Am I crazy to think there's a chance AJ Green falls to us?

I know immediately you think "yes, that is crazy" but hear me out....

1. Carolina- Cam Newton
I think they'd love to trade down but with this class a trade out of first will be tough to swing. I think they take a chance on Cam here because of his enormous upside despite all the question marks. Carolina NEEDS a playmaker, a star, in the worst way.

Why they won't draft AJ: They definitely could use a WR as Steve Smith is WAY past his prime. Still, they have bigger issues to address starting with QB. Jimmy Clausen and Matt Moore clearly aren't the answer there. And besides, with the high WR bust rate taking one first overall just doesn't make much sense unless you are truly set at other key positions (which is never the case with a team picking first overall).


2. Denver- Marcell Dareus
Most mocks seem to have Dareus going here and I quite frankly can't find any reason to disagree. I think Von Miller gets some serious consideration here but I think they end up going Dareus due to the simple fact that an elite D-lineman can typically have a greater impact on your defense than an elite linebacker.

Why they won't draft AJ: They just drafted Demaryius Thomas in the first round of the 2010 draft. They also have Brandon Lloyd who caught 77 balls for 1448 yards and 11 TDs last year.


3. Buffalo- Von Miller
This is a no brainer to me. One of, if not the best overall prospect in the draft and looks to be ready to start right away.

Why they won't draft AJ: Their defense gave up the fifth most PPG in the entire league last year. Plus Steve Johnson had his coming out party.


4. Cincinnati- Blaine Gabbert
I believe Carson Palmer and the Bengals are pretty much at the point of no return. Even if they were able to coax Palmer into playing (for them) in 2011 he's obviously not the long-term answer and he'll still be unhappy with the organization.

Why they won't draft AJ: I'll admit, it could happen here. I just feel that if this Carson Palmer situation doesn't get resolved (and it's looking like it won't) then they can't ignore their need for a QB with this pick.


5. Arizona- Patrick Peterson
I think they would love a QB here but with Cam and Blaine off the board they opt for Peterson.

Why they won't draft AJ: Green isn't seriously considered due to the fact that the team already has a top 5 WR who is only 27 years old. And they just went through a somewhat messy situation of having two #1 WRs on the roster.


6. Cleveland- Nick Fairley
Honestly, this is the spot that scares me the most and really threatens to destroy my whole dream scenario here. They obviously need better offensive weapons. But the team is also making the switch to a 4-3 and needs playmakers on that side of the ball as well. Their D-line is literally full of no-names right now. For this reason they pass on AJ and grab an anchor for their D-line. I know there are some legitimate concerns with Fairley but I think a lot of people are forgetting that not long ago he was at the very top of most mocks. I think he might end up going sooner than many think.
(I could also see Robert Quinn being the pick here)

Why they won't draft AJ: As I said, this is the spot that concerns me most. So I don't really have anything to add here aside from what I said above.


7. San Francisco- Prince Amakumara
They no doubt have their eye on Peterson. But no way he makes it this far. They happily settle for Amakumara to give their secondary a much needed boost.

Why they won't draft AJ: Again, AJ seems tough to pass up but they do already have two very good receiving targets in Vernon Davis and Michael Crabtree. And they just spent a top 10 pick on Crabtree the year before last.


8. Tennessee- AJ Green
Even if AJ is here, he still might not be the pick if the FO is really as in love Jake Locker as is believed.

Why we would draft AJ: Simple answer. He's about as close to a "can't-miss" WR as there is. And if the draft really were to go down like this then he would be the clear BPA. Not to mention the whole Kenny Britt mess. I imagine the FO is getting is getting pretty fed up with his antics. I expect him to be on a VERY short leash from now on. And I'm not convinced he's smart enough to stay out of trouble.



So there you have it. My unlikely, yet realistic scenario where AJ Green falls to #8. Thoughts? Is this completely crazy?

If this were to happen do you think it's a no brainer to draft him? Or do we grab a QB or defensive player and keep all of our eggs in the Kenny Britt basket and hope for the best?

 

Yeah. Especially the Browns. But still, I look at their D-line roster and think they absolutely MUST address it early. Particularly now that they're switching to the 4-3.

I personally would take Green.

 

Oh I completely agree with that. I'm just saying if he is there and is clearly the BPA is he too good for the FO to pass up? I'm not saying WR is our biggest problem at all.

Everyone seems to agree Locker at 8 is a bit of a reach. Obviously if the FO is in love with Locker then they have to take him, regardless of if it is seen as a reach or not. But we don't know how they really feel.