Now that the draft is over and our dreams are either dashed or filled with blind hope we can start to process how the choices made over the weekend look all put together. The grades that these teams get are not based on anything other than how they worked the draft ion terms of the value given to the player to where they got them. This doesn’t mean that classes with low grades can’t be good; it simply shows how they fared in terms of draft day value.
Arthur Brown leads the draft board in value.
AFC North:
Balitmore Ravens: B
Baltimore is coming off an impressive Supbowl run, and it’s clear the direction the offense is taking with Mr. 120 Million. That being said, they lost almost everything on defense. It was clear what Ozzie Newsome wanted to do with his draft and he a got lucky when Ed Reed’s replacement Matt Elam was there at 32. Newsome then picked up Ray Lewis’s replacement in first-round talent Arthur Brown at 56. Getting John Simon, who Urban Meyer called one of his favorite players of all time, and a gritty undersized pass rusher in the fourth just solidifies the next few years for the Ravens. Kapron Leiws-Moore needs a red-shirt year after blowing out a knee in the national title game, but if he had come out healthy would have likely been late second, early third round selection. If he gets healthy he could be a starter for a long time. Watch out for undrafted free agent wr/qb Trent Steelman, who I think has Julian Edlelman written all over him.
Cincinnati Bengals: B+
The Bengals absolutely killed the first few rounds. Getting Tyler Eifert at 21 could be the steal of the draft. Lord knows what Jay Gruden will dream up for Andy Dalton with Eifert, Green, and Gresham in the passing game. It’s clear that Dalton has no more excuses. Gio Bernard was my favorite back in the draft; his versatility will allow him to make plays out of any place on the field, including the return game. Margus Hunt has talent beyond talent, and letting him learn from Carlos Dunlap, Michael Johnson, and Geno Atkins will prove very helpful. Later on they got Rex Burkhead who should be a fine special teams player and could force himself into 3rd down duty with his blocking talent and hands. Reid Fragel is a great developmental tackle, having played tight end until last season at Ohio State. I also love the undrafted free agents signings of Larry Balck Jr. and Onterio McCalebb; Black is a hardnosed defensive tackle that plays hard every down while McCalebb has blazing speed and could be another good return man for the Bengals.
Cleveland Browns: C+
The Browns didn’t make enough moves to give a damning grade, but they could have made some moves to make bigger splashes. Barkevious Mingo is an incredible talent who needs some work, but if he can find some more pass rush moves and add strength he could be an impact player very early. Leon McFadden has great upside as well, and he gets to learn from one of the best, Joe Hayden. Garrett Gilkey in the seventh round could be a steal as he is a big nasty guy who played outside tackle at Chadron but projects at guard in the NFL. Travis Tannahill should have been drafted, he doesn’t have great movement skills, but he can block and catch with surprising athleticism.
Pittsburg Steelers: C+
The Steelers were much worse than fan expectation in 2012. They couldn’t run, they couldn’t pass when Big Ben was hurt, and they couldn’t slow down opponents when it mattered. They needed to get younger badly, and they did that in typical Steeler fashion with smart picks that fit their system. Jarvis Jones, who was a top five pick based solely on his outstanding SEC tape, fell to them at 17 and they jumped all over him. They can plug him in and count on good pass rush for the next ten years. That’s why they felt comfortable letting Thug Harrison go. Le’veon Bell was over drafted by conventional terms, but when you look at what the Steelers were ready to go to camp with at running back, it’s clear why they took a guy that looks like a Steeler. Some may have hated the Landry Jones pick but he can sit the next few years behind Big Ben and maybe see some spot duty when Ben gets hurt.
AFC South:
Indianapolis Colts: C+
GM Ryan Grigson and head coach Chuck Pagano have made it clear what kinds of players they want: tough hard workers who have great locker room personalities with proven production. They got the German War Machine Bojern Warner at 24 which may end up being a steal. His ceiling comparison is Jarred Allen, and even if he’s only pretty good, he will give 200% effort and should be the stabilizing force on an evolving defense. Kahlid Holmes started 40 games at USC going back to the Pete Carroll years; he showed gritty play before some late injuries seemed to slow him down. I loved getting John Boyett late. He isn’t the biggest, fastest, or strongest safety on the block, but he is a smart productive player who was the leader of the Oregon defense for the past three years. UDFA Emmett Cleary started almost every game of his career at Boston College; he may prove to be a solid swing tackle in time.
Houston Texas: A
Rejoice Andre Johnson! The Texas have finally heard your pleas. With their 1st pick, they drafted Clemson’s DeAndre Hopkins who is a fluid athlete and may not have incredible long speed has amazing ball skills. He is still learning the game and has a Roddy White-like ceiling; as long as he gets covered at all he will be doing his job in getting men off Andre Johnson. D.J. Swearinger is a feisty safety who now gets to learn from the greatest of all time in Ed Reed; he is SEC battle tested and was a surprise to last as long as he did. The steal of the class may be Sam Montgomery. Montgomery was a headache for LSU coaches last year and was publicly denounced by a few of them. If the Texans can get him to care at all about football, they got a first round talent in the fourth. The Texans went heavy on UDFA’s and picked up a few that should be good players for them, I don’t know why the hype wasn’t behind Cierre Woods; he has tremendous talent and could be an everyday contributor this year. Syracuse wide receiver Alec Lemon should have been drafted and run great routes after being coached by an NFL guy in college. Zach Boren has versatility being able to play FB, he can catch out of the backfield, he can also play spot duty inside linebacker in the 3-4, and should be a special team’s leader for years. They also signed Hesiman candidate Colin Klein, although it’s unclear what they hope to accomplish.
Jacksonville Jaguars: B-
The Jags were really good really quick when they arrived in 1995, and a lot of that had to do with nobody being able to touch Mark Brunell on account of Tony Boselli. Luke Joeckel can be that for this team. Getting Jonathan Cyprien with the first pick in the second was incredible as he can be the enforcer that the Jags have lacked in recent years. I love Ace Sanders in the fourth because he has real potential to develop as a slot receiver. For all the hype around Tavon Austin, Sanders has similar open field ability. Denard Robinson should play all over for this team the next few years. They brought in both Matt Scott and Jordan Rodgers, who will both get a chance to compete for the quarterback position. Watch out for fellow undrafted guy Kyler Reed from Nebraska; he just has a knack for being in the right place at the right time, plus he made plays with Taylor Martinez as his quarterback.
Tennese Titans: C+
Was it really that long ago that the Titans hasd a dominating offensive line, a 2,000 yard rusher, and a scrappy defense? It feels like ages ago now, but you get the feeling the front office wants to get it back. They took the first top ten guard in almost twenty years with John Cooper from North Carolina; he has elite athleticism for an interior guy. In fact, his biggest issue last year was keeping his weight on. Combine him with fourth rounder Brian Schwenke from Cal, who could start immediately and be good, and free agent guard Andy Levitrie, and the Titans may get CJ2K back. Netting the rail-thin ultra-explosive Justin Hunter early in the second means that Jake Locker has no more excuses this year. Second rounder Blidi Wreh-Wilson has potential to start right now, and seventh rounder Daimion Stafford is a crazy person with big hitting skills. If they can calm him down in coverage he could be the rover for their nickel-blitz packages.
AFC West
Denver Broncos: D+
The Broncos pretty much filled all their pressing needs in free agency this offseason, so they had the luxury of drafting for depth. They took Sylvester Williams from North Carolina with the twenty eighth overall pick. Personally I’ve never been a big fan of Sylvester, but he does a good job filling gaps and stopping the run. Montee Ball has a lot of tread on his tires, but my biggest issue with him is can he catch the ball? He never really had to do it at Wisconsin, and in order to thrive with Manning you need to be able to catch outlet passes. Tavarres King out of Georgia was a great pick as he has freak like athleticism, and should be able to carve out a niche in the Denver offense. Getting Zac Dysert late was a steal. I hate to say I agree with Trent Dilfer, but he has starting potential and shows an ability to run which is at such a premium these days. A few years down he could beat out last year’s third rounder Brock Osweiler for the starting job in Denver.
Kansas City Chiefs: B-
The Chiefs had the first pick and decided against taking Luke Joeckel, instead going with upside and taking Eric Fisher. Fisher has immense talent and should be an immediate starter at one of the tackle spots, assuming they can get rid of Brandon Albert. He should be their blindside tackle by August and could be a quick Pro Bowl selection. Their second round pick was traded for Alex Smith, and that’s where this draft will really be decided. If he proves to be the accurate passer he was the past year and a half he should validate Andy Reid’s choice; if not they passed up on some good players who could change their franchise. Tight End Travis Kelce should be a stabilizing upgrade over the often injured Tony Mokeai. In addition, he also can run wildcat plays, as he was a former QB. Knile Davis was a reach, but if he can come back from the gruesome ankle injury and learn to hold on to the football, his physical measurables say he will be a star. Seventh rounder Mike Capatonao is a guy I had never heard of when he was picked on Saturday. After some research, I found this guy has the potential to be a good pass rusher a few years down the road. UDFA Toben Opurum was the lead rusher at Kansas his freshman year, then was switched to linebacker by Turner Gill. He has great athleticism and could earn some serious playing time if he continues to learn how to play defense.
Oakland Raiders: B
Oakland was a mess last year, Carson Palmer proved he is a shell of his former self and the Bengals continue to laugh at Raiders fans anguish. The Palmer deal, however, is a thing of the past and Oakland had a great draft. They needed everything so trading back and picking up a second round pick was huge for them. They got an extra pick and their guy in D.J. Hayden. Hayden has all the making of an elite corner and if his health doesn’t falter could be a day one upgrade over anything they had. Menelik Watson is the fastest linemen in modern NFL history, and he can be a starter from the first day. They took a flyer on another athletic division two tackle a few years back in Jared “Manhulk” Veldheer, and he became a franchise left tackle. Investing in offensive linemen is always a good way to get better. Third rounder linebacker Sio Moore, and fourth round tight end Nick Kasa were each taken a round after the talent they poses. UDFA wide receiver Connor Vernon just feels like a guy who will find a way to get on the field early, a sort of an Ed McCaffrey type who isn’t flashy but catches the ball when it is thrown to him.
San Diego Chargers: B-
The Chargers are a team in rebuilding mode. They have what they perceive to be a franchise quarterback, but he has no protection and nobody to throw to anymore; so, the Chargers drafted the last of the top tackles and maybe reached a bit on a guy who will never play anywhere other than right tackle. Manti Te’o may not be an internet savvy guy, but he does have a nose for the football. He doesn’t cover particularly well, but he is more than capable of being an above-average run stopper. Depending on who you talk to the Chargers got the best overall receiver in the draft, or took a guy who can’t run in Keenan Allen. Once a top fifteen player, Allen run REALLY SLOW at the combine, but runs smooth routes and never has wasted motions in his game. Kwame Geathers is a steal for the 3-4 defense as an UDFA, and should be able to flourish with proper training and work. Finally don’t sleep on UDFA wide receiver Luke Tasker, son of the greatest special teams player who ever lived.
AFC East
Buffalo Bills: C
Alright, everybody get their laughter out of the way now, yes the Bills traded back to sixteen to get their quarterback and it wasn’t Geno Smith. Now that we got that out of the way, I have to say that while a reach, f you love a quarterback you go get him. And in return they picked up one of the best linebackers in Kiko Alonso, as well as getting the most under rated receiver in the draft in Robert Woods in the second. Meanwhile in the third they went with an Olympic-like athlete in Marquise Goodwin, who Texas just refused to let do anything productive during his time on the field. Late rounds didn’t show any splash picks but added some solid defensive back depth with guys like Duke Williams, and Jonathon Meeks. They also got Da’rick Rogers as a UDFA. Rodgers has first round talent but is still a question after getting kicked out of Tennessee, and underwhelming at Tenn Tech.
Miami Dolphins: C+
The Dolphins made a bold move, trading up to the third overall pick to take pass rusher Dion Jordan. In terms of value the cost of moving way up was pretty minimal, losing only a second rounder, if this pick hits they will have a fierce pass rushing combo with Cam Wake. Dallas Thomas can play immediately inside for this team and help with opening up holes of the running game. Jelani Jenkins may not be the fastest man on the planet, but he was a great player in the SEC, which means something and that he could be a steal as a good two down linebacker. Dion Sims is great versatile player who looks like he could be a starter in a few seasons at the tight end spot.
New England Patriots: D
Now I have a certain distain for Bill Belichek and Tom Brady, but I can say with all certainty that Patriots had a horrible draft. Maybe the Hoodie knows something I don’t, but over drafting players has rarely worked for anybody, just ask the Oakland Raiders. That being said, I do like Jamie Collins for them; he outplayed the entire C-USA conference last season on the worst team in college football and should be a stud for the next eight to ten years. After that pick things get hazy; Aaron Dobson, Logan Ryan, and Duron Harmon were projected to go much later than where they were taken. Once again, maybe I just don’t see it but trading out of your first pick with an aging quarterback, little depth the receiver, and Justin Hunter still on the board does not look good. They did get great value in Rutgers linebacker Steve Beauharnais in the seventh as he had a third round grade by most mock drafts. UDFA receiver T.J. Moe is a guy who looked like the next Wes Welker in 2011. His production slipped mightily afterwards, but he still has great hands and even has a little shake to his step.
New York Jets: C+
The Jets always seem to feel the need to outshine everyone else during the offseason. This time they did so trading the best corner in football for a first rounder and some change. They got jumped for Tavon Autin by the Rams and had read just their plans that gave them the best overall corner in the draft with Dee Milliner who should be plugged in right away. Then the Jets had plenty of options to take at thirteen and theyhey went with Sheldon Richardson, who not only was the third rated defensive tackle by most, but also doesn’t seem to fit the Rex Ryan style of defense. That’s three straight first round picks on defensive linemen for the Jets. They did get lucky and have the best quarterback in the draft Geno Smith fall right to them in the second, but who is he going to throw to? I love the Brian Winters pick, as he should shore up the guard spot that the Jets couldn’t get Matt Slauson/ Vlad Ducasse out of the past few years. Late they got Tommy Bohanon, a versatile fullback out of Wake Forrest; this guy should be a stud on special teams for them and could be a useful piece on offense as a possible short yard back.
21 Year old College Student, self proclaimed NFL Draft Expert/Dog Lover/42 Handicap Golfer
