Though Jake Locker has been rising, jumping back into the first round after the NFL Combine, the former Washington quarterback is still on the outside in a few 2011 NFL mock drafts. Locker is a borderline first-rounder at the moment, according to many, either going in the bottom-half of the round, perhaps to the Seattle Seahawks, or early in the second round.
Over at Walter Football, Greg Cox took a stab at the first three rounds in his 2011 NFL mock draft, leaving Locker out of the first round. He is, however, an early second round pick, heading to the Buffalo Bills to learn under the tutelage of Ryan Fitzpatrick.
This is a great scenario for them and Locker as well. Ryan Fitzpatrick is their starter and will be a great teacher for Locker. They are going to spend a lot of time together and eventually Locker is going to take Fitzpatrick’s job. This is the how the league works.
The Bills have been rumored to be on the hunt for a quarterback, and have been tied to Cam Newton and Blaine Gabbert already. Cox notes Locker would be a better value pick in the second round for Buffalo, allowing the Bills to fill other needs with the third pick in the first round.
But would Locker actually be around at the 34th pick? His name has been connected to many teams in the first round already, and his stock appears to be rising. If he’s still on the board late in the first, it’s likely a team trades up to snatch him before the end of the first round, something the various mock drafts can’t project.
It’s all about the situation for Locker and a team that allows him to develop for a year or two could reap the benefits as he continues to progress as a more drop-back quarterback. In Buffalo, he’d be able to do that, making the Bills a solid landing spot for the former Washington quarterback, should he fall to the second round.
For more on the draft, check out our 2011 NFL mock draft StoryStream.