AFC South Draft Grades

[mightytitan9]

2012 1 1 1 1 Andrew Luck QB Stanford
2 2 2 34 Coby Fleener TE Stanford
3 3 1 64 Dwayne Allen TE Clemson
4 3 29 92 T.Y. Hilton WR Florida International
5 5 1 136 Josh Chapman DT Alabama
6 5 35 170 Vick Ballard RB Mississippi State
7 6 36 206 LaVon Brazill WR Ohio
8 7 1 208 Justin Anderson T Georgia
9 7 7 214 Tim Fugger DE Vanderbilt
10 7 46 253 Chandler Harnish QB Northern Illinois

Overview: The colts got the prize of the draft in Luck, and got a solid-yet overrated TE in Fleener. Allen in the 3rd was solid value, but that selection could have been better utilized with helping the outside WR's, offensive line or building the defense. I don't really see anybody that will make a difference past Josh Chapman in the 5th, and that may not be this year. Fugger will likely add some special teams depth though. Grade: B-

2012 1 1 5 5 Justin Blackmon WR Oklahoma State
2 2 6 38 Andre Branch DE Clemson
3 3 7 70 Bryan Anger P California
4 5 7 142 Brandon Marshall LB Nevada
5 6 6 176 Mike Harris DB Florida State
6 7 21 228 Jeris Pendleton DT Ashland

Overview: The jaguars moved up for a WR that has some questions on how he can translate to the NFL. I really like Branch and think he's good value at that selection. Punters can be found anywhere, and shouldn't be drafted until the 5th round at least. Overall, I see 3 people in this draft that will contribute for the Jags, but the first two are serious bust risk. Marshall and Harris could add depth. Grade: C-

2012 1 1 26 26 Whitney Mercilus DE Illinois
2 3 5 68 Devier Posey WR Ohio State
3 3 13 76 Brandon Brooks G Miami (OH)
4 4 4 99 Ben Jones C Georgia
5 4 26 121 Keshawn Martin WR Michigan State
6 4 31 126 Jared Crick DT Nebraska
7 5 26 161 Randy Bullock K Texas A&M
8 6 25 195 Nick Mondek T Purdue

Overview: The Texans took a bit of a surprise in Mercilus, and most feel this was a bit of a reach. I can understand why they did this, Barwin is a FA after this year, but he did have 11.5 sacks last season. Mercilus will probably be a lot like Anthony Spencer from Dallas, decent but nothing spectacular. Many consider it to be a little high for Posey ,but I think it was a good selection. Brooks was good value at that selection, but I wonder how he is going to fit into Houstons offense, maybe a move to RT in is the works? Jones and Crick were solid selections at that point. Overall, I could see them getting good production from this class, but no stars from it. Grade: C

2012 1 1 20 20 Kendall Wright WR Baylor
2 2 20 52 Zach Brown LB North Carolina
3 3 19 82 Mike Martin DT Michigan
4 4 20 115 Coty Sensabaugh DB Clemson
5 5 10 145 Taylor Thompson TE Southern Methodist
6 6 20 190 Markelle Martin DB Oklahoma State
7 7 4 211 Scott Solomon DE Rice

The Titans got a solid playmaker on the outside, a LBer and DT that fits their scheme perfect. Sensabaugh and Thompson are athletic projects. Martin and Solomon have a chance to make the team and contribute. Overall: The Titans are going to see immediate production from Wright, Brown, Martin and Sensabaugh will have a chance in packages. Thompson, Martin and Solomon all will have the opportunity to add depth at positions that are relatively thin and/or that contribute on special teams. Grade: B+

Feel free to post your grades

[killxswitch]

I actually agree with a lot of that.

My full Colts draft review is here: http://draftcountdown.com/forum/show...3&#post2979273

Overall grade of B-. I am choosing to be positive but we ignored a lot of nice defensive talent to bring in a bunch of offensive toys. An objective person with the same love for defensive football would probably give it a C.

Titans:

Wright is a good #2 and if the coaching staff is smart they'll have Locker start this year. Britt, Wright, and Cook make for three really solid passing targets. Mike Martin was a good pick, and Markelle Martin was a great value. I bet he will find his way into games somehow. Zach Brown was not my favorite prospect but it was good value and I think he fits your scheme. Overall I'd give it a B+. If Taylor Thompson makes the jump to TE this will be quite the class for Tennessee.

Texans:

I was not terribly impressed. I like Mercillus but as a rush DE, not an OLB. And not when Reed and Barwin looked pretty good last year. Weird pick. IMO the best pick was Jared Crick, stupid good value there. I said months ago he reminded me of JJ Watt. I thought Brooks went too early and I don't like Posey as a prospect at all. Ben Jones was solid value though. I guess overall it wasn't terrible, just not great. B-/C+.

Jaguars:

Way to take a punter in the early 3rd, dorks. Ok, that's out of the way. Blackmon at 5th overall is great. Branch in the 2nd is fine, not amazing but fine. The rest of their short draft is meh. Not good for a team that wasn't very good last year. And again, early 3rd round punter. Wow. D.

[mightytitan9]

The Texans just really failed at this draft in my opinion. Schaub is turning 31 and has only started more than 11 games in 2 of his 5 seasons in Houston. They let two starters walk on the offensive line.

Owen Daniels turns 30 this season and has only started all 16 games twice in his 6 seasons. Andre Johnson turns 31 and has started all 16 games 5 times in his 9 nfl seasons. He's started 20 his past two seasons.

The list goes on. It really wouldn't surprise me if they missed the playoffs

[Seamus2602]

Colts: A-

You can see my full write up for the Colts here.

http://draftcountdown.com/forum/show...9&#post2982349

Titans: B+

It is hard not to like the Kendall Wright selection. He will be a great playmaker for the Titans going forward. The only thing I would knock it is the fact that they really needed Interior Line help and David DeCastro was still on the board. The selection of Brown and Martin filled needs (not their biggest needs but still needs) and both were selected around where they should have been selected. Taylor Thompson and Markelle Martin both filled needs and were both great value (Martin particularly), while Solomon was a decent depth selection. The only pick I would knock is Coty Sensabaugh who I had going a round or so later but it fills a need and he was rising in draft boards so as a knock it isn't a big one.

Overall it was a good, efficient draft from the Titans. There weren't any massive reaches (even Sensabaugh wasn't a massive reach) while filling some needs. They didn't get great value in the early rounds (all the picks were taken round about where they should have) and didn't address the interior line when there was an elite prospect with great value available.

Jaguars: B-

I weight picks when evaluating drafts with the top selections meaning more than the bottom ones. That is the only saving grace the Jaguars actually possess. Their first two selections were very good. They filled needs and they got value out of the picks (especially Branch). I liked the Harris selection. It filled some depth needs at CB and got decent enough value for him. It all goes epically downhill from there. They drafted a ******* Punter in the 3rd Round. I know they struggled in that area of the game since losing Podlesh but seriously a ******* Punter in the 3rd Round? Other epic picks where when they drafted Brandon Marshall, a player who probably shouldn't have been drafted, in the 5th Round, at a position where they are relatively settled and drafting Jeris Pendleton, a player who I had never heard of, who played for a school that I had never heard of.

Texans: C+

I didn't particularly dislike the Mercilus selection. It was the probable range for him and fit some degree of a need. They had bigger needs and there were better players but it wasn't ridiculous either way. I thought Brooks was one of their better picks. It was good value and filled one of their biggest needs, while Jones was taken right about where he should go and again fits some degree of a need. Lastly Jared Crick was a great selection. I had Crick rated as a 2nd Round pick so for him to drop to the bottom of the 4th is great value, while they could do with some depth behind Watt and Smith, maybe even having someone to challenge Smith.

Here is the bad bit though. WR was a big need, as was Placekicker and Right Tackle. The problem is that I had Posey rated as a 6th Round pick and didn't have Martin, Bullock or Mondek getting drafted.