NFL Draft 2011: Power Ranking the Top 10 NFC East Rookies To Watch in 2011

The NFC East division is still one of the most competitive in all of the NFL despite the Washington Redskins’ recent downward spiral. Mike Shanahan did a fine job in this year’s class as he looks to rebuild the team from the ground up. Although we should not expect them to compete for the division, they do have a couple of rookies on the squad who will surely make a name for themselves in 2011.

It all boils to which rookies will help the Cowboys, Eagles and Giants win the coveted division crown. I wasn’t a fan of Andy Reid’s draft overall, but he made a few great selections to help this team capture another division title. The Cowboys and Giants both capitalized in this year’s draft, grabbing a handful of players who will make an immediate impact to improve the team this year and for the next decade.

10. Ryan Kerrigan, Washington Redskins OLB

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Height: 6’4”

Weight: 267 lbs

Career Stats: 210 tackles, 33 sacks, 1 interception, 4 forced fumbles

Combine Results:

40-yard Dash – 4.71

Bench Press – 31.0

Vertical Jump – 33.5

Broad Jump – 122.0

3 Cone Drill – 7.18

20-yard Shuttle – 4.39

60-yard Shuttle – N/A

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Although it remains to be seen how effective Ryan Kerrigan will be as an outside linebacker compared to a defensive end, he will be greatly assisted by the presence of Brian Orakpo.

Kerrigan is a far better performer on the football field than off it in individual drills. This is a high character, intelligent man with great football instincts and abilities. He is simply a great football player. He has the innate knack to get to the quarterback, which is why he will improve this defense as a rookie in 2011.

He has great strength and power to bulrush blockers, and enough quickness to get by them on initial contact to attack quarterbacks. Together, he and Orakpo will form one of the better young pass-rushing duos in the game today. They will be the cornerstones of the defense.

If rumors hold true and the Redskins are able to land Cullen Jenkins, the best 3-4 defensive end on the free-agent market, Kerrigan will be even more successful as a rookie. Washington landed a very good, smart and reliable football player in this draft.

9. Danny Watkins, Philadelphia Eagles OG

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Height: 6’3”

Weight: 310 lbs

Combine Results:

40-yard Dash – 5.4

Bench Press – 29.0

Vertical Jump – 26.0

Broad Jump – 92.0

3 Cone Drill – 7.61

20-yard Shuttle – 4.62

60-yard Shuttle – N/A

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I strongly disagreed with this selection as I believe Andy Reid should have selected Jimmy Smith and an offensive guard in the second round. Still, there is no denying that the athletic guard who is closer to 30 than 20 years of age will make an impact for this offense.

Many will point to blocking for Michael Vick, but Vick is still the most elusive quarterback in the pocket and will extend plays with his legs. Watkins will have a bigger impact on LeSean McCoy in the running game. He will open bigger holes for McCoy to jet through to secure his position as a top 10 running back in the NFL. He is a strong, athletic guard who will be able to bully some offensive lineman around to give Vick more time in the pocket and usher McCoy towards the end zone.

8. DeMarco Murray, Dallas Cowboys RB

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Height: 6’0”

Weight: 213 lbs

Career Stats: 759 attempts, 3,685 yards, 50 touchdowns

Combine Results:

40-yard Dash – 4.41

Bench Press – 22.0

Vertical Jump – 34.5

Broad Jump – 124.0

3 Cone Drill – 7.28

20-yard Shuttle - 4.18

60-yard Shuttle – N/A

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Although I did not agree with this selection, I am beginning to warm up to it because it looks like Marion Barber won’t be back with the team. Felix Jones is not a featured back, and although I don’t view DeMarco Murray as a featured back either, I believe these two can work well together with their similar abilities. The most important difference is that Murray has shown that he will be more durable and is much stronger than Jones.

DeMarco can do everything the Cowboys need as he can run with solid power, has great speed and quickness and can catch out of the backfield. He is going to have to develop quickly as a pass blocker to aid Tony Romo. He should create plenty of highlight-reel plays for Jerry Jones. As a rookie, he can certainly lead the backfield in yards, touchdowns and receptions despite the presence of the often-injured Felix Jones.

7. Leonhard Hankerson, Washington Redskins WR

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Height: 6’2”

Weight: 209 lbs

Career Stats: 556 receptions, 2,834 yards, 29 touchdowns

Combine Results:

40-yard Dash – 4.43

Bench Press – 14.0

Vertical Jump – 36.0

Broad Jump – 117.0

3 Cone Drill – 6.94

20-yard Shuttle – 4.21

60-yard Shuttle – 11.37

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Free agent Santana Moss is not a lock to return to Washington as they have a lot of issues on both sides of the ball and are not in position to win a Championship in 2011. If Moss bolts, the new No. 1 receiver would be Leonhard Hankerson.

Hankerson is one of the best receivers in this draft and had no business falling to the middle of the third round. He has excellent hands, runs very good routes and has great size. He is going to see a ton of targets as he will be the most talented wide receiver on the team if Moss doesn’t return.

If Santana does return, he will still benefit from his presence on and off the field. Santana can teach Hankerson how to become a better receiver off the field in the film and locker rooms. On the field, Santana will draw double coverage every time, leaving Leonhard to work one-on-one and still rack up targets. Expect him to make an impact quickly on this Redskins offense.

6. Prince Amukamara, New York Giants CB

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Height: 6’0”

Weight: 206 lbs

Career Stats: 155 tackles, 4 sacks, 5 interceptions, 3 forced fumbles

Combine Results:

40-yard Dash – 4.43

Bench Press – 15.0

Vertical Jump – 38.0

Broad Jump – 128.0

3 Cone Drill – 6.97

20-yard Shuttle – 4.08

60-yard Shuttle – 11.34

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Prince Amukamara was my No. 2 cornerback and No. 7 overall prospect. He is one of the most mature players in the entire class. He has excellent instincts, coverage skills and quick hands. He was often avoided in college, so his interception total was down, but he still doesn’t have the hands of a Patrick Peterson or Jimmy Smith.

It remains to be seen if Prince will guard No. 1 or No. 2 wide receivers, but either way he’s going to match up extremely well. Aided by the Giants’ incredible pass rush, Prince is going to break up a ton of passes starting as soon as 2011.

New York landed a steal with Amukamara at No. 19 as he is going to be a shutdown corner for the majority of his career. He does need to work on pressing receivers at the line of scrimmage as he can give too much room to start the play, but he will develop into an excellent corner with his natural gifts.

5. Casey Matthews, Philadelphia Eagles LB

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Height: 6’1”

Weight: 231 lbs

Career Stats: 229 tackles, 9 sacks, 4 interceptions, 1 forced fumble

Combine Results:

40-yard Dash – N/A

Bench Press – 13.0

Vertical Jump – N/A

Broad Jump – N/A

3 Cone Drill – N/A

20-yard Shuttle – N/A

60-yard Shuttle – N/A

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Casey Matthews was one of the most underrated players in this year’s draft class. Although a tad bit undersized, he has the high-football IQ, bloodlines and the overall ability to be a major success in this league. Simply put, he was a steal in the fourth round.

Casey has very good speed from the linebacker position, which allows him to close in quickly on ball carriers and attack the passer. He is a sound wrap-up tackler and will be relied on to bring down running backs and alter their running path with his speed.

He may not be as good as his brother Clay of the Green Bay Packers, but he will show flashes of that elite ability at times. This is a determined player with a fantastic work ethic and non-stop motor, and he is going to have an excellent career.

4. Evan Royster, Washington Redskins RB

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Height: 6’0”

Weight: 212 lbs

Career Stats: 686 attempts, 3,932 yards, 29 touchdowns

Combine Results:

40-yard Dash – 4.65

Bench Press – 20.0

Vertical Jump – 34.0

Broad Jump – 113.0

3 Cone Drill – 7.07

20-yard Shuttle - 4.18

60-yard Shuttle – N/A

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Many will be surprised to see Evan Royster on this list, especially over fourth-round selection Roy Helu, but Royster has the ability to be the featured back in Mike Shanahan’s offense. Helu is more of a luxury back with his explosive and dynamic playmaking abilities.

Evan’s style perfectly fits Shanahan’s one-cut offense. He has great vision and power when hitting the hole and explodes through the lane, which is exactly what Shanahan asks out of his back.

We’ve seen Mike Shanahan turn far worse prospects into extremely productive backs in his system. Royster has the ideal size, athleticism, vision and technique to excel in this offense while letting Helu come in to exploit defenses late in drives. This is going to be a solid one-two punch in 2011, but the Penn State product will be the main man the offense revolves around.

3. Marvin Austin, New York Giants DT

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Height: 6’2”

Weight: 309 lbs

Career Stats: 103 tackles, 9 sacks, 1 interception, 1 touchdown, 1 forced fumble

Combine Results:

40-yard Dash – 4.9

Bench Press – 38.0

Vertical Jump – 30.5

Broad Jump – 112.0

3 Cone Drill – 7.33

20-yard Shuttle – 4.4

60-yard Shuttle – N/A

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Austin is one of the most talented defensive tackles in the draft. He lands in the prime destination as he heads to New York to complete the most dominant defensive line in the league. He is the missing link the Giants have needed for years as they have not had a defensive tackle of Austin’s caliber. He will create a ton of room for Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora and Jason Pierre-Paul to work.

With these three teammates rotating on the defensive line, Marvin is going to excel out the gate. He will shred blockers with his power and quickness to attack ball carriers. His ability to pressure quarterbacks will assist a talented secondary and a solid linebacker unit.

2. Bruce Carter, Dallas Cowboys LB

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Height: 6’2”

Weight: 241 lbs

Career Stats: 215 tackles, 9 sacks, 3 interceptions, 1 forced fumble, 2 touchdowns

Combine Results:

40-yard Dash – N/A

Bench Press – 25.0

Vertical Jump – N/A

Broad Jump – N/A

3 Cone Drill – N/A

20-yard Shuttle – N/A

60-yard Shuttle – N/A

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Bruce Carter was one of the safest selections at the linebacker position with his all-around abilities and durability. He is a playmaker from the outside linebacker position with his toughness, power and quickness. He is a sound tackler who will become a fan favorite quickly and a locker room leader even more quickly. He has team captain written all over him for this team.

Dallas needed a powerhouse of a linebacker to come in to counter the improving running backs of the NFC. He is the type of player who will not shy away from the moment and will come up big in crunch time for the ‘Boys. Expect big things from Carter.

1. Tyron Smith, Dallas Cowboys OT

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Height: 6’5”

Weight: 307 lbs

Combine Results:

40-yard Dash – N/A

Bench Press – 29.0

Vertical Jump – N/A

Broad Jump – N/A

3 Cone Drill – N/A

20-yard Shuttle – N/A

60-yard Shuttle – N/A

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Tyron Smith was my No. 2 offensive tackle heading into the draft. He is a supremely gifted athlete and has the ideal size every coach wants on his offensive line. He impressed mightily at the combine, which caused his stock to soar from a mid-to-late-first round selection into the top 10.

Dallas needed to beef up its offensive line to protect Tony Romo and grabbed the ideal prospect to achieve their goal. This Trojan was my No. 1 pass-blocking offensive lineman in the entire class. He has the size, speed and strength to dominate from the tackle position.

The Cowboys are going to hope he can make the switch to the left side after playing right tackle in college. Although left tackle is the most important position on the line, Jerry Jones and Jason Garrett may be better off keeping Smith at his natural position and putting fourth-round selection David Arkin, my No. 10 tackle, to the left side.

Either way, these two rookies will solidify this offensive line for the next 10-15 years. Jones isn’t going to pay Smith top dollar to be a right tackle, and with his elite athleticism, intelligence and pass-blocking ability, I expect him to fully succeed on this offensive line. He will greatly improve the entire team and more specifically, Romo’s health and ability in the pocket.