Draft Time

While the League and Players continue their foolish litigation, at least football fans get a reprieve for three days as the annual draft takes place in New York. Rather than trying to understand the nuances of civil and appellate procedure, it’s time for NFL fans to sink their teeth into matters to which they can certainly relate. It seems as if there are more mock drafts published than actual fans who pay attention to such things, so there’s a consensus about the top players and where and by whom they’ll be drafted.

From the first pick to “Mr. Irrelevant”, there’s always a lot of drama and emotion associated with the draft. It is a joyous moment for 32 gifted young men to stand on the podium and hug the Commissioner when their names are called in the first round; a lifetime of hard work, from Pop Warner to high school to college. The odds of such young men to realize the fulfillment of a dream are overwhelming. But there are other young men throughout the country who will be waiting for a call on the second and third days of the draft. The recent “Brady 6” documentary revealed just how emotionally trying this process can be. As we all know, Tommy Boy lasted all the way to the 199th pick in 2000, and his recollection of that experience still brought him to tears a decade later. It was one of the seminal moments of the Patriots’ franchise.

The enjoyable part of following the Patriots is knowing that Belichick will play games with the draft picks, either sliding up, down or out of a round for “value”. The motto has always been “whatever it takes to make the team better.” Suffice to say, Boss Belichick’s track record has been pretty good over the years, so it’s hard to question whatever moves and choices he makes. There’s no questioning the Patriots’ due diligence in the draft process, come Draft Day, they’re prepared. The early rumors have the Pats moving up from #17 to select either Cameron Jordan or Robert Quinn, but it’s hard to tell what is fact and what is a smokescreen.

Cam Newton from Auburn appears to be the consensus #1 pick, but Carolina naturally has some trepidation over a player (with a checkered past) who only had one full season as a starter. There appear to be much safer picks in ‘Bama’s Marcell Dareus, A&M’s Von Miller and LSU’s Patrick Peterson (deemed by many to be the best player in this year’s draft). These three have advanced pedigrees but the Panthers need a franchise quarterback to compete in the NFC South and appear to be locked in on Newton. It’s a big gamble as Newton has all the physical and intellectual tools to fill the bill. The question is whether he possesses the maturity to step in and run the show from the git-go. There’s not much in place with the Panthers to build around Newton at present, so if he’s the guy, Panthers’ fans need to be patient.

Dareus and Miller will go either second or third and barring injuries, both will be giving quarterbacks nightmares for the next decade. After that, a number of teams will be looking at quarterbacks. The Bengals have an interesting dilemma as Carson Palmer has already announced that he has no intention of returning to the team. Do they draft Missouri’s Blaine Gabbert or go for a wide receiver? Rumor has it that many of the teams are looking to move back to select one of the lesser-rated quarterbacks in the first round, such as TCU’s Andy Dalton, FSU’s Christian Ponder, Washington’s Jake Locker or Arkansas’ Ryan Mallett.

Of particular interest around these parts is what the Patriots will do at #17 and #28. The latest “buzz” has them moving up to #9, and it’s a darn good bet that they’ll move out of the #28 pick. The Pats have two selections in each of the first three rounds but what they need is impact players (preferably on both interior lines), not just warm bodies. The Patriots’ third-down defense was poor last year, due in large part to a general inability to generate a pass rush. The offensive line has holes and question marks. Does the team re-sign Matt Light? Will Logan Mankins sign his franchise tender? Somewhere along the line, either through this draft or free agency, these questions need to be addressed.

After several tedious hours of pre-draft blabbing, it was finally time to get down to business.

1. Carolina: (8:05) Cam Newton, QB Auburn: This will prove to be a “boom-or-bust” pick for the Panthers. Quarterbacks selected #1 overall over the last 16 years have hardly been a sure bet. For every Peyton and Eli Manning, there has been a JaMarcus Russell, Tim Couch, David Carr and Alex Smith.

2. Denver: (8:13) Von Miller, OLB Texas A&M: A great selection here, as Miller is explosive, can run and hit and immediately upgrades the Broncos’ D.

3. Buffalo: (8:19) Marcell Dareus DT Alabama: The Bills’ defensive front was putrid last year and with Dareus, get a big-time athletic run-stuffer and a defensive force that will wreak havoc in the AFC East for years to come.

4. Cincinnati: (8:24) AJ Green WR Georgia: Green is perhaps the best offensive player in this draft. At 6’4”, Green is fast, athletic and gives whomever will be quarterbacking the Bengals a prime target.

5. Arizona: (8:30) Patrick Peterson CB LSU: Hands down, the best player in this year’s draft. He immediately upgrades the Cardinals’ backfield with a shutdown corner presence.

6. Cleveland: (8:36) PICK TRADED TO ATLANTA: Julio Jones WR Alabama: Jones was the second-best wideout in the draft but comes with injury and performance issues. If he can stay healthy, he’ll be a great target for Matt Ryan. But did the Falcons ever pay a steep price by giving up their 1st, 2nd & 4th this year as well their 1st &4th next year. Wow! Jones had better be the second coming of Jerry Rice for that price.

7. San Francisco: (8:42) Aldon Smith DE Missouri: Smith was widely ticketed to go to Houston, so it’s a bit of a surprise that he went at #7. A lot of mocks had the ‘Niners going quarterback, but this sets up the selection of Blaine Gabbert to the Titans.

8. Tennessee: (8:45) Jake Locker QB Washington: The Titans passed on Gabbert in favor of Locker, who didn’t exactly have a big senior year with the Huskies last year. He’s a tough kid and very hard worker but has accuracy issues.

9. Dallas: (8:55) Tyron Smith T USC: All day long there were rumors that New England was interested in trading up for this pick to grab a defensive lineman. But the Cowboys took the lineman with the most upside, though he may take a year or two to fully develop. After Romo was injured last year, the line definitely needed a serious upgrade. This is the first time the Cowboys have drafted an OL in the first round in the Jones Era.

10. Washington: (9:02) PICK TRADED TO JACKSONVILLE: Blaine Gabbert QB Missouri: This is a puzzling choice. David Garrard isn’t a world beater by any means, but the Jags had more pressing needs than at quarterback. He projects to hold a clipboard for a year or two before taking over. (Washington receives first and second round picks).

11. Houston: (9:09) JJ Watt DE Wisconsin: With Aldon Smith off the board, the Texans were looking defensive line with this pick. Watt has a high motor and will definitely upgrade the Texans’ front seven. Many mocks had him rated a little lower than #11 but he is highly regarded.

12. Minnesota: (9:17) Christian Ponder QB FSU: The Vikes were desperate to trade out of this pick but no deal could be found. It was somewhat of a surprise to see Ponder go this high as if the Vikes played their cards right, they would’ve been able to grab him much later in the round.

13. Detroit: (9:21) Nick Fairley DT Auburn: The Lions had no clue that Fairley would fall this far, but he did not interview well during the combine. Putting Fairley next to Suh immediately upgrades the Lions’ defensive line to among the toughest in the NFC North.

14. St. Louis: (9:28) Robert Quinn DE/OLB UNC: The Rams were first looking for a wideout (but with Green and Jones off the board) or help on the defensive line. Quinn was suspended for the season last year but is such a beast on the front seven that he was still drafted on the first round. He’s the perfect bookend for Chris Long.

15. Miami: (9:35) Mike Pouncey C Florida: The Dolphins could have gone a lot of different directions here. There was some talk that they could go quarterback, running back, or O-Line as Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams are free agents and Chad Henne hasn’t exactly made people forget Dan Marino. But they went with an athletic, massive center as they continue to build the line around Jake Long and Vernon Carey.

16. Washington: (9:43) Ryan Kerrigan DE Purdue: An Academic All-American with a high motor, Kerrigan will be a nice bookend for Brian Orakpo.

17. New England: (9:48) Nate Solder OT Colorado: This was definitely a reach by the Patriots as Solder was projected as a late first/early second pick. He is a massive tackle who is a bit of a project. So much for the dominating pass-rusher that all the mocks had penciled in for the Patriots.

18. San Diego: (9:54) Corey Liguet DT Illinois: The Chargers needed DL help in the worst way and may have found their man in Liguet, who fell farther in the round than most expected.

19. NY Giants: (10:03) Prince Amukamara CB Nebraska: A highly athletic, though smallish corner who will plug right in to the Giants’ secondary. Virtually every mock had the G-Men going O-Line here, so the selection of Amukamara was a bit of a surprise, even though many predicted him to go much higher.

20. Tampa Bay: (10:11) Adrian Clayborn DE Iowa: After a somewhat disappointing senior year, Clayborn fell in various projections and appears to be a bit of a reach at 20, but he’ll grow with a young and aggressive defense.

21. Kansas City: (10:21) PICK TRADED TO CLEVELAND: Phil Taylor NT Baylor: An absolutely huge run-stuffer who will immediately make the Browns run defense a lot tougher to deal with. (Cleveland gives up the first they received from Atlanta and a third this year).

22. Indianapolis: (10:26) Anthony Castonzo OT BC: Peyton Manning needs serious help up front. In Castonzo, Indy gets a four-year starter at BC and is a major building block. This is a very good pick for Polian & Co. as Castonzo was widely considered to be picked in the mid-teens.

23. Philadelphia: (10:34) Danny Watkins G Baylor: A 26-year old Canadian and former firefighter who many compare to Logan Mankins, high praise indeed. A bulldog on the O-Line who will step in from day one and be a big help up front for Vick.

24. New Orleans: (10:41) Cameron Jordan DE Cal: Jordan was the pick that many figured the Patriots would select. He’s a versatile, quick defender who will help fill a hole on the Saints’ D-Line.

25. Seattle: (10:50) James Carpenter G Alabama: Carpenter was a second-round talent picked far too high. He’s a big, athletic kid who’ll start right away but there was better value available at 25.

26. Ravens: (PASSED TO #27) Kansas City: (11:04) Jonathan Baldwin WR Pittsburgh: A 6’4” wideout with freakish ability, Baldwin will compliment Bowe and will help balance the Chiefs’ attack.

27. Ravens: (11:07) Jimmy Smith CB Colorado: Smith would’ve gone much higher but for character concerns that Mr. Lewis will undoubtedly straighten out.

28. New England: (11:12) PICK TRADED TO NEW ORLEANS: Mark Ingram RB Alabama: No surprise here as no one expected that the Pats would keep this pick. The Patriots picked up a #1 next year and a #2 this year, and the Saints get the 2009 Heisman winner to compliment Bush (if he returns) and Pierre Thomas.

29. Chicago: (11:20) Gabe Carimi OT Wisconsin: A massive tackle whom the Bears were pleasantly surprised was still available at 29, he’ll be a force on the Bears’ O-Line from day one.

30. NY Jets (11:25) Muhammad Wilkerson DT Temple: This may be the best value pick of the first round. Wilkerson is a disruptive force in the middle and will immediately fill the void left by Kris Jenkins’ departure.

31. Pittsburgh: (11:27) Cameron Hayward DE Ohio St.: Hayward is a nice pick for the Steelers as he’s a quick and aggressive pass rusher who has the luxury of breaking in slowly into a veteran defense.

32. Green Bay: (11:37) Derek Sherrod OT Miss. State: Sherrod is a big kid and a three-year starter at MSU. It’s a luxury pick for a team that seemingly has no holes.

Day Two:

Day two lacks a lot of the pageantry associated with the first night, but a lot of great talent remains available for the picking in rounds two and three. The Patriots held the first pick of the second round but their chances of keeping this pick were slim and none. There are teams itching for one of the quarterbacks available (Dalton, Kaepernick and Mallett) who will be willing to pay a hefty price for that 33rd pick. If someone offers a #1 next year and a #2 this year, Belichick will bite. The fandom was most displeased with the selection of Solder at 17 and trading out at 28. Although no one could deny that offensive line was a major area of need, people were complaining that the Pats should’ve traded up for a Robert Quinn-type and should’ve drafted Ingram at 28. Since no one was privy to what transpired in the war room, no one can say for sure what calls were made by whom about the chances of moving up and down on the board. All we know for sure is that Solder was highly regarded and looks like a good fit for the O-Line. The media who cover the Patriots know little more about what the Patriots will do than do we remote correspondents.

Round 2:

The Commissioner kicked off the second round right on time and the Pats wound down the clock to full time before Andre Tippett announced that the Pats selected Ras-I Dowling, a cornerback from Virginia. Dowling probably would’ve been a Day 1 pick but for injuries. It was a bit of a surprise (that they kept the pick) and perhaps an indictment of Butler and Willhite. Considering the need for the front seven, selecting a CB here was perplexing. The ESPN and NFP Day 2 mocks both had Dowling at #44.

The Bills then selected Aaron Williams, a CB from Texas, a player most mocks had going late in the first round. After the Bengals selected TCU’s Andy Dalton, the ‘Niners jumped up several spots and selected Nevada’s Colin Kaepernick. It seems like the Alex Smith Era in San Francisco will come to an end. The Cardinals then picked VT’s Ryan Williams, a durable running back. The Titans then went for Akeem Ayers, a DE/OLB from UCLA. Ayers was considered in many mocks as a first-round talent but he wasn’t the fastest prospect at the position, causing him to fall on many boards. The Cowboys then selected UNC’s Bruce Carter, a first-round talent at OLB who fell due to a knee injury suffered last year. The ‘Skins followed by selecting Jarvis Jenkins, a DE from Clemson. Many experts regarded the selection of Jenkins here to be a reach.

…the Eighth Circuit granted a temporary stay that lifted the lockout, creating more unnecessary legal and practical complications to what should have been resolved at the negotiating table. So, for the time being the lockout is back on.

Houston selected Brooks Reed, a speedy OLB from Arizona (a pick that many fans wanted the Patriots to select). Reed’s style is similar to Clay Mathews at Green Bay and (along with Watt) substantially upgrades the Texans’ front seven. The Vikes took the first TE drafted, Kyle Rudolph from Notre Dame. Rudolph missed half of the season with a hamstring injury and will definitely help with the Vikes’ tight end sets. The Lions were then up and chose Boise State’s Titus Young, a speedy wideout (similar to DeSean Jackson) who will compliment Calvin Johnson and give Matthew Stafford another big target. The Broncos then selected the highest-rated safety on the board, UCLA’s Rahim Moore, a hard hitter who will eventually replace Brian Dawkins. The Broncos picked again and selected Orlando Franklin, an OT from the U. Franklin is a tough, nasty tackle. The Rams then selected TE Lance Hendricks from Wisconsin. To no one’s surprise, the Raiders chose Stefen Wisniewski from Penn State with their first selection. At #49, the Chargers went with CB Marcus Gilchrist from Clemson. Indy then traded up with Washington to select Ben Ijalana, an OT from Villanova. Ijalana was considered by many to be the best 1-AA prospect in the draft and, with this pick, makes Indy’s intent to protect Manning emphatically clear. DaQuan Bowers from Clemson was then selected by Tampa Bay at #51. Bowers was initially predicted to be a top-5 pick but went into free fall after knee surgery and many team doctors failed to give him a passing grade. The G-Men then picked Marvin Austin, a DT from UNC who was suspended for the year along with Robert Quinn. The ‘Skins then moved down in the draft, trading #53 to the Bears for #62 and #127. With this pick, Chicago selected Stephen Paea, a DT from Oregon State. Paea set a record for most 225 lb. reps at the combine, and he’s a perfect fit for the Monsters of the Midway. The Eagles then picked Jaiquawn Jarrett, a safety from Temple. Jarrett has range and come down from the box to tackle, so the Iggles have made two big moves with hard hitters. At #55, the Chiefs selected Rodney Hudson, a center from Florida State. With the pick acquired from the Saints, the Patriots then selected Shane Vereen, a running back from Cal at #56. Vereen is projected to be Kevin Faulk’s replacement. One pick later, the Lions went with Illinois’ RB Mikel Leshoure, who’s a between-the-tackles runner who will compliment Jahvid Best in Detroit’s backfield. At #58, the Ravens selected WR Torrey Smith from Maryland and the Browns picked WR Greg Little from UNC. The Patriots traded out of the #60 pick to Houston for #73 and #138 and the Texans selected CB Brandon Harris from Miami. Harris will definitely help the Texans’ porous secondary. The Chargers then went for Michigan’s OLB Jonas Mouton, who will bring some speed to the front seven and upgrade the special teams. Miami selected RB Daniel Thomas from Kansas State, a highly productive running back who will be part of the new-look Dolphins’ backfield. At #63, the Steelers chose Marcus Gilbert, an OT from Florida, a massive force who lacks consistency. To wind up Round 2, the Packers selected Randall Cobb, a WR and returner from Kentucky. Just what the NFL needs, more weapons for Rodgers to play with.

Round 3:

1/65: Carolina: Terrell McClain, DT, South Florida
2/66: Cincinnati: Dontay Moch, OLB, Nevada
3/67: Denver: Nate Irving, ILB, NC State
4/68: Buffalo: Kelvin Sheppard, OLB, LSU
5/69: Arizona: Ed Housler, TE, Florida Atlantic
6/70: Kansas City: Justin Houston, OLB, Georgia
7/71: Dallas: DeMarco Murray, RB, Oklahoma
8/72: New Orleans: Martez Wilson, ILB, Illinois
9/73: New England: Stevan Ridley RB, LSU
10/74: New England: Ryan Mallett, QB, Arkansas
11/75: Seattle: John Moffitt, G, Wisconsin
12/76: Jacksonville: (from SF for 80, 182) Will Rackley, G, Lehigh
13/77: Tennessee: Jurrell Casey, DT, USC
14/78: St. Louis: Austin Pettis, WR, Boise State
15/79: Washington: Leonard Hankerson, WR, Miami (FL)
16/80: San Francisco: Chris Culliver, CB, South Carolina
17/81: Oakland: Demarcus Van Dyke, CB, Miami (FL)
18/82: San Diego: Vincent Brown. WR, San Diego State
19/83: NY Giants: Jerrel Jurnigan, WR, Troy
20/84: Tampa Bay: Mason Foster, OLB, Washington
21/85: Ravens: Jah Reid, OT, UCF
22/86: Kansas City: Allen Bailey, DE, Miami (FL)
23/87: Indianapolis: Drake Nevis, DT, LSU
24/88: New Orleans: Johnny Patrick, CB, Louisville
25/89: San Diego: Shareece Wright, CB, USC
26/90: Philadelphia: Curtis Marsh, CB, Utah State
27/91: Atlanta: Akeem Dent, ILB, Georgia
28/92: Oakland (from NE): Joseph Barksdale, OT, LSU
29/93: Chicago: Chris Conte, S, Cal
30/94: NY Jets: Kenrick Ellis, DT, Hampton
31/95: Pittsburgh: Curtis Brown, CB, Texas
32/96: Green Bay: Alex Green, RB, Hawaii
33/97: Carolina (compensatory): Sione Fua, DT, Stanford

The Patriots traded their third-round (#92) and fourth-round (#126) picks to Oakland for a 2012 second-round selection and a 2011 seventh-round selection (#219).

Day 3:

The fan base was particularly incensed that the Patriots failed to address their need for a pass rusher in Day 2. The draft “experts” were particularly hard on the Patriots for their selections of Vereen and Ridley, as “those in the know” believed that these picks could have been made later in the draft. Surprisingly, the Patriots received high marks for their selection of Mallett, whom many believe will be flipped later on for a higher pick after he demonstrates that he’s matured emotionally. The belief is that he’ll grow up quickly as a student in “The Patriot Way” of doing business and has all of the physical tools and smarts to be a successful quarterback in the NFL.

The Patriots had no picks in the fourth round but had four “Day 3” picks, including two in the fifth at 138 and 159. At 138, the Pats chose Marcus Cannon, a 6-5, 358 Guard from TCU. Cannon was projected much higher but was recently diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma. His treatments are scheduled to be completed by the end of June, so he is considered to be a prospect in development. At 159, the Pats selected TE Lee Smith from Marshall. Smith was also the backup long-snapper at Marshall. Why? With Crumpler, Gronkowski and Hernandez, TE is the last place the Patriots should be going at this point. The pick of Cannon may be smart as a developmental move, but another tight end? What on earth are they smoking in the war room?

2011 NFL Draft
• Round 1, 17th overall -- OT Nate Solder (Colorado)
• Round 2, 33rd overall -- CB Ras-I Dowling (Virginia)
• Round 2, 56th overall -- RB Shane Vereen (California)
• Round 3, 73rd overall -- RB Stevan Ridley (LSU)
• Round 3, 74th overall -- QB Ryan Mallett (Arkansas)
• Round 5, 138th overall -- OL Marcus Cannon (TCU)
• Round 5, 159th overall -- TE Lee Smith (Marshall)
• Round 6, 194th overall -- OLB/DE Markell Carter (Central Arkansas)
• Round 7, 219th overall -- CB/S/ST Malcolm Williams (TCU)

The draft “experts” gave the Patriots mixed grades, but no one will really know the results of how well these players perform for 2-3 years. Pats’ fans were disappointed in general with the selections as they wanted the team to select a pass rusher early in the draft. But how the Patriots see the draft board and how the “experts” see it are clearly two very different views. Time will tell.