2013 AFC South Draft Grades

Kubiak stayed in the state of South Carolina in the second round by drafting University of South Carolina safety D.J. Swearinger. Swearinger has developed a reputation as an enforcer in college and he will now add to a deep Texans secondary.

The third round saw The Texans select a versatile defender in LSU defensive end Sam Montgomery. Montgomery could be a down defensive end or a stand-up outside linebacker for Texans defensive coordinator Wade Phillips and his 3-4 scheme.

The Texans appear ready to take that next step in The AFC.

Indianapolis Colts

Overall Grade: B-

Best Pick: Round 1-Bjoern Werner-Defensive End-Florida State

The Indianapolis Colts were able to sneak up on teams in The NFL last season, but that won’t be the case in 2013. Colts general manager Ryan Grigson used the team’s first round pick on Florida State defensive end Bjoern Werner. To me Werner is better suited to be a defensive end in a 4-3 defensive scheme, but Grigson and Colts head coach Chuck Pagano elected to take him and use him as an outside linebacker.

The rest of the draft was pretty pedestrian like for The Colts as I expected them to give quarterback Andrew luck another option at wide receiver, but they decided to hold serve.

Tennessee Titans

Overall Grade: B-

Best Pick: Round 2-Justin Hunter-Wide Receiver-Tennessee

When you’re a Pro Football Hall of Fame offensive lineman like Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Munchak, you know a thing or two about evaluating the position and Munchak used his first round pick on University of Alabama guard Chance Warmack. I expected The Titans to take a run at University of Oregon defensive end Dion Jordan or Brigham Young University defensive end Ezekiel Ansah, but with both players off of the board by time that The Titans selected, they went with Warmack. Munchak loves to run the football, but Tennessee have been near the bottom of The NFL in rushing since 2009.

The Titans have used early round picks in the draft recently on wide receivers, but neither Kenny Britt or Kendall Wright have panned out like they were expected to. The Titans went back to the drawing board in the second round of this year’s draft by selecting University of Tennessee wide receiver Justin Hunter. At 6’4″, 200 lbs., Hunter has prototypical NFL size for the position, but can he be the big time target that Titans quarterback Jake Locker needs?

This is indeed a make or break year for both Locker and The Titans.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Overall Grade: B-

Best Pick: Round 1-Luke Joeckel-Offensive Tackle-Texas A&M

The road back to respectability began for The Jacksonville Jaguars at The NFL Draft under the leadership of general manager David Caldwell. The Jaguars came into the draft with multiple needs and they addressed one of those needs with the second overall pick as Caldwell picked Texas A&M University offensive tackle Luke Joeckel who is expected to start from his first day in Jacksonville. 

At the beginning of the second round, The Jaguars selected Florida International University safety Johnathan Cyprien who was highly rated and as the first pick of the second round it almost works out like another first round pick for The Jags. 

The middle rounds saw Caldwell select University of South Carolina wide receiver Ace Sanders and University of Michigan quarterback/wide receiver Denard Robinson. Both Robinson and Sanders should give The Jaguars special teams a jolt. Last season The Jaguars only averaged 21.0 yards per return which was 27th in The NFL. The Jaguars were 29th in punt return yardage at 7.3 yards per game so the additions of Sanders and Robinson will help.

The building process will be long and tedious for Caldwell and The Jaguars, but taking Joeckel in the first round was a step in the right direction.