DawgTalkers.net Forums The Archives 2014 NFL Season NFL Draft 2014 The AFC NORTH Draft Picks

Considering that 37.5% of our 16 game season consists of playing these teams, how did we stack up/grade out? Can't forget about the x-tra picks we have next year as well which is tough to add to this years grade.

Just curious to hear the thoughts.

Imo they stuck to their boards and didn't knee jerk/implode 4 months of work on the Gordon news. I have to give them the benefit of the doubt on that. Plus, we're set up again next year to grab any top WR, etc we want.

Therefore...................

The Good Guys
1 Justin Gilbert CB Oklahoma State
1 Johnny Manziel QB Texas A&M
2 Joel Bitonio OT Nevada
3 Chris Kirksey OLB Iowa
3 Terrance West RB Towson
4 Pierre Desir CB Lindenwood

Pittsburgh
1 Ryan Shazier OLB Ohio State
2 Stephon Tuitt DE Notre Dame
3 Dri Archer RB Kent State
4 Martavis Bryant WR Clemson
5 Shaquille Richardson CB Arizona
5 Wesley Johnson OC Vanderbilt
6 Jordan Zumwalt OLB UCLA
6 Dan McCullers DT Tennessee

Baltimore
1 C.J. Mosley ILB Alabama
2 Timmy Jernigan DT Florida State
3 Terrence Brooks S Florida State
3 Crockett Gillmore TE Colorado State
4 Brent Urban DT Virginia
4 Lorenzo Taliaferro RB Coastal Carolina
5 John Urschel OG Penn State
6 Keith Wenning QB Ball State
7 Michael Campanaro WR Wake Forest

Cinci
1 Darqueze Dennard CB Michigan State
2 Jeremy Hill RB LSU
3 William Clarke DE West Virginia
4 Russell Bodine OC North Carolina
5 AJ McCarron QB Alabama
6 Marquis Flowers OLB Arizona
7 James Wright WR LSU
7 Lavelle Westbrooks CB Georgia Southern

Two things that I like:

1. We have the best secondary in the division
2. We'll have 2 top-15 selections next year

I actually like our draft better than our opponents in the AFC North. I do like what Pukesburgh did, too.

I think that all 4 teams had really solid drafts.

The Bengals took a real character risk with the RB Hill. He was arrested for assaulting someone outside a bar, and also for a sexual act with a 14 year old.

The Bengals also took a guy with character concerns in Jernigan, who had a positive drug test at the combine. (how dumb are these kids who test positive at the combine anyway?)

I don't think that any of the QB taken by the other AFCN teams will be much more than backups. AJ McCarron and Keith Wenning aren't on top of anyone's draft list at QB. Maybe they surprise ..... but I doubt it.

I can see each of the other teams in the AFCN winding up with 2-4 starters, and that's a good draft in any one's book.

I do like the fact that the Browns grabbed 6 guys, all with starting ability. (even Desir, though he won't start here) I am not crazy about Kirksey, but he seems to be what the coaches want, so I am going to hold off final judgement with him for now.

I love 3 of our picks, Gilbert, West, and Desir. I think that all were great value, and I love that we loaded up our secondary in one draft. We can now handle offenses throwing 4 receivers at us with high quality CB across the board. We can play some serious press man. I also love that both Gilbert and Desir are more than capable of intercepting the ball, with plus hands. Nice work here.

I thought that we could have , and should have gone WR in the 2nd, instead of Bitonio. However, if he starts day 1 at the level everyone seems to expect him to do, then he'll be a valuable pick. We should be able to run the ball effectively and strongly with him and RBs Tate/West/Baker/Lewis/Obi.

Manziel was a pick that had to be made. We needed a QB, and he is the most intriguing one of the bunch. He could bust like a glass bottle dropped out of a jet ..... or he could be a superstar. I think that he is well worth the risk. Plus, we again have 2 1st round picks again next year if we need to replace him right away ..... or if we need to rebuild our WR corps.

Kirksey is a pick I don't know about at all. Pettine seems to really like him, and I wish that I liked him more. I just don't see him as any kind of a presence inside. We rely upon our LBs to control the run game more than some other teams do. Our corners are not directly involved in run support the way some team use their corners. Our LB corps and Safeties have to be able to handle the run game. If they can't, then we will get gashed. That means that this kid has to be able to handle run and pass responsibilities. I sometimes hate when teams prize versatility over all else at certain positions. ILB is one of those. Does anyone think that the Ravens thought to themselves, "If only Ray Lewis had been more versatile. He might have been able to play inside and/or out. Then he would have been a really good player."? No. He was a great player and was dead locked in at ILB.

I also worry when I read stuff like the scouting reports on NFL.com, that say that he is a special teams guy who will have to fight for a backup role. He does seems to be a little bit similar to Kiko Alonso ....... but I just don't know about this pick.

Overall, though, I think that we got 5 guys who could start at some point, and who really could from day 1 if forced into such a role. I think that we will look for a veteran WR, because if we start a rookie QB, we don't want a bunch of rookie WRs running around as well. This offense is built on precision, and maybe a veteran will be a better fit than a rookie for this year. That, or maybe I'm just trying to talk myself into the fact that it's a god thing that we passed on every WR in this draft, when we knew that Gordon was in trouble. I am glad that we made the trade at the top of the draft. I think that was an incredible value for us. I do wish that we would have grabbed a WR though.

That said, though, I think that this was a very good draft. Any of the 6 players could wind up a starter, or a top, key reserve.

One little o ..........

I still have a feeling that we missed on Lee, and that hes going to be a superstar. Hopefully Bitonio also becomes a superstar at Guard.

Thoughts:

Browns had a good draft, I can see them all being starters at one point in their career with the exception of the linebacker.

Steelers had a good first half. Shazier will be a solid player and be able to cover the new TE's and RB's. Tuitt will also be very good. I'd be a lot more worried about Dri Archer if the Steelers found a way to use Chris Rainey more when they had them. I think Dri will just be a KR/PR and off that team in 3 years. Bryant could go either way.

Ravens had either a really good draft or a really bad one. Mosley could just be over coached like a lot of Bama defensive players. Jernigan can be good, but he's a head case. Brooks plays way too out of control to be a good player.

Bengals continued to be incompetent. Dennard was a very solid pick up, but the Bengals rely heavily on zone so Dennard's forte (Press coverage, man to man) will be underutilized. Jeremy Hill is fine and fits Hue Jackson's system of running the ball, but on that team running the ball is not a good idea (as it takes away chances for AJ Green to shine). Clarke's a freak, but I thought he was better suited for a 3-4 instead of a 4-3, so it's hard to tell. Will probably end up like Amhad Brooks, end up getting cut because of the scheme then balling out once he gets into a 3-4.

I think the Ravens draft sucked. I might never draft a Alabama defensive player because Saban has them maxed out before they come in to the league. No point in drafting Jernigan given their depth.

Steelers had a solid draft.

Bengals, mehhhh. I question how some of the guys fit.

I'm fine with having Desir cover him.

Bryant runs in the high 4.3s and Desir runs in the high 4.5s. Bryant is also 2-3 inches taller, but if you're fine with a guy from Lindenwood covering the guy that took Ohio State to school, cool.

In a program I watched today, Desir ran as low as 4.47. He also seemed really bad at running from the blocks. I bet that if he were coached at running on a track, that he could get his 40 time down by another .1 to .2 consistently.

I like that the kid has hands, and can create turnovers. Watching his highlights, it looks like he played a combination of zone and man, more than a straight man corner, but he has really nice ball skills. He also seems to be a mature guy, married with 2 kids, and knows all about working really hard to support his family. He just needs more experience. I like everything about him, especially for a 4th round pick.

It also looks like he played special teams as well. One video I can't link to because of music showed him destroying a gunner.

I like the kid a lot, and like him more as I learn more about him.