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It's time for Version Two of the NFL First Round Mock. The approach for this exercise was to assign picks based on personal preference, instead of combining gathered information with opinions. The Dallas pick is going away from the direction most mock drafts have the team going. In this scenario, a high prospect makes his way down the board to the number 9 spot and Dallas quickly snaps him up. If this scenario were to play out on April 28th, this might be the best scenario for the Cowboys to gain a bounty for the right to select this player.
Here's a look at the top 10, follow the jump for the entire first round and a quick blurb about each pick.
| Draft Pick | Team | Pick |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carolina | QB Cam Newton |
| 2 | Denver | DT Marcel Dareus |
| 3 | Buffalo | LB Von Miller |
| 4 | Cincinnati | QB Blaine Gabbert |
| 5 | Arizona | CB Patrick Peterson |
| 6 | Cleveland | WR AJ Green |
| 7 | San Francisco | LB Robert Quinn |
| 8 | Tennessee | WR Julio Jones |
| 9 | Dallas | DE Nick Fairley |
| 10 | Washington | LB Aldon Smith |
| Draft Pick | Team | 2010 Record | Team Needs | Pick | Explanation | Pick from v1.0 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carolina | (2-14) | 4-3 DT, 4-3 DE, WR1, WR2, WR3, CB | QB Cam Newton | Sticking with Newton, new regime, new quarterback. | Newton |
| 2 | Denver | (4-12) | 4-3 DT, 4-3 DE, FS, SS, 4-3 OLB, 4-3 ILB, TE, ROT | DT Marcel Dareus | Someone is trading up here for Gabbert, but Denver targets the D line if they stay put | Dareus |
| 3 | Buffalo | (4-12) | Everything except RB and WR, Kitchen Sink | LB Von Miller | A hybrid player for a hybrid defense | Fairley |
| 4 | Cincinnati | (4-12) | QB, 4-3 DT, WR, 4-3 DE, FS, 4-3 MLB, OG, OC | QB Blaine Gabbert | Cincy's top QB prospect falls to them with a no trade clause | Gabbert |
| 5 | Arizona | (5-11) | QB, 3-4 OLB, CB, OG, LOT | CB Patrick Peterson | Arizona snaps up the best player in the draft | Miller |
| 6 | Cleveland | (5-11) | 4-3 DE, 4-3 OLB, 4-3 MLB, WR, FS, CB | WR AJ Green | Cleveland gives Colt McCoy his toy | Green |
| 7 | San Francisco | (6-10) | 3-4 DT, 3-4 OLB, CB, OC, QB | LB Robert Quinn | San Fran puts Quinn outside of Willis, watch out | Quinn |
| 8 | Tennessee | (6-10) | QB, CB, 4-3 DE, 4-3 OLB, 4-3 MLB | WR Julio Jones | Kenny Britt's arrest catapults WR up their need list | Peterson |
| 9 | Dallas | (6-10) | ROT, FS, OG, SS, CB, SILB, WILB, 3-4 DE, 3-4 OLB | DE Nick Fairley | All circuits are busy, Cowboys fielding offers like crazy in this scenario. This pick makes the entire defense better instantaneously. | Smith |
| 10 | Washington | (6-10) | QB,RB, WR, OG, OC, 3-4DT, 3-4 OLB, FS, CB | LB Aldon Smith | Washington bookends Orakpo and looks QB in the 2nd round | Locker |
| 11 | Houston | (6-10) | 3-4 DE, 3-4 DT, 3-4 OLB, FS, CB | DE Cam Jordan | Houston snaps up the 3-4 cog for Wade Phillips | Jordan |
| 12 | Minnesota | (6-10) | QB, WR, 4-3 DT, 4-3 DE, FS, LOT, OG, | DE Da'Quan Bowers | Minny takes a gamble on the sliding Bowers to take the reigns from Allen | Bowers |
| 13 | Detroit | (6-10) | CB, 4-3 OLB, MLB, ROT, OG, WR | OT Tyron Smith | Detroit pretends like it wants Matt Stafford to survive | Amukamara |
| 14 | St. Louis | (7-9) | WR, 4-3 DR, 4-3 OLB, 4-3 DE, FS, CB, OG, OC, SS | CB Prince Amukamara | St Louis takes the Nebraska CB to rebuild their secondary | Jones |
| 15 | Miami | (7-9) | QB, 3-4 OLB, SS, OC, OG, 3-4 MLB, RB, WR | QB Jake Locker | I'm telling you, Jake Locker's first round grade has resurfaced with a vengeance. | Ingram |
| 16 | Jacksonville | (8-8) | 4-3 DE, 4-3 MLB, CB, QB, WR, OG, | DE Ryan Kerrigan | Big motor, Jack Del Rio's type of guy | Kerrigan |
| 17 | New England | (14-2) | 3-4 DE, 3-4 OLB, CB, RB, WR, OG, OT | DE JJ Watt | Bleh. | Watt |
| 18 | San Diego | (9-7) | 3-4 DE, 3-4 OLB, FS, CB, WR, OT | OT Anthony Castonzo | Castonzo will be a big help in protecting Rivers | Smith |
| 19 | NY Giants | (10-6) | C, RB, OT, 4-3 OLB, SS, CB | RB Mark Ingram | $#!+. | Castonzo |
| 20 | Tampa Bay | (10-6) | 4-3 DE, 4-3 MLB, FS, CB, OG, LOT, 4-3 OLB, ROT, TE, OC, WR | DE Adrian Clayborn | TB gets some pressure next to Gerald McCoy | Harris |
| 21 | Kansas City | (10-6) | 3-4 DT, WR, OC, ROT, 3-4 OLB, RB, 3-4 SLB, | OT Gabe Carimi | KC works on their line for Cassel Charles and McCluster | Taylor |
| 22 | Indianapolis | (10-6) | 4-3 DT, 4-3 OLB, FS, CB, WR, OG, OC, OT | DT Corey Liguet | Indy needs help collapsing the middle so Mathis and Freeney can work | Liuget |
| 23 | Philadelphia | (10-6) | CB, OG, 4-3 DE, 4-3 OLB, 4-3 MLB, SS, OT | CB Brandon Harris | Double $#!+. | Smith |
| 24 | New Orleans | (11-5) | RB, 4-3 DT, 4-3 DE, CB, 4-3 OLB | DT Muhammad Wilkerson | 315 lbs to help stop the runs up the middle | LeShoure |
| 25 | Seattle | (7-9) | QB, 4-3 DT, CB, WR, OT, OG | QB Ryan Mallet | This is really Philly's pick (Kolb trade) and would be Danny Watkins- but Seattle gets their QB | Mallet |
| 26 | Baltimore | (12-4) | WR, OT, CB, FS, SS, OG, TE, | OT Derrek Sherrod | I'm starting to get on the target Sherrod band wagon, I can see the argument. | Carimi |
| 27 | Atlanta | (13-3) | 4-3 DE, CB, WR, OT, TE, RB | CB Jimmy Smith | Atlanta takes the athletic Colorado corner | Clayborn |
| 28 | New England | (14-2) | 3-4 DE, 3-4 OLB, CB, RB, WR, OG, OT | OG Danny Watkins | Bleh, take deux. | Pouncey |
| 29 | Chicago | (11-5) | 4-3 DT, C, SS, WR, OG, OT, | DT Stephen Paea | My favorite mock pick- I love this union. | Paea |
| 30 | NY Jets | (11-5) | OT, 3-4 DT, 3-4 DE, 3-4 OLB, FS, SS | NT Phil Taylor | Taylor makes it down to the Jets in this scenario. | Wilkerson |
| 31 | Pittsburgh | (12-4) | CB, OG, OT, WR, 3-4 ILB, FS, SS, 3-4 DT, 3-4 DE | OT Nate Solder | Roethlisberger gets some help on that battered line. | Wilson |
| 32 | Green Bay | (10-6) | 3-4 OLB, CB, OT, OC | C Mike Pouncey | GB gives Rodgers room to step up for the next 10 years | Houston |