Grading NFL drafts 24-48 hours after it's finalized is interesting, but truly meaningless. The best way to evaluate a draft is after 5 years. I'm sure the Redskins were happy with their draft and first year with RG3, but that changed pretty dramatically, didn't it?
Here's a look at the 2014 first round:
PICK TEAM PLAYER POS HT WT COLLEGE GRADE
1(1) Texans Clowney, Jadeveon DE 6'6" 266 South Carolina (BUST)
2(2) Rams (From Redskins) Robinson, Greg OT 6'5" 332 Auburn (Starter - Now with Detroit)
3(3) Jaguars Bortles, Blake QB 6'5" 232 Central Florida (Underperformer for #3 overall pick)
4(4) Bills (From Browns) Watkins, Sammy WR 6'1" 211 Clemson (good rook and 2nd year, production dropped off. Now on the LA Rams)
5(5) Raiders Mack, Khalil OLB 6'3" 251 Buffalo (STUD)
6(6) Falcons Matthews, Jake OT 6'5" 308 Texas A&M (STUD - Started all 63 games he's played)
7(7) Buccaneers Evans, Mike WR 6'5" 231 Texas A&M (STUD)
8(8) Browns (From Vikings) Gilbert, Justin CB 6'0" 202 Oklahoma St. (BUST)
9(9) Vikings (From Bills through Browns) Barr, Anthony OLB 6'5" 255 UCLA (Successful)
10(10) Lions Ebron, Eric TE 6'4" 250 North Carolina (Successful)
11(11) Titans Lewan, Taylor OT 6'7" 309 Michigan (Starter)
12(12) Giants Beckham, Odell WR 5'11" 198 LSU (STUD)
13(13) Rams Donald, Aaron DT 6'1" 285 Pittsburgh (STUD)
14(14) Bears Fuller, Kyle CB 6'0" 190 Virginia Tech (STUD)
15(15) Steelers Shazier, Ryan OLB 6'1" 237 Ohio St. (STUD - Injured)
16(16) Cowboys Martin, Zack OT 6'4" 308 Notre Dame (STUD)
17(17) Ravens Mosley, C.J. ILB 6'2" 234 Alabama (STUD)
18(18) Jets Pryor, Calvin FS 5'11" 207 Louisville (Average first 3 years, terrible 4th, cut)
19(19) Dolphins James, Ja'Wuan OT 6'6" 311 Tennessee (good when healthy, but oft-injured)
20(20) Saints (From Cardinals) Cooks, Brandin WR 5'10" 189 Oregon St. (STUD)
21(21) Packers Clinton-Dix, Ha Ha FS 6'1" 208 Alabama (STUD)
22(22) Browns (From Eagles) Manziel, Johnny QB 6'0" 207 Texas A&M (BUST)
23(23) Chiefs Ford, Dee DE 6'2" 252 Auburn (Great 2016 season, pretty unspectacular otherwise)
24(24) Bengals Dennard, Darqueze CB 5'11" 199 Michigan St. (10 starts in 4 years, not what you expect out of a top-25 pick)
25(25) Chargers Verrett, Jason CB 5'9" 189 TCU (Injuries, injuries, injuries)
26(26) Eagles (From Colts through Browns) Smith, Marcus OLB 6'3" 251 Louisville (on his 2nd team, 0 career starts)
27(27) Cardinals (From Saints) Bucannon, Deone SS 6'1" 211 Washington St. (productive starter)
28(28) Panthers Benjamin, Kelvin WR 6'5" 240 Florida St. (Traded, injured, trending down)
29(29) Patriots Easley, Dominique DT 6'2" 288 Florida (BUST)
30(30) 49ers Ward, Jimmie SS 5'11" 193 Northern Illinois (successful, yet unspectacular. First round reach)
31(31) Broncos Roby, Bradley CB 5'11" 194 Ohio St. (Started 14 of 64 career games. Decent, but not a star)
32(32) Vikings (From Seahawks) Bridgewater, Teddy QB 6'2" 214 Louisville (BUST)
***IMO, about 16 of the 32 teams nailed their pick, 5 have had average production but not quite a bust, and 11 teams had a 1st round bust.***
Some other notable picks (there are probably others, these just jumped off the screen):
(36) Raiders Carr, Derek QB 6'2" 214 Fresno St.
(46) Steelers Tuitt, Stephon DE 6'5" 304 Notre Dame
(53) Packers Adams, Davante WR 6'1" 212 Fresno St.
(57) 49ers (From Chargers through Dolphins) Hyde, Carlos RB 6'0" 230 Ohio St.
(61) Jaguars (From 49ers) Robinson, Allen WR 6'2" 220 Penn St.
(62) Patriots Garoppolo, Jimmy QB 6'2" 226 Eastern Illinois
(63) Dolphins (From Broncos through 49ers) Landry, Jarvis WR 5'11" 205 LSU
(90) Colts Moncrief, Donte WR 6'2" 221 Mississippi
(103) Falcons Freeman, Devonta RB 5'8" 206 Florida St.
(118) Steelers Bryant, Martavis WR 6'4" 211 Clemson
(130) Patriots White, James RB 5'9" 204 Wisconsin
(144) Jaguars Smith, Telvin ILB 6'3" 218 Florida St.
(175) Ravens (Compensatory selection) Urschel, John OG 6'3" 313 Penn St.
**Not a lot of star power after the middle of the second round.
Here's a look at the 2014 first round:
PICK TEAM PLAYER POS HT WT COLLEGE GRADE
1(1) Texans Clowney, Jadeveon DE 6'6" 266 South Carolina (BUST)
2(2) Rams (From Redskins) Robinson, Greg OT 6'5" 332 Auburn (Starter - Now with Detroit)
3(3) Jaguars Bortles, Blake QB 6'5" 232 Central Florida (Underperformer for #3 overall pick)
4(4) Bills (From Browns) Watkins, Sammy WR 6'1" 211 Clemson (good rook and 2nd year, production dropped off. Now on the LA Rams)
5(5) Raiders Mack, Khalil OLB 6'3" 251 Buffalo (STUD)
6(6) Falcons Matthews, Jake OT 6'5" 308 Texas A&M (STUD - Started all 63 games he's played)
7(7) Buccaneers Evans, Mike WR 6'5" 231 Texas A&M (STUD)
8(8) Browns (From Vikings) Gilbert, Justin CB 6'0" 202 Oklahoma St. (BUST)
9(9) Vikings (From Bills through Browns) Barr, Anthony OLB 6'5" 255 UCLA (Successful)
10(10) Lions Ebron, Eric TE 6'4" 250 North Carolina (Successful)
11(11) Titans Lewan, Taylor OT 6'7" 309 Michigan (Starter)
12(12) Giants Beckham, Odell WR 5'11" 198 LSU (STUD)
13(13) Rams Donald, Aaron DT 6'1" 285 Pittsburgh (STUD)
14(14) Bears Fuller, Kyle CB 6'0" 190 Virginia Tech (STUD)
15(15) Steelers Shazier, Ryan OLB 6'1" 237 Ohio St. (STUD - Injured)
16(16) Cowboys Martin, Zack OT 6'4" 308 Notre Dame (STUD)
17(17) Ravens Mosley, C.J. ILB 6'2" 234 Alabama (STUD)
18(18) Jets Pryor, Calvin FS 5'11" 207 Louisville (Average first 3 years, terrible 4th, cut)
19(19) Dolphins James, Ja'Wuan OT 6'6" 311 Tennessee (good when healthy, but oft-injured)
20(20) Saints (From Cardinals) Cooks, Brandin WR 5'10" 189 Oregon St. (STUD)
21(21) Packers Clinton-Dix, Ha Ha FS 6'1" 208 Alabama (STUD)
22(22) Browns (From Eagles) Manziel, Johnny QB 6'0" 207 Texas A&M (BUST)
23(23) Chiefs Ford, Dee DE 6'2" 252 Auburn (Great 2016 season, pretty unspectacular otherwise)
24(24) Bengals Dennard, Darqueze CB 5'11" 199 Michigan St. (10 starts in 4 years, not what you expect out of a top-25 pick)
25(25) Chargers Verrett, Jason CB 5'9" 189 TCU (Injuries, injuries, injuries)
26(26) Eagles (From Colts through Browns) Smith, Marcus OLB 6'3" 251 Louisville (on his 2nd team, 0 career starts)
27(27) Cardinals (From Saints) Bucannon, Deone SS 6'1" 211 Washington St. (productive starter)
28(28) Panthers Benjamin, Kelvin WR 6'5" 240 Florida St. (Traded, injured, trending down)
29(29) Patriots Easley, Dominique DT 6'2" 288 Florida (BUST)
30(30) 49ers Ward, Jimmie SS 5'11" 193 Northern Illinois (successful, yet unspectacular. First round reach)
31(31) Broncos Roby, Bradley CB 5'11" 194 Ohio St. (Started 14 of 64 career games. Decent, but not a star)
32(32) Vikings (From Seahawks) Bridgewater, Teddy QB 6'2" 214 Louisville (BUST)
***IMO, about 16 of the 32 teams nailed their pick, 5 have had average production but not quite a bust, and 11 teams had a 1st round bust.***
Some other notable picks (there are probably others, these just jumped off the screen):
(36) Raiders Carr, Derek QB 6'2" 214 Fresno St.
(46) Steelers Tuitt, Stephon DE 6'5" 304 Notre Dame
(53) Packers Adams, Davante WR 6'1" 212 Fresno St.
(57) 49ers (From Chargers through Dolphins) Hyde, Carlos RB 6'0" 230 Ohio St.
(61) Jaguars (From 49ers) Robinson, Allen WR 6'2" 220 Penn St.
(62) Patriots Garoppolo, Jimmy QB 6'2" 226 Eastern Illinois
(63) Dolphins (From Broncos through 49ers) Landry, Jarvis WR 5'11" 205 LSU
(90) Colts Moncrief, Donte WR 6'2" 221 Mississippi
(103) Falcons Freeman, Devonta RB 5'8" 206 Florida St.
(118) Steelers Bryant, Martavis WR 6'4" 211 Clemson
(130) Patriots White, James RB 5'9" 204 Wisconsin
(144) Jaguars Smith, Telvin ILB 6'3" 218 Florida St.
(175) Ravens (Compensatory selection) Urschel, John OG 6'3" 313 Penn St.
**Not a lot of star power after the middle of the second round.
