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http://walterfootball.com/draft2011.php (mock updated 1/13)
Carolina Panthers: A.J. Green, WR, Georgia
With Andrew Luck going back to school, this pick is now down to three players: A.J. Green, Da'Quan Bowers and Nick Fairley. Mel Kiper and Sun Tan Man will probably have Bowers up here in their mock updates, but I personally wouldn't touch him. First of all, he fills the lesser of the three needs between wide receiver, defensive tackle and defensive end. And second, Bowers is an athletic freak who posted great numbers this year, but he has some really bad tape and one has to wonder why he didn't produce in his first two years at Clemson.
Nick Fairley satisfies the greatest need, and I think there's a much greater chance he's the No. 1 pick in the wake of his tremendous Co-National Championship performance (congrats, by the way, to Auburn and TCU for winning it all.) The question is, would Carolina's new regime pay No. 1 overall money to a defensive tackle who is labeled a dirty player? Fairley could actually lead the NFL in personal foul penalties next year.
Green, in my opinion, is the best available talent. He is the next of the elite receivers in the mold of Randy Moss, Calvin Johnson and Larry Fitzgerald. Steve Smith is a rapidly declining player, so it's not like the Panthers don't need a wideout. Green is my early favorite to go No. 1 overall, though Fairley has made things a lot more interesting.
But as Facebook friend Horace S. wrote, the Panthers continue to lose even though the season's over. It's quite apparent that Jimmy Clausen is not the answer. I made a huge mistake when I really underestimated how important it is not to be a loser in college. If you're a winner as a quarterback, it doesn't necessarily mean you'll succeed in the NFL. However, if you can't win, I think it says something about your attitude. And I'm not just referring to wins and losses. Clausen is not a leader; conversely, seems to have this Matt Leinart-esque sense of entitlement.
Clausen just doesn't seem to have "it." Granted, he had no help from his teammates - malcontent Steve Smith dropped a ton of passes and the offensive line refused to block - but Clausen lost all confidence in himself and his body language was absolutely abysmal. Maybe he can get it together somewhere down the road, but he's not even close to being ready as an NFL starter.
With Andrew Luck going back to school, this pick is now down to three players: A.J. Green, Da'Quan Bowers and Nick Fairley. Mel Kiper and Sun Tan Man will probably have Bowers up here in their mock updates, but I personally wouldn't touch him. First of all, he fills the lesser of the three needs between wide receiver, defensive tackle and defensive end. And second, Bowers is an athletic freak who posted great numbers this year, but he has some really bad tape and one has to wonder why he didn't produce in his first two years at Clemson.
Nick Fairley satisfies the greatest need, and I think there's a much greater chance he's the No. 1 pick in the wake of his tremendous Co-National Championship performance (congrats, by the way, to Auburn and TCU for winning it all.) The question is, would Carolina's new regime pay No. 1 overall money to a defensive tackle who is labeled a dirty player? Fairley could actually lead the NFL in personal foul penalties next year.
Green, in my opinion, is the best available talent. He is the next of the elite receivers in the mold of Randy Moss, Calvin Johnson and Larry Fitzgerald. Steve Smith is a rapidly declining player, so it's not like the Panthers don't need a wideout. Green is my early favorite to go No. 1 overall, though Fairley has made things a lot more interesting.
But as Facebook friend Horace S. wrote, the Panthers continue to lose even though the season's over. It's quite apparent that Jimmy Clausen is not the answer. I made a huge mistake when I really underestimated how important it is not to be a loser in college. If you're a winner as a quarterback, it doesn't necessarily mean you'll succeed in the NFL. However, if you can't win, I think it says something about your attitude. And I'm not just referring to wins and losses. Clausen is not a leader; conversely, seems to have this Matt Leinart-esque sense of entitlement.
Clausen just doesn't seem to have "it." Granted, he had no help from his teammates - malcontent Steve Smith dropped a ton of passes and the offensive line refused to block - but Clausen lost all confidence in himself and his body language was absolutely abysmal. Maybe he can get it together somewhere down the road, but he's not even close to being ready as an NFL starter.
