Now it is time to take a look at the last set of teams that fall outside of the top ten. Here we will find a few teams who I rated higher than some of the experts. Who is right? We will only know after these guys define the type of players they will become at the next level.
#15 - Buffalo Bills DPA:2.59 NFL.com Avg:72.10 NFL.com Rank:9
Highest Rated Picks: Rd 2 Pk 9 - Cordy Glenn, OG/OT, Georgia
Rd 5 Pk 9 - Zebrie Sanders, OT, Florida State
Lowest Rated Picks: Rd 3 Pk 6 - TJ Graham, WR, NC State
After adding Super Mario during free agency, the Bills needed to come into the draft and add help on their o-line, and add another target for Fitzpatrick to throw to other than Stevie Johnson. Consider the first of these objectives accomplished. Cordy Glenn is a first round talent who should have gone in front of guys like Kevin Zeitler, but somehow fell. Sanders had a late second/early third round grade on my board, and landed in Buffalo in the 5th. Both of these guys will come in and immediately pressure the veterans for playing time. I would not be at all surprised to see both lined up on opening day as starters.
As far as wide receivers go however, I am really not a fan of the TJ Graham pick in the third round. Mohamed Sanu, TY Hilton, and half a dozen other receivers with much higher grades were still on the board when Buffalo picked, so I am not sure why they went after Graham. He was a 5th rounder on my board. 2 rounds too early hurts the draft grade. Simple as that.
#14 - Indianapolis Colts DPA:2.63 NFL.com Avg:69.60 NFL.com Rank:16
Highest Rated Picks: Rd 1 Pk 1 - Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford
Rd 2 Pk 2 - Coby Fleener, TE, Stanford
Lowest Rated Picks: Rd 5 Pk 35 - Vick Ballard, RB, Mississippi State
The Colts did a storybook job of beginning their rebuilding process. They landed the best QB to come out of college in a generation with the first overall selection, and then in the second round, they landed his favorite target. It is rare that you are in position to grab your target and his best friend, but that is what happened with the Colts in the first two rounds. The TY Hilton, and Josh Chapman additions were also excellent selections for a team that has their work cut out for them.
My only complaint about the colts draft was that i think it took them too long to address the defense. Waiting for the 5th round, and only grabbing 2 defensive player overall, I think will be a mistake. There were some talented guys available late on the defensive side of the ball, and I think that will hurt this team. I am also perplexed as to how new HC Chuck Pagano thinks that he can go into opening day with Vick Ballard as his top RB. Not too good.
#13 - Cleveland Browns DPA:2.63 NFL.com Avg:71.08 NFL.com Rank:11
Highest Rated Picks: Rd 1 Pk 3 - Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama
Rd 6 Pk 35 - Billy Winn, DE, Bosie State
Lowest Rated Picks: Rd 3 Pk 24 - John Hughes, DT, Cincinnati
The Browns made some moves in the draft I really liked, and if not for one very bad pick in the third round, they would have been a likely top 5 draft. The move made early on to go up one spot to secure Trent Richardson was an excellent move in my mind. This was a team that could not afford to lose him, and they didn't allow that to happen. They also added James-Michael Johnson in the 4th, Ryan Miller in the 5th, Billy Winn in the 6th, and Trevin Wade in the 7th. All of these guys represent excellent value and will likely be positioned to make an impact on opening day for this Browns squad.
I am not quite as high on the Brandon Weeden selection as a lot of other folks are because, I am not sold on him being a vast improvement over Colt McCoy. We are going to have to wait and see. Still, that is not a bad pick. A bad pick is spending a 3rd round pick on a guy I thought may go in the 6th or 7th if at all. For John Hughes to have gone ahead of Brandon Thompson is flat out hilarious to me. You can also add nine other guys to the list of DTs I expected to go ahead of Hughes. I just don't get it.
#12 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers DPA:2.66 NFL.com Avg:68.96 NFL.com Rank:18
Highest Rated Picks: Rd 1 Pk 7 - Mark Barron, S, Alabama
Rd 2 Pk 26 - Levonte David, OLB, Nebraska
Lowest Rated Picks: No one lower than a C grade.
Tampa started the night strong. After getting a nice offer from Jacksonville, the Bucs swaped into the 7th spot, knowing they would likely lose out on Claiborne, and they were fine because they had Mark Barron all lined up. This guy reminds me a lot of a John Lynch type of safety. He hits hard, throwing his body at players like it were a weapon. He is a smart defender and will continue to reform this defense. The Levonte David pick in the late second I also loved. I think this kid is a lot like a young Derrick Brooks, and with these two guys along with Adrian Claibrone, DaQuan Bowers, and Gerald McCoy, the Bucs have a skilled, young, hungry defense which may be the best in the league in another 2 years.
I have no major concerns about any of their other selections either. I was a little surprised at the Doug Martin pick, especially with Courtney Upshaw still on the board, but the Bucs need someone who can play with Blount, and Martin is not a bad back at all.
#11 - Tennessee Titans DPA:2.71 NFL.com Avg:67.89 NFL.com Rank:21
Highest Rated Picks: Rd 2 Pk 20 - Zach Brown, OLB, North Carolina
Rd 6 Pk 20 - Markelle Martin, S, Oklahoma State
Lowest Rated Picks: No one lower than a C grade.
Despite the relatively low grade given to them by some of the experts, I really liked what the Titans did. In the first, they avoided reaching for a pass rusher, instead addressing their second biggest need, with Kendall Wright at WR. Then they added the pass rusher in the second, landing Zach Brown, who although raw, may be the best athlete in this draft class. He will have some time to develop in that Titans defense, and if he refines his technique, this kid could be flat out dangerous. I was also very impressed by the value they got from their 6th round selection, Markelle Martin. Followers of the blog know that I have been high on Martin for some time, and had him rated as one of my 5 best safeties. This is just flat out value for the Titans.
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