I have put together my first Mock Draft for the upcoming 2011 NFL Draft. The first DSA Player Rankings had Nick Fairley as the unanimous #1 Overall Selection. The data gathered for the second round of DSA's has Fairley sharing time at the top with Da'Quan Bowers. I have already made a case for Bowers to go first, and that is where I have him at this time. So here is the first TMG DraftZone Mock Draft for 2011:
1) Carolina Da'Quan Bowers DE
2) Denver Patrick Peterson CB
3) Buffalo Cam Newton QB
4) Cincinnati A.J. Green WR
5) Arizona Nick Fairley DT
6) Cleveland Prince Amukamara CB
7) San Francisco Blaine Gabbert QB
8) Tennessee Marcell Dareus DT
9) Dallas Von Miller LB
10) Washington Jake Locker QB
11) Houston Robert Quinn DE
12) Minnesota J.J. Watt DE
13) Detroit Nate Solder OT
14) St. Louis Julio Jones WR
15) Miami Mark Ingram RB
16) Jacksonville Ryan Kerrigan DE
17) New England Cameron Heyward DE
18) San Diego Aldon Smith DE
19) NY Giants Anthony Castanzo OT
20) Tampa Bay Adrian Clayborn DE
21) Kansas City Justin Houston LB
22) Indianapolis Mike Pouncey OG
23) Philadelphia Akeem Ayers LB
24) New Orleans Tyron Smith OT
25) Seattle Jimmy Smith CB
26) Baltimore Brandon Harris CB
27) Atlanta Kyle Rudolph TE
28) New England Mikel Leshoure RB
29) Chicago Jonathon Baldwin WR
30) NY Jets Cameron Jordan DE
31) Pittsburgh Phil Taylor DT
32) Green Bay Gabe Carimi OT
Any mock draft will place players based on two main criteria: team need and gut instinct. I can see Buffalo taking Cam Newton at #3, and a lot of other draftniks are going in that direction. An exceptional workout at the NFL Scouting Combine might very well move him up to the top of the draft. I also think that Jake Locker will be moving up as well after the combine, and with the premium placed on quarterbacks, I see Washington taking him at #10.
One player that may seem to be a stretch is Kyle Rudolph at #27 to Atlanta. But as good as Tony Gonzalez has been, he won't play forever. Rudolph would make an exceptional target for Matt Ryan, and would eventually take over for the future Hall of Famer Gonzalez. Another player who for now might be a reach is Nate Solder at #13 to Detroit. But the Lions would not need to put him in the starting lineup right away, and with more polishing and seasoning he would be the protector for Matthew Stafford's blind side for years. The Lions need to protect their most valuable asset, and Solder could be the long term answer.
One player that got lost in the shuffle of a deep position is Cameron Jordan. The defensive end position is loaded, and I have 8 players at that position going in the first round. You could easily shuffle those players around (with the possible exception of Bowers), and you won't get an argument from anyone. Jordan could easily go in the top 15, and if he does fall down into the 20's, the team that is able to select him will be one that the post-draft experts will say had one of the best drafts of 2011.
The NFL Scouting Combine is underway, and this weekend will go a long way to determining which players will be moving up or down the boards of mock drafters everywhere. To what extent we shall see.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Sunday, February 20, 2011
2011 DSA Player Rankings 1.0
With the 2011 NFL Draft approaching, it is time to release the first Draft Slot Average Players rankings. I have used the previous months to refine and rework the rankings system to better reflect players positions when they are not included in mock drafts.
Last year I used a score of 35 for any player who was not included in a mock draft, and discovered that the prospects were bunched up together in the rankings. This year I have made adjustments to the rankings system that I believe will better reflect the players positions. I will be releasing the DSA rankings after accumulating 10 mock drafts, and any player who is not included in any of those 10 will be given a score of 33 if left out of one, 34 if left out of 2, 35 if left out of 3, and so forth up to 41 for each of the nine drafts they are not listed in. So with the changes I have just outlined, here are the DSA Player Rankings 1.0 for 2011:
1) Nick Fairley 1.00
2) Da'Quan Bowers 2.70
3) Patrick Peterson 3.80
4) A.J. Green 4.60
5) Marcel Dareus 6.60
6) Von Miller 6.60
7) Blaine Gabbert 7.50
8) Cam Newton 8.50
9) Robert Quinn 8.60
10) Prince Amukamara 9.00
11) Cameron Jordan 12.80
12) Julio Jones 14.90
13) Aldon Smith 15.30
14) Nate Solder 16.20
15) Akeem Ayers 18.60
16) Ryan Kerrigan 19.10
17) Tyron Smith 20.60
18) Adrian Clayborn 21.20
19) J.J, Watt 21.40
20) Mark Ingram 21.50
21) Justin Houston 23.30
22) Brandon Harris 23.40
23) Ryan Mallett 24.50
24) Gabe Carimi 25.60
25) Corey Liuget 25.70
26) Anthony Castanzo 26.30
27) Mike Pouncey 26.30
28) Derek Sherrod 27.20
29) Jake Locker 29.10
30) Jimmy Smith 29.80
31) Cameron Heyward 31.10
32) Phil Taylor 31.90
33) Torrey Smith 32.00
34) Stephen Paea 32.20
35) Jonathon Baldwin 33.00
36) Muhammad Wilkerson 33.50
37) Titus Young 35.10
38) Mikel Leshoure 35.70
39) Aaron Williams 36.10
40) Danny Watkins 37.10
41) Christian Ballard 37.30
42) Allen Bailey 37.60
Nick Fairley has been a unanimous choice so far to be the #1 Overall Selection of the 2011 NFL Draft. Even last year there were many who couldn't decide between Sam Bradford, Ndamuknog Suh and Gerald McCoy. So in 2011 it looks like the Denver Broncos are the ones on the clock.
For me the two biggest surprises are Jake Locker and Cameron Heyward. Both players would have been easy Top 10 picks in 2010 if they had decided to come out early, with Locker possibly being the top pick of the draft. Of the ten mock drafts I have gathered so far, both Locker and Heyward were included in only 4 each. But with the NFL Scouting Combine coming up this week, a strong performance by Locker and Heyward could easily vault either player back in the good graces of draftniks everywhere.
Last year I used a score of 35 for any player who was not included in a mock draft, and discovered that the prospects were bunched up together in the rankings. This year I have made adjustments to the rankings system that I believe will better reflect the players positions. I will be releasing the DSA rankings after accumulating 10 mock drafts, and any player who is not included in any of those 10 will be given a score of 33 if left out of one, 34 if left out of 2, 35 if left out of 3, and so forth up to 41 for each of the nine drafts they are not listed in. So with the changes I have just outlined, here are the DSA Player Rankings 1.0 for 2011:
1) Nick Fairley 1.00
2) Da'Quan Bowers 2.70
3) Patrick Peterson 3.80
4) A.J. Green 4.60
5) Marcel Dareus 6.60
6) Von Miller 6.60
7) Blaine Gabbert 7.50
8) Cam Newton 8.50
9) Robert Quinn 8.60
10) Prince Amukamara 9.00
11) Cameron Jordan 12.80
12) Julio Jones 14.90
13) Aldon Smith 15.30
14) Nate Solder 16.20
15) Akeem Ayers 18.60
16) Ryan Kerrigan 19.10
17) Tyron Smith 20.60
18) Adrian Clayborn 21.20
19) J.J, Watt 21.40
20) Mark Ingram 21.50
21) Justin Houston 23.30
22) Brandon Harris 23.40
23) Ryan Mallett 24.50
24) Gabe Carimi 25.60
25) Corey Liuget 25.70
26) Anthony Castanzo 26.30
27) Mike Pouncey 26.30
28) Derek Sherrod 27.20
29) Jake Locker 29.10
30) Jimmy Smith 29.80
31) Cameron Heyward 31.10
32) Phil Taylor 31.90
33) Torrey Smith 32.00
34) Stephen Paea 32.20
35) Jonathon Baldwin 33.00
36) Muhammad Wilkerson 33.50
37) Titus Young 35.10
38) Mikel Leshoure 35.70
39) Aaron Williams 36.10
40) Danny Watkins 37.10
41) Christian Ballard 37.30
42) Allen Bailey 37.60
Nick Fairley has been a unanimous choice so far to be the #1 Overall Selection of the 2011 NFL Draft. Even last year there were many who couldn't decide between Sam Bradford, Ndamuknog Suh and Gerald McCoy. So in 2011 it looks like the Denver Broncos are the ones on the clock.
For me the two biggest surprises are Jake Locker and Cameron Heyward. Both players would have been easy Top 10 picks in 2010 if they had decided to come out early, with Locker possibly being the top pick of the draft. Of the ten mock drafts I have gathered so far, both Locker and Heyward were included in only 4 each. But with the NFL Scouting Combine coming up this week, a strong performance by Locker and Heyward could easily vault either player back in the good graces of draftniks everywhere.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Early Returns
The first wave of Post-Super Bowl 2011 NFL Mock Drafts are starting to roll in, and here are some early observations from the Mock Draft information I have gathered so far:
Nick Fairley is nearly a lock to go #1 Overall to Carolina.
Patrick Peterson, Da'Quan Bowers, and A.J. Green look to be going #2-4, but which order is up for grabs.
Blaine Gabbert looks to be the first quarterback taken, but Cam Newton is gaining ground fast.
Ryan Mallett and Jake Locker may not go in the first round at all.
There will be more defensive players taken in the first round than offensive.
Tight End and Safety are the two thinnest positions at the top of the draft.
There may not be an offensive lineman selected in the top 10. How rare is that? The last time it happened was in 2005.
I will soon be posting my first DSA Player Rankings of 2011, along with my own Mock Draft. With the ongoing labor negotiations, it will be interesting to see how it will effect the NFL Scouting Combine coming up at the end of February. The Combine has been the one venue where draft prospects can make a huge leap up the draft boards or a free fall downward. But regardless of the Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations, the show must go on. And it will in Indianapolis in less than two weeks.
Nick Fairley is nearly a lock to go #1 Overall to Carolina.
Patrick Peterson, Da'Quan Bowers, and A.J. Green look to be going #2-4, but which order is up for grabs.
Blaine Gabbert looks to be the first quarterback taken, but Cam Newton is gaining ground fast.
Ryan Mallett and Jake Locker may not go in the first round at all.
There will be more defensive players taken in the first round than offensive.
Tight End and Safety are the two thinnest positions at the top of the draft.
There may not be an offensive lineman selected in the top 10. How rare is that? The last time it happened was in 2005.
I will soon be posting my first DSA Player Rankings of 2011, along with my own Mock Draft. With the ongoing labor negotiations, it will be interesting to see how it will effect the NFL Scouting Combine coming up at the end of February. The Combine has been the one venue where draft prospects can make a huge leap up the draft boards or a free fall downward. But regardless of the Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations, the show must go on. And it will in Indianapolis in less than two weeks.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Super Sunday
It's nearly 3 hours until kickoff, and I already have a visual image on how the Super Bowl will play out at the end.
I can see a 27-27 tie with about 2 minutes to go in the 4th quarter. Green Bay will have the ball just short of midfield, and the Steelers defense forces a punt. The kick will be downed inside the 20, and Ben Roethlisberger will take over with a chance to win his 3rd Super Bowl.
Big Ben will lead the Steelers down to the 30 yard line, and with about 30 seconds left the Green Bay defense will hold and force a field goal attempt. On comes Shaun Suisham, the journeyman kicker who played in Dallas on two previous stints, and is returning to the scene of his past football lives.
Suisham comes in, the ball is snapped, the holder fields it clean, the spot is good, and in the equivalent of a bad acid flashback, Suisham hooks it farther left than Nancy Pelosi. Green Bay takes over around the 37 yard line with 25 seconds on the clock.
Aaron Rodgers comes in, and with 2 timeouts left, he quickly moves the ball down to the Pittsburgh 40 yard line. In comes Mason Crosby to attempt a 57 yard field goal to win the Super Bowl.
With the adreneline pumping, Crosby hits the kick of his life. It splits the uprights, with about 15 yards to spare. Green Bay wins Super Bowl XLV 30-27.
I can see a 27-27 tie with about 2 minutes to go in the 4th quarter. Green Bay will have the ball just short of midfield, and the Steelers defense forces a punt. The kick will be downed inside the 20, and Ben Roethlisberger will take over with a chance to win his 3rd Super Bowl.
Big Ben will lead the Steelers down to the 30 yard line, and with about 30 seconds left the Green Bay defense will hold and force a field goal attempt. On comes Shaun Suisham, the journeyman kicker who played in Dallas on two previous stints, and is returning to the scene of his past football lives.
Suisham comes in, the ball is snapped, the holder fields it clean, the spot is good, and in the equivalent of a bad acid flashback, Suisham hooks it farther left than Nancy Pelosi. Green Bay takes over around the 37 yard line with 25 seconds on the clock.
Aaron Rodgers comes in, and with 2 timeouts left, he quickly moves the ball down to the Pittsburgh 40 yard line. In comes Mason Crosby to attempt a 57 yard field goal to win the Super Bowl.
With the adreneline pumping, Crosby hits the kick of his life. It splits the uprights, with about 15 yards to spare. Green Bay wins Super Bowl XLV 30-27.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Senior Bowl Movers
All Star games at the professional level are, for the most part, offensive exhibitions where the objective is not so much to win as not get hurt. Baseball is the one exception. Pitchers can control the game like no other, and there does seem to be more pride for each league to win the game. The Senior Bowl for college football players is not just a game but a working job interview. It is a chance to impress the pro scouts, and more importantly, the NFL coaches in charge of each team.
This year, I noticed some players whose stock looked to rise and fall with their play on the field. The highest rated player going into the game was Von Miller, the linebacker from Texas A&M, and he played that way in the game. He was all over the field, making one tackle after another and even playing special teams. He could very well end up like Rolando McClain going into the draft from last season. McClain was seen as mid first round pick, but he wound up going 8th overall to Oakland. He started from Day 1 and looks to be the anchor of the Raiders defense for years to come. Miller was slotted by some experts in the 10th to 15th range, but he could very well jump inot the top 10 if he impresses at the NFL Scouting Combine as well.
Ryan Kerrigan was nearly unstoppable at Purdue coming off the edge, and had many comparing him to Chris Long. I don't believe anyone has him going 2nd overall, but his play in the Senior Bowl looked very much like Brandon Graham in 2010. Similar style of play, with a non-stop motor. Graham dominated the 2010 Senior Bowl, and his stock went through the roof. Philadelphia traded up to take him with the 13th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft. Kerrigan could go that high as well.
There were questions about Leonard Hankerson and his speed on the outside. I do believe that the best scouts will see past that and find a receiver who will have a solid career in the NFL. You can have all the speed you want at the receiver position (Darrius Heyward-Bey), but there will always be a place for a big receiver who can run a good route, find his way to the ball, and catch it when it comes his way. Hankerson was seen as a middle round selection, but I can see him going late 2nd down to middle 3rd round of the 2011 NFL Draft.
Nate Solder was seen as the best or second best offensive tackle going into the Senior Bowl, and he has all the physical tools. But I saw a raw talent who missed blocks and played a bit too stiff at left tackle. If he gets thrown in right away in the pros his confidence could take a hit right away. If he is getting beat in the Senior Bowl, what is going to happen against the elite pass rushers in the NFL?
Then there is Jake Locker. He was seen as a possible #1 Overall Pick if had had come out early for the 2010 NFL Draft. He decided to stay in school and it has been all downhill since. No one questions his athletic ability, but consistency and accuracy are seen as the strikes against his development as an elite pro quarterback. He did very little to change the minds of draft experts. Locker was seen by many as going as high as #10 to Washington, but I'm beginning to believe that he may not get picked in the first round at all. It could be argued that Colin Kaepernick from Nevada played a better Senior Bowl than Locker. With the Cincinnati Bengals coaching both players in the Senior Bowl, and not having the Carson Palmer situation settled as of yet, it would be interesting to see which one of the 2 quarterbacks the Bengals might take with the third pick of the 2nd Round. My guess would be Locker. There is too much talent to pass up.
The draft hopefuls now look forward to the NFL Scouting Combine at the end of February in Indianapolis. With the Super Bowl a week away, draft season will soon be kicking into high gear. It looks to be a very deep draft once again, an dwith no clear cut #1 overall pick, it will be interesting to see just how many experts will be changing their mock drafts. We shall see.
This year, I noticed some players whose stock looked to rise and fall with their play on the field. The highest rated player going into the game was Von Miller, the linebacker from Texas A&M, and he played that way in the game. He was all over the field, making one tackle after another and even playing special teams. He could very well end up like Rolando McClain going into the draft from last season. McClain was seen as mid first round pick, but he wound up going 8th overall to Oakland. He started from Day 1 and looks to be the anchor of the Raiders defense for years to come. Miller was slotted by some experts in the 10th to 15th range, but he could very well jump inot the top 10 if he impresses at the NFL Scouting Combine as well.
Ryan Kerrigan was nearly unstoppable at Purdue coming off the edge, and had many comparing him to Chris Long. I don't believe anyone has him going 2nd overall, but his play in the Senior Bowl looked very much like Brandon Graham in 2010. Similar style of play, with a non-stop motor. Graham dominated the 2010 Senior Bowl, and his stock went through the roof. Philadelphia traded up to take him with the 13th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft. Kerrigan could go that high as well.
There were questions about Leonard Hankerson and his speed on the outside. I do believe that the best scouts will see past that and find a receiver who will have a solid career in the NFL. You can have all the speed you want at the receiver position (Darrius Heyward-Bey), but there will always be a place for a big receiver who can run a good route, find his way to the ball, and catch it when it comes his way. Hankerson was seen as a middle round selection, but I can see him going late 2nd down to middle 3rd round of the 2011 NFL Draft.
Nate Solder was seen as the best or second best offensive tackle going into the Senior Bowl, and he has all the physical tools. But I saw a raw talent who missed blocks and played a bit too stiff at left tackle. If he gets thrown in right away in the pros his confidence could take a hit right away. If he is getting beat in the Senior Bowl, what is going to happen against the elite pass rushers in the NFL?
Then there is Jake Locker. He was seen as a possible #1 Overall Pick if had had come out early for the 2010 NFL Draft. He decided to stay in school and it has been all downhill since. No one questions his athletic ability, but consistency and accuracy are seen as the strikes against his development as an elite pro quarterback. He did very little to change the minds of draft experts. Locker was seen by many as going as high as #10 to Washington, but I'm beginning to believe that he may not get picked in the first round at all. It could be argued that Colin Kaepernick from Nevada played a better Senior Bowl than Locker. With the Cincinnati Bengals coaching both players in the Senior Bowl, and not having the Carson Palmer situation settled as of yet, it would be interesting to see which one of the 2 quarterbacks the Bengals might take with the third pick of the 2nd Round. My guess would be Locker. There is too much talent to pass up.
The draft hopefuls now look forward to the NFL Scouting Combine at the end of February in Indianapolis. With the Super Bowl a week away, draft season will soon be kicking into high gear. It looks to be a very deep draft once again, an dwith no clear cut #1 overall pick, it will be interesting to see just how many experts will be changing their mock drafts. We shall see.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Shaking up the top of the draft
It has been reported today that Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer plans to demand a trade or he will retire. The last time a star player on the Bengals demanded a trade was Chad Johnson in 2008, and Mike Brown did not budge. Even after the Washington Redskins offered 2 first round picks for the star receiver. Brown held firm to his belief that the player should honor the contract.
So if Palmer does end up retiring, what does this mean for the 2011 NFL Draft? It means that Cincinnati will be looking for a quarterback, and if they take one that high it will be a stretch. Their depth chart has Jordan Palmer as the backup, and Dan LeFevour at No. 3. If you are going to say that the Bengals can win with either one of those two leading the offense then you are the most eternal of optimists. Jordan Palmer may be Carson's brother, but there is a reason he has bounced around the league. Listing him as a backup is a stretch. LeFevour was drafted by Chicago in 2010, and was released. He was a spread offense quarterback in college, but has not taken a snap in the pros. He may eventually become a good NFL quarterback, but I don't think anyone sees it happening in 2011.
So the Bengals, who should have been targeting A.J. Green or Da'Quan Bowers with the 4th overall selection, now may be looking for a quarterback. Consensus of opinion has Blaine Gabbert as the most pro ready prospect, but he is not nearly the polished talent Palmer was coming out of USC. And the Bengals sat Palmer his entire rookie season after taking him first overall in 2003.
But I believe the player Cincinnati may need for the quarterback position for more than one reason is Cam Newton. The Bengals have an offensive line built for the run. Palmer has spent the last 3 seasons getting battered and bruised, and the most mobile option may be the best one. Also, Cincinnati has had trouble selling tickets. Getting the Heisman Trophy winner would be a PR coup that could help the small market Bengals attract more fans into the stands. Newton would benefit from the Bengals re-signing Cedric Benson, and with a solid running game and a stable of good young receivers, there might not be as much pressure right away on Newton.
As talented as Newton is, 4th overall might be too high. The answer would be to trade down. But Mike Brown has not been known to make many draft trades, and his last big draft trade was to move up to #1 and select Ki-Jana Carter in 1995. Carter then blew out his knee on his second preseason carry, and his career was effectively over. If Carson Palmer retires, they will need to get a quality quarterback to replace him. If they do not get one of the four top prospects by the time they make the 35th pick of the draft, it could be a long, long, long season in Cincinnati.
So if Palmer does end up retiring, what does this mean for the 2011 NFL Draft? It means that Cincinnati will be looking for a quarterback, and if they take one that high it will be a stretch. Their depth chart has Jordan Palmer as the backup, and Dan LeFevour at No. 3. If you are going to say that the Bengals can win with either one of those two leading the offense then you are the most eternal of optimists. Jordan Palmer may be Carson's brother, but there is a reason he has bounced around the league. Listing him as a backup is a stretch. LeFevour was drafted by Chicago in 2010, and was released. He was a spread offense quarterback in college, but has not taken a snap in the pros. He may eventually become a good NFL quarterback, but I don't think anyone sees it happening in 2011.
So the Bengals, who should have been targeting A.J. Green or Da'Quan Bowers with the 4th overall selection, now may be looking for a quarterback. Consensus of opinion has Blaine Gabbert as the most pro ready prospect, but he is not nearly the polished talent Palmer was coming out of USC. And the Bengals sat Palmer his entire rookie season after taking him first overall in 2003.
But I believe the player Cincinnati may need for the quarterback position for more than one reason is Cam Newton. The Bengals have an offensive line built for the run. Palmer has spent the last 3 seasons getting battered and bruised, and the most mobile option may be the best one. Also, Cincinnati has had trouble selling tickets. Getting the Heisman Trophy winner would be a PR coup that could help the small market Bengals attract more fans into the stands. Newton would benefit from the Bengals re-signing Cedric Benson, and with a solid running game and a stable of good young receivers, there might not be as much pressure right away on Newton.
As talented as Newton is, 4th overall might be too high. The answer would be to trade down. But Mike Brown has not been known to make many draft trades, and his last big draft trade was to move up to #1 and select Ki-Jana Carter in 1995. Carter then blew out his knee on his second preseason carry, and his career was effectively over. If Carson Palmer retires, they will need to get a quality quarterback to replace him. If they do not get one of the four top prospects by the time they make the 35th pick of the draft, it could be a long, long, long season in Cincinnati.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Mock Drafts starting to roll
Mock Drafts for the 2011 NFL Draft have been coming out for a while now. Even back in November and December. But I've always been one to wait. Wait for the underclassmen to declare and wait for the Super Bowl so that the draft order is finalized. But today was the day that mock drafts became somewhat official, as Mel Kiper, Jr on ESPN and Charles Davis on NFL Network put out their first mock drafts.
My exclusive Draft Slot Average is based on player draft positions accumulated from many mock drafts, but that information will not be collected until after the Super Bowl. But it is interesting to see just how varied the early mocks are at this time.
The three most popular 1st Overall picks are A.J. Green, Nick Fairley, and Da'Quan Bowers. But I've seen Blaine Gabbert going first overall as well. Ryan Mallett going anywhere from 5th all the way down to 27th. Robert Quinn at 3rd overall down to the 25th pick. Stephen Paea from 8th to not even in the first round. The variations from one mock draft to another is unbelieveable. Which goes to show just how deep the draft is again this year.
In 2010, Sam Bradford was the solid choice to go #1 after his workout, and he moved into the top spot of my DSA player rankings with Ndamukong Suh the choice for second overall and Gerald McCoy third off the board. These choices held true, but in 2011 there looks to be such wide divisions in who will go where in the top 10 that I can see my DSA's going all over the board. So let the mock draft season begin, and I'll have my own posted the week after the Super Bowl and my first DSA rankings soon thereafter.
My exclusive Draft Slot Average is based on player draft positions accumulated from many mock drafts, but that information will not be collected until after the Super Bowl. But it is interesting to see just how varied the early mocks are at this time.
The three most popular 1st Overall picks are A.J. Green, Nick Fairley, and Da'Quan Bowers. But I've seen Blaine Gabbert going first overall as well. Ryan Mallett going anywhere from 5th all the way down to 27th. Robert Quinn at 3rd overall down to the 25th pick. Stephen Paea from 8th to not even in the first round. The variations from one mock draft to another is unbelieveable. Which goes to show just how deep the draft is again this year.
In 2010, Sam Bradford was the solid choice to go #1 after his workout, and he moved into the top spot of my DSA player rankings with Ndamukong Suh the choice for second overall and Gerald McCoy third off the board. These choices held true, but in 2011 there looks to be such wide divisions in who will go where in the top 10 that I can see my DSA's going all over the board. So let the mock draft season begin, and I'll have my own posted the week after the Super Bowl and my first DSA rankings soon thereafter.
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