NFL Draft 2011 Results: NFL Draft 2011's 15 Biggest Winners
The NFL Draft is one of the most important events in the world of football.
In one weekend, a middle of the pack team can become a contender.
In one weekend, an awful, poorly-run organization can turn everything around and revamp it all from top to bottom.
In one weekend, we see the superstars of tomorrow showcased on one stage, and we also see superstars who will change the game forever.
Everything starts with the NFL Draft. We have drama throughout the weekend, as teams make epic or horrific selections, and we all wait in anticipation to see which prospect our favorite team takes.
This year, there was more drama and excitement than ever due to the NFL lockout. There are dozens upon dozens of winners and losers throughout the world of football following one of the best weekends in the NFL calendar year.
Here are 15 of the biggest winners following the 2011 NFL Draft.
15. “Mr. Irrelevant” Cheta Ozougwu, DL (Rice) to the Houston Texans
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Nobody can take this day away from Cheta Ozougwu.
As important as the No. 1 overall selection is, all that matters is getting drafted, right Cheta?
Actually, we almost tend to care about Mr. Irrelevant more than most players in the draft. It’s like the little engine that could—we just tend to want to see them succeed.
Congratulations, Cheta.
14. Jim Harbaugh and the San Francisco 49ers
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In his draft debut as 49ers head coach, Jim Harbaugh put together a fine draft. He landed a freakish pass-rusher in Aldon Smith. He will form the NFC’s version of Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs with Patrick Willis and Smith.
More importantly, without a quality quarterback on his roster, he trades up for Nevada’s Colin Kaepernick, my No. 4 rated QB in the class.
Harbaugh chose the right team, as they already have superstars in Vernon Davis, Willis and Frank Gore. He is solidifying their opportunity to make a run at the division title in 2011 with his first two picks.
Great job, Jim.
13. Torrey Smith, WR (Maryland) to the Baltimore Ravens
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You have to love the story. Torrey plays college ball at Maryland, then gets drafted in the second round by Baltimore.
We might have our second blockbuster movie on our hands out of the Baltimore camp.
Not only is it a fantastic story, but Smith actually fills a need for Baltimore with his speed. He has a great receiver opposite him in Anquan Boldin, which will take away all the pressure. He will also get to play with a quarterback, Joe Flacco, who has the rocket arm to get him the ball down-field.
We wanted to see this story pan out,—this or division rival Pittsburgh Steelers reuniting the Pouncey twins—and we got to see it happen. It may be even better for Ravens fans that they were able to land their hometown boy while the Steelers were unable to reunite the twins. Double win!
I wonder what Charlie Sheen would call that…
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12. Chad Henne, Miami Dolphins QB
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The entire offseason we wondered if the Dolphins would put their faith in Chad Henne for another season or completely shun him by signing a free agent or drafting his competition.
He dodged the first bullet as Tony Sparano refused to draft a quarterback. This is great news for Henne, who should enter the season as the starting quarterback.
Just as important, the Dolphins revamped the offensive line and rushing attack. Mike Pouncey and Daniel Thomas will make a major impact for this offense as rookies.
Miami even provides Henne with another fine receiver to throw the ball to in Edmond Gates.
The Dolphins are giving Henne the tools to succeed, and he now has to grab the opportunity by the throat.
11. Blaine Gabbert, QB (Missouri) to the Jacksonville Jaguars
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Gabbert suffered the same fate as Matt Leinart in the draft—let’s hope he doesn’t follow down Leinart’s career path too!
How is Gabbert a winner when he will sit in his rookie season? Simply because he will sit in his rookie season.
Blaine is not ready to take the field just yet. He has the intangibles, but he is still a project in my eyes. He will get to watch a veteran in David Garrard—no, not the greatest veteran, but an effective veteran nonetheless—and learn the game from the sidelines as other great quarterbacks like Aaron Rodgers and Philip Rivers did.
Instead of getting thrown to the wolves like a piece of meat in his rookie season, he will get to see the speed of the game from the sidelines and watch film before and after each game. After Jacksonville struggles in 2011, they’ll be able to provide him with a quality supporting cast in next year’s draft.
You lucked out Blaine, because you were going to fail this season as a starter and would have been labeled a BUST!
10. Christian Ponder, QB (Florida State) to the Minnesota Vikings
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My No. 3 quarterback was put on center stage when the Vikings selected Christian Ponder to be their franchise quarterback.
Many thought this was a head-scratcher, but I actually predicted this in a few mock drafts this offseason.
He should be smiling from ear to ear since many thought he would be a late-first- or early-second-round selection.
He was the third quarterback taken in the draft, which is extremely high praise since seven quarterbacks could have potentially gone in the first round alone. Not a single QB was taken after him in the first round—maybe teams second-guessed that if Ponder is a first-round talent, the others definitely aren’t, who knows.
All in all, Ponder should feel extremely proud of himself.
9. Cincinnati Bengals Fans
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Say goodbye to the Chad Ochocinco-Carson Palmer era. Good for you, Bengals fans!
The Bengals are on their way to putting together a championship-caliber squad with their fantastic draft.
They land two of the top players at their positions in A.J. Green and Andy Dalton. More importantly, these two high-character players will replace two superstars who are kicking and clawing their way out of Cincinnati.
The new era has arrived in Cinci, and every Bengals fan across the football globe should be throwing a parade.
The Bengals were able to upgrade positions with their first five picks, and ushering in this new era is a major win in itself.
8. Mark Ingram, RB (Alabama) to the New Orleans Saints
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Mark Ingram wins, not because he was actually selected in the first round after everyone thought he would drop, but for his emotional reaction to being selected and hearing the heartfelt message from his father.
Now everyone is rooting for Marky Mark.
The former Heisman winner is one of the angriest runners in the history of running backs, reminding some of Emmitt Smith. He lands in a great destination as the perfect complement to Drew Brees and can even catch out of the back field and pick up blitzes. He won’t be the focus on the team like he would have been in Miami, which gives him an even greater opportunity to succeed in the NFL.
Like a former Heisman-winning running back before him who landed in New Orleans, he will become a fan favorite—oops, he already is!
7. Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts QB and Jay Cutler, Chicago Bears QB
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The football gods answered these two quarterbacks' prayers on Thursday night when their organizations drafted two of the top three offensive tackles in the draft.
Both Peyton Manning and Jay Cutler were abused by defensive players last season and desperately needed their general managers to find ways to bolster the offensive line.
Cutler landed my No. 1 offensive tackle, Gabe Carimi, so hopefully his concussions are long gone—if he even remembers.
The Colts went full force, showing Peyton they were dedicated to protecting him as they landed two top-10 offensive tackles the first two rounds in Anthony Castonzo and Bejamin Ijalana. Both will be able to start immediately.
Manning and Cutler will actually be able to feel comfortable in the pocket in 2011.
6. New York Giants General Manager Jerry Reese
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We might as well make this a fact of life—Jerry Reese does not, and I repeat, does not have a poor draft. He is simply the man when it comes to the NFL Draft.
Once again, he let the draft come to him and made great decision after great decision, selecting some of the best players on the board to greatly improve the overall team.
He accounted for injuries, needs, free agency and depth throughout this draft, tackling everything he needed to tackle. From the first to the seventh round of the draft, you can’t complain with the job he did. He quietly put together one of the top drafts in the NFL.
Give this man a raise.
5. Julio Jones, WR (Alabama) to the Atlanta Falcons
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In two months, Julio Jones’ draft stock skyrocketed. We were all in awe of his combine performance, which he performed with a foot injury!
Suddenly Jones was not just a top-10 selection, but he was rivaling A.J. Green as the top offensive skill player in this draft.
Come draft day, the Atlanta Falcons—yes, those Atlanta Falcons who dominated the NFC in the regular season last year—trade all the way up from No. 27 to No. 6 to select him. Now that’s high praise!
Jones lands in the ideal destination. He does not have to be the No. 1 man like he would in Cleveland, Washington or St. Louis, as he has a top-five receiver to take away the pressure in Atlanta. He will have full range to dominate No. 2 cornerbacks in the league. More importantly, he lands with a team on the brink of winning a championship and is truly the missing piece to complete this offensive puzzle.
Plus, he’s paired with a great, young quarterback for the next decade.
Perfect.
4. Houston Texans Fans
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Houston, we no longer have a problem.
But the rest of the AFC South does.
Gary Kubiak and the Houston Texans put together a remarkable draft. They landed two of the best pass-rushers in the draft in J.J. Watt and Brooks Reed. They then landed a steal in the third round when they traded up for Brandon Harris to upgrade their atrocious secondary.
With Wade Phillips as defensive coordinator, these draft selections, along with returning defensive stars DeMeco Ryans, Brian Cushing and “Super” Mario Williams, the Texans will finally field a team that can go deep in the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.
Isn’t it amazing how important the draft is? In one weekend, a team can go from the worst defense to having the opportunity to field a contender for the upcoming season. In one draft, the Texans take preseason control of the AFC South.
Sorry, Colts fans, your reign of supreme is dead.
3. Detroit Lions Fans
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The Lions were extremely competitive last season, proving they are truly heading in the right direction. I was on the bandwagon to begin the year, but now, everyone should be on the bandwagon. I’ve harped all offseason that this team will compete for the NFC North Division title—they more than solidified their chances with this elite draft.
They land the No. 2 defensive tackle and running back in Nick Fairley and Mikel Leshoure, who will both be monster complements to Ndamukong Suh and Jahvid Best. Suh and Fairley already form the most devastating, menacing and relentless defensive tackle combination in the history of the game.
Even Titus Young is a fantastic complement to “Megatron” Calvin Johnson.
Let’s get one thing straight, the Lions’ roar is back, and their claws are sharpened. This is a team that can win a championship much sooner than people think.
2. John Elway, John Fox and the Denver Broncos' Fan Base
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John Fox avoids the difficult decision of selecting or not selecting Cam Newton, as he was fired from Carolina to begin the season. He leaves one disastrous team and joins another.
Amazingly, Fox and John Elway put together a terrific draft. In three days, they have completely rebuilt this organization with top-level talent from this draft.
Von Miller has Hall-of-Fame potential with his elite pass-rushing ability, maturity, dedication and competitive nature. The entire defense is completely revamped with Miller, Elvis Dumervil returning and the handful of quality defenders they drafted.
A round of applause for Fox and Elway.
1. Cam Newton, QB (Auburn) to the Carolina Panthers
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No matter what happens in the future, Cam Newton is king following the draft.
Seriously, has anybody really had a more successful calendar year? This kid dominated college football, won the Heisman, won the BCS National Championship and is now the No. 1 overall selection in the NFL Draft.
As long as he dedicates himself, he will prove to have a successful career. He has all the tools necessary to be a quality starting quarterback.
We’re going to see what he’s really made of in the NFL. Will he be a championship-winning QB? That I don’t know. What I do know is that he is going to sell tickets, jerseys and hope to every Carolina fan. He will make his Panthers teammates and fans believe they have an opportunity to win each and every week.
Newton is a true superstar franchise quarterback and needed to go No. 1 in the draft to cement the first part of his legacy.
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