Draft Recap- AFC

The Miami Dolphins: The Dolphins stepped out early with their pick of Jake Long. This one surprised me because Bill Parcells has a long history of picking defensive guys over their offensive line counterparts.  This first pick may hint at how much more control Jeff Ireland (Miami GM) and head coach Tony Sporano (former O-line coach) have over this team.  I was not a big fan of the Merling pick, but the D-line could use some help.  Merling will provide pass rush support to a team that had 30 sacks last season (ranked 24th).  The Chad Henne pick was a smart one, and I think Henne will turn out to be the best QB drafted in this class.  If he can overcome the Peyton Manning syndrome (never winning the big game) he could be huge.  Langford will be a solid guy in a few years, but the rest of the draft was solid depth.

Best Pick: Chad Henne

The New England Patriots: The Patriots made the first surprise move of the draft with the Jerod Mayo pick.  Mayo can play a lot of roles. which makes him a perfect fit for New England, but I worry about his experience.  He did play in the SEC, but only had 24 starts.  Those 24 starts were also surrounded by injuries.  Despite these injuries and limited starting experience, Mayo lead the SEC in tackles.  So, a potential boom or bust guy.  Terrence Wheatley was a solid pickup in the 2nd round, probably the best CB available in round 2.  Crable is a little one dimensional for me as is Bo Rudd (7th rounder).  Kevin O'Connell will be either Mark Brunell, drafted to never be a major player.

Best Pick: Terrence Wheatley.

The New York Jets: The Jets picked up DE/LB Vernon Gholston with their first pick.  Gholston follows guys like Kamerion Wimbley, Anthony Spencer and other college defensive ends who were moved outside to play linebacker in the 3-4.  Gholston has 3-4 experience and coverage experience, so he was a perfect fit.  Dustin Keller is not good enough to be Kellen Winslow, but he's not a blocker either, a solid player but a reach in round 1.  Watch for Dwight Lowrey to be the Asante Samuel for the Jets in a few years (4th rounder CB who overplays and then gets overpaid).  I really liked Erik Ainge to be a top QB prospect into 2007,  but it didn't come together like I thought, so he will likely be 3rd string at best.

Best Pick: Vernon Gholston

The Buffalo Bills: The Bills first pick was Leonidas McKelvin, who many considered the top corner in the draft.  The fact that he fell to 11 was pretty surprising, and Mckelvin could prove to be a major playmaker on defense and on special teams.  James Hardy was my pick for the best receiver coming out, but now with numerous legal questions on his record, this may turn out to be a huge gamble and failure on the part of the Bills.  If Chris Ellis can be trained up behind Aaron Schobel, he will be a great replacement in a few years (See Darryl Tapp in Seattle).  Reggie Corner and Derek Finne were solid depth picks but will not be starters barring injury.  Alvin Bowen is my big surprise sleeper pick going into 08-09.  Im not a big Keith Ellison fan, and the depth behind he and Crowell are not great.  Bowen will be a playmaker in years to come.

Best Pick: Alvin Bowen

The Baltimore Ravens: Joe Flacco- 6'7'', 236. Positives: Strong arm, good throwing motion. Negatives: Slow footwork, locks on to target
Derek Anderson- 6'6'' 242.  Positives: Strong arm, quick release.  Negatives: Slow footwork, locks on to target
There you have it.  The Ravens traded up to get back into the first to re-draft Derek Anderson.  Ray Rice is going to be a playmaker, but if he see's much time in the next few seasons.  He may end up being a guy who see's more time on his second team (maybe a Turner-type guy?) than his first.  Gooden is a developmental linebacker, but Zbikowski will be a solid to excellent replacement for the safety position in the future.  But this team needed help now, and I'm not sure they got it, especially with questionably athletic 4th and 5th round pickers.
Best Pick: Ray Rice

The Pittsburgh Steelers: The Steelers saw potentially the best runningback in the draft fall to them, and they took him.  Mendenhall has all the physical tools to be a great back, though he is coming from a very run-friendly offense (but he is going to a run-friendly offense as well).  I do not like Limas Sweed, but the Steelers did.  Bruce Davis is going to be beast if he gets the chance to play, but beyond that there are a lot of questions.  OT Tony Hills is a project, as is Dennis Dixon (Who will never replace Big Ben, so I really don't know why he was drafted but to be a package guy).  The real question going into the offseason was offensive line, and it wasn't fixed. Big Ben was sacked, a lot, last season.  So while the defense is reloaded, the offensive line is still a big question.

Best Pick: Rashard Mendenhall

The Cincinnati Bengals: The Bengals, from all reports, wanted Sedric Ellis, but could not get him to fall.  Instead they picked up Keith Rivers out of USC.  Rivers has four years of experience, and could become the Bengals' version of Patrick Willis a big time tackler who lacks a good team around him.  Andre Caldwell and Jerome Simpson were solid picks, but this is not a good atmosphere to drop young receivers into, especially with Chad Johnson still a question mark.  Simms is a solid DT, but his on-field/off-field issues may not fit well for this team.  Anthony Collins could develop to replace Eric Stienbach, but may not be ready in time to make an impact in the next few seasons.  Matt Shery will be a great replacement tight end, and may turn out to be a great receiver out of that position.

Best Pick: Anthony Collins

The Cleveland Browns: The Browns didn't have much to work with.  Brady Quinn was picked #22 overall, Corey Williams was picked in the 2nd, and Shaun Rodgers was picked in the 3rd.  Beau Bell is a solid ILB, but unless someone currently on the inside can be moved out, why Bell was picked over the bigger need at OLB.  Martin Rucker was a projected 2nd rounder with a lot of receiving experience but not a big-time blocker.  Rucker is a perfect fit for a 2nd TE in two-TE set for the Browns.  Rucker also has a great chance of replacing Winslow due to injury.  Rubin is a solid 3-4 Nose Tackle, but needs refining as a 6th round pick.  Hubbard could replace Wilson as the 4th receiver, and Hall is unlikely to see the field at least for a few years.

Best Pick: Ahtyba Rubin

The Denver Broncos: Ryan Clady was not my favorite offensive lineman in the draft, but he fits the scheme and has a lot of experience.  Eddie Royal meanwhile will be the Hester of this draft, a huge punt returner and special teams performer.  Kory Lichtensteiger was the biggest OL steal of the draft coming out of Bowling Green.  Although he may sit for a while, when he gets his chance he will be a big time contributer to the Denver offensive line.  Spencer Larson and Josh Barrett will serve as great depth but not make an immediate impact.  The real question is what Jack Williams and Ryan Torrain were brought in to do.  Both will be behind decent starters, but could see playing time in situations that call for extra speed (Williams) or power (Torrain).

Best Pick: Kory Litchtensteiger

The Kansas City Chiefs: The Chiefs are the big-time winners of this draft.  Dorsey is a beast up the middle and will immediatly make the D-line better (Despite the loss of Jared Allen),  and offensive guard Brandon Albert was considered one of the better linemen after the combine.  Flowers can make an excellent nickle, and if he were only an inch taller he would have gone in round 1.  Jamaal Charles is a speedy guy with a lot of talent who will get to spell LJ before taking over when LJ breaks.  Brad Cottam has no experience, but he was drafted for the future.  When Gonzo retires, Cottam will have the experience and training to replace him.  DaJuan Morgan and Will Franklin were value picks who could eventually come in and make an impact (though Morgan has very little experience).  It is clear the Chiefs are building for a future power team.

Best Pick: Brad Cottam

The Oakland Raiders: McFadden may be the most athletically gifted player in the draft, but when your team was in the top 10 in rushing last season, but 31st in rush defense, you should perhaps look somewhere else.  Regardless, the Raiders drafted McFadden and now have too many runningbacks.  The Raiders drafted again in the 4th in order to replace the now traded Fabian Washington (who went to Baltimore).  The rest of the draft was depth, but not really anything worth note.  Chaz Schilens is going to be a big time player if he shapes up like I think he can.  He has the size and speed to be a playmaker, if he is given the chance to develop he will become something special, a big target for J-roc.

Best Pick: Chaz Schilens

The San Diego Chargers: Antoine Cason was a solid pick for a team that has very few holes.  He should come in and make a big impact on the defensive backfield, but he doesn't add much size to this secondary.  Jacob Hester will be hit-or-miss, but he has the best runningback in the league to learn behind.  However, he may be forced to move to Fullback, especially with the next draft pick being Marcus Thomas, who is a bigger hit-the-hole kind of runningback.  I'm not a big fan of Tribble, and I felt he received a lot more credit than he probably deserved.  Corey Clark is a practice squad lineman at best.

Best Pick: Antoine Cason

The Tennessee Titans: The Titans selected another runningback in the first day.  Johnson now joins Chris Henry and LenDale White as runningbacks with too much time on their hands.  The Titans still have no one to help Vince Young, because Lavelle Hawkins is not the receiver to bring around the Titans passing game woes.  Jason Jones is a solid defensive end to replace Odom and continue to build this line.  Craig Stevens is a blocking tight end, so not going to help the recieving corp at all.  The rest of the draft was depth and practice squad guys.

Best Pick: Jason Jones

The Indianapolis Colts: Mike Pollak was the first by the Colts, and he will eventually take over at center for Jeff Saturday.  He will be a background guy, an injury replacement player.  After Pollak, the Colts went after other depth players including OLB Phillip Wheeler, who should be one of the better linebackers to come out in 2008.  Jacob Tamme at tight end was brought in to be Ben Utecht 2.0.  Watch out for Marcus Howard to be a big time playmaker in a few years.  This draft was about replacing defensive players when they get injured or old, and not an attempt to improve an already brilliant team.

Best Pick: Marcus Howard

The Jacksonville Jaguars: The Jaguars moved up to draft DE/LB Derrick Harvey to be another pass rushing weapon to get after Manning, pin down Young, and torment Schaub.  Then in round two the Jags went after another Defensive End in Quentin Groves, another big playmaking defensive lineman.  However, they never picked up a solid DT to replace the now-gone Marcus Stroud.  In round five, the Jags moved to Outside Linebacker but drafted a guy without a lot of starting experience in Thomas Williams.  However I think Williams is a smart player who, with practice and experience could be an impact player.  Trea Williams could be a steal that late in the draft, if he turns out.  Chauncey Washington probably should have gone undrafted, and will be practice squad material at best.

Best Pick: Derrick Harvey

The Houston Texans: Duane Brown was a reach, but with the run on O-linemen I understand where they were coming with.  Brown could develop into a solid tackle, but I dont know if the Texans will give him time to get to that level before he's thrown to the wolves.  Antwaun Molden is similar to Brown, in that he is a skilled and athletic player but he needs some hammering.  Steve Slaton is an interesting pick, and I think he will be an option for dump off's and catch and run plays out of the backfield, but I dont think he will ever be a run-up-the-middle runningback.  Xavier Adibi was a huge steal and will be a major player in the NFL within 4 years.  Frank Okam is solid and should contribute and the rest of the draft was depth/practice squad guys.

Best Pick: Xavier Adibi