Downtown Sports Mock Draft 1.0

This is the 1st version of the Downtown Sports NFL Mock Draft:

1. Houston Texans- Blake Bortles (QB, UCF)
2. Jadevedon Clowney (DE, University of South Carolina)
3. Jacksonville Jaguars Sammy Watkins (WR, Clemson)
4. Cleveland Browns- Johnny Manizel (QB, Texas of A&M)
5. Oakland Raiders- Marqise Lee (WR, USC)
6. Atlanta Falcons- Jake Matthews (OT, Texas A&M)
7. Tampa Bay Bucs- Anthony Barr (LB, UCLA) 
8. Minnesota Vikings- Teddy Bridgewater (QB, Louisville)
9. Buffalo Bills- Mike Evans- (WR, Texas of A&M)
10. Detroit Lions- Justin Gilbert (CB, Oklahoma St.)
11. Tennessee Titans- Darqueze Dennard (CB, Michigan State)
12. New York Giants- Eric Ebron (TE, UNC)
13. St Louis Rams- Odell Beckham Jr. (WR, LSU)
14. Chicago Bears- Timmy Jernigan (DT, Florida State)
15. Pittsburgh Steelers- Khail Mack (Buffalo)
16. Dallas Cowboys- Aaron Donald (DT, Pittsburgh)
17. Baltimore Ravens- Calvin Pryor (FS, Louisville)
18. New York Jets- Brandin Cooks (WR, Oregon State)
19. Miami Dolphins- Zach Martin (OT, Norte Dame)
20. Arizona Cardinals- Dee Ford (DE, Auburn)
21. Green Bay Packers- C.J. Mosley (LB, University of Alabama)
22. Philadelphia Eagles- Bradley Roby (CB, Ohio State)
23. Kansas City Chiefs- Kelvin Benjamin (WR, Florida State)
24. Cincinnati Bengals- Kyle Fuller (CB, Virginia State)
25. San Diego Chargers- Ha Ha Clinton-Dix (FS, University of Alabama)
26. Cleveland Browns- Donte Moncrief (WR, Ole Miss)
27. New Orleans Saints- Dee Ford (DE, Auburn)
28. Carolina Panthers- Allen Robinson (WR, Penn State)
29. New England Patriots- Ra’ Shaede Hageman (DT, University of Minnesota)
30. San Francisco 49ers- Jason Verrett (CB, TCU)
31. Denver Broncos- Xavier Su’a-Filo (G, UCLA)
32. Seattle Seahawks- Morgan Moses (OT, University of Virginia)             

John Wall: Wizard on the Rise

      In 2010 the Washington Wizards had the 1st pick in the NBA draft. The Wizards needed a new face of the franchise to get away from the Gibert Arenas era in DC in which they did not advance to the Eastern Conference Finals from 2005-2008. Well DC needed a player to help rebuild the franchise into creditably in a city that is crazy about their Washington Redskins and their hockey team the Capitals. That player they picked now made the Wizards from this dormant franchise to now a playoff team and they are my playoff sleeper.

            Now I know what you are going to say that he can't shoot. He is just there to make the highlights for Sportscenter on ESPN. Well sorry to disappoint the doubters out there but have you watched John Wall and the Wizards play. There are currently 30-28 they are the 5th seed and there are 1.5 games behind the Chicago Bulls for the 4th seed and home court in the first round in the Eastern Conference Playoffs.

            Coming to this year I put the Wizards on my hot seat this year. Why you may ask? Only because for the fact that Wall have all the talent in the world to put this team on his back and now he has the pieces in place to make this work. This year Wall is having career highs in points 19.8 , assists with 8.6 which is second in the NBA just behind Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry and his 2.0 steals per game is 4th in the NBA. He is now shooting at 42% and his 32% shooting from downtown is a career high. All because he now has a good midrange jump shot that he is been working on during the offseason that is paying off.

            Wall does have help in his backcourt mate who reminds me of a young Ray Allen in Bradley Beal. He was the 3rd pick of draft last year out of Florida. He is averaging 16.8 per game and shooting 41% from downtown. This man is not the shooter of a Curry or a Durant but he is close. Also they have a center in Gortat in which they got in a trade from the Phoenix Suns for Emeka Okafor.  This season he is averaging 12.7 points. However in his last ten games his averaging nearly 17 points per game. He is giving the Wizards an inside presence that they never had. Sorry Knicks fans this will pain you but you had this player in 2004 but then GM and head coach Isaiah Thomas traded him to Orlando in the Steve Francis deal. That guy name is Trevor Ariza. Who has won a ring with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2009. He brings them a presence that is need in a playoff push and he shoots 41% from downtown. When you have shooters in Beal along with Wall who can drive the lane and dish that makes a defense stay on its heels.

            Washington Wizards head coach Randy Wittman was on my hot seat because all that young talent needed to take that next step to be a good team. I know when you have a young team there are times that you have to be patient. His is running a up-tempo style that best fits his players and if gets the 4th or the 3rd in the East. He might me a Coach of the Year candidate such as Jeff Hornacek in Phoenix, Dwane Casey in Toronto, Terry Stotts in Portland, and Tom Thibodeau in Chicago or Frank Vogel in Indiana.

Kevin Durant: Making that MVP Move

        In the 2014 NBA Season there are many worthy candidates for MVP. Let's start with Paul George who was the 2013 most improved player. He led the Indiana Pacers in scoring with 22.2 per game ranked 10th in the NBA. Along with that he led Indiana with the best record in the East with 41-23. Then you have LaMarcus Aldridge of the Portland Trail Blazers. Yes that same Aldridge that wanted out in Portland in the offseason. Yet he stayed in Portland. He has both career highs in Points with 23.8 per game which ranked 8th and his 11.4 rebounds per game is 6th. Of course you have the reigning MVP Lebron James. Yes I know he is the 4x MVP and still put in his usual year of 26.8 points per year which ranks him 5th in scoring. Still averages his 7 rebounds and his 6 assists. We all know he is the best player in the game and led Miami to only two games behind the Pacers. James have chance to make it into 4 straight NBA Finals appearances. That is something that Jordan has never done.    

            However my pick for MVP is the man that resides in Oklahoma City. He is telling the league and James that I'm coming for you. His name is Kevin Durant. Now you may wonder why he is your pick for MVP. I know what you're going to say all he does is scores he is the 3 time scoring champ (2010, 2011, 2012) he averages no more than 8.0 rebounds and 5 assists per game, yes I hear you that he failed to get past the Memphis Grizzles in the 2nd round of the Western Conference Playoffs and Yes he was without Russell Westbrook one of the most dynamic point guards in the NBA and with Serge Ibaka one of the NBA up and coming Power Forward and my pick for the defensive player of the year award. Well Kevin has made great leaps and bounds on his quest to take the title of best player in the NBA away from James. His 31.5 points per game leads the NBA. He is the NBA most dangerous scorer. This man is 6'9 how has a great handle of a guard. His touch and shooting is something to see. If you are not careful he can put you in a poster. His 51% from the field is tops in the NBA and he still 41.0% from downtown. That is Stephen Curry like. We see a new KD who wants to win a chip now. He leads OKC with the best record in not only the West and also in the league with 43-12. From Jan 07-Jan 29 KD scored at least 30 pts per game and in that stretch he has no less than 4 assists. He is making his teammates Ibaka better and he is becoming a better scorer, Reggie Jackson no Yankee fan not Mr. October. Reggie Jackson is not the dynamic point guard as Westbrook. But he can hold his own. His had career highs in points, assists and rebounds. (13.4 pts, 4.2 assists and 3.4 rebounds). He is doing this without his running mate Russell Westbrook who missed 27 games with his knee. When healthy he is a walking 21.3 points, 7 assists and 6 rebounds per game. It will very interesting to see if when Westbrook comes back will be derail Durant's path to his first MVP for a scoring champ since Kobe Bryant did it in 2007. Yet I still hear people say that is an elite player but can't be that dude in the NBA. Well the way KD is playing he might not only win the MVP and be the 1st scoring champ to win it all since his royal Airness Michael Jordan did it in 1998.