2011 NFL Draft: Top 10 Prospects Who Could Have Historic Draft-Day Falls
Most people would like to be Aaron Rodgers now, but you wouldn’t have wanted to be him on draft day. The man once thought of to be a potential No. 1 pick fell down to pick No. 24, where he was selected by the Green Bay Packers.
Rodgers' story isn’t unique. Every year it seems there are guys who fall much further than expected. Sometimes the players fall from the early first round to the late first round, and sometimes it's second round to the third round. There are plenty of guys out there who are worried that they could be sitting by the phone which takes forever to ring.
But who are those guys?
Let’s take a look at some players projected to go in the first and second round who could find themselves falling further than they ever expected.
10. Mikel Leshoure
1 of 10
Leshoure has tremendous upside, but he has had some team and off-the-field issues. In the NFL these days, a bad attitude hurts players more than it ever has before.
Now, the only place Mel Kiper Jr. had Leshoure going originally was the late first round to New England. If the Patriots don’t want to draft a guy who has had some teammate issues, then that could mean he would fall another 10 to 20 spots. That’s an epic fall at that point.
9. Cameron Heyward, DE, Ohio State
2 of 10
The ESPN boys still have Cameron Heyward at the end of the first round. Truthfully, that is being generous to say the least.
Heyward has the kind of size that NFL teams love, but what he really lacks is the kind of strength and ability to turn the corner to rush the passer at the NFL level. Heyward lacks the closing speed that you see from elite defensive ends. That makes Heyward a project at best and he could fall out of the first round.
8. Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama
3 of 10
Mark Ingram is a mid-first rounder as it stands right now. In both Todd McShay and Mel Kiper's drafts, they have Ingram going to the Dolphins. However, don’t be so sure of that, because the Dolphins are unsettled at quarterback. They need offensive line help, which should be available too.
If Ingram doesn’t get picked up at 15, he could slide all the way to 32. If the Packers decide they are happy with Ryan Grant, they could see Ingram falling further than that. It’s not that Ingram isn’t worth a mid-first round pick, but he may not be what these teams need.
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7. Kyle Rudolph, TE, Notre Dame
4 of 10
There is a consensus that Kyle Rudolph is the best tight end in the draft. He’s got great size and speed and should be an early second round pick by all estimations. However, there are growing concerns about his health. In the past he’s had issues with his shoulder and hamstring.
In the NFL a busted tight end is not someone you have to take in the first round…or the second round…or the third round either.
6. Ryan Mallett, QB, Arkansas
5 of 10
Ryan Mallett was going 25th on Mel Kiper's Mock Draft 1.0. Now, it looks like that would be a spring miracle at this point.
While there are some that are certain he’s going to be top level, not everyone feels that way. Truthfully, Mallett may fall further than Locker as they get into the second round. They both have great skill, but people are impressed with Locker's IQ too. Mallett should get really comfortable on draft day. He could be sitting for a while.
5. Jake Locker, QB, Washington
6 of 10
No one should be kicking himself more than Jake Locker. He could have been the first pick in the draft last season. Now, he’ll be lucky if he gets picked up in the first round.
There are questions about his deep ball, durability and consistency. Locker could be drafted anywhere from the late first round to the middle of the second round.
4. Robert Quinn, DE, North Carolina
7 of 10
There is no doubt that Quinn has the necessary skills it takes to play defensive end, but there are also questions about him as well. After all, Quinn sat out his entire last season due to NCAA rule violations.
So, he hasn’t played in a year and has questionable ethics. He’s a top 10 talent who could call fall to the bottom 10 of the first round.
3. A.J. Green, WR, Georgia
8 of 10
Here’s a thought: Kiper has Green going fourth to Cincinnati, but don’t count the Bengals out on getting a quarterback. Carson Palmer seems intent on leaving Cincinnati. If he leaves, then the Bengals may be forced to go with a quarterback in the draft, figuring they can wait on a playmaker. If they take a quarterback like Gabbert or Mallett, then Green could fall all the way to 11.
However, Houston, who could be picking up a wide receiver, also needs a linebacker, so it’s possible that Green falls from four to the bottom half of the draft. That hurts his pride and wallet.
2. Julio Jones, WR, Alabama
9 of 10
Jones is slated to go in the mid-first round. However, if A.J Green doesn’t get drafted at four, then he could fall to the Texans at 11. If the Texans opt to go for defense, which they should, then he would fall to the Rams at 14. If that happens, it could be a while until anyone feels the itch to take Julio Jones.
He could go from mid-first round to second round, making for a long draft day for the Alabama wideout.
1. Cam Newton, QB, Auburn
10 of 10
What can you say about Cam Newton? The man has serious upside. However, that upside is marred by all the questions there are about him.
Does he have the fundamentals it takes?
Does he have the patience to learn to be a pocket passer?
Does he have the football IQ to adapt from the spread offense to an NFL offense?
The closest living NFL example of Cam Newton is Michael Vick. It took him a long time to really develop as a passing quarterback. Mel Kiper Jr. has Newton going third to the Buffalo Bills, but are the Bills really willing to wait that long for Newton to develop?
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