NFL Draft 2011: First Round Winners and Losers

The first round picks are in for the 2011 NFL Draft, and now we can start to opine about how each team fared. Only time can reveal the true values of these players, but for now, here are the winners and losers of the first round.

Winners

Cleveland Browns: The Browns came in with the sixth pick in the draft and the ability to acquire a blue chip player. However, recognizing that they had multiple positions to fill, especially with the change to a 4-3 front, they executed a trade with Atlanta that moved them down into the twenties.  The trade netted them a second round pick, a future first rounder, and two fourth rounders. That is absolutely insane value and will allow Cleveland to address most of their needs.

They wound up moving back up a few spots to grab nose tackle Phil Taylor. I’m not a huge fan of that pick because the pass rush was a much greater need for their new look. However, Taylor should make a good successor for the now departed Shaun Rogers, and the fleecing of Atlanta more than makes up for the mediocre pick.

St. Louis Rams: While several of the teams picking shortly before them fumbled around looking for quarterbacks, the Rams stood pat and watched defensive end Robert Quinn fall to them at number 14. Quinn is a phenomenal athlete with excellent production in his time at North Carolina. He missed the past season with a suspension, but his Pro Day alleviated any concerns about him being in game shape.

The duo of Quinn and Chris Long should harass offensive lines for years to come, and the Rams continue to climb toward contention.

New York Giants: It seems like everybody and their mother had Anthony Castonzo mocked to the Giants. That was before Prince Amukamara somehow fell to them. Many considered Amukamara one of the finest prospects in the class, but due to several teams pursuing other positions, the terrific cornerback slipped all the way to the Giants at number 19.

The secondary was not considered one of New York’s biggest needs, and they’ll still need to address the offensive line later. But if Amukamara pans out, he and Corey Webster will make a fearsome CB duo, which will go a long way toward containing the explosive passing attacks of division rivals Philadelphia and Dallas.

Indianapolis Colts: Everyone knew the Colts were tacking an offensive tackle, but most figured Gabe Carimi and Derek Sherrod. Instead, a favorable set of circumstances dropped Anthony Castonzo into their laps.

Castonzo doesn’t have the upside of Tyron Smith or Nate Solder, but he’s a safer, more polished tackle. He should be able to step in from day one and protect Peyton Manning.

New Orleans Saints: Defensive linemen also saw their draft positions dropping thanks to the quarterback craze, but Cameron Jordan slipping was especially baffling. He had a tremendous collegiate career at California, so one can only imagine that teams were concerned about his lack of size. The Saints will gladly overlook that and pair him up with Sedrick Ellis in the middle of the defensive line.

The Saints also acquired the Patriots’ second pick and took running back Mark Ingram. While Ingram is terrific, the Saints had to give up a future first rounder. We’ll call that a lateral move and praise New Orleans for getting Jordan.

Chicago Bears: Like the Colts, the Bears were able to add one of the top offensive linemen without having to move up. The move immediately makes their line stronger and Jay Cutler may now be able to sleep in peace.

New York Jets: Muhammad Wilkerson could have easily gone to Seattle, Baltimore, or New England, but instead, he falls to the Jets. New York gets one of the top five-techniques on the board to fill the hole that will likely be created with Shaun Ellis’ departure in free agency.

Losers

Minnesota Vikings: We get it, Favre is gone and Joe Webb isn’t going to cut it. Minnesota badly wanted a quarterback, but that need comes in a year with a very questionable draft class. To make matters worse, Tennessee took Jake Locker, the guy the Vikings really wanted.

But reaching for Christian Ponder? Inexcusable. They would have been better served trading up for Blaine Gabbert, as the Jaguars did, or trading down and still taking Ponder while getting back some extra picks. Instead, they panicked and took what was widely agreed to be a second round talent with the 12^th overall pick. Haven’t Minnesota fans suffered enough?

Seattle Seahawks: Reportedly, the Seahawks wanted to trade down, but that fell through. Apparently, their idea of a compromise was taking a third round talent in the first round. James Carpenter is not a bad player by any means, and the offensive line certainly needed to be addressed. But the Seahawks could have stayed where they were and still taken Gabe Carimi or Derek Sherrod.

Atlanta Falcons: On the flip side of the Browns trade, the Falcons moved up to secure receiver Julio Jones. Certainly, they picked up a very talented player at a position of need, but at what cost? The difference between Jones and somebody like Jonathan Baldwin, who was picked up by the Chiefs at the Falcons’ original spot, is not worth a first rounder, second rounder, and two fourth rounders.

The Falcons’ passing attack should be scary with the addition of Jones, so it’s not like the trade was a total loss. But they probably didn’t need to handicap themselves for two drafts to achieve that goal.

Denver Broncos: The Von Miller pick was a case of right player, wrong team. Miller is a tremendous pass rushing linebacker. Unfortunately, Denver runs a 4-3, and Miller is too small to play defensive end. Instead, he’ll stay at linebacker where his pass rushing skills will go to waste in this defensive scheme.

Denver still gets a good player, but his value is significantly diminished. Moreover, one has to pity Miller, who looked like he had a chance to be the next DeMarcus Ware if he had landed with a 3-4 team.