Thread: SI Mock Draft v5.0; 1st Round Only....................

Sports Illustrated Mock Draft v5.0; 1st Round Picks

Fifteen days away from the prime-time pick-fest, the top 12 of this year's NFL draft seems to be coalescing into something approaching consensus. My fifth attempt to mock out the first round includes defensive tackles Fletcher Cox and Dontari Poe swapping places at No. 9 and 15, and Notre Dame receiver Michael Floyd finally entering the top 10, but no earthshaking changes will be unveiled here. There's still time for surprises, of course, but it's going to be nigh impossible to beat the Rams-Redskins blockbuster trade for headline sizzle. This year's draft shocker came late one Friday night in early March, and everything else is destined to feel tame by comparison. As we count down the days until April 26, here's my best guess as to how the first round unfolds. (Send comments to siwriters@simail.com)

1 QB Andrew Luck Stanford Jr. 6-4 235 Jim Irsay is quite correct when he tweets things have been pointing toward No. 12 all along. But the question that won't be answered until time renders its verdict is whether or not Robert Griffin III should have been ahead of Luck on the Colts' draft board all along? That will be the fascinating question to follow in the years ahead. 2 QB Robert Griffin III Baylor Jr. 6-2 220 (Trade with St. Louis). How transparent did Donovan McNabb seem when he questioned whether RG3 would fit in Washington's offense due to Mike Shanahan's ego? For starters, his point didn't even make sense. Secondly, just because McNabb didn't fit doesn't mean Griffin won't. You're proving Shanahan's case, Donovan. Not yours. 3 OT Matt Kalil USC Jr. 6-7 295 The Vikings will happily take either Kalil or LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne with their first-round pick, but they'd rather make their selection at No. 4 and pick up an extra third-round pick for their trouble. I just don't see it happening. If the Browns have Ryan Tannehill fever, they're hiding it pretty well so far. 4 RB Trent Richardson Alabama Jr. 5-11 224 You're starting to hear some draft experts characterize Richardson as the guy who is better at his position than anyone else is at theirs in their entire lottery, quarterbacks included. That kind of thing should give Mike Holmgren and Co. a sense of peace about making this pick. 5 CB Morris Claiborne LSU Jr. 6-0 185 Ronde Barber sounds a little re-invigorated by the opportunity to play for an all-business head coach like Greg Schiano. But that doesn't mean Barber can play forever. Tampa Bay still could use a young cornerback to carry the torch and Claiborne more than fits the bill. 6 WR Justin Blackmon Oklahoma State Jr. 6-1 215 The gap between Blackmon and the rest of the receivers in the first round seems to be closing as we approach mid-April, but it still makes sense to me to have the ex-Oklahoma Sooner QB in St. Louis throwing to the ex-OSU Cowboy receiver. 7 DE Melvin Ingram South Carolina Sr. 6-2 276 I still think the Jaguars might have a trade offer for their spot to weigh, with No. 8 Miami seemingly poised to select Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill if no one beats them to the punch. No. 11 Kansas City makes some sense, with the rookie providing some competition for less-than-entrenched Chiefs starter Matt Cassel. 8 QB Ryan Tannehill Texas A&M Sr. 6-4 222 If the Dolphins do land Tannehill, one of the takeaways will be that Miami obviously had more faith in new offensive coordinator Mike Sherman's evaluation of Tannehill's potential than new head coach Joe Philbin's evaluation of Matt Flynn's potential. 9 DT Fletcher Cox Mississippi State Jr. 6-4 295 With Memphis defensive tackle Dontari Poe underwhelming some scouts with his game tapes (as opposed to his combine showing), the steadily climbing Cox looks like the safer, wiser choice for a Carolina defense in need of some play-making in the middle. 10 WR Michael Floyd Notre Dame Sr. 6-3 24 There were some scoffers out there when I had Floyd lasting all the way until No. 22 Cleveland in my 4.0 mock. I heard you, loud and clear. But as I've said before, if I'm perfect on my fourth mock, what do I do to keep folks reading mocks five, six and seven? It's an annual dilemma. For now at least, Floyd cracks my top 10 and the Bills have a new weapon opposite Stevie Johnson. 11 LB Luke Kuechly Boston College Jr. 6-3 237 If the Chiefs aren't upwardly mobile in pursuit of quarterback Ryan Tannehill (see No. 7 Jacksonville), upgrading at inside linebacker with Kuechly would be a well-received pick. Again, I'm dropping boom-bust DT prospect Dontari Poe past a team that was thought be interested in him at one point this scouting season. Stanford guard David DeCastro is another sound option. 12 DE Quinton Coples North Carolina Sr. 6-6 285 There's a lot to love about the young defense the Seahawks are assembling, but they've got to create more pressure on opposing passers. Coples could drop well into the teens, but he's got double-digit sack talent if Pete Carroll and Co. can figure out how to keep his intensity and effort level high at all times. 13 OT Riley Reiff Iowa Jr. 6-6 300 The Cardinals' offensive line needs upgrading, and with both Reiff and Stanford guard David DeCastro still available, Arizona's in the right place at the right time in this round. 14 S Mark Barron Alabama Sr. 6-2 218 There have been reports the Cowboys are targeting Poe with their pick, but in Barron they'd be getting a big, hard-hitting safety who can handle run defense and move plenty well enough in coverage. That makes him a very valuable commodity in a pass-happy league, and in a division with quality running backs like LeSean McCoy, Ahmad Bradshaw and Washington's Roy Helu. 15 DT Dontari Poe Memphis Sr. 6-5 350 Poe finds his NFL home, and it's not surprising to see Andy Reid taking the athletically gifted big man from Memphis. The Eagles need more strength up the middle of their defense, and the hope is that newly acquired linebacker DeMeco Ryans was just the beginning of that upgrade.