The teams picking from 11-20, aside from the New England Patriots, fell short of the postseason in 2010, but have the assets of a contender. Can these franchises draft the talent to push them to the next level? by Alex Onuscho
The cream of the crop should now be gone, so who's next on the GM's draft boards? Nine fringe teams - and the New England Patriots - hope to make the pick that will push them to the 2011 postseason.
11-Houston Texans-With a potent offense that includes Andre Johnson, Arian Foster, and Matt Schaub, it’s no surprise that the Texans’ problems reside on the other side of the ball. Much like last year, the biggest area of concern remains the secondary, which gave up an embarrassing 267.5 yards per game through the air (bad enough to be ranked last in the league). Houston could sign free agent Nnamdi Asomugha or trade up to draft Patrick Peterson from LSU, but Prince Amukamara would be a smart option at this pick.
Selection: Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska
12-Minnesota Vikings- The Brett Favre era in Minnesota is officially over. Wait, it’s not. Wait, it is. Wait, it probably is. Regardless, the Vikings need a quarterback. By this point, however, both Cam Newton and Blaine Gabbert should have already been selected, and general manager Rick Spielman may not have enough firepower to trade up. The Vikes may wait until the second round to draft a QB and instead draft a player to bolster the defense. With both Pat Williams and Ray Edwards expected to play elsewhere next season, the Vikings having glaring holes to fill on the defensive line.
Selection: Cameron Jordan, DE, California
13-Detroit Lions- After many years of disappointment, the Lions finally have the look of a team on the rise. Studs can be found on both sides of the ball, including defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh and wide receiver Calvin Johnson aka “Megatron.” Quarterback Matthew Stafford can carry this team to the playoffs, but injuries have sidelined him for much of his young career. If the Lions are to compete in the NFC North, they must invest draft picks on the offensive line to ensure that Stafford stays healthy for an entire season.
Selection: Anthony Castonzo, OL, Boston College
14-St. Louis Rams-The Rams seem to have found an answer at quarterback after drafting Sam Bradford first overall last year. To help their young QB progress and stop opposing defenses from stacking the box against halfback Steven Jackson, the Rams need to invest in a wide receiver. Although A.J. Green will almost certainly been drafted by this point, the Rams could receive a solid consolation prize in Alabama’s Julio Jones. STL also wants a sack-specialist to help put pressure on opposing quarterbacks.
Selection: Julio Jones, WR, Alabama
15-Miami Dolphins-Unfortunately for the Dolphins, they play in perhaps the most difficult division in the NFL. It also does not help that they have so many questions at quarterback after a less-than-stellar season from Chad Henne. To alleviate some of these concerns, Miami would be wise to draft an offensive lineman capable of providing Henne (or whomever is at quarterback) with ample time to make decisions and complete passes. On defense, Miami needs to find someone who can help generate more pressure at the line of scrimmage.
Selection: Mike Pouncey, OL, Florida
16-Los Angeles Jacksonville Jaguars-The past few years have seen the Jaguars struggle to fill seats, and the team has been dealing with numerous local blackouts. The higher-ups need to bring in some talent via both the draft and free agency. Ideally, upgrades at QB and WR would take pressure off HB Maurice Jones-Drew. At this point in the draft, however, there won’t be any worthy of a selection. Instead, expect the Jags to draft a pass-rusher who can get after the football.
Selection: J.J. Watt, DE, Wisconsin
17-New England Patriots (from Oakland Raiders)-Owning the best regular-season record last year, the Patriots have the good fortune of owning two picks in the first round, thanks to a trade that saw DE Richard Seymour shipped to the Raiders. It would not be surprising if New England used this pick to draft Seymour’s replacement on the defensive line. The rich get richer.
Selection: Aldon Smith, DE, Missouri
18-San Diego Chargers-Last season proved to be a disappointment for many fans after the Chargers failed to make the playoffs. To ensure it doesn’t happen again, the Chargers need an influx of talent on the defensive side of the ball. They need a pass-rushing force on the outside similar to LB Shawn Merriman circa 2006, but, by this point, Von Miller should be long-gone. Instead, expect San Diego to draft a DE with the athleticism to play outside LB in their 3-4 defense.
Selection: Ryan Kerrigan, DE, Purdue
19-New York Giants-The 2011 season (assuming there is one) could be monumental for the Giants with head coach Tom Coughlin on the hot seat for failing to lead his team to an NFC East championship in 2010. Last season aside, the G-Men are rather talented and they don’t have many holes that need to be filled. Perhaps the most immediate need is youth along the offensive line, as the current starters are beginning to get long in the tooth. Help in the secondary may also be needed.
Selection: Nate Solder, OL, Colorado
20-Tampa Bay Buccaneers-The Buccaneers were one of the more surprising teams last year in the NFL after finishing with a 10-6 regular-season record. The team has hit it big in recent drafts and now has a promising group of youngsters that include QB Josh Freeman, WR Mike Williams, and RB LeGarrette Blount. Fans hope that the Bucs continue to pilfer talent in this year’s draft to push TB to the next level. The biggest needs reside on the defensive side of the ball, where talent is needed at DT, LB, and CB (assuming Aqib Talib does not return).
Selection: Adrian Clayborn, DE, Iowa
Join us tomorrow for the final installment of EP's mock draft.
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