Georgias Todd Gurley goes to Jets in Baldinger mock draf
NFL Network analyst Brian Baldinger has the first post-free agency mock draft for NFL.com, and perhaps not surprisingly after a slew of high-profile running backs changed teams in the past week, Baldinger has a running back going in the top 10. No running back has gone in the first round in either of the past two drafts. Baldinger has to the . The last time a running back was selected in the top
Dameon Pierce Jersey 10 of the draft? went third to Cleveland in 2012, and that did not work out well. The last time the took a running back in the first round? Blair Thomas with the second overall pick in 1990. That didn't work out too well, either. Some other observations from Baldinger's mock: He has going first to the , and has falling to 12th, to Cleveland. That would be the third time in four years the took a quarterback in the first round. Cleveland spent the 22nd overall pick on last year, and the 22nd pick on in 2012. He has edge rushers and , going second, and third, respectively, to Tenne see and Jacksonville. He also has edge rusher going in the top five, at No. 5 to Washington. In all, he has five edge rushers in the first round, with going to Houston at No. 16 and fast-rising to Pittsburgh at No. 22. Baldinger has each of the top three receivers going in the top 13, with going fourth to Oakland, 11th to Minnesota and 13th to New Orleans. Three receivers went in the top 12 last year: to Buffalo, to Tampa Bay and Jr. to the . He also has a cornerback ( to Chicago at No. 7) and an offensive tackle ( to St. Louis at No. 10) going in the top 10. Baldinger has four defensive tackles in the first round -- to the at No. 9, to Cincinnati at No. 21, to Dallas at No. 27 and to Denver at No. 28. Denver is looking for a run-stuffer to replace free agent ( ), but Phillips is seen by some as a risky pick. He enjoyed a good 2014 campaign, but a back injury that required surgery led to him mi sing almost all of the 2013 season and he is a raw prospect. He also has two inside linebackers as first-rounders, with going to Green Bay at No. 30 and to New Orleans at No. 31. Most analysts see those two as second-round picks. Baldinger has cornerback (to Miami at No. 14) and wide receiver (at No. 26 to Baltimore) as first-rounders. No one doubts their talents, but both have off-field i sues that could cause them to slide down draft boards. In somewhat of a surprise, he sees Florida State center as a first-rounder, to Kansas City (which in free agency) at No. 18. Mike Huguenin can be reached at mike.huguenin@nfl.com. You also can follow him on Twitter .
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