NFL Draft Grades 2011: NFC East

Dallas Cowboys

Dallas needed to get younger and more athletic on the offensive line, and by drafting USC offensive tackle Tyron Smith, they did exactly that.  Smith was the most physically talented pass protector in the draft, so getting him 9 was a fine value.

Bruce Carter (LB, North Carolina) in the second round maybe wasn’t a huge need, but he can provide a big time pass rush opposite Demarcus Ware.

Getting DeMarco Murray in the third round didn’t make a whole lot of sense, though I perceive him as a first round talent, so I can’t kill the move too much.  With Marion Barber growing older and Felix Jones’ injury issues, perhaps Murray could find some carries in the crowded Cowboy backfield, Tashard Choice be damned.  He also has the speed and talent to play slot receiver and return kicks.  Murray might be the type of dynamic player that puts Dallas’ already talented offense over the top.

Fourth round pick David Arkin (OT/OG, Missouri State) is another good athlete to add to the aging Cowboys offensive line.  He might not be ready yet, but he could develop into a nice player.

Dwayne Harris (WR, East Carolina) is another player drafted to perhaps work out of the slot and return kicks.

They got the best tackle in the draft, and it fit their largest need.  Bruce Carter is a big time talent that could put the Dallas pass rush at an elite level.  DeMarco Murray wasn’t a real need but adds huge talent and big value in the third round.  I think Murray makes their pick of Dwayne Harris a little redundant.  They could have done more to address their secondary, but they got younger and better on the offensive line, and added quality talent in Murray and Carter.

Grade: B-

New York Giants

They needed to do more to upgrade their offensive line, but in terms of improving their defense, the Giants had one of the very best drafts of any team.  Prince Amukamara (CB, Nebraska) could have gone in the top-10, but New York got him at nineteenth.  Amukamara should be able to start—and play well—from Day One.  I think he’s an eventual Pro Bowl player.

Marvin Austin (DT, North Carolina) was another top-10 talent that the Giants this time nabbed in the second round.  He can play any position on the line and will make an early impact.  Austin joins Justin Tuck, Jason Pierre-Paul, Matthias Kiwanuka, Osi Umenyiora, and Chris Canty to create maybe the best defensive line in football.  That front should harass any quarterback, and Amukamara should lock down receivers for years.

I also really like the Troy wide receiver Jerrel Jernigan in the third round.  The prototypical slot receiver, Jernigan’s a small but cat-quick player that runs good routes and will be impossible to cover in short spaces.  Jernigan completes an extremely talented receiving corps for New York.

Getting Greg Jones, the linebacker from Michigan State, was a robbery in the sixth round.  Jones was a star in college, tackles well, has solid range, is smart, and will start in this league.

James Brewer (OT, Indiana) was also a great value pick in the fourth.  At 6’6” and 325 pounds, he’s massive, strong, and athletic.  He has all the ability to develop into a starting player; it just may take a couple years.

They got two future stars among three starters for their defense.  That’s tremendous.  Jerrnigan provides an explosive dimension to their slot position and for kick returns, and Brewer could be a starter on the offensive line.  The only thing they could have done better is address the offensive line sooner.

Grade: A-

Philadelphia Eagles

Philadelphia’s offensive line was shaky last year, and protecting Mike Vick is the most essential key to Eagles’ success.  So picking guard Danny Watkins (Baylor) in the first round was a great move.  He’s mature at age 26, athletic for the position, strong, and smart.  He can start right away next to Jason Peters and create a talented left side of the offensive line.

Secondary was a big area of need as well, and Philly spent their second and third round picks on guys—safety Jaiquawn Jarrett from Temple and corner Curtis Marsh from Utah State—that can help improve that unit immediately.  Jarrett is speedy enough for coverage, is a solid tackler, and smart player.  Marsh may have been a reach in the third, but at 6’1” and with 4.4 speed, he has the physical tools to succeed.

Oregon’s Casey Matthews joins the long line of Matthews’ to reach the NFL and provides a rangy, talented player for an Eagles linebacking corps in need of upgrades.  Matthews never stops attacking, and while he’s not the biggest or the fastest, he makes plays all over the field.

Getting Pittsburgh running back Dion Lewis in the fifth round was a steal.  He reminds me a lot of another current Eagle/former Pitt Panther, LeSean McCoy.  Lewis carried a huge load at Pittsburgh and is an incredibly talented and elusive runner.

Linebacker Brian Rolle from Ohio State was a good value in the sixth round.  He’s an experienced, smart player whose speed allows him to cover both tight ends and receivers.

The Eagles also added depth and developmental players by selecting two more offensive linemen in the fifth and sixth rounds.

They addressed their biggest needs drafting for the offensive line, secondary, and linebackers, which I really liked.  Even if I think they reached in places, they know more about the guys they selected than I do, and the continually well drafting Eagles must feel they can help.  I love Danny Watkins, they made their secondary deeper, and Dion Lewis will be a great addition to Philly’s already loaded set of skill players.

Grade: B+

Washington Redskins

I don’t know about Ryan Kerrigan (DE, Purdue) in Round One.  He is a talented prospect who brings an edge rush, but if the Skins are playing a 3-4, he’s a bad fit.  He’s not big enough to play end in that system and not fluid enough to play outside linebacker.  Washington desperately needs a passer with Donovan McNabb assuredly headed out the door, and instead of taking Blaine Gabbert at pick 10, the Redskins traded back and selected an out of position defensive lineman.  I don’t understand that move.

Clemson defensive tackle Jarvis Jenkins was a good pick in the second round.  Jenkins is not a pass rush threat, but he does get off the ball quickly and will be a force against the run.  Certainly Washington has improved their front seven with Kerrigan and Jenkins joining stud linebacker Brian Orakpo.

Leonard Hankerson (WR, Miami) was a really good pick.  Washington has needed a number one type receiver for years now, and Hankerson has the size (6’2”, 210) and speed (4.40 40-yard dash) to fit that bill.

Roy Helu (RB, Nebraska) is seen as a reach, but I like the pick.  He’s got great playing speed, and he is a one-cut-and-go-type runner.  I think he will be a productive player in the NFL.

Evan Royster (RB, Penn State) was a workhorse in college and is a powerful runner.  Between Helu and Royster, the Skins certainly upgraded their backfield in the wake of the waived Clinton Portis.

Niles Paul (WR, Nebraska) is a physical specimen at 6’1”, 225 pounds that runs a 4.45 40-yard dash.  He has the physical tools to be a starter; he just needs to learn the position.

Washington also had six picks in the sixth and seventh rounds that they used on developmental players.

Since they didn’t draft a quarterback, Washington must think they are going to get a starter in free agency.  In that view, it’s not a bad thing that the Skins moved back in the draft.  They had lots of needs and accumulated lots of players.  Kerrigan and Jenkins should be starters and improve the front 7.  Hankerson has big time talent at wide out, a position of need.  They supplemented the running back spot with solid players and added a lot of developmental talent.  In all, they added at least five guys that will impact this team, and time will tell about the later round picks.  My only beefs are that Kerrigan doesn’t really fit their sytem, and maybe they should have taken a quarterback, but I understand addressing other areas.

Grade: B-

--from Adam

Division Breakdown: NFC East

Dallas Cowboys

This team is loaded with talent.  Tony Romo commands a load of skill players including Marion Barber, Felix Jones, Miles Austin, Dez Bryant, and Jason Witten.  The defense is talented with Jay Ratliff manning the nose and DeMarcus Ware terrorizing quaretbacks off the edge.  Mike Jenkins and Terrance Newman are as good a corner duo as there is.  Wade Phillips will likely be on the hot seat again all year and that might increase pressure on this team who must perform and make a deep playoff run this year.  The offensive line is old and worrisome.

Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles have a ton of young talent and I think Kevin Kolb is ready to be a good starter.  He will be aided by young studs DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin, not to mention second-year running back LeSean McCoy.  The offensive line is talented but inconsistent.  Brandon Graham fits the Eagles' system perfectly and should really help their pass rush.  Trent Cole is a Pro Bowl defensive end and Brodrick Bunkley and Mike Patterson are a nice, young defensive tackle duo.  Ernie Sims joins the fold, improving a decent linebacking core.  Asante Samuel is still a top corner; unfortunately safety Marlin Jackson is out for the year.  This team has a load of talent but may be a year away from winning the division.

New York Giants

The Giants' offensive and defensive lines were absolutely dominant two years ago, but have struggled recently.  Eli Manning has plateaued as a good-but-not-great QB.  Steve Smith and Mario Manningham are nice, young receiving threats.  Running backs Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw have to be more productive than they were a year ago.  First-round pick Jason Pierre-Paul may not be ready to contribute this year.  Chris Canty, Justin Tuck, and Mathias Kiwanuka need to be consistent.  Kenny Phillips and Antrel Rolle are a talented safety duo.  Despite a handful of talented players, no one overwhelms and overall this is a team on the decline.

Washington Redskins

Donovan McNabb makes the Redskins a better team, but not as much as people think.  He is aging and will be playing behind a poor offensive line without great offensive weapons.  Albert Haynesworth is going to be a problem.  If he plays motivated, a big 'if,' a $100 million 'if,' he is a huge force that complements pass rusher Andre Carter.  Brian Orakpo is a beast off the edge and London Fletcher is still productive.  LaRon Landry is a hammer at safety and Carlos Rogers and Deangelo Hall are talented but inconsistent corners.  McNabb will have his work cut out for him leading this team of oversized personalities.  The talent is there but I think this team will struggle with all the changes.


Final Standings

Dallas Cowboys 11-5
Philadelphia Eagles 9-7
New York Giants 9-7
Washington Redskins 7-9

Division Breakdown: AFC East

New England Patriots

Many pundits are looking for the Jets to breakout and win the Super Bowl, but I foresee them struggling to integrate all their additions and Mark Sanchez is still only a second-year guy.  Tom Brady will be back and is now two years removed from a bad knee injury.  Brady's numbers were great last year, but he just did not look the same as in years past.  It will be running back-by-committee once again in New England, which may be a problem, but I think Randy Moss bounces back, Julian Edleman will play well until Wes Welker comes back, and Aaron Hernandez will make a big splash as a rookie tight end.  The defense has been rebuilding through the draft the past two years, this year adding Devin McCourty (first round corner) and Jermaine Cunningham (linebacker from Florida) in round two.  The offensive line is good but aging.  If the Patriots first- and second-year players can make an impact, this team should rest atop the division.

New York Jets

How many times have we seen teams win the offseason and then struggle during the real season?  The Jets have as much talent as any team in football, and on paper, adding Ladainian Tomlinson, Santonio Holmes, Antonio Cromartie, Brodney Pool, and Jason Taylor looks like a tremendous haul.  Integrating this many veterans though, many of whom were cast off for poor attitudes, could easily backfire on Rex Ryan, a coach that tends to place his foot in his mouth daily.  Still, the defense should be tenacious with a wonderful front seven boasting Kris Jenkins, Shaun Ellis, Bart Scott, David Harris, and Calvin Pace.  Behind that dominant unit is perhaps an even more impressive secondary with Darrelle Revis (best corner in football), Cromartie, and first-round pick Kyle Wilson.  Pool and Jim Leonhard are solid at safety.  Sanchez looks promising but his QB rating was only 62 last year, and Braylon Edwards has a career-long case of the drops.  Replacing the released Alan Faneca will be difficult and Holmes will miss the first four games this year.

Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins made a huge splash by landing Brandon Marshall, one of the most talented and productive wideouts in the game.  Ronnie Brown is a very good back but must stay healthy.  Ricky Williams runs hard but is aging.  Chad Henne showed impressive flashes last year, but faded a bit down the stretch.  I think with Brown, Marshall, and Anthony Fasano, Henne can take that next step toward stardom.  The offensive line is solid with Jake Long making the Pro Bowl every year of his career.  The defense is a bit of a no-name unit.  Karlos Dansby joins the fold and forms a nice tandem with Channing Crowder.  Vontae Davis and Sean Smith both started last year as rookie corners and should be much more comfortable moving into this year.

Buffalo Bills

Buffalo is in big trouble again this year with a patchwork offensive line and no definitive answer at quarterback.  Trent Edwards has not been consistent.  CJ Spiller is a huge talent but was probably about tenth on the Bills list of needs.  Lee Evans is still a nice deep threat, and Fred Jackson is a talented and bruising running back.  Terence McGee and Leodis McKelvin are a very nice corner duo, and Paul Posluzny is a good, young linebacker.  Outside of those three guys, this defense has many holes.  This team will be picking among the top-5 next year.

Final Standings

New England Patriots 11-5

New York Jets 10-6

Miami Dolphins 8-8

Buffalo Bills 5-11

Draftaganza! - NFC East

This is the fifth in a series of eight posts from Adam analyzing the 2010 NFL Draft and what it means for each franchise.
 

A division not for the faint of heart, never short on talent or mutual hatred, and always entertaining.   It should be no different this year.  The big questions are how much the McNabb trade shifts the balance of power, and who truly (or if there even) is a clear favorite in this division.

Dallas Cowboys

1.24 Bryant, Dez, WR, Oklahoma St.

2.23 Lee, Sean, LB, Penn St.

4.28 Owusu-Ansah, Akwasi, CB, Indiana

6.10 Woung, Sam, OT, Notre Dame

7.27 Lissemore, Sean, DT, William & Mary

Full disclosure, I really only know who Dez Bryant is out of their whole draft class.  But I know what this guy can do and I know how close the Cowboys were last year to being a Super Bowl-level team.  I think Dez Bryant is one of those guys that can come in and play at a very high level right away.  He is big, strong, fast, runs good routes, and has huge confidence.  I think he immediately takes Roy Williams' spot in the starting lineup and forms one of the league's best receiving duos with Miles Austin.  Tony Romo, Felix Jones, Marion Barber, Jason Witten, Martellus Bennett, Austin and Bryant, are you kidding me?  There is no more talented offense in football, but if they want a title, Romo has to make this whole circus go and has to take his game to a new level.  Defensively, I like their front seven.  DeMarcus Ware is a nightmare and Jay Ratliff is an elite defensive tackle as well.  Terrence Newman and Michael Jenkins form a great cornerback tandem.  This team has a chance to win it all if their stars are consistent.

 

New York Giants
 

1.15 Pierre-Paul, Jason, DE, South Florida

2.14 Joseph, Linval, DT, East Carolina

3.12 Jones, Chad, FS, LSU

4.17 Dillard, Phillip, LB, Nebraska

5.16 Petrus, Mitch, OG, Arkansas

6.15 Tracy, Adrian, DE, William & Mary

7.14 Dodge, Matt, P, East Carolina

I like Pierre-Paul.  He is a project and may never be anything more than a pure pass rusher, but if he can be a 10-12 sack per year guy, then his will have been a pick well spent.  At the start of last year people said the Giants were going to have the best front seven of all time, yet in this year's draft their first two picks are on the defensive line.  I like that though, continue to strengthen and replenish the identity of your team.  Their first four picks were defenders; the Giants realize they have to field dominant defense and let the offense be solid and steady.  Overall, I liked the moves they made in the draft, but I think this team is looking up at the Cowboys and maybe the Eagles.

 

Philadelphia Eagles

1.13 Graham, Brandon, DE, Michigan

2.05 Allen, Nate, FS, South Florida

3.22 Te'o-Nesheim, Daniel, DE, Washington

4.07 Lindley, Treyard, CB, Kentucky

4.23 Clayton Keenan, LB, Oklahoma

4.24 Kafa, Mike, QB, Northwestern

4.27 Harbor, Clay, TE, Missouri St.

5.03 Sapp, Ricky, DE, Clemson

5.28 Cooper, Riley, WR, Florida

6.31 Scott, Charles, RB, LSU

7.13 Chaney, Jamar, LB, Mississippi St.

7.36 Owens, Jeff, DT, Georgia

7.37 Coleman, Kurt, SS, Ohio St.

The Eagles are the less successful, NFC version of the Patriots—perennially competitive and a playoff team with a good coach and a draft strategy built around stockpiling picks.  Brandon Graham will be a very nice fit for the Eagles' frenetic pass rushing style and could have a very nice rookie year.   Nate Allen will join Quentin Mikell and Asante Samuel to form a very nice secondary.  Then in the third round they add another player to their front seven and bolster their linebacking corps and secondary with two fourth-round picks.  That makes five picks in the top four rounds spent on defense by an organization that is great at judging talent.   This should really help rebuild the defense, which also added Pro Bowl linebacker Ernie Sims.  On offense every analyst thinks the sky is falling because the Eagles dealt a winning veteran, but Donovan McNabb was aging and his trade value was diminishing.  Plus, you don't play the game to get close; you play to win titles, and with that it was time to reconfigure this team.  Kevin Kolb, LeSean McCoy, Brent Celek, DeSean Jackson, and Jeremy Maclin represent a great young offensive core.  I really see the Eagles as a team that has just come off ten very successful years and may just have seamlessly transitioned into another decade of winning.  I think Kolb will be a Pro Bowl-caliber quarterback within the next two years considering his weapons and his coaching staff.  I like the Eagles to challenge the Cowboys for the division, but they might be a bit young.

 

Washington Redskins

1.04 Williams, Trent, OT, Oklahoma

4.05 Riley, Perry, LB, LSU

6.05 Morris, Dennis, TE, Louisiana Tech

7.12 Austin, Terrence, WR, UCLA

7.22 Cook, Erik, C, New Mexico

7.24 Capers, Selvish, OT, West Virginia

I might well be the last man on Earth that thought Jason Campbell was a good quarterback given the situation he was put in.  He never had a go-to target (Chris Cooley does not count), he ran a different offensive system nearly every year, and he was managed by a younger version of Al Davis in Daniel Snyder.  Yet last year Campbell's passer rating was a good 86.4, and he tossed 20 touchdowns with just 15 picks while throwing for 3,600 yards.  His career rating is an 82.3, which means that for his career, Campbell is above Troy Aikman (81.6), Boomer Esiason (81.1), Warren Moon (80.9), Dan Fouts (80.2) and John Elway (79.9) just to name a few.  You can argue that QB rating is a questionable stat or that today's league features a passer friendly game, but Cambell is still 32^nd all time in QB rating.   McNabb's career rating, by comparison, is just four points higher than Campbell's.  Why am I on this Campbell crusade?  To make a point.  The Redskins gave up a high second-round pick for a 33-year-old quarterback—Campbell is 28—who has never won a Super Bowl, is on the downside of his career, and has not been much more productive than the guy they shipped out to Oakland.  Those that think the Redskins have finally made a good move in free agency may again be banging their head against a wall two months into the season especially considering that they have four running backs eligible for AARP benefits.  Trent Williams will be a good player if he has the right mindset, but that line is still weak with a lot of holes, and Williams is just a rookie.  The offense has a dearth of true weapons and their quarterback will be better, but without protection McNabb could look a lot like Jason Campbell.  Of course the Redskins did not have any second or third-round picks in this draft, which is not unusual for them, but they have not given McNabb nearly enough to work with.

Draftaganza! - AFC East

This is the first of a series of eight posts from Adam analyzing the 2010 NFL Draft and what it means for each franchise.

This should be fun, Rex Ryan won't let this not be fun.  The Dolphins are better with Brandon Marshall and an emerging Chad Henne.  The Jets are better with a nice draft and slew of free agent additions.  The Pats had another deep draft and continue to reinvigorate the base of this team.  The Bills still suck. 

Buffalo Bills

1.09 Spiller, C.J., RB, Clemson
2.09 Troup, Torell, DT, UCF
3.08 Carrington, Alex, DE, Arkansas St.
4.09 Easley, Marcus, WR, Connecticut
5.09 Wang, Ed, OT, Virginia Tech
6.09 Moats, Arthur, DE, James Madison
6.23 Batten, Danny, DE, South Dakota St.
7.02 Brown, Levi, QB, Troy
7.09 Calloway, Kyle, OT, Iowa

Don't get me wrong, I love Spiller, but you cannot guarantee me that he will be different than Jahvid Best or Dexter McCluster.  I see Spiller as a luxury pick, a guy that a team without glaring needs might take.  The Bills have no offensive line, no quarterback, a porous defense; you name it the Bills can't do it.  So while Spiller elevates the Bills' talent level, he does not address a need.  Their second and third picks seem like reaches as well, and they did not address quarterback until the 7^th round.  They also didn’t address the o-line until the 5^th.  Bad draft for the Bills. 

Miami Dolphins

1.28 Odrick, Jared, DT, Penn St.
2.08 Misi, Koa, DE, Utah
3.09 Jerry, John, OT, Mississippi
4.21 Edds, A.J., LB, Iowa
5.14 Carroll, Nolan, CB, Maryland
5.32 Jones, Reshad, SS, Georgia
7.05 McCoy, Chris, DL, Middle Tennessee St.
7.45 Spitler, Austin, LB, Ohio St.

This is the definition of a no-name draft.  Yet for Bill Parcells and Tony "I'm doing my best impersonation of Da Bears Superfans" Sparano, I'm sure that is just fine.  Odrick is a very solid player and can probably fit in their rotation immediately.  Misi Koa comes from a very good defensive system in Utah, and is a rare athlete that should eventually add pass rush to this front seven.  John Jerry could have gone much higher and he will add depth to a solid offensive line.  Overall this team got incrementally better through the draft, and made a huge splash by landing Marshall.  If the defense is solid, and Henne can take another step forward, this team will be in every game they play and could compete for a playoff spot.  They are, however, in a nightmare division.

New England Patriots

1.27 McCourty, Devin, CB, Rutgers

2.10 Gronkowski, Rob, TE, Arizona

2.21 Cunningham, Jermaine, DE, Florida

2.30 Spikes, Brandon, LB, Florida

3.26 Price, Taylor, WR, Ohio

4.15 Hernandez, Aaron, TE, Florida

5.19 Mesko, Zoltan, P, Michigan

6.36 Larsen, Ted, OL, North Carolina St.

7.01 Welch, Thomas, OL, Vanderbilt

7.40 Deaderick, Brandon, DE, Alabama

7.41 Weston, Kade, DT, Georgia

7.43 Robinson, Zac, QB, Oklahoma St.

The Pats continue rebuilding their core for the second straight draft.  They have had seven second-round picks over the past two drafts; this team should really have a stable of talent for a long time.  McCourty helps their ailing secondary, I think Spikes can start from day one and Cunningham is a great athlete at linebacker as well.  This defense will be better this year as last year's young players progress and this year's crop comes in to help.  Aaron Hernandez is a better tight end in my opinion than the guy from Arizona they grabbed in the second round, but either way they nabbed two dangerous receiving tight ends that can help fill the middle of the field void created by Wes Welker's injury.  Julian Edleman is very good as well.  I thought they could have gotten Dez Bryant to give them a young deep threat but they went a different route.  Overall you have to like the sheer number of picks as at least a few of these guys should be very nice players for this team, and I think their depth will be underrated going into this year.

New York Jets

1.29 Wilson, Kyle, CB, Boise St.

2.29 Ducasse, Vlad, OT, Massachusetts

4.14 McKnight, Joe, RB, Southern Cal

5.08 Conner, John, RB, Kentucky

Kyle Wilson, Antonio Cromartie, and Darrell Revis will form the best corner trio in football.  Ducasse is raw and powerful, but surrounded by Nick Mangold and D'Brickashaw Ferguson, he should just be able to be a physical force and not worry too much about making mistakes.  Shonn Greene is a rising star, LaDanian Tomlinson is at least versatile and experienced, and McKnight has a load of talent.  They have great receiving threats in Santonio Holmes, Braylon Edwards, and Dustin Keller, and a rising player in Mark Sanchez.  This team has the chance, if Sanchez progresses, to be one of the most well-rounded offenses in football.  Defensively, their front seven is a nightmare with Kris Jenkins, Shaun Ellis, Calvin Pace, David Harris, and Bart Scott, not to mention Jason Taylor rushing the passer.  I think on paper this may be the best team in football.