A New No. 1?

Auburn's Nick Fairley

With last weeks surprising news that Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck will return for his junior season, the Carolina Panthers now have to decide who to select with their number 1 pick in April's NFL Draft.  The likely candidates are Auburn defensive tackle Nick Fairley, Clemson defensive end Da'Quan Bowers and Georgia wideout A.J. Green.

Fairley, in particular, seems to be an interesting option given the recent success of Ndamukong Suh with the Lions.  Similar to Suh, Fairley would be joining a struggling defense that is in desperate need of a top flight talent to build around.  At 6'5", 298 lbs, Fairley definitely has the size and toughness to be an elite force at the NFL level.  And while he may not have the playmaking appeal of an A.J. Green (widely considered the best wide receiver prospect since Randy Moss in 1998), he could become a steady force to build a strong defense around.

Additionally, Fairley is simply a better fit than Green or Bowers.  Green, while undoubtedly talented, can only be so effective while playing for a Panthers team that has no answer at quarterback.  Bowers, an ideal 4-3 pass rusher, is unproven in the 3-4 system Carolina runs, and would likely be less effective due to his size and skill set.   Given the likely $40+ million in guaranteed money, its also hard to imagine they would reach for a player like Prince Amukamara or Blaine Gabbert, despite having needs at the positions.

Only time will tell who will go first, but if the Panthers are willing to take the best fit, rather than the 'sexy pick', they will take a serious look at the young man from Auburn.