2011 NFL Draft: In Larry's 1st Round Mock, Who Goes To Washington at Pick 10?
The management staffs all around the NFL are busily preparing for the 2011 NFL Draft starting on Thursday April 28, 2011. It is time for big decisions about potential franchise players and trying to avoid making a huge mistake. When you are examining these prospects everything is a gamble.
There are no sure things when it comes to drafting a 20-23 year old college player looking to make the jump to the big time. That is why off field issues are so important in the picking process. It is such a dangerous thing to invest in a player that may take himself off the field when he is on his own time.
All 32 teams will look for a player that can play well and behave well. I will try my best to guess what direction each front office will go with their first round picks. I will also give an examination of how picks one through nine will affect the direction the Washington Redskins go with pick number 10. Let's take a look at the players I think will be called by Commissioner Roger Goodell when the first round selections are unveiled.
2011 NFL Draft: Larry's 1st Round Mock Draft: Picks 1-8
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1. Carolina- Cam Newton, Quarterback, Auburn
Panthers take the ultimate gamble and draft the much maligned and praised Heisman winner.
2. Denver- Marcel Dareus, Defensive Tackle, Alabama
Broncos fill a big hole in the middle of their defensive line with the massive Dareus.
3. Buffalo- Von Miller, Linebacker, Texas A&M
Bills miss out on ticket seller Newton and take the best available player in Miller.
4. Cincinnati- A.J. Green, Wide Receiver, Georgia
Bengals look to replace both Chad Johnson and Terrell Owens with this selection.
5. Arizona- Patrick Peterson, Cornerback, LSU
Cardinals select the best player in the draft and will seek veteran quarterback once free agency starts.
6. Cleveland- Julio Jones, Wide Receiver, Alabama
Browns need play makers to go with Colt McCoy and Jones fills the need.
7. San Francisco- Robert Quinn, Defensive End/Linebacker, North Carolina
49ers need a pass rush and gamble that Quinn can regain his form from two seasons ago.
8. Tennessee- Blaine Gabbert, Quarterback, Missouri
Titans look to replace the disappointing Vince Young and can't pass up Gabbert.
2011 NFL Draft: Larry's 1st Round Mock Draft: Picks 9-16
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9. Dallas- Prince Amukamara, Cornerback, Nebraska
Cowboys always make a splash and avoid the offensive line to bring in a Prince.
10. Washington- J.J. Watt, Defensive End, Wisconsin
Redskins add a much needed piece to their 3-4 defense with a pass rushing end.
11. Houston- Nick Fairley, Defensive Tackle, Auburn
Texans take a chance on the falling Fairley and plan to put him next to super Mario.
12. Minnesota- Tyron Smith, Tackle, USC
Vikings look to add veteran quarterback and choose a top rated tackle to protect him.
13. Detroit- Cameron Jordan, Defensive End, California
Lions front line will be ferocious with Jordan and Suh chasing quarterbacks.
14. St. Louis- Aldon Smith, Defensive End/Linebacker, Missouri
Rams in need of a pass rusher and find a great one in Smith.
15. Miami- Mark Ingram, Running Back, Alabama
Dolphins ownership go with the splashy name to replace the aging Brown and Williams.
16. Jacksonville- Ryan Kerrigan, Defensive End, Purdue
Jaguars play it safe and draft a quality four year player with talent and no off field issues.
2011 NFL Draft: Larry's 1st Round Mock Draft: Picks 17-24
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17. New England- Anthony Castonzo, Tackle, Boston College
Patriots draft the hometown boy to give Tom Terrific some much needed protection.
18. San Diego- Akeem Ayers, Linebacker, UCLA
Chargers go local as well and find a replacement for the departed Shawne Merriman.
19. N.Y. Giants- Mike Pouncey, Center/Guard, Florida
Giants go conservative and draft a solid young cog to go in the middle of the offensive line.
20. Tampa Bay- Da'Quan Bowers, Defensive End, Clemson
Buccaneers roll the dice that he stays healthy and they get the steal of the draft.
21. Kansas City- Gabe Carimi, Tackle, Wisconsin
Chiefs league leading rushing attack gets another weapon with the powerful tackle.
22. Indianapolis- Nate Solder, Tackle, Colorado
Colts take a huge man to protect the money man, Peyton Manning.
23. Philadelphia- Derek Sherrod, Tackle, Mississippi State
Eagles trying to rebuild the offensive line after failing with the disappointing Peters signing.
24. New Orleans- Corey Liuget, Defensive Tackle, Illinois
Saints plug a big body in the middle of the defensive line that can help stop the run.
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2011 NFL Draft: Larry's 1st Round Mock Draft: Picks 25-32
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25. Seattle- Cameron Heyward, Defensive End/Tackle, Ohio State
Seahawks get a much needed upgrade in the defensive line that can play both end and tackle.
26. Baltimore- Jimmy Smith, Cornerback, Colorado
Ravens fill a major weakness at corner despite off field issues, that don't seem to matter in B-More.
27. Atlanta- Kyle Rudolph, Tight End, Notre Dame
Falcons get another toy for Matt Ryan and the eventual replacement for Tony Gonzalez.
28. New England- Torrey Smith, Wide Receiver, Maryland
Patriots hope secondaries will Fear the Turtle with this new deep threat for Brady bombs.
29. Chicago- Marvin Austin, Defensive Tackle, North Carolina
Bears settle for replacement for Tommie Harris after run on offensive linemen.
30. N.Y. Jets- Phil Taylor, Defensive Tackle, Baylor
Jets add another big body to the front line rotation in Rex Ryans defensive arsenal.
31. Pittsburgh- Aaron Williams, Cornerback, Texas
Steelers get a bargain with this pick as the Steel Curtain gets a potential starter at corner.
Packers add another long haired, high energy outside linebacker to pair with Clay Matthews.
2011 NFL Draft: Larry's Mock Draft: Washington Redskins Select J.J. Watt
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The Redskins choice was affected by the selections made in picks one through nine. The Bengals selected A.J. Green at four and the Browns, Julio Jones at number six, thus eliminating wide receiver for the Skins. The 49ers continued to take away options when they chose Robert Quinn with the seventh pick.
When Commissioner Roger Goodell came to the podium with the Tennessee pick at number eight you could hear a pin drop in the Redskins war room. If the Titans select defensive tackle Nick Fairley, the Skins will have their franchise quarterback in Blaine Gabbert. Hearts were broken in Ashburn when the Titans chose to go with Gabbert to replace the disappointing Vince Young.The ninth pick belongs to the arch-rival Cowboys. Many feel they will draft tackle Tyron Smith from USC but that is not the flashy style of owner Jerry Jones. Instead, he chooses another possible target of the Redskins when he selected a Prince named Amukamara to fill their need at cornerback.
The Redskins possessed the 10th pick in the draft. They look for someone with consistency, hustle and a hard work ethic. They review any red flags on the prospects. They decide the most talented and safe pick is Watt. The pass rusher will pair with the run stopping Adam Carriker to give the Skins a formidable pair of defensive ends. They fill a need, gather talent and should not have to worry about Watt taking himself off the field while doing things away from the field. Good character and talent are a hard to beat combo in a first round selection. As Dawn approaches for day two of the draft, the Redskins management should be awakening from a good night of sleep, safe with the feeling they made a wise selection with J.J. Watt at number 10 overall in the 2011 NFL Draft.
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