Best and Worst of the NFL Draft: 40-30

34.    Logan Mankins            G                     New England Patriots                       32 overall (1st round) 2005
New England has had success drafting offensive lineman in all rounds of the draft.  Matt Light was a second-round pick in 2001 and Dan Koppen was a fifth-rounder in 2003, so why is Mankins a more impressive pick than those two? 

Because the Pats invested first-round money in him.  If a fifth-round guard doesn’t pan out, it’s not a big deal.  But if a first-round choice fails, then you’ve wasted a lot of money and the opportunity to draft another very talented player.  When Mankins was drafted with the last pick of the first round in ’05, everyone had the same reaction…”Who?”  With well-known players like USC’s Shaun Cody, Oklahoma’s Dan Cody, and Tennessee’s Kevin Burnett available, it took some Mel Kiper analysis to calm everyone down and convince the world that Mankins was indeed a wise choice.  After being named to the Pro Bowl, however, Mankins no longer needs Kiper’s backing to prove that he is one of the best offensive lineman in the NFL.

33.   Jared Allen        DE                  Kansas City Chiefs               126 overall (4th round) 2004
Allen, who struggled with DUI’s early in his career, has cleaned up his life and now gets drunk off sacking the quarterback.  He led the league with 15.5 sacks this season and was named to his first Pro Bowl. 

32.  Rudi Johnson                 RB      Cincinnati Bengals                100 overall (4th round)
Cincinnati didn’t miss a beat when Johnson stepped in for Corey Dillon several seasons ago.  Rudi’s bruising running style seems to have taken its toll, however, as his career appears to have peaked in 2005 when he totaled a franchise-record 1,458 yards and 12 touchdowns. 

31.  Brandon Marshall          WR     Denver Broncos                     119 overall (4th round) 2006
Elvis Dumervil           DE      Denver Broncos                     126 overall (4th round) 2006
It’s rare for a team to find two impact players seven picks apart in the fourth round.  The 6-foot-4 230 lb Marshall was low on the draft radar because he went to a small school (UCF), but in 2007 he emerged as one of the top gamebreakers in the NFL, hauling in 102 passes for 1,365 yards and 7 touchdowns.

Dumervil, a NCAA-record setter at Louisville, fell on draft boards because of his 5-foot-11 frame.  However, he has a 6-foot-7 wingspan and a non-stop motor that has led to 21 sacks in his first two seasons. 

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