Saints Draft 2012

 

89. DT Akiem Hicks C

Defensive tackle was a need for the Saints and Hicks is a solid prospect, but he’s a bit of a reach and they really needed a pass rusher at defensive tackle. Sedrick Ellis and Brodrick Bunkley are already very good run stuffers. Hicks is not the pass rushing, penetrating defensive tackle they needed.

122. WR Nick Toon A

Toon is a great value in the 4th round as part of a strong and deep wide receiver class. Devery Henderson will be a full time starter in 2012 for the first time in his career with Robert Meachem gone. If he struggles, Toon could step in so they can keep the injury prone Lance Moore in the slot. Worst case, he’s a solid depth 4th receiver and he’s a very good value at this point.

162. S Corey White C-

White was outside of my top 250, which would be fine if this were the 6th or 7th round, or this was a position they actually needed.

179. G Andrew Tiler C+

Copy and paste what I put above only this is 17 picks later so it’s not as bad. I guess White and Tiler will provide depth if they make the roster, but that’s no sure thing.

234. OT Marcel Jones A-

They needed some depth at offensive tackle I guess. This is the right range for Jones.

The Saints didn’t have picks in the first two rounds for differing reasons. They traded their 1st round pick last year along with a 2nd for Mark Ingram, which hasn’t panned out yet, but the jury is still out. They lost their 2nd round pick in BountyGate and I’m going to deduct for that. With only 5 picks, they had to make them count and I don’t think they did that.

The Nick Toon selection was a great one, but that’s about where it ends. Hicks, White, and Tiler are all going to be depth players at best and Hicks, their 3rd rounder, is a similar player to players they already have under contract. The Jones pick was fine, but they may have only ended up with one quality player (Toon) out of the entire draft. This was, all in all, a poor draft, when you factor in everything, BountyGate included.

Grade: C

 

Seahawks Draft 2012

 

15. DE Bruce Irvin F

Bruce Irvin was the first defensive end off the board in 2012. I’m not basing this grade on “they could have gotten him in the 2nd round” because we don’t know that for sure. I’m basing this grade on what I see on tape of Irvin. He’s a great athlete with natural pass rush ability, but he’s a one trick pony who probably can’t comfortably add any weight and if an offensive lineman is able to get his hands on him, it’s normally over for him.

He really reminds me of Aaron Maybin. The Bills tried to get Maybin to add some weight and play every down, but he couldn’t do it so they cut him 2 years after using the 11th overall pick on him. Now he’s found a niche as a situational player in New York playing in the 230s. The Seahawks are probably going to start Irvin out in that role, but you don’t take players like that in the first, especially not with his history of off the field issues. As recently as March, he was arrested so it looks like he might not have fully shed his troubled past.

47. MLB Bobby Wagner B

The Seahawks really needed a middle linebacker. I had a 3rd round grade on Wagner so this is a bit of a reach, but this certainly a lot better than their first round pick.

74. QB Russell Wilson B

Matt Flynn is unproven an Tarvaris Jackson is pretty mediocre and could be cut to save money so Wilson makes some sense, but I think this is a bit early. Wilson has a pretty average arm on a typical dropback, though he has a great arm on the run. He’s mobile, but undersized and he has every tangible possible. I had a 4th round grade.

106. RB Robert Turbin A-

They just gave Marshawn Lynch a big deal, but he has a history of injury problems and his running style could lead to those continuing in the future. Robert Turbin is a solid value in this range and gives them a needed #2 back.

114. DT Jaye Howard C+

They could use another defensive tackle I guess, but the offensive line was a bigger need considering all the injuries they had upfront last year. This is a round or two too early for Howard too.

154. OLB Korey Toomer C

I had Toomer outside of my top 250, which is fine in the 7th round, but this is the 5th. At least it fills a need.

172. CB Jeremy Lane C+

Similar to what I said above, only this is 18 picks later so it’s a C+, not a C.

181. S Winston Guy B

Guy doesn’t really have a position because he’s a bit of a tweener linebacker/safety, but I said the same thing about Kam Chancellor a few years ago (oops) and Guy can contribute on special teams. I don’t see any need for another safety as they have two of the best young safeties in the league, but it’s the 6th round.

225. DT JR Sweezy B+

Another defensive tackle? At least this one is a better value and it’s only a 7th rounder.

232. DT Greg Scruggs C

A 3rd defensive tackle? I didn’t have Scruggs in my top 250 and they really didn’t need another player at this position. Defensive linemen typically don’t play special teams either. This is as bad of a grade as I can give in the 7th round.

Bruce Irvin is not a 1st round prospect. He’s Aaron Maybin. I’ve already explained that. Bobby Wagner and Russell Wilson were better picks, but still minor reaches. Even their mid and late round picks didn’t make any sense. The only pick that got an A of any form was Robert Turbin as a backup to Marshawn Lynch. They didn’t address their offensive line at all, despite all the injuries they had last season and I would have liked to have seen a receiver at some point. They might have only gotten one starter out of this draft, Bobby Wagner in the 2nd round.

Grade: D

 

Steelers Draft 2012

 

24. G David DeCastro A

Wow. This might have been the best pick of the 1st round. DeCastro was 12th on my board and deserved to be the highest guard drafted since Chris Naoele in 1997. And guard was a huge need for the Steelers. Once again, the rich get richer.

56. OT Mike Adams A-

I had a 3rd round grade on Mike Adams because of all of the off the field stuff: 2 suspensions, 1 arrest, 1 failed drug test, as well as documented concerns about his work ethic (solidified by a disappointing Combine) and his passion. He also was a general disappointment at Ohio State after being the #2 offensive tackle recruit between Tyron Smith and Matt Kalil (two top 10 picks). However, he has amazing upside. He might even have more upside than Matt Kalil and if anyone can get it out of him, it’s the Steelers (not they might not be able to). He also fills a need so I do like this pick.

86. MLB Sean Spence B+

I really liked Sean Spence. Other than his size, he was a complete prospect and one of the underrated players of this draft class. However, his size could hurt him in a 3-4. He was a better fit for a 4-3, but he does fill a need and the Steelers have had success with smaller linebackers in the past (Lawrence Timmons).

109. NT Alameda Ta’amu A

I’ve mocked Ta’amu to the Steelers in the late 2nd before and I was really surprised when he got out of the first 3 rounds. I had a 3rd round grade on him before I knew about his injury, but he should be fine for the season. He’s still a great value in the 4th round.

159. RB Chris Rainey B+

The Steelers needed another back behind Isaac Redman, who they are preparing to go forward with as the lead back in 2012 (anything they get from Rashard Mendenhall they are considering a bonus). Rainey is a great compliment for Redman, but this is a little early for him.

231. WR Toney Clemons A-

They needed a receiver with Hines Ward gone, especially a taller one like Clemons (6-2). They have enough shorter receivers (Mike Wallace, Emmanuel Sanders, Antonio Brown, Jerricho Cotchery). I just had Clemons outside of my top 250, but they had 4 7th round picks and that doesn’t matter much in the 7th.

240. TE David Paulson A

I actually mocked David Paulson to the Steelers in the 6th. They needed another tight end in the mix even after signing Leonard Pope and Paulson is a good value here.

246. CB Terrence Frederick A

The Steelers always add a cornerback through the draft at some point and they had room on the roster after losing William Gay. Frederick is a good value in the 7th and a good fit for their scheme.

248. G Kelvin Beachum B

I had Beachum outside of my top 250, but I guess they did need another offensive lineman.

Every year I always say during the draft that the “rich get richer.” Teams picking in the end of the first round always tend to draft much better (and grade out much better in my grades) than teams in the beginning of the first round. There’s a reason why some teams stay good for so long and the Steelers are one of those teams. They had yet another excellent draft this year.

David DeCastro might have been the best interior line prospect of the decade and Mike Adams is worth the risk in the end of the 2nd round for a team like the Steelers, who desperately need a bookend tackle opposite Marcus Gilbert and who I give a good chance of getting the most out of him. Spence isn’t an ideal fit in a 3-4 in the 3rd round, but the Steelers have done fine with smaller linebackers before though. Alameda Ta’amu looks like their nose tackle of the future in the 4th round. All of their late round selections were also very good. From start to finish, this was an excellent draft.

Grade: A

Chargers Draft 2012

 

18. RLB Melvin Ingram B+

I actually had Melvin Ingram 18th on my board so I can’t hate this pick, but I had Whitney Mercilus, Nick Perry, and Courtney Upshaw higher than Ingram at this position, though they filled arguably their biggest need here.

49. 3-4 DE Kendall Reyes B+

They had other needs, but Reyes is a pretty good value here and they do need a young rotational lineman as Antonio Garay and Luis Castillo are aging players on one year deals.

73. S Brandon Taylor A

Safety might have been their 2nd biggest need after rush linebacker. Steve Gregory was awful last season and now even he’s gone. Taylor could start immediately next to Eric Weddle and starting safety were really tough to find this year given how this the class was.

110. TE Ladarius Green A

They need a developmental tight end behind an aging and injury prone Antonio Gates. I had Green rated one round earlier and he could have an immediate impact as a receiver in two-tight end sets.

149. G Johnnie Troutman C-

I had Troutman outside of my top 250 and that was without knowing about his pectoral injury. He could miss the whole season with that injury and the Chargers knew about that. They took him anyway. At least he filled a need, but what’s the point of spending a late round selection on someone who is hurt. Late round selections normally only have a year or so to prove themselves. It’s seems 50/50 that Troutman will ever suit up for them.

226. C David Molk A

Did they need another center? Not really, but Nick Hardwick is getting up there in age and there’s nothing wrong with finding a solid backup in the 7th round, especially when it’s a phenomenal value like this.

250. RB Edwin Baker A

They needed a 2nd back. I don’t know why they didn’t address this earlier. Are Curtis Brinkley or LeRon McClain capable of being the backup to Ryan Mathews, who hasn’t exceeded 222 carries as a pro? Anyway, Baker fits the range in the 7th round. He’ll probably be a 3rd or 4th back at best though.

The Chargers had two solid picks to start their drafts and, with the addition of Brandon Taylor, a very good pick, in the 3rd round, they really helped their defense. Ladarius Green was a great pick in the 4th round as value as a great value. They also drafted really well in the last couple rounds. It wasn’t a perfect draft for several reasons. I think there were better players at the same position available at 18 and I don’t think they filled a pressing need in the 2nd round. I also didn’t get the Troutman selection at all and I don’t think they did enough to address the running back position, but this was a solid draft which should have benefits for them next season and in the future, particularly defensively.

Grade: B+

 

Chiefs Draft 2012

 

11. NT Dontari Poe C

Dontari Poe is the definition of a boom or bust prospect. He has phenomenal measurables, but he had minimal production on a crappy team in a small conference in Conference-USA and the tape doesn’t match at to his measurables. He’s also more of a straight line athlete than anything too. I liked him a lot more in the 2nd round, but I’ll average an A and an F here for him. He does fill a need, but I think they really reached for need.

44. G Jeff Allen C-

Guard was a need for the Chiefs, but I had Allen rated much lower than this. He’s also going to have to make a position change to guard. Peter Konz would have been a much better pick. He was a significantly superior prospect and he could play center for them, his natural position, and allow them to keep Rodney Hudson at guard, his natural position.

74. OT Donald Stephenson B

I had Stephenson as a borderline 3rd/4th round prospect. They had other needs, but they could use a 3rd offensive tackle because Branden Albert is heading into a contract year so I don’t hate this pick.

107. WR Devon Wylie C

I liked Wylie, but in the 5th round for a team that needed some help at wide receiver and needed a kick returner. The Chiefs have two solid return men in Dexter McCluster and Javier Arenas. In fact, those guys were both drafted in the 2nd round for their kick return abilities. The Chiefs have 3 solid wide receivers in Dwayne Bowe, Jonathan Baldwin, and Steve Breaston. And this is the 4th round. So while I like Wylie as a player, I don’t like the fit with him on the Chiefs.

146. S DeQuan Menzie A

Menzie fills a need for the Chiefs at either cornerback or safety, depending on where they want to put him (though it sounds like safety). They need depth at safety and Romeo Crennel’s system puts a lot of value on the safety position. In fact, he called it the 2nd most important position after quarterback recently. Menzie is a good value in the 5th round.

182. RB Cyrus Gray A

Gray is a good value here in the 6th round. Peyton Hillis was only signed to a one year deal and he could play some fullback and Jamaal Charles is undersized and coming off a major injury so there was a need for another back.

218. 3-4 DE Jerome Long B

I didn’t have Long in my top 250, but it’s pretty late so you can’t hate. There’s room for a depth defensive lineman like this in the 7th round.

238. WR Junior Hemingway A

Did they really need another receiver? No, but Hemingway probably deserved to go a round or two before this and teams typically draft straight off their boards in the late round. You aren’t filling needs in the 7th round.

This wasn’t a very good draft for the Chiefs (disagree with me if you want). I think Dontari Poe is way too big of a risk at 11. He’s a workout wonder whose tape doesn’t match up. He’s also a straight line athlete that didn’t fare nearly as well in agility drills as he did in the 40. In the 2nd round, Allen was a major reach. He’s a 6th offensive lineman type (first guy off the bench when there’s an injury, with great versatility), but Peter Konz could have been an immediate starter and allowed Rodney Hudson to stay at his natural spot in guard. Allen doesn’t really seem like he can be a long term starting guard in this league.

Donald Stephenson was a solid pick in the 3rd, but I don’t like the Devon Wylie fit in the 4th. They had some solid late round selections, but the early selections are what matter and I think they missed those up. I also didn’t like that they didn’t come out of this draft with a developmental quarterback. Brady Quinn and Tyler Palko aren’t very good and Ricky Stanzi couldn’t even beat out Tyler Palko last year. They had to sign Kyle Orton just to stay afloat. Matt Cassel, meanwhile, is a decent starter, but I don’t think you can go deep into the playoffs with him, which is a shame because the rest of their roster is really good.

Grade: C

 

Colts Draft 2012

1. QB Andrew Luck A

Not much to say here. Luck was the obvious selection.

34. TE Coby Fleener A

I love this pick. I’ve never understood why more teams don’t bring in former teammates to compliment highly drafted quarterbacks. Fleener was the top tight end in this draft class, a solid value at 34, and will be a huge upgrade over Brody Eldridge, a big blocker who has 26 catches combined in college and the pros.

64. TE Dwayne Allen A-

Another tight end? Why not? The Colts had nothing at the position coming into the draft and Andrew Luck loved throwing to his tight ends at Stanford. The Colts are doing a fantastic job building around Luck. They got the best two tight ends in this draft class and Allen is a great value. He’ll also compliment Fleener well because he can play on the line and block, which will allow Fleener to move around and do more things as a pass catcher.

92. WR TY Hilton A

Teams that draft quarterbacks high should take a page out of the Colts’ book. You need to surround your quarterback with talent immediately. The Colts probably aren’t going to compete right away either way (they barely made the playoffs 2 years ago with Peyton Manning), so it’s fine to save your defensive needs until next year’s draft.

136. NT Josh Chapman A

The Colts defense was miserable last year. I’m fine with them not addressing it until the 5th round, but Chapman is a solid value. I had a borderline 3rd/4th round grade on him and he gives them a much needed versatile, rotational defensive lineman who could see significant snaps as a rookie if he stays healthy.

170. RB Vick Ballard A-

They had other needs, but it’s not like Donald Brown or Delone Carter are very good. In fact, it wouldn’t surprise me at all if Ballard was the lead back by the end of the season. I think he was one of the real hidden gems of the draft class. Remember that for when you’re playing fantasy football.

206. WR LaVon Brazill A-

Another receiver? Well, Reggie Wayne is getting older and Austin Collie has never done anything without Peyton, so it makes sense. Brazill is an underrated player and a solid value, but it’s an A- and not an A because he and Hilton are really, really similar style players.

208. OT Justin Anderson B

It’s just a 7th round pick, but it’s worth noting I didn’t have Anderson in my top 250 prospects. He definitely fills a need upfront for them.

214. RLB Tim Fugger A

The Colts grab another underrated player. I had a 5th round grade on Fugger, but that’s just because he’s undersized and wouldn’t fit in a 4-3. In a 3-4, he’s a very talented player who I wouldn’t be surprised to see beat out mega-bust Jerry Hughes as the 3rd rush linebacker behind Mathis and Freeney this year.

253. QB Chandler Harnish B

Backup quarterback wasn’t a huge need, but if Harnish was tops on their board, I understand it. He didn’t top my board, but I did have a 7th round grade on him so the range fits. Again, hard to hate a 7th round pick.

The Colts had one of the best drafts of any team this year. I’m not talking about Andrew Luck. That was an obvious selection. I’m not going to praise them for it because 9 out of 10 teams would have done the same thing and the other one would have taken Griffin, which wouldn’t have been a bad pick either. But I loved how they built around Luck. They got him two tight ends, including one he played with at Stanford. Luck loves tight ends so this makes a lot of sense. They also got him two underrated, albeit similar, receivers. They got a good value on a running back who could end up the starter at the end of the season and two front 7 players who could have immediate impacts. The only picks I didn’t love were Anderson and Harnish, but those were just a 7th rounders and at least the Anderson pick filled a need.

Grade: A

49ers Draft 2012

 

30. WR AJ Jenkins D

This isn’t a D because “the 49ers could have gotten him later.” That’s not true. The Rams were very interested in him and probably would have taken him at 33. This is a D because I don’t think Jenkins was worth the spot. It would have been a bad pick if the Rams had taken him at 33 too. Jenkins is fast and a solid route runner, but he’s just a slot guy. He’s very similar to Chris Givens, who would have been available in the 3rd round. In fact, I had Givens as rated as slightly better than Jenkins.

Stephen Hill would have been a perfect fit here. He wouldn’t have had to play much right away, but he has the upside to be the #1 receiver that is not currently on their roster. Michael Crabtree, Mario Manningham and now AJ Jenkins are all past as complimentary receivers. This pick also could have been used on a guard. Guard was the only need they had in the starting lineup and there were plenty available at this spot.

61. RB LaMichael James D

How many running backs do you need? Frank Gore is a solid lead back who should remain one for at least 2 more years barring a major injury. Kendall Hunter was a solid backup last year and Brandon Jacobs is a solid short yardage back. They don’t really have a back like LaMichael James, but that’s not the problem. James is going to take away carries from one of several talented backs they already have and he probably won’t get enough carries to be worth this 2nd round pick. He also won’t contribute much as a return man because Ted Ginn is already one of the best in the business at that.

I also think James is an overrated player. A lot of people are hailing him as a Darren Sproles and “there’s always room for Darren Sproles in your backfield.” He’s not Darren Sproles. Only Darren Sproles is Darren Sproles. James can be a solid change of pace back, but nothing more. I had a 4th round grade on him. He already has a lot of tread on his tires (744 career carries). He’s already suffered injuries in the past. He’s undersized at 193. Finally, his game depends almost entirely on the defense breaking outside contain, not something that doesn’t happen much in the NFL. He’s not a good between the tackles runner and doesn’t power through tackles. He struggled against almost every good, disciplined defense he faced in college.

117. G Joe Looney C+

As I mentioned, guard was the only need they really had in the starting lineup. I’m not sure why they didn’t address it earlier, but you can find solid guards in the middle rounds. Unfortunately, I don’t think Looney is one of those guys. They’ll probably be looking at the offensive line next year, most likely right tackle so they can move the disappointing Anthony Davis (21 career sacks allowed in 2 years) to guard.

165. RLB Darius Fleming C

I guess you can never have enough pass rushers and the 49ers don’t have any pressing needs left, but I didn’t have Fleming rated nearly this high.

180. S Trenton Robinson B

Safety depth was needed because Dashon Goldson, an overrated Pro Bowler, is still not signed long term. This is a little early for the undersized Robinson, who doesn’t have a true position at 5-10 195.

199. C Jason Slowey B

They needed a young center, but I didn’t have Slowey in my top 250. This is late, so it’s not a huge deal.

237. RLB Cam Johnson A

Finally a pick I like. Johnson’s motor runs hot and cold, but he flashes excellence. You can never have enough pass rushers. Actually, I had Johnson rated higher than Fleming.

The 49ers didn’t have a ton of needs coming into the draft so they could have just taken best available. They might have done that according to their board, I didn’t see it that way. AJ Jenkins was a 3rd round prospect who is very similar to Chris Givens, who the Rams got at the top of the 4th round. The LaMichael James pick was just as bad. I’m not going to repeat myself as I already went into detail on that. Even their late round picks weren’t great aside from Cam Johnson, the only A I gave.

The only need they did have in the starting lineup was guard. They waited until the early 4th to address this, after moving down, and reached for someone in Joe Looney who I thought was a late rounder. Looney could pan out because plenty of starting guards in the NFL today are mid rounds and I hate question Jim Harbaugh and Trent Baalke like this, but I think they’ll need offensive line help in 2013. Other positions of needs were wide receiver, center, safety, and cornerback. They addressed all of those positions except cornerback, but they did so with reaches each time. I’m disappointed in this draft.

Grade: C-

 

Cowboys Draft 2012

 

6. CB Morris Claiborne A-

I don’t normally like when teams with a lot of needs trade up, but the Cowboys traded up 8 spots into the top 6 in a year where the consensus was there were 6 elite prospects and they did it inexpensively, only giving up a 2nd round pick. Claiborne fills a need.

81. 3-4 DE Tyrone Crawford C+

This pick I didn’t like as much. When you need help at as many areas as the Cowboys do (G, C, WR, DE, OLB, CB, S) and you trade away your 2nd round pick, you can’t afford to miss on a pick, which is what I think Crawford is. I had a 5th round grade on him and liked him a lot more in a 4-3 as a left end than in a 3-4 because of his size at 275. That’s a little small for a 3-4.

113. RLB Kyle Wilbur A

This pick I like a lot more. They need a developmental rush linebacker behind DeMarcus Ware and Wilbur is has good pure pass rushing abilities and experience in the 3-4.

135. S Matt Johnson C-

I didn’t have Johnson in my top 250 so the late 4th round is way too early for him. He does fill a need though, but I still think the Cowboys will be in trouble when Brodney Pool suffers his annual injury.

152. WR Danny Coale A-

I had a 7th round grade on Coale as a wide receiver and a 7th round grade on him as a punter, but a 5th rounder overall. This is the 5th round. I don’t think he fills their need as a #3 receiver and they’ll be in trouble if Dez Bryant and/or Miles Austin get hurt again, but I like him as a gadget player with some value, maybe even as a punter or wildcat punter long term.

186. TE James Hanna A-

They needed another tight end with Martellus Bennett gone. Hanna had a 7th round grade in my book (great athleticism, but barely did anything as a pass catcher in an explosive offense at Oklahoma and didn’t block much). This is the 6th, but it’s not a huge deal.

222. FB Caleb McSurdy B

They needed a fullback and McSurdy, viewed by some as a middle linebacker, will convert to fullback for them. This type of thing has a decent success rate, but I typically like when teams draft pure fullbacks and there were a couple on my board who fit the range.

This was a mixed bag draft for the Cowboys. They didn’t address all of their needs and the Claiborne trade was a big part of the reason why they couldn’t do that, but I do like that they traded into the top-6 of a draft that the consensus was there was 6 blue chip prospects. Claiborne did fill a need. Tyrone Crawford and Matt Johnson address needs, but were major reaches who probably won’t emerge as starters.

Kyle Wilbur was a solid pick and they made some decent late round selections, but they probably only are getting 1 starter out of this draft, 2 if you count the fullback, but even that’s not a sure thing. However, Claiborne will pair with Brandon Carr to fix a pass defense that ranked in the bottom 3rd of the league against the pass last year. Within a year or two, they could rank in the top 3rd. They still have major issues on their defensive line, their interior offensive line, and their receiver depth. Safety is also a problem, but this was a poor safety draft anyway.

Grade: B-

 

Bears Draft 2012

 

19. DE Shea McClellin B-

Defensive end was a need, but I had other players rated higher at the position. I like McClellin a lot, but I don’t like him as much in a 4-3. He’s a little undersized and he’s at his best when he can move around and play different positions, which he won’t be able to do as purely a 4-3 defensive end.

45. WR Alshon Jeffery B-

They needed a receiver, but Jeffery is too similar to Brandon Marshall. Marshall is a possession type receiver and they really needed a deep threat opposite him. I don’t know why they traded up for a player like this. Why didn’t they take Peter Konz here?

79. S Brandon Hardin F

Where did this pick come from? Hardin was the first player drafted not on my top 250. I guess safety was a need, but what about the 2 3rd round picks they spent on safeties in the last 2 years? Why not wait on them to develop rather than taking another one?

111. TE Evan Rodriguez B

They needed a tight end, but this is a little early for Rodriguez, a short tight end who doesn’t block. He’s a great receiver off the line and compliments Kellen Davis, an in-line tight end, well.

184. CB Isaiah Frey B-

The Bears brought in a lot of cornerbacks in free agency this year and resigned their own guys as well. I don’t see where Frey fits.

220. CB Greg McCoy B-

Another cornerback? Well at least this one was a better value. Hard to hate on 7th round selections though.

Normally I like the Bears’ drafts, but this was not a very good one. McClellin was a reach over better defensive ends and one who fit the 4-3 scheme better. Alshon Jeffery didn’t fit what they needed in a wide receiver. And they also didn’t address major needs at linebacker, defensive tackle, and on the offensive line, instead opting to take 3 defensive backs when that wasn’t a position of major need, including on in the 3rd round (Brandon Hardin) who was a major reach. Evan Rodriguez in the 4th round might have been their best pick, but even that was a minor reach.

Grade: C

 

Dolphins Draft 2012

 

8. QB Ryan Tannehill B

This is a boom or bust pick. Normally I give these picks a C in the first round (an average of an A and an F), but I’m giving the Dolphins a B. Tannehill is a better fit for the Dolphins than anyone because they have Mike Sherman as their offensive coordinator and because they have two stopgap quarterback so they can ease Tannehill into action. Also, the Dolphins absolutely had to do something at the quarterback position after missing on every quarterback in the offseason. They haven’t had a franchise quarterback since Dan Marino and their fans were starting to lose interest.

42. OT Jonathan Martin A

Jonathan Martin fell into the 2nd round because he doesn’t have elite athleticism and feet or elite power and strength. However, he’s a pure football player, albeit a bit of a tweener. He fits really well on the right side in Miami, where they had a huge hole opposite Jake Long. This is a great value.

72. DE Olivier Vernon C-

They needed a defensive end, but this is really early for Vernon. He’s got elite athleticism, but only managed 1.5 sacks last season for a variety of reasons. He’s got a lot of upside, but this was way too early for him. He does fit both their 3-4 and their 4-3 defenses, important because they’ll probably be running a hybrid next season.

78. TE Michael Egnew C

They needed  a tight end, but this is two rounds too early for Michael Egnew, who doesn’t block and who had a poor statistical season last year. Both Orson Charles and Ladarius Green would have been much better values here in the 3rd rounds at tight end.

97. RB Lamar Miller A

I had Lamar Miller in the 2nd round, but he fell out of circumstance to the beginning of the 4th round. The Dolphins moved up to grab him. They didn’t really need another running back, but Miller way was too good of a value. Besides, Reggie Bush hasn’t been the most consistent back in the past. He’ll also, believe it or not, be a 28 year old free agent next season and even durable backs don’t last much into their 30s so he might not be resigned. They also plan on using Miller on special teams as a return man.

155. OLB Josh Kaddu B+

Kaddu has more value in their 4-3 as an outside linebacker, but they plan on using that scheme at least in part next season. He’ll play some as a rotational player in their front 7 next season, but they did have bigger needs. Who is Ryan Tannehill going to throw to?

183. WR BJ Cunningham A-

Here’s a receiver. I had Cunningham as a 7th round prospect, but this is a late pick so that’s not a huge deal. They needed at least one developmental receiver out of this draft.

215. DT Kheeston Randall A

They lost Kendall Langford and Phillip Merling from their 3-4 defensive end rotation so Randall, a good value at this point, could play immediately in a rotational role. If not, it’s just a 7th round pick.

227. WR Rishard Matthews A

I actually had Matthews rated higher than Cunningham. I have no problem with them taking two receivers.

Their draft is obviously going to be tied to Ryan Tannehill. He’s a major risk in the top 10, but he’s got the ability to become their first franchise quarterback since Marino. However, I can’t really fault them for that pick because they absolutely needed to do something at the position to have any hope for the future and he’s a great fit in Miami with Mike Sherman there as offensive coordinator and Matt Moore and David Garrard there as stopgap quarterbacks. T

They also made a really good pick with Jonathan Martin in the 2nd round, but you have to wonder why they didn’t get him a receiver until the 6th round. Brian Hartline and Davone Bess are solid complimentary receivers, but unless Clyde Gates steps up as a #1 receiver this year (highly unlikely), Tannehill or whoever starts at quarterback won’t have a lot of open options. They also made 2 pretty big reaches in the 3rd round. They could have spent either of those two picks on a solid wide receiver. Even if they didn’t, there were better players available at those positions, which were needs. They made some solid late round selections, but overall this was an underwhelming draft.

Grade: B-