2013 NFL Draft Recap: Top 5 Biggest Winners: The 2013 NFL Draft is in the books, and while hope always springs eternal for the fanbases of every franchise after the draft, the truth is that only some of the teams come away from the process with an improved roster and a better chance of making the playoffs and ultimately winning the Super Bowl. Even fewer teams significantly improve their odds of fielding a winning team, especially in the short run. That being said, there always seems to be a select group of franchises that do hit it big and can set themselves up for success for the next several years, and the 2013 NFL Draft was no exception. With that in mind, here is a closer look at five teams that either solidified their status as potential Super Bowl threats or turned themselves into one with their picks in this year’s draft.
1. Baltimore Ravens
The defending Super Bowl champs were decimated in free agency, but after the strange situation in Denver allowed them to add pass rusher Elvis Dumervil, things continued to go Baltimore’s way in the draft. First-round pick Matt Elam can step in right away for Ed Reed at safety, and while Elam may not be the biggest guy, he has shown the same knack for making game-changing plays. Meanwhile, second-round pick Arthur Brown might just be the most-complete, NFL-ready linebacker in the draft, and he should fill the shoes of Dannell Ellerbe. Throw in a very productive college player in defensive lineman John Simon out of Ohio State and a proven tackle in Ricky Wagner out of Wisconsin, and the Ravens addressed their two biggest needs and added depth to both lines. For a team that is coming off a championship and has the skill position players to win now, this draft class will go a long way to keeping them contenders.
2. San Francisco 49ers
Going into the draft, the 49ers knew that they needed to address the loses of safety Dashon Goldson and tight end Delanie Walker as well as add depth to their defensive line if they wanted to get back to Super Bowl. Well, San Francisco traded up in the first round to nab LSU standout safety Eric Reid and then got a gift when defensive lineman “Tank” Carradine fell to them in the second round. As the 49ers rounded things out, they added a versatile tight end in Vance McDonald, a productive collegiate receiver in Quinton Patton and a potential replacement for Frank Gore in a year or two in Marcus Lattimore. Not only did this draft class plug the few holes for an otherwise stacked team, but it could ensure the prowess of the ground game for years to come if Lattimore returns to form after his gruesome leg injury.
3. Minnesota Vikings
Armed with a pair of first-round picks, many analysts expected the Vikings to trade up to address either their need on the defensive line or in the secondary. Well, Minnesota decided to stay put, and they ended up addressing both needs anyway. The Vikings’ draft kicked off with a potential top-five talent in defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd falling to them at pick No. 23, and they followed up that selection by adding a big, athletic corner in Xavier Rhodes. With their two biggest needs already addressed, Minnesota then traded back into the first round to grab receiver Cordarrelle Patterson. Yes, he is raw when it comes to technique, but he is an incredibly fast, explosive athlete that can stretch defenses deep and do damage in the return game while he learns the finer points of the position. Patterson isn’t Percy Harvin, but he has the ability to make defenses pay if they plan on stacking the box against Adrian Peterson on a routine basis.
4. Green Bay Packers
While adding protection for quarterback Aaron Rodgers is always priority No. 1, the fact was that the top offensive linemen prospects were off the board when the Packers picked in the first round. However, Green Bay did snag an explosive, versatile pass rusher in Datone Jones. They also upgraded their backfield in a big way by adding a power back in Eddie Lacy and a speedy, change-of-pace back in Johnathan Franklin. Not to mention the fact that the Packers did manage to add a pair of offensive linemen in the fourth round that have a legitimate chance to become NFL-caliber starters sooner rather than later. The Packers upgraded their pass rush, bolstered a pitiful ground game and added some depth on the offensive line. All told, it was a strong draft.
5. Tennessee Titans
While some may disagree on the long-term impact of Tennessee’s draft class, the Titans did a solid job of attempting to field a winning team without overhauling the entire roster and starting from scratch. The team’s best offensive weapon is running back Chris Johnson, and it was clear that the Titans wanted to try to recapture the success of their ground and pound days when they added power back Shonn Greene in the offseason. Tennessee further embraced the identity by adding guard Chance Warmack in the first round and center Brian Schwenke in the fourth round. Both players can start right away, and both are nasty maulers in the trenches when it comes to run blocking. With a retooled offensive line paving the way, the Titans should be able to pound opponents on the ground this year while allowing the still unproven Jake Locker to have time to stretch the field with his big arm. Locker’s development will ultimately determine the Titans’ fate, but in the meantime, they did everything they could to win with that pieces that were already in place.
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