Baltimore Ravens
Overall Grade: A
Best Pick: Round 1-Matt Elam-Safety-Florida
This is a draft that might not show up right away, but Baltimore Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome knows how to assess talent. The Ravens lost safety Ed Reed in free agency as he signed with The Houston Texans, but Matt Elam is young man who can come in and fill that void in the secondary.
Cincinnati Bengals
Overall Grade: A+
Best Pick: Round 3-Shawn Williams-Safety-Georgia
The Cincinnati Bengals came into the draft process having the ability to select the best player available. I expected The Bengals to take University of Alabama running back Eddie Lacy in the first round, but instead they selected University of Notre Dame tight end Tyler Eifert. Eifert will allow two tight end packages on offense as he will team with tight end Jermaine Gresham. The Bengals still picked up a power running back in the form of University of North Carolina running back Giovanni Bernard in the second round. Bernard will team with running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis to give The Bengals a powerful backfield in The AFC North. Also in the second round, The Bengals selected Southern Methodist University defensive end Margus Hunt. Hunt tips the scales at 6’8″, 277 lbs., and he built a reputation in college for blocking kicks which has become a lost art in football.
The third round saw Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis select University of Georgia safety Shawn Williams. Williams is an enforcer who will give The Bengals defensive unit the attitude needed to dethrone The Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers in The AFC North. In the sixth round, The Bengals selected University of Nebraska running back Rex Burkhead. Burkhead’s 2012 season was hampered by a knee injury as he only ran for 675 yards, but if he reports to training camp healthy he should make the roster and give Lewis another option coming out of the backfield.
The Bengals have a team that could make some noise in The National Football League this season.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Overall Grade: B+
Best Pick: Jarvis Jones-Outside Linebacker-Georgia
We have seen this before from The Steelers organization before and it happened again at this season’s NFL Draft. The Steelers sat back and watched teams pass over Georgia linebacker Jarvis Jones until he fell to them at the 17th pick. The Steelers get a player who has top ten talent as well as someone who can immediately come in and become an impact player. Outside linebacker James Harrison left in free agency to sign with The Bengals, but The Steelers get a player in Jones that will immediately start at outside linebacker opposite LaMarr Woodley.
In the second round, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin selected Michigan State University running back Le’Veon Bell. Bell is a power back that fits the notion of how The Steelers want to operate on offense which is delivering punishment.
Cleveland Browns
Overall Grade: C-
Best Pick: Barkevious Mingo-Defensive End/Outside Linebacker-LSU
Cleveland Browns general manager Michael Lombardi missed a golden opportunity to make an impact in his first draft back with The Browns organization. The Browns appear to be committed to quarterback Brandon Weeden, but Cleveland did not surround him with enough impact players on offense. The Browns worked out a trade with The Miami Dolphins to acquire wide receiver Davone Bess, but The Browns missed several chances to draft impact offensive players; especially in the first round when they passed on West Virginia University wide receiver Tavon Austin.
LSU outside linebacker Barkevious Mingo will fill a need, but Lombardi could have been better served to trade back and get more picks as The Browns only had five picks in The NFL Draft.
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