NFC North draft grades

By Lou DiPietro  |   Tuesday, April 28, 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.
Part 1: AFC East
Part 2: NFC East
Part 3: AFC North

Next up is the NFC North, which held the No. 1 overall pick (by the Detroit Lions).

DETROIT LIONS
DAY 1: Well, everyone knew Matt Stafford was the first pick, and the Lions hope he can be the franchise quarterback. He has all the tools and doesn’t have to be rushed in, despite what his huge contract says. At No. 20, it’s a little puzzling that they went for Brandon Pettigrew; while the Oklahoma State tight end is a force and will give Stafford another weapon, the fact that they took him with two of the projected first-round O-tackles on the board is questionable. The Lions also passed on a tackle at 33, picking up Western Michigan safety Louis Delmas; he’s rangy and excellent against the run, but again, safety wasn’t their biggest need at that point. Otherwise, those are three fine picks.

DAY 2: The Lions were part of the first big splash on Sunday, trading the top pick of the third round to the Jets for a three, a four and a seven, and they did make some great picks on the second day. Wisconsin OLB DeAndre Levy will be a force on the strong side behind Julian Peterson, seventh-round linebacker Zack Follett will be similar on the weak side behind Ernie Sims, and seventh-round RT Lydon Murtha is a beast who was exceptional in the pre-draft workouts and bowl games. Perhaps the best pick could turn out to be fourth-rounder Sammie Lee Hill. While he is raw and played against low-level competition at Stillman College -- 10 points if you even know what division that’s in -- he’s a big run-stuffer with the size Jim Schwartz likes and can learn from fellow house Grady Jackson.

Of course, there are a few question marks. For one, Murtha was the first and only O-lineman they selected. For another, TCU RB Aaron Brown, the Lions' sixth-rounder, is a decent runner but may be too big (6-foot-1, 200 pounds) to be effective. Oddly enough, though, he’s bigger than the WR they actually drafted three rounds earlier, Penn State’s Derrick Williams.

THE SKINNY: The Lions got three great players on Saturday, and a few gems on Sunday. The only knock is that they didn’t address their O-line needs earlier or often, but when you go 0-16, everything ends up being a need in one form or another. GRADE: A-minus


GREEN BAY PACKERS
DAY 1: You take the good, you take the bad, you take them both and there you have ... Day 1 in the Packers’ war room. The good? Snagging Boston College DT B.J. Raji at No. 9. They needed a horse inside, and the 337-pound Raji is that. He actually slipped a little, as many had him projected as a top five pick, but he’s certainly talented.

The bad? Trading back into the first round for USC LB Clay Matthews. Yeah, he’s good, but they gave up a two and a pair of threes to move up to get him. For reference, the only other ILB off the board between Matthews and where the Pack’s second-rounder would’ve been, at No. 41, was James Laurinaitis. Matthews is a solid player and will start over Brady Poppinga, but they possibly could’ve had him or Laurinaitis -- who played with current Packers ILB A.J. Hawk at Ohio State in 2005.

DAY 2: The Packers got good value on Sunday, even without their third-rounders. On the offensive line, they picked up Eastern Michigan O-tackle T.J. Lang, a house who will slide inside, and South Carolina O-lineman Jamon Meredith, who can play either tackle or guard spot and do it well. In the sixth round, they snagged Brandon Underwood, who can play anywhere in the secondary, as well as Georgia D-lineman Jarius Wynn -- a ferocious run-stuffer who will fit well as an end in the new 3-4 scheme.

THE SKINNY: On Saturday, the Packers got the horse they needed inside, and on Sunday, they got a handful of versatile picks. The only question mark is the Matthews deal, but that can easily be erased if he dominates on the next level. GRADE: B-plus

CHICAGO BEARS
DAY 1: Nothing. Their first-rounder fetched them Jay Cutler a few weeks ago, and they traded their second-rounder to Seattle for a three and a four.

DAY 2: In the third round, the Bears got a pair of great prospects. San Jose State DT Jarron Gilbert had 9.5 sacks last year for the Spartans and could even start right away, while Oklahoma WR Juaquin Iglesias is a big, explosive slot guy who can be an Anthony Gonzalez type for Cutler. Fifth-round WR Johnny Knox is a sub-4.3 burner who will team with Devin Hester to give the Bears a ridiculous return tandem; LB Marcus Freeman is undersized but could be a force on the weak side; and sixth-rounder Al Afalava is a huge-hitting FS who was a three-year starter in college.

THE SKINNY: The decision to trade out of the second round is questionable, but the Bears got a great player in Gilbert who may have been off the board by the time they got to their own third-round pick. Getting Cutler is a bigger boost than anyone they could’ve drafted at No. 18, but can you count that? GRADE: A-minus


MINNESOTA VIKINGS
DAY 1: Some may think that Florida WR Percy Harvin was a reach at No. 22. To those, I ask: Where did you stand before his alleged positive drug test? Harvin is a huge weapon for whoever quarterbacks that team, as he is a burner who knows how to win and his presence can make Adrian Peterson even more dangerous. And in the second round, the Vikings got a steal with Oklahoma OT Phil Loadholt; his massive frame and good run-blocking ability make him an ideal RT, where he will eventually make a great bookend opposite Bryant McKinnie and could even start right away.

DAY 2: Only three picks, but pretty good. Third-round CB Asher Allen won’t be much more than a nickel corner, and their seventh-rounder, Mississippi FS Jamarca Stanford, was a four-year starter who was the SEC’s leading tackler during his career; he is, however, undersized for the pros. The gem here could be fifth-rounder Jasper Brinkley. The Vikes gave away a seven to swap fifth-round spots with Washington, and what they got in the South Carolina alum is a heady middle linebacker who helped his team finish No. 13 in the nation in total defense in 2008 -- while playing in a conference that included Florida, Georgia, LSU and Alabama. Not bad, and considering Minnesota was crazy thin at MLB last year, he could see a lot of time.

THE SKINNY: The Vikes stuck to their guns; they wanted Harvin, and they got him. Just what they get out of him remains to be seen, but if he can keep his head on straight, he could be a good one. Loadholt was a solid pick, but Allen was a reach and trading away a pick to get a guy they probably could have had where they were knocks them down a smidge. 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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