strato

New Orleans Saints
Summary: New Orleans made an attempt at need picks but didn't get a lot. Blame a lot of that on where the Saints were picking from. Super Bowl winners rarely get high grades for drafts. Patrick Robinson is a tough corner who provides starts or depth immediately. Then the Saints got Charles Brown with the last pick in the second round, a fair value. Centers will never go high, but Matt Tennant is one of the best the draft had to offer. Jimmy Graham could be a good developmental tight end from a school that's produced some good ones. Not a flashy draft, but the Saints didn't have many options.

Draft grade: C

Atlanta Falcons
Summary: Sean Weatherspoon is a good outside linebacker and has the strength and size to start and be productive in this league, but after that, it's a lot of wishful thinking. Corey Peters was a slight reach on my board even at 83 and has a ways to go to improve his skills. Joseph Hawley has a chance to develop, but a pair of guards and no tight end or even a shot at a defensive end surprises me. I don't see an improved football team.

Draft grade: C-

Carolina Panthers
Summary: Carolina started late, but consistently got value. The debate on Jimmy Clausen started a long time ago and it won't end just because the draft is complete, but to get a guy with his skill set and upside at No. 48 is exceptional value no matter where you stand on the debate. I liked Brandon LaFell at No. 78, and Eric Norwood and Greg Hardy in the fourth and sixth rounds, respectively, are both low on risk and extremely high on potential. Norwood is inconsistent, but he's looked positively dominating in some games, and Hardy drops mostly because of injury questions. Tony Pike may even develop into a chip they can move down the line.

Draft grade: B

Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Summary: Tampa had a great draft. They get arguably the best all-around talent in the draft in Gerald McCoy, then, in a move reminiscint of what San Francisco decided to do along the offensive line, they nabbed Brian Price early in the second round with the hope they could get the wide receiver they needed a little later. Price and McCoy should complement each other well. That reciever turned out to be Arrelious Benn with the No. 39 pick, and he can be a good one. By the fourth round, when Tampa landed Mike Williams with the 101st overall pick, they had four guys I've had on the Big Board at some point. Myron Lewis at corner is another solid pick. The story for Tampa is they drastically improved arguably their two weakest position groups. Productive draft.

Draft grade: B+