2010 Pride of Detroit Community Mock Draft: Pick No. 10

Rd. # Player Pos. College 1 10 Earl Thomas S Texas General Manager: NorthLeft12

With the 10th pick of the 2010 Pride of Detroit Community Mock Draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars select Texas safety Earl Thomas.

Here is NorthLeft12's reasoning for the pick:

The Jaguars are in a tough spot this year. They have multiple needs on defense and need another playmaker or two on offence. The Jags also have no second round pick as they traded it in 2009 to pick CB Derek Cox, so they are short on high picks to fill those needs. They also are operating under severe economic pressure. They are not selling out any games, and desperately need something to re-energize the fans. That something could very well be Tim Tebow.

He is idolized in Florida and would have an immediate and very large impact on season ticket sales and attendance overall. I don't think people up here understand how big Tim Tebow is, especially in that part of Florida, and how shallow the support for the Jaguars is. Now, before you flip out, I do not believe that the Jags will use their #10 pick on Tebow. I think it is highly probable that they will trade down to get an additional pick and use one of them, first or second round, to take Tebow. But since no trades are allowed, I'll address their needs with this pick.

Continued after the jump...

On defense they need to upgrade their pass rush and improve their secondary play. The three players I looked at were:

1. Rolando McClain ILB - a great ILB and leader, but more suited for a 3-4 defense. The Jags are very strong at linebacker and don't really have a crying need for Rolando. PASS.

2. Carlos Dunlap DE - a physically gifted athlete who has the size and speed to be an All-Pro DE. An excellent pass rusher who also has the size to hold up against the run too. This is a desperate need for the Jags, but Dunlap's inconsistent performance, immaturity, and off the field troubles make him too risky this high. PASS.

3. Earl Thomas S - an amazing ballhawking center fielder who plays much bigger than his size. To compete against the Colts and the Texans, the Jags need to upgrade their secondary play, especially at the safety position. Thomas can cover wide receivers and has the skills to create turnovers, and still support the run defense. THE JAGS TAKE HIM!

Check out the 2010 Pride of Detroit Community Mock Draft tracker for a look at all of the picks.