Browns overall grade "OUTSTANDING"
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Originally posted:
by (Dan in Florida @ Apr 27 2009, 07:28 PM) in the thread "The Draft Grades Are In"...why there?
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NFL DRAFT
Draft grades
Browns, Eagles receive highest marks
By Nolan Nawrocki [Pro Football Weekly]
April 27, 2009
In a typical draft, the goal of NFL teams is to come away with starters in the first three rounds. In a weak draft such as this one, the draft expectation diminishes, with teams hoping to find sub-package or niche role players who can contribute their first year in Round Three.
It’s not fair to evaluate a draft class before it is given time to show how it produces, but there is an art to knowing the value of talent, moving up and down the draft board to secure targets and acquire additional picks — and the following grades are based more on the ability of teams to recognize value and manipulate the draft board to their favor than they are an evaluation of the talent acquired, which has not yet had a chance to prove its worth.
For our analysis of the draft, we will use an abbreviated scouting scale with four terms — outstanding, good, average and questionable — to evaluate draft classes. Grades were assigned based on the number of starters we believe each team can be expected to have acquired, with two starters and a nickel contributor being the expectation by which we judged each team. Those teams we think were able to meet that expectation did a good job. Anyone producing better did an outstanding job. Future picks that were acquired for the first three rounds of subsequent drafts will be counted as potential starters, and veterans acquired also need to be factored into the equation. Because of the premium placed on the QB position, the acquisition of a Pro Bowl quarterback is being considered equivalent to two starters.
To be fair, the best work of scouting departments is often done after the draft in what used to be Rounds 8-12, where many teams often produce starters. Not all undrafted free agents have even finished signing deals, making these grades very incomplete. For example, the Chargers' 2003 draft was discouraging, with the first three picks — Sammy Davis, Drayton Florence and Terrence Kiel, all drafted in the first 62 picks, turning out to be disappointments. But when taking into account an undrafted free-agent class that included not only three starters, but three Pro Bowlers — TE Antonio Gates, OG Kris Dielman and special-teams superstar Kassim Osgood — not to mention Pro Bowl P Mike Scifres in the fifth round, A.J. Smith’s 2003 draft may rank among the best ever.
The risk of picks, considering medical and character questions, was also considered and weighed into grades, as was the drafting of projections who may have a steeper learning curve and include more overall risk to make it in the NFL. Also considered is the overall number of players expected to make the 53-man roster, although that was given less weight given that it is easier to make a roster of a bad team than it is a team that has been well-stocked. Lastly, the ability to match talent to schemes and coaching staffs was also weighed.
Based on our analysis, the winners in each division this year were the Cleveland Browns in the AFC and the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC.
AFC
Cleveland Browns — No team may have orchestrated trades and acquired more overall value better than the Browns, who traded back three times in the first round before landing their prize, Alex Mack, in front of a team (Vikings) that was considering selecting the draft’s first center. Brian Robiskie and Mohamed Massaquoi both have starter potential at receiver and could allow for a Braylon Edwards trade. David Veikune is a projected outside linebacker who has a great motor and fits the scheme. Kaluka Maiava could fill a nickel linebacker role. CBs Don Carey and Coye Francies could make the roster. DE Kenyon Coleman and DB Abram Elam, acquired from the Jets for the fifth pick, along with QB Brett Ratliff, could both be starters. Overall, the Browns may come away with six starters from this draft, while also adding character to the locker room and potentially replacing a fifth of the 53-man roster through the draft. GM George Kokinis and head coach Eric Mangini have received a fair share of criticism in their short tenure together, but they may have had the best draft of any AFC team.
Grade: Outstanding
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AFC
Cleveland Browns — No team may have orchestrated trades and acquired more overall value better than the Browns, who traded back three times in the first round before landing their prize, Alex Mack, in front of a team (Vikings) that was considering selecting the draft’s first center. Brian Robiskie and Mohamed Massaquoi both have starter potential at receiver and could allow for a Braylon Edwards trade. David Veikune is a projected outside linebacker who has a great motor and fits the scheme. Kaluka Maiava could fill a nickel linebacker role. CBs Don Carey and Coye Francies could make the roster. DE Kenyon Coleman and DB Abram Elam, acquired from the Jets for the fifth pick, along with QB Brett Ratliff, could both be starters. Overall, the Browns may come away with six starters from this draft, while also adding character to the locker room and potentially replacing a fifth of the 53-man roster through the draft. GM George Kokinis and head coach Eric Mangini have received a fair share of criticism in their short tenure together, but they may have had the best draft of any AFC team.
Grade: Outstanding
My thoughts exactly .
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Mack could have been nabbed by the Vikings... OR
also the Ravens or Steelers or even Altanta I think it was.
If the ratbirds or steelers had nabbed a perennial All-pro at center,
we'd all be sick. It's dramatic improvement at center for the Browns,
and addition by subtraction.. the Browns adding Mack and keeping him from the
ratbirds and steelers - that is priceless.
vs the big NT's of the rats and stinklers - the Browns' Mack will be worth his weight in gold.
The second wr was certainly a surprise, what with other players on the board most of us have talked about,
but when you read up on him and the rest of the picks, it's brilliant and consistent picking of character, fine intelligence
and football smarts, and skill.
Pretty shrewd. And, they couldn't trade down anymore... the ratbirds were only a few picks away.
I love it.
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Mack could have been nabbed by the Vikings... OR
also the Ravens or Steelers or even Altanta I think it was.
If the ratbirds or steelers had nabbed a perennial All-pro at center,
we'd all be sick. It's dramatic improvement at center for the Browns,
and addition by subtraction.. the Browns adding Mack and keeping him from the
ratbirds and steelers - that is priceless.
vs the big NT's of the rats and stinklers - the Browns' Mack will be worth his weight in gold.
The second wr was certainly a surprise, what with other players on the board most of us have talked about,
but when you read up on him and the rest of the picks, it's brilliant and consistent picking of character, fine intelligence
and football smarts, and skill.
Pretty shrewd. And, they couldn't trade down anymore... the ratbirds were only a few picks away.
I love it.
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I really love where this thread is going. Informative, useful, and pretty. Keep up the good work!
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@shepwrite said:
Funny, Toop.I find it SO disappointing and repetitive and disappointing and redundant.
I should start my own thread about this...lol
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T T T - I'm diggin' this outstanding grade.
Let's bump the shit out of this thread until pre-season.........
or at least until Friday when rookie mini-camp starts.
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Living here in Pennsylvania, I can say without a doubt, the Steelers definitly had their eyes on Mack...
He was #1 on their draft board.... You should have heard the grumblings when we picked him..
Hey, maybe this is a trend, we've beat them in the draft so lets do it on the field....
T.Dawg
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Living here in Pennsylvania, I can say without a doubt, the Steelers definitly had their eyes on Mack...
He was #1 on their draft board.... You should have heard the grumblings when we picked him..
Hey, maybe this is a trend, we've beat them in the draft so lets do it on the field....
T.Dawg
Living here in Pennsylvania, I can say without a doubt, the Steelers definitly had their eyes on Mack...
He was #1 on their draft board.... You should have heard the grumblings when we picked him..
Hey, maybe this is a trend, we've beat them in the draft so lets do it on the field....
T.Dawg
I heard that too about the stinkin' Squeelers wanting Mack. I like having a guy called "Mack" plowing up the middle for some reason.
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Living here in Pennsylvania, I can say without a doubt, the Steelers definitly had their eyes on Mack...
He was #1 on their draft board.... You should have heard the grumblings when we picked him..
Hey, maybe this is a trend, we've beat them in the draft so lets do it on the field....
T.Dawg
Living here in Pennsylvania, I can say without a doubt, the Steelers definitly had their eyes on Mack...
He was #1 on their draft board.... You should have heard the grumblings when we picked him..
Hey, maybe this is a trend, we've beat them in the draft so lets do it on the field....
T.Dawg
Daddybull...Great to see You posting again...I had wondered what happened to Ya and hoped you were ok......And I agree...We need to start kickin some Stooler ass around here...Its about damn time!
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Mack Truck
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Living here in Pennsylvania, I can say without a doubt, the Steelers definitly had their eyes on Mack...
He was #1 on their draft board.... You should have heard the grumblings when we picked him..
Hey, maybe this is a trend, we've beat them in the draft so lets do it on the field....
T.Dawg
I heard that too about the stinkin' Squeelers wanting Mack. I like having a guy called "Mack" plowing up the middle for some reason.
I like having a guy called "Mack" plowing up the middle for some reason.
Perv.
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