Draft grades coming in

All of the draft analysts and draft experts are sending in their grades of each team’s draft. While it’s way too early to tell which team got the best players without any of them playing an NFL down yet, it’s fun to look at grades now with players coming out of college and see two or three years down the road if the grades stand. Here’s what’s coming in so far:

The Boston Globe’s Blog has a good piece showing four grades and analysis from various sources:

• Charles Robinson from Yahoo! simply lists the Patriots as draft “winners”
• Clifton Brown of the Sporting News gives the Pats a ‘B’
• Rick Gosselin of the Dallas Morning News gives the Pats an ‘A’ and goes as far to say that they had the second-best draft in the NFL
• Charles Rang from CBSSports.com and NFL Draft Scout gives the Pats a ‘B’

Nolan Nawrocki from Pro Football Weekly gives the Patriots an ‘A’ and projects that the team could have 4 potential starters from the draft: CB Devin McCourty, LB Brandon Spikes, TE Rob Gronkowski, and P Zoltan Mesko.

ESPN’s Todd McShay has video analysis on ESPNBoston.com and he likes what the Patriots did on draft day. He anticipates Devin McCourty becoming “at least a No. 2 corner,” Rob Gronkowski being the solution the Pats have been looking for at TE, and that Brandon Spikes will beat out Gary Guyton and start at ILB next to Jerod Mayo.

FoxSports.com gives the Patriots a B+ in the draft:

New England’s first two picks, Rutgers CB Devin McCourty, and Arizona TE Rob Gronkowski, were need picks. The Pats really don’t have a tight end after losing Ben Watson. Gronkowski missed the entire 2009 season with a back injury, but Tom Brady should find him down the seam because he is 6-6, 265 pounds.

SI.com’s Peter King doesn’t give out a grade but really likes what the Pats did in drafting Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez (he calls Hernandez a “steal”). However, he doesn’t feel that the team drafted an impact players on defense. Read his full analysis here.

Pete Prisco from CBSSports.com gave the Pats a B+. Here’s his analysis:

Best pick: I like second-round tight end Rob Gronkowski. He has first-round talent and I predict he starts as a rookie right away.

Questionable move: Taking linebacker Brandon Spikes with one of their other second-round picks. He is slow to the football.

Third-day gem: Tight end Aaron Hernandez caught a lot of footballs at Florida. He will take on their Dallas Clark role.

Analysis: They always seem to find good football players and always seem to have a ton of picks. They know how to work a draft. I like what they did, even if they did overdraft a few players. Twelve picks really helps.

I can’t say that I agree with his thoughts on the Brandon Spikes pick. I think Spikes will be a steal and if you watch his game film, he plays faster than he times.

What do you think? If you haven’t voted yet, vote on which grade the Pats’ draft deserves in the poll to the right of the page.