TPPF's 2009 NFL Draft Grades

To preface these grades, I made these picks based on team need, whether a team reached, and on value. Based on 1-100, 100 being a perfect draft.

32- Oakland Raiders, 67- I love DHB, but over Crabtree? Come on Al Davis. We know you like speed, but WTF? And then they COMPLETELY stretched on SS Mike Mitchell, another speedster, in the 2nd. They could've gotten him in the 4th or 5th. I like the 3rd round selection in Wisconsin DE Shaughnessy. Louis Murphy in the 4th was a good move, I am really big on him as a Slot WR. But they have a shit load of needs and holes, in which they didn't touch.

31- New York Jets, 75- Hey, they needed a QB and they were in love with Sanchez. Can't be too tough on them for giving so much up to get to him, however they could've addressed WR in the 3rd, but instead they take Shonn Greene? They have a pretty decent cast at RB already? Unless they plan to trade Washington for a WR, I am against this draft. But I must say, watching Sanchez during the draft, I have to admit- I'm beginning to like the kid.

30- Dallas Cowboys, 76- Not having a 1st, and getting out of the 2nd when you have some big needs is pretty odd to me. However, it kind of panned out for them. But there is just no way 1/2 of their picks will be on the roster come August. Things I liked: Still getting Hamlin in the very late 5th- risky, but they got a starting caliber Safety. Taking DeAngelo Smith ahead of Mickens and Underwood, and then still getting Mickens! Not that they need a Kicker, but having Buehler for kickoffs is crazy good- the guy out-benched most of the elite OT of the draft. Former Safety, the 6'2" 230 lb Trojan can kickoff, then cover and tackle. Pretty interesting. I like Jason Williams, as they will need 3-4 OLB help.The first pick of the 4th, McGee the QB from TA&M, was a surprise. They definitely need a backup and successor for Romo to groom... but a bit of a stretch.

29- Tampa Bay Bucanneers, 77- I love Freeman, and had him as my #1 QB. He'll need some coaching and time to learn, in which he will get both in TB. So I'm not against that pick, and in fact love it. Texas DT Miller is a need addressed, but think it was a reach in the 3rd. I like Kyle Moore, DE out of USC, in the 4th, good value. The versatile OT, Fulton, in the 5th is a steal, IMO. And I like Sammie Stroughter, WR from Oregon State quite a bit, but I'm bias- I am a Oregon State fan. But I think if he played last year, he'd be a 3-4 round pick, maybe higher. So we get to the bad part- I saw LB OLB as the biggest TB need, and not just one, but two. They lost June and Brooks in the off season, and didn't draft one LB this year. Blows my mind.

28- San Diego Chargers, 77- I'm big on Larry English, but was shocked SD took him. They need some DE help, so it makes sense, and they need OLB, so it makes sense, but I thought there were bigger needs. I love Vasquez in the 3rd. He's incredibly strong. However, RT was a bigger concern, and there were some stellar RTs still on the board. Losing Goff to Washington was a hole, and Vasquez fills it, though. So, again, I cannot be to hard on them. But then they take Tyrone Greene, another Guard I really like. But no RT? Then they reach on a RB in the 4th with Gartrell Johnson. But to end their draft, they took the Oregon State CB Hughes in the 5th, like that, USC Safety Ellison in the 6th, like that, and then in the 7th they take LSU WR Byrd, which I loved. He would've been a 3rd-4th rounder if not for a recent car accident. He should fully recover and could be a solid contributor. The get this great mainly for not addressing major needs.

27- Saint Louis Rams, 78- I really liked the Jason Smith and Laurinaitis picks, but after that I felt as though their picks were a bit of a reach, albeit addressing positional needs. I like the Corner Bradley Fletcher, but at the beginning of the 3rd?

26- New Orleans Saints, 78- For only having a 1st, two 4ths and a 5th, the Saints did fantastic. I love the Malcolm Jenkins pick- if he doesn't pan out at CB, they can use him at FS. And I LOVE the Chip Vaughn pickup in the 4th. I had Vaughn as my #5 Safety. I don't know much about Arnoux, but from what I'm hearing he did well next to Curry at Wake Forest. They can always pick up one of the jabillion solid backup RBs that Denver will be forced to release, so no RB is no big deal. There are a ton of journeymen Backs out there that could will the role they need. But I am shocked that they didn't address any O-line needs.

25- Denver Broncos, 79- For landing stellar players, a rating of 79 seems odd. However, what the FUCK were they doing in the 1st? Moreno? Okay, you love the guy. Okay, you have a ton of RBs that are good, but not great. But you are converting to the 3-4 with NOTHING on your roster to fill the 5-6 LBs needed, and a NT. The Ayers pick will help them out a lot, but thought they should've gone NT or OLB. Then... I love Alphonso Smith as a player, he'll be fantastic. BUT they traded their 1st round pick next year away, the one they got for Cutler, to move back into the 2nd round to take him? WTF? After this, they make two GREAT selections on McBath and Bruton, both Safeties. Great pickups, as one of them will start and the other will compete with Dawkins, or will take over in a year or two. So, blind to their needs, they had a fantastic draft talent wise, but ignored most of their glaring needs.

24- Miami Dolphins, 81- Their biggest need was CB. So what do they do? They nab my #1 and #3 CBs in the draft. I really like the stingy Pat White pickup, too. Not only will it help their Wildcat formation out a ton, but it takes away the best Wildcat prospect from any other team. I like the Clemons pick, as well. They really needed LB help, IMO, so I'm a bit shocked that they didn't address it, along with a solid WR. Unless they plan on using White at WO and think he can be a #1 WR, they're going to go without one this year again- I like Turner to be a big threat over the middle, and Hartline seems like he'll be a player, but they are just still lacking that double coverage talent.

23- Minnesota Vikings, 82- I'm not a Harvin fan at all, but then again... I've been wrong about these type of players before. Loadholt in the 2nd was a steal, and Allen in the 3rd was an okay selection. I love Brinkley, I love him even more in the 5th.

22- Carolina Panthers, 84- For not having a 1st rounder, I like that they landed a 1st round talent in DE/OLB Everette Brown. I like Troy DB Sherrod Martin quite a bit, and think he could realistically play CB or Safety in the NFL. Not like the best Backfield in the league needed another weapon, I am big on TA&M RB Mike Goodson, though. And throw in the top FB in the draft, Fiammetta: a solid lead blocker, as well as short yardage rusher, with excellent hands and route running. Many people had Duke Robinson as the top Guard in the draft- I like his versatility a lot, but had him as my #5 Guard. They landed him in the late 5th. Solid.

21- Washington Redskins, 84- For not having many picks, the Skins did well. Orakpo will be a FREAK next to Haynesworth. I really like the Kevin Barnes pickup, too. He'll fill in for the void left by Springs. Barnes is a super intelligent kid, whom they had the opportunity to see play quite often with him being at Maryland. Not that they needed another TE or WR, them taking TE in the 6th and WR in 7th isn't all that bad- I really like the raw talent that Marko Mitchell possesses. He could be a sleeper- if he ever sees the field being buried in the depth chart.

20- Houston Texans, 84- I really liked the Cushing pick, especially since Jenkins was taken already. He and Ryan will really help cover each another's weaknesses. Caldwell can play Center or either Guard position- great, versatile pickup. James Casey was one of my favorite prospects this year- much older than the typical drafted rookie, but the guy was a TRIPLE major at RICE, and he had a really good Combine.

19- Kansas City Chiefs,85- I like Tyson Jackson, especially in the 3-4, however, I don't like him at #3 overall. I realize they lost Allen last year, and that Hali isn't the same without him, but... I don't know. It does offer versatility to the rest of the team though, as Hali is being tried out as an OLB, or if he has to keep his hand down, he'll be helped out by a pass rushing threat like Jackson. It also helps out Dorsey in the 3-4 as the other DE. I like the Magee pick in the 3rd, too. Donald Washington in the 4th was a great move, as well. They had quite a few needs, especially switching to the 3-4 and with their O-Line. They seemed to focus on one aspect of the team- the front 3 on Defense.

18- Chicago Bears, 85- I was taken off a bit when they moved out of the 2nd when it was their only day one pick. BUT, the Bears really addressed their needs quite well on day two. I LOVE the Jarron Gilbert pick, and was surprise he was still around. And then they nab Iglesias with their 3rd round compensatory pick, who I like a lot to help Hester and Bennett at WO. Henry Melton in the 4th, nicely done- he was shadowed by Orakpo at Texas, but is a solid End. DJ Moore in the 4th, VERY nicely done- This was a guy that was in almost everyone's top 6 CBs. Knox in the 5th will offer a down the field target for Cutler's cannon. He has some serious speed. Marcus Freeman in the 5th was STELLAR. Perhaps one of the biggest steals of the draft. He'll surely beat out Hillenmeyer and Roach at SAM.

17- San Francisco 49ers, 86- Crabtree falling = win. Bruce can really help his fundamental development big time. I like the Coffee pick, but a tad early, especially for a position that wasn't in great need. I love the McKillop and Davis picks, as well as the Curtis Taylor pick in the 7th. McKillop will likely see some action this year, and with some TLC from Singletary and Martz, Davis could become a top QB in the NFL. I watched a bit of film on Curtis Taylor and sure as shit though he'd be taken way before the 7th.

16- Seattle Seahawks, 88- Curry is such a beautiful fit in Seattle. I loved that they pulled the trigger on him. Unger is a great fit, too, being able to play Center, both Guard spots and RT. I like the Butler pick, as a compliment to the type of WRs they have already: Houshmandzadeh, Branch, etc. I LOVE Greene in the 7th, too. I was a bit surprised that they didn' t address the RB position, though. But again, they can always pick one up to compliment Jones in FA.

15- Pittsburgh Steelers, 89- Their first pick was retarded. NO IDEA what that was about. However, after Hood (and no disrespect to him, but a 3-technique in a 3-4 when they have one of the best NTs in the game?), they nailed picks for needs. I love Urbik in the 3rd, he was my #2 Guard. I really like the Mike Wallace pick, too, and think he'll easily replace Washington's down the field usage, and then some. CB was a top need, and they addressed it in the 3rd with Keenan Lewis and in the 5th with Burnett. I LOVE the 7th round A.Q. Shipley pick, too. He was my #5 Center. He's a Pitt-bull. The only thing that kept him out of the earlier rounds is his height. No big deal.

14- Arizona Cardinals, 89- I love the Wells pick, as he was my #1 RB in the draft. He and Timmy Hightower will be a force to reckon with. Cody Brown in the 2nd was a great pickup, too. He'll likely be able to play DE when the Cards are running their 4-3, or stand up and play OLB when they're operating from the 3-4. Love it. I thin Rashard Johnson has some big time talent, but was shocked he lasted to the late 3rd, and quite frankly, that the Cards took him. I was liking the progress Rolle made at FS, and love Adrian Wilson. Maybe Johnson is a replacement for the 30 year old Wilson, but he still has plenty of great play in him. I LOVE the Herman Johnson pick in the 5th, and REALLY LOVE the Canfield pick in the 7th. Two very versatile OL that will likely start one day at Guard. Will Davis in the 6th was a nice pick, too. Can't have too many DE in a 3-4.

13- Baltimore Ravens, 90- Michael Oher sliding that far was a steal, and I love the Kruger and Phillips picks, too. They definitely addressed their needs... all but WR. Perhaps they think they can still target Edwards or another WR. I like the Peerman pick, too, as if they deal out McGahee, as rumored, they have a suitable backup.

12- Cleveland Browns, 91- I liked the Mack pick, but thought they could've taken him or another comparable Center in a very deep Center draft in the 2nd. I'm HUGE on Robiskie, and think he'll be a great NFL WR. With or without Edwards on board, that pick was needed, as well as the Massaquoi pick. I am a huge fan of Veikune and Maiava, especially in their 3-4 scheme. Landing Francies and Carey so late was nice, too, and their last pick of James Davis is a great one- he'll be able to help spell Jamal Lewis occasionally, and has the tools to one day start in the NFL.

11- Atlanta Falcons, 91- Peria Jerry falling into their laps was amazing, and I loved the 7th round Vance Walker pickup. Their biggest weakness last year, DT, is capable of becoming one of their strengths. They needed Safety help, and got it with Moore. Lawrence Sidbury can help out at DE, or even stand up occasionally. Reynolds in the 5th was a solid pick, too.

10- Jacksonville Jaguars, 92- After a "what the fuck" draft last year, they did quite well this year. Love the Monroe pick, and the Britton. A bit odd taking 2 OTs in the first 2 rounds, but Britton fell to them and they won't have to worry about pass protection for some time. I love the patience they had at drafting WO. Most had them slated to take one in the 1st or 2nd at latest, but they picked up Mike Thomas, someone who I really like, in the 4th. And then they draft my favorite Offensive prospect of the draft, Jarrett Dillard in the 5th. I've said it before and have been laughed at, but Dillard is the best route runner I have ever seen- collegiate or pro. He will be a star in the NFL. Mark my words. Underwood in the 7th is an interesting pick, too, one that may pay off. I LOVE the Jennings pickup in the 7th! I had the Liberty RB picked to go in the 4th round. Great compliment to MJD. My only beef with the Jag's draft is that they did not address MLB after losing Peterson. Surprised me, quite honestly.

9- Cincinnati Bengals, 92- I like the Andre Smith pick, but am shocked a perpetual league offending team like the Bengals made the pick. Regardless, he's an elite LT. Maualuga went where I had him slated to go, so it wasn't a steal as everyone has been piping it up to be, but nonetheless a great pick. I love Michael Johnson, but with motivation concerns, and with Cinci being a shitty team... hmm. The Chase Coffman pick, fantastic. I loved the Luigs pick, too. They were virtually Center-less, and Luigs will start for them. A little shaky on the rest of their draft, but all in all, a great draft.

8- Detroit Lions, 92- For hating the Stafford pick, the Lions caught my attention with the rest of their picks. I love the Pettigrew selection. It instantaneously fills the big hole at TE, while helps cover the loss of Roy Williams. They stole Delmas in the 2nd, hands down best Safety of the draft. I like the Levy and Follett picks to help that LB core out. I like Murtha, especially in the 7th, but they needed OL help that will get on the field ASAP... not sure Murtha can. Derrick Williams is a good fit and will compete for time in the coming years. If they would've gotten a starting caliber OL where they took their LBs, I'd have given them higher honors.

7- Buffalo Bills, 93- A little "eh" on Maybin that high, but nonetheless a definite need fulfilled. I love the versatile Wood here, too, as well as Nelson at TE in the 4th. A lot of people's 2nd best TE, my 3rd, they filled a big time need that most people thought they would do in the 1st. Great strategy played out. I'm real big on Byrd, too, and think they're doing a great job filling in for losing Clements a few years ago. They got my top Guard, Levitre, in the late 2nd round. Big time need. It seems as if the Bills estimated the board better than anyone else this year. The Cary Harris pick late in the draft was a nice one, as well.

6- Indianapolis Colts, 94- I was shocked, but loved, the Donald Brown pick. He definitely seems like he's a "Colt." I told myself and everyone that if we didn't take a DT or OLB I was going to be livid. I was wrong. It was no surprise that they were going to address RB, with Addai not cutting it and with letting Dom go in FA, and who knows how Hart's recovery is going... so stellar pick. I love Fili Maola in the 2nd, too- if he's half as good as his cousin Haloti Ngata, we're golden. Austin Collie will definitely fill the role we need at WR, perhaps letting Wayne return to WO after playing the Slot last year. I like the Taylor pick at DT, too, he's stout and big for 6 feet. I'm being told Powers is a force at CB, so we'll see how he pans out taking over for Marlin Jackson next year, or for Hughes at the Nickel. As much as I loved our draft, I hate that we didn't take any LBs.

5- Tennessee Titans, 95- I am huge on their first 5 rounds. Stellar all the way around. They addressed need, took talent and character. Kenny Britt was my #4 WR, and they definitely needed a go-to-guy at WO. I had Marks slated as my #6 DT, but he hung around for a bit. Not Haynesworth, but definitely a suitable replacement. I'm super high on the Combine freak Jared Cook- my #2 TE. Not a great blocker, but he'll be a down the field threat, as well as across the middle. I like Kropog a lot. He gets over powered sometimes, but that is a technique issue that can be coached away. He most certainly has the speed to block the blind side, or play RT. McGrath is a speedy LB that can easily play MLB, SAM or WILL. Ringer will likely knock off LenWale for short yardage, as he's a bruiser.

4- New England Patriots, 96- I was a big fan of their 2nd and 3rd rounds. They tore them apart. Rounds 4 on seemed to be Scout picks, which hey... they didn't have many needs entering the draft, and they hit home runs on their first 5 picks, so more power to them looking for the late round gems. Chung was my #2 Safety, Butler my #5 CB and Ron Brace perhaps the best NT in the draft. Vollmer may prove to be a sleeper, I really don't know much on him. I'm very big on the dangerous Brandon Tate. Many scouts thought he was the better of the two receivers in NC.. better than Nicks who went in the 1st. The McKenzie pick was fantastic, too, as he'll fit in great in a 3-4 that rotates LBs often. The only thing they didn't do that I would've liked to see was take another ILB.

3- New York Giants, 96- Nicks is a big physical receiver, and Barden is 6'6". They brought in two WRs that will more than fill the void of Burress. I love the Sintim fit, especially with the Giants running so many different Defensive schemes. He'll be utilized well. Beatty was my #6 OT prospect, so to nab him with their second 2nd round pick, they did well. I know a lot of people that were VERY high on Beckhum, he should be a great compliment to Boss. I really like the Andre Brown pick, too, especially in the 4th. He should be solid along side Jacobs and Bradshaw. The Bomar pick was perhaps my favorite of theirs altogether. With some patience and coaching, he could very well be the successor to Eli, or if he gets to play via injury to Eli, he could be trade bait, a la Matt Schaub, Tony Romo, Marc Bulger, Derek Anderson, or Matt Cassel.

2- Green Bay, 97- They landed the best DT and a top 5 talent in Raji, traded back into the 1st to nab Clay Matthews, who is one of my favorite prospects. Changing to the 3-4, both picks will prove to be paramount. Kampman will stand up at OLB, Barnett will play ILB and I would assume Hawk would play next to him at the other ILB spot, letting Matthews stay at OLB. Either way, Hawk and Matthews could both play both. They picked up, perhaps, the best lead blocker in the draft in Johnson, and I am very high on the very versatile OTs Lang and Meredith. Underwood is a stellar CB, as well, shadowed by the triple headed CBs in Cinci.

1- Philadelphia, 98- They addressed all of their needs, didn't reach on one pick. I am really high on Macho Harris and Brandon Gibson, and love the Maclin, Shady McCoy, Ingram and Tupou picks. For once, Reid drafted on need AS WELL as NBA. Hat's off to them- they stole the draft (and I have to pat myself on the back, as I stated before-hand that even Reid couldn't fuck up this draft! All their needs just fit the draft board beautifully).