Rich Hidy, Sports Editor

The 2013 NFL Draft is just a week away, and many draft boards are still in flux in anticipation of next Thursday’s national frenzy inside Radio City Music Hall in “The Big Apple.” Notre Dame’s football program, one of the top in the nation, expects to have two prospects taken in the first round: middle linebacker Manti Te’o and tight end Tyler Eifert. The big question is not if these two franchise players will be taken in the first round, but where in the pecking order of 32 picks. Here is my attempt at predicting the first round with the Irish Rover’s first edition of a future annual tradition of a mock draft.

1. Kansas City Chiefs: Luke Joeckel. The Chiefs are starting this season fresh with Alex Smith at quarterback and a bookend left tackle, who will be a steady player protecting the blindside for years to come. Joeckel excels in pass protection and is athletic for a tackle.

2. Jacksonville Jaguars: Dee Milliner. The Jaguars need more help than just at corner, but Milliner will help stabilize the 21st rated passing defense. Milliner was a shut-down player in the SEC.

3. Oakland Raiders: Geno Smith. This pick may be the shocker of the draft. Dennis Allen has yet to get his guy at quarterback and will bring Smith in to compete with Matt Flynn and Terrelle Pryor. Smith started the season hot but leveled off to throw for an impressive 4,205 yards and 42 touchdowns. The big question is if can he lead a team to success with locker room charisma.

4. Philadelphia Eagles: Sharrif Floyd. The Eagles continue to bolster their defensive line after drafting Fletcher Cox last season. Floyd had only three sacks last season but shows the quick burst to be a havoc-wrecker at the NFL level.

5. Detroit Lions: Eric Fisher. Fisher is another great prospect in a deep class of offensive linemen. Brian Kelly coached Fisher and moved him from tight end to the offensive line for Central Michigan, where he began to become a standout pass blocker.

6. Cleveland Browns: Chance Warmack. Warmack punished Irish defenders in the National Championship game and may be the best player in the entire draft. His position as a guard drops him down to sixth where the Browns will use him to protect a 30-year-old second-year quarterback.

7. Arizona Cardinals: Ezekiel Ansah. Ansah has the upside to become Jason Pierre-Paul 2.0. He stands at 6’6 and had 4.5 sacks last season after starting to play football in college. The upside is huge and new head coach Bruce Arians will take that chance.

8. Buffalo Bills: Cordarrelle Patterson. The Bills have had some trouble finding a complement to Stevie Johnson, and with a new quarterback getting the nod in Kevin Kolb, this team needs as many pass catchers as it can get.

9. New York Jets: Dion Jordan. The Jets go back-to-back defensive ends after Quinton Coples was selected last year. Jordan is 6’7 and has pass rushing production with five sacks last season.

10. Tennessee  Titans: Jonathan Cooper. This year’s offensive line class rises above all other position groups, and Cooper is right behind Warmack in ability.

11. San Diego Chargers: Lane Johnson. The Chargers need someone to buy Phillip Rivers time in the pocket, and the 6’7, 303 pound Johnson has the pedigree to do so after playing for Bob Stoops at Oklahoma.

12. Miami Dolphins: Barkevious Mingo. Mingo is an athletic rusher who has a quick burst off the line of scrimmage. Defensive coordinator gets a toy to utilize on third downs after the Dolphins went on a spending spree this offseason.

13. Tampa Bay Bucs: Star Lutulelei. After being projected as the top player before the season began, Lutulelei drops here after testing positive for a heart condition. This could be the steal of the draft.

14. Carolina Panthers: Sheldon Richardson. He will be used as another pass rusher for the Panthers, who already have Charles Johnson and Rookie of the Year Luke Keuchly on that defense.

15. New Orleans Saints: Jarvis Jones. Jones doesn’t test well but has incredible game tape and 14.5 sacks from last season.

16. St. Louis Rams: Bjorn Werner. You can never have too many pass rushers and Jeff Fisher will continue to build around his big-play defense.

17. Pittsburgh Steelers: Arthur Brown. Brown is very underrated after transferring to Kansas State and becoming a tackling machine.

18. Dallas Cowboys: Manti Te’o. The Cowboys need a face of the defense to go along with DeMarcus Ware. Te’o is a hard worker who Jerry Jones will appreciate.

19. New York Giants:  Demontre Moore. Moore is a speed rusher who gave AJ McCarron nightmares after tearing up the Alabama offense last season.

20. Chicago Bears: Tavon Austin. The Bears get a playmaker for Jay Cutler to allow Brandon Marshall to get open more often.

21. Cincinnati Bengals:  Kenny Vaccaro. The consensus top safety will fill in for Chris Crocker to add to the weapons Mike Zimmer’s sixth rated defense already has.

22. St. Louis Rams: DeAndre Hopkins. The Rams take the third best receiver available in Hopkins, who has sure hands and big play ability.

23. Minnesota Vikings:  Jonathan Hankins. Kevin and Pat Williams are no longer able to team up to plug up holes in defenses, so the Vikings turn to Ohio State’s best defensive player.

24. Indianapolis Colts:  Datone Jones. Jones had 5.5 sacks last year and the Colts will use him to replace Dwight Freeney.

25. Minnesota Vikings:  Xavier Rhodes. After taking Harrison Smith last season, the Vikings select a physical corner who will help continue to build that defense into a future powerhouse.

26. Green Bay Packers: Eddie Lacy. The Packers take one of the best available in the powerful rusher Lacy. Lacy gives the Packers a workhorse in the backfield.

27. Houston Texans: DJ Fluker. Three Alabama linemen will be drafted early in this draft and Fluker is a secure run blocker on the right side.

28. Denver Broncos: Alec Ogletree. Ogletree is great at covering receivers and tight ends and will slide a little bit because of off-field concerns.

29. New England Patriots:  Eric Reid. The Pats need secondary help and Reid fits the bill of a hard-hitting safety, much like Rodney Harrison.

30. Atlanta Falcons: Tyler Eifert. The Falcons select the future replacement of Tony Gonzalez. Eifert and Gonzalez will make for a pass catching combination to rival the Patriots’.

31. San Francisco 49ers:  Desmond Trufant. The brother of Marcus Trufant, Desmond can run with any receiver and should fit well in Jim Harbaugh’s scheme.

32. Baltimore Ravens: Keenan Allen. The Ravens need a replacement for Anquan Boldin and Allen will be suitable in that category. He might have the best hands out of any receiver this year.

Rich Hidy is freshman entering the business school in the fall with a minor in journalism. He will be back for more as the Sports Editor of the Rover next year. Send him your draft predictions at rhidy@nd.edu.