The combine has concluded and plenty of prospects have seen their draft stock impacted. A few players that I have moving up my board are JJ Watt, Marcel Dareus, and Julio Jones. While the combine was far from the only factor in evaluating these prospects it did have an impact. If anything, the combine forced me to go back and look at the games and see if they play up to the athletic ability they showed. The biggest drop I had was Akeem Ayers who completely fell out of my first round after a terrible 40 time. The slow time showed that he was either under-prepared or not as explosive as I originally thought.
2011 NFL Mock Draft: 1.1
1. Carolina (2-14)- Da'Quan Bowers- DE- Clemson
- The Panthers decided not to use their franchise tag on DE Charles Johnson and while he could resign I am sure he will at least test the free agency waters. This factor has given Bowers the lead in my book as a pass rushing defensive end is the key to a strong defense. Fairley is still in play at #1 and might get the nod if Johnson is retained. I have yet to jump on the Cam to the Panthers wagon.
2. Denver (4-12)- Nick Fairley- DT- Auburn
- John Fox feels that he is good at defensive end with Elvis Dumervil and Robert Ayers so that leads me to believe that either Fairley or Dareus will be the pick. Right now, I have Fairley rated slightly higher than Dareus but that will be a tightly contested battle.
3. Buffalo (4-12)- Marcel Dareus- DT- Alabama
- This week at the combine, Dareus showed that he has both great size and athletic ability. The Bills need to get stronger along both lines and adding Dareus to the defense will be an immediate upgrade. The recent release of Marcus Stroud opens a spot for Dareus.
4. Cincinnati (4-12)- AJ Green- WR- Georgia
- Not sure if Cincinnati or Palmer blinks first but either way Green would be a welcomed addition. If Cincy moves Palmer they could go quarterback but there should be a decent option available in the 2nd round.
5. Arizona (5-11)- Von Miller- OLB- Texas A&M
- I still feel that Arizona needs to go quarterback here but Miller will be tough to pass up. The Cardinals might be set on looking to upgrade the quarterback position with a vet which would open the door for Miller in this spot. There is little doubt that Miller will develop into an excellent passer rusher.
6. Cleveland (5-11)- Julio Jones- WR- Alabama
- The Browns are committed to Colt McCoy as their starter and now its time to give him a big time playmaker. In my mind, nobody helped their stock at the combine than Julio Jones. He showed that he has both the size and speed to change games.
7. San Francisco (6-10)- Patrick Peterson- CB- LSU
- This might be a little low for the super athletic Peterson but my mock just shook out this way. The 49ers get a shut down corner that will not only improve their coverage but also their pass rush. Look out of Peterson in the return game because he is dynamic on special teams.
8. Tennessee (6-10)- Blaine Gabbert- QB- Missouri
- Tennessee has zero long term options at the quarterback position on their current roster. Gabbert is the top rated quarterback on my board and someone that has a bright future. He isn’t ready to step in and contribute right away and would benefit from learning behind a vet.
9. Dallas (6-10)- Prince Amukamara- CB- Nebraska
- Anybody doubting Amukamara’s speed was silenced after he ran an unofficial 40 time of 4.37 seconds. This speed combined with this good technique will immediately help the putrid Dallas secondary.
10. Washington (6-10)- Cam Newton- QB- Auburn
- I still like this as a landing spot for Newton. Washington would provide Newton with a good situation and coaching staff. Coach Shanahan is bold enough to believe he could rid Newton of his bad habits.
11. Houston (6-10)- Cam Jordan-DE/DT- California
- The Texans will be looking to find pieces for their new 3-4 defensive scheme and Jordan will be a nice fit at the 5 technique. He showed that he can both hold strong against the run and also get after the quarterback.
12. Minnesota (6-10)- Tyron Smith- OT- USC
- The fact that Smith weighed in at 307lbs at the Combine helps his overall draft stock. Smith is a young and athletic left tackle prospect that possesses good balance and technique. The Vikings offensive line was an issue all season long in 2010.
13. Detroit (6-10)- Robert Quinn- DE/OLB- UNC
- Quinn is the best player available and too special of an athlete for Detroit to pass up at #13. Quinn will team with Suh to give the Lions a strong defensive line for years to come.
14. St. Louis (7-9)- Corey Liuget- DT- Illinois
- St. Louis misses out on both AJ Green and Julio Jones but landing Liuget is a good consolation. Liuget has the versatility to play both 1 and 2 gap football. He has a good burst off the line to penetrate and also great hand usage to control and disengage from the blocker.
15. Miami (7-9)- Mark Ingram- RB- Alabama
- Still no change with this pick as I feel Ingram fills their biggest need. The wise move would be to cut bait with Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams and reestablish the running game with Ingram.
16. Jacksonville (8-8)- Justin Houston- DE/OLB- Georgia
- Jacksonville is still looking to solve their pass rushing struggles and Houston is a pass rushing specialist. The fact that he weighed in at 270lbs and showed a strong lower half leads has me feeling comfortable about him playing defensive end.
17. New England (from Oakland 8-8)- J.J. Watt- DE- Wisconsin
- Watt is a fast rising prospect that showed surprising athleticism at the Combine. He is the ideal candidate to fill a 5 technique position in the Patriots 3-4 defensive scheme.
18. San Diego (9-7)- Adrian Clayborn- DE- Iowa
- San Diego is among the many teams looking to fill a void at the 5 technique spot. Clayborn fits that mold as someone that can hold strong at the point of attack and also bring a pass rush.
19. New York Giants (10-6)- Gabe Carimi- OT- Wisconsin
- This has been a pick I have stuck with for a few weeks now and still feel its a great fit. Carimi will bring both youth and size to the tackle needy Giants. Carimi’s run blocking ability will fit in nicely with the way the Giants like to attack.
20. Tampa Bay (10-6)- Ryan Kerrigan- DE- Purdue
- Tampa Bay’s defense will benefit greatly from a consistent pass rush and Kerrigan can bring the pressure. He is a bit undersized to play defensive end in a 4-3 but his pass rushing skills make it worth the gamble.
21. Kansas City (10-6)- Phil Taylor- NT- Baylor
- The Chiefs have been adding pieces to their defense line for a few years and Taylor represents the final piece to the puzzle. His ability to clog the middle as a nose tackle is something 3-4 defensive teams covet.
22. Indianapolis (10-6)- Anthony Castonzo- OT- Boston College
- The athletic Castonzo represents both good value and need for the Colts. He is the type of player that can be plugged in early and help protect Manning.
23. Philadelphia (10-6)- Brandon Harris- CB- Miami
- I can see the Eagles going in any number of directions depending if there is a free agency period and how it shakes out. Either way the cornerback position is an area of need and Harris represents a player with high upside.
24. New Orleans (11-5)- Martez Wilson- LB- Illinois
- Defensive Coordinator Gregg Williams loves players with speed and the ability to attack. Wilson’s skill set is very attractive to a coach like Williams.
25. Seattle (7-9)- Jake Locker- QB- Washington
- I still have Locker graded as a 2nd round player but the fact that Seattle needs help at the quarterback position and Locker has tremendous upside leads me to this pick.
26. Baltimore (12-4)- Jimmy Smith- CB- Colorado
- Smith has both great size and speed which is something the Ravens covet in their secondary. Baltimore has shown in the past they don't get scared away by rumored character red flags.
27. Atlanta (13-3)- Aldon Smith- DE- Missouri
- John Abraham is starting to wear down but his pass rushing presence has been a major factor in the Falcons success. All the teams that sustain success do so by planning ahead.
28. New England (14-2)- Nate Solder- OT- Colorado
- Having two first round picks provides you with the luxury of taking a project type player. Solder has a ton of athletic ability and potential but needs time to develop. He can sit behind the now 32 years old Matt Light and learn the ins and outs of being a consistent tackle.
29. Chicago (11-5)- Mike Pouncey- G/C- Florida
- Chicago needs help along the entire offensive line and Pouncey gives them some versatility. Ideally, Pouncey is a guard in the NFL but landing in Chicago could give him the opportunity to learn the center position from Olin Kreutz.
30. New York Jets (11-5)- Cameron Heyward- DT/DE- Ohio State
- The entire Jets defensive line is in need of a talent upgrade and that’s exactly what Heyward will provide. He showed in the Sugar Bowl that he is capable of dominating a football game.
31. Pittsburgh (12-4)- Ben Ijalana OT- Villinova
- Ijalana is a bit of a project but projects at either tackle or guard. The fact that he can play either position will make him attractive to NFL teams come April.
32. Green Bay (10-6)- Muhammed Wilkerson- DT/DE- Temple
- Wilkerson could be the long term replacement for either Ryan Pickett or Cullen Jenkins.
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