Source: US-Presswire

I love the time just before the draft. Everybody is an expert and blog draft trolls come out in force. After all, predicting the future is the easiest way to sound smart, at least until the future arrives. Watch how fast Mel Kiper’s mock draft is pulled down after the results are in. But the future isn’t here yet, so let’s all join in with expert opinions. Here are my idiotic thoughts on other people’s expert thoughts. I am probably wrong, but being wrong is all part of the fun.

These are three guys I don’t understand all the love they get and one who should get more love.

Tavon Austin, WR, West Virginia. Do you actually believe a small slot receiver is going in the first round? Yes Terry, we do, in fact a small slot receiver is going in the first half of the first round! Really? You believe that? If a receiver goes in the first round, it is because he has some freakish ability. Megatron is a first round guy. Look at the college catches of Hakeem Nicks. Tavon Austin would be the smallest wide receiver taken in the first round since I don’t know when. He is 5′ 8″ 175 lbs. But he plays tough Terry! Yeah, and so do the other bigger guys.  I’m not saying he won’t be good but remember,  Wes Welker was undrafted. Tavon Austin is not big enough to be a first round guy.  No love to Tavon from my view.

Barkevious Mingo, DE/OLB, LSU. OK, let’s talk this one out for a moment. Bowl game LSU versus Clemson, who won that game? Did Barkevious play in that game? He did, I saw it. Did he do anything in that game? Nope. That was against Clemson. OK, let’s discuss LSU verses Texas A&M. Did you see Barkevious against Luke Joeckel? Did he get anywhere against the two Texas tackles? Well he jumped offsides a few times because he couldn’t get in. He was shut down. Hello? Barkevious Mingo lovers, where is this love coming from?  He won’t do any bench presses or do anything that highlights his strength. Big people push him around too easily. If Barkevious is drafted in the first round, it will be in the second half of the first round and probably a mistake. No love for Barkevious.

EJ Manuel , QB, FSU.  EJ is going to be there on draft night. He will be sitting there all dressed up and ready to stroll to the podium.  He is going to sit and wait for his name to be called. When the clean-up crew comes and asks him to move his chair so they can sweep under it, he will still be sitting and waiting. Florida State was the dumbest team this year. They should have been in the title game, not Notre Dame. Florida State should have beaten Florida. Nope, it didn’t happen. EJ Manuel was terrible against Florida.  Give me Tim Tebow over EJ Manuel and no one wants Tim anymore. No love here for EJ.

Eddie Lacy, RB, Alabama. I like Eddie Lacy, I really do. But come on now, Eddie Lacy as a first round guy? He is a good solid running back. He can use an offensive line very well. He can block. You know what? I just convinced myself that Eddie Lacy does deserve first round love. First round running backs have been Knowshon Moreno, Trent Richardson, Mark Ingram, Donald Brown. Eddie easily fits into this company. The Jaguars won’t take him at #2, but someone will get a good football player in round one. Love to Eddie Lacy.

So who do you think is getting love that doesn’t deserve it?

- Terry O’Brien

Can Mingo do enough to get back in the discussion as the number two overall pick?  Source:  US-Presswire

There’s nothing quite like the combine to get your dreams going for your favorite team.  If a quarterback throws well, suddenly he could be the guy.  If a cornerback runs a superb 40, suddenly he could be the savior your franchise needs on defense.  The Jaguars will be needing an awful lot of help at pass rusher this offseason, so who will be the ones to stand out?  Who may falter?  Here are three pass rushing prospects we should look at.

Bjoern Werner, DE, Florida State

• Not being a senior, we haven’t been able to see Werner’s skills in some time now.  The combine will be an opportunity for Werner to really cement himself as a top three pick.  If he can edge out competitors like Damontre Moore and Jarvis Jones then picking Werner at number two overall would get an awful lot easier for the Jags.

Damontre Moore, DE, Texas A&M

• Like Werner, Moore needs to show off at the combine to show that he is worth being picked in the top three.  With room between a pass rusher, Star Lotulelei, and Luke Joeckel getting tighter with each mock draft, it will take a herculean effort for Moore to get teams to look past an apparent attitude and motivation problem.  A good way to show motivation would be outperforming expectations at the combine.  Moore may be able to move past Werner in some eyes because he is expected to be stronger and more athletic.

Barkevious Mingo, DE/OLB, LSU

• Mingo may have the most to gain of the oft-mocked pass rushers.  Originally a more common pick at number two overall when mocks first started coming out, Mingo has really fallen off in favor of Moore and Werner to the Jags.  With the combine, Mingo can be re-inserted into the conversation.  He would be all too happy to get his name mentioned a few more times in the top pass rusher discussion, even if it is just leverage for when he slides out of the top five on draft day.

Other guys Jags fans should keep an eye on:

Ezekiel Ansah, DE, BYU

• Ansah is going to take the combine and use it as a jumping off point to the top 15 in the draft.  Watch him and see how well he does at becoming more relevant.

Margus Hunt, DE, SMU

• Is it too late to declare a combine winner?  Hunt will turn some heads with his incredibly raw abilities.  As a Jags fan I’m hoping he doesn’t turn too many heads and falls to the Jags in round two.  He’ll undoubtedly make a jump up draft boards though.

- Luke N. Sims

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• Bjoern Werner, DE, FSU: Among most mocks as of late, this seems to be the general consesus pick. Werner was a complete beast at Florida State. Last year alone he compiled 13 sacks, 18 TFLs, 8 pass break ups, and 42 tackles. The best thing about Werner in my humble opinion is that he seems to have a very high ceiling. In other words, he’s only going to get better. He has natural instincts and I really like the fact that he had 8 pass break ups during his senior season. We’ve seen over in Houston just how effective a defensive lineman can be when he gets his hands in the air. I’m not saying he’s JJ Watt, but right now it doesn’t look like we have anyone along the defensive line with the ability to consistently break up passes. I like Werner’s ability. I like Werner’s intangibles. This would be a “solid” pick if there is such a thing.
  

  Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

• Damontre Moore, DE, Texas A&M: Moore seems to be falling a little bit lately. I believe the general concern among most is that he’s not as good an athlete as advertised. He doesn’t close well, and looks to be playing complacently at times. He also plays tall. He’ll need to get those pads lower if he wants to stand a chance rushing the passer in the NFL. He’ll have a lot to prove at the end of the month.
• Star Lotulelei, DT, Utah: The Jaguars could use some meat in the middle, and Lotulelei is the the highest rated defensive tackle in this year’s draft. Of course most guys who are Star’s size (6’3, 320) are going to be good at stopping the run. You don’t draft a defensive tackle with the second overall pick, however,  unless he can do what separates good DTs from great DTs-collapse the pocket and put pressure on the passer. I just don’t agree with taking a guy at No. 2 who could possibly only be on the field for 2 downs and can’t contribute on the money downs.
• Barkevious Mingo, DE/OLB, LSU: I honestly think that drafting Mingo is a possibility. If you look at Bradley’s LEO spot (lines up as an OLB at times) Mingo fits perfectly. Look at Bruce Irvin last year from Seattle. Everyone thought that was a reach, but it ended up working out quite well. You don’t draft a guy who has one specific skill set-unless it’s rushing the passer. Mingo looks to be a football player without a natural position, but as it stands the Jaguars only racked up 20 sacks in 2012 and with no one on the current roster who can play the LEO, it’s crucial that the Jaguars get this important piece in this year’s draft in order for the defense to be function effectively. There’s a lot of risk when it comes to Mingo. Could he be boom or bust? One thing is for sure; he should put on a great show at the combine.

The Jaguars have plenty of options with the second overall pick. It’s going to be quite interesting if the Chiefs draft Geno Smith and Luke Joeckel ends up sliding to No. 2. So I guess one could say that how the first picks shake out hangs on the Chiefs’ ability to re-sign LT Brandon Albert. I wouldn’t state that as “fact” but I’m sure that will come into play at one point or another.

Obviously these aren’t the only four players being mocked at 2. These just seem to be the names that pop up the most. I’m really not a fan of Moore. I could live with drafting Lotulelei. Mingo would make me nervous as to how it would pan out. Is Werner a “safe” pick? No. There’s no such thing as a safe pick, I don’t care what anyone tells you. There’s something about taking Werner at 2, however, that just doesn’t sit right with me. I can’t tell you why, so please don’t ask. Would it be more beneficial to trade down and stock pile picks? What do you guys think?

-David R. Johns