2009 NFL Draft Grades: Round 1 Picks 6-10

Written April 27, 2009 by Steve Janus

#6 Pick – Cincinnati Bengals: Offensive Tackle Andre Smith (Alabama) - Is this another “there goes the neighborhood” pick for Cincinnati? I like Smith’s upside, but there are certainly some off-the-field concerns, so maybe he will fit right in with a Cincinnati team that has been nothing but trouble over the past few years. With that being said, the Bengals could use help in a lot of places on the field and the offensive line is a good place to start. Grade: B

#7 Pick – Oakland Raiders: Wide Receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey (Maryland) - This has to be the worst pick of the first round. You would think by now that the Raiders would realize that drafting the player with the best 40 yard dash time hasn’t exactly panned out for them lately. Heyward-Bey is fast, you have to give him that, but he is reportedly a poor route runner, and if you watched any of his games for Maryland, you’d see he doesn’t have very good hands either. Oh, Oakland, when will you learn? Grade: F

#8 Pick – Jacksonville Jaguars: Offensive Tackle Eugene Monroe (Virginia) – Excellent fit for the Jags, who really had a gap to fill at left tackle. Monroe should step right into the position. At 6′6″ 315 pounds, Monroe has exceptionally fast feet. He is probably the offensive lineman in this draft that is most ready to step into the NFL and play. I can see him being a long term star at his position. Grade: A+

#9 Pick – Green Bay Packers: Defensive Tackle B.J. Raji (Boston College) - The Packers pick up a great fit for their new 3-4 defense with B.J. Raji out of Boston College. Raji can move for a 323 pound man, and will be a monster gap-filler as Green Bay’s nose tackle in this scheme. With QB Aaron Rogers starting to come into his own, this is a very good selection to start improving the Packers on defense. I expect Raji to flourish in Green Bay. Grade: A-

#10 Pick – San Francisco 49ers: Wide Receiver Michael Crabtree (Texas Tech) - The 49ers have to be thrilled that Crabtree was available at the #10 spot, as most thought he would go to the Raiders at #7 or even sooner. Crabree’s value had fallen recently because of some issues with an injury that limited his participation at the NFL combine, but he has the raw ability to be an elite receiver in the NFL. In my opinion, Crabtree comes in and is the #1 receiver for this team, but it will be interesting to see how the 49ers decide to utilize him in his first NFL season. Grade: B+

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