So the annual NFL Draft is complete. Teams are signing un-drafted free agents and fans are looking forward to a new season and new hope. As with every year there are clear winners and clear losers, after what I consider an incredibly strong draft class, and I am going to document them for you. 5 winners and 5 losers. The best of the best and the worst of the worst.
Things weren't always clear and cut, some of the teams that had great first grounds had terrible later rounds, and vice versa. Keep in mind that this is just a quick post draft assessment. There is literally no way for me to predict how each of these teams drafts will look in 5 years. But as of now here are the best and the worst of the 2012 NFL Draft.
Winners:
1. Cincinnati Bengals: so you remember how I said that some teams had bad some bad picks and still won the draft. That perfectly describes what the Cincinnati Bengals did over the 3 days of the draft. Kevin Zeitler is one heck of a player but when you have to trade down and pass up on the opportunity to draft David DeCastro, a once in a decade level guard, you have made a mistake. That aside, the Bengals had the best draft of anyone. Dre Kirkpatrick, Devon Still, Mohamed Sanu are all fantastic players who could go toe to toe with most of the players drafted ahead of them. Particularly Devon Still a top 20 talent, was taken at number 53 overall. Still will start instantly for the Bengals and should go on to contribute for years to come for a talented and young team. Also if Vontaze Burfict can get his act together and prove to be the first round talent we thought he could be, then that could be the steal of the draft.
2. Philadelphia Eagles: I can't tell if the Eagles got lucky or were just really smart. I thought that Fletcher Cox was going to go in the top 10 of the draft but when he fell the Eagles made there move. And they got their man. Fletcher Cox is a warrior and a stud on the defensive line. He never takes a play off and could go on to be a top 10 DE in the league. On top of that the Eagles picked up Mycal Kendricks LB out of California which fills the weakest position on the talented roster, as well as pairing Vinny Curry with Cox on the defensive line, that could prove an incredible pass rushing duo.
3. St. Louis Rams: The Rams were twice one pick away from being at the very top of this list. Justin Blackmon went at number 5 and Michael Floyd went at number 13, both one spot ahead of St. Louis and preventing them from picking up a first round talent at WR. But despite that the Rams filled every major position of need and did it admirably. Michael Brockers at DT and Brian Quick at WR fit in exactly where they were drafted and should go on to be great talents in the NFL. The other 2 early picks were what sets the Rams apart. Janoris Jenkins in my opinion is on a level of Morris Claiborne, but fell due to off the field issues to the Rams in the second round. Isaiah Pead is an underrated player at RB and fills a need as the backup to aging Steven Jackson and should be able to take the reigns when Jackson is finished.
4. Buffalo Bills: This really comes down to one pick. While I love Stephon Gilmore and love the pick, especially with Tom Brady in the same division, it wasn't the biggest need for the Bills. They really needed to pick up an offensive linemen and passed up on Reilly Rieff and David DeCastro. Fortunately for them though Cordy Glenn, the 3rd best OT in the draft, fell to them at 39th overall. It isn't the sexiest pick but because of it the Bills have filled their biggest need and still got a fantastic CB in the first round with Gilmore.
5. Pittsburgh Steelers: How do the Steelers keep doing this. Just as a certain aspect of their team starts to look weak, they go and revamp things and get right back to the top of the NFL. David DeCastro and Mike Adams are both top 20 talents on the offensive line, especially DeCastro at guard, who could be the best player at his position within the next couple of seasons. Both should start annually for the Steelers and develop into pro bowlers, if that still exists of course, and both have a Steeler mentality. In the 5th round they also picked up Chris Rainey out of Florida. While Rainey has some issues with work ethic he is an unrivaled speed, national champion in track, and could prove to be one of the most versatile players in the NFL.
Losers:
1. Seattle Seahawks: Bruce Irvin. Can I just leave it at that...... no, fine I'll explain more. With their first roud pick the Seahawks took Bruce Irvin out of West Virginia. Now he is a fine player and all but in no way should he have ever gone in the first round. He is a pass rushing linebacker who has the ability to get to the quarterback but cannot do anything else. And even that talent that he has, has been going down hill in productivity the past couple of seasons. His work ethic is lacking and he isn't the most physically gifted player at his position. I just do not understand this pick at all.
2. Jacksonville Jaguars: You are going to notice a trend starting on the losers side of things. Most of these selections are based on one draft choice. Yes I know that the whole draft should be looked at but there are certain picks that cannot be overlooked. Taking a punter in the 3rd round is one of those picks. I know the Raiders used to do it under Al Davis and I know that Anger is a great punter but in this day and age there is no reason at all for a team to take a punter so early in the draft. Anger would have most likely been there 2 or 3 rounds later and should not have been taken so high. The Jags wasted a pick here that could have helped pick them up out of the bottom of the NFL.
3. Kansas City Chiefs: The Chiefs are literally the antithesis of the Buffalo Bills. Both had a huge need on the offensive line and both passed up on the opportunity to take fantastic players at that position in the first round. The difference between the Chiefs and the Bills is that the Bills made a good pick in the first round and still got an elite linemen later in the draft. The Chiefs didn't. Dontari Poe in the first round could be a good pick, but he is incredibly risky and has nothing to show other than an impressive physical specimen with a huge potential to bust. Jeff Allen isn't a bad lineman but is a bit of a reach in the middle of the second round, especially when you had passed up on Rieff and DeCastro earlier. This could turn out to be overly successful in the long run but for now you cannot over look the risks.
4. Chicago Bears: None of the Bears picks were too glaring, but there wasn't a single great pick out of the bunch either. And for a team that is competing with the Packers and Lions in the NFC North you need to be fantastic. Shea McLellin was a bit of a reach that high in the first round, he is a complete player but he is not prepared to step into a role that big next to Brian Urlacher. Alshon Jeffery has the biggest bust potential of any player in the entire draft, some say he is a steal in the 2nd round, but with his work ethic problems as well as his inconsistent play I cannot picture him as being a capable 2 option in this league. It was a mediocre draft for a mediocre team, and that is enough to land them here.
5. Houston Texans- Stephen Hill, Mohammed Sanu, and Alshon Jeffery were all available when the Texans had their first round pick. And they go with defensive linemen Mercilus out of Illinois. Now don't get me wrong this guy is a great player, but not only does he not fill a need on an already stout defensive line, he isn't a wide receiver. The Texans last season showed that despite all their offensive fire power they need a 2nd option behind Andre Johnson. All three of the guys I mentioned above could have fit into that slot whether it be consistently or not it would have at least proved a temporary fix and put this team over the top. Again I love Posey, but I don't see him as being anything more than a slot receiver in the NFL, and even that will take a lot of development. For a team that had one big need the Texans really blew it.
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