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| Published: May 1, 2009 8:39 AM EST |
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AFC West draft grades |
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Denver Broncos
Picks (10) - 12. Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia; 18. Robert Ayers, DE/OLB, Tennessee; 37. Alphonso Smith, CB, Wake Forest; 48. Darcel McBath, S, Texas Tech; 64. Richard Quinn, TE, North Carolina; 114. David Bruton, S, Notre Dame; 132. Seth Olsen, OT, Iowa; 141. Kenny McKinley, WR, South Carolina; 174. Tom Brandstater, QB, Fresno State; 225. Blake Schlueter, OC, TCU.
Biggest reach: Quinn.
Biggest steal: Smith.
Most interesting: Ayers.
Immediate impact: Moreno.
Notes: While the Broncos' first four picks were great from a value standpoint, I question how well Ayers will fit in the 3-4 scheme. He didn't look great from a standing position at the combine, but he is a great athlete and that could give him an edge as an OLB in the scheme. The Broncos do have some players who could function at the position in the scheme like Jarvis Moss and Elvis Dumervil, which makes Ayers transition to the position a little less stressed. Moreno is the most complete back in this draft with the ability to run with power and quickness. He's also a great threat out of the backfield. The Broncos added players who could be key pieces to the future of their secondary in Smith, McBath and Bruton. The only reason Smith wasn't a first-round pick is because of his size. At 5-9, teams were a little tentative in pulling the trigger on him. McBath is a ballhawk. Some teams think he's a little small for safety and might try him as a nickel corner. Denver could use the help at free safety and could learn a lot from newly-acquired Brian Dawkins. After hitting well on its first four picks, the Broncos then swung and missed on Quinn. He's a blocking TE, but not a great one. He's a possession receiver and there were much better TE prospects available when he was selected. That's the only pick from the Broncos I didn't really care for at all. Olsen can play OT or OG and his versatility as a reserve is key for any team. McKinley has potential to contribute as a No. 3 or 4 wideout. Brandstater has great size and a big arm. Schlueter is underrated and a nice value in the seventh. Its strange to not see the Broncos go after any defensive linemen. There isn't a clear fit currently on the team for any of the DL positions.
Grade - B-plus.
Kansas City Chiefs
Picks (8) - 3. Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU; 67. Alex Magee, DT, Purdue; 102. Donald Washington, CB, Ohio State; 139. Colin Brown, OT, Missouri; 175. Quinten Lawrence, WR, McNeese State; 212. Javarris Williams, RB, Tennessee State; 237. Jake O'Connell, TE, Miami, Ohio; 256. Ryan Succop, PK, South Carolina.
Biggest steal: Lawrence.
Biggest reach: Jackson.
Most interesting: Jackson.
Immediate impact: Washington.
Notes: GM Scott Pioli believes in building a team around the DL. That's no reason to waste the No. 3 overall pick the way the Chiefs did. What type of impact is Jackson going to have exactly? He's a space-eater and nothing more. KC had a chance to pick up a player, who could make a much bigger impact like Aaron Curry. Assuming the Chiefs implement a 3-4 scheme similar to the one used in New England, getting a pass rush from their DL is important. The Pats are more dependent on a pass rush from their three down linemen than any other 3-4 team in the league. Jackson wasn't a great pass rusher as a DE in the 4-3 and he won't be in the 3-4, either. Just because a player fits the scheme, doesn't make him worth the pick. There was only one player who was a bigger reach in the first round than Jackson and that was Kansas State QB Josh Freeman, who was selected 17th overall by Tampa Bay. I'm not fond of most of KC's picks. Magee is a great fit for the 3-4 and will be more productive as a DE in the 3-4 than Jackson. Washington has a lot of athletic ability, but has never lived up to his potential. If he can get coached up, there's no reason to think he can't be a starter in the league. Lawrence was the biggest steal of this class, but he wasn't much of one. He's raw, but fast and needs some time to develop. I expect most of these players to be off the team in two years.
Grade - C-minus.
Oakland Raiders
Picks (7) - 7. Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland; 47. Michael Mitchell, S, Ohio; 71. Matt Shaughnessy, DE, Wisconsin; 124. Louis Murphy, WR, Florida; 126. Slade Norris, LB, Oregon State; 199. Stryker Sulak, DE, Missouri; 202. Brandon Myers, TE, Iowa.
Biggest reach: Mitchell.
Biggest steal: Murphy.
Most interesting: Heyward-Bey.
Immediate impact. Murphy.
Notes: Speed kills. Ask the Raiders. Al Davis' obsession with 40 times are killing the Raiders' chances of ever picking outside of the top 10. It's hard to believe this team will ever be among the elite again as long as Davis is the owner. The Raiders' first two picks were two of the biggest reaches of the entire draft. Heyward-Bey has talent with elite speed and good size. He should have never been taken over Michael Crabtree, though. Crabtree is one of the best WR prospects ever. Period. Heyward-Bey is as boom-or-bust as it gets with that pick. Mitchell is unheard of by just about everyone. There's a report out that the Bears had told the Raiders they were going to select him with their next pick and that sent the Raiders after him. There's a lot of false informaton handed out by teams in attempts to baffle other squads. I wouldn't be surprised if the Bears told the Raiders that to try and send them after Mitchell so they could try and land a different player. Shaughnessy and Murphy are actually solid selections, whic is strange for this draft. I personally believe Al Davis had taken a bathroom break during those picks. I'm intriqued by one other Raiders selection and that's Sulak. He's got a nice frame at 6-5, 250-plus pounds and he's shown himself to be athletic in workouts. He's terribly raw and wasn't productive at Mizzou. However, he's a guy with some great potential and one I think could develop into a solid pro.
Grade - D-minus
San Diego Chargers
Picks (8) - 16. Larry English, LB, Northern Illinois; 3. Louis Vasquez, OG, Texas Tech; 113. Vaughn Martin, DT, Western Ontario; 133. Tyronne Green, OG, Auburn; 134. Gartrell Johnson, FB, Colorado State; 148. Brandon Hughes, CB, Oregon State; 189. Kevin Ellison, S, USC; 224. Demetrius Byrd, WR, LSU.
Biggest reach: English.
Biggest steal: Green.
Most interesting: Byrd.
Immediate impact: Vasquez.
Notes: Here's yet another AFC West team reaching with its first pick of the draft. The Chargers join Oakland and Kansas City by taking a player several picks earler than they should have. English had gained some steam again just before draft day, but I'm not convinced he was a top 20 pick. He fits better in the late first round. I understand the pick. The Chargers had a lot of trouble keeping teams from torching them with an air attack. The biggest reason was the lack of a great pass rushing threat like Shawne Merriman. Losing Merriman made a once feared defense very mediocre. English is the insurance policy for Merriman. GM A.J. Smith isn't going to watch his team get burned again. Vasquez is as powerful as it gets with offensive linemen. He played at Texas Tech, so you know he gets pass blocking and he's an underrated run blocker. Remember, Tech had its best run game last season since Mike Leach has been the coach there. Vasquez was a key piece of that success on the ground. Green is also a nice addition at the OG position. The Chargers potentially drafted both of their future OGs Sunday. After that, there's a lot of questions about every pick made. Johnson will find a way to make the team, but I think he's a fullback in the NFL. Ellison was thought of as a LB, but not in the Chargers' scheme. He's a longshot to function as a safety. Byrd was seriously injured in a car accident days before the draft. I admire the Chargers for taking him anyway. Here's hoping he can make him way back to the field.
Grade - C-plus. |
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| Published: May 1, 2009 8:39 AM EST |
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