Before the 2012 NFL Draft consumes everything in its path this offseason, ESPN's Mel Kiper has gone back and reassessed the 2011 NFL Draft grades he handed out back after April festivities (Insider required). For the Denver Broncos, there's much ado about nothing. Kiper keeps the Broncos at a B grade. He sees Von Miller essentially making up the bulk of that B since the linebacker was a dominant force in turning around the team this season. Elven and one-half sacks as a rookie isn't bad either.
Kiper also likes what right tackle Orlando Franklin, but he feels that safety Rahim Moore's poor play kept this draft class from going up a bit at the end of the year. Moore looked poised to be a solid rookie contributor but he eventually found his way to the bench in favor of fellow rookie Quinton Carter. The other rookies have been limited in their first seasons.
The only team in the AFC West to see a bump up in its grade was the Oakland Raiders, moving from a C-plus to a B-plus. Kiper gushes about the picks, but especially Denarius Moore, calling him a "potential star." The Kansas City Chiefs dropped from a C-plus to a C. The San Diego Chargers dropped from a B-plus to a C-plus, but Kiper believes it will be better in the long term if Corey Liuget turns into a solid player.