2011 SB Nation NFL Mock Draft: Round 1, Pick 26

Our annual 2011 NFL Mock Draft, with picks made by each of SB Nation’s NFL team bloggers, is in full swing. The latest pick in to the podium: the Baltimore Ravens, at No. 26 overall.

Bruce Raffel of BaltimoreBeatdown.com explains the choice, and our own Dan Kadar reacts to it, after the jump. Make sure you’re grading this pick for the Ravens, and checking out Baltimore Beatdown for all of your Ravens needs.

Bruce Raffel explains: I had zero expectation that Smith would still be on the board at No. 26, as he is arguably a top 10 talent and definitely top 15. He is ranked by the National Football Post as the second-best defensive end in the draft behind Robert Quinn, ahead of Da’Quan Bowers, Cameron Jordan, J.J. Watt, Cameron Heyward and Ryan Kerrigan. He has the perfect size and speed to put his hand in the dirt and be a fierce pass rushing complement to Terrell Suggs, and will erase the problem of sacking the QB that the Ravens have had in the past few years. Value-wise, Aldon Smith may be the biggest steal of any team in the first round.

Dan Kadar reacts: It’s exactly correct to call this the biggest steal of the first round, and it’s fitting that Baltimore gets it. Ozzie Newsome has made a career out of picks just like this one. At the NFL Combine, Smith was open about wanting to play in a 3-4 system, and there would be no better fit than Baltimore. With the right coaching, Smith has the ability to be the next DeMarcus Ware. [Aldon Smith Scouting Report]