Today, we will take a look into the future of the AFC North as it pertains to the 2011 Draft. Although the two Ohio teams will still be weaker this coming season, look for this draft to be the key that opens the door to a changing of the guard in the years to come.
Let me begin by saying that I love the brand of smash mouth football this division plays. With hard hitting defenses and impact runners like Peyton Hillis, Rashard Mendenhall, Ray Rice, and Cedric Benson -all of whom topped 1000 yards rushing in 2010, you truly get "three yards and a cloud of dust" on a weekly basis. With the option to see a great play action fake that ends up going 72 yards for a score, you can never get enough of AFC North action. Let's go!
Cleveland Browns:
Everyone who cares knew the Browns were going to take WR Julio Jones with the sixth overall pick. Then, they traded that pick to the Atlanta Falcons, who promptly took Jones. They received much in return though, getting Atlanta's 27th overall pick, their 2nd, and 4th round picks in the 2011 draft, and their 1st and 4th rounders next year.
They then traded the 27th pick to the Kansas City Chiefs for the 21st pick and took Baylor DT Phil Taylor. Taylor is of the large variety, at over 6'-3" and 335 pounds. He will play Nose Tackle in the 3-4 defense, anchoring a line that struggled in 2010. He compares to Vince Wilfork of the New England Patriots (and even looks like him a bit), and should start early in Cleveland. Phil is fairly athletic for his size, and can even serve as a lead blocker on short yard situations if needed.
Their second round selection is a good one, and underrated as a player, I believe. DE Jabaal Sheard out of Pittsburgh didn't get a lot of attention from draft "experts", and he should prove quickly that he deserved it. He is very fast off the edge, and has a plethora of moves to get him to the quarterback. He might have trouble early on with the bull rush, as most tackles in the NFL are stronger and more skilled (especially if on the right side of the defense) at defending against it. He most likely will depend on his length and speed to get to the QB throughout his career.
The inordinate amount of talent at the defensive end position saw him drop out of the first round. But I promise you, this kid could have been taken anywhere from 15-20, and it would not have surprised me at all. He is a potential all pro in the next five years.
The Browns made up for not taking Jones, grabbing North Carolina WR Greg Little with the 59th overall pick early in round three. Make no mistake, however, there is nothing "little" about him. Greg is 6'-3" 230lbs, and runs a 4.5sec 40 yard dash. He is incredibly strong, stiff-arming linebackers to the ground with little problem (pun completely intended).
He was among those suspended at North Carolina before the 2010 season for taking money from agents, and missed the entire year. Had he played, Little may have been the third receiver taken, probably by Kansas City, who took Johnathan Baldwin instead. He will battle for a starting spot immediately, as Cleveland does not have a true number one receiver. This gives them the deep threat they have needed for years, and will create even more running room for Hillis.
Other notable draft selections to Cleveland include TE Jordan Cameron from Southern California, and DB Eric Hagg out of Nebraska. Cameron is big and athletic, and with an aging Ben Watson getting slower as the years move along, he may wind up getting a lot of playing time as the season progresses. Hagg has a nose for the football. He is smart, and could prove to be a great 7th round pick in the years to come. Oh, and he hails from my high school Alma Matter. Go Eagles!
Draft Grade: B-
Pittsburgh Steelers:
Pittsburgh typically drafts very well, and their success of late is almost solely the result of drafting. They don't do much shopping for free agents, and they don't make trades. The success of the Steelers defense will depend on the health of all pro S Troy Polamalu for now. And with that in mind, they got defensive in the 2011 draft.
First, it was Ohio State DE Cameron Heyward, who is the son of a former NFL power RB, the late Craig "Ironhead" Heyward. Cameron has a high motor, and is powerful enough to handle pretty much any offensive lineman in the league. I watched many of his games, being a Buckeye fan, and if there is one knock on him, it is that he is at times too aggressive, and can over pursue and find himself out of position. That is deadly in the NFL. However, as defensive minded as this team is, I have little doubt that will be taken care of quickly. He can play any position on the line, which will come in handy for Dick LeBeau and his quirky but always strong defensive scheme.
Their second round choice was University of Florida OL Marcus Gilbert. He has the ability to start right now, and if Max Starks can't stay healthy and/or Flozell Adams struggles as he did a year ago, that's just what will happen. Gilbert is agile for his massive frame (6'-6'' 330lbs) and is durable. He can play on either side of the line, and can fill in at Guard if the need arises. He will be an anchor on this line for the next decade, health pending.
Going back to the defensive side, they took DB Curtis Brown from Texas. Brown is extremely athletic, boasting the best vertical leap of all cornerbacks at the combine, at 39.5 inches. He displays good speed, and can help out on special teams in the return game. I don't see him starting this season, but he can step into the nickel role and contribute by shutting down an opposing offense's 3rd receiver. He is an average sized back, no eye popping vital stats to speak of. He is just a solid football player, and can make an impact on this defense in a few year's time.
Other notable players drafted by Pittsburgh are OLB Christopher Carter from Fresno State, and Cortez Allen, a CB out of The Citadel. Carter played DE in college, and finished 7th in the NCAA in sacks last season with 11. He is much too small for the position in the NFL, so will make the switch to outside linebacker. Allen has above average height for a cornerback, at almost 6'-2'', and is quick off the ball in coverage. It appears to me he gets turned around easily, but his athletic ability and DB coach will help work that out.
Draft Grade: C+
Baltimore Ravens:
As it turns out, Baltimore does care about the offense and its performance. The receivers they have drafted since 2008 combined for exactly zero catches last season.
We'll get to that in just a minute, as Colorado CB Jimmy Smith was their first selection. This makes an already stout defense even better in the years to come. He has great size and speed, and that combination could see him in the Pro Bowl before too long. There are questions about his character, but don't most great DBs in the NFL have a character flaw or two? This shouldn't be a problem. If anything, it brings more attitude to the most animated defense in the league.
Maryland WR Torrey Smith is an outstanding athlete. He shows good adjustment to the ball while it's in the air, and has great leaping ability, with a 41 inch performance in the vertical at the combine. Smith is a reliable punt returner, and can be a third receiver in his rookie season. He has good hands, but catches the ball up against his body a little too much. That could be problematic with Joe Flacco -who has an Abrams Tank Cannon for an arm- throwing to him.
In the third round, the Ravens chose OT Jah Reid out of Central Florida. With Michael Oher inhabiting the left side of the line, it makes sense to draft a lineman who is familiar with the right side at the tackle position. Reid played there while in college, and will continue to do so throughout his career. 6'-7'' and 330 pounds, he is the ideal size for the spot. He has admittedly had weight problems in the past, so this could be a concern, especially with the lockout in full effect for the moment. I don't know much about his work ethic, but if he shows up to camp out of shape, you'll know why.
Other notable selections by the Ravens are Indiana WR Tanden Doss, and Virginia Tech QB Tyrod Taylor. Doss is a physical receiver, and a crisp route runner. He should challenge Torrey Smith for that third receiver role. Taylor is being brought in to be a backup, getting the chance to learn from a great professional. This is a good situation for him to be in, as he needs work if he wants to become a starter in the league.
Draft Grade: B-
The Bengals may have done more for their future than any other team in the division. They made it clear the direction they intend to go, and I believe the choices they made on draft weekend were the first step in turning things around in Cincy.
With their number 4 overall pick, they took Georgia's A.J. Green, an outstanding WR with great speed and top notch elusiveness. He is Dez Bryant without the attitude. He will replace troubled veteran Chad Johnson sooner than some think, and will earn his spot with no trouble. He has excellent hands and catches the ball away from his body. He will win most jump ball opportunities in the red zone, and displays awesome adjustment skills while the ball is in the air.
They then picked their replacement for Carson Palmer, taking fellow redheaded QB Andy Dalton out of TCU. Dalton is ultra accurate throwing only 24 interceptions in his 1,001 passing attempts, and has adequate arm strength to perform in the NFL for years. He did nothing but win in his college career, racking up 29 wins for the Horned Frogs. He shows above average ability to escape the rush, but is most certainly a thrower first. He stands strong in the pocket, and can take a hit and get right back up.
In the third round, they picked up Dontay Moch, an OLB out of Nevada. He has impressive speed for his size. At 250lbs, he ran a 4.4sec 40 at the combine. Along with his 42 inch vertical and 128 inch standing broad jump, he was among the best performing athletes at his position during the combine. His play on the field, though, is why he was drafted by the Bengals. They need a spark plug at linebacker, and he is nothing short of that. He plays with high energy and great intensity, and can be the leader of a leader-less defense in a matter of a couple NFL seasons.
Other notable picks for Cincinnati include S Robert Sands from West Virginia, and OG Clint Boling from Georgia. Sands is big and plays that way. He uses his size well, knocking away passes easily. He lacks top end speed, but he can play close to the line and help out in the run game, as Adrian Wilson of the Arizona Cardinals does. Boling was a four year starter at Georgia, and has great football instincts. He is an above average run blocker, but lacks the strength as of now to dominate in pass protection. Nonetheless, he should start from day one at either of the guard positions.
Draft Grade: B+
