AFC East

New England Patriots

As much as I am not a big fan of the way Bill Belichick purports himself at times, I have to respect and admire his talent evaluation skills. He’s one of the few head coaches who really understands and appreciates the draft process. He has a great grasp of the value of where he is picking and he knows exactly what type of player fits into his mold on offense and defense. In fact, I think this year’s draft proves to me that it was always Belichick that made the main calls in the past years drafts (and not former player personnel chief Scott Pioli, who is now GM for the Chiefs). The Patriots had some very specific needs, and I think they filled a few of them with players who might have a shot immediately. Oregon SS Patrick Chung has been a favorite of mine for the past two years, and I think he’s the perfect fit into this defense. He brings a Rodney Harrison like toughness in the run game, he’s a fierce hitter that you have to respect if you are a wide receiver going over the middle, and he’s fluid enough to turn and run in deep coverage. When the dust of the preseason settles, I think Chung will be the starting SS for this team. I was surprised to see New England also go after Boston College NT Ron Brace in the early second, but after seeing the off season acrimony in the Vince Wilfork contract extension negotiations, it makes perfect sense. True 3-4 NTs are extremely difficult to find, especially ones who can make a difference. It is the key component to running a successful 3-4 defense. Brace at the very worst gives them someone to rotate in with Wilfork to keep them both fresh, and best he gives them someone they can throw in as his long term replacement should they get sick of his demands and trade him or watch him walk in free agency. With the amount of deals the Patriots pull off, and the number of teams wanting to move to 3-4 defenses, I could see Belichick getting a decent first round pick and possibly more in return for Wilfork. At least that’s an option with Brace in the fold. Darius Butler slid a lot further than I thought he would, but he went to the team that I thought would fit his skills best. He’s a great all around corner, but he reminds me of Ty Law. He’s very physical, he’s a very good cover corner, and he’s great in the run game. There is a lot of youth at CB on this Patriots team, so Butler has the physical tools to be right there and earn a starting job despite his lack of experience. Houston RT Sebastian Vollmer was a bit of a surprise as a second round pick, but I really liked his upside. He’s still learning the nuances of playing offensive line as he’s fairly new to competitive football (he’s originally from Germany), so he’s not going to be rushed into playing time. If Vollmer can pick things up quickly though, he has the physical ability to be a very good right tackle in the NFL. Both Brandon Tate and Tyrone McKenzie were almost red shirt draft picks. Both have knee injuries and will likely not play this year, but both had physical talents that would have warranted a higher draft grade than the third round they were chosen in. New England is obviously a very talented team, so they can afford this luxury and take advantage of the long term depth and benefit they will get once these players are healthy next year. Penn State offensive tackle Rich Ohrnberger is probably a step too slow to play tackle, but the Patriots like to pull their guards a lot and he has the short area quickness to be very good at this (so I envision he will be played there). I also liked the 7th round selection of Georgia Tech DT Darryl Richard. He’s a good run defender and can hold blockers up at the line of scrimmage as a DE in this defense. He’s not a dependable starter, but I could see him making this team as a first line back up. Overall this was a very impressive draft, and that does not even take into account that with the maneuvering on draft day this year, the Patriots have set themselves up to reap massive benefits in the 2010 NFL draft (which as I have said already, is LOADED with talent).

Miami Dolphins

If I’m on the Belichick train, then I need to pay respect to who was the original conductor and that’s Bill Parcells. Yes, he’s not technically the GM, but do not believe for one second that the decisions aren’t made without his advice. No matter where Parcells has gone, he has always left a team loaded with depth and talent. It’s surprising that the turn around was so quick in Miami though. It’s started with their OL last year, and this year was focusing on the secondary. First round CB Vontae Davis of IL could potentially be the best corner to come out of this draft. The only thing Davis needs is good coaching and consistency. He’ll get that in the NFL, and with a demanding head coach in Tony Sparano, he’ll have to be consistent if he wants to start. Backing this up with Utah CB Sean Smith not only provides insurance should Davis not step up right away; it also makes a former weakness a strength. Smith is exactly the type of player Parcells covets so I am not surprised at all that he picked him, I’m just surprised that he fell all the way to the second round. If Smith has trouble fitting at corner, he is versatile enough to play safety as well. The head scratcher was picking Pat White in the second round. I get that they love to run the wildcat, but I just think that getting a QB who you want to run this for you that early is a waste. White would have been there from round three onward, and I just don’t see him ever being anything more than a mid level backup at best. Wide receivers Patrick Turner and Brian Hartline are very different receivers, but I think both will have a chance at getting a decent amount of playing time. This is a weak position, and the Dolphins opted out of chasing free agents, so they could use the depth. Turner is a tall, physical, receiver who Parcells always has on his team. He’s got work to do before he can be considered a consistent starter, but he should prove useful in the red zone at least. Hartline made a mistake coming out early, but I think he found a good spot here. He’s a good slot receiver, and he won’t be asked to do too much right away. I see him being a poor man’s Wes Welker in time. Safety Chris Clemons in the fifth was a good value as well, although I don’t expect that he will fight for a starting job. Overall, this wasn’t as impactful of a draft as last year’s was, but it’s another step in the right direction.

New York Jets

Umm, this is short. Mark Sanchez, Shonn Greene, Matt Slauson. Yep, that’s it! I can’t fault the Jets for being aggressive and going after Sanchez, as he has the potential to be a very solid starting QB. He doesn’t have a great team of wideouts to throw to, but they are adequate enough and the running game and solid TE (Dustin Keller) are enough to give him a chance. Shonn Greene is a great compliment back to this already very talented backfield. Although Thomas Jones had an outstanding year last season, he’s hitting that dreaded wall that all 30+ year old RBs get to. It’s just a matter of time before time catches up with his legs, and it’s time to go. Greene gives the Jets the straight line battering ram type of running back that will compliment scat back Leon Washington very well. Grabbing Matt Slauson in the 6th was a great pick up, as he can definitely be a solid back up and potentially push for playing time. It’s obviously light on quantity, but this was about as good as the quality could get for where the picks were.

Buffalo Bills

I’m a bit confused by the Bills draft. Not only did they trade away a franchise left tackle, which is something you should NEVER get rid of by the way, but they did not replace him at all. It’s a shame as well seeing as there were solid players available to fit this need as well. The Bills have talent, but I’m not sure if they will take that next step because of this. Aaron Maybin is a high risk high reward player, and I just don’t think he was worth the 11th overall pick. Yes, he has great first step quickness, but I just don’t think speed alone is going to make him a double digit sack guy in the NFL. To me, this may have been as bad of a reach as Heyward-Bey at #7. Eric Wood is versatile enough to play center and guard, but I just wasn’t as high on him as everyone else seemed to be. Once again, a tackle would have been the better value here. Jairus Byrd in the second round was a very solid pick though. He’s a tenacious cover corner, and he has some of the best ball skills of any defense back that was in this draft. Plus Byrd’s dad is the CB coach for the Bears, so he’s got great technique. He’s able to play safety as well, so I see Byrd making it on the field come hell or high water. Andy Levitre can’t play tackle, so he’ll play guard in the NFL, and he’ll get pushed around if he has to start right away. Another questionable pick, but the good news starts from here. The Bills hit on some very underrated players in the 4th round onward. Getting Shawn Nelson in the 4th was an absolute steal and I think he will be the starting TE come opening day. He’s a dangerous offensive weapon, and in a few years, we may be talking about him being one of the better players at his position in the AFC. Nic Harris will make the transition to WLB in the NFL, and I think he has a good chance to be very successful at this position as well. Cary Harris has questionable long speed, but he’s a tough corner and I could see him making this roster. Ellis Lankster is even tougher, and I think he’s the kind of guy you have to fight to keep off the field.