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Doctor Football's 2009 Draft Grades
In the past, I passed out
draft grades like everyone else, based on an A through F scale. However,
I realized how futile that was for a couple of reasons. First of all, I
don't think it's appropriate to assign grades until at least a few years
down the line. After all, we simply don't know which players will work
out until they've had time to establish themselves (or in some cases,
embarrass themselves) as players in the league. But, the readers like it
and for that, they shall receive (that's just how we do it at
doctorfootball.com). Second, NFL teams rank players differently than I
do, so I realized that I should not impose my rankings on general
managers and personnel people (well, with one notable exception, and if
you listen to my segment on 1560 The Game in Houston, it will come as no
surprise). In other words, if Team A needs an outside linebacker and
they take the sixth ranked player at that position on my board, when the
number four is available, I'm not going to downgrade them because they
didn't agree with my evaluation.
For those reasons, I will
simply grade teams on a pass or fail basis this year. Moreover, the
ratings will be based on whether or not the team filled the needs that
they had to in the draft. Of course, this becomes more difficult for the
better teams, so their grades will be based more on quality. As always,
feel free to email me your thoughts on anything printed below by
clicking on the "Ask the Doc" link at the top of the page.
Arizona Cardinals - Pass
For the most part, I liked what Rod Graves and crew did this year.
Their primary needs were at running back, offensive line, and outside
linebacker. Picking up Chris Wells in the first and following up with
Cody Brown, an undersized defensive end that will convert to linebacker,
in the second were excellent picks. Then, they selected Herman Johnson,
the mammoth offensive guard in the fifth, who will give them an absolute
road-grader. Getting guard Trevor Canfield in the seventh, in my opinion
a fourth or fifth round value, was a steal. My only issue is that they
didn't address the need at tight end, which has yet to be filled by the
disappointing Leonard Pope.
Atlanta Falcons - Pass
This one was very close because the Falcons' most pressing need was
a space-eater in the middle of the defensive line. They were 25th
against the run in 2008 and it had to do with the fact that they are
small at the defensive tackle position. Instead, they took Peria Jerry
and Lawrence Sidbury, both very good prospects for the defensive line
(which should help with the pass rush), but they won't provide much help
with stopping the run. What tipped the scale in their favor was the
emphasis they put on the secondary, specifically with the pick of
William Moore, the athletic, powerful strong safety out of Missouri.
Baltimore Ravens - Pass
If I could sum up Ozzie Newsome's draft in two words, they would be
"good value." The left tackle position is still up for grabs after
Jonathan Ogden's retirement, and picking up a "sliding" Michael Oher at
23 was both fortunate and smart. In addition, they solidified the
outside linebacker position with Paul Kruger in the second, who should
help ease the defection of Bart Scott, and selected the eventual
replacement for Ray Lewis in Jason Phillips, the strong, athletic middle
linebacker out of TCU. Not selecting a wide receiver is a problem, but
there wasn;t good value at most of their selections.
Buffalo Bills - Fail
Unlike most people, I had a huge problem with the Bills' draft. The
one position that they absolutely had to shore up, especially with a
young quarterback who has a penchant for concussions, is the left tackle
spot. Not only did they not do that, but they could have had the
aforementioned Michael Oher. Then, they spent three picks in the
defensive backfield, when they really needed to focus on the other
offensive line positions and the front seven on defense.
Carolina Panthers - Pass
For a team that had few needs and no first round pick, they did a
great job getting value when they could. Moving up to select Everette
Brown, who many considered a first round value (including yours truly),
in the second round will provide them insurance if Julius Peppers
continues his temper tantrum and forces his way out of Charlotte.
Sherrod Martin and Captain Munnerlyn will provide much needed depth at
the cornerback position as well.
Chicago Bears - Fail
If I count Jay Cutler as part of this draft, then the grade changes,
but I don't. The Bears' biggest problem revolves around an anemic wide
receiving corps (and yes, that includes Devin Hester, whose career as a
wideout has been dubious at best). They picked up three in the draft,
but none of them will provide much help, with Johnny Knox being the most
curious, as he a similar player to Hester. The rest of their picks were
unspectacular and they drafted like a team that just needed to fill
holes. Hey Jerry Angelo, you're not the Patriots!
Cincinnati Bengals -
Pass
The janitor for Mike Brown did a great job with these picks, because
it certainly wasn't the usual hacks that make an absolute mockery of the
draft. Cincinnati got great value at almost every slot. If a general
manager could have scripted the first five picks in a draft, he couldn't
have done better. Nobody doubts Andre Smith's talent, but if he's able
to keep his weight under control, he'll be the best tackle in this
year's draft. Adding Ray Maualuga in the second, Michael Johnson in the
third, and Jonathan Luigs in the fourth, were the best value picks in
each of their prospective rounds.
Cleveland Browns - Pass
Basically, Eric Mangini satisfied every one of the Browns' needs. He
was able to nab two of the more underrated wide receivers in this draft
in the second round with Brian Robiskie and Mohammed Massaqoui. But, the
selections I really liked were those of David Veikune and Kaluka Maiva.
Unfortunately, Kamerion Wimbley hasn't been quite the pass-rusher that
Cleveland had hoped, but the addition of these two will provide them
with a lot of athleticism coming off the edge.
Dallas Cowboys - Fail
Simply put, I know that they didn't have a first round pick, but
they didn't get a single player in this draft that will make an impact
this year. Unfortunately for Jerry Jones, the Pokes aren't good enough
to take this draft strategy. For example, one of their biggest needs was
at the wide receiver position, and they didn't take one until Manuel
Johnson out of Oklahoma in the 7th round. Nothing against him, but
Johnson is 6'0", 183 pounds, and runs in the 4.5-4.6 range - not exactly
the guy you're hoping picks up the slack for Terrell Owens.
Denver Broncos - Fail
I know that Denver had issues with their defense and at the running
back position last year, but they absolutely had to do something
at the quarterback position in this draft. They had multiple picks in
the first, second, and fourth rounds, but didn't even attempt to trade
up to get Mark Sanchez. I also think trading next year's first to move
up and select Alphonso Smith was a mistake. This was a decent draft
class, but you don't want to give up picks for a much better group next
year. Something tells me they could really, really use it in 2010 for
Sam Bradford, Colt McCoy, or Tim Tebow.
Detroit Lions - Pass
With as many picks as the Lions had, and when comparing it to the
previous regime, it's pretty difficult to criticize what this group did
last weekend. I felt as though they got good value at most of their
picks, and especially liked the Brandon Pettigrew and Louis Delmas
selections. Detroit needed help at almost every position, and they took
the right approach by simply targeting the best prospects at each slot,
instead of reaching for certain positions.
Green Bay Packers - Pass
The primary goal for Ted Thompson in this draft was to give new
defensive coordinator, Dom Capers, as many useful pieces as he could for
the transition to the 3-4 scheme. In the first, he was able to snag the
best nose tackle in the draft in B.J. Raji and then follow it up with
Clay Matthews, Jr., who is a perfect fit for the weak-side backer. They
also needed some help on the offensive line, and absolutely stole Jamon
Meredith in the fifth. In my opinion, the Packers had one of the better
drafts of 2009.
Houston Texans - Pass
Rick Smith and Gary Kubiak had one goal in this draft: to get
stronger, faster, and more versatile on defense. When they took Brian
Cushing in the first and Connor Barwin in the second, they achieved all
of that and improved their pass rush. I also liked the late round values
they got in tight end James Casey and cornerback Brice McCain. Overall,
this was one of the more solid drafts in the NFL.
Indianapolis Colts -
Fail
It's really difficult to go against Bill Polian, one of the truly
brilliant general managers in football, but I had a hard time
understanding this class. They needed to get more physical on the
defensive side of the ball and the players they took are hardly that.
Fili Moala, a defensive tackle out of USC, has been known to have
motivational issues, and Terrance Taylor was a huge disappointment at
Michigan. On top of that, the cornerback that they took, Jerraud Powers,
never met a tackle that he liked.
Jacksonville Jaguars - Pass
The primary reason for the decline
in the Jags running game last season had to do with injuries and free
agent losses to the offensive line. In addition, they weren't as strong
at the point of attack along the defensive line as well. Taking Eugene
Monroe, Eben Britton, and Terrance Knight with their first three picks
will really help bolster these two needs. As always, they needed wide
receiver help and may have stolen one of the true underrated gems in
this draft in Jarrett Dillard out of Rice. He doesn't look like much
when you see his dimensions, but trust me, all he does is make plays.
Kansas City Chiefs -
Fail
The Chiefs are another team transitioning to the 3-4, so they had
specific needs that had to be filled. Even though their first three
picks were on that side of the ball, unlike the Packers, I think they
reached for just about every pick. Tyson Jackson was one of the only
true defensive ends for that scheme, but selecting him at number three
was simply a bad choice. Another position that needed to be attended to
was outside linebacker (one that they didn't address), and they had the
perfect candidate fall into their laps, Aaron Curry. Instead, they
decided to out-think themselves.
Miami Dolphins - Pass
Bill Parcells looked at his team at the end of the year and realized
that he had to get better at the perimeter positions - wide receiver and
cornerback. In this draft, he did a great job of satisfying those needs.
Getting Vontae Davis and Sean Smith in the first two rounds makes the
secondary much bigger and more physical. Then, they took Patrick Turner,
a big target for whoever they decide to play quarterback, and Brian
Hartline in the third and fourth, respectively. Of course, the selection
of Pat White is one of the more curious and makes me wonder if they're
trying to corner the "Wildcat" market.
Minnesota Vikings - Fail
I'm glad the Vikings think they need only ancillary players to get
them to the next level. It's not true, but I'm happy for them,
nonetheless. The most pressing needs for Brad Childress was the interior
offensive line and wide receiver. They failed to even look at the first
and took one of the most risky players in this draft to resolve the
second. Percy Harvin could very well be a great player in the NFL - he
certainly has all of the tools. However, there's just as much of a
chance that he could be out of the league for one issue or another.
New England Patriots -
Pass
Sometimes, I wonder if Bill Belichick thinks the NFL awards bonus
points for the team who trades back the most. He's one of the reasons I
hate mock drafts. There's simply no way to know how much he'll screw it
up by trading back three times in the first round (of course, that's
when he's not selecting last because of winning another Super Bowl).
Anyway, the Pats were looking for depth on all three levels on the
defensive side of the ball and at offensive tackle. The highlights for
me were Darius Butler, who many NFL people thought was the best
defensive back in this draft, and Sebastian Vollmer, a very underrated
offensive tackle prospect.
New Orleans Saints -
Pass
Granted, the Saints didn't have many picks, but I'm giving them
credit for not falling into the same trap that many of the teams ahead
of them who needed cornerbacks did: Malcolm Jenkins is not a
stopwatch guy, but he is a great football player. Trust me, his
length and ball skills will be more than enough to make up for his "lack
of speed." Within three years, there will be a few personnel guys
looking for work because they passed on guys like Jenkins.
New York Giants - Pass
Jerry Reese is quickly fulfilling the promise that his predecessor,
Ernie Accorsi, saw in him. Big Blue filled every need that I had
notated. When they selected Hakeem Nicks and Ramses Barden, they
replaced Amani Toomer and Plaxico Burress (Nicks will be better than
Toomer, and Barden will be a poor man's Burress when he's "coached up" a
little). Travis Beckum, who reminds me of Owen Daniels, will fill in
nicely as another option for Eli Manning at the tight end position, and
Clint Sintim has everything that Tom Coughlin looks for in a linebacker.
New York Jets - Pass
I have a few points to make here. First, the only other player I can
think of who had as much pressure on him as Mark Sanchez will have, was
Eli Manning. That worked out pretty well, but this is still New York
we're talking about, and the Jets gave up a significant part of their
draft to get in position to take him (personally, I think they could
have taken the deal they had worked out with Jacksonville and he still
would have been available). Second, anyone who's read my evaluation or
heard me on radio knows that I think this guy is the real deal. Third,
of course they had other needs, but I'm one of those guys who thinks
that if you have a chance get a franchise quarterback, you do it.
Period.
Oakland Raiders - Fail
You guessed it, the Raiders are the notable exception. Once again,
Al Davis chose style over substance. Instead of taking the most proven
wide receiver to come out of college in a long, long time (in my
opinion, one of the two sure things in this draft), he went with the guy
who had the fastest time on the watch. Darrius Heyward-Bey will
definitely be a threat to go deep, but I just wonder if he'll actually
be able to catch it once he gets there. Then, he selects another
speedster, safety Michael Mitchell out of Ohio University. Of course, Al
made sure to tell everyone that he selected him early because someone
else was about to take him. It was the Bears, and they were
"considering" him....in the fourth round!
Philadelphia Eagles -
Pass
For years, the Eagles have stressed building from the inside-out,
which for the most part is a great philosophy. However, they've taken it
to the extreme, and it has left Donovan McNabb with only Brian Westbrook
as a viable offensive threat. In this draft, they bucked tradition and
not only gave their beleaguered quarterback explosive skilled position
players, but they did it at great value. Jeremy Maclin, LeSean McCoy,
and Cornelius Ingram were all taken well after they were thought to be
before the draft.
Pittsburgh Steelers -
Pass
When you're the defending champs, you're not exactly overflowing
with desperate needs. But, the Steelers need to add depth on both the
offensive and defensive lines, wide receiver, and in the secondary.
Essentially, they satisfied all of them. I'm not sure that Ziggy Hood
from Missouri can play the end spot in a 3-4 scheme, but I'm certainly
not going to argue with the Godfather of the zone blitz, Dick LeBeau.
Other picks that positively stood out, wide receiver Mike Wallace,
offensive guard Kraig Urbick, and cornerback Keenan Lewis.
San Diego Chargers -
Fail
In my opinion, the Chargers didn't address their needs and they
didn't get great value for the players they selected. They had to get a
right tackle, inside linebacker, and defensive end in this draft, and
they didn't draft a single one. In addition, their first three picks
were players taken way too early - Larry English, Louis Vazquez, and
Vaughn Martin. Every one of them could have been had at least a round
later.
San Francisco 49ers -
Pass
As with the Saints, I'm giving the 49ers credit for doing what most
of the teams ahead of them should have done. Throw out the fact that
Michael Crabtree didn't run a 40 yard dash, and simply take him because
he was the best player in this draft. Of course, it helps that they
needed a premium wide receiver for Alex Smith or Shaun Hill or whoever
the hell plays quarterback for them this year. After all, they haven't
had a decent wide receiver since numbers 80 and 81 left town. I also
liked the picks of Scott McKillop in the fifth round and Ricky-Jean
Francios in the seventh, who would have been a first round talent had it
not been for some character issues. Something tells me Mike Singletary
will be able to straighten that out.
Seattle Seahawks - Pass
I said earlier that there were two sure-fire locks in this draft and
the Seahawks got the other one, Aaron Curry. In my evaluation, I
couldn't find anything wrong with him. He's a great athlete, has a good
head on his shoulders, and still has the potential to become much
better. The additions of Max Unger, Deon Butler, and Courtney Green will
provide an immediate impact as well. My only problem with this class is
that it didn't include a running back to help share the load with the
diminutive Julius Jones.
St. Louis Rams - Fail
For the second year in a row, the Rams scored a major player in the
first, and then just tried to "wing it" the rest of the draft. The
vacancy left by Orlando Pace at left tackle was a big one, but general
manger Billy Devaney took the best one coming out this year in Jason
Smith. However, they needed a quarterback to groom under Marc Bulger and
didn't take one until the sixth round, who was coached by Ryan Leaf at
West Texas A&M. Also, with Torry Holt signing in Jacksonville, a wide
receiver should have been targeted earlier that the fifth.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers -
Pass
The Bucs only had six picks in this draft, but they made them count.
While I think they took Josh Freeman a little early, there was no way
they were going to get him if they waited. In addition, they picked
three of the more underrated prospects in this draft, defensive end Kyle
Moore, offensive tackle Xavier Fulton, and wide receiver Sammy
Stroughter in the fourth, fifth, and seventh rounds, respectively.
Couple that with the trade for Kellen Winslow, Jr. and they filled every
need I had for them this offseason.
Tennessee Titans - Pass
First and foremost, Tennessee finally did what all of their fans
have been asking them to do for years. The took an impact wide receiver
in the first round. Kenny Britt will provide a very athletic big option
for Kerry Collins, and possibly Vince Young in the future. That is of
course, if the latter actually decides that he wants to be an NFL
quarterback. Next, Jeff Fisher and Mike Reinfeldt needed to replenish
the defensive backfield and line, especially after losing who I think is
one of the top five defensive players in the league, Albert Haynesworth,
in free agency. They got defensive tackle Sen'Derrick Marks in the
second round and later picked Ryan Mouton and Jason McCourty for the
back end. Also, I think Jared Cook will be an impact player at tight
end. Of course, they couldn't help themselves and took another running
back, Javon Ringer, in the fifth round. They're starting to remind of
the Lions with wide receivers - with better results of course.
Washington Redskins -
Fail
Well, outside of their first pick, Brian Orakpo, and signing
Haynesworth in free agency, they didn't take care of any of their needs.
The offensive line needs to be rebuilt because it is aging and in some
cases, just not very good. However, they didn't select a single lineman
in the draft. Maybe one day Dan Snyder will learn to build from the
inside out through the draft!
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