Draft Report Card: NFC South

NFC South:

Atlanta Falcons- B
Jake Matthews is going to start his rookie season at right tackle, but eventually he'll be protecting Matt Ryan's blindside. Ra'Shede Hageman is the second coming of Richard Seymour. And after Steven Jackson's lackluster first season in Atlanta, the selection of Devonta Freeman brings much needed youth to the backfield. Atlanta addressed every need except for one: tight end. Who is going to replace Tony Gonzalez?

Carolina Panthers- C+
They selected wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin with their first round pick, but he doesn't come without several question marks. Is he a one year wonder? Does he have the motivation and dedication it takes to be a pro? That remains to be seen. I like that they are preparing for a possible life without Greg Hardy, drafting defensive end Kony Ealy in the second round. They still need help at offensive tackle and would have been wise to have double-dipped at wide receiver.

New Orleans Saints- B+
Brandin Cooks is going to make an instant impact and I think he'll quickly gain the trust of his quarterback, Drew Brees. Cornerback needed some young talent and they got just that with the selection of Stanley Jean-Baptiste, he converted from wide receiver to corner and is built like a safety. I thought they could have done better than Tavon Rooks when it came to drafting an offensive tackle, but besides that pick it was a good draft for New Orleans.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers- A-
After a very, very active free agency period for the Bucs, head coach Lovie Smith and the front office drafted all offensive players. It makes sense considering the offense was ranked towards the bottom of the league last season and the only noticeable need on defense is a starting outside linebacker, which I think free agent acquisition Dane Fletcher will end up cementing. Wide receiver Mike Evans was selected in the first round, pairing him with Vincent Jackson to give quarterback Josh McCown a receiving duo reminiscent of what he had last season with the Bears. Austin Seferian-Jenkins gives this offense yet another threat and automatically assumes the starting job. Charles Sims is an all purpose back who flew under the radar and will serve as a good complement to Doug Martin. I like what Tampa Bay did.