2004 NFL Draft - Team Grades

Grade A 

1. DETROIT – The Lions were able to address their biggest needs with two top-40 players – RB Kevin Jones (1-30) and LB Teddy Lehman (2-37) – and at the same time, they came away with WR Roy Williams (1-7), who was arguably the most physically gifted athlete in this draft.  The Lions added two other promising prospects in the later rounds – CB Keith Smith (3-73) and OT Kelly Butler (6-172), who would have gone much higher if it were not for some off-the-field problems just before the draft. 
    

2. ARIZONA – Top pick Larry Fitzgerald did not necessarily fill an immediate need, but he was arguably the top receiver in the draft.  The Cards also added two excellent prospects – LB Karlos Dansby (2-33) and DT Darnell Dockett (3-64) – to boost their very suspect defense.  In addition, they selected Alex Stepanovich (4-100) and Nick Leckey (6-167), two of the highest rated prospects at center.  The main problem with Arizona’s draft was that the team ignored the cornerback position, a hole that could have been filled by trading down and taking DeAngelo Hall or Dunta Robinson in the first round. 
    

3. ATLANTA – The Falcons got very good value and filled two major needs with their top selections – CB DeAngelo Hall (1-8) and WR Michael Jenkins (1-29).  QB Matt Schaub (3-90) is a bright prospect to groom as Michael Vick’s backup, and LB Demorrio Williams, DT Chad Lavalais, and S Etric Pruitt have the potential to be solid contributors.  On the down side, the Falcons did not adequately address their needs at offensive tackle and defensive end. 
    

4. SAN FRANCISCO – The 49ers traded down several times but that did not stop them from acquiring a lot of quality talent, and it was not difficult for the team to receive a high grade for filling needs since it could use help almost everywhere.  Top pick Rashaun Woods (1-31) and Derrick Hamilton (3-77) will help offset the loss of wide receivers Terrell Owens and Tai Streets, and the same could be said of G Justin Smiley (2-46), who may be asked to start for departed Pro Bowler Ron Stone.  CB Shawntae Spencer (2-58) and DT Isaac Sopoaga (4-104) are solid prospects who should contribute down the road, and QB Cody Pickett was a nice sleeper pick in the seventh round. 
    

5. SAN DIEGO – Given their numerous needs, and the fact that Eli Manning had no desire to play in San Diego, the Chargers sending Manning to the Giants appears to be a good move.  Not only did the Bolts get New York’s first-round pick this year (QB Phillip Rivers), but they also received the Giants’ first- and fifth-round picks in 2005.  Rivers was the only big-name player that the Chargers added during the draft, but they collected a host of solid prospects to replenish their depleted roster, including DT Igor Olshansky (2-35), the draft’s best kicker Nate Kaeding (3-65), C Nate Hardwick (3-66), DE/LB Shaun Phillips (4-98), and RB Michael Turner (5-154).  However, the team did not take a wide receiver, a position where San Diego desperately needs help.  
    

6. TENNESSEE – As usual, Tennessee quietly had an outstanding draft.  Year after year, the team losses a number of quality free agents, but the club’s ability to replenish the roster in the draft keeps it in playoff contention.  The Titans managed to pull off one of the best draft-day trades, sending the 27^th overall selection to Houston for second-, third-, fourth-, and fifth-round picks.  As a result, Tennessee had a total of 13 picks.  The team significantly bolstered the defensive line with four solid prospects – DE Travis Laboy (2-42), DE Antwan Odom (2-57), DT Randy Starks (3-71), and DE Bo Schobel (4-103).  The Titans also landed one of the top tight ends in the draft, Ben Troupe (2-40), and FB Troy Fleming (6-191) has the potential to be a feature runner in their one-back offense. 
    

7. MINNESOTA – The Vikings had a number of quality players fall into their lap.  They managed to take the best available talent and address their two biggest voids at the same time with the selections of DE Kenechi Udeze (1-20), LB Dontarrious Thomas (2-48), DE Darrion Scott (3-88).  OT Nat Dorsey and RB Mewelde Moore, both of whom slipped farther than expected, did not match any immediate needs, but the two prospects represented great value in the fourth round. 

Grade B

1. OAKLAND – The Raiders drafted more for talent than for need, and in the process, they ended up with the best offensive tackle (Robert Gallery – 1^st round) and center (Jake Grove – 2^nd round) in the draft.  They also nabbed one of the top safeties in the third round with the selection of Stuart Schweigert.  However, the team ignored its primary needs (QB and WR) until late in the fourth round.  Speedsters Carlos Francis (4-99) and Johnnie Morant (5-134) may help at wideout, but the Raiders passed on grabbing a stud passer to groom behind the aging Rich Gannon.
    

2. NEW ENGLAND – It is rather amazing that a Super Bowl champion could have such a good draft, but that’s exactly what the Patriots managed to do.  The Pats significantly strengthened their defensive line with the additions of DT Vince Wilfork (1-21) and DE Marquise Hill (2-63).  The team also added an explosive tight end in Ben Watson (1-32).  The team did not stop there, adding other prospects with significant potential in the later rounds, including RB Cedric Cobb (4-128) and WR P.K. Sam (5-164).  On the downside, the club did not address their needs at cornerback and inside linebacker. 
    

3. SEATTLE - Due to offseason losses, the Seahawks’ two primary concerns heading into the draft were defensive tackle and middle linebacker.  Highly-rated DT Marcus Tubbs fell into their lap at the 23^rd overall spot, and fellow DT Craig Terrill (6-189) was added for depth.  The club also selected Niko Koutouvides (4-116), one of the top inside linebackers available.  In between Tubbs and Koutouvides, the Seahawks were able to grab two other quality players – speedy LB Michael Boulware (2-53), who may be converted to safety, and G Sean Locklear (3-84).  The team also made a nice sleeper pick with the selection of WR D.J. Hackett (5-157).
    

4. DENVER – The Broncos mainly focused on their needs in the draft, selecting talented OLB D.J. Williams (1-17), speedy RB Tatum Bell (2-41), and fleet wide receivers Darius Watts (2-54) and Triandos Luke (6-171).  Williams should be able to start immediately, and Bell will be in the mix to replace the departed Clinton Portis.  Cornerback Jeremy LaSueur (3-85) was also a solid pick, but the team ignored its needs at offensive and defensive tackle.
    

5. NY JETS – The Jets focused on their primary needs in the early part of the draft, taking three promising prospects with their first three picks – LB Jonathan Vilma (1-12), CB Derrick Strait (3-76), and WR Jerricho Cotchery (4-108).  The former two players may have an opportunity to start immediately.  The Jets also selected a number of athletic sleepers in the later rounds – OT Adrian Jones (4-132), LB Darrell Glover (7-213), DE/LB Trevor Johnson (7-234), and S Rashad Washington (7-236).
    

6. CINCINNATI – The Bengals had a solid but not a spectacular draft.  Chris Perry (1-26) was a good pickup, but he may have been available in the second round, and with Rudi Johnson already on the roster, running back was not an immediate need.  Cornerback and defensive tackle were the team’s biggest concerns, and it is questionable if the club adequately addressed those areas with the selections of CB Keiwan Ratliff (2-49), DT Matthew Askew (4-114), and CB Greg Brooks (6-183).  Safety Madieu Williams (2-56) is a promising prospect, but he was a bit of a reach in the second round.  Athletic OL Stacy Andrews (4-123) was a nice sleeper selection, but he lacks experience and will be a project.
    

7. PITTSBURGH – The Steelers finally addressed the quarterback position in the draft, taking strong-armed Ben Roethlisberger with the 11^th overall selection.  Roethlisberger should be starting by next season.  With their next two picks, the Steelers addressed their immediate concerns, taking CB Ricardo Colclough (2-38) and OT Max Starks (3-75).  Those two promising prospects could also be starting in the near future. 
    

8. CAROLINA – The Panthers focused on filling the gaps in their roster, drafting more for need than value.  This strategy is not surprising for a team that made it to the Super Bowl last season.   CB Chris Gamble (1-28) and G Travelle Wharton (3-94) will help offset the free-agent losses of Reggie Howard and Jeno James, respectively, and both rookies have a shot at starting this year.  The team’s receiving corps received a needed injection of youth with the additions of WRs Keary Colbert (2-62) and Drew Carter (5-163).  The only area of concern that the team did not address was free safety, but the Panthers should be able to sign a decent free agent at that spot before training camp begins. 

Grade C 

1. NEW ORLEANS – Based on their primary needs (CB, LB, and G in that order), New Orleans was not in a good spot (18^th) in the first round.  With the top two linebackers and corners gone, the Saints could either take G Vernon Carey or make a value pick.  They did the latter, selecting DE Will Smith, a player who was rated by some as a top-ten pick.  Smith does not fill an immediate need, but he is nice insurance if the club has trouble signing franchise player Darren Howard.  The team was able to address the linebacker position in the second round by selecting the underrated Courtney Watson (2-60), and they bolstered their aging and often-injured receiving corps with the addition of WR Devery Henderson (2-50).  Rodney Leisle (5-139) was a good value in the fifth round, and he should give the team needed depth at defensive tackle.  
    

2. Jacksonville – The Jaguars did not do the best that they could at filling their biggest holes (WR, DE, and TE), and a few of their picks had to be classified as reaches, including LB Jorge Cordova (3-86) and DT Anthony Maddox (4-118).  Top pick WR Reggie Williams (1-9) was a quality addition that filled an immediate need, but the Jags probably could have traded down a few spots and still been in a position to get him.  LB Daryl Smith (2-39) and RB Greg Jones (2-56) are promising prospects, but they did not address any of the team’s immediate concerns.  WR Ernest Wilford (4-120) was a nice sleeper pick, but the team traded away veteran wideout Kevin Johnson to get him. 
    

3. CLEVELAND – The Browns grabbed the best tight end in the draft, Kellen Winslow (1-6), a Tony Gonzalez-like talent, and Sean Jones (2-59), the second-highest rated safety in the draft.  Both players represented good value and filled needs for the club.  QB Luke McCown and RB Adimchinobe Echemandu were also nice sleeper picks.  However, the Browns paid a hefty price (their first- and second-round picks) for the right to move up one slot and take Winslow, and they also sent three picks to the Colts to move back into the second round.  As a result, the team ended up with just six overall picks. 
    

4. NY GIANTS – Though their greatest weak spots were the offensive line, middle linebacker and safety, the Giants wanted QB Eli Manning very badly.  Manning was the No. 1 player on nearly everyone’s draft board, and New York paid a very high price to get him – their first-round pick (Philip Rivers), their third-round pick, and first- and fifth-rounders in 2005.  In addition, incumbent starting QB Kerry Collins was unwilling to renegotiate his contract, and he was subsequently released on Wednesday.  In the second round, the club addressed the o-line by selecting G Chris Snee (2-34).  Many of the team’s other picks appeared to be reaches, but athletic DE Isaac Hilton (7-253) was a seventh-round steal. 
    

5. HOUSTON – The Texans made a very good pick to open the draft – CB Dunta Robinson (1-10), who should step in and start immediately for a team that struggled to stop the pass in 2003.  However, they appeared to have made one of the worst draft-day trades when they sent four picks (one each in Rounds 2-5) to Tennessee for OLB Jason Babin (1-27), a borderline first-rounder who did not fill an immediate need.  The Texans made a few nice sleeper picks in the later rounds – S Glenn Earl (4-122), CB Vontez Duff (6-170) and RB/DB Jamal Lord (6-175), but they did not adequately address their defensive line, which is especially weak at tackle.
    

6. CHICAGO – The Bears addressed all their major needs (DL, OLB, CB, WR), but in the process, they may have not received the best value with their selections.  DT Tommie Harris (1-14), DT/DE Tank Johnson (2-47), and DE Claude Harriott (5-147) should add much-needed quickness and pass-rushing skills to the d-line.  CB Nathan Vasher (4-110) and LB Leon Joe (4-112) were added to boost the other weak spots on the defensive side of the ball.  On offense, WR Bernard Berrian (3-78) may have an opportunity to start if former first-round pick David Terrell continues to underachieve.
    

7. BUFFALO – As expected, the Bills addressed their sluggish offense in the draft, selecting sure-handed and speedy WR Lee Evans (1-13) and QB J.P. Losman (1-22) in the first round.  They also added a decent prospect at tight end, Tim Euhus (4-109).  However, with the exception of Montana OT Dylan McFarland (7-207), the club ignored its suspect offensive line, and the cost to move up and get Losman, a borderline first-round pick with character issues, seem a bit pricey (second- and fifth-round picks, plus a 2005 first-rounder).  On defense, Tim Anderson (3-74) should give the team reliable depth at tackle, but finding a quality defensive end should have been the priority.
    

8. PHILADELPHIA – With veteran G John Welbourne wanting out of Philadelphia, the Eagles moved up in the first round to draft mammoth lineman Shawn Andrews (1-16).  The Birds added three other linemen in the subsequent rounds, but none are a sure thing to make the final roster.  The cost to get Andrews was first- and second-round picks, but the team was able to recoup a few picks by trading Welbourne to Kansas City for a fifth-rounder and a fourth-rounder in 2005.  The Eagles’ other main concerns heading into the draft were cornerback and running back, and it is questionable how much the team actually helped itself at those spots.  Matt Ware (3-89), who may be better suited to play at free safety, and Dexter Wynn (6-192) were added at corner, and the undersized-but-speedy Bruce Perry (7-242) was added at RB.  The team also selected Thomas Tapeh (5-162), the best pure fullback in the draft.
    

9. ST. LOUIS – The Rams traded up in the first round to grab RB Steven Jackson, who was generally considered the best back in the draft.  At that spot, Jackson was a very good value, but the club ignored more pressing needs (DE, G, and TE) in the process.  With Grant Wistrom departing for Seattle and Leonard Little facing a possible suspension for off-the-field troubles, defensive end was, by far, the team’s biggest concern.  They took a gamble on DE Tony Hargrove (3-91), who was academically ineligible last season and then turned pro after what would have been his junior season.  Hargrove was the only end that was selected by the Rams.  LB Brian Chillar (4-130) and S Jason Shivers (5-158) are promising defensive prospects, and QB Jeff Smoker (6-201) could develop into a solid signal caller down the road. 
    

10. DALLAS – The Cowboys’ draft doesn’t appear to be much on paper, but I’ll give them a passing grade for acquiring Buffalo’s first-round pick in 2005.  By trading out of the first round, Dallas passed on a chance to get Steven Jackson.  Instead, they gambled on Notre Dame’s Julius Jones (2-43), who is roughly the same size as Curtis Martin and Emmitt Smith but has more speed.  The Cowboys addressed their other immediate needs with their next three picks, selecting OT Jacob Rogers (2-52), G Stephen Peterman (3-83), and CB Bruce Thornton (4-121).  Like Jones, the Cowboys took Peterman and Thornton before they were projected to go. 
     

11. GREEN BAY – The Packers had an up-and-down draft.  The club’s first two picks were corners – Ahmad Carroll (1-25) was a bit of a reach in the first round but Joey Thomas (3-70) was a steal in the third.  DT Donnell Washington (3-72) was also a third-round bargain, but the selection of B.J. Sander (3-87) later in the third was a surprise even though he was the best punter in the draft.  When it was all said and done, the Packers had addressed their concerns at cornerback, but they failed to come away with a much-needed defensive end and a promising prospect to groom behind QB Brett Favre.
     

12. KANSAS CITY – With their biggest needs at WR, DT and MLB (in that order), Chiefs fans have to be very disappointed with the team’s draft.  The Chiefs had an opportunity to select WR Rashaun Woods in the first round, but instead, they traded down and took DT Jonathan Siavii (2-36), who was not considered a day-one pick by many.  Kansas City continued to reach in the subsequent rounds, including the selections of TE Kris Wilson (2-61), LB Keyaron Fox (3-93), WR Sami Parker (4-105), and DE Jared Allen (4-126).  If it were not for the acquisition of veteran OL John Welbourne from the Eagles, the Chiefs would not have received a passing grade. 

Grade D

1. TAMPA BAY – The Bucs’ came into the draft with no pressing needs, but depth and youth was a concern at a number of spots (DT, S, MLB, OLB, CB, RB, and WR).  Their first three picks addressed several of those concerns.  WR Michael Clayton (1-15) is a fundamentally sound prospect who will eventually replace Keenan McCardell as the No. 1 receiver, while LB Marquis Cooper (3-79) and S Will Allen (4-111) are welcome additions to the defense.  Jeb Terry (5-146) is a solid prospect at guard, but he was not needed because the team added a number of free-agent linemen in the offseason.  The rest of the team’s picks, which included two Ivy Leaguers, were very suspect. 
2. BALTIMORE – The Ravens had just six total picks and no first-rounders, so it is not too surprising that they had a sub-par draft.  The team’s main concern was finding help at wide receiver, and that was accomplished with the selections of Devard Darling (3-82), Clarence Moore (6-199) and Derrick Abney (7-244), plus the acquisition of veteran wideout Kevin Johnson from Jacksonville for a fourth-round pick.  The team’s top pick, DT Dwan Edwards (2-51), will add needed depth to the d-line, and QB Josh Harris (6-187) is an intriguing sleeper.  
3. MIAMI – With four offensive line starters gone from last season, it is not surprising that the Dolphins focused on strengthening the o-line.  Top pick Vernon Carey (1-19) was generally considered to be the best guard in the draft, and he could be used at right tackle.  The club added C Rex Hadnot (6-174) and G/T Tony Pape (7-221) in the later rounds.  The team also bolstered the secondary with the additions of CB Will Poole (4-102), a fourth-round steal, and S Tony Bua (5-160).  The team did not select a quarterback, a position of major concern for the team, but with veterans such as Kerry Collins and Kurt Warner available, the Dolphins may address that area before training camp opens. 
4. WASHINGTON – With only four picks, the Redskins were bound to receive a low grade.  Top pick Sean Taylor (1-5) was one of the gems of this year’s draft class, and he should start immediately at safety.  After passing over Kellen Winslow, the Skins traded up to select Utah State TE Chris Cooley (3-81), who was a bit of a reach at that spot.  The club also added needed depth at offensive tackle with the selections of Mark Wilson (5-151) and Jim Molinaro (6-180). 

Grade F

1. INDIANAPOLIS – The Colts traded down three times before making their first selection.  The first swap took them out of the first round. The other two involved sliding back in the second round.  The moves brought the team additional picks, but based on the talent selected, the Colts would have been better off staying put.  The club wisely focused on the defensive side of the ball, adding safety Bob Sanders (2-44), linebackers Gilbert Gardner (3-69) and Kendyll Pope (4-107), and cornerbacks Jason David (4-125) and Von Hutchins (6-173).  Of that group, Sanders appears to be the only good bet to be a significant contributor.  The team also added Ben Harstock (3-68), a solid prospect at TE.