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Why stop at two?
We decided that we were having so much fun with our writer's mock that we'd take it into the third round. In prior years, only those that consider themselves draftniks would feel comfortable going into the third round, but not in 2013. With so many players that could be considered second round talent, Day Two of the draft should feature plenty of names in both rounds that the population is familiar with.
To review what transpired around Dallas in selecting Bjoern Werner and Terron Armstead in Round One and Round Two, click the links. Here's how the third round unfolded (note: this was organized prior to the comp picks being awarded).
Please remember, we started this process over a month ago, and there has been info on certain prospects, slots and needs that have transpired since these picks were made.
BTB Writer's Mock Draft: Selections 63-94
| Pick | Player | GM |
| 63. Kansas City | Travis Frederick, C/G, Wisconsin | KD |
| With multiple needs up and down the line, the Chiefs need to solidify the protection for Alex Smith. He had that comfort in San Francisco but KC's line is far from that. Frederick is a heady player, and while he lacks elite mobility, he could be a 12 year starter along the interior of the line. Wisconsin churns out starting offensive linemen like butter, and Travis will continue the tradition. | ||
| 64. Jacksonville | Justin Pugh, OG, Syracuse | Archie |
| With so many needs the war room opts to go with the best player available. Pugh also fills a need because the Jags need to do a better job of protecting their quarterback and opening up holes in the running game. Pugh had a high grade for us at offensive guard, but he does have the ability to become a right tackle in the NFL. Position versatility is an added bonus with the selection of Pugh. | ||
| 65. Detroit | Darius Slay, CB, Mississippi State | Rabble |
| Although the Lions already took Dee Milliner with their first round pick, and would like to address needs at defensive end and offensive guard, they are shocked to find Slay, who is described by many scouts as the better of MSU's corners, still on the board. Following a "BPA" philosophy, they run to the podium to snatch him up, getting a long, fluid corner with elite speed (4.34) and the quickness of a smaller DB. Detroit's opponents will find it a lot harder to find open receivers in 2013. | ||
| 66. Oakland | Tyler Bray, QB, Tennessee | Coty |
| At 66, the Raiders decide to address their disaster of a quarterback decision. It's still uncertain who'll be under center for Oakland even at the start of OTA's. They decide to add Tyler Bray to the mix. This pick becomes more likely if the Raiders don't end up Kolb-ing Matt Flynn from the Seahawks. Pryor may have to start while Bray develops, but it would do the franchise well to develop a young QB in-house to build around in the future. | ||
| 67. Philadelphia | EJ Manuel, QB, Florida State | OCC |
| E.J. Manuel thinks he'll go in the first round and he very well might, so the Eagles get a great steal here at the top of the third round. Manuel is Mike Mayock's #2 ranked QB, and has had private workouts for the Eagles who have some questions at the QB spot. Manuel has the height, athleticism, experience, and leadership to be a very good quarterback in this league, and would likely fit well into the Eagles' new offensive scheme. | ||
| 68. Cleveland | Logan Ryan, CB, Rutgers | Tom |
| Cleveland gets a player they had a borderline 2/3 round grade on to help out with their porous secondary. Although Ryan did not put up stellar numbers at the combine, and elected to stand on those numbers at his pro day, the Browns were more swayed by him being the only college player in 2012 to have at least 90 tackles, 4 interceptions and 18 passes defended. | ||
| 69. Arizona | Jonathan Franklin, RB, UCLA | Joey |
| The Cardinals continue to focus on their offense with this selection. This pick gives them someone who can make plays out of the backfield. Considered to be among the top backs in this draft, he has the ability to make people miss in tight spaces and can balance out the Cardinals offense to create room for Larry Fitzgerald and Michael Floyd to make plays down the field. | ||
| 70. Tennessee | Blidi Wreh-Wilson, CB, Connecticut | Rabble |
| After fortifying both lines, the Titans address their problem at cornerback, where they have marginal starters and a lack of depth. In Wilson, they get a player who has been rising up boards after a fantastic pro-day workout last week. As draftnik extraordinaire Tony Pauline puts it: the "fact is when completely healthy (watch his sophomore film) Wreh-Wilson is a shut down corner with first round skills." The Titans War Room rejoices at the value he represents; cigars all around. | ||
| 71. Buffalo | Ryan Swope, WR, Texas A&M | Tom |
| Swope came into the combine with a stereotypical reputation as a possession receiver, but his 4.34 40 time at the combine opened some eyes to his ability to be a deep threat as well. He still has exceptional hands and a reputation for making the catch in traffic, so Buffalo gets a dual-threat receiver who can keep opponents guessing as to which route he will run. | ||
| 72. NY Jets | Kyle Long, OL, Oregon | Tom |
| Kyle Long, as in son of Howie and brother of Chris, is still developing as an offensive lineman after spending time in baseball and as a defensive end before becoming an offensive lineman his second year of junior college. But the Jets need help at tackle and guard, and will be able to use him if he develops in any role. And with his pedigree, the odds are good he will be a valuable addition wherever he fits best. | ||
| 73. Tampa | Jordan Reed, TE, Florida | Archie |
| Blocking tight ends are for wimps. The Bucs have been searching for a answer to their need at tight end and Reed is a good value here. Reed has been compared to former Florida Gator Aaron Hernandez, and that is exactly the type of offensive weapon that Tampa Bay needs for Josh Freeman. Another vertical threat that can line up at various spots on the field should provide more big plays. | ||
| 74. Carolina | Shamarko Thomas, S, Syracuse | KD |
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TRADE NOTE: Carolina trades 44 (460) + 105 (82) to SF for 61 (292) + 74 (220) + 157 (28.6) The Panthers porous secondary picks up the next Bob Sanders. The Shark is a downhill player that has the athleticism and speed to play some centerfield as well. His short stature might keep him from winning jump balls against taller receivers, but he is more than capable of being the versatile asset a team needs to play their full defensive scheme. |
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| 75. New Orleans | Cory Lemonier, OLB, Auburn | KD |
| Rob Ryan gets his shiny new rush toy. The Saints are in need of a 3-4 OLB and outside of Dion Jordan, there may not be a better pure fit than Lemonier. He has an Anthony Spencer type skill set, able to set the edge, rush and drop into coverage. | ||
| 76. San Diego | Markus Wheaton, WR, Oregon State | OCC |
| Wheaton adds both a vertical and horizontal threat to the Chargers offense: his deep speed allows him to gain separation down the field and his quickness and acceleration off the line of scrimmage helps him break off long runs from short routes as a slot receiver. Wheaton is a dynamic threat because he can threaten all parts of the field, be it on a short crossing pattern or on a nine route. | ||
| 77. Miami | Johnathan Jenkins, DT, Georgia | Tom |
| With a pass rusher already in the bag, Miami shores up the middle with a run stopper who can also make a strong bull rush. Jenkins was used all along the line at Georgia, and has good lateral movement for a big guy who is also capable of clogging the lanes. He is quick at the snap and will likely demand double teams, freeing up the pass rushers when he doesn't split the gap and disrupt things himself. | ||
| 78. St. Louis | Tyrann Mathieu, CB, LSU | Archie |
| The Rams took a gamble on Janoris Jenkins last year and it paid off big time for them. We decided to take a chance on the Honey Badger because he offers us a lot of versatility. He can play in the slot, outside at cornerback and he can play some safety. The Honey Badger can do it all, but he can also add a spark on special teams and return punts. It wasn't too long ago when people considered him to be the best player in college football. He's worth the gamble and now the St. Louis secondary looks like a serious strength. | ||
| 79. Pittsburgh | Brennan Williams, OT, North Carolina | Coty |
| Pittsburgh needs a tackle to protect Roethlisberger from the other defenses in the AFC North, A key component of Roethlisberger's trademarked 'escape ability' is a clean pocket, and adding an athletic tackle is a step toward maintaining that. | ||
| 80. Dallas Cowboys | Brian Schwenke, OG/OC, California | OCC |
| Word around Valley Ranch is that the Cowboys really like the depth in this draft. And that depth can likely be found with the offensive linemen in the second and third round. Schwenke put up outstanding measurables at the Combine: He beat Jonathan Cooper in the 40, the 10-yard split, the short shuttle and the 3-cone, matched him in the broad jump, and got beat by only half an inch in the vertical and only four reps on the bench press. He's a 3-position prospect (In college, he started 16 games at LG, 12 at C and 8 at RG), he's very explosive off his snap and has the speed to be an effective blocker in the zone scheme the Cowboys are likely to favor. With Smith, Costa, Armstead and Schwenke, the Cowboys suddenly have a line that can move. Fast. | ||
| 81. NY Giants | Monte Ball, RB, Wisconsin | Rabble |
| The Giants address the hole at running back left by Ahmad Bradshaw's departure by selecting the hyper-productive and ultra-competitive Ball. Ball is a shifty, patient, between-the-tackles runner with excellent balance - and is an underrated receiver. After selecting OT D.J. Fluker in the first, New York looks to return to the winning offensive formula: a smashmouth running game that makes safeties nervous enough to set up passing lanes for Eli Manning and company. | ||
| 82. Miami | Robert Alford, CB, SE Louisiana | Tom |
| Miami still needs more help at cornerback, and plucks Alford, a small school star who is still ranked as a solid third round talent, to pair up with earlier pick Johnthan Banks, and gets the highest remaining player on their board. Alford also had some experience returning kicks and punts his last year of school to give him added value as a special teams player. | ||
| 83. Miami | Travis Kelce, TE, Cincinnati | Tom |
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TRADE NOTE: MIN gives 25, 52, & 83 MIA gives 12 & 108 The team takes a bit of a chance with the big tight end who is coming off sports hernia surgery, but his reputation as an excellent run blocker and his greatly improved receiving skills during his senior year make him worth using the team's third pick of the round to shore up the offense and get another target for Ryan Tannehill. |
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| 84. Cincinnati | Jordan Mills, OT, Louisiana Tech | Joey |
| With Andre Smith remaining unsigned to this point, the Bengals have a gaping hole at RT. Mills is a powerful player who played RT almost exclusively at La Tech and will give the Bengals someone who can step in to play day 1 there if necessary, but could also sit for a year if Smith is retained and train and learn to play either tackle spot. | ||
| 85. Washington | Brian Winters, OG, Kent State | Rabble |
| Although the Redskins O-line acquitted itself decently in 2012, they did so with a couple of marginal starters, most particularly left guard Kory Lichtensteiger. To upgrade the position, Washington turns to Winters, a college left tackle who will kick inside, where his toughness, physicality, and durability will be a welcome addition to the 'Skins latest edition of the Hogs. RGIII's gimpy knee is feeling better already... | ||
| 86. Indianapolis | William Gholston, DE, Michigan State | Coty |
| Indy needs a big body at 5-tech for their 3-4 defense. William Gholston provides size and length that are hard to find in the third round, and should become at worst a solid starter for them (like Marcus Spears, but with far less invested). | ||
| 87. Seattle | Brandon Williams, DT, Missouri Southern | OCC |
| Brandon Williams out of Division II Missouri Southern is an intriguing prospect who posted crazy numbers in college (27 sacks, 52.5 TFL in 42 games for a production ratio of 1.89), and then recorded the highest explosion index of any defensive lineman at the combine (76.0). Williams is a very disruptive run defender whose bulk (335 pounds), thick lower body and power make him an ideal 1-technique for the Seahawks. | ||
| 88. Green Bay | Marcus Lattimore, RB, South Carolina | Rabble |
| The Packers deluxe offense has functioned without a true running threat for the bulk of Aaron Rodgers's career. At present, their RB depth chart is populated by the likes of James Starks and Alex Green. Recent reports of Lattimore's astonishing recovery from his second devastating knee injury convince Green Bay GM Ted Thompson that he can fulfill the promise displayed early in his collegiate career. If this proves true, the Packers have added a runner with elite vision, burst and balance. | ||
| 89. Houston | Vance McDonald, TE, Rice | OCC |
| Vance McDonald has a solid second-round grade, and the Texans don't think twice about adding the Rice prospect. McDonald is a versatile weapon, having been used as a tight end, slot receiver, wide receiver and even end around runner. McDonald is still raw, but a little bit of seasoning could see one of the best physical specimen in this year's TE class emerge as a top TE in the league. | ||
| 90. Denver | Zac Dysert, QB, Miami (OH) | Coty |
| Dysert may not be ready for the big stage quite yet, but the John Elway-run team wouldn't like to be caught once more relying on the likes of Tim Tebow to quarterback the franchise once Peyton Manning moves to the broadcast booth. Dysert has the body and skills to develop into a very good NFL quarterback, especially with a couple of years' seasoning behind an all-time great. | ||
| 91. New England | JJ Wilcox, S, Georgia Southern | Archie |
| The Patriots need to get better safety play, especially since Patrick Chung left in free agency. Wilcox is a small school standout but his athleticism and playmaking ability is off the charts. He may take a season or two before he becomes a starter, but he's worth the developmental period. At worst, Wilcox could play in certain packages and get on the field for experience, but he has the physical tools to offer some production early. | ||
| 92. Atlanta | Akeem Spence, DT, Illinois | KD |
| Another pick, another defender for the Falcons as they look to fix what truly ailed them. Spence is a stout run defender that is very adept at chasing down ball carriers. He has great quickness off the ball and has a constant motor that keeps him from ever being out of a play. After picking up Tank Carradine and Justin Poyer, the Falcons are destined to compete on both sides of the ball. | ||
| 93. San Francisco | Da'Rick Rogers, WR, Tennessee Tech | KD |
| The rich get richer. Colin Kaepernick gets another weapon to join the fray. Rogers may have been the most talented of Derrick Dooley's group of three, but left Tennessee as Cordarrelle Patterson came in. He has crazy off the field issues, but his talent is undeniable as he reminds many of Julio Jones with his freakish athleticism. Long arms, strong and able to gain separation from defenders at will. | ||
| 94. Baltimore | Khaseem Greene, LB, Rutgers | Coty |
| With Greene, who has fallen inexplicably to the bottom of the third down, the Ravens complete a total overhaul of their interior linebacking corps in a single draft. They should have no issues there for the next decade. Ray Lewis' on-field ability will not be missed. | ||
| TEAM HAULS | SELECTIONS 1-94 | REVIEW |
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ARIZONA: Lane Johnson, Ryan Nassib, Jonathan Franklin ATLANTA: Tank Carradine, Jordan Poyer, Akeem Spence BALTIMORE: Kevin Minter, Jamie Collins, Khaseem Greene BUFFALO: Barkevious Mingo, Matt Barkley, Ryan Swope CAROLINA: Sheldon Richardson, Dallas Thomas, Shamarko Thomas CHICAGO: Xavier Rhodes, Larry Warford CINCINNATI: Arthur Brown, Eric Reid, Gio Bernard, Jordan Mills CLEVELAND: Jarvis Jones, Logan Ryan DALLAS: Bjoern Werner, Terron Armstead, Brian Schwenke DENVER: Sylvester Williams, Barrett Jones, Zac Dysert DETROIT: Dee Milliner, Alec Ogletree, Darius Slay GREEN BAY: Datone Jones, Terrance Williams, Marcus Lattimore HOUSTON: Kawann Short, Robert Woods, Vance McDonald INDIANAPOLIS: Keenan Allen, William Gholston JACKSONVILLE: Desmond Trufant, Justin Pugh KANSAS CITY: Luke Joeckel, Travis Frederick MIAMI: Damontre Moore, Johnthan Banks, Quinton Patton, Menelik Watson, Johnathan Jenkins, Robert Alford MINNESOTA: Star Lotulelei, DeAndre Hopkins NEW ENGLAND: Justin Hunter, David Amerson, JJ WIlcox NEW ORLEANS: Jonathan Cyprien, Corey Lemonier NY GIANTS: DJ Fluker, Zach Ertz, Montee Ball NY JETS: Kenny Vaccaro, Sam Montgomery, Kyle Long OAKLAND: Dion Jordan, Tyler Bray PHILLY: Eric Fisher, Johnathan Hankins, EJ Manuel PITTSBURGH: Cordarrelle Patterson, Manti Te'o, Brennan Williams SAN DIEGO: Sharrif Floyd, Eddie Lacy, Markus Wheaton SAN FRANCISCO: Tyler Eifert, Jesse Williams, Matt Elam, Dar'Rick Rogers SEATTLE: Margus Hunt, Brandon Williams ST LOUIS: Jonathan Cooper, Tavon Austin, Phillip Thomas, Tyrann Mathieu TAMPA: Ziggy Ansah, Jamar Taylor, Jordan Reed TENNESSEE: Chance Warmack, Alex Okafor, Blidi Wreh-Wilson WASHINGTON: DJ Swearinger, Brian Winters |
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