17. OT Nate Solder, New England Patriots (Trade from Oakland Raiders)
Offensive tackle Nate Solder started out his career with the New England Patriots as a right tackle, but moved to left in 2012, where he’s been ever since. Since 2012, he’s started every game he’s appeared in, allowing 26.5 regular-season sacks over his career. Solder was limited to just four games in 2015 after suffering a torn right biceps in October, but should bounce back this season and return to serve as Tom Brady’s blind-side protector. With the Patriots’ fortunes hinging heavily on the mind and arm of Brady, keeping him protected from the pass-rush is key. It’s not surprising, therefore, that the Patriots opted for offensive line with their first pick of the 2011 draft.
Grade: A
18. DE Corey Liuget, San Diego Chargers
It took a year for San Diego Chargers defensive end Corey Liuget to come into his own. Though he started 13 games as a rookie, he had only one sack and 19 combined tackles. But as a full, 16-game starter in 2012, he totaled seven sacks and another 51 combined tackles, and also defended nine passes. There have been some issues with San Diego’s defense that has led to Liuget to be an under-the-radar Round 1 pick, but he’s valuable to the Chargers, who signed him to a five-year, $51.25 million contract extension last June after picking up his fifth-year option in 2014.
Grade: B
19. CB Prince Amukamara, New York Giants
Cornerback Prince Amukamara’s time with the New York Giants is riddled with could-have-beens. First, Amukamara was diagnosed with a broken left foot the day after he signed with the team, which limited him to seven games played in his rookie year and no starts. He made it to the starting lineup in 2012 and 2013, totaling an interception in each of those seasons, seven passes defensed in 2012 and 14 in 2013. In 2014, the Giants opted to pick up Amukamara’s fifth-year option, making him a member of the team through the 2015 season. That was good news for the cornerback, as he tore his bicep during the 2014 season, landing him on injured reserve. He started 10 games in 2015, totaling one interceptions, 10 passes defensed and 55 solo tackles. But that wasn’t enough for the Giants to want to keep him around. He departed in free agency, and signed a one-year deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars last month.
Grade: C
20. DE Adrian Clayborn, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Injuries derailed defensive end Adrian Clayborn’s first NFL stop with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It began well for him, with Clayborn starting all 16 games as a rookie and totaling 7.5 sacks. But a knee injury in 2012 limited him to just three games. He was a 16-game starter again in 2013, recording 5.5 sacks. Still, the team’s new general manager Jason Licht said prior to the 2014 season that Clayborn’s fifth-year option would not be picked up. His fate was further sealed by another season-ending injury in 2014. As a free agent, he signed with the Atlanta Falcons, starting in five games and totaling three sacks. The Falcons, impressed with his performance and apparently confident in his health, then re-signed him to a two-year deal last month. The Buccaneers drafting Clayborn was not a bad move; it was just made to seem that way thanks to the injuries he suffered, which, of course, are unpredictable.
Grade: C
21. DT Phil Taylor, Cleveland Browns (From Atlanta Plus Trade Up From Kansas City)
The Browns pulled off their second trade of the round in 2011 and finally made a selection: defensive tackle Phil Taylor. Taylor was a day-one starter as a rookie, and totaled four sacks and 37 tackles. Injuries, though, marred both his 2012 and 2014 seasons. Though the Browns chose in 2014 to exercise Taylor’s fifth-year option, he was cut when the roster was reduced to 53 men in September 2015. His knee was still bothering him, which held him out for the entire 2015 season, though he did sign a one-year deal with the Denver Broncos in February. Taylor had much promise, but the injuries and the constant coaching turnover in Cleveland did him few favors.
Grade: C
22. OT Anthony Castonzo, Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts remain on the hunt to improve their offensive line. It was as true in 2011 as it is today. And in 2011, the Colts addressed the line in Round 1 by selecting offensive tackle Anthony Castonzo. Castonzo started out shakily, allowing 7.5 sacks as a rookie and 11.0 in 2012. He has settled down since, though, with just 4.0, 6.5 and 4.0 sacks allowed in 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively. Though there may be better tackles in the league, Castonzo has been consistent enough to anchor the left tackle position and talented enough to have been given a four-year, $43.8 million extension in 2015. But protecting Andrew Luck cannot fall to Castonzo alone. He and the line still needs help.
Grade: B
23. G Danny Watkins, Philadelphia Eagles
Danny Watkins was the first Canadian to be drafted by both NFL and CFL teams since 1986 and the oldest first-round draft pick since 1980 (prior to the Browns taking Brandon Weeden a year later). Those are practically the only notable facts about Watkins, however. Watkins did start in 12 games as a rookie, but that number dwindled to six in 2012. He was released in 2013 and signed a one-year deal with the Miami Dolphins. In 2014, Watkins moved on from professional football and now is a firefighter in Texas.
Grade: D
24. DE Cameron Jordan, New Orleans Saints
Defensive end Cameron Jordan has been a key member of the New Orleans Saints defense for the majority of his time with the team. Though he started slowly, with one sack and 18 solo tackles in 15 starts in his rookie year, he took off in 2012, with eight sacks and 41 solo tackles. He had 12.5 sacks in 2013, 7.5 in 2014 and another 10 in 2015. Prior to his strong 2015 showing, the Saints gave him a five-year, $55 million contract extension. Jordan remains the heart of the Saints’ pass rush and defensive front. Though the talent of the players around him could use improvement, Jordan has definitely lived up to his first-round billing.
Grade: A
25. G James Carpenter, Seattle Seahawks
Guard James Carpenter’s first two years with the Seattle Seahawks were cut short with an ACL injury he suffered halfway through his rookie season, also costing him nine games in 2012. He became a starter at left guard for the final two seasons of his tenure with the Seahawks, but the team did not pick up his fifth-year option. As a free agent in 2015, Carpenter signed a four-year deal with the New York Jets, with whom he started all 16 games at left guard. He has given up just 14.5 sacks over his career, but with injuries in his first two seasons and the team’s choice to move 2014 draft pick Justin Britt to guard, Carpenter was deemed expendable.
Grade: C
26. WR Jonathan Baldwin, Kansas City Chiefs (Trade from Atlanta to Cleveland to Kansas City)
Jonathan Baldwin’s NFL career never really took off despite being drafted in Round 1 by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2011. First, there was the wrist injury he suffered in a locker room fight with teammate Thomas Jones that cost him the preseason. He didn’t have a catch until Week 7 and had just 21 receptions for 254 yards and one score as a rookie. It wasn’t much better in 2012, with Baldwin totaling 20 catches for 325 yards and a score. The Chiefs then traded him to the San Francisco 49ers in 2013, where he caught three passes for 28 yards. He was waived by the Niners in 2014 and the Detroit Lions picked him up, but he failed his physical and returned to the waiver wire. He hasn’t played football since 2013.
Grade: F
27. CB Jimmy Smith, Baltimore Ravens
Character concerns weren’t enough for cornerback Jimmy Smith to fall out of the first round of the 2011 draft. The Ravens snagged him with the 27th-overall pick and took their time to develop him into a full-time starter, something he didn’t become until 2013. That year, he had a career-high 16 passes defensed, along with two interceptions and three forced fumbles, while recording 49 solo tackles. He was on pace to have an even better 2014 season with an interception, eight passes defensed and 22 solo tackles through eight games, but a sprained foot landed him on injured reserve. He was a full-time starter again in 2015, when he totaled three interceptions, 10 passes defensed a sack and 48 solo tackles. Baltimore’s secondary has been a mess over the last two years, thanks mostly to injuries (Smith’s included), but Smith has slowly developed into a more consistent player than he used to be. The Ravens have gotten a good return on their investment.
Grade: B
28. RB Mark Ingram, New Orleans Saints (Trade from New England)
The fear of drafting a running back in Round 1 was alive and well in 2011; Mark Ingram was the only back drafted in the round that year. Taken by the New Orleans Saints (after trading picks with the New England Patriots) at 28th-overall, the workhorse Alabama product took three years to finally live up to his potential in the NFL. He had 122 carries as a rookie, but that netted him only 474 yards and five scores. And with just 386 yards and one score on a mere 78 carries in 2013, it seemed like the Saints would have no interest in picking up his fifth-year option. Luckily for Ingram, 2014 was his very best season as a pro, with his 226 carries netting 964 yards and nine scores. He also became a bigger part of the passing game, catching 29 passes for 145 yards. He added another 769 yards and six touchdowns in 2015 and caught another 50 passes for 405 yards. Now that he’s found his footing with the Saints, Ingram has become a solid use of a Round 1 draft pick.
Grade:B
29. OL Gabe Carimi, Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears had a need to improve the offensive line in 2011 after allowing 56 sacks the season before. They were set on drafting Gabe Carimi, even attempting to move up to do so, but were able to snag him late in the first round at 29th overall. He was the Bears’ starting right tackle to open the season, but in Week 2, he suffered a significant knee injury that required numerous surgical procedures. He returned in 2012 to start 14 games at both tackle and guard and was subsequently traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2013. Though signed to be the starting right tackle, he mostly appeared at guard and started just three games. He was cut by the Buccaneers following the 2013 season, spent 2014 with the Atlanta Falcons and did not play in 2015.
Grade: D
30. DE Muhammad Wilkerson, New York Jets
Defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson started at defensive end in all 16 games as a rookie and has appeared in all but three games for the New York Jets since entering the NFL. He’s a major key to the Jets’ ferocious front seven, recording 36.5 sacks in five seasons, including 10.5 in 2013 and 12 in 2015. Still, there has been near endless chatter about the Jets seeking out a trade partner for Wilkerson, who is currently set to make over $15 million with the franchise tag this year (once he signs it). Whether he plays for the Jets in 2016 or someone else, he will remain an elite defensive end. Any new contract for him should be worth somewhere around $18 million to $20 million per year in average value.
Grade: A
31. DE Cameron Heyward, Pittsburgh Steelers
Based on the first two years of Cameron Hayward’s career with the Pittsburgh Steelers, many were inching toward calling him a bust. He had no starts in those first two seasons and totaled only 2.5 sacks. But then-Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau’s system was a complex one to learn, especially considering the varied duties of defensive ends in that scheme. Once he became a true starter in 2013, it was becoming clear just how valuable a player Heyward could be. He had five sacks that season, 7.5 in 2014 and seven in 2015, while also serving as a premier run-stopper and occasionally appearing in coverage. Pittsburgh’s previous starting ends were Brett Keisel and Aaron Smith — two Steelers legends who were underrated for their contributions. Heyward is traveling that same path. He’s the heart of the team’s defense five years later.
Grade: A
32. OT Derek Sherrod, Green Bay Packers
Offensive tackle Derek Sherrod is yet another of the 2011 first-rounders to see his career harmed by injuries. In December of his rookie season, he suffered a broken right leg, the recovery from which held him out of the entire 2012 season. He also missed time in 2013, starting the year on the Physically Unable to Perform list and not making the active roster until November of that year. He appeared in eight games, with one start, in 2014 but was waived in November of that year. He was later picked up by the Kansas City Chiefs, but was then cut in September of last year and hasn’t played since. Had he not seen the first three years of his NFL career taken from him thanks to that broken leg, he could still be on a roster today.
Grade: D