NFC East

New York Giants

The Giants decided to not pursue one of the veteran WR’s and instead stuck to the draft. I think this was a wise decision, even though a veteran might have paid better dividends quicker. Their draft netted them very good depth and some potential impact players.

Hakeem Nicks was one of my favorite wide receivers, even though his recent weight gain scared me. He will push for the number two WR position right away though, and he’s very NFL ready. He might not be a game breaker like Plaxico was, but he’s a more consistent player.

I’m not a huge fan of Sintim, and I think he’s out of place as a SLB in a 4-3, but he does have potential as a pass rusher. He’s not going to have to start right away, so their coaching staff can work on improving some of his deficiencies.

William Beatty needs to work on his hand placement, and he needs to get stronger, but he may be the heir apparent at LT. David Diehl is a better guard than LT, so that may be the long term plan a couple years down the line once Beatty has gotten strong enough to start.

I think Barden was a wasted pick as he will never be able to break free from NFL coverage, but Travis Beckum was a great value. He has a serious injury history, but he may end up being one of the better picks out of their entire draft.

Andre Brown was an absolute steal, and I think he’ll be the #2 back once training camp is done. He’s a bruiser like Jacobs, but he has more wiggle to hit the home run and not just run over people.

Bomar may very well end up as the permanent number two QB behind Eli.

This was quality drafting from top to bottom overall though.

Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles once again had a great overall draft. I like to poke fun at Andy Reid for his love of fat men, but the Eagles are one of the better teams in the NFC on a yearly basis for a reason. They know how to attack areas of need, but also have a great feel for value on players who they know will drop to when they pick.

Trading up to grab Jeremy Maclin was a great idea. I have absolutely no idea how he fell to the 19th pick (thank Al Davis Eagles fans), but he was one of the bigger steals of the first round. Philly was one of the few teams in talks for the veteran WR’s on the market, but they ended up spending less for a player that could grow into the #1 WR they have lacked since TO. At worst he will spell DeSean Jackson in the return game, plus he will contribute in the slot while he refines his route running technique.

LeSean McCoy was an absolute robbery, and he fits this offense perfectly. He’s probably the closest thing to Bryan Westbrook in this draft, and he won’t be asked to be the bell cow to begin with. He can team with Westbrook to help extend his career, while also helping him develop into the long term answer at this position.

Day two was a runaway success for the Eagles. Victor ‘Macho’ Harris is the perfect corner for this team. With Sheldon Brown bitching about his playing time and contract, they can now ship him out. Add to this the trade for New England’s Ellis Hobbs, and now the defensive backfield is really set. I’d even say that Harris could potentially move to FS if needed.

Cornelius Ingram some how slipped to the 5th round, and with minimal depth at TE, he may start right away. He’s a great receiving threat, so the McNabb is happy.

Fenuki Tupou was underrated in my opinion, and he’s the perfect fit for this team. He’s big, he has a mean streak, and he’s great in the run game. He’s the back up at RT and OG right away.

Brandon Gibson in the 6th was a great value, and I think he’ll surprise some people. WR used to be one of this team’s weaknesses, and now it’s not.

One of the best top to bottom drafts of the entire weekend.

Dallas Cowboys

Not surprisingly, non-football front office man Jerry Jones made some very questionable decisions on draft day. He loaded up with 12 picks on day two, but I don’t feel he walked away with anyone who will make a difference on this team. In fact, a good number of these guys will probably never even see the field.

Western Illinois product Jason Williams is an unreal athlete, but stifling him as an ILB in the 3-4 is taking away his best asset (his athleticism). A FS prospect like Rashad Johnson was available and would have been an instant upgrade and starter for this team.

Robert Brewster was a reach as well, especially since Duke Robinson is an overall better guard prospect already.

There were a couple picks I loved. Stephen Hodge of TCU was one of my favorite players in the draft, but he’s out of position here since he’s best fit as a WLB in a 4-3. He might play SS though, and he’s tough enough to fight for time.

John Phillips of Virginia is a good TE, and he’s instantly the number three guy. I was surprised to see him go after so many other no name TE’s did.

A 5th round pick on a kicker (David Buehler of USC) when you already have a Pro Bowl kicker on your team is about as stupid as you can get. Now, I will reserve slight judgment as Buehler is a very good athlete and is probably fast enough to contribute on special teams as something other than a kicker.

This was just a very poor draft by the Cowboys. They might rank dead last, but with12 picks (and one of them being one of my personal favorite players), they come in slightly ahead of the Raiders.

Washington Redskins

The Redskins didn’t have many picks, and I’m very surprised they didn’t go stupid and move up for Sanchez. Sitting tight was the right move, and even though it’s very un-Redskins like, they ended up with the best defensive end in the draft.

I have no idea why Orakpo went after Aaron Maybin, but playing next to Albert Haynesworth will potentially help him fight for defensive rookie of the year. In fact, if it weren’t for Maualuga, he’d be my pick for the favorite going in to the season.

CB Kevin Barnes will contribute right away and may even be the starting nickel back.

WR Marko Mitchell of Nevada was an absolute steal in the 7th was a steal, and I think he’ll contribute right away.

For most teams, coming away from the draft with three solid players would be a failure. For the Redskins, that’s success. They did not address the offensive line, which is an issue, but Orakpo was a gem.

I still think the Redskins are the worst team in the NFC East, and they could potentially be fighting for a top 15 pick in the 2010 draft.