1. Carolina Panthers 2-14
The Panthers need a lot of help, but thankfully this year’s number one draft choice is a slam dunk. In taking Andrew Luck, the Panthers will establish a new face of the… oh wait. That’s not an option anymore? Well this is a bit more of a crapshoot then, isn’t it?
The best player in the draft is LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson. The Panthers will not take him. These are facts. While Peterson will immediately make an impact as a top-15 cornerback in the league, DBs are simply not taken first overall. Peterson is out.
Quarterbacks, on the other hand, are a popular choice for the first off the board on a yearly basis. While Missouri’s Blaine Gabbert is at the top of most draft boards at the position, Cam Newton of Auburn is riding the all-powerful Hype Train. Especially after Newton’s better-than-expected performance at Auburn’s Pro Day, the larger-than-life signal caller has made his way to number one in many a mock draft. Not many players dominated the college game the way Newton did this past season.
One of the ones who did is this year’s number one pick, Nick Fairley. Newton’s teammate at Auburn, Fairley routinely had his way with offensive linemen across the SEC. The SEC. I’ll let that sink in for a second… Fairley is a defensive tackle with a mean streak, and that’s just the thing that NFL scouts don’t want you to know they’re looking for. His physical, high motor style was apparent during a pro day thus far unmatched by any interior lineman in memory. Although his stock has fallen as of late, I love Fairley at number one here.
2. Denver Broncos 4-12
The jury is still out on the Tim Tebow experience, so I don’t see QB as an option here. New coach John Fox would’ve loved to see Fairley fall to them at 2, but Da’Quan Bowers is a nice consolation prize. Although the four career sacks do worry me, I think that the Clemson product is a bit more than just a workout warrior, and I think he’ll be a nice compliment to Elvis Dumervil as a pass rusher at Mile High.
An alternative solution sees A.J. Green ending up in Denver to add to the weapons that whoever takes snaps in Denver has to target. Green, Demaryius Thomas, and Brandon Lloyd would make up one of the league’s most formidable young receiving corps.
A third scenario may be the one that ends up happening. If Denver isn’t absolutely in love with anyone and feels that the board doesn’t fit their needs at number 2, they could trade down and let someone else deal with the decision. I loved Peterson here at 2, but Denver’s re-signing of Champ Bailey makes the prospect of this more unlikely. Bowers is the guy.
3. Buffalo Bills 4-12
Here’s the landing spot for this year’s “It” player: Mr. Cameron Newton. This is another scenario that is just too perfect to not happen. The word on the street last year was that Ralph Wilson was this close to getting his Tim Te-Flow on, and the behemoth QB won’t make it past pick number 3 this year. I see some Tebow in Newton’s size and athleticism, and a lot of people have mentioned Ben Roethlisberger comparisons, but I think that the player Newton could really try to emulate is the Bucs’ Josh Freeman. Cam will sit a year behind Ryan Fitzpatrick, which will do wonders for his long-term development. This is the ultimate high-risk/high-reward pick for Buffalo.
If not Newton, the Bills have plenty of other holes on the roster. In building Chan Gailey’s 3-4/4-3 hybrid defense, it sure helps to have flexibility on the defensive line. Texas A&M’s Von Miller fits the bill here. He’s drawn comparisons to Clay Matthews and Demarcus Ware, and if they’re accurate in the least, this would be a great pick for the Bills at 3. He’s versatile enough to put a hand on the ground every so often as well.
4. Cincinnati Bengals 4-12
What a train wreck 2010 was for the Bengals. To go from perfect in the AFC North to 4-12 in a year says that something went seriously wrong, either this year or last. With Chad Ochocinco-Johnson (can anyone get me the latest on this?) and Terrell Owens doubtful to return and Carson Palmer in full-on “Peace, guys. I’m taking my ball and going home” mode, the passing game is in complete disarray. The smart move here is taking Georgia wideout A.J. Green. That’s not happening.
I see Blaine Gabbert being the pick at 4. Even though he ran a spread offense at Mizzou, he makes accurate throws and has shown solid decision-making skills. The Bengals will get a new quarterback and face of the franchise, and rely on their underrated defense to win them games in 2011. If Gabbert is able to be brought along slowly as a game manager, at least at first, it bodes well for the Bengals.
If neither of these picks happen, Patrick Peterson from LSU could make the potential loss of Jonathan Joseph a little bit easier. Eh, who am I kidding, I don’t think it’s possible to draft Peterson too high, and from now ‘til the draft I’ll keep tooting the defensive back’s horn. He’s a great fit for any of the teams picking in the top 10.
5. Arizona Cardinals 5-11
With all due respect to John Skelton, the QB position is a disaster area for Arizona. The best choice for the Cards here, I think, is to trade for Kevin Kolb. If that happens, its possible that this pick ends up in the hands of the Eagles. As it stands now though, there’s no remaining quarterback that merits a top 5 pick, as the Birds will likely look to the second round to find their signal caller (think Locker, Mallett). So when the board doesn’t fit your needs, you have two options. One: trade down (yawn). Two: take the best player available. You know what that means.
Patrick Peterson cures so many ills in the defensive backfield. Teaming up with Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie gives the Cardinals an excellent young cornerback set, and Peterson also would be an upgrade over Kerry Rhodes at safety if the Cards elect to deploy him there. Alright, you’ve heard enough there, and the Patrick Peterson love ends with the number 5 pick.
If for some god-awful reason PP isn’t the answer, think about the headaches that defensive coordinators would get from figuring out how to handle a receiving corps that features Larry Fitzgerald, Steve Breaston, and A.J. Green. Heck, I think I could throw passes to that crew; Skelton/Mallett/Kolb would put up some serious numbers.
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