The 2014 NFL draft is coming and with just one week left, more mock drafts are coming out and ESPN experts Mel Kiper and Todd McShay are starting to make their final predictions and projection picks for the top 10 in the first round and names like Johnny Manziel, Jadeveon Clowney, Khalil Mack, Sammy Watkins, Blake Bortles, Greg Robinson and Anthony Barr all could be in the mix.
Kiper started off his mock draft reports with Manziel going first overall to the Houston Texans, but since then he has changed it up multiple times and now he expects Jadeveon Clowney or Khalil Mack to be the pick, with Manziel as the wild card. The first pick could get traded by the Texans, but right now the scuttlebutt says they will make a pick at number one and while Manziel or Blake Bortles could be options, it is looking like the Texans will go with Clowney or Mack. If the team opts for a defensive player again, that will mirror the decision they made back when the team picked Mario Williams over Reggie Bush and while many were surprised with that deal, it ended up working out well for the franchise.
Check here for Mel Kiper and Todd McShay's picks or for more on the NFL draft and mock picks.
The Texans need a quarterback after dealing Matt Schaub to the Oakland Raiders, but with the depth at the position in the draft this year, the team easily could grab one later down the line. Players like Zach Mettenberger, AJ McCarron and Aaron Murray are available and names like David Fales, Derek Carr and Tom Savage also could be in the mix if the team opts for Clowney.
The best bet for a trade in the top five is with the St. Louis Rams and if the Texans allow Clowney, Bortles or Manziel to get past the top pick, expect someone to jump in. Last year the Dolphins traded into the top five to pick Dion Jordan and with the talent pool much higher this season than last year, expect a number of teams to try and move up. The Atlanta Falcons have been mentioned as a team that will be looking to trade up for Clowney, while the NY Jets have 12 draft picks and could work a deal to get into the top 10.
The Rams lucked into the second pick with how bad the Redskins played last season and they have a very interesting spot in the draft, as they come before the Jaguars, Browns and Raiders and all those teams could take quarterbacks. There is also a chance they all avoid quarterbacks, as the Browns and Raiders love Sammy Watkins and if Oakland misses out on their big names on the board, they could trade back for the second time in two years out of the top five. Watkins is a big name in the draft and he is coming off a season after having 101 catches for 1,464 yards and 12 touchdowns and he is expected to be the first wideout off the board.