2015 NFL Draft grades: Falcons won the weekend in the NFC South

The NFC South was the worst division in the NFL last season. It sent a team with a losing record, the 7-8-1 Carolina Panthers, to the playoffs. Combined, the four member teams went 10-29-1 against non-division opponents. That record alone put the 2014 NFC South in discussion as one of the worst divisions of all time.

If there is such a thing as division pride, it was imperative that the NFC South have a strong draft weekend. If you were the Tampa Bay Buccaneers or Atlanta Falcons then congratulations, you did it! Experts were pleased with what those franchises accomplished over the course of Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The Bucs, of course, added perhaps the biggest name in the draft in quarterback Jameis Winston at No. 1 overall.

The Panthers and New Orleans Saints? Results were much more mixed, though not hopeless. Experts found bits and pieces to like, though they were hardly in agreement. It's probably too early to definitively say whether the NFC South will be much better than it was last season. Long-term, however, there's reason to hope that it can rise from the ashes.

Depending on who you ask, the Falcons may have won the draft. The three sources that gave Atlanta an "A" grade all cited the team's ability to both seemingly grab the best players available and address needs. Vic Beasley should give the team immediate help in the pass rush, and cornerback Jalen Collins was considered a steal by many in the second round.

CBS and Mel Kiper doused some of the excitement by noting that Collins is still raw, but even they couldn't help themselves praising the pick of running back Tevin Coleman in the third. Falcons fans should be excited.

The Panthers' first-round selection of linebacker Shaq Thompson surprised many of the experts. The team had an obvious hole at offensive tackle, and instead spent its first draft pick on a player at what was already a position of strength.

The team made up for it by getting a consensus steal in Oklahoma OT Daryl Williams in the fourth round, and the selection of Devin Funchess in the third ensures that Carolina's receiving corps will be near-impossible to beat for jump balls. Overall, however, experts feel the Panthers could have done more if they had gone a different route with their first pick.

The Saints addressed needs, but seemed to reach for player according to the experts. Offensive tackle Andrus Peat, selected No. 13 overall, may need some seasoning before he can become a contributor, and quarterback Garrett Grayson maybe wasn't the passer others would have made the third quarterback selected of the draft.

The most questioned player selection was linebacker Stephone Anthony, selected with the Saints' second pick of the first round. SB Nation's Dan Kadar summed up the consensus: "The Clemson linebacker may have put up eye-popping numbers, but No. 31 overall still seems early for him."

The Buccaneers did everything to support Winston afterwards, taking offensive tackle Donovan Smith in the second round and wide receiver Kenny Bell in the fifth. Versatile offensive lineman Ali Marpet was one of the most intriguing selections of any team late in the second round. He proved his physical bonafides during the draft process, but is facing a massive step up in competition from Division III Hobart.