Draft tonight...here is my final Mock Draft.
1. Carolina Panthers select Cam Newton, QB, Auburn Tigers
2. Denver Broncos select Von Miller, LB, Texas A&M Aggies
3. Buffalo Bills select Marcell Dareus, DT, Alabama Crimson Tide
4. Cincinnati Bengals select A.J. Green, WR, Georgia Bulldogs
5. Dallas Cowboys (from Arizona Cardinals) select Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU Tigers
(Arizona receives Dallas 2011 1st rd pick #9 and 2011 2nd rd pick #40, Dallas receives Arizona 2012 3rd rd pick)
6. Washington Redskins (from Cleveland Browns) select Blaine Gabbert, QB, Missouri Tigers
(Cleveland receives Washington 2011 1st rd pick #10 and 2011 2nd rd pick #41, Washington receives Cleveland 2011 4th rd pick #102 and 2012 4th rd pick)
7. San Francisco 49ers select Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska Cornhuskers
8. Tennessee Titans select Nick Fairley, DT, Auburn Tigers
9. Arizona Cardinals (from Dallas Cowboys) select Robert Quinn, DE, North Carolina Tar Heels
10. Cleveland Browns (from Washington Redskins) select Julio Jones, WR, Alabama Crimson Tide
11. Houston Texans select Aldon Smith, DE, Missouri Tigers
12. Minnesota Vikings select Jake Locker, QB, Washington Huskies
13. Detroit Lions select Da Quan Bowers, DE, Clemson Tigers
14. San Diego Chargers (from St. Louis Rams) select J.J. Watt, DE, Wisconsin Badgers
(St. Louis receives San Diego 2011 1st rd pick #18 and 2011 2nd rd pick #50, San Diego receives St, Louis 2011 3rd rd pick #78)
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (from Miami Dolphins) select Cameron Jordan, DE, California Golden Bears
(Miami receives Tampa Bay 2011 1st rd pick #20 and 2011 2nd rd pick #51, Tampa Bay receives Miami 2011 3rd rd pick #79)
16. Jacksonville Jaguars select Ryan Kerrigan, DE, Purdue Boilermakers
17. New England Patriots select Mike Pouncey, G/C, Florida Gators
18. St. Louis Rams (from San Diego Chargers) select Kyle Rudolph, TE, Notre Dame Fighting Irish
19. New York Giants select Tyron Smith, OT, USC Trojans
20. Miami Dolphins (from Tampa Bay Buccaneers) select Andy Dalton, QB, TCU Horned Frogs
21. Kansas City Chiefs select Nate Solder, OT, Colorado Buffaloes
22. Indianapolis Colts select Anthony Costanzo, OT, Boston College Eagles
23. New York Jets (from Philadelphia Eagles) select Corey Liuget, DT, Illinois Fighting Illini
(Philadelphia receives New York 2011 1st rd pick #30, 2012 3rd rd pick and 2011 4th rd pick #126, New York receives Philadelphia 5th rd pick #153)
24. New Orleans Saints select Muhammed Wilkerson, DT, Temple Owls
25. Seattle Seahawks select Jimmy Smith, CB, Colorado Buffaloes
26. Baltimore Ravens select Cameron Heyward, DE, Ohio State Buckeyes
27. Buffalo Bills (from Atlanta Falcons) select Christian Ponder, QB, Florida State Seminoles
(Atlanta receives Buffalo 2011 2nd rd pick #34, 2011 3rd rd pick #68 and 2011 6th rd pick #169, Buffalo receives Atlanta 2011 3rd rd pick #91 and 2011 6th rd pick #192)
28. New England Patriots select Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama Crimson Tide
29. Chicago Bears select Gabe Carimi, OT, Wisconsin Badgers
30. Philadelphia Eagles (from New York Jets) select Brandon Harris, CB, Miami Hurricanes
31. Pittsburgh Steelers select Aaron Williams, CB, Texas Longhorns
32. Green Bay Packers select Brooks Reed, LB, Arizona Wildcats
Extra: 33. New England - Akeem Ayers, 34. Atlanta - Torrey Smith, 35. Cincinnati - Ryan Mallet 36. Denver - Marvin Austin, 37. Cleveland - Adrian Clayborn, 38. Arizona - Derek Sherrod, 39. Tennessee - Justin Houston, 40. Arizona - Jabaal Sheard, 41. Cleveland - Phil Taylor, 42. Houston - Ras-I Dowling, 43. Minnesota - James Carpenter, 44. Detroit - Martez Wilson, 45. San Francisco - Colin Kaepernick, 46. Denver - Ben Ijalana, 47. St. Louis - Mikel Leshoure, 48. Oakland - Stefen Wisniewski, 49. Jacksonville - Leonard Hankerson, 50. St. Louis - Stephen Paea, 51. Miami - Danny Watkins, 52. NY Giants - Ryan Williams, 53. Indianapolis - 54. Philadelphia - Rahim Moore, 55. Kansas City - Jon Baldwin, 56. New Orleans - Kendall Hunter, 57. Seattle - Rodney Hudson, 58. Baltimore - Titus Young, 59. Atlanta - Sam Acho, 60. New England - Allen Bailey, 61. San Diego - Randall Cobb, 62. Chicago - Davon House, 63. Pittsburgh - Orlando Franklin, 64. Green Bay - DeMarco Murray
Follow Jabesblog on twitter @jabesblog3000
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
NFL Mock Draft - April 20, 2011
As an amatuer mocker, I obviously have no inside information related to the draft. My mock draft is based on reading, gut and 30 years of watching NFL games. It did bring some minor satisfaction that after typing up my initial mock draft last Thursday Night and including a trade between Dallas and St. Louis, that a rumor started circling Friday with this exact scenario. I know I didn't start the rumor, as only 2 1/2 people read this, but it made me smile nonetheless. Here is version 2.0 of my mock draft, as I start making tweaks as better information comes available.
1. Carolina Panthers - Cam Newton, QB, Auburn Tigers
2. Denver Broncos - Marcell Darius, DT, Alabama Crimson Tide
3. Buffalo Bills - Von Miller, LB, Texas A&M Aggies
4. Cincinnati Bengals - A.J. Green, WR, Georgia Bulldogs
5. Arizona Cardinals - Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU Tigers
6. Cleveland Browns - Nick Fairley, DT, Auburn Tigers
7. San Francisco 49ers - Robert Quinn, DE, North Carolina Tar Heels
8. Tennessee Titans - Blaine Gabbert, QB, Missouri Tigers
9. St. Louis Rams (From Dallas) - Julio Jones, WR, Alabama Crimson Tide
10. Washington Redskins - Da' Quan Bowers, DE, Clemson Tigers
11. Houston Texans - Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska Cornhuskers
12. Minnesota Vikings - Cameron Jordan, DE, California Golden Bears
13. Detroit Lions - Tyron Smith, OT, USC Trojans
14. Dallas Cowboys (from St. Louis) - J.J. Watt, DE, Wisconsin Badgers
15. Miami Dolphins - Mike Pouncey, G, Florida Gators
16. Jacksonville Jaguars - Ryan Kerrigan, DE, Purdue Boilermakers
17. New England Patriots - Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama Crimson Tide
18. San Diego Chargers - Muhammed Wilkerson, DT, Temple Owls
19. New York Giants - Anthony Costanzo, OT, Boston College Eagles
20. Philadelphia Eagles (from Tampa Bay) - Jimmy Smith, CB, Colorado Buffaloes
21. Kansas City Chiefs - Gabe Carimi, OT, Wisconsin Badgers
22. Indianapolis Colts - Nate Solder, OT, Colorado Buffaloes
23. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (from Philadelphia) - Justin Houston, DE, Georgia Bulldogs
24. New Orleans Saints - Corey Liuget, DT, Illinois Fighting Illini
25. Seattle Seahwaks - Andy Dalton, QB, TCU Horned Frogs
26. Baltimore Ravens - Cameron Heyward, DE, Ohio State Buckeyes
27. Atlanta Falcons - Aldon Smith, DE, Missouri Tigers
28. Minnesota Vikings (from New England for 2012 First Round Pick +) - Jake Locker, QB, Washington Huskies
29. Chicago Bears - Derek Sherrod, OT, Mississippi State Tigers
30. New York Jets - Akeem Ayers, LB/DE, UCLA Bruins
31. Pittsburgh Steelers - Ben Ijalana, G, Villanova Wildcats
32. Green Bay Packers - Randall Cobb, WR, Kentucky Wildcats
1. Carolina Panthers - Cam Newton, QB, Auburn Tigers
2. Denver Broncos - Marcell Darius, DT, Alabama Crimson Tide
3. Buffalo Bills - Von Miller, LB, Texas A&M Aggies
4. Cincinnati Bengals - A.J. Green, WR, Georgia Bulldogs
5. Arizona Cardinals - Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU Tigers
6. Cleveland Browns - Nick Fairley, DT, Auburn Tigers
7. San Francisco 49ers - Robert Quinn, DE, North Carolina Tar Heels
8. Tennessee Titans - Blaine Gabbert, QB, Missouri Tigers
9. St. Louis Rams (From Dallas) - Julio Jones, WR, Alabama Crimson Tide
10. Washington Redskins - Da' Quan Bowers, DE, Clemson Tigers
11. Houston Texans - Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska Cornhuskers
12. Minnesota Vikings - Cameron Jordan, DE, California Golden Bears
13. Detroit Lions - Tyron Smith, OT, USC Trojans
14. Dallas Cowboys (from St. Louis) - J.J. Watt, DE, Wisconsin Badgers
15. Miami Dolphins - Mike Pouncey, G, Florida Gators
16. Jacksonville Jaguars - Ryan Kerrigan, DE, Purdue Boilermakers
17. New England Patriots - Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama Crimson Tide
18. San Diego Chargers - Muhammed Wilkerson, DT, Temple Owls
19. New York Giants - Anthony Costanzo, OT, Boston College Eagles
20. Philadelphia Eagles (from Tampa Bay) - Jimmy Smith, CB, Colorado Buffaloes
21. Kansas City Chiefs - Gabe Carimi, OT, Wisconsin Badgers
22. Indianapolis Colts - Nate Solder, OT, Colorado Buffaloes
23. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (from Philadelphia) - Justin Houston, DE, Georgia Bulldogs
24. New Orleans Saints - Corey Liuget, DT, Illinois Fighting Illini
25. Seattle Seahwaks - Andy Dalton, QB, TCU Horned Frogs
26. Baltimore Ravens - Cameron Heyward, DE, Ohio State Buckeyes
27. Atlanta Falcons - Aldon Smith, DE, Missouri Tigers
28. Minnesota Vikings (from New England for 2012 First Round Pick +) - Jake Locker, QB, Washington Huskies
29. Chicago Bears - Derek Sherrod, OT, Mississippi State Tigers
30. New York Jets - Akeem Ayers, LB/DE, UCLA Bruins
31. Pittsburgh Steelers - Ben Ijalana, G, Villanova Wildcats
32. Green Bay Packers - Randall Cobb, WR, Kentucky Wildcats
Friday, April 15, 2011
NFL Mock Draft - Jabesblog
We are now less than two weeks from the only NFL off-season activity not involving courtrooms, lawyers and mediators. The current landscape of no trades or free agency is also making this year's draft extremely interesting. One has to assume that there are quarterbacks available via trade, but without a deal in place or the uncertainty of how much time there will be once a deal is done and the season starts, which teams will risk potentially going into the season with the same quarterback mess they had in 2010? That is driving up the value of what appears to be a quarterback class full of as many question marks as glaring positives. With that, here is my Mock Draft version 1.0....
1. Carolina Panthers select Cam Newton, QB, Auburn Tigers - When it comes down to it, Newton is the type of player you take #1. The Panthers brass seems to like him and a trade out of this spot is unlikely, so I doubt this is a smoke screen. The red flag with this is that Jimmy Clausen was a high investment with a 2nd round pick a year ago, albeit under different direction. Right now, my gut tells me that Newton is the guy here.
2. Denver Broncos select Marcell Dareus, DT, Alabama Crimson Tide - Dareus is probably the only lock to go in the top 2. He would be a great selection for the myriad of needs in Carolina, or more likely he will fall to the Broncos. Dareus will instantly upgrade a porous run defense in Denver.
3. Buffalo Bills select Von Miller, OLB, Texas A&M Aggies - The Bills are a wildcard when it comes to the draft, with C.J. Spiller coming as a surprise last year. They are one team that could opt quarterback, but may be comfortable enough with Ryan Fitzpatrick to wait until Round 2 for a competing signal-caller. The safe pick is Miller, who upgrades the pass rush immediately, especially from the outside.
4. Cincinnati Bengals select A.J. Green, WR, Georgia Bulldogs - The Bengals would be the place for Newton if Carolina passes on him, but with the Heisman winner off the board, Cincy opts for the top offensive playmaker in the draft. The undercurrent right now says the Bengals do not love Blaine Gabbert, so either they are trying to lay low or they will also address quarterback in Round 2. Right now, the tall, smooth Green is the pick.
5. Arizona Cardinals select Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU Tigers - Another spot for a QB, but the current vibe is that the Cardinals will bring in a veteran, maybe a Marc Bulger at the very least, to compete with their current less than mediocre possibilities at QB. Peterson is the top overall talent on many boards and also could be a plus special teams contributor on punt returns. Coach Wisenhunt is a smart man and smart men take the most talented player.
6. Cleveland Browns select Nick Fairley, DT/DE, Auburn Tigers - The Browns covet Green, so after the blow of seeing him going to a division rival, they upgrade their defensive line with the enigmatic Fairley, who might be the biggest boom/bust player in this draft. Julio Jones is also an option here, but Mike Holmgren has never had tremendous luck with high picks at WR.
7. San Francisco 49ers select Blaine Gabbert, QB, Missouri Tigers - San Fran wants to bring Alex Smith back, but there is no certainty he wants to come back at this point. Even so, bringing in a Gabbert to compete for the job would not be a bad move for Coach Harbaugh. The experts have gushed about Gabbert with many having him ahead of Newton, but the production test says that this ascension may be unwarranted.
8. Tennessee Titans select Da' Quan Bowers, DE, Clemson Tigers- This is always right about the time when the draft get interesting, mainly because something happens unexpected in the top 5-7 and then all heck breaks loose. Of course, without the Raiders or Jaguars to reach for a player in this area, maybe the script will be easier to follow. The Titans biggest need is probably quarterback, but with Newton/Gabbert off the board, they choose to address other areas. Bowers is a big risk/reward pick, with injuries being a major concern.
9. St. Louis Rams (from Dallas Cowboys) select Julio Jones, WR, Alabama Crimson Tide - With Jones sliding past Cleveland and Tennessee, the Rams choose not to risk it and move up to get Sam Bradford his new playmaker. The Cowboys have needs that can be addressed still at 14, so they make a perfect trade partner with St. Louis.
10. Washington Redskins select Robert Quinn, DE, North Carolina Tar Heels - The Jake Locker watch starts here, but if the Redskins have been paying attention to my blog the last 18 months, they know Locker is a stretch at 10. The Redskins seem desperate for an offensive upgrade and might trade down out of this pick to obtain more help later. Right now, lets keep them here selecting the drafts best pass rusher from Carolina.
11. Houston Texans select Aldon Smith, LB/DE, Missouri Tigers - A change to the 3-4 is going to dictate this draft for Houston. Smith will be a perfect piece to aid in the transition for new D.Coordinator Wade Phillps.
12. Minnesota Vikings select Jake Locker, QB, Washington Huskies - With the coveted defensive lineman off the board, Minnesota could look at trading down a little and still secure Locker. The fascination of the Patriots at 17 with the former Husky probably means 16 is as low as they can go. Right now, I don't have a trading partner identified, as Jacksonville would have to be desperate for someone that fell to move to this spot.
13. Detroit Lions select Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska Cornhuskers - Lions brass gets their pick in immediately when the corner from Nebraska is still around.
14. Dallas Cowboys (from St. Louis Rams) select Tyron Smith, OT, USC Trojans - Dallas slides down and still gets their man in the Smith.
15. Miami Dolphins select Mike Pouncey, G, Florida Gators - There is a lot of talk about a RB here, but that is a position that can be had a little later. Some think this is the better Pouncey brother and based upon what Maurkice did a year ago, the Dolphins are the smart team that grabs Mike.
16. Jacksonville Jaguars select J.J. Watt, DE, Wisconsin Badgers - Watt's sack totals were deceiving a year ago, as his impact on each game was lost in the statistics. A high-motor, high character player, Watt will aid a Jaguar defense in need of a spark.
17. Philadelphia Eagels (from New England Patriots) select Anthony Costanzo, OT, Boston College Eagles - there is a danger that a run on OL is in progress and the Eagles will be left out at 23. The Patriots oblige and allow Philly to stick it to the Giants who want the B.C. product with the 19th selection.
18. San Diego Chargers select Muhammed Wilkerson, DE/DT, Temple Owls - The Chargers take the draft's fastest riser, not quite as quickly as the Jaguars did a year ago. Wilkerson is a five-technique who fits San Diego well.
19. New York Giants select Gabe Carimi, OT, Wisconsin Badgers - New York settles for Carimi as the run on OL continues. The Badger product is solid prospect who should be a poor man's Joe Thomas.
20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers select Ryan Kerrigan, DE, Purdue Boilermakers - Tampa probably does not want to sacrifice the ammunition to get up to 10 for Quinn, but the depth at this position will work out in their favor. Kerrigan, Cameron Heyward or J.J. Watt should be available here. I'll go with a high-character machine out of Purdue in Kerrigan at this spot.
21. Kansas City Chiefs select Justin Houston, DE/LB, Georgia Bulldogs - Kansas City has a myriad of choices here. Cameron Heyward continues to slide as Houston is the better fit for the Chiefs.
22. Indianapolis Colts select Derek Sherrod, OT, Mississippi State Tigers - This is a toss-up between Sherrod and Nate Solder to give Peyton Manning a new left tackle.
23. New England Patriots (from Philadelphia Eagles) select Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama Crimson Tide - Benjarvus Green-Ellis is not a franchise back. A year ago, Mark Ingram was the next Emmitt Smith. Smith was picked in this area. The Patriots coach is a smart man. That is my math with this one.
24. New Orleans Saints select Cameron Jordan, DE/DT, California Golden Bears - The Saints are the beneficiary of the drop in Jordan who could go as high as 10-15. He fits a need and the Saints mold for this position.
25. Seattle Seahawks select Jimmy Smith, DB, Colorado Buffaloes - We are starting to get to the area where the early 2nd round teams that still need a QB will start to get antsy. I think Seattle stays put as Smith fills a priority and would be gone by the early 2nd.
26. Baltimore Ravens select Cameron Heyward, DE/DT, Ohio State Buckeyes - The Ravens get their man in Heyward and the QB trade-up has to wait one more slot.
27. Cincinnati Bengals (from Atlanta Falcons) select Ryan Mallett, QB, Arkansas Razorbacks - The Bengals get a tall, strong-armed replacement for the disgruntled Palmer by finding a trading partner in Atlanta. The Falcons can drop to 34 and get better value for another receiving weapon for Matty Ice.
28. New England Patriots select Akeem Ayers, LB/DE, UCLA Bruins - Nobody thinks New England will keep this pick. I think they will when they can add a defensive pick who is on their radar in Ayers.
29. Chicago Bears select Nate Solder, OT, Colorado Buffaloes - The Bears get protection for Cutler by securing the services of the last tackle with a first round grade.
30. New York Jets select Corey Liuget, DT, Illinois Fighting Illini - The Jets beef up their defense by getting great value in Liuget, who could go much higher.
31. Pittsburgh Steelers select Ben Ijalana, OL, Villanova Wildcats - Pittsburgh's offensive line woes were well-publicized in a Super Bowl run and the versatile Ijalana makes sense for the Steelers.
32. Green Bay Packers select Randall Cobb, WR, Kentucky Wildcats - The age of Donald Driver and the pending departure of James Jones trends the Super Bowl champs in this direction. A replacement for Cullen Jenkins is also an option, but no one jumps off the board at 32.
1. Carolina Panthers select Cam Newton, QB, Auburn Tigers - When it comes down to it, Newton is the type of player you take #1. The Panthers brass seems to like him and a trade out of this spot is unlikely, so I doubt this is a smoke screen. The red flag with this is that Jimmy Clausen was a high investment with a 2nd round pick a year ago, albeit under different direction. Right now, my gut tells me that Newton is the guy here.
2. Denver Broncos select Marcell Dareus, DT, Alabama Crimson Tide - Dareus is probably the only lock to go in the top 2. He would be a great selection for the myriad of needs in Carolina, or more likely he will fall to the Broncos. Dareus will instantly upgrade a porous run defense in Denver.
3. Buffalo Bills select Von Miller, OLB, Texas A&M Aggies - The Bills are a wildcard when it comes to the draft, with C.J. Spiller coming as a surprise last year. They are one team that could opt quarterback, but may be comfortable enough with Ryan Fitzpatrick to wait until Round 2 for a competing signal-caller. The safe pick is Miller, who upgrades the pass rush immediately, especially from the outside.
4. Cincinnati Bengals select A.J. Green, WR, Georgia Bulldogs - The Bengals would be the place for Newton if Carolina passes on him, but with the Heisman winner off the board, Cincy opts for the top offensive playmaker in the draft. The undercurrent right now says the Bengals do not love Blaine Gabbert, so either they are trying to lay low or they will also address quarterback in Round 2. Right now, the tall, smooth Green is the pick.
5. Arizona Cardinals select Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU Tigers - Another spot for a QB, but the current vibe is that the Cardinals will bring in a veteran, maybe a Marc Bulger at the very least, to compete with their current less than mediocre possibilities at QB. Peterson is the top overall talent on many boards and also could be a plus special teams contributor on punt returns. Coach Wisenhunt is a smart man and smart men take the most talented player.
6. Cleveland Browns select Nick Fairley, DT/DE, Auburn Tigers - The Browns covet Green, so after the blow of seeing him going to a division rival, they upgrade their defensive line with the enigmatic Fairley, who might be the biggest boom/bust player in this draft. Julio Jones is also an option here, but Mike Holmgren has never had tremendous luck with high picks at WR.
7. San Francisco 49ers select Blaine Gabbert, QB, Missouri Tigers - San Fran wants to bring Alex Smith back, but there is no certainty he wants to come back at this point. Even so, bringing in a Gabbert to compete for the job would not be a bad move for Coach Harbaugh. The experts have gushed about Gabbert with many having him ahead of Newton, but the production test says that this ascension may be unwarranted.
8. Tennessee Titans select Da' Quan Bowers, DE, Clemson Tigers- This is always right about the time when the draft get interesting, mainly because something happens unexpected in the top 5-7 and then all heck breaks loose. Of course, without the Raiders or Jaguars to reach for a player in this area, maybe the script will be easier to follow. The Titans biggest need is probably quarterback, but with Newton/Gabbert off the board, they choose to address other areas. Bowers is a big risk/reward pick, with injuries being a major concern.
9. St. Louis Rams (from Dallas Cowboys) select Julio Jones, WR, Alabama Crimson Tide - With Jones sliding past Cleveland and Tennessee, the Rams choose not to risk it and move up to get Sam Bradford his new playmaker. The Cowboys have needs that can be addressed still at 14, so they make a perfect trade partner with St. Louis.
10. Washington Redskins select Robert Quinn, DE, North Carolina Tar Heels - The Jake Locker watch starts here, but if the Redskins have been paying attention to my blog the last 18 months, they know Locker is a stretch at 10. The Redskins seem desperate for an offensive upgrade and might trade down out of this pick to obtain more help later. Right now, lets keep them here selecting the drafts best pass rusher from Carolina.
11. Houston Texans select Aldon Smith, LB/DE, Missouri Tigers - A change to the 3-4 is going to dictate this draft for Houston. Smith will be a perfect piece to aid in the transition for new D.Coordinator Wade Phillps.
12. Minnesota Vikings select Jake Locker, QB, Washington Huskies - With the coveted defensive lineman off the board, Minnesota could look at trading down a little and still secure Locker. The fascination of the Patriots at 17 with the former Husky probably means 16 is as low as they can go. Right now, I don't have a trading partner identified, as Jacksonville would have to be desperate for someone that fell to move to this spot.
13. Detroit Lions select Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska Cornhuskers - Lions brass gets their pick in immediately when the corner from Nebraska is still around.
14. Dallas Cowboys (from St. Louis Rams) select Tyron Smith, OT, USC Trojans - Dallas slides down and still gets their man in the Smith.
15. Miami Dolphins select Mike Pouncey, G, Florida Gators - There is a lot of talk about a RB here, but that is a position that can be had a little later. Some think this is the better Pouncey brother and based upon what Maurkice did a year ago, the Dolphins are the smart team that grabs Mike.
16. Jacksonville Jaguars select J.J. Watt, DE, Wisconsin Badgers - Watt's sack totals were deceiving a year ago, as his impact on each game was lost in the statistics. A high-motor, high character player, Watt will aid a Jaguar defense in need of a spark.
17. Philadelphia Eagels (from New England Patriots) select Anthony Costanzo, OT, Boston College Eagles - there is a danger that a run on OL is in progress and the Eagles will be left out at 23. The Patriots oblige and allow Philly to stick it to the Giants who want the B.C. product with the 19th selection.
18. San Diego Chargers select Muhammed Wilkerson, DE/DT, Temple Owls - The Chargers take the draft's fastest riser, not quite as quickly as the Jaguars did a year ago. Wilkerson is a five-technique who fits San Diego well.
19. New York Giants select Gabe Carimi, OT, Wisconsin Badgers - New York settles for Carimi as the run on OL continues. The Badger product is solid prospect who should be a poor man's Joe Thomas.
20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers select Ryan Kerrigan, DE, Purdue Boilermakers - Tampa probably does not want to sacrifice the ammunition to get up to 10 for Quinn, but the depth at this position will work out in their favor. Kerrigan, Cameron Heyward or J.J. Watt should be available here. I'll go with a high-character machine out of Purdue in Kerrigan at this spot.
21. Kansas City Chiefs select Justin Houston, DE/LB, Georgia Bulldogs - Kansas City has a myriad of choices here. Cameron Heyward continues to slide as Houston is the better fit for the Chiefs.
22. Indianapolis Colts select Derek Sherrod, OT, Mississippi State Tigers - This is a toss-up between Sherrod and Nate Solder to give Peyton Manning a new left tackle.
23. New England Patriots (from Philadelphia Eagles) select Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama Crimson Tide - Benjarvus Green-Ellis is not a franchise back. A year ago, Mark Ingram was the next Emmitt Smith. Smith was picked in this area. The Patriots coach is a smart man. That is my math with this one.
24. New Orleans Saints select Cameron Jordan, DE/DT, California Golden Bears - The Saints are the beneficiary of the drop in Jordan who could go as high as 10-15. He fits a need and the Saints mold for this position.
25. Seattle Seahawks select Jimmy Smith, DB, Colorado Buffaloes - We are starting to get to the area where the early 2nd round teams that still need a QB will start to get antsy. I think Seattle stays put as Smith fills a priority and would be gone by the early 2nd.
26. Baltimore Ravens select Cameron Heyward, DE/DT, Ohio State Buckeyes - The Ravens get their man in Heyward and the QB trade-up has to wait one more slot.
27. Cincinnati Bengals (from Atlanta Falcons) select Ryan Mallett, QB, Arkansas Razorbacks - The Bengals get a tall, strong-armed replacement for the disgruntled Palmer by finding a trading partner in Atlanta. The Falcons can drop to 34 and get better value for another receiving weapon for Matty Ice.
28. New England Patriots select Akeem Ayers, LB/DE, UCLA Bruins - Nobody thinks New England will keep this pick. I think they will when they can add a defensive pick who is on their radar in Ayers.
29. Chicago Bears select Nate Solder, OT, Colorado Buffaloes - The Bears get protection for Cutler by securing the services of the last tackle with a first round grade.
30. New York Jets select Corey Liuget, DT, Illinois Fighting Illini - The Jets beef up their defense by getting great value in Liuget, who could go much higher.
31. Pittsburgh Steelers select Ben Ijalana, OL, Villanova Wildcats - Pittsburgh's offensive line woes were well-publicized in a Super Bowl run and the versatile Ijalana makes sense for the Steelers.
32. Green Bay Packers select Randall Cobb, WR, Kentucky Wildcats - The age of Donald Driver and the pending departure of James Jones trends the Super Bowl champs in this direction. A replacement for Cullen Jenkins is also an option, but no one jumps off the board at 32.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
2011 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Retrospective
Alright, let's get back at this. After a few weeks off, I will start off by putting a bow on the 2011 Men's Basketball Tournament (in a random, haphazard, off-the-top-of-my-head order). First and foremost...
1) No matter how badly your bracket got busted, this was a great tournament full of close games with thrilling endings. It started from the get-go with Matt Howard's putback against Old Dominion and continued throughout the tournament. Pundits will argue that the quality of basketball is down, but in the end, I am happy with a tournament filled with nail-biters.
2) Welcome to the new landscape of Men's College Basketball. With the one-and-done currently ruling the day, mid-majors have the opportunity to make runs. Butler and VCU make five mid-majors in 6 years (remember, Memphis is a mid-major). It will not happen every year, but it will be more frequent. Then again, it did happen 5 times in the 1990's (UNLV twice, Cincinnati from the Great Midwest, UMass and Utah).
3) I can't wait until next year when someone picks a "first four" team to go to the Final Four and then uses the rationalization that this "always happens". I don't disagree that the 5 or 6 seed is at a slight disadvantage in the second round game (unless you make them play 36 hours later in a different location), but I think in the end, VCU got a floundering Purdue squad, gained confidence and made a run we won't see for a few years, if not more.
4) Everyone ragged the Big East for their tournament showing, but with 11 teams and 2 in-conference match-ups, the losses were going to pile-up. But what about the Big 10 and the Big 12? The Big 10 went 5-2 in the second round, but its top 3 all lost to teams seeded at least 3 lines worse. The Big 12 only placed one team in the Sweet 16, and that #1 seed promptly lost to a #11 in the Elite 8. This was on top of Colorado's initial exclusion. With Connecticut winning the National Championship, I think the Big 12 gets the award for worst conference showing.
5) A team that finished in 9th place in their conference won the National Championship. No conference had ever received more than 8 bids.
6) There was controversy yesterday because the coach at Northern Arizona did not vote Connecticut #1 in the Coaches Poll. Wait, why is there a Coaches Poll after the tournament? That should be the controversy. It makes sense in football where essentially the bowl equates to one more week of football and everyone plays one game. Someone explain to me how it makes sense after the Basketball Tournament.
7) Kemba Walker should come back to school. If he was NBA ready, he would have taken over the Championship Game.
8) San Diego State probably deserved a #2 seed, but I don't think these Mountain West schools were quite as good as their gaudy RPI's indicated.
9) My All-Tournament Team (I haven't seen if there is an actual one) - Kemba Walker, Jeremy Lamb, Shelvin Mack, Matt Howard and Jamie Skeen, with Brandin Knight as the 6th Man/Late Game Shooter.
10) One of these years, I want my Wisconsin Badgers to bow out of the tournament in a game where they play at the level they show during the regular season. Every year, it ends with me saying, "I know they can play better".
11) As someone who salivates at trends and statistics, this year's tournament is not going to do much for my data. By the way, I am looking for volunteers to pick my 8/9 and 7/10 games next year. As abysmal as my bracket was, I did go 24-0 in games involving a top 6 seed in the first round. That was the only highlight.
12) Is it safe to say Butler was the first team to ever defeat two teams from the Colonial Athletic Association in the same NCAA tournament?
13) No complaints about the 4-Network format here. I did spend the first 7 hours Thursday in a bar for the first time, which was awesome. Being able to pick my game to watch the rest of the tournament was great.
14) Kudos to CBS for bringing back the Luther Vandross version of "One Shining Moment" and recognizing the Jennifer Hudson debacle.
15) If Harrison Barnes does decide to come back, North Carolina would be my early favorite to cut down the nets in 2012.
On to Baseball....
1) No matter how badly your bracket got busted, this was a great tournament full of close games with thrilling endings. It started from the get-go with Matt Howard's putback against Old Dominion and continued throughout the tournament. Pundits will argue that the quality of basketball is down, but in the end, I am happy with a tournament filled with nail-biters.
2) Welcome to the new landscape of Men's College Basketball. With the one-and-done currently ruling the day, mid-majors have the opportunity to make runs. Butler and VCU make five mid-majors in 6 years (remember, Memphis is a mid-major). It will not happen every year, but it will be more frequent. Then again, it did happen 5 times in the 1990's (UNLV twice, Cincinnati from the Great Midwest, UMass and Utah).
3) I can't wait until next year when someone picks a "first four" team to go to the Final Four and then uses the rationalization that this "always happens". I don't disagree that the 5 or 6 seed is at a slight disadvantage in the second round game (unless you make them play 36 hours later in a different location), but I think in the end, VCU got a floundering Purdue squad, gained confidence and made a run we won't see for a few years, if not more.
4) Everyone ragged the Big East for their tournament showing, but with 11 teams and 2 in-conference match-ups, the losses were going to pile-up. But what about the Big 10 and the Big 12? The Big 10 went 5-2 in the second round, but its top 3 all lost to teams seeded at least 3 lines worse. The Big 12 only placed one team in the Sweet 16, and that #1 seed promptly lost to a #11 in the Elite 8. This was on top of Colorado's initial exclusion. With Connecticut winning the National Championship, I think the Big 12 gets the award for worst conference showing.
5) A team that finished in 9th place in their conference won the National Championship. No conference had ever received more than 8 bids.
6) There was controversy yesterday because the coach at Northern Arizona did not vote Connecticut #1 in the Coaches Poll. Wait, why is there a Coaches Poll after the tournament? That should be the controversy. It makes sense in football where essentially the bowl equates to one more week of football and everyone plays one game. Someone explain to me how it makes sense after the Basketball Tournament.
7) Kemba Walker should come back to school. If he was NBA ready, he would have taken over the Championship Game.
8) San Diego State probably deserved a #2 seed, but I don't think these Mountain West schools were quite as good as their gaudy RPI's indicated.
9) My All-Tournament Team (I haven't seen if there is an actual one) - Kemba Walker, Jeremy Lamb, Shelvin Mack, Matt Howard and Jamie Skeen, with Brandin Knight as the 6th Man/Late Game Shooter.
10) One of these years, I want my Wisconsin Badgers to bow out of the tournament in a game where they play at the level they show during the regular season. Every year, it ends with me saying, "I know they can play better".
11) As someone who salivates at trends and statistics, this year's tournament is not going to do much for my data. By the way, I am looking for volunteers to pick my 8/9 and 7/10 games next year. As abysmal as my bracket was, I did go 24-0 in games involving a top 6 seed in the first round. That was the only highlight.
12) Is it safe to say Butler was the first team to ever defeat two teams from the Colonial Athletic Association in the same NCAA tournament?
13) No complaints about the 4-Network format here. I did spend the first 7 hours Thursday in a bar for the first time, which was awesome. Being able to pick my game to watch the rest of the tournament was great.
14) Kudos to CBS for bringing back the Luther Vandross version of "One Shining Moment" and recognizing the Jennifer Hudson debacle.
15) If Harrison Barnes does decide to come back, North Carolina would be my early favorite to cut down the nets in 2012.
On to Baseball....
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