2011 NFL Mock Draft: Buffalo Bills Select Terrelle Pryor with No. 1 Pick
Let’s be honest: It’s far too early to even be thinking about making a mock for the 2011 NFL Draft.
But the darn things are just so much fun, aren’t they?
Speculation—it’s what we, as sports fans, do best, and a mock draft is the absolute epitome of speculation.
We’ve still got a long way to go on this train ride we call the college football season, and we're still a good seven months away from the actual 2011 NFL Draft weekend.
Don’t think that’s about to stop me from speculating, though.
Here’s how I see things playing out as we head into October.
1. Buffalo Bills: QB Terrelle Pryor, Ohio State
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Ryan Fitzpatrick doesn’t look to be the long-term solution at quarterback for the Bills, and it seems like the time is right to finally bring some stability to the position.
Terrelle Pryor may have the highest ceiling of any player in college football, but he’s also still an extremely raw talent at this point. If he pans out, Terrelle will be LeBron James and Mike Vick put together, but he still has a long way to go to get to that level.
Pryor is the type of player Buffalo head coach Chan Gailey could fall in love with, and if he decides to enter next year’s draft, there’s a good chance the Bills will give him some strong consideration.
2. New England Patriots: WR Michael Floyd, Notre Dame
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Why does it always seem like the Patriots get the better end of every trade involving draft picks?
Every year, it seems like the Pats have two first-round picks, but this is the year they finally have a shot to land a top-five talent, as they hold possession of the Oakland Raiders' first rounder.
It sounds like disgruntled receiver Randy Moss is heading out of town at the end of the season, and the club will surely be looking for a young talent to fill the sizable void he’ll leave.
There could be no better option than Notre Dame's 6-foot-3, 225-pound junior Michael Floyd, who looks to be the most talented wide receiver in college football.
3. Carolina Panthers: DE Aldon Smith, Missouri
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There’s no doubt the Panthers miss the pass-rushing presence of defensive end Julius Peppers, who headed off to Chicago this offseason.
Everrette Brown is a nice young player who should continue to develop, but it would be in the Panthers' best interest to find another pass rusher, seeing as they have a total of two sacks through first three games of the season.
Missouri redshirt sophomore Aldon Smith could be the best pure pass rusher in college football. Even though he’s still a little on the slim side at 260 pounds, Smith’s speed off the edge and overall athleticism could make him a nightmare in the NFL.
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4. Jacksonville Jaguars: QB Ryan Mallett, Arkansas
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The recent acquisition of Bills castoff Trent Edwards isn’t about to instill much faith in the dwindling Jaguars fanbase.
Neither Edwards nor current starter David Garrard is the future at the position in Jacksonville.
The Jags will probably be thinking quarterback in next year’s first round, and they could consider big Arkansas junior Ryan Mallett, who is one of the most impressive-looking quarterback prospects we’ve seen in years.
The 6-foot-7 Mallett has the size and the arm to impress scouts, but it’s how NFL personnel end up judging his mindset that will ultimately make the difference in where he’s selected.
5. Cleveland Browns: QB Andrew Luck, Stanford
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The Cleveland Browns currently don’t have a quarterback on their roster that’s worthy of starting in the NFL, and it would be shocking if the Browns aren’t thinking quarterback early on in next year’s draft.
For all you Cleveland Browns fans thinking Colt McCoy is the answer, you are sadly mistaken!
Mike Holmegren needs a heady young quarterback who can come in and pick up the game quickly, and Stanford’s Andrew Luck fits that mold. He may only be a second-year starter, but Luck has demonstrated early on this season that he has the tools and skillset similar to last year’s No.1 overall pick Sam Bradford.
6. Detroit Lions: OLB Bruce Carter, North Carolina
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The Detroit Lions have done a good job adding some key young defensive pieces to the fray, like defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh and safety Louis Delmas.
But outside linebacker Julian Peterson is aging rapidly, and an athletic, fast-flowing replacement is sorely needed.
If the Lions are looking for a linebacker early, they would be best served to pay attention to North Carolina senior Bruce Carter, who looks to be the best athlete at the position among next year’s eligible prospects.
The 6-foot-3, 235-pound Carter can move from sideline to sideline, and would be a perfect fit in Jim Schwartz’s attack-style defense.
7. St. Louis Rams: CB Patrick Peterson, LSU
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The Rams look like they could use a boost at a few different positions, and cornerback is most definitely one of them.
Ronald Bartell is a proven commodity, but the jury is still out on third-year man Justin King.
The last time the Rams took a corner in the first round was back in 2006, when they drafted the speedy Tye Hill out of Clemson. That pick sure didn’t work out too well, but if the Rams were to somehow get their hands on LSU’s Patrick Peterson, it would be a whole different story.
Peterson could be the best overall talent in college football, and he has the look of the second coming of Charles Woodson.
8. Tampa Bay Bucs: DE Robert Quinn, North Carolina
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The Bucs have lacked a difference maker on the edge for quite a few years now, and it looks like it’s finally time to solve that problem.
Tampa Bay tried to give a boost to their defensive interior with selection of Oklahoma’s Gerald McCoy in last year’s draft. But if the team truly wants McCoy to be successful, they’ll have to give him some help.
Even though North Carolina junior Robert Quinn has yet to step foot on the field this season, it hasn’t really affected his reputation. That’s because we’ve all seen what Quinn did in his first two years in Chapel Hill, and that alone is enough to make him a valuable commodity for a team in need of a dynamic pass rusher.
9. Washington Redskins: QB Jake Locker, Washington
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No matter how the Donovan McNabb experiment plays out in Washington this year, it’s pretty obvious that head coach Mike Shanahan wants a young quarterback of his own to groom for the future.
Washington’s Jake Locker is the ideal type of player Shannahan would be looking for. Even though he’s struggled mightily at times early on in the season, Locker has all the physical gifts to be a top-10 pick.
Remember that John Elway didn’t win too much in college, either, and Shanahan seemed to do alright with him at the helm when the two put together back-to-back Super Bowl seasons in the late 90s with the Broncos.
10. San Francisco 49ers: CB Prince Amukamara, Nebraska
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The 49ers were in need of a starting caliber cornerback going into the 2010 draft.
But head coach Mike Singletary instead opted to bolster his offensive line with the selections of Mike Iupati and Anthony Davis.
That strategy hasn’t paid off yet, as the 49ers have already given up seven touchdowns through the air, which ranks dead last in the NFL through three weeks of play.
It’s obvious where San Francisco needs help, and they can certainly get it from a player like Nebraska’s Prince Amukamara. The senior cornerback could be the closest thing we have to Darrelle Revis in college football this year.
11. Arizona Cardinals: LB Akeem Ayers, UCLA
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Arizona lost a few key pieces in the offseason, and one loss that really hurt a lot was the departure of linebacker Karlos Dansby.
The Cardinals brought in veteran Joey Porter to try and ease the pain, but Porter is on the downside of his career, and doesn’t have much time left in the NFL.
Finding a big, fast linebacker that can come in and man the outside is important for Arizona to continue their defensive success.
Akeem Ayers of UCLA plays in a 4-3 defense in college, but he’s the type of player who has the speed and size to make the move to the outside in a 3-4 in the pros.
12. Cincinnati Bengals: WR A.J. Green, Georgia
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We all kind of figured that Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens thing probably wasn’t going to work out, and so far it hasn’t looked all that potent.
Both of the aging prima donnas are getting up to their 30s, and it could be time for the Bengals to start thinking about bringing in some young blood to add to the mix.
Jordan Shipley is a nice addition, but the Bengals need a player that can come in and be a future No.1 receiver in place of the aging Ochocinco.
I’m not as high on Georgia's A.J. Green as a lot of folks, but Green is surely going to get a lot of hype leading up to the draft.
13. Denver Broncos: LB Dont’a Hightower, Alabama
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I thought Denver could be in the running for Alabama linebacker Rolando McClain this year, but Oakland jumped on him before the Broncos had a chance to even think about taking him.
No worries for the Broncos, because this year we’ve got another potential stud Alabama linebacker in 6-foot-4, 260-pound redshirt sophomore Dont’a Hightower.
Hightower is a little bigger and a little more versatile than McClain, and he’s the type of player that head coach Josh McDaniels would love to have out in Denver.
14. Tennessee Titans: CB Curtis Brown, Texas
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The Tennessee Titans have one of the best young cornerbacks in the league in Cortland Finnegan, but outside of Finnegan there’s a lot of uncertainty at the position.
The Titans could be in the hunt for a starting-caliber cornerback in next year’s draft, and they may look to their Texas Longhorns pipeline to find him.
The 6-foot-0, 180-pound Curtis Brown is a little more thin and wiry than you may like from a corner, but his coverage ability and recognition skills make him a likely first-round talent.
15. Miami Dolphins: S Mark Barron, Alabama
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The Miami Dolphins might have the best young duo of cornerbacks in the league with Vontae Davis and Sean Smith, but it’s on the back end of the secondary where they could use an upgrade.
If the Dolphins go looking for a safety early next year, they probably won’t find a better option than Alabama’s Mark Barron, who has been one of the key leaders of the Crimson Tide defense for the last few seasons.
Barron has all the intangibles that Jeff Ireland and Bill Parcells are looking for, and he’s the type of player that can make an immediate impact for a team as a rookie.
16. San Diego Chargers: DE Marcell Dareus, Alabama
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You can never have too many big bodies up front when you're playing a 3-4 defense, and Chargers GM A.J. Smith is well aware of that.
Smith could be looking for a big, strong defensive lineman that can come in and occupy blockers, and Alabama’s Marcell Dareus can do just that.
The 300-plus pound Dareus currently mans the end spot in Alabama’s 3-4 defense, and that’s likely where he’ll fit in the pro game as well. When Darues is playing at full speed, he’s one of the biggest defensive difference makers in college football.
17. Minnesota Vikings: QB Christian Ponder, Florida State
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Five quarterbacks in the Top 20?
Don’t doubt it.
There is no way Brett Favre can go another season no matter what he tries to sell us, and head coach Brad Childress probably doesn’t trust Tarvaris Jackson to run the show once Favre is gone.
Florida State’s Christian Ponder doesn’t have the standout traits of some of the other elite quarterbacks in college football, but he looks like a good fit for what Childress tries to do offensively.
18. Dallas Cowboys: OT Derek Sherrod, Mississippi State
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The Dallas Cowboys are in desperate need of some young offensive-line help, especially at the offensive tackle position.
Too bad for the Cowboys that 2011 is one of the worst years we’ve seen for top-tier offensive linemen in quite some time.
There’s no true standout senior tackle, and no underclassmen who’s ready to come out yet, but one guy that should intrigue some people is Mississippi State’ Derek Sherrod.
The 6-foot-6, 305-pound Sherrod has great athleticism and footwork for his size, and his value should only increase once he’s compared to the rest of his weak offensive-line class.
19. New York Giants: RB Mark Ingram, Alabama
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Mark Ingram’s dream of playing in the NFL came true when the New York Giants selected the Michigan State wide receiver with the 28th pick of the 1987 NFL Draft.
So how neat would it be if the Giants, who are going to be in need of a running back once they trade Brandon Jacobs this offseason, make the dream of Ingram’s son come true a little over 20 years later.
So far, it doesn’t look like the Heisman curse, or an early knee injury, has affected the younger Ingram, as he’s stormed out of the gate, rushing for 300 yards in two games.
Ingram will be the best back available next year, and it would be major coup for the Giants to land him.
20. Indianapolis Colts: DT Cameron Heyward, Ohio State
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The Indianapolis Colts tried to add some young blood to their aging defensive end spot when they drafted Jerry Hughes out of TCU in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft.
Now the Colts could be looking to sure up the middle of that defensive line and add a big, strong penetrator like Cameron Heyward of Ohio State.
The 6-foot-5, 290 pound Heyward has the size to make the move from defensive end to defensive tackle, and he would be a great fit for the Colts with the type of defensive style that they play.
21. Seattle Seahawks: DE Adrian Clayborn, Iowa
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Seattle has really been lacking a great pass rush for what seems like years now. Their main problem has been finding that one consistent player who can really turn on the heat.
Pete Carroll had the 2010 Draft fall perfectly for the needs of his team, and hopefully for Carroll, a top-of-the-line defensive end will be available for the Seahawks this go around.
Iowa’s Adrian Clayborn likely would have been a first-round pick last year, so it will be interesting to see where his stock is valued in 2011. Clayborn is one of the most active defensive lineman in college football, but it remains to be seen how many underclassmen will come and out and push down his value.
22. Kansas City Chiefs: OLB Dontay Moch, Nevada
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It took some time for the Chiefs defense to get accustomed to the switch to a 3-4, but it looks they’re finally getting comfortable.
One thing that Kansas City could in the be hunt for next year is a rush linebacker to replace the aging Mike Vrabel.
A good option for the Chiefs would be Dontay Moch, a defensive end from Nevada. Moch, the reigning WAC defensive player of the year, is an athletic phenom who reportedly runs a 4.4 40-yard-dash at 6-foot-1, 245 pounds.
23. Pittsburgh Steelers: CB Brandon Harris, Miami
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It’s true that the Pittsburgh Steelers' cornerback play is getting better this year, but that has more to do with the return of safety Troy Polamalu than the actual talent at the position.
The Steelers, who were reportedly big fans of Kyle Wilson this year, decided to go with offensive lineman Maurkice Pouncey instead. So that makes it vital that they find a top cornerback early on next year.
There will be a few available, but if Miami’s Brandon Harris opts to come out, he could be a very nice option for Pittsburgh.
24. New England Patriots: RB LaMichael James, Oregon
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Running back isn’t exactly a position of importance in New England’s spread passing attack, but that doesn’t mean the Patriots couldn’t use a nice explosive threat in the backfield.
New England will likely be dangerously thin at the position entering next year, and they could use a nice injection of youth.
Oregon’s LaMichael James is a little on the small side at just 5-foot-9, 180 pounds, but there aren’t many backs that would fit as nicely in New England’s offense as James would.
25. Philadelphia Eagles: LB Travis Lewis, Oklahoma
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Will Andy Reid ever take a linebacker in the first round of the draft?
We’ve been waiting and waiting for it happen, but no such luck yet.
I still have a feeling we’ll get to see it one of these years, though.
And who knows? Maybe 2011 could finally be the year.
Oklahoma’s Travis Lewis would be a great fit on the strongside of that defense.
26. Houston Texans: S DeAndre McDaniel, Clemson
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The Houston Texans have always seemed to lack a truly consistent safety on the back end of their defense, and they’ve never really seemed to take any action to address that problem.
The Texans could use a ballhawk at the position who can move around and present matchup problems for opposing offenses.
Clemson’s DeAndre McDaniel can do just that. There are games where it looks like McDaniel is absolutely everywhere on the field, and he’s a consistent reliable playmaker that would be a great addition to any NFL defense.
27. Chicago Bears: WR Ryan Broyles, Oklahoma
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The Bears' receiving corps rank as one of the worst in the league, and there’s no doubt there needs to be some talent added to the group.
Oklahoma’s Ryan Broyles may not be the biggest receiver at just 5-foot-11, 185 pounds, but he simply makes plays when asked.
Broyles leads the nation with 41 catches, and he would make a great target for quarterback Jay Cutler.
28. New Orleans Saints: TE Kyle Rudolph, Notre Dame
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Jeremy Shockey is starting to show his age, and we’re still not sure if intriguing athletic rookie Jimmy Graham can ever be a true No.1 threat at the tight end position.
If the Saints had a chance to grab a tight end the caliber of Notre Dame’s Kyle Rudolph, they would have to think long and hard about it.
Rudolph looks like the best tight end in college football, and he's the type of pass catcher that would fit right in with the New Orleans' offensive system.
29. Atlanta Falcons: DE Allen Bailey, Miami
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The Falcons got themselves a great young linebacker with Sean Weatherspoon in the 2010 NFL Draft.
But in doing so, they overlooked the need to get younger at the defensive end position. John Abraham turned 32 this past offseason, and it looks like he only has a couple of seasons left in the tank.
The Falcons could use a dominant young force on the edge, and if there’s one thing Miami’s Allen Bailey knows how to do, it’s dominate.
Bailey is still learning the nuances of the end spot after making the full-time move outside from his natural defensive tackle position, but he’s the type of player that can really change the complexion of a defense with his play.
30. New York Jets: OT Joseph Barksdale, LSU
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It’s no secret that the New York Jets love to run the football, but they need big bodies up front to get that done.
The Jets are set at the left-tackle position with D’Brickashaw Ferguson, but right tackle Damien Woody will be 33 in November, and the organization should be in search of his future replacement.
LSU’s Joseph Barksdale made the switch from right tackle to left tackle for his senior season, but he will probably head back over to the right side in the pros. The 6-foot-6, 315-pound Barksdale is one of the most athletic linemen in next year’s class, but he’ll need to get a little stronger at the point of attack if he really wants to be a top-notch lineman.
31. Baltimore Ravens: MLB Alex Wujciak, Maryland
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Ray Lewis has had a great career, but the end of the road is in site for the 35-year-old veteran, and the Ravens will need to find his replacement sooner rather than later.
They might only have to look down the road at the University of Maryland to find that player.
That’s where tackling machine Alex Wujciak has been flying under the radar for the past three years. The 6-foot-3, 250-pound Wujciak isn’t going to wow anyone with his coverage skills, but he’d be a perfect fit in the middle of the Ravens' swarming, multi-look defense.
32. Green Bay Packers: CB Omar Bolden, Arizona State
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The Green Bay Packers have one of the top cornerbacks in the NFL with Charles Woodson, but the star defensive back is already 33 years of age, and he isn’t about to get any younger.
Finding a a top young corner who the Packers can ease into the fold would be a smart idea.
Arizona States’ Omar Bolden would be a great option. The 5-foot-10, 195-pound junior has bounced back nicely from a knee injury that cut his 2009 season short, and Bolden looks like he’s developing into one of the best cornerbacks in all of college football.
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