NFL Mock Draft: Cam Newton, Andrew Luck, First Round Projections Through Week 17
With the NFL regular season finished and the college bowl season drawing to a close, it's time for another 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? I think it'll be him because the Seahawks slipped down in the draft order thanks to their surprising status as a playoff team.
Read on to see how the first round could proceed, starting at pick No. 32 to build some suspense for those top picks.
32. New England Patriots: Tank Carder (LB, TCU)
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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.
Tank Carder could play off his recent success in the Rose Bowl and declare early for the NFL Draft.
He was the defensive MVP in TCU's victory over Wisconsin with two sacks and the game-winning pass breakup.
Carder was also the MWC Defensive Player of the Year.
31. Atlanta Falcons: Atlanta Falcons: Kyle Rudolph (TE, Notre Dame)
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If the Falcons win the Super Bowl, as they very well could with home field advantage throughout the NFC portion of the playoffs, 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.
30. Pittsburgh Steelers: 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.
He couldn't play well enough to help his Badgers beat the Horned Frogs of TCU, but he'll contribute a lot in the NFL.
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29. Baltimore Ravens: J.J. Watt (DT/DE, Wisconsin)
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The Baltimore Ravens pride themselves on playing good defense and J.J. Watt would be a great addition to their pass rush.
Bailey could take over for J.J. Watt at left end and would immediately be more effective.
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.
28. New York Jets: Allen Bailey (DE/DT, Miami)
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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.
Allen Bailey could be the man to help that problem.
The Hurricane senior had 21 tackles, 11 of which were for losses. He also recorded seven sacks.
27. 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.
If they added a lineman, Cutler may make less mistakes. Well actually, I don't know if that's possible, but he wouldn't be sacked at least.
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.
26. 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 unit of all.
If they're going to improve any area, it should be this one.
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.
25. 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 even more effectively.
The UCLA defensive lineman and linebacker has recorded 10 tackles for losses and four sacks on the year.
24. 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.
I'm sure LeSean McCoy will love the extra help in the running game and DeSean Jackson will adore the idea of being able to jog downfield instead of sprinting. Jackson jogging is still fast enough to burn some defensive backs.
23. 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 quite 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.
22. 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.
21. Seattle Seahawks: Jake Locker (QB, Washington)
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Poor Jake Locker. He has yet to show that he can throw the ball effectively, so I think he could slip pretty far down the draft boards. I just can't see too many teams willing to take a chance on him.
Tim Tebow was different because of the star power.
I had Locker going to Seattle in my last mock draft and I still do. But unfortunately for the Washington quarterback, Seattle made the playoffs and thus has a much lower pick.
He will get to stay at home and sit behind Matt Hasselbeck for a year while he adjusts to being an NFL quarterback.
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.
19. New York Giants: Janoris Jenkins (CB, Florida)
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The Giants could use a defensive improvement, and this cornerback could do that for them.
Maybe they'll be able to intercept as many passes as Eli Manning throws to the other team.
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.
18. San Diego Chargers: Travis Lewis (OLB, Oklahoma)
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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.
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 Chargers.
17. New England Patriots: Von Miller (DE/OLB, Texas A&M)
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The New England Patriots linebacking core could use a little bit of help. Drafting Von Miller, who will be the best player available at this point in the draft, will inject youth and talent into the position for New York.
Von Miller is an incredible player and could do great things in New England.
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. For those of you that are curious, that's a way of saying that he's pretty good at his job.
16. Jacksonville Jaguars: Cameron Jordan (DE/DT, California)
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Derrick Harvey didn't work out so well when the Jaguars drafted him in 2008 to improve their pass rush from the defensive end slot, so they'll try again here.
On the other hand, Tyson Alualu has been great, so it would make sense to reunite him with his fellow California defensive lineman, Cameron Jordan.
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.
15. 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.
14. 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.
13. Detroit Lions: Ryan Kerrigan (DE/OLB, Purdue)
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If Ryan Kerrigan was paired with Ndamukong Suh on the defensive line, the Lions could wreak some serious havoc upon other teams' offensive lines.
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.
Defensive end isn't a top priority for the Lions, but if Kerrigan is still available, they can't afford to pass on him.
12. 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.
11. Houston Texans: Stephen Paea (DT, Oregons State)
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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.
Stephen Paea, Oregon State's 310 pound defensive tackle, could very well be the help 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.
10. Washington Redskins: Da'Quan Bowers (DE, Clemson)
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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.
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.
9. 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.
8. Tennessee Titans: Marcell Dareus (DT, Alabama)
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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.
Marcell Dareus will be the best defensive player left at this point in the 2011 NFL Draft and the Titans will pounce.
Dareus underachieved slightly this season, but his talent alone justifies his top-10 draft status.
7. San Francisco 49ers: Robert Quinn (DE/OLB, North Carolina)
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The San Francisco 49ers had holes littering their defense in 2010. A lot of people may think they need a quarterback, but upgrading the defense should be a bigger priority.
One position that could use some improvement is defensive end. Justin Smith made the Pro Bowl, but he could use some help on the other side of the field.
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.
6. Cleveland Browns: Justin Blackmon (WR, Oklahoma State)
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With Colt McCoy looking like he could be the franchise quarterback (his six interceptions in the last two games were against the Ravens and the Steelers, both of whom have great defenses and were fighting for playoff positioning) 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, even better than A.J. Green, 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. I wouldn't even be surprised if that continued in 2011.
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 let him slip out of the top five.
The LSU cornerback is one of the best return men in college football, and that's not even his main position. Peterson can cover receivers as well as anyone else in the nation.
Even though the Cardinals may want to draft a quarterback instead of dealing with Max Hall, Derek Anderson, John Skelton and whoever else they can pick up off the streets, I can't see Ken Whisenhunt risking his job by letting a rookie quarterback his team.
4. Cincinnati Bengals: A.J. Green (WR, Georgia)
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The T.Ochocinco show looks like it's going to be airing in a different city in 2011. 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.
Carson Palmer has actually looked better with the two divas sidelined. The receiver in the draft that could make Palmer look like a star again 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.
3. Buffalo Bills: Cam Newton (QB, Auburn)
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Tim Tebow continues to look good in the NFL so Cam Newton is going to rise higher and higher on draft boards. The hype will be absolutely ridiculous if he can lead the Auburn Tigers to a victory in the national championship game against Oregon.
Buffalo needs both a quarterback and some star power. Let's face it, Stevie Johnson is not exactly a player that you want to be the face of your franchise.
Newton could be that player.
2. Denver Broncos: Nick Fairley (DE/DT, Auburn)
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The Denver Broncos defense was absolutely terrible in 2010.
With both Champ Bailey and Perrish Cox not looking likely to return to the team next season, they could draft Patrick Peterson as a replacement. Bailey has made it quite clear that he doesn't want to return while Cox is facing legal troubles. However, I feel like this selection would be unlikely because cornerbacks generally aren't taken in the top three picks.
The other option is to help the defensive line with Nick Fairley. The defensive tackle is in the midst of a fantastic season and is virtually impossible to block. He's shot up draft boards and is exactly what the Broncos need.
1. Carolina Panthers: Andrew Luck (QB, Stanford)
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This one might as well already be decided. I have yet to hear someone think that the Panthers will select someone other than Andrew 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 as their record indicates. Clausen had an awful season by anyone's standards.
Roger Goodell doesn't even need to wait for the Panthers to tell him whose name to announce.
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