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2011 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 8/19): Round 1 /Picks 17-32 /Round 2
Other 2011 Mock Drafts: Matt McGuire (8/26)
2012 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 7/22): Round 1 /Picks 17-32
2010 NFL Mock Draft (UPDATED 4/22): Round 1/Picks 17-32/Round 2/Round 3/Round 4/Round 5/Round 6/Round 7
Other 2010 Mock Drafts: Matt McGuire (4/22) /Backward Mock (4/20) /Emmitt Mock (4/17) /Celebrity Mock (4/8)
Live 2010 NFL Draft Grades | 2011 NFL Draft Prospects | 2010 NFL Free Agents
2005 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2004 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2003 NFL Draft Re-Mock / 2002 NFL Draft Re-Mock
(More links to previous years at the bottom of this page)

2011 NFL Mock Draft

Last update: Thursday, Aug. 19, 2010. Major changes in both rounds.
Next update: TBA.

This 2011 NFL Mock Draft order is based on my 2010 NFL Season Previews with slight adjustments based on the preseason.

Buffalo Bills: Jake Locker, QB, Washington

Well, that sure didn't work very well. Both Trent Edwards and Ryan Fitzpatrick embarrassed themselves in the preseason opener at Washington. And why are the Bills waiting until the second preseason game to play Brian Brohm? Buffalo's front office is a disgrace.

Bills fans should pray that their team finishes with the worst record in 2010 - maybe that'll force overwhelmed general manager Buddy Nix to draft a quarterback for a change. Jake Locker is mobile and can scramble for chunks of yardage pretty well, so maybe Chan Gailey will actually think he's good enough for his amazing "run, pass short, pass short, run, pass short, pass short" offense.

Locker is the No. 1 quarterback in the 2011 class - for now. Locker should have declared for the 2010 NFL Draft because a billion things can happen over the next 12 months. Maybe he gets hurt. Maybe the scouts see something they don't like and his stock drops. Maybe his teammates don't play up to par and drag him down. Maybe he gets distracted. Maybe general managers become worried that his decision to go back to school means that he's not fully invested in football.

That's a lot of maybes, but just look at recent history: Matt Leinart, Brady Quinn and Brian Brohm all made a huge mistake by not declaring right away.

Of course, Locker could always sit out the 2010 season. It worked wonders for Sam Bradford.

St. Louis Rams: A.J. Green, WR, Georgia

I went back and forth between A.J. Green and Robert Quinn. Quinn certainly makes a ton of sense because he has the make-up of a top-two overall pick, and the Rams need to get more pressure on the quarterback.

However, I settled on Green for two reasons. First, Steve Spagnuolo's specialty in New York was generating a great pass rush. Coaches tend to be cocky, so Spagnuolo probably believes he can accomplish this with lesser players. Maybe he'll have his eye on some defensive end in Round 2 like Jeremy Beal or Sam Acho.

And second, because the Rams have so much invested into Sam Bradford, they need to acquire a blue-chip target for him. I know the team has Donnie Avery, Laurent Robinson and Mardy Gilyard, but none of those guys are a No. 1 threat that defenses will respect. Green undoubtedly will be. And aside from providing Bradford with a great downfield weapon, he would also stretch the defense and open up more running room for Steven Jackson.

Kansas City Chiefs: Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

Matt Cassel is due a $7.5 million option bonus before the 2011 season. If he has another bad year - if the Chiefs are drafting No. 3 overall, that's definitely the case - then he will be released. Kansas City will then do what it should have done in the first place - draft a franchise signal caller early (Mark Sanchez, 2009 or Jimmy Clausen in the second round, 2010).

Andrew Luck will be a redshirt sophomore this season, but there's still a good chance he declares. If he's still projected to go this high or if Jim Harbaugh takes an NFL coaching job, Luck will bolt for the NFL.

Seattle Seahawks: Robert Quinn, DE, North Carolina

Where is Seattle's pass rush going to come from? I honestly have no idea, and it wouldn't surprise me at all if the Seahawks finished the year with a dozen sacks or fewer.

If Robert Quinn is on the board, Seattle has to take him. He's a monstrous pass-rusher who has the potential to go No. 1 overall.

Pick change; previously Patrick Peterson, CB

Jacksonville Jaguars: Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU

Rashean Mathis will be entering his contract year once the 2011 NFL Draft rolls around. Considering his financial demands and the fact that his play has slipped lately, the 2011 season could be his last in Jacksonville. If so, the Jaguars will desperately need help at cornerback if they want to beat Peyton Manning.

Patrick Peterson is the best cornerback prospect to come along in a very long time, while Prince Amukamara isn't too far behind him.

Pick change; previously Robert Quinn, DE

Arizona Cardinals: Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska

Can Greg Toler thrive as one of Arizona's starting corners? He played well in limited action last year, but he's still a relative unknown. If he struggles, the Cardinals will have to find someone new to play across from Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, and Prince Amukamara is one of the top players available at this spot.

Cleveland Browns: Marcell Dareus, DE/DT, Alabama

I'd like to give the Browns a franchise quarterback, but Mike Holmgren doesn't believe in drafting one in the first round. Besides, he pulled rank and selected Colt McCoy despite objections from others in the front office. Why would he suddenly give up on McCoy after a year, especially considering that McCoy won't even play this season?

Shaun Rogers won't be around much longer. He's due $6.9 million this year and $5.5 million in 2011. He'll be 32 a month before the 2011 NFL Draft. If he's cut loose, the Browns will need to find an adequate replacement up front.

Marcell Dareus is more than adequate. As a mere sophomore last season in Alabama's 3-4/4-3 hybrid defense, Dareus really came on and accumulated 6.5 sacks in just four starts, and then proceeded to knock McCoy out of the game during one of the two national championships this past winter. Think McCoy will be glad to have this guy on his side?

A great athlete despite weighing 301 pounds, Dareus is expected to take the SEC by storm this fall. If he has a big year (assuming he plays amid yet another ridiculous NCAA allegation), he could be one of the first players chosen in the 2011 NFL Draft. In this case, he's a steal at No. 7.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Adrian Clayborn, DE, Iowa

Adrian Clayborn is a top 10 talent, but may slip a bit because he punched a cab driver. However, the Buccaneers have drafted a receiver who quit on his team (Mike Williams) and paid tons of money to an offensive tackle who weighs 370 pounds (Donald Penn), so they don't seem to care much about character concerns.

If Clayborn lives up to his potential and stays off the police blotter, he would be a hell of a complement to Gerald McCoy.

Pick change; previously Mark Ingram, RB

Carolina Panthers: Julio Jones, WR, Alabama

I know the Panthers just obtained Brandon LaFell (who dropped a perfectly thrown touchdown pass in the preseason opener), but they also spent their top 2010 NFL Draft pick on Jimmy Clausen after giving Matt Moore $3 million for one season.

Carolina won't hesitate to select Julio Jones if he falls to them. He's just that good, and he would really solidify the No. 2 receiver position across from Steve Smith. Jones was once considered a top-five prospect, but struggled with drops in 2009.

Pick change; previously Jonathan Baldwin, WR

New England Patriots: Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama

New England acquired this selection from Oakland for Richard Seymour. If Tom Brady and Wes Welker are healthy, and either Rob Gronkowski or Aaron Hernandez pans out, imagine how explosive New England's offense would be with Mark Ingram as a threat coming out of the backfield.

Pick change; previously Ryan Williams, RB

Denver Broncos: Cameron Heyward, DE/DT, Ohio State

Are the Broncos really going to ride these free agent cast-offs as their starting defensive ends for more than a year? Doubtful. Cameron Heyward would have been in the 9-18 pick range had he declared for the 2010 NFL Draft.

Tennessee Titans: Jurrell Casey, DT, USC

Defensive tackle isn't exactly a big weakness for the Titans; Tony Brown is a stud, while Jason Jones thrives at getting to the quarterback. However, the 280-pound Jones is not an every-down player and will be entering his contract year when the 2011 NFL Draft is going down, so Tennessee could stand to bring in an Albert Haynesworth-type presence to start next to Brown. Besides, Jurrell Casey is the top player who makes sense in this slot.

Pittsburgh Steelers: Aaron Williams, CB, Texas

In a must-win game, the Steelers couldn't contain Bruce Gradkowski on three separate fourth-quarter drives. Troy Polamalu's absence was huge, but so was the lack of talent at cornerback. That position must be taken care of soon if young players like Joe Burnett and Keenan Lewis don't step up.

Washington Redskins: Jonathan Baldwin, WR, Pittsburgh

With the offensive line shored up, the Redskins will need to concentrate on finding weapons for Donovan McNabb. McNabb would love having a dynamic receiver like Jonathan Baldwin at his disposal.

Baldwin, at 6-5, 225, caught 57 balls for 1,111 yards and eight touchdowns as a sophomore in 2009.

Pick change; previously Julio Jones, WR

Detroit Lions: Greg Romeus, DE, Pittsburgh

In a division with Aaron Rodgers, Brett Favre and Jay Cutler, you have to be able to get to the quarterback. With a defensive line of Ndamukong Suh, Greg Romeus, Corey Williams and Kyle Vanden Bosch, the Lions would be able to pile up a handful of sacks each week, easing lots of pressure off their anemic secondary.

I know Detroit has Vanden Bosch, Cliff Avril and Willie Young at defensive end, but they were also stacked at defensive tackle when they selected Suh. This regime has made it clear that they will take the best available player no matter what.

Cincinnati Bengals: Joseph Barksdale, OT, LSU

Andre Smith's weight is out of control. He's 370 now. In a few months, he'll probably be 400. Soon enough, he'll be larger than the fat ladies in my gym pool.

Marvin Lewis has taken note of this and has complained to the media. If Smith can't get on the field, the Bengals may cut their losses and draft a new right tackle. Joseph Barksdale has no character issues as far as I know, but maybe Mike Brown will think that he's related to Avon Barksdale. Obtaining Avon's relative would instantly satisfy Brown's quest for players with character concerns in the 2011 offseason.

Pick change; previously Adrian Clayborn, DE

Go to 2011 NFL Mock Draft: Picks 17-32

Sorry for cutting this into two halves; I've received complaints about load times and putting the mock draft on two pages saves bandwith.

2011 NFL Mock Draft - Round 2

2010 Fantasy Football Rankings - Sept. 2

2011 NFL Draft Scouting Reports - Sept. 1

Matt McGuire's 2011 NFL Mock Draft - Aug. 26

2011 NFL Mock Draft - Aug. 19

2011 NBA Mock Draft - July 22

2012 NFL Mock Draft - July 22

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