Denver Broncos
Round 1
1 - OT Ryan Clady, Boise State (12)
Round 2
2 - WR Eddie Royal, Virginia Tech (42)
Round 3
/ -
Round 4
3 - OC Kory Lichtensteiger, Bowling Green (108)
4 - CB Jack Williams, Kent State (119)
Round 5
5 - RB Ryan Torain, Arizona State (139)
6 - DT Carlton Powell, Virginia Tech (148)
Round 6
7 - LB Spencer Larson, Arizona (183)
Round 7
8 - SS Josh Barrett, Arizona State (220)
9 - FB Peyton Hillis, Arkansas (227)
The Denver Broncos definitely picked up some talented players but as a whole weren't as impressive as hoped. Yet they still managed to pick up a replacement at left tackle for retired Matt Lepsis, is Boise St tackle Ryan Clady. The All American tackle is a very athletic tackle that possesses good movement a long the line to neutralize the speed rushers, and while he may not be a road grading run blocker, he gets it down in pass protection and will definitely help Jay Cutler stay on his feet. In round 2 they picked up the smaller speedy Eddie Royal of VT. Not many people seem to like this pick, but considering former 4th round pick from UCF, wide receiver Brandon Marshall has stepped it up and is the taller red zone threat, Eddie Royal complements him very well and can thrive in the slot. Round 4 were two small school picks; however, both were very nice selections. One was Bowling Green center Kory Lichtensteiger, who is a very tough, very hard nosed player that is the definition of a nasty offensive lineman, playing with a mean streak; even with minimal upside, he has potential with heart like his. Next was Jack Williams, who I had as a sleeper heading into the draft. Williams is a solid man to man corner back, and with time to learn under Dre Bly, Dominique Foxworth, and Champ Bailey, he should adjust well in nickel and dime roles early on. Now moving too some bigger schools in round 5 going for running back depth in Arizona St.'s Ryan Torain who is a bruiser that can really wear down a defense and make way for the speedy backs along with his goal line abilities, and of course, Carlton Powell of Virginia Tech; who is a decent under tackle that is strong and can make some plays on the run. With Niko Koutouvides set to currently start for the Broncos
at middle linebacker, 6th round pick and inside linebacker, Spencer Larson will provide some depth and who knows? If he plays well enough he may get some playing time in the middle. The Broncos capped their draft off with a fantastic 7th round. Landing a very tall with good size (6'3, 233 lbs.) very fast (4.3 second 40 yard dash) free safety in Josh Barrett who fell likely due to the fact he lost his job as a senior, but played like an All American safety as a junior, then arguably the most complete fullback in the draft in Peyton Hillis who can run, catch, and of course block. Not a bad draft, with some nice pickups, but leaving a little to be desired, not addressing middle linebacker earlier.
Grade: C
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Kansas City Chiefs
Round 1
1 - DT Glenn Dorsey, Louisiana State (5)
2 - OG Brandon Albert, Virginia (15)
Round 2
3 - CB Brandon Flowers, Virginia Tech (35)
Round 3
4 - RB Jamaal Charles, Texas (73)
5 - TE Brad Cottam, Tennessee (76)
6 - FS DaJuan Morgan, North Carolina State (82)
Round 4
7 - WR Will Franklin, Missouri (105)
Round 5
8 - CB Brandon Carr, Grand Valley State (140)
Round 6
9 - OT Barry Richardson, Clemson (170)
10 - WR Kevin Robinson, Utah State (182)
Round 7
11 - DE Brian Johnston, Gardner-Webb (210)
12 - TE Mike Merritt, Central Florida (239)
In terms of overall talnet brought in through the draft, there was nobody more impressive then KC, and why not, with 12 picks? Round 1 was a very nice way to open up the festivities for the Chiefs front office on draft weekend, by having arguably the best defensive player in the entire draft in LSU defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey slip to them at #5, and I commend them for taking him and not passing solely because tackle isn't their biggest need; he is a high motor player who plays through injuries and is an intimidating force for QB's. Coming back in the middle of the 1st trading up two spots to select Virginia guard Brandon Albert who will likely play left tackle for them (according to Carl Peterson) in his first year. He is a road grating run blocker and should improve in pass blocking greatly. Another first round graded player in early round 2 with Brandon Flowers, cornerback of VT was a sound pick. With an old group of corners, they added both youth, and very good depth, who may step in early as a rookie. Round 3 was excellent for the Chiefs picking arguably the fastest running back in the draft with Jamaal Charles who has light speed and a real knack for home run plays on a consistent basis. Then three picks later selecting the massive (6'8 - 270 lbs.) tight end, Brad Cottam, of Tennessee who is really balanced tight end that can block very well and proved to be a decent pass catcher this past year. Finishing the third round with another former 1st round graded player in NC State's DaJuan Morgan. A very talented free safety that has very good jumping ability as well as a good ability to read plays in the secondary. Landing Mizzouri wide out, Will Franklin in round 4 could be a very nice receiver to pair with Dwayne Bowe, a very good overall receiver with a good blend of size and speed. Lastly, was a guy on everyones sleeper list, Brian Johnston of Gardner Webb. Don't dub him the next Jared Allen (small school defensive end, high motor, good pass rusher) just yet, but he has all the potential in the world to be a starter, and fell much farther then he should have. As whole, it is hard to say that the Chiefs didn't have the best draft on paper this year; know it's up to the players to make it happen on the field.
Grade: A-
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Oakland Raiders
Round 1
1 - RB Darren McFadden, Arkansas (4)
Round 2
Round 3
Round 4
2 - CB Tyvon Branch, Connecticut (100)
3 - WR Arman Shields, Richmond (125)
Round 5
Round 6
4 - DE Trevor Scott, Buffalo (169)
Round 7
5 - WR Chaz Schilens, San Diego State (226)
The Raiders draft was short and sweet to say the least. They only had 5 picks and used them on just the type of players they like. Round 1 was (in my opinion) a very obvious pick to have been made with Darren McFadden. Most still question it, however, he is a perfect compliment (with his speed) to current starter Justin Fargas (with his bruising style), and together, form a very nice "thunder & lightning" type of duo. Not too mention, Darren McFadden has some versatility and dynamic ability to his game, being able to throw, catch, and of course run. After finally being put on the clock again in round 4, they selected Connecticut cornerback Tyvon Branch, who may come in and contribute right away, but will be a dominant gunner on special teams, blazing down the field and causing a ruckus. He is an overly athletic and player that has all the physical tools, and although he isn't the best in coverage, the guy can play. Eventually trading up with Jacksonville brought them Arman Shield, the speedy (but slightly undersized) receiver out of Richmond. He had a season ending knee injury which hurt his stock, but he is a fearless route runner that goes over the middle with no concerns and makes plays; really played well and became known after Richmond played Vanderbilt this year. Rounds 6 and 7 were again used on small school Division 1 players. Defensive end Trevor Scott of Buffalo, who is extremely raw at the defensive end position, having played tight end the first three years of his collegiate career, and only playing one year of end due to lack of depth, but used his quickness to his advantage showing good pass rushing skills. The other, is Chaz Schilens, wide receiver from San Diego State. Chaz has great size, standing at 6'4, 225 lbs. which should make for a decent red zone option, but he also has some explosiveness to him for such a large receiver. His blocking abilities and straight line speed make him a nice pick in round 7 for the Raiders. With such a small amount of picks, it is hard to really give the Raiders a quality grade, but taking into account they traded their 2nd round pick for cornerback DeAngelo Hall, picking up Darren McFadden; it improves their grade slightly.
Grade: C+
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San Diego Chargers
Round 1
1 - CB Antoine Cason, Arizona (27)
Round 2
Round 3
2 - FB Jacob Hester, Louisiana State (69)
Round 4
Round 5
3 - RB Marcus Thomas, Richmond (166)
Round 6
4 - CB DeJuan Tribble, Boston College (192)
Round 7
5 - OT Corey Clark, Texas A&M (234)
With not many picks, yet again, for an AFC West team, the Chargers still had a decent draft. Picking up Cason is a very good pick and those who have seen him play, just know immediately that he could be a good one; with all the ball skills, the on field awareness, the ability to read the quarterback, along with solid speed, he has it all. Moving on to somewhat of a head scratcher in round 3 where the Chargers traded up to select fullback/running back tweener Jacob Hester of LSU. While most think it was an unnecessary pick, the true hard nosed football player who will give you his all on every play, no matter where he lines up, type player is all but extinct in todays NFL, and Jacob Hester is that kind of player exactly. He can be versatile if used right, and considering Norv Turner's offensive background, that shouldn't be a concern. The plan will likely be to develop Hester into Ladanian Tomlinson's backup as well as a reliable set of hands, as he definitely will not be used as a true fullback in the NFL at his size. In rounds 5, 6, and 7, the Chargers picks up some more depth. In round 5, they selected UTEP running back Marcus Thomas, who has good size, decent overall speed; but gets too flashy at times with his moves and is prone to fumbling due to his style of carrying the ball. Then in round 6 getting DeJuan Tribble who is highly undersized, and doesn't have the elite speed to make up for it, but is good in short distance coverage and is still pretty quick, as well as having the ability to possibly help in the return game. Then finally in round 7, drafting the project offensive tackle out of Texas A&M, Corey Clark. Clark has good quickness for his 6'5, 315 lbs. frame, and can do good things in the pass blocking aspect of things. However, he is an untapped well of talent that could be something in the NFL if he finds his niche in San Diego. More of a depth draft for San Diego as the Super-Chargers will not be starting any of their rookies this year, other then having Cason gradually earn his way onto the field playing nickel and dime packages. You can't fault them for taking the players they wanted to.
Grade: C-
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Coming up next; the NFC East.
Showing posts with label afc. Show all posts
Showing posts with label afc. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
NFL Draft Grades: AFC South
Houston Texans
Round 1
1 - OT Duane Brown, Virginia Tech (26)
Round 2
/ -
Round 3
2 - CB Antwaun Molden, Eastern Kentucky (79)
3 - RB Steve Slaton, West Virginia (89)
Round 4
4 - LB Xavier Adibi, Virginia Tech (118)
Round 5
5 - DT Frank Okam, Texas (151)
Round 6
6 - SS Dominique Barber, Minnesota (173)
Round 7
7 - QB Alex Brink, Washington State (213)
As a whole, it is hard to point out a single pick that was bad for the Texans. Yes, some may disagree with Antwaun Molden in round 3, however he is a fantastic man to man cornerback with very good speed and decent physical abilities, so he has upside as starter. Another one that some may have scratched their head at was in round 1, with VT tackle Duane Brown. Brown was a late riser that is a very athletic tackle and is a poor mans Ryan Clady at the point where the Texans took him. With Ephraim Salaam getting up there in age (turning 32 in 3 weeks) it was about time they invested a top pick in a possible dominant left tackle who will keep the franchise's quarterback on his feet. Outside of those picks, nobody is complaining; with three picks in the middle of the draft that were all 1st round graded players at one point or another. One is running back Steve Slaton of West Virginia. He has very good speed and is like lightning in terms of acceleration and quickness, he can catch the ball as well, his only problem is size (5'9 - 199 lbs.) and his ability to withstand the punishment an NFL back takes with a small body. Next is linebacker Xavier Adibi, who is a speed rusher off the outside that can play from sideline to sideline, as well as drop back in coverage; his only flaw is how well he can be in run support. Last is Texas defensive tackle Frank Okam. He compares well to another former longhorn nose tackle in Cleveland Brown's own Shaun Rogers who can plug up the middle and anchor a defensive line for year. His downfall is weight issues and his ability to stay motivated and constantly give everything on every play. Another possible steal was Marion Barber's younger brother Dominique in round 6.
Grade: C+
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Indianapolis Colts
Round 1
/ -
Round 2
1 - OG Mike Pollack, Arizona St. (59)
Round 3
2 - LB Phillip Wheeler, Georgia Tech (93)
Round 4
3 - TE Jacob Tamme, Kentucky (127)
Round 5
4 - LB Marcus Howard, Georgia (161)
Round 6
5 - TE Tom Santi, Virginia (196)
6 - OC Steven Justice, Wake Forest (201)
7 - RB Mike Hart, Michigan (202)
8 - WR Pierre Garcon, Mount Union (205)
Round 7
9 - OC Jamey Richards, Buffalo (236)
Not a very flashy draft overall for the Colts this year, but that's not what they needed. They had needs on the offensive line (after loosing Jake Scott) and in their line backing core, where they don't have as much talent/depth as they should. With no pick in round 1, they waited their turn until round 2, where they picked up Jake Scott's likely replacement heading into this season in Arizona St. center Mike Pollack who has the versatility to play guard at a high level in the NFL. Round 3 brought them a fantastic talent in Phillip Wheeler if GT, who is versatile enough to play all 3 linebacker positions as well as being a solid open field tackler, and athlete. Landing some more dpeth in round 4 and 5 with Jacob Tamme, tight end of Kentucky, and defensive end Marcus Howard who projects as a linebacker far better at the next level, out of Georgia. Round 6 was a solid four picks for the Colts as well. landing more tight end depth, in Santi, as well as two very undervalued players who fell off quite a bit due to dismal workouts in Michigan's running back Mike Hart and Wake Forest's center Steve Justice (who was at one point the #1 center in the draft some thought) alone with a decent down field threat in Pierre Garcon. The Colts definitely improved them self, but it won't be immediate. Most of these picks will have their time to shine as they learn and develop as backups (other then likely Mike Pollack) before playing.
Grade: C-
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Jacksonville Jaguars
Round 1
1 - DE Derrick Harvey, Florida (8)
Round 2
2 - DE Quentin Groves, Auburn (52)
Round 3
/ -
Round 4
/ -
Round 5
3 - LB Thomas Williams, USC (155)
4 - CB Trae Williams, South Florida (159)
Round 6
/ -
Round 7
5 - RB Chauncey Washington, USC (213)
Looking back to this past season, it was clear that the Jags didn't have many needs, however a top notch pass rusher was an area that needed to be addressed to really put Jacksonville over the top, and they addressed that with their first 2 picks. They picked up the best pass rushing defensive end in the draft with Florida's own defensive end, Derrick Harvey. They came back and took the versatile pass rushing threat that can play both linebacker and defensive end (but primarily defensive end) Quentin Groves of Auburn. Considering they lost Bobby McCray to the Saints, it didn't seem like too bad a move picking up another pass rusher in round 2, in the attempt to slow down Peyton Manning in the South division. In round 5 they picked up a few solid, hard working defenders in Thomas Williams and Trae Williams. Just goes to show how advanced USC's football program is when a backup is still getting drafted in round 5, but a very good player still with good quickness and ability in Thomas Williams. USF cornerback Trae Williams is your typical man coverage corner who wont make stops against the run and will get out muscled by the big receivers, but he could make a fine slot man, covering the shorter, quicker receivers. Round 7 running back Chauncey Washington could be a surprise pick, as he had some nice workouts and with little physical talents, gives his all and can be a decent NFL back.
Grade: C-
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Tennessee Titans
Round 1
1 - RB Chris Johnson, East Carolina (24)
Round 2
2 - DE Jason Jones, East Michigan (54)
Round 3
3 - TE Craig Stevens, California (85)
Round 4
4 - DE William Hayes, Winston Salem (103)
5 - WR Lavelle Hawkins, California (126)
6 - LB Keglar, Purdure (134)
Round 5
/ -
Round 6
/ -
Round 7
7 - CB Cary Williams, Washburn (229)
The Titans had an interesting draft to say the least. They needed a receiver in a bad way and didn't pick up a true wide out, per-say until round 4, but most don't realize that Chris Williams is an electrifying receiver out of the backfield, and should find a lot of success on utilizing swing routes and screen passes to him. Not too mention he ran one of the fastest 40 yard dashes in NFL Combine history (4.24 seconds). They added more defensive line depth after loosing both Antwan Odom and Travis Laboy in free agency with their second and fourth round picks, adding a tweener with both advantages and disadvantages to playing tackle or end on the D-line in Jason Jones of East Michigan, and sleeper William Hayes of Winston Salem, who is slightly undersized and is more of a finesse player that better fits the 3-4 scheme as linebacker. A hard working couple of players in tight end Craig Stevens of Cal will fit in nicely as a decent receiving option to Vince Young, and tough Stanford Keglar of Purdue who is a sideline to sideline type linebacker that will add some nice depth on defense. One of the best picks of the Titans draft however, was Lavelle Hawkins in round 4. Hawkins has been in the shadow of former teammate DeSean Jackson at Cal, but when he got his shot in the Senior Bowl and in the Combine, he didn't take it lying down. He had a huge couple of pre-draft events/workouts and really made a name for himself, hopefully for his sake and the Titans sake, he becomes what he showed off before the draft.
Grade: C-
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...coming up next, the AFC West.
Round 1
1 - OT Duane Brown, Virginia Tech (26)
Round 2
/ -
Round 3
2 - CB Antwaun Molden, Eastern Kentucky (79)
3 - RB Steve Slaton, West Virginia (89)
Round 4
4 - LB Xavier Adibi, Virginia Tech (118)
Round 5
5 - DT Frank Okam, Texas (151)
Round 6
6 - SS Dominique Barber, Minnesota (173)
Round 7
7 - QB Alex Brink, Washington State (213)
As a whole, it is hard to point out a single pick that was bad for the Texans. Yes, some may disagree with Antwaun Molden in round 3, however he is a fantastic man to man cornerback with very good speed and decent physical abilities, so he has upside as starter. Another one that some may have scratched their head at was in round 1, with VT tackle Duane Brown. Brown was a late riser that is a very athletic tackle and is a poor mans Ryan Clady at the point where the Texans took him. With Ephraim Salaam getting up there in age (turning 32 in 3 weeks) it was about time they invested a top pick in a possible dominant left tackle who will keep the franchise's quarterback on his feet. Outside of those picks, nobody is complaining; with three picks in the middle of the draft that were all 1st round graded players at one point or another. One is running back Steve Slaton of West Virginia. He has very good speed and is like lightning in terms of acceleration and quickness, he can catch the ball as well, his only problem is size (5'9 - 199 lbs.) and his ability to withstand the punishment an NFL back takes with a small body. Next is linebacker Xavier Adibi, who is a speed rusher off the outside that can play from sideline to sideline, as well as drop back in coverage; his only flaw is how well he can be in run support. Last is Texas defensive tackle Frank Okam. He compares well to another former longhorn nose tackle in Cleveland Brown's own Shaun Rogers who can plug up the middle and anchor a defensive line for year. His downfall is weight issues and his ability to stay motivated and constantly give everything on every play. Another possible steal was Marion Barber's younger brother Dominique in round 6.
Grade: C+
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Indianapolis Colts
Round 1
/ -
Round 2
1 - OG Mike Pollack, Arizona St. (59)
Round 3
2 - LB Phillip Wheeler, Georgia Tech (93)
Round 4
3 - TE Jacob Tamme, Kentucky (127)
Round 5
4 - LB Marcus Howard, Georgia (161)
Round 6
5 - TE Tom Santi, Virginia (196)
6 - OC Steven Justice, Wake Forest (201)
7 - RB Mike Hart, Michigan (202)
8 - WR Pierre Garcon, Mount Union (205)
Round 7
9 - OC Jamey Richards, Buffalo (236)
Not a very flashy draft overall for the Colts this year, but that's not what they needed. They had needs on the offensive line (after loosing Jake Scott) and in their line backing core, where they don't have as much talent/depth as they should. With no pick in round 1, they waited their turn until round 2, where they picked up Jake Scott's likely replacement heading into this season in Arizona St. center Mike Pollack who has the versatility to play guard at a high level in the NFL. Round 3 brought them a fantastic talent in Phillip Wheeler if GT, who is versatile enough to play all 3 linebacker positions as well as being a solid open field tackler, and athlete. Landing some more dpeth in round 4 and 5 with Jacob Tamme, tight end of Kentucky, and defensive end Marcus Howard who projects as a linebacker far better at the next level, out of Georgia. Round 6 was a solid four picks for the Colts as well. landing more tight end depth, in Santi, as well as two very undervalued players who fell off quite a bit due to dismal workouts in Michigan's running back Mike Hart and Wake Forest's center Steve Justice (who was at one point the #1 center in the draft some thought) alone with a decent down field threat in Pierre Garcon. The Colts definitely improved them self, but it won't be immediate. Most of these picks will have their time to shine as they learn and develop as backups (other then likely Mike Pollack) before playing.
Grade: C-
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Jacksonville Jaguars
Round 1
1 - DE Derrick Harvey, Florida (8)
Round 2
2 - DE Quentin Groves, Auburn (52)
Round 3
/ -
Round 4
/ -
Round 5
3 - LB Thomas Williams, USC (155)
4 - CB Trae Williams, South Florida (159)
Round 6
/ -
Round 7
5 - RB Chauncey Washington, USC (213)
Looking back to this past season, it was clear that the Jags didn't have many needs, however a top notch pass rusher was an area that needed to be addressed to really put Jacksonville over the top, and they addressed that with their first 2 picks. They picked up the best pass rushing defensive end in the draft with Florida's own defensive end, Derrick Harvey. They came back and took the versatile pass rushing threat that can play both linebacker and defensive end (but primarily defensive end) Quentin Groves of Auburn. Considering they lost Bobby McCray to the Saints, it didn't seem like too bad a move picking up another pass rusher in round 2, in the attempt to slow down Peyton Manning in the South division. In round 5 they picked up a few solid, hard working defenders in Thomas Williams and Trae Williams. Just goes to show how advanced USC's football program is when a backup is still getting drafted in round 5, but a very good player still with good quickness and ability in Thomas Williams. USF cornerback Trae Williams is your typical man coverage corner who wont make stops against the run and will get out muscled by the big receivers, but he could make a fine slot man, covering the shorter, quicker receivers. Round 7 running back Chauncey Washington could be a surprise pick, as he had some nice workouts and with little physical talents, gives his all and can be a decent NFL back.
Grade: C-
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Tennessee Titans
Round 1
1 - RB Chris Johnson, East Carolina (24)
Round 2
2 - DE Jason Jones, East Michigan (54)
Round 3
3 - TE Craig Stevens, California (85)
Round 4
4 - DE William Hayes, Winston Salem (103)
5 - WR Lavelle Hawkins, California (126)
6 - LB Keglar, Purdure (134)
Round 5
/ -
Round 6
/ -
Round 7
7 - CB Cary Williams, Washburn (229)
The Titans had an interesting draft to say the least. They needed a receiver in a bad way and didn't pick up a true wide out, per-say until round 4, but most don't realize that Chris Williams is an electrifying receiver out of the backfield, and should find a lot of success on utilizing swing routes and screen passes to him. Not too mention he ran one of the fastest 40 yard dashes in NFL Combine history (4.24 seconds). They added more defensive line depth after loosing both Antwan Odom and Travis Laboy in free agency with their second and fourth round picks, adding a tweener with both advantages and disadvantages to playing tackle or end on the D-line in Jason Jones of East Michigan, and sleeper William Hayes of Winston Salem, who is slightly undersized and is more of a finesse player that better fits the 3-4 scheme as linebacker. A hard working couple of players in tight end Craig Stevens of Cal will fit in nicely as a decent receiving option to Vince Young, and tough Stanford Keglar of Purdue who is a sideline to sideline type linebacker that will add some nice depth on defense. One of the best picks of the Titans draft however, was Lavelle Hawkins in round 4. Hawkins has been in the shadow of former teammate DeSean Jackson at Cal, but when he got his shot in the Senior Bowl and in the Combine, he didn't take it lying down. He had a huge couple of pre-draft events/workouts and really made a name for himself, hopefully for his sake and the Titans sake, he becomes what he showed off before the draft.
Grade: C-
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...coming up next, the AFC West.
Friday, May 23, 2008
NFL Draft Grades: AFC North
The AFC North was a division that as a whole had solid draft days, and brought in quite a bit of talent. Whether it was Flacco, Mendenhall, Rivers or Sweed, the North did a great job and nobody in the division had a bad draft and helped themselves a lot.
Baltimore Ravens
Round 1
1 - QB Joe Flacco, Delaware (18)
Round 2
2 - RB Ray Rice, Rutgers (55)
Round 3
3 - LB Tavares Gooden, Miami (71)
4 - SS Tom Zbikowski, Notre Dame (86)
5 - OG O'Neil Cousins, UTEP (99)
Round 4
6 - WR Marcus Smith, New Mexico (106)
7 - OT David Hale, Weber St. (133)
Round 5
/ -
Round 6
8 - SS Haruki Nakamura, Cincinnati (206)
Round 7
9 - WR Justin Harper, Virginia Tech (215)
10 - RB Allen Patrick, Oklahoma (240)
Overall, Baltimore mightily impressed me in the middle of their draft. They went into the weekend with no 3rd round pick, and ended with three of them. Not many people were aware leading up to the draft, just how much the Ravens loved Joe Flacco, and they got the guy they wanted, and they traded down (before in turn trading up) to get him. Although most will question how early he went, he is the franchise caliber guy coaches and GM's pray for. Landing a speedy RB to be the lightning to McGahee's thunder in Rutgers' Ray Rice was a wise move. My favorite NFL caliber player in the draft was Tom Zbikowski, so the pick was a very good one. Getting a fantastic project lineman in O'Neil Cousins was a nice addition, and Miami linebacker Tavares Gooden is too similar to his new teammate Ray Lewis not to like the pick; smart, sure tackler, and sheds blocks well. Haruki Nakamura doesn't have much NFL potential, but can be an excellent addition on special teams, and can help in patches. As well in round 7, both Allen Patrick and Justin Harper could have easily gone in round 5 and on, so you can't question those either. A nice draft, but they could have addressed their O-line a little more.
Grade: C+
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Cincinnati Bengals
Round 1
1 - LB Keith Rivers, USC (9)
Round 2
2 - WR Jerome Simpson, Coastal Carolina (46)
Round 3
3 - DT Pat Sims, Auburn (77)
4 - WR Andre Caldwell, Florida (97)
Round 4
5 - OT Anthony Collins, Kansas (112)
Round 5
6 - DT Jason Shirley, Fresno St. (145)
Round 6
7 - FS Corey Lynch, Appalachian St. (177)
8 - TE Matt Sherry, Villanova (207)
Round 7
9 - LB Angelo Craig, Cincinnati (244)
10 - WR Mario Urrutia, Louisville (246)
It was no secret that the Bengals would be taking a defender at #9, but the question was who? Again, it was no secret that they were coveting defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis, but with New Orleans trading up, it wasn't meant to be. However, linebacker Keith Rivers, a teammate of Ellis' at USC, was quite the consolation prize. Rivers is a very instinctive linebacker and is extremely sound at the position. He is stout at the point of attack, and while he isn't a great coverage linebacker, he helps against the run, which is a must for the Bengals at this point. In round 2, you have to respect the risky pick. Jerome Simpson was obviously their guy if they were willing to select him in round 2. Most would disagree with the pick, but Coastal Carolina's Jerome Simpson has indefinite #1 WR potential. Round 3 was a solid round as well; landing a run stuffer up the middle in Auburns Pat Sims, and another WR to add depth in the elusive Andre Caldwell of Florida. Kansas offensive tackle Anthony Collins may have been a steal in round 4. He has good size and is a solid pass blocker for depth in case Levi Jones goes down. At the very least, he will provide a possible successor to an aged Willie Anderson at right tackle. Another huge nose tackle in Jason Shirley was a nice addition (6'5 - 335 lbs.) to help slow down opposing ground attacks. Another nice selection was the 6'6, 232 lbs. red zone monster that is Mario Urrutia of Louisville. Overall, the Chad Johnson/TJ Houshmandzadeh situation(s) may have forced the Bengals into making one too many picks at wide receiver, but they added solid talent nonetheless, although they could have addressed the defense a little more.
Grade: C
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Cleveland Browns
Round 1
/ -
Round 2
/ -
Round 3
/ -
Round 4
1 - LB Beau Bell, UNLV (104)
2 - TE Martin Rucker, Missouri (111)
Round 5
/ -
Round 6
3 - DT Ahtyba Rubin, Iowa St. (190)
4 - WR Paul Hubbard, Wisconsin (191)
Round 7
5 - DE Alex Hall, St. Augustine's (231)
There isn't a whole lot to say about the Browns draft, however, they made their picks count, and worked with what they had and did a solid job. For their first pick, they traded up with the Cowboys to select university of Nevada Las Vegas' linebacker Beau Bell who is an ideal fit as a middle linebacker in the Browns 3-4 defense; considering that their biggest need was defense (primarily linebacker) Beau Bell was a great pickup for the Brownies. Trading up again with the Cowboys, they selected a very good pass catching tight end in Missouri's, Martin Rucker. Not a great blocker, but will add great depth in case Kellen Winslow should go down during the season; they are very alike as well. Round 6 saw them get a steal in the massive nose tackle from Iowa State Ahtyba Rubin who could have easily gone in round 3. Rubin will add much needed depth on what was a porous defensive line last season as a nose tackle behind Shaun Rogers. Both Paul Hubbard and Alex Hall are nice developmental prospects at their respective positions. When talking about the Browns draft, the trades they made must be taken into account. Trading their 1st last season in a trade up for Notre Dame QB Brady Quinn is still a no decision, however adding Corey Williams with their 2nd round pick from Green Bay, a defensive tackle who will play defensive end in the 3-4 helps them mightily. The biggest of all, trading their 3rd and Leigh Bodden for nose tackle Shaun Rodgers all but solidifies their D-line this season, which was by far their worst function.
Grade: B-
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Pittsburgh Steelers
Round 1
1 - RB Rashard Mendenhall, Illinois (23)
Round 2
2 - WR Limas Sweed, Texas (53)
Round 3
3 - DE/LB Bruce Davis, UCLA (88)
Round 4
4 - OT Tony Hills, Texas (130)
Round 5
5 - QB Dennis Dixon, Oregon (156)
Round 6
6 - LB Mike Humpal, Iowa (188)
7 - FS Ryan Mundy, West Virginia (194)
Round 7
/ -
I was a big fan of the Steelers draft, picking up great talent and value at almost all of their picks, not reaching on a single pick. In round 1 they had Rashard Mendenhall, a consensus top 15 pick fall into their laps. With Willie Parker's injury in the playoffs fresh in their mind, it was a pick that had to be made. They off set each other well and will make for a good tandem at running back. Mendenhall's ability goes beyond running however. He is a sounds pass catcher, an above-average blocker, and fell only because he had just a single year of production. Round 2 was a steal of a pick in Texas' Limas Sweed. Sweed reminds the Steelers front office of their former receiver Plaxico Burress; being 6'5 with good hands and great potential to be a solid receiver, off setting 06' 1st round pick wide receiver, the small and fast Santonio Holmes. They came back and selected an ideal outside linebacker for their 3-4 scheme in Bruce Davis. Amassing 24.5 sacks in two years, Davis will help get to the quarterback in a big way. Adding solid depth to their offensive line that is seeing the aging of guys like Marvel Smith and the loss of Alan Faneca with another longhorn in offensive tackle Tony Hills. Dennis Dixon in round 5 is very intriguing and was in the Heisman contention, leading his Oregon Ducks to a possible BCS bid before tearing his ACL.
Grade: B
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...Coming up next, the AFC South.
Baltimore Ravens
Round 1
1 - QB Joe Flacco, Delaware (18)
Round 2
2 - RB Ray Rice, Rutgers (55)
Round 3
3 - LB Tavares Gooden, Miami (71)
4 - SS Tom Zbikowski, Notre Dame (86)
5 - OG O'Neil Cousins, UTEP (99)
Round 4
6 - WR Marcus Smith, New Mexico (106)
7 - OT David Hale, Weber St. (133)
Round 5
/ -
Round 6
8 - SS Haruki Nakamura, Cincinnati (206)
Round 7
9 - WR Justin Harper, Virginia Tech (215)
10 - RB Allen Patrick, Oklahoma (240)
Overall, Baltimore mightily impressed me in the middle of their draft. They went into the weekend with no 3rd round pick, and ended with three of them. Not many people were aware leading up to the draft, just how much the Ravens loved Joe Flacco, and they got the guy they wanted, and they traded down (before in turn trading up) to get him. Although most will question how early he went, he is the franchise caliber guy coaches and GM's pray for. Landing a speedy RB to be the lightning to McGahee's thunder in Rutgers' Ray Rice was a wise move. My favorite NFL caliber player in the draft was Tom Zbikowski, so the pick was a very good one. Getting a fantastic project lineman in O'Neil Cousins was a nice addition, and Miami linebacker Tavares Gooden is too similar to his new teammate Ray Lewis not to like the pick; smart, sure tackler, and sheds blocks well. Haruki Nakamura doesn't have much NFL potential, but can be an excellent addition on special teams, and can help in patches. As well in round 7, both Allen Patrick and Justin Harper could have easily gone in round 5 and on, so you can't question those either. A nice draft, but they could have addressed their O-line a little more.
Grade: C+
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Cincinnati Bengals
Round 1
1 - LB Keith Rivers, USC (9)
Round 2
2 - WR Jerome Simpson, Coastal Carolina (46)
Round 3
3 - DT Pat Sims, Auburn (77)
4 - WR Andre Caldwell, Florida (97)
Round 4
5 - OT Anthony Collins, Kansas (112)
Round 5
6 - DT Jason Shirley, Fresno St. (145)
Round 6
7 - FS Corey Lynch, Appalachian St. (177)
8 - TE Matt Sherry, Villanova (207)
Round 7
9 - LB Angelo Craig, Cincinnati (244)
10 - WR Mario Urrutia, Louisville (246)
It was no secret that the Bengals would be taking a defender at #9, but the question was who? Again, it was no secret that they were coveting defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis, but with New Orleans trading up, it wasn't meant to be. However, linebacker Keith Rivers, a teammate of Ellis' at USC, was quite the consolation prize. Rivers is a very instinctive linebacker and is extremely sound at the position. He is stout at the point of attack, and while he isn't a great coverage linebacker, he helps against the run, which is a must for the Bengals at this point. In round 2, you have to respect the risky pick. Jerome Simpson was obviously their guy if they were willing to select him in round 2. Most would disagree with the pick, but Coastal Carolina's Jerome Simpson has indefinite #1 WR potential. Round 3 was a solid round as well; landing a run stuffer up the middle in Auburns Pat Sims, and another WR to add depth in the elusive Andre Caldwell of Florida. Kansas offensive tackle Anthony Collins may have been a steal in round 4. He has good size and is a solid pass blocker for depth in case Levi Jones goes down. At the very least, he will provide a possible successor to an aged Willie Anderson at right tackle. Another huge nose tackle in Jason Shirley was a nice addition (6'5 - 335 lbs.) to help slow down opposing ground attacks. Another nice selection was the 6'6, 232 lbs. red zone monster that is Mario Urrutia of Louisville. Overall, the Chad Johnson/TJ Houshmandzadeh situation(s) may have forced the Bengals into making one too many picks at wide receiver, but they added solid talent nonetheless, although they could have addressed the defense a little more.
Grade: C
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Cleveland Browns
Round 1
/ -
Round 2
/ -
Round 3
/ -
Round 4
1 - LB Beau Bell, UNLV (104)
2 - TE Martin Rucker, Missouri (111)
Round 5
/ -
Round 6
3 - DT Ahtyba Rubin, Iowa St. (190)
4 - WR Paul Hubbard, Wisconsin (191)
Round 7
5 - DE Alex Hall, St. Augustine's (231)
There isn't a whole lot to say about the Browns draft, however, they made their picks count, and worked with what they had and did a solid job. For their first pick, they traded up with the Cowboys to select university of Nevada Las Vegas' linebacker Beau Bell who is an ideal fit as a middle linebacker in the Browns 3-4 defense; considering that their biggest need was defense (primarily linebacker) Beau Bell was a great pickup for the Brownies. Trading up again with the Cowboys, they selected a very good pass catching tight end in Missouri's, Martin Rucker. Not a great blocker, but will add great depth in case Kellen Winslow should go down during the season; they are very alike as well. Round 6 saw them get a steal in the massive nose tackle from Iowa State Ahtyba Rubin who could have easily gone in round 3. Rubin will add much needed depth on what was a porous defensive line last season as a nose tackle behind Shaun Rogers. Both Paul Hubbard and Alex Hall are nice developmental prospects at their respective positions. When talking about the Browns draft, the trades they made must be taken into account. Trading their 1st last season in a trade up for Notre Dame QB Brady Quinn is still a no decision, however adding Corey Williams with their 2nd round pick from Green Bay, a defensive tackle who will play defensive end in the 3-4 helps them mightily. The biggest of all, trading their 3rd and Leigh Bodden for nose tackle Shaun Rodgers all but solidifies their D-line this season, which was by far their worst function.
Grade: B-
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Pittsburgh Steelers
Round 1
1 - RB Rashard Mendenhall, Illinois (23)
Round 2
2 - WR Limas Sweed, Texas (53)
Round 3
3 - DE/LB Bruce Davis, UCLA (88)
Round 4
4 - OT Tony Hills, Texas (130)
Round 5
5 - QB Dennis Dixon, Oregon (156)
Round 6
6 - LB Mike Humpal, Iowa (188)
7 - FS Ryan Mundy, West Virginia (194)
Round 7
/ -
I was a big fan of the Steelers draft, picking up great talent and value at almost all of their picks, not reaching on a single pick. In round 1 they had Rashard Mendenhall, a consensus top 15 pick fall into their laps. With Willie Parker's injury in the playoffs fresh in their mind, it was a pick that had to be made. They off set each other well and will make for a good tandem at running back. Mendenhall's ability goes beyond running however. He is a sounds pass catcher, an above-average blocker, and fell only because he had just a single year of production. Round 2 was a steal of a pick in Texas' Limas Sweed. Sweed reminds the Steelers front office of their former receiver Plaxico Burress; being 6'5 with good hands and great potential to be a solid receiver, off setting 06' 1st round pick wide receiver, the small and fast Santonio Holmes. They came back and selected an ideal outside linebacker for their 3-4 scheme in Bruce Davis. Amassing 24.5 sacks in two years, Davis will help get to the quarterback in a big way. Adding solid depth to their offensive line that is seeing the aging of guys like Marvel Smith and the loss of Alan Faneca with another longhorn in offensive tackle Tony Hills. Dennis Dixon in round 5 is very intriguing and was in the Heisman contention, leading his Oregon Ducks to a possible BCS bid before tearing his ACL.
Grade: B
____________________________________________________________________
...Coming up next, the AFC South.
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