LTSBlog's 2011 NFL Mock Draft 1.0 (11-15)

Contuing on our 2011 NFL Mock Draft of the first round from a couple days ago (you can see picks 1-10 here), here is our mock draft with picks 11-20. Please note these picks are not factoring in any possible trades:

11. Houston Texans 6-10 (team needs: CB, WR, DE, DT) - Marcell Dareus, DT Alabama
The Texans most glaring need is at cornerback where they were repeatedly shredded last season and they are praying that one of the top 3 DBs falls to them here. But in this scenario are 3 are off the board, leaving Houston to address it's next biggest need which is their defensive line. Dareus has excellent size and speed and can play on the end if needed and he's an excellent pass rusher to compliment Mario Williams.

12. Minnesota Vikings 6-10 (team needs: QB, DE, WR) - J.J. Watt, DE Wiscounsin
As the Brett Favre experience has finally come to an end (we think) the Vikings top need is a quarterback to keep defenses honest instead of stacking the line of scrimmage to stop Adrian Peterson, but none of the QBs left are worth this high of a pick. Best option would be to get a pass rusher to compliment Jared Allen and Watt fits the bill perfectly.

13. Detroit Lions 6-10 (team needs: S, OL, WR) - Nate Solder, OT Colorado
Biggest need for the Lions is in the secondary but no one on the board is a top-15 pick in my opinion. They have a solid nucleus offensively with Matthew Stafford, Jahvid Best and Calvin Johnson so picking Solder to fill in at LT and protect Stafford would definitely serve Detroit well. Solder has legit size and excellent athleticism for the position. Good safe, value pick for a much improved Lions squad.

14. St. Louis Rams 7-9 (teams needs: WR, CB, LB) - Julio Jones, WR Alabama
The Rams hit the jackpot with Sam Bradford last season and the rookie was able to have a nice season with limited weapons in the passing game. St. Louis would be well served to take Jones at this spot and give Bradford a legit #1 receiving option. Jones is a beast of a wide receiver with excellent size and above average speed. Jones and 2nd year receiver Denario Alexander could form a great WR combo for years to come.

15. Miami Dolphins 7-9 (team needs: WR, RB, QB, DE) - Adrian Clayborn, DE Iowa
The best option here would be to draft a QB for the future since Chad Henne has been up & down so far in his young career. Some would opt for Cam Newton here but I think Henne should get one more season to prove himself. Clayborn is a very good defensive end that is good at rushing the passer and also solid in run defense.

16. Jacksonville Jaguars 8-8 (team needs: QB, CB, WR, DE) - Cam Newton, QB Auburn
David Garrard is aging and inconsistent so Jacksonville would be wise to draft Newton and allow him a season to develop. They could use another pass rusher with Aaron Kampman getting up there in age but I don't think any of the remaining DEs are a better fit than Newton, and he would be a great pick for PR purposes and keep fans excited about the future. That's if the Jaguars remain in Jacksonville.

17. New England Patriots 14-2 (teams needs: WR, CB, DE, DT) - Aldon Smith, DE/LB Missouri
New England is coming off of a league-best 14-2 season but they could stand to get younger along their defensive line. The Patriots are masters at getting max value out of their draft picks and Aldon Smith can play some linebacker and defensive end in their scheme. He is also a good character player, which is valued by New England's staff.

18. San Diego Chargers 9-7 (team needs: WR, DE, S) - Rahim Moore, S UCLA
The Chargers were more of a complete team than their 9-7 record indicates. As with most teams in the NFL you can never have enough pass rushers, but I feel that Moore will be a lot better pro than most are giving him credit for. He's slightly undersized for safety but has the frame to add more strength. Call this my sleeper pick for the first round.

19. New York Giants 10-6 (team needs: RB, OL, DT) - Tyron Smith, OT USC
The Giants need to invest in keeping Eli Manning upright and Tyron Smith has the tools to develop into an upper class left tackle. He can learn the ropes in his first season while David Diehl holds down the spot. The Giants can go in a number of directions here and Smith presents good value.

20. Tampa Bay Bucaneers 10-6 (team needs: DE, S, LT) - Cameron Jordan, DE California
Tampa Bay needs better pass rushing as they only generated 26 sacks last season. Cameron Jordan has a ton of talent but also comes with some character red flags, but Bucs coach Raheem Morris may be able to get through to him just as he did with LeGarrette Blount. This high risk, high reward pick could pay great dividends for a Bucs team that will be in contention for many years to come.

Check Back Monday for picks 21-32.

-ALR

Video: NFL Draft Prospect Cam Newton Works Out For Media

Cam Newton stands to make himself a lot of money. The Heisman Trophy winner and BCS champion is definitely marketable (Cecil Newton knows all about that). Newton held a workout in San Diego for the media on Feb. 11th and CBS Sports' Bryan Fischer caught some video of the event for us all to evaluate/critic. Take a look:



I'll say this; Cam looks very solid in the workout. But the same can be said for almost all prospects in this type of setting. These workouts are tailored to make the kid look good. Here's the thing; Cam Newton's talent has never been question. He has excellent size for an NFL quarterback at 6'6, 250 so he definitely looks the part. He's also fast and extremely mobile and can makes plays out of the pocket that most QB's can't. Newton also possesses a legit NFL arm. Another desirable quality of Newton is that he has shown he's a winner by leading Auburn to a few victories late last season. So there is definitely a lot to like from Newton as a prospect.

A big question regarding Newton is how he would adjust to NFL defensive schemes as he primarily ran a spread offense at Auburn, utilizing short passes and zone reads that allowed Cam to exploit running lanes. NFL defenses are a lot more complex. Can he read coverages quickly enough to accurately get the ball to his receivers at the next level? Will Cam hang in the pocket long enough to allow his receivers to get open before deciding to take off and run? These are things I would need reassurance on before I spend a first round draft pick on Cam.

There are also some character red flags. Newton was in trouble with the law back in his Florida days, most steaming from a stolen laptop that somehow ended up in his possession. Then after a stint at juco, there was the highly publicized recruiting fiasco, where Cam's father Cecil was allegedly soliciting cash payments for his son's commitment. Maybe Cecil was getting a head start and brushing up his agent skills. Who knows. In his defense Cam handled the media attention admirably and appears to be a good kid so the red flags here might not be as big of a concern as they initially appear.

With all of that said, I believe Cam Newton will be a very good NFL quarterback. I would compare him to Randall Cunningham or a pre-injury Daunte Culpepper. As long as he can stay focused on his playing career and avoid distractions (his father, endorsements, the limelight) he can be a good pick for a team in the latter half of the first round.

-ALR

DT Nick Fairley To Enter NFL Draft

According to ESPN's Joe Schad, Auburn star defensive tackle Nick Fairley will skip his senior season and enter the NFL Draft. The 6'5, 298 kid from Mobile, AL projects as one of the top prospects and joins quarterback Cam Newton as early draft entries fresh off of from Auburn's National Championship team, which Fairley flashed much of his formidable talents while dominating Oregon's offensive line.

The Carolina Panthers hold the draft's top pick and could use the disruptive DT on their front line, but the last time a defensive tackle went #1 overall was Dan Wilkinson back in '94. Fairley has also been rumored to be a dirty player and a bit immature, but talent such as his may be hard to pass on. Think a slightly taller and less quick version of Warren Sapp. This past season Fairley accumulated 12 sacks from the DT position, which is no easy feat.

Defensive minded Ron Rivera was recently named the Panthers head coach so expect Carolina to take a serious look at Fairley. Either way, Nick is set to make a ton of money.

-ALR

Heisman Winner Cam Newton Will Enter NFL Draft

This was a no-brainer. Last night, Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton announced that he will skip his senior season and enter the NFL draft. Newton led Auburn to their first BCS championship this past season while putting up 2854 passing yards and 30 TD's and 1473 with 20 TDs on the ground.

The 6'6, 250 lb junior college transfer does not come without baggage, as he was under well-documented scrutiny by the NCAA for his father Cecil Newton allegedly shopping his son's eligibility to Mississippi St. for about $180,000. I guess Cecil was looking to get an early return on investment for Cam and working on his negotiation skills. With a pop like that, who needs an agent?

Cam began his college career as Tim Tebow's backup at Florida before leaving the school in 2008 after being arrested for possession of a stolen laptop. The charges in the case were subsequently dropped and Newton spent the 2009 football season playing (and rapping) for Blinn Junior College in TX.

While Newton has excellent size and measurables for an NFL quarterback, he will definitely need time to develop his passing skills and ability to read coverages as he played in a spread offense at Auburn. Cam wasn't asked to take many snaps under center and will need to work on his footwork leading up to the draft. He has deceptive speed, a strong arm and is a proven winner, many of the same qualities/deficiencies as Tebow when he entered the draft and so far he has turned out OK for the Broncos.

Right now I would say Newton is a 2nd rounder with a chance to go late in the first round to a team with an established QB that will allow Cam a chance to develop. Of course with quite a few teams needing quaterbacks early in the draft he has a shot to go mid first round.

And if Cecil has anything to do with it, expect to see Cammy Cam Juice on your local super market shelves sooner than later.

-ALR