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AFC NORTH Draft Grade: Cincinnati Bengals
Posted by Dennis Velasco Categories: Athletes, Drafts, Editorial, Front Office, NFL,
2005 Record: 11-5
Points For: 421
Points Against: 350
Rushing Yards PG: 119.4
Rushing Yards Allowed PG: 115.6
Passing Yards PG: 238.8
Passing Yards Allowed PG: 223.1
Drafted:
1.24 (24) - Johnathan Joseph, CB, South Carolina
2.23 (55) - Andrew Whitworth, OT, LSU
3.27 (91) - Frostee Rucker, DE, USC
4.26 (123) - Domata Peko, DT, Michigan St.
5.25 (157) - A.J. Nicholson, LB, Florida St.
6.24 (193) - Reggie McNeal, QB, Texas A&M
7.1 (209) - Ethan Kilmer, DB, Penn State (from Houston)
7.23 (231) - Bennie Brazell, WR, LSU
Comments:
Joseph has the size, speed, and athleticism to succeed in the NFL. However, he may be relying too much on his talent and physical skills. Joseph will need to improve his technique to really do well in the league, but that will inevitably come with experience. He could push for a starting spot in the defensive backfield and not just as a nickelback.
Whitworth has the desirable long arms for an offensive lineman and is very athletic for his position. He’s an excellent run blocker and the thing that has me thinking he’ll be pretty good is that he’ll be learning form Levi Jones and Willie Anderson, the incumbents at the line right now. Whitworth has a good head on his shoulders, so I’m sure any lesson will not be left unlearned.
The Rucker pick could be a very good one for the Bengals. He’s a high motor guy that can close space in a hurry. Rucker is effective against the run and can use his speed to his advantage in rushing the passer. Peko is just a big guy that can collapse and push the pocket to free those behind him to make plays. Because of his ability to affect the pocket, Peko is a good run defender.
Nicholson might be the best value pick for the Bengals as he has the ability to knock someone out with his hard tackles. However, Nicholson had some off-the-field issues and his stock inevitably dropped. He’ll probably be looked on to contribute to special teams at this point until he can get straight. McNeal probably won’t be a quarterback in the NFL and I would expect he’ll be converted to the wide receiver position. Kilmer and Brazell will both contribute to special teams if they stick with the team, particularly Kilmer.
ENDSCORE GRADE: B
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AFC NORTH Draft Grade: Baltimore Ravens
Posted by Dennis Velasco Categories: Athletes, Drafts, Editorial, Front Office, NFL,
2005 Record: 6-10
Points For: 265
Points Against: 299
Rushing Yards PG: 100.3
Rushing Yards Allowed PG: 99.4
Passing Yards PG: 193.0
Passing Yards Allowed PG: 184.9
Drafted:
1.12 (12) - Haloti Ngata, DT, Oregon (from Cleveland)
2.24 (56) - Chris Chester, OL, Oklahoma (from N.Y. Giants)
3.23 (87) - David Pittman, CB, Northwestern St. (from N.Y. Giants)
4.14 (111) - Demetrius Williams, WR, Oregon
4.35 (132) - P.J. Daniels, RB, Georgia Tech (Compensatory Selection)
5.13 (146) - Dawan Landry, S, Georgia Tech
5.34 (166) - Quinn Sypniewski, TE, Colorado (Compensatory Selection)
6.34 (203) - Sam Koch, P, Nebraska (Compensatory Selection)
6.39 (208) - Derrick Martin, CB, Wyoming (Compensatory Selection)
7.11 (219) - Ryan LaCasse, DE, Syracuse
Comments:
Ray Lewis, ask and ye shall receive. Lewis asked the organization to get him a big defensive lineman to free him up and contain blockers and the Ravens accommodated. Naturally, the decision wasn’t going to be based solely on Lewis’ wishes, but because Ngata is pretty good AKA pretty huge. While Ngata lacks explosion off the snap, he does have some speed, which allow him to put some legit pressure on the opposing quarterback.
Chester is a converted tight end that is athletic and fast. However, he is still inexperienced at the offensive line position and will need time to grow there. So, don’t expect him to be starting any time soon. However, don’t be surprised to see him lined up as an eligible receiver at the line as part of some trickery and getting the pass thrown to him.
Pittman has very good coverage skills and will probably play the nickel for the
Ravens. Williams is largely being heralded as a steal in the fourth for the Ravens due to his size and the production he had at Oregon. Daniels did lead the ACC in rushing in 2004, so that’s saying something about his ability to run. Add the fact that he has the ability to catch balls out of the backfield and we might have something here. Too bad Daniels won’t get any chances this season with both Jamal Lewis and Mike Anderson on the team.
Landry is a decent defensive back that should be a steady NFL player when he gets on the field. A lack of speed is what’s keeping him off it on the regular. Sypniewski will only see the field as a blocker, not a pass-catching tight end. Koch is a kicker… no need to explain, right? Martin is a work in progress, although he does have some good upside. LaCaase has good speed and athletic ability, but may only be the one that gets everyone elses bags on road hames.
ENDSCORE GRADE: B
AFC WEST Draft Grade: San Diego Chargers
Posted by Dennis Velasco Categories: Athletes, Drafts, Editorial, Front Office, NFL,
2005 Record: 9-7
Points For: 418
Points Against: 312
Rushing Yards PG: 129.5
Rushing Yards Allowed PG: 84.3
Passing Yards PG: 218.4
Passing Yards Allowed PG: 224.9
Drafted:
1.19 (19) - Antonio Cromartie, CB, Florida St.
2.18 (50) - Marcus McNeill, OT, Auburn
3.17 (81) - Charlie Whitehurst, QB, Clemson
5.19 (151) - Tim Dobbins, ILB, Iowa St.
6.18 (187) - Jeromey Clary, OL, Kansas St.
6.19 (188) - Kurt Smith, K, Virginia (from Miami)
7.17 (225) - Chase Page, DT, North Carolina
7.19 (227) - Jimmy Martin, OT, Virginia Tech (from Minnesota)
Comments:
The Cromartie pick surprised me as he is coming off a bad knee injury, but I guess the Chargers were looking at what Cromartie did beforehand. In that case, I’ll accept this because Cromartie was a playmaker for the Florida State Seminoles, athletic and quick. If he stays healthy, Cromartie has the talent to be one of the better corners in the league for the next several seasons.
McNeill is McHUGE! He definitely had the talent to go in the first round, but injury concerns about his back eliminated that idea. Back at Auburn, he helped open many holes for the running backs and can pass protect. If he can stay healthy, he has a chance to be All Pro good.
Whitehurst has some injury concerns regarding his shoulder and hasn’t put together a solid string of production the last few years at Clemson. However, he has the talent to do some things. It’ll just probably be as a second-stringer as the Chargers are going to justify that huge Phillip Rivers contract, making Rivers the starter with Drew Brees now gone to the New Orleans Saints.
Dobbins is a very solid linebacker with a good motor and should do well in the 3-4 defensive scheme. Clary is nothing special, but should be a solid producer on the line for the Chargers. Smith is a kicker that hasn’t done anything special enough for me to comment on. Page is big and should make an impact as a pass-rusher if anything at all. Martin is a player that can play in the league for 15 years, but no one will even know this.
ENDSCORE GRADE: B-
AFC WEST Draft Grade: Oakland Raiders
Posted by Dennis Velasco Categories: Athletes, Drafts, Editorial, Front Office, NFL,
2005 Record: 4-12
Points For: 290
Points Against: 383
Rushing Yards PG: 85.6
Rushing Yards Allowed PG: 128.1
Passing Yards PG: 223.9
Passing Yards Allowed PG: 202.7
Drafted:
1.7 (7) - Michael Huff, S, Texas
2.6 (38) - Thomas Howard, LB, UTEP
3.5 (69) - Paul McQuistan, OT, Weber St.
4.4 (101) - Darnell Bing, S, USC
6.7 (176) - Kevin Boothe, OL, Cornell
7.6 (214) - Chris Morris, C, Michigan St.
7.47 (255) - Kevin McMahan, WR, Maine (Supplemental Compensatory Selection)
Comments:
Wow, didn’t those Vince Young rumors die almost as quickly as they started. Obviously, they would never had gotten a chance to take Young, but still, it was almost as solid as Reggie Bush going number one overall. But, we all know how that went.
So, with Young off the board, the next logical train of thought was the Raiders going with Matt Leinart with their first rounder. Not so much. Instead, the Raiders went with the best available player, who happened to be the very versatile Huff. Huff has the ability to play anywhere in the secondary and can play both the pass and the run. He’s a hard hitter and should become what Charles Woodson was supposed to.
Howard can fall back into coverage and run very well. But that isn’t a surprise considering he used to play defensive back for UTEP. As solid (definitely not gamebreaking) as Howard is, I think this pick was a little bit of a stretch in this round.
McQuistan was a solid choice and should settle in at the line for the next decade. Bing will be converted to linebacker with the Raiders and he should adapt to the position well. I know this much about Boothe – he’s a smart guy. I mean, he did go to Cornell, right? Other than that, I am dubious to his adjustment from an Ivy League school to the NFL. Morris should be like McQuistan and eventually settle in at the line for a long time. McMahan is this year’s “Mr. Irrelevant,” a title which may not end here as I don’t know if he’ll make the cut after camp.
ENDSCORE GRADE: C+
AFC WEST Draft Grade: Kansas City Chiefs
Posted by Dennis Velasco Categories: Athletes, Drafts, Editorial, Front Office, NFL,
2005 Record: 10-6
Points For: 403
Points Against: 325
Rushing Yards PG: 148.9
Rushing Yards Allowed PG: 98.1
Passing Yards PG: 238.1
Passing Yards Allowed PG: 229.9
Drafted:
1.20 (20) - Tamba Hali, DE, Penn St.
2.22 (54) - Bernard Pollard, S, Purdue
3.21 (85) - Brodie Croyle, QB, Alabama
5.22 (154) - Marcus Maxey, CB, Miami (FL)
6.17 (186) - Tre’ Stallings, OL, Mississippi (from Dallas)
6.21 (190) - Jeff Webb, WR, San Diego St.
7.20 (228) - Jarrad Page, S, UCLA
Comments:
Known mostly for their offensive output the past several seasons, the regime coming in with new Head Coach, Herm Edwards, will concentrate a little more on the defensive side of things. And that was displayed with their first round draft choice, going with defensive end, Tamba Hali, and their next pick, safety Bernard Pollard.
Regarding Hali, I’m just not sure if he was the pick at 20, simply because he doesn’t have the tools. A definite positive with him is his motor and explosion off the line. But, he is kind of small at 6’2” for a lineman, needs better recognition skills, and doesn’t have any speed. In other words, he’s not the second coming of the Indianapolis Colts’ Dwight Freeney, another short and questionable defensive linemen coming into the pros a few years back.
And as questionable as Hali is, Pollard is just as questionable, if not more. He’s a headcase and has some baggage after getting less playing time his senior season due to run-ins with the coaching staff. I guess Edwards is hoping to turn Pollard around the way he did with another perceived headcase coming out of college, Lavernues Coles back when Edwards was with the New York Jets. It worked out great with Coles, but time will tell with Pollard, who is able to sneak up to the line and play the run or short drops and finish plays.
Croyle was one of the better second tier quarterbacks in the draft, but does have some durability questions, partly because of his thin frame. However, he has the talent to get the job done and this is a definite move for the future when Trent Green eventually retires or his skills have diminished so badly.
Maxey is coming out of “The U,” but is nothing special like most players coming out from there. Stallings will have all the opportunity to learn from a great and veteran offensive line, in hopes that he can eventually replace their excellent production over the years. Webb will be decent, but we all know the offense is going to be all about running back, Larry Johnson, anway. Page is eh… nothing too special, but he does come from a good program.
ENDSCORE GRADE: C
AFC WEST Draft Grade: Denver Broncos
Posted by Dennis Velasco Categories: Athletes, Drafts, Editorial, Front Office, NFL,
2005 Record: 13-3
Points For: 395
Points Against: 258
Rushing Yards PG: 158.7
Rushing Yards Allowed PG: 85.2
Passing Yards PG: 201.7
Passing Yards Allowed PG: 227.7
Drafted:
1.11 (11) - Jay Cutler, QB, Vanderbilt (from St. Louis)
2.29 (61) - Tony Scheffler, TE, W. Michigan
4.22 (119) - Brandon Marshall, WR, UCF (from Washington)
4.29 (126) - Elvis Dumervil, DE, Louisville
4.33 (130) - Domenik Hixon, WR, Akron (Compensatory Selection)
5.29 (161) - Chris Kuper, OG, North Dakota
6.29 (198) - Greg Eslinger, C, Minnesota
Comments:
The best move during the draft for the Broncos was probably acquiring disgruntled Green Bay Packers WR, Javon Walker, for only a second-round pick. There was speculation that the Pack wanted either a first-rounder or a player for Walker, but the Broncos called the Pack’s bluff and got some much needed WR help, especially considering that the Broncos have their own disgruntled WR in Ashley Lelie.
Moving up a few spots to draft Cutler was a good move as QB Jake Plummer is about to enter his tenth season. Cutler, arguably the best of the Big Three QBs in this draft – along with Matt Leinart and Vince Young – won’t start right away, but will have the opportunity to learn the system and the NFL without any pressures put on him, which is a good thing. Just ask Carson Palmer.
Scheffler is a great receiving TE and is very athletic. Marshall goes both ways… I’m talking about Ironman Football, people! Get your minds out of the gutters! In any case, here’s how athletic Marshall is – he led Central Florida in receptions AND interceptions as he also played safety on top of wide receiver. Look for Marshall and Scheffler to be groomed along with Cutler to be core offensive players for the Bronco’s future.
Dumervil has some upside, but he came out too early as a junior. I guess the Broncos thought they may as well take a chance on the potential because their DT position needed depth and a look to the future. Just not sure it’s with Dumervil. Hixon can flat out burn. Kuper had a good combine, displaying his speed and athleticism. Eslinger could be snapping the ball for the Broncs for the next decade.
ENDSCORE GRADE: A-/B+; including Walker deal/not including Walker deal
AFC EAST Draft Grade: New York Jets
Posted by Dennis Velasco Categories: Athletes, Drafts, Editorial, Front Office, NFL,
2005 Record: 4-12
Points For: 240
Points Against: 355
Rushing Yards PG: 83.0
Rushing Yards Allowed PG: 136.6
Passing Yards PG: 165.1
Passing Yards Allowed PG: 172.2
Drafted:
1.4 (4) - D’Brickashaw Ferguson, T, Virginia
1.29 (29) - Nick Mangold, C, Ohio St.(from Denver)
2.17 (49) - Kellen Clemens, QB, Oregon (from Dallas)
3.12 (76) - Anthony Schlegel, ILB, Ohio St. (from Philadelphia)
3.33 (97) - Eric Smith, S, Michigan St. (Compensatory Selection)
4.6 (103) - Brad Smith, WR, Missouri
4.20 (117) - Leon Washington, RB, Florida St. (from Kansas City)
5.18 (150) - Jason Pociask, TE, Wisconsin (from Dallas)
6.20 (189) - Drew Coleman, DB, TCU (from Washington through N.Y. Jets and Dallas)
7.12 (220) - Titus Adams, DT, Nebraska (from Philadelphia)
Comments:
Some people (okay, jaded Jets fans) were pessimistic about choosing Ferguson over Arizona Cardinals’ QB Matt Leinart who is “New York” all the way off-the-field. However, the Jets needed to stay away from the flash and go the safe and smart route.
If Leinart was chosen, who was going to protect him? Most of the Jets offensive line from previous seasons were excellent, but most of it left this offseason, in particular perennial All-Pro center, Kevin Mawae. Leinart would have been crushed, if he even got on the field. It’s still up in the air how QBs Chad Pennington and Patrick Ramsey are going to do, but they are more than serviceable this season and have NFL experience.
Add Ferguson, who was rated as high as second overall regardless of position, in addition to second round pick Mangold to take Mawae’s place and the Jets have a solid line for the foreseeable and long-term future. Both Ferguson and Mangold were rated numbers one and two as blockers in the entire draft. Whoever ends up being the quarterback this season will be happy.
Speaking of the quarterback position, the Jets didn’t totally ignore the it as they drafted the hard-nosed Clemens in the second round, who some thought had the best mechanics of all the quarterbacks in the draft. While he doesn’t have the glamour of Leinart, Clemens definitely has the grit.
Schlegel is a solid lineback and could be a great compliment to Jonathan Vilma. Schlegel has very good leadership ability and should help Vilma take his game up another level. E. Smith plays a smart game and has very good ball skills. B. Smith will need to switch from QB to WR, but has the athleticism and speed to make the move. Washington is small, but is a very good runner with receiving skills out of the backfield. Pociask is known as a blocking TE and a very good one. He’ll definitely add to the Jets running game.
Coleman is short, but doesn’t have exceptional speed or coverage skills to overcome that. Adams is a speed defensive lineman, but is limited in every other way. In the right situation, he can rush off the edge and get to the QB or stop the run in the backfield. Its just that that situation probably won’t come up much for Adams.
ENDSCORE GRADE: B+
AFC EAST Draft Grade: New England Patriots
Posted by Dennis Velasco Categories: Athletes, Drafts, Editorial, Front Office, NFL,
2005 Record: 10-6
Points For: 379
Points Against: 338
Rushing Yards PG: 94.5
Rushing Yards Allowed PG: 98.8
Passing Yards PG: 257.5
Passing Yards Allowed PG: 231.4
Drafted:
1.21 (21) - Laurence Maroney, RB, Minnesota
2.4 (36) - Chad Jackson, WR, Florida (from Green Bay)
3.22 (86) - David Thomas, TE, Texas
4.9 (106) - Garrett Mills, TE, Tulsa (from Detroit)
4.21 (118) - Stephen Gostkowski, K, Memphis
5.3 (136) - Ryan O’Callaghan, OG, California (from Oakland)
6.22 (191) - Jeremy Mincey, DE, Florida
6.36 (205) - Dan Stevenson, OT, Notre Dame (Compensatory Selection)
6.37 (206) - Le Kevin Smith, DT, Nebraska (Compensatory Selection)
7.21 (229) - Willie Andrews, S, Baylor
Comments:
Getting Maroney, who will eventually take over for Corey Dillon was a great pick. And, considering Dillon’s health issues, Maroney could get a chance to shine this season. Maroney was rated as the second-best RB after the New Orleans Saints’ Reggie Bush on most draft boards and should flourish in the Patriots offense when he steps on the field.
I particularly like the Jackson pick because he has first-round talent, but fell into the second round because his game speed was questionable. Umm, 120 receptions and 16 scores… that doesn’t say enough about his gameday RESULTS? Hey, the Patriots lucked out and Jackson will be another weapon for Tom Brady to utilize.
I question drafting tight ends in back-to-back rounds, but we’re talking about the Pats here, so they probably know what they’re doing. The first TE they took, Thomas, has great hands and an even greater work ethic. The second TE, Mills, is a converted fullback that caught a ton of passes at Tulsa. Not really sure how he’ll be used, especially considering how deep the position is for the Pats now with Daniel Graham and Ben Watson.
The Pats probably could have gone defense to find eventual replacements for their “old” group of defenders, especially their LB corp. The draft was definitely deep in that position, but again, these are the Pats and it’s hard to question them.
Gostkowski is a very good kicker with the ability to hit from beyond 50 yards when the opportunity comes up. O’Callaghan could be a very good bargain pick at five. Mincey is a good DE that could switch to LB in the 3-4 due to his speed. Stevenson came on as a senior at Notre Dame under former Patriots offensive coordinator, Charlie Weis. Smith is a compact player that excels in a compact space. Andrews could catch on with the Pats, but won’t get any consistent time on the field.
ENDSCORE GRADE: B
AFC EAST Draft Grade: Miami Dolphins
Posted by Dennis Velasco Categories: Athletes, Drafts, Editorial, Front Office, NFL,
2005 Record: 9-7
Points For: 318
Points Against: 317
Rushing Yards PG: 118.6
Rushing Yards Allowed PG: 110.7
Passing Yards PG: 206.3
Passing Yards Allowed PG: 206.7
Drafted:
1.16 (16) - Jason Allen, DB, Tennessee
3.18 (82) - Derek Hagan, WR, Arizona St.
4.17 (114) - Joe Toledo, OT, Washington
5.16 - Exercised in Supplemental Draft
7.4 (212) - Fred Evans, NT, Texas State (from Green Bay)
7.18 (226) - Rod Wright, DT, Texas
7.25 (233) - Devin Aromashodu, WR, Auburn (from Chicago)
Comments:
Skill-wise, Allen was one of the better DBs out there as his draft place shows. However, on pure talent alone, it would have been validated if he went higher in the round… if not for his hip. Ah ha! That’s why Allen fell. In any case, if Allen can stay healthy, he has the chance to be All-Pro good thanks to his coverage skills. He has the ability to put a WR on lock-down.
Hagan had tons of receptions and scores at ASU, but totally soiled his pants at the Senior Bowl with uncharacteristic drops, which is why Hagan’s stocked dropped. Are you sensing a trend here with the Dolphins’ picks?
Toledo is a raw O-lineman as he has only played the position for one season. He’s big and if he can refine his technique and add some skill, he could do okay for the Dolphins. Evans is solid against the run, but not much else.
Wright could be the SOD – steal of the draft as he can play the gaps and was a standout with the NCAA champion Texas Longhorns. However, because of his enigmatic behavior, Wright’s stock dropped hard. This is a great risk-reward pick.
Aromashodu didn’t get as many looks as he could have (and probably deserved) at Auburn because they liked to run the ball. With the Dolphins change in personnel, Aromaxhodu will have a chance to be a very solid WR in the NFL.
ENDSCORE GRADE: B-
AFC EAST Draft Grade: Buffalo Bills
Posted by Dennis Velasco Categories: Athletes, Drafts, Editorial, Front Office, NFL,
2005 Record: 5-11
Points For: 271
Points Against: 367
Rushing Yards PG: 100.4
Rushing Yards Allowed PG: 137.8
Passing Yards PG: 157.2
Passing Yards Allowed PG: 205.7
Drafted:
1.8 (8) - Donte Whitner, S, Ohio St.
1.26 (26) - John McCargo, DT, N.C. State (from Chicago)
3.6 (70) - Ashton Youboty, CB, Ohio St. (from Tennessee)
4.8 (105) - Ko Simpson, S, South Carolina
5.1 (134) - Kyle Williams, DT, LSU (from Houston)
5.10 (143) - Brad Butler, T, Virginia
6.9 (178) - Keith Ellison, LB, Oregon St.
7.8 (216) - Terrance Pennington, OT, New Mexico
7.40 (248) - Aaron Merz, OG, California (Compensatory Selection)
Comments:
The Bills offense left something to be desired last season and ideally it would have been wise to go offense here, but talent level in the first round were on the other side of the ball as 19 of the 32 picks in the round were on defensive players!
However, the Bills could have done a lot better than Whitner who did not project #8 overall at all by anyone. It’s safe to say that the pick was a stretch. However, I guess the pick was more to fill in a safety spot in Dick Jauron’s Tampa Two defensive scheme than anything else. And it’s not like Whitner doesn’t have the goods, it’s just that he doesn’t have Top Ten goods and the Bills missed out on some other talented defensive players that could have helped them.
I personally like the McCargo pick, despite the lack of size factor. However, collectively, the value picks for the Bills were in the third and fourth rounds with Youboty, who should play the nickel, and Simpson, who could be a steal in the fourth. Both should do well in the T2. Williams is a gamer who won’t get in the game as much, but when he does, he’ll be around the ball somewhere. Butler should be a solid offensive lineman, either on the right side (where he played in college) or the left side (unfortunately, he played with someone named D’Brickashaw) where some say he can easily adapt to in the NFL. Ellison is a serviceable linebacker. Pennington and Merz have some limitations as offensive linemen.
ENDSCORE GRADE: C
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