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2014 NFC East Draft Grades

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NFL Draft 2014Dallas Cowboys

Grade: B

Best Pick: Zack Martin-Guard-Notre Dame

The Dallas Cowboys entered the 2014 National Football League Draft as a very intriguing team. For the third straight year the Cowboys were one win away from claiming the NFC East Title, but just like the previous two seasons the Cowboys would watch the postseason from home. The Cowboys were 8-8 team last season, but they had several needs on their roster. Cowboys starting quarterback Tony Romo is 34-years of age and while he is coming off of back surgery, the time is now to look at finding his heir apparent. The Cowboys entered the draft with the 16th overall pick and there were talks about the team having interest in Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel. Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones still believes that Romo is his guy and he may have missed the boat at the draft by not selecting Manziel.

In 1998 Jones and the Cowboys had the eighth overall pick of the draft. Jones would go on to pass on Marshall wide receiver Randy Moss in favor of North Carolina defensive end Greg Ellis. Moss would go on to become a seven-time Pro Bowl selection who will one day be enshrined in Canton, Ohio at the Pro Football Hall of Fame while Ellis was a one-time Pro Bowl selection that will always be linked to Moss. Manziel’s stardom is as big as “Jerry World” in North Texas and Jones still wants to be the main attraction for the Cowboys.

Aside from not drafting Manziel, the Cowboys were able to add some depth. In the second round the Cowboys selected Boise State defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence who has some big shoes to fill. The Cowboys are hopeful that Lawrence can replace defensive end DeMarcus Ware who the Cowboys released in March as he would go on to sign with the Denver Broncos. Ware left Dallas as the Cowboys all-time sack leader with 117 and Lawrence will now look to make his own legacy in Texas.

The Cowboys may have found a gem in the seventh round when they selected Baylor strong safety Ahmad Dixon. Dixon will make the team on special teams, but he could be an impact player in the secondary before the season ends.

The eyes of Texas will be on this draft class as the Cowboys are looking to get back to the playoffs.

New York Giants

Grade: B+

Best Pick: Andre Williams-Running Back-Boston College


After suffering their first losing season since 2004, the New York Giants entered the 2014 NFL Draft hell bent on turning that around. The Giants came in with the 12th overall pick and I expected them to find an impact player. The players that I expected the Giants to select in the first round were gone by the time that they made their selection, but they still found a dynamic wide receiver from LSU in Odell Beckham Jr. At 5’11, Beckham Jr. is another speedy wide receiver for Giants quarterback Eli Manning to throw the football to.
The second round saw the Giants select Colorado State center Weston Richburg. For some folks Richburg was considered the best center in the draft and he is a guy that will push J.D. Walton in training camp to become the Giants starting center.
In the fourth round the Giants selected Boston College running back Andre Williams. Last season the Giants running back corps were never healthy and they may have found a bell cow running back in Williams that they can lean on for 25 carries per contest. 
Giants general manager Jerry Reese got back to the basics which was building depth on this club as New York will look to end their two-year playoff drought.

Philadelphia Eagles

Grade: B+

Best Pick: Ed Reynolds-Free Safety-Stanford


Last year the Philadelphia Eagles shocked people as they were able to win the NFC East Title under first year head coach Chip Kelly. It won’t be as easy this year due to the fact that everyone has seen Kelly’s act, but that didn’t stop him and the Eagles from having a successful haul at the 2014 NFL Draft.
In the first round the Cleveland Browns were desperate to move up from the 26th slot in order to grab quarterback Johnny Manziel. The Browns found a trading partner with the Eagles who gave up the 22nd overall pick to move back. Philadelphia shocked some people when they used their first round choice on Louisville defensive end Marcus Smith. Smith was a player that would have been available in the third or fourth round, but the Eagles liked him in the first round.
After their reach for Smith in the first round, Kelly and Eagles general manager Howie Roseman went to work on what was a good draft. In the second round the Eagles drafted Vanderbilt wide receiver Jordan Matthews. In the third round the Eagles selected Oregon wide receiver Josh Huff. Huff is extremely familiar with Kelly’s offensive system as he played his first three years at Oregon under Kelly.
The Eagles arguably found a steal in the fourth round when they drafted Florida cornerback Jaylen Watkins who has the skills to be a tremendous NFL cover corner. The Eagles might have also gotten another bargain in the fifth round when they selected Stanford free safety Ed Reynolds. Reynolds can cover ground, but he can also deliver some punishment to wide receivers coming into his zone.
Kelly is building a team with the Eagles that should have the folks in Philadelphia thinking about the Super Bowl.

Washington Redskins

Grade: B

Best Pick: Trent Murphy-Outside Linebacker-Stanford


After suffering through a 3-13 campaign last season the Washington Redskins came into the NFL Draft without a first round pick which was the result of them acquiring the second overall slot in 2012 to draft quarterback Robert Griffin III. But not having a first round pick does not mean that a team cannot come away smelling like a rose at the draft.

The Redskins had the second pick of the second round, but in a shocking move they traded with the Cowboys to move back to the 47th overall pick. There the Redskins selected Stanford outside linebacker Trent Murphy. The Redskins starting outside linebackers are Ryan Kerrigan and Brian Orakpo, but injuries have been getting the most of them and it would not hurt Washington to have some more depth in that unit.

For the Redskins to be a playoff contender they will have to find a way to protect Griffin III. In the third round Redskins general manager Bruce Allen went to work on the offensive line by drafting Virginia offensive tackle Morgan Moses and Nebraska guard Spencer Long. Both Long and Moses could come in immediately on a Redskins offensive line that allowed 43 sacks last season.

Redskins head coach Jay Gruden might have a reputation as being pass happy from his days in the Arena Football League, but he is looking to build a tougher team in the trenches.

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By | 2014-07-31T01:18:48+00:00 May 19th, 2014|Categories: National Football League|0 Comments

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