Alright folks. For those that have been diligently awaiting the reveal of this draft's top 10, your time is now. Below you will find the teams that I ranked as having the ten best drafts this past weekend.
For those that are grabbing this article first, read this to understand more about how the scoring system works, and which teams earned the bottom rankings. Then check this out to see which teams were in the middle of the pack, and just missed the top ten.
Now, take a look below and see who the offseason draft champion was.
10. Tennessee Titans (C+)
1.02 - Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon (C)
2.08 - Dorial Beckham Green, WR, Missouri (B+)
3.02 - Jeremiah Poutasi, OT, Utah (D)
4.01 - Angelo Blackson, DT, Auburn (D+)
4.09 - Jalston Fowler, FB, Alabama (B-)
5.02 - David Cobb, RB, Minnesota (B-)
6.01 - Deiontrez Mount, LB, Louisville (C-)
6.32 - Andy Gallick, C, Boston College (B-)
7.28 - Tre McBride, WR, William & Mary (C)
The Titans were a terrible football team a year ago, and they used this opportunity to pull of a top ten haul, which can be a foundation for a future resurgence. Ironically, it was their top selection, number two overall, that were among their worst picks, and I really like Mariota.
As I mentioned in my ratings piece, system fit is a really important part of the overall grade. If Philly selected Mariota at 2, this pick is an A or better. With Tennesse it is a C at best because he simply doesn't fit this offense, and I don't believe that Kenny Wisenhunt has any intention of reworking his offense for Marcus. Poutasi and Blackson were tow other picks I really didn't care for as I felt both were reaches.
Still they pulled off a top ten draft on the strength of the rest of their selection. I love the Beckham Green pick here. He is an absolute first round talent, and if his troubles saty in his past, he joins Justin Hunter and Kendall Wright to make a scary 1-2-3 set for their new signal caller. Andy Gallick could be an impact player from day 1, and they got him in round 6. David Cobb will be an awesome complimentary back to the faster yet smaller Bishop Sankey, and with Jalston Fowler running in front of these guys, there will be some room.
Trading out of the two spot and collecting more assets could have turned this top ten draft into a top 5.
9. Detroit Lions (C+)
1.28 - Laken Tomlinson, OG, Duke (A-)
2.22 - Ameer Abdullah, RB, Nebraska (B+)
3.16 - Alex Carter, CB, Stanford (C-)
4.14 - Gabe Wright, NT, Auburn (C+)
5.32 - Michael Burton, FB, Rutgers (C)
6.24 - Quandre Diggs, CB, Texas (C-)
7.23 - Corey Robinson, OT, South Carolina (F)
The Lions cam into this draft with 7 picks, and went home with 7 picks. Not all were special, but enough were special enough to place this team in the top ten.
I fully expected the Lions would look at DT early, specifically Eddie Goldman, because it was such a need. Instead, they stayed true to their board, and grabbed Tomlinson, who also happens to fill a position of need, on the offensive side of the ball. Tomlinson will pair with the young Warford to give Detroit an excellent pair of interior studs for this line. Then they grabbed Abdullah to fill the role vacated by the departure of Reggie Bush, a role which he will excel at. They also still managed to address their need in the front of their D-line when they added the big boy, Gabe Wright in round 4. They still need to do more, but Wright is a start. I also like the pair of corners in Carter and Diggs. Not sure either will start right away, but both should make this team, and contribute.
Well done by Detroit to capitalize on 5 of their 7 selections.
8. Pittsburgh Steelers (B-)
1.22 - Bud Dupree, LB, Kentucky (B+)
2.24 - Senquez Golson, CB, Ole Miss (C)
3.23 - Sammie Coates, WR, Auburn (C)
4.22 - Doran Grant, CB, Ohio State (B+)
5.24 - Jesse James, TE, Penn State (C)
6.23 - Leterrius Walton, NT, Central Michigan (B)
6.36 - Anthony Chickillo, DE, Miami (C)
7.22 - Gerod Holliman, S, Louisville (C+)
So how good were the drafts for the AFC North teams? Well Pittsburgh comes in at number 7 overall, and they had the LOWEST grade of any team in the division. Kind of scary.
The Steelers are quite possibly the most consistent team when it comes to the draft. They are not creative. They don't trade around a lot. They simply sit tight and take they guy with the best grade on their board. Period. Every time. That is exactly what led this team to adding Bud Dupree in the first. Sure he is a pass rushing linebacker, just like Jarvis Jones (2-yrs ago) and Ryan Shazier (last year). But he was the best on their board, and he was available. And Mike Tomlin and his staff will find ways to use him, and his knack at getting after opposing QBs. They didn't reach for a corner or safety in round 1, but instead landed 3 new pieces to their secondary in Golson, Grant, and Holliman. All three of these guys have a nose for the ball as they combined for 29 take-aways last year. Since this is something the Steelers want to do more of, each will be a welcome addition. My favorite pick for this team though was 6th rounder Leterrius Walton. I had a 4th round grade on him, and speculated he would be a great fit for Pittsburgh. He place the Nose hard, and he has a blue collar mentality that will quickly make him a fan favorite.
Really good job by Kevin Colbert, yet again.
7. Cleveland Browns (B-)
1.12 - Danny Shelton, NT, Washington (B+)
1.19 - Cam Erving, OL, Florida State (A)
2.19 - Nate Orchard, DE, Utah (C+)
3.13 - Duke Johnson, RB, Miami (C+)
3.32 - Xavier Cooper, DT, Washington State (B+)
4.16 - Ibraheim Campbell, S, Northwestern (C+)
4.24 - Vince Mayle, WR, Washington State (C-)
6.13 - Charlie Gaines, CB, Louisville (C)
6.19 - Malcolm Johnson, TE, Mississippi State (D)
6.22 - Randall Telfer, TE, USC (D)
7.02 - Haynes Pullard, LB, USC (C)
7.24 - Iko Ekpre-Olomu, CB, Oregon (C)
The Browns? A top ten draft? Really? Yes. Absolutely. Ray Farmer and company had 12 picks going into this draft, and when you make smart picks with the first 6, you are going to have a top ten class. In fact, if not for all the extra picks (and the law of averages kicking in) the Browns could have landed even higher on this list.
The started the draft strong with the Shelton / Erving selections, and they now have young anchors for both of their lines. Erving also provides insurance should Alex Mack bolt after this year. Xavier Cooper was an excellent choice at the end of the third to fill their 5-technique role, as he is cut from a similar cloth as Haloti Ngata. Nate Orchard will fill the pass rushing LB spot for this team, Campbell could push for playing time in that secondary early, and Duke Johnson helps this running game. Even Charlie Gaines, Haynes Pullard, and Ikp Ekpre-Olomu could make this roster this year.
As I already mentioned, if not for a pair of questionable TEs, and a WR in Mayle who I am not that fond of, this was an excellent draft for the Browns. Now, about that QB situation...
6. Miami Dolphins (B)
1.14 - Devante Parker, WR, Louisville (B)
2.20 - Jordan Phillips, DT, Oklahoma (C-)
4.15 - Jamil Douglas, OG, Arizona State (C+)
5.09 - Bobby McCain, CB, Memphis (C)
5.13 - Jay Ajayi, RB, Bosie State (B+)
5.14 - Cedric Thompson, S, Minnesota (B)
5.20 - Tony Lippet, WR, Michigan State (C)
So how does a team who doesn't draft a sing player with a A grade crack the top 10? Simple. Land an average grade or better with every one of your seven picks. No outstanding individual picks, but overall a very good draft because each piece fits.
With all of the hype going to Amari Cooper (deservedly) and Kevin White (less deservedly), Devante Parker was overlooked a bit, and that is a shame. He is an excellent route runner who has a knack for separation. Add a good pair of hand to it and you have the makings of an excellent pro wide out. He still needs to hit the weight room a bit, but bulk and strength can be added. Jamil Douglas will compete immediately for a starting OG position, Bobby McCain is an undersized, scrappy corner, who reminds me a lot of the Chargers Jason Verrett. Scares about an overblown injury allowed for the Phins to grab a huge upside play at RB in Jay Ajayi and Cedric Thompson is one of my favorite Safeties in this draft.
They only pick I was even a little weary of was the selection of Jordan Phillips. He was hurt in college, and adding another d-lineman, with a real need at pass rushing LB (and good players still available) was the only decision I can question.
5. Minnesota Vikings (B)
1.11 - Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State (B-)
2.13 - Eric Kendricks, LB, UCLA (B)
3.24 - Danielle Hunter, DE, LSU (B+)
4.11 - TJ Clemmings, OT, Pittsburgh (A)
5.07 - MyCole Pruitt, TE, Southern Illinois (C-)
5.10 - Stefon Diggs, WR, Maryland (C)
6.09 - Tyrus Thompson, OT, Oklahoma (C-)
6.17 - BJ Dubose, DT, Louisville (F)
7.11 - Austin Shepherd, OT, Alabama (C)
7.15 - Edmond Robinson, LB, Newberry (F)
In a draft awfully similar to Cleveland's, Minnesota used their plethora of picks well, especially at the top, adding contributor after contributor for 5 of their first 6 picks. It all started with the selection of Waynes, who will be a great addition to this secondary, pushing the incumbents to either play up, or move out. Kendricks will pair with his former college teammate, last year's top selection, Anthony Barr, to create an excellent pair of young, ball-carrier seeking missiles. Danielle Hunter can definitely bend the edge, and TJ Clemmings will be a future stud at OT, once he fully adapts to the position. Even Stefon Diggs could be called on to contribute with his excellent speed, although it will likely be in a special teams capacity early on.
Outside of BJ Dubose, there was no other picks which I would deem throw-aways, and that leads Minnesota to an easy top ten draft, and a future to be excited about.
4. Baltimore Ravens (B+)
1.26 - Breshad Perriman, WR, Central Florida (B+)
2.23 - Maxx Williams, TE, Minnesota (B-)
3.26 - Carl Davis, DT, Iowa (A-)
4.23 - ZaDarius Smith, LB, Kentucky (A-)
4.26 - Buck Allen, RB, Southern Cal (C-)
4.37 - Trey Walker, CB, Texas Southern (C)
5.35 - Nick Boyle, TE, Delaware (F)
5.40 - Robert Meyers, OG, Tennessee State (C-)
6.28 - Darren Waller, WR, Georgia Tech (C)
Year in and year out, Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome, continues to impress me with his management of his board, and the way he moves with the flow of the draft. He knows when to move up, when to move down, and when to stay put to get the guy who he is targeting.
This year is no different, and again, Ozzie lands a top ten haul. Perriman in the first was the exact right call to immediately, and completely replace Torrey Smith. He is legit fast, and has size and pedigree to go along with it. But best of all, he is a "hand-snatcher" at the receiver position, meaning he makes the grabs by attacking the ball with his hands rather than waiting for it to come into his body. Maxx Williams will be a great fit in this system and should relieve some of the pressure on the oft injured Dennis Pitta. Carl Davis and ZaDarius Smith are my two favorites from this class for this team though. Davis will asked to fill the void left by Ngata. That will be hard, but he has the skill set and potential to do it. Smith will have the opportunity to learn under Suggs for a few years before he eventually replaces him. He is an outstanding play chaser, and he has some underrated pass rush moves now. Wait until he studies under Sizzle.
This was an excellent draft all around for the Ravens, which has become commonplace for this team.
3. Cincinnati Bengals (A-)
1.21 - Cedric Ogbuehi, OT, TAMU (C-)
2.21 - Jake Fisher, OT, Oregon (B+)
3.21 - Tyler Croft, TE, Rutgers (C)
3.35 - Paul Dawson, LB, Texas Christian (A)
4.21 - Josh Shaw, CB, Southern Cal (C+)
4.36 - Marcus Hardison, DE, Arizona State (C+)
5.21 - CJ Uzmoah, TE, Auburn (C-)
6.21 - Derron Smith, S, Fresno State (A-)
7.21 - Mario Alford, WR, West Virginia (F)
How good is this Bengals roster? Well, they used their first two picks of this draft to select offensive tackles, neither of who will start this year, and none of the draft experts are giving them any heat for it. Now that is a stacked roster.
Considering they added great talent throughout this draft to continue to build depth really made this a special draft for Cincy. Jake Fisher is an awesomely athletic OT, who can absolutely play on the left side in this league. Tyler Croft will pair with Tyler Eifert to give Andy Dalton a pair of athletic TEs who can stretch the seam. Paul Dawson and Derron Smith were both crazy good selections though. Dawson simply jumps off the tape at you when you watch him, and he becomes a perfect fit in this defense. Derron Smith should have gone off the board 4 rounds earlier, and for him to be there for the Bengals so late was just a gift. Don't be surprised to see him as a starting Safety for this team in the 2016 season.
I understand the Ogbuehi pick, but I don't love it. I think he is a bit limited to begin with, and coming off an injury hurts too. Sure he will have the time, as he is essentially going to be able to redshirt this season, and maybe he develops into something more, but that is the one pick I really question.
Despite that, this was another fantastic draft for the perennial playoff participant, Cincinnati Bengals.
2. Jacksonville Jaguars (A)
1.03 - Dante Fowler Jr, LB, Florida (A+)
2.04 - TJ Yeldon, RB, Alabama (B-)
3.03 - AJ Cann, OG, South Carolina (B+)
4.05 - James Sample, S, Louisville (C+)
5.03 - Rashad Green, WR, Florida State (C+)
6.04 - Michael Bennett, DT, Ohio State (C+)
7.03 - Neal Sterling, WR, Monmouth (D)
7.12 - Ben Koyak, TE, Notre Dame (C+)
For the last two season, the Jags have been stockpiling talent, and this year's class was the best yet. Having landed their offensive centerpiece last year at the 3rd overall selection (Blake Bortles), this year they add their defensive leader of the future in Dante Fowler. Fowler is the perfect fit for Gus Bradley's Leo role, and will be terrorizing opposing QBs for years. Fowler was one of the two highest single player grades in this whole draft (Leonard Williams was the only one higher), and Jacksonville needed this centerpiece.
To also add TJ Yeldon to be their new primary ball carrier, AJ Cann to the o-line, and other talents like Green (one of the most productive Seminole receivers in school history), Sample (top five safety on my board), Bennett (a fourth round grade who want in the 6th), and Koyak (a 4th round grade who went in the 7th), the Jags simply added great talent at great value all the way through.
I am very happy to see the Jags add a superb class here. Hopefully for GM Dave Caldwell and HC Gus Bradley, it does not wind up being a great class for the next coach and GM.
1. Atlanta Falcons (A+)
1.08 - Vic Beasley, LB, Clemson (A)
2.10 - Jalen Collins, CB, LSU (A)
3.09 - Tevin Coleman, RB, Indiana (A-)
4.08 - Justin Hardy, WR, East Carolina (B-)
5.01 - Grady Jarrett, NT, Clemson (A-)
7.08 - Jake Rodgers, OT, Eastern Washington (F)
7.32 - Akeem King, DB, San Jose State (D)
How do you win the best draft overall? Make 4 of your first 5 selections "A" range picks. Atlanta simply hit it out of the park with this draft. There were a lot of other tams that had nice drafts, but in this draft, Atlanta is the smart kid who sits up front, and completely ruins the curve for everyone else.
Atlanta needed to do a better job of getting after the QB. They spent their top pick on the second best pass rusher from this class. Mission accomplished. They needed to do a better job of shutting down opponents downfield attack. They added Jalen Collins in the second round who should have been off the board in the first. He has tremendous speed, and can cover well too. He projects to be a number 1 corner in the league. Mission accomplished. The needed a more consistent threat carrying the ball, to take pressure off Matt Ryan and the passing game. Tevin Coleman was one of the top RBs in the nation last year, and he did it on a broken foot. Now he is healthy. Mission accomplished.
Add into the mix Justin Hardy, who has blazing speed, and Grady Jarrett who is stout as stout can be at the point of attack against the run, and you have the best first 5 selections in this draft, by a substantial margin.
My only knock against the Falcons, is they did not add any valuable pieces to the o-line. I still see this as an opportunity for this team, but they were not going to leap into the Super Bowl discussion with 1 draft. Just wait for another year or two though, and watch out for those Birds.
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Tuesday, May 5, 2015
Monday, May 4, 2015
EZ Does It - 2015 NFL Draft Review 11-20
In our last post, we looked at the teams who ranked #21 - #32 from the most recent NFL Draft. I also spent some time in that post outlining the limitations with ranking a draft immediately following it, and the way in which the rating were derived. If you haven't already read this, I suggest you grab a copy here.
So lets keep on reviewing the teams, starting from #20 and working our way up to #11.
20. Washington Redskins (C-)
1.05 - Brandon Scherff, OT, Iowa (B-)
2.06 - Preston Smith, DE, Mississippi State (B-)
4.06 - Jamison Crowder, WR, Duke (C-)
4.13 - Arie Kouandjio, OG, Alabama (C)
5.05 - Martell Speight, LB, Arkansas (C+)
6.05 - Kyshoen Jarrett, S, Virginia Tech (C-)
6.06 - Tevin Mitchell, CB, Arkansas (C)
6.11 - Evan Spencer, WR, Ohio State (C-)
7.05 - Austin Reiter, C, South Florida (F)
In his first draft as General Manager, Scot McCloughan is already putting his stamp on this organization. Considered by many as the best talent evaluator in football, McCloughan is starting to build the Skins using a formula that worked well in both San Francisco and Seattle. He is looking to draft players who fit his system, and trade down where possible to amass additional picks.
Many are calling his first selection, Brandon Scherff, a reach at 5. It may have been a slight reach, (3-4 picks max), but the truth is, Scherff fits his system perfectly. It also kept him away from the rival Giants, so bonus points for him there. I did knock him a bit because I would have tried to orchestrate a trade down to 7, to allow Chicago to trade up for Leonard Williams, and still grabbed Scherff at 7, but that is just a small knock. Preston Smith is another phenomenal fit for the team, and I suspect Kouandjio, Speight, Mitchell, and Spencer will all be playing roles for this team next season. I don't love Crowder like some others do, but still a well done first draft for McCloughan in Washington.
19. New England Patriots (C-)
1.32 - Malcolm Brown, DT, Texas (A)
2.32 - Jordan Richards, DB, Stanford (C-)
3.33 - Geneo Grissom, DE, Oklahoma (C+)
4.02 - Trey Flowers, DE, Arkansas (C+)
4.12 - Tre Jackson, OG, Florida State (A+)
4.32 - Shaq Mason, C, Georgia Tech (C+)
5.30 - Joe Cardona, C, Navy (C-)
6.02 - Matthew Wells, LB, Mississippi State (C-)
6.26 - AJ Derby, TE, Arkansas (F)
7.30 - Daryl Roberts, CB, Marshall (C)
7.36 - Xzavier Dickson, LB, Alabama (C-)
Like the Seahawks, I struggle to be critical of the Patriots draft. Every time I think they reach, they prove they know what they are doing and turn the pick into gold. Maybe that will be the case for Jordan Richards this year. I feel like it was a reach, but then again, Belichick knows what he is doing. I also saw Joe Cardona and Matthew Wells in a similar light.
Now on the other side of the equation, I think the Pats grabbed two of the biggest steals in this draft. Malcolm Brown, whom they took at the bottom of round 1 should have been a top 10-15 selection, and Tre Jackson, who they selected in the 4th round was slated on my board to go two full round earlier. I also really like them adding both Shaq Mason, and Trey Flowers as well. The 4th round of this year's draft by New England was one of the best draft rounds by any team in recent memory.
18. Arizona Cardinals (C)
1.24 - DJ Humphries, OT, Florida (B-)
2.26 - Markus Golden, LB, Missouri (B-)
3.22 - David Johnson, RB, Northern Iowa (C)
4.17 - Rodney Gunter, DT, Deleware State (C-)
5.22 - Shaquille Riddick, DE, West Virginia (C-)
5.23 - JJ Nelson, WR, Alabama Birmingham (C-)
7.39 - Gerald Christian, TE, Louisville (F)
The Cards surprised many last season fighting for the divisional crown, but they have been a very good drafting team as of late, so the roster is really starting to fill out. The top three picks this year will be no exception to that. DJ Humphries has fantastic footwork, and his focus on playing the game from the ground-up, will allow him to bookend Jared Veldheer and give this team excellent young tackles. Markus Golden is one of my favorite linebackers from this class, and I think David Johnson is the perfect compliment to Andre Ellington.
Unfortunately, the Cards left it off there. Except for the possibility of JJ Nelson, I am not sure the remainder of this draft will result in the team adding contributors to this roster. Nelson is blazing fast, and if he does in fact contribute, it will make covering him and fellow speedster John Brown a challenging proposition in Bruce Arians' air-it-out offense.
17. New Orleans Saints (C)
1.13 - Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford (D+)
1.31 - Stephone Anthony, LB, Clemson (A-)
2.12 - Hau'oli Kikaha, LB, Washington (B+)
3.11 - Garrett Grayson, QB, Colorado State (C+)
3.14 - PJ Williams, CB, Florida State (C+)
5.12 - Davis Tull, LB, Chattanooga (C+)
5.18 - Tyeler Davidson, DT, Fresno State (C)
5.31 - Damien Swann, CB, Georgia (C-)
7.13 - Marcus Murphy, RB, Missouri (F)
I have made no secrete of my thoughts on how overrated I felt Andrus Peat is coming into this draft. I know most of the experts disagree with me adamantly on this, but I am sticking to my evaluation, and thus the grade for the Saints with their top pick.
But for their next 5 picks after that, Mickey Loomis was locked in, and grabbed a bunch of talent. I love Stephone Anthony and Davis Tull as their ILBs of the future. I am thrilled to see them add Kikaha as they added a great kid with quite possibly the best motor in this draft. I think they mitigated the behavioral risk with the talented PJ Williams, grabbing him mid third, and Garrett Grayson will have the best possible mentor in Drew Brees, to see if he can become the heir apparent.
Aside from Peat, and not addressing the TE position at all, I thought the Saints did a very good job.
16. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (C)
1.01 - Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State (B-)
2.02 - Donovan Smith, OT, Penn State (C)
2.29 - Ali Marpet, OG, Hobart (C+)
4.25 - Kwon Alexander, LB, LSU (C+)
5.26 - Kenny Bell, WR, Nebraska (C-)
6.08 - Kaelin Clay, WR, Utah (C-)
7.14 - Joey Iosefa, FB, Hawaii (C-)
I am neither a Jameis Winston supporter, nor hater. I think the pick was the right choice for the Bucs, but I also wish there were other options available to them. With Winston in the fold, the Bucs had some great opportunities, and they capitalized on some with the selections of Ali Marpet, Kwon Alexander, and Kenny Bell. Although Alexander and Bell will start off providing depth, I suspect both will be special teams standouts, and start pushing for playing time soon.
Many others are very excited about Donovan Smith, but I am less so. I agree the Bucs had to address the OT position, but with Jake Fisher still on the board, Smith was the wrong choice. He has shown a propensity to be lazy on the football field, and when you are trying to rebuild, and your newest investment is a not very mobile QB, you have to have o-linemen who get after it. Marpet is that. Smith is not.
15. San Diego Chargers (C)
1.15 - Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin (A+)
2.16 - Denzel Perryman, LB, Miami (A)
3.19 - Craig Mager, CB, Texas State (D)
5.17 - Kyle Emmanuel, DE, North Dakota State (C)
6.16 - Darius Philon, DT, Arkansas (C)
The Chargers draft can be looked at in one of two lights. Either it was an excellent draft held back by too few picks, and a big reach in the third, or it can be viewed as a poor overall draft, held up by two very good selections at the top. This is why the grade ultimately lands them in the middle of the pack.
I have been saying all draft season long, Melvin Gordon was the top back on my board. Even over the more talented Todd Gurley. I see Gordon as a dynamo in the pros, and his fit in Sand Diego is perfect. I also have been touting Denzel Perryman as well. He was the top rated ILB on my board, because despite his size, this kid plays football. Both are great additions to this team, and I suspect both will be in the starting lineup week 1.
The rest of the draft however was a bit lackluster. I do like Philon a bit in the 6th, but this team really needs a big body up front to slow opponents running games, and I am not sold on Philon as the long term answer.
14. Chicago Bears (C+)
1.07 - Kevin White, WR, West Virginia (C+)
2.07 - Eddie Goldman, DT, Florida State (A-)
3.07 - Hroniss Grasu, C, Oregon (B-)
4.07 - Jeremy Langford, RB, Michigan State (C)
5.06 - Adrian Amos, S, Penn State (C)
6.07 - Tayo Fabuluje, OT, Texas Christian (F)
With only 6 picks to work with, the Bears had to make the best use of them, and between rounds 2 and 5, I think they did just that. Eddie Goldman had a first round grade on my board, and getting him in round 2, at a position of need looks great for Chicago. Grasu was the second best C on my board, and I think Adrian Amos can develop into a starting caliber Safety if given some time. Langford too will prove valuable as an option to carry the rock while Forte gets a breather.
Really my only knock is with White. I don't dislike him, but I think his body of work is too slight to make a top ten call on this guy. He screams upside, but coming from West Virginia, I see his stat line as a bit over-inflated. I would have LOVED to see them deal up two spots with Washington in round 1 to grab Leonard Williams when he was falling instead.
13. New York Giants (C+)
1.09 - Ereck Flowers, OT, Miami (C-)
2.01 - Landon Collins, S, Alabama (A)
3.10 - Owamagbe Odighizuwa, DE, UCLA (B+)
5.08 - Mykkele Thompson, S, Texas (C-)
6.10 - Geremy Davis, WR, UConn (D+)
7.09 - Bobby Hart, OT, Florida State (D)
I think the Giants made one of the best selections of the draft when they traded up in the second round to grab Landon Collins. Some call him a limited Safety, but the truth is, he is simply a very good box Safety, which is exactly what the Giants need. I also am in love with the fit of Odighizuwa in this defense. All draft season, I have been comparing the raw yet talented Bruin to Jason Pierre Paul. Double O is slightly less althletic, but has similar upside. To have him playing on the other side of JPP is just too perfect.
The Giants could have had a much higher draft grade if not for their selection of Flowers in the first. I don't see Flowers as a bad player, but I think it was a reach to take him in the top ten. I know they wanted to get Scherff, and the Skins ruined that plan, but I would have rather seen them trade down, or take a best overall player strategy than reach for Flowers.
12. Houston Texans (C+)
1.16 - Kevin Johnson, CB, Wake Forest (C-)
2.11 - Benardrick McKinney, LB, Mississippi State (B-)
3.06 - Jalen Strong, WR, Arizona State (A-)
5.39 - Keith Mumphery, WR, Michigam State (D)
6.35 - Reshard Cliett, LB, South Florida (C-)
6.40 - Christian Covington, DT, Rice (C)
7.18 - Kenny Hillard, RB, LSU (C-)
The Texans had the top overall selection in last year's draft, who missed so much time last season, it will be like having him brad new this year too. With a healthy Clowney and Watt, McKinney will look really good in this defense. I also absolutely love the addition of Jalen Strong in the third. He had a first round grade on my board, and I understand his injury situation had him falling, but in the third, he was straight value. Both Covington and Hillard could both be late round selections who are contributors quickly on this team too.
My biggest issue with the Texans draft was with Johnson at the top. I like him as a corner, despite him being undersized, but I would have rather seen him go 10-20 picks later. I think his size could be a liability, but only time will tell on this one.
11. New York Jets (C+)
1.06 - Leonard Williams, DE, Southern Cal (A+)
2.05 - Devin Smith, WR, Ohio State (C-)
3.18 - Lorenzo Mauldin, LB, Louisville (C+)
4.04 - Bryce Petty, QB, Baylor (B+)
5.16 - Jarvis Harrison, OG, TAMU (C+)
7.06 - Deon Simon, DT, Northwestern State (F)
The New York Jets made their first selection of the night at 6, and took advantage of other teams mistakes, specifically Tennessee's, of allowing Leonard Williams to fall. He does not fill a position of need, and moreover, it will be interesting to see how new HC Todd Bowles uses him along with those other studs on the DL, but when you grab the best player in the whole draft, at 6 overall, you get an A+ for the pick. I also love the team being daring with the selection of Bryce Petty in the 4th. He needs some time in the hopper, but if Smith fails again this year, and Fitz can hold it down next, the Jets may have something special after that. Mauldin is also a good pick for this team, and will help the linebacking corp immediately, and Harrison provides some much needed o-line depth.
For the Jets, their poor choice came in round 2. Some folks are very high on Smith. I am not. I think his game is too one dimensional, and until he learns how to run routes other than a 9, I don't see him as a legit NFL weapon. The good news is the Jets have other talent at the position (Marshall, Decker, and Kerley), so if Smith doesn't pan out, they are still OK.
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So lets keep on reviewing the teams, starting from #20 and working our way up to #11.
20. Washington Redskins (C-)
1.05 - Brandon Scherff, OT, Iowa (B-)
2.06 - Preston Smith, DE, Mississippi State (B-)
4.06 - Jamison Crowder, WR, Duke (C-)
4.13 - Arie Kouandjio, OG, Alabama (C)
5.05 - Martell Speight, LB, Arkansas (C+)
6.05 - Kyshoen Jarrett, S, Virginia Tech (C-)
6.06 - Tevin Mitchell, CB, Arkansas (C)
6.11 - Evan Spencer, WR, Ohio State (C-)
7.05 - Austin Reiter, C, South Florida (F)
In his first draft as General Manager, Scot McCloughan is already putting his stamp on this organization. Considered by many as the best talent evaluator in football, McCloughan is starting to build the Skins using a formula that worked well in both San Francisco and Seattle. He is looking to draft players who fit his system, and trade down where possible to amass additional picks.
Many are calling his first selection, Brandon Scherff, a reach at 5. It may have been a slight reach, (3-4 picks max), but the truth is, Scherff fits his system perfectly. It also kept him away from the rival Giants, so bonus points for him there. I did knock him a bit because I would have tried to orchestrate a trade down to 7, to allow Chicago to trade up for Leonard Williams, and still grabbed Scherff at 7, but that is just a small knock. Preston Smith is another phenomenal fit for the team, and I suspect Kouandjio, Speight, Mitchell, and Spencer will all be playing roles for this team next season. I don't love Crowder like some others do, but still a well done first draft for McCloughan in Washington.
19. New England Patriots (C-)
1.32 - Malcolm Brown, DT, Texas (A)
2.32 - Jordan Richards, DB, Stanford (C-)
3.33 - Geneo Grissom, DE, Oklahoma (C+)
4.02 - Trey Flowers, DE, Arkansas (C+)
4.12 - Tre Jackson, OG, Florida State (A+)
4.32 - Shaq Mason, C, Georgia Tech (C+)
5.30 - Joe Cardona, C, Navy (C-)
6.02 - Matthew Wells, LB, Mississippi State (C-)
6.26 - AJ Derby, TE, Arkansas (F)
7.30 - Daryl Roberts, CB, Marshall (C)
7.36 - Xzavier Dickson, LB, Alabama (C-)
Like the Seahawks, I struggle to be critical of the Patriots draft. Every time I think they reach, they prove they know what they are doing and turn the pick into gold. Maybe that will be the case for Jordan Richards this year. I feel like it was a reach, but then again, Belichick knows what he is doing. I also saw Joe Cardona and Matthew Wells in a similar light.
Now on the other side of the equation, I think the Pats grabbed two of the biggest steals in this draft. Malcolm Brown, whom they took at the bottom of round 1 should have been a top 10-15 selection, and Tre Jackson, who they selected in the 4th round was slated on my board to go two full round earlier. I also really like them adding both Shaq Mason, and Trey Flowers as well. The 4th round of this year's draft by New England was one of the best draft rounds by any team in recent memory.
18. Arizona Cardinals (C)
1.24 - DJ Humphries, OT, Florida (B-)
2.26 - Markus Golden, LB, Missouri (B-)
3.22 - David Johnson, RB, Northern Iowa (C)
4.17 - Rodney Gunter, DT, Deleware State (C-)
5.22 - Shaquille Riddick, DE, West Virginia (C-)
5.23 - JJ Nelson, WR, Alabama Birmingham (C-)
7.39 - Gerald Christian, TE, Louisville (F)
The Cards surprised many last season fighting for the divisional crown, but they have been a very good drafting team as of late, so the roster is really starting to fill out. The top three picks this year will be no exception to that. DJ Humphries has fantastic footwork, and his focus on playing the game from the ground-up, will allow him to bookend Jared Veldheer and give this team excellent young tackles. Markus Golden is one of my favorite linebackers from this class, and I think David Johnson is the perfect compliment to Andre Ellington.
Unfortunately, the Cards left it off there. Except for the possibility of JJ Nelson, I am not sure the remainder of this draft will result in the team adding contributors to this roster. Nelson is blazing fast, and if he does in fact contribute, it will make covering him and fellow speedster John Brown a challenging proposition in Bruce Arians' air-it-out offense.
17. New Orleans Saints (C)
1.13 - Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford (D+)
1.31 - Stephone Anthony, LB, Clemson (A-)
2.12 - Hau'oli Kikaha, LB, Washington (B+)
3.11 - Garrett Grayson, QB, Colorado State (C+)
3.14 - PJ Williams, CB, Florida State (C+)
5.12 - Davis Tull, LB, Chattanooga (C+)
5.18 - Tyeler Davidson, DT, Fresno State (C)
5.31 - Damien Swann, CB, Georgia (C-)
7.13 - Marcus Murphy, RB, Missouri (F)
I have made no secrete of my thoughts on how overrated I felt Andrus Peat is coming into this draft. I know most of the experts disagree with me adamantly on this, but I am sticking to my evaluation, and thus the grade for the Saints with their top pick.
But for their next 5 picks after that, Mickey Loomis was locked in, and grabbed a bunch of talent. I love Stephone Anthony and Davis Tull as their ILBs of the future. I am thrilled to see them add Kikaha as they added a great kid with quite possibly the best motor in this draft. I think they mitigated the behavioral risk with the talented PJ Williams, grabbing him mid third, and Garrett Grayson will have the best possible mentor in Drew Brees, to see if he can become the heir apparent.
Aside from Peat, and not addressing the TE position at all, I thought the Saints did a very good job.
16. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (C)
1.01 - Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State (B-)
2.02 - Donovan Smith, OT, Penn State (C)
2.29 - Ali Marpet, OG, Hobart (C+)
4.25 - Kwon Alexander, LB, LSU (C+)
5.26 - Kenny Bell, WR, Nebraska (C-)
6.08 - Kaelin Clay, WR, Utah (C-)
7.14 - Joey Iosefa, FB, Hawaii (C-)
I am neither a Jameis Winston supporter, nor hater. I think the pick was the right choice for the Bucs, but I also wish there were other options available to them. With Winston in the fold, the Bucs had some great opportunities, and they capitalized on some with the selections of Ali Marpet, Kwon Alexander, and Kenny Bell. Although Alexander and Bell will start off providing depth, I suspect both will be special teams standouts, and start pushing for playing time soon.
Many others are very excited about Donovan Smith, but I am less so. I agree the Bucs had to address the OT position, but with Jake Fisher still on the board, Smith was the wrong choice. He has shown a propensity to be lazy on the football field, and when you are trying to rebuild, and your newest investment is a not very mobile QB, you have to have o-linemen who get after it. Marpet is that. Smith is not.
15. San Diego Chargers (C)
1.15 - Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin (A+)
2.16 - Denzel Perryman, LB, Miami (A)
3.19 - Craig Mager, CB, Texas State (D)
5.17 - Kyle Emmanuel, DE, North Dakota State (C)
6.16 - Darius Philon, DT, Arkansas (C)
The Chargers draft can be looked at in one of two lights. Either it was an excellent draft held back by too few picks, and a big reach in the third, or it can be viewed as a poor overall draft, held up by two very good selections at the top. This is why the grade ultimately lands them in the middle of the pack.
I have been saying all draft season long, Melvin Gordon was the top back on my board. Even over the more talented Todd Gurley. I see Gordon as a dynamo in the pros, and his fit in Sand Diego is perfect. I also have been touting Denzel Perryman as well. He was the top rated ILB on my board, because despite his size, this kid plays football. Both are great additions to this team, and I suspect both will be in the starting lineup week 1.
The rest of the draft however was a bit lackluster. I do like Philon a bit in the 6th, but this team really needs a big body up front to slow opponents running games, and I am not sold on Philon as the long term answer.
14. Chicago Bears (C+)
1.07 - Kevin White, WR, West Virginia (C+)
2.07 - Eddie Goldman, DT, Florida State (A-)
3.07 - Hroniss Grasu, C, Oregon (B-)
4.07 - Jeremy Langford, RB, Michigan State (C)
5.06 - Adrian Amos, S, Penn State (C)
6.07 - Tayo Fabuluje, OT, Texas Christian (F)
With only 6 picks to work with, the Bears had to make the best use of them, and between rounds 2 and 5, I think they did just that. Eddie Goldman had a first round grade on my board, and getting him in round 2, at a position of need looks great for Chicago. Grasu was the second best C on my board, and I think Adrian Amos can develop into a starting caliber Safety if given some time. Langford too will prove valuable as an option to carry the rock while Forte gets a breather.
Really my only knock is with White. I don't dislike him, but I think his body of work is too slight to make a top ten call on this guy. He screams upside, but coming from West Virginia, I see his stat line as a bit over-inflated. I would have LOVED to see them deal up two spots with Washington in round 1 to grab Leonard Williams when he was falling instead.
13. New York Giants (C+)
1.09 - Ereck Flowers, OT, Miami (C-)
2.01 - Landon Collins, S, Alabama (A)
3.10 - Owamagbe Odighizuwa, DE, UCLA (B+)
5.08 - Mykkele Thompson, S, Texas (C-)
6.10 - Geremy Davis, WR, UConn (D+)
7.09 - Bobby Hart, OT, Florida State (D)
I think the Giants made one of the best selections of the draft when they traded up in the second round to grab Landon Collins. Some call him a limited Safety, but the truth is, he is simply a very good box Safety, which is exactly what the Giants need. I also am in love with the fit of Odighizuwa in this defense. All draft season, I have been comparing the raw yet talented Bruin to Jason Pierre Paul. Double O is slightly less althletic, but has similar upside. To have him playing on the other side of JPP is just too perfect.
The Giants could have had a much higher draft grade if not for their selection of Flowers in the first. I don't see Flowers as a bad player, but I think it was a reach to take him in the top ten. I know they wanted to get Scherff, and the Skins ruined that plan, but I would have rather seen them trade down, or take a best overall player strategy than reach for Flowers.
12. Houston Texans (C+)
1.16 - Kevin Johnson, CB, Wake Forest (C-)
2.11 - Benardrick McKinney, LB, Mississippi State (B-)
3.06 - Jalen Strong, WR, Arizona State (A-)
5.39 - Keith Mumphery, WR, Michigam State (D)
6.35 - Reshard Cliett, LB, South Florida (C-)
6.40 - Christian Covington, DT, Rice (C)
7.18 - Kenny Hillard, RB, LSU (C-)
The Texans had the top overall selection in last year's draft, who missed so much time last season, it will be like having him brad new this year too. With a healthy Clowney and Watt, McKinney will look really good in this defense. I also absolutely love the addition of Jalen Strong in the third. He had a first round grade on my board, and I understand his injury situation had him falling, but in the third, he was straight value. Both Covington and Hillard could both be late round selections who are contributors quickly on this team too.
My biggest issue with the Texans draft was with Johnson at the top. I like him as a corner, despite him being undersized, but I would have rather seen him go 10-20 picks later. I think his size could be a liability, but only time will tell on this one.
11. New York Jets (C+)
1.06 - Leonard Williams, DE, Southern Cal (A+)
2.05 - Devin Smith, WR, Ohio State (C-)
3.18 - Lorenzo Mauldin, LB, Louisville (C+)
4.04 - Bryce Petty, QB, Baylor (B+)
5.16 - Jarvis Harrison, OG, TAMU (C+)
7.06 - Deon Simon, DT, Northwestern State (F)
The New York Jets made their first selection of the night at 6, and took advantage of other teams mistakes, specifically Tennessee's, of allowing Leonard Williams to fall. He does not fill a position of need, and moreover, it will be interesting to see how new HC Todd Bowles uses him along with those other studs on the DL, but when you grab the best player in the whole draft, at 6 overall, you get an A+ for the pick. I also love the team being daring with the selection of Bryce Petty in the 4th. He needs some time in the hopper, but if Smith fails again this year, and Fitz can hold it down next, the Jets may have something special after that. Mauldin is also a good pick for this team, and will help the linebacking corp immediately, and Harrison provides some much needed o-line depth.
For the Jets, their poor choice came in round 2. Some folks are very high on Smith. I am not. I think his game is too one dimensional, and until he learns how to run routes other than a 9, I don't see him as a legit NFL weapon. The good news is the Jets have other talent at the position (Marshall, Decker, and Kerley), so if Smith doesn't pan out, they are still OK.
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Sunday, May 3, 2015
EZ Does It - 2015 NFL Draft Review - Ranks 21-32
The 2015 NFL Draft is now in the books. We have seen all of the deals, and all of the picks. It is my strong belief that there is no way to really grade a draft this early, especially before any of these players have taken the field. Who really knows how this will play out. Remember, there are more un-drafted free agents in the NFL Hall of Fame than there are former Heisman Trophy winners.
Still, our nature as fans, and as humans in general, we want to know how well our teams did, so I will take a stab at it, beginning with the bottom 11 teams.
Let me tell you a little about the grading system first though. Every pick was given an individual number grade which was calculated using a bunch of different inputs. These inputs include my assessment of the player's overall potential, my assessment of their overall likely production, my assessment of their fit in the system they were drafted in, how much value was gotten by the team in selecting the player (ie, drafted to early, or stolen late), and how well the team utilized the pick (ie, picked the right player at the right position, or the value generated by either trading up, down, or staying put). Because these grades are system dependent, the same player, drafted at the same spot in the draft, may have different grades based on the team that selected them.
Once these numbers were assigned, all of the numbers were put into an algorithm which then output a final numerical grade, and then, ultimately sorts all of the numeric grades into a curved letter grading system. Because there was a curve, there would be A's and F's.
Keep this in mind, not all F's were created equal. An F could be assigned if I feel the player really doesn't fit the system, was way too high of a reach, or if I don't see the player making the team, and thus really generating no value for the team.
Once all of the player grades were established, the team grades were calculated by averaging the player grades and then scaling again to spread the results across a normalized distribution.
Not everyone will agree with all of my grades, and that is fine. Until we are a few years into these guys careers, we won't know.
So, lets start from the bottom and work our way up.
32. Carolina Panthers (F)
1.25 - Shaq Thompson, LB, Washington (D)
2.09 - Devin Funchess, WR, Michigan (C)
4.03 - Daryl Williams, OT, Oklahoma (C-)
5.33 - David Mayo, LB, Texas Southern (C-)
5.38 - Cameron Artis-Payne, RB, Auburn (C)
It's telling that the guy from this team's draft I liked the best, was drafted at the back end of the 5th, and the team had the worst graded 1st round pick of anyone. When you reach for a guy like Thompson, who is athletic, but still may have been available 20 picks later, you dig a whole that is hard to get out of. Unfortunately for Carolina, with Thomas Davis still in the fold at LB, Thompson is not a starter on this team come August. In fact, I am not sure any of these five guys are in the starting line-up at the beginning of the season, and for a team with some holes, that is an issue.
31. Denver Broncos (D)
1.23 - Shane Ray, DE, Missouri (C)
2.27 - Ty Sambrailo, OT Colorado State (C-)
3.28 - Jeff Heuerman, TE, Ohio State (A-)
4.34 - Max Garcia, C, Florida (C+)
5.28 - Lorenzo Doss, CB, Tulane (F)
6.27 - Darius Klingo, DT, Maryland (F)
7.33 - Trevor Siemian, QB, Northwestern (F)
7.34 - Taurean Nixon, DB, Tulane (F)
7.35 - Josh Furman, DB, Oklahoma State (F)
For Denver, they really missed on some good opportunities here, and made some significant gambles early on. I think it was poor decision making to trade up for an overrated, one dimensional pass rusher with a pot problem to a Colorado city. The team did need help on the o-line, and Sambrailo is a decent player, but I really thought there were better options on the board when Denver took him. I really do love the fit of Heuerman in this offense. He is an excellent in-line blocker and can develop into a good pass catching threat too. I expect no one taken after the 4th round to even make the Broncos team.
30. San Francisco 49ers (D)
1.17 - Arik Armstead, DT, Oregon (C-)
2.14 - Jaquiski Tartt, S, Samford (D)
3.15 - Eli Harold, OLB, Virginia (B+)
4.18 - Blake Bell, TE, Oklahoma (C-)
4.27 - Mike Davis, RB, South Carolina (F)
4.33 - DeAndre Smelter, WR, Georgia Tech (D)
5.29 - Bradley Pinion, P, Clemson (F)
6.14 - Ian Silberman, OT, Boston College (C)
7.27 - Trenton Brown, OG, Florida (C-)
7.37 - Busta Anderson, TE, South Carolina (D)
After the first two rounds, I had this draft marked as a disaster in San Fran. I have been stating all along how despite pro size and measurables, Arik Armstead is the classic profile of an underachiever. Then in round two, they add another guy with exceptional measurable in Tartt, but he is as raw as raw can be, and likely could have been had a full round later. The picks of Eli Harold in the third, and Silberman and Brown in rounds 6 and 7 are the only things that saved this draft from being worse than Carolina's. I would have liked to see the Niners address their gaping hole at MLB, which was totally ignored, and then address OG earlier than the 7th, but again, no dice.
29. Buffalo Bills (D)
2.18 - Ronald Darby, CB, Florida State (C)
3.17 - John Miller, OG, Louisville (C)
5.19 - Karlos Williams, RB, Florida State (C-)
6.12 - Tony Steward, LB, Clemson (C-)
6.18 - Nick O'Leary, TE, Florida State (C)
7.17 - Dezmin Lewis, WR, Central Arkansas (C-)
Without a pick in the first and 4th rounds, the Bills had the deck stacked against them for this draft. I guess they decided drafting half their picks from the most talented college fottball team in the nation could save their draft, and it didn't. Darby is an upside player, who gets beat more often than a player of his talent level should. Karlos Williams has shown flashes, but has been more consistently lackluster than one would expect. I do like John Miller, as he could compete for a starting position inside on that line, and I really like the value the team got with Nick O'Leary. He is a classic hard working overachiever, and can be a good weapon for his former college QB, as they get re-united again.
28. Dallas Cowboys (D+)
1.27 - Byron Jones, CB, UConn (C)
2.28 - Randy Gregory, OLB, Nebraska (B-)
3.27 - Chaz Green, OT, Florida (D)
4.28 - Damien Wilson, LB, Minnesota (C+)
5.27 - Ryan Russell, DE, Perdue (D+)
7.19 - Mark Nzeocha, LB, Wyoming (F)
7.26 - Laurence Gibson, OT, Virginia Tech (F)
7.29 - Geoff Swaim, TE, Texas (D)
Many in the media are knocking Jerry Jones for drafting the troubled Randy Gregory, especially considering they added the troubled Greg Hardy this offseason. I on the other hand, think this was their top pick from this draft. If Gregory can keep things straight in Dallas, he could be the top flight pass rusher they need, and Rod Marinelli has as good a chance as any coach in the NFL of getting through to this kid. Unfortunately, I was entirely underwhelmed by the rest of this draft. Byron Jones was a beast at the Combine, but I have not seen that translate to the tape. Chaz Green is very overrated in my opinion, and I don't expect any of the last 4 picks to put up much of a fight for roster spots.
27. Seattle Seahawks (D+)
2.31 - Frank Clark, DE, Michigan (D)
3.05 - Tyler Lockett, WR, Kansas State (B)
3.31 - Matt Jones, RB, Florida (C-)
4.31 - Terry Poole, OT, San Diego State (D)
4.35 - Mark Glowinski, OG, West Virginia (C)
5.34 - Tye Smith, CB, Townson (B-)
6.33 - Obum Gwacham, DE, Oregon State (D+)
6.38 - Kristjan Sokoli, DT, Buffalo (D)
7.31 - Ryan Murphy, DB, Oregon State (F)
I find it incredibly difficult to write yet again about how I feel the Seahawks missed the mark, because each year they prove again, and again, that they understand how player fit their system better than anyone. I an very surprised by the Frank Clark pick as their first from this draft. This kid has talent, but very significant and numerous off-field issues, and unless they can turn him around like Bruce Irvin, this was a mistake. I also don't see the attraction for Terry Poole, as I am not sold on his game translating to the pros. I really do like the Lockett pick, and the trade up to get him, and I think they found a gem in Tye Smith in the 5th. Very Seahawks like move.
26. Kansas City Chiefs (D+)
1.18 - Marcus Peters, CB, Washington (B-)
2.17 - Mitch Morse, G/C, Missouri (C-)
3.12 - Chris Conley, WR, Georgia (C+)
3.34 - Stephen Nelson, CB, Oregon State (D)
4.19 - Ramik Wilson, LB, Georgia (C)
5.36 - DJ Alexander, LB, Oregon State (C-)
5.37 - James O'Shaughneesy, TE, Illinois State (C-)
6.41 - Rakeem Nunez Roches, DT, Southern Miss (C)
7.16 - Da'Ron Brown, WR, Northern Illinois (F)
The Chiefs draft started off strong. If the off-field issues for Marcus Peters are behind him, and I believe they are, he could be the top shut-down corner from this class. He has all of the skills, and the right mindset to play on an island in the NFL. Unfortunately, the remaining picks for this team were not as stellar. I like Conley, Wilson, and Nunez Roches a bit, but none of the other picks were particularly strong. I think Mitch Morse can be a good player possibly, but I think the mid second was way too high to take him. He had a 4th round grade on my board.
25. St Louis Rams (D+)
1.10 - Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia (B-)
2.25 - Ron Havenstein, OT, Wisconsin (C+)
3.08 - Jamon Brown, OT, Louisville (D)
3.25 - Sean Mannion,QB, Oregon State (D)
4.20 - Andrew Donnal, OT Iowa (C)
6.25 - Bud Sasser, WR, Missouri (C+)
6.39 - Cody Wichmann, OG, Fresno State (F)
7.07 - Bryce Hager, LB, Baylor (C)
7.10 - Martin Ifedi, DE, Maryland (F)
The Rams did some things in this draft I liked. Rob Havenstein could be an excellent tackle in the league with a little more development time; Andrew Donnal plays with a mean streak I love and is technically sound; and Bud Sasser has allof the tools to be an immediate impact on special teams and develop into a very good 2nd receiver in the league. Bryce Hager late was also a nice add for an already good defense. Unfortunately, I think Brown, Mannion, Wichmann, and Ifedi were wasted picks to offset the good ones. This draft will ultimately hinge on the extreme talent of Todd Gurley. If his repaired knee can hold up, on turf, until this team gets to a grass field in LA, then this will have been a very good haul for the Rams, But that is a real risky proposition. The injury was significant, and the risk of turf on a repaired knee cannot be overlooked.
24. Indianapolis Colts (C-)
1.29 - Phillip Dorsett, WR, Miami (C)
3.01 - DeJoun Smith, CB, Florida Atlantic (C)
3.29 - Henry Anderson, DE, Stanford (B)
4.10 - Clayton Geathers, S, UCF (D)
5.15 - David Parry, DT, Stanford (C-)
6.29 - Josh Robinson, RB, Mississippi State (C-)
6.31 - Amarlo Herrera, LB, Georgia (C-)
7.38 - Denzell Goode, DE, Mars Hill (F)
The first three picks for the Colts all looked good in my book. I have been bullish on Phillip Dorsett for some time now, and he adds to an already talented receiving corp. No doubt the old Hurricane, Andre Johnson, will serve as a role model to this newest one. DeJoun Smith is a very talent corner from Florida Atlantic, who simply needs more development time, and Henry Anderson I think could be one of the best picks of the whole 3rd round in this draft. Josh Robinson too could find himself contributing, but I am not yet sold on him as the RB of the future (and Boom Herron is not that either). Clayton Geathers is overrated and there were much better Safety options still available. This will still be a position of need for this club.
23. Oakland Raiders (C-)
1.04 - Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama (A)
2.03 - Mario Edwards, DE, Florida State (C+)
3.04 - Clive Walford, TE, Miami (C)
4.29 - Jon Feliciano, OG, Miami (D)
5.04 - Ben Heeny, LB, Kansas (B-)
5.25 - Nerion Ball, LB, Florida (D+)
6.03 - Max Valles, LB, Virgina (C-)
7.01 - Anthony Morris, OT, Tennessee State (F)
7.04 - Andre Debose, WR, Florida (C-)
7.25 - Dexter McDonald, CB, Kansas (F)
The Raiders did an excellent job of filling a big need with a big talent at the top of the draft. Amari Cooper is a faster version of future hall-of-famer, Reggie Wayne. Ben Heeny was also an excellent selection, which brought great value early in the 5th. The Mario Edwards and Clive Walford selections may also turn out to be good, but both guys bring some concerns. Edwards was inconsistent this past year, and Walford has brought a lot of attitude with him through the pre-draft process. If these guys pan out though, this will have become an excellent draft for the Raiders.
22. Philadelphia Eagles (C-)
1.20 - Nelson Agholor, WR, Southern Cal (C-)
2.15 - Eric Rowe, DB, Utah (B+)
3.20 - Jordan Hicks, LB, Texas (C+)
6.15 - JaCorey Shepherd, CB, Kansas (C+)
6.20 - Randall Evans, CB, Kansas State (D)
7.20 - Brian Mihalik, DE, Boston College (F)
The Eagles did not have a lot to work with, and provided the most first round drama, as they tried unsuccessfully to work a deal for Chip Kelly's college QB, Marcus Mariota. Ultimately, that deal never materialized, and the team instead chose to address a need at wide out. Although the thought was in the right place, I am not nearly as high on Agholor as many others are, and I saw this as a reach. Some compare him to Jeremy Maclin, but I think that is too rosy an outlook. I see his ceiling more as a decent #2 in the league, and you have to net more with the 20th overall selection. I do really like Eric Rowe, whose versatility will be well used by Kelly, and I also like Hicks and Shepherd too. Overall the Eagles did a good job addressing their seconday, but put a lot of stock on Agholor to make this draft.
21. Green Bay Packers (C-)
1.30 - Demarius Randall, S, Arizona State (D)
2.30 - Quentin Rollins, DB, Miami (OH) (B-)
3.30 - Ty Montgomery, WR, Stanford (C)
4.30 - Jake Ryan, LB, Michigan (B)
5.11 - Brett Hundley, QB, UCLA (C+)
6.30 - Aaron Ripkowski, FB, Oklahoma (C)
6.34 - Christian Ringo, DE, Louisiana Lafayette (F)
6.37 - Kennard Backman, TE, Alabama-Birmingham (D)
Ted Thompson is one of the best talent evaluators in the history of the NFL. He consistently finds guys that everyone else overlooks. This year, he pulled the trigger and added two of my favorite players from this draft class in Quentin Rollins, and Jake Ryan. Rollins has exceptional talent, and when his experience level catches up, he can be special player in the secondary. Jake Ryan reminds me in many ways of Chris Borland from a year ago. Undersized, but simply a football player. He can simply play because of his smarts and his heart. My biggest concern with this draft is with Demarius Randall at the top. I know he was moving up a lot of boards, but I had quite a few DBs rated a head of him when he was taken. Even if they do convert him to corner, I am still not sold yet. Then again, the Pack has a history for turning unknowns into stars in that secondary.
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Still, our nature as fans, and as humans in general, we want to know how well our teams did, so I will take a stab at it, beginning with the bottom 11 teams.
Let me tell you a little about the grading system first though. Every pick was given an individual number grade which was calculated using a bunch of different inputs. These inputs include my assessment of the player's overall potential, my assessment of their overall likely production, my assessment of their fit in the system they were drafted in, how much value was gotten by the team in selecting the player (ie, drafted to early, or stolen late), and how well the team utilized the pick (ie, picked the right player at the right position, or the value generated by either trading up, down, or staying put). Because these grades are system dependent, the same player, drafted at the same spot in the draft, may have different grades based on the team that selected them.
Once these numbers were assigned, all of the numbers were put into an algorithm which then output a final numerical grade, and then, ultimately sorts all of the numeric grades into a curved letter grading system. Because there was a curve, there would be A's and F's.
Keep this in mind, not all F's were created equal. An F could be assigned if I feel the player really doesn't fit the system, was way too high of a reach, or if I don't see the player making the team, and thus really generating no value for the team.
Once all of the player grades were established, the team grades were calculated by averaging the player grades and then scaling again to spread the results across a normalized distribution.
Not everyone will agree with all of my grades, and that is fine. Until we are a few years into these guys careers, we won't know.
So, lets start from the bottom and work our way up.
32. Carolina Panthers (F)
1.25 - Shaq Thompson, LB, Washington (D)
2.09 - Devin Funchess, WR, Michigan (C)
4.03 - Daryl Williams, OT, Oklahoma (C-)
5.33 - David Mayo, LB, Texas Southern (C-)
5.38 - Cameron Artis-Payne, RB, Auburn (C)
It's telling that the guy from this team's draft I liked the best, was drafted at the back end of the 5th, and the team had the worst graded 1st round pick of anyone. When you reach for a guy like Thompson, who is athletic, but still may have been available 20 picks later, you dig a whole that is hard to get out of. Unfortunately for Carolina, with Thomas Davis still in the fold at LB, Thompson is not a starter on this team come August. In fact, I am not sure any of these five guys are in the starting line-up at the beginning of the season, and for a team with some holes, that is an issue.
31. Denver Broncos (D)
1.23 - Shane Ray, DE, Missouri (C)
2.27 - Ty Sambrailo, OT Colorado State (C-)
3.28 - Jeff Heuerman, TE, Ohio State (A-)
4.34 - Max Garcia, C, Florida (C+)
5.28 - Lorenzo Doss, CB, Tulane (F)
6.27 - Darius Klingo, DT, Maryland (F)
7.33 - Trevor Siemian, QB, Northwestern (F)
7.34 - Taurean Nixon, DB, Tulane (F)
7.35 - Josh Furman, DB, Oklahoma State (F)
For Denver, they really missed on some good opportunities here, and made some significant gambles early on. I think it was poor decision making to trade up for an overrated, one dimensional pass rusher with a pot problem to a Colorado city. The team did need help on the o-line, and Sambrailo is a decent player, but I really thought there were better options on the board when Denver took him. I really do love the fit of Heuerman in this offense. He is an excellent in-line blocker and can develop into a good pass catching threat too. I expect no one taken after the 4th round to even make the Broncos team.
30. San Francisco 49ers (D)
1.17 - Arik Armstead, DT, Oregon (C-)
2.14 - Jaquiski Tartt, S, Samford (D)
3.15 - Eli Harold, OLB, Virginia (B+)
4.18 - Blake Bell, TE, Oklahoma (C-)
4.27 - Mike Davis, RB, South Carolina (F)
4.33 - DeAndre Smelter, WR, Georgia Tech (D)
5.29 - Bradley Pinion, P, Clemson (F)
6.14 - Ian Silberman, OT, Boston College (C)
7.27 - Trenton Brown, OG, Florida (C-)
7.37 - Busta Anderson, TE, South Carolina (D)
After the first two rounds, I had this draft marked as a disaster in San Fran. I have been stating all along how despite pro size and measurables, Arik Armstead is the classic profile of an underachiever. Then in round two, they add another guy with exceptional measurable in Tartt, but he is as raw as raw can be, and likely could have been had a full round later. The picks of Eli Harold in the third, and Silberman and Brown in rounds 6 and 7 are the only things that saved this draft from being worse than Carolina's. I would have liked to see the Niners address their gaping hole at MLB, which was totally ignored, and then address OG earlier than the 7th, but again, no dice.
29. Buffalo Bills (D)
2.18 - Ronald Darby, CB, Florida State (C)
3.17 - John Miller, OG, Louisville (C)
5.19 - Karlos Williams, RB, Florida State (C-)
6.12 - Tony Steward, LB, Clemson (C-)
6.18 - Nick O'Leary, TE, Florida State (C)
7.17 - Dezmin Lewis, WR, Central Arkansas (C-)
Without a pick in the first and 4th rounds, the Bills had the deck stacked against them for this draft. I guess they decided drafting half their picks from the most talented college fottball team in the nation could save their draft, and it didn't. Darby is an upside player, who gets beat more often than a player of his talent level should. Karlos Williams has shown flashes, but has been more consistently lackluster than one would expect. I do like John Miller, as he could compete for a starting position inside on that line, and I really like the value the team got with Nick O'Leary. He is a classic hard working overachiever, and can be a good weapon for his former college QB, as they get re-united again.
28. Dallas Cowboys (D+)
1.27 - Byron Jones, CB, UConn (C)
2.28 - Randy Gregory, OLB, Nebraska (B-)
3.27 - Chaz Green, OT, Florida (D)
4.28 - Damien Wilson, LB, Minnesota (C+)
5.27 - Ryan Russell, DE, Perdue (D+)
7.19 - Mark Nzeocha, LB, Wyoming (F)
7.26 - Laurence Gibson, OT, Virginia Tech (F)
7.29 - Geoff Swaim, TE, Texas (D)
Many in the media are knocking Jerry Jones for drafting the troubled Randy Gregory, especially considering they added the troubled Greg Hardy this offseason. I on the other hand, think this was their top pick from this draft. If Gregory can keep things straight in Dallas, he could be the top flight pass rusher they need, and Rod Marinelli has as good a chance as any coach in the NFL of getting through to this kid. Unfortunately, I was entirely underwhelmed by the rest of this draft. Byron Jones was a beast at the Combine, but I have not seen that translate to the tape. Chaz Green is very overrated in my opinion, and I don't expect any of the last 4 picks to put up much of a fight for roster spots.
27. Seattle Seahawks (D+)
2.31 - Frank Clark, DE, Michigan (D)
3.05 - Tyler Lockett, WR, Kansas State (B)
3.31 - Matt Jones, RB, Florida (C-)
4.31 - Terry Poole, OT, San Diego State (D)
4.35 - Mark Glowinski, OG, West Virginia (C)
5.34 - Tye Smith, CB, Townson (B-)
6.33 - Obum Gwacham, DE, Oregon State (D+)
6.38 - Kristjan Sokoli, DT, Buffalo (D)
7.31 - Ryan Murphy, DB, Oregon State (F)
I find it incredibly difficult to write yet again about how I feel the Seahawks missed the mark, because each year they prove again, and again, that they understand how player fit their system better than anyone. I an very surprised by the Frank Clark pick as their first from this draft. This kid has talent, but very significant and numerous off-field issues, and unless they can turn him around like Bruce Irvin, this was a mistake. I also don't see the attraction for Terry Poole, as I am not sold on his game translating to the pros. I really do like the Lockett pick, and the trade up to get him, and I think they found a gem in Tye Smith in the 5th. Very Seahawks like move.
26. Kansas City Chiefs (D+)
1.18 - Marcus Peters, CB, Washington (B-)
2.17 - Mitch Morse, G/C, Missouri (C-)
3.12 - Chris Conley, WR, Georgia (C+)
3.34 - Stephen Nelson, CB, Oregon State (D)
4.19 - Ramik Wilson, LB, Georgia (C)
5.36 - DJ Alexander, LB, Oregon State (C-)
5.37 - James O'Shaughneesy, TE, Illinois State (C-)
6.41 - Rakeem Nunez Roches, DT, Southern Miss (C)
7.16 - Da'Ron Brown, WR, Northern Illinois (F)
The Chiefs draft started off strong. If the off-field issues for Marcus Peters are behind him, and I believe they are, he could be the top shut-down corner from this class. He has all of the skills, and the right mindset to play on an island in the NFL. Unfortunately, the remaining picks for this team were not as stellar. I like Conley, Wilson, and Nunez Roches a bit, but none of the other picks were particularly strong. I think Mitch Morse can be a good player possibly, but I think the mid second was way too high to take him. He had a 4th round grade on my board.
25. St Louis Rams (D+)
1.10 - Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia (B-)
2.25 - Ron Havenstein, OT, Wisconsin (C+)
3.08 - Jamon Brown, OT, Louisville (D)
3.25 - Sean Mannion,QB, Oregon State (D)
4.20 - Andrew Donnal, OT Iowa (C)
6.25 - Bud Sasser, WR, Missouri (C+)
6.39 - Cody Wichmann, OG, Fresno State (F)
7.07 - Bryce Hager, LB, Baylor (C)
7.10 - Martin Ifedi, DE, Maryland (F)
The Rams did some things in this draft I liked. Rob Havenstein could be an excellent tackle in the league with a little more development time; Andrew Donnal plays with a mean streak I love and is technically sound; and Bud Sasser has allof the tools to be an immediate impact on special teams and develop into a very good 2nd receiver in the league. Bryce Hager late was also a nice add for an already good defense. Unfortunately, I think Brown, Mannion, Wichmann, and Ifedi were wasted picks to offset the good ones. This draft will ultimately hinge on the extreme talent of Todd Gurley. If his repaired knee can hold up, on turf, until this team gets to a grass field in LA, then this will have been a very good haul for the Rams, But that is a real risky proposition. The injury was significant, and the risk of turf on a repaired knee cannot be overlooked.
24. Indianapolis Colts (C-)
1.29 - Phillip Dorsett, WR, Miami (C)
3.01 - DeJoun Smith, CB, Florida Atlantic (C)
3.29 - Henry Anderson, DE, Stanford (B)
4.10 - Clayton Geathers, S, UCF (D)
5.15 - David Parry, DT, Stanford (C-)
6.29 - Josh Robinson, RB, Mississippi State (C-)
6.31 - Amarlo Herrera, LB, Georgia (C-)
7.38 - Denzell Goode, DE, Mars Hill (F)
The first three picks for the Colts all looked good in my book. I have been bullish on Phillip Dorsett for some time now, and he adds to an already talented receiving corp. No doubt the old Hurricane, Andre Johnson, will serve as a role model to this newest one. DeJoun Smith is a very talent corner from Florida Atlantic, who simply needs more development time, and Henry Anderson I think could be one of the best picks of the whole 3rd round in this draft. Josh Robinson too could find himself contributing, but I am not yet sold on him as the RB of the future (and Boom Herron is not that either). Clayton Geathers is overrated and there were much better Safety options still available. This will still be a position of need for this club.
23. Oakland Raiders (C-)
1.04 - Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama (A)
2.03 - Mario Edwards, DE, Florida State (C+)
3.04 - Clive Walford, TE, Miami (C)
4.29 - Jon Feliciano, OG, Miami (D)
5.04 - Ben Heeny, LB, Kansas (B-)
5.25 - Nerion Ball, LB, Florida (D+)
6.03 - Max Valles, LB, Virgina (C-)
7.01 - Anthony Morris, OT, Tennessee State (F)
7.04 - Andre Debose, WR, Florida (C-)
7.25 - Dexter McDonald, CB, Kansas (F)
The Raiders did an excellent job of filling a big need with a big talent at the top of the draft. Amari Cooper is a faster version of future hall-of-famer, Reggie Wayne. Ben Heeny was also an excellent selection, which brought great value early in the 5th. The Mario Edwards and Clive Walford selections may also turn out to be good, but both guys bring some concerns. Edwards was inconsistent this past year, and Walford has brought a lot of attitude with him through the pre-draft process. If these guys pan out though, this will have become an excellent draft for the Raiders.
22. Philadelphia Eagles (C-)
1.20 - Nelson Agholor, WR, Southern Cal (C-)
2.15 - Eric Rowe, DB, Utah (B+)
3.20 - Jordan Hicks, LB, Texas (C+)
6.15 - JaCorey Shepherd, CB, Kansas (C+)
6.20 - Randall Evans, CB, Kansas State (D)
7.20 - Brian Mihalik, DE, Boston College (F)
The Eagles did not have a lot to work with, and provided the most first round drama, as they tried unsuccessfully to work a deal for Chip Kelly's college QB, Marcus Mariota. Ultimately, that deal never materialized, and the team instead chose to address a need at wide out. Although the thought was in the right place, I am not nearly as high on Agholor as many others are, and I saw this as a reach. Some compare him to Jeremy Maclin, but I think that is too rosy an outlook. I see his ceiling more as a decent #2 in the league, and you have to net more with the 20th overall selection. I do really like Eric Rowe, whose versatility will be well used by Kelly, and I also like Hicks and Shepherd too. Overall the Eagles did a good job addressing their seconday, but put a lot of stock on Agholor to make this draft.
21. Green Bay Packers (C-)
1.30 - Demarius Randall, S, Arizona State (D)
2.30 - Quentin Rollins, DB, Miami (OH) (B-)
3.30 - Ty Montgomery, WR, Stanford (C)
4.30 - Jake Ryan, LB, Michigan (B)
5.11 - Brett Hundley, QB, UCLA (C+)
6.30 - Aaron Ripkowski, FB, Oklahoma (C)
6.34 - Christian Ringo, DE, Louisiana Lafayette (F)
6.37 - Kennard Backman, TE, Alabama-Birmingham (D)
Ted Thompson is one of the best talent evaluators in the history of the NFL. He consistently finds guys that everyone else overlooks. This year, he pulled the trigger and added two of my favorite players from this draft class in Quentin Rollins, and Jake Ryan. Rollins has exceptional talent, and when his experience level catches up, he can be special player in the secondary. Jake Ryan reminds me in many ways of Chris Borland from a year ago. Undersized, but simply a football player. He can simply play because of his smarts and his heart. My biggest concern with this draft is with Demarius Randall at the top. I know he was moving up a lot of boards, but I had quite a few DBs rated a head of him when he was taken. Even if they do convert him to corner, I am still not sold yet. Then again, the Pack has a history for turning unknowns into stars in that secondary.
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