Pr4wn's Mock Draft 3.0

Afternoon Everyone!

Firstly, a disclaimer. There will obviously be plenty of trades in the first round of the real draft but I'm not going to predict any, It makes this whole thing far too complicated. Also, I've probably made plenty of spelling errors but I can't be bothered to read through this all again.

Also, I know I'm setting myself up to be shot down by having another go at this, so give me your worst

1. Carolina Panthers - Marcell Dareus - DT - Alabama

Many mocks now have Cam Newton going first overall to the Panthers but I just cannot see it. Of course he has a ton of upside but with that comes plenty of downside too. This sounds terrible but I just don't believe that Newton is brigh enough to absorb the whole playbook and be able to read blitzes and coverage schemes. Also, a little case study for you all. We all know that Jimmy Clausen had a bad year as QB for the Panthers but he started the season on the bench behind Matt Moore, who was also terrible. He then came in halfway through the season with no experience, hardly any snaps under his belt in OTAs and with very little practise time with his line and receivers. You know who else had a terrible year while thrust into the starting lineup as a rookie? Josh Freeman. Last time I checked, he had a pretty good season once he had a full offseason to take charge of his team.

Dareus, in my opinion, is the most complete DT in this draft. His character is impeccable, he is very big, very strong and surprisingly quick (he had a better 10 yard split than Fairley at the combine while being much heavier). DT is a position of need for the Panthers and I feel that Ron Rivera will take the safe pick at number one.

2. Denver Broncos - Da'Quan Bowers - DE - Clemson

The Broncos have inked a new contract with Champ Bailey to keep him aboard for another few seasons. Under new head coach John Fox, the Broncos will switch to a 4-3 defense and they seriously need personnel. Bowers was an elite rusher last season with 15.5 sacks but many are saying that he is a one-year-wonder. DT is also a position of need for Denver and they could take Nick Fairley here.

3. Buffalo Bills - Cam Newton - QB - Auburn

Ok, shoot me down, but I can really see this happening. Ryan Fitzpatrick did pretty well last season and he has established himself as the starter at QB. Everyone knows that Newton is not NFL ready. Buffalo will be the perfect place for him to start his career. He will be able to sit behind Fitzpatrick for a whole season, learning about reading blitzes, coverage and taking in the whole playbook. After a season on the bench, we should see what he's really capable of.

4. Cincinnati Bengals - AJ Green - WR - Georgia

Chad Johnson will be gone. T.O. will be gone. That will leave Jerome Simpson as Carson Palmer's main target next season. Yeah, I know. Doesn't sound good. Green was superb during college and looks to be a really complete player. If Palmer stays, which he may have to, Green will provide him with an immediate threat in all areas of the field. Hopefully, that will stop Carson from being a total baby. The could also consider Nick Fairley or either Blaine Gabbert or Cam Newton should Carson throw his toys out of his pram even more.

5. Arizona Cardinals - Von Miller - OLB - Texas A&M

The Cardinals didn't have a single player with more than 5 sacks last season and the look to change this by drafting Miller. He's not as big as Brian Orakpo or DeMarcus Ware, but he's very fast and very athletic. He's a very safe pick here and Arizona will be delighted should he fall to them. Other potential choices include Patrick Peterson. The Cardinals were very inconsistent at CB last season, with even Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie looking shakey at times.

6. Cleveland Browns - Julio Jones - WR - Alabama

This will be considered a reach, no doubt. Jones lit up the combine with his speed and agility. Sure, he's a little raw but look at the guy's college stats, he just gets better and better every year. Colt McCoy surpassed everyone's expectations last season with some pretty good stats despite having practically no reveivers to throw to. The Browns will look to address this immediately and Jones instantly provides them with a deep threat.

7. San Francisco 49ers - Patrick Peterson - SB - LSU

Peterson is really being hyped up. He had a great combine, posting a sub 4.40 40-yard dash time despite weighing over 220lbs. He is agile and can press receivers as well as cover them on deep routes. He also provides the 49ers with a kickoff and punt return threat. All in all, I'd say that Peterson is probably the most complete and NFL-ready player in this draft class.

8. Tennessee Titans - Blaine Gabbert - QB - Missouri

Kerry Collins is on his way. Vince young is just DYING to come back, but he won't be given the chance. With no free-agency until possibly after the draft, the Titans are one of those teams that has to get a half-decent QB in now. Gabbert is the top QB for many analysts. Sure, he probably doesn't have as much upside as Cam Newton but he doesn't have half the downside either. Gabbert is mobile, accurate and has a big arm. If he can learn a pro-style offense in an offseason, he should be a pretty good NFL QB.

9. Dallas Cowboys - Nick Fairley - DT - Auburn

Fairley's draft stock has taken a bit of a bashing in the alst few weeks with Marcell Dareus emerging as the consensus best DT. Fairley has exceptionally quick feet and reminds many analysts of Warren Sapp with his loud mouth and mean streak. He will be an instant upgrade over Igor Olshansky and will sit nicely next to Jay Ratliff on the Cowboys' line. Fairley could potentially make this a very scary defensive front 7.

10. Washington Redskins - Cameron Jordan - DE - Cal

The Skins have holes everywhere. Let's see... QB, WR, RB, OT, OG, DE, OLB, CB and K. Phew! The Skins' defense was ranked 31 last season and it badly needs repairs. Cameron Jordan dominated at the Senior Bowl and will be a great addition to this unit. He should be able to open up some holes for Brian Orakpo and he might get a few sacks himself! A little stat taken from Walterfootball.com, Orakpo was the only Redskin to get more than 2.5 sacks last season. They need some serious help.

11. Houston Texans - Prince Amukamara - CB - Nebraska

We all saw Houston's secondary last season, it was truly laughable. They are now switching to a 3-4 defense under Wade Phillips so they will be in need of a 3-4 OLB to rush the passer but I really can't see them passing on Amukamara here. Many analysts have him on a par with Patrick Peterson and he will be an instant upgrade over every single member of the current secondary unit. He showed at the combine that he has good vertical speed as well as good agility.

12. Minnesota Vikings - Tyron Smith - OT - USC

Now that he has put on some weight, Tyron Smith is now the top-rated tackle in this draft. He should slot straight into the left side to allow Briant McKinnie to move to his favoured RT spot. The Vikings could look at taking Jake Locker here, but that would be too much of a reach. Smith is a solid pick and an instant upgrade.

13. Detroit Lions - Jimmy Smith - CB - Colorado

The Lions are very poor at the corner position and Smith looks to be a superb athlete. He's tall, very fast and has a big reach. Although he's raw, he has the potential to be an eilte corner in the NFL and the Lions should not let him slip past. The could also look at going for a new OT but top talent Tyron Smith is already gone.

14. St Louis Rams - Corey Liuget - DT - Illinois

Liuget's stock is rising and I feel that time if running out for Fred Robbins. He needs to be upgraded and Liuget is big enough and strong enough to step in. The Rams would love for Julio Jones to drop to them here but I really can't see that happening after his combine.

15. Miami Dolphins - Mike Pouncey - G - Florida

Do they go RB or OL? This is the big question for a Dolphins franchise that looks to be losing both Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown. However, neither of these guys was very productive last year due to the fact that they weren't running into any space. The center and guard positions badly need upgrading and Pouncey can play either, just like his brother. Slot him in at guard for a year, then move him to center. Wonderful.

16. Jacksonville Jaguars - Ryan Kerrigan - DE - Purdue

Ahhh Gene Smith's dream pick. So many mocks have Kerrigan going here because he really is a Jaguars-type player. He's academic, he's a leader and he has absolutely no character issues whatsoever. Moreover, he was amazingly productive in college while starting for three years. He's also a bit of a fumble-forcing machine and he will upgrade a desperately poor Jags pass rush.

17. New England Patriots - Nate Solder - OT - Colorado

Solder is a project, but at 6'9'' he can't be turned down here. If he puts on a little more weight and fine-tunes his technique, he could be a solid replacement for Matt Light who looks to be leaving. The Patriots have a ton of picks this year, so they can afford to reach a little in order to get their guy.

18. San Diego Chargers - JJ Watt - DE - Wisconsin

Watt had a really good combine and he might be the man to replace Jacques Cesaire. I believe he's big and strong enough to play as a 5-technique and this he could excell in this defensive unit. Shaun Phillips was scary when he was coming behind Cesaire, imagine how scary he could be with a bigger gap to run through.

19. New York Giants - Anthony Castonzo - OT - Boston College

Eli Manning threw a ton of picks last season, partly because he was under pressure so often. The Giants really need to upgradt at LT and Castonzo may well be their guy. He and Tom Coughlin both have ties to Boston College and he would be an upgrade at either tackle position.

20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Aldon Smith - DE - Missouri

Smith missed a bit of last season through injury but he looks to be a real prospect. The Bucs' pass rush ws just terrible last season. Gerald McCoy and Brian Price desperately need some help from the outisde and Aldon Smith could come straight into the right defensive end position to provide some pressure off the edge.

21. Kansas City Chiefs - Phil Taylor - NT - Baylor

Cheifs fans should be very happy if this happens. Taylor is enormous and surprisingly quick. He could fit straight into the KC defense and open up big holes for Tamba Hali. His stock is on the rise after a good combine and pro-day and he looks to be a lock for the first round.

22. Indianapolis Colts - Gabe Carimi - OT - Wisconsin

The one area in which the Colts really sucked last year was not the defense. It was the offensive line. Payton Manning made far more mistakes because firstly, he had only one good receiver to throw to, and secondly, because he was constantly under pressure from the edge. Pressure from his blind side was a major concern and Carimi should help to restore some calm.

23. Philadelphia Eagles - Derrick Sherrod - OT - Mississippi State

Andy Reid just can't turn down a project. Sherrod is raw but he has bucket loads of potential. If he has a good offseason, he could replace Winston Justice at RT before the start of next season.

24. New Orleans Saints - Adrian Clayborn - DE - Iowa

Clayborn is a perfect fit to go opposite Will Smith in the left end position. He's big and quick with good push and technique. However, his stats from last season sucked, though he played better than they might suggest. The Saints would be very happy if he fell into their laps at 24.

25. Seattle Seahawks - Brandon Harris - CB - Miami

The Seahawks could really use help in the secondary and Harris looks to be a safe pick here. They may also look at a QB to replace the ageing Matt Hasslebeck. Surely Charlie Whitehurst isn't the answer?

26. Baltimore Ravens - Torrey Smith - WR - Maryland

One thing was made very clear in the Ravens' loss to the Steelers. Their offense is very conservative, just like the Falcons. Torrey Smith has great vertical speed and will stretch defenses which will allow Flacco, Boldin and Rice more space in which to work.

27. Atlanta Falcons - Justin Houston - DE - Georgia

The one thing that the Falcons lack all over their roster? Exciting playmakers. They don't have a deep-threat WR and they don't have a sack machine. Abraham had a great season but he's really pushing the boat out now. I know that Falcons fans had high hopes for Kroy Biermann but is he really the answer? Houston is very fast and he can drop into coverage as well as provide pressure from the edge. He may be the playmaker that the Falcons are looking for.

28. New England Patriots - Mark Ingram - RB - Alabama

What a gift. Ingram is the best RB in this year's draft and he fall to the Patriots here. He may not have the straight-line speed of CJ2K but he's robust and a lot more agile than he looks. He should, along with Law Firm and Woodhead, provide Tom Brady with the perfect running game to work alongside.

29. Chicago Bears - Ben Ijalana - OT/G - Villanova

Ijalana is exactly what the bears are looks for in an offensive lineman. He's flexible. The Bears' O-line is terrible and Ijalana could provide an upgrade at almost any position. He should be a starter at RT or RG from day one.

30. New York Jets - Muhammad Wilkerson - DT - Temple

With a host of Jets defensive lineman entering free agency, Wilkerson is exactly what Rex Ryan is looking for. He's very athletic and can play at either end position.

31. Pittsburgh Steelers - Aaron Williams - CB - Texas

Aaron Rodgers absolutely killed the Steelers' secondary in the Superbowl, including Troy Polamalu. While the play of the front seven was admirable, the secondary really let Dick LeBeau down and it's time to upgrade. Williams can play at CB or FS and should be a starter right away.

32. Green Bay Packers - Jon Baldwin - WR - Pittsburgh

Baldwin has a really good combine and looked like a real talent. Donald Driver can't have many productive years left now and the Packers need an upgrade. For me, Baldwin is their man.

Good thread. I'll post mine later when i've got time to spare.

One thing I will say though, I think the Panthers will go for Cam Newton at QB as 1st overall. Like you said, Clausen had a bad season (It couldn't be much worse thsn Moores) and I think the Panthers have a lot more issues at QB than they do on the D-line.

I dont think they'll take the gamble on Clausen being the saviour that they need.

Who knows though. He was a 3rd round pick (if I remember) so they might think that giving him a full season is something he deserves a shot at.

FINALLY!! Somebody who hasnt given us bloody Julio Jones. Dont get me wrong Jones has the potential to be a great player but we cant waste 10th overall pick on a WR. Jordan is probably going to be the best player available at that point unless by some miracle Blaine Gabbert drops that far.

Think the Panthers will go with Dareus at first pick. Last year Clausen had a 3rd choice running back and 1 triple covered receiver throw at. Hopefully this year DLo Williams and Stewart can get the running game going and the Panthers can find some receiving options in FA and the lower rounds, hes worth a season at least

Pr4wn, I thank you immensely for not mocking Cam Newton at number one! Newton is a one year wonder with too much of a running tendency when the initial reads are not there. Having watched bits of a couple of Auburn games this year I was impressed with his athleticism, his upside is undoubted, but I wan't a fan of him in the pocket and i'm a big big fan of the pocket passer.
I would almost go as far as to suggest I would rather have Ryan Mallet on my team if it weren't for the lingering drugs queries.
Carolina should built around their undoubted running strength in Williams (if they keep him) and Stewart, couple that with a emerging defense and QB won't be such a big miss (... if Trent Dilfer can win you a Superbowl and Interceptasaurus Rex can get you there...). I like the Freeman note, I too felt he was out of his depth last year and he well and truly came out of it a better QB.

Still astounded at the number of D linemen in hanging around round one (this is not a complaint at your mock, I would be doing similar!).

In terms of the Pack, i'm not convinced we need a WR in round one as we have generally developed the mid round picks in that area and with Driver still around for the season (if it exists) there isn't a need to pick one up so soon. I would have liked Aaron Williams to fall one spot as I was desperate for a corner in last years draft and we always play nickel meaning Woodson, Tramon and Shields are in on every down. I also couldn't see Akeem Ayers the OLB and feel that he could be great value at 32.

Also having just read Steve Wyche's draft board on NFL.com I have noted the lack of DE/OLB Robert Quinn who i'm sure was up at number 2 in one of the pre-combine drafts by someone.

Must have forgotten about Quinn! It's bloody hard doing these mocks. He could easily go to Houston, Minny, St Louis, but I don't see him slipping into the second round. That was an error in my part, sorry!

After his poor combine, maybe Quinn isn't the number two DE/OLB after all...

Well, if they don't have a CBA in place by the draft, there won't be any draft day trades. As for the Cards, I'll be quite happy with Von Miller, however, if we're unable to sign a veteran QB because of the lockout, I wonder if that will influence our decision on who to draft 1st round.

Peterson would be good too. DRC was very shaky last season. He got burned too often and almost looked disinterested at times.

There's also strong rumours that Carolina could break the trend and take Peterson at numner one. Personally, I don't think it's a bad move at all for them. Sure, he can be avoided but if he blankets a number one receiver for a whole game, then gets you a few TDs a season through returns, he'd be well worth it.

Good job Pr4wn, would be verry happy to see Green in stripes, even if we don't have a QB.

I'm sure 49ers fans would love to see PP to fall to them.

Think this is the first draft I have seen when Ingram didn't end up with the Dolphins. Have to say I would be happy if we got Pouncey with our first pick as our offensive line is pretty weak. There are quite a few good running backs in the draft this year and we could pick one of them up with our third round pick. Hopefully.

I agree Aqua, Igram isn't in the same solar system as someone like Reggie Bush, AP or even what Cadillac Williams was. Sure, he won the Heisman but look at his backup's numbers, there isn't a whole lot of difference.

The main reason the Dolphins' offense sucked last year was the offensive line. They were terrible and Mike Pouncey should really help them at guard.

Great mock Pr4wn!

From a Giants perspective - I don't see us passing on Ayers. The o-line just couldn't stay healthy this year. Whether this was down to old age or not I still think we will get another year out of them before drastic change is needed.

What we need is an impact LB!

Robert Quinn is probably your biggest omission, I could definitely see someone like the Browns picking him up, they need a pass rusher if they are moving to a 4-3. I would be very surprised if they took Julio Jones there, and can see him falling to the Rams simply because of lack of need for the teams between 6 and 14

The Browns' biggest need is undoubtedly WR and Jones has the potential to be a star. Had I remembered about him, I still wouldn't have mocked him to the Browns.

This is a deep draft class for DEs and DTs and I can see the Browns picking up some quality later on in the draft.

This is a really good mock. I think your right about Gabbert, (titan's fan btw). We need a QB from somewhere and I don't think we have the luxury of waiting for a real class act. Personally there are a fair few players who don't really impress early on who can come good later on. Just have to have the right coach, players and system in place.