The NFL draft was a week ago. The fanfare associated with it seemed a bit muted, possibly because of lack of star power at the top of the draft, possibly because I am finally maturing and no longer consider it must-see TV, possibly because the local teams (Browns and Bengals) had no high picks. I could probably go on for a while, from the reasonable to the absurd.
I’d rather talk a bit about the draft graders. Mel Kiper turned his obsession with the NFL draft into a career. He was the first and remains the best. Many others have followed in his wake, but though their knowledge is often impressive, they don’t convey the same “this is my life” monomania that radiates from Kiper.
The NFL draft produces a bevy of people who review what has been done by each team, based on need and talent available, and grade how well each team did in the draft. For years, I have enjoyed reading what the graders have to say, especially for the teams I follow (Cowboys – favorite team from youth, Patriots – first local team, Browns and Bengals – current local teams). People are always happier when their local team does well. The funk in Columbus when the football Buckeyes lose is palpable. Fortunately, they don’t lose very often.[1]
Because I am me, I decided to create a spreadsheet to compile a few of the grades produced by various organizations or publications. There are so many, that I had to cut it off somewhere – so I went with eight. The eight I chose are putatively neutral. Every NFL city and most NFL booster clubs offer their own grades, but they are not are likely to be impartial as these eight.
(Charts do not transfer well to WordPress. I’ll do the best I can. But I know that the top labels will not work, so I’m providing them here. Moreover, I had to use some strange abbreviations for the cities, I trust you can adjust.)
Column 1 – SBNation
Column 2 – NFL.com
Column 3 – si.com
Column 4 – Tom Downey
Column 5 – profootball focus
Column 6 – sporting news
Column 7 – touchdown wire
Column 8 – bleacherreport
Column A – average
If I were to tell you that the average number of “A” grades was 9 and that one of the above grading entities gave out 21 As, would you be able to guess which one? I think most of you would get it in one try – it’s the NFL.com. When the NFL grades its own owners and their draft selections, there are sure to be a lot of As. I wish they had been grading me in law school.[2]
This list in is alphabetical order so you can easily look up your favorite team. As you can see, there are not many Ds and As were handed out like cups of water at the Boston Marathon.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | A | |
| Arizona | 3.0 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.3 | 4.0 | 3.5 |
| Atlanta | 2.3 | 3.3 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 2.2 |
| Baltimore | 3.0 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 3.3 | 2.0 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 3.3 | 3.2 |
| Buffalo | 3.3 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.6 |
| Carolina | 3.3 | 3.7 | 2.3 | 3.7 | 4.0 | 3.3 | 3.0 | 2.3 | 3.2 |
| Chargers | 2.3 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.3 | 3.0 | 3.3 | 3.3 |
| Chicago | 2.0 | 4.0 | 2.7 | 2.3 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 3.7 | 3.3 | 2.7 |
| Cincinnti | 2.7 | 3.7 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 2.0 | 1.7 | 3.7 | 1.0 | 2.7 |
| Cleveland | 2.3 | 3.7 | 1.7 | 3.7 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 2.8 |
| Dallas | 2.3 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 2.3 |
| Denver | 3.7 | 4.0 | 3.7 | 3.3 | 3.0 | 3.3 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 3.5 |
| Detroit | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.3 | 2.3 | 1.0 | 2.3 | 1.7 | 2.7 | 2.4 |
| Giants | 1.3 | 3.0 | 1.7 | 0.0 | 3.0 | 2.7 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.8 |
| GreenBay | 2.7 | 4.0 | 3.7 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 2.7 | 3.0 | 3.7 | 3.1 |
| Houston | 2.3 | 2.3 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 |
| Indianpls | 3.0 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 2.7 | 3.7 | 3.0 |
| Jacks’ville | 3.7 | 3.7 | 3.0 | 3.3 | 4.0 | 3.3 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.4 |
| Jets | 2.7 | 3.7 | 2.3 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 3.3 | 2.9 |
| Kans Cty | 2.3 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 2.7 | 2.0 | 1.7 | 2.7 | 2.7 | 2.6 |
| Miami | 3.0 | 3.7 | 4.0 | 2.3 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.7 | 2.0 | 2.6 |
| Minnsota | 3.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.3 | 1.0 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 2.0 | 3.0 |
| N. Englnd | 3.3 | 4.0 | 3.3 | 3.7 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 3.7 | 4.0 | 3.6 |
| N. Orlens | 2.7 | 2.7 | 3.0 | 3.3 | 1.0 | 2.3 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 2.5 |
| Oakland | 2.0 | 3.3 | 1.7 | 2.7 | 1.0 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 3.3 | 2.6 |
| Phildelph | 2.7 | 4.0 | 3.7 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 3.7 | 2.0 | 3.7 | 3.3 |
| Pittburgh | 2.7 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 3.3 | 3.0 | 3.7 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 3.3 |
| Rams | 2.3 | 3.3 | 2.7 | 3.7 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 2.7 |
| S. Frncsc | 3.3 | 3.7 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 2.3 | 3.0 | 2.3 | 3. |
| Seattle | 2.7 | 3.7 | 2.7 | 1.7 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 2.7 |
| Tampa By | 2.7 | 2.3 | 3.7 | 2.3 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 2.4 |
| Tennesse | 3.7 | 4.0 | 2.7 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 1.7 | 4.0 | 2.3 | 3.3 |
| Washgtn | 3.7 | 3.3 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.7 |
| Average | 2.8 | 3.6 | 3.0 | 2.9 | 2.6 | 2.7 | 2.9 | 2.8 | 2.9 |
| As | 4.0 | 21.0 | 8.0 | 9.0 | 6.0 | 7.0 | 8.0 | 7.0 | 8.8 |
| Ds | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 6.0 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 3.0 | 2.0 |
The following list is in order of average grade, so you can see where teams rank. The top six teams received a grade of B or higher from every grading entity. The bottom eight teams all had at least five grades of C or lower.
| Graders | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | A |
| Washington | 3.7 | 3.3 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.7 |
| N. Englnd | 3.3 | 4.0 | 3.3 | 3.7 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 3.7 | 4.0 | 3.6 |
| Buffalo | 3.3 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.6 |
| Arizona | 3.0 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.3 | 4.0 | 3.5 |
| Denver | 3.7 | 4.0 | 3.7 | 3.3 | 3.0 | 3.3 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 3.5 |
| Jacks’ville | 3.7 | 3.7 | 3.0 | 3.3 | 4.0 | 3.3 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.4 |
| Chargers | 2.3 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.3 | 3.0 | 3.3 | 3.3 |
| Phildelph | 2.7 | 4.0 | 3.7 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 3.7 | 2.0 | 3.7 | 3.3 |
| Pittsburgh | 2.7 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 3.3 | 3.0 | 3.7 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 3.3 |
| Tennessee | 3.7 | 4.0 | 2.7 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 1.7 | 4.0 | 2.3 | 3.3 |
| Baltimore | 3.0 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 3.3 | 2.0 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 3.3 | 3.2 |
| Carolina | 3.3 | 3.7 | 2.3 | 3.7 | 4.0 | 3.3 | 3.0 | 2.3 | 3.2 |
| Green Bay | 2.7 | 4.0 | 3.7 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 2.7 | 3.0 | 3.7 | 3.1 |
| Minnsota | 3.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.3 | 1.0 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 2.0 | 3.0 |
| Indianplis | 3.0 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 2.7 | 3.7 | 3.0 |
| S. Frncsc | 3.3 | 3.7 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 2.3 | 3.0 | 2.3 | 3.0 |
| Jets | 2.7 | 3.7 | 2.3 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 3.3 | 2.9 |
| Cleveland | 2.3 | 3.7 | 1.7 | 3.7 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 2.8 |
| Chicago | 2.0 | 4.0 | 2.7 | 2.3 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 3.7 | 3.3 | 2.7 |
| Rams | 2.3 | 3.3 | 2.7 | 3.7 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 2.7 |
| Seattle | 2.7 | 3.7 | 2.7 | 1.7 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 2.7 |
| Cincinnati | 2.7 | 3.7 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 2.0 | 1.7 | 3.7 | 1.0 | 2.7 |
| Oakland | 2.0 | 3.3 | 1.7 | 2.7 | 1.0 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 3.3 | 2.6 |
| Miami | 3.0 | 3.7 | 4.0 | 2.3 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.7 | 2.0 | 2.6 |
| Kans Cty | 2.3 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 2.7 | 2.0 | 1.7 | 2.7 | 2.7 | 2.6 |
| N. Orlens | 2.7 | 2.7 | 3.0 | 3.3 | 1.0 | 2.3 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 2.5 |
| Tampa B | 2.7 | 2.3 | 3.7 | 2.3 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 2.4 |
| Detroit | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.3 | 2.3 | 1.0 | 2.3 | 1.7 | 2.7 | 2.4 |
| Dallas | 2.3 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 2.3 |
| Atlanta | 2.3 | 3.3 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 2.2 |
| Houston | 2.3 | 2.3 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 |
| Giants | 1.3 | 3.0 | 1.7 | 0.0 | 3.0 | 2.7 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.8 |
Every team thinks they had a great draft – even the Giants. But we won’t know the real grades for about two years – as expectations collide with reality. You see, the ultimate grader of NFL drafts is not SBNation, The Sporting News, or even Mel Kiper, it is each team’s subsequent winning percentage. We see that in the newspaper each week and we learn who is held responsible when the owners start firing coaches and general managers.
[1] Shortly after moving to Columbus, my wife and I were at a neighborhood party. We met a woman, who mentioned something about her husband, and we asked where he was. She said, and I quote “home, he doesn’t leave the house after the Buckeyes lose.” I knew then that we were not in Boston anymore.
[2] I had the highest grade in my class in crim law – it was an 89. And no scale. I didn’t get an A. They have loosened up and now curve every class, but there is no retroactivity.