Gone fishin'

I'll be very busy for the next month. My posts will probably be few and far between, unfortunately. Also, I'm most likely through with the draft grades. I simply won't have the time to finish the series. However, if you have any questions, I would be happy to offer my opinion on any football subject.

Thanks for reading,
G-Money

2012 Draft Grades - NFC North - Bears

Round 1 - DE Shea McClellin

Round 2 - WR Alshon Jeffery

Round 3 - S Brandon Hardin

Round 4 - TE/FB Evan Rodriguez

Round 6 - CB Isaiah Frey

Round 7 - CB Greg McCoy

      With the exception of the offensive line, the Bears play fairly well in all other position groups. However, they came into the offseason needing an upgrade at defensive end across from Julius Peppers, a big-bodied possession receiver, and offensive line help. Their trade for Brandon Marshall seemingly alleviated their receiver issues. Although he can prove to be a distraction, his amazing production on the field is undeniable. Once again, the Cutler-to-Marshall connection is on. The other major signing on offense - Michael Bush - should greatly improve their redzone efficiency and spell Forte during games. Upgrading the offensive weapons for Cutler should pay dividends and return them to the playoffs.
     Versatile enough to rush from anywhere, Shea McClellin possesses the size, athleticism, and motor to start at the next level. The speed and explosive first step he exhibits aid him in consistently pressuring the quarterback. When he is initially blocked, his solid repertoire of pass moves and violent hands aid him in shedding the block and getting after the passer.  However, his lack of size and great awareness cause him to struggle a bit against the run. McClellin will begin his career as a part-time pass rusher, but he can eventually become the full-time starter across from Peppers.

2012 Draft Grades - AFC East - Jets

Round 1 - DE Quinton Coples

Round 2 - WR Stephen Hill

Round 3 - ILB Demario Davis

Round 6 - S Josh Bush
               - RB Terrance Ganaway
               - OG/OT Robert T. Griffin

Round 7 - S Antonio Allen
               - WR Jordan White

      Abysmal play on both offense and defense last season left the Jets with serious questions coming into the offseason. Tannenbaum, the general manager, values talent over character, which resulted in a fractured locker room and an 8-8 record. This offseason they swung a trade for Tim Tebow to contribute in the redzone and in the Wildcat package. (I think he'll be starting by midseason, but that's another story.) Also, hoping to improve safety play, New York signed LaRon Landry though he is still recovering from an injury. However, the highlight of the offseason is the announcement of their implementing the 46 defense extensively as their base front.
     To run the 46 defense, the team needs to be powerful and talented up front. With an already talented group of linemen, Quinton Coples adds the pass rushing ability that was slightly lacking. A long, linear athlete, he certainly looks the part. Although an ideal fit as a five technique, his combination of many pass rushing moves and natural strength permit him to play all over the line. His good but not great speed is offset by his violent use of his hands and excellent burst. When playing the run, he easily holds his ground and makes tackles. The biggest question concerning Coples' play - an inconsistent motor - caused him to slip to New York when he should have been taken in the top ten.

2012 Draft Grades - AFC East - Patriots

Round 1 - DE Chandler Jones
               - ILB Dont'a Hightower

Round 2 - S Tavon Wilson

Round 3 - DE Jake Bequette

Round 6 - S Nate Ebner

Round 7 - CB Alfonzo Dennard
               - WR Jeremy Ebert

      There is no denying that the Patriots know how to manipulate the draft. While their picks might not always pan out, they usually own an abundance of draft picks - because Belichick trades away many for draft picks in future years. This year New England switched gears to trade up for a couple of defensive prospects in the first round. As their defense played terribly last year, Belichick moved to add the pieces necessary to improve it.
     Pass rushing and pass coverage have a symbiotic relationship. If the team can really get after the quarterback consistently, the corners will appear better than they might actually be because the passer lacks the time to make good throws. However, if the corners can shutdown the receivers, the defenders have more time to reach the quarterback. Because the Pats have invested in several young defensive backs the last several years, they felt that adding a pass rusher would aid their young coverage players. Though if they wanted an immediate impact player, they drafted the wrong player. Chandler Jones is still developing and honing his skills. Nevertheless, his immense upside made him worth the wait. For though he doesn't possess great speed on the edge, his tremendous power and arm length overwhelm blockers. Long arms prevent offensive tackles from placing their hands on him, which the tackle needs to do in order to slow him down. The clincher for New England - his versatility - made him one of their targeted players. If Jones can avoid the injury bug, he could develop into one of the better pass rushers in the league.

2012 Draft Grades - AFC East - Dolphins

Round 1 - QB Ryan Tannehill

Round 2 - OT Jonathan Martin

Round 3 - DE Olivier Vernon
               - TE Michael Egnew

Round 4 - RB Lamar Miller

Round 5 - OLB Josh Kaddu

Round 6 - WR B.J. Cunningham

Round 7 - DT Kheeston Randall
               - WR Rishad Matthews

      Chad Henne's injury marked the end of his tenure as the Dolphins' starting quarterback. Though Matt Moore played well in the second half of the season, he wasn't seen as the future at the position. After losing out on the Peyton Manning and Matt Flynn sweepstakes, they needed to acquire their quarterback of the future in the draft. On defense, Miami is switching to a 4-3, which is surprising considering the success that unit had last year.
     Despite being fairly inexperienced at quarterback (he played receiver for two years!), Ryan Tannehill showed enough flashes, causing his draft stock to rise drastically. His skill set includes all the necessary tools for success - good arm strength and velocity, excellent mobility, and instinctive pocket awareness. Playing in a pro-style offense in college will aid him in the transition, but having his former head coach as his offensive coordinator will really give him an advantage. With a coach who knows all his strengths and weaknesses, Tannehill will be placed in the best position to succeed. He will most likely be starting by next year.

2012 Draft Grades - AFC East - Bills

Round 1 - CB Stephon Gilmore

Round 2 - OT Cordy Glenn

Round 3 - WR T.J. Graham

Round 4 - OLB Nigel Bradham
               - CB Ron Brooks

Round 5 - OT Zebrie Sanders
               - OLB Tank Carder

Round 6 - OG Mark Asper

Round 7 - K John Potter

      The Bills really revamped their team this offseason. Headlined by $100 million free agent defensive end Mario Williams, they switched their defense from a 3-4 to a 4-3. Also adding Mark Anderson, a breakout player for the Patriots last year, completes their pass rushing duo. This solidifies their defensive line as they make the transition. With an already talented secondary, the drafting of Stephon Gilmore cranks it up a notch. Finally, last year's offensive line played miserably down the stretch. Introducing Cordy Glenn, an absolute mountain of a man, to the lineup should drastically improve the overall play.
     Buffalo needed an offensive tackle more than a cornerback, but they felt that none of the available players at that position were talented to warrant a top ten pick. Instead they selected an ultra-talented corner in Stephon Gilmore. A long, lean corner with great speed and fluidity, he can develop into a shutdown cover man. His physicality leads his out-muscling receivers for jump balls, but he will also come up to hit the running back. If he can improve his technique, Gilmore should be making Pro Bowls in a few years.

Backup QBs to Watch

Ryan Mallett should learn a lot playing behind Brady.

  

     Today's NFL is centered around the quarterback position. Winning a Super Bowl requires excellent quarterback play. Because franchise quarterbacks are mostly drafted at the top of the draft, smart teams will take talented but unpolished passers later in the draft to groom and develop. While most of these players don't pay dividends, some, like Tom Brady, become stars.

     I won't discuss the quarterbacks who were picked high and are clearly going to start for their team in the future. Most fans know quite a bit about those players, but the purpose of this article is to bring attention to under-the-radar guys who still possess the ability to start down the line or at least develop into a solid backup.