As we have wrapped up the 2011 NFL Draft, we get to look at the lovely mock drafts that have been done. Among those to mock the draft were us (the writers) and us (the community) and we looked at how we all did when compared to the real draft. I also collaborated with Cory Williams and Scott Howard over at SB Nation Arizona to run a mock draft as well.
As a mock draft, we weren't too far off of some of the experts. Mel Kiper and Mike Mayock were the best prognosticators when it came to what number players were picked at. They each nailed nine players. What about the SBN AZ writing group?
We nailed five picks, including four out of the first five. We pegged Cam Newton (1), Von Miller (2), A.J. Green (3), Patrick Peterson (5) and Phil Taylor (21).
Likewise, if you look at our overall first round, we had almost all the players correct, just not all in order.
We missed only on four such players. One was understandable, as Da'Quan Bowers fell further than anyone could have projected. We had him going sixth. The other players we had going in the first round but did not actually get drafted then were Akeem Ayers, Torrey Smith and Marcus Cannon. Oddly enough, when Bowers was projected, there was not the great concern for his knee at that time. As for Cannon, the cancer news I think came after that pick.
Something interesting is that at number 26 I personally had Torrey Smith being drafted by the Ravens. It turns out a receiver went there at 26, they just went with Jonathan Baldwin instead. It was the strange trade snafu that led to Baltimore passing and taking the 27th pick instead.
So, obviously the three of us should quit our regular jobs and make our money on draft prognosticating, right? Oh, I thought that was what we should do. Maybe I'll give it another year.
But I think we can close the chapter on mock drafts. We will move on to pure lockout talk and QB speculation.