Picks five through ten of the 2011 NFL Draft are in.
With the No. 5 pick, the Arizona Cardinals selected cornerback Patrick Peterson out of LSU. A Thorpe Award winner, Peterson has what it takes to be a shutdown defender in the NFL wherever he winds up in the secondary, relying on great instincts to make up for anything he might be lacking physically.
The No. 6 overall pick of the draft was Alabama wide receiver Julio Jones, but his destination will not be Cleveland. Instead, Jones is headed to the Atlanta Falcons, who pulled off the first trade of the year by sending five picks to the Browns. Cleveland will receive the Falcons' first, second, and fourth round picks this year (Nos. 27, 59, and 124 overall) as well as their first and fourth round picks in 2012. After experiencing a sophomore slump in his 2009 season, Jones proved he wasn't one to be kept down, racking up over 1,100 yards and scoring seven touchdowns in his Junior year.
At No. 7 overall, the San Francisco 49ers selected Missouri defensive end Aldon Smith, who made 108 tackles and picked up 17 sacks over his two years playing with the Tigers.
The No. 8 overall pick was the first real shocker of the draft, as the Titans reached for Jake Locker earlier than anyone expected. With Vince Young out in Tennessee, the Titans needed a replacement under center. The question is how well, how quickly, and ultimately if Locker will adapt to the NFL.
Seeing offensive tackle Tyron Smith out of USC go at No. 9 was also surprising, but for different reasons. The Jerry Jones era in Dallas has lasted 22 years, and in that time the franchise has never once used a first round pick on an offensive lineman. An amazing athlete, at 6'5" and 307 lbs. Smith seems to have been the specimen convincing enough to change his mind.
The No. 10 pick was the subject of the second trade of the year, with Washington trading down and Jacksonville trading up to select quarterback Blaine Gabbert out of Missouri. A strong arm with good accuracy, Gabbert's biggest question marks come in both the mental aspects of the game, and his difficulty combining his two strengths for accurate downfield passes. Gabbert will have time to develop all of that, however, while backing up current Jacksonville quarterback David Garrard.
For more on the New England Patriots and their draft, head over to Pats Pulpit. And for all things 2011 NFL Draft related, from the first pick to Mr. Irrelevant and everything in between, check out SB Nation's 2011 NFL Draft Hub and our NFL Draft blog, Mocking The Draft.