NFL Draft 2013 Results: Grading Teams That Traded Up in Round 1
In a draft with so few sure things and so much depth, there was bound to be plenty of movement in Thursday night's first round. That was the case as five deals were brokered as teams were looking to move up and land their ideal prospect.
Many of the trades involved high-quality teams who were in need of only one or two pieces. Others saw teams trying to reach the next level move up in an effort to make a big splash. It remains to be seen which trades were smart and which were ill-advised, but all of them have fans talking.
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Here are grades for each of the five teams that made the decision to trade up in the first round on Thursday night.
Miami Dolphins
The Trade: No. 12 to Oakland for No. 3 and No. 42
The Pick: Dion Jordan, OLB, Oregon
The Grade
The Dolphins had the splashiest offseason of any team in the entire NFL, and they continued that on draft night when they moved up from No. 12 to No. 3. The Dolphins dealt the Oakland Raiders their first- and second-round pick in order to select Oregon pass-rusher Dion Jordan.
Many believed the Dolphins were looking at Oklahoma offensive tackle Lane Johnson, but that wasn't the case. Miami instead decided to add another pass-rusher alongside Cameron Wake. While most considered Jordan to be the best pass-rusher in the draft, he doesn't seem like a great fit in a 4-3 defense.
Miami should be commended for getting the player it wanted, but the Dolphins still have holes to fill and could have used that second-round pick. Because of that, their trade up only warrants a B- grade.
St. Louis Rams
The Pick: Tavon Austin, WR, West Virginia
The Grade
There was a lot of talk ahead of the draft regarding teams being interested in West Virginia wide receiver Tavon Austin. The Rams were one of those teams and they ensured that they got him by moving up from No. 16 to No. 8 in a trade with the Buffalo Bills. It cost the Rams quite a bit as they surrendered a second- and seventh-round pick, but it was well worth it.
Quarterback Sam Bradford hasn't progressed as quickly as hoped, but he hasn't had many weapons either. Austin was arguably the most dynamic player in the draft and that is something St. Louis sorely needed. Also, the New York Jets seemed like potential suitors at No. 9, so they were able to usurp them by moving up.
The Rams have a few needs, but the fact they had another first-rounder certainly cushioned the blow. St. Louis identified a player that it wanted and needed, and it got him. There is no question the Rams deserve an A.
San Francisco 49ers
The Trade: No. 31 and No. 74 to Dallas for No. 18
The Pick: Eric Reid, S, LSU
The Grade
With a total of 13 selections in this year's draft, the 49ers were prime candidates to trade up. There is no chance that 13 rookies are going to make their team next season, so there is no use sitting on selections. San Francisco made a sizable jump from No. 31 to No. 18 and all they had to give to the Dallas Cowboys in addition to their first was the No. 74 pick in the third round.
With their new first-rounder, the 49ers nabbed LSU safety Eric Reid. His stock rose considerably over the past few weeks to the point where he was only taken a couple selections lower than Texas safety Kenny Vaccaro. I'm not overly high on Reid, but the 49ers obviously liked him, and he has an opportunity to shine on a defense littered with big-time talent.
Even if Reid isn't the most exciting pick, the 49ers gave up virtually nothing to move up. Cowboys fans should be furious they didn't get one of the 49ers' two second-rounders. That alone makes this a good move for San Francisco and garners it an A- grade.
Atlanta Falcons
The Pick: Desmond Trufant, CB, Washington
The Grade
The Falcons are no strangers to trading up in the draft as they moved up significantly a couple years ago to take wide receiver Julio Jones. Their move this year wasn't quite as dramatic and exciting, but they managed to go from No. 30 to No. 22 by trading with the St. Louis Rams. With that 22nd pick, Atlanta selected cornerback Desmond Trufant out of Washington to fill a dire need.
Atlanta lost both Dunta Robinson and Brent Grimes this offseason, so they had a huge hole at the cornerback position. This year's corner class is quite deep, so the Falcons had quite a few options. They obviously coveted Trufant and his NFL bloodlines, however. They made sure they were able to secure him by moving up.
There are no guarantees in the draft, but the only team that took a corner between Nos. 22-30 was the Minnesota Vikings at No. 24. They took Xavier Rhodes, so they may not have had interest in Trufant. It's possible that Atlanta could have gotten Trufant had it stood pat, so it only scores a grade of C+.
Minnesota Vikings
The Pick: Cordarrelle Patterson, WR, Tennessee
The Grade
The Vikings easily had the best first round on Thursday night as they took Florida defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd and Florida State cornerback Xavier Rhodes at No. 23 and 25 respectively. Minnesota wasn't satisfied with its impressive haul, however, as it decided to trade back into the first round. The New England Patriots always seem to trade out, so they worked out a deal that sent the Vikings their No. 29 selection.
There was some talk about the Vikings potentially going with Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o, but they decided to focus on offense by taking Tennessee wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson. While Patterson is considered a developmental prospect, he can contribute immediately as a return man, which is something that the Vikings need with Percy Harvin no longer in the fold.
Moving up wasn't cheap as the Vikings had to surrender second-, third-, fourth- and seventh-round picks. That means Minnesota's draft is essentially over. Although the Vikings did a great job overall, they could have used those depth selections. A capable receiver probably could have been had at No. 52, so the Vikings only get a C.
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