The reigning Super Bowl champion, New York Giants will be facing some stiffer competition this coming season, as each of their three divisional opponents traded up in the 2012 NFL Draft to add elite, immediate impact starters –the Redskins most notably trading up to the 2nd pick of the draft to select Robert Griffin III, the Cowboys moving up to pick 6 to select Morris Claiborne, and the Eagles jumping up to the 14th slot to select Fletcher Cox.
Which team appears to have had the best draft in the NFC East? Let’s find out.
Dallas Cowboys
6. Morris Claiborne, cornerback, LSU
81. Tyrone Crawford, defensive end, Boise State
113. Kyle Wilbur, outside linebacker, Wake Forest
135. Matt Johnson, safety, Eastern Washington
152. Danny Coale, wide receiver, Virginia Tech
186. James Hanna, tight end, Oklahoma
222. Caleb McSurdy, inside linebacker, Montana
Summary: On the first night of the draft, after the Vikings traded down from 3 to 4 and the Jaguars traded up to the 5th pick, one certain prospect’s name was surprisingly still left on the Cowboys’ draft board. Their second best overall rated player in the entire 2012 draft class, Morris Claiborne; GM/Owner Jerry Jones wasted no time in executing an on-the-clock trade up with the St. Louis Rams to move up from pick 14 to pick 6, surrendering only a 2nd round pick in the process. Claiborne paired up with recently signed Brandon Carr (formerly of the Kansas City Chiefs), instantly upgrades both cornerback slots and turns a weakness, into a strength. Rob Ryan can now dial up his exotic blitz schemes with the confidence of having two corners that can hold up in press-man coverage on the outside.
From rounds 3 through 7, the Cowboys added depth and potential beginning with Tyrone Crawford, defensive end out of Boise State, in the 3rd round. Crawford is a raw physical end, with the body type to bulk up from his 280-pound frame to 295. Having only played 2 seasons at the FBS level and lacking any counter rush moves, Crawford will have to learn how to better use his hands at the point of attack. That being said, the Cowboys liked this guy for his motor and potential; a solid developmental 5 technique, who has a chance to be a starter down the line, Tyrone Crawford will a player to pay close attention to over the next 3 seasons.
Kyle Wilbur in round 4 adds an outside linebacker that can drop in coverage smoothly and confidently, something that’s simply never been on the Cowboys 3-4 outside linebacker depth chart. Matt Johnson will be a name fans need to familiarize with, as he’ll be given every opportunity to fight for the strong safety starting position. Johnson is a very active defensive player, filling aggressively versus the run while keeping his shoulders squared to the line of scrimmage and consistently breaking down on the ball carrier in space; Johnson more importantly, keeps his feet well on contact and shows a surprising amount of strength at the point of attack to hit, stick, and drive runners to the ground.
Danny Coale meets the height, weight, speed requirements of typical Cowboy slot receivers at 6’0, 200 lbs, with a 4.4 40 yard dash time. Coale is a savvy route runner that can separate versus man coverage and attack the holes of zone coverage, and adds value as an outside or slot receiver and as a returner. James Hanna can fill the role of Martellus Bennett as the number 2 tight end for the Cowboys. Hanna’s underrated athleticism shocked scouts at the NFL Combine, with the fastest 40 time of any tight end. Hanna’s ability to work vertically down the seam and across the field, as well as his versatility to line up at the H-Back position, make this pick even more intriguing. Although he doesn’t have the same type of upper body strength of Bennett, Hanna is an excellent seal blocker that can set the edge for the Cowboys new favorite play for Demarco Murray –the outside zone stretch. Caleb McSurdy is a core special teams player that rarely misses a tackle, and may even be used at fullback.
Grade: A
New York Giants
32. David Wilson, running back, Virginia Tech
63. Rueben Randle, wide receiver, LSU
94. Jayron Hosley, cornerback, Virginia Tech
127. Adrien Robinson, tight end, Cincinnati
131. Brandon Mosley, offensive tackle, Auburn
201. Matt McCants, offensive tackle, South Florida
239. Markus Kuhn, defensive tackle, North Carolina State
Summary: Replacing Brandon Jacobs (signed with the San Francisco 49ers) with an athletic and dynamic back in David Wilson, who’s an excellent pass catcher and explosive outside runner, shows the new direction of the Giants offense towards a more pass-oriented structure and away from their traditional “ground-n-pound” attack. Traditionally a great running team, the Giants ran the ball 411 times for a league-worst 3.5 yards per carry. Expect the Giants to air it out more in 2012, and also look for their yards per carry clip to bump up into the 4.2-4.5 yard range.
In round 2, the Giants luckily had Rueben Randle fall into their laps at pick 63; Randle, who received a 1st round grade from the Giants, slid due to a knee injury that went unreported among most media outlets. Randle will fill the empty shoes left by Mario Manningham, and has a chance to be highly productive in the Giants’ intermediate to deep passing game.
Jayron Hosley in the following round adds another great value selection that has the skill set to start in the NFL; Hosley however, fell down the draft board as a result of a failed drug testing at the NFL Combine. Bringing in what GM Jerry Reese described as “athletic arrogance”, Hosley fits in well with an aggressive, confident bunch of secondary players that love to attack the football. With 13 interceptions over his junior and senior seasons, Hosley’s production, talent, and value in the 3rd round make for a homerun selection.
Rounds 4 and 6 featured high upside, developmental prospects in tight end Adrian Robinson and tackles Brandon Mosley and Matt McCants. Robinson, who had minimal production at Cincinnati, blew up his pro day with a 4.56 40 time, 11 foot 3 inch broad jump, and a 39.5 inch vertical. At 6’4, 260 pounds Robinson has what GM Jerry Reese described as “raw talent and limitless potential”, along with “huge upside” to develop into a dangerous weapon for Eli Manning. Still, the lack of polish in Robinson’s game, combined with the injuries to both starters from last season in Travis Beckum and Jake Ballard, is concerning to say the least. Robinson isn’t ready right now to start right now, but will be forced into action early as a rookie. Only time will tell if this project pick was the right one.
Mosley and McCants will fight for a backup role at left tackle in order to keep David Diehl inside at guard. McCants projects as the backup left tackle for now, with Mosley as the team’s listed 3rd string right tackle, but all that could change after training camp. The Giants final pick was used on rotational defensive tackle Markus Kuhn, who will have to play his butt off in order to make the team’s final roster.
Getting good value and addressing needs at running back, cornerback, wide receiver, and offensive tackle, the Giants earn a solid B+ with the potential of having an A grade draft class, if Adrien Robinson develops his immense talent.
Grade: B+
Philadelphia Eagles
12. Fletcher Cox, defensive tackle, Mississippi State
46. Mychal Kendricks, linebacker, Cal
59. Vinny Curry, defensive end, Marshall
88. Nick Foles, quarterback, Arizona
123. Brandon Boykin, cornerback, Georgia
153. Dennis Kelly, offensive tackle, Purdue
194. Marvin McNutt, wide receiver, Iowa
200. Brandon Washington, offensive guard, Miami (Fl.)
229. Bryce Brown, running back, Kansas State
Summary: With a flurry of trades and shuffling around of the top 10 overall picks, defensive tackle Fletcher Cox slipped through the cracks all the way to pick 12 of the 2012 NFL Draft. The Eagles hit the phones, nailed down a trade up with the Seattle Seahawks from pick 15 to pick 12, and acquired their prized possession. Cox, one of the high risers from the NFL Combine, is an elite athlete that could develop into a dominant interior pass rushing threat.
Round 2 provided the Eagles with a first year starter in Mychal Kendricks, and a rotational pass rusher in Vinny Curry. Kendricks, a violent, chase and tackle backer with plus instincts, put on an impressive showing at the NFL Combine, similar to what Cox did. Kendricks will more than likely start outside, with the Eagles acquiring Mike linebacker DeMeco Ryans from the Houston Texans. Curry was extremely productive at Marshall, recording 23 sacks in 2010 and 2011 combined, and gives plus effort on each and every down. Curry fits perfectly in Jim Washburn’s wide 9-technique position, and will be able to spell Trent Cole and Jason Babin on either side.
The Nick Foles pick in round 4 only cemented the notion that “Dream Team” quarterback Vince Young would not be returning in 2012. Foles needs a ton of work with his lower half, and Andy Reid is the right man for the job. Having enough arm and ideal size to start in the league, the Eagles will develop Foles into a more than capable backup that could receive trade interest in 2 or 3 years.
Grabbing Brandon Boykin in round 4 was stealing. Boykin is going to start at nickel corner a position the Eagles struggled to fill last season and the main reason Asante Samuel was traded for a 2012 7th round pick. Boykin’s natural ball skills, quick feet, and aggressive style will make him a natural fit in the defense, and he’ll also contribute in the return game.
Dennis Kelly of Purdue and Brandon Washington of Miami provide depth to a banged up offensive line that just lost left tackle Jason Peters.
Marvin McNutt is a big-bodied, physical wideout that’s still learning the receiver position, having played quarterback his entire life prior to Iowa. And Bryce Brown was the returned value from the Samuel trade. Brown has exceptional natural abilities, being a former Rivals number 1 rated recruit coming out of high school, but also has an exceptionally poor work ethic. If the coaching staff in Philadelphia can keep him level headed and focused, the Eagles could have a very dangerous 1-2 combo with Lesean Mccoy and Brown.
Grade: A+
Washington Redskins
2. Robert Griffin III, quarterback, Baylor
71. Josh LeRibeus, offensive guard, SMU
102. Kirk Cousins, quarterback, Michigan State
119. Keenan Robinson, inside linebacker, Texas
141. Adam Gettis, offensive guard, Iowa
173. Alfred Morris, running back, Florida Atlantic
193. Tom Compton, offensive tackle, South Dakota State
213. Richard Crawford, cornerback, SMU
217. Jordan Bernstine, cornerback, Iowa
Analysis: Trading picks 6 and 39 from the 2012 Draft, in addition to their first round picks from 2013 and 2014, the ‘Skins went “All In” with RGIII. It’s plain and simple. If Robert Griffin III fails, the Redskins just set themselves back 5 years or maybe more. On the other hand, Griffin has a chance to bring stability and excitement to a position of sore need; over the past 11 seasons, the Redskins have had 23 different starting quarterbacks. Griffin has the charisma to take over Washington by storm, and the talent to become the franchise quarterback that his new team has so desperately been looking for.
Their following pick in round 3 of Josh LeRibeus, solidifies the interior with a plus pass protector that will contend for a starting position at right guard. LeRibeus is a thick, wide bodied guard that is technically sound with his hand placement, actively locates additional rushers when uncovered, has the movement skills to pull and seal block on the edges, and consistently positions himself well at the point of attack to create a running lane for the back.
The selection of Kirk Cousins in the 4th round is and will continue to be, the most heavily scrutinized pick for the Redskins. The question circling around football fans has been, “With so many holes to fill, why draft a backup quarterback?” Well, the answer is that the Redskins graded Cousins out as their 3rd best quarterback in the entire draft class, behind only Andrew Luck and Griffin, and they couldn’t pass up that type of value and abandon their draft board. For that reason I understand the pick, albeit I disagree with the ranking of Cousins as the 3rd best quarterback in the draft.
With their following six picks, the ‘Skins, just as they did in the 2011 NFL Draft, added a bevy of talented depth players that could contribute heavily year one. Inside linebacker, Keenan Robinson, one of my personal favorite prospects in the Big 12, has an elite size/speed combo, plus quickness to fill open running lanes, and added explosiveness as an A-Gap blitzer. Robinson has developed a smooth, sudden swim move and uses his hands well to get to the quarterback. Adam Gettis, showed out at the combine with the fastest 40 time of any lineman present and a spectacular positional workout, pulling with plus athleticism. His athleticism as a 2nd level, on the move blocker will fit well within ‘Skin’s zone running scheme.
Alfred Morris is the latest of Mike Shanahan mid-late round, running back selections; currently listed as the team’s number 3 back, it remains to be seen what exactly Morris’ role within the offense will be as a rookie. Tom Compton provides swing tackle depth, with the ability to develop into a starting right tackle.
The final two picks in round 7, with Richard Crawford of SMU and Jordan Bernstine of Iowa, infuse talent and depth in the secondary. Crawford, who I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know and scout over the course of the pre-draft season, will contribute right away as a punt returner and compete for the 4th corner position, as a dime package defensive back. His ball skills and aggressive, attack-first mentality make him a unique developmental player that could start on the outside with time and development.
Although the Cousins pick didn’t make much sense, I do believe Griffin can and will be the answer to the Redskins’ seemingly, never ending quarterback conundrum. They gave up a ton of picks to get Griffin, and will be forced to add weapons through free agency, as they have already begun to do with the signing of Pierre Garcon. In its entirety, the ‘Skins attacked their biggest need by drafting a truly special athlete and person in RGIII.
Grade: B+
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