1. Carolina Panthers: Cam Newton, QB, Auburn

New regime, new quarterback. Newton has the greatest upside of any QB in this draft.

2. Denver Broncos: Marcell Dareus, DT, Alabama

Build throught the trenches. Dareus is the safest pick and brings versatility and toughness to a porous Denver defense.

3. Buffalo Bills: Von Miller, LB, Texas A&M

Might have struck out on Aaron Maybin in ’09, but Miller is the real deal. Best pass rusher in the draft and a perfect fit as a 3-4 OLB.

4. Cincinnati Bengals: A.J. Green, WR, Georgia

Perhaps the top talent in the draft, Green has the size, hands and body control to be a No. 1 receiver from day one. Would round out a very nice young group of pass catchers.

5. Arizona Cardinals: Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU

Dominant cornerback with great return skills. Don’t see the Cardinals reaching for Gabbert, so Peterson is the highest guy left on the board.

6. Cleveland Browns: Julio Jones, WR, Alabama

Colt McCoy has no weapons at his disposal. Jones is a physical receiver who has shot up boards with an impressive combine performance. Would be an instant starter from day one.

7. San Francisco 49ers: Blaine Gabbert, QB, Missouri

New coach Jim Harbaugh tried recruiting Gabbert while he was at Stanford. Could be a good player down the line, but has lots of questions in terms of adjusting to NFL offense.

8. Tennessee Titans: Nick Fairely, DT, Auburn

After the 2010 college season ended, there was no doubt Fairely was the most dominant player in the country outside of Newton. Character concerns have caused his stock to drop, but he’d be a nice piece on a young Titans defensive line.

9. Dallas Cowboys: Tyron Smith, OT, USC

Dallas has a huge need at right tackle and Smith was very good at that position in college. Has upside and athleticism to play on the left side.

10. Washington Redskins: Robert Quinn, DE/OLB, North Carolina

Quinn could have been the first pick in the draft if he played last season. He’d be a great fit opposite Brian Orakpo, solidifying the outside linebacker spots in the Redskins’ 3-4 defense. no comments

#1 Carolina Panthers – QB Blaine Gabbert

#2 Denver Broncos – CB Patrick Peterson

#3 Buffalo Bills – DT Marcell Dareus

#4 Cincinnati Bengals – QB Cam Newton

#5 Arizona Cardinals – OLB Von Miller

#6 Cleveland Browns – WR A.J. Green

#7 San Francisco 49ers – DE Robert Quinn

#8 Tennessee Titans – QB Jake Locker

#9 Dallas Cowboys – CB Prince Amukamara

#10 Washington Redskins – WR Julio Jones

#11 Houston Texans – DT Nick Fairley

Over the next couple of days, all four writers for the blog will be participating in our NFL Draft Pick'em.  The rules are simple: make a selection for each of the 32 first-round 2011 NFL draft picks.   Correct picks count as 1 point.  Correct trades count as 2 points.  The person with the most points win. 

If you'd like to play along, feel free.  Just post your picks in the comments for this article or any of the articles where our four writers will list their picks.

The winner will receive a prize to-be-determined. 

How would you react if the Patriots selected a quarterback with the #28 pick?

Jason:  I would probably react by throwing my laptop through the TV. OK, maybe I like my TV a bit too much to do that, but I would not be pleased. I worry about Locker's accuracy (his completion percentage in college was less than 54 percent). The Patriots made Tom Brady the highest-paid QB in the league last year, so paying another QB first-round money to hold a clipboard would be a waste of resources. Maybe my TV isn't so safe after all.

What is your favorite Drew Bledsoe Moment?

Stephen:  To be honest, my memories of the Patriots mostly date back to only Tom Brady as I didn't start watching football until I was 9 or 10 right when Brady took over for Bledsoe.

Mark Herzlich, OLB, Boston College

Herzlich was considered to be among the nation's top LB prospects in 2008 before bone cancer derailed his 2009 season. Though he seemed to be a step slower in his return to the field in 2010, he still showed excellent instincts and could easily develop into a solid starter if he does not have any further health setbacks.

K.J. Wright, OLB, Mississippi

Wright has average athelticism, but he has a solid frame at 6'3" and 245 pounds. He would likely need to add some muscle to be a three-down player. He has four years of experience as a starter and contributed on special teams. He would be a bit of a project, but he could provide depth with at least a little upside.

Thomas Keiser, OLB, Stanford

Keiser is a bit unpolished and would likely need a year or two to reach the point where he wouldn't be a liability as a starter. However, he has the elite size and athleticism that the Patriots covet (6'5", 244). He also is adept at rushing the passer, racking up 19.5 sacks in 27 games as a starter (plus 11 as a reserve).

Ross Homan, OLB, Ohio State

While their arch-rival in Happy Valley is known as Linebacker U, Ohio State has produced a number of productive linebackers in the NFL as well. Homan is a good tackler and is excellent against the run. He has been the unsung hero of Ohio State's defense, and he could end up being an excellent value late in the draft.

Doug Hogue, OLB, Syracuse

Much like Keiser, Hogue would need to add a little bit of bulk. He shows excellent hustle and could be an important asset on special teams. He is still raw, but has enough upside for the Patriots to gamble late in the draft.

Over the past four weeks, the Bloguin NFL bloggers have been participating in a mock draft.  Bloggers from each team have made their selection. 

Picking for the Pats at #17 and #28, I made the following selections. 

#17 - J.J. Watt, DE from Wisconsin

The Patriots' top priority this off-season should be to improve the pass rush.  While the outside linebacker position is a greater need for the Pats than defensive end, J.J. Watt provides the type of three-down value that Bill Belichick looks for in a first round pick.  Watt is arguably the best 5-technique DE in the draft and should be able to start next to Vince Wilfork in the 3-4. Getting back to the pass rush, Watt is no slouch in that department, recording 21 tackles for loss and seven sacks this past season.

#28 - Nate Solder, OT from Colorado

With veteran left tackle Matt Light entering both the twilight of his career and free-agency, the Patriots look to the future and select his replacement with their second 1st round pick.  Nate Solder is big, athletic, and nasty, which fits the bill of exactly what was lacking from New England's O-line during their playoff loss to the Jets. His work ethic and attitude should mesh well with that of Logan Mankins, assuming the disgruntled guard returns to the team. Together, the two should set the tone for the front line and create a wall of toughness to protect Tom Brady.

You can take a look at the entire mock draft, by clicking the link here.  Picks #29-32 will be made over the next four days.   

Last night, despite the current lockout situation in the NFL, the Patriots’ schedule was announced. New England’s fans are hungry to start the NFL up again especially after the way the season ended last year, a 28-21 loss in the AFC Divisional Playoffs to the archrival New York Jets. But, assuming we start the season on time, here are some tidbits about New England’s schedule as well as the top 5 games I am looking forward to this season:

First, here is the full schedule, found on NFL.com (all times are eastern)

Week 1 – Monday September 12th – Patriots at Dolphins – 7:00 ESPN

Weel 2 – Sunday September 18th – Chargers at Patriots – 4:15 CBS

Week 3 – Sunday September 25th – Patriots at Bills – 1:00 CBS

Week 4 – Sunday October 2nd – Patriots at Raiders – 4:15 CBS

Week 5 – Sunday October 9th – Jets at Patriots – 4:15 CBS

Week 6 – Sunday October 16th – Cowboys at Patriots – 4:15 FOX

Week 7 – Bye Week

Week 8 – Sunday October 30th – Patriots at Steelers – 4:15 CBS

Week 9 – Sunday November 6th – Giants at Patriots – 4:15 FOX

Week 10 – Sunday November 13th – Patriots at Jets – 8:20 NBC

Week 11 – Monday November 21st – Chiefs at Patriots – 8:30 ESPN

Week 12 – Sunday November 27th – Patriots at Eagles – 4:15 CBS

Week 13 – Sunday December 4th – Colts at Patriots – 8:20 NBC

Week 14 – Sunday December 11th – Patriots at Redskins – 1:00 CBS

Week 15 – Sunday December 18th – Patriots at Broncos – 4:15 CBS

Week 16 – Sunday December 24th – Dolphins at Patriots – 1:00 CBS

Week 17 – Sunday January 1st – Bills at Patriots – 1:00 CBS

• New England begins the year with two road games in warm weather climates (September 12th at Miami on Monday Night Football and October 2nd at Oakland.) Historically, the Patriots do not play well when they travel to warm climates in the early part of the year. With the potential for high amounts of humidity and temperatures, the fitness of this team will be tested.
• The Patriots will play 4 primetime games this year: 2 on Monday Night Football (at Miami, vs. KC) and 2 on Sunday Night Football (at NYJ, vs. IND).
• Also, they will play 8 of their 16 games at 4:15 eastern, so they will be in the national spotlight a lot this year and rightfully so.
• Take a look at the stretch of games after the bye: The first six opponents (at Steelers, vs. Giants, at Jets, vs. Chiefs, at Eagles, vs. Colts) were a combined 63-33 last season. The opponents

• New England will play in their last four games were a combined 21-63 last year (at Washington, at Denver, vs. Miami, vs. Buffalo). If the Pats do struggle early, they can build some momentum towards a playoff run with the weak December schedule.

Here are my top 5 games to look forward to, starting at number five:

Being a Patriots fan has been one of the most enjoyable and exciting parts of my life.  When I look back at the past seventeen years, there's really one man to thank for this experience:  Drew Bledsoe.  As a young sports fan in North Jersey, I never liked to follow the crowd.  Instead of going with the local teams, I chose my allegiences randomly.  I'm a Timberwolves fan because I thought a hat of theirs was cool when I was nine years old.  I'm an Orioles fan because I got caught up in Cal Ripken Jr.'s Iron Man streak. (As you can see, I've suffered an immense amount of needless pain from these decisions.) I became a Patriots fan because I liked Drew Bledsoe.  Why Bledsoe?  I have no idea.  It probably had something to do with him being young, having a cool name, and being somebody that none of my other friends liked.  But nevertheless, I liked Drew Bledsoe and so I like the Patriots.  After swinging and whiffing badly on the first two teams, I finally managed to hit one out of the park with Drew and the Pats. 

Within a few years of hopping on the Patriots' wagon, the team went from the league's cellar dwellers, to Super Bowl XXXI.  You have no idea how big of a moment that was for me.  My sister was much better at picking teams than I was, and I had just endured a four year stretch where her Cowboys had won three Super Bowls.  None of my teams had ever sniffed a championship. Even though, I knew the Patriots' chances of beating the Packers were slim at best, I was just happy to have my team playing in the big game. Things were looking up and the Bledsoe/Parcells union appeared to be on track to creating a potential dynasty in New England.