The likely top 16

[Seneschal2]

But assuming your project did hold -- I wouldn't sit around and hope my guy lasted to 17! I'd be working the phones like mad to trade for the last man standing of Jordan and Watt.

The Pats will already have a pre-arranged trading partner lined up -- no time to work the phones. If their targeted player reaches that slot, the two teams complete the agreed upon deal.

Of course, with BB, there always seems to be the three options. Trade up, down, or sit still. Keeps us on our toes -- and the entire NFL too.

 

[Nonentity]

"There has been a trade..."


Millions of Patriots fans edge forwards in their seats...

 

[patchick]

Assuming Carolina or someone trading up doesn't take the prospect they like best. The rumor they want Ponder in the second makes sense for them, but he may require a trade back into the first.

Agreed...there seems to be a widespread feeling in the punditry that all of the juniors are too risky, so every team that needs a QB should wait for Ponder in the 2nd -- presumably joining hands for some kind of 5-way communal draft pick.

I picture this QB draft like one of those bike races where the two riders go as slowly as humanly possible for 90% of the course, then the instant one of them accelerates they both make a mad dash for the finish line. If a couple of QB-needy teams at the top choose to trade down, that could embolden some of the others to wait, too. Then somebody grabs Gabbert and trades start flying.

Or not, of course.

 

[Deus Irae]

Assuming Carolina or someone trading up doesn't take the prospect they like best. The rumor they want Ponder in the second makes sense for them, but he may require a trade back into the first.

Agreed...there seems to be a widespread feeling in the punditry that all of the juniors are too risky, so every team that needs a QB should wait for Ponder in the 2nd -- presumably joining hands for some kind of 5-way communal draft pick.

I picture this QB draft like one of those bike races where the two riders go as slowly as humanly possible for 90% of the course, then the instant one of them accelerates they both make a mad dash for the finish line. If a couple of QB-needy teams at the top choose to trade down, that could embolden some of the others to wait, too. Then somebody grabs Gabbert and trades start flying.

Or not, of course.

I'm loving the QB drama. I want to see 3 of them gone in the top 10, and at least 5 of them gone in the 1st round.

Now, all you lousy NFL teams....

 

[Coach42]

I'm loving the QB drama. I want to see 3 of them gone in the top 10, and at least 5 of them gone in the 1st round.

Now, all you lousy NFL teams....

Seriously if more media types keep hyping Ponder as the guy to get in round two it will only take a couple of good interviews and a nice pro day and some foolish team will jump into the first to grab him.

Just another reason to be thankful for TB. I can't imagine being a fan of a team that doesn't have a quality QB. The 80's/early 90's nearly killed me.

 

[jays52]

If Dallas passes on Watt and I see the scroll on top of the screen on NFL network turn red with "TRADE" I'm going nuts. If suddenly the team logo turn into a flying Elvis I'm going to do a celebratory booty dance. When they take Grant Bolling, G/C from Oswego County Community College I'm going to stroke out.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

If Dallas passes on Watt and I see the scroll on top of the screen on NFL network turn red with "TRADE" I'm going nuts. If suddenly the team logo turn into a flying Elvis I'm going to do a celebratory booty dance. When they take Grant Bolling, G/C from Oswego County Community College I'm going to stroke out.

No kidding! Grant Bolling rules! :rocker:

 

[patchick]

No kidding! Grant Bolling rules! :rocker:

The Boll-Weevil! Boring holes in defensive lines across the Greater Finger Lakes Conference!

 

[dryheat44]

The Boll-Weevil! Boring holes in defensive lines across the Greater Finger Lakes Conference!

Those matches against SUNY - Environmental Science & Forestry were epic!

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

those matches against suny - environmental science & forestry were epic!

t-i-m-b-e-r!!!!!!!!

 

[Ochmed Jones]

Seriously if more media types keep hyping Ponder as the guy to get in round two it will only take a couple of good interviews and a nice pro day and some foolish team will jump into the first to grab him.

Just another reason to be thankful for TB. I can't imagine being a fan of a team that doesn't have a quality QB. The 80's/early 90's nearly killed me.

What is Locker available at #33? Is there a team or two or three that will give up their second in 2011 and a first in 2012 for Locker?

BB is going to have a fun night between day 1 and day 2 of the draft.

 

[CTHuskies]

It seems to me that the top 16 look relatively set at this point. (Though by April, I'll doubtless look foolish for saying so.) In alphabetical order:

A.J. Green
Aldon Smith
Blaine Gabbert
Cameron Jordan
Cam Newton
DaQuan Bowers
J.J. Watt
Julio Jones
Marcell Dareus
Nick Fairley
OT #1 TBD
OT #2 TBD
Patrick Peterson
Prince Amukamara
Robert Quinn
Von Miller

Adrian Clayborn probably has the best chance to crash the party; Stephen Paea, Mark Ingram, Jimmy Smith and another QB are long shot possibilities.

Any disagreement? And if not, who the heck do you take at 17? I really don't like that spot at this point. If I'm looking at a choice of Kerrigan, Heyward, Wilkerson and Paea with #17, it's trade time.

Clearly this thread has everyone’s attention! 10 is the right time to start calling if you want to move up. I doubt that the trade up will be worth the price. I agree that the Pats will already have a pre-arranged trading partner lined up, if their targeted player reaches that slot, but I don’t see it happening.

The Pats won't draft these guys because a lot of them they will be off the board by the time they pick! Marcell Dareus should be added to the list and delete Dontay Moch. The Pats won't draft these guys because Condon’s their agent:
J.J Watt
Aldon Smith
Aaron Williams

Akeem Ayers didn’t run as bad as Beal but was close, he’s 3rd round at best.

I agree that BB is going to have a fun night between day 1 and day 2 of the draft!

:rocker:

 

[patchick]

FWIW Wes Bunting has 2 players I didn't name in his top 16...

Mock Draft 2.0 | National Football Post

...CB Brandon Harris and WR Torrey Smith.

Harris I can see. Coming out of the Combine, he rather than Jimmy Smith looks like the clear #3 CB. (All the whispers about Smith's bad attitude, coupled with his very average performance in the drills, drops him from the top-16 race.)

But Torrey "Tiny Hands" Smith to the Dolphins? That seems like a huuuuge stretch, especially with a fan base that's still recovering from the last time they overdrafted a speed receiver.

 

[Sciz]

The Pats won't draft these guys because a lot of them they will be off the board by the time they pick! Marcell Dareus should be added to the list and delete Dontay Moch. The Pats won't draft these guys because Condon’s their agent:
J.J Watt
Aldon Smith
Aaron Williams

Aldon is repped by Ben Dogra (also of CAA), not Tom Condon

 

[convertedpatsfan]

But Torrey "Tiny Hands" Smith to the Dolphins? That seems like a huuuuge stretch, especially with a fan base that's still recovering from the last time they overdrafted a speed receiver.

That seems insane. But wow, I would love for that to happen.

Speaking of the Dolphins, I wonder whose mother Jeff Ireland insulted this year?

 

[mgteich]

Draftek agrees with ALL your 14 named players in their draft as of today. They don't have any OT's in the top 16. Crashing the party are Kerrigan (the 9th DL/OLB) and Smith (CB).

Basically, we would have the choice of Wilkerson, Ingram, ILB Wilson the pick of the OT's or a trade down.

The sad part of this is that anyone trading up would be looking at the same choices as we would, with perhaps the same lack of enthusiasm.

As of now, it looks like BTA to me.

BTW, Draftek has the other possibilities you listed as available in the 2nd round (Paea, Heyward, Clayborne and the next QB).

It seems to me that the top 16 look relatively set at this point. (Though by April, I'll doubtless look foolish for saying so.) In alphabetical order:

A.J. Green
Aldon Smith
Blaine Gabbert
Cameron Jordan
Cam Newton
DaQuan Bowers
J.J. Watt
Julio Jones
Marcell Dareus
Nick Fairley
OT #1 TBD
OT #2 TBD
Patrick Peterson
Prince Amukamara
Robert Quinn
Von Miller

Adrian Clayborn probably has the best chance to crash the party; Stephen Paea, Mark Ingram, Jimmy Smith and another QB are long shot possibilities.

Any disagreement? And if not, who the heck do you take at 17? I really don't like that spot at this point. If I'm looking at a choice of Kerrigan, Heyward, Wilkerson and Paea with #17, it's trade time.

 

[VJCPatriot]

Anything is possible for the Patriots in the first round. Maybe this will be the year they move up to take a blue chipper that they feel really fits their shemes.

FWIW, I was just perusing a Kiper chat from this afternoon, and he responded to a question about what the Patriots would do with their first first round pick by saying that he keeps hearing the Patriots will move up to take A.J. Green. I have to admit that an already potent offense that adds a player of Green's ability will doubtless be extremely formidable.

LOL if you believe the Pats will move up for A.J. Green, I've got some iceboxes in Alaska I'd like to sell ya!

 

[cstjohn17]

As of 3/3 Rang and Reuter both see a scenario that Watt falls to 17
NFL Draft - 2011 Mock Drafts - CBSSports.com - NFLDraftScout.com

One has Mallet in the top 17, the other has Kerrigan and both have Ingram going to Miami.

 

[dryheat44]

FWIW Wes Bunting has 2 players I didn't name in his top 16...

Mock Draft 2.0 | National Football Post

...CB Brandon Harris and WR Torrey Smith.

Harris I can see. Coming out of the Combine, he rather than Jimmy Smith looks like the clear #3 CB. (All the whispers about Smith's bad attitude, coupled with his very average performance in the drills, drops him from the top-16 race.)

But Torrey "Tiny Hands" Smith to the Dolphins? That seems like a huuuuge stretch, especially with a fan base that's still recovering from the last time they overdrafted a speed receiver.

He also has Cam Newton going first overall (possible, I guess), and Paddy Peterson dropping to #8 (no chance). All things considered, not a very good effort.

Of course, I just noticed Rang and Reuter have Newton going first overall. Maybe it's just me, but I can't see a team paying a #1 contract to a guy that has so many issues on the field and off....even if they didn't draft Clausen early last year, who was probably a better prospect than Cam. What's changed in their evaluation of Clausen, other than he looked below average during a lost season with a historically untalented WR corps and offensive line.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

He also has Cam Newton going first overall (possible, I guess), and Paddy Peterson dropping to #8 (no chance). All things considered, not a very good effort.

Of course, I just noticed Rang and Reuter have Newton going first overall. Maybe it's just me, but I can't see a team paying a #1 contract to a guy that has so many issues on the field and off....even if they didn't draft Clausen early last year, who was probably a better prospect than Cam. What's changed in their evaluation of Clausen, other than he looked below average during a lost season with a historically untalented WR corps and offensive line.

I recall the one game I watched with Carolina, Clausen was hitting his receivers in the hands which apparently was a very bad decision on his part.