The NFL draft is just 1 week away and the 2014 event has ESPN experts Mel Kiper and Todd McShay looking to make their latest mock picks heading into the first round and projections have the top 10 filled with names like Johnny Manziel, Jadeveon Clowney, Khalil Mack, Greg Robinson, Sammy Watkins, Mike Evans, Blake Bortles and Jake Matthews getting picked.
Kiper started off his mock drafts this year with Johnny Manziel to the Houston Texans and over time he has changed that to Jadeveon Clowney and Khalil Mack and that could change again heading into the first round on Thursday. The Texans have a tough choice to make and it mirrors what the team did back when they picked Mario Williams over Reggie Bush, as they have the chance to select a great offensive player or a great defensive player and Bill O'Brien will set the tone with who he picks first.
Check here for more on Mel Kiper's mock draft picks on ESPN or more mock picks for the NFL draft.
The Houston Texans need a quarterback after sending Matt Schaub to the Oakland Raiders and while they could pick Johnny Manziel, Blake Bortles or Teddy Bridgewater, the team also has the option of waiting until later in the draft to take someone like Aaron Murray or Zach Mettenberger. The Texans are rumored to like Bortles the most of the top quarterbacks, but the team isn't totally sure he can start right away and that is why many think that Clowney or Mack will be the pick. Those players appear to be more of sure things and they have impressed scouts in workouts as well.
The top five will be affected greatly by what the Texans do, as whoever they pass up on at the first pick could set off some trade flurry at the number two pick. The Rams are ready to deal that pick and teams like the Falcons and the Buccaneers could look to move up. The Raiders are a team that could move down and they have the option of getting more draft picks if names like Watkins and Robinson along with Bortles are gone when they pick at five.
The Browns need a quarterback but they too are interested in Watkins and if he is gone, they could go after Bortles or Robinson. The Jaguars are in an interesting position, as they will let things play out and then take who they think is the most talented on the board. According to ESPN.com, the Jags are looking at Jake Matthews or Greg Robinson to help build up the offensive line for Gus Bradley and they could go after Watkins as well.
The Buccaneers like Johnny Manziel and if he gets out of the top five they will likely pick him, while Mike Evans is also a target for a number of teams. Trades could start happening after the first pick and Kiper along with Peter King predict that the Rams will trade down from the number two pick and add more draft picks since they have multiple first rounders again.