AFC Draft Grades

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Baltimore Ravens

Best selection: Michael Oher, OT, Ole Miss. Oher has as much upside as any lineman in the draft. He would have been a nice pick as high as ten to the 9ers, but he slid and the Ravens moved up to 23 to select him.

Questionable pick: It’s hard to argue with Ozzie Newsome’s track record, and with the first three picks he got nice value.

Steal/sleeper: Jason Phillips, LB, TCU. Phillips is a steal in the fifth round. He was one of the top five inside linebackers in this draft. He is tough between the tackles but has the speed to get to the sidelines. He will provide excellent depth right away but has legitimate starting potential down the road.

Overall: B. The Ravens really needed to add some speed to the wide receiver position but failed to draft a single player. They did a good job selecting at each pick, but that lack of a receiver hurts them. Oher was great value in the first, but there is some risk with their second and third rounders. 2nd round OLB Paul Kruger is 24 and raw and 3rd round CB LarDarius Webb is a small school kid making the jump. Solid talent and value, but a lot of projection was used with their picks.

Buffalo Bills

Best selection: Shawn Nelson, TE, Southern Mississippi. It’s not very often that a fourth rounder can be your best pick, but Nelson was that good of value. He was a legitimate second round talent and he will get early playing time because of the need at tight end for the Bills. His receiving ability is top notch and could become a favorite outlet for Trent Edwards.

Questionable pick: Eric Wood, C, Louisville. Wood gained a lot of steam as the draft approached, but he was a reach at the end of the first round. He was the second center selected, and although he has the versatility to play guard as well, the Bills could have used this pick better.

Steal/sleeper: Nelson. Landing a playmaking tight end that was the second best player at his position is excellent value. With the need at the position he is going to get every opportunity to shine.

Overall: B+. It was a very good weekend for the Bills and they did a good job addressing their needs. Aaron Maybin adds big time pass rush potential off the edge, even if he needs some time to develop his skills and grow into his frame. Wood was a reach but does fill a need. Jairus Byrd was a great pick in the second, and Andy Levitre further upgrades the interior line.

Cincinnati Bengals

Best selection: Rey Maualuga, LB, USC. Maualuga is a difference maker and landing him in the second round is amazing. He has his shortcomings, but has the ability to change the game with one play or one hit. His mere presence upgrades the Bengals run defense from day one.

Questionable pick: Andre Smith, OT, Alabama. This was a solid pick, so we are not criticizing the pick. You have to acknowledge the chance for bust potential though. His dedication has been questioned and for a lineman, that can be tough to overcome. He could be the best lineman out of the draft, or he could be a big bust. Smith is more likely to be a successful pro because of his versatility, but there is the chance he goes the other way.

Steal/sleeper: Michael Johnson, DE, Georgia Tech. This is the ultimate boom or bust pick. Johnson is pound for pound the best athlete in the draft and has the type of skills that warrant a top ten draft selection. He has not put it all together though and may need someone to light a fire under him to reach his potential. But if he reaches it, he is hands down the steal of this draft.

Overall: B+. This could be the best draft by far if all the guys live up to their potential. The reason for not receiving an A grade though is because of the risk with a couple guys. This is a draft that could really go a long way in turning the Bengals around. They landed two potential difference makers in the front seven, a tight end, and two lineman that can play early.

Cleveland Browns

Best selection: Brian Robiskie, WR, Ohio St. Robiskie may not be a true #1, but he’s going to be a productive wide receiver. Whether he lines up across from Braylon Edwards and is the perfect #2, or if he’s counted to for more than that, Robiskie will perform for the Browns.

Questionable pick: Alex Mack, C, California. This isn’t so much for the selection, just how they went about making their first selection. The Browns traded down three times and out of the top five to make their first pick a center?

Steal/sleeper: Kaluka Maiava, LB, USC. Maiava is the least heralded of the USC linebackers but he is a legit NFL LB as well. He is a bit undersized but he brings the rest of the package to make up for it. His instincts and intangibles are top notch, and he will be a special team stand out.

Overall: D. The Browns did a good job adding solid players all over the field. However, they began the day in the top 5 and failed to land a difference maker. Couple the questionable trade downs for questionable value with two reaches in the second round for WR Massaquoi and DE Veikune, and you have a pretty tough weekend for Browns fans. Maiava, Coye Francies, and James Davis are solid day two picks but it doesn’t account for the moves early in the draft.

Denver Broncos

Best selection: Robert Ayers, DE, Tennessee. Ayers brings the versatility to provide a lot of roles in the NFL. He will most likely transition to a stand up edge rusher role, but he could pack on some more weight and play the five technique.

Questionable pick: Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia. Moreno is a solid back, but he went a bit earlier than he should have. When you sign three veteran backs in the off season to multi year deals, you don’t expect to reach for a running back with your first pick. Trading a first rounder next year for Alphonso Smith is a close second.

Steal/sleeper: David Bruton, S, Notre Dame. Richard Quinn would take this spot if he weren’t a reach in the second round. Bruton has an impressive blend of physical tools and has made some big plays in college. For a team needing all the defensive help they can get, he’s in a good place to get early playing time.

Overall: D. The Broncos landed solid players with their first three picks but it’s been a rough start to the McDaniels era in Denver. They are forced to trade their QB and get a great deal for him. They were poised to have first rounders in two straight years, and instead they trade one of next years for a second rounder this year. After that, the Broncos then reach for their other two rounders in TE Quinn and S Darcel McBath. On top of it all, they entered the draft needing to land some lineman to compete in the 3-4 and they failed to draft a single one. There are three guys who will provide an early impact but the rest of the draft is filled with reaches and questionable moves.

Houston Texans

Best selection: Brian Cushing, LB, USC. The Texans landed a player that is very similar to Aaron Curry, but landed him 11 picks later. Curry has the versatility to play a variety of roles and his toughness and physical nature will be a nice addition to the Texan defense.

Questionable pick: There were no questionable picks among the Texans selections.

Steal/sleeper: James Casey, TE, Rice. Casey is a do everything type of athlete that is going to cause a lot of mismatches. He will be utilized as an Hback and lined up all over the field to get the ball in his hands, much like Chris Cooley in Washington.

Overall: B. The first two selections were great picks for the Texans. They have added two athletic players to their front seven, and they got a pass rusher to complement Mario Williams on third downs. The Texans got stronger and tougher on the offensive line and front seven, so it is a successful draft weekend for the Texans. It would have been smart to land a bigger back to pair with Steve Slaton but that’s being picky. The Texans did very well in the draft.

Indianapolis Colts

Best selection: Fili Moala, DT, USC. Moala is as talented as any lineman outside of BJ Raji and the Colts nabbed him in the second. He still needs some work and needs to be more consistent but he is going to start from day one for the Colts. He fills an immediate need and they did a good job waiting until the second round instead of reaching in the first.

Questionable pick: Donald Brown, RB, Connecticut. Brown makes sense for the Colts, and is a nice addition. Joseph Addai has had some injury problems and the Colts need a back to pair with him. However, with bigger needs on the defensive side of the ball, you do wonder if they made the right decision.

Steal/sleeper: Terrance Taylor, DT, Michigan. The Colts had a need for more than one tackle and they lucked out to land Taylor in the fourth. Taylor and Moala could legitimately start together this season. While they may take some lumps as rookies, it could pay off in the future.

Overall: B-. The Colts stuck to their board and started with a solid back to pair with Joseph Addai and have around if he gets hurt. They were fortunate to find Moala and Taylor around when they did, and both should provide early contributions. Austin Collie is another dependable WR added to their stable, and Jerraud Powers is the type of corner that excels in the Indy defense.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Best selection: Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia. Monroe fell a bit lower than expected on draft day, and the Jags benefitted from it. He can play on either side, but gives the Jags a long term answer at left tackle.

Questionable pick: Eben Britton, OT, Arizona. Britton is a solid player, but another tackle? The addition of Tra Thomas in free agency and Monroe in the first round should take over the starting spots. Thomas won’t be around much longer, and Britton provides nice depth but they may have been able to utilize the pick better.

Steal/sleeper: Jarrett Dillard, WR, Rice. Dillard in the fifth round could prove to be one of the bigger steals in the draft. The kid is a Wes Welker type that is going to get open and catch everything throw to him. With the need at WR for the Jaguars, don’t be surprised to see him catch a lot of balls this year.

Overall: B. It was a good draft overall for the Jaguars. They landed their starting tackles for the forseeable future with their first two picks. In the third round they added a wide body in Terrance Knighton to play alongside John Henderson. Dillard and Mike Thomas in the middle rounds give them tremendous quickness and playmaking ability at the WR spot, and Rashad Jennings in the seventh could form a nice duo with Maurice Drew. The downside was that they did a good job landing a couple mid round receivers, but both profile as slot receivers and aren’t the immediate answer the team was looking for.

Kansas City Chiefs

Best selection: Tyson Jackson, DL, LSU. Jackson was born to play the five technique and will do so for the Chiefs.

Questionable pick: Tyson Jackson, DL, LSU. While he was a great fit, was he good enough value? He likely was not going to go before nine, and the Chiefs took him at three. Also, if you’re looking to build a line for the 3-4, you would think landing the nose tackle would be just as important, making Raji a consideration instead of Jackson. You can’t argue with Scott Pioli’s track record in New England, but this one may have been a bit of a reach.

Steal/sleeper: Alex Magee, DL, Purdue, KC’s second pick was also a defensive lineman. Magee has played both end and tackle in college, but like Jackson, profiles as a defensive end in a 3-4.

Overall: D. Pioli has an excellent track record in New England, but he had Bill Belichick with him there. Will he have the same success in Kansas City? His first draft raises questions. Anything positive from the draft comes in the form of his past successes, not the actual players he landed here. Jackson was a slight reach but at least filled a need. Alex Magee in the third was a solid player but with a slew of talented lineman already on the team(albeit questionable fits for the 3-4) that pick may have been used better after the Jackson pick. The rest of the draft was filled with small school guys and projects, that don’t generate much excitement. The draft doesn’t look that great right now, so we’ll see just how good Pioli is. He did make a great trade for Matt Cassel, giving up just a second rounder. But the actual players in the draft raise some questions.

Miami Dolphins

Best selection: Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois. Davis may have an attitude problem but taking the gamble at this spot is worth it. His talent level says top ten pick. If he can stay focused, he has true shutdown potential.

Questionable pick: Pat White, QB, West Virginia. This is the third year in a row the Phins have taken a second round quarterback. White definitely brings versatility, but he’s a major project at QB or WR, and going at 44 was too high for the gamble.

Steal/sleeper: Patrick Turner, WR, USC. Turner’s size and ability over the middle should fit well with Chad Pennington. He came on strong as a senior for USC, showing the talent that made him a big recruit. He will not be much of a playmaker but he should be a solid threat in the red zone and over the middle.

Overall: C+. This draft has a chance to be a great one. The selection of Davis in the first and Sean Smith in the second gives the Phins two corners with amazing potential. Pat White was selected between them making all three of their top picks relatively risky selections, for different reasons. If two of the three pan out, it’s a great draft for the Dolphins.

New England Patriots

Best selection: Darius Butler, CB, Connecticut. The Pats selected Butler with pick #41, and he was a guy that really could have taken ta #23 and called it a good pick. Great player, great value.

Questionable pick: Ron Brace, DT, Boston College. The Patriots had an excellent day one but this one did raise some questions. It makes sense: Vince Wilfork is a free agent after next year, and this gives them insurance. With Wilfork’s value in their defense though, the Pats will do what it takes to keep him, so Brace could end up being just a backup for the Pats. The depth will be good for the Pats, but you can’t question any of the other picks so this is almost the questionable selection by default.

Steal/sleeper: Brandon Tate, WR, North Carolina. Tate was on his way to becoming one of the best WR’s in the draft before a knee injury ended his season. The Pats are taking a gamble that he will be healthy, and if it pays off, they have a dynamic wide receiver and return man.

Overall: A. The Pats moved around quite a bit and did a fantastic job this weekend. They added some much needed speed and playmaking to the secondary with Darius Butler and Patrick Chung. Ron Brace adds depth on the nose, and Tyrone McKenzie is a nice fit alongside Jerod Mayo. They even added an offensive tackle and wide receiver to an already explosive offense. To top it all off, they added two second round picks in 2010.

New York Jets

Best selection: Mark Sanchez, QB, USC. The Jets traded up for a second rounder and some scrubs. They made a great trade and landed the guy they needed to make this draft a success.

Questionable pick: After the Sanchez trade, they didn’t have any picks to question because they gave it up to make sure they landed their guy.

Steal/sleeper: Shonn Greene, RB, Iowa. The Jets again moved up to get their guy at the top of the second day. Greene has the power to carry the load between the tackles and take some heat off Sanchez.

Overall: A-. The Jets had a great draft. They got their QB in Sanchez, and added a bruiser between the tackles. Moving around to get those two players is what they wanted to accomplish and they did. Not grabbing a WR may hurt a bit, but you can’t do it all. Sanchez was their target and they made a great trade to land him.

Oakland Raiders

Best selection: Louis Murphy, WR, Florida. It was a tough weekend for the Raiders, with their fourth round pick being the smartest pick they made. Murphy may have been a s teal at that point, but he brings the speed the Raiders want and should get a lot of PT early.

Questionable pick: Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland. The most controversial pick of the draft, without question. Everyone had it in the back of their mind, but nobody believed Al would do it. DHB has a ton of potential but with Crabtree and Maclin available, it simply made no sense reaching at least a good ten spots for him.

Steal/sleeper: Murphy. He has a good athlete with speed to burn and could thrive as a second or third option.

Overall: F. There is no way about it. Passing on Crabtree and Maclin was inexcusable, and selecting Michael Mitchell in the second was almost as bad. It is tough to earn a failing grade, but Al Davis did just that. Two reaches with his two prime picks is how you accomplish it.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Best selection: Evander Hood, DT, Missouri. The Steelers didn’t make any sex picks early, opting to go with the DL and OL. Hood is a solid player that gives the team depth on the defensive line.

Questionable pick: None. The Steelers address their needs for depth on both lines early.

Steal/sleeper: Joe Burnett, CB, Central Florida. Burnett is an Asante Samuel clone, and is going to surprise in the NFL. This was a great pick in the fifth round, and he will provide depth right away at corner and brings a lot of playmaking ability on special teams.

Overall: C. The Steelers are coming off the a Super Bowl victory and didn’t have any true gaping holes. They simply added depth on the lines, in the secondary, and added some more speed at receiver. They didn’t make any eye opening selections but did a good job rounding out their roster.

San Diego

Best selection: Louis Vasquez, OL, Texas Tech. The Chargers needed to add some talent to the offensive line and Vasquez does that. His size and physical nature is a nice addition to the Chargers line.

Questionable pick: Larry English, OLB, No. Illinois. Solid player but not at 16th overall. The pick makes sense because you can never have enough pass rushers and there is some doubt about Shawne Merriman’s long term future in SD. But 16 just seemed too early for English.

Steal/sleeper: Vaughn Martin, DL, Western Ontario. This kid is the big unknown. He simply blew people away with his workouts, showcasing his natural physical skills. The upside is immense, but the developmental time may take quite awhile.

Overall: D+. The Chargers were short handed in this draft because they traded their 2nd round this year for the rights to draft Jacob Hester last year. That turned out to be a questionable move, and combine it with the limited opportunities and another questionable pick and the Bolts had a tough weekend.

Tennessee Titans

Best selection: Kenny Britt, WR, Rutgers. They finally did it! The Titans have lacked a go to receiver for a awhile but have always chosen to pass in the draft. Britt gives them a big body that can make plays.

Questionable pick: The draft played out very well for the Titans, and none of their selections make you wonder what they were thinking. They filled their holes very well.

Steal/sleeper: Jared Cook, TE, South Carolina. Cook has the best physical skills of any tight end in the draft. He has the ability to become a big time playmaker, and could be a major threat pretty early in his career because of the mismatches he can create.

Overall: A-. The Titans’ first seven picks were all quality selections. They added a ton of talent and have added depth throughout the roster with their selections over the weekend.