When Cam Newton agreed to a $103 million extension earlier this week, it officially gave us reason to look back at the 2011 draft. Newton, of course, was the No. 1 overall pick that year.

The 2011 draft was a mixed bag if there ever was one. On one hand, it produced some once-in-a-generation talents who helped turn around their respective franchises. On the other hand, there were several flat-out busts, especially at the quarterback position. Here’s a rundown of how some of the draft’s marquee players are performing today.

Quarterback Quandaries

Newton is a polarizing player; fans will debate for years whether he is deserving of his new massive contract. What cannot be debated is that Newton was clearly the best quarterback to come out of this draft. Three other quarterbacks were taken in the top 12 — Jake Locker, Blaine Gabbert and Christian Ponder — and none of them are still with the team that drafted them. Locker is out of the league altogether, while Gabbert and Ponder are holding backup jobs with the 49ers and Raiders, respectively.

Despite the precipitous drop-off after Newton, there are two other quarterbacks from this draft class who have cashed in with nine-figure extensions: Andy Dalton and Colin Kaepernick. Both players have significant achievements under their belts; Dalton has led the Bengals to four straight playoff appearances, while Kaepernick is 25-14 as a starter (plus 4-2 in the playoffs). Neither is particularly accurate, which is a problem, but they offer great value given where they were selected.

There are two more QBs from this draft class with legitimate chances to compete for starting jobs this season. Ryan Mallett will battle Brian Hoyer for the starting job in Houston, while Tyrod Taylor is in the mix with E.J. Manuel and Matt Cassel in Buffalo.

“Tyrod Taylor’s kind of a wild card,” Rex Ryan told The Buffalo News. “Nobody really knows [about him]. All I know is he’s the fastest quarterback in the league. He’s had some good tape in preseason in particular.”

Dominant Defenders

The 2011 draft produced two of the most dominant defenders in the game today: reigning Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt and four-time Pro Bowler Patrick Peterson. However, those two are hardly the only dominant defenders to come out of the first round.

Von Miller and Marcell Dareus, the No. 2 and No. 3 picks, respectively, have certainly lived up to the hype. Aldon Smith (No. 7), despite his off-the-field issues, already has 44 career sacks. Another outside linebacker — Washington’s Ryan Kerrigan — is not far behind with 38 sacks.

The position that produced the best crop of talent is defensive end. In addition to Watt, Robert Quinn (Rams), Corey Liuget (Chargers), Cameron Jordan (Saints) and Muhammad Wilkerson (Jets) have all played at a Pro Bowl level. Quinn and Jordan have already cashed in with extensions worth north of $55 million, while a similar deal for Liuget is not far behind.

“I’m excited about this opportunity,” Jordan said after signing his new deal earlier this week. “New Orleans has become my home and I look forward to continue making an impact both on and off the field for a long time here.”

Watt, of course, set the curve with his $100 million extension with the Texans last September.

Willing Receivers

Much was made of the 2014 crop of receivers, which included Odell Beckham Jr., Sammy Watkins, Mike Evans, Kelvin Benjamin and Brandin Cooks. However, in terms of pure star power, the 2011 class still takes the cake. A.J. Green and Julio Jones both went in the top six picks and have done nothing to disappoint.

Jones, who is on the verge of a Calvin Johnson-type extension, is coming off a season in which he set career-highs with 104 catches and 1,593 yards. Green battled injuries for much of last season, but over the two prior seasons he averaged more than 1,400 yards from scrimmage and 11 touchdowns.

Said Bengals owner Mike Brown of extending Green: “It’s a difficult test for us but we do have the fallback if we need to of using the franchise tag. So, that’s one option. Our problem is the money is so big. We are going to have a finite cap room with a handful of players who are going to be eligible for free agency. We are going to have to see what we can get done with that.”

While Jones and Green await new contracts, 2011 second-round pick Randall Cobb has already signed on the dotted line. After posting more than 1,300 yards from scrimmage and a dozen touchdowns in 2014, Cobb signed a four-year, $40 million contract shortly before the free-agent market opened.

Another receiver from this draft class got a new deal this offseason, but not from the team that drafted him. Torrey Smith, who was drafted by the Ravens and won a Super Bowl in Baltimore, signed a five-year, $40 million deal with the 49ers.

Bust-Prone Blockers

One position that proved to be particularly bust-prone was the offensive line. Things started off well with the selections of Tyron Smith, Mike Pouncey, Nate Solder and Anthony Castonzo. Unfortunately, a massive drop-off took place as soon as Castonzo came off the board.

Danny Watkins was a bust and is no longer in the league. The former fire fighter was a feel-good story before the draft, but now he is back in the firehouse. Two picks later, the Seahawks selected James Carpenter. The Alabama product lacked the conditioning and durability to realize his potential; the Seahawks allowed him to walk as a free agent this offseason, freeing him to sign a four-year, $20 million deal with the Jets.

Gabe Carimi was a total bust as well. He was cut by the Bears after three disappointing seasons and is currently battling for a backup guard position with the Falcons. Chicago’s long-time rivals drafted a bust blocker of their own, choosing Mississippi State’s Derek Sherrod. To be fair, his failure was strictly health-related, as a devastating knee injury in 2011 essentially submarined Sherrod’s career.

For more on the latest extension talks involving three members of this draft class — Dareus, Jones and Prince Amukamara — click here.