NFL Mock Draft 2014: Round 2

Credit: Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports

51. Chicago Bears — Stephon Tuitt, DT Notre Dame

Sebastian’s Take: Chicago had a terrible defense last year, contrary to the spectacular one they had fielded the year before. The talent is there, but Stephon Tuitt is just too much value to pass up on here. They pick the best player available and they get an interior playmaker on defense in the process.

52. Arizona Cardinals — Kyle Van Noy, OLB BYU

Sebastian’s Take: Arizona has a really good defense, but it is not quite on par with the defenses that the 49ers and Seahawks sport. In order to keep up with them, they draft a versatile linebacker in Kyle Van Noy who makes “it factor” plays in spades.  The third-team All American was constantly around the football for the entirety of his BYU career.

53. Green Bay Packers — Lamarcus Joyner, DB Florida St.

Adam’s Take: Opponents were far too comfortable finding open spaces against the Packers secondary. The presence of Joyner could flip an attitude switch. Hyper-aggressive and fearless, he recorded 69 tackles, 5.5 sacks and three forced fumbles from his CB position. A 37.5’ vertical will help compensate for size limitations. Joyner has experience playing strong safety early in his collegiate career.

54. Philadelphia Eagles — Jeremiah Attaouchu, OLB Georgia Tech

James’ Take: This pick may change in just a few days if the Eagles decide to sign a DE/OLB from the free agent market, but the Philly D is loaded with holes, and they can use a versatile player that can make a push with or without his hand on the ground.

55. Cincinnati Bengals — Kyle Fuller, CB Virginia Tech

Adam’s Take: Fuller is not an electric athlete per say (although he did run a 4.49), but his movements are smooth. He possesses a natural football intellect to read QB/WR tendencies. With Terrence Newman and Adam Jones aging quickly, and Leon Hall coming off a torn ACL, the Bengals need youth at corner. Fuller battled sports hernia issues throughout his senior season, but he looked healthy at the combine.

56. San Francisco 49ers — Brandin Cooks, WR Oregon St.

Adam’s Take: The 2013 Fred Biletnikoff Award winner ran a 4.33 forty-yard dash, the fastest time among WR’s. His junior season stats were video game-like: 128 receptions for 1,730 yards and 16 touchdowns. Despite standing 5’9 ¾, Cooks will not be limited to slot duty. He’s a gifted route runner and sublimely quick in/out of breaks. Think Quinton Patton on steroids for a comp.

57. San Diego Chargers — Jack Mewhort, OT Ohio St.

James’ Take: Mewhort played every position on the offensive line except for center while he was at Ohio State.  His large frame and good footwork give scouts the feeling he will transition to the pro’s easily and find a home at either guard or tackle.  San Diego will look to continue rebuilding their offense and Mewhort will help keep Philip Rivers upright while targeting guys like Keenan Allen for years to come.

58. New Orleans Saints — Antonio Richardson, OT Tennessee

Adam’s Take: Nicknamed “Tiny”, Richardson is anything but at 6’6 340. He’s a raw prospect in the technical sense, but his athletic attributes are highly moldable. Richardson is ready-made to run block at the next level. The Saints will lose RT Zach Strief to free agency.

59. Indianapolis Colts — Paul Richardson, WR Colorado

Sebastian’s Take: Indy desperately needs a threatening receiver, and to avoid overpaying for one in free agency (looking at you Eric Decker) they draft Paul Richardson out of Colorado. Again, this WR class is very deep, so they are getting plenty of “bang for their buck” here. Richardson is a lethal field stretcher with long strides.

60. Carolina Panthers — Jordan Matthews, WR Vanderbilt

James’ Take: The 6’3 212 lb. Vanderbilt standout will be a solid piece if the Panthers decide to release Steve Smith.  His 4.46 40 time and 21 reps of 225 proved his athleticism/strength to those who may have questioned it. Side note: for those who are not aware, Matthews is a cousin of HOF WR Jerry Rice, which gives me the impression he has been able to learn the pro game from a very young age and will not have trouble with an NFL playbook.

61. San Francisco 49ers — Carl Bradford, OLB Arizona St.

Adam’s Take: Bradford plays off natural instincts and reacts without hesitation; for this reason alone he’d be an ideal fit in Vic Fangio’s defense. Played ILB, OLB and DE at ASU, but at 6’1 250 is likely an every down outside backer in the NFL. While Bradford ran an adequate 4.76 forty, he plays faster during game action.

62. New England Patriots — Marcus Smith. DE Louisville

Sebastian’s Take: The Patriots, as good as they always seem to be, need to add more talent on the defensive side. With their top corner leaving in free agency, they add the best available pass rusher in defensive end Marcus Smith. If you can’t slow down receivers, then take away the QB’s time.

63. Denver Broncos — Terrence Brooks, S Florida St.

James’ Take: Brooks was an underused corner in his first two seasons at Florida State.  The switch to FS was an experiment that he wound up excelling in.  Though his size will still be a point of contention among organizational brass, his athleticism, football IQ and burst to the target all seem to be positives enough for someone to take a chance on him during day two.

64. Seattle Seahawks — Austin Seferian Jenkins, TE Washington

Sebastian’s Take: Seattle is coming fresh off a super bowl victory and looks to break the consecutive super bowls curse, which is very likely to happen. They don’t have many holes on the roster, but they could definitely use an upgrade at the tight end position. Jenkins is a local boy from UW and has legit chunk gain ability. At 6’6 260 pounds, he’d also be a sizable target for Russell Wilson in the red zone.