Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons needed quite a few different things in order to make this year’s draft a success; a receiver to counteract Roddy White, help at linebacker, depth at defensive tackle, an offensive guard to solidify the line, and somebody who knows how to stop the pass (I know they have to defend Drew Brees, but when you play Carolina twice a year, ranking 28^th in pass defense doesn’t cut it).

With their first round pick (19^th) Atlanta decided to take Missouri linebacker Sean Weatherspoon. Now this is a great pick considering that he was the best player available; He’ll surely cure all their problems at linebacker; he can play all three linebacker positions. His combine results were top-of-the-line and his film backs it up. A very instinctive, playmaking linebacker, Weatherspoon will probably serve a huge role as a weak side backer in Atlanta’s Tampa Two defense. I say this pick was a huge success.

The Falcons had to wait until the end of the third round before their next selection came around. This time, big-boy Kentucky defensive tackle Corey Peters was the selection. Now Peters isn’t the ideal starting defensive tackle, in the sense that his technique isn’t where it needs to be in order to compete every down in the NFL. However, Peters will add another hard-working body to the defensive tackle rotation in Atlanta; that looks like a solid pick to me.

Now in order to get their offensive line under control, which wasn’t too bad in the first place (only allowing 27 sacks in 2009), they drafted Alabama offensive guard Mike Johnson and UNLV offensive guard Joe Hawley. Neither may be the immediate fix at offensive guard, however, they will provide much needed depth to Atlanta’s questionable offensive line. Johnson can be a solid backup as a rookie, while Hawley has the versatility to play any of the three interior positions. Hawley may not be quite as talented as Johnson, but will provide more help than many may expect. Okay so these two picks didn’t quite exemplify the offensive line, but it’ll work for the time being.

Well, so far so good for the Falcons. At this point, they’ve used every one of their picks in a good manner. However, with all the needs that Atlanta came into the draft needing, it’s nearly impossible to satisfy all of them; Roddy White’s still lonely out wide and the secondary didn’t get any better when you drafted two straight offensive guards. Yet, I think this is where the Falcons did the best job. Still needing some help in the secondary, Atlanta chose Oklahoma cornerback Dominique Franks. Franks is a surprisingly good fit for Atlanta’s Tampa Two defense and should excel with his great instincts and zone coverage. He may not be a starting corner at first, but could help out in packages that require more than four defensive backs such as nickel or dime.

At this point, the only need left for the Atlanta Falcons to fill is at receiver. Wide receiver Roddy White accounted for 85 receptions, 1153 receiving yards, and 11 touchdowns in 2009, so it’s safe to say that they have a #1 receiver. But other than that, the Falcons don’t’ have a guy that can pick up the slack (#2 receiver Michael Jenkins only had 635 receiving yards and one touchdown reception in 2009). So, with all this in mind, Atlanta picked up hybrid Kansas receiver Kerry Meier to fill their hole. Meier used to start at quarterback for the Jayhawks, but was converted to a receiver during his junior year. Ever since, Meier has been more than productive considering his circumstances. However, I don’t think that Meier is gonna be enough to satisfy that #2 spot. Hey, he might go out there and prove me wrong, but I haven’t seen enough proof to lead me to believe that this guy can be a productive receiver in the NFL. Picking up someone in the fifth round doesn’t exactly fill their need as well as it should. I’m not very impressed with how Atlanta handled that.

Overall Draft Grade: B

Carolina Panthers

The Carolina Panthers came into the draft needing three main things; a quarterback to build their team around, someone for that quarterback to throw to, and some players that could stop the run for God’s sake (particularly at defensive end). Some fans argue that quarterback is not as big of a need as the media portrays it to be, however, when your team leader throws more picks per game than any other quarterback in the league, we got a problem. So, to fit this need, the Panthers looked to the draft for answers.

It was probably a very painful few hours in Carolina’s draft room, as they were forced to wait until the mid second round before their first pick arrived. When it did, and they saw that Notre Dame quarterback Jimmy Clausen was still on the board, they couldn‘t believe their eyes. What is it with Notre Dame quarterbacks these days? I don’t know, maybe Brady Quinn scared teams off. But no matter, Carolina jumped all over Clausen while he was still there and there probably isn’t a second that goes by that the Panthers regret their decision. Clausen has an NFL-ready arm and is very used to playing in a pro-style offense at Notre Dame. He can fire passes into small spaces and can put some touch on the ball in order to make it just over the defender and into the receivers hands. Clausen should have plenty of opportunities to blossom as a quarterback in Carolina. Running backs Jonothan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams should make him look good anyways (much like Mark Sanchez and the Jets).

Now for that player for him to throw to; the Panthers had another whack at the NFL Draft piñata, this time in the mid third round, and went with LSU receiver Brandon LaFell. LaFell was a player that was projected to go in the early-to-mid second round, but it wasn’t a huge shocker when he was still around at the 78^th pick. Carolina‘s #2 receiver Muhsin Muhammad is entering his 15^th season in 2010, so this is a very smart pick, as LaFell shouldn’t have to wait long before his spot opens up in the offense. During his junior and senior season at LSU, LaFell never really had an established quarterback to throw him the ball and still managed to put up 1721 receiving yards and 19 touchdowns during that two-year speriod; he’s probably thrilled to be starting along side a matured quarterback in Jimmy Clausen.

That’s two needs down with their first two picks, so I guess you can say that the Panthers had plenty of breathing room with eight picks left. However, drafting quarterback Tony Pike and wildcat quarterback Armanti Edwards in the later rounds, I guess you can say Carolina would rather be safe than sorry when it comes to quarterback. Don’t wanna take any more chances there. These two picks may not look like much of a significance at first, but this is really where Carolina’s draft is going to make a huge impact. Not only do they have one franchise quarterback (Clausen), but they have two (Pike)! Not to mention someone to take the snaps in the wildcat and give Deangelo Williams a break.

This is where the “great” part of the Panther’s draft ends and the “good” part begins. With Probowl defensive end Julius Peppers on his way out, Carolina needed a strong, balanced guy to take his spot. Drafting Ole Miss defensive end Greg Hardy may not be in the best interest for the Panthers. Hardy used to be a big-time, explosive player at Ole Miss, but wasn’t even a starter in 2010 because of how badly injuries have affected him; I don’t think Hardy is a very reliable replacement at defensive end. Well too bad that’s the only defensive lineman they drafted, cause they sure needed some help in the middle if you ask me. Ranking 22^nd in the league in rush defense, the line is in obvious need of repair. And don’t go blaming their linebacking core; middle linebacker Jon Beason racked up 141 tackles last year; he’s not the problem.

However, the Panthers did draft South Carolina outside linebacker Eric Norwood in the late fourth round. Norwood isn’t the best athlete, but he has instincts and playmaking skills that shows very great potential. Norwood actually reminds me of middle linebacker Jon Beason that I spoke of earlier. If Norwood turns out like Beason, then the Panthers may not need a defensive line for then next eight years.

Overall Draft Grade: B+

New Orleans Saints

Coming into 2010 as the defending Super Bowl champs, it’s hard to believe that the Saints have any needs whatsoever. However, with last year’s first-round selection Malcolm Jenkins being in a limbo between corner and safety, while free safety Darren Sharper’s career is coming to a close, New Orleans has a lot happening on the defensive side of the ball. Defensive tackle and linebacker are areas of concern and some how the secondary still isn’t up to par.

With their first round pick, 32^nd overall, the Saints took another chance with a corner, this time Florida State’s Patrick Robinson. All this means is that last year’s 16^th overall pick Malcolm Jenkins will have a chance to move to safety, hopefully solidifying the secondary; so, when are the Saints going to give the whole defensive back thing a rest? That’s three years in a row that they’ve selected a defensive back with their first round pick, meaning that those picks obviously didn’t make a big enough impact to direct their draft picks in another direction. Now Robinson is a speedy, athletic corner that closes in fast on the receiver. He has great see-to-do instincts and can make a play pretty much anywhere on the field; he didn’t fall into the first round on accident. Robinson can provide another solid developing corner to the Saints secondary and can hope to be starting along side Malcolm Jenkins in the near future.

The next two picks were a bit of a mystery to me; first of all, do the Saints really need another tight end? They had five on their roster last season. And it’s not like they’re all bad or anything, Jeremy Shockey is probably the best pass-catching tight end in the game and back up David Thomas has enough talent to be a starter for just about any other team. Anyways, the guy they drafted, Miami tight end Jimmy Graham, is an ex basket ball player that only played two years of college football. He was very productive during his time on the gridiron and reminds many of Chargers tight end Antonio Gates. It would be great if this guy turned out like Gates, heck, it’d be great if all six of their draft picks turned out as pro-bowlers; then Drew Brees would have to get used to throwing out of two tight end packages.

The Saints took USC offensive tackle Charles Brown in the late second round, fulfilling a potential need at tackle if Jammal Brown gets traded. Brown is a solid NFL tackle that has a certain potential to become a starter sometime during his career. 6’5” 305 pounds, his size is certainly good enough and has pretty good athleticism for a big guy. This is a solid pick by New Orleans, they took the best player available rather than someone to fill their immediate needs, but I think this pick will certainly pay off.

Trading up seven spots to draft LSU defensive tackle Al Woods was probably the best decision by the Saints this draft. He may not be that player that’ll just blow up the scene in New Orleans, but he’s a hometown hero in Baton Rouge and will attract plenty of fans. The college-NFL transition will be very easy and he’ll have tons have people pushing him for success. He was one of the best run stoppers in the nation last year and that’s exactly what the Saints are looking for in a defensive tackle. With a surprising draft up to this point, Al Woods just made it look better.

Moving to their last pick of the draft, the Saints drafted Oregon State quarterback Sean Canfield. Even though the Saints don’t have a very good history in drafting quarterbacks, this was a mediocre pick because they needed somebody be behind Drew Brees. If Brees were to get injured, the Saints wouldn’t be receiving their Super bowl rings this August. The need for a back up was exposed after Mark Brunell went unsigned this off season; in Brunells only start last season, he threw for 102 yards and one interception, so they’re not losing too much. Canfield is the type of quarterback that will be a good fit in New Orleans. He’s smart and accurate, much like Brees, and has great leadership skills; should be a great back up for the Saints.

Draft Grade: C

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Buccaneers finished with the worst record in the NFC South, third worst in the NFL, and therefore had the third overall pick in the Draft. They needed quite a few things this draft, particularly on defense; two defensive tackles to satisfy the defensive line, help at defensive end, a play-making safety, someone at wide out, and maybe a guy or two to help out at linebacker.

Having the third pick of the NFL Draft, Tampa Bay had the opportunity to draft practically in player in the whole draft (outside the first two picks). Luckily, the Bucs chose the right year to be in need of a defensive tackle; Oklahoma defensive tackle Gerald McCoy fell right into their laps. One of the four Oklahoma players to be drafted in the top four picks, McCoy was slightly overshadowed by the presence of Nebraska counterpart Ndamukong Suh. Suh was drafted second overall by the Lions, leaing Tampa Bay with a defensive tackle of equal value. McCoy is an extremely quick and speedy defensive tackle that also has enough power and strength to fight off the double team. An all-around athlete that has virtually no weaknesses. Predictable, yet great pick by Tampa Bay.

Does everybody remember when Warren Sapp and Anthony McFarland ruled the LOS back in the early 2000’s? They actually won a Super Bowl with Tampa Bay if you recall. Well maybe that’s what they’re trying to recreate here by drafting UCLA defensive tackle Brian Price to follow up McCoy. Price brings more of a raw talent to the defensive line. He is very quick, like McCoy, but also is very violent in his play. Has great moves and is one of those guys that can really shoot a gap and stuff it. I like what the Buccaneers are trying to do here with their defensive line and I think both McCoy and Price have great potential starting next to each other.

Tampa Bay drafted two big-play receivers to quench their thirst for a receiver; Illinois receiver Arrelious Benn in the second round and Syracuse receiver Mike Williams in the fourth. Benn is a player that knows how to make guys miss and is a terrific worker, while Williams is very talented, yet had some off the field issues that put him at risk of not finding the field as much as wants to. The Buccaneers weren’t a very explosive offense in 2009, so adding these two receivers was a great way to add more talent around quarterback Josh Freeman.

In the later rounds, Tampa Bay addressed their nagging concern for a linebacker by not drafting one, but two solid players. Virginia Tech’s Cody Grimm and Florida State’s Dekoda Watson were both drafted in the seventh round by the Bucs. Both Grimm and Watson have enough drive and heart to be very effective special teams players as a rookie. Watson has more immediate potential to actually make a difference on defense, while Grimm may stick as a special teams player for most of his career.

As cornerback Ronde Barber is getting towards the point of retiring from the NFL, Tampa Bay looked for, and found, a replacement in this year’s Draft. Taking Vanderbilt corner Myron Lewis in the third round, Tampa Bay hopes that the retirement of Barber will not leave the secondary in ruins, but let a young star take over. Lewis has sound technique at every secondary position and is one of those guys that will impress wherever you put him. A good pick by the Bucs.

Overall Draft Grade: A

Both teams are powerhouse offenses, but they arrive there by different measures.

The Saints offense does it’s very best to pass you to death, and run when they have to. Lots of pundits who think they need glorification see the New Orleans squad as the remake of the 2007 Giants or the 1999 Rams. I say they are neither, although they carry elements of both squads. Look deeper. Their offense does move the ball through the air like “the greatest show on turf”, but the Rams had almost no weaknesses of offense except for Kurt Warner’s own health. The Saints have a few more “holes” then that. Dew Brees was surely rattled in the NFC title game in more then one instance. Any NFC team with a strong front seven group of pass rushers would have found a way to “Stunt Blitz” the Saints Offensive line. As good as they are, they can’t protect Brees forever. They will have to run the ball for at least 130-150 total “in game” yards to be successful and have a shot at the win.

By “in game” I mean meaningful yards. I mean Bush/Thomas between the tackles, we are going to clear out the Colts front defensive line yards. Can they really do that? Will they be able to take advantage of Freeney’s injured ankle and possible limited mobility? Or will Freeney pull himself if he feels he will hinder the team’s ability to stop the New Orleans offense. I spoke with one reporter I know well this week who has covered the Saints in the past and I asked him if what I thought were three keys to the game for the Saints were accurate.

A)    Will Jon Vilma and Darren Sharper get Manning and company off the field quickly enough to make a difference? He felt that was the main key for the Saints defense, to be able to contain if not stop the Colts numerous offensive weapons.

B)    Could Shockey be dependable enough to be an escape valve for Drew Brees if the receivers are constantly jammed at the line? He felt that  “J-Shock” could be as tough as a “G-Shock” watch if it comes to it, but the Saints have to worry about him getting jammed at the line as much as the wide outs.

C)     Finally, Do the Saints really believe enough in who they are that they belong there playing against Peyton Manning. “That’s the 64K question” he said.

For Indy, it’s much more simple. Manning has to be Manning. He must lead the Colts on 5 to 7 minute drives each possession, keeping Drew Brees off the field. He must spread the ball to all his options, especially Dallas Clark, who moves better in space then any other player on either team with the ball or without.

If Manning gets Clark the ball at least 6 times, the Saints can pack it in and get ready for Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest. But, if they limit Manning’s ability to pass, and force Addai and Brown to shoulder the load on offense, then you have a different game, a game that comes down to the last offensive possession.

Of course, everyone forgets the guys in the trenches, the Offensive linemen. It’s also going to come down to which front five outplays the other’s defensive unit, who will pass protect better, who will run block better.

My prediction: Colts 34-Saints 24, but it’s going to be close until the 4^th quarter.

1.  A Lack of Commitment to the Running Game

Take Monday night’s debacle against the Broncos. While LT’s yards per carry average was not what it has been when he’s been at his peak performance, against a good defense he was consistently picking up positive yards and moving the chains. He looked fresher and quicker than I remember him in the last two-plus seasons. He had the quickness and explosion we’ve all gotten so used to from LT.

It felt like any play he was about to break the big one. He still had 70 yards, but on only 18 carries. Imagine if he was given carries on the goal-line early in the first quarter when the Chargers settled for another field goal. Say he gets to 25 carries. He gets very close to 100 yards, and I bet breaks a big one and gets well past that mark.

But more important is the effect the commitment to the run has on the Chargers both as a team and an offense. Norv Turner apparently felt he had to call all pass plays when only down by four points with about six minutes to go in the game. When Mike Nolan, the Broncos Defensive Coordinator, figured this out he just started blitzing an overmatched Chargers offensive line. Poor Philip Rivers had no chance to find men down field because blitzers were in his face as soon as he got back in his drop.

If Turner would’ve run the ball even once or twice on that drive, the Broncos would’ve had to respect that and played a little more conservatively, thereby giving Rivers at least a chance to find an open receiver.

As a New Orleans Saints fan I’ve seen how a pass-only offense ends up working out. You may put up great numbers and score a lot of points, but it is so hit or miss that you have as many three-and-outs as you do big plays. And the ball is in the air so much you’re bound to have a lot of turnovers.

Three-and-outs and turnovers kill your own defense because it puts them in horrible field position and makes them play far more downs than they are capable of handling before they break down. Complementary football, as Sean Payton calls it, is what wins football games. Run the football, keep your defense off the field, and give your offense a chance by being unpredictable.

2.  Poor Line Play on Both Sides of the Ball

Again this is hard for anyone to question, but still bears being repeated. It is understandable why Norv Turner shies away from the running game. For the most part, they (the O-Line) have done nothing to reward his confidence in them. Since it is a little bit easier to throw the ball without great blocking, passing becomes your best option.

Part of the O-Line’s issues goes back to Pro Bowl Center Nick Hardwick’s absence. He is responsible for getting the line into its’ proper protections and adjustments. He has done this very well for a good number of years now. Without him the line is somewhat lost. Other injuries to Louis Vazquez have forced the Chargers to start two less qualified players on their O-Line for part of this season.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Chargers are greatly missing the services of two men who are now in other buildings, Igor Olshansky, now with the Cowboys, and Wayne Nunnelly, the veteran D-Line Coach who had been with the Chargers for 14 years and is now doing a wonderful job with…you guessed it the Denver Broncos.

Of course, losing All Pro Nose Tackle Jamal Williams doesn’t help matters either. The Chargers D-Line has become an undersized, minimally talented unit that for the most part does not fit the scheme the team is trying to run. Many in Charger Land are now casting blame on GM A.J. Smith for his inability to find suitable backups in case of a Jamal Williams injury or dropoff in production because of his age.

I for one, believed two years ago Kentwan Balmer, a DT out of North Carolina, would have been the perfect man to eventually replace Williams at that nose spot. Smith instead chose CB Antoine Cason, who looks like he’ll be a good player, but seemed to be less of a need pick at the time. Now the Chargers are left trying to fill a couple D-Line positions with career journeymen. Is it any wonder they are struggling to stop the run?

3.  The Approach Has Become Stale

It is not uncommon for coaches to feel as if they are no longer reaching the players on their team after ten years or so with the same team. Well, it hasn’t been nearly that long for Norv Turner, but it is reaching that amount of time for GM A.J. Smith. And under Smith, the approach has been the same. Bring in young talent, sign your core players long-term, but don’t at any cost overpay them, and only sign second-tier free agents who will make your team as backups or role players.

To be completely honest, I generally love this model. It has worked for some of the best franchises in the league, such as Pittsburgh, New England, Indianapolis, and perhaps you could include Philadelphia. But guess what? They’ve all at least been to a Super Bowl. The Chargers have not.

Players will buy into anything if it leads them to their ultimate goal. But when their ultimate goal is not being met, uneasiness and questioning begins to take place. You might say success breeds success, just as losing leads to more losing. In my opinion this has happened to the San Diego Chargers. You could see it in the First Quarter when both Tomlinson and Antonio Gates (both team leaders and core players) showed their frustration after a third down call on the goal-line.

Most people realize San Diego’s real leader is not Norv Turner. He is much more of a puppet to A.J. Smith. Turner is basically just a glorified Offensive Coordinator. Smith chose him after firing Marty Schottenheimer to keep the current offense (which again was smart), but also so he could choose his own defensive coordinator. Most organizations allow their head coach to make such a decision.

A.J. Smith is a wonderful talent evaluator, but he has worn out his welcome with his bold moves, most notably allowing Drew Brees to leave via Free Agency, although in hindsight it worked out okay because Rivers has developed nicely.

The bigger point is that the players know Norv Turner has no power, and therefore they do not respect him. And they do not respect A.J. Smith because he is a pompous, overbearing boss who is doing more than his job description entails.

If the Chargers have any chance at salvaging their season, Turner must retake hold of this team and their psyche. He must recommit to running the football, and find a way to get some production out of his lines, despite their lack of talent and size.

It is a tall order to say the least. It is unfortunate that Turner is in this position because he actually has done an okay job given the situation he’s been given. He’s fighting an uphill battle, and one very few coaching candidates now would want to be a part of. Truthfully, despite San Diego’s talent level, I would say the Chargers Head Coaching job has become one of the least attractive in the league because you are faced with A.J. Smith.

It is no secret what I think the biggest problem is in San Diego.

Barden also runs good pass patterns and will help stretch the defenses. 2nd round selection Clint Sintim is an LB from Virginia who will help with depth on the defense. The other #2 selection OT William Beatty, will help the depth on an aging offensive line. 4th round choice TE Travis Beckum of Wisconsin will make the team simply because he will cost less then at least one of Kevin Boss’s back ups. 5th round choice Rhett Bomar was a stand out QB at Oklaholma, but was dismissed for rules violations and finished his last two years at Sam Houston State. RB Andre Brown, and CB’s DeAndre Wright, and Stoney Woodson will at least get into camp. Grade: B

The rest of the NFC:

Eagles: 7 Picks. Although Philly adds three quality starters in Maclin (Rd1), RB LeSean McCoy (Rd2), and TE Cornelius Ingram (Rd3), but little else after that. These three will contribute, and Maclin will be a star in the NFL like his new teammate DeSean Jackson. Ingram needs to improve run blocking. Grade B-

Cowboys: 12 picks. A half grade off for trading out of round 2 when they already gave up round one choice. LB Jason Williams, OT Robert Brewster, and QB Stephen McGee address needed depth. Large group of picks give camp roster extra bodies, but how much else? Grade D+

Redskins: 5 Picks. After DE Brian Orapko (Rd1) Washington didn’t do all that well with only 2 picks in the first 3+ rounds. FB Eddie williams is already a” Bubble” player. CB Kevin Barnes, and LB’s Cody Glenn and Robert Henson are reserves at best. Grade: C

Bears: 9 Picks. This group could have even been better if there was a choice in the first two rounds. 6 of the 9 picks should contribute though, and the WR trio of Juaquin Iglesias, Johnny Knox, and Derek Kinder give the receivers depth for new QB Jay Cutler. DT Jarron Gilbert has upside potential as a pass rusher. Grade: B-

Lions: 10 Picks. Give Detroit credit for getting the Stafford deal done, even if they paid a bit over what he’s really worth. TE Brandon Pettigrew was the best of a weak class at his position, but could play a crossover role as an end/ receiver. Louis Delmas is a quality safety, but he was the only DB they selected. Grade: B+

Packers: 8 Picks. Six of this group will make the Packers roster this year. BJ Raji (Rd1) should be a force for years to come on the inside of defensive line. LB Clay Matthews is also a quality prospect, and FB Quinn Johnson will contribute. The offensive line will be helped by T.J Lang and Jamon Meredith. The only down side is the lack of a higher rated DB prospect. Grade: A-

Vikings: 5 Picks. The whole ball of wax here is Percy Harvin. “If” is the biggest two letter word in the universe and it applies to Harvin here. OT Phil Loadholt will be a contributor and could quietly be a draft steal, but there isn’t much else to get excited about here.

Grade: C+ if Harvin gets strait, otherwise, a C

Falcons: 8 Picks. First round pick DT Peria Jerry can play, but can he stay healthy? Atlanta needed defensive help just about everywhere, and they addressed that in this draft, taking only one offensive player in OT Garrett  Reynolds. DE Lawrence Sidbury of FCS national champion Richmond university is a gift in round 4.

Grade: B+

Panthers: 7 Picks: Everette Brown could have been a low first or high second round selection in a different year. He will eventually develop into Julius Peppers’ replacement. CB’s Sherrod Martin and Captain Munnerlyn should provide added reinforcements to the defensive backfield. RB Mike Goodson and FB Tony Fiammetta will take some pressure of the passing game. No selections in the top 50 picks did hurt though. Grade: C+

Saints: 4 Picks (but made deals prior to this for Shockey and Vilma).

CB Malcom Jenkins will have almost an instant impact on the defensive secondary.

Punter Tom Morestead will most likely make the team. The other two picks, S Chip Vaughn and LB Stanley Arnoux will be solid reserves. The lack of early selections hurts here. Grade: B-

Buccaneers: 6 Picks: Coach Morris will have his very own QB of the future in Josh Freeman. DL’s Roy Miller and Kyle Moore are good selections. WR Sammie Stroughter will pay off down the road, but nothing will come of this class for 2009.

Grade: C-

Cardinals: 8 Picks. Just have to love what the Cards did in this draft. Chris Wells’ anguish is Arizona’s gain here. OL’s Herman Johnson and Trevor Canfield will add depth, although Johnson was touted as the best Guard in the class. his size might force his move outside to tackle. S Rashard Johnson and CD Greg Toler will also help the Cards pass defense. Grade: B

Rams: 7 Picks. OT Jason Smith & LB James Laurinaitis fill glaring needs right off the bat. QB Keith Null(6th Rd) could become the 3rd QB. sadly, the Rams didn’t go for a receiver until the 5th round, but got Hakeem NIcks’ teammate Brooks Foster of North Carolina, a steady possession receiver, who might be able to develop some moves. Grade: B

49ers: 7 Picks. We can’t say enough about Michael Crabtree, even if he can’t do the Deion Sanders dance too well. He may wind up to be the lone starter in 2009 from this draft class, But they needed to get help for whomever the starting QB is. Grade B-

Seahawks: 7 Picks. When no one wanted to trade up to the 4th spot, the ‘Hawks devided to reinforce their pass rush with Aaron Curry(Rd1). OC Max Unger in round 2 is also an instant starter. the rest of the picks are all contributors in some way this season. WR Deion Butler and TE Cam Morrah are great value picks. Grade: B+