Grading the NFL Draft: Raiders and Rams Gets Cs

So Tennessee running back Charlie Garner tested positive for marijuana at the Scouting Combine in February and had a scrape with the law in high school. So San Diego State receiver Darnay Scott has gotten into trouble off the field. So USC receiver Johnnie Morton isn’t going to be a candidate for the Olympic 400-meter relay team.

So what does it all mean? They’ll turn out to be among the biggest “bargains” of the NFL draft.

Start with Garner, who lasted until midway through the second round and went to the Philadelphia Eagles. Think of some of the mistakes of the past few years, and a lot of them come back to this: athletes who “slipped” in the final draft weeks before the draft. Thurman Thomas, who went at No. 40 to the Buffalo Bills in 1988, and Emmitt Smith, 17th in 1990, to name two. Louis Oliver, No. 25 in 1989, to name another.

Often slippage has to do with overanalysis, with overreacting to the final data from workouts or the combine, and even with hypersensitivity to gossip or the whispers that have been going around the league in the final weeks before the draft. All of a sudden, somebody is too small because he measures a little shorter on his ninth remeasuring and he has a few too many hundredths of a second on that 40 time. And because he wasn’t the Welcome Wagon representative when the 24th organization asked him if he would go through a private workout, he must be a jerk.

In Garner’s case, the knocks were his size (5-foot-9, 182 pounds)--but wait a minute, wasn’t he just as small when he was projected as a No. 1 pick? -- and the marijuana red flag at the combine. He said marijuana smoke, not his own inhalation, caused the test result--and that’s not out of the question.

Garner, who gained 1,161 yards and averaged 7.3 yards per carry as a senior for the Volunteers, would have been a great pick from late in the first round on, and everyone not completely set at running back who passed on him is going to be sorry.

There wasn’t much argument about Scott, who went in the second round to the Cincinnati Bengals: He was the best physical package at wide receiver in the draft. He hasn’t been a model citizen, either in high school or at San Diego State. At last check, receivers didn’t get a three-stride head start on cornerbacks if they are Eagle Scouts.

Morton, who went 21st to the Detroit Lions, and Charles Johnson, claimed at No. 17 by the Pittsburgh Steelers, weren’t downgraded as much as they fell victim to the run on defensive linemen. The talk that Morton fell short of the blazing speed category was right out of the Shrine of the Stopwatch dogma. But he has a fluid stride that will get him open. And he has the athletic talent to make the acrobatic catch.

Johnson is perhaps the antithesis of Scott. Johnson is the character guy you want in the locker room, so we’re just wondering: If alleged character baggage drops players such as Scott and Garner, why did Johnson--the extraordinary talent who earned his degree in three years from Colorado--last until No. 17?

Here’s a team-by-team run through the draft, with grades. Keep in mind that the grades are handed out with three considerations: 1) In an age when players reach free agency after four years, it’s wiser to draft for need in most cases; 2) Because of the disparity in the number of picks available to each team, it’s only fair to measure each team against what it could have done with its picks; and, 3) This isn’t Yale and we won’t have to hear any whining about how a “B” is going to keep somebody out of medical school, so the curve is strict.

Cincinnati Bengals, A:

Dan Wilkinson and Scott were no-brainers. Florida State defensive back Corey Sawyer was a great No. 4. They also needed offensive-line depth and likely got some help there with a sleeper: UNLV tackle Jerry Reynolds, the sixth-round pick.

Cleveland Browns, A:

Needed defensive help and got it. Even Bernie Kosar might admit Bill Belichick knows defense, and Antonio Langham with the ninth overall pick was solid. Derrick Alexander, the 29th player chosen, adds speed at receiver. No. 3, defensive tackle Romeo Bandison, would have gone higher except for nagging doubts about a knee.

Minnesota Vikings, A: The No. 1s--Tackle Todd Steussie and cornerback Dewayne Washington --fill needs. No. 2 Fernando Smith, a Jackson State defensive end, is huge and raw, and could fill the void left by the Chris Doleman trade. He was involved in some off-field problems before straightening out as a senior, perhaps the only reason Minnesota could get him that late.

San Francisco 49ers, A: Call it the Bill Romanowski draft, because the 49ers had to dump him to clear some cap room to be able to make some picks. But trading up for Notre Dame defensive tackle Bryant Young and adding fullback William Floyd and bump-and-run cornerback Tyronne Drakeford on the next two picks will help plug holes.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers, A: They jumped on a couple of surprising “slips”--Trent Dilfer and Florida running back Errict Rhett--before turning to need along the trenches.

New York Jets, B: Though the big need was receiver, they took cornerback Aaron Glenn in the first round. He was too good a talent to pass up, which led the Jets to trade up one spot and perhaps fleece the New Orleans Saints in the process. Wyoming wide receiver Ryan Yarborough isn’t a burner, but the second-round pick has Morton-like talent to get open.

New York Giants, B: OK, OK. Receiver Thomas Lewis, the No. 1 pick, was asleep and certain he would be taken far later. The Giants are hoping they’re more astute than he was. But grant him this -- he has the speed, and he plays the right position for this team. What makes this draft look strong, though, are the second-rounders, DBs Thomas Randolph and Jason Sehorn, and No. 4 Chris Maumalanga, another of those slip bargains at his slot.

Washington Redskins, B: They read the Indianapolis Colts correctly, deciding to sit at No. 3 and take Heath Shuler. Add Temple tackle Tre Johnson, a fascinating prospect in the second round, and the rebuilding plan is off to a good start.

Pittsburgh Steelers, B: Charles Johnson was a gift at the 17th spot, especially for a team crying for receiver help. And then they added needed defensive-line help with Brentson Buckner, Jason Gildon and Taase Faumui.

Philadelphia Eagles, B: Mutt and Jeff draft, with huge tackle Bernard Williams in the firstand Garner in the second. The question is whether Williams’ size made teams overrate him, which would make him the flip side to Garner.

Seattle Seahawks, B: They waited nervously and were thrilled when Texas A&M; end Sam Adams was still around in the eighth slot. He already is 20 pounds under his college high weight of 305, and the temptation is to state: If he can continue to keep his weight under control. . . . But then let’s remember that Cortez Kennedy is on the Winchell’s all-pro team. LSU center Kevin Mawae is a future starter.

Buffalo Bills, C: A mercy grade, because they had some bad luck. They needed a cornerback but took a safety, Jeff Burris, and said they would try him as a corner. Most of the top cornerbacks had been picked by the time they drafted. They needed offensive-line help to replace free-agency losses and then saw a bunch of good offensive line prospects go between their first (27th overall) and second (48) picks.

Detroit Lions, C: Is there an echo here? Yes, Morton was a gift at the 21st spot, but the Lions failed in their desperate attempt to trade for another pick to land them a needed quality cornerback. In this age, they should have drafted one-- even a question mark--somewhere. Extra credit for the quote of the draft from personnel chief Ron Hughes about the CB quest: “We even said, ‘We’ll trade your beat writers for ours.’ . . . We offered everything you could think of-- short of children.”

New England Patriots, C: Bill Parcells loved Willie McGinest, and the Patriots had to have a pass rusher. But the potential problem there is that while McGinest is a wonderful athlete, there is no assurance he can be a great pass-rushing outside LB. A risk more than a reach.

Houston Oilers, C: They got end Henry Ford to step in for William Fuller and Sean Jones. One of Dilfer’s college receivers, Malcolm Seabron, could replace Haywood Jeffires. But they would have been better off to address offensive-line holes with mid-round picks.

Kansas City Chiefs, C: Needed someone to complement, help or even replace Marcus Allen. Meet Texas A&M;’s Greg Hill.

Los Angeles Raiders, C: Passed up Hill, Rhett and Garner--all needed RBs--for linebacker Rob Fredrickson. But don’t trash the Raiders for drafting the underestimated Fredrickson, who will turn out to be a good pick for a club that wasn’t set at linebacker, either. The bigger question was the-- who?--pick in second round--end-linebacker James Folston.

Miami Dolphins, C: They didn’t like the way Round 1 was unfolding because the top linebackers were going, going, gone. So the Dolphins traded down. Tim Bowens is a project, an interesting pick for Don Shula. But they did get two potential linebacker starters in Aubrey Beavers and Colorado’s mercurial Ronnie Woolfork, plus a solid center in Notre Dame’s Tim Ruddy.

San Diego Chargers, C: No first-round pick, but No. 2, 315-pound guard Isaac Davis, could be an impact player for a team that needed somebody at that spot.

Arizona Cardinals, C: Linebacker Jamir Miller might be overvalued at No. 10, but give Buddy Ryan credit--he knows what he needs for his defense and rarely turns out to be wrong. Plus, running back Chuck Levy, the No. 2 pick, is a talent who even stepped in at quarterback for Arizona. Even if Garrison Hearst gets out of the doghouse, Levy will be good to have around.

Chicago Bears, C: Hmmmm. Runner and receiver were the needs, but they took linebacker John Thierry and said: Hey, you’ll like defensive end. And then they bid goodbye to Richard Dent, who joined Steve McMichael in exile. No. 2 pick, guard-tackle Marcus Spears, is a project.

Dallas Cowboys, C: Get off Jerry Jones’ case about one thing: Arizona State end Shante Carver is a find--especially if he is locked in the weight room for the next two months. But the Cowboys didn’t need to trade up to get him. Second-rounder Larry Allen, a guard from Sonoma State, needs to lose a few pounds and strengthen his shoulder but was worth taking at 46.

Green Bay Packers, C: The debate: Was a blue-chip offensive lineman, Aaron Taylor, worth taking at No. 16 for a team with a decent line? Or should the Pack have taken one of the wide receivers at 16 or their original spot -- No. 20? Conclusion pending, but we’re inclined to say Charles Johnson would have been a great complement to Shannon Sharpe.

New Orleans Saints, C: They had to get quality defensive-line help, but some rears are on the line about whether Joe Johnson fits that definition. Would rate lower except running back Mario Bates, the No. 2, might be a steal and quarterback Doug Nussmeier is an intriguing No. 4 choice.

Los Angeles Rams, C: They got all fouled up with the Alvin Harper trade talks, and an intraoffice debate over whether to stay at No. 5 and take Trent Dilfer. Ended up dropping twice, landing at No. 15 and taking a fine tackle, Wayne Gandy. Bottom line: Chuck Knox is sticking with his basics and staking his job on it. Under the circumstances, not a bad pick. If No. 2, receiver Isaac Bruce, is a find, the Rams can claim redemption.

Indianapolis Colts, D: Imagine what could have been--the game-breaking running back, Marshall Faulk, and Trent Dilfer, the QB so desperately needed after the trading of Jeff George. Instead, they settled on Trev Alberts after moving up to the fifth spot. The Colts already have a good linebacking corps, and Alberts isn’t such a compelling prospect that the Colts could afford to turn their backs on Dilfer.

Atlanta Falcons, Incomplete: The No. 1 went for Jeff George and a No. 2 was used as the first part of a two-year payment for Chris Doleman. They need linebacker help, and fourth-rounder Mitch Davis was the only one picked.

Denver Broncos, Truant: They used a No. 2 on linebacker Allen Aldridge, a No. 4 on cornerback Randy Fuller, and they had three No. 7s. On draft days, they pay the price for their hyperactivity on the free-agency front.