The NFL Mock Drafts for 2014 are starting to come out and now here are some prediction and projections for Mel Kiper's Top 10 picks and Big Board ranks after the Super Bowl win by the Seattle Seahawks for the top teams in the Houston Texans, St. Louis Rams, Jaguars and Oakland Raiders, with names like Jadeveon Clowney, Blake Bortles, Johnny Manziel, Teddy Bridgewater and Sammy Watkins expected to go in the top five.
Kiper had predicted that Manziel will go number one for his first set of mock picks and after the Super Bowl that likely remains the same, although some reports say that the Texans could explore a trade for a QB or go for one on the market in Michael Vick or Josh Freeman. All signs point to the team parting ways with Matt Schaub and after they lost 14 games in a row to end the season at 2-14, the team looks like it will be going for a quarterback at some point in the draft. The team could trade the pick and new head coach Bill O'Brien said that could be a possibility, but it is more likely that they select one of the top names in the draft.
Last season the Kansas City Chiefs did not need a quarterback and they went with Eric Fisher, leaving EJ Manuel as the only one selected in the first round by the Buffalo Bills. This season is't likely that three quarterbacks could go in just the top 10 picks and that includes Manziel, Teddy Bridgewater and Blake Bortles, while names like Derek Carr, Aaron Murray, AJ McCarron and Zach Mettenberger could sneak into the first as well. The Texans need a quarterback and the Rams could surprise and pick one as well, while the Jacksonville Jaguars, Oakland Raiders, Cleveland Browns and Minnesota Vikings could be in line to snag one of the top names.
The fact that the free agent QB class is weak only pushes the idea of three in the top 10 even farther and it could spark some trading in the draft as well, with teams like the Browns, Buccaneers and Raiders possibly moving up to ensure that they get one of the players they are scouting. Kiper picked Manziel as his number one selection in his first mock draft and this comes after many have speculated that Louisville QB Teddy Bridgewater could be the first one taken.
Click here for the Mel Kiper mock draft after the Super Bowl.
Kiper actually lists Bortles ahead of Bridgewater and this comes after his great performance against Baylor in the Fiesta Bowl and that has shot him up numerous draft boards for experts and teams. Kiper thinks that Bridgewater could fall to the Buccaneers or the Vikings, while Manziel and Bortles will be off the board in the top four picks. Bortles could end up in Cleveland or Oakland if the Manziel is selected by the Texans and that puts players like Sammy Watkins, Jake Matthews and Jadeveon Clowney in the mix in the top five as well.
Manziel comes out of college as one of the most productive players ever in their two seasons and he leaves with a Heisman Trophy to his name and while he is considered small for the NFL, he has been compared to players like Russell Wilson and Drew Brees, who each have Super Bowl championships to their names now. Following the Super Bowl, the draft order is now fully set and the Seahawks and the Broncos will be the last two teams to pick and heading into February, Manziel still has the top spot for Kiper on his big board of mock draft picks.
Check here for more on Mel Kiper and his top 10 picks for the draft and more on team mock drafts.