NFL Compensatory Picks Alter 2011 NFL Draft Order

The 2011 NFL Draft order has changed slightly after the league assigned its compensatory picks for the draft. The draft will begin on April 28, and for most teams, this could be the highlight of the NFL offseason period. This year's draft is taking place at Radio City Music Hall, and will cover three days of action. It will again receive the prime time treatment on Thursday to allow fans first hand viewing, but it could also look a bit different than in past years if the players continue to boycott the event.

The compensatory picks were finally given out to teams that lost star players through free agency, and the Carolina Panthers led the way with three new selections. These compensatory picks are spread out beginning at the end of the third round and extending to the end of the seventh round, and once they are assigned, they become much like any other selection. For instance, Carolina now has the 97th overall selection within the third round as a result of the compensatory pick getting added to the full draft order.

The Panthers are also the team with the first selection in the draft, one which has been debated for several months already. It still isn't clear which direction that they are looking in the draft, and that has led to added interest in mock drafts. When Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck had been in the draft class, many thought that he would be the obvious choice for Carolina, but he ended up deciding to skip the draft and return to school for his senior season. Now that first overall selection could actually end up being a surprise that is kept under wraps right until the commissioner makes the official announcement.

In addition to the three picks that Carolina received, 22 other teams were given at least one extra pick this year. Seven teams will receive two selections, and they are the Tennessee Titans, Baltimore Ravens, New York Giants, Minnesota Vikings, San Diego Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles, and San Francisco 49ers. A host of other teams will receive one pick, including teams like the Green Bay Packers, Seattle Seahawks, and Miami Dolphins. While none of the selections will be within the first 90 players taken in the draft, there is definitely a possibility that some of the teams could walk away with diamonds that slip into the later rounds.

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