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2011 NFL Draft Revisited: Part 2, teams 1-16
By Dane Brugler
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/nfl-draft-scout/24567786/nfl-draft-revisited-part-2-teams-1-16
Part 2 of 2 (Part 1, Nos. 17-32, was posted Monday, May 19): Before draft picks even take the field, most of us are guilty of "grading" each team on the prospects they selected in the NFL Draft. While there is nothing wrong with immediately evaluating each team's draft class, a more practical exercise is to give prospects three or more seasons to prove themselves in the NFL to register a comprehensive grade.
Looking back at the 2011 class, the quarterbacks went high, with four in the top-12 picks, but the lasting thought from the 2011 NFL Draft is the impact of the pass rushers produced from that class: J.J. Watt, Robert Quinn, Aldon Smith, Von Miller and Justin Houston are among the impact sack artists who entered the league three years ago. The 2011 NFL Draft sent a few superstars to the NFL (12 of the top-16 picks have made at least one Pro Bowl), but like every class, there were several busts as well.
With that said, let's look back at the 2011 NFL Draft to see how each team did, ranking them from 32-to-1, worst to first. Part one (teams 32-17) was posted Monday. Today, we tackle Nos. 16-1:
8. St. Louis Rams (8 picks)
1 (14) DE Robert Quinn, North Carolina; 2 (47) TE Lance Kendricks, Wisconsin; 3 (78) WR Austin Pettis, Boise State; 4 (112) WR Greg Salas, Hawai'i; 5 (158) DB Jermale Hines, Ohio State; 7 (216) DB Mikail Baker, Baylor; 7 (228) LB Jabara Williams, Stephen F. Austin; 7 (229) DB Jonathan Nelson, Oklahoma
The good: After a handful of sacks as a sub-package rusher as a rookie, DE Robert Quinn tallied double-digit sacks each of the last two seasons, including 19 last season that earned him consensus All-Pro honors. He slipped in the draft due maturity concerns, but the talent was never questioned and the Rams got a steal.
The bad: After an impressive pre-draft process, WR Greg Salas moved up draft boards and the Rams drafted him early in the fourth round. He had 27 catches as a rookie, but was traded prior to the 2012 season and has recorded just eight catches the past two years, bouncing between three teams.
Jury still out: The second tight end drafted, TE Lance Kendricks showed promise as a rookie followed by career-highs in 2012 with 42 catches for 519 and four scores. But with the Rams signing TE Jared Cook last off-season, Kendricks' production dipped in 2013 and the upcoming season could be his final in St. Louis.
Re-grade: B+
By Dane Brugler
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/nfl-draft-scout/24567786/nfl-draft-revisited-part-2-teams-1-16
Part 2 of 2 (Part 1, Nos. 17-32, was posted Monday, May 19): Before draft picks even take the field, most of us are guilty of "grading" each team on the prospects they selected in the NFL Draft. While there is nothing wrong with immediately evaluating each team's draft class, a more practical exercise is to give prospects three or more seasons to prove themselves in the NFL to register a comprehensive grade.
Looking back at the 2011 class, the quarterbacks went high, with four in the top-12 picks, but the lasting thought from the 2011 NFL Draft is the impact of the pass rushers produced from that class: J.J. Watt, Robert Quinn, Aldon Smith, Von Miller and Justin Houston are among the impact sack artists who entered the league three years ago. The 2011 NFL Draft sent a few superstars to the NFL (12 of the top-16 picks have made at least one Pro Bowl), but like every class, there were several busts as well.
With that said, let's look back at the 2011 NFL Draft to see how each team did, ranking them from 32-to-1, worst to first. Part one (teams 32-17) was posted Monday. Today, we tackle Nos. 16-1:
8. St. Louis Rams (8 picks)
1 (14) DE Robert Quinn, North Carolina; 2 (47) TE Lance Kendricks, Wisconsin; 3 (78) WR Austin Pettis, Boise State; 4 (112) WR Greg Salas, Hawai'i; 5 (158) DB Jermale Hines, Ohio State; 7 (216) DB Mikail Baker, Baylor; 7 (228) LB Jabara Williams, Stephen F. Austin; 7 (229) DB Jonathan Nelson, Oklahoma
The good: After a handful of sacks as a sub-package rusher as a rookie, DE Robert Quinn tallied double-digit sacks each of the last two seasons, including 19 last season that earned him consensus All-Pro honors. He slipped in the draft due maturity concerns, but the talent was never questioned and the Rams got a steal.
The bad: After an impressive pre-draft process, WR Greg Salas moved up draft boards and the Rams drafted him early in the fourth round. He had 27 catches as a rookie, but was traded prior to the 2012 season and has recorded just eight catches the past two years, bouncing between three teams.
Jury still out: The second tight end drafted, TE Lance Kendricks showed promise as a rookie followed by career-highs in 2012 with 42 catches for 519 and four scores. But with the Rams signing TE Jared Cook last off-season, Kendricks' production dipped in 2013 and the upcoming season could be his final in St. Louis.
Re-grade: B+
