The 2011 NFL Draft kicks off on Thursday at 5:00 p.m. Arizona time (8:00 p.m. ET) with Round 1 and we couldn't be more excited if Von Miller tackled Roger Goodell on live TV. All signs continue to point to the Carolina Panthers using their number one pick on Auburn quarterback, Cam Newton. The Panthers essentially have no choice but to draft Newton for their moribund team. If you need to put butts in the seats and rich corporate butts in the suites, than an exciting athlete like Newton is the way to go.
Unfortunately for Panther fans, they are taking a huge gamble on a guy who's bring a very questionable character history to the table. Youthful mistakes and laptop thefts aside, many wonder if Newton has the desire and drive to be great.
Only time will tell how Newton turns out and most importantly, he's only one of 254 guys who will be drafted over the next few days.
We will be here with you all night covering the 2011 NFL Draft. If there's trades, we will be here. If the Cardinals actually hang on to their pick and draft Patrick Peterson, we will be here for that too. And if the NFL players storm the stage and conduct a protest against the greedy owners, we will most certainly be here for that. Stay tuned, the fun is just about ready to begin.
The first round of the 2011 NFL Draft starts at 5 p.m. (AZT) on Thursday, April 28, and SB Nation has everything you need to prepare: NFL mock drafts, draft projections, scouting reports, the full NFL draft schedule and more. Check it out at SB Nation's NFL Draft page and our NFL Draft blog, Mocking the Draft or for Cardinals coverage, visit Revenge of the Birds.