2011 NFL Draft: More QBs Going Early in Draft Due to Lack of CBA

The NFL draft has always had its lion's share of question marks on the backs of various players.  The biggest question always surrounds the translation of their skills to the NFL.  This year,  the risky players are the ones who are needed the most in the top 16.

This draft is even more of a risk, because there is no free agency to leverage a team's needs.  Teams have to fill their needs with the draft because as of now, there will be no rookie free agency and no guarantee that there will be any free agency to fall back on.

By now, there would be QB schools and conditioning for players new to the team.  That is not happening because of the lockout.

The risks are as high as they ever have been and the climate is as uncertain as it has ever been in NFL history.

Since teams are unable to trade for veteran QBs and arguably 10 of the top half of the teams in the draft need QBs, it could be a crazy first round. 

Mike Mayock stated on ESPN that he predicts eight QBs will go in first three rounds, with up to four of them taken in the first round.  Some of these players would have been pushed to the last day under normal draft conditions, but without free agency, they will get drafted early.

Here's the rub about this draft class. The QB's present are a good class, not a great class. Yet this year, they will be picked off as if they were. 

How will this bode for this next season?

There will be a ton of money spent on QBs that are unproven in the NFL.  This could be one of the most surprising seasons...or the messiest.