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