2013 NFL Draft Review: AFC East

Now that the NFL Draft is over and the dust has settled, it is time to look back at who what drafted and how each team is affected.  Today I review the teams from the AFC East:

Buffalo Bills

Good Picks: EJ Manuel (QB – 1^st), Robert Woods (WR – 2^nd), Kiko Alonso (LB – 2^nd), Marquise Goodwin (WR – 3^rd), Dustin Hopkins (K – 6^th)

Questionable Picks: Duke Williams (S – 4^th), Jonathan Meeks (S – 5^th), Chris Gragg (TE – 7^th)

Grade: B

Review: Under new Head Coach Doug Marrone, the Bills are looking to rebuild and they took steps towards being a better team in 2013.  Woods and Goodwin are both talented yet underrated Wide Receivers while Alonso is a good Linebacker in pass coverage.  Picking Manuel in the 1^st round may have been a reach for Buffalo but Manuel was considered one of the top Quarterbacks available in this year’s draft and he can be a good NFL starter.  Both Williams and Meeks are safeties who lack real good Play Recognition skills but they can contribute on special teams.  Hopkins is one of the top Kickers coming out of college this year.

 

Miami Dolphins

Good Picks: Dion Jordan (OLB – 1^st), Jamar Taylor (CB – 2^nd), Will Davis (CB – 3^RD), Jelani Jenkins (LB – 4^th), Mike Gillislee (RB – 5^th), Caleb Sturgis (K – 6^th)
Questionable Picks: Dallas Thomas (OG – 3^rd), Dion Sims (TE – 4^th), Don Jones (S – 7^th)

Grade: B+

Review: Miami has continued a trend this offseason of re-tooling their defense.  Jordan is one of the top pass rushers in this years draft and Miami sees him as being able to pair up with Cameron Wake the way Von Miller did in Denver with Elvis Dummervill.  Taylor and Davis are both talented Corner Backs who have fluid hips, good football instincts and are solid tacklers.  Jenkins is an underrated Linebacker who seems to be in on almost every play and he had very good “football speed” and closes in on the ball carrier quickly.  Gillislee can be a “poor man’s version” of Reggie Bush for the Dolphins this season.  Thomas is a good teammate and works hard but his blocking footwork leaves something to desired while he struggles to create good leverage in pass protection.  Sims is a Tight End who average hands and average blocking skills but is an above average athlete so he does have potential to develop.  I would have given the Dolphins a higher grade if they would have done more to address their biggest need: Offensive Line talent and depth.


New England Patriots

Good Picks: Jamie Collins (OLB – 2^nd), Aaron Dobson (WR – 2^nd), Logan Ryan (CB – 3^rd), Josh Boyce (WR – 4^th)

Questionable Picks: Duron Harmon (S – 3^rd), Michael Buchanan (DE – 7^th), Steve Beauharnais (LB – 7^th)

Grade: C+

Review: The Patroits in past years have gotten good value in the mid to late rounds of the NFL draft but this year they made some interesting picks to say the least.  Collins is a good pass rusher but he is still alittle raw with his tackling technique.  Dobson is the perfect Wide Receiver for the Patriots offense, he can play in the slot and on the outside due to his speed and great hands.  Ryan is a Corner Back with good football instincts, can play man or zone coverage and is a solid tackler.  Boyce is one the best slot receivers in this draft class, he has good hands and great burst off the line of scrimmage.  Both Harmon and Beauharnais are defenders who average football speed and they take awkward angles when trying to track down the ball carrier.  They may be best suited for special teams work.  Buchanan showed flashes that he could be good in college but he struggled at times against team with very good offensive lines like Wisconsin and Ohio State.

 

New York Jets

Good Picks: Dee Milliner (CB – 1^st), Geno Smith (QB – 2^nd), Brian Winters (OG – 3^rd), Tommy Bohanon (FB – 7^th)

Questionable Picks: Sheldon Richardson (DT – 1^st), Oday Aboushi (OG – 5^th), William Campbell (OG – 6^th)

Grade: C+

 

Review: With new GM John Idzik the Jets are changing personnel to fit his vision for the team.  Dee Milliner is the best Corner Back in this draft class.  Milliner has excellent football instincts, can play man defense against any receiver in the league and he is a very good tackler.  Smith is one the top Quarterback prospects in this draft and he is the Jets new QB of the future.  Brian Winters is a phenomenal athlete for a offensive line, he has good agility, great strength, good footwork and has the potential to be a Pro Bowl Guard in the NFL if he works hard enough.  Sheldon Richardson is a head scratching selection because he is best suited as a Defensive Tackle in a 4-3 defensive system, not the defense the Jets run.  While Richardson has good potential in college he did not play well or consistent against elite competition in the SEC.  Aboushi and Campbell are offensive lineman with average strength and had trouble defending the pass, especially when they had to make quick decisions aginst heavy-side blitz packages.  Tommy Bohanon is one the best all-around Fullbacks to be drafted in years.  Bohanon is a great run block with excellent strength and leverage; he also is quick and can be an asset in the passing game.