Random mocks from around the net

[carpanfan96]

Hardy is a beast.. we can use some depth, but we have 2 fine starting DE's in our future..

Yea when rushing the passer, he's always been weak against the run. He's always been poor at setting the edge and gets washed in the run game. He's getting better against the run game though and I'll give him credit for finally buying into playing run defense.

[bleys]

Yea when rushing the passer, he's always been weak against the run. He's always been poor at setting the edge and gets washed in the run game. He's getting better against the run game though and I'll give him credit for finally buying into playing run defense.

he has a year and a little more than half under his belt. chances are high a DE in the draft isn't going to be an immediate upgrade..

[(╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻]

I see Hardy get pushed completely out of the play on run plays quite often. I would say he is below average in playing the run and average in pass rushing in comparison to other starting DE's in the NFL. You don't see Hardy blowing up running plays (ever) like CJ does.

Don't get me wrong, I think Hardy has all the tools to become a good DE for us, and this is a learning year for him, just like several players on our team. But, I do not think Hardy would be a starter on most NFL teams (right now) based on his inconsistency to hold the point of attack on run downs.

I specifically watch Hardy on most of the plays on defense, and I'm wondering if you watch any of the games at all. I've seen him make a couple of mistakes that are expected of a young DE, but nowhere near to justify hitting the restart button on the position. Hell, if anything, all I have seen is that the kid has amazing potential and was a steal.

[KBRed]

Do not underestimate the Kraken! Next year will be a huge year for him, when DT's show up to help the line.

[Jesse]

Do not underestimate the Kraken! Next year will be a huge year for him, when DT's show up to help the line.

Yes; the poo DT play has just further cemented how well Hardy is playing. Coples is unnecessary

[JawnyBlaze]

http://walterfootball.com/draft2012.php

Walter's Dec 15th update is pretty nice. Has us taking Claiborne in the 1st at #6 and Brandon Thompson in the 2nd (with Dontari Poe still on the board, not sure which I'd prefer at this point). The only other guys he has still available I would consider instead of Thompson or Poe (assuming our new scrub DTs still perform well for the rest of the year) would be one of the two Safetys (Markelle Martin or Mark Barron) or Dwight Jones or Lavonte David or Travis Lewis (I don't know anything about the two OLBs, but people have been talking about them around here and we need some quality OLB depth/possibly a starter).

[JawnyBlaze]

Another random mock that's pretty nice. 3 rounds, has us taking Claiborne in the 1st and Poe in the 2nd. Pretty sensible picks for the other teams, too.

http://macsportsandsuds.com/?p=483

[JawnyBlaze]

http://www.walterfootball.com/draft2012charlie.php

Charlie Campbell's latest mock (from walterfootball) has us taking Dre Kirkpatrick in the 1st and Kendall Wright in the 2nd. Not bad, still iffy about Kirkpatrick.

[charlotte49er]

Great Blue North (I always look to this site and uaually they are pretty close. For a bunch of Canucks. LOL)

http://www.gbnreport.com/2012projection.html

9

Carolina Devon Still DT Penn State

[JawnyBlaze]

http://footballdraftanalysis.webs.com/

Here's a 2 round mock updated today, notable because it's a combination of picks for us I hadn't seen before. It has us taking Devon Still in the 1st (with Kirkpatrick still on the board) and Vontaze Burfict in the 2nd. I'd consider that a successful first two picks. It loses a little credibility with its first round pick for the Bucs - Coples. They'd be more likely to take Still than Coples, in my opinion. But after spending their first two picks in each of the past two drafts on DEs and DTs I'd be shocked if they picked a Dlineman with their first pick this year.

[JawnyBlaze]

http://andrewjos75.blogspot.com/2011/12/2012-nfl-mock-draft-123111-7-rounds.html

I have to say, I like this guy's mock. Don't think it'll work out like this for us (it was last updated Dec 31), but this is probably my favorite semi-reasonable mock yet:

1st: Blackmon (yea, I know we need defense and I'm big on the "all early picks should be spent on defense" train too but at our first round pick he's a good value and the only offensive player drafted in this mock)

2nd: Dontari Poe (mmm beef)

4th: Cliff Harris (personal problems aside, he really seems like a good CB and a damn good returner too)

5th: Jake Bequette DE Arkansas (don't know anything about this guy, ESPN Scout Insider says he's the 13th rated DE. 6'4.5, 263 lbs. Says he has a high motor, high intangibles, gave him a 2 for pass rush skills (1 is highest))

6th: Nathan Williams OLB Ohio State (don't know anything about this guy, ESPN Scout Insider says he's the 18th rated OLB (including 3-4 pass rushers and all). 6'2, 247 lbs. 3s pretty much across the board, meaning average. At least he isn't undersized like that Zack Williams guy we drafted in the 6th last year.)

7th: Bryan Anger P California (yay a Punter. ESPN Scout Insider says he's the 2nd rated Punter.

[JawnyBlaze]

http://www.walterfootball.com/draft2012_4.php

walter added a round 4 to his mock:

Carolina Panthers: Aaron Henry, S, Wisconsin

Sherrod Martin played one of the worst games I've ever seen out of a safety in the season finale at New Orleans. He's a disgrace and needs to be upgraded. Here's some competition for him.

JR would seem to agree with walter about Sherrod.

[jarhead]

I see Hardy get pushed completely out of the play on run plays quite often. I would say he is below average in playing the run and average in pass rushing in comparison to other starting DE's in the NFL. You don't see Hardy blowing up running plays (ever) like CJ does.

Don't get me wrong, I think Hardy has all the tools to become a good DE for us, and this is a learning year for him, just like several players on our team. But, I do not think Hardy would be a starter on most NFL teams (right now) based on his inconsistency to hold the point of attack on run downs.

I see Hardy as average but with upside but I feel we have to find a way to get more pressure on the qb either through the DL or blitzs.We need someone who will put pressure on the qb consistantly. I think we should keep him but fell we need to upgrade the position.Having said that, will Couples be an upgrade? I do not know.Watching him a couple of times this year I would say not but I hear he was playing tackle etc....Is he the ideal physcial speciman....it appears so.Just watching him this year I would not even have him in the first round but he is rated up there for a reason.

[Bj-Monster23]

I see Hardy as average but with upside but I feel we have to find a way to get more pressure on the qb either through the DL or blitzs.We need someone who will put pressure on the qb consistantly. I think we should keep him but fell we need to upgrade the position.Having said that, will Couples be an upgrade? I do not know.Watching him a couple of times this year I would say not but I hear he was playing tackle etc....Is he the ideal physcial speciman....it appears so.Just watching him this year I would not even have him in the first round but he is rated up there for a reason.

He is very inconsistent and doesn't have a motor, you don't want to have that on your defensive line. He clearly has not be on the same level as his hype as a top 5 pick. I still see Robert Quinn the DE from UNC last year still been miles ahead of Coples. I don't want the Panthers to take him with our first pick. I believe our need is bigger at CB/DT/OT. No particular order