AFC East draft grades

By Lou DiPietro  |   Monday, April 27, 2009  |  Comments( 1 )

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With the 2009 NFL draft in the books, RealFootball365.com will spend this week analyzing the hauls of all 32 teams and grading them on their weekend moves, one division at a time. First up is the AFC East.

BUFFALO BILLS

DAY 1: The Bills got a great player at No. 11 in Penn State DE Aaron Maybin, who fills their desperate need for a speed rusher. After that, well, there are some questions. Even though two of the six potential top 50 offensive tackles were there, the Bills spent the No. 28 they got from Philly in the Jason Peters trade on Louisville C Eric Wood. Yes, center was a need, but only one was off the board at that point and Wood could’ve slipped to them in Round 2. Their second-round picks, Oregon DB Jairus Byrd and Oregon State O-lineman Andy Levitre, are decent players; Byrd might step in as one of Buffalo's starting safeties right away (or a nickel corner eventually), and even though Levitre projects more as a guard, he’s a big mauler who can help inside.

DAY 2: Perhaps the Bills’ second-best choice was taking Southern Miss TE Shawn Nelson in the fourth round. He’s a better receiver than any other TE on Buffalo’s roster, and can be an explosive part of its offense. Their other three second-day picks were all defensive backs; Oklahoma's Nic Harris is big but inconsistent (he might play linebacker in the pros), USC CB Cary Harris was one of eight Trojan defenders to be chosen and West Virginia DB Ellis Lankster is a speedster who will contribute in the return game.

THE SKINNY: They got their speed rusher, but failed to replace Peters and made a few questionable picks in the process. Still, Maybin is a stud and Nelson could be a real gem. GRADE: B-minus


NEW YORK JETS

DAY 1: The Jets made the first huge move of the weekend, trading up from No.17 to No. 5 to snag USC QB Mark Sanchez, who should be their franchise passer for the next decade. They then did it again on Day 2, trading up to the top of the third round to grab Iowa RB Shonn Greene. But at what cost?

Sanchez is projected to be a great QB, but did they give up too much for him? In addition to swapping picks, the Jets surrendered their second-rounder (No. 52), QB Brett Ratliff, DE Kenyon Coleman and DB Abram Elam. Ratliff was expendable, Elam was a backup and you usually have to give up a pick to move up for another, but Coleman led the NFL in tackles by a DE in 2007 and was slotted as their starting RDE until about 5 p.m. Saturday.

As for Greene, he brings questions, too. For one, the Jets gave up their three (No. 67), a four and a seven to move up 12 slots. He can be a great complement to Thomas Jones and Leon Washington (and eventually replace Jones), but on a team where the franchise QB was drafted the day before and Chansi Stuckey is the No. 2 receiver, a third RB wasn’t exactly a pressing need. Sure, that idea worked for Baltimore last year, but the Jets' defense isn’t nearly as good as that one and Sanchez isn’t Joe Flacco.

DAY 2: Their only other pick was a sixth-rounder, with which the Jets snagged Nebraska OL Matt Slauson. He’ll be O-line depth, but he has three things going for him: He’s athletic, versatile (played RG and both tackle spots at Nebraska) and, most importantly, played for Jets O-line coach Bill Callahan while in Lincoln.

THE SKINNY: It’s hard to grade a team’s “haul” when it only has three picks. The Jets got two good players on Day 1, but at the expense of three of their six picks and three players, including a starter. That knocks them down a grade. GRADE: B-minus


NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

DAY 1: The Pats started and finished the weekend with a dozen picks, but it was quite a ride to get there.

New England made eight trades on draft weekend, moving down and eventually out of the first round for what amounted to three later picks. The Pats also traded CB Ellis Hobbs to Philadelphia for two fifth-rounders, and packaged a bunch of their acquired picks to move up seven slots in the second round to take Oakland’s No. 40 overall. In the end, they were left with No. 34 overall as their top pick.

Got all that? Regardless, the Pats got a lot of value in the second round with four selections. Their top pick, Oregon SS Patrick Chung, is a bit small and lacks some coverage skills, but he’s a physical replacement for Rodney Harrison and a great eighth in the box against the run. No. 40 was DT Ron Brace, a local kid out of BC who can be a bull at NT and potentially replace pending free agent Vince Wilfork. Connecticut CB Darius Butler (No. 41) was a potential first-rounder who could be in the starting mix as soon as this year thanks to the Hobbs trade, and Houston O-lineman Sebastian Vollmer (No. 58) is a former TE who can play a few positions -- a trait Bill Belichick covets.

DAY 2: New England finally addressed its biggest need, linebacker, by taking South Florida OLB Tyron McKenzie in the third round. McKenzie is small but fits the Pats’ mold of fast, athletic backers. They also snagged North Carolina WR Brandon Tate in the third round; he has some off-field issues -- but so did Randy Moss, and look how well that has turned out for New England. Later Day 2 picks saw them select two offensive linemen, three more defensive tackles and Kent State WR Julian Edelman.

THE SKINNY: The Pats made a lot of moves and got a lot of value, but the biggest knock is that only one of their dozen selections was a linebacker. Still, Belichick and company got a lot players who fit his system well and picked up two 2010 second-rounders in later trades to boot. GRADE: B


MIAMI DOLPHINS

DAY 1: Two great picks sandwiched around an interesting one. Their top choice, Illinois CB Vontae Davis (No. 25), was projected as a top 15 pick in many mocks but slipped thanks to “character issues.” Their late second-rounder, Utah CB Sean Smith, is still learning how to play corner, but he’s fast (sub-4.4 40), big (6-foot-4) and excellent in coverage. He can’t tackle well, but hey, neither can DeAngelo Hall. Both of them will contribute quickly, and could end up as Miami’s starting tandem as soon as 2010.

The interesting pick is their other second-rounder, West Virginia QB/WR Pat White. While it’s curious that the Dolphins would select a QB -- this is the third straight year they’ve taken one in the second round -- they do like to run the "Wildcat," and White fits that offense perfectly. Even if he isn’t behind center, the Dolphins think he can be a decent slot receiver in the Brad Smith mold. Still, all that said. . . Round 2?

DAY 2: The Dolphins addressed their receiver need early, taking USC’s Patrick Turner and Ohio State’s Brian Hartline in the third round. Turner is a big speedster who has drawn comparisons to Keyshawn Johnson, and Hartline is a solid possession receiver who isn’t afraid to make a tough catch. Fifth-rounder Chris Clemons from Clemson (say that five times fast) is a speedy combo safety who can hit hard, and the rest of their picks are either projects or injury reclamations who can provide depth.

THE SKINNY: The Dolphins filled their DB and WR needs nicely in the first three rounds, and added some decent depth players after that. White in the second round is a head-scratcher, but considering the Dolphins still got value after him, it can be excused if he’s a beast in the "Wildcat." GRADE: B
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About Lou DiPietro

Lou DiPietro is an accomplished freelance writer who is fascinated with all things sports. In addition to his duties at RealFootball365.com, Lou contributes to TheBleacherReport.com and Pro Wrestling Illustrated magazine, and has been featured on "The Sports Buffet with Matt West" on 1080-AM ESPN ...
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