| Gold the Phalanx
Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Norwalk, Connecticut
Posts: 6,089
Rep Power: 12  |  Stoic's Draft Grades.
I'll get started with the AFC East because I'm a pretty huge Jets fan.
Buffalo Bills
This team showed off one of the most impressive first round debacles in recent memory. At the 8th pick they made a gigantic reach by picking up safety Donte Whitner. The draft posed one dominant safety in Huff, and then a flurry of second place contenders all over the defensive secondary. With Huff being snagged one pick in front of them, The Bills went into ultra-panic mode and took a grab at a guy who should've been a late first round early second round guy. They then burned through draft picks to trade up for a DT John McCargo who had no business going in the first round (more deservingly to be a mid-late second, early 3rd guy). However in the 3rd and 4th rounds The Bills picked up steals with Ashton Youboty and Ko Sampson, respectively. Late round help on the Offensive Line showed some guys who might eventually get a place on the field with Butler, Pennington, and Merz but in all likelyhood the gold in their draft day maneuvers can be seen in hte 3rd and 4th round steals to sure up that leaky secondary.
Grade: B-
I put alot of pressure on the first and second rounds, which were not well-played, but Ko and Ashton are gonna be key pieces to a more then solid defense.
New England Patriots
This team came into the draft needing one thing more then any other, secondary help, and totally avoided it. The Pats are no longer the Monster in the NFL and they can't be aiming for BAP every round. They have holes and needs these days. Albeit they patched up the offense by bolstering the run game with Maroney and upgrading from Givens with Chad Jackson, despite poor Florida WR production in the past, this still won't give them what they need. The gem of their draft was OT Ryan O' Callaghan in the 5th who I saw more as an early 3rd rounder. The late 4th round pick of K Gostkowski will be a big help in replaceing Vinateri, and is a better player then NY Jets 2nd Round K pick of yester-year Mike Nugent.
Grade C
Didn't hurt the team, but certainly is nothing to write home about. When you need secondary help you have to get it, especially when Dante Culpepper just joined your division.
Miami Dolphins
I do not like this draft. Absolulty lack-luster, although they did make some nice pick-ups. First round pick Jason Allen is one of those tweeners in the first and second round that aren't anything special in my eyes. They should have traded down if they wanted a Secondary guy, because Allen doesn't live up to a #16 pick. Not having a 2nd rounder hurts big, but they made up for it with WR Derek Hagan who might be my favorite sleeper WR in the draft. My only worries are that he might find himself in the Maurice Walker roll and fall out of existence quickly. Joe Toledo at OT will be develop to a decent OT who can start for years but that certainly doesn't eleviate the absolute lack of a huge pick-up.
Grade D+
They got some guys, but not a real special showing. Yeah, these players will help, but not as much as the other teams will be helped.
New York Jets
All I've been hearing from sites around the web are how this was an A+ Draft, and I hate to say i disagree. I thought the first round was masterful. D'Brick and Mangold are huge puzzle pieces to building a good offense which always starts with a good O Line. 2nd Round pick Kellen Clemens just seems like a work in progress to be a poor man's Chad Pennington. He doesn't give the arm strength they lack at QB, so why draft him? 3rd Rounder Shlegel also underwhlemed me. I see him becoming a roll-player at best when they're were solid players who could develop into starters lingering around in the draft. Leon Washington was nice in the 4th, but I don't know why the Jets are trying to bolster their line with a dink and dunk back. He might become a good situational player, but I don't think he's gonna replace Curtis Martin, and that's what they need at RB. I hear he may have more potential then what I've seen and I have seen him show streaks of promise. If he can become a starter then he's what the doctor ordered, but more then likely the Jets future RB situation is a Commity of Leon Washington and Cedrick Houston, which may pose a threat, but certainly won't be ripe with potency. Brad Smith might just be a steal because of his athleticism alone, I think he's the real deal at WR if he gets his head in the game.
Grade B
The first round was awesome, and although Washington could become solid, i think he's to frail to make it happen. Smith and Washington are the deal Breakers here. If either of them show they're more then STers this draft was great.
Next we'll move our way to the AFC North
Cincinatti Bengals
They took one of the Secondary Tweeners that I've been talking about, but they took him late in the first and I think they got a good one. 2nd Round Whitworth was a nice pick up as well. He seems like a solid starter who can hold down the edge, I don't think he has the talent to be an LT though. 5th Rounder AJ Nicholson has potential to be a pretty solid player, but he is a project. If he gets his head strait, and is commited to playing good football he can do it. However his resolve may be of some issue.
Grade C+
They did nothing to dazzle me, but they got a few guys who like like players to me. Nicholson is the dark horse to make changes on this team and I think he's got it in him.
Cleveland Browns (for Thrax)
They got their guy in Kamerion Wimbley, who I think is going to be a key element in Romeo Crennel's defensive plans, but personally I think they reached a little high for him. Swapping with Baltimore was OK, but they should have gotten more, traded down lower, or just drafted Ngata. Second round pick D'Qwell Jackson was the best at his position in this draft, and one of only 2 real solid players at ILB, so I think that was a nice pick up too. Day 2 they got some sleepers, but nothing too exciting. Isaac Sowells could become an NFL calibre guard, and the late pick on Jerome Harrison might provide a decent backup RB.
Overall B-
They got gamers in the first 2 rounds who will contribute to their success, despite Wimbley going a little early. The Running game contributions, and the late picks in the secondary may provide some help, but this draft focused around their first 2 pickups.
Baltimore Ravens
Haloti Ngata was an absolutly ideal pickup for these guys, because not only does it give them the premier run stopper they need in the middle, but it also makes Ray Lewis that much better, and that much happier. 4th Rounder Demetrius Williams is a sleeper at WR, and I think he could provide a decent target for the problematic offense they've been putting together. Chris Spencer in the 2nd round is an athelete but I don't know how well he'll translate to an NFL Center.
Overall C
Haloti was one of the best pick-ups for a team in the first round, but after that I lost a little excitement.
Pittsburgh Steelers
I dunno if I really like the pick of Holmes. Obviously he's the top rated WR in the draft, but I don't like the way he meshes with the Steeler's Hard Nose tradition. He's a little too "flash-in-the-pants" and it seems more often then not that intangibles like that prohibit success. Anthony Smith has never been that consitant of a player. Reid replaces Randle El on kickoffs but not very well. All in all I didn't like the draft of this team. Orien Harris fell in the draft, but for good reason, his potential is overshadowed by his attitude and lack of heart.
Overall D+
I keep reading about how good this draft was but I don't like it. Harris could be a steal, but it doesn't look like it to me.
Sorry this is taking so long, but i haven't had any time lately. I'll continue to chip away at the NFL divisions.
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Bullfighting is the only art in which the artist is in danger of death and in which the degree of brilliance in the performance is left to the fighter's honor.
Last edited by Stoic; 05-28-2006 at 10:01 PM.
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