2014 NFL Draft order following Week 17
Apr 26, 2013; New York, NY, USA; NFL commissioner Roger Goodell speaks before the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports
The Top 20 draft spots are set for the NFL Draft this May, as we all know the Houston Texans hold the first overall draft choice after their dismal 2-14 season.
But what about the rest of the teams in the NFL that didn’t make the playoffs?
The Washington Redskins (3-13) earned the No. 2 overall spot, but the selection is held by the St. Louis Rams from a trade two seasons ago that allowed the Redskins to draft Robert Griffin III.
Next on the list are the Jacksonville Jaguars (3-12), followed by the Cleveland Browns (4-12), and at the fifth spot are the Oakland Raiders (4-12).
The Rams will more than likely trade their second overall selection, as history shows Jeff Fisher likes to trade down in the draft. Look for the Browns to possibly move up in the draft. It’s an idea, at least.
Picks 6-10 on the list are:
6. Atlanta Falcons (4-12)
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-12)
8. Minnesota Vikings (5-10-1)
9. Buffalo Bills (6-10)
10. Detroit Lions (7-9)
The Falcons and Lions have no business being in the Top 10 of this draft, but with the talent they already have on their respective teams, they can easily turn their season around in 2014 and be right back in the playoff hunt.
A Top 10 first-round pick for the Falcons and the return of Julio Jones next season makes them a very dangerous team.
The rest of the Top 20 (11-20) include:
11. Tennessee Titans (7-9)
12. New York Giants (7-9)
13. St. Louis Rams (7-9)
14. Chicago Bears (8-8)
15. Pittsburgh Steelers (8-8)
16. Baltimore Ravens (8-8)
17. Dallas Cowboys (8-8)
18. New York Jets (8-8)
19. Miami Dolphins (8-8)
20. Arizona Cardinals (10-6)
This is an interesting group of teams meshed together, especially with the Arizona Cardinals at the No. 20 spot, as they did win 10 games this season. What I enjoyed about the Cardinals this past season is they were very competitive in a competitive division. Bruce Arians deserves to be the Coach of the Year.
I don’t think the Jets are that far off from being back in the postseason either, but they really need help at the wide receiver position. Plus, Geno Smith does have one year under his belt, so that helps, but he’s really hard to read as he doesn’t have the best wide receivers to throw to.
The Cowboys really need to focus on offensive and defensive line, while the Giants could use some help in their defensive backfield.
As for AFC South foe Tennessee, will they go after a QB with their first-round choice, or are they content with Jake Locker when he returns next season? Maybe a new running back, but I don’t see them spending a first-round selection on a running back.
The Bears need some help on defense, and the Rams could take a look at a look at varying spots on both sides of the ball with two first-round picks in the Top 20, unless they move around in the draft. I believe the Steelers could get younger on defense, and the Ravens are just one year removed from being Super Bowl champions, but Joe Flacco and Co. underperformed this season as well.
Miami needs help on their offensive line following their situation this season that cost them two starting linemen, so they could possibly improve at that spot as the final two weeks saw Ryan Tannehill sacked a total of 58 times this past season and 93 times since arriving in the NFL in 2012.