Pete Prisco provides an instant draft grade and analyzes each team's selection in the first and second round of the 2009 NFL Draft, which starts at 4:00 p.m. ET on Saturday April 25.
Round 1 · Round 2 · Draft Trades · Prisco's Overall Grades
| Pete Prisco's live draft analysis - Round 1 | |||
| Selection No. 1: | Grade | Video | |
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Detroit Lions select: Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia Analysis: This is the right pick. They nailed it. This kid will be a star. He can make all the throws. They had no choice but to take Stafford. | A |   |
| Selection No. 2: | Grade | Video | |
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St. Louis Rams select: Jason Smith, OT, Baylor Analysis: They badly needed a tackle, but I would have picked Eugene Monroe. The more I watched Smith, the more I had questions. He will be good. Monroe will be better. | B- |  |
| Selection No. 3: | Grade | Video | |
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Kansas City Chiefs select: Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU Analysis: I hate this pick. How can you draft a 3-4 defensive end this high? Is he a good player? Yes. But Aaron Curry was the better pick. | D |  |
| Selection No. 4: | Grade | Video | |
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Seattle Seahawks select: Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest Analysis: I like the pick. He's the safest pick in this draft. He will be an impact player. But I think I might have selected Mark Sanchez here. | B+ |  |
| Selection No. 5: (trade with Cleveland) | Grade | Video | |
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New York Jets select: Mark Sanchez, QB, Southern California Analysis: What a great move by the Jets. They didn't have a quarerback and now they have a young one to build around. Sanchez will start right away. | A+ |  |
| Selection No. 6: | Grade | Video | |
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Cincinnati Bengals select: Andre Smith, OT, Alabama Analysis: They loved this kid all along. He will step in and start at left tackle and let them keep Andrew Whitworth at left guard. Nice pick. | B+ |  |
| Selection No. 7: | Grade | Video | |
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Oakland Raiders select: Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland Analysis: This is typical Al Davis pick. Speed, speed and more speed. I like the pick. He will help JaMarcus Russell a ton. | B+ |  |
| Selection No. 8: | Grade | Video | |
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Jacksonville Jaguars select: Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia Analysis: I like this pick. They have probelms on their line and Monroe can play either left or right tackle. He can also play guard. | B |  |
| Selection No. 9: | Grade | Video | |
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Green Bay Packers select: B.J. Raji, DT, Boston College Analysis: The Packers are going to a 3-4 and need a power player inside. Raji is that. He will anchor in against the run. Good pick. | A |  |
| Selection No. 10: | Grade | Video | |
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San Francisco 49ers select: Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech Analysis: He hasn't run. He's shorter than expected. He's a diva. Good luck. Some in the organization didn't even want him. | B- |  |
| Selection No. 11: | Grade | Video | |
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Buffalo Bills select: Aaron Maybin, DE, Penn State Analysis: The Bills had to get speed off the edge and Maybin is the fastest of the pass rushers. This team needs more sacks. | B |  |
| Selection No. 12: | Grade | Video | |
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Denver Broncos select: Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia Analysis: I love this kid. He will be a star. But the Broncos have so many needs on defense. How can they justify this? | B |  |
| Selection No. 13: | Grade | Video | |
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Washington Redskins select: Brian Orakpo, DE, Texas Analysis: I like this pick a lot. The Redskins have to get speed off the edge. They have to be thrilled he lasted this long. | A |  |
| Selection No. 14: | Grade | Video | |
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New Orleans Saints select: Malcolm Jenkins, CB, Ohio State Analysis: The Saints opted for defense over a runner and you can't fault them. Jenkins can play corner or safety, although I think he can be a star safety and a good corner. | B |  |
| Selection No. 15: | Grade | Video | |
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Houston Texans select: Brian Cushing, ILB, Southern California Analysis: I love this kid. I have for a long time. Adding him to the front seven is a great move for the Texans. He will be a 10-year starter and a Pro Bowl player in three years. | A |  |
| Selection No. 16: | Grade | Video | |
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San Diego Chargers select: Larry English, DE, Northern Illinois Analysis: I like him as a pass rusher, but this is high. This sends a message to Shawne Merriman and Shaun Phillips. Play better. But some teams had a second-round grade on him. | B- |  |
| Selection No. 17: (trade with Cleveland) | Grade | Video | |
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers select: Josh Freeman, QB, Kansas State Analysis: This is awfully high for Freeman. He's a project. How many quarterbacks do they want? But they obviously liked this kid all along. | B- |  |
| Selection No. 18: | Grade | Video | |
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Denver Broncos select: Robert Ayers, LB, Tennessee Analysis: This is high for him. I think Peria Jerry would have been a better option. But at least they went defense here. | B- |  |
| Selection No. 19: (trade with Cleveland) | Grade | Video | |
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Philadelphia Eagles select: Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri Analysis: I love this pick. They get a speed receiver to go with DeSean Jackson and that big offensive line. Wow. Donovan McNabb has to be smiling. As usual, the Eagles get it. | A |  |
| Selection No. 20: | Grade | Video | |
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Detroit Lions select: Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma State Analysis: You get a quarterback, then it's wise to get him some weapons. This is a complete tight end. He can block and catch. It makes sense. But an offensive lineman would have been a better option I think. | B |  |
| Selection No. 21: | Grade | Video | |
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Cleveland Browns select: Alex Mack, C, California Analysis: This isn't sexy, but this is a good pick. He is a power player who can handle big people on his nose. The Browns did a lot -- some of it not so good -- to get here, but I like this pick. | B+ |  |
| Selection No. 22: | Grade | Video | |
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Minnesota Vikings select: Percy Harvin, WR, Florida Analysis: They loved him all along. It's high considering his character issues and foot troubles, but they stuck to their guns. He will help back off defenses for Adrian Peterson. | B- |  |
| Selection No. 23: (Trade with New England) | Grade | Video | |
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Baltimore Ravens select: Michael Oher, OT, Mississippi Analysis: This is great value here. Oher will compete for time at right tackle, but I think he can play guard in the Baltimore system. This is a nice value pick. | B+ |  |
| Selection No. 24: | Grade | Video | |
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Atlanta Falcons select: Peria Jerry, DT, Mississippi Analysis: This is a great pick. Jerry will be just like Warren Sapp. The Falcons loved him. They are thrilled that he was there. He might be better than Raji. Outstanding pick. | A |  |
| Selection No. 25: | Grade | Video | |
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Miami Dolphins select: Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois Analysis: There is little doubt that he has the talent, but some teams think he's a character issue. Miami needs corners and this makes sense. | B- |  |
| Selection No. 26: (Trade with New England) | Grade | Video | |
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Green Bay Packers select: Clay Matthews, ILB, Southern California Analysis: This is a shock. They need defense, but this is too high. I don't think he's as good as his reputation. He will be steady, but not spectacular. | C- |  |
| Selection No. 27: | Grade | Video | |
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Indianapolis Colts select: Donald Brown, RB, Connecticut Analysis: They've lost confidence in Joseph Addai, so this makes some sense. Brown is more explosive. It's hard to question Bill Polian here. | B+ |  |
| Selection No. 28: | Grade | Video | |
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Buffalo Bills select: Eric Wood, C, Louisville Analysis: They need a center and this kid is a good one. It makes sense, but who plays left tackle? He's a good player, but tackle was a better option. | C+ |  |
| Selection No. 29: | Grade | Video | |
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New York Giants select: Hakeem Nicks, WR, North Carolina Analysis: They needed speed, and they got it. But he's a bit inconsistent. This is a need pick. I don't mind it. | B |  |
| Selection No. 30: | Grade | Video | |
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Tennessee Titans select: Kenny Britt, WR, Rutgers Analysis: They need receiver help and this guy can run. He is inconsistent and drops too many passes. This is another need pick. | B- |  |
| Selection No. 31: | Grade | Video | |
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Arizona Cardinals select: Chris Wells, RB, Ohio State Analysis: The Cardinals needed a back and they got the big back to fall to them. They preferred Moreno, but they're thrilled that they ended up with Wells. | B+ |  |
| Selection No. 32: | Grade | Video | |
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Pittsburgh Steelers select: Evander Hood, DT, Missouri Analysis: They have a lot of age on their defensive line, so this is a good pick. Hood is a perfect Steelers lineman. I like it. | A |  |
