NFL draft's biggest winners and losers

Here's a look at the biggest winners and losers of the recently completed draft:

3 teams that earned A's

Detroit Lions

Picks that hit: Defensive tackle Nick Fairley (round 1/13 overall), wide receiver Titus Young (2/44), running back Mikel Leshoure (2/57).

Pick that missed: Linebacker Doug Hogue (5/157).
Inside skinny: General manager Martin Mayhew has quietly stacked together some excellent drafts and has the Lions poised to move up in the NFC. Adding Fairley to Ndamukong Suh along the defensive line was a masterful move.
Quotable: "I don't think there was any way they felt that Nick Fairley was going to fall to them. Obviously, they got great return from Ndamukong Suh last year. So now, it's almost an embarrassment of riches on their defensive line," NFL Network analyst Tom Waddle said.

Houston Texans

Picks that hit: Defensive end J.J. Watt (1/11), linebacker Brooks Reed (2/42), cornerback Brandon Harris (2/60), cornerback Rashad Carmichael (4/127), quarterback T.J. Yates (5/152).

Pick that missed: Defensive back Shiloh Keo (5/144).

Inside skinny: The Texans hired Wade Phillips as their defensive coordinator and added players in Watt and Reed who fit his 3-4 system. The Texans also added some much needed secondary help in Harris. They were last in the league in pass defense (267.5 yards per game) last season. They also added a backup quarterback to develop in Yates of Pope High.

Quotable: "He's not even anywhere close to how good a football player he will be; he's really going to grow," Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema said of Watt, his former defensive end.

Cincinnati Bengals

Picks that hit: Wide receiver A.J. Green (1/4), quarterback Andy Dalton (2/35), linebacker Dontay Moch (3/66), guard Clint Boling (4/101).

Pick that missed: None.

Inside skinny: The Bengals got Green so they can say goodbye to Chad Johnson and move on. Also, they added a quarterback to develop behind Carson Palmer, who is demanding a trade. Moch is a force and Boling likely will land a starting job. The Bengals plucked four eventual starters and some secondary help out of this draft.

Quotable: "I think A.J. can do all of the things that you want, as I said, from a well-rounded wide receiver; both the blocking parts, the run after the catch, playing in different spots," Cincinnati coach Marvin Lewis said. "He knows he needs to do that."

3 teams that earned C's

Atlanta Falcons

Picks that hit: Wide receiver Julio Jones (1/6), linebacker Akeem Dent (3/91), running back Jacquizz Rodgers (5/145).

Pick that missed: Punter Matt Bosher (6/192).

Inside skinny: The Falcons broke several conventional draft rules. They didn't pay any attention to the "don't mortgage your future" edict in trading up twice, and the "don't draft a punter if can find one in free agency" rule. Also, they didn't get any help for their pass rush, tight end or nickel back.

Quotable: "This is a decision that was made by the organization. This is an organization that is not timid. This is an organization that is concerned about winning today. We are concerned about winning on a sustainable basis. This is an organization that works together with our coach and with our general manager, everybody in this building, to make the kind of thoughtful decisions that Thomas [Dimitroff] has made," said Falcons owner Arthur Blank on the decision to depart from conventional draft wisdom in this draft.

Cleveland Browns

Picks that hit: Defensive tackle Phil Taylor (1/21), defensive end Jabaal Sheard (2/37), wide receiver Greg Little (2/59), cornerback Buster Skrine (5/137).

Picks that missed: Tight end Jordan Cameron (4/102), tackle Jason Pinkston (5/150).

Inside skinny: Cleveland didn't cash in on the bundle of picks it received in various trades, including the big deal made with the Falcons. The Browns bypassed Texas defensive end Sam Acho, Iowa defensive lineman Christian Ballard, Colorado cornerback Jalil Brown and Iowa quarterback Ricky Stanzi. They took a pass-catching tight end in Cameron, who had only 16 catches. The massive Taylor (335 pounds) will replace Shaun Rogers on the defensive line and Skrine, of Etowah High, could win the nickel back job.

Quotable: "Before he got a chance [at wide receiver], before Hakeem Nicks went on to the [New York] Giants, he played and started at running back. So his run-after-catch is different than a lot of wide receivers," North Carolina coach Butch Davis said of Little.

New Orleans Saints

Picks that hit: Defensive end Cameron Jordan (1/24), running back Mark Ingram (1/28), linebacker Martez Wilson (3/72).

Pick that missed: Defensive back Johnny Patrick (3/88).

Inside skinny: The Saints added a couple of thumpers to their defense in Jordan and Wilson. They also restored their rushing attack. Ingram could be their best back since Deuce McAllister and, if he's productive, could make quarterback Drew Brees and the vaunted passing attack even more dangerous.

Quotable: "It started with the selection of Cameron Jordan. ... He fell to us and we made that selection. After that pick, we felt there were two above-the-line players, if you will, and Mark Ingram was the other one," New Orleans coach Sean Payton said.

3 teams that earned F's

Jacksonville Jaguars

Picks that hit: Guard Will Rackley (3/76), wide receiver Cecil Shorts (4/114).

Pick that missed: Quarterback Blaine Gabbert (1/10), defensive back Chris Prosinski (4/121).

Inside skinny: The Jaguars passed on Tim Tebow last year, but moved up in the draft to get the heir apparent to David Garrard. Conventional wisdom was there was no real franchise quarterback in this draft. They picked a future starter in Rackley, who blossomed into a pro prospect after graduating from Riverdale High as a 265-pounder.

Quotable: "When we saw him come down and go past San Francisco and then Tennessee, we saw for the first time a real opportunity to be able to acquire what we feel is a franchise quarterback," Jacksonville coach Jack Del Rio said of Gabbert.

Baltimore Ravens

Pick that hit: Wide receiver Torrey Smith (2/59).

Picks that missed: Cornerback Jimmy Smith (1/27), tackle Jah Reid (3/85), defensive back Chykie Brown (5/164), quarterback Tyrod Taylor (6/180).

Inside skinny: Jimmy Smith's size and skill set reminded some draft analysts of hall of famer Rod Woodson, but his dirty laundry (three failed drug tests, two arrests for possession of alcohol as a minor) scared teams away. If team leader Ray Lewis can get through to him, the Ravens' secondary problems are over. If not, they wasted a first-rounder.

Quotable: "There's always a risk and that's the thing: you never do know for sure. But we believe in Jimmy. We obviously spent a lot of time with him," Baltimore coach John Harbaugh said of drafting Jimmy Smith, who dropped because of character concerns. "But in the end it's going to be up to him."

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Picks that hit: Defensive end Da'Quan Bowers (2/51), tight end Luke Stocker (4/104).

Picks that missed: Defensive end Adrian Clayborn (1/20), linebacker Mason Foster (4/84).

Inside skinny: The Buccaneers rolled the dice in the first and second rounds. In the first, they passed on Cal defensive end Cameron Jordan to take Clayborn, who can only play on the right side. Jordan went to the Saints at 24. Bowers was once considered the top player in the draft before a knee ailment was discovered; he's the classic boom or bust pick.

Quotable: "There was some risk, but a lot of high rewards to go along with that; we really felt good about Da'Quan Bowers," Tampa Bay coach Raheem Morris.