AFC South
Houston Texans – Grade A The Texans did a good job addressing some defensive needs. Not sure moving to a 3-4 is the best way to highlight Mario Williams at defensive end but the Linebacker Combo of Barwin, Cushing, Reed and Ryans could be fearsome.
- JJ Watt – Watt could be a great defensive end in a 3-4 or 4-3. He’s big, strong, athletic and has a great motor and he’ll be playing opposite one of the best in Mario Williams. A few seasons ago a similar player came out of Miami in Calais Campbell. But Houston had a need at OT. This year they give Mario help on the other side. They do still need a NT. (Shaun Rogers ?).
- Brooks Reed – OLB – a high motor guy who thinks he’s Clay Matthews in round 2 doesn’t sound like a bad thing. Reed is a classic football player. He could use a bit more speed but he has the football IQ and motor to make a huge impact in a 3-4.
2a. Best Pick - Brandon Harris – CB – Miami – Harris had trouble with Big Wrs and sometime didn’t make the impact expected of his physical skills. Those physical skills put him in the first round on many mocks and he has the hips to be a much more natural cover man than the guys drafted ahead of him in Rd 1. With Houston having so many issues stopping the pass the improved pass rush and the addition of Harris are huge.
- Rashad Carmichael – CB – Carmichael is under-rated. Virginia Tech puts these tough scrappy corners out all the time, Brandon Flowers being the last. Carmichael could be a surprise starter and allow some of the Texans listed CB to move over and play Safety. He’s as good as Glover Quinn or Kareem Jackson.
- Shiloh Keo – S – Idaho. There’s nothing about Keo that says he’ll be an NFL starter. His squatty build makes him look more like a undersized LB than a Safety but he’s a scrappy football player and the direction of this Texans draft has been to take football players. He’ll probably earn a roster spot on specials and be hard to keep off the field.
5a. Tyler Yates – QB – UNC – Yates grew at the position every year at UNC. He hasn’t been a great QB and UNC had some pretty good skill position help for him. Not sure how he factors in. He could be a nice developmental QB but the Texans need a veteran back-up ready to step in if Schaub goes down and not a developmental guy. Still it’s never a bad idea to grab a QB to develop late.
- Derek Newton – OT – Newton has very similar size and physical traits to the rest of the Texans OL. He’s a small school guy but he moves his feet better than probably 60 percent of the OL drafted ahead of him and offers more size and strength than another 60 percent. This is a very good developmental choice who could eventually surprise.
7a. Cheta Ozougwu- LB – Rice – Played End at Rice. Moved Laterally very well at the combine. Doesn’t understand football but has all the other traits of an inside linebacker in the 3-4.
Indianapolis Colts – A- When you have Peyton Manning going O-line back to back can’t be a bad idea. Somewhere in the draft a QB to groom may have been a good idea too. Don’t forget getting Collie, Clark and Gonzalez is like 3 more picks for the offense.
- Anthony Castonzo – OT – Boston College – seems like an ideal fit – 4 year starter. Midwestern boy with good size and a very big brain. Give Castonzo time in practive against the likes of Mathis and Freeney and he’ll come up with an algorithm for stopping speed rushers. He also has enough size and strength to help recharge the run-game.
- Best Pick Ben Ijalana- OT-OG – Villanove – Ijalana’s school probably cost him a first round choice. He’s bigger and meaner than say a Pouncey but hasn’t been coached up as much. He also has 36 inch arms which say tackle. Play him at G and enjoy the nasty streak.
- Drake Nevis – DT – LSU – Nevis was probably the number 1 tackle on the Indy board. No one besides Nick Fairley fit the scheme nearly as well. Small, Quick and Strong enough he’ll definitely be a factor in the rotation.
- Delone Carter – RB – Syracuse – Carter is what Mike Hart was supposed to be, a short back with power who can disappear in the muck up front and pick up 5 yards at time. He’s a very nice fit in a rotation with Joseph Addai who has been banged up but can do a bit of everything and Donald Brown who only seems to want to run outside. He’d be a best pick in this spot if it weren’t for Ijalana.
6.Chris Rucker – CB – Michigan State – Rucker has some nice physical tools but he looks more like a safety in the colts scheme and plays more like a CB. He’ll help on specials if he makes the team and could develop down the line into a player similar to Aaron Francisco but he has to learn – his problem is recognition and not physical traits and in round 6 that’s a pretty good player.
Jacksonville Jaguars – Grade C No D-line help and some reaches at DB.
- Blaine Gabbert – Not a fan. Gabbert played in a Quarterback friendly system and while he has a lot of tools he has a lot to learn as well. David Garrard is the perfect QB to have the young QB learn behind but Trent Edwards and Luke McCown both have some ability they (because they didn’t get first round hype) have never been allowed to showcase. Still Gabbert has some of the it factor – and a QB with the tools to be a pro-bowler can never be viewed as a failed pick.
- Best Pick – Will Rackley – G – Lehigh – Vince Manuwai is getting a bit long in the tooth and so much of the offense in Jacksonville is run-related drafted a player with a chance to be the best guard in this draft makes perfect sense. You also have the factor of protecting the newly found face of the team at QB.
- Cecil Shorts – Mount Union – WR – Shorts is a different player than former Mount Union start Pierre Garcon. He’s a small school guy. He’s not a blazer. He’s not very big. But and this is a huge but he always seems to be the best player on the field and the guy that’s in the right spot. 4th round may have been a reach but it’s a good reach.
4a. Chris Prosinski – S- Wyoming – Prosinski is a smart player with good size and surprising athleticism. Good traits. He plays the run better than the pass which could be a problem in the gunslinging AFC south and while most considered S to be a trouble spot in Jacksonville – Sean Considine, Courtney Greene and Don Carey are similar players to Prosinski. That makes this pick a tad questionable.
- Rod Isaac – CB – Middle Tennessee State University – The jags love small school defensive backs. Isaac has nice size, good speed, but needs to work on his footwork and hands. He could end up being a great pick. He could also end up behind the 4 small school Cbs already on the Jags roster. There’s a problem with having 3 of the 4 being developmental and a 4th being added.
Tennessee Titans Overall Grade B A pass rusher is still a big need maybe Derrick Morgan will return and develop.
- Jake Locker – QB- Washington – Locker has the most upside combined with character of any QB in this draft. Period. He’s been in a pro system. He’s tough. He didn’t have a ton of tools at Washington but stayed 4 years even though he may have been drafted higher coming out last year. The guy is a leader and that’s what you want most from a QB. He won’t be asked to be the savior in Tennessee and he has tools there and that may be the reason he becomes Offensive Rookie of the Year.
- Akeem Ayers – LB – UCLA – Ayers seems to be a Strong Side linebacker in a 4-3. He’s supposed to be this totally dynamic player but it doesn’t seem to show up on tape. He’s aggressive and athletic but that seems to show up when he wants it too. The guy has a ton of potential but…that’s a spot where you don’t want a but. Gerald McGrath and Tim Shaw and maybe even Bailey and Allred are better football players at this point and so is fellow draftee Colin McCarthy so Ayers better wake up.
- Jurrell Casey – DT – USC – Casey is described as a short quick high motor player but he didn’t seem continuously motivated at USC. If he is motivated he could remind of Chris Zorich or current NFL player Derek Landri – those guys never had their motivation questioned – maybe having it questioned with wake this guy up. He can be very good but he can also be covered by size and just give up.
- Best Pick – Colin McCarthy – LB – Miami – McCarthy has a bit of an injury history but he’s a pure football player with enough athleticism to line up at any spot in a 4-3 linebacking corps. He’s a football player. That’s a good thing. If you put McCarthy’s football sense and hustle in Ayers body you’d have a pro-bowler.
4a. Jamie Harper – is a big back who runs a little high but has good speed, good hands and some wiggle. He’ll be more of a complement too Chris Johnson than a change of pace. He provides solid depth while reminding of a Matt Forte.
- Karl Klug – DT – Iowa – like McCarthy Klug is an old-school football player. He isn’t big but he is tough and his motor is always on. Tennessee has a lot of similarly built players on the DL and if they wake up and play as hard as Klug some of them could be very good and that would make it hard for Klug to maintain a roster spot.
- Byron Stingily – OT – Louisville – good speed and good feet but he’s been noted as a pass protector. The titans could have used the help more inside on the o-line and with their make-up a run blocker. With David Steward and Michael Roos outside Stingily will have time to learn in a perfect scenario he always stewart to kick inside down the road.
- Zack Clayton – DT – Auburn – Another high motor football player and a guy that played for Tracey Rocker at Auburn. Clayton has surprising athleticism good strength and could play some outside. He’s a high effort guy like Klug but he was well behind Senderrick Marks (a titans disappointment) at Auburn.
7a. Tommie Campbell – S – Cal PA – Campbell played as a 203 lb linebacker at a small school. He ran a 4.31 and a 4.33 forty at a couple of all-star games. Campbell used to play at pitt along side Darrell Revis but left due to poor academic progress. He then got asked to leave Edinboro of PA for skipping classes. After 2 years working as a janitor Campbell got a last chance with Cal PA – he may really appreciate this opportunity. He has the athleticism to really help anyone – now he has to work. It’s a loaded Defensive Backfield in Tennessee but this guy has amazing athletic ability and could surprise if his heads on straight. A very interesting pick – this guy was player of the year in the Pittsburgh area – that’s a football hotbed.
