With another NFL draft in the books, here's my take on how the NFC teams fared this year:
Arizona Cardinals
Best pick: Matt Leinart, QB, USC. Leinart's fall quickly became the Cardinals' fortune as the tenth pick. The former Trojans southpaw will get a year to learn behind Kurt Warner before being given the keys to a car that is already fully loaded with running back Edgerrin James and wide receivers Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin. Other great values include tight end Leonard Pope (Georgia) in the third round and defensive tackle Gabe Watson (Michigan) in the fourth round.
Worst pick: Deuce Lutui, OG, USC. This is the worst pick of an outstanding draft from top to bottom. Lutui was a good value in the second round but the Cardinals could have addressed another position of need here and got a quality guard later in the draft.
Work to do: One of the Cardinals' top areas of need entering this year's draft was in the defensive secondary, yet they failed to select a cornerback or safety with any of their seven picks. Depth is especially thin at safety behind strong safety Adrian Wilson and aging free safety Robert Griffith.
Atlanta Falcons
Best pick: Jimmy Williams, CB, Virginia Tech. Williams cannot be pleased with his draft-day free fall into the second round but he must be excited about his future with the Falcons. Not only will Williams get an opportunity to compete for a starting job at cornerback, but he also is reunited with former Hokies teammate DeAngelo Hall. By all accounts, Hall was a good influence on Williams in college and he can serve as a mentor to Williams as he tries to shed his "character" tag in the NFL.
Worst pick: Quinn Ojinnaka, OG, Syracuse. Offensive guard was a need, but Ojinnaka was not the right value, even if it was in the fifth round. At that point, there were still several more talented guards available, including North Dakota's Chris Kuper, Cornell's Kevin Booth and USC's Fred Matua.
Work to do: There's still a significant need for depth at defensive tackle after the Falcons failed to select a player at that position in this year's draft. Starters Rod Coleman and Chad Lavalais lack size, which leads to their wearing down. Last year's second-round pick, Jonathan Babineaux, is a better fit as a No. 3 defensive end than he is as a third defensive tackle.
Carolina Panthers
Best pick: Richard Marshall, CB, Fresno State.
Selecting RB DeAngelo Williams (Memphis) with the 26th overall pick was the right move, but Marshall was an even better find in the second round. Marshall is a playmaker; he set a Bulldog career record for interception return yard average (33.9 yards per return on nine picks). After the losses of Ricky Manning Jr. and Dante Wesley in the offseason, Marshall also filled a need. Marshall can compete immediately with veteran Reggie Howard for the nickel cornerback job. Just as a side note, it was interesting to see the Panthers target Virginia Tech prospects -- outside linebacker James Anderson (3rd round), tight end Jeff King (5th) and center William Montgomery (7th) -- which is typically a trend seen from divisional rival Atlanta.
Worst pick: Nate Salley, S, Ohio State. Salley was a reach in the fourth round; he lacks the speed and athletic ability to develop into a starter in the NFL. Salley has some versatility and he should develop into an adequate backup at both positions in the future, while also contributing on special teams. He will not, however, upgrade the situation at the top of the depth chart, where veterans Kevin McCadam and Shaun Williams are competing for the starting safety spot opposite solid starter Mike Minter.
Work to do: The Panthers got good fourth-round value on King, who should provide depth at tight end and contribute heavily on special teams. In all reality, though, the team failed to find an athletic upgrade at the position. It also is highly unlikely Carolina can do so between now and the start of the 2006 season, which means it's stuck with Kris Mangum as its starter and Mike Seidman as his backup.
Chicago Bears
Best pick: Mark Anderson, DE, Alabama. Anderson made a surprising nosedive on draft weekend. But the Bears finally took advantage of his misfortune by selecting him late in the fifth round. Not only did Anderson consistently produce at the college level, he also put on an impressive display during combine workouts. I expect Anderson to quickly emerge as part of the defensive end rotation behind Alex Brown and Adewale Ogunleye in Chicago.
Worst pick: Devin Hester, RS, Miami. This pick would have been fine had the team not taken Danieal Manning (Abilene Christian) earlier in the second round. Manning was a decent value because of his potential versatility as a free safety/cornerback tweener with experience in the return game. Hester is more explosive in the return game, but he doesn't have a position on offense or defense. So the team essentially used its second of two picks in Round 2 on a return specialist when it could have gotten production in that area from Manning. Better options with the 57th overall pick would have included Western Michigan tight end Tony Scheffler or Fresno State DC Richard Marshall.
Work to do: It was surprising to see the Bears continually pass on highly rated tight end prospects throughout the draft's first few rounds, especially after watching Georgia tight end Leonard Pope slip to Round 3. Unless a move is made between now and next fall, the team is stuck with Desmond Clark -- who has caught just 24 passes in each of the last two seasons -- as its starter.
Todd McShay of Scouts Inc. breaks down how the NFC East teams did in the 2006 draft.
Dallas Cowboys
Best pick: Pat Watkins, S, Florida State. Outside linebacker Bobby Carpenter (Ohio State) and tight end Anthony Fasano (Notre Dame_ were solid additions with the team's first- and second-round picks, respectively, but Watkins was a steal in Round 5. If he adjusts to the speed of the NFL and responds well to the coaching, there's good reason to believe that Watkins can eventually become an upgrade over Keith Davis as Dallas' starting free safety.
Worst pick: Jason Hatcher, DE, Grambling. Hatcher is an intriguing developmental prospect because of his size (6-foot-5 7/8, 284), but he was still a reach where the Cowboys selected him in the third round. In all reality, there was a good chance that Hatcher would have still been on the board one round later when the Cowboys selected 125th overall.
Work to do: The Cowboys were not able to address their offensive line needs until Round 7, when they used both selections on lower-tier prospects in guard Pat McQuistan (Weber State) and offensive tackle E.J. Whitley (Texas Tech). Finding an upgrade at right tackle between now and the start of the 2006 season will not be an easy mission.
Detroit Lions
Best pick: Jonathan Scott, OT, Texas. The Lions may have found a future starter in the fifth round in Scott. Scott needs to improve his strength and become more aggressive, but his combination of size and agility warranted earlier consideration. Outside linebacker Ernie Sims (Florida State) in the first round and running back Brian Calhoun (UConn) in the third round were two other strong picks from the Lions' 2006 draft.
Worst pick: Daniel Bullocks, DS, Nebraska. Bullocks is a good prospect who shot up the boards following impressive showings from the Senior Bowl and combine. But it seems as if the Lions reached a bit for a position of need when they took Bullocks with the 40th overall selection. A better move may have been to address the need at offensive tackle with Auburn's Marcus McNeill, and then draft a safety such as Syracuse's Anthony Smith one round later.
Work to do: The Lions did a solid job of addressing their top needs with three of their first four selections (Sims, Bullocks and Scott). Now it's just a matter of developing that young talent in time for the start of the 2006 season. It's realistic to expect Sims and Bullocks to emerge as starters during their rookie campaigns, but Scott won't be ready to beat out Kelly Butler or Victor Rogers at the right tackle position. The team also failed to draft a quarterback this year, which means Dan Orlovsky remains the developmental No. 3 behind Jon Kitna and Josh McCown.
Green Bay Packers
Best pick: A.J. Hawk, OLB, Ohio State. They must have been tempted to go with Maryland tight end Vernon Davis with this pick, but Hawk was the right decision. He fits a far bigger need and he's the safest defensive prospect in this year's draft class. Hawk should immediately take over as a starter and he will hike up the intensity level of the Packers' defense several notches. WR/RS Will Blackmon (Boston College) in the fourth round and defensive tackle Johnny Jolly (Texas A&M) in the sixth round were two other great values for the Packers on Day 2.
Worst pick: Tony Moll, OT, Nevada. Moll was the only player out of 255 draft picks who was not on our scouting list. The Packers would have been able to sign Moll as a free agent and they could have used that pick (No. 165) on a more talented tackle prospect such as Kansas State's Jeromey Clary or Northwestern's Zach Strief. In my opinion, they also reached for offensive tackle Daryn Colledge (Boise State) in the second round.
Work to do: All in all, the Packers did a fine job of addressing their top positions of need, including outside linebacker and offensive line. They did use a second-round selection on wide receiver Greg Jennings (Western Michigan), but they can't expect Jennings to be ready to step in as a starter for Javon Walker, who was traded to the Broncos. The team is still faced with depth issues along the defensive line after failing to draft a defensive tackle or end in the first five rounds.
Minnesota Vikings
Best pick: Chad Greenway, OLB, Iowa. The Vikings had to be elated that Greenway fell to them at pick No. 17. His below-average combine workout led to Greenway's slide, but outstanding instincts and athleticism are what make Greenway such a good pro prospect. Look for Greenway to take over immediately as a starting weakside linebacker in the Vikings' new Cover 2 scheme. The Vikings were also able to get a great defensive fit in the second round with cornerback Cedric Griffin (Texas), who should step in immediately as the replacement for Brian Williams (Jaguars) in the nickel package behind Antoine Winfield and Fred Smoot.
Worst pick: Ryan Cook, OC/OG, New Mexico. Cook was one of the worst reaches of the draft's first day. In my opinion, Cook lacks the athleticism and explosiveness to ever develop into a solid starter -- at center or guard -- in the NFL.
Work to do: The Vikings failed to select a true safety prospect, as fifth-round pick Greg Blue (Georgia) will need to move to outside linebacker to compete for playing time in the NFL. Otherwise, the team did a terrific job of addressing its needs. Now the challenge is to get Greenway ready for his starting role at weakside linebacker and Griffin ready to contribute in the nickel package. The team also has its work cut out with talented but raw quarterback Tarvaris Jackson (Alabama State), who they drafted in the second round.
New Orleans Saints
Best pick: Reggie Bush, RB, USC. Hats off to the Saints for capitalizing on this opportunity rather than running for cover by trading out of the No. 2 spot. Bush does not fit a need with running back Deuce McAllister already in the stable, but this was the right move. Bush is a versatile back who will get his touches as a runner, receiver and return specialist. Meanwhile, he also should help to extend McAllister's career by taking some of the load away from a six-year pro who is coming off a season-ending injury. Bush is the most dynamic athlete to exit the collegiate level in many years; now it is coach Sean Payton's job to get the most out of him.
Worst pick: Roman Harper, DS, Alabama. The excitement of getting Bush with the second overall pick seemed to create a hangover for the Saints' decision makers throughout the rest of the draft. The worst pick came next in the second round, as the Saints vastly overrated Harper's value at the safety position. In my opinion, Harper projects as nothing more than a versatile backup with good special teams potential.
Work to do: While taking Bush was the right decision, it did prevent the Saints from addressing some of their top positions of need in this year's draft, the most pressing of which is at right tackle. After moving Jammal Brown over to the left side, the Saints are now stuck with Jon Stinchcomb as the starter at right tackle. They also are left hoping that defensive tackle Hollis Thomas (Eagles) and center Jeff Faine (Browns) can contribute immediately after being acquired in trades on draft day.
New York Giants
Best pick: Sinorice Moss, WR, Miami. After passing on him the first time around, the Giants were fortunate that Moss fell to them in the second round. Moss is in an ideal situation because he can serve primarily as a sub-package slot receiver behind starters Plaxico Burress and Amani Toomer as a rookie. Moss will also compete for the job of punt return specialist.
Worst pick: Mathias Kiwanuka, DE, Boston College. Kiwanuka was a bit of a reach at the bottom of the first round, especially at a position that wasn't a critical need The good news, however, is that Kiwanuka can serve primarily as a situational pass rusher early in his career while he attempts to get bigger and stronger in order to stack up as a full-time starter in the future.
Work to do: The Kiwanuka selection would have been magnified had Moss not fallen to the Giants (who traded up) in Round 2. When all is said and done, the Giants were able to provide quarterback Eli Manning with another weapon at the wide receiver position, while also improving the depth of their defensive front seven in this year's draft. Safety Charlie Peprah (Alabama) and cornerback Gerrick McPhearson (Maryland) were good values in the draft's final two rounds, but neither can be expected to ever emerge as a starter. With that in mind, the Giants still have question marks in what has become a patchwork defensive secondary.
Philadelphia Eagles
Best pick: Winston Justice, OT, USC. Justice comes with his fair share of off-field baggage, but the Eagles got a first-round talent with this selection in the second round. Having two seasoned veterans like Tra Thomas and Jon Runyan around should help to keep Justice on the straight and narrow while he's learning what it takes to become successful in this league.
Worst pick: LaJuan Ramsey, DT, USC. The Eagles' draft was so efficient that it took until the sixth round to find a pick I disagreed with. Ramsey put on an impressive display during his pro day at USC, but he was an underachiever in college and he lacks the ideal athleticism to emerge as a late-round steal.
Work to do: The Eagles were able to address all of their top needs except for outside linebacker. They did select Tennessee outside linebacker Omar Gaither, but not until the fifth round. Considering strongside linebacker Dhani Jones' inconsistency and Shawn Barber's past durability issues, it wouldn't be surprising for the team to add another veteran outside linebacker between now and the fall.
San Francisco 49ers
Best pick: Manny Lawson, DE/OLB, NC State. Taking Vernon Davis with the sixth overall was a no-brainer. What impressed me even more was the 49ers' foresight to trade back into the first round days before the draft, knowing they could get a top prospect on the defensive side of the ball at that point. Lawson was a late riser in the draft process but he was well worth the pick. At 6-5 and 241 pounds with 4.49 speed, Lawson should make an immediate impact as a rush linebacker in the 49ers' 3-4 defense.
Worst pick: Michael Robinson, WR, Penn State. Robinson was pegged as an early Day 2 prospect, so taking him in the fourth round is not a problem. The problem, however, is that the 49ers took a versatile wide receiver 16 picks earlier in the third round in Wisconsin's Brandon Williams and they took another wide receiver two rounds later in Central Missouri's Delanie Walker. Unless the team has plans on moving Robinson to safety, this pick could have been better spent on a more established defensive prospect.
Work to do: Despite one of the most impressive drafts from top to bottom, the 49ers still have much work to do. Two of the biggest areas of need that the team failed to address on draft weekend were cornerback and defensive line. While Lawson and Parys Haralson (5th round, Tennessee) are listed as defensive ends, both fit best in the 3-4 defensive scheme as outside linebackers. The only true fit at defensive end from this year's class is Melvin Oliver (LSU), but his potential is limited as a sixth-round selection. As for cornerback, the 49ers made Ahmed Plummer a cap casualty and Mike Rumph has been inconsistent and he is coming off a season-ending foot injury. While Shawntae Spencer has improved since entering the league, he lacks the second gear of a shutdown corner and is a marginal No. 2. The 49ers traded for Sammy Davis (Chargers) and signed Walt Harris, but neither can be considered a reliable third cornerback.
Seattle Seahawks
Best pick: Darryl Tapp, DE, Virginia Tech. The Seahawks were efficient throughout most of the 2006 draft, but Tapp was the best selection of all. The ultra-productive defensive end slipped to the second round because of his lack of ideal size and a below-average time in the 40-yard dash (4.84). But he's a high-motor player who will thrive early in his career as part of a four-man rotation with DEs Grant Wistrom, Bryce Fisher and Joe Tafoya.
Worst pick: David Kirtman, FB, USC. The Seahawks were wise to plan for life after Mack Strong at the fullback position, but Kirtman was a bit of a reach in Round 5. He's undersized and is not the same type of lead-blocking bulldozer at the position.
Work to do: The Seahawks could not have done a better job with what they had to work with entering the draft. With their first three selections, they were able to address pressing issues at cornerback (Miami's Kelly Jennings), defensive end (Tapp) and offensive guard (Ohio State's Rob Sims). The team also addressed the situation surrounding Ken Hamlin's health by trading for Mike Green (Bears). Outside of reaching for a fullback in the fifth round, it's difficult to pick holes in Seattle's draft strategy.
St. Louis Rams
Best pick: Claude Wroten, DT, LSU.
Worst pick: Marques Hagans, WR, Virginia. This is nitpicking to a certain degree, but the Rams could have found a better prospect than Hagans in the fifth round. The former quarterback shows enough athletic ability to make a position change to wide receiver/return specialist in the NFL, but his marginal speed is a concern. There were other more promising prospects to go with here, including Jeremy Bloom (Colorado), Jonathan Orr (Wisconsin) and Devin Aromashodu (Auburn).
Work to do: The Rams unloaded former starting tight end Brandon Manumaleuna after spending two picks in the first three rounds on that position (Colorado's Joe Klopfenstein and USc's Dominique Byrd) on players who better fit coach Scott Linehan's new scheme. They also addressed top needs at cornerback, defensive tackle and outside linebacker in the first three rounds. The only complaint regarding the Rams' draft is that they failed to find a developmental quarterback prospect with more upside than Ryan Fitzpatrick.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Best pick: Maurice Stovall, WR, Notre Dame. After blossoming in his final collegiate season under first-year head coach Charlie Weis, Stovall was expected to be drafted in the second round. When he slipped to the Buccaneers in the second round, Stovall became a bargain at a position of moderate need for coach Jon Gruden's team. As a rookie, Stovall will push for time as a No. 4 receiver before eventually taking over for aging third receiver Ike Hilliard behind starters Joey Galloway and Michael Clayton.
Worst pick: Jeremy Trueblood, OT, Boston College. Right position, wrong prospect. By selecting him in the second round the Bucs obviously view Trueblood as a potential starter. In my opinion, Trueblood will never be more than a backup. He lacks the athleticism to play left tackle in the NFL and he must improve his explosiveness and aggressiveness in the running game in order to make the move to right tackle. Davin Joseph (Oklahoma) was also a bit of a reach with the 23rd overall pick, but at least he projects as a solid starter at his position (guard) in the NFL.
Work to do: The Buccaneers made a conscious decision to go meat and potatoes in the draft, spending their top two picks on offensive linemen. They were also able to address depth issues at wide receiver (Stovall) and in the defensive backfield (Penn State's Alan Zemaitis, 4th round and Oregon's Justin Phinisee, 7th round). Lost in the shuffle, however, was the need for outside linebacker help. Derrick Brooks is a leader on the field and continues to produce, but he turns 33 this year. While the Buccaneers signed Jamie Winborn to add depth, he's inconsistent and has had problems staying healthy.
Washington Redskins
Best pick: Rocky McIntosh, OLB, Miami. The Redskins put very little value on draft picks, so trading up in the second round in order to secure McIntosh was business as usual. In my opinion, McIntosh is one of the more underrated prospects in the 2006 class and will get an opportunity to prove his worth right away for a Redskins defense in dire need of help at his position.
Worst pick: Anthony Montgomery, DT, Minnesota. Montgomery has the size and athletic ability to develop into an adequate backup, but he offers little as a pass rusher and needs to get stronger as a run defender. There were several higher-rated defensive tackle prospects on the board when the Redskins took Montgomery in the fifth round, including Tennessee's Jesse Mahelona, Virginia Tech's Jonathan Lewis and Louisville's Montavious Stanley.
Work to do: The Redskins seem to prefer free agency to the draft. While they did address their top need with McIntosh, it was unrealistic to believe they could find an upgrade over ROG Derrick Dockery or seriously improve their defensive line depth.
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