The intrigue of the NFL Draft, the mystery of which player will your team select, the hope that this draft will be the catalyst that gets your team to the Superbowl. Everyone and their mother does Mock Drafts these days, they even have Websites whos main purpose is to critique and grade your Mock Draft after it's over. They compare and grade your 2011 NFL Mock Draft based off the actual draft. The problem with that is a lot of websites, including my own NFL Draft Dog don't try to "guess" who the NFL team will draft, instead we list who we think they should draft.
For example everyone has Carolina taking Cam Newton #1 overall, and I think the Panthers will probably take him, however I think they would be much better off long-term by taking Alabama DT Marcel Dareus. They could take QBs Christian Ponder or Andy Dalton in the second round and give last years second round choice Jimmy Clausen some competition. If things don't work out they would have a chance at Stanford QB Andrew Luck next year.
So that means the Broncos would lose out on Dareus and desperately needing help at defensive tackle they should take Auburn DT Nick Fairley. I don't believe all the hype about Fairley "falling" in the draft. Yes he might, but he shouldn't.Try to remember the actual football season, at the end of the year Cam Newton won the Heisman Trophy, but Fairley was the most dominant player in football and without him Auburn never would have won a national championship. Fairley came to the combine in great shape and hasn't been into any trouble.
The Bills are up next and this is the toughest pick in the top ten, OLB Von Miller would be an excellent pick, but they haven't had a franchise quarterback since Jim Kelly. QB Blaine Gabbert could be that guy and the Bills should draft him and let him sit a year and hold a clip board.
The Bengals hope Gabbert falls to them but they need a quarterback also, Carson Palmer's days are numbered in Cincinnatti and Cam Newton could be the guy to carry the Bengals forward. They should also get a veteran in to help Gabbert along so he wouldn't have to start right away. QB Cam Newton will struggle eraly in his career if he is thrown in too soon, but with patience he could develop into quite the weapon.
The Arizona Cardinals have the luxury od getting to draft Texas A&M OLB Von Miller here if Gabbert and Newton are already gone. The Cards are another team that needs a quarterback, but Von Miller is special and could be one of the top NFL pass rushers very early in his career. He has pass rushing skills comparable to DeMarcus Ware and he might even be more explosive off the snap than Ware.
The Browns will now get that quality receiver that they need. They should draft Georgia WR A.J. Green, he is a little more quick in and out of his cuts than Julio Jones, but don't be surprised if the Browns don't take Jones, he (Jones) is bigger, faster and a better blocker that Green. It's kind of a coin toss between those two. Both should be NFL stars in short order.
The Niners are smiling at this point as they get what could be the most talented football player in this draft. CB Patrick Peterson, who, by the way, I think we eventually be an NFL safety. The Niners will also be looking to trade up to get Gabbert, if not, look for them to get a top quarterback very early in round two or trade back up into the bottom of the first round.
The Tennessee Titans will also be a team desperately looking for help at quarterback, unfortunately, the top quarterbacks will all be gone by this point and I think this is to early to take Arkansas QB Ryan Mallett. I like Mallett, but as far as value a top pass rusher like Robert Quinn would be a better value. Quinn has special skills and if he stays focused should be a double digit sack guy for years to come.
The Dallas Cowboys will be looking to trade down and get some extra picks here, they have a lot of holes and need to come out of this draft with a lot of good players. That's easier said than done though and will probably just stay put and take USC offensive tackle Tyron Smith. Marc Columbo is old and injury prone and Smith played right tackle at USC, he could step right in and replace Columbo. They could also fill a need here at defensive end and just re-sign Columbo for another year. Wisconsin's JJ Watt would be an excellent addition as well as Cal's talented defensive end Cameron Jordan. New defensive coordinator Rob Ryan will be begging Jerry Jones for one of those top defensive ends her.
To round out the top ten, the Redskins are another team that is desperately trying to move up and get a quarterback, the price will likely be to high though and the Skins will just sit here and take WR Julio Jones. They could also trade down and get one of the top defensive tackles on the board like Temple's Muhammad Wilkerson. Defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth is a joke, a bad apple he just never worked out in DC.
So that's a Breakdown of my top ten, not who I think they will pick, but who they should.
For example everyone has Carolina taking Cam Newton #1 overall, and I think the Panthers will probably take him, however I think they would be much better off long-term by taking Alabama DT Marcel Dareus. They could take QBs Christian Ponder or Andy Dalton in the second round and give last years second round choice Jimmy Clausen some competition. If things don't work out they would have a chance at Stanford QB Andrew Luck next year.
So that means the Broncos would lose out on Dareus and desperately needing help at defensive tackle they should take Auburn DT Nick Fairley. I don't believe all the hype about Fairley "falling" in the draft. Yes he might, but he shouldn't.Try to remember the actual football season, at the end of the year Cam Newton won the Heisman Trophy, but Fairley was the most dominant player in football and without him Auburn never would have won a national championship. Fairley came to the combine in great shape and hasn't been into any trouble.
The Bills are up next and this is the toughest pick in the top ten, OLB Von Miller would be an excellent pick, but they haven't had a franchise quarterback since Jim Kelly. QB Blaine Gabbert could be that guy and the Bills should draft him and let him sit a year and hold a clip board.
The Bengals hope Gabbert falls to them but they need a quarterback also, Carson Palmer's days are numbered in Cincinnatti and Cam Newton could be the guy to carry the Bengals forward. They should also get a veteran in to help Gabbert along so he wouldn't have to start right away. QB Cam Newton will struggle eraly in his career if he is thrown in too soon, but with patience he could develop into quite the weapon.
The Arizona Cardinals have the luxury od getting to draft Texas A&M OLB Von Miller here if Gabbert and Newton are already gone. The Cards are another team that needs a quarterback, but Von Miller is special and could be one of the top NFL pass rushers very early in his career. He has pass rushing skills comparable to DeMarcus Ware and he might even be more explosive off the snap than Ware.
The Browns will now get that quality receiver that they need. They should draft Georgia WR A.J. Green, he is a little more quick in and out of his cuts than Julio Jones, but don't be surprised if the Browns don't take Jones, he (Jones) is bigger, faster and a better blocker that Green. It's kind of a coin toss between those two. Both should be NFL stars in short order.
The Niners are smiling at this point as they get what could be the most talented football player in this draft. CB Patrick Peterson, who, by the way, I think we eventually be an NFL safety. The Niners will also be looking to trade up to get Gabbert, if not, look for them to get a top quarterback very early in round two or trade back up into the bottom of the first round.
The Tennessee Titans will also be a team desperately looking for help at quarterback, unfortunately, the top quarterbacks will all be gone by this point and I think this is to early to take Arkansas QB Ryan Mallett. I like Mallett, but as far as value a top pass rusher like Robert Quinn would be a better value. Quinn has special skills and if he stays focused should be a double digit sack guy for years to come.
The Dallas Cowboys will be looking to trade down and get some extra picks here, they have a lot of holes and need to come out of this draft with a lot of good players. That's easier said than done though and will probably just stay put and take USC offensive tackle Tyron Smith. Marc Columbo is old and injury prone and Smith played right tackle at USC, he could step right in and replace Columbo. They could also fill a need here at defensive end and just re-sign Columbo for another year. Wisconsin's JJ Watt would be an excellent addition as well as Cal's talented defensive end Cameron Jordan. New defensive coordinator Rob Ryan will be begging Jerry Jones for one of those top defensive ends her.
To round out the top ten, the Redskins are another team that is desperately trying to move up and get a quarterback, the price will likely be to high though and the Skins will just sit here and take WR Julio Jones. They could also trade down and get one of the top defensive tackles on the board like Temple's Muhammad Wilkerson. Defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth is a joke, a bad apple he just never worked out in DC.
So that's a Breakdown of my top ten, not who I think they will pick, but who they should.
