[CBFF] [Fwd: Brown: Grading the draft: Last year's losers come out winners]

[Tom Shannon]

http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=405453
Grading the draft: Last year's losers come out winners

Posted: April 27, 2008

/SN's Clifton Brown gives out his high and low marks for this year's NFL 
Draft. Click on each team to get player analysis from the War Room, 
Vinnie Iyer and SN's correspondents./


A+

*Chiefs <http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=404851>.* 
Christmas came early. Glenn Dorsey, Branden Albert, Brandon Flowers and 
Jamaal Charles all were potential first-round picks. This was more than 
a home run. It was a grand slam.

A

*Dolphins 
<http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=404966>.* They 
took full advantage of picking first. Chad Henne could be their new 
starting quarterback. Jake Long will anchor the offensive line. Phillip 
Merling was a Round 2 steal.

*Falcons <http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=404853>.* 
The focus will be on Matt Ryan, but Sam Baker and Curtis Lofton are 
excellent players. At least eight picks could make the roster, which has 
been significantly upgraded.

A-

*Packers <http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=405191>.* 
Brian Brohm gives the Packers insurance at quarterback if Aaron Rodgers 
falters. Jordy Nelson is a deep-threat receiver who also returns kicks. 
They got great value for a team picking near the bottom.

*Panthers 
<http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=404871>.* A power 
runner (Jonathan Stewart) and a tackle (Jeff Otah) will complement each 
other nicely. Dan Connor is John Fox's kind of linebacker•smart and 
aggressive. Nice job.

2008 NFL DRAFT
Draft board 
<http://warroom.sportingnews.com/nfl/draft/2008/livedraft/1.html>
*Round-by-round analysis:* Iyer 
<http://www.sportingnews.com/blog/the_sporting_blog/author/viyer.tsn> | 
Lande <http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=404816>
*The Sporting Blog:* Hall in the Big Apple 
<http://www.sportingnews.com/blog/the_sporting_blog/author/shall.tsn>
*Darren McFadden:* All access 
<http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=405026> | 
Slideshow 
<http://www.sportingnews.com/i/slideshow/nfl/2008/draft/darren_mcfadden/slideshow.html> 

*Fantasy Source:* Day 1 
<http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=404967> | Day 2 
<http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=405358>
*Brown:* Falcons' QB gamble 
<http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=404879>
*Dillon:* Rams make right pick with Chris Long 
<http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=404935>

B+

*Bills <http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=404908>.* 
Major needs were addressed. Leodis McKelvin could make people forget 
Nate Clements. James Hardy should complement speedy Lee Evans as a 
possession receiver.

*Cowboys <http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=404977>.* 
What they got was better than trading for Darren McFadden. Felix Jones 
may be just as good a running back. Taking Mike Jenkins makes them less 
dependent on Pacman Jones.

*Vikings <http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=405059>.* 
Trading their first-round pick for Jared Allen was the best part of 
their draft. But it also was shrewd to move up five spots for Tyrell 
Johnson, a safety most scouts love.

B

*Jets <http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=404860>.* 
Quarterbacks were too comfortable playing against the Jets. Vernon 
Gholston will change that, and trading up to get Dustin Keller gives 
their quarterbacks a tight end target.

*Rams <http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=404854>.* 
Chris Long is easy to love. Donnie Avery in Round 2 was a reach, but 
getting Justin King in Round 4 should help the secondary, and John Greco 
is an offensive lineman with potential.

*Saints <http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=404884>.* 
The trade up to get Sedrick Ellis was excellent. He's a run-stopper. 
Horrible play in the secondary hurt them last season, and Tracy Porter 
is a cornerback with serious potential.

B-

*Bears <http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=404880>.* 
No, they didn't get a quarterback, but they got three players -- Chris 
Williams, Matt Forte and Earl Bennett -- who can help an anemic offense, 
plus a defensive tackle (Marcus Harrison) who has first-round skills.

*Giants <http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=404923>.* 
General manager Jerry Reese is a draft master. They needed a safety and 
got one in Kenny Phillips. Mario Manningham fell to them because of 
attitude, not lack of talent.

*Steelers 
<http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=405011>.* Rashard 
Mendenhall continues their tradition of physical backs. Ben 
Roethlisberger wanted a receiver with size, and now he has one in Limas 
Sweed.

C+

*Eagles <http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=405043>.* 
It paid off to trade down. DeSean Jackson gives them a much-needed deep 
target for Donovan McNabb, and a draft-day deal gives them the Panthers' 
first-rounder in '09.

*Raiders <http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=404857>.* 
Lack of draft picks prevented them from filling more holes. This is all 
about Darren McFadden. If he becomes a star, then this was a good draft. 
If not, they didn't get much help.

*Ravens <http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=404946>.* 
Getting Joe Flacco was important, but they took a major risk trading out 
of the No. 8 spot. Ray Rice is a small back, but he should form a nice 
combo with Willis McGahee.

C

*Bengals <http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=405061>.* 
Keith Rivers could quickly become their best linebacker. They took two 
receivers with their first four picks. This looks like a team getting 
ready for life without Chad Johnson.

*Jaguars <http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=404900>.* 
The trade up to get Derrick Harvey and drafting Quentin Groves were all 
about improving the pass rush. But you have to worry about Harvey's and 
Groves' lack of consistency in college.

*Redskins 
<http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=405029>.* Jim Zorn 
is going to open up the offense more than Joe Gibbs. Getting two 
receivers, Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly, fits into Zorn's plan. Jason 
Campbell is smiling.

C-

*Broncos <http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=404936>.* 
Ryan Clady will help the offensive line, but after him their draft 
tailed off. They needed help on the defensive line but added only a 
fifth-rounder. They may have overrated Eddie Royal as a receiver.

*Buccaneers 
<http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=404949>.* Aqib 
Talib may be a nice eventual replacement for Ronde Barber. But the Bucs 
may have overrated Dexter Jackson, who may be more of a return man in 
the NFL than a receiver.

*Cardinals 
<http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=404941>.* They 
waited too long to get a running back to spell Edgerrin James. Arizona 
should have taken Mendenhall or Jones instead of Dominique 
Rodgers-Cromartie, a cornerback who is still raw.

D+

*49ers <http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=404937>.* 
Kentwan Balmer may be a quality defensive lineman, but the Niners should 
have taken one of the 10 second-round wideouts instead of Chilo Rachal, 
who came out a year too soon.

*Seahawks 
<http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=405021>.* This 
draft won't get Mike Holmgren back to the Super Bowl in his final year. 
Lawrence Jackson could be a solid defensive end, but the Seahawks also 
needed wideout help.

D

*Lions <http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=404893>.* 
Gosder Cherilus will improve the offensive line, but the need for 
secondary help was not addressed, and Dan Connor would have been a safer 
pick at linebacker than Jordon Dizon.

*Patriots 
<http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=404866>.* Will 
Jerod Mayo really be a better player than two guys the Patriots could 
have taken -- Sedrick Ellis or Keith Rivers? They also failed to get 
line help to better protect Tom Brady.

D-

*Chargers 
<http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=404995>.* Having 
only two of the first 165 picks limited what they could do. Antoine 
Cason may turn into a good corner, and Jacob Hester will love blocking 
for LaDainian Tomlinson.

*Titans <http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=405045>.* 
No excuse for failing to get Vince Young a top-rated receiver. Chris 
Johnson is a speedy back, but this team had the league's fewest TD 
catches last year. That may happen again.

F

*Browns <http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=405420>.* 
What did you expect from a team that did not have a pick until the 
fourth round? They scored big in last year's draft and spent heavily in 
free agency. Anything from this draft is a bonus.

*Colts <http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=405054>.* 
Their first pick was No. 59. Fortunately for them, they don't need much 
help. Keep an eye on linebacker Philip Wheeler. The Colts have often 
struck gold late in the draft.

*Texans <http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=405049>.* 
They should have gotten more help for a team talking playoffs. Duane 
Brown needs polish as an offensive lineman. Steve Slaton is unlikely to 
solve their need for a consistent runner.

/Clifton Brown is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at 
cliftonbrown at sportingnews.com <mailto:cliftonbrown at sportingnews.com>./



-- 
Another flaw in the human character is that everybody wants to build and nobody wants to do maintenance.
  - Kurt Vonnegut