16. Jacksonville Jaguars 8-8
After a surprising season that saw the Jags close the gap on the rest of the AFC South (in fact, they were a game away from claiming the division crown), the Jags find themselves with some work to do. Despite winning eight games with Game Manager of the Year David Garrard, to do so next year the defense will need some tinkering. The most pressing need for Jacksonville is a pass rusher, as Aaron Kampman continues to recover from ACL surgery. However, I’ll buck the trend here and say that the Jags take Aaron Williams, cornerback from Texas. Two thoughts here. One, there is a run on corners in this draft, and there is an exponential drop off from player to player from here on out. Two, to win in the AFC South, you need corners, and Rashean Mathis is on the wrong side of 30. Cameron Heyward and Aldon Smith are both viable pass-rushing possibilities here.
17. New England (from Oakland) 14-2
New England’s defense has actually become a strength for them as of late, and a few more pieces will make this an elite unit in the NFL ranks. The Evil Hooded One has to be thrilled that A&M pass-rush specialist Von Miller has fallen into his lap. The Patriots have traditionally done a fantastic job managing their draft picks, and 2011 will be the same old song and dance when Miller teams up with Jermaine Cunningham to form a fearsome OLB combo.
18. San Diego Chargers 9-7
The Chargers made history last season by finishing the year ranked first in both total offense and defense and not making the playoffs. That said, they don’t have the perfect team. In fact, a glaring weakness exists in San Diego at right tackle, and it has for a long time. BC’s Anthony Castonzo is the answer. A starter since his freshman year, Castonzo would go a long way towards solidifying a line that is seemingly in flux. Perhaps with the addition of the Golden Eagle, Ryan Mathews will put up the numbers next year that we expected during his rookie season.
19. New York Giants 10-6
Big Blue would’ve liked to see Castonzo drop one more pick to them at 19, but just because their first choice is gone doesn’t scare them away from the offensive tackle position. Tyron Smith is a really intriguing choice for the Giants here. He doesn’t have idea size (6-4, 285), but he is one of the most athletic O-line prospects that I can remember. This will allow Smith to get to the second level and take on the safeties and linebackers downfield, unleashing Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw to gash defenses in the NFC East.
20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 10-6
While they might not have been the best team in the NFC as coach Raheem Morris said, the Bucs took some nice steps forward in 2010. Honestly, I thought the Bucs were a shoo-in for the number one overall pick in the draft this time last year. Behind Josh Freeman, Mike Williams, and the ageless Ronde Barber, there was a lot to be psyched about in the Bay this season. An upgrade is needed at defensive end, and Wisconsin’s J.J. Watt seems like a good fit. While he is raw and doesn’t have a knack for rushing the passer, it’s the run game that is Watt’s specialty. This guy eats the double-team for breakfast. A season ago, Tampa was ranked 28th in the league against the run. Look for that to improve to around the 17th slot just by getting the Badger on board.
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