Hey, this is my mock draft. With all the mocking going on this early in the game its sort of beating a dead horse at this point. But i wanted to make one, so why not share it. I made sure to write a little bit for each pick to back up my reasoning. Because really a mock draft without your thought process behind it is kind of useless. So here yeah go:
#1 - Carolina Panthers - Nick Fairley DT/ Auburn
Note: For me this is the pick. He fills the biggest need, has the biggest name going into the draft, and is still riding high with the momentum from the national championship win.
#2- Denver Broncos - Patrick Peterson CB/LSU
Note: With this pick, i thought in the mindset of, what direction do the Broncos want to go in the John Fox era. And with previous high draft picks already used up on defensive ends, ayers specifically. I don't see them going with Bowers. I think it comes down to Peterson and Green with this pick. And although the broncos do not currently have a clear cut number one receiver. They have depth there, and not a real need for green with this pick. Champ Bailey is a free agent this offseason, and his future will most likely still be uncertain going into the draft. Peterson's their guy.
#3- Buffalo Bills- Cam Newton QB/ Auburn
Note: Cam Newton's stock is rising people. and fast. His workout seems to have sent the right message. No quarterback in this draft has the size and high ceiling Newton has, and his skills may be more honed then thought initially. This just seems to be the direction Buffalo is heading as well. They've made reaches in each of the previous two drafts with Spiller and Maybin. I think the allure of an offense with such impact players as Newton, Spiller, Jackson and Stevie Johnson will atleast grab the attention of buffalo. Newton won't fall past Washington at 10.
#4- Cincinnati Bengals- AJ Green WR/ Georgia
Note: A.J. Green is the most talented player in this years draft. And really, i don't think i see him going any higher or any lower then number four with the bengals. Carson Palmer is unhappy, and chad johnson ochocinco johnson wants a trade. I think this is a really safe pick for cinci. Bowers is an option as well.
#5- Arizona Cardinals- Von Miller OLB/ Texas A&M
Note: Alright, so Von Miller's stock really jumped from his play at the senior bowl. I still think there's a possibility that his stock may sort of settle back down a little bit in the 6-10 range. But arizona needs a pass rushing linebacker, and von miller is that (only that, but he sure as heck is "that"). So he might be the pick for them at five.
#6- Cleveland Browns- Da-Quan Bowers DE/ Clemson
Note: Simple case of BPA. The browns need a lot of things. And if Green is here at six, their just going to take the best player available. If bowers is off the board, it will probably be dareus.
#7- San Francisco 49ers- Marcell Dareus DT/ Alabama
Note: A lot of people have Amukamara coming off the board here. I think that makes a lot of sense here too. I just think Dareus is a top 5 talent who has fallen out the top 5 due to Bowers and Fairley's presence. He's BPA here.
#8- Tennessee Titans- Blaine Gabbert QB/ Missouri
Note: The titans need a quarter back and i think they'll be eager to reap the rewards of cam newton's rising stock. Also i think Gabbert going in the top 5 is just plain silly. I think he's a good fit here at eight.
#9- Dallas Cowboys- Prince Amukamara CB/ Nebraska
Note: They really need an offensive lineman with this pick. But I don't think Jerry Jones will be willing to reach for a guy like Solder at this pick, especially with Jones' track record of never taking a o-lineman in the first round. Terrence Newman is getting old, and i think a name like Prince Amukamara would fit well in BIg D.
#10- Washington Redskins- Julio Jones WR/ Alabama
Note: Santana Moss is no longer a redskin, Donovan Mcnabb will likely be elsewhere as well and there's no quarterback worth taking with this pick. So whoever they bring in for to throw the ball is going to need someone to throw it too. Julio Jones will either go here or at 14 to the rams.
#11- Houston Texans- Cameron Jordan DE/ California
Note: Houston has been going defensive in the draft for years without a whole lot of payoff. I don't think that streak ends here. Jordan had a great senior bowl week, and is projecting in a lot of mocks to be a top ten pick, i think he slots in nicely here at eleven. The might go with Robert Quinn here as well, they do need outside linebacker depth, and Quinn can fill that role too, atleast more so than Jordan. But i don't know, call it a hunch.
#12- New England Patriots- Robert Quinn DE/ UNC (Via - Minnesota)
Note: A trade?!?! Alright, my mock just lost all its credibility, but hear me out. I even used that fancy point chart all the experts point to.
New England Trades: 17th Overall (950 Points), 74th Overall (220 Points)
Minnesota Trades: 12th Overall (1200 Points)
Just a 30 point difference that could easily be ironed out. Minnesota saves a bit of face by getting back the 3rd rounder they lost in the randy moss fiasco, and the patriots get their 3-4 pass rusher in Quinn. Sort of the dream scenario for me. Quinn has the size to play both DE and OLB for us, and he will really only be available here because he had to sit out the 2010 season suspended. Really a great pick here at 12.
#13- Detroit Lions- Jimmy Smith CB- Colorado
Note: Another guy whose name is rising. Some seem to think he may be the best corner back in the draft not named Patrick Peterson. I like him here with Detroit, as they keep on heading in the right direction. Another option would be Nate Solder with this pick.
#14- St. Louis Rams- Aldon Smith OLB/DE- Missouri
Note: The Ram's could really use a big force around the edge and Smith has the size and raw tools to be that for them. I really like Aldon Smith and wouldn't mind the Patriots taking him at 17 if they kept the pick. But they didn't, they traded it, because i said so, and that's totally going to happen... so shut up.
#15- Miami Dolphins- Mark Ingram RB/ Alabama
Note: This sort of seems to be the sexy pick right now when your mocking for the dolphins. Both ronnie brown and ricky williams are free agents this year, and i think even if they only bring one back back (heh) they'll need another guy. Brown is a health concern and williams is 33. Ingram is a safe pick here.
#16- Jacksonville Jaguars- Rahim Moore S/ UCLA
Note: So the jaguars are in need of a safety. They really don't have a starting safety at either position. And man did they shock the drafting world with their super reach of tyson alualu last year, and actually it kind of worked out, he had a solid rookie campaign. I see them reaching again here to a lesser extent. Drafting for need, and taking moore at sixteen.
#17- New York Giants- Akeem Ayers OLB/ UCLA (Via Minnesota, Via New England, Via Oakland)
Note: Another trade?!? alright maybe i'm losing you with this one. But both the chargers and the giants have a real need at outside linebacker, and i could easily see the giants leapfrogging them here and taking ayers with the seventeenth pick. I don't love ayers for the Patriots, not super explosive and doesn't have the size we need. But he seems to do everything pretty well, and the giants can't rely on 34 year old keith bulluck to carry the load at OLB.
#18- San Diego Chargers- Muhammad Wilkerson DE/ Temple
Note: I think the chargers go for a pass rusher hear. And I mean they'd really really like to take JJ Watt, but they just couldn't bring themselves to enable the constant "ehh, JJ Watt on the Chargers... ehh?" babble. So they passed on him for an equally promising prospect. I like Wilkerson a lot and so do a lot of mocker. His stock has been rising steadily for a bit, and he ends up landing here at eighteen with the chargers.
#19- Minnesota Vikings- Jake Locker QB/ Washington (Via New York Giants)
Note: Alright, I might be way off on Lockers stock, like wayyy off. i could see him dropping to towards the end of the second round. I really just don't know at this point. But the vikings really need a quarterback at this point. And atleast they can take solace in knowing they got a 3rd and 4th pick out of the reach here at nineteen. Oh and heres the information on the giants vikings trade.
Minnesota Trades: 17th overall pick (950)
New York Trades: 19th overall pick (875) #117th overall pick (60)
The vikes get their QB in locker here at 19.
#20- Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Adrian Clayborn DE/ Iowa
Note: They still need defensive line help to go along with last years top pick Gerald McCoy. Adrian Clayborn fits theirs system (I believe, i mean, aren't we all sort of talking out our asses at this point) and i think he settles in here at #20.
#21- Kansas City Chiefs- Nate Solder OT/ Colorado
Note: The Chiefs need another tackle, and Solder certainly is a bit of a steal at twenty-one. And now lets cue the run on offensive tackles that happens every dang year...
#22- Indianapolis Colts- Derek Sherrod OT/Miss State
Note: Peyton Manning is not a super hero god danggit. Get the man some help. They really need to go offensive with this pick, and without any clear skill player available i think Sherrod is a really good pick here for the Colts.
#23- Philadelphia Eagles- Tyron Smith OT/ USC
Note: The eagles most clear need is at their offensive line. They need to keep mike vick healthy as it appears kevin kolb is on his way out of Philadelphia. Tyron Smith is a nice value here at 23.
#24- New Orleans Saints- Ryan Kerrigan DE/ Purdue
Note: The saints probably go best player available here. And that's either Kerrigan or Watt. I think they opt for Kerrigan here at twenty four.... Notice how these little notes are becoming less and less backed up on fact.. oh well.
#25- Seattle Seahawks- Brandon Harris CB/Miami
Note: Cornerback is the seahawks biggest need and I see them reaching a bit for Harris at this pick. I think ideally the Seahawks would like to either see CB Jimmy Smith or homegrown QB Jake Locker available at this pick. But their off the board.
#26- Baltimore Ravens- JJ Watt DE/ Wisconsin
Note: A lot of mocks have the ravens going for a wide receiver here. But this team so regularly goes for best defensive player available when they draft, and Watt could really add an extra charge (see this is exactly the thing San Diego people are trying to avoid) to their defense. I could also see them going with Phil Taylor with this pick, a guy who has drawn many comparisons to their own Haloti Ngata. But they like already have Haloti Ngata, right?
#27- Atlanta Falcons- Jonathan Baldwin WR/ Pittsburgh
Note: Tony Gonzales looks like he may retire, and once he goes the only threat the falcons will have through the air is Roddy White. I think it would be in their best interest to add a deep threat like Jon Baldwin to complement the catching machine that is roddy white. I really like Baldwin and wouldn't mind seeing the pats take him early in the second.
#28- New England Patriots- Phil Taylor DT/ Baylor
Note: I really like Phil Taylor, and i would really hate to see the Jets get Phil Taylor, and the patriots have a need for Phil Taylor, so i think think they should take Phil Taylor with this pick, Phil Taylor. If the jets wanted to leapfrog the pats they would probably need to trade either their third or combine their fourth and fifth to do so. Seeing as they don't have a second rounder. I don't see rex doing that. Also i stole this pick from Richard Hill, but oh well, you won me over rich.
#29- Chicago Bears- Gabe Carimi OT/ Wisconsin
Note: Jay Cutler got sacked a lot this year. And he isn't exactly the most stable guy mentally. So why not get him some more protection. I really like Carimi and he may go a bit higher then 29, he's a solid pick here for the bears.
#30- New York Jets- Corey Liuget DT/ Illinois
Note: The jets need a big guy in the middle, with Kris Jenkins having only played 7 games in the past two seasons, Liuget can atleast partially fill that role. I expect them to go defensive with this pick, and Liuget is projected higher in a lot of drafts. Not a bad pick here at 30.
#31- Pittsburgh Steelers- Mike Pouncey G/Florida
Note: This is the perfect play for the second Pouncey brother. The steelers really need a guard, and Pouncey has been quite shaky at times for florida at center. He would fit in very nicely next to his brother Maurkice on the Steelers offensive line. No way Pouncey falls past this pick.
#32- Green Bay Packers- Justin Houston OLB/ Georgia
Note- The packers really need a OLB to go opposite of clay mathews, and will need some added pass rush boost if they loose cullen jenkins to free agency. Justin Houston is a really good value pick here at the end of the first round for the defending champs.
Alright. Thats my first round mock. I only do it for the feedback so tell me what you think.
Topic: My shot at an NFL Mock Draft (Read 1982 times)