AFC 2012 NFL Draft Grades

Baltimore Ravens

2.03 (35) - Courtney Upshaw, OLB, Alabama
2.28 (60) - Kelechi Osemele, OG, Iowa St.
3.21 (84) -  Bernard Pierce, RB, Temple
4.03 (98) - Gino Gradkowski, OG, Delaware
4.35 (130) - Christian Thompson, FS, South Carolina St.
5.34 (169) - Asa Jackson, CB, Cal Poly
6.28 (198) - Tommy Streeter, WR, Miami
7.29 (236) - DeAngelo Tyson, DT, Georgia

My grade: C+

The Ravens didn’t have a selection in the first round after trading their pick to the Vikings for Minnesota’s second and fourth round picks.  Luckily (or strategically) for them, standout Alabama product Courtney Upshaw was on the board.  Upshaw will be forced into the lineup sooner than expected due to the recent injury of 2011 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Terrell Suggs, who will be lucky to see any playing time in 2012.  Baltimore found a complement for bowling ball Ray Rice in the third round with Temple RB Bernard Pierce.  Other than Pierce and Upshaw, I’m not a huge fan of their draft, but they rarely miss up high.

Buffalo Bills 

1.10 (10) - Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina
2.09 (41) - Cordy Glenn, OG, Georgia
3.06 (69) - T.J. Graham, WR, North Carolina St.
4.10 (105) - Nigel Bradham, LB, Florida St.
4.29 (124) - Ron Brooks, CB, LSU
5.09 (144) - Zebrie Sanders, OT, Florida St.
5.12 (147) - Tank Carder, ILB, TCU
6.08 (178) - Mark Asper, OG, Oregon
7.44 (251) - John Potter, K, Western Michigan

My grade: B

If the Buffalo Bills want to make the playoffs anytime soon, they’ll need to slow down the dynamic passing attack of Tom Brady & co. in New England. Stephon Gilmore from South Carolina will go a long way towards accomplishing that goal. Gilmore can play press-man as well as zone and uses his large frame to defend balls in the air. With their second pick they grabbed a great value in Georgia offensive tackle Cordy Glenn; Glenn is more suited for the right side at the NFL level and can play both tackle and guard. Receiver T.J. Graham was a bit of a reach in the third round, but “he can fly,” in the words of NFL.com analyst Mike Mayock.

Cincinnati Bengals 

1.17 (17) - Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

1.27 (27) - Kevin Zeitler, OG, Wisconsin
2.21 (53) - Devon Still, DT, Penn St.
3.20 (83) - Mohamed Sanu, WR, Rutgers
3.30 (93) - Brandon Thompson, DT, Clemson
4.21 (116) - Orson Charles, TE, Georgia
5.21 (156) - Shaun Prater, CB, Iowa
5.31 (166) - Marvin Jones, WR, California
5.32 (167) - George Iloka, FS, Boise St.
6.21 (191) - Dan Herron, RB, Ohio St.

My grade: A+

This is the only A+ I’m giving out, and the last team I thought I’d be giving it to was the Cincinnati Bengals.  But, alas, here we are.  I am handing out an A+ to a Mike Brown-ran football team.  The Bengals had five picks in the top 100, and used them to address needs in the secondary, offensive line, defensive line, and receiving corps. First round pick Dre Kirkpatrick fills a void left by Jonathan Joseph, and second rounders Kevin Zeitler and Devon Still are “plug and play” football players who add depth to the offensive and defensive lines, respectively.  Cincinnati added lanky free safety George Iloka from Boise St. in the fifth round, a player some analysts had going on the second day.  The Bengals took two rookie pro bowlers last year in A.J. Green and Andy Dalton, and they can expect many pro bowls from this 2012 draft class.

Cleveland Browns

1.03 (3) - Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama
1.22 (22) - Brandon Weeden, QB, Oklahoma St.
2.05 (37) - Mitchell Schwartz, OT, California
3.24 (87) - John Hughes, DT, Cincinnati
4.05 (100) - Travis Benjamin, WR, Miami
4.25 (120) - James-Michael Johnson, ILB, Nevada
5.25 (160) - Ryan Miller, OG, Colorado
6.34 (204) - Emmanuel Acho, ILB, Texas
6.35 (205) - Billy Winn, DE, Boise St.
7.38 (245) - Trevin Wade, CB, Arizona
7.40 (247) - Brad Smelley, FB, Alabama

My grade: B

You either love this draft for the Browns or you hate it.  As a big Trent Richardson and Brandon Weeden fan, I am of the latter group.  Trent Richardson is the best running back to come out of college since Adrian Peterson.  He adds toughness to the toughest division in football and will help keep the Browns in favorable down and distance situations.  With their second round pick they took 28 year-old QB Brandon Weeden; if you don’t know the story, Weeden played baseball out of high school and only started college in 2007.  Despite his age, Weeden still has the ability to play QB at a high level for enough years to justify the selection.  The Browns used the later rounds and compensatory selections to stock up on players who slid in the draft, including Boise State’s Billy Winn and Arizona’s Trevin Wade.

Denver Broncos

2.04 (36) - Derek Wolfe, DT, Cincinnati
2.25 (57) - Brock Osweiler, QB, Arizona St.
3.04 (67) - Ronnie Hillman, RB, San Diego St.
4.06 (101) - Omar Bolden, CB, Arizona St.
4.13 (108) - Philip Blake, C, Baylor
5.02 (137) - Malik Jackson, DE, Tennessee
6.18 (188) - Danny Trevathan, OLB, Kentucky

My grade: C-

Not a huge fan of the Broncos’ draft.  They filled a big need by going defensive line in the second round, selecting Cincinnati’s Derek Wolfe, but I would have rather seen them go with UCONN’s Kendall Reyes or Michigan State’s Jerel Worthy.  In the second round they took the heir-apparent to Peyton Manning, the 6’7” Arizona State product Brock Osweiler.  Osweiler is a bit of a project with high upside, and will learn from one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. Ronnie Hillman is an ideal third-down back for the Manning-led offense that can protect the passer and produce in the screen game. Blake was a decent value pick in the fourth round and will push third year player J.D. Walton for the starting center position.

Houston Texans

1.26 (26) - Whitney Mercilus, DE, Illinois
3.05 (68) - DeVier Posey, WR, Ohio St.
3.13 (76) - Brandon Brooks, OG, Miami (OH)
4.04 (99) - Ben Jones, C, Georgia
4.26 121) - Keshawn Martin, WR, Michigan St.
4.31 (126) - Jared Crick, DT, Nebraska 
5.26 (161) - Randy Bullock, K, Texas A&M
6.25 (195) - Nick Mondek, OT, Purdue

My grade: B

I was amazed at some of the responses to Houston’s first round pick--Illinois stud pass-rusher Whitney Mercilus. So many analysts had an offensive player penciled in at the 26^th overall slot, and when Houston went defense they were left scratching their heads.  Houston made a great pick here.  They’re losing Mario Williams in free agency and will likely lose OLB Connor Barwin during next year’s free agency.  Mercilus had the most productive year from any first round pass rusher and should fit in nicely in Wade Phillip’s 3-4 scheme.  In the second round the Texans tried to select a complement to Andre Johnson in Ohio State’s DeVier Posey.  Not sure that Posey was the best available wide receiver here, but he’s better than what Houston’s got.  Houston went to the Big-10 receiver well again in the fourth round when they took Michigan State’s Keshawn Martin, an undersized speedster who should contribute in the return game now that Houston is without Jacoby Jones.  I’m surprised Houston didn’t take a cornerback in the draft; I would assume they are expecting 2010 first round pick Kareem Jackson to step his game up.

Indianapolis Colts

1.01 (1) - Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford
2.02 (34) - Coby Fleener, TE, Stanford
3.01 (64) - Dwayne Allen, TE, Clemson 
3.29 (92) - T.Y. Hilton, WR, Florida International
5.01 (136) - Josh Chapman, DT, Alabama 
5.35 (170) - Vick Ballard, RB, Mississippi St.
6.36 (206) - LaVon Brazill, WR, Ohio
7.01 (208) - Justin Anderson, OT, Georgia
7.07 (214) - Tim Fugger, DE, Vanderbilt
7.46 (203) - Chandler Harnish, QB, Northern Illinois

My grade: B+

The best quarterback prospect since Peyton Manning.  The best quarterback prospect since John Elway.  The best quarterback prospect ever.  I’ve seen all three of these superlatives used when describing Indianapolis’ #1 overall pick, quarterback Andrew Luck.  I’m not quite as high on him as the rest of the world; I think he will max out as a top-ten quarterback in the league, never reaching MVP-status.  However, he most definitely is the safer quarterback between him and Andrew Luck due to his conventional playing style and uncanny accuracy.  I love that the Colts stayed true to their draft board and went offensive skill positions with the next three picks instead of reaching for defense.  The best thing you can do to help our your young quarterback is surround him with weapons, and the Colts did just that in selecting tight ends Fleener and Allen along with the speedy small school wide receiver T.Y. Hilton with their second, third, and fourth selections.

Jacksonville Jaguars

1.05 (5) - Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma St. 
2.06 (38) - Andre Branch, DE, Clemson 
3.07 (70) - Bryan Anger, P, California
5.07 (142) - Brandon Marshall, OLB, Nevada
6.06 (176) - Mike Harris, CB, Florida St.
7.21 (228) - Jeris Pendleton, DT, Ashland

My grade: B-

Do not adjust your computer screens.  You are reading this correctly: The Jaguars selected a punter in the third round.  Crazy, right?  Well, not entirely crazy.  The Jaguars have a pretty terrible offense, and will be playing the field-position game more often than not.  Anger is the best punter in the draft and an excellent directional kicker.  If you watched the Super Bowl (and if you’re reading this blog, I assume you have) you saw Giants punter Steve Weatherford execute a number of perfect directional punts that forced fair catches and left the Patriots offense with long fields on nearly every possession.  But, the third round is way too early for a punter.  I do like what they did in the first round, however, trading up from 7 to 5 to get wide receiver Justin Blackmon, one of my favorite players in the draft.  Blackmon is right up there with Griffin III and Richardson as the most fun players to watch.  He reminds me so much of Terrell Owens; big and strong, incredibly difficult to tackle, and an unbelievable work ethic.  His only problem is that Blaine Gabbert is his quarterback.  In the second round Jacksonville selected explosive pass rusher Andre Branch from Clemson, a player worthy of the selection who fills a big need.

Kansas City Chiefs

1.11 (11) - Dontari Poe, NT, Memphis
2.12 (44) - Jeff Allen, OT, Illinois 
3.11 (74) - Donald Stephenson, OT, Oklahoma
4.12 (107) - Devon Wylie, WR, Fresno St.
5.11 (146) - DeQuan Menzie, CB, Alabama
6.12 (182) - Cyrus Gray, RB, Texas A&M 
7.11 (218) - Jerome Long, DT, San Diego St.
7.31 (238) - Junior Hemingway, WR, Michigan

My grade: C+

The Chiefs selected Mr. Poe(tential) at the #11 spot, the mammoth-like Memphis defensive tackle.  Poe fits a clear need in the Chiefs’ 3-4 defense and is an incredible athlete for a man of his stature.  However, with that size and athleticism, he should have been a dominant player in college, especially playing in Conference-USA.  Some people chalked it up to Poe not being asked to rush the passer, while others claimed he’s just a workout wonder.  My sentiments lie somewhere in between: I feel Poe will be a solid defensive lineman for the Chiefs, but that it’s going to take a few years of seasoning before he can start to reach any level of dominance. In rounds two and three the Chiefs went offensive line, then transitioning to a trio of speedsters in rounds four, five and six. 

Miami Dolphins

1.08 (8) - Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M
2.10 (42) - Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford 
3.09 (72) - Olivier Vernon, DE, Miami
3.15 (78) - Michael Egnew, TE, Missouri
4.02 (97) - Lamar Miller, RB, Miami
5.20 (155) - Josh Kaddu, OLB, Oregon
6.13 (183) - B.J. Cunningham, WR, Michigan St.
7.08 (215) - Kheeston Randall, DT, Texas
7.20 (227) - Rishard Matthews, WR, Nevada

My grade: D+

This grade is heavily based on the selection of Ryan Tannehill eighth overall.  Basically, I don’t believe he is worthy of a first round draft choice.  He played wide receiver longer than he played quarterback at Texas A&M, and when the game was on the line, he played his worst.  He’s a very good athlete and will wow you with some athletic plays, but he is far too inconsistent and careless with the football to ever be a franchise quarterback.  Jonathan Martin should start opposite Jake Long in the very near future.  Lamar Miller dropped because of some medical issues and was picked up by his hometown team.  He’s an explosive player and a threat to go the distance each time he carries the ball but needs to work on his pass-protection skills before he can see extended playing time.

New England Patriots

1.21 (21) - Chandler Jones, DE, Syracuse 
1.25 (25) - Dont'a Hightower, LB, Alabama 
2.16 (48) - Tavon Wilson, FS, Illinois
3.27 (90) - Jake Bequette, DE, Arkansas
6.27 (197) - Nate Ebner, DB, Ohio St.
7.17 (224) - Alfonzo Dennard, CB, Nebraska
7.28 (235) - Jeremy Ebert, WR, Northwestern

My grade: B-

Much like the Green Bay Packers, Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots targeted defensive players heading into the draft.  They left with six defensive selections out of a possible seven, headlined by Syracuse pass rusher Chandler Jones and Alabama thumper Dont’a Hightower in the first round.  Tavon Wilson was a huge surprise in the second round; most draft websites did not have him in the database.  Alfonzo Dennard was once regarded as a possible early-round draft choice until he started being an idiot.  Under the right leadership and in the proper locker room, he could flourish.

New York Jets

1.16 (16) - Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina 
2.11 (43) - Stephen Hill, WR, Georgia Tech 
3.14 (77) - Demario Davis, OLB, Arkansas St.
6.17 (187) - Josh Bush, FS, Wake Forest
6.32 (202) - Terrance Ganaway, RB, Baylor
6.33 (203) - Robert T. Griffin, OG, Baylor
7.35 (242) - Antonio Allen, SS, South Carolina
7.37 (244) - Jordan White, WR, Western Michigan

My grade: B

Quinton Coples is one of the most talented players in the draft.  Arguably a top-5 talent.  He shut it down his senior year so he wouldn’t get injured, which is somewhat understandable.  The Jets were able to grab him with their first round selection (pick #16), one spot after Bruce Irvin went to Seattle.  Rex Ryan is going to have dreams about what he can do with a 6’6”, 285 lb. specimen like Quinton Coples in his defense.  Coples can set the edge as a five-technique end in the base 3-4, rush the passer off the edge in the 4-3, or play in a two point stance as an outside linebacker in the 3-4.  The Jets traded up in round two to select Stephen “Thrill” Hill, the latest in a line of wide receivers to come out of triple-option Georgia Tech than can freaking fly.  Hill is 6’4” and ran a 4.36, which compares favorably to 2007 #2 overall pick Calvin Johnson (also of Georgia Tech) who is 6’5” and ran a 4.35.  That’s where the comparisons end, though, as Calvin has much better hands and a far more developed route tree. With five selections in the sixth and seventh rounds, the Jets grabbed a little bit of everything to help with depth.

Oakland Raiders

3.32 (95) - Tony Bergstrom, OT, Utah
4.34 (129) - Miles Burris, OLB, San Diego St.
5.23 (158) - Jack Crawford, DE, Penn St.
5.33 (168) - Juron Criner, WR, Arizona 
6.19 (189) - Christo Bilukidi, DE, Georgia St.
7.23 (230) - Nathan Stupar, OLB, Penn St.

My grade: C-

The draft cupboards were pretty bare for first year general manager Reggie McKenzie after 2011 head coach/de facto general manager Hue Jackson traded away the team’s 2012 first round selection and 2013 second round selection to the Bengals for Carson Palmer.  That trade is pretty heavily slanted toward the Bengals at the moment, although that could change if Palmer can return to form and cut down on his mistakes.  No flashy names here for the Raiders, but a lot of guys that should improve depth along the offensive and defensive lines as well as a steal in the fifth round with Arizona wide receiver Juron Criner.

Pittsburgh Steelers

1.24 (24) - David DeCastro, G, Stanford 
2.24 (56) - Mike Adams, OT, Ohio St. 
3.23 (86) - Sean Spence, OLB, Miami 
4.14 (109) - Alameda Ta'amu, DT, Washington
5.24 (159) - Chris Rainey, RB, Florida
7.24 (231) - Toney Clemons, WR, Colorado
7.33 (240) - David Paulson, TE, Oregon
7.39 (246) - Terrence Frederick, CB, Texas A&M
7.41 (248) - Kelvin Beachum, OG, Southern Methodist

My grade: B+

And David DeCastro falls right into Kevin Colbert’s lap.  I wonder if they even thought about trading out of this pick or if they handed in the card in record time.  David DeCastro is arguably one of the safest picks in this draft; he has ‘plug-and-play’ written all over him.  The Steelers have had nothing but underwhelming play on the offensive line for a number of years, and DeCastro as well as second-round offensive tackle Mike Adams will go along way to change that.  Adams has a few red flags as far as character goes (failed drug test at the combine and sold memorabilia) but he’s a gifted athlete with NFL left-tackle position.  Everyone is slobbering over the fact they drafted Alameda Ta’amu from Washington in the fourth round, but there’s a reason he went in the fourth round.  A man of his stature should not be so easily moved around in the running game.  Go put on the Baylor or Stanford tape from Washington’s 2011 season when the Dawgs were rushed on for more than 400 yards in each of those games.  Ta’ama was consistently washed out of plays and showed questionable effort.  If he can play up to his potential he will be a great pick here, but let’s not go crazy yet, he’s got a long ways to go.

San Diego Chargers

1.18 (18) - Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina
2.17 (49) - Kendall Reyes, DT, Connecticut 
3.10 (73) - Brandon Taylor, SS, LSU 
4.15 (110) - Ladarius Green, TE, Louisiana-Lafayette
5.14 (149) - Johnnie Troutman, OG, Penn St.
7.19 (226) - David Molk, C, Michigan
7.43 (250) - Edwin Baker, RB, Michigan St.

My grade: A-

A terrific, terrific job done by A.J. Smith and Norv Turner here.  Melvin Ingram fell right into their laps and they did the prudent thing in selecting the outstanding South Carolina pass rusher.  A bit undersized at 6’1”, Ingram can line up and produce at nearly every spot on the defensive side of the ball.  Hell, he can even play running back!  The Chargers’ defense has not been the same since Shawne Merriman became ineffective; they are hoping Ingram can be Merriman v2.0 only without the steroid issues.  The rich got richer in the second round with UCONN defensive lineman Kendall Reyes, an interior guy in college who will kick out to five-technique in the pros and then back inside in the sub-packages.  Brandon Taylor was among the top safeties in the class (which really says more about the lack of depth at the position than anything else) and Ladarius Green is a matchup nightmare at the tight end position.

Tennessee Titans

1.20 (20) - Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor 
2.20 (52) - Zach Brown, OLB, North Carolina 
3.19 (82) - Mike Martin, DT, Michigan
4.20 (115) - Coty Sensabaugh, CB, Clemson
5.10 (145) - Taylor Thompson, DE, Southern Methodist
6.20 (190) - Markelle Martin, FS, Oklahoma St.
7.04 (211) - Scott Solomon, DE, Rice

My grade: B-

I was screaming for David DeCastro at the #20 spot but the Titans instead selected the speedy Baylor wide receiver Kendall Wright.  Wright is a bit of an enigma; he played lightning-quick in college but tested very poorly at the combine and then was reported to have a very high body fat content.  Regardless, he’s an explosive weapon that will instantly contribute in the receiving and return game.  Also, I think this is a precursor to Jake Locker winning the quarterback spot out of training camp.  Why else would you draft a deep threat wide receiver unless you’re going to pair him with a quarterback able to throw the deep ball?  I like Matt Hasselbeck but he can’t fully utilize Wright the way Locker can.  In the second round Tennessee took Brown out of UNC, an amazing athlete who’s somewhat of an underachiever.  So much was expected out of him because of his freakish speed (4.50 40 yard dash at 244 lbs.) and when he didn’t make all the highlight-reel plays a lot of scouts soured on him.  Regardless, he’ll have the chance to prove himself immediately if he can lock down the weakside linebacker position out of training camp.  Mike Martin is a prototypical three-technique under tackle that will shoot the B-gap and get in the quarterbacks face.  

Seahawks Agree to Terms With Eight of 10 Draft Picks

Bruce Irvin is expected to contribute immediately as a pass-rush specialist

According to the website of the Seattle Seahawks, the team has reached agreements in principle with eight of their 10 2012 draft choices, including first round pick Bruce Irvin.

The two players remaining without an agreed-upon contract are running back Robert Turbin and defensive tackle Jaye Howard, both fourth round picks.

Bears sign WR Alshon Jeffery

The Chicago Bears are well-known for being among the first teams to sign all their drafted players every year.  This trend continued Wednesday when they signed second round wide receiver Alshon Jeffery to a four-year contract.  Jeffery, the outstanding South Carolina product, becomes the first member of the 2012 draft class to sign a contract and will vie for a starting spot opposite Brandon Marshall, who was traded to the Bears from Miami earlier this offseason.

Rahim Moore, the 2011 draft's 45th player selected (same slot as Jeffery), received a four-year contract worth $4.448 million including a $1.73 million signing bonus.  Expect Jeffery's contract to come in just above that of Moore's.

Draft Grades! (NFC)

Did your team score an A+?

It's that time again. The time when all common sense is thrown out the window and replaced with nonsensical conjecture. Yes, it's time for a round of draft grades. It usually takes three to five years to get a good grasp as to how a team's draft shakes out, sometimes longer. 2005 #1 overall pick Alex Smith was a complete bust for years until coming into his own this past season and leading the 49ers to the NFC Championship game.


But, it's a fun exercise as well, if you don't take it to seriously.  So let's start with a rough grading of the NFC, based mostly on how a team filled their positions of need and the value of the players with respect to the placement of their selections.


Arizona Cardinals

round.selection within round (overall selection)


1.13 (13) - Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame
3.17 (80) - Jamell Fleming, CB, Oklahoma
4.17 (112) - Bobby Massie, OT, Mississippi
5.16 (151) - Senio Kelemete, OT, Washington
6.7 (177) - Justin Bethel, CB, Presbyterian
6.15 (185) - Ryan Lindley, QB, San Diego St.
7.14 (221) - Nate Potter, T, Boise St.


My grade: B-


The Cardinals did a pretty decent job addressing their needs in the 2012 NFL Draft.  They came into Thursday without a #2 receiver on the roster and were able to snag Floyd with their first round pick, the consensus second best receiver in the draft after Justin Blackmon.  Fleming and Bethel fill a need at the CB position, but I would like to have seen them add a bit more defense.  Massie was an excellent value pick in the fourth round and Kelemete provides solid depth.  Lindley is an excellent fit for the Cardinals downfield passing game.


Atlanta Falcons


2.23 (55) - Peter Konz, C, Wisconsin
3.28 (91) - Lamar Holmes, OT, Southern Miss
5.22 (157) - Bradie Ewing, FB, Wisconsin
5.29 (164) - Jonathan Massaquoi, DE, Troy
6.22 (192) - Charles Mitchell, SS, Mississippi St.
7.42 (249) - Travian Robertson, DT, South Carolina


My grade: C-


The 2011 Julio Jones trade in which Atlanta sent their 2012 first round pick (among others) to Cleveland really hurts this incoming draft class.  Their first pick was a solid one, snatching Wisconsin center Peter Konz  near the back of the second round.  He should be a day one starter at either center or guard.  After acquiring CB Asante Samuel from the Eagles for a bag of peanuts a few days before the draft, the back end became less of a need, so I won't harp on them for not taking a corner.  Massaquoi was a good value pick at the end of the fifth round, but there were a number of tackles rated higher than Holmes in the third.


Carolina Panthers


1.09 (9) - Luke Kuechly, ILB, Boston College
2.08 (40) - Amini Silatolu, OT, Midwestern St.
4.08 (103) - Frank Alexander, DE, Oklahoma
4.09 (104) - Joe Adams, WR, Arkansas
5.08 (143) - Josh Norman, CB, Coastal Carolina
6.37 (207) - Brad Nortman, P, Wisconsin
7.09 (216) - D.J. Campbell, FS, California


My grade: C


I'm surprised the Panthers didn't select more big bodies on the defense in this draft after such a porous run defense a year ago.  Kuechly, however, is a terrific linebacker and will be an above-average player the minute he steps on the field.  The small school player in Silatolu plays big at 6'4", 311 lbs., and should push for a starting guard position out of training camp.  Joe Adams provides some return ability as well as a possible no. 3 WR. 


Chicago Bears


1.19 (19) - Shea McClellin, DE, Boise St.
2.13 (45) - Alshon Jeffery, WR, South Carolina
3.16 (79) - Brandon Hardin, FS, Oregon St.
4.16 (111) - Evan Rodriguez, TE, Temple
6.14 (184) - Isaiah Frey, CB, Nevada
7.13 (220) - Greg McCoy, CB, TCU


My grade: C-


As a Packers fan, I'm always happy to see the Bears ignore their offensive line.  With the opportunity to choose either the best offensive guard (David DeCastro) or second best tackle (Riley Reiff) with their first round selection, the Bears instead went after DE/OLB tweener Shea McClellin from Boise St.  A curious fit for the Bears' 4-3 defense, McClellin will likely play SLB on first and second down, then rush the passer with his hand on the ground on third downs.  In the second round, the Bears traded up to take Jeffery from South Carolina, a physically imposing (in good ways and bad) player that slipped due to weight and effort concerns.  Rounds three thru seven are filled with mediocre role players that will play mostly on special teams.


Dallas Cowboys

1.06 (6) Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU
3.18 (81) Tyrone Crawford, DE, Boise St.
4.18 (113) Kyle Wilber, OLB, Wake Forest
4.40 (135) Matt Johnson, SS, Eastern Washington
5.17 (152) Danny Coale, WR, Virginia Tech
6.16 (186) James Hanna, TE, Oklahoma
7.15 (222) Caleb McSurdy, ILB, Montana

My grade: B+

The Dallas Cowboys made the biggest splash in the first round, trading their 14th and 45th overall picks to the Rams for the 6th overall pick and selecting Morris Claiborne from LSU, the best cover-man in the draft. Claiborne, a Cowboys fan, will step into that secondary as a day-one starter and team with newly-signed cornerback Brandon Carr.  The rest of their draft didn't do much for me, but I liked the front office's aggressiveness and willingness to trade up for a player they really wanted and needed.

Detroit Lions


1.23 (23) Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

2.22 (54) Ryan Broyles, WR, Oklahoma
3.22 (85) Dwight Bentley, CB, Louisiana-Lafayette
4.30 (125) Ronnell Lewis, OLB, Oklahoma
5.03 (138) Tahir Whitehead, OLB, Temple
5.13 (148) Chris Greenwood, CB, Albion

6.26 (196) Jonte Green, DB, New Mexico St.
7.16 (223) Travis Lewis, OLB, Oklahoma

My grade: B

Riley Reiff fell right into the Lions' lap, and they were smart to pick him up.  The second-best offensive tackle in the draft, Reiff will immediately improve a decent offensive line, most likely playing right tackle with his eventual future at left tackle.  In the second round the Lions took a chance on Ryan Broyles, who will probably use the 2012 season as a redshirt year coming off of his ACL injury.  He's a terrific slot receiver, but there's no guarantee he'll return to 100%.  Ronnell Lewis was a nice value pick in the fourth round.

Green Bay Packers

1.28 (28) Nick Perry, DE, USC

2.19 (51) Jerel Worthy, DT, Michigan St.
2.30 (62) Casey Hayward, CB, Vanderbilt
4.37 (132) Mike Daniels, DT, Iowa
4.38 (133) Jerron McMillian, SS, Maine
5.28 (163) Terrell Manning, OLB, North Carolina St.
7.34 (241) Andrew Datko, OT, Florida St.
7.36 (243) B.J. Coleman, QB, Chattanooga

My grade: A

Ted Thompson "wins" again.  One of the league's most highly regarded general managers, Thompson uncharacteristically traded up three times, each time for a defensive player.  In all, the Packers added six defensive players to a defense that struggled mightily in 2011.  Southern Cal product Nick Perry will complement fellow Trojan Clay Matthews III on the opposite side, and second round pick Jerel Worthy--whom many had graded as a first rounder--should take some pressure off pro bowl defensive lineman B.J. Raji.  Green Bay added a developmental QB with their last pick who should at least find his way onto the practice squad by the end of training camp. 

Minnesota Vikings

1.4 (4) Matt Kalil, OT, USC

1.29 (29) Harrison Smith, S, Notre Dame
3.03 (66) Josh Robinson, CB, UCF
4.23 (118) Jarius Wright, WR, Arkansas
4.33 (128) Rhett Ellison, TE, USC
4.39 (134) Greg Childs, WR, Arkansas
5.04 (139) Robert Blanton, CB, Notre Dame
6.05 (175) Blair Walsh, K, Georgia
7.03 (210) Audie Cole, LB, North Carolina St.
7.12 (219) Trevor Guyton, DE, California

My grade: B+

As much as I hate the Vikings, they had a pretty good draft.  Vikings GM Rick Spielman was able to swap picks with the Browns at #4 and land picks in the fourth, fifth, and seventh rounds so that the Browns could ensure their selection of Alabama RB Trent Richardson.  The Vikings played it safe and went with offensive tackle Matt Kalil at the fourth spot; Kalil will play left tackle, moving incumbent starter Charlie Johnson to left guard and improving two positions at once.  Minnesota traded back into the first round and selected safety Harrison Smith from Notre Dame, improving arguably the team's worst position.  The two Arkansas receivers will pay off big if they can overcome injury and size issues.  Walsh will compete with Ryan Longwell for the kicker position.

New Orleans Saints


3.26 (89) Akiem Hicks, DT, Regina

4.27 (122) Nick Toon, WR, Wisconsin
5.27 (162) Corey White, SS, Samford
6.09 (179) Andrew Tiller, OG, Syracuse
7.27 (234) Marcel Jones, OT, Nebraska

My grade: D

No picks in the first or second rounds really hurts the Saints here.  New Orleans traded away their 2012 first round pick as well as as 2011 second rounder to move back into the first round last year and select RB Mark Ingram.  Also, the Saints had their 2012 second rounder stripped away as partial punishment for their involvement in the bounty scandal.  Their first pick, Akiem Hicks from Canadian college Regina, possesses intimidating size but one wonders if he can compete at the pro level.  Toon is a solid possession receiver but nothing special.  Tiller and Jones provide depth on the offensive line and could make their way onto the team's 53 man roster come September.

New York Giants


1.32 (32) David Wilson, RB, Virginia Tech

2.31 (63) Rueben Randle, WR, LSU
3.31 (94) Jayron Hosley, CB, Virginia Tech
4.32 (127)Adrien Robinson, TE, Cincinnati
4.36 (131) Brandon Mosley, OT, Auburn
6.31 (201) Matt McCants, OT, UAB
7.32 (239) Markus Kuhn, DT, North Carolina St.

My grade: A-

Giants' GM General Manager Jerry Reese is one of the best at what he does: accumulating talent.  RB David Wilson from VaTech wasn't a first rounder in everyone's eyes, but he's a supreme talent and fills a void left by current 49er and former Giant RB Brandon Jacobs.  Wilson and incumbent starting RB Ahmad Bradshaw will form a dynamic 1-2 punch in the NFC East.  In the second round, the Giants landed possibly the best value in the draft with LSU WR Rueben Randle.  Wide receiver is definitely not a need for the Giants with Nicks and Cruz entrenched as the starters at the position, but the best GM's acquire the best talent, not needs, and Reese hit a home run with this pick.  

Philadelphia Eagles


1.12 (12) Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi St.

2.14 (46) Mychal Kendricks, ILB, California
2.27 (59) Vinny Curry, DE, Marshall
3.25 (88) Nick Foles, QB, Arizona
4.28 (123) Brandon Boykin, CB, Georgia
5.18 (153) Dennis Kelly, OT, Purdue
6.24 (194) Marvin McNutt, WR, Iowa
6.30 (200) Brandon Washington, OG, Miami
7.22 (229) Bryce Brown, RB, Kansas St.

My grade: B+

The Eagles were pretty terrible on defense last year, and their drafting showed a clear desire to improve the talent level on that side of the ball, with four of the first five picks being defensive players.  Philly moved up three spots in the first round to select Fletcher Cox out of Mississippi St. after he surprisingly fell out of the top ten. Cox will fit in nicely into Jim Washburn's already talent-laden defensive line.  They went back in the third round and took pass-rusher extraordinaire Vinny Curry, seemingly following the Giants' philosophy of "you can never have too many pass-rushers."  Kendricks from Cal will play either strong or weakside linebacker aside DeMeco Ryans.  Nick Foles was a bit of a surprise in the third round; he provides insurance if and when Michael Vick goes down with an injury.

San Francisco 49ers


1.30 (30) A.J. Jenkins, WR, Illinois #95

2.29 (61) LaMichael James, RB, Oregon #65
4.22 (117) Joe Looney, OG, Wake Forest
5.30 (165) Darius Fleming, OLB, Notre Dame
6.10 (180) Trenton Robinson, FS, Michigan St.
6.29 (199) Jason Slowey, C, Western Oregon
7.30 (237) Cam Johnson, DE, Virginia

My grade: C

A.J. Jenkins in the first round?  I'm not buying it.  The 49ers had a clear need at WR even after signing Randy Moss and Mario Manningham in free agency, but I don't love Jenkins as a first round talent.  He has mediocre size and telegraphs his routes too much.  49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh could never stop Oregon RB LaMichael James while coaching at Stanford, so he drafted the speedy waterbug as a complement to Frank Gore's pounding running style.  San Francisco got great value in the seventh round, taking Virginia defensive end Cam Johnson after he fell down team draft boards for unknown reasons. 

Seattle Seahawks

1.15 (15) Bruce Irvin, LB, West Virginia

2.15 (47) Bobby Wagner, OLB, Utah St.
3.12 (75) Russell Wilson, QB, Wisconsin
4.11 (106) Robert Turbin, RB, Utah St.
4.19 (114) Jaye Howard, DT, Florida
5.19 (154) Korey Toomer, OLB, Idaho
6.02 (172) Jeremy Lane, CB, Northwestern St.
6.11 (181) Winston Guy, SS, Kentucky
7.18 (225) J.R. Sweezy, DE, North Carolina St.
7.25 (232) Greg Scruggs, DE, Louisville

My grade: C+

Seattle provided us with the biggest "Huh?" moment of the first round when they selected talented-yet-problematic defensive end Bruce Irvin from West Virginia. Irvin has been praised by some as "the most natural pass rusher in the entire draft," but he's a one-trick pony and comes with red flags off the field.  Another surprise pick was QB Russell Wilson in the third round.  Wilson put up video game numbers last year at Wisconsin and has everything you look for in a quarterback, except size.  At only 5'11", he's shorter than every starting QB in the NFL.  With seven picks in the fourth round and later, the Seahawks were able to stock their roster with developmental players and special teams bodies. 

St. Louis Rams


1.14 (14) Michael Brockers, DT, LSU

2.01 (33) Brian Quick, WR, Appalachian St.
2.07 (39) Janoris Jenkins, CB, North Alabama
2.18 (50) Isaiah Pead, RB, Cincinnati
3.02 (65) Trumaine Johnson, CB, Montana
4.01 (96) Chris Givens, WR, Wake Forest
5.15 (150) Rokevious Watkins, OG, South Carolina
6.01 (171) Greg Zuerlein, K, Missouri Western
7.02 (209) Aaron Brown, LB, Hawaii
7.45 (252) Daryl Richardson, RB, Abilene Christian

My grade: B+

The Rams picked up a litany of players that should be able to step in and provide an immediate impact.  Defensive tackle Michael Brockers is a mammoth of a man and will help shore up a run defense that ranked dead last in the NFL in 2011.  Brian Quick is a height/weight/speed machine, but could struggle to adapt to the pro game after playing at the FCS level in college.  Janoris Jenkins and Trumaine Johnson will vastly upgrade a secondary needing an infusion of talent in the worst way.  Isaiah Pead provides insurance if fellow RB Steven Jackson can't stay healthy and/or regresses. 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers


1.7 (7) Mark Barron, SS, Alabama

1.31 (31) Doug Martin, RB, Boise St.
2.26 (58) Lavonte David, OLB, Nebraska
5.05 (140) Najee Good, ILB, West Virginia
6.04 (174) Keith Tandy, CB, West Virginia
7.05 (212) Michael Smith, RB, Utah St.
7.26 (233) Drake Dunsmore, FB, Northwestern

My grade: B-

The Bucs drafted defense with four of their first five picks, and with good reason: Tampa Bay surrendered a league-worst 494 points in 2011, 45 more than the 31st-ranked Vikings.  Mark Barron is as close to safe as you can get.  Lavonte David has an athletic outside linebacker and will push for a starting position the moment he steps on the field.  Offensively the Bucs traded back into round one and selected RB Doug Martin from Boise St., a three-down back with more speed and wiggle than current starter LeGarrette Blount. Tampa Bay added some offensive depth in the sixth and seventh rounds with a running back and tight end, respectively. 

Washington Redskins


1.2 (2) Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor

3.08 (71) Josh LeRibeus, OG, Southern Methodist
4.07 (102) Kirk Cousins, QB, Michigan St.
4.24 (119) Keenan Robinson, OLB, Texas
5.06 (141) Adam Gettis, OG, Iowa
6.03 (173) Alfred Morris, RB, Florida Atlantic
6.23 (193) Tom Compton, OT, South Dakota
7.06 (213) Richard Crawford, DB, Southern Methodist
7.10 (217) Jordan Bernstine, CB, Iowa

My grade: B+

This draft comes down to whether or not Robert Griffin III turns into the franchise quarterback we all expect him to be. Washington paid a king's ransom to move up to the #2 spot and select RGIII (2012 1st and 2nd round picks, 2013 1st round pick, 2014 1st round pick), and if he turns out be a bust the move will likely set the franchise back a number of years.  However, I love the pick and think he's going to be one of the league's most dynamic quarterbacks in a few short seasons. ESPN manufactured the idea of some QB controversy after the Redskins selected Michigan St. quarterback Kirk Cousins in the fourth round, an idea I find hilarious. Let's get this straight: there is no semblance of a quarterback controversy in Washington.  RGIII is the starting QB, Rex Grossman is the backup, and Kirk Cousins is your developmental QB.  Ideally, Cousins will beat out Grossman as the backup going into the 2013 season and plays well enough in preseason and spot-duty to fetch a high pick when a needy team comes calling for a quarterback.  Worst case scenario, he plays like crap and you cut him.  Not a huge loss as a fourth round pick.