SB Nation’s NFL bloggers conducted our annual NFL mock draft leading up to the real thing last weekend. The results wouldn’t be top of the class. Of the major mock drafters, ESPN’s Mel Kiper and NFL Network’s Mike Mayock lead the way with nine correct first round picks. SB Nation bloggers had just five first round picks correct.
NFL Draft Results: Grading SB Nation’s 2011 NFL Mock Draft
The 2011 NFL draft has come and gone so let’s take a look back at how the SB Nation mock draft did agains the real thing.
Biggest reach: Surprisingly, this is not Da'Quan Bowers, who was drafted 51st after being considered by some as one of the top picks. The biggest reach is DE Justin Houston of Georgia. SB Nation's The Falcoholic selected him with the 27th overall pick, which was a popular selection in mock drafts. Instead, Houston went 70th to the Chiefs. A failed drug test at the Combine didn't help him. I never claimed to be smart. Calculations show Mallett was actually the biggest reach at 49 picks below his spot on the SB Nation mock draft.
Best value: DE Aldon Smith to the 49ers. He was selected 26th by SB Nation's Baltimore Beatdown in our draft but actually went seventh overall to the 49ers. Baltimore Beatdown noted in the write-up that this was pretty incredible value. They were right.
Correct picks: LB Von Miller as the second pick, WR A.J. Green as the fourth pick, OT Tyron Smith as the ninth pick, DT Phil Taylor as the 21st pick and OT Anthony Castonzo as the 22nd pick. Taylor was actually sent to the Chiefs with the 21st pick in our mock draft but the Browns traded up to the 21st pick and selected him.
Here are the results of the 2011 SB Nation mock draft vs the real thing:
| Position | Player | SBN Draft Slot | Real Draft Slot | Difference | Selector |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| QB | Blaine Gabbert | 1 | 10 | -9 | Cat Scratch Reader |
| LB | Von Miller | 2 | 2 | 0 | Mile High Report |
| CB | Patrick Peterson | 3 | 5 | -9 | Buffalo Rumblings |
| WR | A.J. Green | 4 | 4 | 0 | Cincy Jungle |
| QB | Cam Newton | 5 | 1 | 4 | Revenge of the Birds |
| DT | Marcell Dareus | 6 | 3 | 3 | Dawgs By Nature |
| CB | Prince Amukamara | 7 | 19 | -12 | Niners Nation |
| DT | Nick Fairley | 8 | 13 | -5 | Music City Miracles |
| OT | Tyron Smith | 9 | 9 | 0 | Blogging The Boys |
| DE | Robert Quinn | 10 | 14 | -4 | Hogs Haven |
| WR | Julio Jones | 11 | 6 | 5 | Battle Red Blog |
| DE | J.J. Watt | 12 | 11 | 1 | Daily Norseman |
| DE | Da'Quan Bowers | 13 | 51 | -38 | Pride of Detroit |
| DT | Corey Liuget | 14 | 18 | -4 | Turf Show Times |
| RB | Mark Ingram | 15 | 28 | -13 | The Phinsider |
| QB | Christian Ponder | 16 | 12 | 4 | Big Cat Country |
| OT | Gabe Carimi | 17 | 29 | -12 | Pats Pulpit |
| DE | Cameron Jordan | 18 | 24 | -6 | Bolts From The Blue |
| C | Mike Pouncey | 19 | 15 | 4 | Big Blue View |
| LB | Ryan Kerrigan | 20 | 16 | 4 | Bucs Nation |
| NT | Phil Taylor | 21 | 21 | 0 | Arrowhead Pride |
| OT | Anthony Castonzo | 22 | 22 | 0 | Stampede Blue |
| CB | Jimmy Smith | 23 | 27 | -4 | Bleeding Green Nation |
| DE | Muhammad Wilkerson | 24 | 30 | -6 | Canal Street Chronicles |
| QB | Ryan Mallett | 25 | 74 | -49 | Field Gulls |
| DE | Aldon Smith | 26 | 7 | 19 | Baltimore Beatdown |
| DE | Justin Houston | 27 | 70 | -43 | The Falcoholic |
| DE | Cameron Heyward | 28 | 31 | -3 | Pats Pulpit |
| DT | Stephen Paea | 29 | 53 | -14 | Windy City Gridiron |
| LB | Akeem Ayers | 30 | 39 | -9 | Gang Green Nation |
| OT | Nate Solder | 31 | 17 | 8 | Behind The Steel Curtain |
| OT | Derek Sherrod | 32 | 32 | 12 | Acme Packing Company |
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