2003 NFL Draft Grades and Re-Grades AFC Re-Grades

This page is dedicated to my 2003 NFL Draft Grades and Re-Grades for the AFC. The latter is basically going back five years and re-grading how every team fared in the 2003 NFL Draft. The new analysis is in red, while all the old stuff has been preserved.

Here are my 2003 NFL Draft Grades and Re-Grades: NFC.

Grade given on 5/1/03: A-
Grade given on 6/8/08: A+
Good Moves: Taking RB Willis McGahee might seem foolish because they already have Travis Henry and Olandis Gary, but running backs are prone to injury, so if Henry goes down, Buffalo will still have a strong running game. DE Chris Kelsay was a good pick in the second round. OLB Angelo Crowell was also a good pick in round 3. The Bills might have found their third wide receiver with fourth round pick WR Sam Aiken. Seventh rounder MLB Mario Haggan will probably make the team.

Bad Moves: They wasted one of their fourth round picks on CB Terrence McGee. The Bills did not address their need at safety.

June 8, 2008 Update: The Bills took a big risk by spending the 23rd overall pick on Willis McGahee, who suffered a nasty knee tear just four months earlier. McGahee would later disown the city of Buffalo because he had problems getting a date, but he did have 1,128 rushing yards in 2004 and 1,247 rushing yards in 2005. He signed with the Ravens a year ago, and notched 1,207 yards despite having no quarterback.

The Bills had two amazing selections in the middle of the draft, even though I said they wasted one of them. Whoops. Terrence McGee is anything but a waste; unknown because he plays in Buffalo, McGee is one of the premier cornerbacks in the NFL. I’d say Buffalo got its value for him in the fourth round … Meanwhile, the Bills managed to obtain Angelo Crowell in the third. Crowell was a steal, as he is one of the better strongside linebackers the league has to offer.

Chris Kelsay (2nd round) starts across from Aaron Schobel at left defensive end, so I can’t say that taking him was a terrible move. However, Kelsay isn’t suited to start and should only be a rotational reserve.

Sam Aiken (4th round) is a failure as a receiver, but he’s a solid special-teamer. He signed with the Patriots this offseason … All of Buffalo’s other selections are out of the league. That would be Ben Sobieski (5th round), Lauvale Sape (6th round) and Mario Haggan (7th round).

Potential 2003 Starters: None.

Grade given on 5/1/03: D
Grade given on 6/8/08: C-
Good Moves: OT Wade Smith was a good pick in the third round.

Bad Moves: No other pick was good. They only drafted one offensive lineman.

June 8, 2008 Update: Only two of Miami’s picks actually panned out. That would be Donald Lee (5th round), who had a solid 2007 campaign with the Packers, and Yeremiah Bell (6th round), who was playing pretty well prior to tearing his Achilles’ tendon last year.

Other than those two guys, only one Dolphins pick is still around. Wade Smith (3rd round) is a second-string interior lineman in Kansas City, where no one knows how to block anything anymore.

The complete list of Miami’s busts: Eddie Moore (2nd round), Taylor Whitley (3rd round), J.R. Tolver (5th round), Corey Jenkins (6th round), Tim Provost (6th round) and Davern Williams (7th round).

Potential 2003 Starters: OT Wade Smith.

Grade given on 5/1/03: A
Grade given on 6/8/08: A+
Good Moves: DT Ty Warren could have been drafted with the 19th pick instead of the 13th, but he is still a good player. 2nd rounder CB Eugene Wilson should compete against Otis Smith for the starting job. DT Dan Klecko was a good fourth round pick. The Patriots had an excellent sixth round, picking C Dave Koppen and QB Kliff Kingsbury. They continued in the seventh round with DE Tully Banta-Cain. The Patriots also picked up an extra first and second round pick in the 2004 draft.

Bad Moves: WR Bethel Johnson just didn’t make sense as a second round pick. There were better wide receivers available, and the Patriots do not need another receiver. I do not like fourth rounder CB Asante Samuel.

June 8, 2008 Update: The Patriots didn’t have a pair of first-round picks this time around. They had two second-rounders instead. However, their best selections came in the first and fourth rounds. The former was used on Ty Warren (No. 13 overall), who is part of New England’s dominant three-man line. Warren recently inked a 5-year, $36 million deal. The latter was Asante Samuel, who is considered the top cornerback in the league by many. Samuel signed a huge contract with the Eagles this offseason.

The two second-rounders were Eugene Wilson and Temple Bethel Johnson. Wilson looked like a really promising free safety before suffering a barrage of injuries. Johnson, meanwhile, hasn’t played since 2006.

After Warren and Samuel, New England’s next-best choice was used on Dan Koppen (5th round). Koppen is one of the top centers in the league.

The Patriots drew cheers when they took Dan Klecko in the fourth round. The former son of Joe Klecko, Dan hasn’t done much in the NFL and has bounced around the league. He’s now in Philadelphia … Tully Banta-Cain (7th round) was a decent pick, considering where New England took him. He’s starting for the 49ers, but only because that franchise is completely miserable right now.

Kliff Kingsbury (6th round), Spencer Nead (6th round) and Ethan Kelley (7th round) are out of the league, though the latter could find a job as a backup nose tackle before the season starts.

Potential 2003 Starters: DT Ty Warren.

Grade given on 5/1/03: A
Grade given on 6/8/08: A-
Good Moves: Trading up to take DT Dewayne Robertson with the fourth pick was an outstanding move. MLB Victor Hobson, a second round pick, should contribute this year. Third rounder FB B.J. Askew will eventually start.

Bad Moves: Trading up to take DT Dewayne Robertson with the fourth pick was an outstanding move. MLB Victor Hobson, a second round pick, should contribute this year. Third rounder FB B.J. Askew will eventually start.

June 8, 2008 Update: In 2003, the Jets drafted a talented middle linebacker in Jonathan Vilma. Vilma is now off the team because he didn’t fit in Eric Mangini’s 3-4 scheme. Well, the same can be said about Dewayne Robertson (No. 4 overall). Robertson was a horrible fit as a 3-4 nose tackle. He should be able to thrive in Denver.

And the same thing can also be said about Victor Hobson (2nd round). Hobson is a 4-3 linebacker, which makes me wonder why he signed with the Patriots. With all of these talented 4-3 players, I have no idea why Mangini went to the 3-4.

Another talented Jets pick who isn’t on the team anymore is B.J. Askew (3rd round), a solid fullback who is now with Tampa Bay.

Brooks Bollinger (6th round), known as King of the Backdoor Cover on this site, is the fourth quarterback on Minnesota’s depth chart … Derek Pagel (5th round), Matt Walters (5th round) and Dave Yovanovits (7th round) are all done.

Potential 2003 Starters: DT Dewayne Robertson, MLB Victor Hobson.

Grade given on 5/1/03: A+
Grade given on 6/8/08: B+
Good Moves: Taking OLB Terrell Suggs makes this Ravens’ defense scary again. RB Musa Smith, who was taken in round three, will be a good backup for Jamal Lewis. DT Jarret Johnson was a good pick in the fourth round. Another 4th rounder, FB Ovie Mughelli will compete for the starting job. A steal was fifth-round pick OT Tony Pashos, who might start this year. Two more steals in round seven were: TE Trent Smith and S Antwoine Sanders.

Bad Moves: None.

June 8, 2008 Update: At the time, no one could believe Terrell Suggs fell all the way to the Ravens at No. 10. Suggs has 46 sacks in five NFL seasons, and was just given the franchise tag this offseason. Unfortunately for Baltimore, Suggs isn’t the most recognizable name in this class. That distinction would go to Kyle Boller, whom the Ravens traded up for. We all know how that turned out. Troy Smith is likely to get the nod over Boller until Joe Flacco is ready.

Mediocrity in the middle rounds: Musa Smith (3rd round) never turned out to be a solid backup for Jamal Lewis or Willis McGahee, but he’s a good special-teamer. He just signed with the Jets … Jarret Johnson (4th round) is currently starting for the Ravens, but he’s one of the weaker links on the defense. Antwan Barnes could beat him out in training camp … The Falcons signed Ovie Mughelli (4th round) to a 6-year, $18 million deal last offseason, but never utilized his ability to catch the ball. After 21 receptions in 2006, Mughelli had six catches out of the fullback position.

Baltimore hit the jackpot with both of its fifth-rounders. Aubrayo Franklin played pretty well as San Francisco’s starting nose tackle last year, while Tony Pashos does a good job at right tackle for Jacksonville.

No such luck in the final two rounds; Gerome Sapp (6th round), Trent Smith (7th round), Mike Mabry (7th round) and Antwoine Sanders (7th round) are done.

Potential 2003 Starters: OLB Terrell Suggs, FB Ovie Mughelli, OT Tony Pashos

Grade given on 5/1/03: A
Grade given on 6/8/08: A-
Good Moves: The Bengals took four projected first rounders: QB Carson Palmer, G Eric Steinbach, WR Kelley Washington and CB Dennis Weathersby.

Bad Moves: I think Carson Palmer will be a bust. The Bengals should have taken CB Terrence Newman or DT Dewayne Robertson.

June 8, 2008 Update: I thought Carson Palmer was going to be a bust because it took him like a billion years to learn the offense at USC, and he was finally able to do it when Norm Chow dumbed it down for him. I didn’t think Palmer had the intelligence to be a solid NFL quarterback, but he proved me wrong. Good for him.

Eric Steinbach (2nd round) didn’t need to prove me wrong, as I thought highly of him five years ago. Steinbach played great for the Bengals before signing with Cleveland, where he has continued to thrive.

The other two guys I was high on let me down. Kelley Washington (3rd round), who proclaimed himself as the future, has seasonal career highs of 31 receptions and 378 yards. “The Future” has just nine receptions since 2005. What kind of future is that? Post-nuclear holocaust? … What happened to Dennis Weathersby? Once a projected first-rounder, Weathersby was taken in the fourth and played just four career games. Well, he was shot before the draft. A year later, he was in a car accident and fell into a coma (thanks, Brian W.)

Jeremi Johnson (4th round) is Cincinnati’s starting fullback … Langston Moore (6th round) is a deep reserve in Detroit … Other than Palmer and Johnson, Scott Kooistra (7th round) is the only Bengal pick who is still on the roster. He’s a backup right tackle … Khalid Abdullah (5th round) and Elton Patterson (7th round) are out of the league.

Potential 2003 Starters: G Eric Steinbach, WR Kelley Washington, CB Dennis Weathersby.

Grade given on 5/1/03: D
Grade given on 6/8/08: B
Good Moves: RB Lee Suggs will be a good backup for William Green. The Browns stole OT Antonio Garay in the sixth round.

Bad Moves: They took both of their first two picks too early: C Jeff Faine and OLB Chaun Thompson. CB Chris Crocker might not make the team. The Browns only drafted one linebacker, when they clearly needed more.

June 8, 2008 Update: I had Jeff Faine (No. 21 overall) pegged as an early second-round prospect, so that’s why I thought the Browns reached a bit. No matter; Faine is a very solid center. He just signed with the Buccaneers.

Cleveland had a solid draft, as five of the seven players it took are still in the league. Chaun Thompson (2nd round) will be competing for a job in Houston this year … Chris Crocker (3rd round) just signed with Miami. He’ll provide the Dolphins with secondary depth … Ryan Pontbriand (5th round) is the Browns’ long-snapper … Michael Lehan is a starting cornerback for Miami, which isn’t saying much, given that the team’s defensive backfield is an abomination. That said, Lehan was still a pretty solid selection in the fifth round.

Lee Suggs (4th round) and Antonio Garay (6th round) are out of the league.

Potential 2003 Starters: C Jeff Faine, OLB Chaun Thompson.

Grade given on 5/1/03: C+
Grade given on 6/8/08: A-
Good Moves: Trading up and taking S Troy Polamalu was a good move. They took their QB of the future, Brian St. Pierre in round five.

Bad Moves: All of their other picks were just average; nothing spectacular. DE Alonzo Jackson was a mistake with better players available.

June 8, 2008 Update: I was pretty dead on about this draft, excluding the whole “Brian St. Pierre being the quarterback of the future thing.” Give the Steelers tons of credit for trading up for Troy Polamalu (No. 16 overall). There aren’t many strong safeties I would take over him if I were building a team.

Another thing I was off about was the Ike Taylor pick. It definitely wasn’t average. Taylor (4th round) has been inconsistent in his career, but he had a great 2007 season.

Alonzo Jackson (2nd round) was definitely a mistake. He’s out of the league … Joining Jackson at the unemployment office is J.T. Wall (7th round) … St. Pierre has one career pass attempt, but he’s still in the league. He’s Arizona’s third-string quarterback.

Potential 2003 Starters: S Troy Polamalu.

Grade given on 5/1/03: C-
Grade given on 6/8/08: C-
Good Moves: WR Andre Johnson will catch passes from David Carr for a long time. DE/OLB Antwaan Peek will eventually be a starter for Houston. RB Domanick Davis is a good running back, and could compete for the starting job. The Texans acquired themselves good trade bait, as they took QB Drew Henson in the sixth round.

Bad Moves: Second and third round picks did not make sense: TE Bennie Joppru, QB David Ragone and OT Seth Wand. Once again, the Texans failed to acquire a running back before the fourth round. The Texans also failed to draft an offensive lineman, something they needed more than anything.

June 8, 2008 Update: “You can never have enough quarterbacks.” Charley Casserly said this when he defended spending a third-round pick on Dave Ragone just one year after using the No. 1 overall selection on David Carr. The bottom line: Carr sucked, Ragone was worse and Casserly looked like a fool.

Well, not a complete fool, as Andre Johnson was made the third choice overall. Johnson’s not catching balls from Carr anymore, but when he’s healthy, he’s one of the more dominant receivers in the league.

The Texans had 10 picks in this class, yet besides Johnson, only two of them are still in the league. That would be third-rounders Antwan Peek and Seth Wand. Peek is a backup defensive lineman in Cleveland. Meanwhile, Casserly and Dom Capers proclaimed Wand as their left tackle of the future. He was soon benched and cut. He’s now a backup in Oakland.

Taking Bennie Joppru was almost as bad as the Ragone selection. Not only is Joppru out of the league; Jason Witten was available.

Domanick Davis-Williams (4th round) once showed a lot of promise, eclipsing the 1,000-yard rushing barrier in his first two seasons in the league. Unfortunately, he suffered a career-ending injury prior to the 2006 campaign.

Drew Henson (6th round), Keith Wright (6th round), Curry Burns (7th round) and Chance Pearce (7th round) are also out of football.

Potential 2003 Starters: WR Andre Johnson.

Grade given on 5/1/03: A
Grade given on 6/8/08: B+
Good Moves: TE Dallas Clark will work well in the two tight end offense. S Mike Doss was a great pick in round 2, as was CB Donald Strickland in round 3. The Colts stole OT Steve Sciullo in the fourth round.

Bad Moves: Questionable late round picks.

June 8, 2008 Update: Never a good idea to question a The Bill Polian draft, so I’m glad to see I gave him an A … I’ll say Dalls Clark worked well in Indianapolis’ offense. Clark is one of the more consistent tight ends in the league. He posted 58 receptions, 616 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2007, taking advantage of Marvin Harrison’s absence.

The Bill Polian didn’t fare too well the rest of the first day, though he did make it up later. Mike “M.S.” Doss (2nd round) and Donald Strickland (3rd round) are defensive backs who have failed. Doss played in eight games last year with the Vikings and is now out of the league … Strickland, meanwhile, is buried on San Francisco’s depth chart.

As for the aforementioned late-round steals, The Bill Polian snagged Robert Mathis and Cato June in the fifth and sixth rounds, respectively. Mathis has 39 sacks the past four years, while June is an exceptional Tampa-2 linebacker.

Steve Sciullo (4th round), Keyon Whiteside (5th round) and Makoa Freitas (6th round) are unemployed. The Bill Polian must have been out of the room when the Colts made those picks.

Potential 2003 Starters: TE Dallas Clark, S Mike Doss.

Grade given on 5/1/03: A+
Grade given on 6/8/08: C+
Good Moves: Despite bad mechanics, QB Byron Leftwich is the franchise future. Second round pick CB Rashean Mathis will probably start. G Vince Manuwai will also compete for a starting job. The Jaguars had two excellent fourth round picks in TE George Wrighster and RB LaBrandon Toefield.

Bad Moves: None.

June 8, 2008 Update: Looks like Byron Leftwich’s mechanics hurt him just a tad. After a few injury-ridden seasons in Jacksonville and a failed attempt in Atlanta, Leftwich is out of the league. In the end, he was just way too slow, fat and injury-prone to play in the NFL.

Luckily, the Jaguars hit on their other Day 1 picks. Rashean Mathis (2nd round) is one of the better corners in the league … Vince Manuwai (3rd round) starts at right guard for the team.

The second day wasn’t as kind to Jacksonville. George Wrighster (4th round) is still on the roster, but just as a backup tight end to Marcedes Lewis … LaBrandon Toefield (4th round) played two games last year as a third-string running back … All of the Jaguars’ other selections – Brandon Green (6th round), David Young (6th round), Marques Ogden (6th round) and Malaefou MacKenzie (7th round) – are unemployed.

Potential 2003 Starters: CB Rashean Mathis, G Vince Manuwai, TE George Wrighster.

Grade given on 5/1/03: A+
Grade given on 6/8/08: F
Good Moves: CB Andre Woolfolk, taken 28th overall, will be a great starter on the other side of Samari Rolle. WR Tyrone Calico was a great pick in the second round. Third rounder RB Chris Brown will start in a few years. DT Rien Long was a steal in the fourth round. Late round picks CB Donnie Nickey and OT Todd Williams will add to depth.

Bad Moves: None.

June 8, 2008 Update: Another year, another crappy Titans draft. I was surprised to see Andre Woolfolk (No. 28 overall) is still in the league. He’s a deep reserve with the Jets and probably won’t make the team … Tyrone Calico (2nd round), Rien Long (4th round) and Todd Williams (7th round) are out of football … Donnie Nickey (5th round) is still playing, but only as a third-string safety in Tennessee.

Chris Brown (3rd round) is the only player who actually made something of himself. Brown rushed for 1,067 yards in 2004, but played in only five games two years later. Brown, now with the Texans, had 175 rushing yards in Week 1 against Jacksonville, but mustered just 289 yards the rest of the year.

Potential 2003 Starters: CB Andre Woolfolk, WR Tyrone Calcio, DT Rien Long

Grade given on 5/1/03: B
Grade given on 6/8/08: Z-
Good Moves: Great second round pick in MLB Terry Pierce. 4th rounder RB Quentin Griffin should be another great Denver back. The Broncos had another steal in the fourth round: DT Nick Eason. C Ben Claxton, DE Aaron Hunt and DE Clint Mitchell were all great late round picks.

Bad Moves: I did not like their first round pick, OT George Foster. #20 was just too early for him. The Broncos did not address their weak secondary at all.

June 8, 2008 Update: Denver’s first-round selection in 2003 proves how important it is to make sure that a player fits your scheme. George Foster is not a zone-blocking lineman, yet the Broncos spent the No. 20 pick on him anyway. He was traded to the Lions last year, where he was benched.

With that said, it saddens me to say that Foster was the best player Denver drafted five years ago. That’s because all of their other picks, with the exception of Nick Eason (4th round) is out of the league. Eason is a second-string defensive lineman in Pittsburgh.

A run through of the Broncos’ failures: Terry Pierce (2nd round), Quentin Griffin (4th round), Bryant McNeal (4th round), Ben Claxton (5th round), Adrian Madise (5th round), Aaron Hunt (6th round), Clint Mitchell (7th round) and Ahmaad Galloway (7th round). Is there anything lower than a Z-?

Potential 2003 Starters: OT George Foster.

Grade given on 5/1/03: C
Grade given on 6/8/08: B+
Good Moves: The Chiefs stole OT Brett Williams in the fourth round. They took another good tackle, Jordan Black in round 5. Sixth rounder DE Jimmy Wilkerson was also a good pick. Their best pick was in the third round (S Julian Battle).

Bad Moves: The Chiefs didn’t have to take a running back (Larry Johnson) in the first round. They could have taken a Lee Suggs in round 4. MLB Kawika Mitchell was a bit early for round 2. The Chiefs didn’t really improve their awful defense in this draft.

June 8, 2008 Update: Wow… Couldn’t have been more way off in my analysis. I still don’t think the Chiefs had to take a running back in the first round – Priest Holmes’ injury was unpredictable – but it’s a good thing the Chiefs didn’t wait around for Lee Suggs. Larry Johnson’s (No. 27 overall) production speaks for itself, though Herm Edwards may have ruined his career by making him carry the ball 416 times in 2006. Carl Peterson’s failure to address the team’s holes on the offensive line didn’t help matters either.

Kawika Mitchell may have been a bit early for Round 2 in terms of value, but he has certainly proven himself as a solid defensive player. He helped the Giants win the Super Bowl last year. He’s with Buffalo for 2008.

Only two of Kansas City’s other selections are still in the NFL. Jordan Black (5th round) is a third-string offensive tackle in Houston, while Jimmy Wilkerson will be a rotational defensive lineman in Tampa Bay this year.

The Chiefs “stealing” Brett Williams in the fourth round is equivalent to some 14-year-old shoplifting a pack of gum from a 7-11. Whoop dee doo … Julian Battle (3rd round) definitely wasn’t the team’s best pick. He’s not in the league anymore. Neither are Williams, Montique Sharpe (7th round) and Willie Pie (7th round).

Potential 2003 Starters: DT Junior Siavii.

Grade given on 5/1/03: D
Grade given on 6/8/08: B
Good Moves: Oakland took their running back of the future, Justin Fargas, in the fourth round. Another good fourth rounder was OLB Shurron Pierson.

Bad Moves: None of their other picks made any sense.

June 8, 2008 Update: None of the Raiders’ other picks made any sense, huh? Yeah, I guess I forgot the part where Nnamdi Asomugha (No. 31 overall) would dominate. Asomugha is one of the top cornerbacks in the NFL.

At least I was right about Justin Fargas (4th round). He rushed for 1,009 yards on just 222 carries last year. He won’t get the chance to match his production unless Darren McFadden gets hurt, however.

All of the players the Raiders drafted in the first three rounds are still in the league. Tyler Brayton, their other first-rounder (No. 32 overall), will be fighting for a starting job at left defensive end in Carolina … The best part about Teyo Johnson’s career is hearing Chris Berman yell, “Teeeyyyooo!” on NFL Primetime. Too bad ESPN killed its best show. Johnson (2nd round) is a deep reserve with the Bills after being out of football the past two years … Sam Williams (3rd round) is Oakland’s backup strongside linebacker.

The Raiders’ other five selections are unemployed. That would be Shurron Pierson (4th round), Doug Gabriel (5th round), Dustin Rykert (6th round), Siddeeq Shabazz (7th round) and Ryan Hoag (7th round).

Potential 2003 Starters: DE Tyler Brayton.

Grade given on 5/1/03: D
Grade given on 6/8/08: C
Good Moves: CB Sammy Davis was a good first pick. Second rounder CB Drayton Florence will be a good backup. They got a good 7th round bargain in RB Andrew Pinnock, who will backup LaDainian Tomlinson.

Bad Moves: Obviously, John Butler was missed. None of their other picks will pan out, including second rounder S Terrence Kiel. The Chargers did not address their need at linebacker or defensive line.

June 8, 2008 Update: Though the Chargers would make up for it later, the first draft in the post-John Butler era wasn’t that smooth. Sammy Davis (No. 30 overall) is barely in the league. I’ll be shocked if he makes Tampa Bay’s roster … Terrence Kiel (2nd round), Courtney Van Buren (3rd round) and Hanik Mlligan (6th round) are out of the NFL … Seventh-round Andrew Pinnock, slated to take over for Lorenzo Neal at fullback, has knee problems.

Three picks saved this draft for the Chargers. Drayton Florence (2nd round) will start at cornerback for Jacksonville next year. I’m not a big fan of Florence’s, but most publications recognize him as at least adequate … Matt Wilhelm (4th round) is one of San Diego’s two starting inside linebackers … Mike Scifres (5th round) is a Pro Bowl punter.

Potential 2003 Starters: CB Sammy Davis.

Here are my 2003 NFL Draft Grades and Re-Grades: NFC.

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