NFL Draft Recap - Grading the AFC South

The AFC draft recaps continue with the AFC South. Here is also a quick rundown of the Bodog odds for each AFC South team's chances to win the Superbowl.

BODOG SUPERBOWL TITLE ODDS

Indianapolis Colts - 8 to 1
Jacksonville Jaguars - 30 to 1
Tennessee Titans - 40 to 1
Houston Texans - 100 to 1

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

1st - Anthony Gonzales - WR - Ohio State
2nd - Tony Ugoh - OT - Arkansas
3rd - Daymeion Hughes - DB - California
3rd - Quinn Pitcock - DT - Ohio State
4th - Brandon Condren - DB - Troy
4th - Clint Session - LB - Pittsburgh
5th - Roy Hall - WR - Ohio State
5th - Michael Coe - DB - Alabama State
7th - Keyunta Dawson - DE - Texas Tech

Grade: C

The Indianapolis Colts have been bleeding defensive players in the offseason, so I expected to see them reload on defense through the draft. 6 of their last 7 picks were defense, so you could say that was the case. But what the heck were they doing in the 1st two rounds, when they could have added a stud or two to that side of the ball?

It's not like the defense was rock steady last year. At one point, it was setting records that you don't want your defense to set. The Indie D got it in order in time for the playoff run, but that was a shock to most of America. Sure, the Colts D had injuries in the regular season last year, but some of the guys who helped in the Superbowl push are now gone.

ANTHONY GONZALES

Drafting a 3rd receiver and a backup tackle in the first two rounds was a big surprise.

Anthony Gonzales will be one heck of a 3rd receiver. He can eventually replace Harrison, I guess. But they have been pretty fine with questionable 3rd receiver play, while a lack of safeties and linebackers could really hurt. Heck, haven't the Colts lost both of their starting corners from last year?

Anyway, the Colts added some depth on defense, but I wonder about the quality of that depth. Anthony Gonzales is the most talented 3rd receiver the Colts have ever had, but I can't grade higher than a "C" for a 3rd option in the passing game.

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

1st - Reggie Nelson - S - Florida
2nd - Justin Durant - LB - Hampton
3rd - Mike Walker - WR - UCF
4th - Adam Podlesh - P - Maryland
4th - Brian Smith - DE - Missouri
5th - Uche Nwaneri - G - Purdue
5th - Josn Gattis - DB - Wake Forest
5th - Derek Landri - DT - Notre Dame
7th - John Broussard - WR - San Jose State
7th - Chad Nkang - LB - Elon
7th - Andrew Carnahan - OT - Arizona State

Grade: B

Reggie Nelson is a perfect fit for the Jags. Their rough and tumble defense just got more rough and tumble.

To trade down a few spots, still get the guy you're looking for and be able to add a couple of extra picks is smooth. That allowed them to take a punter in the 4th round, which I would normally deduct points for.

More than half of the Jags picks were defense, which might surprise some fans. But despite the ability of that unit to dominate at times, Del Rio wants to take that unit to another level next year.

Jacksonville has spent an awful lot of high picks on offense in recent years. Going back to the Leftwich draft, the Jags have added players like Matt Jones, Reggie Williams and Maurice Jones-Drew with Day One picks. So I'm not going to roast the Jags with not drafting offense high, despite their seeming lack of offense last year.

WILL LEFTWICH LEAVE?

Let me criticize the Jags for one non-move. With Byron Leftwich in the final year of his rookie contract, it seems like the Jags could have stashed another quarterback option on the roster.

Otherwise, the Jaguars added the kind of players who allow them to play their type of game: a tough, field position kind of game. Hopefully, they can produce enough offense next year to make this work. Leftwich staying healthy (for once) would be a huge boost to that effort, but you can't really predict that.

I'll give the Jags a "B" for a better than average draft. These weren't sexy picks, but sexy doesn't always win championships.

TENNESSEE TITANS

1st - Michael Griffin - DB - Texas
2nd - Chris Henry - RB - Arizona
3rd - Paul Williams - WR - Fresno State
4th - Leroy Harris - C - North Carolina State
4th - Chris Davis - WR - Florida State
5th - Antonio Johnson - DT - Mississippi State
6th - Joel Filani - WR - Texas Tech
6th - Jacob Ford - DE - Central Arkansas
6th - Ryan Smith - DB - Florida
7th - Mike Otto - OT - Purdue

Grade: C+

No draft has received a larger difference of opinion than the Titans draft. I have seen some respected figures grade the with an "A". I have seen others say that Vince Young will have to be Superman+ if the Titans don't want to have the #1 pick next year.

So what's the truth? Probably somewhere in between.

Michael Griffin adds a solid strong safety to the team. One of the biggest changes in the last few years is how teams draft safeties. At one time, safeties weren't drafted in the 1st round. Now, every team seems to want a stud safety. This coincides with a drop in the value of 1st round running backs.

CHRIS HENRY

Speaking of running backs, the drafting of Chris Henry is one of the most controversial picks in years. Henry has the stats to make him a 2nd rounder, but the intangibles all seem against him.

For one, he sat the bench his first three years at college. When he got the chance to start, Henry promptly got suspended for a game, then amassed a lethargic 200+ yards in the next 8 games. He finished the season strong, averaging nearly 100 yards and 1.5 touchdowns per game in his final four starts in college. When a new offensive coordinator was brought in at Arizona, Henry decided to leave college a year early. This was a questionable move, so the Titans saved him a lot of money by drafting him ahead of higher rated runners.

With issues surrounding Lendale White, Chris Henry could be the starter in Tennesse at some point next year. )You fantasy football guys should put him on your list.) But there are so many questions about Henry, it's hard to say anything but the Titans took a flier on this guy.

THE LOWER ROUNDS

Otherwise, Tennesse drafted linemen and receivers. They drafted 3 out of 5 receivers at one point in the draft, underscoring their need to give Vince Young some targets. Too bad the Titans didn't draft one of the elite recievers, which they could have with their pick in the 2nd round.

Chris Henry might well make or break this draft, but I'm saying it's not such a good bet for Tennessee.

HOUSTON TEXANS

1st - Amobi Okoye - DT - Louisville
3rd - Jacoby Jones - WR - Lane
4th - Fred Barnett - DB - South Carolina
5th - Brandon Harrison - DB - Stanford
5th - Brandon Frye - OT - Virginia Tech
6th - Kasey Studdard - G - Texas
7th - Zach Diles - LB - Kansas State

Grade: C-

Amobi Okoye is one of the best stories in this draft. It's easy to get caught up in that story. But I wonder how this pick turns out.

Okoye showed talent at Louisville, but he wasn't a consistent performer. One of the reasons he rose throughout the draft process was his stated age; 19. He's the younger player to ever be drafted. That means Okoye has room to grow and development.

DANNY ALMONTE?

But who can say how old Amobi Okoye really is? Anyone who has experience with select soccer or international Little League baseball knows that you can't always trust the ages on kids from foreign lands. They might fudge a little bit on the birth records. Most of the time, it doesn't matter. But when you are drafted into the NFL, every stat is important.

I wonder where Okoye would have been drafted if he were listed as 21 years old. Maybe it didn't matter, but I get the idea that it did.

Impressed by Devin Hester's rookie season for the Bears, the Texans jumped on the bandwagon and grabbed kick return specialist, Jacoby Jones, in the 3rd round. Houston followed up with two defensive backs.

IT'S THE OFFENSIVE LINE, STUPID!

My big problems with this draft is one that Houston fans will have. The Texans waited until the 5th round to address their offensive line problems. That's insane.

Say what you will about David Carr, but he never had a decent offensive line in front of him. At least with Matt Schaub, you'll get a fair comparison. Schaub will have the same sorry offensive line unit in front of him. That's just a bad idea.

Okoye and Mario Williams might turn into perennial Pro Bowlers. That would be a good thing, because that Texans defense will have to keep the team in a lot of games.

OTHER DRAFT RECAPS

AFC West
NFC South

NFL Draft Recap - Grading the AFC South