Grades for the draft are handed out like those for a test, A, B, C, well you get the point. However a rather larger difference exists between the two types of grades.
On a test for example there are right and wrong answers and for the most part a finite number of answers. One would not venture to tell their teacher or professor that, “though you gave me a D on my exam my answers were right because they fit the needs of what I was looking for coming in to this test.”
Also with a test there is one person grading it and their opinion alone is what matters. Not so with the draft; here everyone gets an opinion on what your grade should be. At the Draft everyone takes the same test but each one has different questions with different answers. A team doesn’t get just one grade, you get many grades from many experts and those experts include anyone with a pen and a pad, microphone, TV camera or laptop.
Some draft grading tips from Gregg Rosenthal from ProFootballTalk.com and NBCSports.com:
- “Best tip for draft graders: If you’ve heard a lot of a team’s picks, give them good grade. If not, bad grade.”
- “Another draft grade tip: Anyone in Belichick family tree gets bumped up a grade or 3.”
Yet to me the most glaring difference between the two is that a team may not realize its true grade for years. Take into consideration how more than often these experts are wrong…not to mention your grade can change after the draft; an A now can turn into a C five years later and the opposite is true as well. This is a big reason the grades mean about as much as a great fantasy season means to actual wins for a team.
And still…in knowing all of this we anxiously await to see how our team will be graded coming out of draft weekend. So without further ado here is how the Rams were graded by The Hair, Bernie our very own Will and every other “professor” out there…
*disclaimer; take these with a grain of salt because they have no absolutely bearing what so ever on the season. Should the season take place the NFL will still require teams to play games to make it to the playoffs and not just compare draft grades*
If no letter grade was available I went ahead and used my best judgment on a pass/fail basis…deal with it.
And finally….The Grades
- The Hair has spoken…all hail the Hair: Mel Kiper : Needs A-, Value B+; “St. Louis got a lot done, and now unquestionably looks like a franchise ready to take that next step”
- I like the way you think Mike, save the best for last. Mike Sando ESPN.com
- Todd McShay ESPN, Passing: Best move: Greg Salas at No. 112; “Salas could end up being one of the best overall picks in this draft. I think he’ll become one of the best No. 3 receivers in the league with his reliable hands, competitiveness and toughness after the catch.”
- In the words of the immortal Sally Field, “you like me, you really like me”, FOX Sports Adam Caplan: B
- Lock & Load, NFL Columnist Vic Carucci: Passing
- Not that we care what fans of other teams think but here it is anyway, NFL.com Poll: B
- Hey yo Bernie, what you think, Bernie Miklasz; Passing
- Will recaps the NFC West and the Rams new “Passing” approach. Will of RamsHerd.com: Passing (ha ha…get it)
- When you don’t have anything nice to say sometimes the best approach is to not say anything at all….OR you could put your comments in the paper, Jim Thomas: Incomplete
- So what do you know about football?…”EVERYTHING,” Evan Silva of Rotoworld: C-
- The St. Louis Fans have spoken, and they have spoken with a B
*Others will be added as they become available
