NFL Mock Draft 2011: Analyzing Pat Kirwan's Latest New England Patriots Picks

With six picks in the first three rounds of the 2011 NFL draft, the New England Patriots are at the center of the draft buzz.

Needless to say, Patriots fans are excited for draft day. Hence, with nothing football-related occurring at the moment, we are left to analyze mock drafts as we anxiously pass the time until April 28.

NFL.com Senior Writer Pat Kirwan recently posted his latest two-round mock draft. The Patriots have four picks total in those two rounds, so there's a lot to review.

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17. Tyron Smith, OT, USC

Jeff Golden/Getty Images

TEMPE, AZ - NOVEMBER 7: Tyron Smith #70 of the USC Trojans stretches before the game against the Arizona State Sun Devils on November 7, 2009 at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. USC won 14-9. (Photo by Jeff Golden/Getty Images)

Height: 6'5"
Weight: 307 pounds

Kirwan's mock draft presents what is essentially a nightmare situation for the Patriots. None of the top five-technique defensive ends remain on the board, so the pick here is Tyron Smith.

Let me start by agreeing with PatsPropaganda's Mike Dussault in that if this is the scenario laid out for the Patriots, they will likely trade down. Kirwan doesn't project trades in his mock, though.

Smith is being projected higher than this in most mock drafts, so one could argue that he would be a good value pick at 17. Throw in an aging Matt Light and Smith could be a great pick in terms of both value and need.

He played left tackle all through college and could also play the position in the NFL. Still, he will need some time to develop his instincts and blitz recognition.

Overall, this is a solid pick for the Patriots at this spot.

Grade: A-

28. Muhammad Wilkerson

Height: 6'4"
Weight: 315 pounds

Kirwan stays put with this pick, which remains the same from his previous mock draft.

He may not have experience in the 3-4, but Wilkerson's a perfect fit for a five-technique defensive lineman in terms of his size. As Kirwan mentions, his 35-inch arms give him a massive advantage over whomever he may be matched up against.

As it is, he'll be a great addition to the Patriots' interior pass rush, but he will also be able to use his big frame to soak up the blockers like a sponge and open things up for the linebackers.

The Patriots would have a great developmental prospect and a future three-down starter on their defensive line with the selection of Wilkerson.

Grade: A

33. Justin Houston, OLB, Georgia

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

ATHENS, GA - NOVEMBER 27: Justin Houston #42 of the Georgia Bulldogs celebrates after returning a fumble for a touchdown against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Sanford Stadium on November 27, 2010 in Athens, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Ima

Height: 6'2.875"
Weight: 270 pounds

The Georgia defensive end has seen his stock fall recently due to concerns about his overall effort. He shows good motor in obvious passing situations but turns it down a bit against the run. He was a sack machine in college, though, and tallied 17.5 of them in the past two years alone.

What he lacks in strength (or willingness) setting the edge, he makes up for in instincts and recognition. He fires off the snap of the ball and looks to quickly penetrate the line of scrimmage.

Of course, it will help his case that he played in a 3-4 last year in Georgia. This makes him a bit easier to project at the NFL level. The Patriots would instantly upgrade their pass rush with this pick, but questions about his heart won't help his chances to don a Patriots uniform in September (or whenever football starts).

You can't teach heart.

Grade: B

60. Quinton Carter, S, Oklahoma

Doug Benc/Getty Images

MIAMI - JANUARY 08: Quinton Carter #20 of the Oklahoma Sooners looks on during warm ups against the Florida Gators during the FedEx BCS National Championship game at Dolphin Stadium on January 8, 2009 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Doug Benc/Getty Images)

Height: 6'1"
Weight: 208 pounds

This is the second consecutive mock draft in which Kirwan has predicted the Patriots would take Carter at this spot. Scouts, Inc. ranks him as the second-best safety in the draft and the 63rd overall prospect.

We all know how much the Patriots love their ball hawks in the secondary, and Carter has proven to be just that by picking off eight passes in the past two seasons.

This description from Scouts, Inc. has "Patriots prospect" written all over it:

"One of the most active Sooners in community service. Has started his own foundation for underprivileged kids. Intense competitor both on the playing field and during practice."

The Brandon Meriweather era may be over, and finding his heir would be a smart move at this spot.

Grade: A-/B+

Overall Impression

Rick Stewart/Getty Images

ORCHARD PARK, NY - DECEMBER 26: Head coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots looks on in a match against the Buffalo Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium on December 26, 2010 in Orchard Park, New York. New England won 34-3. (Photo by Rick Stewart/Get

As mentioned earlier, this is something of a "worst-case scenario" for the Patriots this coming draft.

This mock draft serves not only as proof that the Patriots will trade around the board to collect the best value, but also serves slightly as an explanation why. While these picks address needs, given this scenario, I see the Patriots doing whatever they possibly can to collect more value and possibly future draft picks.

What do you think of these picks? Let me know in the comments section below.