Very interesting draft this year. With no Free Agency, the drafts winners will be those that don't try and fill every hole through the draft. Teams are going to have to be content with uncertainty at some positions after the draft and a view to fill those holes in free agency. For the Titans, I think that equates to a hole at DT, possibly DE and depth at WR. QB can't wait in my view and I think this is the year for us to be aggressive and trade up for the right guy. Anyway, here's my mock with 6 trades in the first round, and then my predictions for the Titans other picks. 1. Carolina – Marcell Dareus (DT) Alabama 2. Denver – Patrick Peterson (CB) LSU 3. Buffalo – Von Miller (OLB) Texas A&M 4. Tennessee (trade w/ Cincinatti*) – Blaine Gabbert (QB) Missouri 5. Arizona - Cam Newton (QB) Auburn 6. Cleveland – Robert Quinn (DE) North Carolina 7. St Louis (trade w/San Fransisco**) – AJ Green (WR) Georgia 8. Cincinatti (from Tennessee) – Julio Jones (WR) Alabama 9. Minnesota (trade w/Dallas***) – Jake Locker (QB) Washington 10. Jacksonville (trade w/Washington****) – Prince Amukamara (CB) Nebraska 11. Houston – Jimmy Smith (CB) Colorado 12. Dallas (from Minnesota) – Anthony Costanzo (OT) Boston College 13. Detroit – Tyron Smith (OT) USC 14. San Fransisco (from St Louis) – Andy Dalton (QB) TCU 15. Miami – Nick Fairley (DT) Auburn 16. Washington (from Jacksonville) – Cameron Jordan (DE) California 17. New England – Mark Ingram (RB) Alabama 18. San Diego – Corey Liuget (DT) Illinois 19. NY Giants – DaQuan Bowers (DE) Clemson 20. Tampa Bay – Cameron Heyward (DE) Ohio State 21. Kansas City – Torrey Smith (WR) Maryland 22. Indianapolis – Ryan Mallett (QB) Arkansas 23. Chicago (from Philadelphia*****) – JJ Watt (DE) Wisconsin 24. New Orleans – Gabe Carimi (OT) Wisconsin 25. Seattle – Mike Pouncey (OG) Florida 26. Baltimore – Bruce Carter (OLB) North Carolina 27. Atlanta – Aaron Williams (CB) Texas 28. Arizona (trade w/New England******) – Kyle Rudolph (TE) Notre Dame 29. Philadelphia (from Chicago) – Nate Solder (OT) Colorado 30. NY Jets – Phil Taylor (DT) Baylor 31. Pittsburgh – Ryan Kerrigan (DE) Purdue 32. Green Bay – Mikel LeShoure (RB) Illinois Trades: * Tennessee gives picks 8 (1st round), 77 (3rd round) and a 2012 3rd rounder to Cincinatti to move up to #4 ** St Louis gives pick 14 (1st round) and a 2012 2nd round pick to San Fran to move up to #7 *** Minnesota gives picks 12 (1st round) and 106 (4th round) to Dallas to move up to #9 **** Jacksonville gives picks 16 (1st round) and 80 (3rd round) and a 2012 3rd round pick to Washington to move up to #10 ***** Chicago give picks 29 (1st round) and 93 (3rd round) to Philadelphia to move up to #23 ****** Arizona gives a 2012 1st round pick to New England to move up to #28 Rest of Titans Picks Rd 2 – Martez Wilson, LB, Illinois Rd 3 – TRADED Rd 4 – Ahmad Black, S, Florida Rd 4 (comp) – Lawrence Guy, DT, Arizona State Rd 5 – Zach Hurd, G, Connecticut Rd 6 – Lee Smith, TE, Marshall Rd 7 – Ryan Jones, CB, NW Missouri State Rd 7 (comp) – Steven Friday, DE, Virginia Tech
With both Newton and Gabbert on the board at 4 why wouldn't the Bengals just take one when they need to rebuild at that position? And based on titan Jeff's draft trade chart a 3rd rd pick might not be enough to move up those 4 spots. Sorry buddy but just too many wild trades. You do present some interesting ideas though. Like the fact that St Louis might want to trade up to guarantee they get Green or Jones. I would have no problem with us trading back with them and getting Kerrigan with that pick. by the way Pittsburgh taking Kerrigan at 31? Makes no sense. He will likely be gone by 20 and he is not a fit for a 3-4 team. Not ideally a 3-4 OLB or a 3-4 end. Ideally a 4-3 end. Andy Dalton at 14? Somebody would have to be smoking right there. Even if the 49ers trade back with the Rams they would trade back another 10 or more spots to get Dalton. Dalton is maybe worth the 40th pick.
I admit this is by no means traditional thinking, but the actual draft never resembles what the Kipers of this world predict anyway, so why not mix it up. I am not convinced the Bengals take a QB. Their hole at WR is huge and I doubt they give up on Palmer coming back. I have the Titans giving up a 1st and 2 3rds (this years and next). One of the QBs is going to go much higher than projected and I think Dalton may be the guy that stuns everyone.
What evidence is there to suggest that the Titans are particularly keen on Gabbert? Everything we've heard suggests that they prefer Locker in round 1 or Kaepernick in round 2.
Gabbert is a less talented version of Alex Smith. No thanks. Just because the draft gurus have dubbed him the #1 QB in the class don't make it so.
I don't think Gabbert's personality will let him be that good in the NFL. He seems too coy for my liking. Real "Sunshine-like" if you know what I mean. Locker, Newton, Mallett all have more dominating personalities that will help them lead NFL teams.
I don't like the idea of trading up for Gabbert when we could either pick Locker at 8 or trade down and get Mallett, Kaep, Dalton, etc.
