Jan 9, 2012; New Orleans, LA, USA; LSU Tigers cornerback Tyrann Mathieu (7) before the 2012 BCS National Championship game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Round 2

1. Jaguars – Sam Montgomery, DE, LSU: The Jags continue the trend of adding talent up front on defense, and although Montgomery isn’t a perfect prospect, he’s from a conference that best prepares him for the NFL. He’s hard to pass up.
2. 49ers (from KC) – Zach Ertz, TE, Stanford: The Alex Smith to KC trade nets the 49ers a player that fills a need and also is familiar with the head coach. Young quarterbacks need good tight ends, and Ertz will be a good one.
3. Eagles- Barrett Jones, G, Alabama: It didn’t matter who was playing quarterback for the Eagles in 2012, they were on the run. Jones provides immediate help and he is also a proven winner. Chip Kelly gets an instant starter in the second round.
4. Lions- Damontre Moore, DE, Texas A&M: Losing Cliff Avril to Seattle hurt the Lion pass rush, and Moore comes in with a chip on his shoulder attempting to prove his college production was no fluke. Perfect fit for the Lions
5. Bengals (from Oak) – DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Clemson: The Bengals find a player available that many expected to be gone, and they pounce on the smooth running wide receiver. The Bengals need help overall in the playmaker department, and Hopkins fits the bill.
6. Cardinals– Traded to New England, Patriots select Tyrann Mathieu, CB, LSU: The Patriots have proven in the past that they aren’t afraid of guys that fail drug tests (Aaron Hernandez) and with the support system they have in place, this is the perfect place for the Honey Badger. This also fills a huge need for New England.
7. Jets- Justin Hunter, WR, Tennessee: When Santonio Holmes went down last season, the Jets were exposed for their lack of talent in the receiving core. Hunter is a big, fast wide receiver that Mark Sanchez (or whomever else) will love throwing too.
8. Titans- Manti Te’o, ILB, Notre Dame: The Titans defense was downright awful in 2012, but after finding the steal of the first round with Star Lotulelei, the Titans add talent to their linebacking core that is sorely in need.
9. Bills-Ryan Nassib, QB, Syracuse: Nassib has been compared most to Andy Dalton, and with Coach Marrone heading over from Syracuse, it makes sense to draft a player that they have a head start with. Nassib holds the ball too long, a habit he must break in the NFL.
10. Dolphins- Johnthan Banks, CB, Mississippi State: The Dolphins lost Sean Smith in free agency, and even with Brent Grimes recent signing, the Dolphins are in the same division with New England. Lack of secondary talent=no chance at a division title.
11. Buccaneers- Jesse Williams, DT, Alabama: The Bucs already picked up the best cornerback in the NFL with their first round trade, and now they find a first round talent in Williams on the board. With Revis and Goldson in the secondary and Williams added up front, the Bucs defense may be the most improved in the NFL.
12. Panthers- Margus Hunt, DE, SMU: The freak athlete from SMU is just impossible to pass on for the Panthers, and they take him and his 81 inch wingspan with their second pick. Hard to question this pick considering the limited depth of the Panthers defensive ends. Hunt will be 26 when the season starts, one of the reasons for his drop into the second round.
13. Chargers- Kawann Short, DT, Purdue: Although the Chargers run defense wasn’t all that bad in 2012 (ranked 6th in yards against), the Chargers did lose Vaughn Martin in free agency, so adding talent up front on defense is a priority. Short can be a very good pro if he plays with more consistency.
14. Rams- Jonathan Jenkins, DT, Georgia: Jenkins is a BIG man, just what Rams head coach Jeff Fisher likes. He has gone this path many times before, and Jenkins, who many have ranked higher, fits the profile of a Fisher defensive lineman.
15. Cowboys- Eric Reid, FS, LSU: No offense to Will Allen, but he is not the answer at free safety for the Cowboys, not in 2013 or any other year. Jerry Jones likes big name guys, and Reid is just that. It doesn’t hurt that Reid can play and the Cowboys need help at safety.
16. Steelers- Terrance Williams, WR, Baylor: Williams is just what the Steelers like in their wide receivers; speed, athleticism, good build and he projects well in the NFL game. I think Williams may end up as the best receiver in the 2013 rookie class.
17. Giants- Arthur Brown, LB, Kansas State: The Giants continue the plan from the first round- add youth and talent to the defense. Brown can play inside and outside and the Giants scoop up the 2012 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year (much to the Bears chagrin.)
18. Bears- Khaseem Greene, OLB, Rutgers: After missing out on Brown, the Bears turn to Greene, the natural weak side linebacker out of Rutgers. Greene is one of Greg Schiano’ guys, and with Lance Briggs advancing in age, this is a great fit for the Bears.
19. Redskins- David Amerson, CB, N.C. State: Doesn’t it seem like the Redskins never draft? Well, they get it right with their first pick in 2013, grabbing the talented defensive back to add to an area of extreme weakness. Is Amerson a safety or a corner? The Redskins will have to figure that out, and as soon as possible.
20. Vikings- Mike Glennon, QB, N.C. State: Nobody can tell me the Vikings are sold on Christian Ponder, so why pass on Glennon if you believe he can play in the NFL? That is the position the Vikes will be in, and they will make the right move and we’ll see the second straight Wolfpack member come off the board.
21. Bengals- Giovani Bernard, RB, North Carolina: When the Patriots had BenJarvis Green-Ellis, everyone talked about them needing a speed-back compliment. Sound familiar, Cincinnati? Bernard is a perfect complement to Green-Ellis and will also be a huge addition to the Bengals passing game.
22. Dolphins (from Indy) – Alex Okafor, DE, Texas: Okafor was projected higher, and the Dolphins are pleasantly surprised to find him on the board at 54. The Dolphins have completely revamped their roster heading into 2013, and Okafor may end up as their top defensive pickup in the long run.
23. Packers- Travis Frederick, G/C, Wisconsin: Everyone is talking about how awful the Packers rush defense is, which is true, but the biggest issue with the Packers in 2012 was up front on offense. The Packers stay in Wisconsin and draft the flexible and talented Frederick, who strengthen them up the middle and improves offensive toughness.
24. Seahawks- Justin Pugh, T, Syracuse: The Seahawks were active in the trade market and free agency, but they have not addressed the offensive line. Pugh has been questioned due to his arm length, and he may have to be moved to guard, but those were the same things said about Matt Light when he was drafted by New England.
25. Texans- Jamar Taylor, CB, Boise State: The Texans did have one the best defenses in football last season, but the secondary still had some rough moments. Taylor’ size and athletic ability makes him hard to pass up at this point.
26. Broncos- Cornellius Carradine, DE, Florida State: The Broncos continue their quest to make their defense as formidable as their offense, and they get lucky to find Carradine still on the board. Carradine still has some improving to do, and the Broncos will do all they can to see that he reaches his potential.
27. Patriots- Robert Woods, WR, USC: New England has not had a good track record when it comes to receivers in the draft, but that changes with the pick of Woods. Woods enters the NFL as maybe the most polished route runner in this class and he also possesses great hands. The Pats get a steal with the talented receiver out of USC, their first draft hit at the position since Deion Branch.
28. Falcons- Logan Ryan, CB, Rutgers: Brent Grimes left in free agency, so finding a talented corner like Ryan that can come in and play right away is crucial for Atlanta. Ryan is another Greg Schiano recruit headed to the NFL.
29. 49ers- Philip Thomas, S, Fresno State: The Niners smartly waited to draft a safety, a need on their roster, and their patience pays off when they find Philip Thomas still on the board. The talented Bulldog safety has looked good leading up to the draft and he’s a great fit in the San Francisco secondary. (Don’t be surprised to see the Patriots make a trade for this pick or higher to draft Thomas.)
30. Ravens- Kyle Long, T, Oregon: When the Ravens got hot last year, much of the credit was devoted to their offensive line giving Flacco enough time to go deep. Bryant McKinnie hasn’t re-signed, and it looks like they are parting way. Long projects to be a starting right tackle in the NFL, and with his pedigree, he seems like a solid pick.

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Feb 23, 2013; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Texas A

Round 1

1. Chiefs – Luke Joeckel, T, Texas A&M: It doesn’t make sense to draft a QB and invest your top two picks in one position, so I think KC goes conventional to help protect Alex Smith.

2. Jaguars – Sharrif Floyd, DT, Florida: The Jags need to add talent everywhere, but the trenches are where the game is won and lost. Jacksonville adds a DT to help protect one of their strengths, the linebacking core.

3. Raiders – Geno Smith, QB, West Virginia: The Raiders did trade for Matt Flynn, but has that stopped anyone from replacing him? Smith would be able to learn and take over when he is ready.

4. Eagles – Dion Jordan, DE/OLB, Oregon: This pick really has nothing to do with the Oregon connection; it is more of what Chip Kelly believes Jordan can do in the NFL. He’s a unique talent, and Kelly has an idea how to disguise his weaknesses.

5. Lions – Eric Fisher, T, Central Michigan: The Lions have already lost Gosder Cherilus in free agency, so the ability to fill a huge hole on the offensive line cannot be ignored.

6. Browns – Dee Milliner, CB, Alabama: The Browns hosted a slew of corners in free agency, but nothing came to fruition. A defense that got a shot in the pass rushing arm will see another corner added to try and improve the pass defense for the constantly rebuilding Browns.

7. Cardinals – Lane Johnson, T, Oklahoma: With the addition of Carson Palmer and an already awful offensive line to begin with, this is a good time to start the offensive line rebuild. Adding the 6’7 tackle will help.

8. Bills – Ezekiel Ansah, DE, BYU: Yes, they added Mark Anderson and Mario Williams last year, but how did that work out? Ansah is a great young piece that the Bills need, and they will overcome the temptation to reach for a quarterback

9. Jets- Chance Warmack, G, Alabama: The Jets swung and missed with Ducasse, and they have had protection issues for two years. One way to improve your quarterback is to keep him upright. Warmack is a mauler, just what the Jets like.

10. Titans- Star Lotulelei, DT, Utah: Heart scares leading up to the combine now appear to be nothing more than a virus, and the Titans get the guy who could be the closest thing to Haloti Ngata in this year’s draft.

11. Chargers- Jarvis Jones, OLB, Georgia: After watching film on the Chargers, it is quite clear that they need an infusion of talent not only on the linebacking core, but the defense as a whole. Jones fills that need and starts Week 1.

12. Dolphins – Jonathan Cooper, G, North Carolina: The revamped Dolphins continue to add to their strong offseason and draft arguably the best guard in the draft. Protecting Tannehill is crucial, and Miami believes Cooper can fill that role for a decade.

13. Buccaneers – Traded to NYJ for the rights to Darrelle Revis; Jets select Barkevious Mingo, OLB, LSU: The Jets lose a piece in the secondary, but add to the pass rush with the talented but raw LSU outside linebacker.

14. Panthers – Sheldon Richardson, DT, Missouri: The Panthers are weak up front on defense, so Richardson fills a need and will most likely start right away.

15. Saints – Xavier Rhodes, CB, Florida State: The Saints find a surprise with Rhodes on the board and can’t pass up on the defensive back. New Orleans gave up many big plays in 2012 and addressing the pass defense can’t be ignored.

16. Rams – Tavon Austin, WR, West Virginia: Losing Danny Amendola off a team with a major lack of playmakers forces the Rams to look for offensive playmakers, and Austin may be the best one in the draft.

17. Steelers – Bjoern Werner, DE, Florida State: A changing of the guard is occurring on the Pittsburgh defense. Although the O-line needs help, it is hard to pass up on a talent like Werner.

18. Cowboys – Sylvester Williams, DT, North Carolina: The Cowboys re-signed Jay Ratliff, but they are still thin up front on defense. With the move to the 4-3, the Cowboys will need to add bodies up front on defense to run Kiffin’ system.

19. Giants – Datone Jones, DE, UCLA: The Giants are beginning to see the signs of age up on defense, and with Osi Umenyiora headed to Atlanta; Jones is a great fit to replace him and continue the Giants tradition of strong pass rushers.

20. Bears – DJ Fluker, T, Alabama: I’ve said it for two years and I’ve been right twice; the Bears need help on the offensive line, and Fluker fills that need. The Bears should have won 12 games last year. Fluker may push them to that level in 2013.

21. Bengals – Kenny Vaccaro, S, Texas: The Bengals have had a decent secondary the last few seasons, but safety is the biggest hole in the defense, so adding the safety out of Texas should add some athleticism and talent to the back end.

22. Rams (from Redskins) – Alec Ogletree, OLB, Georgia: The talented linebacker who has been in the news for the wrong reasons doesn’t slip past the Rams, who proved last year with Janoris Jenkins that they value talent and aren’t afraid to gamble. I’m not sold on Ogletree due to struggles defending the run.

23. Vikings – Cordarrelle Patterson, WR, Tennessee: After shipping migraine headache Percy Harvin up to Seattle and missing out on the Mike Wallace sweepstakes, the Vikings are happy to find Patterson still available on the board.

24. Colts – Kevin Minter, ILB, LSU: The Colts have spent big money everywhere on the roster, but inside linebacker is still very thin. Minter is the only ILB worthy of a 1st round pick, and the Colts don’t let him pass by.

25. Vikings (from Seahawks) – Jonathan Cyprien, SS, Florida International: After the Vikes filled a major hole at WR with the 23 pick, they turn to another weak area- safety, and nab the rising prospect that originally looked like a second day pick but has become one of the annual “risers”.

26. Packers – Eddie Lacy, RB, Alabama: Another member of Saban’ crew getting picked in the first round. I know the Packers need help up front on defense and offense, but they are badly in need of a running back to take some pressure off Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers in play action is scary.

27. Texans – Keenan Allen, WR, California: The Texans have had a glaring hole at the second WR position and they find a player that will push to start right away. Allen might be a bit overrated, but if he stays on the field, he is talented and should produce.

28. Broncos – Johnathan Hankins, DT, Ohio State: The Broncos defense failed them at the worst moment last year, and within the euphoria of signing Wes Welker, Denver lost one of their top three defensive players. This is one of those “take the best available defensive player” picks.

29. Patriots – Traded to Arizona for 2013 2nd & 5th Rd Picks; Cardinals select Matt Barkley, QB, USC: The Cards trade for two Trojan quarterbacks in three weeks, and it makes sense. Palmer is a two year stop gap to help prepare Barkley to take over when the Cardinals have a stronger overall roster.

30. Falcons – Tyler Eifert, TE, Notre Dame: Preparing for the retirement of Tony Gonzalez and grabbing the best tight end in the draft in one pick. Eifert also has a season to adjust to NFL speed before becoming the main guy.

31. 49ers – Desmond Trufant, CB, Washington: The Niners find a strong man to man corner in Trufant and add him to an already strong defense. Although safety is a need, it is impossible to pass on Trufant.

32. Ravens- Matt Elam, SS, Florida: Ozzie Newsome has a way of replacing starters with draft picks, and Elam is one of those prospects that could start right away, assuming he can outplay James Ihedigbo.

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Scott Olmos-USA TODAY Sports

This week, the main site has the New England Patriots selecting Oregon State Beavers cornerback Jordan Poyer, and the writer’s reasoning is that Poyer is the best corner available and the Patriots love to load up on corners. I, being the evil contrarian, disagree with this selection and would hate to see the Patriots select Poyer there.

First off, Poyer is a solid cornerback and can hang with physical receivers better than maybe any CB in this draft. I’m not sure if he is worth investing a first round selection in, but that’s not why I am disagreeing with the pick here. It has nothing to do with me not liking Poyer, but rather that the logic here is flawed.

Sure the Patriots like loading up on cornerbacks, but don’t all the other 31 teams in the NFL like drafting CBs as well? Here’s the thing, though, the Patriots, like most of those teams, like loading up on underrated corners in the later rounds of the draft unless if they have a need there. The Patriots don’t actually have a need at cornerback after the Aqib Talib trade.

Look, the Pats are fine at corner. Aqib Talib and Alfonzo Dennard are solid on the outside, while Kyle Arrington mans the nickel well. Marquice Cole and Ras-I Dowling bring quality depth to the position as well, and I’m not willing to give up on Dowling yet. He deserves a third year, because he has been effective when healthy. The problem is that he’s almost never been healthy.

I can definitely see the Patriots picking a guy they like after the first two rounds, and I hope that’s what happens. There is plenty of value to be had at the cornerback position later in the draft, but the Pats have bigger needs that they should address in the first round of the draft. More depth at corner is always nice, but depth is what you look for in the later rounds. That’s when you want to truly “load up” on more bodies at a position.

The FanSided 2013 NFL Mock Draft update for this week has Jesse Williams as the last pick in the first round (Denver Broncos), and I would rather have him than Poyer. The Patriots need a defensive tackle more than a cornerback, and I think Williams is also the better player.

As for Poyer, it’s good to see that he is finally gaining steam after being one of the most underrated prospects headed into the draft. Ask any Pac-12 fan, and they will tell you that Poyer is a solid player due to his ball skills, scheme versatility, and toughness (he almost never misses a play due to injury). He’s one of the top three corners in this draft, but the one problem is that his run defense leaves a lot to be desired. That puts him in the Darius Butler range, and Bill Belichick asks his corners to do plenty of work on run D. That’s a minor reason why I view Poyer as a better fit for another team.

You can follow Joe Soriano on Twitter @SorianoJoe.