Team-by-team NFL Draft grades: NFC
NFC East
DALLAS | B
Coaches did the long corners like Byron Jones. The Randy Gregory pick screams Jerry Jones oilman boom-or-bust. Eight picks, a running back smorgasbord and none taken.
TOTAL PICKS: 8
Rd. | No. | Player | Pos. | College |
1 | 27 | Byron Jones | CB | UConn |
2 | 60 | Randy Gregory | OLB | Nebraska |
3 | 91 | Chaz Green | OT | Florida |
4 | 127 | Damien Wilson | ILB | Minnesota |
5 | 163 | Ryan Russell | DE | Purdue |
7 | 236 | Mark Nzeocha | OLB | Wyoming |
7 | 243 | Laurence Gibson | OT | Virginia Tech |
7 | 246 | Geoff Swain | TE | Texas |
GIANTS | B
A 6-6, 330-pound offensive tackle out of Coral Gables and a Nick Saban-coached safety in the first two rounds makes a draft room kid-in-Nutella happy. They forgot linebackers, though.
TOTAL PICKS: 6
Rd. | No. | Player | Pos. | College |
1 | 9 | Ereck Flowers | OG | UM |
2 | 33 | Landon Collins | SS | Alabama |
3 | 74 | Owamagbe Odigohozuwa | DE | UCLA |
5 | 144 | Mykkele Thompson | S | Texas |
6 | 186 | Geremy Davis | WR | UConn |
7 | 226 | Bobby Hart | OG | FSU |
PHILADELPHIA | B+
Chip Kelly’s offense and the roster dictated Nelson Agholor in the first round. They went a little corner crazy after moving up to get 6-1, 205 cornerback/maybe safety Eric Rowe.
TOTAL PICKS: 6
Rd. | No. | Player | Pos. | College |
1 | 20 | Nelson Agholor | WR | USC |
2 | 47 | Eric Rowe | CB | Utah |
3 | 84 | Jordan Hicks | OLB | Texas |
6 | 191 | JaCorey Shepherd | CB | Kansas |
6 | 196 | Randall Evans | CB | Kansas St. |
7 | 237 | Brian Mihalik | DE | Boston College |
WASHINGTON | C-
They couldn’t draft a new quarterback, owner or nickname, but could get tackle Brandon Scherff at No. 5 overall. Waiting until Round 6 to do deal with that porous secondary?
TOTAL PICKS: 10
Rd. | No. | Player | Pos. | College |
1 | 5 | Brandon Scherff | OG | Iowa |
2 | 38 | Preston Smith | DE | Mississippi St. |
3 | 95 | Matt Jones | RB | UF |
4 | 105 | Jamison Crowder | WR | Duke |
4 | 112 | Arie Kouandjio | OG | Alabama |
5 | 141 | Martrell Spaight | OLB | Arkansas |
6 | 181 | Kyshoen Jarrett | SS | Virginia Tech |
6 | 182 | Tevin Mitchel | CB | Arkansas |
6 | 187 | Evan Spencer | WR | Ohio St. |
7 | 222 | Austin Reiter | C | USF |
NFC South
ATLANTA | B
They spent the first two picks on new coach Dan Quinn’s defense and got an LSU cornerback, usually a solid commodity. Should’ve gone offensive line in the third instead of the Tevin Coleman value pick.
TOTAL PICKS: 7
Rd. | No. | Player | Pos. | College |
1 | 8 | Vic Beasley | OLB | Clemson |
2 | 42 | Jalen Collins | CB | LSU |
3 | 73 | Tevin Colaman | RB | Indiana |
4 | 107 | Justin Hardy | WR | East Carolina |
5 | 137 | Gardy Jarrett | NT | Clemson |
7 | 225 | Jake Rodgers | OT | E. Washington |
7 | 249 | Akeem King | DB | San Jose State |
CAROLINA | C-
“Cam, we know we need to get you some linemen, receivers and a running back, so we’re making a first-round reach on outside linebacker Shaq Thompson.” This is Carolina.
TOTAL PICKS: 5
Rd. | No. | Player | Pos. | College |
1 | 25 | Shaq Thompson | OLB | Washington |
2 | 41 | Devin Funchess | WR | Michigan |
4 | 102 | Daryl Williams | OG | Oklahoma |
5 | 169 | David Mayo | LB | Texas State |
5 | 174 | Cameron Artis-Payne | RB | Auburn |
NEW ORLEANS | C+
With two first-round picks, the Saints addressed an aging offensive line with Andrus Peat and gambled on linebacker Stephone Anthony’s raw talent as part of a defense-heavy draft.
TOTAL PICKS: 9
Rd. | No. | Player | Pos. | College |
1 | 13 | Andrus Peat | OT | Stanford |
1 | 31 | Stephone Anthony | ILB | Clemson |
2 | 44 | Hau’oli Kikaha | OLB | Washington |
3 | 75 | Garrett Grayson | QB | Colorado State |
3 | 78 | P.J. WIlliams | CB | FSU |
5 | 148 | Davis Tull | OLB | Tenn.-Chattanooga |
5 | 154 | Tyeler Davison | DT | Fresno State |
5 | 167 | Damian Swann | CB | Georgia |
7 | 230 | Marcus Murphy | RB | Missouri |
TAMPA BAY | B+
Obeyed The Manning Rule (Archie vs. Peyton): When you draft a franchise quarterback, draft guys who can catch, run or can keep him from getting the potential beat out of him. A D-II lineman, though?
TOTAL PICKS: 7
Rd. | No. | Player | Pos. | College |
1 | 1 | Jameis Winston | QB | FSU |
2 | 34 | Donovan Smith | OT | Penn State |
2 | 61 | Ali Marpet | C | Hobart & William Smith |
4 | 124 | Kwon Alexander | OLB | LSU |
5 | 162 | Kenny Bell | WR | Nebraska |
6 | 184 | Kaelin Clay | WR | Utah |
7 | 231 | Joey Iosefa | FB | Hawaii |
NFC West
ARIZONA | C+
I understand Round 1 – keep quarterback Carson Palmer ambulatory. But losing 10-year starter Darnell Dockett says get a D-tackle before Round 4 and not from Delaware State.
TOTAL PICKS: 7
Rd. | No. | Player | Pos. | College |
1 | 24 | D.J. Humphries | OT | UF |
2 | 58 | Markus Golden | DE | Missouri |
3 | 86 | David Johnson | RB | Northen Iowa |
4 | 116 | Rodney Gutner | DT | Delaware St. |
5 | 158 | Shaquille Riddick | DE | West Virginia |
5 | 159 | J.J. Nelson | WR | UAB |
7 | 256 | Gerald Christian | TE | Louisville |
ST. LOUIS | C
Todd Gurley’s a great pick -- for a team with other needs. How about drafting a receiver that’ll worry opposing secondaries instead of amuse them? At least the Rams restocked offensive linemen.
TOTAL PICKS: 9
Rd. | No. | Player | Pos. | College |
1 | 10 | Todd Gurley | RB | Georgia |
2 | 57 | Rob Havenstein | OT | Wisconsin |
3 | 72 | Jamon Brown | OT | Louisville |
3 | 89 | Sean Mannion | QB | Oregon St. |
4 | 119 | Andrew Donnal | OT | Iowa |
6 | 201 | Bud Sasser | WR | Missouri |
6 | 215 | Cody Wichmann | OG | Fresno St. |
7 | 224 | Bryce Hager | ILB | Baylor |
7 | 227 | Martin Ifedi | DE | Memphis |
SAN FRANCISCO | D
The 49ers draft says they need therapy, so in denial are they that inside linebacker Patrick Willis is retired and their cornerbacks reek. What roster do they think they have?
TOTAL PICKS: 10
Rd. | No. | Player | Pos. | College |
1 | 17 | Arik Armstead | DT | Oregon |
2 | 46 | Jaquiski Tartt | SS | Samford |
3 | 79 | Eli Harold | OLB | Virginia |
4 | 117 | Blake Bell | TE | Oklahoma |
4 | 126 | Mike Davis | RB | South Carolina |
4 | 132 | DeAndre Smelter | WR | Georgia Tech |
5 | 165 | Bradley Pinion | P | Clemson |
6 | 190 | Ian Silberman | OG | Boston College |
7 | 244 | Trenton Brown | OG | UF |
7 | 254 | Rory Anderson | TE | South Carolina |
SEATTLE | C-
No first round pick and risked the second rounder on Frank Clark, who already has a two-entry rap sheet. Also, only two offensive linemen when four would’ve been better.
TOTAL PICKS: 8
Rd. | No. | Player | Pos. | College |
2 | 63 | Frank Clark | DE | Michigan |
3 | 69 | Tyler Lockett | WR | Kansas St. |
4 | 130 | Terry Poole | OG | San Diego St. |
4 | 134 | Mark Glowinski | OG | West Virginia |
5 | 170 | Tye Smith | CB | Towson |
6 | 209 | Obum Gwacham | DE | Oregon St. |
6 | 214 | Kristjan Sokoli | DT | Buffalo |
7 | 248 | Ryan Murphy | DB | Oregon St. |
NFC North
CHICAGO | C+
Kevin White will revive quarterback Jay Cutler or confirm that Cutler’s deader than Saturday night network television. A 4-3 roster needs 3-4 linebackers they didn’t get.
TOTAL PICKS: 6
Rd. | No. | Player | Pos. | College |
1 | 7 | Kevin White | WR | West Virginia |
2 | 39 | Eddie Goldman | DT | FSU |
3 | 71 | Hroniss Grasu | C | Oregon |
4 | 106 | Jermey Langford | RB | Michigan State |
5 | 142 | Adrian Amos | FS | Penn State |
6 | 183 | Tayo Fabuluje | OT | TCU |
DETROIT | C-
They traded back in the first round and still addressed a prime need. After that, well, we’ll just say it’s not Matt Millen-bad.
TOTAL PICKS: 7
Rd. | No. | Player | Pos. | College |
1 | 28 | Laken Tomlinson | OG | Duke |
2 | 54 | Ameer Abdullah | RB | Nebraska |
3 | 80 | Alex Carter | CB | Stanford |
4 | 113 | Gabe Wright | DT | Auburn |
5 | 168 | Michael Burton | FB | Rutgers |
6 | 200 | Quandre Diggs | CB | Texas |
7 | 240 | Corey Robinson | OT | South Carolina |
GREEN BAY | D+
A coverage safety, an athletic corner, and then it looks like somebody delivered a case of Wisconsin Club to the war room. Were they drafting to their current roster?
TOTAL PICKS: 8
Rd. | No. | Player | Pos. | College |
1 | 30 | Damarious Randall | FS | Arizona State |
2 | 62 | Quinten Rollins | CB | Miami (Ohio) |
3 | 94 | Ty Montgomery | WR | Stanford |
4 | 129 | Jake Ryan | OLB | Michigan |
5 | 147 | Brett Hundley | QB | UCLA |
6 | 206 | Aaron Ripkowski | FB | Oklahoma |
6 | 210 | Christian Ringo | DE | La.-Lafayette |
6 | 213 | Kennard Backman | TE | UAB |
MINNESOTA | A
This draft continues crafting Mike Zimmer’s defense, a necessity when you see Aaron Rodgers twice a year. The offensive line got a little buffing, too.
TOTAL PICKS: 10
Rd. | No. | Player | Pos. | College |
1 | 11 | Trae Waynes | CB | Michigan State |
2 | 45 | Eric Kendricks | ILB | UCLA |
3 | 88 | Danielle Hunter | DE | LSU |
4 | 11 | T.J. Clemmings | OT | Pittsburgh |
5 | 143 | MyCole Pruitt | TE | Southern Illinois |
5 | 146 | Stefon Diggs | WR | Maryland |
6 | 185 | Tyrus Thompson | OT | Oklahoma |
6 | 193 | B.J. Dubose | DE | Louisville |
7 | 228 | Austin Shepherd | OT | Alabama |
7 | 232 | Edmond Robinson | OLB | Newberry |
This story was originally published May 3, 2015 at 12:48 AM with the headline "Team-by-team NFL Draft grades: NFC."