Round 1 Thoughts

What did you think of round 1?

The things that stuck out to me were

1. Trades
2. Surprising picks

It would be interesting to see how different this draft would have been with no lockout distractions for teams to deal with. That is something that we can only speculate about and will never know.

TRADES -
Because of the lockout and not being able to include players in trades it really was not clear at the beginning if this would spark more trades, or keep them held to a minimum. We got our answer last night. The reason this jumps out to me so much is because I was not expecting to see any trades. While I am a fan of trading down to select that 2nd round guy (will explain in more detail later). There is also the benefit of gaining extra picks with trading down. The uncertainty in the league that has come from the lockout makes draft picks more valuable this year in my opinion. It is the only guaranteed way to help out your team before the new rules on free agency etc come out.

SURPRISING PICKS -
1. JAKE LOCKER - Tennessee
While I do agree that Locker is a rare talent. If he would have had one coach in college or went to an established team, he would have had an even greater chance to add a Heisman and or national championship to his resume. What is surprising to me here is that he was taken so high. Tennessee just got done with the Vince Young experiment and is headed in a new direction. They also have a new head football coach. I'm not sure this situation is going to give Locker the best chance to succeed in the NFL. He needed to fall to a team with an established QB so that he can have the time to develop. Maybe Tennessee has plans of getting a veteran QB to help develop Locker, time will tell.

2. Christian Ponder - Minnesota
WTF?? If this was your guy and you thought he was going to be gone at 13 I guess I get it... wait, this guy was projected as a second round pick. Minnesota took him at 13. I hope they see something in him that the experts did not. I'm afraid this pick was not the best choice at QB at the time

3. James Carpenter - Seattle
From my trade down comment above.... This is another first round pick that was projected by all of the experts to be a second and possibly a third round pick. I do agree that Seattle needs a lot of help with their O line but in a draft with many trades already they could not find someone that wanted to trade with them?

BEST PICKS
There are a few picks that I really like. The combination of Who it was, where they went, and the impact they can make are HUGE.

1. Patrick Peterson - Arizona
Regardless of the team that picked him, Patrick Peterson is a STUD. In my opinion he was the best pick in the draft. He has star power, athleticism, speed, and the ability to make a difference.

2. Nick Fairley - Detroit
Suh and Fairley sittin in Detroit no R-U-N-N-I-N-G. Maybe Eminem will be singing this as well. Detroit hit one out of the park with this pick. The D line is going to be amazing!

3. TIE - Von Miller - Denver, Marcell Dareus - Buffalo, A.J. Green - Cincinnati
All three of these picks were safe. I believe these players will be able to help each of their teams and are difference makers.

4. Cam Newton - Carolina
I get it, you cant pass up the potential here. The star power, the chance to excite your fan base, and the opportunity to get the next Michael Vick (hopefully without the legal troubles). I think there is a lot of risk with this pick but along with Carolina fans, I can't wait to see if Cam can bring excitement to the NFL

That's all for now

2011 NFL Draft Round 1- April 28, 2011

Well folks, the first round of the 2011 NFL draft is in the books. There were a few surprises like usual and it was great to see the excitement of football back on the TV!

Here is a quick recap of the first round. I will give my not so educated thoughts (and grades) on the picks of the first round. So here we go:

1- CAROLINA PANTHERS
Cam Newton (QB), Auburn

Grade: B

Evidently Carolina has absolutely no faith in Jimmy Clausen, their 2nd round pick from last year. I get that Newton is much faster and more athletic, but it is highly doubtful that his game will translate that well to the pro game. I am sure they could have addressed other needs with this pick, but they chose to pick the most athletic QB in the draft as the first pick. I give them a B because Newton is still a hell of an athlete. 

2- DENVER BRONCOS

Von Miller (OLB), Texas A&M

Grade: A

Denver chose one of the best guys in the draft that filled one of their immediate needs. You cannot complain about that. 

3- BUFFALO BILLS

Marcell Dareus (DT), Alabama

Grade: A

At first I thought Buffalo messed up by not taking a QB early because let's be honest they need a better QB. However, it looks like they got a great DT and will still be able to take a QB with the second pick in the 2nd round if they wish. Dareus is a big guy and will be good at helping the Bills defense stop the run. 

4- CINCINNATI BENGALS

A.J. Green (WR), Georgia

Grade: A

This guy is supposedly the most complete WR in this year's draft class and with Ochocinco and Terrell Owens likely near the ends of their careers, this is a solid choice. Green and Shipley will be a great WR duo for years to come. 

5- ARIZONA CARDINALS

Patrick Peterson (CB), LSU

Grade: A

The Cardinals are another team that needs a franchise QB, but Peterson was simply too hard to pass up. He was touted by some as the best player in the entire draft so Arizona made a good pick. I am not looking forward to playing Arizona twice with him in their secondary. 

6- ATLANTA FALCONS

Julio Jones (WR), Alabama

Grade: C-

I don't care how good you think this guy is...He is not worth 5 draft picks, which is what Atlanta gave up to Cleveland for this pick. Great move for Cleveland, and Jones may be a nice additional to White in the WR corps for Atlanta, but overall I think it was a horrible move overall. 

7- SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS

Aldon Smith (DE), Missouri 

Grade: B-

The Niners may have filled one of their needs, but I feel like they have got a better pick at 7 and I am not shaking in my boots as I do not think this pick will make their team significantly better. 

8- TENNESSEE TITANS

Jake Locker (QB), Washington

Grade: B+

When this pick was announced I couldn't really believe my eyes and ears. However, we knew that Tennessee was going to draft a QB and Locker really is more versatile than Blaine Gabbert. He is a better athlete overall. I honestly believe that he is extremely over-hyped, and living in Seattle as a WSU alum has not been easy with all of the Locker-aid over the years. If he proves me wrong then good for him and all of his fans, but I simply do not think he will be that great in the NFL. He has accuracy problems and if he tries to scramble like he did in college he will be dead by week 6. That being said he is one of the top QBs to come out of the NCAA this year and overall it wasn't a terrible choice for the Titans. 

9- DALLAS COWBOYS

Tyron Smith (OT), USC

Grade: A-

The Cowboys filled a need in their offense on a guy from USC. He will likely pay off immediately as we all know USC generally produces great players. Obviously not the flashy pick that Dallas usually gets, but one that will likely prove effective. 

10- JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

Blaine Gabbert (QB), Missouri 

Grade: B-

This pick makes absolutely no sense to me. The Jaguars have a fairly good quarterback in David Garrard and they had to trade with the Redskins to move up in the draft to get Gabbert at Pick 10. That being said, I still give them a fairly good grade because Gabbert is supposedly the most balanced QB available in this years draft. Must be nice to sit on the bench and make millions for a couple of years. 

11- HOUSTON TEXANS

J.J. Watt (DE), Wisconsin

Grade: B

We know the Texans have a solid offense and need to feel their weaknesses on defense. This is a good pick for them as Watt was one of the best DEs available in this years draft. I don't know a lot about him but I think he will help the team immediately on defense. 

12- MINNESOTA VIKINGS

Christian Ponder (QB), Florida State

Grade: C-

The Vikings were another team we knew were in dire need of their next franchise quarterback. I am sure they were crying once they realized Newton, Locker, and Gabbert were all off the board already after the top 10. Therefore, it required them to take a look at the type of offense they want to run and evidently they felt like Ponder would be able to work with that offense better than Dalton, Mallett. That being said I feel like this is still a huge risk of a pick and we may see Minnesota making some moves before the season begins to address their QB needs. 

13- DETROIT LIONS

Nick Fairley (DT), Auburn

Grade: A-

If you have the Lions on your schedule this year you should probably work on an offensive plan that involves a lot more passing than running. The Lions now have Suh and Fairley, two absolute beasts. If Fairley can keep his character in check that duo will be a force to be reckoned with. Detroit has some other needs that need addressing, but Fairley was too good to pass up at 13. 

14- ST. LOUIS RAMS

Robert Quinn (DE), North Carolina

Grade: B-

This is another pick where this wasn't the team's biggest need, but Quinn will add instant pass rushing strength to the Rams defensive line. I don't know a lot about him, but ESPN seems to think he is a good addition to the team. Here's to hoping the Hawks OL can contain him when we play next year. 

15- MIAMI DOLPHINS

Mike Pouncey (C), Florida

Grade: A

Sure a center isn't the most exciting pick for a first round selection, but this guy is NFL ready and can start at center or guard no problem. Some think that Miami is still in need of a solid QB, but I think Henne might do just fine, and having Pouncey there on the line should strengthen it quite a bit. 

16- WASHINGTON REDSKINS

Ryan Kerrigan (DE), Purdue

Grade: B-

Meh. This pick fulfills a need the Redskins had, but I am not that impressed with this guy as far as what I have seen thus far. He seems to lack athleticism and strength, but hey the Redskins need all the help they can get. 

17- NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

Nate Solder (OT), Colorado

Grade: B+

Again, not an extremely flashy pick for one of the NFL's best teams, but I think this guy will add good protection for Tom Brady and should assist the team in its efforts to rebuild their offensive line. Solid pick overall for the mid first round. 

18- SAN DIEGO CHARGERS

Corey Liuget (DT), Illinois

Grade: B

I don't really know anything about this guy, but ESPN says Defensive End was the biggest need for the team and they may have filled it with this pick so it seems to be an okay pick by me. 

19- NEW YORK GIANTS

Prince Amukamara (CB), Nebraska

Grade: A-

I was kind of hoping this guy would somehow slide down to 25 so the Hawks could take him so we could get Kelly Jennings out of our secondary, but I figured that he would be gobbled up before 25 and here he was taken at 19 by NYG. This guy has great instincts and should be a nice addition to the NYG secondary. His main weakness seems to be his smaller/shorter arms, which could be trouble against bigger WRs.

20- TAMPA BAY BUCS

Adrian Clayborn (DE), Iowa

Grade: A-

A Defensive End was Tampa Bay's biggest need coming into the draft and this guy is good enough to start and fill that need. Good pick. For some reason I like the Tampa Bay Bucs. 

21- CLEVELAND BROWNS

Phil Taylor (DT), Baylor

Grade: B

The Browns are fairly weak on the defensive end of the ball, especially their defensive line. This guy should add some strength and skill as they continue to rebuild. 

22- INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

Anthony Castonzo (OT), Boston College

Grade: B+

Offensive Tackle was one of the team's biggest needs and this guy has great potential because he is a smart player who works hard. Peyton Manning is sure to appreciate the extra protection. 

23- PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

Danny Watkins (OG), Baylor

Grade: B-

This guy is being touted as strong and mature, but I have my concerns with a 26 year old rookie pick in the first round. That being said, he could be a vital part of protecting Michael Vick's blindside. 

24- NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

Cameron Jordan (DE), California

Grade: B+

The Saints biggest need was addressed with this pick and everyone seems to love this guy. He works hard and is fairly strong. He will be a great addition to an already stellar team. 

25- SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

James Carpenter (OG), Alabama

Grade: B-

Oh look, another player from Alabama! Most experts had this guy touted as a mid to late 2nd round pick, but for whatever reason Seattle decided they needed to take him here at 25. Offensive line is easily Seattle's biggest weakness (despite most of us feeling the extreme need for a solid QB). This guy appears like he will be a good addition who may be versatile enough to play tackle as well. I am a little perplexed as to why we wouldn't have selected Gabe Carimi from Wisconsin here, but hey that is why I am up late writing a blog few will read and the coaches get paid the big bucks. Most Seattle fans probably wanted a QB pick here, but we need a strong O-line to protect our quarterbacks and honestly I do not feel like any of the QBs in this years draft are going to be superstars. 

26- KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

Jonathan Baldwin (WR), Pittsburgh

Grade: B-

2011 NFL Draft

Despite the fact that the players and the owners can't seem to agree on lunch, let alone a new contract, the NFL Draft is beginning later this week as originally scheduled. 

The first round begins on Thursday, April 28 at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Rounds two and three continue on Friday  April 29 at 6 p.m. ET. 

Rounds four through seven start at 10 a.m. ET on Saturday, April 30. 

The event will be broadcast on ESPN and the NFL Network.

I myst say that I am much less excited and am expecting much much less out of the Seahawks' draft picks this year than I was last year. Seattle got some great picks with name recognition last year. Unfortunately, this year's draft does not have a lot of bigger names to offer and Seattle's first pick isn't even until pick number 25 (unless we trade). 

As of right now Seattle has picks 25 (round 1), 57 (round 2), 99 (round 4), 156, 157 (round 5), 173 (round 6), 208 and 241 (round 7). 

The first round of the draft is scheduled for picks as follows:

1 (1) Carolina
2 (2) Denver
3 (3) Buffalo
4 (4) Cincinnati
5 (5) Arizona
6 (6) Cleveland
7 (7) San Francisco
8 (8) Tennessee
9 (9) Dallas
10 (10) Washington
11 (11) Houston
12 (12) Minnesota
13 (13) Detroit
14 (14) St. Louis
15 (15) Miami
16 (16) Jacksonville
17 (17) New England from Oakland
18 (18) San Diego
19 (19) New York Giants
20 (20) Tampa Bay
21 (21) Kansas City
22 (22) Indianapolis
23 (23) Philadelphia
24 (24) New Orleans
25 (25) Seattle
26 (26) Baltimore
27 (27) Atlanta
28 (28) New England
29 (29) Chicago
30 (30) New York Jets
31 (31) Pittsburgh
32 (32) Green Bay

Who do you guys think will go #1? Will it be Cam Newton? How high will Jake Locker go? The latest I have seen is #8, which is absolutely mind blowing to me, but I guess we will see what happens.