2012 NFL Mock Draft

[BernietheKid]

2012 NFL Mock Draft

Last update: Tuesday, May 3, 2011.
Next update: Tomorrow (Round 2).

9. Cleveland Browns: Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State
The Browns passed on the opportunity to draft Julio Jones at No. 6, but given the plethora of picks they received for that selection, you can't blame them.

Unless Mike Holmgren can orchestrate another blockbuster trade, he'll go with the wideout this time. Justin Blackmon and Greg Little would give Colt McCoy a formidable duo of receivers to work with.

Had Blackmon declared this year, he may have been the 14th pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. Blackmon caught 111 passes for 1,782 yards and 20 touchdowns as a redshirt sophomore.



26. Cleveland Browns: Travis Lewis, OLB, Oklahoma
D'Qwell Jackson is penciled in as the weakside linebacker in Cleveland's new 4-3 defense. That sounds good on paper, but Jackson is injury-prone and could easily get hurt.

Travis Lewis was a first-round prospect for the 2011 NFL Draft before a pedestrian 2010 season. Maybe he can bounce back.

Because it's never too early!

WalterFootball.com: 2012 NFL Mock Draft: First Round Continued

[BernietheKid]

Travis Lewis, 6-2/232 Outside Linebacker Oklahoma

Travis Lewis Scouting Report
By Matt McGuire

Strengths: Nice triangle numbers (height, weight, speed)
Deceptively strong
Highly instinctive
Love his hand use
Knows how to stack and shed blockers
Good job working through trash to get to ballcarrier
Very athletic and coordinated
Tough
Beast against the run
Intense playing style
Consistent
Sure tackler
Great agility and change-of-direction
Monster production going back to freshman season
Excellent closing speed
Good pass rusher
Versatile (4-3 SAM, 4-3 WILL, 3-4 ILB)
Good leader
Work ethic isn't a problem
Active football player; doesn't disappear
Love his overall skill set and talent
Good (not great) in pass coverage
Covers a lot of ground
True playmaker


Weaknesses: Might lack some awareness in zone
Sometimes gets out of control
Could be a little more patient in gap discipline
Gets a little high in pass coverage
Needs to do a better job of protecting legs
Bites on play action a little too much

Summary: Travis Lewis is getting a lot of flack for something he shouldn't be getting flack for, and that's his play against the run. He's superb. He isn't 245 pounds, but you don't have to be to have terrific playing strength. I've seen him manhandle offensive linemen and make it look easy on tape. He's a sound tackler and as close to a sure thing as you are going to get for a 4-3 outside linebacker. He won't fit the 3-4 as an outside linebacker because he lacks the size and pure pass rushing talent for the position.

Lewis enters the year with a first-round grade on my board at No. 12 overall and could still move up. I love that he can play both the weakside and strongside in the 4-3 at a very high level, which makes him a very rare prospect.

Player Comparison: Lance Briggs. Briggs is the 4-3 linebacker everyone in the NFL wishes they had if they run that front. Lewis has a similar skill set and talent level.

WalterFootball.com: 2011 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Travis Lewis

[Solon16]

If we somehow get to draft Blackmon ... I honestly think it would be the best pick the Browns have had since my birth...68'

[Brown Warrior]

A WSLB at #26? Hmm. That's unusually high for that spot. I dug around all the 4-3 teams. You'd really have to be Lance Briggs II.

[Alo]

I'd love to get Alshon Jeffery instead:

YouTube - Alshon Jeffery vs. Alabama (2010)

(PGL, dim the lights and get out the scented candles. You'll love this.)

[Brown Warrior]

Yeah, you guys say that now. By next March, you'll want corners and guards again!!

[Brown Warrior]

You know... it's all shits and giggles right now, but if Julio Jones looks like the real deal... and our #1 need next year is WR? I don't think we can do a lot of cartwheels over this trade. Because we could've gone Jones-Sheard-Nevis and had that 9 available (hopefully lower) for something else.

(Like, trade down and get a RT and LB.)

[Alo]

I also love Florida State pass rusher Brandon Jenkins: 13.5 sacks, 21.5 TFL as a sophomore. But he's probably more of a 3-4 rush backer.

[OconRecon]

Terry Pluto says 7-9 would be a "huge success" for the Browns considering a new coaching staff and a green QB.

So, the 9th draft slot may be about right.

[Flugel]

Originally Posted by Alo

I'd love to get Alshon Jeffery instead:

YouTube - Alshon Jeffery vs. Alabama (2010)


(PGL, dim the lights and get out the scented candles. You'll love this.)

LOL! PGL loves that great big Gamecock!

Jeffery puts up impressive numbers in the SEC. Ideal size and great hands - in the non-Playgirl sense. Staying in this mindset, catches alot of balls in traffic and very fun to watch. I wonder how fast he is because it doesn't like he always has alot of seperation, which can be due to some extra attention at times I suppose. It seemed like the first Mike Williams looked alot like this in college as did JJ Stokes and it all changed at the next level for both guys. On the other hand, there's some big WRs like Cris Carter, Michael Irvin and Larry Fitzgerald that can consistently catch the ball inside of air tight coverages. Barring injury, this kid looks like a sure first round WR.

[Brown Warrior]

For what it's worth, I think we need speed at WR, maybe right now in free agency. Someone to bring that element to three-wide sets, probably in the slot. Mo, Robo, Little, and Cribbs are all 4.5 guys (Little was 4.56 at the Combine, 4.51 at his Pro Day).

On the sunny side, they all seem pretty well suited to the WCO. But we could use a 4.38 guy to change the dynamic in certain sets, I think.

[Alo]

Originally Posted by Flugel

LOL! PGL loves that great big Gamecock!

Jeffery puts up impressive numbers in the SEC. Ideal size and great hands - in the non-Playgirl sense. Staying in this mindset, catches alot of balls in traffic and very fun to watch. I wonder how fast he is because it doesn't like he always has alot of seperation, which can be due to some extra attention at times I suppose. It seemed like the first Mike Williams looked alot like this in college as did JJ Stokes and it all changed at the next level for both guys. On the other hand, there's some big WRs like Cris Carter, Michael Irvin and Larry Fitzgerald that can consistently catch the ball inside of air tight coverages. Barring injury, this kid looks like a sure first round WR.

Good points, Tom. I'm not very concerned about his speed and explosiveness right now, but it could become an issue if the 6'4", 233-pound wideout adds any more weight. He looked a bit heavier in the bowl game and didn't show quite the same degree of explosiveness.

Jeffery would be wise to slim down a bit for this fall. Not because he's out of shape: just to maximize his speed and assure scouts that he's not going to bulk up to 250 lbs. as the 21 year old physically matures.

Originally Posted by Brown Warrior

On the sunny side, they all seem pretty well suited to the WCO. But we could use a 4.38 guy to change the dynamic in certain sets, I think.

Mitchell would appear to be the top candidate to fill that role.