2011 Mock Draft, 1.0

2011 Mock Draft

By Jordan Raanan, Comcast.net

It's early. I know. But it's never too early to think NFL Draft, especially this year.

With free agency and trades on ice until the labor situation is rectified, this year's draft will be bigger than ever. It's possible the draft could be the only offseason moves until the summer. So teams better get it right.

A lot will change in the next three months of mock drafts that will follow. The all-star circuit, combine and individual workouts send guys flying all over the board. But as we sit today, here's how I see the first round playing out.

Jordan Raanan has covered the Philadelphia Eagles and NFL since 2005. Follow him on Twitter at @JordanRaanan.

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2011 Mock Draft,... By Jordan Raanan, Comcast.net
It's early. I know. But it's never too early to think NFL Draft, especially this year.
With free agency and trades on ice until the labor situation is rectified, this year's draft will be bigger than ever. It's possible the draft could be the only offseason moves until the summer. So teams better get it right.
A lot will change in the next three months of mock drafts that will follow. The all-star circuit, combine and individual workouts send guys flying all over the board. But as we sit today, here's how I see the first round playing out.
Jordan Raanan has covered the Philadelphia Eagles and NFL since 2005. Follow him on Twitter at @JordanRaanan.
1. Carolina Pant... No Andrew Luck, no quarterback for the Panthers. New coach Ron Rivera gets the dominant pass rusher to lead his defense. Bowers led the nation with 15.5 sacks in 2010 and at 6-4, 280 pounds he's perfectly built for the NFL. (AP Photo/ Richard Shiro)
2. Denver Bronco... Fairley's dominant performance in the national championship game has him on the rise. But it's that little crazy he possesses that keeps him out of the top spot. The Broncos and new coach John Fox don't mind. They snap up the draft's best interior lineman as the first step to fix a horrid defense. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
3. Buffalo Bills... Gabbert has the size, arm strength and mental makeup to impresses NFL GM's. While Ryan Fitzpatrick had a nice season, Buffalo needs a quarterback to build around. Gabbert is their man as the draft's top QB. (AP Photo/Matt York)
4. Cincinnati Be... The Bengals offense lacked explosiveness and will likely not bring back its top playmaker Terrell Owens. Snapping up the top wide receiver in the draft makes sense. Green has the size, speed and pedigree to be an NFL star. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
5. Arizona Cardi... Peterson is the rare cornerback combination of size and speed. The Cardinals needs a little bit of that ... and just about everything else. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
6. Cleveland Bro... Dareus has been a consistent force at Alabama and should provide immediate help to the Browns' weak front seven. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
7. San Francisco... The Niners are not bringing Nate Clements back and need reinforcements in the secondary. New coach John Harbaugh will find his QB elsewhere. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)
8. Tennessee Tit... Bud Adams picks his next Vince Young, minus the attitude problem. (AP Photo/Matt York)
9. Dallas Cowboy... Watt has the athletic upside at 6-foot-6, 292 pounds that makes Jerry Jones salivate. (AP Photo/Morry Gash, File)
10. Washington R... The 'Skins needs just about everything, with a playmaking receiver being near the top of the list. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
11. Houston Texa... After Peterson and Amukamara, there is a major dropoff at corner. So what better way to shore up their putrid pass defense than to add a pass rushing linebacker to Wade Phillips' 3-4 defense? (AP Photo/Steve Campbell)
12. Minnesota Vi... Joe Webb and Tarvaris Jackson are not the answer. The Vikings start building for the future with the quarterback who had the skills to enter the season as the consensus No. 1 pick. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)
13. Detroit Lion... The Lions add more youth to a defensive line that can dominate well into the future. Clayborn's production was down this season, but much of that had to do with the double and triple teams he faced each week. He was still a consensus All-American. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
14. St. Louis Ra... Austin's stock has plummeted after being suspended for the season. But his talent will come through in the all-star circuit and combine and put him back in the first round.
15. Miami Dolphi... Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams are both free agents and the Dolphins' offensive success is contingent on a strong running game. Ingram is the top back available with a nice combination of size and speed. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
16. Jacksonville... The Jags aren't afraid to reach in order to fill a need. And their secondary is clearly in need. Moore is a playmaker, as evidenced by his 10 interceptions last season. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
17. New England ... A supreme athlete who struggled with a leg injury this past season, Smith, if healthy, could be the dominant outside pass rusher the Patriots currently lack. He should shine at the combine and individual workouts. (AP Photo/L.G. Patterson)
18. San Diego Ch... Another UNC star whose season was hurt by suspension, Quinn should shine at the combine and in workouts. His ability to come off the edge should be a nice fit to fill the Shawne Merriman void that still exists in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)
19. New York Gia... The Giants need help on the offensive line and have the first crack at it. Solder is the most promising option because of a frame (6-foot-9, 313 pounds) that has room for growth.
20. Tampa Bay Bu... Has the production and athleticism to fit perfectly in Raheem Morris' defense as an outside linebacker. Ayers can cover, rush the passer and make plays behind the line of scrimmage. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
21. Kansas City ... Kerrigan's one of the more polished defensive ends in the draft, having recorded 25 sacks in the past two seasons. He'll be a quality addition across from Tamba Hali. (AP Photo/Terry Gilliam)
22. Indianapolis... Peyton needs some protection and Castonzo has the smarts and technique to excel in Indy's offense. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
23. Philadelphia... Carimi's versatility could come in handy. The Eagles need help on the right side of their line and have a history of drafting tackles and moving them inside. (AP Photo/ Matt McClain)
24. New Orleans ... His performance in the Sugar Bowl solidified his status as a first-rounder. New Orleans needs to strengthen its front seven and Hayword is the best on the board. (AP Photo/Bill Haber)
25. Seattle Seah... Smith is a physical specimen and top athlete for an offensive lineman. The Seahawks used 10 different starting combinations on their offensive line this season and need some stability. Plus, Pete Carroll recruited Smith to USC, so he knows the unlimited potential. (AP Photo/Dean Hare)
26. Baltimore Ra... The Ravens need some secondary help and Harris would fit well in their physical, hard-hitting defense with his prototypical size and willingness to tackle. (AP Photo/J Pat Carter)
27. Atlanta Falc... Bailey is one of the more well-rounded defensive ends in the draft, equally adept at stopping the run and rushing the passer. He'll be a nice complement opposite John Abraham. (AP Photo/Dave Einsel)
28. New England ... BenJarvis Green-Ellis had a nice year, but is he really the answer? With Kevin Faulk's future in jeopardy, Leshoure would help shore up the backfield. (AP Photo/Dave Einsel)
29. Chicago Bear... Pouncey played center this season but is a more natural fit at guard. The Bears need all kinds of help on their O-line and the versatile Pouncey can be an asset. The success of his brother Maurkice with the Steelers doesn't hurt his draft value either. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
30. New York Jet... The Jets need to improve their pass rush and Jordan has the size, speed and attitude to fit nicely as a defensive end in Rex Ryan's 3-4 blitzing scheme. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
31. Pittsburgh S... The late charge on the offensive line continues with another athletic tackle. Sherrod needs to work on his run blocking but should help keep Ben Roethlisberger relatively clean. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
32. Green Bay Pa... Ryan Grant is recovering from a serious injury, James Starks is still an unknown and the Packers don't want a repeat of the regular season. Williams has all the tools.