The first-round picks might get the hype, but true draft value comes in the rounds that follow. We asked our analysts to give us their best pick after Round 1.
Michael Lombardi: Cowboys show foresight
I loved the Dallas Cowboys getting North Carolina's Bruce Carter in the second round. He is a top-10 talent, but slipped because of a knee injury. A player can recover from an ACL injury rather quickly, and by 2012 Carter should be back to his dominating self. Great foresight by the Cowboys.
Steve Wyche: Value to go around
There were so many quality selections after the first round. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers getting DE Da'Quan Bowers in the second round is obvious but can't be overlooked. The knee issues he has shouldn't impact his first few seasons and he could be an immediate force. Good kid, bad circumstance, highly motivated. I think he's going to get our attention very quickly. The Detroit Lions nabbing WR Titus Young and RB Mikel Leshoure in the second round could give the offense some immediate bounce. Detroit really could challenge for a playoff spot if some of the young players show up and Matthew Stafford stays healthy. For a fifth-round pick, TE/H-back D.J. Williams out of Arkansas could be a nice find by the Green Bay Packers. He's a versatile player with nice hands and can add some flexibility to an already potent offense. He's also a nice backup plan if Jermichael Finley's durability issues arise again.
Vic Carucci: Pats could get steal of draft
Two strong second-rounders who stood out were RB Ryan Williams and WR Torrey Smith. Williams can improve an Arizona Cardinals running game that has yet to get as much as it should from Beanie Wells. Meanwhile, Smith gives the Baltimore Ravens a much-needed deep threat. TE Jordan Cameron looks like an excellent value in the fourth round; he gives the Cleveland Browns a talented athlete who can be a difference-maker. OT Marcus Cannon could very well prove to be the steal of the draft, falling from first- and second-round projections to the fifth after being diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. But his form of the disease is highly treatable, and the New England Patriots' risk could pay off handsomely.
Jason La Canfora: Plenty of picks worth a nod
I love what the Patriots did with Cannon and QB Ryan Mallett. They can afford those risks given how good they are and how many picks they've stockpiled. I love the Cincinnati Bengals' selection of Andy Dalton at 35. I have a suspicion the Pittsburgh Steelers are going to turn fifth-round pick Chris Carter into an effective situational pass rusher. General managers I've talked to are high on Jah Reid's potential as a future left tackle for the Ravens, who took him in the third round.
Pat Kirwan: Three choices stand above the rest
There was real good value after Round 1, with three players offering the best value. Marvin Austin (Round 2) has rare talent for a defensive tackle and will make an immediate impact with the Giants. GM Jerry Reese takes more chances on guys with off-the-field issues than past regimes in New York. I really liked the Sam Acho pick by the Cardinals in the fourth round as well as the Patriots adding Ryan Mallett in Round 3. Acho will compete early at outside linebacker and is a high-character guy. Mallett will develop without any pressure and could be worth more in a trade down the road than Matt Cassel was.
Charles Davis: Potential gems
Some of my favorite picks after the first round are RB Ryan Williams to Arizona (Round 2), DT Terrell McClain to Carolina (Round 3) and C Jason Kelce to Philadelphia (Round 6). Williams was my second-ranked back, and this pick tells me that Arizona is not happy with Beanie Wells and Tim Hightower. The opportunity to be the lead back is there for Williams. McClain's best football is ahead of him, and Carolina has a big need at DT. Kelce could be this year's Dan Klecko, as a former walk-on LB converted to center, and might play fullback in the NFL.
