Brandon Thorn's 2014 NFL Mock Draft (2 Rounds, In-Depth)

[jjab360]

Clowney is great, Mosley would not make much sense. I like him as a player, but our 3rd linebacker doesn't provide much of an impact because they only play about 30-40% of snaps due to the Rams playing in the nickel formation most of the time.

No way you pass on Watkins if he's still there, but since he likely wouldn't be I'd like to see a CB like Ekpre-Olumu, Verrett, Roby, or Dennard at that pick.

 

[Memphis Ram]

(The Rams are going to be a vastly better team next year unless they royaly screw things up)

2. St. Louis – from Washington (3-10) – DE Jadeveon Clowney – South Carolina: How great is this for GM Les Snead and head coach Jeff Fisher? Quarterback Sam Bradford was having the best year of his career before his season-ending injury so chances are he gets another shot to prove himself. The team has built an already solid nucleus of young stalwarts on defense and through the RGIII trade in 2012, have Washington’s first-round pick. If Clowney was here there is just too much value to pass up. Plus, can you imagine a defensive line rotation of Jadeveon Clowney, Robert Quinn, and Chris Long? Opposing NFL offensive lines surely wouldn’t want to....http://sportsagentblog.com/2013/12/11/the-sports-agent-blog-2014-nfl-mock-draft/

Using your order I'd go:

1) Jadeveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina
1) Justin Gilbert, CB, Oklahoma State
2) Gabe Jackson, OG, Mississippi State

 

[Yamahopper]

Mosley pick is just so so. Dunbar and Witherspoon are done but there are better players on the board at that point. Yeah I would take Clowney.

 

[fancents86]

Am I the only one who doesnt have a hard on for Clowny? I was all about that dude last season, but this season he dropped the ball. Who comes in out of shape at the beginning of the season when your a prospect for the heisman and number 1 draft pick option? Clowney. Who gives up on the team and even the coach calls you out in the media? Clowney. Nope no thank you.

 

[Memphis Ram]

Am I the only one who doesnt have a hard on for Clowny? I was all about that dude last season, but this season he dropped the ball. Who comes in out of shape at the beginning of the season when your a prospect for the heisman and number 1 draft pick option? Clowney. Who gives up on the team and even the coach calls you out in the media? Clowney. Nope no thank you.

A kid who watched his former teammate RB Marcus Lattimore lose millions of dollars by getting hurt last year and probably doesn't even want to be in school.

 

[lockdnram21]

I don't think we can pass up Sammy Watkins if he's there with our pick at 13. Love the Clowney pick and an OT would be good in Rd2.

i just cant see them drafting another receiver in the first

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

Evans goes before Watkins? That guy needs to look at some film.

 

[OnceARam]

A kid who watched his former teammate RB Marcus Lattimore lose millions of dollars by getting hurt last year and probably doesn't even want to be in school.

This is a really good point. Clowney is a man among boys and he's tired of making money for the NCAA.

 

[OnceARam]

If you draft DE Clowney you do it because the Org have intentions of trading or releasing Chris Long. You only have two places to really start Chris Long either LDE or RDE. Chris is not all that good @ RDE...Clowney is more RDE than LDE but has more than enough talent & skill to be unstoppable @ LDE @ both pass rush & run stoppage.....Chris Long could not keep Clowney on the bench for long ....Long is not like the 290 pound Hayes or the 6-6 275 pound Eugene Sims who can play a lot of DT on rotational basis.

Org will be looking to extend DE Quinn's contact next season and you certainly do not let him walk. You draft Clowney you will have to sign him to contact for around 22 mil for 4 yrs, Quinn's contact will climb much higher than CL's near 4 yr 50 mil contract...throw in Hayes over 8 mil the Rams will pay him for 2014/2015 that's a large chunk of your cap salary in four DE's. If you drafted Clowney & kept CL,RQ & WH you will pay out approx over 2014/2015 is over 50 mil on just 4 DE's

You do not pay a player like Chris long to stand on the sideline @ 29 yrs of age & pay him 15 million season to be a cheer leader. If you want rotational DE's the Rams just signed good solid cost contract this year for two Ram UFA's DE's William Hayes & Eugene Sims & added a speeder named Gerald Rivers for that rotational stuff....Rams owe Chris Long close to 40 million for the next 3 yrs.

Chris long stats since the first of November....are not all pro or star like....he has 11 tacks, 1 assist tack & ONE SACK! Lets just look at an old player who has not been a full time starter DE who is over 35 yrs old & look at his stats over the same period of time as CL...14 tacks, 1 assist & 8 sacks.....

Here's the thing on Clowney; how do you NOT draft him? Isn't he basically a Julius Peppers type player? In terms of Long; we all love him but we all know he isn't elite. Clowney is elite at an elite position (pass rusher).

Do we have greater needs, yes. Can you pass up on a guy like Clowney, not if he is future all-pro player. So, in my mind, that is the real question; is Clowney a future all-pro?

In terms of Long; his contract is pretty front loaded. His big pay day is next season, which would be Clowney's rookie year. Under the new rookie contract wage scale you wouldn't have to pony up serious money until Long's contract has been fulfilled. At that point you resign Long to a lesser deal. So, I think, the money works.

If it was me I would trade the pick for a future 1st rounder (plus whatever else). That way, if Bradford doesn't work out in 2014 you have 2 first round picks next year, which will be needed as ammunition to move up to get a QB.

At the end of the day, this draft is still about Bradford. Do we give him more WR's, better offensive linemen, or fill out the defense? In my opinion you spend significant draft capital on the offensive line...

 

[CGI_Ram]

I don't see the Rams passing on Clowney... I see them salivating instead.

 

[paceram]

I don't see the Rams passing on Clowney... I see them salivating instead.

I hope you are right! If the Rams can get Clowney and Watkins (or, Evans if Watkins is not available) I will be thrilled!

 

[Alan]

OnceARam liking Clowney:
Here's the thing on Clowney; how do you NOT draft him? Isn't he basically a Julius Peppers type player?

Considering what he's been doing this year in college, I'd say a comparison to Haynesworth might be closer.

 

[jrry32]

Sorry, I just can't take Clowney. Even ignoring the issue with Long already playing and having a big contract, I just don't trust Clowney. The dude quit on his team and coaches. Heck, he hasn't even played all that great this year, either. He isn't worth the 2nd pick in the draft.

The dude could have opted not to play this year and gone top 3. Instead, he's playing through a foot that needs surgery and has played through rib injuries. But he quit on his team? Yea, ok.

 

[V3]

The dude could have opted not to play this year and gone top 3. Instead, he's playing through a foot that needs surgery and has played through rib injuries. But he quit on his team? Yea, ok.

First off, it's a muscle strain that the doctors saw no issue with him playing through. If he was dedicated to his team or his coach, he'd play. The doctors usually come and tell the coach if it's bad and the player can't play. They never talked to Spurrier. On top of that, Clowney waited until right before the game to tell his coach he wasn't playing. When your coach starts publicly questioning a player's commitment to the team, it's not good.

If Clowney wanted to make sure he stayed healthy for the NFL, he should have sat out. If he's going to play, give 100%. If he's not, then don't. There's no in between. You don't play a team sport like football and not give 100%. There are too many other player and coaches depending on you. He could have played through sore muscles in his rib cage. The doctors and trainers said he was fine. Then you add in all the reports from scouts and insiders and a trend starts to develop. Where there's smoke, there's fire.



He may end up being a great NFL player. But when there are questions about his desire, effort, and work ethic, and then you add in the fact that we already have two pretty good DE's. It all adds up to me just not wanting the guy. We can find other players that have less risk and fill bigger needs.

 

[CGI_Ram]

Good exchange jrry and V3.

For Clowney, the combine interviews will be huge for this guy.

 

[jrry32]

First off, it's a muscle strain that the doctors saw no issue with him playing through. If he was dedicated to his team or his coach, he'd play. The doctors usually come and tell the coach if it's bad and the player can't play. They never talked to Spurrier. On top of that, Clowney waited until right before the game to tell his coach he wasn't playing. When your coach starts publicly questioning a player's commitment to the team, it's not good.

If Clowney wanted to make sure he stayed healthy for the NFL, he should have sat out. If he's going to play, give 100%. If he's not, then don't. There's no in between. You don't play a team sport like football and not give 100%. There are too many other player and coaches depending on you. He could have played through sore muscles in his rib cage. The doctors and trainers said he was fine. Then you add in all the reports from scouts and insiders and a trend starts to develop. Where there's smoke, there's fire.

People forget that Spurrier changed his tune or they ignore it:
http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/9792465/steve-spurrier-shoots-doubts-jadeveon-clowney

The doctors saw no issue with him playing through? Were you in the locker-room? Are you the doctor?

And no, it isn't JUST a muscle strain. He's played almost the entire season with a foot injury that needs surgery.

Where there's smoke, there's fire? I have another phrase. Where there's media, there's BS. Anyone remember the Alshon Jeffery is fat, lazy and out of shape narrative a couple years ago? Anyone remember someone reporting that Alshon Jeffery's weight had ballooned to 250+ and was running a 4.8 before the combine?

Yea, a whole lot of fire with that smoke. In fact, there was no truth at all to the crud they flung at Jeffery.

Clowney is far from perfect. But to just assume because something is reported, that it should be taken at face value seems kind of ridiculous to me. Clowney has his warts as a person and a player but it's been blown way out of proportion...just like they did with Alshon Jeffery.

 

[CGI_Ram]

I have to say; we need to be careful with the info from the mass media.

While I love the mud thrown RGme's way... It's what the media does. Create a story/drama to get attention.

Same is happening with Clowney, IMO.

 

[BThorn86]

To me, they simply take the best FS available, so it's Clinton-Dix

I like him. He's a big free safety who's great in both zone and man coverage as good for run support. There's really just nothing not to like. They would have a tremendous assist in outside run support as well as allow the corners to play tighter. The whole defense would get better.

A much later pick that I also like is Ladler. Another big free safety who you could play at nickel who's also good in zone and man coverage as well as run support.

I just think that's where it's going in this pass heavy league, and it frees up your corners to play more aggressively.

I agree with your logic and could see Clinton-Dix being your second 1st-rounder but with your first it'll be either Barr, Clowney, or Matthews, barring something crazy

 

[BThorn86]

Evans goes before Watkins? That guy needs to look at some film.

I go off of film in my personal evaluations more than anything, I like Watkins for than Evans at this point. But we see it every year in the draft, situations just like this Watkins vs. Evans thing. Watkins is way more proven, has more accolades, is the speed/home-run threat kinda guy. He hasn't been perfect off the field and has gotten banged up a little bit so is his size 6-foot-1, 205 an issue? I am on the side that says his size is no concern but he isn't perfect. Evans on the other hand is 6-foot-5, 225 pounds and has dominated SEC competition at times, like thoroughly dominated..he is younger/more raw than Watkins but his ceiling is obviously higher/different. It comes down does a team want a Torrey Smith kind of guy (Watkins is shiftier) or a Vincent Jackson-type (possession, red-zone specialist).

If it was me, I'd take Watkins, but I do my mocks not with just my opinion determing the prediction, but I try and put myself as the GM of each team and go off of the potential of the guy as well. That's just the way it goes in the draft, sometimes potential beats out production and sometimes it wins.

 

[jrry32]

I go off of film in my personal evaluations more than anything, I like Watkins for than Evans at this point. But we see it every year in the draft, situations just like this Watkins vs. Evans thing. Watkins is way more proven, has more accolades, is the speed/home-run threat kinda guy. He hasn't been perfect off the field and has gotten banged up a little bit so is his size 6-foot-1, 205 an issue? I am on the side that says his size is no concern but he isn't perfect. Evans on the other hand is 6-foot-5, 225 pounds and has dominated SEC competition at times, like thoroughly dominated..he is younger/more raw than Watkins but his ceiling is obviously higher/different. It comes down does a team want a Torrey Smith kind of guy (Watkins is shiftier) or a Vincent Jackson-type (possession, red-zone specialist).

If it was me, I'd take Watkins, but I do my mocks not with just my opinion determing the prediction, but I try and put myself as the GM of each team and go off of the potential of the guy as well. That's just the way it goes in the draft, sometimes potential beats out production and sometimes it wins.

Vincent Jackson isn't really either one of those things. Despite always being cited as such. Vincent Jackson, throughout his career, has always been a deep threat more than anything. He's a WR that does his best work in the intermediate and deep range.

If you're looking for a possession guy, that would be more Larry Fitzgerald or Marques Colston.