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Are we really only two weeks away from Draft Day 2013? It seems as though it were just yesterday that the Baltimore Ravens saved Cardinals fans at least a year of gloating from division rival San Francisco, by defeating the aforementioned team in Super Bowl 47. Draft day brings new hope and intrigue to even the most hapless teams, with promise of future Hall of Famers and threat of infamous busts. So without further adieu, I present the second last 2013 Revenge of the Birds mock draft.
1. Kansas City Chiefs - Luke Joeckel, OT, Texas A&M. Joeckel is the most popular selection for the Chiefs at this spot in mock drafts, but it is far from a sure thing. You can certainly bet Kansas City still hasn't made up their mind on what to do with this pick.
2. Jacksonville Jaguars - Geno Smith, QB, West Virginia. New GM Dave Caldwell certainly won't be risking his job on the play of Blaine Gabbert. He's shown interest in Smith, and should pull the trigger to get his own pivot.
3. Oakland Raiders - Sharrif Floyd, DT, Florida. When a need fits with a blue-chip talent it seems like a match made in heaven. Floyd is certainly a game changing talent, and with Geno off the board it seems like a given.
4. Philadelphia Eagles - Star Lotuleilei, DT, Utah. If the Eagles feel like Star's heart won't be a problem, the talent and need fits here very well. Star has the potential to live up to his namesake.
5. Detroit Lions - Eric Fisher, OT, Central Michigan. With Backus retiring, Detroit needs to get someone to protect Stafford. Fisher grades right up there with Joeckel in terms of talent.
6. Cleveland Browns - Dion Jordan, DE/OLB, Oregon. Cleveland is shifting to a more defined 3-4 defense, and Dion Jordan is the top prospect to play as a pass rushing OLB.
7. Arizona Cardinals - Ezekiel Ansah, DE/OLB, BYU. There's a chance Arizona might be looking at Warmack here, but Ansah is dripping with potential as the Cards desperately need some form of consistent pass rushing from the 3-4 OLB position. Ansah with Dockett, Campbell, and Washington will be a pass protecting OL's nightmare.
8. Buffalo Bills - Matt Barkley, QB, USC. QBs historically go much higher than they should, and Barkley has been on the way up. Kolb is merely going to be a placeholder until Buffalo finds their QB of the future, and maybe they think Barkley will be their guy.
9. New York Jets - Dee Milliner, CB, Alabama. Milliner takes a bit of a fall, but through no fault of his own. Dee would certainly ease the lose of Darrelle Revis if he is traded, and if not would give the Jets a fearsome outside pair.
10. Tennessee Titans - Chance Warmack, OG, Alabama.Titants GM Ruston Webster has said he is not against drafting a guard this high, and Warmack is certainly deserving of the draft slot.
11. San Diego Chargers - Lane Johnson, OT, Oklahoma. I purposely avoided putting any trades in this mock, but you can bet San Diego and Miami will be fighting to move up to ensure the acquire the services of Johnson. Perhaps Arizona will trade back with one of them?
12. Miami Dolphins - Xavier Rhodes, CB, Florida State. In terms of a consolation prize, Rhodes is a pretty darn good one. The Phins look to be set on offense besides an additional OT to replace Long, so they look to bolster their D here.
13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Jarvis Jones, DE/OLB, Georgia. DT and TE are two positions that are definitely in play for Tampa, but the talent of Jones is too much to pass up here.
14. Carolina Panthers -Sheldon Richardson, DT, Missouri. It just makes too much sense for Carolina for it not to happen. If Richardson makes it past Tampa, it should take Carolina long to submit their selection.
15. New Orleans Saints - Barkevious Mingo, DE/OLB, LSU. Barkevious Mingo is the big victim of a draft day plummet. Worries about his ability as an every down player can be attributed to his fall, but one thing's for sure, Mingo can get to the QB.
16. St. Louis Rams - Tavon Austin, WR, West Virginia. Losing Danny Amendola hurts, picking up Tavon Austin is an improvement over Amendola. There's been buzz about Tavon in the top ten even.
17. Pittsburgh Steelers - Bjoern Werner, DE/OLB, Florida State. One thing is for sure for this draft, the Steelers need to inject some pass rushing youth in their front 7. Werner certainly provides that.
18. Dallas Cowboys - Jonathan Cooper, OG, North Carolina. While not as infamous as the Arizona offensive line, the Cowboys line is nothing to write home about. Cooper can help with the development of OT Tyron Smith but improving the interior line play.
19. New York Giants - Damontre Moore, DE/OLB, Texas A&M. The Gmen just have a knack for drafting great young pass rushers, and Moore would be a great way to keep that tradition alive.
20. Chicago Bears - D.J. Fluker, OT, Alabama. The Chicago Bears share both a history with the Cardinals organization in it lineage, and its its porous offensive line play. Fluker could turn into a solid piece for the Bears line.
21. Cincinnati Bengals - Kenny Vaccaro, S, Texas. Mark Barron was a popular choice for the Bengals last year, and considering they did little to address their safety need since then, Vaccaro becomes the new popular Bengals selection.
22. St. Louis Rams - Larry Warford, OG, Kentucky. A bit of a surprise here, but Warford has been consistently mocked early in the 2nd, and when the need is there the value doesn't have to fit perfectly. Warford should become a solid piece on the Rams line.
23. Minnesota Vikings - Cordarrelle Patterson, WR, Tennessee. Minnesota doesn't take long to replace the dynamic Percy Harvin (crap, he's in our division). Patterson is a home run hitter, all Ponder has to do is get him the ball in space.
24. Indianapolis Colts - Tank Carradine, DE/OLB, Florida State. If the ACL holds up, Carradine could be the steal of the draft. Reports say his rehab is going incredibly well, so Tank could go even higher.
25. Minnesota Vikings - Alec Ogletree, ILB, Georgia. Manti Te'o had been mocked here, but i think the drama surrounding him keeps him out of the first. Minnesota drafts what is likely an even better ILB prospect in Ogletree.
26. Green Bay Packers - Jon Cyprien, SS, Florida International. It is no surprise that Green Bay will be ceaselessly mocked some form of defensive back. The need is huge, and Cyprien's talent works in terms of value.
27. Houston Texans - Keenan Allen, WR, California. Andre's not getting an younger, and Houston's window is closing faster every year. Allen would finally give Houston a legitimate number two, and could be mentored to replace Johnson at some point.
28. Denver Broncos - Sylvester Williams, DT, North Carolina. You'd better believe the Broncos are hungry for a pass rushing DE after the fiasco that has been their offseason thus far, but they are a smart organization and won't reach when the value is there at another position of need.
29. New England Patriots - Desmond Trufant, CB, Washington. Few things in this universe are constant, but one thing that can be counted on is the Patriots stockpiling DBs. Trufant provides the Pats with young DB depth going past this season.
30. Atlanta Falcons - Datone Jones, DE/OLB, UCLA. The Atlanta Falcons have some work to do come draft day. They'll need to hit on quite a few of their picks or else Matt Ryan will have to carry this team even moreso than in 2012. DE is a good place to start to retooling.
31. San Francisco 49ers - Tyler Eifert, TE, Notre Dame. A luxury pick for a team living luxuriously on draft day. SF has a lots of picks to work with and Eifert just makes this young offense that much better. Crap.
32. Baltimore Ravens - Matt Elam, S, Florida. Two icons gone in one offseason. Its no small feat to replace these men, but its a task that must be done. While its unlikely Elam can play at the level Ed Redd did, he can definitely ease the transition.