Posts Tagged ‘Draft Grades’

2009 NFL Draft Grades: AFC Conference

April 28th, 2009 by Travis Edwards (Bankroll Sports Contributor) | Posted in NFL Football   1 Comment »

Yesterday we released how the NFC teams faired in the NFL Draft and today we take a look at how the AFC teams came away from the most important week of the off-season. Interestingly the AFC did a better job as a Conference with their draft selections as they have been known to do over the last few years. Also the AFC has won 7 of the last 9 Super Bowl Championships and it may be safe to say that performing well every year on Draft weekend could have some benefiting effects for the Conference.

Baltimore Ravens

Michael Oher was the last of the big 4 offensive linemen that received so much praise through the off-season. Oher has as much natural talent as any of them, but people question his work ethic. Paul Kruger will likely be a linebacker at the next level and he is an exciting player to watch who really gets after it. Ladarius Webb at the cornerback position will be a gamble with his size, but the class still comes out to be very solid. Overall Draft Grade: B+

Buffalo Bills

Buffalo is one of those teams that could have taken a better advantage of their drafting selections, but ended up having an average group of athletes. Aaron Maybin is a strong and quick linebacker that could even move up to the defensive end position in certain scenarios. However, Maybin maybe the type player that needs some time to develop. Outside of Maybin, only 3rd round pick Jairus Byrd has the potential to really make an impact which is rather disappointing considering the Bills had two first and second round selections. Overall Draft Grade: C-

Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals may not have had the success on the field over the last few seasons, but they have been rather strong on drafting day the past few years. The Bengals picked up Andre Smith at number 6 who would likely been top two pick if he would not have had an awful off the field type issues during the off season. Rey Maualuga should be a solid player at linebacker and 3rd round selection Michael Johnson has tons of potential. Johnson has a lot of upside with a combination of speed and power that could mold him into one of the biggest success stories to come out of the 2009 rookie class. Overall Draft Grade: A

Cleveland Browns
The Browns put together a fairly good looking class. However, the only problem is that there are not any potential playmakers that jump out. Alex Mack was solid choice at center with a lot of strength and power. Brian Robiskie has a lot of question marks after lacking the speed many hoped he would have at the NFL combines. Mohamed Massaquoi has good hands and size that could earn some playing time in a few years time as well. Cleveland landed a lot of guys who will need a lot of work. Overall Draft Grade: C

Denver Broncos

The Broncos made many moves over the off-season to fill their need at running back which made their first round selection for RB Knowshon Moreno rather surprising. However, Moreno has the ability to turn any play into a highlight show with gifted quickness and surprising toughness for his size. The rest of the group has question marks which just add to the biggest question which is did Denver really benefit at all this off-season? Overall Draft Grade: D

Houston Texans

The Texans could have went after a defensive end with the first pick, but they got a solid linebacker in Brian Cushing. Cushing has good awareness and is can adapt to different schemes well. Houston backed up the defensive end need in the 2nd round selecting Connor Barwin. Barwin is one defensive end who has not gotten a lot of attention, but he is extremely athletic and possesses quality speed. Houston did a good job of filling needs on the defensive side of the ball, but some concerns for offensive depth may loom on the horizon. Overall Draft Grade: B

Indianapolis Colts

Donald Brown is just the type of running back that could be effective for the Colts. Brown is a hard runner that could be effective in the Colts offense. Any running back that can be effective for the Colts will be a plus and Brown could be a fitting match. Fili Moala has quick footwork for a defensive tackle, but may need more strength. CB Jerraud Powers is another defensive player that will need time to develop. Also, many experts believe the Colts could have gotten better results from taking a strong defensive lineman with their first selection rather than running back. However, still the Colts put together a good group of guys. Overall draft grade: B

Jacksonville Jaguars

Eugene Monroe and Eben Britton are huge additions along the offensive front. Considering the Jaguars gave up over 42 sacks last year, it is safe to say they addressed a big need. However, selecting WR Mike Thomas most likely will not fill the wide receiver need. Thomas is undersized only standing at 5-8. Jacksonville could be a very solid rushing team in the upcoming years and if they could somehow find a way to land a big time receiver then Jacksonville could be very dangerous offensively. Overall Draft Grade: A-

Kansas City Chiefs

Kansas City was the 2nd worse overall defense last year and the Chiefs wasted no time to target the defensive side of the ball with their first 3 picks. Tyson Jackson was a great choice, but not with Aaron Curry still on the board. When two of your top 3 tacklers from last year are secondary players it is safe to say you need some help up front and in the middle. Tyson Jackson and Alex Magee should be able to anchor down the defensive front after some time to develop into quality players. The acquisition of Matt Cassel over the off-season should get the offense in the right direction, but they still need help on that side of the ball. Overall Draft Grade: B

Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins got what should be a strong starter in their first selection with cornerback Vontae Davis. Most would agree to expect Davis to be one of the better cornerbacks in the league in a few years. However, the 2nd pick was a big gamble in QB Pat White. White led the West Virginia spread offense mostly by his legs. White will likely turn into a wide receiver that has a lot of speed, but how strong of a wide out he will turn out to be is the big question. Miami did better than most will give them credit for by adding some depth to the secondary and wide receiving groups. Overall Draft Grade: C-

New England Patriots

The Patriots did quite a good job with trading down to obtain two second round picks in 2010. Safety Patrick Chung selected in the first round should develop into a starter, but may take more time that most expect. CB Darius Butler is in similar situation, but expected to find the field. WR Brandon Tate is a big question mark. Tate could very well become a solid target at wide receiver or very well never be heard of again. The Patriots may not have gotten any immediate help, but they did get some talented youth. Overall Draft Grade B+

New York Jets

The Jets gave up their first and 2nd round picks along with other moves to get the number 5 overall selection to draft QB Mark Sanchez. Sanchez will become a starter and hopefully will fair better than the other Trojans quarterbacks over the last few years. Shonn Greene out of Iowa is a running back with a lot of upside and it would not be surprising to see him come on strong in a few years time. The move to get Sanchez was impressive and risky as they gave up some depth. However, the move very well could be worth the risk. Overall Draft Grade B+

Oakland Raiders

The Raiders have been heavily criticized for taking Maryland’s Darius Heyward-Bey over Michael Crabtree. However, Heyward-Bey has excellent speed and could be a down field threat very early in his career. Choosing Heyward-Bey over Crabtree is not nearly the mind boggling choice everyone has made it out to be, but rather a need for explosiveness. Drafting Michael Mitchell was rather shocking at the 2nd round as he probably would have been around for them to pick up later. The other WR drafted by the Raiders was Louis Murphy who could develop into an eventual starter despite being picked up late in the 4th round. Overall Draft Grade: D+

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers selected Evander Hood at DT in the first round. Hood like most of the selections has a considerable amount of concerns. The best selection out of the Steelers’ class could likely end up lying in 3rd round selection Mike Wallace. Wallace had a strong year in helping turnaround The Rebels under Houston Nutt. Wallace averaged 20.1 yards per reception and has lightning quick speed that will make him difficult to defend even against the speedy NFL defensive backs. In an overview, Pittsburgh could have very well sought after some more offensive players especially on the line. After all they already have the best defense in the NFL. Overall Draft Grade: C

San Diego Chargers

The Chargers drafted Larry English with their first round selection. While English is a solid player, San Diego could have done better with their 16th overall pick. The Chargers did go after some depth on the offensive line. Louis Vasquez and Tyronne Green were two offensive tackles who most people have not heard about, but they have some similar characteristics to be hard workers. One of these guys should develop into a starter while both should get playing time in the future. Overall Draft Grade: B-

Tennessee Titans

Tennessee did a great job of filling their needs in search of some talent at the receiver position. Kenny Britt continuously climbed up the draft boards and for good reason. He has solid combination of size and speed that could develop into a quality receiver. 3rd round selection Jared Cook could be another big time player. It is not very often you get a tight end that can touch a 4.4 in the 40 yard dash. Cook is a tall strong guy that presents a lot of mismatches for linebackers to try and pick up. Expect both of these receivers to make quick impacts. Overall Draft Grade: A-

2009 NFL Draft Grades: NFC Conference

April 27th, 2009 by Travis Edwards (Bankroll Sports Contributor) | Posted in NFL Football   Comments Off on 2009 NFL Draft Grades: NFC Conference

The 2009 NFL Draft turned out to be an exciting and unpredictable event as usual. The staff here at bankrollsports.com did a pretty good job with our prop bet picks so hopefully that added some extra money to your wallet. If you are wondering how your favorite team did in the draft, don’t worry we have a full review and grade for every team. For many teams, their selections could make immediate impacts on the field next season while other teams selections may need some time before they make a difference on Sunday. Check out the teams that did well and the teams that could have managed their selections better in our NFC Draft Grades. Also, be sure to check back to see how the AFC faired in tomorrow’s report.

Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals got a big boost when they were able to snatch Chris “Beanie” Wells at the end of the first round. Wells give speed and explosive to the back field was has been missing in action. Imagine Arizona having a running game to go with their air attack. Wells ability for an immediate impact will be sought after, but that could be asking a bit much. LB Cody Johnson and safety Rashad Johnson should fill some needs on defense, but both players will need time to develop. Overall NFL Draft Grade: B

Atlanta Falcons

I believe it is safe to say that Atlanta was focused on filling the need on the defensive side of the ball. The Falcons drafted 6 out of 7 defensive players over the weekend. Peria Jerry was selected 24th at the defensive tackle position. While we do not see most of these guys coming in to make immediate impacts, the defense could become a force in a few years. Overall NFL Draft Grade: B-

Carolina Panthers

The Panthers went well out of their way to secure selecting defensive end Everette Brown. Brown was listed as high as a top 5 pick on a few draft boards before fading in the final weeks. With questions looming around Julius Pepper’s future at Carolina, the Brown move makes a lot of sense to keep the defensive effective as they need to be. Sherrod Martin and Captain Munnerlyn both were chosen at the safety positions. Munnerlyn was a last round sleeper and Martin could get playing time early.  Overall NFL Draft Grade: B-

Chicago Bears

Well the Bears biggest move over the off-season was their trade to get Jay Cutler, but they still have a lot of concerns. The Bears got Juaquin Iglesias with the 2nd pick in the draft. The former Oklahoma wide out was a step slower than most in the combines and I believe he could be a bust. The bottom line is we do not see things taking any dramatic turns here. Overall NFL Draft Grade: C

Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys gave up some early round picks in other transactions, but picked up a lot of late round picks that should add depth to the lineup. Some experts say they did not feel their need in the secondary, but I believe Michael Hamlin out of Clemson is a considerable sleeper. LB Jason Williams could see some playing time considering how inconsistent the Cowboys have been in the middle of the field. Overall NFL Draft Grade: B-

Detroit Lions

It definitely helps when you have the overall number 1 pick in the draft and then you also have another late first pick to back that up. Matthew Stafford has all the ingredients to be a long term quarterback and late first round selection Brandon Pettigrew is an excellent addition. Pettigrew does everything well from blocking to catching passes. Detroit definitely had needs all over the field, but these two picks could really blossom into something nice. Overall NFL Draft Grade: A-

Green Bay Packers

The Packers possibly the best job of any team over the weekend. Grabbing DT B.J Raji was a perfect solution to the new defense. Clay Matthews will add more support in the 4 linebacker figuration. Offensive tackles T.J Lang and Jamon Meredith should come in and give Green Bay some much needed depth along the front line. Looking back no other team fit their specific needs as well as the Packers. Overall NFL Draft Grade: A

Minnesota Vikings

This could be one of the disappointment classes for the Vikings. Actually it could go either way as they have some talented players, but a lot of question marks surrounding them. Percy Harvin was tremendous at the college level, but size could play a factor. However, Harvin could make it the size factor with blazing speed all depending on how he fits into Minnesota’s offense. Jasper Brinkley had big junior season at South Carolina, but suffered a knee injury and red shirted his true senior year. Brinkley looked a step slower in all directions after the injury and that could throw up some red flags for the long haul. Overall Draft Grade: C plus

New Orleans Saints

The Saints did a fairly solid job over the off-season. Selecting Malcom Jenkins at the number 14 overall selection was a strong pick considering Jenkins could become a legitimate defensive force and quickly. Jenkins was the only pick in the first 3 rounds considering other transactions that acquired Jonathon Vilma and Jeremy Shockey. Chip Vaughn should also give defensive support in the distant future as well which was a big need for New Orleans after a dreadful secondary last season. Overall NFL Draft Grade: B-

New York Giants

Hakeem Nicks was a gamble selection in the first round, but could be a big time player. William Beatty should have been taken earlier and New York benefited from the offensive tackle being overlooked. WR Rhamses Bardin at one time or another was a sleeper pick on nearly every board and is another big target for Eli Manning. While it’s unfair sometimes to lay an entire class in the hands of one player, this one definitely falls on Nick’s ability to progress into an every down receiver. Overall NFL Draft Grade: B-

Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles got a few selections that could make immediate impacts while a few others may never see the field. Jeremy Maclin could be a special team’s explosive threat and eventually develop into a big time receiver that possesses a lot of speed. After RB LeSean McCoy and Cornelius Ingram selections, it was a big fall off. However, those 3 guys should make some type of difference. The question is how long will that take? Overall NFL Draft Grade: C+

San Francisco 49ers

San Francisco did not necessarily have a bad class of players, but just wondering if they really addressed the needs. However, Michael Crabtree has the size and hands to make him an exciting offensive threat. Expect to see Crabtree on the field this year and by the 2nd half of the season to become a threat. Many have doubts on Alabama’s Glen Coffee, but he is a solid hard nose runner that should be able to find away to get playing time in the future. Overall NFL Draft Grade: B

Seattle Seahawks

Aaron Curry was listed as high as a possible number one selection and to be honest he may very well be the best all-around player in this year’s class. Curry will be a threat up the middle for some time to come. 2nd round selection Max Unger has a lot of upside. He has great quickness for a center and could be used in a lot of pull down running situations. Expect WR Deon Butler to also find the field before too long as well. The entire group may not be a solid as hoped, but some solid talent nonetheless. Overall NFL Draft Grade: B+

St. Louis Rams

The Rams chose Jason Smith as the top offensive linemen in possibly the most talented class in the history of offensive big men. Smith could be ready to play on Sunday today and do not expect it to take him long to be extremely effective. James Laurinatis is another solid grab in the second round. St. Louis has had some problems with keeping guys on the field for long periods of time. These two selections should put those worries to rest. Overall NFL Draft Grade: B

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Buccaneers may get some eventual help from QB Josh Freeman who they selected in the first round. Freeman appears to have what it takes to make the field and be an effective quarterback, but still will need time to learn. DT Roy Miller and DE Kyle Moore should add some depth to the defensive side of the ball. However, the big problem with this class is that there is not one person that is going to come in and make an impact. At best they may have two or 3 guys in a few years to develop into solid players, but again that is only at best. Overall NFL Draft Grade: D

Washington Redskins

Brian Orakpo has the speed and explosiveness that NFL experts were drooling over after the NFL combines. Orakpo definitely has the ability to have a long tenure in the league. Kevin Barnes is a solid cover guy who could also make his way onto the field next season. After these two guys, the Redskins are another team that had a big drop off towards the bottom of the class. Robert Henson was a late selection that could blossom, but there will need to be a lot of work done to change some bad habits. Overall NFL Draft Grade: C+


Are you happy with your favorite team's NFL draft picks this year?