|
NFC Draft Grades |
Apr 30, 2007, 8:36 PM
by Cedric Meyer
NFC DRAFT GRADES
Minnesota Vikings: A
Getting Adrian Peterson at #7 would have given them a passing grade alone. He will take over for Chester Taylor sooner rather than later. Peterson has 1500+ yard potential behind that offensive line. I loved the Sidney Rice pick. He would have been a sure-fire first round pick next season if he had stayed in school another year. Pairing him with Troy Williamson will be pretty scary in a few years. DB Marcus McCauley and LB Rufus Alexander were good value in the third and sixth rounds. I don’t think the Vikings will be a big threat this year as their QB situation is a mess, but if Brad Childress finds a signal caller, there’s no reason they shouldn’t be in the playoff hunt soon.
Carolina Panthers: A
I loved what John Fox did with his first four picks. With an aging team he realized it was smarter to trade down rather then reach for a player. Jon Beason will offset the loss of Will Witherspoon and Chris Draft and also provide insurance for the often concussed Dan Morgan. USC’s Ryan Kalil infuses youth to an aging and inconsistent offensive line. His teammate Dwayne Jarrett will eventually take over for Keyshawn Johnson, the player he’s been compared to the most. Georgia DE Charles Johnson unexpectedly fell to the third round. He’ll be the third DE behind Julius Peppers and Mike Rucker and will eventually supplant Rucker in the future. Late round linebacker Tim Shaw has a chance to make the roster as the Panthers are pretty depleted at linebacker.
Chicago Bears: B
University of Miami TE Greg Olson was a tremendous value pick at #31. The former Hurricane be an excellent target in the middle of the field for Rex Grossman and he should immediately become one of his favorite targets. Dan Bazuin was a little bit of a reach in the 2nd round, but he should get playing time immediately as the Bears are already actively shopping DE Alex Brown. Josh Beekman was a steal on Day 2. RB Garrett Wolfe provides a change of pace to the bruising Cedric Benson.
Dallas Cowboys: B
Jerry Jones was able to secure a potential Top 10 pick next season by trading with the Cleveland Browns. Nonetheless he traded back into the bottom of the first round and drafted Purdue pass rush specialist Anthony Spencer. Spencer is perfect for Wade Phillip’s 3-4 scheme and will look to use him and Demarcus Ware like he used Shaun Phillips and Shawne Merriman in San Deigo. James Marten and Doug Free are a couple of decent tackle prospects. QB Isiah Stanback fits the mold of Quincy Carter and Eric Crouch, i.e. I wouldn’t expect much from him. DB Courtney Brown from Cal-Poly Luis Obispo could be a sleeper.
Atlanta Falcons: B-
Sure, the Falcons had a good draft, but considering they had 7 picks in the first 4 rounds it could have been a lot better. Jamaal Anderson is a big time potential player, but you always have to be wary of those kinds of players. That being said, I love the Justin Blalock pick. He’s going to start from day one and will be a future pro bowler. Conversely, I think CB Chris Houston from Arkansas will follow in the footsteps of former Razorback corner Ahmed “Batman” Carroll. Houston shot up the charts after his workouts and one banner game, shutting down Dwayne Jarrett of USC. I think this was a major reach by the Falcons as was WR Laurent Robinson of Illinois St, but that isn’t surprising considering the Falcons track record with receivers. DB David Stone of Maine could be a sleeper pick. South Florida LB Stephen Nichols will be thrown into the fire early as Demarrio Williams just underwent surgery and will be out five months. Georgia product Martrez Milner has the tools to be an effective target at tight end in the passing game.
Washington Redskins: B-
I thought the Redskins drafted surprisingly well for the amount of ammo they had to work with. Laron Landry and Sean Taylor should pitch a reality show called “Head Hunters” for next season. Teaming these two guys in the secondary is pretty unfair to opposing receivers who have to cross the middle. Defensive coordinator Greg Williams gets younger at the linebacker position adding two prospects in USC’s Dallas Sartz and Pitt’s H.B. Blades. The Jordan Palmer pick miffed me a little bit as they already invested a first round pick in Jason Campbell. Michigan TE Tyler Ecker has good size and can be a serviceable blocker.
New Orleans Saints: C+
With the departure of Joe Horn, the Saints drafted Robert Meachem who unexpectedly fell to #27. The Saints were happy to add the 6’3” 215lb receiver with 4.3 speed to an already lethal offense. After signing restricted free agent Jason David just prior to the draft, they continued to add depth by drafting Kent CB Usama Young and small school sleeper David Jones from Wingate. They also added youth to the offensive line with two good prospects in Akron’s Andy Alleman and mammoth tackle Jermon Bushrod from Towson. They surprisingly traded up in the fourth round for Ohio State RB Antonio Pittman who inexplicably fell to the 4th round. Pittman along with Reggie Bush and Deuce McAllister will form the leagues most deadly running back stable.
San Francisco 49ers: C+
Mike Nolan gets an "A" for effort. He’s truly trying to make this a better team, but you have to wonder what he was thinking trading next year’s first round draft pick for T Joe Staley. Staley will be a solid player, but if the Niners fail to improve next season, they will be looking at another pick in the Top-15. I loved the Patrick Willis pick. He and Manny Lawson will make quite a tandem at the second level of the defense. Jason Hill and Ray McDonald were solid value picks. Hill is a guy who has the ability to be a consistent move-the-chains type receiver in the league and McDonald has the versatility you love to have in a defensive lineman. Thomas Clayton is a jack of all trades, master of none running back who should provide good depth behind Frank Gore.
Arizona Cardinals: C
Ken Wisenhunt’s first draft in Cardinal red was unspectacularly average. Taking a talent like RB Adrian Peterson would have been ideal. Teams get into trouble when reaching for need, which is what they did with OT Levi Brown. Brown isn’t a bad player though. Last year the Cardinals took mammoth, underachieving DT Gabe Watson from Michigan. They did nearly the exact same thing this year, drafting his teammate Alan Branch. Branch’s inconsistency and injury concerns caused him to slip into early round two. I did not like the Steve Breaston pick. When you’re the Arizona Cardinals you have no margin for picking a return specialist. Ben Patrick was good value late, but you have to wonder why he fell so far.
Detroit Lions: C
Well, grabbing the best player counts for something, even if it did take a few years. You’ve got to hand it to GM Matt Millen for having the cajones to take another receiver. Adding Calvin Johnson gives the Lions one of the best young receiving tandems in the league. Mike Martz must be salivating at the possibilities of Johnson lining opposite of Roy Williams. Manuel Ramirez was good value late in the draft. Other than that it was pretty ho-hum. I hope Millen didn’t pull a muscle reaching for Drew Stanton in round two. If you think about it, had the Lions not completely whiffed on top-10 choices Joey Harrington, Charles Rogers, and Mike Williams they could actually be fielding a pretty decent squad. However, at this point, it looks like another 5 or 6 win season at best for Detroit.
New York Giants : C
DB Aaron Ross and WR Steve Smith add youth to aging positions on the Giants roster. The Giants had a very productive Day 2 of the draft. TE Kevin Boss is an intriguing prospect from Western Oregon with a basketball background. He’ll have time to learn behind Jeremy Shockey. Arizona DB Michael Johnson is an athletic safety prospect and Marshall’s RB Ahmed Bradshaw was good value in Round 7.
St. Louis Rams: C
You know what you’re getting when you draft Adam Carriker. He’s one of the least likely players to fall completely on his face in the NFL. Carriker can play end and possesses the size to shift inside. He’ll be a solid player in this league for the next decade. I like Brian Leonard as a player, but for a team that already has a bruiser in Steven Jackson; you have to wonder if this was the greatest fit. I envisioned him going to a team like the Steelers or Eagles to spell a smaller back. Tennessee DB Jonathan Wade is a track star who has the tools, but will need time to adjust to the NFL. This is the type of player Jim Haslett loved in New Orleans and it eventually lead to his demise.
Seattle Seahawks: C-
The Seahawks were without their first round pick as they traded it for Deion Branch last season. Their second round pick CB Josh Wilson is a scrappy corner, but I think he will be over matched at the next level. Cal DT Brandon Mebane is solid and WR Courtney Taylor has the tools to make it in this league, but many wonder if he’ll ever put it all together.
Green Bay Packers: D
The Packers reached for Justin Harrell who has fought through injuries his whole career. This move can’t make Brett Favre too happy. Miami TE Greg Olson seemed ideal at the #16 spot. Nebraska RB Brandon Jackson won’t be anything special and Virginia Tech S Aaron Rouse might have to be turned into a linebacker to mask his deficiencies in coverage. Colorado K Mason Crosby and Rutgers TE Clark Harris were good values late in the draft.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: D
For a team that had four picks in the top 70, the Buccaneers pretty much struck out. Gaines Adams will be a good edge rusher, but teams are going to run at him all day. The Bucs focused on adding youth to an aging defense, but ignored their dormant offense. University of Tennessee lineman Arron Sears can help at pretty much any spot on the offensive line. I like safety Sabby Piscatelli of Oregon St and RB Kenneth Darby could be a steal in the 7th round.
Philadelphia Eagles: F
You have to wonder if the Eagles hadn’t traded out of the first round if they would have embarrassed themselves even more on draft day. It’s confusing because the Eagles are usually pretty efficient when it comes to the draft. They went away from their philosophy of drafting offensive and defensive linemen, opting for DB’s and skill players. QB Kevin Kolb will not amount to anything in the NFL; you can take that to the bank. Nebraska LB Stewart Bradley showed some flashes at the Senior Bowl. Hawaii bulldozer running back Nate Ilaoa will be fun to watch around the goal line.
Minnesota Vikings: A
Getting Adrian Peterson at #7 would have given them a passing grade alone. He will take over for Chester Taylor sooner rather than later. Peterson has 1500+ yard potential behind that offensive line. I loved the Sidney Rice pick. He would have been a sure-fire first round pick next season if he had stayed in school another year. Pairing him with Troy Williamson will be pretty scary in a few years. DB Marcus McCauley and LB Rufus Alexander were good value in the third and sixth rounds. I don’t think the Vikings will be a big threat this year as their QB situation is a mess, but if Brad Childress finds a signal caller, there’s no reason they shouldn’t be in the playoff hunt soon.
Carolina Panthers: A
I loved what John Fox did with his first four picks. With an aging team he realized it was smarter to trade down rather then reach for a player. Jon Beason will offset the loss of Will Witherspoon and Chris Draft and also provide insurance for the often concussed Dan Morgan. USC’s Ryan Kalil infuses youth to an aging and inconsistent offensive line. His teammate Dwayne Jarrett will eventually take over for Keyshawn Johnson, the player he’s been compared to the most. Georgia DE Charles Johnson unexpectedly fell to the third round. He’ll be the third DE behind Julius Peppers and Mike Rucker and will eventually supplant Rucker in the future. Late round linebacker Tim Shaw has a chance to make the roster as the Panthers are pretty depleted at linebacker.
Chicago Bears: B
University of Miami TE Greg Olson was a tremendous value pick at #31. The former Hurricane be an excellent target in the middle of the field for Rex Grossman and he should immediately become one of his favorite targets. Dan Bazuin was a little bit of a reach in the 2nd round, but he should get playing time immediately as the Bears are already actively shopping DE Alex Brown. Josh Beekman was a steal on Day 2. RB Garrett Wolfe provides a change of pace to the bruising Cedric Benson.
Dallas Cowboys: B
Jerry Jones was able to secure a potential Top 10 pick next season by trading with the Cleveland Browns. Nonetheless he traded back into the bottom of the first round and drafted Purdue pass rush specialist Anthony Spencer. Spencer is perfect for Wade Phillip’s 3-4 scheme and will look to use him and Demarcus Ware like he used Shaun Phillips and Shawne Merriman in San Deigo. James Marten and Doug Free are a couple of decent tackle prospects. QB Isiah Stanback fits the mold of Quincy Carter and Eric Crouch, i.e. I wouldn’t expect much from him. DB Courtney Brown from Cal-Poly Luis Obispo could be a sleeper.
Atlanta Falcons: B-
Sure, the Falcons had a good draft, but considering they had 7 picks in the first 4 rounds it could have been a lot better. Jamaal Anderson is a big time potential player, but you always have to be wary of those kinds of players. That being said, I love the Justin Blalock pick. He’s going to start from day one and will be a future pro bowler. Conversely, I think CB Chris Houston from Arkansas will follow in the footsteps of former Razorback corner Ahmed “Batman” Carroll. Houston shot up the charts after his workouts and one banner game, shutting down Dwayne Jarrett of USC. I think this was a major reach by the Falcons as was WR Laurent Robinson of Illinois St, but that isn’t surprising considering the Falcons track record with receivers. DB David Stone of Maine could be a sleeper pick. South Florida LB Stephen Nichols will be thrown into the fire early as Demarrio Williams just underwent surgery and will be out five months. Georgia product Martrez Milner has the tools to be an effective target at tight end in the passing game.
Washington Redskins: B-
I thought the Redskins drafted surprisingly well for the amount of ammo they had to work with. Laron Landry and Sean Taylor should pitch a reality show called “Head Hunters” for next season. Teaming these two guys in the secondary is pretty unfair to opposing receivers who have to cross the middle. Defensive coordinator Greg Williams gets younger at the linebacker position adding two prospects in USC’s Dallas Sartz and Pitt’s H.B. Blades. The Jordan Palmer pick miffed me a little bit as they already invested a first round pick in Jason Campbell. Michigan TE Tyler Ecker has good size and can be a serviceable blocker.
New Orleans Saints: C+
With the departure of Joe Horn, the Saints drafted Robert Meachem who unexpectedly fell to #27. The Saints were happy to add the 6’3” 215lb receiver with 4.3 speed to an already lethal offense. After signing restricted free agent Jason David just prior to the draft, they continued to add depth by drafting Kent CB Usama Young and small school sleeper David Jones from Wingate. They also added youth to the offensive line with two good prospects in Akron’s Andy Alleman and mammoth tackle Jermon Bushrod from Towson. They surprisingly traded up in the fourth round for Ohio State RB Antonio Pittman who inexplicably fell to the 4th round. Pittman along with Reggie Bush and Deuce McAllister will form the leagues most deadly running back stable.
San Francisco 49ers: C+
Mike Nolan gets an "A" for effort. He’s truly trying to make this a better team, but you have to wonder what he was thinking trading next year’s first round draft pick for T Joe Staley. Staley will be a solid player, but if the Niners fail to improve next season, they will be looking at another pick in the Top-15. I loved the Patrick Willis pick. He and Manny Lawson will make quite a tandem at the second level of the defense. Jason Hill and Ray McDonald were solid value picks. Hill is a guy who has the ability to be a consistent move-the-chains type receiver in the league and McDonald has the versatility you love to have in a defensive lineman. Thomas Clayton is a jack of all trades, master of none running back who should provide good depth behind Frank Gore.
Arizona Cardinals: C
Ken Wisenhunt’s first draft in Cardinal red was unspectacularly average. Taking a talent like RB Adrian Peterson would have been ideal. Teams get into trouble when reaching for need, which is what they did with OT Levi Brown. Brown isn’t a bad player though. Last year the Cardinals took mammoth, underachieving DT Gabe Watson from Michigan. They did nearly the exact same thing this year, drafting his teammate Alan Branch. Branch’s inconsistency and injury concerns caused him to slip into early round two. I did not like the Steve Breaston pick. When you’re the Arizona Cardinals you have no margin for picking a return specialist. Ben Patrick was good value late, but you have to wonder why he fell so far.
Detroit Lions: C
Well, grabbing the best player counts for something, even if it did take a few years. You’ve got to hand it to GM Matt Millen for having the cajones to take another receiver. Adding Calvin Johnson gives the Lions one of the best young receiving tandems in the league. Mike Martz must be salivating at the possibilities of Johnson lining opposite of Roy Williams. Manuel Ramirez was good value late in the draft. Other than that it was pretty ho-hum. I hope Millen didn’t pull a muscle reaching for Drew Stanton in round two. If you think about it, had the Lions not completely whiffed on top-10 choices Joey Harrington, Charles Rogers, and Mike Williams they could actually be fielding a pretty decent squad. However, at this point, it looks like another 5 or 6 win season at best for Detroit.
New York Giants : C
DB Aaron Ross and WR Steve Smith add youth to aging positions on the Giants roster. The Giants had a very productive Day 2 of the draft. TE Kevin Boss is an intriguing prospect from Western Oregon with a basketball background. He’ll have time to learn behind Jeremy Shockey. Arizona DB Michael Johnson is an athletic safety prospect and Marshall’s RB Ahmed Bradshaw was good value in Round 7.
St. Louis Rams: C
You know what you’re getting when you draft Adam Carriker. He’s one of the least likely players to fall completely on his face in the NFL. Carriker can play end and possesses the size to shift inside. He’ll be a solid player in this league for the next decade. I like Brian Leonard as a player, but for a team that already has a bruiser in Steven Jackson; you have to wonder if this was the greatest fit. I envisioned him going to a team like the Steelers or Eagles to spell a smaller back. Tennessee DB Jonathan Wade is a track star who has the tools, but will need time to adjust to the NFL. This is the type of player Jim Haslett loved in New Orleans and it eventually lead to his demise.
Seattle Seahawks: C-
The Seahawks were without their first round pick as they traded it for Deion Branch last season. Their second round pick CB Josh Wilson is a scrappy corner, but I think he will be over matched at the next level. Cal DT Brandon Mebane is solid and WR Courtney Taylor has the tools to make it in this league, but many wonder if he’ll ever put it all together.
Green Bay Packers: D
The Packers reached for Justin Harrell who has fought through injuries his whole career. This move can’t make Brett Favre too happy. Miami TE Greg Olson seemed ideal at the #16 spot. Nebraska RB Brandon Jackson won’t be anything special and Virginia Tech S Aaron Rouse might have to be turned into a linebacker to mask his deficiencies in coverage. Colorado K Mason Crosby and Rutgers TE Clark Harris were good values late in the draft.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: D
For a team that had four picks in the top 70, the Buccaneers pretty much struck out. Gaines Adams will be a good edge rusher, but teams are going to run at him all day. The Bucs focused on adding youth to an aging defense, but ignored their dormant offense. University of Tennessee lineman Arron Sears can help at pretty much any spot on the offensive line. I like safety Sabby Piscatelli of Oregon St and RB Kenneth Darby could be a steal in the 7th round.
Philadelphia Eagles: F
You have to wonder if the Eagles hadn’t traded out of the first round if they would have embarrassed themselves even more on draft day. It’s confusing because the Eagles are usually pretty efficient when it comes to the draft. They went away from their philosophy of drafting offensive and defensive linemen, opting for DB’s and skill players. QB Kevin Kolb will not amount to anything in the NFL; you can take that to the bank. Nebraska LB Stewart Bradley showed some flashes at the Senior Bowl. Hawaii bulldozer running back Nate Ilaoa will be fun to watch around the goal line.
| HOME |
| DRAFT NEWS |
| RANKINGS |
| MOCK DRAFT |
| INTERVIEWS |
| COMBINE INVITEES |
| COMBINE IQ TEST |
| TOP 100 |
| BLOGS |
| DRAFT ORDER |
| DRAFT HISTORY |
| FORUM |
| LINKS |
| WALLPAPERS |
| CONTACT |
| BOOKMARKS |
| SPONSORED LINKS |
| HOTTEST PLAYERS |
| Matt Ryan |
| Chris Johnson |
| Ray Rice* |
| Ryan Torain |
| Peyton Hillis |
| Chris Long |
| Joe Flacco |
| Rashard Mendenhall* |
| Matt Forte |
| Keith Rivers |
| Jerod Mayo* |
| Mike Jenkins |
| Andre Woodson |
| Sam Baker |
| Glenn Dorsey |