2011 NFL Mock Draft: How Wild Will the First Round Get?
Warning: If you’re wearing socks right now, remove them immediately, or risk having them blown to the sky by this mock draft.
It’s time to get serious.
The 2011 NFL Draft is less than 24 hours away, and there’s no time for practice mocks anymore.
We want to know who is going where.
This first round is shaping up to be a shocker, so if we're going to forecast what’s about to happen, we're going to have to think outside the box.
There’s no such thing as a surefire, everyone knows it’s going to happen type of pick this year.
We know it’s going to get wild and dangerous by pick six tomorrow night, but just how wild will it get?
1. Carolina Panthers: QB Cam Newton
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Haters, commence your hating.
So which ESPN analyst is going to try to make a splash by immediately predicting Cam Newton will be a bust during the broadcast tomorrow night?
Merrill Hoge is the early 4/3 favorite.
2. Denver Broncos: CB Patrick Peterson
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Every mock I’ve seen says Alabama DT Marcell Dareus here. But LSU’s Patrick Peterson, who is considered to be the consensus No. 1 overall prospect by most talent evaluators, could be just too good to pass up if the Broncos decide not to trade down.
3. Buffalo Bills: DT Marcell Dareus
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Marcell Dareus or Von Miller?
Both are elite prospects, both are great fits for a 3-4 defense and both would be enticing options if they were available to Buffalo at pick No. 3.
Both would be immediate impact players for the Bills, but the team should go with the highest graded player on the board, and that’s Dareus.
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4. Cincinnati Bengals: DT Nick Fairley
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With Carson Palmer and Chad Ochocinco unlikely to return next season, quarterback and wide receiver are two glaring holes that need to be addressed.
So you would figure the well-oiled machine that is the Cincinnati Bengals front office would look at either Georgia’s A.J. Green or QB Blaine Gabbert, right?
Remember, this is the Bengals we’re talking about here.
Auburn DT Nick Fairley is the pick.
5. Arizona Cardinals: OLB Von Miller
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The dream scenario for Arizona just came true.
The Cardinals are in desperate need for outside linebacker help, and Texas A&M's Von Miller is one of the best rush linebacker prospects to come along in years.
It’s a match made in desert heaven.
6. Clevleland Browns: WR A.J. Green
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If the Browns have enough faith in QB Colt McCoy to be their starter of the future, then they better get him a No. 1 receiver to throw to immediately.
Georgia’s A.J. Green, probably the best receiver prospect since Calvin Johnson, would do fine.
7. San Francisco 49ers: OLB Robert Quinn
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Blaine Gabbert?
In a west coast offense?
It would be an adjustment, and it's one that I’m not sure the 49ers and Jim Harbaugh want to spend time working on.
What the 49ers could really use is a difference-maker off the edge on defense.
North Carolina’s Robert Quinn could be the best pure pass-rusher in this class.
8. Tennessee Titans: QB Andy Dalton
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Fasten those seat belts, passengers; this is where the ride could start getting bumpy.
The Titans would love to get their hands on Auburn DT Nick Fairley, but he’ll most likely be gone by No. 8.
If Fairley’s unavailable, look for Tennessee to try to trade down a few slots in order to get a better value for TCU QB Andy Dalton.
9. Dallas Cowboys: DE J.J. Watt
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Anthony Castonzo, Tyron Smith or J.J. Watt?
Those seem to be the three players the Cowboys are mulling over the most right now.
There’s no doubt that Dallas needs help at right tackle, and Castonzo and Smith would be upgrades. But Jerry Jones could be in the mood to stun some people and decide to grab Wisconsin DE J.J. Watt, a great fit for the 3-4 defense.
10. Washington Redskins: QB Blaine Gabbert
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I have a feeling Mike Shanahan really wants Missouri's Blaine Gabbert to be his quarterback of the future. The only problem is the Redskins don’t have a lot of ammunition to move up much higher.
If Gabbert starts to tumble a bit, he won't have to worry because he''ll have a safety net at No. 10.
Washington won't pass on Gabbert.
If he's already gone by 10, then the Redskins would probably go with a 3-4 defensive end like Cal's Cameron Jordan.
11. Houston Texans: OLB Aldon Smith
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There are few things in this world that new Texans defensive coordinator Wade Phillips likes as much as a quality 3-4 rush linebacker.
Phillips would love to groom a versatile and athletic young prospect like Missouri DE Aldon Smith, who could make an easy transition to 3-4 OLB.
12. Minnesota Vikings: WR Julio Jones
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It may sound like I’m going a little bit overboard, but I believe that in three years, Julio Jones will be the best receiver in the NFL.
It would be wise for the Vikings, who could lose Sidney Rice to free agency, to snag up Jones to team with current field-stretcher Percy Harvin.
13. Detroit Lions: DE Da'Quan Bowers
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Da’Quan Bowers is going to slide on draft night. We all know it.
Bowers, once considered a favorite to be the No. 1 pick, will drop due to concerns about his knee, and one team that could benefit from the fall is the Detroit Lions.
Putting Bowers next to star DT Ndamukong Suh wouldn't be fair to opposing offensive lines.
14. St. Louis Rams: TE Kyle Rudolph
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If the Rams are serious about getting QB Sam Bradford some more weapons, they might try to trade up for Julio Jones. But if that doesn't work, a nice consolation prize would be Notre Dame TE Kyle Rudolph.
We don’t know how much durability concerns will hurt Rudolph’s stock, but when he's healthy, he’s proven to be a high caliber player.
15. Miami Dolphins: QB Colin Kaepernick
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Are the Miami Dolphins prepared to go against convention and shake up the foundation of the draft by selecting Nevada QB Colin Kaepernick?
Everyone is convinced that Washington’s Jake Locker will be the third quarterback off the board, but Kaepernick could be a dark horse challenger.
16. Jacksonville Jaguars: CB Jimmy Smith
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Jacksonville could look at a DE or a QB here, but the team could also be in search of an eventual replacement for Rashean Mathis.
As a pure prospect, Colorado CB Jimmy Smith is on par with Patrick Peterson and Prince Amukamara, the two other top-flight cornerbacks, but some overblown attitude concerns have hurt his stock.
17. New England Patriots: DT Corey Liuget
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You can never quite predict what the New England Patriots are going to do on draft day, and that’s exactly the case this year.
Early on, New England should be looking for some line help on both sides of the ball.
Illinois DT Corey Liuget would make a perfect five technique end in the New England 3-4 defensive system.
18. San Diego Chargers: DE Cameron Jordan
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California’s Cameron Jordan is this year’s prototypical 3-4 defensive end prospect.
Jordan has the size-strength-athleticism combo to make a name for himself as a rookie, and the Chargers could use his help along their three man defensive front.
19. New York Giants: OT Tyron Smith
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The Giants offensive line is old, rusty and breaking down, and it’s time to add some fresh legs to the mix.
The Giants should be able to land one of the top offensive tackle prospects at No. 19, but the prospect they could really have their eye on is Tyron Smith out of USC.
20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: RB Mark Ingram
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Defensive end is the biggest need for the Bucs, and cornerback might not be far down on the list. But the team also has to focus on surrounding rising-star QB Josh Freeman with valuable offensive playmakers.
RB Mark Ingram carried a heavy load at Alabama, and he could be the type of back that could really help ease the pressure off of Freeman.
21. Kansas City Chiefs: OT Derek Sherrod
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Left tackle Brandon Albert has been a serviceable starter thus far, even though he hasn’t been as good as the team was hoping for.
It’s on the right side of the line where the Chiefs could use some real help.
Mississippi State OT Derek Sherrod might not be a finished product just yet, but he has the potential to come in and start as a rookie.
22. Indianapolis Colts: OG Mike Pouncey
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The Colts know they made a mistake by not taking OT Roger Saffold with their first round pick last year, and they will now have to figure out how to make up for it
Florida OG Mike Pouncey may not be the same level of player as his brother, Maurkice, but he’s not that far off, and he would really help strengthen an Indianapolis offensive line that looked shaky all season long.
23. Philadelphia Eagles: CB Prince Amukamara
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Nebraska CB Prince Amukamara could go as high as No. 7 to the San Francisco 49ers, but he could also slide down the board a bit.
The Eagles have never been afraid to move around in the first round, and they might decide that Amukamara is worth trading up for.
North Carolina DT Marvin Austin could be the sleeper pick here.
24. New Orleans Saints: DE Ryan Kerrigan
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The Saints know that they could use a defensive end with good quarterback hunting skills.
Luckily, there are plenty of prospects who should be available at No. 24 that meet the criteria.
Purdue’s Ryan Kerrigan has been labeled as an overachiever, but his production, 33 career sacks, doesn’t lie.
25. Seattle Seahawks: OLB Akeem Ayers
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Coach Pete Carroll realized the type of elite talent that UCLA OLB Akeem Ayers possesses back when he was recruiting Ayers to come to USC a few years ago.
Carroll knows Ayers would breathe new life into the Seahawks pass rush.
26. Baltimore Ravens: OLB Brooks Reed
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If I had told you before the start of the 2010 college football season that Brooks Reed would be a first round prospect by the time April rolled around, you probably would have looked back at me and asked, who’s Brooks Reed?
Well, Reed’s finally arrived, and he’s now firmly solidified himself as one of the top 3-4 OLB prospects in this year’s class.
The Ravens know that pass rushers are at a premium in today's NFL, and you can never have too many on your roster.
27. Atlanta Falcons: DE Jabaal Sheard
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If you’re looking for one of those players who could sneak into the back end of the first round, look no further than highly productive yet undersized DE Jabaal Sheard out of Pittsburgh.
Sheard, who finished his senior season with nine sacks, may only be 6’3’’ 265 lbs., but he could be just the type of player the Falcons need to replace the aging John Abraham.
28. New England Patriots: OT Nate Solder
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The Patriots could go in a lot of different directions here, and picking up a rush linebacker or a running back with this pick wouldn’t be out of the question.
New England knows that there are offensive line issues that must be handled properly this offseason.
The Patriots might choose Colorado OT Nate Solder with the hope that he could replace LT Matt Light, who is set to become a free agent.
29. Chicago Bears: OT Gabe Carimi
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Bears offensive line coach Mike Tice worked wonders with a makeshift Bears offensive line last year.
It could be time to reward Tice with the type of tough, hard-working prospect that he’s been craving to get his hands on.
Wisconsin’s Gabe Carimi, this year’s Outland Trophy winner, fits the bill.
30. New York Jets: WR Jonathan Baldwin
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New York’s two top receivers, Santonio Holmes and Braylon Edwards, will be up for grabs as free agents, and it remains to be seen if one or both of them will end up leaving town.
The Jets could need a backup plan that involves taking the No. 3 wide receiver prospect in the draft, Pittsburgh's Jonathan Baldwin, with the 30th pick.
31. Pittsburgh Steelers: DT Phil Taylor
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Pittsburgh needs to start thinking about a long-term replacement for current NT Casey Hampton, seeing as Hampton’s current backup, Chris Hoke, is 34 years old.
Baylor’s Phil Taylor, a 6’3’’ 340 lb. mountain of a man, is this year’s top nose tackle prospect, and he could be just what the Steelers are looking for.
32. Green Bay Packers: OT Anthony Castonzo
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Aaron Rodgers could play in Green Bay longer than Brett Favre if he had the bookend tackle combination of Bryan Bulaga and Anthony Castonzo blocking for him for the next decade.
There are a lot of potential landing spots for Castonzo, so it wouldn't be surprising to see him come off the board earlier than this.
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