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We've reached the end of round one for the inaugural BTB Writers Mock Draft Exercise. It's been an interesting look into how the boards of teams ahead of Dallas might shape our pick if no trade is made. It also targeted the hot zones of where the perceived value is should Dallas look to trade down and acquire additional selections.
For a review of the poll results and comments for the first 28 picks, click on the following links.
Picks 1-4 | Picks 5-8 | Picks 9-12 | Picks 13-16 | Picks 17-20 | Picks 21-24 | Picks 25-28
We're not done yet! O.C.C., rabblerousr and I are going to keep this exercise going for a little longer. We'll be bringing you at least the second round as well. With that said, let's take a look at the picks for the final four teams.
| Draft Pick | Team | 2010 Record | Assigned Writer | Previous Selection |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 | Chicago | (11-5) | KD | DT Stephen Paea, Oregon State |
| 30 | NY Jets | (11-5) | rabble | DT Phil Taylor, Baylor |
| 31 | Pittsburgh | (12-4) | O.C.C. | DE Muhammad Wilkerson, Temple |
| 32 | Green Bay | (10-6) | Dave | DT Corey Liguet, Illinois |
Follow the jump for the complete lists of round one, team needs and blurbs about the selections.
KD's pick:
Chicago selects DT Stephen Paea, Oregon State
The strongest man in the draft is on his way to Midtown to play for... Da Bears. Doesn't Paea just seem like he would fit right in, collapsing the middle so that Urlacher and Briggs can fly around and make plays? With Tommie Harris' release and Anthony Adams being an UFA, the Bears are ridiculously thin at the Defensive Tackle position. They also need O-Linemen to protect Jay Cutler, but Paea just fits Chicago.
Rabble's pick:
NY Jets select DT Phil Taylor, Balyor
The Jets need help on the defensive line, give Kris Jenkins' injury history and Shaun Ellis' age. With tat in mind, it came down to Taylor and Ohio State's Cam Heyward. I thought it would be easier to find a player like Heyward later in the draft than it would a guy like Taylor, who has great movement skills for a guy his size. He has some off-the-field stuff in his history, but that shouldn't scare off a team like the Jets.
O.C.C.'s pick:
Pittsburgh selects DE Muhammad Wilkerson, Temple
When I was told that I would be picking for the Steelers, I swore that I would not let them pick Mike Pouncey, because I think drafting a guy just for his family name is an extremely sloppy and lazy move. Pittsburgh needs help badly on the offensive line, but when it's their turn all the top guys are already gone, and none of the remaining O-linemen warrants a first round pick on the Steelers' board. But when Steelers GM Kevin Colbert looks at his big board, he sees one guy left with a first round grade, Muhammad Wilkerson, whom Mike Mayock ranks as the 18th best player in the 2011 draft. The Steelers pick him immediately. Upon hearing of this, Joe Flacco from the division rival Ravens demnds to be traded out of the division, just like Carson Palmer from the division rival Bengals did before him. Yes, Wilkerson could be that good. The Steelers are extremely pleased with their pick and go on to pick a guard in the second round.
Dave's pick:
Green Bay selects DT Corey Liuget, Illinois
This pick is more of a BPA pick. The Packers could need some help along the defensive line if they lose Cullen Jenkins in free agency, but they do have some promising young talent already on the roster. I looked at cornerbacks and offensive linemen, but the value of Liuget was more than what I thought was available in the other areas. Liuget could play DE in a 3-4 and slide to a 4-3 DT when they go with four down linemen. The Packers brain-trust isn't afraid to select a BPA, they did it with Aaron Rodgers when they still had Brett Favre. Liuget has been rising fast on draft boards, with some draftniks projecting him in the middle of the first round. The Packers select him at the end of the first round and stay with their model of grabbing talent over need.
| Draft Pick | Team | 2010 Record | Assigned Writer | Previous Selection | Team Needs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carolina | (2-14) | Dave | DT Nick Fairley, Auburn | 4-3 DT, 4-3 DE, WR1, WR2, WR3, CB |
| 2 | Denver | (4-12) | O.C.C. | DE Da'Quan Bowers, Clemson | 4-3 DT, 4-3 DE, FS, SS, 4-3 OLB, 4-3 ILB, TE, ROT |
| 3 | Buffalo | (4-12) | rabble | CB Patrick Peterson, LSU | Everything except RB and WR, Kitchen Sink |
| 4 | Cincinatti | (4-12) | KD | DT Marcel Dareus, Alabama | QB, 4-3 DT, WR, 4-3 DE, FS, 4-3 MLB, OG, OC |
| 5 | Arizona | (5-11) | KD | QB Blaine Gabbert, Missouri | QB, 3-4 OLB, CB, OG, LOT |
| 6 | Cleveland | (5-11) | rabble | OLB Von Miller, Texas A&M | 4-3 DE, 4-3 OLB, 4-3 MLB, WR, FS, CB |
| 7 | San Francisco | (6-10) | O.C.C. | OLB Robert Quinn, North Carolina | 3-4 DT, 3-4 OLB, CB, OC, QB |
| 8 | Tennesee | (6-10) | Dave | WR AJ Green, Georgia | QB, CB, 4-3 DE, 4-3 OLB, 4-3 MLB |
| 9 | Dallas | (6-10) | Dave | CB Prince Amukamara, Nebraska | ROT, FS, OG, SS, CB, SILB, WILB, 3-4 DE, 3-4 OLB |
| 10 | Washington | (6-10) | O.C.C. | QB Cam Newton, Auburn | QB,RB, WR, OG, OC, 3-4DT, 3-4 OLB, FS, CB |
| 11 | Houston | (6-10) | rabble | OLB Aldon Smith, Missouri | 3-4 DE, 3-4 DT, 3-4 OLB, FS, CB |
| 12 | Minnesota | (6-10) | KD | DE Cameron Jordan, California | QB, WR, 4-3 DT, 4-3 DE, FS, LOT, OG, |
| 13 | Detroit | (6-10) | KD | WR Julio Jones, Alabama | CB, 4-3 OLB, MLB, ROT, OG, WR |
| 14 | St. Louis | (7-9) | Rabble | LB Justin Houston, Georgia | WR, 4-3 DR, 4-3 OLB, 4-3 DE, FS, CB, OG, OC, SS |
| 15 | Miami | (7-9) | O.C.C. | DE Ryan Kerrigan, Purdue | QB, 3-4 OLB, SS, OC, OG, 3-4 MLB, RB, WR |
| 16 | Jacksonville | (8-8) | Dave | QB Jake Locker, Washington | 4-3 DE, 4-3 MLB, CB, QB, WR, OG, |
| 17 | New England | (14-2) | Dave | DE JJ Watt, Wisconsin | 3-4 DE, 3-4 OLB, CB, RB, WR, OG, OT |
| 18 | San Diego | (9-7) | O.C.C. | LB Akeem Ayers, UCLA | 3-4 DE, 3-4 OLB, FS, CB, WR, OT |
| 19 | NY Giants | (10-6) | Rabble | OT Tyron Smith, USC | C, RB, OT, 4-3 OLB, SS, CB |
| 20 | Tampa Bay | (10-6) | KD | CB Brandon Harris, Miami | 4-3 DE, 4-3 MLB, FS, CB, OG, LOT, 4-3 OLB, ROT, TE, OC, WR |
| 21 | Kansas City | (10-6) | KD | OT Anthony Castonzo, Boston College | 3-4 DT, WR, OC, ROT, 3-4 OLB, RB, 3-4 SLB, |
| 22 | Indianapolis | (10-6) | Rabble | OT Nate Solder, Colorado | 4-3 DT, 4-3 OLB, FS, CB, WR, OG, OC, OT |
| 23 | Philadelphia | (10-6) | O.C.C. | CB Jimmy Smith, Colorado | CB, OG, 4-3 DE, 4-3 OLB, 4-3 MLB, SS, OT |
| 24 | New Orleans | (11-5) | Dave | DE Adrian Clayborn, Iowa | RB, 4-3 DT, 4-3 DE, CB, 4-3 OLB |
| 25 | Seattle | (7-9) | Dave | QB Ryan Mallett, Arkansas | QB, 4-3 DT, CB, WR, OT, OG |
| 26 | Baltimore | (12-4) | O.C.C. | OT Derek Sherrod, Mississippi State | WR, OT, CB, FS, SS, OG, TE, |
| 27 | Atlanta | (13-3) | Rabble | OT Gabe Carimi, Wisconsin | 4-3 DE, CB, WR, OT, TE, RB |
| 28 | New England | (14-2) | KD | RB Mark Ingram, Alabama | 3-4 DE, 3-4 OLB, CB, RB, WR, OG, OT |
| 29 | Chicago | (11-5) | KD | DT Stephen Paea, Oregon State | 4-3 DT, C, SS, WR, OG, OT, |
| 30 | NY Jets | (11-5) | rabble | DT Phil Taylor, Baylor | OT, 3-4 DT, 3-4 DE, 3-4 OLB, FS, SS |
| 31 | Pittsburgh | (12-4) | O.C.C. | DE Muhammad Wilkerson, Temple | CB, OG, OT, WR, 3-4 ILB, FS, SS, 3-4 DT, 3-4 DE |
| 32 | Green Bay | (10-6) | Dave | DT Corey Liguet, Illinois | 3-4 OLB, CB, OT, OC |
Coming soon, picks 33-40. Including Dallas' 2nd round pick.