Somebody Take Away my Copy of Call of Duty 4...

Before I suffer from general laziness and overexposure to loyal reader Glenn Bedell.

Anyway, We've gotten through two divisions of Draft reviews so far as we head out west. Jason has already begun writing up the Broncos, and I'll begin with the Rams later tonight.

Here's the two Eastern Divisions:

AFC:

New York Jets

New England Patriots

Miami Dolphins

Buffalo Bills

NFC:

Super Bowl Champion New York Giants

Dallas Cowboys

Washington Redskins

Philadelphia Eagles

AFC East Draft Grades!

The first division is done! Starting with the AFC West tomorrow. In case you missed any of them here's the recap of the AFC East draft grades.

AFC East

Buffalo Bills: B-

New York Jets: C+

Miami Dolphins: B+

New England Patriots: C-

Draft Review AFC East - New England Patriots

Saving the best for last it's time to finish up the AFC East and review the New England Patriots draft.

For years it's seemed the Patriots have needed to overhaul their LB corp and secondary yet they refuse to draft those positions early.

Would they continue that trend this year?

Round 1, Pick 10 (10) (From Saints) Jerod Mayo OLB 6'1" 242 Tennessee

And the Patriots have finally injected some youth at LB! I really like this fit. Mayo is a versatile player (ILB/OLB) with great size and intangibles. He fits like a glove in the 3-4 and will make an immediate impact on defense. Plus the Pat's moved down three spots and picked up a 3rd round pick to boot. A

Round 2, Pick 31 (62) Terrence Wheatley CB 5'9" 178 Colorado

This draft was very thin on corners and really after Talib I don't know how many of these corners have starting potential. Wheatley is a solid player who plays big than his size and is physical. He has a good work ethic and is a Patriots type guy. However, he's small and that will hold him back at the next level. Jason Webster and Ellis Hobbs also are both 5'9". I don't know how the Patriots intend to guard big WR's this year. I think there were a lot more intriguing corners available at this spot (Smith, Molden, Godfrey) who they could afford to roll the dice with. D

Round 3, Pick 15 (78) (From Saints) Shawn Crable OLB 6'5" 241 Michigan

Another player who fits great. Crable is a big, smart experienced LB from a big college program. Much like Mayo he can play inside or outside. He is another guy who will make an immediate impact on the Pats D and become a standout on special teams. B+

Round 3, Pick 31 (94) Kevin O'Connell QB 6'5" 225 San Diego State

From the people who brought you Tom Brady bring you Kevin O'Connell! I mean he has the experience (4 year starter plus red shirt year) and the size. He has decent speed and can make some things happen with his feet. However he's a project and a big one at that. I understand the need for a long term back up behind Brady but, when you see how late some like Woodson lasted you can only assume this pick was a big big reach. I also would have preferred Woodson to O'Connell as the toolsy project QB. D

Round 4, Pick 30 (129) Jonathan Wilhite CB 5'10" 185 Auburn

I like Wilhite. Three year starter in the SEC and is a little underrated. I don't know if he ever projects a starter but as a nickel or dime guy he could find a role. B

Round 5, Pick 18 (153) (From Buccaneers) Matt Slater WR 5'11" 195 UCLA

I mean this is a pick just for special teams (maybe gimmick plays) but there were WR's left who could have been taken for special teams purposes and fill a role catching passes. This pick is a giant reach. F


Round 6, Pick 31 (197) Bo Ruud OLB 6'4" 234 Nebraska

The younger brother of current Bucs middle linebacker Barrett Ruud. Might be able to make the team as a special teams standout but really he was more of an undrafted free agent type than a 6th rounder. C-

This was a weird draft for the Patriots. It's hard to make an overall draft grade for them for a few reasons. One, they hit on a lot of players who will make an immediate impact. Two, they also acquired a second round pick next year for a third rounder this year which was a shrewd move and has to boost their grade slightly. Three, Kevin O'Connell is a total wild card. Fourth, their the Patriots...there going to be good and it seems no matter who they throw out their in the secondary they will succeeded.

Finally the reason this is a weird draft is spy gate. Not going to beat a dead horse but the Pat's lost a first round pick (and likely a very talented player) because they cheated. I think you have to knock their grade down because of this.

C-

Draft Grades: AFC East - Buffalo Bills

So I've taking some time to digest this draft and you know what...it really wasn't that great of a draft class. There was some value to be had in Rounds 2-5 but other than that I'm completely underwhelmed. As a whole I think every teams draft grade is going to be lower than in years past. If there was ever a year to trade down or trade for future picks this was it.

Before we dig into the grades there has been a lot of discussion about the new format of the draft. My take, I didn't like it. The later started time allowed time for WAYYYYYYYY to many leaks. We shouldn't know the top 4 picks hours before the draft. Where's the excitement if your a Jet fan seeing if McFadden will fall? I don't know how I feel about the shorter time between picks. I think we saw more trades because of the limited time, there was less time for B.S.. I think though with the 10 minutes it almost went too fast at times. Picks happened so quickly at points you couldn't really digest everything. I think the Draft still needs some tweaking I just don't know how.

And now on to the Buffalo Bills Draft Grade.

Everyone and their mother expected the Bills to go WR early. Well what we didn't expect was that NO NFL TEAM had a first round grade on any of the WR's in the draft.

With their first pick (11) the Bills selected CB Leodis McKelvin. He has great speed, size, cover skills and he's also a dangerous return man. With this pick the Bills addressed a big need and got an exceptional value. A-

With their second round pick (41) the Bills addressed their need for a big WR by drafting James Hardy. While Hardy at this spot was a good value and hit their need for a big possession guy to play alongside speedster Lee Evans he comes with many red flags. He was inconsistent in college and doesn't always adjust his body well to the ball. He seems to rely more on his size/athleticism to bring down balls than proper technique. Besides the on field questions, he has a decorated rap sheet of off the field issues. Indiana suspended him for two games for an off-the-field incident in 2006 and character is somewhat of a concern. With Sweed still on the board I have to question their decision to guy with the guy who's a much bigger gamble. B-


3 9(72) Chris Ellis DE VIRGINIA TECH

An undersized pass rushing end. Might have to be relegated to a situational role. He also has character issues. Suspended in 2006 after he was arrested and charged with resisting arrest and obstructing justice. So this is questionable character guy number two. The one thing I like about Ellis is than unlike a lot of other college players he was productive in school. C+

4 15(114) Reggie Corner CB AKRON

Buffalo did need depth at Corner but this pick was a reach. Though Corner has an awesome name he doesn't have top notch measurables. He's small and has trouble with bigger WR's. He projects at best as nickel guy. He might not have the physical stature to make it in the league. I would have rather rolled the dice with a guy who might be able to make an impact but is more boom or a bust than a guy with such a low ceiling. D

4 33(132) Derek Fine TE KANSAS

Small for a tight end. Could carve out a Ben Utech type role but for a run first team a receiving tight end doesn't make sense. Scott Wright had him as the 19th best tight end in the draft. F

5 12(147) Alvin Bowen OLB IOWA STATE

Undersized. However this is the right defense (Cover Two) to give him a chance to succeed. Might not be able to be an every down player and has to contribute on special teams to make the roster. C-

6 13(179) Xavier Omon RB NW MISSOURI ST

Speed is an issue. The team already had several running backs in the fold. Didn't like this pick. If they moved him to fullback I would feel better about this pick. C

7 12(219) Demetrius Bell OT NORTHWESTERN ST

Small school developmental guy who has the tools to start. Can't ask for much else in the 7th round. B+

7 17(224) Steve Johnson WR KENTUCKY

Has a Wes Welker in him. Pretty good value in the 7th round. B+

7 44(251) Kennard Cox CB PITTSBURGH

Needs to produce on special teams to make the roster. C

OVERALL GRADE: B-

I liked McKelvin and Hardy and they both addressed needs. The middle of the draft (Ellis, Corner, Fine) was suspect but they were able to grab some intriguing guys in the 6/7th round.

An overall grade isn't based on an average. Remember the picks have to be weighted accrodingly to round and so on.

Football Preview. AFC East!!

I am a huge NFL fan. Much bigger than baseball, football is my game. With the Madden Clock winding down and training camps opening league wide it’s time to start talking football, real football…things that matter not 800 hours of Mike Vick Dog Fight coverage. (I’m looking at you ESPN)

For the rest of the week I am going to go division by division with my own analysis of every team, including key players, key addition/subtractions, and players to watch. Now players to watch is going to be someone you’ve probably never heard of who is going to impact your favorite team. I’m not going with the obvious here; Joey Porter is obviously going to shore up Miami’s defense, think more along the Marques Colston lines.

Let’s kick it off with the hometown Jets and the AFC East.

Jets

After having a season no one expected I think it will be hard for this season to not be a let down. If the Jets go 9-7 and miss the playoffs I think its still a successful season. Remember this is a team that is still supposed to be in rebuilding year number two. With that being said I have full trust in the Mangenious. Few coaches in this league really make their team that much better than the talent on the filed and Mangini is one of those coaches.

Key Addition: Thomas Jones

Jones is slightly overrated. Remember this is the same guy who couldn’t run his way out of a paper bag in Arizona. Certainly Jets fans hope he can replicate the success he had with the Bears the past three years. For those of us in fantasy leagues don’t expect Jones to have the same type of statistical year he did last year. The Jets are in a much harder division than the Bears, playing the Pats and Dolphins twice a year isn’t good for your stats. Also I think the Jets are still going to use Leon Washington a lot, much like how the Saints use Reggie Bush.

Key Subtraction: Pete Kendall?

The Jets haven’t really lost anyone of note. However, losing Pete Kendall would be a big blow to this team. The Jet’s already have a very young offensive line. Kendall is really the only veteran of the unit. Also with the line having such a good season last year why would you want to break up the continuity? Hopefully for Jet’s fans Kendall isn’t a hold out and reports to camp.

Player to Watch: Brad Smith/David Harris.

I’ve already wrote a lot about Harris so if you’d like to hear me gush about him read this. Smith on the other hand is an intriguing player. He only had 9 catches and 18 rushes last year but he seemed to always make impact plays. He’s never going to be a constant threat as a wide out but he is likely to carve out a niche making trick plays. I think at least once a game this season Brad Smith is going to make an impact play. With Him, Leon Washington and Jones on the field at the same time the Jet’s are going to be able to cause a lot of mismatches.

Honorable mention goes to all the former first round draft picks the Jets signed, like Andrew Wadsworth and Michael Haynes. I like these signings a lot, there is a lot of upside and no real risk.

Miami Dolphins

Tumultuous off-season for the Phins, we had the Nick Saban disaster, the Trent Green debacle and the Ted Ginn atrocity. However I think this team is going to be better than people think. The defense while a year older is certainly still one of the tops in the league, especially when you factor in the addition of Porter. While not anywhere near their primes Porter, Thomas and Taylor still need to be accounted for at all times on the field. Dom Capers is also a very underrated coordinator.

On offense if Green can be a game manager I expect this team to surprise people. Brown is developing into a stud running back; rookie Lorenzo Booker should be a great change of pace back. Chambers seems ready to break out every year and at best Ginn becomes Devin Hester. We also have to factor in the addition of Cam Cameron. He worked wonders with the Chargers offense. While he might have made a bad first impression on Dolphins fans with his Ted Ginn pick I think he will quickly redeem himself with his play calling.

Key Addition: Trent Green

The Phins QB situation was a mess last year. Green might be done, however if he can be a game manager type QB he should keep the Dolphins in every game.

Key Loss: Daunte Culpepper.

I think it was really important for the Phins to ditch him. He was a distraction. Now this team knows Trent Green is the QB of now and Beck is the QB of the future.

Player to Watch: Samson Satele

Who? Samson is the center the Phins drafted in the second round. He’s going to emerge as a steal and help anchor their offensive line. He’s undersized but quick. Watch for him to land the job out of training camp.

Honorable mention goes to Booker, Martin and Chambers.

Booker might end up stealing more carries from Brown than people think. Martin is now the starting tight end after they released McMichael. Martin is a fast athletic tight end. I actually have expected him to break out forever in Green Bay. Using Antonio Gates as a reference it’d be interesting to see if Cameron can catch lighting in a bottle twice. I also have to put Chambers on this list. He has all the tools to become an elite Wide Receiver. Maybe Cameron will help him realize his full potential.

Bills

The Bills are a tough team to figure out. I don’t know if going from Willis to Lynch is an upgrade or downgrade. Willis never really broke out in Buffalo. He only averaged 3.8-4.0 a carry in his three years with the Bills. Certainly Lynch has the game changing speed that Willis didn’t. If Lynch, Lossman and Evans all develop the Bills should be set on offense. The defense looks like a mess. They lost Spikes, Fletcher and Clements. The D-Line doesn’t have any real play makers and the linebackers and secondary are very young. It’s hard to imagine this team any better than 7-9.

Key Addition: Lynch.

Willis really was over hyped. He’s gotten by on name value so far in his NFL career (you can thank super agent Drew Rosenhaus for that.) However was he really ever that good? His yards per carry really wouldn’t indicate so. Lynch should really spice up Buffalos offense with his game changing speed. Also the Bills upgraded their O-Line this off-season. While they overpaid for Walker and Dockery there still both solid road grader type players who should help Lynch become a stud.

Key Loss: Clements, Fletcher, Spikes

Awful, I mean talk about ripping the heart out of your defense. I like Paul Puz a lot but too much is going to be asked and expected of him as a rookie. I really think this defense is going to be really bad.

Player to Watch: Jason Peters

Quietly Peters has emerged into one of the standout left tackles in all of football. Look for him in the Pro-Bowl this year. It’s a shame no one outside of Buffalo knows about this guy

Honorable mention goes to Dwayne White. Much like Lorenzo booker he’s a change of pace type back. Dick Juaron has said how he’d prefer to rotate running backs. While this would drive every fantasy owner nuts it would make sense for the Bills offense. Look for White to leapfrog over Anthony Thomas and become the Bills backup running back.

Patriots

Clearly the best coached/managed team in all of sports. Tom Brady put up pro bowl numbers with smoke and mirrors last season. Now add Moss, Welker and Stallworth to those smoke and mirrors on offense and Adalius Thomas on defense, truly scary for any team in the AFC. Barring horrible injury I see no way this team doesn’t end up in the AFC Championship game.

Key Addition

Moss/Stallworth/Welker/Thomas

I can’t just pick one. Adalius Thomas in the Patriots scheme is going to wreck havoc all season. He didn’t get that much hype in Baltimore because of Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs. In New England he’s going to be the anchor of the line backing core.

On offense all three wide outs are going to help Brady equally. Welker is going to play the slot and do Troy Brown type things. The Pat’s haven’t had a wide out like that in forever. Moss and Stallworth are both talented yet troubled wide receivers. However with both of them on the field you can just loft the ball downfield and expect them to make a play. I don’t know how you defend against this team.

Key Loss: No one?

The key loss for this team might have been Marty Schottenhiemer from San Diego.

Who else is excited for Nurv Turner to run the Chargers into the ground?!?

(Let me express my hatred for Norv Turner. As a Niner fan I really resent the bullshit he spewed this off-season. He flirted with the Cowboys and we understood I mean he has ties to Jerry Jones, conceivably that’s the only team that would be willing to give such an unsuccessful head coach another shot right? Well after he didn’t take that job he signed an extension with the Niners. He expressed how much he loved the Bay Area and didn’t want to leave. Of course when the next team comes calling he packs his bags and leaves. Good for him, he could have increased his legacy by rejuvenating the Niners into playoff contention. Now he’s going to ruin his legacy by running a super bowl favorite into the ground. Good for you Norv.)

Player to Watch:

Welker/Warren

Though the Pats added big name home run threats in Moss and Stallworth, Welker might end up the Pats most consistent target. Moss and Stallworth don’t go over the middle, they don’t return kicks, and Welker does all those little things. He’s like a faster Wayne Cherbet.

Ty Warren on the other hand is a stud and no one realizes it. He plays on a D-Line with Wilfork and Seymour so it’s easy to see how he gets lost in the shuffle, especially as a 3-4 lineman. He’s not asked or expected to get sacks. However watch games. He’s constantly taking on blockers and making plays. He’s just as important to that defense as Seymour is.

That’s all for now, back soon with The NFC East and some giant bashing!