For draft fanatics like myself, the minute this draft over, you start to look toward the next year. Here is my 2011 Mock Draft for next year. But instead of trying to predict where teams will be picking, I’ll just rank players based off their potential to where they could be drafted. This is not meant to be a comprehensive guide. There are many rising seniors and juniors I have not seen play that are top players, but this is based off my own observations. This appears to be set up for another year where the junior class makes up the bulk of the top half.
Jake Locker, Washington
1. Jake Locker, QB, Washington (Senior)
Locker has all the tools to be a top quarterback. Frankly, if he makes significant improvement this year with another year under Steve Sarkisian, I might be willing to consider him the greatest quarterback prospect I’ve ever seen. Now I must qualify that is that I’ve only been paying attention since 2001. The reason for that is the amount of improvement Locker has shown since his freshman year where he completed only 47% of his passes and had 14:15 TD-INT ratio and was more like Eric Crouch as a running quarterback. This past year, that number was 58% and 21:11. If he can get that number up to around 65% and 30:10, then that sort of improvement is uncanny. Locker still trusts his legs a bit too much, but if he gets to a point where he trusts his arm to a similar level, he’ll be as good a prospect as any franchise QB to come out since Peyton Manning, if not better.
2. Ryan Mallett, QB, Arkansas (Junior)
He has room to grow but with his size (6-6/240) and big arm, he has all the tools that NFL scouts love. He plays in Arkansas spread offense, unlike the pro style system that Locker employs, so that can hurt his stock. But for a second team looking for a big-armed and talented at the top of the draft could have their eyes set on Mallett.
3. Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama (Junior)
Many compare Ingram to Emmitt Smith, and with his vision, burst, and power, it makes sense. The Heisman winner will have a target on his back from defenses this season, and from NFL scouts, so his stock could dip by next April. But if he can stay healthy, one imagines he’ll be considered a top back going into 2011.
4. Gabe Carimi, OT, Wisconsin (Senior)
Carimi is another solid Big Ten tackle. He probably isn’t a great prospect, but he has good size (6-7/325), strength, and ability as a run blocker. He’s probably not quite the athlete most teams look for in a top offensive tackle prospect, but until someone emerges from this class, he looks to be near the top.
5. Don’ta Hightower, ILB, Alabama (Junior)
He’ll presumably slide in the spot vacated by Rolando McClain. He was injured for much of last year, but in some early games actually outplayed McClain. If he can continue that this year then he stands a good chance to be a Top 10 pick like his ex-teammate. If you project his production from his 4 appearances last year to a full 14-game season, he would have had 56 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks.
