Updated mock draft: April 6th

Could Leonard Hankerson be an option for the Seahawks in round two?

I have limited time today but wanted to put something on the blog, so here’s this week’s mock. I actually wrote this out in full with graphics but the internet connection at the hotel crashed, wasting over an hours work.

Round One

#1 Carolina – Cam Newton (QB, Auburn)
Ever since Andrew Luck opted not to declare, I’ve had Newton going first overall.

#2 Denver – Marcell Dareus (DT, Alabama)
I’m not writing off Bowers yet but if Denver want to play it safe this makes sense.

#3 Buffalo – Von Miller (LB, Texas A&M)
I don’t agree with this pick but it looks like it could happen. They should take Gabbert or Green.

#4 Cincinatti – Blaine Gabbert (QB, Missouri)
This is a no-brainer with Carson Palmer forcing himself into retirement.

#5 Arizona – Patrick Peterson (CB, LSU)
With the top-two quarterbacks off the board Arizona takes the BPA.

#6 Cleveland – AJ Green (WR, Georgia)
The perfect fit for Cleveland considering their complete lack of offensive playmakers.

#7 San Francisco – Cameron Jordan (DE, California)
Jordan could go this high, he’s talented enough.

#8 Tennessee – Julio Jones (WR, Alabama)
Quarterback and cornerback are the big needs but Tennessee are my tip to make a surprise choice.

#9 Dallas – Tyron Smith (OT, USC)
Smith starts at right tackle but he’s got limitless potential on the blind side.

#10 Washington – Jake Locker (QB, Washington)
Mike Shanahan will fight to draft Locker and he’ll win.

#11 Houston – Da’Quan Bowers (DE, Clemson)
If he does fall it won’t be too far. Huge production in 2010, huge potential.

#12 Minnesota – Robert Quinn (DE, UNC)
The Vikings pass on Mallett with premium defensive talent still available.

#13 Detroit – Prince Amukamara (CB, Nebraska)
I prefer Jimmy Smith but the character concerns will help Amukamara.

#14 St. Louis – Corey Liuget (DT, Illinois)
If it’s a choice between Liuget and Nick Fairley I think the Rams will go with the Illinois tackle.

#15 Miami – Ryan Mallett (QB, Arkansas)
I just can’t see Miami passing on Mallett.

#16 Jacksonville – Aldon Smith (DE, Missouri)
A logical fit considering the Jags’ need at defensive end, their scheme and the value on offer.

#17 New England – JJ Watt (DE, Wisconsin)
He plays like a New England Patriot and I think they’d love to have him.

#18 San Diego – Nick Fairley (DT, Auburn)
Fairley’s attitude could cause a fall. He recently rejected an offer to work out for Miami.

#19 New York Giants – Mark Ingram (RB, Alabama)
Someone will draft Ingram in this range and this would be a perfect fit.

#20 Tampa Bay – Jabaal Sheard (DE, Pittsburgh)
He’s more suited to a 4-3 defense than most people think.

#21 Kansas City – Mike Pouncey (OG, Florida)
Scott Pioli looks for leadership, character and quality. Pouncey has all three.

#22 Indianapolis – Nate Solder (OT, Colorado)
Defensive tackle and offensive line are the two big needs for Indy.

#23 Philadelphia – Jimmy Smith (CB, Colorado)
Smith has too much quality to fall past this range.

#24 New Orleans – Ryan Kerrigan (DE, Purdue)
Solid week one starter that fills a need for the Saints.

#25 Seattle – Marvin Austin (DT, UNC)
A brilliant off-season is boosting Austin’s stock. Could he go in this range?

#26 Baltimore – Gabe Carimi (OT, Wisconsin)
Carimi can start immediately as a pure right tackle for Baltimore.

#27 Atlanta – Adrian Clayborn (DE, Iowa)
Clayborn needs to play as an orthodox right end in a 4-3 scheme.

#28 New England – Anthony Castonzo (OT, Boston College)
They’ll know all about this guy.

#29 New York Jets – Brooks Reed (DE, Arizona)
Rex Ryan loves pass rushers. I suspect he loves pass rushers with great hair too.

#30 Chicago – Stephen Paea (DT, Oregon State)
A good match for the post-Tommie Harris Bears.

#31 Pittsburgh – Muhammed Wilkerson (DE, Temple)
Inconsistent but with raw potential as a five technique.

#32 Green Bay – Derek Sherrod (OT, Miss. State)
I think the Packers will draft a pass rusher or an offensive lineman.

Round Two

#33 New England – Justin Houston (DE, Georgia)
#34 Buffalo – Phil Taylor (DT, Baylor)
#35 Cincinnati – Akeem Ayers (LB, UCLA)
#36 Denver – Kyle Rudolph (TE, Notre Dame)
#37 Cleveland – Christian Ponder (QB, Florida State)
#38 Arizona – Martez Wilson (LB, Illinois)
#39 Tennessee – Curtis Brown (CB, Texas)
#40 Dallas – Brandon Harris (CB, Miami)
#41 Washington – Christian Ballard (DE, Iowa)
#42 Houston – Rodney Hudson (OG, Florida State)
#43 Minnesota – Edmund Gates (WR, Abilene Christian)
#44 Detroit – Bruce Carter (LB, UNC)
#45 San Francisco – Ryan Williams (RB, Virginia Tech)
#46 Denver – Jarvis Jenkins (DT, Clemson)
#47 St. Louis – Danny Watkins (OG, Baylor)
#48 Oakland – Chimdi Chekwa (CB, Ohio State)
#49 Jacksonville – Mikel Leshoure (RB, Illinois)
#50 San Diego – Quinton Carter (S, Oklahoma)
#51 Tampa Bay – Rahim Moore (S, UCLA)
#52 New York Giants – Terrell McClain (DT, USF)
#53 Indianapolis – Drake Nevis (DT, LSU)
#54 Philadelphia – Ben Ijalana (OT, Villanova)
#55 Kansas City – Cameron Heyward (DE, Ohio State)
#56 New Orleans – James Carpenter (OT, Alabama)
#57 Seattle – Leonard Hankerson (WR, Miami)
#58 Baltimore – Torrey Smith (WR, Maryland)
#59 Atlanta – Titus Young (WR, Boise State)
#60 New England – Jordan Todman (RB, Connecticut)
#61 San Diego – Orlando Franklin (OG, Miami)
#62 Chicago – Marcus Cannon (OG, TCU)
#63 Pittsburgh – Randall Cobb (WR, Kentucky)
#64 Green Bay – Aaron Williams (CB, Texas)

23 Comments

  1. caleb

    well done Rob. I must admit that it is a pleasure reading your mocks, I find they are closer to what teams will draft, rather than the fan-preferred picks that rarely reflect actuality. I like the idea of d-line, with such a strong class, I feel like we should take that chance to bulk up. Question though, or maybe just a musing. You have had Muhammad Wilkerson at #25 before, and as a player that is more proven and has a streak of nastiness, is not Wilkerson the superior prospect for the Hawks? I have read on other sites that he flashes inconsistency, but I would rather put my eggs in the more proven and nasty basket than in Austin’s. As you yourself have pointed out before, it is dangerous to let combine performance affect your judgment. I’m no scout expert, but it seems that though mouth-watering, 38 reps and successful footwork and positioning drills should not necessarily put one into the first round. Thanks again.

    • Rob

      Hi Caleb,

      Agree completely on work outs over shadowing tape and previously I’ve been unimpressed with Austin (2009). However, I also like to look at different scenarios and possibilities and Wilkerson had been at #25 for the last two mocks. He remains an option, but then maybe Austin does too? In terms of raw, natural ability Austin should be a top-15 pick. However, I’ve never seen that reflected in a dominating performance. The Seahawks have taken chances on underperformers so far and maybe they will do again? If they can tap into the physical qualities, they could get a steal. Also, if Brandon Mebane departs whenever free agency does begin, it leaves a substantial hole at the three technique position. Austin and Wilkerson are both possibilities, but then there are so many options for Seattle.

  2. Al

    I know that you have rated Carpenter highly in the past as a possible option for the 4th round. Most mock I’ve seen recently have him going in the mid – late 2nd, as indeed you have here, at 56. If the draft played out as you’ve mocked here with the exception that Carpenter was still available at 57, would he be the pick, or do you see the receivers available as better value, given the Seahawks’ needs?

    • Rob

      There’s some value at WR in the 55-65 range, but I’m a big Carpenter fan. He’d be near the top of my board at #57.

  3. Glen

    Stealing this to from another site but history shows Belichek stays away from Tom Condon represented players, they don’t like one another apparently…Watt coincidently is represented by Condon…you may know this you may not but thought you may want to store it in the “things to take into account when mocking” similar to Ruskells habits you nailed in a previous spot…now I’m done sounding like a know it all…

    As things get closer to the 28th, the more I get excited…especially with needs for starters or depth everywhere we should be able to get some talent on this roster. Unfortunately my top 2 choices (Liguet, & Sheard) are creeping up boards… Thanks for keeping us up to date while enjoyin da beach man!

  4. darnell

    Great work as usual. I do question the Rams taking Watkins though, the guy is clearly very good and becomes BPA around pick #30; but like the Seahawks, I just can’t see the Rams taking a 27 year old they are a ways away.

    • Rob

      I think one of their main priorities is to draft for the interior line. I don’t think they’ll feel hanfcuffed to take a wide out even though it’s a big need. The Rams are a dark horse to walk the NFC West next year.

  5. Matt

    I gotta say, Leonard Hankerson really scares me. I know his combine 40 time, but it rubs me the same way as Golden Tate, as in he doesn’t look that speed on the field when it matters. Can’t pin point it, but he just doesn’t do a whole lot for me and I think his absolute ceiling is a decent #2 whereas I think Smith (work on hands, routes) can come closer to being a Greg Jennings type player (potential, not saying he will be that).

    That said, I have an equally scary feeling about Torrey Smith, however, I feel like his upside is much higher than Hankerson’s simply because he still possesses good size but top notch speed.

    I think Hankerson is very much like Ben Obomanu (Good size, physical) whereas we don’t have anybody like Torrey Smith from a Size/Speed perspective. I don’t know much about Hankerson’s character, but from what I’ve read, Smith is a driven guy who has been through a lot and I keep coming back to the idea that their playing speed is much different than their combine times in shorts and t shirts.

    Maybe it’s just me, but at this point in round 2, I’d rather take a gamble on a guy with a higher ceiling, who in my opinion is Torrey Smith (by a pretty healthy margin too). We have Butler and Tate, so I wouldn’t consider Young or Cobb, so from a strictly WR perspective, I’d take the chance on Smith.

  6. Nate Dogg

    I’m a huge Hankerson fan but I’d be a little conflicted with this pick with all of Seattle’s needs elsewhere.

  7. Nick

    Why would the Browns draft a second round QB with questionable arm strength when they did that last year?

    • woofu

      I am curious where you would have placed Hasselbacks arm strength when Holmie traded for him?

      • Nick

        Hass has always had intermediate to below average arm strength, I think.

        • Rob

          My impression is they aren’t sold on McCoy. They took a chance in the late third round on a guy who was projected to go earlier (not by me) and knew it was a low cost move to try and solve the QB dilemma. People assume McCoy is the starter, but there was more bad than good in 2010. They could easily draft another QB this year.

  8. kevin mullen

    Did something happen to Aaron Williams of Texas? Is Curtis Brown that much better than him? I thought AW was a boderline 1st rounder, now he’s almost out of the 2nd, what gives?

    • Rob

      I’ve never been that impressed with him, he didn’t really do much at all in 2010 and he’s falling. The fact people are talking about a move to safety has to hamper his stock.

  9. PatrickH

    I saw an article that may be interesting to readers here. Nolan Nawrocki of PFW (the writer whose criticism of Cam Newton ignited the racism controversy) has created a table of prospects’ values to NFL teams, based on what team sources have told him (at least that’s his claim). The values of most prospects are as expected from conventional wisdom. The surprising values are: (1) Locker has middle-first-round value despite all the criticism; (2) Mallet has late-second-round value, behind Ponder and Dalton; and (3) Aaron Williams has middle-first-round value as a safety.

    Anyway, here is the link to that article: http://www.profootballweekly.com/2011/04/06/pfws-exclusive-draft-value-chart-4

  10. PatrickH

    Rob,

    Houston is becoming a 3-4 team. Wouldn’t JJ Watt be a better fit for them? I thought Bowers is more suited to be a 4-3 DE.

    I read somewhere (believe it’s from Peter King) that the Titans’ new D-line coach was Auburn’s D-line coach last two years, and so would know Fairley better than any NFL coach. It will reflect badly on Fairley if the Titans pass on him.

    Marvin Austin has the talent to become a great 3-tech player in Carroll’s scheme. I agree with you, he has done a good job repairing his reputation but will he stay focused and motivated once he gets the big contract.

    • Rob

      Bowers is big enough and talented enough to play DE in that scheme. I wouldn’t read too much into the Titans d-line coach link either because as we saw with Carroll and Taylor Mays, it doesn’t often mean much. Tennessee’s big needs are at QB and CB and I suspect they’re more likely to pull off a shock (Julio Jones) than draft Fairley.

  11. 1sthill

    I really dislike the picks for the Seahawks. I consider both Austin and Hankerson to be overrated with high bust potential. I would be willing to take a flyer on Austin in the 2nd round, but the 1st round is to risky. I saw Austin one game in 2009 and thought he looked like a nice player but not a dominating player. I keep hearing/reading that Austin would have been a potetial top-10 player had he played this year, but again I think he was just being overrated; I know he was a highly recruited highschool player and maybe thats were his hype is kind of coming from. Austin had very average stats in 2009 (4 sacks & 6 tackles for loss). When looking at stats for 3-tech DT I not only look at sacks, but I think tackles for loss show a players ability to be a disruptive force in the opposing teams backfield; 6 tackles for loss is pretty weak for a supposed top-10 talent that some people (not you Rob) had labeled Austin.

    I agree with Matt on Hankerson; he ran a good 40-yard dash yet it did not translate to the field when I watched him this past year.

    • Matt

      I’m definitely with you on this one. Although, let’s not discount the fact that Rob does explore various scenarios that could play out, so I don’t think this is necessarily exemplary of his beliefs in these prospects per se, but rather an exploration of a possible (hopefully not) outcome.

      Personally, I’d prefer Wilkerson, Houston, or Taylor over Austin if we are talking D-line. As for Round 2, tough call but I do like Franklin and Cannon and Will Rackley much more than Hankerson. I do agree though in the sense that I think round 2 is our WR round where we will see a lot of picks and hope one turns into a Greg Jennings type player.

  12. FWBrodie

    One thing we know, Schneider and crew have watched plenty of UNC defense tape. EJ Wilson.

  13. Bob Dole

    If the Hawks are thinking WR at #57, would the consider Tandon Doss?

    • Rob

      If he clears the medical checks then absolutely.

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