Sonntag, 29. April 2012

2012 NFL Draft Grades: Assessing Best and Worst Picks of 4th Round

Some teams were able to stock up on talent in Saturday's fourth round of the NFL draft, while others kept making the same head-scratching moves they've been making throughout the course of draft weekend.

Here's a look at some of the fourth-round winners and losers.


Best Picks

St. Louis Rams

The Rams got the fourth round off to the right start by selecting Wake Forest wide receiver Chris Givens, the 11th ranked receiver on the board. Though he doesn't possess the ideal size at 5'11" and 198 pounds and his hands are on the small side, he's a threat after the catch and tracks the ball very well. Last season at Wake, he registered 83 receptions, 1,330 yards and nine touchdowns.

Another thing that makes Givens a threat is the fact that he isn't afraid to go across the middle, nor is he afraid to block. He's fast and he's tough, so even despite some concerns that he doesn't work as hard as he can in the weight room, he has the potential to be a high-reward pick for the Rams.


Houston Texans

The Texans had three picks in the fourth round and came away with center Ben Jones, wideout Keshawn Martin and defensive end Jared Crick.

Jones was the second-best center on the board and has started every game since his sophomore year. He's appeared in every game in his college career, and though he's been dinged for having less athleticism than other centers, he makes up for it with aggression and physicality and has above-average upper-body strength. The Georgia lineman has been called a quarterback for the line and has excellent instincts.

In Martin, the Texans get a fast prospect who can pay dividends purely as a special-teamer. In 2011, he had 66 receptions for 777 yards and four TDs for the Spartans, and though he's undersized at 5'11" and 188 pounds, his speed is way above average and he's a hard worker who will contribute wherever he can.

Crick is a bit of a risk because of his injury history—he suffers from knee tendinitis and sprained his MCL in spring practice in 2011. But he's a very smart player with an excellent work ethic who always gives an extra effort making the tackle or getting the sack. He also has great stamina at 6'4" and 279 pounds.


Worst

Baltimore Ravens

Offensive guard Gino Gradkowski was a puzzling selection for many Baltimore fans. The Delaware grad ranked as the 29th best guard and yet went to the Ravens as the third pick in the fourth round.

At 6'2" and 295 pounds, he's undersized, and he doesn't make up for it with superior power and could have trouble going up against NFL defensive lines. He's a hard worker, but unless he can get bigger—which is unlikely—his impact will be very limited.

Baltimore did make a decent move with a compensatory pick later in the draft, taking South Carolina State's Christian Thompson, a former Auburn safety with speed and athleticism who had to leave Auburn for academic reasons.


Buffalo Bills

He has a snazzy name, but he's not quite as snazzy a player as fans would've liked to see. The Bills selected Florida State linebacker Nigel Bradham with the 10th pick in the fourth round, and despite a good attitude and lots of aggression, he's about 6'2" and isn't getting any bigger than 241 pounds. 

He does have long arms and big hands, but doesn't have excellent blocking instincts and loses sight of the ball in traffic. He also struggles to consistently come up with the big shot.

Later in the fourth round, the Bills made a so-so selection with LSU corner Ron Brooks. He's extremely fast, but at 5'10" and 190 pounds, he's not incredibly strong and could fall victim to NFL wide receivers.

Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1164618-2012-nfl-draft-grades-assessing-best-and-worst-picks-of-4th-round

Jerry Stackhouse J.R Smith Kenyon Martin Chauncey Billups Carmelo Anthony Tayshon Prince

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