2011 NFL Mock Draft: Mel Kiper Projects Nick Fairley No. 1, but Is He Right?
Mel Kiper of ESPN has predicted that the Carolina Panthers will select Auburn defensive tackle Nick Fairley with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft.
Fairley is somewhat of a contested No. 1 pick, not the sort of consensus No. 1 pick that Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck would have been.
But, Luck went back to Stanford, delaying his entry in the NFL Draft for another year at least.
That leaves the Panthers in a bit of a pickle.
They need a quarterback badly. But, it's certainly not the only position they need help with.
Fairley would help solidify the middle of their defensive line, but the Panthers may have bigger needs.
Here are five players besides Fairley who could be drafted by the Panthers, along with why they might be a good fit and why they might not work out in Carolina.
Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska: Pros
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The Panthers need defensive players.
Pairing a corner with as much talent as Amukamara with a guy like Chris Gamble would make it tough for opponents to throw on the Panthers.
His upside is enormous. He could end up being one of the premiere shutdown corners in just a couple years' time.
Prince Amukamara: Cons
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The Panthers had the 11th-best pass defense in the NFL in 2010, so corner clearly isn't their biggest concern.
Meanwhile, they had the 23rd-ranked run defense.
Therefore, Fairley might be a better choice for the Panthers than Amukamara would be.
Cam Newton, QB, Auburn: Pros
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The Panthers desperately need a quarterback.
There's no way Newton would do any worse than Jimmy Clausen did this season.
So, since the Panthers need a QB, why not draft a guy who can run, too?
And, Newton has experience winning big games, as he is coming off a BCS national championship win.
If the Panthers want to go with a QB, Newton isn't the best pure passer, but he's far and away the best dual-threat QB.
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Cam Newton: Cons
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Newton probably wouldn't fare too much better than Clausen.
Plus, maybe it's not quite time for the team to give up on their soon-to-be-second-year quarterback.
Even if they should move on, the defense gives up too many points.
If a rookie QB has to constantly play from behind on the scoreboard, he's not going to fare very well.
Blaine Gabbert, QB, Missouri: Pros
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With Luck returning to Stanford, many teams and experts have projected Blaine Gabbert as the No. 1 quarterback in the 2011 NFL Draft.
His size and sneaky speed would be big pluses.
Also, he has a good arm and would be able to get the ball to Steve Smith.
He's had experience working with great receivers in Danario Alexander last season and Michael Egnew this season.
Blaine Gabbert: Cons
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Gabbert might be Jimmy Clausen 2.0: a quarterback who was hyped too much in college without really accomplishing anything.
Gabbert puts up average stats in a spread offense designed for him to put up amazing stats.
He's also prone to some bad decision-making. That's the last thing the Panthers need from a quarterback.
He also likes to bail out of the pocket at the first sign of trouble, something that will get him into trouble in the NFL.
Da'Quan Bowers, DE, Clemson: Pros
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The Panthers finished tied for 20th in sacks this season.
Bowers would help them improve on that total.
He'd fit right in on a team that needs help in the pass rush department after losing Julius Peppers in free agency before last season.
Da'Quan Bowers: Cons
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As mentioned before, pass defense isn't where the Panthers need help.
As a matter of fact, Charles Johnson stepped up for Carolina this season, recording 11.5 sacks.
He could be the sack specialist the team needs.
Also, since the Panthers need help stopping the run, Fairley would probably be a better pick than Bowers in that department.
A.J. Green, WR, Georgia: Pros
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Steve Smith is getting older and could use some help.
The Panthers haven't had a decent No. 2 receiver for Smith since Muhsin Muhammad retired.
Green is the most explosive and most consistent receiver in the draft this season, and would be a great addition to any offense.
A.J. Green: Cons
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The Panthers already have Steve Smith. Aging or not, he's still one of the best in the business. Therefore, they might want to go a different direction with the No. 1 pick.
Also, until they get a decent quarterback, it's not going to matter who they have at wide receiver.
If the QB is making bad throws, even the best wide receiver isn't going to catch them. Just look at the season Larry Fitzgerald had in Arizona this season.
Who Will the Panthers Pick?
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The Panthers need some more explosion on their offense. That's why they should pick A.J. Green, the outstanding Georgia wideout.
By giving Jimmy Clausen another weapon to work with at receiver, he'll progress that much more in his second season.
With Luck not entering the draft, there's no clear No. 1 QB, so Carolina should stay away from that position.
With a healthy season from Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams (if they re-sign him), the offense will be better in 2011.
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