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