:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/assets/556104/btbmockdraft.jpg)
When we last left our Writer's Mock, Dallas had just selected OG Marcus Cannon with the 40th overall selection. This pick was not without it's detractors, as different posters had their own favorites. I think this highlights what I believe to be the growing sentiment over the last week, that Dallas almost has to use their first round pick on an offensive lineman.
The jury is out on the quality of play of the 2nd tier. We have to get one of Tyron Smith, Gabe Carimi, Anthony Castonzo, Nate Solder or Derek Sherrod. Yes, each holds their own concerns, but all draft picks save for 2-3 a year have concerns.
We now move on the the next 16 picks of the draft, which happen to include all three of our NFC East rivals.
Follow the jump for a look at the second round to date, and blurbs about our rivals' picks.
BTB Writers 2011 NFL Mock Draft, Picks #41-56 (previous picks in italics)
| Draft Pick | Team | Previous Selection | Assigned Writer | 2nd Round Pick | Team Needs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33 | New England | DE JJ Watt, RB Mark Ingram | OCC | OG Mike Pouncey, Florida | 3-4 DE, 3-4 OLB, CB, RB, WR, OG, OT |
| 34 | Buffalo | CB Patrick Peterson | KD | LB Martez Wilson, Illinois | Everything except RB and WR, Kitchen Sink |
| 35 | Cincinatti | DT Marcel Dareus | Rabble | QB Christian Ponder, Florida St | QB, 4-3 DT, WR, 4-3 DE, FS, 4-3 MLB, OG, OC |
| 36 | Denver | DE Da'Quan Bowers | Rabble | LB Mason Foster, Washington | 4-3 DT, 4-3 DE, FS, SS, 4-3 OLB, 4-3 ILB, TE, ROT |
| 37 | Cleveland | LB Von Miller | KD | WR Jonathan Baldwin, Pittsburgh | 4-3 DE, 4-3 OLB, 4-3 MLB, WR, FS, CB |
| 38 | Arizona | QB Blaine Gabbert | OCC | LB Brooks Reed, Arizona | QB, 3-4 OLB, CB, OG, LOT |
| 39 | Tennesee | WR AJ Green | OCC | CB Aaron Williams, Texas | QB, CB, 4-3 DE, 4-3 OLB, 4-3 MLB |
| 40 | Dallas | CB Prince Amukamara | KD | OL Marcus Cannon, TCU | ROT, FS, OG, SS, CB, SILB, WILB, 3-4 DE, 3-4 OLB |
| New Picks | |||||
| 41 | Washington | QB Cam Newton | Rabble | WR Torrey Smith, Maryland | QB,RB, WR, OG, OC, 3-4DT, 3-4 OLB, FS, CB |
| 42 | Houston | LB Aldon Smith | Rabble | DE Christian Ballard, Iowa | 3-4 DE, 3-4 DT, 3-4 OLB, FS, CB |
| 43 | Minnesota | DE Cameron Jordan | KD | FS DeAndre McDaniel, Clemson | QB, WR, 4-3 DT, 4-3 DE, FS, LOT, OG, |
| 44 | Detroit | WR Julio Jones | OCC | OG Danny Watkins, Baylor | CB, 4-3 OLB, MLB, ROT, OG, WR |
| 45 | San Francisco | LB Robert Quinn | OCC | DE Cameron Heyward, Ohio State | 3-4 DT, 3-4 OLB, CB, OC, QB |
| 46 | Denver | DE Da'Quan Bowers, LB Mason Foster | KD | TE Kyle Rudolph, Notre Dame | 4-3 DT, 4-3 DE, FS, SS, 4-3 OLB, 4-3 ILB, TE, ROT |
| 47 | St. Louis | LB Justin Houston | Rabble | WR Titus Young, Boise State | WR, 4-3 DR, 4-3 OLB, 4-3 DE, FS, CB, OG, OC, SS |
| 48 | Oakland | N/A | Rabble | OL Ben Ijalana, Villanova | OG, OC, OT, WR, CB |
| 49 | Jacksonville | QB Jake Locker | KD | CB Davon House, New Mexico St | 4-3 DE, 4-3 MLB, CB, QB, WR, OG, |
| 50 | San Diego | LB Akeem Ayers | OCC | WR Leonard Hankerson, Miami | 3-4 DE, 3-4 OLB, FS, CB, WR, OT |
| 51 | Tampa Bay | CB Brandon Harris | OCC | RB Mikel LeShoure, Illinois | 4-3 DE, 4-3 MLB, FS, CB, OG, LOT, 4-3 OLB, ROT, TE, OC, WR |
| 52 | NY Giants | OT Tyron Smith | KD | C Brandon Fusco, Slippery Rock | C, RB, OT, 4-3 OLB, SS, CB |
| 53 | Indianapolis | OT Nate Solder | Rabble | DT Drake Nevis, LSU | 4-3 DT, 4-3 OLB, FS, CB, WR, OG, OC, OT |
| 54 | Philadelphia | CB Jimmy Smith | Rabble | OL Jason Pinkston, Pittsburgh | CB, OG, 4-3 DE, 4-3 OLB, 4-3 MLB, SS, OT |
| 55 | Kansas City | OT Anthony Castonzo | KD | LB Jabaal Sheard, Pittsburgh | 3-4 DT, WR, OC, ROT, 3-4 OLB, RB, 3-4 SLB, |
| 56 | New Orleans | DE Adrian Clayborn | OCC | RB Ryan Williams, Va Tech | RB, 4-3 DT, 4-3 DE, CB, 4-3 OLB |
#41 Washington selects WR Torrey Smith, Maryland
Rabble's Take: Washington looks at the board and sees good players at several positions of need: two top OGs are available in Danny Watkins and Jason Pinkston, and there are several good WRs on the board as well. I decided Mike Shanahan could find the kind of smaller, quicker interior O-line players he needs later in the draft (as well as the running back he's looking for), and opted to select from the array of wideouts: Titus Young, Leonard Hankerson, Torrey Smith. Ultimately, I chose Smith over Young, a waterbug type, and Hankerson, a tall, possession type, because I thought that Smith possessed the best combination of size and game-breaking speed.
#52 NY Giants select C Brandon Fusco, Slippery Rock
KD'S Take: Taking a page out of the San Francisco 49ers 2010 draft playbook, the Giants fix their offensive line woes in one fell swoop. Fusco is a small school prospect and yes, this pick will be considered as much as a two-round reach by some of the experts. However, this GM sees how he only went to Division II because he came out of high school at 240 lbs. This GM sees how he owned every Div II lineman award and thinks the Giants just picked up a pro bowl center.
#54 Philadelphia selects OL Jason Pinkston, Pittsburgh
Rabble's Take: As everybody knows, Andy Reid likes to build his teams from the lines back. Last year, he addressed multiple spots on the defensive line; this year, its time to work on shoring up an O-line that contributed to both Kevin Kolb and Michael Vick getting beat up. They tab Pinkston, a huge, powerful lineman with surprisingly good feet. He played tackle in college, but, with this height and arm length figures to move inside to guard.