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Draft Report Card (cont.)

Posted: Monday April 30, 2007 9:57AM; Updated: Monday April 30, 2007 1:56PM
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BENGALS -- C

Leon Hall was the second cornerback taken in the draft. The Bengals took the former Michigan star with the 18th pick in the first round.
Leon Hall was the second cornerback taken in the draft. The Bengals took the former Michigan star with the 18th pick in the first round.
Damian Strohmeyer/SI
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Nice peaceful people, that's what we want here. Nothing on the police blotters, no true fleshmen. Top draft Leon Hall was rated as the best corner on the board until the Revis meteor took off. Kenny Irons is a fast, productive back. The draftees, we hear, will get together for community sings; they'll form a barbershop quartette. Seat belts will be worn at all times.

COWBOYS -- C

Now you tell me what kind of sense it made for Philly to trade with the Cowboys, so they could move up and take a wicked pass-rushing wingman named Anthony Spencer who already has Donovan McNabb's picture posted with a bullseye on it. The audacity of the move gives Dallas its partial grade. Second rounder James Marten, a mean-spirited tackle from the hard-bitten turf wars of Boston College, rounds it off.

SEAHAWKS -- C-

I guess, to be fair, you have to count Deion Branch as part of this draft, since the No. 1 draft choice went for him, but I'd be more kindly disposed if his career showed a bit more life with the Hawks than 56th best among NFL receivers. And don't forget that last year's No. 1 Seattle receiver, Darrell Jackson, went to San Francisco for a fourth-round draft, Mansfield Wrotto, a guard from Georgia Tech.

TEXANS -- D+

When will they learn? They've already ridden David Carr out of town in a sackmobile, and I guess now it's time to start working on Matt Schaub. They simply will not address their offensive line, unless you call a couple of guards at five and six addressing it. OK, top draft Amobi Okoye is an intriguing defensive tackle, and Jacoby Jones is a wideout who'll contribute something to the passing game. But without the big wall up front there ain't no passing game, and without the right drafts there ain't no big wall. Wait a minute. I forgot that they signed Jordan Black, a tackle from K.C. They managed to find the only guy worse than the ones they already had.

EAGLES -- D

The first-round pick went to Dallas so the Boys could bring Spencer in to hunt down McNabb. Now they're at F and have to work their way up. Second-round draft, QB Kevin Kolb, schooled in a passing system, is not supposed to take McNabb's job away, but maybe they figure this is injury protection. OK, now they're up to D-. Seven more picks, none of whom thrill me, lifts it the other half a point.

REDSKINS -- D

Last year they had six interceptions and six fumble recoveries. That's for the season. Sacks numbered 19. Fine, bring in the pass rushers. Trade up for more of them. Ship 'em in in boxcars. So the Skins devoted their top draft to a safetyman, LaRon Landry. Granted, the best in the draft, but geez, where's the rush gonna come from? Well, not from the rest of the board, because it doesn't have any guys who line up with their hands on the ground.

BEARS -- D

Their top draft, TE Greg Olsen, doesn't exactly address a need, but that's OK, he could be a high-powered weapon. Unfortunately, I don't find anything in a rather humdrum draft that intrigues me until the fifth round; Kevin Payne, a sleeper, a versatile strong or free safety, and this addresses a real need since Mike Brown seems to be hurt so often now.

TITANS -- D-

Safety Michael Griffin was an interesting pick at the top of the board, but this is a team that lost its leading runner and its top two receivers. Chris Henry, who struggled through an injury-plagued season, is the runner in round two. Lower down there are three receivers with moderate credentials.

BRONCOS -- D-

They traded up and even gave away a No. 3 next year to get DT Marcus Thomas, and this is a guy who ... let's see, I've used "has character issues" already. How about, "carries heavy baggage?" Kicked off his Florida team not once, but twice -- a problem child to be sure. Mike Shanahan says that he has checked him out thoroughly and he feels that in the right environment he'll be just fine. Seems that I heard exactly the same thing when he drafted Maurice Clarett in the third round. Yeah, Thomas can play all right, and so can speed rusher Jarvis Moss, the No. 1 draft. He was only suspended once. Hardly even worth mentioning.

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