2011 NFL Mock Draft: Complete First Round Prediction
The 2010-11 NFL Regular Season is almost at its conclusion and going into Week 11, there are a number of teams already thinking ahead to next year.
Teams like the Dallas Cowboys and Minnesota Vikings have fired their head coaches (Wade Philips and Brad Childress, respectively).
Then there are teams like the Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, Cincinnati Bengals and Detroit Lions have only two wins or less and have nothing more than pride left to play for.
Come April, all 32 NFL teams will be looking to improve their team through the 2011 NFL Draft.
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32. New York Jets- Von Miller, LB, Texas A&M
1 of 32
Miller has not had the season that many were expecting to this point, mostly due to injuries. If healthy, he should be able to re-establish himself as a borderline first-round talent.
The Jets could use an infusion of youth in their front seven, and adding a potential force off the edge is always an attractive option, especially in Rex Ryan's blitz-heavy defense.
Von was pretty quiet in the Texas A&M upset of the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Saturday. Miller has 52 tackles on the year to go along with eight sacks for the Aggies.
31. Atlanta Falcons- Kyle Rudolph, TE, Notre Dame
2 of 32
In the 2010 NFL Draft, there were two tight ends picked in the top 42 selections, despite not playing all year, so there is a precedent for the Fighting Irish's Rudolph.
How far along he gets in his recovery will dictate if he takes the leap to the NFL or not, but if he declares, he’ll hear his name called before the first round is over.
The Falcons have a Hall of Fame tight end in Tony Gonzalez, but he is currently playing in his 14th NFL season and is 34 years old. He would be a perfect mentor for Rudolph.
In the six games Rudolph played this season, he has 28 receptions for 328 yards and three touchdowns.
30. New England Patriots- Rodney Hudson, OL, Florida State
3 of 32
Hudson might be a tad undersized, but that's the only reason he’s still on the board. He moves well, is tough, intelligent and hard working. He would fit in on the New England line at guard or center.
With the long drawn-out contract negotiations with Logan Mankins, it can't be assumed that even though he's back with the team, that they'll be able to reach an agreement.
Come April, if there's a bigger name still on the board, don't expect the Patriots to jump on them here. They have Carolina’s top pick, which at this point is only three picks away.
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29. New Orleans Saints- Bruce Carter, LB, North Carolina
4 of 32
Linebacker appears to be a need every year for the Saints, and it could be again this year.
The team is built on making the big play, and Carter has the speed and athleticism to thrive in such a role.
New Orleans has bounced back after hitting a rough patch in the middle of the season This addition could have them on top for awhile longer.
28. Baltimore Ravens- Jonathan Baldwin, WR, Pittsburgh
5 of 32
The Ravens addressed their need for a big play receiver with the addition of Anquan Boldin in the offseason.
However, the Ravens could use another threat as all-time Raven, Derrick Mason, is getting up there in age.
Baldwin isn't as hyped as some other receivers on this list, but he has delivered at Pittsburgh when called upon.
27. Chicago Bears- Nate Solder, OT, Colorado
6 of 32
The Bears have gotten a lot of slack under offensive coordinator, Mike Martz, for letting quarterback Jay Cutler take so many hits.
Lovie Smith might have saved his job for another year and selecting an offensive lineman will also help.
Solder has been impressive during his time at Colorado and if he can keep Cutler off his back for a few plays, he'll be welcomed by the Bears.
26. Green Bay Packers- Ras-I Dowling, CB, Virginia
7 of 32
Charles Woodson has been great for the Packers since they signed him.
However, like a few other teams on this list, Woodson isn't a young man anymore.
Dowling will provide an injection of youth to the Packers secondary, something that will be of great importance if Green Bay wants to stay atop the NFC North.
25. Pittsburgh Steelers- Gabe Carimi, OT, Wisconsin
8 of 32
The Steelers have been a very consistent team throughout the past decade.
There always seems to be talk of upgrading the line for the Steelers.
Despite the selection of Maurkice Pouncey last year, it has popped up again. Carimi has the type of physical attitude to fit right in along the Steeler's line.
24. Philadelphia Eagles- Jurrell Casey, DT, USC
9 of 32
The defensive tackle position is something the Eagles have had issues with over the past few years.
Despite the need for an upgrade, they tend to push the need down their board a bit. Here, need meets value and the team nabs the fireplug from USC.
Philadelphia has seen an increase in offensive production thanks to the unbelievable play of Michael Vick and finding a way to upgrade the defense is next on the Eagles list.
23. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Demarcus Love, OT, Arkansas
10 of 32
While defense may be where most needs lie, with a lot of young pieces on the offense, keeping the key piece healthy will always be the biggest priority.
Josh Freeman has been very impressive and keeping him upright and giving him time will only make the offense better.
Love may be the most impressive athlete among offensive lineman, but he’ll need to watch his weight at the next level.
22. Jacksonville Jaguars- Ryan Kerrigan, DE, Purdue
11 of 32
It’s back to the drawing board for the Jags.
They needed an upgrade of their pass rush off the edge, so they used their top two picks last year on interior lineman.
Derrick Harvey still hasn’t figured it out, so it’s time to get another body in there. Kerrigan is a bit more athletic than he appears, and is an all-around threat off the edge.
21. Indianapolis Colts- Stephen Paea, DT, Oregon State
12 of 32
Free agency could dictate a lot of what the Colts do, but at this point in the draft, landing an interior lineman of Paea’s quality is just what Jim Caldwell ordered.
The Colts have had to deal with a multitude of injuries this season, but thanks to the superstar play of Peyton Manning, Indianapolis hasn't missed a beat.
Still, the Colts are going to be looking for a defensive tackle to help take some pressure off Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis.
20. New York Giants- Derek Sherrod, Mississippi State
13 of 32
William Beatty is the long term answer at left tackle, so finding the other bookend could be the direction the Giants head in.
Sherrod would fit very well on the right side, replacing Kareem McKenzie when the time comes.
New York's offense has ranked in the top two all season and a lot of it is thanks to keeping pressure off of Eli Manning. Not always as easy as said, Eli is second in the NFL in interceptions with 16, so an improvement up front would do great for the Giants.
19. Kansas City Chiefs- Anthony Castonzo, OT, Boston College
14 of 32
The team invested a lot into Matt Cassel and they need to provide him some help.
That could be in the form of a top tier receiver or some protection. At this spot, keeping him upright is the best way to go, and the Chiefs nab the top tackle available this year.
Kansas City has turned things around under the new regime of Todd Paoli, Todd Haley, Romeo Crennel and Charlie Weiss. This pick will only help the Chiefs contend in the future.
18. Washington Redskins- Ryan Mallet, QB, Arkansas
15 of 32
The Donovan McNabb experiment does not appear to be going so well, especially with him being yanked in the final two minutes of the game.
Mallett is a kid that was projected as the top overall pick, as little as a month ago.
Some poorly timed interceptions and durability concerns may cause him to slide, but Mike Shanahan could be the guy to get him to live up to his potential.
17. Miami Dolphins- Janoris Jenkins, CB, Florida
16 of 32
Miami has two young, talented corners in Vontae Davis and Sean Smith, but both are bigger corners.
Jenkins would give them the playmaking cover man, and give the 'Phins a fantastic group of young corners to build the defense around.
Tony Sparano would love to continue to try and build this team into a defensive powerhouse and the addition of Jenkins will go a long way with that.
16. Seattle Seahawks- Nick Fairley, DT, Auburn
17 of 32
Fairley is rapidly rising up draft boards and he could end up even higher than this when all is said and done.
He has been a dominant force inside for the Tigers, so far.
The Seahawks may have more pressing needs elsewhere, but with a penchant for taking lineman high, and one this talented still being available, it’s hard to see them passing on him here.
15. San Diego Chargers- Cameron Heyward, DL, Ohio State
18 of 32
The Chargers may be in the position of drafting the best available talent with a number of players going up for free agency.
Heyward could emerge as that guy, with his combination of size and ability allowing him to provide many roles along the defensive line.
Heyward could give this team a presence they have lacked, similar to what Richard Seymour did for the Patriots two years ago.
14. New England Patriots (via Oakland)- Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama
19 of 32
The Patriots running game has been one of the surprises of the 2010-11 NFL season.
The tandem of BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Danny Woodhead has been critical to New England's offense this year.
Adding someone with the talents of Ingram could make their backfield even better and make the Patriots a serious threat on the ground as well as through the air.
13. Tennessee Titans- Aaron Williams, CB, Texas
20 of 32
The Titans have taken a liking to Longhorns over the years, and they currently have one starting in their secondary in Michael Griffin.
Williams is another talented defensive back that would shore up a big weakness.
Tennessee is having their problems with former Longhorn, Vince Young, but Williams would step right in and fill an important void for the Titans.
12. St. Louis Rams- Julio Jones, WR, Alabama
21 of 32
Next year, the Rams will have two receivers coming off of knee injuries, and another smallish receiver in Mardy Gilyard entering his second season.
There is some talent there, but none of them can provide what Jones can. Jones’ size and playmaking ability would be a welcomed addition to the offense.
Jones would give last year's number one overall pick, Sam Bradford, a go-to weapon to allow those receivers to fall into roles better suited for them.
11. Houston Texans- Rahim Moore, S, UCLA
22 of 32
There was a lot of talk about the Texans liking Earl Thomas last year and Moore has a lot of the same traits.
He is an athletic ball hawk in the secondary and his presence would greatly improve the deep coverage for the Texans.
Houston's secondary has let them down in some tight games this year and Moore would be very helpful in that area for the Texans.
10. Minnesota Vikings- Jake Locker, QB, Washington
23 of 32
Locker is still a bit inconsistent, and that has pushed Andrew Luck ahead of him on many boards.
Brett Favre is done.
Finding a long-term replacement will be a big priority, and Locker has some of the same ability Favre had during his younger years. Bringing in a new quarterback with a new head coach could be the best bet for the Vikings
9. Arizona Cardinals- Akeem Ayers, LB, UCLA
24 of 32
Ayers could provide a variety of roles for the Cards.
His size and athleticism could allow him to take over the role Karlos Dansby held down before his departure, or his pass rush potential could allow him to line up on the edge and get after the QB.
Either way, his overall ability will be a major addition to the Cardinal defense.
8. Dallas Cowboys- Allen Bailey, DL, Miami
25 of 32
The Cowboys are a mess this season, and it could ‘pay off’ with an extremely high draft pick.
Bailey is a lineman that could play in any front, but would be asked to play end in a 3-4 alignment in Dallas.
Upgrading the offensive line or safety may be first priority, but neither position has a player that warrants such a high selection.
7. Cleveland Browns- A.J. Green, WR, Georgia
26 of 32
If Colt McCoy is going to be the answer for the Browns at QB, he’s going to need legitimate weapons.
There is some talent at the receiver position but no game-breaker.
Green will fill that void immediately. After serving a four-game suspension to start the season, Green came back and picked up right where he left off for the Bulldogs last season. Green is great at making a play on the ball before his defender gets the opportunity to.
6. Denver Broncos- Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska
27 of 32
It’s a shame the Broncos reached for Tim Tebow last year, because they could have a far superior QB prospect in Jake Locker at this spot.
After using a first-rounder on Tebow though, they will not go QB here.
So, they grab the Husker corner and hope he can provide the presence Champ Bailey has over the years. Amukamara will develop greatly under the tutelage of a corner of Champ's caliber and become the next great Broncos cornerback.
5. San Francisco 49ers- Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU
28 of 32
The 49ers spent two first round picks getting tougher on the offensive line.
Now they add a physical, playmaker in the secondary to add to last year’s second rounder, Taylor Mays.
Peterson is a ball-hawking defender and can affect the game not only on the defensive side of the football field.
4. Detroit Lions- Da'Quan Bowers, DE, Clemson
29 of 32
Bowers has finally put it together this year and is one of the elite play makers available on the defensive side of the ball.
Adding an edge rusher to Ndamukong Suh is going to give the Lions a great young line to build the defense around.
Detroit has been better this year, but still is unable to pull out the tight games, continuing to better their defense will go a long way in helping them win those close games next year.
3. Buffalo Bills- Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford
30 of 32
The Bills and their fans may not want another Stanford QB after the Trent Edwards situation, but not only is Luck a far superior prospect, there really is no choice but to go this route here.
Ryan Fitzpatrick has been impressive in his last couple of games, but Fitzpatrick is not a franchise quarterback.
Luck has shown the potential to be just that and if he decides to head to the NFL after this season he could very well follow in the footsteps of Edwards right to Buffalo.
2. Cincinnati Bengals- Marcell Dareus, DL, Alabama
31 of 32
The Bengals have been a big disappointment this season and it could bring the end to the Marvin Lewis era.
Cincinnati could use the help on the defensive side of the football and Dareus has been the best defensive lineman in college football this season.
Bringing Dareus into the fold will only do great things for the Bengals and Dareus is the type of lineman who can play in any scheme so he would be able to transition if Lewis is ultimately let go.
1. Carolina Panthers- Robert Quinn, DE, North Carolina
32 of 32
Quinn isn’t going to get the chance to prove this high of a selection during the season, but once workouts come around he should be able to push himself back into the top five.
The Panthers had a lot of success with the last Tar Heel they had line up at end for them, so they may go back to the well for another.
Marcell Dareus has been the best lineman playing this year, but Quinn is a freak and if it wasn't for the suspension he has to serve, he would be showing why he could go number one like Houston Texans' defensive end Mario Williams.
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