31. Pittsburgh Steelers - Benjamin Ijalana, OT, Villanova | Jordan Raanan's NFL Mock Draft

Jordan Raanan's NFL Mock Draft

31. Pittsburgh Steelers - Benjamin Ijalana, OT, Villanova

Ijalana might not be ready to step in immediately, but he's talented enough to be seen as Ben Roethlisberger's left tackle of the future. –Jordan Raanan (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.

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NFL Mock Draft The draft is just two weeks away and there is so much uncertainty. The fate of a handful of teams depends on what Carolina is going to do with the No. 1 overall pick. Cam Newton, Blaine Gabbert or any number of future defensive stars? Here's how I see it playing out in the latest mock draft. (AP Photos)
Jordan Raanan has covered the NFL since 2005. Follow him on Twitter at @JordanRaanan or email him at jraanan@hotmail.com.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
1. Carolina Pant... All the signs -- like going through his junior college tape -- indicate Carolina is really intrigued. But I can still see them trading the pick to another team that is secretly infatuated with Newton's potential. –Jordan Raanan (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
2. Denver Bronco... Denver can't turn down the biggest slam dunk in the draft. Dareus helps bolster a putrid run defense. –Jordan Raanan (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
3. Buffalo Bills... Wouldn't be surprised if Buffalo makes a play for Newton. If he's not available at No. 3, they head in a different direction and grab the draft's best pass rusher. –Jordan Raanan (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

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4. Cincinnati Be... Mike Brown wants to keep Carson Palmer, but the Bengals need a real playmaker if Brown wants to have a realistic chance. Cincinnati can look for a QB of the future with its next pick. –Jordan Raanan (AP Photo/John Amis)

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5. Arizona Cardi... The Cards get the No. 1 quarterback on the board as Gabbert falls into their lap. –Jordan Raanan (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
6. Cleveland Bro... The concerns with Bowers' knee appear overblown. He reportedly checked out fine over the weekend. Cleveland adds what many considered the No. 1 overall pick before mass paranoia made the rounds. –Jordan Raanan (AP Photo/ Richard Shiro)

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7. San Francisco... Here's how I envision this situation unfolding: Even before Bowers finishes hugging his family, 'Niners GM Trent Baalke sprints to the podium to hand in this pick. –Jordan Raanan (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

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8. Tennessee Tit... Tennessee can go so many different ways here. Ultimately, they decide to rebuild the interior of its defensive line. –Jordan Raanan (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
9. Dallas Cowboy... Despite their needs in the secondary, the Cowboys pass on Prince Amukamara. Instead, they get their pick of the best offensive linemen in the draft. –Jordan Raanan (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
10. Washington R... The Redskins are an enigma. They can do anything here and it wouldn't be shocking. Drafting a top cornerback is one of the possibilities. Don't be surprised, however, to see the Lions trade into this spot to grab Amukamara. After him, the dropoff at corner is substantial. –Jordan Raanan (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
11. Houston Texa... Defense, defense, defense. And with the top two CBs off the board, the thought of Quinn on one side and Mario Williams on the other is too enticing to pass up. –Jordan Raanan (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)

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12. Minnesota Vi... Minnesota will think long and hard about Jake Locker, but will ultimately pass. Castanzo can contribute immediately and help protect whatever veteran QB the Vikings bring in for the 2011 season. –Jordan Raanan (AP Photo)

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13. Detroit Lion... Detroit gets stuck here with the top two offensive linemen off the board and after not moving up to get Amukamara. It settles for Solder given the former tight end's upside. –Jordan Raanan (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

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14. St. Louis Ra... A no-brainer pick for the Rams. They jump on the draft's 1a wide receiver to work as Sam Bradford's sidekick for the next decade or so. –Jordan Raanan (AP Photo/John Raoux)

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15. Miami Dolphi... I said it before and I'll say it again: There is a reason Locker was considered a potential No. 1 overall pick if he came out last year. –Jordan Raanan (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

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16. Jacksonville... The Jags contemplate Smith, Ryan Kerrigan, Cameron Jordan and J.J. Watt. Smith's speed off the edge wins out. –Jordan Raanan (AP Photo/L.G. Patterson)

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17. New England ... Bill Belichick can do a lot with Watt's athleticism and versatility as a five-technique defensive end in his system. –Jordan Raanan (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

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18. San Diego Ch... San Diego would take Watt or Jordan, whomever is left when it picks. Jordan's size, speed and pass-rushing skills could take the Chargers' defense to the next level. –Jordan Raanan (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)

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19. New York Gia... In the previous mock draft, OT Gabe Carimi went in this spot, ahead of Pouncey. But since it's starting to sound like the Giants need insurance for center Shaun O'Hara, Pouncey can fill two needs. –Jordan Raanan (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

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20. Tampa Bay Bu... Tampa gets the pass rusher it's looking for at No. 20. Kerrigan had 33.5 sacks and tied a record with 14 forced fumbles at Purdue. –Jordan Raanan (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

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21. Kansas City ... Again, this is where I get stuck. Kansas City could use a nose tackle and wide receiver, but the value at this spot doesn't match the need. So the Chiefs take the best value and a guy that can step in and immediately bolster an already strong running game. –Jordan Raanan (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)

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22. Indianapolis... Offensive line remains popular in the first round. The Colts take the best protector available for Peyton Manning. –Jordan Raanan (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

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23. Philadelphia... Tough spot for the Eagles. They already missed out on the top offensive linemen and cornerbacks. So they go with the best lineman on the board to improve their interior pass rush. –Jordan Raanan (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

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24. New Orleans ... A down year makes Clayborn a steal at 24. New Orleans jumps on the opportunity to add youth to its defensive line. –Jordan Raanan (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

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25. Seattle Seah... The remaining quarterbacks are a reach, so Pete Carroll makes the interior of his defense a strength. –Jordan Raanan (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

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26. Baltimore Ra... Ozzie Newsome knows a bargain when he sees one. Heyward is a Top 15 talent who falls to 26 because he needed elbow surgery after the season. –Jordan Raanan (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

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27. Atlanta Falc... Two weeks after the last mock draft, Atlanta still needs a pass rusher. Houston can get after the quarterback. –Jordan Raanan (AP Photo/Rich Addicks)

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28. New England ... Finally, the draft's top running back goes off the board. The fall has little to do with Ingram, who should be an immediate force in the NFL. It's that there are only a handful of teams willing to invest in a first-round running back. New England will take the gift this late in the first round. –Jordan Raanan (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

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29. Chicago Bear... In the last mock, I had the Bears taking Danny Watkins. But the more I think about it, drafting a 27-year-old rookie is too risky. So with Tommie Harris gone, Chicago finds his replacement. Austin is a Top 10 talent who falls after sitting out 2010 because of a suspension. His talent is too much for Chicago to ignore. –Jordan Raanan (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

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30. New York Jet... Rex Ryan gets his next Kris Jenkins. Taylor will immediately step in and make a difference in the Jets' defense. –Jordan Raanan (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

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31. Pittsburgh S... Ijalana might not be ready to step in immediately, but he's talented enough to be seen as Ben Roethlisberger's left tackle of the future. –Jordan Raanan (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
32. Green Bay Pa... An ideal outside linebacker in the 3-4 to work opposite Clay Matthews, Reed's solid all-around game is the perfect complement.–Jordan Raanan (AP Photo/John Miller)

The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
Projected Free A... Want more football? Check out the top 50 projected free agents this offseason here.