Revisionist History - 2008 NFL Draft

frostie500

I was just looking at the 2008 draft and thinking 5 years on how have these players fared in the league. There's some hits and misses but really I was thinking if we were drafting today what would the first round look like so if anyone wants to have a look back and "change history" work away and post here and we can also have a look at the draft thread to see how accurate we were back then as we looked forward....as a personal disclaimer I wasnt using the forum back then!

Paully D

Excellent idea for a thread mate. Reading your OP reminded me of a good feature I read on NFL.com around draft time earlier this year. They went through each one over the last few years and changed what they thought teams would do if they knew then what they know now, but they only did the top 10.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d828341e7/article/flacco-a-chief-cj2k-to-cincy-many-changes-in-08-draft-redo

This was the only time in NFL history that two rookie quarterbacks started all 16 games: Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco. While the much-ballyhooed '83 Draft produced three great QBs in John Elway, Jim Kelly and Dan Marino (among six overall taken in the first round), none of them started 16 games that season. Kelly, however, went directly to the USFL. In 1986, his rookie NFL season, however, the Bills Hall of Famer did start every week ... and went 4-12.

Well, the 2007 Miami Dolphins were a lot worse than 4-12. Miami won just one game that season, leading Wayne Huizenga to hire Bill Parcells to turn the organization around. It also, of course, gave the organization the first pick in the upcoming draft. In this draft re-do, we actually leave the much-maligned 'Fins alone.

1. Miami Dolphins
Actual pick: Jake Long
Do-over pick: Jake Long

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Yes, Miami still needs a QB. Is Matt Ryan worthy of a No. 1 overall pick? Is he of John Elway, Troy Aikman and Peyton Manning ilk? No. Meanwhile, Long has been nothing but an All-Pro in Miami. Good pick.

2. St. Louis Rams
Actual pick: Chris Long
Do-over pick: Jordy Nelson

You're the Rams. You haven't had a viable No. 1 option at wideout in five years. What would you do if you had a do-over? In 2008, the Rams waited on a receiver until the second round, and got Donnie Avery to show for it. He's no longer on the team. Why not take a proven performer in Nelson, he of 15 touchdowns last year, and call it a day? Sound too high for Nelson? Maybe. But how long can the Rams go without someone who can play the position?

3. Atlanta Falcons
Actual pick: Matt Ryan
Do-over pick: Matt Ryan

The jury is out on whether Ryan was worth the third overall pick in the draft. First round? Easily. But the third pick overall? That's tough. Here's the deal: The Falcons needed to put the Michael Vick era behind them quickly. Joey Harrington could not be the face of the franchise. Therefore, even though he hasn't won a playoff game, Ryan has been good enough to take in this spot and be happy about it. Now he just needs to take the next step as a quarterback.

4. Oakland Raiders
Actual pick: Darren McFadden
Do-over pick: Jerod Mayo

Run DMC is great, when he's on the field. If the Raiders draft Mayo here, then they don't have to spend a 2010 first-round pick on Rolando McClain. And, with that ninth overall pick they spent on McClain, Oakland could take Jason Pierre-Paul (who went 15th), Maurkice Pouncey (18th), or Bryan Bulaga (23rd) instead. Meanwhile, they'd re-sign Michael Bush instead of letting him walk to Chicago.

5. Kansas City Chiefs
Actual pick: Glenn Dorsey
Do-over pick: Joe Flacco

Kansas City drafts Flacco here, and they don't have to sign the inconsistent and injured-too-often Matt Cassel to a six-year, $63 million dollar deal. They also don't lose to Flacco in the 2010 wild-card game. Quarterback has been an issue for this franchise since Trent Green went down to concussions. Flacco's presence provides some stability.

6. New York Jets
Actual pick: Vernon Gholston
Do-over pick: Chris Long

Gholston is the JaMarcus Russell of the 2008 draft. So, re-writing the script, the Jets get the strong line presence they wanted from Gholston by taking Chris Long, who logged 11 sacks last year. Honestly, the Jets would be a different team with a guy who can rush the passer.

7. New Orleans Saints
Actual pick: Sedrick Ellis
Do-over pick: Brandon Flowers

Flowers is a solid pick. Sean Payton pairs Flowers with Jabari Greer and Tracy Porter (who's now in Denver) to have both sides and the slot covered for a few years. Selecting Flowers means the Saints don't have to take Patrick Robinson (who has stunk) at the bottom of the first round in '10. Instead, Payton could use that pick to select Rob Gronkowski (paired with Jimmy Graham!), safety T.J. Ward or inside linebacker Sean Lee, all of whom went shortly after Robinson in that draft.

8. Jacksonville Jaguars
Actual pick: Derrick Harvey
Do-over pick: Cliff Avril

Cliff Avril > Derrick Harvey. Avril and Tyson Alualu on the line make the Jags a completely different animal. Not to mention, Avril was born in Jacksonville and attended high school in the area.

9. Cincinnati Bengals
Actual pick: Keith Rivers
Do-over pick: Chris Johnson

The Jags are happy to get Avril at the 8-hole, making the Bengals overjoyed that CJ2K is sitting there at ninth. Cincinnati has never had this style of back, a real home run hitter at tailback, with James Brooks in the mid-80s probably being the closest thing. The pick could allow the team to save money spent on Cedric Benson, but in reality, having both would be an affordable luxury, considering Benson's initial deal in Cincy was modest ($520K). The two-headed monster takes pressure off Carson Palmer, and allows Marvin Lewis to play a ball-control, defensive-minded game.

10. New England Patriots
Actual pick: Jerod Mayo
Do-over pick: Ray Rice

If there was one thing the Patriots needed after their Super Bowl season of 2007, it was a lead back. The Giants pass rush barely had to pause on their way to Tom Brady in Super Bowl XLII. Rice's addition changes that, giving the Pats a certifiable force in both the ground and air game. Rice (2,068 total yards) outgained all of New England's backs combined (1,936) in 2011.

After Further Review:

Knocked it out of the park: Several contenders, but it's tough to dispute Atlanta's very strong class as the champ. The Falcons got a starting quarterback (Matt Ryan, first round), tackle (Sam Baker, first round), linebacker (Curtis Lofton, second round), safety (Thomas DeCoud, third round), as well as a decent slot receiver (Harry Douglas, third round) and a pass rusher off the bench (Kroy Biermann, fifth round). Not a bad haul.

How Did He Go There?! Award: Would you believe Stevie Johnson went 224th overall, the 17th pick in the seventh round? All he's done is post back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in Buffalo.

Wasted draft: The Browns got one starter (Ahtyba Rubin) and four guys who barely played a down. Jacksonville's draft was bust central, with all five guys being underwhelming, led by eighth overall pick Derrick Harvey out of Florida. The "pass rusher" has eight sacks in four seasons.

Then there's the 49ers. After five rounds full of busts, sixth-rounder Josh Morgan wasn't bad. But he got hurt, finished 2011 on IR and now resides in Washington. Oddly, the draft might be saved from being complete junk by seventh-rounder Larry Grant, who was quite valuable filling in at linebacker last season, particularly in a big Monday night win against the Steelers when he was all over the field.

Mr. Irrelevant of 2008: Linebacker David Vobora was the only player taken from Idaho in the entire draft. That same season Vobora became the first Mr. Irrelevant to start a game as a rookie since 1994. In three years in St. Louis, Vobora started 16 games -- not great, but not bad for the last dude taken in the draft. Last year he appeared in six games for the Seahawks before a shoulder injury landed him on IR. He's currently a free agent.

Fun fact about the '08 draft: No wide receivers were taken in the first round. The Rams ended the drought by drafting Avery 33rd overall -- the second pick of the second round. The last time this happened? 1990, when Auburn speedster Alexander Wright was taken by Dallas with the first pick in the second round. Wright reportedly once ran a 4.09 40, but had one big issue, like this guy. Drove Jimmy Johnson absolutely nuts.

Red Crow

If I'm the Rams and I can predict the future I'm taking Matt Ryan without question over Jordy Nelson or Chris Long for that matter.

Syferus

Bradford is being severely de-valued by you, then. He has had a paper-thin line his entire career (being nearly murdered last season alone, with 36 sacks in ten starts), no deep receivers of note apart from a brief sojourn by Brandon Llyod on his way to New England, and a running game that hasn't ever had a chance to be anything more than mediocre because of that same line.

I think there is every likelihood Bradford would be a better QB than Ryan is right now had he been given the protection and weapons Ryan was.

frostie500

Syferus wrote: »

Bradford is being severely de-valued by you, then. He has had a paper-thin line his entire career (being nearly murdered last season alone, with 36 sacks in ten starts), no deep receivers of note apart from a brief sojourn by Brandon Llyod on his way to New England, and a running game that hasn't ever had a chance to be anything more than mediocre because of that same line.

I think they would be ever chance Bradford would be a better QB than Ryan right now had he been given the protection and weapons Ryan was.

Yeah I think Bradford could be a really productive QB in the NFL as well but if you're in the position to take Matt Ryan do you pass on him? I'd agree and say no way. Look at the number of teams that have been stuck in the mire for years because of bad QB play. When you're in a position to take a franchise signal caller you take them

Paully D

A more detailed look back:

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/story/15054471

Arizona Cardinals

They did a really nice job with their draft. They landed a top cover corner in Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie in the first round. Then they added starters in the second round (DE Calais Campbell) and seventh round (Brandon Keith) and a part-time starter in running back Tim Hightower in the sixth. Campbell looked to be on the verge of being a big-time player in 2009, but regressed in 2010. That will hold this grade down some. Third-round pick Early Doucet has flashed at times, but injuries have held him back. Fourth-round pick Kenny Iwebema has had some medical issues that have slowed his progress.

Grade now: B
Grade then: B

Atlanta Falcons

They landed their franchise passer in Matt Ryan, which proved to be the right move. I wasn't so sure about that at the time, which looks foolish now. I was wrong. He is the real thing. They traded back into the first round to get Sam Baker to play left tackle. He has been bothered some by injuries and isn't the player the Falcons expected. But he is solid. Second-round linebacker Curtis Lofton has been the starter in the middle for the Falcons since his rookie season. Third-round pick Thomas DeCoud is a quality starting safety, although his play slipped some last season. Fifth-round pick Kroy Biermann is the starting left end. Third-round pick Harry Douglass is the slot receiver. The only miss here was on third-round corner Chevis Jackson, who lacked the speed needed to play nickel corner. This was the building draft for this team.

Grade now: A
Grade then: B

Baltimore Ravens

They did the right thing by trading out of the No. 8 spot to No. 22 and then back up to No. 18 to get Joe Flacco. At the time, it was a questionable move, but one that proved to work out. Flacco isn't a top-tier quarterback yet, but he has the skills. Second-round pick Ray Rice has worked out well. Now the Ravens need to give this running back the ball more. The rest of the draft, which was eight picks, didn't produce another starter. There are some quality backups in linebacker Tavares Gooden and safeties Tom Zbikowski and Haruki Nakamura, but that's it.

Grade now: B
Grade then: C

Buffalo Bills

The best two picks of their draft both came in the seventh round. That's when they landed starting left tackle Demetrious Bell and top receiver Steve Johnson. That really elevates this draft. That offsets the top two picks, which haven't lived up to the hype. First-round pick Leodis McKelvin starts at corner, but he has been just OK as he has been limited to 23 starts in three seasons, 14 in 2010. Second-round pick James Hardy was released last summer. Fourth-round pick Reggie Corner got two starts at corner last season, but the rest of the class disappointed.

Grade now: C+
Grade then: B-

Carolina Panthers

The Panthers had eight picks, and seven of them are on the roster. The top pick was running back Jonathan Stewart, who has proven to be a dependable runner. Tackle Jeff Otah, the team's other first-round pick that year, missed the 2010 season with injuries. But he was a good player his first two seasons. Third-round picks Charles Godfrey (safety) and Dan Connor (linebacker) both were quality starters last season. Seventh-round pick Geoff Schwartz started 16 games last season on the offensive line, while fellow seventh-round pick Mackenzy Bernadeau got 12 at guard. Sixth-round pick Nick Hayden got 10 starts at defensive tackle. This was a nice draft, although injuries have helped get several of these players on the field.

Grade now: A
Grade then: B-

Chicago Bears

The Bears had 12 picks, but little to show for it. First-round pick Chris Williams was tabbed to be a tackle, but he struggled there and has been moved inside to guard. That's not a good thing. Second-round running back Matt Forte is a starter who had a good rookie season, struggled in 2009 and bounced back to play well in 2010. He's a good pick. None of the other 10 picks started for the Bears in their title-game loss to the Packers. Receiver Earl Bennett (third round) and tight end Kellen Davis (fifth) and corner Zack Bowman (fifth) did play. Two others from this draft, defensive tackle Marcus Harrison and safety Craig Steltz, were on the roster but did not play. They had too many picks not to land more than one quality starter.

Grade now: C-
Grade then: B+

Cincinnati Bengals

First-round pick Keith Rivers is a quality starter, even if he isn't the star the Bengals expected when they took him ninth overall. He is solid, not special. Second-round pick Jerome Simpson was considered a major bust until he showed well late last season. He might be ready for his breakout season. Third-round pick Pat Sims has developed into a nice player at defensive tackle, getting eight starts last season. Receiver Andre Caldwell, another third-round pick, is a decent backup, as is fourth-round pick Anthony Collins, a tackle from Kansas State. If Simpson comes up big in 2011, this draft grade will go higher. For now, it's just average.

Grade now: C
Grade then: C

Cleveland Browns

The Browns traded away their first three picks, so they didn't pick until the fourth round. Those picks were traded to get Brady Quinn the year before and to land defensive tackles Corey Williams and Shaun Rogers. None of those is left on the roster. The Quinn move really set the franchise back. Of the remaining five picks, the only player left on the roster is nose tackle Ahtyba Rubin. He is a good player, but that's it. Now we know why the Browns aren't good right now.

Grade now: F
Grade then: B+

Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys had six picks in this draft and five are still with the team. They had two first-round picks in running back Felix Jones and corner Mike Jenkins. Both have had their moments, but not enough. Jenkins was a Pro Bowl player in 2009, but struggled last season. Jones is inconsistent. Tight end Martellus Bennett, a second-round pick, has tons of potential but hasn't used it yet. The best pick might be fifth-round corner Orlando Scandrick, who has started at times but is coming off a good season as a nickel corner.

Grade now: C
Grade then: A

Denver Broncos

The Broncos hit on first-round pick Ryan Clady, who proved to be a top tackle in his first two seasons before struggling some last season as he battled back from major knee surgery. He is still a good pick. Second-round receiver Eddie Royal is a good player who had 10 starts last season and has been productive since he came into the league. Sixth-round pick Spencer Larsen has seen time at both linebacker and fullback and also excels on special teams. Aside from Clady, the best two players from this draft are fifth-round pick Ryan Torain and seventh-round pick Peyton Hillis. Too bad they play for other teams. Torain is now with the Redskins and finished the 2010 season as the team's starting back. Hillis had a huge season for the Browns after being traded to get Quinn. Those were bad moves letting those two leave.

Grade now: C-
Grade then: B

Detroit Lions

The best pick from a weak draft was third-round defensive end Cliff Avril. He starts and is one of the better pass rushers on the roster. First-round pick Gosder Cherilus starts, but he hasn't been as good a tackle as expected. Aside from those two, this class didn't bring much. Third-round pick Kevin Smith produced as a rookie runner, but had just 125 yards last season. He has had knee and shoulder surgeries the past two seasons. Fullback Jerome Felton, drafted in the fifth round, is a steady player at a low-value position.

Grade now: D-
Grade then: B+

Green Bay Packers

The Packers landed their best offensive lineman in guard Josh Sitton in the fifth round of this draft. The third round brought tight end Jermichael Finley, who looked on the verge of being a star before going down early last season. The rest of the draft produced mixed results. The Packers didn't have a first-round pick, trading out to get more picks, and second-round quarterback Brian Brohm was released last year. Jordy Nelson, the other second-round pick, is a good fourth receiver, but little more than that. Second-round corner Patrick Lee is a backup. They did land backup quarterback Matt Flynn in the seventh round. This isn't the draft that put the Packers in the Super Bowl.

Grade now: C
Grade then: B-

Houston Texans

The Texans had seven picks and only one, first-rounder Duane Brown, was a starter last season. Brown is a decent player who improved last season. The Texans blew a pick on third-round corner Antwaun Molden, who hasn't started a game. Running back Steve Slaton, another third-round pick, had a great rookie season but has been a backup since. Fourth-round linebacker Xavier Adibi and seventh-round safety Dominique Barber have started games, but they are mostly backups.

Grade now: D
Grade then: C-

Indianapolis Colts

The best hit of this draft for Bill Polian was sixth-round receiver Pierre Garcon. Coming out of Mount Union College, he has proven to be a nice starter in their offense. The rest of the draft wasn't very good. The Colts traded their first-round pick the year before for the right to draft tackle Tony Ugoh, who is no longer on the roster. Ouch. Guard Mike Pollak, the team's first choice in the second round, has started but he hasn't lived up to expectations. The rest of the group has been primarily made up of backups. Tight end Jacob Tamme, taken in the fourth round, started much of last season for injured Dallas Clark and played well. There isn't much else for Polian to hang his hat on from this draft, although third-round linebacker Phillip Wheeler has started at times.

Grade now: D
Grade then: B-

Jacksonville Jaguars

Their draft has proven to be a disaster. They traded up in the first round to get Derrick Harvey, thinking he would be an elite pass rusher. He has six sacks in three seasons and is considered a bust. Ouch. Second-round pick Quentin Groves, another outside rusher, was traded to the Oakland Raiders and never lived up to expectations. There are no other players on the roster from this draft.

Grade now: F
Grade then: B-

Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs cashed in big with this draft. They landed six starters in this draft. That's success. Those picks include star running back Jamaal Charles (third round) and both starting corners in Brandon Flowers (second round) and Brandon Carr (fifth). They took defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey with the fifth overall pick and tackle Branden Albert with the 15th pick. Both are starters, even if they are not as dominant as expected. Starting right tackle Barry Richardson came in the sixth round. This was a heck of a draft.

Grade now: A
Grade then: A+

Miami Dolphins

You can give the Dolphins demerits for taking Jake Long with the first pick rather than Matt Ryan. But Long is a good player and they did have a solid draft the rest of the way. They got starting quarterback Chad Henne in the second round and two defensive linemen -- Philip Merling and Kendall Langford -- came in the second and third. The best of the late-round picks is running back Lex Hilliard, who came in the sixth.

Grade now: B-
Grade then: A

Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings didn't have a first-round pick, trading it and two third-round picks to land Jared Allen. That move has worked out well. Of their five picks, the only two starters are center John Sullivan (fifth round) and safety Tyrell Johnson (second). Sullivan is a quality starter, while Johnson has been just OK. Fifth-round pick Letroy Guion is a backup defensive tackle.

Grade now: C (counting Allen)
Grade then: B

New England Patriots

The Patriots had seven picks. How many starters did great football mind Bill Belichick land? One. That's not good enough. They did hit on first-round pick Jerod Mayo, who has been a force as an inside linebacker. The rest of the draft produced backups and little else. Fourth-round corner Jonathan Willhite started one game last season. Fifth-round pick Matt Slater is also on the roster. There just aren't enough hits in this draft.

Grade now: C-
Grade then:B+

New Orleans Saints

The Saints had six picks and landed three top-tier starters. That's a good draft. First-round pick Sedrick Ellis has developed into the defensive tackle the Saints thought he would become. He is coming off his best season. Corner Tracy Porter, the team's second-round pick, is a solid starter who had his magical Super Bowl moment two years ago. The best player from this draft is fifth-round pick Carl Nicks. He was a tackle coming out of Nebraska but now might be the best guard in the NFL. The Saints did well in this draft.

Grade now: A
Grade then: B-

New York Giants

The Giants hit on their first three picks. Safety Kenny Phillips, the team's first-round pick, came back from a bad knee injury in 2009 to play well in 2010. Second-round pick Terrell Thomas is a starting corner and third-round pick Mario Manningham is a big part of the passing game as a receiver. Fifth-round pick Jonathan Goff is coming off his best season as a starting linebacker. The Giants had a really nice draft.

Grade now: A
Grade then: A

New York Jets

This is the Vernon Gholston draft. Ugh. He has been one of the biggest draft busts ever. The Jets picked him sixth overall and he hasn't done a thing. He's a big reason why the outside pass rush isn't very good. The rest of this draft didn't produce much either. Dustin Keller, the team's other first-round pick, is a big part of the offense at tight end, but the other five picks have had little impact. Fourth-round corner Dwight Lowery does see time in the nickel package and has started.

Grade now: D-
Grade then: C+

Oakland Raiders

The Raiders had five picks and landed three starters. That's pretty good. The first pick was running back Darren McFadden, who has developed into one of the best backs in the league. The Raiders traded their second- and fifth-round picks to Atlanta for corner DeAngelo Hall, who lasted one season. Oops. They did land starting safety Tyvon Branch in the fourth round and starting defensive end Trevor Scott in the sixth. Backup receiver Chaz Schillens, who has been productive when he has been healthy, came in the seventh. The Raiders got a decent haul from this class. Too bad they made the deal for Hall or the grade could be higher.

Grade now: B
Grade then: B-

Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles didn't have a first-round pick, trading it to Carolina for a 2009 first-round pick and some other picks. That pick was traded in 2009 to the Bills for other picks. The Eagles did hit big in the second round of this draft by taking receiver DeSean Jackson. He is one of the game's best big-play receivers. The rest of the draft landed mostly backups. Second-round pick Trevor Laws, a defensive tackle from Notre Dame, has been a disappointment. Fourth-round pick Mike McGlynn started at center last year when Jamaal Jackson went down. Seventh-round pick King Dunlap also started at right tackle because of injuries.

Grade now: C
Grade then: B

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers had seven picks, and landed just one starter. That was top pick Rashard Mendenhall, the team's starting running back. The rest of the draft produced a lot of misses. Second-round receiver Limas Sweed was the biggest of the busts so far. He has seven catches in three seasons and didn't play in 2010 because of a torn Achilles' tendon. Third-round linebacker Bruce Davis, who looked perfect for the Pittsburgh scheme, also flopped and isn't with the team anymore. Fourth-round pick Tony Hills (tackle), fifth-round pick Dennis Dixon (quarterback) and sixth-round pick Ryan Mundy (safety) are all backups still on the roster.

Grade now: C-
Grade then: B

St. Louis Rams

When the Rams picked Chris Long with the second overall pick, a lot of people questioned the move. But Long has developed into one of the team's best defensive players. He might never be a 15-sack player, but he is a good football player. Second-round pick Donnie Avery was a good player his first two seasons, but suffered a major knee injury last year that forced him to miss the season. The rest of the draft produced backups in guard John Greco (third), corner Justin King (fourth) and linebacker David Vobora (seventh). Vobora has started games in his three-year career.

Grade now: C+
Grade then: B

San Diego Chargers

The Chargers had five picks, and only two are left with the team. Corner Antoine Cason, the team's first-round pick, started 15 games last season and is a quality corner. They hit on that one. Third-rounder Jacob Hester has started at fullback and can also fill in as a running back. The Chargers traded a second-round pick to Miami to get receiver Chris Chambers, a move that didn't produce much. Chambers was released last year. The Chargers didn't get much from this draft.

Grade now: C-
Grade then: C

San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers blew their first-round pick on defensive tackle Kentwan Balmer, who is now with Seattle. He didn't work out in his two years with the 49ers. Second-round pick Chilo Rachal starts at guard, so he's a decent pick. Third-round pick Reggie Smith has started at safety and fifth-round pick Josh Morgan is a starting receiver, making him the best pick of this draft. Seventh-round pick Larry Grant didn't make the 49ers as a rookie, but he has been with the Rams the past three seasons, starting eight games in 2010 at outside linebacker. Ouch.

Grade now: C
Grade then: C

Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks have very little to show for this draft. They traded first-round pick Lawrence Jackson to the Lions last summer. The best pick was tight end John Carlson, who was a second-round pick. Fourth-round pick Red Bryant opened 2010 as a starter at defensive end, but was lost for the year midway through with a knee injury. Sixth-round running back Justin Forsett has been a contributor as a third-down back.

Grade now: D
Grade then: B-

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

This was the last draft before new general manager Mark Dominik took over and it looks like it. First-round pick Aqib Talib is a talent, but he has off-the-field issues that could lead to his being released. That was the book on him coming out, so the Bucs had to know the risk. Second-round pick Dexter Jackson, a receiver, was a big flop and he's no longer on the team. Third-round pick Jeremy Zuttah has started at guard and center in his three seasons, but is more of a guard. He's a decent player. The best pick was sixth-round choice Geno Hayes, a speedy linebacker who has started 16 games the past two seasons. If Talib is set free, the Bucs will have little from the top of this draft, and blowing that Jackson pick really drops the grade.

Grade now: C
Grade then: C+

Tennessee Titans

The Titans surprised a lot of people when they drafted running back Chris Johnson in the first round, but that move has paid off in a big way. He is a star runner, a true big-play back. Second-round pick Jason Jones has been a solid starter, flashing at times, but not quite living up to expectations. Third-round pick Craig Stevens is the team's blocking tight end. The Titans also got backup defensive end William Hayes in the fourth round and backup receiver Lavelle Hawkins in the fifth. Both are still on the roster, but didn't do much last season. Hayes had 1½ sacks and Hawkins had five catches.

Grade now: B-
Grade then: B-

Washington Redskins

This was a horrible draft for the Redskins. They thought they fixed their pass-catching problems with three second-round picks. They took receivers Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly and tight end Fred Davis. The only one to catch a pass for the Redskins last season was Davis, who had 21. Thomas was cut and Kelly missed the season with a hamstring injury. The rest of the draft produced little help. Seventh-round pick Chris Horton started 10 games as a rookie, but five since. Fourth-round corner Justin Tryon impressed last season for the Colts after being traded last summer by the Redskins.

Grade now: F
Grade then: A

Red Crow

Syferus wrote: »

Bradford is being severely de-valued by you, then. He has had a paper-thin line his entire career (being nearly murdered last season alone, with 36 sacks in ten starts), no deep receivers of note apart from a brief sojourn by Brandon Llyod on his way to New England, and a running game that hasn't ever had a chance to be anything more than mediocre because of that same line.

I think there is every likelihood Bradford would be a better QB than Ryan is right now had he been given the protection and weapons Ryan was.

This has nothing to do with Bradford's ability. Bradford was taken two years later and with hindsight I take Ryan everytime. In 2009 and in 2010 the Rams had the one of the top two picks again they could look for weapons to give to Ryan in that period and protect him instead of needing to go for Bradford in 2010. The Rams would be a lot further down the road becuase simply they would of had two extra years and would of been able to build a team with a franchise QB in Matt Ryan. Bradford could well turn out to be better than Ryan but I'm not passing on Matt Ryan to take that chance for continued years of sucking and one year of 7-9.

Not one sane GM makes that call.

frostie500

As I said I found this much harder than I thought it would be but here's my first round:

Pick|Team|Player|Position|School|Note
1|Miami Dolphins|Matt Ryan|QB|Boston College|Gotta take a franchise QB when they're available. Especially since Miami hasnt had one since Marino
2|St Louis Rams|Jake Long|OT| Michigan|I didnt know who to give to the Rams so I thought taking the best tackle always offers value and Long has been superb
3|Atlanta Falcons|Joe Flacco|QB|Delaware|Definitely going to get stick for this one! But again Flacco has shown he is a consistent starter and can win games. Teams can do a lot worse at QB than that and Atlanta need a QB to move on from Vick
4|Oakland Raiders|Chris Johnson|RB|East Carolina|Come on...how can Al Davis turn down CJ2K!
5|Kansas City Chiefs|Ryan Clady|OT|Boise State|The Chiefs have struggled to protect the QB for years so this would be a neccessary step in giving whoever they have under centre more of a chance of success
6|New York Jets|Jerod Mayo|LB|Tennessee|Went out and spent big on Bart Scott the next off-season so taking Mayo would have been a more productive/cheaper option
7|New Orleans Saints|Carl Nicks|G|Nebraska|The first big jump for a player. The Saints struck gold in the fifth round with Nicks so on a "do over" I'd say Brees would be banging down the door for Nicks!
8|Jacksonville Jaguars|Chris Long|DE|Virginia|Long has gotten better the longer he has played in the NFL but #2 was a reach. I think the Jags on the other hand would love to have Long on their line seeing as they've been unable to draft an end in the last few years
9|Cincinnati Bengals|Sedrik Ellis|DT|USC|In a 4-3 defence the Bengals would get good value for Ellis who has developed well at the Saints
10|New England Patriots|Brandon Carr|CB|Grand Valley State|First small school player off the board. I can see the value in adding a running back like Rice but I think adding the best CB in the draft class is probably more fitting for the Pats
11|Buffalo Bills|Stevie Johnson|WR|Kentucky|The Bills unearthed a rough diamond in Johnson who has developed into one of the best WRs in football....even if he's still prone to immaturity. Still on balance I think the Bills should reward him with a high draft choice
12|Denver Broncos|Kenny Philips|S|Miami|Its probably too high for Philips but the Broncos would have placed this sort of value on Safety if they knew how much they'd struggle with the secondary over the next few years
13|Carolina Panthers|Jordy Nelson|WR|Kansas State|Steve Smith on one side and Nelson on the other would give the Panthers something to build on and allow them to try and develop a QB for the future
14|Chicago Bears|Matt Forte|RB|Tulane|An "if it aint broke, dont fix it" pick.
15|Kansas City Chiefs|Jamaal Charles|RB|Texas|Ditto
16|Arizona Cardinals|Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie|CB|Tennessee State|Chosen by the Chiefs before trading him for Kolb. Very good CB
17|Detroit Lions|Cliff Avril|DE|Purdue|Another player that warrants to go higher but on the balance I thought him turning down FA moves showed that the Lions scheme is one that plays a role in his production (not to undersell Avril)
18|Baltimore Ravens|Ray Rice|RB|Pitt|Tough to see Rice falling to 18 but teams dont draft RB's high unless they know they'll be productive. Hence having CJ at number 4 and the Chiefs picking their own back Charles
19|Carolina Panthers|Brandon Flowers|CB|Virginia Tech|Fills a positions of need for Panthers. Flowers or DRC could easily swap places here but on balance I thought again the Cards did well in the first draft so leave them with DRC
20|Tampa Bay Buccaneers|Pierre Garcon|WR|Mount Union|Another late round gem that would warrant a much higher draft choice. Picked him ahead of other WR because with Jeff Garcia playing a West Coast system I though he would offer more value than some like DeSean Jackson for the underneath throws
21|Atlanta Falcons|Duane Brown|OT|Virginia Tech|They traded away a lot of picks to get Sam Baker as protection for Ryan in 2008 so they'd probably do the same again and Brown has been a very good starter for the Texans
22|Dallas Cowboys|Darren McFadden|RB|Arkansas|Great back but too many injuries. I think the Cowboys though would have accepted the risk at 22 for a game changing back
23|Pittsburgh Steelers|DeSean Jackson|WR|Cal|Seeing as they picks Limas Sweed in the 2nd round this is a major upgrade and gives Big Ben a speed threat before Mike Wallace joins in 09
24|Tennessee Titans|Jermichael Finley|TE|Texas|Vince Young was starting on his decline at this point but maybe a fellow Longhorn could have helped halt the slump
25|Dallas Cowboys|Kyle Arrington|CB|Hofsra|I thought I'd have Arrington off the board sooner given his production at New England but instead he fell to the perennially CB needy Cowboys
26|Houston Texans|Aqib Talib|CB|Kansas|Legal issues be damned! Talib has shown his ability at CB and the Texans were in dire need of more talent in their secondary five years ago
27|San Diego Chargers||||
28|Seattle Seahawks|Jonathon Stewart|RB|Oregon|Struggled in the years after Shaun Alexander declined (which was just around the corner) so giving Matt Hasselbeck another productive RB would have been a priority back then
29|San Francisco 49ers|Danny Amendola|WR|Texas Tech|He's had injury issues but when he's been fit he has shown his dangerous play making ability...which was something the niners lacked back then. He could also have developed into a legit weapon for Alex Smith
30|New York Jets|Gosder Cherilus|OT|Boston College|Has developed into a very strong lineman and would have been a great help for a line that had struggled to protect passers
31|New England Patriots|Spygate
32|New York Giants|Glenn Dorsey|DT|LSU|I think that this more faith than anything else. Dorsey clearly isnt the force he was drafted to be but in a 4-3 he could be a very productive player. In other words perfect for a late first rounder

Chucky the tree

I got a bit sick into my mouth when I saw Mayo as our do-over pick.

Paully D

Ray Rice would be right up there too if it was re-done.

eagle eye

He sure would and Tyvon Branch is not on that list either and I think he should be.

The Raiders had two real good picks there and I don't think they had many in that draft. I remember being on here during it and wanting the Patriots to take Branch.

Both myself and TO were all about Matt Ryan in that draft. A bit of self bragging here but I do leave in the bit about Oniel Cousins who isn't exactly a superstar. I remember Chucky wanted the Raiders to trade down a couple of spots and nab Sedrick Ellis who has turned out a good player.

As good as Jake Long is, I thought at the time, and still do in hindsight, that the Dolphins should have taken Ryan. They missed their opportunity right there.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055251418

eagle eye wrote: »

I think Matt Ryan is going to become a superstar in the NFL, he is underrated by most as he played with a broken ankle for almost the entire season. He had surgery on that and its now fine.
I think the Falcons have to take him at no.3 if they get him, he could go at no.1 to the Dolphins, and there are plenty of teams that need a quarterback who would be willing to make big trade offs for Matt Ryan.
Thankfully us Patriots are in no rush to sign a young quarterback.

A lot of people are talking about Long, Gholston and Dorsey being the first three picks, but I see Matt Ryan and Darren McFadden being in the top three picks. They are two very special athletes imo.
And with the shortage of good quarterbacks in the nfl at the moment it just seems more likely that Ryan will top the draft.
While there is a lot of exceptional running backs, McFadden is really special, he is the most exciting college player I have ever seen. The problem for him is that there are so many effective running backs in the nfl already, otherwise he would be no.1. At the end of the day the draft comes down to supply and demand, and when you weigh it up, there is a real shortage of qb's and defensive and offensive linemen all around the nfl at the moment.
If you haven't got a chance to see him yet heres a link for some highlights.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FCfZoPGEFA

eagle eye wrote: »

I would like to see us pick up Tyvon Branch and Oniel Cousins. From what I've read Branch will be a Patriot if he is still available when the Patriots get their first third round pick. He seems like a Bellichick type of guy. He has played corner and could make a very good safety with his reputation as the fastest corner in college football last year. He was also a great help in college to the coaching staff, helping out the younger players and the coaching staff at Connecticut reckon he will become a coach some day. Cousins seems like a guy who could improve over the next few years having only started playing football in 2003 and only playing at OL for the last two seasons.

eagle eye

Paully D wrote: »

A more detailed look back:

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/story/15054471

I just went straight to the Patriots and didn't read the whole thing and I've already found a mistake.
New England Patriots

The Patriots had seven picks. How many starters did great football mind Bill Belichick land? One. That's not good enough. They did hit on first-round pick Jerod Mayo, who has been a force as an inside linebacker. The rest of the draft produced backups and little else. Fourth-round corner Jonathan Willhite started one game last season. Fifth-round pick Matt Slater is also on the roster. There just aren't enough hits in this draft.

Grade now: C-
Grade then:B+

We also got Matthew Slater in that draft and while he is not a starter on offense or defense he is one of the best STers in the league. He is an all-pro and a probowler.

frostie500

eagle eye wrote: »

He sure would and Tyvon Branch is not on that list either and I think he should be.

The Raiders had two real good picks there and I don't think they had many in that draft. I remember being on here during it and wanting the Patriots to take Branch.

Both myself and TO were all about Matt Ryan in that draft. A bit of self bragging here but I do leave in the bit about Oniel Cousins who isn't exactly a superstar. I remember Chucky wanted the Raiders to trade down a couple of spots and nab Sedrick Ellis who has turned out a good player.

As good as Jake Long is, I thought at the time, and still do in hindsight, that the Dolphins should have taken Ryan. They missed their opportunity right there.

Yeah I was the same in 08 about Ryan. I loved his intelligence at BC and was very confident that it would translate into the pros whereas the following year when someone like Sanchez came out (to much more universal acclaim among the dranftniks) I didnt like his poor decision making at USC which I thought would lead to mistakes in the pros.

It's the old story of people being wooed by combine workouts and throwing to receivers in shorts whereas when you watch college ball week in week out you can see who can get it done on Sundays. Now obviously that's not to say that the college stars are going to be great pros (Leinhert, Young and Tebow are the the three best QBs I saw in college) and all have struggled in the pros.

Chucky the tree

Good to look back on that thread. Mcfadden hasn't busted as I thought but it was still such a waste of a pick. still, wasn't as bad as the draft a year before. :pac:

davyjose

Eli Manning wrote: »

If I'm the Rams and I can predict the future I'm taking Matt Ryan without question over Jordy Nelson or Chris Long for that matter.

If youre the Rams and Miami can predict the future, Matt Ryan is off the board.

davyjose

The fact that Miami hadnt picked up a 1st round QB since Marino was crazy in itself but then to pass on the first franchise QB to come their way since Marino quit was even more crazy.

Tannehill looks better than i expected. But he's still a long way behind the first two picks in this year's draft.