Mock Draft 4.0 (Post-Combine Edition, 3 Rounds): Steelers Select ILB Dont’a Hightower, NT Alameda Ta’amu, OG/OT Brandon Washington

33. St. Louis Rams: Zach Brown OLB (North Carolina)

The Rams need help all over on the Defensive side of the ball.  They ranked 31st against the run last season, and they are in desperate need of good players at the OLB position.  If New York passes on him at #32, St. Louis can get one of the best 4-3 LB’s of the 2012 Draft Class in the form of Zach Brown.

At 6-2 230 lbs. Brown has improved each and every season at U.N.C. and finished his Senior campaign with 91 Tackles, 11.5 Tackles For Loss, and 2 INT’s.  Brown is incredibly athletic and he set the school-record for the indoor 60 meter dash with a time of 6.72 seconds as a Sophomore when he competed for the Tar Heels track team.

34. Indianapolis Colts: Mohamed Sanu WR (Rutgers)

Like many teams which draft a “franchise” QB #1 overall, the Colts will be looking to add some playmakers to the Offensive side of the ball.  An area of need for them is obviously at the WR position, and what better way to benefit Andrew Luck than giving him a fantastic pass-catching target.

Sanu, who stands 6’2″ and 215 lbs., established himself at Rutgers as a go-to guy in the Scarlet Knights’ passing game.  A three year starter in college that can make plays down the field, he should give Luck a solid weapon to throw to in the event that Wayne and Garçon end up leaving via Free Agency this month.

(Previous Selection: Dontari Poe, NT, Memphis)

35. Minnesota Vikings: Stephon Gilmore CB (South Carolina)

If the Vikings decide to go O-Line, WR, or trade for a bevy of picks to a desperate team in need of “RGIII” in Round 1, Minnesota will look to address their utterly horrible situation at Cornerback with multiple picks.  Luckily for them, Stephon Gilmore should be available to them at #35.

Minnesota’s Pass Defense in 2011 was pathetic, and I’m being kind here.  The Vikings Ranked 26th in Total Pass Yards Allowed, 29th in YPA Allowed, and gave up the most Pass TD’s in the entire League (34).  Gilmore is a big Cornerback (6’1″ 193 lbs.) that does well playing in Zone schemes that the Vikings run.  His experience and success in the S.E.C. can only help him transitioning to the professional ranks, and he could be asked to play significant time as a Nickel Back this season.

(Previous Selection: Chase Minnifield, CB, Virginia)

36. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Alfonzo Dennard CB (Nebraska)

Alfonzo Dennard (An All-Big 12 Performer in 2010) had a solid career at Nebraska and teamed with Prince Amukamara to form one of the best CB duos in college football during their time together.  The scrappy 5’10 205 lb. Dennard could immediately entrench himself near the top of the CB depth chart, and help the Buccaneeers Pass Defense for years to come.

Tampa Bay is in dire need of CB’s with Aqib Talib having legal issues and Ronde Barber on his way to retirement at some point.  Dennard is an immediate upgrade over any of the CB’s on the Buccaneers’ roster at this point.  Thus, if he is available at #36, Tampa Bay should not hesitate to turn in their draft card immediately.

(Previous Selection: Lavonte David, OLB, Nebraska)

37. Cleveland Browns: Lamar Miller RB (Ohio State)

Miller is known as a solid and speedy “one-cut” guy that can shoulder the load at first with Hardesty and Ogbonnaya.  Inserting Miller in the game and getting him close to 15 touches would immediately help the Browns’ woeful rushing Offense.

A RS-Sophomore at 5’10” 215 lbs. that averaged 5.6 YPC on 1,272 Yards and scored 9 TD’s last season, Miller doesn’t have a lot of tread on his tires, so Cleveland should be getting him for the best years of his career barring an injury.  If Cleveland is serious about competing with their A.F.C. North rivals, they must due their due diligence this April and get some playmakers.

(Previous Selection: Juron Criner, WR, Arizona)

38. Jacksonville Jaguars: Rueben Randle WR (Louisiana State)

If Jacksonville wants “The Blaine Gabbert Experiment” to pan out, they’d better think about getting him some WR threats to air it out to in 2012.  Mike Thomas is a solid possession guy, but the Jaguars still had better think about getting a competent deep man to pair with him.  One guy who is shooting up draft boards now is Louisiana State’s Rueben Randle.

Randle is an imposing figure at 6’3″ 208 lbs. and can immediately come in and become Jacksonville’s most potent deep threat.  Adding a guy which stretches the Defense vertically is vital not only for Gabbert’s development, but it helps guys like Thomas and TE Marcedes Lewis find pockets of space underneath.

(Previous Selection: Alshon Jeffrey, WR, South Carolina)

39. St. Louis Rams: Alshon Jeffery WR (South Carolina)

In the event that Washington does trade for the #2 pick, St. Louis will likely get the Redskins #2 and #3 Draft picks as compensation in 2012.  That being said, St. Louis could find themselves a bargain at #39 at a position of need.

Alshon Jeffery started the year as a Top 10 pick in many scouts and personnel people’s minds.  Yet questions about his weight and speed have emerged for the 6’3″ 216 lb. prospect, and he has plummeted down some Draft Boards as of late.  It will be interesting to see which team picks Jeffery and where because he is such a “boom-or-bust” prospect, but the Rams have such a need to acquire pass catchers for Bradford that passing up on an athlete of Jeffery’s quality would be asinine.

40. Carolina Panthers: Mike Adams OT (Ohio State)

In the event Mike Adams’ stock falls this far because of his Combine numbers, there is no way that Carolina will let him slide further down.  For a team that is in need of a Right Tackle due to Jeff Otah’s injury issues, Carolina would be getting great value at #40 if Adams fell to them.

The massive (6’8″ 320 lbs.) Adams projects as a Right Tackle at the professional level, has loads of athletic ability, and can run-block very well.  Nevertheless, questions surround his effort/work-ethic and his suspension at Ohio State because of “Tattoo-Gate.”  Both of which could push him into the early 2nd Round area.

(Previous Selection: Mohamed Sanu, WR, Rutgers)

41. Buffalo Bills: Chandler Jones DE/OLB (Syracuse)

As I discussed in the 1st Round, the Bills pass rush is nothing short of terrible, and it wouldn’t shock me at all if Buffalo went with Pass Rushers in the first two Rounds of the Draft.  If a guy like Chandler Jones is still available at #41, the Bills would be wise to add him to their roster.

A 2011 All-Big East selection and standing 6’5″ and weighing 265 lbs., Jones has a stout “tweener” frame to play DE in a 4-3 and pack on about 10 more lbs., or stand up to play OLB in a 3-4 set at his current weight.  Putting Jones together with a Melvin Ingram type player would instantly remedy a large amount of Buffalo’s pass rushing woes.

42. Miami Dolphins: Jerel Worthy DT (Michigan State)

Miami could be moving to a 4-3 Defensive alignment this season, so they would be wise to acquire some 4-3 personnel.  Luckily for them, they could get a steal in the form of Michigan State’s Jerel Worthy at #42.

At 6’3” and 310 lbs., Worthy could be that force in the middle that the Broncos are looking for in Year 2 of their 4-3 set.  Worthy turned in dominating performances during his 4 years in East Lansing, and started 37 games in the 3 seasons after his redshirt campaign.

(Previous Selection: Andre Branch, DE, Clemson)

43. Seattle Seahawks: Brock Osweiler QB (Arizona State)

Tarvaris Jackson and Charlie Whitehurst are not the long-term answers for the Seahawks at the QB position.  In the short term, they can keep Seattle in contention in the N.F.C. West.  But as for the long term and setting up the Seahawks for deep postseason runs, I just don’t believe either guy has shown the knack for being “The Guy.”  In need of a Franchise QB, Seattle could go after a developmental guy that is shooting up the boards like Brock Osweiler from Arizona State.

In terms of his athletic ability, the 6’7″ 240 lbs. Osweiler committed to Gonzaga on a basketball scholarship before deciding to go to Tempe to play QB.  His sample size of 15 games started is small, but his arm strength and athleticism could make him a danger to opposing Defenses down the road.  Osweiler’s accuracy and ability to throw on the run may need a bit of work, and he shouldn’t be asked to be the Day 1 savior of a franchise.

A team like Seattle would be perfect for Osweiler because he wouldn’t be asked to step in early and run the show.  He could master an N.F.L. Offense, learn to read through progressions better, and polish any weaknesses in his game over a year or two on the bench.  If he wows at The Combine, we could see Osweiler’s name moving up into the mid-30’s.