NBA Draft 2011: Which Players Will Be Biggest Steals of the 2011 Draft Class?

We are just about three hours away from the 2011 NBA Draft, and the anticipation is mounting.  As has been expected since players stopped declaring their eligibility, Duke point guard Kyrie Irving will be taken first overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers, followed by Arizona forward Derrick Williams being taken by Minnesota at No. 2.

Yet, it seems that a certain group of players are not getting enough attention.  These are players who were good in college, but aren't getting tons of attention despite their tremendous talent.  To put it bluntly, the players who could potentially explode onto the NBA scene and become perennial All-Stars despite not being taken in the Top 10.

Some of these players include Kansas point guard Josh Selby (pictured), who was a high school star and impressed as a freshman before going down with an injury and slowly becoming a non-factor.

Without further ado, let's get right into it.  Here are six players who could potentially be the biggest steals of the 2011 NBA Draft.

Honorable Mention: Bismack Biyombo, PF/C, Congo

Bismack Biyombo has had an interesting draft adventure.  He has great size at 6'9" and 245 pounds, but the primary reason for the attention he has gotten is his 7'6" wingspan. 

Still, scouts believe that the man nicknamed "B-Smack" can be a top rebounder and shot-blocker in the NBA.

Biyombo has gone from being a lottery pick, to a late-first round pick, to a mid-round pick, back to being a lottery pick.  Currently, one particular mock draft has him going to the Golden State Warriors at No. 11.

While Biyombo is definitely an excellent defender, his offensive game has tons of question marks.  At the European combine event, he did not impress in that department at all.  Yet, if he can improve that and bring his explosive defense to the NBA, he'll definitely have a shot at becoming one of the most underrated big men of this year's draft.

No. 6: Jeremy Tyler, PF, International

Jeremy Tyler, at age 20, definitely has a high ceiling and upside.  Like Milwaukee Bucks point guard Brandon Jennings, Tyler chose to forgo playing college ball and instead went to play overseas. 

He even decided to skip his senior year of high school and went to play in Israel, where he appeared in just 10 games before going back to the U.S.

Tyler then went to Japan and put up decent numbers in limited playing time, 9.9 points and 6.4 rebounds in about 15 minutes per game.  In the NBA, a team will be drafting Tyler as their big man of the future, so it's safe to say that he'll put up better numbers as long as he plays regularly.

He just has such great size at 6'11" and 262 pounds, which is rare in players his age.  Whether it's late in the first round or early in the second, Jeremy Tyler could prove to be a very wise investment that leaves other NBA GMs jealous.

No. 5: Josh Selby, PG, Kansas

For the first month of last season, Josh Selby did not play in a game for the Kansas Jayhawks.  Then, over the course of about a month, he became an electrifying regular. 

In 13 games, Selby averaged 12 points per game before going down with a stress fracture in his foot.  He sat out two weeks and came back, but just was not the same.

Yet, despite his unimpressive numbers (7.9 points, 2.2 assists), it must not be forgotten that Selby was a high school superstar.  When push comes to shove, he is actually a very talented point guard who crashes the boards more than any other man at his position, save for maybe Chris Paul.

The fact of the matter is that while Selby has tons of bust potential, he also has a lot of star potential.  He has a great three-point shot, and with coaching, can become a master of finding the open man.  He won't be a lottery pick, but look for this young man to quickly establish himself on the next level.

No. 4: Marshon Brooks, G, Providence

Marshon Brooks' draft stock has simply gone nowhere but up as the countdown to draft day reaches its final moments. 

As a classic example of a great player on a bad team, Brooks's senior season for the Providence Friars was a big one.  He averaged 24.6 points and seven rebounds per game, as well as 1.5 steals while he shot 34 percent from three-point range.

On stats alone, it's safe to say that Brooks probably won't be much more than a shooter on the NBA level.  Yet, in watching him, I can only draw comparisons to some of the greatest shooters of all time like Allan Houston and Ray Allen.  He's a bit skinny at 6'5" and 190 pounds, but he can easily become a star on the right team.

Brooks needs to be on a run-and-gun team like the Phoenix Suns to be effective, but chances are, he could succeed anywhere.  He is an electrifying shooter with incredible athleticism, and at the end of the day, he could be a star.

No. 3: Darius Morris, PG, Michigan

Darius Morris chose to enter the NBA Draft after just two years at college, and that led some people to scratch their heads. 

In his one year running the offense for the Wolverines, he averaged 15 points and 6.7 assists per game.  While those numbers were good, Morris still only shot 25 percent from long range, and that just won't cut it in the NBA.

Still, Morris is slowly proving himself to be one of the most coachable players in the draft.  He shows up every day not just looking to improve his game, but to learn from both his coach and his peers.  Throw in his tremendous size for a point guard (6'4", 190 pounds), and his NBA ceiling is high.

On top of all that, he is a leader.  There are too many NBA teams lacking that today, and they could all use someone like Morris to bring them out of the metaphorical Dark Ages.

No. 2: Chris Singleton, F, Florida State

Chris Singleton's NBA career can go one of two ways.  He'll either be a power forward who dominates the inside with clutch scoring and aggressive rebounding, or he'll be a slot forward who makes his mark in the NBA with defense and effective perimeter shooting. 

It is this uncertainty surrounding his game that has prevented him from being a surefire lottery pick.

Yet, what makes Singleton a potential draft steal are his intangibles.  He has the ability to change a game through either his shooting or his aggressive defense, the latter of which is helped by his 6'9" 225-pound frame.  On top of that, he is a leader who has no problem putting the team on his back when the game is on the line.

The only other question mark surrounding Singleton is his health, as he missed a month last season with a broken foot.  He came back for the tournament, but was not a factor as he rushed back from the injury. 

Still, if he's 100 percent healthy, Singleton is definitely going to make life for opposing teams very difficult, not to mention make some GMs kick themselves for not drafting him.

No. 1: Kenneth Faried, F, Morehead State

If there were an "enigma" label to be given out to anyone from this year's NBA draft class, it would go to Kenneth Faried.  He's of average NBA size at 6'8" and 225 pounds, but don't let that fool you.  In reality, Faried is the all-time leading rebounder in NCAA history, as he passed San Antonio Spurs center Tim Duncan on that list last season.

On paper, Faried is simply incredible.  He averaged 17.3 points and 14.5 rebounds and made 62 percent of his field goals.  Yet, despite his electrifying showings on the college level, there are a lot of question marks as to how well he can translate to the pros.

In all honesty, I think Faried will seriously be the biggest steal of the draft this year.  Despite his relatively small size for a power forward, he plays with incredible heart and determination, never backing down from a challenge. 

Even though it's more likely than not that his NBA numbers won't equal his stats from college, Faried is the type of player who will find a way to make it work.  He doesn't care about his stats; he just wants to play!

That attitude is one that coaches dream about, and thus, Faried will succeed in the NBA and also be the biggest steal.  I mean, come on.  How many other players in this year's draft class carry that attitude?

For more 2011 NBA draft coverage, stay tuned to Bleacher Report for updated NBA mock drafts, B/R's Big Board of Recruits, NBA draft rumors, NBA draft results and draft grades.