| Pittsburgh Steelers 30. OLB TJ Watt - Wisconsin 62. WR JuJu Smith-Schuster - USC 94. CB Cameron Sutton - Tennessee 105. RB James Conner - Pitt 135. QB Josh Dobbs - Tennessee 173. CB Brian Allen - Utah 213. LS Colin Holba - Louisville 248. O/ILB Keion Adams - Western Michigan Good start...... Stagger to the finish. A Kevin Colbert draft to be sure. I will have a more in depth pick-by-pick analysis of the Steelers draft in the next couple of days. These are just my late Saturday thoughts. Lucked out with Watt in the first round. He was the last of the first round edge rushers available. I liked him better than Harris and McKinley. Charlton was not a scheme fit. The Smith-Schuster pick provided value. I had him and Godwin ranked significantly higher than any other remaining receivers. Getting a possession receiver to compliment Antonio Brown and hopefully Martavis Bryant also made sense. I am not particularly a fan of Justin Hunter, Eli Rogers, DHB, Cobi Hamilton or Demarcus Ayers viewing them all as easily replaceable and while I still think Sammie Coates has some upside he can not be counted on after last season's train wreck even if it was all injured hand related. Sutton was a solid pick even though personally a bigger corner would have pleased me more. What can you do? Then things started to go wrong. Drafting Conner does not bother me. Drafting Conner in the third round was unnecessary. There were 10 backs taken in the fourth and fifth rounds rated higher or at least as high as Conner. The pick of Conner seemed to be more about publicity than value. I am generically OK with Dobbs and Allen, yet neither has any chance to contribute this year. That would be fine in a vacuum. But this is a contending team with barely adequate no upside players like Tyson Alualu, Tyler Matakevich, Robert Golden, William Gay, Xavier Grimble, Chris Hubbard and BJ Finney as top backups. Taking an upgrade over any of them in round three, an upside pick like Dobbs in round four and then a RB (perhaps even Conner) in round five could have made a real difference next year especially if a TE, ILB or safety had been targeted. Maybe I would have felt better if the sixth rounder had been used on one of those positions. At least there is some small chance someone of use could have been selected with the pick. Instead a long snapper was taken. Nothing against Holba, clearly the best long snapper available, but a draft pick should simply never be used on a long snapper. I know the goal was to free up cap space by cutting Greg Warren, alas there is no way Holba is going to be better than Warren in the short term. Actually any better than him or the best rookie free agent long snapper in the next two or three years. The concept of wasting the sixth rounder somehow offends me. Tell Holba he is guaranteed to win the job, give him as much money as a sixth rounder or more, but sign him as a priority free agent. Adams in the seventh was fine, he could end up fitting inside or outside. Even if he ends up in the short term as a special teams only contributor, on the practice squad or even on the street at least there is some small chance he could contribute next year.
Cleveland Browns 1. OLB/DE Myles Garrett - Texas A&M 25. S/LB Jabrill Peppers - Michigan 29. TE David Njoku - Miami FL 52. QB DeShone Kizer - Notre Dame 65. DT Larry Ogunjobi - Charlotte 126. CB Howard Wilson - Houston 160. OT Roderick Johnson - Florida St 185. DT Caleb Brantley - Florida 224. K Zane Gonzalez - Arizona St 252. RB Matthew Dayes - North Carolina St Garrett was a no brainer, although apparently there was some question as to whether the pick would be made. Bailed out on Deshaun Watson for Peppers and a first rounder next year. Then waited for Kizer to fall into there laps. I'm not going to say Kizer is a better prospect than Watson, but to be honest I am not sure how big a difference there is between the two. Certainly not 40 picks and an extra first rounder. If Watson is the next Geno Smith then the Texans are totally screwed. If Kizer is the next Geno Smith the Browns can move on immediately. Going up 4 picks for Njoku was the icing on the cake although cutting Gary Barnidge immediately afterward seems like an overreaction. Njoku could have used some development time and there is no rule against using two TE sets. Ogunjobi provided value and is a nice fit as a 3-technique in the new defense being installed by Gregg Williams. Wilson is long and smooth, but a bit behind in the developmental curve after missing '15 with an ACL tear. Traded up for the relatively raw Johnson, an early entrant that should have gone back to school. Johnson is one of the few tackles in this class with the athleticism to play on the left side. Brantley was a mid-to-late second rounder before punching a woman in the face a few weeks before the draft. He might not have been on any other team's draft board. Gonzalez was probably the only specialist that should have been drafted, no problem with him in the final round. Dayes has a chance to help in the passing game. Don't forget once again they have set themselves up with a slew of picks next season. All-in-all an excellent three days with a string of moves that except for the release of Barnidge all made sense. If Sashi Brown and Hue Jackson are given time and can keep owner Jimmmy Haslam out of the football decision making process they actually might be able turn around this franchise.
Chicago Bears 2. QB Mitch Trubisky - North Carolina 45. TE Adam Shaheen - Ashland 112. S Eddie Jackson - Alabama 119. RB Tarik Cohen - North Carolina A&T 147. OG Jordan Morgan - Kutztown St So many needs, so few picks. None really filling the biggest needs. Everything is tied to Trubisky turning into a franchise QB. Signing Glennon in no way precluded picking him. Even at $18 million guaranteed Glennon was always going to be more of a placeholder than franchise cornerstone. Where I remain confused is giving up so much to move up a pick. Were the 49ers really prepared to bug out to 12 with the Browns or anywhere else in the draft and not get their guy at three? Shaheen is an interesting story, a former basketball player at Pitt-Johnson that transferred to Ashland to play football. Jackson did provide value in the fourth despite his not being able to work out in the post season after his season ending early in late October with a broken leg. Cohen and Morgan are at least mildly interesting small school prospects. Cohen's extremely diminutive build is a concern.
San Francisco 49ers 3. DE/DT Solomon Thomas - Stanford 31. ILB Rueben Foster - Alabama 66. CB Ahkello Witherspoon - Colorado 104. QB CJ Beathard - Iowa 121. RB Joe Williams - Utah 146. TE George Kittle - Iowa 177. WR Trent Taylor - Louisiana Tech 198. DT DJ Jones - Mississippi 202. I/OLB Pita Taumoepenu - Utah 229. CB Adrian Colbert - Miami FL New GM John Lynch played things extremely well on the first day. Thomas and Foster are immediate starters and building blocks barring career altering off the field issues or injury for Foster. The rest of the draft was not that inspiring. Athletically gifted Witherspoon is an impressive specimen, but he has never met an opponent with the ball that he remotely wanted to tackle. Beathard was a crazy reach. He shouldn't have been taken over Dobbs, Peterman, Kaaya or even Mr. Irrelevant Kelly. Williams was thrown off UConn for stealing a teammates credit card and then quit midway through last season before returning after a month. He does deserve sympathy for his sisters death, but this is a business and I am not sure about using a fourth round pick on him. Kittle does provide speed and upside after being under-utilized in Iowa City. Third day picks Taylor, Jones, Taumoepenu and Colbert are basically forgettable. I did have the Steelers taking Taumoepenu as ILB depth in the seventh round 46 picks after he was actually selected in my final mock. The trade for Kapri Bibbs was uninspiring because...... well..... it was a trade for Bibbs.
Jacksonville Jaguars 4. RB Leonard Fournette - LSU 34. T/G Cam Robinson - Alabama 68. DE Dawuane Smoot - Illinois 110. WR Dede Westbrook - Oklahoma 148. I/OLB Blair Brown - Ohio 222. CB Jalen Myrick - Minnesota 240. FB Marquez Williams - Miami FL Changed the focus of the offense by drafting power back Fournette, mauler Robinson and lead blocker Williams. The rest of the draft was a mixed bag. Smoot was much better two seasons ago than last year. Westbrook has been arrested twice for domestic violence. The slighly undersized Brown is versatile and relentless. Myrick ran a 4.28 at the combine, but needs a lot of work on technique.
Tennessee Titans 5. WR Corey Davis - Western Michigan 18. CB/WR Adoree' Jackson - USC 72. WR Taywan Taylor - Western Kentucky 100. TE Jonnu Smith - Fla International 155. ILB Jayon Brown - UCLA 217. OG Corey Levin - Chattanooga 227. DE Josh Carraway - TCU 236. OT Brad Seaton - Villanova 241. RB Khalfani Muhammad - California I thought Lattimore should be the first pick with a receiver taken at 18. The Titans decided to take Davis at five. Turns out they made the right decision with all three first round receivers gone by the ninth pick. High upside Jackson was an acceptable gamble. Taylor and Smith provide Marcus Mariota a couple of more weapons. Brown, Levin and Carraway filled depth needs and were all perfectly acceptable picks where selected. Seaton is a likely practice squad developmental prospect. Muhammad a possible passing game change of pace to DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry.
New York Jets 6. S Jamal Adams - LSU 39. S Marcus Maye - Florida 79. WR ArDarius Stewart - Alabama 141. WR Chad Hansen - California 150. TE Jordan Leggett - Clemson 181. OLB Dylan Donahue - West Georgia 188. RB Elijah McGuire - UL Lafayette 197. CB/S Jeremy Clark - Michigan 204. CB Derrick Jones - Mississippi Anyone they took had to help almost by default. The roster is that bad. This was still a weird draft. The top two needs of QB and the offensive line were not addressed. That means Josh McCown will be the QB until he is killed. Then we move on to Bryce Petty and/or Christian Hackenberg. J-E-T-S Jets Jets Jets...... Back-to-back picks were taken at the top of the draft on safeties. Unusual to say the least. Adams was a no-brainer both as an on the field and in the locker room leader. Maye perfectly acceptable as a long term compliment to Adams. Expect head man Todd Bowles to use a preponderance of three safety sets as he did in Arizona with Marcus Gilchrist. First round bust Calvin Pryor should be gone. The next three picks were receivers, a pair of wideouts and a tight end. Leggett already seems like a starter by default. Stewart and Hansen should join Quincy Enunwa at the top of the depth chart also by default. Eric Decker coming off hip and shoulder surgeries seems unlikely to be back. Stewart, Leggett and especially Hansen were solid value picks where taken. Donahue has a chance to contribute on the edge. McGuire as a pass catcher out of the backfield. Clark and Jones are development prospects, although it is apropos the draft ended with back-to-back defensive back picks.
Los Angeles Chargers 7. WR Mike Williams - Clemson 38. G Forrest Lamp - Western Kentucky 71. G Dan Feeney - Indiana 113. S Rayshawn Jenkins - Miami FL 151. S/CB Desmond King - Iowa 190. OT Sam Tevi - Utah 225. DE Isaac Rochell - Notre Dame Williams provides Philip Rivers with a huge catch radius and the ability to make plays at all three levels. If Keenan Allen is healthy along with Dontrelle Inman and Travis Benjamin the passing game could be transformed. Lamp and Feeney stepping in immediately for Matt Slauson and Donavon Clark would give Rivers more protection and Melvin Gordon better interior running lanes. Tevi is more of a developmental prospect. Could Jenkins finally replace Eric Weddle? King could also battle for that role or provide value as a slot corner. Rochell seems underrated.
Carolina Panthers 8. RB Christian McCaffrey - Stanford 40. WR/RB Curtis Samuel - Ohio St 64. T/G Taylor Moton - Western Michigan 77. DE Deshon Hall - Texas A&M 152. CB Corn Elder - Miami FL 192. FB/DE Alex Armah - West Georgia 233. K Harrison Butker - Georgia Tech Offense based on deep drops and intermediate to long throws to receivers with a wide catch radius was built around Newton's skills. Unfortunately he was being pummeled on a regular basis. If McCaffrey can handle a heavy workload he will add a different dimension in both the running and passing game relegating aging injury prone Jonathan Stewart to a short yardage, change of pace power back role. Not sure if Samuel is overkill. He is basically McCaffrey light. Samuel will likely doue most of his work from the slot. Moton is a mauler that could conceivably start at right tackle or guard. Hall and Elder fit the scheme. Armah played both ways as a TE/DE against a lower level of competition. He will get a look here at FB, conceivably learning while on the practice squad. Graham Gano was poor last season so taking a shot late with Butker is an OK move.
Cincinnati Bengals 9. WR John Ross - Washington 48. RB Joe Mixon - Oklahoma 73. DE Jordan Willis - Kansas St 116. DE Carl Lawson - Auburn 128. WR Josh Malone - Tennessee 138. DT Ryan Glasgow - Michigan 153. K Jake Elliott - Memphis 176. C/OT JJ Dielman - Utah 193. O/MLB Jordan Evans - Oklahoma 207. CB/RB Brandon Wilson - Houston 251. TE Mason Schreck - Buffalo Lewis reportedly bonded with Ross and Mixon in the pre-draft process. Ross is explosive and polished, yet his slight build and injury history are troubling. Mixon's off the field issues are well documented. At least Lewis traded down in the second round for him. Not having to count on the inconsistent Jeremy Hill and being able to use Giovani Bernard as a true change of pace back is a bonus. This is the kind of draft that draftnicks love especially from the third round on, something Brown and Lewis seem to do on a yearly basis. It's almost like with the smallest scouting staff in the league that drafting is based on ESPN online content, or perhaps since Brown probably won't spring for an insider account the free online content at CBS Sports. Willis while athletic and productive is a deliberate, straight line player that is going to need to develop some pass rush moves at the next level. Lawson is also a straight line player that lacks the flexibility of Willis. Lawson broke out last season after struggling through injuries. I honestly don't want to get on Willis and Lawson. I just want to point out how draftnick group think can ignore clear deficiencies that could affect success at the next level. I actually really like the concept of hedging their bet in a draft with a lot of picks in the hope that one adapts to the pro game. Malone and Glasgow were perfectly acceptable selections taken where they should have been taken. Weak legged Elliott probably shouldn't have been drafted, at least he isn't a long snapper. Dielman has the skills to have gone higher if he hadn't missed significant time last season due to injury. I'm surprised he is the only offensive lineman in this class. Combine snub Evans is a jack of all trades. The trade up for Wilson was interesting. He played on both sides of the ball for the Cougars and then blew up at his pro day. Schreck being drafted was a surprise. Best of luck to him.
Kansas City Chiefs 10. QB Patrick Mahomes - Texas Tech 59. DE Tanoh Kpassagnon - Villanova 86. RB Kareem Hunt - Toledo 139. WR Jehu Chesson - Michigan 183. ILB Ukeme Eligwe - Georgia Southern 218. S Leon McQuay - USC A draft almost completely for two or three years down the road, a little surprising given they won 12 games last season before succumbing to the Steelers in the playoffs. No immediate needs were filled with only some depth added at positions that could use an upgrade. Traded a third rounder and next year's first rounder to move up for Pat Mahomes. He is the anti-Alex Smith, a gunslinger from an air raid offense that Andy Reid will try to tame. Kpassagnon seemed to be a Steelers favorite in the pre-draft process. He is an intelligent, long, athletic 5-technique project from a lower level of competition. Hunt might be the most likely draftee to help now. Jamaal Charles has moved on. Spencer Ware and Charcandrick West are not known for their health. Chesson was targeted in a trade up. He struggled last season coming back from a knee injury after being the Wolverine's MVP in '15. Eligwe hasn't been on the field much of late playing only a single season in Atlanta after missing most of '14 at Florida St. due to a foot injury and then getting kicker off the team due to rules violations. McQuay, a top recruit like Eligwe, didn't win a starting job til his senior season. He could contribute on special teams while developing as a deep safety and/or slot corner.
New Orleans Saints 11. CB Marshon Lattimore - Ohio St 32. OT Ryan Ramczyk - Wisconsin 42. S Marcus Williams - Utah 67. RB Alvin Kamara - Tennessee 76. O/MLB Alex Anzalone - Florida 103. DE Trey Hendrickson - Florida Atlantic 196. DE Al-Quadin Muhammad - Miami FL Lattimore falling out of the top ten was a major break. He was clearly the top corner in the draft and filled their biggest need. There was nothing on the depth chart behind Terron Armstead and 34 year old Zack Strief. Ramczyk after only a single season at the FBS level will get time to develop behind them while providing insurance. Williams is a ball hawking center fielder, not sure how he fits with Vonn Bell. Trading a second rounder next year to take Kamara with Ingram and Black and Old Gold Jesus already on the depth chart seemed unnecessary. Anzalone has the ability to play inside or outside in this scheme if he can stay on the field. Durability is a major concern. Hendrickson and Muhammad both have physical upside on the edge. The troubled Muhammad was suspended for the entire '14 season after an altercation with a teammate and then thrown off the team before last season for receiving illegal benefits. An attempt to transfer to Hampton to play in '16 fell through.
Houston Texans 12. QB Deshaun Watson - Clemson 57. ILB Zach Cunningham - Vanderbilt 89. RB D'Onta Foreman - Texas 130. OT Julie'n Davenport - Bucknell 142. DT Carlos Watkins - Clemson 169. CB Treston Decoud - Oregon St 243. C Kyle Fuller - Baylor Traded next year's first rounder to move up for Watson. Now have a ton invested in his success after trading next year's second rounder to get Osweiler's salary off the books. Watson is the most experienced of the QB class. An athletic leader that has shined in the biggest spots, going 1-1 in the last two national championship games against Alabama. Would have been the top pick if more consistent and accurate. Often saved by the huge catch radius of Mike Williams. Quietly had a very nice draft after Watson. The versatile Cunningham is a high motor every down backer that could have gone at the bottom of the first round with nobody blinking. He has the ability to replace Brian Cushing inside or Brennan Scarlett outside depending on how things work out. Foreman is a big back compliment to Lamar Miller coming off a 2000 yard rushing season. Small school product Davenport has the length and athleticism to eventually compete on the left side. Probably will start out on the right. A natural 3-technique Watkins is an active interior defender. Not sure about his fit in this scheme, he seems miscast on the nose. Decoud's cousin Thomas was a third round pick by the Falcons back in '08. Fuller has good size, but is limited athletically.
Arizona Cardinals 13. I/OLB Haason Reddick - Temple 36. S/CB Budda Baker - Washington 98. WR Chad Williams - Grambling 115. OG Dorian Johnson - Pitt 157. T/G Will Holden - Vanderbilt 179. RB TJ Logan - North Carolina 208. S Rudy Ford - Auburn Unable to plan for the soon to be Carson Palmer-less future because the top three QBs were off the board by their pick. The versatile Reddick has the skill set to start inside and rush the passer off the edge in sub-packages. Baker is a slightly undersized free safety with experience as a slot corner. Think Tyrann Matheau. Williams flew under the radar a bit after being arrested for marijuana and firearm possession before the season. He was productive against a lower level of competition and made some money running a 4.43 at his pro day. Johnson and Holden were both second day possibilities. Johnson was a top recruit that moved inside to help his team. His experience at guard could make him an immediate starter. Short arms and a lack of top athleticism limit the experienced Holden. At the least he is a versatile backup that should be able to hold his own all along the line. Logan is a change of pace scat back to compliment David Johnson. Former RB Ford is a slightly undersized in the box safety that will have to make a mark on special teams.
Philadelphia Eagles 14. DE Derek Barnett - Tennessee 43. CB Sidney Jones - Washington 99. CB Rasul Douglas - West Virginia 118. WR Mack Hollins - North Carolina 132. RB Donnel Pumphrey - San Diego St 166. WR Shelton Gibson - West Virginia 184. S Nathan Gerry - Nebraska 214. DT Elijah Qualls - Washington The relentless Barnett looks like a perfect fit on the edge in Jim Schwartz's defense. Jones will likely have to red shirt after suffering a torn Achilles at the very end of his pro day work out. He was a mid-first rounder before the injury, probably the second corner off the board. Former JUCO transfer Douglas provides more immediate help after bursting on the scene leading all college performers with 8 interceptions last season. He provides the length Schwartz prefers at the position despite a lack of blazing speed. Alshon Jeffery signed a one year deal, Torrey Smitth a three year deal. Dorial Green-Beckham remains far from a sure thing. A broken collarbone ended Hollins' season in October. He is a tall outside receiver that has been more effective downfield than in short to intermediate routes. Gibson was added after a couple of trades down. He plays fast, but timed much slower than expected at the combine. The undersized Pumphrey holds the FBS record for career rushing yards. Gerry is a limited, tough zone in the box safety that will need to make a mark on special teams. Qualls is a squat, powerful interior run stuffer that should have gone back to school to try to quell concerns about his level of effort.
Indianapolis Colts 15. S Malik Hooker - Ohio St 46. CB Quincy Wilson - Florida 80. OLB/DE Tarrell Basham - Ohio 137. OG Zach Banner - USC 143. RB Marlon Mack - South Florida 144. NT Grover Stewart - Albany St 158. CB Nate Harrison - Temple 161. ILB Anthony Walker - Northwestern The influence of new, obviously competent GM Chris Ballard was clearly felt. Six of eight picks were used on the talent starved defense. Only a single offensive skill position player was taken on the third day. Hooker was the best player available, an immediate starter as a ball hawking center fielder. Wilson is a good sized press corner that could also move into the lineup right away opposite injury prone Vontae Davis completely revamping the secondary. Basham is a long. relentless edge rusher. Massive road grader Banner will have to work to keep his weight under control. Mack provides an athletic backup to aging Frank Gore. Stewart was all conference for four years at a lower level of competition. He has the lower body strength to hold up on the nose and the length to perhaps develop as a 5-technique. Harrison is a project after converting from WR before his junior season. Walker a relentless two down run defender that should help on special teams.
Baltimore Ravens 16. CB Marlon Humphrey - Alabama 47. OLB Tyus Bowser - Houston 74. DT/DE Chris Wormley - Michigan 78. OLB Tim Williams - Alabama 122. OG Nico Siragusa - San Diego St 159. OG Jermaine Eluemunor - Texas A&M 186. S Chuck Clark - Virginia Tech Alabama alumni Ozzie Newsome shockingly had his choice of Crimson Tide prospects with the 16th pick and somewhat surprisingly chose Humphrey. The perfect physical specimen, Humphrey had a tendency to give up big plays and will need to learn to be more patient in coverage avoiding overreacting to receiver fakes. Bowser and Williams should compete for immediate playing time opposite aging Terrell Suggs.Both are gambles. Bowser missed time with a broken orbital bone suffered in a fight with a teammate. He is somewhat inexperienced as a pass rusher often dropping into coverage. Williams has first round ability on the field. He reportedly failed multiple drug tests despite never being suspended for them and was suspended for a half after a weapons charge. Wormley fits as a 3-technique or 5-technique. The somewhat athletically limited Siragusa (no relation to Tony) could step in immediately after starting 41 straight games to end his career in a run heavy offense. Eluemunor is an athletic developmental prospect that grew up in London and only started 12 games at College Station. The slightly undersized, versatile Clark will need to contribute on special teams. The main quibble with this draft is that no one was added to the extremely thin receiver corps.
Washington Redskins 17. DE Jonathan Allen - Alabama 49. OLB Ryan Anderson - Alabama 81. CB Fabian Moreau - UCLA 114. RB Samaje Perine - Oklahoma 123. S Montae Nicholson - Michigan St 154. TE Jeremy Sprinkle - Arkansas 199. C/G Chase Roullier - Wyoming 209. WR Robert Davis - Georgia 230. S/LB Josh Harvey-Clemons - Louisville 235. CB Josh Holsey - Auburn Nothing to complain about especially since they fired and didn't replace their GM approximately 6 weeks ago. Allen fell into their laps at 17 ostensibly because of arthritic shoulders that cost him no time the last 3 years. He is a perfect 5-technique for a defensive front lacking play makers. Anderson is a wrecking ball rushing the passer off the edge. Not sure he can do anything else from a standing set which probably should have caused him to fall a bit more. Then again even one-dimensional pass rushers are always at a premium. Moreau tore a pectoral muscle at his pro day. He is a converted RB with all the tools that needs improve playing the ball in the air. Sounds sort of like Ike Taylor. Perine is a banger along the lines of Robert Kelley and Matt Jones. Expect Jones to be gone fairly quickly. Workout warrior Nicholson had surgery for a torn labrum last month and seems destined to begin the season on the PUP list. Sprinkle is an old fashioned in-line TE that can block and catch passes, seemingly a nice compliment to the more dynamic Jordan Reed. The versatile Roullier provides depth inside. Size/speed project Davis dominated against a lower level of competition. Harvey-Clemons is the player I originally thought the Steelers were taking in the sixth round. Then I saw the name and realized the position was "LS", not "SS". Harvey-Clemons is sort of a poor man's Kam Chancellor. Tall and rangy with the ability to play in the box or as a hybrid coverage LB. He was thrown out of Georgia after failing a pair of drug tests for marijuana. Holsey came on strong last season after previously tearing his ACL twice.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 19. TE OJ Howard - Alabama 50. S Justin Evans - Texas A&M 84. WR Chris Godwin - Penn St 107. MLB Kendell Beckwith - LSU 162. RB Jeremy McNichols - Boise St 223. DT Stevie Tu´ikolovatu - USC Howard doesn't fill an immediate need given the improved play of Cameron Brate, but provided excellent value with some thinking he could go as high as sixth to the Jets. He is a throwback complete TE that combines blocking skills with ridiculous athleticism. Evans is a guided missile that despite being slightly undersized can play in the box or because of his speed drop deep. Chris Godwin never met a contested catch that he couldn't make at State College and then somewhat unexpectedly blew up at the combine. Add him to Howard, Brate, freakish Mike Evans with newly signed DeSean Jackson to take the top of a defense and Jameis Winston should get receptions just by heaving the ball close to a receiver. Beckwith rehabbing from ACL surgery is an old time hard hitting inside LB that needs to come off the field in passing situation. McNichols has an opportunity to make a good early impression with Doug Martin serving a four game PED suspension. Run stuffer Tu'ikolovatu provides depth inside.
Denver Broncos 20. OT Garrett Bolles - Utah 51. DE DeMarcus Walker - Florida St 82. WR Carlos Henderson - Louisiana Tech 101. CB Brendan Langley - Lamar TX 145. TE Jake Butt - Michigan 172. WR Isaiah McKenzie - Georgia 203. RB De'Angelo Henderson - Coastal Carolina 253. QB Chad Kelly - Mississippi Draft class provides an interesting combination of immediate help and future upside. The overage Bolles turned his life around at Snow JC after being kicked out of multiple high schools and his own home. He was the most athletically gifted tackle available and is needed to step in quickly on the left side despite only a year of experience in major college football. Walker is a good scheme fit as a 5-technique with new coordinator Joe Woods not expected to significantly alter the defensive scheme. Depth at receiver was an issue. Henderson had a monster season including 23 TDs before coming out early. The diminutive McKenzie provides quickness from the slot. Both are dynamic return men, Henderson on kicks and McKenzie on punts. Langley was a top recruit at Georgia, his home state, that was moved to offense and back to defense before transferring for more playing time. Needs technique work after relying on athleticism against lesser competition in a simplistic scheme. The Coastal Carolina Henderson is built like a fireplug. He will compete with disappointing Devontae Booker for carries in the back rotation. Butt and Mr. Irrelevant Kelly will likely redshirt. Butt is supposedly ahead of schedule in his rehab of a torn ACL in the Orange Bowl. The all around in-line TE prospect that could have been a mid-second rounder pre-injury will still almost assuredly have to begin the season on the PUP list. Highly recruited Kelly, the nephew and godson of hall of famer Jim, tore an ACL at Clemson before clashing with coaches and leaving the program. After a year at a Mississippi JC he enrolled at Oxford. He had highly publicized off the field encounters with a bouncer in a bar in Buffalo and leaving the stands for the sidelines after his younger brother took a late hit in a HS game.His career ended with another ACL injury. He should benefit from a year in the QB room and talking to his uncle's friend John Elway.
Detroit Lions 21. O/MLB Jarrad Davis - Florida 53. CB Teez Tabor - Florida 96. WR Kenny Golladay - Northern Illinois 124. OLB Jalen Reeves-Maybin - Tennessee 127. TE Michael Roberts - Toledo 165. CB Jamal Agnew - San Diego 205. DT/DE Jeremiah Ledbetter - Arkansas 215. QB Brad Kaaya - Miami FL 250. DE Pat O'Connor - Eastern Michigan Davis was a scout favorite. He should be able to contribute either in the middle or on the strong side immediately if he can stay healthy. Tabor on the field was a fearless cover corner with first round traits. Then he ran a 4.68 40 at the combine and over 4.7 at his pro day. Golladay is sort of a poor man's Mike Williams with a large catch radius and the ability to make plays at all 3 levels. Reeves-Maybin flew under the radar after missing much of last season due to shoulder problems. When healthy he is a nice scheme fit either in the middle or weak side with the speed and instincts to 3-down chase and cover linebacker. Roberts is a traditional in-line TE that should free up Eric Ebron to play more in the slot and concentrate on being a receiver. The diminutive albeit experienced Agnew is limited to the slot. He does have the necessary recovery speed to succeed and could contribute as a punt returner. Productive collegians Ledbetter and O'Connor provide depth on the line. Ledbetter is a bit of a DT/DE tweener. If nothing else O'Connor provides some length. There was certainly nothing wrong with taking a flier on Kaaya.
Miami Dolphins 22. DE Charles Harris - Missouri 54. LB Raekwon McMillan - Ohio St 97. CB Cordrea Tankersley - Clemson 164. OG Isaac Asiata - Utah 178. DT Davon Godchaux - LSU 194. DT Vincent Taylor - Oklahoma St 237. WR Isaiah Ford - Virginia Tech Cameron Wake isn't getting any younger and despite signing William Hayes there was no depth on the edge. Harris should contribute immediately as a sub-package rusher while trying to improve his technique against the run. The highly recruited McMillan should compete on the weak side after the signing of Lawrence Timmons for the middle. Tankersley and Asiata both went later than expected. Pure cover corner Tankersley dropped because he showed no interest in stopping the run. Asiata, the cousin of Vikes RB Matt, is overage after serving a Mormon mission. A tenacious, powerful run blocker there is a chance he could step into the lineup immediately. Double dipped on early entrant third day interior defensive linemen with different skill sets to add to the rotation. Godchaux started as a freshman. He doesn't have much pass rush upside and is somewhat limited to a run down 3-technique role. Taylor has a quick first step and is better as an an up the field interior pass rusher than run defender. The tall but thin Ford must prove he can handle the physicality of the pro game. He didn't run as well as expected at the combine.
New York Giants 23. TE Evan Engram - Mississippi 55. DT Dalvin Tomlinson - Alabama 87. QB Davis Webb - California 140. RB Wayne Gallman - Clemson 167. DE Avery Moss - Youngstown St 200. T/G Adam Bisnowaty - Pitt Not taking an offensive lineman until their final pick seems like a dubious decision although somewhat understandable given Bolles was off the board and the rest of the class had major question marks. Engram is a weapon, not a traditional TE lacking the size to ever be a blocker. I was surprised he was taken over the bigger Njoku, a player with at least the possibility of developing in-line. Tomlinson immediately replaces the interior power of Johnathan Hankins next to Snacks Harrison. Webb will get much needed development time with a QB friendly coaching staff coming from an air raid offense. Powerful between the tackles, Gallman adds a needed dimension to the current group of finesse backs. Moss was thrown out of Nebraska after being charged with indecent exposure. He provides the length and athleticism the Giants seek in edge defenders. Traded up for Bisnowaty, He lacks the athleticism to stick on the left side.
Oakland Raiders 24. CB Garreon Conley - Ohio St 56. S Obi Melifonwu - UConn 88. DT Eddie Vanderdoes - UCLA 129. T/G David Sharpe - Florida 168. I/OLB Marquel Lee - Wake Forest 221. S Shalom Luani - Washington St 231. OT Jylan Ware - Alabama St 242. RB Elijah Hood - North Carolina 244. DT Treyvon Hester - Toledo Swung for the fences in the secondary with their top two picks. Conley was soaring up draft boards and going to be a top 15 pick before allegations came out the weekend before the draft that he was involved in a sexual assault. Conley and his representatives have vehemently denied any wrongdoing. He reportedly passed a lie detector test for the Raiders. Melifonwu is a physical freak that didn't always play up to his measurables as a four year starter. Vanderdoes rebounded in the Senior Bowl after having a sluggish season returning from a torn ACL. Sharpe is a huge bodied power blocker probably best suited inside. Somewhat surprisingly the linebacker position was not addressed sooner than the fifth round. Lee is experienced and productive albeit not particularly athletic. Luani is the first of four seventh rounders. He is somewhat inexperienced having played soccer for Tonga on the national team as a 17 year old. Long and athletic, Ware is a developmental project. Hood adds more power after the signing of Beast Mode to what is suddenly a crowded backfield. Hester has some upside as a penetrating 3-technique.
Atlanta Falcons 26. DE/OLB Takkarist McKinley - UCLA 75. OLB Duke Riley - LSU 136. OG Sean Harlow - Oregon St 149. CB Damontae Kazee - San Diego St 156. RB Brian Hill - Wyoming 174. TE Eric Saubert - Drake Traded up for McKinley, a perfect scheme fit opposite Beasley. Riley sat and waited his turn on a talented depth chart before blossoming as a senior. He made some money at the Senior Bowl and combine. Experienced four year starter Harlow is a high effort player that lacks top athleticism. He has an immediate opportunity against soft competition inside at guard. Kazee should help immediately in the slot. Early entrant Hill came from a tough background in East St. Louis and had 658 touches from scrimmage the last two seasons. A third option behind Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman could prove useful in the event of injuries. Saubert looks like the prototypical TE prospect at least in shorts. He is raw after playing in a spread offense at Drake and might end up on the practice squad.
Buffalo Bills 27. CB Tre'Davious White - LSU 37. WR Zay Jones - East Carolina 63. T/G Dion Dawkins - Temple 163. OLB Matt Milano - Boston College 171. QB Nathan Peterman - Pitt 195. OLB Tanner Vallejo - Boise St Fired GM Doug Whaley and their entire scouting staff the day after the draft. New HC Sean McDermott reportedly had total control of the draft and will undoubtedly have a big say in the hiring of a new GM. They were actually quite active on Thursday and Friday. Traded down in the first round and got an extra third rounder plus the Chiefs first round pick next season. Then used extra picks to trade up twice in the second round. Filled their top two needs with experienced, ultra-productive players in their top two picks. White was a four year starter in the SEC that can play alone outside or in the slot. Jones broke the FBS record for single season and career receptions. Dawkins started for three years at LT. He might be better off kicking inside, but deserves at least a look outside on the right. McDermott's scheme prizes speed and quickness over size at LB. The undersized yet tenacious Milano ran a respectable 4.67 at the combine. Four year starter Vallejo has similar measurables. Peterman's lack of arm strength will be a detriment in Buffalo.
Dallas Cowboys 28. DE Taco Charlton - Michigan 60. CB Chidobe Awuzie - Colorado 92. CB Jourdan Lewis - Michigan 133. WR Ryan Switzer - North Carolina 191. S Xavier Woods - Louisiana Tech 216. CB Marquez White - Florida St 228. DT Joey Ivie - Florida 239. WR Noah Brown - Ohio St 246. DT Jordan Carrell - Colorado Focused on defense which made sense. Charlton is an inconsistent, high upside edge setter with incredible length. He has the skill set to develop into an every down difference maker against the run and the pass. He might also disappear. Awuzie and Lewis on day two provide excellent value. Lewis is facing charges of domestic abuse. Woods and White in the sixth round provide more secondary depth. I was really hoping Woods would fall to the Steelers, although I would have been even more irate if that had happened and a long snapper was still the pick. Ivie and Carroll will compete with a weak depth chart to provide 1-gap interior line depth.Receivers Switzer and Brown were the only offensive players selected. Switzer is a slot receiver with good functional quickness. Brown looks like a prototypical big, physical fast border receiver in shorts. He lacks experience with only 33 career catches on a loaded Buckeyes roster in part due to injuries and coming out early was a big mistake.
Green Bay Packers 33. CB Kevin King - Washington 61. S Josh Jones - North Carolina St 93. DT Montravius Adams - Auburn 108. OLB Vince Biegel - Wisconsin 134. RB Jamaal Williams - BYU 175. WR DeAngelo Yancey - Purdue 182. RB Aaron Jones - UTEP 212. OG Kofi Amichia - South Florida 238. RB Devante Mays - Utah St 247. WR Malachi Dupre - LSU Drafted for value with the first four picks.King is a long border corner that ran much faster than expected at the combine. He could have easily been a first rounder. Jones is a size/speed specimen that flies to the ball and loves making big hits. He can play in the box or deep in coverage. Adams was a top recruit and three year starter that played with more passion as a senior. Biegel is an instinctive high motor if slightly undersized edge rush that has had multiple foot problems. They tried to upgrade the moribund RB corps with quantity instead of quality on the third day. Williams has good size and a physical running style, but lacks elusiveness. Jones has a penchant for breaking big runs and can help in the passing game. He had over 4000 career rushing yards including close to 1800 last season. Mays impressed at his pro day after missing more than half of last season with knee and ankle injuries. Yancey is a down the field receiver that lacks blazing speed and has struggled with drops. Amichia will be tried inside after starting 27 straight games at left tackle. Dupre a former five star recruit really never broke out in college in part due to scheme and QB play.
Seattle Seahawks 35. DT Malik McDowell - Michigan St 58. C/T Ethan Pocic - LSU 90. CB Shaquill Griffin - Central Florida 95. S Delano Hill - Michigan 102. DT/DE Nazair Jones - North Carolina 106. WR Amara Darboh - Michigan 111. S Tedric Thompson - Colorado 187. S Mike Tyson - Cincinnati 210. OT Justin Senior - Mississippi St 226. WR David Moore - East Central 249. RB Chris Carson - Oklahoma St Made three trades down from 26 to 35 adding third, fourth, sixth and seventh round picks. Really seem uninterested in improving horrific offensive line. Passed on Ramcyzk on first two trades down, Robinson on third trade down (only a single slot for a sixth rounder) and Lamp with their actual pick. McDowell has top ten pick skills with an undrafted free agent head.If he was the target trading down multiple times out of the first round was smart, not having to guarantee him four years as a first round pick a definite bonus. McDowell can be a force as a 3-technique should Pete Carroll and Kris Richard get him to play hard on every down . Pocic and Senior were the only offensive linemen taken in 11 picks. Pocic is very similar to current C Justin Britt, the only other decent lineman on the roster. Late round Canadian Senior lacks top athleticism and is a right tackle only. Griffin has good size and strength. He has a chance to help immediately especially if Richard Sherman gets traded. More picks were used on safeties than offensive lineman. Hill is an in the box safety limited in coverage. Thompson an athletic former receiver with good hands and ball skills. Tyson may be tried as a press corner. Hopefully he won't bite off anyone's ear. Jones is an athletic 5-rechnique. Darboh and Moore will compete for roster spots in a mediocre at best receiver corps.Darboh is a size/speed prospect that played in a pro offense at Ann Arbor. Moore a small school project with good measurables that will need to excel on special teams. Carson was a JC transfer that fought through injuries last season.
Minnesota Vikings 41. RB Dalvin Cook - Florida St 70. C Pat Elflein - Ohio St 109. DT Jaleel Johnson - Iowa 120. MLB Ben Gedeon - Michigan 170. WR Rodney Adams - South Florida 180. OG Danny Isadora - Miami FL 201. TE Bucky Hodges - Virginia Tech 219. WR Stacey Coley - Miami FL 220. DE Ifeadi Odenigbo - Northwestern 232. OLB Elijah Lee - Kansas St 245. CB Jack Tocho - North Carolina St Traded down several times adding picks after moving their first rounder last year for Sam Bradford. The move for Bradford is looking even more necessary with Ted Bridgewater unlikely to ever return from his horrific non-contract knee injury suffered in a pre-season practice. A natural runner and receiver, Cook dropped due to fumbling and off the field issues. Elflein could start immediately on one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL. Johnson provides insurance if Sharrif Floyd's knee injury is career ending. Gedeon is a run stuffing middle linebacker that should help on special teams. Adams and Hodges are long, fast field stretchers that need to work on other aspects of their game. Isadora was a steady three year starter that like Elflein could start immediately. Coley's work ethic has been questioned. Odenigbo is an edge bull rusher that needs a lot of work against the run. Lee has good length and speed, but lacks bulk. Tocho is an average athlete that might be best suited at safety. The last four picks were underwhelming and will probably be competing for special teams roles.
Los Angeles Rams 44. TE Gerald Everett - South Alabama 69. WR Cooper Kupp - Eastern Washington 91. S John Johnson - Boston College 117. WR Josh Reynolds - Texas A&M 125. OLB Samson Ebukam - Eastern Washington 189. DT Tanzel Smart - Tulane 206. FB Sam Rogers - Virginia Tech 234. OLB Ejuan Price - Pitt Traded their first rounder to move up last year for Jared Goff. Not taking anyone to help protect him was a surprise. Did try to find weapons. Traded down once and snagged Everett, a move TE that should excel in the red zone. Kupp and Reynolds are big pass catchers with good length and an excellent catch radius to also help Goff. The versatile Johnson can play deep or cover the slot. Ebukam and Price are upside edge rushers for the new scheme being implemented by Wade Phillips. Smart is a sub-package penetrating 3-technique limited by lack of size. The hope is Rogers might be able to help Todd Gurley as a lead blocker.
New England Patriots 83. DE Derek Rivers - Youngstown St 85. OT Antonio Garcia - Troy 131. DE/DT Deatrich Wise - Arkansas 211. OT Conor McDermott - UCLA Addressed their short term needs in free agency. Almost didn't seem interested in adding rookies. Rivers is an athletic edge player that could have gone to the Falcons in the first round if they hadn't traded up for McKinley. Garcia has the legitimate athleticism to stick on the left side although he needs to figure out how to keep weight on his lanky frame. Wise is 4-3 DT/E tweener with better physical skills than production. McDermott is simply huge. TE James O'Shaughnessy was also acquired on the third day from the Chiefs at the price of a fifth rounder swapped for a sixth rounders. Bill Belichick really needs nothing from this draft yet almost by default did a good job with his available resources.
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