KC Chiefs Fanatic - Part 2

Fanatic 411 - “It Wasn’t Me” Edition

May 3, 2008 – 9:03 am

Here’s the latest news from around Chiefs Nation and the NFL. It’s Saturday, so the news is a little weak compared to what we can usually dig up during the rest of the week. But we’re bringing it strong anyway so I hope you enjoy!

  • Adam Teicher of the KC Star has a nice piece up Chiefs UDFA Mike Cox, who played balled under the Chiefs new Offensive Coordinator Chan Gailey at Georgia Tech. Cox would finally give the Chiefs a true fullback that is not a converted linebacker or tight end like the Chiefs previous experiments at the position with Boomer Grigsby and Kris “Secret Weapon” Wilson.

 

  • My buddy Chris over at Arrowhead Pride has been churning out some really great content lately, so if you haven’t spent any time over there recently, you should go now. His newest piece is on Chiefs UDFA Ricky Santos, who played QB at New Hampshire (Div. I-AA), and while Santos is a little short on size, his numbers tell the real tale I think, and he could definitely push the other QBs currently on the Chiefs roster this summer in training camp.

 

  • The Home of the Chiefs has an interesting take up on the Chiefs draft… from a different perspective. Thoughts on the Dark Side gives Chiefs fans the view of our draft class in the minds of Raider Nation, and while they’re pretty high on the Raiders new 3rd string RB Darren McFadden, the overall consensus is that the Chiefs did pretty well with their picks.

 

  • The Chiefs designated mouthpiece, Bob Gretz, has a nice spot up on this weekend’s rookie mini-camp in Kansas City, AKA “the Herm Edwards Invitational.” The Chiefs are headed outside the box quite a bit with this camp, inviting only undrafted rookie free agent signings and tryout players to come and participate, instead of the doing what the rest of the league does in inviting all of their rookies. I like the move a lot because it gives the UDFAs and tryouts a chance to show off their skills with the coaching staff’s undivided attention.

 

  • Trouble is brewing in Indianapolis after the Colts superstar WR Marvin Harrison was the subject of a serious police inquiry into a shooting at a tavern owned by Harrison in his native North Philadelphia. Evidently ballistics tests have come back with a positive match to Harrison’s custom made Belgian gun, and although Harrison is denying he was involved, it’s difficult to see how he’ll get out of this one.

 
That’s all I’ve got today. I’m taking a bit of a break this weekend, but check back in later tonight because we should have a new piece up on the Chiefs new Tight End, Brad Cottam. Thanks and Go Chiefs!!

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By Chris Kolb Posted in 411, KC Chiefs No Comments

Not your average running back

May 2, 2008 – 11:12 am

After watching the Chiefs wrap up one the best 1st days of the NFL Draft in franchise history, many Chiefs fans were ready to keep the momentum going headlong into the 3rd round of the draft. The Chiefs had three picks in that round, and many felt that they could use 1 or more on continuing their upgrade along the offensive line, which was generally accepted as the most important task at hand for the Chiefs this off-season.

There were many talented players available when the Chiefs were placed on the clock in the 3rd round for the 1st of their three picks, but the last one that the fans, the pundits shouting their views on ESPN and the NFL Network, and even your’s truly thought the Chiefs would take was RB Jamaal Charles. While Charles was thought of as one of the better prospects available at the running back position in this draft, the Chiefs seemed to be set at that spot, and given their needs in other key positions, it wasn’t likely that they would use their 1st pick in round three to take a player like Charles.

We were all wrong.

In years past, the Chiefs would have gone with a more safer route through the draft, preferring to draft players at positions of need and ignore their draft value for the most part. While that’s not always a bad move to make when you’re solid football team in need of a player or two to get over the hill and into a deep playoff run, it rarely works for teams like the Chiefs that are in the midst of a complete overhaul. This strategy has also led to much wailing and gnashing of teeth in many a Chiefs fan’s home (myself included) and created the current mess the Chiefs are in right now with their complete lack of youth and talent along their offensive line.

But this year was different for the Chiefs. They were aggressive right from the start, fielding offers from interested teams looking to move up into the Chiefs #5 overall pick in the 1st round but quickly declining those offers in favor of drafting DT Glenn Dorsey. The team also traded up 2 slots with the Detroit Lions from #17 overall to #15 overall by giving up a 5th round pick they acquired in the Trent Green deal a year ago, and snatched their top rated O-line player in Branden Albert.

So it should have come as no surprise when the Chiefs quickly turned in their pick in round three, and announced to the world that they were drafting Jamaal Charles, Running Back, Texas. This is a player that has cheetah-like speed to go along with exceptional hands and excellent vision, and while the Chiefs are already set with their starter at the RB position with Larry Johnson, getting a change of pace kind of running back in Charles will bring back an element the Chiefs have missed on offense since Priest Holmes was in his prime.

Charles does all of the little things that teams need to maintain a high level of success. He is not afraid to take on blocking assignments on third down passing plays, he is outstanding at finding holes in an opposing defense’s coverage to get crucial receptions and yards after the catch, and he has the breakaway speed to hit a home run every single time he touches the ball.

And I would suggest that you not let his lack of size in comparison to LJ fool you into thinking he’s not capable of doing some hard running up the middle. When I watched tape of a few games with him last season at Texas, the one thing I kept noticing was his ability to run downhill after picking out the hole in the defense. He doesn’t dance around the backfield a la Barry Sanders and then make people miss enough times to gain the yards he needs. He uses his excellent vision to find the hole and run straight through it at a break-neck pace. His strength is vastly underrated as well, as he is definitely capable of bouncing off of would be defenders en route to a big play, and he is easily capable of holding his own against bigger defenders when he stays in to block.

Will he become an every down running back in the NFL? Only time will tell.

But playing for a Chiefs team that is loaded already at the running back spot with several big, strong, bruising kind of backs can’t hurt his potential playing time either. The best comparison to the current situation at running back for the Chiefs would be the backfield in Jacksonville with Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew’s complimentary styles of running the ball. Taylor hits teams hard with his size and strength, and then Jones-Drew comes in to carve defenses up with his electric speed and agility. That is what a running back tandem of Larry Johnson and Jamaal Charles can bring to the table.

And that is most definitely a good thing for a team that is in desperate need of play makers.

If you’re like me and you need to see what Charles can do before making up your own mind, feel free to check his highlight reel out, courtesy of Rivals.com. Enjoy!

 
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By Chris Kolb Posted in Jamaal Charles, NFL Draft, Features, KC Chiefs 2 Comments

Official list of UDFAs released

May 2, 2008 – 7:41 am

Chiefs GM Carl Peterson just announced the final list of the players the Chiefs have signed to rookie free agent contracts. Although there has been quite a bit of speculation about who made the list, the Chiefs are officially stating that they’ve signed 17 players, which is pretty close to the number the Chiefs put out after the draft. I expect the team will sign a few more guys after this weekend’s rookie mini-camp but these 17 guys probably have a better shot at making the team since the Chiefs felt they were good enough to sign right away.

Here’s the list according to kcchiefs.com:

WR - Jabari Arthur (6-4, 219)

Appeared in 45 games (25 starts) at Akron catching 184 passes for 2,653 yards (14.4 avg.) with 17 TDs. As a senior Arthur led the team with 86 catches for 1,171 yards with 10 TDs. A native of Montreal, Quebec, Arthur earned league MVP honors as a high school sophomore and senior at Vanier Prep.

WR - Sean Bailey (6-1, 184)

Played in 32 games (24 starts) at Georgia, hauling in 73 passes for 1,251 yards (17.1 avg.) with seven touchdowns. Started all 12 games as a senior and posted 37 catches for 597 yards and four TDs. The Alpharetta, Georgia native was a USA Today first-team All-USA receiver as a prep at Milton High School in Alpharetta, Georgia.

PK - Connor Barth (5-11, 193)

Served as North Carolina’s kicker in all 47 games of his four-year career with the Tar Heels. He made 54 of 71 career field goals (76.1 pct.), including four from 50+ yards and connected on 103 of 106 extra points for 265 total points. The Wilmington, North Carolina product was a first-team high school All-America pick at Hoggard High School in Wilmington, North Carolina.

FB - Mike Cox (6-0, 252)

Played in 47 games (33 starts) at Georgia Tech, totaling 30 catches for 217 yards (7.2 avg.) with one touchdown. He also rushed 10 times for 63 yards (6.3 avg.) and completed his only pass attempt for 17 yards during his career with the Yellow Jackets. The Lewisberry, Pennsylvania product was a prep standout at Red Land High School in Lewisberry, Pennsylvania.

G - Ian-Yates Cunningham (6-3, 296)

Appeared in 43 games (31 starts) at both right and left guard for Virginia. A teammate of Chiefs first-round draft pick T/G Branden Albert, Cunningham started all 25 games over his final two seasons with the Cavaliers. The 2003 ACC All-Freshman Team selection was a prep standout at Hebron High School in Plano, Texas.

DE - Johnny Dingle (6-1, 265)

Saw action in 37 games (19 starts) as a defensive end for West Virginia, compiling 79 tackles (52 solo) with 14.5 sacks, 28 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, four QB pressures and three passes defensed. A Miami, Florida native, Dingle was a four-year starter at Booker T. Washington High School in Miami.

S - Ron Girault (5-10, 204)

Appeared in 45 games (40 starts) at Rutgers, recording 271 tackles (160 solo), 1.5 sacks (-11.0 yards), nine tackles for loss, 10 INTs for 204 yards, seven passes defensed, four fumble recoveries and four forced fumbles. He also blocked two kicks on special teams. The Spring Valley, New York native was an all-state performer at St. Joseph Regional High School in Montvale, New Jersey.

CB - Maurice Leggett (5-11, 188)

Saw duty in 45 games at Valdosta State, logging 136 tackles (92 solo), nine tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, nine INTs, 23 passes defensed, one forced fumble, a fumble recovery and three blocked kicks. The Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania native won two NCAA Division II National Championships at Valdosta State (2004 and 2007). He prepped at Mt. Zion High School in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

DT - Derek Lokey (6-1, 287)

Played in 32 games (21 starts) during his four-year collegiate career at Texas. He piled up 101 career tackles (50 solo), 3.0 sacks, 18 tackles for loss, one fumble recovery, 30 QB pressures and three passes defensed. A native of Nacogdoches, Texas, Lokey earned Class 4A Player of the Year honors as a senior at Ryan High School in Denton, Texas.

OG - Chris McDuffie (6-4, 330)

Appeared in 46 games (16 start) for Clemson. A converted defensive tackle, McDuffie earned second-team All-America honors in his first season as a full-time starter on the offensive front in 2007. McDuffie was an all-state selection as a prep at George Washington High School in Danville, Virginia.

RB - Kalvin McRae (5-9, 203)

Saw duty in 48 games (44 starts) at Ohio, rushing for 4,398 yards on 903 carries with 49 TDs and 21 100-yard games. He rewrote the Bobcat record books as a senior rushing 294 times for 1,434 yards with 19 touchdowns and nine 100-yard games. A Decatur, Georgia native, McRae attended Avondale High School in Avondale Estates, Georgia.

DT - Maurice Murray (6-3, 334)

Appeared in 22 games at New Mexico State after transferring from Long Beach City College. He tallied 48 tackles (14 solo), seven stops for loss and 3.5 sacks. Murray won three state titles as a prep at Long Beach Poly High School in Long Beach, California.

LB - Steve Octavien (6-0, 238)

Appeared in 22 games (10 starts) in three seasons at Nebraska after transferring from Harper College. He registered 128 career tackles (80 solo) with the Cornhuskers, to go along with 3.0 sacks, 21 tackles for loss, one forced fumble, 11 QB pressures and five passes defensed. A product of Naples, Florida, Octavien was a prep standout at Naples Lely High School.

DE - Jason Parker (6-3, 258)

Played in 34 games (13 starts) at Arizona, making 85 tackles (52 solo) with 7.5 sacks, 13.5 tackles for loss, an INT, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and four passes defensed. A San Diego native, Parker earned All-Western League defensive player of the year honors as a senior at Mission Bay High School in San Diego.

DE - Jonal Saint-Dic (6-0, 253)

Played in 25 games, making 14 starts during his collegiate career at Michigan State. A second-team Walter Camp All-America pick as a senior, he finished his career with 71 tackles (39 solo), 13.0 sacks, 19 tackles for loss and nine fumbles forced, including a Big Ten-record eight forced fumbles as a senior. A product of Elizabeth, New Jersey, Saint-Dic was a two-way starter at Elizabeth High School.

QB - Ricky Santos (6-0, 209)

Started 50 games (49 starts) at New Hampshire, completing 1,122 of 1,636 passes for 13,212 yards, with 123 TDs and 33 INTs. A two-time All-America selection and Walter Payton Award winner as the top player in Division I-AA as a junior, he also added 505 carries for 1,415 yards and 30 touchdowns over his four-year collegiate career. A native of Norwood, Massachusetts, Santos was a four-sport letter-winner at Bellingham High School in Bellingham, Massachusetts.

WR - Luke Swan (5-11, 191)

Played in 28 games (15 starts) at Wisconsin, catching 60 passes for 1,046 yards with seven TDs. As a senior he posted 25 catches for 451 yards with two TDs before a hamstring injury limited his season to six games. Swan was twice an all-state pick at Fennimore High School in Fennimore, Wisconsin.

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By Chris Kolb Posted in UDFAs, KC Chiefs 1 Comment

Fanatic 411 - “We don’t need no stinkin’ quarterback!” Edition

May 2, 2008 – 5:41 am

Alright, now that the draft is done and over, I want to try and implement a permanent fixture to the site, where everyone can come to find out the latest news on the Chiefs and around the NFL. I’ve done a few of these in the past, but I haven’t really had the time (mock drafts take forever to make) to continuously update this everyday like I should so I’ve waited until now to really get it going.

At any rate, I hope you enjoy our newest feature on the site, and as always, thanks for your support of KC Chiefs Fanatic!

  • Chris at Arrowhead Pride wrote up a really nice piece on the Chiefs newly drafted RB Jamaal Charles yesterday. He thinks the Chiefs made the right move in getting Charles instead of reaching for a lesser player, and I completely agree. I’ll have a piece of my own up on Charles a little bit later.

 

  • The guys over at Arrowhead Addict are taking a bit of a break this week, and are giving the fans a shot at posting their thoughts. (Note to self, try this out sometime!) Their long-time reader, Jay, takes the first crack at it today with his post on why the 2008 Chiefs could beat up the 2007 Chiefs.

 

 

  • Speaking of quarterbacks, Chiefs QB Coach Dick Curl (stop laughing!!!) is taking a lot of flak from unnamed individuals on the Chiefs staff for pushing so hard against drafting a quarterback in last weekend’s draft. Evidently he’s sold on what 2nd year man Tyler Thigpen brings to the table. I’m not so sure, but we’ll have to wait and see how this all plays out for the Chiefs this fall before passing judgment.

 

  • Man the QB stories just keep on coming! The Chiefs have brought in former Florida Gator standout QB Chris Leak to try-out during their mini-camp this weekend. Leak didn’t cut it in the NFL last season after signing a UDFA deal with the Bears, so he decided to give it a go with the forthcoming All-American Football League. The only problem is that the league doesn’t have enough cash to get started so they’re postponing their launch until next year. Hmmm… Where have I heard that story before?

 

  • Why not one more? I’m sad to report that Broncos QB Jay Cutler has been diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. While I can’t say that I’ll ever cheer him on when he’s on the field for Denver, I will wish him the best with his disease and I hope he’s able to manage it effectively. Cutler has been a pretty stand up guy for the Broncos since they drafted him, much more so than his counterpart in San Diego I think.

 
That’s all I’ve got for now, but make sure to drop back in later to check out my thoughts on RB Jamaal Charles and hopefully the rest of the Chiefs 3rd round picks as well. Until then, I’m off to grab some much needed coffee and food for breakfast. Enjoy!

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By Chris Kolb Posted in 411, Features, NFL, KC Chiefs No Comments

What’s in a name? Not much if you’re Brandon Flowers

April 30, 2008 – 9:18 pm

When the Chiefs were placed on the clock in the second round of last weekend’s draft, many Chiefs fans were curious as to the direction the team would go, considering the bevy of needs the team still had after drafting DT Glenn Dorsey and OT/OG Brandon Albert in round one.

Would they stick to addressing their biggest need along the offensive line? Or would they go after a play maker at wide receiver or cornerback? It’s never easy to tell what a team is thinking during the NFL Draft. Teams routinely engage in doublespeak that would make a long serving politician jealous and to the average fan that is not accustomed to sifting through the garbage to find the kernel of truth, it must seem as though the team is lying through their teeth. And let me be the first to tell straight up that they are most definitely lying to us when they give us ideas about who they’ll be drafting at a certain spot. It’s all part of the show.

So count me in with the shocked (in a good way) fans who watched the Chiefs toss away their old habits of drafting solely for need and ignoring vastly superior players when they handed their pick to the NFL and selected CB Brandon Flowers out of Virginia Tech. I had shouted Flowers’ praises for weeks leading up to the draft, and felt that he was a perfect fit for this team, as his skill set is best suited to playing the Cover 2 defense the Chiefs have installed under Herm Edwards, but never in my wildest dreams did I think the Chiefs would actually pull the trigger on him in this year’s draft.

To say that I was excited about the pick, is a pretty big understatement. I’ve been sold on what Flowers’ brings to the table for the Chiefs from the first day I laid eyes on him two seasons ago at Virginia Tech, and I crossed my fingers and prayed that we would have a shot to get him on our team when the 2nd round started to unfold.

The biggest reason why I love this guy is the way he carries himself when he’s on the field. He doesn’t back down from anyone. He flies around the field covering anyone and everyone the opposing offense throws at him, and if he’s in a position to make a play on a ball carrier, you can bet that he’ll be there laying the wood.

Gone are the days of watching Ty Law stand 15 yards away from a wide receiver on crucial third down plays. Flowers will be in the face of every receiver he matches up against, and will not give up any ground lightly. Receivers will have to earn any semblance of a cushion by attacking him deep, and even then, Flowers has enough closing speed to make up any ground and break up a play. His size was the biggest knock on him coming out of college, but he more than makes up for it with his intelligence and agility.

Flowers knows exactly how to react to what the wide receiver is doing because he studies their game on film so hard before he hits the field to play. He is the classic workaholic professional, only in his case it’s a good thing because he gains such a huge advantage over his opponents because he knows them better than they know themselves.

The other major factor Flowers has going for him right now is that the Chiefs already have veteran leadership in place on the opposite side of the field in former All-Pro CB Pat Surtain. Flowers will start for the Chiefs from day 1, but under Surtain’s tutelage, he should pick up his role on the Chiefs defense very quickly, and should have very little difficulty translating his bruising and relentless play into the pro level.

All in all, Flowers is the kind of player at the CB spot that head coaches and GMs drool over in the off-season. He has all the skills and intelligence to quickly become one of the best players in the league, and Chiefs fans everywhere should be counting their blessings after having him land fortuitously into our laps in round two last Saturday.

If you can’t wait to get a first hand look at Flowers this weekend during the Chiefs rookie mini-camp, feel free to watch his highlight film, courtesy of Rivals.com

 
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By Chris Kolb Posted in Brandon Flowers, NFL Draft, Features, KC Chiefs No Comments

Glenn Dorsey is…. Forrest Gump

April 29, 2008 – 11:09 am

Here’s a bit of humor to offset all the post-draft analyzing that’s been going on around here. Evidently Dorsey spent a period of time as a young child wearing leg braces (a la Forrest Gump) to correct his bowed legs. He attributes much of his success on the football field to those early struggles in life, and prior to the National Championship game against Ohio State this past January, Fox Sports asked him if he would shoot a Forrest Gump-esque piece about him and his childhood. Here’s the video courtesy of Fox Sports. Enjoy!

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By Chris Kolb Posted in Glenn Dorsey, NFL Draft, Features, KC Chiefs No Comments

Left Tackle or Right Guard? Either way it’s all good…

April 29, 2008 – 10:50 am

On Saturday the Chiefs pulled a huge upset in the draft by getting DT Glenn Dorsey to drop into their laps. Many fans, including myself, felt that after that bit of luck there was no way the Chiefs would be able to strike twice and get their hands on their top-rated offensive tackle prospect, Branden Albert (Virginia).

Nine different players then take their turn in the spotlight, coming off the board to teams all across the league, yet none of them are named Branden Albert. So it was with no surprise that as the Detroit Lions started their 10 minutes on the clock, the Chiefs made a hasty and well thought out move to jump up two spots into the Lions #15 overall pick and take Albert before any other team that coveted him could move in ahead of them.

Albert is by far the most versatile player the Chiefs have had on their offensive line since Will Shields was roaming the field. There were definitely more established prospects at the tackle spot, but in terms of his size, talent, and versatility, I’m not sure that anyone matches up to what Albert brings to the table. He can easily come in to this team and start from Day 1 at right guard, paving the way for Larry Johnson to have a solid rebound from last year’s disaster. Or if the Chiefs decide he’s ready to handle the pressure, Albert has all the skills necessary to take over for the Chiefs at the left tackle spot, protecting Brodie Croyle’s blind spot for the next 10 years.

Either way, I feel like the Chiefs have come out with a definite winner with this pick. You cannot underestimate the value of a Pro-Bowl caliber guard, as the Chiefs running game clearly took a nose dive once our annual All-Pro guard in Will Shields decided to hang it up a year ago. And everyone knows how valuable a standout left tackle can be for a team, as opposing defenses typically line up their best pass rusher on the right side of their line (left side of the offense), so protecting the passer is paramount when you play that position.

Having a player like Branden Albert will only make our O-line better in my opinion, as we now have the luxury of being able to slot him in at pretty much any position on the line save center if one of our other starters gets hurt. Albert will start immediately at whatever position the Chiefs put him, and although I usually don’t get super excited about having a rookie get major playing time at a crucial position like left tackle, I feel very comfortable with Albert doing just that after watching him dominate at Virginia for the past 3 years.

But don’t just take my word for it. Feel free to see it for yourself with Albert’s highlights, courtesy of Rivals.com. Enjoy!!

 
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By Chris Kolb Posted in Branden Albert, NFL Draft, Features, KC Chiefs No Comments

One down, one to go

April 29, 2008 – 8:28 am

Yesterday I posted my thoughts and grades for each AFC team’s draft class over this past weekend. Now it’s time for the NFC to get it’s one shining moment here at the Fanatic. Once again, feel free to use the comment section for any thoughts you might have, or even your own draft grades. We want to hear from you!

NFC East

Grade: B+

With three picks in the first two rounds, the Cowboys were expected to do big things on Saturday, and while other teams failed to capitalize on their good fortune, Dallas didn’t miss. Getting RB Felix Jones late in round one was a great move by Jerry Jones and Co. and then trading back up a few spots to #25 overall to grab standout CB Mike Jenkins solidified the team’s excellent draft class right away. I also really liked the pick of TE Martellus Bennett in round two. He should come in a garner some playing time pretty quickly in two TE sets, and could make a lot of teams pay if they double TO and starting TE Jason Witten. The Boys did reach a bit with their late round picks, but overall, this is a very nice draft haul for the reigning NFC East champs.

Grade: B+

As last year’s Super Bowl champions, the Giants didn’t really have a ton of needs, so they could focus on drafting the most talented players available instead of reaching for a position here and there. And that is exactly what they did in this draft. I really liked the pick of S Kenny Phillips in round 1, as I think he’ll quietly become a very solid pro at the free safety spot, and while I think they reached a bit in round 2 with CB Terrell Thomas, you can never have enough talented CBs on your roster, so I understand the move. I’m not a huge Mario Manningham fan, but I think the Giants did well to select him late in round 3. And getting QB Andre Woodson, who I graded out as a 3rd round prospect, late in the 6th was a gigantic steal.

Grade: B-

The Eagles did an alright job with their draft, but I think they could have done a little bit better with the amount of picks they had at their disposal. Trading back and out of round one was a solid move by Andy Reid, and like usual, the Eagles drafted a defensive tackle first, grabbing Trevor Laws in the middle of round two. I really like this pick and thing Laws will push former 1st rounder Broderick Bunkley out of the way for playing time pretty quick. Their second pick in round two, WR DeSean Jackson was a solid move, and he should give the Eagles enough ammo for QB Donovan McNabb to work some magic once again this year. After those two picks, the Eagles left me slightly perplexed with their late round selections, as I think they reached quite a bit on most of them. The one pick I did like a lot though was OG Mike McGlynn, who should come in right away and take over a spot on Philly’s O-line.

Grade: A-

The Redskins really improved their offense this past weekend, and I’m sure that there’s no one happier than Redskins’ QB Jason Campbell. Getting WR Devin Thomas in round two is big time steal and then backing up that pick by taking TE Fred Davis in the same round should make the new ‘Skins coach Jim Zorn look like a genius next year. I’m not sold on WR Malcolm KellyO but his value was enough that taking him late in round 2 makes a lot of sense. The one late round pick that the Redskins made that I really like was OG Chad Rinehart and I think he’ll come in right away and lock down a starting spot on the team’s O-line. All in all, things look real good in our nation’s capital, so the Hogs should be satisfied this season.

NFC North

Grade: A

The Bears addressed pretty much every need they had prior to the start of the draft, and didn’t have to reach for player’s of lesser talent to do so. OT Chris Williams will be a solid performer on their O-line from Day 1 and should give Rex Grossman the time he needs to make his reads and deliver the ball effectively.I really like the pick of RB Matt Forte in round two, as Cedric Benson just hasn’t cut it since the departure of Thomas Jones to the Jets last year. Getting WR Earl Bennett in round three was a steal, as he is a very good receiver that runs solid routes and catches everything thrown his way. The Bears did a nice job with the rest of their picks as well, getting DT Marcus Harrison, S Craig Steltz, CB Zach Bowman, and TE Kellen Davis in succession, and that should go a long way towards taking the Bears back to the top of a tough division in the NFC North.


Grade: C+

I thought the Lions made a smart move in trading back two spots with the Chiefs in round one, but then once again Detroit blundered their way into a major reach by taking OT Gosder Cherilus when OT Jeff Otah was still on the board. Cherilus should end up being a pretty decent player, but Otah could end up being one of the best tackles taken in this draft, so I don’t understand that pick at all. LB Jordan Dizon in the second round isn’t a bad pick, but I think they reached somewhat again there. The big saving grace for the Lions was their three third round selections though, as RB Kevin Smith, DT Andre Fluellen, and DE Cliff Avril should come in a play right away for Detroit. That being said, I think the Lions could have done much better with the amount of picks they had, so that’s why they got the grade they did.


Grade: A-

The Packers are another team with very few needs, yet they were able to upgrade their roster with a ton of talent across the board, and didn’t reach once to do it. Trading back out of round one and then taking WR Jordy Nelson was a solid move, and I really like the selection of QB Brian Brohm, as he’s a perfect fit in Mike McCarthy’s West Coast offense. Both CB Patrick Lee and TE Jermichael Finley are talented players that should push for playing time right away, and while DE Jeremy Thompson is a bit undersized, he should develop nicely behind Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, and give the Packers a solid rotational guy that can get after the QB.

Grade: B+

When you take into account the addition of Pro Bowl DE Jared Allen in return for three of the Vikings picks, Minnesota did an excellent job of maximizing their draft value this past weekend. S Tyrell Johnson should come in right away and play well for a Vikings defensive secondary that was pretty poor last year, and while QB John David Booty won’t press Tavaris Jackson right away for the starting spot, he could end up taking over if Jackson falters down the stretch like he did last year. The pick I really like was C John Sullivan as the Vikings are preparing for their starting Pro Bowl center Matt Birk to holdout this year for a contract extension. Sullivan has a long way to go, if he wants to replace Birk on the depth chart, but he’s a solid insurance policy just in case Birk can’t go at some point this season.

NFC South


Grade: B+

The Falcons had a ton of needs heading into this draft, none greater than QB, and so I think they made the right choice when they passed on DT Glenn Dorsey and took QB Matt Ryan instead. Ryan will be starter from Day 1, and should relegate Joey Harrington back to holding a clipboard where he belongs. Trading back into round one to get OT Sam Baker was fairly questionable, but considering the state of Atlanta’s O-line last year, I can understand the need for quality players at that spot. LB Curtis Lofton will be a solid performer in the interior of their linebacker corps and should allow them to keep Keith Brooking outside where he belongs. The Falcons did pretty well in round three in getting both S Thomas DeCoud and CB Chevis Jackson, but WR Harry Douglas was definitely a reach, especially with Mario Manningham still on the board. All that being said though, this was a pretty solid draft class for a team that desperately needed it.

Grade: B+

The Panthers quietly had one of the better draft classes this year, and they should be a much improved team across the board next season. They surprised a lot of people with their pick of RB Jonathan Stewart at #13 overall and then made a nice move to trade back into round one and grab a guy I think will be a standout tackle very soon in OT Jeff Otah. Both CB Charles Godfrey and LB Dan Connor should come in a play from day one, as they both have the talent to become very solid pros. Other than that, they didn’t quite do much that was newsworthy, but those four picks alone get them a solid grade here.


Grade: A

The Saints earned my top honor with their draft by addressing every need on their team and then some without reaching once to take a player of lesser talent. After the Chiefs declined to pass on taking DT Glenn Dorsey, the Saints traded up with New England to take their backup plan at defensive tackle, Sedrick Ellis, who isn’t too bad of a player himself. Ellis will immediately improve their weak defense from a season ago, and will be a leader in every sense of the word. I love the pick of CB Tracy Porter in round two, and although he’s a bit of a head case, OT Carl Nicks is a steal in the 5th round, and will garner some playing time pretty quick. I also like the selection of PK Taylor Mehlhoff who was by far the best kicker available in this draft, and should help the team with their special teams woes.


Grade: A-

There must be something in the water down in the NFC South, as the Bucs slammed home yet another outstanding draft for the division. CB Aqib Talib will become a Pro Bowler in Tampa Bay’s Cover 2 defense and will garner playing time immediately. They reached slightly by taking WR Dexter Jackson in round two, but that’s alright by me, because Jackson is a very talented player that was slotted lower because he played at a small school. OG Jeremy Zuttah is another player that should play pretty quick, and will help the Bucs maintain their solid O-line for the next few years at the very least. Landing DT Dre Moore in round 4 was a steal, and I think QB Josh Johnson will end up taking over for Jeff Garcia in a season or two when he finally hangs it up after a productive career.

NFC West

Grade: B+

The Cardinals did a nice job of addressing most of their needs without reaching very often, and that gets them a solid grade here. I like the move to pass on a RB and take one of the best CBs available in Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie to solidify a defensive secondary that struggled mightily last season. DE Calais Campbell is a talented player and deserved to be selected where he was, but I still have questions about whether his head is in the right place or not. Getting WR Early Doucet in round three was a steal for sure and he’ll give the Cardinals a solid third option to turn to behind All-Pro WRs Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin. And their final pick of the draft, OT Brandon Keith should give them a nice developmental prospect that will provide quality depth on their O-line.

Grade: B-

The 49ers did well early on the draft, but missed out on upgrading their team even more in the later rounds by reaching for players of lesser talent to fill specific positions on the team. DT Kentwan Balmer should provide a versatile playmaker along their defensive line and will free up their young and talented linebacker corps to roam sideline to sideline making plays all over the field. OG Chilo Rachal upgrades the team’s biggest need on the offensive line and should open up the 49ers running game once more for superstar RB Frank Gore. They got a very nice steal in CB/S Reggie Smith in round three and he should give them solid depth in the secondary which is a must in the pass happy NFC West. The main reason why they got the grade they did here is that they really failed to address their WR corps and are now going to have to rely on their veterans to carry the load when they could have easily taken some outstanding players throughout the later stages of the draft.

Grade: B

The Seahawks did some nice things to upgrade their roster in Mike Holmgren’s final year, and they should end up winning their division once again this season if they can stay healthy. Trading back a few spots with Dallas in round one and then selecting a solid DE in Lawrence Jackson was a good move and should allow them to stop relying on stunts by their linebackers to produce sacks next year. I liked the pick of TE John Carlson but I think they could have done better by taking Fred Davis there instead. DT Red Bryant is a solid pick in round 3 and should give them the solid run stuffer that they sorely needed last year. And getting FB Owen Schmitt in round five was a great pickup for Seattle as he is the kind of player every coach loves with his hard work and intensity.

Grade: B+

The Rams did well throughout much of their draft this year, but they get a slightly lower grade here because they reached somewhat with a few picks. DE Chris Long was my top prospect available and he’ll immediately improve one of the worst defensive lines in all of football a season ago. In the second round, they reached by taking WR Donnie Avery but then again, you can’t coach speed, and that is the one skill where Avery excels above everyone else. I like the pick of OT John Greco in round three and he should come in and press for playing time pretty quick on a Rams team that is in need of quality depth on their O-line. And speaking of their O-line, getting OG Roy Schuening in round six is an absolute steal, and he’ll be another guy that could garner some playing time sooner rather than later this season.

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By Chris Kolb Posted in NFL Draft, Features, NFL No Comments

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