NFL Draft 2011: Arizona Cardinals Sabotage San Francisco 49ers' Draft

It's almost difficult to justify the phrase "NFC West rivalry" coming off a season where all four teams failed to break .500.

The Rams have the most promising quarterbacks and the Seahawks are coming off a division win, but the 49ers have arguably the most intense divisional rivalry with the Arizona Cardinals.

Despite being robbed multiple times of an NFC West title during the Kurt Warner era, the 49ers have done considerably well against the Cardinals. The rivalry has been bitter at times and it seems as though the two franchises have the most built up animosity of any two teams within the division.

Fittingly, the Cardinals adversely affected the 49ers' entire draft with their first-round selection of Patrick Peterson. While ruined may be too harsh of a word, a closer examination of the implications of their picks suggests otherwise. Let the domino effect ensue.

Cardinals Rob 49ers of Chance to Get Peterson, Ignore Quarterback Woes

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NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 28: Blaine Gabbert, #11 overall pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars, holds up a jersey during the 2011 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall on April 28, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images)

The Cardinals were expected to take Blaine Gabbert, or the quarterback highest on their board. They decided to put all of their eggs in the free agency basket and neglected the quarterback need for the entire draft.

They brought in arguably the best player in the entire draft. The move makes a lot of sense and the Cardinals should not be faulted for doing so, but it decimated the 49ers' board.

With Von Miller, Marcell Dareus and Peterson gone, the 49ers were looking at a recognizably worse pool of talent to choose from. Talented, but recognizably worse. Peterson would have started immediately in San Fran and filled arguably the biggest hole on the roster.

Monster Julio Jones Trade Would Have Happened Regardless

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NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 28: NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell (L) poses for a photo with Julio Jones, #6 overall pick by the Atlanta Falcons, holds up a jersey on stage during the 2011 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall on April 28, 2011 in New York City. (Ph

What if the Cardinals had decided to pass on Peterson? The Browns selected sixth overall, and weren't in need of a cornerback. They were able to trade out of the sixth spot and acquire a massive amount of compensation from the Falcons, who targeted Julio Jones.

If Peterson were still on the board, it is unlikely any team would offer up more than the Falcons were willing to in order to jump into the sixth overall position.

As a result, Peterson would have been there for the 49ers with the seventh overall pick. The Browns obviously wanted to trade back and they had a buyer. Arizona's selection, barring a surprise selection of Jones, would have resulted in the same monster Julio Jones deal.

What If the 49ers Still Wanted Aldon Smith?

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NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 28: Aldon Smith, #7 overall pick by the San Francisco 49ers, holds up a jersey on stage during the 2011 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall on April 28, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images)

The 49ers could have easily traded back if Peterson were still on the board. While Prince Amukamara slipped into the back of the first round, it is unlikely that Peterson would have seen the same fate.

Plenty of teams are in need of a shut down corner. If the 49ers were set on Aldon Smith, they probably could have selected him closer to the mid-first round, while picking up some extra picks along the way.

This could have resulted in the acquisition of a second or third round pick, which would have been handy when the 49ers were watching potential starters fly off the board in the second round.

49ers Now Have to Face Peterson at Least Twice a Year

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BATON ROUGE, LA - NOVEMBER 20: Patrick Peterson #7 of the Louisiana State University Tigers reacts after their 43-36 win over the Ole Miss Rebels at Tiger Stadium on November 20, 2010 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

The 49ers already struggle through the air. They don't have a dominant receiver and even if Michael Crabtree does develop into something, it looks like he might be on lockdown twice a year.

The Cardinals are the only team in the NFC West with a top flight receiver, but any chance the other teams had at throwing the ball to their number one guy may be out the window once Peterson comes into his own.

It's also going to help the Cardinals compete outside of the division. Teams like the Texans and the Ravens who have one dominant receiver could see their passing game eliminated. Even a one or two game difference could be huge in the schematics of the NFC West outcome.

Aldon Smith and Chris Culliver < Patrick Peterson and Kenrick Ellis

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COLUMBIA, SC - OCTOBER 9: Defensive back Chris Culliver #17 of the Carolina Gamecocks tackles quarterback Greg McElroy of the Alabama Crimson Tide October 9, 2010 at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina. (Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Ima

It seems inevitable that Colin Kaepernick would wind up a 49er in either scenario, but the third round would take a dramatic turn.

The 49ers selected CB Chris Culliver in the third round of the draft. It would be foolish to bring in a corner if Peterson was selected in the first round, so the 49ers would have a completely different third round.

Defensive tackle and pass rusher would be the most pressing of their remaining needs. Kenrick Ellis out of Hampton is a mammoth defensive tackle who could have been an eventual successor to Aubrayo Franklin. There was no pass rusher on the board who warranted a selection there, so ignoring the need to bring in a promising DT would have been the better route.

The trio of Aldon Smith, Chris Culliver and Colin Kapernick seems far worse than Peterson, Ellis and Kaepernick. The 49ers may have missed out, and all because of the Cardinals. The plot thickens.