Grades for All 32 NFL First-Round Draft Picks Through First Quarter of Season

The first quarter of the NFL is done, and it has been a whirlwind of failed expectations and surprising stories. The first four games this season have been like Shakespeare's All's Well That Ends Well — a few hours of humor mixed with tragedy and at the end no one knows whether to laugh or cry.

Who knew that Cam Newton would be more impressive in his first four games than any other quarterback in NFL history? Who knew that Peyton Manning would have a season-ending neck injury before the lockout finished? Who knew the Detroit Lions could win four games in a row for the first time since...well...Shakespeare was writing All's Well That Ends Well

The NFL has been as chaotic and unpredictable as it's ever been, and it doesn't pose more of a problem, or allow so much of an opportunity, than for this year's rookie class.

I know it's only been the first quarter of the season, and there's still 12 more regular season games to shape this season into a comedy or a tragedy, but if students are graded every quarter, why not football players?

Before we launch into this grading, let me explain something. I'm grading rookies on how they're doing compared to the rest of the league, not with how they're doing compared to other rookies. For example, let's say I'm grading a quarterback. An "A" for a rookie means he already ranks in the top-tier of quarterbacks (like Tom Brady or Aaron Rodgers). A grade of a "B" means he's good enough to hang with the second-tier guys (such as Tony Romo or Matthew Stafford). A grade of a "C" means he's average at best (like Rex Grossman or Colt McCoy). A grade of a "D" means he needs to improve or he'll be riding the bench (like Donovan McNabb), and an "F" means that they don't look ready to play in the NFL, at least right now (like Kerry Collins).

Without further ado about nothing, I give you my grades for all of 32 of this year's first-round draft picks.

1. QB Cam Newton (Carolina Panthers): B+

The only thing keeping Cam Newton from an A is wins and red zone passing efficiency.

The wins can't be blamed solely on him. But, he gets a lot of heat for the Panthers' 1-3 record. That's the price quarterbacks pay for signing their name on a contract a lot of money up front (in Newton's case, it was four years, $22 million and a ton of endorsement deals).

He's third in the league with 1,386 passing yards (right behind Tom Brady and Drew Brees), but he's not the same quarterback in the red zone as he is elsewhere in the field. Within 20 yards of the end zone, Newton is only 14-for-31 for 80 yards. He's thrown for three of his touchdowns and rushed for four more, but he needs to get a little more accurate to be considered an A+ quarterback.

Brees and Brady can do it, and that's why they're two of the best in the league. Newton can join their ranks, and he can do it soon. He just needs a little bit more time and preparation. My B+ just says that he's a hair behind the best in the league.

The B+ isn't saying he hasn't had the best opening for a rookie. He certainly has. But he's still just a notch below the likes of Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees. Wouldn't you agree?

2. LB Von Miller (Denver Broncos): A-

Von Miller is quickly becoming a household name in the Centennial State with his aggressive play and penchant for finding the quarterback.

Through four games this season, the rookie linebacker has four sacks, two forced fumbles, two passes defended and could hang with any other linebacker in the league. He's either sacked the quarterback, forced a turnover or both in every game this season.

With the second pick in the draft, the Denver Broncos made Miller the highest-drafted linebacker since LaVar Arrington in 2000. Some may have questioned taking a linebacker that high, but none are second guessing Broncos general manager Brian Xanders now.

The only knock on Miller is his pass defense, which was exploited on Sunday by Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers (but who's hasn't?). If Miller can improve on his pass protection, look for the No. 2 overall draft pick to make a run for Defensive Rookie of the Year and lock up a spot on the AFC's Pro Bowl roster.

3. DE Marcell Dareus (Buffalo Bills): C-

It's hard to grade a defensive ends in a 3-4 system on individual merit alone. Rarely do they get to the quarterback or make a play by themselves. Often times, they're clogging rushing lanes or taking on blocks so linebackers can get on the highlight reel.

Through four games, the Buffalo Bills have one of the worst rush defenses in the league. They've been run on for an average of 129.5 yards per game and have had to rely on their offense (which is averaging over 32 points a game) to bail them out for the win.

Opponents are also doing very well on third down, converting 19-of-46 (41.3 percent) of attempts.

Buffalo also isn't getting very much in the way of sacks, only getting to the quarterback four times this season.

There's not much for Dareus (or the rest of the Bills defense) to hang its hat on after four games. If the defensive line doesn't improve soon, the team will lose its grip on the AFC East.

4. WR A.J. Green (Cincinnati Bengals): B

Cincinnati's A.J. Green has been a consistent threat at wide receiver despite all the inconsistency surrounding his team.

In the Bengals' first game against Cleveland, the rookie wide receiver had one catch for 41 yards and a touchdown.

Next week against the Broncos, fellow rookie quarterback Andy Dalton showed just how well he pairs with Green, throwing to him 10 times for 124 yards and another touchdown.

The only time he did poorly on a test was in Week 3 against the 49ers, where he only walked away with 24 receiving yards. But he bounced back in Week 4 to finish with 118 yards against the Bills.

Two good games, one average game and a poor one. That's like an A, two B's and a D. The average from those four is a solid B.

5. CB Patrick Peterson (Arizona Cardinals): D+

Patrick Peterson was one of the most talked about players coming into last year's draft. Some were arguing he should be taken by the Carolina Panthers with the first overall draft pick (how wrong they were).

Matt Bowen of the National Football Post said "[Peterson] might be the best player on any draft board."

ESPN's Adam Schefter posed the following question on his Twitter: "Is LSU CB Patrick Peterson worth the No. 1 pick?"

Some were even comparing him to Darelle Revis.

Through four games this season, the rookie cornerback has shown he is taking a little more time to adjust to the NFL than Revis.

After three years of making highlight reels at LSU, Peterson struggled out of the gate, receiving a dose of humility from fellow rookie Cam Newton and Steve Smith in Week 1, having Rex Grossman complete some third-down conversions against him on Week 2, enduring part of Sidney Rice's 108-yard performance in Week 3 and then being thrown on and run at almost all day by the New York Giants in Week 4.

He's a good corner back and he showed he can also be a threat on special teams with his 89-yard return for a touchdown against the Panthers, but he needs to adapt to the speed and strength of NFL wide receivers.

Cardinals fans aren't going to like the grade I give their cornerback of the future, but Arizona has the sixth-worst pass defense in the league and is giving up an average of 306 yards in the air every week. Peterson is part of the reason why.

6. WR Julio Jones (Atlanta Falcons): B+

Julio Jones had to be thinking one thing on draft day last spring: "Dear God, don't let the Bengals pick me."

Everyone knew that Cincinnati needed a wide receiver and that it was between A.J. Green and Jones. Who would you rather have throwing to you? Bruce Gradkowski and a rookie quarterback or Pro Bowl quarterback Matt Ryan?

Despite the lockout, Jones and Ryan look like best friends out on the field. linking up for 24 receptions and 342 yards.

But despite the success, Jones has yet to find the end zone. Ryan has thrown six touchdowns, but none to the standout wide receiver from Alabama.

If this walking, breathing nightmare for NFC South cornerbacks had just one touchdown, he'd be an A. With his drops and no touchdowns, he's a little bit lower.

7. DE Aldon Smith (San Francisco 49ers): C

Quick question: When was the last time the San Francisco 49ers had someone with double-digit sacks in a season?

Is it taking you a while to think? It should.

The last time the Bay Area had a pass rusher that opponents feared was Andre Carter in 2002 with 12.5 sacks. Before that, it was Bryant Young. In 1999, when Bill Clinton was President and gas was an average of $1.13 a gallon.

San Francisco 49ers fans are desperately hoping that seventh-overall pick defensive end Aldon Smith is their long-awaited pass-rushing Messiah.

And why not? At Missouri, Smith was praised for his pass rushing abilities and his ability to cause a lot of chaos in the backfield. In two season, the defensive end had 16.5 sacks. That's pretty remarkable considering he missed a large chunk of his sophomore season.

But with the 49ers, he's rarely been used and even more rarely gotten on the stat sheet. He causes disruption in the backfield, deflecting two passes in the first two games and getting in on two sacks against the elusive Michael Vick. But he needs to build endurance so he can be in on more snaps and increase his production.

If he had more games like the one against Philadelphia in his résumé, he'd have a higher grade. Only having one standout game out of four makes him average at best.

8. QB Jake Locker (Tennessee Titans): Incomplete

It's hard to grade a guy when he's never taken a test. Apart from one pass attempt against the Cleveland Browns, Tennessee quarterback Jake Locker has nothing to grade on. Locker had an impressive preseason, going 32-of-49 in passing for 316 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. He also ran for 64 yards and a touchdown on eight carries.

But that was preseason.

In the first four games that matter, the AFC South is one of the weakest divisions in football and the Titans are tied with the Houston Texans for the division title. I can't blame them for leaning on veteran Matt Hasselbeck, who has 1,152 yards, eight touchdowns and a 3-1 record.

This is a perfect situation for Locker, who won't suffer the same effects as other rookies being unprepared because of the lockout and thrust into a game situation. He'll learn the offense with the peace of mind that comes with knowing part of that game-plan will be handing off to Chris Johnson 25 times a game. 

9. OT Tyron Smith (Dallas Cowboys): A-

How many yards has the team thrown for? How easily does the running back turn the corner on his side? How often is the quarterback sacked?

These are the questions that are used to judge how well an offensive right tackle is doing.

Well, the Cowboys have thrown for 1,324 yards, fourth in the league.

Running back Felix Jones is a run-up-the-middle kind of back, but he's carried to the right (15) more than to the left (12). So has backup running back Tashard Choice. Jones has also caught three balls for 51 yards out of the right side of the backfield and none on the left side.

But when Dallas was driving for the game-winning touchdown against the Lions on Sunday, Smith was knocked flat on his back by backup defensive end Willie Young and allowed a sack for a loss of ten. That made it third-and-20 and the Cowboys never recovered.

Check. Check. Miss.

Allowing one sack in your first four games as a rookie is impressive for any offensive tackle, but when that one sack is the most important play of the game, it turns into more than a sack. It's a game-changer.

I like Tyron Smith. He's an incredible right tackle who will continue to open up rushing lanes and protect Romo for years to come. Through his first four games, he passed all but one test with flying colors.

10. QB Blaine Gabbert (Jacksonville Jaguars): C

Contrary to what many people thought in Jacksonville, the rookie quarterback out of Missouri didn't start the season as the starter under center. Luke McCown got the nod in the opener against Tennessee and (surprisingly!) won.

Then the Jaguars traveled to New Jersey to play the Jets.

*shudders*

For lack of a better word, McCown...struggled...against the Jets and Gabbert was given his first pop quiz against the Jets. He did very well, going 5-for-6 for 52 yards.

Then came his first two tests: Carolina and New Orleans. Against Carolina, Gabbert completed 57 percent of his passes for a touchdown and an interception. Against New Orleans, Gabbert completed 38 percent of his passes for a touchdown and an interception. He lost both games.

I'll grade him on a curve and bump him up from a C- to a C because of how terrible his wide receivers are and how poorly the offensive line has played.

Also factored in is how little head coach Jack Del Rio has used Maurice Jones-Drew, one of the best running backs in the league, in Gabbert's first two starts. In the last two games, Gabbert has gone back for passes 74 times, whereas Jones-Drew and backup running back Deji Karim only have 44 carries combined.

The more the Jaguars can lean on their running game, the better Gabbert's stock will improve this season. Left to carry a team by himself, he's average at best at this point in his career.

11. DE J.J. Watt (Houston Texans): A

The Houston Texans are tied for the lead in the AFC South, own the 10th-ranked pass defense and have a defensive line that has gotten to opposing quarterbacks 12 times through the first four games of the season.

Mario Williams may be getting all the praise (and Pro Bowl votes), but it's because rookie J.J. Watt excels in the head coach Gary Kubiak's 3-4 defense.

Williams plays mostly out of the right outside linebacker spot and uses Watt, who absorbs the block at the right defensive end spot, to get to the quarterback. Williams would not be as good as he is if Watt didn't excel.

Even in a position that is so often overlooked and taken for granted by viewers, Watt has collected a sack, not to mention 14 tackles.

Watt is as good a 3-4 defensive end as there is out there, and the success of Williams only proves it.

12. QB Christian Ponder (Minnesota Vikings): Incomplete

Christian Ponder is in a similar position to Jake Locker. Both quarterbacks are rookies, they were both taken by teams that lean on their running games and they are both sitting behind a veteran quarterback that probably only has one or two years left in the tank.

But Locker's Titans are excelling and Ponder's Vikings are 0-4, meaning that the rookie quarterback out of Florida State will probably be thrown into a game situation before Locker.

There's nothing to grade the Senior Bowl MVP on. He did well in the preseason against backups, but he has yet to see the field in a regular season game.

It'll most likely be a bittersweet season for fans. The NFC North is the strongest division in football, and the Vikings are looking like they'll battle Chicago for third in the division. But they'll get to see if their quarterback of the future can replicate the kind of success he had in college in the pros.

13. DT Nick Fairley (Detroit Lions): Incomplete

If you're a football fan in Detroit, you're used to disappointment. In fact, you just come to expect it. So when first-round draft pick Nick Fairley fractured his foot on August 1, the Lions faithful weren't phased. Heck, even Steve Janus over at BetFirm.com predicted Detroit to finish second in the NFC North and contend for the Wild Card spot.

Then Week 1 came and the Lions...won?

And they did in Week 2 as well. And Week 3? A comeback in Week 4?

Now, contending for a Wild Card spot isn't enough for Lions fans. They're in the hunt for the NFC North crown. And all without the first-round draft pick who was going to pair with Ndamukong Suh and terrorize Aaron Rodgers for the next decade.

Thirty-one-year-old Corey Williams is doing a good job of keeping Fairley's seat warm until he can return. For now, Fairley has a front-row seat to a defensive line that has collected nine sacks through four games this season.

14. DE Robert Quinn (St. Louis Rams): C-

I have a feeling that after the first four weeks of the season, Rams fans are wishing their team had taken Ryan Kerrigan instead of Robert Quinn.

Quinn, who was drafted with the 14th overall draft pick, started the season on the bench and had to work his way into the lineup.

In his first NFL game, Quinn got a sack against the New York Giants stout offensive line but then sank into obscurity against Baltimore and wouldn't have been noticed in the Washington game except for the forced fumble he had on Redskins running back Ryan Torain.

He's got a sack, a forced fumble, three tackles and a spot on the inactive list through the first four weeks of the season. Hardly worth the $5.3 million signing bonus they gave him. Just below average as far as defensive ends go.

15. OL Mike Pouncey (Miami Dolphins): B-

Mike Pouncey is one of the highest-drafted centers in the history of the NFL, going 15th overall to Miami . Although the Dolphins have struggled to an 0-4 record amid rumors about head coach Tony Sparano's job being in jeopardy, Pouncey has done very well, opening holes in the middle of the defensive line for running backs Reggie Bush and Daniel Thomas.

Bush, hardly what you'd consider a power back, is averaging 4.4 yards per carry through the middle of the line. Thomas was getting 6.1 yards per carry through the middle before he got hurt.

But, Pouncey is one of five guys charged to protect quarterback Chad Henne from hits, and through four games, he's been sacked 11 times.

He's good, but not worth the highest overall draft pick for a center since Steve Everitt was taken by the Cleveland Browns in 1993.

16. DE Ryan Kerrigan (Washington Redskins): A

Ryan Kerrigan is giving the Washington Redskins the one thing most teams never get from a rookie: consistency.

In Week 1 against the New York Giants, he had five tackles, a pass defended and an interception return for a touchdown.

In Week 2 against the Arizona Cardinals, he had three tackles, two passes defended and a sack.

In Week 3 against the Dallas Cowboys, he had four tackles, was in on a sack and had a forced fumble.

In Week 4 against the St. Louis Rams, he had six tackles, a sack and a forced fumbles.

He doesn't just pile up stats one week and go invisible for the next few games. He's one of the most consistent players in the NFL, rookie or not.

17. OL Nate Solder (New England Patriots): B+

The 6'8" behemoth also known as Nate Solder is why Tom Brady is leading the league in passing with 1,553 yards, why opposing defensive ends have only sacked Brady four times this season and why New England running backs are averaging over 4.0 yards per carry on the right side of the offensive line.

Solder is an absolute beast who had every reason to be the last first-round pick signed and squeeze every dime out of Robert Kraft's pocket. He's given up a sack through the first four games, so Solder only garners a B+. Otherwise, he'd be a top-tier offensive tackle.

18. DT Corey Liuget (San Diego Chargers): D+

Corey Liuget is one of several defensive linemen who are woefully under-performing for their clubs.

Like Robert Quinn of the St. Louis Rams, Liuget has been inactive for one week due to injury for San Diego and only seen limited action in the three games where he's dressed. He's only made three tackles so far this season.

The Chargers need Liuget to perform like he did at Illinois. He's been a part of a lot of snaps, but if that Chargers defense, which is allowing 101.5 rushing yards a game, doesn't improve the Chargers will lose their grip on the AFC West.

19. CB Prince Amukamara (New York Giants): Incomplete

When Prince Amukamara injured his foot during the summer, it was expected that he would be able to come back in the first few weeks of the season.

That timetable has been pushed back several times and is now slated for the end of October or the beginning of November. Until then, Giants fans will have to wait and see if the former Nebraska standout is worth being the 19th selection in the 2011 NFL Draft.

20. DL Adrian Clayborn (Tampa Bay Buccaneers): B

Adrian Clayborn may have started the season slow, but he is more than making up for it the past two weeks.

In Tampa Bay's first two games against Detroit and Minnesota, Clayborn had just two tackles and a pass defended. Nothing spectacular.

In the team's most recent two games, Clayborn has four tackles, two sacks, two quarterback pressures and a forced fumble. 

More than that, Clayborn is doing exactly what the Buccaneers hoped he'd do, which is make it easier for other defensive linemen to get to the quarterback. The 3-1 Bucs have 10 sacks through four games, largely because of Clayborn's speed off the snap and penchant for causing disruption at the point of attack.

He's an all-around solid defensive end that probably won't make a Pro Bowl any time soon, but will keep quarterbacks out of the pocket and slower offensive linemen frustrated.

21. DL Phil Taylor (Cleveland Browns): B

Phil Taylor is an incredible player by himself. He's made 20 tackles, collected a sack and even got all 335 pounds of himself up high enough to bat down a pass from Kerry Collins.

But part of Taylor's grade comes with how well the entire line performs. Are they stuffing the run? Are they pressuring the quarterback?

If it was on individual merit alone, I'd give Taylor a "B+." He holds the point of attack incredibly well and has absorbed blocks so well that the Browns have 11 sacks through the first four games. But when you factor in that Cleveland's run defense is 24th in the league, allowing 124.5 yards per game, the grade goes down just a bit.

22. OL Anthony Castonzo (Indianapolis Colts): B-

Where to begin for the Indianapolis Colts?

When Castonzo was drafted out of Boston College, he had to be thanking his lucky stars that he was going to get plugged into one of the most efficient offensive systems in the league led by one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history.

But then Peyton Manning injured his neck and the team scrambled to find a replacement. Instead of signing a quarterback, the Colts went a more unorthodox route and got Kerry Collins.

In terms of rush blocking, Castonzo is superb. Running backs Joseph Addai and Delone West are averaging over 5.0 yards per carry on the left side of the line.

In terms of pass blocking, he's part of a line that's allowed 10 sacks on their quarterback, four of which happened the night he left with an ankle injury.

Castonzo can (and probably will) be a good lineman; he just needs some stability on offense. It's between a "B-" and a "C+." I'll go a little higher just because of all the chaos surrounding the Colts organization these days and how hard it must be to learn blocking schemes in that environment. 

23. OL Danny Watkins (Philadelphia Eagles): Incomplete

No, Philadelphia hasn't cut Danny Watkins, but from watching Eagles games this season, you'd think so.

Head coach Andy Reid declared him not ready to start for the season opener, and through the month of September, hasn't wavered on his opinion. The 27-year-old is currently learning the Eagles offense and reminiscing about his days as a firefighter in Kelowna, British Columbia.

Seriously.

24. DE Cameron Jordan (New Orleans Saints): C

The New Orleans Saints drafted Cameron Jordan out of California for a number of reasons.

First, they wanted him to work hard in training camp, excel in the preseason and become the starter at defensive end.

Well, mission accomplished. Jordan has started every game this season.

Second, they wanted him to sack the quarterback.

*sound of someone swinging a baseball bat and not hitting the ball*

Jordan may have lined up as the starter for the Saints this season, but he's about as average as it gets when it comes to defensive end. He's caused a little pressure and flushed Jacksonville's Blaine Gabbert out of the pocket on Sunday, but this season, he only has nine tackles, zero sacks and zero passes defended.

25. OL James Carpenter (Seattle Seahawks): C+

If there's one thing Seattle did pretty well last season, it was pass protection. Opposing defensive ends only got to ex-Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck 29 times.

What they were missing was a run game.

Running back Marshawn Lynch led the team with only 573 yards. Justin Forsett wasn't far behind with 523 yards. After that, Leon Washington was third on the stat sheet with 100 yards.

So what did Seattle do? They went out and got James Carpenter from Alabama, a man used to plowing down defenders and leading the way for Mark Ingram.

With Carpenter at right tackle, the Seahawks have done marginally better than last year. Lynch has rushed for 141 yards through four games and averages 3.6 yards per carry when going to Carpenter's right side.

But Carpenter is also part of a line that has gotten quarterback Tarvaris Jackson sacked 14 times, several of which were the rookie's fault.

He's performed well and earned praise from head coach Pete Carroll. But he's still just above average in his first four games.

26. WR Jonathan Baldwin (Kansas City Chiefs): Incomplete

You know the drill: team drafts player, player misses organized team activities due to lockout, player injures himself, player ruled out of every regular season game until now, player hopes to replicate success he had in college, rinse, repeat.

The most recent report out of Kansas City says that he's traveling with the team, catching passes in pregame warm-up sessions and participating in limited weekday practices.

27. CB Jimmy Smith (Baltimore Ravens): Incomplete

When the Ravens drafted Jimmy Smith, they thought they were getting the best cover corner in the draft. The rookie out of Colorado was a first-team All-Big 12 selection in 2011, an Honorable Mention All-Big 12 by the Associated Press in 2010 and a second-team All-Big 12 by the Associated Press in 2009.

But after an inconsistent preseason where he shined with the best of them and then gave up long touchdowns, Smith was injured in the first regular season game against the Steelers.

Baltimore still has the eighth-ranked pass defense in the league, giving up only 230.8 yards per game, but a shut down corner opposite Cary Williams will be a welcome sight to any Ravens fan.

28. RB Mark Ingram (New Orleans Saints): B

New Orleans may not know how 2009 Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram fell into their laps, but they knew exactly what to do when he was available at the 28th pick in the first-round.

So far, Ingram has impressed, carrying 53 times for 184 yards and a touchdown through four games. He's not being asked to do a lot because the Saints are (and always will be as long as Drew Brees is behind center) a pass-first team.

I'd like to see him do a bit better than his 3.5 yards per carry, but other than that complaint, Ingram is doing everything asked of him. Nothing more and nothing less.

29. OL Gabe Carimi (Chicago Bears): D+

Chicago drafted Gabe Carimi to help them with their pathetic pass blocking. The 6'7", 315 pound gargantuan looked like Goliath, but played like David.

(But didn't David win in the end? Never mind, you get it.)

Carimi may currently be injured, but he played two weeks for the Bears and was part of an offensive line that allowed Chicago to rush for an average of 96.2 yards a game which was in the bottom half of the league.

Factor in that Jay Cutler has been sacked a league-high 15 times, and you've got the entire offensive line hiding under their desks when grades are being handed out.

30. DT Muhammad Wilkerson (New York Jets): B-

Muhammad Wilkerson was counted out leading up to the NFL Draft last spring. People just wrote him off as a college player who excelled when going up against weak opponents.

Who can really blame them? The rookie from Temple played the likes of Buffalo, Bowling Green and Akron every year.

But he was good enough for Rex Ryan and has impressed so far. By himself, the defensive end has six tackles and a sack through four games, but he absorbs tackles and has allowed Bart Scott to collect two sacks of his own.

The bad news is, the Jets defense has allowed 130.5 yards per game on the ground, tied for 27th in the league. Wilkerson plays a big role in stuffing the run in Ryan's 3-4 defense, and he needs to get better for the Jets to compete with the Patriots in the AFC East.

31. DT Cam Heyward (Pittsburgh Steelers): B-

Pittsburgh drafted Cam Heyward to be the starter, but thus far, he's been a backup for the first four weeks of the season. He only has three tackles, which is sad because the Steelers need someone to help turn around a run defense that is allowing opponents to rush for 119.5 yards a game.

He's done his part at a right defensive end spot that's absorbed enough hits to allow James Harrison to collect two sacks and for Lawrence Timmons to roam free and make 25 tackles. It's just that run defense that's the problem for Pittsburgh and a big reason why they're only 2-2 and last in the AFC North.

32. OL Derek Sherrod (Green Bay Packers): Incomplete

There's not much to say about Green Bay's rookie lineman Derek Sherrod. He's currently backing up veteran guard T.J. Lang and has only been in one game (the 49-23 blowout against Denver).

I'm going to give him an incomplete. They're going to do everything they can to bring Sherrod along slowly given the way rookies have been rushed into the NFL due to the lockout.