2010 NFL Draft Analysis and Grades: NFC EAST

With the 2010 NFL Draft completed last week, we now analyze and grade the NFC East teams and their picks. Teams are graded on the quality of the picks for their draft position and whether they met their most pressing needs. Greater weight is given to quality picks made earlier in the draft. Thus Day 1 picks are most heavily weighted, followed by Day 2 picks, and then Day 3 picks.

DALLAS COWBOYS

Day 1 Pick: 1 - Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma State (6-2, 225).
Day 1 Grade: A

The trade to move up four spots and grab Oklahoma State wide receiver Dez Bryant was one of the top moves in the 2010 NFL Draft. The Cowboys got tremendous value by obtaining easily the best wide receiver in the Draft at #24. When he played, Bryant was the most explosive and productive receiver in college football and was also a serious threat as a punt returner. They have already given him the number 88 believing he can live up to previous Cowboy wide receiver legends Drew Pearson and Michael Irvin who wore the same number.

Day 2 Pick: 2 - Sean Lee, LB, Penn State (6-2, 236).
Day 2 Grade: B

Dallas got good value with Penn State LB Sean Lee in the second round. Although a bit undersized, he is probably a good fit in their 3-4 system and was very productive in college. However, trading up for Lee was a little confusing. If the Cowboys were going to trade up in the second round, there were better players out there to shoot for (Taylor Mays at safety or an OT would have been a nice). The Cowboys did not have a third round pick.

Day 3 Picks: 4 - Akwasi Owusu-Ansah, CB, Indiana-PA (6-1, 207); 6 - Sam Young, T, Notre Dame (6-8, 316); 6 - Jamar Wall, CB, Texas Tech (5-10, 204); 7 - Sean Lissemore, DT, William & Mary (6-3, 297).
Day 3 Grade: C

The Cowboys waited until the sixth round before taking an offensive tackle, Notre Dame’s Sam Young (6-8, 316). While Young’s size is impressive and he is worth the gamble that late in the draft, the Cowboys will be in trouble if the “Doug Free experiment” does not work at left tackle as Young is not ready right now. Both cornerbacks drafted, Akwasi Owusu-Ansah and Jamar Wall, appear to have solid upsides and might be considered worth the gamble if Dallas had not had more pressing needs at safety and offensive tackle.

Overall Grade: B+


WASHINGTON REDSKINS

Day 1 Pick: 1 - Trent Williams, T, Oklahoma (6-5, 315).
Day 1 Grade: B-

The Redskins met their primary need by picking Williams with the #4 pick in the draft. Williams is sure to be a successful NFL tackle for some time. That’s the good news. But considering that they had the option of picking the best OT available to protect Donovan McNabb’s blindside, Russel Okung should have been the choice here as he is clearly more NFL-ready. If the Redskins were going to take the best player available, Eric Berry should have been the man.

Day 2 Pick: None (Traded 2nd Round pick and future 3rd or 4th round pick to Eagles for Donovan McNabb).
Day 2 Grade: A

Although the Redskins did not actually make a pick on Day 2, by trading their second round choice for Donovan McNabb, they got the established leader at quarterback that they have been lacking for years. McNabb instantly turns the Redskins into players in this tough division and has plenty of years left in his career. The trade for McNabb also prevented the Redskins from wasting one of their picks on a QB (especially since they apparently considered taking Jimmy Clausen with the #4 pick at one time).

Day 3 Picks: 4 - Perry Riley, OLB, LSU (6-1, 239); 6 - Dennis Morris, TE, Louisiana Tech (6-2, 265); 7 - Terrence Austin, WR, UCLA (5-9, 165); 7 - Erik Cook, C, New Mexico (6-6, 318); 7 - Selvish Capers, T, West Virginia (6-5, 308). Trade – QB Jason Campbell to Raiders for a future 4th Round pick.
Day 3 Grade: D+

It is questionable if any of the picks made by the Redskins on Day 3 will have significant impact or even make the team. On a good note, WR Terrence Austin could be a steal in the seventh round and may contribute on special teams. The Redskins also at least wisely used two of their seventh round picks on offensive lineman with the hope they might get lucky and receive some needed help. On the downside, they should have gotten more than a future fourth round pick for QB Jason Campbell, who improved every year and also threw for over 3,600 yards while completing 64.5% of his passes last season.

Overall Grade: C+


PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

Day 1 Pick: 1 - Brandon Graham, DE/OLB, Michigan (6-1, 268).
Day 1 Grade: C

The Eagles traded up from #24 to #13 to get Michigan DE/OLB Brandon Graham (6-1-268). While talented and athletic, Graham does not appear to be a natural fit in Philly’s 4-3 scheme as he appears undersized to play on the D-Line. At #13, the Eagles had a number of options that would have fit in better and addressed their needs, including Texas S Earl Thomas. Further, they gave up two third round picks (#70 and #87) as part of the trade.

Day 2 Picks: 2 - Nate Allen, S, South Florida (6-1, 205); 3 - Daniel Te'o-Nesheim, DE, Washington (6-3, 263).
Day 2 Grade: C

The Eagles addressed their need at safety with South Florida’s Nate Allen (6-1, 205). Allen is an effective cover man but some doubt his consistency as a tackler. In selecting Washington DE Daniel Te’o-Nesheim (6-3, 263) in the third round, the Eagles must have seen something that few others saw. Not only is he reach in Round 3, but he is another undersized lineman in the 4-3.

Day 3 Picks: 4 - Trevard Lindley, CB, Kentucky (5-11, 178). 4 - Keenan Clayton, OLB, Oklahoma (6-1, 229); 4 - Mike Kafka, QB, Northwestern (6-3, 225); 4 - Clay Harbor, TE, Missouri State (6-3, 252); 5 - Ricky Sapp, OLB/DE, Clemson (6-4, 252); 5 - Riley Cooper, WR, Florida (6-3, 222); 6 - Charles Scott, RB, LSU (5-11, 238); 7 - Jamar Chaney, LB, Mississippi State (6-6, 242); 7 - Jeff Owens, DT, Georgia (6-1, 304); 7 - Kurt Coleman, S, Ohio State (5-10, 187)
Day 3 Grade: B-

Linebackers Ricky Sapp and Jamar Chaney were steals in the fifth and seventh rounds, but also may not clearly fit in the Eagles’ system. Also, they were two of five total DE/LB taken in the NFL Draft by the Eagles. Trevard Lindley might provide necessary help at corner. Charles Scott could make the team and produce at running back if the broken collarbone injury he suffered in college is not indicative of a tendency to get injured.

Overall Grade: C


NEW YORK GIANTS

Day 1 Pick: 1 - Jason Pierre-Paul, DE, South Florida (6-5, 270).
Day 1 Grade: B+

While some feel Pierre-Paul was a gamble, he is an appropriate gamble in the first round because of his athleticism and upside. He fits nicely with the Giants defensive tradition of aggressively rushing the passer.

Day 2 Picks: 2 - Linval Joseph, DT, East Carolina (6-4, 328); 3 - Chad Jones, S, LSU (6-2, 221).
Day 2 Grade: C

The Giants chose to maintain the focus on defense on Day 2 and that would have been forgivable if they had picked the right guys. Instead they reached for Joseph, who is probably better suited to play in a 3-4 defense, and Jones, who may not be adequate in coverage at the NFL level.

Day 3 Picks: 4 - Phillip Dillard, LB, Nebraska (6-0, 242); 5 - Mitch Petrus, G, Arkansas (6-3, 310); 6 - Adrian Tracy, OLB, William & Mary (6-3, 247); 7 - Matt Dodge, P, East Carolina (6-1, 223).
Day 3 Grade: C-

The Giants failed to significantly address the offensive side of the ball. Petrus may have a chance to help on the O-Line, but the rest of the draftees are more defensive players who really are hit-or-miss. Also, a team should never waste time drafting a punter unless they are convinced he is really special.

Overall Grade: C

By Manish Pandya
Staff Editor for TheDailySportsHerald.com