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I like how the Cardinals emphasized the defense in this years draft. Three of
the first four draft picks were defensive players - and all were positions of
need. Dan Williams not only provided value but will solidify the NT position for
the Cardinals 3-4 defense. Additionally, Washington will help replace Dansby
in the middle. Roberts was a good pick but I felt he could have been taken
later. He does not fit the same mold as Boldin, but will add more versatility
and speed to the WR position. One area the Cardinals failed to address (and
should have) was the offensive line. Arizona did not draft one offensive
lineman in the draft and that certainly down-grades their efforts.
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Atlanta really helped their defense by drafting OLB Witherspoon. Witherspoon
not only has the ability to stop the run but also drop into coverage. His ability to
stop those short, intermediate passes will greatly help considering the
Falcons struggled stopping those passes in 2009. Outside of Witherspoon,
the Falcons really didn't address the next pressing need: Defensive line.
Peters was a reach in the 3rd round and is very inconsistent. Also, the
defensive end position I thought should have been a major focal point
heading into the draft. Not only DE was drafted. Franks was a great value pick
in the 5th, as I projected the Oklahoma CB to be a 3rd round talent.
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Once again, Baltimore fails to disappoint in the draft. The Ravens were able to
trade out of the first and still draft two first round talents int he second (and
with less rookie compensation). Kindle and Cody will help make this great
defense even better. Many analyst projected Kindle as an early first and Cody
as an early second. Imagine a defensive line with both Ngata and Cody -
scary. In addition to the defensive upgrades, Arthur Jones was drafted in the
5th which was an absolute steal as many projected Jones to be a late 2nd. As
good as the defensive pick-ups were, the offense got significantly better. 2 of
the 3 top Tightends in the draft (Dickson & Pitta) were drafted and should help
the offense greatly. Baltimore has set themselves up nicely for the next
several years. The only position that was not addressed was the defensive
secondary; which would have bumped the grade up to an "A."
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I like the player but not the pick. Buffalo had MANY other needs other than RB.
Lynch and Jackson are fully capable of being productive. Although Spiller
adds more versatility, the franchise passed on a possible franchise QB and
franchise LT. One thing the Bills did in order to prepare for the 2010 season is
draft young defensive players to transition to the teams 3-4 scheme. The Bills
drafted 4 prospects to play in their front seven. Either the Bills believe all they
need is depth or they are simply starting their rebuilding phase. 2010 will be a
big indicator of what direction the franchise is headed in.
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I have mixed emotions about the Panthers draft. Clausen was a great value
pick (BPA) and adds stability, youth and franchise QB potential. Additionally,
Eric Norwood and Greg Hardy who were both taken in later rounds were
absolute steals! The team addressed the QB (Clausen & Pike), LB
(Norwood), DE (Hardy) and WR (LaFell, Edwards & Gettis) positions.
However, they did not address the DT position. One reason I will downgrade
the team is for the decision to trade their 2011 2nd-round draft pick for an
additional 2010 3rd, which resulted in the team taking Edwards. Outside of
that, the team prepared for the future rather than for the present, which may
not have been the right move for Fox.
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The Bears draft strategy was difficult considering they only had 5 total picks
and their first wasn't until round 3 (75th overall). With 5 total picks so late in the
draft, the selections were limited. However, the Bears did a good job of
picking up talent left by other NFL teams. Wright may enter the 2010 as a
starter and Wooten (a projected 2nd round pick) will add versatility, depth and
starting potential to a good defensive line. Outside of those two picks, the
Bears added some project players and value (although not needed) in
LeFevour (QB). Two positions Chicago failed to address were the WR and
interior O-line positions. Not adding talent to these much needed positions
will hurt the Bears during the 2010 NFL season.
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I like the Gresham pick, but I would have preferred a slot receiver. I bit my
tongue after the team drafted Shipley in the 3rd, who will be a GREAT slot
receiver for the Bengals. The team really beefed up their offensive fire-power
via free agency and now the draft. On defense, I like that the team drafted
Dunlap (DE) and Atkins (DT) to shore up their defensive line. Additionally,
Ghee, Muckelroy and Briscoe were all late round steals and should be solid
contributors if not starters later down the road. The Bengals knew their needs
entering the draft and were able to draft both BPA and need with their
respective picks. An "A" would have been given if the Bengals drafted a safety.
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Joe Haden is going to prove why a 4.57 40-yard dash doesn't mean anything
when your on the field in pads. Haden is the best CB in the draft and the
Browns recognized that. Ward in the 2nd was a risky pick, but McCoy was a
steal and should flourish in Cleveland. The team failed to address one of their
biggest concerns: the pass-rush/LB position. The Browns did not draft one
linebacker. Although they addressed the secondary, they failed to add
someone who can provide consistent pressure.
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Dez Bryant was an outstanding pick-up. Jerry Jones and company now have a
stable of WR talent and can perhaps put the Roy Williams episode behind
them. As good as Bryant is and will be, he does not play in the defensive
secondary: a position Dallas should have addressed sooner - especially at
the safety position. Dallas drafted two CBs late, but not one safety. Either JJ
and company think the offense will carry the team or the secondary will be
fine. Another position Dallas should have addressed sooner and added more
depth is the OT position. Who will take over for Adams - perhaps Sam Young?
Bryant was a great pick, but the rest of the draft is suspect.
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The Broncos definitely should have taken Dez Bryant. Thomas is a project and
will struggle in the NFL. Denver's trade was great, but drafting Thomas
overshadows that and drops their grade tremendously. I thought their draft
was pretty much ruined after their 2 first round draft choices. However, the
Broncos made up for the reaches by drafting 2 of the top 3 centers in Walton
and Olsen; an outstanding WR in Decker and two highly rated cornerbacks in
Cox and Thompson. In six consecutive picks (rounds 3-7) the Broncos added
some serious talent and youth. The one position the Broncos failed to
address was the linebacker position. Unless the current LBs on the roster
can sustain, the 3-4 scheme used in Denver will struggle.
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The Lions hit, and hit big on all of their first four picks. Trading back into the
first round for Best may have been premature. I was also surprised that the
Lions chose to draft a small, speedy, receiving type RB rather than a bruiser.
However, Best may take over the starting RB position from day one. Suh,
Spievey and Fox should all be starters at the start of 2010, making four
potential starters all taken in the first 4 rounds of the draft. The only negative
part of the draft is that the Lions failed to address the LB and S positions
which are of great need.
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Bulaga was a great pick at #22. A major need was addressed. The rest of the
draft was strictly intended to add depth and youth. The only position not
addressed was the CB position, which was a surprise. In my opinion, Burnett,
Quarless, Starks, Newhouse and Wilson will all be starters within 3 years. We
will look back and see that the Packers were able to add solid players/starters
to their team from this draft.
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Houston went into the 2010 draft with two positions in mind: CB and RB. The
Texans had to find a replacement for Robinson and an eventual full-time
starter at the RB position - the team found both. Outside of that, it will be
interesting to see how the rest of their draft picks pan out. One of the biggest
value picks of the draft came in the 7th round when Dorin Dickerson was
drafted. He may push Daniels for playing time. I would have liked to see the
Texans act faster to draft a defensive lineman or safety, but the teams major
needs were met.
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Its almost hard to accurately grade the Colts because many of their players
are "unknown" but often make significant contributions. The Colts addressed
all needs and really got lucky with Jerry Hughes in the 1st. Hughes, a
projected top 20 pick, fell into Indy's lap. His addition will create the top DE trio
in the NFL. The only other areas that should have been addressed were the
offensive line positions - only one guard was drafted. I also felt Angerer a
second round MLB was drafted higher than he should have been.
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I don't know what Jack Del Rio and company were thinking drafting Tyson
Alualu 10th overall. Yes, the team needed a DT, but they reached beyond all
belief. In the 3rd, they drafted Smith, who will enter the league as a project. In
addition to the pour lineman draft, the Jaguars also failed to draft any
secondary players. Hopefully Del Rio knows what he is doing because this
may be his last year in Jacksonville.
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Many believe Eric Berry is the next Ed Reed - he certainly plays like it. Berry
was the right pick. However, McCluster was taken too early and it will take time
for him to transition to a slot - WR, as the Chiefs want to use him. Asomoah
and Arenas should be starters. TE, Moeaki, taken in the 3rd round should start
immediately. Outside of Berry, the Chiefs should have addressed the OT, WR
and defensive front seven positions. The Chiefs still have a lot of work to do
and were unable to address the most pressing issues this draft.
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I think Miami and company played this draft too safe. Odrick will be a solid
contributor and was worth a 1st round draft pick. However, Misi and Jerry may
have difficulty finding the rotation if they are unable to transition to their new
positions: OLB & OT. Edds (OLB) and Jones (S) were outstanding late round
picks and solid football players who should make an immediate impact.
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At first, it seemed that the Vikings had a plan in place by trading down into the
2nd round. However, they missed by taking Cook 34 overall. Minnesota could
have drafted Cook much later. The addition of Gerhart was also a surprise, as
he is not necessarily the best compliment to Peterson - they are basically the
same bruising type RB. If Brad Childress was looking to replace Chester
Taylor, he should have done so with a different RB, and later. Given the
misses at the first two picks, the team did somehow come away with DE -
Everson Giffen in the 3rd. Griffen should push Edwards for playing time and
provide a solid rotation at DE position. Outside of round 2, I was shocked the
Vikings did not target a solid QB to replace Favre. The team didn't have "too"
many holes to fill, but Minnesota could have drafted better.
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The Patriots did what they always do well - have great, methodical draft days
that are calculated and address needs. The teams first six picks were on
target. McCourty was almost a given, but I was shocked to see Spikes fall into
their laps with the 62nd overall pick. Spikes along side Mayo will showcase
one of the best, young interior LB duos in the league. Gronkowski, Hernandez
and Price should all help the Patriots high powered offense get even better.
Lastly in the 7th round, the Patriots drafted Brandon Deaderick out of Alabama
who will be a solid football player. The Patriots addressed all major needs
and should get back to their dominant ways come 2010.
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The Saints should have gone defensive line. Now the team has 4 potential
starters at the CB position. I feel as if the pick was another panic pick as
cornerback prospects were being drafted at an accelerated rate towards the
end of the 1st round. Another position of need not addressed was the OLB
position. Adding Charles Brown was the wrong move in the 2nd round as the
Saints have a solid corp of offensive tackles already and were even
contemplating at one point traded some. I feel as though the Saints really
missed in this draft.
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The Giants needed a defensive lineman, but the jury is still out on the one
year wonder. JPP could become one of the most dominant DE's in the game,
but only time will tell. It was clear after round 2 the Giants wanted to make their
defensive line the focal point of the draft. The addition of Chad Jones in the
3rd was outstanding. Jones may end up starting this season especially if
Phillips is unable to make a full recovery. I would have liked to see the Giants
address the linebacker position, but with their newly added talent on defense
they should be fine.
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The Jets only had four draft picks and I can't say they made the most of them.
Kyle Wilson will be a superstar in Rex Ryan's defense. Having several DB's
who can cover man-to-man is the key to his defense, as the front seven is free
to apply pressure as they please. Duccasse is raw and is expected to step in
from day one to replace Faneca. Outside of that, the Jets should have
addressed the linebacker and/or safety positions rather than the RB position.
McKnight should replace Washington, but the team had other areas of higher
concern.
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I think its safe to say the Raiders shocked the world with this years draft. The
NFL was shocked when Rolando McClain's name was called at pick #7. It
may not have been an immediate need, but the Raiders drafted a football
player who will help the franchise for the next 10+ years. After, adding
Houston, Veldheer and Campbell were icing on the top. Houston will help
solidify the defensive line interior and Vedheer and Campbell could both
potentially start day one at both tackle positions. One of the biggest surprises
and best moves of the day was trading for QB - Jason Campbell. The
franchise now has a solid quarterback who can help make this team a
contender again.
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The Eagles had an enormous amount of draft picks. This allowed them to be
flexible with their picks, which they certainly were. Many thought the team
should have drafted Earl Thomas, but Brandon Graham is going to be a star
in Philly. Reid loves his defensive lineman and Graham fits the profile. Allen
and Lindley could be immediate starters on the team. The last six draft picks
were arguably the best in the draft. Ricky Sapp, Riley Cooper, Charles Scott,
Jamar Chaney, Jeff Owens and Kurt Coleman were all highly rated prospects.
All of these players should easily make the 53 man roster and contribute to
the team.
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CB and S I thought were of more priority for the Steelers. Pouncey is a good
pick depending on where he plays. He is a versatile interior lineman who can
play both guard and center. Hartwig is a good center so I expect Pouncey to
play RG opposite Kemoeatu. If not, the pick was somewhat of a reach. The
bigger surprise was taking two transition OLBs in rounds 2 and 4. Why would
the Steelers draft two OLBs when they currently have Harrison and Woodley?
Unless the team is looking to switch from a 3-4 to a 4-3 base, the picks have
many scratching their heads. Arguably the teams best pick came in 6th round
when the Steelers drafted Johnathan Dwyer. The former Georgia Tech RB will
be a stud in the NFL and really flourish on a Steelers team looking to pound
the ball more in 2010.
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I don't like the move to trade up that many picks for Ryan Matthews. Yes, RB
was a need heading into 2010 and Matthews is going to be a star, but the
value does not match up. The Chargers panicked after Spiller was taken,
period. After Matthews, the Chargers added some depth to some much
needed positions. LB, NT, and S were all of need heading into 2010. With only
six picks in the 2010 draft, the Chargers did a good job of addressing all key
needs.
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I was a bit shocked that the 49ers drafted back to back offensive lineman.
Trading for Davis was a bit of a reach in my book, but Iupati was a great pick at
#17. The 49ers now have a solid offensive line heading into 2010 and have
shown significant support to QB - Alex Smith. Its obvious the franchise is
looking to build a team around their former 1st round pick. After that, I really
like the picks of Taylor, Bowman and Dixon. All three will be solid players in
the NFL. I anticipate Bowman will transition to an inside linebacker next to
Willis. The only missed positions were CB and OLB.
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Great draft, on all counts. Russell Okung who is the best OT in the draft fell
into their laps at #6 and Earl Thomas was a gift at #14. Pete Carroll and
company did a tremendous job not only drafting for need but also grabbing
the best available players. Outside of round 1, grabbing Tate filled a need at
the WR position as he will add speed, elusiveness and spark. Antony McCoy
was the best late round selection for the Seahawks, as he will provide depth
and play-making ability from the TE position. The Seahawks really made a
splash in the 2010 draft and are well on their way to a solid 2010 season.
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Everyone knew Sam Bradford was going #1. He fills the teams biggest need
as the Rams haven't had a solid starting QB in several seasons. The next
three picks were all of great value and need: Saffold, Murphy and Gilyard
should all start immediately. I was shocked to see George Selvie last until the
7th round. He will push for playing time immediately opposite Long. Selvie's
potential was overlooked by the Jason Pierre-Paul hype. Look for Selvie to
play with a chip on his shoulder and show he is fully capable of being an NFL
pass-rusher/DE.
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McCoy and Price should anchor the defensive line interior for the next several
seasons. Tampa has already mentioned they want both rookie WR's (Benn
and Williams) to start from day one. Tampa essentially got 3 players who
should have been drafted in the first round, in their first three picks! And
Dakoda Watson may break the starting lineup before the end of the season.
Outside of the safety position, the Buccaneers really beefed up their team with
young starters. Tampa is not far from being a contender based on the results
of this draft.
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Love the pick and great value. I graded Morgan very high and the #1 DE in the
draft. Titans addressed a need and will have a solid player who can stop the
run and rush the passer effectively. The first four picks were all solid as the
team added Damian Williams (WR-USC) in the 3rd round and Verner (CB-
UCLA) in the 4th. Myron Rolle was a great pick up in the 6th round and should
have a solid NFL career. The Titans will look to regain the AFC South title next
season.
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Okung should have been the pick, zone-blocking ability or not. Williams will be
a good player because of Shanahan, but the former Sooner isn't top 5 quality.
With only six picks, Washington did however address their biggest need: the
offensive line. Three of the six picks were used on the offensive line with one
of the biggest steals being used on Selvish Capers (OT-WVU) in the 7th
round. Williams will start and Capers should have a great chance as well.
With so little picks, it was hard for Washington to address all of their needs as
the team missed out on upgrading the secondary and defensive line.
Washington started their rebuilding on the right foot with the offensive line, but
still need help and depth at several other positions.
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