Grading the draft

[Valuist]

It takes 3 years to judge a draft. Forget the ridiculous letter grades that rate teams drafts the day after the draft. It takes a few years to realize. So I took a look at the 2010 draft:

1. Bradford- QB (StL) 2. Suh- Det (DL) 3. McCoy- DT (TB) 4. T Williams-OT (Wash) 5. Berry- CB (KC) 6. Okung- OT (Sea) 7. Haden- CB (Cleve) 8. McClain-LB (Oak) 9. Spiller- RB (Buf) 10. Alualu- DT (Jax) 11. Davis- OT (SF) 12. Matthews- RB (SD) 13. Graham- DE (Phil) 14. Thomas- S (Sea) 15. Pierre-Paul- DE (NYG) 16. Morgan- DE (Tenn) 17. Iupati- G (SF) 18. Pouncey- C (Pitt) 19. Weatherspoon-LB (Atl) 20. Jackson- DB (Hou) 21. Gresham- TE (Cin) 22. Thomas- WR (Denv) 23. Bulaga- OT (GB) 24. Bryant- WR (Dall) 25. Tebow- QB (Denv) 26. Williams- DT (Ariz) 27. McCourty- DB (NE) 28. Odrick- DT (Mia) 29. Wilson- CB (NYJ) 30. Best- RB (Det) 31. Hughes- DE (Ind) 32. Robinson- CB (NO)

other notable picks: 42. (rd 2) Gronkowski- TE (NE) 91. (rd 3) Bowman- LB (SF) 95. Graham- TE (NO) 113. (rd 4) Hernandez- TE (NE) 114. Pitta- TE (Balt) 133. (rd 5) Chancellor- S (Sea) 195. (rd 6) Brown-WR (Pitt)

undrafted: Victor Cruz- WR (NYG) Sam Shields- CB (GB) David Nelson- WR (Buff).

[Robert Fischer]

It takes 3 years to judge a draft. Forget the ridiculous letter grades that rate teams drafts the day after the draft. It takes a few years to realize. So I took a look at the 2010 draft:

1. Bradford- QB (StL) 2. Suh- Det (DL) 3. McCoy- DT (TB) 4. T Williams-OT (Wash) 5. Berry- CB (KC) 6. Okung- OT (Sea) 7. Haden- CB (Cleve) 8. McClain-LB (Oak) 9. Spiller- RB (Buf) 10. Alualu- DT (Jax) 11. Davis- OT (SF) 12. Matthews- RB (SD) 13. Graham- DE (Phil) 14. Thomas- S (Sea) 15. Pierre-Paul- DE (NYG) 16. Morgan- DE (Tenn) 17. Iupati- G (SF) 18. Pouncey- C (Pitt) 19. Weatherspoon-LB (Atl) 20. Jackson- DB (Hou) 21. Gresham- TE (Cin) 22. Thomas- WR (Denv) 23. Bulaga- OT (GB) 24. Bryant- WR (Dall) 25. Tebow- QB (Denv) 26. Williams- DT (Ariz) 27. McCourty- DB (NE) 28. Odrick- DT (Mia) 29. Wilson- CB (NYJ) 30. Best- RB (Det) 31. Hughes- DE (Ind) 32. Robinson- CB (NO)

other notable picks: 42. (rd 2) Gronkowski- TE (NE) 91. (rd 3) Bowman- LB (SF) 95. Graham- TE (NO) 113. (rd 4) Hernandez- TE (NE) 114. Pitta- TE (Balt) 133. (rd 5) Chancellor- S (Sea) 195. (rd 6) Brown-WR (Pitt)

undrafted: Victor Cruz- WR (NYG) Sam Shields- CB (GB) David Nelson- WR (Buff).

When you do it that way, you are putting results ahead of potential at the time of the draft.

I like your way. :ThmbUp:

as a horseplayer if you played some long-shots and some middle range shots, you might not like to be judged from 1 card, or 1 draft, but Results Results Results. And this isn't horseplaying.

I don't know all the interior defenders on that board by memory but it's safe to say:

A - Giants 15. Pierre-Paul- DE

D - Raiders 8. McClain-LB

funny at the time that some considered McClain a "safer" pick.
I think that goes along with misunderstanding character.

[Robert Fischer]

I'll embarrass myself (please don't up this in 3 years) with a few from last night:

16 Buffalo Bills E.J. Manuel (http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/players/193279/e-j-manuel) QB
D horrible pick.
Even if they brought in an innovative new read-option offense(which i doubt Buff will pull off), he's too slow and will take punishment. Has some talent but adversity of a mediocre NFL team will expose his shortcomings.

17 Pittsburgh Steelers Jarvis Jones (http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/players/193281/jarvis-jones) OLB
C- I could be wrong on the kid, and maybe the game-film they chose was poor, but he just looked slow on film. Apparently he was even slow on the combine(something i rank below film). I could care less that he has spinal stenosis (a peripheral negative), but the Steelers passed potential starters to pick what appears to be a guy who can play in a package. Hopefully I'm wrong.

22 Atlanta Falcons Desmond Trufant (http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/players/193321/desmond-trufant) CB
B (potential to be an A)
Character screams focused professional. Younger brother of good cornerback Marcus Trufant. Backed up his credentials with a fast 40 yard dash.


ok its getting busy here and I'm not Mel Kiper :)

[RaceBookJoe]

I'll embarrass myself (please don't up this in 3 years) with a few from last night:

16 Buffalo Bills E.J. Manuel (http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/players/193279/e-j-manuel) QB
D horrible pick.
Even if they brought in an innovative new read-option offense(which i doubt Buff will pull off), he's too slow and will take punishment. Has some talent but adversity of a mediocre NFL team will expose his shortcomings.

17 Pittsburgh Steelers Jarvis Jones (http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/players/193281/jarvis-jones) OLB
C- I could be wrong on the kid, and maybe the game-film they chose was poor, but he just looked slow on film. Apparently he was even slow on the combine(something i rank below film). I could care less that he has spinal stenosis (a peripheral negative), but the Steelers passed potential starters to pick what appears to be a guy who can play in a package. Hopefully I'm wrong.

22 Atlanta Falcons Desmond Trufant (http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/players/193321/desmond-trufant) CB
B (potential to be an A)
Character screams focused professional. Younger brother of good cornerback Marcus Trufant. Backed up his credentials with a fast 40 yard dash.


ok its getting busy here and I'm not Mel Kiper :)

I would add Cowboys after a bad trade down using a 1st on a 3rd round at best center. Maybe in 3 yrs it will be a good pick, but right now im still trying to stop laughing.

saw this right after i posted...more laughs haha

rRosterWatch ‏@RosterWatch
Reports out of Dallas: Jason Garrett had head in his hands when Cowboys made pick, scouts were seen arguing with Steven Jones before pick.

[Bettowin]

It takes 3 years to judge a draft. Forget the ridiculous letter grades that rate teams drafts the day after the draft. It takes a few years to realize. So I took a look at the 2010 draft:

1. Bradford- QB (StL) 2. Suh- Det (DL) 3. McCoy- DT (TB) 4. T Williams-OT (Wash) 5. Berry- CB (KC) 6. Okung- OT (Sea) 7. Haden- CB (Cleve) 8. McClain-LB (Oak) 9. Spiller- RB (Buf) 10. Alualu- DT (Jax) 11. Davis- OT (SF) 12. Matthews- RB (SD) 13. Graham- DE (Phil) 14. Thomas- S (Sea) 15. Pierre-Paul- DE (NYG) 16. Morgan- DE (Tenn) 17. Iupati- G (SF) 18. Pouncey- C (Pitt) 19. Weatherspoon-LB (Atl) 20. Jackson- DB (Hou) 21. Gresham- TE (Cin) 22. Thomas- WR (Denv) 23. Bulaga- OT (GB) 24. Bryant- WR (Dall) 25. Tebow- QB (Denv) 26. Williams- DT (Ariz) 27. McCourty- DB (NE) 28. Odrick- DT (Mia) 29. Wilson- CB (NYJ) 30. Best- RB (Det) 31. Hughes- DE (Ind) 32. Robinson- CB (NO)

other notable picks: 42. (rd 2) Gronkowski- TE (NE) 91. (rd 3) Bowman- LB (SF) 95. Graham- TE (NO) 113. (rd 4) Hernandez- TE (NE) 114. Pitta- TE (Balt) 133. (rd 5) Chancellor- S (Sea) 195. (rd 6) Brown-WR (Pitt)

undrafted: Victor Cruz- WR (NYG) Sam Shields- CB (GB) David Nelson- WR (Buff).


Picks 2-6 became Pro Bowlers. If Bradford gets some help I could see him become one also.

[Valuist]

Picks 2-6 became Pro Bowlers. If Bradford gets some help I could see him become one also.

I thought it was fairly solid. Compare it to 2007; other than Adrian Peterson, it was a real bad draft.

[cj]

I don't know what is worse, Draft Report Cards or Recruiting Class Report Cards.

[Valuist]

I saw a highlight reel of Adrian Peterson the other day. Went 7th in the first round in the 2007 draft. OK, can't criticize the Lions for taking Calvin Johnson ahead of him. But take a look at some of those who went ahead of him: JaMarcus Russell, we saw how that disaster turned out; Gaines Adams went 4th; he died a couple years ago. Levi Brown went to Arizona a couple picks ahead of Peterson.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_NFL_Draft

I think taking the best player available is always better than drafting for need. NFL careers don't last long enough. Get the best guys and do what you can with them.

[Striker]

I saw a highlight reel of Adrian Peterson the other day. Went 7th in the first round in the 2007 draft. OK, can't criticize the Lions for taking Calvin Johnson ahead of him. But take a look at some of those who went ahead of him: JaMarcus Russell, we saw how that disaster turned out; Gaines Adams went 4th; he died a couple years ago. Levi Brown went to Arizona a couple picks ahead of Peterson.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_NFL_Draft

I think taking the best player available is always better than drafting for need. NFL careers don't last long enough. Get the best guys and do what you can with them.
At the time wasn't Russell the best available player though or best overall prospect? Check out these quotes about him before the 2007 draft--

Mel Kiper, ESPN: "JaMarcus Russell is going to immediately energize that fanbase, that football team -- on the practice field, in that locker room. Three years from now you could be looking at a guy that's certainly one of the elite top five quarterbacks in this league. ...You're talking about a 2-3 year period once he's under center. Look out because the skill level that he has is certainly John Elway-like."

Todd McShay, ESPN: "I can't remember being in such awe of a quarterback in my decade of attending combines and pro days. Russell's passing session was the most impressive of all the pro days I've been to. His footwork for such a big quarterback was surprising. He was nimble in his dropbacks, rolling out and throwing on the run. The ball just explodes out of his hands."

Phil Savage, Browns GM at the time: "It's a little bit out of the norm to take somebody 6-5 plus, 250 pounds plus and can throw the ball around like he can. He is coming out as a junior, which leads you to think there's upside to him. "

Gary Kubiak, Texans coach: "I've never seen a kid that big who can sit there and just have people hanging on him and make the throws he can make. He reminds me a little bit of Daunte Culpepper, but a little bigger. I'm sure he's going to continue to be a great player."

Mike Mayock, NFL Network: "The only thing that’s going to keep [Russell] from being great is him. What it comes down to is you’ve got to figure out whether or not this kid wants to be the best quarterback in football.”

Lane Kiffin, Raiders coach at the time: "He's like a video game. There's not a throw he can't make and there's some he can make I'm not sure anyone else can make. That's exciting. But how many times does that happen in a game, making those long throws. Maybe twice in 16 games. I know seeing someone do that is a scout's dream, but it doesn't happen much."

[ElKabong]

I don't know what is worse, Draft Report Cards or Recruiting Class Report Cards.

Unfortunately, as a Longhorn, I can attest that the Recruiting Class Report Cards are truly depressing......

[Valuist]

At the time wasn't Russell the best available player though or best overall prospect? Check out these quotes about him before the 2007 draft--

Mel Kiper, ESPN: "JaMarcus Russell is going to immediately energize that fanbase, that football team -- on the practice field, in that locker room. Three years from now you could be looking at a guy that's certainly one of the elite top five quarterbacks in this league. ...You're talking about a 2-3 year period once he's under center. Look out because the skill level that he has is certainly John Elway-like."

Todd McShay, ESPN: "I can't remember being in such awe of a quarterback in my decade of attending combines and pro days. Russell's passing session was the most impressive of all the pro days I've been to. His footwork for such a big quarterback was surprising. He was nimble in his dropbacks, rolling out and throwing on the run. The ball just explodes out of his hands."

Phil Savage, Browns GM at the time: "It's a little bit out of the norm to take somebody 6-5 plus, 250 pounds plus and can throw the ball around like he can. He is coming out as a junior, which leads you to think there's upside to him. "

Gary Kubiak, Texans coach: "I've never seen a kid that big who can sit there and just have people hanging on him and make the throws he can make. He reminds me a little bit of Daunte Culpepper, but a little bigger. I'm sure he's going to continue to be a great player."

Mike Mayock, NFL Network: "The only thing that’s going to keep [Russell] from being great is him. What it comes down to is you’ve got to figure out whether or not this kid wants to be the best quarterback in football.”

Lane Kiffin, Raiders coach at the time: "He's like a video game. There's not a throw he can't make and there's some he can make I'm not sure anyone else can make. That's exciting. But how many times does that happen in a game, making those long throws. Maybe twice in 16 games. I know seeing someone do that is a scout's dream, but it doesn't happen much."

Russell was not. Calvin Johnson was considered the best player available. Russell was considered to have a big upside, but a lot of that was because he was still raw. The Raiders needed a QB, and they drafted for need. 6 years later, they still are terrible.