NFL Draft Prospect: Andrew Luck Staying at Stanford for Senior Season

Andrew Luck will return to Stanford for his senior season. This is a big blow to the Carolina Panthers as they will no longer be able to select Luck. This is a very unexpected move, and will definitely shake up the draft a lot.

2011 NFL Mock Draft (1st Edition)

1. Carolina Panthers-Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

The Panthers make the no-brainer pick and select Luck, the best quarterback prospect in a long time. Some question his arm strength, but they are really just nitpicking. Luck is very nearly the perfect quarterback prospect, and he should be an effective starter for a long time. 

2. Denver Broncos-Patrick Peterson CB, LSU

Champ Bailey isn’t getting any younger, and the Broncos need help at the cornerback position. They select Peterson who is as close as it gets to a sure thing when talking about cornerbacks. With Bailey to mentor him for a year or two, Peterson should be a shutdown corner in no time. 

3. Buffalo Bills-Nick Fairley, DT, Auburn

The Bills need a lot of help, but unfortunately neither A.J. Green or DaQuan Bowers, the remaining top prospects, really fill positions of need for the Bills. Instead they select Fairley who can step in and be a force at the 3-4 defense end position.

4. Cincinnati Bengals-DaQuan Bowers, DE, Clemson

Defensive end is not a huge need for the Bengals, but they are not quite sure they want to give up on Carson Palmer yet. They decide to take Bowers who will be a force on their line for years to come. 

5. Arizona Cardinals-Robert Quinn, DE, North Carolina

Arizona is ecstatic that Quinn falls into their lap. He provides an instant pass rush that they have been looking for and should be more than capable of playing the OLB in the 3-4 scheme. 

6. Cleveland Browns-A.J. Green, WR, Georgia

A.J. Green, the best receiver prospect since at least Calvin Johnson perhaps Randy Moss, is still available for the Browns. They can’t resist going and getting Green as a #1 target for Colt McCoy for years to come. 

7. San Francisco 49ers-Ryan Mallet, QB, Arkansas

San Francisco considers Cam Newton here, but instead they go with the somewhat safer bet and select Mallet. San Francisco has enough weapons on offense that Mallet should be able to fit in and succeed. 

8. Tennessee Titans-Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska

The Titans select the Prince here and hope he will grow into the lockdown corner he can be. Cortland Finnegan’s play has declined somewhat lately, perhaps letting Amukamara take on Andre Johnson and Reggie Wayne will help him out a little.

9. Dallas Cowboys-Marcel Dareus, DE, Alabama

Dareus falls right into the Cowboys lap, and they can’t resist taking a solid 3-4 end with pass rushing ability. Dareus should come in and start consistently for years to come. 

10. Washington Redskins-Cameron Newton, QB, Auburn

Washington is the team that decides to take a risk on Cam Newton. With McNabb likely gone and Rex Grossman not being the answer, the Redskins take Newton. If nothing else, Newton will come in and give people a reason to care about the Redskins again. However, I think Newton will be the next star in the NFL. 

11. Houston Texans-Stephen Paea, DT, Oregon St

Houston selects a defensive tackle that can come in and take some of the pressure of Mario Williams in the pass rush. 

12. Minnesota Vikings-Blaine Gabbert, QB, Missouri 

Minnesota consider Locker here, but they decide that Gabbert is the safer pick. With Adrian Peterson providing a strong running game, Gabbert should have some time to pick apart opposing defenses. 

13. Detroit Lions-Allen Bailey, DE, Miami

The Lions consider Brandon Harris but decide to go with his teammate instead. They take a defensive end to make their defensive line even more of a strength.

14. St. Louis Rams-Julio Jones, WR, Alabama

The Rams get the wide receiver they were hoping for. Jones has all the physical ability in the world and with a little more work on his concentration he should be a great targer for Sam Bradford for years to come. 

15. Miami Dolphins-Jake Locker, QB, Washington

The Dolphins get the last of the top tier quarterbacks and one that could end up being very good. Locker will have something to prove after an average senior year. Having Jake Long protecting his blindside and Brandon Marshall catching his passes should help. 

16. Jacksonville Jaguars-Adrian Clayborn, DE, Iowa

Pass defense is a problem for the Jaguars. They will definitely be looking to improve their secondary and some point in the draft, but here they decide to improve their pass rush and help their pass defense through pressure. Clayborn will come in opposite Aaron Kampman and should provide a much improved pass rush. 

17. New England Patriots (From Oakland)-Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama 

New England could improve their front seven here, but instead they make a luxury pick of sorts. They take Mark Ingram greatly improve their running game. Tom Brady can carry a team, but having Ingram to take part of the load off can only help. 

18. San Diego Chargers-Ryan Broyles, WR, Oklahoma

The Chargers consider boosting the pass rush, but instead select Broyles. Broyles is a stud receiver and should provide a great compliment to Malcom Floyd. With another weapon like him, Philip Rivers will find it even easier to pick apart opposing defenses. 

19. New York Giants-Akeem Ayers, LB, UCLA

The Giants select Ayers here based on pure potential. They know he had a less than stellar senior year, but they know he has the ability to once again be a dominant player. 

20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers-Cameron Jordan, DE, California

Tampa Bay addresses a need here and selects a defensive end that they think can home in and improve their defense. Tampa Bay is poised for success next year and Jordan can only help. 

21. Seattle Seahawks*- Brandon Harris, CB, Miami

The Seahawks wanted a Quarterback here, but with all the members of the top tier gone they are not quite ready to take Christian Ponder. Instead they go with Brandon Harris. Marcus Trufant is getting old and the Hawks need someone across from Walter Thurmond.

22. Kansas City Chiefs*-Justin Houston, OLB, Georgia

The Chiefs are thrilled to see Houston fall to them. They pick up one of the top 3-4 OLB in the draft who will only improve their already stiff defense. 

23. Indianapolis Colts*-Anthony Costanzo, OT, Boston College

The Colts need to protect their investment, Peyton Manning, and they need help on their offensive line. Costanzo thought to be the top tackle in the draft by some and his quick feet and smarts make him the perfect fit for the Colts. 

24. Philadelphia Eagles*-Aaron Williams, CB, Texas

The Eagles offense is dynamic with Vick, McCoy, Jackson, and Maclin and their offensive line is solid. Here they add Aaron Williams to shore up the secondary that is beginning to look vulnerable for the first time in awhile. 

25. Green Bay Packers*-Ryan Kerrigan, OLB, Purdue

Frank Zombo and Erik Walden have flashed potential, but it is time the Packers get a legitimate threat across from Matthews to share the pressure. Kerrigan is a hard-nosed player and he should fit in well with the Packers. 

26. New Orleans Saints*-Aldon Smith, DE, Missouri 

The Saints pick up Smith to help their pass rush. Will Smith isn’t getting any younger, and Aldon should come in and be a force. 

27. Chicago Bears*-Stefen Wisniewski, C, Penn St.

The Bears are happy to see Wisniewski fall to them. He is a heady player that could play guard until Kreutz is ready to retire.

28. New York Jets*- J.J. Watt, DE, Wisconsin 

Shaun Ellis appears to be leaving and Watt is a player that could step in day one and be a pro bowl 3-4 DE. He has the size and ability that the Jets look for as they continue to improve their defense. 

29. Baltimore Ravens*-Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma St. 

Shocked that Blackmon has fallen this far, the Ravens snatch him up. Receiver isn’t a huge need for the Ravens, but the idea of pairing Blackmon with Boldin is too good to pass up. 

30. Pittsburgh Steelers*-Janoris Jenkins, CB, Florida

The Steelers consider taking Sherrod here and boosting the offensive line, but they believe Jenkins can become the #1 corner they have been looking for.

31. Atlanta Falcons*-Derek Sherrod, OT, Mississippi St.

The Falcons are happy to take Sherrod and will insert him wherever they need him on the offensive line, most likely at left tackle where Sam Baker seems to be failing. 

32. New England Patriots*- Jeremy Beal, OLB, Oklahoma

After making the luxury pick of Ingram earlier in the round, the Patriots get back to business selecting stars for years to come. Beal should come in and provide a strong pass rushing presses the Patriots. 

• *- Subject to Playoffs

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NFL Draft Prospect: Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

With Jake Locker struggling this season, Andrew Luck has surpassed him as the top rated quarterback prospect. Luck, a redshirt sophomore, led Stanford to a 11-1 start to the season and an appearance in the BCS Orange Bowl. He has done so in impressive fashion, picking apart Pac-10 defenses and using both his strong arm and surprisingly effective legs to lead the Cardinal down the field. This is an improvement on his impressive freshmen year in which he threw for 2575 yards and 13 TD’s with only 4 INT. However last year, with so much attention on Toby Gerhart and the running game, Luck’s ability to carry the load was unknown. Those questions have obviously been answered and more. Luck has led his team to an impressive season, and he his now the undisputed top prospect in the draft. He is very nearly the perfect quarterback prospect and if he declares will no doubt be the #1 selection. 

Courtesy of Google Images

Luck has prototypical NFL size at 6-4, 235 and an arm capable of making all the NFL throws. He has also displayed ample athleticism and mobility, rushing for over 400 yards in limited attempts this year on top of 354 yards last year. This is an even more impressive number due to the fact that in college, sacks are deducted from a QB’s rushing yardage. Luck is the perfect quarterback prospect. He is smart and capable of making NFL reads. He has played in a pro-style offense the last two years under coach, Jim Harbaugh, and has been very successful. His arm strength is unquestioned, and his accuracy is superb. Luck also has displayed strong leadership ability. He truly has no flaws. Expect him to work out well and interview well before being chosen #1 by the Carolina Panthers. I would like to say more about Luck, but it would really be more of the same. He is perfect. 

NFL Draft Prospect Rankings (10-25-10)

Here are my NFL Draft Rankings as of 10-25-10. They will be updated periodically and more prospect profiles will be added.

Quarterbacks
1. Andrew Luck, Stanford
2. Jake Locker, Washington
3. Ryan Mallet, Arkansas
4. Christian Ponder, Florida St.
5. Blaine Gabbert, Missouri

Running backs

1. Mark Ingram, Alabama
2. Ryan Williams, Virginia Tech
3. DeMarco Murray, Oklahoma
4. LaMichael James, Oregon (Not Draft Eligible)
5. John Clay, Wisconsin

Wide Receivers

1. AJ Green, Georgia
2. Julio Jones, Alabama
3. Ryan Broyles, Oklahoma
4. Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma St.
5. Michael Floyd, Notre Dame
6. Jonathan Baldwin, Pittsburg
7. Ronald Johnson, USC
8. Austin Pettis, Boise St.
9. Jeremy Kurley, TCU
10. Titus Young, Boise St.

Tight Ends

1. Kyle Rudolph, Notre Dame
2. Lance Kendricks, Wisconsin
3. Weslye Saunders, South Carolina
4. Luke Stocker, Tennessee
5. D.J. Williams,  Arkansas

Offensive Tackles

1. Anthony Costanzo, Boston College
2. Nate Solder, Colorado
3. Derek Sherrod, Mississippi
4. Gabe Carimi, Wisconsin

5. Tyron Smith, USC

6. Demarcus Love, Arkansas

7. Matt Reynolds, BYU

Guards and Centers

1. Stefen Wisniewski, Penn St.
2. John Moffit, Wisconsin
3. Mike Pouncey, Florida
4. Marcus Cannon, TCU
5. Rodney Hudson, Florida St.

Defensive Ends

1. Da'Quan Bowers, Clemson

2. Robert Quinn, North Carolina 

3. Adrian Clayborn, Iowa
4. Allen Bailey, Miami
5. Cameron Heyward, Ohio St.
6. Cameron Jordan, California
7. Ryan Kerrigan, Purdue
8. Aldon Smith, Missouri
9. Jeremy Beal, Oklahoma


Defensive Tackles

1. Marcell Dareus, Alabama
2. Nick Fairley, AuburnMarvin a

3. Stephen Paea, Oregon St.

4. Marvin Austin, North Carolin
5. Drake Nevis, LSU

Linebackers

1. Akeem Ayers, UCLA
2. Travis Lewis, Oklahoma
3. Bruce Carter, North Carolina
4. Quan Sturdivant, North Carolina
5. Jeremy Houston, Georgia
6. Von Miller, Texas A&M
7. Dont'a Hightower, Alabama
8. Greg Jones, Michigan St.

Cornerbacks

1. Patrick Peterson, LSU
2. Prince Amukamara, Nebraska
3. Brandon Harris, Miami
4. Aaron Williams, Texas
5. Janoris Jenkins, Florida
6. Brandon Burton, Utah
7. Rashad Carmichael, Virginia Tech

Safties

1. Rahim Moore, UCLA
2. DeAndre McDaniel, Clemson
3. Deunta Williams, North Carolina
4. Tejay Johnson, TCU
5. Mark Barron, Alabama
6. Jeron Johnson, Boise St.
7. Robert Sands, West Virginia

These are most of the main prospects at each position. I don't claim to be Todd McShay or Mel Kiper Jr, and I am not familiar with every single prospect that will be drafted. However, if you have a question about a certain prospect not listed just let me know, and I will research him.

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Offensive Prospect of the Week: Jake Locker, QB, Washington

Courtesy of Google Images 

After his junior season at Washington Jake Locker had a choice, enter the NFL Draft or return to school to try and lead the Huskies to a national championship. Locker choose to stay in school. Entering the 2010 College Football season, Jake Locker was nearly the consensus number one quarterback prospect. His size, athletic ability, and passing skills had wowed the entire country and everyone was caught up in the Jake Locker hype. The Huskies were poised for their best season ever and Locker was set to become the number one pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. Then the season began. Washington has stumbled to a 3-4 start to the season, including an embarrassing 56-21 loss to Nebraska. Locker has been heavily criticized for not being able to lead the Huskies to victory; however, despite the criticism, barring the Nebraska game, Locker has not played that poorly. He has thrown for 1614 yards and 14 touchdowns (Only 4 INT), while at the same time rushing for 253 yards and 3 touchdowns.

Courtesy of Google Images

At 6'3, 230lbs Locker has ideal size for a QB, but it is not his size that makes Locker stand out. Locker is a special athlete. He was selected in the 10th round of the MLB Draft by the Los Angeles Angels, and is rumored to throw in the mid-to-high nineties on his fastball. He also claims to run in the 4.4, 4.5 range in the 40-yard dash. He possesses excellent quickness and agility for a quarterback his size. Physically their is nothing wrong with Locker, he has excellent arm strength and and fairly impressive accuracy. He also has rather advanced footwork and mechanics for a college quarterback. The only thing holding Locker back is himself. He tends to be a streaky passer, displayed by his awful 4-20 passing performance against Nebraska. Also, he often trusts his arm strength too much and tries to force throws. However, he has to attempt to make plays because he is the heart and soul of the Washington offense. Locker has a lot of weight on his shoulders. He received a tremendous amount of hype leading up to the 2011 season, and he has not delivered on that hype. However, he is still a very gifted quarterback. He has the size, speed, strength, and passing ability to succeed at the next level. A good coach can help him with his inconsistent passing and a better team will allow him to quit forcing things. Locker is almost underrated now, with the emergence of Andrew Luck and Ryan Mallet and come draft time Locker will hear his name called in the first round, possibly the top 10.

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Offensive Prospect of the Week: Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama

My previous two prospects of the week, AJ Green and Andrew Luck, are the top prospects at the wide receiver and quarterback positions respectively, so it is time to preview the top running back prospect, Mark Ingram. Mark Ingram, the defending Heisman Trophy winner and star running back for the Alabama Crimson Tide, is a dominant college football player. Last year he rushed 271 times for 1658 yards, good for a 6.1 yards per carry average. He also scored 17 times. This year he has 56 carries for 396 yards (7.1 ypc) and 6 touchdowns. He has received less carries due to injury and the emergence of Trent Richardson, Alabama's other running back, but he has been very dominant when he has received carries. He checks in at 5'10, 215 lbs., but he looks and plays more like 225. He is a bull when he runs the ball and he rarely goes down after first contact. His vision and instinct are elite, and his balance is very impressive also. His strength is also unmatched at the running back position, and he is a load to bring down. The only thing preventing Ingram from being a once-in-a-lifetime prospect is his speed.  He lacks elite top-end speed, but will probably still run in the 4.45-4.50 range. This speed does not hurt him, but it is not elite like his other traits. Ingram, a junior, will be drafted in the first round if he declares, and he could sneak into the top 10 if a team covets a running back. The only thing that could knock Ingram down in the draft is if he runs in the 4.6 range and begins to draw comparison to Ron Dayne.

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Week 6 College Football Predictions

After going 4/5 in my picks last week, I am back this week with my predictions for what I believe are the most important five games this week.

1. #17 Michigan State at  #18 Michigan
This year the battle for the state of Michigan pits two undefeated and highly ranked teams against each other. Michigan State pulled off the upset against Wisconsin last week, and they will be looking to ruin another teams's undefeated season this week. Their surprisingly stingy defense, and effective offense could present Michigan with problems. Michigan has the most electric player in the country in Denard Robinson, but their defense has proven vulnerable. Hopefully Michigan State won't ruin my perfect week two weeks in a row, as I predict Michigan to win in a close one.
Prediction: Michigan: 35 MSU: 27

2. #1 Alabama at #19 South Carolina
The Crimson Tide are riding high after the beating they laid on Florida last week, and they should continue their winning ways this week. South Carolina has had two weeks to prepare for Bama, but their simply is not time enough to prepare for the talent of the Tide. Marcus Lattimore and a stout defense could be enough to keep the game close in the first half, but the second half will belong to Mark Ingram and the tide. Look for Bama to win by over twenty again. Roll Tide!
Prediction: BAMA: 31 SC: 10

3. #12 LSU at #14 Florida
LSU is once again off to an undefeated record to begin the season despite their less than elite talent. That should change this week as they face off against a Florida team that should be fired up after getting hammered last week against Alabama. LSU has a top-notch defense, but their offense is nothing to get excited about. Florida's defense should allow less than 10 points, and their offense should be able to break at least one touchdown. I'll take Florida in a low-scoring, ugly game.
Prediction: Florida: 14 LSU: 9

4. #23 Florida State at #13 Miami (FL)
The rivalry between Florida State and Miami has always been an interesting one, and this year should be no different. Christian Ponder looks to lead the Seminoles to a victory against Jacory Harris and the Hurricanes. Both defenses should come to play, and the game should come down to which quarterback can make more explosive plays and less mistakes. I think Jacory Harris is due for a strong game, and he will lead Miami to a victory in a tight, hard-fought game.
Prediction: Miami: 28 FSU: 24

5. USC at #16 Stanford
Last year Stanford destroyed USC in a game that should have left a bitter taste in the mouths of the USC players. This year we will see how much heart the Trojans really have. For once, Stanford may have more talent than USC, and they are definitely the favorites. I expect USC to come out fired up for this one, but they won't have quite enough to knock off Stanford, led by star quarterback, Andrew Luck.
Prediction: Stanford: 31 USC: 21