TMG DraftZone NFL Draft Grades: AFC West

The Denver Broncos moved on from Tim Tebow to Peyton Manning, and pulled away from the rest of the AFC West to claim their second straight division title. The Broncos had the best record in the AFC, then let the playoffs slip through their fingers with one poorly timed jump by Rahim Moore in the final minute of regulation against the Baltimore Ravens in the Divisional Playoff game. The Broncos are stil the class of the West, and are reloading for a return trip to the playoffs. San Diego, Oakland and Kansas City all fell on hard times in 2012, and are hoping that off season changes can move them back up to playoff contention. The Chiefs brought in Andy Reid as their new head coach, and with the first overall pick they selected Eric Fisher, the athletic offensive tackle from Central Michigan. Their second round pick went to San Francisco to acquire Alex Smith, and there is enough talent on both sides of the ball in Kansas City to return the Chiefs to their division winning level of 2010. San Diego brought in Mike McCoy to coach, and the Chargers still have Phillip Rivers at quarterback. But the Chargers still have holes to fill, and protecting Rivers has been a concern. D.J. Fluker was taken at #11 to shore up the offensive line, and Manti Te'o looks to be the leader on defense for years to come. The Oakland Raiders continue to cause people to scratch their heads. They traded Carson Palmer for a late round pick, after acquiring him from Cincinnati for a 1st and 2nd round pick. Doing this 10 years down the road is one thing. But this happened two years after Mike Brown fleeced the Raiders. It's tough to build through the draft when you keep trading your top draft picks. This year, the Raiders traded down from #3 to #12 to add a second rounder, and with those two picks they selected D.J. Hayden to play corner and Menelik Watson to play tackle. Hayden is coming back from a near fatal chest injury, and Watson is talented but raw. If they pan out, the Raides will reap the rewards. If not, one has to wonder what is going on with the Silver and Black. So here are the TMG DraftZone 2012 NFL Draft Grades for the AFC West, including key selections and sleeper picks: Denver: B Montee Ball (RB) Kayvon Webster (CB) The Broncos seelcted Sylvester Williams in Round 1, and he can move into the middle of the defensive line right away. If Ball can provide a consistent, healthy running game for Manning then the passing game will be even more dangerous. Champ Bailey probably won't play forever, so Webster might get a chance to prove himself sooner rather than later. Kansas City: B Eric Fisher (T) Nico Johnson (LB) Fisher will eventually be the Chiefs left tackle, and if Brandon Albert keeps pouting about his situation in Kansas City then he might be anchoring the blind side soon. Fisher has all the tools to be a star in the NFL, and I look for him to do just that. Travis Kelce can add another dimension to the offense by teaming with Tony Moeaki to set up a dangerous pass catching two tight tnd set. Knile Davis can give Jamaal Charles a break from all the wear and tear, and Johnson will add to a strong linebacking corps. Oakland: Sio Moore (LB) Tyler Wilson (QB) Hayden and Watson have the talent, but the injury and experience concerns need to be ironed out. Moore is a fast, athletic linebacker and the Raiders need help on defense. It will be interesting to see if Wilson gets a chance to play quarterback. Matt Flynn is first on the depth chart, and Terrelle Pyror is second, but when you have been going through quarterbacks like they are stuck in a revolving door then Wilson might a chance. San Diego: A- D.J. Fluker (T) Keenan Allen (WR) Fluker played right tackle in college, and if the Chargers keep him there he can flourish. If a move is made to the left side, it will be interesting to see if he can handle to change. Te'o is in the nearly perfect setting for him to flourish. Away from the large media markets, and on a team that really needs him to take charge and lead the defense. Allen was a surprise drop to Round 3. He gives Rivers a target on the outside that he has nto had since Vincent Jackson moved to Tampy Bay.

TMG DraftZone 2013 NFL Draft Grades: NFC West

Two years ago, the NFC West was a joke. The Seattle Seahawks won the division with a 7-9 record, and it did not look like things would get any better any time soon. But the arrival of Jim Harbaugh in San Francisco sparked a rebirth by the bay, Jeff Fisher is turning the St. Louis Rams around, Pete Carroll has one of the toughest defenses in the league in Seattle, along with a quarterback playing with a chip on his shoulder as big as all outdoors, and the Arizona Cardinals have brought in Bruce Arians to see if he can work the same magic in the desert that he did as interim coach in Indianapolis last year. Looking at the draft this year, all four teams hit it out of the park. The grade Seattle gets may not look like a reflection of that, but their first round pick went to Minnesota to bring in Percy Harvin, the explosive playmaker that gives Russell Wilson another weapon and who can loosen up the defense and open holes for Marshawn Lynch. St. Louis is reaping the bounty of their picks from the Robert Griffin III trade, and used the first rounder they acquired in that trade to move down for more picks and then add Alec Ogletree to the defense. San Francisco may have the best and deepest roster in the NFL, and the 49ers went into the draft with the most picks. That depth shows in the fact that they drafted two players very high who are coming off of knee injuries in college, Cornelious Carradine and Marcus Lattimore, who can essentially redshirt, get healty and make an impact in 2014. But the draft pick who is going to get the most attention was a third rounder in Arizona. Tyrann Mattieu was suspended in 2012 at LSU for a number of team rules violations, and whether he gets it now and can act like a professional or if he doesn't and still thinks he is the Big Man on Campus who can do what he wants because he is a football player remains to be seen. So here are the TMG DraftZone 2013 NFL Draft Grades for the NFC West, with key selections and sleeper picks: Arizona: A- Jonathon Cooper (G) Stephan Taylor/Andre Ellington (RB) The selection of Matthieu raised some eyebrows, but the hope is that Patrick Peterson can be his mentor much in the way that Cris Carter was for Randy Moss. But the fact that Matthieu say out last year is going to affect him more than anything. Arizona is strong at cornerback, and Matthieu looks to move into a safety slot if he is going to have an impact. But the trade for Carson Palmer is what has the fans in Arizona excited. Larry Fitzgerald finally has a quarterback who can get him the ball, but having watched Palmer since his elbow injury in 2008 with Cincinnati, it reamins to be seen if he can regain his Pro Bowl form. Palmer was at his best in cincinnati when he had a powerful offensive line in front of him, and a strong running game behind him. The Cardinals wanted one of the top tackles, but they were gone after the first 4 picks. They then went after the most athletic guard in the draft in Cooper. He can pass and run block, and the running game got an infusion of talent late in the draft with Taylor and Ellington. The defense got a shot in the arm when Kevin Minter fell to the middle of the second round. Minter will have an immediate impact shoring up the defense for the Cardinals. St. Louis: A Tavon Austin (WR) Barrett Jones (C) Having two first round picks gives a team the flexibility to move up, and the Rams made the move up to #8 and gave Sam Bradford the playmaker he really needs. The Rams then recouped the picks they traded to Buffalo to move up when the moved down and got Alec Ogletree at the end of the first round. If Ogletree can put his checkered past behind, he will be a steal of the draft. But the Rams great draft did not stop there. T.J. McDonald is a strong, physical safety who will help to stop the run game, and Austin's running mate at West Virginia, Stedman Bailey, adds to the passing game. But the Rams got the biggest steal of the draft when they got Barrett Jones in Round 4. Jones can play anywhere on the line, is tough, physical and very nasty. He even got in a shouting match with his quarterback late in the BCS Championship Game last year. Basically, he don't take crap from no one. He will anchor the Rams line for years to come. San Francisco: A Eric Reid (S) Quinton Patton (WR) The 49ers had the ammunition to move up to #18 and trade with Dallas to get Reid. This move shows the difference in management of the two franchises. San Francisco really knows what they are doing. Reid will move into the starting spot vacated by Dashon Goldson when he moved to Tampa Bay. But the biggest problem with the 49ers draft is that most of the players they selected won't make the team. Patton has a chance to move into the spot once occupied by Randy Moss, an dsecond round pick Vance McDonald gives San Francisco versatility in setting up two tight end sets. But this draft will be made when Carradine and Lattimore are fully healthy and can get on the field. Carradine looks to be the eventual replacement for Justin Smith, and Lattimore will relieve Frank Gore and then take over the role in the future. Seattle: B- Christine Michael (RB) Jesse Williams (DT) Michael has the talent, but he needs to get his head screwed on straight if he is going to make an impact. As good as Lynch has been, he could use some relief before he gets completely worn down from the wear and tear of the NFL. And along with Barrett Jones, his teammate at Alabama, Jesse Williams will be another steal of the draft. I'm still trying to figure out how he fell to the 5th Round. The Seahawks defense as become one of the toughest and most physical in the league, and Williams will only add to that. Russell Wilson gets a couple of potential targets to pass to in Chris Harper and Luke Wilson.

TMG DraftZone 2013 NFL Draft Grades: AFC South

The Houston Texans were able to repeat as AFC South division champs in 2012, but the arrival of the 1st Overall pick in the 2012 Draft, Andrew Luck, put the Indianapolis Colts back on the map. Luck was everything he was advertised to be and even more. It looks like the AFC South is going to be a two team race for a long time. The Tennessee Titans are hoping that their first round pick in 2011, Jake Locker, can develop as well at the quarterback position and make the Titans a contender once again. The fourth team in the AFC South, Jacksonville, is not nearly as settled at quarterback as they would like to be. Blaine Gabbert was picked two spots after Locker, but he has the look of a journeyman signal caller. Chad Henne was brought in from Miami, but not many see him as the long term answer. I've been an advocate for the Jaguars bringing in Tim Tebow, but he needs to get a fair chance of winning the quarterback job instead of being the sideshow he was in New York with the Jets. I'd make the case right now that the best quarterback the Jaguars have is their 5th round pick this year, a player they selected to play running back, and that is Denard Robinson from Michigan. Any way you slice it, it could be a long year in Jacksonville. So here are the TMG DraftZone 2013 NFL Draft Grades for the AFC South, along with key selections and sleeper picks. Houston: B DeAndre Hopkins (WR) Sam Montgomery (DE) Hopkins is seen as the answer to giving Andre Johnson a running mate on the opposite side of the field, and if he can develop as teh Texans think he can, then it will open up the middle of the field even more for Arian Foster. The second round brought a tough, physical safety in D.J Swearinger, who should be able to make an impact right away in a secondary that still gives up too many yards. Montgomery fell down the draft boards after blurting out he took plays off in college, but he has the ability to be a very good edge rusher. With J.J. Watt on one side, Montgomery could be very effective for the Tecans. Indianapolis: B Hugh Thornton (G) Khaled Holmes (C) Bjoern Werner fell all the way to the Colts at #24, and he has a chance to thrive as the replacement to Dwight Freeney. Thornton was seen as a bit of a stretch pick, but the first priority for the Colts is to protect the franchise, and that is Andrew Luck. Thornton was the player the Colts pegged to do just that, and Holmes could eventually move into the center position. Holmes played most of last year injured, and even in the fourth round he will be a value pick. Jacksonville: B+ Luke Joeckel (T) Denard Robinson (QB) Whoever the Jaguars play at qaurterback, they will have the best player in the draft protecting his left side. Joeckel will be the anchor that the offensive line will build around, just as Jacksonville did when they were formed in 1995 when their very first pick was Tony Boselli. Johnathon Cyprien and Dwayne Gratz can form the foundation for a revamped secondary, and Ace Sanders is the speedy playmaker on the outside for the future. But it will be interesting to see if Robinson gets a chance to play quarterback. If he is seen as too small, then those critics should look at Russell Wilson. I watched Robinson play in college, and he isn't the prototypical quarterback, but he is a playmaker, and I would love to see him get a chance. Tennessee: B+ Justin Hunter (WR) Brian Schwenke (C) The Titans went to shore up their offensive line, and the found their man in Chance Warmack. They got the best guard in the draft, and for a protector for Locker and a road grater for Chris Johnson. Hunter will be a key pick. The Titans traded up to get him, and now Locker has an outside target to develop the passing game with. Blidi Wreh-Wilson was a value pick in Round 3, and Schwenke was as well in Round 4. Schwenke can team with Warmack to solidify the center of the offensive line for years to come.

TMG DraftZone 2013 NFL Draft Grades: NFC South

The revolving door of NFC South Champions swung back to Atlanta, as the Falcons came up just short in the NFC title game against San Francisco. Their deal in 2011 to acquire Julio Jones for a truckload of draft picks is looking to be very wise. Jones has become one of the league's most dangerous deep threats, and the Falcons look to make another run at the Super Bowl with Matt Ryan at the helm. The New Orleans Saints are coming off of a lost season following the sactions imposed due to the bounty scandal. But coach Sean Payton returns, and he still has Drew Brees at quarterback. But the Saints defense fell flat on their face last year, and the hope is that first round pick Kenny Vaccaro can shore up the secondary. Tampa Bay made a move back last year, but I look for the Bucs to have a rebound season. They traded their first round pick for Darrelle Revis, and in Round 2 they selected Johnathon Banks to play corner as well. If Josh Freeman can work his way back to his 2011 form the Bucs will give the Falcons and Saints a run for the top spot in the NFC South. The Carolina Panthers are also looking to their young quarterback to lead them up the ladder. Cam Newton started slow, and there were issues with maturity, but the Panthers finished well in the last half of the season. A long term replacement for WR Steve Smith was not found in the draft, and Carolina could have trouble scoring unless the veteran wideout can keep playing as he has the last few years. So here is the TMG DraftZone 2013 NFL Draft Grades for the NFC South, with key selections and sleeper picks listed as well: Atlanta: B Desmond Trufant (CB) Zeke Motta (S) Atlanta traded up again, but not nearly as far this year as they did in 2011. They will be looking for Trufant to move into a starting corner spot right away, and if he can handle the responsibility then the Falcons will reap the rewards. Atlanta went defense for all but two picks, taking a tight end in Round 4 and a quarterback in Round 7, and with the focus on defense the Falcons may have found another impact player for the secondary in Zeke Motta. A physical safety, Motta will be able to help stop the run cover the middle for Atlanta. Carolina: B+ Star Lotulelei (DT) Kenjon Balmer (RB) The Panthers went defensive tackle in Round 1 and 2, and picked up Star Lotulelei and Kawann Short. Lotulelei was seen by many as perhaps the best player in the draft, and he fell all the way to #14 because of health concerns. But Lotulelei received a clean bill of health, and he will team with Short to build a formidable front wall for the Panthers. Balmer may be a bit undersized, but get him in the open field and he is a top flight playmaker. One scouting report stated that Balmer needs to work on his pass protection. He may, but if Balmer is in the game I don't see him in the backfield to block. If he is lined up in the backfield, he will be in space in no time at all to get his hands on the ball. New Orleans: B+ Terron Armstead (OT) Jon Jenkins (DT) The Saints had to forfeit their second round pick due to the bounty scandal, but they made their picks count. Vaccaro will be a starter right away, and the secondary will be better for it. But the Saints lost Jarrod Bushrod in free agency, and Armstead may be called on to play earlier than Nwe Orleans might like. He is physically gifted, but played against lower level competition in college. Can he meet the challenge of left tackle in the NFL? The Saints are hoping so. New Orleans got one of the steals of the draft in Jenkins, being able to select him in Round 3. His weight may have ballooned up, bu the has gotten back in better shape, and Jenkins is a prototype nose tackle in a 3-4 who can plug up the middle and snuff out the run game. Tampa Bay: B- Johnathon Banks (CB) William Gholston (DE) Banks didn't measure out well at the NFL Scouting Combine, but his play did on the field. Banks is a ball hawk who is always a threat to pick off a pass. The Bucs have invested a lot of high draft picks in defensive lineman the last three years, and Gholston may get a chance due to a lack of production and injury concerns. Josh Freeman is coming to the end of his contract, and if he does not produce this year, Mike Glennon may get his chance lat in the season if the Bucs are out of contention.

TMG DraftZone 2013 NFL Draft Grades: AFC North

The Baltimore Ravens captured their second consecutive AFC North title in 2012, then got hot when it was needed. The dispatched the Colts at home, then went on the road to knock off Peyton Manning in Denver and Tom Brady in New England. The Ray Lewis Retirement Ride ended with a Super Bowl title in New Orleans against the San Francisco 49ers. Joe Flacco was named Super Bowl MVP, then signed a huge contract befitting his status as one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. But the Ravens took personnel hits all winter. Lewis retired, Ed Reed signed with Houston and Paul Kruger moved to Cleveland. They were just the beginning, but the Ravens have the best GM in the business with Ozzie Newsome, and he proved that yet again in the 2013 Draft. There were holes to fill, and Ozzie hit the mark all three days. Matt Elam was selected in Round 1 to replace either Reed or Bernard Pollard at safety, and Arthur Brown was a steal late in Round 2 to fill the Hall of Fame shoes of Ray Lewis. But Baltimore was not the only AFC North team to hit the mark on draft weekend. Cincinnati continued their draft hot streak with Tyler Eifert and Giovani Bernard to add firepower to the offense, and Margus Hunt gives the defensive front the look of The Great Wall Of Cincinnati. At 6'8, Hunt teams with 6'7 Michael Johnson and 6'6 Carlos Dunlap to give the Bengals an imposing look. Pittsburgh lost James Harrison to the Bengals, but found his replacement with one of the biggest draft steals by selecting Jarvis Jones at #17 overall. Cleveland added to their pass rush with Barkevious Mingo at #6 overall, and he can team with Kruger to make the Browns new 3-4 defense very formidable. So here are the draft grades for the AFC North for 2013, with key selections and sleeper picks: Baltimore: A- Arthur Brown (LB) Kyle Juszczyk (FB) Matt Elam will always be seen as the replacement to Ed Reed, but the ball hawking skills of the future Hall of Famer is not the game that Elam plays. He will slip into the physical role of strong safety, but he has the talent to star in the NFL. But Brown has a load to carry at linebacker. Lewis on the field is tough to replace, but his leadership cannot. But if Brown can play his game and not try to be the next Ray Lewis he will be a second round steal. John Simon will also be a contributor at the linebacker position. Juszczyk looks to eventually take over the fullback role, and be the road grater for Ray Rice and provide protection for Flacco. Cincinnati: A Giovani Bernard (RB) Shawn Williams (S) Andy Dalton can now look out over a lineup of A.J. Green on one side, Mohammed Sanu on the other, and a two tight end set of Jermaine Gresham and Tyler Eifert. And what this lineup can do is create holes by spreading out the defense so that Bernard can run to daylight. Bernard also gives Dalton another target in the passing game. Williams will be able to compete for the starting strogn safety spot, and how he handles pass coverage will determine if he can bet out Taylor Mays. Cleveland: C+ Barkevious Mingo (DE) Leon McFadden (CB) Mingo will need to add some strength to work against NFL tackles, but he has to speed to get to the backfield. Many thought that the Browns would go after Dee Milliner to pair with Joe Haden to form a bookend corner set, but now McFadden has a chance to fill that role. Cleveland forfeit its second round pick to that Josh Gordon in the Supplemental Draft, and traded picks to load up on future picks. It's a Win Now If We Can But We're Going To Be Great Later philosophy, but I will give the Browns credit for not drafting a quarterback. Give Brandon Weeden a chance without looking over his shoulder and he can develop into a good quarterback, especially with Trent Richardson to keep defenses honest in the running game. Pittsburgh: B+ Shamarko Thomas (S) Landry Jones (QB) Jones was a steal at #17. But it shows that the Steelers know what they are doing by not looking at the measureables from the Combine and Pro Days and by looking at the player on the field. There was a concern about Jones' spinal stenosis condition, but two seasons at Georgia and medical clearance should have put just about all those fears to rest. Replacements for Rashard Mendanhall at running back and Mike Wallace at wide receiver were picked next by selecting Le'Veon Bell and Markus Wheaton. The eventual replacement to Troy Polamalu may have been found in Sharmako Thomas. But one position you might not think is a need is backup quarterback, with Ben Roethlisberger calling the plays. But as tough as Big Ben is, he has been getting banged up. Landry Jones is in a good position to fill that backup role and keep the Steelers on track is need be.

TMG DraftZone 2013 NFL Draft Grades: NFC North

The Green Bay Packers followed up their 15-1 regular season record in 2011 with another division title, but the Vikings, Bears and Lions are all making moves to put them on top this coming season. With Aaron Rodgers, the Packers have the best quarterback in the league and they appear to have added that missing dimension with the selection of both Eddie Lacy and Jonathon Franklin to carry the ball. Chicago has a history of problems protecting Jay Cutler, and they made the earliest reach in Round 1 by going after Kyle Long, a guard from Oregon. Many saw Long as a mid-second rounder, but the top flight offensive lineman already gone, the Bears had to make the move on Long. The Detroit Lions fell apart in 2012, following up a playoff appearance the previous year with a 4-12 season. The defense was offensive, and the pass rush got an upgrade with the selection of potentially the most talented pass rusher in Ezekiel Ansah. Ansah is a very raw player, but he has all the physical skills to put the heat on quarterbacks. The biggest surprise in 2012 was the rise of the Minnesota Vikings from a 3-13 team to the playoffs. Adrian Peterson nearly broke the single season rushing record, and he along with quarterback Christian Ponder must love the fact that Matt Kalil is manning the left side of the offensive line. The Vikings traded Percy Harvin to get a second pick in Round 1, then traded up again to get a third. The additions of Sharrif Floyd, Xavier Rhodes and Cordarrelle Patterson will strengthen both sides of the ball in Minnesota. So here are the TMG DraftZone NFL Draft Grades for 2013 for the NFC North, with key selections and sleeper picks: Chicago: B- Jon Bostic (LB) Jordan Mills (T) The Bears need a replacement for Brian Urlacher, and it looks like they found their guy in Bostic. The second round pick should team with third rounder Khaseem Greene to anchor the Bears linebacker corps for a long time. If Long does not pan out as a first round pick should, it will taint this draft in Chicago for years. With the struggles the offensive line has had, Mills might get a chance to play sooner than later. Detroit: B+ Darius Slay (CB) Theo Reddick (RB) Detroit passed on Dee Milliner to anchor the corner on defense, and the pick of Slay puts a lot of pressure on the second rounder. But Slay appears to have all the tools to be a star, and lucky for him he doesn't have to cover Calvin Johnson twice a year, only in practice. Larry Warford should add depth to the offensive line, and keeping Matthew Stafford upright and healthy is a priority for the Lions. But what Detriot needs is a running game, and Reddick could be next runner up to fill the void. Green Bay: A- David Bakhtiari (OT) Jonathon Franklin (RB) With the pick of Datone Jones in Round 1, Green Bay shores up the defensive line as a 3-4 end. If Jones can get pressure on the quarterback and draw double teams, it frees up Nick Perry and Clay Matthews to get into the backfield. Bakhtiari can be counted on to protect Rodgers and to open holes for the new dynamic duo in the backfield. Lacy is the higher profile pick, but he is more of a downhill runner. Franklin can add to the passing game coming out of the backfield and will be a good change of pace doubled with Lacy. Minnesota: A- Cordarrelle Patterson (WR) Jeff Baca (G) Floys falling all the way to #23 was a big surprise, and he will anchor the defensive line for a long time. Rhodes is a big, physical corner who can match up with Megatron and Brandon Marshall four times a year. But Patterson needs to work on the mechanics of the wide receiver position, and it will help to have Greg Jennings on the other side. If Patterson pans out, he will stretch the field, and open up the middle for Jennings, Kyle Rudolph and the running game even more for Peterson. Baca can help protect Ponder and open up holes in the running game.