The Onion's take on Madden

http://tinyurl.com/3o9gv9z


This is a hysterical article sent to me by the man, JT Stally. Follow his blog at http://jtstally.blogspot.com/ and on Twitter @JTStally. 

Top 30 Quarterbacks for 2011: 1-10

1. Tom Brady: I hate the guy but I still think he is probably the best quarterback to ever play the game. He has benefited from great coaching during his time, but before Randy Moss got to town, Brady had no one to throw to and still won three Super Bowls. His skills do not seem to be diminishing since he was the MVP of the league last season without Randy Moss.

2. Peyton Manning: His continued lack of success in the playoffs is really the only reason he is not number one on this list. I don’t care what people say, Manning has always had talent around him and he simply does not play his best football at the end of the season. Does not matter how many regular season games he wins, if he doesn’t improve his playoff record, he cannot be thought of one of the greats to play the game.

3. Aaron Rodgers: Rodgers has had probably the best first three years as a starting quarterback of anyone to ever play the game. He was the first quarterback ever to start his career with two 4000 yard seasons, and in his third season he won the Super Bowl with a team that had 15 players on the IR. He has the potential to be one of the best, if not the best, quarterback to ever grace the NFL with his presence.

4. Drew Brees: The only reason Brees is below Rodgers is because Rodgers is much more mobile and Bree’s height limits the type of things he can do in the pocket, making him easier to game plan around. Brees in an unbelievable player and winning a Super Bowl for the Saints after Katrina will always be one of the greatest stories in NFL history.

5. Phillip Rivers: I have never seen a player with better deep throw accuracy. I can remember on numerous occasions watching him fit the ball right between three defenders to one of his tall receivers. Last season he was helping undrafted rookie receivers put up over 100 yards on opposing teams. This guy can throw the ball with the best and if he has some more success in the playoffs, he will be moving up this list.

Top 30 Quarterbacks for 2011: 11-20

11. Josh Freeman: Freeman has displayed an unbelievable amount of poise for such a young quarterback with just two years under his belt. I know he had an easy schedule last season, but the success he had leading the youngest team in the NFL to 10 wins cannot be overlooked. His potential is sky high and the Bucs might have found their first true franchise quarterback.

12. Matt Schaub: I know his numbers are helped by the fact that he gets to throw to the best receiver in the NFL, but there is no questioning this guy’s talents. He has a great arm with above average accuracy. Despite getting older, he is still very mobile in the pocket and throws well on the run. He was well worth the first round pick the Texans gave to the Falcons all those years ago.

13. Matt Cassel: Last year was Cassel’s coming out party as an elite quarterback. The Chiefs have probably the worst receiving corps in the NFL and started a rookie tight end last season, yet Cassel put up career numbers. I was not a believer in Cassel being a top notch quarterback until last season, in which he threw 27 touchdowns to 7 interceptions. The only player with a better TD-INT ratio last season was the guy he used to backup in New England, Tom Brady. On top of all of this, he is dangerous as a runner and his size (6’4 230lbs) makes him very hard to bring down.

14. Matt Ryan: I’m sure most of you are surprised to see Matt Ryan all the way down here, but I have him down here because I am not sold on him being able to carry a team. Michael Turner is one of the best running backs in the NFL and makes life a lot easier for his quarterback. He has also had one of the best receivers in the NFL, Roddy White, and the best tight end to ever play the game, Tony Gonzalez. Ryan was amazing during his rookie season, but he has not really improved that much since then. Ryan is at his best when the game is on the line, but he has to play much more consistently, especially in the playoffs, in order to move higher up this list.

15. Joe Flacco: I almost put Flacco above Matt Ryan because of his massive improvements over the last few seasons, but I ultimately put him here because of his inconsistent play. The entire second half of their playoff loss to the Steelers, the Flacco lead Ravens’ offense put up 28 yards. I’m sure the Steelers had at least one play that went for more than 28 yards. That’s unacceptable and that is what ultimately got Jim Zorn fired as their quarterback coach. Flacco is still developing and if they can find a decent speed receiver to go with all their possession guys, he could take it to the next level in 2011.

Top 30 Quarterbacks for 2011: 21-30

21. Mark Sanchez: As a Jets fan, I really wanted to get Sanchez in the top 20, but I just could not justify it. Sanchez is another young quarterback who is great in the clutch, but still lacks consistency. His deep throw accuracy was atrocious last season, but he still found a way to win a lot of games and get the Jets to yet another AFC Championship game. If his fumble at the end of the second quarter against the Steelers had been ruled an incomplete pass, he could have been the first Jets quarterback playing in the Super Bowl since Joe Namath.

22. Kevin Kolb: Kolb has a ton of potential, but we have not seen him consistently play at any type of level. He has put up huge numbers in a great offense against terrible defenses, which to me is meaningless. The road to becoming a starting NFL quarterback is paved with players with tons of potential. Unless you can lead a team through the highs and lows of an entire season, your potential is worthless. Some team is going to give up a lot to get him, but I am still not sold on him being a franchise quarterback. Injuries are a big question mark as well.

23. Ryan Fitzpatrick: Let me put it this way, the Bills were probably the least talented team in the NFL last season. The only reason they won any games last year was because Fitzpatrick played his heart out. If he finds a way to improve off of last season, the Bills might not have to look for a new quarterback in 2012.

24. Vince Young: Say what you want about Young, the guy finds ways to win games. Some team will see value in that and pick him up after the Titans release him. At times he looks like a God on the football field and at others he looks like a lost little boy. Despite being a USC Trojans fan, I will be rooting for this guy to turn his career around and find a way to be a leader of men in whatever team’s huddle he lands.

25. Matthew Stafford: This is a story the NFL has seen way too many times. A terrible franchise gets a great talent at quarterback, but throws him in as their starter too early and fails to protect him. Stafford did not have injury problems in college, but he has taken an absolute beating in Detroit. With no help at offensive line coming in from the draft, it could be another season on the IR for Stafford.

Cam Newton

I have been extremely critical of Cam Newton since the end of his collegiate career. I really wish he had stayed at Auburn for another season so we could have seen how he developed with another year under his belt. Lucky for him, he still ended up going first overall based solely on his raw abilities.

I have said it before and I'll say it again, Newton has the most potential of any player I have seen coming out of college since... wait for it, JaMarcus Russell. The one thing that Newton has going for him is he is significantly more intelligent than Russell was coming out of college. Newton is a lot sharper than most people give him credit. 

However, it is not his intelligence that will hold him back. What scares me and most other evaluators is Newton's questionable moral character and his work ethic. He spent his entire college career relying on his athletic abilities to dominate opponents, but everyone in the NFL is an incredible athlete and Newton will have to work harder than he has ever done in the past for him to develop into a productive player. The only thing holding back Newton from greatness is himself, and possibly the Panthers' dreadful receiving corps. Newton has all of the God given abilities to become one of the most feared quarterbacks in the NFL, but he has a long way to go before he can get there. 

Despite being critical of Newton, I will be rooting for him and hoping that he can keep his nose clean and focus on football. How he plays during his rookie season will be one of the more interesting story lines to follow in the 2011 season, whenever it begins.

Here is a great interview with Cam Newton from NFL Networks:

http://tinyurl.com/3z23azx

Marcell Dareus

http://tinyurl.com/5rq3hz6


This is a great interview with Marcell Dareus. I absolutely love this guy and his attitude. I am still shocked, and disappointed since I am a Jets fan, that he fell to the Bills at the third overall pick. I will be rooting for him every time he is not playing the Jets. I'm excited to watch him take down Tom Brady this year, and equally terrified to watch Mark Sanchez running away from him.

Quarterback Quandaries

With free agency still on hold thanks to that pesky lockout, numerous quarterbacks are simply waiting to see what part of the country they will end up. There are numerous possibilities for all of these quarterbacks, but I have listed where I think each quarterback fits in the best as well as where I think these quarterbacks will actually end up, which includes the unemployment line for one of these guys.

Where They Should End Up

Carson Palmer – Cardinals

---The Cardinals need a proven quarterback to keep Fitzgerald happy and I’m not sure they want to risk two high value picks in the draft and Fitzgerald on a guy that has only started SEVEN games in his entire career. As I said in my last article (http://tinyurl.com/3j78k67), the Bengals need to get some value out of Carson Palmer and this is the best situation for both teams.

Kevin Kolb – Redskins

---I know… Do the Redskins really want to continually give up their drafts for Eagles’ quarterbacks? However, Kolb is a perfect fit for Shanahan’s offense: he has the mobility, the arm, and the accuracy to excel. However, I think the Eagles value Kolb significantly more than they did McNabb last season and I cannot see them trading a young, talented quarterback to a division foe, but it sure would be interesting.

What Will the Bengals Do With Carson Palmer?

The one thing Mike Brown and the Bengals cannot afford to do is not at least consider trading Carson Palmer. If Kevin Kolb is being considered worth possibly as much as a first and a second round pick, who only has 7 starts in his career, Palmer has to be worth at least a first round pick. The Bengals are clearly in a rebuilding mode and they could use as much fire power in the next few drafts to turn this team around, which was undefeated in the very tough AFC North just two years ago.

Palmer is one of the best players, if not the best player, on the Bengals roster and they simply cannot afford to just let him retire when he has value to this team either as a starter or in a trade. I understand that Mike Brown refuses to be bullied by his players, but he already proved that he alone makes the final decisions on trading players when he refused to move Chad Ochocinco a few years back. Brown should also learn from that experience since his stubbornness had a negative impact on his team. Ochocinco was a complete distraction for the rest of the team and even failed to be productive on the field. He is now more than likely going to be cut from the team before the start of the 2011 season. The Redskins were rumored to have been willing to give up not one, but two first round picks to get him just two years ago. If the Bengals had those extra two picks and not had to deal with Ochocinco’s off the field shenanigans, they could have been making a deep run into the playoffs instead of picking forth overall in the draft this year.

Not only should Brown learn from his prior mistake, but also when you are dealing with a franchise quarterback, all the rules are thrown out the window. With so many teams desperate for signal callers, Palmer’s trade value could never be higher. Once Kolb is dealt, Palmer is the only other free agent quarterback who can step in right away and man the position for at least 5 more years (Palmer is only 31 years old). Palmer’s play might have slipped a little the last few years, but I strongly believe a change of scenery and distancing himself from problematic receivers like Chad Ochocinco will motivate him to become a top 10-12 quarterback in this league again.

NFC South Draft Grades

Buccaneers: B

R1 Adrian Clayborn, DE Iowa

R2 Da’Quan Bowers, DE Clemson

R3 Mason Foster, LB Washington

R4 Luke Stocker, TE Tennessee

R5 Ahmad Black, SS Florida

R6 Allen Bradford, RB USC

R7 Anthony Gaitor, CB Florida International

R7 Daniel Hardy, TE Idaho

Clayborn and Bowers are both legitimate top 15 talent and defensive end was their biggest need coming into the draft. They both have some medical concerns, especially Bowers. If Bowers can recover from his knee injury and prove that this will not be a problem throughout his career, he could end up being the disruptive force on the Bucs defense that helps them get back into the playoffs. Both Clayborn and Bowers are big defensive ends who are effective against the run and pass. They will probably both start right away for this defense that is desperate for pass rushers.

The Bucs have been looking for upgrades at their outside linebacker spots since they let Derrick Brooks go. Foster might not start immediately, but he has the skills to be effective in their Tampa-2 defense and will at least be a factor on special teams. He could turn into a very productive starter in a year or so. Stocker is one of the most complete tight ends in this draft and he was a great pick up in the forth round. He has the size you look for (6’5, 258) in a starting tight end, which gives him the power to be an effective blocker at the next level. He has sneaky quickness and great hands. The Bucs will be running a lot of two tight end sets with Stocker and Kellen Winslow. This will be extremely difficult to defend with the threat of two dangerous tight ends in the passing game as well as their ability to block in the run game.

Black reminds me a lot of Jim Leonard on the Jets. He is extremely undersized (5’10, 180 lbs), but he has the instincts and heart to get the job done. I think he will end up starting sooner rather than later for the Bucs at safety, who really need to add youth to their defensive backfield. Bradford is an enormous running back to pair with LeGarrette Blount. With two talented running backs over 240 lbs, the Bucs’ run game should absolutely punish defenders and really tire teams out. Gaitor and Hardy add depth to their positions and could help out on special teams.

Besides from their seventh round picks, the rest of these rookies should all have significant roles on a Bucs’ team that won 10 games last season and barely missed the playoffs for the second time in three years. This draft class will mostly be judged on whether or not Bowers can stay on the field because if he can, I have no doubt he will be an extremely productive player. Clayborn will be a solid player, but despite being the second round pick, Bowers is the guy who could really be a difference maker on this team. 

AFC South Draft Grades

Colts: A-

R1 Anthony Castonzo, OT Boston College

R2 Ben Ijalana, OL Vilanova

R3 Drake Nevis, DT LSU

R4 Delone Carter, RB Syracuse

R6 Chris Rucker, CB Michigan St.

As much as I hate the Colts, I have to respect how they consistently find a way to win at least 10 games every season. That mostly has to do with how successful they are in the draft every year. Their biggest need coming into the draft was fixing their offensive line that made Peyton Manning look like Rex Grossman for a lot of last season. Castonzo is a great blue-collar player who can play both right and left tackle. He will be a day one starter and should develop into the left tackle the Colts have been looking for since Tarik Glenn retired. Ijalana will probably play left guard or right tackle and will be another lineman to pair with Castonzo who should start for the Colts for a very long time.

The Colts’ have failed to find a decent starter at defensive tackle for a very long time and Nevis will get a shot at filling that role. The Colts have not drafted well at this spot in the past and they will hope that Nevis’ experience in the SEC will lead him to be successful in the NFL. Last year it seemed like the Colts never knew who was going to be starting for them at running back because at least one back was always injured. Carter is a short and stout physical running back who is elusive enough to take over the starting role for the Colts. Rucker is a good developmental corner. He has the size and speed to start in the NFL, but needs some time to develop and might have a hard time making this talented Colts team.

Four out of the Colts five picks could start for them this season and their fifth pick could turn into a starter down the line. They also hit on their most glaring need with their first two picks. I am sure they would have loved to get another receiver to help out Manning, but this is still a great draft. 

AFC West Draft Grades

Broncos: B+

R1 Von Miller, OLB Texas A&M

R2 Rahim Moore, FS UCLA

R2 Orlando Franklin, OL Miami

R3 Nate Irving, LB N.C. State

R4 Quinton Carter, DB Oklahoma

R4 Julius Thomas, TE Portland St.

R6 Mike Mohamed, LB California

R7 Virgil Green, TE Nevada

R7 Jeremy Beal, DE Oklahoma

Von Miller is an incredible talent, but he is much better suited to be an OLB in a 3-4 defense than a 4-3 defense and is too small to play defense end. I also think Marcell Dareus is a much better prospect and would have filled a much bigger need for the Broncos, who desperately need help all over their defensive line. Rahim Moore was a great find in the second round since he was considered the top safety in this draft. Brian Dawkins will teach him to play the position like a pro and eventually replace him. Franklin will probably step in immediately at right tackle for the Broncos and could be the starter there for a long time. Irving has the speed and size to immediately start at one of the linebacker positions for the Broncos. He is also a vocal leader and should energize this defense, which was the worst in the NFL last season. Carter adds another safety to their rotation and could end up starting next to Moore once Dawkins retires.

Thomas and Green are both pass catching tight ends with good speed. They both have great value for where they were drafted and have the potential to develop into dangerous weapons in this offense that already has the deepest receiving corps in the NFL. Mohamed will immediately be a tackling machine on special teams and should be a decent backup middle linebacker. Jeremy Beal was a steal in the seventh round and could be a dangerous situational pass rusher.

The Broncos really made the most out of their picks and got great value in every round. Their defense was absolutely horrendous last year and they loaded up on that side of the ball. They found at least three quality starters for that side of the ball, which is extremely impressive. I would have liked this draft a lot more if they had taken Dareus with the second pick, but Miller is a rare pass rushing force.

NFC West Draft Grades

49ers: B

R1 Aldon Smith, DE/OLB Missouri

R2 Colin Kaepernick, QB Nevada

R3 Chris Culliver, CB South Florida

R4 Kendall Hunter, RB Oklahoma St.

R5 Daniel Kilgore, OL Appalachian St.

R6 Ronald Johnson, WR USC

R6 Colin Jones, DB TCU

R7 Bruce Miller, DE/OLB Central Florida

R7 Michael Person, OL Montana St.

R7 Chris Holcomb, DB Florida A&M

Aldon Smith was seen as a reach for most with the seventh pick, especially since there had only been one quarterback taken in this draft. However, I did not see him falling past the Texans at the 11^th pick so I think this was a solid move. Most 49ers fans would have liked to see a cornerback at this spot, but an elite pass rusher is much more valuable. Smith played defensive end at Missouri, but he has the quickness to be a productive OLB in the 49ers’ 3-4 scheme. He is also probably the toughest player in this draft, considering he broke his fibula in the 2010 season and only missed three weeks. He played with the injury for most of the season and still managed to record 5.5 sacks on a very unimpressive defense. He is a disruptive pass rusher who will immediately help out a 49er’s pass defense that was just awful last season.

The 49ers then traded up to get Colin Kaepernick in the second round. A lot of people compared Kaepernick to Cam Newton favorably, but Kaepernick is not nearly as polished a passer as Newton, and Newton is not all that polished of a passer either. Kaepernick has an unbelievable amount of potential and Jim Harbaugh will be able to help him progress into an NFL quarterback faster than most other coaches, but this guy could still take around two years to even be ready to start, let alone start producing at a high level for the 49ers. I like his value more as a third round player, but the need at quarterback pushed him far up the draft board. The Redskins would have taken him before the 49ers if they had not traded up to get him so that also forced their hand. He could run a wildcat/pistol offense in certain situations for the 49ers in his rookie year, but I don’t see him contributing in any other fashion in 2011.

Culliver is a cornerback in the mold of Nate Clements, which is probably not what 49ers fans want to hear. However, Clements is a good player, the 49ers just gave him a ridiculously huge contract that has made him unpopular with fans. If Culliver turns out to be even close to as good as Clements is, he will be well worth a third round pick. Hunter is another value pick in the forth round. He is a great compliment to Frank Gore and can take some of the burden off of him on third downs. The 49ers have not been pleased with Chilo Rachal’s play and while Kilgore will not replace him in 2011, he will be a solid backup and could end up taking Rachal’s spot in a year or two. Ronald Johnson is another speed receiver to help out whoever is playing quarterback for them. He can also help take some of the burden off of Ted Ginn in the return game, or allow the 49ers to part ways with him. Colin Jones will more than likely be a rotational safety for the 49ers, who need help all throughout their defensive backfield. Miller will be a situational pass rushing OLB for them and contribute on special teams. Person and Holcomb will fight for backup roles.

As I have said before, this draft grade depends on the success of their first two picks. If Smith and Kaepernick both become at least above average starters, this draft will be seen as a success. The two of them both have incredible upside, but neither should be judged by their play in 2011. This is overall a decent draft, but I do not see anyone they drafted helping them get over the hump and making the playoffs next season.

Rashard Mendenhall's Comments on 9/11 and Osama bin Laden

Sorry to break up my draft analysis, but this is a subject that I just had to tall about. Like most people that have heard Steelers’ running back Rashard Mendenhall’s comments about Osama bin Laden and 9/11, I was utterly shocked to hear someone speak of bin Laden in almost a positive light. If you have not heard all of Mendenhall’s comments, check out the article on NFL.com (http://tinyurl.com/6x3q5yh). He starts off with a decent point saying that it is a little disturbing how excited everyone in the US was about the murder of a single individual. I personally do not have a problem with people getting joy out of seeing a mass murderer finally receive the punishment that he has avoided for the past ten years, but I can understand Mendenhall’s point. However, he goes on to claim that we will never know what happened on 9/11 and that he does not believe a plane could bring down a skyscraper. Mendenhall is a football player, not a scientist and he has no business speaking about what is physically possible or not. I know people that saw with their own two eyes those planes hit the World Trade Towers. There are videos from numerous sources of the planes hitting the buildings. How much more evidence does this guy need?

This does not end the insanity of Mendenhall’s rantings. He goes on to say that we cannot judge bin Laden because we have not heard him speak before and that there is no evidence that he was even linked to 9/11 except for the fact that our government told us so. Maybe Mendenhall has not heard bin Laden speak before, but most of America has. Bin Laden has publicly released videos of him taking full credit for 9/11 attacks as well as other terrorist plots that are responsible for the deaths of hundreds more people. There is no doubt that he is a mass murderer and that the world is a much better place without him. Mendenhall’s comments show a degree of ignorance that is hard to comprehend as well as a complete lack of tact when speaking about an event that immediately took the lives of thousands of American citizens and had a devastating effect on the lives of everyone close to those individuals.

What is even worse is the fact that Mendenhall seems to refuse to take back his words, which is unforgivable. He even claims that, “There is not an ignorant bone in my body.” Ignorance about one’s own ignorance is the worst type of idiocy. I guess footballs fans should have seen something like this coming when Mendenhall backed up Adrian Peterson’s comment that the NFL is like “modern-day slavery.” Yes, I really see the comparison between the most shameful time in America’s history when we treated a entire race like property and a professional sport in which players get paid millions of dollars to play a game. Mendenhall is clearly completely oblivious to what true suffering really means, and if he thinks the NFL is so bad, he should just quit.

If I were Art Rooney, who is part of Obama’s staff as the Ambassador to Ireland, I would cut ties with Mendenhall if he refuses to give a full hearted apology and legitimately show remorse for his unfounded and insensitive comments. Not only is it shameful to the Steelers’ organization and to him personally, but also how could Mendenhall’s teammates ever respect him again? I am sure there are at least a few players on the Steelers who were affected by 9/11 in one way or another. These comments could have a devastating impact on the chemistry in the Steelers’ locker room that has already had to deal with Ben Roethlisberger’s rape charges. Mendenhall is a great player, but if his team is not behind him or his lineman are not as motivated to block for him, it could be the difference between a disappointing season and another Super Bowl victory. 

NFC North Draft Grades

Bears: B+

R1 Gabe Carimi, OT Wisconsin

R2 Stephen Paea, DT Oregon St.

R3 Chris Conte, DB Cal

R5 Nathan Enderle, QB Idaho

R6 James Thomas, LB West Virginia

The Bears did one of the best jobs of any team in this year’s draft to really hit on all of their biggest needs. Their biggest needs in this order where: offensive line, defensive tackle, and defensive back. Notice anything? In the first three rounds they drafted an offensive tackle, a defensive tackle, and a safety. Carimi proclaimed himself as the best tackle in this year’s draft and I cannot believe he fell all the way to the 29^th pick for the Bears. He is a big, mean tackle who plays with a lot of emotion and is an effective run and pass blocker. The Bears will probably leave Chris Williams at left tackle for one more year and play Carimi at right tackle to give him a year to get used to the NFL. The Bears traded up a few spots in the second round to land Paea, who put up a record 49 bench presses of 225lbs at the NFL Combine. However, he is not just a workout warrior. Paea is able to collapse the pocket against both the run and pass, making him the perfect replacement for Tommy Harris. He will be on the field all game long and offenses will have to double team him, making Julius Peppers’ life a lot easier. Conte is a tall, hard hitting safety with above average speed who could play immediately in nickel and dime defensive formations. Enderle was clearly a Mike Martz pick and he must have seen something in him that most talent evaluators did not. Thomas is a tough, hard working linebacker who will start out on special teams and could earn time as a starter alongside Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs.

I really like all of the Bears’ picks except Enderle. They saw that Caleb Hanie could start for Cutler in case he misses a few games. With only five picks in the draft, they could not afford to take a third string developmental quarterback when they have a franchise quarterback. This move only brings up more questions to their commitment to Jay Cutler as their starter, especially when they could have drafted another solid receiver or lineman who could have helped Cutler out in that offense. They did a good job of addressing some of their needs, but they could have made better use of their later picks. 

AFC North Draft Grades

Bengals: B

Draft Picks:

R1 AJ Green, WR Georgia

R2 Andy Dalton, QB TCU

R3 Dontay Moch, OLB Nevada

R4 Clint Boling, OL Georgia

R5 Robert Sands, FS West Virginia

R6 Ryan Whalen, WR Stanford

R7 Korey Lindsey, CB Southern Illinois

R7 Jay Finley, RB Baylor

The Bengals stuck with their top two picks and got exactly what they wanted. They landed the top receiver in this draft and one of the most pro ready quarterbacks in this draft. Green is an unbelievable talent and reminds me a lot of Larry Fitzgerald. He will probably have to get a little stronger in order to hold up against all the press coverage he will see in the NFL, but that will not take him long and he should immediately be a playmaker for this team. Dalton is one of the most highly regarded quarterbacks in this draft and could have gone to the Dolphins at 15. I am personally not a big fan of Dalton since he has a weak arm and does not have elite accuracy like Ponder. However, he is a very mobile quarterback and possesses impressive leadership skills, leading TCU to 42 wins in his career.

Beyond their first two picks, the Bengals found value in the other rounds as well. Moch is an impressive pass rushing OLB who Mike Zimmer can move around in his defense to cause havoc for opposing quarterbacks. Boling is a tough interior lineman that could develop into a starter and is a solid backup in case of injury. Safety was one of the Bengals biggest weaknesses last year and they suffered a ton of injuries to that position. Sands is a huge free safety (6’4, 217 lbs) with above average speed (4.5 40 yard dash). He will immediately be a part of their safety rotation and could develop into a Pro Bowl caliber safety. Not bad for a fifth round pick. Whalen could develop into a decent forth or fifth possession receiver, but it is more than likely he will not make the final cut on this roster. Lindsey and Finley are at best backups at their positions and special teams contributors.

How this draft will be graded comes down to whether or not Dalton is a franchise quarterback. They passed on Gabbert, Locker, and Ponder to take Green, but if Dalton isn’t at least on par with all of those quarterbacks, it does not matter how good of a receiver Green turns out to be. It would be best if the Bengals could get Carson Palmer to come back for another year or two in order to give Dalton some time to develop. However, this is extremely unlikely. Since there is no way Jordan Palmer beats out Dalton as the starting quarterback, it is more than likely that Dalton will have to start day one for the Bengals. The Bengals do not get an A in this draft because they failed to address one of their bigger weaknesses over the last few years: their defensive line. With one of the more talented defensive line classes in recent memory, how could they possibly not take at least one D-lineman? Also, they failed to address their need at running back until their last pick, and took a guy who probably will not even make the team. 

NFC East Draft Grades

Cowboys: B

Draft Picks:

R1 Tyron Smith, OT USC

R2 Bruce Carter, LB UNC

R3 DeMarco Murray, RB Oklahoma

R4 David Arkin, OL Mississippi St.

R5 Josh Thomas, DB Buffalo

R6 Dwayne Harris, WR East Carolina

R7 Shaun Chapas, FB Georgia

R7 Bill Nagy, C Wisconsin

Despite the fact that their pass defense was the biggest weakness of this team last year, the Cowboys only drafted one defensive player and focused on giving Tony Romo every opportunity to make this one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL. They started off by taking the top tackle in the draft in Tyron Smith. He can play on the right side, like he did in college, and let Doug Free man the left side for at least another year. Bruce Carter would have been a high first round pick if it weren’t for his injury concern. Murray is one of my favorite running backs in this draft. He is big, strong, and has elite speed. He is a great pass protector and has the best hands of any running back I have seen coming out of college in a long time. Despite how stacked the Cowboys are at running back, Murray could develop into the best of the bunch. At the very least, he should be an elite third down back. Arkin is a bit of a project as an interior lineman, but he has a lot of potential and could develop into a starter. Thomas is a solid cover corner and will fill in for the Cowboys in nickel or dime packages, which is great value in the fifth round. Harris is a hard working player who could develop into a decent slot receiver once they part ways with Roy Williams, which will probably be sooner rather than later. Chapas could immediately start for the Cowboys as a fullback. He has reliable hands and is another boost to the Cowboys run game. Nagy will try to work his way onto the roster as a backup interior lineman.

The Cowboys opted for the strategy that they will try to outscore every team they play, instead of actually trying to stop someone of defense. They do have possibly the best pass rusher in the entire NFL in DeMarcus Ware so maybe if they can get a lead early in their games, he will make the Boys’ defensive backs more productive than they were last year. I really like the players they drafted, but the fact that they did not address their two biggest needs on defense (corner back and defensive line) is why they get a B. However, I am excited to watch this team on offense this year.

AFC East Draft Grades

Bills: B+

Draft Picks:

R1 Marcell Dareus, DT Alabama

R2 Aaron Williams, DB Texas

R3 Kelvin Sheppard, LB LSU

R4 Da’Norris Searcy, DB UNC

R4 Chris Hairston, OL Clemson

R5 Johnny White, RB UNC

R6 Chris White, LB Mississippi St.

R7 Justin Rodgers, DB Richmond

R7 Michael Jasper, NT Bethel (TN)

Getting Dareus at the third overall pick might be the steal of this draft, which is saying a lot considering he was still the THIRD overall pick. He is probably the best player in this entire draft and can be moved all over the Bills defensive line that has been looking for quality play for years. Aaron Williams probably had a first round grade and only fell because of the amount of quarterbacks taken early. He can play CB and safety for the Bills, which is good because they need help at both positions. Kelvin Sheppard is another solid draft pick and could end up starting for the Bills right away. Searcy adds a physical presence to the Bills’ safety group and should play well on special teams. The rest of their picks are to add depth and help out on special teams.

This draft would be in the A range except for the fact that they still have not addressed the worst offensive line in the NFL. I did not have a problem with them not taking a quarterback, especially since this was a weak year at the position and I believe Ryan Fitzpatrick is a better player than he gets credit for. However, if they want Fitzpatrick to be able to progress in their offense, they need to do a much better job at protecting him. Drafting one developmental right tackle is not going to solve any of their problems, especially for 2011, which could be Fitzpatrick’s last opportunity to prove that he is a franchise quarterback. They won’t get much help in free agency, whenever it starts, and I don’t see any of the tackles on their team making significant progression. The Bills defense will make strides in 2011, but they will still be picking in the top 5 of next years draft.

Division by Division Breakdowns

I will be going through each Division and giving each team a draft grade. Hopefully I will get through two Divisions a day. Enjoy!