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Robert Quinn Goes To Houston In Kiper’s Mock

Robert Quinn has had an interesting year. He missed the entire 2010 season because the NCAA has stupid rules which are arbitrarily applied.

The discussion now is if the year off was good in the sense he is 100 percent healthy and avoided a year of wear-and-tear on his body. There also is the “bad” in the sense he missed out on a year of playing time and development.

Mel Kiper thinks it will drop him out of the Top 10 and sends him to the Houston Texans.

From Kiper’s Mock Draft:

A gifted natural pass-rusher, Quinn sat out all of 2010, but his talent should overcome any questions about rust. A physical specimen, Wade Phillips can find a way to use Quinn in his scheme, and DeMarcus Ware will be what he has in mind when he gets Quinn into camp. Yes, the secondary needs help, but the fastest way to make that group look better is get a pass rush.

The Texans have holes all over the defense, and drafting Quinn fills one of those holes for the next decade.

Wade Phillips has his work cut out for him not only rebuilding the defense, but converting it from a 4-3 to a 3-4 scheme.

The Texans did not think they would be drafting this high halfway through the 2010 campaign, but the breakdown in defense is the major reason why they are here now.

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J.J. Watt Heads To The Redskins In Mock 4.0

J.J. Watt has been all over the place in mock drafts, even Mel Kiper’s. Kiper had him going to the Cleveland Browns in an earlier incarnation of his mock draft.

Now Watt is headed to the Washington Redsksins four picks lower, although that is not a knock on Watt.

Like every other year, players rise and fall at the expense of other players.

I have the Redskins getting either Julio Jones or A.J. Green as I only see one receiver coming off the board in the Top 10 this year.

Kiper really likes Watt, and says so in his latest Mock Draft:

One pressing need on the other side of the ball is at defensive end, and Watt has a chance to be a tremendous player at that position. A high-energy guy capable of diagnosing plays, contributing in various schemes, and holding up well against the run while getting after quarterbacks in the pass game, he's the kind of low-risk pick that makes sense for the Skins.

There is no doubt the Washington Redskins need help on defense and that they need better pass rushers. Watt can be a starter in Week 1 if he keeps playing like he did in college.

The Redskins defense just was not very good, and when you have an offense that broke down like it did as the season went on last year, it means you get a Top 10 draft pick the following spring.

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Jerry Jones Takes Tyron Smith, Waits On Defense

The Dallas Cowboys could take Prince Amukamara now because of the deficiency they have at that position, but rumor is the Cowboys are not high on Amukamara.

I believe the Cowboys will try and trade down from this slot unless Patrick Peterson somehow falls to the ninth spot.

Since that is extremely unlikely to happen, the Cowboys will take an offensive lineman.

Mel Kiper has Tyron Smith as the best on the board and the target of the Cowboys’ first pick.

From Kiper’s Mock Draft:

Well, in Smith, they have the option of taking a player who projects as a future blindside tackle, and he's in a perfect spot in terms of value, having risen all the way to No. 9 on the Big Board. It's a need pick, and a player who could help Dallas in short order.

The Cowboys Have to replace Mike Jenkins this year, waiting to see if he improves this year is not an option because improvement for Jones could be going from “soul-draining” to “merely atrocious.”

Kiper does address the situation by having the Cowboys take Miami (Fla.) cornerback Brandon Harris in the second round and a safety in the third round.

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Nick Fairley Goes To Tennessee In Kiper’s Mock

The Tennessee Titans lost Albert Haynesworth a few years ago to free agency and that ended up being a good move for them.

Now Mel Kiper has them grabbing his replacement in Nick Fairley, who has been compared to Haynesworth in many ways, not all of them good.

I have the Titans drafting Blaine Gabbert, and I even think they will trade up with the Cleveland Browns to get him at the sixth pick. So we will see what happens in a few weeks.

From Kiper’s Mock Draft:

Fairley gives you immediate help at a spot they need to address, and he offers the value of a top-five pick. Disruptive versus both the run and the pass, he will help this defense now, and they can look for a linebacker later on.

Fairley is a big guy, and if he has been misrepresented by some of the scouting reports when it comes to work ethic and attitude, then Fairley will have a chance to stick it to the other seven teams who passed him over.

Fairley once was considered a contender for the No. 1 overall pick, but those red flags now have dropped him out of the Top 5.

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Patrick Peterson Goes To The Niners With Seventh Pick

The San Francisco 49ers are not going to draft a quarterback in the first round. It is nice to see I am not the only one who thinks that.

In Mel Kiper’s mock, it is because both Cam Newton and Blaine Gabbert are off the board by this pick. To me, it does not matter who is on the board, the 49ers will draft defense with their first pick.

In Kiper’s mock, Patrick Peterson somehow still is on the board, so he goes to San Francisco.

I have the 49ers drafting a cornerback as well, but since Peterson is off the board in my Top 5, I have been mocking Prince Amukamara to the Niners.

From Kiper’s Mock Draft:

In Peterson, you get safety size, the best overall athlete in the draft, a dangerous returner and, ultimately, a starter and potential impact player from Day 1.

Kiper relates in his notes he has had players like Peterson fall out of the Top 5 before and cites several examples, so I am not going to argue with his logic.

However, I do believe if Kiper’s scenario holds true and Peterson falls out of the Top 5, he will not make it past the Cleveland Browns. The Browns drafted a cornerback last year in Joe Haden, but they need another one.

The tandem of Peterson and Haden will be too tempting for the Browns to pass up and would arguably give them one of the best secondary’s in the NFL in a year or two after everyone develops.

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The Browns Get A Projected Elite Wide Receiver

The Cleveland Browns traded away their last elite wide receiver when they sent Braylon Edwards to the Jets.

This was not a big deal because Edwards drops a lot of easy passes and has an ego the size of the Chrysler Building. While it is fair to say the Browns had no backup plan, that would be because their backup plan consisted of two second-round draft picks who ended up stinking up the joint.

Mohamad Massaquoi and Brian Robiskie have been awful at best and busts at worst. Both receivers will get one more chance under new head coach Pat Shurmur, but I am not holding my breath on either of those two guys.

So Julio Jones it is in Kiper’s latest mock draft:

His size and speed combination is the best in the draft at the position, and his development as a wideout over the past year shows a determination and work ethic that will be loved by the coaching staff. The Browns need a true No. 1 at wide receiver, and if healthy, Jones can be that guy. A gifted athlete, he blocks as hard as he runs routes. Great when healthy, still really good when battling through pain.

The problem with Jones is he also has a reputation for dropping easy passes. He does not have the red flags regarding ego Edwards had, which is a plus, but if you are going to draft a receiver in the first round, catching the ball seems like a basic skill.

This is not to say Jones can not be a great receiver in the pros, it is just pointing out the obvious. If Jones comes to Cleveland and drops as many passes as Edwards did, he will be booed as loudly as Edwards was, and he will not have Michigan to pin the blame on.

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Blaine Gabbert Becomes A Cardinal In Kiper’s Mock

Blaine Gabbert has been mocked to Arizona before, but the Cardinals have been indicating in their own way they will draft defense with their first pick and try and find a veteran quarterback to lead the team in 2011.

Kiper believes the Cardinals will not wait for whenever free agency starts and has them drafting a quarterback with the fifth overall pick.

I have Von Miller going to the Cardinals and I am going to stick by that pick for the moment. I think it is the smarter pick for Arizona, and Head Coach Ken Whisenhunt is not a dumb guy.

From Kiper’s mock draft:

He offers elite size, accuracy, athleticism and the smarts to pick things up quickly at the NFL level. This is a pick I could see going in several directions, but if Arizona isn't confident they can get a suitable veteran fix in at quarterback, Gabbert is a good choice.

I still think Jon Skelton can be developed with Max Hall backing him up by 2013, especially if the Cardinals do go out and get a quarterback like Marc Bulger or Donovan McNabb.

If the Cardinals get Kevin Kolb, then Skelton still may be developed, but you will not see much of him unless Kolb gets injured.

Either way, I think Skelton or Kolb will be leading Arizona in the future.

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A.J. Green Goes To The Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals have a history of screwing up their first-round draft pick. Taking A.J. Green will be a good way to not screw up this year’s first-round draft pick.

There have been reports the Bengals favor Julio Jones over Green, and that very well may be true, but Mel Kiper thinks the Bengals will stick with Green in his latest mock draft.

I selected Jones over Green in my latest mock draft because I do believe the Bengals like to go against the norm and what the draftniks like to mock.

From Kiper’s Mock Draft:

By drafting the best pure pass-catching talent in the draft, they can accomplish (helping the quarterback). Green is an immediate starter and the rare big-time, physical, fast receiver who has the route-running skills and understanding to match his skill-set.

Kiper notes the problem Cincinnati is experiencing with Carson Palmer, and that is a big problem. But if the Bengals try and reach for a quarterback, or try and take one who has a skill set that does not fit the offensive scheme, you have wasted yet another first-round pick.

Kiper does address this problem later. His latest mock draft is three rounds and he has the Bengals taking Andy Dalton in the second round.

This could be a very good pick for the Bengals if Dalton works out. Plus, as a second-round pick, there is not as much pressure.

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Von Miller Shuffles Off To Buffalo

Von Miller could go as high as the third pick or he could go to Arizona at No. 5, or he even could drop a few spots.

Kiper has Miller going to the Bills in his latest mock draft. If Cam Newton is off the board like he is in the current mock draft, taking Miller does make sense as all reports indicate the Bills have no interest in Blaine Gabbert.

I picked Patrick Peterson to go here in my latest mock draft, but Miller is a good pick as well.

From Kiper’s Mock Draft:

Miller offers immediate help at one of the top two positions of need for the Bills. They simply can't get enough value here in drafting an offensive lineman, and Miller will impact games next year more than any rookie in the draft if you asked me today.

Kiper notes Miller's draft stock has risen like few other prospects ever do.

Miller simply is good and the tape shows that. Miller shows the ability to not only get the job done, but do it at a professional level. He does not have any major red flags, and that will spell Top 10 pick no matter which mock draft you read.

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Marcell Dareus Goes To Denver In Easy Pick

If the Panthers do go ahead and draft Cam Newton, the Broncos than have an easy pick.

Marcell Dareus is the consensus "best" defensive tackle in the draft. If the Broncos pass Dareus up, they really have some kind of agenda none of us are even remotely aware of.

Here is Kiper's take on the pick:

A scheme-versatile player who can be a disruptive, penetrating force as an interior lineman, or a fantastic pass-rusher as a defensive end in a 3-4 scheme, Dareus is a safe pick. He doesn't have remarkable quickness, but his agility and versatility at a full 319 pounds is the stuff of an elite lineman. Denver could also consider a corner or linebacker here, but Dareus fills a significant, immediate need.

Dareus looks like he is a hard worker who not only will kick butt on the practice field, it appears he will do all the necessary work off the field to be the best he can be.

Dareus does not raise the red flags Nick Fairley does when it comes to work ethic, and that does make him the safer pick for Denver.

Forget what you have heard about John Elway looking at quarterbacks, that is all smoke and mirrors. The Broncos draft for defense and everyone goes home happy.

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Cam Newton Is On A Journey To Carolina In Kiper's Mock

Mel Kiper opens his draft by selecting Cam Newton and sending him to the Carolina Panthers.

Kiper has sound reasoning for his selection:

There are immediate needs, and there is a decision that you believe will change the direction of your franchise for years to come. While I don't believe Carolina is locked onto this pick -- if you're heard me at all lately, you'll know I see this is one of the more unpredictable top 10's I can ever remember -- if they really see Newton as the transformative player that can be both a Pro Bowl quarterback and face of the franchise who draws a lot of buzz, they can make this pick. If talent alone was all they were concerned with, Newton would be an easy choice. But this pick also requires a belief in his development and maturity. Certainly, however, Newton's potential is significant.

I agree with Kiper that the Panthers will draft Newton, but I do not agree on his reasoning. The Panthers know they whiffed on Jimmy Clausen and now will try and overcompensate.

Newton does have great potential, but if the Panthers rush him on to the field and do not closely monitor his development, Newton will bust harder than Clausen is. In fact, you may see Clausen back behind center if the Panthers mishandle Newton.

I hope Newton succeeds, but I do not see Carolina as a good fit for Newton.

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