2011 NFL Draft: Da'Quan Bowers and Several Sleepers Still Remaining on Day 2
Thursday's Round One of the 2011 NFL Draft did not go as planned in many ways.
Several players (Christian Ponder and Jake Locker, to name a few) were taken far earlier than projected, which seemed to send the rest of the draft behind them into pandemonium.
As a consequence of the unexpected picks and arguable reach picks, many first-round projected players are still waiting to be called onto the stage at Radio City Music Hall for Friday's Rounds Two and Three.
Teams are plotting for contingencies in their War Rooms right now in preparation for the second round's onset.
Here are 10 players looking to stop their journey down the draft slide and hear their names called.
Aaron Williams, CB
1 of 10
Positional rank: fourth
Williams, the 6' Longhorn corner is a step down from the top three corners and could be a project to whoever picks him. He was a fringe first-rounder in the first place, so the fact that he's still available is not a major shock.
His athletic potential and cover skills, though, could allow him to blossom into one of the league's better cover corners.
He doesn't have the fanfare of a Patrick Peterson, Prince Amukamara or Jimmy Smith, but he presents a nice sleeper opportunity for an early-second round team.
Todd McShay's new projection: 40th to Dallas Cowboys
Other potential teams: Cincinnati Bengals at 35, Arizona Cardinals at 38, Tennessee Titans at 39 or Houston Texans at 42.
Stephen Paea, DT
2 of 10
Positional rank: sixth
Paea was a potential late first-rounder, but unsurprisingly stayed off the board when the opening round closed. Paea's strength, smarts and motor make him an NFL-ready player who won't need a ton of time to develop.
He might be the most relentless defensive player in the entire class, and he broke the record for bench reps at the NFL Combine this year.
All the tools are there for Paea to flourish once drafted.
Todd McShay's new projection: 36th to Denver Broncos
Other potential teams: New England Patriots at 33, Cincinnati Bengals at 35, Cleveland Browns at 37 or Tennessee Titans at 39
Ryan Williams, RB
3 of 10
Positional rank: second
The hulking 5'9", 212-pounder might be feeling the effects of too little exposure. The Virginia Tech Hokie played just two seasons and missed a lot of 2010 with a bad hamstring.
He had a great 2009, in which he displayed enough to potential to warrant being taken early in this draft.
Never a first-round prediction, Williams could surprise everyone in the league by how good he can be.
Todd McShay's new projection: 49th to Washington Redskins
Other potential teams: San Francisco 49ers at 45, Tampa Bay Bucs at 51 or New England Patriots at 56.
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Kyle Rudolph, TE
4 of 10
Positional rank: first
The 6'6", 260-pounder is in a tough spot. Position regardless, Rudolph is a top-20 pick in this draft. The problem is, few teams are willing to spend a cherished first-round pick on a tight end.
Additionally, Rudolph is coming off a nasty hamstring injury that makes all personnel executives nervous. If not for that injury, someone would have taken him, rightfully, in the first round.
Todd McShay's new projection: 38th to Arizona Cardinals
Other potential teams: Buffalo Bills at 34 or Denver Broncos at 36
Da'Quan Bowers, DE
5 of 10
Positional rank: sixth
Bowers is a top-10 talent in this draft, so his slip out of the first round is shocking. In a draft flush with defensive end talent, Bowers is the victim of having a serious injury, to his knee, at the wrong time.
A staggering one-fourth of the first round picks came from DE, and that Bowers isn't one of them means that the condition of his knee must be worse than most realize.
Todd McShay's new projection: 37th to Cleveland Browns
Other potential teams: New England Patriots at 33, Buffalo Bills at 34, Denver Broncos at 36 or Dallas Cowboys at 40.
Marvin Austin, DT
6 of 10
Positional rank: fifth
Defensive tackle is one position that has gone to plan in the draft, with the top four prospects being taken in sequence. Marvin Austin, the 6'1", 309-pound Tar Heel, should be next in the first few picks of the second day.
Having questionable work ethic is not a label you want when trying to get a job in the NFL. Austin has it, but remains a tempting pick because of his athleticism and remarkable quickness.
His pass and rush skills are strong and his quicks are elite, but an average motor quells some of the excitement over his potential.
Todd McShay's new projection: 39th to Tennessee Titans
Other potential teams: Cincinnati Bengals at 35, Denver Broncos at 36 or St. Louis Rams at 47
Andy Dalton, QB
7 of 10
Positional rank: fourth
The QB position in the first round was the most chaotic of any, and Andy Dalton of TCU is feeling the effects. A capable leader and proven winner with the Horned Frogs, Dalton was projected somewhere around the first-second round turn.
The longer he's unpicked, the more of a steal he becomes: he might not have the elite skills and body, but Dalton's intelligence and work ethic are sure to facilitate the difficult transition to a pro-style offense in a successful way for him.
Todd McShay's new projection: 35th to Cincinnati Bengals
Other potential teams: Arizona Cardinals at 38 or Washington Redskins at 41.
Rahim Moore, S
8 of 10
Positional rank: first
We're still waiting for the first safety to come off the board in a class that is obviously thin at the position. Moore, the 5'11" junior, has excellent intangibles and has stable character, which are as important on-field skills in the risk-averse NFL.
Moore's best strengths are his uncanny instincts to diagnose plays quickly and react. He has great foot quickness, takes correct angles to ball carriers and is a proven playmaker (14 career INT).
The best at the safety position should come off the board sometime in the first 15 picks of Round Two and make an impact in the locker room with his work ethic and leadership.
Todd McShay's new projection: 43rd to Minnesota Vikings
Other potential teams: Cincinnati Bengals at 35, Denver Broncos at 36 or Dallas Cowboys at 40
Brooks Reed, DE
9 of 10
Positional rank: eighth
Reed is another victim of the DE strength in the first round. Projected as the 27th best player in the whole draft, the Arizona Wildcat was somewhat forgotten along with Da'Quan Bowers at his position.
Reed won't last long in the second round, and whoever snatches him up will benefit from his relentless effort and a high level of hard work, along with elite pass-rush skills.
A team in need of an outside linebacker to rush in a 3-4 could benefit even more from Reed, who can play at either position in passing situations.
Todd McShay's new projection: 33rd to New England Patriots
Other potential teams: Buffalo Bills at 34 or Cleveland Browns at 37.
Ryan Mallett, QB
10 of 10
Positional rank: sixth
It's hard to fathom how the hyper-gifted Ryan Mallett was only sixth in the first place at QB. His sheer passing abilities are the best in this draft, and his size is ideal for an NFL QB.
What scares scouts away is his non-existent quickness and pocket mobility. He's practically the second coming of Drew Bledsoe.
The immaturity that Mallett displays, manifest in his arrest for public intoxication and unteachable attitude on the field, is a huge red flag for any team in the market for a QB. Why waste our time, they think.
Mallett's sheer gifts will cause a team to take a chance on him in the mid-second round, because he could be a star down the road.
Todd McShay's new projection: 48th to Oakland Raiders
Other potential teams: Cincinnati Bengals at 35, Arizona Cardinals at 38, Washington Redskins at 41 or San Francisco 49ers at 45.
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