2011 NFL Draft Results: The 10 Biggest Winners from the NFL Draft
For three days, NFL fans got the chance to feel like the league was business as usual. While NFL owners and players were doing their ever-continuing bickering in court, Roger Goodell was shaking the hands of the newest players in the league, and new hopes and dreams of Super Bowl glory were alive for fans.
For those 72 hours, it was fun to think about the 2011 season. For weeks now, the talk has been about who is the victim: billionaire owners or millionaire players? The true victims in this situation are the fans, who, just days from now, will have to only hear about legal manners.
But for now, the draft is still fresh on everyone's minds. What teams drafted well? Who reached? Which players look to be future stars? All these questions are up for debate and will doubtlessly be focused on, perhaps ad nauseam, as the nearly 250 rookies that make up this draft class are the only football players we can discuss right now.
While teams such as the Seahawks seemed to reach for almost every pick, and other teams like the Vikings forced fans to scratch their heads with the selection of Christian Ponder with the 12th pick, other teams were able to draft very successfully.
Here is a look at 10 teams that appear to have set themselves up very well for 2011 and beyond.
10) Buffalo Bills
1 of 10
Best value selections
First Round: Marcell Dareus, Defensive Tackle, Alabama
Third Round: Kelvin Sheppard, Inside Linebacker, LSU
The Bills draft is one that's quite controversial, as some, such as Mel Kiper Jr., grade them highly, while other writers say it's one of their worst. It really comes down to what your thoughts are on quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. Personally, I feel Fitzpatrick is a good quarterback who can win you a few games and is not going to be responsible for costing you any.
Is he elite? Certainly not, but you can do far worse in the NFL right now. That is how Bills management obviously feel considering they didn't draft a quarterback in the draft.
The Bills drafted what many consider the best overall player in the draft in Dareus. The Bills were the worst team in the NFL in rushing defense, so he will be an immediate help.
Sheppard won't set any records, but he's someone who could start day one for the Bills. Aaron Williams, their second-round pick, has potential to be very good, but he's also the type of player physically that's prone to failing to achieve success at his position.
The Bills spent nearly every pick on defense. The biggest concern is the failure to address offensive line woes. Still, the Bills have a brand new D to complement offensive skill pieces that were very underrated in 2010.
9) Chicago Bears
2 of 10
Best value selections
First Round: Gabe Carimi, Offensive Tackle, Wisconsin
Second Round: Stephen Paea, Defensive Tackle, Oregon State
The Bears may not have had the flashiest draft, but when you consider needs, the Bears did quite well. The team was woeful in pass protection last year and set a record by giving up nine sacks...in one HALF against the New York Giants. Carimi can start immediately for the Bears and shift last year's pet project, J'Marcus Webb, to left tackle.
Paea fills a need at defensive tackle with the departure of Tommie Harris, who was cut last month. Marcus Harrison also looks like he'll be signing elsewhere whenever free agency opens back up.
The peculiar pick is Nathan Enderle, an Idaho quarterback drafted in the fifth round. While Caleb Hanie now is the de facto backup, Enderle is someone they could develop to fill in for Jay Cutler if he gets hurt again. Given the fact he endured nearly 60 sacks last year, who knows when he may get knocked out again?
8) St. Louis Rams
3 of 10
Best value selections
First Round: Robert Quinn, Defensive End, UNC
Fourth Round: Gregory Salas, Wide Receiver, Hawaii
It seems like only yesterday that the Rams were one of the league's laughingstocks. After all, Sad Bradford was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2010 draft because the Rams had such a miserable 1-15 season in 2009.
But the play of Bradford and a fellow 2010 rookie, offensive lineman Rodger Saffold, and a new, strong defense led by Chris Long and James Laurinaitis helped bring the Rams back to respectability, going 7-9 last year.
The Rams saw themselves in a recently unfamiliar position of picking in the middle of the order, yet they were able to draft a player who has top-five talent in Robert Quinn. The personal issues for Quinn are obvious considering he was suspended for the entire 2010 season, but no one can deny the talent he has. The combination of he and Long could be very scary in a weak NFC West.
The Rams then addressed the weapons or lack thereof for Sam Bradford. They drafted a tight end in Lance Kendricks and Boise State standout receiver Austin Pettis in the second and third rounds respectively.
While those picks are okay, the selection of Gregory Salas could have real value for a player many scouts have highly rated.
Overall, the Rams look to be a team on the upswing that could compete for the NFC West with a much more respectable record.
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7) San Diego Chargers
4 of 10
Best value selections
First Round: Corey Liuget, Defensive Tackle, Illinois
Sixth Round: Jordan Todman, Running Back, Connecticut
The Chargers are a team that quite simply confounds people. Despite having one of the best offenses and defenses in the league, the Chargers found themselves watching the playoffs from home last season. For this draft, it was as much about finding depth players as it was to find new breakout stars, and by that standard, the Chargers succeeded.
Liuget should be able to start for them immediately at a position the Chargers find themselves depleted in. They have found other good players in the middle rounds, like Marcus Gilchrist, a cornerback, and Vincent Brown, a wide receiver selected in the fourth round who may see a lot of time provided what ends up happening with Vincent Jackson.
The one curious player and potential steal, though, is Jordan Todman, a shifty, small running back who will likely be replacing Darren Sproles.
Overall, it was a solid draft from top to bottom for the 'Bolts. Now all they need to do is stop choking, and the existing roster with these draft picks could produce a Super Bowl contender.
6) New Orleans Saints
5 of 10
Best value selections
First Round: Cameron Jordan, Defensive End, California
First Round: Mark Ingram, Running Back, Alabama
The New Orleans Saints are a team two seasons removed from a memorable Super Bowl run. While they were able to get back into the postseason in 2010, they finished the year in disappointing fashion when they became the first team to lose to a playoff team with a losing record in the Seattle Seahawks.
For the Saints, they addressed two major areas of concern from last season with their first two picks. Cameron Jordan will help a pass rush that took a step backward last year. With the Saints having to face Matt Ryan, Josh Freeman and now Cam Newton six times per year, the Saints absolutely need a strong front four.
Another issue for the team was their rushing attack, which was one of the worst in the NFL, in large part due to the injuries sustained by Reggie Bush and Pierre Thomas. Mark Ingram was widely regarded as the best running back in this draft, and the Saints traded up to take him.
The Saints didn't address all their areas of need considering they only had two third-round draft picks and two seventh-round draft picks left after the selection of Ingram. With that said, Martez Wilson, an outside linebacker, is someone with the opportunity to start come Week 1.
5) Indianapolis Colts
6 of 10
Best value selections
First Round: Anthony Castonzo, Offensive Tackle, Boston College
Third Round: Drake Nevis, Defensive Tackle, LSU
When you have Peyton Manning as your quarterback, life is always good. The Indianapolis Colts had their "worst" season in several seasons by going 10-6. While many fanbases would crave a team where 10-6 is seen as a down year, that is just what happened to the Colts last season.
The Colts' offensive line showed chinks in its armor for the first time since Jim Mora was fired nearly a decade ago. To fix this, the Colts used their first two draft picks on Castonzo as well as Benjamin Ijalana. For a group of veterans, infusing some new blood into the mix will certainly help Manning and his vaunted passing game.
Another weakness for the Colts, though, has been pressure from their defensive tackles, as they've relied on their outside rushers, led by the great Dwight Freeney. Drake Nevis was a great value pick in the third round who could very well start the first week of the season.
For the Colts, not much has to be done to bring them back to a perennial 12-win team. These moves can help them next season and moving forward in future years.
4) Cleveland Browns
7 of 10
Best value selections
First Round: Phil Taylor, Defensive Tackle, Baylor
Second Round: Greg Little, Wide Receiver, North Carolina
You don't often see the Cleveland Browns on top of any list unless it talks about a team's shortcomings. But in this day and age of the NFL, anything is possible!
When evaluating their draft, you have to start with the trade they executed with the Atlanta Falcons, which netted them an additional five draft picks in this draft and in 2012.
They used this trade to help bring in eight new players, none bigger (literally) than Phil Taylor, a 6'3", 334-pound giant who will be able to draw double-teams against the offensive line. Jabaal Sheard was their first second-round pick and is a defensive end who could start alongside Taylor.
Then you have Greg Little, a large, 6'2" receiver who could turn into Colt McCoy's primary target. Owen Marecic, a fourth-round pick, is a fullback who might also see immediate playing time.
Overall, a very strong draft for the Browns, who have a stockpile of picks next year thanks to this draft. Could it be the Browns actually have a strategy being formed?
3) Cincinnati Bengals
8 of 10
Best value selections
First Round: A.J. Green, Wide Receiver, Georgia
Second Round: Andy Dalton, Quarterback, TCU
The Browns and the Bengals having great drafts? Is the world upside down?
Cincy was able to have a great draft from top to bottom. Robert Sands is a safety from West Virginia who has tremendous upside yet was taken in the fifth round. Clint Boling, a guard taken in the fourth round, can start immediately.
These picks would have been top values for many teams, but for Cincy they're not even in the top two. A.J. Green, the fourth pick in the draft, is someone that many believe is a once in a half decade receiver, much like Calvin Johnson. Yet to me he wasn't even the best value.
Considering the run of questionable quarterback selections taken in the first round (Jake Locker? Christian Ponder?), the fact that the Bengals got Andy Dalton in the second round was a great, great move for the Bengals. To many, he was the second- or third-best quarterback on the board, yet Cincy was able to snag him after it took a game-breaking receiver.
The thing that will worry Bengal fans is how the team will use these two new men. They certainly have a bad history of player development. But for now, this is a rare time where Bengal fans can enjoy something positive.
2) Tampa Bay Bucaneers
9 of 10
Best value selections
Second Round: Da'Quan Bowers, Defensive End, Clemson
First Round: Adrian Clayborn, Defensive End, Iowa
To be fair, if you look at it from top to bottom, the Bucs didn't have as deep of a draft as other teams like the Bengals or even the Chargers. However, when you see their second-round selection in Bowers, a man who a month ago was considered a possible No. 1 pick, the Bucs could have gotten the best value pick in the entire draft.
The issue with Bowers is his knee has a bone on bone condition that's not conducive to a lengthy career. However, in a win-now league like the NFL, three or four years of dominance could mean long-term success for the team.
Clayborn is frankly getting overshadowed by the Bowers selection even though he was the first-round selection. He's another great pick for the Bucs. Combine these two men with Gerald McCoy, who had a great rookie season in 2010, and the Bucs could have the best front four in the NFL next year.
1) Detroit Lions
10 of 10
Best value selections
First Round: Nick Fairley, Defensive Tackle, Auburn
Second Round: Mikel Leshoure, Running Back, Illinois
Surely you must be joking. The Bengals, Browns and Lions with three of the four best drafts?
You got that right!
It makes you wonder how good the Lions could be if they would have fired Matt Millen sooner. Since going 0-16 three years ago, the Lions have continued strong draft after strong draft, and this year was no different.
Though they had only five draft picks, the Lions have brought in five guys who all could see the field in 2011. Titus Young is a receiver drafted in the second round who will be a great complement to Calvin Johnson and up-and-coming tight end Brandon Pettigrew. Mikel Leshoure is the perfect type of running back to work with the speedy Jahvid Best.
The best pick and perhaps the best value in the draft, though, is Nick Fairley. While he fell nowhere near as far as Bowers, Fairley was someone considered to be the top draft pick after his national championship game. However, due mainly to personal issues, he fell to the 13th pick in the draft.
One could worry about these off-field issues, but with a great structure around him, he, last year's rookie sensation Ndamukong Suh and seasoned veteran Kyle Vanden Bosch could produce an absolutely terrifying front four.
How much do their NFC rivals fear them? Not only the Bears, but the Packers too, drafted offensive tackles in the first round.
Time will tell if this front four will make up for issues they have in the secondary. But to think that the Lions are a legitimate playoff contender is quite an ascension from the worst football season any team in the history of the league has had.
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