Round 1
1. Carolina Panthers, QB, Cam Newton, Auburn
Will no one ever learn? No matter how physically talented a player is, that talent is never going to make up for accuracy, intelligence or work ethic issues. Newton barely had to make a read when he was at Auburn, and has always relied on his athletic ability to get him by. I highly doubt he is going to be able to
motivate himself to make the transition to the NFL. He will bust and bust hard.
motivate himself to make the transition to the NFL. He will bust and bust hard.
2. Denver Broncos, LB, Von Miller, Texas A&M
Not really fan of this pick. I have no issue with Miller’s talent, but I have major issues with his fit. I just don’t think his talents are going to be utilized fully when their being used as an outside linebacker in a 4-3. To be fair though, if the Panthers are playing him standing up, it’s better than having him lining up against offensive lineman on every play. They would have been better served with a defensive lineman, but the way they plan to play him, things may work out.
3. Buffalo Bills, DT, Marcell Dareus, Alabama
Finally someone does something right. Dareus has a ton of experience at playing the five technique in a 3-4 and dominated at that spot. He has good athleticism and is among the stoutest run defenders in the NFL. He should start from day one and make an impact. Very good pick.
4. Cincinnati Bengals, WR, A.J. Green, Georgia
I’m very torn on this pick. On one hand, Green is an excellent player and it never hurts to add weapons when your offense has trouble staying on schedule. However, it also shows that they may not have a real plan as to how to handle their issues at quarterback or to improve their defense. I’m also not of the opinion that they need to get rid of Chad Johnson, instead pairing Green with Johnson for another year or too. Though with the Bengals, you really never know what they’re thinking or f any if it makes sense.
5. Arizona Cardinals, CB, Patrick Peterson, LSU
Another pick I’m not really in love with. While Peterson should be a special player, they didn’t need him. They really needed to try and address the pass rush at this spot or get a quarterback. Peterson should help out in the return game and help Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie be a better corner, but that really won’t matter if they can’t force the quarterback to throw before he’s ready. Great player, but an average pick.
6. Atlanta Falcons, WR, Julio Jones, Alabama
What in the holy hell is going on here? I realize that most people talked about the Falcons needing a little pop in this offense, but there was no reason to reach this far for this guy. He will bring a lot of speed to the position and maybe pull some coverage away from Roddy White, but it just feels like they gave up way too much for this pick. To be fair though, they really didn’t need a lot of things so giving up the picks doesn’t hurt that much.
7. San Francisco 49ers, DE/OLB, Aldon Smith, Missouri
I can’t say this i`s a terrible pick, but I would be very, very hesitant on it. Smith reminds me a lot of Vernon Gholston and Aaron Maybin and those comparisons just make me very hesitant to make this pick. He does bring a lot of athleticism and pass rush ability to the table, but so did the two busts I mentioned previously. If he works out, he does upgrade the Niners pass rush tremendously, but if he misses, he is going to miss hard.
8. Tennessee Titans, QB, Jake Locker, Washington
Wow! Just wow! At best I thought Locker would go to Seattle at #25, but I guess the Titans greatly disagreed with my assessment. I do like what Locker brings to the table in terms of experience and intangibles, but his consistency and accuracy issues would’ve knocked him out of the first round, at least I thought they would have. Tennessee has made it clear they don’t want Vince Young there anymore and addressed that problem with this pick. He’s going to need time to improve, which he probably isn’t going to get, but he does have the benefit of a good running game. So he may be in better position than we think right now.
9. Dallas Cowboys, OT, Tyron Smith, USC
I was all on this pick early on in the process, but since Jerry Jones never drafted and offensive tackle in the first round, I got off that pick. Well this pick does make the most sense right now. The Cowboys clearly need to do a better job of protecting Tony Romo and they have a need for a right tackle. They could play Smith at right tackle or move Doug Free to the right and play Smith at left. The only real problem I have with this pick is that Smith is raw technically and will need some work before he can really make a big impact.
10. Jacksonville Jaguars, QB, Blaine Gabbert, Missouri
Well this was an interesting pick. The Jags really didn’t have any major need at quarterback, but grabbing a guy like Gabbert to eventually replace David Garrard does make sense. Gabbert has great size and the physical tools to excel. But there have been questions about why he has not succeeded in a QB friendly offense. If the Jags allow Gabbert to develop behind Garrard, then Gabbert could become a great player.
11. Houston Texans, DE, J.J. Watt, Wisconsin
Love this pick. Watt is the kind of guy every coach wants as a relentless player who simply refuses to stop playing. He is stout and has the athleticism to rush the passer. He does occasionally get stopped and won’t get the kind of sack numbers that most fans will get excited about, but he will do the job that is asked of him to the best of his ability on every down. He will help this pass rush out a lot. Great pick.
12. Minnesota Vikings, QB, Christian Ponder, Florida State
Wow this was a reach. Like Jake Locker, I like what Ponder brings in terms of experience and technique, but his physical talents just aren’t there for a first round quarterback. He really doesn’t have a strong arm and that could limit what they could do offensively. Still this is a good player with a ton of intelligence and should learn the playbook very quickly. Good player, just overvalued.
13. Detroit Lions, DT, Nick Fairley, Auburn
WHAT!? WHAT!? WHY!? I get that Jim Schwartz values his defensive lineman, but this is just overdoing it. The Lions already have one of the best defensive lines in football. Fairley has great upside and could be another great player to pair with Suh for years to come. However, that will mean nothing if they can’t cover the receivers behind them. On top on all of this, if Fairley busts, then they wasted a pick when they could’ve had a good corner at this spot. Just a very puzzling pick.
14. St. Louis Rams, DE, Robert Quinn, North Carolina
This pick makes a little bit of sense. James Hall is aging and they don’t have a lot of pass rushers other than Chris Long. If Quinn works out, he brings a ton of pass rusher ability and can beat almost any offensive tackle. However, he has big character concerns and didn’t play football last year. I don’t think he is going to make an impact in his first year and maybe not ever. Not such a good pick.
15. Miami Dolphins, OC, Mike Pouncey, Florida
The Dolphins needed runningback help, but I guess they felt like they needed a guy calling out protections and improving the run blocking. He has the bloodlines and experience playing guard, but he didn’t make a smooth transition to the center position. He may need to time before he can be a great starting center, but he can definitely help by being a star as a guard and opening up running lanes for whoever is running the ball. Solid pick.
16. Washington Redskins, DE/OLB, Ryan Kerrigan, Purdue
Surprisingly good pick here. Not only did the Redskins trade back to get more picks, they also draft a great player. Much like Watt, Kerrigan is a try hard player who has the athleticism to be a solid pass rusher. He’s not going to wow everyone, but he is going to go out and just be productive. He should complement Brian Orakpo very well and make this defense better, regardless of their other picks. Good pick.
17. New England Patriots, OT, Nate Solder, Colorado
Surprising, but the Pats really does need to improve their offensive line. With the retirement of Stephen Neal, the issues with Logan Mankins and Matt Light getting older, the Pats get a somewhat developmental player who should be able to slide in to Matt Light’s starting spot after a year or two. Solder is more of an athlete than pure offensive lineman at this point, but a few years behind Light should work out those technique problems. Typical solid pick from the Pats.
18. San Diego Chargers, DE, Corey Liuget, Illinois
Not entirely surprised at this pick. Liuget is considered one of the best pass rushing defensive tackles in the draft. With that being said, the Chargers really needed someone who could press the pocket, which has been a weakness of their front 3 since they released Jamal Williams. Liuget can slide in to the defensive end spot and force the issue on defense. Good pick.
19. New York Giants, CB, Prince Amukamara, Nebraska
Well, this doesn’t really help them protect Eli Manning, but at this point he is a steal. He was supposed to go in the top 15 picks, but somehow slipped to this point in the draft. The Giants must have had a top 10 grade on Amukamara for them to ignore their offensive line issues in favor of taking a corner. He should help them out immediately at least as a slot corner, though ideally they’ll move Terrell Thomas or Corey Webster to the slot and let Amukamara start. Good value pick, but they need to address their offensive line issues in the second.
20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, DE, Adrian Clayborn, Iowa
This is pretty much what everyone expected to happen, maybe not with this player, but definitely at this position. The Bucs needed to improve their pass rush and they got someone who can help rush the passer. There are some concerns about the drop in production between his junior and senior season, but he has the tools to succeed at this level. Good pick.
21. Cleveland Browns, DT, Phil Taylor, Baylor
Hm, interesting. There are some concerns about how well Taylor will recover from a foot injury and about how much he likes to play the game. That being said, there’s no better anchor in the draft than Taylor. He defends the run very well and can take up multiple blockers at the point of attack. He should help the Browns defensive line make plays, just by taking up blockers and freeing up the defensive ends to be blocked one on one. If he plays hard every down, then he could really help this team. Decent pick.
22. Indianapolis Colts, OT, Anthony Castonzo, Boston College
This was perhaps the least surprising pick since the top ten. It seemed pretty obvious that if Castonzo was available at this pick, he was going to the Colts. The colts really need to get someone to protect Peyton Manning’s blindside and Castonzo can slide right into this spot with little trouble. He is the most technically sound offensive lineman in this draft and, while he isn’t as athletically gifted as some would want, he has more than enough psychical talent to succeed. Great Pick.
23. Philadelphia Eagles, OG, Danny Watkins, Baylor
Don’t like this pick very much. Based solely on his technique and college play, he is probably the second best offensive lineman in this draft. However, he is going to be a 26 year old rookie. 26 years old at a position where is he likely to be finished at around 34. You’re looking at an eight year window in which he will likely be worth a starting position, when most guards have an expected career of about 14 years. That kind of return just isn’t worth the first round investment. I don’t doubt that he’ll play well, but I just don’t like the pick.
24. New Orleans Saints, DE, Cameron Jordan, California
Sensible, though I would’ve taken Bowers over him. Jordan brings a good deal of scheme versatility, having played outside, inside and standing up, which will help the Saints press the pocket from a number of spots. He is stout against the run and can rush the passer, both of which the Saints really need help with, given how their season ended. They got very lucky that he slid this far and now they have a solid player who can complement Will Smith and Sedrick Ellis. Great pick.
25. Seattle Seahawks, OT/OG, James Carpenter, Alabama
This pick is very surprising. There is no one who would have projected Carpenter going in the first round. He is a big guy with good upside and athleticism, but not nearly enough to be a first round pick. I can see why the Seahawks were trying to move back considering this is the guy they wanted. With all that being said, aside from Russell Okung, there are no guarantees on who will be a part of the starting offensive line for the Seahawks this upcoming season. They can at least play Carpenter at right tackle and potentially move him inside to guard to help improve the running game. Big reach, but it does address a need.
26. Kansas City Chiefs, WR, Jonathan Baldwin, Pittsburgh
Well, this is an interesting pick. Baldwin has a ton of ability but a lot of question marks as well. He has a number of work ethic concerns, mostly based around how hard he plays and how much time and effort he is willing to put into his game. However, he is a huge player with excellent speed and a huge wing span. He can pluck the ball over the head of most cornerbacks and should be a great asset in the red zone. Even if he never becomes the kind of dynamic player that he could be, he should help take a lot of pressure off of Dwayne Bowe. Bit of a reach because of the character concerns, but it should help their team immediately.
27. Baltimore Ravens, CB, Jimmy Smith, Colorado
This pick was not surprising at all. The Ravens really need some help in covering receivers and Smith has a lot of talent. The biggest issue is that Smith has a lot of character concerns and those could keep him off the field. He has great athleticism and pure coverage ability, so he should help limit the number of big plays the Ravens defense allows. The biggest question that the Ravens need to answer right now is how they are going to keep him out of trouble.
28. New Orleans Saints, RB, Mark Ingram, Alabama
While the Saints gave up a lot to get him, going up to grab Ingram was the right move. After injuries decimated the backfield for the Saints, it was clear that the Saints needed a running back that could really pound the rock in the middle. That’s exactly the kind of player they get in Ingram. He is going to excel at running on the inside and taking pressure off of Drew Brees. Very good pick.
29. Chicago Bears, OT, Gabe Carimi, Wisconsin
The Bears needed offensive line help after the pounding they let Jay Cutler take this past season. They got a steal at this spot, with Gabe Carimi slipping to this point. While there are a lot of people who question his ability to play left tackle at the NFL level, I think the fact that he replaced Joe Thomas at that spot and has started there since 2007 should be enough of an answer. Even if he isn’t a franchise left tackle, he can hold up well enough to help lead this team back to the playoffs. Great Pick.
30. New York Jets, DE, Muhammed Wilkerson, Temple
The Jets needed help rushing the passer, and they got it in this pick. While Wilkerson is never going to rack up ten or more sacks, he has the athleticism and size to take up numerous blockers. He should be able to get a few sacks on his own and add a ton of sacks from other players. Great value pick.
31. Pittsburgh Steelers, DE, Cameron Heyward, Ohio State
The Steelers stood pat with their pick and got a great fit for what they needed. Other than Ziggy Hood, all of their defensive linemen are over 30. Heyward is a perfect five technique defensive end, which would allow the Steelers to work him in with Brett Keisel and Aaron Smith. Like Hood, Heyward should be starting within the next two years. Solid pick.
32. Green Bay Packers, OT, Derek Sherrod, Mississippi State
The Packers do the smart thing here in getting another offensive lineman to help protect Aaron Rodgers. Sherrod has a lot of experience playing at left but also has the talent to play at right. Pairing him with last year’s first rounder Bryan Bulaga give the Packers good bookend tackles going forward. He does have some questions about pass protection, but that issue is easily fixed by moving him to right and having Bulaga play left. Good pick.
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