The NFL draft is right around the corner and with the regular season over and college football wrapped up, it's time take a look at who each team might take come April.
The teams at the bottom of the draft have needs all over the place and while there isn't an Andrew Luck or Robert Griffin in this draft, the 2013 class is still full of talent. Here is a look at some possible picks for the upcoming draft and what needs each team would like to address going forward.
Detroit Lions: Dion Jordan, DE, Oregon
Jordan was one of the main reasons why the Oregon defense was much improved from 2011 and would give the Lions one of the best pass rushers in college football. Jordan made 44 tackles, including 10.5 for loss and five sacks this season and was one of the five finalists for the Butkus Award, which is given to the top linebacker in the country. Oregon was ranked 25th in the nation in points and Jordan made his presence felt in every game, including against Arizona State when he had 2.0 sacks and five tackles. With an unsure future for Cliff Avril and a defense that needs a huge overhaul, Jordan would give the Lions defensive line the shot in the arm that it needs to compete in the NFC north. The team took a step back after making the3 playoffs in 2011 and need to improve on defense.
Cleveland Browns: Manti Te'o, ILB, Notre Dame
The Browns were bad this season, but played hard in nearly every game, a testament to recently fired head coach Pat Shurmur. The defense was solid towards the end of the season and the offense has some playmakers in Trent Richardson and Brandon Weeden, meaning that Te'o could be the perfect addition as a playmaking linebacker. The Browns have been weak at linebacker for years since having Andra Davis and Te'o was productive in his senior season, with 103 tackles, 1.5 sacks, four passes defended and a nation-high seven interceptions. In the final game against USC, Te'o had five tackles and one interception in Notre Dame's 22-13 win. He registered double-digit tackles in six games this season and had two interceptions in Notre Dame's 13-6 win on Sept. 22. He also won the Walter Camp award and would give the Browns a talented and intelligent player in the center of the defense for years to come.
Arizona Cardinals: Matt Barkley, QB, USC
The Cardinals have holes everywhere and already missed on one USC quarterback in the draft (Matt Leinart), but they will do better this time around by snagging another USC Matt in Matt Barkley. He had an up-and-down season during his senior year, but Barkley is still one of the most talented players in the country. He passed for 2,273 yards and 36 touchdowns with 15 interceptions while completing over 63 percent of his passes. Barkley had 301 yards and three touchdowns in his final college game against USC and passed for a career-high six touchdowns earlier this season against Colorado in a 50-6 win. The Cardinals were dreadful at quarterback last season with Kevin Kolb and John Skelton and the new head coach, whoever it is, will want to start fresh with a new quarterback.
The last three:
The Top 10 can always be tricky here depending on the team. Here is a quick look at the rest of the top picks:
Buffalo Bills: Tyler Wilson, QB, Arkansas
The Bills like Ryan Fitzpatrick, but he is not one of the elite quarterbacks in the league. The team just got a new head coach in Doug Marrone and he will want someone to compete with Fitzpatrick and possible take his place in a few years. Wilson played in a pro-style offense and had an amazing season in 2011, passing for 3,638 yards and 24 touchdowns with just six interceptions while completing 63.2 percent of his passes.
New York Jets: Robert Woods, WR, Southern California
The Jets are another team that could make a pick at a litany of positions. The quarterback area is key, but all the best guys will be gone by the time they pick. Offense will be the key again and Woods could be the pick. He was excellent in 2012 and had 252 career catches for 2,930 yards and 32 touchdowns while at USC.
Tennessee Titans: Zach Ertz, TE, Stanford
Tight ends aren't usually picked this high, and the Titans probably won't take Ertz, but he is worth a look this early. He was the best receiver at Stanford over the past few seasons and has proven that he has soft hands and athleticism. Ertz led the team with 66 catches for 837 yards and can also help in the blocking game.
