The NFL draft 2014 is coming in a few weeks and ESPN experts Mel Kiper and Todd McShay have put together mock drafts for the top 10, first round and second round of the event in May and their predictions and projections have names like Johnny Manziel, Blake Bortles, Jadeveon Clowney, Khalil Mack, Sammy Watkins, Greg Robinson and Teddy Bridgewater going in the top ten picks this year.
The top part of the draft should be very interesting this season, as at least five of the top 10 teams could be targeting quarterbacks and that makes what the Houston Texans do at number one even more intriguing. This pick has a similar feel to when the Texans had the number one pick years ago, as they had the choice between a superstar offensive player in Reggie Bush or a defensive freak in Mario Williams and they went D and it worked out pretty good for a number of years. This season the Texans need a QB after trading Matt Schaub and that's what makes things very interesting.
The team has been rumored to be shopping the pick and the Rams at number two should get some offers on draft day as well, especially if the team opts to not pick a quarterback. Mel Kiper thinks that Mack can jump over Jadeveon Clowney at number one and that would be an amazing fall for a player that was looked at as the guaranteed number one a year ago if he was able to come out. Peter King in the MMQB wrote that teams at the top are not 100 percent sold on the QBs in the draft and that means teams could trade back and let the players fall, but that also could mean teams higher up have the chance to jump ahead.
Blake Bortles and Johnny Manziel are two players that have been looked at a great deal and either of them could go as early as number one of they could drop into the middle of the first round. Mike Evans has been moving up draft boards along with Sammy Watkins and this season the WR position is very deep and that could cause teams to wait as well. Names like Kelvin Benjamin, Marqise Lee and Allen Robinson will be available in the first and that could have teams like the Niners and Seahawks trading up to snag them.
Predictions also have no running backs going in the first round again and this time the second and third rounds could be very hot for the position like last year. Carlos Hyde is looked at as one of the best options, along with Tre Mason and Andre Williams, while Lache Seastrunk could be the sleeper of the entire draft. Teams looking for running backs have the opportunity to wait, as that position is deep as well with De'Anthony Thomas and Bishop Sankey. Hyde rushed for over 1,500 yards and added 15 touchdowns for Ohio State, while Mason is super-fast and very productive and he had over 1,800 yards and 23 scores last season for Auburn.