Apr
WINNERS
Pittsburgh Steelers: The Steelers had a fantastic weekend. Ben Roethlisberger is the most relieved guy in the league. Not only did his team add depth at running back with Rashard Mendenhall in the first round, Pittsburgh also granted Roethlisberger’s wish for a big receiver with second-round selection Limas Sweed. Sweed has a chance to be a Roy Williams type of receiver and will prove to be the top receiver out of this draft. The Steelers also added some depth at linebacker with Bruce Davis and Mike Humpal and took on a quarterback project a la Hines Ward and Antwaan Randle El in Oregon’s Dennis . With or without contributions from Dixon, the Steelers
Carolina Panthers: The Panthers made some great picks, but their status in 2008 is still dependent upon Jake Delhomme’s arm. Oregon running back Jonathan Stewart will compliment starter DeAngelo Williams well, and Pitt tackle Jeff Otah is among the best in a deep class of offensive linemen. But when Penn State linebacker Dan Connor slipped to the third round, the Panthers made their best pick by adding him with the 74th pick. Connor is a run stuffer that should play an important role right away and join Jets import Jonathan Vilma in a solid, young linebacking corps. It is do-or-die time for coach John Fox, and he made the right decisions in this draft.
Kansas City Chiefs: Glenn Dorsey was an outstanding addition with the fifth overall pick, but the Chiefs stockpiled talent in each of their positions of needs. Start with Dorsey on the defensive line, then move on to guard Branden Albert on the offensive line with the 15th overall pick, and Kansas City really beefed up at the point of attack. Virginia Tech corner Brandon Flowers was a first-round talent that the Chiefs snagged at the top of the second, and Texas running back Jamaal Charles highlighted the first of three excellent selections in the third round. Coach Herm Edwards wanted to land as many as six new starters in the draft, a lofty goal, but the franchise may actually do it between the 12 selections they made.
Miami Dolphins: New Dolphins VP of Football Operations Bill Parcells eliminated one potential problem by signing left tackle Jake Long to a five-year deal before draft day. He then added a big, physical defensive end in Clemson’s Phillip Merling with the first pick of the second round and picked up insurance for second-year quarterback John Beck in Michigan’s Chad Henne in the second. Parcells quickly put his stamp on his first draft and filled out the rest of Miami’s roster with quality help throughout the second day.
New York Giants: The Giants won the Super Bowl, but they also lost some key players, especially in linebackers Gibril Wilson and Kawika Mitchell. They selected playmakers safety Kenny Phillips, USC cornerback Terrell Thomas and wide receiver Mario Manningham with their first three picks, then focused their attention on the linebacker spots. BYU’s Bryan Kehl was selected in the fourth round, and Vanderbilt’s Jonathan Goff in the fifth. Phillips was one of the better athletes in the draft, so big upside is there. The Manningham pick could prove to be the best of them all if he can develop in the mold of aging Amani Toomer, who he would ideally replace in the offense.
LOSERS
Houston Texans: The Texans picked up great athletes, but did not address needs as effectively as they could have in the draft. Tackle Duane Brown filled a need in the first round, but is still inexperienced - he was a tight end, right tackle and left tackle at Virginia Tech - so he may not make an immediate difference as a rookie. Houston passed over a potential shutdown corner in a Mike Jenkins or Cason and elected to trade down to get Brown with the 26th pick. Impact runners were also passed over, and Steve Slaton was thrown into the running back mix rather than Rashard Mendenhall or Felix Jones in the first round or hometown guy Jamaal Charles in the second.
St. Louis Rams: Chris Long is likely a future Pro-Bowler, much like his father Howie for the Raiders in the 1980s, but, why Donnie Avery in the second round? Yes, he dominated Conference USA in a spread offense, but he’s certainly not better than the other receivers that were available in this draft. Thomas, DeSean Jackson, Limas Sweed and Malcolm Kelly were all still in the board. This is a win-lose for the Rams; Where Long is a potential star and compliments Adam Carriker upfront, Avery is the wrong solution for the receiving game. The Rams were surely preparing for at least one of the big boys to be off the board at pick No. 33, but failed to adjust their strategy on the fly.
Jacksonville Jaguars: If the Jaguars had made a push for Jason Taylor, most experts would be calling them a Super Bowl contender. Instead, they traded away picks and settled for Florida’s Derrick Harvey with the No. 8 overall pick and Auburn’s Quentin Groves midway through the second round. If the Jaguars had not picked Groves, he would have fallen to a team that plays a 3-4-defensive scheme. He can switch out from end to linebacker in that defense, but is extremely one-dimensional. The Jaguars also failed to get another weapon for David Garrard, drafting just one offensive player, USC running back Chauncey Washington in the seventh round.
Tennessee Titans: This marked the second straight draft the Titans failed to address the lack of playmakers surrounding Vince Young. The receivers were there in the first and second rounds, where they opted for quick running back Chris Johnson from East Carolina and defensive end Jason Jones from Eastern Michigan. Wide receiver Lavelle Hawkins was the lone skill position player the Titans selected as they focused on building depth on their defense. They may have overstated the impact of acquiring tight end Alge Crumpler this offseason and did not address their lack of a playmaker on the outside.
Seattle Seahawks: The Seahawks were another team that passed on two areas of need - a wide receiver or tight end - in the early going. And the selections they made, defensive end Lawrence Jackson in the first round and tight end John Carlson in the second, were surprise picks that could very well not pan out. Owen Schmitt was a worthwhile flyer in the fourth round as an intensity guy that could clear the way for new backs Julius Jones and T.J. Duckett. Georgia kicker Brandon Coutu was a good pick in the seventh to put pressure on new kicker Olindo Mare.