First-round draft analysis pick by pick
Pete Prisco provides an instant draft grade and analyzes players selected in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft.
| Analysis |
| 1. San Francisco selects: Alex Smith, QB, Utah | Grade | ||
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The 49ers did the right thing. You have to build around a quarterback, and this guy will be special. He's athletic, smart, accurate and has good size. Love the pick. | A | |
| 2. Miami selects: Ronnie Brown, RB, Auburn | Grade | ||
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The Dolphins obviously had a need at running back, and Brown topped most team's boards at that position. I prefer Cadillac Williams, but Nick Saban coached against both of them. A good, safe pick. | B+ | |
| 3. Cleveland selects: Braylon Edwards, WR, Michigan | Grade | ||
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The Browns are desperate for a big-play receiver, and Edwards is all of that and more. Now comes the hard part: Can Trent Dilfer get it to him? It was the right pick by Phil Savage, who knows what he's doing. | A | |
| 4. Chicago selects: Cedric Benson, RB, Texas | Grade | ||
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The Bears needed a runner, so taking a back makes sense. But they took the wrong back. Cadillac Williams will be a better NFL player than Benson, who has a lot of carries already on his body. | B- | |
| 5. Tampa Bay selects: 'Cadillac' Williams, RB, Auburn | Grade | ||
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The Bucs did the right thing in taking Cadillac Williams. Their running game needed a boost, and this kid is a home-run threat when he gets the football. Think Clinton Portis. A great pick. | A | |
| 6. Tennessee selects: 'Pacman' Jones, CB, West Virginia | Grade | ||
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The Titans lost both Samari Rolle and Andre Dyson in free agency, so they had to fill that hole. My choice would have been Antrel Rolle, but Jones has more speed, which will help in the man coverage the Titans play. | B | |
| 7. Minnesota selects: Troy Williamson, WR, South Carolina | Grade | ||
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(From Oakland) This is the right pick. Not Mike Williams. Troy Williamson can fly. The Vikings needed to replace their deep threat in Randy Moss, and Williamson can do that. The Vikings did the right thing drafting the speed, not the possession receiver. A terrific pick of a player I love. | A+ | |
| 8. Arizona selects: Antrel Rolle, CB, Miami (Fla.) | Grade | ||
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The Cardinals had a glaring hole at corner on a defense that will be much improved this year. Rolle gives them that elite cover corner, which they had to get. The runner will come later for the Cardinals in this draft, but Rolle was the right pick here. | A | |
| 9. Washington selects: Carlos Rogers, CB, Auburn | Grade | ||
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The Redskins lost Fred Smoot in free agency, so they get a player who can step in right away and start. Rogers made a huge rush up the draft boards the past year. He's a tough guy who tackles and he can cover. This was the right pick for the Redskins. They can get a receiver with their second first-round pick. | B+ | |
| 10. Detroit selects: Mike Williams, WR, USC | Grade | ||
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What in the heck is this team doing? Unless this team has a deal worked out for Williams with another team, why would they draft him? This is a luxury. Not a need. They have Charles Rogers. They have Roy Williams. Both were high first-round picks. And although there is some injury concerns with those two, no team can afford three high first-round picks at one position. This is a terrible move, no matter what kind of player Williams can be. | D | |
| 11. Dallas selects: Demarcus Ware, DE, Troy State | Grade | ||
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The Cowboys wanted a speed rusher -- and Ware is all of that. He is the perfect guy for what the Cowboys want to do, which is switching from 3-4 fronts to 4-3 fronts and back during games. He can put his hand down as an end and stand up as a 3-4 linebacker. Teams crave speed off the edge and Ware gives Dallas that. A good pick, even if the level of competition in college is a concern. | B+ | |
| 12. San Diego selects: Shawne Merriman, OLB, Maryland | Grade | ||
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(From N.Y. Giants) Merriman is a classic tweener, which fits what the Chargers want to do on defense. He can put his hand down in the 4-3 and stand up in the 3-4. There are some scouts who thought he got too heavy before the draft, which could slow him down some. San Diego needs pass-rush help, and this is a player who will help. A good pick. | B | |
| 13. New Orleans selects: Jammal Brown, OT, Oklahoma | Grade | ||
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(From Houston) The Saints wanted Brown or Thomas Davis and were afraid both would be gone. So they moved up to get Brown, a tackle Jim Haslett loved. Brown will play right tackle this year, putting Jermane Mayberry back in at his natural position of guard. Brown will be a Pro Bowl player. A nice move by the Saints to give up next year's third-round pick. | B+ | |
| 14. Carolina selects: Thomas Davis, OLB, Georgia | Grade | ||
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Thomas Davis is one of my favorite players in this draft. Whether he's playing safety or linebacker -- which he'll likely do in Carolina -- he is a playmaker. Davis will be a tackling machine at linebacker playing behind that defensive front. Love this pick. | A | |
| 15. Kansas City selects: Derrick Johnson, OLB, Texas | Grade | ||
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The Chiefs had to go defense, and Johnson fills that need. The problem with him is that he is a run-around defender, a guy who doesn't take on blocks. Is he tough enough to be a star in the NFL? That's the question many scouts have about Johnson. | C | |
| 16. Houston selects: Travis Johnson, DT, Florida State | Grade | ||
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(From New Orleans) This pick is a little strange, but the Texans did not have Alex Barron ranked that high to fill their glaring need at left tackle. So they go defense, and in doing so they get a good football player. Johnson will be an impact player. The Texans are getting old up front with Gary Walker and Seth Payne, so it is a need of sorts. | B | |
| 17. Cincinnati selects: David Pollack, DE, Georgia | Grade | ||
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The Bengals are desperate to improve their pass rush. They feel that Pollack is the guy who can do that. He is a little undersized to play defensive end, but he plays with relentless effort. His stock has soared the past week or so -- moving him back this high. This is a good, solid pick. | B | |
| 18. Minnesota selects: Erasmus James, DE, Wisconsin | Grade | ||
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The Vikings got their speed receiver earlier, now they come back and get a good defensive end. If not for injury concerns the past two years, James would have gone a lot higher. He's a steal here. A good pick by the Vikings. | B+ | |
| 19. St. Louis selects: Alex Barron, OT, Florida State | Grade | ||
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The Rams badly needed an upgrade on their offensive line. Barron is considered more of a left tackle, but he can play the right side since the Seminoles flip-flopped their linemen during games. With Orlando Pace in the fold, the Rams will likely play Barron on the right side. Barron is a great value here for the Rams. A good pick. | B+ | |
| 20. Dallas selects: Marcus Spears, DE, LSU | Grade | ||
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(From Buffalo) The Cowboys came into the draft wanting to get two defensive linemen. Consider it mission accomplished. Spears was a guy they targeted, hoping he'd fall to this pick. They have to be thrilled. Spears will be a 3-4 end and a 4-3 tackle in the mixing fronts of the Cowboys. | B | |
| 21. Jacksonville selects: Matt Jones, TE, Arkansas | Grade | ||
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With Mark Clayton on the board, this might seem strange. But the Jaguars loved this kid. They see him as a weapon, not a guy who will just play tight end or receiver. The Jaguars averaged 16 points per game last year. Jones will help change that. I would have selected Clayton, but Jones could be one of those special players. | B | |
| 22. Baltimore selects: Mark Clayton, WR, Oklahoma | Grade | ||
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This is a great pick, which is what we expect from the Ravens. Clayton is a steal at this spot. He is the most-polished receiver of all of them. The Ravens needed another receiver, and this is the guy they wanted. Clayton will make an immediate impact. Ravens star again. | A | |
| 23. Oakland selects: Fabian Washington, CB, Nebraska | Grade | ||
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(From Seattle) Washington is a perfect Raiders player. He can flat out fly. The problem some scouts see is that he doesn't play as fast as he was timed. He does fill a need for the Raiders, who traded Phillip Buchanon. | B- | |
| 24. Green Bay selects: Aaron Rodgers, QB, California | Grade | ||
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The Packers had to take Rodgers. There was too much value there. Rodgers' fall was something we expected, but at some point the value was too great. Green Bay gets the guy who will replace Brett Favre. This is a steal at this spot for the Packers, even with defensive needs. | B+ | |
| 25. Washington selects: Jason Campbell, QB, Auburn | Grade | ||
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(From Denver) This is one of the strangest picks of the draft. This team has so many needs, yet they take a developmental quarterback with Patrick Ramsey already on the roster. Campbell had one good year in college, so the verdict is still out on him. I don't like this pick at all. | D- | |
| 26. Seattle selects: Chris Spencer, C, Ole Miss | Grade | ||
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(From Oakland) Spencer is a guy who has jumped up a lot of boards in recent weeks. Spencer can play both center and guard, playing center at Ole Miss. Seattle center Robbie Tobeck is getting up in the years, so this makes some sense. But they have other needs more pressing than center. | C | |
| 27. Atlanta selects: Roddy White, WR, UAB | Grade | ||
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The Falcons needed to get another weapon for Mike Vick and White has the deep speed the Falcons want. White will join Peerless Price and Michael Jenkins to give Vick a nice trio of receivers. Now it's time for Vick to get him the ball. | B | |
| 28. San Diego selects: Luis Castillo, DT, Northwestern | Grade | ||
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Castillo is a heck of a football player. And this is a steal for the Chargers. The kid did have the positive test for steroids, but he did that to help him overcome an elbow injury. He fits with what the Chargers want -- a good 3-4 end. | B+ | |
| 29. Indianapolis selects: Marlin Jackson, CB, Michigan | Grade | ||
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The Colts had to upgrade on defense and Jackson is a player who can play corner or safety. The Colts will likely try him at corner, but if Mike Doss doesn't work out, Jackson can move to safety. This is a quality pick, particularly how much Cover-2 the Colts play. | B | |
| 30. Pittsburgh selects: Heath Miller, TE, Virginia | Grade | ||
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Heath Miller makes a lot of sense for the Steelers, who need a threat in the middle of the field. Miller has been bothered by a hernia surgery, but the Steelers loved him for a long time. Miller will be a safety net for Ben Roethlisberger for years to come. | B+ | |
| 31. Philadelphia selects: Mike Patterson, DT, USC | Grade | ||
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The rich get richer. Mike Patterson is another of my favorites. He will come into Philadelphia and be an immediate impact player. Patterson is a force against the run and the pass, and will be both for the Eagles. | A | |
| 32. New England selects: Logan Mankins, OG, Fresno State | Grade | ||
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The Patriots lost guard Joe Andruzzi, so they use a first-round pick on Mankins, who is a quality lineman. He has played tackle, but some project him to play guard. The one thing about the Patriots is they know how to get their offensive linemen to play together. He will develop into a solid starter. | B | |
