From Smart To Strange

Times NFL writer Sam Farmer looks at the bold

(and potentially backward) draft decisions of each NFL team:

Arizona

Heady move: Cardinals got cornerback Patrick Peterson with the fifth pick. When they had the fifth pick four years ago, they let a guy with the same last name -- running back Adrian Peterson -- slip past in favor of tackle Levi Brown. Oops.

Head scratcher: Took Virginia Tech running back Ryan Williams in the second round. Cardinals used a first-round pick on Beanie Wells only two years ago, plus they already have Tim Hightower and LaRod Stephens-Howling.

Atlanta

Heady move: Falcons traded up from No. 27 to No. 6 to get Alabama receiver Julio Jones. That’s big for a team that was tied for last in the league in 2010 with 44 plays of 20 yards or longer.

Head scratcher: Gave up a lot to get Jones -- Nos. 1, 2 and 4 this year, and Nos. 1 and 4 next year.

Baltimore

Heady move: Ravens got field-stretching Maryland receiver Torrey Smith in the second round, giving them the freedom to part ways with T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Donte Stallworth.

Head scratcher: Saw a lot of good pass rushers come and go, including Ohio State’s Cameron Heyward (to Pittsburgh at No. 31) and Pittsburgh’s Jabaal Sheard (to Cleveland at No. 37), both of whom they’ll face twice a season.

Buffalo

Heady move: Sun-blotting defensive tackle Marcell Dareus will instantly shore up a hole in the middle of the league’s worst rushing defense.

Head scratcher: Bills surprised some by passing on a couple of promising quarterbacks in the second round. That’s welcome news for Ryan Fitzpatrick, who did a solid job last season.

Carolina

Heady move: With the worst offense by far last season, the Panthers basically had to cross their fingers and use the No. 1 pick on Cam Newton.

Head scratcher: It’s not often you see a team use its top pick on a quarterback in consecutive years.

Chicago

Heady move: Grabbing Oregon State defensive tackle Stephen Paea late in the second round was a steal for a team that could be without Tommie Harris (released) and Anthony Adams (free agent).

Head scratcher: Bears failed to put the finishing touches on a routine trade with Baltimore in the first round, but it worked out in Chicago’s favor anyway.

Cincinnati

Heady move: In their first two picks, the Bengals landed replacements for Chad Ochocinco (A.J. Green) and Carson Palmer (Andy Dalton).

Head scratcher: At first blush, they made all the right moves. Were these really the Bengals?

Cleveland

Heady move: Browns hit the motherlode by trading out of the No. 6 spot, pushing their pick total to 18 over this season and next. That includes two first-rounders in the 2012 draft.

Head scratcher: Although USC’s Jordan Cameron was good value in the fourth round, did the Browns really need a tight end? They already had depth there.

Dallas

Heady move: The Cowboys got younger and more athletic on their offensive line, and USC tackle Tyron Smith could be terrific.

Head scratcher: Taking North Carolina linebacker Bruce Carter in the second round was a gamble. He’s coming off knee reconstruction and couldn’t work out at the combine or the Tar Heels’ pro day.

Denver

Heady move: Von Miller has superstar potential for a team that had a league-worst 23 sacks in 2010.

Head scratcher: The Broncos desperately needed a defensive tackle, yet took a safety -- albeit a good one in UCLA’s Rahim Moore -- instead of big bodies Marvin Austin or Paea in the second.

Detroit

Heady move: Receiver Titus Young and running back Mikel Leshoure will be exciting players, especially on that Ford Field turf.

Head scratcher: Nick Fairley could be the piece that gives the Lions the best defensive line in football, but there has to be a reason so many teams were cooling on him as the draft approached.

Green Bay

Heady move: Kentucky receiver Randall Cobb, the last guy in the Radio City green room, should really help a team that has gotten old at the position.

Head scratcher: Their first three picks addressed important spots -- tackle, receiver and running back -- but another pass rusher might be the Packers’ biggest need.

Houston

Heady move: Arizona’s Brooks Reed could wind up being a second-round steal. The key for this Clay Matthews look-alike: try to play like him.

Head scratcher: Wisconsin’s J.J. Watt is a solid player but an unexpected pick for the Texans, who have defensive ends Mario Williams and Antonio Smith, and had greater needs at outside linebacker and cornerback.

Indianapolis

Heady move: Boston College tackle Anthony Castonzo could wind up starting for 10 years or longer, and Peyton Manning isn’t getting any more mobile.

Head scratcher: For a team with a patchwork secondary, and a defense that finished 30th in interceptions, the Colts didn’t draft that way.

Jacksonville

Heady move: Jaguars traded up to get Blaine Gabbert, and now the Missouri quarterback has the luxury of learning behind David Garrard instead of being forced to play right away.

Head scratcher: Using consecutive picks on small-school players, Lehigh tackle William Rackley and Mount Union receiver Cecil Shorts, was a bold move.

Kansas City

Heady move: Character concerns pushed Georgia’s Justin Houston down the boards, but if the Chiefs can keep him in line he’ll be a good find in the third round.

Head scratcher: A lot of draftniks think Pittsburgh receiver Jonathan Baldwin was a reach in the first round, especially with tackles Gabe Carimi and Derek Sherrod still around.

Miami

Heady move: Selecting a center in the middle of the first round is a meat-and-potatoes decision, but playing it safe could be a wise choice.

Head scratcher: The Dolphins couldn’t find a way to get one of the top seven quarterbacks, and that could come back to bite them.

Minnesota

Heady move: Notre Dame tight end Kyle Rudolph was good value in the second round, even though the Vikings already have depth at the position.

Head scratcher: Florida State’s Christian Ponder could turn out to be a great quarterback, but the Vikings passed on some elite offensive tackles to get him.

New England

Heady move: Although his character is a concern, Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett is going to a team that keeps those guys in line -- and the Patriots kept him out of Miami’s hands.

Head scratcher: Bill Belichick frequently mentioned the number of good pass rushers in this draft -- and the Patriots need a top-notch one -- yet repeatedly went in another direction.

New Orleans

Heady move: Grabbed California defensive end Cameron Jordan at No. 24. He figures to be the key player in a front seven badly in need of a makeover.

Head scratcher: The Saints say they want to keep Reggie Bush, but their actions spoke louder than words when they used the 28th pick on another Heisman winner, Mark Ingram.

New York Giants

Heady move: The Giants landed two slipping standouts in Nebraska cornerback Prince Amukamara and North Carolina defensive tackle Marvin Austin.

Head scratcher: As good as their draft was, the Giants couldn’t address every need. Center remains a concern.

New York Jets

Heady move: By taking massive Muhammad Wilkerson, the Temple defensive tackle, the Jets helped solidify the front end of a defense that no longer has Kris Jenkins.

Head scratcher: Hampton nose tackle Kenrick Ellis went at the end of the third round. According to ESPN

NewYork.com, he’s facing up to 20 years in prison on a felony assault charge.

Oakland

Heady move: Penn State center Stefen Wisniewski -- nephew of Raiders great Steve Wisniewski -- is an outstanding player and student. Looks like a very solid pick.

Head scratcher: Some people predicted the Raiders would wind up with Colin Kaepernick. Well, he will be playing in the Bay Area, at least.

Philadelphia

Heady move: Took Oregon’s Casey Matthews in the fourth round. He certainly has the lineage to succeed, and his older brother, Clay, knocked Kevin Kolb out of last season’s opener.

Head scratcher: Although they’re desperate for a cornerback, Eagles passed on character risk Jimmy Smith in the first, instead taking guard Danny Watkins. Time will tell if that was wise.

Pittsburgh

Heady move: Ohio State’s Cameron Heyward is an excellent fit in Steelers’ defensive front and easily could have gone sooner than 31st.

Head scratcher: The Steelers waited until the third and fourth rounds to take defensive backs, which is interesting because they badly need reliable corners.

St. Louis

Heady move: There are red flags with North Carolina’s Robert Quinn -- he was kicked off his team for accepting gifts from an agent, and has a benign brain tumor -- but he has rare talents as a pass rusher.

Head scratcher: Interesting that the Rams would take Wisconsin tight end Lance Kendricks in the second round when they had greater needs at other spots.

San Diego

Heady move: A lot of teams were very high on Illinois defensive end Corey Liuget, and the Chargers need a run stopper in a division with Kansas City and Oakland.

Head scratcher: It isn’t so surprising that San Diego picked receiver Vincent Brown. What’s surprising is that he’s the Chargers’ first San Diego State draftee in 37 years.

San Francisco

Heady move: The 49ers didn’t reach for a quarterback in the first round and instead got one who fits Jim Harbaugh’s system in Kaepernick.

Head scratcher: In the third round, San Francisco took South Carolina defensive back Chris Culliver, who was considered more of a sixth rounder by draft guru Mike Mayock. Culliver had three interceptions in 43 games, and did not pick off a pass last season.

Seattle

Heady move: In taking Alabama tackle James Carpenter and Wisconsin guard John Moffitt, the Seahawks should regain some of the up-front toughness that has been lacking since they lost Steve Hutchinson in 2006.

Head scratcher: The Seahawks passed on an opportunity to take Texas Christian’s Andy Dalton at No. 25. Don’t rule out Seattle trying to trade for Cincinnati’s Carson Palmer.

Tampa Bay

Heady move: If Da’Quan Bowers’ bum knee holds up, he could wind up being the steal of this draft. The Clemson pass rusher went 51st when he was once considered a potential No. 1 overall pick.

Head scratcher: Bowers is obviously a risky pick, too, because of that knee. In the past two drafts, the Buccaneers have used each of their first two picks on defensive linemen.

Tennessee

Heady move: Not everyone saw UCLA’s Akeem Ayers as a first-round pick, but he was good value at the seventh pick of the second round, and he’s a good fit for Jerry Gray’s 4-3 scheme.

Head scratcher: Washington’s Jake Locker is tough and dedicated, but is he accurate enough for the Titans, who are thin on good receivers as it is?

Washington

Heady move: The Redskins were light on draft picks and made an intelligent move to trade back, collect more selections, and still get an excellent pass rusher in Purdue’s Ryan Kerrigan.

Head scratcher: It isn’t often that a team drafts three players from the same school in a row. The Redskins took, in succession, Nebraska teammates Roy Helu, Dejon Gomes and Niles Paul.

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sam.farmer@latimes.com

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