50 Most Underrated Albums of the 2000's So Far: #15-1 + Full Recap

As a result of getting caught up in writing other things, I never got to around to finishing my 50 most underrated albums of the 2000's so far countdown. Well after a nearly eight month hiatus since the unveiling of #16 and 15 months after I started the countdown, the series will finally be coming to a close today. Below are the write-ups for the last 15 albums in the countdown and a full recap of the entire list for people that missed (or read and forgot about it since I started this countdown during the Eisenhower administration) the rest of the series. Hope you all enjoy and I apologize for taking so long to finish this up.

15.As I Lay Dying-The Powerless Rise (2010):
After the much-acclaimed An Ocean Between Us was released in 2007, people failed to take notice of As I Lay Dying's subsequent releases. Their follow-up to an An Ocean Between Us, The Powerless Rise, took everything that made An Ocean Between Us great and raised it to the next level. The compositions were more complex than ever with an enhanced emphasis on technicality and melody, and Tim Lambesis delivered the most ferocious vocal performance of his career. After the release of good but not great Awakened in 2012 and departure of everyone in the band besides drummer Jordan Mancino after Lambesis was sentenced to prison for six years after pleading guilty to a felony charge of attempted murder solicitation in April 2014, The Powerless Rise can now be viewed as the swansong of one of the greatest metalcore bands of all-time.
Standout Tracks 1.Without Conclusion 2.Anodyne Sea 3.The Plague
 
14.Children of Bodom-Hate Crew Deathroll (2003)
Hate Crew Death Roll was the last truly special album that Finnish extreme metal icons Children of Bodom  released and for that reason alone, it will always have a special place in my heart. Hate Crew Deathroll is 37 minutes of catchy, over-the-top, synth-driven melodic death metal that is every bit as relentless as it is memorable.
Standout Tracks 1.Needled 24/7 2.Triple Corpse Hammerblow 3.Bodom Beach Terror


13.My Chemical Romance-Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge (2004)
My Chemical Romance is largely written off as a band because of the way they dressed and their emo-influenced lyrics. If you put aside their image and lyrical content and just focus on the music itself, they crafted some of the best pop punk to ever be released,and their breakout 2004 release Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge was their seminal piece of work. Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge has all the big hooks and bouncy melodies you've come to expect from pop punk with bursts of post-hardcore aggression and mature introspection to make them stand out from their sunnier peers like blink-182 and Taking Back Sunday.
Standout Tracks 1.Thank You for the Venom 2.To the End 3.The Ghost of You

12.The Faceless-Autotheism (2012)
The long delayed third LP from progressive/technical death metal titans The Faceless may not have been the groundbreaking masterpiece 2008's Planetary Duality was, but it showed The Faceless was capable of taking their music in a more straight-up progressive direction without losing any of the raw abrasive power that made their earlier releases special.
Standout Tracks 1.Autotheist Movement I-III 2.In Solitude 3.Accelerated Evolution


11.Unearth-Darkness in the Light (2011)
If I had allowed bands to have more than one release appear on this countdown, Unearth's entire discography would be on this list. However, in a career full of overlooked gems, Darkness in the Light is the most criminally under-appreciated. Darkness in the Light is essentially an unofficial "best of " album for Unearth as they combined the unadulterated heaviness of III: In the Eyes of Fire with the melodic undertones and technicality of The Oncoming Storm and The March. Darkness in the Light is a monstrous assault on the senses that showcases everything that makes Unearth great over the course of a single album. 
Standout Tracks 1.Arise the War Cry 2.Coming of the Dark 3.Eyes of Black  
 

10.Skeletonwitch-Beyond the Permafrost (2007)
Beyond the Permafrost was the first time a majority of the metal world was introduced to Skeletonwitch and the Ohio-based quintet were able to make quite the impression with their Prosthetic Records debut. Their hybrid of thrash metal compositions and energy with black metal vocals made for a unique sound that packed a serious wallop and made Beyond the Permafrost one of the most consistently memorable releases in recent memory.
Standout Tracks 1.Upon Wings of Black 2.Within My Blood 3.Soul Thrashing Black Sorcery


9.Fallujah-The Harvest Wombs (2011):
Of all the debut albums I've heard in the past five years or so, none have been as polished, ambitious or flat-out fantastic as Fallujah's The Harvest Wombs. The Harvest Wombs is able to stand out because of Fallujah's ability to expertly incorporate beautiful ambient melodies into crushing technical death metal. The Harvest Wombs is an immense album that instantly cemented Fallujah as one of the most innovative young bands in extreme metal.
Standout Tracks 1.Become One 2.Assemblage of Wolves 3.Prison of the Mind


8.After the Burial-Rareform (2008):
When it comes to deathcore, it doesn't get any better than After the Burial's Rareform. Rareform took the breakdown and guttural vocal-driven formula deathcore had been known for at the time, and turned on its head with heavy use of Meshuggah-esque grooves, stunning prog melodies and awe-inspiring guitar solos from Trent Hafdahl. Rareform defied the stereotype that all deathcore is simple and monotonous, and it deserves to be recognized as one of the most important extreme metal releases of the new millennium.
Standout Tracks 1.Berzerker 2.Drifts 3.Ometh
 
7.letlive.-Fake History (2010)
Some people might not agree with this pick because it got a considerable amount of love in a lot of online music circles. However, I feel this record still didn't get anywhere close to the attention it deserved hence why I put it on this list. Before I heard Fake History, I was beginning to believe that post-hardcore was becoming a dead genre. Every release was rooted in the same trite, whiny garbage while there was seemingly no bands set to emerge and break the increasingly stale mold set by the band's at the forefront of the scene. Letlive. changed that. With a versatile frontman in Jason Butler -who could tackle banshee-esque screaming and beautiful clean singing with equal proficiency, and instrumentation that wasn't afraid to shift tempos on a dime, letlive. was able to create an infectious album that incited chaos and demanded the listener's attention throughout. Fake History was the giant middle finger to convention post-hardcore needed to become an inspired genre again.
Standout Tracks: 1.Homeless Jazz 2.The Sick, Sick 6.8 Billion 3.Renegade 86'
 

6.System of a Down-Hypnotize (2005)
System of a Down's last studio album is also their most polarizing and I could honestly never figure as to why that was. It has all the zaniness and high volume of wholly memorable tracks you'd come to expect from System of a Down record and for my money, is a much more consistent record than its beloved predecessor, Mesmerize. Hypnotize was an amazing and fitting capstone on the all-too-short career of System of a Down.
Standout Tracks 1.Stealing Society 2.U-Fig 3.Attack  

5.Painted in Exile-Revitalized (2009)
Revitalized may only be a 3 song EP, but it's 100x more memorable than most LP's could dream of being. In just three songs that span just under 30 minutes, Painted in Exile is able to make one of the most captivating and gleefully strange progressive metal records of the 21st century so far. The tonal shifts from jazz to death metal to prog may sound jarring on paper, but they're all brilliantly executed and it's absolute joy to listen to all the twists and turns unfold. It pains me so much that these guys are still an active band yet they STILL haven't released anything since Revitalized. 
Standout Tracks 1.Revitalized 2.Distanced by Dissonance 3.Skylines 


4.Protest the Hero-Scurrilous (2011)
 Canadian progressive metal act Protest the Hero has released a lot of excellent material since they burst onto the scene in 2007 with Keizia, but nothing has topped the heights they achieved with their third LP Scurrilous. After releasing two albums centered around fictional narratives, vocalist Rody Walker decided to go the more personal route with his lyrical storytelling on Scurrilous, and it makes for one of the most poignant listening experiences I've had in my entire life. Walker bears his soul on everything from failed relationships to the experience of watching one of his best friends fight cancer to the shadiness of the record industry with equal potency and honesty. Walker backs up his phenomenal lyrics with an emotionally-charged vocal performance that showcases his insane range even more than he did on their past releases. Walker's tour-de-force vocal/lyrical performance paired with the relentless technicality that this band has become known for makes Scurrilous a powerful musical ride that can not be shaken under any circumstances.
Standout Tracks 1.C'est La Vie 2.Dunsel 3.Termites  

3.The Dillinger Escape Plan-Option Paralysis (2010):
The Dillinger Escape Plan are synonymous with praise from critics and audiences alike, but the one album of theirs that is vastly overlooked is the best of their entire discography. Option Paralysis brought Dillinger's sound to the next level by incorporating more melody into the fold without disregarding Dillinger's trademark tornado-esque chaos. The Dillinger Escape Plan had always been a great band, but they didn't truly flourish until the release of Option Paralysis.
Standout Tracks 1.Widower 2.Chinese Whispers 3.Gold Teeth on a Bum


2.The Red Chord-Clients (2005)
I've said before it and I'll say it again: The Red Chord is the most underrated extreme metal band of all-time, and there is no greater evidence of their brilliance than 2005's Clients. Clients combines the spastic nature of grind with the crunch of brutal death metal and the precision of technical death metal to make a one-of-a-kind biting powerhouse of an album. Behemoth's Demigod , Necrophagist's Epitaph and Nile's Annihilation of Wicked are largely regarded as the most important death metal releases of mid 2000's, but as far as I'm concerned, that distinction goes to Clients.
Standout Tracks 1.Antman 2.Black Santa 3.Blue Line Cretin
  

1.Coheed and Cambria-Good Apollo I'm Burning Star IV, Volume One: From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness (2005):
With From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness, Coheed and Cambria was able to create a modern day prog opus that beckons back to the days when bands like Rush and King Crimson were producing album after album of complex, nerd-friendly prog fare. From the eerie strings of intro "Keeping the Blade" to the triumphant four-part closer "The Willing Well", Claudio Sanchez and co. take the listener on an enthralling, endlessly complex and consistently brilliant musical journey that is simply unforgettable. From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness is a stone cold classic that deserves to mentioned in the same breath as In The Court of the Crimson King and Moving Pictures in the greatest prog album of all-time discussion.
Standout Tracks 1.Ten Speed (Of God's Blood and Burial) 2.The Willing Well I-IV 3.Crossing the Frame

Full-list recap:

50.All Shall Perish-This is Where it Ends (2011)

49.Big K.R.I.T.-K.R.I.T. Wuz Here (2010)

48.Dropkick Murphys-The Warrior’s Code (2005)

47.Animals as Leaders-Weightless (2011)

46.3 Inches of Blood-Fire up the Blades (2007)

45.Son of Aurelius-The Farthest Reaches (2010)

44.Alkaline Trio-Crimson (2005)

43.Municipal Waste-The Art of Partying (2007)

42.Alice in Chains-Black Gives Way to Blue (2009)

41.Fleshgod Apocalypse-Agony (2011)

40.Lazarus A.D.-The Onslaught (2009)

39.Lamb of God-Resolution (2013)

38.Parkway Drive-Horizons (2007)

37.A Loss for Words-No Sanctuary (2011)

36.Arch Enemy-Khaos Legions (2011)

35.Andrew W.K.-I Get Wet (2001)

34.Born of Osiris-The Discovery (2011)

33.Battlecross-War of Will (2013)

32.Cannibal Corpse-Kill (2006)

31.Doom-Born Like This (2009)

30.Machine Head-Unto the Locust (2011)

29.God Forbid-Earthsblood (2009)

28.Killswitch Engage-As Daylight Dies (2006)

27.Slipknot-All Hope is Gone (2008)

26.Avenged Sevenfold-City of Evil (2005)

25.Hope for the Dying-Altheia (2013)

24.Revocation-Existence is Futile (2009)

23.Behemoth-Evangellion (2009)

22.Atmosphere-Seven's Travels (2003)

21.Last Chance to Reason-Level 2 (2011)

20.Sylosis-Monolith (2012)

19.The Story So Far-Under Soil and Dirt (2011)

18.All That Remains-The Fall of Ideals (2006)

17.Hatebreed-The Rise of Brutality (2003)

16.Intronaut-Valley of Smoke (2010)

15.As I Lay Dying-The Powerless Rise (2010)

14.Children of Bodom-Hate Crew Deathroll (2003)

13.My Chemical Romance-Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge (2004)

12.The Faceless-Autotheism (2012)

11.Unearth-Darkness in the Light (2011)

10.Skeletonwitch-Beyond the Permafrost (2007)

9.Fallujah-The Harvest Wombs (2011)

8.After the Burial-Rareform (2008)

7.letlive.-Fake History (2010)

6.System of a Down-Hypnotize (2005)

5.Painted in Exile-Revitalized (2009)

4.Protest the Hero-Scurrilous (2011)

3.The Dillinger Escape Plan-Option Paralysis (2010)

2.The Red Chord-Clients (2005)

1.Coheed and Cambria-Good Apollo I'm Burning Star IV: From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness (2005)

2015 NFL Position Rankings: Top 50 Running Backs

50.Bishop Sankey (Titans)

49.Chris Johnson (Free Agent)

48.Andre Williams (Giants)

47.DeAngelo Williams (Steelers)

46.Ahmad Bradshaw (Free Agent)

45.Branden Oliver (Chargers)

44.Bilal Powell (Jets)

43.Roy Helu Jr. (Raiders)

42.Bobby Rainey (Buccaneers)

41.Daniel “Boom” Herron (Colts)

40.Isaiah Crowell (Browns)

39.Terrance West (Browns)

38.Matt Asiata (Vikings)

37.Andre Ellington (Cardinals)

36.Darren Sproles (Eagles)

35.Darren McFadden (Cowboys)

34.Latavius Murray (Raiders)

33.Shane Vereen (Giants)

32.Jerick McKinnon (Vikings)

31.Jonathan Stewart (Panthers)

30.Danny Woodhead (Chargers)

29.Denard Robinson (Jaguars)

28.Doug Martin (Buccaneers)

27.Rashad Jennings (Giants)

26.LeGarette Blount (Patriots)

25.Stevan Ridley (Jets)

24.C.J. Spiller (Saints)

23.Reggie Bush (49ers)

22.Tre Mason (Rams)

21.Chris Ivory (Jets)

20.Giovani Bernard (Bengals)

19.Fred Jackson (Bills)

18.C.J. Anderson (Broncos)

17.Justin Forsett (Ravens)

16.Ryan Matthews (Eagles)

15.Mark Ingram (Saints)

14.Joique Bell (Lions)

13.Lamar Miller (Dolphins)

12.Jeremy Hill (Bengals)

11.Alfred Morris (Redskins)

10.Frank Gore (Colts)

9.Eddie Lacy (Packers)

8.Arian Foster (Texans)

7.Le'Veon Bell (Steelers)

6.DeMarco Murray (Eagles)

5.Matt Forte (Bears)

4.LeSean McCoy (Bills)
3.Jammal Charles (Chiefs)

2.Adrian Peterson (Vikings)

1.Marshawn Lynch (Seahawks)

Album Review: Dance Gavin Dance-Instant Gratification

California-based post-hardcore act Dance Gavin Dance's decade-long existence has been loaded with adversity. They've endured nearly a dozen lineup changes with only guitarist Will Swan and drummer Matt Mingus appearing on every release and haven't retained the same lineup on back-to-back releases since their 2006 EP Whatever I Say Is Royal Ocean and their 2007 debut full-length Downtown Battle Mountain. However, the band has persevered through all the obstacles thrown at them over the years and haven't allowed the constant member changes detract from their standing as one of the most popular bands in the post-hardcore scene. Their sixth LP Instant Gratification is the first release since Downtown Battle Mountain to feature the same lineup as the album that preceded it and that continuity results in this being the most complete work of Dance Gavin Dance's career thus far.

The presence of the lineup continuity that has long eluded Dance Gavin Dance on Instant Gratification goes a long way in aiding their chemistry as a band. The band has never not sounded like a finely-tuned machine on any of their previous releases, bu going through multiple writing and recording processes with the same group of guys has paid dividends for their tightness as a band. The area where this increased cohesiveness pays off the most is in the rapport between harsh vocalist Jon Mess and clean vocalist Tillan Pearson. On their previous release Acceptance Speech, there was a clear disconnect between the two group's vocalists. The transitions between the duo's vocal sections were rough at best and Pearson seemed to be kind of intimated to take over the spot of Jonny Craig and subsequently tried way too hard to emulate the vocal patterns of the group's notorious founding clean vocalist. On Instant Gratification, the pair has turned the tide. Pearson has officially stepped out of Craig's shadow and allows his unique, soulful voice to be heard. Pearson's ability to establish his own identity on this record has patched over any previous deficiencies in the musical relationship between him and Mess. The shifts between Mess' raw screams and Pearson's angelic falsetto singing are constant and abrupt, but every single change feels organic and their ability to feed off each others energy has built a really nice chemistry between them. Mess and Pearson have the perfect contrast in vocal styles that is needed for Dance Gavin Dance's abrasive yet poppy sound to thrive.

While the band's improved cohesiveness plays a crucial role in the success of Instant Gratification, its the work of the group's backbone, Swan and Mingus, that solidifies this record as Dance Gavin Dance's seminal piece of work. Swan and Mingus have been integral to the band's longevity as they've stayed focused and true to their creative vision with a treasure trove of musicians coming and going alongside them. While Mingus is an excellent drummer who doesn't get nearly enough love for his chops behind the kit, Swan has always been the most endearing aspect of this band and that's still very much the case here. As the group's primary songwriter and lead guitarist, Swan is the architect of Dance Gavin Dance's distinctly wide-spanning and bizarre sound. From the use of ultra-clean, pop-inspired melodies ("Awkward", "Something New") to  to distorted spastic technical riffing that wouldn't sound out of place on a Dillinger Escape Plan album ("Shark Dad", "Stroke God, Millionaire"), Swan is a thoroughly unpredictable player that is never less than thrilling to listen to. Mingus and Swan are the beating heart of Dance Gavin Dance and the scope of their abilities and unwavering dedication to this band has never been more apparent than it is on Instant Gratification  

Instant Gratification is the record Dance Gavin Dance has been striving to make for their entire career. It's still very much rooted in the pop and soul-tinged post-hardcore sound that they've had since their inception, it's just better realized than ever before. The instrumentation is more dynamic, the vocals are crisper and there are more earworms planted here than on anything they've released in the past. After the mediocrity of Downtown Battle Mountain II and Acceptance Speech, Instant Gratification is a reminder of the juggernaut Dance Gavin Dance can be when they're on the top of their game.

4/5 Stars
Standout Tracks
1.Stroke God, Millionaire
2.Shark Dad
3.We Own the Night         

2015 NFL Position Rankings: Top 25 Quarterbacks

With the draft completed and fallout from Ted Wells' Deflategate report dominating conversation in NFL media and fan circles, I figured now was an ideal time to kick off my annual NFL player ranking series. In the coming weeks, I'll be posting rankings of who I believe to be the best of the best at each position on offense, defense and special teams, starting today with quarterbacks. I hope this series provides some entertainment in the weeks and months before the regular season kicks off, and helps breaks up some of the monotony of the ongoing Deflategate debates. Lastly, I encourage everyone to debate my picks and/or post their own lists in the comments sections below!

Notes/Rules for These Lists:

1.Rookies are excluded from these rankings

2.Each player is judged on where they currently stand in my opinion, not the player they once were, are going to be, etc.

3.Each player is listed as member of the team they will play for in 2015, not who they played for in 2014.

   

25.Blake Bortles (Jaguars)

24.Derek Carr (Raiders)

23.Teddy Bridgewater (Vikings)

22.Colin Kaepernick (49ers)

21.Sam Bradford (Eagles)

20.Andy Dalton (Bengals)

19.Carson Palmer (Cardinals)

18.Jay Cutler (Bears)

17.Alex Smith (Chiefs)

16.Nick Foles (Rams)

15.Joe Flacco (Ravens)

14.Matthew Stafford (Lions)

13.Eli Manning (Giants)

12.Ryan Tannehill (Dolphins)

11.Cam Newton (Panthers)
10.Russell Wilson (Seahawks)

9.Phillip Rivers (Chargers)

8.Matt Ryan (Falcons)

7.Tony Romo (Cowboys)

6.Peyton Manning (Broncos)

5.Andrew Luck (Colts)

4.Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers)

3.Drew Brees (Saints)

2.Tom Brady (Patriots)

1.Aaron Rodgers (Packers)

Movie Review: Avengers: Age of Ultron

In 2012, Marvel Studios dropped the event film to end all event films with The Avengers. Marvel had been building up to the release of The Avengers for almost a decade with origin stories of all the main characters, which in turn built up an enormous excitement level for the release of Marvel's cornerstone film. The first on-screen team up of Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, The Incredible Hulk and other lesser Marvel heroes miraculously ended up living up to the hype as The Avengers was one of the most entertaining, amusing and  well-executed superhero movies of all-time. Three years later, the even more hotly anticipated sequel Age of Ultron has arrived. While Age of Ultron is a surefire bet to satisfy most fans of the Marvel universe, it can't avoid feeling seriously underwhelming in the shadow of its predecessor.

While it's unreasonable to expect the filmmakers to top the quality of the original, I expected a much better effort than this for the sequel to a landmark comic book film. Age of Ultron is basically the original film with a weaker villain, far less memorable action scenes and unnecessary subplots galore. The fact that this film is just a vastly inferior retread of the original is incredibly frustrating. Marvel films aren't exactly the benchmark for innovation in Hollywood, but I expected someone as creative and gifted as writer/director Joss Whedon to create something that doesn't feel as stale as this.

The vibe of familiarity that runs through Age of Ultron would be forgivable if the film was thoroughly entertaining, but it just isn't. There was a number of times- especially during the middle of the film- where I was nodding off in the theater. Whedon's script spends way too much time introducing but not really developing an abundance of new subplots and characters, and it becomes really exhausting. The incoherent and overly cluttered narrative is particularly baffling because Whedon did such a great job of balancing all of the characters in the first installment. In Age of Ultron, he seems to have forgotten how to achieve that balance. This film goes so overboard with character introductions, relationships and hints at future films in the Marvel universe that the film often becomes an overwhelming exercise in comic book excess instead of the fun, engaging blockbuster it should be. The drawn-out narrative also means the number of action sequences- which are the clear primary attraction in a film like this- are kept to a relatively small number. I have no issue with a superhero film not having an abundance of action scenes, but if you don't counteract that lack of action with a coherent and interesting story, the film is not going to be a booming success.

For all of the shortcomings with the script, Whedon steps up the comedic elements to the next level and its the main reason Age of Ultron is able to stay afloat. The humor is much more natural this time around and a majority of the one-liners and gags work beautifully. Not only are the jokes sharper, the cast is more comfortable delivering them. Robert Downey Jr. has been fantastic with comedic delivery since the first Iron Man film, but Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth and Jeremy Renner are now in the ballpark of Downey's level of comedic precision. Comedy in a superhero film is always a risky proposition, but Age of Ultron does it exceptionally well and it goes a long way in saving this movie from crashing and burning.

While the action is kept to a relative minimum for a Marvel film, there are still a couple of nice sequences along the way. The opening scene in a wooded Hydra fortress and the climatic battle with Ultron, which takes place on a flying city, are simply captivating to watch. These battles are absolutely massive in scope with dozens of people fighting at once, but Whedon is able to capture all the havoc being wreaked with some well-done quick-cut shots that match the chaotic nature of the scene. All of my bitching may lead you to believe the contrary, but Age of Ultron really isn't a bad movie. There's some great action scenes, a lot of laughs and the main cast is as good as ever, it's just way too pedestrian and disjointed to be anything noteworthy in the increasingly large stable of Marvel Studios films.

3/5 Stars 

2015 NFL Draft Recap + Top 50 Prospects and Top 5 Players by Position

The 2015 NFL Draft officially came to a close last night after three action-packed days in Chicago. Now that the chaos of the draft has subsided, here are my picks for what teams made the biggest splash and what teams missed the mark, the biggest reaches and steals, and a deep collection of other post-draft lists and analysis that you may or may not want.

Biggest Winner: Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars have quietly been getting stronger by the season under head coach Gus Bradley and general manager Dave Caldwell and their third draft together was easily their most impressive work to date. They addressed all of their needs on both sides of the ball and made consistently smart selections throughout the draft. 1st round pick Dante Fowler Jr. has the most upside of any pass-rusher in the draft, 3rd round pick A.J. Cann is a mauler that immediately adds toughness to an offensive line that desperately needs it and the late-round selections of two players that were touted as 2nd-3rd round talents (wide receiver Rashad Greene and defensive tackle Michael Bennett) were amongst the top value picks of the entire draft. This strong draft class could be a huge factor in speeding up the Jaguars goal of finally getting out of the league's basement.
Honorable Mentions: Cleveland Browns, Chicago Bears, Houston Texans, Minnesota Vikings

Biggest Loser: Carolina Panthers
I've been critical of Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman's picks in the past and been proven wrong. Hell just last year I ripped the Panthers for taking wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin in the 1st round, who made me look like a total ass by having one of the strongest seasons of any rookie in the league in 2014. That being said, I'm really struggling to see how this draft class will improve this roster. The Panthers spent a 1st- round pick on a guy in Shaq Thompson who doesn't have a true position then proceeded to trade away their 3rd and 6th picks to move up 16 spots in the 2nd round and select wide receiver Devin Funchess, who is a boom-or-bust prospect with some of the most inconsistent hands and route-running of any wideout in this draft class. Worst of all, the Panthers once again all but completely ignored their biggest need at offensive line. Tackle Daryl Williams, who was selected in the 4th round, has some potential, but they really needed to bring more bodies in since they have no reliable starters aside from center Ryan Kalil currently on their line. The Panthers are knocking on the door of being legitimate title contenders, but I don't believe this draft class will do much to help improve their standing in the talent-loaded NFC. 
Dishonorable Mentions: Kansas City Chiefs,  Seattle Seahawks, Indianapolis Colts, San Fransisco 49ers

Biggest Steal: Malcom Brown, defensive tackle (Round 1, 32nd overall, New England Patriots)
I'm still in awe that Malcom Brown fell into the Patriots lap at the tail-end of the 1st round. Brown was a top 15-caliber prospect who has a nose for the ball and is quite possibly the best pure interior run-stuffer in this draft class. Brown should help immediately patch up the defensive line and rush defense woes that plagued the Patriots a year ago.
Honorable Mentions: Shane Ray, defensive end/outside linebacker (Round 1, 23rd overall, Denver Broncos), Jaelen Strong, wide receiver (Round 3, 70th overall, Houston Texans), Maxx Williams, tight end (Round 2, 55th overall, Baltimore Ravens), Eric Kendricks, inside linebacker (Round 2, 45th overall, Minnesota Vikings)

Biggest Reach: Marcus Mariota, quarterback (Round 1, 2nd overall, Tennessee Titans)
Marcus Mariota has already been touted as a savior for the Tennessee Titans, but I just don't see it. Spending the 2nd pick in the draft on a guy who's never played in a pro-style system, panics when his first read isn't open and has next-to-no pocket awareness doesn't really make a whole lot of sense to me, especially given how talent-barren the Titans roster is on the whole. If Mariota ends up failing, the entire organization is going to regret not taking Philadelphia's insane trade offer for the number 2 pick.
Dishonorable Mentions: Ereck Flowers, tackle (Round 1,9th overall, New York Giants), Shaq Thompson, (Round 1, 25th overall, Carolina Panthers), Cedric Ogbuehi, tackle (Round 1, 21st overall, Cincinnati Bengals), Frank Clark, defensive end (Round 2, 63rd overall, Seattle Seahawks)

Top 5 Potential Sleepers:
1.Jamison Crowder, wide receiver (Round 4, 105th overall, Washington Redskins)
2.Ifo Expre-Olumu, cornerback (Round 7, 241st overall, Cleveland Browns)
3.Kwon Alexander, outside linebacker (Round 4, 124th overall, Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
4.JaCorey Shepard, cornerback (Round 6, 191st overall, Philadelphia Eagles)
5.MyCole Pruitt, tight end (Round 5, 143rd overall, Minnesota Vikings)

Top 5 Potential Busts
1.Marcus Mariota, quarterback (Round 1, 2nd overall, Tennessee Titans)
2.Arik Armstead, defensive tackle/end (Round 1, 17th overall, San Fransisco 49ers)
3.Jalen Collins, cornerback (Round 2, 42nd overall, Atlanta Falcons)
4.Cedric Ogbuehi, tackle (Round 1, 21st overall, Cincinnati Bengals)
5.Shaq Thompson, outside linebacker/safety (Round 1, 25th overall, Carolina Panthers)

Top 50 Prospects
1.Leonard Williams, defensive tackle/end (USC) selected 6th overall by the New York Jets
2.Dante Fowler Jr., outside linebacker/defensive end (Florida) selected 3rd overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars
3.Kevin White, wide receiver (West Virginia), selected 7th overall by the Chicago Bears
4.Vic Beasley, outside linebacker (Clemson), selected 8th overall by the Atlanta Falcons
5.Amari Cooper, wide receiver (Alabama), selected 4th overall by the Oakland Raiders
6.Brandon Scherff, guard/tackle (Iowa), selected 5th overall by the Washington Redskins
7.Todd Gurley, running back (Georgia), selected 10th overall by the St. Louis Rams
8.Trae Waynes, cornerback (Michigan State), selected 11th overall by the Minnesota Vikings
9.Alvin "Bud" Dupree, defensive end/outside linebacker (Kentucky), selected 22nd overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers
10.Danny Shelton, defensive tackle (Washington), selected 12th overall by the Cleveland Browns
11.Shane Ray, defensive end/outside linebacker (Missouri), selected 23rd overall by the Denver Broncos
12.Dorial Green-Beckham, wide receiver (Missouri), selected 40th overall by the Tennessee Titans
13.Malcom Brown, defensive tackle (Texas), selected 32nd overall by the New England Patriots
14.Kevin Johnson, cornerback (Wake Forest), selected 16th overall by the Houston Texans
15.Landon Collins, safety (Alabama), selected 33rd overall by the New York Giants
16.Nelson Agholor, wide receiver (USC), selected 20th overall by the Philadelphia Eagles
17.Cameron Erving, center/guard/tackle (Florida State), selected 19th overall by the Cleveland Browns
18.Andrus Peat, tackle (Stanford), selected 13th overall by the New Orleans Saints
19.Jameis Winston, quarterback (Florida State), selected 1st overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
20.Eric Kendricks, inside linebacker (UCLA), selected 45th overall by the Minnesota Vikings
21.Laken Tomlinson, guard (Duke), selected 28th overall by the Detroit Lions
22.Jaelen Strong, wide receiver (Arizona State), selected 70th overall by the Houston Texans
23.Denzel Perryman, inside linebacker (Miami) selected 48th overall by the San Diego Chargers
24.DeVante Parker, wide receiver (Louisville), selected 14th overall by the Miami Dolphins
25.Maxx Williams, tight end (Minnesota), selected 55th overall by the Baltimore Ravens
26.Byron Jones, cornerback (Connecticut), selected 27th overall by the Dallas Cowboys
27.D.J. Humphries, tackle (Florida), selected 24th overall by the Arizona Cardinals
28.Breshad Perriman, wide receiver (Central Florida), selected 26th overall by the Baltimore Ravens
29.Ameer Abdullah, running back (Nebraska), selected 54th overall by the Detroit Lions
30.Jake Fisher, tackle (Oregon), selected 53rd overall by the Cincinnati Bengals
31.Ronald Darby, cornerback (Florida State), selected 50th overall by the Buffalo Bills
32.Jay Ajayi, running back (Boise State), selected 149th overall by the Miami Dolphins
33.Carl Davis, defensive tackle (Iowa), selected 90th overall by the Baltimore Ravens
34.Marcus Peters, cornerback (Washington), selected 18th overall by the Kansas City Chiefs
35.Ereck Flowers, tackle (Miami), selected 9th overall by the New York Giants
36.Randy Gregory, outside linebacker (Nebraska), selected 60th overall by the Dallas Cowboys
37.Eddie Goldman, defensive tackle/end (Florida State), selected 39th overall by the Chicago Bears
38.Benardrick McKinney, inside linebacker (Mississippi State), selected 43rd overall by the Houston Texans
39.Phillip Dorsett, wide receiver (Miami), selected 29th overall by the Indianapolis Colts
40.Eli Harold, outside linebacker (Virginia), selected 79th overall by the San Fransisco 49ers
41.A.J. Cann, guard (South Carolina), selected 67th overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars
42.Damarious Randall, safety (Arizona State), selected 30th overall by the Green Bay Packers
43.Duke Johnson, running back (Miami), selected 77th overall by the Cleveland Browns
44.Paul Dawson, inside linebacker (TCU), selected 99th overall by the Cincinnati Bengals
45.Jordan Phillips, defensive tackle (Oklahoma), selected 52nd overall by the Miami Dolphins
46.Stephone Anthony, inside linebacker (Clemson), selected 31st overall by the New Orleans Saints
47.Devin Smith, wide receiver (Ohio State), selected 37th overall by the New York Jets
48.Melvin Gordon, running back (Wisconsin), selected 15th overall by the San Diego Chargers
49.Tyler Lockett, wide receiver (Kansas State), selected 69th overall by the Seattle Seahawks
50.T.J. Yeldon, running back (Alabama), selected 36th overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars

Top 5 Players by Position  
Quarterback
1.Jameis Winston (Florida State) NFL Team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2.Bryce Petty (Baylor) NFL Team: New York Jets
3.Brett Hundley (UCLA) NFL Team: Green Bay Packers
4.Marcus Mariota (Oregon) NFL Team: Tennessee Titans
5.Sean Mannion (Oregon State) NFL Team: St. Louis Rams

Running Back
1.Todd Gurley (Georgia) NFL Team: St. Louis Rams
2.Ameer Abdullah (Nebraska) NFL Team: Detroit Lions
3.Jay Ajayi (Boise State) NFL Team: Miami Dolphins
4.Duke Johnson (Miami) NFL Team: Cleveland Browns
5.Melvin Gordon (Wisconsin) NFL Team: San Diego Chargers

Wide Receiver
1.Kevin White (West Virginia) NFL Team: Chicago Bears
2.Amari Cooper (Alabama) NFL Team: Oakland Raiders
3.Dorial Green-Beckham (Missouri) NFL Team: Tennessee Titans
4.Nelson Agholor (USC) NFL Team: Philadelphia Eagles
5.Jaelen Strong (Arizona State) NFL Team: Houston Texans

Tight End
1.Maxx Williams (Minnesota) NFL Team: Baltimore Ravens
2.Clive Walford (Miami) NFL Team: Oakland Raiders
3.Blake Bell (Oklahoma) NFL Team: San Fransisco 49ers
4.Nick O'Leary (Florida State) NFL Team: Buffalo Bills
5.Tyler Kroft (Rutgers) NFL Team: Cincinnati Bengals

Tackle
1.Andrus Peat (Stanford) NFL Team: New Orleans Saints
2.D.J. Humphries (Florida) NFL Team: Arizona Cardinals
3.Jake Fisher (Oregon) NFL Team: Cincinnati Bengals
4.Ereck Flowers (Miami) NFL Team: New York Giants
5.T.J. Clemmings (Pittsburgh) NFL Team: Minnesota Vikings

Center
1.Cameron Erving (Florida State) NFL Team: Cleveland Browns
2.Hrnoiss Grasu (Oregon) NFL Team: Chicago Bears
3.Ali Marpet (Hobart) NFL Team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
4.Resse Dismukes (Auburn) NFL Team: Pittsburgh Steelers
5.Andy Gallik (Boston College) NFL Team: Tennessee Titans

Guard
1.Brandon Scherff (Iowa) NFL Team: Washington Redskins
2.Laken Tomlinson (Duke) NFL Team: Detroit Lions
3.A.J. Cann (South Carolina) NFL Team: Jacksonville Jaguars
4.Tre' Jackson (Florida State) NFL Team: New England Patriots
5.John Miller (Louisville) NFL Team: Buffalo Bills

Defensive End
1.Dante Fowler. Jr (Florida) NFL Team: Jacksonville Jaguars
2.Bud Dupree (Kentucky) NFL Team: Pittsburgh Steelers
3.Shane Ray (Missouri) NFL Team: Denver Broncos
4.Owamagbe Odighizuwa (UCLA) NFL Team: New York Giants
5.Danielle Hunter (LSU) NFL Team: Minnesota Vikings

Defensive Tackle
1.Leonard Williams (USC) NFL Team: New York Jets
2.Danny Shelton (Washington) NFL Team: Cleveland Browns
3.Malcom Brown (Texas) NFL Team: New England Patriots
4.Carl Davis (Iowa) NFL Team: Baltimore Ravens
5.Eddie Goldman (Florida State) NFL Team: Chicago Bears

Inside Linebacker
1.Eric Kendricks (UCLA) NFL Team: Minnesota Vikings
2.Denzel Perryman (Miami) NFL Team: San Diego Chargers
3.Benardrick McKinney (Mississippi State) NFL Team: Houston Texans
4.Paul Dawson (TCU) NFL Team: Cincinnati Bengals
5.Stephone Anthony (Clemson) NFL Team: New Orleans Saints

Outside Linebacker
1.Vic Beasley (Clemson) NFL Team: Atlanta Falcons
2.Randy Gregory (Nebraska) NFL Team: Dallas Cowboys
3.Eli Harold (Virgina) NFL Team: San Fransisco 49ers
4.Preston Smith (Mississippi State) NFL Team: Washington Redskins
5.Hau'oli Kikaha (Washington) NFL Team: New Orleans Saints

Cornerback
1.Trae Waynes (Michigan State) NFL Team: Minnesota Vikings
2.Kevin Johnson (Wake Forest) NFL Team: Houston Texans
3.Byron Jones (Connecticut) NFL Team: Dallas Cowboys
4.Ronald Darby (Florida State) NFL Team: Buffalo Bills
5.Marcus Peters (Washington) NFL Team: Kansas City Chiefs

Safety
1.Landon Collins (Alabama) NFL Team: New York Giants
2.Damarious Randall (Arizona State) NFL Team: Green Bay Packers
3.Jaquiski Tartt (Samford) NFL Team: San Fransisco 49ers
4.Derron Smith (Fresno State) NFL Team: Cincinnati Bengals
5.James Sample (Louisville) NFL Team: Jacksonville Jaguars

Team Draft Grades (For a list of every team's selections, click here: http://www.nfl.com/draft/2015/tracker/by-round#dt-tabs:dt-by-team)
Arizona Cardinals: B-
Atlanta Falcons: B
Baltimore Ravens:  A-
Buffalo Bills: B+
Carolina Panthers: C- 
Chicago Bears: A
Cincinnati Bengals: A-
Cleveland Browns: A
Dallas Cowboys: B-
Denver Broncos: B
Detroit Lions: B+
Green Bay Packers: B-
Houston Texans: A
Indianapolis Colts: C 
Jacksonville Jaguars: A
Kansas City Chiefs: C
Miami Dolphins: A-
Minnesota Vikings: A
New England Patriots: B+
New Orleans Saints: B+
New York Giants: B-
New York Jets: B+
Oakland Raiders: B
Philadelphia Eagles: B+
Pittsburgh Steelers: A-
San Diego Chargers: B
San Fransisco 49ers: C+
Seattle Seahawks: C
St. Louis Rams: B
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: B
Tennessee Titans: B
Washington Redskins: B+

10 Best Players Available on Day 2 of the NFL Draft

Day 2 of the NFL Draft starts tonight at 7 P.M. EST. Here are my picks for the 10 best guys available heading into Rounds 2 and 3.

1.Dorial Green-Beckham, wide receiver (Missouri)
2.Landon Collins, safety (Alabama)
3.Eric Kendricks, inside linebacker (UCLA)
4.Jaelen Strong, wide receiver (Arizona State)
5.Denzel Perryman, inside linebacker (Miami)
6.Maxx Williams, tight end (Minnesota)
7.Ameer Abdullah, running back (Nebraska)
8.Jake Fisher, tackle (Oregon)
9.Ronald Darby, cornerback (Florida State)
10.Jay Ajayi, running back (Boise State)
Honorable Mentions: Carl Davis, defensive tackle (Iowa), Randy Gregory, outside linebacker (Nebraska), Eddie Goldman, defensive tackle/end (Florida State), Eli Harold, defensive end/outside linebacker (Virginia), A.J. Cann, guard (South Carolina)