NFL Mock Draft 2013: B&T Editor’s Picks Post Combine

17.  Pittsburgh Steelers

Cordarrelle Patterson, WR, Tennessee  (Previous Pick:  Alec Ogletree, ILB, Georgia)

• The Steelers need a new top wide receiver and Patterson fits the bill.  He wasn’t as impressive at the combine as many would like, but he is a first round talent who could greatly help what promises to be a serious need for the Steelers.

18.  Dallas Cowboys

Kenny Vaccaro, S, Texas  (Previous Pick:  Sharrif Floyd, DT, Florida)

• The Cowboys need help on the back end of their defense.  Vaccaro could easily upgrade over the current starters at either safety position.  The Cowboys could be lucky Vaccaro didn’t have as good of a combine as he could have.

19.  New York Giants

Sheldon Richardson, DT, Missouri (Previous Pick:  Sheldon Richardson, DT, Missouri)  

• The Giants cut Chris Canty and will need another defensive tackle to fill the void.  New York values good defensive linemen, so they’ll likely look to grab a strong DT when they can.

20.  Chicago Bears

Barrett Jones, G/C, Alabama  (Previous Pick:  Jonathan Cooper, C/G, North Carolina)

• What has stopped the Bears from really competing during their time with Jay Cutler?  A good offensive line.  They could use some upgrades and Jones is a versatile lineman who could fill in in any of the three interior positions.

21.  Cincinnati Bengals

Manti Te’o, LB, Notre Dame  (Previous Pick:  Manti Te’o, LB, Notre Dame)

• Weird backstory for a top talent player?  Check.  The Bengals will take a swing at the dead fake girlfriend-ed Te’o and they will be rewarded for it.  They need linebacker help and Te’o will be more than enough.  He didn’t impress at the combine, but he is still expected to out-perform his workouts when on the field.

22.  St. Louis Rams

Matt Elam, S, Florida  (Previous Pick:  Cordarrelle Patterson, WR, Tennessee)

• Elam would be an upgrade at safety for the Rams.  They could use some help in their secondary and Elam is versatile enough that he could come up to play in the run game if needed.

23.  Minnesota Vikings

Keenan Allen, WR, California (Previous Pick:  Keenan Allen, WR, California)

• The Vikings may be a team in total flux at the wide receiver position this offseason.  Percy Harvin wants out, Jerome Simpson isn’t what they hoped for.  Christian Ponder may not be the answer at quarterback, but it sure won’t be because he doesn’t have people to throw to.

24.  Indianapolis Colts

John Jenkins, NT, Georgia (Previous John Jenkins, NT, Georgia)

• Indy needs some help in the middle of that defensive line and Jenkins will be the best available nose tackle at #24.

25.  Seattle Seahawks

DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Clemson  (Previous Pick, DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Clemson)

• What do you do the year after your rookie quarterback leads you to the playoffs?  You give him more weapons.  Simple as that for Seattle.

26.  Green Bay Packers

Travis Frederick, G/C, Wisconsin  (Previous Pick, Barrett Jones, G/C/T, Alabama)

• The Packers need to stop Aaron Rodgers getting hit.  Frederick comes from an O-line farm and would be an instant upgrade to fill the void after Jeff Saturday’s retirement.

27.  Houston Texans

Kevin Minter, ILB, LSU (Previous Pick:  Kevin Minter, ILB, LSU )

• The Texans will be updating their interior linebacking corps with Minter.  It should help in an offseason with some question marks there.

28.  Denver Broncos

Alec Ogletree, ILB, Georgia  (Previous Pick:  Bennie Logan, DT, Louisiana State)

• It may not be the sexiest pick, but the Broncos will need some help at the interior linebacker position and Ogletree gives them an immediate contributor.

29.  New England Patriots

Tavon Austin, WR, West Viriginia (Previous Pick:  Sam Montgomery, DE/OLB, LSU)

• The Pats will likely need another weapon for Tom Brady to throw to, so why not Austin.  Austin could be a very good weapon when paired with the vicious tight end duo in New England.

30.  Atlanta Falcons

Eddie Lacy, RB, Alabama  (Previous Pick:  Eddie Lacy, RB, Alabama)

• Michael Turner isn’t the guy in the backfield any more and the Falcons may as well start that transition now by grabbing a playmaker they want rather than seeing who falls to them later.

31.  San Francisco 49ers

Margus Hunt, DE/DT, Southern Methodist  (Margus Hunt, DE/Dt, Southern Methodist)

• Hunt is a major talent and a lot teams will be craving him in the early part of the second round.  He won’t get past the Niners.  Hunt is too good to pass up for a team that is already loaded on defense.  He would fit Vic Fangio’s defense like a glove.

32.  Baltimore Ravens

Kevin Reddick, ILB, North Carolina  (Previous Pick:  Matt Elam, S, Florida)

• There’s a hole where Ray Lewis was and Reddick will fit it.  This may be a bit of a reach for the Ravens, but they have to take a man who can be effective in the first round or risk not having a chance to do it in the second.  Sitting at 32 hurts the Ravens with the changes coming for the defense.

– Luke N. Sims