Draft Recap, Part 2 (NFC)

On we go:

NFC WEST:

Arizona Cardinals:
Selected: 10) Matt Leinart, QB, USC; 41) Deuce Lutui, OG, USC; 72) Leonard Pope, TE, UGA; 107) Gabe Watson, DT, Michigan; 142) Brandon Johnson, LB Louisville; 177) Jonathon Lewis, DT, Va. Tech; 218) Todd Watkins, WR, BYU
Opinion: Hit the jackpot with Leinart and Pope. Also grabbed a couple of defensize tackles who slipped down, but could contribute. Lutui has experience blocking for Leinart so that’ll help his learning curve. An absolute home run by the Cardinals, who will probably score 25 a game with Leinart, Edge, Pope, Fitzgerald, and Anquan Boldin. This team may be in the playoffs this year. Grade: A.

San Francisco 49ers:
Selected: 6) Vernon Davis, TE, Maryland; 22) Manny Lawson, DE, NC State; 84) Brandon Williams, WR, Wisconsin; 100) Michael Robinson, WR/RB, Penn State; 140) Parys Haralson, DE, Tennessee; 175) Delanie Walker, WR, Central Missouri; 192) Marcus Hudson, S, NC State; 197) Melvin Oliver, DE, LSU; 254) Vickiel Vaughn, S, Arkansas
Opinion: For a team with so many holes on both sides of the ball, the 49ers acquitted themselves well. Davis, Williams, and even Michael Robinson will help Alex Smith greatly this season. Hudson will beef up the secondary to some extent – I don’t know about Vaughn. Lawson and Haralson will beef up the line as well. Well done, Mike Nolan.
Grade: A-

Seattle Seahawks:
Selected: 31) Kelly Jennings, CB, Miami (FL); 63) Darryl Tapp, DE, Va. Tech; 128) Rob Sims, G, Ohio State; 163) David Kirtman, FB, USC; 139) Ryan Plackemeier, P, Wake Forest; 249) Ben Obomano, WR, Auburn
Opinion: They didn’t really need anything, so most of their picks were for depth. Jennings and Marcus Trufant at CB is a nice combo.
Grade: B

St. Louis Rams:
Selected: 15) Tye Hill, CB, Clemson; 46) Joe Klopfenstien, TE, Colorado; 68) Claude Wroten, DT, LSU; 77) Jon Alston, LB, Stanford; 93) Dominique Byrd, TE, USC; 113) Victor Adeyanju, DE, Indiana; 144) Marques Hagans, WR, Virginia; 221) Tim McGarigle, LB, Northwestern; 242) Mark Setterstrom, G, Minnesota; 243) Tony Palmer, G, Missouri
Opinion: Could have used a QB late, but can’t fault them much for building the line. Wonder why they would draft 2 TE’s, not to mention Claude Wroten, who failed a drug test. Odd.
Grade: C+

NFC NORTH:

Chicago Bears:
Selected: 42) Danieal Manning, S, Abilene Christian; 57) Devin Hester, WR/PR, Miami (FL); 73) Dusty Dvoracek, DT, Oklahoma; 120) Jamar Williams, LB, Arizona St.; 159) Mark Abraham, DE, Alabama; 195) J. D. Runnels, FB, Oklahoma; 200) Tyler Reed, G, Penn State
Opinion: Nice job getting Manning after trading downwards from the mid-20’s and still getting their guy. Aside from that, nothing that seems great.
Grade: C+

Detroit Lions:
Selected: 9) Ernie Sims, LB, Florida St.; 40) Daniel Bullocks, S, Nebraska; 74) Brian Calhoun, RB, Wisconsin; 141) Jonathon Scott, T, Texas; 179) Alton McCann, CB, West Virginia; 217) Fred Matua, G, USC; 247) Anthony Cannon, LB, Tulane
Opinion: At least they didn’t take a WR in the first round. They left Leinart on the board and reached a little for Sims. Considering Sims on one side and Boss Bailey on the other side, though, is a nice set of bookends. I don’t like the Bullocks selection, but the OL picks on Day 2 will help. Matua was a steal.
Grade: B+

Green Bay Packers:
Selected: 5) A. J. Hawk, LB, Ohio State; 47) Daryn Colledge, T, Boise St.; 52) Greg Jennings, WR, Western Michigan; 67) Abdul Hodge, LB, Iowa; 75) Jason Spitz, C, Louisville; 104) Cory Rodgers, WR, LSU; 112) Isaac Sowells, T, Indiana; 115) Will Blackmon, WR, Boston College; 148) Ingle Martin, QB, Furman; 165) Tony Moll, T, Nevada; 183) Johnny Jolly, DT, Texas A & M; 185) Tyrone Culver, S, Fresno St.; 253) Dave Tollefson, DE, NW Missouri State
Opinion: Lots of draft-day deals, resulting in a lot of players. Rodgers and Blackmon were good round 4 picks to replace Javon Walker. Trading down and getting their man in Jennings gave them a couple more picks. Hawk gives instant credibility to the D as a Favre-type player on the defensive line, except he isn’t over the hill. A lot of offensive lineman taken here, so maybe Favre will have better pass protection so he doesn’t throw 29 picks again.
Grade: B+

Minnesota Vikings:
Selected: 17) Chad Greenway, LB, Iowa; 48) Cedric Griffin, CB, Texas; 51) Ryan Cook, C, New Mexico; 64) Tavaris Jackson, QB, Alabama St.; 127) Ray Edwards, DE, Purdue; 149, Greg Blue, S, UGA
Opinion: Took Tavaris Jackson when they could have taken Brodie Croyle or Charlie Whitehurst - bad move. Blue is a nice late-round pick. They needed a RB, didn’t take one. At least their picks got in on time, but that's one of the few nice things to say.
Grade: D+

NFC SOUTH:

Atlanta Falcons:
Selected: 37) Jimmy Williams, CB, Va. Tech; 79) Jerious Norwood, RB, Miss. St.; 139) Quinn Ojennaka, OG, Syracuse; 184) Adam Jennings, WR, Fresno St.; 223) D. J. Shockley, QB, UGA
Opinion: Not great selections. Did not have a first-rounder since they traded it for John Abraham to bulk up their defensive front. Aside from Jimmy Williams falling from the sky to team up with fellow Hokie DeAngelo Hall, these are not great selections.
Grade: C+

Carolina Panthers:
Selected: 27) DeAngelo Williams, RB, Memphis; 58) Richard Marshall, CB, Fresno St.; 88) James Anderson, LB, Va. Tech; 89) Rashad Butler, T, Miami (FL); 121) Nate Salley, S, Ohio State; 155) Jeff King, TE, Va. Tech; 234) William Montgomery, C, Va. Tech; 237) Stanley McClover, DE, Auburn
Opinion: What’s with all the Hokies? Seriously though, mostly good selections, and nabbing Williams at the end of the first round means DeShaun Foster is running out of chances. Not bad picks, though. Solid.
Grade: B-

New Orleans/San Antonio/Los Angeles Saints:
Selected: 2) Reggie Bush, RB, USC; 43) Roman Harper, S, Alabama; 108) Jahri Evans, G, Bloomsburg; 135) Rob Ninkovich, DE, Purdue; 171) Mike Hass, WR, Ohio State; 174) Bernard Lay, CB, Pittsburgh; 210) Zach Strief, T, Northwestern; 252) Marques Colston, WR, Hofstra
Opinion: Got a gift from heaven. Bush and McAllister in the backfield, Brees at QB, and Horn/Stallworth ouside is a NICE setup. Filled some needs in the secondary with Harper and Lay. Combined with an actual home field, they could return to .500 next year - assuming they play their games at the Superdome.
Grade: B+

Tampa Bay Buccaneers:
Selected: 23) Davin Joseph, G, Oklahoma; 59) Jeremy Trueblood, T, Boston College; 90) Maurice Stovall, WR, Notre Dame; 122) Alan Zemaitis, CB, Penn St.; 156) Julian Jenkins, DE, Stanford; 194) Bruce Gadkowski, QB, Toledo; 202) T. J. Williams, TE, NC State; 235) Justin Phinisee, CB, Oregon; 241) Charles Bennett, DE, Clemson; 244) Tim Massaquoi, TE, Michigan
Opinion: Reaches with their first two picks. Not a strong QB pick. Two below-par TE’s. Not good. Chucky was off his game.
Grade: D+

NFC EAST:

Dallas Cowboys:
Selected: 18) Bobby Carpenter, LB, Ohio State; 53) Anthony Fasano, TE, Notre Dame; 92) Jason Hatcher, DE, Grambling; 125) Skyler Green, WR, LSU; 138) Patrick Watkins, S, Florida St.; 182) Montavious Stanley, DT, Louisville; 211) Pat McQuistan, G, Weber St.; 224) E. J. Whitley, T, Texas Tech
Opinion: Bill Parcells got a whole bunch of Parcells guys. Skyler Green is an amazing catch in the 4th round and will complement T. O. very well. Carpenter is another great pick. Tuna also has his new Bavaro in getting Fasano. Great moves throughout. Definitely gunning for a Super Bowl right now.
Grade: A

New York Giants:
Selected: 32) Mathias Kiwanuka, DE, Boston College; 44) Sinorice Moss, WR, Miami (FL); 96) Gerris Wilkinson, LB, Georgia Tech; 124) Barry Cofield, DT, Northwestern; 129) Guy Whimper, T, East Carolina; 158) Charlie Peprah, S, Alabama; 232) Gerrick McPherson, CB, Maryland
Opinion: They got Moss in the second round, about 20 picks later than he should have gone. They made some nice defensive picks. Solid but not spectacular.
Grade: B

Philadelphia Eagles:
Selected: 14) Broderick Bunkley, DT, Florida St.; 39) Winston Justice, T, USC; 71) Chris Gocong, DE, Cal Poly; 99) Max Jean-Gilles, G, UGA; 109) Jason Avant, WR, Michigan; 147) Jeremy Bloom, WR/KR, Colorado; 168) Omar Gaither, LB, Tennessee; 204) LaJuan Ramsey, DT, USC
Opinion: Solid defensive picks throughout. Not really sure if Avant or Bloom will help much (unless it's snowing). Jean-Gilles in Round 4 was an absolute steal.
Grade: B

Washington Redskins:
Selected: 35) Rocky McIntosh, LB, Miami (FL); 153) Anthony Montgomery, DT, Minnesota; 173) Reed Doughty, S, Northern Colorado; 196) Kedrick Golston, DT, Georgia; 230) Kili Lefotu, G, Arizona; 250) Kevin Simon, LB, Tennessee
Opinion: Aside from nabbing McIntosh in the second round nothing stands out. Then again, Washington hasn’t really cared about building through the draft anyway.
Grade: C