Kansas City Chiefs
When the Chiefs traded for Alex Smith in late February, new general manager John Dorsey made it clear that Kansas City was not taking a quarterback with the No. 1 overall pick. With no blue-chip quarterback prospect in the draft and the team’s quarterback situation solved for the time being, Dorsey can focus his attention on filling the team’s other needs. Receiver Dwayne Bowe was re-signed to a five-year contract worth $56 million, and the Chiefs used their franchise tender on left tackle Branden Albert, worth $9.3 million. Having taken care of their quarterback, the left tackle and the wide receiver, the Chiefs will use the No. 1 overall pick on defense and select Alabama CB Dee Millner.
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars struggled mightily on offense and defense in 2012 under first-year head coach Mike Mularky, ranking in the bottom four in both points scored and points allowed. The quarterback situation is anything but settled; 2011 first round pick Blaine Gabbert was ineffective at best and benched for former Dolphins second round pick Chad Henne, who was only slightly less competent. The defensive side of the ball is incredibly devoid of talent, and that was made apparent with a league-low 20 sacks. The Jaguars need pass rushers in the worst way, and will thus be smart to draft LSU defensive end Barkevious Mingo, whom NFL insider Pat Kirwan described as “Jason Taylor but quicker.” That’s a good comparison.
Oakland Raiders
Second-year general manager Reggie McKenzie is in this for the long haul, not the quick fix. After dispatching the high-priced salaries of Darrius Heyward-Bey and Michael Huff, McKenzie now must make a decision between taking the best player on the board and taking a potential franchise quarterback like West Virginia’s Geno Smith. If he chooses wisely, he’ll take Texas A&M left tackle Luke Joeckel, ranked as the No. 1 player in the draft by a litany of experts. His height (6’6”) and arm length (34 ¼”) are ideal and he’s as close to a sure thing as it gets. I think the Raiders go safe here and pick Joeckel.
Philadelphia Eagles
Andy Reid is out; Chip Kelly is in. A disastrous 4-12 season cost Reid his job, though he quickly found a new one in Kansas City. The 2012 Eagles were overall terrible, inept at every phase of the game. With Kelly coming from Oregon, many have linked the Eagles to Eugene product Dion Jordan, a pass rusher with elite physical skills. However, recent surgery to repair a torn labrum rendered Jordan unable to work out for scouts at his pro day, and his stock has slipped in recent weeks. Kelly sees his the perfect quarterback to run his spread option offense and can’t help but be enamored by Geno Smith’s unlimited upside. Kelly and Co. pull the trigger and land Smith at No. 4.
Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions GM Martin Mayhew sees a franchise tackle available at No. 5 overall and wastes no time in selecting Central Michigan prospect Eric Fisher. The Rochester, Mich., product stands tall at 6’7” but needs to fill out his frame before he’ll be able to stand up to bull rushes from the league’s best defensive linemen. With the somewhat surprising retirement of Detroit mainstay Jeff Backus, left tackle becomes a serious need for the Lions. Backus started 190 games for the Lions, and he’s leaving big shoes to fill. The Lions have suffered through positional weaknesses for many years, but left tackle has been a lonely bright spot. Mayhew and head coach Jim Schwartz hope that Fisher can pick up where Backus left off.
Cleveland Browns
Under the new ownership of former Steelers co-owner Jimmy Haslem, the Browns have attempted an overhaul on defense, signing defensive tackle Desmond Bryant and linebacker Paul Kruger to big-money free agent contracts. The 2012 Browns defense was middle of the road, allowing the 19th most points in the NFL. They lost a lot of close games; games that could have been won with a superior pass rush capable of closing games. Signing Kruger helps the Browns move closer to the defense new vice president of player personnel Michael Lombardi has in mind, and drafting Georgia pass rusher Jarvis Jones gives the Browns legitimate threats on each side of the line.
Arizona Cardinals
Déjà vu? Back in 2006, the Cardinals drafted USC quarterback Matt Leinart to be their franchise quarterback. Six years later, Leinart is on his third NFL team and has started only 18 games. Six years later, USC quarterback Matt Barkley is staring the Cardinals in the face. Barkley bypassed a chance at being a top-3 pick in 2012 by staying for his senior season, a decision that proved costly. The Trojans collapsed down the stretch after being ranked preseason No. 1, and Barkley sustained a season-ending injury that epitomized the recent stretch of bad luck in Southern California. Still, the Cardinals need a quarterback, and in a quarterback-driven league, Arizona can’t pass up a guy who threw over 100 touchdowns the last three seasons.
Buffalo Bills
Doug Marrone was hired to steer the Bills into winning territory, and it won’t be easy. The Bills haven’t had a winning season since 2004, when Drew Bledsoe was quarterback. The 2013 Bills roster has talent, but lacks cohesion. Less than two years after signing Ryan Fitzpatrick to a six-year, $59 million contract, the former Harvard Crimson was sent packing. The Bills’ current starter is…Tarvaris Jackson? Let that resonate for a second. Some have speculated that Marrone, who came from Syracuse, will look at Orange quarterback Ryan Nassib, but Nassib doesn’t belong anywhere near the first round. The Bills should continue to invest in their defensive line and take Florida tackle Sharrif Floyd, who will see plenty of one-on-one opportunities with Mark Anderson and Mario Williams drawing extra attention outside.
New York Jets
What a mess the New York Jets are. Mark Sanchez was benched after 13 games in of ineptitude in 2012, and the usually-stout defense led by Rex Ryan allowed the 20th most points per game. Disgruntled all-pro cornerback Darrelle Revis will surely be sent packing, either before the season starts or during the season but before the trade deadline. The Jets sacked the quarterback only 30 times last season, and Ryan loves his pass rushers. New general manager John Idzik will search the NFL draft pool for potential game changers and enamor himself with Ezekiel Ansah of BYU, a freak who only started watching football a few years ago. “Ziggy” can rush with his hand on the ground and off, and he’s not as raw as some would lead you to believe.
Tennessee Titans
Two years ago, the Titans selected Washington quarterback Jake Locker No. 10 overall in hopes of turning their franchise around. Two meddling seasons later, the Titans are back in the same position, sitting with the tenth overall pick. Locker hasn’t proven to be a bust or a star, but he’s leaning towards the former with inconsistent play and some injury setbacks. The Titans need to bolster a meddling offensive line, and Alabama offensive guard Chance Warmack fits the bell. Warmack’s size—or lack thereof—limits his position availability to guard and center. Still, Warmack is the best guard prospect to come out of the draft in years, and he’ll help protect Locker from injury and open up holes for running back Chris Johnson.
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