HOW TO KNOW WHAT PLAYER YOUR TEAM IS DRAFTING.

1. "Carolina Panthers: Nick Fairley, DT, Auburn 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 (along with everyone else in the mock draft database) slated Fairley to the Panthers, while Sun Tan Man has Bowers has No. 1.
   I can't agree with the latter. First of all, Bowers 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.
   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.)
   
   Meanwhile, Green, in my opinion, is the best available talent. I believe 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. We actually have an interesting thread about Green going first overall on the forum.
   
   But is Green the consensus best player? Not according to my Consensus 2011 NFL Draft Big Board. The best player is a tie between Fairley and Patrick Peterson, and Peterson's not a possibility because the Panthers don't need a corner.
   
   I think this pick will come down to the Combine and Pro Day workouts. You can really make a strong argument for both Green and Fairley, but the latter appears to have the edge right now based on how he dominated the Oregon and SEC offensive lines down the stretch.
   
   As for the quarterback position, I believe the Panthers will sign Billy Volek, who will follow Ron Rivera to Carolina. Volek can start for a year until the Panthers find a long-term solution at quarterback because 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, he 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.
   
   Other 2011 NFL Draft Possibilities:
   
   1. A.J. Green, WR - The next Calvin Johnson/Larry Fitzgerald, Green makes a lot more sense than Da'Quan Bowers at No. 1 overall.
   
   2. Da'Quan Bowers, DE - Carolina needs to improve its pass rush. Maybe they'll look past the bad tape and prior inconsistency, and instead see Bowers as the next Julius Peppers.
   
   3. Cam Newton, QB - I wouldn't rule out Cam Newton. The Panthers really need a quarterback, and there's no consensus top prospect in this class. Would frugal, quarterback-hating owner Jerry Richardson spend the No. 1 overall pick on a signal-caller though? That's my only question.

2. Denver Broncos: Da'Quan Bowers, DE, Clemson
   The Broncos finished dead last in the NFL with just 23 sacks. That figure will rise next year with Elvis Dumervil back in the lineup, but Denver still needs another pass-rusher up front.
   
   New head coach John Fox has a thing for athletic defensive ends. In his first year with the Panthers, he selected Julius Peppers at No. 2 overall in the 2002 NFL Draft. A couple of seasons ago, he traded a future first-round pick to draft Everette Brown.
   
   With Denver presumably moving back to the 4-3, Fox will really consider Bowers with this pick, as Bowers will remind him of Peppers from a pure athletic standpoint. Bowers has some really bad tape, but Fox will look forward to coaching him up and getting the best out of him.
   
   Other 2011 NFL Draft Possibilities:
   
   1. Nick Fairley, DE/DT - If the Panthers don't take Nick Fairley, there is no way he's making it past the Broncos.
   
   2. Patrick Peterson, CB - If Fairley is off the board, the Broncos may take Patrick Peterson instead of Da'Quan Bowers. Champ Bailey is a free agent.
3. Buffalo Bills: Cam Newton, QB, Auburn
   I have this feeling this pick is going to happen. The Bills are a franchise that has been floundering in mediocrity the past decade. They need a leader to seize control of the team and lead them to the playoffs for the first time since 1999. Question Cam Newton's intelligence and pro-readiness all you want, but he's a tremendous leader.
   
   Buffalo also has a fairly new regime that has not obtained "its guy" yet. Buddy Nix and Chan Gailey know that they'll never sniff the postseason if they don't have a franchise quarterback. And Newton has the mobility that Gailey covets for his offense.
   
   Unfortunately, Newton's not ready for the NFL just yet. Sure, he'll use his scrambling ability to win some games, but he was a one-year starter in college who never had to make multiple reads in his offense. Newton has the potential to evolve into a very good NFL quarterback, but it'll take some time. Ideally, he'll sit behind Ryan Fitzpatrick for a year or two, but if he's chosen this high, he'll probably see the field right away.
   
   Other 2011 NFL Draft Possibilities:
   
   1. Patrick Peterson, CB - Patrick Peterson is arguably the top talent in this draft class. Buddy Nix said he was going to take the best player available with this selection.
   
   2. Von Miller, DE/OLB - Chan Gailey coached Von Miller at the Senior Bowl. Miller's an athlete freak and an elite pass-rusher. He could be targeted this high.
   
   Pick change; previously Patrick Peterson, CB" -Walterfootball.com

I personally beleive that to draft the best players in the dradt you would have to go DE. The reason why is because there has never been such talent on the defensive side of the ball especially in the D-line. A team like Buffalo couls certainly need a Von miller, Da'Quan Bowers or Nick Fairley. All very good players that can be a instint impact on the field. Like they all say Defense wins Championships.