2007 Draft Recap: Round One, Picks 1-10
Below is the third and final installment of my Draft Grades for Round One. Enjoy!
1.21 - MLB Anthony Waters, Cowboys (Clemson)
The Cowboys, fresh off a 10-6 season and an NFC East runner-up finish, add another linebacker in Anthony Waters. His headline trait is exceptional straight-line speed for the position — 96 SPD — instantly giving Dallas's defense a much faster look at the second level. He backs that up with strong tackling (79 TAK) and above-average awareness for a rookie (64 AWR), a combination that should let him contribute early in a run-support role. His hands (52 CTH) are unremarkable, but that's small complaint. Coming off a top-five scoring defense a year ago (20.4 points allowed per game), Dallas is doubling down on team speed rather than pure need.
Grade: B+
1.22 - LOLB Anthony Spencer, Jets (Purdue)
New York goes back to defense at 1.22, adding Anthony Spencer to bring speed off the edge. He offers a well-rounded profile at outside linebacker: 88 SPD, 80 AGI, and 85 ACC give him range to both rush and drop into coverage, and 83 TAK is a strong number suggesting he can finish once he gets there. His 68 STR could be an issue against bigger blockers who get into his body, and at 60 AWR there's still some development needed, though that's typical for a rookie. The Jets already have OLB Gilbert on the roster from the 2004 draft, so it will be worth watching how snaps get divided at the position early on. Coming off a defense that allowed 25.3 points per game (23rd in the league) a year ago, adding an athletic piece at linebacker addresses a real organizational need.
Grade: A-
1.23 - LOLB Keyunta Dawson, Falcons (Texas Tech)
Atlanta, already boasting the league's stingiest defense a year ago (18.7 points allowed per game), adds more speed to an already excellent front seven in Keyunta Dawson. His combination of 87 SPD and 89 ACC at 254 lbs gives him legitimate closing speed off the edge, and his coverage skills (56 CTH) are ahead of the curve for the position. Tackling technique (71 TAK) and awareness (53 AWR) are still works in progress, but the organization is confident that's coachable, with the raw speed being the harder trait to find. Playing in a division full of dynamic offenses, adding another explosive athlete to the league's top defense is a real luxury pick for a contender.
Grade: B+
1.24 - FS Michael Griffin, Dolphins (Texas)
Miami, coming off a 6-10 season with a defense that ranked in the bottom half of the league (24.1 points allowed per game), adds a versatile safety in Michael Griffin. His best traits— 91 AGI and 94 ACC — giving him excellent range in the deep part of the field, with 82 TAK showing he's more than just a coverage piece. Interestingly, the coaching staff actually projects him more as a strong safety than a free safety, with plans to shift current starter Bell over to free safety to make room for him. Awareness (49 AWR) is still raw, which is typical for a rookie defensive back learning a new system. It's an unconventional fit at his listed position, but the athletic profile clearly earned him a spot in the mid first round.
Grade: B
1.25 - LE Turk McBride, Packers (Tennessee)
Green Bay goes back to the well for a third time, adding another high-upside defensive lineman in Turk McBride to pair with Alan Branch, whom they landed earlier in the round. He has some CB level attributes 90 SPD and 92 ACC at 278 lbs, giving the coaching staff a genuine speed rusher off the edge to develop. The organization envisions a McBride-Branch defensive front that could become disruptive with time and coaching. The concern is real, though — 39 AWR is a significant weakness, and his tackling (44 TAK) needs substantial work, the kind of profile that has produced plenty of athletic busts in the past. It's a boom-or-bust swing on traits for a Green Bay front office that's now made three first-round investments.
Grade: B
1.26 - RT Joe Staley, Falcons (Central Michigan)
Atlanta doubles up in the trenches, adding Joe Staley to anchor a right tackle spot that's otherwise been patched together through free agency. He grades out as the best pure blocking prospect in this class, posting 85 PBK and 87 RBK to go with exceptional awareness for a rookie (72 AWR) that should let him start right away. His 89 STR is solid, if not overwhelming, for the position, with the expectation that it continues to trend up as he adds strength. He's not an asset in space — 51 SPD and 45 AGI are a limitation — but that's not a fatal issue from a right tackle. For a line built mostly through outside additions, Staley gives Atlanta a homegrown piece to build around for years.
Grade: A-
1.27 - MLB Stewart Bradley, Patriots (Nebraska)
New England adds Stewart Bradley at 1.27, and interestingly, the plan isn't to keep him at his college position. Despite starring as a middle linebacker at Nebraska, the Patriots intend to convert the 6'4", 258-lb Bradley into a full-time defensive end, banking on his combination of 90 SPD, 83 ACC, and 81 AGI translating into pass-rush production from a new position. His tackling (77 TAK) speaks to solid instincts, even if projecting him to a new role adds some risk to the evaluation. Awareness (53 AWR) is unremarkable, but that's a lesser concern given the positional change. New England wasn't done adding to the linebacker corps in this round, either — they'd return to the podium again later on.
Grade: B+
1.28 - TE Ben Patrick, Broncos (Delaware)
Denver taps the same well a third time, this time on offense, adding pass-catching tight end Ben Patrick to an attack that already led the league in scoring a year ago (36.7 points per game). Patrick offers a rare combo of skills for the position — 88 SPD and 95 ACC — along with solid hands (68 CTH) that should make him a matchup problem against linebackers and safeties. He's an upgrade over TE Bergen, whom Denver had already acquired via trade a year ago, giving the offense another dynamic option in the passing game. Awareness (48 AWR) is a work in progress, but for an offense this explosive, that's a manageable tradeoff for the receiving upside.
Grade: A-
1.29 - HB Marshawn Lynch, Packers (Cal)
Green Bay uses its fourth first-round pick of the night on the best running back in a thin class, Marshawn Lynch. He's a powerful, decisive runner with a good burst but underwhelming agility 91 ACC and 82 AGI. Lynch has good power through tackles (80 BTK) that should translate into a lot of yards after first contact. Ball security (80 CAR) is another plus trait for a rookie back stepping into an early role. His awareness (49 AWR) is wanting at the position, which could show up in pass protection and reads early on, but there's little competition for the job given how thin the running back class was this year. For a Packers team that's now added talent all over the roster in this round, Lynch gives the offense a workhorse to build around.
Grade: B
1.30 - LT Chris Denman, Seahawks (Fresno State)
Seattle stays home at 1.30 and adds mammoth left tackle Chris Denman, a 6'7", 315-lb blocker who should immediately upgrade the offensive line. His power in the run game is a standout trait at 94 STR, and both his pass protection (82 PBK) and run blocking (80 RBK) grade out well for a rookie offensive tackle. He's not going to win with foot quickness — 49 SPD is well below average — but that's a secondary concern for a player with his size and strength profile. Slotting in alongside Mankins and Incognito, Denman should make an already solid interior even more physical up front.
Grade: B+
1.31 - MLB David Harris, Patriots (Michigan)
New England isn't finished, trading cornerback Charles Woodson, right tackle Brandon Gorin, and a third-round pick to move back into the first round and add Michigan's David Harris. He's a well-rounded athlete for the position, flashing good attributes for the position 85 SPD, 92 ACC, and 78 AGI, giving him range to both fill gaps against the run and carry receivers in coverage. His tackling (72 TAK) is solid, and the organization reportedly views him as one of the best pure values left on the board at this point in the round. The challenge for Harris isn't talent, it's opportunity — he's stepping into one of the deepest linebacker rooms on the roster and will have to beat out established veterans just to see the field early. It's a notable price to pay in a trade, but adding a second Day 1-caliber linebacker prospect gives New England outstanding depth at the position.
Grade: B+
1.32 - SS Aaron Rouse, Chiefs (Virginia Tech)
Kansas City closes out the first round with safety Aaron Rouse, a player who was reportedly in the mix for a top-10 selection before his individual workouts revealed some weaknesses. Even with that slide, the underlying profile is still strong: 87 AGI and 87 ACC give him good range at 6'4", 223 lbs, and his tackling (62 TAK) and hands (68 CTH) both project well early in his career. He's expected to step in as the starter right away over incumbent James Sanders, whose lack of size has been a persistent issue after two seasons without enough progression. Awareness (58 AWR) is a solid starting point for a rookie safety, giving him a real chance to hold onto the job from day one.
Grade: B+
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