Draft Grade A Day: Tennessee Titans

With the 2011 regular season freshly over it is time to go back and evaluate every team’s draft classes based on performance this year.  I will use a formula to grade each pick and calculuate a final grade for each team.   The Titans are up a day late.

GRADING SYSTEM
ROUND 1 – graded from a 0-5 scale
ROUND 2 – graded from a 0-4 scale
ROUND 3  – graded from a 0-3 scale
ROUND 4 – graded from a 0-2 scale
ROUND 5 – graded from a 0-1 scale
ROUND 6 & 7 – no scale, point awarded if player was productive
*I reserve the right to award a bonus point to any player who outperformed their draft position.*

FINAL GRADING SCALE

90-100 – A
80-89 -    B
70-79 -   C
60 – 69 -  D
0-59 -       F

2011 Draft Class

Round 1:  Jake Locker QB, Washington - 542 Passing Yds, 4 TDs, O INTS, 9 Rush Yds
Analysis: The Titans weren’t expecting to have to use Locker this season after signing Hasselbeck, but he ended up appearing in a few games and looked very good.  He didn’t appear in enough games to warrant a higher grade.  Locker will likely be their starter in 2012.
Grade: 3.5/5

Round 2:  Akeem Ayers LB, UCLA - 76 Tackles, 2 Sacks, 1 Forced Fumble
Analysis:  Ayers earned a starting  spot and played well his rookie season.  A very solid pick for the Titans.
Grade: 4/4

Round 3: Jurrell Casey DT, USC: 52 Tackles, 2.5 Sacks, 1 Forced Fumble
Analysis:  Casey was an excellent third round choice and appears set for a starting gig in ’12.
Grade: 3/3

Round 4:  Colin McCarthy LB, Miami - 68 Tackles, 2 Forced Fumbles, 1 INT
Analysis: McCarthy went on a tear at about midseason and was racking up the tackles faster than green grass through a goose.  Looks likle another future starter for this defense.
Grade: 2/2

Round 4: Jamie Harper RB, Clemson - 44 Rush Yds, 1 TD, 4 Receptions, 32 Yds.
Analysis: Harper got a little playing time as the third stringer in Tennessee but their running game struggled all season, and he really didn’t do much.
Grade: 1/2

Round 5: Karl Klug DT/DE, Iowa - 20 Tackles, 7 Sacks, 2 Forced Fumbles
Analysis:  7 Sacks and two forced fumbles from a 5th round pick? Any team in the league will take that.
Grade: 2/1

Round 6:  Byron Stingily OT, Louisville -  0 Games Played
Analysis:  Didn’t play so no grade.
Grade: 0/0

Round 7:  Zach Clayton DT, Auburn – 3 tackles
Analysis: Clayton appeared in a few games and made some tackles but not enough to warrant any points.
Grade: 0/0

Round 7: Tommie Campbell DB, Califonria, PA - 8 Tackles, 1 forced Fumble
Analysis:  Campbell earned playing time and made a couple plays.  Titans have to be excited about his potential.
Grade: .5/0

 

TOTAL SCORE   15.5/17
FINAL GRADE: 91%   A-

Analysis:  This was a great class for the Titans.  While he didn’t play much this season, Jake Locker will be their quarterback of the future.  In addition to that they also landed 4 potential starters on their defense.  If the Titans become contenders in the next few years this class will be a big reason why.

Other Grades:
Day 1: Carolina Panthers
Day 2: Denver Broncos
Day 3: Buffalo Bills
Day 4: Cincinnati Bengals
Day 5: Arizona Cardinals
Day 6: Atlanta Falcons
Day 7: San Francisco 49ers