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2011 NFL Draft: 1st Round Winners, Losers & Surprises

With the first round of the NFL Draft in the books, who are the winners and the losers? And what surprises were made?

Winners
Cam Newton
- From BCS National Championship to No. 1 overall pick, Newton will cash in once he signs (and probably earlier with endorsements)
Jake Locker, Christian Ponder - Both quarterbacks were expected to go later on in the first round, but Locker went before Blaine Gabbert and Ponder meets a perfect situation in Minnesota.
Detroit Lions - Nick Fairley fell right into their laps and now they can team him with Ndamukong Suh in the middle of the defensive line, putting fear into NFC North quarterbacks.
New York Giants - They drafted Prince Amukamara, a player who could have gone in the top 10.
New Orleans Saints - They draft Cameron Jordan and then are able to re-enter the first round to take RB Mark Ingram.

Losers
Andy Dalton, Ryan Mallett - Late buzz had both players going in the first round, but they're both available on Day 2.
Da'Quan Bowers - Did concern over his knee injury send him out of the first round?

Surprises
James Carpenter - Who? That's what many Seattle Seahawks fans thought when their team took him with the 25th pick. He had been thought of as a second- or third-round pick by some draft experts.

Here is the complete list of picks to make your own determinations:


Team Pick
1 Carolina Panthers Cam Newton, Auburn QB
2 Denver Broncos Von Miller, Texas A&M OLB
3 Buffalo Bills Marcell Dareus, Alabama DT
4 Cincinnati Bengals A.J. Green, Georgia WR
5 Arizona Cardinals Patrick Peterson, LSU CB
6 Atlanta Falcons Julio Jones, Alabama WR
7 San Francisco 49ers Aldon Smith, Missouri DE
8 Tennessee Titans Jake Locker, Washington QB
9 Dallas Cowboys Tyron Smith, USC OT
10 Jacksonville Jaguars Blaine Gabbert, Missouri QB
11 Houston Texans J.J. Watt, Wisconsin DE
12 Minnesota Vikings Christian Ponder, FSU QB
13 Detroit Lions Nick Fairley, Auburn DT
14 St. Louis Rams Robert Quinn, UNC DE
15 Miami Dolphins Mike Pouncey, Florida OL
16 Washington Redskins Ryan Kerrigan, Purdue DE
17 New England Patriots Nate Solder, Colorado OL
18 San Diego Chargers Corey Liuget, Illinois DT
19 New York Giants Prince Amukamara, Nebraska CB
20 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Adrian Clayborn, Iowa DE
21 Cleveland Browns Phil Taylor, Baylor DT
22 Indianapolis Colts Anthony Castonzo, Boston College OT
23 Philadelphia Eagles Danny Watkins, Baylor OL
24 New Orleans Saints Cameron Jordan, Cal DE
25 Seattle Seahawks James Carpenter, Alabama OL
26 Kansas City Chiefs Jonathan Baldwin, Pitt WR
27 Baltimore Ravens Jimmy Smith, Colorado CB
28 New Orleans Saints Mark Ingram, Alabama RB
29 Chicago Bears Gabe Carimi, Wisconsin OT
30 New York Jets Muhammad Wilkerson, Temple DT
31 Pittsburgh Steelers Cam Heyward, Ohio State DL
32 Green Bay Packers Derek Sherrod, Mississippi State OT

SB Nation has everything you need to prepare for it - NFL mock drafts, draft projections, scouting reports, the full NFL draft schedule and more. Check it all out at our 2011 NFL Draft Hub and our NFL Draft blog Mocking the Draft. Visit Mile High Report for more on the Broncos and head to the Ralphie Report for more on the Colorado Buffaloes.