The NFL Draft is coming friends. Even mired in the dark shadows of an NFL lockout I know draft day paints an insuppressible smile all over your delirious faces. The draft makes us all into babbling fools. Every team is a championship contender for that one weekend in April, and that’s okay. In fact, that’s what’s great about the draft. It’s an event specifically geared toward the worst teams in the league. The season is miles away, and in a sense, reality is even farther. For one day, Bills fans can forget how bad they were last year, and how bad they’ll be next year, yet can still make statements like, “Ya know, if we get Cam Newton, I think we’re in the playoffs.”
None of us know how good any of these players will be, but we all have our favorites in mind, guys we want our team to take, and those are usually just the guys we’ve heard of. How many of us screamed bust last year when the Jaguars took Tyson Alualu, even though we’d never seen him play? Conversely, how many of us claimed that Jimmy Clausen or Taylor Mays were steals in the second round? In reality Alualu was very good, while Clausen and Mays did little to justify their second round status.
For fans the draft has little to do with reality and much to do with dreaming big. It’s uninhibited fun where people can get starry eyed about a prospect just because he had a sweet cone drill or get downright furious because their team drafted an edge rusher when they know damn well slot receiver was priority number one. The best part is that nobody really loses on draft day. Fans can spin their draft however they want because players won’t be taking the field for months.
With this upcoming series I want to look at each NFL team, their most pressing needs, and which players they might target to address those needs. I’m not going to tell you if the Falcons might nab a great special team’s gunner in the sixth round. I’m going to focus on the first round prospects, the players who might be available for each team with their top pick. I’ll address each team by the order of picks in the first round.
#1 Carolina Panthers
What They Need: The Panthers, frankly, need a lot. Their quarterback situation was a quagmire last year, though I’m not sure they want to jump ship yet on Jimmy Clausen. He wasn’t great, but he wasn’t working with a whole lot of support. The offensive line has talent, and the running backs are the strength of the team. Defensively the Panthers need almost everything. Corners Captain Munnerlyn, Richard Marshall, and Chris Gamble are solid enough. Linebacker Jon Beason is a star. The defensive front is weak, so if they choose to go defense with their top pick, look for them to address the front four.
Who they Might Pick: Carolina could decide to grab a quarterback if new coach Ron Rivera isn’t sold on Clausen. In that case they’ll either go with Blaine Gabbert (considered the most pro-ready, accurate passer) or Cam Newton (the most athletic/exciting player in the draft). I personally think the Panthers will go defense with this pick, and as I said, that likely means drafting a defensive lineman, where Nick Fairley is the most impressive prospect. He’s a rock in the middle that can stuff the run and is the rare pass rushing force from the tackle spot. Marcell Dareus from Alabama is also a top possibility, though he isn’t the same athlete as Fairley. If Carolina wants a pure pass rusher, look no further than Clemson defensive end Da’Quan Bowers. Bowers is a ridiculous athlete who turns his physical prowess into tremendous production.
My Advice: Give Clausen another year and see what he can do. Gabbert and Newton are far from slam dunk prospects. Take a more sure thing, and if Clausen stinks this year, get your quarterback next year. I would take Fairley. He’ll improve Beason’s life and pressure opposing passers. We saw what Ndamukong Suh meant to the Lions last year; perhaps Fairley could have a similar impact.
#2 Denver Broncos
What They Need: Similar to Carolina, the Broncos are a team with an unsettled quarterback situation and a new coaching regime. I have no idea if Head Coach John Fox likes Tim Tebow, but he’s said that Kyle Orton will be his starter. The Broncos’ offensive line is talented, and Knowshon Moreno is the future at running back. Brandon Lloyd had a breakout year at wideout, but he is the Broncos’ only real threat in the receiving corps. Since I don’t think quarterback is really a draft option for Denver and receivers generally don’t go second overall, defense is probably the direction to go. Elvis Dumervil is a stud pass rusher and should be back healthy after missing the entire 2010 season. 2009 first round pick Robert Ayers is a young prospect who could turn into a sack artist as well. Denver runs a 3-4 system, so drafting a defensive lineman typically means going after a big, immovable, two-gap player. There aren’t any of those type of prospects that could go this high; Fairley's athleticism is better suited for the 4-3. Denver's secondary is one of the oldest in the league and could use an infusion of talent.
Who They Might Pick: Since pass rush is an area of relative strength, and I doubt Denver will go offense with this pick, this selection basically comes down to a couple guys. Marcell Dareus is seen as a guy that could be a 4-3 defensive tackle or a 3-4 end. He’s a strong, fluid, and balanced athlete. He’s not flashy, but he won’t be overpowered, and he’s athletic for his size. Dareus would represent an incremental improvement to Denver’s front. The guy I love is LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson. His measurables are ridiculous: 6’2”, 219 pounds, and he runs a 4.3 40-yard dash. He’s as strong as a safety and fast as a corner. Peterson also isn’t just a combine freak. In the SEC he covered the likes of AJ Green and Julio Jones, both top-15 prospects, and did so admirably. If Denver drafts the LSU Tiger, they’ll be taking away half the field for the next decade.
My Advice: Take Peterson; look what Darrelle Revis has meant for the Jets. I believe that Peterson will be one of the best ten corners in the league the moment he steps on an NFL field, and he could eventually be the best cover man in the league, especially after he studies under Champ Bailey.
--from Adam
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