Cincinnati was all over the first few rounds of the draft and used much of their added leverage to set the base of their offensive line. While most teams focused on the flash players, they centered their sights on the bash players. They took 6 offensive linemen out of their 13 total picks.
Their prized pick was USC product Matt Kalil with pick #4. Kalil was generally seen as the top rated tackle in a very deep offensive line draft and should anchor the left side for years to come.
Cinci had another first rounder and took D Michael Brocker. Brocker had mixed reviews from many NFL teams although most had him as a top 15 talent.
In the second round, Cincinnati turned its attention right back to the offensive line taking G Amini Silatolu. Silatolu is slated to be a starter for Carolina and should be an impact player right away.
Tackle Mitchell Schwartz went next in the fourth round. He will be another starter already picked to run first team with the Browns. That would give Cincinnati two starting tackles and a starting guard so far!
DT Mike Martin went in the late 3rd round. Martin was not a highly projected pick and was a slip in an otherwise super draft for Cincinnati.
Cinci had a third pick in the 3rd round and used that to take another offensive lineman. This time it would be G Brandon Brooks who has an outside shot at starting in Cleveland.
Still staying in the offensive line mood, center Ben Jones was taken in the 4th round. While he might start in Houston, he is not well suited to their zone blocking schemes and it would seem reasonable that he will at least have a learning curve.
Cinci used their final added pick in the 4th round taking on an interesting subject in the form of Dallas OLB Kyle Wilber. The Clemson player is a pass rushing specialist and Dallas has had a revolving door at LB for some time now other than Demarcus Ware. Wilber will get his shot in Big D and could stick.
Perhaps a great pick, Cincinnati took WR Juron Criner in the 6th round as they lacked a 5th rounder. Criner has great size at 6’3” 224lbs and could provide Oakland with an excellent red zone wide and possession receiver to go along with their developing speed wides. Criner could be a real stunner at this spot.
7th rounder Mile Burris is an OLB who also has at least a shot to play in 2012.
QB Ryan Lindley was taken with their 8th pick as a bit of a flyer but worth it at this stage. A likely project, Lindley was still worth a chance this late in the draft.
Another interesting choice was T Nick Mondek in the 9th round. While considered a major technique project, Mondek has super human tolls that are off the charts for a man of his size. At 304 lbs, Mondek ran a dazzling 4.86 at the combine!!!
Their last pick was 10th round choice S Charles Mitchell. A probable special teams guy, Mitchell is a well known hitter and could find a spot as a strong safety in the future. For now, he is hoped to become a hard hitting special teams guy that might force a fumble or two.
Cincinnati’s Draft Grade and Analysis: We felt this was a tremendous draft. Yes, it lacks the flashy skill position picks and the team took virtually no offensive impact types at all but they may have successfully rebuilt their entire offensive line in one draft and that would be amazing. If DT Brocker pans out, this would be an awesome draft. Grade A
Kutztown began the draft with a bang and ended it with a whimper. They got super value in rounds 1 thru 3. K-Town drafted Alabama RB Trent Richardson at #3 in the first round. At 5’11” and a whopping 224lbs, the burly back can hit the hole and get it done and is the perfect fit for a Cleveland Browns club that loves to run it between the tackles. T-Rich will take the role left vacant by a departing Peyton Hillis and we project him to step in immediately. We expect Richardson to tote it 230+ times and should gobble up 1100+ yards in his rook campaign!
With their second choice, Kutztown looked to the offensive line and were able to find a starter in the from of G Kevin Zeitler. Zeitler is already penciled in as the starting RG for the Cincinnati Bengals and should grade out as a very good run blocker.
Kutztown did not stop there though. They got another starter in the third round when they took DE Andre Branch! Branch could easily develop into a super pass rushing end and his long reach and speed reminds many of last year’s surprise edge rusher, Jason Pierre-Paul.
Once the first three picks were done, although excellent, the rest of the draft took a bit of a downward turn. 4th round tight-end Orson Charles and 6th round tight-end Rhett Ellison do not project well in a weak tight-end class. Charles will play in Cinci where the tight-end does not figure much into the attack while Ellison might not even make the Viking roster! The Vikes already have last year’s tight-end Kyle Rudloph in the fold and also have ex-Dolhin John Carlson.
The final four picks did not seem to hold much promise either. Defensive tackles Mike Daniels (7th round) and Jaye Howard (8th round) could be busts. Daniels is very small at just 6’1” 291 and seems destined to a specialty role while Howard is being seen as back-up insurance. WR Tony Clemons will see little time in Pittsburgh where they already have a load of good wides and CB Jeremy Lane is a major project for the Seahawks and might not even make the club.
Draft grade and analysis: The first three picks will all be starters and any time a team can do that in one draft it has to be seen as a good crop. If any others come along then this could be a huge haul for Kutztown. Did not like their draft after the third round when they had a chance to add so much to a very promising beginning. Still, this draft is looking pretty sweet right now. A-
Grabbing QB Andrew Luck with the top pick was a no brainer and gave instant legitimacy to the West Seattle draft. Projected as a stud signal caller for years to come, they may have their guy for the next decade or so. Of course, injuries can always crop up.
West Seattle did not have a second round pick and then took a series of high reward/high risk types. MLB Bobby Wagner might turn out to be a terrific pick if he sticks and plays well as a starter.
4th round pick WR Devier Posey has the tools to be a good receiver. At 6’2” 211lbs he possesses great length and hands but has been a bit of a physical mess. If he can stay in shape and stay on the field he can be a nice pick but, like Wagner, is a risky choice.
5th round selection T Donald Stephenson should see some playing time right away although he projects, for now, as more of a swing line-man.
DT Akiem Hicks will see little time for the Saints this year and is a guy West Seattle will likely have to decide on in the future. He was , though, a 3rd round NFL choice and this seems good value here.
WR Devon Wylie was their second pick in the 6th round at slot #22. Wylie, though, is smallish at just 5’9” and 187lbs and, at best, will be a slot guy. That means the 40 grab, 9.5YPV type as a ceiling.
West Seattle took TE Evan Rodriguez in the 7th round. The Bears see him as an H-back type but Chicago has been more of a vertical team with Cutler there and they seem likely to stay that way. The TE has not gotten big numbers in Chicago of late and that seems a probably continuation.
8th round choice, Johnny Troutman was destined to be, perhaps, this team’s best pick outside of Luck but the promising G is out with a pectoral tear and will probably not even play this year! He was slotted to maybe start before the injury.
T Dennis Kelly will not be much in Philly this season but could come around. The 9th rounder is still good value here.
West Seattle ended their draft with S Winston Guy. The NFL’s 181st pick, Guy is tremendous value in this league considering he was choice #217. Still, he is projected as a special teams guy this year and may not see much time at all.
Overall: Luck guarantees West Seattle gets a good grade. The team did get good value relative to the NFL slots but many of the picks were risky. Wagner could become a starter and this would be a major upgrade to their overall draft and Posey could blossom if he matures. B+
The Eagles may have found two impact players with their first two picks but each brought along a bucket full of red flags! Dynamic wide receiver Justin Blackmon was recently arrested for DUI blowing an amazing 2.4! As many know, only an alcoholic could probably have that much booze in him and still b conscious so Blackmon could be trouble and will certainly get some type of reaction from the NFL League office. Second round choice, corner Jenoris Jenkins was seen by many experts as the top cover-man ahead of Maurice Claiborne but, like Blackmon, he had some major issues dealing with drugs. Both picks have obvious talent but the warning signs are there.
Tight-end Dwayne Allen will tandem up in Indianapolis with top choice Coby Fleener. However, considering that all-world pick QB Andrew Luck and Fleener both came from Stanford, it seems likely that Fleener will get first team cracks over Allen…
DT Brandon Thompson will convert to a nose tackle and could start this year although he will likely be a back-up. Running Back Cyrus Gray was an intriguing 5th round choice. The compact back posted an impressive 4.47 time at the combine and has talent but did not show it in college. He seems destined to battle for the third string back role in Kansas City.
The Eagles may have reached too far in the rest of the draft unless they can afford to hang onto developing talent for a few seasons. ILB Keenan Robinson will not start in Washington while offensive tackle Brandon Washington will need a lot of seasoning. 10thr rounder Matt McCants is a project.
Warrington may get a bit of a steal with their selection of DE Jonathan Massaquoi in the 8th round. Massaquoi can be an effective edge rusher and will assume that role in the NFL although as a back-up.
Overall draft analysis and grade: Talent in first three rounds is undeniable and could prove terrific but the issues have to be a major concern and Allen’s role has not been defined yet. Many of the other picks were risky and do not seem to hold great short-term promise going forward. Grade C+
Selecting CB Morris Claiborne in the first round was a no-brainer for this team. The club already has all-pro Carlos Rogers in the fold via a deal with Carolina but will need youth. Corey Webster is slotted as the other corner but both Rogers and Webster are on the south side of age 30 so Claiborne should be the next generation guy there for the Cyclones. Tackle Riley Reiff was taken later in the first round at 1.18. He has enough talent to play all along the offensive line and his expected position has not, as of now, been determined. It is looking like his likely early landing spot could be at RG. The Cyclones did not have a second or fourth rounder. They selected C Peter Konz in the third round. A massive man, Konz has the technique and power to be effective but his combine numbers sloth-like. Konz was considered the top guy at his position but it was also seen as a very weak class this year. Taking S Brandon Hardin in the fifth round could prove to be the best pick in the Cyclones’ draft! Hardin was a bit of a sleeper due to his senior year injury but had terrific combine numbers and brings along a very impressive physical tools set. Hardin is 6’3” 217lbs and could become a starter right away and a valuable cover guy especially against slot wides and red zone threats. A likely first year reserve, fifth round selection G Adam Gettis would normally be too small but he does possess nice zone blocking size and ability and should flourish in Washington. However, his long term value could take a major downswing should Shanahan be let go in Washington and a new scheme comes into play. The Cyclones took a special teamer in round 7 when they nabbed P Bryan Anger. He should be a solid stats guy in that area come next season. The Bronx took another guard in the eighth round when they snagged Rokevious Watkins. Watkins will not play T in the pros but will need to compete for a slot at guard. A huge 328lbs, he does move very well and is better suited as a road paver type. TE Adrien Robinson was taken in the ninth round. He has outstanding numbers posting 4.51 40!!! He is big standing 6’5” and 265lbs but has had little experience catching the ball. A guy we will need to keep an eye on as he could become a real find this deep in the draft. As of now, he looks like more of a run blocker type but those numbers and size cannot be ignored and he could become the next Kevin Boss for the Giants. The Cyclones’ final pick was RB Bryce brown who will be in a fight to make the Eagles’ roster as their 3rd or 4th back option.
Overall analysis and grade: Claiborne seems a likely good pick while Reiff needs stability, rather than diversity, to ever get a top rating. Konz could be a bust but time will tell there. The rest of the draft has a lot of iffy guys who may bust out due to their numbers etc. but it is hard to give a good grade to those types. A solid draft that did not jump out at ya… C+
An aging, but still very effective, Ben Roethlisberger had the Infidels seeking an arm for the future. They may have found a good one in first rounder Ryan Tannehill. The young slinger, though, does not seem destined for immediate returns but that may be the plan here anyways. Inverness took NT Dontari Poe with their second pick in the first round. Kinda felt they could have dealt down and gotten the same level talent in later rounds although Poe is certainly worthy of a first round selection. Poe projects as a NT type and that usually translates into little pass rush and often lower than average ratings versus the run but we shall see. Loved their second round choice of RB David Wilson in terms of ability but did not like the pick in terms of how he is supposed to be used with the Giants in th NFL. The consensus #1 RB was Trent Richardson and he seems slotted as a full-time workhorse while Wilson looks like he is going to assume the role that Brandon Jacobs used to have and split time in the backfield. Third rounder Kalechi Osemele is seen as a small project and is expected to at least vie for a starting job as a guard. His long term outlook would be to convert to tackle at some point so his value could jump over time. Saftey Tavon Wilson may end up a starter but is a likely back-up who gets some reps. Like many of the Invrness picks, Wilson is a guy who may or may not give back big returns. 5th round wide receiver Greg Childs kept the theme going for Inverness. Often injured while in College, Childs possesses all the skills and has the frame to be a plus rated NFL wide. At 6’3” 219lbs he could develop into a nice red zone option or possession wide. But his lack of playing experience and injury history make him a big risk. Coty Sensabaugh was taken in the 6th round and projects as a return-man. Super speedy, Sensabaugh will not crack an NFL starting lien-up this season. OLB Korey Toomer was the seventh round choice for the Infidels. Toomer has awesome combine numbers that often translate into a productive NFL career. He posted a blistering 4.53 40 but is still seen as a project. We like his numbers and feel this could be a steal pick. James Hanna was tabbed in the eighth round and is seen more as a typical Tight-end. Do not see him maturing into a 50+ catch guy. CB Greg McCoy was their final selection in the 9th round and we are not sure he will even make the team.
Overall draft analysis and grade: Many iffy picks with nice upside but few solid, sure fire choices. This means this whole draft could turn into a bust and that is never a good thing. Tannehill may be the guy for them in a coiple of hyars but who knows? Poe should be a starter right away but not sure what his producyion will be if used as a pure NT type. Toomer could be a real sleeper so keep an eye on him... Grade C-
The Storm have a nice tradition going in Florida. They raised a few eyebrows when they took WR Michael Floyd with the 8th pick in the draft. Floyd is a big target with outstanding hands and speed and could post big numbers but the feeling here was he could have been taken at a later time in the draft so trading down could have been an option here. SW Florida then went out and took another WR in the second round calling on Brian Quick! Quick is a huge target at 6’4” 220lbs and is expected to be a big part of the St. Louis Rams’ attack this season. In fact, he is likely to put up bigger numbers than first round pick Floyd!!! Kendell Reyes was an interesting pick in the third round. Reyes has some hybrid type numbers with an excellent speed and size combo. He should get plenty of reps in his rookie season and could be the type that gives the rare inside pass rush from the interior of the D-line. The Storm seemed determined to get at least one great WR out of this draft and went out and got Mohamed Sanu in the fourth round. Another big target, the 6’2” 211 Sanu is looking like he may be a #2 wide receiver type in the NFL and could give the Storm one of the league’s best and biggest young receiving corps in a long time. T Brandon Mosley was taken in the fifth round and could work his way up the charts over time at the position. He is not expect to give immediate returns but this was still a very good value pick here. Ron Brooks was the Storms' choice with their sixth round pick. Brooks was one of the fastest men at the combines this season displaying a blazing 4.37 40 time and should be a dangerous return guy for Buffalo this season. He could work his way onto the field as a nickel or dime package man as well making him a possible nice two way player next season. Seventh rounder TE Taylor Thompson is a guy you may have to shelve for a season or two but does have super upside if he ever does get it all together. A bit of flyer type pick but not a bad gamble here. A huge man at 6’6” 260, Taylor will need to refine his tools in order to be an everyday player. FB Bradie Ewing was taken in the eighth round and continued the run of surprising Storm picks! Few teams would have taken three wides with their first four picks and even fewer would use this pick to take fullback but that is exactly what SW Florida did. Ewing could become a solid blocking back but will have little value besides and many feel that type value can be gotten fairly easily. Still, we shall see… DE Scott Solomon was taken with their 9th round pick and really was good value here. The undersized D-lineman may be used as an edge rusher and could post some sack totals if he gets enough reps this season. The Storm’s last selection was defensive lineman Kheeston Randall. He will not start but could contend for some back-up roles. He has as much a chance to make the 53 man roster he does to be cut and probably will not amount to much.
Overall draft analysis and grade: You have to be careful evaluating this particular draft since SW Florida did not take a traditional view to the draft. Taking three wides out of four picks to begin a draft is, normally, not very sound strategy but, in this case, it seemed a good option. Floyd, Quick, and Sanu look to be solid picks for that position and this becomes a nice draft if that was the Storm’s objective. Much of the rest of the draft seemed filled with specialty type players who may end up bringing needed value back in the future. This gets down to how ya see the wide receivers and so one can grade up or down from that. We liked the idea and concept but wish they had done a better job outside those targets. C+ that could go to a B or better but could also go down as far as an F!!!
Atlanta took DL Fletcher Cox with their top pick in their draft. Cox is a diverse player and should be moved around a bit playing for an aggressive Philadelphia Eagles' defense this season. We are not sure of his precise role yet and that could translate into a somewhat pedestrian rating going forward. OLB Lavonte David was their second round option. He projects as a starting WAM backer and should at least return some starter numbers next season. This was a solid pick here for them. Really liked the third round pick of DL Derek Wolfe. In many ways similar to Cox, Wolfe is diverse and talented. A towering 6’6” and weighing nearly 300Lbs, Wolfe will be moved a round a bit for the Broncos this season but seems more destined as an edge rusher who may also become an every-down guy if he can hold up against the run. His height could make him vulnerable to the run but we see him as a viable and diverse guy. At first glance, one had to wonder what Atlanta saw in Brandon Boykin this early. But, after a small bit of investigation one can easily see the genius of this choice here. Boykin will be the main return guy for the Eagles this season coming off a spectacular college career at Georgia. Anyone who can take the spot of DeSean Jackson has to be good and Boykin is unique. If he puts up the numbers many feel he can, he can give Atlanta a true special teams weapon that can turn the field around. WR Marvin Jones may turn out to be a bust but time will tell. Early reports have him struggling to make the Bengals’ 53 man unit but the money here says he sticks and then gets his shot as soon as someone gets hurt…We like his skill set and still see him as a solid bet to become a good #3 slot wide at worst. Sixth rounder, DL Trevor Guyton is similar to the other guys Atlanta took! A bit of a tweener type, Guyton figures to see some playing time but just not sure of his exact role just yet. Sinio Kelemete has good upside but will likely be a sub as a rookie and at guard and not tackle. This could severely hurt his value going forward next season and it remains a mystery as far as his upside is concerned. LB Cam Johnson was a bit of a stretch pick, He does not possess great plus skills and has had an injury history. We think he may even have trouble making the 53 man this season but, even if he does, will likely have a minor role. PK Randy Bullock was also a bit of a risk and ya never want to use a pick on a risky place kicker! Bullock is not guaranteed any roster spot at all and could easily end up without a job! Tenth round choice, Nate Potter, was typical of much of Atlanta’s draft: risky. He is seen, at best, as a role player type and a major project coming from Boise State. He is light for the position at just 295lbs and does not have long arms so he is extremely vulnerable to bull rushes as well as speed rushers going around him when he cannot get his arms on them. Do not like his chances at all.
Overall draft analysis and grade: Liked some of the slickness displayed by Atlanta in the early rounds but not sold on some of their picks at all. They could have nailed down some less risky players and chose not to. The back half of their draft seems way too vague and limited to get them a good grade here. C-
The Bobcats took OLB Melvin Ingram with their top pick. A ferocious pass rusher, Ingram is the type of weapon that can be extremely effective if used properly. He is expected to be moved around a lot to create mismatches and could be one of the league’s top rookies to watch this season. Really liked this pick since Ingram has a real shot to garner multiple position ratings ala Terrell Suggs! All indications are that second round T Cordy Glenn will line up as a starting left tackle. He does not have a lot of experience there, however, and that could spell some trouble. Would not be surprised if he ends up on the right side to begin his career or even as a back-up but he will eventually end up as a left-tackle and should be a very good one. Third round choice, DT Devon Still is an interesting player. He could get gobbled up as a tweener and end up with a ho-hum career if not used correctly. At 6’5” 305lbs he has the height of a defensive end but the weight of a defensive tackle. It seems his best role may be that of an interior line pass rusher and those types can either become real threats or real flops so we will have to wait and see how he develops. DB Jayron Hosley has real potential as a passing down safety who can hit. He is very risky with a few red flags and that is never a good thing. Hosley loves to hit and has had concussions plus h failed a drug test prior to the combine. Basically, this guy can be seen as a high risk/reward venture. Playing for the Giants seems a plus for his chances of success. The Bobcats took DE Jared Crick with their next pick. Crick is one rugged player and should evolve into a starter out in Denver. However, barring injuries, he is likely to be a 3rd wheel or even 4th wheel player in his rook campaign. We love his upside in the long run though especially if fellow DE JJ Watt stays productive. Sixth round selection, DB George Iloka is an excellent pick in terms of potential but was still a bit of a reach in terms of immediate returns. This guy is another in a growing list of players being taken by the NFL who possesses physical attributes many teams desire to combat the tight-ends and red zone wides common in the league now. He is a massive 6’4” and some 225lbs and it is hoped he can match up on those bigger red zone receivers or tight-ends. He ran just a 4.59 time at the combine which means he cannot play in space situations and this will limit his overall use. All indications are he is a project of sorts… Bensalem did a 180 turn with their next pick and took the offensive equivalent of Iloka! WR Tommy Streeter is a huge 6’5” 220lbs monster who ran a nice 4.40 at the combine. He is not very good in running many routes and is raw but he has a chance to be a rd-zone and over the top type weapon. Not sure we see him being an immediate impact type and he seems the type more likely to end up as a 30 catch guy rather than a 60+ reception guy in the future. RB Terrance Ganaway was the next option. We are not sure where this guy even fits in the NFL! Another big guy, Ganaway is 5’0” and weight 240lbs but lacks the speed of a true NFL back running a somewhat slow 4.65. He is looking a lot like a short yardage option guy or a specialty back and does not seem destined for significant running back numbers. Ninth round pick DL Jack Crawford seems much more as a project rather than a solid prospect with future value. Not sure we see him amounting to much in the NFL. Tenth rounder, Nate Stupar, is another interesting pick made by Bensalem. He is projected as an OLB although is a bit smallish. He plays like an ILB but will probably get his shot as a weak side backer if he gets any shot at all. He could get to play in Oakland but this would more likely be due to a lack of depth over talent and we do not see him as a guy who will post big numbers in any event.
Overall draft analysis and grade: Bensalem took a lot of odd types who have some upside if all goes well. Love Ingram in the first round and Glenn has a real chance to be a solid T. The rest of the rest of their draft was full of all types of guys with odd resumes and low chances. Of course, if these guys pan out then the Bobcats will look like geniuses but the money says long shots usually do not make it big. C-
Really liked this draft and felt is was one of the best, if not the best, draft in the league! Vegas got pick after pick right and may end up with a major haul type draft…
The Rat Pack got an excellent tackle with their first pick in David DeCastro then followed that up by nailing down Safety Harrison Smith. Many, including me, felt Smith was the top safety in this draft! The momentum continued with their next choice when they took DE Vinny Curry. Curry is seen as a high motor guy who can get after the Quarterback off the edge at the very last. He may not start right away but eventually should and will be a pass rush threat right away! The one glaring error may have been the reach pick for QB Russell Wilson. He is embroiled in a 3 way battle in Seattle but he is the likely odd man out. LB Sean Spence was a terrific pick! He will at least see time in Pittsburgh and could very easily start or take over this year! At first glance the nabbing of DE Jake Bequette would seem insignificant. However, Bequette went to th new England Patriots who sorely need pass rush and this guy provides it. Hat means he gets reps folks and he will be playing for a club that often forces opponents to the air in an effort to keep up with the high flying Patriot attack. That means sacks baby! CB Josh Norman seemed another random choice but the fact is this guy has a great shot at being a starter and if ya can get starting value this late that makes it another super pick! WR Jarius Wright seems destined to be a slot guy. But, again, he seems likely to be a starting slot guy and that usually translates into 40 or so grabs. To get that much value here is just outstanding. Safety Matt Johnson is a tough guy who will play a position where toughness is good. He is a big 6’1” 212 bruiser who ran a 4.58 60 at the combine. This mans he should be able to lock up some tight ends, help in the running game, and maybe even stop some red-zone options. Like his upside alot to at least be a solid third DB type next season. Vegas had no ninth rounder but did take three guys in the final round. Nate Ebner looks like a special tams guy with little upside at all as he will mostly be used as a gunner. Monstrous Mark Asper was still more value. A guard in college, he will become a likely back-up center but could step right in if any injuries arise along the interior of the offensive line. Asper stands 6’6” and weighs in at 320lbs. DB Justin Bethel also looks more like a special teams guy so not much value seen here.
Overall Analysis and Grade: You have to admire all the value this organization was able to bring in here. Other than the odd QB pick in the earlier round, this was a bonanza draft for them we think. A-
