Final Mock Draft: Either take Clowney, or trade down

Behold, my final mock draft.

Many names have changed positions since the first version of this dropped late last month. That happens with more tape watching, more reading, more listening, and more time to think and re-think. We’re almost there, guys.

1. Houston Texans: Jadeveon Clowney (DE, South Carolina) -- Texans general manager Rick Smith says he’s settled on his pick. That’s good, because his only decision should be easy: either take Clowney, or trade down. The former would give the Texans an absolutely petrifying defensive front with Clowney alongside J.J. Watt. But that’s a luxury, and not so much a need, while a quarterback could rightfully be seen as the far greater priority. Smith could trade down -- maybe as far as the No. 6 slot with the Falcons -- while collecting more high end picks, and he’ll still get one of Manziel or Blake Bortles.

2. St. Louis Rams (from Washington): Greg Robinson (OT, Auburn) -- There’s been whispers that Jake Matthews is the more desired tackle atop boards. Whether it’s Robinson or Matthews, the Rams should prioritize protecting Sam Bradford, who’s recovering from an ACL tear. Jake Long is rehabbing from a tear of his own, and Rodger Saffold seems to snap and break things for fun.

3. Jacksonville Jaguars: Khalil Mack (DE, Buffalo) -- Gus Bradley must have pleasant nightly Khalil Mack dreams, along with a collection of custom made Mack bobbleheads. Mack is versatile, and therefore ideal for Bradley’s hybrid defense that mixes it up with multiple fronts. He has both the strength to put his hand in the ground, and the speed to rush the edge with 10.5 sacks last year, 19 tackles for a loss, and even three interceptions in coverage.

4. Cleveland Browns: Sammy Watkins (WR, Clemson) -- This just makes too much sense. Like Houston, the Browns also have a desperate need at quarterback. But they can address that with their 26th overall pick obtained through the Trent Richardson trade, a perch where a falling Teddy Bridgewater can be caught.

5. Oakland Raiders: Johnny Manziel (QB, Texas A&M) -- If the Raiders really, truly believe Matt Schaub can hold it down for a few more seasons, they’re showing impressive commitment to football comedy.

6. Atlanta Falcons: Jake Matthews (OT, Texas A&M) -- With all of 32 sacks in 2013 (tied for 29th), the Falcons will be the highest bidders should Houston auction the first overall pick. Clowney would fix that problem, but the flaw with mortgaging this draft for him is that it implies a better pass rush is the sole leak separating Atlanta from a return to title contention. It’s not, and instead here selecting Matthews immediately improves an offensive line which saw Matt Ryan get sacked 44 times, while absorbing 100 hits.

7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Mike Evans (WR, Texas A&M) -- There’s increasing talk Evans won’t even be available here. If he’s not, then Tampa could give us the draft’s first mild surprise and take a quarterback (Manziel if he falls? Bortles? Derek Carr?!?), even after signing Josh McCown.

8. Minnesota Vikings: Blake Bortles (QB, Central Florida) -- Like the Raiders, Minnesota believes they have a sufficient quarterback bridge in the form of Matt Cassel. Also like the Raiders, they don’t.

9. Buffalo Bills: Eric Ebron (TE, North Carolina) -- There’s plenty of burning speed among E.J. Manuel’s targets, but a lack of bulk. He needs a physical presence up the middle who can fight for contested balls. That’s Ebron with his 62 catches for 973 yards during his final season at North Carolina.

10. Detroit Lions: Justin Gilbert (CB, Oklahoma State) -- Paying the required price to jump up for Sammy Watkins isn’t wise. Golden Tate was just signed and given a $31 million contract ($13.5 million of which is guaranteed) to be the long sought Calvin Johnson complement. A shutdown corner is the far greater need after Detroit gave up an average of 246.9 passing yards per game (23rd).

11. Tennessee Titans: Anthony Barr (DE/OLB, UCLA) -- The Titans have a rising young stud in Jurrell Casey, who had 10.5 sacks during his third season. The problem? Everyone else combined for only 25.5.

12. New York Giants: Aaron Donald (DT, Pittsburgh) -- After addressing their secondary with Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Walter Thurmond, this is another front seven thirsting for push up front, especially after Justin Tuck walked. Aaron Donald can tidy that up quick after he led the nation with 28.5 tackles for a loss.

13. St. Louis Rams: HaHa Clinton-Dix (S, Alabama) -- With their need for O-line strength/depth addressed earlier, the Rams now reinforce a secondary that gave up a league worst 8.1 yards per pass attempt.

14. Chicago Bears: C.J. Mosley (ILB, Alabama) -- The stink of the Bears’ run defense in 2013 can’t fully be measured by the 161.4 yards per game they allowed. No, the true stench comes when we note that the second worst front seven allowed 25.6 fewer yards.

15. Pittsburgh Steelers: Darqueze Dennard (CB, Michigan State) -- Ike Taylor is an old (34), and largely ineffective man now. Between Taylor’s decline and the departure of Keenan Lewis a year ago, youth at cornerback is needed fast.

16. Dallas Cowboys: Timmy Jernigan (DT, Florida State) -- Henry Melton was a nice, low-cost add. But it came after the Cowboys were forced to axe DeMarcus Ware. Although Anthony Spencer was re-signed, it’s uncertain if he’ll be ready for training camp following microfracture surgery. Dallas needs more pass rush support, and would pounce on Aaron Donald if he fell this low too.

17. Baltimore Ravens: Taylor Lewan (OT, Michigan) -- Eugene Monroe was re-signed, because any other outcome would have hurt Joe Flacco’s bones. But then Michael Oher took Sandra Bullock’s love to Tennessee. A significant upgrade over him was needed at the other tackle spot regardless, as Pro Football Focus rated Oher 68th out of 76 tackles. Lewan is that upgrade.

18. New York Jets: Brandin Cooks (WR, Oregon State) -- Odell Beckham Jr. is commonly slotted here, and fair enough. He has downfield speed, and the length for a wide catch radius. But Eric Decker has those things too, which is why Cooks is the ideal contrast with his blazing quicks (4.33 40-yard dash), and after the catch ability in space.

19. Miami Dolphins: Zack Martin (OT, Notre Dame) --  Martin might be rising far higher than this. But if he’s available, the Dolphins have to decrease the amount of time Ryan Tannehill spends looking up at the pretty sky. He was sacked a league high 58 times last year.

20. Arizona Cardinals: Calvin Pryor (S, Louisville) -- A quarterback is a possibility here too, and a successor to Carson Palmer (Bridgewater or Carr). But instead Pryor’s booming physical presence is added to a secondary which already boasts Patrick Peterson and Antonio Cromatie.

21. Green Bay Packers: Austin Seferian-Jenkins (TE, Washington) -- James Jones is gone, and while his health has improved, the Packers are ready to move on from Jermichael Finley. Seferian-Jenkins has rare body control for a 6’6”, 200-pound tower at his position, making him an ideal large-framed target down the middle.

22. Philadelphia Eagles: Odell Beckham Jr. (WR, LSU) -- Beckham is Mike Evans-lite, and I sort of mean that literally. He’s smaller -- and therefore faster -- but he has leaping ability that allows him to high-point the ball and rise over defensive backs.

23. Kansas City Chiefs: Marqise Lee (WR, USC) -- You can’t toss out Lee’s 2013 tape during a tough year at USC, but you can choose to look at 2012 much, much more. That’s when he had 118 catches for 1,721 yards, a top-20 all-time season.

24. Cincinnati Bengals: Kyle Fuller (CB, Virginia Tech) -- Deep desperation time. The Bengals have Dre Kirkpatrick at corner, which is swell. But alongside him are Leon Hall, who’s now recovering from his second ACL tear in three years, and a lot of decaying age with Terence Newman and Pacman Jones.

25. San Diego Chargers: Bradley Roby (CB, Ohio State) -- Jason Verrett would be a fine pick too, as would Fuller. Either way, status quo won’t work for a secondary that gave up 8.0 yards per game, and has to face Peyton Manning twice.

26. Cleveland Browns: Teddy Bridgewater (QB, Louisville) -- I really believe Teddy Bridgewater is the safest quarterback in this draft. I also believe there’s enough of a chasm between what his tape says, and the other off-field, non-football values front offices seek. That’s why he’ll fall this far, and the Browns will gleefully walk away from the first round with Watkins and Bridgewater.

27. New Orleans Saints: Jason Verrett (CB, TCU) -- Jabari Greer was among the offseason axings in New Orleans, and now a slowing and fading Champ Bailey has arrived to be the No. 2 corner. That’s not a good look, especially with how often Bailey was scorched throughout the playoffs in Denver.

28. Carolina Panthers: Kelvin Benjamin (WR, Florida State) -- The mass exodus of every wide receiver Cam Newton has ever known has been well documented. Now if the Panthers hope to avoid a step back after a massive step forward, the best receiver on the board needs to be targeted.

29. New England Patriots: Louis Nix III (DT, Notre Dame) -- Vince Wilfork isn’t reversing the aging process, and only $3 million of his new contract is guaranteed (worth $22.5 million total). The Patriots defense is anchored by a hulking presence up the middle, especially against the run. At 331 pounds, Nix can be that guy.

30. San Francisco 49ers: Kony Ealy (DE, Missouri) -- Ealy’s future is difficult to project, as he needs to develop some variety through an array of consistent pass rush moves. But his high upside as a speed rusher is worth the gamble this late in the round, and insurance is needed if Aldon Smith keeps being incomprehensibly stupid.

31. Denver Broncos: Ryan Shazier (LB, Ohio State) -- Shazier can do a bit of everything, and do those things really well. He has great lateral speed to defend against the run, which was showcased with his 144 tackles during his final year as a Buckeye. That’s when he also flexed some pass rushing muscle with 7.5 sacks.

32. Seattle Seahawks: Morgan Moses (OT, Virginia) -- Russell Wilson can do his scrambling, and shaking, and general creating. But reinforcement up front is needed to avoid another year when he has to do that far too much.