2012 NFL Draft Grades: Teams That Don't Get Passing Marks for Poor Drafts

Sure, we can't accurately grade a draft class until those players have a chance to actually develop in the NFL. But we can grade each team's draft process, whether they reached for players or waited for value, whether they filled positions of need with solid talent on the board or left all of us scratching our heads with out-of-left-field picks.

Let's take a look at three teams that could have managed the draft process better.

Seattle Seahawks

Let's not mince words: Bruce Irvin was a stretch with the 15th pick. I know he was a guy who was probably coming off the board later in the first round, and I know it's even possible that they couldn't work out a deal with anyone to trade back.

But it was still a stretch, and I still think Irvin will be a one-dimensional, third-down pass-rusher in the NFL. That's it. I wouldn't hold your breath waiting for him to be a factor in run defense.

Bobby Wagner at linebacker was probably a reach in the second round, though he does fill a need. And the Russell Wilson pick in the third round makes zero sense in my opinion, since the team just shelled out nice money to bring in Matt Flynn and already has Tarvaris Jackson on the roster.

Overall, after three picks, the Seahawks left me scratching my head. They did little else the rest of the way to improve the perception that the team's draft simply wasn't very good.

Grade: D

Oakland Raiders

Can I really give the Raiders a poor grade even though they didn't have a pick until the end of the third round?

I sure can, and here's why: The Raiders made a head-scratching trade last season to bring in Carson Palmer, giving up this year's first-round pick, and they traded away their second-round pick last year to the New England Patriots.

Hence, they found themselves without a first or second-round pick in this draft. And that has to come into consideration when evaluating this draft. Was Carson Palmer really worth a first-round pick this year (and conditional second-round pick next year)?

If Palmer has a resurgent year, this draft will look better. Until then, it looks like a flop.

Grade: D

Jacksonville Jaguars

Jacksonville looked like they were primed for a huge draft after the team's first two picks, filling two needs with talented players by selecting wide receiver Justin Blackmon and defensive end Andre Branch.

Then they took punter Bryan Anger in the third round, and all of those warm, fuzzy feelings about the Jags' draft turned to, well, anger.

Seriously, they took a punter in the third round! With needs at right tackle and in the secondary and viable players still available to fill those needs.

But they took a punter!

They didn't even bother to select a right tackle, and they only took cornerback Mike Harris in the sixth round. Suddenly, two solid picks in the first round were soiled by a poor draft the rest of the way. And it all started with a punter.

Grade: D+

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