The 2013 NFL Draft, and mock draft, season is wrapping up. I have to say that this has been one tough year to try and nail down what is going to happen. There are just so many players with similar talent levels, with many positions having several guys that could be interchangeable with one another. It’s really going to come down to how the individual teams have their boards set up. Of course there is the issue mockers wrestle with of not including trades. There will certainly be QBs in the first round, however the way the picks line up right now there are not many matches in the first round with actual QB talent.

It always cracks me up when people point out how “this” and “that” won’t happen because “this” and”that” will happen because of a trade. We know…the mock drafts are an exercise in how picks could come off the board with the current order. Not so much a prediction of what will actually happen.

Anyway, it’s all in fun. Here are some things found in the final three round update…

There have been 69 changes since the last update…

• 20 picks changed in first round.
• 21 picks changed in second round.
• 28 changes in the third round.

Offensive and defensive line make up 14 of the first round picks.

The third round has four RBs come off the board.

Third round also sees a run on TE.

Thanks for hanging out for the season! For the FANTASY FOOTBALL players out there, I want to invite you over to my new blog for 2013. I will be returning to the Fantasy Football blogging scene this season with Fantasy Football Scheme. It’s pretty much a blog about helping you win. You should be there.

Check out the final mock draft HERE.

We have our second to last updated NFL Mock Draft for 2013 posted this morning. The first round sees 17 changes from our last update, with 74 changes over the three rounds.  It’s amazing how things tumble when some early picks change. There were only 10 picks in the 2nd and 3rd round combined that did not change in this updated NFL mock draft. Here are some of the changes in this update…

1.7 Arizona Cardinals: Lane Johnson, OT, Oklahoma

The Cards missed on an OT in the last update. If they landed Johnson without having to move up in front of Detroit, it would be a bonus. In a non-mock draft world we could see the Dolphins leap frogging the Cards.

*Previous mocks:Ezekiel Ansah, Lane Johnson,  Barkevious Mingo, Eric Fisher, Matt Barkley

1.10 Tennessee Titans: Ezekiel Ansah, DE, BYU

It was very tempting to go with Jonathan Cooper here as the Titans can still use a top guard despite addressing the position in Free Agency. We stray though from the need to the impact of adding the player that is one of the top pass rush prospects in the draft.

*Previous Mocks: Star Lotulelei,  Chance Warmack, Dee Milliner

2.7   Jets: E.J. Manual, QB, Florida St.

3.23    Redskins: Tyrann Mathieu, CB, LSU

View the entire Updated NFL Mock Draft

Updated Mock Draft for AFC North-Three Rounds

Cleveland Browns:
1.6 Dee Milliner, CB, Alabama
3.6  Tyler Wilson, QB, Arkansas

The Browns are moving back to a 3-4 defense and could use help with a pass rusher. They have addressed the LB position with signing Paul Kruger and Quinton Groves, neither being the sure thing answer. we could see them grab a Dion Jordan here, but they have a glaring need at corner looking at them as well. Milliner is the top player on the board and he can team up with Joe Haden to make a dangerous duo at cornerback. With all of the changes in Cleveland, the QB position is not set in stone. It may be too soon for a first rounder this year, but Wilson in the third round could happen without too many questions if there is not a pass rusher available worthy of the pick.

Pittsburgh Steelers: 
1.17  Jarvis Jones, OLB, Georgia
2.16 DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Clemson
3.17  Gavin Escobar, TE, San Diego St.

The Steelers grab the best player on the board, who also fits a great need at passrusher. The aging defense gets a bump here. The last two picks we saw the Steelers look at WR, which could still be an option. In this mock draft update we have them grabbing a value in Hopkins in the mid second round. Escobar gives Big Ben another target and relief at TE as Heath Miller ripped himself up at the end of the season.

Cincinnati Bengals:
1.21  Manti Te’o, MLB, Notre Dame
2.5  (From Raiders): Kyle Long, OL, Oregon
3.22  D.J. Swearinger, S,South Carolina

The Bengals could be the team that takes a first round Running Back here. We have had them go Tackle and Safety when players warranted the pick, but they are gone now (Fluker, Vaccaro). Next up we have the need at Linebacker. Our last update had them going with Ogletree, but with him gone Te’o is next up. Take away the offseason stories, this would not have been considered a reach for Te’o. The Bengals are good at giving chances. In the second and third round the Bengals come back at Right Tackle and Safety.

Baltimore Ravens:
1.32  Justin Pugh, OT, Syracuse
2.30 Justin Hunter, WR, Tennessee
3.32 Jon Bostic, ILB, Florida

The Ravens made due in their Super Bowl run with Bryant McKinnie at LT, now they may not even have him. Pugh may be their last chance in this draft to protect Flacco. There are a couple of empty spots left open by Boldin and Lewis. Chances of Hunter being available at the end of the second are slim, but that is how this mock draft played out. Signing Rolando McClain may alleviate some the problem at LB, but adding Bostic at the end of the third would be a great pick up and McClain does not come without questions.

View the entire Three Round Mock Draft

Updated Mock Draft for NFC North-Three Rounds

 Detroit Lions:

1.5 Lane Johnson, OT, Oklahoma
2.4  Damontre Moore, DE, Texas A&M
3.3 Quinton Patton, WR, Lousiana Tech

The Lions would LOVE for Joeckel or Fisher to fall here. This time around it doesn’t happen. The Lions entered the draft process in need of help at defensive end. After the Jeff Backus retirement, the Lions have to address left tackle. Lane Johnson’s stock has been rising and the Lions are more likely to find a DE at the top of the second round than a player to protect Matthew Stafford’s blind side. In the second they take a swing on the falling stock of one of the losers of the draft process in Damontre Moore. If he pans out he can be a steal considering he was one of the top prospects until the non-game factors were taken into consideration. In the third round they add a #2 at WR to try and pick up some of Calvin Johnson’s coverage.

Chicago Bears
1.20 : Alec Ogletree, ILB, Georgia
2.18 Travis Frederick, OL, Wisconsin

We were very tempted to have the Bears go with Tyler Eifert here. He would make a  lot of sense, but the Bears have themselves in a position where they need help at LB. D. J. Williams was not in the picture when this mock was put together, but Ogletree could still be in the mix. With other teams after them sharing that need, they are better to address it now than later. Ogletree makes his fourth consecutive appearance with the Bears in this mock draft. The Bears are in constant need of offensive line help and that is where we can see them go if the right player falls. This time around they address it in the second round.

 Minnesota Vikings
1.23 Cordarrelle Patterson, WR, Tennessee
1.25  (fr Seattle): Sylvester Williams, DT, North Carolina
2.20  Arthur Brown, LB, Kansas State
3.21  Robert Alford, CB, South Eastern Louisianna

The Vikings have added some help at WR with Greg Jennings, but who knows how long he will last or how many games they will get out of him. Patterson has not fallen this far in some time and they will snatch him up if he does. The Vikings have addressed the DT position with the Seattle pick  the last few updates, only the names have changed. with Richardson going earlier, and Williams’ value being higher than the next MLB up, we see them sticking on the Defensive Line. In the second round they get a value with Brown. He could easily go in the second half of the first round. The Vikings finally cut ties with Antoine Winfield, opening the Alford pick in the 3rd.

Green Bay Packers: 
1.26 Tyler Eifert, TE, Notre Dame
2.23  Johnathon Hankins, DT, 3/4 DE, Ohio State
3.26 Brian Schwenke, C, California

The Packers are no stranger to going with the best player available. It just so happens that this time it also fits a position need. While Finley will be returning, he has hardly been the player that was taking the position by storm in years past. Once again, which has been par for the course in this mock draft, a value is found at DT with Hankins at the end of the second round. Schwenke in the third round adds depth to an offensive line that always seems to need it.

View the entire Three Round Mock Draft

Updated Mock Draft for AFC East-Three Rounds

Buffalo Bills:
1.8  Chance Warmack, OG, Alabama
2.9 Ryan Nassib, QB, Syracuse
3.9  Travis Kelce, TE, Cincinnati

We are still not sold on the fact that Kevin Kolb is believed to be the answer in Buffalo. Like the Cardinals, the Bills can control their QB destiny here if they chose their top guy rather than who falls to them in the second round. This time around we have them rolling the dice on the second round, while playing it safe in the first by adding Warmack to replace Andy Levitre. In the second round it is just too easy to give them Nassib if he is there. It’s a Tight End world right now, and Kelce could be a sweet pickup that fits with the pick slot.

New York Jets:
1.9  Dion Jordan, DE, Oregon
2.7   Matt Elam, S, Florida
3.10 Mike Glennon, QB, North Carolina State

Could the Jets be the next to grab a Quarterback? While we think they will in this draft, going this high is not likely. If they selected a QB in the Top 10 that would signal they are done with Sanchez,and we don’t think they are ready to commit to that. They have a glaring need at pass rusher and have a top talent falling to them in Dion Jordan. The second round could be tempting for a QB, but Matt Elam fills a need and a value as he could be considered a late first rounder by some teams. Look at that, the third round brings that guy who can actually compete with Sanchez.

Miami Dolphins:
1.12 D.J. Fluker, OT, Alabama
2.10 Blidi Wreh-Wilson, CB, Connecticut
2.22  (From Colts): Johnathan Franklin, RB, UCLA
3.15  Markus Wheaton, WR, Oregon State
3.20  (From Bears): Akeem Spence, DT, Illinois

We have had Xavier Rhodes at this pick in the last three updates. This time around we have the Fins still thinking on the loss of Jake Long. It sounds like Jonathan Martin is going to make a move to left tackle. That could make it appear like they were comfortable letting Long go, but that will leave a need at RT. This move makes for a more seamless transition and continues to support their young QB. The Fins come back in the second round and grab that needed corner. In the third they grab a WR while they  use some of  the Brandon Marshall haul to add depth at DT.

New England Patriots:
1.29  D.J. Hayden, CB, Houston
2.27  Keenan Allen, WR, California
3.29  Chris Faulk, OL, LSU

The Patriots have a need for a long term CB. We have looked at WR and D-line in previous updates, but they continue to address those positions in Free Agency. In the second round they can’t pass up on the value of Keenan Allen. After running slow at his pro day, his stock is falling. Even we doubt he would fall this far, but that is how the picks fell.

View the entire Three Round Mock Draft