2011 NFL Mock Draft: Will Cam Newton Save the San Francisco 49ers?
In one season at Auburn, Cam Newton has dominated the college football landscape. Undefeated season? Check. Heisman Trophy? Check. BCS Championship? Coming soon.
Newton has done it all, but allegations surrounding his family receiving payments for his enrollment at Auburn have surrounded his junior season. Those same allegations lead us to believe Newton will enter the 2011 NFL Draft.
With Newton in the fold, how will the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft look?
DRAFT ORDER BASED ON WEEK 14 STANDINGS- ONLY PROJECTED UNDERCLASSMEN
32. New England Patriots
1 of 32
Team Needs: RB, OLB, OT, G, DE
Pick: J.J. Watt, DE, Wisconsin
Analysis: Closing out the first round, the Patriots are among the teams most likely to trade at least once in the first round. Actually, we will guarantee it.
J.J. Watt has a huge fan following, and for good reason. He is an NFL-ready defender with the perfect build for the 3-4 and he has a motor that never stops running. Watt will be an immediate upgrade in the Patriots defensive end rotation.
31. Atlanta Falcons
2 of 32
Team Needs: OLB, TE, G, FS, DE
Pick: Kyle Rudolph, TE, Notre Dame
Analysis: Defensive ends and outside linebackers will receive consideration here, but tight end is too good to pass up with pick No. 31.
Rudolph is an accomplished receiver. To see the whole story you have to look at his film with Jimmy Clausen under center, when Rudolph was dominating the red zone in South Bend.
Atlanta may not have Tony Gonzalez back next year, but even if he is back in town, the Falcons would love to have two threats at tight end.
30. Pittsburgh Steelers
3 of 32
Team Needs: G, OT, CB, DE, RB
Pick: Matt Reynolds, OT, BYU
Analysis: It is no secret the Steelers need to get better on the offensive line. In fact, the Steelers have needed to get better at tackle for years.
Last spring, they added center Maurkice Pouncey, a move that paid off immediately. This year they add Reynolds, a technician at left tackle. He has the perfect frame for the blind-side and the right ability to play in a mobile blocking scheme.
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29. Philadelphia Eagles
4 of 32
Team Needs: G, CB, OLB, OT, C
Pick: Zach Brown, OLB, North Carolina
Analysis: Priority No.1 is re-signing Michael Vick. No.2 is improving the defense.
Zach Brown is the Tar Heel you will not hear about, but the player you should start reading up on. Brown is a solid, consistent 'backer able to play strong or weak-side in the NFL. His ability against the run and in coverage will make him a valuable first round pick in the late 20s.
28. New Orleans Saints
5 of 32
Team Needs: DE, DT, OLB, SS, G
Pick: Bruce Carter, OLB, North Carolina
Analysis: Carter is another player that we do not expect to fall this far come April. He is an incredibly talented outside linebacker, perhaps the best 4-3 linebacker in the entire draft, and one of the few UNC stars to keep his eligibility this year.
The Saints are still a dangerous team, but their defense can be a weakness. Carter is an athletic linebacker with serious range and ability in pass-pro. He can be weak against the run, but he is able to pursue and string out plays.
27. Baltimore Ravens
6 of 32
Team Needs: CB, SS, T, WR, C
Pick: Brandon Burton, CB, Utah
Analysis: Looking for a sleeper to be Defensive Rookie of the Year for 2011? Write down the name Brandon Burton from Utah. Burton has the look of a Devin McCourty type steal late in the first round.
Baltimore's defense continues to bend but not break against even the best offenses. To take full advantage of Ray Lewis and Ed Reed's final seasons, Baltimore must improve their secondary. Burton is perhaps the missing piece to a loaded roster.
26. New York Jets
7 of 32
Team Needs: WR, G, DE, OLB, FS
Pick: Julio Jones, WR, Alabama
Analysis: We should preface this by saying that should Jones start to fall in April, someone will trade up to get him. Should he last until No.26, the Jets will have a huge steal.
New York must decide if they want to, or can re-sign Brad Smith, Braylon Edwards and Santonio Holmes after the season. While they may want both, affording them might be impossible.
With at least one opening on offense, Jones' incredible talents will be a welcome addition to the J-E-T-S.
25. New York Giants
8 of 32
Team Needs: T, G, RB, DT, CB
Pick: Cameron Heyward, DT, Ohio State
Analysis: The Giants look good on paper and on the field, but do they have the talent to compete with the Eagles in 2011?
To stop Michael Vick and Co., the Giants must get better on defense. Many would not expect the Giants to draft a defensive lineman, not with so many defensive ends on the roster, but adding a defensive tackle makes sense.
The Giants are susceptible against the run, and weak on third and short. How better to improve your defense than by adding the athletic Heyward?
An end at Ohio State, we like Heyward shifting inside on a versatile defensive line like the Giants.
24. Chicago Bears
9 of 32
Team Needs: T, G, WR, OLB, C
Pick: Tyron Smith, OT, USC
Analysis: Good things are happening in Chicago. Jay Culter looks like a Pro Bowler again, Matt Forte and Greg Olsen are rolling and the defense is as tough as ever. So, where do they get better?
The Bears are winning in spite of their offensive line, not because of it. Chris Williams is a young star at guard after being drafted to play left tackle, and J'Marcus Webb looks promising at right tackle, but there is not much else to build with.
Tyron Smith is a true left tackle. The Bears need an athlete at left tackle who can move in space to protect the mobile Cutler. Smith is their man.
23. Kansas City Chiefs
10 of 32
Team Needs: OLB, WR, DT, C, FS
Pick: Von Miller, OLB, Texas A&M
Analysis: Many people are surprised to see the Chiefs leading the AFC West this season, but when looking at the roster you will see many talented players on both offense and defense. You will also see many players who have risen their level of play this season (Matt Cassel, Derrick Johnson).
To remain competitive year-in and year-out, Kansas City must get faster and deeper on defense.
Von Miller just might be our favorite player in the entire draft. He is an underrated stud of a pass rusher. Ask any Big 10 offensive coordinator who they feared most this season and you'll hear one name over and over again: Von Miller.
22. Jacksonville Jaguars
11 of 32
Team Needs: DE, ILB, FS, SS, TE
Pick: Allen Bailey, DE, Miami (FL)
Analysis: The Rams are a touching story, but the Jaguars are just downright shocking. No one expected the Jaguars to be leading the AFC South late in the season. And I mean NO ONE.
Improving on defense is a need. For the Jags to compete with Indianapolis, Houston and Tennessee every year they must be able to generate a pass rush.
Allen Bailey is a dynamic pass rusher who is also very strong against the run. Coupled with 2010 first rounder Tyson Alualu, Bailey will add to a talented young defensive line in Jacksonville.
21. St. Louis Rams
12 of 32
Team Needs: OLB, WR, G, DT, TE
Pick: Akeem Ayers, OLB, UCLA
Analysis: The feel-good story of the 2010 season just might be the Rams and their playoff run with rookie quarterback Sam Bradford. To sustain this run and continue in future seasons, St. Louis must improve on defense.
Ayers is a true playmaker at outside linebacker. He is able to drop into coverage, stop the run or rush the passer.
Head coach Steve Spagnuolo is always looking for speed on defense and ways to create match-up problems for offenses. Ayers is a walking match-up nightmare.
20. Green Bay Packers
13 of 32
Team Needs: CB, DE, RB, OLB, QB
Pick: Janoris Jenkins, CB, Florida
Analysis: There are legitimate needs in Green Bay at cornerback (replacing Charles Woodson), running back (depth) and defensive end (upgrade at starter). With that in mind, the Packers can sit back and draft the best player at those positions.
Janoris Jenkins is no consolation prize. This is an extremely talented cornerback. In fact, Jenkins may be the most NFL ready of the group. He is battle tested against the SEC's best receivers, he plays in a pro scheme and he has the size/speed combination to shut down bigger receivers. Congratulations, Packers.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
14 of 32
Team Needs: DE, OLB, ILB, G, SS
Pick: Ryan Kerrigan, DE, Purdue
Analysis: Kerrigan will be seen in the top five on some draft boards, but not this one. Kerrigan is a solid defensive end/linebacker, but he is not the athlete a top five outside linebacker needs to be.
Kerrigan will be an immediate upgrade at end for the Buccaneers. At defensive end we feel Kerrigan will be a more dominant force, especially in the cover two system the Buccaneers are running.
18. Miami Dolphins
15 of 32
Team Needs: RB, G, FS, CB, QB
Pick: Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama
Analysis: The Dolphins are facing an offseason where both Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown will be free agents. It is very likely only one will be re-signed, opening the door for a rookie running back.
Mark Ingram, whose dad Mark played in Miami, is a great fit for South Beach. The Heisman Trophy winner is a strong between-the-tackles runner who excels at making one cut and then running people over. In fact, many will compare him to another straight-ahead runner: Emmitt Smith.
17. Indianapolis Colts
16 of 32
Team Needs: OT, DT, G, RB, CB
Pick: Anthony Castonzo, OT, Boston College
Analysis: The 2010 season has been an eye-opener for the Colts front office. It is more evident than ever that they must re-build the offensive and defensive lines.
In the first round, Indianapolis finds a tackle who can come in and play immediately at left or right tackle. Castonzo is a proven run blocker, which is a massive need in Indy. Also a need: protecting Peyton Manning.
Castonzo cannot solve the Colts problems up front alone, but he is a key piece in returning to glory.
16. San Diego Chargers
17 of 32
Team Needs: ILB, DE, WR, OT, FS
Pick: Derek Sherrod, OT, Mississippi State
Analysis: The Chargers are expected to place the franchise tag on Vincent Jackson, turning wide receiver from a weakness to a strength. This frees the team up to draft a tackle or defensive player in the first round.
Sherrod is a steal at pick No. 16. Many expect Sherrod to be a top five pick by April. The Chargers are set at left tackle with Marcus McNeill, but right tackle is a weakness.
Sherrod has been a left tackle at Mississippi State, but he has the ability to slide to the right side and excel. He has been the anchor of a very strong running game for the Bulldogs this season.
15. Seattle Seahawks
18 of 32
Team Needs: SS, DT, QB, OLB, OT
Pick: Marcell Dareus, DT, Alabama
Analysis: A season after finding starters in the draft, Pete Carroll must focus on making his roster better at vital positions through the draft.
Marcell Dareus is among the top five most talented players in the draft, but his work ethic is extremely questionable. Many will compare him to Terrence Cody, and fair or not there are some similarities in terms of motor and work ethic.
14. New England Patriots (f/Oakland)
19 of 32
Team Needs: RB, OLB, OT, G, DE
Pick: Robert Quinn, OLB, North Carolina
Analysis: The rich get richer here. Oakland gave up this pick two seasons ago in exchange for DE Richard Seymour. New England was patient, and that paid off.
Quinn is a great athlete at defensive end for the Tar Heels. He also has the speed, agility and hips to play at outside linebacker in the Patriots 3-4.
The team has been looking for an athlete like this for years. With Jerod Mayo, Brandon Spikes and Tully Banta-Cain already on board, this move will give the Patriots one of the best linebacking crews in the NFL.
13. Cleveland Browns
20 of 32
Team Needs: WR, DE, OLB, ILB, RT
Pick: Adrian Clayborn, DE, Iowa
Analysis: The Browns are a team on the rise. With Colt McCoy, Peyton Hillis and a great left side of the offensive line; Cleveland has the building blocks on offense to make a run.
While the Browns have key pieces filled on offense (QB, RB, LT, C), the defense is weak.
Adrian Clayborn, a defensive end at Iowa, projects well at defensive end in a 3-4 or 4-3 scheme. Considering the Browns are a 3-4 team now, Clayborn makes the most sense for this scheme.
12. Minnesota Vikings
21 of 32
Team Needs: QB, OLB, DE, FS, SS
Pick: Jake Locker, QB, Washington
Analysis: Good bye, Brett Favre. Hello, Jake Locker.
The funny thing is that Favre and Locker are similar players. Where Locker does have an advantage is that he is bigger, stronger and faster. For the few of us who can remember Brett Favre way-back-when, Locker is actually a better passer than Favre was coming out of Southern Mississippi.
This is not to say Locker is the next Favre, but he does have the talent to win on a roster that is built to run the football.
11. Houston Texans
22 of 32
Team Needs: CB, FS, SS, DT, C
Pick: Brandon Harris, CB, Miami (FL)
Analysis: The Texans need to make a big move this off-season to replace the departed Dunta Robinson. Brandon Harris is just that guy.
Harris is a physical corner, but he is also a talented cover man who is athletic enough to make plays, something 2010 draftee Kareem Jackson has not been thus far.
Houston has big needs in the secondary. Bernard Pollard is a free agent and an upgrade is needed at strong safety.
10. Washington Redskins
23 of 32
Team Needs: CB, G, DE, FS, QB
Pick: Nick Fairley, DE/DT, Auburn
Analysis: Washington could be replacing Donovan McNabb with this pick, or they could be replacing Albert Haynesworth here.
We like Washington to grab a quarterback, but none of the players on the board fit a need for them. Jake Locker is there, but he is very much the same player as McNabb.
With a top 10 pick and no quarterback worth drafting, Washington goes for the biggest boom or bust player in the draft- Auburn's Nick Fairley.
Fairley is a highly disruptive defensive lineman, but he has one year of starting experience at Auburn. This leaves scouts and coaches a small sample of film to evaluate him on.
Fairley will test very well at the Combine and impress in workouts. In fact, he could be picked much higher than this.
9. Tennessee Titans
24 of 32
Team Needs: QB, ILB, CB, G, TE
Pick: A.J. Green, WR, Georgia
Analysis: Unless Bud Adams sells the team between now and April, and when that happens it will snow in hell, Tennessee is not drafting a quarterback to challenge Vince Young. That is what they should do, but no one is asking us to make the pick for them.
What Tennessee will do is try and surround Young with more players who can prop up the Titans offense. This is still a talented team, but their dysfunction is keeping them from competing.
A.J. Green could easily go as high as No.1 overall, and in any other draft he probably would. Green is an extraordinarily talented wide receiver with Larry Fitzgerald-type potential.
8. San Francisco 49ers
25 of 32
Team Needs: QB, OLB, CB, DT, C
Pick: Cam Newton, QB, Auburn
Analysis: The 49ers have a chance to make the playoffs with two weeks left on the NFL schedule, or they could pick in the top 10 of the draft in April. Only in the NFL.
The 49ers have a good group on defense, there is a lot to work with on the offensive line and the receivers are top-notch. Unfortunately, those receivers have no one to consistently get them the ball.
Enter Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton. A dual-threat passer who can break apart a defense with his legs on any given play. The 49ers need an exciting playmaker who can reignite this locker room.
7. Dallas Cowboys
26 of 32
Team Needs: OT, DE, FS, SS, G
Pick: Cameron Jordan, DE, California
Analysis: Dallas is better than their record, or at least that is what their fans would have you believe. In truth, this is a team with serious holes. Big names do not produce wins, and in Dallas there are too many names and not enough contributors.
Rebuilding this team will start on the offensive and defensive lines. Jerry Jones knows that Super Bowls come from the trenches, and he will love Cameron Jordan.
Jordan is a perfect fit for the 3-4 defense. He will be a fixture at right end for the next decade. Should the Cowboys go to a 4-3 Jordan has the talent to move inside and play a three-technique.
6. Arizona Cardinals
27 of 32
Team Needs: QB, G, OT, CB, OLB
Pick: Ryan Mallett, QB, Arkansas
Analysis: From Super Bowl to the bottom of the NFL's worst division, the Cardinals have fallen from grace faster than any team in recent memory. It kind of makes you re-think the value of Kurt Warner.
Arizona is in re-building mode, and they must start at quarterback. Mallett will give Ken Whisenhunt a very good quarterback to groom for the future and someone with the talent to lead this team back to the playoffs.
5. Buffalo Bills
28 of 32
Team Needs: QB, RT, CB, TE, DE
Pick: Gabe Carimi, OT, Wisconsin
Analysis: Surprised? Don't be. Gabe Carimi is perhaps the best overall lineman in the draft. If not the most talented, he is the most NFL ready.
Carimi projects to right tackle in the NFL, but when facing three division opponents who run a 3-4 defense, a right tackle is pretty dang important to keeping your quarterback's face out of the dirt.
With Carimi and Demetrius Bell at the ends, and the very talented Andy Levitre and Eric Wood at guard, Buffalo has a young offensive line to build a franchise around.
4. Detroit Lions
29 of 32
Team Needs: CB, G, SS, OLB, ILB
Pick: Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska
Analysis: The Lions have shown promise in the 2010 season, despite playing much of the year without second-year quarterback Matthew Stafford.
With a healthy Stafford in 2011 the Lions will be poised for a playoff run. However, to compete in the NFC North the Lions must get better on defense.
Amukamara is a tough, physical cover man who can step right in to an NFL lineup and produce from Day One. He will fit in great with Jim Schwartz's defensive schemes.
3. Denver Broncos
30 of 32
Team Needs: CB, DE, TE, SS, G
Pick: Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU
Analysis: Denver is in a state of confusion, with the head coach being fired and the general manager likely on the way out.
Denver does have a quarterback, they just do not know which one they will play (Tim Tebow or Kyle Orton). There is also talent at running back and outside linebacker, but little elsewhere.
Denver must move to replace future Hall of Famer Champ Bailey. A solid cover man for a decade, Bailey is now ready to hang up his cleats.
Peterson is an electric athlete who can contribute immediately as a return man and No.1 corner.
2. Cincinnati Bengals
31 of 32
Team Needs: DE, ILB, G, QB, SS
Pick: Da'Quan Bowers, DE, Clemson
Analysis: The Bengals are facing a situation where almost every position is a need. Carson Palmer has fallen apart, Cedric Benson is a free agent and the starting receivers are old. This is a team with multiple needs.
With so many needs on both sides of the ball, Cincinnati is in a position to draft the best available player. In this case that is Bowers, a powerful defensive end with scary speed off the edge. Few rookies could contribute the way Bowers will as a rookie.
1. Carolina Panthers
32 of 32
Team Needs: DE, DT, OLB, TE, WR
Pick: Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford
Analysis: There is no surprise to this pick. The Panthers are likely to bring in a new coaching staff, and we hear Stanford's Jim Harbaugh may be the top candidate.
Whether Harbaugh is the new head coach or not, the Panthers cannot pass on Andrew Luck if they keep the first choice in the draft. There is a strong possibility they would trade back here and continue to build around Jimmy Clausen (2010 2nd round pick) with the draft picks they receive in return.
What more can be said about Andrew Luck? He is the perfect quarterback prospect. He has a great arm, wonderful accuracy, toughness and an ability to run. He really reminds us a lot of a right-handed Steve Young.
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