NFL Draft: Redrafting the Top 10 Picks of 2011

Now that the NFL season is a quarter of the way finished, it is time to look back at the 2011 NFL Draft and see which players teams would really want to draft.

Cam Newton is obviously still the top overall pick, but who would the Denver Broncos draft with the second pick? Would the Cleveland Browns still trade their draft pick to the Atlanta Falcons?

All these questions are answered and more as we redraft the top 10 picks of the 2011 NFL Draft.

Who Dropped out of the Top 10?

Patrick Peterson (fifth overall)

It's not that Peterson has been a complete bust for the Arizona Cardinals, but he has definitely had some difficulty in coverage. He would probably be drafted by the Houston Texans with the 11th pick if we redrafted the entire draft.

Aldon Smith (seventh overall)

Smith has had an up-and-down rookie season so far, but anyone who has watched him has seen his immense potential. He won't drop far out of the top 10, but San Francisco will be going a different direction in this redraft.

Jake Locker (eighth overall)

Now that we've been able to see that Matt Hasselbeck still has a little left in the tank, the Tennessee Titans will be addressing their long-term quarterback issues later in the draft. Locker has dropped out of the first round for me.

Tyron Smith (Ninth overall)

It was tough to drop Smith because he has been playing very well, but I don't think he has been the best rookie left tackle so far. I have Smith dropping to the Indianapolis Colts with the 23rd pick if a redraft were to happen.

Blaine Gabbert (Tenth overall)

The Washington Redskins originally traded their 10th pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars who would go on to draft Gabbert. With a redraft, I don't see the Redskins trading this pick, so Gabbert drops to the Miami Dolphins with the 15th pick.

1. Carolina Panthers: Cam Newton, QB

Team's Original Draft Pick: Cam Newton

Player's Original Draft Position: First round, first pick

Anyone surprised here?

Newton has been playing fantastic football through four games and he has everyone wondering just how good he could really be. If we were to redraft the top 10 picks at the end of the year, I guarantee that Newton would still be the top pick.

2. Denver Broncos: Von Miller, OLB

Team's Original Draft Pick: Von Miller

Player's Original Draft Position: First round, second pick

Had we redrafted before the Denver Broncos took on the Green Bay Packers, Miller might have dropped a few spots in this draft.

However, after watching him get to Aaron Rodgers almost at will, we saw just how dominant of a pass-rusher he will become. The Broncos need a defensive player to build around and Miller is absolutely that guy.

Over 10 sacks this year is going to happen for him and I wouldn't be shocked if he continues to do that for many years to come.

3. Buffalo Bills: Ryan Kerrigan, OLB

Team's Original Draft Pick: Marcell Dareus

Player's Original Draft Position: First round, 16th pick

Here is our first new pick of the 2011 NFL Redraft.

While Dareus has been playing very well, Ryan Kerrigan has been the best defensive rookie in the league so far. He has a non-stop motor and has shown the ability to make plays all over the field.

The Buffalo Bills might miss Dareus' ability to stop the run, but once Kerrigan puts pressure on a quarterback for an entire game, the Bills would soon forget about Dareus.

4. Cincinnati Bengals: Andy Dalton, QB

Team's Original Draft Pick: A.J. Green

Player's Original Draft Position: Second round, third pick

It was hard for the Cincinnati Bengals to pass on Green because of how good he has been for them so far, but they know that Andy Dalton isn't going to be available in the second round if teams were able to redraft.

Some would argue that Dalton has actually been a better overall quarterback than Cam Newton and while that may be a stretch, he has certainly passed any expectations that people had of him. He looks like a true franchise quarterback and has shown his ability to win games.

5. Arizona Cardinals: Marcell Dareus, DL

Team's Original Draft Pick: Patrick Peterson

Player's Original Draft Position: First round, third pick

In the original 2011 NFL Draft, the Arizona Cardinals went after the best available player, which was Patrick Peterson. They would do the same thing in a redraft, except the best player available now is Marcell Dareus.

Dareus is having a very good start to his rookie season and he is showing why he was worthy of such a high draft pick. There isn't much he can't do as he can get after the quarterback and is fantastic against the run.

He would be the foundation of the Cardinals defense for years to come.

6. Cleveland Browns: Julio Jones, WR

Team's Original Draft Pick: Traded to Atlanta Falcons

Player's Original Draft Position: First round, sixth pick

Now that the Cleveland Browns have seen what Julio Jones is capable of, there is no way that they would trade this pick to the Falcons.

Jones is leading his team in receiving yards with 342. The Browns' top receiver only has 194 receiving yards. See where I'm going with this?

With Colt McCoy looking like the quarterback of the future for Cleveland, he could use a player like Jones to help in his development. McCoy to Jones would be a top duo for years to come.

7. San Francisco 49ers: A.J. Green, WR

Team's Original Draft Pick: Aldon Smith

Player's Original Draft Position: First round, fourth pick

Considering how much of a disappointment Michael Crabtree has been so far in his career, the San Francisco 49ers simply wouldn't be able to pass up on A.J. Green.

Green has been very good through his first four career games and looks every part of a true elite receiver in the NFL. Some might say that the 49ers would redraft a quarterback, but I've actually been impressed by Alex Smith so far.

If he had a target like Green to throw to, he might be doing even a little better.

8. Tennessee Titans: J.J. Watt, DL

Team's Original Draft Pick: Jake Locker

Player's Original Draft Position: First round, 11th pick

Like I said earlier, with Matt Hasselbeck playing so well, the Tennessee Titans would wait a little longer to draft a future quarterback. With this pick, they would now draft J.J. Watt, who might be the top rookie defensive lineman in the league right now.

Watt's motor and determination are unmatched and he has been a force of nature in his first four games. The Titans have been a very surprising team, but their defensive pass-rush could use the boost that Watt would give them.

9. Dallas Cowboys: Gabe Carimi, OL

Team's Original Draft Pick: Tyron Smith

Player's Original Draft Position: First round, 29th pick

I know that right now Gabe Carimi is injured, but before his injury, he was the best rookie offensive tackle in this draft class. He was the only player on the Chicago Bears' offensive line who was doing anything to protect Jay Cutler.

While Smith may have more potential than Carimi, the Dallas Cowboys could really use the sound play of Carimi right now. Tony Romo is once again feeling pressure too often in the pocket and Carimi would really be able to help instantly for this team.

In a few years, Smith might be the better player, but the Cowboys need a player right now and Carimi is that player.

10. Washington Redskins: Akeem Ayers, OLB

Team's Original Draft Pick: Ryan Kerrigan

Player's Original Draft Position: Second round, seventh pick

The Washington Redskins originally traded this pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars, but much like the Cleveland Browns did with the sixth pick, the Redskins wouldn't trade this in a redraft.

Akeem Ayers might seem like a shocking pick here, but he has gotten better with each game that he has played in. He hasn't been used as a pass-rusher very often for the Tennessee Titans, but coming into the draft, that was his real strong point.

If Ayers had the opportunity to play in Washington's defensive scheme, I believe he would be having a much better rookie season. He would probably be no Ryan Kerrigan, but he would excel and be in contention for Defensive Rookie of the Year.