My complete 7 round mock

[NFLRoughDraft]

Unlike the last 7-round mock I posted, this is my projection. So I guess I'm responsable if you hate it: http://www.nflroughdraft.com/node/3

 

[Shzm13]

1. Peterson
2. Danny Watkins, OG, Baylor
3. Dontay Moch, OLB, Nevada
4. Greg Romeus, OLB, Pittsburgh
5. Arizona Cardinals: Henry Hynoski, FB, Pittsburgh
6. Arizona Cardinals: Byron Stingily, OT, Louisville
7. Arizona Cardinals: Dwayne Harris, WR, East Carolina

 

[ARodg]

Love it for the Cards.

For the Packers . . . RAGE. RAGE. MUST KILL TED THOMPSON. RAGE. RAGE.

1. Ayers over Houston. RAGE. The Packers pass defense was the best in the league last year. That isn't a need. The Packers struggled against the run last year where Houston is a vastly superior player.

Houston is also a much better pass rusher. With the Packers losing Cullen Jenkins and Jones/Walden/Zombo being more suited to back up roles, the Packers will need to make up for a ton of pass rush.

2. Ballard

3. Running Back. RAGE. RAGE. RAGE. No NFL team should ever take a RB with anything higher than a 5th rounder. Especially not a guy who isn't a clear star like Adrian Peterson.

What makes this pick so much worse is that you have Moffit going the pick after. Moffit fills a huge need for the Packers considering that Daryn Colledge might be the worst Offensive Lineman in the NFL. (yeah, worse than Levi Brown). I might even go Marcus Gilbert over Moffit, but both are clearly better than Taiwan Jones.

Also, Starks isn't overrated. The Packers have 3 offensive lineman who suck at run blocking in Wells, Colledge, and Clifton. Not to mention that Jones is more of a sixth round prospect then he is a third.

4a. Austin Pettis

4b. David Akrin: fine, Guard is a need, but more depth isn't the answer. Starting quality talent is. I'd love Virgil Green, one of the NTs, Greg McElroy, Reid, Barksdale, Love, Casey Matthews over Akrin in a second.

5. Ahmad Black. RAGE. Collins, Burnett, Peprah, and Woodson are all better Safeties than Black. Safety is far from a need for the Packers. Irving, Herzlich, Doss and Toliver are all much better picks here.

6. Why would you give the Packers another Safety?

7a. Could another QB be used? Sure but I'd take Ghram Harrel over Tyrod Taylor. Kerley, Lock, Fusco, and Harris are much better picks.

7b. a backup kicker? You had to have run out of ideas.

 

[Seandonic]

Yuck.

I like Peterson but I feel like his skill set does not fit the Cards needs. He is a press/physical corner/safety who is iffy in a zone blitzing defensive scheme. Danny Watkins is a very old (27 years of age) rookie. Moch has size concerns and Romeus is more of a strictly DE type.

On the whole I would not be really upset over this draft but it is very iffy overall, IMHO.

 

[Cardiac]

As the 1st rd plays out I think the Cards take Gabbert instead of Peterson. I'm not willing to bet a nickle on that however.

I don't like a 27 yr old rookie in the 2nd rd.

Like Moch in the 3rd rd. He will take a couple of years to get significant playing time outside of ST's.

Hate Romeus in the 4th, we don't need an injury prone prospect. We could use a back up NT or a TE or an OT or a SILB.

Don't like the idea of a FB being drafted since we didn't address the NT, TE, OT, or SILB needs. I do believe in BPA while factoring in need but I doubt a FB fits that criteria.

When we get past the 4th rd I don't have the knowledge that you do so I look more at position. Yeah an OT taken in the 6th.

I don't like that you took away our 2nd pick in the 6th rd.

7th Rd, still didn't draft a SILB which simply can't happen in this draft for the Cards.

Overall I think the QB's go earlier then you predict, Mallet lasting into the 3rd rd is kinda unlikely.

Thanks for posting the link and the incredible amount of effort it takes to do a 7 rounder.

Is the fact that there is not going to be a FA period before the draft impact some of the choices you made for some of the teams?

 

[NFLRoughDraft]

As the 1st rd plays out I think the Cards take Gabbert instead of Peterson. I'm not willing to bet a nickle on that however.

I don't like a 27 yr old rookie in the 2nd rd.

Like Moch in the 3rd rd. He will take a couple of years to get significant playing time outside of ST's.

Hate Romeus in the 4th, we don't need an injury prone prospect. We could use a back up NT or a TE or an OT or a SILB.

Don't like the idea of a FB being drafted since we didn't address the NT, TE, OT, or SILB needs. I do believe in BPA while factoring in need but I doubt a FB fits that criteria.

When we get past the 4th rd I don't have the knowledge that you do so I look more at position. Yeah an OT taken in the 6th.

I don't like that you took away our 2nd pick in the 6th rd.

7th Rd, still didn't draft a SILB which simply can't happen in this draft for the Cards.

Overall I think the QB's go earlier then you predict, Mallet lasting into the 3rd rd is kinda unlikely.

Thanks for posting the link and the incredible amount of effort it takes to do a 7 rounder.

Is the fact that there is not going to be a FA period before the draft impact some of the choices you made for some of the teams?

Yea, the fact that free agency hasn't happened yet definitely impacts my mock. There are a ton of UFAs that are going to be available at some point during the offseason so, unlike othr years, it isn't critical that each team drafts to fill every need that they have.

 

[NFLRoughDraft]

Love it for the Cards.

For the Packers . . . RAGE. RAGE. MUST KILL TED THOMPSON. RAGE. RAGE.

1. Ayers over Houston. RAGE. The Packers pass defense was the best in the league last year. That isn't a need. The Packers struggled against the run last year where Houston is a vastly superior player.

Houston is also a much better pass rusher. With the Packers losing Cullen Jenkins and Jones/Walden/Zombo being more suited to back up roles, the Packers will need to make up for a ton of pass rush.

2. Ballard

3. Running Back. RAGE. RAGE. RAGE. No NFL team should ever take a RB with anything higher than a 5th rounder. Especially not a guy who isn't a clear star like Adrian Peterson.

What makes this pick so much worse is that you have Moffit going the pick after. Moffit fills a huge need for the Packers considering that Daryn Colledge might be the worst Offensive Lineman in the NFL. (yeah, worse than Levi Brown). I might even go Marcus Gilbert over Moffit, but both are clearly better than Taiwan Jones.

Also, Starks isn't overrated. The Packers have 3 offensive lineman who suck at run blocking in Wells, Colledge, and Clifton. Not to mention that Jones is more of a sixth round prospect then he is a third.

4a. Austin Pettis

4b. David Akrin: fine, Guard is a need, but more depth isn't the answer. Starting quality talent is. I'd love Virgil Green, one of the NTs, Greg McElroy, Reid, Barksdale, Love, Casey Matthews over Akrin in a second.

5. Ahmad Black. RAGE. Collins, Burnett, Peprah, and Woodson are all better Safeties than Black. Safety is far from a need for the Packers. Irving, Herzlich, Doss and Toliver are all much better picks here.

6. Why would you give the Packers another Safety?

7a. Could another QB be used? Sure but I'd take Ghram Harrel over Tyrod Taylor. Kerley, Lock, Fusco, and Harris are much better picks.

7b. a backup kicker? You had to have run out of ideas.

I'd argue that Houston isn't a better pass rusher. Ayers played in a 4-3 and didn't have as many opportunites to rush the passer. His weak workout numbers are hurting his stock, but I still think he's a slightly better player. He's certainly more versatile.

You would never take a running back before the 5th round? You have a Super Bowl-caliber team with very few needs, but you wouldn't want to solidify (arguably) the biggest area of concern on your team? Ryan Grant's health is a huge question. James Starks is absolutely overrated. And Brandon Jackson is terrible. There's no reason not to address that position.

David Arkin is a good player. He'll start in the NFL.

Burnett is coming off of a major injury and Woodson doesn't play safety yet. There is no chance that the Packers have roster room for all of these draft picks. It isn't unusual at all for teams to draft two players at the same position and let them battle it out for a spot.

I wrote that Mason Crosby is a free agent. He'll very likely be back, but he isn't locked up right now.

 

[NFLRoughDraft]

Yuck.

I like Peterson but I feel like his skill set does not fit the Cards needs. He is a press/physical corner/safety who is iffy in a zone blitzing defensive scheme. Danny Watkins is a very old (27 years of age) rookie. Moch has size concerns and Romeus is more of a strictly DE type.

On the whole I would not be really upset over this draft but it is very iffy overall, IMHO.

There is no part of Peterson's game that is iffy. You get the best player in the draft at #5. That wouldn't even be a bad pick if your starting corners were Nnamdi and Revis.

Watkins being 27 is the only reason you even have a chance to draft him that low. If he were 22-23, he wouldn't get past the Dolphins at #15.

Moch is big enough to play outside linebacker. He may not even be there by the time you pick in the 3rd round because he's faster than lightning.

Romeus can play OLB in the 3-4. The big thing with him is his injury history. He was once looked at as a potential top-10 pick. Of all of these picks, I'll admit that this one may be a bit of a reach. I put him there because I like him and I feel that there's a steep dropoff in pass rushers right around that point.

 

[Pariah]

You would never take a running back before the 5th round? ... you wouldn't want to solidify (arguably) the biggest area of concern on your team?

You could argue it, but you'd lose that argument with anyone that knows anything about the Cards.

The Cardinals don't have a running game because they don't run block well at all and they fall behind so early that they abandon it (way too early, IMO). But this teams problems do NOT fall on the shoulders of the RBs. Beanie, Hightower and LSH comprise a VERY good RB group.

EDIT: nevermind. Just saw that you guys were talking Packers (...on a Cardinals board...just sayin').

 

[desertdawg]

Houston>Ayers

 

[Pariah]

For the record, I like Ayers better than Houston as a 3-4 OLB, too.

 

[Pariah]

And, aside from my usual gripe about not having a QB go until #7 in a draft full of teams that need one at the top, having Julio Jones going in front of AJ Green is just trying to get too cute. They're not 1 and 1a, they're clearly 1 and 2.

JMHO

 

[NFLRoughDraft]

And, aside from my usual gripe about not having a QB go until #7 in a draft full of teams that need one at the top, having Julio Jones going in front of AJ Green is just trying to get too cute. They're not 1 and 1a, they're clearly 1 and 2.

JMHO

I like Green a little bit more. I hear the Bengals like Jones better.

 

[Seandonic]

There is no part of Peterson's game that is iffy. You get the best player in the draft at #5. That wouldn't even be a bad pick if your starting corners were Nnamdi and Revis.

There is something iffy about every player in every draft. If someone doesn't see each players limitations then they are just blinded by the hype and have a serious man crush.

I agree that he appears to be the best player in the draft but he has his question marks like everyone else. Number one the Cards are going to play a system he is not ideally suited for. He looks elite when in tight man to man coverage and not so much when in a zone. So the question is, can he fit his "square" skill set into a "round" defense?

A couple more of the things I find iffy about him are number one, his closing/recovery speed. Once he loses a receiver he is not consistent or elite in regaining coverage. And number two, he is big and slightly tight hipped for a corner and just might size himself right off the corner and into a safety spot...a la Rolle.

I for one do not want to see the Cards draft another player who is better suited for another position and have them not figure that out until it's too late. Just like Rolle, C. Pace, L. Davis, L. Brown, etc...etc...

 

[ARodg]

I'd argue that Houston isn't a better pass rusher. Ayers played in a 4-3 and didn't have as many opportunites to rush the passer. His weak workout numbers are hurting his stock, but I still think he's a slightly better player. He's certainly more versatile.

You would never take a running back before the 5th round? You have a Super Bowl-caliber team with very few needs, but you wouldn't want to solidify (arguably) the biggest area of concern on your team? Ryan Grant's health is a huge question. James Starks is absolutely overrated. And Brandon Jackson is terrible. There's no reason not to address that position.

David Arkin is a good player. He'll start in the NFL.

Burnett is coming off of a major injury and Woodson doesn't play safety yet. There is no chance that the Packers have roster room for all of these draft picks. It isn't unusual at all for teams to draft two players at the same position and let them battle it out for a spot.

I wrote that Mason Crosby is a free agent. He'll very likely be back, but he isn't locked up right now.

The fact that you think RB is the biggest area of concern for the Packers is telling.

Tackle, Guard, and Defensive End are all major concerns for the Packers.

Outside Linebacker, and Inside Linebacker are also of some concern.

If anybody bites on James Jones despite the 2nd round tender, then Wide Receiver also becomes a problem.

-------------------------

Are you really trying to sell me that Akeem Ayers who's best season is 4 sacks is a better pass rusher than Justin Houston?

Houston had 10 sacks last year in the SEC. He got sacks against Solder, Gilbert, and Ziemba, as opposed to Ayers who got his sacks against Kansas St's backup, and whatever scrubs Oregon St. and Washington St. rolled out.

Not to mention the fact that Ayers would be switching systems where Houston has already proved he can dominate as a 3-4 OLB.

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Collins is a probowler. Pepprah was above average. Burnett beat out Pepprah as a starter. Woodson can and has played safety because of injuries. Martin even proved himself okay in what little time he got last year. Safety isn't a need.

CB might be in that third tier of needs because Jarret Bush is the Daryn Colledge of CBs and he should never see the field on defense.
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Running back is probably 8th or lower on the list of needs for the Packers. The Packers issue running the ball is that their C, LG, and LT are horrible run blockers. I don't know how you can say that Starks is overrated when his 2nd best blocker is a rookie. If any of the RBs are overrated it's Grant.

As for Jackson, yeah he sucks at running the ball. But he's one of the best in the business at picking up the blitz and catching the ball out of the backfield when asked. Yes he's limited but as a situational back for what the Packers ask of him, he's fine, assuiming nobody drops big $$ on him, I'd be fine with bringing him back.

 

[DoTheDew]

Hate to nitpick but I lose a little respect for any mock draft that robs the Cardinals of their extra 6th rounder. #184. How hard is it to get this accurate at this point. Sigh.

http://www.nfl.com/draft/2011/tracker#dt-tabs:dt-by-round/dt-by-round-input:6

As for the overall mock: I guess I could see Peterson if the team is hellbent on not taking a QB and the top 4 plays out this way. Can't see us going CB and OG with the first 2 picks when everyone in the world knows we are desperate for a pass rusher.

3rd:Moch would be a decent pick, but that is just too late to address the position.
4th: Risk reward at this point I guess its a good pick.
5th: This team almost never uses the FB position, drafting one would be a wasted pick.
6th #1: We do need some OL help. Solid choice
6th #2: You have Detroit taking a WR. Since it's our pick, I'll make the prediction that Whiz is going to take a small school kid who probably doesn't go in your mock with this pick.
7th: Who cares, this is basically a UDFA.

 

[NFLRoughDraft]

The fact that you think RB is the biggest area of concern for the Packers is telling.

Tackle, Guard, and Defensive End are all major concerns for the Packers.

Outside Linebacker, and Inside Linebacker are also of some concern.

If anybody bites on James Jones despite the 2nd round tender, then Wide Receiver also becomes a problem.

-------------------------

Are you really trying to sell me that Akeem Ayers who's best season is 4 sacks is a better pass rusher than Justin Houston?

Houston had 10 sacks last year in the SEC. He got sacks against Solder, Gilbert, and Ziemba, as opposed to Ayers who got his sacks against Kansas St's backup, and whatever scrubs Oregon St. and Washington St. rolled out.

Not to mention the fact that Ayers would be switching systems where Houston has already proved he can dominate as a 3-4 OLB.

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Collins is a probowler. Pepprah was above average. Burnett beat out Pepprah as a starter. Woodson can and has played safety because of injuries. Martin even proved himself okay in what little time he got last year. Safety isn't a need.

CB might be in that third tier of needs because Jarret Bush is the Daryn Colledge of CBs and he should never see the field on defense.
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Running back is probably 8th or lower on the list of needs for the Packers. The Packers issue running the ball is that their C, LG, and LT are horrible run blockers. I don't know how you can say that Starks is overrated when his 2nd best blocker is a rookie. If any of the RBs are overrated it's Grant.

As for Jackson, yeah he sucks at running the ball. But he's one of the best in the business at picking up the blitz and catching the ball out of the backfield when asked. Yes he's limited but as a situational back for what the Packers ask of him, he's fine, assuiming nobody drops big $$ on him, I'd be fine with bringing him back.

What's "telling" is that you are comparing sack numbers when Houston played in a 3-4 and Ayers played in a 4-3.

Nobody is going to sign James Jones because A) nobody signs restricted free agents and B) teams can't sign anyone since we're in the middle of a lockout.

You don't always draft for need in the 6th round...especially when you're the defending Super Bowl Champs and you have 600 draft picks.

If you don't think Green Bay needs a running back then you are off your rocker. The team couldn't run the ball last season...at all. 24th in the NFL. Some of that is the interior of your offensive line. Another issue is that you don't have a running back!!

 

[john h]

Unlike the last 7-round mock I posted, this is my projection. So I guess I'm responsable if you hate it: http://www.nflroughdraft.com/node/3

I understand that this DB is really good but I sure do not have a DB as the highest priority on my list of needs. Aside from this our history of drafting DB's with our first pick is absolutely horrible. I think you often find good DB's down in the draft from small schools where they get little notoriety. I still want Gabbert but if not him I would take the best OLB or pass rusher that is available before a DB. If you are in big need of a DB I suspect some teams would trade up to get this guy and might do it. I watched him against Arkansas and he had an average day but that was just one game. Fairley would not go ahead of Darieus on my list. Fairley is still mentally very young and I do not see him being the first down lineman drafted. Second maybe? I see that Alabama lineman as an all pro some day. He is the real deal right now and will step in and start and never look back.

Most of the boards I have looked at have the Panthers taking a QB. Even the sportscasters who cover the Panthers think the Panthers are in love with Newton. I am becoming more convinced each day the Panthers will take Newton or trade down.

 

[TJ]

Peterson is the best player in the draft, but he really doesnt fit a need right now. With Quinn, Bowers and Gabbert still on the board, I cant see the Cards picking him given the uncertainty of the CBA situation

 

[ARodg]

What's "telling" is that you are comparing sack numbers when Houston played in a 3-4 and Ayers played in a 4-3.

Nobody is going to sign James Jones because A) nobody signs restricted free agents and B) teams can't sign anyone since we're in the middle of a lockout.

You don't always draft for need in the 6th round...especially when you're the defending Super Bowl Champs and you have 600 draft picks.

If you don't think Green Bay needs a running back then you are off your rocker. The team couldn't run the ball last season...at all. 24th in the NFL. Some of that is the interior of your offensive line. Another issue is that you don't have a running back!!

1. What makes you say that Ayers is a better pass rusher when he's never rushed in college? Houston has shown to be a great pass rusher in college with all the tools to translate to the NFL. Ayers hasn't even shown he can pass rush in college.


2. Clearly James Jones is a Packer until the lockout is over, but when the lockout ends if somebody puts in a bid that the Packers can't match, Jones is gone. Driver is a decent #4 reciever at this point but considering how much the Packers throw, we'd like a better option.

3. Most of that is the fact that McCarhy wouldn't play Starks until week 13. Look in the playoffs.

Starks was at 3.9 YPC against run defenses 1,2,10, and 15. The fact that he did that with Wells, Colledge, and Clifton is really impressive.

Combined that with the fact that Jackson will most likely be retained because he serves a role as a 3rd down back, and there's no gurantee that Grant will be an awful coming off an injury, there's no reason to blow a 3rd round pick on a RB. Hell, we've still got Demetri Nance on the PC if stuff goes to hell again.