1. Kansas City Chiefs: My pick here is Central Michigan Eric Fisher. ...
2. Jacksonville Jaguars: The next best player on the board is Luke Joeckel ...
3. Oakland Raiders: This selection is easy. It’s defensive tackle Shariff Floyd of Florida, ...
4. Philadelphia Eagles: This is where the defensive player that intrigues me the most comes off the board. That’s Oregon DE/OLB Dion Jordan. ...
5. Detroit Lions: Let’s start with two questions - What is a greater position of need for the Lions, OT or CB? Which of those two positions has the higher rated player? For me, it’s OT. My pick is Oklahoma LT Lane Johnson. ...
6. Cleveland Browns: I’m selecting Notre Dame TE Tyler Eifert. Conventional wisdom says TE is not a position you take in the top ten. Two tight ends have been taken in the top ten in this decade, both at number six: Kellen Winslow in 2004, and Vernon Davis in 2006. I have written extensively about the increased value of the “Joker” TE in today’s NFL, and have talked to many defensive coordinators who have told me that matching up to “12” personnel (one back, two tight ends, and two wide receivers) is a real problem. Eifert is the most athletic TE in this draft class. I saw him split outside the numbers many times, and beat corners on vertical routes. Two things to keep in mind: Rob Chudzinski was the OC in Cleveland in 2007 when Winslow had 82 catches for 1,106 yards (the Browns won the AFC North that season), and new OC Norv Turner is a master at utilizing the TE, most recently Antonio Gates, but you can go all the way back to Jay Novacek with the Cowboys in the early 1990s.

7. Arizona Cardinals: West Virginia WR Tavon Austin. Most know at this point how I feel about Austin. Here’s how I described him in a previous column:

He aligned all over the formation, including in the backfield, and possesses an extraordinary combination of flash quickness, lateral explosion, stop and start acceleration and top end speed. He’s a live wire with the ball in his hands: shifty, elusive and unpredictable, with the ability to turn routine plays into impact, game changing masterpieces.

Now think about new head coach Bruce Arians. Last year in Indianapolis, he had rookie T.Y. Hilton, at 5-foot-9 and 183 pounds. Hilton played 61 percent of the Colts' snaps, had 861 receiving yards and 7 touchdowns. In addition, he averaged almost 12 yards per punt return, with another touchdown. Prior to that with the Steelers, Arians featured 5-foot-10, 186-pound Antonio Brown. In 2011, Arians last year in Pittsburgh, Brown had 69 catches for 1108 yards. Austin is more versatile, and more explosive than both Brown and Hilton.

8. Buffalo Bills: LSU DE/OLB Barkevious Mingo ...
9. New York Jets: The pick here is my number one guard in the draft, North Carolina's Jonathan Cooper. ...
10. Tennessee Titans: The next best offensive guard on the board is Alabama's Chance Warmack. ...
11. San Diego Chargers: The best combination of size, speed and athleticism at linebacker in this draft is Georgia's Alec Ogletree. ...
12. Miami Dolphins: Here’s where my top corner comes of the board. That would be D.J. Hayden of Houston. He’s the most physically gifted corner in this draft class. As I wrote in a recent column, “Cornering the Market”, Hayden has the most complete and impressive combination of sudden movement, change of direction, the ability to effectively play both press man and off coverage zone, a challenging and competitive playing temperament, and as an added dimension, his willingness to support in the run game with aggression. No corner has a more fluid and compact backpedal, with balance, body control and the quickest feet of any prospect in the draft.

13. New York Jets: My pick is Georgia OLB Jarvis Jones. ...
14. Carolina Panthers: Again, you have a team with a glaring need at a specific position, and a terrific prospect who can fill the void. Missouri defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson, ...
15. New Orleans Saints: My pick here is Utah defensive tackle Star Lotulelei. Lotulelei, based on overall skill set, could have easily been selected higher in my mock. ...
16. St. Louis Rams: Who will run the ball for the Rams? How about Alabama running back Eddie Lacy ...

CB is the deepest position in the draft..........we are not taking one at 12!

But if you have a chance to get a top flight press man CB like Milliner, you can't pass that up. I think it's an easy choice if he's available.

The knock on CBs coming out of Saban's system is that Alabama plays a lot of zone. The knock on Milliner is that he gave up plays in man coverage and has a questionable back pedal.

From everything I've seen he was primarily in man coverage.

Read Prico's latest column posted by swerve.

Also when Saban was here we ran a lot of zone.

PR, are you concerned at all about Milliner's hands? I know that I am, but I'm not as much of a talent evaluator as some people

I would love to have Milliner in Miami, but ELITE CB have BALL SKILLS. That is what the young man seems to lack.

I like everything else that I see about him. Even with the fact that Nick Saban does play a lot of zone, I have seen him man up and look solid.

I think Hayden ball skills are better. I would be happy with either one.

@evansilva: In addition to shoulder surgery, @mortreport reported Milliner's medical includes a rod in his tibia, a past knee scope, and hernia surgery.

I have been sitting here watching Path to the Draft and they had Mike Mayock on earlier. He said the main reason he moved Hayden ahead of Milliner was ball skills, and he thought Hayden was better.

He thought both guys were on a par in every other aspect of the game. Good in off man and press man and had awareness in zone coverage.

I have been sitting here watching Path to the Draft and they had Mike Mayock on earlier. He said the main reason he moved Hayden ahead of Milliner was ball skills, and he thought Hayden was better.

He thought both guys were on a par in every other aspect of the game. Good in off man and press man and had awareness in zone coverage.

Appearing on NFL 32 Monday, ESPN's Todd McShay suggested Alabama CB Dee Milliner "might fall a little bit" on draft day.
We've gotten the same vibe. McShay cited teams' concerns about Milliner's "durability" and "not elite ball skills." A Monday morning report suggested Milliner wouldn't even be ready for training camp following shoulder surgery. On Monday's Mort Report, ESPN's Chris Mortensen reported Milliner's medical history includes a rod in his tibia near Milliner's ankle, a past knee scope, and hernia surgery. "There is some concern out there about Milliner and his medical history," Mortensen said. "And it's not misinformation, not trying to make a guy fall down (the draft) because all teams have this same information."

of course he has better ball skills. He equaled Milliner's interception total and played in 17 fewer games than Milliner because of his heart injury. I don't know where this talk came from about Hayden not being good with the ball in the air. He has the quickest instincts of any corner about knowing when to break on an interception and he's also great at leaving his man to go after the ball for the easy interception.

What are the numbers on their passes defensed (or broken up...whatever they call it in college)?

I'm almost equally impressed by the tackles he made in those clips. Not impressed with his hands though, he's got to be able to catch those.

So interception numbers is the measure of a player's ball skills? Ok then....

Defensive Back Ball Skills:
Your goal as a Great Cornerback is to blanket any man you cover or any man in your zone and intercept the ball. This means that, just like a receiver, it is your job to catch anything thrown your way. You have to work on your ball skills, and there are several drills and tools you can use to snatch turnovers from the opposing team.

what else does a corner do with the ball? throw it?

Way to avoid getting condescending.

I thought you were big on respectful disagreements... but I digress.

Pass break ups would be a part of that ball skill equation as well.

Similar to QB hurries and sacks for pass rushers.

Not even close to as disrespectful you get with people here Richie.
My response was of the typical Phinfever variety.

Meanwhile, in the debate that had actual substance between Phins Rock and swerve....

Meanwhile, in the debate that had actual substance between Phins Rock and swerve....