Packer Rats MOCK DRAFT

[Smidgeon]

No RB off the board yet. That's a little surprising, even with a weak class there's usually at least one worth taking. A far cry from the year of Brown, Benson and Williams!

But also not out of line of the year of Beanie Wells either.

[Bretsky]

Fins need OL and a QB. RBs you can get later. Ingram's not special.

Guess it all depends on whether they view Ingram as as Emmitt Smith like player or if his lack of breakaway speed equates him with others
This year does seem to be a very ordinary year for the RB group IMO

[3irty1]

The Miami Dolphins apologize for their tardiness. The Dolphins biggest need is obviously a QB. With Newton and Gabbert, gone, and the fact that neither of them are that enticing to begin with, the Dolphins will have to address their QB woes later in the draft. The Dolphins could use an interior lineman to help out their power running game but nobody is worth the 15th choice. There is a need at FS that can't be filled without a major reach and then there is running back. Mark Ingram seems like a natural choice--Brown and Williams are past their prime and are due for free agency. However, Bill Parcells still has some influence with the Phins and the big tuna rarely spends first round picks on offensive players, let alone RB. The Dolphins take by far the BPA in DE, JJ Watt.

[Guiness]

Ralph Wilson shakes his head, pinning for the days when Huizenga was leading that team.

Solid pick, BPA by my estimation. That guy could go top 10 if a couple of teams decide not to blow picks on the sure-flops the QB class is.

[RashanGary]

Jags select Ryan Kerrigan to eventually replace AK74. We thought about Mark Ingram, but with Maurice Jones Drew already in the fold we just couldn't take a player who would have a hard time getting on the field with our first pick.

[gbpackfan]

1. Carolina Panters - packrulz - Carolina has needs all over, including quarterback, but the loss of Peppers has left a gaping hole on their defensive line, and new coach Ron Rivera is defensive minded, Panthers select: Da'Quan Bowers, DE, Clemson

2. Denver Broncos - packrulz* - The Broncos also have needs all over, however, new coach John Fox is switching to the 4-3 defense, and the Broncos D was ranked worst in the NFL last season, so defensive help is a glaring need. They resigned Champ Bailey at CB, and a decent QB should still be around in the second round. After watching Ndamukong Suh take the NFL's defensive rookie of the year award, Fox is looking at a dominating DT who had an amazing combine and zoomed up draft charts, the Broncos select: Marcell Dareus, DT, Alabama

3. Buffalo Bills - Guiness - The Bills are left with a real poser here. They fully expected Carolina to cave to pressure, and opt for the sexy pick, Cam Newton. That would have made their job a lot easier. The Bills would like to add a QB, and Cam Newton would be the one they want. The Bills would consider a DT, having lost Stroud this year. But Denver, surprisingly, picked Dareus, who played 5 tech in college and would fit in Buffalo's scheme, over Fairley, who projects better in a 4-3. But when it comes down to it, the NFL is a copy cat league. Green Bay won the Super Bowl this year by having top flight corners and playing a lot of nickel. Terrence McGee is getting old, and has missed a lot of games these past couple of years. Peterson is the most talented player in this draft. The Bill select Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU.

4. Cincinnati Bengals - TennesseePackerBacker - The Bengals have no choice but to take their pick of quarterbacks. It's all but a done deal that Carson Palmer will not play another game for the team, and Jordan Palmer couldn't be a number 3 on most team's depth charts. The real question is, Blaine Gabbert or Cam Newton? This prognosticator thinks it won't even be much of a question after Gabbert's pro day. It's also no secret that the Cardinals think very highly of Gabbert and are praying he falls to number 5. Everything about the Bengals organization screams Cam Newton. And, I'll probably regret not picking him in this mock, as the Bengals very well could take him in the real draft. However...With the fourth overall pick in the 2011 draft, the Bengals select Blaine Gabbert.

5. Arizona Cardinals - PaCkFan_n_MD - The cards not too long ago switched to the 34 defense and need to add a few more impact players on that side of the ball to be effective. They have some good young talent in Dockett, Rodgers-Cromartie, and Wilson, but need a dominant outside pass rusher to move them up the defensive rankings. Luck for them that player is sitting there waiting for them. The azcardinals select: VON MILLER

6. Cleveland Browns - Smidgeon - The Browns are working on overcoming many seasons of ineptitude. With a defense-heavy draft last year and a QB already in the fold, the Browns look to give Colt a weapon by selecting A. J. Green

7. San Francisco - mraynrand - 49ers are shocked that Gabbert, Dareus, Peterson, and Green are all gone. Hairball believes he can coach up Smith or later round QB selection. Niners need to shore up defensive backfield and draft Prince Amukamara, CB from Nebraska.

8. Tennesse Titans - PaCkFan_n_MD - Now I feel like I'm selecting him because he was brought up lol! Anyways, titans think about going with Cam Newton, but decide to go BPA: NICK FAIRLEY, DT, Auburn

9. Dallas Cowboys - Spaulding - The pick will be Robert Quinn DE/ OLB UNC. Quinn is one of the best players coming out this year despite being suspended for the entire season. Character concerns have never scared Jerry Jones off before and it won't be any different now.

10. Washington Redskins - pbmax - Needs: QB, DLine (nose and pass rusher), OT. Thoughts: Shanahan retains all the arrogance he displayed in his previous stint in Denver. He butted heads with his vet QB all season long, almost acting like the trade had been foisted upon him by Snyder. The odds are long against McNabb's return. Behind him is the Sex Cannon, Rex Grossman and John Beck. Shanahan has grabbed a first round QB before, but in that case, it was a second tier guy who climbed the board during silly season and was taken 11th overall. Cutler was a classic pocket QB who has a great arm, very good mobility and a 13 year old's attitude. But Ryan Mallet is a big reach here. So is Jake Locker. Cam Newton might fit the bill, and Shanahan would probably not shrink from the challenge if he thought Newton could cut it as an NFL QB. Dareus and Fairley are both gone. Wilkerson and Liuget are available for the inside, though Liuget may be a reach at 10. For pass rush, Watt, Smith and Kerrigan are possible as pass rushers. Castonzo and Smith are the possibilities at O Tackle. Given the absence of Free Agency, Shanahan will have to do something at QB. That something will be Cam Newton, QB, Auburn.

11. Houston Texans -gbpackfan - Well this is exactly where the Texans did not want to be. Both CBs worth drafting this high have already been taken and Von Miller and Robert Quinn are off the board as well. If I were the Texans GM, I would trade down. But since Im not and this is just a silly online mock draft, Ill make the pick. The Texans are switching the 3-4 defense and need players to fit that scheme. With no CBs or OLBs worth drafting this high, they take the best DL still on the board. With the 11th pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, the Houston Texans select........California DE Cameron Jordan.

12. Minnesota Vikings - Mission - The Vikings love everything about Wisconsin so JJ Watt is a very tempting pick given some uncertainty along their defensive line. But because of the contract situation with Sidney Rice and the lack of depth behind him, MN feels obligated to go WR and Julio Jones' upside is just too much to pass on. Playing in a run-first scheme with a decent-not-great QB at Alabama, there's belief that Jones could shine even brighter on the NFL stage. His combine performance on an injured foot only solidified this thinking.

13. Detroit Lions - Gave - Pick 13: LIONS. The lions deff need help on the O-Line Godser Cherilus will be fine on the Right side, and either Tyron Smith, or Anthony Castonzo look nice. I'm not sure who the lions would like better, but I know I like Castonzo better, so thats the pick. With the 13th pick overall the Lions select Anthony Castonzo

14. St. Louis Rams - Bretsky - Aldon Smith, DE, Missouri . Chris Long had an incredible season, but the Rams need a pass-rusher on the other side of the line of scrimmage. James Hall is also coming off a great year, but he just turned 34. St. Louis will need to find a long-term successor soon. Aldon Smith missed some action this year, which would explain why he had only 10 TFL and 4.5 sacks. However, he's a freak of nature and pretty much a lock for the top 15. Smith has drawn comparisons to Jason Pierre-Paul in terms of raw athleticism.

15. Miami Dolphins - 3irty1 - The Miami Dolphins apologize for their tardiness. The Dolphins biggest need is obviously a QB. With Newton and Gabbert, gone, and the fact that neither of them are that enticing to begin with, the Dolphins will have to address their QB woes later in the draft. The Dolphins could use an interior lineman to help out their power running game but nobody is worth the 15th choice. There is a need at FS that can't be filled without a major reach and then there is running back. Mark Ingram seems like a natural choice--Brown and Williams are past their prime and are due for free agency. However, Bill Parcells still has some influence with the Phins and the big tuna rarely spends first round picks on offensive players, let alone RB. The Dolphins take by far the BPA in DE, JJ Watt

16. Jacksonville Jaguars - JustinHarrell - Jags select Ryan Kerrigan to eventually replace AK74. We thought about Mark Ingram, but with Maurice Jones Drew already in the fold we just couldn't take a player who would have a hard time getting on the field with our first pick.

17. New England Patriots - Joemailman
18. San Diego Chargers - SavedByGrace
19. New York Giants - Cheesehead Craig
20. Tampa Bay Bucs - gbpackfan
21. Kansas City Chiefs - Lurker64
22. Indianapolis Colts - 3irty1*
23. Philadelphia Eagles - Bretsky*
24. New Orleans Saints - SavedByGrace*
25. Seattle Seahawks - packrulz
26. Baltimore Ravens - mission*
27. Atlanta Falcons - Mazzin
28. New England Patroits - Joemailman
29. Chicago Bears - LEWCWA
30. New York Jets - Swede*
31. Pittsburgh Steelers - Swede
32. World Champions, your GREEN BAY PACKERS! - Packer Rats poll

[swede]

Two picks in one day...the pace is picking up!

[RashanGary]

Fins need OL and a QB. RBs you can get later. Ingram's not special.

He's going to be a good back I think. He runs hard. Good vision. Good after contact. Good agility. Good balance. He has the toughness to get the type of yards you see in the NFL. He has the balance to stay on his feet after big contact, so he'll break a lot of medium - long runs. Again, with his great after contact play it will also make him a great redzone player. He goes forward.

He's not flashy, but he's effective. I could see him being a top 10 back during his prime, maybe more if he's on the right team. I think he's one of the safer bets to be good in the whole draft.

[swede]

He's going to be a good back I think. He runs hard. Good vision. Good after contact. Good agility. Good balance. He has the toughness to get the type of yards you see in the NFL. He has the balance to stay on his feet after big contact, so he'll break a lot of medium - long runs. Again, with his great after contact play it will also make him a great redzone player. He goes forward.

He's not flashy, but he's effective. I could see him being a top 10 back during his prime, maybe more if he's on the right team. I think he's one of the safer bets to be good in the whole draft.

He sounds like the AJ Hawk of running backs.

I agree that he is well-suited to be a workhorse back on a team with a good running offense. Oddly, the combine made him look average, when the tape makes him look special. I wonder the last time a running back wasn't picked in the top 20?

[swede]

I agree that Ingram is well-suited to be a workhorse back on a team with a good running offense. Oddly, the combine made him look average, when the tape makes him look special. I wonder the last time a running back wasn't picked in the top 20?

Steven Jackson was the 24th player taken in 2004. Since then, Knowshon Moreno was the lowest RB picked, and he only had to wait until the 12th pick. I'm guessing Ingram will go somewhere in between those two spots this year.

[Lurker64]

He sounds like the AJ Hawk of running backs.

I agree that he is well-suited to be a workhorse back on a team with a good running offense. Oddly, the combine made him look average, when the tape makes him look special. I wonder the last time a running back wasn't picked in the top 20?

The thing about Ingram is that I think he can be a great RB if you put him behind a really good run blocking OL, but he's not going to be a guy who produces a lot on his own. Miami is not a team with a great (or even a good) OL so I think they would be better suited to addressing another need in the first and then hoping to catch LeShoure or Ryan Williams in the 2nd.

[Bretsky]

Jags select Ryan Kerrigan to eventually replace AK74. We thought about Mark Ingram, but with Maurice Jones Drew already in the fold we just couldn't take a player who would have a hard time getting on the field with our first pick.

ha........I had that one pegged correctly. Good chance they'll pick him at the draft as well

[Bretsky]

If the Fins picked Ingram, JJ Watt is a Hoody player. He belongs on the Pats.

[gbpackfan]

Joe has about another 12 hours to make his pick, then we'll move on.

[Lurker64]

If the Fins picked Ingram, JJ Watt is a Hoody player. He belongs on the Pats.

From what I recall, the Patriots absolutely refuse to deal with the guy who is Watt's agent, there was a contentious negotiation in the past and since then they've never drafted one of his clients in any round. Not sure that's enough to keep them from drafting Watt, but it's a reason it might not happen.