Nic Fairley has got to be our next choice.

[Millions]

Fairley = best bang for the buck at no.1

AJ Green will be the best player out of this class IMO

[ECUPantherFan]

AJ Green will be the best player out of this class IMO

I'm scared to take a WR #1... but he's a beast. We just need someone who can get him the ball... and we don't have that right now.

[AceMan]

I'm close to saying I'm totally on board for Fairley for the sheer fact that our DTs are HORRIBLE...

[ZedLeppelin]

I'd be fine with taking Fairley in the first and packaging our 3rd and 4th to move up and get Austin in the second. Then try and find a solid veteran WR via trade or FA somewhere.

[ECUPantherFan]

Good lord... No Marvin Austin... the POSTER boy for character issues. No room for that thug on this roster.

[nosuchthingasapanther]

Either Fairley or Dareus. I'm no talent scout, but I'd be fine with our staff choosing between those two. I feel confident that either would make an immediate impact with this defense.

That's what we HAVE to make sure happens with this #1 pick.

dareus > fairley

fairley has yet to declare. dareus already has.

just like with luck, people are tossing fairley's name around because of the current media hype.

[tattoorhino]

Austin may be a thug but he is a beast at DT.

[rayzor]

He would be a good pick and is a beast no doubt. Somehow I still think you have to fix the offense and that starts at quarterback. Unless you beleive Clausen is the answer, we need a franchise quarterback through the draft or free agency.

agreed. getting a QB has to be priority #1 and i don't want to tke the risk of hoping we suck enough again to get the #1 in 2012. i can see us winning just enough games to get us out of the top 5 and away from any QB worth building a team around and we are stuck in the same crappy spot wishing we could have a franchise QB and be relevant like every other team in the division.

also, with the FOs dedication to improving the offense and passing game i just don't see them going D with that first pick.

defense might keep you in games a little, but it won't win you games. you have to get on the scoreboard at some point.

[Panthercougar68]

dareus > fairley

fairley has yet to declare. dareus already has.

just like with luck, people are tossing fairley's name around because of the current media hype.

11 sacks and 21 tackles for a loss is a lot of ammo to "hype"

[tattoorhino]

There isnt a QB in my opinion in the draft that is a franchise QB. We end up just taking someone and paying way to much for the to end up like Clausen. I say we get a veteran thru free agency, trade down a couple of spots and take Fairley and then get whoever is left. All the other Qbs will be 2nd rounders at best except maybe cam newton and then I dont think he is our answer at all.

[tattoorhino]

Even if we take Cam we would be throwing him to the wolves without some kind of veteran QB to learn from. Even Jimmy would benefit from a veteran leader at QB. We cant keep bringing in young QBs and eating them up in the machine. A DT could start right away and make a huge difference.

[Urrymonster]

Of course you don't see a rookie quarterback who can come in and start from day 1. You are one of the last folks still on the Clausen bandwagon. Frankly I can think of half a dozen guys who would be a serious upgrade to him. Plus it isn't starting day 1 or winning right away, it is finding a franchise guy for the next 10 years. Something Clausen has not shown much in the way of potential. Surely not enough to not try and upgrade.

I am not on any band wagon, as I wanted us to draft Luck. I just get sick and tired of serious over reactions on here about a rookie QB. Sometimes people actually aren't on anyone's bandwagon, it's called keeping an objective point of view.

The question I was muling over though was if the other QBs in this draft class are genuine franchise guys. Newton could be, but he has a whole host of questions about him. The others just look like 'the next best thing' rather than genuine QBs to be excited about.

[CatMan72]

We definatley need a presence at DT and Nick Fairley is the best DT available in the draft this year. We're going to have to get used to the idea that we'll probably be using the # 1 pick on a guy who wouldn't ordinarily be worthy of the # 1 pick. Don't think anybody is going to be willing to trade up to # 1 for this draft class.

What I'm wondering about is whether or not Bowers could be drafted and coverted into a DT (UT). He's 6'4" 280 lbs and is known more for his strength than his speed. Here's an excerpt from his Scouts, Inc. report:

"Excellent versatility for his size. Is best-suited to play power end in a 4-3 but is very effective when moved inside, particularly rushing the passer as a 3-technique. Might also be able to fit as a 5-technique in a 3-4. Has some experience dropping into coverage but is most comfortable working up the field."

Scouts, Inc. has both Fairley and Bowers graded at a 97 but I think there are some real character concerns about Fairley which makes it a little scary to spend a high pick on him.

Just food for thought...

[rayzor]

Even if we take Cam we would be throwing him to the wolves without some kind of veteran QB to learn from. Even Jimmy would benefit from a veteran leader at QB. We cant keep bringing in young QBs and eating them up in the machine. A DT could start right away and make a huge difference.

so your solution to the QB problem is...just stick with clausen?

a vet does need to be brought in. thats for sure, but not as a franchise QB. we aren't going to find one in FA (none there worth it) and we aren't going to trade for one (far too expensive an option).

at some point we need to quit dicking around and get serious about getting one. clausen isn't it. we've got to find someone. the longer we put it off, the longer we'll be looking at 3 NFCS teams from below.