2010 NFL Draft – Team by Team Draft Grades
The 2010 NFL Draft is over, and now it’s time to start second-guessing those selections. Which teams did the best? Which teams fell flat on their face?
This draft was deep and most teams were able to full quite a few needs, but some teams did a much better job than others.
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Arizona Cardinals
– The Cardinals did a good job getting good values in almost all of the rounds. Daryl Washington could be a steal in the second round.
The move of taking a strong-armed quarterback like Skelton in the fifth round was well worth the risk.
Grade: B+
Atlanta Falcons
– No one from this draft strikes me as the type of player that can vastly improve this team in the next few years.
The Falcons got a couple solid players in Sean Witherspoon and Mike Johnson, but I thought overall their draft was below average.
Grade: C-
Baltimore Ravens
– I really like what the Ravens did in this draft. They traded down and were still able to get Kindle and Cody to really shore up the defense.
Don’t overlook the possible benefit of Ed Dickson as a big target for Flacco. The Ravens did a great job.
Grade: A
Buffalo Bills
– I’m a bit surprised the Bills didn’t go for Clausen or McCoy when they had the chance. Spiller should be a star in the NFL and will help the team immediately.
The Bills did seem to jump the gun on some of their later picks.
Grade: C
Carolina Panthers
– I was never a huge Jimmy Clausen guy, but at pick #48 it was a great value! Getting Brandon LaFell was a wise move, as his size and strength are impressive.
The Panthers did a great job of filling needs, despite getting a late start in the draft.
Grade: A-
Chicago Bears
– Speaking of teams who started late, the Bears didn’t get a pick until #75 overall.
Major Wright is a good safety who should help the team quite a bit. Evaluating the Bears is a little tougher than others, but they did fairly well.
Grade: C+
Cincinnati Bengals
– Overall I was pretty impressed with what the Bengals did this year. Gresham is huge for this offense, and getting Shipley in the third round was a wise move as well.
Dunlap is a big risk, but on the whole they got solid values and filled needs.
Grade: B
Cleveland Browns
– I loved the value they got in Colt McCoy, who could very well be a starting quarterback for them within a couple of years.
I think Haden and Ward are solid, but they might have picked them slightly early. The Browns did a solid job of drafting their needs.
Grade: B-
Dallas Cowboys
– The Dez Bryant pick is so hard to analyze, but it was a pretty good value.
Jerry Jones and the Cowboys got some pretty good values in the late rounds, including Owusu-Ansah, who could be a very good pro.
Grade: B
Denver Broncos
– The Tim Tebow pick got all of the publicity, but DeMaryius Thomas should be a great receiver in the NFL. Tebow will need to be productive for them or this draft will be deemed a failure in the future.
I’m not going to blast them as much as most.
Grade: C+
Detroit Lions
– It almost sounds strange to say it, but I think the Lions are going to get much better in the next few years. Suh is probably the best prospect in the draft and Best should help them instantly as well.
Nice values across the board for the Lions.
Grade: A-
Green Bay Packers
– The Packers got the offensive line help they needed in the first round. Later in the draft I think they filled some holes, but not with top flight talent.
It was a ho-hum kind of draft for Packers, but the team is looking solid for this coming season.
Grade: C
Houston Texans
– The Texans are a team that I thought did better as the draft went along.
I really like the picks of Ben Tate and Dorin Dickerson. I think both of those guys will make an impact in Houston.
Grade: B
Indianapolis Colts
– The Colts have proven they are adept at drafting solid talent.
Jerry Hughes was a great get for them late in the first round. I don’t know about their pick of Angerer as early as he went, but their track record is good at finding diamonds in the rough.
Grade: C+
Jacksonville Jaguars
– I just don’t understand what the Jaguars were doing in this draft. The Jags took Alualu well before he should have gone, and then did very little in the later rounds to help the team in the near future.
This team confused me more than any.
Grade: D
Kansas City Chiefs
– While some may question taking a safety at #5 overall, I really think Eric Berry will be a super star. Dexter McCluster has the potential to be special as well, and I think he was definitely worth the risk in the second round. A solid draft for KC.
Grade: B
Miami Dolphins
– The Dolphins are putting a lot of faith in Jared Odrick, but he looks to be a solid guy to build on.
Later in the draft I thought they filled needs fairly well, even if they might not have gotten the best values.
Grade: B-
Minnesota Vikings
– I like Toby Gerhart, but I just don’t know if he fits that well into this system.
The Vikings didn’t get the corner they wanted, and overall I think this draft was a bit lackluster for Minnesota.
Grade: C-
New England Patriots
– The Patriots are another team who have proven themselves as very good at the draft. I think they did well again this year.
Gronkowski could be a star and Brandon Spikes was a very good value pick.
Grade: B+
New Orleans Saints
– The Saints won the Super Bowl last year, and history tells us that champs from the previous year typically don’t make a big splash in the draft.
Robinson is a nice add to the team and the others have some potential.
Grade: C-
New York Giants
– The Giants drafted a potential star in Pierre-Paul and found some nice values later in the draft.
Dillard could help them a lot at the linebacker spot and Joseph will clog up the middle of the line. Nice work by the Giants.
Grade: B+
New York Jets
– Kyle Wilson was a very good get in the first round. The Jets had just four picks, but they made the most of each pick. 
McKnight will be reunited with Sanchez and Ducasse is a potential great lineman. They did everything they could.
Grade: A-
Oakland Raiders
– Since the Raiders have been the laughing stock of the draft the last few years; I think this year would be considered a success.
McClain is someone who can contribute immediately and Bruce Campbell was a great late round value.
Grade: C+
Philadelphia Eagles
– I like the Brandon Graham pick and I think the Eagles found some pretty good values late in the draft in Ricky Sapp, Riley Cooper, and Kurt Coleman.
They quietly had a very solid draft.
Grade: B+
Pittsburgh Steelers
– The Steelers didn’t draft any huge names, but they filled their needs well. Worilds and Gibson could both be great pass rushers for the Steelers in the near future.
Dwyer was another good late round value.
Grade: B
San Diego Chargers
– For the Chargers it is all about whether their big move to get Ryan Matthews will pay off.
I think Matthews is a great runner and will be a big name player in the NFL if he stays healthy. The later rounds were pretty quiet for the Chargers.
Grade: B-
San Francisco 49ers
– I like what San Francisco did by shoring up their offensive line in the first round. Taylor Mays is a nice value pick in the second round, and he’ll be playing with a chip on his shoulder.
Anthony Dixon is a solid backup for Frank Gore as well.
Grade: A-
Seattle Seahawks
– Things fell perfectly for Seattle and they were able to get both Okung and Thomas. Thomas has the potential to be one of the best in the secondary in the NFL.
I love the pick of Golden Tate in the second round as well. They had possibly the best draft of any team.
Grade: A
St. Louis Rams
– It will all depend on how Sam Bradford does. I don’t blame them one bit for taking him. Bradford will have to adjust to a new offense and stay healthy.
Gilyard should be inserted quickly as a kick returner.
Grade: C+
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
– I thinkMcCoy will do brilliantly here and Arrelious Benn is a supremely talented receiver.
Every single round it seems like Tampa Bay got someone they need and got them at the right time.
Grade: A
Tennessee Titans
– As a whole the Titans draft may not have been spectacular, but I do think Derrick Morgan was a very solid pick in the first round.
Damian Williams should step in and return punts right away.
Grade: B
Washington Redskins
– The trade for Donovan McNabb meant that Washington didn’t have many early picks.
Trent Williams has high potential, but there are some risks. Later in the draft, they didn’t seem to get the best values available.
Grade: C
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One reply on “NFL Draft Grades 2010 – NFL Draft Analysis”
There was plenty of movement in the NFL last week with deals galore in and around a very interesting NFL Draft which saw plenty of winners and a few very big losers.
Among the surprises, including Tim Tebow climbing all the way into the first round and heading for Denver, and the flops, which saw Jimmy Clausen drop all the way to the Carolina Panthers and pick 48, the big winners for me were the Seattle Seahawks.
The Seahawks always looked like being one of the bigger players of the draft, which this year was extended to three days for the first time, but it was not just their prowess picking that made their stay in New York so positive.
Seattle owned two picks in the first 14 of the first round, but surprisingly did not decide to move either of them, instead solidifying their offensive line with Russell Okung out of Oklahoma State and then adding a play-making safety in Texas recruit Earl Thomas.
They also secured a steal in the second round with wide receiver Golden Tate, who could be the perfect project for new Seahawks coach Pete Carroll to work with – his speed could make him a great foil for TJ Houshmandzadeh and he could be the first drafted wideout to make an impact this season.
Their later picks were mainly gambles, but Walter Thurmond could be a huge add to their cornerback depth if he can stay fit, but if that wasn’t enough the Seahawks went on to add two big-time rushers in later trades.
They have completely overhauled their backfield by trading low-level NFL picks for the speedy Leon Washington and the load that is LenDale White – that pairing looks so different to the limited levels Julius Jones and Justin Forsett were able to produce last season in a division that should be wide open for the taking.
If Carroll can mould Charlie Whitehurst into a serviceable NFL quarterback, or get one more decent season out of Matt Hasselbeck, and Washington fully recovers from his knee issues that plagued the end of his New York Jets stay, this is an offense that should compete and end up somewhere near the playoffs.