2011 NFL Mock Draft: Complete First Round Plus Pick 33 Version 2.0, with Video

Can you believe there are just over two weeks left until the 2011 NFL draft? I can. The NFL offseason has seemingly lasted an eternity already, and there's been nothing else to talk about other than the draft and CBA negotiations. And really, who wants to talk about all that? I'd rather just pretend like there's going to be football next year regardless.

Ignorance truly is bliss, but not when it comes to mock drafts.

Thus, I have updated some of my opinions and bring you my latest mock of the entire first round. However, as a Patriots writer, it's my duty to mock the first 33 picks, as the Patriots hold the first pick in the second round, and three picks overall in that first 33.

So without further ado, here's my mock.

Follow Erik Frenz on Twitter @e_frenz.

1. Carolina Panthers—Cam Newton, QB Auburn

Cam Newton is quickly becoming the consensus top overall pick in the draft among experts, and with good reason. Seven of the past nine first overall picks have been quarterbacks, and Newton fits the mold of an athletically gifted quarterback that might have his concerns, but has the ceiling to become a franchsie quarterback.

There are the obvious questions about his character, having been involved in more than one off-field incident in his college years. His athleticism and ceiling, though, make him a tough prospect to pass up with the first overall pick.

2. Denver Broncos—Marcell Dareus, DT Alabama

More and more every day, I'm hearing that there's no way Dareus isn't one of the first two picks in the draft. He's largely considered the best prospect in the draft, and either of the top two teams would be foolish to pass on him, as both need major help on the defensive line.

The Denver Broncos are switching from a 3-4 back to a 4-3 defense, and need to pick up the right personnel to make the move. Dareus brings similar promise as an impact defensive tackle as Ndamukong Suh did last year.

He's not an elite pass rusher, but he does have some skills in that area. His ability to stop the run and soak up blockers will make him a great addition to the Bills defense no matter what they decide to do going forward.

3. Buffalo Bills—Von Miller, OLB Texas A&M

The Bills are making their own changes in defensive alignment, moving from a 4-3 defense to a 3-4 alignment. One of the key components to that style of defense is the outside linebackers, who are counted on to bring the pressure off the edge.

Miller has plenty of skills as a pass rusher, and although there are some questions about how he'll fare against bigger and more athletic offensive tackles in the NFL, he has the potential to really make an impact. Four years of solid productivity at Texas A&M will certainly play in his favor with NFL scouts.

4. Cincinnati Bengals—Blaine Gabbert, QB Missouri

This pick stays the same from my previous mock draft. The Bengals may not need a quarterback right this second, but make no mistake, they will very soon. Regardless of whether or not Carson Palmer is traded this offseason, he seems intent on finding a way out of Cincinnati sooner rather than later.

Ideally, Gabbert would have a year to develop and learn the game behind a veteran quarterback. That may not happen here, but the Bengals could find some form of stopgap as Gabbert learns the nuances of an NFL offense vs. the spread attack he's used to running.

5. Arizona Cardinals—Robert Quinn, DE/OLB North Carolina

Other people may not agree with me, but I strongly believe that Robert Quinn will not fall out of the top five. With Von Miller already off the board, Ken Whisenhunt will be totally content taking Quinn. He's a consensus top-10 value and although he has played 4-3 defensive end, it is widely believed that he could easily transition into a 3-4 outside linebacker.

The Cardinals have a lot of turnover in their linebacking corps, and a lot of aging players to take into consideration as well. He may be a bit of a raw prospect as an OLB, but could certainly make the transition with time, and would have a few veterans to help coach him along the way.

6. Cleveland Browns—A.J. Green, WR Georgia

Another pick that remains the same from my previous mock draft, A.J. Green to the Browns just makes too much sense for it not to happen. The offensive-minded duo of Mike Holmgren and Pat Shurmur would love to give their franchise quarterback in the making Colt McCoy a weapon for the next five to seven years.

Green is certainly a weapon, with both the long speed and the route-running skills to make an immediate impact in the Browns offense. His presence alone will open things up for Peyton Hillis and the running game, as well as removing some of the coverage from the middle of the field to allow McCoy to do what he did a lot of last year: Dink and dunk.

7. San Francisco 49ers—Patrick Peterson, CB LSU

Another pick that remains the same from my previous mock draft, Patrick Peterson is regarded as one of the best players in this year's class. So how does he fall to No. 7? Simply due to the needs of other teams.

The 49ers need to start thinking about the future in their secondary, with Nate Clements getting up there in age. There really aren't any question marks surrounding Peterson, leading many to call him the safest pick in this year's draft. There's no doubt he could be a shutdown corner in the NFL.

8. Tennessee Titans—Nick Fairley, DT Auburn

It's fairly certain that Nick Fairley won't be a top five pick, as he was projected to be early on in the draft process. Instead, some questions about his character and a lackluster performance at the Scouting Combine have caused his stock to drop a bit.

Still, he brings the promise of a disruptive force in the middle of the trench, in much the same way that Ndamukong Suh did a year ago. Some may question him for only having one productive season at Auburn, but that one year was more productive than Marcell Dareus in the past two years combined. Now that's saying something.

9. Dallas Cowboys—Cameron Jordan, DE California

The Cowboys defense needs a lot of help at a lot of positions. Cameron Jordan is considered one of the better 3-4 defensive ends in this draft, along with J.J. Watt. He has the ability to consistently collapse the pocket, even if he's not the most dynamic pass rusher available.

Most importantly, he has experience in the 3-4 scheme, and is considered a true five-technique prospect (unlike some, which are defensive tackles that project as ends in a 3-4). He also has versatility, and can kick inside on passing downs and even play some 4-3 end if need be. He already has solid gap discipline in the 3-4, so the transition shouldn't be difficult for him.

10. Washington Redskins—Julio Jones, WR Alabama

If you can name a starting Redskins wide receiver other than Santana Moss without peeking, you're a step ahead of me. Only two of their top seven pass-catchers were even receivers, and the eighth was Joey Galloway. With Galloway a ripe 39 years old, and Santana Moss 31, there's no better time than now to shop for a replacement.

Julio Jones adds a great deal of athleticism at wide receiver, and projects similarly to Anquan Boldin, only with more long speed. He really wowed scouts at the combine, but the most impressive traits to me are his willingness to make the tough catches over the middle and his ability to create yards after contact. He's a tough receiver who doesn't mind getting his hands dirty as a run-blocker.

11. Houston Texans—Aldon Smith, DE/OLB Missouri

With two of the top hybrid pass rushers already gone, the Texans will have to settle for Aldon Smith, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. He may be a very raw prospect in terms of his versatility in a 3-4 scheme, which the Texans will run under Wade Phillips, but he brings a great deal of physicality and explosion as a pass rusher.

I'm not ready to throw around the DeMarcus Ware comparison. Still, Smith can bring a great deal in both the 3-4 and 4-3 fronts as the Texans will probably employ both during their transition from the latter to the former.

12. Minnesota Vikings—Tyron Smith, OT USC

The Vikings have offensive firepower all over the place, but their inability to protect the quarterback is really what hurt them all season long. It ended with Brett Favre's ironman streak finally coming to an end.

Tyron Smith has a whole heap of athleticism, and seems to have the versatility to play on either side as a tackle. He would allow the Vikings some versatility in their personnel groupings if they're not comfortable where they stand on the offensive line.

13. Detroit Lions—Prince Amukamara, CB Nebraska

The Lions can get a great value pick in Amukamara, who is considered a top 10 pick by most. They really lack a big-time shutdown corner; although Alphonso Smith tallied five interceptions last year, he was exposed more than a few times.

Amukamara brings a great deal of athleticism as well as versatility to the secondary. Although he projects as a cornerback, he could play safety in spots if need be.

14. St. Louis Rams—Muhammad Wilkerson, DT Temple

The Rams passed on Ndamukong Suh last year to get their franchise quarterback, and although it looks now as though the decision paid off, the Rams are still in need of a defensive tackle.

This may seem like a bit of a reach, but Wilkerson is soaring up draft boards recently. The Temple defensive tackle has great skills as both a run-stopper and a pass rusher, and would bring a great deal of flexibility to Steve Spagnuolo's defense.

15. Miami Dolphins—Mark Ingram, RB Alabama

No surprise here, folks. Most people have mocked this pick since Day One, so who would I be to break the mold?

The Dolphins love to run the ball, but with both Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams possibly out the door this offseason, adding talent at running back should be a high priority. The Dolphins can't put the offense in Chad Henne's hands and expect good results.

If they ever want him to mature into the quarterback they want him to be, they need to keep a respectable running game.

16. Jacksonville Jaguars—Ryan Kerrigan, DE Purdue

This pick remains the same from my previous mock, but with good reason. The Jaguars racked up only 26 sacks last year, and ranked second-worst in the entire league in that category. Jack Del Rio understands the importance of building a stout defensive line, and the Jaguars started that process with Tyson Alualu last year.

Kerrigan worked out as an outside linebacker in Indy, but would be even better off if he was just asked to put his hand in the dirt and get after the quarterback. Playing against Peyton Manning twice a year will also influence this pick a little.

17. New England Patriots—J.J. Watt, DE Wisconsin

According to Bart Scott, the Patriots can't stop a nosebleed on defense. I'm not suggesting Scott should be the next GM for the Patriots, but with the 25th ranking in the league, he might be onto something.

Value meets need in the 2011 NFL Draft for the New England Patriots. In terms of 3-4 defensive ends, J.J. Watt is considered the consensus No. 1 or 2 prospect in the draft.

His scheme-versatility will come in mighty handy for the Patriots, who were in sub packages (57 percent of defensive snaps) more often than in their base defense (40 percent) last year.

18. San Diego Chargers—Justin Houston, DE/OLB Georgia

This year's crop of outside linebacker prospects is almost entirely projection-based, because most of them are of the "hybrid pass rusher" ilk. The thing about Houston, though, is he already has experience in a 3-4 system at Georgia.

He is just the type of big-build, physical outside linebacker the Chargers love to have in their system (see Merriman; Shawne) and although there are some questions about inconsistent motor, there's no question he can impact the Chargers' pass defense in a very positive way.

19. New York Giants—Mike Pouncey, OG/C Florida

Pouncey is becoming a polarizing figure in this draft. There are those that believe he'll be a top 10 pick, but there's a large group of people who view him as a late first round pick that might even be a reach at that point. When the process started, he was viewed as a mid-rounder.

There are questions about the legitimacy of his versatility. Having played both guard and center in college, many still wonder if he can actually flex and play both in the NFL. Still, the Giants need some help on the interior of their offensive line, and this would be a solid pick for them even if he can only play guard.

20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers—Da'Quan Bowers, DE Clemson

Really? All the way to 20? There are always those one or two draft-day slides that make us scratch our heads. Although usually it's a quarterback, there are enough question marks around Bowers to make him this year's candidate.

He had a stellar 2010 season, but is viewed by some as a potential "one-year wonder", with 2010 being his only top-notch season in terms of production. There are also big question marks around his knee after arthoroscopic surgery.

Still, the ceiling on Bowers is high enough to warrant the pick here. The level of potency Bowers could potentially add to the pass rush would make Tampa Bay's defensive line a force to be reckoned with.

21. Kansas City Chiefs—Anthony Castonzo, OT Boston College

Once considered the best offensive tackle in the draft, Anthony Castonzo slips all the way into the 20's in this mock draft. The Chiefs could really use some flexibility in their offensive front, and adding Castonzo would help that.

Castonzo is a smart, versatile tackle who can play on either side, and would allow more flexibility with the current personnel. What he lacks in overall strength he makes up for with great footwork.

22. Indianapolis Colts—Corey Liuget, DT Illinois

This would be a huge break from the norm for the Colts. Not only would they be drafting a defensive tackle in the first round, but they'd also draft on the defensive side of the ball in the first round two years in a row. I can't remember the last time either of those two things happened.

Liuget is a legitimate candidate, though. He is a penetrating defensive tackle who fits best in a 4-3 scheme. Best of all, he's a stout run defender—something the Colts have lacked on the interior of that defensive line for ages. This is a great pick for the Colts from both a value and need standpoint.

23. Philadelphia Eagles—Aaron Williams, CB Texas

The Eagles need help in their pass defense desperately. Asante Samuel is great, but can't shut down both sides of the field on his own. Aaron Williams could bring a physical and athletic presence to the secondary that the Eagles have lacked since the days of Brian Dawkins.

Williams might be a slight reach at this spot, but first-round quarterbacks have been consistently safe picks. He's got exceptional cover skills, and provides a great deal of run support. He'd be a solid nickel corner to start, and could eventually move outside.

24. New Orleans Saints—Adrian Clayborn, DE Iowa

The Saints love to blitz, but they would do so more effectively with talented defensive ends. They also wouldn't have to do so as frequently, as they could rely more on their front four to get to the quarterback.

Clayborn isn't one of the better pure pass-rushers in the draft, but is a solid 4-3 end in that he can hold his ground against the run and can push the pocket on occasion. His strength would command double-teams, and would open things up for linebackers behind him.

25. Seattle Seahawks—Jake Locker, QB Washington

This pick remains the same, and is one of the consensus picks in that everyone seems to agree on it. The Seahawks still lack a definitive long-term answer at quarterback, with Matt Hasselbeck getting up there in age and Charlie Whitehurst yet unproven.

Locker could come into the NFL without any pressure, learning the game from a very gifted and talented quarterback in Hasselbeck. He comes from a spread offense and will need time learning the nuances of an NFL offense. This is a good pressure-free environment for that to happen.

26. Baltimore Ravens—Torrey Smith, WR Maryland

Smith is a similar prospect to his former Maryland teammate, Darrius Heyward-Bey. Although still somewhat of a raw prospect, he has elite game-breaking speed. Being a part of the Ravens offense would be a perfect scenario for Smith, in that he wouldn't be the primary threat, but one of many along with Anquan Boldin, Ray Rice, Joe Flacco, Todd Heap and Derrick Mason.

Moreover, the Ravens offense would be greatly improved by his presence. They lacked a home run threat at receiver last year, and Smith would certainly be that. He has 4.43 speed, and has both the ability to catch the long ball and create yards after the catch. He's also a willing run blocker, something the Ravens will surely love as a run-heavy team.

27. Atlanta Falcons—Nate Solder, OT Colorado

Solder has huge upside and potential if he develops. At 6'8" and 319 pounds, he's a physical specimen that will simply bowl over whoever his assignment may be. He's already a top-notch run blocker, but needs to use his head a little more in pass protection.

The fact that he didn't compete against top talent in college may be a knock on him, but from a physicality and athleticism standpoint, he's a great prospect for this pick.

28. New England Patriots—Gabe Carimi, OT/G Wisconsin

The Patriots value versatility more than just about any team in the NFL, and Gabe Carimi gives them a ton of it. Gabe Carimi is a great value in that regard, especially at pick 28. Drafting him addresses any number of potential needs, as that flexibility allows him to be the future replacement for either Logan Mankins or Matt Light, depending on a) how he projects and b) how those scenarios pan out.

He's just the type of big, mean guy the Patriots love to have in their offensive trench, and is a lot like Mankins in that regard. He's a better run blocker than a pass blocker, but those skills would certainly develop. He'll have the coaching of Dante Scarnecchia, as well as a talented veteran group to help a long the way.

29. Chicago Bears—Derek Sherrod, OT/G Mississippi State

The Bears absolutely need to help Jay Cutler out with an offensive line. He has low enough confidence as it is that he can't be taking sacks all the time. The versatility Sherrod brings to the table will be of great value to them at this pick. He is a little raw, but could step in and contribute immediately.

Sherrod plays with a chip on his shoulder, and loves winning his one-on-one match-ups. The Bears could really use more of that attitude on the offensive line, even if he does get a little down on himself at times when he gets beat.

30. New York Jets—Phil Taylor, DT Baylor

Phil Taylor makes a world of sense to go to New York. The Jets don't really care too much about his character issues. Those are in the past, what matters most is getting physical, athletic freaks on the defensive side of the ball.

Taylor is just that. He has very light feet for someone of his size. Rex Ryan will love scheming this guy into his 46 defense as both a run stuffer and a pass rusher. He would be a solid replacement for Kris Jenkins.

31. Pittsburgh Steelers—Stephen Paea, DT Oregon State

Most of the Steelers defensive linemen are on the back end of their careers and it may be time to start looking to the future. At 6'1" and 314 pounds, Paea is just about as close to a perfect fit as a 3-4 nose tackle as the Steelers could find in the draft.

Of course, his stock saw a huge boost at the scouting combine, during which he set a record with 49 bench press repetitions of 225 pounds. He is a monster who can really hold his ground at the point of attack and can also penetrate, as the Steelers ask of their two-gap defensive linemen.

32. Green Bay Packers—Cameron Heyward, DE Ohio State

Heyward's stock has taken a slight hit since he underwent Tommy John surgery, but he looked great in workouts after the fact, and has said the arm doesn't bother him anymore. There are some question marks as to whether he translates better as a 3-4 or 4-3 end, but the Packers have been that route before with Clay Matthews and it worked out.

The Packers sorely need help at defensive end, and Heyward looks like Richard Seymour with his ability to push the pocket, but as we see in this video, he also has the ability to penetrate.

33. New England Patriots—Brooks Reed, DE/OLB Arizona

Everyone knows the Patriots need help in the pass rush. Brooks Reed would certainly bring that, but one has to question how versatile he is. That's why I think he'll fall into the second round, and would be a perfect pick at 33.

He might not be a three-down contributor from the start, but would definitely contribute to the sub package as a pass rusher. If he has the requisite football intelligence, he's a great low-risk, high-reward option in the second round.