Kiper's Draft Grades

[JAG]

Explains all the flying pigs I saw on the way to work this morning.

[fantastic flying froggies]

Flying WHAT ?

Oh, just pigs. Never mind, move along.

[Arles]

Every year most of the high grades go to the teams with numerous high picks (Chi, Det, Atl, Hou, Jax), while all the playoff teams get B- and C+ (Car, GB, Den, KC, Indy). Yet, much of those same teams will be drafting in about the same spot next season - so what does that say about these grades?

The reality is that the grades reflect how well you eat up the media hype on each player and if you follow their impressions. It doesn't mean anything other than a way for fans of poorer teams to feel some hope for the upcoming season. I remember in 2000 when Arizona got a A- for taking an impact player at RB (Thomas Jones) and getting some great value in the middle rounds. Right now, only one player from that draft is on Arizona's team and he's an average starter. That same year GB got a C- for making too many "reaches" - esp by taking a tackle in the 2nd that was projected later. Of course, that draft also produced a pro bowl TE (Franks), both their starting tackles (Tauscher and Clifton), starting OLB (Diggs), and a top pass rusher (KGB). The morale here is not to get too high or too low after the draft.

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by Ryche

I'm still unclear as why Cincinnati isn't receiving more criticism for drafting a running back in the first round. It seems they still have enough other areas that need to be addressed and a decent young starter in Rudi Johnson.

Here, maybe Pasquarelli will make you feel better:

Head scratchers: Armed with eight picks in the top 123 selections, the Cincinnati Bengals went boldly into the lottery and then, well, didn't act very boldly at all. They don't particularly like us in Cincy, largely because they never seem to correctly interpret what we write about the franchise. Anyway, kudos to owner Mike Brown, chided in other quarters for believing he could squeeze out a second-round draft pick for malcontent tailback Corey Dillon (something a few folks in his own building didn't think possible), and then doing so. Oh, if the Bengals had used their draft bounty with such daring.



The team's first three draft choices -- tailback Chris Perry (No. 26 overall), cornerback Keiwan Ratliff (No. 49) and safety Madieu Williams (No. 56) -- all seemed to be about a half-round premature. We'll never know, but the bet here is Cincinnati could have gotten Perry at 49th, Ratliff at 56th and, well, you get the picture. One thing the draft did do was permit the franchise to import more Marvin Lewis-type players and the coach deserves credit for being faithful to his draft board. It just seems to us (and from talking to scouts around the league we aren't the only ones) that the Bengals didn't quite get the bang they could have from all those amassed choices.

[scooper]

but the bet here is Cincinnati could have gotten Perry at 49th, Ratliff at 56th and, well, you get the picture

See? This is where I don't get some of the ESPN guys. The same network, following the Bengals' pick of Perry reported right afterward that the Titans were set to pick Perry when he went off the board. The Titans then proceeded to trade down. But no, Pastabelly said they Bengals could have waited 23 spots to pick a guy that was set to go the next pick.

Now this morning, Cincy papers are reporting that the Eagles were trying to trade into #49 to take Ratliff, but no, Marvin Lewis and co should listen to the internet gurus.

[Daimyo]

It would be cool if right after the draft someone would do draft grades for the draft from five year's back.

I remember Mel critized the Colt's a ton for "reaching" on Freeney two years ago and then also on Dallas Clark last year... they both turned out just fine. Its easy for him to tout his successes (like ranking Jeff George very, very low), but no on ever calls him on the mistakes. Its like those SPAM emails with stock tips... sure they'll be right 5 times in a row for a some people, but it doesn't mean they're at all accurate...

[Noble_Platypus]

I agree. Draft grades the day after are ridiculous. How many "experts" thought that the Dolphins got the short end of the stick when they had to settle for Dan Marino instead of getting Todd Blackledge? One thing that stands out to me is every year I get the sporting news draft guide. This year the same mag in an "Eli vs Ben" showdown that Ben was a running threat. Then 3 pages later in the QB section they say that he isnt much of a threat to run. They say a guy who is 6'3" 295 is undersized and that a 6'2" 285 pound guy has great size. Here is the kicker. Last year my Colts drafted Makoa Freites in the 7th round. SN said he needed to improve his strength. Neverind the fact he 40+ reps and more than anyone else at the combine of 225 lbs. I love the draft but I am no longer paying $8 for a magazine full of not only random projections but contradictions.

[Daimyo]

My favorite is how during the draft they always said of the four first round QBs "obviously all four of these guys will go on to have great careers", etc.

We'll be lucky if two of them are even starting for the team that drafted them five years from now. It would be amazing if all four go on to have great careers. More realistically one will be really good, one will be a solid starter, one will be a career backup, and one will be out of the league in a couple years...

[Noble_Platypus]

Remember the year Couch, Mcnabb, Smith, Mcnown and Culpepper came out? there are 5 "cant miss" QBs. Look how that worked out. 2 Solid starters one ave starter, and 2 out of the league

[oykib]

Sometimes you get lucky-- like in the all-time draft year, The '83 year of the QB:

Dan Marino -- Great

John Elway -- Great

Jim Kelly -- really good (via USFL)

Ken O'brien -- solid starter

Tony Eason -- Solid starter/backup

Todd Blackledge -- out of the league after a few years

[Danny]

Mel probably spent about 30 seconds on this. Based on his own ratings the bengals reach with all of their high picks and they get an A? All of Oaklands picks except their 4th rounder graded out very well with him including them getting the #5 and #29 players on his board and they get a B-?

[Noble_Platypus]

Not to defend Mel, but isnt it not only who you pick but what position? If the Colts traded up and took Eli Manning would they get an A? Or whatever QB that is considered consensus. They get graded on what players theyt ake and what weaknesses they address.

[yabanci]

the grades look more or less random to me with half-assed "analysis." This is such a pathetically lazy report card it's meaningless. He doesn't even back up his letter grades with reason.

[rkmsuf]

Hey back off Mel and his hair. He had a long couple of days.

Maybe this has been thrown about but what about Irvin's ridiculous statement about a kid staying in school to graduate means he's not a football player or something. I think he said it and was backed into a corner defending something really dumb...

[Cringer]

nit pick all you want, i still want Mel Kiper's job........

[cthomer5000]

Originally Posted by rkmsuf

Hey back off Mel and his hair. He had a long couple of days.

Maybe this has been thrown about but what about Irvin's ridiculous statement about a kid staying in school to graduate means he's not a football player or something. I think he said it and was backed into a corner defending something really dumb...

He also said he has *never* heard Corey Dillon complain, and that he just wants to play for a winner. I guess he never heard the "i'd rather flip hamburgers" remark, or failed to notice that Dillon was speaking out last year while the Bengals were in position to make the playoffs.

Irvin is an absolute joke.

[rkmsuf]

Originally Posted by cthomer5000

He also said he has *never* heard Corey Dillon complain, and that he just wants to play for a winner. I guess he never heard the "i'd rather flip hamburgers" remark, or failed to notice that Dillon was speaking out last year while the Bengals were in position to make the playoffs.

Irvin is an absolute joke.

Maybe this was just my impression but I got the sense the others on the panel were not bowled over by his views or yelling.

His only recourse was to grab Morts sleeve repeatedly.

[Cringer]

Originally Posted by rkmsuf

Maybe this was just my impression but I got the sense the others on the panel were not bowled over by his views or yelling.

His only recourse was to grab Morts sleeve repeatedly.

i never have and never will like Irvin, and yeah, the others seemed a little annoyed at times...

[cthomer5000]

Originally Posted by rkmsuf

Maybe this was just my impression but I got the sense the others on the panel were not bowled over by his views or yelling.

His only recourse was to grab Morts sleeve repeatedly.

He's horrible as-is, but he's especially useless in the draft setting. Berman is at least the one "hosting" the event, Kiper is the draft guy, and Mort is an NFL insider with great sources - Irvin is just a jackass without any knowledge of these incoming players (except that the ones from Miami are all going to be legends ).

I think anyone would have been better in that 4th slot.

[rkmsuf]

I thought they were going to kill him the first time he came out with "we" in reference to the Cowboys.

[ISiddiqui]

I think anyone would have been better in that 4th slot.

Oh, how I miss Sterling Sharpe.

[cthomer5000]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

Oh, how I miss Sterling Sharpe.

I didn't mind him, and maybe even liked him a bit. Irvin was a real downgrade no matter how you look at it. Just god-awful.

[Franklinnoble]

Originally Posted by Cringer

nit pick all you want, i still want Mel Kiper's hair........

[pennywisesb]

[quote=Thomkal]It's a shame MLB hasn't picked up on how much interest there would be in a televised baseball draft. The NFL draft certainly increases my interest, knowledge, and excitement of football as a whole, and baseball could surely use that right about now.[/QUOTE

but with the baseball draft being 50+ rounds, they'd need to televise it for a week if it were anything like the NFL or NBA's drafts!