Biz of Football's 2008 First Round Draft Pick Grades

With the NFL Draft a week in the past, Biz of Football analysts Bill Jordan and Nick Kappel have handed out their grades for each of the picks from the first round. This was not a normal draft by any means as many would argue there was not a franchise quarterback or a first round wide receiver, but there were an amazing number of running backs and offensive linemen taken in the first round. Team needs, who was available and the projected skill level of the player selected were considered when making this report card. -Bill Jordan 1. Miami Dolphins selected Jake Long, Offensive Tackle from Michigan. By selecting Long No. 1 overall, the Dolphins made him the highest-paid lineman in the NFL, signing him to a five-year, $57.75 million contract, including $30 million guaranteed. In addition to Long, the Dolphins signed guard Justin Smiley this off-season, to help improve an offensive line that allowed 42 sacks last season. I've always said rebuilding a franchise should start with the offensive line, and apparently Bill Parcells agrees. Jake Long should be the anchor of the Dolphins' offensive line for the next decade. – Nick Kappel Pick Grade: A 2. St. Louis Rams selected Chris Long, Defensive End from Virginia. Chris Long, the son of Hall of Famer Howie Long, is a very versatile player at the defensive end position. He also possesses an excellent work ethic and has proved himself to be very durable. His presence alone should help improve a St. Louis defense than ranked 21st in both sacks and yards allowed last season. -Kappel Pick Grade: A 3. Atlanta Falcons selected Matt Ryan, Quarterback from Boston College. While Matt Ryan is said to have been the only franchise quarterback in the 2008 draft, I think Atlanta would have been better off waiting for QB Brian Brohm in the second round. This would have allowed them to draft DT Glenn Dorsey with the No. 3 pick. Instead, Matt Ryan will try to turn around a franchise looking for a new identity. Ryan will struggle as a rookie, but should help get the Falcons offense going in the right direction. -Kappel Pick Grade: B 4. Oakland Raiders selected Darren McFadden, Running Back from Arkansas. Despite ranking sixth in rushing last season, Al Davis couldn't resist taking the phenomenal talent that is Darren McFadden. Head coach Lane Kiffin would have preferred a run stopper to help improve his 31st ranked rushing defense from last season, perhaps in the form of Glenn Dorsey. Instead, McFadden will team up with Justin Fargas, LaMont Jordan and Michael Bush to give Oakland one of the deepest backfields in the NFL. -Kappel Pick Grade: B+ 5. Kansas City Chiefs selected Glenn Dorsey Defensive Tackle from LSU. Kansas City was ecstatic to land Glenn Dorsey, arguably the draft's top prospect, with the No. 5 pick. Dorsey will start immediately, and should help improve a Chiefs rushing defense that ranked 28th in the league last season. -Kappel Pick Grade: A 6. New York Jets selected Vernon Gholston Defensive End from Ohio State. With Ryan and McFadden off the board, Gholston was the logical choice for the Jets with the No. 6 pick. I envision Gholston as player who could line up at linebacker or defensive end. Either way, he should help improve a Jets pass rush that ranked 25th last year in sacks (Gholston recorded 14 sacks at Ohio State in 2007). -Kappel Pick Grade: B+ 7. New Orleans Saints selected Sedrick Ellis, Defensive Tackle from USC. The Saints traded up from the tenth spot with New England to fill their biggest need – a run stopping defensive tackle. Ellis is a great fit for New Orleans, who also added Jonathan Vilma and Randall Gay to their defense this off-season. Expect the Saints' defense to be much better in 2008, with Sedrick Ellis playing a key role in their success. -Kappel Pick Grade: A- 8. Jacksonville Jaguars selected Derrick Harvey, Defensive End from Florida. Jacksonville traded their No. 26 overall selection, along with two third-round picks and a fifth-round pick in order to move up to draft Derrick Harvey. I like Harvey's size and quickness as much as the next guy, but in my humble opinion, they gave up way too much and drafted him way too soon with the No. 8 pick. Having said that, give some credit to the Jags for being aggressive, knowing Harvey likely wouldn't fall to them late in the first round. -Kappel Pick Grade: C+ 9. Cincinnati Bengals selected Keith Rivers, Outside Linebacker from USC. After New Orleans traded in front of Cincinnati to snag Sedrick Ellis, the Bengals decided to draft another former Trojan, Keith Rivers. Rivers possesses good size, although he's best known for his good instincts and toughness on the field. While it's clear the Bengals' 27th ranked defense from last year needs help, an offensive lineman may have been the better choice here. -Kappel Pick Grade: B 10. New England Patriots selected Jerod Mayo, Outside Linebacker from Tennessee. I must say that I was a bit shocked when New England selected Jerod Mayo with the 10th pick overall. After losing defensive backs Asante Samuel, Randall Gay and Eugene Wilson to free agency this off-season, a cornerback such as Leodis McKelvin or Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie seemed like a better fit for the immediate future. However, Mayo's rare combination of size, speed and athleticism will be a solid addition to the Patriots' aging linebacker core. -Kappel Pick Grade: B 11. Buffalo Bills selected Leodis McKelvin Cornerback from Troy. Many people, myself included, thought Buffalo would select a wide receiver with the 11th pick to help improve their 30th ranked passing offense from last season. Instead, they waited until the second round to fill that need, allowing them to draft Leodis McKelvin. The former Troy standout is an explosive corner who should help fill the void left after Nate Clements signed with the 49ers last off-season. Expect McKelvin to help improve Buffalo's 29th ranked passing defense from 2007. -Kappel Pick Grade: B+ 12. Denver Broncos selected Ryan Clady, Offensive Tackle from Boise State. The Broncos filled one of their biggest needs two days before the draft, acquiring DT Dewayne Robertson from the Jets to help improve their 30th ranked rushing defense from last season. This move allowed Denver to address their need on the offensive line by selecting Ryan Clady. You could make an argument for Chris Williams being the better OT, but Clady's quickness and agility should be a great fit for the Denver's zone blocking scheme. -Kappel Pick Grade: A 13. Carolina Panthers selected Jonathan Stewart, Running Back from Oregon.I thought an offensive lineman to help block for DeAngelo Williams (who averaged 5.0 yards per carry in 2007) would have been the best fit with the No. 13 pick. Instead, Carolina drafted Jonathan Stewart, a quick and shifty runner, while passing up Rashard Mendenhall, a much better fit for Carolina in my opinion. The Panthers did, however, move up to select OT Jeff Otah with the 19th pick, which made the Stewart selection more understandable. -Kappel Pick Grade: B 14. Chicago Bears selected Chris Williams, Offensive Tackle from Vanderbilt. While I thought Chicago would select Mendenhall to improve their 30th ranked rushing offense, an offensive lineman will help the cause as well. At 6-6, 315 pounds, Williams possesses a massive frame, and will help improve an offensive line that allowed the ninth most sacks in the NFL in 2007. After the Bears drafted RB Matt Forte in the second round, the decision to select Williams with the No. 14 pick became even more reasonable. -Kappel Pick Grade: B+ 15. Kansas City Chiefs selected Branden Albert, Offensive Guard from Virginia. The Chiefs traded up from the 17th pick to fill a huge hole on the offensive line by selecting Branden Albert, a guy who they targeted with the No. 5 pick. This aggressive move prevented Philadelphia from moving up to steal Albert away from Kansas City. While the Chiefs' offensive line still ranks in the bottom half of the league, Albert should help prevent Kansas City from allowing the most sacks in the NFL, as they did in 2007. -Kappel Pick Grade: A 16. Arizona Cardinals selected Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Cornerback from Tennessee St. The Cardinals have holes to fill on the offensive line, which made Jeff Otah an option with the 16th pick. Instead, they choose to address their 28th ranked passing defense from last year, by selecting Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, who will fill the void at corner left by Antrel Rolle's move to free safety. Rodgers-Cromartie's performance at the Senior Bowl silenced the critics who questioned his ability to jump from a small school to the NFL. His height, speed, technique and ability to play special teams will be a great addition to Arizona's secondary. -Kappel Pick Grade: B+ 17. Detroit Lions selected Gosder Cherilus, Offensive Tackle from Boston College. This pick is surprising, but not because of the position. The Lions did need to pick up an offensive line, but it was believed by most that Jeff Otah from the University of Pittsburgh was a much more polished prospect and was rated much higher that Cherilus in most mock drafts. That said, if Cheilus does grow as he seems capable of, he could be a starter for the Lions for many years. –Bill Jordan Pick Grade: B- 18. Baltimore Ravens selected Joe Flacco, Quarterback from Delaware. They no doubt needed a big time quarterback, but taking Flacco this early was quite a reach. Although he was considered to be the second best quarterback in this draft, he probably would not be picked before the middle of the second round in most drafts. They wanted Matt Ryan, but were unable to trade up to get him and they may have gotten nervous that someone was going to take Flacco that they weren't aware of. He will have to sit out at least a year before he is ready to play consistently meaning Raven fans will have to put up with another season of Kyle Boller. -Jordan Pick Grade: B- 19. Carolina Panthers selected Jeff Otah, Offensive Tackle from Pittsburgh. This is a great pick for Carolina as they need another offensive lineman and Otah was by far the best talent available. Most scouts praise him for his attitude on and off the field as well as his skills, but he lacks some in the athletic ability department which is probably why he stayed on the board this long. -Jordan Pick Grade: A 20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Aqib Talib, cornerback from Kansas. Depending on who you talked to before the draft, Talib could have been anywhere from a top 15 pick to a late second rounder. Although he was a very physical cornerback in college and an above average open-field tackler, there were some questions about his character off the field and he is not always in the right place in pass coverage. -Jordan Pick Grade: C+ 21. Atlanta Falcons selected Sam Baker, Offensive Tackle from USC. Offensive linemen are just flying off the board at this point. This is some what of a reach as Baker fought injuries during much of his last college season. With that in mind, if Baker would have come out last year, he would have been the third our fourth offensive lineman taken, but in this draft he is the seventh. -Jordan Pick Grade: B 22. Dallas Cowboys selected Felix Jones, Running Back from Arkansas. Jerry Jones seemed obsessed with getting Felix Jones before the draft started and in that sense, he got his man. The problem with Jones is that he was complimenting the best athlete in college football last year which would make any back look better. They had other needs that needed to be filled even though they lost Julius Jones in free agency. They could have gotten a running back in the second round (Ray Rice from Rutgers) who would have been able to spell Marion Barber just as well. -Jordan Pick Grade: C+ 23. Pittsburgh Steelers selected Rashard Mendenhall, Running Back from Illinois. Mendenhall showed flashes of greatness during college, but it is unlikely that he can be an every down back in the NFL. He and Willie Parker will make a nice two-back system in Pittsburgh which always loves the run. When Mendenhall declared, he was without a doubt a second round prospect and didn't do much to raise his position on most boards, but he also didn't do anything to hurt his status. -Jordan Pick Grade: B 24. Tennessee Titans selected Chris Johnson, Running Back from East Carolina. This is a huge reach that no one saw coming. While the Titans may have wanted a running back to spell LenDale White, they have many more glaring needs. This may have been a time for them to pick up a wide receiver as Vince Young needs more weapons to stretch the field. On most boards, Johnson wasn't selected until late in the second, or even in the third round. -Jordan Pick Grade: C- 25. Dallas Cowboys selected Mike Jenkins, Cornerback from South Florida. This is a much more sensible pick than their first because it fills a glaring need. Like most corners coming out of college, Jenkins will need to develop in some areas such as disrupting receivers as they come off the line of scrimmage. He has great size for this position and could be used as a kick returner as well. -Jordan Pick Grade: A- 26. Houston Texans selected Duane Brown, Offensive Tackle from Virginia Tech. Brown would be the eighth lineman selected in the first round. This is a great reach as the Texans clearly were set on filling their main need early, no matter what it took. They could have found an offensive lineman with skills on par with Brown, or even Brown for that matter, in the second or early third round. Even though he was rated by most as the best tackle left, that doesn't make him a first round talent. -Jordan Pick Grade: C+ 27. San Diego Charges selected Antoine Cason, Cornerback from Arizona. The Charges didn't have any glaring needs that they were able to fill at this point in the draft and probably felt that Cason was the best athlete at his position available on the board. They might be right going from that as he was probably the fastest secondary player left on the board and if they fancy themselves on turning athletes into good skill players, this wasn't a bad pick. -Jordan Pick Grade: B 28. Seattle Seahawks selected Lawrence Jackson, Defensive End from USC. Jackson isn't a surprise pick here because of his skills, but more because of the team that picked him. The Seahawks need some more offensive weapons and all indications seemed that they were going to go that way in the end of the first round. Jackson could also be seen as overrated because he had such good talent around him during his college career. He does a lot well, but has a lot of trouble catching up to opponents who are accelerating to the second level. -Jordan Pick Grade: B- 29. San Francisco 49ers selected Kentwan Balmer, Defensive Tackle from North Carolina. Balmer was expected to go in this part of the draft. Even though he only had one good year in college, he looks like he could be developing and has great skills for his size. This was probably the best player the Niners could have picked at this point. –Jordan Pick Grade: A 30. New York Jets selected Dustin Keller, Tight End from Purdue. The Jets need more offensive weapons which is why they went with Keller here. Although he was a projected first rounder, he is athletic and has good speed for his position and size. He did not block well enough in college to be drafted this high, but that can be learned if he really wants to focus on it. -Jordan Pick Grade: B 31. New York Giants selected Kenny Phillips, Safety from Miami (Fla.). This position is the Giants most glaring need (to the point that a Super Bowl champion has a glaring need). Obviously, Phillips was the top safety on their board at this point and while some would argue for some other prospects, Phillips is a great athlete and has impressive speed. There were times when he was in the wrong place as a Hurricane, but that can be fixed with good coaching. -Jordan Pick Grade: A-Bill Jordan's 2008 NFL Mock Draft can be found here.Nick Kappel's 2008 NFL Mock Draft can be found here. Posted by Business of Sports staff member and Biz of Football Editor of Content Bill Jordan. (Visit the Biz of Football Author's Page for contact details) Bill Jordan can be reached by e-mail at BJordan@businessofsportsnetwork.com  or by phone at (330)697-2038.Nick Kappel is a staff member for the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey.He can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network's Author Profiles more...