Well that was an interesting first round. Lot of surprises, lot of awkward exchanges between Mel Kiper and Jon Gruden, and a lot of Te'o talk highlighted Day 1. Was it the sexiest draft of all-time? No, in fact, the first round was only slightly sexier than a pregnant Kardashian sister. But, with myriad of the big names (all with question marks in certain areas) dropping out of the first round, the second round will have more story-lines than a Raymond Chandler screenplay.* Without further ado, here are my predictions for how the first half of the second round will play out.
33 Jacksonville Jaguars- Tank Carradine, DE, Florida State
The popular call from analysts is that the Jags will snag Geno Smith because, simply, current QB Blaine Gabbert is terrible. However, Gabbert was placed on IR in November last year. The coaching staff has only had a year and a half to evaluate the Missouri product and, especially in a year devoid of you-can-bank-on-them franchise quarterbacks, they may want to give Blaine one more year. New Coach Gus Bradley comes from the defensive side of the ball and boy do the Jags need a defensive playmaker. Enter, Cordellius "Tank" Carradine. With 11 sacks last year, Tank showed he is force to be reckoned with on the defensive line. Drive 2 and a half hours West from Jacksonville and you'll find the missing link, well one of the many missing links, in the Jags defensive scheme.
34 San Francisco 49ers- Geno Smith, QB, West Virginia
Not a knack on Kap at all right here. The niners have a plethora of draft picks left (11 in total) and they really don't have that many needs. After the departure of disgruntled QB Alex Smith, the niners do have a need at the backup QB slot. So, why not draft the Kaepernick-esque speedster from Morgantown? Of course, San Fran will need to have a durable, pocket-passer on the depth chart come training camp time for insurance in case one of their mobile playmakers goes down. But at this pick, I say General Manager Trent Baalke makes a splash and goes with the running man.**
35 Philadelphia Eagles- Ryan Nassib, QB, Syracuse
I like the Eagles to go QB here; They need insurance for Mike Vick. Not only is the former Virginia Tech standout an injury risk, but he also couldn't hold on to the ball in 2012. I know Philly has Nick Foles but reports have circulated that they're looking at potential quarterbacks. Nassib is a beautifully fit in Philly as he is the perfect complement to Vick. He isn't very mobile but he always stays on the field. The argument could be made that Geno Smith fits better into a Chip Kelly led offense but with Vick at the helm, you need steady insurance. Also, I have Geno off the board at this pick.
36 Detroit Lions- Damontre Moore, DE, Texas A&M
The Lions made a risky selection at #5 overall taking DE Ziggy Ansah. He has pro-bowl calibar talent but only has 9 total collegiate starts. After the depature of three defensive ends in Cliff Avril, Lawrence Jackson, and Kyle Vanden-Bosch, the Lions are thin at the pass-rush even with the advent of Ansah. This is why I have them taking the sack machine (26.5 sacks in three years as an Aggie) from College Station.
37 Cincinnati Bengals- Manti Te'o, LB, Notre Dame
Ray Maulaluga is not an established middle linebacker. No big deal, Cincy will just grab another big name, Hawaiian middle linebacker to right the ship. In the rough and tough AFC North, you need to have an established defensive front. This would be the second Notre Dame product selected by the Bengals. Let's just hope neither of them end up in the slammer.***
38 Arizona Cardinals- Zach Ertz, TE, Stanford
Ertz fits in perfectly with the Cards. Bruce Arians knows how to coach offense and that's exactly how GM Steve Keim is building this squad. Carson Palmer comes in from Oakland. Rashard Mendenhall is signed off free agency. And offensive lineman Jonathan Cooper was drafted in round 1. What is Arizona missing? A big target in the middle of the field to give Larry Fitzgerald some freedom. Could we see Fitz's first smile since Anquan Boldin skipped town? Time will tell.
39 New York Jets- Kevin Minter, ILB, Louisiana State
So many needs. So many damn needs. The Jets went defense with their first two picks and that's exactly how I think they will go in round 2. Idzik is trying to get this team back to their roots; defensive is the priority. Yesterday, New York drafted someone to replace Revis (Dee Milliner) and took a player to fight in the trenches (Sheldon Richardson), so, naturally, the next step is to get a linebacker. Someone inside who, teaming with David Harris, can lead this Jets D. Heck, Gang Green is gonna need stingy D if they want to win more than 2 games this year. Dude is a tackling machine from the SEC, which in my mind, sounds like a good pick. However, most Jet fans will hate this pick as they want either an offensive playmaker or a pass rusher.
40 Tennessee Titans- Margus Hunt, DE, SMU
The Titans biggest needs are in the trenches. They're defensive line used to be a huge plus (Remember the "Chain Gang" of Albert Haynesworth, Jevon Kearse, Tony Brown and Vanden Bosch?) but now, it's full of empty promise. The 6'8 280 pound Estonian is nothing if not an athlete. He will be a huge help in re-building the Titans once formidable defensive front.
41 Buffalo Bills- Jonathan Cyprien, S, FIU
The Bills need a stud strong safety to go alongside free safety Jairus Byrd, and they needed one yesterday. Cyprien is an absolute beast and if he falls this far, the Bills will undoubtedly scoop him up. A secondary of last year's first round pick Stephon Gilmore, Leodis McKelvin, Byrd and Cyrpein? That's a scary thought for the rest of the AFC East.
42 Oakland Raiders- Matt Barkley, QB, USC
A Quarterback? We have Matt Flynn and Terrelle Pryor, are you crazy? Yeah, these are quotes that should go under the hashtag #ThingsOnlyIrrationalRaidersFreaksSay. Oakland has a huge question mark at the QB position. Why not create a training camp competition by drafting the USC product? Remember, Oakland has a history with USC quarterbacks. Matt Leinart, Carson Palmer, and unforgettable coke addict/lefty with cool red hair Todd Marinovich round out some of the all time classics. Add Barkley to the list, folks.
43 Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Arthur Brown, OLB, Kansas State
To vault to the top of the NFC South, The Bucs need an outside linebacker who can play in coverage against division rival QB's, Drew Brees, Matt Ryan, and Cam Newton. Arthur Brown fits the mold perfectly; he is a physical defender who is elite at handling RB who slip out of the backfield. Although he didn't show any signs in college of morphing into a fearsome pass-rusher, Brown is high on NFL draft boards because he can cover with the best of them. Brown's also solid against the run as he racked up 17 tackles for losses in his two years at K-State.
44 Carolina Panthers- Eddie Lacy, RB, Alabama
A few years back, the backfield tandem of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart was scintillating in Carolina. They were exciting runners who complemented each other quite well. Fast forward to 2013 and you have a backfield full of old trash and leftover garbage. These guys are past their prime; Carolina needs a bruiser behind Cam Newton. Lacy ran for 1,322 yards and 17 TD in Tuscaloosa. He's got to be the first running back off the board and even if Auburn Alum Cam hates the Crimson Tide, this pick would really push the Panthers in the right direction.
45 San Diego Chargers- Johnathan Jenkins, DT, Georgia
The 358 pound Georgia Bulldog fills a dire need for the Chargers at the defensive tackle position. Jenkins played nose tackle in Athens which fits nicely into San Diego's 3-4 defensive scheme. The dude is gigantic; he will occupy offensive linemen giving pass rushers open lines to opposing quarterbacks. Outside linebackers Shaun Phillips and Jarret Johnson would love this pick.
46 Buffalo Bills- Justin Hunter, WR, Tennessee
The Bills desperately need a WR to pair alongside Stevie Johnson. They already addressed their QB issue need in Round 1, so it makes sense to snag a WR in Round 2. Hunter is big, long, fast, and he exhibits nifty footwork. The Tennessee Vol is also proven having accumulated 73 receptions for 1,083 yards and 9 TD last year. Ain't too shabby for playing in the SEC. Ain't too shabby at all.
47 Dallas Cowboys- D.J Swearinger, S, South Carolina
A polished player who stayed for all four years of eligibility at SCAR, Swearinger anchored the terrifying Gamecock defense. Last year, the Cowboys secondary was atrocious; Dallas gave up the 3rd most total pass yards among all NFL squads. D.J is a big hitter who will bring toughness, a high motor, and range to the Cowboys D. This selection will help shed the "soft" label of Dallas's secondary.
48 Pittsburgh Steelers- Quinton Patton, WR, Louisiana Tech
He isn't explosive and he does not possess lighting speed so don't expect him to be the second coming of Mike Wallace. However, Patton is athletic, strong, relatively quick, and has exceptional hands. Since the Steelers matched the Pats offer sheet to Emmanuel Sanders, they have retained the former SMU receiver. Still, Wallace leaves a void. Patton helps fill it.
*Watch the film "The Big Sleep" and you'll understand this reference.
**Lot of speculation that Harbaugh wants to snag his former Stanford player, TE Zach Erts, but the Niners are loaded at the TE spot and up front. Doesn't fit personnel wise.
***I'm not even going to mention the whole Lennay Kakua saga. You know the story, I know the story, the Bengals know the story... it's played out
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