Let's take a look at how the "draft experts" graded our draft last year

[Verge]

Three starters with five picks, I would say that's a pretty solid draft.

[Mother Grabber]

like all of the 'experts' on here who have so many opinions about each pick

[Jangler]

Where the sexperts at?

[Fidel Cashflow]

Three starters with five picks, I would say that's a pretty solid draft.

 

2013 - 5 picks 3 starters (Lotulelei, Short, Klein)

2014 - 6 picks 5 starters (Benjamin, Ealy,Turner, Boston, Benwikere)

 

 

[Fidel Cashflow]

2013 - 5 picks 3 starters (Lotulelei, Short, Klein)

2014 - 6 picks 5 starters (Benjamin, Ealy,Turner, Boston, Benwikere)

 

Doesn't get much better than that.

 

[TheNewStandard]

We drafted the best all-around, true football player in the draft. Shaq's sideline to sideline coverage skills, instincts and play recognition are really going to let Luke and TD loose to plug holes, make tackles on RBs and possibly get pressure on the QB, which has been nearly non-existent the past few seasons because Luke and sometimes even TD are having to worry too much about pass coverage and being taken totally out of making plays on the ball at the point of attack at the line of sceimmage.

Shaq is a playmaker with great field vision and an innate ability to recognize and place himself in the best position to react and attack the ball/ball carrier.

Its gonna be a lot harder to swallow him up on plays where he is faced with second-level OL, because Star, Kawan, CJ, Kony and co are very skilled at controlling, pressuring and containing the OL with Luke and TD hitting the gaps and taking double teams that opponents have to game plan for.

The reason I brought up the former statement is becaused Shaq has been criticized for getting swallowed up by second level OL. He's a pass coverage specialist and ballhawk. We need him as a roaming WLB/Coverage midfielder to allow Luke and TD to focus on stopping the run because we got killed in that department last season.

Like many people say about Luke, "how special is leading the league in tackles when theyre made after a rb reels off 7 yards for half his tackles?" Luke and TD need to be hitting gaps and stopping ball carriers at or behind the line of scrimmage, not out in coverage which generally takes one or both out of the play entirely. Its akin to having Olsen used in the backfield as an extra blocker instead of letting him run routes and make plays.

Thats what people arent understanding about Shaq. 6 forced fumbles and 4 ints with 4 touchdowns off of turnovers on a team that went 4-5 in conference is pretty amazing. Not only that, but he's a ST dynamo and a pretty talented running back to boot. His best field play came in pass coverage, where he shadows the QB and oftentimes, because of his coverage, he forces the opposing QB into making bail-out passes in the area where Shaq is able to make a stop, deflection, int or tackle without giving up extra yardage after the catch.

[GoobyPls]

All I know is we better improve from 7-8-1 for this draft to be a success.

[BIGH2001]

These assholes spend 3 months looking at prospects. Some of them like Kiper and McShay do this as their full time job year round and yet they still suck at it. I think weatherman is an apt career comparison for these draft "experts." Theyve proven themselves to be good at talking on TV but they are not, and never will be NFL GMs.

[O-Ther]

If we do improve from 7-8-1, all we'll hear is "well we played the weakest divisions in the NFL we were supposed to get a better record" b!tching. People will move the goalposts with "well, yeah, but you shouldn't grade a draft class until 3 years after" and refuse to acknowledge something good happened.

 

I'm talking to all of you that got upset we made the playoffs and dropped lower in the draft order, then complained our playoff win didn't count cause the QB was a 4th stringer, then complained about who we weren't signing in free agency, plus even complained about who we brought in for a free agent visit. A f*%king VISIT

 

No wonder my ignore list is so long.

[dpm0409]

We all agree last year's draft was fantastic right? Did the experts last year say that at the time? 

 

Pete Prisco, CBS Sports: D

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/writer/pete-prisco/24559020/nfl-draft-final-team-grades-and-analysis

 

Bucky Brooks, NFL.com: C+

http://www.nfl.com/draft/story/0ap2000000350019/article/nfc-south-draft-grades-brandin-cooks-fits-new-orleans-saints

 

SBNation: C+ (tied for worst overall)

http://www.sbnation.com/a/nfl-draft-grades-2014

 

FoxSports.com: C+

http://www.foxsports.com/nfl/photos/now-it-s-time-to-judge-grading-the-2014-nfl-draft-051214

 

Bleacher Report: C-

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2048464-2014-nfl-draft-grades-report-cards-for-all-32-gms/page/6

 

Yahoo: A-

http://sports.yahoo.com/photos/team-by-team-grades-for-the-2014-nfl-draft-1399767620-slideshow/

 

Sports Illustrated: A-

http://www.si.com/nfl/audibles/2014/05/10/2014-nfl-draft-grades

 

ESPN: C-

http://espn.go.com/blog/carolina-panthers/post/_/id/6456/carolina-draft-class-slightly-above-average

 

It's almost like nobody knows anything. I didn't bother listing some of the lesser known sites that gave us D+s and Cs. Why do we pay attention to these instant grades again?

 

I suppose people listen to them solely because there is little else to talk about until mini-camps, OTA's, and TC's start.  I'm with you all the way though.  If they're going to give out preseason draft grades, I agree with jasonluckydog, they also need to give out post season draft grades......

 

[tondi]

You give one million monkeys one million typewriters and eventually one of them will write the complete works of William Shakespeare.  That pretty much sums up both pre and post draft coverage these days.  Way too many random morons with way too much space to fill to pay much attention to what the vast majortiy of them have to say about anything.  Same thing could be said about 98% of sports coverage in general which is why people shouldn't spend much time on any of it other than the games.

[L-TownCat]

Sweet now the shitposting Falcons, Saints, and Bucs will get all giddy and flock to the Huddle to tell us how bad our draft was while we methodically and violently take our 3rd consecutive division title and march into the playoffs.  

 

Buckle up those chinstraps girls, its gonna get gooooood.

[juliosantos]

Cbs sports hate us lol

[TheNewStandard]

Yahoo and SI got it right!