Breaking down the wacky and wild first round

Thursday’s first round of the NFL
Draft was full of surprises, from about 10 minutes until nearly
midnight before the Green Bay Packers wrapped things up. Once Von
Miller went to Denver with the second overall pick, the major
shake-up was on, all the way down to a bizarre “passing” of the
pick by the Baltimore Ravens at 26. While giving grades a day after
the draft is silly (general rule of thumb is to wait three years), we
will examine each pick of the first round in detail.

1 Carolina Panthers, Cam Newton, QB, Auburn

Breakdown: This pick was hardly a surprise. Carolina clearly wasn’t ready to move forward with Jimmy Clausen as its quarterback, so bringing in the high-risk, high-reward Newton gives the team a chance for a quick turnaround. Newton should have ample opportunity to be under center in Week 1.

2 Denver Broncos, Von Miller, OLB, Texas A&M
Breakdown: This is where things started to turn. The Broncos were expected to either pick Dareus or trade down, but instead went with Miller. It was assumed Miller would be an ideal fit in a 3-4 defense, but John Fox apparently had eyes for him all along and passed up on assessing his porous defensive line to take the talented Miller.

3 Buffalo Bills, Marcell Dareus, DT, Alabama
Breakdown: Dareus ends up being a great fit in Buffalo as well, as the Bills also have a major hole on their defensive line to fill. Though they could have taken Blaine Gabbert here, they apparently felt they could address the QB position in a quality manner in a later round.

4 Cincinnati Bengals, A.J. Green, WR, Georgia
Breakdown: Yours truly was left wondering if this was more a ploy to get Carson Palmer to come back than anything else. With Gabbert still on the board, the Bengals instead went with the talented Green, who may end up replacing Chad Ochocinco in essence. Either that, or Cincinnati felt strongly that they could still get their future signal-caller in round two.

5 Arizona Cardinals, Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU
Breakdown: Once again we were all left wondering if this was the gift the Cardinals were waiting for to take Gabbert, but Peterson is too good of a talent to pass up on. The LSU stud will now be paired up with Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie to form perhaps the game’s best 1-2 corner tandem. Arizona had several other needs to fill, including quarterback, but won’t be disappointed with Peterson.

6 Atlanta Falcons, Julio Jones, WR, Alabama
Breakdown: The first of several shockers was Atlanta paying a hefty price to move up 21 spots to take Jones. Matt Ryan now has two lethal weapons at receiver in Jones and Roddy White, but the head-scratcher was that GM Thomas Dimitroff shelled out six picks to move up, including this and next year’s first-rounder and a 2 this year. Nevertheless, it represents a boom or bust move for a team on the cusp of contending for a championship.

7 San Francisco 49ers, Aldon Smith, DE, Missouri
Breakdown: Jim Harbaugh apparently is ready to move forward with Alex Smith and possibly someone the Niners can land in free agency and gambled a bit on Missouri’s Smith. He gives the team versatility and a playmaker on defense, but many were left wondering why the QB didn’t choose to marry himself to his own quarterback right off the bat.

8 Tennessee Titans, Jake Locker, QB, Washington
Breakdown: This one caught everyone off guard. If the Titans were going to take a QB and Gabbert was there, it was undoubtedly going to be the Missouri signal-caller landing in Nashville. But Locker got the nod instead, and new coach Mike Munchak needs to get him ready and prove the nay-sayers wrong. Locker is a first-round talent, but very few if any people feel he is more NFL-ready than Gabbert.

9 Dallas Cowboys, Tyron Smith, OT, USC
Breakdown: A safe pick of sorts for the always-enigmatic Jerry Jones and Co., even though many felt Prince Amukamara was the pick with the second-rated corner still on the board at 9. Nevertheless the Cowboys know the need to prioritize the protection of Tony Romo, coming off a broken collarbone and a team that desperately needs to get back to its winning ways.

10 Jacksonville Jaguars, Blaine Gabbert, QB, Missouri
Breakdown: That the Jags took a QB with their first pick isn’t unbelievably surprising, but perhaps that they traded up to do it is. However, few can fault them for jumping at the chance to take Gabbert when they knew he likely wouldn’t be there at 16. It cost them their second-rounder, but now Jack Del Rio can focus on defense the rest of the way while providing competition for incumbent David Garrard.

11 Houston Texans, J.J. Watt, DE, Wisconsin
Breakdown: The Texans appeared to be a prime trade-down candidate, but it’s clear that hunting down Peyton Manning is still priority number one in Houston. Watt fortifies the defensive line in pairing with former first-overall pick Mario Williams, and the hope is that an improved pass rush will protect a secondary that was responsible for the league’s 32nd-ranked pass defense in 2010.

12 Minnesota Vikings, Christian Ponder, QB, Florida State
Breakdown: Brett Favre is NOT coming back (is he?). So drafting a QB isn’t all that much of a shocker, even if Ponder was flying under the radar somewhat. But his Senior Bowl MVP performance apparently was no fluke, at least according to GM Rick Spielman, so the time to rebuild is now. Tarvaris Jackson is likely on his way out, and Joe Webb can jockey for the starting nod with Ponder. Minnesota likely focuses on O-line and defense the rest of the way.

13 Detroit Lions, Nick Fairley, DT, Auburn
Breakdown: Amukamara would have made perfect sense here for a corner-hungry team, but the temptation of pairing last year’s top pick Ndamukong Suh with another outrageous talent in Fairley was too much for the Lions brass. Corner should be addressed with the next pick, but for now, Detroit arguably boasts the best interior defensive line in all of football. Good luck, Adrian Peterson.

14 St. Louis Rams, Robert Quinn, DE, UNC
Breakdown: Sam Bradford didn’t get his top target in Jones, so Steve Spagnuolo did the next best thing in fortifying his up-and-coming defense. Perhaps trying to recreate his defensive line prowess from his Giants days, Spags throws Quinn into the mix with former second-overall pick Chris Long, and the Rams defense continues to elevate.

15 Miami Dolphins, Mike Pouncey, OG, Florida
Breakdown: No such luck for the Steelers in reuniting the Pouncey twins, and the Dolphins could not be happier. Strengthening the interior of the offensive line that is already anchored by 2008 first-overall pick Jake Long, Miami now sets its sights on fixing its running back quandry and keeps its fingers crossed that Chad Henne evolves into the player they need him to.

16 Washington Redskins, Ryan Kerrigan, DE, Purdue
Breakdown: A team with so many needs added an extra second-rounder for depth and also picked up a heady defensive player in Kerrigan. More importantly, the team adds another infusion of youth to a unit with many aging players. Teaming with Brian Orakpo, the Redskins could suddenly find themselves as a legitimate pass-rushing team.

17 New England Patriots, Nate Solder, OT, Colorado
Breakdown: Drafting the former tight end makes sense, as protecting the 34-year-old Tom Brady needs to be a priority for the Patriots. New England always has a bevy of picks to work with, and likely will land Da’Quan Bowers, once considered top-pick material, at 33. With Stephen Neal’s retirement and the unlikely return of Nick Kaczur, the addition of Solder is a smart one.

18 San Diego Chargers, Corey Liuget, DT, Illinois
Breakdown: Liuget’s stock skyrocketed in 2010 and he was expected to end up with a team that would use his as a defensive tackle, but apparently the Chargers are looking to move him to end and develop his pass-rushing skills. Either way, the Bolts needed D-line help despite their top overall ranking on defense in 2010.

19 New York Giants, Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska
Breakdown: It is surprising that he fell this far, but Amukamara will ultimately pay dividends for the Giants. Offensive line was an option here, but you can never have enough corner help, and the consensus second-best corner in the draft will go a long way towards helping shut down DeSean Jackson in the NFC East. With Amukamara, Corey Webster, Antrel Rolle, and Kenny Phillips, the Giants will have one of the league’s best secondaries in 2011.

20 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Adrian Clayborn, DE, Iowa
Breakdown: One of the few expected picks/landing spots, the selection of Clayborn represents the Bucs’ desire to address the edges after fixing the interior of the D-line last year with their first two selections. Clayborn is an every-down type player that should make an immediate impact.

21 Cleveland Browns, Phil Taylor, DT, Baylor
Breakdown: After trading down, the Browns had some flexibility to move back up and get the massive yet talented Taylor. It only cost the Browns a third-rounder to swap with Kansas City, and GM Mike Holmgren lands a player who can command double teams and stop the run in a division that is predicated on running and smash-mouth football.

22 Indianapolis Colts, Anthony Castonzo, OT, Boston College
Breakdown: Instead of protecting Eli, Anthony Castonzo gets to protect Peyton Manning instead. Like the Patriots did, the Colts know keeping their franchise QB, at 35, upright is critical. The Colts also need to get better at running the ball, so the Castonzo selection is a safe yet smart one for GM Bill Polian, who has surprisingly missed on a few picks in recent years.

23 Philadelphia Eagles, Danny Watkins, OG, Baylor
Breakdown: Andy Reid has always had a soft spot – literally – for offensive lineman, so Watkins’ selection is not a total shock. But the 26-year-old former firefighter wasn’t expected to leapfrog Cabe Carimi, and a number of Eagle fans were left scratching their heads over why the team passed on him. Nonetheless, Watkins is a solid player who has a chance to excel at either tackle or guard, giving Reid the flexibility he likes from his O-linemen.

24 New Orleans Saints, Cameron Jordan, DE, California
Breakdown: The Saints get a big-time pass-rusher for Gregg Williams’ aggressive defense in Jordan, as the son of former tight end Steve Jordan fills a need along the defensive line. Jordan was expected to go higher, meaning the Saints essentially got a steal with him at 24.

25 Seattle Seahawks, James Carpenter, OT, Alabama
Breakdown: Peter King compared this as the “odd pick” of this year’s draft to Jacksonville’s selection Tyson Alualu at 10 last year, but Pete Carroll said the team had its eye on Carpenter for a while as they attempt to improve on last year’s 30th-ranked rushing attack. They could have taken Ryan Mallett but decided to go safer and fix an offensive line that hasn’t been the same since Steve Hutchinson’s departure and Walter Jones’ retirement.

26 Kansas City Chiefs, Jonathan Baldwin, WR, Pittsburgh
Breakdown: This was the most bizarre sequence of the night. As analysts were scrambling to find out just what went down, the Chiefs slid up one spot past the absent-minded Ravens to upgrade their passing game significantly by taking Baldwin. Kansas City supposedly had its sights on him at 21, but was able to land Baldwin and his raw talents at 26 nonetheless. Chris Chambers may be gone, so Baldwin has a chance to step in and provide Matt Cassel and strong complement to Dwayne Bowe.

27 Baltimore Ravens, Jimmy Smith, CB, Colorado
Breakdown: The Ravens, normally one of the most sure-handed draft teams, somehow took too much time to make their selection, but nevertheless landed the man they likely targeted all along in Smith. He is as talented a corner as any in the draft but comes with a major black mark in terms of his character. He has three failed drug tests, two alcohol-related violations and an arrest for third-degree assault, but coach John Harbaugh said he has been impressed with how forthright Smith has been about everything. A team with a major hole to fill at corner should not be disappointed in Smith if Ray Lewis and Ed Reed can mentor him and help keep him out of trouble in Baltimore.

28 New Orleans Saints, Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama
Breakdown: Mark Ingram was widely expected to land at 28, just not with the Saints. The Patriots acquired New Orleans’ first-rounder in 2012 because the Saints had visions of upgrading their running game. This could spell the end for Reggie Bush – would it be any surprise if he ended up in New England? – but the Saints feel very strongly they may have found a star for years to come in Ingram. In all, a very impressive first day for the Saints.

29 Chicago Bears, Gabe Carimi, OT, Wisconsin
Breakdown: The Bears became the biggest beneficiary of the Eagles’ selection of Watkins, as they landed arguably the best tackle in the draft in Carimi. Chicago had major issues on the offensive line in 2010 despite reaching the NFC Championship Game, and Carimi will improve the unit immediately. All things considered, a great value pick for the Bears at 29.

30 New York Jets, Muhammed Wilkerson, DT, Temple
Breakdown: The Jets simply couldn’t go on needing to scheme their heads off just to get pressure on opposing quarterbacks, so addressing the defensive line with the selection of Wilkerson makes perfect sense. Stephen Paea was a possibility here, but Wilkerson will be effective as either an edge rusher in a 3-4 or an interior tackle in a 4-3 and gives the Jets a much-needed infusion of youth along the defensive line.

31 Pittsburgh Steelers, Cameron Heyward, DE, Ohio State
Breakdown: Heyward wasn’t expected to be there for Pittsburgh, but a little luck is nothing new to the Steelers. Now Pittsburgh gets an outstanding outside pass-rusher for their 3-4 defense, even if he may not start immediately and the team was expected to go after Texas CB Aaron Williams. With age becoming a concern along the front line, this make still makes sense, even if more so for the future.

32 Green Bay Packers, Derek Sherrod, OT, Mississippi State
Breakdown: The defending champs didn’t exactly have any pressing needs entering the Draft, so the selection of Sherrod represents more of an insurance policy for Aaron Rodgers. Sherrod is also likely the future replacement for the aging Chad Clifton and provides excellent value for the Packers at 32.