Yesterday, we look at the bottom seven teams, including my big surprise (the Patriots). Today we will look at the next set of 5. These teams, did not have awful drafts, but they did not do enough to improve their franchise this past weekend. Again, it is almost impossible to assign grades based solely on opinion, but that is what I am challenging myself to do. So let's keep going.
#25 - St Louis Rams DPA:2.30 NFL.com Avg:72.34 NFL.com Rank:7
Highest Rated Picks: Rd 2 Pk 7 - Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama
Lowest Rated Picks: Rd 2 Pk 18 - Isaiah Pead, RB Cincinnati
The Rams to me were just like the Pats on draft day. They made some picks I really liked, and they made some picks I really didn't. And, also like the Pats, I have them rated considerably lower than everyone else in the English speaking world. I love the risk they took on Janoris Jenkins. I know he has many thinking about Pacman Jones with all of the trouble he has been in, but he is the most talented corner in this draft, and was taken a full round later than Pacman was in his draft. I also love the Trumaine Johnson selection too. As far as weapons for Sammy Bradford goes, adding both Quick and Givens was awesome work.
But as impressed as I was with those 4 picks, I was equally unimpressed by the picks of Brockers in the first and Pead in the second. Brockers is a boom-bust type player, and the Rams need him to pan out. Pead is overrated, and was picked way too high in my book. Lamar Miller would have been a much better pick at that point in the draft. He would have been a superior compliment to Jackson, as compared to Pead.
#24 - Dallas Cowboys DPA:2.37 NFL.com Avg:64.94 NFL.com Rank:27
Highest Rated Picks: Rd 1 Pk 6 - Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU
Lowest Rated Picks: Rd 4 Pk 40 - Matt Johnson, SS, Eastern Washington
After making a great big splash in the first, trading up to grab the top rated corner on most boards, the Cowboys had themselves a lackluster weekend. I like the moxy to trade up to get the guy who was atop their board. I love the genuine excitement shown by both Jerry Jones and Morris Claiborne about their union. But after that, the Cowboys stayed pretty average. The Danny Coale pick has some potential and Tyrone Crawford will make the team, but there was no other standout selections that would make the rest of the NFC East stand up and take notice.
#23 - Washington Redskins DPA:2.37 NFL.com Avg:66.97 NFL.com Rank:23
Highest Rated Picks: Rd 1 Pk 2 - Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor
Rd 6 Pk 23 - Tom Compton, OT, South Dakota
Lowest Rated Picks: Rd 3 Pk 8 - Josh LeRibeus, OG, SMU
The Skins made their biggest move prior to the draft even starting, trading up to 2 to land RG3. I love what this kid brings to the table and Washington will too. I think that was an awesome move. In the 6th round they landed Tom Compton, a 4th round caliber OT. He will be an immediate asset for the Skins too. What held Washington back from a higher DPA was the awful selection of Josh LeRibeus in the third. I though he was a 6th round talent at best. Seeing him go that high really made me wonder what the Skins were thinking.
#22 - Atlanta Falcons DPA:2.38 NFL.com Avg:61.53 NFL.com Rank:30
Highest Rated Picks: Rd 2 Pk 23 - Peter Konz, C, Wisconsin
Lowest Rated Picks: Rd 3 Pk 28 - Lamar Holmes, OT, Southern Miss
Rd 5 Pk 22 - Bradie Ewing, FB, Wisconsin
Last year the Falcons sacrificed a lot, including key picks in this year's draft to trade up for Julio Jones. That left the waiting until late in the second to make their first selection, but it sure was a good one. Every year, there are players who I have with first round grades who slide into the second, and Peter Konz was one of those guys. I love o-linemen from Wisconsin, and Konz was rated higher than his teammate Kevin Zeitler who did hear his name called on Thursday night. For the Falcons to fill a serious need with this kind of talent where they were at was a steal.
Unfortunately for them, that is where the party ended. Their next two picks, one in the third, and one in the 5th, netted them two players who I though were huge reaches. Lamar Holmes had a 6th round grade in my book, and I expected Ewing to go in the 7th, if he were going to get drafted at all. The team also failed to address finding the heir to Tony Gonzalez at TE, and that could prove costly too.
#21 - New York Jets DPA:2.38 NFL.com Avg:66.34 NFL.com Rank:26
Highest Rated Picks: Rd 7 Pk 35 - Antonio Allen, S, South Carolina
Lowest Rated Picks: Rd 3 Pk 14 - Demario Davis, LB, Arkansas State
If there is one thing you can say about the Jets, it is that they sure are consistant in the way they evaluate players. The Tannenbaum/Ryan regime likes making splashy moves, acquiring guys with name recognition and upside over guys who are locker room assets and quality football players. With both pass rushing and o-line needs, the Jets spent their first round pick on Quinton Coples. His talent is indisputable. His effort is anything but. This was yet another swing for the fences type pick, and could result in a home run, or a strikeout. Stephen Hill, Demario Davis, and Josh Bush all fit that same type of mold too. Davis was on top of that, also a reach in the third. The pick I really did like was Antonio Allen. He also has some upside, but in the 7th round, that is exactly what you should be drafting for.
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