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TheDarkHorse’s 2011 Mock Draft – Picks 6-10

By TheDarkHorse

Colt McCoy needs a dance partner. A.J. Green will do. (Source: BCSknowhow.com)

For picks 1 through 5, go here.

Let’s continue with picks 6 through 10.

6. Cleveland Browns – A.J. Green, WR, Georgia: Cleveland’s in a terrible spot. They’re moving to the 4-3, but have nothing along the defensive line. They have a promising young quarterback in Colt McCoy — and they’re moving to the West Coast Offense — but he’s got almost nobody to throw to. They just cut NT Shaun Rogers along with a flock of grizzled defensive veterans — a fiscally sound move, but one that’s left Browns fans wondering who will take the field next season. Changing offensive and defensive philosophies during a lockout-hampered offseason in which coaches cannot communicate with players is tougher. The free-agency window possibly opening for mere weeks, if at all, is tougher. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh and Baltimore have stayed the course. This draft is critical for the Browns, forced to address needs all over the place. Pat Shurmur was brought in to groom McCoy and flip the switch on offense — and Green is the kind of sizzling wideout the team’s been missing since Braylon Edwards broke free in 2007 — and before that, since Webster Slaughter. Still, many could question the Browns passing up one of the blue-chip defensive linemen — but how do you meet two needs at once?

7. San Francisco 49ers – Da’Quan Bowers, DE, Clemson: This is a tough one for me. In a mock with trades, I see Jim Harbaugh and the 49ers pressing for a quarterback, or possibly even trading down into a spot where they can gather picks and select Florida’s Christian Ponder late in the first. Honestly, how many more coaches can call Alex Smith their starter? That experiment needs to cease. With Cam Newton and Blaine Gabbert off the board, the 49ers select Bowers, a defensive end who comes with question marks around the health of his knee, but, if ruled healthy, could serve as defensive stronghold while Harbaugh seeks a quarterback elsewhere. Moroever, there are some promising young passers to be had later in the draft, such as Washngton’s Jake Locker and Nevada’s Colin Kaepernick – not to mention the polarizing Ryan Mallett out of Arkansas.

Picks 8-10 after the jump.

8. Tennessee Titans – Nick Fairley, DT, Auburn: Yet another top 10 team that would love to bring in a young passer to groom under a new coach, in this case Mike Munchak. People say the Titans are among the franchises hurt the most by a lockout, but I disagree. I see other teams with bigger challenges than the Titans, who have bounced back from poor season before and have cleansed the house of core issues by parting with Vince Young. Kerry Collins has morphed into a Vinny Testaverde-esque veteran — perhaps he’ll play into his mid-40s, but if he goes down, the Titans can’t be comfortable with Rusty Smith at the helm. Warren Moon recently advised the Titans to go after Newton — not sure that holds any weight, but sitting pat won’t do. In this little mock draft that possibly four people are reading tops, the QBs of the day — again — are gone, and Munchak will choose Fairley, who has the frame to gain bulk without losing agility. Fairley’s stock has dropped a bit over the past month due to work-ethic concerns. But look, they called Warren Sapp a pot smoker. That worked out OK for Tampa, if I recall.

9. Dallas Cowboys – Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska: Dallas has backed itself into a good position. Last season’s massively disastrous start paved the way for Jason Garrett‘s more disciplined regime in Big D, and the team responded down the stretch. The addition of Rob Ryan is meaningful — he’s the perfect foil to the down-tempo Garrett, and players love him and play hard for him. I believe this team must address the cornerback position and will select Amukamara, Nebraska’s best defender last season. I also think the Cowboys will take a close look at the remaining top defensive lineman in this draft and they’d love a tough guy like Wisconsin’s J.J. Watt — but that’s a slight reach at this spot. Overall, this organization would be helped if Jerry Jones toned down the rhetoric and empty promises and let Garrett coach game by game through (whatever we have of) the regular season. The annual, undeserved preseason hype, 15 years running, has hurt this team’s soul. They have pretty uniforms, but aren’t even the second best team in their four-team division. Much work is to be done.

10. Washington Redskins – Robert Quinn, DE/OLB, North Carolina: You can make the argument that Mike Shanahan‘s debut in Washington last season was one of the bigger disasters of recent memory. Putrid on the field, the team managed to stay in the news all season thanks to the bizarre dissembling of Albert Haynesworth and the benching of starting quarterback Donovan McNabb. Shanahan’s handling of both players was a failure, and it’s hard to imagine either returning with the team next season. Assuming (for our sanity) they don’t, quarterback and defensive line are two of the team’s bigger needs. Rex Grossman is not an answer for an NFC East team that must find a way to win inside the division, and I strongly believe that Shanahan and the free-wheeling ‘Skins will pursue a passer with this pick. If they can’t trade up and Newton and Gabbert are off the board, Washington could select the athletic Quinn, who comes with question marks after missing his senior season at North Carolina due to rules violations, but looks like the type of player Shanahan would like to team with Brian Orakpo in the 3-4. Quinn can play DE or OLB and could be a help to a team that had a lot of problems pressuring the quarterback (other than its own) last season. Note: I also think Shanny could dive on a player like wideout Julio Jones, but the team has bigger needs.

For picks 11-20, go here.