NFL Draft 2011 First Round Recap: Ranking the Top 10 First Round Picks
The first round of the 2011 NFL Draft has only officially been in the books for a few hours but that hasn’t stopped all the critics from second-guessing many of the decisions made last night.
It’s not surprising that the big storyline, as usual, revolved around the quarterbacks that were taken.
Instant debate and uproar ensued when Washington QB Jake Locker and Florida State QB Christian Ponder came off the board at picks No. 8 and No. 12 respectively.
Locker and Ponder were considered by most to be fringe first round talents and both came into the draft with their fare share of concerning weaknesses.
As with all the prospects, it’s going to take a few years before we can figure out if the Locker and Ponder picks were worth the risk.
But my intuition tells me that this draft class is going to turn out to be one of the strongest in recent memory, so all of the quarterbacks from this year, including Ponder and Locker, are going to have to work extra hard to stand out from their contemporaries.
There are so many first round picks that I liked this year but I had to break it down in terms of the best of the best.
Here’s a look at the 10 best players that were selected in the first round this year and also a look at how I would rank all 32 first rounders.
OLB Von Miller is my top guy and DE Robert Quinn is the goat, but how do they stack up in between?
1. Denver Broncos: OLB Von Miller
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If the Broncos can figure out how to properly utilize him in a 4-3 defense, Von Miller should easily take home the Defensive Rookie of the Year award this season.
Ten years from now, we could be mentioning Miller with the likes of Lawrence Taylor, Derrick Thomas and the other distinctive pass rushers in NFL history.
Miller is the best rush linebacker prospect we’ve seen this millennium and he’s the type of rookie who can come in and play at a game-changing level from day one.
2. Atlanta Falcons: WR Julio Jones
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Too much?
No. The Falcons may have given up a lot to get him but WR Julio Jones will be worth every last pick and then some.
For all the naysayers who are questioning the Falcons, saying they used too many picks to trade up, you have to remember that sometimes you have to give a little to get a lot.
Matt Ryan, plus Roddy White, plus Tony Gonzalez, plus Julio Jones, equals an explosive passing attack that will be nearly impossible to stop.
3. San Francisco 49ers: OLB Aldon Smith
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New 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh hit a home run with his first draft pick.
Missouri's Aldon Smith may have only been on the field at Missouri for a season and a half but during that time, he proved to be a devastating pass rusher and one of the most athletic defensive linemen in the country.
Smith will be the explosive presence on the edge that the San Francisco defense so desperately needs.
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4. Buffalo Bills: DT Marcell Dareus
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The Bills would have loved to get their hands on OLB Von Miller but Alabama DT Marcell Dareus was a nice consolation prize.
Dareus is a great fit for Buffalo’s 3-4 defensive system and he has the versatility to line up at every position along the defensive line.
Buffalo needed defensive front seven help and they certainly got it with Marcell Dareus.
5. Washington Redskins: OLB Ryan Kerrigan
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The Redskins caught some grief for passing on the opportunity to select Missouri QB Blaine Gabbert.
But Washington still managed to move down and come away with a top-notch prospect who fills a big need.
Purdue’s Ryan Kerrigan has been labeled as an overachiever so much that he’s basically underrated at this point.
Kerrigan, who totaled 25 sacks in his last two seasons at Purdue, will make a terrific complement to star rush linebacker Brian Orakpo.
Kerrigan has a chance to be a Clay Matthews type of player in Washington.
6. Cincinnati Bengals: WR A.J. Green
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QB and WR were two huge needs for the Cincinnati Bengals in this draft and the Bengals, in an unBengal like fashion, actually did a great job filling their major holes.
WR A.J. Green is a special talent and he’s the type of player who will make Cincinnati fans forget about Chad Ochocinco rather quickly.
Green will walk in on his first day and already be the top playmaker on the Cincinnati offense.
7. Baltimore Ravens: CB Jimmy Smith
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If you just went by on the field skills, Jimmy Smith should be labeled as the best cornerback in this class.
However, Smith’s overblown character concerns dragged down his stock and he ended up sliding all the way into the late first round.
The Ravens won the Smith sweepstakes and Baltimore could turn out to be the best possible landing spot for the talented yet sometimes lackadaisical star corner.
If he keeps his head on straight, Smith could someday be considered the biggest steal of this draft.
8. New York Giants: CB Prince Amukamara
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The New York Giants were shocked to see Nebraska CB Prince Amukamara still on the board with the 19th pick.
And while taking Amukamara didn't solve the Giants’ offensive line issues, it did finally give them a premier player in the defensive secondary.
The Giants already have two solid safeties in Kenny Phillips and Antrel Rolle and now they will finally have a high caliber cornerback who can lock down the outside.
This could be the pick that lifts the Giants from being a very good team to a great team that’s truly capable of contending for a championship.
9. Detroit Lions: DT Nick Fairley
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The Detroit Lions changed the face of their defense when they selected DT Ndamukong Suh with the 2nd pick in the 2010 NFL Draft.
And now, the Lions have altered that defense’s attitude by snatching up sliding Auburn DT Nick Fairley.
If coach Jim Schwartz can keep Fairley hungry, he should be the same type of dominant force that we saw tear SEC offensive lines to shreds in 2010.
The Fairley-Suh DT duo has a chance to be the best interior pairing in the NFL very quickly.
10. Carolina Panthers: QB Cam Newton
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So in the end, even when he was facing a good deal of doubt and criticism, Cam Newton once again prevailed, earning another top honor as this year’s No. 1 overall pick.
Heisman Trophy, National Championship and the No. 1 overall pick—those are a few nice pelts to have up on the wall.
Sure, there's no doubt that Newton looks exceptional on paper but we’ll still have to wait and see if the Carolina coaching staff can properly harness his talent.
He’s shaping up to be the biggest boom or bust player in this year’s draft.
Picks 11-21
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11. Arizona Cardinals: CB Patrick Peterson
12. Pittsburgh Steelers: DE Cameron Heyward
13. New York Jets: DE Muhammad Wilkerson
14. New England Patriots: OT Nate Solder
15. New Orleans Saints: DE Cameron Jordan
16. Dallas Cowboys: OT Tyron Smith
17. San Diego Chargers: DT Corey Liuget
18. Tampa Bay Bucs: DE Adrian Clayborn
19. Miami Dolphins: OG Mike Pouncey
20. Cleveland Browns: DT Phil Taylor
21. Minnesota Vikings: QB Christian Ponder
Picks 22-32
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22. New Orleans Saints: RB Mark Ingram
23. Kansas City Chiefs: WR Jonathan Baldwin
24. Indianapolis Colts: OT Anthony Castonzo
25. Green Bay Packers: OT Derek Sherrod
26. Jacksonville Jaguars: QB Blaine Gabbert
27. Seattle Seahawks: OT James Carpenter
28. Tennessee Titans: QB Jake Locker
29. Houston Texans: DE J.J. Watt
30. Chicago Bears: OT Gabe Carimi
31. Philadelphia Eagles: OG Danny Watkins
32. St. Louis Rams: DE Robert Quinn
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