AFC Grades

BALTIMORE RAVENS
GRADE: A
EXPLANATION: Baltimore's success over the years has been predicated on defense, so they went out and drafted two top-notch defenders. Texas LB Sergio Kindle (No. 43) is a very good pass rusher and a steal in the second round. The Ravens skillfully traded out of the first round with Denver, acquiring three picks. Alabama DT Terrence Cody (No. 57), another second round pick, is a monster in the middle. If he gets into shape, he and Haloti Ngata will wreak havoc on defense. Tight ends Ed Dickson (No. 70) of Oregon and Dennis Pitta (No. 114) of BYU are very good pass-catching TEs. Both were selected with picks acquired in that first round trade.
BEST REMAINING PICK: DT Arthur Jones, Syracuse (R5/157)

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
GRADE: B+
EXPLANATION: Indianapolis' first three picks were very good. OLB Jerry Hughes (No. 31), the Colts' first round pick, was an All-American at TCU. He had 26 sacks over his final two seasons. Iowa ILB Patrick Angerer (No. 63), their second round pick, is another solid player. He had over 100 tackles his junior and senior years, and had six interceptions over those two seasons. USC CB Kevin Thomas (No. 94), their third round pick, has the size and agility to be a good CB in the NFL. He sometimes gets beat off the line, but overall, he's a good player. The rest of the Colts' picks will look to compete for backup positions.
BEST REMAINING PICK: OLB Kavell Conner, Clemson (R7/240)

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
GRADE: B+
EXPLANATION: The Patriots added a lot of depth, and some skill too. CB Devin McCourty (No. 27) was a solid but unspectacular pick in the first round. The selection of TEs Rob Gronkowski (No. 42) in the second round and Aaron Hernandez (No. 113) in the fourth round give the Patriots two pairs of great hands. Both are legitimate threats at the position. Florida LBs Jermaine Cunningham (No. 53) and Brandon Spikes (No. 62), both second round picks, have some work to do, but will have the chance to learn in Bill Belichick's system.
BEST REMAINING PICK: QB Zac Robinson, Oklahoma State (R7/250)

TENNESSEE TITANS
GRADE: B+
EXPLANATION: Tennessee came away with two great picks, and a few others who could pan out as well. DE Derrick Morgan was a great grab at No. 16 in the first round. He's adept at rushing the passer and a disruptive force against the run as well. The Titans added WR Damian Williams (No. 77) in the third round. He runs very good routes and excels at holding on to the football, making him an ideal #2 receiver. He reminds me of the Giants' Steve Smith. He's not particularly fast, but he's a solid all-around receiver. LB Rennie Curran (No. 97), a third round pick, and CB Alterraun Verner (No. 104), a fourth round pick, both have a lot of potential.
BEST REMAINING PICK: S Myron Rolle, Florida State (R6/207)

CINCINNATI BENGALS
GRADE: B/B+
EXPLANATION: Nothing about the Bengals' draft sticks out as a great pick, but Cincinnati turned in a solid draft. If first round Oklahoma TE Jermaine Gresham (No. 21) is healthy, he's a great pass-catching TE. Texas WR Jordan Shipley (No. 84) is quick and has good hands, but he'll have to prove he can do it at the pro level. The Bengals also made four hit or miss picks on defense, drafting Florida DE Carlos Dunlap (No. 54), Wake Forest CB Brandon Ghee (No. 96), Georgia DT Geno Atkins (No. 120) and Texas LB Roddrick Muckelroy (No. 131). Dunlap has great upside but major consistency issues. The same can be said for Atkins. If two of those four hit, this is a very solid draft.
BEST REMAINING PICK: WR Dezmon Briscoe, Kansas (R6/191)

CLEVELAND BROWNS
GRADE: B
EXPLANATION: The success of this draft will be based solely on Cleveland's third round pick, QB Colt McCoy. If he succeeds, it's an A, but if not, it's a bad grade. For now, the Browns get a B. The McCoy pick was a great one, waiting all the way until No. 85 to snag him. Florida CB Joe Haden, their first round choice at No. 7, is a flashy player with a knack for picks (8 in 3 seasons), but he still has work to do to be more consistent. Oregon S T.J. Ward was a reach in the early second round, and Tennessee RB Montario Hardesty is a bit injury prone, making him a risky pick in the late second round. But again, as McCoy goes, so goes this draft.
BEST REMAINING PICK: G Shawn Lauvao, Arizona State (R3/92)

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
GRADE: B
EXPLANATION: Safety Eric Berry (No. 5) will be a star in this league for years to come. He's got the perfect combination of size, speed and skill for the position. CB Javier Arenas (No. 50) was another good pick in the third round, although some question his ability to be a starter in the NFL. Still, he has great speed and should make an impact in the return game. The same can be said for RB Dexter McCluster (No. 36), the Chiefs' second round pick. He's undersized, but he has great speed and he can be a playmaker with the ball.
BEST REMAINING PICK: TE Tony Moeaki, Iowa (R3/93)

MIAMI DOLPHINS
GRADE: B
EXPLANATION: The Dolphins traded down from No. 12 to No. 28 and got three picks from the Chargers (one of which they traded away to the Cowboys), a very good move. They used that No. 28 pick to take Penn State DT Jared Odrick, a solid player. The Dolphins need help on their aging defensive line, and Odrick can step in immediately and work in the rotation. But nothing else about the Dolphins' draft stood out. LB Koa Misi (No. 40) was a good pick in the second round, but not a great one. Guard John Jerry (No. 73) was also a decent pick in the third round. There was nothing spectacular about the Dolphins' draft.
BEST REMAINING PICK: LB Austin Spitler, Ohio state (R7/252)

NEW YORK JETS
GRADE: B
EXPLANATION: The Jets got a big-time CB in Kyle Wilson (No. 29) in the first round. He's a playmaker who can be a star in the return game as well. But the "B" stands for a lot of things here. It stands for bold, as in the decision to cut Alan Faneca and draft Vladimir Ducasse (No. 61) in the second round was bold. The decision to trade Leon Washington and draft Joe McKnight (No. 112) was also bold. "B" stands for Bill, as in Bill Callahan. If the Jets' offensive line coach can't groom Ducasse into a solid replacement for Faneca, this draft will be far worse than a "B." The lack of draft depth isn't an issue in this grade, considering New York traded picks for WRs Braylon Edwards and Santonio Holmes.
BEST REMAINING PICK: FB John Conner, Kentucky (R5/139)

OAKLAND RAIDERS
GRADE: B
EXPLANATION: The Raiders' draft wasn't bad at all, considering their recent track record. Alabama ILB Rolando McClain (No. 8) was a little bit of a reach, but he's a better player than people give him credit for. He's a tough player and a big hitter. DT Lamarr Houston (No. 44) was a very good pick in the second round as well. The Raiders grabbed OT Bruce Campbell (No. 106) in the fourth round, a lineman with good size at 6-6 314 and big upside. Some thought Oakland would reach for him, but the team stayed patient and grabbed him on day three.
BEST REMAINING PICK: WR Jacoby Ford, Clemson (R4/108)

PITTSBURGH STEELERS
GRADE: B
EXPLANATION: The Steelers needed to come out of this draft with offensive line depth, linebacking depth and playmakers. They satisfied two of those needs. Florida lineman Maurkice Pouncey, their first round pick at No. 18, is a good player with versatility. He'll compete for a starting job and be a very viable backup. Pittsburgh chose three linebackers, including Virginia Tech's Jason Worilds in the second round (No. 52), but none who stand out. Ohio State's Thaddeus Gibson (No. 116), a fourth round pick, could end up being the best of the three, but he has work to do. The Steelers failed to grab an immediate impact playmaker on offense. All three skill position players they selected will need some work to develop into regular contributors.
BEST REMAINING PICK: RB Jonathan Dwyer, Georgia Tech (R6/188)

HOUSTON TEXANS
GRADE: B-
EXPLANATION: The Texans' biggest hole was at CB, and they addressed it in the first round when they drafted Alabama's Kareem Jackson (No. 20). Their decision to select Jackson over Kyle Wilson was surprising, but it might not have been the wrong move. The rest of the Texans' draft, however, wasn't great. Second round pick RB Ben Tate (No. 58) was chosen over a number of higher-ranked backs, and he'll probably be expected to play a big role for a team whose ground game wasn't very good last year.
BEST REMAINING PICK: TE Dorin Dickerson, Pittsburgh (R7/227)

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS
GRADE: B-
EXPLANATION: The Chargers reached for RB Ryan Matthews, trading up in the first round to get him at No. 12. The trade wasn't too lopsided, with the Chargers and Dolphins giving up three picks each. But it was still a reach for a player some thought would be available at their original pick at No. 28. Washington LB Donald Butler (No. 79) was a solid pick in the third round, a player who tackles very well and brings great intensity to the team. But the rest of San Diego's draft was unspectacular.
BEST REMAINING PICK: QB Jonathan Crompton, Tennessee (R5/168)

DENVER BRONCOS
GRADE: C+
EXPLANATION: The only reason the Broncos get such a low grade is because of - you guessed it - their pick of Tim Tebow at the end of the first round. In my opinion he's not a viable NFL quarterback, he's not better than Clausen and McCoy, and he's definitely a reach at No. 25 overall. Other than that, the Broncos draft was pretty good. WR Demaryius Thomas is a physical specimen who thrived in a triple option scheme at Georgia Tech. If he is able to adjust to a pro offense and learn more routes, he'll be a threat at the position for years to come. Minnesota WR Eric Decker (No. 87) was a very good pick in the third round. He's got very good size and good hands.
BEST REMAINING PICK: CB Syd'Quan Thompson, Cal (R7/225)

BUFFALO BILLS
GRADE: C
EXPLANATION: The selection of RB C.J. Spiller in the first round (No. 9) is a solid pick, despite the crowded backfield in Buffalo. But the Bills missed the mark in the rest of the draft. Central Florida DT Torell Troup (No. 41) was a reach in the second round. Buffalo also failed to draft a serviceable QB despite having their chances. The Bills did get Troy QB Levi Brown (No. 209) in the seventh round, but they passed up other QBs who would have been better picks.
BEST REMAINING PICK: DE Alex Carrington, Arkansas State (R3/72)

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
GRADE: D
EXPLANATION: Jacksonville's draft started off on a bad note, when the Jaguars reached for Cal DT Tyson Alualu at No. 10 in the first round. He's a good player, but it's unclear whether he projects better in a 3-4 or 4-3 scheme. Jacksonville could have traded down in the first round and still grabbed him, and picked up picks in the process. None of Jacksonville's remaining picks were particularly good, either.
BEST REMAINING PICK: RB Deji Karim, Southern Illinois (R6/180)