OK, now it's your turn: Grade the Colts 2010 NFL Draft

MSNBC, for example, gave Indy an A-.

Now, three years later, Anthony Gonzalez has not lived up to expectations, and likely has lost his starting job to Pierre Garcon, a 6th rounder from Mount Union in 2008.

Just a little premature, imo.

I think Gonzo had lived up to expectations before his injury. I mean, he was a rookie filling in for Marv when he got hurt. As far as losing the starting job to PG, well perhaps in the beginning of the season but I have a feeling Gonzo be starting before the end of the season.

Now, three years later, Anthony Gonzalez has not lived up to expectations, and likely has lost his starting job to Pierre Garcon, a 6th rounder from Mount Union in 2008.

I’m not sure what the sudden displeasure with Anthony Gonzalez is going around the blog-o-sphere. I’ve heard that he is injury prone from several posts. As far as I know, he’s only been hurt once as a colt. Yeah it was for the entire year unfortunately but it is only one injury. Not living up to expectations isn’t something I think you can argue except that nobody expects to get hurt. But, it’s part of the game. The fact that Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon stepped in his absence isn’t his fault. I would also argue that I would rather have Anthony on the outside oppose to Pierre in some situations. Anthony has better hands than Garcon and is faster than Collie. Anthony didn’t produce the numbers in his 2nd season that the wonder twins did last year, but I not willing to say he’s a bust yet.

Hughes: was the BPA and could turn in to an elite pass rusher. Doesn’t get full points because it wasn’t the biggest need and he won’t start right away. B+

Angerer: would have been available at least a round later (maybe 2.) Will be a career backup but a solid player. Good depth behind Brackett. C

Thomas: Tim Jennings 2.0. Whenever a guy’s work ethic is questioned it is a immediate red flag. I do not have a good feeling here. C -

McClendon: Not sure where all the McClendon love is coming from all of a sudden. This guy was barely draftable on most boards. We needed a quard, but he feels like practice squad to me. C -

Eldridge: Not a bad pick up but a pure role player. Not sexy but functional. B.

Matthews: Camp fodder. Too small to be that slow. D.

Conner: Should push Wheeler for playing time. I question is pass coverage though. Was the one pick (other than Hughes) where I felt we got good value. B

Fisher: A real kick returner! Yay! …but there is only so excited I can be about a kick returner who might get beat out by an UDFA. B.

All solid selections, non that truly stands out (sans Hughes, I think he is a home run). I really like the Angerer pick (to the chagrin of some. im looking at you brad). Eldridge was a very smart selection and i think McClendon will surprise a lot of people. the only pick im not too fond of is Fisher. Yes he is a kick returner and i have been clamoring for one, but with that knee injury and a 40 that wasn’t blazing, I just fear that he wont have any break away speed to get past defenders and could be run down easily

He’s with the Chargers

simply because it was Polian making the decisions

I agree that he has a lot of talent and isn’t a bust at all, but he hasn’t had the impact that was expected of him. That is due in large part to injuries, but he may never return to full strength due to his knee. Anyway, whether he recovers from his injuries or not doesn’t change the fact that the Colts’ 2007 draft was arguably the worst of the Polian era, much like the Steelers’ 2008 draft, whose only non-busts have been Mendenhall and Dixon, a 5th-rounder.

got a higher grade the “expert” Kiper’s mock draft.

the poll produced a lovely bell curve

It was good we got some backup for Freeney and Mathis but for the rest of the draft give them a C. In the second round we got Angerer a productive player but we could have got Charles Brown or traded some 7th rounders for Brandon Spikes or Carlos Dunlap.

In the third Kevin Thomas is he not injury prone, after last year and all the injuries I was suprised we took him. I would have took Akwasi Owusu-Ansai or Everson Griffen. Jacques McClendon in the fourth not a consistent starter, I would have taken Cam Thomas as our DL need more help.

Eldridge Brody a project with a 5th round pick ? couldnt we get a blocking tight end as a free agent and some back up for Manning, Painter won’t cut, I would have gone for LeFevour. As we all know the 7th round is the biggest hit & miss round of the draft so we will just have to see how they go. I guess the good news, they addressed draft needs OL CB DL. I hope am proved wrong.

P

He did start a full season at LT, after all. And while that has failed in the long perspective, he could still become a starter at guard or RT.

I’m not going to grade this draft class this soon. It doesn’t make sense to do so before they have played a single down in the NFL.

But writing off this injury to Gonzo, he is performing exactly like I thought he would. He lived up to my expectations and more actually. He played 3rd WR behind Harrison and Wayne. He was the 4th or 5th target usually because dumpoffs to Clark and Addai prevailed when options 1 and 2 didn’t pan out, yet he still put up 1,240 yards in 2 years. I’d say thats quite impressive for a guy that low down on the pecking order. The thing that always sold it with me is that Gonzo had good hands. Even on bad days, Gonzo could be relied on to catch to balls he was supposed too. In the SB this past year, how many of our drives were doomed because Garcon dropped an easy pass? How many times did Clark let one go through his fingers that he normally plucked from the air like a cherry blossom? How many times was Collie just that much off his route and the ball just didn’t stay in his fingertips? As I said, even when Gonzo was having a bad day he would make his normal catches consistently, and he’d always get a few yards extra.

The reason we had such high hopes for Gonzo last year was the simple fact that even though he was so far down on the pecking order, he was productive (as any good colt should be). You’d look at game tape and you could see Gonzo getting separation, or being wide open for some nice gains if he had been a first or second look. We expected Gonzo to be amazing last year because he showed he had much more in the tank to put out than his 4th option status dictated. BBS, I respect your writing, and value your input, but if you feel that Gonzo’s injury last season has ruined him as a Colt Reciever, then I offer the challenge to wait and see. We won’t know how Gonzo WILL do until we see it. All I know is that with the kind of work ethic I saw him put up with Manning in Offseason workouts, I have faith that unless some serious career ending knee failure has befallen him that he will atleast equal the value of Collie and Garcon. Only time will tell though, but regardless if Gonzo crashes due to the injury to his knee, that is not a draft failure, but a freak dumb luck failure. Gonzo showed potential for the position he was put in. Gonzo put up comparable stats as a starter as Reggie Wayne did in ‘08, and in ’07 had better stats as a backup than Harrison did as a starter, and put up numbers on par with Reggie’s career average as a starter.

Basically, this is how I see it. Gonzo had similar numbers as Collie while play a similar position (3rd or 4th option). Gonzo put up similar numbers as a starter to those of Reggie Wayne. Gonzo combined the highest catch completion percentage, with the highest ypc, and yac of all colts receivers during his time, and the only real knock on him is he tore a knee ligament that put him out for a year. 1 freak serious injury does not make him injury prone. Sanders is the definition of injury prone. Unless Gonzo comes out and misses half the games over the next 2 years this is just a statistical outlier. Still though, with Gonzo’s production and the lack of a sufficient enough sample period, either the whole of the colts receiving corps are busts, or the tag being placed on Gonzo is premature. Its not like we are dealing with Tim Jennings here. We are talking about a 1st round WR that was on a team behind 2 HOF 1st round WRs. Harrison may have been old, but how many times was he thrown the ball and didn’t make the play? Harrison was given the opportunities over Gonzo in ‘07, and ’08 and so Gonzo can’t be blamed for Manning looking to Harrison as 1st or second option.

As for the draft I gave it a B-. I give the Hughes an A, Angerer and McClendon a B, Thomas an F, Eldridge a B-, Mathews and Conner a C, and Fisher a B. On the US GPA grading scale that works out to about 2.5, and as I like the Hughes/Angerer/McClendon picks more than I hate the Thomas pick, I favor the B- over the C+. This response is already over-long, but I’ll give justification for my grading if anyone wants it.

Why? Because I am giving Polian the benefit of the doubt. I want to give it a C at best, but I’ve rarely had extremely positive feelings about any of our past 5 or 6 drafts (as far as I really remember). I have had at least one WTF?!?! shout per draft. Last year was exception, as I liked nearly all of them (I had doubts about Brown, but only because it shocked me). Yet, he is smarter than all of us, and nearly always proves me wrong.

Of course, remember how stupid draft grades are. Remember how much a steal Brady Quinn wa, and everyone gave Cle A+++++ grades? Or how Jamarcus Russell was a given at #1? I myself was pissed we went with Gonzo over Dwayne Jarrett (the USC hate hadn’t set in for me yet as it has now). We will now a few years from now what grade this class really is. For now, B-.

I LOVED the Hughes pick, love Angerer, but hate where we drafted him and the fact we passed on a supposed 1st rd talent in Brown (position of supposed major need) for him. I hate the Thomas pick, but will withhold judgment as he is talented, fast, we need a corner, and polian hit 3rd rd gold last year with a DB. Why can’t lightning strike twice? Love the McClendon pick and think he can start at guard right away. Think he was a steal to make up for the Angerer reach. LOVE the Eldridge pick for all reasons everyone already knows. Conner is a good ST caliber with steal potential and Fisher was obviously a steal in the return dept. Not drafting a LT is the move making me question this draft, which seems to be filled with down the road impact guys as opposed to right away (and opposed to last year with Collie, what should have been Brown had he not gotten hurt, etc.).

The non-draftee signings once again separated BP from the pack. To say Brandon James is a steal is an understatement. Not only is he an incredibly dynamic return threat, he has Darren Sproles 3rd down back capability for us. Thankfully, size always still raises questions, even if the person in question was an all american at a top tier SEC school. The Cincy LT could also be a great find, and I am really rooting for James to make the squad as well, for sentimental reasons.

BBS, do you work for the coaching staff?

Unless Caldwell or Polian or someone inside told you directly that Gonzo won’t be re-signed or any of that stuff, don’t assume any of that crap.

Plenty of times last year, Polian, Caldwell, and even Manning said (paraphrased) “we did so and so [on offense] WITHOUT GONZO” a bunch of times. Now, what does that tell you? Seeing how Gonzo was a better receiver than PG (prior to the injury, anyway), I wouldn’t assume crap if I were you.

All sorts of people here say this kind of stuff all the time (you included BBS). This player will surely get cut, this player will surely suck, etc etc etc. Dan Muir, CJ come to mind. Seriously, you all can predict like crazy all you want, but don’t bet on it because a good number of times you will turn out to be wrong.

2007 Draft horror show, etc etc etc. Sure, you are the person to judge. I laugh when everyone outside gives A or B or C or whatever to drafts (even after couple years), because no one outside (especially those media chumps) is qualified, with the exception of few guys who were ex-GMs and successful.

Oh, Quinn Pitcock wasn’t a bust in my view. Dude quit, he didn’t get cut by being terrible.

I never grade Drafts. It’s just plain stupid. No one knows what’s going to happen, who will be busting, who won’t be. I’m going to wait for a minimum of 3 years (preferably 5) before I even bother to look.

Because we got some talented players that really filled some holes well. I don’t feel we really addressed all of our need though. Although I do like the Thomas kid, I think picking Mardy Gilyard would have been a better selection in the last 3rd round. Thomas would have been there a round later, as well as mclendon a round later. That would have filled the need at 5th WR, as well as solid returner.