Mock Draft Simulater

[HPF Bob]

Originally Posted by Joshua

If you think Bridgewater is the best prospect, that's fine. But to suggest we should use the No. 1 pick on a guy because he's the best equipped to start day 1 is laughable. You take the guy you think has the best chance of developing into an elite QB. Who you think has the best chance to win games September 2014 is a ridiculous reason to draft someone No. 1.

That depends on what becomes of Schaub. If he's cut (or traded), then you're asking Keenum to take over as your starter in an entirely new offense until your "best prospect" quarterback is developed. Now, if he can't beat out Keenum for the job, why the hell did you draft him 1-1?

You draft a QB at 1-1 because he'll be ready to start on Day One and the only guy of the four that looks like he has all of that is Bridgewater. He has the experience and the maturity to be that sort of player who can assume that mantle.

What's laughable is to draft a QB 1-1 then sit him behind Case Keenum while he learns the job. If Schaub is still around, I could see learning at his feet for a few months if you can stomach the interceptions. But I think Schaub is going to be a June cut if he isn't traded before then.

I think in a good draft, Bridgewater is probably a mid-first QB and Bortles might go ahead of him because of size and athleticism but the Texans won't have that situation unless they trade down so a 1-1 "franchise" QB needs to be ready to walk into camp and take over. Of the four QB hopefuls, Bridgewater is the only one who I think could pull that off.

[HPF Bob]

My "Clowney Draft" has a surprise fall into the second round that changed my whole approach. Unfortunately, I kept waiting another round for a QB until all the best ones were gone.

1. Jadeveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina
2. Cyrus Kouandjio, OT, Alabama
3. Kyle Fuller, CB, Virginia Tech
4. Lache Seastrunk, RB, Baylor
5. Lamin Barrow, ILB, LSU
6. Tajh Boyd, QB, Clemson
7. Walt Aikens, CB, Liberty

I'd walk away pretty happy with this. Kouandjio can be the new RT until Duane Brown is done. Seastrunk should be great insurance if Foster struggles and Boyd, in the sixth, is a low risk who might still turn into something outstanding someday.

[HPF Bob]

My latest "Clowney" draft:

1. Jadaveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina
2. Jace Amaro, TE Texas Tech - Amaro (6-6, 260) is supposed to be this draft's Rob Gronkowski and, let me see, isn't the new head coach the guy who made a star out of the last Rob Gronkowski?
3. Chris Borland, ILB, Wisconsin - Help and insurance for Brian Cushing.
4. Jimmie Ward, S, Northern Illinois - ranked in the low first round in some mocks. A steal this late.
5. A.J. McCarron, QB, Alabama. All he does is win championships. A caretaker QB who seems to give you just enough to win. Rarely makes mistakes.
6. Chris Davis, CB-KR, Auburn. Depth at two positions and can make big plays.
7. Trai Turner, G, LSU. Another OL candidate.

My latest "Bridgewater" draft:

1. Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville
2. David Yankey, G, Stanford - He might convert to tackle but he'll solve one problem on the right side of the line. One Yankey who will be proud to be a Texan.
3. Christian Jones, ILB, Florida St. - Help and insurance for Brian Cushing.
4. DaQuan Jones, DT, Penn State - You knew O'Brien would get this one.
5. Bishop Sankey, RB, Washington - Slightly undersized but great one-cut back in the mold of Arian Foster.
6. Chris Davis, CB/KR, Auburn - Depth for two positions.
7. Aaron Lynch, DE, South Florida - position depth.

[chuck]

Originally Posted by HPF Bob

A.J. McCarron, QB, Alabama. Rarely makes mistakes.

I guess you haven't seen his tattoo.

[HPF Bob]

Originally Posted by chuck

I guess you haven't seen his tattoo.

No, but Brent Musburger and I have seen his girlfriend.

[chuck]

Originally Posted by HPF Bob

No, but Brent Musburger and I have seen his girlfriend.

I thought we were talking about mistakes.

[painekiller]

Originally Posted by HPF Bob

My "Clowney Draft" has a surprise fall into the second round that changed my whole approach. Unfortunately, I kept waiting another round for a QB until all the best ones were gone.

1. Jadeveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina
2. Cyrus Kouandjio, OT, Alabama
3. Kyle Fuller, CB, Virginia Tech
4. Lache Seastrunk, RB, Baylor
5. Lamin Barrow, ILB, LSU
6. Tajh Boyd, QB, Clemson
7. Walt Aikens, CB, Liberty

I'd walk away pretty happy with this. Kouandjio can be the new RT until Duane Brown is done. Seastrunk should be great insurance if Foster struggles and Boyd, in the sixth, is a low risk who might still turn into something outstanding someday.

If it fell this way, I would be pretty happy also.

The Texans have some inside information from former coaches of Clowney's on staff here now, and they would know about his desire and real work ethic.

[HPF Bob]

My "Clowney" draft:

1. Jadeveon Clowney, DE-OLB, S.Carolina
2. David Yankey, G-T, Stanford
3. Bradley Roby, CB, Ohio St. - Not sure why the drop. But if he's still there in the 3rd, I'll take him.
4. A.J. McCarron, QB, Alabama
5. Max Bullough, ILB, Michigan St.
6. Chris Davis, CB-KR, Auburn
7. Tyler Gaffney, RB, Stanford

My "Bridgewater" draft:

1. Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville
2. Ryan Shazier, OLB, Ohio St.
3. Shayne Skov, ILB, Stanford
4. Anthony Steen, OG, Alabama
5. Bruce Ellington, WR, S. Carolina
6. Chris Davis, CB-KR, Auburn
7. Tyler Gaffney, RB, Stanford

[HPF Bob]

Fanspeak now has three big boards to choose from - Fanspeak, Walter Football and Optimum Scouting.

Here's the latest Clowney draft with the Fanspeak big board. Again, opportunity alters the projections:

1. DE-OLB Jadeveon Clowney, S. Carolina
2. DT Louis Nix III, Notre Dame (a big body to replace Earl Mitchell that amazingly falls to us).
3. OT Cyrus Kouandjio, Alabama (a massive tackle who can be RT now and LT later)
4. QB Jimmy Garoppolo, E. Illinois (he's up to #5 on numerous QB draft rankings - similar to Tony Romo)
5. ILB Max Bullough, Michigan State (help for Cushing)
6. CB/KR Chris Davis, Jr., Auburn (still like what I saw of him late in year)
7. CB Andre Hal, Vanderbilt (another corner with SEC experience)

Now the latest Bridgewater draft:

1. QB Teddy Bridgewater, Louisville
2. OLB Dee Ford, Auburn (trash-talking speed rusher off the edge)
3. OT Joel Bitonio, Nevada (OLs flew off the board this time. He was the best left)
4. DT Daquan Jones, Penn St. (O'Brien gets his pick)
5. ILB Max Bullough, Michigan State
6. CB/KR Chris Davis, Jr., Auburn
7. CB Andre Hal, Vanderbilt

[Roy P]

If you took those together and gave me ANYBODY (Watkins, Mosely, Gilbert, Ebron) in the first round I'd be happy with this:

2. OLB Dee Ford, Auburn (trash-talking speed rusher off the edge)
3. OT Joel Bitonio, Nevada (OLs flew off the board this time. He was the best left)
4. QB Jimmy Garoppolo

[HPF Bob]

Well, Fanspeak is getting even more creative. You can now choose between three different big boards and, for $4.95 charge to PayPal, you can have trades proposed and create your own plus access other resources.

So I tried the Walter Football Big Board and made two trades:

I traded our 1-1 to the Browns for their 1-4, 2-3 and next year's first (which ought to be first-half so you'd have two top-half #1s to go after a great player next year) then, when I saw so much available at 2-1, decided to trade it to the Rams for 2-12 and an added 4th-rounder.

I figured I would then have to pick between Clowney and the three QBs with one or two options off the table. Instead, the choices were 2 WRs and Jake Matthews so I still had the same decision. I decided to go with Clowney at 1-4. The remainder were:

1-4: Jadeveon Clowney, OLB-DE, S. Carolina
2-3: Jace Amaro, TE, Texas Tech
2-12: David Yankey, G-T, Stanford
3-1: Jimmy Garrapolo, QB, Eastern Illinois
4-1: Christian Jones, ILB, Florida St.
4-10: DaQuan Jones, DT, Penn St.
5-1: Storm Johnson, RB, Central Florida
6-1: Lamin Barrow, ILB, LSU
7-1: Aaron Colvin, CB, Oklahoma

Now, let's try with Optimum Scouting big board:

Son of a duck, the same trade with the Browns happens and the Browns take Bortles but, at 1-4, the same choice of Clowney or Bridgewater is there. I guess I'll take Clowney again.

Amaro, Yankey and Garrapolo were all taken in the first round but there are a pair of well-known Aggies available and several other good choices. I traded down twice more to give me three picks in the 4th but no 7th.
I came out with:

1-4: Jadaveon Clowney, OLB-DE, S. Carolina
2-3: Kyle Fuller, CB, Virginia Tech
2-9: Mike Evans, WR, Texas A&M (too good to pass up here)
3-7: Joel Bitonio, OT, Nevada
4-1: DaQuan Jones, DT, Penn St.
4-9: A.J. McCarron, QB, Alabama
4-27:Lache Seastrunk, RB, Baylor
5-1: Jackson Jeffcoat, OLB-DE, Texas (too good to pass up here)
6-1: Max Bulloch, ILB, Michigan St.

In both cases, I also have next year's #1 from Cleveland.