Football USA Today: Ranking the decision makers: Who is best at the NFL draft? - Page 5

**Tribal Warfare** · 04-30-2010, 04:31 PM

Ranking the decision makers: Who is best at the NFL draft?

Yahoo! Buzz
By Nate Davis, USA TODAY
So which franchise really stands the best chance to reap the most from its rookies now that the 2010 NFL draft has concluded? USA TODAY ranked the 20 league personnel executives who have been on the job for at least three years with their current team (the exception being Scott Pioli) to try and get a better idea as to who scores touchdowns in April, who settles for field goals and who coughs it up.

REPORT CARD: Grading the 2010 NFL draft class

1A. Bill Belichick, head coach/el jefe supremo, New England Patriots— Little point in arguing after he transformed a franchise that seemed to be in decline into a three-time Super Bowl champion virtually overnight. Clearly Belichick learned a lot after the five putrid drafts the Cleveland Browns produced during his tenure there in the 1990s. New England has become known for its deft ability to amass quality picks and find excellent players later in the process who won't come with the price tag of a top-10 pick. Belichick has made seven second-round picks over the last two drafts and picked up an extra Round 2 pick next year after extracting it from the Carolina Panthers for a low third-round pick last Saturday. Key contributors such as receiver Deion Branch, defensive end Jarvis Green, tackle Matt Light and cornerback Asante Samuel all came at pick 48 or later. But Belichick knows how to find first-round stars, too, including 2008 defensive rookie of the year Jerod Mayo and Pro Bowlers Logan Mankins, Richard Seymour and Vince Wilfork.

• Best pick: Tom Brady— The Patriots admit they got lucky finding him in the sixth round in 2000, but at least they were smarter than the 30 other teams that also passed on him multiple times. Probably the best value pick in the history of the NFL.

• Worst pick: Chad Jackson— The 36th pick of the 2006 draft only caught 13 passes for New England.

1B. Scott Pioli, GM, Kansas City Chiefs— He and Belichick are essentially inextricable when it comes to New England's ascendancy. It's too early to assess Pioli's tenure in K.C., though last weekend's haul looks to be among the best of the spring. But the Patriots' success on the personnel side is just as much a credit to Pioli's eye for talent as Belichick's. And the litany of players they plucked from college aside, Pioli and Belichick were masters of using picks as currency for established stars with depressed value (Corey Dillon, Randy Moss) and gems other teams didn't appreciate (Wes Welker). After a recent spotty draft record, the Chiefs were in desperate need of a draft craftsman like Pioli.

• Best pick: Matt Cassel— He barely played at USC, but Pioli took a flier on him in the seventh round of the 2005 draft anyway. Cassel proved in 2008 he can play at a Pro Bowl level, something Pioli is banking he will do for the Chiefs.

• Worst pick: Laurence Maroney— The 2006 first-rounder has never rushed for as many as 900 yards and probably never will for the Patriots, who have opted not to make him a featured back.

04-30-2010, 04:31 PM	Topic Starter
Tribal Warfare Man of Culture Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Far Beyond Comprehension Casino cash: $-3017187	USA Today: Ranking the decision makers: Who is best at the NFL draft? Ranking the decision makers: Who is best at the NFL draft? Yahoo! Buzz By Nate Davis, USA TODAY So which franchise really stands the best chance to reap the most from its rookies now that the 2010 NFL draft has concluded? USA TODAY ranked the 20 league personnel executives who have been on the job for at least three years with their current team (the exception being Scott Pioli) to try and get a better idea as to who scores touchdowns in April, who settles for field goals and who coughs it up. REPORT CARD: Grading the 2010 NFL draft class 1A. Bill Belichick, head coach/el jefe supremo, New England Patriots— Little point in arguing after he transformed a franchise that seemed to be in decline into a three-time Super Bowl champion virtually overnight. Clearly Belichick learned a lot after the five putrid drafts the Cleveland Browns produced during his tenure there in the 1990s. New England has become known for its deft ability to amass quality picks and find excellent players later in the process who won't come with the price tag of a top-10 pick. Belichick has made seven second-round picks over the last two drafts and picked up an extra Round 2 pick next year after extracting it from the Carolina Panthers for a low third-round pick last Saturday. Key contributors such as receiver Deion Branch, defensive end Jarvis Green, tackle Matt Light and cornerback Asante Samuel all came at pick 48 or later. But Belichick knows how to find first-round stars, too, including 2008 defensive rookie of the year Jerod Mayo and Pro Bowlers Logan Mankins, Richard Seymour and Vince Wilfork. • Best pick: Tom Brady— The Patriots admit they got lucky finding him in the sixth round in 2000, but at least they were smarter than the 30 other teams that also passed on him multiple times. Probably the best value pick in the history of the NFL. • Worst pick: Chad Jackson— The 36th pick of the 2006 draft only caught 13 passes for New England. 1B. Scott Pioli, GM, Kansas City Chiefs— He and Belichick are essentially inextricable when it comes to New England's ascendancy. It's too early to assess Pioli's tenure in K.C., though last weekend's haul looks to be among the best of the spring. But the Patriots' success on the personnel side is just as much a credit to Pioli's eye for talent as Belichick's. And the litany of players they plucked from college aside, Pioli and Belichick were masters of using picks as currency for established stars with depressed value (Corey Dillon, Randy Moss) and gems other teams didn't appreciate (Wes Welker). After a recent spotty draft record, the Chiefs were in desperate need of a draft craftsman like Pioli. • Best pick: Matt Cassel— He barely played at USC, but Pioli took a flier on him in the seventh round of the 2005 draft anyway. Cassel proved in 2008 he can play at a Pro Bowl level, something Pioli is banking he will do for the Chiefs. • Worst pick: Laurence Maroney— The 2006 first-rounder has never rushed for as many as 900 yards and probably never will for the Patriots, who have opted not to make him a featured back.
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