Grading the AFC North Draft

Cleveland Browns
Needs Analysis: The Browns badly needed to add pass rushers to their defense, depth to their secondary, and playmakers to their offense in this draft.  Armed with few picks due to mismanagement by Phil Savage, Mangini and Kokinis were forced to trade down and acquire extra picks and players.  In order to compete in a tough division the Browns need to get better skill players and pass rushers.

Round 1, Pick 21 (21) (From Eagles)     Alex Mack     C     6'4"     311     California
After moving down multiple times the Browns finally drafted C Alex Mack to help sure up their interior O-line.  Mack's weakness is dealing with over-sized NT's and in the AFC North he will have his hands full with Pittsburgh and Baltimore four games per year.  Mangini wants to employ  a power running game, but do Mack, Steinbach, and Thomas lend to that?  They are all better suited for more of a finesse game or quick passing attack.  The Browns also acquired S Abram Elam, DE Kenyon Coleman and QB Brett Ratliff via the first round trade downs.  Instead of staying put and drafting a top notch pass rush OLB or trading down and taking a big play WR like Jeremy Maclin, the Browns traded down and landed a C, a mediocre DE and S, and a back-up QB.  The Browns are better depth wise, but certainly did not acquire any game changing player despite having a top 5 draft pick.

Round 2, Pick 4 (36)     Brian Robiskie     WR     6'3"     209     Ohio State
Robiskie is a polished possession receiver and should fill the Joe Jurevicius role on the roster.  He is a good route-runner with solid hands, but is never going to be a deep threat or big-play  capable guy.   After losing Winslow and having Edwards on his way out Cleveland needed a play maker.  Robiskie won't stretch any defenses or back a defender out of the box to help the running game.

Round 2, Pick 18 (50) (From Buccaneers)     Mohamed Massaquoi     WR    6'2"     210    Georgia
Completely redundant after the Robiskie pick.  Two possession WR's, this one has questionable hands.  For a team with so many needs and a non existent pass rush, it is surprising to see them take two possessions WR's this early.

Round 2, Pick 20 (52) (From Jets)     David Veikune     DE     6'2"     257     Hawaii
A bit of a reach here to fill a need, Veikune will convert to OLB in the Browns' 3-4 scheme. The Browns badly need a pass rusher opposite Kam Wimbley, but passed on superior players all through round 1 to trade down and take a center. Former UDFA Alex Hall may end up starting over Veikune, which would really make this pick look bad.

Round 4, Pick 4 (104)     Kaluka Maiava     ILB     5'11"     229     Southern Cal
Undersize but talented, likely will compete at ILB for the Browns.  With D'Qwell Jackson, last years draft pick Beau Bell, former Jet Eric Barton, and Leon Williams all on the roster did the team really need another back-up ILB this early in the draft?

Round 6, Pick 4 (177)     Don Carey     CB     5'11"     192     Norfolk State
Carey was a four-year starter at a small school and had the interest of a lot of teams in the draft  With the lack of quality depth at CB for the Browns it is not a stretch to think that he could be their nickel DB as a rookie and potential future starter.

Round 6, Pick 18 (191) (From Buccaneers)     Coye Francies    CB    6'0"    185    San Jose State
Surprising that Francies was on the board this late.  He has good size and physical tools for a corner and could see action as a rookie in the browns secondary.

Round 6, Pick 22 (195) (From Vikings)     James Davis     RB     5'11"     218     Clemson
Davis struggled somewhat in his senior after being projected as an early round pick after his junior year.  At any rate he has the potential to be a speedy compliment to Jamal Lewis and possible 3rd down back and earn a roster spot.

Final Grade = C-

The Browns added Robiskie, Mack, Elam, Carey, Coleman, Massaoquoi and Francise who all could end up seeing significant playing time or starting  in the next year or two.  They did not add a single player who could be classified as a potential game changer, rather a bunch of solid depth players.  Disgruntled WR Braylon Edwards was not traded meaning he will likely walk after this season into the UFA market.  Both Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn remain on the roster for  for another year, lessening any trade value they could get for one of them.  The Browns are no closer to the Steelers and Ravens after this draft then they were before it.

Cincinnati Bengals
 Needs Analysis: The typically potent Bengals offense was atrocious last year when the o-line started to fall apart.  They sorely lacked a quality center and needed another starting OT to help the offense get back to where it was in 2005.  On defense the Bengals needed to get tougher in the front 7 and add a pass rusher.  The Bengals have solid skill players, but need to get tougher in the trenches to compete in the AFC North.

Round 1, Pick 6 (6)     Andre Smith     OT     6'4"     332     Alabama
The Bengals filled a need and took the BPA here.  Smith gives the Bengals the ability to run the ball again and should help the poor pass protection Cincy had last year.   The down side of this pick is Andre Smith needs to be in a disciplined and structured environment to reach his full potential.  The Bengals may be the worst fit for him.

Round 2, Pick 6 (38)     Rey Maualuga     ILB     6'2"     249     Southern Cal
As with Andre Smith Maualuga dropped in the draft over character questions.  Also like Smith he needs to be in a disciplined and structured environment to reach his full potential and Cincy may be a very bad environment for him.  Cincy gets a big thumper in the middle of their defense t help their mediocre run D.  Maualuga helps Cincy get tougher in the front 7, which they have needed to do for years.

Round 3, Pick 6 (70)     Michael Johnson     DE     6'7"     266     Georgia Tech
Johnson was thought to be a potential 1^st round pick with high bust potential. He is a big athletic edge rusher with explosive quickness, and a penchant for disappearing in football games.  He doesn't play with great effort, but could be a dangerous 3^rd down pass rush specialist.

Round 3, Pick 34 (98)     Chase Coffman     TE     6'6"     244     Missouri
 Coffman is an excellent receiver, but doesn’t block much.   For years Cincy’s offense has been al vertical passing to wide receivers and not much else.  Coffman could give them a new dimension to the offense that it has lacked.

Round 4, Pick 6 (106)     Jonathan Luigs     C     6'4"     301     Arkansas
Cincy needed a center and took one.  Luigs was a very good four-year starter in the SEC.  He isn’t the most mobile player and might struggle with Hampton and Ngata.

Round 5, Pick 6 (142)     Kevin Huber     P     6'1"     220     Cincinnati
He is a punter.

Round 6, Pick 6 (179)     Morgan Trent     CB     6'1"     193     Michigan
Trent has a lot college experience and is a pretty solid athlete.  He adds depth to the Bengals secondary.

Round 6, Pick 36 (209)     Bernard Scott     RB     5'10"     200     Abilene Christian
Scott is a shifty little third-down back who should replace Kenny Watson. Another pick with many red flags, including kicked off his high school and college teams and several run-ins with police.  One of the worst character players in the entire draft ends up a Bengal, go figure!

Round 7, Pick 6 (215)     Fui Vakapuna     RB     5'11"     244     BYU
Lead blocker and possible short yardage back.

Round 7, Pick 40 (249)   Clinton McDonald     DE     6'2"     289     Memphis
Work out warrior who likely struggles to make the roster.

Round 7, Pick 43 (252) Freddie Brown     WR     6'3"     215     Utah
Bengals are addicted to drafting WR’s and with a roster that has Chad Johnson, Laverneous Coles, Chris Henry, Jerome Simpson, Andre Caldwell, Mario Urrutia, and Antonio Chatman, did they really need another WR?

Final Grade = B+
The Bengals, unlike the Browns, addressed their major weaknesses by drafting an OT, C, DE, and MLB in the top 4 rounds.  They got tougher in the trenches and realized they needed to be more physical to compete with Pittsburgh and Baltimore.  On the downside, they drafted a bunch of players who had bad character or motivational issues, and their current roster will only lend to problems with these players down the road. What happens when Rey Maualuga, Andre Smith, and Bernard Scott meet the leadership of Chad Johnson, or the character of Tank Johnson and Chris Henry???

Baltimore Ravens
 Needs Analysis: Baltimore still has absolutely nobody on the offensive side of the ball that other teams have to gamelan for.  Flacco has no dangerous weapons to get the ball to.  They will either pound the ball on you and control the clock, or nothing.  Flacco throws a nice deep ball, but has only possession WR’s to run it down.  Additionally, they Ravens lots Bart Scott, Samari Rolle, Chris McCalister, and Jim Leonhard. The Ravens need to upgrade a depleted secondary that was picked on at times last year.
   
Round 1, Pick 23 (23) (From Pats)     Michael Oher     OT     6'5"     309   Ole  Miss
Oher fell just far enough for the Ravens to move up 3 spots and grab him.  They needed better pass protection for Flacco and Oher should be able to help there.  The big question is how much will he be able to contribute as a rookie as his lack of ability to learn a playbook is well documented.

Round 2, Pick 25 (57)     Paul Kruger     DE     6'4"     263     Utah
Color me unimpressed.  Kruger is raw and has some pass rush skills, but is a bit stiff for an OLB in the NFL.  He should back up Jarrett Johnson and his ceiling is to be a similar player as Johnson down the line.  With Suggs being an UFA again next year, Kruger wasn’t exactly a good value in round 2.

Round 3, Pick 24 (88)     Ladarius Webb     CB     5'10"     179     Nicholls State
Maybe a little early for Webb, but he is a very good athlete with outstanding ball skills. He should be able to contribute right away as a nickel corner and return man. With Baltimore front 7 and pass rush Webb could grab a lot of INT’s with his ball skills and aggressive nature.

Round 5, Pick 1 (137) (From Lions)     Jason Phillips     ILB     6'1"     239     TCU
Phillips is a talented and highly productive linebacker that will likely see time at ILB and compete for a starting job in time.

Round 5, Pick 13 (149) (From Denver)  Davon Drew   TE   6'4"   256     E. Carolina
Athletic receiving tight end with good hands, could be a potential H-back as a pro.

Round 6, Pick 12 (185) (From Broncos)   Cedric Peerman   RB   5'10"   216  Virginia
Versatile back the can do a bit of everything.  Solid depth player.

Final Grade = C
Baltimore still has no weapons for Flacco and didn’t do much to address their major needs.  They added one player to the secondary and no WR’s at all.  If Oher develops he could be a steal, or he could struggle transitioning to the NFL and be a bust.  Webb fits the Ravens well and should be a good player, Kruger in the 2^nd isn’t much to write home about.  The Ravens will remain a team that relies on defense and running the ball to win games, but their defense was depleted with the loss of Rex Ryan and Bart Scott. 

Pittsburgh Steelers
The same story again for the Steelers this year, improve the O-line, get younger on the D-line, fix St’s, and replace those who left in UFA.  O-line, DE, CB, and WR were all early needs for the Steelers.

Round 1, Pick 32 (32)     Ziggy Hood     DE     6'3"     300     Missouri
The Steelers grab a college DE with a non-stop motor and a ton of experience.  Hood was rated as a late first rounder and when he fell to pick 32 the Steelers jumped on him in an effort to add young talent to an old, talented D-line.  Hood  was primarily a one-gap DT in college, but his strength, motor, and football IQ should allow him to transition nicely to 3-4 DE and he should develop into a starter in a year or two.

Round 3, Pick 15 (79) (From Broncos)   Kraig Urbik  OG   6'5"   328    Wisconsin
After the old post SB win 2^nd round trade down the Steelers landed Urbik.  He is a prototype power football RG with great size and tons of experience.  Expect Urbik to compete for a starting job as a rookie.

Round 3, Pick 20 (84) (From Broncos)   Mike Wallace   WR   6'0"   200   Mississippi
With Nate Washington gone the Steelers only had two WR’s on the roster who have ever started an NFL game, or even caught 10 or more NFL passes.  Wallace has elite speed and can stretch a defense and light up the return game.  He should be an instant contributor as a third or fourth receiver and primary kick return man.

Round 3, Pick 32 (96)     Keenan Lewis     CB     6'0"     208     Oregon State
Lewis is a highly experienced and good sized CB.  He should compete for the 3^rd CB spot as a rookie and could possibly transition to FS in time if he doesn’t work out at CB.

Round 5, Pick 32 (168)     Joe Burnett     CB     5'9"     192     Central Florida
A nice compliment to Lewis at CB, Burnett is more of a shifty slot CB who has elite return skills.  He will add depth at the CB spot and compete for punt return duties. me corner candidate.

Round 5, Pick 33 (169)  Frank Summers     RB     5'9"     241     UNLV
The Steelers short yardage run game went to shit the past two years and the team looked to Summers as the answer.  Frank the Tank has the ability to play FB, RB, and St’s which should land him a roster spot.  How good a short yardage runner he will be in the NFL remains to be seen.  There aren’t many 5’9 240+ lb backs in the NFL with enough athleticism to be a consistent ball carrier.  If he can be the Steelers version of Leron McClain, he will be a great pick.

Round 6, Pick 32 (205)     Ra'Shon Harris     DT     6'4"     298     Oregon
A one-year starter at Oregon, Harris is a stout big man that is good against double-teams.  A project that is a long shot to make the roster.

Round 7, Pick 17 (226) (From Bucs)   A.Q. Shipley   C   6'1"    304    Penn State
Shipley was a very productive collegiate center who would have been an early round pick if he had a bigger frame and longer arms.  Shipley is strong, hard working, and very football smart.  It remains to be seen if he can overcome his short stature and compete against NFL bodied defensive tackles.  In college he dominated some highly touted future NFL players, and if he can duplicate that at the next level he will be a major steal.

Round 7, Pick 32 (241)     David Johnson     TE     6'2"     260     Arkansas State Johnson is an H-back and a will compete with Carey Davis and Sean McHugh for playing time and a roster spot.  He fits what Bruce Arians wants to do on offense with his versatility as a blocker and receiver.

Final Grade = B+
The team’s top need was to upgrade it’s O-line, but waited until the 3^rd round to draft Kraig Urbik.  Passing on OT’s Phil Loadholt and Eben Britton in round 1 was somewhat questionable considering the fact that both starting OT’s will be UFA’s at this seasons end, but Evander Hood was the highest rated of those three players..  The team filled many needs by adding two solid corners, two return men, a deep threat WR, a future start at RG, and a young DE to develop.  The Super Bowl Champs added at least 6 players that will contribute to the team at some point, filled holes, and added youth and depth to a championship roster. Despite drafting from the 32 spot, the team still came away with an impressive haul of players.