Machiavelli's 1st Day Draft Grades
Oakland Raiders: B -
-Well, the Raiders needed a QB and they got one. They also gave him a weapon in TE Miller. The truth is that the Raiders need more than just 1 pick. They should have tried to trade...unfortunantly, they made it clear that they weren't going to take Calvin Johnson, so nobody was interested in moving up to anything before #2. Also, they're trade out of the 33rd spot was bizarre, and their failure to take some free-falling offensive linemen is highly questionable. Lastly, the choice of Quentin Moses in rd. 3 is even more unusual considering that their defense was so good last year. At least they did address a weak point.
Lions: A
-The Lions understood that previous busts shouldn't influence how to draft this year. At #2 they were able to get the best pick in the draft. They also picked up Stanton, a native of Michigan, who many thought was the third best QB in the draft. He will be a good long-term project behind Kitna and a good replacement for McCown. Getting Francis may have been a reach, but he will fit in nicely in the Detroit D system
Browns: A
-The Browns somehow managed to pick two of what they considered the top 5 prospects in the draft. However, they had to give up next year's 1st round (which will probably also be high). Picking Thomas was brilliant. Quinn, despite some reservations, does have the potential to be a franchise QB. In the 3rd round they decided ignore character issue warning signs and pick up Erick Wright.
Bucs: B +
-Gruden wanted Calvin Johnson badly, but he wasn't willing to put up the picks to move to #2. In reality, the Bucs need more rebuilding than Gruden thinks and Adams will be a good basis for a new tough Buc defense. You have to praise Gruden for picking the BPA.
Cardinals: B
-The Cardinals were stuck with Levi Brown after Thomas was off the board. Few believe Brown is this good, but apparently plenty in the Cardinals organization thought differently. If nothing else, he will improve a very shoddy line and help protect Leinart. Their move into the 33rd pick to get Branch was brilliant and offsets the mistake of taking Brown so early. I'm not looking forward to seeing the 49ers play up against him.
Redskins: B +
-The Redskins have become well-known for drafting poorly, but they did a good job by taking Landry. Landry was underrated on most mock drafts and I think the Skins did a good job of taking the BPA.
Minnesota: B +
- The Vikings went for what they thought was the BPA despite the fact that Peterson does not fill their needs. The Vikings understand that they need to rebuild their offense. Sidney Rice will help them in this regard. However, waiting to the 3rd round to address CB is a bit risky even if they found a solid guy in McCauley.
Falcons: A -
- At number 8 the Falcons drafted on need rather than on the BPA. Most had Anderson falling to about 13. With that said, he is a fantastic fit for the Falcons. Atlanta also made great moves into the beginning of round 2, taking 1st round talents Blalock and Houston.
Dolphins: F
- Taking Ginn at number 9 was the worst pick in the draft, hands down. The Dolphins have so many other needs and they already have decent WRs. Ginn is not THAT FAST and he is not a particularly good route runner. It was simply terrible. They also took Beck earlier than most projected.
Texans: C
-Whoever is lobbying for the Texans defensive line is doing a goo
d job. If Petrino didn't take Okoye, why would the Texans who have so many other needs do so? They probably shopped for a trade and couldn't get one.
49ers: A or B+
-I'm pleased with the 9ers choices. Their entire grade will be based on whether they get Darrel Jackson from the Seahawks. They needed a WR, and Jason Hill, although an extremely fast prospect, probably won't cut it. They passed on a lot of talent in the 2nd round to get a 1st round draft pick for next year. They did get their man Willis, found what could be a better LT than Levi Brown in Joe Staley, and picked up some interesting players later on, including Hill and Macdonald. It's unclear if MacDonald is a starting prospect at DE or just a 3rd down pass rusher. If it is a latter, they really need to find some kind of run stuffer there somehow.
Bills: A-
-The Bills went right for their needs. They picked up Lynch, who I think can bring a lot to the NFL, about 4 picks earlier than most thought. They also stole Posluszny in the 2nd round, thus addressing their LB problem that they worried about after not getting Willis.
Rams: B +
-The Rams fixed some problems on their defense by drafting Carriker, albeit a little bit earlier than most would have predicted. They were probably hoping to get Jamaal Anderson here. They also found a partner for Stephen Jackson with Brian Leonard in the 2nd round.
Jets: B
-The Jets draft grade is really dependent on how good Revis is. They really stretched to get ahead of the Steelers to pick him even though they could have moved about 4 -5 picks later and got some other valuable CBs (Hall, Ross). Chris Houston wasn't even picked until the mid-2nd round. Picking up David Harris was unusual considering they already have Vilma.
Steelers: B
-The Steelers really wanted Revis, but the Jets came up and stole him. Instead Pittsburgh looked for a replacement for Joey Porter in Timmons.
Packers: B
-The Packers made the bizarre decision to take Justin Harrell with
#16 despite the fact that most had him in the mid 20s. With that said, they made a good pick b/c Harrell was so underrated. Plus, they picked up a guy from San Jose State :)
Denver: C +
-The Denver went heavy on defense despite the fact that they had one of the NFL's best last year. The choice of Moss at #17 was a bit early since he's not a every down DE. They have yet to address several of their problem areas, like LB.
Bengals: B
-The Bengals had to go defense and they did so. They snagged Leon Hall much later than anyone predicted and he will probably be a great pick for them. The choice of RB in the 2nd round was a bit odd.
Titans: B +
-The Titans went after important needs(S, RB, and WR), although they neglected their most pressing problem, CB. Considering that both Aaron Ross and Chris Houston were on the board, this was especially strange.
Giants: A -
-The Giants addressed their two biggest problems (CB and WR). Most notably they were able to pick up Steve Smith very late in the 2nd.
Jags: A-
-Trading up to pick Reggie Nelson at #21 was a bit of a steal. He will solidify a defense that is emerging as one of the league's finest.
Chiefs: B+
-The Chiefs had needs all over the place despite their draft position. Bowe will fit in with the offense and 2 DTs in rds. 2-3 (Tank Williams and Turk McBride) will help their swiss cheese defense stop the run.
Patriots: C +
-The Patriots only had 1 day 1 pick and they used it on a future replacement for Rodney Harrison. Merriwheather has serious character issues and just doesn't seem to fit in with the Patriots. They did however get the 49ers number 1 pick for next year.
Panthers: A
-The Panthers had an outstanding draft. They helped out their LB core with Beason, found a future replacement for Keyshawn with Jarret, and picked one of the best linemen in the draft (Kalil)
Cowboys: B
-The Cowboys got a great deal out of the Browns. However, their picks were not that great. They got a pass-rushing OLB in Spencer, but they had several bigger needs on D (the secondary, for example.)
Saints: B-
-People exaggerated the Saints need for a WR and downplayed their need for a CB. Despite great value out of Meachem at #27, they could have used more defensive talent.
Ravens: B -
-The Ravens needed offensive weapons, but didn't really get any. They did address some line issues with Ben Grubbs, but they really wanted Joe Staley...too bad.
Chargers: F -
-What were the Chargers doing in this draft??? They took Craig Davis in the 1st, when a superior receiver, Steve Smith, wasn't taken until the mid 2nd. Davis, by the way, was even overrated for a late 2nd round guy. They then traded most of the rest of their picks for Eric Weddle, a guy they could have got at latest 10 picks later and a guy who doesn't really fit into their system. Apparently they felt they are so good that they don't need to even pay attention to the whole draft process. Truly abysmal.
Bears: B +
-The Bears found a great value pick with Greg Olsen so late in the 1st. Their attempts to deal with problems at DT and OLB (with Briggs possibly leaving) were not adequately addressed in my opinion with the mediocre players they took in later rounds.
Colts: A -
-The Colts gave up next year's 1st round pick, but ended up with an excellent first day class. Gonzalez was a little bit early, but he will be an excellent replacement for Stokely. Trading up for Ugoh was an important need and they found some great steals with Hughes and Pitcock in the late 3rd round.
Eagles: D
-The Eagles had major needs all over their defense and at WR and they didn't really address them. Picking Kolb was an outrageous pick where they got him. They seriously could have got him a round later. Eagles fans will not be happy.
Seahawks: C +
-The Seahawks didn't have a 1st round pick and their 2nd rounder was fairly blah. They did get Brandon Mebane in the 3rd, an underated star from Cal, who should help out their depth on the D-line.
-Well, the Raiders needed a QB and they got one. They also gave him a weapon in TE Miller. The truth is that the Raiders need more than just 1 pick. They should have tried to trade...unfortunantly, they made it clear that they weren't going to take Calvin Johnson, so nobody was interested in moving up to anything before #2. Also, they're trade out of the 33rd spot was bizarre, and their failure to take some free-falling offensive linemen is highly questionable. Lastly, the choice of Quentin Moses in rd. 3 is even more unusual considering that their defense was so good last year. At least they did address a weak point.
Lions: A
-The Lions understood that previous busts shouldn't influence how to draft this year. At #2 they were able to get the best pick in the draft. They also picked up Stanton, a native of Michigan, who many thought was the third best QB in the draft. He will be a good long-term project behind Kitna and a good replacement for McCown. Getting Francis may have been a reach, but he will fit in nicely in the Detroit D system
Browns: A
-The Browns somehow managed to pick two of what they considered the top 5 prospects in the draft. However, they had to give up next year's 1st round (which will probably also be high). Picking Thomas was brilliant. Quinn, despite some reservations, does have the potential to be a franchise QB. In the 3rd round they decided ignore character issue warning signs and pick up Erick Wright.
Bucs: B +
-Gruden wanted Calvin Johnson badly, but he wasn't willing to put up the picks to move to #2. In reality, the Bucs need more rebuilding than Gruden thinks and Adams will be a good basis for a new tough Buc defense. You have to praise Gruden for picking the BPA.
Cardinals: B
-The Cardinals were stuck with Levi Brown after Thomas was off the board. Few believe Brown is this good, but apparently plenty in the Cardinals organization thought differently. If nothing else, he will improve a very shoddy line and help protect Leinart. Their move into the 33rd pick to get Branch was brilliant and offsets the mistake of taking Brown so early. I'm not looking forward to seeing the 49ers play up against him.
Redskins: B +
-The Redskins have become well-known for drafting poorly, but they did a good job by taking Landry. Landry was underrated on most mock drafts and I think the Skins did a good job of taking the BPA.
Minnesota: B +
- The Vikings went for what they thought was the BPA despite the fact that Peterson does not fill their needs. The Vikings understand that they need to rebuild their offense. Sidney Rice will help them in this regard. However, waiting to the 3rd round to address CB is a bit risky even if they found a solid guy in McCauley.
Falcons: A -
- At number 8 the Falcons drafted on need rather than on the BPA. Most had Anderson falling to about 13. With that said, he is a fantastic fit for the Falcons. Atlanta also made great moves into the beginning of round 2, taking 1st round talents Blalock and Houston.
Dolphins: F
- Taking Ginn at number 9 was the worst pick in the draft, hands down. The Dolphins have so many other needs and they already have decent WRs. Ginn is not THAT FAST and he is not a particularly good route runner. It was simply terrible. They also took Beck earlier than most projected.
Texans: C
-Whoever is lobbying for the Texans defensive line is doing a goo
d job. If Petrino didn't take Okoye, why would the Texans who have so many other needs do so? They probably shopped for a trade and couldn't get one.49ers: A or B+
-I'm pleased with the 9ers choices. Their entire grade will be based on whether they get Darrel Jackson from the Seahawks. They needed a WR, and Jason Hill, although an extremely fast prospect, probably won't cut it. They passed on a lot of talent in the 2nd round to get a 1st round draft pick for next year. They did get their man Willis, found what could be a better LT than Levi Brown in Joe Staley, and picked up some interesting players later on, including Hill and Macdonald. It's unclear if MacDonald is a starting prospect at DE or just a 3rd down pass rusher. If it is a latter, they really need to find some kind of run stuffer there somehow.
Bills: A-
-The Bills went right for their needs. They picked up Lynch, who I think can bring a lot to the NFL, about 4 picks earlier than most thought. They also stole Posluszny in the 2nd round, thus addressing their LB problem that they worried about after not getting Willis.
Rams: B +
-The Rams fixed some problems on their defense by drafting Carriker, albeit a little bit earlier than most would have predicted. They were probably hoping to get Jamaal Anderson here. They also found a partner for Stephen Jackson with Brian Leonard in the 2nd round.
Jets: B
-The Jets draft grade is really dependent on how good Revis is. They really stretched to get ahead of the Steelers to pick him even though they could have moved about 4 -5 picks later and got some other valuable CBs (Hall, Ross). Chris Houston wasn't even picked until the mid-2nd round. Picking up David Harris was unusual considering they already have Vilma.
Steelers: B
-The Steelers really wanted Revis, but the Jets came up and stole him. Instead Pittsburgh looked for a replacement for Joey Porter in Timmons.
Packers: B
-The Packers made the bizarre decision to take Justin Harrell with
#16 despite the fact that most had him in the mid 20s. With that said, they made a good pick b/c Harrell was so underrated. Plus, they picked up a guy from San Jose State :)Denver: C +
-The Denver went heavy on defense despite the fact that they had one of the NFL's best last year. The choice of Moss at #17 was a bit early since he's not a every down DE. They have yet to address several of their problem areas, like LB.
Bengals: B
-The Bengals had to go defense and they did so. They snagged Leon Hall much later than anyone predicted and he will probably be a great pick for them. The choice of RB in the 2nd round was a bit odd.
Titans: B +
-The Titans went after important needs(S, RB, and WR), although they neglected their most pressing problem, CB. Considering that both Aaron Ross and Chris Houston were on the board, this was especially strange.
Giants: A -
-The Giants addressed their two biggest problems (CB and WR). Most notably they were able to pick up Steve Smith very late in the 2nd.
Jags: A-
-Trading up to pick Reggie Nelson at #21 was a bit of a steal. He will solidify a defense that is emerging as one of the league's finest.
Chiefs: B+
-The Chiefs had needs all over the place despite their draft position. Bowe will fit in with the offense and 2 DTs in rds. 2-3 (Tank Williams and Turk McBride) will help their swiss cheese defense stop the run.
Patriots: C +
-The Patriots only had 1 day 1 pick and they used it on a future replacement for Rodney Harrison. Merriwheather has serious character issues and just doesn't seem to fit in with the Patriots. They did however get the 49ers number 1 pick for next year.
Panthers: A
-The Panthers had an outstanding draft. They helped out their LB core with Beason, found a future replacement for Keyshawn with Jarret, and picked one of the best linemen in the draft (Kalil)
Cowboys: B
-The Cowboys got a great deal out of the Browns. However, their picks were not that great. They got a pass-rushing OLB in Spencer, but they had several bigger needs on D (the secondary, for example.)
Saints: B-
-People exaggerated the Saints need for a WR and downplayed their need for a CB. Despite great value out of Meachem at #27, they could have used more defensive talent.
Ravens: B -
-The Ravens needed offensive weapons, but didn't really get any. They did address some line issues with Ben Grubbs, but they really wanted Joe Staley...too bad.
Chargers: F -
-What were the Chargers doing in this draft??? They took Craig Davis in the 1st, when a superior receiver, Steve Smith, wasn't taken until the mid 2nd. Davis, by the way, was even overrated for a late 2nd round guy. They then traded most of the rest of their picks for Eric Weddle, a guy they could have got at latest 10 picks later and a guy who doesn't really fit into their system. Apparently they felt they are so good that they don't need to even pay attention to the whole draft process. Truly abysmal.
Bears: B +
-The Bears found a great value pick with Greg Olsen so late in the 1st. Their attempts to deal with problems at DT and OLB (with Briggs possibly leaving) were not adequately addressed in my opinion with the mediocre players they took in later rounds.
Colts: A -
-The Colts gave up next year's 1st round pick, but ended up with an excellent first day class. Gonzalez was a little bit early, but he will be an excellent replacement for Stokely. Trading up for Ugoh was an important need and they found some great steals with Hughes and Pitcock in the late 3rd round.
Eagles: D
-The Eagles had major needs all over their defense and at WR and they didn't really address them. Picking Kolb was an outrageous pick where they got him. They seriously could have got him a round later. Eagles fans will not be happy.
Seahawks: C +
-The Seahawks didn't have a 1st round pick and their 2nd rounder was fairly blah. They did get Brandon Mebane in the 3rd, an underated star from Cal, who should help out their depth on the D-line.
posted by Machiavelli | 5:44 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home