2011 NFL Draft Rumors: Which Players Are Moving Up the Draft Boards?
There was no shortage of 2011 NFL Draft rumors on Thursday. In retrospect, this probably had something to do with the fact that the first round of the draft got under way today, but I can't be sure...
I kid, of course. Truth be told, there were probably too many draft rumors on Thursday, and it was pretty hard to keep track of all of them. Yet somehow, I managed to do it.
At first glance, the craziest rumor of the day involved the Atlanta Falcons trading up to draft Alabama wide receiver Julio Jones. We now know that the Falcons were serious about trading up, but it sounded like utter craziness at the time.
Elsewhere, there were also rumors about the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs, and they were equally intriguing. In case you missed out, all you have to do is read on, and allow me to fill you in.
NFL Draft Rumors: Von Miller Reportedly a Lock for Denver Broncos
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For what seemed like a very long time, the Denver Broncos were projected to take Alabama defensive tackle Marcell Dareus with the second overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft.
However, there was a slight change in the winds in the hours leading up to Thursday's first round.
Instead of Dareus, the word around the campfire was that the Broncos were leaning towards selecting Texas A&M outside linebacker Von Miller. As it turned out, they did just that.
About an hour before the Broncos selected Miller with the No. 2 pick, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that there was one person who thought there was a "90 percent" chance of the Broncos selecting Miller second overall. That person was only off by 10 percent. Not too shabby.
Miller is definitely going to help the Broncos. They weren't really good at any one thing on defense last season, finishing dead last in the league by allowing an average of 29.4 points allowed per game.
They allowed more than 150 rushing yards and 230 passing yards per game, and finished with a league-low 23 sacks.
While the improvement is not going to be that drastic, these are things that Miller can fix. He is arguably the best pass rusher in this year's draft class, and there just aren't that many plays he can't make on a football field. Dareus is a good player, but it's not like he can drop back in pass coverage.
The one concern is that Miller is more cut out to be a 3-4 OLB, and new head coach John Fox is a 4-3 guy. Still, given Miller's athleticism and playmaking abilities, rolling the dice on him doesn't constitute that much of a risk.
Roger Goodell Booed: NFL Commissioner Met with Jeers and Chants at NFL Draft
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It wasn't all about rumors on Draft Day. While there was plenty of talk about this team trading up to draft that player and this player potentially going to that team, there turned out to be some real drama shortly before the draft got under way.
In a turn of events that should come as a surprise to nobody, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell did not receive the warmest of welcomes at the 2011 NFL Draft
As soon as Goodell took to the podium to say a few words before the start of the draft, the crowd packed into Radio City Music Hall let him hear it about the NFL lockout.
Goodell was showered with boos, and before long fans started chanting "Let them play!" and "We want football!"
To Goodell's credit, he handled it pretty well. He calmly repeated "I know" and "I'm with you."
Once the crowd calmed down, Goodell said he wanted to take a moment to talk about the tragic situation in Alabama, and he called for a moment of silence.
Thankfully, the crowd obliged, and it ended up being a pretty touching moment.
A few moments after he left the stage, Goodell took to Twitter to reiterate that he wants football just as much as the fans do:
"I agree with fans here at Radio City. We want football. I'm with you, I get it.
"
There was certainly plenty of movement towards ending the lockout this week. U.S. District Judge Susan Nelson ruled earlier in the week that the NFL had to remove the lockout, and she then denied the league's request for a stay.
The situation has resulted in quite a bit of confusion, but the good news is that progress is being made.
That said, it's a good bet than NFL fans are not going to stop booing Goodell until the first game of the 2011 season is safely underway.
2011 NFL Draft Rumors: Are Atlanta Falcons Moving Up to Take Julio Jones?
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There were some pretty crazy rumors leading up to the NFL draft, but none of them were crazier than the one involving the Atlanta Falcons.
Everyone and their uncle expected them to be content finding some pass rush help with the No. 27 pick, but word came out that they were looking to trade up to take a big-play wide receiver like Alabama's Julio Jones.
This caused a lot of bickering among the experts, but the general consensus was that it was going to be easier said than done.
That doesn't mean the Falcons weren't looking for a wide receiver. SI.com's Don Banks tweeted earlier on Thursday that finding a receiver was actually a priority for the Falcons:
"Was told this week the Falcons would target an "explosive receiver'' even above pass rush help. Might wind up being Julio Jones at No. 6.
"
We now know that the Falcons weren't kidding. They ended up acquiring the No. 6 pick from the Cleveland Browns, and they got their man.
Personally, despite the fact I saw Jones putting on an Atlanta cap, I still don't really get this. The Falcons already have a receiver in Roddy White who led the NFC in receiving yards in 2010, so why they would be on the lookout for anything more than a role player is beyond me.
Oh well. I guess I can't complain, and neither can Matt Ryan. He now has the best receiving duo in football to throw to. Lucky him.
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2011 NFL Draft Rumors: Kansas City Chiefs Zeroing in on Phil Taylor?
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There were plenty of surprises in the early goings of the 2011 NFL Draft. Who could have known Julio Jones would end up with the Atlanta Falcons?
How about the San Francisco 49ers taking Aldon Smith? And most surprisingly, how about the Tennessee Titans taking Jake Locker over Blaine Gabbert?
Pretty remarkable, no doubt about that. And we're nowhere near finished yet.
Somewhere in Radio City Music Hall is the Kansas City Chiefs' brass, and they might just have another surprise for us.
According to Pro Football Talk, the Chiefs are “very interested” in Baylor defensive tackle Phil Taylor, who many think is the best pure run stuffer in this year's draft class.
For the most part, the Chiefs have been projected to take either a pass-rushing linebacker or an offensive lineman with the No. 21 pick in the draft.
Taylor is generally seen as a late first round talent, which means that the Chiefs would be reaching for him a little bit if they decide to take him.
Still, the Chiefs could do worse. At 6'3" and 335 pounds, Taylor is massive. He's going to eat up a lot of blockers, and he's going to make life hell for opposing running backs. And if he can get to the quarterback, Taylor will make his life hell, too.
We'll find out soon enough. (Update: Cleveland traded up to No. 21 and took Taylor.)
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