Mel Kiper's 2015 NFL Draft Grades; Everyone Wins This Year!

I stopped doing draft grades last year and started doing non-grades, which basically consisted of which pick I thought was the best for a team and which I thought was the worst pick for a team. It was just my opinion. I grew tired of giving out grades when it takes years to figure out how a team did in the draft. I also included comments from Mel Kiper, since anything he says about the draft is always fun for perusal. Mel always says non-important statements like a guy "could be" a guy for depth on a team's roster soon. He really said last year:

Lavelle Westbrooks is one to watch as more depth at corner. 

One to watch as more depth. So he's one to watch as someone who will make the team? Great. Anyway, this year I'm not going to give my opinion in the form of non-grades either. I don't know enough about all 200+ players to give one, but I am going to mock Mel Kiper's comments and his draft grades. This is not to be confused with five years from now when I again mock Mel's grades and comments once these guys drafted in 2015 have played in the NFL for five years. 

So I had a hard time finding Mel's grades this year. I did get an image of them at this site. So those are his grades and immediately you will notice one particular thing. What is that one thing? Everyone gets a ribbon! Of the 32 teams that drafted, 28 of them did above average or better in the draft. That's great. This is the most successful draft in NFL history!...or Mel Kiper is giving out great grades to every team like he does every single year in an effort to be as right as possible in retrospect. See, it's easier to say, "Man, I totally thought that guy was going to be great in the NFL" in retrospect and be wrong rather than write, "The Bears had a terrible draft..." and start ripping on those players while running the risk of being wrong. When Mel is wrong when going negative, he will hear about. Mel doesn't want to hear about and chooses to minimize the amount of time he is wrong, so he prefers to be wrong while being positive. He's weenie basically. One would think a draft "expert" such as Mel would be fine being seen as wrong, but this isn't correct because Mel thinks almost 90% of the NFL did above average or better. In fact, Mel only gave 8 grades lower than a "B-." Weenie. 

Arizona Cardinals: C+

Mel said the Cardinals need to address the OLB, RB, C, and CB positions. They addressed one of those positions in the third round, but he thinks they did an above average job. Okay, so he likes the picks the Cardinals made?

"...but I didn't like the value too much with either of the top two picks."

So Mel didn't like the players the Cards chose with their top two picks and they didn't draft for three of the four positions of need? Fuck it, they did above average. Makes sense.

Atlanta Falcons: B

So though Beasley is a slight reach on my board -- he can rush the passer but can he provide value elsewhere? -- 

For example, how good at Accounting is Vic Beasley? Can he provide value for the Falcons when it comes tax time? Because, if they are being honest, the Falcons Accounting department sucks and any help Beasley could provide there would really up his value to the organization.

I don't mind the pick there.

Congrats Falcons! Mel Kiper gives you retro-permission to draft Vic Beasley. Also, Justin Hardy is "a solid depth addition" at wide receiver. He plays the position of wide receiver and may not suck.

Baltimore Ravens: A-

"Tray Walker is an interesting, 6-foot-2 CB prospect who could emerge with seasoning."

Wait, he's going to emerge with seasoning? Does this mean at training camp he'll show up with cayenne pepper, perhaps a little table salt or other spices that will really give the food during training camp that much needed flavor? If so, this was a much-needed pick. Training camp food sucks.

Yeah, Mel didn't say too much stupid for the Ravens. He fawned, which wasn't hard to do.

Buffalo Bills: C-

This is the lowest grade that Mel gave out. The worst an NFL team did was draft a little below average. What a draft!

"Watkins is going to be just fine, but Mike Evans and Odell Beckham Jr. could both have been taken without moving up, and that now factors into the grade this year..." 

Wait, what? So the Bills are going to get dinged for last year's draft by Kiper, because he feels the team gave up too much to get Watkins, then dinged again this year because they didn't have a first round pick. Mel is brutal...or as brutal as someone who gives the lowest grade of a "C-" can be. I don't understand why not having a first round pick factors into the grade when the metrics being measured are:

• How much overall talent did a team add, based on board position?

• How effectively did they address key personnel voids?

• How efficient were they in maneuvering on the draft board?

At what point is "Did they make a trade last year and lose picks for this year?" show up as a metric that Mel is measuring?

"The Bills didn't need an amazing draft, thanks to good roster-building outside of QB." 

Well, don't worry Bills fans. Your team didn't even need an amazing draft, so really Mel's lowest grade doesn't even mean anything to him, because the Bills were set anyway.

Carolina Panthers: C

The Panthers passed again on an O-lineman --- and I repeat, they need really need some O-linemen, any O-linemen --- in Round 2...

The Panthers added some useful pieces, but the O-line still looks scary from where I sit---

It's a shame they didn't draft an offensive lineman when Mel thought they should have. BUT the Panthers did draft an offensive lineman and Mel thought it was a good pick.

Daryl Williams is a decent value at No. 102, and he could push for a starting role at one of the tackle spots, though that's wishful thinking in 2015.

Okay, why is that wishful thinking? The Panthers needed offensive linemen, they drafted one in the fourth round and now Mel is all, "Well the tackles in front of him on the roster are too good for Williams to be a starter." One minute the team needs offensive linemen because the O-line is scary, the next minute the ones they have are good enough to beat out a fourth round pick. Make up your mind.

Chicago Bears: B+

If there's a void here, it's a pass-rush addition, but you can't hit every need...

Oh, someone should tell that to the Panthers, who just got bludgeoned by Mel for not filling their need at OT, but then filling it too late.

Pretty good draft overall, 

Actually Mel, a "B+" is a step below an excellent draft. Semantics, I know.

with the big question being whether White can transition quickly,

Rick Telander is going to be very upset when the Kevin White he knows starts to transition. It's going to throw him for a big loop.

Cincinnati Bengals: B+

In fact, if Ogubehi felt like a bit of a reach given his injury situation, Fisher balances it out. 

So it's okay for Mel to believe that a team reaches for a player, but only as long as another player falls to that team in the draft. Got it. So the Bengals could have drafted me in the first round, but if the best pass-rusher in the draft falls to them in the second round then it's fine to have wasted a first round pick on me? It's always fun to read Mel's rules for how he grades the draft. You know, other than the major rule being "Don't give any low grades because that's taking a stance, which you should not do."

They added a trio of tight ends, and you get the impression that'll practically be a highly-competitive camp situation, with the hope that someone breaks through. 

I think I figured out the issue with Mel's grades. He doesn't understand numbers or letters. The Bengals drafted two tight ends, but Mel thinks "a trio" is two tight ends. Also, yes Mel, I'm betting the Bengals are hoping one or more tight ends perform well in training camp. Spoiler alert: Every NFL team wishes for this to happen at every position. 

Cleveland Browns: B

The really curious selection was Cameron Erving at No. 19. Although I agree with some that he's among the best O-lineman in the draft -- and easily the best center -- he might end up at guard right away.

YES, WHY IN THE HELL WOULD THE BROWNS TRY TO DRAFT THE BEST OFFENSIVE LINEMAN IN THE DRAFT? THOSE STUPID FUCKING BROWNS SCREWED UP AGAIN!

The pick did make me think the Browns remember how much the run game fell apart when Alex Mack got hurt last year, and they aren't about to let that happen again. Still, a surprising pick.

So the Browns run game fell apart last year without Alex Mack and this year they drafted Cameron Erving, who may be the best offensive linemen in this draft? So what in the hell is surprising about this pick? Is Mel surprised the Browns made a smart pick? I must know. The pick made sense and Mel thinks it makes sense, yet he's shocked.   

The QB situation is obviously a mystery -- I liked the idea of adding Bryce Petty in Round 3 here -- and based on what I can see, the Browns think the best use of the QBs they have right now is to keep them handing off.

I guess the Browns QB's should keep handing off if they insist on drafting the best center in the draft. Who knows why the Browns do what they do? 

Dallas Cowboys: C+

Randy Gregory is the big story. Gregory is a gifted pass-rusher with top-5 ability, but Dallas is rolling the dice at No. 60 and believing Rod Marinelli can help a kid who has off-field issues that threaten to derail his career.

I think Mel Kiper may be upping the drama factor just a bit here. Gregory has some issues, but let's allow him to get into the NFL before having his NFL career derailed.

As to the big question mark, which was not selecting a running back, my sense is the Cowboys know there are many backs who will run effectively behind their offensive line, and you can add one on the cheap pretty easily. The depth chart there just really isn’t that bad.

So the #2 need for the Cowboys that Mel identified coming into this draft really isn't that big of a need? Why list RB as the #2 need in the draft if the team doesn't actually need to draft a player at that position? 

Denver Broncos: B-

Denver needs to hope at least one of the rookie O-linemen emerges as an answer to help the interior of their offensive line, 

Actually no, I bet the Broncos were hoping the players they drafted would actually make the worse in the long run, as well as bring embarrassment to the franchise. Now that Mel has pointed out they probably want these rookie O-linemen to play well, then the Broncos franchise will decide that this is probably what they need to hope for.

but if Ray pans out, this draft could be pretty good.

So I'm not sure what to be snarky about here. So if Shane Ray plays well then that means the entire draft for the Broncos could be pretty good or should I be snarky about Mel Kiper basing this draft's reputation on whether the first round pick plays well? Isn't that one of the best determinations regarding whether a draft is good or not, how well the first round pick performed?

Detroit Lions: B

"Even if Tomlinson is a bit of a reach, you added one starter and potentially two with the value of a single pick. That's not too bad.

Filling two positions with one pick does seem like something that could be categorized as "not bad." That is true. Very insightful.

Alex Carter gives them some needed depth in the secondary, and the addition of Gabe Wright gives them much-needed depth on the interior of the defensive line. 

So the big takeaway or lesson to be learned from the Lions draft is that depth is always going to be "needed" in some way. Though it seems according to the "Mel Kiper Depth Assessment Guide" that "needed depth" is a less urgent need than "much-needed depth." "Quality depth" on the other hand is a step above "needed depth" and involves filling a less urgent need. Perhaps next year Mel should release his "Depth Assessment Guide" prior to draft time so NFL teams can peruse it.

Green Bay Packers: B

I thought the Packers did a good job because they got players I can see helping them right away, and they really didn’t have major needs to fill. - See more at: http://packersinsider.com/2015/05/mel-kiper-nfl-draft-grades-packers-receive-a/#sthash.bFrK18bW.dpuf

Damarious Randall is just the definition of duct tape in the secondary, 

Duct tape: a wide, sticky, and usually silver tape that is made of cloth and that is used especially to repair things

Yes, Randall is JUST the definition of duct tape.

Quinten Rollins is just total intrigue, 

He's JUST total intrigue. So he's a spy like James Bond, made of cloth that is used to repair things like Damarious Randall or where does he fit on the "Mel Kiper Depth Assessment Guide"? Who knows? In fact, there are rumors Quinten Rollins doesn't even exist, that he's just a whisper heard in the ears of NFL GM's. No one has ever actually seen him. Just total intrigue.

I thought the Packers did a good job because they got players I can see helping them right away, and they really didn’t have major needs to fill. - See more at: http://packersinsider.com/2015/05/mel-kiper-nfl-draft-grades-packers-receive-a/#sthash.bFrK18bW.dpuf

Houston Texans: B

The continuing question around the Texans is whether they'll get enough out of the QB position to help elevate the good roster-building they've done elsewhere, but it's not like there was a starting QB play to be found in this draft for them, and they did a good job of continuing to strengthen the roster beyond that position.

I always enjoy how Mel gives teams a pass in his draft grades for not filling a positional need and other times he knocks a team's grade down for not filling a positional need. Sure, quarterback is the most important position on the field, but the Texans did the best they could without reaching for a quarterback. Other teams, like the Bills built their roster but didn't fill the QB position in this draft and they get knocked down for a trade they made last year. The Panthers didn't sufficiently address the offensive line position (I always find it interesting the "experts" think it's understandable not to reach for a QB, but think teams should just fill another need they have in the draft even if they clearly don't like the options), but have a QB, and they got a lower grade for that. Mel's grades feel scattershot at times.

Kevin Johnson is a bit lean, but everything else is there,

He has two arms, two legs, ten toes, ten fingers and a working brain. He seems like a full human being to Mel.

Indianapolis Colts: B-

The Colts managed to get several of my favorite players in the draft, yet I still think they continue to play with fire by not doing more to build quality depth along the offensive line.

Welp, the Colts have that franchise QB-thingie that all teams want, but they aren't protecting him sufficiently. That knocks them down a grade. Houston doesn't have Andrew Luck, but that's cool because they helped the roster around the QB position. Sure, Indianapolis built the roster around Luck, but that doesn't count because it doesn't count.

(Not that building a good offensive line isn't important, but what do the Colts and Panthers have in common in this draft? Both desperately need offensive line help and both picked towards the latter half of the draft and didn't grab offensive line help...it's almost like they both didn't like the guys available at that point)

Phillip Dorsett is an absolute burner who can actually catch the ball, and if you like T.Y. Hilton, I think you're going to love Dorsett. A great player ... but a big need? That looked to me like a clear case of "best player available" drafting.

(Bengoodfella faints at the idea of a team drafting the best player available)

Why on Earth would a team do this? First, the Browns select the best center in the draft who is also MAYBE the best offensive lineman, and now the Colts have selected the player they think to be the best available at their draft position. When will teams learn to fill needs, not acquire good football players?

If there's a big gripe, it's the Colts seem to consistently take for granted that Andrew Luck won't get hurt despite all the hits.

While I agree the Colts drafting a wide receiver was really weird, reaching for an offensive lineman isn't going to fix this problem of Luck getting hurt despite all the hits. Wishing and hoping an offensive lineman is a first round talent just because you select him there doesn't mean this wish will come true. 

Jacksonville Jaguars: B+

From a phone call that Mel had after the draft:

Kiper said he gave the Jaguars a “B .”

Actually Mel, you gave the Jags a "B+." There is a huge difference apparently or else you wouldn't include the "+" to the grade of "B."

“They helped out their quarterback by getting Yeldon, Rashad Greene, Sterling and Koyack, and they helped their defense stop (Colts quarterback) Andrew Luck by getting Fowler, Sample and then Bennett, who was a steal in the sixth round,” Kiper said. “All the way around, there was some method to what they were doing.”

What? A method to what the Jaguars were doing? The Colts draft the best player available, the Browns choose the best offensive lineman and now the Jaguars have a method to their drafting. What is going on with these AFC teams? 

Kansas City Chiefs: B-

They had Mitch Morse graded well above where I did, but I think he'll compete to start at either guard or center, which adds to his value. 

So Morse is going to compete to start at both positions? He's not going to show up drunk to training camp and just sit on the sidelines and drink water? Here I thought maybe Morse would show up, refuse to play center, and then play PS4 for the rest of training camp.

Steven Nelson adds more depth in the secondary,

I always love it when Mel has nothing to add regarding a player so he just states that player "adds depth." Basically, Mel needs to write another sentence and has no idea what to write, so he writes, "This guys plays football and was drafted. He is a warm body." And also, as the "B-" grade shows, Mel loved this draft as he seems to love every draft by every NFL team. That's why it is so much fun to go back and review his grades a few years later. 

Miami Dolphins: B

Jordan Phillips has first-round physical ability and third-round tape, so landing in Round 2 just about averages things out

The silliness of this sentence makes me laugh. So if a player has first round tape and seventh round physical ability, then drafting him in the fourth round sounds about right? Mel is essentially saying, "I am an expert on the draft and have no idea if Jordan Phillips is going to be any good or not. Fuck if I know, so using a second round pick on him sounds good." He gets paid to do this by the way.

If there's a question, it's the lack of a linebacker earlier on. The Parker pick really elevates this draft for me, and they can hope the coin flip on Phillips' becoming really good works out.

Mel liked every single pick the Dolphins made from Rounds 1-4, but he is worried the Dolphins didn't draft a linebacker. Teams can't fill every need with limited picks. Only in NFL Draft "analysis" can someone like Mel write, "I liked every pick the Dolphins made early in the draft" and then write, "I wish the Dolphins had drafted a linebacker early on." It's like going to a restaurant and ordering food and when the waiter asks how the food was saying it was delicious but you wished that you had ordered something else.

Minnesota Vikings: B

Trae Waynes brings about a lot of debate among my colleagues on the draft. We know he can cover in a straight line, and I love the speed, but the detractors point out Waynes really struggles when wide receivers aren't running in a straight line.

They had one of the best picks in Round 2 when they added a potential immediate starter in Eric Kendricks. This kid can really run sideline to sideline

If the Vikings could get into the lab and create a Trae Waynes/Eric Kendricks hybird (to be called Tric Wayndricks) then that would be the greatest defensive football player in this draft. He could cover in a straight line and run sideline to sideline.

The Vikes hit needs pretty well, and if Waynes cleans up aspects of his game, they might have really helped the defense with him and Kendricks. Good draft, but Waynes still has some "we'll see" aspects.

This is as opposed to the other draft picks which are all guaranteed to be good in the NFL? 

New England Patriots: B-

They did well overall, but I'm not sure why they didn't take at least one wide receiver or cornerback.

My guess would be because they didn't want to.

Jordan Richards is a smart, versatile fit in the secondary, which is exactly the kind of guy they like. I had him going lower, but if you think the guy can help and he's there for a team this good? Take him.

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh, I get it. It's okay for some teams to reach in the draft, but other teams get knocked down a grade for reaching. I think I'm going to need Mel to release the "Mel Kiper Guide to When It's Okay to Reach for a Player in the Draft" because I'm pretty sure no NFL team is going to draft a guy they don't think can help. Whether the team is traditionally good or not should be irrelevant. If Mel is going to knock a team for reaching, how good the team that does the reaching should be irrelevant.

Again, I wished they would have done more at CB and WR, and that drops them some, but you can't say they didn't get some good players, for a Super Bowl champ, no less.

Mel loves all the players the Patriots took, but wishes they would have taken different players, yet still likes the Patriots draft. This is how draft grades and analysis works for Mel. 

New Orleans Saints: C

Andrus Peat hits a need on the offensive line, but he's probably not ideal as a starter in Week 1 because NFL-level pass-rushers could give him fits.

See Mel, this is the type of thing that happens when a team like the Colts drafts an offensive lineman because it fits a need. You bash the pick for not being an ideal starter in Week 1. I have no idea if Peat will be any good, but this is how teams draft players who don't work out. They fill a need because Mel Kiper says it's a need.

The first-rounder they got back from Seattle turned into Stephone Anthony, and though he hits a need, I had a trio of inside linebackers ahead of him on my board.

And this shows the full subjectivity of draft grades. They often only depend on the person doing the grading and his/her opinion of the players selected versus other players available.

The Saints did some good work addressing defensive needs, but they really could have used another pass-catcher. When you factor the Graham deal as a part of the overall grade, it takes a hit.

So to review, Mel didn't like the Saints two first round picks, their second round pick, one of their third round picks and yet he thinks they did an average job in the draft? Got it. Way to go out on a limb there, Mel. What would it take for Mel to give a "D" to a draft? He hated all of a team's picks? Even then Mel would probably give that team a "C-." 

New York Giants: B-

I expected the Giants to take either Brandon Scherff, if available, or Ereck Flowers with the No. 9 pick, so when Scherff ended up at No. 5, Flowers became the man. He could end up at right tackle, pushing Justin Pugh inside. If Flowers can transition well, the Giants could get better at two positions with one pick, but you just can't make that promise.

I literally have no idea what the point of this sentence was. Flowers may play tackle, which means Pugh would play guard and the Giants could improve both positions but nobody can predict the future so there's no telling if that will happen or not so let's not talk about this anymore.

The addition of another safety in Round 5, Mykkele Thompson, just emphasizes the need at that position and, perhaps, how they plan to use Collins. I just thought it was a reach. I had better options available on my board, but again, it's all about fit and development at this point.

It's about fit and development at every point in the draft, not just the later rounds. Even the #1 pick isn't going to work out if he doesn't go to a team that fits him and works to develop his skill set.

New York Jets: A-

they were then able to move back up later to secure Bryce Petty, who has ability but will need time to develop because there are so many NFL concepts that are foreign to him. Still, good value to get a No. 4 QB down at 103 overall.

I always like it when a draft "expert" gives a team credit for a player falling to them, as if the Jets used mind control to ensure they would be able to get Petty at 103 overall. Sure, it was a smart move to draft Petty, but getting "good value" is as much about luck as it is anything else.

And remember: I factor Brandon Marshall into this draft."

And then Mel will factor Marshall into the draft after that as well. Mel is probably still holding the RG3 trade against both the Rams and the Redskins in his draft grades. 

Oakland Raiders: B

If I'm critiquing, it's probably in Round 2, where I thought Mario Edwards was a bit of a reach as my 61st-ranked player.

Mel, your draft grades are literally nothing but you critiquing a team's draft. So yes, "if you are critiquing" meaning, "if you are doing draft grades again."

Edwards was a need, but this team has plenty of them and I had a couple dozen players rated higher there.

The Raiders get knocked down to a "B" (yes, "down" to a "B") because the team had so many needs and Mel didn't like the player the Raiders took. This obviously means the Raiders didn't do a good job in the draft by not listening to Mel's opinion, which is the only correct opinion.

Jon Feliciano could help at guard, though value there was just OK.

Oh, he could help? Great, that's pretty much the reason the Raiders drafted him. Mel had questions about a few picks, but the questions weren't enough for him to think the Raiders were not one of the majority of teams that did a great job in this draft. I'm guessing if Jon Gruden did draft grades then he would give every team an "A." 

Pittsburgh Steelers: A-

The Steelers had a really good draft.

As did apparently almost 90% of the other NFL teams in Mel's opinion.

You think they wanted to find answers in the secondary? Yep, those guys will be green, but at least the depth chart looks better.

The players may suck, but at least there are functioning humans at these positions in the secondary! In "Mel Kiper's Depth Assessement Guide" this is probably known as a mix between "quality depth" and "green depth," which is totally different from "slightly experienced depth."

Philadelphia Eagles: B+

ILB Jordan Hicks went higher than I expected but I don't mind it because he's a really good player who filled a need.

Sure Mel thinks that Hicks was a reach but the Eagles think he can help, he fills a need, AND the Eagles are a good team so it's fine if they reach for a player. They have permission to do so from Mel. 

San Diego Chargers: B-

I would have really liked to see the Chargers add some fresh legs at either wide receiver or tight end, given some of the age on the roster at those positions, and nose tackle was a need that wasn't addressed.

The Chargers had five picks in the draft after trading up to get Melvin Gordon. They couldn't address every need they have in the draft with those five picks.

They did get some really good players, though.

Again, Mel really enjoyed his meal but wishes he had ordered something else. By the way, the Chargers got some really good players with five picks, but it only amounts to a slightly above average draft. I never understand these grades. 

San Francisco 49ers: C+

This one wasn't bad by any measures,

Just as a reminder, Mel thought none of the NFL teams had a bad draft.

but there's a lot of projection here,

Every draft pick is a projection of some type.

The other thing I wonder about is the lack of a true inside linebacker or cornerback. I'm fascinated to see what this class becomes because it's short on guarantees.

The 49ers did seem to draft more players who are considered "raw," but I would love for Mel to point out which teams in the draft picked a class that is long on guarantees. I bet five years from now those drafts long on guarantees won't seem that way anymore. 

Seattle Seahawks: A-

Mel didn't really write anything stupid about the Seahawks. Sadness accrues. My snark has run out on this one. 

St. Louis (Los Angeles) Rams: C 

This was a fascinating draft class, but one that I thought had several reaches on value

And the Rams are not good enough of a team to have permission from Mel to reach. Sure, maybe they drafted players that they thought could help the team, but permission to reach is denied.

The Rams want to be better running the football, which should help take pressure off a passing game we can't expect to be special, and they seemed to emphasize that goal with every pick.

WHAT? The Rams are another NFL team that had a plan and executed that plan in the draft? Inconceivable. No wonder Mel gave this draft a "C," he hates it when a team has a plan during the draft.

I don't dislike the value as much as I typically would -- I've said 1,000 times I don't think taking RBs in Round 1 is a good strategy -- because the Rams have the roster to start winning now, and because a star QB isn't walking through that door, they had to go with the run game.

So it's okay to draft a running back in the first round if a team is trying to win now, but otherwise if a team isn't trying to win now, then it isn't okay to draft a running back in the first round? By the way, both teams that Mel gave permission to draft a running back in the first round didn't make the playoffs last year. It seems important when discussing how they are teams that are trying to win now. So the biggest error the Rams seem to make was drafting offensive linemen before Mel thought they should, which of course, he would criticize the Rams for not filling a need if they didn't draft these offensive linemen. That's just how Mel works.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: B-

Winston is not Andrew Luck, a winning lottery ticket handed to a fortunate franchise; he's the definition of a boom-or-bust selection. Again, I don't think they made the wrong decision, given the obvious need; I only think what Winston becomes is an unknown because the real work to help him develop into a true franchise leader is about to begin.

It's annoying when people compare every #1 overall pick to Andrew Luck, as if a quarterback like Luck comes out of the draft more often than once a decade. Pretty much any quarterback drafted in the first round isn't going to be polished and pro-ready like Andrew Luck was when he was drafted. So stop comparing quarterbacks taken #1 overall to Luck, because most quarterbacks picked in the first round are boom-or-bust selections.

After the Winston pick, the Bucs looked to address some clear needs up front. Donovan Smith was a reach on my board -- 

And if the Bucs had selected another player at another position then Mel would have pointed out how the Bucs have a need at offensive line and they didn't fill that need. 

Tennessee Titans: C+ 

After Mariota, I thought Tennessee had some reaches on value on three consecutive picks: Dorial Green-Beckham is a special athlete, but he's incomplete and plays soft, and I thought there were several better options available at No. 40;

Of all the criticisms of Dorial Green-Beckham, that he's incomplete and plays soft aren't two I have heard too much. These types of things will happen when he has limited exposure playing college football due to the real reasons that he was a shaky pick at #40. He's a stud if he stays on the right path though and I can't imagine how Mel thinks there were several better options available at #40. Not shockingly, Mel doesn't list these options. I have a feeling there's a reason he doesn't list these better options because they don't exist.

I had Jeremiah Poutasi as my 12th-ranked guard (he played tackle at Utah), so that's a reach on my board in Round 3; and the Angelo Blackson pick was again a slight reach for me.

And the Titans DO NOT have permission to reach in the draft. They got a guy with first round talent in the second round, so one would think it balances at least one of these picks out according to how Mel's bizarre mind works, but I guess not. 

Washington Redskins: A-

I don't think there was a softer team in the NFL the past season than the Redskins, especially on defense, where they simply didn't tackle.

So Mel loved how the Redskins improved on defense by using four of their ten selections on defensive players and only selecting one defensive player in the first 140 picks. That's how you get an "A-" from Mel, people. If Mel thinks you are a team that is soft on defense, don't draft any defensive players early. Mel loves that.

Matt Jones was a bit rich for me in terms of value, but it's all preference on RB at that point.

Permission to reach a bit is granted, given the Redskins success of late and all.

When I went through tape with Jon Gruden,

A nightmare scenario for anyone who gets stuck in this room with Mel and Jon "I Love Everybody and Here is a Cutesy Nickname for the Road" Gruden.

So there they are, the grades for what seems to be (based on Mel's grades) the best draft in the history of the NFL. Everyone gets a ribbon and no team did terribly. Five years from now, every team will be shown to have had either an average draft, or in the case of four teams, just a slightly below average draft. I bet Mel is happy he didn't write anything that could be used against him in the future. Be positive, you won't get criticized.