Matt Elam isn't the next Ed Reed, but the Ravens would settle for Bob Sanders. (Getty Images)

I'm not sure if giving grades out right after a draft is more like critiquing a meal right after you've ordered it, or reviewing a book just after you've cracked Page 1. At the very least, it will take one full season before a team's selection process can be accurately assessed in the long-term view. As to the validity and accuracy of immediate grades, you should ask the guys who didn't know who Tom Brady was in 2000, or saw Russell Wilson as a third-round waste pick in 2012. So, with that in mind, consider this a series of early reflections, more based on how the players performed in college, potential scheme fits, and overall team quality.

Baltimore Ravens: 32. FS Matt Elam, 56. ILB Arthur Brown, 94. DT Brandon Williams, 129. OLB John Simon, 130. FB Kyle Juszczyk, 168. OT Ricky Wagner, 200. DE Kapron Lewis-Moore, 203. OT Ryan Jensen, 238. WR Aaron Mellette, 247. CB Marc Anthony.

In the first two rounds of their draft, the Ravens replaced the two most important players in franchise history in some interesting ways. Florida safety Matt Elam, the team's first-round pick, played a lot on the slot for the Gators, but he has the coverage range and hitting ability to do some of the things Ed Reed did. Not that Elam is going to be the next Reed -- he's not quite that long and athletic, but I think there are some elements of his game that bring Bob Sanders to mind, and Baltimore has an enforcer in their defensive backfield again. With their second-round pick, the Ravens took Kansas State linebacker Arthur Brown, perhaps the best and fastest coverage linebacker in this draft class. With Ray Lewis and Dannell Ellerbe out the door, Baltimore needed to redefine its idea of what inside linebackers do. I was amazed that the San Francisco 49ers didn't exploit the Ravens' slow inside game with their passing attack -- they may have won the Super Bowl had they done so. Brown will make plays in space that Lewis didn't over the last five years of his career.

Missouri Southern defensive tackle Brandon Williams is a stout run-plugger who can move around the line, fitting the team's concepts of defensive positional versatility. Ohio State outside linebacker John Simon is a longtime coach's favorite because of his utterly relentless attitude about the game. Two Senior Bowl stars who bear watching: Harvard fullback Kyle Juszczyk and Elon receiver Aaron Mellette. Juszczyk blocks with force and aggression, but can also contribute in the passing game. Mellette is a sneaky-fast player who should find a place in Jim Caldwell's more expansive route concepts.

Cincinnati Bengals: 21. TE Tyler Eifert, 37. RB Giovani Bernard, 53. DE Margus Hunt, 84. SS Shawn Williams, 118. LB Sean Porter, 156. OT Tanner Hawkinson, 190. RB Rex Burkhead, 197. WR Cobi Hamilton, 240. OT Reid Fragel, 251. C T.J. Johnson.

If Andy Dalton doesn't get to the mythical next level in the NFL, it won't be for lack of targets. Adding Notre Dame tight end Tyler Eifert in the first round should do a lot for the Bengals' passing game. He can line up all over the formation effectively, brings good functional speed to the game, and will be an outstanding jump-ball target. North Carolina running back Giovani Bernard isn't a speed-burner, but he runs with great leverage and power -- attributes the Bengals prefer in their backs. He has a shot to get serious playing time right off the bat. SMU defensive end Margus Hunt may take a little while longer to find his place in Mike Zimmer's defensive line, but the Bengals will want to use Hunt on special teams from Day 1 -- the 6-foot-8 Estonian and former Olympian blocks field goals and extra points at a freakish rate. The Hunt pick makes sense for this team -- he reminds me of Michael Johnson, who came out of Georgia Tech with some finishing work to do, but with the athletic ability to be special over time.

Texas A&M outside linebacker Sean Porter replaced Von Miller as the Aggies' "Joker" (the move defender who could do a lot of different things), and should see a lot of time in that same role for a team that still needs a lot of coverage help between the hashmarks. Georgia safety Shawn Williams, with his intriguing blend of toughness and coverage range, can help a defense with serious holes at the safety positions. Arkansas receiver Cobi Hamilton was a productive, if inconsistent, target for Tyler Wilson over the last couple of years. Could be a good complementary target if he gets his mental game together.

Tim Tebow warmsup in Buffalo, which may be as close as he ever gets to Canada. (Getty Images)

Tim Tebow's release from the New York Jets has provoked plenty of speculation about where he'll land, and with his NFL options apparently dwindling (although perhaps not non-existent), many are bringing up the idea of him heading to Canada. At first glance, this isn't a ludicrous idea given the history involved: quarterbacks once overlooked by the NFL such as Warren Moon, Doug Flutie and Jeff Garcia honed their skills in the CFL before finding success south of the border.

Moreover, there is some interest in Tebow on the CFL end: TSN's Dave Naylor reported Monday that the Montreal Alouettes still have Tebow on their negotiation list (meaning they're the only CFL team he can play for, barring a trade of his rights) and that general manager Jim Popp said the team would "take a look at him" if Tebow elected to come north. Canadian football has changed significantly since the days of Moon and Flutie, though, and there are particular circumstances in Tebow's case that might make heading to the CFL a poor decision for him.

The first argument against the Tebow to the CFL storyline is that heading to Canada isn't a quick path back to NFL stardom. The Canadian game is vastly different from the American version, featuring a bigger field, 12 men a side, three downs, expanded motion rules and several other changes, so that makes adapting to it a tough challenge for any athlete. That's why the CFL all-star list each year tends to have plenty of older players who have been in the league for years; experience in the three-down game can be just as valuable as raw athletic skill.

This is even more true for American quarterbacks, as they essentially have to relearn the route trees, coverage packages and reads they've seen all their lives thanks to the differences in the game (particularly the 12 men on each side). A standard CFL defensive alignment is four defensive linemen, two linebackers, a hybrid linebacker/defensive back, two cornerbacks, two halfbacks and a single safety; the reads against that package are incredibly different from anything seen in American football, and when you throw in the expanded motion receivers can use and the larger field (plus the need to get more yards on each down), it can be exceptionally difficult for quarterbacks to adapt.

J.J. Watt is Houston's most popular current athlete, and it's not hard to see why. The Texans defensive end is charming his town with antics like the above, a fake mound-charge at the J.J. Watt Charity Classic. The event, held this past weekend in Sugar Land, Texas, raised more than $300,000 to help fund after-school athletic programs for kids. And oh, do the Houstonians love this guy.

But yeah, that fight. The game pitted the Texans defense against the offense, and with Andre Johnson, Matt Schaub, Owen Daniels and other notables on the roster, you can imagine that the Texans brass got a little nervous at millions of dollars' worth of ballplayers rolling around on a dusty Texas ballfield. Fortunately, no injuries resulted.

-Follow Jay Busbee on Twitter at @jaybusbee.-

The New York Jets have informed quarterback Tim Tebow that he will be released, Brian Costello of the New York Post reports.

The Jets acquired Tebow on March 23, 2012 from the Denver Broncos, who had selected the 2007 Heisman Trophy winner in the first round of the 2010 NFL draft. Tebow's first season with the Jets was forgettable as he failed to unseat or even pressure Mark Sanchez for the starting job and played in just 6.8 percent of the Jets' offensive snaps, according to official playing-time documents.

Tebow completed six of his eight pass attempts for 39 yards, was sacked twice, and gained 102 yards on 32 rushing attempts with zero touchdowns after rushing for 12 touchdowns over his first two seasons in the NFL. Tebow had a larger role on the Jets' special teams units, serving as a part-time decoy/personal punt protector on 12.72 percent of the special teams plays.

[Jason Cole: Jets' release of Tim Tebow could be blessing in disguise for QB]

Releasing Tebow has been expected for months as the Jets have a logjam at the position, especially after adding West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith in the second round of the 2013 NFL draft. There was no trade market for the polarizing passer, which prompted the decision to place Tebow on waivers Monday. After the Jets picked Smith, there were reports that the Jets were considering releasing Mark Sanchez, but his $8.25 million base salary is fully guaranteed with no offset language (the Jets would still have to pay the full amount if Sanchez signed elsewhere) and there would be significant salary cap ramifications.

With Smith expected to need time before he's ready to start, Sanchez remains the Jets' best option at quarterback as his closest competition for the starting job — veteran David Garrard — has had back and knee injuries that have kept him out of a regular season game since 2010.

Denver received two mid-round draft choices (which were used on center Philip Blake in the fourth round and linebacker Danny Trevathan in the sixth round) from the Jets, who also agreed to repay $2.531 million of a salary

Someone may get a major bargain in Da'Rick Rogers. (Getty Images)Every year, right after the draft is over, NFL teams get on the phone with hundreds of kids who didn't hear their names called during the actual selection process. For any number of reasons, there are times when teams miss out on potential, or develop it later, and benefit from the ultimate bargain score -- the undrafted player who turns into a starter -- and, on occasion, a Pro Bowl or Hall of Fame-level asset. From Kurt Warner to John Randle to Rod Smith to Antonio Gates to Wes Welker to London Fletcher and on and on, there's always enough of a chance that a few of these payers will hit on the bigger gamble to make them worth monitoring.

Here, based on what we've seen, are the best players still left standing once the 2013 NFL draft was done, and the teams they've signed with in parentheses.

Da'Rick Rogers, WR, Tennessee Tech: A Greg Cosell favorite. NFLDraftScout.com gave him a third-round grade. Was suspended indefinitely from the Tennessee squad for violations of team rules and subsequently transferred, but dominated at the bigger-school level, as well. Big kid (6-foot-3, 217) with 4.5 speed and interesting after-catch abilities. If he gets his act together, could be a legitimate starter. (Buffalo Bills)

Matt Scott, QB, Arizona: Mobile quarterback with some pretty serious mechanical fixes ahead of him, but he really intrigues as an athlete and thrower. Not just a guy who runs around in the pocket -- has the speed to threaten upfield. Could be a long-term NFL backup and spot starter in the Seneca Wallace mold, and perhaps more than that with a team willing to take the shot on developing him over time. (Jacksonville Jaguars)

[Related: Winners, losers from 2013 NFL draft]

Alvin Bailey, OG, Arkansas: Big but agile blocker with the ability to protect in space and at the second level, but can also bring it with power at the line. Can play right or left guard. Struggles with more advanced defensive concepts and is erratic in play-to-play blocking consistency. Needs an NFL team that understands how to bridge the gap between potential and performance. (Seattle Seahawks)

Tyler Bray, QB, Tennessee: Impressive arm talent with question marks just about everywhere else. Annoyingly erratic thrower who benefited from a great deal of receiver talent. Not an effectively mobile player when he needs to be and doesn't really have a gauge with his arm strength. Has some reported off-field concerns, and there could be more underneath the surface. Buyer beware, but someone will fall in love with the cannon and try to deal with all the other stuff. (Kansas City Chiefs)

Kwame Geathers, DT, Georgia: Father, uncle, and brother played, or currently play, in the NFL. Massive run-stuffer with surprisingly quick feet and a certain level of burst off the snap. Dropped because he's got a lot of technique work to do -- he loses power a lot on leverage, doesn't show a lot of effective hand movement, and disappears for long stretches of time. Rotational guy at the NFL level. (San Diego Chargers)

Chase Thomas, OLB, Stanford:

(USA Today Sports Images)

Honolulu scheduled a big parade Saturday afternoon as a celebration for native son Manti Te'o on the weekend he was drafted into the NFL. The city gave a $2,000 grant for the event, according to Hawaii News Now, and the story said the remaining cost was picked up mainly by residents of Laie and Kahuku.

Tents were set up, food was cooked, but nobody stopped to think about the guest of honor's availability. Oops.

When a player is drafted in the NFL, the team flies him out the next day to meet the coaches, tour the facilities and have a press conference. This happens for practically every high draft pick. Nobody planning the parade in Hawaii could be expected to know that, but it must have been quite the scene when the organizers figured out that Te'o had to be in San Diego when his parade was scheduled. The Chargers selected Te'o, the decorated Notre Dame linebacker, on Friday in the second round of the NFL draft.

The parade went on as planned, Hawaii News Now said.

With the 254th and final pick of the 2013 NFL draft, the Indianapolis Colts selected South Carolina tight end Justice Cunningham, this year's Mr. Irrelevant. It's the second straight year in which the Colts got the final pick of the draft -- in 2012, they took Northern Illinois quarterback Chandler Harnish. Cunningham was a somewhat productive target in the last two seasons, finishing his four-year stint with 50 catches for 581 yards and a touchdown.

He majored in sport and entertainment management, and has three siblings: a brother named Power, and sisters named Promise and Sincere.

In 2012, Cunningham caught 23 of those passes for 324 yards. But he's more of a blocker, and with Coby Fleener and Dwayne Allen already in the game plan, one wonders where Cunningham might fit. Then again, new Colts offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton ran a few three-TE sets at Stanford, so you never know.

For his role as Mr. Irrelevant, Cunningham will be the star of "Irrelevant Week XXXVIII," which is a thing that actually happens. From the official event site:

Founded by Paul Salata in 1976, Irrelevant Week is a 38-year-old philanthropic tradition within the Newport Beach community that commemorates the final National Footbal League draft pick each season while simultaneously raising money for charitable organizations. During the summer following the draft, Mr. Irrelevant and his family are invited to participate in a host of events throughout Orange County.

This year, Irrelevant Week XXXVIII is proud to support Special Olympics Southern California.

So, it's a fun event for a good cause. Fortunately, the players seem to have a sense of humor about it, and get into the feel of things. Harnish actually tweeted a succession welcome to the newest member of the club:

Proud to pass the Mr. Irrelevant torch over @justiceivall87 . Congrats and welcome to the Colts!

— Chandler Harnish (@C_Harnish) April 27, 2013

Believe it or not, some of these Misters Irrelevant have made tracks in the NFL.

LeGarrette Blount was traded to the Patriots (USA Today Sports Images)

The New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers have once again worked out a trade, this time agreeing to a trade involving an unwanted running back, an Olympic silver medalist and a seventh-round draft pick.

According to Tom Curran of Comcast SportsNet New England, the Patriots have acquired LeGarrette Blount in exchange for Jeff Demps and the 229th overall pick in the 2013 NFL draft.

New England and Tampa Bay hooked up last year's trade deadline, with the Patriots acquiring cornerback Aqib Talib in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2013 NFL draft. The Buccaneers used that pick to select Michigan State defensive end William Gholston. The Patriots also received a seventh-round pick back from the Buccaneers in the Talib deal, which is the 226th overall selection.

Blount entered the NFL with the Tennessee Titans as an undrafted free agent out of Oregon in 2010. Claimed off waivers by the Buccaneers, the 6-foot, 245-pound Blount ran for 1,007 yards and six touchdowns as a rookie, despite starting just seven of 13 games. Blount ran for 781 yards and five touchdowns as a 14-game starter in 2011, but lost his starting job to 2012 first-round pick Doug Martin and had just 41 carries for 151 yards and two touchdowns in very limited action, logging just 92 snaps over the entire season, according to official playing-time documents.

Blount was scheduled to be a restricted free agent this offseason, but agreed to a one-year, $1.75 million contract with the Buccaneers on March 7. Blount's deal contained no guaranteed money, but the running back can earn a $150,000 workout bonus and another $350,000 bonus by reporting to training camp. If Blount makes the Patriots' 53-man roster, which is far from being a lock, he is scheduled to earn $1.25 million in non-guaranteed base salary.