NFL Draft 2013: The Top 32 Prospects And Where They'll Be Drafted

Culture
By Michael Calabrese

With the 78th annual NFL Draft nearly here, the rumors are flying. Find out who we project your favorite team selecting during Thursday's first round under the lights at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.  

1. Kansas City Chiefs 

Luke Joeckel - OT - Texas A&M

Luke Joeckel started every college game he played in (39) and was both a Freshman All-American in 2010 and an AP All-American during his final year in College Station.  

2. Jacksonville Jaguars

Eric Fisher - OT - Central Michigan

This pick marks the 12th time the Jags have drafted in the top 10 and the third time they've owned the second overall selection. Tony Boselli got the ball rolling for the Jags in 1995, coming off the board after Ki-Jana Carter was selected first by the Cincinnati Bengals.  

3. Oakland Raiders

Sharrif Floyd - DT - Florida

Coming out of George Washington High School in Northeast Philadelphia, Floyd was the 25th rated player in the 2010 recruiting class according to ESPN.  

4. Philadelphia Eagles 

Star Lotulelei - DT - Utah

The Eagles have drafted in the top-5 on 19 occasions. Three of those players have been enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame (Van Buren, Bednarik, Brown). The Eagles also drafted in the top-5 for five consecutive years between 1936-40.   

5. Detroit Lions

Lane Johnson - OT - Oklahoma 

Johnson competed in track during high school, finishing fourth in the shot put at the 2008 Texas State Championships. He also played QB at Kilgore College before transferring to OU. He completed 32-of-61 passes for the Kilgore College Rangers in 2008.  

6. New York Jets (PROJECTED Trade with Cleveland Browns)

Dee Milliner - CB - Alabama

Since 2009, Nick Saban has produced 11 first round draft picks. Trent Richardson (RB) and Marcell Dareus (DT) both came off the board third overall in 2011 and 2012 respectively.   

7. Arizona Cardinals

Dion Jordan - DE/OLB - Oregon

Since moving to Arizona in 1988 the Cardinals have selected four defensive ends in the first round. Eric Swann and Simeon Rice both excelled for Arizona, Calvin Pace struggled until he switched positions in 2007 and Andre Wadsworth went down as one of the biggest busts in NFL history.  

8. Buffalo Bills

Chance Warmack - OG - Alabama

Since 2000, only two players selected by the Bills in the first round have gone to the Pro Bowl during their careers in Buffalo (Nate Clements, Marshawn Lynch).  

9. Cleveland Browns (PROJECTED Trade With New York Jets)

Ziggy Ansah - DE - Brigham Young

Ansah was born in Accra, Ghana. Accra is a sister city with two U.S. cities, Chicago and Washington, D.C. 

10. Tennessee Titans

Sheldon Richardson - DT - Missouri

Richardson had a fine junior season for Mizzou, but he'll likely be remembered for calling out Georgia prior to their SEC opener. Richardson said they played "old-man football."  Georgia responded by giving them an old-school beatdown, besting the Tigers 41-20. 

11. San Diego Chargers

Jonathan Cooper - OG - North Carolina

In the last seven seasons the Chargers have only sent Marcus McNeill (OT) and Kris Dielman (OG) to the Pro Bowl. The lack of talent on the offensive line has seen the Chargers surrender 117 sacks over the past three seasons.  

12. Miami Dolphins 

D.J. Fluker - OT - Alabama

Fluker was the top rated tackle in the 2009 recruiting class according to Rivals, ESPN and MaxPreps.  

13. New York Jets (Via Trade With Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

Barkevious Mingo - DE/OLB - LSU

Barkevious "KeKe" Mingo won the the prestigious Name of the Year award in 2009. Previous winners included Baskerville Holmes, Toyko Sexwale, Scientific Mapp and Crescent Dragonwagon.   

14. Carolina Panthers

Kenny Vaccaro - S - Texas

Despite being the consensus No. 1 safety in this draft, Vaccaro's Longhorns ranked 64th in Passing Efficiency Defense, behind programs like Kent State, Hawai'i and Arkansas State.   

15. New Orleans Saints

Jarvis Jones - OLB - Georgia

Jones led the country in both sacks (14.5) and tackles for loss (24.5). The SEC Defensive Player of the Year terrorized opposing backfields, most notably his nine tackle, two sack, two forced fumble, one interception performance against Missouri. 

16. St. Louis Rams

Tavon Austin - WR - West Virginia

Austin is one of four players to ever haul in four touchdown receptions in a bowl game.  Austin's four TDs and 286 all-purpose yards helped WVU torch Clemson 70-33 in the 2012 Orange Bowl.

17. Pittsburgh Steelers

Xavier Rhodes - CB - Florida State

The Steelers have been one of the most consistent franchises in the NFL over the past 25 years. Pittsburgh has picked in the top-10 just twice since 1988.  

18. Dallas Cowboys 

Sylvester Williams - DT - North Carolina

The Cowboys have been very busy on draft day over the years, trading for or trading away a first round pick seven times since 2004.  

19. New York Giants

Desmond Trufant - CB - Washington

The G-Men have selected a defensive back in the first round three times in the last six drafts. Trufant's brothers, Isaiah and Marcus, both play in the NFL. Isaiah plays for the Jets and Marcus is a sought-after free agent.  

20. Chicago Bears

Jamar Taylor - CB - Boise State

Taylor will join Chris Carr, George Iloka, Kyle Wilson, Jeron Johnson, Orlando Scandrick and Quintin Mikell as former Broncos DBs in the NFL.  

21. Cincinnati Bengals

Alec Ogletree - ILB - Georgia

"Tree" may join Carlos Dunlap, Rey Maualuga, Pacman Jones and Cedric Benson as current or former Bengals who have a DUI on their record. The Bengals didn't shy away from a player with character issues in last year's draft and Vontaze Burfict turned out to a be a real gem.  

22. St. Louis Rams (Via Trade With Washington Redskins)

Eddie Lacy - RB - Alabama

If Lacy comes off the board in the first round, it'll mark the third straight year an Alabama running back has gone in the first round (Ingram, Richardson). This would break the record held by Oklahoma State and Michigan. OKSU saw Thurman Thomas and Barry Sanders go in round one in '88 and '89.  Michigan sent Tyrone Wheatley and Tshimanga Biakabutuka to the NFL as first round picks in '95 and '96. 

23. Minnesota Vikings

Manti Te'o - ILB - Notre Dame

If the Viks select Te'o he'll feel right at home in Minneapolis. The Vikings already have five former Notre Dame players on their roster, including two defensive backs (Harrison Smith, Robert Blanton) that played with Te'o in South Bend.  

24. Indianapolis Colts

Datone Jones - DE - UCLA

Datone Jones would need 14 sacks in his rookie campaign to top the sack list of current UCLA Bruins in the NFL (Kenyon Coleman, NO, 13.5).  

25. Arizona Cardinals (PROJECTED Via Trade With Minnesota Vikings)

Geno Smith - QB - West Virginia

According to HeismanPundit.com, Geno Smith was in the lead for the Heisman for five consecutive weeks from Sept. 18th through Oct. 16th. Smith did not receive a single vote for the Heisman in December.  

26. Green Bay Packers

Matt Elam - S - Florida

Elam enters the 2013 NFL Draft without an agent.  How unusual is that?  Every player drafted last year (253 players) was represented by an NFLPA Contract Advisor.  

27. Houston Texans

Cordarrelle Patterson - WR - Tennessee

Patterson was a first-team All-American at the Junior College level in 2011.  In addition to his work at receiver Patterson averaged 48.2 yards per kick return with three touchdowns for Hutchinson Community College.  

28. Denver Broncos

D.J. Hayden - CB - Houston

Hayden nearly died in practice last year when he tore the inferior vena cava, the large vein that carries blood from the lower half of the body back to the heart.  Doctors said 95% of individuals who sustain this tear end up dying.  Emergency surgery saved both his life and his playing career.  

29. Buffalo Bills (PROJECTED Trade With New England Patriots)

Ryan Nassib - QB - Syracuse

Do the Bills value the Wonderlic Personality Test? They signed Ryan Fitzpatrick in 2009 and Fitzy, a Harvard grad, scored a monster 45 on the test. Nassib impressed scouts with his intellect during the pre-draft process, including an impressive score of 41 on the Wonderlic.  

30. Atlanta Falcons

Kyle Long - OG/OT - Oregon

Kyle's brother, Chris, was the second overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft.  Their father Howie was drafted in the second round by the Oakland Raiders in 1981.  He is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.  

31. San Francisco 49ers

Tyler Eifert - TE - Notre Dame

In his last two games against Harbaugh's former employer (Stanford), Eifert hauled in eight passes for 136 yards and a touchdown.  

32. Baltimore Ravens

Jonathan Cyprien - S - Florida International

FIU's Stadium, nicknamed "The Cage," pales in comparison to their new basketball court.  The Panthers have adopted a beach theme for their home court.