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Football's Future
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2005 NFL Draft Grades
First Round | Second Round
Buffalo Bills, D.
Miami Dolphins, B+.
New England Patriots, B.
--The game is won in the trenches, and the Patriots drafted two lineman on Day One in Logan Mankins(Round 1) and Nick Kaczur(Round 3).. Patriot fans are going to love Logan Mankins. Ellis Hobbs is one of the best special teamers, and should be a solid nickel corner. Even though I do not reflect it in my grade, the Patriots should also get special note for acquiring Duane Starks for a 3rd rounder prior to draft day, and they acquired 2006 3rd, 4th, and 5th rounders in separate trades moving down.
Keep an eye on: Ryan Claridge, ILB, UNLV
New York Jets, C.
--The Jets traded out of the first round before the draft and acquired TE Doug Jolley from the Raiders. Justin Miller slid a bit after questions about his attitude arose shortly before the draft, but he has the ability to be a steal in the second round. Sione Pouha of Utah was a nice pick in the 3rd round also. I think taking K Mike Nugent in the second was a bit early, and the pick could have been better used.
Keep an eye on: Cedric Houston, RB, Tennessee
AFC North
Baltimore Ravens, A.
--Getting Mark Clayton at 22 was a steal. He should provide an immediate impact on offense. DE Dan Cody and OT Adam Terry were very good picks in the second and third rounds. C Jason Brown in the 4th is a steal. The Ravens addressed their biggest needs with quality talent.
Keep an eye on: Jason Brown, C, North Carolina
Cincinnati Bengals, B.
--Landing college teammates David Pollack and Odell Thurman in the first two rounds was a great start to the weekend for the Bengals. Marvin Lewis wants to upgrade his defense and he landed himself two very talented performers. WR Chris Henry in the 3rd could be a steal if he has his head on straight. The grade would be higher if the Bengals had addressed the need to stop the run. Both Pollack and Thurman are a bit undersized and better at attacking than plugging the run.
Keep an eye on: Eric Ghiaciuc, C, Central Michigan
Cleveland Browns, B-.
--In Romeo Crennell’s first draft, he would have liked to address his defense, but there was no defender worthy of the 3rd overall pick. Braylon Edwards gives them a legitimate go to threat at WR. Nabbing Charlie Frye in the third keeps the local boy home and gives them a QB for the future. Brodney Pool is a ballhawk but still gives up too many big plays at FS.
Keep an eye on: Charlie Frye, QB, Akron
Pittsburgh Steelers, B+.
--The Steelers had an excellent draft. They nabbed the drafts top tight end at the end of the first round in Heath Miller. Bryant McFadden was a nice pick in the second, especially considering some corners that went ahead of him only moved up because of their 40 times. They also got a great start on Day Two by grabbing Day One talents in WR Fred Gibson and LB Rian Wallace.
Keep an eye on: Rian Wallace, LB, Temple
AFC South
Houston Texans, B.
--The Texans moved down from 13 to 16, still getting their man in DT Travis Johnson, but also acquired a 2006 3rd rounder. They had to wait until the third round to pick again, but made another quality pick in RB Vernand Morency. WR Jerome Mathis in the 4th could be a steal. With some needs at linebacker, I think they should have addressed that position at some point, but they had a quality draft nonetheless.
Keep an eye on: Jerome Mathis, WR, Hampton
Indianapolis Colts, D.
--The Colts started off great drafting CB Marlin Jackson in the first round, but the draft quickly went downhill after that. They reached for CB Kelvin Hayden in the second and DL Vincent Burns in the third.
Keep an eye on: Rob Hunt, C, North Dakota St.
Jacksonville Jaguars, C.
--The Jags took the drafts biggest workout warrior in Matt Jones in the 1st round. Time will tell if that’s a good selection, but that was a little premature in my opinion. OT Khalif Barnes was a steal in the second round.
Keep an eye on: Gerald Sensabaugh, S, North Carolina.
Tennessee Titans, C.
--Pac Man Jones is a quality cover man, but he gives up a lot of big plays. I believe Antrel Rolle would have been a better pick at that point. Michael Roos has a lot of talent, but is going to need some time to develop. There were better tackles on the board at that point. WR’s Courtney Roby in the third and Roydell Williams in the fourth added talent to the WR group.
Keep an eye on: Courtney Roby, WR, Indiana.
AFC West
Denver Broncos, D+.
--They moved out of the first round and obtained a third rounder next year. With their first pick, they took CB Darrent Williams, who I am very high on. After that though, things get shaky. I believe Paymah was a reach, and they ended Day One selecting RB Maurice Clarett. While it doesn't look that great right now, Clarett's talent could make this draft one of the best in a few years.
Keep an eye on: Maurice Clarett, RB, Ex-Ohio St.
Kansas City Chiefs, B+.
--The Chiefs got a massive steal at 15 when Derrick Johnson fell to them. He is one of the 3 best players in this draft, and he filled a pressing need for the team. Right before the draft, they traded their second rounder for Patrick Surtain, filling their other big need. As a Chiefs fan, you have to be happy with the players they added.
Keep an eye on: Craphonso Thorpe, WR, Florida St.
Oakland Raiders, B.
--The Raiders did a great job addressing their defense. They got a playmaking corner in Fabian Washington in the first, and a steal in ILB Kirk Morrison in the third. QB Andrew Walter in the 3rd could flourish and is definitely the QB of the future for the Raiders. DT Anttaj Hawthorne is a second round talent but fell to the sixth round because he tested positive for marijuana at the combine. If it weren't for a questionable move up for Washington and a massive reach on CB Stanford Routt, this grade may have been higher.
Keep an eye on: Andrew Walter, QB, Arizona St.
San Diego Chargers, A.
--The Chargers had one of the top drafts of the weekend, without question. They addressed needs with big time talent. In the first round, they selected OLB Shawne Merriman and DT Luis Castillo. Both should make immediate impacts in their 3-4 defense. In the second, they took a gamble, but it's a chance at greatness with small school WR Vincent Jackson. RB Darren Sproles could provide some playmaking ability and give Tomlinson a rest during the game, keeping him fresh. It's hard to find fault at all with the Chargers draft.
Keep an eye on: Vincent Jackson, WR, Northern Colorado.
NFC East
Dallas Cowboys, A+.
--Top draft without question in my opinion. Their first five draft picks could all become major contributors on this team in no time. They got their top two targets in OLB Demarcus Ware and DE Marcus Spears. In the second round, they landed a great cover LB in Kevin Burnett. All three provide great value at their spot, and much needed talent to their defense. Their impressive draft continued on day two with fourth rounders RB Marion Barber and DE Chris Canty. Had Canty not injured his knee, he might have carried a grade similar to Marcus Spears. He'll be ready by training camp and could be a big time steal. This was a great weekend for Cowboy fans.
Keep an eye on: Chris Canty, DE, Virginia
New York Giants, B-.
--Working with a short deck after the Eli Manning trade last year, the Giants did a tremendous job with what they had available. CB Corey Webster in the second suffered through injuries his senior year, after looking like a high first rounder as a junior. DE Justin Tuck was a Top 20 player on my board, and will provide a big time pass rush for the Giants. If they had more picks, their grade would be higher, but they only brought in 4 players after last year's big(and not necessarily smart) trade.
--Keey an eye on: Brandon Jacobs, RB, Southern Illinois.
Philadelphia Eagles, C+.
--With all the ammo they had to add big time players, I don't think the Eagles did a great job of capitalizing on it. First rounder, DT Mike Patterson is a very good pickup, and Reggie Brown should finally give them a solid #2 receiver. I like second round LB Matt McCoy, but with a big time talent like Derrick Johnson sliding, I believe they should have tried to make the big move up. Kevin Burnett was also on the board in the early second and they didn't snag him up. Ryan Moats in the third round is a talented back, but he is very similar to current back Brian Westbrook, so I don't see the point in adding a similar back so high. I felt they could have used a better, more powerful interior runner to compliment Westbrook.
Keey an eye on: Reggie Brown, WR, Georgia.
Washington Redskins, F.
--Just when you think things are falling right for the Skins, they do something to make you realize it's not bad luck, it's their own fault. Sitting at pick 9, with Mike Williams on the board, they pass for Carlos Rogers. Rogers is a fine corner, but their offense is pathetic. A stud like Williams was a steal at 9, and they passed. They moved back into the first round shortly before draft day, and targeted Auburn QB Jason Campbell, and got their man. For a team with limited picks seemingly every year, giving up a future pick for the move shouldn't sit well. When you factor in that they have turned over the keys to a young QB in Patrick Ramsey, this pick makes less sense. So entering draft weekend with a poor offense, they select a corner, a project QB, and then select two fullbacks on day two.
Keep an eye on: Robert McCune, ILB, Louisville.
NFC North
Chicago Bears, D+.
--The Bears started the day off well, grabbing the workhorse from Texas, Cedric Benson. He should give them that consistent rushing threat to balance out their offense. They again looked offense in the second, grabbing WR Mark Bradley. I like him, but felt he was a slight reach at that point. Having to wait two more rounds to pick again, the Bears selected QB Kyle Orton in the fourth round. He's nice insurance in case Rex Grossman gets hurt again, but he doesn't do much to upgrade the team right now. They got some nice players, but could have done some more in my opinion.
Keep an eye on: Kyle Orton, QB, Purdue.
Detroit Lions, A-.
--I really like what the Lions did this weekend. Mike Williams fell to 10, and the Lions snagged him up immediately. He did not fill a pressing need, but you simply cannot pass on a talent like him. Some people want to criticize them for the pick, but with Charles Rogers never even making it to the midway point of the season healthy, Williams is needed. Joey Harrington has no more excuses now. In the second, the Lions again drafted a falling Trojan in DT Shaun Cody. Continuing the trend of California players, the Lions made another solid value pick in CB from Stanford, Stanley Wilson. Day Two provided some nice developmental players in QB Dan Orlovsky, LB Jonathan Goddard, and DE Bill Swancutt.
Keep an eye on: Jonathan Goddard, OLB, Marshall.
Green Bay Packers, C-.
--The Packers got the drafts biggest faller in QB Aaron Rodgers. He was a great pick at that point, and brings tremendous value. The rest of the draft didn't go so well. They reached big time on DB Nick Collins in the second. I like WR Terrence Murphy, but had much bigger needs at that point in the second. On Day Two, they have a couple intriguing picks like CB Michael Hawkins and WR Craig Bragg, but in between they just added some bodies. They should have used some of their later round picks to move up earlier and grab bigger impact players at bigger need positions.
Keep an eye on: Craig Bragg, WR, UCLA.
Minnesota Vikings, A-.
--The Vikings were one of the teams that had the ability to improve big time on draft day, and they did a good job. At 7, they took WR Troy Williamson. He may be a better fit than Mike Williams, but he's not in the same world as a player, so I do not agree with that selection. Their next two picks, DE Erasmus James and OL Marcus Johnson were great pickups. On Day Two, they landed two early entrants with a lot of upside in RB Ciatrick Fason and DT C.J. Moseley.
Keep an eye on: Ciatrick Fason, RB, Florida.
NFC South
Atlanta Falcons, C.
--The Falcons got Michael Vick another weapon in WR Roddy White in the first round. I feel he is a little overrated though. DT Jonathan Babineaux provides much needed talent on the interior DLine. On Day Two, they landed OLB Michael Boley, who could be a steal that late. I just wasn't a fan of their first round pick, and felt they could have done better throughout the draft with their picks.
Keep an eye on: Michael Boley, OLB, Southern Miss.
Carolina Panthers, B+.
--I think the Panthers did a solid job with their draft. I don't think they landed any true stud playmakers, but they added talent and depth throughout their roster. Wherever he plays, Thomas Davis should be an impact player. Second round RB Eric Shelton is insurance in case their RB's can't stay healthy again next year, and he has some upside. On Day Two, they landed future QB in Stefan LeFors, who I am very high on. DE Jovan Haye in the sixth is a flat out steal.
Keep an eye on: Stefan LeFors, QB, Louisville.
New Orleans Saints, C.
--The Saints started their draft off by trading up for Jammal Brown. I believe he is the best tackle in the draft, and may have gone at 14 to Carolina, but I do not feel he was worth trading up for. S Josh Bullocks and ILB Al Fincher were nice picks in the second and third. On Day Two, the only pick of note is Adrian McPherson. He has a ton of upside and could prove to be a great pickup for a 5th rounder.
Keep an eye on: Adrian McPherson, QB, Ex-Florida St.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers, B.
--The Bucs came out looking very nice this weekend. RB Cadillac Williams gives them a bonafide playmaker at RB, something they have not had in awhile. OT Chris Colmer was a nice pickup at the end of the third, and on Day Two the Bucs grabbed some nice picks with a lot of potential in WR Larry Brackins and S Donte Nicholson. I felt Barrett Ruud was a bit overrated and taking him in the early second round was a reach to me.
Keep an eye on: Larry Brackins, WR, Pearl River CC.
NFC West
Arizona Cardinals, A.
--The Cards had the second best draft in my opinion. They just landed great players at great spots all weekend long. They got the best corner in the draft in Antrel Rolle at 8. CB Eric Green and OLB Darryl Blackstock are steals in the 3rd round. Fourth rounder, Elton Brown, was rated as the top guard by most people. ILB Lance Mitchell in the 5th round could be the best pick of the weekend. A first round talent, he was not fully healed last year after missing the 2003 season to a knee injury. If he comes back, he's a stud MLB.
Keep an eye on: Elton Brown, G, Virginia.
St. Louis Rams, C.
--The Rams had a ton of picks and could have done better with them. They landed a good tackle in Alex Barron in the first, but the rest of their moves were pretty questionable, though they did land a lot of talent. DB Ronald Bartell is as raw as they come, and he was taken in the middle part of the second round. C Richie Incognito may not be able to play this year because of a knee injury but he was taken in the third round. I do like 3rd round S O.J. Atogwe and 6th round WR Dante Ridgeway.
Keep an eye on: Dante Ridgeway, WR, Ball St.
Seattle Seahawks, C-.
--The Seahawks landed arguably the top interior lineman in the draft in C Chris Spencer with their first round pick. In the second, they moved up for USC LB Lofa Tatupu. That may have been a bit early for Tatupu, but he is a solid player. Aside from T Ray Willis, I don't feel they picked up anything of note on Day Two.
Keep an eye on: David Greene, QB, Georgia.
San Francisco 49ers, C.
--The 9ers had the first pick in the draft and selected QB Alex Smith from Utah. I like Aaron Rodgers slightly better, but the upside of Smith could pay off big. David Baas was a great pick in the second round. I believe they really reached on RB Frank Gore in the 3rd. There is no questioning his talent, but he has not shown the same burst or explosion he had as a freshman. The knee injuries made him too big of a risk at the top of the third.
Keep an eye on: Frank Gore, RB, Miami
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