Draft Grades
Posted: Sun Apr 28, 2013 6:29 am
Round 1 pick 26, Datone Jones DE UCLA 6'4" 283
I love the Jones pick. Has an amazing first step and has room to put on more weight. At his pro day he was already up to 289. Killed overall top pick Eric Fisher all Senior Bowl week and is a a huge weapon for Dom. He literally can play all over the line and has even the potential to stand up and rush the passer. He is truly a 3 down player that plays the run and pass both equally. Only other pick I would have looked at around 26 would have been Alec Ogletree, John Cyprien, or Menelik Watson.
I give this pick an A
Round 2 pick 61, Eddie Lacy HB Alabama 5'11" 231
Easily a 500 foot homerun for me. He is a perfect one cut and go back with amazing vision. I love his pass protection and pass catching ability as well. Only worry I have is his turf toe which he has battled over the last year. Bringing in Eddie almost all but ensures that FB dives go away. Another true 3 down player. There isnt another player I would have considered at this position.
I give this pick an A+
Round 4 pick 109, David Bakhtiari OT Colorado 6'4" 299
Ill be honest here and say I had to do a little more research once David was picked. Theres a lot of people who were very high on him as a LT prospect. I admittedly really didnt know much about him. He's a pass protection LT with a nice mean streak. He really isnt much of a run blocker but lets be honest here. Most LT's arent run blockers. At this pick I would have probably went Barrett Jones and would have given a much higher grade here if thats the route we went.
I give this pick a B+
Round 4 pick 122, J.C. Tretter OG/C Cornell 6'4" 307
I actually know a little about Tretter. I watched some on him because he tested really well athletically and is kind of that TE/LT hybrid type of player. I think his best pro position is at center and it heps that he is incredibly smart. Has a 3.4 GPA at an Ivy league school. Athletically he should be just fine at center with being able to get to that second level during runs to block LB's. Gun to my head I probably would have taken Baccari Rambo (who I obviously rated much higher than the rest of the NFL) or Marcus Lattimore.
I give this pick a B+
Round 4 pick 125, Johnathan Franklin HB UCLA 5'10" 205
Another absolute moon shot by TT. I was astounded that Franklin was still on the board and to be honest forgot entirely about him until we took him. I assumed he was gone round 2/3. I love Lacy and think he can be a star in the NFL but I think the sky is the limit for Franklin. He has everything you want in a NFL back. The top end speed is his only downfall. He has no big injury issues and is elite in blitz pick up. The running back position from this draft went from a huge question mark to an area of strength. I think the best comparison for Franklin in the NFL right now is Matt Forte.
I give this pick an A+
Round 5 pick 159, Micah Hyde CB Iowa 6'0" 197
The only pick TT made that I really dont like. There was initial rumors that they would try him at safety which made some sense to me. However, after hearing all the presser's they think he is a corner. I dont believe he is fast enough to play on the outside or agile enough to play on the inside. He's more of a zone, read and react, straight line corner. He needs to play in space and honestly I dont think he fits well. I would have went Rambo (addressed before), Ricky Wagner, Brandon Jenkins, or Ryan Swope.
I give this pick a C and hold out hope they'll play him at safety
Round 5 pick 167, Josh Boyd NT Mississippi State 6'3" 310
Josh is a nice value pick here. He can play both Nt and DE in the 3-4 and has a non-stop motor. I commented in the day three thread that they seemed to to change the strategy from last season and went with high effort lower ceiling guys later rather than the physical skills unmotivated types from last year. Josh should be able to provide some nice depth on the D line and help eat up some space to allow the LB's to make plays in space. I think Josh also has more room to put weight/strength on. If I take Wagner at 159 like above I probably still stick with Boyd here or the other option I would have went was Swope.
I give this pick a A-
Round 6 pick 193, Nate Palmer OLB/Rush LB Illinois State 6'2" 248
I had a hard time finding out information on Nate Palmer. He wasnt really on anyone's mocks anywhere. From recent research I found he is very athletically gifted and has some really nice pass rushing moves. Besides the fact he is a Bears fan I guess I dont see much else I dont like as a 6th rounder. He has a good motor and seems to be a good teammate. Other options I wouldnt have minded was Kappy Lewis-Moore, Justin Fauria, or Kevin Reddick.
I give this pick a C+ purely because I just dont enough to have a good opinion of him.
Round 7 pick 216, Charles Johnson WR Grand Valley State 6'3" 203
A player again I was absolutely shocked to see on the board still. If Charles played in the SEC he would have went 4 rounds earlier. He runs a 4.4 40 yard dash, has good hands, catches naturally with his hands, runs good routes, and is a decent blocker on the perimeter. Johnson has the tools to be elite and an absolute steal. The knock on him as that he can get lost at times with focus and has had some off the filed troubles. Still though. You dont need to be a neurosurgeon to play wideout in the NFL. I wouldnt have drafted anyone else at this spot if I were TT.
I give this pick an A
Round 7 pick 224, Kevin Dorsey WR Maryland 6'3" 213
Kevin was a victim of terrible QB play in Maryland. I think at some point during the season they had a wideout playing QB (fifth string I think). Kevin isnt a blazer. I think he ran a 4.55 or something like that. He runs good routes and has decent hands. He does have a chance to stick and make an NFL team. Personally I would have looked at someone with some return ability to move Cobb off that duty, or I would have gone the small school route again with Aaron Mellette.
I give this pick a B
Round 7 pick 232, Sam Barrington ILB South Florida 6'2" 246
I actually seen a little of Barrington play while watching some Kayvon Webster. A cornerback who went in the third round to Denver I believe. He's a little stiff and has some trouble turing to run with TE's down the middle of the filed. He does however fill holes well and is relatively disciplined in his gap assignments. He kind of reminds me of Desmond Bishop to a degree. He's not as athletic but does have good instincts. I dont mind the flier on him though I would have definitely would have taken a developmental QB with my last pick. Probably Tyler Bray or Sean Renfree.
I give this pick a B+
Overall I love portions of this draft and am ok with other portions of it. There is only one pick I just cant get behind. I also cant fault TT for all the trading down because it seemed to work on the surface. I wish, however, we addressed the safety position with a true safety. Im hoping Hyde eventually gets there in that position. Im a big McMillon fan dont get me wrong. I just think theres room to improve there. I also wish we addressed KR/PR in the draft too. Figured I would add in the UDFA's as well since they'll be part of this class. Patrick Lewis, Lane Taylor, and Jake Stoneburner all have a chance to stick.
Overall I give this class an A- with a possibility to be an A+. TT did an excellent job this weekend, and I for one am very thankful he is our leader.
I love the Jones pick. Has an amazing first step and has room to put on more weight. At his pro day he was already up to 289. Killed overall top pick Eric Fisher all Senior Bowl week and is a a huge weapon for Dom. He literally can play all over the line and has even the potential to stand up and rush the passer. He is truly a 3 down player that plays the run and pass both equally. Only other pick I would have looked at around 26 would have been Alec Ogletree, John Cyprien, or Menelik Watson.
I give this pick an A
Round 2 pick 61, Eddie Lacy HB Alabama 5'11" 231
Easily a 500 foot homerun for me. He is a perfect one cut and go back with amazing vision. I love his pass protection and pass catching ability as well. Only worry I have is his turf toe which he has battled over the last year. Bringing in Eddie almost all but ensures that FB dives go away. Another true 3 down player. There isnt another player I would have considered at this position.
I give this pick an A+
Round 4 pick 109, David Bakhtiari OT Colorado 6'4" 299
Ill be honest here and say I had to do a little more research once David was picked. Theres a lot of people who were very high on him as a LT prospect. I admittedly really didnt know much about him. He's a pass protection LT with a nice mean streak. He really isnt much of a run blocker but lets be honest here. Most LT's arent run blockers. At this pick I would have probably went Barrett Jones and would have given a much higher grade here if thats the route we went.
I give this pick a B+
Round 4 pick 122, J.C. Tretter OG/C Cornell 6'4" 307
I actually know a little about Tretter. I watched some on him because he tested really well athletically and is kind of that TE/LT hybrid type of player. I think his best pro position is at center and it heps that he is incredibly smart. Has a 3.4 GPA at an Ivy league school. Athletically he should be just fine at center with being able to get to that second level during runs to block LB's. Gun to my head I probably would have taken Baccari Rambo (who I obviously rated much higher than the rest of the NFL) or Marcus Lattimore.
I give this pick a B+
Round 4 pick 125, Johnathan Franklin HB UCLA 5'10" 205
Another absolute moon shot by TT. I was astounded that Franklin was still on the board and to be honest forgot entirely about him until we took him. I assumed he was gone round 2/3. I love Lacy and think he can be a star in the NFL but I think the sky is the limit for Franklin. He has everything you want in a NFL back. The top end speed is his only downfall. He has no big injury issues and is elite in blitz pick up. The running back position from this draft went from a huge question mark to an area of strength. I think the best comparison for Franklin in the NFL right now is Matt Forte.
I give this pick an A+
Round 5 pick 159, Micah Hyde CB Iowa 6'0" 197
The only pick TT made that I really dont like. There was initial rumors that they would try him at safety which made some sense to me. However, after hearing all the presser's they think he is a corner. I dont believe he is fast enough to play on the outside or agile enough to play on the inside. He's more of a zone, read and react, straight line corner. He needs to play in space and honestly I dont think he fits well. I would have went Rambo (addressed before), Ricky Wagner, Brandon Jenkins, or Ryan Swope.
I give this pick a C and hold out hope they'll play him at safety
Round 5 pick 167, Josh Boyd NT Mississippi State 6'3" 310
Josh is a nice value pick here. He can play both Nt and DE in the 3-4 and has a non-stop motor. I commented in the day three thread that they seemed to to change the strategy from last season and went with high effort lower ceiling guys later rather than the physical skills unmotivated types from last year. Josh should be able to provide some nice depth on the D line and help eat up some space to allow the LB's to make plays in space. I think Josh also has more room to put weight/strength on. If I take Wagner at 159 like above I probably still stick with Boyd here or the other option I would have went was Swope.
I give this pick a A-
Round 6 pick 193, Nate Palmer OLB/Rush LB Illinois State 6'2" 248
I had a hard time finding out information on Nate Palmer. He wasnt really on anyone's mocks anywhere. From recent research I found he is very athletically gifted and has some really nice pass rushing moves. Besides the fact he is a Bears fan I guess I dont see much else I dont like as a 6th rounder. He has a good motor and seems to be a good teammate. Other options I wouldnt have minded was Kappy Lewis-Moore, Justin Fauria, or Kevin Reddick.
I give this pick a C+ purely because I just dont enough to have a good opinion of him.
Round 7 pick 216, Charles Johnson WR Grand Valley State 6'3" 203
A player again I was absolutely shocked to see on the board still. If Charles played in the SEC he would have went 4 rounds earlier. He runs a 4.4 40 yard dash, has good hands, catches naturally with his hands, runs good routes, and is a decent blocker on the perimeter. Johnson has the tools to be elite and an absolute steal. The knock on him as that he can get lost at times with focus and has had some off the filed troubles. Still though. You dont need to be a neurosurgeon to play wideout in the NFL. I wouldnt have drafted anyone else at this spot if I were TT.
I give this pick an A
Round 7 pick 224, Kevin Dorsey WR Maryland 6'3" 213
Kevin was a victim of terrible QB play in Maryland. I think at some point during the season they had a wideout playing QB (fifth string I think). Kevin isnt a blazer. I think he ran a 4.55 or something like that. He runs good routes and has decent hands. He does have a chance to stick and make an NFL team. Personally I would have looked at someone with some return ability to move Cobb off that duty, or I would have gone the small school route again with Aaron Mellette.
I give this pick a B
Round 7 pick 232, Sam Barrington ILB South Florida 6'2" 246
I actually seen a little of Barrington play while watching some Kayvon Webster. A cornerback who went in the third round to Denver I believe. He's a little stiff and has some trouble turing to run with TE's down the middle of the filed. He does however fill holes well and is relatively disciplined in his gap assignments. He kind of reminds me of Desmond Bishop to a degree. He's not as athletic but does have good instincts. I dont mind the flier on him though I would have definitely would have taken a developmental QB with my last pick. Probably Tyler Bray or Sean Renfree.
I give this pick a B+
Overall I love portions of this draft and am ok with other portions of it. There is only one pick I just cant get behind. I also cant fault TT for all the trading down because it seemed to work on the surface. I wish, however, we addressed the safety position with a true safety. Im hoping Hyde eventually gets there in that position. Im a big McMillon fan dont get me wrong. I just think theres room to improve there. I also wish we addressed KR/PR in the draft too. Figured I would add in the UDFA's as well since they'll be part of this class. Patrick Lewis, Lane Taylor, and Jake Stoneburner all have a chance to stick.
Overall I give this class an A- with a possibility to be an A+. TT did an excellent job this weekend, and I for one am very thankful he is our leader.
Scout.com wrote:— Lane Taylor, G, Oklahoma State: We talked to him after his pre-draft visit.
— Matt Brown, QB, Illinois State: We talked to him after his pre-draft visit.
— Ben Ericksen, S, Illinois State: Ericksen (6-1, 194) ran 4.42 with 36.5-inch vertical at pro day. He earned All-America honors with seven interceptions. He played receiver his first two seasons and averaged 27.0 yards per kickoff return as a sophomore.
— Patrick Lewis, C, Texas A&M: Had pre-draft visit with the Packers. Lewis (6-1, 311) ran 5.28 with 29-inch vertical and 25 reps at pro day. He started his first two seasons at guard before running the Aggies’ no-huddle the past two seasons as their center.
— Andy Mulumba, OLB/DE, Eastern Michigan: Mulumba (6-3, 260) pre-draft visit with the Packers. Ran 4.80 with 36-inch vertical and 23 reps at pro day. The native of Montreal, who is expected to be one of the top picks in the CFL Draft next week, had one sack and seven tackles for losses as a senior.
— Angelo Pease, RB, Kansas State: Pease (5-10, 201) ran 4.50 with 32-inch vertical and 25 reps at pro day. In two seasons, he carried 96 times for 477 yards and two touchdowns and caught seven passes for 44 yards and another score.
— Gilbert Pena, DT, Mississippi: Pena (6-3, 330) ran 5.47 with 24-inch vertical and 23 reps at pro day. Had 6.5 tackles for losses as a senior. Pena quit football for four years to help his family so is significantly older than most rookies.
— Jake Stoneburner, TE, Ohio State: Stoneburner (6-3, 252) ran 4.53 at pro day, better than at the Combine, where he ran 4.62 with a 34.5-inch vertical and 18 reps. He finished his career with 53 receptions, 714 yards and 13 touchdowns. As a senior, he played a receiver/tight end hybrid.
— Jeremy Vujnovich, OT, Louisiana College: (Tryout) Vujnovich (6-5, 290) is an intriguing target. The Division III standout ran in 4.87 with 35 reps on the bench.
— Myles White, WR, Louisiana Tech: White (6-1, 182) ran 4.42 with 37.5-inch vertical at pro day. He caught 56 passes for 718 yards and six touchdowns as a senior. He spent 2009 at Michigan State. (We’ll have more on Sunday on White.)
— Devin Willis, CB, Northern Arizona: (Tryout) A product of prep powerhouse Miami Northwestern, Willis intercepted one pass and broke up six others as a senior.
