When you watch the first round of the NFL draft Saturday, close your eyes and drift to 2013. Many of the current crop of high school seniors will be making their way into the pro ranks by then, but what if NFL teams had a chance to draft them right now?
The following is a mock draft of the projected first round on Saturday and the equivalent from the high school class of 2009.
{VIDEO_48f80ce2-5aff-4550-98bd-a087b57d7234,floatRightWithBar}
1. Detroit – Matthew Stafford, QB – Matt Barkley, Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)
Stafford’s biggest asset is his arm strength and it has been Barkley’s biggest weapon since he was named National Gatorade Player of the Year as a junior. Barkley might even have a little more polish on his game and he’s certainly used to playing big games under pressure.
2. St. Louis – Jason Smith, OT – D.J. Fluker, Foley (Ala.)
Smith was a late bloomer after switching positions midway through college. Likewise, Fluker has turned heads with his development at offensive tackle after playing defense early in his career.
3. Kansas City – Eugene Monroe, OT – Xavier Nixon, Britt (Fayetteville, N.C.)
Like Monroe, Xavier Nixon has great quickness and footwork for a big man. Nixon is not as heavy as Monroe, but shows great effort and agility.
Garrett Gilbert, Lake Travis
Photo by Karl Wright
4. Seattle – Mark Sanchez, QB – Garrett Gilbert, Lake Travis (Austin, Texas)
Sanchez has a strong arm and is mobile, which is also a good way to describe Gilbert, the national player of the year. Personality-wise, Sanchez is more outgoing while Gilbert is more humble and unassuming. Gilbert’s father, meanwhile, was a Seahawk quarterback in the 1980s.
5. Cleveland – Michael Crabtree, WR – Rueben Randle, Bastrop (La.)
Crabtree and Randle come from the same mold. Both are 6-foot-3 with great speed and athleticism. Crabtree is considered the nation’s top college receiver while Randle was the top high school receiver, despite playing the entire year at quarterback. His all-around athletic ability makes Randle a possible weapon in a Wildcat-type offense.
6. Cincinnati – Andre Smith, OT – Xavier Su’a-Filo, Timpview (Provo, Utah)
Smith and Su’a-Filo have different styles but accomplish the same thing. Smith flattens people with his size and power while Su’a-Filo is able to use his athletic ability to get out on sweeps and make the downfield block.
7. Oakland – Jeremy Maclin, WR – Randall Carroll, Cathedral (Los Angeles, Calif.)
Al Davis likes speed so Maclin is an understandable pick. However Carroll is likely already faster than Maclin. Carroll won the California state meet in the 100 meters in 10.43 seconds. Like Maclin, Carroll would also be a big weapon in the return game.
{VIDEO_441ed463-ab28-4869-ac87-2d61787d048c,floatLeftWithBar}
8. Jacksonville – Aaron Curry, LB – Manti Te'o, Punahou (Honolulu, Hawaii)
Curry and Te'o are very similar – they both love to hit and they can both make up ground in a hurry. Te'o has the edge in the pass rushing department as he is adept at putting pressure on the quarterback.
9. Green Bay – B.J. Raji, DT – Jacobbi McDaniel, Madison (Fla.)
Raji is quite a bit bigger than McDaniel, coming in at 323 points to McDaniel’s 267. However both are light on their feet and can disrupt the offense. McDaniel is particularly good at getting into the backfield, something that Raji also is known for.
{VIDEO_0deb1a9b-d48e-4e21-9586-d98ea139f413,floatRightWithBar}
10. San Francisco – Brian Orakpo, DE/LB – Devon Kennard, Desert Vista (Phoenix, Ariz.)
Orakpo and Kennard are very similar. Both can rush the passer extremely well. Both are punishing tacklers. And both have suffered knee injuries.
11. Buffalo – Robert Ayers, DE – Donte Moss, Northside (Jacksonville, N.C.)
Ayers and Moss are both a big undersized for linemen, but make up for it with better than average speed. Ayers was not a solid prospect until his senior season while Moss has played mostly at running back on offense, but projects as a defensive end.
12. Denver – Tyson Jackson, DE – Ryne Giddins, Armwood (Seffner, Fla.)
Giddins dominates on defense with his explosive burst off the line, much like Jackson, who is 60 pounds heavier than Giddins but has 4.8 speed in the 40. Both are a bit inconsistent at times but make up for it with big plays.
13. Washington – Michael Oher, OT – Kevin Graf, Agoura (Calif.)
Like Oher, Graf has quick feet that allow him to excel at run blocking and pass protection.
14. New Orleans – Malcolm Jenkins, CB – D’Andre Kirkpatrick, Gadsden City (Ala.)
Both outstanding cover corners, Kirkpatrick is two inches taller than Jenkins, and his frame will fill out nicely at Alabama.
15. Houston – Brian Cushing, LB – Dorian Bell, Gateway (Monroeville, Pa.)
Cushing, a former mega-recruit, has an uncanny blend of size and speed. Bell can improve in both areas, but will really have to blossom to reach Cushing’s potential.
{VIDEO_cc78a245-bb65-48a8-8c81-66f2abeb58bc,floatLeftWithBar}
16. San Diego – Chris Wells, RB – Bryce Brown, Wichita East (Kan.)
Both Wells and Brown are powerful runners. Wells has the larger frame, but Brown is more elusive.
17. New York – Josh Freeman, QB – Aaron Murray, Plant (Tampa, Fla.)
Freeman stands 6-6 and has a canon for an arm. Murray is shorter, but it more polished than Freeman was at this stage in his career.
18. Denver – Aaron Maybin, DE – Jelani Jenkins, Good Counsel (Olney, Md.)
Penn State was the home of Aaron Maybin, a hybrid defensive end/linebacker. It nearly became the home of Jelani Jenkins, who will be playing with his hands off the ground at Florida.
Vontaze Burfict, Centennial
Photo by Louis Lopez
19. Tampa Bay – Clay Matthews, LB – Vontaze Burfict, Centennial (Corona, Calif.)
Matthews entered USC as a walk-on; Burfict will enter ASU with high expectations after an outstanding career at Centennial
20. Detroit – Peria Jerry, DT – William Campbell, Cass Tech (Detroit, Mich.)
Campbell already has more impressive size than Jerry, but is a long way from Jerry’s quickness and knack for backfield tackles.
{VIDEO_62b735e7-e5fa-4bd6-b3dc-26b23a440685,floatLeftWithBar}
21. Philadelphia – Knowshon Moreno, RB – Trent Richardson, Escambia (Pensacola, Fla.)
Moreno was a three time all-state selection in New Jersey who decided to head far south; Richardson, a two time all-state selection in Florida who’s heading due north to Alabama.
22. Minnesota – Percy Harvin, WR – Marlon Brown, Harding Academy (Memphis, Tenn.)
The ultra-versatile Harvin was one of the more electric players in college football. Brown, a two-sport star, will do well for Mark Richt but may never be as explosive as Harvin.
23. New England – Darius Butler, CB – Gabe Lynn, Jenks (Okla.)
At 6-foot and 185, the Oklahoma-bound Lynn matches up in almost every physical attribute as Butler including speed and strength. Lynn, who helped Jenks to a state title, just needs some experience.
Orson Charles, Plant
Photo by Chad Pilster
24. Atlanta – Brandon Pettigrew, TE – Orson Charles, Plant (Tampa, Fla.)
The Georgia-bound Charles played wideout at Plant but at 6-3, 230-pounder might very well grow into the tight end spot. Getting to Pettigrew’s dimensions (6-5, 257) might take a lot of nutrition.
25. Miami – Kenny Britt, WR – Terry Hawthorne, East St. Louis (Ill.)
Rated the nation’s No. 28 recruit, the fluid 6-1, 185-pound Hawthorne headed for Illinois is explosive like Britt, who isn’t a blazer but at 6-4, 215 catches just about everything.
26. Baltimore – Rey Maualuga, LB – Barkevious Mingo, West Monroe (La.)
The LSU-bound Mingo is long (6-5, 210) and extremely athletic much like Maualuga, who isn’t nearly as statuesque at 6-2, 240, but very fast (4.5 40 speed) and athletic.
27. Indianapolis – Darrius Heyward Bey, WR – Andre DeBose, Seminole (Sanford, Fla.)
Extremely versatile, DeBose (5-11, 180) was the one player Florida coach Urban Meyer kept raving about on signing day. Bey (6-3, 206) is also a major playmaker with a 4.30 time in the 40 and 38.5-inch vertical jump.
28. Philadelphia – Eben Britton, OT – Morgan Moses, Meadowbrook (Richmond, Va.)
They don’t get much bigger than Moses (6-7, 347) who is going to Virginia. Britton is smallish by comparison (6-5, 310) but the Arizona junior is definitely ready for the NFL.
29. New York Giants – Hakeem Nicks, WR – Logan Thomas, Brookville (Lynchburg, Va.)
The Virgina Tech-bound Thomas (6-6, 235) did it all in high school including playing quarterback and defensive back. He’ll catch passes in college much like Nicks (6-1, 212) did in spectacular fashion on North Carolina.
30. Tennessee – Vontae Davis, CB – Darius Winston, Central (Little Rock, Ark.)
The Arkansas-bound Winston (6-1, 180) figures to be the jewel of Bobby Petrino’s first recruiting class; much like Davis (6-0, 204), he should be a lockdown corner for years in the NFL.
31. Arizona – Donald Brown, RB – Cierre Wood, Santa Clara (Oxnard, Calif.)
The Notre Dame-bound Wood (6-1, 210) can do it all out of the backfield and besides blazing speed is a strong physical force. Brown (5-10, 210) should be an every down back in the NFL.
32. Pittsburgh – Max Unger, C – Nick Alajajian, Naples (Fla.)
The Florida-bound Alajaiian (6-4, 290) has an older brother Joe (Florida International) who will likely beat his younger brother to the NFL. The 6-4, 308-pound Unger is as solid as they come.
Mitch Stephens and Stephen Spiewak contributed to this story.
