Draft grades after one year (1 Viewer)

[bicycle_seat_sniffer]

Lions.....Cal Johnson Bust Drew Stanton N/A Lions suck, never mind. E.

LOL

 

[Sheriff66]

Round 1 - Lawrence Timmons... D-( didn't play enough to make an acurrate judgement but didn't really do much when he did play except step on Ricky Williams chest and knock him out for the season)Round 2 - LaMarr Woodley... B(going to be a star and should have seen a lot more playing time)Round 3 - Matt Spaeth... C(very nice red zone target)Round 4- Daniel Sepulveda... A ( the punting game was a glaring need with Gordocki so we went out got ourselves the only 2 time Ray Guy ever.. funny he that walked on to Baylor as a LB)Round 4- Ryan Mcbean... F ( don't believe I seen him make the field..perhaps I'm wrong)Round 5- William Gay... D ( make a couple nice steams plays but being apart of the terrible steams this year he should get a negative grade but I'll give him a below average grade)Round 7- Dallas Bakes F ( did he even make it onto the practice squad)

Dallas Baker is on the practice squad....and I wouldn't give Sepulveda an A, C+ is more like it IMO. Woodley seems to have stud written all over him, while Timmons looks like he will be making the move to ILB, just my opinion.

 

[BelichicksRevenge]

Hella homerism in this thread.

No kidding. Too early to give grades on most players.

No it's not. It's too early to say how their career is going to go, but you can definitely grade them on how they contributed this year vs. where they were drafted.

Whats the point. Most of the rookies on teams that were already good would probably get an I because they would not get much playing time.John Elway would have gotten a D after his rookie year while Rick Mirer would have gotten an A.Look at a draft 5 years after it happened.

Some of you people are really adept at sucking the fun out of everything. I bet you're a blast to be around.

When I see some guy giving Brady Quinn a B+ (would have been an A if he had not missed training camp), I just can't stop laughing and comment on the ridiculousness of this thread.

 

[Fallerjw]

Second, rarely a rookie QB comes in, wins the job and starts, and dominates like a Patrick Willis, Joe Thomas, or Adrian Peterson might. The standard operating procedure is for the franchise QB to learn the offense and league from the bench for the year or at least a good portion of it.

Brady QUinn attempted fewer passes as a rookie then Russell, Edwards, Beck, and T. Smith. Sit and wait? Sure. But they weren't even trying to get him in to games. Why not let him play a half in week 17?

Brady Quinn was projected top 10 and fell to 22 and did nothing to damage his stock

Obama was projected to win New Hampshire. Let it go. He was the 22nd pick, not a top-10 pick, not 1b, nothing like that. 22. 21 players were selected before him. 22nd.

Some would even say that based on performance, even with the holdout he won the job fair and square in the preseason.

Who would say that? The coach obviously doesn't think so. In fact, the coach had Quinn THIRD on the chart coming out of preseason.

I don't want to turn this into another BQ thread (because we don't need another one), but your arguments are weak. 1. Third on the chart out of preseason - this may be true, but the Browns were going to get rid of one of the 2 in front of him, and did so quickly. This isn't a solid point IMO

2. Just because he was drafted 22nd, doesn't mean he wasn't projected higher. There's nothing wrong with saying he was projected higher. There were people who thought he would go to the Raiders or Browns at 1 or 3. Yes, he was drafted 22nd, but I think some teams in the top 21 wish they could have their pick back.

3. Why would you let him play? The Browns were still in the playoff hunt and had another young QB who needed reps. DA is 24 and could use all the experience he could get going into the playoffs (they didn't make it, but if they had any experience would have been useful.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

Hella homerism in this thread.

No kidding. Too early to give grades on most players.

No it's not. It's too early to say how their career is going to go, but you can definitely grade them on how they contributed this year vs. where they were drafted.

Whats the point. Most of the rookies on teams that were already good would probably get an I because they would not get much playing time.John Elway would have gotten a D after his rookie year while Rick Mirer would have gotten an A.Look at a draft 5 years after it happened.

Some of you people are really adept at sucking the fun out of everything. I bet you're a blast to be around.

When I see some guy giving Brady Quinn a B+ (would have been an A if he had not missed training camp), I just can't stop laughing and comment on the ridiculousness of this thread.

Okay. But it doesn't discount the entire thread and it doesn't discount discussion about where people have their guys graded.If you disagree with the grade, that's fine, but the reason of "just for fun" is enough for this thread to exist.

 

[Fallerjw]

Hella homerism in this thread.

No kidding. Too early to give grades on most players.

No it's not. It's too early to say how their career is going to go, but you can definitely grade them on how they contributed this year vs. where they were drafted.

Whats the point. Most of the rookies on teams that were already good would probably get an I because they would not get much playing time.John Elway would have gotten a D after his rookie year while Rick Mirer would have gotten an A.Look at a draft 5 years after it happened.

Some of you people are really adept at sucking the fun out of everything. I bet you're a blast to be around.

When I see some guy giving Brady Quinn a B+ (would have been an A if he had not missed training camp), I just can't stop laughing and comment on the ridiculousness of this thread.

I think he was rating the pick of the player and not his performance of one season. At this point all signs are pointing to a great career for BQ.

 

[DawgPoundNJ]

Hella homerism in this thread.

No kidding. Too early to give grades on most players.

No it's not. It's too early to say how their career is going to go, but you can definitely grade them on how they contributed this year vs. where they were drafted.

Whats the point. Most of the rookies on teams that were already good would probably get an I because they would not get much playing time.John Elway would have gotten a D after his rookie year while Rick Mirer would have gotten an A.Look at a draft 5 years after it happened.

Some of you people are really adept at sucking the fun out of everything. I bet you're a blast to be around.

When I see some guy giving Brady Quinn a B+ (would have been an A if he had not missed training camp), I just can't stop laughing and comment on the ridiculousness of this thread.

Thanks for your opinion, guy. Mods, please delete the thread NOW.

 

[FUBAR]

Mods, please delete the thread NOW.

 

[greenf7cat]

Here come the lowly Chefs:

RD 1: Dwayne Bowe-- A WR threat that the Chefs have needed for quite some time...had a fabulous rookie season considering it is the toughest position to transition for from college to the nfl... had a small case of the dropsies, but otherwise solid pick. A

RD 2: Turk McBride-- played sparingly during the first 2/3 of the season, but started to pick up his play during the last 3-4 wks of the season.... too early to tell. C

RD 3: Tank Tyler-- had an amazing training camp, and lost his tenacity during the season when playing (sparingly as well)... had a ton of upside, but not worth the 3rd pick yet... D

RD 4: Notta

RD 5: Justin Medlock-- no explanation needed... F

Kolby Smith-- Great change of pace back and got his chance when LJ went down. Played very well when given the opportunity, but was against lackluster run D's. However, a great bargain for round 5. B

RD 6: Herb Taylor-- Had to play when Kyle Turley went down, and Chris Terry got cut. Played ok, but not enough film/playing time to tell... Incomplete

RD 7: Michael Allen-- Was promoted from practice squad late in the season, and will see more playing time next yr when Jason Dunn and Kris Wilson are not re-signed. Incomplete

Something for your amusement... one of the better commercials I have ever seen:

 

[DawgPoundNJ]

Well the owner of the thread is asking you to rate "your" team, so of course there's going to be some homerism there.

 

[Jason Wood]

1 2 4 36 Kevin Kolb QB Houston

2 2 25 57 Victor Abiamiri DE Notre Dame

3 3 24 87 Stewart Bradley LB Nebraska

4 3 27 90 Tony Hunt RB Penn State

5 5 22 159 C.J. Gaddis DB Clemson

6 5 25 162 Brent Celek TE Cincinnati

7 6 27 201 Rashad Barksdale DB Albany

8 7 26 236 Nate Ilaoa RB Hawaii

It was a very uninspiring draft for the Eagles.

Kolb = TBD; although given the near certainty of McNabb's return, Kolb certainly needs to become the starter in a year or two for this pick to have been worth much of anything.

Abiamiri = TBD; Abiamiri will have a chance to contribute in 2008 after being largely a reserve as a rookie. The coaches have said all the right things about him, but until he gets on the field, we just have no way of knowing whether this was a good pick or not. One thing is for sure, he WILL have a chance to win a starting job in '08

Bradley = B; Bradley didn't play much at all in '07 but got significant playing time in the last month. He showed good instincts, is a sound tackler, and may start for the team in '08

Hunt = C-; Hunt seemed to have a perfect role ready for him...as a bruising short yardage back that could spell Westbrook on 3rd and short and at the goal line. Yet, like most backup RBs in Philly he seemed to get no love from the coaches and took a backseat to Correll Buckhalter. Rumors of his work ethic persisted all season; so I'm not expecting much from him until he proves otherwise.

Gaddis = F; He didn't make the team out of training camp

Celek = C+; Celek made the team, surprisingly, but only because the TE position was such a weakness this year. He looks like he could have a future as a backup TE, but certainly isn't capable of being a regular offensive contributor on a contending team.

Barksdale = F; He didn't make the team out of training camp

Ilaoa = F; He didn't make the team out of training camp

Overall, this grade = INCOMPLETE. Potentially the team could have gotten three starts (including two in '08) from this draft; but until that actually becomes a fact; it's impossible to praise (or condemn) the 2007 draft class.

 

[FUBAR]

Well the owner of the thread is asking you to rate "your" team, so of course there's going to be some homerism there.

you're absolutely right. Just try not to be so easily offended. FWIW, while I disagree with the rating, if you're that happy with the pick, cool. I think he can eventually justify it, but when you could have kept the 08 1st and had Kolb, Beck, Weddle, Ugoh, etc. I won't call the pick an "A" yet. Nor would almost anyone else.

 

[FUBAR]

Colts 1. Anthony Gonzalez, WR - A- He did a very good job when he was in the lineup late in the year. 2. Tony Ugoh, OT - A- The only reason I didn't give him an A was that he was hurt for a few games, including the NE game (which was very costly). But, he did a great job - this pick showed how astute the Colts front office is.3. Daymeion Dante Hughes, CB - C+ - contributed, then got hurt3. Quinn Pitcock, DT - B+ - He was a key part of the DT rotation, and got better as the season went along4. Brannon Condren, S - C - He did some things on STs, but too early to tell4. Clint Session, LB - A- - When he was in the lineup, he did great things. A great pick, and I think a future starter5. Michael Coe, CB - C - Raw - needs work5. Roy Hall, WR - I - Injured early in the year - will be a ST demon next year - but will he develop as a WR?7. Keyunta Dawson, DT - B+ - Another key contributor in the DT rotation. A steal in round 7The 2007 Colts class would not be complete without talking about UDFA DT Ed Johnson. Without him, no way the Colts win the AFC South this year. He gets an A, easily.From top to bottom, this is an outstanding draft. A, easily.

Granted, this statement may be better left to a poll, in a different thread, but IMO, the Colts probably had the best draft, top to bottom. I just don't know which is the cart and which the horse - are great teams built through the draft (yes, but there's more), or does a draft class play better when it goes to a great team? Meaning, if Ugoh was drafted by the Lions, would he be nearly as good? I tend to think not.

 

[Men-in-Cleats]

Second, rarely a rookie QB comes in, wins the job and starts, and dominates like a Patrick Willis, Joe Thomas, or Adrian Peterson might. The standard operating procedure is for the franchise QB to learn the offense and league from the bench for the year or at least a good portion of it.

Brady QUinn attempted fewer passes as a rookie then Russell, Edwards, Beck, and T. Smith. Sit and wait? Sure. But they weren't even trying to get him in to games. Why not let him play a half in week 17?

Brady Quinn was projected top 10 and fell to 22 and did nothing to damage his stock

Obama was projected to win New Hampshire. Let it go. He was the 22nd pick, not a top-10 pick, not 1b, nothing like that. 22. 21 players were selected before him. 22nd.

Some would even say that based on performance, even with the holdout he won the job fair and square in the preseason.

Who would say that? The coach obviously doesn't think so. In fact, the coach had Quinn THIRD on the chart coming out of preseason.

1. Why would they give him snaps when their starter was playing well and they were in the playoff hunt? The Raiders, Bills, Ravens and especially the Dolphins were headed for tee times and had nothing to lose. You have way too much knowledge of the game to make statements like that. 2. So what. He was projected much higher but dropped in the draft. This is a fact and you're not accomplishing anything by pointing out where he actually went. We know he went 22nd. We also know he could have went much higher had a team needing a franchise QB been slotted differently in the draft. The couple that could have used him in the first 21 picks, at least one of those GM's is job searching right now.

3. It was very close training camp battle and, unsurprisingly, the coaches went with the incumbent and didn't send the rookie out to the wolves right off the bat. They had tough games in PIT and NE in their first few weeks who'd throw much more at him than the vanilla preseason D's. There were those that thought that Quinn played better than the other two in the preaseason but the previous poster never claimed it was the coach's opinion. He simply stated that some thought he should have started day one and we didn't really need Captain Obvious to come in and tell us that the coach gets to select the actual starter.

 

[Bobcat10]

Well the owner of the thread is asking you to rate "your" team, so of course there's going to be some homerism there.

Homer or not, Browns = A.All Pro left tackle as rookie.Starting CB that improved all year and has the goods to be a top CB.Another CB that played well when given opportunity, basically won a game for us.Backup QB who without question has a future in the NFL as a starter.Three practice squad guys in the late rounds, but at least they are not cut.

 

[Verbal Kint]

I know nothing about evaluating talent, but that's never stopped me before.

Baltimore Ravens

1.29 (29) Ben Grubbs G Auburn

Started about 2/3 of the year at RG - this is actually a bit disappointing as early talk was that he'd walk in and be a starter from day one. Looks to be a solid guard, but can't tell if he's going to be "special" yet. Not bad for this late in the 1st. At least it appears not to have been a blown pick which is good. Yet another solid 1st round starter for Ozzie. B

3.10 (74) Yamon Figurs WR Kansas State

Looks to have potential to be a pretty good return guy but still makes silly mistakes periodically. Not great hands and sloppy routes as a WR. Kind of a reach getting a return guy in the early 3rd. Has the potential to be good, but he's no Hester B-

3.23 (86) Marshall Yanda G Iowa

Traded several picks to move up and grab this guy. Started a fair percentage of the season at RT. Made a number of mistakes throughout the year, but did OK for a mid-round rookie. B

4.35 (134) Antwan Barnes LB Florida International

Started showing potential to be an impact pass rusher toward the end of the season, but still only used on occasion, despite all the injuries. B-

4.38 (137) Le'Ron McClain RB Alabama

Starting FB all season B+

5.37 (174) Troy Smith QB Ohio State

Here's the key to the draft. Showed potential to be a real QB late in the season, but he was playing against teams that really didn't have their best players on the field. Jury is still out on whether he can be a reliable QB or not. Much will depend on the new regime and whether they can develop him. INCOMPLETE

6.33 (207) Prescott Burgess LB Michigan

Mostly played Special teams, and never really distinguished himself. But you don't usually expect much more than that from a 7th rounder. B-

*3rd rounder used as part of package (along with 2008 3rd rounder) to get Willis McGahee. He did well, but it was a high price to pay (both in picks and contract) for a guy who looks good, but not great. Since we didn't actually draft a player here, I'll leave this out of the discussion, but considering this pick was used by Buffalo on Trent Edwards, who looks to have the potential to be a real QB - something we have been lacking - hurts.

**2008 5th round pick used in Supplemental Draft for Jared Gaither, T Maryland. (Even though this is a 2008 pick I'll count it as 2007 since he was on the team this year. To me, it's like we traded the 2008 pick to move up in the draft to get him)

The guy is a physical freak, but a young, raw project with the potential to be a regular LT. He filled in occasionally during the season, but when Ogden was out they weren't comfortable playing him at LT until injuries forced them to. If he becomes the LT they hope he will, it was a steal, but the jury is still out. With the possible retirement of Ogden, this was a risk worth taking, but grade is still INCOMPLETE

Overall, you can't complain about a draft where every player picked makes the team and plays a role, even if some of them were forced into action by injury. Nobody has shown themselves to be a "special" player yet, but all did reasonably well for their draft position. Hence the B- to B+ grades The key to judging this year will most likely depend on the 5th rounders. If either Troy Smith or Jared Gaither turn into top-notch starters at their position, the grade jumps to an A because you usually have to pay much more than that for starting QBs and LTs. If they both are hits, it's an A+ year. If Grubbs and Yanda turn into a mauling right side of the line for the next several years, that would also move the grade up. As of right now, I'd give it an overall B grade for not having any real obvious misses. If a couple guys step up, that grade will go up over the next couple years. If guys like Grubbs, Yanda and Barnes don't continue to develop and become bigger parts of the team, it will go down. However, I think the upside is higher than the downside at this point, but I'm a fan and that's what we always think.

I'm still pissed you guys got Gaither for at measly 5th rounder.

 

[DawgPoundNJ]

Well, I ignited a 5hit5torm with the original grade for Quinn at B+ and I'm sticking with it.

Circumstances changed significantly since the draft. The emergence of Anderson and the playoff push made Quinn an afterthought. However, did Brady hurt his value should the team keep Anderson? No, he probably helped it as there were NO rumblings out of Cleveland that Quinn looks bad in practice, can't pick up the offense, etc. He is marketable as all hell, and would certainly fetch a first rounder back should the Browns trade him. If the Browns tender Anderson and they get a 1st and 3rd back, it will be because Quinn is ready.

I believe all of those factors are a good return on investment. We just didn't cash in on the field.

 

[QuizGuy66]

1 18 Leon Hall CB Michigan A- Got picked on first half of the seaons, but picked it up at the end and led the team in INTs. Long term starter.2 49 Kenny Irons RB Auburn ? IR4 114 Marvin White SAF Texas Christian B- Good on special teams, looked decent starting at the end of the year. Bengals win everytime he starts. Madieu will probably cost more than the Bengals will pay, so here's your new FS.5 151 Jeff Rowe QB Nevada-Reno ? Didn't play at all.6 187 Matt Toeaina DT Oregon F Cut7 230 Dan Santucci G Notre Dame ? Wasn't active most of the year.7 253 Nedu Ndukwe DB Notre Dame A+ Play maker. Bye Dexter. Overall B+ They did pretty good. Looks like they picked up 3 starters in the secondary.

Hall, White, and Ndukwe make this a successful draft. The missing 3rd rounder was the one they lost for getting Ahmad Brooks in the supplemental in '06, which pretty much keeps the grade the same - looked pretty good the first year and then got hurt. Personally I'd grade Rowe a C (drafted to be a backup but they felt the need to trade for Fitzpatrick so clearly the kid wasn't outstanding. C=average=appropriate. Similarly I would I rate the Santucci pick as a C as well. They were willing to let him go to the Colts practice squad, though they did get him back just 5 days later. He hardly played but was rostered. For a 7th rounder I think that equals a C. Irons clearly is an incomplete due to his injury.-QG

 

[Jeff Pasquino]

1 2 4 36 Kevin Kolb QB Houston2 2 25 57 Victor Abiamiri DE Notre Dame3 3 24 87 Stewart Bradley LB Nebraska4 3 27 90 Tony Hunt RB Penn State5 5 22 159 C.J. Gaddis DB Clemson6 5 25 162 Brent Celek TE Cincinnati7 6 27 201 Rashad Barksdale DB Albany8 7 26 236 Nate Ilaoa RB HawaiiIt was a very uninspiring draft for the Eagles.Kolb = TBD; although given the near certainty of McNabb's return, Kolb certainly needs to become the starter in a year or two for this pick to have been worth much of anything.Abiamiri = TBD; Abiamiri will have a chance to contribute in 2008 after being largely a reserve as a rookie. The coaches have said all the right things about him, but until he gets on the field, we just have no way of knowing whether this was a good pick or not. One thing is for sure, he WILL have a chance to win a starting job in '08Bradley = B; Bradley didn't play much at all in '07 but got significant playing time in the last month. He showed good instincts, is a sound tackler, and may start for the team in '08Hunt = C-; Hunt seemed to have a perfect role ready for him...as a bruising short yardage back that could spell Westbrook on 3rd and short and at the goal line. Yet, like most backup RBs in Philly he seemed to get no love from the coaches and took a backseat to Correll Buckhalter. Rumors of his work ethic persisted all season; so I'm not expecting much from him until he proves otherwise. Gaddis = F; He didn't make the team out of training campCelek = C+; Celek made the team, surprisingly, but only because the TE position was such a weakness this year. He looks like he could have a future as a backup TE, but certainly isn't capable of being a regular offensive contributor on a contending team.Barksdale = F; He didn't make the team out of training campIlaoa = F; He didn't make the team out of training campOverall, this grade = INCOMPLETE. Potentially the team could have gotten three starts (including two in '08) from this draft; but until that actually becomes a fact; it's impossible to praise (or condemn) the 2007 draft class.

A bit on the harsh side, but I tend to agree with Jason here.Skipping the Day 1 guys....Gaddis and Barskdale were projects on Draft Day, and most knew that going in - they weren't going to contribute much (if at all) in 2007 so they needed time to grow up and contribute. They were raw talents and the Eagles tried to stick them on the practice squad as they appeared to have depth in the secondary. Both were picked up by teams that need more talent (Kansas City grabbed Barksdale, Gaddis wound up on Atlanta).Ilaoa was a bad pick and a flyer with an indirect tie to Reid - wasted selection, but Round 7 is Round 7.I think Celek could also grow up some in this offense, pick up his blocking ability and contribute next year. There's a void of talent at TE in the NFL right now after the first 10 or so.

 

[Game Time]

1 2 4 36 Kevin Kolb QB Houston2 2 25 57 Victor Abiamiri DE Notre Dame3 3 24 87 Stewart Bradley LB Nebraska4 3 27 90 Tony Hunt RB Penn State5 5 22 159 C.J. Gaddis DB Clemson6 5 25 162 Brent Celek TE Cincinnati7 6 27 201 Rashad Barksdale DB Albany8 7 26 236 Nate Ilaoa RB HawaiiIt was a very uninspiring draft for the Eagles.Kolb = TBD; although given the near certainty of McNabb's return, Kolb certainly needs to become the starter in a year or two for this pick to have been worth much of anything.Abiamiri = TBD; Abiamiri will have a chance to contribute in 2008 after being largely a reserve as a rookie. The coaches have said all the right things about him, but until he gets on the field, we just have no way of knowing whether this was a good pick or not. One thing is for sure, he WILL have a chance to win a starting job in '08Bradley = B; Bradley didn't play much at all in '07 but got significant playing time in the last month. He showed good instincts, is a sound tackler, and may start for the team in '08Hunt = C-; Hunt seemed to have a perfect role ready for him...as a bruising short yardage back that could spell Westbrook on 3rd and short and at the goal line. Yet, like most backup RBs in Philly he seemed to get no love from the coaches and took a backseat to Correll Buckhalter. Rumors of his work ethic persisted all season; so I'm not expecting much from him until he proves otherwise. Gaddis = F; He didn't make the team out of training campCelek = C+; Celek made the team, surprisingly, but only because the TE position was such a weakness this year. He looks like he could have a future as a backup TE, but certainly isn't capable of being a regular offensive contributor on a contending team.Barksdale = F; He didn't make the team out of training campIlaoa = F; He didn't make the team out of training campOverall, this grade = INCOMPLETE. Potentially the team could have gotten three starts (including two in '08) from this draft; but until that actually becomes a fact; it's impossible to praise (or condemn) the 2007 draft class.

Excellent write-up.... Abiriami and Bradley showed some good signs the last three weeks. Especially Bradley... Guy was all over the field making plays. THat is what the defense is missing a playmaker... Kolb we'll find out.. Celek might be a steal.. I'm not saying he is a star in the making, but he showed signs of being able to start. He is a good blocker, and can run after the catch. Plus he had a torn labrum injury he awas dealing with.... Hunt's main problem was picking up the blocking. THat is the main reason he didn't play. If you can't block as a RB you will NEVER play for the Eagles... He will never be more than a situational move the chains kind of back though....

 

[Autumn Wind]

1, JaMarcus Russell, QB - Incomplete. Killed himself with the holdout. Has the physical tools, the rest remains to be seen.

38, Zach Miller, TE - A. Came on toward the end of the season, set a team record for catches by a rookie. Could be a favorite target of Russell.

65, Quentin Moses, DE - F. Cut in camp, picked up by the Cards and cut again. Found his way to 3 teams in one season. Yikes.

91, Mario Henderson, OT - Incomplete. #2 on the depth chart, I didn't get to see anything from him.

99, Johnnie Lee Higgins, WR - C. May be able to make a name for himself on special teams, didn't do much with his limited opportunities at WR.

100, Michael Bush, RB - Incomplete. Never sniffed the field due to leg injury.

110, John Bowie, CB - Incomplete. Too far down the depth chart for me to evaluate.

Overall Raiders grade - D. The key factor here is obviously Russell. The only player to have any impact was Miller.

 

[pats3in4]

1A. Brandon Meriweather S: C+. Was burried behind JAGs like Rashad Baker while learning the system. Started seeing more playing time late and admitted he was doing things now that he should have been doing sooner. He'll eventually be Rodney Harrison's replacement.

1B. The 7th pick in the 2008 draft (San Francisco): A.

2. Wes Welker WR: A+. Best slot receiver in the game.

3. (Traded...I forget to whom).

4A. Randy Moss WR: A+. Best receiver in the game.

4B. Kareem Brown DT: C. Wasn't going to crack the Seymour/Wilfork/Warren/Green rotation. Was on the roster here and there. About what one would expect from a 4th rounder considering the DL situation.

5. Clint Oldenburg OT: F. Never expected him to start, but definitely expected him to fight guys like O'Callaghan, Britt and Yates for a roster spot (especially the last two).

6A. Justin Rogers OLB: C. Pats were stacked at OLB with Colvin, Vrabel, Thomas and appear happy with 4th guy Pierre Woods so him taking a roster spot was a longshot already. About what I'd expect from a 6th round pick considering the depth at OLB.

6B. Mike Richardson CB: C. Similar situation to Rogers, in that there were 3 CBs on the roster well ahead of him in Samuel, Hobbs and Gay. Can't really fault the guy for not making the team as a 6th rounder.

6C. Justice Hairston RB: C. Ditto Hairston, since Maroney, Morris and Faulk weren't going anywhere.

7A. Oscar Lua ILB: B-. Bruschi, Seau and Thomas were clearly the top three ILBs. Eric Alexander appears entrenched as the 4th guy. Lua made some noise in training camp and I believe was on the roster for some games. Not bad at all for a 7th round pick, considering the rotation in front of him.

7B. Wes Welker WR: A+. (goes with that 2nd round pick sent to Miami).

7C. Mike Elgin G/C: C. Pretty much Mr. Irrelevant.

Overall grade: A. This draft wasn't about stockpiling young talent to start or even for depth, but rather filling in gaps with Welker and Moss to make a title run this year after coming so close last year. At 16-0 and the heavy SB42 favorite, can't really argue with the results. Rodney Harrison isn't getting any younger so the Meriweather pick was clearly aimed as his eventual replacement. Looking forward to 2008 and beyond, the glaring need is at ILB with Bruschi and Seau getting long in the tooth and perhaps CB if Samuel goes to the highest bidder as a UFA. Drafting for need will be much more important in the next two drafts more than it was this year.

I'm sure other Pats fans can fill in several gaps, considering the trading the Pats have done with their picks the last few years.

 

[428143]

Day 1 picks

Greg Olsen- Injured during training camp, never saw the real deal...C for now...

Dan Bazuin DE - Injured during training camp, placed on IR...I

Mike Okwo LB - Injured during training camp, placed on IR...I

Garrett Wolfe - Not sure what the Bears were thinking here...D

 

[Reaper]

Colts 1. Anthony Gonzalez, WR - A- He did a very good job when he was in the lineup late in the year. 2. Tony Ugoh, OT - A- The only reason I didn't give him an A was that he was hurt for a few games, including the NE game (which was very costly). But, he did a great job - this pick showed how astute the Colts front office is.3. Daymeion Dante Hughes, CB - C+ - contributed, then got hurt3. Quinn Pitcock, DT - B+ - He was a key part of the DT rotation, and got better as the season went along4. Brannon Condren, S - C - He did some things on STs, but too early to tell4. Clint Session, LB - A- - When he was in the lineup, he did great things. A great pick, and I think a future starter5. Michael Coe, CB - C - Raw - needs work5. Roy Hall, WR - I - Injured early in the year - will be a ST demon next year - but will he develop as a WR?7. Keyunta Dawson, DT - B+ - Another key contributor in the DT rotation. A steal in round 7The 2007 Colts class would not be complete without talking about UDFA DT Ed Johnson. Without him, no way the Colts win the AFC South this year. He gets an A, easily.From top to bottom, this is an outstanding draft. A, easily.

Granted, this statement may be better left to a poll, in a different thread, but IMO, the Colts probably had the best draft, top to bottom. I just don't know which is the cart and which the horse - are great teams built through the draft (yes, but there's more), or does a draft class play better when it goes to a great team? Meaning, if Ugoh was drafted by the Lions, would he be nearly as good? I tend to think not.

It goes both ways.. .Just like a Pats fan posted earlier hinted that his team was so good that a draft pick could barely make a diference or even the lineup....But Ugoh is someone I wanted for the Jets - I think him on the Jets or Lions could have been an even bigger impact...On the Jets it would have been HUGE and probably the difference in a number of those real close games.... Their OL was just that bad.Again, I think it's great to discuss all the opinions and most of the A grades, not QB, tend to point to real good players.

 

[kaso]

1, JaMarcus Russell, QB - Incomplete. Killed himself with the holdout. Has the physical tools, the rest remains to be seen.

38, Zach Miller, TE - A. Came on toward the end of the season, set a team record for catches by a rookie. Could be a favorite target of Russell.

65, Quentin Moses, DE - F. Cut in camp, picked up by the Cards and cut again. Found his way to 3 teams in one season. Yikes.

91, Mario Henderson, OT - Incomplete. #2 on the depth chart, I didn't get to see anything from him.

99, Johnnie Lee Higgins, WR - C. May be able to make a name for himself on special teams, didn't do much with his limited opportunities at WR.

100, Michael Bush, RB - Incomplete. Never sniffed the field due to leg injury.

110, John Bowie, CB - Incomplete. Too far down the depth chart for me to evaluate.

Overall Raiders grade - D. The key factor here is obviously Russell. The only player to have any impact was Miller.

I agree with your assessment. Now if Russell, Higgins, and Bush can put together a decent season with Miller that draft class might look great after year two.Here's hoping the Raiders are able to find some talent which will make an immediate impact this season in the next draft.

 

[Sidewinder]

Round Pick Player /Position 1 27 (27) Robert Meachem WR 3 2 (66) Usama Young CB 3 24 (88) Andy Alleman G 4 8 (107) Antonio Pittman RB 4 26 (125) Jermon Bushrod T 5 8 (145) David Jones CB 7 10 (220) Marvin Mitchell ILB

.... Jones, I think, is in the practice squad. ....

Dropped him in the final roster cutdown, and Cincy signed him.

 

[RevDawg]

Well the owner of the thread is asking you to rate "your" team, so of course there's going to be some homerism there.

Homer or not, Browns = A.All Pro left tackle as rookie.Starting CB that improved all year and has the goods to be a top CB.Another CB that played well when given opportunity, basically won a game for us.Backup QB who without question has a future in the NFL as a starter.Three practice squad guys in the late rounds, but at least they are not cut.

 

[Rooster]

Dolphins 1st Day:

1. Ted Ginn Jr. - WR B-

He's shown more promise as a WR than his critics gave him credit for on draft day. He's not quite the game changer I had hoped for on punt returns yet, but the special teams play probably has a lot to do with that. I have no doubt that long-term he will be an asset for the Miami Dolphins, but there's no telling if he'll live up to his draft position.

2a. John Beck - QB C+

I was impressed by the lack of mistakes during his first two games in really rough conditions. He didn't accomplish much offensively during those games, but there were flashes of promise here and there. After those games turnovers became a big problem and the offensive still struggled. He performed ok in his last start against Cincinatti, I'm rather neutral on his prospects right now. That said, he's a rookie QB on a bad NFL team that was devastated with injuries and the best receiver on the team was playing for San Diego by the time he was starting. We really need more time to give him an accurate grade ... so I'll give him one that is ever so slightly above average.

2b. Samson Satele - C A

Hands down our best draft pick. This is the pick we got from the Welker trade and I'm happy with the trade. Given Welker's astounding success that says a lot.

3. Lorenzo Booker - RB B+

He took a long time to get on the field, but nobody is sure if it was Lorenzo's fault or Cam's fault. When he made it, he showed that he's got moves that work on NFL-caliber defenders. He showed breif glimpses of brilliance and late in the season was one of the very few Dolphins offensive players that could legitimately be called a weapon. I'm happy with this pick.

 

[culdeus]

The Cowboys drafted:1 26 Anthony Spencer OLB Purdue B+ has looked promising. Should fill in nicely once Greg Ellis hangs up the cleats3 67 James Marten OT Boston College C-really hard to make an assessment as he has not played although Free is supposedly out performing him4 103 Isaiah Stanback WR Washington C looks a bit injury prone will have a better idea of potential next year4 122 Doug Free OT Northern Illinois B- Being looked at a possible replacement for Flozell and coaches are happy with him6 178 Nicholas Folk K Arizona A+ made the pro bowl and back to back 50 yard kicks during the Buffalo game were clutch6 195 Deon Anderson FB Connecticut B looked great filling in for Oliver Hoyte until suffering a season ending injury. Definetly an offensive upgrade over Hoyte and will probably start next year.7 212 Courtney Brown CB Cal Poly-S.L.O. C 7 th round pick is an automatic C in my book7 237 Alan Ball CB Illinois C 7th round pick making the roster is an automatic C in my bookOverall B The Cowboys might have secured a starting FB, K, and possibly two offensive tackles of the future. Stanback is a project but has all the athletic tools to be special but he has a long road ahead of him. With the Cowboys being an elite team most the rookies have seen limited to no playing time but were mainly selected for depth purposes. Should be a productive draft.

Marten was a total waste of a pick. Spencer = value, but is tempered by the fact that we wasted a LB pick the previous year in Carpenter. Still wanted CB/S help in the 3rd round. At least Free looks like he could start. Marten is destined for a short NFL career. God Bless Folk. SOD right there.

 

[sho nuff]

3. Lorenzo Booker - RB B+

He took a long time to get on the field, but nobody is sure if it was Lorenzo's fault or Cam's fault. When he made it, he showed that he's got moves that work on NFL-caliber defenders. He showed breif glimpses of brilliance and late in the season was one of the very few Dolphins offensive players that could legitimately be called a weapon. I'm happy with this pick.

A B+ for a player who could not even keep the team from getting, and starting Samkon Gado?

 

[encaitar]

3. Lorenzo Booker - RB B+

He took a long time to get on the field, but nobody is sure if it was Lorenzo's fault or Cam's fault. When he made it, he showed that he's got moves that work on NFL-caliber defenders. He showed breif glimpses of brilliance and late in the season was one of the very few Dolphins offensive players that could legitimately be called a weapon. I'm happy with this pick.

A B+ for a player who could not even keep the team from getting, and starting Samkon Gado?

At least he didn't give Cs to guys who didn't even make the roster [cough] pats fan [cough]

 

[Andy Dufresne]

3. Lorenzo Booker - RB B+

He took a long time to get on the field, but nobody is sure if it was Lorenzo's fault or Cam's fault. When he made it, he showed that he's got moves that work on NFL-caliber defenders. He showed breif glimpses of brilliance and late in the season was one of the very few Dolphins offensive players that could legitimately be called a weapon. I'm happy with this pick.

A B+ for a player who could not even keep the team from getting, and starting Samkon Gado?

LIke he said, Booker showed more late in the season.

 

[sho nuff]

3. Lorenzo Booker - RB B+

He took a long time to get on the field, but nobody is sure if it was Lorenzo's fault or Cam's fault. When he made it, he showed that he's got moves that work on NFL-caliber defenders. He showed breif glimpses of brilliance and late in the season was one of the very few Dolphins offensive players that could legitimately be called a weapon. I'm happy with this pick.

A B+ for a player who could not even keep the team from getting, and starting Samkon Gado?

LIke he said, Booker showed more late in the season.

Yup...while spelling Samkon Gado who was starting ahead of him.

 

[Walter Slovotsky]

I will give this a shot. I won't give anyone an incomplete or N/A, because at this point they would all get that grade. Instead I will grade them on their contributions this year only.

Rd 1 - Craig Davis - D

Raised expectations in TC and preseason, but really faltered in the regular season. Has struggled with minor injuries and has a hard team getting playing time. He did score a TD, though. But I expect more from a first round pick.

Rd 2 - Eric Weddle - C-

San Diego gave up a lot for this pick. Was unable to unseat either of the incumbent safeties, who really aren't very good. Has seen lots of playing time, but hasn't really had much of an impact. A little disappointing this year.

Rd 3 - Anthony Waters - F

Was not active for any games this year. A 'luxury' pick who was coming off of a knee injury and was, effectively and expectedly, redshirted.

Rd 4 - Scott Chandler - F

Did play in one game this year. Had no statistical impact. Stuck behind All-World Gates and and effective Manumaleuna. Strange pick.

Rd 5 - Legedu Nanee - B

Was active for thirteen games this year, which as a fifth round pick gets you an automatic C+. Being able to make a positive contribution in those games earns you a half grade upgrade.

Rd 7 - Brandon Siler - B

Was a very effective special teams player for the Chargers this year. Which on this roster is a major accomplishment for a seventh round pick. Looked completely lost and outclassed in his infrequent forays as a defensive player.

Supplemental Rd 4 - Paul Oliver - F

Was not active for any games this year.

Overall - C-/D+

San Diego gets credit having all of their draft picks make the roster, which is pretty impressive considering how stacked the roster is. However, they got very little in the ways of actual production from their top picks, and not much more from any of their later picks. When you look at the current roster, you have to think it is going to take more than the usual two to three years to evaluate this class, as it is going to take a while for some of these guys to break into the starting lineup.

Best Pick - Brandon Siler, 7th round

Worst Pick - Scott Chandler, 4th round

Player to Watch - Anthony Waters, 3rd Round

 

[TheBradyBunch]

http://www.gbnreport.com/rookiegrades.html

2007 DRAFT FIRST-YEAR GRADES

Top 10 Offensive Rookies

#

Player

Team

POS

Round

School

1

Adrian Peterson

Minnesota

RB

1

Oklahoma

2

Joe Thomas

Cleveland

OT

1

Wisconsin

3

Dwayne Bowe

Kansas City

WR

1

LSU

4

Marshawn Lynch

Buffalo

RB

1

California

5

Tony Ugoh

Indianapolis

OT

2

Arkansas

6

Arron Sears

Tampa Bay

OG

2

Tennessee

7

Trent Edwards

Buffalo

QB 3

Stanford

8

Samson Satele

Mami

C 2

Hawaii

9

Marshal Yanda

Baltimore OT

3 Iowa

10

Nick Folk Dallas PK 6

Arizona

Honorable mention: Denver RB Selvin Young; Green Bay WR James Jones; Detroit WR Calvin Johnson; Oakland TE Zach Miller; Chicago TE Greg Olsen; Green Bay PK Mason Crosby

Top 10 Defensive Rookies

#

Player

Team

POS

Round

School

1

Patrick Willis

San Francisco

LB

1

Mississippi

2

David Harris

New York Jets LB

2

Michigan

3

Jon Beason

Carolina

LB

1

Miami

4

Darrelle Revis

New York Jets

CB

1

Pittsburgh

5

Laron Landry

Washington

FS

1

LSU

6

Reggie Nelson

Jacksonville

FS

1

Florida

7

Leon Hall

Cincinnati

CB

1

Michigan

8

Gerald Alexander

Detroit

FS

2

Boise State

9

Tanard Jackson

Tampa Bay

FS

4

Syracuse

10

Fred Bennett

Houston

CB

4

South Carolina

Honorable mention: Buffalo LB Paul Posluszny; San Diego DB Eric Weddle; Tampa Bay DE Gaines Adams; New York Giants CB Aaron Ross; Cleveland CB Eric Wright; Houston DT Amobi Okoye; Cincinnati DB Nedu Ndukwe; Tennessee DB Michael Griffin

Top Undrafted Rookie Free Agents

#

Player

Team

POS

School

1

Selvin Young

Denver

RB

Texas

2

Ed Johnson

Indianapolis

DT

Penn State

3

Pierre Thomas

New Orleans

RB

Illinois

4

Matt Moore

Carolina

QB

Oregon State

5

Daniel Coats

Cincinnati

TE

BYU

6

Tyron Brackenridge

Kansas City

CB

Washington State

7

Michael Matthews

New York Giants

TE

Georgia Tech

8

Jyles Tucker

San Diego LB

Wake Forest

Top Picks by Round

Rd

Player

Team

POS

School

1

Adrian Peterson

Minnesota

RB

Oklahoma

2

David Harris New York Jets LB Michigan

3

Trent Edwards

Buffalo QB Stanford

4

Tanard Jackson

Tampa Bay

FS

Syracuse

5

Jay Richardson Oakland DE Ohio State

6

Nick Folk

Dallas

PK

Arizona

7

Nedu Ndukwe Cincinnati DB Notre Dame

Team-by-team 2007 Draft Grades

(Ed note: These grades should always be considered with the cautionary note that it can take up to 2-3 years for the real value of a draft to be realized sonot too much should be read into these grades. As well, we have graded only productivity through the first half of the season and really have not factored in future potential.)

MINNESOTA: Vikings' first-rounder Adrian Peterson wasn't quite as productive in the second half of the season as opposing defense's forced the line of scrimmage, but was still the top rookie in the league this fall. The 7th player selected this past April, Peterson was second in the entire NFL in rushing with over 1,300 yards; Peterson also led all the league's top rushers with a 5.6 yards per carry average. For good measure, Peterson also chipped in another 268 yards on 19 receptions and averaged 25.8 yards on KO returns. Ironically, when Peterson was relieved of primary KO return duties, fellow rookie Aundrae Allsion, a WR taken in the 5th round, did even better, posting a figure of 28.7 yards per return. Meanwhile, 4th round DE Brian Robison was a pleasant surprise posting 4.5 sacks as a situational pass rusher, but like Peterson was more effective in the early part of the season. WR Sidney Rice (#2) and CB Marcus McCauley (#3) also saw extended playing time with Rice catching 31 passes, including 4 for scores, while McCauley rang up 63 tackles and 8 pass breakups, although he also got picked on at times. First-year grade: A

CLEVELAND: 'We wuz robbed' is the cry in Cleveland where the resurgent Browns were knocked out of the playoffs when Indianapolis chose to pull QB Peyton Manning and most other key starters opening the door for Tennessee to sneak into the AFC's final playoff spot. No one, though, is thinking that the Browns were robbed at the 2007 draft. Indeed, Cleveland made out like bandits with the selection of OT Joe Thomas. The 3rd player selected this year emerged as a superb shut-down young LT who looks like he will anchor the offensive line for the next decade. The Browns also appear to have a couple of keepers in the secondary in CBs Eric Wright and Brandon McDonald, the team's second and fifth round picks respectively, who combined on 100 tackles, 3 interceptions and 21 pass breakups this fall. Meanwhile, QB Brady Quinn, whom the Browns selected with their second of two first-round picks, only got a few snaps all season long, but Cleveland management thinks enough of his potential that they appear willing to shop Derek Anderson who emerged as a more than competent starting NFL QB. First-year: A

TAMPA BAY: The Buccaneers quietly put together one of the better stories of the season with no small help from their 2007 draft class. Indeed, both DE Gaines Adams and FS Tanard Jackson, the Buc's 1st and 4th round picks, respectively, quielty established themsleves as consistent starters on the league's #1 ranked defense. Gaines, in fact, led all rookies with 6 sacks after a slow starter, while Jackson was all over the field all season, posting 57 tackles, along with 2 interceprions and 13 pass breakups. The Bucs' defense also got an unexpected contribution from DT Greg Peterson, a 5th rounder, who had 1.5 sacks of his own. Meanwhile, OG Arron Sears, the Bucs' second round pick started from day one and solidified the left side of the offensive front. First-year grade: A

NEW YORK JETS: With only 4 picks overall, just two of whom played this fall, the Jets had one of the league's smallest draft classes. However, the two who did play - CB Darrelle Revis and MLB David Harris, the Jets' 1st and second round picks respectively - played brilliantly. Revis, the 14th player taken this year, for example, was second on the team with 87 tackles whiile he picked off 3 passes and broke up 17 others. Harris, in fact, may have even been better. Indeed, Harris finished 8th in the NFL in tackles this fall with 126; that despite the fact that he didn't start until the 8th week of the schedule. Indeed, Harris had 101 tackles the second half of the season. First-year grade: A

SAN FRANCISCO: There wasn't much to cheer about in San Francisco this all where the 49ers were supposed to be one of the most improved teams in the league, but never got going and finished 5-11. Worse, the 49ers no longer own what would ahve been the 7th pick overall at the 2008 draft having traded their #1 selection to New England for the right to take OT Joe Staley with a late first round pick last April. The 49ers, though, got some consolation - actually plenty of consolation - from the play of MLB Patrick Willis, the 11th player taken at the 2007 draft, who led the entire NFL - not just rookies - in tackles with 166. Indeed, Willis has been a one-man wrecking crew posting 4 sacks, 2 forced fumbles and 5 pass deflections along with all those tackles. Meanwhile, Staley, who started at RT from day, struggled early at times, but came on as the season progressed. The 49ers , though, didn't get much from the rest of their draft, although DB Dashon Golden, a 4th rounder, had 16 tackles, while 3rd round DE Ray McDonald had a sack. First-year grade: A

INDIANAPOLIS: Defending Super Bowl champions don't usually play a lot of rookies, but the Colts were an exception getting contributions from as many first-year players as any team in the league. LT Tony Ugoh, a second round pick at the 2007 draft, was one of the better offensive rookies in the league this fall as he has locked down QB Peyton Manning's blindside after taking over for long-time mainstay Tarik Glenn who retired after last year's Super Bowl win. On the other hand, WR Anthony Gonzales, the team's #1 pick this year, got off to a slow start, but came on late to finish the year with 37 receptions for almost 600 yards and 3 scores. The Colts also got a most unexpected lift from undrafted rookie free agent DT Ed Johnson, who started from day one and did a nice job clogging the middle of the defensive front. Meanwhile, CB Dante Hughes (#3), DT Quinn Pitcock, LB Clint Session (#4), and DE Keyunta Dawson (#7), along with undrafted rookie free agent DBs Mel Bullitt and Ramon Guzman, all made contributions at one time or another as either in situational packages, as injury replacements, or on special teams. First-year grade: A-

BUFFALO: On balance, the 2007 season was a disappointment for the Bills, however, several of Buffalo's draft picks appear to be key building blocks for the future. RB Marshawn Lynch, the 12th player selected at the 2007 draft, for example, had an excellent rookie year rushing for over 1,100 tough yards. Meanwhile, QB Trent Edwards, a 3rd rounder this year, showed enough in extended playing time to have the Bills thinking he just might be the 'QB of the future.' In a perfect world, the Bills would also have a top contender for defensive rookie of the year laurels, however, second round LB Paul Posluszny was lost for the season with an arm injury after leading all rookie tacklers with 26 stops through the first three weeks of the season. First-year grade: A-

CAROLINA: The Panthers' 2007 rookie class pretty much started and ended with LB Jon Beason, the team's #1 pick this year. Beason, who was one of the league's top young defenders this fall after posting 140 tackles, though, represents a very good start. Indeed, Beason was second in the league among rookie tacklers and 3rd overall. The Panthers, though, had to be very disappointed that former Southern Cal WR Dwayne Jarrett, the team's second round pick this year, was barely visible this fall, catching a 6 measly passes this season for less than 100 yards. In fact, other than Beason, the only Panthers' pick to have played much so far this year was 4th round WR Ryne Robinson who posted decent numbers as the team's primary kick returner. Meanwhile, the Panthers were forced to start undrafted rookie free agent QB Matt Moore late in the season with mixed results. At least, Moore wasn't noticeably worse than the rest of the cast that the Panthers used to try and fill the gap created when incumbent starter Jake Delhomme was injured. First-year grade: B+

HOUSTON: The Texans will be hoping that history does in fact repeat itself. Houston took their share of barbs after the 2006 draft where they passed on college superstars Vince Young and Regge Bush to take DE Mario Williams, but got the last laugh when Williams emerged as a force this fall while Young and Bush struggled at times. Undaunted, Houston went back to the defensive line this past April taking DT Amobi Okoye with the 10th overall pick; however, after a great start Okoye virtually disappeared in the second half of the season, although he did finish with 5.5 sacks, second among all rookie pass rushers. On the other hand, while Okoye faded as the season progresses, CB Fred Bennett, the team's 4th round pick, really came on after regular starter Dunta Robinson was injured, posting three picks and 14 pass breakups along with 62 tackles. The Texans' running game also got something of a late season boost from undrafted free agent RB Darius Walker who averaged a respectable 4.6 yards per carry and added 13 receptions, while 3rd round WR Jacoby Jones did a decent job returning punts, but struggled to pick up the regular offense. First-year grade: B+

NEW YORK GIANTS: It was probably no accident that the Giants often leaky secondary really started to come together when CB Aaron Ross, the 20th player selected this year, was inserted into the starting lineup. Ross provided the Giants' improved defense with a level of physicality andquickness, although he was slowed by a leg injury for a good part of the second half of the campaign. The Giants also got some unexpected contributions from RB Ahmad Bradshaw and safety Michael Johnson, a pair of seventh rounders. Bradshaw didn't play much early after fumbling a couple of times early in the season, but averaged 8.3 yards per carry when he did get some snaps late in the year including an 88-yard TD burst that for all intents and purposes sewed up a playof spot for the Giants. For his part, Johnson held up very well when forced to start severl ganes because of injuries. Same for 5th round TE Kevin Boss who did a nice job filing in for an injured Jeremy Shockey late in the year. Boss combines at TE for the Giants with undrafted free agent TE Michael Matthews who did a steady job as the team's blocking TE all year. Meanwhile, DT Jay Alford (#3) and LB Zak DeOssie (#4) were adequate as the team's PK and P longsnappers respectively, but neither played much in the regular defense. First-year grade: B+

KANSAS CITY: If there was a silver lining to the Chiefs dismal season it was the emergence of WR Dwayne Bowe, the team's #1 pick at the 2007 draft, as a big-play complimentary receiver to perennial All-Pro TE Tony Gonzales. Bowe, the 23rd player taken this year, led all rookie recivers - by a mile - with 70 receptions as he came up a short hook from a 1,000-yard season. Bowe, though, was the only Chiefs' rookie to make a major impact this fall. RB Kolby Smith, a fourth rounder this year, did a decent job filling in at RB as he gained 407 yards and caugth 22 passes, but averaged only 3.6 yards a carry. On the other hand, neither of defensive linemen Turk McBride and Tank Tyler, the Chiefs' second and third round picks respectively didn't play much combining for just 25 tackles and a sack. In fact, undrafted rookie free agent CB Tyrone Brackenridge was the Chiefs most productive defensive rookie while LB Nate Harris, another undrafted rookie also contributed on special teams. First-year grade: B+

JACKSONVILLE: FS Reggie Nelson, the 21st player taken at this year's draft, quietly put together a very productive rookie campaign posting 62 tackles, 5 interceptions, and 11 total pass break-ups, along with a sack and a forced fumble. Meanwhile, MLB Justin Durant, the highest non-D1A player selected when the Jaguars took him in the second round, played little early on, but really came on after being arrested on a DUI charge. P Adam Podlesh, a 4th round pick, was also solid enough averaging a respectable 41.6 yards per kick in his rookie season, while WR John Broussard, a 7th round pick, did have a 56-yard TD reception, but caught only 4 passes on the year. First-year grade: B+

WASHINGTON: The Redskins didn't get much in the way of quantity from the 2007draft as only two of the Redskins' 5 picks actually made the opening day roster. What the Redskins did get, though, was perhaps the hardest hitter in this year's rookie class in S Laron Landry. Landry, the 6th player taken this past April, was all over the field this fall racking up 95 tackles; he also provided some inspirational leadership in the wake of the loss of fellow safety Sean Taylor. Washington, though, probably would like to see Landry make a few more plays in the future when the ball is in the air as he had just 7 pass breakups and no interceptions. (Ironically, though, Landry had two picks in the Redskins playoff loss in Seattle.) Meanwhile, LB H.B. Blades, a 6th round pick and the only other Redskins' pick to make the roster, played only on special teams, while undrafted rookie free agent OT Stephon Heyer manned the RT during the Redskins late-seaon surge, although he often needed help. First-year grade: B+

CINCINNATI: There may be just a smidgen of light at the end of the tunnel for the often beleagured Bengals' defense with the emergence of a couple of building blocks in the secondary from the 2007 draft. CB Leon Hall, the Bengals' top pick this year, for example, had five picks this fall to tie for the league-lead among all rookies, although he did get picked on at times especially early in the season. Meanwhile, Cincinnati may have found a real nugget in 7th round DB Nedu Ndukwe who kept making big plays all season including 3 interceptions, 3 forced fumbles, 2 sacks and a fumble returned for a TD. On the other hand, it didn't help the cause in Cincinnati when RB Kenny Irons, the Bengals' second round pick this year, was lost for the year with a knee injury in training camp. Indeed, other than Hall and Ndukwe, the Bengals' most productive rookie this fall was undrafted rookie free agent TE Daniel Coats, who had 12 receptions, while 3rd round DB Marvin White had 20 tackles, mostly on special teams. First-year grade: B+

DETROIT: It was another disappointing season in Detroit including a relatively disappointing performance by the Lions' 2007 rookie class. WR Calvin Johnson, the second player selected at the 2007 draft, for example, did give the offense something of a big-play capacity as he averaged almost 16 yards a catch and scored four TDs, but ultimately caught only 48 total passes, although he was held back at times by a bad ankle. The Lions, though, got more than they bargained for in FS Gerald Alexander, a second round pick who stepped right into the starting lineup from day one and was all over the field all season posting 81 tackles and picking off a couple of passes. The Lions, though, didn't get much else from their rookie class. QB Drew Stanton, the first of Lions' three second round picks went on IR prior to the season, while DE Ikaika Alama-Francis, the other second round pick, seldom played. Meanwhile, the Lions released three of their four second day picks prior to the season. First-year grade: B

ATLANTA: With 11 picks overall, no team had more picks at the 2007 draft than the Falcons and no team played more rookies this season, although the results in Atlanta were mixed. Both DE Jamaal Anderson, the 8th player selected this year, and second rounders OG Justin Blalock and CB Chris Houston started pretty much all However, Anderson is still looking for his first career sack, although he did have 30 tackles, while OG Blalock was part of an offensive line that allowed 52 sacks this fall, although Blalock was never the unit's weak link. In fact, CB Houston, who had 52 tackles, may have been the Falcons best overall rookie, although he was picked on at times and is still looking for his first career pick. Meanwhile, WR Laurent Robinson (#3), LB Stephen Nicholas (#4), TE Martrez Milner (#4), and DT Trey Lewis (#6) also all saw extended playing time, although none made many impact plays. First-year grade: B

GREEN BAY: One of the key ingredients of the Packers' resurgence has been the fact that Green Bay has simply had more draft picks than any other team in the league over the past three years. Indeed, the Packers had a total of 34 selections in the past three drafts including 11 in 2007. And it certainly hasn't hurt that the Packers have converted many of those picks into quality players including LB A.J. Hawk, WR Greg Jennings and OG Daryn Colledge with their first three picks in 2006. The 2007 draft hasn't been quite as productive, however, WR James Jones, a 3rd round selection this past April, did give venerable QB Brett Favre yet another reliable target hauling in 47 passes for almost 700 yards, while 3rd round DB Aaron Rouse had 25 tackles and a couple of picks. At the same time, RB DeShawn Wynn, an unheralded 7th rounder, gave the Packers' ground game a boost in the first half of the season, but missed the rest of the year with an injury. Fellow RB Brandon Jackson, a second rounder this year, also got plenty of chances but averaged just 3.6 yards per carry. The Packers also got some unexpected contributions from 6th round FB Korey Hall, who was origianlly selected as a LB, but did a nice job blocking and chipped in 8 pass receptions, as well as playing well on special teams. Meanwhile, PK Mason Crosby, another 6th round pick, was dependable enough hitting on 31 of 39 FG attempts including a 53-yarder. On the other hand, DT Justin Harrell, the Packers' #1 pick this year, didn't play much, finishing the year with just 16 tackles and no impact plays. First-year grade: B

BALTIMORE: Figure that the Ravens' 2007 draft class represents something of a future investment as Baltimore used two of it's first three picks at the regular draft this year on offensive linemen - OG Ben Grubbs in the first round and G-T Marshal Yanda in the 3rd - and then used a 5th round pick at this summer's supplemental draft to take OT Jared Gaither. Of the three, only Yanda was a regular starter this fall - and the former Iowa star did a nice job solidifying the RT position, however, the Ravens also saw plenty of potential in both Grubbs and Gaither when they did get in the rotation. And the Ravens' run blocking will get even better in the future as FB Le'Ron McClain, a 6th round pick this year, did a more than adequate job as the team's lead blocker and even chipped in 9 pass receptions. Meanwhile, second round WR Yamon Figurs added an element of excitement to the Ravens' return game as he averaged almost 25 yards per KO return and 10.7 on punts; Figurs, though, was also often an adventure fielding the ball. The most intriguing Ravens rookie, though, was former Heisman Trophy winning QB Troy Smith; Smith, the Ravens' 5th round pick this year, started the final two games and showed enough to figure to be in the mix at some point down the road. In particular, Smith took good care of the ball and showed nice mobility, but the team would like to see him be more accurate after he completed just 53% of huis passes. First-year grade: B-

MIAMI: The 2007 season was pretty much a year to forget for the Dolphins, a theme which extended to Miami's rookie class. At least all 11 of the Dolphins' 2007 draft picks made the roster, but overall didn't do a whole heck of a lot to get excited about for the future. WR Ted Ginn, whom the Dolphins rolled the dice on with 9th pick overall, for example, did catch 34 passes this fall and averaged 22.7 yards per KO and 9.6 on punts, okay numbers, but hardly worth a top ten pick. Meanwhile, QB John Beck, the team's second round pick and putative QB of the future, got some playing time in the second half o the seasons, but left as many questions as answers. Like Ginn, Beck's numbers weren't bad, however, the team simply couldn't score when he was in there. In fact, the Dolphins' best rookie this year was C Samson Satele, a second round pick who has done a nice job of anchoring an improved Dolphins' offensive front, while 6th round FB Reagan Mauia and 7th round P Brandon Fields were solid enough. First-year grade: C+

ST. LOUIS: It was a miserable year all-round for the Rams who didn't get off to a very good start when the team released 4 of its 8 picks from the 2007 draft prior to the start of the season. At least the Rams have gotten the rookies they did keep some experience. In fact, DTs Adam Carriker and Clifton Ryan, the Rams' 1st and 5th round picks this past April, were the team's starting DT duo. Neither piled up big numbers - they each had 30 tackels and 2 sacks - but represent a couple of decent building blocks or the future. Meanwhile, 2nd round RB Brian Leonard was barely adequate as a replacement for an injured Steven Jackson early in the season rushing for 303 and catching 30 passes, but was never very explosive as he averaged just 3.5 yards per carry and 6.1 on receptions. At the same time, 3rd round CB Jonathan Wade didn't play much until late in the season, while undrafted rookie free agents LB Quinton Culberson and CB Darius Vinnet contributed on special teams. First-year grade: C+

DENVER: The Broncos only had four picks at the 2007 draft and opted to use three on defensive linemen in the hope of bolstering a leaky front four. For the most part they are still hoping. Indeed, the Broncos, one of the league's most disappointing teams this season, ranked 30th in the NFL in run defense. It certainly didn't help that DE Jarvis Moss, the Broncos' #1 pick this year, was lost for the year in mid-season; in the first six weeks of the campaign, though, Moss had only 12 sacks and one sack. Fellow DE Tim Crowder, the team's second rounder, did get some heat on opposing QBs, posting 4.5 sacks, while 4th rounder Marcus Thomas had 20 tackles, but no sacks. In fact, the Broncos most productive rookie this fall was undrafted free agent RB Selvin Young who ran for over 700 yards and added another 200-plus yards on 35 pass receptions; indeed, Young was one of the better rookies in the league this fall. First-year grade: C+

DALLAS: The Cowboys put the lie to the old draft day adage 'never draft a kicker.' Indeed, the Cowboys' most productive rookie this year was PK Nick Folk, the team's 6th round pick. Folk has hit on 26 of his 31 FG attempts that included a dramatic last second game winning 53-yarder against Buffalo. Meanwhile, DE Anthony Spencer, the Cowboys' #1 pick this year, got some minutes early in the year and responded with 36 tackles and three sacks, but saw his playing time reduced with the return of incumbent starter Greg Ellis. Another 6th rounder, FB Deon Anderson, has also been a solid contributor on special teams, and chipped in 6 receptions in the regular offense. First-year grade: C+

TENNESSEE: Just when the schmozzle surrounding the Pacman Jones soap opera threatened to become the signature moment of the Titans' personnel department, up steps DB Michael Griffin, the team's first round pick this past April, to ease some of the pain. Griffin spent much of the first half of the season buried on the Titans' depth chart, but emerged over the latter part of the season as one of the better defensive rookies in the league this fall. Overall, Johnson had 54 tackles this season, with the large majority coming in the past couple of months. For good measure, Griffin also picked off three passes, broke up 7 other passes and forced a fumble. Griffin, though, was the only Titans' rookie to play much this fall. RB Chris Henry, the Titans' second rounder this past April, for example, was suspended a month serving a suspension for taking a medication which is on the NFL's banned substance list, but wasn't all that effective when he did play averaging less than 4 yards per carry. Meanwhile, 4th round WR Chris Davis did a nice job returning punts as he averaged almost 10 yards per try, but seldom played in the regular offense. First-year grade: C+

SAN DIEGO: Outside of New England, no team was hotter down the stretch that the Chargers. San Diego, though, did it mostly without much help from their 2007 rookie class. S Eric Weddle, the Chargers' second round pick this year, though, did a nice job as the team's nickle back, posting 54 tackles including a sack and an interception. Meanwhile, 7th round LB Brandon Siler also contributed an unexpected 25 tackles. On the other hand, WR Buster Davis, the Chargers' #1 pick, had just 20 catches on which he averaged a meagre 9 yards per catch, while LB Anthony Waters and TE Scott Chandler, the team's 3rd and 4th round picks respectively, barely registered. In fact, it may very well be the best story for the Chargers' rookie class was undrafted free agent LB Jyles Tucker, who may not be a household name at his own home, but rang up three sacks, one of which included a forced fumble which he recovered for a TD in the team's season finale. First-season grade: C

OAKLAND: For all intents and purposes the future starts next year in Oakland where QB Jamarcus Russell, the #1 player selected at the 2007 draft, remained firmly planted on the bench until the waning weeks of the season. Russell, though, gave the Raiders a peek at what may be a light at the end o the tunnel when he completed 23 of 31 passes for 224 yards in his only start of the year in the team's season-finale. If Russell does win the starting job next fall, he'll have an emerging target TE Zach Miller, the team's second round pick who had 44 receptions this fall, three of which went for scores. Meanwhile, 5th round DT Jay Richardson, who had 33 tackles including a sack and a blocked kick, and 6th round FB Oren O'Neal held up okay in limited minutes, but that was pretty much it from the Raiders' 11-man 2007 draft class this fall. First-year grade: C

SEATTLE: Without a first-round pick, the Seahawks weren't anticipating getting much of an immediate impact much from their 2007 draft class. In the end, though, Seattle may actually have gotten a little more than they were expecting thanks in large part to DT Brandon Mebane, the team's 3rd round pick this year. Mebane didn't play much early on but eventually worked his way into the starting line-up where he helped shore up Seattle's run defense posting 29 tackles; Mebane also provided some up-field pressure when he registered a couple of sacks. Mebane, though, was pretty much the only Seahawks' rookie to contribute much. CB Josh Wison, DE Baraka Atkins, and DB Will Herring, the team's 2nd, 4th and 5th round picks respectively, for example, combined for just 32 tackles. Wilson, though, did average a healthy 27 yards on KO returns. Mid-season grade: C

CHICAGO: The Bears hit a major speed bump this fall on the way to what they hoped would be another run at the Super Bowl this season. Along the way, the Bears didn't get a whole lot of help from their 2007 draft. TE Greg Olsen, the team's #1 pick this year, did emerge as a reliable underneath receiver as the former Miami Hurricane caught 39 passes despite missing the first month of the season. Olsen, though, only averaged 10 yards per carry and seldom was able to stretch the field. The rest of the Chicago draft class, though, was relatively quiet. In fact, unheralded 7th round DB Trumaine McBride was the team's only reasonably productive rookie other than Olsen as he posted 41 tackles and broke up 5 passes, mostly in nickle packages. On the other hand, RB Garrett Wolfe, the team's 3rd ound pick, averaged less than 3 yards per carry in limited playing time. First-year grade: C

PITTSBURGH: It's usually not a good sign when a kicker is a team's top rookie, but that was the case for the Steelers as P Daniel Sepulveda, a 4th round pick this apst April, was solid all year averaging 42.4 yards per punt - with a 37.9 yard net - while putting almost half his kicks down inside opponents 20-yard line. It's probably worse, though, when the rookie kicker is pretty much the team's only first-year player to contribute in any significant way. Indeed, the Steelers didn't get much else from their other 2007 picks, although DE Lamarr Woodley, a second round pick, did have 4 sacks, but had only 14 tackles overall. At the same time, OLB Lawrence Timmons, the Steelers' first round pick taken 15th overall, was a virtual no-show this fall as he posted just 13 tackles with no impact plays. Meanwhile, 3rd round TE Matt Spaeth, 5th round CB William Gay, and undrafted rookie free agent RB Gary Russell also contributed some minutes. Mid-season grade: C-

ARIZONA: The 2007 draft didn't start auspiciousply for the Cardinals when only 3 of the Cardinals' 5 picks this year made the roster, although a 4th - TE Ben Patrick (#7) - was later resigned. The other Arizona pick released was LB Buster Davis, a 3rd round pick who was the highest player selected by any team at the 2007 draft to be cut prior to the season. And it didn't get a whole lot better for the Cardinals' rookie class as the season progressed. OT Levi Brown, the 5th player taken this year, really struggled at times manning the right side of the offensive line, while DT Alan Branch, the first player taken in this year's second round, didn't play much registering just 9 tackles on the year. Meanwhile, WR Steve Breaston, the Cardinals' 5th round pick this year, was the team's primary return man, but wasn't much more than average although he did return a punt for a TD. First-year grade: D+

NEW ORLEANS: There were plenty of factors to blame, but the Saints got very little production from their 2007 rookie class in what was an overall disappointing season in New Orleans. For starters, the Saints released three of their 7 picks prior to the start of the season, while WR Robert Meachem, the team's #1 pick this year, never played while he rehabbed from a knee injury. In fact, CB Usama Young, a 3rd rounder this past April who played in nickle packages posting 25 tackles, but made few plays while the ball was in the air, was the only Saints ' pick to play much at all. In the end, the Saints top rookie this season was undrafted rookie free agent Pierre Thomas who ran for just over 250 yards, caught 17 passes and averaged 24 yards per try returning kick-offs to help offset the losses of incumbents starters Deuce Mcalsietr and Reggie Bush. First-year grade: D+

PHILADELPHIA: With no first-round pick of their own, then having used their actual top pick - a second rounder - on a QB who wasn't going to play much this year and having cut three of the 9 picks they did make prior to the season, the Eagles weren't expecting much from the 2007 draft class. And that's pretty much what they got. QB Kevin Kolb, the Eagles' top pick this year, still has yet to throw his first pro pass, while DE Victor Abiamiri, the Eagles' other second rounder, had but three tackles on the season. In fact, the Eagles' most productive rookie was probably 5th round TE Brent Celek, who had 16 receptions, including 1 for a TD, while 3rd round LB Stewart Bradley had 18 tackles including a sack. RB Tony Hunt, another 3rd rounder, though, averaged an anemic 1.6 yards per carry. Undrafted rookie free agents CB Nick Graham and LB Akeem Jordan combined for 32 tackles, mostly on special teams. First-year grade: D-

Special student:

NEW ENGLAND: Any other team and the Patriots' 2007 draft would get a failing grade. In fact, only one of New England's 9 picks from this past April was still on the roster at the end of the year. And that one - FS Brandon Meriweather, the Patriots' top pick this year, didn't play a whole lot after the first month of the season. But this is New England where just about everything turns to gold. Indeed, has any trade ever worked out better than the Patriots acquisition of WR Randy Moss from Oakland for a measly 4th round pick. All the oft-tempermental Moss did was catch 98 passes for almost 1,500 and an almost sick 23 TDs. In fact, if there ever was a better trade than the one for Moss, who doers become a free agent at the end of the year, may have been the Patriots deal for fellow WR Wes Welker for a second round pick from Miami. Walker has emerged as a terrific compliment to Moss catching 112 passes of his own, along with being his usual pesky self returning kicks. First-year grade: A

 

[pats3in4]

3. Lorenzo Booker - RB B+

He took a long time to get on the field, but nobody is sure if it was Lorenzo's fault or Cam's fault. When he made it, he showed that he's got moves that work on NFL-caliber defenders. He showed breif glimpses of brilliance and late in the season was one of the very few Dolphins offensive players that could legitimately be called a weapon. I'm happy with this pick.

A B+ for a player who could not even keep the team from getting, and starting Samkon Gado?

At least he didn't give Cs to guys who didn't even make the roster [cough] pats fan [cough]

C is average, or what you'd expect from the guy. If you honestly expect 6th and 7th rounders to make a roster at a position relatively set on a title contending team, you're dreaming. How can you penalize them by giving them F's? I did give a 5th rounder an F because he should have made the roster as a backup OL, considering the Pats have found good value in round 5 in recent history (Koppen, O'Callaghan).A team like Miami has such poor depth that their lower-round picks should make the team and indeed deserve F's if they don't.

 

[dgreen]

WASHINGTON: Washington, though, probably would like to see Landry make a few more plays in the future when the ball is in the air as he had just 7 pass breakups and no interceptions. (Ironically, though, Landry had two picks in the Redskins playoff loss in Seattle.)

That's a pretty ignorant comment. Landry wasn't playing in a position to make nearly as many plays on the ball until he took Taylor's spot. He spent a lot of time around the LOS, playing run support, and some blitzing early on. It took him a couple games to get more used to the FS position once he made the changed and played well there down the stretch. It's not irony that he had two INTs in the playoffs. It was more a result of him finally having some games under his belt playing that role.

 

[encaitar]

3. Lorenzo Booker - RB B+

He took a long time to get on the field, but nobody is sure if it was Lorenzo's fault or Cam's fault. When he made it, he showed that he's got moves that work on NFL-caliber defenders. He showed breif glimpses of brilliance and late in the season was one of the very few Dolphins offensive players that could legitimately be called a weapon. I'm happy with this pick.

A B+ for a player who could not even keep the team from getting, and starting Samkon Gado?

At least he didn't give Cs to guys who didn't even make the roster [cough] pats fan [cough]

C is average, or what you'd expect from the guy. If you honestly expect 6th and 7th rounders to make a roster at a position relatively set on a title contending team, you're dreaming. How can you penalize them by giving them F's? I did give a 5th rounder an F because he should have made the roster as a backup OL, considering the Pats have found good value in round 5 in recent history (Koppen, O'Callaghan).A team like Miami has such poor depth that their lower-round picks should make the team and indeed deserve F's if they don't.

Sorry, but this is the NFL and there are gems in the later rounds(Tom Brady?). If a player fails to make even the practice squad he deserves an F, no matter what round he was drafted. Look at Indy, who many could argue are nearly as talented as NE. They found a UFA that plays nearly every down at DT! Obviously it's harder for later round picks to make the actual roster, but it doesn't mean it isn't a failure when they don't.I do, however, give NE an A overall, just for the pickups of Welker and Moss with a 2,4, and 7th round picks.

 

[LawFitz]

1, JaMarcus Russell, QB - Incomplete. Killed himself with the holdout. Has the physical tools, the rest remains to be seen.

38, Zach Miller, TE - A. Came on toward the end of the season, set a team record for catches by a rookie. Could be a favorite target of Russell.

65, Quentin Moses, DE - F. Cut in camp, picked up by the Cards and cut again. Found his way to 3 teams in one season. Yikes.

91, Mario Henderson, OT - Incomplete. #2 on the depth chart, I didn't get to see anything from him.

99, Johnnie Lee Higgins, WR - C. May be able to make a name for himself on special teams, didn't do much with his limited opportunities at WR.

100, Michael Bush, RB - Incomplete. Never sniffed the field due to leg injury.

110, John Bowie, CB - Incomplete. Too far down the depth chart for me to evaluate.

Overall Raiders grade - D. The key factor here is obviously Russell. The only player to have any impact was Miller.

Sorry but you're missing a couple of key contributors (Richardson R5 and Oneal R6)...I'll grade them on a 4.0 scale with heavier weightings for the final average going to the higher round picks...

Rd 1 (7pts): Jamarcus QB - I saw enough in the last few games to give him a B- for now with still major undetermined up and downside. (2.7)

Rd 2 (6pts): Zach Miller TE - solid contributor this year and likely going forward in both the running and passing games: A (4.0)

Rd 3 (5pts): Quentin Moses DE - didn't make the team and didn't make the Cardinals either after getting picked up off waivers: F (0)

Rd 3 (5pts): Mario Henderson OT - made the team but didn't sniff the field. Has upside as he was considered raw but given that he couldn't even come close to playing time I can't give him anything better than a D+. (1.3)

Rd 3 (5pts): JL Higgins WR - terrible punt returner and marginal WR so far: D+ (1.3)

Rd 4 (4pts): Mike Bush RB - never got on the roster as a result of rehab and politics but still has major upside and is a 4th rounder afterall so how hard can you come down on them so far for this pick: C (2.0)

Rd 4 (4pts): John Bowie CB - considering they traded Moss for this pick, this should be an F-, but we'll exclude that fact. Bowie made the team and played okay on special teams: C+ (2.3)

Rd 5 (3pts): Jay Richardson DE: Not sure how this guy fell so far. He looks like a future stud DE. A+ (4.0)

Rd 5 (3pts): Eric Frampton S: Didn't make the team but did make the Lions: D+ (1.3)

Rd 6 (2pts): Oren Oneal FB: Was absolutely solid this year both as a lead blocker and on ST. A+ (4.0)

Rd 7 (1pt): Jon Holland WR: IR... C (2.0)

Final grade = (7x2.7 + 6x4.0 + 5x0 + 5x1.3 + 5x1.3 + 4x2.0 + 4x2.3 + 3x4.0 + 3x1.3 + 2x4.0 + 1x2.0)/45 = 2.2 or C+

That said, Russell, Miller, Richardson and Oneal look like four solid starters and Henderson, Bush, Bowie and Higgins still have upside so this could easily be a A+ draft if these 8 players contribute in future years.

 

[pats3in4]

3. Lorenzo Booker - RB B+

He took a long time to get on the field, but nobody is sure if it was Lorenzo's fault or Cam's fault. When he made it, he showed that he's got moves that work on NFL-caliber defenders. He showed breif glimpses of brilliance and late in the season was one of the very few Dolphins offensive players that could legitimately be called a weapon. I'm happy with this pick.

A B+ for a player who could not even keep the team from getting, and starting Samkon Gado?

At least he didn't give Cs to guys who didn't even make the roster [cough] pats fan [cough]

C is average, or what you'd expect from the guy. If you honestly expect 6th and 7th rounders to make a roster at a position relatively set on a title contending team, you're dreaming. How can you penalize them by giving them F's? I did give a 5th rounder an F because he should have made the roster as a backup OL, considering the Pats have found good value in round 5 in recent history (Koppen, O'Callaghan).A team like Miami has such poor depth that their lower-round picks should make the team and indeed deserve F's if they don't.

Sorry, but this is the NFL and there are gems in the later rounds(Tom Brady?). If a player fails to make even the practice squad he deserves an F, no matter what round he was drafted. Look at Indy, who many could argue are nearly as talented as NE. They found a UFA that plays nearly every down at DT! Obviously it's harder for later round picks to make the actual roster, but it doesn't mean it isn't a failure when they don't.

Depends on the roster. In 2000 and 2001, the Pats had horrible depth so they needed the draft to fill spots. It was imperative to find guys who would make the roster even as 6th and 7th rounders. Guys who couldn't make that roster were indeed considered failures. In 2003 & 2004, even then the Pats were building both their starting lines and depth at those positions and the entire draft played a big role in that. After the 2005 draft, they basically filled their needs (starters and backups) and have been tinkering ever since, mostly at the top of the draft (Maroney, Chad Jackson, Meriweather). Late round picks, unless they are UBER gems like Tom Brady, have little chance of cracking the roster. I'm not going to penalize 6th and 7th round picks who don't make this roster. Talk to me in a few years, though, and maybe I'll be singing a different tune.As for UFA's like the Colts' DT that has been a standout this year, the Pats can point to UFA Randal Gay that came to the rescue in 2004 when Ty Law went down and has been a solid nickel (when healthy) ever since. But even then the Pats could have used his depth anyway, just like the Colts needed depth on DL this year, too. If the Colts become deep at DL, you won't see many UFA's cracking the lineup.

 

[Rooster]

3. Lorenzo Booker - RB B+

He took a long time to get on the field, but nobody is sure if it was Lorenzo's fault or Cam's fault. When he made it, he showed that he's got moves that work on NFL-caliber defenders. He showed breif glimpses of brilliance and late in the season was one of the very few Dolphins offensive players that could legitimately be called a weapon. I'm happy with this pick.

A B+ for a player who could not even keep the team from getting, and starting Samkon Gado?

LIke he said, Booker showed more late in the season.

Yup...while spelling Samkon Gado who was starting ahead of him.

The Dolphins were 1 shanked field goal away from setting a record for mediocrity this season and Lorenzo Booker was one of the few bright spots. Perhaps it speaks more to my desperation this season than to reality, but Lorenzo Booker made something out of nothing a lot more than any other player on the team the last half of the season and I found myself hoping that they'd give him the ball more. He wasn't drafted to be an every down back, we had planned on Ronnie Brown taking those duties. For a third round pick that was drafted to be a change of pace back and give us some speed, I think he showed a lot of promise and definitely surpassed expectations ... above average even. You can look to Samkon Gado starting and take that as evidence that Lorenzo sucks, but remember that Cameron wasn't far away from starting Chatman over Ronnie Brown in the preseason and Ronnie was looking like a Pro Bowler before he got hurt.

 

[sho nuff]

3. Lorenzo Booker - RB B+

He took a long time to get on the field, but nobody is sure if it was Lorenzo's fault or Cam's fault. When he made it, he showed that he's got moves that work on NFL-caliber defenders. He showed breif glimpses of brilliance and late in the season was one of the very few Dolphins offensive players that could legitimately be called a weapon. I'm happy with this pick.

A B+ for a player who could not even keep the team from getting, and starting Samkon Gado?

LIke he said, Booker showed more late in the season.

Yup...while spelling Samkon Gado who was starting ahead of him.

The Dolphins were 1 shanked field goal away from setting a record for mediocrity this season and Lorenzo Booker was one of the few bright spots. Perhaps it speaks more to my desperation this season than to reality, but Lorenzo Booker made something out of nothing a lot more than any other player on the team the last half of the season and I found myself hoping that they'd give him the ball more. He wasn't drafted to be an every down back, we had planned on Ronnie Brown taking those duties. For a third round pick that was drafted to be a change of pace back and give us some speed, I think he showed a lot of promise and definitely surpassed expectations ... above average even. You can look to Samkon Gado starting and take that as evidence that Lorenzo sucks, but remember that Cameron wasn't far away from starting Chatman over Ronnie Brown in the preseason and Ronnie was looking like a Pro Bowler before he got hurt.

I am not claiming he sucks...but grading a guy with 28 carries...who was spelling Samkon Gado...and giving him a B+ is a bit out there.I graded DeShawn Wynn harder than that and he contributed more than Booker...and was a 7th rounder.

I graded Korey Hall harder than that and he has started at FB nearly all year long and was converted from an LB.

 

[Rooster]

3. Lorenzo Booker - RB B+

He took a long time to get on the field, but nobody is sure if it was Lorenzo's fault or Cam's fault. When he made it, he showed that he's got moves that work on NFL-caliber defenders. He showed breif glimpses of brilliance and late in the season was one of the very few Dolphins offensive players that could legitimately be called a weapon. I'm happy with this pick.

A B+ for a player who could not even keep the team from getting, and starting Samkon Gado?

LIke he said, Booker showed more late in the season.

Yup...while spelling Samkon Gado who was starting ahead of him.

The Dolphins were 1 shanked field goal away from setting a record for mediocrity this season and Lorenzo Booker was one of the few bright spots. Perhaps it speaks more to my desperation this season than to reality, but Lorenzo Booker made something out of nothing a lot more than any other player on the team the last half of the season and I found myself hoping that they'd give him the ball more. He wasn't drafted to be an every down back, we had planned on Ronnie Brown taking those duties. For a third round pick that was drafted to be a change of pace back and give us some speed, I think he showed a lot of promise and definitely surpassed expectations ... above average even. You can look to Samkon Gado starting and take that as evidence that Lorenzo sucks, but remember that Cameron wasn't far away from starting Chatman over Ronnie Brown in the preseason and Ronnie was looking like a Pro Bowler before he got hurt.

I am not claiming he sucks...but grading a guy with 28 carries...who was spelling Samkon Gado...and giving him a B+ is a bit out there.I graded DeShawn Wynn harder than that and he contributed more than Booker...and was a 7th rounder.

I graded Korey Hall harder than that and he has started at FB nearly all year long and was converted from an LB.

I'm judging him based on those 28 carries, it's all I have. He showed more than I expected and I expect him to be an asset in the future. We disagree, I'm ok with that.

 

[Ridgelake]

The Cowboys drafted:1 26 Anthony Spencer OLB Purdue B+ has looked promising. Should fill in nicely once Greg Ellis hangs up the cleats3 67 James Marten OT Boston College C-really hard to make an assessment as he has not played although Free is supposedly out performing him4 103 Isaiah Stanback WR Washington C looks a bit injury prone will have a better idea of potential next year4 122 Doug Free OT Northern Illinois B- Being looked at a possible replacement for Flozell and coaches are happy with him6 178 Nicholas Folk K Arizona A+ made the pro bowl and back to back 50 yard kicks during the Buffalo game were clutch6 195 Deon Anderson FB Connecticut B looked great filling in for Oliver Hoyte until suffering a season ending injury. Definetly an offensive upgrade over Hoyte and will probably start next year.7 212 Courtney Brown CB Cal Poly-S.L.O. C 7 th round pick is an automatic C in my book7 237 Alan Ball CB Illinois C 7th round pick making the roster is an automatic C in my bookOverall B The Cowboys might have secured a starting FB, K, and possibly two offensive tackles of the future. Stanback is a project but has all the athletic tools to be special but he has a long road ahead of him. With the Cowboys being an elite team most the rookies have seen limited to no playing time but were mainly selected for depth purposes. Should be a productive draft.

1.26 Anthony Spencer OLB: Filled in reasonably well for injured Greg Ellis early in the season. Showed natural passrush ability. Was a bit of a run liability, but better than Ware was as a rookie at that. Later in the season, the coaches designed a special "Cowboy" defense that put its 3 best passrushers, Ware, Ellis and Spencer, onto the field at the same time. This defense has created all kinds of problems for opposing offenses. When coaches are finding ways to get you onto the field, thats a good sign that you're doing well. Spencer was a solid pick and should be a significant contributor for years to come. Grade A.3.67 James Marten OT: Never was active for any game. Was the 5th OT on the roster. Probably will make a better RT as he doesnt have the best feet. Personally, I'd like better for my 3rd round pick. Maybe he'll develop. Who knows? Grade D.4.103 Isaiah Stanback WR: Played QB in college and is regarded as a phenominal athlete. Not much was expected of him this season as he learned the WR position. Was active for a couple of games. I was dissappointed that he didnt play in the meaningless Week 17 Redskin game. According to Phillips, he's been hard to cover in practice. Another Who Knows? I do have more hope form than Marten though. He seems to have significant potential. Grade C-.4.122 Doug Free OT: Was the 4th OT on the roster. Coaches talked about his athletiscm and his feet. Possible LT down the road. Saw some action in Week 17. Was active maybe 1 or 2 other games. Seems to be a solid prospect, but another Who Knows? Grade C.6.178 Nick Folk K: Pro bowler as a rookie. Taken in Round 6. Enough said. Grade A. Actually, I will say that he's a very good field goal kicker. But I would like his kickoffs to be better. Teams regularly get beyond the 30 on returns with his kicks going to about the 10. This needs to improve.6.195 Deon Anderson FB: A good all around FB, showing blocking and receiving skills. A valuable special teams player headlined by being the wedge buster on kickoffs. He'll be a solid contributor for years. A very solid pick Grade A-.7.222 Coutney Brown S. Was active for most of the last half of the season. Played a fair amount on special teams. Was the punt gunner. Was working into the defensive rotation on dime packages when others were hurt. Maybe he'll develop into a regular contributor. Doubt he'll be anything special. Grade B given his draft position.7.237 Alan Ball CB: Was cut coming out of camp and signed to the practice squad. Elevated to the active roster mid-season. Was active in the last couple of games and got a reasonable amount of playing time against the Redskins. Seems to have good athletic ability. Has a lot to learn. Shows promise. Hopefully will develop into a solid contributor. Grade B given his draft position.Overall, I'd rate Dallas' draft as a B with potential for a higher grade. They got 3 almost certain long-term contributors in Spencer, Folk and Anderson. The 3rd and 4th rounders were all developmental guys. How they turn out in the future will determine the ultimate value of this draft.

 

[maxwelledison]

Day 1

1 - Greg Olsen - Criminally underutilized in an offense that not only flat-out sucked but relied heavily on the TE position to move the chains. B+ talent; C+ production

2 - Dan Bazuin - Rumor was that he was going to be cut in camp and was eventually placed on IR. Horrible, horrible pick. F

3 - Garrett Wolfe - What? Another ego-reach by Angelo that leads to flushing two of your top three picks down the toilet. D

3 - Michael Okwo - Didn't get to play much and tough to make an accurate analysis yet. I

These picks pretty much sum up Angelo's tenure and the Bears organization in general since the death of Halas and the firing of Finks and Ditka; this franchise has absolutely no clue how to acquire, use, exploit or develop assets. Recall that this was the team that not only had Urlacher on the bench to begin hs rookie year but when they finally did start him they put him at the weak side. Clueless.

 

[Joe Bryant]

Hella homerism in this thread.

No kidding. Too early to give grades on most players.

No it's not. It's too early to say how their career is going to go, but you can definitely grade them on how they contributed this year vs. where they were drafted.

Whats the point. Most of the rookies on teams that were already good would probably get an I because they would not get much playing time.John Elway would have gotten a D after his rookie year while Rick Mirer would have gotten an A.Look at a draft 5 years after it happened.

Some of you people are really adept at sucking the fun out of everything. I bet you're a blast to be around.

When I see some guy giving Brady Quinn a B+ (would have been an A if he had not missed training camp), I just can't stop laughing and comment on the ridiculousness of this thread.

Disagree and discuss. But if you want to get to a "can't stop laughing at this thread" angle, don't. TIA.J

 

[qimqam]

Hella homerism in this thread.

Please, elaborate.

Brady Quinn B+ ?????

 

[radiohead417]

I prefer to grade drafts 3 years after the fact, but I'll size up my team.

Jacksonville:

1st round (#21) Reggie Nelson, S, Florida: Started every game and had 5 interceptions. Not the smartest player on the field, but made a few big plays. Just for starting every game he gets a positive grade. Grade: B

2nd round (#48) Justin Durant, LB, Hampton: Took over at weakside linebacker when Mike Peterson got injured and has been a big-hitter ever since, and might not give the job back next season. Grade: A

3rd round (#79) Mike Walker, WR, UCF: Went to injured reserve in the preseason. Grade: Inc.

4th round (#101) Adam Podlesh, P, Maryland: Averaged 41.6 yards per punt, but certainly had his ups and downs. A punter in the 4th round shouldn't have issues. Grade: C-

4th round (#113) Brian Smith, LB, Missouri: Project player who had a career-threatening injury before the draft. Went to IR, we'll see if he does anything next season or beyond. Grade: Inc

5th round (#149) Uche Nwaneri, G, Purdue: Looks to be a player of the future for the Jags, but didn't see much of the field. Grade: C-

5th round (#150) Josh Gattis, S, Wake Forest: Cut in training camp. Grade: F

5th round (#166) Derek Landri, DT, Notre Dame: Filled in for John Henderson in the Pittsburgh playoff game, and notched a sack, interception and fumble recovery. Also a big contributor on special teams. What more could you ask for out of a late 5th round pick? Grade: A

7th round (#229) John Broussard, WR, San Jose State: Caught in touchdown in game 1, also had a nice catch against New Orleans. Has been fighting injuries and has been inactive the last few weeks. Still, to get any production out of a 7th round pick has to qualify as at least passing. Grade: B

7th round (#251) Chad Nkang, LB/ST, Elon: Has been a key contributor on special teams all season, with 17 tackles. A home run. Grade: A

7th round (#252) Andrew Carnahan, T, Arizona State: Cut in training camp. Grade: F

Overall, if Jacksonville gets any significant production from Walker and Smith, they may have had the best draft in the league. Nelson, Durant, Landri and Nkang will likely contribute for years to come. Overall grade: B+