This draft order is based on my NFL predictions, which are already severely outdated. Starting next week the order will be based on my power rankings. Then from week 8 on it will be based on the "if the draft was held today" order.


Interesting to see how many juniors are in my mock, by the way.


1. Oakland Raiders - QB Andrew Luck, Jr, Stanford.
Week 1 Stats: Vs. San Jose St. 17-26 passing, 171 yards, 2 passing TD's, 1 rushing TD

Would Zombie Al Davis pass up on Luck? It is more then a remote possibility. He just spent a 3rd round pick on Terrelle Pryor and plans to keep him at quarterback. But even a dead man wouldn't pass up on Luck here. The Raiders could very easily trade down here, as teams will be more willing to trade up with the new rookie scale in place. As you may or may not know, the Raiders won't be picking again until round 5.

2. Jacksonville Jaguars - DE Quinton Coples, Sr, North Carolina.
Week 1 Stats: Vs. James Madison. 3 tackles, 2 sacks

The Jaguars have holes everywhere and can afford to take the best non QB prospect available. Luckily for them, Coples also fills a monster need, as the Jaguars have struggled to find anyone who can constistantly get to the quarterback since the days of Tony Brackens. He notched 2 sacks in the opener. Alshon Jeffery is also an option here, as teams often look to surround their young quarterbacks with offensive weapons.

3. Washington Redskins - QB Matt Barkley, Jr, USC.
Week 1 Stats: vs. Minnesota. 34-45 passing, 304 yards, 3 passing TD's

 The Redskins do have some talent and I doubt they will finish this low, but if Barkley is here he is a no brainer. Maybe Mike Shanahan's ego will get in the way and he will try to sign Alex Smith instead since he liked him in college.

4. Cincinnati Bengals - OT Matt Kalil, Sr, USC.

 The Bengals are actually pretty solid across the board, but absolutely dreadful quarterback play will doom this team in 2011. Similar to the Panthers last year, if they get the top pick they should just take Luck and move on from Dalton, who has shown Jimmy Clausen level ability thus far. But at this spot, they go with top player available. Andre Smith can kick into guard or replace the aging Andrew Whitworth.

5. Seattle Seahawks - QB Landry Jones, Jr, Oklahoma.
Week 1 Stats: Vs. Tulsa. 35-47 passing, 375 yards, 1 passing TD

This is probably a bit of a reach for Jones, who isn't quite in the class of Luck and Barkley. But the Seahawks have to bite the bullet and take him here. It is insulting to the loyal Seahawks fans that they spend huge money on Sidney Rice and Zach Miller then settle on absolute bums Tavaris Jackson and Charlie Whitehurst to throw them the ball.

6. Carolina Panthers - WR Alshon Jeffery, Jr, South Carolina.
Week 1 Stats: vs. East Carolina. 5 receptions, 82 yards receiving

The Panthers luck up with Jeffery falling this far. Teams going with rookie quarterbacks should always look to upgrade the skill positions around him as quick as possible. Jeffery is the latest athletic freak of an SEC receiver in the AJ Green/Julio Jones mold. Newton and Panthers fans will immediately love the Carolina native.

7. San Francisco 49ers - CB Dre Kirkpatrick, Jr, Alabama.

The Niners won't give up on Colin Kaepernick after one year to take Landry Jones. The next biggest need is probably the secondary, where Carlos Rodgers was signed to be a place holder for.....no one. Kirkpatrick is still raw but has great size and athleticism for the position.

8. Tennessee Titans - MLB Vontaze Burfict, Jr, Arizona St.
Week 1 Stats: vs. UC Davis. 3 tackles, 3 sacks.

I think Burfict is the best linebacker prospect to come along since Keith Rivers. He is a stud inside with great size and speed. The Titans signed Barrett Ruud to play middle linebacker but will quickly find out he is a disaster against the run. Burfict is a much more complete player. Character concerns could push him down, however.


9. Cleveland Browns - DE Donte Paige-Moss, Jr, North Carolina.
Week 1 Stats: vs. James Madison. 2 tackles

Maybe Butch Davis would still have a job if all these guys he recruited actually played. Coples and Paige-Moss are both active for the Tar Heels. Paige-Moss doesn't have the hype or ability that Coples has but he is a Scottie Pippen like second fiddle. He is still growing into his body and developing his skills and would give the Browns some much needed pass rushing ability.

10. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - OT Jonathan Martin, Jr, Stanford.

Despite me putting Tampa at 10, they don't have a lot of holes that need to be plugged by rookies. So they can take the best player available. Both starting tackles Donald Penn and Jeremy Trueblood are solid enough, but neither are going to make a Pro Bowl in their career. Martin flashes much more talent and potential.


11. Miami Dolphins - RB Trent Richardson, Jr, Alabama.
Week 1 Stats: vs. Kent St. 13 rushes, 37 rushing yards, 3 rushing touchdowns

Unfortunately for Miami fans, the two players they most want (Landry Jones and Jonathan Martin) are both off the board. The Dolphins should make a run at Kyle Orton or someone of that nature, so putting a running back behind him that can actually carry the load would make some sense. Richardson is infinitely better then Daniel Thomas and can be the first and second down beast the Dolphins really need in front of Reggie Bush.

12. Detroit Lions - WR Justin Blackmon, Jr, Oklahoma St.
Week 1 Stats: vs. Louisiana Lafayette. 8 receptions, 144 yards

I am going by the Lions philosophy of taking the best player available, regardless of position. Disregarding the middle linebackers available, since the Lions just made a very good signing with Stephen Tulloch, that would be Blackmon. He is not simply a product of the system and would form an amazing receiver trio with Calvin Johnson and Titus Young. The offense just keeps getting better. And the Rams are crushed.


13. Denver Broncos - DT Jerel Worthy, Jr, Michigan St.
Week 1 Stats: vs. Youngstown St. 2 tackles

It is rare that you don't see a defensive tackle taken in the top ten. If Worthy continues to improve he could go that high, but right now he is still a project, even in college. The Broncos were so desperate for defensive line help they added Broderick Bunkley, Ty Warren and Derrick Harvey from the scrap heap.


14. St. Louis Rams - WR Michael Floyd, Jr, Notre Dame.
Week 1 Stats: vs. South Florida. 12 receptions, 154 receiving yards, 2 touchdowns

The Rams struck gold with their 2010 draft, landing their franchise quarterback and franchise left tackle. I also loved the pick of Robert Quinn at this very spot last year. But the one thing the Rams have failed to do is help Sam Bradford out with some weapons (though Lance Kendricks could be a part of the solution). Floyd had an absolutely monster first game with the Irish this year and is a first round lock. He has the size and skills to shoot up the draft board.

15. Minnesota Vikings - DE Devin Taylor, Jr, South Carolina.
Week 1 Stats: vs. East Carolina. 3 tackles

The Vikings suddenly have holes all over the place, so they just need to grab the best talent available at either the defensive line, offensive line or secondary. Taylor is a dynamic junior who is still scratching the surface of his potential. He is this years Jason Pierre-Paul, Aldon Smith in my opinion.

16. Kansas City Chiefs - MLB Luke Kuechly, Jr, Boston College.
Week 1 Stats: Vs. Northwestern. 18 tackles, 1 interception

Jovan Belcher is undersized for a 3-4 middle linebacker. Kuechly, however, would be a great fit. He is a tackling machine who notched 18 for the Eagles last Saturday.

17. Buffalo Bills - DE/OLB Brandon Jenkins, Jr, Florida St.
Week 1 Stats: vs. Louisiana-Monroe. 5 tackles

The Bills swung and missed like Alfonso Soriano on the Aaron Maybin pick, so they try again. They could use a player who can play both end and OLB since they can't seem to decide on what defensive scheme they want to run.

18. Chicago Bears - OLB Zach Brown, Sr, North Carolina.
Week 1 Stats: Vs. James Madison. 6 tackles, 1 sack

Brown is the best outside linebacker prospect available. Nick Roach is below average at one position and Lance Briggs is asking to be traded again since he is an idiot and has his contract extremely front loaded. Brown will fill in for one of the two.

19. Dallas Cowboys - CB Stephon Gilmore, Jr, South Carolina.
Week 1 Stats: Vs. East Carolina. 10 tackles

The Cowboys had two distinct needs during the 2011 draft. Offensive tackle and cornerback. They went the OT route, so a CB is still a big need. Gilmore has great size and speed. He notched 10 tackles during the Gamecocks first game, and as a bonus, can return kicks.
 
20. New York Jets - DE/OLB Courtney Upshaw, Alabama.
Week 1 Stats: Vs. Kent St. 7 tackles, 0.5 sacks

The Crimson Tide have become the best team at producing 3-4 talent. Upshaw has great size and can get to the quarterback. Somehow Bryan Thomas has remained on the Jets for nearly a decade despite being an average pass rusher. An upgrade is really needed.


21. New York Giants - MLB Manti Te'o, Jr, Notre Dame.
Week 1 Stats: Vs. South Florida. 9 tackles, 1 sack

Even before Jonathan Goff's injury, the Giants could have used an upgrade at linebacker. Te'o is built like a tank and can play in either defensive scheme.

22. Cleveland Browns (from Atlanta Falcons) - CB Alfonzo Dennard, Sr, Nebraska.

Joe Haden is a stud on one side and Sheldon Brown is solid enough on the other, but there is absolutely no depth behind them. Dennard is a solid, safe pick, much like former teammate Prince Amukamara the previous season.

23. San Diego Chargers - CB Cliff Harris, Jr, Oregon.

Harris is a project when it comes to playing the cornerback position, but he is an electric kick returner. The Chargers could use a dime back and someone to replace Darren Sproles on kicks.


24. Indianapolis Colts - OG David DeCastro, Sr, Stanford. 

If Danny Watkins and James Carpenter can go here, DeCastro is a lock. Bill Polian uses first round picks on offensive lineman, and the guard position could use a big upgrade, even after using a couple high picks last year on the position. Unfortunately for Colts fans chances are slim they will be picking here with Peyton Manning out for possibly the entire year.


25. Arizona Cardinals - OT Riley Reiff, Jr, Iowa.

If the Cardinals are going to win, it is going to be because of the offense. They will want to keep their new franchise quarterback upright. They have had bad luck drafting offensive tackles in the past, though.

26. Houston Texans - WR Ryan Broyles, Sr, Oklahoma.
Week 1 Stats: Vs. Tulsa. 14 receptions, 158 yards, 1 touchdown

I don't see a defensive player here who would be an upgrade on what they already have, so they go with Broyles. He might be colleges most productive receiver, and only a lack of size keeps him from being taken earlier. The Texans have struggled to get consistant production opposite Andre Johnson, and a deep threat like Broyles could really help.

27. Pittsburgh Steelers - CB Jayron Hosley, Jr, Virginia Tech. 

As Chris Berman would say, "All he does is intercept passes!" Hosley hauled in 9 last year and would give the Steelers some much needed depth in the secondary. Pittsburgh is great at drafting players at the end of the first round and developing them into starters down the road.

28. Philadelphia Eagles - DT Jared Crick, Sr, Nebraska.
Week 1 Stats: Vs. Chattanooga. 5 tackles

The Eagles draft defensive lineman in the first round. They go that route again, as Mike Patterson's scary seizure was worrisome, but he has looked like he has bounced back just fine. Crick really came on towards the end of the year and could be the first defensive tackle off the board if he continues his solid play.

29. Baltimore Ravens - C Mike Brewster, Sr, Ohio St.

It used to be very rare for interior lineman to go in the first round, but it is happening more and more. I think Brewster is a first round lock right now as the best center available. Matt Birk is approaching his late 30's and the Ravens would like to keep their solid interior line chugging along.


30. Green Bay Packers - DE/DT Marcus Forston, Jr, Miami. 

Forston is a former top recruit who hasn't quite lived up to expectations. If he has a good junior season he will get plenty of first round consideration. The Packers could use some young defensive ends.


31. New England Patriots - CB Janoris Jenkins, Sr, North Alabama.

It doesn't matter what the Patriots "needs" are. They always seem to draft defensive backs and offensive limeman early. So I am giving them one of each. It is pointless to mock Patriots selections anyways since they will trade both of these away. So they draft Jenkins, who would be long gone by this point if he wasn't kicked off the Florida Gators program. Now they can trade or release him in a couple years like half of their other high draft picks.


32. New England Patriots (from New Orleans Saints) - OT/OG Kelechi Osemele, Sr, Iowa St.

Read above. It will happen. No further explanation needed.