Draft grades immediately after the draft are kind of funny because. . .well, because we don't have any idea whether the players we've taken are even going to be any good. But, you know something? I'm going to plaster all of them that I can find up here anyway, because hey. . .it gives us something to talk about, which is always nice.
So far we've got three grades in, one from Fox Sports, one from CBS Sportsline's Pete Prisco, and one from ESPN.com's Mel Kiper, Jr. Let's start with the Fox Sports blurb first:
Grade: B-
I must have missed Allison's "major" character issues. Everything I read made it sound like all the guy needed was a swift kick in the ass. I'm sure he'll get that in Minnesota.
Next, Pete Prisco:
Questionable move: Passing on Brady Quinn in the first round. I love Adrian Peterson, but who will throw the football?
Second-day gem: Sixth-round pick Rufus Alexander was a tackling machine at Oklahoma. Getting him that late is a nice pick.
Overall grade: B. They drafted good players, but they didn't get a quarterback, which is why the grade isn't an A. Travaris Jackson better be a star.
Mr. Prisco needs to see one of those doctors like they talk about on the Cialis commercials. He's had an erection for Brady Quinn that's lasted close to two months.
Hey, Pete. . .20 other teams passed on Brady Quinn, too. There's probably a good reason for that.
Oh, and if you're going to slam Tarvaris Jackson, it wouldn't kill you to spell his name properly.
And finally, Mel Kiper, Jr.:
Vice president of player personnel Rick Spielman had an outstanding weekend. Somebody had to fall to the Vikings in the first round, and with Adrian Peterson, they got a potential franchise running back to go along with Chester Taylor. Sidney Rice -- who could have been a top-15 pick if he had returned for his senior season -- is a great value pick in the second round. If cornerback Marcus McCauley plays the way he did as a junior, the Vikings got a great player in the third round. If McCauley plays like he did in 2006, he'll struggle to make the team. Brian Robison is a pass-rushing defensive end and a very good Day 2 selection. Robison also will contribute on special teams. Wide receiver Aundrae Allison spent time on the Big Board in 2006 and was a good pick in the fifth round; Rufus Alexander was a solid sixth-round pick; and Tyler Thigpen is more of a developmental, third-string quarterback.
Now, a B+ doesn't sound terribly impressive on the surface. . .until you look at the rest of the grades and see that B+ was the highest grade that Kiper gave out. And only three teams got that B+ grade. . .Cleveland (who had two first-round picks), San Francisco (who had two first-round picks), and the Vikings.
All in all, seems pretty good so far!