2013 NFL Draft Grades: Full Analysis of First Round

The first round of the 2013 NFL draft had a few surprises, and the Minnesota Vikings were one of many teams to receive high grades for their picks.

Lineman, both offensive and defensive, dominated the early part of the draft, as expected. In a draft that lacked star power at the skill positions, teams focused on needs early on. Most years would have seen the best player available taken, but this year's draft focused on getting the right fit.

The rest of the draft will be filled with trades and shocking picks, but the first round was as intriguing as it has been in recent years.

Who joined the Vikings with a good grade, and who failed to impress on the draft's first day?

Read on to find out.

(For more reactions to each pick, check out the draft tracker done by Bleacher Report's Ken Dorset.)

Kansas City Chiefs: Eric Fisher, OT (Central Michigan)

Grade: A-

The Chiefs have talent on their roster, and they have a quarterback to work with now. With six Pro Bowlers last season, their biggest need was on the offensive line.

Kansas City had two options: Eric Fisher or Luke Joeckel. Either one would have been a good pick, but Fisher got the call.

The No. 1 pick will help protect newcomer Alex Smith and give him time to throw the ball. He will also help Jamaal Charles get some running room.

It wasn't a flashy pick, but it was a smart pick. He didn't get the publicity in college that Joeckel did, but he came on strong in the final days leading up to the draft. 

Mid-American Conference players are somewhat unknown to fans. Teams study much more film and must have seen something that caught their eye. It will take time to see if the Chiefs made the right pick, but it fills an immediate hole.

Jacksonville Jaguars: Luke Joeckel, OT (Texas A&M)

Grade: A-

Jacksonville was probably thrilled when the Chiefs took Eric Fisher. When that happened, it was an easy choice for them to take Luke Joeckel.

The tackle was arguably the best player in the draft, and the Jaguars pounced on him.

There are so many needs on this team, so they had plenty of options to choose from. In the end, the Jaguars had to take the best player on the board.

With Dion Jordan on the board, Jacksonville decided to bring in someone to help protect the quarterback. If Blaine Gabbert is going to get a fair shot at being the quarterback of the future, he's going to need to stay healthy.

Drafting Joeckel is a good way to keep Gabbert on his feet. Now the Jaguars need to hit on their other picks. 

Miami Dolphins: Dion Jordan, OLB/DE (Oregon)

Grade: A+

The first bold move of the draft came from the Miami Dolphins. They made a trade with the Oakland Raiders to move up to the No. 3 slot from their original No. 12 spot. Adam H. Beasley of The Miami Herald has a full recap of the trade.

Dion Jordan fills a need and gives them an explosive player. The Dolphins couldn't get Elvis Dumervil, but they found a player to help out Cameron Wake.

They swapped first round picks and only had to give up a second-round pick in order to make the deal happen, so they came out as big winners. With former Oregon coach Chip Kelly picking at No. 4, Miami needed to figure out how much it wanted the defensive star.

Jordan is arguably the most athletic defensive lineman/linebacker in the draft, and the Dolphins found a way to land him.

Philadelphia Eagles: Lane Johnson, OT (Oklahoma)

Grade: A-

With Dion Jordan off the board, the Philadelphia Eagles found a lineman to help keep Michael Vick off his back.

Oklahoma's offense is used to moving quick and putting up points, which is something Chip Kelly is going to want his offense to do. It seems like a smooth transition for Lane Johnson. 

Philadelphia has a lot of talent on offense, but they could have used a player like Jordan on defense. With Johnson available, he was too much to pass up at No. 4. 

Offensive line is one of the few positions on offense that the team needed to address in the draft, and they found the perfect fit.

Detroit Lions: Ezekiel Ansah DE (BYU)

Grade: B

Defensive end is a big need for the Detroit Lions, but Alabama cornerback Dee Milliner was still on the board.

This could turn out to be a very good pick, though. Ezekiel Ansah has the talent to be a very good lineman in the NFL, especially with Nick Fairley and Ndamukong Suh on the line with him. It appears to be a risky pick when Milliner was still available, though.

Detroit will play Jay Cutler and Aaron Rodgers a total of four times next season, so they need someone who can help stop them.

Cliff Avril signed with the Seattle Seahawks, and Kyle Vanden Bosch was released. This pick fit a need, but it is a risky selection.

Cleveland Browns: Barkevious Mingo, DE (LSU)

Grade: C+

Good news Browns fans! No quarterback was taken so far. Many Browns fans were wondering if the team would use another pick on a quarterback, such as Geno Smith, but the team avoided making a huge mistake.

Barkevious Mingo is a good player, but it seems like they had bigger needs. The Browns have certainly upgraded their defensive line this offseason, though, by signing Paul Kruger and drafting Mingo.

Like the Lions, Milliner could have been a good fit here. Cleveland already has Joe Haden, so adding a talented corner to complement him would make it tough on opposing quarterbacks.

Cleveland will have a much improved rush defense next season, but they are still a long way from competing in the AFC North.

Arizona Cardinals: Jonathan Cooper, OG (UNC)

Grade: A-

After trading for a talented quarterback in Carson Palmer earlier in the offseason, the Arizona Cardinals are doing their best to protect him.

Palmer should have a fun time throwing to Larry Fitzgerald and Michael Floyd, but he needs time to throw. He struggled getting time to throw in Oakland, but now the Cardinals are bringing in someone to help protect him.

Jonathan Cooper was highly touted, and he does a great job in passing situations. This was an easy pick for the Cardinals.

Arizona is going to be throwing the ball a lot in 2013, and it needs to protect its quarterback who has a history of getting knocked around.

St. Louis Rams: Tavon Austin, WR (West Virginia) and Alec Ogletree, LB (Georgia)

No. 8 Grade: B+

It's a great pick, but this one may not be worth the price. The St. Louis Rams swapped first- and third-round picks with the Buffalo Bills and also threw in a second- and seventh-round pick in order to move up to the No. 8 spot in the first round.

Tavon Austin has fantastic speed. There's no getting around that. The problem is that he is undersized and doesn't have a great receiver on the other side to help him get open.

He has huge upside, but it will be tough for him to get open. The Rams lost Steven Jackson to the Atlanta Falcons in free agency this offseason. Quarterback Sam Bradford needs to find a way to get Austin the ball, but it won't be easy.

If Austin is able to get open down the field with any consistency, this could turn out to be a steal.

No. 30 Grade: A

Alec Ogletree was another guy who fell, but this was because of character issues.

He has very good speed, agility and size. Ogletree can get to the quarterback,  and he is solid in coverage. 

Ogletree is good against the run and loves to hit guys. He can do just about everything a team could want, so getting him at the end of the first round was a steal.

Overall Grade: A- 

New York Jets: Dee Milliner, CB (Alabama) and Sheldon Richardson, DT (Missouri)

No. 9 Grade: A+

The New York Jets traded away their best player, Darelle Revis, but found a way to fill his shoes through the draft by having Dee Milliner fall down to No. 9.

Milliner is the best corner in the draft, and the Jets made the right pick. Tavon Austin was gone, so picking Milliner was common sense.

With Antonio Cromartie on the other side of the field, the Jets still have a solid duo in the secondary.

The extremely athletic Milliner will fit right in to Rex Ryan's scheme, and he will be a top corner in a couple of years. 

No. 13 Grade: C-

Not sure what the Jets were thinking. Sheldon Richardson is a very talented player, but they have other needs.

The Jets helped themselves by taking Milliner, but they needed to draft something else besides a defensive lineman at No. 13. Maybe nobody wanted to make a trade with them, but they should have gone for an offensive threat at some point in the first round.

Running back, receiver, or tight end would have been a good fit. Nothing against Richardson, but this doesn't seem to fill a big hole.

Overall Grade: B

Tennesee Titans: Chance Warmack, OG (Alabama)

Grade: A

Like most of the other lineman in this draft, Chance Warmack will be a great addition to his new team.

Warmack has benefited from playing at Alabama. He has played well in big games throughout his career, and he has blocked for a few great backs.

There were a lot of needs for the Tennessee Titans, but this was a good pick at No. 10. 

San Diego Chargers: D.J. Fluker, OT (Alabama)

Grade: A-

Draft a lineman, get a good grade. Draft an Alabama lineman, and the future looks even better.

The San Diego Chargers needed to draft an offensive lineman. D.J. Fluker was the best lineman available when they were on the clock, so the Chargers had to pull the trigger.

Phillip Rivers will need to have time to throw if he's going to return to being a superstar. Now he will have someone who can block.

Oakland Raiders: D.J. Hayden, CB (Houston)

Grade: B+

The pick itself isn't phenomenal, but the Oakland Raiders were able to get a second-round pick by trading down from No. 3 to No. 12.

Oakland had a bad defense. Its passing defense was atrocious, and any cornerback in the draft would have been a good pick. The Raiders have a lot of holes to fill, but they are in another rebuilding year. Getting rid of Carson Palmer made sense because they didn't have the right pieces around him.

They have started to get more picks, which will help them fill some of those holes.

Trading down and still getting a corner was a good move, but getting a second-round pick made this move even better.

Carolina Panthers: Star Lotulelei, DT (Utah)

Grade: A

It was somewhat surprising to see Star Lotulelei drop this far, but the Carolina Panthers got lucky at No. 14.

The defensive lineman was overlooked in college. He could become a dominant force on the defensive line for the Panthers, which would help fill a hole for the team. 

Lotulelei was one of the top defensive linemen in this draft, and for him to fall this far, the Panthers didn't have much of a problem drafting him.

New Orleans Saints: Kenny Vaccaro, S (Texas)

Grade: A

The New Orleans Saints need help in the secondary, and Kenny Vaccaro is a good fit here. 

New Orleans was one of the worst pass defenses in the league for most of last season, but they did improve as the season went on. They lucked out and got the best safety in the draft.

He is good in coverage, and he will be an instant upgrade. The Saints had a huge need in the secondary, so they went out and picked the best player available.

Buffalo Bills: EJ Manuel, QB (Florida State)

Grade: B-

Some people think this isn't a good pick at all. The Buffalo Bills needed a quarterback, and they got to choose from a full board of them.

Manuel can move around and has a solid arm. With Steve Johnson, Fred Jackson and C.J. Spiller, the Bills have talent to work with on offense. Manuel gives them a quarterback who can work with talented skill players.

It's surprising to see him be the first quarterback selected. There wasn't a superstar quarterback in this year's draft, so it was a matter of preference for Buffalo. It had a plethora of options, and Manuel could be the best fit. With Geno Smith still on the board, this pick will be questioned all offseason.

The Bills traded with the St. Louis Rams and got an additional second- and seventh-round pick. That makes this pick even better.

Pittsburgh Steelers: Jarvis Jones, LB (Georgia)

Grade: A

The Pittsburgh Steelers just seem to make great picks every year. Jarvis Jones fell all the down to No. 17, and he is a great fit with the Steelers.

He can get after the quarterback, something that they need now that James Harrison is a Cincinnati Bengal.

Jones had 28 sacks in the last two seasons. He is a good tackler and can play any of the linebacker positions.

As the Steelers regroup after missing the playoffs last season, Jones will help immediately. His talent will be used well in Pittsburgh, and the defense will have a bright future.

San Francisco 49ers: Eric Reid, S (LSU)

Grade: A

The player, Eric Reid, is a good fit, and trading up for him was a good move.

Dashon Goldson signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this offseason, so they have been trying to find a replacement. The 49ers couldn't get Ed Reed or Charles Woodson (at least yet), so they needed to address the position in the draft. 

This draft is deep with talented players in the secondary, but Reid probably would not have been available at No. 31. After coming so close to winning a championship last season, the 49ers did what they needed to do in order to help their chances next season.

Reid will fill a hole on defense, and San Francisco will be the favorite to come out of the NFC entering next season.

New York Giants: Justin Pugh, OL (Syracuse)

Grade: B

Not a great pick, but it definitely fills a need. Justin Pugh wasn't one of the top lineman in this draft, so he was able to slide down to the Giants at No. 19.

A positive of this pick is that Pugh can play just about everywhere on the line. He could be a guard, a tackle or even a center. 

New York did a good job of filling a need. The Giants have a lot of talent on both sides of the ball, so they had the ability to select a player that they felt they needed the most.

Chicago Bears: Kyle Long, OG (Oregon)

Grade: C+

The thinking is right, but Kyle Long may not have been a great pick. 

Long came out of nowhere with Oregon, and he shot up the board and snuck into the first round. He's a solid player, but he's not worth a first-round pick, especially with how deep this offensive line class was.

Jay Cutler needs someone to protect him, so that's why picking a lineman was a good move. The Bears could have found someone who was a better fit, though.

Cincinnati Bengals: Tyler Eifert, TE (Notre Dame)

Grade: C+

With a Pro Bowl tight end on its roster, the Cincinnati Bengals made a questionable selection. They have drafted very well in recent years, but this pick just doesn't make sense for the current squad.

Andy Dalton already has A.J. Green and Jermaine Gresham to throw to, so picking Tyler Eifert raised some eyebrows. The Bengals also picked Orson Charles in the fourth round last year, so they already have a young tight end to groom.

Eifert may have been the best tight end in the draft, but it wasn't a need. Cincinnati needed a running back, a wide receiver or a safety.

The tight end is a good player, but playoff teams need to draft to fill holes.

Atlanta Falcons: Desmond Trufant, CB (Washington)

Grade: A

What does a team that has everything on offense draft? 

The Atlanta Falcons gave up some picks (recap via D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution) to move up and get Desmond Trufant. 

One of the few holes they have was filled with this pick. The Falcons are gearing up to make a run at the Super Bowl this season.

Minnesota Vikings: Sharrif Floyd, Xavier Rhodes, Cordarrelle Patterson

No. 23 Grade: B+ (Shariff Floyd)

This was a good first pick. The defense could use a playmaker like him on the defensive line.

Sharrif Floyd was expected to go much sooner, but he ended up falling down the board. He can play tackle or end, so it was a good pick that will pay off. 

Floyd has tons of potential, and he will fit in with the Vikings.

No. 25 Grade: A (Xavier Rhodes)

Xavier Rhodes will be a nice addition to this secondary.

His versatility bumps him from an "A-" to an "A." He can play either corner or safety, so the Vikings can choose what to do with him.

Rhodes has good size for the secondary. He has good size and can jump with any receiver. He is very good at covering receivers, so corner may be the best spot for him.

No. 29 Grade: A (Cordarrelle Patterson)

Everyone knew the Minnesota Vikings needed a wide receiver. With a bold move, they traded the New England Patriots four picks to get back into the first round (recap via Darin Gantt of ProFootballTalk.com).

Christian Ponder needed someone to throw to. The Vikings were aggressive and got the man they wanted. It was a steep price to pay, but they needed to make it. 

Cordarrelle Patterson averaged 16.9 yards per catch last season. Hopefully his playmaking abilities can take some of the load off Adrian Peterson.

Early on it looks like the Vikings are the winners of the draft.

Overall Grade: A

Green Bay Packers: Datone Jones, DE (UCLA)

Grade: A

The Green Bay Packers needed help on defense, and they got a heck of player in Datone Jones.

He is a versatile player, and he can get to the quarterback. Jones has great strength and has solid speed for a lineman.

The Packers are loaded on offense, so they focused on the defense early on. Getting a defensive lineman in the first round was a plus.Now they just need to continue to build the defense.

Indianapolis Colts: Bjoern Werner, DE (Florida State)

Grade: A+

Bjoern Werner is a talented defensive end, and the Indianapolis Colts made a great selection.

Werner can get to the quarterback, which will be a valuable asset to the Colts. He has great strength and will wreak havoc on the lesser teams in the AFC South.

The defensive end was expected to go higher, so the Colts were lucky to get him at No. 24. This looks like the start of another solid draft for Indianapolis.

Houston Texans: DeAndre Hopkins, WR (Clemson)

Grade: A

With Andre Johnson and Owen Daniels already on the roster, DeAndre Hopkins will be able to slide in without any trouble.

Hopkins has great hands, and he will give Matt Schaub a reliable target over the middle. This will free up Johnson a little more, which will lead to a more efficient offense.

The wide receiver can run good routes and bring the ball in. This was a position of need, and he was too good to pass up this late in the round.

Denver Broncos: Sylvester Williams, DT (UNC)

Grade: A

With Peyton Manning on offense, it's easy for the Denver Broncos to draft defensive players. Sylvester WIlliams is a good defensive tackle, and he will cause headaches in the middle of the line.

Williams has good size and strength. He isn't a premier pass-rusher, but he will certainly help Von Miller get to the quarterback. With his size, Williams can take up space and push lineman around.

Although he isn't great at getting to the quarterback, he will be good at stopping the run. 

Dallas Cowboys: Travis Frederick, C (Wisconsin)

Grade: F

At least the Buffalo Bills had been linked to EJ Manuel before the draft. This pick caught everyone by surprise.

The Dallas Cowboys made a trade with the San Francisco 49ers to move from No. 19 to No. 31 and gained a third-round pick in the process. That's the only part that could have made this a higher grade.

Dallas needed help on the offensive line, but there were so many other players available at this point in the draft. The team drafted a center in the first round when they have other needs. He can play other positions on the line, but it's a head-scratcher.

This might be an overreaction. The Cowboys received the lowest grade of the first round. If they use the third-round pick wisely, this could end up being a good trade.

Baltimore Ravens: Matt Elam, S (Florida)

Grade: A-

After Ed Reed signed with the Houston Texans, the Baltimore Ravens needed to draft a safety. The defense is undergoing an identity change this offseason.

Matt Elam is a good safety, but he does lack size. His aggressive style will fit in well in Baltimore, and it will lead to many big plays.

It's tough to replace Reed, but Elam has the skills to be a playmaker for years to come. Looking back on previous offseasons, it's tough to criticize the Ravens for how they have handled themselves after winning the Super Bowl.

The defense is getting younger, and Elam will get to learn from some of the veterans on this team. Had Reed been re-signed and Elam was still drafted here, this pick would be even better. It would serve Elam well to learn from a legend, but he will be expected to make an impact right away.

New England Patriots: Added Draft Picks

Grade: B+

The New England Patriots didn't draft anyone on the first day of the draft, but they made a great trade. Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com has the full details on the trade.

Nobody jumped out at them at No. 29, so they made a deal with the Minnesota Vikings that got them four draft picks. The trade benefited both teams.

New England needs help on defense and at receiver. With five picks through the early part of the fourth round, they can use those picks on secondary help and a receiver.

The Patriots are known for outsmarting the rest of the league, and this is just another example of that.