MLB Power Rankings: Spring Training (part 2 of 4)

9. MINNESOTA TWINS 
The Twins are an amazing organization. They always seem to lose their star players like Torii Hunter and Johan Santana but recover by bringing up great players from their farm system. I love Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, and Jason Kubel are formidable 3-4-5. The only thing that could hold them back this year is their rotation. Its not very good. Francisco Liriano isn't the player he was before Tommy John and the rest of the Twins rotation is very mediocre. I have a feeling that they will be in post season contention for most of the season, but if the rotation doesn't improve they won't be able to pass the White Sox and Yankees for a playoff spot.



10. COLORADO ROCKIES 
I love this teams lineup. Carlos Gonzalez, Troy Tulowitzski, and Todd Helton are great hitters in one of the most hitter friendly ballparks in the game. Dexter Fowler is a talented, young centerfielder and I love this team's rotation. Ubaldo Jimenez, Jorge De La Rosa, and Jhoulys Chacin are really good. The Rockies love their Latin American pitchers. I don't know why, but I just have a good feeling about this team. They have a great balance of talented hitter and pitchers but they lack the depth or overall talent of the teams ahead of them.



11. MILWAUKEE BREWERS 
The additions of Sean Marcum and Zack Grienke gives the Brew Crew the best rotation in the NL Central division, especially since Adam Wainwright went down. Zack Grienke might miss a few starts at the beginning of the year but he will be the ace this team needs. Yovani Gallardo is also a talented starter who has the ability to give the Brewers a chance to win every time he takes the mound. Corey Hart, Prince Fielder, and Brian Braun give the Brewers a strong 3-4-5. The only thing that worries me about this team is their bullpen. It is REALLY bad. They only had a 64% save percentage.

12. DETROIT TIGERS
The Tigers have some young players to get excited about. I love Austin Jackson. He is a fantastic player who will become the face of the franchise. Brad Inge is the prototype of a rugged, hustling baseball player that every team wishes they had. I am worried about almost every other position player on the team though. Can Miguel Cabrera stay out of jail? Will Magglio Ordonez stay healthy and effective? How will Carlos Guillen recover from microfracture knee surgery? Is Jhonney Peralta any good? Can Victor Martinez stay healthy for once? That is way too many wild cards. Verlander and Scherzer are good starters but the rest of the rotation worries me.


13. LOS ANGELES ANGELS
Art Moreno must be really pissed at losing out on Cliff Lee, Carl Crawford, and Adrian Beltre. This team has a lot of talent players. Kendrey Morales is an animal, its too bad that he got injured celebrating a walk off. I think that he can carry a team with his bat and defense. The Vernon Wells trade was a bad move. He has been over the hill for years now. Bringing him in was a stupid desperate move. They have a good rotation but not great. After Weaver and Haren the rest of the guys are solid. Ervin Santana won a lot of games but is ERA was pretty high. Scott Kazmir is washed and Joel Piniero is nothing special.

14. LOS ANGELES DODGERS
I know that the Dodgers didn't have the sexiest off-season of all time but they had a very good one. Ted Lilly and John Garland are two of the most underrated pitchers in the NL. They will never put up great stats or a lot of Ks but they will give you a chance to win every time they hit the mound. I love their starting rotation. The  Dodger's bullpen is also strong. The only thing that worries me about the Dodgers is their position players. There are so many questions. Can Matt Kemp get his act together? Will Rafael Furcal stay healthy? How will the team play without Joe Torre? If the Dodgers respond well to Mattingly's managing style and Kemp rebounds from a bad season the Dodgers will be much higher on the list. I just don't see it happening right now.

15. OAKLAND ATHLETICS 
The Oakland As had a great off-season. OF David DeJesus, RP Brian Fuentes, and Hideki Matsui are great additions to this young, up-and-coming team. The A's pitching staff rivals the Ranger's staff for best young starters. Trevor Cahill, Brett Anderson, Gio Gonzalez, and Dallas Braden are all very good starters. The 5th starter is a bit of a question mark though.The A's have the best bullpen in the MLB, period. The only thing holding this team back is their offense. Their line has little to no power in their lineup and they had a .256 batting average last year. I don't see this team generating enough runs to be in playoff contention over the course of a season.

16. ST. LOUIS CARDINALS 
The Cardinals are a good team with a lot of bad luck and drama. The off-season was a bad one for the Cardinals. They are stupid enough to bring in Lance Berkman. Berkman isn't a good hitter anymore and he can't play defense. He is a DH on an average AL team not an outfielder for a NL team that is trying to contend. After that blunder they fail to sign Albert Pujols to an extension and that will be a lot of baggage for the team to deal with throughout the season, especially if they start slow. Then Wainwright gets injured in spring training and hes' done for the season. That is way too much for this team to overcome. They will probably win 80 games, but that won't be enough to contend for a playoff spot.


All of these teams with the exception of the Cardinals have the talent to make the playoffs. They just don't have enough "sure things" on their roster. I am sure that one or two of these teams will put it all together and make the playoffs but right now I don't have faith in them.

PAZ
SOUTHSIDE55

MLB Power Rankings: Spring Training (part 1 of 4)

Hi guys. I just wanted to say that thank you for checking out my blog. I have 1,356 views thus far. Some of you guys are checking this blog out from Japan, Canada, the UK, Australia, Germany, Denmark and more. That is awesome. I'm glad to see international US sports fans out there. So I am dedicating this post to everyone who checked my blog.

That being said, on to the American Pastime. I know its only Spring Training but many of the teams rosters are set and the season is only 3 weeks away. I can't wait for this season to get started. There are a lot of awesome powerhouse teams and some up and comers in baseball this year. I have the feeling that this year is going to be very interesting and have much more intrigue than in years past. I am going to post power rankings about every 2 weeks once the season starts or when a catastrophic injury happens (lets hope that this doesn't happen but it always will. So without further adieu...

1. BOSTON RED SOX
I think that Theo Epstien is a baseball genius. I know that he his team has one of the highest payrolls in the league, but he also does a great job with the farm system and bringing in the right kind of players. Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez are amazing additions to the team and both players are potential MVP candidates. The pitching staff is solid and the bull pen has the potential to be amazing if Bobby Jenks can rebound. I am worried about this team staying healthy but assuming that the roster is fresh by the time the season starts, they are the team to beat.

2. PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES 
This team could have the best rotation in the history of baseball with a team ERA around 3.50. I think that Oswalt might be over the hill or maybe he just lost some of his stuff, but he is still the best 4th starter in baseball. Ruben Amaro looks like he knows what he is doing and I love Charlie Manuel. The only thing that I am worried about is the ability for this team to stay healthy. Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, Placido Polanco, Raul Ibanez, Ryan Howard, Brad Lidge, Jose Contreras, Danys Baez, Roy Hallady, Cliff Lee, Roy Oswalt, and Joe Blanton are all on the wrong side of 30. That is really scary. If they can stay healthy they will win the World Series, but I doubt that they will. I hope that I'm wrong though, if this team stays healthy and plays to their potential they could win 110 games.

3. SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS 
The Giants are a perfect example of how important pitching can be. Lincecum, Cain, Bumgarner, Sanchez, and Zito could be the best rotation by the time the season is over. These guys are all young studs with the exception of Zito. Brian Wilson is one of the best closers in the game and the rest of the bullpen is strong. The only thing that bothers me about this team is that they have a weak offense. Pablo Sandoval may be a perennial underachiever, Pat Burrell is over the hill, Miguel Tejada is washed up, and Aubrey Huff is a good player but he's not special. They are still good defensively though. If Buster Posey and Andres Torres develop into potent hitters...look out.

4.TEXAS RANGERS
After spending the last 5 years building one of the best farm systems in baseball and making shrewd trades the Rangers finally got there crap together and made it to the post season. It hurts to have Cliff Lee bolt on them but they still have a lot of talent on their young team. Adrian Beltre may only play hard in contract years but he  is always a gold glover at the hot corner. Josh Hamilton, Julio Borbon, and Nelson Cruz are a great outfield and Elvis Andrus and Kinsler are strong up the middle. They also have a strong bullpen and starting rotation. If their young rotations continues to grow they might be able to overcome losing Cliff Lee. I think they are close to a lock to win the division.

5. CHICAGO WHITE SOX
The White Sox really upgraded their team when they brought in Adam Dunn. This guy is and incredible power hitter and I think that he could hit 50 homers in The Cell. Alexi Ramirez might be the best short stop in the American League and Alex Rios finally lived up to his potential. The rotation is strong and so far it looks like Jake Peavy is going to be able to come back and be effective, giving the White Sox one of the best rotations in baseball. The bullpen doesn't have a established closer but Chris Sale, Matt Thornton, Jesse Crain, and Sergio Santos all have electric stuff. If Konerko can play near his career averages and Quentin's body holds up, the White Sox will be World Series contenders. 


6. NEW YORK YANKEES
The Yankees put all their eggs in the Cliff Lee basket and they dropped it. If Bartolo Colon is looking like your 5th starter than your rotation is in serious trouble. There is no doubt that the Yankees can slug there way to victory but pitching wins in the playoffs. Ivan Nova, Bartolo Colon, Freddy Garcia, and Sergio Mitre are competing for the final 2 spots in the rotation. I can't get over how pathetic that bunch is. It Pittsburgh Pirates bad. They are going to need Mariano Rivera and Rafael Soriano in a big way this year because the Yanks are going to be pulling their pitchers in the 4th or 5th inning way more than they should. That being said Mark Texiera, Robinson Cano, Alex Rodriguez, and Nick Swisher can generate a lot of runs so don't count them out.

7. CINCINNATI REDS  
I think that it is great when a team like the Reds, who have been at the bottom of the NL for years, get their act together and make the playoffs. I love Joey Votto and and Brandon Phillps, those guys know how to play baseball and they do it the right way. Scott Rolen is a great guy to have on this young team because he is a pro's pro who has been to the playoffs and knows what it takes to win. Edison Volquez, Bronson Arroyo, Johnney Cueto, Travis Wood, and Homer Baily make up a good young rotation and the Reds bullpen is solid. They are not a threat to the Giants or Phillies but they are likely a playoff team.

8.ATLANTA BRAVES 
There is a new era in Atlanta now that legendary manager Bobby Cox has retired. I wish Cox the best. I loved his fire for the game and longevity. Martin Prado, Dan Uggla, Jason Heyward, and Brian McCann are a great core of young-ish position players and Chipper Jones is HOF. I like their starting rotation a lot. Derek Lowe and Tim Hudson are steady veterans that will always give the Braves a chance to win and Jair Jurrjens, Tommy Hanson, and Mike Minor are solid young pitchers. I am a little worried about Graig Kimbrel. Its not a good thing when a contending team has a rookie closer but the Braves know how to develop their young players so don't count him out. I think there are a lot of teams in the American League that are better than the Braves but they won't make it to the post season because the AL is so stacked.

I will have NBA power rankings up on Monday and post the rest of my MLB spring training power rankings though out the next couple of days. Party on guys.

2011 Mock Draft 1.2

The best round in the draft in my opinion is the 2nd. Some of the best players in the draft usually come out of the 2nd round because they are great football players that know how to play the game. They may not have the measurables that that the 1st rounders have, but they know how to play.

33st Overall: New England Patriots- Jonathan Baldwin [WR-Pitt]
This guy is a monster who has slid in the draft because Pitt didn't have a QB who could get him the ball. I love this guy and think that he will be a great fit on the Pats. They need a WR to replace Moss.

34th Overall: Buffalo Bills- Martrez Wilson [MLB-Illinois]
Wilson is a freak athlete that is a natural middle linebacker, but he could play outside as well. He is one of the best players in the draft in my opinion and even the hapless Bills won't let him fall any farther because he played for an under-the-radar team.

35th Overall: Cincinnati Bengals- Ryan Mallet [QB-Arkansas]
Mallet is a QB who is incredibly talent. He reminds me of a combination of Drew Bledsoe and Ryan Leaf. He has Bledsoe's body type and talent with Leaf's attitude. I know this is gossip, but I have a friend who took a class with Mallet when she was a Michigan and he said that this guy was the biggest pre-modana on the planet. He may have grown up since then, but the reports coming out don't make that seem likely. The Bengals will role the dice on him though. Carson Palmer is not coming back and this team has no one at QB behind him.

36th Overall: Denver Broncos- Rahim Moore [FS-UCLA]
The Bronco's secondary is a disaster at every position beside the conerback slot that Champ Bailey is holding down. Moore is the best safety in the draft and he will help shore up the Bronco's secondary.

37th Overall: Cleveland Browns- Torrey Smith [WR-Maryland]
The Browns need to get a reliable target for Colt McCoy. Robiskie and Massaquoi are not getting the job done. Mangini and Co. really screwed that up. Smith reminds me of Johnny Knox. He will be a good WR, but he isn't special.

38th Overall: Arizona Cardinals- Stephen Wisniewski [G/C- Penn State]
The Cardinals need help all over their defensive line. Almost every position could use an upgrade. Wis is the best center in the draft and can also play guard.

39th Overall: Tennessee Titans- Christian Ponder [QB- Florida State]
Vince Young was a disaster. The Titans need to move on and get another QB. I think that Carson Palmer would be a great fit for them, but if they don't trade for a QB they will need to draft one. I'm not all that high on Ponder but he is worth taking here for a team desperate for a QB.

40th Overall: Dallas Cowboys- Marcus Cannon [G/T-TCU]
The Cowboys o-line was bad last year and they need to upgrade it if they want to contend for a playoff spot next year. Cannon is a big lineman that could step in and start at Guard or Right Tackle.

41st Overall: Washington Redskins- Colin Kaepernick [QB- Nevada]
Kaepernick reminds me of Jake "The Snake" Plummer who fit in well with Shanahan's offense. He will need some time to grow but he should get a year or two to do so behind Donovan McNabb.

42nd Overall: Houston Texans- Ras-I Dowling [CB- Virginia]
Houston's secondary is awful. Dowling is an underrated player who I think will rise up draft boards when its all said and done. He could start for this team.

43rd Overall: Minnesota Vikings- Leonard Hankerson [WR- The U]
The Vikings may let both Berrain and Rice go in FA so they need to bring in another WR to add depth at least. Hankerson has first round talent but he struggles with drops. He reminds me of Braylon Edwards.

44th Overall: Detroit Lions- Akeem Ayers [OLB-UCLA]
I love Ayers and I think that he will be a good player in this league. He reminds me of Julian Peterson when he was good. The Lions could really use help at the linebacker position with Follet's injury.

45th Overall: San Francisco 49ers- Titus Young [WR- Boise State]
None of the 2nd tier QB's fall to the 49ers, but there are still a lot of good players left in the draft. Titus Young is a poor man's Desean Jackson who will form a dynamic WR duo with Crabtree.

46th Overall: Denver Broncos- Stephen Paea [DT- Oregon State]
The Bronco's need lots of help on the defensive line and Paea is a great player to have in a 4-3 scheme. He has some injury problems but there is no doubt that he can dominate the line of scrimmage.

47th Overall: St. Louis Rams- Aaron Williams [CB/FS- Texas]
The Rams secondary has a lot of holes, especially since they lost OJ Atogwe to FA. Williams can play CB and FS in the NFL and help the Rams.

48th Overall: Oakland Raiders- Maron Foster [OLB- Washington]
The Raiders are always a wildcard so mocking this pick is a crap shoot. Foster is a good player that Al Davis could fall in love with.

49th Overall: Jacksonville Jaguars-Quentin Carter [SS-Oklahoma]
Jacksonville has some problems at the safety. Reggie Nelson has not panned out the way the team had hoped. Carter could become a solid player.

50th Overall: San Diego Chargers- Jabaal Sheard [Rush LB- Pitt]
The Chargers have a hole at Rush LB now that Merriman is Bill.  Sheard will be a good pass rusher on 3rd and can become a solid player in the next couple of years.

51st Overall: Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Bruce Carter [OLB-UNC]
Quincey Black is a free agent and the Bucs could use an infusion of talent at the outside linebacker position.

52st Overall: New York Giants- Kyle Rudolph [TE- Notre Dame]
The Giants could use an upgrade at TE. Kevin Boss is a solid player but he will never be a game changer. Rudolph is the best player in the draft at the TE position.

53rd Overall: Indianapolis Colts- Joseph Barksdale [LT-LSU]
The Colts offensive line was very bad. Barksdale is a great technician. He can step in and start over Charles Johnson. He will probably fly up the draft boards by the time its all said and done.

54th Overall: Philadelphia Eagles- Johnny Patrick [CB-Louisville]
The Eagles could really us some help at cornerback. Samuel is really good but they lost Ellis Hobbs to retirement. Patrick fits the Eagles scheme well.

55th Overall: Kansas City Chiefs- Danny Watkins [G-Baylor]
The Chiefs offensive line is solid but they could use some help. Watkins is one of the best guards in the daft but he is 27 years old which is why he has fallen this far.

56th Overall: New Orleans Saints- Daniel Thomas [RB- Kansas State]
The Saints brought back Pierre Thomas, but he gets hurt a lot.  Look for them to upgrade this position. Thomas is a big back that can help out the Saints in the goal line.

57th Overall: Seattle Seahawks- John Moffit [G-Wisconsin]
The Seahawks o-line is bad. Only Unger and Okung and the only players on the team worth starting. Moffit is a huge mauler who can step in and hold down the Right Guard position.

58th Overall: Baltimore Ravens- Rodney Hudson [G/C- Florida State]
The Ravens could lose Gaither and Yanda to free agency so it would make sense for them to add another offensive lineman. Hudson is undersized but he knows how to play the position. He is a road grader at running back.


59th Overall: Atlanta Falcons- Tandon Doss [WR-Indiana]
Michael Jenkins has never become the player the Falcons thought when they drafted him. He is a big WR who is a great target in the red zone, but other than that he is sub par. Doss is a big tough WR who could become Robin to Roddy White's Batman.

60th Overall: New England Patriots- Curtis Brown [CB-Texas]
The Pats love adding cornerbacks and Curtis Brown is a good one. I could see the Pats trading this pick away though.

61st Overall: San Diego Chargers- Chris Carter [Rush LB- Fresno State]
The Chargers really need to reload at Rush LB. Carter is a good player who will be able to step in and help the Chargers out.

62nd Overall: Chicago Bears- Marvin Austin [DT- UNC]
With Tommie Harris gone, the Bears really need to add depth at DT. The Bears have draft a lot of mid round DT busts so they are really weak at the position. Austin is a great talent with some character problems but he is worth the gamble this late in the 2nd round.

63rd Overall: Pittsburgh Steelers- Brandon Burton [CB-Utah]
The Steelers CBs got torched by the Packers in the Superbowl. They REALLY need to upgrade the position. If it wasn't for the fact that the Steelers have one of the best front 7s in the NFL, the Steelers CB would have been shown as the worst unit in the league.

64th Overall: Green Bay Packers- Clint Boling [G/T- UGA]
The Packers offensive line is their only weak spot and its not even that much of a weak spot. Boling is a versatile player that can play guard and right tackle.

2011 Mock Draft 1.0 (part 2)

So here is the 2nd half of my first round mock draft, 2nd round will becoming soon along with baseball power rankings.

17th Overall: New England Patriots- Anthony Constanzo [LT-BC]
This guy is another great offensive lineman from Boston College. The Pats need to beef up their offensive line with longtime LT Matt Light hitting free agency and Stephen Neal retired. I could easily see Belichick trading down to team that wants to move up and draft a QB like Ponder, but I'm not going to predict trades in my mock draft.

18th Overall: San Diego Chargers- Cameron Heyward [DE/5 Technique-OSU]
One of the few good players on OSU that didn't sell their jerseys or Big Ten Champion rings. While he didn't live up to the hype that he had coming into this year, Heyward was still solid. He may never become the pass rusher teams thought he could be, but he has the ideal skill set for the 3-4 DE or 5 technique. San Diego needs to fill the hole that Igor Olshansky left when he bolted for the Cowboys.

19th Overall: New York Giants- Nate Solder [LT-Colorado]
Solder is a classic example of player who played well in college but shot up the draft boards due to his measurables. He is a freak athlete with amazing size, but he needs some coaching and better technique in order to be left tackle in the NFL. The Giants need help at this position because William Beatty doesn't look like he is the answer at left tackle.

20th Overall: Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Ryan Kerrigan [DE-Purdue]
Tampa Bay has done an amazing job of rebuilding itself and becoming relevant. They are the model of quick rebuilding. They aren't perfect however, DE and the offensive line are the two serious weaknesses on the youngest team in the NFL. Kerrigan is a great pass rusher who will fit in with the young defensive line talent.

21st Overall: Kansas City Chiefs- Phil Taylor [NT-Baylor]
Kansas City did a great job of turning their team around in one year. They have a dynamic offense with Dwayne Bowe and Jamaal Charles and a strong defense, but they lack the Nose Tackle necessary to make the 3-4 defense work. Phil Taylor is as big as it gets and he can bull rush with the best of them. I see Scott Pioli taking Taylor hoping that he will become the next Vince Wilfork.

22nd Overall: Indianapolis Colts- Corey Leguit [DT-Illinois]
The Colts have never had great defenses, but they have usually had good defenses. 2010 was not the case however, the Colts defense was horrendous. Their defensive tackles were an absolute joke last year and they need to upgrade at this position badly. Leguit is a great 3 technique/pass rushing DT who can step in and start right away.

23rd Overall: Philadelphia Eagles- Gabe Carimi [RT-Wisconsin]
The Eagles will never be able to get to the playoffs unless they get a QB that is a winner. Vick the felon and Donovan McNabb will never take them to the promise land. That being said, the team can still improve if they shore up their offensive line. Andy Reid is a big guy who likes bigger lineman and Carimi is huge. He is a perfect fit for the Eagles mauling offensive line.

24th Overall: New Orleans Saints- Adrian Clayborn [DE-Iowa]
When Alex Brown was cut by the Bears and joined the Saints he said that he was one of the best defensive lineman in the NFL...in the words of Wayne Campbell "Shya right". He had a terrible year and the other Will Smith didn't play much better. The Saints could definitely use an upgrade at this position. Clayborn has slid down draft boards because of a tumultuous year where he got in trouble with the law, but he is a talented player with the ability to physically dominate RTs in the NFL. He can step in play on the strong side of the Saint's d-line right away.

25th Overall: Seattle Seahawks- Jimmy Smith [CB- Colorado]
The Seahawks had a memorable season with a lot of ups and downs. It is amazing that they were able to beat the Saints but this team has as many holes as a 7-9 team would. I could see the Seahawks taking Ryan Mallet but Jimmy Smith is a top 12 talent who has slid due to character concerns. Pete Carroll does a great job of managing players with attitude problems and Smith has the talent to become a special player.

26th Overall: Baltimore Ravens- Brandon Harris [CB- The U]
The Ravens are one of the most talented team in the NFL, but they always seem to fall short in the playoffs. The Steelers really seem to have their number. CB has been a serious problem for the Ravens this year and they may lose Carr to free agency. The Ravens have always had good luck drafting players from Miami. Harris is incredibly talented, he looked incredible in the drills at the combine and he has the speed to run with NFL wide receivers. He may never be a star, but he will very good player for a long time.

27th Overall: Atlanta Falcons- Justin Houston [DE- UGA]
The Falcons looked horrible in the playoffs against the Packers and one of the reasons why is because they couldn't generate a pass rush against Aaron Rodgers. Houston is a great athlete and a great pass rusher who can play on all three downs.

28th Overall- New England Patriots- Mark Ingram [RB- BAMA]
The Pats have been able to have a productive offense with a bunch of nobodies, busts, or has beens but they really need to fix this problem. Ingram is the kind of player that Belichick loves and would really help balance the Patriots offensive attack.

29th Overall: Chicago Bears- Derek Sherrod [LT- Mississippi State]
The Bears offensive line is absolutely pathetic. Jay Cutler got sacked 50+ times. I can't believe he didn't get injured until the end of the season against Green Bay. The line will definitely be addressed in the draft and I think that the Bears will draft the best offensive lineman available, and that is Sherrod.

30th Overall: New York Jets- Muhammad Wilkinson [DE/5 technique- Temple]
The Jets team has very little holes and I see them taking the best player available. Wilkinson tore up the lower level competition, but he will have to step up his game in the pros. I think that he will develop into a good player in a year or two learning as a rotational player with the Jets.

31st Overall: Pittsburgh Steelers- Mike Pouncey [G-Florida]
The Steelers are a great team. The only thing they are missing is a strong offensive line. By pairing Pouncey with his brother Maurkice, the Steelers would have a very good offensive line.

32rd Overall: Green Bay Packers- Christian Ballard [DE/5 technique- Iowa]
The Packers are probably going to let Cullen Jenkins leave in free agency. He is a great player but he can't stay on the field. The Packers have very few holes on their roster. Ballard is a disruptive force who would be a great fit in the Packers defense.

2011 Mock Draft 1.0 (part 1)

Hello readers, and by readers I mean hand full of followers. You will soon realize that I have an unhealthy obsession with the NFL, particularly the NFL. Yes Fantasy Football is fun and who doesn't love following the NFL's clowns on twitter (I am talking to you Chad Ochocinco), but the draft is where it the foundations are laid for the future of the various franchises and the league. I will post the 2nd half of my first round mock draft tomorrow. So without further adieu, 2011 Mock Drat 1.0 (part 1)...

1st Overall: Carolina Panthers- Blaine Gabbert [QB- Mizzou]
Yes, I know its a shocker for all you draftniks out there, but here is my reasoning. There are a lot of reports coming out from the local media in Charlotte that the Panthers don't want to take a defensive lineman in the draft. There is no way a CB is going to go number one overall, even PrimeTime thinks that it would be a stupid idea and he wanted to change the name of the cornerback position to "Deon". Reports say that Cam Newton had a very bad Pro Day. The BCS's favorite conman only completed 52% of his passes and he seems like much more a project than a smart coach would be willing to take. Ron Rivera is no fool, he won't take him when he could get Blaine Gabbert instead. This guy has better QB measurables than Cam Newton in my opinion and scouts are going to fall in love with his potential. I'm not saying he is going to be great, but he will be better than Cam Newon.

2nd Overall: Denver Broncos- Marcel Darius [NT- Bama]
This guy is a monster, period. He has a great motor, plays hurts, and has the versatility to play and dominate in any defensive scheme. He can come in an play right away and be the disruptive force their defense will need. If the Broncos get the right players for their new schemes, I could see them getting very good in a hurry.

3rd Overall: Buffalo Bills- Cam Newton [QB- Auburn]
The Bills are not a cursed franchise, they are a stupid franchise. They actually thought Dick Juaron could be a head coach after he failed in Chicago. Fail. Then they brought it Chan Gailey, who thinks Fitzgerald is a competent QB. Fail. Then they draft a scat back in CJ Spiller with their top pick. Epic fail. I see them taking Vince Young 2.0 because he will remind Gailey of Kordell Stewart. News flash Kordell Stewart sucked.

4th Overall: Cincinnati Bengals- AJ Green [WR-UGA]
The Bengals don't draft smart, but even they can't screw this pick up. AJ Green is the safest pick in the draft and arguably the best player. Should the Bengals take one of the defensive lineman, yes but they won't. They took fat Andre Smith in the top 10, so how smart can they be. However, they need a WR and he is the best available so its not a bad pick at all.

5th Overall-Arizona Cardinals- Von Miller [Rush LB- Texas A&M]
The Cardinals fall from grace is the most rapid collapse of a football team I have ever seen in my 10+ years of watching the NFL. They lost a Hall of Fame QB in Kurt Warner and a Probowl LB in Karlos Dansby so it makes sense. Regardless, the Cardinals need to rebuild whether Fitzgerald likes it or not. Von Miller reminds me of Demarcus Ware. Miller is a class act and the prototype for the Rush LB position. I see him as am impact player and potential Def. ROY.

6th Overall: Cleveland Browns- Da'Quan Bowers [DE- Clemson]
Bowers is a fantastic talent with some bad tape. He is a young player though, and he needs to get his act together but he is one of the best DE prospects in the last 5 or 6 years. He is too good to pass up and Holmgren knows how important a dominant end can be for a football team (Reggie White anyone?).

7th Overall: San Francisco 49ers- Patrick Patterson [CB- LSU]
This is a hard pick to mock because there are so many ways that this team could go. The 49ers don't have any gaping wholes besides cornerback and quarterback. There really aren't other QBs in this draft that are Top 10 good. Patterson is the best cornerback prospect in the last 10 years so it makes sense that the 49ers take him, but I could see them trading down.

8th Overall: Tennessee Titans- Nick Fairley [DT- Auburn]
The Titans need a QB badly and I could see them trading for Carson Palmer, but like I said above there aren't any QBs worth taking this high. Fairley has a lot of character issues on the field and I think he might be a bust because he is a  bit of a punk. There is no denying his talent though. If he can get his anger in check he will be a special player. He reminds me of Tommie Harris. Tennessee has had a need at DT ever since Fat Albert left.

9th Overall: Dallas Cowboys- Prince Amukamara [ CB- Nebraska]
How 'bought them Cowboys? Talk about a fall from grace. They went from Super Bowl favorites to Top 10 pick in the course of a season. They need to bolster their offensive line and upgrade their secondary badly. Prince is a phenomenal prospect and the kind of sexy pick that Jerry Jones likes to make.

10th Overall: Washington Redskins- Julio Jones [WR- BAMA]
Julio Jones is a physical freak of nature. This guy can play. He blew up the combine in a way that I haven't seen since Megatron did a few years back. It wasn't just the fact that he ran a fast forty time or had a good bench press, this guy ran the drills as well as anyone did. Plus he did it with a broken foot. The Skins are another team that needs a QB, but they also need a WR. Shanahan is going to turn this guy into a probowler.

11th Overall: Houston Texans- Robert Quinn [Rush LB- UNC]
Houston really underachieved last year because their defense was abysmal. They have more 1st round defensive busts than any team in the last 5 years. Quinn is a talented player who might have gone much higher if we wasn't banned from playing football by the NCAA this year. He might not make an impact right away, but he is a talented player who will be the Rush LB Wade Phillips needs to turn around the Texans D.

12th Overall: Minnesota Vikings- Cameron Jordan [DE-Cal]
This guy can play, not doubt about it. He may not be the superb pass rusher that people look for in a defensive end,but he is a complete player. The Vikings have a lot of needs and DE is one of them. If this guy and Jared Allen are coming at the QB from different sides...look out!!!

13th Overall: Detroit Lions- Tyron Smith [LT-USC]
The Lions are a dumb franchise. They may have hit gold taking Stafford, but then they screwed it up by refusing to protect him. They could have taken Michael Oher, but they drafted Brandon Pettigrew instead. Jeff Backus is not the answer. I think that they will get it right this time, but it may be too late. I think that Stafford has David Carr syndrome.

14th Overall: St. Louis Rams- Aldon Smith [DE-Mizzou]
Its amazing how one player can turn around a franchise. The Rams are a team on the rise with Sam Bradford. Now they need to get that defense in order. I like Chris Long and James Laurinaitis, but they need more help. Smith is a great pass rusher than can help this team make the playoffs by winning the pitiful NFC West next year.

15th Overall: Miami Dolphins- Mikel Leshoure [RB- Illinois]
I know that a lot of people have Mark Ingram here, but I think that Leshoure is the better pro prospect and that when it is all said and done the majority of the league will agree with me. This guy is big, fast, and he runs hard. Plus he has a great attitude. The Dolphins need a RB and they get the best one in the draft.

16th Overall: Jacksonville Jaguars- JJ Watt [DE- Wisconsin]
The Jaguars are cursed at this position. They have drafted multiple busts such as Derrick Harvey and Quentin Groves. Then they bring in Aaron Kampan, and he blows his knee out...again. JJ Watt is a tough, gritty productive player that Jack Del Rio is going to love.

17-32 will be coming tomorrow and look for some baseball talk later this weekend.

Dejame en paz,
Southside beaner