Mock Draft: The First 44 Picks

Enjoy.

1. Blaine Gabbert, QB, Missouri (Panthers) – Carolina has to take a quarterback to justify the salary of a #1 pick, just as 8 of the previous 10 teams picking #1 have done. Gabbert gets the last-minute edge over Newton because he’s just ever so slightly more of an “NFL ready” quarterback. The truth is, Gabbert actually gets the edge over Newton because Carolina just doesn’t want to trust a black quarterback with an $80 million dollar contract. The Gabbert pick is almost an exact replica of the Lions’ Stafford pick two years ago: a 21 year old kid who wasn’t all that great in college gets insanely lucky because the best QB prospect stayed in school (Bradford in 09, Luck in 11), and despite concerns about accuracy and decision-making and leadership potential, they are made the #1 pick, even though nobody considers him even a top 10 overall prospect in the draft, but because they are considered the best quarterback available, even though someone picked later in the first round (Sanchez in 09, Locker in 11) will end up being the best QB in this draft class.

2. Marcell Dareus, DT, Alabama (Broncos) – Denver has a gaping hole in the middle of the defensive line following the release of DTs Justin Bannan and Jamal Williams. Broncos GM Brian Xanders raves about Dareus’s size and strength. This is the only pick that all three major ESPN Draft analysts (Kiper, McShay, Mayock) agree unanimously on. Dareus can play DT or DE in a 3-4 or a 4-3. He’s just a monster.

3. Von Miller, OLB, Texas A&M (Bills) – A shocker from Buffalo which sets the tone for the draft. They are expected by everybody to take Cam Newton, but they are quietly confident in what they have with quarterbacks Fitzpatrick and Brohm. They need to get a surefire bust-proof player. Von Miller is considered the ‘safest’ pick in 2011, and his dominant presence on the edge will allow wounded Buffalo fans to finally forget about uber-bust Aaron Maybin. This pick is going to be every bit as brilliant as when Houston passed on Reggie Bush to take Mario Williams. Buffalo will try to justify passing on Newton by taking the best QB available in the second round.

4. A.J. Green, WR, Georgia (Bengals) –The “Cam Newton Watch” officially begins in ESPN world. I’m beginning to doubt that Carson will ever play another game for Cincy, but it’s too soon to move on to the next franchise quarterback until they know for sure. They’ll look for a QB in a later round, but can’t pass on a stud like Green, especially as TO departs.

5. Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU (Cardinals) – Cardinals need a CB and Peterson is a once-in-a-decade stud. Easy pick. I can’t see Ken Whisenhunt having any interest in Cam Newton at all.

6. Julio Jones, WR, Alabama (Browns) –Mike Holmgren needs a #1 WR for Colt McCoy, and Jones just had an insane Pro Day workout. Holmgren loves receivers; he drafted 12 receivers during his 9 years in Seattle, more than any other position by far. You can’t run the West Coast offense without a true #1 receiving option, and Cleveland simply doesn’t have one. Jones can be a deep-threat and an over-the-middle threat, and I truly can’t see Holmgren doing anything else with this pick.

7. TRADE – San Fran was hoping for Peterson and they missed him. They wanted Gabbert but not Newton. They don’t like Amukamara enough to take him here. Fortunately, AJ Smith calls just in time, and they trade the pick to San Diego for picks #18 and #82.

7. Robert Quinn, DE, UNC (Chargers) – Smart move by Smith, who needs a 3-4 rush linebacker to replace Merriman. San Diego takes advantage of their stockpile of picks (5 in the first 3 rounds) and trades up for the guy they wanted, just like they did last year with Ryan Matthews.

8. Jake Locker, QB, Washington (Titans)- The headline on ESPN.com quickly becomes “Locker in a Shocker.” Everyone is blown away when Tennessee takes Locker over Newton. Mel Kiper’s head actually explodes on live TV. If this pick seems implausible, consider that Denver took Tebow last year with Claussen on the board. It’s perfectly reasonable. Tennessee needs a quarterback to build around; they have NO ONE. I highly doubt they'll spend this pick on Nick Fairley, as everyone believes. (More on that later) They are going to be one of the worst teams in the NFL next year no matter who they draft, so they might as well bite the bullet and start the rebuilding process with Locker. New head coach Mike Munchak (who, ironically, was drafted with the #8 pick 29 years ago) needs to start rebuilding with some semblance of an offensive identity, and the word on the street is that he is very high on Locker, who has had several private workouts with the Titans. It’s easy to see why owner Bud Adams will pass on Cam Newton. He’s spent the last 5 years in a nightmarish world with Vince Young. Why would he want another scrambling black quarterback who won a national championship? Seems too much like deja vu.

9. Tyron Smith, OT, USC (Cowboys) – We’ve seen this move a bunch of times in recent years: owners give a huge contract to the franchise quarterback, the QB gets hurt, then the owner says, “Oh crap, I better protect this guy.” Romo spent most of last year sidelined with a broken collarbone, and Tyron Smith has evolved into this draft’s marquee tackle prospect.

10. TRADE – Washington doesn’t get any of the players they wanted (Quinn, Locker, Julio Jones), and the next players on their board are DEs who they feel they can still get 7 picks later. So they swap with the Patriots, who have six draft picks in the first three rounds. New England gives up the 17th pick and the 92nd pick to move up to pick 10 and select …

10. Aldon Smith, DE, Missouri (Patriots) – Another somewhat shocker, but Bill Belichick is a seriously smart dude. He knows what’s up. Aldon has consistently climbed draft boards and become the best 3-4 OLB outside of Quinn and Miller. He’s leaped passed guys like Watt and Jordan. Belichick knows that while Aldon might fall past the Texans at 11, he won’t fall past the gauntlet of teams 13-16 who all desire pass rushers. It’s the perfect time to trade up. Genius move.

11. Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska (Texans) – Houston fans are so delusional. Every Texans fan page I’ve been to is obsessed with them drafting Patrick Peterson. Come off it. Unless you plan on trading up, which would probably cost you a second rounder, that’s not happening. But they do need a CB to fix the league’s worst pass defense, and although they don’t want to take CBs in the first round two consecutive years unless PP is on the board, they don’t really have any other options. All the elite pass rushers are gone, and they aren’t going to reach for Jordan or Watt when Amukamara is the best player available, and he fills a major need. It’s that easy. As a Lions fan, this is the part where I give up hope.

12. Cam Newton, QB, Auburn (Vikings) – It’s well known that the Vikings need a quarterback, and their new coach is actively looking for the ‘next Brett Favre.’ I’m sure they have Jake Locker’s name written down on several big boards, but they’ll be shocked to see Newton fall to them at pick 12, and Leslie Frazier will be excited enough to pull the trigger. New coaches love new quarterbacks. Newton wouldn’t be asked to do too much with AP in the backfield. It’s a perfect fit. And not a moment too soon, because Newton might fall out of the first round entirely if Minnesota doesn’t take him.

13. Anthony Castonzo, OT, Boston College (Lions) - With all the Lions’ top targets off the board, (Aldon Smith, Tyron Smith, Amukamara), they’ll do the smart thing and protect their $72 million dollar investment with a left tackle. Castonzo is a 6’7” beast with size, speed, and intelligence (he was a biochemistry major). He’ll play most of 2011 at right tackle, learning the ropes and putting on weight (he needs to gain about 15 pounds to withstand the beating from power rushers), and then he’ll move over to LT to begin the 2012 year. Lions insider Tom Kowalski has been saying all along that if Detroit doesn’t get the defensive player they hope for, Castonzo will be the constellation prize. Fans would love an offensive lineman. This might be a sneaky great pick.

14. JJ Watt, DE, Wisconsin (Rams) – The Rams will try hard to trade up for Julio Jones, but Cleveland is not budging. This decision comes down to Watt and Corey Liuget. Rams’ management has been talking about Liuget for weeks, but it seems like a smokescreen to me. I think they are hoping teams will forget that they are in the market for a pass-rusher, and they’ll be delighted to get Watt, a massive and fast DE/OLB hybrid who could be very versatile in Spagnuolo’s defense.

15. DaQuan Bowers, DE, Clemson (Dolphins) – This pick is a total risk, but I wasn’t sure what other direction to go. We know that Bowers is going to fall because of the knee. Some scouts are afraid he’ll never be able to play in the NFL. Some think he might miss at least the entire 2011 season. But others think he’ll be ready to start the season. Who wants to take the risk on the prospect who was once considered a surefire top 3 pick? My guess is the drama-loving Dolphins. We know they are exploring all their defensive line options, and I was going to mock Nick Fairley here until I read a strange story about how Fairley refused to meet with the Fins’ management because he’s so confident that he’ll be picked in the top 10 (which is exactly why he won’t). But I like Bowers here, because Miami just seems like a team that would roll the dice. This is the ultimate risk-reward pick, but if it pays off and Bowers knee holds up, they just got the steal of the draft and an insanely good defense. They swung for the fences attempting to get Jim Harbaugh and they missed. I think they’ll swing big again here.

16. Ryan Kerrigan, DE, Purdue (Jaguars) – This pick comes down to three options: Kerrigan, Cameron Jordan, and trading down. The Jaguars (and especially their fans) really want a quarterback, and they have no delusions about trading up for one of the top 3 guys. The popular name in Jacksonville is Florida State’s Christian Ponder, a likely second rounder and a local hero who reminds some people of Aaron Rodgers. But this is too soon to select Ponder, and trading back for him isn’t their best option. Instead I think they’ll try to trade up in the second round to grab Ponder ahead of the Bills and Bengals. But for the #16 selection, I think they’ll pick Kerrigan slightly ahead of Jordan, for no other reason than Kerrigan is a better fit for the 4-3. Tough call though. Can you believe that Kerrigan is only the second Big Ten player to be drafted in the top 16?

17. Cameron Jordan, DE, California (Redskins) – Washington traded back from the #10 pick and picked up a third rounder in the process. Now they’ll use this pick to bolster a terrible defensive line. I don’t dislike Jordan for this pick, but I don’t see a lot of impact either. That defense is too much of a mess to be solved in the wake of Haynesworth’s departure. But Jordan can play DE in the 3-4 which fits his skill set perfectly.

18. Andy Dalton, QB, TCU (49ers) – When San Fran missed on Peterson with the 7 pick and traded back, they immediately began the frantic search to find a franchise quarterback for Jim Harbaugh’s new offense. Most people believe that Alex Smith will be back for a couple years to mentor a rookie, which pretty much crushes the idea of Kevin Kolb or Carson Palmer going to San Francisco. There’s no doubt that Harbaugh will take a quarterback in the first two rounds. It’s just a matter of when, and who. Pick #7 would be way to soon to reach for Dalton, but pick #18 makes sense, with plenty of QB-hungry teams coming up at the start of the second round. My hunch is that Harbaugh doesn’t even want Gabbert or Newton. He wants a QB who can move around and throw short passes with pinpoint accuracy. Dalton is a perfect fit. Jake Locker and Christian Ponder are also great fits for Harbaugh’s offense, but Dalton has a stronger arm and is a more proven winner than Ponder, and Locker won’t make it past pick 12. (Note: if Newton and Gabbert both go in the top 5 as most people expect, than San Fran will take Locker with the 7th pick, and San Diego will remain here at 18).

19. Akeem Ayers, OLB, UCLA (Giants) – A lot of people expect the Giants to select an offensive tackle in the first round, but that’s actually not their biggest area of need. They need to find a replacement for 34 year old Keith Bullock, and at 254 pounds Ayers is big enough to play strongside LB in the 4-3.

20. Adrian Clayborn, DE, Iowa (Buccaneers) – Tampa will try to trade up for an elite pass rusher, but San Diego and New England are able to make better offers and thus they get Robert Quinn and Aldon Smith. No sense in trading up for Watt or Kerrigan when Tampa can get a nearly identical prospect in Clayborn. The choice is going to come down to their Clayborn or OLB Justin Houston from Georgia. Clayborn is bigger and better suited for DE in the 4-3. Houston is more of a pure outside linebacker. Clayborn makes more sense for Tampa.

21. TRADE – Kansas City has a zillion enticing options here, and will choose to trade backwards and wait another ten picks or so. They like Carimi and Solder but also plenty of defensive linemen including Temple’s Muhammad Wilkerson and Ohio State’s Cameron Heyward. The team to trade with is Chicago, who desperately needs to address the offensive line and would love to leap in front of the Colts at pick 22 and do so. In exchange the Chiefs get Chicago’s #29 pick and a 3rd rounder.

21. Gabe Carimi, OT, Wisconsin (Bears) – Chicago jumps ahead of the Colts in order to secure their franchise right tackle and protect Jay Cutler. It doesn’t matter, because the Colts wanted …

22. Derek Sherrod, OT, Mississippi State (Colts) – It’s virtually a no-brainer for the Colts to take an offensive lineman and continue to keep Peyton Manning upright. They gave up way too many sacks last year. Colts’ management have been meeting with Sherrod for weeks.

23. Jimmy Smith, CB, Colorado (Eagles) – Sort of an easy pick, but sometimes you don’t want to overthink common sense. Smith is a rising cornerback prospect who has the size and speed to be an elite shutdown corner. He might be in the conversation for the Lions at pick #13, but his ‘character concerns’ have probably knocked him out of the top 15. Speaking of which …

24. Nick Fairley, DT, Auburn (Saints) – I can’t believe how far I have Fairley falling, just months after he was in the running for the #1 pick. A terrible Combine workout and glaring maturity issues have cost Fairley millions of dollars and about 20 spots in the draft. As Miami proves with pick #15, teams would rather have an injury risk than a character risk. Fairley has drawn comparisons to Albert Haynesworth for his dominance on the field and attitude off the field. He takes plays off and has a reputation for being a dirty player. Fairley is most commonly mocked to the Titans with the #8 pick, but I just can’t see Bud Adams taking a player who reminds anybody of Haynesworth, especially in the wake of drama with Pacman Jones, Vince Young, Randy Moss, and now Kenny Britt. The Titans can ill-afford to draft another head-case. They’ll be very happy to take Jake Locker at pick #8 and let Fairley free fall. He’ll find a home in New Orleans, though, who sorely needs to improve the middle of their defensive line and has the veteran leadership in place to cope with a potential nutcase.

25. Muhammad Wilkerson, DT, Temple (Seahawks) – Possibly the steal of the draft thus far. Seattle can’t believe their luck as Wilkerson falls to them. They have the choice between Wilkerson and Corey Liuget from Illinois, but Wilkerson gets the nod because he’s a better fit in Casey Bradley’s 4-3 defense. He’ll fill the gap left by free agent DT Brandon Mebane. Don’t look now, but Seattle is piecing together a half-decent defense.

26. Corey Liuget, DT, Illinois (Ravens) – Baltimore has a lot of appealing options here, but just like last year when they stole Sergio Kindle in the second round, they’ll take the best player available despite their needs for a CB and OT. Aaron Williams from Texas and Cameron Heyward from Ohio State are intriguing, but it’s amazing that Liuget (pronounced ‘legit’) fell this far. He’ll jump right in to the DE spot in the 3-4 defense and replace Cory Redding.

27. Kyle Rudolph, TE, Notre Dame (Falcons) – I tried to mock somebody else here, simply because every mock draft on the planet has Atlanta taking Rudolph and I just wanted to be different. But come on, with Tony Gonzalez nearing retirement and no receiving options behind Roddy White, Rudolph just makes tons of sense here. Tight ends in the first round are rare because they are a luxury for great teams with few needs. Of course, that’s why it was idiotic for Detroit to take Pettigrew three years ago when we could have drafted, oh I don’t know, Clay Matthews!. But Atlanta, unlike the 2008 Lions who went 0-16, is a great team. And Rudolph is considered the best tight end prospect in years. This is a luxury pick that is bound to happen.

28. TRADE – Surely New England won’t just stay here. With the Chiefs and Jets coming up soon and both teams needing interior linemen on the defensive line, Bill Belichick makes a couple calls and finds a suitor in Houston. New England moves back to pick #42 and picks up a third and fourth rounder in 2013.

28. Cameron Heyward, DE, Ohio State (Texans) – The Texans need to keep revamping their defense, and obtaining a powerful pass-rusher in Heyward is a great step. He should plug right in as a 3-4 DE in Wade Phillips’ system.

29. TRADE – The quarterback bonanza begins. With Ponder, Kaepernick, and Mallet still on the board, there are about 6 more teams that are looking for franchise quarterbacks. Many of those teams are drafting near the start of the second round. Let the trading begin. Kansas City traded back to this spot earlier, and now trades back again as they continue to amass picks. They’ll give this pick to the Cardinals, who are more desperate than anybody to find a quarterback. They’re willing to give up next year’s second round pick and a fourth rounder to move up from pick #38 and select …

29. Christian Ponder, QB, Florida State (Cardinals) – Once again, the Jaguars miss their guy. Last year, they wanted Tebow and were foiled when Denver traded up. The same happens this year. Jacksonville just isn’t real smart on draft day. Arizona, on the other hand, finds somebody to replace the poo-poo platter of Max Hall and John Skelton, and gives themselves a chance to keep Larry Fitzgerald happy before he hits the free agent market in 2012. Ponder is the fifth QB taken in the first round.

30. Brooks Reed, OLB, Arizona (Jets) – The Jets claim that they will take the best player available regardless of position. In this case, that would be either Mike Pouncey or Nate Solder, two excellent offensive lineman who should be off the board by now. But Rex Ryan can’t resist the temptation to take a pass rusher. Reed is relentless, fast, and an ideal DE/OLB hybrid in the 3-4 blitz-heavy scheme. Because of his white skin and long blond hair, Reed draws plenty of comparisons to Clay Matthews. He won’t be that good, but he might be a steal at the end of round 1. In fact, I wouldn’t mind seeing the Lions reach for him.

31. Mike Pouncey, G, Florida (Steelers) – Last year, Pittsburgh took Maurice Pouncey with the 18th pick. He was their best offensive lineman, and a Pro Bowl center. This year, they’ll take Pouncey’s younger brother, also from Florida, and create the beginnings of an outstanding offensive line. As a major Steeler-hater, this pick scares me. I really want Pouncey to be gone, but I don’t see it happening. Interior offensive linemen just aren’t coveted. But in Pittsburgh, this will be the most celebrated pick since James Harrison picked off Kurt Warner in Super Bowl XLIII and ran it back 100 yards for the score.

32. Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama (Packers) – This is what happens when there are too many good players in one draft - the Super Bowl champs get a Heisman-winning running back. Green Bay wants to improve its defensive front 7, particularly the DE position, but the prospect of finding a franchise running back is pretty appealing. Ingram would replace the injured Ryan Grant as Green Bay’s power back, allowing Brandon Jackson to play third downs and garbage time. James Starks played admirably for the Packers after Grant got hurt, but not well enough to prevent them from drafting a stud like Ingram. This is a luxury pick for a great team, and it makes them even scarier than they already are.

33. TRADE – With New England on the clock and the next two teams (Buffalo and Cincinnati) looking for quarterbacks, you can be assured of a trade here. Jacksonville is too depressed after losing Ponder to think straight, so Washington beats them to the phones and offers next year’s second round pick to move up 8 spots and grab …

33. Colin Kaepernick, QB, Nevada (Redskins) – A Mike Shanahan dream come true! Kaepernick has an insane 40 time (4.53, faster than Cam Newton) and the perfect skill set for Shanahan’s unique take on the West Coast offense. Shanny likes QB who can throw accurately on the run and outside of the pocket, and that’s exactly what Colin did in the Pistol formation at Nevada. He’s certainly a project player and wouldn’t start on day 1, but we all know how much faith (to a fault) Shanahan has in Rex Grossman. This doesn’t change my belief that Washington will be horrible and pick Andrew Luck #1 overall in 2012, but at least it will be fun to watch Kaepernick scramble around for a few weeks, and then debate all winter about whether Washington likes him enough to not take Luck #1 overall.

34. Nate Solder, OT, Colorado (Bills) – Buffalo could lament about the top six quarterbacks being off the board, and they could overreact by signing the brainless Ryan Mallet. But instead they’ll calmly continue to rebuild by adding the 6’8” monster from Colorado. Solder will play right tackle this year while putting on another 30 pounds in order to play left tackle in 2012. He’s a bargain pick here, and while Bills fans will be ticked that they didn’t pick a quarterback, they should realize how important this pick is to their future. There are simply more teams needing quarterbacks than there are quarterbacks. It’s a bizarre opposite of the 2010 Draft, when nobody wanted Jimmy Claussen. Look for Buffalo to add a guy like Nathan Enderle from Idaho or Greg McElroy from Alabama in the fourth or fifth round.

35. Ryan Mallet, QB, Arkansas (Bengals) – This might be a stretch, but I could see Marvin Lewis overreacting to the insane run on quarterbacks and securing the only potential starter left. Cincinnati probably feels pretty confident in their defense (at least compared to their offense) and will take the gamble on Mallet. His talent is certainly there; he might have a better NFL arm than anybody in this draft, including Gabbert. He can, as the scouts say, “make all the throws.” But the primary concerns are his intelligence, his leadership potential, and his accuracy. Mainly his intelligence. As in, most people think he’s on crack. Literally.

36. Justin Houston, DE, Georgia (Broncos) – After landing Dareus in the first round, Denver continues to fix its defense by adding the best passer rusher available. In John Fox’s new 4-3, Houston will play defensive end opposite Elvis Dumervil, and with Dareus now in the middle, that could be a dominant defensive line. If they can just keep Champ Bailey from leaving, Denver might improve from the NFL’s worst defense to a top 15 unit. That’s a big if.

37. Marvin Austin, DT, UNC (Browns) – Cornerback is still an issue to be resolved, but Mike Holmgren loves to collect big defensive linemen, and Austin is a top 10 talent who fell this far because of character concerns. He missed the entire 2010 college season because of a NCAA suspension, but his obvious skills have helped him skyrocket up draft boards over the past several months. He might even be picked ahead of Wilkerson and Liuget, though most teams will be worried about his character. Cleveland doesn’t have that luxury.

38. Phil Taylor, NT, Baylor (Chiefs) – After trading back twice and collecting three picks in the process, Kansas City gets the guy they almost picked in the first round anyway. Taylor is a prototypical 3-4 nosetackle, which is probably the biggest need for KC. At 335 pounds and 6’3”, Taylor will plug up the middle and allow the talented KC playmakers (Eric Berry, Tamba Hali, Derrick Johnson) to go to work. This is another defense that is quickly becoming good.

39. Allen Bailey, DE, Miami (Titans) – After securing Jake Locker with the 8th pick, the attention now shifts to the defense. Bailey is a pass rusher who could supplant free agent Jason Babin once he departs.

40. Aaron Williams, CB, Texas (Cowboys) – Jerry Jones can’t keep his mouth shut. All winter he’s been yapping about how he doesn’t need to improve the secondary. Of course, everybody knows that’s code for “We need a corner BAD.” Somehow, he gets lucky and Williams falls to the Boys at pick 40. They could have chosen Brandon Harris from Miami instead, but they need a safety too, and Williams has the flexibility to play either position. Great news for the Lions, who would love to land Harris.

41. Ben Ijalana, G, Villanova (Patriots) – Unable to find a suitable trading partner, New England is forced to make a pick here. Having already addressed the pass rush with Aldon Smith in the first round, they find a potential replacement for retired RG Stephen Neal in Ijalana, a left tackle in college but a future guard in the NFL. He’s about as quick as a 320 pound man can be, and fits the Belichick mold as a smart, team-driven player.

42. Stephen Paea, NT, Oregon (Texans) – With Detroit just two picks away, the Brandon Harris watch is on. Fortunately, Houston took a CB in the first round, and now needs to find a nosetackle for the new 3-4. Paea is a popular choice to the Texans by just about everybody. It makes perfect sense. Let’s not overthink it, it’s almost 11pm.

43. Jonathan Baldwin, WR, Pittsburgh (Vikings) – Sidney Rice is an unrestricted free agent, Percy Harvin struggles from migraines, and Bernard Berrian is dead (metaphorically). Minnesota needs somebody for Cam Newton to throw the ball to, particularly in the red zone. The 6’5” Baldwin has the size and hands to be a dominant NFL receiver, but his speed is just average. They said the same thing about Larry Fitzgerald when he was coming out of Pitt. We’ll see.

44. Brandon Harris, CB, Miami (Lions) – With Costanzo in the first round, Detroit now must address the secondary. We can’t wait until the third round like we did last year. Amari Spievey didn’t exactly light up the field. But Harris has first-round talent, and could mature into a true shutdown corner. His height isn’t ideal, but he makes up for it with instincts and athleticism. He could become the best Detroit cornerback since Dre Bly.



There you have it. 44 picks, at least 3 of which are bound to be accurate. Here are a couple quick footnotes:

I realize that Cam Newton is probably going to go 1st, and that will throw off my entire mock draft. But I just don't want to accept it. It's insanity. It's sheer foolishness.

However, if Newton does go #1, Gabbert will go either 3, 4, 5, or 7, Locker will be gone by 10, and Dalton/Ponder will be both gone by 16. It will mess up everything I just worked on for hours. So let's just hope Carolina takes Gabbert.

If you're wondering who I think teams actually SHOULD pick, that's a whole different story. Let's just say I wouldn't have Newton or Gabbert in the first round. It's a good thing I'm not an NFL GM, because I would be fired. Either that or I'd win the Super Bowl every year. I'm not sure which.

Lastly, I just want to reiterate a few things:

-Tim Tebow still stinks.
-Let's not buy into the Jim Schwartz or Matthew Stafford hype until they win a few games.
-The Spurs are about to lose in the first round.
-My wife is pregnant.