2011 NFL Draft Results: Live Analysis for Draft Picks 1-4
The 2011 NFL draft is in full swing and the top four picks have already been made.
The Carolina Panthers are taking a big risk with the No. 1 overall pick.
The Denver Broncos addressed an immediate need with their second pick.
The Buffalo Bills had the luxury of filling their biggest need while also picking the best player left on the board at No. 3.
And the Cincinnati Bengals ignored their confusing QB situation with their No. 4 pick.
Read on to get the instant analysis for the guys who are now officially NFL players...and multi-millionaires.
Cam Newton Lands with Carolina Panthers at No. 1
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The most talked about college football player in a long time completed his journey to the NFL just like his lone season of college—at No. 1.
The Carolina Panther used their No. 1 overall pick to select QB Cam Newton from Auburn.
Goodbye Jimmy Clausen.
Newton is a 6'5", 248-pound guy who is extremely hard to bring down in the open field. He has a cannon for an arm and is also very accurate.
He is freakishly athletic and has the ability to reach 1,000 yards rushing in addition to being a dynamite passer. He only played one full year of college ball, yet was able to go undefeated, win a championship and also a Heisman trophy.
It's a risky pick for more than just his off-the-field issues.
He isn't used to taking snaps from under center and can bail on the pocket too early at times. Newton is also very inexperienced, having only played one full season of college ball. The verbiage of the offense was simplistic and it's going to take a lot of hard work to ensure he can understand all of the complicated jargon.
It's not a safe pick by any stretch, but it's hard to ignore all of his accomplishments in such a short amount of time. But the issues linger and the Panthers could be set back five years because of today's decision.
Von Miller Goes to Denver Broncos at No. 2
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The Denver Broncos had to improve on their defense. It was one of the worst units in the league and they had to address it and that's exactly what they did by selecting Texas A&M linebacker Von Miller with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2011 NFL draft.
Miller will likely be expected to step in right away and contribute to a linebacking core that missed a ton of tackles as a unit in 2010. The Broncos were destroyed over the middle and now Miller will be held responsible for fixing that gaping hole.
He is extremely athletic and has superb explosive burst that allows him to be a ferocious sack threat. He has the capabilities to drop back into coverage to defend bigger receivers yet can also move gigantic offensive linemen.
He is the complete package for a linebacker and the Broncos made the right move.
Buffalo Bills Tab Marcell Dareus with Pick No. 3
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The Buffalo Bills were annihilated against the run and knew they needed to improve an extremely shaky defensive line.
Nick Fairley may have been a star in college, and Da'Quan Bowers had eye-popping numbers but it was Alabama DT Marcell Dareus who was deemed the sure thing for the Bills.
The 6'3", 319-pound giant is extremely agile and versatile for such a big guy. He can line up on the edge and have just as much success in the NFL as he projects to have on the interior.
It's a great pick because of the risky QB class. The Bills publicly have backed Ryan Fitzpatrick, but deep down they know he isn't the answer. Kudos to the Bills for going with the guy who is almost guaranteed to have success at the NFL level and not reaching on an unknown QB.
The Bills went for the guy who can have the greatest impact right away and that's a positive sign for Buffalo fans. The defense took a large step in the right direction today for the Buffalo Bills.
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Cincinnati Bengals Nab Best Receiver in AJ Green at No.4
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The Cincinnati Bengals have to fill the void at receiver with the likely departures of Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens. They answered the question at the position with Georgia's AJ Green.
Green was universally considered the top offensive player in the draft with his combination of size, speed and physicality. He is one of the best route-runners in recent draft memory and will be a perfect fit for new offensive coordinator Jay Gruden's offense.
Mel Kiper called him the best offensive prospect in the entire draft. Green has the ability to be a 1,000-yard receiver right off the bat for the Bengals.
The only question now is who exactly will be throwing those passes?
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