2012 NFL Draft Grades

Vikings Draft 2012

stevenlourie 2012 NFL Draft Grades, 2012 NFL Off-Season

4. OT Matt Kalil A

I mocked Matt Kalil to the Vikings in my final mock draft because I thought their interest in Morris Claiborne was just a smokescreen to try to get someone to move up. I didn’t think any team would actually be stupid enough to take Claiborne over Kalil in their situation. Looks like I was right. The Vikings made the smart move as it would be incredibly stupid not to give your first round quarterback a fair shot to prove himself and give yourself a fair shot to evaluate him.

The Vikings aren’t going to be very good this year no matter what, but they need to be able to come out of the season knowing whether Ponder is the guy going forward or not because I have a feeling they’ll be in a situation where a top quarterback prospect is available to them next season. They simply couldn’t evaluate him under the circumstances he played in last season. Props to the Vikings for taking the right guy and also props for getting the Browns to trade up for a guy they didn’t need to trade up for.

29. S Harrison Smith A

Another reason why Morris Claiborne didn’t make any sense to the Vikings: the Vikings run a cover 2. The whole point of a cover 2 is to you don’t need elite cornerbacks to run it. Cornerbacks almost always have safety help over the top. Too bad the Vikings’ safeties were absolute shit last season. This safety class falls off a cliff after the top 2 guys so it was very smart of the Vikings to move up and insure they could get Smith, especially since it didn’t cost them any more than what they got from Cleveland to move down from 3 to 4.

66. CB Josh Robinson A

Another reason why Morris Claiborne didn’t make any sense to the Vikings: this was an incredibly deep cornerback class. Robinson was a 2nd round prospect in my book so he’s a solid value at the top of the 3rd.

118. WR Jarius Wright B

In order to help them evaluate Christian Ponder, they needed receiver help. However, Wright was a slight reach by my board and I don’t think he’s an outside receiver at the next level. They already have a slot guy in Percy Harvin.

128. TE Rhett Ellison C+

Ellison is a great football player, but they already have a fullback and they spent a 2nd round pick on a tight end last year and another 25 million on another one this year so I don’t see where Ellison fits. At the very least, he’s going to be a good special teamer, but the Vikings had bigger needs than that in the 4th round.

134. WR Greg Childs A

Childs is more of an outside receiver than his former (and current) teammate Greg Childs. He’s also a better value.

139. CB Robert Blanton B

The Vikings sure do love golden domers: Smith, Blanton, Kyle Rudolph, John Carlson. They did need another defensive back and Blanton can play both safety and cornerback, but this is a little early for him.

175. K Blair Walsh B+

I had Blair Walsh as a draftable kicker and Ryan Longwell is getting up there in age, but he’s also under contract for 3 more years and he was solid last year. I don’t believe in carrying two kickers, so I don’t quite know what they’re doing here.

210. MLB Audie Cole A-

Cole is a great value in the 7th, but he doesn’t cover well. That’s a problem because the Vikings already have a bunch of linebackers who can’t cover and they run a cover 2 scheme that relies on linebackers being able to cover. It’s just a 7th rounder though and he’s a great value at a position of need.

219. DE Trevor Guyton A

Guyton can play inside or outside depending on where they put Christian Ballard and they needed a defensive lineman like that. I had a 5th round grade on Guyton so he’s a great value in the 7th.

I already went into detail why I love the Matt Kalil pick. Same with the Harrison Smith pick and the Josh Robinson pick. I’m not loving the Blair Walsh pick and I don’t think Audie Cole and Jarius Wright were the best fits for their situations at those respective positions, but this was a very strong draft which should make the Vikings a better team in the long term. At least they’ll be able to evaluate Ponder adequately this year and if he doesn’t succeed, they’ll probably have a high pick to replace him and that high pick will have a good left tackle protecting his blindside. They also filled some major holes on defense, especially in the secondary. I think they got at least 3 starters out of this draft.

Grade: A 

Patriots Draft 2012

stevenlourie 2012 NFL Draft Grades, 2012 NFL Off-Season

 

21. DE Chandler Jones B-

Defensive end was a need of theirs, but I had a 2nd round grade on Chandler Jones. He’s very raw, especially as a pass rusher. He can come in as play the run right now, but he’s a project as a pass rusher. He’s got the upside though and I trust the Patriots to get it out of him, but I don’t like that they traded up for him, especially with so few picks in this draft. There were plenty of pass rushers available at 27 and even if Jones was not there, that’s fine because he would have been a reach even there.

25. OLB Dont’a Hightower B+

Focusing on the front 7 more, Hightower is a great player. My only 2 concerns with him were his history of injuries and his lack of a true position in a 4-3. The Patriots will probably run a 4-3 in 2012 (especially since Jones is more of a 4-3 end than a 3-4 rush linebacker), but they like versatile guys like Hightower. He can play middle linebacker, outside linebacker, and defensive end for them. He fits the range and can be an immediate contributor for the Patriots.

48. S Tavon Wilson F

Safety was definitely a need, but Tavon Wilson is the first player drafted that wasn’t on my top 250. And it wasn’t for lack of watching him. I even spotlighted him in an Illinois game against Michigan. He’s a big stiff at cornerback and a little undersized at safety. He’s a tweener, but I like him more at safety than anywhere. Still don’t like him much. The Patriots should have traded down and tried to get him, especially with so few picks.

90. DE Jake Bequette A

Another defensive end? Well it was certainly a need even after drafting Jones and Hightower. Bequette was one of my underrated prospects and he fits the range here.

197. S Nate Ebner C

One of only a few I had never heard of that had been drafted, Ebner had 31 tackles in 3 years at Ohio State as primarily a special teamer. He’s supposedly a great special teamer and he has great measurables, but special teams aren’t hard to find. There had to be better picks than this.

224. CB Alfonzo Dennard A

Assuming he doesn’t go to jail, Dennard is a great pick here. Even if he does go to jail, it’s worth the risk. I had a 2nd round grade on Dennard before his arrest and even mocked him in the 2nd to the Patriots because he’s such a good scheme fit. He’s a bit of a bonehead for getting arrested so close to draft day and you have to question his love of the game after putting himself in that position. He’s definitely worth it in the 7th round. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if he were a starter at cornerback, a position of need, for them at some point.

235. WR Jeremy Ebert A

Another player I actually had never heard of, but I don’t know how I don’t. Ebert had 2 good years of production for Northwestern in the Big 10 and ran in the 4.3s at his Pro Day. I don’t know why he wasn’t in my top 250 and why I had never heard of him. I’m baffled this guy slipped past me. This is my bad and definitely a good pick by the Patriots in the 7th round, needing some youth at receiver.

The Patriots clearly made defense a focus of their draft and rightfully so after giving up the 3rd most yards of any team ever last year. I didn’t really like the Chandler Jones pick, but he can still be a contributor, as can Jake Bequette and Dont’a Hightower. Tavon Wilson was a major reach in the 2nd round, but they got a good value with Alfonzo Dennard in the 7th.

Nate Ebner is head scratching, but it’s the late rounds. I didn’t love this draft, but I think they made the defense a lot better for the future and if not for the Wilson reach, this would probably be a B+. Replace Wilson with someone like Brandon Taylor after a move down and this is a A- probably. Stay at 27 and take Harrison Smith and grab a defensive end like Vinny Curry in the 2nd, this is probably an A draft.

Grade: B-

 

Raiders Draft 2012

stevenlourie 2012 NFL Draft Grades, 2012 NFL Off-Season

 

95. G Tony Bergstrom C+

The Raiders needed a guard. In fact, it might have been their most pressing need because Cooper Carlisle is 35 in August and was only resigned to 1 year, veteran minimum deal. However, I had Bergstrom much lower than this on my board.

129. OLB Miles Burris C

The Raiders lost Kamerion Wimbley this offseason so they need a tweener defensive end/outside linebacker type, but Burris was much lower than this on my board.

158. DE Jack Crawford B

I guess they could use another pass rusher, but they had other needs and this is a tad early for Crawford.

168. WR Juron Criner A

This is a great steal. Wide receiver wasn’t a need at all, but Criner is a good receiver who could provide value immediately as a 4th receiver. He could end up being a starter someday. I had a 3rd round grade on him.

189. DT Christo Bulukidi C+

Interestly, Bulukidi was the first player off the board that I had never heard of. It took until the 6th round. This was a pretty big reach, given that, but they could use another defensive tackle.

230. OLB Nathan Stupar B+

Another outside linebacker? I guess it was a bit of a need. I had Stupar outside of my top 250 though, but it’s the 7th round so it’s fine.

I have to factor the Carson Palmer trade, the Terrelle Pryor pick, and the Jason Campbell trade into this grade. The Campbell trade was actually fine, but despite essentially using 3 picks on quarterbacks in this draft, they still don’t have a long term answer at quarterback. Carson Palmer is 33 in December and had more interceptions than touchdowns last season after leading the league in interceptions in 2010. He’s owed 28 million in 2013 and 2014 and the regime that brought him in is gone. If the Raiders are picking early in 2013 (definitely a possibility given all they lost defensively), they could definitely take another quarterback.

Given that they didn’t have a lot of picks after all of those deals, they really add to nail their selections and I don’t think they did that. Their first 2 picks were major reaches by my board and the only selection they made that I really liked was the Juron Criner pick. Even some of their late round selections were reaches, including the first player off the board I had never heard of. In fact, they only got 2 players out of this draft that I had higher than a 7th round grade on. Given all of their trades and the Pryor pick, when you put this all together, this was one of the worst drafts this year. They have a lot of rebuilding to do after the previous regime mortgaged their future to go 8-8 twice.

Grade: C-

 

Bengals Draft 2012

stevenlourie 2012 NFL Draft Grades

 

17. CB Dre Kirkpatrick B

I liked Kirkpatrick a little better at 21 for the Bengals (26th on my board) and I’m not sure any team from 18-20 would have taken him and if they had, that’s not too bad because this was a very, very deep cornerback class. This isn’t a terrible pick, however, because it at least fills a need.

27. G Kevin Zeitler C-

I really don’t like this pick. There’s nothing wrong with Zeitler, a borderline 1st/2nd round prospect in my book. He also fills a major need. However, why didn’t they just take DeCastro at 21? Was the difference between DeCastro (one of the top interior line prospects of the decade) and Zeitler (there’s a Zeitler pretty much every year) worth a late 3rd round pick? The Bengals picked a bad time to make their first day trade since 2004. If they hadn’t passed on DeCastro, this would have been a B.

53. DT Devon Still A

They love rotation on the defensive line and Still is an excellent value in the middle of the 2nd round. Defensive tackle wasn’t a major need, but they could definitely use something like Still.

83. WR Mohamed Sanu A

I had a mid 2nd round grade on Sanu and actually compared him to TJ Houshmanzadeh. He fits perfectly as a starter opposite AJ Green, a deep threat. He’ll play off of Green the way Houshmanzadeh played off of Ochocinco when they were in their prime. Andy Dalton has to be thrilled. Also, congrats to Sanu on actually getting drafted by the Bengals one day after he was prank called and told the Bengals took him at 27.

93. DT Brandon Thompson B

Another defensive tackle? Brandon Thompson is an incredible value in the late 3rd round, but Thompson could have a tough time seeing the field behind Domata Peko, Geno Atkins, Pat Sims, and Devon Still.

116. TE Orson Charles B+

They don’t have a capable tight end behind Jermaine Gresham so while this isn’t their biggest need, I get this pick. Charles is a good value at this point too.

156. CB Shaun Prater B-

I guess they could use another cornerback and Prater is a solid value, they’ll have to clear a veteran for him to make the roster (Nate Clements, Terence Newman, Pacman Jones, Jason Allen). They have a ton of cornerbacks under partially or fully guaranteed contracts in 2012.

166. WR Marvin Jones A

Another wide receiver? Well they lost two in free agency (Andre Caldwell, Jerome Simpson) and Jones is a fantastic value here in the 5th round.

167. S George Iloka A

Iloka fell and rightfully so because he’s pretty stiff, but he’s the type of safety the Bengals like. He’s an excellent fit for Mike Zimmer’s scheme and a great value here. He could end up as a starter for them in 2012 as they have absolutely nothing at safety opposite Reggie Nelson. Iloka could definitely beat Taylor Mays out in camp.

191. RB Dan Herron A

Both Bernard Scott and BenJarvus Green-Ellis averaged less than 4 yards per carry last season so they needed another running back. I don’t know if Herron is that back (this should have been address earlier), but this is a good pick in the 6th round.

The Bengals had a really good draft. Dre Kirkpatrick was a reach at 17, but not a major one and at least he filled a need. Devon Still and Mohamed Sanu were phenomenal values in the 2nd and 3rd rounds, especially the Sanu pick. He fits perfectly opposite AJ Green. George Iloka could be a starter for them as a 5th round pick and Dan Herron made a lot of sense in the 7th round.

I had a few issues. I think instead of adding another cornerback or a tight end, they should have addressed the running back position a little earlier. The Kevin Zeitler selection was the worst, especially since they gave up David DeCastro to do so. I know they got a late 3rd round pick by trading down, but they used that pick on Brandon Thompson, who will probably be the 5th DT on their depth chart. He was a great value, but unnecessary. I would have much, much rather had DeCastro than Zeitler and Thompson if I were the Bengals.

If they had taken DeCastro at 21, this would be an A. In fact, if they had done that, it would have made the Kirkpatrick pick a little better because Kirkpatrick and DeCastro would have been a good haul out of the first. In fact, if they had taken DeCastro at 17 and gotten Kirkpatrick at 21 (my major issue with him was that he was a 9 spot reach by my board), those might have both been A’s. I also factor the Carson Palmer trade into this grade. They basically got a free first round pick for someone they weren’t using. They have set themselves up very, very nicely for the future, but I can’t give them an A because of the Zeitler/Thompson over DeCastro decision along with the other minor knocks I mentioned earlier.

Grade: A-

Eagles Draft 2012

stevenlourie 2012 NFL Draft Grades

 

12. DT Fletcher Cox A

Fletcher Cox would have been a minor reach had they traded up to somewhere like 7 to grab him, but at 12, he makes a lot of sense. He was 13th on my board and fills a primary need.

46. OLB Mychal Kendricks B-

How much rope did it take to tie up Andy Reid so this pick could be made? He never takes linebackers early. They definitely needed one, however, but I had a 3rd round grade on Kendricks. Zach Brown is a more natural outside linebacker and a much better value at this point.

59. DE Vinny Curry C-

I don’t see this as the phenomenal value that many see this pick as. I had a mid 2nd round grade on Curry, so while the late 2nd round is a good value for him, I didn’t see the need for another defensive lineman. They had 50 sacks last year. Trent Cole and Jason Babin combined for 29 and Brandon Graham might finally be healthy in 2012. Cox can also play end. Where does Curry fit?

88. QB Nick Foles C

They needed a quarterback behind an aging and injury prone Vick, but Nick Foles didn’t make a lot of sense over Kirk Cousins. Foles is a mess of a prospect and probably won’t ever be a capable starter in this league. I had a 5th round grade on him.

123. CB Brandon Boykin A

What an excellent value! If Boykin were a few inches taller, I might have had a borderline 1st round grade on him. Instead I had him as a high 3rd rounder so he’s an excellent value in the 4th round and fits very well with the Eagles. They traded Asante Samuel, not just because of his salary, but because they had 3 outside cornerbacks and no one who could play on the slot. Boykin will play there, where his size won’t matter as much and he’s one of the best pure cover cornerbacks in this draft class so he should excel there. That will move Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie to the outside, where he should bounce back from a career worst season. Remember, this guy once made the Pro Bowl. The Eagles could have one of the best secondaries in the league last season.

153. OT Dennis Kelly C

I had Kelly outside of my top 250. That would be fine in the 6th or 7th round, but this is the 5th round. They did need another tackle behind Demetress Bell, but I don’t think Kelly offers much help there. King Dunlap probably remains the superior option in case of another annual Bell injury.

194. WR Marvin McNutt A

The Eagles were considering signing Plaxico Burress in free agency to add size to their receiving corps. Now they don’t have to sign the washed up Burress. McNutt fills that role well and is an excellent value in the 6th round. I had a 3rd round grade on him.

200. G Brandon Washington A

Another excellent value in the 6th round. Washington doesn’t fill a need whatsoever, but who cares when the value is this good. You can always use more offensive line help.

229. RB Bryce Brown A

I didn’t have Brown in my top 250, but I get this pick. Brown is a former top recruit who was kicked off of two major college football programs. He’s the type of boom or bust pick it’s absolutely fine to take in the 7th round. Dion Lewis looks entrenched as the #2 back behind LeSean McCoy, but Brown can compete to be the 3rd string with undrafted free agent Chris Polk among others.

The Eagles’ #1 priority of this offseason had to be fixing their linebacking corps. I don’t know how much Mychal Kendricks helps, but he could be a decent starter on the outside and remember, they did trade a 4th rounder from this draft for DeMeco Ryans so that factors into this grade as well. They also had to sort out their secondary and they did that by trading away Asante Samuel, albeit for pennies on the dollar, which factors into this grade, moving DRC to the outside, and getting an exceptional value on Brandon Boykin in the 4th round. He should make an impact right away on the slot. Overall, I think they’ll have a very good secondary next season.

Their first round pick was Fletcher Cox. He was a fine value and filled a need at defensive tackle with Cullen Jenkins and Mike Patterson. Vinny Curry in the late 2nd didn’t make as much sense. There’s already a logjam at defensive end. Curry might not see the field very much in 2012 if Brandon Graham is healthy. Nick Foles and Dennis Kelly were also reaches, but they made up for those with excellent value picks in the late rounds. This was a solid draft.

Grade: B

 

Bills Draft 2012

stevenlourie 2012 NFL Draft Grades

 

10. CB Stephon Gilmore B-

This is a little high for Gilmore. I had him 20th on my board. He’s certainly a phenomenal athlete, but he had some inconsistent play at times and he gambles a little too much on routes. Cornerback was definitely a need for the Bills with Drayton Florence and Terence McGee getting up there in age and Leodis McKelvin being on the roster bubble in his contract year, but there were better players available who would have also filled need (Riley Reiff, Michael Floyd, Kendall Wright, Jonathan Martin, and Zach Brown just to name a few from my board).

41. OT Cordy Glenn A-

I had Glenn 24th on my board so he certainly is a great value here, but I had him 24th on my board because of his versatility. The Bills don’t really need anything other than a left tackle up front and if I were grading Glenn just on his ability to stay at left tackle, he’d probably be rated much lower. I don’t see him at that position long term, but it’s not like any of the remaining available tackles had much of a better shot. It’s too bad Jonathan Martin went the pick before. Maybe Glenn can be coached up into a solid left tackle.

69. WR TJ Graham C

I liked TJ Graham as a return man with upside as a kick returner…in the 5th or maybe late 4th round…for a team that actually needed a kick returner. The Bills don’t and they don’t even plan on using him as a kick returner. Buddy Nix said he views Graham as an outside receiver, which is drastically different than the return man/developmental slot receiver he is. This looks like a misevaluation of talent. There were better receivers out there, ones more suited to play outside. They did address a position of need however.

105. OLB Nigel Bradham A

They needed outside linebacker depth at the very least. In fact, if Kuechly hadn’t gone one pick earlier to Carolina, he might have been a Bill. Bradham is a good value in the 4th round.

124. CB Ron Brooks D

Did the Bills really need another cornerback? How many are they planning on carrying? Even if McKelvin is cut, Brooks is going to have a hard time making the roster and if he does it’ll be as a 5th cornerback, at least right away. Maybe they’ll cut one of the veterans, but that could result in a cap penalty since they resigned both just last offseason. That would be fine if this were the 7th round, but it’s the 4th. Speaking of the 7th round, that’s the grade I had on Brooks, though he didn’t have a ton of LSU tape for me to watch since he was a career backup.

144. OT Zebrie Sanders A

Another tackle? Well depth couldn’t hurt and Sanders is a solid value. By the way, Buddy Nix is true to his words. He said wide receiver, cornerback, left tackle, and outside linebacker were primary needs of his team and that he would probably pick in two tackles. 5/5 there.

147. MLB Tank Carder A

The Bills could use another depth linebacker and Carder is a strong value who could have an immediate impact on special teams.

178. C Mark Asper C

I didn’t have Asper in my top 250 so this is a little early for him and guard/center wasn’t really a need of theirs. Besides, Asper will be making a position change and I don’t see him as a natural fit at center.

251. K John Potter C

Normally I don’t hate on 7th round picks, but not only was Potter not ranked in my top 250, the Bills drafted him as a kickoff specialist. I hate when teams carry more than one kicker like this.

This was overall not a great draft for the Bills. They reached for need in the first round and they took a player in the 2nd who isn’t a natural fit for the only position he can possibly play for them, though I didn’t hate that one. They grossly misevaluated the receiver they drafted in the 3rd round, which was a reach and their 4th round cornerback didn’t fill a need or provide good value. They had some solid picks after round 3 (Carder, Bradham, Sanders), but they also got Cs on their last 2 picks for different reasons. I didn’t completely hate their draft, but it gets a C+

Grade: C+

 

Falcons Draft 2012

stevenlourie 2012 NFL Draft Grades

 

55. C Peter Konz A

The Falcons didn’t have a 1st round pick thanks to the Julio Jones trade (which I still argue was a good move), but they still managed to get a 1st round caliber player at a position of major need. Unbelievable.

91. OT Lamar Holmes C

I had Holmes in the 5th round so this is a bit early for him. I don’t know if he address their left tackle needs. He’s more of a right tackle, which they definitely don’t need. They’ll certainly give him every chance to be the blindside protector next season, but I don’t see him ending up as a long term starter they. There could still be looking for a new left tackle next season (and maybe moving Holmes inside to guard?). At least they’ll have a first round pick then.

157. FB Bradie Ewing B

They did need a fullback and Ewing was my top fullback, but I had a 6th round grade on him and I don’t know that I totally agree with them using the 3rd pick of the draft on a fullback.

164. DE Johnathan Massaquoi A

They definitely needed a young defensive end and Massaquoi had a 4th round grade on my book. If they had taken him in the 5th and gotten Ewing in the 6th, those probably would have both been A’s.

192. S Charles Mitchell B-

I had Mitchell outside of my top 250, but it’s late so I guess it’s fine. Tight end and linebacker were bigger needs, but whatever.

249. DT Travian Robertson A-

The Falcons take a defensive tackle every year. Robertson fits the range here, but after the Aubrayo Franklin signing, Robertson will have a tough time making the roster.

The Falcons didn’t have a first round pick because of the Julio Jones trade, but I liked that trade so that’s fine. I’ll factor that into the grade. They still ended up with a 1st round caliber prospect at a position of major need. Lamar Holmes was a reach, but this was a thin left tackle class so I understand it a little. They’ll probably have to draft a left tackle early next year. Their late round selections were fine as they added a starting fullback (and my top rated fullback), a great value on a rotational end, and two guys who will be on the roster bubble in the late rounds. It wasn’t perfect, but overall, given the Konz pick and the Jones trade (essentially A’s on their top two picks), this was a good draft. They’re set up well for the future.

Grade: A-

 

Broncos Draft 2012

stevenlourie 2012 NFL Draft Grades

 

36. DT Derek Wolfe B-

This explains why the Broncos traded down twice. Wolfe is a solid football player and definitely fills a need, but I had Kendall Reyes and Devon Still ranked higher than him, among others. This was a reach.

57. QB Brock Osweiler C

I’m completely torn on this.

On one hand, I love Brock Osweiler. I had a borderline 1st/2nd round grade on him and had him graded higher than Ryan Tannehill. He’s a little raw and inexperienced, but he’ll get the chance to sit behind a Hall of Famer in Denver and he won’t have to contribute right away. He’ll have the opportunity to learn from not one, but two Hall of Famers, Peyton Manning and John Elway and he’s got a very good chance to be their quarterback of the future and that’s so valuable.

On the other hand, what about their quarterback of right now? The opportunity to have a Peyton Manning does not come around very often. They need to build around him because their team, as it currently stands, is not quite Super Bowl caliber. This pick could have been much better spent on a receiver, a running back, an offensive lineman, hell even a piece for their defense would have been more helpful. Manning cannot be happy about this.

It’s also worth noting that Donovan McNabb and Brett Favre each suffered arguably the worst seasons of their career the year immediately after their team’s drafted Kevin Kolb and Aaron Rodgers respectively. McNabb went 8-8 (one of two seasons he missed the playoffs from 2000-2009) and Favre went a career worst 4-12. I’m just going to average an A and an F for this grade.

67. RB Ronnie Hillman C

They needed a running back, but Ronnie Hillman is undersized and struggled against tough competition at San Diego State (3 carries for 8 yards against Boise State, 20 carries for 55 yards against TCU, 24 carries for 55 yards against Louisiana-Lafayette). I had a 5th round grade on him. This is way too early.

101. CB Omar Bolden A

I like this fit for the Broncos. Bolden was a 2nd round prospect before an ACL tear that he hasn’t fully recovered from, but the Broncos don’t really need him right away with Champ Bailey and Tracy Porter. However, Porter was only signed to a one year deal and Bailey will be 35 next offseason so they need a long term starter. That could be Bolden. Unlike the Osweiler pick, this was only a 4th round pick so I’m not going to knock them for building for the future instead of for now because 4th rounders rarely contribute as rookies anyway.

108. C Phillip Blake A

The Broncos missed out of Jeff Saturday, but Phillip Blake could be an immediate upgrade over JD Walton, who ProFootballFocus graded as the worst starting center in the league last year. He’s a great value at this point in the draft.

137. DE Malik Jackson A-

I guess they could use another defensive lineman. This is the right range for Jackson, a versatile defensive end/defensive tackle. He could provide a nickel rusher at defensive tackle (they didn’t get any pass rush from the inside of their interior line) right away if they chose to use him in that role, that’s it’s not entirely clear that will be his role.

188. OLB Danny Trevathan B

This was a little early for Trevathan, but it’s late. This wasn’t a huge need or anything, but whatever.

The Broncos got Peyton Manning this offseason, but that far from solves everything. They may have gone 8-8 last season, but their -81 point differential suggests they should have gone 5-11 or 6-10. Regardless of whether or not you believe Tebow was the reason behind this, they won a ton of close games last year. That might not happen this year. They needed help at wide receiver, running back, the offensive line, as well as defensive tackle and some youth in the secondary.

They got their defensive tackle with their first pick, but there were better ones available. At least they traded down for him twice and didn’t take him at 25. I’ve already gone into detail on the Osweiler pick so I won’t repeat myself. That pick could help them a lot in the future, but it could really hurt them this season. It’s not good for team chemistry and it doesn’t help Peyton Manning. Ronnie Hillman in the 3rd round could help Manning at little, but that was way too early for him.

Omar Bolden also helps them build for the future with their 4th round pick, but that’s fine since it was the 4th round. They made some decent late round selections, including Phillip Blake, who could end up their starting center over JD Walton at some point this season, but I don’t know how much they helped their team for this season, which should have been the goal of this draft given Manning’s age. They didn’t get him a receiver at all, they only got him one offensive lineman, and the running back they got him was a major reach.

Grade: C+

 

Giants Draft 2012

stevenlourie 2012 NFL Draft Grades, 2012 NFL Off-Season

 

32. RB David Wilson C

The Giants needed a running back, but I had David Wilson ranked about a round lower than this. On top of that, he’s way too similar to Ahmad Bradshaw. In fact, I made the exact comparison between Wilson and Bradshaw in my scouting report. Bradshaw is a fine running back, but ideally you want a running back who compliments your other back. They would have been much better off taking a bruiser like Bernard Pierce or someone in the 3rd round.

63. WR Rueben Randle A

The Giants love drafting BPA so they must have been thrilled when Randle fell to them. I didn’t have Randle rated as highly as most because of his inconsistencies at LSU (7 games of 3 catches or fewer) and his struggles against elite cover cornerbacks (combined 7 catches for 47 yards in 3 games against Dre Kirkpatrick and Brandon Boykin). However, he did have bad quarterback play and he is still a solid value here with the last pick in the 2nd round. He allows them to keep Victor Cruz in the slot where he’s best and could start right away opposite Hakeem Nicks.

94. CB Jayron Hosley B+

I guess the Giants needed cornerback depth, but they did have bigger needs and Hosley was a little further down on my down than this after his failed drug test at The Combine. Maybe the Giants just didn’t care about that as much.

127. TE Adrien Robinson C

They needed a tight end and they like tight ends who can block (why I didn’t make Coby Fleener to them in the 1st). Robinson can block, but he’s not much of a pass catcher. He’s got great measurables and upside, but this was a little early for him. He won’t start right away so the Giants’ tight ends won’t be very good in 2012 at the tight end position unless Martellus Bennett can break out or either Jake Ballard or Travis Beckum can come back from injury.

131. OT Brandon Mosley A

They needed offensive line help. Mosley can compete with James Brewer, their 4th round pick in 2012, at right tackle. He can also play some guard, where they need help because David Diehl is one of the worst starting offensive linemen in the league.

201. OT Matt McCants A

Another offensive lineman? Why not, it was a major need and McCants is an excellent value at this point.

239. DT Markus Kuhn B

Did they need a defensive tackle? Not really and Kuhn is slightly outside of my top 250, but whatever. It’s the 7th round.

The Giants normally draft really well, but this grades out as a pretty average draft. David Wilson was a reach in the first round and not the type of back they needed. Jayron Hosley was a decent, but not great pick and Adrien Robinson won’t help them much right away. Rueben Randle was a great value however and they got good values on two offensive linemen they needed. It wasn’t a great draft, but it wasn’t bad either.

Grade: B-

 

Browns Draft 2012

stevenlourie 2012 NFL Draft Grades, 2012 NFL Off-Season

 

4. RB Trent Richardson B+

I would have given the Browns an A for taking Richardson at 4 because he was the 4th rated player on my board, but I’m giving them a B+ for moving up to 3 and taking him for two reasons. For one, I don’t think they needed to move up to get him. I think Minnesota was bluffing. Kalil was their guy and they didn’t want to move any further down than 4. Two, even if they were, the Browns wouldn’t have been much worse off at all settling for Blackmon at 4. In fact, they could have taken Kalil at 4. He would have been a great bookend for Joe Thomas.

22. QB Brandon Weeden D

I have made it really clear I don’t like Brandon Weeden. I think he’s a 28 year old developmental prospect. I would have had a 2nd round grade on him, similar to Ryan Tannehill and Brock Osweiler, had he been 22, but given his age I basically made him untouchable on my board. I like the fit in Cleveland even less. He made sense to a team that is competitive and ready to win now. Cleveland is more likely a 3 or so year rebuilding project, at the least. That means that by the time the Browns are competitive, they’ll have a 32 year old quarterback heading into a contract year and a decision to make, at the earliest. This isn’t an F because at least it’s a quarterback.

37. OT Mitchell Schwartz C-

There were plenty of capable receivers that fit the range here and that’s their biggest need and there were also better right tackles available. I had Schwartz in the 3rd round so this is a big reach for him, especially with who is left on the board (WR: Stephen Hill, Rueben Randle, Ryan Broyles, Mohamed Sanu and OT: Jonathan Martin, Cordy Glenn).

87. DT John Hughes F

When the Browns made this pick I joked on Twitter that by the time Brandon Weeden has any capable receivers, he’ll be heading into retirement. In all seriousness, this was one of the worst picks of the draft. I don’t give out a lot of Fs, but this absolutely made no sense. Defensive tackle wasn’t a pressing need and I didn’t even have Hughes in my top 250.

100. WR Travis Benjamin C

Well, it’s the right position, but it’s a 7th round prospect. Benjamin is a good kick returner with developmental abilities at wide receiver. I think he makes a lot of sense to a team in the late rounds who needs a return man and has time to wait on a receiver that might never come around. He doesn’t make any sense to a team in the middle rounds that already has a good return man (Josh Cribbs) and needs receiver help right away. Poor Brandon Weeden.

120. MLB James-Michael Johnson B

Finally a pick that makes sense. Depth at linebacker was a need and they have 2 marginal starters and an injury prone middle linebacker in their linebacking corps so JMJ has the potential to maybe break into the starting lineup at some point. Worst case scenario, he’s a solid special teamer and he’s only a minor reach by my board.

160. G Ryan Miller A

Another good matchup of need and value. Both Jason Pinkston and Shawn Lauvao were awful at guard last year. They’re still young so there’s time to turn it around, but the Browns needed to get another guard in the mix just in case. Miller fits the draft range well too.

204. OLB Emmanuel Acho A

A 2nd linebacker? Why not? I mentioned the Browns had questions at all 3 starting spots in their linebacking corps and Acho is a very good value here in the 6th.

205. DT Billy Winn A

A 2nd defensive tackle? It wasn’t really a huge need, but you can’t argue with getting a value like this in the late rounds. I had Billy Winn rated higher on my board than Hughes. Of course this makes the John Hughes pick even stupider because they couldn’t have used that on another position, but I already gave that an F. This is an A.

245. CB Trevin Wade A

There’s no such thing as a bad 7th round pick, but there are good ones. Cornerback was a big need of theirs and Wade had a 7th round grade.

247. TE Brad Smelley B+

The Browns already have 2 tight ends and they spent a 4th round pick on a fullback last year, so I don’t see where Smelley fits, but it is the 7th round and you can’t knock a team for picking a pure football player like Smelley. Worst case he’s a hustle special teamer.

I joked that Weeden would be heading into retirement by the time he had capable receivers, but I might not be too far off. If I’m going to be fair, I have to bash the Browns for not building around Weeden after I praised the Colts (and to some extent the Redskins in free agency) for building around their new quarterback. It’s even more imperative in Cleveland’s case because Weeden, at the very least, has 6 fewer years to wait around than Luck or Griffin.

Yes, Trent Richardson will be a stud, but at the same time, they were duped into moving up 1 spot to get the guy who was an obvious pick anyway. Mitchell Schwartz fills a need, but there were much better players available at various positions of need. Travis Benjamin doesn’t make any sense at all. He’s a return man, which they already have, and a developmental receiver. Who is Weeden going to throw to next year? He has the same shitty receiving corps that made people argue that McCoy deserved another shot.

I also have to bash the pick of Weeden itself. I don’t see Weeden as a day 1 or year 1 top-15 quarterback, which he almost has to be because of his age and where he was drafted. It’s almost like the Browns just spent the 22nd overall pick on Matt Cassel (similar age and ability). That makes even less sense for a rebuilding team because Weeden will be 32 and in a contract year, by the earliest, by the time the Browns are competitive. Some solid late round selections make up some for terrible picks in the first 3 rounds, but the first 3 rounds are what count.

Grade: C-