Plenty of teams get A’s for draft
Browns, Cowboys, Chiefs did best job; Jets, Saints, Jaguars blew it
Tony Dejak / APBrowns' first-round pick Braylon Edwards and second-round pick Brodney Pool give Cleveland a solid draft, NBCSports.com contributor Ron Borges says.
C
SEATTLE - C is an average grade and this was an average draft. The Seahawks helped their defense considerably in free agency but not enough in this draft. They seemed to reach quite a bit in taking undersized USC inside linebacker Lofa Tatupu in the second round and the choice of center Chris Spencer on Round 1 seemed a concession that they were unable to find defensive value with what was left on the board. Added a developmental quarterback and a young linebacker in the third round, but neither will do much to aid the cause in the short term.
SAN FRANCISCO - Everything will be decided by No. 1 pick Alex Smith. The 49ers gambled that they will get him signed by training camp even though the two sides could not agree on a deal before the draft. The other question is how well he will adjust to playing under center after having worked exclusively out of the shotgun at Utah. That's a lot of questions about a top pick that have to be answered. They seemed to reach considerably with second-round choice David Baas and Miami running back Frank Gore was a real gamble. As a freshman he looked like a franchise back but never seemed to get his speed back after two knee injuries. That's a lot of doubt for a team in need that was picking first each round, but if they hit on Smith everything else will be forgotten. You should do better than this picking first in each round.
ST. LOUIS - The Rams wanted Jammal Brown but had to settle for second choice, Alex Barron, who many teams feel is not tough enough to survive in the NFL for long. After that they opted for two defensive backs with second -ound choice Ronald Bartell, a guy most teams projected as a third rounder at best. They ended the day with a tough Nebraska offensive lineman who they have to hope doesn't live up to his name: Richie Incognito. Nothing special here unless Barron can step in and replace Kyle Turley.
INDIANAPOLIS - The Colts needed to badly shore up a defense that keeps costing them in the playoffs, so they grabbed Michigan corner Marlin Jackson in the first round, who was the best of what was left. The guys they added after that may not help enough to solve the problems.
CAROLINA - The Panthers seriously needed help at wide receiver, but the top three were gone by the time they selected at No. 14 so they opted for bone-crushing safety Thomas Davis. Good value, but the majority of their problems are on offense, so go figure. They tried to address some of them later. Perhaps Evan Mathis, a guard out of Alabama, will give them a boost along an offensive line in need of one and running back Eric Shelton gives them some insurance at a position riddled by injuries the past two years.
C-
NEW ORLEANS - What was Jim Haslett thinking? He sorely needs help on defense, so he trades up in the first round to take offensive tackle Jammal Brown when he could have selected much-needed safety Thomas Davis and then gets a far lower-rated safety in Josh Bullocks, who was projected nearly 25 players lower than the No. 40 slot where he went. They finally did get Connecticut linebacker Alfred Fincher in the third round but that doesn't look like enough help to aid a defense ranked last in the league a year ago. Fourth-round pick Adrian McPherson might be a good pick in the fourth round, but he can't play defense.
JACKSONVILLE - With some solid players still on the board when they picked, the Jaguars gambled and took Arkansas quarterback Matt Jones ahead of Cal's Aaron Rodgers and Auburn's Jason Campbell. Why? Because Jones has been projected to become a 6-6 wide receiver. He was one of the intriguing guys in the draft, but the Jags had far too many pressing needs to use the 21st pick on a guy who's never proven he can play wide receiver. Gambling is fine but this was an "all in'' move that could cook the Jags if he goes bust. They did land the third-best tackle in Khalif Barnes in Round 2 and defensive back Scott Starks in Round 3, but unless they develop into top-flight players, this draft will be defined by whether the Great Experiment with Jones pays off. Too big a gamble for a team with more pressing needs.
D
NEW YORK JETS - There's always somebody who doesn't do their homework, and the Jets appear to be that team this year. They traded their first-round pick to the Raiders in exchange for veteran tight end Doug Jolley when they could have stayed in the round and landed Heath Miller, who is younger, cheaper and a better receiver. Then they draft a kicker, Mike Nugent, in the second round. Nugent was well thought of, but he better be Lou "The Toe'' Groza to justify this. They made a bit of a comeback later in the second round, landing cornerback Justin Miller, who can double as a dangerous kick returner, and then defensive tackle Sione Pouha from Utah. They better get a lot out of the kicking game to justify giving up their first pick for Jolley.
INCOMPLETE
BUFFALO - The Bills had no first-round pick, having given it up last year to pick J.P. Losman a year ago. They then took wide receiver Roscoe Parrish in the second round about half a board higher than he was rated and tight end Kevin Everett on the third. What that means is it all depends on how Losman plays this season after taking over for departed Drew Bledsoe. If he plays well, then it was all worth it. If he struggles, this might end up being the poorest day of drafting by any team this year.
DENVER - The Broncos were the epitome of incomplete after trading their No. 1 this year to the Redskins for a third this draft and a one and four next year. Much of the success of this draft will hinge on what they do next year because all they got Saturday was Darrent Williams in the second round, defensive back Karl Paymah in Round 3 and mystery man Maurice Clarett with the last pick in the third round. If Clarett returns to his freshman form at Ohio State running behind Denver's highly successful running game this elevates the Broncos but at the moment it's inconclusive whether they hurt themselves.
Ron Borges writes regularly for NBCSports.com and covers the NFL for the Boston Globe.
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