2007 Mock Draft Picks 11-20

11. San Francisco 49ers

DE Adam Carriker
Nebraska
After substantially upgrading his team’s overall talent level, head coach Mike Nolan will address the team’s chief needs with this pick. The top ten will play out well for the 49ers with plenty of defensive talent left on the board. In somewhat of a surprise, the 49ers will select the enormous defensive lineman Adam Carriker from Nebraska. At 6’6” and nearly 300 lbs. Carriker is athletic enough to play either defensive end position or defensive tackle making him a perfect fit for San Francisco’s aging defensive front.

12. Buffalo Bills

LB Patrick Willis
Mississippi

In as close to a slam-dunk as you can get in a draft, the Bills will take the tackling machine that is Patrick Willis from Ole Miss. The loss of London Fletcher to free agency and the trade of Takeo Spikes made linebacker the biggest team need and Willis will fit in perfectly.

13. St. Louis Rams

DT Alan Branch
Arkansas

The Rams defense was terrible again in 2006 especially against the run. They actually ranked dead last in the NFC. With the defensive tackle Alan Branch and the defensive end Jamaal Anderson left on the board, head coach Scott Linehan has a choice to make. I believe they take the run stopper over the pass rusher here. Branch will be able to step in and make an immediate impact.

14. Carolina Panthers

TE Greg Olsen
Miami

The Panthers have many needs, as pretty much the entire team played poorly last year. They think the need to jump start QB Jake Delhomme and the offense is the most pressing one. Carolina desperately needs an option on offense other than Steve Smith and although I think the 14th overall pick is way too early to take Greg Olsen, it appears the Panthers are prepared to do exactly that. The acquisition of talented free agent quarterback David Carr will leave little margin for error with this underachieving offense.

15. Pittsburgh Steelers

CB Darelle Revis
Pittsburgh

The Steelers most glaring needs appear to be on defense. Even though they were pretty solid overall last year, they ranked in the bottom third in the AFC against the pass. I look for hometown product, corner back Darrelle Revis from the University of Pittsburgh, to add youth and speed to an aging secondary.

16. Green Bay Packers

RB Marshawn Lynch
California

Wide receiver has been a position of need for the Packers since the departure of Javon Walker last year and running back Ahman Green moving on to Houston has created another. Robert Meacham from Tennessee is soft and doesn’t like going over the middle or fighting for jump balls. Ted Ginn, Jr. of Ohio State is hurt most of the time, so it would be smart for head coach Mike McCarthy to take this very versatile and talented running back from Cal.

17. Jacksonville Jaguars

S Reggie Nelson
Florida

Jacksonville now has a huge hole in their defense with the departure of Deon Grant via free agency. Although the safety from Florida doesn’t have a ton of big time experience, he makes up for it with incredible athleticism and grit. He appears to be shooting up team’s draft boards as a pretty safe pick.

18. Cincinnati Bengals

CB Chris Houston
Arkansas

The Bengals need help all over the field on defense and should be able to get at least some with this pick. They ranked dead last in the AFC last year in passing defense, so look for them to take the best shut down corner in the SEC last year in Chris Houston. With the mass exodus of bad apples out of Cincinnati, Houston should be a welcome addition.

19. Tennessee Titans

WR Ted Ginn, Jr.
Ohio State

The departure of receivers Drew Bennett and Bobby Wade through free agency makes this the ultimate position of need. Kick returner Pac Man Jones being suspended for the entire 2007 season certainly doesn’t help the Titans situation either. Oddly enough there will be a receiver with the threat of vertical speed and a potential big time kick returner all rolled into one available at this spot. Tennessee will knock people over to get to the podium to select the Buckeye, Ted Ginn, Jr.

20. New York Giants

LB Lawrence Timmons
Florida State

In one day the Giants released both of their starting outside linebackers and a starting offensive lineman making these positions an instant priority. There is a big enough drop off in talent from Levi Brown, taken earlier by the Dolphins, and the next available lineman that I believe the Giants decide to address their linebacker issues with this pick. Although Timmons only became a starter last year, what he lacks in experience, he make up for in raw skills and tenacity. The Giants could go with Penn State standout Paul Posluszny here, but Timmons is by far the better athlete.