NFC South Draft Grades

Atlanta Falcons

1(6) Jake Matthews (OT, Texas A&M)

2(37) Ra’Shede Hageman (DT, Minnesota)

3(68) Dezmen Southward (FS, Wisconsin)

4(103) Devonta Freeman (RB, Florida State)

4(139) Prince Shembo (LB, Notre Dame)

5(147) Ricardo Allen (CB, Purdue)

5(168) Marquis Spruill (LB, Syracuse)

7(253) Yawin Smallwood (LB, Connecticut)

7(255) Tyler Starr (LB, South Dakota)

Best Pick: Jake Matthews

This guy was the safest pick in the entire draft. He has ability to play at a near all-pro level right now. He is the safest bet to be an All-Pro that I have seen in 5 years. His NFL bloodline is legendary. Dad in the Hall of Fame, uncle a pro-bowler, cousin a pro-bowler, other cousin in the NFL, brother a D1 athlete and future 1st rounder. This stuff is incredible. These guys are quite good and Jake may end up being the 2nd best behind dad. What a pick by Atlanta.

Summary: This draft had quality written all over it. The Falcons were weak on the lines on both sides of the ball and upgraded both sides with the 1^st two picks. Not to mention that they got a guy from THE NFL bloodline who was the safest pick in this draft. Matthews has NFL All-Pro written all over him. The top 7 picks will all compete for spots on the team and immediate playing time. Very quality draft from top to bottom and the little FSU RB will show flashes of WD. No complaints on the Falcons draft. It is near the top.

Grade: A-

Undrafted Free Agents

Geraldo Boldewijn (WR, Boise State)

Brenden Daley (LB, Hawaii)

Nosa Eguae (DL, Auburn)

Tay Glover-Wright (CB, Utah State)

Maurice Hagens (FB, Miami)

Julian Jones (WR, Arkansas State)

Freddie Martino (WR, North Greenville)

Jeff Matthews (QB, Cornell)

Roosevelt Nix (FB, Kansas State)

Jacob Pederson (TE, Wisconsin)

Bernard Reedy (WR, Toledo)

Donte Rumph (NT, Kentucky)

Jacques Smith (LB, Tennessee)

Jerome Smith (RB, Syracuse)

James Stone (OL, Tennessee)

Tremaine Thompson (WR, Kansas State)

Brian Wozniak (TE, Wisconsin)

Matthews is just as good as several QBs that actually got drafted. He will compete for a roster spot and it won't be shocking if he is the #2 guy coming into the season. Great depth move. 

Jerome Smith is a good complement to Freeman and good replacement for Jason Snelling. He can pass block and catch. He doesn't have a lot of elusiveness, but he will get in there and get yardage.

I realize why they signed these wide receivers after the injuries caused serious problems last year, but this group is extremely unimpressive.

Brian Wozniak is a fantastic blocking tight end. He has hands of stone, but his ability in goal line packages will be very useful. If he can catch better, he will be much more useful. His teammate Pederson was the best signing of the group by far. Both the Wisconsin TEs should make this squad.

Glover-Wright also should make this squad. The Falcons got a lot younger and more talented through the draft and these signings.

Carolina Panthers

1(28) Kelvin Benjamin (WR, Florida State)

2(60) Kony Ealy (DE, Missouri)

3(92) Trai Turner (OG, LSU)

4(128) Tre Boston (SS, North Carolina)

5(148) Bene Benwikere (CB, San Jose State)

6(204) Tyler Gaffney (RB, Stanford)

Best Pick: Kelvin Benjamin

I want to say that Trai Turner was the best pick and this was the hardest decision for me, but Benjamin has too much upside. Not only that, but Newton desperately needed a WR and Benjamin was the best guy available. This guy has a huge catch raidus and an even bigger ceiling. After only playing football for 3 years prior to this past season, Benjamin made a major impact for the National Champions. This guy is an impact player from Day 1, that will keep getting better and better. I don't think Cam is complaining about a guy that can make plays like the one in the photo.

Summary: The Panthers had the 4th best draft. They were right below the top three of Baltimore, Houston, and a team yet to be revealed. They got 6 pretty great players and were very efficient with all of their picks. Their best move of the draft was staying put and not trading up like the Cowboys. The Cowboys even questioned themselves after they gave their picks to Washington because the Panthers got such great value. Dallas moved up and got someone worse than who the Panthers got at 60 in Ealy. The Panthers also got an immediate starter at guard in Trai Turner round 3. Staying put worked wonders for them. By staying put in Round 1, the Panthers got the guy with the most upside in the entire draft.

Grade: A-

Undrafted Free Agents
Denicos Allen (LB, Michigan State)

Philly Brown (WR, Ohio State)
Carrington Byndom (DB, Texas)
David Foucault (OL, Canada)
Marcus Lucas (WR, Missouri)
Andrew Norwell (OL, Ohio State)
Darrin Reaves (RB, UAB)
Shaq Rowell (NT, West Virginia)
Jared Wheeler (OL, Miami)

The Panthers are not incredibly deep at receiver or returner so Philly Brown has a solid chance of making this team.
Byndom regressed a bit the past few seasons at Texas, but he has talent. As a contributor on special teams and a potential guy down the road, he could make this team.
Lucas adds depth, flexibility, and most importantly size to the WR position. While he will likely be a 4th or 5th WR, Lucas's frame in the endzone will be force to be wreckoned with. Especially when you consider he will be paired with the monsters Kelvin Benjamin and Greg Olsen. This was a good signing.
Allen is undersized, but he is the best undrafted free agent signing in the division. This guy has it all except for size. He is a football player and he racked up 11 sacks last season. This guy is making this football team. Still not a guarantee to make the roster, but he is a good football player with tremendous heart. Give the little guy a chance.

New Orleans Saints

1(20) Brandin Cooks (WR, Oregon State)

2(58) Stanley Jean-Baptiste (CB, Nebraska)

4(126) Khairi Fortt (LB, California)

5(167) Vinnie Sunseri (DB, Alabama)

5(169) Ronald Powell (LB, Florida)

6(202) Tavon Rooks (OT, Kansas State)

Best Pick: Ronald Powell

How does a linebacker from the arch-rival make the best pick for a team? Three reasons, honesty, plamaking ability, and an unspectacular draft from the team that picked him. Despite losing to Georgia Southern (who didn't throw a pass) and going 4-8, the Florida Gators had some talent on defense. The most talented player on that defense not returning to school is Ronald Powell. The Saints selected Powell in the 5th round where he provided great value. The linebacker ran the 4th fastest 40 time at his position showcasing his athleticism. He was the #1 DE in the country coming out of high school and then the terrible coaching at Florida helped him regress every season. Look at the tape and his production because I am not joking he regressed. However, injuries had a big part of that the last two years. That being said he is a terrific athlete with a high upside if he gets good coaching and stays healthy.

Summary: Eventhough he is a Gator, the Ronald Powell pick was fantastic at that point in the draft. The upside of picking Powell is tremendous. Unfortunately, that was the only above average selection for the Saints who just had average picks the rest of the way. I love Brandin Cooks and think he can be really good, but I hate how they got him. He is the 5th best receiver in this draft and they traded up to get him. They traded away extra picks to get a guy worse than the guy that Carolina got later in the draft. Again, showing why Carolina benefited from staying put. New Orleans did not benefit from giving up the extra picks.

Grade: C+

Undrafted Free Agents
Matt Armstrong (OC, Grand Valley State)

Brandon Coleman (WR, Rutgers)
Brian Dixon (CB, Northwest Missouri State)
Kasim Edebali (LB, Boston College)
Tim Flanders (RB, Sam Houston State)
Spencer Hadley (LB, BYU)
Je'Ron Hamm (WR/TE, Louisiana Monroe)
Nic Jacobs (TE, McNeese State)
Seantavius Jones (WR, Valdosta State)
Logan Kilgore (QB, Middle Tennessee State)
Brandon McCray (DT, Lousiana-Lafayette)
Micajah Reynolds (OL, Michigan State)
George Uko (DE, Southern California)
Chidera Uzo-Diribe (LB, Colorado)
Lawrence Virgil (DE, Valdosta State)
Pierre Warren (S, Jacksonville State)
Ty Zimmerman (S, Kansas State)

Coleman is a willing blocker and has a lot of potential. This is the type of guy you look for after the draft. The Saints are thrilled to have landed him in this low-risk spot.
George Uko has a great chance to make this roster as a pass rusher and even make the defensive line rotation. Another solid signing.
Edebali is pretty inexperienced being from Germany, but he has great talent and potential. He should also have a good chance of making the roster and was a solid signing.
Zimmerman is good and versatile, but unlikely to contribute right away. He could provide depth if one of the top 2 guys gets hurt, but the Saints look to be fine at safety.
Warren is the most likely to get cut on this list. He is the least talented, playing at a position where the Saints have 2 All-Pro level players, and a worse football player than another undrafted FA in Zimmerman.
Kilgore has fantastic size and arm strength. He is the sleeper of this entire group of undrafted free agents.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

1(7) Mike Evans (WR, Texas A&M)

2(38) Austin Seferian-Jenkins (TE, Washington)

3(69) Charles Sims (RB, West Virginia)

5(143) Kadeem Edwards (OG, Tennessee State)

5(149) Kevin Pamphile (OT, Purdue)

6(185) Robert Herron (WR, Wyoming)

Best Pick: Mike Evans

Mike Glennon could not be happier. They get the guy who I think is the best WR in this draft. The ultra-talented Mike Evans. This guy will be fantastic for Tampa and gives them one of the best WR tandems in the league. The tandem could prove to be better than all the others in a few years. Now, we really get to see what Glennon can do. Many scouts were saying that Evans made Manziel and I agree for the most part. If you watch the tape, Mike Evans is fantastic. Like Kelvin Benjamin, Mike Evans has only played 3 full years of football. This guy has limitless potential. Fantastic pick by the Bucs.

Summary: The Bucs hit a home run with Evans, but did nothing else exciting in the draft. The other players provide depth, but little more and every one was slightly overdrafted in my opinion. Although I am slightly intrigued by Sims who could add to this backfield. This team didn't blow any picks though completely and got guys who held some value. It was your typical above average draft when you factor in the future all-pro player joining the Bucs. 

Grade: B

Undrafted Free Agents
Nate Askew (LB, Texas A&M)
Josh Allen (C, Louisiana-Monroe)
Aaron Burks (WR, Boise State)
Chris Burnette (OG, Georgia)
Euclid Cummings (DT, Georgia Tech)
Ryne Giddens (DE, South Florida)
Tony Hurd Jr. (DB, Texas A&M)
Steven Jenkins (LB, Texas A&M)
Keith Lewis (CB, Virginia-Lynchburg)
Andrew Miller (OL, Virginia Tech)
Matt Patchan (OT, Boston College)
Solomon Patton (WR, Florida)
Brett Smith (QB, Wyoming)
Jeremy Smith (RB, Oklahoma State)
Chaz Sutton (DE, South Carolina)
Mycal Swaim (S, Eastern Michigan)

Patton ran a 4.3 40 and has pretty good hands. Don't hold it against him that he didn't have a QB capable of getting him the ball. He could be quite good in the pros.
Andrew Miller has played guard and center in the past and offers a great deal of versatility if he makes the team.
Many are shocked that Askew wasn't drafted. I am not as he wasn't very good on an awful defense. However, he holds some value as an undrafted free agent. He is a converted WR who only played one season of defense and is still learning defense. His ability to work in space could be an ideal fit for Lovie's Tampa 2 defense.
Some have reported Keith Lewis can run a 4.2 40. Although, a 40 yard time isn't indicative of pro success, it is definitely worth a shot as a cheap undrafted free agent.

Matt Patchan will make the team and stick in the NFL if, and its a big if, he can stay healthy. Patchan was so frequently injured that he had 6 years of eligibility.
It is hard to find explosive interior defensive lineman which gives Euclid Cummings a shot at a roster spot.
Chris Burnette is another guy that can make this squad and probably the last from the undrafted free agent group.

-Noland