Bob LeGere’s final NFL Mock Draft
By Bob LeGere
rlegere@dailyherald.com
The projection here for Thursday’s NFL draft is that eight defensive ends and seven offensive linemen will come off the board in the first round but only three quarterbacks, and just one running back.
Some NFL experts, however, are predicting as many as six quarterbacks will be selected in the first round.
On my NFL Mock Draft board here, nine of the top 10 picks and a total of 17 first-round picks are underclassmen. Alabama and Auburn both have two players in the top 10.
Bob LeGere’s 2011 NFL Mock Draft
1. Carolina Panthers — QB Cam Newton, Auburn*
2. Denver Broncos — DT Marcell Dareus, Alabama*
3. Buffalo Bills — OLB Von Miller, Texas A&M
4. Cincinnati Bengals — WR A.J. Green, Georgia*
5. Arizona Cardinals — QB Blaine Gabbert, Missouri*
6. Cleveland Browns — WR Julio Jones, Alabama*
7. San Francisco 49ers — CB Patrick Peterson, LSU*
8. Tennessee Titans — DT Nick Fairley, Auburn*
9. Dallas Cowboys — OT Tyron Smith, USC*
10. Washington Redskins — DE Robert Quinn, North Carolina*
11. Houston Texans — CB Prince Amukamara, Nebraska
12. Minnesota Vikings – QB Jake Locker, Washington
13. Detroit Lions – DE Da’quan Bowers, Clemson*
14. St. Louis Rams — OT Anthony Castonzo, Boston College
15. Miami Dolphins — RB Mark Ingram, Alabama*
16. Jacksonville Jaguars – DE Aldon Smith, Missouri*
17. New England Patriots (from Oakland) — DE J.J. Watt, Wisconsin*
18. San Diego Chargers — DE Cameron Jordan, California
19. New York Giants – DT Corey Liuget, Illinois*
20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers — DE Ryan Kerrigan, Purdue
21. Kansas City Chiefs — OG/C Mike Pouncey, Florida
22. Indianapolis Colts — OT Gabe Carimi, Wisconsin
23. Philadelphia Eagles – CB Brandon Harris, Miami*
24. New Orleans Saints — DE Adrian Clayborn, Iowa
25. Seattle Seahawks — OT Nate Solder, Colorado
26. Baltimore Ravens — DL Muhammad Wilkerson, Temple*
27. Atlanta Falcons — OG Danny Watkins, Baylor
28. New England Patriots — OLB Justin Houston, Georgia*
29. Chicago Bears — OT Derek Sherrod, Mississippi State
30. New York Jets — NT Phil Taylor, Baylor
31. Pittsburgh Steelers — CB Jimmy Smith, Colorado
32. Green Bay Packers — DE Cameron Heyward, Ohio State
*denotes underclassman
Follow Bob’s Bears reports via Twitter @BobLeGere and check out his Bear Essentials blog at dailyherald.com.