NFL Draft Rumors: Chargers, 49ers, Cowboys, Browns, Jaguars, Ryan Tannehill, Bills, Dolphins

Chargers 

San Diego Chargers GM A.J. Smith mentioned that they’re “wide open” to a possible first-round trade in this year’s draft.

“We’re wide open,” Smith said, per Michael Ghelken of the Union-Tribune San Diego. “We have been always since I’ve been here, and we’ve done everything. We’ve gone up in the attack. We’ve bailed out in the past, and we’ve stayed where we are. It depends on circumstance.”

It’s hard to speculate as to who they’re specifically targeting the first-round but finding a pass rusher seems like the most logical move for the Chargers. If someone like South Carolina OLB Melvin Ingram falls out of the Top 12 picks, he could end up being someone that given some strong consideration to. Alabama S Mark Barron could be another speculative option.

We have them taking South Carolina CB Stephen Gilmore at #18 in our recently updated 2012 NFL Mock Draft.

49ers

Matt Maiocco of CSN Bay Area takes a look at some of the interior offensive lineman that the San Francisco 49ers could be considering in the early rounds of the upcoming draft.

Maiocco lists Peter Konz and Kevin Zeitler of  Wisconsin, Iowa States’ Kelechi Osemele and Midwestern States’ Amini Silatolu as players worth considering.

The 49ers have already addressed some of their positions of need during free agency like wide receiver and outside linebacker, so finding a better player that can improve their interior offensive line makes plenty of sense.

We have them taking Konz at #30 overall, despite the fact that he’s listed as a center. Some scouts have mentioned that he could very easily slide over to guard so his versatility would be an added plus for them. (2012 NFL Mock Draft)

Cowboys 

According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the Dallas Cowboys are interested in Mississippi State DT Fletcher Cox but are under the assumption that he will not be available to them at #14 overall.

The reports also mentions that Alabama OLB/DE Courtney Upshaw recently visited the team but they don’t believe that the Cowboys will take him with their first-round pick.

Dallas is reportedly interested in Memphis DT Dontari Poe and Alabama S Mark Barron but if Cox happens to be available to them, they could certainly adjust the decision accordingly.

We have Dallas taking Barron. (2012 NFL Mock Draft)

Browns

Pro Football Weekly draft analyst Nolan Nawrocki believes that the Cleveland Browns will end up passing on Ryan Tannehill in favor of Oklahoma St. passer Brandon Weeden.

“I do think Weeden is a guy they are targeting, and whether they select him with the 22nd or the 37th pick, I think he would definitely bring more size to that position,” said Nawrocki during a conference call this week, via the Akron Beacon Journal. “He ran a similar style offense at Oklahoma State. I think he’s flown under the radar a little bit. Whether he goes in the back of the first round or the early second, I think there’s a good chance he’ll be a Top 40 pick and he can definitely bring more of a downfield threat than Colt McCoy currently brings. I think that’s what they?d like to do with that offense.“

From everything we’ve heard, it would be surprising to see the Browns use the #4 overall pick on Tannehill. If that ends up being the case, Cleveland could grab someone like Trent Richardson or Justin Blackmon at #4 and then target Weeden at #22 or #37.

We actually have them taking Blackmon at #4 and then drafting Boise State RB Doug Martin #22. This allows them grab Weeden in the second-round and completes the revamping of their offense. (2012 NFL Mock Draft)

Jaguars 

Ryan Tannehill

Sticking with Russ Lande of the Sporting News for a minute, Lande writes that to Texas A&M QB Ryan Tannehill’s rise has to do with the fact that he  “reminds many” of a more consistent Jay Cutler.

Lande also mentioned that Tannehill possess the strongest arm in the entire draft class which is pretty high praise for him.

Obviously Cutler is know for his arm strength so in that regard I could see why he would make that comparison. There’s been a lot of talk that Tannehill is currently overrated, now that he’s seen as a Top 10 pick.

Bills

Joe Buscaglia of WGR 550 Buffalo doesn’t see the Bills drafting Tannehill should he be available to them at #10 overall.

Buscaglia mentions that it would make more sense for the Bills to address other position like OT, WR, CB, and LB instead of taking a QB.

I completely agree with him on this which is why we have them drafting Iowa OT Riley Reiff, Nebraska OLB Lavonte David and Vanderbilt CB Casey Hayword in the first-three rounds of our Mock Draft.

Dolphins

Omar Kelly of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel breaks down the pros and cons of some of the prospects that the Dolphins could be targeting in the first-round of the draft.

Kelly lists UNC DE Quinton Coples as his favorite, but after that he has Ryan Tannehill, South Carolina DE Melvin Ingram, Stanford G David DeCastro and Notre Dame WR Michael Floyd in consecutive order.

Miami seems like the favorite to take Tannehill at this point but the Chiefs have shown some interest and Cleveland could draft him at #4. Should this happen, Miami would have to give strong consideration Michael Floyd considering that they dealt Brandon Marshall to the Bears.

Coby Fleener

According to Mike Mayock  of the NFL Network, Stanford TE Coby Fleener is in a good position to be draft between #28 and #40 in the upcoming draft.

“Ability wise, he’s a second-rounder,” says Mayock, “This kid is not a trained killer. He’s not a great blocker.”

There’s still a chance that he could make his way into the later portion of the first-round but if Kyle Rudolph is a second-round pick, Fleener should be as well.

We have him going to the Colts at #34 overall. (2012 NFL Mock Draft)

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