers would be lost if Newton was out injured for a significant portion of the season like the Packers struggled when Rodgers was out last season. Therefore I think they will want to add some youth at this position by selecting Morgan Moses from Virginia, then letting him learn from the elder statesmen before eventually taking over on the Offensive line himself.

29th Pick: New England Patriots – The New England Patriots are always in play-off contention every year as long as they still have Tom Brady under centre, however the defensive unit is in need of slight improvement going into the new season. With their offence looking potent I feel they will want to use this pick to improve their defensive unit. Therefore if he’s still on the board I can’t see them looking past Minnesota’s Defensive tackle Ra’shede Hageman. He’s a player that could immediately come in and challenge for a starting role from day 1.

30th Pick: San Francisco 49ers – The 49ers offense seems to need very little improvement, at least in comparison with their defence. Whilst it’s still a good unit some cracks have appeared in it over the last few seasons. Therefore with no other pressing needs I sense they’ll deal with this with this 1st round pick by taking Cornerback Jason Verett from TCU. In any other year he’d be a top 3 rated Corner easy yet the deep talent pool this year at the position has pushed him back to the 5th rated and therefore 30th selection.

31st Pick: Denver Broncos – After their humiliating loss in Super bowl 48 this February the Denver Broncos will be looking to solidify a defence that conceded 43 points in that game. Their biggest defensive need is their Pass rushing attack which is why I feel they’ll go with highly rated Outside Linebacker Ryan Shazier from Ohio State. Whilst he may not immediately start for them some day soon he will be a top rated pass rusher for the Broncos.

32nd Pick: Seattle Seahawks – Whilst the Seahawks are the current Super bowl champions they have seen a lot of talented players leave in this free agency period for pastures new, meaning they will be looking for immediate starting talent in this draft to replace them. Their biggest need is on the Offensive line which struggled with poor play and injuries last season, therefore it seems if he’s still available they’ll select the top rated Guard in UCLA’s Xavier Su’a-Filo. He would bring some youth to the line and could be a potential day 1 starter for the team.

Of course with this mock draft I haven’t taken into account any trades so I would be very surprised if the draft even goes half the way I predicted but what is for certain is that every NFL fan will be eagerly watching to see which potential starter their team selects in this first round. We have an exciting night in store.

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