NFL Draft Experts Agree Plenty of 'Canes Will Go Early in Draft
ESPN NFL Draft experts Mel Kiper and Todd McShay have released their latest three-round mock drafts and both have plenty of ‘Canes slated to go during the first two days. Kiper has six former Miami players going in the first three rounds – including four in the first 57 picks – while McShay has five ‘Canes going in rounds one, two and three, headlined by his projection that cornerback Brandon Harris will be taken by Baltimore with the 26th overall pick in the first round.
Kiper is projecting that Harris, Leonard Hankerson, Orlando Franklin and DeMarcus Van Dyke all go in the second round, with Harris coming off the board first with the 40th overall pick to Dallas. He then has Hankerson going to St. Louis at No. 47, Franklin to Kansas City at No. 55 and Van Dyke to Seattle at No. 57. His third round projections have Allen Bailey going to Carolina with pick No. 65 and Colin McCarthy headed to Tampa Bay with the 84th overall selection.
| Kiper’s Latest Projections | |||
| Rd (Pick) | Player | Position | Team |
| 2 (40) | Brandon Harris | CB | Dallas |
| 2 (47) | Leonard Hankerson | WR | St. Louis |
| 2 (55) | Orlando Franklin | OL | Kansas City |
| 2 (57) | DeMarcus Van Dyke | CB | Seattle |
| 3 (65) | Allen Bailey | DL | Carolina |
| 3 (84) | Colin McCarthy | LB | Tampa Bay |
After McShay’s first round projection of Harris, he has Bailey (50th/San Diego) and Franklin (57th/Seattle) going in the second round and Hankerson (70th/Cleveland) and McCarthy (89th/San Diego) going in the third round.
| McShay’s Latest Projections | |||
| Rd (Pick) | Player | Position | Team |
| 1 (26) | Brandon Harris | CB | Baltimore |
| 2 (50) | Allen Bailey |
DL |
San Diego |
| 2 (57) | Orlando Franklin | OL | Seattle |
| 3 (70) | Leonard Hankerson | WR | Cleveland |
| 3 (89) | Colin McCarthy | LB | San Diego |
Here is what McShay had to say about Harris going to the Ravens….
With no worthy offensive tackle to fill a need and wide receivers available later who can address holes at that position, this pick comes down to a defensive end like Ohio State’s Cameron Heyward or a cornerback like Harris. Heyward comes with some medical concerns after offseason Tommy John surgery on his elbow and the risk might be too great after last year’s first-round end Sergio Kindle, did not play in 2010 because of injury. Colorado CB Jimmy Smith is more talented than Harris but comes with a lot of character flags, and while Harris needs some work he has the speed and athleticism to contribute as a sub-package corner early on and eventually become a starter.
An ESPN Insider account is required to access both of the full three-round mock drafts.
The 2011 NFL Draft will be held from April 28-30 at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. The first round will be held on Thursday, April 28 beginning at 8 p.m., with the second and third rounds to be held on Friday, April 29 beginning at 6 p.m. Rounds 4-7 will close out the draft on Saturday.
Both ESPN and the NFL Network will carry the draft live.
