NFL Draft Grades: Rams, Ravens Continue Making Smart Moves

Yes, it is early to grade picks. What a total pundit line. It’s never too early to grade picks. This grade is just a snap shot of where things stand after the draft, a first-quarter report card.

The front office made a good decision to use three of their later picks on offensive linemen. If just one pans out, that helps the young quarterback.

From the 1st pick to the 253rd pick, the 2012 NFL Draft is complete. We think we know who the winners and losers were in this draft but, let’s be honest, the NFL Draft has proven again and again that scouts and draft analysts miss on players all the time.

Despite that, we’re ready to grade how each team did.

The Broncos had a decent draft -- not outstanding but not horrible, either. If Osweiler ends up working out, then the class gets much better.

For more on the Broncos, visit Mile High Report and SB Nation Denver. For more draft information, check out Mocking the Draft. Check out our previous NFL Draft grades for day one and day two.

The Patriots like to move back and stockpile picks. They instead moved up to select Syracuse DE Chandler Jones and Alabama LB Dont’a Hightower. The Patriots had a need entering the offseason to fix the pass rush. They clearly made that a priority entering the NFL Draft and succeeded in upgrading the talent at that position.

In Round 2, the Patriots selected Illinois CB Tavon Wilson, which NFL Network’s Mike Mayock called a big shock. Wilson was rated lower on draft boards. Bill Belichick and the Patriots have a need in the secondary as well, so this was likely a pick based on that.

The Colts didn’t pick any defensive players in the first four rounds, which was odd. But they did select Alabama NT Josh Chapman, who will hold down the nose in their new 3-4 defense under Chuck Pagano. Chapman tore his ACL late last year and does have medical concerns.

This was a good draft for the Colts. Since they picked up the best player at the most important position, I have to give them an A.

Coples was considered in the top 10 by some teams, but he fell to the 16th pick, something you didn’t see very often in mock drafts leading up to the draft. The Jets also had Melvin Ingram on the board but chose Coples instead, a move that’s been criticized by some.

Hill was considered a first round talent by some teams, but he ended up falling in the draft as well. The Jets traded up in the draft for him and selected him 43rd overall. Hill had an impressive Combine which will need to translate to the NFL game.

Here are the rest of the Rams draft picks. he Rams deserve an A for the way they’ve been able to move around in the draft.

For more on the Rams, visit Turf Show Times and SB Nation St. Louis. Check out SB Nation’s Mocking The Draft for more news on the draft picks and here are our previous NFL Draft grades for day one and day two.

The 2012 NFL Draft is nearing the halfway point as we’ve gone through the first three rounds of the Draft. Rounds 4-7 come on Saturday afternoon but we can’t wait that long to start grading the picks. SB Nation’s YouTube crew recapped the second day of the NFL Draft.

NFL Draft 2012: NFC South Day 2 Grades (via sbnation)

The 2012 NFL Draft has gone through the first three rounds, and now we move on to the third day of the draft with Rounds 4-7. The NFC East has had some major movement in the first three rounds, with the Redskins trading up for Robert Griffin III and the Cowboys moving up to select Morris Claiborne. SB Nation’s YouTube crew handed out video analysis of the NFC East in the NFL Draft.

NFL Draft 2012: NFC East Day 2 Grades (via sbnation)

The 2012 NFL Draft moves into its final day on Saturday afternoon with rounds 4-7. In the NFC West, the Rams are leading the way with one of the best drafts of any team in the league. The rest of the NFC West teams aren’t doing as well, but then again they weren’t armed with the picks the Rams were.

NFL Draft 2012: NFC West Day 2 Grades (via sbnation)

The 2012 NFL Draft moves into its final day with rounds 4-7 coming on Saturday afternoon. The AFC North has two of the best drafting teams in the NFL in the Ravens and Steelers, and neither team has disappointed thus far. The Bengals are also having one of the best drafts to this point.

NFL Draft 2012: AFC North Day 2 Grades (via sbnation)

The 2012 NFL Draft has moved through rounds 1-3, and now we move into the final day with rounds 4-7. The AFC East is having a decent draft so far. One of the highlights for the conference has been the Patriots moving up twice in the 1st round. The Bills picked up a solid offensive lineman in Cordy Glenn in Round 2 and Stephen Hill fell to the Jets in the 2nd round.

Rounds 4-7 are on Saturday afternoon.

The 2012 NFL Draft moves into the third day as the first three rounds are completed. The AFC West is having a decent draft so far. Besides the Raiders, who have had only one pick through the first three rounds. SB Nation’s YouTube crew handed out video analysis of the AFC West in the first two days of the Draft.

Rounds 4-7 of the NFL Draft are on Saturday afternoon.

The NFC North has had a solid NFL Draft to this point, with the Packers leading the way in SB Nation’s NFL Draft grades. The Packers received an A, while the Bears, Lions and Vikings all received B’s.

Check out SB Nation’s NFL Draft grades, and view the video for more analysis.

We’ve gone through three rounds of the 2012 NFL Draft with rounds 4-7 coming on Saturday afternoon. SB Nation’s YouTube crew graded the entire AFC South through three rounds, video of which you can see below.

Check out SB Nation’s NFL Draft grades, and view the video for more analysis.

We are now three rounds down in the 2012 NFL Draft. The 1st round came and went on Thursday night and two more rounds were completed on Friday night. Rounds 4-7 come on Saturday afternoon.

At about the halfway point of the NFL Draft, it’s time for another set of grades. Here’s a recap of the picks in Round 1, Round 2 and Round 3.