I started this thread to gauge how good Lovie and his surrounding cast have been at talent assessment. Before I get to that, I started to look at the 2011 draft, which produced the best of the best as far as 1st round talent goes. There was more elite-level talent produced in that draft than any other in recent memory. To summarize, the top 32 picks were:1 CAR Cam Newton, QB, Auburn 2 DEN Von Miller, LB, Texas A&M 3 BUF Marcell Dareus, DT, Alabama 4 CIN A.J. Green, WR, Georgia 5 ARI Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU 6 ATL Julio Jones, WR, Alabama 7 SF Aldon Smith, DE, Missouri 8 TEN Jake Locker, QB, Washington 9 DAL Tyron Smith, OT, USC 10 JAX Blaine Gabbert, QB, Missouri 11 HOU J.J. Watt, DE, Wisconsin 12 MIN Christian Ponder, QB, Florida St. 13 DET Nick Fairley, DT, Auburn 14 STL Robert Quinn, DE, North Carolina 15 MIA Mike Pouncey, OL, Florida 16 WAS Ryan Kerrigan, DE, Purdue 17 NE Nate Solder, OL, Colorado 18 SD Corey Liuget, DT, Illinois 19 NYG Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska 20 TB Adrian Clayborn, DL, Iowa 21 CLE Phil Taylor, DL, Baylor 22 IND Anthony Castonzo, OL, Boston College 23 PHI Danny Watkins, OL, Baylor 24 NO Cameron Jordan, DE, California 25 SEA James Carpenter, OL, Alabama 26 KC Jonathan Baldwin, WR, Pittsburgh 27 BAL Jimmy Smith, CB, Colorado 28 NO Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama 29 CHI Gabe Carimi, OL, Wisconsin 30 NYJ Muhammad Wilkerson, DT, Temple 31 PIT Cameron Heyward, DT, Ohio St. 32 GB Derek Sherrod, OL, Mississippi St. With a few exceptions, (Jacksonville - Blaine Gabbert, Minnesota - Christian Ponder, KC - Jonathan Baldwin, Philly - Danny Watkins), almost everyone picked ended up being a pro-bowl caliber elite talent, or a solid starter. Even the lesser known players on this list (Derek Sherrod is a solid O-lineman protecting Aaron Rodgers, Camreon Hayward is the starting Guard for the Steelers, James Carpenter blocks for Marshawn Lynch) are solid starters for their teams. Adrian Clayborn? I'd say still a starting caliber DE or rotational player with known medical issues when drafted - not a complete bust.So who are the biggest busts in this talent laden drafts? Other than the aforementioned talents of Gabbert, Baldwin and Watkins, the other names that make the "Bust List" are Christian Ponder - who was picked by none other than our own Leslie Frazier and a lineman from Wisconsin who was surprisingly picked 29th overall by the Bears. The Bears Head Coach at that time? Our very own Lovie Smith. In fact, the Bears seem to be drafting well after Lovie left - Kyle Fuller this year is playing really well, and Kyle Long - a Guard they drafted last year is a solid starter for them. The Vikings had multiple first round picks almost every year with Leslie at the helm, and they're not exactly contenders right now.Vikings picks with Leslie at the helm:2011 Christian Ponder2012 Matt Kalil OT USC, Harrison Smith S Notre Dame2013 Sharrif Floyd DT Florida, Xavier Rhodes CB Florida State, Cordarrelle Patterson WR TennesseeAfter Leslie left, the Vikings picked Teddy Bridgewater and Anthony Barr this year.Moral of the story? Don't be surprised if our team of Leslie and Lovie are not the best talent evaluators. Their record doesn't say that they are.
