The 2014 NFL Draft is in the rearview. Thankfully, we have two months of top-10 shows to look forward to ... Oh, but that's not true, as rookie minicamps crop up on the calendar and the Michael Sam saga rolls on.
Brooks: Draft grades
Bucky Brooks performs a division-by-division assessment of the draft, highlighting notable picks and handing out grades. **READ**
Yes, the draft spawned so many enticing storylines. We learned that Jeff Fisher has a spontaneous streak, that three quarterbacks were first-round worthy, and that the Chiefs still expect Alex Smith to do it himself. The offensive tackles certainly had their way, and we saw (thanks to Greg Robinsonand Jordan Matthews) that the bow tie is still in play.
There aren't many sporting events that can match the prolonged drama of the NFL draft. It also provides an opportunity for teams to restock -- and for us to review. So how does the league hierarchy stack up after last week's talent grab? See below, and feel free to share your take ... @HarrisonNFL is the place.
Let the dissension commence ...
NOTE: The lineup below reflect changes from our March 19 Power Rankings, posted just after the 2014 free agency period kicked off.
***Power rankings trivia:*** Who was the last
Seahawks receiver to hit the 1,000-yard mark? Hit me up with your answers
@HarrisonNFL
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In other news, I'm looking for veteran safety Rahim Moore to have a nice year with the Broncos. I got a Facebook friend request from him last week. Let's hope none of my random posts sail over his head.
While the Jimmy Garoppolo pick in the second round was sexy, I hope the quarterback prospect realizes Tom Brady wants to win, like, five more Super Bowls. Basically, when Garoppolo is 34, he can step right in under center. Obviously, Bill Belichick, that sultan of style, was preoccupied by his search for the handsomest QB duo pro football has to offer.
In the second round, the Saints went with a big corner in Stanley Jean-Baptiste. Too bad they didn't have the 6-3, 218-pounder covering on that Kenbrell Thompkins disaster at Gillette last year. Tell me *that* ending wasn't a dry shave for Saints fans.
This is just what the team with the QB Rating King, the reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year and now Julius Peppers needed: help from everybody else.
On a more positive note, I spoke to second-round pick Kony Ealy on Friday night. Dude knows he's a lucky fella to be joining the D-line in Charlotte. Holy cow, that's quite a group.
In other news, second-round pick Jeremiah Attaochu's first order of business should be getting Dwight Freeney's cell number and blowing it up non-stop. Maybe that way, the rookie outside linebacker will average more than one sack for every 10 games played, otherwise known as "a torrid Melvin Ingram pace."
Nope. They wanted Manziel. Of course.
Enter receiver Mike Evans with the seventh overall pick. Between the 6-5, 231-pound Evans and the 6-5, 230-pound Vincent Jackson, quarterback Josh McCown will have two trees to target on the outside -- just like he had with Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery during his transcendent 2013 campaign in Chicago. Oh, then Tampa Bay landed 6-5 tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins in the second round. Good grief. The Bucs' air attack has gone from Oasis to U2's The Joshua Tree overnight.
The key is what second-round pick Derek Carr can do. This team will not be getting out of the basement any time soon if the rookie quarterback doesn't beat out veteran Matt Schaub, especially if Schaub carries the same lack of confidence he clearly displayed on the field last year.
Follow Elliot Harrison on Twitter @HarrisonNFL.