2011 NFL Mock Draft: Did Cam Newton Jump To No. 1 With Monster SEC Title Game?
2011 NFL Mock Draft prognostications are widely varied when it comes to forecasting the future of Cam Newton.
Although plenty of spread quarterbacks have struggled to make the transition to the NFL, Newton's amazing skills suggest he is not just another quarterback.
During Saturday's rout of South Carolina in the SEC Championship Game, Newton showed he was much more than a great runner.
In addition to possessing a strong arm, he also has a smooth release and can make any throw on the field.
His physical tools should ensure he goes somewhere in the first round if he decides to turn pro, as expected.
This week's mock draft features some movement at the top with the Bills no longer holding the first overall pick.
Will Andrew Luck still be the first player taken?
Here's a look at how the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft could shape up.
No. 32 New England Patriots: Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame
1 of 32
Tools: Great size, good hands and decent speed. Not afraid to get physical, which could help him against press coverage in the pros.
Why He Goes Here: Depending on how the draft order shakes out, Floyd could go higher in the first round. His upside appears to be less than fellow receivers Justin Blackmon, Julio Jones and Jonathan Baldwin.
Why He Fits With New England: Sure, the Patriots have had success without a marquee receiver on the outside, but that won't last forever.
Floyd would be a steal at the end of the first round.
No. 31 Atlanta Falcons: Stephen Paea, DT, Oregon State
2 of 32
Tools: Very good against the run and underrated as a pass-rusher. Benefits from going against mediocre offensive lines in the Pac-10.
Why He Goes Here: Paea is only about 6'1", but he clearly is a first-round talent.
Why He Fits With Atlanta: One of the few areas Atlanta could use help is along the defensive line. Paea is the type of player who can make an immediate impact.
No. 30 New York Jets: Anthony Costanzo, OT, Boston College
3 of 32
Tools: Underrated athlete who has held his own against some of the best pass-rushers in the ACC during his collegiate career.
Why He Goes Here: Do NFL teams believe he can play left tackle? The answer to that question could determine his fate as a mid or late first-round pick.
Costanzo could benefit by adding some additional strength before the combine.
Why He Fits With the New York Jets: New York needs to start thinking about grooming a replacement for Damien Woody at right tackle.
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No. 29 New Orleans Saints: Ryan Williams, RB, Virginia Tech
4 of 32
Tools: Arguably the best skill-set of any running back in the draft, Williams could still choose to return to Virginia Tech next season.
Why He Goes Here: Williams figures to run around a 4.5 40 at the combine and has solid strength and versatility.
Why He Fits With New Orleans: The Saints have plenty of running backs, but none that can be counted on.
Williams has the makings of an every-down back, something New Orleans will need as Drew Brees continues to get a little older.
No. 28 Pittsburgh Steelers: Mike Pouncey, OG/C, Florida
5 of 32
Tools: Probably not as talented as brother Maurkice, but Mike Pouncey can play either guard or center right away in the NFL.
Why He Goes Here: Pouncey is dependable and versatile, making him a lock for the late-first or early-second round.
Why He Fits With Pittsburgh: Aside from his brother, the Steelers continue to look for help along the offensive line.
Tackle might be at the top of the list, but Pittsburgh might opt to take the best available lineman in this spot.
No. 27 Green Bay Packers: Von Miller, LB/DE, Texas A&M
6 of 32
Tools: One of the most productive pass-rushers in the country, Miller has great instincts and good strength as a hybrid-type linebacker.
Why He Goes Here: He probably doesn't fit with a 4-3 defense, but there are plenty of 3-4 teams picking near the end of the first round that could nab Miller.
Why He Fits With Green Bay: Dom Capers has found success in Green Bay despite having few linebackers accustomed to playing in a 3-4 set.
Adding Miller to the mix would shore up depth in the most critical area on the Packers defense.
No. 26 Phileadelphia Eagles: Bruce Carter, LB, North Carolina
7 of 32
Tools: Everything you could ask for in a stud linebacker, including speed and strength.
Why He Goes Here: With his outstanding athletic ability, Carter could even go higher in the first round.
Why He Fits With Philadelphia: The Eagles could use offensive line help, but the biggest void appears to be on the defensive side of the ball.
Carter would likely step in as the starter immediately in Philly.
No. 25 San Diego Chargers: Jonathan Baldwin, WR, Pittsburgh
8 of 32
Tools: Great strength, good size and outstanding ball skills.
Why He Goes Here: Baldwin looks the part, but he is still a little raw and wasn't asked to do much in the middle of the field during his days with Pitt.
Depending on his performance at the combine, he could go higher or lower.
Why He Fits With San Diego: The Chargers won't be getting Vincent Jackson back, which means they will need at least one wide receiver.
A.J. Smith loves big receivers and will have a difficult time passing on Baldwin if he is on the board.
No. 24 Baltimore Ravens: Aaron Williams, CB, Texas
9 of 32
Tools: A playmaker on the defensive side of the ball who is used to playing on an island.
Why He Goes Here: Williams has been projected as a first-round pick since the beginning of the season.
He figures to be the third or fourth cornerback selected in the 2011 draft.
Why He Fits With Baltimore: Baltimore has needs at receiver, but corner is a glaring problem that cannot be ignored.
Look for the Ravens to select either a corner or safety in the first round to shore up the weak secondary.
Ed Reed can't do it alone.
No. 23 Chicago Bears: Joseph Barksdale, OT, LSU
10 of 32
Tools: The most athletic offensive lineman in the draft, Barksdale is experienced and accustomed to facing tough competition in the SEC.
Why He Goes Here: Barksdale figures to be the first or second offensive lineman selected. Don't be surprised if he ends up in the top 20 depending on how things play out.
Why He Fits With Chicago: Aside from drafting Chris Williams in 2008, the Bears have ignored offensive linemen in the first round.
The need to improve along the trenches is too obvious for Jerry Angelo to ignore.
No. 22 Indianapolis Colts: Derek Sherrod, OT, Mississippi State
11 of 32
Tools: Physical talent and strength won't wow you, but he is an outstanding pass protector with good footwork.
Why He Goes Here: Sherrod is ready to start immediately and looks like a mid to late first-round pick.
Why He Fits With Indianapolis: The Colts love agile offensive lineman who can pass-block, which makes Sherrod the logical selection.
Indy's offensive line is a colossal mess and could use upgrades at least three spots heading into next season.
No. 21 St. Louis Rams: Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama
12 of 32
Tools: The 2009 Heisman Trophy winner doesn't get as much pro love as teammate Trent Richardson, but you can't argue with Ingram's production.
Why He Goes Here: Ingram has great power and balance. He should benefit from what is a fairly weak running back class in 2011.
Why He Fits With St. Louis: Steven Jackson has taken a pounding during his career in St. Louis, and the Rams could use some backfield depth to spell their workhorse.
If St. Louis doesn't like what is available at receiver late in the first round, nabbing a running back makes sense.
No. 20 Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Allen Bailey, DE/DT, Miami
13 of 32
Tools: His physical skills are obvious, but Bailey's production wasn't very impressive this season.
Why He Goes Here: Bailey is the epitome of a physical freak who will be drafted based primarily on potential.
Don't expect him to go much lower than No. 20 in the first round.
Why He Fits With Tampa Bay: The Bucs defense has overachieved this season to say the least.
Tampa could use a young pass-rusher with good upside.
No. 19 New York Giants: Rahim Moore, S, UCLA
14 of 32
Tools: One of several pro prospects on UCLA's defense, Moore has a nose for the ball at his safety spot with 14 career interceptions.
Why He Goes Here: NFL teams might be a bit worried about his lack of strength, but Moore should be able to add weight and play immediately.
Why He Fits With the New York Giants: Antrel Rolle holds down one of the safety spots, opening the door for Moore to start alongside him or play in nickel packages.
No. 18 Kansas City Chiefs: Ryan Broyles, WR, Oklahoma
15 of 32
Tools: Plenty of speed and quickness. Broyles has the makings of a slot receiver in the NFL and is accustomed to going over the middle.
Why He Goes Here: Broyles looks like one the safest bets at wide receiver in the draft.
He probably won't be a star, but expect him be a very solid player for years to come.
Why He Fits With Kansas City: The Chiefs have turned around their fortunes thanks to an influx of young players from successful college programs.
Broyles would be a nice compliment to Dwayne Bowe and Tony Moeaki in Kansas City's improving passing game.
No. 17 Miami Dolphins: Cam Newton, QB, Auburn
16 of 32
Tools: Strong arm, short throwing motion and great size, strength and speed. A physical freak.
Why He Goes Here: Newton has as much talent as any quarterback in the draft, but he has only played one true year of high-level college football.
The stigma attached to spread quarterbacks is likely to make him the fourth QB selected in the 2011 draft.
Why He Fits With Miami: Surprisingly, John Beck wasn't the young quarterback of the future in Miami.
Neither is Chad Henne.
The Dolphins can leave Henne as the starter for the year or so it takes for Newton to learn a pro offense.
At the very worst, he would be a better version of Pat White running the Wildcat as a rookie.
No. 16 Jacksonville Jaguars: Adrian Clayborn, DE, Iowa
17 of 32
Tools: Excellent footwork and very stout against the run. When he puts his mind to it, Clayborn can be a dominant force.
Why He Goes Here: Clayborn had a disappointing year despite playing on what was regarded as one of the better defensive lines in the country.
Unless he shows he can develop a go-to move as a pass-rusher, he won't go much higher than No. 15.
Why He Fits With Jacksonville: The Jaguars are unsure what will happen with Aaron Kampman after his season-ending ACL injury.
Even if Kampman is able to come back next season, Jacksonville desperately needs help up front.
No. 15 Houston Texans: Janoris Jenkins, CB, Florida
18 of 32
Tools: In terms of athletic ability, Jenkins compares to former Texan Dunta Robinson.
Unlike Robinson, the Florida Gators standout seems to have good ball skills and the willingness to make a tackle.
Why He Goes Here: Jenkins is basically a lock for the first round thanks to his blistering speed.
Why He Fits With Houston: Man, do the Houston Texans ever need help in the secondary.
Jenkins could be one of a few defensive backs Houston selects in the 2011 draft.
No. 14 Tennessee Titans: Ryan Kerrigan, DE, Purdue
19 of 32
Tools: Kerrigan put up solid numbers at Purdue despite constantly facing double-teams. A prototypical energy player, he has drawn comparisons to former Titan Kyle Vanden Bosch.
Why He Goes Here: Kerrigan will go either before or after fellow Big Ten defensive end Adrian Clayborn, somewhere in the middle of the first round.
Why He Fits With Tennessee: The Titans need a young quarterback but could look for a safer bet instead.
Kerrigan might be the best player available at this spot in the draft.
No. 13 Washington Redskins: Julio Jones, WR, Alabama
20 of 32
Tools: Prototypical size for an NFL receiver, with good hands.
Why He Goes Here: Jones is almost always projected as a top-15 selection in 2011 NFL Mock Drafts.
Depending on how the final draft order shakes out, he could end up going to Washington, Seattle or St. Louis.
Why He Fits With Washington: Few teams have a worse collection of wide receivers than the Redskins.
Washington needs a young running back, but the value isn't there at No. 13.
Look for Mike Shanahan to focus on improving the offense throughout the draft, beginning with Jones if he is still on the board.
No. 12 New England Patriots: Akeem Ayers, LB, UCLA
21 of 32
Tools: Listed at 6'5", 250, Ayers has great speed and mobility for a player of his size.
Why He Goes Here: Ayers might be a little raw, but it won't take much for him to make an impact in the NFL.
Why He Fits With New England: The Patriots are stockpiling young defensive players and have an abundance of picks in the draft.
If Ayers is on the board, look for Bill Belichick to add another piece to his front seven.
NOTE: This pick originally belonged to Oakland.
No. 11 Seattle Seahawks: Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State
22 of 32
Tools: Aside from his absurd numbers, Blackmon has great explosiveness and runs precise routes.
Why He Goes Here: It took a while for him to get noticed, but Blackmon has all the tools of a No. 1 receiver.
He might also have the attitude.
Why He Fits With Seattle: Mike Williams has been a revelation, but the Seahawks need more help at receiver.
Look for Seattle to focus on improving the secondary in the later rounds of the draft.
No. 10 Cleveland Browns: A.J. Green, WR, Georgia
23 of 32
Tools: Great size, speed and absolutely lethal running after the catch.
Too bad he spent most of his sophomore season playing without a reliable quarterback to get him the ball.
Why He Goes Here: With the run on defensive linemen and quarterbacks in the top 10, this is the first place Green could land.
He would be a steal at No. 10.
Why He Fits With Cleveland: The Browns need at least one receiver to worry opposing defenses.
No. 9 Minnesota Vikings: Jake Locker, QB, Washington
24 of 32
Tools: You've heard Jake Locker's physical tools discussed for years now.
Good mobility, strong arms, great physical strength.
Just not many good results.
Why He Goes Here: If Locker doesn't throw at the combine for some reason, he could drop out of the top 10.
Otherwise, he should end up going somewhere, with several teams needing a young quarterback.
Why He Fits With Minnesota: The Vikings will need a new quarterback next year, and drafting Locker would be a solid move.
He isn't as raw as Tarvaris Jackson was coming out of college, but he probably won't be ready to play right away.
Don't forget about rookie third-string QB Joe Webb, who Minnesota is said to be extremely high on.
No. 8 San Francisco 49ers: Nick Fairley, DT/DE, Auburn
25 of 32
Tools: Incredible power with the ability to fight through double-teams at will.
Why He Goes Here: Depending on how things fall, Fairley could go even higher than No. 8.
Why He Fits With San Francisco: The 49ers need a quarterback and more wide receivers, but history has been unkind when they have addressed those needs in the draft.
Fairley is a low-risk selection for a franchise that needs to nab a sure thing.
No. 7 Dallas Cowboys: Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska
26 of 32
Tools: Not as hyped as Patrick Peterson but just as skilled. Great size and ball skills, and willing to lay the wood when necessary.
Why He Goes Here: Based on team needs and his ability, there is no way Amukamara drops much lower than No. 7.
Why He Fits With Dallas: Terrence Newman is running on fumes, and Mike Jenkins has been absolutely awful this season.
Dallas needs help across the board in the secondary.
No. 6 Denver Broncos: Robert Quinn, DE, North Carolina
27 of 32
Tools: A natural pass-rusher with fantastic speed, Quinn could be better against the run.
Why He Goes Here: Although he hasn't played since the 2009 season, NFL teams will have a difficult time passing on Quinn's potential.
Why He Fits With Denver: Josh McDaniels is all about selecting character, but that philosophy might change with him needing to win now in order to save his job.
Aside from his suspension for dealing with an agent, Quinn never had any issues at Chapel Hill.
Denver desperately needs a pass rush, and would get a big boost by selecting a defensive end like Quinn.
No. 5 Arizona Cardinals: Ryan Mallett, QB, Arkansas
28 of 32
Tools: A ridiculously strong arm, Mallett has improved his accuracy.
His injury history and lack of mobility could be a concern for NFL teams.
Why He Goes Here: There's nothing like drafting a quarterback with a rocket arm and ideal size.
Mallett could easily be selected before the more-hyped Jake Locker in the draft.
Why He Fits With Arizona: Arizona's offense doesn't call for a noodle-armed quarterback.
With Larry Fitzgerald and Steve Breaston able to get down the field, Mallett has have the arm strength to deliver the ball.
No. 4 Buffalo Bills: Marcel Dareus, DT/DE, Alabama
29 of 32
Tools: With good size and mobility, Dareus can play either defensive end or tackle and should do both in the NFL.
Why He Goes Here: Dareus is almost certainly a top-five pick. He could go as high as No. 2, but this spot seems the most reasonable.
Why He Fits With Buffalo: The Bills need a pass rush, among other things.
Dareus would provide an unstable defense with at least some measure of stability.
No. 3 Cincinnati Bengals: Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU
30 of 32
Tools: Ideal size and coverage ability, Peterson's return skills should make him a star in the NFL right away.
Why He Goes Here: Peterson has all the makings of a superstar and has fared well against some of the best receivers in college football.
Why He Fits With Cincinnati: The Bengals need someone who can make plays and make an impact every week.
Cincinnati could opt to select a quarterback, but Peterson is a very safe bet if Andrew Luck is off the board.
No. 2 Detroit Lions: Da'Quan Bowers, DE, Clemson
31 of 32
Tools: A character guy who has speed to get around the edge and size to stop the run. Talk about a rare combination, to say the least.
Why He Goes Here: Bowers dominated the ACC this season and looks like the best defensive end in the draft.
Why He Fits With Detroit: If the Lions select Bowers, they will suddenly have one of the best defensive lines in the NFL.
Look for Detroit to go defensive in the first round, regardless of their draft position.
No. 1 Carolina Panthers: Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford
32 of 32
Tools: Strong, accurate arm with underrated mobility and great size. He also runs a pro-style attack at Stanford.
Why He Goes Here: There isn't much Luck doesn't have, which puts him at the head of the class in the 2011 draft.
Why He Fits With Carolina: Even though the Panthers selected Jimmy Clausen last year, they would have little choice but to select Luck or trade the pick.
Luck is already more ready to play than Clausen and has much more upside, making this selection a no-brainer.
Expect Andrew Luck to be the first-overall pick of the 2011 NFL Draft, regardless of which team ends up at the top of the draft order.
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