2011 NFL Draft Diary

It's time for my 2nd annual almost completely uneducated look at the first round of the NFL Draft (last year's draft diary can be viewed here). Let's do it...

#1-The Panthers go first &, no surprise here, destroy the franchise for the next half-decade by taking Cam Newton. Seeing as I’ve hated Newton since it came out that he and his dad, allegedly, took money for him to go to Auburn you can write off my criticism if you want. Fact is, however, that I’m not the only one questioning Cam’s work ethic & character. At other positions you can coast a little on talent & be an egomaniac, but it doesn’t work at the QB position (see Jeff George’s career & Bret Favre last year). I hate Jimmy Clausen & said last year he’d be garbage but this is a huge mistake. Should have traded down, taken Patrick Peterson (the best player in the draft), or Marcell Dareus.

#2-Denver goes with Von Miller. I like this pick. I don’t think he’s the best defensive player like Jon Gruden does but having played a lot with Texas A&M in NCAA Football dynasty mode the last couple years I appreciate how good Miller is. My only caveat is that the Broncos are supposedly switching to the 4-3 it seems odd to take a pass rushing LB, especially when you already have Elvis Dumervil, when a monster D-linemen is there in Marcell Dareus. Not the pick I would have made, but a team with a weak pass rush now has two guys who can terrorize QBs off the edge.

#3-The Bills take Bama DT Marcell Dareus. I was worried they’d screw up & reach for QB (Gabbert is crap, Locker has accuracy issues, & this would be too high for Andy Dalton-my top QB), instead they opt for arguably the top DT in the draft (I like Fairley more, but at this point I’m in the minority). Outside of the quarterback nothing is more important than line play & Dareus was the anchor for the most dominant defense, outside of TCU, the past 2 years & should give the Bills a significant upgrade in the trenches.

#4-The Bengals take A.J. Green, no surprise. Again smart in not freaking out about Carson Palmer’s retirement threat & reaching for a QB. Gruden’s scouting report says Green has no areas of concern, that’s when you know a guy’s a badass. Green’s the best offensive player in the draft & since Chris Henry’s death the Bengals have needed a deep threat, a rare smart pick by Cincinnati.

#5-The Cardinals do what I was urging them to do, they take the best player in the draft uber-freak Patrick Peterson. There were a lot of bigger holes for the Cards than corner, but outside of Rodgers-Cromartie there isn’t much there & now they have one of the more dynamic tandems in the league. Peterson is a corner with safety size & he was the SEC player of the year on defense & special teams, this guy’s incredible. It’s like if there were a sexiest women draft, you got the 5^th pick, & you were able to take Mila Kunis. I love it.

#6-The Falcons trade this year’s first & a future 1^st, 2^nd, & two 4ths to pick Julio Jones. I like Julio, but that’s way too much. Mike Holmgren just schooled the Falcons & set the Browns up great in their rebuilding process. Gruden slams Jones for having bad hands, to be fair he was dealing with injuries much of the last year but I have to agree this was a terrible decision by the normally savvy Falcons.

#7-Jim Harbaugh listens to me & ignores most people’s prediction of Gabbbert at this spot, instead opting for LB/DE Aldon Smith out of Missouri. I think I’d have take Auburn DT Nick Fairley here, but the 49ers could use some pass rushing help to aid an otherwise solid defense. Not what I’d have done but a homerun compared to taking Gabbert.

#8-The Titans take time off from filming their sequel with Sam Worthington to take Jake Locker?! First huge surprise of the draft, besides Atlanta’s terrible trade. I, like Jon Gruden, love Jake Locker as a leader & all around human being. Like Mel Kiper I have questions about his accuracy. Ultimately I’ll side with Gruden, & Berman who, to Gruden’s delight, mentions Brett Favre also struggled with accuracy in college, as I can’t help but think Locker will do everything in his power to become a winning QB. Risky pick, again I’d have taken Fairely, but I like taking a risk on a guy like Locker.

#9-Don’t pick o-line, don’t pick o-line, don’t pick o-line… Damn… Jerry Jones finally smartens up & takes an offensive tackle in USC’s Tyron Smith. He’s not a can’t miss tackle like Russell Okung last year but he’s the best one in this draft & it was the Cowboys’ biggest need. Kudos Jerry.

#10-I am not enjoying the intelligence of the other NFC East teams. The Skins trade down to allow the Jags to take Blaine Gabbert. I was hoping the Skins would take Gabbert, if they take Dalton with the Jags pick I’m gonna be pissed, instead the Jags get to be the dumbasses. On the plus side Gabbert, who’s clearly not near ready to start, can sit behind David Garrard the next two years. I’m betting against him though.

#11-Wisconsin DE J.J. Watt goes to the Texans. I like Fairley more (I know, I won’t shut up about him) but Watt makes more sense with the Texans switching to the 3-4 under new defensive coordinator Wade Phillips (don’t laugh he’s actually a decent coordinator).

#12-Christian Ponder?! I don’t understand that pick at all. I like Dalton a lot more plus they could’ve moved down at least 10 picks & still gotten Ponder. Still at least the VIkings will have a better QB than Chicago.

#13-Nick Fairley! There are concerns he’s a one year wonder but I’ve seen him play enough to know he’s a beast, & now he & Suh are teaming up (not to mention Kyle Vanden Bosch). Nothing is more important on defense than the d-line & the Lions are f-ing set now. A+

#14-Steve Spagnola knows what he’s doing as the Rams takes DE Robert Quinn out of North Carolina. Quinn is a fantastic talent & would have gone higher had he been able to play at NC this year (he & a number of players were declared ineligible due to illegal contact with an agent), & he apparently had a brain tumor develop in high school though it has never caused him any problems. I prefer DE D’Quan Bowers from Clemson, however there are concerns regarding one of his knees, but Quinn’s plenty good.

#15-The Dolphins take Guard/Center Mike Pouncey, twin brother of pro-bowler Maurkice Pouncey, from Florida. I was hoping, though not expecting, he’d fall to the Giants. Ah well, this should give the Dolphins one of the better offensive lines.

#16-The Skins take DE Ryan Kerrigan from Purdue, he’ll play outside LB in their 3-4 defense. I doubt he’ll ever be a guy teams will fear, but the Skins already have Brian Orakpo, he will however (according to Gruden) give you maximum effort. & that’s all the Skins need, someone who will be working his ass off to take advantage of the opportunities Orakpo provides.

#17-My brother, Sam the die-hard Patriot fan, & I were surprised to see the Pats select OT Nate Solder of Colorado. Thought they’d go with Cal DE Cameron Jordan or another pass rusher. Solder’s a converted TE so he’ll need time to adjust to the pro game, but the Pats still have a solid line so he’ll have time to develop. Also I never doubt Bill Belichek as a rule.

#18-Illinois DT Corey Liuget goes to SD. They needed to strengthen up the front seven so a solid pick there (Yea, that’s all I’ve got. I didn’t hone up as much on this draft.)

#19-Did not see that coming. I expected us to go with Boston College OT Anthony Costanzo or maybe Mark Ingram, but apparently Tom Coughlin really did want the best player available (I have Bowers as the best available but he would’ve made no sense) as he took Nebraska CB Prince Amukamara. I’m down with anybody who played against the Wildcats in that 2010 Holiday Bowl, or has that cool a name. I’m already loving the idea of Prince, Corey Webster, Antrelle Rolle, & Kenny Philips lining up in the Giants’ secondary.

#20-The Bucs likely wanted Prince but instead settle for Iowa’s DE Adrianne Clayborne. Sam & I wasted no time in blasting this pick. He had only 3 & a half sacks & 7 & a half tackles for loss last year. I saw him play live last year & he made little impact on the game. If Bowers’ knee turns out to be fine a lot of people will be kicking themselves.

#21-The Browns trade up (from the Falcons pick) & take Baylor DT Phil Taylor. I don’t know anything about him, but Gruden tells me he had a great Senior Bowl & Kiper says he’s a prototypical nose tackle. Bowers… Bowers… Bowers…

#22-Costanzo goes to the Colts who are always looking to improve their protection around Peyton, & hopefully get some push on their run game.

#23-Eagles go with Baylor guard Danny Watkins. Everyone calls him nasty, which is as good a compliment as you can get as an interior linemen. He’s a little old at 26 but if the man can start right away than who gives a s***? Also Kiper says he used to play hockey & rugby, you know, the only two sports tougher than football.

#24-Cameron Jordan! Steal for the Saints as they take the 2^nd best 4-3 end in this draft, of course the best (D’Quan Bowers) is still there… Mark Ingram would’ve been a great pick here as well, but Saints’ fans should be happy.

#25-OG James Carpenter of Alabama is going to Seattle. Apparently this is a reach, but their line was atrocious so hard to fault them.

#26-Baltimore takes too long figuring out what they’re doing so the Chiefs move up ahead of them & they take… WR Jon Baldwin out of Pitt. I feel like they could have traded down but dude is 6’4 with a 42 inch vertical so why not?

#27-Story is the Ravens thought they had a deal worked out with the Bears for a trade but through some miscommunication the trade didn’t go through. Instead they end up with Colorado CB Jimmy Smith, who some consider the best corner in the draft. Smith fell due to character concerns which were surely eased when teams saw him sitting next to uber-agent Drew Rosenhaus.

#28-The Patriots have a chance to finally bring in a real talent at running back, instead they trade down so that the Saints can have the second coming of Emmitt Smith, Alabama RB Mark Ingram. Time to break my rule-that was dumb as s*** Belicheck. I don’t care if you’re getting a 1^st nxt yr & a 2^nd tomorrow, you’re a Super Bowl contender! Give Tom Brady a run game! Kiper mentions the Pats traded down a few years ago, allowing the Pack to take Clay Matthews. Exactly. O yea, great job Saints. Ingram then breaks down when Suzy Kolber reads him as email from his father, a former Super Bowl winning WR, who’s in prison. Yea, no way this haunts the Patriots.

#29-Bears grab Wisconsin OT Gabe Carimi. Considering Wisconsin had the best line in college football, & the Bears may be the worst in the NFL, that’s a good pick.

#30-The Jets needed a new body along their d-line & they hit the jackpot with Muhammad Wilkerson from Temple. Should be even more fun playing that defense next year.

#31-The Steelers take DE Cameron Hayward out of Ohio State. Solid addition to their 3-4 front.

#32-And with the last pick of the 1^st round the Super Bowl Champion Green Bay Packers select… OT Derek Sherrod from Mississippi State. I kinda thought they’d go outside linebacker, but this makes a lot of sense. Rodgers is the most important member of the team & even last year his protection was only average. Ted Thompson ain’t no dummy.

Winners: Browns, Cardinals, Saints, & whoever gets Bowers (if he’s healthy).

Losers: Falcons, Jaguars, Panthers, Vikings.