Mel Kiper's 2013 mock draft has no QBs in the 1st round, and he explains why

Charles LeClaire-US PRESSWIRE

ESPN's Mel Kiper had a conference call on Wednesday talking about the prospects in the 2013 NFL Draft. The great thing about this year is that any time anyone talks about the NFL Draft, there's a good chance they're starting with .... the Kansas City Chiefs. Gotta love that No. 1 pick!

Geno Smith. Luke Joeckel. Matt Barkely. Mike Glennon. The Chiefs are going to take someone. We just don't know. But Mel Kiper has an early guess of who that someone will be.

So Kiper is talking to the media on Wednesday and of course the conversation turns to quarterbacks because Kiper didn't have any quarterbacks in his mock draft. He sent Luke Joeckel to the Chiefs with the No. 1 overall pick.

Kiper's mock draft: Luke Joeckel to the Chiefs | More Chiefs draft news and rumors

Via Mocking The Draft, Kiper said on Wednesday:

"Mixed opinion on Geno Smith. Some say top 10, but I think he's in the 20's," Kiper said. He noted that he almost matched Smith with the Cardinals in his mock draft at No. 7 overall, but "spoke with people in the league and didn't get that feeling."

"I don't just go by what I think, I go by what my friends in the NFL think and they don't have quarterback in the top 10," Kiper said.

I made this point on 610 Sports today but it bears repeating. At this time last year, Matt Barkley was talked about as one of the top picks in the 2012 NFL Draft, before deciding to return. Today, some think he may not be picked in the first round at all.

So, yeah, things can and absolutely will change quite a bit between now and April.

Read more from Kiper at Mocking The Draft. Lots of QB talk in there.