Oakland Raiders 2012 NFL Draft Report Card: Grades for Every Pick

Grading a draft is more like grading a research paper than a math test.

There is generally no right or wrong answer when it comes to the draft as there would be on a math test. If there was, we should be able to label every draft pick a "reach" or "value."

Even the teams themselves don't know exactly what they have and the "hit" percentage is probably south of 25 percent. 

A research paper is graded on the supporting evidence and the strength or weakness of that evidence will determine the grade. 

I'll grade on the following three criteria:

– Did the team address a need? (Not to be confused with drafting for need.)

– Does the team have a role for the player?

– Does the player have developmental value in the long term?

The best picks usually support all three criteria.

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