FanPost

POD Poll Mock Draft: RECAP

This is the recap edition of the 2011 POD Poll Mock Draft. Around February, I created a series of posts polling POD in order to combine everyone's mock drafts, hopefully creating a more accurate mock draft. The main problem was, however, that we did it too early and many draft boards changed from February to the end of April. Next year, I will do the series later in the year. But without further ado, our picks.

So far, this is how the draft has turned out:

  1. Carolina Panthers select Nick Fairley, DT, Auburn
  2. Denver Broncos select Da'Quan Bowers, DE, Clemson
  3. Buffalo Bills select Cam Newton, QB, Auburn
  4. Cincinnati Bengals select AJ Green, WR, Georgia
  5. Arizona Cardinals select Blaine Gabbert, QB, Missouri
  6. Cleveland Browns select Marcell Dareus, DE/DT, Alabama
  7. San Francisco 49ers select Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU
  8. Tennessee Titans select Von Miller, OLB, Texas A&M
  9. Dallas Cowboys select Tyron Smith, OT, USC
  10. Washington Redskins select Jake Locker, QB, Washington
  11. Houston Texans select Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska
  12. Minnesota Vikings select Ryan Mallett, QB, Arkansas
  13. Detroit Lions select Julio Jones, WR, Alabama
  14. St. Louis Rams select Robert Quinn, DE, UNC
  15. Miami Dolphins select Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama
  16. Jacksonville Jaguars select Cameron Jordan, DE, Cal
  17. New England Patriots select J.J. Watt, DE, Wisconsin
  18. San Diego Chargers select Aldon Smith, DE/OLB, Missouri
  19. New York Giants select Akeem Ayers, OLB, UCLA
  20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers select Ryan Kerrigan, DE, Purdue

  21. 44. Detroit Lions select Bruce Carter, OLB, UNC
We nailed AJ Green to Cincinnati, Tyron Smith to the Cowboys and Robert Quinn to the Rams. The fall of Nick Fairley and Da'Quan Bowers hurt a lot as it threw off the entire draft. For example, the Bills likely would have taken Cam Newton if he had not gone number one overall to the Panthers. However, we did get quite a few positions correct, as we predicted the Browns take Marcell Dareus, the Vikings to reach on a the fourth quarterback in the top twelve in Ryan Mallett, and the Buccaneers take Ryan Kerrigan. I personally remember thinking that there was no way that four quarterbacks would go in the top twelve, and I am sure that we were one of the only mocks who correctly predicted that.
On a more interesting matter, POD thought that Nick Fairley was deserving of the top pick in the draft. We all know about how Fairley's supposed work ethic problems and dirty play caused him to drop right into the Lions' lap, but I find it very interesting that a few people are complaining about Fairley's lack of being a LB or CB, but they themselves said that he was deserving of the number one overall pick. Fairley was obviously not available at 13 in this draft, but it would have been interesting to see how many votes he would have gotten. The actual vote was quite close, with Robert Quinn receiving 15% and Julio Jones receiving 14% and the all important revote between the two.
Bruce Carter was the overwhelming favorite at 44 for POD not just in February, but until the evil Cowboys took him four spots ahead of the Lions at 40 overall. It should be noted that TItus Young received exactly one vote, and if you are the individual who voted for the Lions' new deep threat this is your chance to brag. Also, Mikel Leshoure received five votes.
Well that is that. I look forward to doing this next year, maybe at the start of April. Thanks again for all the nice comments that you have already said about this series in previous posts' comments, and they are very much appreciated.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pride Of Detroit or its writers.