Steve Silverman

All hail the Cleveland Browns. General manager Phil Savage appeared to take the easy way out when he took offensive tackle Joe Thomas with the first pick and left Brady Quinn on the board, but Savage showed he had mastered the drafting game when he traded back into the first round and took the Notre Dame quarterback with the 22^nd pick.

Thomas and Quinn could prove to be the key players when it comes to turning the Browns into contenders. It may take two seasons, but these should be memorable picks for a team that has struggled for so many years.

On the other hand, the Dolphins wasted their chance to draft a franchise quarterback when they were Hesterized by the speed of Ohio State return specialist Ted Ginn Jr. He may turn out to be a great receiver some day, but his route-running skills need quite a bit of work.

The Lions’ Matt Millen took his fourth first-round wide receiver in the last five drafts with the selection of Calvin Johnson with the second pick. Johnson looks like the best receiving prospect in the last 10 years and Millen finally appears to have knocked the ball over the fence.

AFC East
Buffalo Bills
Marv Levy may have been tempted to go after Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn with his first pick, but he filled a need when he selected California running back Marshawn Lynch. The Bills have every reason to believe that he can be a versatile runner and receiver and Levy hopes he will bring back memories of Thurman Thomas. Second-round pick Paul Posluszny should be a major find at the linebacker spot. Posluszny is not about hype — he is simply about production. He is nearly as good as A.J. Hawk, who was drafted by the Packers in the first round a year ago.
Grade: B+

Miami Dolphins
What in the world were the Dolphins thinking when they drafted Ted Ginn Jr. with the ninth pick in the draft? Obviously, they were mesmerized by what Devin Hester did for the Bears last year, so they decided to get their own superstar returner. Ginn clearly can be a game changer because he can take kickoffs to the house, but he is nowhere near polished enough to be an NFL receiver. They could have solved their quarterback needs with Brady Quinn, but simply blew it. John Beck in the second round at quarterback? Maybe in the senior league. He will turn 26 in August. There are questions about his size as well.
Grade: D

New England Patriots
The Patriots don’t usually take chances on players with character issues, so the selection of Miami free safety Brandon Meriweather is somewhat surprising. However, Meriweather faced his issues clearly in interviews and was honest with his questioners. That is the first step toward maturity and gave Bill Belichick and Scott Pioli the impetus to go after this versatile player who can also play corner.
Grade: Incomplete

New York Jets
Darelle Revis is an ordinary first-round pick who has plenty of speed but may not be big enough to handle tough receivers in the slot. While he times well and has great athletic ability, he is not a consistent performer. The selection of Michigan ILB David Harris appears to be a stroke of intelligence. He is a solid tackler and an instinctive player who should be able to step in and produce as a rookie.
Grade: B-

AFC North
Baltimore Ravens
Brian Billick and Ozzie Newsome were very happy that Grubbs was still on the board when they selected him with the 29^th pick of the first round. Grubbs is a tough run blocker who enjoys knocking over defensive tackles. He is the best interior offensive lineman in the draft. He should be a decent pass blocker.
Grade: Incomplete

Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals wanted to start changing their image in this year’s draft by bringing in nothing but character players. Drafting CB Leon Hall in the first round appears to be a good character move. He has leadership skills and does not have off-the-field baggage. He is a first-rate corner but he will need help against upper-echelon receivers. RB Kenny Irons is more than just “a guy.” While he is not very big and doesn’t appear to be a load back, he should be able to share the running back duties with Rudi Johnson. His selection makes Chris Perry expendable. Grade: B+

Cleveland Browns
Phil Savage dominated the early part of the draft by taking premier offensive tackle Joe Thomas with the third pick and then trading back into the first round to select Brady Quinn. The former Notre Dame quarterback was in freefall but he will be Cleveland’s quarterback of the future and he will have tremendous motivation to make 21 other teams regret not taking him. He is a skilled passer with athleticism and timing and should become a star. Thomas has very quick feet and great skills, but questions have been raised about his toughness.
Grade: A

Pittsburgh Steelers
The Bill Cowher era is over but Mike Tomlin’s first two selections of OLB Lawrence Timmons and defensive end LaMarr Woodley are very reminiscent of the way Old Lantern Jaw would have gone. Timmons is extremely aggressive and can take over a game when he makes a big play early. Woodley slipped in recent weeks, but he is a versatile defensive end who can stop the run and turn the corner as a pass rusher. Both players are punishers who have a nasty streak. Grade: C+

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