| Position | Grade | Comment |
|---|
| Quarterback | C- | Not a very top heavy group. The draft lacks a true franchise quarterback. Jimmy Clausen is more good than great and may be a tad short and Sam Bradford is coming of shoulder surgery. Four of the top six quarterbacks have injury concerns. Dan LeFevour is not a big name like Tebow or McCoy coming out of Central Michigan but earns the 3rd quarterback ranking based on having the best tools of the athletic quarterbacks, good health and excellent intangibles. Tim Tebow is the draft's most interesting story but also its most difficult player to place. Depth at quarterback is solid as players such as Jevan Snead, Tim Hiller, Mike Kafka and Jarrett Brown provide solid mid round/late round value. |
| Running Backs | C+ | An excellent group for two back systems but the class at the top lacks every down types. Of the top six backs only Ryan Matthews has the look of an every down back. CJ Spiller, Jahvid Best and Joe McKnight are dynamic playmakers in the Chris Johnson/Reggie Bush mold while Jonathan Dwyer and Toby Gearhart provide a power complement. The overall depth is strong and backs with all-around skills can be found in the later rounds. |
| Fullback | D+ | As the fullback has been phased out of the NFL and college football, the talent at the fullback position has fallen off. There are not any day one or two fullbacks in this year's class but there are a number of undersized tight ends and a couple of one-dimensional blocking types who could be selected in the 6th or 7th round. |
| Wide Receiver | B+ | The class is not overly top heavy with just Dez Bryant and Golden Tate receiving first round grades but this year's receiver class is extremely deep (11 players with 2nd or 3rd round grades) and features a good mix of receivers for every system. |
| Tight End | C+ | There are three first and second round tight ends followed by a significant drop-off in talent. On the negative side two of the three top tight ends missed last season with injuries (Jermaine Gresham and Rob Gronkowski and the third, Aaron Hernandez, is more of an H-back type. Overall, there are a number of good receiving tight ends but the all-around tight ends who can block and play inline are in short supply. |
| Offensive Tackle | B+ | Strong class at the top with four players with first round grades and an additional two high second round grades (5 of 6 of whom project to the left side) After the top six there is a significant drop-off but there are some left tackle developmental types and a solid crop of right tackles. Several small school players are getting attention in the mid/late rounds including Tony Washington, Derek Hardman and Jared Veldheer. |
| Guard | C- | Mike Iupati could go as high as round one but the overall depth at the guard position is lacking this year as just five players earned draft grades of 3rd round or higher. This year's draft is esp. short on roadgraders at the guard position. |
| Center | D | One of last year's strongest positions is one of this year's weakest. Maurkice Pouncey could be the only center selected before day three. |
| Defensive Tackle | A | Ndamuknog Suh and Gerald McCoy could be drafted 1-2 and six DTs earned first round grades. There is good depth at the position as well and a nice mix of nose tackles, under tackles and 5 techniques. Strongest position in the draft. |
| Defensive End | A- | One of the better group of pass rushers in recent years although many of the top prospects are undersized. Ten players received round 1 or 2 grades. Overall, there is good depth although there are not a good number of left ends. |
| 3-4 Linebacker | B+ | Thanks to a large crop of undersized defensive ends this year is a banner year for rush linebackers. Depth at the position is better than usual as well. |
| Outside Linebacker | C+ | Top heavy group featuring four players with first round grades but the dropoff is significant after the top 5 as this is one of the thinnest crops of outside linebackers in recent memory. |
| Inside Linebacker | C | Top heavy class as Rolando McClain and Brandon Spikes could both go in round one but but the overall depth at inside linebacker is lacking. Only 4 players merited day one or two grades. |
| Cornerback | B | Joe Haden is an elite corner and the only first round prospect but the second tier of players is very talented and has a great deal of upside. Despite the lack of first round talent, cornerback is arguably the deepest position in the draft. |
| Safety | B+ | Eric Berry and Earl Thomas are elite safety prospects who could both be selected in the top 15 (Berry top 5). The second tier of Morgan Burnett, Taylor Mays and Chad Jones has a lot of upside and the overall depth is strong. Overall a better class of strong safeties than free safeties. |
| Kicker | D | It is a weak kicker class this year as Leigh Tiffin is the only player who earns a draft grade and even that is as a 7th rounder. |
| Punter | D | Overall weak class. There are no can't miss punter prospects this year and it will be a surprise if a punter is selected before round six. |
| Long Snapper | Inc | No grade given |
