Todd McShay’s latest Insider mock draft
is out and he’s going against the conventional wisdom that says the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will take a defensive player in the first round.
McShay has the Bucs taking West Virginia receiver Tavon Austin at No. 13. The Bucs recently have added receivers Kevin Ogletree and Steve Smith to compete with Tiquan Underwood for the backup jobs behind Vincent Jackson and Mike Williams.
Would the Bucs really use their first-round pick on a guy that’s projected as a slot receiver? I wouldn’t rule it out. Tampa Bay appears to be committed to giving quarterback Josh Freeman all the tools he needs to succeed and Austin is a dynamic playmaker.
At No. 14, McShay has Carolina taking Missouri defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson. That’s a very common pick for the Panthers in mock drafts. If Richardson is there, I think he’d be a solid fit for the Panthers.
McShay has the New Orleans Saints taking Georgia linebacker Alec Ogletree. That’s entirely possible. But I think Ogletree’s college teammate, linebacker Jarvis Jones, also could be a possibility for the Saints.
At No. 30, McShay has the Atlanta Falcons taking Florida State defensive end Cornellius Carradine. I’d like to see the Falcons add a cornerback, but I’m not sure they’ll be able to get good value in the first round. Adding a pass-rusher like Carradine wouldn’t be a bad alternative because he could make the cornerbacks look better.