brandies
January-5th-2005, 12:03 PM
http://www.gbnreport.com/2004draftgrades.htm
Offensive rookie of the year: Pittsburgh QB Ben Roethlisberger
Defensive rookie of the year: Houston CB Dunta Robinson
Undrafted free agent rookie of the year: Baltimore RB/KR B.J. Sams
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Top 10 Offensive Rookies # Player Pos Team Round School
1 Ben Roethlisberger QB Pittsburgh 1 Miami (Ohio)
2 Michael Clayton WR Tampa Bay 1 LSU
3 Julius Jones RB Dallas 2 Notre Dame
4 Kevin Jones RB Detroit 1 Virginia Tech
5 Lee Evans WR Buffalo 1 Wisconsin
6 Robert Gallery OT Oakland 1 Iowa
7 Roy Williams WR Detroit 1 Texas
8 Shane Olivea OT San Diego 7 Ohio State
9 Larry Fitzgerald WR Arizona 1 Pittsburgh
10 Keary Colbert WR Carolina 2 Southern California
Honorable mention: Arizona C Alex Stepanovich; Minnesota RB Mewelde Moore; Tennessee OG Jacob Bell; and Indianapolis OG Jake Scott
Top 10 Defensive Rookies # Player Pos Team Round School
1 Dunta Robinson CB Houston 1 South Carolina
2 Jonathan Vilma LB New York Jets 1 Miami
3 D.J. Williams LB Denver 1 Miami
4 Tommie Harris DT Chicago 1 Oklahoma
5 Will Smith DE New Orleans 1 Ohio State
6 Madieu Williams FS Cincinnati 2 Maryland
7 Erik Coleman DB New York Jets 5 Washington State
8 Gibril Wilson SS New York Giants 5 Tennessee
9 Sean Taylor FS Washington 1 Miami
10 Michael Boulware SS Seattle 2 Florida State
Honorable mention: Arizona LB Karlos Dansby and DT Darnell Dockett; Chicago CB Nathan Vasher; Carolina CB Chris Gamble; New England DT Vince Wilfork; Detroit LB Ted Lehman; Indianapolis CB Jason David; and Kansas City DE Jared Allen
Top Picks by Round Rd Player Pos Team School
1 Ben Roethlisberger QB Pittsburgh Miami (Ohio)
2 Julius Jones RB Dallas Notre Dame
3 Darnell Dockett DT Arizona Florida State
4 Jared Allen DE Kansas City Idaho State
5 Gibril Wilson SS New York Giants Tennessee
6 Clarence Moore WR Baltimore Northern Arizona
7 Shane Olivea OT San Diego Ohio State
Top 10 Undrafted Free Agents # Player Pos Team School
1 B.J. Sams KR Baltimore McNeese State
2 Randall Gay CB New England LSU
3 Tommy Kelly DT Oakland Mississppi State
4 Lance Frazier CB Dallas West Virginia
5 Trevor Hutton OG Indianapolis Utah
6 Kyle Larson P Cincinnati Nebraska
7 Wes Welker KR Miami Texas Tech
8 Spencer Johnson DT Minnesota Auburn
9 Willie Parker RB Pittsburgh North Carolina
10 Rashad Baker FS Buffalo Tennessee
Team -by-team grades
(Ed note: Of course, it really takes at least 2-3 years for the true value of a draft to play out, so very little should read into these grades at this time. Also note that these grades are based almost entirely on productivity during the 2004 season, although future potential has been factored in to a point.)
Detroit: No team in the NFL had a more solid 2004 draft than the Lions who got significant contributions from 5 of the 6 players they selected. WR Roy Williams, the 7th player selected overall this year, provided the Lions with a potentially explosive receiving weapon. Indeed, while he missed all or parts of several games because of injuries - and in fact was never 100% during much of the second half of the campaign - Williams led the team with 54 receptions for over 800 yards and 8 TDs. Good as Williams was, RB Kevin Jones, the Lions' other opening round pick, may have established himself as an even more useful weapon. Jones also missed some time early with knee and ankle injuries, but by season's end had piled up almsot 1,300 yards from scrimmage, including over 1,100 yards on the ground. Meanwhile, the Lions got some much-needed speed on defense in OLBs Ted Lehman and Alex Lewis, their 2nd and 5th round picks respectively, along with CB Keith Smith, a third rounder. Lehman, inparticular, became Detroit's most consitemt defender, finishing the year with 98 tackles, #2 on the team, along with an interception, sack, and 3 pass breakups. For his part, Lewis registered 49 tackles, including a pair of sacks, an interception and 3 pass breakups, while Smith had an interception and 4 pass breakups as a situational pass defender... Grade: A
Pittsburgh: The Steelers walked out of the 2004 draft thinking they'd pulled a fast one on the rest of the league when QB Ben Roethlisberger fell into their collective laps at the #11 pick. Little did they know! Roethlisberger, who took over as the team's starter in the second week of the season simply ran away with rookie of the year honors. All Roethlisberger did was lead the Steelers to 13 straight wins. Along the way, Roethlisberger completed 66% of his pass attempts for 2,600 yards and 17 TDs against 11 interceptions giving him a QB rating of 98.1. Not since Dan Marino two decades ago has a rookie QB put up those kind of numbers. The Steelers didn't get much else out of the rest of their draft, however, after Roethlisberger is anybody really counting. CB Ricardo Colclough, a second round pick, though, did a nice job as a part-time KO returner; he's also contributed 17 tackles and 1.5 sacks as a situational nickle DB. Meanwhile, undrafted free agent RB Willie Parker didn't play much, but did impress, averaging over 6 yards per carry, when he did get a chance... Grade: A
San Diego: With more than a little help from their 2004 rookie class, the Chargers have fashioned the NFL's top turnaround story of the year. The Chargers recovery begins with a revitalized offensive line which started two rookies literally all season: OT Shane Olivea and C Nick Hardwick. Olivea, an obscure 7th round pick this past spring, in fact, was one of the the top rookie offensive linemen in the entire NFL this fall, while Hardwick, a 3rd rounder, was almost as steady in the middle. Not to be outdone, the Chargers' defensive front has also received a boost from a couple of newcomers. Massive DT Igor Olshansky, a second round pick, for example, was a rock in the center of the unit, posting 39 tackles, a sack and 3 tackles for loss, while DE Shaun Phillips, a 4th rounder, provided a spark off the edge, registering 4 sacks as a situational pass rusher. Another rookie DE, Dave Ball, a 5th round selection, also chipped in a couple of pass deflections before being lost for the year with an injury. Meanwhile, PK Nate Kaeding, a 3rd rounder, was the top rookie kicker in the league, hitting on 20 of 25 FG tries, including 3 of 5 from outside the 50-yard line. Meanwhile, RB Michael Turner, a 5th round pick, and WR Ryan Krause, both played well when the Chargers sat down their regulars late in the season. In fact, the Chargers' rookie class graded out as one of the best in the league despite the fact that QB Philip Rivers, the 4th player selected at the 2004 draft whom San Diego acquired from the Giants in the deal involving Eli Manning, threw only 8 passes all year as incumbent starter Drew Brees put togther a remarkable comeback player of the year type season. The good news for the Chargers, though, was that Rivers completed 5 of those passes, one of which went for a score... Grade: A
Arizona: It took a while for WR Larry Fitzgerald, the Cardinals' 1st rounder this year, to get going, in large part, because of the lingering effects of an ankle injury suffered late in training camp. However, the the 3rd player selected overall at this year's draft who many actually had rated as the best player period, started to pick up steam as the season progressed. Indeed, Fitzgerald led the team with 58 receptions, good for 13.4 yards per catch and 8 TDs, although those numbers still pale compared with those of fellow WR Anquan Boldin, the runaway NFL rookie of the year last season. In fact, the Cardinals will spend the off-season dreaming about getting Fitzgerald and Boldin, who missed much of the year with an injury, healthy and on the field together next fall. For defensive co-ordinators in the NFC West its a nightmare! On the other side of the ball, DT Darnell Dockett, a third round pick, gave the defense a boost as he recorded 21 tackles, 3.5 sacks and 6 tackles for loss; just as importantly, perhaps, Dockett gave the usually beleagured Cardinals' front four a physical presence it hasn't had in many years. OLB Karlos Dansby, a second rounder, was just as productive, contributing a number of big plays including 5 sacks, an interception, and 5 pass breakups, and 3 fumble recoveries. Meanwhile, C Alex Stepanovich, a 4th round pick, also started every game and more than held his own anchoring the middle of the offensive line. Even QB John Navarre, a 7th round selection got one start as head coach Denny Green played musical chairs with his QBs mid-way through the season; Navarre through the ball well enough that day, however, he had 4 interceptions which earned him a seat back on the bench. The Cardinals also started undrafted free agent RB Larry Croom, who was also decent returning kickoffs, one time, while undrafted free agent TE Eric Edwards also played extensively... Grade: A
New York Jets: The Jets went into the 2004 draft looking to upgrade their team speed on defense and may have hit the jackpot. Indeed, MLB Jonathan Vilma and SS Erik Coleman, the teams' 1st and 5th round picks respectively, were both among the league's top defensive rookies. Vilma, the 12th player selected overall, for example, took over in the middle of the Jets' defense when veteran Sam Cowart was injured and was second on the team with 105 tackles; Vilma also had a pair of sacks, 5.5 tackles for loss, 3 interceptions, one of which he returned for a TD, and 5 other pass breakups. While the Jets figured that Vilma would excel sooner or later, the emergence of safety Coleman, was simply an added bonus. Coleman started from day one and finished 3rd on the Jets with 88 tackles; Coleman was even more effective in coverage where he had 4 interceptions and knocked down 12 others. The Jets had also hoped to be able to work a third rookie into their regular defensive unit, but 3rd round CB Derrick Strait was limited to just 3 games by a foot injury. Indeed, along with Strait, there haven't been many sightings of the rest of the Jets' rookie class, although WR Jerricho Cotchery did return a KO 94 yards for a score, but caught only 6 passes, while DEC Trevor Johnson, a 7th round pick had 13 tackles... Grade: A
Houston: With just 3 picks in the first 5 rounds, the Texans didn't get much in the way of quantity out of the 2004 draft. What they did get, though, was plenty of quality, starting with CB Dunta Robinson. Indeed, Robinson, the 10th player picked overall this year, was the GBN's choice as 'defensive rookie of the year' as he quietly established himself as one of the top rookies in the league to date. Robinson finished second on the team with 88 tackles and was among the league leaders in both interceptions (6) and pass breakups (19). Meanwhile, DE Jason Babin, the Texans' other #1 pick this past April, infused some quickness in the Texans' too-often anemic pass rush; Babin has 63 tackles, including 4 sacks, 4.5 other tackles for loss, plus he knocked down 5 other pass attempts. Meanwhile, DB Glenn Earl, a 4th round pick, was effective when he played, racking up 44 tackles on the season, but had few big plays... Grade: A
Cincinnati: The Bengals' draft didn't start out terribly well; indeed, RB Chris Perry, whom they selected in the opening round, was banged up all year and finished the season with one measley rushing yard, though, he did catch 3 passes for 33 yards. The rest of the Bengals 2004 draft, though, was something of a mini-bonaza. FS Madieu Williams, for example, was one of the top defensive rookies in the entire league, posting 91 tackles - second on the team - along with three pass interceptions, one of which he returned 51-yards for a TD, and 11 other pass breakups. Meanwhile, OLB Landon Johnson, a 3rd round pick this year, really came on as the season progressed; Johnson ended the year with 84 tackles, third on the team, which included 2 sacks and 4.5 tackles for loss. On the other hand, MLB Caleb Miller, another 3rd rounder, started some games early in the season, but played little down the stretch and finished the year with 28 tackles. The Bengals' other 2nd round selection, CB Keiwan Ratliff, was effective running back punts, he averaged over 12 yards per return, and contributed 35 tackles and 5 pass breakups as a situational DB. The Bengals also got some unexpected production for DE Robert Geathers, a 4th rounder who had 3.5 sacks, as a situational pass rusher; the rangy Geathers also deflected 6 passes. The Bengals also had something of a find in undrafted rookie P Kyle Larson, who has averaged over 42 yards per punt... Grade A
Chicago: It was another disappointing season in Chicago, altought he die was probably cast very early on when when QB Rex Grossman and star DBs Charles Tillman and Mike Brown were lost for the season early in the year with injuries. However, with a little help from the kids the Bears have some hope for the future. In particular, while they are still not the old 'Monsters of the Midway', the Bears have the makings of a quick, young, aggressive defense. DT Tommie Harris, the 14th player taken overall at the 2004 draft, for example, has been a disruptive force throughout the season, posting 44 tackles including 3.5 sacks and 7 other tackles for loss. Meanwhile, CB Nathan Vasher, a 4th round pick this year, stepped in nicely for Tillman, one of the top rookies in the league last season. Indeed, Vasher was dynamic in coverage, intercepting 5 passes, including one he returned 71-yards for a TD, and breaking up 9 others. Meanwhile, QB Craig Krenzel, a 5th round pick, was forced into the the Bears' starting QB job for several weeks, and while he didn't put up stekling numbers - he completed just 46% of his pass attempts for 3 TDs against 6 picks, but did lead Chicago through its best segment of ther campaign. WR Bernard Berrian, a third-round pick, also didn't put up big numbers; he hadjust 15 catches on the season, but did contribute some big plays as he averaged 15 yards per reception and scored two TDs... Grade A-
Tampa Bay: If it wasn't for Pittsburgh QB Ben Roethlisberger, Tampa Bay WR LSU Michael Clayton, whom the Buccaneers selected with the 15th pick overall this year, would have been the NFL's offensive rookie of the year. Clayton led all rookie receivers this fall with 80 receptions for 1,200 yards and 7 TDs as he brought some speed and a toughness to the Buccaneers ' receiving corps. The Buccaneers, though, didn't get much else from their rookie class this season, although 4th round FS Will Allen did see some action as a situational DB where he had a couple of pass breakups, while undrafted free agent DT Jon Bradley had 5 tackles... Grade: A-
Denver: The Broncos were thrilled with the play of LB D.J. Williams, the 17th pick at the 2004 draft, who established himself as one of the top 4-5 defensive rookies in the league this year, particularly with a strong second half. In fact, Williams was all over the field most of the season as he provided a new level of athleticism in the Broncos' back seven. In the process, Williams posted a team-leading 106 tackles, along with 2 sacks, 10 tackles for loss, an interception and 7 other pass breakups. The offense also got a boost with the emergence of second rounders RB Tatum Bell and WR Darius Watts as useful contributors. Bell didn't play in the first half of the season because of an injury, but averaged a healthy 5.3 yards per carry over the final 8 games; meanwhile, Watts developed into a solid possession type receiver, hauling in 31 passes for almost 400 yards and a TD. Meanwhile, 6th round WR Triandos Luke and undrafted free agent CB Roc Alexander, who has also seen time as a nickle DB, did a decent job as two of the team's primary kick returners... Grade A-
Dallas: RB Julius Jones, a second rounder who was the Cowboys' first pick this year, did not play in the first half of the season because of a shoulder injury. Jones, though, more than made up for lost time with a terrific second half. Indeed, in just 7 games, Jones either juked and jived or powered his way to over 800 yards rushing - that prorates out to over 1,800 yards in a full 16-game schedule; to boot, Jones also caught 17 passes for another 100+ yards, but did put the ball on the ground more than once. The rest of the Cowboys' draft class wasn't as lucky as Jones. OG Stephen Peterman and CB Bruce Thornton, the team's 3rd and 4th round picks respectively, both went on injured reserve early. Meanwhile, OT Jacob Rogers Dallas' other second rounder this past spring played little. The Cowboys' also gave first dibs at helping out a depleted secondary to 7th round CBs Nathan Jones and Jacques Reeves, however, ultimately settled on undrafted free agent Lance Frazier. The unheralded Frazier was respectable enough, posting 40 tackles, two interceptions and 8 pass breakups, although he did get picked on; Frazier was better, though, as the Cowboys' punt returner where he averaged almost 10 yards a return... Grade A-
Minnesota: The Vikings' 2004 rookie class year somewhat mirrored that of the overall team: a hot start, followed by an inconsistent run the final two months of the season. RB Mewelde Moore, a 4th round pick at this year's draft, for example, was sensational filling in for an injured Michael Bennett and suspended Onterrio Smith over much of the first half of the campiagn, but played little the second half when he himself got injured while the regulars returned to action. Still, Moore finshed the year with over 1,000 yards in total offense, including almost 400 rushing and another 200 receiving. Moore also averaged a robust 5.9 yards per rush, well above what both Bennett and Smith were able to post once they returned to action. Meanwhile, second round LB Dontarrious Thomas emerged as a quality jack-of-all-trades, starting multiple games at both MLB and OLB. For the year, Thomas posted 51 tackles, but didn't have many big plays other than a half sack and a forced fumble. As with Moore, though, most of Thomas' production came in the first half of the year. Meanwhile, DE Kenechi Udeze, the Vikings' #1 pick this year, was also a factor, contributing 5 sacks and 2 pass delections, while 3rd DT Darrion Scott has worked in the Vikings' interior rotation. The Minnesota defense front also got an unexpected boost from undrafted rookie free agent DE Spencer Johnson, who actually had more tackles than Udeze - 38 to 36 - one of which was a sack. At the same time, OT Nat Dorsey, the Vikings' other 4th round pick this past April, held his own as an injury replacement early in the season, while another undrafted free agent, TE Richard Owens, had 8 receptions... Grade: A-
New Orleans: After last year's disastrous draft gambit which saw the Saints give up two first rounders for the right to move up and pick DT Jonathan Sullivan - Sullivan was often not even activated this fall - New Orleans got a nice 'comeback' effort from this year's rookie class this season. DE Will Smith, the Saints' #1 pick at this year's draft, for example, provided some consistent quickness to the outside pass rush with 7.5 sacks and 6 forced fumbles. The Saints also got some unexpected production from 2nd round MLB Courtney Watson, who led the team in tackles early in the season, but was slowed much of the rest of the way by a knee injury. With Watson limited, the Saints got some even more unexpected production from 7th round LB Colby Bockwoldt, who stepped up and contributed 37 tackles and a sack. Meanwhile, FB Mike Karney, a 5th round pick, delivered some crunching blocks as a lead bocker and also chipped in 6 receptions. Second round WR Devery Henderson, though, who the Saints were hoping would add a little juice to the downfield passing attack, never had a catch as he struggled with a lingering hamstring problem... Grade...A-
Buffalo: One of the best stories in the NFL this season - at least east of San Diego - was the resurgence of the Buffalo Bills. Coming off a dismal 6-10 season in 2003, the Bills started the season at 1-5, but won 8 of their past 10, including a streak of 6 straight, to give themselves an improbable shot at making the playoffs. While much of the credit for the Bills' turnaround has gone to the emergence of Willis McGahee, the Bills 2003 first round pick, who has given Buffalo a creditable ground game after not playing at all last season as he rehabbed from that serious knee injury suffered in the 2002 BCS title game, WR Lee Evans, this year's #1 pick, has also played a key role. Evans, the 13th player selected overall at the 2004 draft, has given the Bills the quality #2 receiver to help take some of the pressure off Eric Moulds; in the process, Evans has given the Bills a defense-stretching big-play threat as he averaged almost 18 yards per catch on 48 total receptions, including 9 which went for TDs. TE Tim Euhus, a 4th round pick, also contibuted 11 receptions, including a TD catch. Meanwhile, WR Jonathan Smith, a 7th rounder whom the Bills resigned after releasing him prior to the start of the season, gave the special team's a boost as he averaged almost 20 yards a punt return, including a 70-yarder for a score, late in the season. The Bills also received some unexpected contributions from undrafted free agent DBs Rashad Baker and Jabari Greer, a couple of former Tennessee Volunteers, who have combined for 31 tackles and 5 pass breakups, with Baker adding a pick and Greer a sack. Meanwhile, QB J.P. Losman, the Bills' second opening round pick, got a few minutes of mop up time, but with Drew Bledsoe back in form wasn't needed... Grade A-
Washington: The Redskins have had the fewest number of total picks in the league the past several year, however, they may have a hit a bit of a motherload in 2004. FS Sean Taylor, the 5th pick overall at this year's draft, started slowly, both literally and figuratively, but came on as the season progressed. Indeed, Taylor didn't actually start until the third week of the season, but finished the year with 76 tackles, 4th on the team; more importantly, the big plays started to come as Taylor posted 4 interceptions and 14 other pass breakups. As a bonus, TE Chris Cooley, the Redskins' 3rd round pick this past April, quietly emerged as a quality safety valve receiver, hauling in 37 passes on the year, including 6 which went for for scores. Meanwhile, undrafted rookie free agent DT Ryan Boschetti was the only other Washington rookie to play much at all; Boschetti, the former UCLA Bruin had 6 tackles including 1.5 for loss....Grade A-
Tennessee: No team was more disappointed with its 2004 campaign than Tennessee which had visions of a posiible Super Bowl trip heading into the season, but instead finished 5-11 with a top 10 draft pick. If the fortunes of this year's rookie class are any indication, though, there is hope that the Titans won't take long to rebound. Indeed, the Titans played as many as 14 rookies, including 12 of 13 2004 draft picks, at various times this season, by far the most in the league this year. The Titans are particularly excited about their young defensive linemen. DT Randy Starks, a third-round steal, for example, barely played the first month of the season, but ultimately established himself as a dominating interior defender as he posted 4.5 sacks. Meanwhile, DE Travis Laboy, for example, the 2nd of two second round picks by the Titans this year, didn't play the first six weeks of the schedule because of an injury, but once activated had 3.5 sacks of his own. The Titans' other second round DE, Antwan Odom, also showed some potential posting 2 sacks and 3 pass deflections in limited playing time. On the other side of the ball, TE Ben Troupe, the first of the Titans' three second round selections, also missed some time early, but came on down the stretch catching 33 passes to finsih thitd on the team, while FB Troy Fleming, a 6th round pick has 8 receptions, had over 500 yards of total offense as a reserve; in particular, Fleming had 19 receptions, two of which were for TDs; Fleming, along with CB Mike Waddell, 4th rounder, also saw plenty of action in the Titans' return game. Perhaps the best Titans' rookie this year, though, was 5th round OG Jacob Bell who did a solid job filling in along the offensive line before going down himself with a nasty knee injury... Grade: A-
New York Giants... The fortunes of the Giants' rookie classs kind of mirrored the way the season went for team: good at first, but not so good later on with injuries playing a big part. Unheralded 5th round SS Gibril Wilson, for example, was having a defensive rookie of the year type season, but missed most of the second half after suffering neck injury. Despite missing over half the season, Wilson still finished 7th on the team with 55 tackles, while he had 3 sacks, 3 interceptions and 5 other pass breakups. Same story for OG Chris Snee, a second round pick, who emerged as the Giants' best run blocker over the course of the season, but sat out a good part of the second half of the season with a mysterious gland infection in his jaw. Meanwhile, the Giants also got some plays from both 6th round WR Jamaar Taylor, who caught only 6 passes, but two were for over 50 yards, as well as 4th round LB/DE Reggie Torbor, who had 3 sacks and blocked a kick. The Giants also may have led the league in useful minutes from "other" rookies, either undrafted free agents of drafted players released by other teams.RB Derrick Ward, for example, originally a 7th round pick of the Jets who returned a KO for a score, while WR Mark Jones, originally a 7th round pick by Tampa Bay, was the Giants' primary PR this fall. Undrafted free agents to play included CB Curtis DeLoatch, who played well as a situational dime DB, wedge-busting special team LB Jim Maxwell, who also had a sack, and DT Damane Duckett who also had a sack. Whether the Giants 2005 draft grades out as one of the team's best or as a disaster will ultimately depend, however, on how QB Eli Manning develops. To put it kindly, the early results were mixed. After some really awful performnces, Manning did improve down the stretch, but still finished with a 48% completion mark with just 6 TD passes against 9 interceptions. Manning, though, did save his best for last when after 6 straight losses as a starter he led the Giants to a dramatic last minute come-from-behind win over Dallas in the season finale in which he completed 18 of 27 passes, including 3 for scores... Grade B+
Atlanta: The Falcons had to wait awhile to see a return on their investment after they selected CB DeAngelo Hall with the #8 pick overall at the 2004 draft when the Hall missed the first six games of the season with an injury. Hall, though, was quickly promoted to the starting lineup once he did get healthy and provided an almsot immediate infusion of speed in the secondary. Hall finished the year with 2 interceptions and 6 pass breakups to go along with 36 tackles. The Falcons' defense also received useful minutes from LB Demorrio Williams and DT Chad Lavalais, the team's 4th and 5th round picks, respectively. Neither were regular starters, however, the speedy Williams had 45 tackles, including 2 and a 1/2 sacks as a situational defender, while Lavalais provided a physical presence up front as he registered 28 tackles, including 2.5 for loss. The Falcons also got a sack and tackle for loss from undrafted free agent DEs Junior Glympth and Khaleed Vaughn, respectively. On the other hand, the Falcons were looking for big things from WR Michael Jenkins whom they acquired with a late first-round pick, however, Jenkins was slow to pick up the offense and had just 7 receptions on the year. Meanwhile, QB Matt Schaub, a 3rd round pick, got some useful experience filling in for Michael Vick at times; Schaub was one of the most impressive rookies QBs in pre-season play, but completed only 47% of his pass attempts and had only one TD pass against 4 interceptions when the games counted... Grade B+
Carolina: Its been a wild roller-coaster of a season for the Panthers, which at one time looked like they might end up with the #1 pick at this year's draft, but then rallied and almost made the playoffs. In reality, however, a multitude of key injuries ultimaltely buried Carolina; the silver lining, at least to the injuries, is that they opened the door for some of Carolina's young players. One rookie who marched right on through was second-round WR Keary Colbert who did a fine job filling in for an injured Steve Smith. Colbert averaged a solid 16 yards per catch on 47 total receptions, including 5 for TDs. Meanwhile, CB Chris Gamble, whom the Panthers selected with their opening round pick this year, started slowly, but came on as the season progressed; indeed, Gamble, the 28th player selected at this year's draft, had 6 interceptions, 5 of which came in the second half of the season, along with 14 pass breakups. The Panthers also got some quality minutes from OT Travelle Wharton, a 3rd round pick, who played a lot during the second half, while TE Michael Gaines, a 7th round pick, started several games and blocked well, but had just 4 receptions. The Panthers also received several contributions from undrafted free agents including RB Jamal Broussard who averaged a very respectable 23.6 yards per KO return, although he wasn't as effective returning punts; DT Jorden Carstens, who had 13 tackles; and RB Joey Harris... Grade B+
Seattle: The Seahawks made one of the 2004 drafts bolder moves, selecting former Florida State LB Michael Boulware in the second round, and then switching him to safety. It worked! Boulware didn't actually start until late in the season, but was the Seahawks' big-play man almsot from the get-go. For the record, Boulware picked off 5 passes, broke up 6 others and forced two fumbles on the year, along with racking up 53 tackles. Lost in the stats, though, is the fact that several of those plays were game-savers for the Seahawks. Meanwhile, LB Niko Koutouvides, a 4th rounder, also worked his way into his unit's rotation, contributing 46 tackles, although he was no factor in coverage. It was a disappointing year for DT Marcus Tubbs, the Seahawks' #1 pick, though, who had just one sack and 13 tackles as he battled a hamstring problem much of the year. The Seahawks also gave P Donnie Jones, a 6th round pick who was cut prior to the season, a second chance when he replaced an injured Tom Rouen as the Seahawks' punter, but he was only able to average about 38 yards per gross and 35 net... Grade: B+
New England: As defending Super Bowl champions, the Patriots didn't need much from their 2004 rookie class, however, in one of those 'the rich get richer' stories, New England got a steal in the opening round when DT Vince Wilfork, a potential top 10 prospect, dropped to into their laps at #21 selection. And Wilfork, the last of a record 6 former Miami Hurricanes selected in the opening round of last April's draft, has fit right in along the Patriots 3-4 defensive front, posting 42 tackles, 2 sacks and 3 pass deflections. Undrafted rookie free agent CB Randall Gay has also been a valuable addition to the Patriots' injury-riddled secondary. The speedy Gay, in fact, started several times and finished the year with 34 tackles, 2 interceptions and 6 pass breakups. Meanwhile, 4th round DB Dexter Reid also saw time as a situational nickle back, contributing 10 tackles and two pass breakups. Injuries, however, took a big toll on much of the rest of the Patriots' rookie class. TE Ben Watson, the Patriots' other #1 pick, for example, played in only one game before going on IR with a knee injury, while 5th round WR P.K. Sam played little because of a groin injury and 4th round RB Cedric Cobbs spent much of the campaign on the physically-unable-to-perform list.. Grade: B+
Oakland: After a quick start to the year in which the Raiders won two of their first three games, the season went south for Oakland which is now looking at a second straight top 10 pick. And it didn't help that the Raiders didn't get much from their 2004 draft. The exception was along the offensive line where OT Robert Gallery, the 2nd player selected overall at last April's draft, was one of the Raiders few bright lights. Gallery battled through some in juries, particularly early on, but emerged as a rock manning the right side of the offensive line. C Jake Grove, the Raiders second round pick, also held up reasonably well when called on as an injury reserve. It says something, though, that other than the two offensive linemen, the Raiders most productive rookie was undrafted free agent DT Tommy Kelly who posted 4 sacks. The Raiders also got some surpring production from TE Courtney Anderson, a 7th round pick, who has 13 receptions for 175 yards and a TD early in the year, but didn't play much late. The Raiders were also looking for more production than one reception combined from WRs Carlos Francis, a 4th rounder, and 5th rounder Johnnie Morant. Meanwhile, 3rd round FS Stuart Schweigert contributed 36 tackles as a situational pass defender, but had few impact plays. Grade B+
Indianapolis: The Colts certainly raised an eyebrow or two when they used their first pick, a second rounder, at the 2004 draft to add 5-8 DB Bob Sanders to an already undersized defense. That, of course, came a year after Indianapolis had used their #2 on Mike Doss, another very small safety. Sanders, though, did his best to prove the skeptics wrong, registering 29 tackles in just 5 games, but he missed much of the year with injuries. And it didn't help that 3rd round TE Ben Hartsock, also battled injuries and caught only 4 passes on the year. The Colts' rookie class did have some high points, however, starting with CB Jason David, a 4th round selection, meanwhile, who established himself as a cover corner to be reckoned with as he picked off 4 passes and broke up 15 others. The Colts' secondary also got some useful minutes from 6th round CB Von Hutchins, who had 40 tackles, as well as an interception and two pass breakups. Perhaps the best Colts' story, though, came on the offensive line where OG Jake Scott, a 5th rounder, played well when forced to start because of injuries on the offensive front as did undrafted free agent OG Trevor Hutton... Grade: B+
Kansas City: At least for this year, the Chiefs' 2004 draft pretty much began and ended with 4th round DE Jared Allen; not a bad place to begin or end as Allen turned out to be one of the bigger steals of the 2004 draft after he posted 9 sacks as a pass rush specialist. Injuries, though. did a major number on the rest of the Chiefs' rookie class. DT Junior Siavii, the Chiefs' second rounder this past April, showed some promise early on with a sack and 3 tackles for loss, but was limited most of the year by ankle and neck injuries. Same story for OLB Keyaron Fox, a third round pick, who only appeared in a couple of games because of thigh and quadriceps injuries. Meanwhile, 2nd round TE Kris Wilson (ankle) never caught a pass, although 4th round WR Sami Parker did overcome a hamstring problem to finish the year reasonably strongly with 9 receptions late in the season. Grade: B+
St. Louis: The Rams aren't going to miss many steps when All-world RB Marshall Faulk finally retires with RB Steven Jackson, the team's top pick at the 2004 draft, waiting in the wings. Jackson was more than solid in limited playing time this fall in relief of Faulk, rushing for 673 yards and catching 19 passes; in fact, Jackson averaged a full yard more than his heralded mentor: 5.0 to 4.0. Other than Jackson, though, the Rams didn't get a whole lot out of their 2004 draft, at least this year. LB Brandon Chillar, a 4th round pick, was in and out of the starting lineup, especially early in the year, but still finished with only 19 tackles, including 3 for loss. Meanwhile, DE Tony Hargrove, a 3rd rounder, saw some time in pass rush situations, contributing 27 tackles, including a sack and 4 tackles for loss.... Grade B
Jacksonville: The Jaguars' rookie class didn't produce much in the way of young star power thsi season, however, there were a number of decent contributions. OLB Daryl Smith, the Jaguars' second rounder this year, for example, upgraded the team speed at LB especially in coverage; on the year, Smith had 48 tackles, as well as an interception, 2 sacks, 2.5 tackles for loss and four pass breakups. In fact, Smith was on pace to post some even better numbers but was slowed somewhat by a knee injury during much of the second half of the season. Meanwhile, unheralded PK Josh Scobee, a 5th round pick, did a nice job solidifying the Jacksonville kicking game as he hit on 24 of 31 FG attempts including a 53-yarder. DE Bobby McCray, another afterthought as a 7th round pick, was also something of a surprise as he recorded 24 tackles, including 3.5 sacks and 4 other tackles for loss, as a situational pass rusher. The Jaguars, though, have to be disappointed with WRs Reggie Williams and Ernest Wilford, selected in the first and fourth rounds respectively; Williams, for example, the 9th player selected overall, did have 27 receptions, but averaged less than 10 yards per catch. For his part, Wilford did have two game-winning receptions, but finished the year with only 19 total receptions. Same story for RB Greg Jones, a second rounder, who averaged under 3 yards per carry as a reserve back... Grade B-
San Francisco: The 49ers' 2004 rookie class got some experience this fall, but truth be told a rebuilding team that will have the top pick at the upcoming draft was probably hoping for more. WR Rashaun Woods, the 49ers' top pick, for example, had just 7 receptions as he struggled to adjust to the speed of the pro game; Woods, though, did average over 20 yards when he did get involved. The 49ers were happier with second rounders Justin Smiley, an OG, and CB Shawntae Spencer. Indeed, Smiley started much of the season, and was one of the better first-year offensive linemen in the league. For his part, Spencer was forced into the starting lineup by injuries and responded with 67 tackles, 4th highest on the team, and 7 pass breakups, although he did tend to get picked on by opposing passers. Meanwhile, P Andy Lee, a 6th round pick, averaged almost 42 yards per kick this fall. The 49ers also got a look at QB Cody Pickett, a 7th round pick who completed 4 of 10 passes, but had two picks; the 49ers, though, liked what they saw from Pickett in terms of arm strength and poise in the pocket... Grade: B-
Baltimore: The Ravens' rookie class, which has received virtually no production from either of the team's only two first-day selections this year, was saved by some solid contributions from WR Clarence Moore, a 6th round pick, and unheralded undrafted RB B.J. Sams, the top rookie free agent in the league this fall. The rangy Moore provided the Ravens with an imposing possession target as he caught 24 passes including 5 which went for scores. Meanwhile, Sams handled virtually all the Ravens' punt and kickoff return chores this fall and consistently provided decent field position, not to mention actual points, for the offensively-challenged Ravens as he has averaged over 10 yards per punt return, two of which he brought back for scores, and over 21 yards on KO returns; for good measure, Sams also had a rushing TD. On the other hand, DT Dwan Edwards, the Ravens' second-round selection, had only one tackle, while WR Devard Darling, a 3rd rounder, was limited to just 2 catches for 5 yards before going on IR with a heel injury... Grade: C+
Green Bay: The Packers' often beleagured secondary got a bit of a boost from the play of CB Ahmad Carroll, the Packers' #1 pick this year. After a slow start, Carroll came on during the season, although he was still somewhat inconsistent. Carroll finished the year with 46 tackles, two sacks, and an interception. The Packers, though, may have to wait longer for another rookie CB, Joey Thomas, their second rounder, who struggled to pick up the defense and played little, though, he did end up with 15 tackles. The Packers have also gotten some unexpected contributios from 6th round DT Corey Williams who had 21 tackles, a sack and a forced fumble as a situational player...Grade: C+
Philadelphia: The Eagles were expecting big things - both literally and figuratively - from 340-pound rookie OG Shawn Andrews, whom they made a big move up the board to grab at last April's draft. And Andrews looked all the part of a roadgrader in the making in camp, but missed virtually the entire season after breaking a leg. Meanwhile, 3rd round CB Matt Ware, the Eagles' only other first-day pick this year, also played sparingly because of a leg injury. The Eagles, though, did get some very useful contributions from 4th round FS J.R. Reed and 6th round CB Dexter Wynn, particularly on special teams. Reid sparkled all season as the team's primary kickoff return man, averaging close to 24 yards per return, while Wynn averaged an impressive 13 yards returning punts in the second half of the season; Wynn also contributed some useful minutes in nickle situations, breaking up 5 passes. The Eagles, though, got some minutes late in the year for players like Ware, Wynn, Reid and undrafted free agent LB Mike Labinjo while they rested their regulars prior to the playoffs... Grade C
Miami: Its never a good sign when a team finishes a season with a top 5 draft pick and its top rookie is an undrafted return specialist. That's pretty much the story for the Dolphins this year as undrafted free agent KR Wesley Walker, who actually started the season at San Diego before being released by the Chargers, was Miami's most productive rookie this fall. As the team's primary kick returner, Walker has averaged over 22 yards on KO returns and an almost 11 on punt returns. And for good measure, Walker also kicked a 29-yard FG and added an extra point when he was forced to take over Miami's PK duties from an injured Olinde Mare early in the season. The Dolphins, though, may have a steal in LB Derrick Pope, a 7th round afterthought, who played in only 5 games, but was all over the field when he did see action positing 37 tackles and a pair of sacks. CB Will Poole, taken in the 4th round, also played well enough when healthy, posting 31 tackles and 5 pass breakups, but was hampered by nagging injuries much of the year. What really hurts the Dolphins' final grade, though, is that OT Vernon Carey, whom they actually moved up a spot to take in this year's first round, struggled to find a niche, although he did start a couple of times as an injury replacement... Grade C
Cleveland: Its pretty much wait until next year for the Browns, at least in terms of getting much of anything from their 2004 draft class. Indeed, coming out of training camp it appeared that TE Kellen Winslow, the 6th player selected overall this year, was going to be the only Cleveland rookie to play at all this year. However, Winslow went on injured reserve after breaking his leg in the second week of the schedule. Meanwhile, FS Sean Jones, the Browns' second rounder, spent the season on the physically-unable-to-perform list because of a torn ACL. Ouch! On the other hand, the Browns never figured that 4th round QB Luke McCown would play at all this year, however, he was forcced into action with regular QBs Jeff Garcia and Kelly Holcomb both injured; and McCown was able to to put up decent numbers for a rookie QB, hitting on just 50% of his pass attempts and throwing for 4 TDs against 7 picks. Meanwhile, 5th round DT Amon Gordon and 7th round RB Adim Echemandu also saw limited minutes this fall... Grade D+
Offensive rookie of the year: Pittsburgh QB Ben Roethlisberger
Defensive rookie of the year: Houston CB Dunta Robinson
Undrafted free agent rookie of the year: Baltimore RB/KR B.J. Sams
*****
Top 10 Offensive Rookies # Player Pos Team Round School
1 Ben Roethlisberger QB Pittsburgh 1 Miami (Ohio)
2 Michael Clayton WR Tampa Bay 1 LSU
3 Julius Jones RB Dallas 2 Notre Dame
4 Kevin Jones RB Detroit 1 Virginia Tech
5 Lee Evans WR Buffalo 1 Wisconsin
6 Robert Gallery OT Oakland 1 Iowa
7 Roy Williams WR Detroit 1 Texas
8 Shane Olivea OT San Diego 7 Ohio State
9 Larry Fitzgerald WR Arizona 1 Pittsburgh
10 Keary Colbert WR Carolina 2 Southern California
Honorable mention: Arizona C Alex Stepanovich; Minnesota RB Mewelde Moore; Tennessee OG Jacob Bell; and Indianapolis OG Jake Scott
Top 10 Defensive Rookies # Player Pos Team Round School
1 Dunta Robinson CB Houston 1 South Carolina
2 Jonathan Vilma LB New York Jets 1 Miami
3 D.J. Williams LB Denver 1 Miami
4 Tommie Harris DT Chicago 1 Oklahoma
5 Will Smith DE New Orleans 1 Ohio State
6 Madieu Williams FS Cincinnati 2 Maryland
7 Erik Coleman DB New York Jets 5 Washington State
8 Gibril Wilson SS New York Giants 5 Tennessee
9 Sean Taylor FS Washington 1 Miami
10 Michael Boulware SS Seattle 2 Florida State
Honorable mention: Arizona LB Karlos Dansby and DT Darnell Dockett; Chicago CB Nathan Vasher; Carolina CB Chris Gamble; New England DT Vince Wilfork; Detroit LB Ted Lehman; Indianapolis CB Jason David; and Kansas City DE Jared Allen
Top Picks by Round Rd Player Pos Team School
1 Ben Roethlisberger QB Pittsburgh Miami (Ohio)
2 Julius Jones RB Dallas Notre Dame
3 Darnell Dockett DT Arizona Florida State
4 Jared Allen DE Kansas City Idaho State
5 Gibril Wilson SS New York Giants Tennessee
6 Clarence Moore WR Baltimore Northern Arizona
7 Shane Olivea OT San Diego Ohio State
Top 10 Undrafted Free Agents # Player Pos Team School
1 B.J. Sams KR Baltimore McNeese State
2 Randall Gay CB New England LSU
3 Tommy Kelly DT Oakland Mississppi State
4 Lance Frazier CB Dallas West Virginia
5 Trevor Hutton OG Indianapolis Utah
6 Kyle Larson P Cincinnati Nebraska
7 Wes Welker KR Miami Texas Tech
8 Spencer Johnson DT Minnesota Auburn
9 Willie Parker RB Pittsburgh North Carolina
10 Rashad Baker FS Buffalo Tennessee
Team -by-team grades
(Ed note: Of course, it really takes at least 2-3 years for the true value of a draft to play out, so very little should read into these grades at this time. Also note that these grades are based almost entirely on productivity during the 2004 season, although future potential has been factored in to a point.)
Detroit: No team in the NFL had a more solid 2004 draft than the Lions who got significant contributions from 5 of the 6 players they selected. WR Roy Williams, the 7th player selected overall this year, provided the Lions with a potentially explosive receiving weapon. Indeed, while he missed all or parts of several games because of injuries - and in fact was never 100% during much of the second half of the campaign - Williams led the team with 54 receptions for over 800 yards and 8 TDs. Good as Williams was, RB Kevin Jones, the Lions' other opening round pick, may have established himself as an even more useful weapon. Jones also missed some time early with knee and ankle injuries, but by season's end had piled up almsot 1,300 yards from scrimmage, including over 1,100 yards on the ground. Meanwhile, the Lions got some much-needed speed on defense in OLBs Ted Lehman and Alex Lewis, their 2nd and 5th round picks respectively, along with CB Keith Smith, a third rounder. Lehman, inparticular, became Detroit's most consitemt defender, finishing the year with 98 tackles, #2 on the team, along with an interception, sack, and 3 pass breakups. For his part, Lewis registered 49 tackles, including a pair of sacks, an interception and 3 pass breakups, while Smith had an interception and 4 pass breakups as a situational pass defender... Grade: A
Pittsburgh: The Steelers walked out of the 2004 draft thinking they'd pulled a fast one on the rest of the league when QB Ben Roethlisberger fell into their collective laps at the #11 pick. Little did they know! Roethlisberger, who took over as the team's starter in the second week of the season simply ran away with rookie of the year honors. All Roethlisberger did was lead the Steelers to 13 straight wins. Along the way, Roethlisberger completed 66% of his pass attempts for 2,600 yards and 17 TDs against 11 interceptions giving him a QB rating of 98.1. Not since Dan Marino two decades ago has a rookie QB put up those kind of numbers. The Steelers didn't get much else out of the rest of their draft, however, after Roethlisberger is anybody really counting. CB Ricardo Colclough, a second round pick, though, did a nice job as a part-time KO returner; he's also contributed 17 tackles and 1.5 sacks as a situational nickle DB. Meanwhile, undrafted free agent RB Willie Parker didn't play much, but did impress, averaging over 6 yards per carry, when he did get a chance... Grade: A
San Diego: With more than a little help from their 2004 rookie class, the Chargers have fashioned the NFL's top turnaround story of the year. The Chargers recovery begins with a revitalized offensive line which started two rookies literally all season: OT Shane Olivea and C Nick Hardwick. Olivea, an obscure 7th round pick this past spring, in fact, was one of the the top rookie offensive linemen in the entire NFL this fall, while Hardwick, a 3rd rounder, was almost as steady in the middle. Not to be outdone, the Chargers' defensive front has also received a boost from a couple of newcomers. Massive DT Igor Olshansky, a second round pick, for example, was a rock in the center of the unit, posting 39 tackles, a sack and 3 tackles for loss, while DE Shaun Phillips, a 4th rounder, provided a spark off the edge, registering 4 sacks as a situational pass rusher. Another rookie DE, Dave Ball, a 5th round selection, also chipped in a couple of pass deflections before being lost for the year with an injury. Meanwhile, PK Nate Kaeding, a 3rd rounder, was the top rookie kicker in the league, hitting on 20 of 25 FG tries, including 3 of 5 from outside the 50-yard line. Meanwhile, RB Michael Turner, a 5th round pick, and WR Ryan Krause, both played well when the Chargers sat down their regulars late in the season. In fact, the Chargers' rookie class graded out as one of the best in the league despite the fact that QB Philip Rivers, the 4th player selected at the 2004 draft whom San Diego acquired from the Giants in the deal involving Eli Manning, threw only 8 passes all year as incumbent starter Drew Brees put togther a remarkable comeback player of the year type season. The good news for the Chargers, though, was that Rivers completed 5 of those passes, one of which went for a score... Grade: A
Arizona: It took a while for WR Larry Fitzgerald, the Cardinals' 1st rounder this year, to get going, in large part, because of the lingering effects of an ankle injury suffered late in training camp. However, the the 3rd player selected overall at this year's draft who many actually had rated as the best player period, started to pick up steam as the season progressed. Indeed, Fitzgerald led the team with 58 receptions, good for 13.4 yards per catch and 8 TDs, although those numbers still pale compared with those of fellow WR Anquan Boldin, the runaway NFL rookie of the year last season. In fact, the Cardinals will spend the off-season dreaming about getting Fitzgerald and Boldin, who missed much of the year with an injury, healthy and on the field together next fall. For defensive co-ordinators in the NFC West its a nightmare! On the other side of the ball, DT Darnell Dockett, a third round pick, gave the defense a boost as he recorded 21 tackles, 3.5 sacks and 6 tackles for loss; just as importantly, perhaps, Dockett gave the usually beleagured Cardinals' front four a physical presence it hasn't had in many years. OLB Karlos Dansby, a second rounder, was just as productive, contributing a number of big plays including 5 sacks, an interception, and 5 pass breakups, and 3 fumble recoveries. Meanwhile, C Alex Stepanovich, a 4th round pick, also started every game and more than held his own anchoring the middle of the offensive line. Even QB John Navarre, a 7th round selection got one start as head coach Denny Green played musical chairs with his QBs mid-way through the season; Navarre through the ball well enough that day, however, he had 4 interceptions which earned him a seat back on the bench. The Cardinals also started undrafted free agent RB Larry Croom, who was also decent returning kickoffs, one time, while undrafted free agent TE Eric Edwards also played extensively... Grade: A
New York Jets: The Jets went into the 2004 draft looking to upgrade their team speed on defense and may have hit the jackpot. Indeed, MLB Jonathan Vilma and SS Erik Coleman, the teams' 1st and 5th round picks respectively, were both among the league's top defensive rookies. Vilma, the 12th player selected overall, for example, took over in the middle of the Jets' defense when veteran Sam Cowart was injured and was second on the team with 105 tackles; Vilma also had a pair of sacks, 5.5 tackles for loss, 3 interceptions, one of which he returned for a TD, and 5 other pass breakups. While the Jets figured that Vilma would excel sooner or later, the emergence of safety Coleman, was simply an added bonus. Coleman started from day one and finished 3rd on the Jets with 88 tackles; Coleman was even more effective in coverage where he had 4 interceptions and knocked down 12 others. The Jets had also hoped to be able to work a third rookie into their regular defensive unit, but 3rd round CB Derrick Strait was limited to just 3 games by a foot injury. Indeed, along with Strait, there haven't been many sightings of the rest of the Jets' rookie class, although WR Jerricho Cotchery did return a KO 94 yards for a score, but caught only 6 passes, while DEC Trevor Johnson, a 7th round pick had 13 tackles... Grade: A
Houston: With just 3 picks in the first 5 rounds, the Texans didn't get much in the way of quantity out of the 2004 draft. What they did get, though, was plenty of quality, starting with CB Dunta Robinson. Indeed, Robinson, the 10th player picked overall this year, was the GBN's choice as 'defensive rookie of the year' as he quietly established himself as one of the top rookies in the league to date. Robinson finished second on the team with 88 tackles and was among the league leaders in both interceptions (6) and pass breakups (19). Meanwhile, DE Jason Babin, the Texans' other #1 pick this past April, infused some quickness in the Texans' too-often anemic pass rush; Babin has 63 tackles, including 4 sacks, 4.5 other tackles for loss, plus he knocked down 5 other pass attempts. Meanwhile, DB Glenn Earl, a 4th round pick, was effective when he played, racking up 44 tackles on the season, but had few big plays... Grade: A
Cincinnati: The Bengals' draft didn't start out terribly well; indeed, RB Chris Perry, whom they selected in the opening round, was banged up all year and finished the season with one measley rushing yard, though, he did catch 3 passes for 33 yards. The rest of the Bengals 2004 draft, though, was something of a mini-bonaza. FS Madieu Williams, for example, was one of the top defensive rookies in the entire league, posting 91 tackles - second on the team - along with three pass interceptions, one of which he returned 51-yards for a TD, and 11 other pass breakups. Meanwhile, OLB Landon Johnson, a 3rd round pick this year, really came on as the season progressed; Johnson ended the year with 84 tackles, third on the team, which included 2 sacks and 4.5 tackles for loss. On the other hand, MLB Caleb Miller, another 3rd rounder, started some games early in the season, but played little down the stretch and finished the year with 28 tackles. The Bengals' other 2nd round selection, CB Keiwan Ratliff, was effective running back punts, he averaged over 12 yards per return, and contributed 35 tackles and 5 pass breakups as a situational DB. The Bengals also got some unexpected production for DE Robert Geathers, a 4th rounder who had 3.5 sacks, as a situational pass rusher; the rangy Geathers also deflected 6 passes. The Bengals also had something of a find in undrafted rookie P Kyle Larson, who has averaged over 42 yards per punt... Grade A
Chicago: It was another disappointing season in Chicago, altought he die was probably cast very early on when when QB Rex Grossman and star DBs Charles Tillman and Mike Brown were lost for the season early in the year with injuries. However, with a little help from the kids the Bears have some hope for the future. In particular, while they are still not the old 'Monsters of the Midway', the Bears have the makings of a quick, young, aggressive defense. DT Tommie Harris, the 14th player taken overall at the 2004 draft, for example, has been a disruptive force throughout the season, posting 44 tackles including 3.5 sacks and 7 other tackles for loss. Meanwhile, CB Nathan Vasher, a 4th round pick this year, stepped in nicely for Tillman, one of the top rookies in the league last season. Indeed, Vasher was dynamic in coverage, intercepting 5 passes, including one he returned 71-yards for a TD, and breaking up 9 others. Meanwhile, QB Craig Krenzel, a 5th round pick, was forced into the the Bears' starting QB job for several weeks, and while he didn't put up stekling numbers - he completed just 46% of his pass attempts for 3 TDs against 6 picks, but did lead Chicago through its best segment of ther campaign. WR Bernard Berrian, a third-round pick, also didn't put up big numbers; he hadjust 15 catches on the season, but did contribute some big plays as he averaged 15 yards per reception and scored two TDs... Grade A-
Tampa Bay: If it wasn't for Pittsburgh QB Ben Roethlisberger, Tampa Bay WR LSU Michael Clayton, whom the Buccaneers selected with the 15th pick overall this year, would have been the NFL's offensive rookie of the year. Clayton led all rookie receivers this fall with 80 receptions for 1,200 yards and 7 TDs as he brought some speed and a toughness to the Buccaneers ' receiving corps. The Buccaneers, though, didn't get much else from their rookie class this season, although 4th round FS Will Allen did see some action as a situational DB where he had a couple of pass breakups, while undrafted free agent DT Jon Bradley had 5 tackles... Grade: A-
Denver: The Broncos were thrilled with the play of LB D.J. Williams, the 17th pick at the 2004 draft, who established himself as one of the top 4-5 defensive rookies in the league this year, particularly with a strong second half. In fact, Williams was all over the field most of the season as he provided a new level of athleticism in the Broncos' back seven. In the process, Williams posted a team-leading 106 tackles, along with 2 sacks, 10 tackles for loss, an interception and 7 other pass breakups. The offense also got a boost with the emergence of second rounders RB Tatum Bell and WR Darius Watts as useful contributors. Bell didn't play in the first half of the season because of an injury, but averaged a healthy 5.3 yards per carry over the final 8 games; meanwhile, Watts developed into a solid possession type receiver, hauling in 31 passes for almost 400 yards and a TD. Meanwhile, 6th round WR Triandos Luke and undrafted free agent CB Roc Alexander, who has also seen time as a nickle DB, did a decent job as two of the team's primary kick returners... Grade A-
Dallas: RB Julius Jones, a second rounder who was the Cowboys' first pick this year, did not play in the first half of the season because of a shoulder injury. Jones, though, more than made up for lost time with a terrific second half. Indeed, in just 7 games, Jones either juked and jived or powered his way to over 800 yards rushing - that prorates out to over 1,800 yards in a full 16-game schedule; to boot, Jones also caught 17 passes for another 100+ yards, but did put the ball on the ground more than once. The rest of the Cowboys' draft class wasn't as lucky as Jones. OG Stephen Peterman and CB Bruce Thornton, the team's 3rd and 4th round picks respectively, both went on injured reserve early. Meanwhile, OT Jacob Rogers Dallas' other second rounder this past spring played little. The Cowboys' also gave first dibs at helping out a depleted secondary to 7th round CBs Nathan Jones and Jacques Reeves, however, ultimately settled on undrafted free agent Lance Frazier. The unheralded Frazier was respectable enough, posting 40 tackles, two interceptions and 8 pass breakups, although he did get picked on; Frazier was better, though, as the Cowboys' punt returner where he averaged almost 10 yards a return... Grade A-
Minnesota: The Vikings' 2004 rookie class year somewhat mirrored that of the overall team: a hot start, followed by an inconsistent run the final two months of the season. RB Mewelde Moore, a 4th round pick at this year's draft, for example, was sensational filling in for an injured Michael Bennett and suspended Onterrio Smith over much of the first half of the campiagn, but played little the second half when he himself got injured while the regulars returned to action. Still, Moore finshed the year with over 1,000 yards in total offense, including almost 400 rushing and another 200 receiving. Moore also averaged a robust 5.9 yards per rush, well above what both Bennett and Smith were able to post once they returned to action. Meanwhile, second round LB Dontarrious Thomas emerged as a quality jack-of-all-trades, starting multiple games at both MLB and OLB. For the year, Thomas posted 51 tackles, but didn't have many big plays other than a half sack and a forced fumble. As with Moore, though, most of Thomas' production came in the first half of the year. Meanwhile, DE Kenechi Udeze, the Vikings' #1 pick this year, was also a factor, contributing 5 sacks and 2 pass delections, while 3rd DT Darrion Scott has worked in the Vikings' interior rotation. The Minnesota defense front also got an unexpected boost from undrafted rookie free agent DE Spencer Johnson, who actually had more tackles than Udeze - 38 to 36 - one of which was a sack. At the same time, OT Nat Dorsey, the Vikings' other 4th round pick this past April, held his own as an injury replacement early in the season, while another undrafted free agent, TE Richard Owens, had 8 receptions... Grade: A-
New Orleans: After last year's disastrous draft gambit which saw the Saints give up two first rounders for the right to move up and pick DT Jonathan Sullivan - Sullivan was often not even activated this fall - New Orleans got a nice 'comeback' effort from this year's rookie class this season. DE Will Smith, the Saints' #1 pick at this year's draft, for example, provided some consistent quickness to the outside pass rush with 7.5 sacks and 6 forced fumbles. The Saints also got some unexpected production from 2nd round MLB Courtney Watson, who led the team in tackles early in the season, but was slowed much of the rest of the way by a knee injury. With Watson limited, the Saints got some even more unexpected production from 7th round LB Colby Bockwoldt, who stepped up and contributed 37 tackles and a sack. Meanwhile, FB Mike Karney, a 5th round pick, delivered some crunching blocks as a lead bocker and also chipped in 6 receptions. Second round WR Devery Henderson, though, who the Saints were hoping would add a little juice to the downfield passing attack, never had a catch as he struggled with a lingering hamstring problem... Grade...A-
Buffalo: One of the best stories in the NFL this season - at least east of San Diego - was the resurgence of the Buffalo Bills. Coming off a dismal 6-10 season in 2003, the Bills started the season at 1-5, but won 8 of their past 10, including a streak of 6 straight, to give themselves an improbable shot at making the playoffs. While much of the credit for the Bills' turnaround has gone to the emergence of Willis McGahee, the Bills 2003 first round pick, who has given Buffalo a creditable ground game after not playing at all last season as he rehabbed from that serious knee injury suffered in the 2002 BCS title game, WR Lee Evans, this year's #1 pick, has also played a key role. Evans, the 13th player selected overall at the 2004 draft, has given the Bills the quality #2 receiver to help take some of the pressure off Eric Moulds; in the process, Evans has given the Bills a defense-stretching big-play threat as he averaged almost 18 yards per catch on 48 total receptions, including 9 which went for TDs. TE Tim Euhus, a 4th round pick, also contibuted 11 receptions, including a TD catch. Meanwhile, WR Jonathan Smith, a 7th rounder whom the Bills resigned after releasing him prior to the start of the season, gave the special team's a boost as he averaged almost 20 yards a punt return, including a 70-yarder for a score, late in the season. The Bills also received some unexpected contributions from undrafted free agent DBs Rashad Baker and Jabari Greer, a couple of former Tennessee Volunteers, who have combined for 31 tackles and 5 pass breakups, with Baker adding a pick and Greer a sack. Meanwhile, QB J.P. Losman, the Bills' second opening round pick, got a few minutes of mop up time, but with Drew Bledsoe back in form wasn't needed... Grade A-
Washington: The Redskins have had the fewest number of total picks in the league the past several year, however, they may have a hit a bit of a motherload in 2004. FS Sean Taylor, the 5th pick overall at this year's draft, started slowly, both literally and figuratively, but came on as the season progressed. Indeed, Taylor didn't actually start until the third week of the season, but finished the year with 76 tackles, 4th on the team; more importantly, the big plays started to come as Taylor posted 4 interceptions and 14 other pass breakups. As a bonus, TE Chris Cooley, the Redskins' 3rd round pick this past April, quietly emerged as a quality safety valve receiver, hauling in 37 passes on the year, including 6 which went for for scores. Meanwhile, undrafted rookie free agent DT Ryan Boschetti was the only other Washington rookie to play much at all; Boschetti, the former UCLA Bruin had 6 tackles including 1.5 for loss....Grade A-
Tennessee: No team was more disappointed with its 2004 campaign than Tennessee which had visions of a posiible Super Bowl trip heading into the season, but instead finished 5-11 with a top 10 draft pick. If the fortunes of this year's rookie class are any indication, though, there is hope that the Titans won't take long to rebound. Indeed, the Titans played as many as 14 rookies, including 12 of 13 2004 draft picks, at various times this season, by far the most in the league this year. The Titans are particularly excited about their young defensive linemen. DT Randy Starks, a third-round steal, for example, barely played the first month of the season, but ultimately established himself as a dominating interior defender as he posted 4.5 sacks. Meanwhile, DE Travis Laboy, for example, the 2nd of two second round picks by the Titans this year, didn't play the first six weeks of the schedule because of an injury, but once activated had 3.5 sacks of his own. The Titans' other second round DE, Antwan Odom, also showed some potential posting 2 sacks and 3 pass deflections in limited playing time. On the other side of the ball, TE Ben Troupe, the first of the Titans' three second round selections, also missed some time early, but came on down the stretch catching 33 passes to finsih thitd on the team, while FB Troy Fleming, a 6th round pick has 8 receptions, had over 500 yards of total offense as a reserve; in particular, Fleming had 19 receptions, two of which were for TDs; Fleming, along with CB Mike Waddell, 4th rounder, also saw plenty of action in the Titans' return game. Perhaps the best Titans' rookie this year, though, was 5th round OG Jacob Bell who did a solid job filling in along the offensive line before going down himself with a nasty knee injury... Grade: A-
New York Giants... The fortunes of the Giants' rookie classs kind of mirrored the way the season went for team: good at first, but not so good later on with injuries playing a big part. Unheralded 5th round SS Gibril Wilson, for example, was having a defensive rookie of the year type season, but missed most of the second half after suffering neck injury. Despite missing over half the season, Wilson still finished 7th on the team with 55 tackles, while he had 3 sacks, 3 interceptions and 5 other pass breakups. Same story for OG Chris Snee, a second round pick, who emerged as the Giants' best run blocker over the course of the season, but sat out a good part of the second half of the season with a mysterious gland infection in his jaw. Meanwhile, the Giants also got some plays from both 6th round WR Jamaar Taylor, who caught only 6 passes, but two were for over 50 yards, as well as 4th round LB/DE Reggie Torbor, who had 3 sacks and blocked a kick. The Giants also may have led the league in useful minutes from "other" rookies, either undrafted free agents of drafted players released by other teams.RB Derrick Ward, for example, originally a 7th round pick of the Jets who returned a KO for a score, while WR Mark Jones, originally a 7th round pick by Tampa Bay, was the Giants' primary PR this fall. Undrafted free agents to play included CB Curtis DeLoatch, who played well as a situational dime DB, wedge-busting special team LB Jim Maxwell, who also had a sack, and DT Damane Duckett who also had a sack. Whether the Giants 2005 draft grades out as one of the team's best or as a disaster will ultimately depend, however, on how QB Eli Manning develops. To put it kindly, the early results were mixed. After some really awful performnces, Manning did improve down the stretch, but still finished with a 48% completion mark with just 6 TD passes against 9 interceptions. Manning, though, did save his best for last when after 6 straight losses as a starter he led the Giants to a dramatic last minute come-from-behind win over Dallas in the season finale in which he completed 18 of 27 passes, including 3 for scores... Grade B+
Atlanta: The Falcons had to wait awhile to see a return on their investment after they selected CB DeAngelo Hall with the #8 pick overall at the 2004 draft when the Hall missed the first six games of the season with an injury. Hall, though, was quickly promoted to the starting lineup once he did get healthy and provided an almsot immediate infusion of speed in the secondary. Hall finished the year with 2 interceptions and 6 pass breakups to go along with 36 tackles. The Falcons' defense also received useful minutes from LB Demorrio Williams and DT Chad Lavalais, the team's 4th and 5th round picks, respectively. Neither were regular starters, however, the speedy Williams had 45 tackles, including 2 and a 1/2 sacks as a situational defender, while Lavalais provided a physical presence up front as he registered 28 tackles, including 2.5 for loss. The Falcons also got a sack and tackle for loss from undrafted free agent DEs Junior Glympth and Khaleed Vaughn, respectively. On the other hand, the Falcons were looking for big things from WR Michael Jenkins whom they acquired with a late first-round pick, however, Jenkins was slow to pick up the offense and had just 7 receptions on the year. Meanwhile, QB Matt Schaub, a 3rd round pick, got some useful experience filling in for Michael Vick at times; Schaub was one of the most impressive rookies QBs in pre-season play, but completed only 47% of his pass attempts and had only one TD pass against 4 interceptions when the games counted... Grade B+
Carolina: Its been a wild roller-coaster of a season for the Panthers, which at one time looked like they might end up with the #1 pick at this year's draft, but then rallied and almost made the playoffs. In reality, however, a multitude of key injuries ultimaltely buried Carolina; the silver lining, at least to the injuries, is that they opened the door for some of Carolina's young players. One rookie who marched right on through was second-round WR Keary Colbert who did a fine job filling in for an injured Steve Smith. Colbert averaged a solid 16 yards per catch on 47 total receptions, including 5 for TDs. Meanwhile, CB Chris Gamble, whom the Panthers selected with their opening round pick this year, started slowly, but came on as the season progressed; indeed, Gamble, the 28th player selected at this year's draft, had 6 interceptions, 5 of which came in the second half of the season, along with 14 pass breakups. The Panthers also got some quality minutes from OT Travelle Wharton, a 3rd round pick, who played a lot during the second half, while TE Michael Gaines, a 7th round pick, started several games and blocked well, but had just 4 receptions. The Panthers also received several contributions from undrafted free agents including RB Jamal Broussard who averaged a very respectable 23.6 yards per KO return, although he wasn't as effective returning punts; DT Jorden Carstens, who had 13 tackles; and RB Joey Harris... Grade B+
Seattle: The Seahawks made one of the 2004 drafts bolder moves, selecting former Florida State LB Michael Boulware in the second round, and then switching him to safety. It worked! Boulware didn't actually start until late in the season, but was the Seahawks' big-play man almsot from the get-go. For the record, Boulware picked off 5 passes, broke up 6 others and forced two fumbles on the year, along with racking up 53 tackles. Lost in the stats, though, is the fact that several of those plays were game-savers for the Seahawks. Meanwhile, LB Niko Koutouvides, a 4th rounder, also worked his way into his unit's rotation, contributing 46 tackles, although he was no factor in coverage. It was a disappointing year for DT Marcus Tubbs, the Seahawks' #1 pick, though, who had just one sack and 13 tackles as he battled a hamstring problem much of the year. The Seahawks also gave P Donnie Jones, a 6th round pick who was cut prior to the season, a second chance when he replaced an injured Tom Rouen as the Seahawks' punter, but he was only able to average about 38 yards per gross and 35 net... Grade: B+
New England: As defending Super Bowl champions, the Patriots didn't need much from their 2004 rookie class, however, in one of those 'the rich get richer' stories, New England got a steal in the opening round when DT Vince Wilfork, a potential top 10 prospect, dropped to into their laps at #21 selection. And Wilfork, the last of a record 6 former Miami Hurricanes selected in the opening round of last April's draft, has fit right in along the Patriots 3-4 defensive front, posting 42 tackles, 2 sacks and 3 pass deflections. Undrafted rookie free agent CB Randall Gay has also been a valuable addition to the Patriots' injury-riddled secondary. The speedy Gay, in fact, started several times and finished the year with 34 tackles, 2 interceptions and 6 pass breakups. Meanwhile, 4th round DB Dexter Reid also saw time as a situational nickle back, contributing 10 tackles and two pass breakups. Injuries, however, took a big toll on much of the rest of the Patriots' rookie class. TE Ben Watson, the Patriots' other #1 pick, for example, played in only one game before going on IR with a knee injury, while 5th round WR P.K. Sam played little because of a groin injury and 4th round RB Cedric Cobbs spent much of the campaign on the physically-unable-to-perform list.. Grade: B+
Oakland: After a quick start to the year in which the Raiders won two of their first three games, the season went south for Oakland which is now looking at a second straight top 10 pick. And it didn't help that the Raiders didn't get much from their 2004 draft. The exception was along the offensive line where OT Robert Gallery, the 2nd player selected overall at last April's draft, was one of the Raiders few bright lights. Gallery battled through some in juries, particularly early on, but emerged as a rock manning the right side of the offensive line. C Jake Grove, the Raiders second round pick, also held up reasonably well when called on as an injury reserve. It says something, though, that other than the two offensive linemen, the Raiders most productive rookie was undrafted free agent DT Tommy Kelly who posted 4 sacks. The Raiders also got some surpring production from TE Courtney Anderson, a 7th round pick, who has 13 receptions for 175 yards and a TD early in the year, but didn't play much late. The Raiders were also looking for more production than one reception combined from WRs Carlos Francis, a 4th rounder, and 5th rounder Johnnie Morant. Meanwhile, 3rd round FS Stuart Schweigert contributed 36 tackles as a situational pass defender, but had few impact plays. Grade B+
Indianapolis: The Colts certainly raised an eyebrow or two when they used their first pick, a second rounder, at the 2004 draft to add 5-8 DB Bob Sanders to an already undersized defense. That, of course, came a year after Indianapolis had used their #2 on Mike Doss, another very small safety. Sanders, though, did his best to prove the skeptics wrong, registering 29 tackles in just 5 games, but he missed much of the year with injuries. And it didn't help that 3rd round TE Ben Hartsock, also battled injuries and caught only 4 passes on the year. The Colts' rookie class did have some high points, however, starting with CB Jason David, a 4th round selection, meanwhile, who established himself as a cover corner to be reckoned with as he picked off 4 passes and broke up 15 others. The Colts' secondary also got some useful minutes from 6th round CB Von Hutchins, who had 40 tackles, as well as an interception and two pass breakups. Perhaps the best Colts' story, though, came on the offensive line where OG Jake Scott, a 5th rounder, played well when forced to start because of injuries on the offensive front as did undrafted free agent OG Trevor Hutton... Grade: B+
Kansas City: At least for this year, the Chiefs' 2004 draft pretty much began and ended with 4th round DE Jared Allen; not a bad place to begin or end as Allen turned out to be one of the bigger steals of the 2004 draft after he posted 9 sacks as a pass rush specialist. Injuries, though. did a major number on the rest of the Chiefs' rookie class. DT Junior Siavii, the Chiefs' second rounder this past April, showed some promise early on with a sack and 3 tackles for loss, but was limited most of the year by ankle and neck injuries. Same story for OLB Keyaron Fox, a third round pick, who only appeared in a couple of games because of thigh and quadriceps injuries. Meanwhile, 2nd round TE Kris Wilson (ankle) never caught a pass, although 4th round WR Sami Parker did overcome a hamstring problem to finish the year reasonably strongly with 9 receptions late in the season. Grade: B+
St. Louis: The Rams aren't going to miss many steps when All-world RB Marshall Faulk finally retires with RB Steven Jackson, the team's top pick at the 2004 draft, waiting in the wings. Jackson was more than solid in limited playing time this fall in relief of Faulk, rushing for 673 yards and catching 19 passes; in fact, Jackson averaged a full yard more than his heralded mentor: 5.0 to 4.0. Other than Jackson, though, the Rams didn't get a whole lot out of their 2004 draft, at least this year. LB Brandon Chillar, a 4th round pick, was in and out of the starting lineup, especially early in the year, but still finished with only 19 tackles, including 3 for loss. Meanwhile, DE Tony Hargrove, a 3rd rounder, saw some time in pass rush situations, contributing 27 tackles, including a sack and 4 tackles for loss.... Grade B
Jacksonville: The Jaguars' rookie class didn't produce much in the way of young star power thsi season, however, there were a number of decent contributions. OLB Daryl Smith, the Jaguars' second rounder this year, for example, upgraded the team speed at LB especially in coverage; on the year, Smith had 48 tackles, as well as an interception, 2 sacks, 2.5 tackles for loss and four pass breakups. In fact, Smith was on pace to post some even better numbers but was slowed somewhat by a knee injury during much of the second half of the season. Meanwhile, unheralded PK Josh Scobee, a 5th round pick, did a nice job solidifying the Jacksonville kicking game as he hit on 24 of 31 FG attempts including a 53-yarder. DE Bobby McCray, another afterthought as a 7th round pick, was also something of a surprise as he recorded 24 tackles, including 3.5 sacks and 4 other tackles for loss, as a situational pass rusher. The Jaguars, though, have to be disappointed with WRs Reggie Williams and Ernest Wilford, selected in the first and fourth rounds respectively; Williams, for example, the 9th player selected overall, did have 27 receptions, but averaged less than 10 yards per catch. For his part, Wilford did have two game-winning receptions, but finished the year with only 19 total receptions. Same story for RB Greg Jones, a second rounder, who averaged under 3 yards per carry as a reserve back... Grade B-
San Francisco: The 49ers' 2004 rookie class got some experience this fall, but truth be told a rebuilding team that will have the top pick at the upcoming draft was probably hoping for more. WR Rashaun Woods, the 49ers' top pick, for example, had just 7 receptions as he struggled to adjust to the speed of the pro game; Woods, though, did average over 20 yards when he did get involved. The 49ers were happier with second rounders Justin Smiley, an OG, and CB Shawntae Spencer. Indeed, Smiley started much of the season, and was one of the better first-year offensive linemen in the league. For his part, Spencer was forced into the starting lineup by injuries and responded with 67 tackles, 4th highest on the team, and 7 pass breakups, although he did tend to get picked on by opposing passers. Meanwhile, P Andy Lee, a 6th round pick, averaged almost 42 yards per kick this fall. The 49ers also got a look at QB Cody Pickett, a 7th round pick who completed 4 of 10 passes, but had two picks; the 49ers, though, liked what they saw from Pickett in terms of arm strength and poise in the pocket... Grade: B-
Baltimore: The Ravens' rookie class, which has received virtually no production from either of the team's only two first-day selections this year, was saved by some solid contributions from WR Clarence Moore, a 6th round pick, and unheralded undrafted RB B.J. Sams, the top rookie free agent in the league this fall. The rangy Moore provided the Ravens with an imposing possession target as he caught 24 passes including 5 which went for scores. Meanwhile, Sams handled virtually all the Ravens' punt and kickoff return chores this fall and consistently provided decent field position, not to mention actual points, for the offensively-challenged Ravens as he has averaged over 10 yards per punt return, two of which he brought back for scores, and over 21 yards on KO returns; for good measure, Sams also had a rushing TD. On the other hand, DT Dwan Edwards, the Ravens' second-round selection, had only one tackle, while WR Devard Darling, a 3rd rounder, was limited to just 2 catches for 5 yards before going on IR with a heel injury... Grade: C+
Green Bay: The Packers' often beleagured secondary got a bit of a boost from the play of CB Ahmad Carroll, the Packers' #1 pick this year. After a slow start, Carroll came on during the season, although he was still somewhat inconsistent. Carroll finished the year with 46 tackles, two sacks, and an interception. The Packers, though, may have to wait longer for another rookie CB, Joey Thomas, their second rounder, who struggled to pick up the defense and played little, though, he did end up with 15 tackles. The Packers have also gotten some unexpected contributios from 6th round DT Corey Williams who had 21 tackles, a sack and a forced fumble as a situational player...Grade: C+
Philadelphia: The Eagles were expecting big things - both literally and figuratively - from 340-pound rookie OG Shawn Andrews, whom they made a big move up the board to grab at last April's draft. And Andrews looked all the part of a roadgrader in the making in camp, but missed virtually the entire season after breaking a leg. Meanwhile, 3rd round CB Matt Ware, the Eagles' only other first-day pick this year, also played sparingly because of a leg injury. The Eagles, though, did get some very useful contributions from 4th round FS J.R. Reed and 6th round CB Dexter Wynn, particularly on special teams. Reid sparkled all season as the team's primary kickoff return man, averaging close to 24 yards per return, while Wynn averaged an impressive 13 yards returning punts in the second half of the season; Wynn also contributed some useful minutes in nickle situations, breaking up 5 passes. The Eagles, though, got some minutes late in the year for players like Ware, Wynn, Reid and undrafted free agent LB Mike Labinjo while they rested their regulars prior to the playoffs... Grade C
Miami: Its never a good sign when a team finishes a season with a top 5 draft pick and its top rookie is an undrafted return specialist. That's pretty much the story for the Dolphins this year as undrafted free agent KR Wesley Walker, who actually started the season at San Diego before being released by the Chargers, was Miami's most productive rookie this fall. As the team's primary kick returner, Walker has averaged over 22 yards on KO returns and an almost 11 on punt returns. And for good measure, Walker also kicked a 29-yard FG and added an extra point when he was forced to take over Miami's PK duties from an injured Olinde Mare early in the season. The Dolphins, though, may have a steal in LB Derrick Pope, a 7th round afterthought, who played in only 5 games, but was all over the field when he did see action positing 37 tackles and a pair of sacks. CB Will Poole, taken in the 4th round, also played well enough when healthy, posting 31 tackles and 5 pass breakups, but was hampered by nagging injuries much of the year. What really hurts the Dolphins' final grade, though, is that OT Vernon Carey, whom they actually moved up a spot to take in this year's first round, struggled to find a niche, although he did start a couple of times as an injury replacement... Grade C
Cleveland: Its pretty much wait until next year for the Browns, at least in terms of getting much of anything from their 2004 draft class. Indeed, coming out of training camp it appeared that TE Kellen Winslow, the 6th player selected overall this year, was going to be the only Cleveland rookie to play at all this year. However, Winslow went on injured reserve after breaking his leg in the second week of the schedule. Meanwhile, FS Sean Jones, the Browns' second rounder, spent the season on the physically-unable-to-perform list because of a torn ACL. Ouch! On the other hand, the Browns never figured that 4th round QB Luke McCown would play at all this year, however, he was forcced into action with regular QBs Jeff Garcia and Kelly Holcomb both injured; and McCown was able to to put up decent numbers for a rookie QB, hitting on just 50% of his pass attempts and throwing for 4 TDs against 7 picks. Meanwhile, 5th round DT Amon Gordon and 7th round RB Adim Echemandu also saw limited minutes this fall... Grade D+