The NFL has locked out it's players, and I don't think anyone knows what the next season will look like for sure, if there actually is one. But the Draft is still going to happen all the same, and thus, we can still Mock our little hearts out. SB Nation has just come out with their latest 2011 NFL Mock Draft, and they still have the Bucs looking for help on the defensive line.
For the second week in a row, they have the Bucs taking Missouri defensive end Aldon Smith. Here is their rationale.
The Bucs desperately need an end, and here, they'd get to pick between raw upside (Smith) and consistent production (Ryan Kerrigan). Smith seems like a better fit all around for the young, improving and vastly underrated Buccaneers.
We all know that the defensive end is coming when we read Mock Drafts. And at this point in the first round, it seems likely that both of the prospects mentioned will be available. Smith is more upside, and I wouldn't be surprised if some team fell in love with him and took him before the Bucs get a chance to. But if he is available, I think he would be a good pick.