NFL East Draft Grades

Dallas Cowboys

There was talk that the Cowboys could move down and get a better value in a tackle there. Tyron Smith isn't a bad prospect, but no tackle in this class is worth a top 10 selection and there were better options than Smith in my opinion. If Smith isn't a LT in college, why would he be one now? Smith is being drafted on his potential but he is a boom or bust pick in my eyes. Bruce Carter is a player that I think was over hyped. He is a good athlete, but he relies too much on his athletic ability. Add in that he won't be ready when the season starts and its overdrafting in my opinion. Plus I don't really see him fitting in a 3-4. He's a 4-3 WLB all the way. DeMarco Murry is a good player when healthy, but when he's healthy. Plus they already have Felix Jones who is basically the same player. Josh Thomas is a cornerback out of Buffalo that I think is underrated. Now he isn't going to make the all rookie team, but they got him at a good value and he'll be a good developmental player at a position of need. Dewayne Harris is a nice player that could develop into that Alvin Harper type of deep threat to open the field for Dez Bryant.

Best Pick: Josh Thomas CB Buffalo
Worst Pick: Tyron Smith OT USC

Overall Grade: F

New York Giants

I'm a big fan of the Giants and it isn't because they took my man crush Prince Amukamara. The Giants got good value at each pick and still were able to address most of their needs. It would have been nice to get a eventual replacement at center, but this class was soo weak at that posit on that they could get just as good of value in taking a UDFA. In the first round they took Prince Amukamara who was falling because of the depth at the defensive line. Cornerback isn't a huge need, but now the Giants have three guys who can be lock down corners and that is needed in a division with Philly and the Cowboys. Marvin Austin would have been a top 15 pick if he wasn't suspended the entire year and they got him in the middle of the 2nd round. If he's motivated he can wreck havoc on the interior for a team that loves to rush just the front four. James Brewer gives them a future right tackle, Jerell Jernigan gives them a dynamic slot receiver to pair up with Steve Smith and Hakeem Nicks, and Greg Jones gives them some much needed linebacker depth. Great draft for the Giants.



Best Pick: Marvin Austin DT North Carolina

Worst Pick: None



Overall Grade: A+



Philadelphia Eagles


Overall I really like what the Eagles did in this draft but I think they took some players higher than they should have gone. I think Danny Watkins was a good pick and a good fit, but with Gabe Carimi on the board, they must have thought that Watkins wasn't going to be around if they moved down. Jaiquawn Jarrett is very similar. Solid player and good fit, but could have been taken in the 3rd round. Curtis Marsh is a raw cornerback and is going to need to take some time, but with a team that needs a starter opposite of Asante Samuel, you have to wonder if they should have taken Jimmy Smith. The Alex Henery pick got a lot of people wondering, but if you look at the history of kickers taken he's right in there with comparable guys. Henery has a big leg and is very very accurate. People will forget where he is drafted in a couple of years when he is doing very well. Dion Lewis will get an opprotunity to give LeSean McCoy some breaks, but I wonder if his size will catch up to him. I'm not a big fan of the Casey Matthews pick. I think he went higher than he should have because of his name. He isn't Clay. He never really dominated games, but I guess Clay didn't either. He'll be a solid fit, but he'll be more of a special teamer than a star in this league. However the pick that I really like is the Stanley Havili pick in the 7th round. Havili isn't your typical road grader fullback. He is more of a poor man's Tom Rathman who is more of a weapon. Look for Andy Reid to draw up some plays where Havili will be catching passes out of the backfield and being an inside runner. Not a spectacular draft, but a solid one.


Best Pick: Stanley Havili FB USC

Worst Pick: Brian Rolle LB Ohio State



Overall Grade: B

Washington Redskins

I'll make this pretty clear right off the bat. I'm not a big fan of Blaine Gabbert. I think he has a shot to be a solid QB in this league, but won't be elite by any means. But with him sitting there at 10 and the Redskins passing and not taking a QB the entire draft is not good. Right now they are going into next year with John Beck as their stater. You remember, the guy the Dolphins took in the 2nd round a couple years back. But I guess maybe they are holding out hope for Andrew Luck next year. When the Redskins moved down the rumor was they were looking to target Robert Quinn to be an OLB in their 3-4. But with him going the pick before what did they do, take Ryan Kerrigan. Now I like Kerrigan, but as a 4-3 DE. I don't see Kerrigan having the athletic ability to play standing up. Plus with Pass Rushing ace Brian Orakpo on the other side they are going to ask Kerrigan to drop into coverage more? Jarvis Jenkins is a solid player but not a top 50 guy. Where Washington did very well was in the middle rounds. Getting Leonard Hankerson is the 3rd was a GREAT pick. Hankerson I thought might have been the 3rd best receiver in the draft. Roy Helu isn't a flashy back, but he has the one cut and speed to thrive in Shanahan's offense. And a sleeper that nobody was really talking about is DeJon Gomes. A hybrid player in college Gomes played linebacker, cornerback, and safety. Look for Gomes to make an impact on special teams and don't be surprised if he is their nickle back mid way through the season.

Best Pick: Leonard Hankerson WR Miami

Worst Pick: Jarvis Jenkins DT Clemson

Overall Grade: D+

AFC East Draft Grades

Buffalo Bills

In most years the Bills often reach for needs, but this year they got great value and several players that should be able to come in and make an impact early. Buffalo really made out when Marcel Dareus was available at #3. He was the best player in the draft in my opinion and he'll really help their poor rush defense. Aaron Williams really reminds me a lot of Malcolm Jenkins. He'll start out at cornerback, but look for Williams to eventually be a stand out safety. Kelvin Sheppard and Chris Hairston are two picks that are really going to pay out. Sheppeard is a physical inside linebacker that will be able to hold his own and become an eventual starter. Hairston is a massive tackle who has surprisingly good footwork. He'll have a shot at left tackle, but look for him to take over at right side too. Da'Norris Searcy is another underrated pick that has the shot to become a starter. Buffalo ended up with one of the best drafts in the league.

Best Pick: Marcel Dareus DT Alabama

Worst Pick: Justin Rodgers CB Richmond

Overall Grade: A+

Miami Dolphins

I found it a little comical that people actually thought that Miami was going to take a quarterback at #15. All the Ryan Mallett projections really panned out....heck they passed on him twice. Instead they went with instant impact and took Mike Pouncey to become their new starter at center. Miami has been looking for a big physical center to bang with the top nose tackles in their league and found one here. With no second round pick the Dolphins traded up to get Daniel Thomas who will try to help fill the void at running back with both Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams being free agents. Thomas also can help the Dolphins in their Wildcat package. Thomas was a JUCO quarterback before being moved to runningback at Kansas State. Miami is also hoping that Emmanuel Gates will give them the field stretching receiver they need to complement Brandon Marshall and Devon Bess. After those three it was a pretty unspectacular draft.

Best Pick: Mike Pouncey C Florida

Worst Pick: Jimmy Wilson CB Montana

Overall Grade: C

New England Patriots

One thing is always true come draft day. The New England Pariots will be very active. It seems like a yearly tradition for the Patriots to make smart moves to accumulate picks. This year they traded their 28th selection and acquired a 1st and a 2nd for next year. Having all these picks allows the Patriots to move around and take the players they really want. New England really did a good job this year with their first pick. Nate Solder may be a little raw, but he is the only player that I know will be a left tackle. He has great size and athletic ability and will do very well. Ras-I Dowling when healthy is a good cover corner that fits into their scheme but that's when he is healthy. Shane Vereen is another solid pick that could become their new Kevin Faulk. The Marcus Cannon pick was just flat out highway robbery. Teams were scared away by his cancer diagnosis, but Cannon will be fine in due time and the Patriots have a solid developmental player. Ryan Mallett is the most NFL ready quarterback in this draft but his attitude just scares teams. Being in New England might have been the best thing for him. He'll be able to learn from the organization how to be a pro and he'll eventually get traded away for a 1st round pick. I just don't understand the Steven Ridley pick. Even if they loved him, the 3rd round was way too early. Plus they already have BenJarvis Green-Ellis and Danny Woodhead and then add Vereen? How many backs do they need?

Best Pick: Marcus Cannon G/T TCU

Worst Pick: Steven Ridley RB LSU

Overall Grade: B-

New York Jets

The Jets went into this draft needing to address their defensive line which was razor thin. In the first they were able to take Muhammad Wilkerson who could have easily gone in the top 15 and nobody would have flinched. Wilkerson is a tackle that moves like a defensive end. He's use to playing against double teams game in and game out at Temple, so moving to the defensive end spot in the 3-4 should be an easy transition. In the third round the Jets took Kendric Ellis who has a ton of talent but many question his character. If Ellis can behave off the field he'll become a starter at nose tackle and lock down a spot that they've been missing the past two seasons. With their three remaining picks the Jets went after depth. Greg McElroy was taken to be Mark Sanchez's back up, Bilal Powell is LT's eventual replacement, and Jeremy Kerley and Scott McKnight will battle for Brad Smith's old spot. Nothing flashy here, but addresses some key needs.

Best Pick: Muhammad Wilkerson DT/DE Temple

Worst Pick: Scotty McKnight WR Colorado

Overall Grade: B

What do you think? Have any issues? Let me know what you think. Leave a comment or email me at brianajohannes@gmail.com.