The NFL Supplemental Draft is over, and two of the NFL’s top teams — the Baltimore Ravens and San Diego Chargers — walked away with two potential studs while paying only bargain-basement prices.

I said that two GMs with great job security would take CB Paul Oliver and T Jared Gaither (pictured right), and I was right — A.J. Smith (Chargers) and Ozzie Newsome (Ravens), respectively. I don’t know why media members and team execs are so against the supplemental draft. I understand that teams value all of their draft picks. I get that, I really do. Here’s the thing, though — how many 2008 fourth- and fifth-round draft picks will end up being better than Gaither and Oliver? Maybe a few, but not many.

The Chargers likely found their nickelback for the upcoming season. For a team that’s trying to win a championship, this was a brilliant move. There isn’t a better CB on the free agent market right now, so they did the smart thing and rolled with Oliver. I’m not saying that Oliver will single-handedly take the Bolts to the Super Bowl, because of course he won’t. What I’m saying is if the Chargers do make the Big Game, then this will likely be one of the moves that got them there.

The Ravens getting Gaither in the fifth round was a genius move as well. If he flops, so what — most fifth-rounders bust. If he realizes his full potential, then the Ravens will have replaced Jonathon Ogden with a guy who would of been a top-10 pick in 2009 for a measly fifth-rounder. C’mon, how is that risky?

Gaither and Oliver aren’t The Namesake. They aren’t Tank Johnson. They definitely aren’t Chris Henry. They just didn’t make good grades. Who gives a shit; I certainly don’t care about the grades of sure-fire NFL players. If they can play, they can play. Do you think Ray Lewis and Shawne Merriman pulled four-Os at The U and Maryland? No way. A.J. and Oz are just smart enough to know that even a dumbass can be a great football player. That’s why their teams, and not the Colts, are the best bets to challenge the Pats in the AFC in ‘07.