Looking Back At My Draft Grades

It is difficult to really reflect on a draft until at least three years out, but we are going to try to look at my draft grades from last year in this post. All of my draft grades can be found before the section that I discuss so they are there for your reference.

AFC East
I gave the Bills a B for their draft class and I think that is a solid grade still today. They gave up way too much to move up to get Sammy Watkins in a deep receiver class. He was outperformed by Kelvin Benjamin, Mike Evans, and Odell Beckham Jr. yet the Bills moved up to nab him and don't have a 1st rounder this year as a result. However, their pick of Seantrel Henderson was magnificient as I stated at the time.Henderson was picked in the 7th round and started all 16 games. Great value for Buffalo with that pick.
I said the Dolphins reached on Juwan James and James had a decent rookie season. He started all 16 games and turned out to be a solid round 1 selection or at least it appears that way right now. However, Billy Turner who I said was the Dolphins best pick, has yet to make a start. The draft class is still pretty weak, but James has been better than I thought. I would put their best pick as Jarvis Landry if I were filling this out today.
The Patriots won the Super Bowl and had a decent draft class. I gave them a D+ which was probably a bit harsh. However, I said their best pick was Bryan Stork which is not really arguable. Stork was a starter for the Pats at Center and a key piece of the Super Bowl run. The real value in this class will be decided though when Brady hangs up his cleats and it becomes Garoppolo's team.
Finally, I raved about the Jets class and especially Calvin Pryor. He was good, but not great and was not the defensive rookie of the year as I imagined. However, he still has a lot of potential and I am excited about that pick still. Not much else came out of this draft class though and I think I may have been a little too bullish about it.

AFC North
The Baltimore Ravens had one of the best drafts around. I firmly stand by the fact that their draft was quite good. Timmy Jernigan who was their best pick according to me had a fine rookie season.Terrance Brooks was playing well prior to his injury. Brooks and Jernigan were not full time starters as expected, but great picks. CJ Mosely was a starter as expected and performed even better than I thought he would. Mosely had 133 tackles and was the runner-up for NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and was named to the Pro Bowl. My most accurate prediction about the draft for the Ravens though was that undrafted free agent James Hurst was an absolute steal. If they re-did the draft he would go in the first 15 picks. Hurst was the starting left tackle for the Ravens and on one of the best lines in the entire NFL. Hurst was a superstar all year for Baltimore.
Hurst's college teammate Russell Bodine was the best pick for the Bengals as I stated last year. Bodine was a 16 game starter for Cincinnati and helped lead them to the playoffs. Eventhough their 1st round pick provided very little last year, Cincinnati had immediate returns from this class that rivals any team. Jeremy Hill was great for the Bengals and I'd rate this draft even higher if I did it today. However, I still hate the AJ McCarron pick.
The Browns draft was worse than I thought. I had it at a C+, but I'd change it to a D- today. It didn't swing the right way and Johnny Manziel was an absolute disaster as predicted. They also did not keep either of the Noles that they signed. The good news for Cleveland is that they got great value out of signing the undrafted Connor Shaw.
As always, the Steelers had a very solid draft. Their best pick was Martavis Bryant not Stephon Tuitt as I predicted. Well that is for last year at least, Tuitt could develop into quite the player. During the 2014 season though, Bryant caught 8 touchdowns. He wasn't selected until the 4th round either. Their season went as I expected out of their draft picks, just very solid all around. Nothing spectacular, but quite solid.

AFC South
I had the Houston Texans draft listed as being spectacular and Louis Nix was a big reason why. However, Nix ended up having his 3rd knee surgery and did not play a game. It appears that NFL teams did their homework with Nix and his knee and that is why he fell. Jadeavon Clowney's injury also impacted this draft class a great deal, but it was a solid class. The book is still open on what Tom Savage can do, Sua Filo looks like he can be a decent guard, CJ Fiedorowicz caught a TD, Alfred Blue had a 100 yard game and 3 touchdowns, and Jay Prosch had 5 starts.
Donte Moncrief does seem to be the best player in what was a weak draft for the Colts. Jonathan Newsome and Jack Mewhort were also solid as rookies. However, there is nothing spectacular in this class by any means.
Telvin Smith was not only the best pick by the Jaguars, but the best pick of the entire draft. What incredible value Smith provided and I would bump up their entire draft because of it. Telvin Smith had 104 tackles in what was a spectacular rookie season. Blake Bortles still has plenty of time to develop and has 3000 yards passing, but didn't do anything special as a rookie. The second best pick the Jaguars had was another ACC guy in Luke Bowanko. The Virginia product started 14 games for the Jags and did a good job at center. That was an impressive class the Jags had.
Taylor Lewan disappointed for the Titans and only started 6 games. He leaves a lot to be desired on the line and it looks like I may have overrated the youngster. If not for finding a solid QB in the 6th round this draft would have been a disaster. The emergence of Zach Mettenberger as the starter could save this class. Mettenberger had a QB rating of 83.4 last season and will likely be the Titans starter in 2015.

AFC West
I think the Broncos had a quite weak draft and stand by my below average grade. Roby was solid, but the rest was disappointing. Wasting a 2nd rounder on Cody Latimer with all the depth at WR in the last draft was a huge miscalculation. He was not and is not a top 15 receiver in that draft for me. How did he go in Round 2?
De'Anthony Thomas only got 14 rushing attempts in 2014, but turned those attempts into 113 yards and just may have been the Chiefs top pick in 2014. The biggest reason I believe that has nothing to do with Thomas and more to do with the junk around him.
Khalil Mack had a really solid rookie season for Oakland, but not a top 5 season. He was not their best pick as I stated. It appears that they may have found their QB though which skyrockets this class. Derek Carr threw for 3200 yards and 21 touchdowns and appears to be a solid guy for Oakland. If Carr turns into a franchise QB, than this class was fantastic. Either way, he appears to be the 2nd best QB of this class (some say the best) and was great value in the 2nd round. Carr was easily their best pick. The Raiders also found a starting guard in Gabe Jackson. Solid draft from Oakland especially if Carr and Mack pan out.
I raved last year about the Chargers selection of Jeremiah Attaochu. He had a great debut as well, but then virtually disappeared the remainder of the season. Quite disappointing. Jason Verrett likewise did nothing as a rookie. It is hard to give a team an above average grade when their first two picks do virtually nothing over the season. This draft class as far as production was probably the worst as rookies. I gave them a B, but they were awful. Hopefully, they produce more this season for the sake of their fans.

NFC East
Zach Martin being picked by the Cowboys allowed them to have the best offensive line in the entire NFL and helped them win the division. It was a fantastic selection as I pointed out at the time. As a whole I was unfair to the rest of this draft because the trade to get Demarcus Lawrence was so bad. It was just that bad. Each of the picks they traded to get up to take Lawrence are and will continue to be better pros than him. However, this was a solid draft in some spots. I vastly underrated Anthony Hitchens who had a decent rookie season for one.
When the Giants selected Odell Beckham Jr., I stated that he would be one of 4 fantastic rookie receivers along with Kelvin Benjamin, Mike Evans, and Sammy Watkins. It seemed to me that picking between them was like splitting hairs and I was right about that. Each was quite productive, but it was Beckham that was Rookie of the Year. He was also the guy that ended up with one of the best catches in NFL history. You won't remember much else about that Giants class, but you can't complain about the Beckham pick.
Marcus Smith compiled 0 stats for the Eagles in 2014 so based on last year it is difficult to justify him as being the best pick by the team. It seems though that it was just a weak team draft overall. The bright spot had to be Jordan Matthews and his 872 yards and 8 touchdowns. Matthews will likely be the Eagles #1 WR in 2015.
Although I would say it was a poor roster decision Morgan Moses only started 1 game in 2014. Based on that season, it is difficult to justify him as their best pick. I would have to say that Bashaud Breeland was the top Redskins rookie. Breeland played a pretty darn good corner for Washington and was a great pick in the 4th round. I talked about how I liked that pick at the time, but I thought the Moses pick was slightly better. I may have slightly overrated this class, but I still have high hopes for Moses and stand by the fact that Breeland and Seastrunk were fantastic selections.

NFC North
The Chicago Bears had a solid draft last year and I predicted that it would be that way. Their top pick according to me was Brock Vereen and he had a solid rookie season. Vereen ended up starting 4 games and made some plays for the Bears as their 4th round pick. Their first round pick Kyle Fuller was also quite good and he was able to make 14 starts. Fuller played a solid corner for the Bears last season. Charles Leno also got a start for the Bears despite being a 7th round selection.
I thought Travis Swanson would start from Day 1 and was a fantastic selection for Detroit. He was a solid selection in round 3, but he made 5 starts and not 16 as I anticipated. Ebron was a bit of a reach and did not produce much. It will be interesting to see what he does in the future. I had Detroit's draft at a C- and that seems about right. With Swanson's struggles I think my assessment is even more accurate that this draft was below average.
I raved about the Packers selection of Jared Abbrederis in Round 5, but he played 0 snaps in 2014. Ha Ha Clinton-Dix was a solid pickup and made an immediate impact as expected. Richard Rodgers proved to be good value as I said and his 2 touchdown grabs as a rookie to go with 5 starts show signs of promise. Linsley was even better value as a 16 game starter out of Round 5. The C proved to be the strongest pick of the draft to date. I also stated Bradford was good value and he accumulated no stats
The Vikings draft depends on the success of Tedy Bridgewater, but the early returns are good and they got him at a great spot. David Yankey was not their best pick based on early returns as he didn't see the field. McKinnon got lots of PT early because of the Adrian Peterson disaster last year. Anthony Barr had a very solid rookie season just as expected.

NFC South
I gave the Falcons a top 10 draft grade because overall they picked quite well. Jake Matthews was the safest pick in the draft as I said at the time and started 15 games. He will be a great tackle for them for years to come and was clearly their top selection. Their second pick Ra'Shede Hageman was a huge disappointment in year 1 though and had virtually 0 production. Former FSU RB Devonta Freeman played in all 16 games and caught a TD, as well as rushing for a TD. Freeman has a bright future in Atlanta. Prince Shembo started 3 games at LB and recorded 59 tackles as a high value 4th rounder.
At pick 28 Kelvin Benjamin was the best value in Round 1. Well unless Tedy Bridgewater develops that is. Benjamin had 78 catches for 1,008 yards and 9 touchdowns despite erratic quarterback play. He proved what I was saying about the top receivers having very little seperating them and was tremendous value for Carolina. Kony Ealy had 4 sacks and an INT and looks to gain even more playing time in 2015. Trading down to get him was a fantastic idea. 3rd round pick Trai Turner had 9 starts. 4th round safety Tre Boston had 5 starts. 5th round corner Bene Benwikere had 6 starts. The majority of their selections ended up starting which is why this draft was rated in the top 3. I'd go so far as to say because this team easily had the best draft in the division they were able to repeat as NFC South Champs. The rookies made the difference in the division race.
Before injury himself for the season, Brandin Cooks may have been on pace for a Rookie of the Year campaign. The future is bright for Cooks. I said though that New Orleans' best pick was Ronald Powell the former Gator linebacker. Powell only recorded 2 tackles and showed why you should never trust a UF football player. Other than Cooks this draft had zero production and through year 1 would have to be graded lower than the C+ grade I gave it.
Finally, Jameis Winston's future home in Tampa. Mike Evans did not disappoint at all in his rookie season. He was as good as I said he was and caught 12 TD passes. Evans also had 68 catches for 1,051 yards. Not only was he the Bucs top choice, but he may have been the best receiver in a loaded class. Sefarian Jenkins caught 2 TDs and shows promise. I was also intrigued by Charles Sims who provided very little help. In 2014 the Bucs did nothing to address their weaknesses along the offensive line or at QB and it showed. However, that lack of addressing QB will work to their advantage when they select Mr. Winston at the end of the month.

NFC West
Not taking Bridgewater in Round 1 was a colossal mistake for the Arizona Cardinals. Had Tedy been the QB and not Ryan Lindley, they would have won the Super Bowl IMO. Pittsburgh State receiver John Brown did have a solid rookie year to save a weak draft for the Cardinals. He had 48 catches for 696 yards and 5 touchdowns.Bucannon had a decent rookie season in being selected over Bridgewater as he had 9 starts. However, he wasn't the impact in Round 1 that several other players could have been. This draft goes down as a major missed opportunity for Arizona.
I said that I thought the 49ers reached in each of the 1st two rounds. Their first pick Jimmie Ward spent the majority of the year injured and confirmed my suspicions that he was a reach. Carlos Hyde will be the top back in San Francisco and I like that he is in fold, but I still think it was a reach. The reason I say it was a reach is I hate when backs are selected before round 3 unless it is an absolute game changer like Adrian Peterson. Carlos Hyde is not that level in my opinion. I thought that Marcus Martin was their best pick and moving forward that appears to be true. Martin started 8 games and the best competition he had for their top pick was Chris Borland who just retired.
The Seattle Seahawks had one of the worst drafts last year according to my grades, but they performed better than I thought in year 1. Seattle of course was still able to make the Super Bowl for 1. While I was right that Richardson was an awful selection, this class had several contributors. Justin Britt was a 16 game starter on the offensive line and he was selected in Round 3. However, their top pick according to me in Cassius Marsh only recorded 5 tackles in his rookie season.
Finally, comes the St. Louis Rams who I said had a top 3 draft. This draft looks like the very best after a year. The Rams got 12 starts out of Greg Robinson. Aaron Donald was Defensive Rookie of the Year. LaMarcus Joyner had 40 tackles and a start in the defensive backfield. Tre Mason had 765 yards and 4 touchdowns and looks like the back of the future. EJ Gaines had 15 starts despite only being a 6th round selection. Gaines looks like one of the best values of the entire draft following a tremendous rookie season and is St. Louis's best pick from last year's draft. None of the 7th round selections worked out, but the Rams picked up 5 starters for 2015 in this draft. The team did a great job.

Now, I will give some input on this draft and especially its top player as this year's draft approaches in the coming weeks.

-Noland

2014 NFL Season Predictions

The NFL season is here. Sit back and enjoy my predictions for this year. I will go division by division and bold the playoff teams. I will also give records of where I think the team will finish.
Before I continue though, I will fully admit that I was going to pick the St. Louis Rams to win the Super Bowl before the Sam Bradford injury. His injury affects them so negatively and the division is so tough that I no longer see the team even making the playoffs. I personally am a huge supporter and believer in Sam Bradford and I would like to wish him a speedy recovery. This guy will do some really special things if he can ever get to 100% and stay healthy.

NFC East
Philadelphia Eagles (11-5)
Washington Redskins (8-8)
New York Giants (7-9)
Dallas Cowboys (4-12)

NFC North
Detroit Lions (10-6)
Green Bay Packers (9-7)
Chicago Bears (8-8)
Minnesota Vikings (3-13)

NFC South
New Orleans Saints (12-4)
Carolina Panthers (10-6)
Atlanta Falcons (8-8)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-10)

NFC West
Arizona Cardinals (12-4)
Seattle Seahawks (9-7)
St. Louis Rams (7-9)
San Francisco 49ers (6-10)

AFC East
New England Patriots (10-6)
Buffalo Bills (9-7)
New York Jets (7-9)
Miami Dolphins (6-10)

AFC North
Baltimore Ravens (11-5)
Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6)
Cincinnati Bengals (8-8)
Cleveland Browns (3-13)


AFC South
Houston Texans (12-4)
Indianapolis Colts (8-8)
Jacksonville Jaguars (5-11)
Tennessee Titans (4-12)

AFC West
Denver Broncos (13-3)
San Diego Chargers (11-5)
Kansas City Chiefs (9-7)
Oakland Raiders (4-12)


MVP
Matt Stafford

Did I really just pick Matthew Stafford to be the MVP of the National Football League? I certainly did and I have not lost my mind. Stafford has the best receiver in the league and additional weapons to go along with it. The Lions finally have a number 2 receiver in Golden Tate and a freak at tight end in Eric Ebron. These guys will be lethal through the air even more so than normal. This award could easily go to Johnson if these guys put up the numbers I expect, but I think the production will spread out more than in years past and Stafford will be the guy.

Coach of the Year
Bill O'Brien

Look, I may be the only guy picking this, but the Texans will win the AFC South I believe. Ryan Fitzpatrick is serviceable and this team is loaded with talent. Everything that could go wrong last year did and the Texans got Clowney because of it. I don't see that disaster happening under Bill O'Brien's watch and the Texans got some fantastic young players that can contribute now. These guys will be much better than people think. Helping them out is the fact that this is the weakest division in football. I just think the Colts are in for a bad year too with an owner that has been making headlines for all the wrong reasons. It all sets up for O'Brien to go from worst team in the league to playoff appearance. If they pull it off, it will be hard to give this award to anyone else. Although Jim Caldwell will get some consideration.

5 Bold Predictions outside of records

1) Johnny Manziel will not have any wins as a starter this season.
2) Andre Ellington will be a Pro Bowler
3) Kelvin Benjamin will be offensive rookie of the year
4) Week 1 against the Giants, Matt Stafford will throw for at least 400 yards and 4 Touchdowns. Do not be surprised if some NFL records are established
5) The Houston Texans defense will lead the NFL in sacks during the regular season


NFL Playoffs Round 1
Philadelphia Eagles over Seattle Seahawks
Carolina Panthers over Detroit Lions
San Diego Chargers over New England Patriots
Baltimore Ravens over Pittsburgh Steelers

Round 2
Arizona Cardinals over Philadelphia Eagles
Carolina Panthers over New Orleans Saints
San Diego Chargers over Denver Broncos
Baltimore Ravens over Houston Texans

NFC Championship
Carolina Panthers over Arizona Cardinals

AFC Championship
San Diego Chargers over Baltimore Ravens

Super Bowl
San Diego Chargers over Carolina Panthers
MVP: Philip Rivers

I realize that this is something nobody thinks can happen, but Philip Rivers took a big step forward in his development last year I believe and he was just getting started. This guy is ready for primetime and ready to win. He finally has weapons again too now that Keenan Allen will be in his second year and he has a nice 3 headed monster at running back. The defense was the best in the AFC playoffs last year and it looked like they might pull it off then. Remember the Giants came out of nowhere both times Eli won the Super Bowl. Rivers is a better QB than Eli and capable of putting these guys in the Super Bowl with the win. The AFC is wide open. Much more wide open than the NFC. Peyton Manning is the greatest regular season QB of all-time, but the postseason he struggles. I think somebody knocks them out before the Super Bowl. I also think New England will go down before them. That leaves San Diego as my top choice. I had San Diego losing to St. Louis before the Bradford injury, but his injury changes things. I now see the NFC coming down to Arizona, Carolina, and New Orleans. I picked Carolina from that group because they have the best defense, but I can see any of the three making it to the championship. One of those four teams win it I think, but Rivers shows up in the big moment here I think. Brees vs. Rivers would be an exciting Super Bowl though too.

-Noland

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