28. Cleveland Browns
Grade: D -
Barely slipping by with a D-minus, and at the bottom of this group is the Cleveland Browns. Serious injuries have plagued first-round draft pick Kellen Winslow, and it’s doubtful he’ll ever live up to his pre-draft hype as a direct result. The Browns avoided an “F” grade, however, with the quality second-round selection of Georgia safety Sean Jones, who is firmly entrenched as the team’s starting strong safety.
The Browns didn’t have a third-round pick in 2004, and they pretty much struck out on day two, with none of their four picks still on the roster. Quarterback Luke McCown, who was picked in the fourth round, hasn’t played since his rookie year -- although he was on the Buccaneers roster in ‘06 -- and is currently looking for a job. Amon Gordon, a fifth-round defensive tackle, hasn’t played since his rookie year either. Kirk Chambers, an offensive lineman out of Stanford, and California running back Joe Echemandu were on the rosters of other teams in 2006.
27. Kansas City Chiefs
Grade: D -
The Chiefs were without a first-round draft pick in 2004, and they might as well have been without all their first-day picks, because they have little or nothing to show for each of them. With the first of two second-round picks, the team selected Oregon defensive tackle Junior Siavii, who lasted all of two seasons in Kansas City. Tight end Kris Wilson, who was selected near the end of the second round, has been stuck behind veteran Tony Gonzalez, and third-round linebacker Keyaron Fox is buried on the depth chart.
Rebounding in round four, the Chiefs landed Oregon wide receiver Samie Parker, who started in ‘06 opposite Eddie Kennison. They also picked up defensive end Jared Allen, a dynamic pass rusher. The final rounds of the draft, however, produced nothing of value.
26. Miami Dolphins
Grade: D
The selection of Vernon Carey, who has turned into a solid starter at right tackle, was a quality pick and a good way to start the 2004 NFL Draft. But the team didn’t have another first-day pick, and the results reflected that situation.
Will Poole, a fourth-round defensive back out of USC, contributed part time as a rookie, but hasn’t see the field since. Fifth-rounder Tony Bua, another defensive back, showed promise as a rookie before being injured, and is out of the league now.
The Dolphins did hit pay dirt in round six, picking up a starting center in Houston’s Rex Hadnot. But all-in-all, Miami’s 2004 draft class was a bit disappointing.
25. New York Giants
Grade: D
The Giants were involved in a draft-day deal that saw them select North Carolina State quarterback Philip Rivers with the No. 4 overall pick, and then trade him, along with a package of draft picks, for Eli Manning. Manning has had modest success since joining the league, but has not approached what you would expect from the draft’s top pick. The Giants clearly gave up too much for his rights, and the Chargers reaped the benefits of the multiple draft picks received in the deal (one was used by the Chargers to land linebacker Shawne Merriman just a year later). Had the Giants simply held onto Rivers, they would have graded out much better. But the one-sidedness of this deal is too large to ignore.
In the second round, the Giants picked up a starting guard in Boston College’s Chris Snee, who also happens to be the son-in-law of head coach Tom Coughlin. Linebacker Reggie Torbor, while not a star in the making, was a good value in the third round, and Tennessee safety Gibril Wilson was a fantastic pickup all the way down in the fifth round.
None of the remaining 2004 picks by the Giants made it as far as the 2006 roster.
24. Minnesota Vikings
Grade: D
Although first-round defensive end Kenechi Udeze started in 2006, he’s been a bit of a disappointment. In 16 games, he recorded no sacks or forced fumbles, and he’s obviously not making the impact the Vikings had envisioned when they selected him. In the second round, Minnesota didn’t fare a whole lot better, picking up a backup linebacker in Dontarrious Thomas out of Auburn.
The Vikings actually got much better value at defensive end in the third round with the selection of Ohio State’s Darrion Scott, who plays a big role in the team's rotation at the position. Also give Minnesota credit for finding running back Mewelde Moore in the fourth round, but overall, not a great draft for the Vikes.
