The Kansas City Chiefs are rolling the dice on Dontari Poe, but I love the fit.
Poe didn’t play like a top-15 pick last year, but he absolutely has the size/athleticism combo to be a stud at nose tackle. While I wouldn’t be crazy about some other teams taking him this high, I trust Romeo Crennel to groom him into a quality nose tackle. Crennel worked with Vince Wilfork early in his career, and got briefly rejuvenated Shaun Rogers career by turning him into a nice tackle in Cleveland as well.
The Buffalo Bills defense is going to be surprisingly formidable in 2012. I’m not crazy about Stephon Gilmore, especially not in the top 10, but he fills an obvious need and gives them the depth they need to compete with the Patriots.
I probably would have tried to trade down if I were them but, assuming that wasn’t option, Gilmore was one of the few prospects on the board capable of stepping into a starting role and making an immediate impact. It’s definitely a risk to draft for need rather than value when you aren’t sure if you’re a legitimate contender, but I do like the Bills aggressive approach. They’re acting like they’re ready to win now for the first time in over a decade.
This is a brilliant pick for the Carolina Panthers. No, it’s not their biggest need, but either Luke Keuchly or Jon Beason can shift over to weak-side linebacker.
The Panthers are still a long way from being serious contenders, so simply adding the best available player is a smart move. Kuechy is an absolute sure thing. He may not fully live up to expectations but, at worst, the Panthers got themselves a very solid starter for the next decade.
Well, after handing out seven A’s I can finally rip on a team.
The Miami Dolphins are simply headed in the wrong direction and this is a desperation move. Ryan Tannehill is a nice developmental prospect, and there’s a lot to like about his potential. But he has significant flaws (albeit, fixable ones) in his game than need work before he’s ready to play in the NFL. In Miami, he’ll probably be thrust into a starting role too early which could be detrimental to his development.
I certainly won’t guarantee Tannehill turning into a bust, because I do like aspects of his game. But if I’m drafting a quarterback in the top 10, I want to be extremely confident in his ability to lead my franchise for the next decade, and I simply don’t feel that way about Tannehill.
I love everything about this for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Yes, Morris Claiborne is a better prospect than Mark Barron. And yes, cornerback is a more glaring need. However, strong safety is a significant issue as well (he’ll replace Larry Asante) and they picked up extra picks in the process.
This is a slight reach for Barron, which is why I give it an A rather than A+, but if they traded down much further he may not have gotten past the Bills at No. 10. Barron will start from day one, and immediately be one of the few impact players on the Bucs defense.
I absolutely love this trade for both teams.
The Dallas Cowboys now have one the game’s best duos at cornerback in Morris Claiborne and Brandon Carr. Claiborne is arguably more NFL-ready than Patrick Peterson was a year ago (at least in terms of coverage) and will make an immediate impact in Dallas.
As for the trade, I’m ok with teams trading up for players when they believe they’re one or two pieces away from contention. The Cowboys have overhauled their secondary this offseason, fixing the only glaring weakness on the roster.
Everyone is making great decisions so far tonight, which is a rarity. The Jacksonville Jaguars needed to upgrade the talent around Blaine Gabbert, and Justin Blackmon will immediately become their No. 1 receiver.
Don’t expect this to immediately turn things around in Jacksonville, but in a year or two Gabbert/Blackmon could be a special connection so long as GM Gene Smith continues to surround them with the pieces they need to succeed.
After creating much drama over the past few days, the Vikings end up selecting the guy we assumed they had targeted all along. I was worried about this franchise for awhile there when they were reportedly considering Claiborne, but they made the right choice.
After rolling the dice on Christian Ponder last year, they absolutely had to address the offensive line in this draft (especially considering his injury history). Matt Kalil will be, at worst, a solid starter for the next decade.
The Cleveland Browns absolutely had to take Trent Richardson, given what was on the board. I’m not crazy about the trade (if the Vikings were willing to settle for a few late round picks, obviously no one was seriously considering a blockbuster trade up) but the Browns still have 11 picks in the draft and will still be able to completely overhaul the roster.
The reason Richardson makes more sense than Justin Blackmon, is due to the fact that Blackmon is very similar to Browns 2011 2nd-round pick, Greg Little. While they would have probably settled for Blackmon in a difference scenario, they’re better off waiting until late in the 1st round or early 2nd round for a receiver who better fits their system.
The Washington Redskins would have loved to get Luck, but Robert Griffin is a very nice consolation prize. He fits perfectly into the Shanahan offense and already has a few decent weapons to work with. This is exactly the pick Mike Shanahan needed to turn things around in Washington, and despite the lack of picks in upcoming drafts, I have no doubt that Daniel Snyder will make sure his franchise spends the money necessary to give Griffin every opportunity to succeed.