The NFL Draft is only a day away and while there are plenty of smokescreens floating around today, some very good sources are reporting that the top two spots are clear.
The Carolina Panthers appear to be enamored with quarterback Cam Newton while the Denver Broncos surprisingly have indicated to the media that they are interested in linebacker Von Miller.
While the first projection makes sense since Newton is widely believed to be the best player in the draft and the Panthers are in dire need of a quarterback, the second pick overall doesn’t make as much sense.
There’s no question that Miller is a stellar linebacker and would be well-deserved of the slot if he was taken there, but most NFL futures odds have him married to the Buffalo Bills a spot lower.
The Broncos had been linked to Alabama’s Marcell Dareus to this point but NFL Network’s Mike Mayock revealed that he has the Broncos taking Miller.
In some ways, it makes sense. Dareus is a defensive tackle in the crop of defensive lineman is much deeper than the grouping of linebackers. The Broncos definitely need to rebuild their defense but what they might do is target a linebacker first and then swing back and pick up a defensive tackle in the latter rounds.
The other thing that could be coming into play is the fact that the Broncos are just throwing out a smokescreen. They very well know that the Bills want Miller and by threatening to draft him, it may compel the Bills to trade up and take him, thus giving the Broncos at least a little bit more value.
The 2011 NFL Draft is set for Thursday night, so we’ll have the answers very shortly. Tune in to see how it all plays out.
