NFL Draft Review - Part Two - Triple Threat Sports!

Back to Article Listing

Triple Threat Sports - 7/31/2009 3:12 AM

Hello to all readers!!!. It is great to be back and I look forward to a great football season in both the colleges and the NFL. This series of articles will take a look at the NFL draft, give each team a grade, and at times I will add some general thoughts about a team's season in general.The teams that got A's were up earlier this month, and this article will look at the teams that got "B" level grades. The C's will soon follow, and then the series will finish up with the teams that got a D.

First things first, giving a team a draft "grade" is in inexact science to be sure, as injuries, the inevitable numbers game at some spots for some teams, and even contract holdouts affect how these young players turn out. With all of that said, these grades will assume 100% health and Signability for all involved. One last note before giving my grades, and that is that different eyes view the draft very differently. One only needs to look at Mel Kiper vs Todd McShea on ESPN as proof of that. With that said, I will include the draft grades of two other sources (yahoo.com and nfl.com) at the top of each item for comparison's sake. So now lets get to it, from top to bottom. Teams that share the same grade are placed from highest to lowest overall in that category. Here we go with the teams that got some form of an "B" grade:

B+ - San Diego Chargers (B/B-)

Despite picking the exact middle of the first round, San Diego got one of the best pass rushers in the draft in Larry English. He offers a combination of quickness to go along with nice size (6-2, 274) will give offensive coordinators quite a bit to worry about with him and Merriman together on the field. Bolts also shored up their offensive line, and in a move that might go unnoticed, got some help for LT at the goal line with the selection of Gartrell Jackson. He could very well become the goal line back here (FANTASY OWNERS BEWARE WHEN DOING YOUR LT RANKINGS, AND BE READY TO TAKE JACKSON IN THE MIDDLE ROUNDS!), thus easing the physical burden on Tomlinson. No home runs in this draft, but no misses either.

B+ - Jacksonville Jaguars (A-/B+)

Think the Jags might be planning to run the ball quite a bit this year? They took bookend tackles in the first two rounds, with the highlight of course being top choice Eugene Monroe, who is a beat physically and also a great "character" pick, as people rave about what a great leader he is off the field as well. Remember, to go along with the two top picks the Jags also signed OT Tra Thomas, so this is a completely revamped OL for Maurice Jones-Drew to run behind. An interesting choice came in the early part of the third round in the form of William & Mary product Derek Cox. Jacksonville's roster has a solid representation from (now) FCS schools, and Cox could be the next in line. Also like Arizona's Mike Thomas, who brings to mind slot receiving specialists like Wes Welker and Mike Furrey. Jaguars added some bite with this draft.

B+ - Miami Dolphins (C/B-)

Every draft review I read talked about how top draftee Vontae Davis has some attitude issues. I am not sure I could be less concerned. If the Tuna could calm Mount Terrell Owens in Dallas he will make damn sure that a rookie CB is not a problem starter. So, ignoring the potential attitude issue, Miami got the best pure cover corner in the draft and did so at pick #25, and this choice is all the more important since Miami's secondary now has to deal with both the aforementioned Owens as well as Randy Moss. Have to believe they were thinking of "TO" and "Cash Money Homey" when they selected Sean Smith out of Utah in the second round. Smith is 6-4/214 but super quick, and if he learns to be a more physical player he could be special. The selection of Pat White in the second round was an interesting one. One on hand it shows that Miami is embracing the Wildcat formation even more, and now they have someone in White that has the dual threat skills to really make the offense hum. I do wonder if opposing defensive coordinators, with an off season to devise a plan, will be much better equipped for it this year, but if not White should do very, very well. Phins added two tall and talented WR's in the middle rounds (from USC and Ohio State) as well to finish out what appears to be a nice draft class.

B+ - Cleveland Browns ( C+/A)

I am a dyed in the wool Browns fan, but believe me I am the first to criticize when the occasion calls for it. In this case, while I do like what Cleveland did, I do not see it as anywhere close to the best draft in the league, as one of the above referenced reviewers called it. With that said, Cleveland was bold in trading away the fifth pick in the draft, still getting a guy they coveted in the versatile Cal product Alex Mack, and saving probably seven million dollars in the process. All of that makes sense, and as long as Mack does not suffer the fate of the last Center the Browns took in the first round - Steve Everitt, a player that made no discernable impact - this seems like a good pick. Cleveland probably shored up the WR corps with the selections of Robiskie and Massaquoi, although the latter has BraylonEdwardsItis, as he drops the ball more than he should. Not really in love with the choice of David Veikune, as he will be asked to play LB here instead of the DE he played in college. Also, competition level here is a hell of a lot tougher than it was the WAC, and it will be interesting to see how he reacts. Finally, it gets a "little" colder in Cleveland than it did in Hawaii, and wonder how he will adjust. Other than my questions about Veikune, the rest of the class all has positive grades, thus earning the team the B+. This is a classic example of a team that needed a lot of help going out and getting it.

B - New Orleans Saints (B/B-)

Keep in mind that while the Saints only had four picks in this draft, they used some of those other choices as part of deals to acquire Jeremy Shockey and Jonathan Vilma, and that two players have to be factored in when grading this draft. Their first two picks both were defensive backs, and top choice Malcolm Jenkins will likely start right away. He will learn from one of the best in Darren Sharper, a recent New Orleans free agent acquisition. Wake Forest product Chip Green was the team's fourth round pick, and in time either he or (if he changes positions) Jenkins could become the starting free safety for the Fluer De Lis. Vaughn will also help out on special teams, as should fellow fourth rounder Stanley Armoux, another Wake Forest product, and in fact the Saints tabbed the two Demon Deacons just one pick apart. After the season Drew Brees had in 2008, the offense is in good shape, and these new Saints should help the defense and special teams contribute as well.

B - Denver Broncos (D/C)

Lots of folks do not like the choice of Knowshon Moreno, but I think it was one of the SMARTER picks of the draft, for reasons I will outline in a bit. From a pure on the field standpoint, he is the highest rated running back the team has had in ages, and remember that folks like Howard Griffith and Peyton Hillis have averaged more than five yards per carry for the Broncos in the last decade. I liken it to Graham Harrell and Texas Tech. For years Red Raider QB's put up good numbers but the teams were always in the 8-4 type range. Then Harrell, a true blue chipper, came to Lubbock, and in his senior year the team was in contention for the national title. Moreno is amazingly talented and could easily put up the best rushing numbers for this team since the Terrell Davis years. He also is the best receiving RB the team has had in recent memory, and that is notable since new coach Josh McDaniel made great use of Kevin Faulk while in New England, and since Kyle Orton will have a nice safety valve option. Also like Denver's other first round pick - Robert Ayers of Tennessee - and Alphonso Smith out of Wake Forest will help as well. Fourth round choice Seth Olsen could be a steal, as he is big and (coming from a Kirk Ferentz staff) has excellent technique. Finally, while there are rivalries in all divisions, the four teams in the AFC West truly do hate each other, and each makes moves designed to impede the progress of the others in the division. The Moreno pick qualifies in this regard, as the Chargers viewed the former Georgia Bulldog as the heir apparent to Tomlinson, but now that will not be the case. In summation, Moreno will help in a ton of ways on the field and really but a hurt in the draft plans of a hated foe. This was a very smart pick and, along with the others mentioned above, gets Denver a solid B grade from me.

B - Detroit Lions (B+/B-)

Matt Millen has left the building, and POOF, the Lions had a decent to good draft! Matthew Stafford has all the physical tools and seems to have the mental makeup to be a solid pro QB, and while I wish he would have won a few more games (and SEC titles) at Georgia, he still should be if nothing else a solid NFL QB, something the Lions have not had since, since, since, give me a few minutes I will think of one. I have said for a long time that the best friend of a young QB in the NFL is a good Tight End, and boy does Detroit have one now in former Oklahoma State Cowboy Brandon Pettigrew. He is an excellent blocker but that is not even close to the best part of his game, as he has hands like glue and speed that will allow him to split the seam in the middle of the defense. He should be a third down conversion machine for this team and serve as a bailout for Stafford on many occasions. At 6-5/263 with great speed, Pettigrew has the makings of a great player, someone that will make the 18 teams that passed on him in the first round very sorry. I will be surprised if he is not an All Pro multiple times over. This pick alone guaranteed at least a B grade from me for the Lions, and I also like the additions of Louis Delmas early in the second round, return man extraordinaire Derrick Williams in the third round, and Senior Bowl smash Sammie Lee Hill in the fourth round. Unfortunately, the last four choices fail to impress, and a team with as many needs as the Lions cannot afford to "miss" on anyone. Those final picks keep the Lions from getting an A, but it was still a solid showing.

B - Chicago Bears (B/C+)

First, this grade is based on the Bears adding Jay Cutler from the Broncos. It cost the Bears some players and some picks, but seemingly has solved a problem this team has been having for almost 20 years, as incredibly the Bears have had 42 different starters since 1992, with "immortals" like Peter Tom Willis, Rusty Lisch (who?), Steve Stenstrom, and Henry Burris all getting the call at one time or another. Cutler is, simply, very good, and he could be the final piece to the puzzle for this team. Since they had to give up picks for Cutler, Chicago did not have a selection until the third round, but they added a solid player in Jarron Gilbert of San Jose State, who is raw but should develop into a nice rotational player if nothing else, and with his size he can if nothing else occupy opposing offensive linemen, thus allowing Urlacher and Co. to make plays from the LB spot. No bad misses among the rest of the new Bears, but no big hits either. In fact, without Cutler this draft would have gotten a C-, but with the most important position on the field addressed as well, Da Bears got a B.

B - Minnesota Vikings (C/C+)

In what is becoming a pattern (and peeking at my next team, a pattern likely to continue), an NFC North team gets a B from me in this draft review. Absolutely did not realize that coincidence until typing this up, but it does show that all four of these teams improved themselves in the draft at about the same levels, meaning that the Bears, who were the best team in the division last year, seem most likely to win it again, especially in light of the Cutler addition. and the Brett Favre re-retirement. Part of this B grade is giving Percy Harvin the benefit of the doubt and thinking that he will not become the next Randy Moss in terms of attitude, but maybe a game changer like Moss was. If Harvin stays on course, having him and Adrian Peterson together on the field together puts two game changers on the field at the same time, and that will make for many big plays for the Purple, regardless of who is taking the snaps. Just like there are two sides of the coin with Harvin, much the same can be said for second round choice Phil Loadholt. He is massive at 6-8/332 and gives the Vikings strength at both OT spots, which should give Peterson even more room to run. However, the scouting report on Loadholt is that he struggles with speed rushers, and that is not good for a team that plays on artificial turf that gives DE's an extra speed burst. Overall, Harvin is a Top Ten talent that the team got with Pick 22, and that earns the Vikes a B.

B - Green Bay Packers (A/A)

The first time I looked at this draft class for the Packers I gave them a C+, but after further review and study the Cheesheads moved up to the B level they share with each of their NFC Norse brethren. The reason for the initial mid range grade was middling grades on each of the top two choices, BJ Raji and Clay Matthews Jr. However, the more and more reading I did I saw how each will fit nicely into the new 3-4 defensive alignment that Green Bay will utilize this year. Still think they could have done a little bit more with each of those picks, but in time each will prove beneficial. Green and Gold might have done their best work in the fifth round, adding former Gamecock Jamon Meredith, who can play four positions on the offensive line and as such will add youth and depth to a spot that needed both in a big way. Not sure how the other two sources gave out "A" grades to this bunch, but it was a solid couple of days for Green Bay.

B- - Buffalo Bills (C-/C+)

There is definite pressure on Dick Jauron and his staff to win this year, and the free agent signing of Terrell Owens shows that the team is willing to take a few chances in that effort. Also, the Bills had the luxury of having four of the top fifty-one overall choices in the draft, thus giving them 7.8% of the cream of the crop and therefore a real chance to get their hands on impact players that would help them make a splash this year. Simply put, with the potential exception of top choice Aaron Maybin, they just did not do so. I say potential exception of Maybin since I am just not convinced he will be as dominant as the workout numbers show. Joe Paterno plays freshmen liberally, and the fact that Maybin was not a huge factor in State College until his senior year - and was just a one year starter - has me on the fence regarding his future in the NFL. He is a boom or best pick to me. The rest of the Bills' draft class leaves me conflicted. One on hand, all but one player had a positive grade, but most are projected to have their biggest impact in two to three years, not what the Bills need right now. So, all in all the Bills get a solid grade from me based on the overall sum of long range talent added, but it's a B- since they might not have done enough to help this season.

B- Pittsburgh Steelers (C+/B)

It is risky for any draft reviewer to give the Steelers a less than stellar grade, as they have proven smarter than just about everyone else in the player selection process, but hard to see tremendous value from this class. In fact, while none of the selectees had a negative grade in my book, only two had even Good grades, with none getting a Very Good or Great grade. The two that did get a plus sign next to their name were Round Three choice Mike Wallace out of Ole Miss and fellow third rounder Keenan Lewis from Oregon State. Other than that was not impressed with any of the choices, but that is not terribly surprising seeing as how the Steelers drafted last in every round. If it were any other team the best this draft class would have gotten was a C, but I will share with you my final notes to myself before writing this preview: "Would be a C, but it is the Steelers, and they are not going to fool me again, so it's a B-."

Thanks for your time, and I will be back with the C's soon!

Back to Article Listing