A few notables from NFL Media analyst Charles Davis' fourth installment of his first-round mock draft:
1. Receivers aplenty
Davis sees wide receivers, an area of outstanding depth in the 2014 draft, occupying more than 20 percent of the first round (7 out of 32 picks). The specifics: Clemson's Sammy Watkins to the St. Louis Rams at No. 2; Texas A&M's Mike Evans to the Buffalo Bills at No. 9; LSU's Odell Beckham to the New York Jets at No. 18; Oregon State's Brandin Cooks to the Green Bay Packers at No. 21; FSU's Kelvin Benjamin to the Kansas City Chiefs at No. 23; USC's Marqise Lee to the San Diego Chargers at No. 25; and LSU's Jarvis Landry to the Carolina Panthers at No. 28.
The Jets seem to be linked to a wide receiver in every mock from those of NFL Media analysts to Joe Jets Fan in his mom's basement. Rex Ryan's need is pretty much an open book. Yet, with the aforementioned depth, the talent available at the position figures to be strong when the Jets turn in their second-round card at No. 49.
What's intriguing about the potential run on receivers in the back half of the first round (Davis has five coming off the board between Nos. 18 and 28) is what might be left over at the top of the second round for the clubs who draft a quarterback in Round 1. Most teams with a need at quarterback could also use a wide receiver, and the temptation to pair a young receiving threat with a young quarterback with two early picks might not be so appealing if five of them come off the board late in the first.
2) Climbers
For all the chatter, legitimate as it may be, about the St. Louis Rams targeting an offensive tackle with the No. 2 overall pick, Davis sees the club bucking speculation here and going with Watkins, whom he had going No. 5 overall to the Raiders in his previous installment. You can bet that would disappoint a few clubs in the top 10 hoping for a crack at the explosive Watkins, whose stock has been on a steady rise. Other notable climbers from Davis' previous mock: the aforementioned Beckham, up 12 spots from No. 30 (49ers) to No. 18 (Jets); Louisville safety Calvin Pryor from No. 21 (Packers) to No. 16 (Cowboys); and Texas A&M tackle Jake Matthews from No. 12 (Giants) to No. 6 (Falcons).
3) Tumblers
The Davis mock 3.0 had Blake Bortles going No. 1 overall to the Houston Texans, but now to the Minnesota Vikings at No. 8. Still, Davis has all three of the draft's top quarterbacks (Bortles, Teddy Bridgewater, Johnny Manziel) going in the top 10. Other tumbles from Davis 3.0 to 4.0: Alabama linebacker C.J. Mosley from No. 11 (Titans) to No. 22 (Packers); Pittsburgh defensive tackle Aaron Donald from No. 23 (Chiefs) to No. 32 (Seahawks); and Alabama tackle Cyrus Kouandjio from No. 19 (Dolphins) to outside the first round.
4) Bargain hunting
Based strictly on value for the pick, the Baltimore Ravens might have the biggest of 32 smiles if Davis' mock nails their pick at No. 17: North Carolina tight end Eric Ebron. As Davis notes, this would be a best-player-available pick for Baltimore, rather than a need pick. When major talents like Ebron fall, they become attractive to every club, not just the ones with the right positional need. ... Want another bargain? How about Donald landing in Seattle, where explosive defensive players seem to grow on trees (must be something in the rain). As with Ebron, Donald falling toward the end of the first round would raise every club's brow, not just those hurting for defensive tackles.
*Follow Chase Goodbread on Twitter **@ChaseGoodbread.*
