First-round mock 3/22/11

[DNoz29]

Hey guys. I haven't been following NFL Draft stuff too closely this year. I've been doing a lot of stuff for my Dodger blog and school. I figure it's March and high time for a mock draft. Let me know if I'm way off base on some of these.

1. Carolina - QB Cam Newton*, Auburn
2. Denver - DE/DT Marcell Dareus, Alabama
3. Buffalo - DE Da'Quan Bowers*, Clemson
4. Cincinnati - WR Julio Jones*, Alabama
5. Arizona - QB Blaine Gabbert*, Missouri
6. Cleveland - WR A.J. Green*, Georgia
7. San Francisco - CB Patrick Peterson, LSU
8. Tennessee - DE/OLB Von Miller, Texas A&M
9. Dallas - CB Prince Amukamara, Nebraska
10. Washington - DT Nick Fairley, Auburn
11. Houston - DE/OLB Robert Quinn, North Carolina
12. Minnesota - DE Aldon Smith*, Missouri
13. Detroit - OT Tryon Smith, USC
14. St. Louis - DT Corey Liuget, Illinois
15. Miami - RB Mark Ingram*, Alabama
16. Jacksonville - DE Ryan Kerrigan, Purdue
17. New England (from OAK) - DE J.J. Watt*, Wisconsin
18. San Diego - DE/DT Cameron Jordan, Cal
19. N.Y. Giants - OT Anthony Costanzo, Boston College
20. Tampa Bay - DE/OLB Justin Houston*, Georgia
21. Kansas City - DT Phil Taylor, Baylor
22. Indianapolis - OT Nate Solder, Colorado
23. Philadelphia - CB Jimmy Smith, Colorado
24. New Orleans - DT Muhammad Wilkerson, Temple
25. Seattle - QB Jake Locker, Washington
26. Baltimore - CB Aaron Williams, Texas
27. Atlanta - DE Adrian Clayborn, Iowa
28. New England - OG Mike Pouncey, Florida
29. Chicago - OT Gabe Carimi, Wisconsin
30. N.Y. Jets - S Rahim Moore, UCLA
31. Pittsburgh - OT Derek Sherrod, Mississippi St.
32. Green Bay - DE/OLB Akeem Ayers*, UCLA

 

[AUTaxMan]

What are people saying about Newton this week? Is Carolina that high on him?

 

[DNoz29]

What are people saying about Newton this week? Is Carolina that high on him?

No clue. I'm not high on him (especially as a No. 1 pick), but it seems to fluctuate every week. My next mock will probably have Gabbert or Dareus at No. 1, lol.

 

[ar1888]

Just because every mock draft has the Colts taking a OT in the first round, I think they will go in another direction. In all of my years as a Colts fan I have only guessed their first rounder right one time. That was Peyton Manning, which was a no brainer.

 

[sffanmike25]

*reads Dodger blog*

*chuckles about Ned's fun off-season*

 

[lumm0x]

Saints get Von Miller. Don't care how.

 

[sffanmike25]

The labor agreement stuff has put a stranglehold on my draft interest.

With that said, here goes:

-I don't like the offensive tackles in this draft. The last two years were better.

-Peterson will be an awesome 49er. He needs to don the garnet and gold.

-The Panthers are going to get forced into taking a QB at #1. Just like the 49ers did in 2005, and countless teams before them. The whole "if you don't have one, you have to take one" thing. Newton is the highest ceiling guy this week.

-I don't see Jimmy Smith as a 1st round value. He might go there, but not buying in on him. Hell, him and his CU teammate Solder.

-I want Jacksonville to take Cameron Jordan to try and eventually make an all Cal defensive line.

-I think Clayborn from Iowa will bounce back and have a good rookie season (if he goes somewhere where he can play).

-Brad would love Bowers to Buffalo. Then he could just watch Bills games every Sunday and get his Tiger updates. And wince in the process.

-When are the Rams going to get another WR for Bradford? Speaking of WR's, I favor Green over Jones. But it's not by as much as it was earlier in the year.

Good work, Dustin.

 

[DNoz29]

ar1888 - Good call.
Kelly - He's rather beastly. He could as high as No. 3, IMO.
Mike - Yeah, it's been quite the off-season, to say the least.

Like you, the labor unrest has also dampened my interest in the draft (along with the other stuff I said). Peterson is probably the best player in this draft. If the Niners get him, that'd be insane. The Panthers are going to get screwed by this draft. They'd be better off with Dareus and shooting for Luck next year.

As for the Rams, well, Jones was "my guy" heading in to the off-season. Predictably, he blew up at the combine and is now slated to not drop past No. 10. Sigh. This isn't the best year for WRs, either, so taking anyone other than Jones or Green at 14 would be a waste.

I put Jones at four because I read today the Bengals might be higher on him than Green. Of course, you can't always trust everything you read.

 

[gadsden86]

I like Mark For the Dolphins. I would love to have them trade down and get a 2nd back and maybe hope mark falls to them or take another back. Then draft Colin or ponder in the 2nd.

 

[AUTaxMan]

Saints get Von Miller. Don't care how.

That guy is a badass.

 

[redandpewter55]

Bucs = :cheers:

 

[onyxdragon5977]

Don't usually follow the college stuff much, or the draft for that matter, but I do hope Julio Jones falls to #14 so the Rams can pick up a decent WR. Loved him at 'Bama!