John Harbaugh has never been one to mince words, but his latest statement is harsh even by a straight shooter's standards. In an interview with 97.9 FM, a Baltimore area radio station, Harbaugh was asked about Bountygate and the Saints. To answer the question, Harbaugh quickly answered by addressing the Patriots previous scandal, Spygate, saying,

"In the end, everything is brought before the light of day. Even the thing in New England, no matter whether those things had any impact on whether they won their championships or not, they got asterisks now, it’s been stained. So to me, it’s never worth it. You’ve got to figure out ways to use the rules to your advantage.

If you’re cheating, in the end, you’re going to get discredited. It’s just not worth it."

Harbaugh wasn't completely done at that point. He indicated that the Ravens have likely been the victims of other cheating teams, but he wouldn't talk about which specific teams may have cheated. Why wouldn't he say? He says that Pro Football Talk would run with it. Let's be perfectly honest here Coach. Pro Football Talk, SBNation, Bleacher Report, ESPN, Fox Sports, and This Given Sunday would all run with that kind of accusation.

As for the Patriots' titles having asterisks, maybe they do, and maybe they don't. Personally, I very rarely think about spygate. Frankly, I don't believe that filming walkthroughs would give the Patriots much of a competitive advantage, and that's not my own opinion only. When spygate broke, I had the opportunity to talk to a former two-time Indiana state champion high school coach, and he didn't think filming a walkthrough would give the Patriots much of an edge, but I can understand where some people, especially other head coaches, may think there's an asterisk attached to the Patriots' Super Bowls. For me, it's a dead issue. Let's just let it go.

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They say grading a draft only days after its completion is fruitless and absurd. But we do it anyway, mainly because there's a demand for the analysis, but also because I believe there's a way to evaluate a draft based on needs addressed and related circumstances that have little to do with the unpredictable futures of the players selected. These grades will likely change based on injuries, overachievement and underachievement. But there were still myriad situations on Thursday, Friday and Saturday where teams clearly either just missed on players they were targeting or hit on a pick they were praying would land in their lap.

That's how you grade a draft immediately. Let's attempt to do so with the four teams that reside in the NFC East, keeping our focus on needs addressed, rather than on the perceived quality of the players chosen.

Because let's face it: When it comes to the latter, we're all pretty much clueless.

Dallas Cowboys: A

Realistically, if Morris Claiborne turns into a star, this draft will be a success. If not, it'll likely be a failure. Dallas gave up a second-round pick in order to move up eight spots and select arguably the best defensive player in this year's class. Considering how often players selected at or around the 45 spot never pan out, that's a smart gamble in my books. With Claiborne, Brandon Carr and (for now) Mike Jenkins at corner, the Cowboys have turned a weakness into a strength this offseason.

And while they might have reached a tad for safety Matt Johnson in the fourth round, there's a belief that Johnson could have a huge upside in the NFL, making that secondary even stronger. Dallas didn't want to risk waiting for Johnson, a four-year starter at Eastern Washington with 17 picks, and so they used a compensatory pick on him. It's a small gamble, but another admirable one.

Dallas took some heat for not aggressively addressing the pass rush, but with DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer on board, they only need complementary pieces in the front seven. Tyrone Crawford and Kyle Wilber might not be stars-in-the-making, but as third- and fourth-round picks, they could become important parts up front.

While I'm a bit disappointed that they spent no picks on the interior of the offensive line to help DeMarco Murray and Felix Jones, the defense had to be the focus in this draft. Tony Romo is coming off his best season as a pro, and he should have Miles Austin in better shape, along with a healthy Murray, from the get-go. I love that the Cowboys spent their first four picks sprucing up a defense that was ranked bottom-10 across the board against the pass in 2011.

New York Giants: B

Some will say that the world champion's main job is to simply address any holes left in free agency and bolster any potential weaknesses. That's what the Giants did, drafting running back David Wilson to replace Brandon Jacobs, wide receiver Rueben Randle to replace Mario Manningham, cornerback Jayron Hosley to replace Aaron Ross and tight end Adrien Robinson to help replace the injured Jake Ballard.

Fine, but maybe that was too defensive. After all, the rest of the division was trading up to get better, while the Giants sat back and accepted something close to the status quo.

Luck wasn't on their side, either, as the Wilson pick might have been born out of panic after the team missed out on Doug Martin at the bottom of the first round. The key to fixing that running game might be the offensive line, but the G-Men didn't address that unit until they took tackles in Rounds 4 and 6, and neither Brandon Mosley nor Matt McCants are expected to see the field much in 2012.

But Hosley could contribute quickly, and if Terrell Thomas can stay healthy, those two will bolster a secondary that struggled for much of 2011. And the athletic Robinson has the potential to become a stud, which is convenient since he also helps add depth at a position of need.

The Ravens kicked off their 2012 draft by trading out of the 29th overall pick and the first round altogether. Their first selection came with the 3rd pick of the 2nd round, and they selected Courtney Upshaw, a guy that some analysts had going in the top 10 earlier in the postseason, but Upshaw slid down the board in recent weeks.

Eric DeCosta, the Ravens' director of player personnel, tends to make baseball analogies to explain how the Ravens' draft went. After this year's draft, he pulled out one of baseball's greatest cliches.

"I think we probably had to manufacture some runs this year. We had some players that we liked and they got picked, and we had to get creative quickly on the fly."

Whenever a team trades out of the first round altogether, you already know that their draft day strategy didn't work as that team may have envisioned it. Sometimes "plan A" doesn't pan out, and you have to adapt to the changing dynamic of the draft, and that's exactly what DeCosta and Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome did.

It was rumored that Patriots LB Dont'a Hightower was in the Ravens crosshairs, but the Patriots pulled the trigger before he could fall to the Ravens' original first round pick at 29th overall. Kevin Zeitler, a guard from Wisconsin, was taken at 27th overall, just in front of the Ravens' pick. With their targets disappearing, it made perfect sense for the Ravens to trade down and find another targeted player they felt good about.

Courtney Upshaw will fit in well with the Ravens' defense, and he'll compete for a starting job right off the bat. Even if Upshaw isn't able to show he's good enough to start on one of the league's best defenses, he'll add valuable depth to one of the most important positions in a 3-4 defense, and he's even more valuable on a Ravens defense that likes to continuously shift.

It's clear that the Ravens didn't have everything work out exactly as they had hoped. The Ravens have a great personnel department, and they were able to shift their draft strategy as the situation changed with each pick. Being able to walk away from the draft having filled most of their team needs is a great accomplishment, and draft day performances like that are what keep the best teams in the league on top.

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Arizona Cardinals: B-

Having Michael Floyd in this lineup will help Larry Fitzgerald and Kevin Kolb. If they can find a way to pass block, Floyd's presence should tell the Cardinals if they have their QB of the future, or whether they need to go back to the drawing board. But I'm not sure they can protect. Bobby Massie is one of the better values of the draft at No. 112 overall, and could provide an upgrade. Justin Bethel is an interesting developmental pick out of Presbyterian.

The Cardinals took three tackles, so it's clear they're hoping they strike gold once or twice. If they did, they got their top two needs. After that, it's just OK. No help in the pass rush, or at outside linebacker and they could use a safety. If Floyd plays the way he did in 2011, and keeps focused, he should be a pretty good one. 

Impact pick: CB Jamell Fleming (third) -- The Cardinals need a No. 2 corner opposite Patrick Peterson, so Fleming should have the opportunity to compete for significant playing time. He has good size and improved steadily during his time at Oklahoma. Fleming was productive, has good instincts in zone coverage and the potential to hold up in bump-and-run coverage as well.

Intriguing pick: OT Bobby Massie (fourth) -- Massie was projected by some to go late in the first round, but as he fell, I reached out to scouts in the league, and one told me Massie slipped because of a perceived lack of ideal mental and physical toughness. Perhaps he comes into the league with a chip on his shoulder after that fall. He has the size and movement skills to succeed in a zone-blocking scheme, but he'll still need to become stronger in order to create movement when locked in a phone booth. He has potential, though, and if Massie realized it, he could become the upgrade Arizona is looking for at tackle.

San Francisco 49ers: C+

San Francisco is working a "no excuses" plan. Meaning, the 49ers have added enough pieces to this offense via both free agency and the draft that Alex Smith should continue to develop. If he can't get to the next level with this group, my guess is Jim Harbaugh will look for someone who can. A.J. Jenkins was a bit of a reach, but the 49ers really liked him. The pick of LaMichael James, as a change-of-pace running back fills one of their needs. Joe Looney is a decent player, though he's no immediate upgrade. Trent Robinson has a chance to be a starter at some point. Not a bad draft at all, and you could see their strategy. It's tough to add early impact to a good roster.

Impact pick: RB LaMichael James -- Head coach Jim Harbaugh will get creative with James, and you can be sure the 49ers would not have taken him if they didn't already have a plan in mind. He'll be a great complement to the north-south runners already on the roster with his wiggle in space and ability to contribute in the passing game. James could also contribute in the running game, and if used properly his versatility could yield more from four or five touches than others get from 14 or 15.

Intriguing pick: G Joe Looney (fourth) -- Looney suffered a foot injury at the Senior Bowl that required surgery and that caused him to drop a bit on draft weekend, but he still has starting potential. He would have carried a second-round grade if healthy, and this is a case of the organization knowing when to pull the trigger on a guy with a durability flag. If he recovers fully, Looney could end up filling the team's second-biggest need.

Seattle Seahawks: C-

The Seahawks drafted guys they really wanted, and with a plan in mind for how to use them. They moved down once, and may have gotten worried that someone would take Bruce Irvin late in the first round if they didn't get him at No. 15. Again, you have to find the right dance partner to move around the board. But we're still talking about a player I had a late second-round grade on. Irvin could gets 10 sacks in 2012.

He's not a three-down player yet. Bobby Wagner fills a need at linebacker, but he's another guy who would have been around later on. Russell Wilson is a great test case for shorter QBs, because he has everything else, but did they need him in the third round after grabbing Matt Flynn to come in and likely start? I had running back as a need, and Robert Turbin could help out. The needs were met outside of wide receiver, but in terms of maximizing value, there are huge questions. Again, this is a grade of the draft process, not the players alone.

Impact pick: ILB Bobby Wagner (second) -- At fist glance, linebacker might not seem to be an immediate need for the Seahawks. However, Leroy Hill and Barrett Ruud have struggled to stay on the field and Wagner can provide depth both inside and outside. He'll also contribute on special teams, and even if he's not getting a lot of snaps on defense, Wagner's ability to be a backup at two spots opens up options elsewhere on the roster and has an impact.

Intriguing pick: RB Robert Turbin (fourth) -- Turbin might not be groomed to be the starter, but he's a good-sized back with explosive straight-line burst who can take some of the load off starter Marshawn Lynch in terms of inside carries. Turbin is a one-cut-and-go runner who can plant his foot and accelerate through creases, and if his previous ball-security issues continue to plague him, it's not like the team loses a lot on a fourth-round pick. Turbin also has some ability in the passing game, so the upside is there.

St. Louis Rams: B-

The St. Louis Rams got a lot of nice players in Round 2. The downside, as Jon Gruden noted to me, is that this was a team that at one time held the No. 2 overall pick in the draft. The Rams were in a position to draft a guy they assume is capable of stardom. Did they get adequate return in this draft (remember, a lot of the value will be coming in the next few years given the trade parameters)? Let's see. Michael Brockers helps a need area, but there's developmental work to be done. I really like Brian Quick, and he has the upside of a No. 1 wide receiver, with a big frame (6-4, 220) and pretty good speed. He'll need some developmental work given the leap in levels. You know the off-the-field story on Janoris Jenkins.

He's a risk, but he's a top-15 talent if he can stay focused on football. I'm a fan of the traits Isaiah Pead can bring to this offense. He's explosive. Trumaine Johnson is a good value at cornerback, and Chris Givens could become a starter. Greg Zuerlein was the top kicker on my board. The Rams got a lot of players, but also inherited some risk with development to be done. Not a bad draft, and they have more picks on the way courtesy of the Redskins.

Impact: CB Janoris Jenkins (second) -- The risk-reward gamble is huge with Jenkins and his considerable character baggage, but anyone who saw him shut down the likes of Jeffery, A.J. Green and Julio Jones in 2010 knows just what kind of cover corner Jenkins can be. He's ready to be a starter right now, and the Rams would not have picked him unless they had a game plan in place to minimize distractions and help him bring it all together both on and off the field. If he pans out, and I think he will, Jenkins will become one of the steals of this year's class.

Intriguing pick: WR Brian Quick (second) -- How steep will Quick's learning curve be coming from a small school, and can he handle the transition to NFL life both on and off the field? Some feel he could become overwhelmed in that regard, but there's no denying his impressive size and athleticism. If he can adjust to bigger, faster corners and more complex schemes on both sides of the ball, quick could eventually become the kind of perimeter weapon QB Sam Bradford needs badly.

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Every year, the NFL draft provides a springboard for some teams while others simply fall flat on their faces. It's nice to talk about which teams made the biggest leaps forward, but it's a lot more fun to talk about teams that stumbled right before the jump, causing them to wipe out in an epic fashion. That's what this piece is all about. Here's the 3 teams I thought did nothing do help themselves out in the 2012 NFL draft.

Cleveland Browns

The Browns entered the draft with two first round picks, including the 3rd overall selection which they traded for just prior to the beginning of the draft. What did they do with their two high picks? They picked a very good running back in Trent Richardson, and they drafted Brandon Weeden, a quarterback, with the 22nd pick. I would have liked the Richardson pick if it had occurred between picks 10 and 15 of the draft, and Weeden isn't ready to start in the NFL. It's not all bad however. Mitchell Schwartz is a solid tackle out of California that will be able to solidify their offensive line. Still, don't expect the Browns to win many games in 2012. They're in a tough division, and they didn't impress me with their draft picks this year.

Minnesota Vikings

Picking Matt Kalil to help protect 2nd year quarterback Christian Ponder was an obvious pick, and it was a good pick. The Vikings added a lot of reliable protection when they decided to go with Kalil, but the one thing Kalil won't be doing is helping Ponder find targets to throw to. Christian Ponder became a member of the Vikings at the wrong time. The Vikings' future in Minnesota is still in doubt, and their franchise quarterback still doesn't have enough reliable weapons to move the football down the field with. The Vikings drafted 2 wide receivers in the draft, Jarius Wright and Greg Childs, both in the 4th round. Don't expect those guys to contribute a lot to the Vikings passing attack. My prediction -- another top 10 pick for the Vikings in 2013.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tampa Bay was once considered the "youngriest" team in the NFL, but they've fallen a long ways since that distinction was coined. Last year, Josh Freeman was only a shell of his former self, and the team as a whole imploded in ways no one thought was possible. Like the Browns, the Buccaneers ended up with two first round selections. With the 7th overall pick, they selected Mark Barron, a solid strong safety, but he's also a guy I thought the Buccaneers shouldn't have been picking at 7th overall. Then, with the 31st overall pick, they selected Doug Martin, a running back out of Boise State. The pick itself would be okay, but the Buccaneers should have been using that pick on one of the many positions they needed a lot of help at. Yes, Martin adds depth to the running back position, but there were many more positions that needed to be addressed (offensive line anyone?) that were also far more important to the Buccaneers success in 2012 than finding another running back. Again, this team won't be much better in 2012.

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Back to school, here are some draft grades from the AFC East.

Buffalo Bills: B+

The Bills did a good job of marrying need and BPA with their first pick. Gilmore stormed up the draft board a couple of weeks before the draft being rumored to the Jags or Bucs but once he fell to the Bills, the Bill did the right thinking pouncing on him.

The Bills also got 1srt round talent with Glenn as most experts had Glenn as a first round prospect. Glenn like Gilmore fits a need for the Bills.

Because Buffalo made major free agency signings in Williams and Anderson they weren’t forced to reach on some of the average pass rushers in the earlier rounds. The Bills also drafted the NC State WR who should give the Bills receiving core some help. Graham is not my favorite choice however I still think he should be able to contribute quickly.

Round 1: CB Stephon Gilmore (South Carolina)

Round 2: OT Cordy Glenn (Georgia)

Round 3: WR T.J. Graham (North Carolina State)

Round 4: OLB Nigel Bradham (FSU), CB Ron Brooks (LSU)

Round 5: OT Zebrie Sanders (FSU), OLB Tank Carder (TCU)

Round 6: OG Mark Asper (Oregon)

Round 7: K John Potter (Western Michigan)

Miami Dolphins: TBD / B+

If you think Ryan Tannehill is a franchise QB than this draft is an A-, if you think Tannehill will bust than a C+ might be more appropriate. Any draft where you find your guy at QB is a draft to remember, so the real grade for this draft should come out in 3 years from now.

With that being said I am cautiously optimistic about Tannehill, Ryan has all the skills to be a franchise QB and with the help of solid coaching from Mike Sherman and Joe Philbin, the Texas A&M should have a solid chance at having success in the NFL.

Aside from the QB the Dolphins did pretty well getting a 1^st round talent in Jonathan Martin and some value later on in the draft. Martin should start at RT from day 1 and provides insurance for Jake Long who struggled a little to stay healthy last year as well being in a contract year.

The Dolphins landed Olivier Vernon who Mike Mayock said was a second round talent by his standards. The real interesting pick by the Dolphins is local running back Lamar Miller who some had as the second best running back in this year’s draft and could make a lot of teams regret passing on him.

The Dolphins did a good job on finding both need and the best player available, however with that being said the Dolphins might only start seeing the benefits of this draft class in 2013.

Round 1: QB Ryan Tannehill (Texas A&M)

Round 2: OT Jonathan Martin (Stanford)

Round 3: DE Olivier Vernon (Miami, FL), TE Michael Egnew (Missouri)

Round 4: RB Lamar Miller (Miami, FL)

Round 5: OLB Josh Kaddu (Oregon)

Round 6: WR B.J. Cunningham (Michigan State)

Round 7: DT Kheeston Randall (Texas), WR Rishard Matthews (Nevada)

The Cleveland Browns turned some heads during the NFL draft, especially in the first round. Some of their critics think they've taken a big step in the right direction while others think they buried themselves for years to come with another poor draft.

The Browns' draft class is centered around their first round selections of Trent Richardson at 3rd overall and Brandon Weeden at 22nd overall. Those are the players that will define whether this draft was a springboard to greater things or just another sinkhole in the endless line of personnel failures that have defined the Browns for years.

I've been vocal with my thoughts about Trent Richardson. He's tough to tackle, quick for his size, and he can break a big play at almost any time, but he wasn't the guy the Browns should have been targeting. Cleveland should have been focusing on adding weapons for Colt McCoy. They were in great position to draft Justin Blackmon, which would have added a very athletic and physical target to their offense, but they went with a running back.

My problem with the pick of Richardson is not that he's a bad player. Actually he's a dominant runner, something that's seldom seen in today's NFL, but I also believe that a team can survive, even thrive, with average runners. In other words, the running back position is not a premium position, and it hasn't been for some time. Running backs are a dime a dozen, and the Browns could have found a solid runner for a fraction of the opportunity cost.

The Browns' other selection, Brandon Weeden, may be one of the most intriguing picks of the draft. Weeden will be competing with Colt McCoy for the starting position in Cleveland at a time where most people thought McCoy just needed more time and weapons to thrive as a starting quarterback in the NFL. The only thing the pick does is add an unnecessary quarterback controversy to an already weak offensive unit. Weeden will likely be very green entering the league, and McCoy may crumble under the pressure that is applied by Weeden. If that happens, suddenly the Browns have no quarterback, and if you don't have a quarterback in the NFL, you have no offense.

The Browns made intriguing picks in the first round of the 2012 NFL draft. The only way to know whether those picks will pay off or backfire is to sit back, wait, and see. I'm not sure what exactly they were thinking when they made their picks, especially selecting Weeden in the first round, but they know more about those guys than I will likely ever know. Maybe they know something that I'm missing, but I'm just not seeing it, and I don't know how or even if it'll pan out in Cleveland moving forward.

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Last night as a sat around a table of 35 guys enjoying the NFL draft there was something that I noticed. While all of anxiously awaited the picks of each team and to see what teams would trade up, I noticed that there was one guy at the table who was at least 1 or 2 minutes a head of everyone else.

One person at the table had access to twitter where picks and trades were publicized a good 1 or 2 minutes before being broadcasted on ESPN or NFL Network.

Like everything else these days it seemed as though pending on who you follow that your twitter timeline was a third alternative to ESPN and NFL Network when watching the NFL draft.

While I am a huge twitter advocate, the aspect of the speedy reporting on twitter did take away from some of the suspense of the NFL draft. The TV networks were told by the NFL to avoid showing the phone call process in draft room to increase the suspense and mystery of the draft but this seemed to be a failed attempt with the information available on twitter.

Twitter even led to a player being prank called, convincing Mohamed Sanu that he had been drafted by the Bengals in the first round.

As per agent @MikeMcCartney7, someone made a prank call to tell Mohamed Sanu he was being drafted first round by Bengals. Awful.

— Andrew Brandt (@adbrandt) April 27, 2012

Twitter is a fun means to interact with fans and friends to discuss the draft but it is also a dangerous tool.

While there is no question, twitter and social media has created a whole new world for fans however I am not so sure it has left a positive impact on the draft.

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Yesterday, the Jacksonville Jaguars made possibly the most stunning, and confusing to some, move of the draft. With their third round selection, the Jaguars drafted Bryan Anger, a punter from California. I'll say that again for dramatic effect. The Jaguars drafted a punter in the 3rd round of the draft.

Before we throw the Jaguars under the bus for making Anger the highest drafted punter since the Bears drafted Todd Sauerbrun with their 2nd round selection in 1995. Punters are a very important, especially for a team that doesn't move the ball very well like the Jaguars.

Another aspect of the pick is that it's as close to a "safe pick" as you'll ever get in the NFL. Punters are very easy to evaluate. Kickers tend to get far more consistent in the early years of their NFL careers, but punters tend to come into the NFL more refined than their kicking counterparts.

So we revert to our original question. Is a punter worth a high draft pick? I would argue yes. A good punter can bury a team deep in their own territory. A good punter can also instantly swap field position. Essentially, a punter is a defensive player. A good punt allows the defense to come on the field and attack. No, it's not a glamorous pick, but I like the idea of taking a great punter at the top of the draft.

In the Jaguars' case, the pick combines a need with a great player. I've always been a firm believer that punters and kickers make a huge difference in the game. You can argue that they don't matter as much because they only play a handful of plays per game they aren't as important, but the plays they are in for, they're the focal point, and those plays matter more than most other plays in the game.

If you don't like picking a punter in the first few rounds of the draft, that's a justifyable opinion, but just know that the NFL Network agrees with me on this one.

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The madness that was the first round of the draft has finally come to an end. The top end of the draft was ripe with trades as teams panicked to get the guy they wanted. The teens were fairly relaxed with some picks that fell in line with most projections and then it got wild at the end again when a few backs went off the board and the Pats traded up not once but twice.

The night got off to an interesting start when the Browns jumped up to three to ensure that they would get T-Rich. It was pretty clear that the Vikings were going to go for Kalil, but there was no guarantee that another team wouldn't jump up. So the Browns were flush were picks and made the move for the back that they hope will be the next Adrian Peterson.

The Jags finally figured out that in order for their young “franchise” pivot to have something resembling success they need to have someone for him to throw the ball to. Laurent Robinson and Lee Evans were brought in to be complimentary pieces and then they jumped to five to snag Justin Blackmon. The Boldin clone will hopefully make Gabbert not look like a complete flop.

First shocker? The Cowboys of course. They moved up to grab Morris Claiborne, a player that they had no contact with before the draft. No visits. No calls. Nothing. They got a stud corner to go along with Brandon Carr who they lured in during open market season. What would a draft be without Jerry Jones doing something ridiculous?