I am going to be watching the NFL Draft first round so i figured I would comment on each pick. I will be grading the picks based on what I think each team needs and not so much on the player they take. I am not a College Football fan, so it would be unfair for me to pretend I know much about any of these guys.
The Lions are on the clock.....
1. Detroit Lions- QB Matthew Stafford. After 0-16 last year the Lions need to completely start over. While taking a QB with the first pick is sometimes risky, I believe it is the right way to rebuild a franchise. Stafford will have one of the best weapons in the league to throw to in Calvin Johnson and should be given a chance to start right away. Grade A
2. St. Louis Rams- OT Jason Smith. Rumor has it that the Rams were going to take Sanchez, but with a lot of money invested in Marc Bulger the Rams decided he was their guy. Bulger has shown he talent in the past and I believe a big reason this franchise has been so bad recently is the offensive line. Drafting a tackle high is always a smart move especially when you have some talent at the skill postions. Grade A+
3. Kansas City Cheifs- DE Tyson Jackson. The word on Tyson Jackson is his best attritube is hustle. To me the 3rd overall pick should not be a guy who is best known for hustle. Jackson is a DE who does not really get to the QB, but does fit the 3-4 system well because he is a smart player. Scott Pioli has a great history of drafting defensive linemen so I will give him the benefit of the doubt somewhat. Grade C
4. Seattle Seahawks- OLB Aaron Curry. The Seahawks were in the same position the Rams were as far as taking Mark Sanchez. The Hawks have a QB in Matt Hasselbeck and are a solid team who were destroyed by injuries last year. Curry was the best linebacker in college last season and fills the hole left by Julian Peterson's departure. Also watching this kid it appears he is genuinely happy to be there and did not take being a top 10 pick for granted. Curry seems to be a guy who is going to a leader on and off the field for many years for the Hawks. Grade A+
***Trade- Browns get Jets 1st and 2nd round pick as well as Kenyon Coleman, Abram Elam & Brett Ratliff***
5. New York Jets- QB Mark Sanchez. Some will not like this pick, but I absolultey love it. Sanchez has a ton of talent and will not be relied upon to carry the team. The Jets have a very good offesnive line which of course means they also have a good running game. Sanchez will come to a team ready to compete for a playoff spot and should be able to learn on the job. Of course being a Jet fan there is always a negative feeling at the draft, but I think this is a great pick. Looking at the trade, the Jets did not give up anything of value besides the 2nd round pick. Grade A+
6. Cincinnati Bengals- OT Andre Smith. The Bengals are another team with some takent at the skill positions that needed an offensive linemen. If this kid can protect Carson Palmer, the Benglas offense will be alot better this year. Still a long way to go for them but like I said before, anytime you can build your offense on a tackle you do it. Grade A+
7. Oakland Raiders- WR Darrius Heyward-Bey. Once again the Raiders prove to the league why they are always picking in the top 10. Heyward-Bey has been rated as the 4th best wide reciever in the draft and the Raiders took him first. Al Davis is obsessed with speed and drafted this kid purely on his 40 time. Looking at his reaction, it looked like he was not happy to be drafted by them...would you be? Grade F
8. Jacksonville Jaguars- OT Eugene Monroe. Another tackle taken in the top 10 and I love it. Teams are learning that they have to build their team around the tackle. Good pick by Jacksonville because they just paid Jones-Drew and Holt and the tackle should allow the offense to be stronger than it was last year. Grade A+
9. Green Bay Packers- DT B.J Raji. I liked the idea of them taking Crabtree and doubling him with Jennings, but they needed help on defense. They were at the bottom of the league in rush defense and points allowed so Raji should help anchor the line. Good decision not making the sexy pick in Crabtree but instead picking for need. Grade A
10. San Francisco 49ers- WR Michael Crabtree. The 49ers may have gotten a steal taking Crabtree with the 10th pick. He is the best WR in the draft and he will have a great mentor in Issac Bruce. The niners could have used help on defense butit is hard to pass up the talent of a Crabtree at 10. Grade A+
11. Buffalo Bills- DE Aaron Maybin. The Bills need help on defense espically at defensive end. Maybin is touted as a great pass rusher and the Bills are desperate for just that. The leader of sacks on the Bills last year had just 4 and Maybin should be able to fit right in.
Grade A
12. Denver Broncos- RB Knowshon Moreno. With Mike Shanahan out in Denver the Broncos are looking to keep the Running Back tradition going. Moreno is an elusive back who has great hands out of the back field and should be a weapon that contributes right away. Personally I think the Broncos needed to adress the defense after how bad it was last season. There is a log jam now at RB in Denever so I am not completley sold on this pick. Grade C
13. Washington Redskins- De Brian Orakpo. Orakpo is a strong defensive end who will benefit greatly playing next to big Albert Haynesworth. In a division where your three rivals all have a good QB a good pass rusher is needed. The Skins jumped at this pick taking just 3 minutes to make it. Grade A
14. New Orleans Saints- CB Malcom Jenkins. Everyone knows the biggest weakness on the Saints the last few years has been the defense. Jenkins is a versatlie DB who some say can play either CB or FS, and looking at the Saints secondary last year they can use help at every poisiton back there. Jenkins is physical and a very good in coverage lacking only speed to make him a top 10 pick. Grade A
15. Houston Texans- LB Brian Cushing. Cushing is one of those linebackers that can do it all. He is said to be very strong against the run as well as getting to the QB and covering backs out of the backfield. The Texans needed help at linebacker especially on the strong side and Cushing should fit right in. Brian was also said to be the leader of the USC defense and that could prove to be imporatant for this Texans defense down the line. Grade A
***I wish Erin Andrews could interview me***
16. San Diego Chargers- DE Larry English. The Chargers are another team who needed help on defense and English is a good 3-4 LB. This is more of an insurance policy for Merriman if he his not fully recovered from knee surgery. Grade C
***Trade- Browns get Bucs 1st and 6th round pick***
17. Tampa Bay Bucs- QB Josh Freeman. The Bucs needed a QB and were worried the Broncos were going to take Freeman. Josh has the arm to play in the NFL and has the body size. While Freeman was ranked as the 3rd best QB in the draft there were a lot of worries about how consistent of a player he really is. He got drafted on his physical ability alone and will have to put in a lot of work to learn the NFL game. Grade C-
18. Denver Broncos- DE Robery Ayers. Denever needed a QB after the dumb Cutler trade, but what they needed more was defensive players. Another guy who is listed as a perfect 3-4 player. Bottom line is the Broncos needed help on the defensive side of the ball and Ayers was a guy whose stock has been climbing. Grade B
***Trade- Browns get Eagles 1st and 6th round pick***
19. Philadelphia Eagles-WR Jeremy Maclin. I feel like every year the Eagles are taking the same guy. They have a bunch of medicore WRs on their roster and it seems like Maclin is just another one of those guys. Word is he can catch the screen and is good in the open field which could fit the system well. I just don't understand why they didn't trade for Boldin. Grade D
20. Detroit Lions-TE Brandon Pettigrew. Pettigrew is a TE who is said to be a complete player. He can be a good pass catcher and is a great run blocker. I love this pick because a TE is the best target for a young QB and Stafford and Pettigrew could be a nice combo for a long time to come. Grade A
21. Clevland Browns-C Alex Mack. After trading this pick twice the Browns finally decide to make a pick. Although I hate Mangini I think he did a good job selecting a C here. The team needs to rebuild and Eric was probably influence by the Nick Mangold pick he made in his first year with the Jets. Mack is the best player at his position and I never have a problem rebuilding from the offesnive line out. Grade B
22. Minnesota Vikings-WR Percy Harvin. This reminds me of the Randy Moss pick the Vikings made...a WR who had a troubled past that had a ton of talent. Harvin proved on the biggest stage that he is an unstopable weapon that can play in the slot or out of the backfield. If he can avoid the off the field troubles this will be a steal. Grade A+ or F- so ill go C
***Trade- Patriots get Ravens 1st and 5th round pick***
23. Baltimore Ravens- OT Michael Oher. The feel good story with the book and movie about him, Oher is another offensive tackle taken. I love this pick because the Ravens have a talented QB and anytime you can add protection for him it helps. Grade A
24. Atlanta Falcons- DT Peria Jerry. Back to back Ole Miss players and both are trench players. Anytime you can take a DT from the SEC I say make the pick. The Falcons needed a player who could get to the QB and Peria is a great pass rushing tackle. My only problem is Id rather take a run stopping DT than a pass rushing one and leave the sacks for the DE. Grade B
25. Miami Dolphis- CB Vonte Davis. Bill Parcells made this pick so I like it. This team needed help in the secondary because Will Allen is a starting corner. Davis is listed as a physical corner who can tackle with the best of them. Sounds like a Parcells guy to me. Grade B
***Trade- Patriots get Packers 2nd and (2) 3rd round picks. Packers also get Patriots 5th round pick ***
26. Green Bay Packers- LB Clay Matthews. Like I said the Packers needed defesnive help and this is the 2nd player they have taken on that side of the ball. This is a 3-4 LB who can rush the passer and will play on the other side A.J Hawk. They needed defensive help and they got it. Grade B+
27. Indianapolis Colts- RB Donald Brown. With Joseph Addai being banged up a lot last year, the Colts needed a second back and really did not have one. Brown is a speed back who can catch the ball out of the backfield and is a good fit as a 3rd down back. Grade B+
28. Buffallo Bills- C Eric Wood. Wood is touted as a smart player and to me if you can grab a smart center you have done a good job. The Bills really did not have a center on their roster of any value so this kid is going to come in and play right away. Grade B
29. New York Giants-WR Hakeen Nicks. The Giants obivously needed a WR and Nicks is a good fit. Nicks is a big reciver who has good hands and can go get the ball. I would rather have seen them make a move for Boldin but if Nicks can contriubte right away this could prove to be a good pick. Grade C
30. Tennesse Titans 30- WR Kenny Britt. The Titans really do not have a big time WR and Britt will be a solid fit. He is a big physical reciver who is supposedly a great route runner. I like to hear that about a rookie reciever because it means he is a smart player and is going to adjust well to the pro game. Britt is also a solid run blocker which will help one of the best running games in the league. I still have a problem with teams taking a WR and not trading for Boldin, but Britt was a very solid pick. Grade B
31. Arizona Cardinals- RB Chris Wells. WOW. The defending NFC champions were dead last in the league running the ball last year and they got the best back in the draft. Wells is a power player who can be an every down back in the NFL. This means the end of Edgerrin James in Arizona which will prove to be a good thing. They filled their biggest need with the 31st team and got the best player at that position. Grade A+
32. Pittsburgh Steelers- DT Evander Hood. This guy just sounds like a Steeler and at 300 lbs he is. This kid is said to be a tough kid who isn't afraid to get down and dirty in the trenches. Again, sounds like a Steeler to me. Grade B
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