EZ Football Futures: Draft Review

Showing posts with label Draft Review. Show all posts

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

2013 Draft Grades #26-32

Well the 2013 draft is officially in the books. As we do every year, let grade out all of the teams to see how they did. As with the first round grades these grades these grades take into account how well the player drafted fits the team's style of play and needs. I also look to see how much value the team got from every pick. Teams that reach are impacted negatively, and teams that take high ranked players on my board at later positions are rewarded. Each selection is individually graded (A-F) and then those grades are averaged out at the end to get an overall Draft Point Average (DPA). This scales from 4.0 (an 'A' grade for every pick) down to 0.0 (an 'F' grade for every pick). Of course these ratings are based on what we know right now. That means in 3-5 years from now, this could prove to be very different. As is usual here at EZ Football Futures, we will start from the bottom and work our way up to the top.

#32 New York Giants DPA 2.09

I love Jerry Reese as a GM. I think what he has done overall with the Giants is quite remarkable. Having said that, I am not so in love with the Giants haul during this draft. The team needed help on their front, and they used their first round pick on Justin Pugh. To me this was a reach, especially considering some of their other needs and players available. John Hankins in the second round was another pick I really did not love. Their best pick was in round 3 with Demontre Moore. In the Giants system, he could become an impact player off the edge.

#31 Detroit Lions DPA 2.09

The Lions were on the upswing, but this draft is not going to do too much to help. Sure, they landed an immense upside player in Ziggy Ansah with their round one pick, but Ansah does in fact come with some significant risk. Slay in round two is a nice fit, and I also like but not love the addition of Larry Warford in round 3. At the end of this one this draft is really lackluster in my opinion.

#30 Indianapolis Colts DPA 2.11

Last year Ryan Grigson did a lot of good things with the Colts draft, and he helped push this team from the cellar right into the playoffs. This year's draft although thorough lacks spark. Bjoern Werner is a decent pick in round 1, but he leaves some questions in my mind. Beyond the first round, every other pick fills needs, but is unremarkable as a whole. At then end of the day this draft will provide Indy with some much needed depth, but I don't see this producing any stars.

#29 Buffalo Bills DPA 2.15

This draft is an example of how one errant selection could ruin the whole thing. Overall I actually like what the Bills did. I love the Robert Woods pickup in the second round, and I am a fan of the 3rd round addition of Marquise Goodwin too. All of a sudden the Bills have a receiving corp. I also like the Kiko Alonso and Duke Williams additions for their defense. Despite this they come in this low because of the super reach in round 1 for EJ Manuel. Maybe he turns out to be a franchise QB for the Bills. I just don't think so.

#28 Cleveland Browns DPA 2.16

The Browns did not have a lot to work with having only 5 picks. They burned a second rounder to take Josh Gordon in the supplemental draft a year ago. That was an excellent addition. Beyond that though, the Mingo pick in round 1 comes with major boom/bust potential. The McFadden pick in the third was okay. I did like the Jamoris Slaughter pick back in the sixth round though. Cleveland has a long way to go to rebuild this franchise, but Michael Lombardi has taken the first steps. Small steps, but steps none the less.

#27 Tampa Bay Buccaneers DPA 2.20

Most of the good works the Bucs have done this offseason came before the draft. At the end of last season, I was very critical of the Bucs secondary, calling it the worst in the NFL. They placed a focus on the unit, and between the trade for Revis, and signing of Goldson, the unit is now looking quite good. Which brings me to the Bucs first selection in the draft, Jonathan Banks in round 2. I like Banks, but I am not sure the pick made much sense any longer. With a need at linebacker and Arthur Brown still inexplicably available, that should have been their selection. Their other picks were alright. I like the addition of William Gholston, but Mike Glennon seems to be too much like their incumbent, Josh Freeman for me to be excited.

#26 Green Bay Packers DPA 2.29

I mentioned in my first round analysis how hard it is for me to Packer bash considering the great success they have had. They needed to address their anemic running game, and they did this well. Adding Eddy Lacy at the back end of the second round was a steal, and I also like the addition of Johnathan Franklin too. The Datone Jones pick in the first is still a bit of question mark for me, and none of the other picks really strike me as outstanding.

Friday, April 26, 2013

2013 First Round Draft Grades

The first round of the 2013 NFL Draft is in the books. What I am going to do is go pick-by-pick and award draft grades for each selection. I understand the absurdity of it all though. You cannot accurately assign a draft grade until 3-5 years down the road. I get it. Still, I want to grade the teams based on what I think I know now. For those who have never read a draft review of mine before, I grade on an A-F scale. A key is below to help you understand what I mean by each grade. Also, I take into account a few different factors when I assign a grade. First, I look at the player and his fit on the team that drafted him. I also look at the value the pick brings based on where the player fell on my overall draft board. High value picks increase grades, while reaches decrease grades. I also compare what the team picked, with what was available to be picked when they came on the board too.

So lets take a look at my initial assessment of the 2013 NFL Draft's first round.

1. Kansas City - Eric Fisher, OT, CMU
Although not a sexy pick, this was a good pick for KC. As of this writing, Braden Albert is still on the roster and the addition of Fisher fills their hole at RT. If Albert does in fact get dealt, Fisher will shift to the left, and KC will have to work to fill RT some other way. Either way, Smith is safer in his new home because of this pick. Grade: B

2. Jacksonville - Luke Joeckel, OT, TAMU
The Jags have so many needs that it was going to be hard not to hit on this pick. Today Eugene Monroe is the team's LT and he has been a bit disappointing thus far. Adding Joeckel gives them an immediate upgrade and allows for Monroe to be moved to the right side where he may have more success. Thanks to the way the draft has shaped up, they are also in position to kick of round 2 with a pick and lots of talent still available. Geno Smith anyone? Grade: B

3. Miami via Oakland - Dion Jordan, DE/OLB, Oregon
Miami continued their offseason of bold moves by trading up to the third overall pick to grab the top defender on their board in Dion Jordan. I like Jordan, but don't love him as I see him as a bit one dimensional Having said that, if he develops into a Jason Taylor type player as some have sad he could, this would be a great addition to the Dolphins pass rush. Considering they only had to give up 1 number two to swap 1st rounders (very low cost), you an't be too hard on Miami for making the move. Grade: B-

4. Philadelphia - Lane Johnson, OT, Oklahoma
When the Eagles got on the clock, I was thinking they should grab Milliner. When they didn't, my reaction was adverse, but I gave the Lane Johnson selection some more thought since. I actually like this selection. Of the OTs at the top, Johnson is the only one of them who could play in Chip Kelly's fast paced system. He is athletic enough to constantly run up the field to fire off the next play, and from a fit perspective, this make perfect sense. The Eagles still have other holes to fill, but after further consideration, I do like this choice. Grade: B

5. Detroit - Ziggy Ansah, DE, BYU
If this grade were on potential alone, this would be an A+. Ziggy Ansah is all about the upside. Right now however, he is very raw and will take some time to develop. Everyone is making comparisons to South Florida's Jason Pierre Paul, but Ansah is even more raw than JPP was. Also, Detroit passed on Dee Milliner, an available stud at a bigger position of need, which also impacts the draft grade. It may pan out in the end, but for now, this will be wait and see. Grade: C

6. Cleveland - Barvevious Mingo, DE/OLB, LSU
Cleveland used their first pick of this new regime to add pass rushing specialist Keke Mingo. He does have a real upside as in pertains to getting after the passer, but there is a lot of risk with this pick too. In my mind it is equally as possible that Mingo will be a bust. Considering this team also passed on Milliner (also a major need for them) to add Mingo, who plays a position that they already seem to have a lot of talent at, I am left scratching my head. Grade: C-

7. Arizona - Jonathan Cooper, OG, North Carolina
Normally I am not a fan of picking an OG so high, but this is a different case for the Cards. They have a lot of needs, and Jon Cooper has the potential to be a special player. He is flexible enough to play any of the three interior positions up front, and although not a sexy pick, this does in fact address a major deficiency for the Cardinals. At the end of the day, this is a great match of need to talent. Grade: A

8. St Louis via Buffalo - Tavon Austin, WR, West Virginia
I understand why they did it. Austin was one of the hottest names in the draft. They expected the Jets to pounce next. They have a glaring need for a player who can make plays in the offense and returning kicks now that Amendola is gone. I get it. I just don't love it. Before the draft I explained in details some of my concerns with the diminutive Austin. I know many Rams fans and just as many pundits are stoked about this pick. I am just not as enamored, especially having to pay to move up. Grade: C

9. NY Jets - Dee Milliner, CB, Alabama
Milliner was the top defensive player on my board going into draft night. The Jets, after trading Revis, have a major need at the corner position. I never expected for Milliner to be there when NY picked at 9, but when he was they pounced. Excellent move by the new Jets regime. Milliner is the only corner in this class with a chance to replace what they lost by dealing Revis. Grade: A+

10. Tennessee - Chance Warmack, OG, Alabama
In free agency, the Titans recognized their needs up front a went and made a very good "under the radar" type move by signing the underrated Andy Levitre away from Buffalo. Kudos to Tennessee for not thinking they were done. I've been quite laudatory in my opinion about Chance Warmack. I expect him to be tremendous at the next level. Tennessee made a bold move to provide Locker with protection to help get this offense moving. Grade: A

11. San Diego - DJ Fluker, OT, Alabama
After seeing what the Dolphins had to pay to get up to three, you really have to wonder why San D didn't try and make that trade to get Lance Johnson. Clearly the Bolts needed to address o-line or ILB, but now at 11 they faced a situation where the only o-linemen or ILBs available would be a reach. Here, they went for the smallest reach in Fluker. I think Fluker will be a good solid pro. I don't think he should have gone this high. Grade: C-

12. Oakland via Miami - DJ Hayden, CB, Houston
I just don't get what Oakland did on Thursday night. I know they fell in love with Hayden. I know he has some ball skills. Why they traded down to this point for such little compensation, and then still reached for their guy without trading down again I don't understand. I also can't see taking Hayden over either Sharrif Floyd or Tyler Eifert, both who were higher rated players still available at positions of greater need. Maybe Hayden will be really good. He probably needs to learn how to tackle first though. Grade: D+

13. NY Jets - Sheldon Richardson, DT, Missouri
The Jets were in perfect position to address another glaring need on this team with either a pass rushing OLB like Jarvis Jones or TE with Tyler Eifert. Instead, they took Sheldon Richardson. My criticism here is not of Richardson himself, I like him as a player. My indictment is of how poorly he fit this team's system. Richardson is not a true 3-technique linemen, and the Jets already have Coples and Wilkerson at DE. I think this is a situation of square peg in a round hole. Grade: D

14. Carolina - Star Lotulelei, DL, Utah
Carolina stayed patient, and they were big beneficiaries of this strategy. They were able to add a top 5 overall talent in Lotulelei sitting in the 14th position. In this defense Lotulelei will be tasked with occupying blockers up front so the Panther linebackers can roam and make plays unfettered. Overall, great value, great fit. Grade: A+

15. New Orleans - Kenny Vaccaro, S, Texas
With Bjoern Werner still on the board, I thought that the Saints may be tempted to grab the DE in the hopes that he could help an ailing pass rush. Instead, they address the secondary with the hard hitting Kenny Vaccaro. Vaccaro is a good character guy who plays hard at a position of need. You have to like that. They did not reach too far either to get him, so again, that is a plus. Grade: B

16. Buffalo via St Louis - EJ Manuel, QB, FSU
I said it repeatedly prior to the draft. There is no QB worth a 1st round pick in this class. It apperaed that all but 1 of the NFL's teams agreed with that. Every draft there is one pick where the whole draft world says "WTF?" This year this was that pick. I know Buffalo needs a QB, and Manuel has some talent, but at 16? Really? He was the 4th best QB on my board. He is a major project and came with a 3rd round grade. Come on Buffalo, trade down again, and again, and then get your guy a round or two later. Grade: F

17. Pittsburgh - Jarvis Jones, DE/OLB, Georgia
If ever there was a player made for a system, it may be Jarvis Jones for Pittsburgh. Th fact that Jones is a top 10 overall player in my book, and was grabbed here at 17, was also great. The fact the Pittsburgh needs a player of this type, with this kind of attitude is another big plus. Bottom line, I love everything about this pick. One of my favorites of the night. Grade: A+

18. San Francisco via Dallas - Eric Reid, S, LSU
Some teams are so difficult to question because of how successful they have been a decision making over the years. The Niners are one of those teams. There is no doubt that they needed to replace Dashon Goldson at Safety. I just don't see why they had to trade up to do it. Considering that a kid like John Cyprien (#2 safety on my board) is still available now, it is obvious they could have sat put at 31 and grabbed a safety. I like Eric Reid, and if they had him over Cyprien, then fine, but the trade up is really what is baffling me. Then again, as I said earlier, it is so hard to question what San Fran does, because it all seems to work out. Grade: C-

19. NY Giants - Justin Pugh, OT, Syracuse
Many of the experts were fairly high on Justin Pugh coming into the draft. I however was not as much. I do not see him projecting as an OT in the league. I think he would be better off moving inside to Guard, where his lack of wingspan is less a concern. I had Pugh rated with a mid round 2 grade, so grabbing him almost a round too early is another issue I have. Sure the Giants have needs, but a linebacker like Brown or Ogletree would have been much better fits, and created much more value. Grade: D

20. Chicago - Kyle Long, OG, Oregon
I am glad the Bears read my blog, and decided I was right and they needed to address holes in their o-line. I'm just not sure why they felt that trading down first and then doing it was not the better option. Kyle Long has the bloodlines (son of Howie Long, brother of Chris Long) and the raw talent to be a good player. Still, he is another guy who could have still been around in the mid second round. With players like Arthur Brown and Alec Ogletree still available I think this was a reach. Grade: D

21. Cincinnati - Tyler Eifert, TE, Notre Dame
Sometimes sitting put and looking for one of the best players available works out, and this is the case with the Bengals selection of Tyler Eifert. Eifert was the top TE in this class, and paired with the weapons already in place (Green, Sanu, & Gresham) this gives Andy Dalton another great toy for his collection. This does not address any area of need for the Bengals, which is about the only critique you can have of this pick. Otherwise, awesome. Grade: A

22. Atlanta via St Louis via Washington - Desmond Trufant, CB, Washington
I can't criticize Atlanta for trading up here. They knew they needed a corner, and it was looking more an more likely that the best ones remaining would not be there for them at the very bottom of the round. On my board I had Trufant rated one spot behind Xavier Rhodes who was still available, but Rhodes and Trufant are very different styles of corner. Based on the system Atlanta plays, Trufant is actually the better fit, so despite my early criticism last night, I have decided I am good with this pick. Grade: B

23. Minnesota - Sharrif Floyd, DT, Florida
Hard to argue with a pick that nets you a top 5 talent at the 23rd spot in the draft. Even harder to argue when this fills a position of need, as it does with the Vikings now that Pat Williams has retired. I am not sure what led to Floyd's drop. Every year it seems that this inexplicable happens to someone. This year it was Sharrif, and Minnesota was in the position to benefit. Grade: A+

24. Indianapolis - Bjoern Werner, DE, FSU
This pick was a little surprising to me. With all of the available talent at linebacker (their biggest need position) still available, the Colts instead choose to address their pass rush with Werner. Werner is a talent, albeit an inconsistent one. Sometimes he looks like an unstoppable barbarian coming of the edge. Other times, he completely disappears. He does have the talent to become an impact player though, but I see it as a challenge to the coaching staff. Grade: C

25. Minnesota - Xavier Rhodes, CB, FSU
I can absolutely see myself 4 years from now talking about how it was this draft that put Minnesota back on the map as a perennial NFC power. Two picks ago, they added value with the falling Floyd. Now they do the same thing with the falling Rhodes. Xavier Rhodes is a bigger corner, who is a perfect fit for Minnesota's system. Using these picks to address their defense and get value each time made Minnesota the big winners of the first round. Grade: A

26. Green Bay - Datone Jones, DE/OLB, UCLA
Like San Francisco, Green Bay is a team that is so hard to question because of that Midas touch. I had Jones as a mid/late 2nd round grade though coming into the night, so it is equally as difficult not to view this pick as a reach. Having said that, I am aware that I had a harsher grade on him than most experts, and he really does fit into Green Bay's system quite nicely. This is definitely one of those pick where in 4 years I could be saying how wrong I was with this grade. Grade: D

27. Houston - DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Clemson
This is a really solid first round selection in my book. It was obvious to me, and likely to everyone else, how badly this team needed to add another wide receiver or three . Going after the receiver with the best hands in this class at this position was a very smart move. With the injury to Posey, and the constant focus put on Johnson, they had to get Schaub another weapon, and I think Hopkins is going to be a great fit in this system. Grade: B

28. Denver - Sylvester Williams, DT, North Carolina
Over the last few weeks only one other player moved up my final board as much as Sylvester Williams (DJ Hayden). Williams really belonged in the discussion with Lotulelei and Richardson, and is explosiveness is the reason why. He is one of the most powerful players I have seen, and I see him being very disruptive at the next level. Denver's need at the position only further solidifies this as one of the better picks of the first round, in my opinion. Grade: A

29. Minnesota via New England - Cordarrell Patterson, WR, Tennessee
After two phenomenal picks already, Minnesota trades back up into the first round again, and this time adds another weapon to the offense in Patterson. Patterson is very talented, but he is raw and immature. There is a considerable amount of risk assumed with this pick, and considering the price Minnesota paid to move up (2-3-4-7), it makes the cost of missing here much higher. Still, I did think Patterson would have been gone by this point, so there is some value here, and if newly acquired Greg Jennings can mentor Patterson and teach him what it means to be a pro, it could pan out in a big way. Grade: C+

30. St Louis via Atlanta - Alec Ogletree, LB, Georgia
After paying to move up earlier in the round, now St Louis gets paid to slide down to this spot here, and they are still faced with some great options. On defense the biggest need this team has is at linebacker and safety. John Cyprien, Arthur Brown, and Alec Ogletree were all still available. The truth is, I like Ogletree, but I like both Brown and Cyprien more. Either of those guys would have earned St Louis an "A" in my book. Ogletree is talented, but he played inside at college. In the Rams system, it seems they will move him to the outside. He has the skill set to do this, but that plus some off-the-field concerns simply sets this as the third best option. If anyone can pull this off though, it is Jeff Fisher. Grade: C

31. Dallas via San Francisco - Travis Frederick, C, Wisconsin
So I agree that Dallas needed an improvement in the middle of their o-line. I agree that Travis Frederick could turn out to be a good player, and is a nice fit for their system. What I don't agree with is taking him at this juncture. I would have much preferred to see Dallas trade down again, maybe with a team like the Jets who could have been enticed to trade up for Geno Smith, and then take Frederick in the early/mid second round, where he belonged. Maybe the Cowboys knew of someone who was willing to pull the trigger early in the second? Then again, maybe they didn't. Grade: C-

32. Baltimore - Matt Elam, S, Florida
I don't know how Ozzie does it, but every year, he seems to figure out a way to get exactly what he wants out of the draft. This year, he did it by staying put. The team needed to come away from round 1 with either a safety or MLB. When they got on the clock, Mantei Te'o and John Cyprien were both there to choose from. The Ravens chose to go safety, but instead of Cyprien, they chose Elam. Elam is a hard hitter and good tackler. Both of those qualities will be valued in Baltimore. My only knock is he lacks the upside of Cyprien. Grade: C+

Monday, May 7, 2012

Best of the Best - Teams 1-5

Football is a game of winners and losers. Over the last few days, we have shown you how the rest of the league did during the 2012 draft. Now, it is time to crown those that were the best of the best. If these players develop as expected, these next 5 teams will be on a serious upswing as soon as next season, and they could ride that upswing to become Super Bowl contenders. So here are the 2012 draft's best of the best...

#5 - San Diego Chargers DPA:2.94 NFL.com Avg:70.24 NFL.com Rank:13
Highest Rated Picks: Rd 1 Pk 18 - Melvin Ingram, DE/LB, South Carolina
Rd 7 Pk 19 - David Molk, C, Michigan

Lowest Rated Picks: No one with less than a C grade.

4 of my top 5 teams were also rated in the top 6 of NFL.com's average player ratings. The Chargers were the other team in my top 5. The Bolts are a team that was close, for a long time. But the last three years has seen this team regress. Now GM AJ Smith, and HC Norv Turner are fighting for their jobs, but this is exactly the way to do it. The chargers sat patiently on the first night of the draft and allowed the craziness to happen all around them. They simply landed a top ten caliber player down at 18 when they added Melvin Ingram. I see Ingram bringing everything the Chargers thought they were getting when they drafted Larry English. He has the know how, and he has the flexibility to immediately improve this defense. In the seventh round, the team landed David Molk. This is a beast of a man who I had rated as my number 2 center overall. I expect that he will step in immediately as a starter, helping keep Phillip Rivers upright. Kendall Reyes, Ladarius Green, and Edwin Baker are all picks who I think will make this Chargers team better, and they need that with the improvements Denver and KC have been making recently.

#4 - Philadelphia Eagles DPA:3.11 NFL.com Avg:73.74 NFL.com Rank:5
Highest Rated Picks: Rd 1 Pk 12 - Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State
Rd 2 Pk 27 - Vinny Curry, DE, Marshall
Rd 4 Pk 28 - Brandon Boykin, CB, Georgia

Lowest Rated Picks: No one with less than a C grade.

It has been a long time since I have seen a team start a draft as strongly as the Eagles did this year. Each of their first 5 picks were really good. Trading up for Cox filled their biggest need on defense immediately, with the top rated DT on the board. Mychal Kendricks and Vinny Curry both project as immediate contributors on this defense too. Nick Foles gives the team a strong armed back-up and possible heir to Michael Vick at QB, while Brandon Boykin can be an immediate contributor in the secondary, replacing Asante Samuel, while also helping out on special teams. As a draft continues, I always expect a team to make a bone head move, but the Eagles didn't. They even got it right following the draft, signing UDFA Chris Polk, who somehow slipped through the cracks during the seven round affair.

#3 - Cincinnati Bengals DPA:3.17 NFL.com Avg:76.74 NFL.com Rank:2
Highest Rated Picks: Rd 2 Pk 21 - Devon Still, DT, Penn State
Rd 3 Pk 20 - Mohamed Sanu, WR, Rutgers
Rd 5 Pk 32 - George Iloka, S, Boise State

Lowest Rated Picks: No one with less than a C grade.

Many of the experts are calling the Bengals' draft the best of the year, and it would be very hard to argue against that. Early on they addressed immediate needs, by landing Dre Kirkpatrick to play corner, and then Kevin Zeitler at guard. Kirkpatrick is a personality that will need to be managed, but can be an immediate asset, and Zeitler should be solid from the jump. Then the team went on a tear, landing 4 consecutive players in round 2, 3, and 4 who all earned A or A- grades. Still will be a day one starter on the defensive line, and Sanu will be another target for Andy Dalton to throw to. Brandon Thompson and Orson Charles will not start right away, but the provide some essential depth and they fit the system perfectly. adding the safety from Bosie State, rated at the 3rd best on my board amongst safeties, deep in the 5th round is another steal for this team. If not for strong drafts by both Pittsburgh and Cleveland, the NFC North would be the Bengals division to loose.

#2 - Miami Dolphins DPA:3.29 NFL.com Avg:76.74 NFL.com Rank:1
Highest Rated Picks: Rd 2 Pk 10 - Johnathan Martin, OT, Stanford
Rd 7 Pk 8 - Kheeston Randall, DT, Texas

Lowest Rated Picks: No one lower than a C grade.

Someone pinch me, cause I must be dreaming. I cannot believe I just typed out the words. The Dolphins had the second best draft of anyone, and according to the NFL.com average player rankings, they actually had the best draft. What happened? Well, Miami simply made better than average picks at almost every selection. Very few "stand-up-and-shout" type picks, but very good selections all the way through.
Many predicted the Phins would jump on Ryan Tannehill if he were still there, and he was, and they did. I don't know if this will work for them, but if they give him some time, he could be very, very good. The addition of first round talent J Martin in the second was great, as he steps in as the starter at RT from day 1. Vernon Olivier and Josh Kaddu can contribute on defense right away, and help generate a pass rush sorely lacking. Lamar Miller and BJ Cunningham were both too talented to let continue to fall. Cunningham will press for playing time right away, and new OC Mike Sherman will find some creative ways to use Miller. I love them getting Randall, a 4th round talent all the way in the seventh too.

#1 - Arizona Cardinals DPA:3.39 NFL.com Avg:72.53 NFL.com Rank:6
Highest Rated Picks: Rd 4 Pk 17 - Bobby Massie, OT, Ole Miss
Rd 7 Pk 14 - Nate Potter, OT, Bosie State

Lowest Rated Picks: No one lower than a C grade.

Just like the Dolphins, the Cards built this draft on making very solid picks, all the way through. They looked at their holes, and found the right guys to fill it every step of the way. It was no secrete that the o-line needed to be rebuilt, but to be able to do it all in one draft is amazing. Bobby Massie can step in as a starter today, and he should have been taken in the second, so getting him in the fourth is real value. Senio Kelemente and Nate Potter were also value selections and along with FA acquisition Adam Snyder render last years offensive line obsolete. Jemell Fleming comes to Arizona via Oklahoma in the 3rd and not only brings value, but will likely push for playing time right away. The Cards were really spectacular during the draft, and they made all of this happen even without a second round pick at their disposal. If these guys develop as projected, Peyton Manning may wind up second guessing his decision to choose Denver after all.

Thursday, May 3, 2012

In the Top 10 - Teams 6-10

These next 5 teams used the draft to satisfy their needs, and improve their teams. Very few question marks for these ball clubs, as they really took advantage of their situation, and capitalized on opportunities...

#10 - Minnesota Vikings DPA:2.76 NFL.com Avg:68.81 NFL.com Rank:19
Highest Rated Picks: Rd 1 Pk 4 - Matt Kalil, OT, USC
Rd 7 Pk 3 - Audie Cole, ILB, NC State

Lowest Rated Picks: Rd 1 Pk 29 - Harrison Smith, S, Notre Dame

It is clear that I liked Minnesota's draft much more than many of the experts did. I though the move to create a market for a pick which there was no natural market for (3rd overall) was brilliant. I love that after doing that, they still managed to get the guy they had been targeting all along. I also love the sheer volume of solid players they acquired. With a team with as many holes as the Vikings have, they needed a great quantity of good quality and that is exactly what they got. To also land a 4th round talent like Audie Cole all the way back in the seventh round, is gold.
My only ding on this draft was the Harrison Smith selection. Please don't misunderstand me... I like Harrison Smith. I just don't like him at 29 overall, and I definitely don't like paying a price to move up to get him. On the Vikes, he projects as a starter, and that is good. Unfortunately, I see him as a career average safety in the league. I would have preferred to see them stay put and have taken him in the 2nd, or picked another quality player that could have helped the club and been of better value.

#9 - Detroit Lions DPA:2.79 NFL.com Avg:67.99 NFL.com Rank:20
Highest Rated Picks: Rd 4 Pk 30 - Ronnell Lewis, LB, Oklahoma
Rd 7 Pk 16 - Travis Lewis, LB, Oklahoma

Lowest Rated Picks: No one with less than a C grade.

If you did not agree with my Vikings assessment, you probably wont agree with my review of the Lions either. Again, another club whose draft I liked much more than the experts did. The Lions started off the draft right. They chose not to panic, and not to reach. Instead of trying to manufacture position to get one of the top corners, they waited and added Riley Reiff, who was the second OT on the board, and filled a different position of need. In fact, that represents how they managed the whole draft. They showed patients, and made above average picks often through the weekend. I especially love the selections of Ronnell and Taravis Lewis. Regular readers know that I had Ronnell pegged as an early second round selection for the last three months. To get him in the fourth is a total steal. As for Travis, he was slightly overrated whn I projected him to go in the early second. I made some corrections, and downgraded him to a solid three, and he was tabbed all the way in the seventh. I expect both of these guys to be making an impact for the Lions next season. Adding Ryan Broyles in the second to take some pressure of Megatron was also a high value pick for this ball club on the rise.

#8 - New York Giants DPA:2.81 NFL.com Avg:69.29 NFL.com Rank:17
Highest Rated Picks: Rd 2 Pk 31 - Ruben Randle, WR, LSU
Rd 3 Pk 31 - Jayron Hosley, CB, Virginia Tech

Lowest Rated Picks: Rd 4 Pk 32 - Adrien Robinson, TE, Cincinnati

Recently I was discussing with my brother the names of the guys I considered to be the best personnel men in football, and I was having a very hard time finding anyone who I liked more than Jerry Reese. I think his eye for talent is unreal. With another draft under his belt, I again see why it is that the Giants are the defending champs. Reese knows how to build a roster. I like, but dont love the David Wilson pick in the first. I think he will work out well for the G-Men as an alternative to Bradshaw. I love the picks of Randle and Hosley in the 2nd and 3rd rounds. Randle may not be the most polished route runner, but overall I think he can be an immediate replacement for Mario Manningham, and ultimately an improvement. Hosley comes into camp, already better than Aaron Ross, and I think he will put pressure on Thomas and Webster for playing time in his rookie season. I think by his third year, he will be lining up against other team's number ones. Adding Brandon Mosley in the 4th is just another solid Jerry Reese personnel move.

#7 - Green Bay Packers DPA:2.84 NFL.com Avg:72.31 NFL.com Rank:8
Highest Rated Picks: Rd 2 Pk 19 - Jerel Worthy, DT, Michigan State
Rd 7 Pk 34 - Andrew Datko, OT, Florida State

Lowest Rated Picks: No one lower than a C grade.

Is there a team in the league better at building through the draft than the Packers? These guys just continue to land quality additions to their team, year after year. 2012 looks as if it will be no different. They got started early adding Nick Perry from USC. He should step in to immediately help provide pressure on opposing passes from someone not named Clay Matthews. That will help the secondary which really needs it. Then in the second round they add Jerel Worthy, a big DT who is a value pick in the middle second. Terrell Manning, Andrew Datko, and BJ Coleman all provide value with where they were selected, and the focus of the Pack to improve their defense was appropriate. Seven of the team's eight pick were spent on players who will line up on the defensive side of the ball.

#6 - Pittsburgh Steelers DPA:2.88 NFL.com Avg:69.81 NFL.com Rank:15
Highest Rated Picks: Rd 1 Pk 24 - David DeCastro, OG, Stanford
Rd 4 Pk 14 - Alameda Ta'amu, DT, Washington

Lowest Rated Picks: No one lower than a C grade.

Bottom line with the Steelers draft, I love it. It was not a sexy draft, but it was a Steeler's draft. What I mean by that is that they picked buys who fit the Steelers way. They picked guys who fit the city. David DeCastro is an old school guard. He is a mauler, who loves to crush people up front. Exactly the kind of guy that should play for the Steelers. Adding him in the first, and then Mike Adams in the second, just ensured that along with Pouncy in the middle, this line will be solid for the next decade. The addition of Alameda Ta'amu in the fourth is another pick I simply love. He is the exact right person to bring in to succeed Casey Hampton at NT. Hampton will be around for another year, two at the most. Ta'amu can take some time and learn from him before taking the role over when he leaves. Sean Spence, Chris Rainey, and David Paulson add some serious speed to this team on both sides of the ball. I just love this draft.

Sunday, April 29, 2012

Bottom 7

Now that the 2012 Draft is in the books, let take stock of how each of the teams did, putting themselves in better position for the future through this weekend's acquisitions. It is impossible to tell who really did well, and who really struggled until after we can see what type of finished product these kids become, but based on what me know today, or more accurately, what we think we know today, lets take a look.

I have ranked every selection from this weekend's draft with a grade. These grades are based on what I project the player's skill at, as compared to the position they were drafted in, taking into account both my perception of team need, and alternatives available when the team picked. The letter grades for each selection were then converted to a numerical equivalent with an "A" earning 4 points, down to an "F" earning 0 points. Pluses to a letter grade added an extra .3 to the points. Minuses subtracted an extra .3 from the points. Each of these scores were averaged together to calculate a team's DPA (Draft Point Average).

In addition, this year I will also share where a team ranked according to NFL.com's player selection rankings. Prior to the draft, the crew at NFL.com assigned each player a total ranking, which ranges from 0, through 100. The higher the ranking, the better the player (in their eyes). I have averaged out the NFL.com player ranking for each team too, and when I review the team, I will share the overall NFL.com average, and where that ranks amongst the rest of the league.

Over the next 6 days, I am going to release my review of each team's performance this weekend, working from the lowest score up to the highest based on my calculated DPA. So lets get to it starting with the bottom 7.

#32 - Seattle Seahawks DPA:1.76 NFL.com Avg:61.84 NFL.com Rank:29
Highest Rated Picks: Rd 6 Pk 11 - Guy Winston, DB, Kentucky

Lowest Rated Picks: Rd 1 Pk 15 - Bruce Irvin, OLB/DE, West Virginia
Rd 5 Pk 19 - Korey Toomer, ILB, Idaho

Things started off poorly for the Hawks, reaching by 2-rounds to grab Irvin. I think Irvin can develop into an exceptional pass rusher at the pro level, but I think his game is too one-dimentional right now, and his behavioral issues may come back to bit Seattle. Too much of a risk to take so early. I know some folks were excited about the Russel Wilson selection, but I am just not sure how he will play out. I had him as a low fourth/early fifth grade, so round 3, pick 12 is a bit of a reach too. I do like the Winston pick in the 6th. I think the kid is a play maker, and I expect him to contribute from year one.

#31 - Chicago Bears DPA:1.83 NFL.com Avg:62.70 NFL.com Rank:28
Highest Rated Picks: Rd 2 Pk 13 - Alshon Jeffrey, WR, South Carolina

Lowest Rated Picks: Rd 3 Pk 16 - Brandon Hardin, FS, Oregon State
Rd 4 Pk 16 - Evan Rodriguez, FB/TE, Temple

The Bears had some opportunities that I feel they let slip by during this draft. I like Shea McClellin as a ball player, but I didn't love the Bears picking him in the 1st. Sure Briggs is getting older, but the defensive front needed more attention, and the o-line needs to be completely overhauled. Too much talent was still there at positions of need to take a luxury pick. I really Like the Alshon Jeffrey pick. Opposite Brandon Marshall, and Johnny Knox, the Bears have a nice receiving corps now. Hardin and Rodriguez were throw away picks in the 3rd and 4th. To address the secondary Chicago should have looked at a Brandon Boykin in the third, and I am not sure Evan Rodriguez will be a long lasting player on the Bears roster either.

#30 - Oakland Raiders DPA:2.00 NFL.com Avg:60.52 NFL.com Rank:31
Highest Rated Picks: Rd 5 Pk 33 - Juron Criner, WR, Arizona

Lowest Rated Picks: Rd 3 Pk 32 - Tony Bergstrom, OT, Utah

The Raiders did not have too much to work with. Their first pick wasn't until the end of the thrid round, and their selection of Tony Bergstrom with a guy like Bobby Massie inexplicably still available was baffling to me. I felt considering they got started late due to adding Carson Palmer and Tyrell Prior, they needed to make the most out of each and every pick, and I think they failed to do that. I did like the addition of Juron Criner in the 5th. He had a late 4th round grade in my book, and I think he can be an immediate addition to a wide receiving corp that had some trouble staying healthy last year. I like the hire of Reggie Mackenzie as the GM, but I am not yet sold on the results of this draft.

#29 - Denver Broncos DPA:2.13 NFL.com Avg:66.37 NFL.com Rank:25
Highest Rated Picks: Rd 4 Pk 6 - Omar Bolden, CB, Arizona State

Lowest Rated Picks: Rd 2 Pk 4 - Derek Wolfe, DT, Cincinnati

I agreed with John Elway, addressing the d-line was a must, and I even liked the move to trade back out of round 1, but I really did not like the selection of Derek Wolfe. Some have him rated higher, but I just did not see enough to make me grade him any higher than a 4th round. With guys like Worthy, Still, and Reyes still all available, I feel this to be a very poor selection. The rest of the picks felt like average picks, which is not a bad thing. I am intrigued by the Osweiler pick. A few years behind Manning could pay huge dividends. I like Ronnie Hillman, although I think Denver reached a little for him.Phillip Blake could become a starter in the middle in year 1 or 2, Omar Bolden makes a nice heir apparent to Champ Bailey, and I think 7th round pick Danny Trevathan has a great chance of making the roster. This draft was fairly average, with the Wolfe pick hurting it a bit.

#28 - New Orleans Saints DPA:2.14 NFL.com Avg:56.58 NFL.com Rank:32

Highest Rated Picks: Rd 4 Pk 27 - Nick Toon, WR, Wisconsin

Lowest Rated Picks: Rd 5 Pk 27 - Corey White, SS, Samford

This has been an exceptionally tough off season for the Saints. With all that they have had going on, I almost feel like I am piling on. But the truth is that the Saints didn't do anything exciting at all over the weekend. I like the addition of Nick Toon, but the Saints are already deep at wide out. None of the other picks made by the Saints during this draft were memorable in either direction. Their top pick, Akiem Hicks has some potential, but serious consistency issues. Not a terrible reach at the back end of the third, but not anything to get too excited about either.

#27 - New England Patriots DPA:2.23 NFL.com Avg:73.82 NFL.com Rank:4
Highest Rated Picks: Rd 7 Pk 17 - Alfonso Denard, CB, Nebraska

Lowest Rated Picks: Rd 3 Pk 32 - Tavon Wilson, FS, Illinois
Nate Ebner, DB, Ohio State

I know that I am going to get lambasted for this, but the numbers are what the numbers are. Any high school kid can tell you, it is very difficult to have a stellar GPA when you have an F on your record. The Pats did get an F for the Tavon Wilson selection (3-4 rounds too early) and a D for the pick of Nate Ebner, who only played special teams for the Buckeyes. I did like their work in the first round to get both Chandler Jones and Dont'a Hightower, but I am slightly concerned about the lack of speed in the middle with Spikes and Hightower. I loved the pick of Alfonso Denard in the seventh. In my opinion that could very well be the steal of the draft.

#26 - San Francisco 49ers DPA:2.24 NFL.com Avg:66.97 NFL.com Rank:23
Highest Rated Picks: Rd 7 Pk 30 - Cam Johnson, DE, Virginia

Lowest Rated Picks: Rd 1 Pk 30 - AJ Jenkins, WR, Illinois

Since making major changes in their front office, I have typically been a fan of what the Niners have been doing to rebuild their roster. I feel like they are a team on the cusp of greatness, but I am not sold that this year's draft is going to put them over the top. They had some solid picks, and I love them grabbing Cam Johnson all the way at the bottom of the 7th. On my board he was a 4th round talent, so I think they got themselves a solid guy at a great value. Unfortunately, like the Pats, the 49ers overall grade is lower due to a F. The pick of AJ Jenkins in the first round is worse than the Seahawks Brue Irvin selection. The Jenkins pick feels like something that the Raiders would have done under Al Davis. Jenkins is fast. He is very fast. but fast and football fast are two different things, and I am not sold on him being football fast. His stock was rising quickly leading up to draft day, and I think San Fran got caught up in the hype. To skip Ruben Randle, Stephen Hill, Brian Quick, Ryan Broyles, Mohamad Sanu, and other to grab Jenkins was simply head scratching to me.

Sunday, May 2, 2010

Straight A’s

Every year after the draft, everyone does some type of draft review, usually consisting of a composite grade of some kind for each team in the league. As many of you know, a draft review was recently posted at EZFootballFutures, and our grading system resulted in a team "GPA". One of the most common questions I get following the posting of the review each year is, "Which selections did you give an "A" grade to?"
This year I have decided to answer that question in this article. I will list and talk briefly about each of the 34 selections earned an "Excellent" rating in the draft review.

Round 1
Pick 2 (2) Detroit Lions select Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska
Suh has the potential to become a hall-of-famer up front. The Lions needed a guy like this badly.
Pick 5 (5) Kansas City Chiefs select Eric Berry, S, Tennessee
This guy has the potential to be the best player from this class period, and he can change a secondary. KC needed their secondary changed.
Pick 6 (6) – Seattle Seahawks select Russell Okung, T, Oklahoma State
Patients pays off for the Hawks as they were able to land the top LT in this class. With Walter Jones retired, this is a great fill for Seattle.
Pick 14 (14) – Seattle Seahawks select Earl Thomas, S, Texas
Thomas is flexible enough to play safety or corner in the league. Seattle needed a playmaker in their secondary like this.
Pick 16 (16) – Tennessee Titans select Derrick Morgan, DE, Georgia Tech
Getting the most polished pass rushing end in the draft in the middle of the first round, after losing your best pass rushing end in free agency earns you an "A" in my book.
Pick 17 (17) – San Francisco 49ers select Mike Iupati, G, Idaho
Iupati has all the makings of a long term "Larry Allen" type player. The Niners need that consistency to compete in the totally remade NFC West.
Pick 23 (23) – Green Bay Packers select Bryan Bulaga, T, Iowa
Being able to grab a top 10 talent at one of the most important positions on the field in the 20s was a steal for Green Bay.
Pick 24 (24) – Dallas Cowboys select Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma State
Dallas made the right move here and traded to grab Bryant. He is playmaker, and gives that offense something they needed badly opposite Miles Austin.
Pick 26 (26) – Arizona Cardinals select Dan Williams, DT, Tennessee
Williams was the best true NT in the draft. His addition late in round 1 give the Cards a young front with the potential to dominate for a long time.
Pick 31 (31) – Indianapolis Colts select Jerry Hughes, LB, TCU
This is what happens when the right player falls to the right team. Hughes in this system has Rookie-of-the-Year written all over it.

Round 2
Pick 11 (43) – Baltimore Ravens select Sergio Kindle, LB, Texas
Every year first round talents fall into later rounds. Kindle shouldn't have. He will be awesome playing opposite Terrell Suggs.
Pick 15 (47) – Arizona Cardinals select Daryl Washington, LB, TCU
This kid was an under the radar type through much of the pre-draft activities. He will quickly make the Cards forget the loss of Dansby through free agency.
Pick 17 (49) – San Francisco 49ers select Taylor Mays, S, USC
Another situation of the right player in the right system. Singletary will get the most out of Mays, and that could make for a scary situation for receivers who have to play the Niners.
Pick 32 (64) – New Orleans Saints select Charles Brown, T, USC
The Saints do not have a whole lot of needs, so their being able to nab a borderline first round talent at the back end of the second round is a steal for this team.

Round 3
Pick 5 (68) – Kansas City Chiefs select Jon Asamoah, G, Illinios
Jon Asamoah has the type of attitude you want from your o-linemen. He is mean an nasty during games, and loves to finish his blocks. For a KC team with needs up front, he will be a welcome addition.
Pick 22 (85) – Cleveland Browns select Colt McCoy, QB, Texas
In my mocks, I projected McCoy to the Browns… only a full round earlier. For them to grab a guy with franchise potential in the back end of the third could be huge for this team.
Pick 25 (88) – Arizona Cardinals select Andre Roberts, WR, Citadel
Of all of the receivers in this class, Andre Roberts may have the biggest upside. He is a raw talent, but given the right system and teachers, and he could develop into a superstar. Learning from Larry Fitzgerald won't be too bad for his future either.
Pick 28 (91) – San Francisco 49ers select Navarro Bowman, LB, Penn State
When I wrote up my mocks, linebacker was one area where I felt the Niners needed to address. Adding Bowman at the end of the third is a total steal. He has first round physical talent. Only his attitude and maturity kept him from being a first round pick. Singletary won't put up with any garbage from this kid. Great match.

Round 4
Pick 2 (100) – Minnesota Vikings select Everson Griffen, DE, USC
Talk about a draft day plummet. Everson Griffen should have gone in the first round, but his interview turned some teams off. Getting him early in round four is real value for Minnesota.
Pick 3 (101) – Tampa Bay Buccaneers select Mike Williams, WR, Syracuse
In my opinion, Mike Williams was one of the most underrated players in this entire draft. He was a dominant force in the Big East, almost uncoverable at times. He can be an immediate impact player for the Bucs, especially across from fellow draftee Arrelious Benn.
Pick 8 (106) – Oakland Raiders select Bruce Campbell, T, Maryland
As many of my readers will recall, only 2 or so Mocks ago, I projected the Raiders picking Bruce Campbell because of his freakish athleticism. Well, I was right, but only 4 rounds too early in my projection. Campbell was not first round worthy, but he was worth a second round pick, so for the Raiders to get this super athlete in the fourth round was a nice choice.
Pick 11 (109) – Chicago Bears select Corey Wooton, DE, Northwestern
This kid is one of the guys who I think we should keep our eyes on. He has the talent and drive to become one of the better pass rusher in the game, and that is why I gave him a second round grade. I really believe if this kid played at a better program, he could have had first round hype. For the Bears to grab him, without either a first or second round pick, is getting real value.
Pick 15 (113) – New England Patriots select Aaron Hernandez, TE, Florida
This is another example of the right player going to the right system. I know Hernandez took a hit over a failed drug test, but I also know that the Pats would have done their due diligence, and if there were questions, they wouldn't have made this choice. Hernandez is perfect for the TE role in NE, so this pick gets an "A" in my book.
Pick 26 (124) – Carolina Panthers select Eric Norwood, LB, South Carolina
At this time last year, I had pegged Eric Norwood as a Hot Stock, and a real legit first round talent. He didn't have the best year, and sort of fell off the radar a little. Like Mays, he is still a great talent, and for the Panthers to have spend a fourth round pick on him is an awesome addition for the Panthers.
Pick 32 (130) – Arizona Cardinals select O'Brien Schofield, LB, Wisconsin
Schofield is the poster boy for why you should not play in post season all star games. When the season came to a close, this Badger was a borderline first round talent. Then he got hurt at the Senior Bowl, and his stock dropped. For the Cards to add this kid in the fourth is as good a choice as any made over the weekend.

Round 5
Pick 3 (134) – Philadelphia Eagles select Ricky Sapp, DE, Clemson
After watching Clemson play twice this year I came away thinking two things. Spiller and Sapp will make some NFL teams very happy. Oh, and Dabo Swinney is one of the most underrated coaches in the game. Bottom line is Ricky Sapp is a stud, and the Eagles made a wonderful choice grabbing this second round talent in the fifth.
Pick 4 (135) – Atlanta Falcons select Dominique Franks, CB, Oklahoma
I talked about this quite a bit in the draft review, but I was real surprised about the fall of two corners in particular. Perrish Cox who we will talk about next, and Dominique Franks. Franks was a quality corner for the Sooner program, and now he will be a quality corner for the Falcons. I really like what this kid brings to the table, and there is no question in my mind that Atlanta gets a great bargain here in the fifth.
Pick 6 (137) – Denver Broncos select Perrish Cox, CB, Oklahoma State
I know I bashed the Broncos for their draft, but this was a stellar selection for the team. Perrish Cox was a superb grab for this team. This kid can press, and he can cover. It will remain to be seen how he adapts to covering NFL receivers, but with the future hall-of-famer, Champ Bailey, there to provide guidance, he should be just fine.
Pick 26 (157) – Baltimore Ravens select Arthur Jones, DT, Syracuse
So the story with Arthur Jones is inconsistency. That is why he was available for Baltimore late in the fifth round. But here is another truth about Arthur Jones. When he is focused, he is close to unblockable. With DTs like Jones and Cody, this team is set up front for the next decade (or until Cody eats his way out of the league).

Round 6
Pick 16 (185) – Seattle Seahawks select Anthony McCoy, TE, USC
After the draft, Pete Carroll said that McCoy was the steal of the draft, and he could be spot on. McCoy has the type of makeup that can make him quite difficult for opposing defenses to deal with. He can be a good in-line blocker on one play, matching up to drop a blitzing linebacker, while on the next play braking off to catch a 20 yard hitch down the center of the field in front of an over matched safety.
Pick 22 (191) – Cincinnati Bengals select Dezmon Briscoe, WR, Kansas
Every so often there are receivers who are taken in the sixth round that emerge to become NFL playmakers. Dezmon Briscoe can become the next pass catcher in that line. He has all of the skills necessary to create match-up problems for opposing defenses. Carson Palmer needed targets other than Ochocinco to throw to. Now he has Gresham and Briscoe.
Pick 38 (207) – Tennessee Titans select Myron Rolle, S, Florida State
I know a lot of folks are down on Rolle because of a weak combine performance. I have heard all about his stiff hips and lack of interceptions at FSU as reason for concern. One of the things you can never have enough of is smart football players. Myron Rolle may be the smartest player to have ever been drafted into the NFL. I think this guy will bring an intelligence to the Titan secondary that will make everyone on that defense better.

Round 7
Pick 19 (226) – St Louis Rams select George Selvie, DE, South Florida
Even a week later, I really can't understand how a guy once projected as a first round pick fell all the way into the seventh round. Selvie will likely switch to playing an OLB spot for the Rams defense, and that is OK. He has a natural talent for getting after the opposing QB, and the Rams got a tremendous player in the seventh round.
Pick 24 (231) – Washington Redskins select Selvish Capers, T, West Virginia
It is not the norm to see seventh round picks even make the team, let alone grow into difference makers. I think the Skins got a guy in Capers who will not only make the team, but could become a real player on this o-line. Considering that 230 guys were wanted more than him, I think the Skins will have gotten just what they wanted here at 231.

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

2010 Draft Review

So the 2010 draft is now in the books. As it is often said, it takes at least three years to truly evaluate a draft class, but that does not stop us here at Football Futures from taking a stab at it only a few days after.
What I will do with today's article is to give each team a grade for their draft weekend efforts. To do this I have compiled a "Team GPA" for each NFL squad. I will take just a minute to explain to you how I have come up with this GPA. Throughout the seven round draft, each team made multiple draft selections. I evaluated each selection, then awarded it a grade based on value, team fit, and skill of the player. The grades were as follows:

A = Excellent Pick
B = Good Pick
C = Adequate Pick
D = Not a Good Pick
F = Bad Pick

Once each of the individual selection grades were assigned, these grades were converted to numbers. Just like in college, the numbers were averaged to create a GPA for each team. A GPA of 4.0 would indicate all "A" picks. A GPA of 0.0 would mean only "F" picks.
After the individual scores were added together, but before they were averaged, I also went through each team and made some additional evaluations, which could result in bonus points. For example, if a team failed to address their needs through the draft weekend, they could get a bonus of -1, added to their score. Conversely, teams who moved around the board effectively, creating value through trade, or signed some highly skilled, undrafted free agents, the team could earn a bonus of +1 to be added to their score. Then these adjusted totals would be divided by the number of selections made by the team to create a "weighted GPA" for each team. So without any further discussion, let's review each teams draft weekend performance.

San Francisco 49ers – 3.25
During my mock drafts, I said that San Fran had the opportunity to really make a big impact with this draft and move to a power position in the NFC West. Well, they must have heard me, because they really took advantage of their positioning in this draft, and walked away from the weekend with the best results. I love that this team avoided flash early, and instead acquired two real good linemen to solidify themselves up front. This will give Alex Smith the best chance to succeed. I absolutely love the addition of Taylor Mays in the second round. Under Singletary's tutelage he can become a superstar in their secondary. I also love the pickup of Navarro Bowman in the third. They needed a linebacker and got exceptional value with this pick. The bottom line with the Niners is that they used their draft position well and moved around at the appropriate times, filling all of their major needs with value picks.

Arizona Cardinals – 3.14
As the experts review the draft, they talk a lot about how well San Fran, Seattle and Detroit did over the weekend. Not a lot of chatter surrounding the moves made by the Cardinals, but I loved their draft. They started off on the right foot, showing patients, and grabbing DT Dan Williams in the first round. Then in the second they were able to grab a borderline first round talent in Daryl Washington to replace Karlos Dansby in their linebacking corp. With the 88^th pick, they grabbed Andre Roberts who has as much potential and upside as anyone in this draft. Then with their 4^th round pick the pounced on O'Brien Schofield, who had a borderline round 1 grade until he got hurt during the Senior Bowl. Absolute fantastic additions for the Arizona team who all of a sudden found themselves with some significant holes to fill.

Seattle Seahawks – 3.11Pete Carroll's first draft as the head coach of the Hawks was one to remember. His moves to stay put in the first round were stellar. By showing patients and staying at 6, he was able to have the best o-lineman in the draft fall to him courtesy of the Redskins. Then he stayed put at 14, and had one of the top overall players in the draft land in his lap courtesy of the Eagles. After Okung and Thomas they did well to find Golden Tate in round 2, Kam Chancellor in round 5, Anthony McCoy in round 6, and Dexter Davis in round 7. Very excellent work for the Hawks.

Tennessee Titans – 2.89
Tennessee nabbed themselves a catch in the middle of round one. Derrick Morgan is NFL ready and quite polished for a rook. He will provide an immediate replacement to a defense that recently lost Kyle Vanden Bosch this offseason. Damien Williams has great potential to become an awesome weapon for Young and he was a great grab in round 2. Alterraun Verner and Robert Johnson were good pick-ups in the middle rounds. I also think that Myron Rolle was a steal for this team late on Saturday afternoon. Then the team added Stefon Johnson and LaGarrett Blount as undrafted FAs. Both of those guys have a chance to make the team in August. Good work by Tennessee.

Cincinnati Bengals – 2.78For the second straight season, Cincinnati has netted one of the best drafts in the league. Each of this team's first 5 picks were all good picks. Gresham, Dunlap, Shipley, Ghee, and Atkins all will make this team and help them improve. Of the remaining picks, I really fell they grabbed an excellent player late Saturday in Dezmon Briscoe from Kansas. He can develop into yet another weapon for Carson Palmer.

Oakland Raiders – 2.78
So how about this turnaround for Al Davis' Raiders. Last year they had the worst draft by quite a wide margin. This year, a top ten performance. Things started off on the right foot with the Rolando McClain selection. Granted, on draft night, I was a little surprised by the pick, but the more I thought about it, the more I like it. Then they kept it going with Houston, Veldheer, Campbell and Ford. To top it off, the team grabbed bonus points for trading for QB Jason Campbell. They gave up a 4^th round pick, but there would have been no QB of equal quality available to them at that pick. Then they added Trent Guy as an undrafted FA. Good work for Oakland.

Kansas City Chiefs - 2.71By most accounts I really like what the Chiefs did with their draft. Eric Berry has the potential to be the single best player taken from this class. I also think they made an excellent move to position themselves to acquire John Asamoah early in round 3. In fact, most of their picks were real solid, except for Dexter McCluster. I have felt the Mississippi running back has been overrated from the start, but adding him to a team that plans to feature Jammal Charles, and who acquired Thomas Jones to spell him makes no sense to me at all. Otherwise, quite a nice weekend for KC.

Baltimore Ravens – 2.71
One of the things you can almost guarantee is that on draft weekend, Ozzie Newsome and the Baltimore Ravens will put together one of the league's best drafts. They did it again this year. They were smart and added assets by trading out of the first round, and then grabbed value in Sergio Kindle in the second round. I also liked the Terrance Cody pick as he makes this team much more difficult to run on. I didn't really like the Ed Dickson pick in the third round, as I think McCoy and Hernandez would have been better choices, but the Arthur Jones pick could wind up as one of the steals in the draft. When he is focused, he is almost unblockable.

Cleveland Browns – 2.63Cleveland came into this draft with a lot of needs, but also with good draft position to address some of those needs. In the first the team grabbed Joe Haden. The truth about Haden is he plays better than he measures, and on Sundays the Browns play football, not run track. He will be an immediate asset to this secondary. In the second round the team selected safety TJ Ward. Now Ward is quite injury prone, and with guys like Mays, Burnett, and Wright still on the board, I did not like that selection. The next two picks however were stellar. Montario Hardesty and Colt McCoy are both pieces that the Browns can build around in the future, and I really liked both of those picks. Overall Cleveland did a nice job over the weekend.

Miami Dolphins – 2.63
Rounding out the top ten was the Miami Dolphins. The Phins first move of the weekend, trading down from number 12, really set this team up for a successful draft, essentially replacing their loss from the Brandon Marshall trade earlier this month. Then they used their new found position to acquire Jared Odrick, Koa Misi, and John Jerry with their first three selections. I like all three additions for Miami, as I expect all to contribute during their rookie year. The Rashad Jones selection in the 5^th, and Austin Spitler in the 7^th were two more choices I really liked as well. Overall the Dolphins did a solid job with their opportunities during the draft.

Pittsburgh Steelers – 2.60For the first time in a very long time, there was the image of instability and uncertainty surrounding the Steelers as they entered the draft. With all of the drama associated with QB, Ben Rothlisberger, there were questions as to what the Steelers would do during the draft. They answered those questions by making some solid picks, starting in the first round with Maurkice Pouncey to hopefully become the next in a line of hall of fame quality centers for Pittsburgh. Jason Worilds, Manny Sanders, and Thaddeus Gibson made for strong choices after Pouncey. I also like the late round addition of Jonathan Dwyer. He may have had some post-season struggles, but I think they got value with that selection late. Then, the team went and added Daryl Clark, and Andre Dixon as undrafted FAs. Again, nice moves. The Big Ben drama may not be over, but the team is no doubt better as a result of a nice draft.

New England Patriots – 2.58When it come to using picks as assets, and using assets to create opportunities, no one in the league does it better than the Patriots. The Pats amassed 12 picks over the weekend, and at the same time left themselves in the power seat for next year's draft too. In terms of the players they picked, I really liked some of their moves. The McCourty selection in round one is a nice fit for their system, as he will come in a play both corner and return man roles. If Gronkowski satys healthy, he could be an awesome TE for them, and if he can't mid round selection Aaron Hernandez will be an excellent fit for their system. Brandon Spikes should fit the mold of a New England ILB very well, and should excel as a Patriot. I also like the Zac Robinson selection, as a developmental project, to close out their weekend. Again, the Pats were masterful in their movement and solid in their selections, which should keep them competitive in a much tougher AFC East.

Detroit Lions – 2.57
Many of the experts I have read are really impressed with what the Detroit Lions did on draft weekend. I like their moves, but I don't love them. I think getting Suh second overall was an awesome addition to this unit, as he has hall-of-fame talent written all over him. I also like the additions of Javhid Best and Amari Spievey with their next two selections, but I have some questions about their thought process. Looking at the board, I am not really sure why Detroit gave up assets to move back into round one to grab Best. I really think he would have been there when they picked three picks later at the top of the second.

Philadelphia Eagles – 2.54After finishing last year's draft as the top team in my ratings, this year the Eagles drop to the middle of the pack. This is not because of any bad picks. In fact, the lowest grade I gave any of their selections is a "C". But they did make 13 total selections, so the law of averages start to kick in and each "A" and "B" are worth a little less in the average. The Eagles made a nice move in the first round to go up and grab Brandon Graham. He has immense talent and should develop into a great pass rushing end. Nate Allen in round 2 was a dynamite pick. I also like the Kafka, Harbor, and Cooper picks in the middle round. The one pick I really like is Ricky Sapp. He has the potential to be a big time playmaker at the next level, and with Graham and Allen in the mix, this could make for a good, young defense.

Carolina Panthers – 2.50
The Panthers are another team who had a nice quantity of picks for the weekend. Only, they did not have a pick in the first round. This did not stop them from grabbing a few potential signal callers to compete for their starting spot this year. They got Jimmy Clausen in the second round and then Tony Pike in the sixth. They also added Armanti Edwards who was a QB in college but likely won't be in the pros. I really like the Eric Norwood addition on Saturday too. I do think the Brandon LaFell pick has some real risk attached to it though.

Dallas Cowboys – 2.50The Cowboys made a big splash on Thursday trading up in round one to grab the top receiver in this class in Dez Bryant. Then then they made a nice pick in round two, grabbing Penn Stater Sean Lee. Overall, the Cowboys made some nice moves over the weekend, and should be a better team in 2010.

New Orleans Saints – 2.50The defending Super Bowl Champs landed in the middle of the pack in their first draft as the best. The best choice was in Round 2 when they grabbed Charles Brown to solidify their o-line. Their initial selection was somewhat curious. I like Patrick Robinson as a corner, but I am not sold on the pick filling a need for the Saints. Yes it is a passing league, so a good secondary is a necessity, but Daryl Washington was still on the board, and this team needs to replace Fujita in their linebacking corp.

Washington Redskins – 2.50The Skins are not a typically an active team during the draft. This is because they usually trade away their picks. Under Mike Shannahan I expect this to be different. In round one the team surprised me a little by picking Trent Williams instead of Okung, but Mike is obviously banking on his upside. They made some other nice picks over the weekend, but none better than Selvish Capers in the 7^th round. This guy had a second round grade, so grabbing him real late was a steal.

Indianapolis Colts – 2.50
The Colts started out the draft with one of the best first round selections, getting Jerry Hughes, who is the perfect fit for their defense. Things cooled off a bit afterwards though, as the team made only adequate choices after. I like Pat Angerer, although I think they took him too high. Kevin Thomas was a pretty good pick too, although, again I think a little too high.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 2.44
Tampa made a nice grab in round one with McCoy. He will be the anchor this team needs to build around. In round two the Bucs took Brian Price, who has a first round grade, although I do think the team had bigger areas to address. Two of my favorite picks were Arrelious Benn and Mike Williams. This team needed receivers, and now they have some. Overall this draft was fairly good for the Bucs.

Chicago Bears – 2.40So the biggest impact to the Bears 2010 draft was the high price paid to acquire Jay Cutler last offseason. As a result, Chicago had no first round pick. Then they inexplicably paid the Bucs a second round pick for Gaines Adams. Although the Adams death was a tragedy, giving up a second for the guy was silly. Despite these missteps, Chicago still managed to turn in a respectable performance, grabbing Major Wright and Corey Wooten with their top two picks. Both of those guys should be good, and the Chicago defense is not what it used to be. Now if only they could get Cutler to play like the first rounder they paid for him.

St Louis Rams – 2.36
The Rams really had a pretty good draft overall, but one pick really hurt their overall grade. Getting Bradford first overall was a nice pick for the team, as they now have their future leader. Saffold and Gilyard were also good picks for the club. I also love the pick of George Selvie in the seventh round. Unfortunately, with their top pick in round three, I think they completely busted on Jerome Murphy. Not only was it about a round to early, but he will be a bust in the NFL. This was a real bad pick. Worse considering that Spievey, Brandon Ghee, Dominique Franks, and Perrish Cox were all still available.

Houston Texans – 2.33The Texans weekend started off quite curiously. They came on the clock with the top cover corner in the class still available, and they were in need of a cover corner. Instead of taking Wilson though, they chose Kareem Jackson. Jackson is a nice fit for their system, but they do get knocked for passing on Wilson. The remainder of their picks were adequate. Daryl Sharpton has some nice potential though, and they did add the underrated Adam Ulatoski as an undrafted FA.

Atlanta Falcons – 2.29
The Falcons had an adequate draft overall. I was not really in love with any of their picks. Although I like Sean Weatherspoon , I think Jerry Hughes and Sergio Kindle would have been better first round options for the Falcons. The rest of their picks were also adequate in my book. The lone exception to this was their early fifth round selection of Dominique Franks. This was a nice pickup.

Green Bay Packers – 2.29The Pack started off real strong. They were patient and they scored a top ten talent in Bryan Bulaga all the way at 23. The Neal and Burnett picks were also pretty good choices two. Unfortunately, they made a real poor choice in round 5 in Andrew Quarless. Although this is only a 5^th round choice, Quarless has shown he is incapable of acting like a mature adult, and this should prevent him from ever making an impact in the NFL. Considering talents like Holmes and Groves were just had for 5^th round picks, I think they still got robbed.

New York Jets – 2.25
So here is the thing with the Jets. I think three of their four selections are talented football players, with the lone average player being McKnight. Unfortunately, they only made four picks, and curious picks at that. Having Wilson available to them in the first was nice, except for the fact that they already have two very talented corners on the roster. The other big knock on the Jets is that they needed to come away from this draft with a pass rusher and a safety, and they came away with neither. Don't misunderstand me, the jets will still be good, but I am not loving their draft.

Minnesota Vikings – 2.25The bottom line about Minnesota's draft is that it was largely unexciting. I liked them grabbing Everson Griffen in the fourth round, especially considering he had a first round grade by me and most experts. My biggest criticism is in their second round pick of Toby Gerhart. I like him as a running back, but I am still not sure why you would trade up in the second round to grab a player who is no doubt a backup on the team. I know with Chester Taylor gone, they Vikes needed a second carrier to All Day AP, but did they really need to trade up to get him? Just seems like some itchy nerves to me.

San Diego Chargers – 2.17I read a review praising the Chargers for their brazen behavior in going after they guy they wanted. I think there is a thin line between brazen and risky, and it is my felling the Chargers were on the wrong side of the line. Please do not misunderstand. I like Ryan Matthews. I think he can become a pretty good NFL back. I just don't feel they got value taking him at 12, and worse, they gave up a lot for the privilege of reaching. Can Mathews be a good back? Yes. Will he be the next LT in SD? I just don't see it. The Cam Thomas and Darrell Stuckey picks were nice little additions in the mid rounds though, and I do like the team grabbing Brandon Lang as an undrafted FA.

New York Giants – 2.14
So the night got off to a rough start for the G-Men. Everyone and their brother knew the team was hoping to make something happen to ensure their landing of Rolando McClain, but Oakland was not about to let that happen. Instead the team grabbed Jason Pierre Paul. He has mega potential, but he is raw. Since Osi is already occupying what should be his spot, he will have some time to learn and develop, which is a plus, but do you really pick a developmental project at 15 overall? Not when you have some other pressing needs. I like Linval Joseph as a player, but I think he was overhyped a bit, and as a result, it left the Giants reaching for him in the second round. The Chad Jones pick in round three was nice. Then in round seven, the Giants took a punter. I know it is their seventh round pick, but I am rarely in favor of ever drafting punters, as team's can almost always find a good punter in free agency.

Buffalo Bills – 2.11So, did the Bills grab some talent in this draft? Yes. I like the Alex Carrington pick, and I think Arthur Moats and Marcus Easley could make contributions to this club. Each of those picks earned "B" grades on my score sheet. As for their first round pick, CJ Spiller, I think he is an awesome talent. He has the potential to be a game changer, and having this type of talent is valuable. Unfortunately for the Bills, if there was one position they came into the draft covered at it was at running back. I know they have been trying to unload Marshawn Lynch, but right now they still have him, and Fred Jackson too. This just makes an even bigger crowd. With huge needs on the o-line (not addressed until round 5) and at QB, not addressed at all, I expect this team to find themselves picking first overall next April.

Denver Broncos – 2.00Will someone please explain to the Broncos that although imitation is the most sincere form of flattery, it is not an effective draft day strategy. Like his former boss, Josh McDaniels tried to show his wisdom by moving all over the board on draft day. Unlike his former employer he made some bad picks when they chose to not move. I know the team had Demaryius Thomas rated higher than Dez Bryant. Although I disagree with the assessment, that could have worked for them, if they had traded down again. Instead, they sat tight, and reached. Then they traded back up to grab a really great guy in Tim Tebow. Unfortunately, they grabbed a guy who may be an awesome human, but won't be an awesome NFL QB. I think this is a simple case of falling in love with a player, and the Broncos made a good media decision, but a bad football one. Then they went and reached again with their third pick, Zane Beadles. He could develop into an adequate guard in the NFL, but with Asamoah and Jerry still available, again they reached. But as much as I disliked the Broncos draft, they made nice picks in the mid rounds with Eric Decker and Perrish Cox, and this saved them from being the worst performing team on draft weekend. That distinction is thus saved for…

Jacksonville Jaguars – 1.83Again, I will start with the positives. Tyson Alualu could become a good DT in the NFL. Seriously though, tenth overall? Ok, I get it, you had him rated really high, but why not trade down. They could have dropped back 15-20 spots, amassed some nice assets, and still grabbed Alualu slightly too high. After Suh and McCoy, Williams was clearly the next best tackle, and he didn't go until the late 20's. Talk about reaching. Then they really failed to make a stong impact with any one of their remaining picks. Of the bunch, the only grade higher than "C" goes to Austen Lane. Just not a good weekend for Jacksonville, and although I hate to say it because I really like him, Jack Del Rio could be in trouble.