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Mon Apr 27, 2009 1:39 pm EDT

Averaging out the completely meaningless draft grades

By MJD

For giggles, I compiled draft grades from five major outlets out there, averaged them for every team and came up with your draft's biggest consensus winners and losers.

There really weren't many teams that were either consistently high or consistently low, which suggests to me that most draft graders are reluctant to go out on a limb with a really high grade or a really low grade. It's easier to stick a team with an average grade and move on, which makes sense, because no one really has any idea how things are going to play out in five years.

The Patriots, Jets, and Giants were the only teams able to carry an A average, so congratulations to them. The only three teams under a 75% were the Bucs, Cowboys, and Raiders.

I went with a basic grading scale that is as follows: A+ a 98, A is a 95, A- is a 92, B+ is an 88, B is an 85, B- is an 82, C+ is a 78, C is a 75, C- is a 72, D+ is a 68, D is a 65, D- is a 62, and an F, we'll call a 55. Then I average them all and came up with a final grade for everybody. See how your team did.


  Yahoo [A/N] Kiper USA Today Fox Sports NBC Sports Average
AFC East    
Miami Dolphins C C- C B- B 78%, C+
New England Patriots A B+ A- B+ A- 91%, A-
New York Jets A- A- B- A A- 91%, A-
Buffalo Bills C- B+ A- B C 82%, B-
AFC North    
Pittsburgh Steelers C+ B B- C B+ 82%, B-
Baltimore Ravens A B B- B- A- 88%, B+
Cincinnati Bengals B- B B A B- 86%, B
Cleveland Browns C+ B- B C A- 82%, B-
AFC South    
Tennessee Titans B C+ B C B- 81%, B-
Indianapolis Colts B C+ C- B- A- 82%, B-
Houston Texans B+ B+ C+ A C+ 85%, B
Jacksonville Jaguars A- C+ C+ B+ A- 86%, B
AFC West    
San Diego Chargers B C+ C- B- B+ 81%, B
Denver Broncos D C B- B B+ 79%, C+
Oakland Raiders F D F C- D 62%, D-
Kansas City Chiefs A- C- C B- B+ 82%, B
NFC East    
New York Giants B B A B A+ 90%, A-
Philadelphia Eagles B- B- A A B 88%, B+
Dallas Cowboys C+ D D+ C D 70%, C-
Washington Redskins C+ C+ C C B 78%, C+
NFC North    
Minnesota Vikings C C+ C+ C A- 80%, B-
Chicago Bears B B B- B- B+ 84%, B
Green Bay Packers A A B+ C B- 87%, B+
Detroit Lions B+ B- C+ A C 84%, B
NFC South    
Carolina Panthers C C C B- D+ 75%, C
Atlanta Falcons B+ B B B+ C- 84%, B
Tampa Bay Buccaneers C- B D+ D C+ 73%, C-
New Orleans Saints B C C- C C- 76%, C
NFC West            
Arizona Cardinals B+ B+ B B B 86%, B
San Francisco 49ers B- B+ C- B- C 80%, B-
Seattle Seahawks B B B B- C- 82%, B-
St. Louis Rams B C C B C 79%, C+

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169 Comments

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  1. Mike N
    1. Posted by Mike N Mon Apr 27, 2009 1:46 pm EDT

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    Stupid Grades anyway. All about next year and the transition to the nfl
  2. broncolory7
    2. Posted by broncolory7 Mon Apr 27, 2009 1:56 pm EDT

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    Lmao!
  3. Mark
    3. Posted by Mark Mon Apr 27, 2009 2:01 pm EDT

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    Let me see if I've got this right, 23 teams are above average (B- or better), 8 are average (C- to C+) and only one is below average? Think about that, does anyone else see the problem with that kind of rating system? How can 65% of the teams be better than average? Anyway, Go Vikes!
  4. Mallard Davis
    4. Posted by Mallard Davis Mon Apr 27, 2009 2:02 pm EDT

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    As a 46 year Raiders fan I would give the Raiders a D in this draft too.
  5. ProdigalMonkey
    5. Posted by ProdigalMonkey Mon Apr 27, 2009 2:09 pm EDT

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    i took this a step further to put them in ranked order (highest to lowest, average percentage score)
    new england patriots a b a- b a- 91%, a-
    new york jets a- a- b- a a- 91%, a-
    new york giants b b a b a 90%, a-
    baltimore ravens a b b- b- a- 88%, b
    philadelphia eagles b- b- a a b 88%, b
    green bay packers a a b c b- 87%, b
    cincinnati bengals b- b b a b- 86%, b
    jacksonville jaguars a- c c b a- 86%, b
    arizona cardinals b b b b b 86%, b
    houston texans b b c a c 85%, b
    chicago bears b b b- b- b 84%, b
    detroit lions b b- c a c 84%, b
    atlanta falcons b b b b c- 84%, b
    buffalo bills c- b a- b c 82%, b-
    pittsburgh steelers c b b- c b 82%, b-
    cleveland browns c b- b c a- 82%, b-
    indianapolis colts b c c- b- a- 82%, b-
    seattle seahawks b b b b- c- 82%, b-
    kansas city chiefs a- c- c b- b 82%, b
    tennessee titans b c b c b- 81%, b-
    san diego chargers b c c- b- b 81%, b
    minnesota vikings c c c c a- 80%, b-
    san francisco 49ers b- b c- b- c 80%, b-
    denver broncos d c b- b b 79%, c
    st. louis rams b c c b c 79%, c
    miami dolphins c c- c b- b 78%, c
    washington redskins c c c c b 78%, c
    new orleans saints b c c- c c- 76%, c
    carolina panthers c c c b- d 75%, c
    tampa bay buccaneers c- b d d c 73%, c-
    dallas cowboys c d d c d 70%, c-
    oakland raiders f d f c- d 62%, d-
  6. Mallard Davis
    6. Posted by Mallard Davis Mon Apr 27, 2009 2:10 pm EDT

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    Cable and Al rationalizing this is crap. They should have taken Raji with number seven and STOP THE RUN, Hayward-Bey would have been available with number 40. I think it's a lie that Chicago was going to take Mitchell in the second round.
  7. Zach
    7. Posted by Zach Mon Apr 27, 2009 2:12 pm EDT

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    Raiders do suck...Browns BABY!
  8. Richard N
    8. Posted by Richard N Mon Apr 27, 2009 2:12 pm EDT

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    46 years a raider fan... get out while you can.... that stone hand receiver will not catch missles thrown by J russ.. what a joke. As a Niner fan I thank Al Davis.... Man has time passed this once legend by....
  9. BZ
    9. Posted by BZ Mon Apr 27, 2009 2:13 pm EDT

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    Draft grades are completely pointless. Basically an analyst has a preset of what HE thinks a team needs (when generally he probably has mediocore to slim knowledge on what the team actually needs, "outside looking" in deal). So when that team drafts the WR they know they need, and not the CB that the analyst thought they should, they get a bad grade. Basically pointless. Then if you look at the many flops drafted in the first round over the year, it really doesn't matter.
    The best way to get a look at is, is look what the fans of those teams are saying after the draft. Generally, they know more what their team needed and more about the players that the team was looking at (and generally get).
  10. Houda
    10. Posted by Houda Mon Apr 27, 2009 2:15 pm EDT

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    I would like to see what these experts graded in the past and see if they knew wtf they were talking about..
  11. Mallard Davis
    11. Posted by Mallard Davis Mon Apr 27, 2009 2:21 pm EDT

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    Richard N...When your Dad take you to your first Raiders game at age 8 at Frank Youell Field, it is hard to "get out while you can". We will be able to compare Crabtree and Hayward-Bey as they will be playing across the pond from each other.
  12. Steve M
    12. Posted by Steve M Mon Apr 27, 2009 2:23 pm EDT

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    Grading a draft is about as worthless as the Homeroll segment on the scaban show.
  13. ontherockz72
    13. Posted by ontherockz72 Mon Apr 27, 2009 2:24 pm EDT

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    I love the Pats but don't think they deserve the highest grade. I hope I am wrong.
    Looks like the Raiders failed. They should have traded out of the 7th spot and drafted Bey later.
  14. Paydirt
    14. Posted by Paydirt Mon Apr 27, 2009 2:24 pm EDT

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    The Raiders do it again! What a joke! AFC West whipping boys this year.
  15. Paydirt
    15. Posted by Paydirt Mon Apr 27, 2009 2:26 pm EDT

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    By the way...........want to grade this draft? Let's talk in 3-4 years. Then and only then will we know how well any team drafted this year or any year. Draft grades are a joke.
  16. stud
    16. Posted by stud Mon Apr 27, 2009 2:30 pm EDT

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    packers get a c from fox sports what are they smokin,GO PACK GREAT DRAFT TED
  17. Steve M
    17. Posted by Steve M Mon Apr 27, 2009 2:32 pm EDT

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    Am I the only one who see's Stafford in Detroit and Sanchez in New York being huge busts. The only value picks at QB this year were Rhett Bomar for the Giants and Josh Freeman for Cleveland and then only because they will be allowed to sit for several years and learn the system. Detroit would have been better off using that 1st pick to take one of the big offensive tackles and then go after a franchise QB nect year when the draft class will be better and deeper.
  18. Steve M
    18. Posted by Steve M Mon Apr 27, 2009 2:32 pm EDT

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    am i the only one who see's stafford in detroit and sanchez in new york being huge busts. the only value picks at qb this year were rhett bomar for the giants and josh freeman for cleveland and then only because they will be allowed to sit for several years and learn the system. detroit would have been better off using that 1st pick to take one of the big offensive tackles and then go after a franchise qb nect year when the draft class will be better and deeper.
  19. VoodooMan
    19. Posted by VoodooMan Mon Apr 27, 2009 2:33 pm EDT

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    Ok keep this page... We will see
  20. B
    20. Posted by B Mon Apr 27, 2009 2:35 pm EDT

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    Dallas should of got a BIG FAT F for this draft. Worse I have seen in years as a Cowboys fan this was a terrible draft for the team...
  21. Mallard Davis
    21. Posted by Mallard Davis Mon Apr 27, 2009 2:36 pm EDT

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    BZ..and I am a fan of the Raiders and I give them a D...
  22. brian b
    22. Posted by brian b Mon Apr 27, 2009 2:37 pm EDT

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    You know this is a worthless draft grade when only one team gets an F.
  23. timothy m
    23. Posted by timothy m Mon Apr 27, 2009 2:37 pm EDT

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    Draft grades don't mean anything...update this page after the season is over and we will see the real draft grades
    Chargers = 100% A+
  24. brian b
    24. Posted by brian b Mon Apr 27, 2009 2:38 pm EDT

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    Or umm I meant a D- on average.
  25. Steve M
    25. Posted by Steve M Mon Apr 27, 2009 2:41 pm EDT

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    The Cowboys are slowly being ruined piece by piece by Jerry Jones who will be the next Al Davis! I love it though! Go Giants.

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