2010 NFL Draft Analysis and Grades: NFC NORTH

With the 2010 NFL Draft completed last week, we now analyze and grade the NFC North 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.

DETROIT LIONS

Day 1 Picks: 1 – Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska (6-4, 307); 1 – Jahvid Best, RB, California (5-10, 199).
Day 1 Grade: A

The Lions hit an absolute home run in the first round of the NFL Draft by acquiring great players who addressed immediate needs. They picked arguably the best player in the draft in Suh, wisely choosing him above Gerald McCoy. Suh is a dominant defensive tackle who should step in and immediately be a force on their D-Line.

Detroit then traded their second round pick to get perhaps the best running back in the draft, Jahvid Best, in the first round. If they had simply waited around hoping Best would fall to them with the second pick in Round 2, the Lions would have been at the mercy of whichever team was willing to deal with St. Louis before Day 2. Instead, they were able to obtain two dynamic players on each side of the ball.

Day 2 Pick: 3 – Amari Spievy, CB, Iowa (5-11, 195).
Day 2 Grade: B

Spievy is a tough, physical corner who should help the struggling Detroit secondary.

Day 3 Pick: 4 – Jason Fox, T, Miami- Florida (6-7, 303); 7 – Willie Young, DE, North Carolina State (6-5, 251); 7 – Tim Toone, WR, Weber State (5-10, 171).
Day 3 Grade: B-

The Lions passed on several more talented players on Day 3 that could have helped them in the areas of need - which is nearly everywhere. The pick of Jason Fox to help on the O-Line is an intriguing one as he may be able to surprise some people.

Overall Grade: A-


MINNESOTA VIKINGS

Day 1 Pick: None (Traded 1st round pick to Lions and moved down four spots in exchange for swap of 4th round picks.)
Day 1 Grade: B

The Vikings made a good move in trading down in the second round considering they did not have any specific player in mind to take at #30.

Day 2 Picks: 2 - Chris Cook, CB, Virginia (6-2, 212); 2 - Toby Gerhart, RB, Stanford (6-0, 231).
Day 2 Grade: B+

Cook has good size and will help the decimated Vikings secondary. However, the belief here is that he was a bit of a reach in the second round. On the other hand, Gerhart was a vastly underrated player who may provide the power back complement to Adrian Peterson. The Heisman runner-up will have plenty of opportunity to show his skills on an already high-octane offense.

Day 3 Picks: 4 - Everson Griffen, DE, USC (6-3, 273); 5 - Chris DeGeare, G, Wake Forest (6-4, 325); 5 - Nate Triplett, LB, Minnesota (6-3, 250); 6 - Joe Webb, WR, UAB (6-3, 223); 7 - Mickey Shuler, TE, Penn State (6-4, 245); 7 - Ryan D'Imperio, LB, Rutgers (6-1, 244)
Day 3 Grade: B+

Griffen is a steal in the fourth round. He was projected by many to be a first round pick and concerns regarding a player’s “work ethic” are typically over-exaggerated by NFL scouts. DeGeare could be a fill-in and provide some work as a tackle or guard, but the Vikings should have used an earlier pick to help protect Bret Favre.

Overall Grade: B+


GREEN BAY PACKERS

Day 1 Picks: 1 - Bryan Bulaga, T, Iowa (6-5, 314).
Day 1 Grade: B

The Packers addressed a vital need on the offensive line with one of the highly-regarded lineman in the draft. However, they could have stretched to pick a better overall talent to help on defense.

Day 2 Picks: 2 - Mike Neal, DL, Purdue (6-3, 294); 3 - Morgan Burnett, S, Georgia Tech (6-1, 209).
Day 2 Grade: B-

The pick of Neal was a stretch in the second round as there were other quality defensive linemen still around when the Packers made their selection. However, Burnett was a great pick in the third round as he has the size and athleticism to succeed in the Green Bay secondary which was torched in playoffs.

Day 3 Picks: 5 - Andrew Quarless, TE, Penn State (6-4, 254); 5 - Marshall Newhouse, G, TCU (6-4, 319); 6 - James Starks, RB, Buffalo (6-2, 218); 7 - C.J. Wilson, DE, East Carolina (6-3, 290).
Day 3 Grade: B-

The Packers went all over the board on Day 3 to fill various needs. Quarless is a big tight-end but his off-field issues and sloppy combine performance would suggest that he didn't deserved to be drafted ahead of the numerous other tight ends that were available. Although Starks is coming off an injury, he is a versatile running back who might be a find in the sixth round.

Overall: B


CHICAGO BEARS

Day 1 Pick: None
Day 1 Grade: C

Nothing done means they got no better and no worse. This grading system does not dole out extra punishment for not having a pick.

Day 2 Pick: 3 - Major Wright, S, Florida (5-11, 206).
Day 2 Grade: B-

Wright comes from a winning program and has enough experience and athleticism to contribute on the next level. However, there were better safeties available in Round 3.

Day 3 Picks: 4 - Corey Wootton, DE, Northwestern (6-6, 270); 5 - Joshua Moore, CB, Kansas State (5-11, 188); 6 - Dan LeFevour, QB, Central Michigan (6-3, 230); 7 - J'Marcus Webb, T, West Texas A&M (6-7, 335).
Day 3 Grade: B

Wootton went to school locally and has the size to make it in the NFL. He is a good pick in the fourth round. Similarly, Moore could help the Bears’ secondary as he is worth a fifth round pick. LeFevour could be a late steal in the sixth round. He has the tools to be a solid NFL QB but was ignored because of the higher profile QBs in the draft. However, waiting until the seventh round to select an offensive lineman was not wise either.

Overall Grade: C+


By Manish Pandya
Staff Editor for TheDailySportsHerald.com