2011 NFL Mock Draft: Andrew Luck in on Top, But Who Follows Him?
As some of you know, I posted a mock up of the first 10 picks of the draft two days ago.
Well, guess what? It's time for a full mock draft.
That's right, we're coming quickly towards the end of the NFL season, which means it's time to start looking ahead to next April as teams start dropping out of the playoff picture.
Therefore, without further delay, here is a full first round mock draft: My Mock Draft 1.0.
32. Atlanta Falcons
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(Yes, I am assuming that the Falcons win the Super Bowl this year)
With the No. 32 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, the Atlanta Falcons select...
J.J. Watt, DE, Wisconsin
The Atlanta Falcons would love to have a defensive end to properly compliment John Abraham. I hate to call it quits on Kroy Biermann, but then again, this doesn't have to be the end of him.
J.J. Watt would provide a great option at that defensive end spot, and would help provide the pass rush to push this defense to the next level.
31. New England Patriots
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Withe the No. 31 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, the New England Patriots select...
Jonathan Baldwin, WR, Pittsburgh
I can easily see the Patriots trading this pick out of the first round, but, in the unlikely event that they do decide to keep it here, Jonathan Baldwin seems to be a good value pick for them.
As it stands right now, the Patriots appear to be set on receivers. However, Deion Branch is aging, and there is no guarantee that Brandon Tate will end up being the kind of outside receiver that they need him to be.
Baldwin has had some inconsistency problems with his hands this season, but he has the potential to do good things in the NFL, and his size, speed, and athleticism would be a great thing for Tom Brady, who could use a great outside, stretch-the-field kind of guy.
30. New York Jets
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With the No. 30 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, the New York Jets select...
Daniel Thomas, RB, Kansas State
Surprising, right?
Think about it, though. LT is not long for the New York Jets, or the League for that matter, despite the kind of production he is having this year. The Jets don't have many needs, so why not address the future?
Daniel Thomas would provide a great balance with Shonn Greene. Thomas is a very powerful, downhill runner who can punish defenders with his strength, while Shonn Greene is most certainly a speed guy. This would make a deadly tandem in the backfield.
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29. New Orleans Saints
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With the No. 29 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, the New Orleans Saints select...
Bruce Carter, OLB, North Carolina
If there is one thing that the New Orleans Saints lack, it is a dominant outside linebacker. I know that they run the 4-3 scheme, but both of their outside linebackers combine for an impressive zero sacks.
All that aside, their two starting OLBs are 31 and 33. At some point the Saints have to consider getting younger, so why not nab a good linebacker like Carter?
28. Pittsburgh Steelers
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With the No. 28 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers select...
Mike Pouncey, OL, Florida
The Steelers could really use the help on the offensive line, especially since they are really pushing to get younger along the line.
Plus, reuniting the Pouncey brothers is just too good of an opportunity to pass up.
27. Baltimore Ravens
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With the No. 27 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, the Baltimore Ravens select...
Quinton Carter, S, Oklahoma
The Sooners have been really popular in the first round as of late. That's why he's here.
Just kidding. The Ravens can pretty much afford to pick anything that they want, since they seem pretty well rounded as a team as it stands, so addressing safety seems to be the smartest decision.
Quinton Carter isn't an Eric Berry or Earl Thomas kind of difference maker, but he's good, and he has a lot of future potential. A year or two behind Ed Reed could prove invaluable when he finally does step in for the aging and ailing safety.
26. Chicago Bears
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With the No. 26 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, the Chicago Bears select...
Nate Solder, OT, Colorado
Really, though, you had to see this one coming.
For a team that seems to be performing well on offense, Jay Cutler ends up on the ground way too often. The Bears offensive line is aging and ineffective, so this is exactly what they need.
25. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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With the No. 25 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers select...
Cameron Heyward, DE, Ohio State
First off, yes, I know it is ridiculous to think that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be picking this low, but I'm going by current standings to make things easy, so here they are.
After spending their first two picks last year on upgrading the interior of their defensive line, a play-making defensive end would be the icing on the cake of a reformed defense.
Heyward is a dominant pass rusher, and will fit right into the 4-3 scheme in Tampa Bay. He could make an instant impact with the Bucs.
24. Green Bay Packers
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With the No. 24 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, the Green Bay Packers select...
Ras-I Dowling, CB, Virginia
There is an argument to be made here that the Green Bay Packers should chase a running back, but then again, they should be fine there once everyone is healthy next season.
Therefore, the next logical move is cornerback. As it stands, their best cornerback is Charles Woodson, which is great, except for the fact that the is 34 and battling constant injuries. Ras-I Dowling could play behind Woodson if they want him too, but he could also probably start from day one, which would really help the Packers.
23. Philadelphia Eagles
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With the No. 23 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles select...
Brandon Harris, CB, Miami (FL)
The Eagles could really use another cornerback. With both Ellis Hobbs and Asante Samuel getting older, Harris could be a great player to plug in behind them as a successor to either.
Harris is a hard worker, he loves the game, and his numbers show it. He has real star potential in the NFL.
22. Kansas City Chiefs
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With the No. 22 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, the Kansas City Chiefs select...
Jeremy Beal, OLB, Oklahoma
With Mike Vrabel headed quickly for retirement, the Kansas City Chiefs are going to need a replacement to stand on the other side of the field with Tamba Hali, and who better than Jeremy Beal.
At 6'3", 263 lbs., Beal has prototypical size for a 3-4 outside linebacker, and he has done enough at Oklahoma to prove that he is the kind of player who will transition well to the NFL.
He's fast, he never gets hurt, he works hard, and he puts up big numbers.
He's perfect for the Chiefs.
21. New York Giants
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With the No. 21 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, the New York Giants select...
Drake Nevis, DT, LSU
Barry Cofield and Chris Canty are getting things done in New York, but Cofield becomes a free agent at the end of this season, and the Giants haven't gotten great production out of their backups.
Something tells me they would rather pursue a guy like Drake Nevis in the draft rather than re sign a guy like Barry Cofield, especially considering Drake Nevis' ability to rush the passer.
20. San Diego Chargers
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With the No. 20 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, the San Diego Chargers select...
Allen Bailey, DE, Miami (FL)
The Chargers have a few needs that they could address, and they could very well end up going with a wide receiver or an offensive lineman here, but defensive end seems like the most logical choice.
Jacques Cesaire and the rest of his rotation are never really going to get it done for the Chargers on the line opposite Luis Castillo, so bringing in a guy like Allen Bailey makes a lot of sense. He's raw, so working in the rotation will do wonders for his development, and he is a freak athlete with a huge upside.
Picking Bailey here would be a huge win for the Chargers.
19. Indianapolis Colts
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With the No. 19 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, the Indianapolis Colts select...
Nick Fairley, DT, Auburn
The Colts need to do something about their 29th ranked rushing defense, because it is really killing them.
At 19, Nick Fairley is a great value pick, and can instantly add some physicality and run stuffing ability to the Colts defensive line.
18. Miami Dolphins
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With the No. 18 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, the Miami Dolphins select...
Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama
The Heisman-winning running back would be the perfect addition to the Miami Dolphins.
With Ricky Williams getting older and Ronnie Brown slipping in production, Mark Ingram could come in and keep the ever-so-important Miami running game going.
I do have one caveat, though: of all the projected first round prospects, Mark Ingram seems to me to be the potential bust.
Just saying.
17. Jacksonville Jaguars
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With the No. 17 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars select...
Ryan Kerrigan, DE, Purdue
If there is one gaping hole the Jacksonville Jaguars, it has to be their linebacking corps. The three together have posted only 2.5 sacks (all by Daryl Smith), and their numbers are unfortunately low. I could see the Jags going for Donta Hightower, should he fall this low, but it seems more likely that they would jump on a dominant pass rusher.
There is also an advantage in Kerrigan in that they could try him out at both outside linebacker and defensive end.
16. Tennessee Titans
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With the No. 16 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, the Tennessee Titans select...
Akeem Ayers, OLB, UCLA
Akeem Ayers is perfect for the Titans.
He is a very well rounded linebacker, excelling both in coverage and in pass rush situations. He can grow into a real start for the Titans, especially now when they could use some extra production from their linebackers.
15. Houston Texans
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With the No. 15 pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, the Houston Texans select...
Kyle Rudolph, TE, Notre Dame
Surprise!
But actually, doesn't this make a lot of sense? With Owen Daniels constantly hurt, the Texans could really use a tight end. It's been apparent that they lack a guy who can pick up the short yardage completions on third downs, and they really lack a guy who can draw coverage to the middle of the field.
I'm sure most of you are wondering about the defensive backfield, but, see, the problem is that the Texans drafted a cornerback in the the first round last year. That makes it infinitely less likely that they will take another this year, despite who is on the board when their pick comes up.
14. New England Patriots (from Oakland)
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After receiving the No. 14 overall pick from the Oakland Raiders, the New England Patriots select...
Von Miller, OLB, Texas A
This one is expected.
The Patriots are relying almost solely on Tully Banta-Cain to produce a pass rush for them, and that isn't going to last long.
The Patriots could really use a dominant force coming off the edge like Von Miller. If he's still there when their pick comes up, it's practically a given.
13. St. Louis Rams
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With the No. 13 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, the St. Louis Rams select...
Julio Jones, WR, Alabama
Having already invested a lot in rookie quarterback Sam Bradford, the Rams could use a star target for the young quarterback, and who better than Julio Jones (well, who better who will be available here than Julio Jones). He's big, he's fast, he's physical, he runs great routes, he is the complete package.
Julio Jones and Sam Bradford could grow into a great quarterback-wide receiver tandem.
12. Washington Redskins
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With the No. 12 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, the Washington Redskins select...
A.J. Green, WR, Georgia
Honestly, if he is still available here, who wouldn't take him?
The Redskins need a wide receiver so badly, it's not even funny. AJ Green has future Hall of Famer written all over him.
This one's a no-brainer.
11. Seattle Seahawks
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With the No. 11 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks select...
Janoris Jenkins, CB, Florida
Earl Thomas was a fantastic pick by the Seahawks last year, and this pick would probably seal their secondary for a good long while.
The Seahawks could choose to go with another offensive lineman, but, personally, I find it more likely that Pete Carroll values defense first, and the fact that none of his cornerbacks have interceptions this year is probably a little alarming, and disturbing.
10. Cleveland Browns
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With the No. 10 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, the Cleveland Browns select...
Adrian Clayborn, DE, Iowa
As a quick aside, I considered placing A.J. Green here, but, again, Holmgren seems like a defense first kind of draft guru, so this makes a bit more sense.
Believe it or not, the Cleveland Browns seem to have a lot of their offensive skill positions locked up. They have Peyton Hillis as their running back of the future, Colt McCoy as their guy at quarterback and they have an underrated receiving corps featuring Mohamed Massaquoi, Josh Cribbs, Brian Robiskie and Ben Watson.
The real thing that the Browns need to focus on is defense. While they have a few positions that they could address, I don't think that anything would help them more than a dominant defensive end, and that is what you'll be getting with Clayborn.
In all likelihood Da'Quan Bowers and Robert Quinn will be off the board by the time it comes to the Browns, but those two will also be at the top of the Browns list.
9. San Francisco 49ers
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With the No. 9 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, the San Francisco 49ers select...
Da'Quan Bowers, DE, Clemson
I know, I know, the 49ers are going to be pushing hard for a new quarterback come April.
However, at No. 9, they may be out of options. Minnesota, Arizona, Buffalo and Carolina are all poised to pick before them, so the three big quarterback prospects will likely be off the board at that point.
Considering that, why not focus on defense? The 49ers could really benefit from having a great defensive end, and right now Da'Quan Bowers is the guy. At 6'4" and 280 lbs, Bowers could stand to gain a little weight, but that will happen naturally at the professional level. Besides, the 49ers are already running an undersized 3-4 defensive end in Justin Smith, so what is to keep them from going after Bowers?
Should any of the three big quarterbacks drop this far, though, expect the 49ers to jump on the opportunity.
8. Minnesota Vikings
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With the No. 8 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, the Minnesota Vikings select...
Jake Locker, QB, Washington
I still scratch my head every time I think about the Viking's 2010 draft class. They could justify picking Chris Cook with their first second round pick, but with Jimmy Clausen and Colt McCoy still on the board, the Vikings chose Stanford running back Toby Gerhart instead, when they knew that they needed a quarterback to groom behind Brett Favre.
Now the Vikings are in crisis mode. Favre is done, Tarvaris Jackson is set to become a free agent and there is no way that the Vikings are about to hand the reigns over to sixth round pick Joe Webb.
Despite the rocky season that Locker has had this year, the Vikings simply cannot afford to pass up this opportunity.
7. Dallas Cowboys
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With the No. 7 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, the Dallas Cowboys select...
Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska
Honestly, the Dallas Cowboys could look in a bunch of different directions for this one, but with a talent like Prince Amukamara on the board, why pass it up?
Terence Newman is 32, and consequently won't be around for a while, and the Cowboys could use a real play-maker in the defensive backfield.
6. Denver Broncos
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With the No. 6 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, the Denver Broncos select...
Stephen Paea, DT, Oregon State
Simply put, the Broncos need Stephen Paea. As it stands right now, the Broncos are featuring ailing nose tackle Jamal Williams, but we all know that Williams is headed for retirement very soon.
Stephen Paea may not quite be up to the size one looks for in a 3-4 nose tackle, but this guy is freakishly strong, surprisingly fast and deceptively agile. He will take up the double team (more or less the ultimate goal of the nose tackle), but he will also always be a threat to split that double team and take off for the quarterback, which could put him in the ranks of the valuable three down nose tackles.
The Broncos could also elect to pick Donta Hightower, which would round out a great group of linebackers, or they could choose to work on their aging defensive backfield.
5. Arizona Cardinals
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With the No. 5 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, the Arizona Cardinals select...
Ryan Mallett, QB, Arkansas
Does this one even require an explanation?
Remember when, in the beginning of the season, everyone was saying that the stable of quarterbacks in Cleveland (Jake Delhomme, Seneca Wallace and Colt McCoy) was the worst in the NFL?
Who's thinking that now?
Neither Derek Anderson nor Max Hall will be a franchise quarterback. Ever. So it's time for Arizona to pick up someone who could restart their passing game before guys like Larry Fitzgerald and Steve Breaston start getting fed up.
4. Detroit Lions
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With the No. 4 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions select...
Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU
And draft parties around Michigan erupt with joy.
The Lions have built a fairly good defense for themselves over the past few years, adding young talent like Louis Delmas and Ndamukong Suh to a decent group of veterans. Patrick Peterson would add the final play-maker on defense that the Lions need to go from good to great on the most important side of the ball.
Also, as if that weren't enough, Patrick Peterson is an electrifying return game, and could really do great things for Detroit in that capacity as well.
3. Cincinnati Bengals
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With the No. 3 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, the Cincinnati Bengals select...
Robert Quinn, DE, North Carolina
Despite the fact that Robert Quinn will have not played football for over a year, there is no doubt that he is a physical freak, and a player that can really help Cincinnati where they need it most.
The tremendous upside of drafting Quinn will likely be too much for the Bengals to pass up.
2. Buffalo Bills
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With the No. 2 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, the Buffalo Bills select...
Marcell Dareus, DT, Alabama
There is a part of me that still believes that Patrick Peterson will end up in this spot, but, honestly, I think the Bills need Dareus more than anything else.
A strong force in the middle of their defense line would really help to fix their anemic rushing defense, and could really help them on the way to becoming a relevant team once again.
1. Carolina Panthers
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With the No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, the Carolina Panthers select...
Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford
Before I go any further, I do have to say one thing. I believe that Andrew Luck will stay at Stanford for another year. It is more than likely that he wants to finish his degree and win a PAC-10 championship, and that may outweigh the money he may or may not lose should a rookie wage scale be a part of the new collective bargaining agreement.
I know that the Carolina Panthers drafted Jimmy Clausen last year, but they're in DEFCON 1 here. If they don't fix their offense by next season, they may spontaneously combust. Or leave Carolina. Either way.
In all seriousness, though, this doesn't mean that the Panthers are throwing in the towel on Clausen. Well, perhaps a little. But, in any case, it's really about options. Andrew Luck is a guaranteed pick. Unless he gets seriously hurt, it really is hard to imagine him not succeeding. However, should he not succeed, they still have Clausen as an option.
Honestly, though, no team could benefit from this guy more than the Carolina Panthers.
Questions? Comments? Concerns?
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