NFL Mock Draft 2011: Projecting Cam Newton, Andrew Luck and the First Round
With just one week left in the NFL regular season and the college bowl season drawing to a close, it's time for a mock draft.
We all love to speculate about where our favorite college players are going to go as well as which players our favorite NFL teams are going to draft.
No one knows for sure, but this is my best guess at how the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft will play out. Expect quarterbacks to be taken early and often, and for offensive linemen to slip down on the draft boards.
Will Jake Locker experience a decline in draft stock like Jimmy Clausen, or will that distinction belong to another player?
Read on to see how the first round could proceed, starting at pick No. 32 to build some suspense for those top picks.
No. 32 New England Patriots: Justin Houston (DE/OLB, Georgia)
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The Patriots are one of those teams that really don't have too many weaknesses. You probably could have deduced that from the fact that they're picking No. 32 in the draft, the spot reserved for the best team from the previous season.
One area that New England has lacked in though is a consistent pass rush.
If Justin Houston, a junior from Georgia, decides to declare for the draft, he would be a great fit for the Patriots.
The outside linebacker had four interceptions, 42 tackles (19.5 for losses) and 11 sacks this year. He was Georgia's true star on the defensive side of the ball.
No. 31 Atlanta Falcons: Kyle Rudolph (TE, Notre Dame)
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If the Falcons win the Super Bowl, Tony Gonzalez will most likely retire on top. If not, there's still a chance that the All-Pro tight end could call it quits after a long, productive career.
Gonzalez has said that there's a 50/50 chance that he returns.
If he does choose to retire, he would leave a gaping hole in the Falcons' offense. No player is better equipped to fill that hole than Kyle Rudolph.
The tight end from Notre Dame has caught 28 passes for 328 yards and three touchdowns this season in six games.
No. 30 Pittsburgh Stelers: Gabe Carimi (OT, Wisconsin)
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The Pittsburgh Steelers offensive line is going to be in trouble after this season. Max Starks had neck surgery, Willie Colon will be a free agent and Flozell Adams is getting up there in age.
The massive offensive lineman from Wisconsin is incredibly talented and powerful. He needs to work on his technique, but has the potential to be a perennial All-Pro.
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No. 29 Chicago Bears: Derek Sherrod (OT, Mississippi State)
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The Bears' primary need right now is help on their offensive line. They allow Jay Cutler to be sacked too often and don't do the greatest job blocking for Matt Forte.
Sherrod is better at run blocking than pass blocking, but he's going to be able to do both quite competently.
The Mississippi State lineman would be a great addition for the Bears.
No. 28 Baltimore Ravens: Allen Bailey (DE/DT, Miami)
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The Baltimore Ravens pride themselves on playing good defense and Allen Bailey would be a great addition to their pass rush.
Bailey could take over for Corey Redding at left end and would immediately be more effective.
The Hurricane senior had 21 tackles, 11 of which were for losses. He also recorded seven sacks.
No. 27 New Orleans Saints: Drake Nevis (DT, LSU)
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The New Orleans Saints don't have many holes on their team at all, but the defensive line is probably the weakest of the not-so-weak units.
Drake Nevis would be the best player available at this point and should be able to easily help out the run defense.
The lineman recorded 30 tackles for LSU this year, 13 of which were for losses. He also recorded six sacks and forced three fumbles.
No. 26 New York Jets: J.J. Watt (DT/DE, Wisconsin)
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One of the reasons that the New York Jets defense hasn't been as good this year has been the lack of pass rush. Playing against Tom Brady twice a year, the Jets need to improve here.
J.J. Watt could be the man to help that problem.
Watt has recorded 40 tackles, an incredible 20.5 of which have been for losses. He's also broken up seven passes, forced three fumbles, blocked three kicks and recorded seven sacks.
While Watt couldn't stop TCU in the Rose Bowl, he'll contribute significantly to the Jets next year.
No. 25 Philadelphia Eagles: Mike Pouncey (G, Florida)
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Mike Pouncey's older brother has already made a Pro Bowl in his first season for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Now it's the younger brother's turn to be drafted and make a mark in the NFL.
The Eagles have given up a ridiculous 43 sacks this year, but that total will be far less with Pouncey on their line.
Well, Michael Vick will need to get rid of the ball a little sooner as well too.
No. 24 Kansas City Chiefs: Jonathan Baldwin (WR, Pittsburgh)
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Matt Cassel has been a star for the Kansas City Chiefs this season, despite the fact that his only competent receivers are Jamaal Charles out of the backfield and Dwayne Bowe.
Jonathan Baldwin, although he's relatively unknown around the country, could change that.
Baldwin caught 52 passes for 810 yards and five touchdowns in 2010. Not bad for a receiver dealing with bad quarterbacks.
No. 23 Green Bay Packers: Akeem Ayers (DE/OLB, UCLA)
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Green Bay doesn't need any help on offense, and since you generally don't draft special team players in the first round, it'll go for defensive help.
Akeem Ayers should be able to help Clay Matthews and company get to the quarterback.
The UCLA defensive lineman and linebacker has recorded 10 tackles for losses and four sacks on the year.
No. 22 Indianapolis Colts: Nate Solder (OT, Colorado)
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The top offensive lineman in the draft will be able to help provide much-needed protection for Peyton Manning.
Somehow, Manning has been moderately successful despite defensive linemen closing in on him at all times.
Solder has been great at anchoring Colorado's line and should provide Manning much-needed relief next year.
No. 21 St. Louis Rams: Julio Jones (WR, Alabama)
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The St. Louis Rams desperately need to provide Sam Bradford with a big name wide receiver.
Julio Jones, assuming he falls this far down the board, would fit that need perfectly.
Alabama's star wide receiver has caught 75 passes for 1,084 yards and seven touchdowns this season. Pairing him with the league's top young quarterback would build an incredible core for the Rams to work with for the next few years.
No. 20 Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Adrian Clayborn (DE, Iowa)
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Thanks to a lack of production and some character issues, Adrian Clayborn has been falling down the draft boards all year.
Fortunately for him, he won't get past Tampa Bay, or else he may fall out of the first round entirely.
The Bucs need another pass rushing threat to put next to Gerald McCoy, and Clayborn could fill that role. He does, after all, have boatloads of talent.
No. 19 New York Giants: Travis Lewis (OLB, Oklahoma)
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The New York Giants' linebacking core is aging and/or proving to be ineffective. Drafting Travis Lewis, who will be the best player available at this point in the draft, will inject youth and talent into the position for New York.
Lewis has intercepted three passes, brought down the opposing ball carrier 54 times, recorded 1.5 sacks and broken up three passes in 2010.
That level of production would be much appreciated by the Giants.
No. 18 San Diego Chargers: Von Miller (DE/OLB, Texas A&M)
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With Larry English struggling to replace the gaping void that Shawne Merriman left at linebacker, the Chargers will be looking to replace him.
Von Miller is an incredible player and could do great things in powder blue.
So far in 2010 with one game left to be played, the linebacker has recorded 59 tackles, 10 sacks and an interception.
He also won the Butkus Award as the best linebacker in the country. No big deal.
No. 17 Jacksonville Jaguars: Janoris Jenkins (CB, Florida)
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The Jaguars pass defense has been quite porous all year, which is certainly a problem playing in the AFC South with Matt Schaub and some guy named Peyton Manning.
Drafting the hometown cornerback could help them significantly.
Playing for the Florida Gators, Janoris Jenkins has been one of the team's few bright spots in 2010. He's picked off three passes, made 43 tackles and even recorded a sack for himself.
No. 16 Miami Dolphins: Mark Ingram (RB, Alabama)
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With both Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams poised to leave South Beach via free agency during the offseason, running back is going to become the primary need for the Dolphins.
And yes, I know that Chad Henne isn't the long-term option at quarterback.
The former Heisman Trophy winner has had a down-year by his standards in 2010, but has still run the ball 146 times for 816 yards and 11 touchdowns.
No. 15 New England Patriots: Cameron Jordan (DE/DT, California)
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After seeing the success that Tyson Alualu has enjoyed for Jacksonville this season, Bill Belichick might look at taking another California defensive lineman in the first round.
Cameron Jordan could be the man here. He's made 33 tackles this year, 12.5 of which have gone for losses. Jordan has also brought down opposing quarterbacks 5.5 times and forced three fumbles.
He's exactly the kind of player that The Hoodie would love to have on his team.
No. 14 Minnesota Vikings: Ryan Mallett (QB, Arkansas)
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With Brett Favre retiring (I can only assume), I don't think that the Vikings will consider Joe Webb to be the answer at quarterback.
With Mallett still on the board, there's no way that Minnesota can pass on the talented gun-slinger.
The Arkansas quarterback completed 242 of his 364 passes for 3,592 yards and 30 touchdowns in 2010. He has the talent to succeed in the NFL.
No. 13 Washington Redskins: Ryan Kerrigan (DE/OLB, Purdue)
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Not much has gone right for the Washington Redskins in 2010, but the defense has been especially atrocious. They literally have holes everywhere, both on the depth chart and every play they run.
Ryan Kerrigan could fill one such hole. The Purdue senior is an excellent football player and led the nation with 26 tackles for losses. He also racked up 12 sacks.
He's one of the most talented defensive ends in the country and can also play linebacker.
No. 12 Tennessee Titans: Stephen Paea (DT, Oregons State)
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The Tennessee Titans are still looking for a way to replace Albert Haynesworth. As bad as he was for Washington this year, remember that he was still a force to be reckoned with in a Titans uniform.
Stephen Paea, Oregon State's 310 pound defensive tackle, could very well be the replacement they're looking for.
Paea has only recorded 21 tackles this year, but 11 have gone for losses and he's added an additional seven sacks from the interior portion of the line. Paea has also forced four fumbles, proving himself to be quite the capable defender.
No. 11 Seattle Seahawks: Jake Locker (QB, Washington)
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Jake Locker will get to stay at home and sit behind Matt Hasselbeck for a year while he adjusts to being an NFL quarterback.
Locker has not shown that he can play at the next level yet with his arm, but Seattle will give him a shot to develop and start in a few years.
This is really the perfect situation for the Washington quarterback.
No. 10 Cleveland Browns: Justin Blackmon (WR, Oklahoma State)
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With Colt McCoy looking like he could be the franchise quarterback and Peyton Hillis tearing it up from the running back slot, the next step is to find a capable receiver for McCoy.
Justin Blackmon has been the best receiver in the country in 2010 and has the tools to dominate the NFL as well.
Blackmon had over 100 yards and scored a touchdown every single week that he played this year. Talk about talent.
No. 9 Detroit Lions: Da'Quan Bowers (DE, Clemson)
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If Da'Quan Bowers was paired with Ndamukong Suh on the defensive line, the Lions could wreak some serious havoc upon other teams' offensive lines.
Bowers had an insane 25 tackles for losses this season and added another 15 sacks, forcing two fumbles in the process. His production was a rare bright spot for Clemson and he's elevated his draft stock immensely.
Defensive end isn't a top priority for the Lions, but if Bowers is still available, they can't afford to pass on him.
No. 8 Houston Texans: Marcell Dareus (DT, Alabama)
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The Houston Texans defense has been historically bad in 2010 and is one of the main reasons that they failed to live up to their preseason expectations.
Marcell Dareus will be the best defensive player left at this point in the 2011 NFL Draft and the Texans will pounce.
Dareus underachieved slightly this season, but his talent alone justifies his top-10 draft status.
No. 7 Dallas Cowboys: Prince Amukamara (CB, Nebraska)
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I feel like every time I turned on a Cowboys game this season, I immediately saw either Mike Jenkins or Terence Newman getting torched by an opposing wide receiver. It's pretty clear that they need help in their secondary.
No man is better suited for the job than Nebraska's senior cornerback, Prince Amukamara.
Amukamara had a disappointing season in 2010, but he has an incredible amount of talent, enough to ensure that he doesn't slip past the Cowboys.
No. 6 San Francisco 49ers: Robert Quinn (DE/OLB, North Carolina)
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The San Francisco 49ers had holes everywhere in 2010. Their defense though was especially bad.
None of the 49ers' current defensive ends are too productive, so an upgrade could be useful at the position.
Robert Quinn would provide exactly that.
The junior is always a threat to get to the quarterback and his success will carry over to the professional game.
No. 5 Arizona Cardinals: Patrick Peterson (CB, LSU)
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Arizona fixed its problems at cornerback throughout the year, but Patrick Peterson is too good of a football player to pass up on at No. 5.
The LSU cornerback can not only cover receivers but is also one of the most dynamic return threats in all of college football.
Even though the Cardinals may want to draft a quarterback, I can't see Ken Whisenhunt risking his slipping-away job with a rookie calling the shots.
No. 4 Buffalo Bills: Cam Newton (QB, Auburn)
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With Tim Tebow's recent success in the NFL, Cam Newton is going to rise higher and higher on draft boards. The hype will be ridiculous if he wins the national championship game against Oregon.
Buffalo needs a quarterback and some star power.
No player fits those requirements as much as Newton does.
That's really all there is to it.
No. 3 Cincinnati Bengals: A.J. Green (WR, Georgia)
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With Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens on the way out, the Bengals need to find a new standout wide receiver to line up along with Jerome Simpson and Jordan Shipley.
The one receiver in the draft that is actually capable of making Carson Palmer look good is A.J. Green.
Despite missing the first four games of the season (and a lot of the fifth), Green still caught 57 passes for 848 yards and nine touchdowns.
He's the most complete, NFL-ready wideout in college football.
No. 2 Denver Broncos: Nick Fairley (DE/DT, Auburn)
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The Denver Broncos defense was horrible last year.
They can either draft Patrick Peterson to replace Champ Bailey and/or Perrish Cox, both of whom may not be with the team next year due to free agency and legal issues respectively. However, cornerbacks generally aren't taken in the top three picks.
The other option is to shore up the defensive line with Nick Fairley. The defensive tackle is enjoying a fantastic season and is virtually impossible to block. He's exactly what the Broncos need.
No. 1 Carolina Panthers: Andrew Luck (QB, Stanford)
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This one's rather anticlimactic. Everyone thinks that the Panthers will select Luck first overall if he decides not to return to Stanford.
He's a winner and he's incredibly talented. Jimmy Clausen may be the latter, but he's certainly not the former.
Luck is a no-brainer at No. 1.
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