I’m offering quick-hit fantsy looks at Round 1 of the 2011 NFL Draft.
Let’s start at the top with Cam Newton and the Panthers.
Cam Newton, QB, Carolina
The Jimmy Clausen era didn’t last terribly long in Carolina. The first image of a grinning and relieved Newton said it all. Ron Rivera had decided to stake his tenure in Carolina on the most electrifying and polarizing athlete available.
Steve Smith, who remains under contract, reportedly wants out of Carolina, thereby clouding the immediate future for Newton. Armanti Edwards is a talented, albeit raw, option, and Brandon LaFell definitely flashed glimpses of star power last year.
We all know of the questions surrounding Newton, his desire and aptitude to adapt to the next level. He’ll do so in a changing environment (does DeAngelo Williams stay?), but will at least return a behemoth at tackle in Jeff Otah.
A.J. Green, WR, Cincinnati
Green flew off of the board quickly. I barely finished the keystrokes on a mini-Marcell Dareus update when Commissioner Roger Goodell strode back out to the stage. Green is obviously a game-breaker and home-run threat. He was often compared to Calvin Johnson during the pre-draft hype, so the bar has been set high. Like Johnson, Green may have to make it on pure athleticism and desire out of the gate, as the Cincinnati offense faces numerous questions.
Who is the quarterback? Does Carson Palmer follow through on his threat to retire? Does he get dealt?
And, of course, there’s the wide receiver corps, led by Chad Ochocinco. Recently, Ochocinco has spoken of Marvin Lewis being “mean” to him and that he thought his time in Cincinnati was done. The normally jovial Twitter version of Chad has also been a little testy of late.
Green has all-world talent, but there are too many moving parts here to predict a huge impact for 2010.
Julio Jones, WR, Atlanta
Jones’ toughness and determination at the NFL Combine won everyone over, not to mention his sub-4.4 time in the 40-yard dash on a broken foot. He has the ability to stretch things deep, the physicality to help in the running game and a willingness to work over the middle and take hits.
Jones is the perfect complement to Roddy White, and the attention afforded No. 84 and future Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez will clear out space for the rookie to operate. Owners in PPR leagues have found themselves a new gem, as Jones is capable of snagging 60-70 balls in this system. Matt Ryan now has a fully-stocked receiving corps. Veteran Michael Jenkins is certainly capable of making plays, and deep threat Harry Douglas remains in the mix.
I already had Ryan ranked No. 8 in my preliminary quarterback ranks. He may slide up a slot.
Jake Locker, QB, Tennessee
I wasn’t as surprised to see Locker selected in the top 10 as most. I had attributed some of his accuracy ills to the lack of playmakers on his Washington squad. It doesn’t excuse the issue entirely, but I don’t think that the final numbers told the complete tale.
Locker has the opportunity to come in and start right away. The Vince Young era is clearly over, and Mike Munchak will tie his regime to this selection. There’s obviously a lot of learning and refinement to be done here. Expect a ton of two-step shuffles to hand the ball off to Chris Johnson out of the gate.
Blaine Gabbert, QB, Jacksonville
The Jaguars traded up six slots to grab Gabbert and end the Missouri star’s free fall. He was one of the top stories leading into the draft, as speculation began that a run on quarterbacks would occur early. Gabbert is seen as the most NFL-ready of this class, and I suspect that we see him fairly early on if David Garrard struggles. Jack Del Rio is in the final year of his contract in Jacksonville and just might need to shake things up.
The Jaguars have question marks in the receiving corps. Mike Sims-Walker is expected to leave once free agency begins. Tight end Marcedes Lewis and Mike Thomas are the only proven options available to Gabbert and Garrard prior to any future draft picks and signings joining the squad.
Christian Ponder, QB, Minnesota
So much for hoping that No. 4 was coming back again. I’m kidding, of course.
The Vikings may have reached a tad in grabbing Ponder (I thought he’d end up in Jacksonville at No. 16 before the trades occurred), but he’s a mature, experienced option under center. He put the Seminoles back into the discussion, an accurate passer with NFL arm strength. I know it’s sometimes dismissed, but Ponder also excelled in the classroom. Given all of the issues impacting the quarterback position across the league (just rewind to No. 4 last year), perhaps having a guy that just wants to come in and work isn’t a bad thing.
Visanthe Shiancoe and Percy Harvin are the immediate beneficiaries of his arrival as he beats out Joe Webb for the role. I’m still expecting to see Minnesota add a veteran option once transactions start up for 2011. The team needs to look at the position short-term while attending to Sidney Rice as well.
Mark Ingram, RB, New Orleans
Ingram gives the Saints a bulldozer to work alongside Pierre Thomas. His selection likely signals the end of Reggie Bush’s tenure in New Orleans. The former Heisman winner has resisted taking a pay cut and has already Tweeted his goodbyes. Bush’s contract just might be too rich to retain, and Thomas has proven a capable receiver out of the backfield (had 29 receptions in six games last season).
Ingram is a tough runner between the tackles with great vision and a burst at the second level. We hate workload splits, but he’ll have opportunities to put up numbers in this explosive offense.
Jonathan Baldwin, WR, Kansas City
Dwayne Bowe dominated as a veritable “One-Man Gang” for the Chiefs last season. He received great support from Jamaal Charles and tight end Tony Moeaki, but the secondary wide receivers were invisible. Nobody questions Baldwin’s athleticism, size and potential. He fits in nicely as a No. 2 option for Matt Cassel. Cassel immediately creeps up a spot or two in the initial quarterback ranks, and I’m apt to give Bowe a boost as well.
Gabe Carimi, OT, Chicago
Jay Cutler and his fiancée breathed a sigh of relief and made a champagne toast when the Bears announced their selection following a botched trade attempt with Baltimore. Given management’s track record, I had looked in another direction when assessing the Bears’ probable first-round selection (I liked Jonathan Baldwin had he remained on the board).
We know that the program at the University of Wisconsin consistently churns out offensive linemen that are NFL-ready. Carimi immediately upgrades the run game and becomes one of Cutler’s best friends. The big question is whether the Bears’ gaffe costs them an additional pick as compensation to Baltimore. Or, does the NFL rule “no harm, no foul?”
