Josh's 2007 NFL Draft Grade Report

I've broken it down into three categories as I see them: the winners, the losers and the teams where the jury is still out. All clubs are graded on an A-F scale. Here we go....

WINNERS (12)

New England Patriots (A)

Wow, Randy Moss for a fourth round pick . . . add him to Stallworth, Welker and Washington for the Pats’ receiver haul this offseason. Plus, S Brandon Meriweather from Miami late in the first, a trade out with San Fran for an extra first rounder next year. No second or third round choice, but the aggressiveness of New England’s moves should have the rest of the NFL very afraid.

Oakland Raiders (A)

Somebody finally smacked some sense into Al Davis’s head. LSU QB Jamarcus Russell automatically gives the Raiders’ franchise its first real hope in years. 2nd round TE selection Zach Miller was a great choice and he immediately gives Russell someone to develop a rapport with. I also like DE Quentin Moses out of Georgia in the 3rd and Louisville RB Michael Bush with the first pick of the second day of the draft. Oakland actually aced this one.

Carolina Panthers (A)

Traded down in the first round with the Jets and still got targeted linebacker help in Miami’s Jon Beason. Made a great decision at #45 in the second with USC WR Dwayne Jarrett, who just makes plays with great size and hands. USC C Ryan Kalil was another strong addition late in the second, while Georgia DE Charles Johnson is a beast who fell way too far. You could make an argument that Carolina had the best all-around draft of anyone.

Cleveland Browns (A)

GM Phil Savage stands his ground and takes the best LT prospect in Joe Thomas at #3. Then he gets after it and moves up to #22 from Dallas for QB Brady Quinn. Cleveland took a gamble on the character of 2nd round CB Eric Wright out of UNLV, but DE Chase Pittman late in the sixth could be a find.

San Francisco 49ers (A)

Two first round additions in Ole Miss LB Patrick Willis at eleven and Central Michigan OT Joe Staley in a trade up with New England at 28. Willis is an NFL star in the making, and could be Defensive Rookie of the Year. Both he and Staley should start right away, while DE Ray McDonald was a nice touch in the 3rd. Getting Seattle WR Darrell Jackson for a fourth rounder was a keen move as well.

Minnesota Vikings (A-)

Minnesota just sat and waited while a franchise tailback fell in its lap at #7. Sure there are durability questions about Adrian Peterson, but the fact remains that he is NFL ready right now. With him and Taylor as a 1-2 punch behind a really good offensive line, the Vikes now have an identity as a smashmouth team. WR Sidney Rice was much needed at 44 in the second, but Minesota still needs a quarterback, no offense intended to Tavaris Jackson.

Atlanta Falcons (A-)

In the eight slot, Arkansas’s Jamaal Anderson was the perfect pick to replace departed DE Patrick Kerney. Getting two talented second rounders in Tennessee G Justin Blalock and another Razorback in CB Chris Houston made it a really strong first day for the Falcs.

New York Jets (A-)

Don’t forget the Jets already made a great draft trade last month with Chicago for RB Thomas Jones. In that deal, the Jets held on to both of their 2nd round picks, then packaged one of those with the #25 pick to move up to 14 and snare the top-rated CB on the board in Pitt’s Darrelle Revis. He’s the first CB taken in round one by the Jets since Aaron Glenn in 1994, and should bolster both the secondary and return games immediately. 2nd round LB David Harris is a good fit for the 3-4 scheme.

New York Giants (B+)

Texas CB Aaron Ross is a great fit for the Giants’ secondary and kick return game. Getting him at #20 was probably just right, while USC WR Steve Smith was a straight up steal at #51 in the second. He’ll be the perfect complement to Plaxico Burress. Big Blue did itself proud for a change.

Arizona Cardinals (B+)

Penn State OT Levi Brown was a rock steady choice at #5. He can’t do anything but help the Cards’ anemic ground attack. Michigan DT Alan Branch fell to the top of the second after a bad combine, and Arizona was smart to scoop him up at #33. I also like the 3rd round pick of LB Buster Davis out of Florida State.

Buffalo Bills (B+)

Strong first round choice in RB Marshawn Lynch at #12. He should fill McGahee’s shoes right out the gates and could develop into a real difference maker. Penn State LB Paul Poluszny was a tremendous value in round two, while QB Trent Edwards is a good backup fit in the third. All in all, a good weekend for Marv Levy.

Indianapolis Colts (B)

Indy did pretty well by adding OSU WR Anthony Gonzalez at the end of the first. He’ll be a good slot complement to Harrison and Wayne. A savvy anticipation in the second round, where Arkansas OT Tony Ugoh should become a starter within two years. Even 3rd round choices of California CB Daymeion Hughes and OSU DT Quinn Pitcock have the chance to be role players on this team.

LOSERS (10)

Miami Dolphins (C)

I still don’t understand why the Dolphins passed on QB Brady Quinn at #9. They need a quarterback, don’t they? WR Tedd Ginn Jr. is unquestionably explosive, but Miami could’ve gotten him in the twenties. BYU QB John Beck doesn’t really do it for me in the second, though Hawaii offensive lineman Samson Satele will play soon, and FSU RB Lorenzo Booker could contribute in spots.

New Orleans Saints (C)

Tennessee WR Robert Meachem was an appropriate choice at #27, and should give Drew Brees another take-it-to-the-house threat. Ohio State RB Antonio Pittman was a good value in the fourth, but that’s not a large haul overall.

Houston Texans (C)

Lousiville DT Amobi Okoye made plenty of sense at number ten, but no matter what Houston did this year, all the Texan fans could think about was last year’s Reggie Bush disaster. Not having a second round pick made it another mediocre draft session for the bumbling team from H-Town.

Detroit Lions (C-)

Another WR? You’ve got to be kidding me. Georgia Tech’s Calvin Johnson is a stud, but with him and Roy Williams, the Lions now have two #1s at the position and are banking on 2nd round QB pick Drew Stanton to get them the ball. The Michigan State star doesn’t have a big down the field arm though. The rest of the offense is kind of weak, while the defense was in need of help. No trade down meant not a lot of depth added. Matt Millen shouldn’t be making these decisions anymore. Yuck.

Tennessee Titans (C-)

Texas S Michael Griffin is a solid football player, but there was better value than that available at #19. I think the Titans got too caught up in picking for a need there, but got a better second round value in Arizona RB Chris Henry. Overall, pretty blah though.

Green Bay Packers (C-)

Tennessee DT Justin Harrell was a good makeup pick at #16, but you just know the Packers were gunning for RB Marshawn Lynch. Why not trade up for him then? And just what went wrong with that Randy Moss deal? Nebraska RB Brandon Jackson is a decent choice for the second round, but I expected more from Green Bay than this.

Baltimore Ravens (C-)

I like the addition of Auburn G Ben Grubbs at #29, but that’s the only serious impact move Baltimore made all weekend. Heisman winner Troy Smith was picked up by the Ravens in the fifth round, but he’s a third stringer right now at best.

Seattle Seahawks (D+)

Seattle traded its first round pick this year to New England for WR Deion Branch. They also traded wideout Darrell Jackson to San Fran for a 4th rounder. Maryland CB Josh Wilson was the pick in round two, and should help a battered Seattle secondary. But this was a pretty weak showing for Mike Holmgren’s crew.

Philadelphia Eagles (D)

How long is Philly going to play the sit and wait game for? Season after season goes by without the Eagles making aggressive, we-can-win-it-all-right-now decisions. New England, Philly is not. After trading out of the first round, they had two second round picks: Houston QB Kevin Kolb is decent McNabb insurance, while Notre Dame DE Victor Abiamiri could develop down the road. The cheesteak contingent won’t be happy with this draft.

Washington Redskins (D-)

This is what happens when you trade away most of your picks. With the #6 pick, LSU S Laron Landry is a great complement to Sean Taylor, but the Redskins didn’t pick again until the fifth! Landry is a good physical player, but one skill player is not enough of a haul for an entire draft.

JURY OUT (10)

Jacksonville Jaguars (B-)

Gotta love S Reggie Nelson in the 21st slot. He’s the guy the Jags wanted at 17, and they were able to trade down and still get him. I think Nelson will develop into a Pro Bowl caliber player. And there’s no doubt he’ll help make Jax’s secondary even nastier. Taking Hampton LB Justin Durant in the second round was a little weird though, and there wasn’t anything significant to speak of after that.

Dallas Cowboys (B-)

There was a moment where it looked like Dallas might actually take QB Brady Quinn, but then the Cowboys traded out with Cleveland. Still, I like taking Purdue DE/LB Anthony Spencer at #26, as he’s a perfect guy for Dallas’s 3-4 edge scheme. 6’8 OT James Marten was a good value in the 3rd round, but after that, this draft was mostly about stockpiling picks and adding a bit of depth for Jerry Jones’ crew. Nothing to write home about.

Kansas City Chiefs (B-)

WR Dwayne Bowe was a need pick at #23, but with OT Willie Roaf retiring the Chiefs’ O-line still needs work. Taking DTs Turk McBride and Tank Tyler in the second and third rounds added some front four depth.

St. Louis Rams (B-)

Nothing splashy here whatsoever. Three good projects in first round DE Adam Carriker from Nebraska, second round tailback Brian Leonard out of Rutgers and 3rd round CB Jonathan Wade from Tennesee. They’re all projects, but they all have good potential. And who knows, maybe seventh round DT Keith Jackson out of Arkansas will develop into a serviceable role player as well.

Cincinnati Bengals (B-)

Michigan CB Leon Hall was a strong pick at #18, but he’s still got plenty of work to do to be a great NFL corner. Too many times last year he got beat for the big play. Auburn RB Kenny Irons was a good pickup in the second round though. I guess the Chris Perry change-of-pace experiment is over.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (B-)

I do think Clemson DE Gaines Adams will be a good fit for the Bucs pass rushing scheme. I’m just not sure he’s going to make a monster impact right away. Still, after failing to make a deal with Detroit for WR Calvin Johnson, Tampa didn’t really have anywhere else to go at number four. Good finds in second round G Arron Sears out of Tennessee and fourth round S Tanard Jackson out of Syracuse.

Chicago Bears (B-)

Getting the best TE prospect in the draft at #31 was good fortune. Miami’s Greg Olsen will immediately stretch the middle of the field for the Bears. Now if only he could learn how to block! Central Michigan DE Dan Bazuin was a reach in the second, but Northern Illinois RB Garrett Wolfe could be a gem in the third. He led the NCAA in rushing last year.

Pittsburgh Steelers (C+)

Florida State LB Lawrence Timmons will help fill Joey Porter’s shows within a year or two, but you get the feeling that Pittsburgh really wanted to add a cornerback like Revis. Michigan DE Lamar Woodley is a great find in the second, while the Steelers have the honor of taking the highest punter in the draft, with Baylor’s Daniel Sepulveda in the fourth round.

San Diego Chargers (C+)

Getting LSU WR Craig Davis was area of need at #30, but I’m still surprised the Chargers didn't opt for local guy Dwayne Jarrett out of USC. Jarrett seems a little more NFL ready right now to me. 2nd round made more sense: Utah S Eric Weddle should contribute right away.

Denver Broncos (C+)

Give Mike Shanahan credit for this: when his team has a need, he fills it. Three years ago it was CB, and all Shanahan did was trade Clinton Portis, his franchise back, for Champ Bailey, the best cover guy in the game. This year, the need was DE, and the Broncos traded up to seventeen to get Florida’s Jarvis Moss, a fiery edge guy. Then, in the second, they added, Texas pass rusher Tim Crowder. No more picks till the sixth was a little concerning, but DE is no longer a problem.

-JAB

On Draft Day, A-Rod and First Round Upsets

Late April Means NFL Draft Takes Center Stage Again

This weekend, the NFL Draft returns to the Big Apple, and as always, it's the professional draft which is the most entertaining to watch, if also the most tedious in length.

You'd think Raiders' owner Al Davis would know not to pass on a marquee young quarterback by now, but then, he's Al Davis. After failing to land either USC's Matt Leinart or Vandy's Jay Cutler in last year's draft, Oakland is in complete desperation for a franchise guy under center. With the #1 overall pick expected to be LSU QB Jamarcus Russell, one would think he and the Raiders are a perfect match. But the fact remains that more than a few draft experts believe Al Davis prefers Georgia Tech WR Calvin Johnson, whom many regard as the best all-around prospect in the draft field. Still, it would make very little sense for Oakland to draft a wide receiver---no matter how freakishly talented---when it has no one to throw him the ball.

The two slot belongs to Detroit, and you know that Lions' President Matt Millen (how does he still have a job?) would love to grab another wide receiver, but the Lions' defensive needs may be more pressing, which makes me think they'll lean towards DE Gaines Adams.

And then there's the whole Cleveland predicament at #3: should the Browns take a potentially great running back in Adrian Peterson, or a potentially great quarterback in Brady Quinn? Both have tremendous upsides, yet both have question marks as well, for various reasons.

The first offensive tackle off the board will be Wisconsin's Joe Thomas, likely to Arizona at number five. From there, the first round could turn in any number of different directions.

Let's not forget the Arkansas Razorback players, a sizeable group this year. DE Jamal Anderson will probably go in the top half of the first round to a team looking for pass-rushing force, while CB Chris Houston should fall no later than the twenties to a club in need of a speedy cover man. OT Tony Ugoh will be gone by early in the second, but what about LB Sam Olajubutu or DT Keith Jackson? A number of draft pundits have them going in the fifth or sixth rounds. A bunch of other Hogs will get their shots at NFL rosters as free agents.

As far as my beloved J-E-T-S, it should be fun to watch Team Mangini make its next move. Already having acquired RB Thomas Jones in a swap of second round picks with Chicago, New York is off to a good draft before it even starts. With the 25th pick in the first round, I'm very curious to see what the Jets plan now. Will it be TE Greg Olsen out of Miami? Or CB Chris Houston out of Arkansas? Maybe it's a LB/DE prospect like Anthony Spencer? For a team with so many needs, options abound.

How shall it all unfold? Tune in to ESPN's peerless wall-to-wall coverage this weekend to find out....


A-Rod's A-mazing But Yanks Still Struggling

I know, I know: it doesn't matter if he doesn't do it in October. But Yankees' 3B Alex Rodriguez is off to an unprecedented start this year. With a week left in April, A-Rod has 14 HRs, 34 RBIs and a .400 average to boot, putting him in a hitting stratosphere all by himself right now. Obviously Rodriguez isn't going to keep this up over the long haul, but it's already clear that he's vastly improved his game from a season ago. A couple adjustments here and some confidence there and---voila! Alex Rodriguez is once again the best player in the game.

The problem for the Yankees is their starting pitching. I realize that Chien-Mien Wang and Mike Mussina have been hurt, but Chase Wright, Jeff Karstens and Carl Pavano are not going to cut it, no matter how you stack them up. The Red Sox appeared vastly superior to the Bombers in the pitching department during this past weekend's three-game sweep, and barring a colossal trade or a return by the Rocket to the Big Apple, that's not going to change during the season.

I'd be more than a little concerned about Mariano Rivera if were a Yankee fan right now too. He looks old and his fastball is not popping. It's very, very early, but right now it looks like the Bosox hold the edge on the Yanks, even with A-Rod's meteoric start.


Nuggets, Warriors Deliver Wake-Up Calls

I'm still taking the Suns over the Pistons to win this year's NBA title, but the playoff series that intrigues me the most right now is Denver and San Antonio. Ever since Iverson was traded from Philly to Denver in December, I've been waiting---and waiting---for George Karl's Nuggets to get their act together. I mean, the idea of Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson on the same team sounds scary, let alone Denver's also having Marcus Camby, Nene Hilario and J.R. Smith on the team. It sure did take the Nuggets a while to sort out the egos and the chemistry---Carmelo's suspension didn't help---but now they seem to have it down.

A 95-89 win at San Antonio in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals was impressive in its own right, but a series win would be phenomenal. With AI dashing in and out of the paint again and 'Melo playing like a real supersar, Denver is clearly causing Tim Duncan and the Spurs all kinds of headaches already. (Was it me, or did San Antonio look collectively old and slow on Sunday night?) It'd be easy to dismiss Game 1 as a fluke, and many will, but I see Denver building on Game 1, winning this series and looming tough for the Suns in round two.

Clearly, the West is where it's at in the playoffs . . . In the East, three of four higher seeds held serve, while the one that didn't---Toronto---is not better than the team it's facing---New Jersey. The only Eastern first round series really worth watching this year is Chicago and Miami. Meanwhile, the West has great storylines in Phoenix vs. Kobe, T-Mac trying to get the playoff monkey off his back, and upset possibilities in the Nuggets and Warriors.

Speaking of which, welcome back to the playoffs, Golden State! With Don Nelson back on the bench, the Warriors raced their way down the stretch to the #8 seed in the West, then stunned Dallas with a 97-85 road win in Game 1. PG Baron Davis had a phenomenal 33 point, 14 assist, 8 rebound effort to lead the way, while Golden State's small-ball lineup caused Avery Johnson's Mavs all kinds of problems. (It didn't help that Dirk Nowitzki shot 4 for 16 from the field either!) Expect Dallas to bounce back and win this series, but don't be surprised if it goes the full monty seven.


-JAB

Some Odds, Ends and Assorted April Nuggets

Spring Football Game in the Can

Wintry temperatures in the upper '30s kept the turnout pretty low for the Red/White football game on Saturday, but the ones who were there at Razorback Stadium got to see some solid play from some of the younger players on the roster. RB Michael Smith capped a strong spring with an assortment of moves on runs and receptions to further solidify his stock as the heir apparent to McFadden and Jones. FB Peyton Hillis looked healthy again---finally---and displayed the versatility that was lacking from last year's offense down the stretch. WR London Crawford made an acrobatic touchdown grab that caught some eyes, while DE Malcolm Sheppard wreaked enough havoc in the backfield to make folks believe he could be an impact player next year. You don't want to overblow the performance of anyone in a spring football game, but I certainly liked what I saw as far as overall team depth on Saturday. Now all these guys have to do is get in the weight room and stay there until early August.

Diamond Hogs Sweep Gators Away

It's not football or basketball, but three straight wins versus the Florida Gators is always something to be savored. The Razorbacks' baseball team played a feisty three game series with Florida over the weekend and came away with the upper hand in all three contests. Staff ace Nick Schmidt set the tone in the first of a doubleheader on Saturday, dominating the Gators en route to another win without a loss---still perfect on the year. He also became Arkansas' all-time strikeout king. Then in the nightcap, the Arkansas offense finally provided Duke Welker with some run support and the Hogs had won the first two of the three game set. The finishing touches were provided on Sunday, when Arkansas came from behind late to sweep the series out from under Florida. At the midway point now in SEC play, Arkansas is best in the conference with an 11-4 mark. Throw in a 29-10 overall record, and it's no doubt the Razorbacks are right on course for a trip back to Omaha.

Arkansas Basketball Gets Its Man . . . Finally

The Razorbacks have hired a new basketball coach and this one appears to be sticking around for a while. John Pelphrey was a player at Kentucky under Rick Pitino in the early '90s and later coached under Billy Donovan at Florida. He spent five years as the head coach at South Alabama in the Sun Belt Conference; the last two of those five saw his teams win 24 and 20 games respectively. Only time will tell whether or not he's the right fit for the job, but you've got to like the enthusiasm and excitement he brings to the table right out the gates. I'm pulling for him, but with seven seniors returning and high expectations for next year's team (22-25 wins?), Pelphrey doesn't have much time before he must show results. It won't take long for his sheen to wear off with Razorback fans if he's not winning.

Oaklawn Park Has a New Star

When this year's horse racing season began back in January, the talk at Oaklawn Park was all about a thoroughbred who's all but forgotten now. Most folks in the know figured that Hard Spun would be next in the line of Afleet Alex, Smarty Jones and Lawyer Ron to emerge from Hot Springs as a bona fide star. Yet, for whatever reason, he didn't like the track surface at Oaklawn and left for pastures elsewhere. Fast forward to right now: it's all about Curlin. After not running so much as a single race as a two-year-old, Curlin has left the rest of his class in a haze of dust at the age of three. Undefeated in all his races this season, the feisty horse destroyed the field at this past weekend's Arkansas Derby in record fashion. Winning by ten lengths, Curlin set a new track mark in the Derby, and now looms as a likely favorite for next month's Kentucky Derby. Whether or not his success at Oaklawn translates to Churchill Downs remains to be seen, but already Curlin has set himself up as the heavy rooting interest of choice for those here in the Natural State.

Don Imus Talks His Way Off the Air

Don Imus is a radio host who has walked a fine line with his comments for a long time on his morning talk show on WFAN out of New York. Growing up listening to Imus, there were many times when I'd do a double-take, as if to ask, "Did he really just say that?" Of course, that was part of his appeal. But finally, it appears, Imus went too far with his labeling of Rutgers' women's basketball team as a "bunch of nappy-headed hos." Despite similar terminology being spewed all over urban radio these days, the fact of the matter is that Imus is a white man in a very public position, and he just wasn't sensitive enough to what he was saying ahead of the fact. That it took MSNBC and CBS Radio a week to announce his dismissals from TV and radio goes to show you conclusively that the pulling out of major advertisers was the real impetus for his firing. Was the decision appropriate given the circumstances? Probably. But the fact remains that Imus' show had become a great forum for political personalities who otherwise may not have had a chance to reach the masses. Someone now will have to pick up that slack for WFAN, while my guess would be Imus likely has a future somewhere in satellite radio.

60th Anniversary of Robinson's Breaking the Barrier

No doubt Major League Baseball once again did a fine job in honoring the memory and significance of Jackie Robinson's playing career last night. With Jackie's widow Rachel on hand at the Dodgers/Padres' game, along with Hall of Famers Vin Scully, Hank Aaron and Frank Robinson, even much-maligned (and rightfully so) commish Bud Selig made a good showing, highlighted by some remarks about the continued relevance of Robinson's achievement. It really is amazing to think that only 60 years ago, African-Americans were not allowed to play the game at its highest level. Sixty years = my grandparents were my age. Really not that long a time frame when you sit down and think about it, folks. Baseball is to be commended for the way in which it still honors the import of what Robinson did. I only wish that other professional leagues would show a little more concern for their own histories.

The Passing of a Great American Writer

I don't know how many of you have read any of Kurt Vonnegut's novels, but if you haven't, you're missing out. Vonnegut passed away in New York earlier this week at the age of 84, leaving a mark on American literature several miles long. Books like "Cat's Cradle" and "Sirens of Titan" mix humor, sarcasm and political wit into a swirl of engaging science fiction. But the best of his works is unquestionably "Slaughterhouse Five." In that all-time great American novel, Vonnegut uses fictional main character Billy Pilgrim to tell the story of his own World War II experiences as a P.O.W. in Dresden, Germany. The book is a blend of history, humanity and spiritual truths, and should absolutely be taught to students in every high school around this country for as long as our nation exists. It's always sad to see a great one go, but in Vonnegut's case, at least there remains a published body of work that will stand the test of time.

Sopranos Starts Strong in Final Slate

For a television show to dominate the public conciousness for the better part of a decade is a tremendous accomplishment, let alone when it airs exclusively on a cable channel. But that's exactly what creator David Chase's Sopranos have done on HBO. The long-running mob drama---based in northern New Jersey---concludes this spring with nine hour-long episodes airing Sunday nights at 8:00 (CST). Watching James Gandolfini play Tony Soprano is still a dramatic pleasure, and the first two episodes have opened up some intriguing story arcs for the rest of the season. In the first episode, Tony and wife Carmela took a weekend getaway in the Adirondacks with Tony's sister Janis and her husband Bobby. The family dynamics at play in and after a game of Monopoly were utterly engrossing, while the second episode tidied up some loose ends with Johnny Sack. The scene is now set for a charge to the finish with an all-out war likely to be waged between the two opposing families . . . Bada bing!


-JAB