Welcome to our first mock draft of 2011!

Some might say that it’s too early to begin discussing next year’s draft, seeing as training camp has only begun, but we’re not in the crowd that agrees with that sentiment. And seeing as you’re sitting here reading this, I suspect you’re in the same boat.

As always, feel free to chime in with your thoughts on the selections, along with your own picks in the comment section!

Draft order based off NFLNR’s Power Rankings: Pre-Season

* Updated on 08/09/10

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Things don’t always play out this easy, but all 32 teams have reached agreement with their top picks from round one of this year’s draft.

The money given to those players was astronomical in size and scope once again, shattering previous records, and likely ensuring that this will be the last class of first round talent to get massive contracts.

A new collective bargaining agreement will be on its way, regardless of any labor strife, and there’s little doubt that a rookie salary cap will be a part of that.

With that in mind, here’s a final look at the numbers for all 32 first round picks.

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Every year, fans around the league begin to wring their hands together in frustration, as their team struggles to sign their first round pick to a contract headed into training camp.

And while some of those fans have a legitimate gripe, especially when their pick holds out for a ridiculous amount of time (see Michael Crabtree), the majority tend to have their fears assuaged fairly quick, with most first round selections getting a deal done before they miss too much time.

This year is no different, with a bevy of signings hitting the wire throughout the day today, and plenty more where they came from as we head into the first weekend of training camp in 2010.

Here’s where things stand as of right now with the 2010 first round picks:

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As a lifelong fan of the NFL, I’ve watched more than my fair share of drafts over the years, and have formulated my own view on how each team operates in their selection process. Obviously, I’m not privy to what goes on in the war rooms around the league, but I feel pretty confident in my ability to project how things will play out, at least in round one that is.

This year, I made the decision to take my mock draft and my top 100 prospect list to the fine folks over at the Huddle Report, and enter it into their annual contest to see who’s opinion is the most accurate. Throughout the years, many top notch pundits covering the comings and goings around the league have made their name well known with their draft prognostications, including Rick Gosselin (Dallas Morning News), Gil Brant (NFL.com), and even Mel Kiper, Jr (ESPN).

While I would have liked to have done better in the final standings, I can’t say I finished all that poorly, given the competition, and I think things went pretty well overall. NFLNR finished tied for 31st in the top 100 contest, with 78/100 prospects correctly predicted.

In the mock draft contest, NFLNR came up a bit short, but not horrible overall, finishing tied for 81st. We correctly matched four players to their actual teams and predicted 25/32 prospects in round one.

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Unlike any other draft before, this year brought us a completely new format, allowing the league to celebrate (rightly so) the achievements of the best collegiate players in primetime. While there are definitely a few kinks that need to be worked out over the next year, things couldn’t be better for the NFL, with outstanding ratings and interest at an all time high.

This year’s draft was dominated by trades, with teams wheeling and dealing all over the board, not only to move up and get a player they coveted, but to acquire proven talent as well. There was no shortage of controversy in some of the moves, but on the flip side of that coin were several clubs that clearly improved their roster through their maneuvers, keeping things interesting and exciting from the first overall pick to Mr. Irrelevant at the very end.

It’s with all of that in mind that we delve into each team’s picks, grading out their overall performance and critiquing those that failed to upgrade positions of need.

As always, we want to hear from you, so be sure to leave your thoughts in the comment section.

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Every year there are more than a few prospects left waiting and wondering why they weren’t taken in the draft.They sit and quietly contemplate whether their careers are finally over and then like that, their phone rings, usually with a front office executive of one team or another on the line. And then the fun begins, with teams vying to be the first to offer rookie free agent contracts to players who often have the talent, but questions in other areas.

Obviously, very few of these players actually end up making it over the long run with the team they sign on with, but it definitely goes to show that perseverance and luck can get you through if you put your mind to it.

With that in mind, here’s my list of the top prospects still available after this weekend’s festivities came to a close a short while ago. I’ll be updating this list with all the latest signings, as the night goes on, so be sure to check back often for the latest news.

* Updated Sun @ 8:22 pm CST

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Prior to this off-season, the Jets weren’t exactly known for their propensity to wheel and deal during the draft. But after blockbuster free agent period netted them Antonio Cromartie, LaDainian Tomlinson, and Jason Taylor, New York mad yet another splash in the pool this morning with their release of Pro Bowl guard Alan Faneca and their trade of  running back Leon Washington to Seattle.

According to ESPN’s Chris Mortensen, the Jets will pay $5.25 million to Faneca in spite of his release. Faneca’s play has dipped significantly in recent years, and was expected to be a casualty for New York at some point or another.

As for Washington, the knee injury he suffered last season gave the Jets enough cause for concern that they selected USC running back Joe McKnight in the fourth round, making Washington expendable. Shortly afterward, the Seahawks came calling and New York quickly pulled the trigger on a deal that netted them a fifth round selection this year.

Round two was predictably full of surprises, with several teams throwing caution to the wind and selecting players of questionable value and/or talent.

But alongside of those picks, which were really few and far between, there were plenty of outstanding choices made by NFL front offices last night, and their teams should be much better next season as a result.

We’ll have much more analysis tomorrow on this and every other round, so be sure to keep it locked right here throughout the remainder of the draft.

As always, feel free to leave your thoughts in the comment section. Read the rest of this entry »

Over the past week, there’s been a multitude of rumors floating around claiming the Redskins would be all too eager to send defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth packing for a new home, and while team officials in Washington have remained adamant that there’s no way that would happen, it simply made too much sense not to explore it.

That said, it’s likely that the final nail in that coffin was put into place this afternoon, with Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan speaking on the subject with the folks over at NFL Network, saying pretty clearly that “it’s not going to happen.”

Given the way the first round played out, I tend to agree, with Detroit taking defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh at #2 overall, removing that need from their board. It’s possible that the Titans and the Raiders could make a push to get Haynesworth in the fold, potentially trading a third round pick and something else to get him on their side, but for now, it seems as though the chances of that happening are slim to none.

Last night’s proceedings were an incredible success for the NFL as a whole, given the primetime status of the TV coverage and the speed at which round one was completed. Instead of the five hour affairs we’ve seen in years past, this version was slammed out in just 3 hours, 28 minutes, finishing up in record time and leaving most fans yearning for more. Ratings should be high once again tonight, in both the second and third round.

There were more than a few teams that got a whole lot better last night, and several that left me scratching my head in amazement at their stupidity. Here’s a few of my winners/losers from round one.

Winners

1. Seattle – The Seahawks had two picks in the top 15 last night, and they used both to perfection, snagging a franchise left tackle in Russell Okung at #5 overall and a legitimate playmaker for their secondary in safety Earl Thomas at #14.  True they lucked out a bit in having those two players still available when they picked, but when the pressure was on, they didn’t miss, improving both sides of the ball in a big way.

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With round one in the books, things are bound to get crazy this evening in both round two and three, making tonight’s coverage of the draft must-see TV.

Look for a bevy of trades to take place, especially early on in round two, with plenty of top level players slipping down from round one.

We’ve got our latest projection of how things will play out in round two for your viewing pleasure. Obviously, things are subject to change throughout the day as teams discuss trades, so check back this afternoon for our final picks.

As always, don’t hesitate to let us know what you think in the comment section. Read the rest of this entry »

Thanks for dropping back in to check out our draft grades from round one.

Things pretty much went to form last night, with just enough trades to keep us on our toes, and a few surprises thrown in for good measure (Tim Tebow to Denver?)

We’ve broken down each pick and have our first thoughts on every player selected, but we want to hear from you on how you think each team did, so don’t hesitate to let us know in the comment section.

Enjoy!