2011 NFL Draft: The Up-to-Date Complete 1st Round Mock Draft
After the divisional round of the playoffs, all but four of the 32 teams have been given a spot in the 2011 NFL Draft.
Which means it's time to do another NFL Mock Draft, especially with more players declaring their intentions to either enter the draft or stay in school.
The Carolina Panthers, who will receive the No. 1 spot, must be cursing Stanford QB Andrew Luck's name after he decided to stay at Stanford for his senior season.
Goodbye, future Peyton Manning, goodbye.
There have been some shake-ups since even last week.
Here is my updated 2011 NFL Mock Draft.
Thanks for reading.
32. Green Bay Packers, Corey Liuget, DE, Illinois
1 of 32
The Packers may have one of the best defenses in the league, but they still need help at defensive end, especially with defensive end Cullen Jenkins being a free agent after this season.
Liuget would be a solid addition, with five sacks this season, including one in the Texas Bowl.
The Illini will miss Liuget.
31. New York Jets, Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama
2 of 32
With the 31st pick in the draft (yes, I see them making the Super Bowl), the Jets could receive a very special gift in running back Mark Ingram.
Ingram kinda picked a bad time to be a top running back, as most teams in the league don't have a dire need in the backfield.
The Jets, however, have an aging LaDainian Tomlinson, who will start to slow down soon. Shonn Greene hasn't been spectacular, but he's been good in a two-back system.
Ingram and Greene together might work well once Tomlinson is on his last legs.
30. Pittsburgh Steelers, Mike Pouncey, G, Florida
3 of 32
Not only is Mike Pouncey the brother of Steelers Pro Bowl rookie center Maurkice Pouncey, he would fit well into the Steelers' blocking scheme and is not a stretch at all at No. 30.
Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger has had trouble at times with protection this season, and Pouncey would be a good addition to a disappointing and injured O-line.
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29. Chicago Bears, Tyron Smith, OT, USC
4 of 32
It's not hard to find the Bears' glaring weakness; it's not like a Where's Waldo? book.
If you watched pretty much any Bears game this season, you probably noticed QB Jay Cutler running for his life with seemingly an entire defense storming through the offensive line.
The Bears gave up 56 sacks in the regular season, worst in the NFL.
Cutler has got to be getting tired of that, I would think.
Bring in Tyron Smith, USC's extremely athletic 290-pounder, and patch up the O-line.
28. New England Patriots, Justin Houston, DE/OLB, Georgia
5 of 32
As much as Tom Brady might disagree with me after getting sacked five times vs. the Jets, the Patriots' biggest weakness is on the defensive line and at outside linebacker.
Luckily for the Patriots, I see DE/OLB Justin Houston being available at No. 28 for the Pats.
You may not have seen Houston's name in the discussion until recently, but he's risen to legit Round 1 status after the junior declared for the draft.
With 11 sacks this season, Houston has soared into the first round, and the Patriots, who always make a habit of finding a steal, won't have a problem after selecting Houston.
27. Atlanta Falcons, Kyle Rudolph, TE, Notre Dame
6 of 32
With the aging of tight end great Tony Gonzalez, the Falcons should pick the No. 1 tight end in the draft, Kyle Rudolph.
Rudolph only played in six games this season after a torn hamstring, but he’s a legit talent.
Rudolph had eight catches for 164 yards and a TD against Michigan this year.
At Michigan State, he posted 80 yards and a touchdown.
26. Baltimore Ravens, Gabe Carimi, OT, Wisconsin
7 of 32
Gabe Carimi of Wisconsin is widely considered to be a top offensive lineman in the draft this season, paving the way for a top rushing attack of the Badgers this year.
The Ravens gave up 40 sacks this season, 10th in the league.
Carimi will help patch that up quite nicely.
25. Seattle Seahawks, Brandon Harris, CB, Miami
8 of 32
As much as the Seahawks need a QB (unless Matt Hasselbeck clones the version of himself that torched the Saints), they won’t find a difference-maker here, with the top four QBs taken already.
Their other glaring weakness is the secondary. Enter Brandon Harris of Miami, a top cornerback this season. There’s one position filled.
Now fill the rest of the positions on the field.
24. New Orleans Saints, Stephen Paea, DT, Oregon State
9 of 32
Oregon State’s Stephen Paea could be selected earlier in the draft, but I could see him being available at No. 24.
The Saints could use some pressure up front, notching a middle-of-the-pack 33 sacks in the regular season and just one against Matt Hasselbeck and the Seahawks (we know how that worked for them).
Paea could be a force at defensive tackle, with 11 sacks this season.
23. Philadelphia Eagles, Anthony Costanzo, OT, Boston College
10 of 32
The Eagles need help on the offensive line, that much is clear.
They gave up 50 sacks in the regular season, tied for second in the league. This is despite Michael Vick making rushers look like fools and juking many of them.
The Eagles will be happy with Anthony Costanzo, a mobile 295-pounder.
22. Indianapolis Colts, Derek Sherrod, OT, Mississippi State
11 of 32
Peyton Manning had protection issues this year, and it showed, particularly in the middle of the season and against the Jets in the Wild Card round of the playoffs.
Sherrod is a solid offensive tackle, and that is a position that needs to be filled. At 305 pounds and with good footwork, Sherrod will make fast friends with Manning.
21. Kansas City Chiefs, Cameron Jordan, DT, Cal
12 of 32
Cal’s Cameron Jordan had six sacks in consecutive seasons, and he’s a solid tackler.
Defensive tackle is a primary need for the the Chiefs, who had trouble getting pressure on the QB from the D-line, with just 32 sacks on the year.
20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cameron Heyward, DE, Ohio State
13 of 32
Cameron Heyward helped his chances of moving up in the first round after collecting a sack against No. 12 Arkansas.
He’s always been considered a top talent, and the Bucs are desperate for a pass-rusher from the edge.
The Bucs had only 26 sacks this year, third-worst in the league.
19. New York Giants, Nate Solder, OT, Colorado
14 of 32
The Giants need help at the left tackle spot, which hasn’t been filled properly by William Beatty.
Nothing like grabbing the Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year to fill that spot.
Solder could be a very dependable pro.
18. San Diego Chargers, Allen Bailey, DE, Miami
15 of 32
The Chargers could use an explosive player on the edge to add to their pass rush.
Allen Bailey would be an excellent choice here, with 44 tackles and seven sacks this year.
He’s widely considered to be a top defensive end, with tremendous size and closing speed.
17. New England Patriots, Adrian Clayborn, DE, Iowa
16 of 32
The Patriots should go defense this draft, after a season in which their secondary had to pick up the slack for defensive ends that weren’t true threats.
Adrian Clayborn of Iowa was a legitimate threat this season, and his four sacks really didn’t speak to his presence.
I could see the Pats going with him here.
16. Jacksonville Jaguars, J.J. Watt, DE, Wisconsin
17 of 32
The Patriots are going to cringe when the Jaguars take one of the highest-regarded defensive ends of the draft, J.J. Watt of Wisconsin.
Watt had seven sacks this year, and was a very consistent player for the Badgers.
I guess you could say he BADGERED the quarterback often (c'mon, that was too easy).
The Jaguars need big-time help on the D-line after amassing only 26 sacks this season, only behind the Denver Broncos.
15. Miami Dolphins, Jake Locker, QB, Washington
18 of 32
Jake Locker has dropped a bit this season after a spectacular 2009 campaign, but he still has the tools to be a starting quarterback in the NFL.
He doesn't throw a lot of interceptions, too, which speaks a lot to his presence.
The Dolphins are desperate for a QB; they had an impressive defense but were left with Chad Henne, Tyler Thigpen or Chad Pennington leading the offense.
They should give Locker a chance to prove himself at the pro level.
14. St. Louis Rams, Julio Jones, WR, Alabama
19 of 32
The Rams are going to be ecstatic if Alabama’s Julio Jones falls to them, which I could see given the needs of the teams selecting before them.
Rookie QB Sam Bradford was clearly the right choice in last year’s draft. It’s actually amazing what he did with the receiving corps this season.
The Rams will be looking for an high-octane playmaker for Bradford, which will help him reach another level.
13. Detroit Lions, Akeem Ayers, OLB, UCLA
20 of 32
The Lions are clearly in search for another linebacker after letting Julian Peterson go, who disappointed this year.
Akeem Ayers is considered a top linebacker in the draft and would fill that hole nicely.
Ayers had 68 tackles, four sacks and two interceptions as a linebacker for the Bruins this year.
12. Minnesota Vikings, Cameron Newton, QB, Auburn
21 of 32
The Vikings are going to be thrilled to see Heisman winner Cam Newton land in their lap.
The team is desperate for a quarterback and they obviously don't have faith in backup Tarvaris Jackson after begging Brett Favre to come back this season.
There are questions about Newton's ability to transition into the NFL and become a star, but you can't pass up a player of this caliber at the collegiate level when your No. 1 need is quarterback.
11. Houston Texans, Von Miller, OLB, Texas A&M
22 of 32
Von Miller was an absolute beast for the Aggies this season, a multi-faceted player who can provide a nearly-unstoppable pass rush when you need it, or simply drop back in coverage and use his athleticism to bat down passes.
Miller had 11 sacks this year and, despite a tough loss, collected nine tackles and a sack against LSU in the Cotton Bowl.
10. Washington Redskins, Ryan Kerrigan, DE, Purdue
23 of 32
The Redskins were constantly terrible at rushing the passer this year, collecting only 29 sacks.
Although they could grab a QB here with Donovan McNabb's apparent exile, I actually could see coach Mike Shanahan sticking with Rex Grossman and upgrading a poor pass rush.
Kerrigan is a no-doubt first-rounder with big-time potential.
Kerrigan had 70 tackles, 13 sacks and a forced fumble this season for the Boilermakers.
9. Dallas Cowboys, Robert Quinn, DE, North Carolina
24 of 32
The Cowboys need help on multiple fronts on defense: They gave up the second-most points in the NFL during the regular season (27.3 per game).
With cornerbacks Patrick Peterson and Prince Amukamara off the board, I see the Cowboys going with the next best thing, Tar Heels defensive force Robert Quinn.
Quinn had 11 sacks last season.
8. Tennessee Titans, Ryan Mallett, QB, Arkansas
25 of 32
The Titans are in shambles at the QB position after Vince Young imploded mentally this year and lost the trust of coach Jeff Fisher.
Backup Kerry Collins sure won’t do it.
The Titans are going to have to hope Arkansas' Ryan Mallett is the their answer.
7. San Francisco 49ers, Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska
26 of 32
There is no question the 49ers need a top quarterback desperately. But if 2010 told us anything, the 49ers need help at cornerback, too, with Nate Clements apparently aging by the game and Shawntae Spencer not a legit No. 1 corner.
I think the 49ers will trade for a veteran quarterback this offseason, either McNabb, Vince Young or Eagles backup Kevin Kolb.
Amukamara could be a star corner in the league, and it’s hard to pass that up.
6. Cleveland Browns, Marcell Dareus, DE/DT, Alabama
27 of 32
The Browns need considerable help at defensive tackle, with only 29 sacks this year. They’re lined up with QB Colt McCoy and running back Peyton Hillis on offense.
Marcell Dareus could do wonders for the defense. He’s a top talent and had sacks against Auburn and Michigan State to end the year.
5. Arizona Cardinals, Blaine Gabbert, QB, Missouri
28 of 32
Blaine Gabbert, widely considered as the top quarterback in the draft, is not the lock that Andrew Luck would be, but he still has the mechanics and intangibles to make him a leader in the NFL.
The Cardinals desperately need a leader, and still haven't recovered from Kurt Warner retiring.
4. Cincinnati Bengals, Da'Quan Bowers, DE, Clemson
29 of 32
The Bengals need serious help on the D-line, and Da'Quan Bowers would be an excellent start.
Bowers had 16 sacks, a forced fumble, and even an interception at defensive end for the Tigers this year.
The Bengals could use that: They only got to the QB 27 times this season.
3. Buffalo Bills, Nick Fairley, DT, Auburn
30 of 32
The Bills should be thrilled with Nick Fairley. He’s as sure a thing as it comes at the defensive tackle position.
Fairley had 12 sacks this year and played better against top competition, with seven sacks in four games against LSU, Alabama, South Carolina and Oregon.
The Bills had just 27 sacks this year.
2. Denver Broncos, Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU
31 of 32
The Broncos could take Fairley here, but with corner Champ Bailey a free agent this offseason and Perrish Cox possibly gone for good, they should snatch up Patrick Peterson, who could be one of the top corners to come out of the draft in years.
The Broncos gave up the most points in the league in 2010, at 29.4 per game.
1. Carolina Panthers, A.J. Green, WR, Georgia
32 of 32
A.J. Green is considered THE elite receiver in the draft.
I originally thought the Panthers would go with the next best thing in Blaine Gabbert after Stanford QB Andrew Luck decided to stay in school.
But Gabbert isn't the sure thing that Luck was, and Green is considered a big-time receiver.
The Panthers may need to search longer for a QB, but Green will help in the meantime.
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