Charles Davis NFL Net: Horrible Mock

Mock draft: Underclassmen dominate top 10 picks

By Charles Davis NFL Network

With the official list of eligible underclassmen released Wednesday and the East-West Shrine Game coming up Saturday (3 p.m. ET, NFL Network), it's time to start the conversation around which players could or should be drafted in the first round.
East-West Shrine Game on NFL Network:
On Saturday, Jan. 22, NFL stars of tomorrow compete in the 2011 East-West Shrine Game in Orlando, Fla. Coverage begins on NFL Network at 3:30 p.m. ET.

While NFL scouting departments have been tracking these guys all season, coaching staffs are just now starting to watch tape, read reports and get in-person looks.

Below is quick first pass at trying to match up an NFL team's draft position, drafting style and needs with a college player's projected NFL position and readiness, along with his perceived draft value at this point in the evaluation process. Things will change -- sometimes dramatically -- as the process moves along the Path to Primetime (NFL Draft, April 28-30, NFL Network).

* Underclassman are marked with an asterisk.

1. Carolina Panthers (2-14) -- Da'Quan Bowers*, DE, Clemson

2. Denver Broncos (4-12) -- Patrick Peterson*, CB, LSU

3. Buffalo Bills (4-12) -- Robert Quinn*, DE, North Carolina

4. Cincinnati Bengals (4-12) -- Nick Fairley*, DT, Auburn

5. Arizona Cardinals (5-11) -- Blaine Gabbert*, QB, Missouri

6. Cleveland Browns (5-11) -- A.J. Green*, WR, Georgia

7. San Francisco 49ers (6-10) -- Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska

8. Tennessee Titans (6-10) -- Marcell Dareus*, DT, Alabama

9. Dallas Cowboys (6-10) -- Tryon Smith*, OT, Southern California

10. Washington Redskins (6-10) -- Cam Newton*, QB, Auburn

11. Houston Texans (6-10) -- Cameron Jordan, DE, California

12. Minnesota Vikings (6-10)-- Aldon Smith*, DE, Missouri

13. Detroit Lions (6-10) -- Gabe Carimi, OT, Wisconsin

14. St. Louis Rams (7-9) -- Julio Jones*, WR, Alabama

15. Miami Dolphins (7-9) -- Mark Ingram*, RB, Alabama

16. Jacksonville Jaguars (8-8) -- Jimmy Smith, CB, Colorado

17. New England Patriots (from Oakland Raiders, 8-8) -- J.J. Watt*, DE, Wisconsin

18. San Diego Chargers (9-7) -- Von Miller, OLB, Texas A&M

19. New York Giants (10-6) -- Anthony Costanzo, OT, Boston College

20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-6) -- Adrian Clayborn, DE, Iowa

21. Kansas City Chiefs (10-6) -- Ryan Kerrigan, DE, Purdue

22. Indianapolis Colts (10-6) -- Drake Nevis, DT, LSU

23. Philadelphia Eagles (10-6) -- Aaron Williams*, CB, Texas

24. New Orleans Saints (11-5) -- Ryan Mallett*, QB, Arkansas

25. Seattle Seahawks (7-9) -- Stephen Paea, DT, Oregon State

26. Baltimore Ravens (12-4) -- Brandon Harris*, CB, Miami (Fla.)

27. Atlanta Falcons (13-3) -- Allen Bailey, DL, Miami (Fla.)

28. New England Patriots (14-2) -- Akeem Ayers*, OLB, UCLA

Note: The draft order for the final four teams will be determined by the outcome of the championship games this weekend and the Super Bowl. These picks are listed in inverse order of regular-season record:

» Green Bay Packers (10-6) -- Nate Solder, OT, Colorado

» New York Jets (11-5) -- Rodney Hudson, OG, Florida State

» Chicago Bears (11-5) -- Derek Sherrod, OT, Mississippi State

» Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4) -- Cameron Heyward, DE, Ohio State

It wasn't all that horrible to me.

I can't envision a scenario where Fairley falls to 4. He'd have to do something stupid to not go top 2.

Quinn is the wild card in this draft. I don't think it's unreasonable to have him at 3. You're talking about a guy who could have been the first pick overall without the suspension and could easily prove to be the best overall player in this class when it's all said and done.

I would run, not walk, his name up to the commish should he fall to 9.

A team with a huge need on the Ol taking the best O-Lineman available? That is horrible.

cmd34 said:

A team with a huge need on the Ol taking the best O-Lineman available? That is horrible.

Keep reading...

I don't like the idea of taking a OL that isn't even NFL ready with the #9 pick...He isn't the best OL available imo.

I rank these guys higher..

Nate Solder
Anthony Castonzo
Derek Sherrod

and maybe just maybe even Gabe Carimi...

Bonecrusher#31 said:

I don't like the idea of taking a OL that isn't even NFL ready with the #9 pick...He isn't the best OL available imo.

I rank these guys higher..

Nate Solder
Anthony Castonzo
Derek Sherrod

and maybe just maybe even Gabe Carimi...

Keep reading...

While I'm not ready to say we will be drafting him, I will say right now that he will be a better NFL player than all 4 of the players you listed.

If Fairly, Bowers, Amukamara, and Peterson, are gone, then I want the Cowboys to draft Paea. I do not believe that Paea will drop nearly as far as Davis is projecting. I think he could be just as disruptive a force as Fairlyh. Fairly just played against tougher competion (SEC). But I wouldn't mind seeing Ratliff at one end and Paea atthe other, with Brent at NT.

Bonecrusher#31 said:

I don't like the idea of taking a OL that isn't even NFL ready with the #9 pick...He isn't the best OL available imo.

I rank these guys higher..

Nate Solder
Anthony Castonzo
Derek Sherrod

and maybe just maybe even Gabe Carimi...

Keep reading...

What makes you think he isnt NFL ready? He actually might be the most NFL ready.

Bonecrusher#31 said:

I don't like the idea of taking a OL that isn't even NFL ready with the #9 pick...He isn't the best OL available imo.

I rank these guys higher..

Nate Solder
Anthony Castonzo
Derek Sherrod

and maybe just maybe even Gabe Carimi...

Keep reading...

I like Smith, but at 9 he's a reach. I agree with you here.

After Jacob Rogers, should we be leery of USC OTs?

LAZARUS_LOGAN said:

After Jacob Rogers, should we be leery of USC OTs?

Keep reading...

Go look at the number of great USC OL's over the yr and get back to us on that.

In Rogers case, if a certain smarter than everyone HC had just listened to his own scouting department, he would have never been picked here.

dbair1967 said:

Go look at the number of great USC OL's over the yr and get back to us on that.

In Rogers case, if a certain smarter than everyone HC had just listened to his owncouting department, he would have never been picked here.

Keep reading...

USC Offensive Line players in the NFL 2010

Taitusi "Deuce" Lutui, G--Cards
Sam Baker, T--Falcons
Drew Radovich, T--Vikes
Charles Brown, T--Saints
Winston Justice, T--Eagles
Nick Howell, T--Titans
Alex Parsons, G--Raiders
Chilo Rachal, G--49ers

Yeah....GREATNESSS !!!! :towel

Cr122 said:

I like Smith, but at 9 he's a reach. I agree with you here.

Keep reading...

And so is Ayers on your mock.

dbair1967 said:

Go look at the number of great USC OL's over the yr and get back to us on that.

In Rogers case, if a certain smarter than everyone HC had just listened to his owncouting department, he would have never been picked here.

Keep reading...

How dare you malign the Great Bill Parcells, who has given us such Olinemen as James Marten, Peterman, Petitti, and E.J. Whitley?