TMG DraftZone 2011 NFL Mock Draft 2.0

I've been away for a while. Spring is here, work needs to be done and baseball is going full speed ahead. But I've been working on the next DSA Player Rankings for the 2011 NFL Draft, and I have also come out with my second mock draft. I know, I know. I said last year that you should make your picks and stick with them. But the research I've been putting into the draft this year has allowed me to come to the conclusion that because the draft is so deep, that teams have 5-10 players at the top of their boards.

In 2010, there were basically three players seen as having the potential to go #1 overall in the draft. They were Sam Bradford, Ndamukong Suh, and Gerald McCoy. Of all the mock drafts I accumulated leading up to the draft, they were the only 3 players that the draftniks had slotted at the top. This year, I have seen 7 players at the top of the mocks. And the player many see as the top prospect, Patrick Peterson, has not been placed at #1 overall. At least none that I have found.

So here is the TMG DraftZone 2011 NFL Mock Draft 2.0, and I because of all the uncertainty, I will make one more mock draft the afternoon of Round 1. By then one might think the draft order would be a bit more settled. But you never know.

1) Carolina Cam Newton QB
2) Denver Marcell Dareus DT
3) Buffalo Nick Fairley DT
4) Cincinnati A.J. Green WR
5) Arizona Blaine Gabbert QB
6) Cleveland Patrick Peterson CB
7) San Francisco Prince Amukamara CB
8) Tennessee Von Miller LB
9) Dallas Da'Quan Bowers DE
10) Washington Julio Jones WR
11) Houston Robert Quinn DE
12) Minnesota Jake Locker QB
13) Detroit Tyron Smith OT
14) St. Louis J.J. Watt DE
15) Miami Mark Ingram RB
16) Jacksonville Cameron Jordan DE
17) New England Mike Pouncey OG
18) San Diego Aldon Smith DE
19) NY Giants Anthony Castanzo OT
20) Tampa Bay Ryan Kerrigan DE
21) Kansas City Akeem Ayers LB
22) Indianapolis Nate Solder OT
23) Philadelphia Brandon Harris CB
24) New Orleans Stephen Paea DT
25) Seattle Adrian Clayborn DE
26) Baltimore Cameron Heyward DE
27) Atlanta Torrey Smith WR
28) New England Corey Liuget DT
29) Chicago Gabe Carimi OT
30) NY Jets Muhammad Wilkerson DE
31) Pittsburgh Derek Sherrod OT
32) Green Bay Martez Wilson LB


I believe a new regime in Carolina is going to bring a new quarterback. Cam Newton has one attribute in excess more so than Blaine Gabbert-Charisma. I have Da'Quan Bowers falling out of the top spot due to concerns or injuries. If he checks out and still falls down the first round, some team is going to reap the benefits greatly. If Patrick Peterson falls to Cleveland at #6, it is going to be very difficult to pass on the Browns defense for years to come, pairing Peterson with Joe Haden on the corners.

The biggest reach I have is Jake Locker at #12 to Minnesota, even though previously I had him going #10 to Washington. If the Vikings believe that Joe Webb or Tavaris Jackson is the answer at quarterback for the future, it could be bleak for the offense. Locker has the skill set to play in the NFL, and if he can get his accuracy under control, he will not be a reach at all at #12 for Minnesota.

One thing about this draft is certain. A team is really going to have to screw up in Round 1 to be labeled a loser. But you never know. There is always a team that believes a player such as Darrius Heyward-Bey is worthy of the seventh overall pick.