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Arizona Cardinals |
Grade = A |
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They owned day one.
Green will be laughing
all year, getting Rolle
and not having to take
Pac-Man Jones. JJ
Arrington was his guy at
RB, Green is another
solid athlete, who could
start at FS, and
Blackstock at the end of
day one is robbery.
Minimum of 3 opening day
starters, and probably
all 4 by mid-season. |
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Atlanta Falcons |
Grade = B |
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Curious choice of
another wide out in the
first round, but White
becomes the best wide
receiver on the team,
from day one. Babineaux
and Beck are both rock
solid, and Babineaux in
particular is a star in
the making. Beck
probably isn't NF-
ready, but he'll
contribute on special
teams for now, and could
work his way into the
lineup. Probably only
one day one starter in
Babineaux, but White
will have an impact. |
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Baltimore Ravens |
Grade = A |
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Hit the OU game film
hard...and scored big.
Clayton, Mason, Moore,
and Heap make for quite
a pass-catching group.
Dan Cody in the 2nd is a
steal, and Terry in the
third is a great pick
for depth. |
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Buffalo Bills |
Grade = C- |
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Is Willis McGahee the
new GM? Too Miami
products, neither of
which is worth their
draft spot. Neither
will start, but Parrish
will probably contribute
on the return teams.
Everett with that TE
group? Maybe Mularkey
has some new special 4
TE formation he's dying
to use... |
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Carolina Panthers |
Grade = C+ |
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They filled some
significant needs.
Davis could play SS or
OLB, Shelton is
insurance for that
injury-prone group.
Mathis is a multi-tasker
at OL and helps secure
some depth on a unit
hammered with
injuries. They dealt
Ellison for 2 day two
picks, and all things
considered could draft
two better players
better. |
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Chicago Bears |
Grade = B+ |
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Rex Grossman has to be
excited to have a back
he can hand off to 25+
times a game, and a
weapon like Bradley to
line up opposite
Muhammad. Only two
picks, but two day one
starters and immediate
impact players. |
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Cincinnati Bengals |
Grade = B- |
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Marvin Lewis got some
serious playmakers in
Pollack and Thurman.
Pairing Pollack with
Justin Smith should be
fun to watch. Thurman
should be able to beat
out Kevin Hardy on the
outside. Getting Chris
Henry in the third was
curious, because with
Chad Johnson on the
team, can they handle
two guys with attitude
issues? A lot of WRs,
one football… |
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Cleveland Browns |
Grade = A |
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For anyone that dislikes
the Browns, it hurts to
say it, but the Browns
really improved their
team. Edwards is so
explosive, and getting a
guy who can actually get
him the ball in the 3rd
round, is such a bonus.
Adding Brodney Pool at
FS, and Sean Jones
coming back to start at
SS, makes that a scary
tandem. |
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Dallas Cowboys |
Grade = B+ |
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I think the Cowboys
dropped the ball taking
Ware over Shawne
Merriman. Mark it down
– Ware won't be the
player Merriman is.
Spears and Burnett are
great picks, and keep
this day one great for
Cowboy fans, but I look
at Ware pick at 11, and
check the box "reach"
next to it. |
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Denver Broncos |
Grade = D |
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Anyone think the Broncos
are worried about their
secondary? You'd think
a team that has Champ
Bailey on one side
wouldn't need to spend 3
day one picks to find
another starter.
Darrent Williams will
start, and Foxworth will
be a nickel back.
Paymah will hang out
with Roc Alexander on
the sidelines. And
then someone lost a bet,
and drafted Slo-Mo
Clarett. Maybe they
wanted someone to be a
partner in sprints with
Ron Dayne. |
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Detroit Lions |
Grade = C |
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I suppose we should have
guessed that the Lions
would draft a wide
receiver in the first
for a third straight
year. Williams will be
a solid pro, which means
two things. First, no
one thinks Charles
Rogers is ever going to
get through a season
healthy, and second,
this is Harrington's
last chance to show what
he's got. Cody and
Wilson are solid picks,
even though Cody doesn't
seem to have a spot on
that DL. |
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Green Bay Packers |
Grade = C- |
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Did Green Bay win or
lose by getting Rodgers
at 24? I'd call it a
push. Rodgers fell like
a stone for a reason.
Sorry, but Jeff Tedford
is a quarterback guru
like Mike Tyson is a
financial planner. Favre
needed help on defense
to make a push, so they
get a small school FS,
and a great young WR,
who won't see the field,
because he'll be buried
on the depth chart this
season. Enjoy your
farewell tour Brett. |
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Houston Texans |
Grade = C |
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In a strange move, the
3-4 Texans drafted the
best 4-3 DT in the
draft. Good luck with
that. Morency is a nice
2nd round pick and will
compliment Davis.
Overall, an average day,
with no one who will
start. |
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Indianapolis Colts |
Grade = C- |
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The Colts scored big
with Marlin Jackson.
He's a day one starter,
and lets the nickel and
dime CBs the Colts have,
go back to doing that.
Now the bad news.
Hayden is a total reach
pick. Maybe the Colts
got some of Eugene
Wilson’s game tape, and
confused the two.
Burns is an interesting
player, but not a player
with a position on a
team with awesome DEs,
and a soft interior
defense. |
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Jacksonville Jaguars |
Grade = B- |
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Well, everyone wondered
who bit hardest on the
Matt Jones sell, and it
was the Jags. He's a
project, but not a
long-term one. He'll be
catching TDs early and
often. Barnes in the
2nd is a solid pick,
especially after so many
draftniks had him
penciled in as the 2nd
best OT in the draft.
He went where his skills
say he should. Starks
is a hard-nosed, tough,
and technically sounds
player, who Jags fans
will love. |
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Kansas City Chiefs |
Grade = B- |
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Are you kidding me?
Derrick Johnson? Look
back at this draft in 5
years and see how many
of the 14 guys taken
ahead of him are having
a career like his. The
Johnson pick more than
makes up for Colquitt in
the 2nd. Planning to
punt a lot next year,
Dick? |
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Miami Dolphins |
Grade = B+ |
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Saban had a big day one,
and it was pretty
quiet. Brown is going
to make everyone there
forget Ricky Williams in
a hurry. Roth and
Crowder are the kind of
players Saban can coach
up and make into stars.
The fact so many teams
passed on Crowder is
going to be something to
track in the coming
season, because he'll
play hard for Saban,
outplaying so many
guys. Roth will be able
to do what he does best,
keep his hand on the
ground, rushing the
passer. |
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Minnesota Vikings |
Grade = A- |
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The Vikes sure made hay
in the first, getting
Williamson and James.
Big-time day one
starters and impact
athletes. Marcus
Johnson is great depth
at 4 OL spots, and
Dustin Fox is a nice
developmental player. |
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New England Patriots |
Grade = B- |
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The Patriots are known
for their ability to
find guys in recent
drafts, obscure at
times, that contribute.
This draft however, I
think they dropped the
ball. Mankins in the
first round was far too
early. This is one pick
will go down as one of a
few wasted ones.
However, Hobbs and
Kaczur in the third are
rock solid, considering
the Pats’ ability to
develop talent and use
it, both should see
significant time early. |
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New Orleans Saints |
Grade = A- |
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The Saints had to be
excited to be able to
slide up and take a
franchise RT like
Brown. Bullocks and
Fincher were also great
picks, and in reality
all 3 should be
starters, and if not at
the start of the season,
then very early on. |
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New York Giants |
Grade = B+ |
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The Giants went best
player available – and
did they ever do just
that. Webster at 43 is
a nice steal, but Tuck
at 74? You've got to be
kidding. Great picks,
both of which will play
early and often. |
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New York Jets |
Grade = B+ |
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I was ready to write
about how awful the
Jets' day one was after
the Nugent pick coming
in the 40s. Then
something happened…They
drafted back to back
studs in Justin Miller
and Sione Pouha. All 3
players will play
significant roles in the
Jets’ success for a long
time. Overall, they
finished with one of the
better day ones. |
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Oakland Raiders |
Grade = A- |
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All 4 picks, Washington
and Routt at cornerback,
Walter the QB of the
future, and Kirk
Morrison, are great
picks. Looking at who
was taken before
Morrison at LB makes his
pick even more
incredible; it’ll be
viewed as a draft
blunder for plenty of
teams in the coming
years. |
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Philadelphia Eagles |
Grade = B+ |
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Good for Mike Patterson
and good for
Philadelphia for
realizing who the best
player was on that USC
DL last year. Patterson
is so unblockable at
times, it's scary.
Brown and Moats are
great picks, and even
though Brown will be the
only starter of the two,
Moats will be a great
complementary player in
that offense. McCoy was
early, but considering
what the Eagles have at
LB, will be a player. |
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Pittsburgh Steelers |
Grade = D |
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Bad day for the Steelers
front office. Miller
was the best TE in a
soft class with an
injury that could shelve
him throughout his
rookie season. McFadden
was a lot of hype in the
off-season, ending up
being lapped by so many
CBs that he was the 11th
taken. Then, almost by
accident, the Steelers
draft a guy not even
projected to sniff day
one. Alonzo Jackson was
heard saying, "See…I’m
not the worst day one
pick ever." Did someone
lose a bet or did
someone on their
scouting staff recently
complete their MBA at
the Kellogg School? |
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San Diego Chargers |
Grade = B |
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I am torn on the
Chargers first round.
Merriman is a
super-freak, and will be
turning down Pro Bowl
invites to stay home for
years. Castillo on the
other hand, he could
very well end up being
Mike Mamula Part Deux,
only with 'roids. Big
recovery though, because
the Chargers needed a
weapon to pair with
Antonio Gates, and
Jackson is the guy. |
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Seattle Seahawks |
Grade = C- |
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This day one is a total
head-scratcher for me.
Spencer is the best
center in the draft, but
first round? Tatupa was
a throw away pick – mark
that one down. He’s too
small to be a decent LB,
and the Seahawks already
have one undersized LB
turned SS on the
roster. Greene is a
nice value pick,
eventually replacing
Hasselbeck before he's
ready. Hill? Another
small LB, who gets
overpowered. Like I
said, a head-scratcher. |
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San Francisco 49ers |
Grade = A |
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Let me say right now –
the Niners will not be
the worst team in the
NFL next year…and I
couldn't have said that
before they went on the
clock. Alex Smith is
the best QB in this
draft, should win the
starting job, and play
well with those wide
outs. Baas and Snyder
are great OL pickups,
and might make Kevan
Barlow look like less of
a stiff…that is until
Frank Gore beats him out
of the starting job.
Well done, Coach Nolan,
you drafted better than
a lot of veteran head
coaches on day one |
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St. Louis Rams |
Grade = B+ |
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A surprisingly normal
draft for the mad
scientist. Barron is
solid, if not a little
overrated. Oshiomogho
and Bartell are impact
players from the start
for the Rams, and OJ in
particular should allow
Pisa Tinoisamoa from
having to move to FS,
keeping him at LB. One
last comment – I think
Incognito will be an
incredible pro and could
start this year…but if
Martz thought Turley is
a loose cannon, he ain't
see nothin' yet. |
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
Grade = B+ |
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Well, Gruden got his
guy, for better or
worse. “Cadillac”
Williams is an explosive
player, but he, like
Ruud, Smith and Colmer
also give the Bucs
something crucial.
Youth. These are 4
young men, who should
all play significant
roles, even if they all
don't start. For an
aging team, putting this
much youthful energy on
the field can only mean
good things in the long
run. |
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Tennessee Titans |
Grade = B |
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In five years, read this
article Titans fans and
remember this – Pac-Man
will not be the CB
Antrel Rolle will be,
who you'll wish you had
instead. Jones may not
end up a first round
bust, but he'll never
live up to his draft
position. Moving ahead,
Michael Roos was my
sleeper OT all through
the college season, and
should develop into a
great pro. Roby is an
interesting pick, and
although he may not be a
starter, he'll make his
presence felt quickly.
Brandon Jones is another
kid who may not start,
but with his size and
straight-line speed,
should be effective. |
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Washington Redskins |
Grade = C |
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The Skins’ War Room was
the first at the bar
Saturday, and that's
because they put
themselves into a
position to draft twice
in the first, then call
it a day. Carlos Rogers
is such a great player.
He’s a big physical
corner, who can cover
and hit – day one
starter. Now, on to
Jason Campbell. As a
disclaimer, I may have
called the pick, but I
don't like it. Gibbs
will be back in NASCAR
before anyone realizes
they should have waited. |
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