BTSC 2011 Community Mock Draft Pick No. 46 -- Denver Broncos Select Benjamin Ijalana, OL, Villanova
by Michael Bean on Apr 16, 2011 9:51 PM EDT
in 2011 BTSC Community Mock Draft
I'm back from a quick overnight trip to the coast, so here's pick No. 46 compliments of Cannon36. Thanks to him for getting it in to me last night. Next up: the St. Louis Rams, represented by Sarge_32. - Michael B. -
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With the 46th pick in the Draft the Denver Broncos select - Benjamin Ijalana - T/G - Villanova
Exceptional pass blocker at the FCS level, dominates defensive ends on most plays with great length and athleticism. Excellent foot quickness to mirror his man. Works to sustain even if his man backs off a bit. Has the bulk, length, and footwork to be a very productive run blocker. Excellent agility to get out of his stance, capable of moving behind the line and into the hole to negate linebackers.
It's not everyday that an offensive lineman from an FCS school is named to the Outland Trophy Watch List. Ben Ijalana of Villanova certainly deserved the accolades. On top of simply being on the watch list, Ijalana ended up tenth in voting for the award given to the nation's top interior lineman. That was the culmination of a stellar collegiate career that saw Ijalana named to the first-team All-CAA team three times and to the first-team All-American squad twice. Back in 2007 Ijalana started 11 games for the Wildcats as a true freshman at the tackle position. By 2008 he was starting all the games for Villanova and he never gave up that starting job. In all, Ijalana started an impressive 53 games during his collegiate career. Ijalana's toughness and ability to stay healthy is one of his many positive characteristics.
1 commentBTSC 2011 Community Mock Draft Pick No. 45 -- San Francisco 49ers Select Rahim Moore, FS, UCLA
by Michael Bean on Apr 15, 2011 11:00 PM EDT
in 2011 BTSC Community Mock Draft
Solid stuff from Michael Ulhorn with the pick and writeup for San Francisco at No. 45. I like how we have folks writing about teams they know something about -- Ulhorn, for instance, is a Bay Area native I believe. Next up: the Denver Broncos for the second time this round, represented once again by Cannon36. - Michael B. -
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Many people are mocking a Corner to the 49ers in the first round. Some even think Patrick Peterson might fall to them (which would be one of the biggest steals in recent draft memory). Others say that unless Gabbert is available, there is no way they pass on Amukamara. I happen to agree that secondary is a big concern for the 49ers. Now I could break a lot of hearts and take Ras I-Dowling with this pick, but I don't think that SF will take someone with a history of injury when they are rebuilding. They need contributors, and really can't afford to miss with this pick. Last year they drafted Taylor Mays who will make a pretty decent SS for years to come. This year I have them taking Rahim Moore, FS UCLA.
Moore and Mays will make a devastating secondary that will scare WR's who decide to go deep (as both can bring the hammer). They will develop together, and I think they will allow the 49ers to get by with the CB's they have for at least another year. Hiring Harbaugh is the start of the turn around for SF, and since they landed their future QB in Blaine Gabbert in round 1, they now help toughen up their secondary.
Moore is a leader who has shown an ability to be a ball-hawk, and is pretty decent in coverage. The NFC West has 1 good quarterback in the division, and he was a rookie last year. This new secondary will pick apart the Seahawks and Cardinals, and could help SF reach the playoffs this year.
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Top Ten Draft 'Busts' of Kevin Colbert Era: No. 7 -- OLB Bruce Davis, 3rd Round, 2008
by Michael Bean on Apr 15, 2011 8:19 PM EDT
Let's continue with the top ten draft 'successes' and 'busts' in the Kevin Colbert era with the No. 7 'bust', Bruce Davis. Taken in the third round of the largely disappointing 2008 draft, Davis' inability to develop into a viable contributor at outside linebacker is one of the primary reasons why the Steelers found themselves with little depth at OLB heading into last year's draft.
Davis' story is not all that unique. It's hard to make in the NFL. He spent most of his rookie season on the practice squad, but did earn a helmet for five games in 2008. The following year, Davis was waived in early September, beginning his multi-city tour around the league for the next two years. It began in New England where Davis spent the '09 season on the practice squad. He was waived in late May of '10. He then had a two-month stint in Denver that summer before being waived before the start of August. San Francisco picked him up, stashed him on the practice squad, only to see Oakland pluck him mid-season after multiple injuries to their linebackers forced Al Davis' hand. He would play four games for the Raiders in '11, accumulating four tackles.
Davis finds himself on this list because of his third round status. Like I said, it's not easy to make a team and stick, and it's even harder to do so when making a position change. Davis was a defensive end in college, but his slight frame necessitated the change to OLB at the more physical NFL level. His speed no longer the strong asset it was in the college game, Davis could no longer blow by people, and he wasn't quite strong enough in the hands or upper body to shed blocks.
From a selfish standpoint, I was sad to see Davis go because I had emailed him while he was still enrolled at UCLA but already been drafted. He quickly responded and agreed to several interviews before the start of his rookie season. But it wasn't meant to be in Pittsburgh for Davis, who's trying to still make something of his career with the Raiders, the same organization his father had played so well for during his career.
Kevin Colbert's Top 10 Draft 'Busts'
BTSC 2011 Community Mock Draft Pick No. 44 -- Detroit Lions Select Bruce Carter, OLB, North Carolina
by Michael Bean on Apr 15, 2011 4:47 PM EDT
in 2011 BTSC Community Mock Draft
JDSpartan follows up his great writeup for the Packers at No. 32 with more solid analysis for the Detroit Lions' second round pick at No. 44. Thankfully for him, the Steelers success outweighs all the misery he's gone through as a Lions fan over the years. Next up: the San Francisco 49ers, represented by Michael Ulhorn. - Michael B. -
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Well, my second favorite team in the world, the Detroit Lions are on the clock for their second round pick. The Lions took J.J. Watt with their first pick - not the choice I would have made, but it gives them another young difference maker on their line to pair with the manbeast, Ndamukong Suh. If there was any doubt about the Lions having the best 4 man line in the NFL, it's gone now.
The Watt pick leaves the Lions with their main needs still untouched. With needs at linebacker, corner, offensive line (particularly guard and center), SS, and wide receiver, the Lions have a bunch of options. Let's break them down. Remember, the Lions take whoever they believe the BPA is almost regardless of anything else, especially positional value.
BTSC 2011 Community Mock Draft Pick No. 43 -- Minnesota Vikings Select Brandon Harris, CB, Miami
by Michael Bean on Apr 15, 2011 1:23 PM EDT
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Many thanks to Steel in FL for the timely pick at No. 43. We've got a nice pace going, so keep it up guys! Next up:the Detroit Lions, represented by JDSpartan. - Michael B. -
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BTSC 2011 Community Mock Draft Pick No. 43-- Minnesota Vikings select Brandon Harris
I was extremely surprised when I saw Harris still available. I thought for sure he would be already off the board. My 1st thought was a QB like Mallet since they have none worth mentioning. But when I saw Harris still there, I realized not only is he BPA but he also fits a huge need. Antoine Winfield is 34, Cedric Griffin is recovering from an ACL tear and is 29, and Chris Cook battled injuries all his rookie year. I really doubt the Vikings want Frank Walker anywhere near the field.
BTSC 2011 Community Mock Draft Selections:
Top 10 NFL Draft 'Busts' Of Kevin Colbert Era: No. 8 -- OLB Thaddeus Gibson, 4th Round
by Michael Bean on Apr 14, 2011 11:53 PM EDT
Sorry for not hearing much from me today. Was a particularly busy day. Anyway, onward with the top ten 'successes' and 'busts' of the Kevin Colbert era. the No. 9 bust -- Plaxico Burress -- elicited some heated debate out of several of you. That's never a bad thing. The only thing I tried to reiterate is that I hope people don't get hung up on the word 'bust' and instead think of this top ten list as those picks that were disappointing for one reason or another.
Anyway, I have my lists mapped out, but honestly, this one was the most difficult for me to decide on. There just haven't been that many major disappointments amongst Kevin Colbert's draft picks in the top several rounds over the last eleven years. Quite simply, it was hard to piece together a ten name list.
But I'm going with Thaddeus Gibson at No. 8 over guys like WR Fred Gibson (4th round, 2005), CB Keenan Lewis (3rd Round 2009), and a few others that either never made it out of camp their rookie year or failed to produce much on Sundays.
BTSC 2011 Community Mock Draft Pick No. 42 -- Houston Texans Select Aaron Williams, CB, Texas
by Michael Bean on Apr 14, 2011 9:08 PM EDT
in 2011 BTSC Community Mock Draft
Though Aaron Williams name has been tossed around as a potential first round candidate, it's not at all inconceivable to see him drop into the low 40s before being picked. I'm sure Williams and the Texans organization would be thrilled if things shook out this way. Many thanks to jd5757 for the solid pick and writeup. Next up: the Minnesota Vikings, represented by Steel in FL. - Michael B. -
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So, I originally had myself going with a different corner with this pick, but then I looked up and down our mock again, and I realized something startling. Aaron Williams is NOT off the board!
Let's face it, folks. Houston has a terrible secondary. A terrible, terrible secondary. Their offense can put up points in bunches, and if their pass rush can get to a quarterback (see: week one vs the Colts), they stand a ghost of a chance. However, if that isn't the case, as it could tend to be last season, they would get burned. Now one could argue that maybe a defensive end for the other side of Mario Williams would help. Kinda going with the Steelers perspective of hoping that a good pass rush can make up for having an average secondary.
BTSC 2011 Community Mock Draft Pick No. 41 -- Washington Redskins Select Jonathan Baldwin, WR, Pittsburgh
by John Stephens on Apr 14, 2011 4:18 PM EDT
in 2011 BTSC Community Mock Draft
Wait, can I trade my pick for an over-the-hill athlete with a bad attitude for twice as much money as he is worth? Oh, we are not doing trades, but I am just trying to get in the mindset of Dan Snyder. Maybe if I hit myself in the head with a blunt object a few times I could make stupid decisions just like him. Anyway, the Redskins need offensive line needs a lot of help, but I am not sure the value is there in this draft. This is not a particularly strong draft for the OT position and pretty much all of the top names are off the board. Also, this draft is pretty weak on Guards outside of Mike Poucey. If I was drafting based on what I think the team would do, they would probably reach for a OL prospect way above his talent level.
I am not going to do that though. I decided to go with BPA in a position of need. That position was WR and the best player left is Jonathan Baldwin, who is a steal at 41. Personally, I think he is a better prospect than Torrey Smith as a WR and that is coming from a big Maryland Terps fan.
Jonathan Baldwin at 6'5 and 225 pounds is the NFL prototype size for a WR (see Andre Johnson). What amazes me is that he still runs a 4.5 40 yard dash with that large frame. He is very athletic and has a good set of hands (see hands guy Anquan Boldin). He is the type of WR that would be a nightmare to cover in the red zone for any defense in the league. However, he also has a good blocking skills, field awareness, tenacity to go over the middle, and is shifty after the catch. His downsides are all fixable in my opinion. He needs to improve his route tree. Additionally, he needs to work on his burst going in and out of breaks.
A few other picks I would consider at this spot for the Redskins are Rahim Moore, Ben Ijalana, and Ryan Mallet.
Catch a good highlight video of Baldwin '09 after the jump.
BTSC 2011 Community Mock Draft Pick No. 40 --Dallas Cowboys Select Danny Watkins, OL, Baylor
by Michael Bean on Apr 14, 2011 12:43 AM EDT
in 2011 BTSC Community Mock Draft
Excellent work by Steel34D with his pick and writeup at No. 40 for the Dallas Cowboys. His pick is a name we've heard associated with the Steelers on more than one occasion, but most seem to agree that the Steelers would not use the 31st pick on a 27-year old. Next up: the Washington Redskins, represented by Maryland resident John Stephens. - Michael B. -
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The Dallas Cowboys had a surprisingly bad season last year. The Cowboys finished with a regular season record of 5-11 in 2010, just one year removed from getting their first playoff win since 1996.
Defensively they were not able to stop anyone, as all but four of their 2010 opponents were able to put up at least twenty points against them. The decision to hire Rob Ryan this offseason, combined with our hypothetical 1st round pick of Nebraska CB Prince Amukamura, should help fix some of these issues.
More surprisingly though in 2010 was their offense. Despite having what was arguably the most talented backfield in the NFL, the Dallas Cowboys failed to have a 1000 yard rusher. The easy fix to this issue is to strengthen the trenches. That is why with the 40th pick of the 2011 Draft the Dallas Cowboys select...
Danny Watkins, Offensive Tackle, Baylor University
Danny Watkins is a lunch pail player, who will give everything he has on every down. At 6'3 313lbs Watkins lacks ideal size to continue to play left tackle but matches up favorably to playing guard in the NFL. Watkins is a 26 year old former fire fighter from British Columbia, who has only four years of football under his belt. Despite this Watkins has solid technique, continually keeping a low center of gravity and a wide base. He uses his hand well and has good feet. Watkins may have the highest ceiling of all the prospects because of his lack of experience.
Watkins also plays nasty, continually fighting on a play until the whistle and seemingly loves the physicality of the trenches. The downside is he will be 27 years old we the season starts which mean he will not be a ten year starter and may only make it out of his rookie contract before his body begins to wear.
Where does he fit on the Cowboys Roster?
BTSC 2011 Community Mock Draft Pick No. 39 -- Tennessee Titans Select Andy Dalton, QB, Texas Christian
by Michael Bean on Apr 13, 2011 6:59 PM EDT
in 2011 BTSC Community Mock Draft
Thanks to seton hall and steelers for the Tennessee Titans pick at No. 39. We've got some work to do if we hope to get through most or all of this second round. Next up: the Dallas Cowboys, represented by Steel34D who's anxiously been waiting his turn. - Michael B. -
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With the 38th pick in the draft the Tennessee Titans select Andy Dalton, QB, TCU
Dalton possesses great accuracy, intelligence, and play making. He is a perfect fit in a west coast offense and if you surround him with quality weapons he could become a top 10 QB. His biggest weakness is his arm strength but it is not even that bad. He could definitely use an NFL strength and conditioning program to add to that flaw. He should be able to start as a rookie but will only get better with time. He is an NFL quality player and he is a great person. He has a great work ethic and personality. He will be a favorite in the locker room and a great leader. Most importantly, he is a proven winner. I think Titans fans would be very happy with Fairley and Dalton.
BTSC 2011 Community Mock Draft Selections:
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