The New England Patriots have a few areas of need they can work on improving in this week's draft, none more pressing than on the offensive line.

Derek Sherrod's name has flown under the radar for much of the offseason, but he has started to gain some momentum heading into the draft.

The four year contributor at Mississippi State, Sherrod is one of the most experienced and technically sound OTs in this draft class.

Complete 1st round projections with team needs and highlight videos

With Gabe Carimi still on the board in this mock, the Patriots would be hard pressed to pass the Wisconsin product up.

Ideally, Sherrod would be able to start out his career on the right side and transition over to Tom Brady's backside a year or two down the road. He unquestionably has the athleticism to develop into a longtime starter at the position.

2011 NFL mock drafts haven't reached a consensus on who the Atlanta Falcons should select with their first overall pick.

Some project a WR being the Falcons pick, but given their position in the draft, they would likely be forced to reach for a player at wideout.

If they want the best available player on the board, at least in this mock, Falcons brass should look no further than UCLA's Akeem Ayers.

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Ayers' stock took a huge hit at the NFL Combine when he posted a disappointing 4.84 40 time, a very performance for an outside linebacker.

He improved that time at his Pro Day (4.69), but the damage to his draft stock was likely already done. If he does fall to the late 1st round, the Falcons should be thrilled to have the opportunity to add a defender like Ayers.

He sheds blocks well, can get to the quarterback and plays sideline-to-sideline. An absolute steal at this position in the draft.

2011 NFL mock drafts across the web have projected that the Baltimore Ravens will bolster their beleaguered secondary with their first pick (26 overall) in this week's draft.

The Ravens finished 21st against the pass in 2010, a far cry from the mid-2000 glory days when a young Ed Reed roamed the secondary decapitating wide outs and taking errant passes back to the house.

It seems as though the Ravens have been "old" for three or four years now and the loss of 2010 2nd round draft pick Sergio Kindle before last season hasn't helped the youth movement.

Complete 1st round projections with team needs and video highlights

But there's no doubt that the Ravens' biggest area of need is the secondary and Texas corner Aaron Williams is probably the best available DB at this position in the draft (Brandon Harris also in the mix).

Williams is big (6'1) and has the athleticism to play corner in the NFL, but some scouts have discussed a possible move to safety. Either way, the former Longhorn fills a need for the Ravens late in the first round.

2011 NFL mock drafts have pegged Jake Locker as the Seattle Seahawks' likely 1st round pick ever since the draft order was set.

The marriage seems to make perfect sense: quarterback Matt Hasselbeck is in the twilight stage of his career and backup Charlie Whitehurst has yet to show he's a viable long-term option at the position.

Locker was projected by many as the 2010 draft's 1st overall pick, but opted to return to U-Dub for his senior season. While the choice will undoubtedly cost the 2010 All-American millions of dollars, he could find himself in an ideal situation in Seattle.

Complete 1st round projections with video highlights and team needs

The question remains: does Pete Carroll believe Locker is the Seahawks quarterback of the future?

While there haven't been any signs to determine Carroll's feelings on Locker one way or the other, coaches and front office decision makers across the league are doing their best Doyle Brunson impressions.

When it's all said and done, my sense is the Seahawks will snag Locker, if he's available with the 25th pick. 

Though not an elite athlete, Ryan Kerrigan had an extremely productive career as a Purdue Boilermaker. The 6'4, 267 lb defensive end is renowned for his relentless motor (trite draft term alert) and was a unanimous 2010 All-American selection.

If Kerrigan were to fall this far and be available for the Saints, team brass would be thrilled. Defensive end is one of the key areas of need for the team this offseason and without free agency, the draft is the only place to fill the need (for now). 

Kerrigan is slightly undersized for a prototypical 4-3 d-end, but he's versatile enough that he could be lined up at multiple positions.

Or, the Saints could also ask him to add 15-20 lbs. and remain a hand on the ground rush end.

Regardless of how the Saints used Kerrigan, they'd be getting one of the draft's most dedicated workers and a guy with a very high floor.

The NFL's lockout no team's offseason strategy more than the Philadelphia Eagles.

Looking to improve their secondary (CB Dmitri Patterson was routinely picked on and Joselio Hanson didn't fare much better), the Eagles would be a prime candidate to sign blue-chip free agent Nnamdi Asomugha. 

The lockout makes that impossible, at least for now.

So, if the Eagles are serious about upgrading their talent in the secondary, the draft is their only option for the time being. Andy Reid would be thrilled if Colorado CB Jimmy Smith fell this far.

Purely as a cover guy, Smith is rated by most just below Patrick Peterson and above Nebraska's Prince Amukamara, who went 7th to San Francisco in this mock.

Character issues (Smith has admitted to failing a drug test) is Smith's biggest red flag and will probably keep him out of the top half of the first round.  

However, at 6'2 and with 4.46 40 speed, Smith will be too good for the Eagles to pass up. And who better to coach a player with a checkered past than Andy Reid?

Peyton Manning is 35 years old (hard to believe, seems like he was just coming out of Tennessee) and while still playing at an elite level, the down-slope of his career is well within site. 

The Colts have shied away from draft offensive linemen in the 1st round of past drafts, opting instead to put together a patchwork group through free agency and late round picks.

That will have to change in this year's draft.  

With Tyron Smith and Anthony Castonzo already off the board, the Colts have two OT options: Gabe Carimi of Wisconsin or Nate Solder of Colorado. 

While Carimi has a high floor than Solder, the former Buffalo could be turned into a regular Pro Bowler with the right coaching.

Solder is tall, almost too tall (6'8), so will have to work on keeping a solid base and staying low while run blocking.

If nothing else, Polian can assure Manning that he's serious about adding blue chip talent to the OL group, something he hasn't done in the past.

The Kansas City Chiefs were the surprise of the NFL in 2010 reaching the playoffs after many projected them to finish last in the AFC West.

However, there's still much room to improve. Wide receiver is a definite area of need as the Chiefs have failed to find a consistent number two option opposite of Dwayne Bowe. But at the 21st pick, the Chiefs are stuck in wide receiver no man's land. Julio Jones and A.J. Green will be long gone, and targeting a Torrey Smith, Jonathan Baldwin or Titus Young is probably a reach at this point.

A dominating NT to anchor the team's 3-4 defense could be the best course of action for Scott Pioli and Todd Haley. A big body who can routinely take on double teams will free up Derrick Johnson and the team's linebackers to swarm the ball.

Baylor's Phil Taylor is enormous (a svelte 340 lbs.) and has the ideal frame for a 3-4 nose.

Taylor has fantastic strength at the point of attack and can handle most double teams with ease. He's aslo very disruptive in the run game and won't be moved by one-on-one blocks.

Lingering effort question marks could scare some teams off, as well as his fluctuating weight, but the Chiefs should be happy to find a franchise NT at this point in the draft.

The Tampa Bay Bucs sacked opposing quarterbacks just 26 times in 2010 (for context, the Chargers had 47 sacks last season) and are in the market for a defensive end they can pair with last year's first round draft pick, DT Gerald McCoy.

At nearly 290 lbs., Clayborn may be best suited for a traditional 3-4 defense, but the Bucs could take a flyer on a guy who might've been a top 10 pick after his junior season.

In 2009, the Iowa All-American had 11.5 sacks for the Hawkeyes and was dominant in the team's win over Georgia Tech in the Orange Bowl.

Clayborn's senior season was a relative disappointment, as he notched just 3.5 sacks.

Still, a solid Combine performance (4.83 in the 40) and enough impressive tape from his junior season make Clayborn a solid value pick 20th overall.

He'll need to work on retaining his technique late in games when he's worn down and doing a better job of shedding blocks at the point of attack.  

The interior of the New York Giants offensive line isn't getting any younger and though team brass has stated more than once they'll take the best player available over drafting to fill a need, Florida's Mike Pouncey may be the Giants' most prudent option at pick number 19. 

NFL fans are familiar with Pouncey's brother Maurkice, the Pittsburgh Steelers' center who turned in one of the most impressive offensive lineman rookie campaigns in recent memory.

While some pundits have wondered whether or not Maurkice's early NFL success has inflated Mike's draft stock, there's no doubt that Pouncey's size and strength will make him a valuable contributor as soon as he's picked.

He's also versatile enough to play guard or center, a quality that GMs covet when drafting an interior offensive lineman in the first round.

Even if the Giants stick their "best player available" mantra, Pouncey could be that guy at pick number 19.

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The San Diego Chargers had the NFL's top defense in 2010, but could use another top of the line pass rusher in new defensive coordinator Mike Manusky's first season.

Aldon Smith was an ultra-productive defensive end for the Missouri Tigers in 2009 and 2010 and is one the players whose draft stock has risen the highest since the end of last season.

At 6'4, 260 lbs, Smith likely projects as a 3-4 OLB in the NFL. While in San Francisco, Manusky groomed a slew of OLBs, including Manny Lawson, Parys Haralson and Ahmad Brooks.

There are concerns that Smith won't be able to contribute, at least in a team's base defense, for a couple years because of his age and inexperience.

A RS sophomore, Smith played just two seasons of college football. If the Chargers do take Smith, they shouldn't expect an immediate impact contribution.

Bill Belichick is famous for wheeling and dealing his draft picks, often giving up higher picks in return for a collection of lower picks.

While that's certainly a possibility this year, for simplicity's sake let's look at what Belichick and the Patriots could do with the 17th overall pick.

Cameron Jordan has had as good an offseason as any first prospect. He dominated the competition at the Senior Bowl, routinely using an array of pass rush moves to beat other first round prospects, like tackles Nate Solder and Gabe Carimi. 

The Patriots had a middling pass rush in 2010, sacking opposing quarterbacks just 36 times (14th in the NFL). With a defense that's always looking to get younger and more dynamic, Cam Jordan's versatility makes him a great selection at the 17th pick.

The Jacksonville Jaguars sacked the quarterback only 38 times in 2010 and generating a more consistent pass rush is at the top of the team's offseason priority list.

J.J. Watt was an extremely productive player during his tenure at Wisconsin. Known for his energy and disruptiveness, Watt can defend the run as well as get to the quarterback. He's truly one of the more well-rounded prospects in this draft class.

The Jags pass offense could use some fresh faces, but at this position in the first round, there isn't an obvious talent worth spending a pick on.

Look for the Jags to look at some offensive skill position players in the later rounds.

With Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams both potentially gone in 2011, the Miami Dolphins are in dire need of some fresh legs in their backfield.

Mark Ingram has been one of the most productive backs in the country over the last several years, winning the coveted Heisman Trophy in 2009.

A short, stocky, powerful back in the mold of Emmitt Smith, Ingram should be the first back to come off the board in 2011. His talents fit perfectly the Dolphins need, and a reliable ground game will do nothing but make life easier for inconsistent quarterback Chad Henne.

The St. Louis Rams took major steps in 2010, battling for the NFC West Division title through week 17. Sam Bradford proved worth his monstrous rookie contract by having a very productive first season. There's no doubt the Rams need to surround Bradford with some talent on the offensive side of the ball, but at this point of the draft, there aren't many viable options.

Instead, the Rams may look to Corey Liuget, the defensive tackle from Illinois. Liuget is one of this class' best run stuffers, showing exceptional explosion off the ball.

He also has an outstanding motor, pursuing plays from the backside, finishing off plays, and giving 100% effort on every down.

The Rams have had some misses with defensive line draft picks in recent years (Adam Carriker for one), but Liuget should be a safe pick that immediately improves the Rams run defense.