Grading the Draft: Philadelphia Eagles

Grade: C-

2. Trevor Laws- DT Notre Dame

2. DeSean Jackson-WR California

3. Bryan Smith-DE McNeese St.

4. Michael McGlynn-OL Pittsburgh

4. Quintin Demps-S UTEP

4. Jack Ikegwuonu-CB Wisconsin

6. Michael Gibson-OG California

6. Joe Mays-ILB North Dakota St.

6. Andrew Studebaker-DE Wheaton

7. King Dunlap-OT Auburn

For the second straight year, the Eagles traded out of the first round and acquired more picks. Philadelphia has become a master at acruing picks later in the draft and making them count. This year was no different. Two second-round picks, three fourth-round picks and three sixth-rounders gave the Eagles a lot of options on draft day. However, that quantity didn't equal quality in their class. They drafted players with too many problems or limitations to make real impacts in the league.

Philadelphia's biggest need was a go-to receiver. They were in the sweepstakes for Chad Johnson, Roy Williams and Anquan Boldin with no success. With other options on the board, the Eagles went with DeSean Jackson. Jackson is a speedy, returner first, receiver second-type player. At under six-feet-tall, less than 180 pounds, staying healthy is a concern in the physical NFC East. Jackson will never be a #1 receiver in the NFL and the Eagles needed more value from this pick.

Trevor Laws could be a solid player at the next level. He's undersized, but makes up for it with effort. Aside from that, there's not much to get excited about from this draft. The picks aren't sexy, mostly offensive and defensive linemen, but that won't be held against them because that's not a negative. The downside is taking players with existing problems or limitations that creates a huge learning curve for them. A lot of undersized, small school guys were taken, so not only will they need to add size, they will also need extra time to adjust to the speed of the NFL game, probably more so than a player from a BCS conference.

The largest question mark is the selection of Jack Ikegwuonu in the fourth round, ignoring that he tore knee ligaments just before the combine. He is not expected to play this season and could have been had later in the draft, if not in free agency. His speed was questionable before the draft, but coming off major knee surgery clouds his ability even more.

The Eagles needed this draft to vault themselves back into division contention. While they came on strong at the end of last season and are a trendy pick for this year, this draft does not add any real fire power to an offense that relies too heavily on one player, Bryan Westbrook. The defensive moves were handled mostly in free agency, but with as many picks as the Eagles had, they could have brought in better talent though this draft.

Grading the Draft: New York Giants

Grade: C

1. Kenny Phillips-S Miami (FL)
2. Terrell Thomas-CB USC
3. Mario Manningham-WR Michigan
4. Bryan Kehl-OLB BYU
5. Jonathan Goff-ILB Vanderbilt
6. Andre' Woodson-QB Kentucky
6. Robert Henderson-DE Southern Miss

When you win the Super Bowl, it's hard to say a team has any real weaknesses. However, if there was one to pick out for the Giants, it was their secondary. Their rather pedestrian coverage was masked well by the best defensive line in the league. The offseason departure of S Gibril Wilson to Oakland didn't help either. Therefore, the Giants threw their first two picks at solving the problem. Kenny Phillips could be the next big thing out of "The U," attempting to add his name of the lineage of Ed Reed, Sean Taylor and Brandon Meriweather, all first-round safeties. Terrell Thomas will try to boost the cornerback corps, as Sam Madison and R.W. McQuarters continue to age. Aaron Ross come on spectacularly last year, so Thomas could have a nice grace period to find his place in the defense.

While selecting Mario Manningham in the third round isn't as big of a risk as taking him in the first, it is still a roll of the dice. His slow 40-time scared some teams, but it is his character that's questioned the most. He finally admitted to failing multiple marijuana tests in college, after originally lying to NFL scouts at the combine. This is also the third straight year the Giants have invested early picks on wideouts. First Sinorice Moss, then Steve Smith and now Manningham. With Amani Toomer still in good shape for his age and Plaxico Burress at the top of his game, Manningham will have to work that much harder just to see playing time. Also, let's not forget about David Tyree, the miracle worker of the Super Bowl.

The loss of Kawika Mitchell in free agency and the need for Mathias Kiwanuka to move back to defensive end due to Michael Strahan's retirement warranted a few picks for the linebacking corps. Jonathan Goff is a possible sleeper and the Giants like the upside of Bryan Kehl.

With Eli Manning showing he can be the man, the Giants didn't need to make too much of an investment in quarterback. However, a more capable backup than Jared "The Pillsbury Throwboy" Lorenzen wouldn't hurt. They found a good value in Andre' Woodson, who was a projected second-round pick early on, but ill-advised passes late in his senior season and his slow throwing motion dropped him to the sixth round. If his mechanics can be improved, he has the size and arm strength to make Giants fans feel at little more at ease should Eli ever go down.

Overall, the Giants didn't need to add to much to a championship team. Free agency hurt, as it usually does when teams win it all and players want their payday. However, the Giants used their first-round pick to replace the loss of Gibril Wilson and two mid-rounders to fill the void of Kawika Mitchell. To their fault though, they didn't make much of an effort to bolster either line, and the retirement of Michael Strahan is a huge loss. If injuries hit this team hard, there isn't much to fall back on in the trenches. The Manningham selection probably could have been used on something more pressing, and in the NFC East, nothing comes easy. With all the other teams in their division on the upswing and using their drafts wisely, the Giants needed to make some more solid choices.

Grading the Draft: Washington Redskins

Grade: B

2. Devin Thomas-WR Michigan St.
2. Fred Davis-TE USC
2. Malcolm Kelly-WR Oklahoma
3. Chad Rinehart-OL Northern Iowa
4. J.T. Tryon-CB Arizona St.
6. Durant Brooks-P Georgia Tech
6. Kareem Moore-S Nicholls St.
6. Colt Brennan-QB Hawaii
7. Rob Jackson-DE Kansas St.
7. Chris Horton-S UCLA

For once, the Redskins decided to hang on to their draft picks. In fact, they even traded back to acquire more picks. The Skins moved out of the first round, ending up with three second-round picks. However, it wasn't over there, as they also traded one of their two third rounders and a fifth rounder to get themselves into the fourth round and have three sixth rounders to boot.

The Skins focused heavier on offense than defense as new head coach Jim Zorn will utilize as many weapons as possible in his West Coast style of offense. The two biggest needs coming into the draft were for a tall, big-bodied receiver and a defensive end who can pressure the quarterback. The Skins seemed to have answered the former in spades, while leaving something to be desired with the latter.

Washington played its cards right by trading out of the first round while no receiver was taken in the opening round. The Redskins also got lucky as the Rams threw a curveball by selecting Donnie Avery, a player few had at the top of the wide receiver boards, as the first WR taken. That allowed Washington to have its pick of the litter, nabbing Devin Thomas a big, speedy receiver with a knack for big plays that many experts had going in the top 15. Later in the second round they took Fred Davis, a luxury, considering Chris Cooley is coming off a Pro Bowl season, solidifying his role as one of the best tight ends in the league. Davis should allow the Skins to run more two-TE sets and stretch defenses vertically. Malcolm "Poppin' Trunk" Kelly rounded out the second round, a receiver many analysts had at the top of their lists until a slow 40-time and questions about his knees made him fall. If Kelly can rebound from the knocks of the naysayers, the Skins might have one dynamite steal.

Washington used the rest of its draft to solidify other areas and fill holes on the depth chart. Cornerback Justin "J.T." Tryon has been compared to current Skin Fred Smoot, and his transition could be crucial as Carlos Rogers is slow to come back from tearing his ACL and MCL last season. That leaves Shawn Springs and Smoot, two older but capable veterans, to pick up the slack. The infusion of a youngster like Tryon would be a welcome surprise in the secondary. Safety was also addressed as Kareem Moore and Chris Horton were selected in the later rounds and should provide competition for SS Reed Doughty. Stu Schweigert was also signed as a free agent from Oakland. One of those players will complement LaRon "Dirty 30" Landry in the secondary.

Chad Rinehart was a left tackle in college, but most likely will be groomed to play guard at the next level. An addition on the offensive line was necessary as all of the starters on the line are over the age of 30. The Redskins will have to completely revamp the line in a couple years. The emergence of Stephon Heyer last year and the selection of Rinehart could be a start.

Quarterback Colt Brennan was taken in the sixth round, making him a real steal if he pans out. The Skins aren't demanding much of him, as Jason Campbell has already been named the starter and Todd Collins is a very capable backup. Brennan could be a solid backup once he gets healthy and returns from hip surgery. Either way, taking a chance on a sixth rounder doesn't leave much liability on the front office.

Overall, the Skins were very frugal in their drafting, they did their research and made moves for the guys they wanted. The only downside was their neglect of the defensive line yet again, making it a liability if the injury bug strikes like it did last year. Jim Zorn clearly has the offensive firepower he needs with the addition of three big receivers. For staying out of the splashy free agent market and using the draft wisely, the Redskins get a huge thumbs up.

Draft Provides Opportunity to Shore Up Lines, Right the Ship

I wrote this article pre-draft, so it's a little dated, but I put it up as a lead into a great topic of discussion for the offseason, how well every team drafted. I'll be breaking down each team's offseason, their draft, free agent signings and outlook for next season, starting with the Washington Redskins.


As the NFL combine comes to a close, we have officially entered my favorite part of the offseason, the run-up to the draft. This time of year is especially important for the Redskins because it appears as though, for once, they will hold on to their draft picks. This could mark the first time since Daniel Snyder took over the franchise that the front office and the coaching staff are valuing the draft over free agency, and it couldn’t come at a better time.

There are great elements to this team, but there are also glaring weaknesses and aging players, partly because of the push for free agents over draft picks. To compound the problem, this team is also in transition, with a new head coach, new coordinators and a new style of offense. For new head coach Jim Zorn to be successful, he’s going to need to infuse young talent into an aging roster, providing more depth and athleticism. The draft is the perfect remedy for the situation.

Fortunately for Zorn, he has good talent and relative youth at skill positions on the offensive side of the ball. The top passer (Jason Campbell), top two rushers (Clinton Portis and Ladell Betts) and top three receivers (Santana Moss, Chris Cooley and Antwaan Randle El) from last year are all 28 or younger. However, the same can’t be said for the offensive line. Undrafted rookie Stephon Heyer was the only one under 30 to see significant playing time. The starting line-up next year could be Chris Samuels, Pete Kendall, Casey Rabach, Randy Thomas and Jon Jansen, all over 30. Depth on the line was exposed last season when Jansen and Thomas were both lost for the season by the third game. Heyer shined when given the opportunity and should develop into a quality prospect with more time and experience. However, Todd Wade couldn’t transition to guard the way the team hoped and although Jason Fabini filled in well when asked, he is now a free agent in his mid-30s. The draft would be the perfect way to bolster that line in a younger, cheaper way.

Recent history says the Redskins have done well when they have used picks in the first three rounds on offensive linemen. Looking back from 1999 till now, the Redskins have hit home runs on guys like Jon Jansen, Chris Samuels and Derrick Dockery. Unfortunately, later picks devoted to the same position haven’t had the same success. Names like Derek Smith, Michael Moore, Reggie Coleman and Mark Wilson haven’t matched that kind of production. So if the Redskins want to draft for the offensive line, they would be wise do it with their early picks. There is certainly talent in this draft to warrant that kind of attention at both tackle and guard.

On the defensive side of the ball, age is beginning to show. It is a talented but oft-injured group. Key contributors such as Cornelius Griffin, Shawn Springs and Marcus Washington have battled through nagging injuries to play on Sundays. Carlos Rogers and Rocky McIntosh both tore their ACLs and MCLs and may not be ready for the start of the season. The defensive unit doesn’t necessarily need immediate starting help, so much as depth in all areas. So many injuries last season left the coaching staff reaching for players second or third on the depth chart. Every group, defensive line, linebackers, cornerbacks and safeties, all had some sort of significant injury or loss.

The Redskins have found success drafting for defense as players like Rogers, McIntosh, Anthony Montgomery, Kedric Golston, Reed Doughty and LaRon Landry now find themselves with significant roles in this defense. Those players will have to step up even more next season as veterans age and salaries reach levels Snyder no longer wants to pay. Looking down the road, don’t expect to see players like Griffin, Washington, Springs, Phillip Daniels or London Fletcher to be around in just a couple of years. Therefore, this year’s draft will be crucial to having productive players to plug in when the aforementioned list is no longer around. The defensive line is the glaring weakness of the group as there is a need for a pass rushing defensive end as well as a defensive tackle that can collapse the pocket. The Redskins could devote several draft picks to filling those areas of need.

Zorn finds himself in a rare scenario where is taking over a team not because it is bad, but because its legendary coach retired. The second era of Joe Gibbs was prosperous, even though he didn’t reach the ultimate goal of winning a championship. Now that he is gone, we can look back and appreciate how he set this franchise on the right track. Two playoff appearances and a playoff win in four years with well disciplined players and a competent coaching staff gives Zorn everything he needs to know about the possibilities with this organization. A couple smart personnel moves and development of the young talent on the roster could make this team a contender in a year or two with a rather large window of opportunity. The draft is the first of many steps for our new head coach to bring us a Super Bowl championship, but Joe Gibbs left the framework. All Zorn has to do is build on it.

Sean Taylor Forever

This blog is dedicated to the memory of Sean Michael Taylor, my hero and my inspiration for covering sports. This is for you Sean, you'll always be in my heart.

Sean Michael Taylor (April 1, 1983-November 27, 2007)
Always and forever.