2014 NFL Draft Grades: AFC East

The 2014 NFL Draft is officially over. The dust has settled, the picks are in, and the rosters are nearing completion. With this year’s draft class being so talent rich, it made for an exciting seven rounds at Radio City Music Hall. Stars and starters floated around from beginning to end.

Now it is time to take out the magnifying glass and really look at which teams grabbed who. That’s right, we’re talking draft grades people.

It’s easy to lose sight of what’s happening when the picks are flying and the draft boards are changing with every move. So, let’s get to it. The first draft grades go to: the AFC East.

Buffalo Bills

1.) Sammy Watkins, WR, Clemson

2.) Cyrus Kouandjio, OT, Alabama

3.) Preston Brown, ILB, Louisville

4.) Ross Cockrell, CB, Duke

5.) Cyril Richardson, OG, Baylor

7.) Randell Johnson, OLB, Florida Atlantic

7.) Seantrel Henderson, OT, Miami

Grade: B

Richardson entered the 2013 college football season as one of the premier offensive line prospects but played well overweight and looked sluggish and not like his 2012 form. He has since cut the bad weight and could prove to be the top prospect many saw him as. Watkins was a choice that instantly upgraded the offensive side of the ball. Kouandjio, bolsters the right side of the offensive line. Brown, provides solid depth at a thin position. The Bills also traded away receiver Stevie Johnson to the 49ers and traded for Eagles running back Bryce Brown.

Sleeper: Seantrel Henderson

Selected with the seventh-round selection they got from the Eagles, in addition to Brown, Henderson could develop into a franchise left tackle. He has first-round talent and skills that coaches dream about but serious off-field issues that raised every red flag a team could find.

Miami Dolphins

1.) Ja”Wuan James, OT, Tennessee

2.) Jarvis Landry, WR, LSU

3.) Billy Turner, OT, North Dakota St.

4.) Walt Aikens, CB, Liberty

5.) Arthur Lynch, TE, Georgia

5.) Jordan Tripp, OLB, Montana

6.) Matt Hazel, WR, Coastal Carolina

7.) Terrence Fede, DE, Marist

Grade: B-

Heading into the draft offensive line was the biggest need and they addressed it early with James. The selection could be seen as a bit of a reach at 19th overall but James will be a Day One starter. Turner, is a good player from a good FCS team. He can develop into a strong player. The selections of Landry and Hazel, shows they are not too pleased with the receivers on the roster now. Landry was a great value selection. Aikens gives much needed depth and size to the position. He will get better by playing behind Brent Grimes and Cortland Finnegan.

Sleeper: Jordan Tripp

Miami linebackers left something to be desired last season. Tripp is a football player and can cover sideline to sideline. He was a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award and proved he could handle the jump from Montana to the NFL with a solid showing at the Senior Bowl. Will start off as a special teams stud.

New England Patriots

1.) Dominique Easley, DT, Florida

2.) Jimmy Garoppolo, QB, Eastern Illinois

4.) Bryan Stork, C, Florida St.

4.) James White, RB, Wisconsin

4.) Cameron Fleming, OT, Stanford

6.) Jon Halapio, OG, Florida

6.) Zach Moore, DE, Concordia

6.) Jemea Thomas, CB, Georgia Tech

7.) Jeremy Gallon, WR, Michigan

Grade: D+

While Easley is a strong prospect and has undeniable ability, he is coming off an torn ACL in his right knee. He also torn his left ACL about two years ago.  Garoppolo, was a head-scratcher to begin with and was even more puzzling when Ryan Mallet was not traded. That is still yet to be seen, however. Thomas is a good addition. He is versatile and has a fiery temperament who flies around the field. While they did provide strong upgrades along their line with Stork, Fleming, and Halapio, they failed to address their two most pressing needs: safety and tight end.

Sleeper: Jon Halapio

A captain his senior year, Halapio has the aggressive demeanor and mean streak desired in a guard. With guards Logan Mankins and Dan Connolly getting up there in age, Halapio could develop into a powerful guard of the future.

New York Jets

1.) Calvin Pryor, S, Louisville

2.) Jace Amaro, TE, Texas Tech

3.) Dexter McDougle, CB, Maryland

4.) Jalen Saunders, WR, Oklahoma

4.) Shaq Evans, WR, UCLA

4.) Dakota Dozier, OG, Furman

5.) Jeremiah George, ILB, Iowa St.

6.) Brandon Dixon, CB, NW Missouri St.

6.) Quincy Evans, WR, Nebraska

6.) Ik Enemkpali, DE, Louisiana Tech

6.) Tajh Boyd, QB, Clemson

7.) Trevor Reilly, OLB, Utah

Grade: B+

The Jets get the best draft grade in the division. GM John Idzik hit a home run with his first two picks, Pryor and Amaro. Both are instant starters and upgrade their respective positions. The Jets also added quality depth at wide receiver, their most lacking position last year, with Saunders, Evans, and later Quincy Evans. George provides depth and could develop into a real talent, he was fourth in the nation last year in tackles. Boyd gives the offense another versatile quarterback. Cornerback was also a major need with Antonio Cromartie gone. Addressing the position in t he third-round puts pressure on Dee Milliner to step up in year two.

Sleeper: Dakota Dozier

A small school prospect, Dozier was an All-American left tackle in college. At the East-West Shrine Game, he shifted to guard and excelled at the position, showing no real struggle moving to the interrior. With a wrestling background, he could develop into a very steady, reliable guard with Gang Green.