2012 Draft Grades - AFC West - Raiders

Round 3 - OG Tony Bergstrom

Round 4 - OLB Miles Burris

Round 5 - DE Jack Crawford

               - WR Juron Criner

Round 6 - DT Chris Bilukidi

Round 7 - OLB Nathan Stupar 

     Under new management, the Raiders will look to build through the draft in the future. This shift in philosophy differs greatly from the previous regime's which traded away high draft picks often and signed as many big name free agents as possible. As we all know, Al Davis targeted top end speed and athleticism in his players. New GM Reggie McKenzie had his hands tied with inflated contracts for underachieving players and precious few draft picks, especially at the top of the draft. With those draft picks that he did have he decided to focus on selecting players who can add depth this year and become solid starters in the future.
     Tony Bergstrom doesn't show the burst or mobility to start at tackle or guard right away, but his quickness in short spaces makes him a potential starter at guard in a year or two. With excellent size but limitations in pass protection, his hard work and development with his technique could give them a versatile backup for a couple of years and possible starter down the line.

2012 Draft Grades - AFC West - Chiefs

Round 1 - DT Dontari Poe

Round 2 - OG Jeff Allen

Round 3 - OT Donald Stephenson

Round 4 - WR Devon Wylie

Round 5 - CB/S De'quan Menzie

Round 6 - RB Cyrus Gray

Round 7 - DE Jerome Long

               - WR Junior Hemmingway 

     The Chiefs decided to sail forward into the future with Matt Cassel at the helm. To experience success on offense, they need to surround him with talent on the offensive line and skill positions. His lack of mobility, creativity, and arm strength when the play breaks down predicates this influx of talent on the offensive side of the ball.
     However, before concentrating on offense, Kansas City needed to add that missing piece on their defensive line. Running a 3-4 defense, their linemen need to take on blockers and let the linebackers make plays. Already having their two young defensive ends in place, finding a nose tackle man the middle of the that line was of paramount importance. By drafting Dontari Poe, they hold in their hands a moldable piece of clay. An absolute mountain of a man, he possesses power as well as quickness. He will be able to demand a couple of blockers, which will be his main job. Though he has nearly Haloti Ngata-type upside, his rawness was heavily scrutinized before the draft, causing many to label him as a potential bust.

2012 Draft Grades - AFC West - Broncos

Round 2 - DT Derek Wolfe

              - QB Brock Osweiler

Round 3 - RB Ronnie Hillman

Round 4 - CB Omar Bolden

Round 5 - DE Malik Jackson

Round 6 - OLB Danny Trevathan

     Peyton Manning changes everything. Instead of making picks for the future, the Broncos need to win now. That started with adding weapons for him in free agency and then reinforcing a solid defense. Though strong at cornerback and pass rushing entities, their weakness at defensive tackle has been well-publicized. The loss of Broderick Bunkley is only slightly offset by the debut Ty Warren (injured all last season). By drafting Derek Wolfe, they gain a previously absent inside pass rush. However, he lacks the ability to anchor the run and will be used on passing situations the majority of the time. Look for the Broncos to have a deep rotation at the defensive tackle position as well as at defensive end this year.
     Again, a product of the Manning signing, John Elway was in need of a quarterback of the future after trading away Tim Tebow. Who better to develop behind than #18? With similar size and arm strength to Ryan Mallett, Brock Osweiler brings surprising athleticism for a man his size. His mechanics are severely flawed though fixable, and he also has little experience as a starter. If and when Osweiler takes over for Manning in a few years, they should transition to more of a downfield passing attack. This is contingent on his development though.

Direction of NFC West

     The toughest division in the NFL is the AFC North in my opinion. Their teams are built upon a strong run game and dominating defenses. If the NFC West continues down the road it's now on, I believe that it too will be playing that brand of smash-mouth football. Partially due to a lack of talented quarterbacks and plethora of talented workhorse running backs, these teams have almost always leaned on the run game. As it adds more talent the NFC West can experience more success with that old-school style of football.

2012 Draft Grades - NFC West - Rams

Round 1 - DT Michael Brockers

Round 2 - WR Brian Quick

               - CB Janoris Jenkins

               - RB Isaiah Pead

Round 3 - CB Trumaine Johnson

Round 4 - WR Chris Givens

Round 5 - OG Rokevious Watkins

Round 6 - K Greg Zuerlein

Round 7 - OLB Aaron Brown

               - RB  Daryl Richardson

     The Rams came into the draft with needs at nearly every position. These holes in the roster necessitated some wheeling and dealing. Starting by trading away the second overall pick, they were able acquire three first round picks and a second rounder as well. That was just to move down four spots. With the sixth pick they were presumably targeting Justin Blackmon this year's top receiver. However, when the Jaguars traded up to draft Blackmon just ahead of St. Louis, Jeff Fisher and Les Snead pulled the trigger to move down to fourteen overall while picking up a extra second rounder. They finally made their pick at fourteen when they drafted Michael Brockers, the defensive tackle from LSU. Raw, coming out as a redshirt sophomore, his potential to be an absolute monster on that already talented defensive line was all the Rams needed to select him. As stated before, he will need to develop to turn those raw physical tools into production on the field. Already an adept run defender, Brockers can still expand his pass rush moves. Also, more time in the weight room will translate into his improving even more in the run game.
     Another project, Brian Quick hails from a small school. Never facing elite competition dictates a steep learning curve. He provides the quarterback with a big target and a large catch radius, but he doesn't separate from defenders very well. Quick can move his breaks in the route sharply, and he does show buildup speed downfield; however, it will take a few years before we know how good he can be.

2012 Draft Grades - NFC West - Seahawks

Round 1 - DE/OLB Bruce Irvin

Round 2 - ILB Bobby Wagner

Round 3 - QB Russell Wilson

Round 4 - RB Robert Turbin

               DT Jaye Howard

Round 5 - OLB Korey Toomer

Round 6 - CB Jeremy Lane

               - S Winston Guy

Round 7 - DT J.R. Sweezy

               - DT Greg Scruggs 

     Pete Carroll, their head coach, knows how to build a defense out of seemingly nothing. The key might be that he knows what players can fit the roles in his scheme. After all, his team consists of the largest starting 4-3 defensive end Red Bryant, 323 lb., the tallest starting safety Kam Chancellor, 6'3", and the tallest starting corner tandem with Brandon Browner and Richard Sherman, both 6'3". Surprisingly, rarely do his defensive players disappoint, maybe because no one expects much from them. Finally, to top it off, Carroll and the GM John Schneider shocked the NFL by drafting Bruce Irvin the pass-rushing specialist in the middle of the first round in April. Maybe the best pass rusher coming out of college, he will be limited by his smaller frame, dictating that he will be used almost exclusively on passing downs throughout his career. Serious character concerns made his early selection even more eyebrow raising. However, Seattle was ecstatic to add Irvin so that will make the unfolding story of his career even more compelling to follow.
     A little less sensational was their following pick of Bobby Wagner. A solid overall talent, he was fast rising up draft boards because of his excellent Senior Bowl performance and workouts. Playing with heart and consistency, Wagner should enjoy a long career in the NFL. He should probably see significant playing time this year with only injury-prone Barrett Ruud ahead of him.

2012 Draft Grades - NFC West - 49ers

Round 1 - WR A.J. Jenkins

Round 2 - RB LaMichael James

Round 4 - OG Joe Looney

Round 5 - OLB Darius Fleming

Round 6 - S Trent Robinson

               - C Jason Slowey

Round 7 - DE/OLB Cam Johnson 

     Head coach John Harbaugh came in last year and established a smash-mouth offense that will run the ball on everyone. Their first two picks this year coupled with the signings of Randy Moss and Mario Manningham suggest that they could move to more of a spread system in the future.
     A surprise first round pick, A.J. Jenkins isn't expected to make a sizable impact in his rookie year. While he's a smooth athlete who plucks the ball out of the air nicely, he is raw as a route runner after playing in a spread system at Illinois. In addition, a more physical style of play would aid him against press coverage, which he's never faced. However, Jenkins' body control enables him to make difficult sideline catches which is a plus. He could develop into an excellent second receiver for the team in the future.
     Another player from a spread system at Oregon, LaMichael James, brings explosive play making ability to this offense which lacked big plays last year. A tough runner for 5'9" but not a rugged, grinder, James projects as a third down back who can catch balls out of the backfield. He can be utilized on draw plays and sweeps but will have limited success running inside.

2012 Draft Grades - NFC West - Cardinals

Round 1 - WR Michael Floyd

Round 3 - CB Jamell Fleming

Round 4 - OT Bobby Massie

Round 5 - OG Senio Kelemete

Round 6 - S Justin Bethal
               - QB Ryan Lindley

Round 7 - OT Nate Potter

     The Cardinals addressed their needs this year in the draft and were able to find value, especially in the later rounds. Starting with Michael Floyd, the big wide receiver out of Notre Dame, they added another threat across from Larry Fitzgerald. While lacking in elite speed, Floyd gains separation with good route running and a physical style of play. Not a one trick pony, he can make plays all over the field, being an excellent deep threat and a surprisingly good YAC gainer. However, he comes with some baggage off the field with three alcohol-related offenses from his collegiate career.
     Next, they continued to make the cornerback position a strength by drafting Jamell Fleming from Oklahoma. Though not overly physical or quick, his cover skills can eventually propel him to a starting job across from Patrick Peterson. Again, not a fast guy but one whose experience and technique compensate for the lack of an elite skill set.
     An absolute steal in the fourth round, Bobby Massie was projected by some to go as early as the late first. Although strictly a right tackle prospect, Massie brings nice size and athleticism to the table and could be ready to compete this year.