32. Baltimore Ravens – Kevin Minter, ILB/LSU – I am not alone in thinking Baltimore will be looking to somehow replace Ray Lewis and the skill set he gave the Ravens throughout his career. Minter has been compared to Jets LB David Harris. Harris has 22.5 sacks in 6 seasons with the Jets, so to be honest; I think Baltimore would be thinking bigger than those numbers. Minter was the most dependable player on an LSU defense chock-full of prospective NFL talent, According to NFL.com’s Rob Rang, Minter compares to DeMeco Ryans and not Harris as mentioned before. Rang was quoted as saying “Like Ryans, Minter is slightly undersized and relies on his instincts and reliable tackling ability — rather than sheer explosiveness — to accumulate impressive stat-lines. Florida International SS Jonathan Cyprien is another name to watch for here.

31. San Francisco 49ers – Zach Ertz, TE/Stanford – I believe the 49’ers will move up in the draft in order to secure Ertz. Zach has been mentioned as a target for plenty of teams and because of his popularity, as well as the 49’ers having more picks than anyone else in the draft, they’ll move up somewhere in the teens to make this pick. With the departure of Delanie Walker the 49ers need a substitute for their 2 TE sets. Colin Kaepernick needs the keep with the same offensive sets to make the pistol offense as effective as we saw it in 2013. Ertz is a poor blocker and will struggle at time at the next level, but his hands are that of a possession WR. Look for the NY Jets to trade out of the #13th pick they just got from Tampa in order to acquire 2-3 picks from San Fran in exchange.

30. Atlanta Falcons – Desmond Trufant, CB/ Washington – The brother of Seattle Seahawk CB Marcus Trufant and NYJ CB Isiah Trufant, little brother Desmond may be the best of all three. He set career-bests in 2011 as a junior with a pair of interceptions and 16 passes defended, and has the luxury of picking the brains of his two older brothers about the trials and tribulations of the NFL. Atlanta is also short at the DE position and if a big name, (Moore, Werner, Jones) were to fall to 30, I think they’d gobble them up.

29. New England Patriots – Margus Hunt, DE/ Southern Methodist – The Patriots are one of the best at scouting small school kids, with big time talent. Speaking of talent, Hunt hails from Karksi-Nuia, Estonia, and came to SMU as a decorated track and field athlete (he’d set a junior world record in the discus throw at the 2006 World Junior Championships). Margus first started playing football in 2009 and set an NCAA record with 17 blocked kicks (10 field goals, seven extra points) for Southern Methodist. His lack of time spent around the game of football may be the only critique scouts have given him. Good for Margus, Coach Bill Belichick can push him into the film room, and let him learn in training camp and practices what it takes to be a complete NFL player before rushing him out there.

28. Denver Broncos – Datone Jones, DE/ UCLA – Offense is no longer a problem in Denver, thank you Peyton Manning, Wes Welker, etc.. Jones ran a 4.80 official forty at the Combine and was a top-five performer among defensive linemen in the 20-yard shuttle (4.32). Gil Brandt of CBS believes Jones is more of a fit as a DE in a 4-3. Denver will be looking for a replacement for Elvis Dumervil who recently signed with Baltimore. Jones will team up with Von Miller to cause havoc on the rest of the AFC West.

27. Houston Texans – Cordarrelle Patterson, WR/Tennessee – Patterson scored a touchdown via kickoff return, punt return, receiving, and rushing, joining Carl Pickens (receiving, KR, PR, INT) as the only players in Tennessee history to score a touchdown four different ways in a career. Andre Johnson isn’t getting any younger and this kid would be a top 12 selection if he had his head on straight. I think going to a veteran team like Houston would be a great fit. He would get to see how real professionals work every day, and learn how to read and react to defenses, while making crisp cuts and running good routes. Originally I had Patterson going as high as 8 to the Bills, but as we get closer to the draft, the chatter in Buffalo is to move down and grab Syracuse QB Ryan Nassib somewhere in the 20’s.

26. Green Bay Packers – Eddie Lacy, RB/ Alabama –This is a luxury pick. The luxury of having one of the best QB’s in the game! Aaron Rodgers has done virtually everything possible in the passing attack for the Packers. Having a quality, forceful downhill runner to get those tough third downs, is something Lacy proved he could do having totaled 1,046 yards and 17 touchdowns in 7 games last year. He’s proven to be worthy of a 1st round pick.

25. – Minnesota Vikings (Via Seahawks) – Alec Ogletree, ILB/Georgia – Coach Leslie Frazier strongly hinted that the Vikings may use one of their first-round picks on a middle linebacker, and it should be between Ogletree, LSU ILB Kevin Minter, and Notre ‘ Manti T’eo. NFL Network’s Mike Mayock says he is “scared to death” of Georgia LB Alec Ogletree as a first-round pick due both to off- and on-field concerns, but the need for a linebacker is too high for the Vikings to not take the chance that Mayock is wrong.

24. Indianapolis Colts – Cornellius “Tank” Carradine, DE/ Florida State – Can I start by saying I love his nickname “Tank.” With Dwight Freeney looking to sign elsewhere, the Colts will be in a position of need at DE. “Tank” has been rising up boards and some have him going to the Vikings who sandwich the Colts with picks after the Percy Harvin deal. We’ll get to the Vikings in a second; Carradine suffered a torn ACL in November of 2012, and was performing at his pro day in April. That’s Adrian Peterson like, heh, another Vikings reference. With that being said…

23. Minnesota Vikings – Sylvester Williams, DT/ North Carolina – How do you continue to make the Williams wall work in Minnesota?? Draft another Williams of course! In the first of their 2 picks the Vikings will give the Williams wall a little help at DE and DT with Sylvester’s help. If Williams gets past the Cowboys, which is a big “If,” I would expect Minnesota to jump at the chance of having what many consider to be a highly touted prospect.

22. St. Louis Rams (Via Redskins) – Matt Elam, S/Florida – At 5’9”, Elam’s size is a major concern for NFL teams looking to draft him since he will be the last line of defense against the Gronks and Calvin Johnsons on the league. He was asked to cover slot receivers at Florida so he has shown his ability to cover well, and he’s also known for laying a hit. St. Louis has many needs, safety being one of the most prevalent. The Rams should send Robert Griffin a thank you card for this one.

21. Cincinnati Bengals – Jonathan Cyprien, SS/ Florida International – The Bengals will be choosing between a DB, S, and RB so there is no guarantee on Cyprien. However the needs to address to secondary may seem more logical when what most seem to think is the best Strong Safety in this years’ class is still on the board. Since TE’s have become such an important factor for how offenses move the ball these days, the ability to stop them becomes a defensive priority. Cyprien is known to explode into opposing players, but is criticized for taking bad angles on plays, therefore missing tackles. Something a coach can fix if he’s willing to listen.

20. Chicago Bears – Tyler Eifert, TE/ Notre Dame – In my last draft I had mentioned that I wouldn’t rule out the Bears as a potential landing spot for Eifert. Well after more reading, I understand new HC Mark Trestman likes to run a 2 TE set in his offense often, and that was the key to this pick. Martellus Bennet just signed with Chicago, but having Eifert on the opposite side would give Jay Cutler 2 safety nets, when his offensive line fails him again and again. Offensively, Eifert is a beast. At 6’5” 250lbs. he’s a massive target with great hands. His only trouble is blocking. He ran a 4.68 40 time at the combine and it’s been suggested on other mock drafts that he could go as early as the Dolphins. If there is one of the top 7 offensive lineman still available at this point Eifert should be an after-thought considering how often Jay Culter gets rushed out of the pocket. The likelihood of that happening seems to lessen the closer we get to draft day.

Tomorrow GmenHQ will post picks 19-10 with all the latest information corresponding to each team, and picks 9-1 on Thursday.

Follow me @jFerguson631

2. Jacksonville Jaguars – Dion Jordan, DE/Oregon – Dion is an anomaly. Most prospects unable to compete at either the combine or their pro day typically fall on draft boards. Instead, all this kid has done is run a 40 and he’s being considered as one of the best defensive players available this year. Jordan was unable to help his draft stock at the Oregon Pro day because he is recovering from a recent surgery to repair a torn labrum. He ran a 4.53 unofficial time at the combine, which is amazing. GM David Caldwell recently said, “We’re pretty close – It’s down to two people.” Most people believe the two he referenced are Oregon DE Dion Jordan and West Virginia QB Gen Smith.

3. Oakland Raiders – Geno Smith, QB/West Virginia – I jokingly put “the ghost of All Davis lives” when I first put Geno to the Raiders in late January. The truth is Davis would have been drooling at the opportunity to grab a mobile QB, especially if he had been alive to see RGIII the year before. Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie will be left with making a franchise changing decision, as QB’s taken in the top 5 can cost a GM their job if they don’t pan out. Just ask Mike Tannenbaum. The Raiders released Carson Palmer due to salary cap issues, and have only have Matt Flynn & Terrelle Pryor on staff at QB. This pick is easy.

4. Philadelphia Eagles – Ezekiel Ansah DE/ BYU – Ansah reportedly didn’t hire a trainer for the combine instead focusing on finishing his classes at BYU. His draft stock was already high but this news makes him seem kind of freakish. Measuring in at 6-foot-5 and 271 pounds with 35 1/8-inch arms, Ansah posted the sixth fastest forty times (4.63) of 37 defensive linemen who ran, and his 34 1/2-inch vertical tied for seventh. There is also a rumor that his 40 at the combine was the first one he ever ran in his lifetime. Ansah is a lightning in a bottle type of player and would be a welcome addition to any defense that drafts him. Billy Davis should be thrilled.

5. Detroit Lions – Dee Milliner CB/ Alabama – The Lions were active in free agency acquiring RB Reggie Bush, DE Jason Jones, and CB Chris Houston. Former Colts GM Bill Polian mentioned Detroit as the “greatest show on turf.” That ought to be billboard material for division rival Bears, Vikings and Packers. The ability to stop those teams, as well as the rest of their opponents next year will be a priority on draft day. In a past mock I mentioned that according to Sports Illustrated’s Peter King, teams wanting Alabama CB Dee Milliner will “probably have to trade ahead of Detroit at No. 5 to get him. Enough said.

6. Cleveland Browns – Sharrif Floyd, DT/ Florida – NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah was quoted as saying, “everybody” has Floyd pegged as a top-five pick.” The reason for his fall to six has more to do with the rise of Dion Jordan and Ziggy Ansah up opposing teams’ draft boards. At 6’3 297 pounds, with a solid 40 time, Floyd racked up 13 tackles for loss, three sacks, and two kick blocks as a junior before declaring. Cleveland recently spent some big money on DE Paul Kruger and will be developing an intimidating pass rush after drafting Floyd to compliment him. Utah DE Star Lotulelei could also fit nicely here.

7. Arizona Cardinals – Eric Fisher OT/ Central Michigan – Carson Palmer was recently acquired and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported on Total Access that the Cardinals are unlikely to draft a quarterback at No. 7 overall. This may not be the popular thing to do from a fan perspective, but it makes a heck of a lot of sense. The QB class outside of Smith is not worthy of a selection this high and a good LT is a necessity in a rebuilding process. Bruce Arians and his imaginative play calling would love to feel confident their QB, whoever it is, will stay upright no matter what the play, and Fisher can do just that. Watch for Arizona to draft a QB in the 2nd round.

8. Buffalo Bills – Cordarrelle Patterson, WR/Tennessee – I am less confident in this pick every day. Last time I had mentioned “Patterson needs a coach that isn’t going to take any crap and can bring him in with more a drill instructor mind set than a player coach mentality”. Now there are reports from a WR coach that Patterson would be an offensive coach’s dream. This is pure crap. You don’t change from a head case to a saint in the time since the combine. GM Buddy Nix mentioned to the press that he wanted to draft a big time WR as well as a franchise QB. Good luck with that. Patterson is considered to be as immature as he is talented. There was a report from a scout that he questioned Patterson’s intelligence and thinks the team that drafts him will have to simplify their offense to make him successful. Still, he scored a touchdown via kickoff return, punt return, receiving, and rushing, joining Carl Pickens (receiving, KR, PR, INT) as the only players in Tennessee history to score a touchdown four different ways in a career. Some drafts have Buffalo grabbing Ryan Nassib here, but I can’t see it. His combine was average and he’s not coming from a football powerhouse in Syracuse. His talent is fantastic, but even with his former coach now in charge of the Bills; Nassib would be a major risk here. I do however think West Virginia WR Tavon Austin has a legitimate chance to be drafted here.

9. New York Jets – Star Lotulelei, DT/Utah – The Jets are a tough team to gauge simply because they have so many needs and on both sides of the field. Lotulelei has been all over draft boards due to his supposed heart issues which have since been declared a non-issue. Star won the Morris trophy which is the award given to the best defensive player, voted by the Pac-12 offensive lineman he played against. His prototypical size at 6’3 311lbs. will help Rex Ryan in his pursuit of a pass rush. He should be a great addition to a line that just lost Sione Pouha and is in desperate need of improvement.

10. Tennessee Titans – Chance Warmack, OG/Alabama – I stand by this pick since the first mock in Late January. The Titans need to give Jake Locker a chance. Ha! Chance… In order to do that he needs to stay on his feet and taking the best guard at 10 would be a big time pick for the Titans. Warmack is a wild card to me, as the Jets, Cardinals, and Eagles could all use some help at the offensive line, so if he’s still available Tennessee will pounce. CBS Sports has Warmack as the second best prospect in this year’s draft behind only Luke Joeckel.

11. San Diego Chargers – Lane Johnson, OT/ Oklahoma – The new regime of GM Tom Telesco, HC Mike McCoy, and OC Ken Whisenhunt have a lot of work to do to keep the Chargers relevant. Johnson did 28 reps of 225lbs at the combine and with his strength will help Philip Rivers try to redeem himself after getting sacked on 50 of his 587 drop backs. The Bolts’ most glaring need is at left tackle, where Jared Gaither up and quit last season, and Johnson will also help fill the void on the right side where Louis Vasquez played before he departed to Denver.

12. Miami Dolphins – Jonathan Cooper, OG/North Carolina – Miami lost Jake Long to St. Louis and now are left with Jonathan Martin at left tackle and they brought in Nate Garner to be a swing tackle/guard. That being said, neither of those guys is going to a pro bowl any time soon. Cooper will help Miami recover from their loss of a former 1st round lineman. Greg Cossel from NFL films praised Cooper saying “the most purely athletic guard I can remember seeing” coming out of college. Cooper plays with “light feet, great balance,” and also showed a “nasty streak,” consistently “looking for contact.” Cooper is considered by some to be the best guard prospect in the class.

13. New York Jets (Via Tampa Bay Buccaneers) – Tavon Austin, WR/West Virginia – For this to happen, Derrelle Revis must first become a Buccaneer. Consider it done! This trade is going to happen and it will happen before the draft, simply because no team would be willing to give up a first round pick for a player that they haven’t medically deemed healthy. Austin is a heck of a talent and will do wonders in the west coast offense the Jets are planning on using. Jets fans should also be looking towards receiving a 3rd round and maybe a late round pick or a pick in 2014 in the Revis trade.

14. Carolina Panthers – Sheldon Richardson, DT/Missouri – The Panthers statistically had a top 15 defense in 2012 finishing 10th in the league for yards per game allowed. Richardson, who stands 6’2”, 294lbs., became Mizzou’s first-ever All-SEC designee, as he was named to the 2nd-team for his outstanding play. His presence should help solidify Carolina’s front seven.

15. New Orleans Saints – Menelik Watson, OT/ Florida State – This kid is very intriguing. He has only played 2 years of football after coming over from Manchester England, but is considered by NFL.com’s Gil Brandt as a “very good offensive lineman.” Pursued by the likes of Oklahoma, Oregon, Auburn, Cal and Rutgers, Watson elected to sign with Florida State where he emerged as a starter in just his second season of playing the sport. Drew Brees and Mark Ingram will enjoy Watson’s services as he is helpful in both the run and the pass.

16. St. Louis Rams – D.J. Fluker, OT/Alabama – Some scouts doubt if Fluker can play tackle in the pro level. St. Louis is in dire need of offensive line help, so the concerns will be listened to, but ignored. D.J. Fluker who measures in at 6’6” 339 would be the 7th offensive linemen taken in this mock and the second of the first round coming from a SEC powerhouse in Alabama that produces NFL players every single year.

Every team already knows it’s opponents for the season and if they will play them at home or on the road.  For the Giants we know that trips to Dallas, Philly, Washington, Chicago, Detroit, Carolina, Kansas City and San Diego are on the docket. With the home opponents being the Cowboys, Redskins, Eagles, Packers, Vikings, Seahawks, Broncos, and Raiders.

The preseason Opponents are Pittsburgh, Indianapolis, Jets, and New England in that order with most dates and times still to be announced.

Who will be the opener?  Will they open at home or on the road? Will the Manning Bowl III be a primetime affair? (You can bet it will be).

Eight days to go until the suspense is over.

2. Jacksonville Jaguars – Sharrif Floyd, DT/ Florida – NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah was quoted as saying, “everybody” has Floyd pegged as a top-five pick.” At 6’3 297 pounds, with a solid 40 time, Floyd racked up 13 tackles for loss, three sacks, and two kick blocks as a junior before declaring. There are rumors that Jaguars owner Shad Khan was present at Geno Smith’s Pro Day, and Blaine Gabbert hasn’t proven anything at the NFL level, so this is still a fluid situation.

3. Oakland Raiders – Geno Smith, QB/West Virginia – The fever is here! The QB buzz is beginning to rise, and Geno Smith is obviously the best QB prospect in this draft. Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie will be left with making a franchise changing decision, as QB’s taken in the top 5 can cost a GM their job if they don’t pan out. Just ask Mike Tannenbaum. The Raiders retained Terelle Pryor and Carson Palmer on their roster, however neither of them is in the future plans for the Oakland Raiders.

4. Philadelphia Eagles – Dion Jordan, DE/Oregon – Jordan was unable to help his draft stock at the Oregon Pro day because he is recovering from a recent surgery to repair a torn labrum and he’s still a top 5 pick! Jordan ran a 4.53 unofficial time at the combine, which is amazing. At 6’6” but only 248lbs., he’s going to get pushed around at the next level. That is, if they can catch him. The Eagles will run a 3-4 defense under DC Billy Davis and Jordan should be a dynamic speed rusher from the outside for Davis defensive unit.

5. Detroit Lions – Dee Milliner CB/ Alabama – The Lions were active in free agency acquiring RB Reggie Bush, DE Jason Jones, and CB Chris Houston. Former Colts GM Bill Polian mentioned Detroit as the “greatest show on turf.” That ought to be billboard material for division rival Bears, Vikings and Packers. The ability to stop those teams, as well as the rest of their opponents next year will be a priority on draft day. Last mock I mentioned that according to Sports Illustrated’s Peter King, teams wanting Alabama CB Dee Milliner will “probably have to trade ahead of Detroit at No. 5 to get him. I’m still working off that theory, until I read something that tells me otherwise.

6. Cleveland Browns – Ezekiel Ansah DE/ BYU – Ansah reportedly didn’t hire a trainer for the combine instead focusing on finishing his classes at BYU. His draft stock was already high but this news makes him seem kind of freakish. Measuring in at 6-foot-5 and 271 pounds with 35 1/8-inch arms, Ansah posted the sixth fastest forty times (4.63) of 37 defensive linemen who ran, and his 34 1/2-inch vertical tied for seventh. There is also a rumor that his 40 at the combine was the first one he ever ran in his lifetime. Ansah is a lightning in a bottle type of player and would be a welcome addition to any defense that drafts him, especially one that just signed DE Paul Kruger to rush from the opposite side.

7. Arizona Cardinals – Eric Fisher OT/ Central Michigan – NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported on Total Access that the Cardinals are unlikely to draft a quarterback at No. 7 overall. This may not be the popular thing to do from a fan perspective, but it makes a heck of a lot of sense, even if West Virginia QB Geno Smith was somehow still on the board. The QB class outside of Smith is not worthy of a selection this high and a good LT is a necessity in a rebuilding process. Bruce Arians and his imaginative play calling would love to feel confident their QB, whoever it is, will stay upright no matter what the play, and Fisher can do just that.

8. Buffalo Bills – Cordarrelle Patterson, WR/Tennessee – Patterson needs a coach that isn’t going to take any crap and can bring him in with more a drill instructor mind set than a player coach mentality. Doug Marrone may have his hands full, but GM Buddy Nix mentioned to the press that he wanted to draft a big time WR as well as a franchise QB. Good luck with that. Patterson is considered to be as immature as he is talented. There was a report from a scout that he questioned Patterson’s intelligence and thinks the team that drafts him will have to simplify their offense to make him successful. Still, Patterson scored a touchdown via kickoff return, punt return, receiving, and rushing, joining Carl Pickens (receiving, KR, PR, INT) as the only players in Tennessee history to score a touchdown four different ways in a career. The Bills would welcome his talents. Now all they need is a QB and will be looking towards Ryan Nassib in the second round.

9. New York Jets – Jarvis Jones OLB/ Georgia – The National Football Post reported Georgia OLB Jarvis Jones’ neck injury is “starting to look like it might be a non-issue on draft day,” and “there is little chance he falls out of the top ten.” Jones has so much risk attached to him, and yet so much potential. The Jets need a pass rush, but missing out on what could be a dynamic MLB is more of a risk than Jones supposed neck injury. ESPN is reporting the Jets are looking beyond the upcoming season and are already planning for the 2014 draft where Texas A&M QB Johnny Manziel would be eligible to be drafted if he chooses to leave. The Jets have been working on a Darrelle Revis trade with the Tampa Bay where they are looking to acquire at least a 2014 first round pick.

10. Tennessee Titans – Chance Warmack, OG/Alabama – I stand by this pick since the first mock in Late January. The Titans need to give Jake Locker a chance. Ha! Chance… In order to do that he needs to stay on his feet and taking the best guard at 10 would be a big time pick for the Titans. Warmack is a wild card to me, as the Jets, Cardinals, and Eagles could all use some help at the offensive line.

11. San Diego Chargers – Lane Johnson, OT/ Oklahoma – The new regime of GM Tom Telesco, HC Mike McCoy, and OC Ken Whisenhunt have a lot of work to do to keep the Chargers relevant. Johnson did 28 reps of 225lbs at the combine and with his strength will help Philip Rivers try to redeem himself after getting sacked on 50 of his 587 drop backs. The Bolts’ most glaring need is at left tackle, where Jared Gaither up and quit last season, and Johnson will also help fill the void on the right side where Louis Vasquez played before he departed to Denver.

12. Miami Dolphins – Jonathan Cooper, OG/North Carolina – Miami lost Jake Long to St. Louis and now are left with Jonathan Martin at left tackle and they brought in Nate Garner to be a swing tackle/guard. That being said, neither of these guys is going to a pro bowl any time soon. Cooper will help Miami recover from their loss of a former 1st round lineman. Greg Cossel from NFL films praised Cooper saying “the most purely athletic guard I can remember seeing” coming out of college. Cooper plays with “light feet, great balance,” and also showed a “nasty streak,” consistently “looking for contact.”

13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Star Lotulelei, DT/Utah –I personally think this guy is a top 5 pick who will fall all the way to the Bucs because of concerns with his heart. There are many rumors that his heart related issues could be nothing more than a dietary problem which would make Tampa the big winner if that were true. Star is exactly that, a star in the making, and Tampa just lost Michael Bennett to Seattle so they will need some depth on the line to compliment Gerald McCoy and Da’Quan Bowers who should be starting this year.

14. Carolina Panthers – Sheldon Richardson, DT/Missouri – The Panthers statistically had a top 15 defense in 2012 finishing 10th in the league for yards per game allowed. Richardson, became Mizzou’s first-ever All-SEC designee, as he was named to the 2nd-team for his outstanding play. His presence should help solidify Carolina’s front seven.

15. New Orleans Saints – Barkevious Mingo, DE/LSU –Mingo possesses the frame at 6-5, 240 pounds and athleticism to warrant top 10 considerations but at this point he remains an unpolished prospect, and that’s why he will fall to 15. Mingo had a great combine as expected from the athletically gifted DE/OLB. He ran the 40 time in 4.58 which was incredibly fast, and his ten yard splits were also very good which is used to gain short yardage burst. A skill needed at the OLB or DE position in the NFL. With Jonathan Vilma back playing for an entire season, the Saints should regroup and be a much better defense than they showed in 2012.

16. St. Louis Rams – Tavon Austin, WR/West Virginia – The Rams were able to lure OT Jake Long from Miami, so the need to draft a lineman here is much less. Danny Amendola left in free agency to the Patriots after they lost Wes Welker, which is ironic because Austin wants his game to resemble Wes Welker. The Rams would love to get that kind of production from him which would give Sam Bradford a target across the middle much like Tom Brady did for so many years with Welker.

The Giants will tender Victor Cruz at a first round level today.  This will cost the Giants a little under 3 million, and pretty much guarantee Victor is on the Giants for this season.  The Giants will continue to negotiate a long term deal with Victor.

The Cowboys have released LB Dan Connor and the Redskins have released DeAngelo Hall.

Connor at age 27 had played for the Carolina Panthers for 4 years before moving to the Cowboys.  He recorder 56 tackles last season in 14 games.

DeAngelo Hall is the story of what happen to an aging player in the NFL.  Your salary increases over time, until you just get too expensive to keep around anymore.  At age 29 and a salary of 6 million, the Redskins decided to get younger and cheaper, and use the money somewhere else.

1. Kansas City Chiefs – Luke Joeckel, OT/ Texas A&M – After the combine, Joeckel is still considered the best lineman in the draft, and now that the Chiefs have officially traded a 2nd round pick and a conditional 2014 pick to the 49’ers for Alex Smith he would certainly love a little protection. I am a firm believer a lineman must have great upper body strength. Joeckel did 27 reps of 225lbs. at the combine. Eric Fisher who is also getting some play at #1 also completed 27 reps, but Luke has the force on his side.

2. Jacksonville Jaguars – Sharrif Floyd, DT/ Florida – NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah was quoted as saying, “everybody” has Floyd pegged as a top-five pick.” At 6’3 297 pounds, with a solid 40 time, Floyd racked up 13 tackles for loss, three sacks, and two kick blocks as a junior before declaring. He is the one player whose stock went up the most due to the combine.

3. Oakland Raiders – Geno Smith, QB/West Virginia – ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reported on NFL 32Wednesday that the Raiders have interest in West Virginia QB Geno Smith with the No. 3 overall pick in the draft. This is exactly what I have been saying since January 26th when the first mock draft came out. Palmer’s 13 million dollar base salary is a big concern, and then there’s the fact that he’s 33 years old.

4. Philadelphia Eagles – Star Lotulelei, DT/Utah –As mentioned in the last draft with the hiring of Billy Davis as DC, The Eagles will run a strict 3-4 defense, as that’s all Davis runs. Any good 3-4 can’t run without a big body in the middle. Just ask the Jets! Lotulelei is considered to be the best DT prospect at this time.

5. Detroit Lions – Dee Milliner CB/ Alabama – According to Sports Illustrated’s Peter King, teams wanting Alabama CB Dee Milliner will “probably have to trade ahead of Detroit at No. 5 to get him.” I trust Peter King’s opinion. He has access to information few others do in the industry. Milliner will require surgery right after the combine but should be ready for training camp and my bet is it’s in Detroit

6. Cleveland Browns – Bjoern Werner DE/ Florida State – Werner has an incredible motor, and great hand use to keep separation, He is also very new to this game, after only picking up the game at 15. Remind anyone else of Jason Pierre Paul’s story? The Browns are also rumored to be interested in bringing in some QB competition for Brandon Weeden. I don’t see them going QB here, but I could see them go with Eric Fisher if the new regime believes Trent Richardson is their workhorse for the next few years.

7. Cardinals – Eric Fisher OT/ Central Michigan – Yes, the Cardinals need a quarterback and almost all this years’ QB’s are still available I get that. What’s the point if he isn’t standing upright after most downs? Call me old fashioned but I believe the only way to fix a bad offense is by helping both the run and the pass with a 6’7” 304 pound tackle who has the potential to be an immediate impact for Bruce Arians and his offensive prowess. Plus after the outstanding play of Russell Wilson some teams will feel confident in taking a signal caller later in the draft.

8. Buffalo Bills –Dion Jordan, DE/Oregon – Jordan ran a 4.53 unofficial time at the combine. WOW, that’s lightning fast. He honestly would be a top 5 pick if he was about 30 pounds heavier. At 6’6” but only 248lbs., he’s going to get pushed around at the next level, that is if they can catch him. The Bills defense needs a compliment to Mario Williams, and Jordan fits the mold.

9. New York Jets – Ezekiel Ansah DE/ BYU – With the hiring of Marty Mornhinweg, the Jets will be looking to change the pathetic attempt at ground in pound in an era known for quarterback and 5,000 yard seasons. That means there’s a chance they go offensive line here. Too bad they’re known for making poor decisions on the first day of the draft. As I had mentioned earlier, their defense can’t function without a pass rush. Ansah is as good of a prospect as the Jets could hope for and would certainly help their inept pass rush. Ansah finished as MVP of the senior bowl and one of the studs of the combine putting up ridiculous numbers including a 4.62 40 time.

10. Tennessee Titans – Chance Warmack, OG/Alabama – Considered the best guard prospect in this year’s draft, Jake Locker should be thanking his lucky stars if the Titans can have Warmack fall to 10. With 40 career starts and the ability to get to the second level, Warmack has developed himself into a definitive top ten selection. CBSSports.com has him ranked as the 2nd best player in the draft as of 2.27.2013.

11. San Diego Chargers – Barkevious Mingo, DE/LSU –Mingo possesses the frame at 6-5, 240 pounds and athleticism to warrant top 10 considerations but at this point he remains an unpolished prospect, and that’s why he will fall slightly out of the top 10. Mingo had a great combine as expected from the athletically gifted DE/OLB. He ran the 40 time in 4.58 which was incredibly fast, and his ten yard splits were also very good which is used to gauge short yardage burst. A skill needed at the OLB or DE position in the NFL.

12. Miami Dolphins – Cordarrelle Patterson, WR/Tennessee – Lots of rumors have been spread about Miami and their intentions. I stand by my thoughts that they take Patterson here though I read that he is considered to be as immature as he is talented. I was pretty sure the Dolphins just got rid of Brandon Marshall and have a hard time accepting they’d draft another knucklehead into that locker room. His baggage also come with some amazing talent as Patterson scored a touchdown via kickoff return, punt return, receiving, and rushing, joining Carl Pickens (receiving, KR, PR, INT) as the only players in Tennessee history to score a touchdown four different ways in a career. Since the Dolphins are high on hopes and low on offensive talent, Patterson seems like a likely target considering the shortage of first round talent on skill positions in this year’s draft.

13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers –Xavier Rhodes, CB/ Florida State – After not even including this guy in my first mock I have come to learn through a lot of reading that people consider him to be the 2nd best CB prospect in this year’s draft. Some even believe he has shutdown corner ability. With a 4.41 40 times, and 6’2 210 pound frame, Rhodes is now expected to be a top 20 pick post combine.

14. Carolina Panthers –. Jarvis Jones OLB/ Georgia – I can’t understand how a player with so many medical questions could choose to not participate at the combine. Think Da’quan Bowers. Bowers injuries weren’t nearly as significant of a concern as Jones. Now there are rumors that Jones has walked off most draft boards. His size 6’2” 242 is prototypical for his position and Mel Kiper loves this guy. Still his health risk is so high since Jones suffers from Spinal Stenosis; a restriction to the spinal canal that causes pain, numbness, and in some cases loss of motor control.

15. New Orleans Saints – Sheldon Richardson, DT/Missouri – The Saints have elected to move to a 3-4. This only makes me more confident in this pick. NO ranked 26th in sacks and 24th in forced fumbles, so evidently they need some help with the front seven. Richardson, became Mizzou’s first-ever All-SEC designee, as he was named to the 2nd-team for his outstanding play in 2012. Richardson led all SEC interior linemen with 75 tackles which is 2nd-best on the Tiger squad.

16. St. Louis Rams – D.J. Fluker, OT/Alabama – Bradford clearly needs protection. His head coach Jeff Fisher knows that and won’t disappoint his quarterback. On Feb 6th I read a post that said; “According to SI’s Tony Pauline, teams are “falling in love” with Alabama OT D.J. Fluker and “some in (the) scouting community” believe he could go as high as No. 19 to the Giants.” Well the Rams aren’t even going to let him get that far. Bradford threw for a miserable 59.5% completion in 2012 while constantly throwing off his back foot on the run. Expect Flukers presence to give his QB a chance for more accurate passes.

HOME: Dallas, Washington, Philadelphia, Green Bay, Minnesota, Oakland, Seattle, and the Denver Broncos with Peyton Manning.

AWAY: Dallas, Washington, Philadelphia, Chicago, Detroit, Kansas City, San Diego, and Carolina

Now, again if you follow us on a regular basis, you know we believe it’s not who you play, but when you play them.  There are a lot of teams on this schedule who are in transition.  Four of these teams will have new coaching staffs, and three will have new starting QB’s in Oakland, K.C. and Philly.

All in all it should be a fun year, and don’t forget the ultimate HOME Game will be played in New York next year…Super Bowl 48

The Giants are in the position of win and your in.  So, if they take care of business and beat the Ravens and the Eagles. they will at least be the number 6 seed and become road warriors again in the NFL post-season. In this case you have a few options.  Atlanta is the number one seed and with games against Detroit and Tampa they will most likely stay there, and so the discussion turns towards the second seed.  I would suggest Giants fans root for San Fran to continue winning.  That would put Green Bay in the three spot, meaning the Giants would travel to Lambeau for the first weekend of games.  There is no better match-up it seems for these Giants than the Packers.  Of course the Giants did travel to San Francisco earlier this year and dismantle the 9ers, so there is your choice.

The other option is for the Giants to win the division, and that takes a little more help from some familiar foes.  This is easy, you root against both the Cowboys and the Redskins this week, making it impossible for one of them to win their next two games since they face each other in week 17.  That does force you to root for the Eagles, as they play the Redskins this week, but that is certainly the lesser of two evils.  If either the Redskins or Cowboys are victorious this weekend, then you root against that team in week 17.

As far as the rest of the NFC, here are your times and rooting instructions:

Minnesota at Houston 1 pm Eastern….Take Houston

Chicago at Arizona 4:25 Eastern…Take Arizona

Although the above games are important, they mean nothing if the Giants win out.  Despite the NFL and ESPN listing the Giants as the #9 seed currently and therefore out of the playoffs, this is inaccurate at best.  This assumes the playoffs start today, and I’m pretty sure the commissioner is not canceling the past two weeks of the season, unless the world does end this Friday.  The Giants should be listed as #6 because they can’t be knocked out by any of the teams listed ahead of them if they win both their remaining games, whereas the Bears, Vikings, and Cowboys can.

Dallas plays New Orleans at 1 Eastern and Washington plays the Eagles also at 1…..The Giants will know if they have a chance to win the East when they take the field Sunday….but either way they WIN two and they ar IN.

The New York Giants playoff scenario got a bit murky with their debacle against the Falcons. The good news is that if they win their final two games they are guaranteed a wild card spot: so they control their own destiny in that regard. What they no longer control is the division where they once had a three game lead.

The good news is we all know the Giants play best when their back’s against the wall. Well here they are if they don’t win out there’s a good chance they don’t even make the playoffs. The Redskins play the Cowboys in the final week of the season. If both teams win their week 16 game or the Giants lose to Baltimore then they will be playing each other for the NFC East title.

The Giants only hope of winning the division is if the team that wins the week 17 match-up (between the Redskins and Cowboys) losses in week 16.

There are some scenarios that the Giants can go 1-1 over their final two games and still make the playoffs, but those scenarios will give all of us a headache (and maybe a heart attack).

If you are looking for tickets to the final two games of the season (and hopefully the playoffs) you should check out our friends at TickPick, they are the only ticket site with no fees. In addition, they even wrote this helpful guide on the new Metlife Stadium seating chart.

Thursday Night: Cincinnati Bengals (7-6) vs. Philadelphia Eagles (4-9)

The Eagles have suddenly decided they might want to finish the Andy Reid era with a little heart, and youth.  They fought till the final play of the game last week and defeated the Tampa Bay Bucs who desperately needed the win to stay in the playoff hunt.  This week they host the Bengals who also need to win here before facing division foes Baltimore and Pittsburgh the following two weeks.

Green Bay Packers (9-4) at Chicago Bears (8-5)

The Packers, since losing to the Giants, have not quite returned to form.  They beat Detroit last week without Aaron Rodgers throwing a TD pass.  This is the last stand for the Bears and their division title hopes.  A win here puts them in first as they beat the Packers earlier this season.

Indianapolis Colts (9-4) at Houston Texans (11-2)

The Texans come off their embarrassing loss to the Patriots on Monday night and return home to find a familiar foe, without the usual players.  The Texans have been trying to for years to overcome the Peyton Manning led Colts, only to have Andrew Luck walk in and pick-up where he left off.  These two teams will meet twice in the next three weeks.

Denver Broncos (10-3) at Baltimore Ravens (9-4)

The Broncos have won the West and now look for a chance at the number two seed and all that comes with that spot.  Baltimore, after stumbling against the Redskins last week are now trying to secure their own division title.  They will face the Giants next week before finishing with division rival Cincinnati.

Washington Redskins (7-6) at Cleveland Browns (5-8)

The Redskins might be without the services of rookie QB sensation Robert Griffin.  This, and the next two games, is a must win for any chance to make the playoffs.  Cleveland, despite their record is a tough home team, and has played better recently.

Minnesota Vikings (7-6) at St. Louis Rams (6-6-1)

This probably is the last meaningful game for one of these teams, or maybe both depending on the outcomes of other games played on Sunday.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-7) at New Orleans Saints (5-8)

We all know the Saints are a different team at home than they are on the road, and that speaks to their poor leadership.  Tampa has basically fallen apart the past few weeks.  Can they muster up a run starting here?  I doubt it.

Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6) at Dallas Cowboys (7-6)

These teams are in similar situations, except Pittsburgh has a few more avenues into the playoffs than the Cowboys.  This is another must win for Dallas who faces New Orleans next week before finishing with the Redskins.  The Jets fans will be rooting hard for the Cowboys this weekend, where, as always, Giants fans will be pulling for a Cowboys loss.

San Francisco (9-3-1) at New England Patriots (10-3)

The 49ers travel to Foxboro in December and need to win this game to secure a clear shot at a division title.  The Seahawks (8-5) are right on their tail. The Seahawks play Buffalo this week and then the two face each other next week.  The Patriots want home field advantage and they hate to lose at home no matter what month it is.

New York Giants (8-5) at Atlanta Falcons (11-2)

The Giants showed who they could be on Sunday vs the Saints, and now go on the road to face a team they embarrassed in the playoffs last season.  The Falcons can gain home field advantage with a little help from others if they win this weekend.  The Giants want to maintain their one game lead in the NFC East, and show their late season winning ways.  This should be a great match-up.

Ten Games to watch, and a few more that have a minor role in who will make this year Post Season Tournament.  The NFL and T.V. Execs everywhere are all smiles as it just happens to coincide with the week that college football takes a few weeks off.

- The Redskins’ first touchdown came off of an amazing stroke of luck/horror (depending on your rooting interest) when RG3 fumbled the ball into Josh Morgan’s hands, who subsequently ran it in for the score. There’s not a whole lot the defense can do about a play like that, but it was good to see they were going after the ball, as a fumble by Alfred Morris bounced the Giants’ way later in the game. I don’t know what Griffin did in his past life to amass his unbelievable karma. He’s like Mark Sanchez, only the exact opposite.

- Ahmad Bradshaw was amazing. He carried the ball 24 times (his third-highest total of the season) for 103 hard-earned yards, and converted every big third-and-short against a Redskins running defense that only allowed 89.2 yards/game coming in (3rd-best in the NFL). We’re going to need more performances like that out of Bradshaw with Brown likely out for the season, and he appears to be up to the challenge.

- Sean Locklear went out with a gruesome knee injury in the fourth quarter. I assume it was gruesome because that’s what everyone’s calling it, but I’ve learned not to look at football replays that are described that way anymore so I never actually saw it. I did see that the Giants’ pass protection, which was pretty good up to that point, really suffered after he was replaced by David Diehl. If Locklear is out for an extended period (and it sounds likely), this will continue to be a problem.

- Eli Manning looked good for most of the night. The Giants offense started out really agressive, going for a couple passes deep down the field to Nicks and Cruz that juuuuuuuuust missed, and a ton of connections to Martellus Bennett. Eli finally hit Cruz on a big 49-yarder in the second half, but barely went down the field after that. As soon as the Redskins took the lead, Bradshaw started getting carry after carry, whether called by the sideline or checked to by Manning at the line. Considering they were going against the 3rd-ranked rushing D and the 29th-ranked passing D, I thought this was somewhat quizzical.

- The Giants’ run defense had a tough night, but I find it pretty hard to blame them. ESPN highlighted a bunch of plays where the defensive ends got caught guessing wrong on the Redskins’ pistol option plays. I was watching at home and trying to guess where the ball was going on those plays, and I did NOT do well. Hard to expect our lineman to do much better in the heat of the game.

- The red zone: our old nemesis. The Giants came into the game scoring touchdowns on about 49% of their red zone possessions, which isn’t gonna get it done. I was hoping that these concerns were behind us after that number jumped to 83% last week against the Packers, but alas, no such luck. Despite moving the ball well through the first 3 quarters, the Giants could only muster 16 points due to 3 promising drives that stalled out, leading to Lawrence Tynes field goal attempts. The second try saw the usually-automatic Tynes miss from 43-yards away, which turned out to be sorta important.

- The Giants came in to this game as the second-least penalized team in the NFL, averaging only 4.4/game. Well, that average is gonna go up a bit. They were called for 9 penalties, two of which put the Giants in tough field position coming off kickoffs and one that wiped out a first down on what ended up being the Giants’ final offensive possession. I suspect Coughlin may mention this in practice before the next game.

Despite all that, the Giants had the ball with 5 minutes to go, down only one with a chance to take the lead. With Eli at the helm, we usually do pretty well in those circumstances, but a win last night would have put the Giants in a great position to coast into the playoffs without much stress over these last 4 games, so obviously they could have none of that. Part of the beauty of being a Giants fan is their knack for putting together dramatic victories, but part of the horror is the anxiety they induce along the way. Next Sunday, an afternoon home game looms against the Saints. The Giants must win that one to ensure they maintain their lead in the division.

What, you thought it would be easy?

The Giants were solid on their opening drive until a false start penalty on RT Sean Locklear stalled it and led to a 39-yard field goal from Lawrence Tynes. The kick gave the Giants a 3-0 lead.

The Redskins came right back with the unpredictable RG3 running a triple option that pretty much caught everyone by surprise. However Griffin fumbled before hitting the ground and the ball ended up in the hands of Joshua Morgan who ran it 13 yards to the end zone for a touchdown and gave Washington a 7-3 lead.

That triple option was just another example of the unorthodox offense that the Redskins have run this season with RG3 at quarterback. Griffin had the option to hand off to running back Alfred Morris, however he kept the ball and rolled to the left with Morgan as his wing man. Instead of pitching the ball to Morgan, he kept it himself and appeared to be in the act of sliding when he fumbled the ball. Fortunately for the Redskins, Morgan was in the area and he was alert.

Manning and the Giants would then put together a monster 13-play, 85-yard drive that was capped off with a 4 yard touchdown pass to Martellius Bennett. This put the Giants back on top 10-7. The Redskins would come right back down the field to even the score at 10 on a Kai Forbath 33-yard field goal. However, Manning was able to drive the Giants into position for a Tynes 40-yard field goal to close out the half with a 13-10 lead.

Penalties threatened to kill any momentum the Giants offense was gathering in the first half. The Giants racked up 6 penalties in the first half for 45 yards.

The Giants dominated time of possesion in the first half … The Redskins paid a great deal of attention on wide receivers Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz, meanwhile Manning was able to take advantage with tight end Martellius Bennett on big pass plays downfield.

1st Half Notables, Giants

Manning – 14 of 22 187 yards, touchdown

Ahmad Bradshaw, 15 carries, 77 yards

Martellius Bennett – 5 catches, 82 yards, 1 TD

Kimberly Jones of the NFL Network reported that head coach Tom Coughlin said that Phillips and Pierre-Paul will be ready to play tonight. Phillips had come into today listed as “Doubtful” after hurting his knee last week in the Giants win over Green Bay. Pierre-Paul missed two days of practice last week because of  back problems, however was listed as questionable for tonight’s game. The Giants felt more confident about his chances of playing than they were about Phillips.

Here is the full Injury / Inactive List for the Giants tonight …

QUESTIONABLE: RT David Diehl (shoulder)

PROBABLE: C David Baas (shoulder), RB Ahmad Bradshaw (foot), CB Jayron Hosley (shoulder), S Antrel Rolle (illness), DE Justin Tuck (foot.).

INACTIVES: LB Jacquian Williams (knee), TE Travis Beckum (knee), RB Ryan Torain, DE Adewale Ojomo, TE Adrien Robinson, DT Marvin Austin and WR Domenik Hixon (ankle).

LB Jacquain Williams

RB Ryan Torain

DT Adewale Ojomo

TE Adrien Robinson

WR Domenik Hixon

DT Miles Austin