2009 NFL Draft Report Card: AFC East
Buffalo: Defensive End was a huge need for Buffalo and in round 1 Buffalo selected DE Aaron Maybin. With Brian Orakpo on the board this pick, this pick didn't make sense. Maybin needs to bulk to play the run more effectively. C Eric Wood and G Andy Levitre should both start immediately on one of the worst offensive lines in the league. CB Jairus Byrd was not a need pick, but Byrd is very underrated as a cover corner. The Bills add two more corners in Cary Harris and Ellis Lankster. Both will have to make an impression on special teams to break camp in this talented secondary. TE Shawn Nelson was Buffalo's best value pick. Nelson is a willing blocker and that skill could be more important as a rookie than catching passes. Analysis: Taking Aaron Maybin over Brian Orakpo and not getting a tackle to replace Jason Peters overshadows the picks of Wood, Levitre, Byrd and Nelson. Grade: C+
Miami: Last year Bill Parcells and Jeff Ireland focused on the trenches and this year the skill positions were addressed. CB Vontae Davis and CB Sean Smith are Bill Parcells type defensive backs: Aggressive and versatile. Both could start at either corner or safety immediately. QB Pat White adds a throwing element to the Wildcat formation. Chad Pennington will have lots of pressure to perform this year with Chad Henne and Pat White looming. WR Patrick Turner was the biggest head scratcher of any third round pick coming from a major program. Turner couldn't dominate at USC despite superior size, so what can you expect from Turner as a pro? A heavy price for a goal line WR. WR Brian Hartline is very underrated and could become an immediate third down receiver. S Chris Clemons is an athletic safety who might be simply a workout warrior. TE John Nalbone and OLB JD Folsom are hard workers with limited upside who should contribute on special teams. OT Andrew Gardner is a decent right tackle prospect who fell on some boards after a shoulder injury last year. Analysis: Tremendous picks in the secondary with Sean Smith and Vontae Davis. Patrick Turner is a reach in round 3. Passed on several 3-4 OLB to replace Joey Porter in the future. Several day two players with limited upside. Grade: C
NY Jets: The Jets were aggressive and paid a heavy price to get Mark Sanchez. Sanchez will embrace the New York media and has the intelligence and work ethic to start right away despite only 16 starts in college. RB Shonn Greene is one of the best power backs on the board. Greene may push Thomas Jones out the door. G Matt Slauson is slid due to a torn pectoral muscle in February but will not have to play right away. The Jets are getting old at guard. Analysis: The Jets only had three picks but they filled three major needs. WR was not addressed which lowers my grade slightly. The Jets got a franchise quarterback who can bring excitement to this organization long term in a city dominated by the Giants. Grade: B
New England: The Patriots had an insane number of picks and actually used some of them. CB Darius Butler and S Patrick Chung add youth and toughness to an aging secondary. Both should start right away. DT Ron Brace may mean the end of Vince Wolfolk in Foxboro after this season. Wilfolk will get a huge payday on the free agent market in 2010. WR Brandon Tate has off the field issues but should give the Patriots a solid kick return element as a rookie. The upside is very high on Tate. LB Tyrone McKenzie will likely move to the inside for the Patriots. McKenzie is a tackling machine that could replace Teddy Bruschi. OT Sebastian Vollmer is raw but has the size and long arms to play either tackle spot. G Rich Ohrnberger and OL George Bussey should have been undrafted free agents. The best values for NE were defensive linemen Myron Pryor and Darryl Richard. Both are great penetrators and excellent scheme fits. QB Julian Edelman is a run/pass dual threat who may add the Wildcat element to the Patriots offense. LS Jacob Ingram fills a need. Analysis: The Patriots traded down a lot but this time they got impact players on the defensive side of the ball. New England found several long term replacements on their aging defense. I was disappointed by the lack of talent drafted on the offensive line. This team will have to deal with several expensive free agents on the offensive line in the future. Grade: B+
Miami: Last year Bill Parcells and Jeff Ireland focused on the trenches and this year the skill positions were addressed. CB Vontae Davis and CB Sean Smith are Bill Parcells type defensive backs: Aggressive and versatile. Both could start at either corner or safety immediately. QB Pat White adds a throwing element to the Wildcat formation. Chad Pennington will have lots of pressure to perform this year with Chad Henne and Pat White looming. WR Patrick Turner was the biggest head scratcher of any third round pick coming from a major program. Turner couldn't dominate at USC despite superior size, so what can you expect from Turner as a pro? A heavy price for a goal line WR. WR Brian Hartline is very underrated and could become an immediate third down receiver. S Chris Clemons is an athletic safety who might be simply a workout warrior. TE John Nalbone and OLB JD Folsom are hard workers with limited upside who should contribute on special teams. OT Andrew Gardner is a decent right tackle prospect who fell on some boards after a shoulder injury last year. Analysis: Tremendous picks in the secondary with Sean Smith and Vontae Davis. Patrick Turner is a reach in round 3. Passed on several 3-4 OLB to replace Joey Porter in the future. Several day two players with limited upside. Grade: C
NY Jets: The Jets were aggressive and paid a heavy price to get Mark Sanchez. Sanchez will embrace the New York media and has the intelligence and work ethic to start right away despite only 16 starts in college. RB Shonn Greene is one of the best power backs on the board. Greene may push Thomas Jones out the door. G Matt Slauson is slid due to a torn pectoral muscle in February but will not have to play right away. The Jets are getting old at guard. Analysis: The Jets only had three picks but they filled three major needs. WR was not addressed which lowers my grade slightly. The Jets got a franchise quarterback who can bring excitement to this organization long term in a city dominated by the Giants. Grade: B
New England: The Patriots had an insane number of picks and actually used some of them. CB Darius Butler and S Patrick Chung add youth and toughness to an aging secondary. Both should start right away. DT Ron Brace may mean the end of Vince Wolfolk in Foxboro after this season. Wilfolk will get a huge payday on the free agent market in 2010. WR Brandon Tate has off the field issues but should give the Patriots a solid kick return element as a rookie. The upside is very high on Tate. LB Tyrone McKenzie will likely move to the inside for the Patriots. McKenzie is a tackling machine that could replace Teddy Bruschi. OT Sebastian Vollmer is raw but has the size and long arms to play either tackle spot. G Rich Ohrnberger and OL George Bussey should have been undrafted free agents. The best values for NE were defensive linemen Myron Pryor and Darryl Richard. Both are great penetrators and excellent scheme fits. QB Julian Edelman is a run/pass dual threat who may add the Wildcat element to the Patriots offense. LS Jacob Ingram fills a need. Analysis: The Patriots traded down a lot but this time they got impact players on the defensive side of the ball. New England found several long term replacements on their aging defense. I was disappointed by the lack of talent drafted on the offensive line. This team will have to deal with several expensive free agents on the offensive line in the future. Grade: B+
Dan Wernery is Chief Scout for NFLDraft101.com and can be reached dwernery@nfldraft101.com