2011 NFL Mock Draft: Where Do Terrelle Pryor, Cam Newton Go?
The 2011 NFL Mock Draft hysteria gets a little more frenzied now that the college bowl season is upon us and we will get to see what all the top guys look like in this year's bowl games.
The Panthers appear to have the top spot in the draft locked up, and the Buffalo Bills probably will be looking to fill other needs with their No. 1 pick if Andrew Luck is not there.
This is an especially strong quarterback class, and there are a lot of teams who need quarterbacks this upcoming season, so it looks like things are going to work out well for both the teams and the quarterbacks who enter the draft.
Then there is Terrelle Pryor and his five game suspension. The question now is if he declares for the 2011 NFL draft, or if he thinks he can raise his draft stock by playing the back half of the Buckeyes' season.
This is a tough question, so we'll deal with Terrelle Pryor and where he may go in this mock.
To find out the answer to that question, click on...
32. New England Patriots, Jonathan Baldwin, WR Pitt
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Why Baldwin Goes Here: The Patriots offense needs another good wide receiver for Tom Brady to throw to. While Tom Brady is doing just fine with what he has, Bill Belichick isn't the kind of coach to just sit back and hope this offense keeps playing like this next year without making changes.
What Baldwin's Role Will Be: In his rookie season, Baldwin's role will be to shift some of the coverage away from Wes Welker.
Pick Change: No.
31. Atlanta Falcons, Jeremy Beal, OLB Oklahoma
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Why Beal Goes Here: The Falcons could use someone younger and faster on the outside of the line who could double as a defensive end if needed.
What Beal's Role Will Be: Beal is big and fast, and the Falcons will use him to shut down the run and to rush the passer.
Pick Change: No.
30. Philadelphia Eagles, DeMarcus Love, OT Arkansas
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Why Love Goes Here: While Michael Vick is a mobile quarterback, he's had to scramble and use his famous rushing talents far too much this season. While Vick hasn't taken the pounding other quarterbacks have, that could change very fast if the Eagles don't upgrade that line.
What Love's Role Will Be: Protect Michael Vick at all costs.
Pick Change: No.
29. Pittsburgh Steelers, Mike Pouncey, OG Florida
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Why Pouncey Goes Here: The Steelers offensive line still is very bad, and the Steelers have to keep focusing their efforts on fixing it.
What Pouncey's Role Will Be: Rejoin his brother on the offensive line and keep Ben Roethlisberger upright.
Pick Change: No. The only way Pouncey doesn't go here is if another team takes him just to spite the Steelers.
28. New York Giants, Nate Solder, OT Colorado
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Why Solder Goes Here: The Giants currently have little depth on the left side of their line. Nate Solder remedies that situation.
What Solder's Role Will Be: Helping add depth and keep Eli Manning's uniform clean.
Pick Change: No.
27. Baltimore Ravens, Stefan Wisniewski, C
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Why Wisniewski Goes Here: The Ravens center, Mark Birk, is 34 years old. It's time to find a replacement.
What Wisniewski's Role Will Be: Wisniewski will be in a learning role his rookie year, but he'll have to be the anchor for that line for the next 10-12 years.
Pick Change: Yes. Janoris Jenkins is off the board.
26. New Orleans Saints, Cameron Heyward, DE Ohio State
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Why Heyward Goes Here: The Saints don't have a lot of quarterback sacks this year and are in need of a pass rusher. Heyward fills that bill.
What Heyward's Role Will Be: Give the Saints a more respectable pass rush.
Pick Change: No.
25. New York Jets, Cameron Jordan, DE California
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Why Jordan Goes Here: The Jets need help on their defensive line in the form of younger, faster guys.
What Jordan's Role Will Be: In a division that features Tom Brady, a probable young star quarterback in Miami next year and in Buffalo, the Jets are going to want a young, hungry pass rusher.
Pick Change: No.
24. Indianapolis Colts, Anthony Costanzo, OT Boston College
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Why Castonzo Goes Here: Peyton Manning's line isn't as good as last year, but he's finally adjusting to it. Still, my hunch is Manning will strongly suggest the Colts upgrade his protection with their first pick.
What Castonzo's Role Will Be: Stop the bleeding, give Peyton Manning time to throw again.
Pick Change: No.
23. Chicago Bears, Gabe Carimi, OT Wisconsin
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Why Carimi Goes Here: The Bears offensive line gives up far too many sacks for the front office not to address the situation in the draft.
What Carimi's Role Will Be: Carimi will solidify the left side of the line for years to come.
Pick Change: Yes. Anthony Castonzo is off the board.
22. Kansas City Chiefs, Drake Nevis, DT LSU
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Why Nevis Goes Here: The Chiefs offense and running game is working fine, especially with Matt Cassel improving every week, so they'll go defense with their first pick, and Nevis could develop into a fine pass rusher.
What Nevis' Role Will Be: Nevis will be a backup who emerges as a starter by midseason.
Pick Change: No.
21. Jacksonville Jaguars, Allen Bailey, DE Miami
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Why Bailey Goes Here: In a division that has Peyton Manning and Matt Schaub behind center, you need a really good defensive end who can rush the passer and drop back into short coverage.
What Bailey's Role Will Be: Shut down the outside running lanes and put pressure on the quarterback.
Pick Change: No.
20. Green Bay Packers, Aaron Williams, CB Texas
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Why Williams Goes Here: The Packers secondary is going to need some upgrades and some youth this offseason.
What Williams' Role Will Be: Provide the Packers with good pass protection on both sides of the field.
Pick Change: No.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Akeem Ayers, OLB UCLA
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Why Ayers Goes Here: The Bucs had no pass rush against the Falcons last week, and they're not going to go far in the NFC South against the Falcons and Saints if they can't get to the quarterback.
What Ayers Role Will Be: Improve the pass rush, shut down running lanes.
Pick Change: No.
18. San Diego Chargers, Von Miller, OLB Texas A&M
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Why Miller Goes Here: The Chargers have no true replacement for Shawne Merriman, so Miller will be an attempt to fill that void.
What Miller's Role Will Be: Keep the Chargers defense at an elite level since there's nothing he can do about the special teams.
Pick Change: No.
17. New England Patriots, Adrian Clayborn, DE Iowa (Via Oakland)
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Why Clayborn Goes Here: Bill Belichick is a master talent evaluator and his defense needs some upgrades for pass rushing schemes. Clayborn is built to rush the passer.
What Clayborn's Role Will Be: Destroy Mark Sanchez, Peyton Manning, and anyone else who gets in Belichick's way.
Pick Change: No.
16. Miami Dolphins, Mark Ingram, RB Alabama
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Why Ingram Goes Here: No matter what, the Dolphins backfield needs to get younger, and you don't pass up a prospect like Ingram.
What Ingram's Role Will Be: Ingram probably will be the starting running back as the season opens whether the Dolphins keep Ronnie Brown or Ricky Williams. Youth and speed will win out.
Pick Change: No. The Dolphins either will trade for a quarterback, or draft one in the second round.
15. St. Louis Ram, Julio Jones, WR Alabama
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Why Jones Goes Here: The Rams spent the money to get a No. 1 quarterback; now they have to give him a No. 1 receiver.
What Jones' Role Will Be: Catch passes, make big plays, help put the Rams on the playoff map for years to come.
Pick Change: No. This is a good pick that fills a need.
14. Tennessee Titans, J.J. Watt, DE Wisconsin
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Why Watt Goes Here: The Titans could be losing Jason Babin, and Watt is shooting up the draft boards over the last month. The Titans future plans are so in flux at the moment, this is one of the tougher picks to predict.
What Watt's Role Will Be: Watt is another good pass rusher on a defense that should be better than it was this year.
Pick Change: Yes, Jake Locker was the original pick, but either the Titans keep Vince Young and dump Jeff Fisher, or they wait until the second round to take a quarterback.
13. Dallas Cowboys, Janoris Jenkins, CB Florida
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Why Jenkins Goes Here: Jenkins is one of the best corners in the draft, and this is an area of need for Dallas going into 2011.
What Jenkins' Role Will Be: Be a shutdown corner for the Cowboys and help keep opposing teams from just throwing at will on them.
Pick Change: Yes. The victories move the Cowboys down in the draft order, taking Nick Fairly off the board for them. Michael Jenkins is not good enough to play on my high school team anymore, and whether it's attitude, effort, or just deterioration of skills, the Cowboys have to replace him if they don't want guys like Rex Grossman putting up 30 points on the board against them.
12. Seattle Seahawks, Derek Sherrod, OT Mississipi State
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Why Sherrod Goes Here: What part of the Seahawks doesn't need upgraded?
What Sherrod's Role Will Be: Matt Hasselbeck is getting beaten up, rushed, and generally not having a lot of time. Sherrod will change that.
Pick Change: No. But again, I don't see the Seahawks taking a quarterback in the first round at this point. This pick could change depending on what Seattle does in free agency.
11. Washington Redskins, Robert Quinn, DE North Carolina
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Why Quinn Goes Here: While the Redskins do have questions at the quarterback position, they'll wait until at least the second round before they address that position.
What Quinn's Role Will Be: Mike Shanahan has to rebuild the defense completely, Quinn is a major step in the right direction.
Pick Change: No. The Redskins could use McNabb as trade for another quarterback, and then pick up one of the bigger quarterback prospects that fall into the second round.
10. Houston Texans, Stephen Paea, DT Oregon State
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Why Paea Goes Here: The Texans defense needs a complete overhaul, and Paea is the best prospect on the board at this point.
What Paea's Role Will Be: Paea will be Run Blocker No. 1 on the Texans line.
Pick Change: No.
9. Cleveland Browns, Da'Quan Bowers, DE Clemson
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Why Bowers Goes Here: The Browns have a ton of needs, but their defense has fallen apart and they have no pass rushers, among other things.
What Bowers' Role Will Be: Giving opposing quarterbacks something to think about other than which wide receiver is more open.
Pick Change: Yes. A.J. Green has moved back into the Top 5, so the Browns shift to another position of need.
8. Minnesota Vikings, Ryan Mallett, QB Arkansas
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Why Mallett Goes Here: If Tarvaris Jackson were the future for Minnesota, they wouldn't have brought Favre back this year.
What Mallett's Role Will Be: Be the guy Favre wasn't this year and Jackson just can't seem to be.
Pick Change: No. Mallett is the guy I think the Vikings will focus on.
7. San Francisco 49ers, Marcell Dareus, DT Alabama
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Why Dareus Goes Here: Everyone is focusing on the quarterback situation in San Francisco, but it masks the fact the defense is giving up a lot of points.
What Dareus' Role Will Be: Stop the bleeding.
Pick Change: Yes. The 49ers could use a cornerback, but with both Patrick Peterson and Prince Amukamra off the board at this point, the 49ers shore up the line and get a quarterback in the second round.
6. Buffalo Bills, Nick Fairley, DT Auburn
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Why Fairley Goes Here: Andrew Luck is gone, so is A.J. Green, and the Bills take the best player available.
What Fairley's Role Will Be: Fairley can immediately be a good run stopper, and he's talented enough to fit into whatever defensive scheme the team puts on the field next year.
Pick Change: Yes. The Bills will wait until the second round to draft a quarterback with the emergence of Ryan Fitzpatrick.
5. Detroit Lions, Prince Amukamara, CB Nebraska
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Why Amukamara Goes Here: The Lions need a top corner out of this draft, and Amukamara pretty much fits that bill.
What Amukamara's Role Will Be: The Lions need help in the secondary.
Pick Change: Yes. The Lions shift down a spot in the draft and lose out on Patrick Peterson.
4. Arizona Cardinals, Cam Newton, QB Auburn
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Why Newton Goes Here: If Ken Whisenhunt was dumb enough to make Derek Anderson his starting quarterback this year, he's crazy enough to take a chance on Cam Newton.
What Newton's Role Will Be: Move the offense, something Anderson and Max Hall failed to do this year.
Pick Change: No.
3. Cincinnati Bengals, A.J. Green, WR Georgia
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Why Green Goes Here: The Bengals have needs on their defense, and Carson Palmer has had a bad year, but now it looks like both Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens will be gone.
What Green's Role Will Be: Give Palmer a legitimate downfield threat without the crappy attitude Ochocinco and Owens bring to the locker room.
Pick Change: Yes. The last few weeks have completely changed the Bengals' priorities.
2. Denver Broncos, Patrick Peterson, CB LSU
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Why Peteron Goes Here: The Broncos apparently are going to give Tim Tebow a try, so the focus turns to defense where Champ Bailey is talking about leaving and Perrish Cox may be going to jail for a very long time.
What Peterson's Role Will Be: Pick up where Champ Bailey left off.
Pick Change: No.
1. Carolina Panthers, Andrew Luck, QB Stanford
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Why Luck Goes Here: Jimmy Clausen fell to the second round for a reason, he's already looking like a bust, and the new regime in Carolina will start from scratch.
What Luck's Role Will Be: Give the Panthers the kind of turnaround on offense Matthew Stafford gave Detroit and Sam Bradford gave St. Louis.
Pick Change: No.
What About Terrelle Pryor And Jake Locker?
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Jake Locker had a bad year, and the consequences of not coming out early will be a demotion to the second round.
A lot of teams need quarterbacks this year, but when you look around at options, depth, and make some guesses, after the Top 10, any team that still really needs a quarterback can wait until the second round and save a boatload of money.
Terrelle Pryor, should he declare because of the NCAA suspension, just isn't going to attract a lot of first-round attention at this point. That could change after the Bowl game, but he'll go no higher than the second round the way things currently stand.
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