Random 2011 Draft Chatter....

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The Cards and Cam

The Arizona Cardinals have been linked speculatively to a lot of quarterbacks this offseason, be it veteran free agents (Marc Bulger and Matt Hasselbeck), trade targets (Kevin Kolb and Carson Palmer) or any number of draft prospects. It would appear that John Skelton and Max Hall will have company once the season gets closer, it's just a matter of who that will be.

Speaking from the NFL owners' meetings in New Orleans, Cardinals head coach Ken Whisenhunt offered up a glimpse at what he was looking for at Cam Newton's pro day earlier this month, according to ESPN NFC West blogger Mike Sando.

"That was an opportunity to look at some of those things, see if he could make a certain type of throw that you want to see with a certain technique," Whisenhunt said, per Sando. "You want to get those questions answered as best you can, whether it's his drops to the types of throws to a whole different set of things you are looking for, outside of a controlled workout."

Though Whisenhunt did make the comparison between Newton and Ben Roethlisberger -- one that is not uncommon -- he did not explicitly state that the team was definitely interested in taking the Auburn product if he is still on the board at No. 5 overall. Sando has an educated guess, however:

- Tim Kavanagh

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Mike Sando
No QBs from this class are sure enough bets for the fifth pick

"My feel on Arizona, Newton and the quarterbacks in this draft: The Cardinals will not see a prospect as safe as Sam Bradford or Matt Ryan appeared in recent drafts. As a result, Arizona will have a hard time using the fifth overall pick on the position."

 

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More Wilkerson interest

Wilkerson is drawing quite a bit of interest this pre-draft season. The 315-pounder has been projected by many to play as a defensive end in a 3-4 scheme or as one of the DTs in a four-man front. In other words, there's a spot for him anywhere.

According to Aaron Wilson of National Football Post, Wilkerson has visits scheduled with the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs. While the Ravens are thought of by some as a 3-4 team, they actually run more of a hybrid scheme; a player like Wilkerson that could stay on the field for all three downs would thus be quite valuable. The Chiefs' interest in Wilkerson is a little confusing if they foresee him as an end, seeing as two recent first-round picks -- Tyson Jackson and Glenn Dorsey -- man those spots right now.

UPDATE: Draftinsider.net reported Monday that in addition to the previously known visits for Temple defensive tackle Muhammad Wilkerson, there are forthcoming meetings with the Minnesota Vikings and Tennessee Titans. However, the site also reports that "smart money" is on the D-lineman being selected by the New Orleans Saints (No. 24 overall).

 

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Lions still considering Smith?

Maybe Colorado cornerback Jimmy Smith isn't off the Detroit Lions' draft board after all.

After a recent meeting with Smith, "I feel better about him," Lions general manager Martin Mayhew said from the NFL owners' meetings in New Orleans, per Tom Kowalski of MLive.com. Kowalski still believes that the Lions will pass on Smith at No. 13 overall, though, meaning that the teams mentioned below will have their shot.

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Last week, we considered the report that the draft stock of Smith was on the decline, and that some teams had taken him completely off of their draft board. In a sense, this downgrade due to character issues would make him a value pick, seeing as many scouts have pegged him as the third-best CB in the draft, and a Top 15 pick if talent alone were being considered.

One team that may benefit from Smith's sliding stock is the Seattle Seahawks, and in fact, Draftinsider.net reported on Monday that the team is considering using its first-round pick (No. 25 overall) on the CB.

The Seahawks certainly have needs elsewhere -- including quarterback, of course -- but bolstering the defense with a skilled player such as Smith is a reasonable outcome. If the Seahawks pass, we've also seen mock drafts where he's taken by the Baltimore Ravens (No. 26), and the Pittsburgh Steelers (No. 31) are another team in need of a CB this offseason as well.

ESPN's Mel Kiper, Jr. commented on Smith's prospects during his most recent chat:

- Tim Kavanagh

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Mel Kiper, Jr.
Possibility for the Ravens

"He's a top 15 guy on talent. He's a CB with a lot of ability and a lot of physical talent. He's 6-2, 210, had a 36 vertical and ran a 4.43. Very experienced player. If he's there for Baltimore, he would have to be a guy to look at. Teams at 20-32 would have to look at him."

 

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Aldon Smith's visits

According to Eric Blumberg of KUMO-TV (Columbia), pass-rusher prospect Aldon Smith has visits lined up with the Baltimore Ravens, New England Patriots, Denver Broncos, Miami Dolphins, and Atlanta Falcons.

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NFL.com draft analyst Gil Brandt believes that Smith will be drafted in the middle of the first round, somewhere between picks 11 and 20. This jibes with where he went in the most recent mocks from Mel Kiper, Jr. and Todd McShay.

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Though much of the interest in Missouri's pro day on Thursday was on quarterback Blaine Gabbert, he's not the only potential first-rounder that played for the program in 2010. Smith, projected somewhere in the mid- to late-first round by most pundits, solidified his status in the eyes of those in attendance.

Tony Softli of 101 ESPN (St. Louis), a former NFL personnel man, had this to say about Smith: "Smith is a young player with a huge upside. He is a straight-liner off the edge with first-step quickness and the ability to turn speed into power, tilt tackles to create separation and burst to close on the quarterback. In my opinion, he is best suited for a 4-3 front as a pass rusher. Smith will need to improve the ability to stack at the point of attack against the run consistently. I feel he lacks the awareness to align as a 3-4 outside linebacker, attack from a two-point stance or drop off and play in space. He just might not be wired right for that position. I like his explosion, athletic movement, and first-step quickness."

Both of our draft gurus sent Smith to the Jacksonville Jaguars in their most recent mocks:

- Tim Kavanagh

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Mel Kiper, Jr.
He'll help fill out the D-line

"Smith offers a raw talent package with a lot of upside. He's a player who could easily have been a top-10 pick in 2012 had he stuck around Missouri for another year of development. The Jags went for veterans to spackle over the holes at defensive end last year, but it's time to develop some edge talent to go with what is a really promising defensive interior."

 

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Jones overtaking Green?

Generally the teams picking towards the top of the draft have deficiencies at important positions that impact every play from scrimmage, like quarterback or along the lines. That's why so many players from those positions wind up as top picks; if a team believes a certain prospect will become a long-term franchise left tackle, for instance, it's a no-brainer to grab him early. As the action moves to the periphery of the field, the "need" for players at these positions lessens, and picking these prospects early becomes more of luxury. This is part of the reason why no cornerback has ever been taken first overall (and only one defensive back was taken No. 1, safety Gary Glick in 1956) and the last receiver taken in that spot was Keyshawn Johnson in 1996.

This year, there are believed to be two impact CBs in Patrick Peterson and Prince Amukamara, and two blue-chip WRs in A.J. Green and Julio Jones. While the gap between Peterson and Amukamara has continued to exist throughout the pre-draft season, Jones has moved closer to Green in recent weeks. In fact, according to Peter King of Sports Illustrated, there are WR-needy teams that now have Jones ahead of Green on their draft boards, including the Cincinnati Bengals, who pick fourth overall.

According to King, the Bengals have received information on Green that he's not the most determined blocker, and new offensive coordinator Jay Gruden's offense will require blocking from the WRs. Additionally, King notes that the team has gotten info that there are issues related to Green's practice habits. Both of these issues is a non-factor for the Bengals on Jones, per King.

All of this is a fun hypothetical exercise, but it's not certain that the Bengals will take a WR at No. 4. In fact, head coach Marvin Lewis indicated on Tuesday that "the need at QB is greater," according to Joe Reedy of the Cincinnati Enquirer.

But if the Bengals have flipped Jones and Green, it's certainly plausible that others have done the same. The tension builds for the night of April 28 in the Green and Jones households.

 

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No. 6 pick on the block?

The debate amongst media types regarding the Cleveland Browns' first pick (No. 6 overall) has been between snatching a defensive lineman or a wide receiver. But there might be something worthwhile behind Curtain No. 3.

The prize behind that curtain is not a 1974 Bricklin, but rather an option to trade down, a scenario that's possible, according to team president Mike Holmgren.

"I think we're open to it this year," Holmgren said at the NFL owners meetings, per Tony Grossi of the Cleveland Plain Dealers. "We have a couple of [needs] I'd like to deal with, specifically. We'd move down for the same reason you'd always trade back."

That reason is the ability to pick up additional picks, either this season or next. Grossi notes that if one of the Top 2 quarterbacks are still around at No. 6, the Browns will have an opportunity to trade with the San Francisco 49ers (No. 7 overall), Tennessee Titans (No. 8) or Minnesota Vikings (No. 12) for the opportunity to grab the object of their desire. We'll throw in the Washington Redskins, who pick tenth, though they're operating with a diminished cache of picks following their trades for Donovan McNabb and Jammal Brown last offseason.

 

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Six QBs on Titans' list

It's generally being assumed that the Tennessee Titans will have multiple new faces amongst their quarterback ranks before the 2011 season kicks off. As of now, Vince Young and Rusty Smith are under contract, though Young is headed elsewhere either via trade or a release once the league's business year begins. Veteran Kerry Collins is a free agent, and it's possible he'll be under consideration for a return if he elects to continue his career.

That brings us to the draft. According to John Glennon of the Tennessean, the Titans will meet or work out at least six QB prospects.

The Top 2 -- Auburn's Cam Newton and Missouri's Blaine Gabbert -- may well be gone prior to the Titans' top pick. However, it's not as though the team doesn't have other needs, so using that pick elsewhere makes a lot of sense. Other QBs on their list of planned visits/workouts includes Arkansas' Ryan Mallett, Nevada's Colin Kaepernick, TCU's Andy Dalton and Washington's Jake Locker, all of whom may be available for the team in the second round.

As we know, just because a team has representatives at a player's pro day or schedules an official visit does not mean that they are necessarily interested in drafting him. However, given that the Titans are looking for a long-term franchise QB to grow with their new coaching staff, these options (and possibly others) are all likely being considered to some degree.

 

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Ingram in NY?

While the New York Giants have pressing needs on the offensive line and front seven, Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News says they may instead take a running back in April's NFL draft.

"Mark Ingram is a guy they could look at if he's sitting at that spot," Vacchiano said in an appearance on NFL Network. "They looked at C.J. Spiller last year at the top of the draft. They have some questions with Brandon Jacobs, he's going to make $4.6 million. Ahmad Bradshaw is coming off a lot of injuries and more surgeries."

Most mock drafts have Ingram going to the Miami Dolphins at number 15. If the Dolphins pass on him though, it's unlikely that any of the next three teams -- the Jacksonville Jaguars, New England Patriots, or San Diego Chargers -- would take a running back in the first round, leaving him on the board for the Giants at number 19.

 

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Washington's QB plans

We've speculated before that Cam Newton and Blaine Gabbert will both be off the board by the time the NFL draft gets to the Washington Redskins at number 10. Since there's a big dropoff in value at the position after those two names, it's been suggested that the Redskins will look elsewhere in Round One, then take one of the second-tier quarterbacks in Round Two.

Rich Campbell of The Free Lance-Star in Fredericksburg, Va., says this is a dangerous proposition. He looks back at ten years of second-round quarterbacks and finds one Hall of Fame-type player (Drew Brees, drafted 10 years ago), and, well, not much else. Depending on what happens with Kevin Kolb and Chad Henne, it's possible Brees will be the only second-rounder starting in the NFL in 2011.

On the other hand, ESPN draft expert Todd McShay tells Campbell that the second-round curse is likely to end this season. "I think it's just you get more quality seniors coming out," he told Campbell. "Even though we're seeing more spread offenses and systems that don't fit the NFL, I do think you have a bunch of seniors who have played a bunch of games and have been successful and a lot of intelligent players. I think guys like Dalton and Ponder and even guys like [Nevada's] Collin Kaepernick and [Iowa's] Ricky Stanzi, they know what it takes to be successful. They've been through a lot of games and have really gotten it done at the college level."

On that note, McShay has the Redskins going with Florida State quarterback Christian Ponder in the second round of his latest mock draft.

 

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Update on Green's stock

Georgia wide receiver A.J. Green is providing the Atlanta Journal-Constitution with occasional glimpses into his life as he gets ready to (likely) be a first-round draft pick. Within a recent entry, Green discussed his NCAA tournament brackets, as well as who he thinks might draft him:

"I don't know where I'm going," Green said. "You keep hearing about Cincinnati or Cleveland, but I'm trying to block all of that talk out because this draft stuff is crazy. You never know what is going to happen."

Earlier this week, we forwarded along the rumor that the Cincinnati Bengals actually preferred Julio Jones over Green, though the Bengals may be taking a quarterback anyway. As for the Cleveland Browns, Green is Mel Kiper, Jr.'s pick in his latest mock draft:

- Tim Kavanagh

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Mel Kiper, Jr.
He'll be an instant starter

"Green answered all the necessary questions at the NFL combine, checking in just a hair under his listed 6-foot-4, with a 211-pound frame that could easily take on a little more weight, and his 4.48 speed in the 40 was solid given his size. In Green you have a player with the profile of an immediate impact talent at wide receiver and a solution on the outside in Cleveland, where they are desperate for a true No. 1 wideout. He's a perfect fit, and it's hard to imagine the Browns passing on him if he's around. (Especially if they ask Colt McCoy for an opinion.)"

 

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OL idea for Bears at No. 29

As the Chicago Bears work this offseason to set themselves up to defend the NFC North division title, one area that will be a focus is the offensive line. The team shuffled their linemen around a bit last season, and it's been supposed that additions will be made either through the draft or free agency to solidify some starting spots.

According to Dan Pompei of the Chicago Tribune, it's more likely that the team will look to bolster their interior line as opposed to the tackle spots this offseason.

One dream pick for the Bears is Florida product Mike Pouncey, twin brother of Pittsburgh Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey. The idea there is that Pouncey could fill a hole at guard in the short-term, and be ready to replace veteran Olin Kreutz upon the latter's retirement.

But if Pouncey is off the board at No. 29 -- a distinct possibility, seeing as we've seen him go as high as No. 19 in mock drafts -- another option could be Danny Watkins, the Baylor product whose past employers include a fire department in Canada.

Though the interior line may be a greater need, Mel Kiper, Jr. has the Bears grabbing a tackle in his latest mock:

- Tim Kavanagh

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Mel Kiper, Jr.
Solder headed to Soldier Field

"Chicago should be thrilled if Nate Solder is available here. He has added bulk to a 6-foot-8 frame, making him a guy who could help in a run game that really fell off in 2010. All the questions about his toughness aside, Chicago let Jay Cutler take far too many hits over the last two seasons and Mike Martz isn't reluctant to run the ball if he has an offensive line he can run behind with consistency."

 

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Dalton a first-rounder?

During an appearance Wednesday on the "Brock and Salk Show" on 710 AM ESPN Radio, ESPN analyst and former NFL quarterback Trent Dilfer had a contrarian take on TCU product Andy Dalton. In Dilfer's view, he'll be taken in the first round of the draft, and would be a perfect fit for the Seattle Seahawks at No. 25 overall.

"One of the reasons why he hasn't generated as much momentum and hype is because what personnel and coaches do at this time of the year when they've kind of settle on who they want, they're going to shut up about that guy," Dilfer revealed. "You'll hear a lot of good stuff about (Arkansas' Ryan) Mallett in the next couple weeks because they want to use him as a smoke screen. You're going to hear a lot of good stuff about (FSU's Christian) Ponder because they want to use him as a smoke screen. At the end of the day, the good quarterback people in this league -- I will not be wrong here -- are going to be wanting Andy Dalton late in the first round or early second round if he happens to fall that far."

Dilfer issued similar comments when the Seahawks were "On the Clock" in a segment on SportsCenter recently, so he's certainly being consistent.

If the Seahawks don't nab Dalton there, it's possible he could be a target for teams looking to trade back into the bottom of the first round. Perhaps if one of the QB-needy teams in the Top 12 doesn't draft that position in the first, this will be an avenue they'll explore.

 

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Falcons to trade up?

We hear frequently about NFL teams looking to trade down in the draft in order to gather more picks, thereby spreading the risk of a high pick out among a few different players. It's rare that rumors emerge of a team wanting to trade up, but we have seen some of that already this pre-draft season with the San Diego Chargers. Can we add the Atlanta Falcons to that list?

Such was the idea behind a column from Jeff Schultz of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution this week, as Schultz believes the Falcons should do whatever they possibly can to get in position to draft wide receiver A.J. Green.

D. Orlando Ledbetter, the beat man for the Journal-Constitution, expands on that idea, noting that the Cleveland Browns could be a possible trade partner, should Green still be available when Cleveland is on the clock. (The Browns' desire to trade down was the subject of a post here on Wednesday). Ledbetter believes the Falcons would have to give up this year's first- and second-round picks as well as next year's No. 1 in order to move up to No. 6.

Though the Falcons could really use a complement to Roddy White, it seems a bit pricey from this vantage point.

 

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Bailey drawing interest

After converting from linebacker and spending time at both defensive tackle and defensive end, University of Miami product Allen Bailey is drawing significant interest as we saunter towards the NFL draft. In fact, according to what a source told Aaron Wilson of National Football Post, Bailey will soon be visited by an NFL head coach and general manager. [Editor's note: And hopefully not three ghosts].

While the identity of the head coach and general manager are unknown, Wilson confirms that the Atlanta Falcons, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Denver Broncos have official visits with Bailey forthcoming.

 

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Newton's next stops

Auburn quarterback Cam Newton has been linked to every team in the NFL that needs a quarterback, and it was no surprise that the Heisman Trophy winner drew a monstrous crowd -- and ESPN's cameras -- to his pro day earlier this month.

But with the season, combine and pro day in the rear-view mirror, the next step is a busy schedule of official visits, as teams make their final decisions. ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter emailed in on Thursday afternoon with an update on where Cam is headed over the next few weeks.

Per Schefter, Newton is scheduled to work out for the Miami Dolphins this upcoming Sunday at Auburn. The next day, the QB is scheduled to travel to visit the Buffalo Bills. On Wednesday, the Minnesota Vikings will have a private workout with him at Auburn. On Apr. 3, the Cincinnati Bengals are scheduled to visit with Newton at Auburn and then work him out on Monday. [Editor's note: No word on whether they'll all go out to watch Wrestlemania, or just catch it from Newton's pad]. Newton will then leave Auburn on Apr. 5 to visit the Carolina Panthers, followed by a visit to the Tennessee Titans on Apr. 6. He then is scheduled for a brief break before visiting the Bengals in Cincinnati on Apr. 12. From Cincinnati, Newton will complete the Ohio swing of the tour by visiting the Cleveland Browns on Apr. 13. He'll then pay a visit to the Washington Redskins on Apr. 15, and then head out to visit the Denver Broncos on Apr. 18.

Schefter reiterates that this is the schedule as of now, and visits could be added, deleted or changed. Conspicuous by their absence on this schedule are the Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks. But as we know, that doesn't necessarily mean that these teams are not interested.

 

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RB Williams moving up?

The trend in the NFL is moving away from using high draft picks on running backs, and one reason is pretty straightforward: the use of a committee approach in the backfield means that it's a bit of a waste to use a high pick on a player who won't be on the field every down.

In spite of that trend, there are some teams that may use relatively high picks this season on the position, and a prospect that fits the bill is Virginia Tech RB Ryan Williams. According to what a league source has told Aaron Wilson of National Football Post, Williams has already had a private workout with the Baltimore Ravens, and has visits upcoming with the Kansas City Chiefs and Washington Redskins.

Wilson's NFP colleague Wes Bunting tweeted Thursday afternoon that Williams would be a perfect fit" for the Redskins as their second-round pick. Meanwhile, should the Ravens select Williams this April, that might seal the fate of veteran RB Willis McGahee; then again, that ship (filled with a $6 million base salary in 2011) may have already sailed.

 

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The Broncos' QB pick potential

With many more needs on the defense, it hasn't been surprising to see the Broncos selecting a player on that side of the ball in the many mock drafts published in recent weeks. On Monday, however, executive vice president John Elway indicated that the team has not ruled out drafting a QB, according to Mike Klis of the Denver Post.

"We're always looking for that guy," Elway said, per Klis, when asked specifically about the so-called "franchise quarterback of the future." "We may already have the guy who can pull the trigger and win us a championship someday. We may have him. We don't know. We believe in Tim [Tebow] but he's not there yet."

The issue, of course, is that it's hard to tell if Tebow will ever get there based on the small sample of the 2010 season, especially with a new coaching staff in place. And it doesn't really make sense to give up the chance to find a blue-chip player at another position if a viable QB is already on the roster.

It's possible that the team's investigation of the top QB prospects is a work, that the Broncos are pretending to be interested in order to drum up some trade offers for the pick. This isn't a new idea, as Klis' colleague Jeff Legwold wrote on Feb. 10 that in order for the Broncos to trade down, they'd need the value of this class' QBs to go up. One way for that value to go up is to make it seem that those players are under consideration with the No. 2 pick.

We'll find out for sure just how interested the Broncos are in this year's QB crop on the night of April 28.

- Tim Kavanagh

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Mel Kiper, Jr.
I don't see them taking a QB

"I'd be surprised if they pick a QB. They have 3 right now and they're all different. Tebow is an inherited guy and that's always dangerous. Josh McDaniels drafted him and I thought he was in the minority of people that thought he was a first-rounder. We saw what we thought we'd see from him. He's tough as nails, he runs, but will he be the passer you want him to be? They have to assess that. But I would be surprised if they take a QB. The QBs that are coming in this year from the draft aren't ready anyway. I would think they draft a defensive player."

 

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Panthers down to two?

The 2011 NFL draft will start five weeks from tonight, and a great deal of work has already been done by teams to figure out where they rank prospects against one another. As the team with the No. 1 overall pick, the Carolina Panthers have the daunting task of deciding which prospect is worthy of that selection, and there are a number of viable options.

However, as Steve Reed of Carolina Growl writes, the "current odds-on favorites are Alabama defensive tackle Marcell Dareus and Missouri quarterback Blaine Gabbert, with support dwindling for Auburn quarterback Cam Newton and virtually disappearing altogether for his college teammate defensive tackle Nick Fairley."

The NFL Network's Michael Lombardi adds that the Panthers should draft Gabbert or Newton. Even if they wind up in the Top 5 again in next year's draft, at least they'll have a solid developmental QB in the mix, and "hope for the future," as Lombardi notes.

Unlike in years' past, the team picking first cannot negotiate a contract with their pick prior to the draft thanks to the labor impasse. So we really won't know who the Panthers will pick -- or if they are going to trade down -- until the fateful night of Apr. 28. But given what we've heard thus far, Reed's speculation that it's now a two-horse race is not all that illogical.

 

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Latest on Bowers

Back on March 17, we passed along a report from Aaron Wilson of National Football Post which indicated that negative speculation on the health of defensive line prospect Da'Quan Bowers was overblown. Thursday, this idea was supported by some additional new reports.

Speaking about the injury concerns to Doug Farrar of Yahoo! Sports, Bowers' trainer Travelle Gaines remarked, "I don't know where that's coming from." Furthermore, from his own investigation, Farrar noted that "after spending the day at API, I can say that if there's a problem with Da'Quan Bowers' knee, I certainly don't see it."

In addition, Bowers' agent Joe Flanagan sent an email to Pro Football Talk in which he addressed the situation head on. The money quote: "Da'Quan's knee has progressed ahead of schedule, in every regard, since the day he walked out of his procedure. There have been no 'setbacks' or new concerns, and Da'Quan is very much looking forward to his workout on April 1st."

As Bowers' agent, Flanagan's defiant stance is not surprising. But Farrar's opinion -- as an independent observer -- does support the idea that Bowers has not had a setback. Guess we'll find out for sure on Apr. 1.

 

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Smith has 16 visits lined up

The Detroit Lions' interest in cornerback prospect Jimmy Smith has been a subject of great debate. Smith has Top 15 talent, but there are some questions on other aspects of him as a person. However, the latest buzz was that Lions general manager Martin Mayhew came away with a better feeling on Smith based on a recent meeting.

The Lions are just one of 32 teams in the NFL, and many teams will consider adding a CB through the draft process this offseason. In fact, during an appearance on WQAM (Miami) on Friday, Smith's agent, Drew Rosenhaus confirmed that by the end of the pre-draft season, Smith will have visited with 16 teams. (H/T to Omar Kelly of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel for the info from Rosenhaus).

In addition to the Lions, we've heard some rumblings on the Seattle Seahawks, Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers as possible destinations. But in the same neighborhood as the Lions, the Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars are two other teams searching for some CB help this offseason, so it wouldn't be surprising if they are amongst this large group of teams getting a deeper look at Smith.