The 2014 NFL draft is still months away, but predictions, projections and mock drafts have already started to come out for the top 10 picks and experts like Mel Kiper have their big boards set early with names like Johnny Manziel, Blake Bortles, Jadeveon Clowney and Teddy Bridgewater going in the first round.
The top five picks should be very interesting this season and for the first time in a few years there could be multiple trades among those picks, as the quarterback class is highly regarded and a number of teams are looking for new QBs. The Houston Texans have the first overall pick and they could look to trade it or select someone like Johnny Manziel or Jadeveon Clowney. Manziel is slotted as the number one pick by Mel Kiper in his predictions, while Clowney likely would have been a number one overall pick had he been able to come out last season.
The St. Louis Rams have the second pick and that puts them in a tough and favorable situation, as they could take a quarterback for the future, but that could signal the end of the Sam Bradford era. The way the new rookie contracts are done, the team could afford to keep Bradford and whoever they pick, but that might not be the best way for sustained success. Manziel is projected as one of the top picks in the draft and he could anywhere from number one to number five with the Texans picking first and teams like the Rams, Cleveland Browns, Jacksonville Jaguars and Oakland Raiders could snag him or one of the other quarterbacks.
The Vikings are also in the mix for a quarterback and Teddy Bridgewater could slip down to that pick if he gets past the top five and a team like the Browns is nearly guaranteed to take one of the QBs. This draft is deep on the offensive side of the ball and players like Sammy Watkins, Mike Evans, Tajh Boyd and AJ McCarron could be taken down the line in the first round. Clowney is going to be a steal if he gets past the top five and if all the quarterbacks are off the board, don't be surprised if someone like Sammy Watkins gets picked by the Raiders.
Texans, Johnny Manziel
Rams, Jadeveon Clowney,
Jaguars, Blake Bortles
Browns, Teddy Bridgewater
Raiders, Sammy Watkins
