2011 NFL Draft Grades Round 1-2-3

With the draft schedule this year, I’m holding off on my longer, more detailed grades until the whole thing’s cooked.  But, that’s no reason to deprive you of a quick look at each NFL team’s first three rounds of picking.

I’ve separated the draft classes into five categories, and you can think of them as A, B, C, D and F if you wan’t to; just remember that they should all technically be ‘Incompletes’ at this point.  But, for the sake of these early grades, here’s a quick rundown of what each score means so you’ll understand why a C isn’t necessarily a bad thing…

A = Excellent pick.

B = Good pick.

C = Average pick.

D = Poor pick.

F = Failing pick.

So, here goes.  Obviously, we’ll be starting with the ‘A’ Grades.  Right now, our No. 1 ranked team, New Orleans, is in sole position of first place, though having four picks helped some.  The other three top hauls all tied mathematically, so I had to get subjective.

1.) New Orleans Saints – 3.75

1.24 = Cameron Jordan, DE, California

Excellent marriage of value and need here, and the Saints get a player who should never have lasted this long.  He was my top-rated defensive end.  GRADE: A

1.28 = Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama

The Saints traded back into the first round, and gave up a decent bit in the process, but it was well worth it.  As my No. 5 overall player, Ingram, in my opinion, represents excellent value and will finally steady Saints backfield. GRADE: A

3.72 = Martez Wilson, LB, Illinois

Once again, this is pretty damn solid value.  Wilson’s injury history (neck) scared quite a few teams off, but there’s no denying his athleticism and potential to get after the passer. OLB has been a Nola problem for years. GRADE: A

3.88 = Johnny Patrick, CB, Louisville

There was a point during the offseason when I would have given this pick an A.  However, even if the Saints were desperate for a corner, I’m not sure Patrick was the best option.  Still, he’s only recently begun to realize his potential.  GRADE: B

2.) Tennessee Titans – 3.67

1.8 = Jake Locker, QB, Washington

Some will hate this pick, and I can see where they’re coming from, but it’s one of my favorites. Locker’s 2010 film wasn’t nearly as bad as it was made out to be, but the athletic potential, attitude, need and work ethic all make him worth the eighth pick in my mind. GRADE: A

2.39 = Akeem Ayers, OLB, UCLA

Another player I was much higher on than some.  Ayers was a top-15 player who showed much better on the field than inside Lucas Oil Stadium. He’s clutch, and he fills a big need in Tennessee, where he’ll be a strong fit in the 4-3.  GRADE: A

3.77 = Jurrell Casey, DT, USC

I was much higher on Casey coming into the season than I was immediately after it ended, but going back you see a wide player who splits double teams and finds the football. Really didn’t think he’d last this long.  GRADE: B

3.) Detroit Lions – 3.67

1.13 = Nick Fairley, DT, Auburn

What’s not to like about this pick all the way down at No. 13? Pairing Fairley with Suh could pay off in a huge way, considering offensive lines won’t be able to focus entirely on either player. Will be tougher to keep Aaron Rodgers, Jay Cutler clean.  GRADE: A

2.44 = Titus Young, WR, Boise

I wasn’t as high on Young as some, but like Fairley, Young’s NFL situation is ideal.  He’ll be able to get acclimated as a return man early on with the goal of becoming a speedy deep threat with inside savvy. With Megatron on the field, he’ll be free to interlope. GRADE: B

2.57 = Mikel Leshoure, RB, Illinois

Leshoure bounced from 2-to-3 and back again on my RB board, but it was surprising to see him fall. He never, and I mean never fumbles, and his build and power make him a perfect complement to Jahvid Best. GRADE: A

4.) Cleveland Browns – 3.67

1.21 = Phil Taylor, DT, Baylor

Taylor is a much better fit in the 4-3 than anyone seems to realize. Watching him on tape or in person, it’s easy to see that despite his stocky measurements, he’s a penetrating, disruptive type who should be better in a 40-front. GRADE: B

2.37 = Jabaal Sheard, DE, Pitt

Sheard was one of my favorite players in the draft, and I love his technique, intensity and motor. He can be the pass rusher Cleveland sorely lacks earlier than a lot of DEs.  Shouldn’t have fallen this far. GRADE: A

2.59 = Greg Little, WR, UNC

I know people will balk at this grade, and I’ll explain it in more detail in my final grades, but the Browns had to get someone for Colt McCoy to work with. Despite missing a season, Little has an excellent shot to make an early impact. GRADE: A

And now we get into the ‘B’s.  There are twice as many of them, and although these are good classes, each reached in a significant way at least once.  Nothing wrong with a grabbing this grade, but it’ll take a strong finish to earn an ‘A.’

So, we’ve looked at the top four classes, and now it’s time to focus on the teams that have a long road ahead if they want to cap a successful draft.  A couple of these squads were hurt by owning fewer picks, and others just got a late start, but all are quickly securing a high selection next season.  Anyway, here are teams 32-29.

29.) San Francisco 49ers – 1.67

1.7 = Aldon Smith, OLB, Missouri

I personally thought this was way too high for Smith.  I had him in the 30-40 range overall, and I still think he would have been better with his hand in the dirt in a 4-3. I see some Aaron Maybin here, but at least the Niners got a pass rusher.  GRADE: D

2.36 = Colin Kaepernick, QB, Nevada

I gave it a ‘C’ initially, but I’ve bumped it back up. Harbaugh couldn’t go into this season with no alternative to Alex Smith. Kaepernick’s a project, but his upside is immense, and he looks a lot like a rich man’s Josh Johnson.  GRADE: B

3.80 = Chris Culliver, DB, South Carolina

Again, right position of need, wrong player.  There were many better options on the board, in my opinion, whether San Fran wanted to go corner or not. This seemed forced, and I don’t see Culliver becoming much more than a special teams ace.  GRADE: D

30.) Oakland Raiders – 1.67

2.48 = Stefen Wisniewski, C, Penn State

Nothing wrong with this pick at all.  Wisniewski’s not flashy, but he gets the job done, plays with a lot of grit and has the bloodlines to make this one a no-brainer. The Raiders needed a center, and Wisniewski was the best pure option in the draft. GRADE: B

3.81 = DeMarcus Van Dyke, CB, Miami

Nothing I really like about this one. Van Dyke is rail thin, didn’t make that many plays in college and seems to get lost at times. He ran a great time, and Oakland can’t breathe without reaching, but that doesn’t excuse the pick. GRADE: D

3.92 = Joe Barksdale, OT, LSU

Barksdale should slide inside to guard, but there’s a need for a right tackle in Oakland, and he’ll likely end up playing out of position. That’s not great for a guy who never put his athleticism to use and lacks a mean streak. GRADE: D

31.) New York Jets – 1.5

1.30 = Muhammad Wilkerson, DE, Temple

Wilkerson fills a big need for a pass rusher up front, but he wasn’t the right guy to grab. He ran hot and cold in college, looked lost and disinterested if his initial jump wasn’t perfect and didn’t dominate the MAC as consistently as I would have liked. GRADE: D

3.94 = Kenrick Ellis, DT, Hampton

This is a little better. At least Ellis is coming 64 picks later. He’s an athletic freak at almost 6-05, 350, but he’s not polished at all. I think he’s put his character issues behind him, but he still plays high and looks lost too often. GRADE: C

32.) Miami Dolphins – 1.0

1.15 = Mike Pouncey, OG, Florida

Sadly, it’s not surprising that Pouncey was over-drafted.  I know how good his brother was, but Mike isn’t a center yet, and grabbing a guard doesn’t do much to shore up Chad Henne’s accuracy issues. GRADE: D

2.62 = Daniel Thomas, RB, Kansas State

I understand the want for a WildCat-friendly RB, but Thomas wasn’t worth this pick. I get that he was higher on a lot of team boards than he was on mine, but I would have waited and taken a chance on losing a high-cut, leggy guy.  GRADE: D