|
Team |
Value |
Need |
Manage |
Overall |
|
Seattle Seahawks |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
| Besides Hutchinson
and Koren Robinson, the Hawks made a number of nice selections, including
CB Ken Lucas, FB Heath Evans, and WR Alex Bannister. |
|
New England Patriots |
3 |
3 |
8 |
2 |
| The Patriots did not
come away with any big-name players, but they addressed many needs and
made all of their ten picks count. |
|
San Francisco 49ers |
11 |
6 |
2 |
3 |
| DE Andre Carter will
be another Charles Haley, and LB Jamie Winborn and RB Kevan Barlow should
start immediately. |
|
St. Louis Rams |
4 |
1 |
16 |
4 |
| The Rams got off to a
fast start and greatly improved their defense. Also, Milton Wynn
adds another dangerous wideout to their attack. However, DT Ryan
Pickett was a reach with the 29th pick, and they did not find a quality
replacement for DE Kevin Carter. If you added in the trade for
cornerback Aeneas Williams, the Rams would receive a higher grade than the
Seahawks. |
|
San Diego Chargers |
10 |
5 |
9 |
5 |
| LaDainian Tomlinson
gives them a legitimate running back, and QB Drew Brees falling to the
second round made the Michael Vick trade look good. |
|
Detroit Lions |
12 |
8 |
5 |
6 |
| OT Jeff Backus and
C/G Dominic Raiola upgrade the offensive line, and DT Shaun Rogers was a
steal at No. 61. Also, taking Mike McMahon in the fifth round
offsets the team passing over Brees in the first. |
|
New York Giants |
7 |
10 |
10 |
7 |
| The Giants ignored
tight end and the offensive line, but their problems at cornerback should
be solved by Will Allen and William Peterson. Also, they did very
well in the mid-rounds with DE Cedric Scott, QB Jesse Palmer, and WR
Jonathan Carter. |
|
Atlanta Falcons |
5 |
4 |
18 |
8 |
| Michael Vick should
energize the Falcons franchise, but the club did not adequately address
wide receiver and the offensive and defensive lines. |
|
Philadelphia Eagles |
15 |
11 |
3 |
9 |
| The Eagles addressed most of their needs with their first four picks, including two
potential stars in WR Freddie Mitchell and LB Quinton Caver. |
|
Green Bay Packers |
16 |
12 |
6 |
10 |
| Despite having only
six picks, the Packers addressed many of their needs and got good value in
the process. My favorite Green Bay pick was LB Torrance Marshall at
No. 72. |
|
New Orleans Saints |
13 |
19 |
4 |
11 |
| RB Deuce McAllister
was one of the biggest steals of the draft at No. 23, and the Saints also
got great value with LB Sedrick Hodge at No. 70 and DT Kenny Smith at No.
81. |
|
Buffalo Bills |
2 |
14 |
21 |
12 |
| With 12 picks, the
Bills collected a lot of talent, but I question the positions they choose
to address with their top selections. |
|
Jacksonville Jaguars |
6 |
15 |
22 |
13 |
| Taking DT Marcus
Stroud and passing over OT Kenyatta Walker was a bad move. However,
the team did rebound in the second round with OT Maurice
Williams. |
|
Washington Redskins |
20 |
13 |
11 |
14 |
| The Skins had only
five picks, but they made them count. WR Rod Gardner was a solid
number-one selection, and CB Fred Smoot will be a second-round steal if he
stays out of trouble. |
|
Cleveland Browns |
19 |
9 |
19 |
15 |
| I definitely agreed
with the team taking DT Gerard Warren at No. 3, but many of the Browns'
following picks appeared questionable. |
|
Minnesota Vikings |
18 |
7 |
23 |
16 |
| RB Michael Bennett
and DL Willie Howard were solid first- and second-round picks. The
remainder of the Vikings' draft had many scratching their
heads. |
|
Chicago Bears |
17 |
21 |
12 |
17 |
| The Bears had a
up-and-down draft. For every good move, such as taking WR David
Terrell, they followed it with a reach like RB Anthony Thomas. |
|
Arizona Cardinals |
8 |
16 |
28 |
18 |
| Considering the
Cards' strengths and weaknesses, OT Leonard Davis seemed to be the wrong
pick at No. 2. Arizona came out of the draft having only moderately
addressed their woeful defensive line, and lost cornerback Aeneas Williams
in the process. |
|
Denver Broncos |
21 |
27 |
7 |
19 |
| The Broncos did a
solid job despite having only six picks. They addressed their
biggest need -- defensive end -- with back-to-back selections of Paul
Toviessi and Reggie Hayward, and WR Kevin Kasper was a sixth-round bargain. |
|
Carolina Panthers |
9 |
17 |
29 |
20 |
| LB Dan Morgan was a
great selection by the Panthers, but the team failed to improve at
cornerback and running back. |
|
Baltimore Ravens |
25 |
18 |
13 |
21 |
| TE Todd Heap was a
steal at No. 31, and the Ravens addressed immediate needs with their next
two selections -- S Gary Baxter and C/G Casey Rabach. However, their
late-round selections were questionable. |
|
Tennessee Titans |
23 |
22 |
14 |
22 |
| Throw in the Kevin
Carter trade, and the Titans had a very good draft. Many of their
picks, including WR Justin McCareins, RB Dan Alexander, and LB Keith
Adams, have big upsides, though TE Shad Meier and WR Eddie Berlin may have
been taken too early. |
|
Miami Dolphins |
14 |
25 |
24 |
23 |
| The first-round
selection of CB Jamar Fletcher was a poor pick. The team did make
some nice selections, including taking WR Chris Chambers in the second
round, but they are still hurting at quarterback, linebacker, and
safety. |
|
Indianapolis Colts |
24 |
26 |
15 |
24 |
| Reggie Wayne is a
perfect complement for wide receiver Marvin Harrison. Also, Idrees
Bashir should start immediately at safety, but the Colts did not
adequately upgrade the rest of their defense. |
|
Oakland Raiders |
26 |
20 |
20 |
25 |
| Safety Derrick Gibson
fills an immediate need, and DE DeLawrence Grant (3rd round) and WR
Ken-Yon Rambo (7th round) were steals. At the same time, QB Marques
Tuiasosopo was a reach in the second round, and the club totally ignored
their needs at linebacker. |
|
New York Jets |
22 |
29 |
17 |
26 |
| Santana Moss adds
spark to the Jets offense, but did they need to trade up to get him?
Also, RB LaMont Jordan gives the team a quality backup behind Curtis
Martin, but the club failed to upgrade its suspect defensive
line. |
|
Pittsburgh Steelers |
27 |
23 |
25 |
27 |
| DT Casey Hampton was
a stretch at No. 19, but the Steelers did rebound with the second-round
selection of LB Kendrell Bell. After Bell, they did not get a lot of
value. |
|
Tampa Bay |
29 |
28 |
26 |
28 |
| The Bucs came away
with only one sure prospect, but it is doubtful that they care because Kenyatta Walker,
a stud offensive tackle, could be the last piece to their Super Bowl
puzzle. |
|
Dallas Cowboys |
30 |
24 |
30 |
29 |
| The selections of
Carter and Dixon were laughable, but the Cowboys did rebound some with the
fourth- and fifth-round picks of LB Markus Steele and G/C Matt
Lehr. |
|
Cincinnati Bengals |
28 |
30 |
27 |
30 |
| DE Justin Smith was
the correct pick at No. 4, but it all went downhill from there. WR
Chad Johnson was a good value at No. 36, but the team had bigger needs
elsewhere and failed to fill those voids with their later
picks. |
|
Kansas City Chiefs |
31 |
31 |
31 |
31 |
| Not including the
trade for QB Trent Green, the Chiefs had a stinker of a draft. Their
best selection was Derrick Blaylock, a sleeper running back, in the fifth
round. Even counting the acquisition of Green would not put the
Chiefs' grade among the top 20. |
