Once again, thanks to all who participated in all three of the community mocks this year. It was a fun exercise to say the least. It stayed relatively organized and a special thanks to Fooch for updating the board. Without his help, the process would have taken much longer.
The grading process is going to be the same as it was last time but since some teams had multiple users picking, I will once again give grades to the team as a whole as well. I will not be associating the user names with the picks, but you know who you picked so you will know your grade by that.
Overall, there were some surprises in this draft. Probably the biggest surprise was Tennessee Strong Safety Eric Berry falling all the way to the 49ers very first pick. Some felt that it was rigged, but things like this happen in just about every single draft. It's certainly a possibility.
Here is the grading table and point system that I will be using:
A+ = 6 (Excellent, best possible pick)
A = 5.5 (Excellent pick)
A- = 5 (Excellent pick but could have gone another way)
B+ = 4.5 (Very good pick)
B = 4 (Very good pick but could have gone another way)
B- = 3.5 (Very good pick but not a huge area of concern)
C+ = 3 (Average pick with some upside)
C = 2.5 (Average pick)
C- = 2 (Average pick but may not pan out)
D = 1.5 (Not a very good pick and most likely not to happen)
Again, each pick will get an individual grade, and then I will total them up for a final team grade. Any .75's or .25's will be rounded up or down depending on which one it is. If you feel like you deserved a better grade, then please feel free to say so with explanation in the comments. All grades will be final though.
We'll look at the results below...
ROUND 1
1. ST. LOUIS RAMS - Sam Bradford (QB) Oklahoma (A)
2. DETROIT LIONS - Russel Okung (OT) Oklahoma (A-)
3. TAMPA BAY BUCS - Ndamukong Suh (DT) Nebraska (A+)
4. WASHINGTON REDSKINS - Gerald McCoy (DT) Oklahoma (A-)
5. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS - Rolando McClain (ILB) Alabama (A-)
6. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS - Bryan Bulaga (OT) Iowa (A)
7. CLEVELAND BROWNS - Jimmy Clausen (QB) Notre Dame (B+)
8. OAKLAND RAIDERS - Trent Williams (OT) Oklahoma (B)
9. BUFFALO BILLS - Dan Williams (DT) Tennessee (B)
10. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS - Joe Haden (CB) Florida (B)
11. DENVER BRONCOS - Mike Iupati (OG) Idaho (B-)
12. MIAMI DOLPHINS - C.J. Spiller (RB) Clemson (A)
13. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS - Eric Berry (FS) Tennessee (A+)
14. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS - Dez Bryant (WR) Oklahoma State (A)
15. NEW YORK GIANTS - Sean Weatherspoon (OLB) Missouri (A+)
16. TENNESSEE TITANS - Jason Pierre-Paul (DE) South Florida (B)
17. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS - Anthony Davis (OT) Rutgers (C-)
18. PITTSBURGH STEELERS - Kyle Wilson (CB) Boise State (A+)
19. ATLANTA FALCONS - Derrick Morgan (DE) Georgia Tech (A+)
20. HOUSTON TEXANS - Devin McCourty (CB) Rutgers (A)
21. CINCINNATI BENGALS - Jermaine Gresham (TE) Oklahoma (B)
22. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS - Brandon Graham (DE/OLB) Michigan (A+)
23. GREEN BAY PACKERS - Maurkice Pouncey (C) Florida (INCOMPLETE)
24. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES - Taylor Mays (S) USC (B)
25. BALTIMORE RAVENS - Earl Thomas (S) Texas (A+)
26. ARIZONA CARDINALS - Patrick Robinson (CB) Florida State (A+)
27. DALLAS COWBOYS - Golden Tate (WR) Notre Dame (INCOMPLETE)
28. SAN DIEGO CHARGERS - Toby Gerhart (RB) Stanford (D)
29. NEW YORK JETS - Jared Ordrick (DE) Penn State (A)
30. MINNESOTA VIKINGS - Brian Price (DT) UCLA (B-)
31. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS - Charles Brown (OT) USC (INCOMPLETE)
32. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS - Sergio Kindle (OLB) Texas (A+)
ROUND 2
33. ST. LOUIS RAMS - Demaryius Thomas (WR) Georgia Tech (A+)
34. DETROIT LIONS - Ryan Mathews (RB) Fresno State (A+)
35. TAMPA BAY BUCS - Arrelious Benn (WR) Penn State (A+)
36. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS - Terrence Cody (DT) Alabama (A)
37. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES - Everson Griffen (DE) USC (A)
38. CLEVELAND BROWNS - Nate Allen (FS) South Florida (A+)
39. OAKLAND RAIDERS - Linval Joseph (DT) East Carolina (C)
40. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS - Cam Thomas (DT) North Carolina (C-)
41. BUFFALO BILLS - Bruce Campbell (OT) Maryland (B+)
42. TAMPA BAY BUCS - Kareem Jackson (CB) Alabama (A)
43. DENVER BRONCOS - Damian Williams (WR) USC (A+)
44. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS - Alex Carrington (DE) Arkansas State (A)
45. DENVER BRONCOS - Daryl Washington (OLB) TCU (A+)
46. NEW YORK GIANTS - Lamarr Houston (DT) Texas (A)
47. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS - Jamar Chaney (LB) Mississippi State (B-)
48. CAROLINA PANTHERS - Tyson Alualu (DT) California (B-)
49. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS - Jahvid Best (RB) California (A+)
50. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS - Roger Saffold (OT) Indiana (A+)
51. HOUSTON TEXANS - Morgan Burnett (FS) Georgia Tech (A)
52. PITTSBURGH STEELERS - Tim Tebow (QB) Florida (B-)
53. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS - Jerry Hughes (OLB) TCU (A+)
54. CINCINNATI BENGALS - Carlos Dunlap (DE) Florida (B)
55. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES - Brandon Ghee (CB) Wake Forest (A)
56. GREEN BAY PACKERS - Vladimir Ducasse (OG) Massachusetts (INCOMPLETE)
57. BALTIMORE RAVENS - Rob Gronkowski (TE) Arizona (B-)
58. ARIZONA CARDINALS - Jared Veldheer (OT) Hillsdale (B)
59. DALLAS COWBOYS - Chad Jones (S) LSU (INCOMPLETE)
60. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS - Colt McCoy (QB) Texas (INCOMPLETE)
61. NEW YORK JETS - Navorro Bowman (OLB) Penn State (B+)
62. MINNESOTA VIKINGS - Jon Asamoah (OG) Illinois (B-)
63. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS - Dominique Franks (CB) Oklahoma (INCOMPLETE)
64. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS - Sean Lee (ILB) Penn State (A+)
FINAL TEAM GRADES:
NFC WEST
San Francisco 49ers - Eric Berry, Anthony Davis, Jahvid Best: All of these picks could be considered best player available tempered by an area of need. When the two meet up, it makes for a very interesting draft. However, from what I have seen in games, scouting reports, among other things I don't have high expectations for Anthony Davis which to me warrants the grade there. Berry and Best can be game changers at the next level though and they were absolutely the best way to go in my opinion there. FINAL GRADE: (A-) 4.67
St. Louis Rams - Sam Bradford, Demaryius Thomas: These two selections could be linked at the hip for years to come. Both have extremely high upside. The sky is the limit. The Rams could potentially trade back with the Browns in the real draft and pick up Jimmy Clausen instead along with extra picks. For a team with so many holes, it may not be a bad idea for Bill Devaney to consider. FINAL GRADE: (A+) 5.75
Seattle Seahawks - Bryan Bulaga, Dez Bryant, Cam Thomas, and Colt McCoy: I have to say that in the first two rounds the Hawks did fine. However, the Cam Thomas pick was a bit puzzling. I think that Thomas will be decent at the next level, but I am not so sure he is a 2nd Round Pick... or worthy of one. It was a bit of a reach for me. Bulaga and Bryant are very solid picks though. FINAL GRADE: (B+) 4.33
Arizona Cardinals - Patrick Robinson and Jared Veldheer: I really have a like-hate taste in my mouth from the Patrick Robinson pick. I like it because I don't think there was a better pick on the board, and I hate it because if it really happened the 49ers would have to face him twice a year. Veldheer was a solid pick but I think the Cards have enough faith in Jeremy Bridges next season. It's always good to think about your future though. FINAL GRADE (A-) 5.00
NFC SOUTH
Carolina Panthers - Tyson Alualu: While I think Alualu will be a significant contributor, it's hard to think that the Panthers don't go with a quarterback here... or possibly even a wide receiver. Even a defensive end pass rusher to go on the other side of Everett Brown after the loss of Julius Peppers. I just didn't feel this was the best way to go and I don't think it is probable if all the guys after this selection are still on the board in the real draft. FINAL GRADE: (B-) 3.50
Tampa Bay Bucs - Ndamukong Suh, Arrelious Benn, and Kareem Jackson: If this happened in the real draft, the excitement would be through the roof in the city of Tampa Bay and surrounding areas. To land these three players would give the Bucs a chance to climb out of the cellar. FINAL GRADE: (A+) 5.33
Atlanta Falcons - Derrick Morgan: The Falcons already got help in their secondary via free agency. In dire need of a pass rush, I don't believe that the Falcons could have gone anywhere else here and receive the same type of value. Morgan will play the game with a high motor and is potentially going to be the best defensive end coming in the the NFL this year. FINAL GRADE (A+) 6.00
New Orleans Saints - Sergio Kindle and Sean Lee: This wouldn't really be fair if it went down like this in the real draft. They add a fierce pass rush with both players and add youth to the void left behind by Scott Fujita. To land Kindle and Lee in the first two rounds would be a dream scenario for the Saints. FINAL GRADE (A+) 6.00
NFC NORTH
Green Bay Packers - Maurkice Pouncey and Vladimir Ducasse: Both of these ended up being my selections so there will be no grade here. The Packers need help desperately on the offensive line. They get significant help on the interior portion of their line with these picks. Ducasse also could compete for one of the two tackle positions. FINAL GRADE: INCOMPLETE.
Chicago Bears - No picks in the first two rounds.
Minnesota Vikings - Brian Price and Jon Asamoah: If I were a Minnesota Vikings fan, I wouldn't be extremely impressed with either of these picks. They need help in their secondary and should address that somewhere earlier on. The Vikings already have an exceptional pass rush but had trouble against the pass. Minnesota also has two of the best offensive guards in the league so the Asamoah pick didn't really add up to me either. FINAL GRADE: (B-) 3.50
Detroit Lions - Russell Okung and Ryan Mathews: Both these picks address the offensive side of the ball. While the Lions need help virtually everywhere, I am not so sure it will go down like this. It's hard for me to see the Lions passing on the best player in the draft in Ndamukong Suh. The Mathews pick could not have been better though. If he falls out of the first round, I think the Lions would be hard pressed to pass on a player of his caliber. FINAL GRADE: (A) 5.00
NFC EAST
Dallas Cowboys - Golden Tate and Chad Jones: I had to make the selections for the Cowboys so there will be no grade here. I think that the Cowboys will try and get Tony Romo a bit more help considering that Roy Williams just didn't amount to what they were hoping for. Chad Jones upgrades the secondary and Tate adds a potential franchise type player on the offensive side. FINAL GRADE: INCOMPLETE.
Washington Redskins - Gerlad McCoy: It is hard to pass up a player of McCoy's caliber but when you bring in a guy like Donovan McNabb, you want to protect him as much as possible. Particularly if you don't have a second round pick to address that. Even though McCoy will probably pan out to something special, Haynesworth may get something worked out and stay in Washington. If not, Bulaga and Williams were still on the board there. FINAL GRADE (A-) 5
New York Giants - Sean Weatherspoon and Lamarr Houston: I think these were excellent picks. The Giants need to get that defense back to playing at the high level they were playing at before Spagnualo left. The linebacker position has been a strength for many years in N.Y. Weatherspoon would bring leadership and passion in to that defense. Houston was a very solid pick as well. FINAL GRADE: (A+) 5.75
Philadelphia Eagles - Taylor Mays, Everson Griffen, and Brandon Ghee: I think the Eagles fans would be very happy if the draft went this way. Some would be critical of the first round Taylor Mays selection but the other tow would balance out the boo's we'd here on draft day. The Eagles have always had a prideful defense and they would restore youth, energy, and tenacity to the aging defense. The Eagles have been making a push to get young again. So far, so good. FINAL GRADE: (A-) 5.00
AFC WEST
Denver Broncos - Mike Iupati, Damian Williams, and Daryl Washington: There has not been a guard selected higher than the 17th Pick in the last 10 years or longer. It's hard to see that Iupati would break that barrier, although it is possible considering that he can play the tackle position possibly as well. Williams and Washington were very good picks and fill two very big areas of need. FINAL GRADE (A-) 5.17
Oakland Raiders - Trent Williams and Linval Joesph: While these both patch up two fairly significant areas of concern, it may be too logical. I don't have high regards for Williams and Joesph is more than likely not a first round prospect... but then again, it fits the mold of a Raider-like pick. So good job in that respect. The possibilities of these picks transpiring in a few days are actually relatively probable. FINAL GRADE: (B-) 3.25
San Diego Chargers - Toby Gerhart: With only one pick in the first two rounds, I really cannot fathom Toby Gerhart as the selection there, let alone a first round selection at all. I believe Gerhart will be solid at the next level don't get me wrong, but it is just the wrong slot for him to go. The Chargers could trade back to get more picks and that may not be a horrible idea for them. They do have to replace their running back, nose tackle, and a cornerback though. With Mathews, Cody, and a couple of excellent corners on the board, Gerhart is almost undoubtedly not going to happen. FINAL GRADE: (D) 1.50
Kansas City Chiefs - Rolando McClain and Terrence Cody: It's hard to picture the Chiefs not getting premier tackles coming out this year. Matt Cassel rarely stayed upright. They will need to upgrade that line early in the draft or it's going to be another long year for their number one investment. McClain is a good pick and will be good at the next level and same with Cody, just not sure it was the best way to go. FINAL GRADE: (A) 5.25
AFC SOUTH
Indianapolis Colts - Charles Brown and Dominique Franks: Another incomplete from a no-show. I made the selections here based on what I thought the Colts would do. They need to get a lineman early on to protect Peyton and Franks is a big, fast, physical corner that would fit well in that division and that team. FINAL GRADE: INCOMPLETE.
Tennessee Titans - Jason Pierre-Paul: Comparison's have been made to the former Titan Jevon Kearse a.k.a. "The Freak". Even though the comparison's have been made, it doesn't necessarily mean that it will be true. More and more lately, I feel like JPP is going to slip in to the 2nd Round. He is an athletic freak, yes, but it doesn't mean he is a great football player... yet. FINAL GRADE: (B) 4.00
Jacksonville Jaguars - Joe Haden: I don't know how excited Jaguars fans would be over this pick. Their secondary issues were more directed toward the safety position. Haden could be a solid corner in the NFL but I don't think he be nearly close to a "shutdown" corner. FINAL GRADE: (B) 4.00
Houston Texans - Devin McCourty and Morgan Burnett: The Texans really go all out here in trying to get that secondary in tip-top shape. Both these picks would probably give most Texan fans a sense of security... and not the false kind. Both these guys are big-time players. Good choices for the slots given. FINAL GRADE: (A) 5.50
AFC NORTH
Cleveland Browns - Jimmy Clausen and Nate Allen: I just get a really strong feeling that the Browns and the Rams could trade their picks and end up with the opposite quarterbacks. Either way, it's a good pick. Nate Allen in the second was the best possible scenario. The Browns have a long way to go to be a contender again, but they are making all the right moves it seems. FINAL GRADE: (A) 5.25
Cincinnati Bengals - Jermaine Gresham and Carlos Dunlap: If Dunlap falls here, the Bengals may think they're getting a bargain... except that... he takes a lot of plays off and has character issues. Gresham has had knee problems through out his college career but has tremendous upside. This is a hard team to grade, but I think that I am inline with where it should be. FINAL GRADE: (B) 4.00
Pittsburgh Steelers - Kyle Wilson and Tim Tebow: While I can see the logic in taking Tebow to clean up the image of the Pittsburgh Steelers, it's hard to imagine that they would just give up on Dennis Dixon that quickly. Ben will get one more chance and on the third strike, he's out. Wilson was an exceptional pick though and it will take some of the pressure off of Troy Palumalu. FINAL GRADE: (A-) 4.75
Baltimore Ravens - Earl Thomas and Rob Gronkowski: I understand the logic in getting Gronkowski due to the fact that Todd Heap is not getting any younger. But there will be other tight ends later on in the draft. The Ravens really need to be focusing on getting special players in there on defense to replace guys like Ray Lewis and Ed Reed. They do that with the Earl Thomas pick but I really anticipate that a linebacker will be selected fairly high. FINAL GRADE: (A-) 4.75
NFC EAST
Miami Dolphins - C.J. Spiller: The Dolphins are getting older at the running back position and just lost Ted Ginn Jr. Even though they did, I still think they are going to have to target the defensive side of the ball a bit more. Parcell's just got his man in Brandon Marshall to bolster the offense and both Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown will be returning healthy with Lex Hilliard and Kory Sheets waiting in the wings. Spiller could do a lot in this offense so it could happen, but they could also target a guy like Brandon Graham or Dan Willaims with this pick. FINAL GRADE: (A) 5.50
New England Patriots - Brandon Graham, Alex Carrington, Jamar Chaney, and Jerry Hughes: While each individual grade determines the final grade, I found myself scratching my head just a bit. It seems like a bit of overkill to me. They have 4 picks in the first two rounds and not one of them was spent on the offensive side of the ball. Left me tilting my head to the side like a 2 month old puppy. The Pats have concerns on their offensive line and possibly the running back position as well. FINAL GRADE: *(A) 5.25
New York Jets - Jared Odrick and Navorro Bowman: Penn State, Penn State, and more Penn State... These both help the Jets become potentially the best defense in the NFL. Rex Ryan has a way of motivating players even if they've somewhat lost their way like Bowman has. The Jets are putting themselves in a really good position personnel-wise and this helps matters that much more. FINAL GRADE: (A-) 4.75
Buffalo Bills - Dan Williams and Bruce Campbell: This seems and appears on the surface to be a likely scenario in the real draft. Although, if any of the premier tackles are still there, they could go there. The secondary is a big question mark for the Bills also with the exception of Jarius Byrd. Williams is suited better to be a nose tackle but Bruce Campbell at that slot could potentially be a steal. FINAL GRADE: (B+) 4.25
Note: A special thanks to everyone in all three community mocks. Without the people, this would not have been possible. Thank you all.