Squared Circle Community NFL Mock Draft Thread

[DBSoT]

With the 30th pick in the NFL draft the Green Bay Packers select......


Marcus Peters

It’s been awhile since Green Bay made a significant draft pick investment at cornerback but they could consider Kevin Johnson of Wake Forest, Jalen Collins of L.S.U. or Marcus Peters of Washington following the losses of both Tramon Williams and Davon House in free agency. Marcus Peters is arguably the most talented corner in this class but his situation is clouded by character concerns after being dismissed from the Washington program in early-November. Because of that uncertainty Peters could come off the board as early as the middle of round one or slide out of the first round all together. A smooth, athletic playmaker with a nice blend of size and speed, Peters can not only match up in coverage but is also very physical and not afraid to throw his body around. Character concerns aside this is a steal at this point. If the Green Bay coaching staff can coach him up and keep him out of trouble then they may have a pro bowl corner in their hands. These will be similar to the Tyrun Matheu situation in Arizona. I could also see the Packers take a DT like Carl Davis or LB like Denzel Perryman or Stephone Anthony.

[The Legend]

Alright, we are down to the last two picks of our Mock Draft. @Messiah you are up. @Everlong You are on deck. #MixedSportsMetaphors

[The Legend]

@Messiah @Everlong

Where do we stand on the end of our mock draft? You guys had the last two picks and I hoped we'd be done today. Any update would be appreciated.

[Messiah]

I was planning to put mine up today, but I figured I had time to spare since I thought we had until the day before the draft. Oops.

With the 31st pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, the New Orleans Saints select...


Owamagbe Odighizuwa, Defensive End, UCLA

This was a tough pick, but I think New Orleans is going to stick with defense and roll Randy Gregory at OLB next to Odi. Odi is a versatile player who I think could switch between DE and OLB (in a 3-4). With Junior Galette being charged with domestic violence, it leaves questions at the linebacker position. With Gregory and Odi, I think any Saints fan would be optimistic about their future. At least defensively.

[The Legend]

I was planning to put mine up today, but I figured I had time to spare since I thought we had until the day before the draft. Oops.

No problem, I just figured since most people were waiting until after we were done to post more discussion on the picks that if we had a few days to talk about it, things would work out better.

@Everlong You are up with the final pick of the draft from the defending Super Bowl champions.

[Everlong]

With the 32nd pick in the NFL draft, the defending champion New England Patriots select...



Laken Tomlinson, G, Duke

Nothing flashy or complicated about this pick, really. Tomlinson is considered to be among the best interior linemen in the draft, and offensive line remains one of the Patriots' weaknesses. This seems like a pretty natural fit, so not a whole lot to say here

[Messiah]

Will have my complete thoughts up most likely by tomorrow night!

[The Legend]

Alright, that completes our mock draft everyone! Thank you all for participating. I think this went really well and was a lot of fun.

Now that things have wrapped up, let's try and get some more conversation on how things went. I want to know, who do people think did really well as a team? Who do we think leaves disappointed?

Also, for players, who do we think dropped too far? Who do we think went to quickly?

I'll post my thoughts either later tonight or tomorrow.

[Everlong]

I think the most unpredictable player in this draft right now is Marcus Mariota, and that's mostly because of the potential for a trade to happen at some point. Will it or won't it? Really tough to say. But if no trade happens, I have a had time believing he'll fall all the way to Washington. I think Tennessee snatches him up, unless they know something we don't about a potential Philip Rivers trade. If not Tennessee, I still don't think the Redskins take him. Then they'd have three or four QBs without a true answer, not just one. If not Tennessee and no trade, he goes to the Jets almost guaranteed.

That being said, we could easily see the Eagles make some more crazy moves to get up into the top couple picks to snag him up. What happens with Mariota, and the trades that occur, will have a big impact on the rest of the first round.

Now that the Dolphins have signed Greg Jennings, I doubt that they go for Davante Parker in the first round. I'm not sure Parker even falls past the Browns or other receiver-needy teams if he gets that far, but assuming he does, and assuming Miami doesn't take him, I think the Dolphins try to add a player in the secondary (Trae Waynes, perhaps?).

I think I said it before in this thread, but the Cowboys will take Melvin Gordon over any other back in the draft, virtually guaranteed. He's basically a more talented version of Demarco Murray and would fit perfectly in their offense. I'd be willing to bet the Cowboys snatch him up.

More thoughts coming later.

[The Legend]

Mariota may be the hardest guy to predict what team he goes to, but at this point. I'm absolutely convinced he's getting drafted second overall. I don't know if the Titans will do it or the Eagles or the Browns or the Chargers or a surprise fourth team will get involved in the trade market, but I think when the clock starts ticking he'll end up having near RGIII buzz and desperation from QB needy teams.

The player that is the hardest to figure out when he'll be drafted to me is Randy Gregory. The reason is simple, the guy has top 5 talent and 6th round intelligence. It's hard to figure out where he'll fit in on draft weekend.

On top of that, I'm a die-hard Cleveland Browns fan and I invest a lot of time in looking at the draft process. This is the first time in years that I can't figure out what the Cleveland Browns could do on Thursday. I mean I can almost count about a dozen guys that it wouldn't surprise me to hear they draft with their picks (or traded picks) on Thursday.

[The Legend]

So in looking at the mock draft overall, I think the steal of the draft (and completely unrealistic pick of the draft) was Dante Fowler, Jr. falling all the way to 12 to the Cleveland Browns. There's no way in my opinion he falls out of the top 5 and isn't the top pass rusher taken, let alone falling like a brick the way he did. Randy Gregory and Shane Ray totally failing the pre-draft process will only help secure Fowler's selection at the top.

I give DBSoT for getting on board before most people did that Breshad Perriman might be taken before DeVante Parker. It's an interesting situation to watch develop. It's also interesting to see how all the mass of offensive linemen will fall in the draft order as well.

One guy that I think will fall a lot farther than we have him going is Danny Shelton. And this is the trouble with doing this mock draft starting a month before the actual draft. Shelton a month ago was a possible top 10 pick, but these days his stock is falling kinda quickly as a one dimensional run stuffer.

I'd also say that the back half of the first round could be really unpredictable with not a lot of depth in this class of elite playmakers and picks. Add in some character concerns and after the top 10, there's not a lot of difference in some of these guys and without insider information it's hard to figure out what a specific team might do this year.

[Messiah]

I can't see the Green Bay Packers selecting Marcus Peters in the first round. I'm not sold that he falls there to begin with, but even if he did, he's a bad apple off the field and that is something Ted Thompson and co. have avoided like the plague. If reports are to believe, it's possible that it is something that will continue to linger in his NFL career.

The Redskins drafting Mariota seemed a little far fetched back in March, but even more so now although SKS nor anyone else knew at the time if the Redskins were going to pick up Griffin's fifth year option. That rules Mariota out completely.

I could see Breshad Perriman going in the first round, but I think he's ridiculously overrated. A weak class as far as top level talent goes is helping propel him due to his potential, but I see a raw receiver who is more of a second round guy. Straight-line speed kind of guy, not a good route runner, not the best of hands. I wouldn't be surprised to see him go at 11, but I wouldn't be a fan of it if I were a Vikings fan.

Like The Legend said, Dante Fowler isn't falling to 12.

Jay Ajayi would blow my fucking head off. Not that I don't like him as a prospect. I love him, actually. He's damn talented. But I would be shocked to see him go in the first.

Colts could potentially be getting a steal with TJ Clemmings. He's really raw and questions about if he can play left tackle loom, but he looks extremely impressive at times when you watch him play and he's a great, powerful athlete.

One notable name missing is Ereck Flowers. I'm far from a fan of his, but I expect he will go in the first round. Apparently some teams had him as their number one tackle.