Buffalo’s offseason essentially started when they signed free agent wide receiver Terrell Owens to a one-year deal that they hope would bring some much-needed energy to a team that is just a few pieces away from making a playoff appearance. However, one move that many thought was questionable was when they traded franchise left tackle to Philadelphia in return for a first and fourth-round pick in 2009 and a sixth-rounder in 2010. With the whole at tackle now, it makes sense that the Bills aggressively upgraded their offensive line in the first two rounds.

With their two first round picks, Buffalo selected Penn State defensive end Aaron Maybin and Louisville center Eric Wood. Maybin, one of the top pure pass rushers in this year’s draft, figures to bring some pressure from the outside that the Bills have lacked for quite a few years. While he’s young and still raw, his talent and potential are both enormous. Wood was a very safe pick at the end of the first round. His stock was rising fast before the draft, and it made sense for them to take him there, as he likely wouldn’t have lasted until their pick in the second round. He’ll be a long-time fixture of the team’s offensive line.

After trading up in the second round, the Bills came away with two second-round picks, Oregon cornerback Jairus Byrd and Oregon State offensive guard Andy Levitre. A high-ceiling prospect with plenty of upside, Byrd has the potential to develop into a very good starter in the NFL. While he lacks elite speed, he does have excellent ball skills and he makes plenty of plays. Levitre, who some considered to be the top guard in this year’s draft, will likely move in right alongside Wood to give the Bills another young, promising offensive lineman.

In the fourth round, Buffalo selected Southern Miss tight end Shawn Nelson. It was very surprising to see Nelson slide this far, so to see the Bills come away with a second-round talent in the fourth-round could end up being one of the steals of the draft if Nelson can develop well. In the fifth round, the team selected Oklahoma safety Nic Harris. The former Sooner has been tried at both safety and linebacker in trying to find his best position at the next level. Wherever he ends up, he’ll provide depth and be a nice addition for special teams at the least. He has some starting potential if he can develop well.

With their sixth-round pick, the Bills took USC cornerback Cary Harris. An experienced cornerback who has played against some of the top talent that college football had to offer, Harris figures to be a project who could see some playing time in the future thanks to his consistent play. In the seventh-round, with their last pick, Buffalo went with West Virginia cornerback Ellis Lankster. The former Mountaineer had an excellent week at the Senior Bowl, which helped to raise his draft stock. He’s an aggressive corner who isn’t afraid to mix it up in the run game.

Overall, Buffalo had a very good draft in 2009. I was very impressed with the amount of value and talent that they came away with with each of their picks. They could realistically get an immediate impact from each of their first five picks. They also filled nearly all of their needs with this draft class, while also adding good depth with their picks. Grade: A

Entering the 2009 NFL Draft, the chances of Texas Tech wide receiver Michael Crabtree falling to the San Francisco 49ers with the tenth pick in the draft appeared to be slim to none. With an offense in need of a playmaker, the 49ers couldn’t have asked for much more from this year’s draft, having landed the top receiver in the draft at No. 10 overall. Michael Crabtree will bring the type of excitement to the 49ers that they have lacked since Jerry Rice left for Oakland.

With their third-round pick, the 49ers continued to add to their power-run game by selecting Alabama running back Glen Coffee, a strong running back who starred as a junior for the Crimson Tide last season. As a nice change-of-pace back, Coffee should see a good amount of playing time as a rookie. With Frank Gore’s injury history, he could also see some time as a starter. I like this pick a lot.

With their two fifth-round picks, San Francisco selected Pittsburgh linebacker Scott McKillop and Ball State quarterback Nate Davis. A very smart, knowledgeable linebacker, McKillop has the type of instincts that scouts love to see in a linebacker. He has the chance to develop into a starter alongside Patrick Willis. Nate Davis’ stock fell before the draft as information began to leak out that he had a learning disability. If he can develop well and learn the team’s offense, then I could see him working his way into a competition for the starting quarterback job. With a large question mark as to who the quarterback of the future will be, Davis could have a chance to step into that role in a year or two. However, it may take some more work than normal due to his learning disability.

In the sixth-round, the 49ers chose Fresno State tight end Bear Pascoe. A “poor-man’s” Jason Witten, Pascoe is a very good blocker in the run game and has the natural and reliable hands that makes him a good receiving option in the passing game. With Vernon Davis looking a like bust, Pascoe could have a chance to see a good amount of playing time. I really liked Pascoe leading up to the draft. With their two seventh-round picks, San Francisco went with LSU’s Curtis Taylor and Ricky Jean Francois. Taylor, a safety, could have a chance at seeing playing time with the 49ers secondary not being among the strongest units on its team. Jean-Francois, a tackle-end hybrid, has all of the talent in the world, but wasn’t able to put it all together in his time at LSU. If he can develop well and land with the right coach, then he could end up being a pretty good player. His ceiling is very high, however the odds are against him.

The 49ers draft looks great with Michael Crabtree leading the way at the top. He’ll be the best receiver in the Bay area since Terrell Owens left for Philadelphia. However, the 49ers are hoping that he won’t bring the attitude that Owens brought. San Francisco still has a rather large hole at quarterback, however, if they can get that figured out, then they might be able to finally make the next step towards being a successful team. While Crabtree is the only sure-thing among the players taken, there are several players who have a chance at becoming a starter and at the least, they’d find key roles on the team. Grade: A-

In 2009, the Packers draft focused mainly around the team’s transition to the 3-4 defense from the 4-3. Needing to add the right personnel to make the move work, Green Bay used four of their eight picks and their two first round picks on players who would help them make the switch to the the 3-4.

With the ninth pick in the draft, Green Bay selected Boston College defensive tackle B.J. Raji. A mammoth player with excellent athleticism for a player of his size, Raji projects as a nose tackle in Green Bay’s defensive scheme and he should see time as a starter right away. His impressive combination of size and strength should help solidify the middle of their defense. At the end of the first round, the Packers went against their trend of normally not trading up in the draft by moving up to select USC linebacker Clay Matthews. A hybrid linebacker who excels at rushing the passer, Matthews should compete for playing time right away and could be an excellent fit for the team’s new 3-4 defense.

After not having picks in the second or third round, Green Bay selected Eastern Michigan tackle T.J. Lang. I’m really a big fan of this pick. Lang’s stock was on fire in the days leading up to the draft and many experts thought that he could go higher than this. Lang has the tools needed to play both tackle and guard in the NFL and I’d expect to see him develop into a starter for the Packers within the next two years. This was a great value pick. With their two fifth round picks, Green Bay added LSU fullback Quinn Johnson and South Carolina offensive tackle Jamon Meredith. Johnson, a powerful, run-blocking fullback who excels at being a lead blocker, should be able to move right into the starting lineup and block for the running back Ryan Grant. Meredith had the talent to go higher in the draft, however his stock fell due to questions regarding his character. Meredith has versatility at both tackle and guard and could be a steal for the Pack if he can develop into a starter for them.

With their two sixth-round picks, Green Bay selected Georgia defensive end Jairus Wynn and Cincinnati cornerback Brandon Underwood. Wynn was a bit of a reach in my opinion, however he fits the team’s 3-4 defense well. Underwood has versatility at both cornerback and safety, and at the least he will provide key depth for the team’s secondary. However, his production as a senior suggests that he could develop into a senior. With their seventh-round pick the Packers chose Colorado linebacker Brad Jones. A smaller, quicker linebacker with very good speed, Jones projects as a project as a 3-4 outside linebacker while also possessing value on special teams.

Overall, the Packers added several players who could have key roles in the future. Raji and Matthews figure to have an instant impact as the team makes the move to the new defense. I believe that Lang will be a very good player in the NFL, so that was another good pick. Johnson and Meredith both have the potential to develop into starters, while the rest of their picks could be key role players. While making the transition to a new defense usually takes more than one draft to add the right pieces to make it work, Green Bay certainly added the right ones with the picks that they had this year. Grade = B+

One of Jacksonville’s greatest weaknesses coming into the 2009 NFL Draft was their offensive line, which had large holes at tackle. However, following this past year’s draft, the Jaguars’ weakness has now become one of their strengths. With their first round pick they took Virginia tackle Eugene Monroe, arguably the most polished offensive linemen in the draft. After adding their franchise left tackle in the first round, Jacksonville took Arizona tackle Eben Britton in the second round. Bringing in two of the top offensive line prospects that this year’s draft had to offer should help propel the Jaguars’ run game, which suggests that they are serious about becoming a run-dominated team, having given Maurice-Jones Drew a large contract extension as well this offseason. While there was talk that Britton could move inside to guard, he’ll at the least provide Jacksonville with a bookend tackle to team with Monroe.

With their two third-round picks, the Jags added Temple defensive tackle Terrence Knighton and William and Mary cornerback Derek Cox. I like the two players, however I think that they both went higher than they should have. Knighton, a very large tackle who takes up space, was more of a fifth-round prospect in my eyes, however he fills a need that Jacksonville had at defensive tackle. Cox is another small-school defensive back who is hoping to find success in the NFL. He’ll add depth to the team’s secondary, which needs it.

In the fourth and fifth round, Jacksonville added to their receiving core by selecting Mike Thomas of Arizona in the fourth and Jarrett Dillard of Rice in the fifth. Thomas is a very fast receiver with outstanding quickness and agility, and should provide them with a great slot receiver and/or returner on special teams. Dillard was one of the most productive receivers in college football history, having set several receiving records in his time at Rice. Dillard projects out as a good No. 3 or No. 4 receiver with his ceiling likely being a solid No. 2.

In the sixth round, Jacksonville went with Nebraska-Omaha tight end Zach Miller. Miller’s stock had been rising in the days leading up to the draft, so it wasn’t surprising to see him get drafted here. He’s a solid player who will have the chance to develop and compete for playing time behind Marcedes Lewis. With their two seventh-round picks, the Jaguars selected Liberty running back Rashad Jennings and Rutgers wide receiver Tiquan Underwood. Jennings, a large, strong running back was of great value this late in the draft. I think that he could be a great fit in the same role as what Fred Taylor had been for Jacksonville, as a complement to Jones-Drew. He could end up being a steal if he can get playing time. Underwood is a very quick receiver who also projects to the slot at the next level. He has talent, but he’s more of a work-in-progress than Thomas or Dillard are.

I was impressed with how the Jaguars built their draft class in 2009. They filled almost all of their needs and did it by adding talent and good value with almost all of their picks. At the very least, they added two very good tackles and another half-dozen role players who could develop into nice players. I like that they aggressively went after the receiving core and really tried to upgrade there. Jacksonville should be happy with their draft class from 2009. Grade = B

After looking at Oakland’s draft class in 2009, it makes you wonder whether or not their scouting staff has any say in the draft room. Historically, owner Al Davis has frequently gone with the fastest players in the draft, and this year was no exception. By selecting Maryland wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey with the seventh pick in the draft, ahead of fellow receivers Michael Crabtree and Jeremy Maclin, who were both rated ahead of Heyward-Bey on almost every other team’s boards, the Raiders once again went with the fastest player in the draft, despite Heyward-Bey being a far more unpolished and less-productive player coming out of college. This draft class will revolve around how Heyward-Bey translates to the NFL. To make it clear, this may have been one of the worst picks in the draft.

However, Oakland’s second pick of Ohio safety Mike Mitchell, a player who many draft experts had never heard of before because of his grade as an undrafted free agent, should give the Heyward-Bey pick a run for its money. Because of a good Pro Day, Mitchell’s stock rose and Oakland felt that he should be drafted as the 47th-best player in the 2009 draft. Again, it makes you wonder what their scouting staff is doing. In the third round, the Raiders reached again with Wisconsin defensive end Matt Shaughnessy. While I like the former Badger’s potential in the NFL, I had him rated more as a fifth-round pick. He’s a developmental prospect on the defensive line who really went higher than he should have.

With their two picks in the fourth round, Oakland went with Florida wide receiver Louis Murphy and Oregon State defensive end Slade Norris. Two speed-players at their respective positions, the two athletes fit the mold of fast, athletic players who can run. Because Al Davis must draft players with speed, these two picks make sense for them. However, I was never very high on Murphy and Norris was a reach in the fourth round. Historically, Florida wide receivers have not had much success in the NFL, so Murphy will have to buck the trend in order to have success.

With their two final picks in the draft, both in the sixth round, the Raiders selected Missouri defensive end Stryker Sulak and Iowa tight end Brandon Myers. Sulak may be the best pick from this draft class, as he is of great value this late in the draft. An up-tempo, high-motor pass rusher, Sulak should be a nice fit in the Black Hole. Myers is purely a blocking tight end who should help the Raiders run game.

The Raiders draft class in 2009 may be among the worst that we have seen from any team in the past decade. Between their reaches and their over-valued love of players with speed, they have hurt themselves and their future does not look bright after bringing in a poor seven-man draft class. There’s a reason that the Raiders have had a pick in the Top-1o each of the last six years. Grade = D

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In the past few years, the Cincinnati Bengals have taken some heat for making poor draft picks, especially when the number of players getting into trouble with the law was among the league’s highest. Outside of a few small question marks this year, the Bengals did a great job of adding youth, depth, and talent to a roster that could have a big year if the rookies are able to step up in 2009.

With the sixth pick in the 2009 draft, the Bengals went with the player who they thought was the best offensive tackle in the draft in Alabama’s Andre Smith. A mammoth player with an excellent combination of size and strength, Smith should be an immediate starter on the offensive line. With Carson Palmer having taken quite a beating in the past few years, Cincinnati made the right move in adding protection for him. Smith was arguably the draft’s top run blocker as well, so the Bengals run game should improve as well. In the second round, the Bengals got a steal as USC linebacker Rey Maualuga fell to them with the 38th pick. I think that teaming Maualuga with former USC teammate Keith Rivers could make for an outstanding combination at linebacker, one that figures to be the face of the Bengals defense for years to come.

In the third round, Cincinnati went for the all-or-nothing defensive end Michael Johnson out of Georgia Tech. A phenomenal talent who was being projected as a Top-5 pick before the season started, Johnson has all of the tools and talent needed to become an excellent player for the Bengals. The only problem is that they are going to need to find a coach that is willing to push Johnson’s buttons and get him to work hard. His lazy attitude and lack of consistency during his senior season is why he fell to Day 2. With their second third round pick, they went with Missouri tight end Chase Coffman. I really like this pick. While Coffman is injured and may not make an immediate impact, he’s the first true tight end that the team has had in quite awhile. Adding him to a talented receiving core could allow for the Bengals coaching staff to open up the passing game.

In the fourth round, the Bengals addressed the center position by selecting Arkansas’ Jonathan Luigs, a player that the team was high on, having coached him at the Senior Bowl. Luigs has the experience and tools needed to become a long-time starter for them at center. With their fifth round pick, Cincinnati took the top punter in the draft in Kevin Huber out of Cincinnati. An obvious fan-favorite, Huber will likely step in right away as the teams punter.

With their two sixth round picks, the team took Michigan cornerback Morgan Trent and Abilene Christian running back Bernard Scott. Trent is a player that I really liked and he had a good workout at the Combine. He’s more of a project at cornerback, however he does have the skills needed to play in the NFL. Scott is a talented running back who could be a change-of-pace back for Cincy, however his character is a big question mark. Having been kicked off of two teams (one in high school, one in college), it makes you question why the Bengals even took him given their history. With their three seventh-round picks, the Bengals went with BYU running back Fui Vakapuna, Memphis defensive tackle Clinton McDonald, and Utah wide receiver Freddie Brown. Vakapuna is a big, strong, bruising running back whose power and strength makes him a good fit as a short-yardage back or fullback. McDonald is an underrated tackle who I liked. He’s a bit smaller than you’d like, however his athleticism is impressive. Brown is a tall receiver with great size and he projects as a possession receiver in the NFL.

Overall, I thought that the Bengals draft class was an impressive one. With 10 picks, they definitely addressed almost all of their needs and found value with many of the picks. Smith, Maualuga, Luigs, and Huber appear to have good chances at starting jobs, while Michael Johnson and Coffman could also have a good chance at seeing a lot of playing time. While I think that they could have addressed the running back position a bit earlier, and the character question marks still pop up in this class, the amount of talent that they added was excellent. Grade = A-

The New York Jets had one of the more exciting draft classes of the 2009 draft. They moved up from No. 17 to No. 5 overall to select USC quarterback Mark Sanchez as their quarterback of the future. While they had to give up their first and second round picks as well as three other players to move up and get Sanchez, I definitely think that the price was worth it to move up to get him. A player like Sanchez does not come along that often. He has the potential to be a future star in one of the largest markets in the world. The fit was perfect.

In the third round, the Jets again traded up to select Iowa running back Shonn Greene. A powerful, bruising running back who was of great value at No. 65 overall, Greene has the tools needed to eventually be the Jets starting running back once Thomas Jones leaves. I was a big fan of Greene in the days leading up to the draft, so I thought that this was another great pick by New York. With their only other pick in the draft, the Jets selected Nebraska offensive guard Matt Slauson in the sixth round. The Jets offensive line coach Bill Callahan, the former Nebraska head coach who recruited Slauson to play for the Cornhuskers, likely played a part in this selection. Slauson has great size and is a big body who will provide depth on the interior of the offensive line.

While they only got three players, I was a big fan of the Jets draft. They filled their biggest need in a huge way and they added two other players who should find key roles with the team. I would have liked to see them try to address the wide receiver position after losing Laveranues Coles to the Bengals this offseason. This draft for New York could go down as a great one if Sanchez lives up to his hype and Greene develops into a stud at running back. Grade: A-

In 2009, Seattle came away with arguably the safest pick in the draft in Wake Forest linebacker Aaron Curry. Just over a month before the draft, when the Seahawks traded linebacker Julian Peterson to Detroit, it seemed as if there was no way that Curry would fall to the fourth pick in the draft. Adding an outstanding player in the mold of the former Demon Deacon will surely help replace Peterson and likely gives Seattle one of the best linebacker cores in the league as he teams with Pro Bowler Lofa Tatupu and Leroy Hill. Curry gives them another face of the franchise as well as another leader on defense. In the second round, the Seahawks selected Oregon center Max Unger, an excellent pick. Another very safe pick, Unger will likely be a future starter for the team at center or guard and should last there for quite a few years.

In the third round Seattle traded up to select Penn State wide receiver Deon Butler. While I do like Butler, I was not a fan of the pick. They gave up a fifth, seventh, and 2010 third-round pick in order to trade up and reach for a 5-10, 182 lb receiver. I do like Butler and I think that he could be a very good slot receiver in the NFL, however I think that the pick was a bit of a reach at that point in the draft and they gave up too much to make the pick. With no picks in the fourth or fifth round, the Seahawks took Rutgers quarterback Mike Teel with their only sixth round pick. Teel showed flashes of being a very good player, however he also looked like a sure undrafted free agent at times during his career at Rutgers. He’s a project for the team to work on as he learns behind Matt Hasselbeck. With their three seventh round picks, Seattle took Rutgers safety Courtney Greene, Oregon defensive end Nick Reed, and California tight end Cameron Morrah. Greene is a very experienced player with good leadership and should be a valuable backup for them. Reed was a very productive player in 2008 as a senior with the Ducks as he led the Pac-10 with 13 sacks. He will likely be a backup along the defensive line, however he could also see time at linebacker. Reed’s intensity and non-stop motor should allow for him to be a valuable player for Seattle. Cameron Morrah is an athletic tight end who many people expected to go higher than he actually did. He needs to work on blocking better in order to become a more complete player. Morrah will be a nice player as he learns behind John Carlson.

Overall, Seattle addressed many of their needs on draft day. They landed two sure-things in Curry and Unger, with Butler likely having the potential to develop into a nice role player. Considering Seattle’s struggles from last season were mainly due to injuries, they could be a far better team in 2009, especially considering they addressed the wide receiver position in free agency with T.J. Houshmandzadeh. I liked, but didn’t love Seattle’s draft. The top was great, however the bottom of their draft class has a few question marks and I feel that they could have gone in a different direction with a few of their picks. Grade: B

Kansas City went out on a limb with several of their picks in 2009. General manager Scott Pioli, who became known as one of the top general managers in the NFL during his tenure with the New England Patriots, entered his first draft with the Chiefs with a roster full of holes at nearly every position. Because of that, many people were saying before the draft that they needed to nail as many of their picks as possible. However, after looking at their final 2009 draft class, I really worry about how many sure-things they actually came away with.

In the first round, the Chiefs made one of the more surprising moves by taking LSU defensive Tyson Jackson with the third pick in the draft. Selecting Jackson over Wake Forest linebacker Aaron Curry, who was claimed by many as the safest pick in the draft, could be a move that could haunt the Chiefs if Jackson ends up being a bust and Curry ends up being a star. While you can argue that the Chiefs made the right move in taking the best 3-4 defensive end, which is what they needed as they moved to the new defense, you can’t afford to reach at the No. 3 pick when you’re paying out as much money as you have to. I had Jackson graded out as a mid-first round pick who would develop into being a solid end for the team that drafted him. It was a risk to take him over the safest pick in the draft in Curry, who would have been a great fit as an outside linebacker in their 3-4.

Kansas City took Alex Magee, a defensive tackle out of Purdue in the third round. This was a great value pick for them, and Magee is a great fit as a 3-4 defensive end, who could likely play opposite Jackson in their new 3-4 front. Magee’s stock was rising in pre-draft workouts, so it was surprising to see him last this long. In the fourth round, the Chiefs took Ohio State cornerback Donald Washington. An extremely athletic player who impressed scouts at the Combine, Washington is a player who will still need plenty of development. The fourth round may have been a bit of a reach for him. In the fifth and sixth rounds, Kansas City went with under-the-radar players. With their fifth round pick they took Missouri offensive tackle Colin Brown, a tall tackle with great size who will provide depth along the offensive line. In the sixth round they selected McNeese State wide receiver Quinten Lawrence, an underrated player who had a good workout at the Combine. Lawrence will provide depth in the team’s receiving core. With their three picks in the seventh round, the Chiefs added Tennessee State running back Javarris Williams, Miami (OH) wide receiver Jake O’Connell, and South Carolina kicker Ryan Succop. I really liked the selection of Williams, who is a very good prospect at the running back position and should compete for playing time behind Larry Johnson. O’Connell is a large receiver at 6-3, 250 lbs and should help to make up for the loss of tight end Tony Gonzalez. Succop was drafted to compete for the job as the team’s kicker. He’s also capable of punting.

The Chiefs added some good, solid players, however I wasn’t overly impressed with their draft. They added role players to their team, but didn’t add anyone that I thought could eventually develop into being a great player for them. The Chiefs, in my opinion, had a below-average draft, and considering they brought in Pioli to run it, I’d consider it a disappointment. Grade: C