2013 NFL Draft Review- First Round

Can't go wrong with Eric Fisher. Fisher and Luke Joeckel were so closely rated that it just came down to what "flavor" the Chiefs preferred. Fisher is the more physical, nasty run blocker, while Joeckel was the quicker more polished pass protector. Kansas City turned to the more imposing left tackle and though we had Joeckel rated higher because of his experience and competition level, Eric Fisher is going to be a top end left tackle for a long time in the NFL.

Grade: A

There are two trains of thought for me with this pick. First is; why take essentially a right tackle in Luke Joeckel when you already have one of the better left tackles in the league in Eugene Monroe? Second is; the NFL Draft is all about best available player, and especially in this year's draft with so much uncertainty, you can't really knock the Jags for taking the sure thing in Joeckel. It was a bit surprising to see defensive minded new head coach Gus Bradley pass on Dion Jordan, but Joeckel is rock solid.

Grade: A

Since Brandon Albert didn't get traded before the draft when Miami traded up to three here we were all expecting the Dolphins to take Lane Johnson. Miami hit a home run here by not taking Johnson and instead going for star pass rusher Dion Jordan giving up only a 2nd round pick. The more you watch Dion Jordan the more he grows on you. Although his production wasn't spectacular at Oregon, he wasn't really utilized in a way that would make for putting up big time statistics. Jordan and Cameron Wake will be dominant. If the Dolphins can somehow still get Brandon Albert, I'll be 100% aboard the bandwagon.

Grade: A

Lane Johnson is much more of a work in progress than people realize. He's only been an offensive lineman for two years and a left tackle for just one year. Johnson is not powerful and really isn't much of a run blocker. I honestly have no idea what Chip Kelly's offense is going to look like and where they are going to play Lane Johnson, but in the top five I'm looking for more certainty and more of an impact player. Star Lotulelei would have been our choice here.

Grade: C

For as many times as it has cost coaches and general managers their jobs, it continues to shock me just how much these guys lean on attributes such as "upside" and "potential". I understand Ansah has no ceiling, but in the top five I'm not looking to draft a player who's played for one season. The name Jason Pierre-Paul has been thrown out constantly, but for every JPP, I'll give you three or four Vernon Gholstons, or Jarvis Moss'. Very rarely does the "light" all of a sudden turn on in the NFL when it wasn't there in college. Should have been Jarvis Jones or Mingo.

Grade: F

People figured the Browns would pass on a pass rusher when they signed Paul Kruger in free agency, but with the new 3-4 they are moving to Kruger can't be the only guy. Kruger is the strongside OLB who factors in more against the run, while the new regime considers Jabaal Sheard a non-factor. Mingo is the draft's fastest edge rusher, and for him I'm willing to throw the stats out the window. Cleveland is going to turn this guy loose, and he has all the makings of a dominant pass rusher in the league.

Grade: A

Arizona has maintained all along that they were higher on their offensive tackles then most people so they didn't feel the need to trade up for one of the three big OT's. Jon Cooper isn't going to sell any jerseys, but he's going to help keep Carson Palmer from facing pressure right up the middle, and improve the Cardinals run game which has really struggled.

Grade: B+

I'm a little more cautious about this pick than most as it's impossible not to love the gamebreaking ability Tavon brings to the table. However I don't see him as an outside the numbers threat, and there's really not anybody else that opposing defenses have to respect besides possibly Chris Givens. Considering the Rams only gave up a 2nd rounder essentially it's not a high risk, but the potential dividends are huge.

Grade: B

This pick was bandied about as a possibility when the Jets traded Darrelle Revis, but with Kyle Wilson, Antonio Cromartie and Isaiah Trufant on the roster it didn't seem likely. The Jets had much bigger needs, but you can't go wrong with Dee Milliner. It's nearly impossible to pick holes in his game, and it's not going to be long before he's an elite cornerback in this league.

Grade: A-

No more excuses for Chris Johnson. With the signing of Andy Levitre and now the drafting of Chance Warmack the Titans have turned a huge weakness into a position of strength. Warmack was our third overall ranked player so getting him with the tenth pick was a great value. Whether or not the Titans succeed however depends solely on Jake Locker, and the Titans would be well served to get him some help at receiver on day two.

Grade: A

Going into the draft the Chargers had no other option but to improve the offensive line. Without a lot of ammo they had to hope Lane Johnson fell to them here. He didn't and with the top two guards also off the board they went with the fourth best tackle in the draft. Fluker may never be a left tackle, but he is an elite right tackle prospect and will do wonders to help keep Phillip Rivers clean. Worst case scenario is that Fluker starts at right tackle, but don't close the door on him at left tackle. His long arms will help cover up some of his lack of lateral movement.

Grade: A-

I'm a D.J Hayden fan, but the fact that the Raiders passed up Star Lotulelei here was shocking to me. Getting a talented cornerback like Hayden is great, but he's not going to do you any good if the defensive line is terrible and isn't stopping the run or creating pressure. Lotulelei would have been a great pick at No. 3, let alone at No. 12. If I'm building a team it starts in the trenches, but then again we're talking about the Oakland Raiders here.

Grade: D

Drafting Sheldon Richardson is going to give the Jets one of the most athletic three man fronts I have ever seen, but I can't help but think about how great Jarvis Jones would have been here. I think a lot of teams will regret passing on him, and the Jets will be one. Sheldon Richardson is an tremendous talent, but five techniques can only do so much for your defense, at some point you have to have a pass rush.

Grade: B-

This and Jarvis Jones at 17 were the two best picks of the first round. Star Lotulelei was the No. 5 overall player on our board and is about the closest thing to a sure thing as we have in this draft. Star has an outstanding blend of power and athleticism. His size and strength forces teams to run away from him, while his quickness allows him to get split gaps and disrupt. This was a dream come true for the Panthers as defensive tackle just happened to be their biggest need.

Grade: A+

The Saints secondary was awful last year and it had to be addressed. They signed Kendrick Lewis to play corner, but they needed somebody to push Roman Harper who has really struggled. Vaccaro was ranked as one of the top safeties mainly because of his ability to play in coverage and help out in run support. Under new defensive coordinator Rob Ryan they'll blitz a lot and they need their safeties to be able to cover man to man. We don't have Vaccaro as our top safety like most do and think he's a tad overrated, but he fits. Passing on Jarvis Jones could haunt them though.

Grade: B

Picks like this are why the Buffalo Bills haven't been in the playoffs since 1999. E.J Manuel is the single most overrated player in this year's draft. Manuel is an outstanding athlete no question, but is light years away from being an NFL passer. His IQ and understanding of the game are proven to be poor by his play, while his accuracy and mechanics are wildly inconsistent. If I'm taking a quarterback in the first round he better be a franchise guy with the capability of carrying a franchise, and I'm not considering a guy like Manuel with all the question marks.

Grade: F

Picks 17-32

Round Two

Round Three

Round Four

Round Five

Round Six

Round Seven