This is my second, and final, mock draft of the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft. In the six posts below on this page, the rest of the Draft is predicted. This is an inexact science but it’s fun to make the predictions of what teams will do. Here is a look at the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft according to my mock version:
1. Carolina Panthers - Marcell Dareus, DT, Alabama - New head coach Ron Rivera is a defensive minded coach. Without a sure fire #1 QB (I’m not a believer in Cameron Newton), I think the Panthers will take the best defensive player on the board as far as the linemen go.
2. Denver Broncos - Nick Fairley, DT, Auburn - The Broncos will be ecstatic to see Fairley sitting there for them at #2. They need help in the trenches to help stop opposing running games and Fairley will certainly do that.
3. Buffalo Bills - Von Miller, OLB, Texas A&M - The Bills have virtually no pass rush to talk of and they don’t have a real impact player on the whole D. Von Miller will fix both of those issues from the day he steps onto the football field in Buffalo.
4. Cincinnati Bengals - Cam Newton, QB, Auburn - With Carson Palmer on the outs, this pick makes perfect sense. Cameron Newton would give the Bengals a new direction offensively as they are surprised to see him drop to them.
5. Arizona Cardinals - Blaine Gabbert, QB, Missouri - The Cardinals didn’t replace Kurt Warner last season and they whole offense suffered. Gabbert is the kind of signal caller to help get the offense going back in the right direction.
6. Cleveland Browns - A.J. Green, WR, Georgia - The Browns have the worst WRing corps in the entire NFL. With that in mind, I see the Browns jumping for joy to see Green available which will have them sprinting to the podium on Thursday Night.
7. San Francisco 49ers - Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU - Losing out on the top QBs will have the Niners plucking the best defensive back in the 2011 Draft. Peterson is a lockdown corner who could also help the Niners out as a return man.
8. Tennessee Titans - Robert Quinn, DE, North Carolina - Robert Quinn would have likely been the #1 overall pick if he had not missed last season due to a NCAA suspension. He is the best pure pass rusher in this draft and the Titans will be happy to get him.
9. Dallas Cowboys - Cameron Jordan, DE, California - The Cowboys need help with the pass rush on the D-Line. Jordan would be a perfect fit for the Cowboys’ defense under Rob Ryan.
10. Washington Redskins - Jake Locker, QB, Washington - Jake Locker is a mobile gunslinger who would likely step right in as the Redskins’ starting QB in 2011, providing that they can ditch Donovan McNabb.
11. Houston Texas - Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska - The Texas will fill their biggest need by picking Amukamara, who would be a starter from Day #1.
12. Minnesota Vikings - Julio Jones, WR, Alabama - The Vikings miss out on the QBs in the first round, but they do the next best thing by getting Julio Jones who is a big time home run threat at WR.
13. Detroit Lions - Da’Quan Bowers, DE, Clemson - The Lions will jump for joy to see Bowers drop this far to them. Putting Bowers next to Suh will set up one side of the D-Line for the next 8-10 years.
14. St. Louis Rams - Torrey Smith, WR, Maryland - The Rams cringe when Jones gets picked by the Vikings and then they take Torrey Smith. Smith is a big time playmaker, especially on long throws down the field, so the Rams will likely open up the offense quite a bit in 2011.
15. Miami Dolphins - Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama - Mark Ingram reminds me a lot of Emmitt Smith. The Dolphins can’t really afford to pass on him as he is by far the best RB in the NFL Draft. Plus, the Patriots have their eyes on him.
16. Jacksonville Jaguars - J.J. Watt, DE, Wisconsin - The Jaguars will be walking briskly up to the podium to take J.J. Watt, who would help the pass rush big time.
17. New England Patriots - Ryan Kerrigan, DE, Purdue - The Patriots really need to amp up the pass rush and picking Kerrigan gets them off to a good start.
18. San Diego Chargers - Martez Wilson, ILB, Illinois - The Chargers take the best middle linebacker in this years NFL Draft because they need help there.
19. New York Giants - Akeem Ayers, OLB, UCLA - The Giants have needed help at outside linebacker for a while and they will find a pretty good one in Ayers.
20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Aldon Smith, DE, Missouri - The Buccaneers had virtually no pass rush last season, so this is the biggest need. Smith would start from Day #1 for the Bucs.
21. Kansas City Chiefs - Tyron Smith, OT, USC - The Chiefs need help at offensive tackle and they snap the top one off the board in Tyron Smith. He would likely be a starter for them from Day #1.
22. Indianapolis Colts - Anthony Castanzo, OT, Boston College - The Colts will need to protect Peyton Manning better as he continues to age. With that in mind, Castanzo is the pick and probably a starter in 2011.
23. Philadelphia Eagles - Gabe Carimi, OT, Wisconsin - The Eagles need to limit the beating that Michael Vick is going to take. That’s where Gabe Carimi comes in.
24. New Orleans Saints - Adrian Clayborn, DE, Iowa - The Saints need help at DE and Adrian Clayborn would be the perfect fit for them.
25. Seattle Seahawks - Mike Pouncey, OG, Florida - The Seahawks need help on the interior of the offensive line and they need to get more physcial there. With that in mind, Pouncey is the perfect fit for them.
26. Baltimore Ravens - Nate Solder, OT, Colorado - The Ravens need help on the offensive line, especially at tackle. They will be very happy to see Nate Solder waiting for them at the end of the first round. Solder and Michael Oher could be bookends on the Ravens’ O-Line for a long time.
27. Atlanta Falcons - Cameron Heyward, DE, Ohio State - The Falcons need a pass rusher at DE to start opposite of John Abraham. Heyward would be a perfect fit for them.
28. New England Patriots - Justin Houston, OLB, Georgia - With the Patriots already getting a good DE in Ryan Kerrigan, an OLB like Justin Houston would really boost the pass rush.
29. Chicago Bears - Derek Sherrod, OT, Mississippi State - Jay Cutler was like a pinata in the Bears’ backfield last season. Getting Sherrod would be the first step in rebuilding the offensive line.
30. New York Jets - Jabaal Sheard, DE, Pittsburgh - The Jets need to get a decent pass rush without blitzing like madmen. That’s why Sheard makes perfect sense for them in the 1st round.
31. Pittsburgh Steelers - Danny Watkins, OG, Baylor - The Steelers need help on the offensive line which makes Danny Watkins the perfect fit in the first round.
32. Green Bay Packers - Corey Liuget, DT, Illinois - The Packers don’t really have a need at DT, but, Liuget will be the best player on the board when they pick….so they will take him.
