NFL Mock Draft: Jon vs. Prince (Picks 1-10)

This picture will never get old

We’re less than two weeks away from the start of the NFL Draft, which of course means that each of our nation’s 15 million draft “experts” have mobilized. They are currently camping on Mel Kiper’s lawn, feverishly scrawling one mock draft after another to post on their blog, and tweeting things like “I have this friend who knows this one guy that works for the Jaguars, and he told him…” Ah yes, the NFL Draft. Such a wonderful, yet totally stupid event.

Speaking of posting dumb mock drafts on sports blogs, Prince and I are back to do our annual version of the mock draft. Last year’s edition had…limited results, to say the least. For starters, we didn’t select Cam Newton. At all. We went through all 32 first round selections and never once considered taking Newton. So yeah, that wasn’t really the best call either of us have ever made.

Speaking of bad calls, the undoubted highlight of last year’s mock draft was when Prince took BADGAB (Blaine Gabbert) for the Jaguars at #16. Of course, the immediate irony of Jacksonville actually TRADING UP for Gabbert in the real draft is obvious, but the true comedic value of Prince’s pick lies in the subsequent comments. Please, for your sake, take a gander at the abridged version:

Prince:  I fully expect you to hate this pick. If they select Gabbert here, he won't have to be their starter from day one and will be given some much needed time to learn. It seems like the Jags like mobile quarterbacks (Leftwich and Garrard) which is why I think they would go with Gabbert over Mallett. Yes, he still has plenty to learn, but I like him much more in the middle of the round than the very top.

Jon: I don’t even know what to say to you right now. First, have you ever watched Byron Leftwich play? He’s anything but mobile! He’s as statuesque as Drew Bledsoe! And second, BLAINE GABBERT SUCKS!

Now that I’ve got that out of my system, I’ll try to actually make some constructive comments. Jacksonville definitely needs a QB. Gabbart though…I just don’t like him. He put up really pedestrian numbers in a typically prolific spread system and that raises some serious red flags to me. I’m not wild about his throwing motion, he hasn’t worked from under center, and I’m skeptical of his ability to read complicated defenses. All in all, I think this guy is a backup at best…if that.

Prince: I think you and I have about the same feelings on Newton and Mallett, but I don't hate Gabbert like you do. I don't know if you just think his throwing motion looks awkward, or if you really think it won't work in the NFL, but I don't think he’s going to have to change it at all. Gabbert is very intelligent and will be able to learn and read defenses. He should be better than a career backup (like you suggested) and if he’s given the time to learn and improve, he can be the future starter for the Jags.

First of all, Prince referring to Byron Leftwich as “mobile” is downright hilarious. Classic moment in sports history. Second of all, yes, I do hate the pick. And third…well, this whole exchange is pretty much pure gold. However, I do have to give credit to Prince. BADGAB did indeed become the future starter…and that’s about all I have to say about that. In fairness to Prince, I must also point out that I expressed significant doubts about A.J. Green’s ability to be an impact player. Obviously, that was a poor call. A very poor call. Also, Todd McShay once fell head over heels in love with JaMarcus Russell. The moral: we’re all just guessing.

Before we start, let me remind you of the ground rules. Prince and I are alternating picks, with Prince receiving the first pick so that we can each pick for our favorite team (Prince=Vikings, Me=Cowboys). We are operating off the same draft board, so once a player has been selected, the other cannot also take that player later in the draft. And finally, it’s important to keep in mind that we are NOT picking based on what we THINK will happen, but what we would do if we were the owner/GM of the team. This mock draft is NOT a prediction of what the real draft might look like. Now that we have that out of the way, let’s move on to the picks!

--------------------

Jon: First and foremost, I’d like to take this opportunity to say that I feel bad about featuring the spectacular train wreck that was your Blaine Gabbert selection. Truly, from the bottom of my heart, I am sorry. Not sorry enough to edit it out or anything, but still.

So, after rehashing all your Gabbert demons, are you ready to get crushed again?

Prince: Yeah, I don’t think I’ve ever been so wrong about something I actually picked correctly. I don’t know which was worse though; picking Gabbert, or not picking Newton. At least I said that Gabbert shouldn’t be starting early and would need a lot of time to learn. At the time, Garrard was still there, so it was assumed Gabbert wouldn’t have to play at all in year one. After seeing him play though, I don’t think it matters; he doesn’t look like he can even be a career backup. I would say it’s not possible to have a worse pick than this, but we all know it’s bound to happen again, in this very draft.

Also, it’s good to see that you took one whole sentence to point out something you messed up…did we end up making any good picks?

Jon: Oh, you mean like me saying Gabbert wasn’t even backup quality? Cause I’m pretty sure we just went over that. But since I’m pretty sure that’s not what you meant, here’s an unofficial scorecard of how we did last year:

- Didn’t pick Cam Newton

- I picked Nick Fairley for Buffalo at #3, and argued that Von Miller was a “glorified situational pass rusher”

- Regarding A.J. Green, I asked if you “saw some Roy Williams potential”

- You picked Prince Amukamara for Cleveland at #6

- I picked Robert Quinn for San Francisco at #7

- You picked Da’Quan Bowers for Minnesota at #12 (better than what they did, though)

- I picked Ryan Kerrigan at #13 for Detroit, and raved about how much I loved him…nailed one!!!

Honestly, it would be easy to make fun of us, until you remember that nobody knows what the heck is going to happen to these guys. It’s nothing but a giant crap shoot. Just ask Todd McShay and JaMarcus! On that note, let’s get to some more awful picks…and please, try not to screw up the easiest pick of the last two decades, OK?

#1   Indianapolis Colts – QB Andrew Luck, Stanford

Prince: Well, I don’t think there is whole lot for me to say that everyone doesn’t already know. Luck is considered the best QB prospect since Peyton Manning, and the ridiculous speed of Robert Griffin doesn’t make me think twice about passing on him. I’ve actually heard that some teams would consider taking Griffin at #1, but I don’t understand how a GM could keep his job after making that decision. No college player is a guaranteed NFL star, but you have to think that Luck will be. I actually feel bad for Luck though, since the Colts really don’t have a team anymore. 

Jon: Wait, let me try and guess which franchises would take Griffin over Luck. I’ll go Oakland, Cincinnati, Buffalo, and Jacksonville. You know, because those franchises typically do the exact opposite of what would be considered smart and logical. Seriously though, it would be total madness to for anybody to pass on Andrew Luck. The guy is a pure stud, both physically and mentally. It’s obviously hard to think that anybody, even Luck, will fully replace Peyton Manning, but if you had to do it with somebody, Luck would be a pretty good candidate. If he’s the real deal, Indy won’t be a door mat for too long.

Prince: Unlike last year for us, there is a clear number one pick, which I guess is too bad since we don’t have anything to argue about. There’s no way Indy passes on Luck this year. If I had to put money on one team that would take Griffin #1 though, I think it would have to be Oakland. Al Davis has been dead for years and they’ve still gone with speed over football playing ability.

#2   Washington Redskins – QB Robert Griffin III, Baylor

Jon: Let me first just say that the Robert Griffin hype machine is a bit out of control. He shouldn’t go over Luck, and he’s not at all the ground breaking, one-of-a-kind athlete/QB combo that everyone makes him out to be. We’ve seen fast QB’s before. Ones that can throw, too. Ever hear of Randall Cunningham, or Steve McNair? So no, Griffin isn’t some new breed of player. That having been said, the Redskins will have done very well if Griffin develops into a slightly better version of Cunningham, which is kinda what I’m expecting.

Also, let me rant for a second about the one aspect of Griffin that really bothers me. His nickname, RGIII. Thing is, IT’S NOT A NICKNAME!!! IT’S JUST HIS FREAKING INITIALS!!! Same with KG, A-Rod, T-Mac, and anybody else who ended up operating under one of these lazy “nicknames.” Seriously Robert, you gotta put a stop to this. For me.

Prince: I’m sure that RGIII is going to change his nickname just for you. That makes a lot of sense. Washington didn’t trade five entire drafts to move up for anyone else, and I think we both agree that this could be a great move for them. I wasn’t sure you would take him, though. Mostly, I think my fear was that you would try to screw up my Vikings pick and take Matt Kalil, since if this was still St. Louis picking, I’m sure that’s who you would have drafted. Washington had no one at QB last year, and somehow won a couple games, so this could be a move in the right direction…oh wait, this is the Redskins, somehow everything will go wrong.

Jon: You’re right about both your points. Yes, this should be a great move for the ‘Skins, and yes, they will screw this up. I mean, you’d think a Cowboys fan like myself would be terrified at the prospect of having Griffin on our bitter division rival, but I’m not. Not in the slightest. That’s how confident I am in the Snyder/Shanahan duo. On the bright side, Redskins fans, at least you didn’t give up anything to get him. Yeah, technically you traded all your draft picks for the next ten seasons, but let’s be honest here…you were just gonna waste those picks anyways.

OK, that’s just about enough agreeing, Prince. When do we move on to the petty arguments portion of this draft?

#3   Minnesota Vikings – LT Matt Kalil, USC

Prince: Speaking of teams that screw things up, I’m still terrified the Vikings will end up with a 2nd round player at #3 overall. This is really the perfect scenario for the Vikings (aside from getting Luck), so you have to think they will make a strong attempt at giving me a stroke by taking Tannehill, or something equally as dumb. Their offensive line is one of the worst in the league, and getting a stud at one of the most important positions in football will be a great start to rebuilding. This team is full of needs at almost every position, and I know they are talking about trading down to acquire more picks, but unless they can get an amazing deal – and are still able to pick in the top 8 – there is no reason to move from that spot.

Jon: I think you’re looking at this the wrong way. What you really want is to see improvement every season, and getting a 2nd round talent here would be a marked improvement from what they did last year. Shows you that management is really starting to figure things out! But seriously, there is no way they can’t take Kalil. Draft him, plug him in at LT, kick Charlie Johnson’s useless butt to the curb, and don’t worry about the blindside for a long, long time. Then again, you probably need a RB to replace Adrian Peterson. You know, because he’s dead. So maybe Trent Richardson? Eh?

Prince: Don’t you dare forget about Toby Gerhart! It’s not like it even matters if you have a running back in the NFL anymore, though. Can you honestly tell me that Gerhart couldn’t be the starter on a Super Bowl winning team after the backs we’ve seen win the last few years? The Vikings need Kalil to help protect whoever ends up being QB, that’s the most important thing right now…and then take Matt Barkley next year. This is starting to look like everyone else’s mock draft, probably because these first few picks seem so easy. I can’t wait until we start having the crazy picks like last year.

#4   Cleveland Browns – WR Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma St.

Jon: I figured Blackmon would be a slam dunk pick for the Browns, but apparently they don’t need any good WR’s. I must have missed something, because I could have sworn that passing offense was the most important thing in the NFL. My bad.

Look, is Blackmon going to be the next Jerry Rice? Probably not. Then again, who is? We’ve reached this point with him where everyone is tired of pointing out how great he is, so now they nit-pick every one of his faults. People, he’s a stud! Don’t forget that! And WR is much, much, MUCH more valuable than RB, so Trent Richardson shouldn’t even be in the discussion here. Besides, this notion that RB is a “safer” pick is ridiculous to begin with. The facts are this: passing is the key to winning, Cleveland has very little talent at WR, and there is a WR on the board who both fits their need and their draft spot. This is a no-brainer.

Prince: You’re right, for some reason the Browns have made it their goal to avoid any talent at the WR position. I’ve said before that I wouldn’t take Richardson in the top 8 of this draft because I don’t think you need to draft a RB that high anymore, so Blackmon is the right choice here. I don’t believe that Blackmon has the amazing skill set of AJ Green or Julio Jones, but he is still very talented, and we saw last year how much of an impact a rookie WR can have. Honestly, the Browns should be thrilled to make this pick. If they do plan on giving Colt another year, maybe they should at least get him someone to throw the ball to.

Let’s go ahead and agree that Tannehill is not a good pick here, but that I would find endless joy on draft night if it does happen. It only seems right; since I had to watch the Vikings take Ponder at #12 last year. 

Jon: Regarding Blackmon, I’m not sure it’s fair to compare him to Green or Jones. He’s a different player than they are; much closer to a Larry Fitzgerald type. And regarding Tannehill, let’s go ahead and agree that he’s not a good pick anywhere in the first round. Why teams are so eager to throw themselves into a Blaine Gabbert or Christian Ponder situation, just one year removed from Blaine Gabbert and Christian Ponder, is beyond me. But by all means, waste the #4 overall pick. The sheer look of rage on Laney’s face would be worth the world to me.

#5   Tampa Bay Buccaneers – CB Morris Claiborne, LSU

Prince: Wow, this defense is bad. I really wanted to change things up and go with a DT here, but it just didn’t make enough sense. The Bucs were last in the league in 2011 against the run, with a big part of that being DT Gerald McCoy missing 10 games. The Bucs have really invested in their defensive line in the last few drafts, but are still one of the worst in the league. They did just sign Amobi Okoye, who may be able to help, but this former 1st round pick has not really been a big difference maker. Still, even though they have a need on their line, their defensive backs may be an even bigger question mark. Aqib Talib has legal issues, and Ronde Barber is pushing 40. That along with the increased importance of being able to stop the opposing team from throwing the ball is why Claiborne has to be the pick for the Bucs. Claiborne has the ability to be a great cover corner, which are hard to find, and are in very high demand now in the NFL. I really like that he is a former WR, so I know that he has good hands, and will be able to intercept passes.  

Jon: Wait, you’re actually going to take the top defensive prospect for a team that gave up over 30 PPG? HA! Shows what you know, you stupid mor…

…(shouting)…

…(loud fighting sounds)…

Whoa, sorry there, Prince. Matt Millen took over my keyboard for a second and I had to fight him off. Man, he was really sad that Blackmon had been taken, but the thought of taking Trent Richardson so high, even though the Bucs already have Blount and need help everywhere else…well, it was just too tempting for him to pass up. Wait, what’s that? The Bucs are ACTUALLY going to take Richardson and ignore a potential All-Pro cover corner? OK. I’m sure the defense will get better all by itself.

Prince: Yep, having the worst defense in the league obviously means you should take a RB, especially when you already have one. It makes even more sense for a team that knows you can pick up a productive RB anywhere, since Blount wasn’t even drafted.

I really hope that you and Matt Millen are OK, and becoming best friends. I’m looking forward to him helping you out for the rest of your draft selections.

#6   St. Louis Rams – WR Michael Floyd, Notre Dame

Jon: In real life, the draft will likely shake out much more favorably for the Rams. Since Tannehill and Richardson are being vastly overrated, it appears certain that either Claiborne or Blackmon falls to them, if not both. Of course, in real life, it sounds like St. Louis is obsessed with Trent Richardson as well. But since I’m running the show here, and since I’m not dumb enough to draft a RB when I already have Pro Bowler at the position, I’ve got to make a tough call. You’ll probably blast me for Floyd, but hear me out. The need is obvious, and you know how much I love Floyd already. It was the value that I was hung up on. That is, until I looked at the other guys available. Fletcher Cox? Riley Reiff? Quinton Coples? Is Floyd really that much of a stretch over those guys? I, for one, don’t think so, and am actually of the belief that Floyd is almost as good a prospect as Blackmon is. And since Bradford badly needs some weapons, he’s my guy here. (Ironic that I would pick a receiver after the whole Matt Millen bit)

Prince: I knew you were going to make this pick, especially because I was hoping to take Floyd at #7 for the Jaguars.  I’m bitter, so I’ll have to point out that it might not matter how many weapons you give Bradford, because he won’t have enough time to find them. His O-line is on par with the Vikings’, and last year Bradford was terrified every single snap. I think he flinched even when he was hurt on the sideline. So, good luck running an offense when you have no linemen who are able to block or keep your franchise QB from breaking in two. In your defense though, you didn’t have much choice. I was just wishing you would go with Riley Reiff or Jonathan Martin. Floyd could have probably been a star in a real offense, but in St. Louis, I don’t see how they move the ball…but I guess he wouldn’t have been able to do anything with Gabbert as his QB either.

Jon: So, you’re criticizing me for not taking a worse player? Is that what I’m getting? Gotcha. Look, I know all about the Rams protection problems, especially since I drafted Bradford in one of my fantasy leagues. But I think both Reiff and Martin are reaches at #6 – in fact, I’m not even convinced Reiff is a LT! The other thing you have to factor in is that the Rams offensive linemen are finally going to get some good coaching this year. Saffold and Smith were both high draft picks, so maybe Fisher can get something out of them. Plus, they brought in Scott Wells, so it’s not like they haven’t already worked to address the problem. In the end, the Rams just have a ton of needs. WR is one, and I thought Floyd was the best player on the board.

#7   Jacksonville Jaguars – DE Quinton Coples, North Carolina

Prince: This draft is really not going well for the Jags. They had the 6th rated defense last year, but their offense was horrible, ranking dead last in passing. I think they would love to have either of the top two WR’s in this draft, but that obviously didn’t happen in ours. After those two players, I really don’t see anyone else on the offensive side of the ball I would draft this high, so I’ll go with Coples, who is arguably the best player available. (By the way, if this were the real draft, I would try to trade down towards the middle of the round for Stephen Hill.) The good part about this for the Jags is that even though their defense played very well, they ranked in the bottom third of the league in sacks, and Coples is a great pass rusher. This is still a risky pick though. There are many questions about Coples motivation, and he has been pretty inconsistent. There is no doubt that he is talented and has the strength to push around offensive linemen, but the team that drafts him will have to find a way to get him to go hard on every play.

Jon: Hey, you know what else isn’t going right for the Jags? Football. I could go on and on all day about how pathetic it is that Gabbert couldn’t win despite having the league’s leading rusher and 6th rated defense, but I think we already kinda covered that. Anyways, it’s totally pointless for Jacksonville to draft a WR, so they might as well waste it on a talented DE that doesn’t give a crap about football. Yep, I’m sure this will work out just fine.

By the way, just for discussions sake, wouldn’t Jacksonville have to consider Trent Richardson if he fell this far? I know he won’t in real life, but just hypothetically. He’s unquestionably the best player on the board, and if ever there was a situation where two stud RB’s could co-exist, it’s this one. In fact, a creative OC could theoretically turn MJD into a sort of super Darren Sproles, which would actually be more beneficial to Gabbert than a true WR. Just a thought.

Prince: You know what would be more beneficial for Gabbert? To be benched and have Chad Henne start the season. Anyway, I wouldn’t take Richardson here. They have MJD, and I wonder how he would feel about drafting another RB so high. If Gabbert were to start and have those 2 RB’s, would he really be given the opportunity to learn? I don’t know if he will ever be capable of being a decent starter, but if he just hands off and throws check downs all day, then he will end up being a much worse version of Joe Flacco…and Flacco is already not a great QB. I would rather get a good WR and see if Gabbert is even able to get him the ball. That’s just me though. The Jags could have the best group of RBs if they took Richardson, but what does that really get you anymore?

#8   Miami Dolphins – RB Trent Richardson, Alabama

Jon: First and foremost, let’s once again reiterate that Ryan Tannehill is not a good pick here. In fact, he is the complete and total opposite of a good pick. Tannehill is just the latest example of a QB being massively overvalued simply because he’s a QB, and you can bet that whoever wastes their pick on him will set themselves back at least three years, if not more. That having been said, this is an awkward selection for me. I still don’t care for the positional value of a RB at #8, and Miami really doesn’t have a huge need with Reggie Bush and Daniel Thomas in tow. However, there reaches a point at which you can’t let a talent like Richardson slide any further, and I think this is it. He’s clearly the BPA, and it would be dumb to pass on him for Fletcher Cox or Riley Reiff.

Prince: This would be a crazy scenario in the draft. If the Dolphins drafted Richardson, I have no idea how their offense would look next year. Adding Richardson would give them four RB’s that are 27 or younger! They traded for Bush, spent a 2nd round pick on Daniel Thomas, and picked up Steve Slaton off waivers…all last year! Reggie Bush has been a disappointment so far in his career, but showed that he might be able to be a full time NFL RB by finishing the year with 4 straight 100 yard rushing games. Thomas started the season with an injury, and was very inconsistent with his production, but I don’t think he can just be written off already as a failure. Getting Richardson is really nice, and he may be the best player available, but I think that this causes more problems for Miami. There just might not be enough carries to go around. Unless they decide to run the ball every play – and since they gave away Brandon Marshall for nothing, that might actually be their strategy – I don’t know how much value they get from Richardson. I guess #8 is as far as you would let Richardson fall, but I wouldn’t have a problem seeing him slide a few more spots; only because he is a RB, not because he isn’t talented.

Jon: Well, I’m sure glad you pointed out the Dolphins Hall of Fame trio of Reggie Bush, Daniel Thomas, and Steve Slaton! I mean, only two of those guys were throw away players last offseason! I can see how adding an elite talent would definitely cause some problems here.

Seriously though, it would be pure insanity to pass on a talent like Richardson because of anybody the Dolphins currently have on their roster. Bush is definitely a keeper, but go ahead and kick Daniel Thomas to the curb. The fact that they invested a 2nd round pick on him is a moot point. The pick has already been used, it’s a sunk cost, and he clearly hasn’t shown anything to make anybody think he’s as good as Trent Richardson. Bush and Richardson would form a potent combination, and would at least make Miami elite at something, even if the running game isn’t overly critical. The larger point, though, is that Richardson is far and away the best player on the board, and it’s proven that passing on talent for need is a great way to screw up a draft. Miami sucks, they need talent, so they should take the best player.

#9   Carolina Panthers – DT Fletcher Cox, Mississippi St

 Prince: For me, this pick came down to either Cox or Dontari Poe. Both of these defensive tackles could end up being great pros, but I think Cox might be a little safer. A part of that is because Fletcher Cox played in the SEC, while Poe was in Conference USA. Poe has some amazing athletic abilities, but I don’t think he had the production I would like to see out of someone who should have been able to dominate that conference, which obviously worries me. Fletcher Cox, however, was named first-team all-SEC in his final season. He’s a big, strong player who still shows some explosion off the snap. One of the things that really stood out to me about Cox was that he blocked 5 kicks in his 3 year career, which is great for a DT. Along with his abilities, he is also a high effort player, so you won’t have to worry about him taking plays off. Carolina was towards the bottom of the league in rushing yards allowed and really needs a good defensive tackle to help solidify their defensive line.

Jon: I’m sorry; I didn’t hear a word of what you said because I was desperately wishing Trent Richardson would fall to Carolina. You know they’d gobble him up, forming perhaps the most wasteful group of talent in history. Wouldn’t it be fun watching Williams, Stewart, and Richardson each carry the ball six times a game? Anyways, let me go back and read your thing……..OK, I’m all caught up. Yeah, we talked about this scenario yesterday, and we both came to the same conclusion. Poe’s physical gifts are really hard to pass up, but NFL graveyards are littered with under-motivated freaks like him. I mean, seriously, you can’t dominate the C-USA? Huuuuuge red flag. Besides, it’s not like Cox is some sort of consolation prize. Like you said, first team all-SEC is nothing to sneeze about, and Carolina badly needs help on their front line. Good pick.

Prince: Carolina also has Mike Tolbert now too, so 6 carries a piece might be too much if they added Richardson. Plus, you know Cam has to run sometimes. I’ll say, though, that this offense was actually really good, which was one of the most surprising things about last year. If they can get healthy on defense, and add some impact players in the draft, this team could compete for the division…especially with everything going on in New Orleans.

#10   Buffalo Bills – DE Melvin Ingram, South Carolina

Jon: Quite honestly, I’m surprised Ingram has lasted this long. A great pass rusher is perhaps the most valuable thing after QB, and goodness knows Buffalo could use some help in that area after finishing 27th in sacks. I haven’t watched a ton of Ingram, so I’m not going to sit here and break down his game for you. What I will do is point out that Ingram 3.5 sacks and an INT against Auburn, 1 sack against Florida, 2 sacks against Clemson, and 1.5 sacks against Nebraska in the bowl game. Basically, every time this guy faced top level competition last year – his first year of starting – he produced. You can talk about short arms, small hands, or being a half inch short all you want…I’ll take a guy who goes out and gets it done, which is exactly what Ingram does.

Prince: I hate the short arms argument. To me, I don’t care if someone’s arm is one inch shorter than another guy. There are plenty of guys who measure out to be hall of famers, but end up being horrible football players, and I think the measurements are taken too seriously now. Ingram is really good. Actually, I thought about taking him for the Jags at #7. This seems to work out well for the Bills since Ingram is probably the best player left and he fits a big need for them…although I guess they do have needs almost everywhere. A great pass rusher is essential for every defense, and the Bills really need him after recording only 29 sacks last season.

Jon: They do have needs everywhere, but I think it would be a mistake if they took Reiff. I don’t think there’s any way he can play LT, and #10 is awful high for a RT. Then again, maybe he has really long arms. By the way, we should come up with some sort of encyclopedia of scouting terms. We could talk about short arms, small hands, 40 times, broad jumps, and being stiff in the hips. And if we get really ambitious, we can devote an entire section to “deceptive” attributes of a player. You know, what lazy scouts say when they can’t figure out why a white guy is running fast. (He’s deceptively fast…) Question: Can one have deceptively long arms? Just wondering.

--------------------

Prince and I have nearly finished the entire mock draft already, so look for more of it to be released either later today or early tomorrow. Also, we'll be tweeting our half-witted thoughts during the draft. You can follow me at @borisdiawtime and you can follow Prince at @princelancer.