Monday, April 29, 2013

TMG DraftZone 2013 NFL Draft Grades: NFC East

The 2013 NFL Draft has come and gone, my vacation is over and it's time to hand out grades to the teams. I posted in a blog earlier this draft season that without the big names at the top, with loads of depth and with players at 15-35-55 that would wind up having similar talent and value, that it would be tough for any team to really screw up their draft. I was right on that point. I was wrong on my very early prediction that 5 quarterbacks would go in the first round. For this year, Panic In The Draft Room did not take over. But it did hit in Round 4. The quarterbacks in this draft may end up being quality players, but teams went for what they saw as the moer sure thing and waited to take the signal callers. When Round 4 came around, the quarterbacks went off the board. But 2013 was all about The Big Uglies. 6 offensive lineman taken in the first 11 picks. 3 defensive lineman in the first 6 picks. Even Travis Frederick, seen by many as a third round pick, went in Round 1 to Dallas. No running backs selected in the first round, and only one quarterback. What in the name of Russell Erxlaben is going on here? My team draft grades will be followed by key selections and sleeper picks. So here is the TMG DraftZone team grades for the 2013 NFL Draft, starting with the NFC East: NFC East Dallas: C Gavin Escobar (TE) Joseph Randle (RB) Frederick will move into the center position and plug up the revolving door there, but he could have been gotten in late Round 2 or even Round 3. Escobar will give Tony Romo an excellent target, and Randle could get his chance to carry the ball if the Dallas backs keep getting injured. NY Giants: B+ Johnathon Hankins (DT) Damontre Moore (DE) New York looked to shore up their offensive line with the pick of Justin Pugh. His running mate from Syracuse, quarterback Ryan Nassib, may not get much of a chance to play but he gives the Giants a solid backup to Eli Manning. Hankins is a load who can tie up the middle of the defensive line and free up the Giants pass rush from the ends. And if Moore plays like the one who racked up 12 sacks last year at Texas A&M instead of the player who looked like he took his future for granted at the combine, he could have a big impact down the road. Philadelphia: A- Matt Barkley (QB) Jordan Poyer (CB) The Chip Kelly Era starts with the building block of the most athletic tackle in the draft with Lane Johnson. Zack Ertz will give the Eagles quarterback a big target down the middle, and I believe that the quarterback who will be throwing the ball to Ertz, DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin and others will be Barkley. I don't believe he will begni the year as the starter, but I can see Barkley finishing the year taking snaps. Jordan Poyer was seen as an early round pick, and he fell all the way to the seventh round. With the Eagles porous pass defense, Poyer could get a chance early. Washington: B David Amerson (CB) Phillip Thomas (S) Washington surrendered their first round pick last year to move up and take Robert Griffin III, and that move worked out very well as the Redskins won the NFC East. Washington beefed up their pass defense early and often with the picks of David Amerson in Round 2 and later on with Phillip Thomas in Round 4. Jordan Reed gives Griffin another target to throw to when he finally learns that he will last a lot longer in the NFL by not running as much as he did last year.

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