Coach
04-24-2005, 10:27 PM
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7619477/
The whole thing is quite long, but I'll post the AFC West teams.
KANSAS CITY - The Chiefs made only one pick until late in the third round but still gave their defense a major shot in the arm by landing Texas' playmaking middle linebacker Derrick Johnson at No. 15 when he was considered by most to be a top-10 pick. Then they got the best player in Round 2 by trading that pick to the Dolphins the day before the draft for cornerback Patrick Surtain, who is among the half dozen best corners in the league. The Chiefs have been haunted for several years by a defense that gave up yardage in chunks and points far too quickly. To reach the playoffs, they needed to fix the problem and they took a large step in that direction and landed in Surtain something you can't draft: a verifiably proven commodity.
OAKLAND - Very solid B, and that took some good maneuvering because the Raiders had no pick in the first round until they conned the Jets into taking veteran tight end Doug Jolley in exchange for their No. 1. That got Oakland back in play and they used that pick to take ultra-fast corner Fabian Washington to give them back the speed they lost trading Philip Buchanon to Houston. They grabbed another corner in Stanford Routt in Round 2, giving them two young bodies at a position where they also may lose Charles Woodson in a year if not sooner. Developmental quarterback Andrew Walter in the third round has upside and young linebacker in Kirk Morrison may eventually replace departed Napolean Harris. All and all, a good day's work.
SAN DIEGO - The Chargers wanted a wide receiver and a defensive player with their two first-round picks but settled on defensive line help first and grabbed Shawne Merriman in the first round and Luis Castillo on the second. Castillo tested positive for steroids at the combine but admitted he'd made a mistake. Apparently the Chargers didn't feel it was a serious breach. They then got the wide receiver help they were hoping for in the second round when they took Vincent Jackson about 10 picks later than the top 100 board had him ranked. If Merriman gives them the pass rush they've been lacking and Castillo some push from the interior, it was a good day, but that's no lock. C+
DENVER - The Broncos were the epitome of incomplete after trading their No. 1 this year to the Redskins for a third this draft and a one and four next year. Much of the success of this draft will hinge on what they do next year because all they got Saturday was Darrent Williams in the second round, defensive back Karl Paymah in Round 3 and mystery man Maurice Clarett with the last pick in the third round. If Clarett returns to his freshman form at Ohio State running behind Denver's highly successful running game this elevates the Broncos but at the moment it's inconclusive whether they hurt themselves. Incomplete.
The whole thing is quite long, but I'll post the AFC West teams.
KANSAS CITY - The Chiefs made only one pick until late in the third round but still gave their defense a major shot in the arm by landing Texas' playmaking middle linebacker Derrick Johnson at No. 15 when he was considered by most to be a top-10 pick. Then they got the best player in Round 2 by trading that pick to the Dolphins the day before the draft for cornerback Patrick Surtain, who is among the half dozen best corners in the league. The Chiefs have been haunted for several years by a defense that gave up yardage in chunks and points far too quickly. To reach the playoffs, they needed to fix the problem and they took a large step in that direction and landed in Surtain something you can't draft: a verifiably proven commodity.
OAKLAND - Very solid B, and that took some good maneuvering because the Raiders had no pick in the first round until they conned the Jets into taking veteran tight end Doug Jolley in exchange for their No. 1. That got Oakland back in play and they used that pick to take ultra-fast corner Fabian Washington to give them back the speed they lost trading Philip Buchanon to Houston. They grabbed another corner in Stanford Routt in Round 2, giving them two young bodies at a position where they also may lose Charles Woodson in a year if not sooner. Developmental quarterback Andrew Walter in the third round has upside and young linebacker in Kirk Morrison may eventually replace departed Napolean Harris. All and all, a good day's work.
SAN DIEGO - The Chargers wanted a wide receiver and a defensive player with their two first-round picks but settled on defensive line help first and grabbed Shawne Merriman in the first round and Luis Castillo on the second. Castillo tested positive for steroids at the combine but admitted he'd made a mistake. Apparently the Chargers didn't feel it was a serious breach. They then got the wide receiver help they were hoping for in the second round when they took Vincent Jackson about 10 picks later than the top 100 board had him ranked. If Merriman gives them the pass rush they've been lacking and Castillo some push from the interior, it was a good day, but that's no lock. C+
DENVER - The Broncos were the epitome of incomplete after trading their No. 1 this year to the Redskins for a third this draft and a one and four next year. Much of the success of this draft will hinge on what they do next year because all they got Saturday was Darrent Williams in the second round, defensive back Karl Paymah in Round 3 and mystery man Maurice Clarett with the last pick in the third round. If Clarett returns to his freshman form at Ohio State running behind Denver's highly successful running game this elevates the Broncos but at the moment it's inconclusive whether they hurt themselves. Incomplete.