So who won the NFL draft?

[suicidekings]

I say the Arizona Cardinals. Just an outstanding haul for them, adding two excellent offensive linemen to protect Palmer, two very solid running backs, with Taylor in particular being a tough runner that's very good in pass protection. Minter and Okafor are two of my favourite defensive players in this draft as high-motor players that are very tough on opponents' running game, often making big plays to track opponents down over a distance. The Honey badger working with Patrick Patterson will make it very tough on opposing receivers.

But the biggest steal of the draft for them is Ryan Swope. I had Swope deserving a 3rd round selection, and I'm amazed he didn't get taken sooner. He has a real talent for finding open territory and the speed to challenge even the fastest CBs. In the slot he's deadly, and will find his way into the #2 WR spot opposite Fitzgerald. Going into the draft he was one of a few on my short list of players to watch and will likely be the player Texas A&M misses most this season, after playing a big role in the success of Ryan Tannehill and Johnny Manziel over the last few years.

Overall, this was a great weekend for the Cards and Bruce Arians has clearly got a well defined plan for the team he wants to field in 2013. This group speaks very well for the Cardinals chances to improve and be more competitive in their very tough division.

Round 1, Pick 7 (7) Jonathan Cooper OG 6'2" 311 North Carolina
Round 2, Pick 13 (45) Kevin Minter ILB 6'0" 246 LSU
Round 3, Pick 7 (69) Tyrann Mathieu CB 5'9" 186 LSU
Round 4, Pick 6 (103) Alex Okafor DE 6'4" 264 Texas
Round 4, Pick 19 (116) Earl Watford OG 6'3" 300 James Madison
Round 5, Pick 7 (140) Stepfan Taylor RB 5'9" 214 Stanford
Round 6, Pick 6 (174) Ryan Swope WR 6'0" 205 Texas A&M
Round 6, Pick 19 (187) Andre Ellington RB 5'9" 199 Clemson
Round 7, Pick 13 (219) D.C. Jefferson TE 6'6" 255 Rutgers

[suicidekings]

Also notable:

The Green Bay Packers made a real commitment to improving their running game in 2013 with the addition of Eddie Lacy and Jonathan Franklin. It adds another dimension to what has been a pass-heavy offense in recent years, and Lacy will really take a lot of pressure off of Rodgers. I'm not thrilled with their overall selections, but they definitely nailed the RB position.

The Jacksonville Jaguars taking Ace Sanders and Denard Robinson is pretty big. These guys are going to have the chance to be the starting punt & kickoff returners, both are extremely fast, and are true playmakers on a team that has been extremely one-dimensional, living off MJD. Gabbert has had a tough time so far, and the addition of a couple of legitimate weapons could help him immensely, as will the addition of one of the best OTs in the draft.

I love what the Dolphins did with their draft picks as well. Nothing overly flashy outside of Dion Jordan, but overall a very experienced, polished group of players that fit well into the Dolphins team. The versatility of Dion Sims, Dallas Thomas, and Mike Gillislee in blocking is going to make it extremely tough for opponents to reach Tannehill in the pocket, and I really see this tightening up paying big dividends for them.

I think the Jets made a big mistake in drafting Geno Smith. You can break down his big numbers from last year and see half of them coming from WVU's extremely soft early schedule, and the fact that he had Bailey & Austin making big plays all over the field. The Jets have a terrible WR corps and Geno Smith isn't a guy that can be expected to step into a starting role right away and excel. I think overall their draft choices mesh poorly with the existing talent on the team.

Outside of DJ Fluker, I think the Chargers had a very poor draft. I wouldn't have been a buyer on T'eo, and I think Keenan Allen is overrated. The Chargers change in leadership is a good thing, but there was a clear lack of a plan going into the draft.

The Seahawks added a lot of depth on defense, and their RB depth chart is potentially the best in the NFL with Michael and Ware joining Lynch/Turbin. Michael/Ware are both extremely tough runners, and it will be a real challenge to defend against this RB rotation consistently without leaving Russell Wilson all the time he needs to create downfield.

[meader99]

Yeah, a lot of people had Green Bay taking Lacy at 26, so for Thompson to move back in the 2nd round and still get him at 61 was big. I also like Franklin, and wouldn't be surprised if he turns out to be the better long term pro.

[bubblebuttluv]

I think the Falcons addressed the things they needed to. Maybe should have picked up a linebacker, but overrall I would give them an A. Moving up enough in the first round to pick up Milliner was not very realistic so Trufant was good, they went mostly defense like they should have, and they picked up a tight end (in a good round no less, after they had gone defense heavy) that they can build up and not have to get one in free agency after next season.

That being said the NFC is still the 49ers to lose IMO especially with adding Reid to that nasty nasty roster.

[suicidekings]

Undrafted players signing as free agents.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000164809/article/undrafted-freeagent-contracts-for-all-32-nfl-teams

Jordan Rodgers to the Jaguars, Tyler Bray to the Chiefs, Onterio McCalebb to the Bengals, Joseph Fauria to the Lions.

[meader99]

Undrafted players signing as free agents.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000164809/article/undrafted-freeagent-contracts-for-all-32-nfl-teams

Jordan Rodgers to the Jaguars, Tyler Bray to the Chiefs, Onterio McCalebb to the Bengals, Joseph Fauria to the Lions.

Damn, was hoping Green Bay would take a flyer on Bray. We have seen what Harrell is capable of, and it aint good.

[suicidekings]

Jeff Tuel to the Panthers.

This kid is legit, and had the misfortune of playing for a really bad program in Washington State. He won't get much of an opportunity with Carolina behind Cam Newton, but he's a player to keep on the radar over the next couple of years.

[suicidekings]

Detroit did great in three of their first four picks, getting some serious help for their defensive line with Ziggy Ansah & Devin Taylor. Two tall, fast, aggressive DEs that come from two elite defensive programs (BYU & South Carolina). As their defensive line was their #1 concern in the draft, I think they really did well here. Larry Warford is the best offensive lineman out of Kentucky in 20 years. Very quick for a big man, and should be a real asset to Detroit's weak running game. Darius Slay is a talented CB, but he has confirmed knee issues, which makes him a questionable 2nd round pick.

After that, their selections look like they were picked by a dart board. They really needed to get at least one dependable OT and failed. Their biggest offensive issue that needed work going into 2013 was the imbalance they show at times. Failure to establish the run because of a weak OL and average RBs. Reggie Bush does a lot for them, but I don't think the addition of Warford was really enough to turn around their running game.

I don't like the additions of Fuller or Riddick. Both have good athleticism but are raw. Neither is going to be a factor anytime soon. Overall, the Lions didn't do enough to pull themselves up out of 4th in their division, and it's going to be another tough year.

[suicidekings]

The Bears didn't really spread out their attention in the draft. Only 6 total picks and they spent them on 2 excellent OLs, 3 promising LBs, and one immature, but big WR. In addition to their FA signings, they've done a pretty good job of putting together a team that will be tough in the trenches.

Bennett's addition at TE gives them a second tough receiver downfield, but offensively they're still going to be a bit too focused on Forte and Marshall, and seem to have taken the stance of building for a future season, not for success in 2013.

[detroitlionsfan]

Nobody

0 star players this yr

Teams that traded away the most draft picks ftw

[WorkHorse]

Great thread men.....

I thought the NFC had the better draft over the AFC. My view is NFC teams San Francisco, Green Bay, Minnesota, Arizona, Philadelphia and Washington really helped themselves. In the AFC, I liked what Houston, Baltimore and Cincinnati accomplished.

[darko3131]

Detroit did great in three of their first four picks, getting some serious help for their defensive line with Ziggy Ansah & Devin Taylor. Two tall, fast, aggressive DEs that come from two elite defensive programs (BYU & South Carolina). As their defensive line was their #1 concern in the draft, I think they really did well here. Larry Warford is the best offensive lineman out of Kentucky in 20 years. Very quick for a big man, and should be a real asset to Detroit's weak running game. Darius Slay is a talented CB, but he has confirmed knee issues, which makes him a questionable 2nd round pick.

After that, their selections look like they were picked by a dart board. They really needed to get at least one dependable OT and failed. Their biggest offensive issue that needed work going into 2013 was the imbalance they show at times. Failure to establish the run because of a weak OL and average RBs. Reggie Bush does a lot for them, but I don't think the addition of Warford was really enough to turn around their running game.

I don't like the additions of Fuller or Riddick. Both have good athleticism but are raw. Neither is going to be a factor anytime soon. Overall, the Lions didn't do enough to pull themselves up out of 4th in their division, and it's going to be another tough year.

Good recap, I'm a big Lions fan and am overall happy with the draft. I'm all for boom or bust picks at this point because safe picks won't get them anywhere in the tougher NFC. I wanted Drummond on the Pistons and got him, and that turned out to be well worth the risk.

Ziggy and Taylor are both freaks. Hopefully Ziggy pans out like JPP did - I'm sure he won't be seeing any double teams with Fairley and Suh. Taylor looks so stiff when he runs based on the tape, I'm not expecting him to turn into an All-Pro but his wing span is unreal, just need him to be a rotation guy and keep his hands up and he should bat a ton of balls.

A+ for the Warford pick, I wanted him in the 2nd round, guy looks like a mauler. Detroit badly needed a T but they must not have liked Watson, so after missing out on the big 3 in round 1 I'm fine with no tackle this year. Reiff was drafted last year and after talk about playing him a guard this year I think Warford takes that spot and Reiff moves over to a T spot.

Like the Slay pick for the ceiling as well. Were safer options at Corner on the board without durability concerns but if Slay stays healthy he seems to have a high ceiling.

I don't mind drafting a Punter either because our garbage punters have cost us so much field position the last few years, wish we took Strugis too because Akers is going to lose us at least 1 game this year.

[suicidekings]

I don't mind drafting a Punter either because our garbage punters have cost us so much field position the last few years, wish we took Strugis too because Akers is going to lose us at least 1 game this year.

True story. Minnesota and Detroit both really helped themselves out by taking solid punters, especially being dome teams (The Lions play 10 of 16 games indoors this year). Detroit ranked 30th in special teams last season (29th the year before), 29th in average starting field position on offense, and 25th in opponents starting field position.

[meader99]

True story. Minnesota and Detroit both really helped themselves out by taking solid punters, especially being dome teams (The Lions play 10 of 16 games indoors this year). Detroit ranked 30th in special teams last season (29th the year before), 29th in average starting field position on offense, and 25th in opponents starting field position.

Isn't this the last season for the Vikes in the roller dome?

[suicidekings]

I like what Atlanta did for themselves in the draft. They were already quite talent-rich on offense, so they really loaded up defensively. Desmond Trufant is an outstanding CB, and while he's not huge at 6'0" & 190lb, he's extremely fast (4.38 40yd) and displays excellent technique and positioning. Robert Alford is a bit weaker in technique but makes up for it in physicality, bumping receivers at the line and is ideal for use in creative blitzing schemes. Mallaciah Goodman is a big DE that brings pretty decent pass rushing ability to a Falcons team that has been weak in generating pressure on opposing QBs. Stansly Mapongo needs a fair bit of work to be productive in the NFL, but will provide some depth.

Kemal Ishmael is extremely underrated, and I think he represents a huge value as a 7th round pick. He's an absolute tackling machine (124 tackles in 14 games) with great range and never gives up on a play. He was a defensive captain for UCF, operating in a fairly sophisticated defensive scheme so he's a very good fit for Atlanta's complex defense. I actually think he's a better player than Zeke Motta, who was drafted right after him, so all told, Atlanta has 4 solid DB additions from this draft that offer a solid array of skills.

Finally, Levine Toilolo is a really nice pick for Atlanta. His ball skills are excellent and he can cover a huge area (6'8", with solid vertical leaping ability and long arms), line up in the slot or outside, and presents real matchup issues for any opponent. His downside is that he's not a very effective blocker, but he couldn't have a better mentor in Tony Gonzalez.

The loss of Robinson/Grimes/Owens handcuffed the Falcons a bit in having to focus heavily on the defensive backfield, as well as the loss of Abraham, but I think they addressed their needs in a very smart way overall. The addition of Umenyiora is huge as is the upgrade from Michael Turner to Stephen Jackson. Through the combined efforts of the draft and free agency, they got better (and tougher) in a lot of ways. The team is undoubtedly better than they were last year.

[suicidekings]

Isn't this the last season for the Vikes in the roller dome?

You're correct. The new stadium is set to open in the 2016 season with the Vikings playing outside in 2014/2015 at the University of Minnesota.

[suicidekings]

Jeff Tuel to the Panthers.

This kid is legit, and had the misfortune of playing for a really bad program in Washington State. He won't get much of an opportunity with Carolina behind Cam Newton, but he's a player to keep on the radar over the next couple of years.

Apparently this report was wrong. Tuel has signed with the Bills, giving him a stronger chance of seeing action in the next year or two. I think EJ Manuel should easily win the starting job with Buffalo, given Fitzpatrick's inconsistency. I like EJ, but I think he has a lot to prove at this point. The loss of both starting OGs and injury concerns with the remaining starters makes for some pretty severe depth issues. One of those spots may be filled with Zach Chibane, who started for Marrone for three seasons at Syracuse, but overall, I still think they neglected their OL too much.

On the plus side, with the addition of Robert Woods and Marquise Goodwin in support of Stevie Johnson, Manuel will have three legitimate targets at WR, and has a very good tandem of Spiller/Jackson available at RB. The big challenge for Marrone is to ensure Manuel has the time available to work, and given his West Coast offensive style, the quick passing game will probably be featured heavily, but I'm curious to see if Marrone's tendencies will conflict with his personnel availability, given that it makes the most sense to be trusting his tailbacks with a heavy load.

The only other player of note is Kiko Alonso, who can be solid at times, but isn't particularly bright or dynamic. He's also had multiple off the field problems. I think he'll be a bust in the NFL. After that, the Bills draft is unimpressive. I don't like seeing teams place greater value on skill positions than linemen because when it comes down to it, games are won in the trenches. The only thing that will keep them out of last place in the division is the Jets tendency to self-destruct.

[suicidekings]

The Jets drafted a QB that's been working with two elite WR options in Austin/Bailey, who accounted for 2400 yards and 26 TD of Smith's 4200 yds / 42 TDs, and failed to draft or sign any FA receivers to help out Santonio Holmes... The addition of Chris Ivory in the backfield helps a bit, but after Holmes/Ivory, there's a pretty massive drop off in offensive talent on this team. Also of note, Geno Smith was outstanding in his first 5 games last season, against five miserable defenses (Marshall, JMU, Maryland, Baylor, Texas), but looked decidedly more human for the rest of the season. I think he's in a really tough spot with the Jets, playing in a high-pressure market that's REALLY sick of underperforming QBs. It's asking a lot of him to make something out of nothing, and I feel like he's set up to disappoint here.

That being said, the Jets did the right thing in prioritizing offensive linemen in the middle rounds with Winters and Aboushi. Both of these guys are well suited to a zone-blocking run scheme that Morninwheg favours, and I think the Jets understand that there was no magic solution to resolving their extensive problems all in one season. Stabilizing the OL should provide good protection for Geno Smith to work from, and finally having a solid #1 tailback available provides a base for the Jets to operate from. We're probably going to see Morninwheg step away from his West Coast offense just like he did when Vick went down last year and he had to construct a system that would work for Nick Foles. He's definitely an OC that knows how to build a system around personnel strengths and is flexible in his style, so even though they don't look like much on paper, I think their level of play this year is going to hinge heavily on the OC change and creativity on offense moreso than focusing on the personnel. At any rate, they'll look very different.

On defense, the Jets picked up an elite CB in Milliner to replace Revis, and added Sheldon Richardson at defensive tackle, who has a big upside with great agility and the ability to drop into coverage against short receiving routes. Overall, the Jets defense is solid, but were forced to work too hard in 2012 because the Jets offense couldn't stay on the field. Jets fans are going to need to be patient this season and understand they're at least 2 seasons away from being competitive in the division

[suicidekings]

Jon Gruden's QB camp is an outstanding program that really shows what the players are bringing to the table in terms of intelligence, creativity, and strategy. After watching Geno Smith's program and reading more in-depth about Marty Morninwheg's coaching resume and style, I think this selection makes more and more sense. Smith was fortunate to play for Dana Holgerson because it allowed him to operate a very complex playbook and learn to be versatile above all else. He's saying all the right things and it's going to be really interesting to see how the team chemistry develops throughout camps and preseason.

Excerpts from all 8 QB's shows: http://espn.go.com/nfl/draft2013/sto...-qb-camp-index

[R.P. McMurphy]

Unless you have some kind of super powers then in reality nobody will know for awhile!

[GunShard]

Last year, the Jets drafted wide receiver Stephen Hill.
Sanchez was so bad that Hill had no chance to show receiving skills.
Holmes and Hill as Jets main wide receivers.
Smith is probably just as bad as Sanchez.

[DET2013]

I say the Arizona Cardinals. Just an outstanding haul for them, adding two excellent offensive linemen to protect Palmer, two very solid running backs, with Taylor in particular being a tough runner that's very good in pass protection. Minter and Okafor are two of my favourite defensive players in this draft as high-motor players that are very tough on opponents' running game, often making big plays to track opponents down over a distance. The Honey badger working with Patrick Patterson will make it very tough on opposing receivers.

But the biggest steal of the draft for them is Ryan Swope. I had Swope deserving a 3rd round selection, and I'm amazed he didn't get taken sooner. He has a real talent for finding open territory and the speed to challenge even the fastest CBs. In the slot he's deadly, and will find his way into the #2 WR spot opposite Fitzgerald. Going into the draft he was one of a few on my short list of players to watch and will likely be the player Texas A&M misses most this season, after playing a big role in the success of Ryan Tannehill and Johnny Manziel over the last few years.

Overall, this was a great weekend for the Cards and Bruce Arians has clearly got a well defined plan for the team he wants to field in 2013. This group speaks very well for the Cardinals chances to improve and be more competitive in their very tough division.

Round 1, Pick 7 (7) Jonathan Cooper OG 6'2" 311 North Carolina
Round 2, Pick 13 (45) Kevin Minter ILB 6'0" 246 LSU
Round 3, Pick 7 (69) Tyrann Mathieu CB 5'9" 186 LSU
Round 4, Pick 6 (103) Alex Okafor DE 6'4" 264 Texas
Round 4, Pick 19 (116) Earl Watford OG 6'3" 300 James Madison
Round 5, Pick 7 (140) Stepfan Taylor RB 5'9" 214 Stanford
Round 6, Pick 6 (174) Ryan Swope WR 6'0" 205 Texas A&M
Round 6, Pick 19 (187) Andre Ellington RB 5'9" 199 Clemson
Round 7, Pick 13 (219) D.C. Jefferson TE 6'6" 255 Rutgers

I'm with you, AZ cleaned up. I think SF also did amazing grabbing Lattimore to eventually replace Gore.