2011 NFL Mock Draft: Underclassmen, Defensive Ends Dominate First Round
The Updated, 2.0 Version of my Mock Draft Has Been Released! Check it out Here!
1. Carolina Panthers: Nick Fairley, DT, Auburn.
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The Carolina Panthers are in the same position they were back in 2002 when they selected All-Pro defensive end Julius Peppers with the second overall pick. They had just hired the defensive coordinator of the New York Giants, John Fox, and were coming off their worst season, finishing 1-15.
Carolina just hired San Diego's defensive coordinator, Ron Rivera, and he will keep to defense, and select Fairley, the nasty defensive tackle that has shown much promise to achieve NFL stardom.
2. Denver Broncos: Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU.
Denver has seen their defensive backs go from one of the best in the NFL, to now finding themselves in need of improvement. Champ Bailey and Brian Dawkins are both passes their prime, and don't have many years left to play at the NFL level. Their other cornerback, Perrish Cox, has found himself in legal troubles.
3. Buffalo Bills: Marcell Dareus, DE, Alabama.
Buffalo has a lot of holes they need to fill entering the offseason, so at this point, they need to take the best player available to fit their team. Dareus will team with Marcus Stroud and breakout nose tackle Kyle Williams and make a dangerous defensive line.
4. Cincinnati Bengals: AJ Green, WR, Georgia.
With the uncertainty of Chad Johnson and Terrell Owens returning to Cincy, the Bengals really need some spark to add to this offense. Starting quarterback Carson Palmer has asked to be traded, and has even threatened to retire if he isn't. Adding a receiver like Green might help influence Palmer to stay.
5. Arizona Cardinals: Da'Quan Bowers: DE, Clemson.
At first, I had the Cardinals selecting Missouri quarterback Blaine Gabbert. I am almost certain that Arizona will grab a veteran quarterback instead of taking another shot at drafting their franchise quarterback in the first round (that didn't work out so well with Matt Leinart). New defensive coordinator Ray Horton said many times he wanted this defense to rush. Bowers will do just that.
6. Cleveland Browns: Von Miller, DE/LB, Texas A&M.
Von Miller has shot up draft boards after an impressive Senior Bowl, and has many comparing him to NFL stars like Clay Matthews and Elvis Dumervil. He is a great pass-rusher that would give Cleveland a defensive playmaker, and a top linebacker that they have been searching for.
7. San Francisco 49ers: Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska.
New head coach Jim Harbaugh would love to draft a quarterback here, but he knows that their isn't enough talent in the quarterback class to take one this early. San Francisco disappointed last season, but somehow came close to making the playoffs. Drafting a cornerback like Amukamara would improve this defense drastically.
8. Tennessee Titans: Blaine Gabbert, QB, Missouri.
The Vince Young era is done. Sooner or later, Young will be traded or released, making room for a new starting quarterback. Let the Blaine Gabbert era begin. It's very rare for the best quarterback in the class to be selected at no. 8, so the Titans won't let this opportunity slip. Gabbert will most likely backup longtime quarterback Kerry Collins until he's ready to step in as the starter.
9. Dallas Cowboys: Adrian Clayborn, DE, Iowa.
Dallas is one of those teams who don't have a lot of holes they need to fill, but still struggle to be successful. They could take a number of routes here, but I think they will go for a defensive end to add depth to an only average defensive line.
10. Washington Redskins: Robert Quinn, DE, UNC.
Washington could go a lot of ways here, they could even contemplate selecting Jake Locker or Cam Newton, completely ending the Donovan McNabb saga after one season. But, they seem to want to build their defensive line up, seeing how they have acquired big names like Jason Taylor, Albert Haynesworth and now making contact with recently- released Shaun Rogers.
11. Houston Texans: Jimmy Smith, CB, Colorado.
I have said for many years that the Houston Texans are just one good draft class away from making the playoffs. The problem is, they have had a lot of bad luck come draft day. Andre Johnson, Mario Williams and DeMeco Ryans are the biggest names in their draft history and I guess we could add the undrafted-free agent pickup of rushing leader Arian Foster. This team could go a number of ways on defense, but the way Kareem Jackson struggled last year gives this team a huge need at cornerback.
12. Minnesota Vikings: Cam Newton, QB, Auburn.
Heisman trophy winner Cam Newton is the most debated prospect in this year's draft class, as he is projected to go anywhere from the first overall pick, to the early second round. Newton would bring a Daunte Culpepper-like quarterback back into action. If Newton is able to make the transition from college football to the NFL, this is the biggest steal of the draft. Cam Newton, Adrian Peterson and Percy Harvin? That's scary.
13. Detroit Lions: Nate Solder, OT, Colorado.
The Lions are another team very close to making the playoffs. With a solid offensive line to protect injury-prone Matt Stafford, this could be the final piece to their puzzle.
14. St. Louis Rams: Julio Jones, WR, Alabama.
The rebuilding Rams got their franchise quarterback last year and now can land a star receiver to complete the offense. With star running back Steven Jackson, rising star Sam Bradford, and Julio Jones, this team could easily take the NFC West title home.
15. Miami Dolphins: Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama.
With the team unsure if they will re-sign running backs Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams, Ingram would instantly upgrade this offense. Ronnie Brown can't seem to stay healthy or consistent, and Ricky Williams isn't getting any younger.
16. Jacksonville Jaguars: Aldon Smith, DE Missouri.
Jacksonville has been looking for a premier pass rusher for quite some time. They signed Aaron Kampman from Green Bay, but he hasn't looked anymore then average as he has been dealing with injuries as well. Smith is one of the best pass-rushers in the draft, and will hopefully upgrade this defensive line.
17. New England: J.J. Watt, DE, Wisconsin.
The Patriots, as always, own many early picks. They have a few holes they could fill, including defensive end, running back, receiver and the offensive and defensive line. Here, I think defensive end J.J. Watt would be the best option, as he would add depth to this defensive line that struggles to stay healthy and isn't getting any younger.
18. San Diego Chargers: Corey Liuget, DL, Illinois.
San Diego is another team that doesn't have many holes that need to be filled, but can't seem to put all the pieces together to make it into the playoffs. San Diego never really found that guy to replace nose tackle Jamal Williams, and with this pick, Liuget can play any position on the defensive line, a position that they could use help at.
19. New York Giants: Derek Sherrod, OL, Mississippi State.
The Giants are one of the more inconsistent teams in the NFL. But, if they could keep all of their players healthy, this team could easily be one of the better in the league. With the offensive line starting to crack the downside of their career, adding a younger player to this line would improve them a lot. Not to mention, Sherrod can be moved around a lot.
20. Tampa Bay: Cameron Jordan, DE, California.
Tampa Bay hasn't had a dominant defensive line since the days of Warren Sapp and Simeon Rice. Jordan has a lot of potential, and can come in and make a big impact on this up-and-coming team.
21. Kansas City: Akeem Akers, OLB, UCLA.
Akeem Akers fell in this draft, not because of talent, but instead teams not having a big need for linebacker, and a greater need for other positions. The Chiefs get a huge steal here, and with the breakout year they had in 2010, don't be surprised if the Chiefs make an even bigger run to the Super Bowl this season.
22. Indianapolis: Anthony Castanzo, OT, Boston College.
It's time for the Indianapolis to start thinking about the future. Peyton Manning and the rest of the Colts' team is starting to get old, and they haven't changed much in recent years. Picking Castanzo makes since here, since he not only brings youth to this offensive line, but he also protects the aging Peyton Manning and his soon-to-be big contract.
23. Philadelphia: Rahim Moore, S, UCLA.
After their disappointing loss to the Packers in the playoffs, we can see that this team still has some needs that need to be fixed. Their secondary struggled in many games, and this team has yet to find a safety to replace Brian Dawkins. Although they chose Nate Allen in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft, Rahim Moore is the best safety in this draft and has the potential to be great.
24. New Orleans: Ryan Kerrigan, DE, Purdue.
The Saints dropped of a bit last season, and I believe it falls on the defensive side. They have no elite defensive linemen, and Kerrigan is a steal late in the first round.
25. Seattle: Jake Locker, QB, Washington.
Matt Hasselback is getting old, and Charlie Whitehurst is obviously not the long-term answer. Jake Locker will need time to develop, but he will have a great mentor in Hasselback, who was mentored by the great Brett Favre. With the right time and development, Locker can become a great franchise quarterback.
26. Baltimore: Brandon Harris, CB, Miami.
There is no denying that Baltimore has all the talent needed to win the Super Bowl. Their defense is one of the best the NFL has ever seen, and their offense has finally gotten it together. Yet, they have a glaring hole at cornerback that needs to be fixed immediately if they want to get anywhere in the playoffs. Quarterbacks like Tom Brady and Peyton Manning pick their cornerbacks apart; Harris can fix that.
27. Atlanta: Ryan Williams, RB, Virginia Tech.
Here is the biggest reach in the draft so far, but this is actually a great pick for Atlanta. Illinois running back Mikel LeShoure is the better back, but not for the kind of offense Atlanta runs. Michael Turner is no doubt still one of the top backs in the league, but he is 29 years old, one year away from the age most running backs start slowing down. Williams and Turner are similar backs, and with a great mentor like Turner, Williams could easily have the same success Michael Turner has had. This strong, bruising back could be one the biggest steals in recent years. The Falcons have Jason Snelling and Jerious Norwood, but neither are capable of being every down backs like Turner and Williams.
28. New England: Mikel LeShoure, RB, Illinois.
This is another big steal, as LeShoure has been tearing it up for two seasons at Illinois. For whatever reason, running backs fall in drafts, but New England isn't complaining, as they finally grab the every-down back they have been looking for. This pick takes the Patriots offense to another level, and may push them over top to be the favorite to win the Super Bowl next season.
29. Chicago: Tyron Smith, OT, USC.
Chicago got to the NFC Championship, and could have won it if it wasn't for Jay Cutler getting injured. When a quarterback is injured, who's shoulders does that land on? The offensive line. Rookie J'Marcus Webb and Frank Omiyale are both mediocre at best, and this position needs an upgrade. Tyron Smith was a steal this late in the draft, and should protect Cutler for years.
30. New York Jets: Justin Houston, OLB, Georgia.
It's been only a little over a week since the Packers won the Super Bowl, and head coach Rex Ryan is already picking the Jets to win the Super Bowl next season. I admit, this team is close, but they still have some things missing—but that's a whole other issue. Bringing in an outside linebacker like Houston gives them team a good linebacker on the outside, something they need an upgrade at. Calvin Pace has showed potential, but is still a bust since being a first round pick by Arizona. Bryan Thomas is only mediocre and Jason Taylor is way passed his prime.
31. Pittsburgh: Mike Pouncey, OL, Florida.
The Steelers don't have many holes they need to fill, but you can never have enough offensive linemen. It worked when they chose one of the Pouncey brothers, so why not try it again?
32. Green Bay: Cameron Heyward, DE, Ohio State.
The only boost this already great defense by giving them an even better pass rush. Cameron Hayward is the most inconsistent player in this draft, but when he is at his best, he the top 3-4 defensive end in the class. His size 6'6", 288 lbs, is hard to not find attractive, and will preform well at the next level.
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