2012 NFL Draft Grades: Terrible Teams That Greatly Improved Their Teams

The 2012 NFL draft gave last year's losers a chance to greatly improve their chances of winning more games, but only some of them took full advantage of their opportunity.

The best teams in the league are known for building through the draft. It's the safest, most effective way to continually pump out a good product year-in and year-out.

Let's take a look at the terrible teams from last year that made the biggest strides towards a better future by making savvy personnel decisions in this year's draft.

St. Louis Rams

The Rams have gotten mixed reviews from the things I've read online, but they did a fantastic job of bolstering their overall depth from my perspective.

They traded back twice in the first round and then landed one of the most disruptive defensive tackles in the draft in Michael Brockers. He'll help Chris Long in a major way on their defensive line in 2012 and beyond.

Then they added two skilled wide receivers by drafting Brian Quick at the top of the second round and Chris Givens in the fourth. Both are capable of stepping in right away to compete for playing time, and I expect Quick to become a special player for the Rams in the near-future.

They also bolstered their need for secondary help by adding Janoris Jenkins and Trumaine Johnson. 

Jenkins has a well-documented history of off-the-field issues (h/t CBSSports.com). As strict as Roger Goodell is against violations of league policy there's an obvious risk in taking him. 

That being said, Jenkins is the most highly skilled of all the cornerbacks in the draft, and if he manages to pull his life together and stay out of trouble he'll be an elite player in the NFL.

The Rams also drafted a couple of running backs, notably Isaiah Pead. Pead is going to be a nice change-of-pace back for them when he gives Stephen Jackson a breather.

I can see the Rams winning half their games this year if everything goes their way. That may not sound very promising, but compared to last year's debacle it's a vast improvement.

Grade: A

Indianapolis Colts

It's quite obvious that the Colts improved their chances of winning in 2012 simply by looking at their first-round choice to select Andrew Luck. He is going to be a special player, and he is better than anyone they had behind center last year.

They gave their young quarterbacks some shiny new toys to play with as well, taking tight ends Coby Fleener and Dwayne Allen with their subsequent picks in the second and third rounds. 

The offensive barrage continued when they selected wide receiver T.Y. Hilton in the late third round, having traded up with the San Francisco 49ers to do it.

The addition of Josh Chapman will do wonders for their defense, as well. He will help plug up the middle, allowing Pat Angerer to run around unmolested for more tackles at or behind the line of scrimmage.

They added another receiver, a guard, another defensive end and Mr. Irrelevant, quarterback Chandler Harnish at the back of the draft to cap off an impressive haul that will make their chances of winning in 2012 much more realistic than it was last year.

Next year I'm sure we'll see them make a run on defenders, especially a talented pass-rushing defensive end or two to insure against an aging front line.

Grade: B+

Minnesota Vikings

Besides the fact that Rick Spielman chose to select a kicker in the sixth round, the Vikings had a flawless draft.

I loved the way he maneuvered to collect more picks by creating a sense of urgency with the No. 3 overall pick and ultimately trading down one slot with the Cleveland Browns. 

Matt Kalil looks like a Pro Bowl left tackle, and taking him at the top of the draft was the only smart move Spielman could make. 

I was impressed by his decision to move back up into the first round and select Harrison Smith. Smith is an athletic safety that will seriously upgrade their secondary.

They added more players later on to improve the secondary, too. Josh Robinson has the talent to become a good starter for them sooner rather than later, and Robert Blanton is a diverse defensive back that can play multiple positions.

They added much-needed talent to their wide receiving corps by adding the dynamic duo from Arkansas, Jarius Wright and Greg Childs. Both should compete for playing time and could see action on Sundays starting from Week 1.

The Vikings will be a tough team in 2012. Unfortunately for them, they play in the same division as the Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears—all of whom improved through the draft. 

It could be another hard year for fans, but the Vikings did a fantastic job improving their roster for the long-term in this year's draft.

Grade: B+

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