NFL Draft 2014: Final Results and Grades Review for Each Franchise
The 2014 NFL draft is in the books, but not before all 32 teams made a handful of moves that will help sway the direction of their franchises moving forward.
Only time will tell how many of these prospects develop and play out in the NFL, but on the surface a number of teams left Radio City Music Hall a bit worse off than they arrived.
Meanwhile, other teams either added promising youngsters to turn around an organization, or already-stacked Super Bowl contenders continued adding on key pieces to further threaten the league's elite.
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The draft didn't work out as planned for everyone, while others had themselves a big haul over the weekend. Let's break down grades for each team and highlight some of the more intriguing ones.
| Arizona Cardinals | SS Deone Bucannon (27), TE Troy Niklas (52), DE Kareem Martin (84), WR John Brown (91), QB Logan Thomas (120), DE Ed Stinson (160), WR Walt Powell (196) | B |
| Atlanta Falcons | OT Jake Matthews (6), DL Ra'Shede Hageman (37), S Dez Southward (68), RB Devonta Freeman (103), LB Prince Shembo (139), CB Ricardo Allen (147), LB Marquis Spruill (168), LB Yawin Smallwood (253), LB Tyler Starr (255) | B+ |
| Baltimore Ravens | ILB C.J. Mosley (17), DT Tim Jernigan (48), S Terrence Brooks (79), TE Crockett Gilmore (99), DT Brent Urban (134), RB Lorenzo Taliaferro (138), G John Urschel (175), QB Keith Wenning (194), WR Michael Campanaro (218) | A- |
| Buffalo Bills | WR Sammy Watkins (4), OT Cyrus Kouandjio (44), LB Preston Brown (73), CB Ross Cockrell (109), G Cyril Richardson (153), LB Randell Johnson (221), T Seantrel Henderson (237) | C- |
| Carolina Panthers | WR Kelvin Benjamin (28), DL Kony Ealy (60), G Trai Turner (92), S Tre Boston (128), CB Bene Benwikere (148), RB Tyler Gaffney (204) | B |
| Chicago Bears | CB Kyle Fuller (14), DT Ego Ferguson (51), DT Will Sutton (82), RB Ka'Deem Carey (117), S Brock Vereen (131), QB David Fales (183), P Pat O'Donnell (191), T Charles Leno (246) | B- |
| Cincinnati Bengals | CB Darqueze Dennard (24), RB Jeremy Hill (55), DE William Clarke (88), C Russell Bodine (111), QB A.J. McCarron (164), LB Marquis Flowers (212), WR James Wright (239), CB Lavelle Westbrooks (252) | B- |
| Cleveland Browns | CB Justin Gilbert (8), QB Johnny Manziel (22), OL Joel Bitonio (35), LB Charles Kirksey (71), RB Terrance West (94), CB Pierre Desir (127) | B+ |
| Dallas Cowboys | OT Zack Martin (16), DE Demarcus Lawrence (34), LB Anthony Hitchens (119), WR Devin Street (146), DE Ben Gardner (231), LB Will Smith (238), S Ahmad Dixon (248), DT Ken Bishop (251), CB Terrance Mitchell (254) | B- |
| Denver Broncos | CB Bradley Roby (31), WR Cody Latimer (56), T Michael Schofield (95), LB Lamin Barrow (156), C Matt Paradis (207), LB Corey Nelson (242) | C+ |
| Detroit Lions | TE Eric Ebron (10), OLB Kyle Van Noy (40), C Travis Swanson (76), CB Nevin Lawson (133), DE Larry Webster (136), DT Caraun Reid (158), WR T.J. Jones (189), K Nate Freese (229) | C+ |
| Green Bay Packers | FS Ha Ha Clinton-Dix (21), WR Davante Adams (53), DT Khyri Thornton (85), TE Richard Rogers (98), LB Carl Bradford (121), C Corey Lindsey (161), WR Jared Abbrederis (176), CB Demetri Goodson (197), WR Jeff Janis (236) | B+ |
| Houston Texans | DE Jadeveon Clowney (1), OG Xavier Su'a-Filo (33), TE C.J. Fiedorowicz (65), DT Louis Nix (83), QB Tom Savage (135), DE Jeoffrey Pagan (177), RB Alfred Blue (181), RB Jay Prosch (211), CB Dre Hal (216), S Lonnie Ballentine (256) | A- |
| Indianapolis Colts | OL Jack Mewhort (59), WR Donte Moncrief (90), DE Jonathan Newsome (166), LB Andrew Jackson (203), T Ulrick John (232) | C |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | QB Blake Bortles (3), WR Marqise Lee (39), WR Allen Robinson (61), G Brandon Linder (93), CB Aaron Colvin (114), LB Telvin Smith (144), DE Chris Smith (159), C Luke Bowanko (205), RB Storm Johnson (222) | A- |
| Kansas City Chiefs | DE Dee Ford (23), CB Phillip Gaines (87), RB De'Anthony Thomas (124), QB Aaron Murray (163), G Zach Fulton (193), T Laurent Duvernay-Tardif (200) | C |
| Miami Dolphins | OT Ja'Wuan James (19), WR Jarvis Landry (63), T Billy Turner (67), CB Walt Aikens (125), TE Arthur Lynch (155), LB Jordie Tripp (171), WR Matt Hazel (190), DE Terrance Fede (234) | B- |
| Minnesota Vikings | OLB Anthony Barr (9), QB Teddy Bridgewater (32), DE Scott Crichton (72), RB Jerick McKinnon (96), G David Yankey (145), CB Antone Exum (182), CB Kendall James (184), DT Shamar Stephen (220), LB Brandon Watts (223), CB Jabari Price (225) | B+ |
| New England Patriots | DT Dominique Easley (29), QB Jimmy Garoppolo (62), C Bryan Stork (105), RB James White (130), T Cameron Fleming (140), G Jon Halapio (179), DE Zach Moore (198), S Jemea Thomas (206), WR Jeremy Gallon (244) | C- |
| New Orleans Saints | WR Brandin Cooks (20), CB Stanley Jean-Baptiste (58), LB Khairi Fortt (126), S Vinnie Sunseri (167), LB Ronald Powell (169), T Tavon Rooks (202) | B+ |
| New York Giants | WR Odell Beckham (12), C Weston Richburg (43), DT Jay Bromley (74), RB Andre Williams (113), S Nat Berhe (152), LB Devon Kennard (174), CB Bennett Jackson (187) | B |
| New York Jets | FS Calvin Pryor (18), TE Jace Amaro (49), CB Dex McDougle (80), WR Jalen Saunders (104), WR Shaq Evans (115), T Dakota Dozier (137), LB Jeremiah George (154), CB Brandon Dixon (195), WR Quincy Enunwa (209), DE IK Enemkpali (210), QB Tajh Boyd (213), LB Trevor Reilly (233) | B+ |
| Oakland Raiders | OLB Khalil Mack (5), QB Derek Carr (36), OG Gabe Jackson (81), DT Justin Ellis (107), CB Keith McGill (116), CB T.J. Carrie (219), DE Shelby Harris (235), S Jonathan Dowling (247) | A- |
| Philadelphia Eagles | DE Marcus Smith (26), WR Jordan Matthews (42), WR Josh Huff (86), CB Jaylen Watkins (101), DE Taylor Hart (141), S Ed Reynolds (162), DT Beau Allen (224) | C |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | OLB Ryan Shazier (15), DL Stephon Tuitt (46), WR Dri Archer (97), WR Martavis Bryant (118), CB Shaquille Richardson (157), C Wesley Johnson (173), LB Jordan Zumwait (192), DT Dan McCullers (215), TE Rob Blanchflower (230) | B+ |
| San Diego Chargers | CB Jason Verrett (25), OLB Jeremy Attaochu (50), G Chris Watt (89), DT Ryan Carrethers (165), RB Marlon Grice (201), WR Tevin Reese (240) | B+ |
| San Francisco 49ers | SS Jimmie Ward (30), RB Carlos Hyde (57), OG Marcus Martin (70), ILB Chris Borland (77), G Brandon Thomas (100), WR Bruce Ellington (106), CB Dontae Johnson (129), DE Aaron Lynch (150), CB Keith Reaser (170), CB Kenneth Acker (180), DT Kaleb Ramsey (243), FB Trey Millard (245) | A- |
| Seattle Seahawks | WR Paul Richardson (45), OL Justin Britt (64), DE Cassius Marsh (108), WR Kevin Norwood (123), LB Kevin Pierre-Louis (132), DT Jimmy Staten (172), T Garrett Scott (199), S Eric Pinkins (208), FB Kiero Smal (227) | D+ |
| St. Louis Rams | OT Greg Robinson (2), DT Aaron Donald (13), CB Lamarcus Joyner (41), RB Tre Mason (75), S Maurice Alexander (110), CB E.J. Gaines (188), QB Garrett Gilbert (214), T Mitchell Van Dyk (226), S C.B. Bryant (241), DE Michael Sam (249), C Demetrius Rhaney (250) | A- |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | WR Mike Evans (7), TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins (38), RB Charles Sims (69), G Kadeem Edwards (143), T Kevin Pamphile (149), WR Robert Herron (185) | B |
| Tennessee Titans | OT Taylor Lewan (11), RB Bishop Sankey (54), DT DaQuan Jones (112), CB Marqueston Huff (122), LB Avery Williamson (151), QB Zach Mettenberger (178) | A- |
| Washington Redskins | LB Trent Murphy (47), OT Morgan Moses (66), G Spencer Long (78), CB Bashaud Breeland (102), WR Ryan Grant (142), RB Lache Seastrunk (186), TE Ted Bolser (217), K Zach Hocker (228) | C |
Minnesota Vikings: B+
The Vikings were one of the trendy top-10 picks to slot with a quarterback entering Thursday's first round of the draft, but they got the best of both worlds.
Minnesota passed on picking a QB after trading from No. 8 to 9, selecting UCLA linebacker Anthony Barr to give the defense a scary-good pass rusher and a future star on defense for Mike Zimmer.
But still needing a quarterback, the Vikes didn't take long to act.
They traded back into the first round just before it ended, taking Seattle's 32nd and final pick and using it to select Louisville quarterback Teddy Bridgewater.
That gave Minnesota quite the first-round haul, per NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah:
The Vikings added eight more players throughout the final two days of the draft, including running back Jerick McKinnon and defensive end Scott Crichton in the third round.
But there's no doubt that the big splash for Minnesota came in Round 1, where they landed a future franchise player on both sides of the ball.
Baltimore Ravens: A-
When looking directly at team needs, the Ravens might not have drafted in the right direction with their early picks—but it still worked out for them to land a spectacular draft class.
Despite sorely needing a wide receiver somewhere in the early rounds, Baltimore went defense-defense-defense with its top three picks, selecting linebacker C.J. Mosley at No. 17, Timmy Jernigan at No. 48 and Florida State safety Terrence Brooks in the third round.
Mosley and Jernigan both figured to be off the board around the middle or toward the end of Round 1, so being able to land each without having to move all over the draft board was a huge get for Baltimore in terms of rebuilding a once-dominant defense.
Plus, all three of their early defensive picks are recent national champions. Mosley played his college football days at Alabama, while Jernigan and Brooks were both members of Florida State's undefeated 2013 team, per Ravens' official Twitter:
The Ravens later addressed the offense, but they didn't land one of the many game-changing wideouts early on. They grabbed tight end Crockett Gillmore, guard John Urschel and running back Lorenzo Taliaferro to help bolster the offensive end of the ball.
As long as the defense takes advantage of this young talent and improves, Joe Flacco won't need as many wideouts to catch touchdown passes for Baltimore to win games.
Detroit Lions: C+
Who knows, maybe the Lions landed themselves a stud in Eric Ebron at No. 10 overall who could become the next Jimmy Graham and make Matthew Stafford's passing game even more potent in Detroit.
But it's almost like the Lions had no ability to view their own roster before making this pick.
Detroit needed a new member of the secondary like nobody's business after the Lions boasted one of the NFL's worst defenses in 2013. The Lions eventually got one, but not until the fourth round with the 133rd overall pick, selecting cornerback Nevin Lawson.
Even nearby Michigan product and offensive tackle Taylor Lewan would have been a solid move. Stafford could use a career left tackle a lot more than he could use another big-bodied target, especially with Calvin Johnson, Brandon Pettigrew, Golden Tate and more able receivers.
Outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy was a step in a decent direction in Round 2, but this team doesn't need help first and foremost at that spot. It's the secondary where the Lions really struggle, and they failed to address that over the weekend.
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