2014 NFL Mock Draft (1.0)

The first of my two mock drafts is finally here, with this being my "just after free agency" version. My final one will come at beginning of May, right before the actual draft. We see two Texas A&M Aggies taken in the top 5, a little bit of a fall for the best pass rusher to enter the draft since Mario Williams, and three quarterbacks taken within the first 10 picks. 

1. Houston Texans - Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M

Manziel wants to play for Houston. He is an in-state boy, a Heisman winner, and just the player to turn around a team who needs some consistent quarterback play, along with a healthy team to make a quick bounce-back into playoff contention. Blake Bortles is the name that seems to be thrown around in this spot along with Clowney, but the defense for Houston doesn't need a pass rusher as bad as the offense needs a leader. That is Johnny Football.

2. St. Louis Rams - Jake Matthews, Texas A&M

The Rams need to keep their franchise quarterback up-right. After re-signing Rodger Saffold this off-season and getting left tackle Jake Long from Miami last year, this will be the pick that will solidify the Rams offensive line for the next 10 years. Start him at right tackle for the next couple years until Jake Long is ready to move on, then slide him over to left tackle to protect Sam Bradford's - or the next quarterback's - backside.

3. Jacksonville Jaguars -  Greg Robinson, Auburn

While pass rusher here would make sense, especially with defensive-minded Gus Bradley being the coach, the offensive line needs a anchor in the worst kind of way. Robinson is a nasty linemen who will protect your quarterback and will road block defensive linemen and linebackers out of the way in the running game.

4. Cleveland Browns -  Blake Bortles, Central Florida

Brian Hoyer cannot be relied on to be your No. 1 signal caller and the face of your franchise. That is where Blake Bortles comes in. The Browns have plenty of talent on defense and big play makers on offense with a solid offensive line and star offensive weapons in Josh Gordon and Jordan Cameron. Bortles can make this Brown team legit contenders for a playoff position.

5. Oakland Raiders - Sammy Watkins, Clemson

A big-play wide out is exactly what new quarterback Matt Schaub needs to go along with solid cast of No. 2 and 3 receivers in Oakland. While losing Jared Veldheer will sting, this draft is deep with offensive linemen. Picking up a replacement in the second round will probably be the wise course.

6. Atlanta Falcons - Jadeveon Clowney, South Carolina

Falcon fans have been praying to some kind of football God for this to happen in my mock draft. The Falcons need pass rusher in the worst kind of way and to have one of the best pass rushing prospects in the last decade to drop to six is a miracle. A freak of nature and well known for his pass rushing ability, Clowney would be an absolute steal here for the Falcons. While his hustle has been questioned, he was fighting triple teams and nagging injuries last year. He will be a stud for along time in this league.

7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Khalil Mack, Buffalo

While not the traditional linebacker that the Buccaneers go for in a Cover 2 sense, Mack has great coverage skills. Mack is most known for his pass rushing ability, which will give Lovie Smith's revived defense more weapons as the quarterback will have to look for Mack, either coming hard at him or dropping into Cover 2 coverage. 

8. Minnesota Vikings - Teddy Bridgewater, Louisville

After the many failed experiments at quarterback last year, the Vikings finally get their franchise quarterback they have been looking for since Daunte Culpepper. The Ponder experiment is over and the Josh Freeman signing was ill-advised. Bridgewater is a solid passer who will limit turnovers, I don't believe he will set the world on fire with his numbers, but he will do enough to be an above average quarterback in the league in the mold of Alex Smith. 

9. Buffalo Bills - Eric Ebron, North Carolina

EJ Manuel needs weapons in the worst way. C. J. Spiller cannot be the only big-play option for a big play for a team. That is why Ebron is the choice here. He is a tight end in the Jimmy Graham/ Vernon Davis mold as a pure offensive weapon. Fast as all hell, big-bodied, and a play maker will make this offense much better as an upgrade from Scott Chandler.

10. Detroit Lions - Taylor Lewan, Michigan

Detroit's line offensive line over the past couple of years has been much improved and has gotten younger. We continue that trend in this year's draft with the selection of the nasty Taylor Lewan. An in-state product, Lewan will slide into the right side of the line and help solidify the tackle position for a long time in Detroit.

11. Tennessee Titans - Justin Gilbert, Oklahoma State

After losing Alterraun Verner to the Buccaneers in free agency, the Titans depth in their secondary is questionable. With the selection of Justin Gilbert, they get the best cornerback in the draft and a great selection to match up with Jason McCourty as both are solid man-to-man cover guys.

12. New York Giants - Mike Evans, Texas A&M

Johnny Football's main receiver down at Texas A&M is a big-bodied, big play threat that will give Eli Manning another weapon on the outside. After losing Hakeem Nicks this off-season replacing, Nicks is a must as this offence is at it's most effective when it has three solid wide outs stretching defences. Between Mike Evans and Victor Cruz, Eli will get back to being an effective quarterback and hopefully limiting his turnovers.

13. St. Louis Rams - Ha'Sean "Ha Ha" Clinton-Dix, Alabama

T. J. McDonald was a good start last year to upgrading their safety position, but Clinton-Dix will solidify that position for a long time. A excellent play maker for the Alabama defense, Clinton-Dix will be a ball hawk back there in the Rams secondary and a capable run defender. The matching of McDonald and Clinton-Dix will make the Rams safeties a formidable duo.

14. Chicago Bears - Anthony Barr, UCLA

More of a luxury/ best player available pick then anything, the selection of Anthony Barr is Chicago's way of starting to get younger on defence. Long-time star linebacker Lance Briggs isn't getting any younger. So, Barr can start at weak-side linebacker for the Bears while learning the finer points of the game from one of the best in the business. A solid overall linebacker, Barr is good in run support and coverage. His athleticism is top notch and, at the 14th overall pick, is a steal for the Bears.

15. Pittsburgh Steelers - Darqueze Dennard, Michigan State

This is another case of starting to replace older stars with younger, high-end players. I have Dennard going to the Steelers. The Steelers defence is getting quite old, so an infusion of young blood is needed. Dennard, a solid cover man for the Michigan State Spartans, can slide right across the field from Ike Taylor and give them a fantastic replacement when they move on from Ike.

16. Dallas Cowboys - Aaron Donald, Pittsburgh

After signing Henry Melton to partially take the sting out of releasing DeMarcus Ware due to cap reasons, getting Aaron Donald would be a coup for the Cowboys. With a hopefully healthy Melton and Donald, the inside pass rush capability of the Cowboys could rival that of the Detroit Lions with their combination of Suh and Fairley. Donald's athletic ability is off the charts for a big man. He would be a start to make up for losing Ware's incredible pass rush capability.

17. Baltimore Ravens - Zack Martin, Notre Dame

Martin has a lot of ability and would be able to play guard or tackle for the Ravens. I have him sliding in at the right tackle spot of losing Michael Oher to free agency this off-season. Martin would be an upgrade over the slightly overrated Oher, who is mostly known for the movie made after his life. Martin would fit along with the hard-working, hard-nose Ravens.

18. New York Jets - Marqise Lee, USC

Michael Vick or Geno Smith still need more weapons at wide out, even with the signing of Eric Decker. Lee, out of USC, is lightning quick and is a playmaker with the ball in his hands. He would be an excellent option out of the slot, making it a tough day for whatever nickel corner would be on him that day.

19. Miami Dolphins - Xavier Su'a-Filo, UCLA

After losing two players from their starting offensive line from last year's team, getting Branden Alberts from Kansas City this off-season was a good start to rebuilding and upgrading their line. Getting Su'a-Filo from UCLA would be an upgrade over Incognito. The UCLA product is a road grader of a run blocker who is quite athletic. Su'a-Filo would be a solid addition to the Dolphins.

20. Arizona Cardinals - Calvin Pryor, Louisville

Matching Pryor with Tyrann Mathieu would make for another elite duo of safeties in the NFC West. Pryor, another gifted athlete, is a playmaker and a big hitter. He is solid in coverage and will give the Cardinals another playmaker to add to their already scary secondary, with the addition of Antonio Cromartie this off-season.

21. Green Bay Packers - Cyrus Kouandijo, Alabama

Aaron Rodgers has been hit hard and has had to scramble for his life too much for my liking. Giving him another book end tackle can only help Rodgers and the Packers' offence. A much better run blocker than pass protector, Kouandijo will still be an upgrade to what the Packers currently have at right tackle. He will also help out reigning rookie of the year Eddie Lacy tremendously when running to the right side.

22. Philadelphia Eagles - Jason Verrett, TCU

A solid man coverage corner who would probably more suited to a zone coverage type of scheme, Verrett would still excel at corner for the Eagles. Solid athletically, he is one of the quicker corners in this year's draft and can fly around the field. Verrett is an aggressive player who could slide into the No. 2 corner role if he has a good training camp. However, he would be better off suited to play nickel corner his first year and shut down a slot receiver.

23. Kansas City Chiefs - Kelvin Benjamin, Florida State

Benjamin has the raw talent to be one of the top wide outs in the league down the road. He is still kind of raw as a wide receiver, dropping some passes which should have been caught. But, the Chiefs need high-end potential at wide out with Dwayne Bowe being their only outside threat. Drafting Benjamin would also move Donnie Avery back to the slot role where he would be more effective.

24. Cincinnati Bengals - Kony Ealy, Missouri

This is kind of an over kill pick for a team who already has pass rush ability. After losing Michael Johnson this off-season, Ealy would slide right into his spot nicely. A good spot for Ealy to land in, Ealy would be surrounded by talent on the defensive line and would allow for him to show off his pass rush capability. Even if he is only brought in on pass-rushing downs like Bruce Irvin was for Seattle, his first season this would only make the Bengals better on defence.

25. San Diego Chargers - Louis Nix, Notre Dame

A mountain of a man at 6'3 and nearly 330 lbs, this former Fighting Irish would be the perfect nose tackle for the Chargers 3-4 defence. For a big guy, Nix can really move and is quite nimble with excellent strength. Adding him to this defence gives the Chargers a chance to move into one of the better 3-4 defences in the league.

26. Cleveland Browns - CJ Mosley, Alabama

After selecting their quarterback of the future with their first pick, the Browns get the quarterback for their defence. Adding Mosley to the already solid Browns defence gives them an embarrassment of riches. The value of this pick here is undeniably excellent and would make up for the loss of D'qwell Jackson this off-season. With the addition of Karlos Dansby from Arizona this off-season, the Browns linebackers would be a top 3 group in all of football. 

27. New Orleans Saints - Bradley Roby, Ohio State

The Saints need solid man-to-man corners in order to play defensive coordinators Rob Ryan's defense effectively. Roby is the man to do that. One of the best man-to-man corners in this draft, Roby has excellent speed and can get after the quarterback as well. While not the greatest run stopper, he has the potential to get much better at that studying under Rob Ryan.

28. Carolina Panthers - Odell Beckham Jr., LSU

Kind of like a poor man's Steve Smith, who is the man he will be replacing in Carolina. Carolina's desperate need for solid wide outs could lead to multiple wide receiver picks in this draft. Beckham will be the first of at least two picks at the wide out position. A smaller receiver who has a mean streak, Beckham is not as gifted athletically as Smith, but has potential to round into a solid NFL receiver.

29. New England Patriots - Tim Jernigan, Florida State

Solid value for the Patriots here at this pick. I fully expect the Pats to probably trade out of this pick like they usually do, but if they stay here Jernigan is a good value pick. Jennigan would be well-suited as an interior pass rusher for their 4-3 defence and a good replacement to Vince Wilfork when they move on from him in a couple years. Jennigan can really get after the quarterback and would be solid in a rotation with vet Tommy Kelly across from Wilfork.

30. San Francisco 49ers - Stephon Tuitt, Notre Dame

The rich get richer on defence with the selection of Tuitt out of Notre Dame. At 6-6, 300 pounds, Tuitt has some pass rush capability and has the size to play across from Justin Smith at defensive end in the 49ers 3-4 defence. Adding another big cog to the defensive line will allow the 49ers' All-World linebackers even more chances to show off their big play ability, while also adding some more pass rush ability on their defensive line.

31. Denver Broncos - Dee Ford, Auburn

Just what the Denver Broncos: need another high-end pass rusher. Putting Ford into the mix with DeMarcus Ware and Von Miller makes this defence absolutely terrifying for opposing quarterbacks. A speed rusher who can get after the quarterback, Ford will be an absolute nightmare playing with Miller and Ware and could put up the best sack numbers of any rookie this year.

32. Seattle Seahawks - Brandin Cooks, Oregon State

A smaller wide out with agility for days, Cooks can get around the field and make secondaries look silly just tackling air. Adding Cooks, with the addition of a hopefully healthy Percy Harvin, would be terrifying for teams playing the Super Bowl champs with all of Seattle's speed and athleticism at receiver. Cooks is able to return kicks and punts, which would keep Harvin off the field to keep him healthy with little drop off in return capability.

That wraps up the first Sports by Schmucks draft. Make sure to follow us on Twitter (@SportBySchmucks) for the release of the next mock draft. We'll also be live tweeting the first round of the draft.

To see more mock drafts, check out the hailRedskins.com 2014 Mock Draft database.

Sports by Schmucks Podcast - Episode 18 (MLB Preview)

The guys break down the upcoming 2014 MLB season. Topics include division winners, the Toronto Blue Jays (spoiler: not a division winner), MVP winners, Cy Young winners and the WORLD SERIES!

Like the video and subscribe on YouTube for more content.

Sports by Schmucks Podcast - Episode 17 (March 24)

Brett and Sean talk about March Madness, the Toronto Maple Leafs, and have a lively discussion about the Michael Vick signing.

So, how's your bracket?

Over the course of 96 hours, 64 teams were reduced to the Sweet Sixteen in the 2014 NCAA tournament.

With the narrative of the one-billion dollar prize for a perfect bracket, March Madness swept the Untied States. And Kansas basketball swept Canadian television.

As the final seconds ticked away on Andrew Wiggins and the Kansas Jayhawks in their 60-57 loss to the Stanford Cardinal, the hopes of a long run from the Canadian-born superstar faded for Canada's leading sports network. So much of the college basketball season in Canada was devoted to the next NBA superstar.

However, the tournament was full of Canadian content for viewers to enjoy. Viewers were briefly treated to Tyler Ennis in a Syracuse Orange uniform. They, like Kansas, fell in the round of 32 to a double-digit ranked seed. But where was Tyler Ennis' coverage on TSN or TSN2? Sure, we got a marquee game between the Orange and new ACC rival Duke, but that's all the network showed of the Orange.

Where was the coverage of Iowa State throughout the season? Toronto's Melvin Ejim was a key member of a Cyclones' team that won the Big 12 tournament. Ejim averaged 18.1 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. They made the Sweet Sixteen.

Ejim, along with Michigan guard Nik Stauskas (2014 Big 10 player of the year), Baylor guard Brady Heslip, and many other Canadians are still alive in the field. Maybe the network will start to focus on some of the other Canadian content.

After that mini-rant, some takeaways from the first weekend of March Madness:

• Bracket Busters: Three double-digit seeds made the Sweet Sixteen. Stanford (10) meets Dayton (11) in the South. No. 11 Tennessee, a participant in the "First Four," have a date with the aforementioned Stauskas and the Wolverines.
• Can you depend on freshman to win?: Two of the must-see freshman are already out of the tournament. Jabari Parker and Duke were upset in the "second" round by Mercer. He was 4/14 from the field. Was it pressure? Speaking of pressure, Wiggins had as many points (four) as he did turnovers in Kansas' loss to the Cardinal. While the Jayhawks were missing potential first overall pick Joel Embiid, Wiggins needs to take over that game.
• Undefeated no more: The Witchita State Shockers fell in the round of 32 to Kentucky in a fantastic basketball game. The Shockers were for real. They just fell into the wrong bracket.
• Fair Harvard: For the second straight year, Harvard advanced to the "third" round after an upset in the round of 64. For the second straight year, Harvard was unable to get over the hump. They put up a valiant fight against the experienced Michigan State Spartans, but were unable to keep them down on the mat for the three count. Still, it was a good showing by the Ivy League School.

Now, some time to brag. Granted, I missed a lot in my bracket. For some reason, I thought too much of Marcus Smart and had them beating Arizona. They couldn't even get past Gonzaga. Duke? You're killing me, Duke. The improbable four-point play at the end of VCU/SFA cost me some points as well. In all of that negativity, I still have my entire Final Four intact, which is something I can't say about anybody else in our Sports by Schmucks pool. Here's the current standings with Final Four selections:

1. Brett: Florida, Michigan State, Wisconsin, Louisville (420 points)
2. Josh: Florida, Michigan State, Arizona, Duke (420)
3. Sean: Kansas, Michigan State, Arizona, Duke (390)
4. Mike Mitchell: Kansas, Villanova, Gonzaga, Michigan (380)
5. Kieran: Kansas, Michigan State, Creighton, Witchita State (330)

The NCAA Tournament resumes Thursday night as the Sweet Sixteen begins. The Thursday action includes Florida/UCLA, Stanford/Dayton, Arizona/San Diego State, and Wisconsin/Baylor.

NHL 14 Be a GM - Dallas Stars (Episode 4)

The Dallas Stars begin the 2013-14 NHL season after a pre-season full of trades. How will this young roster handle the beginning of the season?

Sports By Schmucks Podcast - Episode 16 (March 17)

Brett, Sean and Josh discuss NFL free agency and the NCAA tournament.

Sports by Schmucks Podcast - Episode 15 (March 13)

It's a new podcast with Kieran! He talks about all things soccer/football. Enjoy!

NHL 14 Be a GM - Dallas Stars (Episode 3)

Episode 3 of the Dallas Stars Be a GM mode in NHL 14. It's the final preseason video. Who stays and who goes?

Sports by Schmucks Podcast - Episode 14 (NHL Trade Deadline)

The Schmucks talk about the NHL Trade Deadline. It was recorded late one night, so things get messy near the end.

NFL Off-Season: Free Agency (Defence)

Having taken care of the offence, my look at the NFL off-season now turns to the defensive side of the ball. Big name free agents are plentiful at every position along the defence. As Seattle has shown this year, having a dominate defense can win championships. Look for a lot of shuffling of high-caliber players as teams will look to retool and take a run at the Seahawks to declare themselves the best team in the NFL next year.

Defensive End:

There are a bunch of solid, young, prime-of-their-career players included in this talented group of edge rushers hitting free agency this year. Along with some older but still effective superstars, this group is one to watch out for this off-season.

Jared Allen: The long time Viking will finally hit the free agency market at the age of 32. Having a quietly solid season last year for the underachieving Vikings racking up 11.5 sacks his services will still be in demand. I expect his former head coach who is now the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive coordinator to push hard for Tampa to sign him, if not the Oakland Raiders or Denver Broncos to be good spots for Allen to land as well.

Michael Johnson: With Cincinnati's glut of pass rushers on their team, don't expect Johnson back with the Bengals. Johnson had a down year, only totaling 3.5 sacks this year. Considering the Bengals used the franchise tag on him the year before, Johnson should not be expecting anywhere near that kind of money. The most likely landing spot for Johnson would be with the Vikings as Jared Allen is hitting free agency. With new coach, and former Bengals defensive coordinatior, Mike Zimmer taking over for Leslie Fraser, the Vikings seems like the most likely landing spot for Johnson.

Michael Bennett: Bennett's gamble on himself coming off an injury last off-season was a good one, turning in a campaign that will net him a long-term contract from a team. Having racked up 8.5 sacks this year while maintaining good run support, Bennett is an all around defensive end. Bennett's last two teams will be in hot pursuit of him when it comes to signing him back. Look for Tampa Bay and Seattle to push hard for him, but for him to remain with his Super Bowl winning team in Seattle.

Other top free agents include: Lamarr Houston, Justin Tuck, Arthur Jones

Defensive Tackle:

An interesting mix of players are free agents this year at the tackle position. A lot of players coming back from injury, bad years, or finally breaking out after switching from defensive end to tackle. There are no superstars in this group, but some solid depth is out there for teams to sign.

Henry Melton: I don't see the former Chicago Bear returning to his team. They might try, but I think he will test the market. Having battled injury problems last year, he is one of the top disruptive tackles in the league when healthy. Look for teams like the Buccaneers or the Cowboys (if they can get under the cap) to make a push for him. If the Cowboys release DeMarcus Ware and free up cap, I think that would be a nice landing spot for him to go to.

Linval Joseph: The New York Giants absolutely need to re-sign this giant of a man. With the Giants being up against the cap wall and having multiple holes to fill on the team, it is very unlikely to happen. Joseph is a big run stuffer with some pass rush ability. He can play a nose tackle for a 3-4 team or run stuffer for a 4-3 team. The Atlanta Falcons would be a nice spot for him to land with ATL needing all kinds of help along their line.

Jason Hatcher: After switching from a 3-4 defensive end to a 4-3 defensive tackle, Jason Hatcher had a career year for the Dallas Cowboys. Racking up 11 sacks as a tackle is incredibly impressive, especially after just switching roles on the defensive line. Hatcher will not be taking a hometown discount from the Cowboys. Look for Dallas to try to re-sign him, but instead going with younger Melton. Expect the team who loses out on Melton to sign him, with those most likely to be the Buccaneers or the Bears.

Other top free agents include: BJ Raji, Randy Starks, Kevin Williams

Outside Linebacker:

After the re-signing of the big outside linebackers on the market in Brian Orakpo and Jason Worilds, the outside linebacker market has become kind of bare. There is still some decent depth linebackers out there but the top end talent is not there this year.

Shaun Phillips: Having joined the Denver Broncos last season, Shaun Phillips was inconsistent without the presence of Von Miller on the other side of him. Phillips is a pass rusher who needs someone else on the other side of the defense to take the heat away from him so he can do what he does. As a number two pass rusher on a team, you cannot ask for more. I believe the Broncos will re-sign Phillips, with maybe the Oakland Raiders being a second option if the Broncos option falls through.

Calvin Pace: The long-time Jet had a good season last year on the surprisingly solid Jets defence last year. At 34, this will more than likely be the last contract Pace receives. A two to three year  deal is likely in the cards. Pace is still an effective pass rushing option having racked up 10 sacks last year. Any team with the need for a pass rusher at the end would be wise to give Pace a look. I believe he will re-sign with the Jets at the end of the day and finish his career in New York.

Other top free agents include: Keith Rivers, Erin Henderson

Inside Linebacker:

Even with the re-signing of Donald Butler in San Diego, this linebacking group is quite deep and talented. With a lot of guys who can step in and contribute right away, look for teams with needs in the middle of their linebacking core to jump on some of these top guys immediately.

Karlos Dansby: After leaving Miami last season and re-joining the Arizona Cardinals, the team by which he was drafted into the NFL, Karlos Dansby had an outstanding year. Next to Darryl Washington in the Cardinals 3-4 defense, Dansby racked up 121 tackles, six sacks and four interceptions. Dansby would be unwise to try to test out the market. He is a great fit in Arizona and they want him back. I believe in the end he will end up back in Arizona, but the Browns might be a good fall back option to fill in for D'Qwell Jackson, who was recently signed by the Colts.

Brandon Spikes: After switching from the 3-4 to the 4-3 Brandon Spikes the New England Patriots felt they needed to move on from their former run stopping middle linebacker. Great against the run and a liability in pass coverage he will need to go to another 3-4 team to be effective. The Houston Texans would be a good option to play next to often injured Brian Cushing in their 3-4 and take on the bigger offensive linemen  allowing Cushing to run free and make plays and hopefully stay healthy for the year.

Jon Beason: The former All-Pro middle linebacker for the Carolina Panthers was moved around the trade deadline last year to the New York Giants. Slumping while playing for the Panthers, his move to the Giants this season revitalized his game. Beason is a quick, rangy linebacker whose bread and butter is as a 4-3 linebacker who is good against the run. He is also one of the best cover linebackers and will be coveted by teams in free agency. I believe a return to the Giants would be the best option for Beason, put Oakland or Minnesota would also be good options.

Other top free agents include: Daryl Smith, D'Qwell Jackson (signed with Colts before posting), Kavell Conner

Cornerback:

Cornerbacks are always in demand in this new NFL with wide open offences. This year's class of corners does not disappoint. With some hall of fame caliber vets out there, and some young guys just hitting first agency for first time this will be an interesting position for teams to go for coming up March 11.

Aqib Talib: The talented Aqib Talib is a mystery. While on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he was a troublemaker and talented playmaker who would get beat way too often. When he was traded to the New England Patriots, he became one of the top corners in the game. What Talib will a team get? If put into the right system with the right coaching staff, Talib is one of the best in the game. That is why I believe he sticks in New England.

Alterraun Verner: Looks like the talented former UCLA Bruin and Tennessee Titan will more then likely be moving on from the team who drafted him. Verner is a solid cover corner who racked up five interceptions this past year. At the age of 25, he will be in high demand. Verner would look fantastic on the other side of Joe Haden in Cleveland. If not, the Raiders could also use help on the back end of their defence.

Vontae Davis: The former Miami Dolphin standout and current Indianapolis Colt is an outstanding cover corner. While he isn't the biggest playmaker out on the market (only racking up one interception last year for the Colts), his cover skills are second to none. The Colts would be crazy to let Davis go, especially after spending a 2nd round pick to trade for him in the first place.

Other top free agents include: Sam Shields, Dominique Rodgers-Cromarte, Charles Tillman

Safety:

This class of safeties are led by two of the best young safeties in the league. With Seattle setting the example of what two outstanding safeties can do to make your secondary fearful, look for teams to try to learn from their example and go out and spend big to improve their safety play.

Jairus Byrd: This one has got to hurt Sports By Schmucks writer and massive Bills fan Brett Smith (Editor's note: Bye bye, Byrdie) Probably one of the top three safeties in the league, Byrd's play making capability and coverage skills are second to nearly no one. The Buffalo Bills have made plenty of offers to Byrd in order to get him back. While I still believe there is a chance Byrd still can head back to Buffalo (EN: I don't), it is more then likely he is moving on. The Cleveland Browns would be a great landing spot for the Byrdman if other top free agent safety TJ Ward isn't re-signed. The Houston Texans would also be a good landing spot to pair with D.J. Swearinger.

T.J. Ward: Another one of the top young safeties out there on free agency market, T.J. Ward is much more of a steady tackler than other top safety Jairus Byrd. Ward is a solid defender against the run and good in coverage as well, racking up 112 tackles this season for the underrated Cleveland defence. The Browns would be wise to try to re-sign this force in their secondary. If he decided against re-signing, the Bills would be a good place for him to go. The Philadelphia Eagles need a steady player on their back end as well and could be a good spot for Ward.

Donte Whitner: Another former Buffalo Bills safety and another one of the better safeties in the league is hitting free agency. Whitner is known for his hellacious hits and fierce play. He's not much of a playmaker with his ball skills, but Whitner can turn a game around with one big hit. He makes going over the middle of the field scary for a receiver. The 49ers would be wise to make it one of their top priorities to bring him back. If not, the St. Louis Rams would be a good spot for Whitner to land as the Rams need safety help. The Rams would also hurt a division rival at the same time.

Other top free agents include: Louis Delmas, Antoine Bethea, Chris Clemons

So that wraps it up folks. That is my look at the NFL free agency period. Keep an eye out for my first mock draft coming up shortly after the free agency period begins.

Sports by Schmucks Podcast - Episode 13 (March 3)

It's time for another podcast. This time, the Schmucks discuss the NFL Combine, NFL free agency and the NHL trade deadline. Plus, they had out their high fives and face palms.

The podcast was recorded before the Luongo trade.