Is it too early to look at the 2012 NFL Draft?
With the ongoing NFL lockout, there is little else to talk about. So Sports Illustrated is taking it upon itself to mock next year's NFL Draft, just a week after the last one ended, and a year before the NFL and NCAA finish their next seasons.
This might be the only thing sillier than giving teams a post draft grade. But there are still think that can be gleamed by looking at a ridiculous mock a year in advance.
First we can look at where national pundits thing our local teams will draft next year. The positioning is a subtle indication of what they thought of this year's draft.
For example, Sports Illustrated's Andrew Perloff has the 49ers drafting No. 17, while he has the Oakland Raiders picking at No. 8.
Both positions would mean both Bay Area teams missed out on the playoffs and did not finish with great records.
Picking at eight this year was the 6-10 Tennessee Titans, which means the thinking is the Raiders will regress next year.
At No. 18 this year was the San Diego Chargers, who finished about 500 at 9-7. That would mark the first above 500 season since 2002.
