Draft Grades: Cardinals

The Cardinals must have felt like they won the lottery when Chris Wells fell to them with the 31st pick. I had Wells rated as the clear-cut top rated running back, worthy of a top 10 selection. His injury concerns led to him falling down the board, but so long as he stays healthy the Cardinals got themselves a steal.

Cody Brown was a reach. He undersized for a defensive end would have been better suited as an outside linebacker in 3-4 defense. I don't see becoming an impact player in Arizona.

I like the selection of Rashad Johnson. He'll have a hard time seeing the field behind Adrian Wilson and Antrel Rolle, but he had great value in the 3rd round and he'll be an excellent special teams player.

Greg Toler is a developmental prospect. He has some upside, but the 4th round was a bit of a reach. He likely won't be more than a nickelback, and could just as easily be out of the league in a year or two.

Herman Johnson was a great 5th-round selection. He's raw, but his size is impressive and he could develop into an adequate starter. He's exactly the type of over-sized lineman that the Cardinals love. They may even consider moving him to tackle.

Will Davis, the second defensive end they selected, was also a reach. I gave him an undrafted free agent grade because he lacks the strength to play at the next level. He's a good athlete, but really doesn't have the overall size and strength to hold up against more physical offensive linemen.

Stephens-Howling was a major reach. He should have gone undrafted and barely received an interest in free agency. He could be an adequate special teams player, but he's undersized and won't contribute much in any other capacity.

Trevor Canfield was a steal in the 7th round. I gave him a 3rd-round grade and could see him developing into a starter.

Overall this was somewhat of a disappointing draft for the Cardinals. Their biggest need was a running back which they addressed in the 1st round with the best player at the position in the draft. However, they failed to land any impact players on defense and completely ignored their need for a pass-catching tight end.

Grade: C+

Beanie Wells Refutes Report of Injured Foot

Sports Illustrated has reported that Chris Wells has a sesamoid bone in his foot, essentially meaning he's prone to foot injuries.

Today Wells' agent Adam Heller fired back, saying that the reports are erroneous and that Wells has been cleared by Dr. James Andrews.

Believe what you want, but remember that at this of year rumors are spread like wildfire in an effort to drag down a player's stock or hype someone up. Also keep in mind that SI hasn't exactly been squeaky clean in its NFL Draft reports this offseason. They jumped the gun on reporting B.J. Raji's positive test at the combine, which they have since apologized for.

Draft Class: Running Backs

Yesterday I went through my list of the top 10 quarterback prospects. Today its time for the running backs.

Chris Wells tops my draft board, and it's an easy decision. No other play in the draft has his combination of size, speed and athleticism. He has the same potential as recent top-10 picks Adrian Peterson and Darren McFadden, but injury concerns will likely cause teams to pass over him early in round one.

Donald Brown, who has steadily risen up the draft board, is number two on my board. It was a tough decision to move him ahead of Knowshon Moreno, but in the end I would be more comfortable making Brown a feature back in my offense. He's every bit as athletic as Moreno and I love his work ethic. He's a coaches dream, which could easily cause some team to fall in love with him and select him higher than expected.

Moreno is the third running back on the board, receiving a late 1st-round grade. I rate him slightly lower than Brown only because of Brown's exceptional work ethic and attitude. That isn't to say that Moreno has character concerns by any means, its simply a reflection of Brown's willingness to go above and beyond what is expected of him. Moreno is an elite athlete, but I have questions about his toughness. He isn't the type that can run between the tackles, meaning he needs to be paired with another bigger, stronger running back to be truly effective.

LeSean McCoy ranks 4th on my board, receiving an early 2nd-round grade. I like McCoy, but I'm concerned about his running style. A bit reckless and I wonder how he'll hold up at the next level. His instincts aren't great and he doesn't always hit holes as they open up. I would have liked to see him stay in school for at least another year to work on that. He's worth a second round pick, but I don't think he'll be a Matt Forte-like prospect that steps in and makes an immediate impact.

Andre Brown ranks 5th and receives a 3rd-round grade. Brown has risen up the board this offseason, to the point where I feel he is now overrated. He has an NFL body but there are serious injury concerns. I don't see him as the type that can carry the load at the next level. However, if paired with a more athletic outside runner (a Knowshon Moreno, for example) he could be a nice complimentary back.

Also receiving a 3rd-round grade is Shonn Greene. This past season for the Hawkeyes Greene played like a 1st rounder. He's a power runner that builds up a head of steam and is tough to bring down. However, I have concerns about the fact that he only played one year at the D-I level and is already 24. The fact that we haven't really seen a full body of work from him gives me hesitation and I would prefer to wait until the 3rd-round to select him where I would be satisfied if all he turns out to be is an adquate backup.

I gave Rashad Jennings a 3rd-round grade for similar reasons as Greene. Coming from an FCS program, we haven't seen what Jennings can do against top competition. We know he has the size to take his game to the next level, but will he still be a force when going up against bigger defenders. Ultimately I think the answer is no, but I would be willing to take a chance on him in the late 3rd-round.

Jeremiah Johnson intrigues me. He's undersized but he was nothing but productive when on the field in 2008. Durability is an issue, but I would be willing to take a chance in the late 3rd-round. He could be a nice backup at the next level.

Gartrell Johnson receives a 4th-round grade, but I think he's one of the top sleepers in this draft class. He's an absolute beast with the football in his hands. He's a powerful downhill runner and actually has more speed on the field that you'd expect from his forty time. He probably isn't going to be a starter in the NFL, but he'll find a place a short-yardage back and could be the type of touchdown vulture that makes a big impact in fantasy leagues.

Rounding out my top 10 is Javon Ringer. Early in the 2008 season Ringer was taking full advantage of his first year as the full-time starter and looked like a potential 1st-round pick. However, he came down to earth when matched up against legitimate collegiate defenses such as Penn State and Ohio State and his stock took a nose dive. Ringer can be productive, but he simply doesn't have the build to be a starter at the next level. He likes to run between the tackles, but his frame simply won't hold up with that type of pounding in the NFL.

So there you go... my top 10 running backs fo 2009.

Bengals Want A Running Back

The Bengals are showing a clear interest in running backs this offseason, and could be targeting one with their second-round pick. The Bengals have either met with, or will be meeting with, Chris Wells, Donald Brown, Rashad Jennings and LeSean McCoy.

While the Bengals are clearly doing their homework, Donald Brown appears to be the favorite and the mostly likely be available and worthy of their 2nd-round selection. The Bengals have reportedly mentioned him as a player they have been impressed with and will strongly consider selecting him 38th overall selection.

Brown's stock is rising, however, as he has/will meet with the Chargers, Eagles and Jets as well. Its possible that he could come off the board in the late first round.

Pro Days: Ohio State

As always, Ohio State's pro day was must-see as four potential first round prospects took the field, along with a slew of others.

Perhaps the most anticipated drill of the day was Beanie Wells' forty-yard dash, and he did not disappoint. Wells, who ran a surprisingly low 4.59 at the combine, was clocked between 4.34 and 4.46 on Friday. While pro day times should always be taken with a grain of salt because of the benefits of running on the home turf, Wells' improvement was even greater than expected. His performance should solidify his place at the top of most team's draft boards at his position.

Unlike Wells, Malcolm Jenkins failed to improve upon his forty time. After posting a disappointing 4.55 in Indianapolis, Jenkins' stock fell considerably. He went from a sure top 10 pick, to hoping to come off the board in the top 15. Jenkins ran between a 4.46 and 4.53 on Friday - not nearly fast enough to improve he stock. He looks like a solid bet to still be on the board for either New Orleans or Houston, both if which could use his services in their secondary.

Other notes from Columbus:

• Brian Robiskie ran a 4.46 in the forty, but scouts aren't too concerned with his speed. It shouldn't impact his stock and he remains a potential late first-round pick.

• James Laurinaitis ran a 4.67. Nothing too impressive, but still an improvement over his time at the combine. I still think Laurinaitis is a top 10 talent, but his lack of speed will likely cause him to fall to the end of the first round.