My very early Round 1 Mock for 2011. Trying to jump start some interest in the draftforum. Depth and quality of players is on par with 2010's draft. Many outstanding players didn't make my round 1 mock.....especially a few linebackers. Some players may not declare..Andrew Luck is a 50/50 chance he might stay. I tried my best to match up needs with BPA for each team...difficult to do this early. Tough to project the draft order. Jet's select Ayers a potential outstanding rush OLB. Jets will need to go DL in round 2. Comments appreciated!! I'll try to answer any questions. Buffalo.......Jake Locker, QB, Washington St Louis......AJ Green, WR, Georgia Chiefs........Gabe Carimi, OT, Wisconsin Denver.......Marcell Dareus, DL, Alabama Seattle.......Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford Carolina......Robert Quinn, DE, North Carolina Cleveland....Cameron Heyward, DE, OSU Tampa Bay..Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU Detroit........Joesph Barksdale, OT, LSU Pats (Oak)...Ryan Williams, RB, Virginia Tech Jacksonville..Ryan Mallett, QB, Arkansas Pittsburgh....Julio Jones, WR, Alabama Tennessee.. .Ras I Dowling, CB, Virginia Chicago....... Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame Philadelphia...Aaron Williams, CB, Texas Giants..........Greg Jones, ILB, Michigan St Arizona........Anthony Costanzo, OT, BC Miami..........Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama Houston...... Marvin Austin, DT, North Carolina Atlanta........Greg Romeus, DE, Pitt PLAYOFFS Washington..Jonathan Baldwin, WR, Pitt Pats...........Adrian Clayborn, DE, Iowa Green Bay....Deunta Williams, S, North Carolina Cincinnati....Jared Crick, DT, Nebraska San Diego....Von Miller, DE/OLB, Texas A&M San Fran.....Allen Bailey, DL, Miami Baltimore.....Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska Dallas.........Deandre McDaniel, S, Clemson Indianapolis..Kris O'Dowd, C, USC Minnesota...Jerrod Johnson, QB, Texas A&M JETS...Akeem Ayers, DE/OLB, UCLA New Orleans..Travis Lewis, OLB, Oklahoma
This draft is shit as far as depth goes so I would be all for trading up to secure one of those premier DE's. Our needs will probably be DE, OLB, NT, S, WR, RT in that order. Although if Ayers follows up last season with an even better one this year then I certainly wouldn't be disappointed. I have a strong feeling though that Deandre Mcdaniel will end up being our pick. I have a feeling we will trade down our mid round picks to get more later round value though to achieve some depth at CB and WR which will be lacking after this year.
Akeem Ayers is a monster. I'd love to have a player like him as an OLB. Couple questions DUBDUB. Our rankings of players are scarily similar, but there are a few guys I noticed missing. I'm guessing that you don't have Dion Lewis coming out, but how about guys like Jurrell Casey from SC and Mark Barron from Alabama, do you have them not as 1sts or just not going pro? Also, no Powe? I think even with all the 34 Ends in this draft he's the one that gets the biggest boost from his role as a Nose.
I want to see how much Casey weighs when the season starts. I really think he's got the ability to play nose if he gets to around 310. Armond Armstead is a 3-4 end prospect to keep an eye on. I expect a Monte Kiffin/USC defense to spit out a ton of a great pro prospects.
Thanks for the comments. I love Lewis' game, he's a player, but it's difficult for me to give a round 1 grade for a 5'8" RB. Ryan Williams is my best RB available, with Ingram #2. Casey was an oversight on my part, he's a top 20 talent, I hope he has a good year. Barron is a borderline rd 1 safety and I almost had Jerrell Powe going at the end of Rd 1. A few other just misses: Bruce Carter Da' Quan Bowers Mike Pouncey Curtis Brown Quan Sturdivant Kyle Rudolph
I know Maurice Jones-Drew and Ray Rice weren't first rounders, but they've definitely proved that 5'8 guys can be feature backs in today's NFL.
No doubt...they just don't get drafted in Rd 1. I'll wait and see if Lewis goes in Rd 1....I'm betting against it happening. Solid Rd 2 prospect. Not many teams are willing to spend a 1st rd pick on a 5'8" back. I've read somewhere, a while back, Lewis may be a shade under 5'8", the combine will bring out the truth. I never believe College height and weight reportings. Lewis would be a top 10 lock if he was a couple of inches taller.
I can't see Ayers falling out of the Top 20 if he has a similar season to last year (73 tackles, 12.5 TFL, 5 sacks, 2 FF, 1 FR, 3 PBUs, 4 INTs, 3 defensive touchdowns) at his size/ speed ratio 6'4, 255 lbs, 4.6 40 and coming from a program such as UCLA so you know he at least has something that resembles cognitive function (unlike Vernon on the field). He can play in a 4-3 (SLB or even RDE but that would be a waste) or a 3-4 (ILB or OLB) and he's an on-field monster with no off-the-field problems. If Da'Quan Bowers declares I can't see him falling out of the Top 25 either. He's got the best measurables for a DE since Julius Peppers - 6'5, 280 lbs, 4.6 40 - as he was "Clemson's most gifted recruit ever -- a defensive end with bull-rushing power and around-the-edge speed" - WSJ.com He hasn't had a superb sack season yet, but I'd imagine he would only declare early if he did. If he gets 10+ sacks with those measurables, no shot he falls out of the top 25. There is one scenario I can see him falling, and it's because I view him strictly as a 4-3 DE, so if all of the 4-3 teams are the ones who make the playoffs, then he could fall. If the Chiefs are picking 3rd, meaning they had a terrible season, and they pass on a QB since the Matt Cassell experiment clearly failed, I'd hope Chiefs fans would light fire to Pioli's house. They drafted Jon Asamoah with one of their early picks so Branden Albert is staying at left tackle for the long-term, I just can't see them going with an OT if they're in the Top 3. If one of Jake Locker, Andrew Luck, or Ryan Mallet is on the board I think it's a no-brainer for KC. They got the captain of their defense next year with Berry in the Top 5, and if they end up in the Top 5 again, they need to draft a new captain for their offense. Aside from that I like the early mock draft. The 1st round is LOADED with talent, but after that the 2011 draft is nothing like the 2010 draft. Also keep an eye on Evan Royster to be a late 1st round RB, similar to where Donald Brown went. Penn State is going to be breaking in a new QB and he could easily be a freshman since they signed two top rated recruits at QB. No matter who it is it is going to be someone with no starting experience, so the Nittany Lions will look to use their always strong O-line and Royster to power their way to victory. Royster is very athletic for a bigger RB and compares favorably to Ryan Grant and Donald Brown - athletic guys that can run in between the tackles and can catch the ball, but lacking game-breaking speed. It'd probably have to be a trade-up since the projected late 1st round teams are set at RB, or if the Pats don't go RB early I could see them taking Royster with their own 1st. Nice job WW.
Ayers would be an excellent compliment with Pace in pass-rushing plays, hes one hell of a prospect and could go Top 15 IMO but im not sure on his run stopping abilities? Does anyone have any incite on that?
WRs have fallen in every draft since no receivers went in the 1st round in 2008 (ex. Michael Crabtree and Dez Bryant). I'd be ecstatic if one of the top 4 guys is there when we're on the clock.
