Grading Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff: 2013 draft

Today we continue our series grading Thomas Dimitroff for his efforts in filling needs on the Falcons' roster through the NFL draft and veteran acquisitions. We're moving on to 2013, a year that yielded Desmond Trufant, which was a pretty good start, honestly.

For more information about our grading system, you can read our introductory article here: Overview of grading Thomas Dimitroff as GM.

Falcons

Seahawks

Giants

Browns

Quick thoughts:

Desmond Trufant is very, very good. He earned his first Pro Bowl bid last season, and while he doesn't consistently get the recognition he might deserve from other fans and the national media, he certainly has quite a reputation among opposing quarterbacks, who try to throw to his side of the field as infrequently as possible.

Robert Alford hasn't played at a Pro Bowl level, but he has been a serviceable starter. This scheme is a good fit for him, and he should continue to be a valuable contributor.

Is Thomas Dimitroff just bad at drafting pass rushers? So far, he hasn't exactly earned stellar grades for his efforts there. Malliciah Goodman and Stansly Maponga are not exceptions to this rule.

Levine Toilolo isn't the most beloved tight end on Atlanta's roster, but he's contributed at a decent level for a fourth rounder.

Kemal Ishmael is one of Atlanta's better draft picks in the Dimitroff era. Despite being a seventh-round pick, he has performed effectively when called upon to start because of various injuries to William Moore.

Sean Renfree was drafted to be a backup quarterback, and he's a pretty okay backup quarterback.

Final tally:

Falcons (Average: 3.125) - This draft turned out decently for Atlanta. A few guys washed out, but they landed two quality starting cornerbacks in the first and second rounds, and Kemal Ishmael has definitely exceeded expectations for a seventh rounder.

Seahawks (Average: 2.09) - Oof. This did not go well for the Seahawks, despite the fact that this was the team we were using as our good comparison. To have this many picks and so few players actually yield reasonable results is painful.

Giants: (Average: 3.14) - This was a pretty good effort from New York, our average team for comparative purposes. Justin Pugh and Johnathan Hankins skew their average upward, both being significant contributors.

Browns: (Average: 2.6) - This was kind of interesting for Cleveland, the team we're using as an example of a bad front office. They hit on their last two picks, which helped a great deal. Whiffing on the first three, however, helps explain why they've struggled over the past few seasons.