SB Nation's Latest Mock Draft

by Bruce Raffel on Feb 22, 2012 7:48 PM EST

The NFL Scouting Combine always seems to come up with at least one sleeper who wows the coaches scouts and analysts with an over-the-top performance, rocketing himself up the draft board of at least one team. That one player can change the entire NFL Draft or at least throw it out of whack and there's no reason it won't happen again.

With that in mind, SB Nation just posted its most recent Mock Draft, with a few surprise changes. Of course, Stanford QB Andrew Luck is still going to the Indianapolis Colts with the first overall pick, but the next pick is one of the aforementioned surprises.

In fact, even the player they project the Baltimore Ravens selecting with the 29th overall pick near the end of the first round will surprise most fans, although Ravens QB Joe Flacco won't be complaining about the selection!

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If you were born on Mars...

I might be able to sell you the idea of Ozzie Newsome leaving Whitney Mercilus on the board at 29…

And they didnt even have us taking Jeffrey… wow that Mock sucked rancid unshaved anus.

Bottom line is that if Mercilus falls to us we take him, period! Mark my words, he is the dream pick at 29. We would also seriously consider Jeffrey if he were on the board and Mercilus not, but Randle!? Kill yourself.

"And, don’t get me started on Joe Flacco," Simms continued. "Did the experts watch the game? Joe didn’t miss a throw, not one. I watched every play. Every time he had the opportunity, he hit the guy. And, he made some moves so he could complete other throws. Are these people watching? What was Joe supposed to do with Texans in his face? Throw it up and hope? Sometimes a sack is a good thing. The object is to win the game. You did."

by jackmca on Feb 22, 2012 8:18 PM EST via Android app reply actions

Yea, I agree. I’m scratching my head on this one. I don’t see the pick. There are still several LBs that fell and Jeffery like you said. That explanation of Randle being good but being over shadowed by shitty QB play is bogus. Jeffery has had Garcia, who’s a head case and missed significant time at SC. I hate this crap because an Olympic sprinter comes in and teaches these guys how to run a fast 40 without pads or in a game situation, and if their time is fast enough it allows people to justify a mock pick by saying that any given player is “explosive”. Randle= Pass.

"Don't throw it, don't throw it, don't throw it. I know y'all going to throw it, they going to throw it anyway. I wouldn't throw it. Don't do it." - Ed Reed

"53 Mighty Men of Baltimore"

by WestminsterRaven on Feb 22, 2012 8:52 PM EST up reply actions

I might be able to sell you the idea of Ozzie Newsome leaving Whitney Mercilus on the board at 29…

No freaking chance it all he gets past us. NONE!

"Picture Me Rollin"

by Mr MaLoR on Feb 22, 2012 9:14 PM EST up reply actions

I can imagine this pick if the draft plays out this way.

We’ll get to compare at the combine but Randle is faster than Jeffrey-who is basically a younger Boldin which we don’t need. Randle, if he shows the speed that’s expected is a good fit for our offense.

Mercilius is someone who I would think we would pick but its not a slam dunk especially since we don;t know what the team thinks of what we got already at OLB. The other LB’s? Hightower does not play as fast as we’d want though he’s plausible. The other LB’s? You mean Burfict? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. You can’t be serious.

by ursula on Feb 22, 2012 8:59 PM EST reply actions

Hahaha, yea I am serious. You made a whole post bashing Burfict so I’m going to take what you say with a large grain of salt. I’d rather have Burfict, Hightower, and Jeffery (pending weight issues) over Randle. I’m not putting a ton of stock into 40 times and the combine crap that barely translates to the field. Sorry if you don’t agree.

"Don't throw it, don't throw it, don't throw it. I know y'all going to throw it, they going to throw it anyway. I wouldn't throw it. Don't do it." - Ed Reed

"53 Mighty Men of Baltimore"

by WestminsterRaven on Feb 22, 2012 9:06 PM EST up reply actions

We can disagree. that's fine.

We really could use a good LB, preferably inside though I’d take an outside one. For me the value at either LB is more in rounds 2-3-4-5.

by ursula on Feb 22, 2012 9:09 PM EST up reply actions

There will be a few ILBs that fall. Burfict probably will, which is fine and in the second round would be great value. If the draft plays out like this, we could trade back and still grab Burfict or whoever else all while picking up more picks. Don’t think we NEED an OLB but Ozzie always wants more pass rushers so I’d imagine he’d consinder it. We do still have McPhee, Kruger, Kindle opposite Suggs who are all coming into their own so we probably won’t place a high priority on targeting a specific guy, but Ozzie always finds a “McPhee” kind of player at some point.

"Don't throw it, don't throw it, don't throw it. I know y'all going to throw it, they going to throw it anyway. I wouldn't throw it. Don't do it." - Ed Reed

"53 Mighty Men of Baltimore"

by WestminsterRaven on Feb 22, 2012 9:15 PM EST up reply actions

And unless a truly unbelievable spectacular game breaking WR falls, we won’t take one in the first round. Too many good prospects in the middle rounds to warrant spending such a high pick on when there’s more value later in the draft at WR. If the draft played out like this, good chance we trade our first away.

"Don't throw it, don't throw it, don't throw it. I know y'all going to throw it, they going to throw it anyway. I wouldn't throw it. Don't do it." - Ed Reed

"53 Mighty Men of Baltimore"

by WestminsterRaven on Feb 22, 2012 9:09 PM EST up reply actions

Probably right.

I mean I’m not a huge Randle fan; I can just imagine the pick if the draft falls the way it does here. Honestly I would rather trade back at that point.

by ursula on Feb 22, 2012 9:17 PM EST up reply actions

See, we do agree. Haha, yea I think we trade back if it plays out like that. Just want April to be here already.

"Don't throw it, don't throw it, don't throw it. I know y'all going to throw it, they going to throw it anyway. I wouldn't throw it. Don't do it." - Ed Reed

"53 Mighty Men of Baltimore"

by WestminsterRaven on Feb 22, 2012 9:24 PM EST up reply actions

+1000

by ursula on Feb 22, 2012 9:41 PM EST up reply actions

Randle is rising up boards right now and if he runs in the low 4.4’s teams will take notice. We will have to see how Alshon looks, but I could see why people have Randle ahead of him as of now. I agree though that I may not want him in the first, but I would have no problem with him in the early second. I’m starting to like him as a prospect more and more. As far Mercilus, I think he’s somebody that needs a decent combine as well. He is a nice pass rusher, but there’s also a number of questions about if he can play the OLB position. Some have him as a strictly 4-3 DE. He needs to show some agility at the combine to show that he does have the potential to make that transition.

On Ed Reed:
"I’ve told him to his face many times, ‘You’re the greatest safety ever to play the game,’"
"We all learn from each other, but we all learn most from him."
- Troy Polamalu

by AV23 on Feb 23, 2012 7:27 AM EST up reply actions

ill take the george allen approach. we’re still trying to get the only 1/2 decent WR we’ve drafted in 15 years up to speed. what are the chances we get another decent receiver this year? bring in the vets already or we’ll be watching travis taylor again. ozzie can’t almost get it right 2 years in a row with WR’s.

The Billy Lee Cameron Story presented by Hallmark.

by raven on Feb 23, 2012 12:12 AM EST reply actions

I agree Ozzie’s track record on WRs is egregious, but you don’t stop drafting BPA. If it’s a WR, we draft him.

daytime commentator. night time ninja.

by El.Dude on Feb 23, 2012 8:34 AM EST up reply actions

We need O-Linemen. Its sucks enough we had to endure flacco getting shredded from the ends in the playoffs, now good teams just bull rush the middle. it was an absolute joke that fat boy wilfork dominated the interior. our O-line coach really wasn’t prepared for NE. berk was nothing more than deep fried corn dog to vince.

The Billy Lee Cameron Story presented by Hallmark.

by raven on Feb 23, 2012 3:01 PM EST reply actions

A perfect draft to me would be to trade back to early in the 2nd round and pick up a 4th round pick to replace the one we wasted on Lee Evans. Pickin up Konz and Burfict in the 2nd round and the going back to our “Best Player Available” approach the rest of the draft. That is just my opinion, but I definitely trust in Ozzie more than myself so I know he will make some great decisions on draft day.

Lets just hope he doesnt make the mistake of dealing with the Bears again.

by Atlanta Ravens Fan on Feb 23, 2012 3:41 PM EST reply actions