NFC South draft grades

By Lou DiPietro  |   Wednesday, April 29, 2009  |  Comments( 0 )

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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
Part 4: NFC North
Part 5: AFC South

Next up is the NFL’s toughest division from 2008, the NFC South.

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
DAY 1: The Saints had only one Saturday pick, the 14th overall choice. With that pick, they filled a major need with Ohio State DB Malcolm Jenkins, an excellent defender who can play both corner or safety; he'll most likely stay on the outside.

DAY 2: Not much there, but they at least filled needs. In the fourth round, the Saints took two former Wake Forest Demon Deacons in hard-hitting S Chip Vaughn and ILB Stanley Arnoux. Both look to be able to help immediately on special teams, and can fill depth roles as backups. Their final pick, however, is questionable; they traded up from the seventh round to the fifth -- giving the Eagles a fifth-rounder next year -- to select SMU punter Thomas Morstead. Yeah, the Saints needed a punter and he was one of the best available, but having only four picks and using one to trade up for this position seems a little shaky. Still, Morstead has a good leg, so he will probably make the team.

THE SKINNY: With only four picks, it’s hard to grade the Saints fairly. They filled their biggest need with their top pick, and at least filled needs on Day 2. But they didn’t address the offensive line or find a running back to pair with Reggie Bush and Pierre Thomas, both of which are bigger needs than drafting a punter. The Jonathan Vilma trade -- which saw them give up a two and a five -- handcuffed them here. GRADE: C


TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
DAY 1: Can Josh Freeman be a franchise quarterback? Raheem Morris and the Bucs think so, as they traded up from No. 19 to No. 17 -- sending Cleveland a sixth-rounder to do so -- to select the Kansas State product. Freeman has all the tools, and he doesn’t have to be rushed in, as the Bucs have both Brian Griese and Byron Leftwich under contract. The only wonder is whether Denver was actually interested; the Broncos took DE Robert Ayers at No. 18, but would they have taken Freeman if he was available? It was apparently worth a sixth for Tampa to not find out the hard way.

DAY 2: The Bucs’ first two Sunday picks, Texas DT Roy Miler and USC DE Kyle Moore, greatly fill their defensive line needs. Miller was a potential first-day pick who is physical yet quick enough to play inside in a Tampa 2, while Moore -- whom they traded up and gave Dallas a seventh to get -- came on strong at USC and will be a solid third end in a rotation based on his ability to get into the backfield. The rest of the day, however, is a question mark. Fifth-rounder Xavier Fulton, an ex-defensive lineman, is still a bit of a project at tackle, so taking him that high with much more polished tackles available makes little sense. Their first seventh-rounder, Western Michigan CB E.J. Biggers, doesn’t quite have the speed you’d like, but if Morris -- who was formerly the secondary coach -- sees something in him, maybe he can develop into a useful player. Their final pick, Oregon State WR Sammie Stroughter, was a medical redshirt in 2008 thanks to kidney issues; he’s got good speed and can help in the return game, but he isn’t much more than an adequate slot receiver.

THE SKINNY: A big gamble draft for Tampa Bay. The Bucs' two D-line choices should be solid, but the rest is very sketchy. If Freeman isn’t the QB the Buccaneers seem to think he is, this is going to be remembered as a huge bust of a draft in four or five years; even if he is, it’s still not great. GRADE: C


ATLANTA FALCONS
DAY 1: The Falcons needed defense, defense and more defense, and they didn’t stray from that. First-round choice Peria Jerry was perhaps the best interior pass rusher in the draft and should step in to start at DT right away. Some have likened him to a smaller Warren Sapp, and if he’s half the player Sapp was, the Falcons got a steal. Second-round S William Moore could be hit or miss. He’s got great range, a terrific knack for finding the ball and can blossom in Atlanta’s two-deep scheme, but injuries derailed his senior season at Missouri; thus, he slipped a little. If he plays to potential, this was a steal.

DAY 2: More defense, and more value. In the middle rounds, the Falcons picked up cornerbacks Christopher Owens and William Middleton, as well as DE Lawrence Sidbury Jr. from Richmond. Owens is a very aggressive cover guy, while Middleton is an athletic playmaker; both will compete for time as a nickel corner right away. Sidbury, meanwhile, is an excellent pass rusher had 20 career sacks for the Spiders. He’ll learn from one of the best, John Abraham, at the next level.

Atlanta’s late-round picks -- Miami LB Spencer Adkins and Georgia Tech DT Vance Walker -- are a pair of ACC products. Adkins is undersized but can contribute on special teams, and has the distinction of being the first Hurricane taken in 2009 -- breaking a streak of 14 straight years with a first-rounder. Walker, meanwhile, slipped because an injured ankle that hampered his Senior Week and combine efforts, but he fits well into Atlanta’s base 4-3 scheme. Their only offensive pick -- fifth-rounder Garrett Reynolds -- is a 6-foot-8 OT from North Carolina who could blossom into a productive right tackle.

THE SKINNY: Seven of their eight picks went to defense, and the top five of those can all be very productive players. Moore was a reach as of now, but if he plays to his potential and Sidbury becomes an Abraham-type player, this is an 'A' draft. GRADE: A-minus


CAROLINA PANTHERS
DAY 1: Carolina had no first-rounder, as it traded it last year to Philly to move up and get OT Jeff Otah. This year, the Panthers did the same thing, giving Dallas their 2010 No. 1 to move up 16 spots and grab Florida State DE/LB Everette Brown. This could be a great pick, as Brown was projected as high as No. 5 overall in some mocks. He’s an excellent pass rusher and is made even more desirable by Julius Peppers’ impending free agency, but you have to wonder why he fell all the way to No. 43. Their other first-day pick, Troy FS Sherrod Martin, is fast and has the size to possibly play corner in sub-packages; that’ll be important in a division with New Orleans and Atlanta.

DAY 2: You can best sum this up as one steal, one potential gem and a whole lot of not much else. The steal is fifth-rounder Duke Robinson; the Oklahoma guard was rated as a potential second-rounder -- which is where fellow Sooner OL Phil Loadholt went -- but the Panthers got him in the fifth. He’s a physical drive-blocker who will make that running game even better. The potential gem is third-rounder Corvey Irvin. The former Georgia D-lineman is very raw, but he has a rare combo of size (6-3, 300 pounds) and speed (ran a 5.03 40) that can make him a useful cog in the defensive line.

The rest? Again, not much. Fourth-round RB Mike Goodson is a speedy big back who can maybe develop into a slot receiver, but he wasn’t even a full-time starter at Texas A&M; with a handful of more polished receivers still available, that’s a big reach to make on a team with two solid backs already. Syracuse FB Tony Fiammetta was the best at his position in the draft, but again, on a team with two solid runners and a masher in Brad Hoover, was he the best they could do? Their final pick, CB Munner Summerlyn, is fast but small and figures to contribute more as a returner/special teamer.

THE SKINNY: Brown and Robinson could end up being the best steals of the draft, but if the Panthers fall off this year, losing a high first-rounder to move up and take a guy who slipped from that status this year might prove costly. The real knock is that they could have used a true receiver and maybe a potential QB to groom, but chose to instead take a trio of guys who will struggle to find a position. GRADE: C-plus
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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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