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The Packers Add Depth On Both Sides Of The Ball

The Green Bay Packers got the draft "right" as usual. Up and down the board the Packers got good players, many of whom could contribute this year.

Derek Sherrod slid to the Packers and they pounced all over him. The amount of teams trading up to grab quarterbacks (Or Mark Ingram) allowed Sherrod to fall all the way to the final pick of the first round.

Their second-round pick, Randall Cobb, is a potential breakout wide receiver his rookie year. Cobb was seen as a great prospect who could have gone higher in the second round, but ended up in Green Bay where he will have an immediate impact.

MUST READ: Report Cards For The First Three Rounds

Alex Green gives the Packers more options with their running game due to the amount of injuries sustained last year and Davon House is a steal where the Packers selected him in the fourth round.

The rest of their picks are getting good marks from the scouts, and the ability of the Packers to find good talent that fits their needs and schemes is one of the reasons the Packers are Super Bowl champs.

Grade: A

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Cameron Heyward, Marcus Gilbert Top Another Good Draft

The Pittsburgh Steelers did not get Mike Pouncey, but they still got a bunch of good players. Cameron Heyward is going to terrorize the AFC North for years, and Marcus Gilbert will help solidify a Swiss cheese offensive line.

The story coming out right before the draft was the Steelers would be interested in trying to trade up to grab Pouncey and reunite him with his brother if Mike slid past Miami. Then Miami drafted Mike and it was on to plan B.

Plan B simply was hold their ground and take the best player available. Cameron Heyward was that player, and it was a great pickup for the Steelers.

The second round brought an offensive lineman, Marcus Gilbert, who probably will be starting in Week One.

The Steelers waited until the third round to grab a cornerback, Curtis Brown, and he fills a position of need.

MUST READ: Report Cards For The First Three Rounds

Running back Baron Batch was a late-round pickup, and given the Steelers history with running backs, there is no reason to think he will not see some playing time in 2011.

The Steelers grabbed a great group of players and made themselves even better. The Steelers fell just short of another Super Bowl victory this past February, but with the additions the Steelers made, they have a very good chance of winning it in 2011.

Grade: B

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Addition of RB and WR Show Jets Not Certain About Free Agency

The New York Jets filled needs on their defensive line, and then they just started grasping at straws.

Muhammad Wilkerson and Kenrick Ellis both project well for the Jets defense, assuming Ellis does not end up in jail on felony assault charges, and this was the good part of the draft.

The Jets took running back Bilal Powell and wide receiver Jeremy Kerley. Both will give Mark Sanchez more weapons on the offense, especially if the Jets fail to keep all three of their free agent wide receivers.

MUST READ: Report Cards For The First Three Rounds

The Jets also selected Greg McElroy, indicating they want to keep youth at the position even the backup role and showing they have every confidence in Sanchez to be the quarterback moving forward.

Scotty McKnight was the final pick for the Jets, and his role could be an emerging one depending on how many veterans the Jets are able to keep.

Grade: C+

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The Bears Hit Both Lines, Grab A Quarterback

The Chicago Bears got their man on draft day, Gabe Carimi. They almost screwed it up with a botched trade with Baltimore, but Carimi stayed on the board and ended up in Chicago.

Carimi will be a Week One starter and be an instant upgrade to the offensive line that got Jay Cutler sacked into next year. Carimi is just one man, though, so the Bears get downgraded for not spending any more picks on the offensive line.

In fact, the Bears surrendered a few picks to move up and take Stephen Paea. Paea is a good prospect and will be a good addition to the defense, but the Bears had too many holes to fix to be trading away any picks.

MUST READ: Report Cards For The First Three Rounds

The Bears may have made it to the NFC Championship Game, but their 2010 season had more than one lucky win and the Packers are the current Super Bowl Champions.

The Bears did draft Nathan Enderle, so there is more than just Caleb Hanie backing up Cutler.

The Bears did okay with their picks, but they could have done better.

Grade: C+

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The Patriots Are A Great Landing Spot For Ryan Mallett

The New England Patriots do things in the draft few even think about doing. Not only do they make bold moves and take risks, they usually seem to pay off.

No one "gets" the draft like Bill Belichick, and there are few who would argue with this point.

The Patriots took Nate Solder with their first pick, filling a big need and starting their weekend off in a relatively normal manner. Then they traded away their second pick in the first round, also not a surprise. No one trades away top-round picks like Bill Belichick.

Ras-I-Dowling and Shane Vereen in the second round both were solid grabs, giving the Patriots sick depth at corner and another option out of their thin backfield.

MUST READ: Report Cards For The First Three Rounds

Then there was Ryan Mallett in the third round. Mallett's stock dropped once team-after-team met with him and characterized him as having a million-dollar arm and a 10-cent head. With the Patriots, there is no doubt who the starter is and where Mallett stands in the pecking order.

No one will be chanting Mallett's name in the stands if Brady throws a pick, and no one in the locker room will be lobbying for Mallett to get more playing time.

Under Belichick, Mallett will get some much-needed time to mature and learn the pro game.

It is the best situation Mallett could have found himself in.

As for the rest of the draft, Marcus Cannon is another steal in the fifth round as his Lymphoma diagnosis scared off a lot of teams. If Cannon has a quick recovery, Belichick and the Patriots will be laughing all the way to the Super Bowl.

Grade: A 

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Two Trade Ups Could Kill Two Drafts

The Atlanta Falcons better hope the can recoup some draft picks for the 2012 draft through some trades this season because they gave up a lot for a few players in 2011.

In a huge trade, the Falcons swapped spots with the Cleveland Browns to draft Julio Jones. The Falcons gave up their first- and fourth-round picks in 2012 plus their -, second-, fourth-, fifth-, and seventh-round picks in 2011 between the Jones trade and the one that resulted in Jacquizz Rodgers.

Matt Ryan now has another great target to throw to and the Falcons now have another option out of the backfield.

MUST READ: Report Cards For The First Three Rounds

The Falcons also drafted a punter, Matt Bosher, in the sixth round before getting the only true steal for them in the seventh round, Cliff Matthews.

Cliff, no relation to Clay or Casey, is a pass rusher who got overlooked by the other 31 teams in the middle rounds. While he does not have the blood relation, he shares his namesakes' penchant for rushing the passer and doing it well.

The Falcons took some big risks, for that they get an "A," but until we see what happens on the field, it is difficult to give the Falcons a high mark for this draft.

Grade: C-

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Ravens End Up With Big Names In Several Rounds

Baltimore Ravens General Manager Ozzie Newsome knows what he is doing, which makes the selection of Jimmy Smith very interesting.

Smith has had some well-chronicled troubles prior to the NFL Draft process, but Newsome seems to believe all those troubles are behind him and was willing to draft him in the first round, the round his talents put him in.

In the second round, the Ravens took Torrey Smith. Torrey was one of the more exciting receivers in the draft, but Newsome's track record with wide receivers is the only black mark on his otherwise stellar draft resume.

The Ravens followed those two picks with tackle Jah Reid and receiver Tandon Doss. Anyone who followed the draft build up would be familiar with those names and know the Ravens are getting great value out of both of those picks.

MUST READ: Report Cards For The First Three Rounds

Then you add Pernell McPhee and Tyrod Taylor later in the draft, and it is just icing on the cake. McPhee is an under-the-radar defensive lineman who projects well in the NFL while Taylor can slide right in and possibly be a solid backup for Joe Flacco.

The Ravens continue to "get" the draft and have another good year.

Grade: A

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The Seahawks Avoid Splashy Moves, But Initial Result Mixed

The Seattle Seahawks kept to their draft board and took the players they felt will help the team the best moving into 2011.

That is a very long way of saying the Seahawks draft is pretty boring from an analytical perspective. It not necessarily a bad thing, but it does mean instant analysis tends to drift into the negative because nobody has a real good read on what these players will do.

I think this was a very good draft for the Seahawks from a pure talent standpoint. They grabbed James Carpenter and John Moffitt, a tackle and a guard; and then they drafted K.J. Wright, a linebacker. The Seahawks also drafted several guys for the secondary.

The Seahawks are rebuilding the offensive line, fixing the defense and added a wide receiver.

MUST READ: Report Cards For The First Three Rounds

Pete Carroll knows what he is doing, and the Seahawks are well-positioned to make another run at the playoffs in 2011.

Speed seemed to be the name of the game with the late-round draft picks, and speed always is a good thing in the NFL.

Grade: B

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The Saints Trade Up For Mark Ingram

The Saints drafted Cameron Jordan to start the evening, but then traded back up into the first round to grab Mark Ingram.

The Jordan selection is not bad, but there probably were players better suited to the specific needs of the Saints on the board.

The Ingram trade up is baffling not because the Saints need another option in the backfield, but because they thought they needed to pay that much to get Ingram.

MUST READ: Report Cards For The First Three Rounds

The Saints would have been better off selecting Ingram first and taking a pass rusher second and not losing a second-round pick this year and a first-round pick next year.

Martez Wilson was the other big name the Saints took in the third round, which adds a good athlete to the defense, but there are questions on how well Wilson will transition to the NFL.

The Saints got some good players, but only time will tell if these players were worth the price paid. At this moment, it gives the Saints a bad grade. If the Saints are successful, this grade certainly will go up.

Grade: C-

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Casey Matthews Taken In the Fourth Round

The Philadelphia Eagles had a good weekend, getting a big offensive lineman in the first round and Casey Matthews in the fourth round.

Casey, brother of Clay Matthews, is not as big or as talented as his brother, but the bloodline and potential are there, so the fourth-round selection is a fair one and now it is up to Casey to live up to the name.

Danny Watkins becomes a great addition to the offensive line, and you can bet Michael Vick was smiling when this pick was announced.

MUST READ: Report Cards For The First Three Rounds

The Eagles also drafted Jaiquann Jarrett, a great addition to improve their tattered secondary. Cornerback Curtis Marsh also was added in the third round.

Two more offensive linemen were added later in the draft, giving Head Coach Andy Reid some room to work with once training camps open to give his quarterback a much better line in 2011.

Grade: A

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The Colts Spend Their First Two Picks on the Offensive Line

The Indianapolis Colts knew what their biggest problem was in 2010 on the field and addressed it with their first two picks.

With Anthony Castonzo and Ben Ijalana, the Colts offensive line gets younger, faster and meaner. Peyton Manning was loving this draft because he should be spending a lot less time on the run in 2011 and be able to get the ball to his receivers.

The Colts picked up formidable defensive tackle Drake Nevis in the third round, which is a bit of a steal at that slot. With only five picks in the draft, the Colts made the most of what they had.

MUST READ: Report Cards For The First Three Rounds

This still does not fix the problem of the idiot head coach on the sidelines, but that is a different argument.

The Colts picked up a running back and a cornerback in the later rounds, and hopefully the depth will be a good thing for the Colts moving into 2011.

Grade: A

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The Chiefs Hit All The Right Areas With Baldwin, Hudson, Bailey and Stanzi

The Kansas City Chiefs had a very good draft, and they have all the big names to prove it.

The Chiefs picked up several "name" players who fell in this year's draft after being rated higher early in the process like Allen Bailey. Bailey was drafted in the third round, but he had been seen on many first-round mock drafts back in January and February.

Jonathan Baldwin ended up going in the first round despite his sub-par Pro Day, proving the Chiefs looked at game tape and not a workout in shorts with no corners in his face.

Ricky Stanzi was drafted in the fifth round, and he will be pencilled in as Matt Cassell's backup as Brodie Croyle's play last year in the backup role just was not acceptable.

MUST READ: Report Cards For The First Three Rounds

The Chiefs also took a chance on Justin Houston in the third round. Houston was a lock for the first round until news came out right before the draft he failed a drug test.

At the end of the day, Dwayne Bowe got someone to draw coverage away from him, Cassell gets a new backup and the defense should be getting major upgrades going into 2011.

Grade: A

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The Buccaneers Defense Will Be Feared Throughout The League

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers took Adrian Clayborn and Da'Quan Bowers with their first two picks, adding them to a defense that already had Gerald McCoy on the line.

The Buccaneers now have, on paper, one of the best defensive lines in the league. In a division that has Matt Ryan and Drew Brees as established quarterbacks, and possibly Cam Newton in Carolina if he lives up to his potential, the Buccaneers now have an answer to all of that.

MUST READ: Report Cards For The First Three Rounds

There are worries about Clayborn's shoulder and Bowers' knee, but Clayborn made it through college with his shoulder condition to great success and Bowers' knee is what it is.

Bowers either will come out and have a great career or his knee will give out on him. The Buccaneers took a chance, and even if Bowers goes down, they still have Clayborn.

Mason Foster was a great pickup as was Luke Stocker. Stocker will be pencilled in as Kellen Winslow's replacement as Winslow's knee is much worse than Bowers and only has so many games left in it.

Grade: A

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Giants Take Running Back with last pick

The New York Giants got an unexpected gift in Prince Amukamara, who slid to the 19th spot in the draft. Amukamara was considered a potential Top 10 pick going into last Thursay's draft, so the Giants got good value with their first pick.

In the second round, the Giants drafted Marvin Austin, an impressive defensive tackle who got ripped in Pro Football Weekly prior to the draft.

MUST READ: Report Cards For The First Three Rounds

The Giants did end up with several big names, including safety Tyler Sash in the sixth round. This was a very good draft for the Giants, who also added Jerrel Jernigan at wide receiver and Greg Jones to the defense.

The Giants did pick up an offensive lineman, tackle James Brewer in the fourth round. The Giants do need to improve play from the left tackle position, so Brewer will get an audition there once training camps open.

Grade: A

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The Chargers Add A Lot Of Depth In 2011 NFL Draft

The San Diego Chargers started their weekend by grabbing a great defensive line prospect in Corey Liuget.

Liuget gets high marks for talent, but some scouts think his talents would be better-suited in a different defensive scheme. That is something only Liuget can answer through his play.

I never subscribed to the "system" analogy of evaluating a player because good players can adapt to any system they play in. While a lot of players do benefit from playing in a certain system, the guys taken in the first two rounds should be very flexible due to pure talent.

MUST READ: Report Cards For The First Three Rounds

This is not always true, but it is a philosophy teams should be trying to apply with the upper-round draft picks.

Marcus Gilchrist looks like a solid pick as well and should be able to contribute his rookie season.

General Manager A.J. Smith is under heat to give Norv Turner good players after the team's last few drafts underwhelmed.

Grade: B-