NFL Draft 2011 Results: Top 5 3rd-Round Steals and Busts
This year’s NFL draft saw potential first-round selections and first-round-caliber talents fall all the way to the third round. This round was littered with players with work ethic concerns, reach picks and players who were inexplicably passed on for inferior talents in the wild second round.
This round was highlighted by Arkansas QB Ryan Mallett, who was selected by Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots—yes, those New England Patriots that still boast a Hall of Fame QB in Tom Brady.
Is Mallett a steal or a bust in the third round? Which other highly touted players could be considered a steal or a bust for the remainder of their NFL career?
Bust No. 5: Justin Houston, Georgia OLB to Kansas City Chiefs
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Up until two weeks ago, Houston was a potential top-15 selection and a dead lock to be drafted in the first round. He then failed a drug test and analysts began to go back to the tape to further analyze one of the better pass-rushers in the draft.
Many were unimpressed with him on the field, because it did not appear like he worked hard every down. Yes, he can attack the passer, but the NFL is a much different beast than the collegiate game. If he fails to apply himself and work to improve, he will quickly flame out in the league.
His free fall should be the splash of water he needs in his face.
Steal No. 5: John Moffitt, Wisconsin OG to Seattle Seahawks
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Although not the greatest athlete, Moffitt is the definition of an offensive lineman you want in your fox hole. He is a great run-blocker—one of the best at his position in the class. He is a gritty, tough-nosed player who wants to play smash-mouth football.
The Seahawks are aiming to build a strong, dominant offensive line that will maul defenders to open running lanes for their power runner Marshawn Lynch. Pete Carroll lands a second-round talent in the third-round, and one of the best interior lineman to fulfill his power running game.
Bust No. 4: Jurrell Casey, USC DT to Tennessee Titans
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Casey’s stock dropped mightily this offseason as scouts do not know whether or not he will give everything he has on the field.
This is a potential first-round talent, but if a player fails to consistently apply himself on the field—he will be called out and ultimately shipped out one way or another.
He lands on a quality team that desperately needs him to play well to succeed—whether or not he is up to the challenge and can handle the pressure remains to be seen.
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Steal No. 4: Martez Wilson, Illinois LB to New Orleans Saints
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Wilson is my No. 1 rated linebacker and one of my favorite linebackers in the entire class. I had him pegged as a potential late-first round, sure-fire early-second-round selection with his versatility and athleticism.
He is weaker than some of the other top linebackers in run support, but he can still wrap-up and more importantly, he can get to the passer. He is a three-down linebacker and a steal for a team that needed to bolster its linebacker unit.
He's had injuries in the past, but he is still a highly athletic linebacker who will thrive in New Orleans next to Jonathan Vilma.
Bust No. 3: Curtis Marsh, Utah State CB
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Although Marsh fits Philadelphia’s press-style of defending the wide receiver, he was selected above Curtis Brown, a cornerback I deemed far superior. Unless they can get free agent Nnamdi Asomugha, Marsh may need to start immediately for the Eagles.
Right now, he is no match for the No. 2 wide receivers of the NFC East and will get dominated. He wouldn’t even fare well against fellow rookie third-rounder Leonhard Hankerson who went to Washington, let alone Dallas’ Dez Bryant or New York’s Mario Manningham.
Steal No. 3: Dontay Moch, Nevada OLB to Cincinnati Bengals
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Moch is one of my favorite linebackers in the class—a theme you’ll see with these third-round steals. He is very good in run support and attacking quarterbacks off the edge. Cincinnati needs a pass-rusher to attack the great quarterbacks in the AFC North and AFC in general.
He will lead the Bengals in sacks much sooner than later. He will quickly become a leader on this defense, which greatly underachieved in 2010 following a stellar 2009 season.
Bust No. 2: Ryan Mallett, Arkansas QB to New England Patriots
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Yes, Ryan Mallett will be a bust. He heads to a great destination in New England, but I have an eerie feeling that he will not appreciate having to sit for years. Tom Brady is not retiring anytime soon and Mallett will get the itch to start.
Bill Belichick is a masterful drafter, despite this year’s odd draft. He knows there will still be a mystique surrounding this young quarterback’s strong arm and will trade him within three years to a quarterback-needy team—where he will finally prove to be the bust that he is.
He is nothing more than a strong arm, which scouts generally get caught up in far too often—JaMarcus Russell says “hi.”
Steal No. 2: Curtis Brown, Texas CB to Pittsburgh Steelers
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Curtis Brown is a top-10 cornerback in this draft. Somehow, several general managers overlooked him in the third round.
He was selected after the likes of DeMarcus Van Dyke, Chris Culliver, Johnny Patrick, Shareece Wright and Curtis Marsh. The only player in that bunch I understand being selected ahead of him is Patrick, who is another top-10 corner in this draft.
I had Brown penciled in for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second round, so he is clearly a steal at the end of the third. He will be a very good No. 2 cornerback for the Steelers, a team that desperately needed to upgrade the unit.
Bust No. 1: DeMarcus Van Dyke, Miami (FL) CB to Oakland Raiders
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DeMarcus Van Dyke is your classic track star for the Oakland Raiders under Al Davis’ new millennium way of drafting. Van Dyke shined at the combine with his speed and agility, so naturally Davis was in awe.
Unfortunately, he forgot that individual drills don’t matter much on the playing field—a player’s football talent matters most.
He had no business being selected in the third round above Johnny Patrick or Curtis Brown. This is a poor selection that will cost Oakland in the long run as top talent was still available in this round.
Steal No. 1: Mason Foster, Washington LB to Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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Mason Foster is simply put a great linebacker. He is one of the best tacklers in the nation—and even led the nation in tackles recently. He was a lock to be selected in the middle of the second-round in my eyes. For him to fall to the middle of the third round is bizarre.
General managers severely underestimated this man—and their ball carriers will pay for it.
DeAngelo Williams should want to bolt from Carolina and let Jonathan Stewart deal with him. Same goes for Reggie Bush after the Saints drafted Mark Ingram—Reggie doesn’t want that punishment, trust me.
Rookie Jacquizz Rodgers is going to prefer Michael Turner take that handoff up the middle.
Foster gravitates towards ball carriers—and nobody gets by him.
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