I know the trendy thing is to immediately analyze every team's draft and assign a letter grade to their performance. It's something I've done in the past, and something I'm sure I'll do in the future. 
But this year, I'd like to go a little bit off the beaten path. The reason for my reluctance to assign grades comes about after revisiting the top end of the 2005 draft.
Why that year's draft? Because NFL executives generally agree it takes three years to judge a draft. And now that the Class of 2005 has been around that long, I figured it was time to look back.
And really, you don't have to look very far to see that the results are mixed. At best. Here are the first 10 picks from that draft and where they now stand.
1. San Francisco 49ers: Alex Smith, Quarterback, Utah: Now in a competition with an undrafted free agent for the starting job.
2. Miami Dolphins: Ronnie Brown, running back, Auburn: After three mostly undistinguished seasons, coming off knee surgery. He's shown some flashes, though, so the jury's still out.
3. Cleveland Browns: Braylon Edwards, wide receiver, Michigan: A rising star after a breakout season. Probably Boland's favorite player on his beloved Browns.
4. Chicago Bears: Cedric Benson, running back, Texas: Close to being a bust. Not respected inside his own locker room.
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Carnell "Cadillac" Williams, running back, Auburn: Rehabbing from potentially career-ending knee injury.
6. Tennessee Titans: Adam "Pacman" Jones, cornerback, West Virginia: Um .. yeah.
7. Minnesota Vikings (from Oakland): Troy Williamson, wide receiver, South Carolina: Bust. Now in Jacksonville.
8. Arizona Cardinals: Antrel Rolle cornerback, Miami: A washout at corner. Being tried at safety. Cardinals forced to draft another corner this year.
9. Washington Redskins: Carlos Rogers, cornerback, Auburn. Hasn't shown much yet. Recovering from knee injury. May not play until mid-season.
10. Detroit Lions: Mike Williams, wide receiver, USC. Bust. Never in shape. Out of football. Coming soon to a buffet line near you.
PS: Brandon Jacobs was a fourth-round pick that year and he's about to be get his first Super Bowl ring. Marques Colston was a seventh-round pick that year and he's the Saints' top receiver. Go figure.
Comments (1)
Bob,
As to Ronnie Brown and Cadillac Williams, the coaches at Auburn had Brandon Jacobs playing second-string behind them. He transfers to Southern Illinois and the Giants draft him in the 4th round.
Looks like he'll have a longer and more productive NFL career than either of them.
Regards