The 2014 NFL mock draft time of the offseason is here and the projections and predictions by experts like Mel Kiper for the first round has Johnny Manziel on top of his Big Board for the top 10 picks in the event before free agency, which starts on March 11 and the Houston Texans could be in the mix for the quarterback, Jadeveon Clowney and Blake Bortles.
The Texans pick ahead of the St. Louis Rams, Jacksonville Jaguars, Cleveland Browns and Oakland Raiders this season and there is a chance they could trade the selection, but most reports say that is unlikely. Kiper has predicted that Manziel will go number one to the Texans and if Houston opts not to pick a quarterback, many expect the team to go after South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, as he killed it with his speed at the combine and is considered by many to be the top player on defense.
There have been questions about Clowney's work ethic and Manziel's size and that could get the Texans to consider a trade or perhaps a pick of Teddy Bridgewater, Blake Bortles or Sammy Watkins with the number one pick. The Texans lost 14 straight games last season to finish 2-14 on the year and with Matt Schaub totally falling off, it's likely a new player will be under center for Bill O'Brien. The draft is deep this season at quarterback and if the Texans opt for Clowney, Watkins or an lineman like Jake Matthews, O'Brien could look at names like Derek Carr, AJ McCarron, Zach Mettenberger, Aaron Murray and David Fales in the later rounds.
Manziel comes in as one of the most talked about players in the draft and he set numerous records while playing at Texas A&M and if he isn't selected by the Texans, there is a good chance he will go to one of the next four teams in the draft and that could put Bortles, Manziel, Bridgewater and Carr off the board by the time the top 10 is finished. The Jaguars, Browns, Raiders, Vikings, Buccaneers and Rams all could be in the mix for a quarterback and this season with the class being so deep, expect a high amount of players to go in the first round from that side of the ball.
Mel Kiper had his first mock with Johnny Manziel in the first position to the Texans, as he feels that the team cannot afford to pass up the talent and the marketing of the QB, considering he played college ball there as well. Kiper put Matthews in the second pick spot to the Rams before Clowney is selected by the Jaguars, while Blake Bortles is next to the Browns, going over Teddy Bridgewater. The Browns have been in a decline for years and they need a new quarterback and this draft could be huge for how the franchise develops over the next few seasons.
Sammy Watkins is expected to be a top five pick and Kiper put him to the Oakland Raiders and that could be a fit if Dennis Allen and Reggie McKenzie feel that McCarron or Carr could be available later in the draft. Watkins had blazing speed at the combine and he was one of the most productive players in all of college football last season and he is projected to go ahead of Anthony Barr and Khalil Mack, who many feel are the best defensive players behind Clowney in the draft. Bridgewater was thought by many to be the number one overall pick during the season and now he remains in the mix for the top five to ten, as he considered to be the most "pro ready" quarterback in the class if not the most talented and prepared for the league.
Check here for Mel Kiper's latest ranks, mock draft and big board.