NFL Draft: Round Breakdown

The National Football Post put together a chart showing where they think the top players at each position should go in the 2011 NFL Draft based on their own draft rankings. They place each player in either the 1st, 2nd or 3rd rounds and some of the placements might be a bit surprising as opposed to what round many Mock Drafts have showed players to be projected to be selected at.

For example, they do not have any quarterbacks ranked high enough to go in the first round of the draft, even though Cam Newton (Auburn) and Blaine Gabbert (Missouri) have both been predicted to go as the first overall selection in many Mocks.

They have University of Maryland wide receiver Torrey Smith ranked as a third round pick and Temple defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson as a third-rounder as well. Offensive linemen Anthony Castonzo (Boston College) and Nate Solder (Colorado) are also both rated as second round selections. Meanwhile, CB Brandon Harris (Miami) is rated a first round pick while Jimmy Smith (Colorado) is only rated a second rounder.

Great material for a debate and while a lot of these players may be ranked as lower round picks, there are always teams out there that will rate players higher and greatly affect the rest of the draft with that one head-scratching pick, which seems to happen every year.