2008 Draft Class

[TonyTone1192]

A lot of people (analyst the main perpetrators) like to grade a teams draft hours after the draft is complete. Which is absurd b/c you have no clue how any given player will play out in the grand scheme of things. It is more realistic to give a team a grade 4-5 years after a given draft b/c it will give the players time to develop within their teams system.

With that said I believe this is a perfect year to give our '08 draft class a grade.

Overall I give that draft a grade of a B+/A-

6 out of the 10 players we drafted are still in the league (on an NFL roster as of today). Only our first 2 are currently w/ us. And 7 out of the 10 are still pursuing their dreams playing football (one is in the CFL.)

[color=#4b0082](1st) Joe Flacco[/color] - The sky is THE LIMIT for # 5. His game has progressed every year that he has been here. 63 overall wins in his first 5 seasons (NFL record). At least one playoff win in each of his first 5 seasons (NFL record). In his historic playoff run he threw for 11 td's w/ out a int. (tied for most td's in the post season w/out a int). Super bowl MVP. This guy is a winner[PERIOD]
Grade - A+

[color=#4b0082](2nd) Ray Rice - [/color]He's had 1,000 yard rushing seasons in 4 out of his first 5 years (Rookie year the only year he did not) For his career he's averaged 4.5 yards per rush. He is sure handed and the guy doesn't fumble. Joe Flacco's safety blanket for quite some time (I think that is slowly becoming Dennis Pitta's role now) And "hey diddle diddle ray rice up the middle" was the play that SAVED our season.
Grade - A+

[color=#ff0000](3rd) Tavares Gooden[/color] - Still in the league now w/ the NFC champ San Francisco 49ers.
Grade - C+

[color=#0000cd](3rd) Tom Zbikowski[/color] - I was a bit sad to see him he go, he was a hard worker, a GREAT special teamer and a solid back up safety. He now plays w/ the Bears
Grade - B-

[color=#ff8c00](3rd) Oniel Cousins[/color] - Sill in the league now plays/ the Cleveland Browns.
Grade - C

(4th) Marcus Smith - WR, no longer in the league
Grade - F

(4th) David Hale - OL, no longer in the league
Grade - F

[color=#40e0d0](6th) Haruki Nakamura - [/color]I enjoyed having him on the team, another one of those hard working guys who will always have a spot on an NFL roster. Now plays w/ Carolina
Grade - C+

(7th) Justin Harper - WR, no longer in the league, but he is the one CFL player I mentioned earlier
Grade - D

(7th) Allen Patrick - No longer in the league
Grade - F


What grade do you give our '08 draft class?

[Mt. Crushmore]

A+ because we got a franchise, Super Bowl MVP QB and a top RB in the league.

[GrimCoconut]

Isn't Tavares Gooden a free agent looking for a job?

Nakamura's about to get cut.

Due to the fact that we got our franchise QB & RB, I would give that draft an A. If you can get your franchise QB, that draft deserves an A.

[Free Agent]

If it wasn't for Flacco and Rice, this draft would've sucked big time.

But we got Flacco and Rice, so this draft rocked.

[TonyTone1192]

[quote name='GrimCoconut' timestamp='1366476217' post='1439317']
Isn't Tavares Gooden a free agent looking for a job?

Nakamura's about to get cut.

Due to the fact that we got our franchise QB & RB, I would give that draft an A. If you can get your franchise QB, that draft deserves an A.
[/quote]

That pick was an A but you can't give an overall draft the grade of an A b/c we got a Franchise QB.

[GrimCoconut]

[quote name='TonyTone1192' timestamp='1366476681' post='1439326']


That pick was an A but you can't give an overall draft the grade of an A b/c we got a Franchise QB.
[/quote]
Why not? That's the single most important piece of a team.

[Mt. Crushmore]

A franchise QB supersedes everything else.

[Gordo52]

[quote name='Mt. Crushmore' timestamp='1366476098' post='1439316']
A+ because we got a franchise, Super Bowl MVP QB and a top RB in the league.
[/quote]
This!

[Free Agent]

The addition of a Superbowl winning QB makes a draft a success, regardless of what else happens.

Not only that, but its no surprise we missed on a lot of our later picks. There really weren't a whole lot of great players to come out of the 4th round and later in this draft class. Very few names stood out to me.

[Gordo52]

[quote name='Mt. Crushmore' timestamp='1366476872' post='1439329']
A franchise QB supersedes everything else.
[/quote]
......And this!

[TonyTone1192]

[quote name='GrimCoconut' timestamp='1366476792' post='1439327']
Why not? That's the single most important piece of a team.
[/quote]

I agree a team is only as good as their QB, ie the Jets. I love Joe, I gave that pick as well as Rice an A+. Those are the only two players that remain on the team from that year. But for me at least I can't give an overall draft a grade based on a single pick. I'm a tough a grader

[arnie_uk]

Sorry but the is currently sitting at our 1a best draft in our history for them two picks alone.

Ill bump that to number one when we win a second superbowl before rice leaves due to his age.

[arnie_uk]

[quote name='TonyTone1192' timestamp='1366477485' post='1439341']


I agree a team is only as good as their QB, ie the Jets. I love Joe, I gave that pick as well as Rice an A+. Those are the only two players that remain on the team from that year. But for me at least I can't give an overall draft a grade based on a single pick. I'm a tough a grader
[/quote]that one QB position is worth four starters alone IMO. That pick of joe flacco when he wins another superbowl or two should go do in the greatest pick of our history due to the success it's warranted.

[TonyTone1192]

[quote name='Mt. Crushmore' timestamp='1366476872' post='1439329']
A franchise QB supersedes everything else.
[/quote]

That is true.. But if you don't build the right talent around your Franchise QB, then your team won't have success. ie Cam Newton, Vick, Romo and Bradford

[Mt. Crushmore]

[quote name='TonyTone1192' timestamp='1366477853' post='1439354']

That is true.. But if you don't build the right talent around your Franchise QB, then your team won't have success. ie Cam Newton, Vick, Romo and Bradford
[/quote]

But if you don't have a franchise QB, you can have all the talent in the world and not win (in today's NFL at least).

[TonyTone1192]

[quote name='arnie_uk' timestamp='1366477701' post='1439348']
that one QB position is worth four starters alone IMO. That pick of joe flacco when he wins another superbowl or two should go do in the greatest pick of our history due to the success it's warranted.
[/quote]

I think the greatest pick belongs to a guy who recently wore # 52. IMHO. I love Joe and wouldn't trade him for ANYONE else, yes it was GREAT PICK and yes he is a Franchise QB. But I can't give an ENTIRE draft the grade that I give ONE PICK.

[arnie_uk]

[quote name='TonyTone1192' timestamp='1366478069' post='1439360']


I think the greatest pick belongs to a guy who recently wore # 52. IMHO. I love Joe and wouldn't trade him for ANYONE else, yes it was GREAT PICK and yes he is a Franchise QB. But I can't give an ENTIRE draft the grade that I give ONE PICK.
[/quote]ray is the best pick still currently, but if joe leads us to another one or two superbowls as I believe he can, he should jump ray based on the trophies that accompanied the pick.

[PolishRifle]

Flacco and Rice carried the team through the last regular season and then Joe went on this record breaking run in the playoffs. The 2008 draft is directly responsible for the Ravens winning the SB.

[b]A+[/b]

[TonyTone1192]

[quote name='Mt. Crushmore' timestamp='1366478015' post='1439359']
But if you don't have a franchise QB, you can have all the talent in the world and not win (in today's NFL at least).
[/quote]

I completely agree!!!! And I'm not saying that our 18th pick in the 2008 draft was not an EXCELLENT pick!! But I can't give an ENTIRE draft the grade of ONE position. It is a team game and the team is only as good as the QB is

[baltravens]

We can grade each player individually from any draft year, but Flacco and Rice in 2008 make that year at least a B+. A Super Bowl win and being the key players in that effort speaks for itself.

[TonyTone1192]

[quote name='PolishRifle' timestamp='1366478380' post='1439365']
Flacco and Rice carried the team through the last regular season and then Joe went on this record breaking run in the playoffs. The 2008 draft is directly responsible for the Ravens winning the SB.

[b]A+[/b]
[/quote]

Lol so no credit to Boldin, Pitta, our O-line who stepped up in the playoffs or Ray Lewis?
Bernard Pierce played just as good as Rice did in the post season

I'm confused

[baltravens]

[quote name='PolishRifle' timestamp='1366478380' post='1439365']
Flacco and Rice carried the team through the last regular season and then Joe went on this record breaking run in the playoffs. The 2008 draft is directly responsible for the Ravens winning the SB.

[b]A+[/b]
[/quote]
I cannot give that draft an A+ simply because the other selections are no longer with the team and are negligible players in the NFL.

[arnie_uk]

If we only had two picks in the draft. Flacco and rice this draft would still be A+

[GrimCoconut]

I judge a draft by these factors:
1. Steals
2. Impact players
3. Super Bowl wins those players contribute towards, for or against our team.

The bottom-line is we got two home-run hits in Joe Flacco & Ray Rice. Two home-run hits. Two potential HOF players, even. It's too early to say whether they are or are not. It isn't too early to say that those players were key contributors to our Super Bowl win--that is priceless. Any team would kill for those two players if they do not have that type of player already at the position.

Also, a franchise QB is worth its weight in gold. A franchise, home-run hitter of a RB is also worth a lot. You can't diminish the contributions of those players because the others did not pan out as hoped. Not all picks pan out & become impact players. In fact, it is exceptionally rare to keep all your draft picks beyond the first year, let alone two, three, four or five. Most prospects end up out of the league in 5 years, is it? That makes this list unsurprising.

The bottom-line is no matter what, we have two key, franchise players who are vital to the success of their offense & thus team. As a result of those two acquisitions, we have an A. I don't give it an A+ because there aren't any late-round steals.

[Tiz]

[quote name='baltravens' timestamp='1366479006' post='1439373']

I cannot give that draft an A+ simply because the other selections are no longer with the team and are negligible players in the NFL.
[/quote]

Yawn
The 1996 draft produced 2 hofers and some other guys
That draft was still a beast of a draft
So yes people can rank the 2008 draft highly based on a Super Bowl MVP and two major contributors coming out of that draft.

[PolishRifle]

[quote name='TonyTone1192' timestamp='1366478532' post='1439369']
Lol so no credit to Boldin, Pitta, our O-line who stepped up in the playoffs or Ray Lewis?
Bernard Pierce played just as good as Rice did in the post season

I'm confused
[/quote]

Boldin disappeared for much of the regular season, Pitta had a couple bright spots here and there and the OLine was average at best during the regular season. So no.
Sure, many people stepped up once we got to the post season, but we probably wouldn't have gotten there without Rice and Flacco.

[ed.s52]

I agree with the sentiment that getting a arguably top 5 QB gives you an A as does getting a top 5 RB. Gooden, Cousins, and Hale were busts, but Zibby is a decent starter in this league, Smith was a grade A special teamer which isnt so terrible in the 4th, Nakumura is a slightly below average starter which is at least B+ value in the 6th round and tbh, I think it doesnt make much sense to give us F's for 7th round picks. Yeah, they aren't on the team anymore but unless they were cut right after drafting you can't have much expectations for a 7th round pick.

Plus, you know, Flacco and Rice. A+.

[SecretAgentMan]

[quote name='GrimCoconut' timestamp='1366479922' post='1439380']
I judge a draft by these factors:
1. Steals
2. Impact players
3. Super Bowl wins those players contribute towards, for or against our team.

The bottom-line is we got two home-run hits in Joe Flacco & Ray Rice. Two home-run hits. Two potential HOF players, even. It's too early to say whether they are or are not. It isn't too early to say that those players were key contributors to our Super Bowl win--that is priceless. Any team would kill for those two players if they do not have that type of player already at the position.

Also, a franchise QB is worth its weight in gold. A franchise, home-run hitter of a RB is also worth a lot. You can't diminish the contributions of those players because the others did not pan out as hoped. Not all picks pan out & become impact players. In fact, it is exceptionally rare to keep all your draft picks beyond the first year, let alone two, three, four or five. Most prospects end up out of the league in 5 years, is it? That makes this list unsurprising.

The bottom-line is no matter what, we have two key, franchise players who are vital to the success of their offense & thus team. As a result of those two acquisitions, we have an A. I don't give it an A+ because there aren't any late-round steals.
[/quote]
Flacco will make the HOF if he can get another SB ring.
He will be an all time great with 3

Rice won't... Unless he remains relevant for the next 3 years

[baltravens]

[quote name='Tiz' timestamp='1366480028' post='1439381']
Yawn
The 1996 draft produced 2 hofers and some other guys
That draft was still a beast of a draft
So yes people can rank the 2008 draft highly based on a Super Bowl MVP and two major contributors coming out of that draft.
[/quote]
Yawning? Go to bed grandpa. Pay attention, I was referring to this fella's post dealing with the 2008 draft. ...not 1990 whatever.

[Corvus]

Grades are based on what they have contributed to the Baltimore Ravens...

1st rd- Flacco: A+
2nd rd- Rice: A+
3rd rd- Gooden: C
3rd rd- Zbikowski: B
3rd rd- Cousins: D-
4th rd- Smith: C
4th rd- Hale: F
6th rd- Nakamura: B-
7th rd- Harper: D-
7th rd- Patrick: F
UDFA- McClain: B

As you guys have said, getting Flacco and Rice alone almost made the rest of this draft irrelevant. Which is good because it was unfortunately largely an irrelevant draft for us now with plenty of time to assess it. Zbikowski and Nakamura were the only two who were constant contributors during their Raven tenure that are no longer here. Both still are solid special teamers and can help on defense in a pinch but are not full time starting material. I gave Nakamura a B- grade because he helped us quite a bit on special teams and that was good value in the 6th rd. Marcus Smith was a key special teamer for a couple of seasons so I wasn't quite as harsh on his grade, though it woulda been nice to see him develop as a receiver after spending a 4th rd pick on him. Can't win 'em all I guess...

Everyone is forgetting that Jameel McClain entered the league this year as well. To have one of our starting ILBs picked up as an undraftee is worth a solid grade too. The rest of this class was disappointing in every facet.