My motto for the 2013 draft is "Trade that pick". I do not like the value of picks in the 14 spot or in the 4th round. I think that the value starts at our 44 pick and stays very strong throughout the remainder of the second round.

I also believe that our needs are very imbalanced. We need multiple lineman on both sides of the ball. We need Hangartner to be the first interior lineman off the bench (not a starter). We need to challenge or replace Bell. We need to be ready for Gross to leave (whether it is 2013 or 2014, he is sliding quickly into being a liability).

Our interior DLine must be upgraded. After 2 consecutive IR years, R Edwards must Go; Fua must go; D Edwards is a rotational UT, not an every down starter. We need a new starter at NT, a backup NT, and a guy that gets snaps at UT.

Other than that, Safety and a true blocking FB are our next most important needs. I think our CB's, WR's, and RB's can wait until the next draft. We are just going to have to pray that Cam can gut it out another year without a reliable backup.

In looking at a few Mock drafts, this is what I see:

Walts Mock on Walterfootball

14 Sheldon Richardson UT, Missouri

44 Dallas Thomas OT/OG, Tennessee

107 Quinton Patton WR, Louisiana Tech

I do not like this draft much. We do not need an UT as desperately as we need a NT. We do not need another 4th round WR pick. I do like Dallas at 2.12

Charlie Campbell Mock on Waltefootball

14 Jonathan Hankins NT, OSU

44 Eric Reid S, LSU

This is the better of the two drafts. At least he has a NT and we need a S as well. My biggest like on this mock is that he says that Carolina needs to trade back. We have cap issues. We are not picking up top end talent in free agency. And we may have to cut a starter or two.

Drafttek Mock

14 Johnathan Jenkins NT, Georgia

44 Logan Ryan CB, Rutgers

107 Tavarres King WR, Georgia

At least it has us taking a NT. to early for Jenkins though. Then a CB and a WR. No OLine. I should not have even included it.

My draft, using Walterdraft to determine who is available:

14 Chance Warmack G, Alabama

44 Jesse Williams NT, Alabama

107 Shawn Williams S, Georgia

I really do not want to take a guard at 14, but that is the value. The NT, WR, OT, and S positions do not have anyone still on the board that is a better choice at 14. We really need to trade back out of 14 if Walt’s board were to hold true.

The second round pick has a ton of great options. Dallas Thomas, Lane Johnson, DJ Fluker, Eric Reid, and Oday Oboushi are still on the board at this pick. But I took the OLine in round one so I had to take the NT here. Walt has him going 8 picks later at 52.

I am not excited about the talent available in the 4th round. Walter has Shawn as the best available S at this point.

My dream draft with trades: (There were eight 1st round trades last year. Do not tell me that we can not wheel and deal).

We have

Pick 14 is worth 1100 points

Pick 44 is worth 460 points

Pick 107 is worth 80 points

Total - 1640 points

To come up with the draft spot, I took one spot ahead of where Walt has the player going in the his current Mock draft (as of 1/10/13)

49 (410 points) - Oday Aboushi, OT, Virginia

51 (390 Points) - Jesse Williams, NT, Alabama

56 (340 points) - Sylvester Williams, UT, North Carolina

61 (292 points) - Larry Warford, G, Kentucky

84 (170 points) - Bacarri Rambo, S, Georgia

Total 1602 points

We would still have our 5th and 6th round picks for flyers.