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Post Free Agency 2022 NFL Mock Draft

4/4/2022

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By William Gregory
You can read the first post here and the second post here.

#1 - Jacksonville Jaguars - EDGE Aidan Hutchinson, Michigan
Mock Draft 1: EDGE Kayvon Thibodeaux, Oregon
Mock Draft 2: OT Evan Neal, Alabama
    Since the combine, Aidan Hutchinson has been the closest to a unanimous number one selection as any other player in the class. Further contrasting Hutchinson against his draftmates, there aren’t many questions regarding his ability, drive, or fit. Hutch can pull off any move, he is a relentless worker, and he can play seamlessly in any defensive alignment. He would instantly become the Jaguars’ best defensive player following this selection, and be the 4th Michigan player drafted first overall.

#2 - Detroit Lions - EDGE Kayvon Thibodeaux, Oregon
Mock Draft 1: EDGE Aidan Hutchinson, Michigan
Mock Draft 2: EDGE Aidan Hutchinson, Michigan
    The Lions are going to take a pass rusher if they stay at number two, it’s just a decision of who falls to them. At this point, it seems that Hutchinson going number one is as close to a lock as it gets. Throughout the early draft process, differing reports and mock drafts have come out that show a negative opinion of Thibodeaux. It seems that it may be, in part, a series of smokescreens by teams to get Thibodeaux to fall to them. The Lions aren’t fooled. Brad Holmes and six other Lions staffers attended Oregon’s Pro Day last week. He is the pick if they don’t trade back.


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Everyone Cares About the Draft Except for the LA Rams: 2022 NFL Mock Draft

3/8/2022

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By William Gregory
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You can read the first post here.

The Los Angeles Rams do not need to read this article. They have not had a first round selection since picking Jared Goff 1st Overall in 2016. General Manager Les Snead has made a living off of trading his top picks for top playmakers, and they’ve finally won it all. Who knows if these other GMs have the ability to do that. This is the second mock draft of the offseason, and two more will be written before the Jaguars are actually on the clock. The top-five is still in flux and we should be in for a bunch of surprises. Let’s see who the Jags pick in the second WCBN 2022 NFL Mock Draft.
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#1 - Jacksonville Jaguars - OT Evan Neal, Alabama
Previous Pick: EDGE Kayvon Thibodeaux, Oregon
Through the pre-draft processes so far, the rumor is that the consensus of NFL front offices have soured on Kayvon Thibodeaux’s floor as an everyday player. Alabama’s Evan Neal has frequently been mocked as the first pick since Doug Pederson was hired as Jacksonville’s head coach on February 3rd. Neal will become Trevor Lawrence’s personal bodyguard at left tackle. His massive frame will also allow Travis Etienne to successfully return to form in the outside running game following his season-ending injury last season. Doug Pederson returns to the NFL with a franchise QB and blindside blocker.


#2 - Detroit Lions - EDGE Aidan Hutchinson, Michigan
Previous Pick: EDGE Aidan Hutchinson, Michigan
    Brad Holmes is a West Coast guy and has picked up a couple great West Coast players, Aidan Hutchinson is still the pick. It seems Hutchinson’s motor and work ethic has leapfrogged Thibodeaux on many boards. Only time will tell if the two players’ intangibles will have a greater impact on their actual play on the field, but Hutchinson’s fit on the Lions remains unquestioned. The Michigan kid’s versatility inside and outside can be instantly plugged into the Lions defensive front that has lacked superstar talent since Jim Caldwell was head coach.

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After Wild Card Weekend: Top 24 NFL Mock Draft

1/25/2022

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By William Gregory
    Following the all-new Super Wild Card Weekend, 24 teams have had their playoff hopes dashed, and their fans of those teams have turned most of their attention to the 2022 NFL Draft. This year’s draft offers a lot of intrigue in that there is a large contingent of elite defensive talent, and a relative lack of slam dunk quarterbacks, though teams have proven they will reach for average signal callers. This mock draft will be the first in a series that will run all the way up to draft night. We’ll track progress throughout, and after the draft, the results of the final predictive mock draft will be reported and posted. The Jacksonville Jaguars are on the clock.

#1 - Jacksonville Jaguars - EDGE Kayvon Thibodeaux, Oregon
    The difference between the top two edge rushers in this class is based largely on opinion. Thibodeaux and Hutchinson are both incredible players, and predicting the direction of the Jacksonville Jaguars is similar to a 50/50 chance. However, looking at Jacksonville general manager Trent Baalke’s draft history with the 49ers shows that he has generally avoided taking Big Ten prospects with Top 100 picks and has chosen many players from the West Coast. Two of those players were Oregon defensive linemen drafted in the first round: Arik Armstead and DeForest Buckner. It’s plain to see that Thibodeaux’s talent will get him drafted in the Top 2 picks, but Trent Baalke’s draft history offers insight into how they will operate this April.
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#2 - Detroit Lions - EDGE Aidan Hutchinson, Michigan
    There may not be a better fit in this draft than Aidan Hutchinson taking the short drive from Ann Arbor to Ford Field. While Hutchinson is built more like a 4-3 defensive end and not an outside linebacker, his pass rushing skill allows him to be played anywhere on the defensive line. Not only does his relentless motor gel with Dan Campbell’s never say die mentality, it’ll keep him from taking plays off when Detroit inevitably collapses to rip its collective fanbase’s heart out. The Lions add a much-needed, impact defensive playmaker.

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Andrew Miller's Mid Season Mock Draft 1.0

11/15/2020

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By: Andrew Miller, Resident Draft Expert
1. New York Jets
: Trevor Lawrence QB, Clemson

    No surprise here. The Jets probably shouldn't have to give up on Sam Darnold this quickly but the temptation might be too hard to pass on Trevor Lawrence. This may be the most slam dunk can’t miss prospect at the position since Andrew Luck. He is that good and most importantly brings an exciting face to NY that they haven’t seen in a while. However, the Jets need to spend big on lineman this Free Agency to help Trevor Out.

2.Jacksonville Jaguars: Trey Lance QB, North Dakota State
    The Jaguars should count themselves lucky that Trey Lance would fall to this spot. In what seems like a race for the top 3 picks to grab a QB, the Jaguars get my favorite QB here. No joke, I am more excited about Trey Lance than Trevor Lawrence. Why? Because I have not seen excellence be pulled off so effortlessly in a college football quarterback my entire life. Sure, he played at NDSU but that really doesn’t matter to me very much. I saw a guy who would make the most amazing throws look easy and routine. The man never threw an INT until his last game at NDSU. Trey Lance in my opinion has Patrick Mahomes upside and I don’t say that lightly. He has a bazooka, an uncanny ability to throw on the run while creating his offense and easily noticeable football IQ. The Jaguars should run to the podium if they are allowed.   

3.Dallas Cowboys: Justin Fields QB, OSU
    This has been a pathetic year for the Cowboys and clearly Jerry does not want to pay Dak Prescott. If this is possible for the Boys they should count their lucky star because they get a true special franchise QB here as well. I have Fields as my No.3 QB but that is to say nothing of his play. He is special and shows special arm strength and arm talent up there with Lance and Lawrence, perhaps even better than Lawrence. He is obviously very mobile as a quarterback. The only area he could stand to improve is possibly throwing on the run but honestly that is only because the people ahead of him are better than him at that. You’re still likely getting a possible All-Pro QB here and the Cowboys might just have their new signal caller.

4. New York Giants: Penei Sewell OT, Oregon
    The Giants miss their shot on replacing Danny Dimes but that may be a blessing in disguise. One thing is very obvious watching Giants football. Their O line STINKS. They just spent the No.4 pick on a Tackle and they are going to do it again here. Except this time they get a sallworth at the LT position which allows Andrew Thomas to move to his natural RT position. Sometimes in football there are no quick fixes and you need to sure up a foundation at the line for a significant rebuild. 

5. Washington Football Team: J’Mar Chase WR, LSU
    At this point in my mock the Football team misses out on the big 3 and while I think Zach Wilson is a good get here, they may want to consider the best WR in the class. You wanna ta;kabout elite size and speed, well he’s right here. People his size should not be able to move the way he can. If he was in the draft last year he would have been WR1, that’s how good he is as a specimen. It might be too much to pass up. 

6. Los Angeles Chargers: Micah Parsons LB, Penn State
    The Chargers are an interesting team because they really only need a couple of positions. While Kenneth Murray has been a revelation at LB for them, it might be too much to pass up drafting Micah Parsons. Parsons is the closest thing as a prospect to Luke Kuechly that you may find from the draft. He is special in coverage with an elite nose for the ball on top of his physical gifts. They run the Seattle Scheme in LA so Parsons and Murray can be their version of Wagner and Wright. I don’t know what it is about him going to Penn State but I think that may be a plus as well given their reputation. It may be too high to take one of the other lineman in this draft so the Chargers should get their elite prospect when they can.

7. Miami Dolphins (via HOU): Gregory Rousseau EDGE, Miami
    The Dolphins are an emerging defense but they are missing a true edge rusher. Kyle Van Noy is great but he is not scary on his own. Rousseau is not only a great player in Miami’s backyard but he is a specimen at his position. This isn’t Myles Garrett or Clowney but this is a lot like Bradley Chubb as a prospect with more twitchy athleticism. He is  a big boy with special bend and power. He reminds me a lot of Khalil Mack actually coming out of Buffalo. I love this player and he might just be the perfect pick for Miami.

8. Cincinnati Bengals: Alex Leatherwood OL, Alabama
    The Bengals have made one thing clear all season. They need SIZE. They are pathetic on the offensive life and Joe Burrow is routinely running for his life out there and even worse, The run game routinely has nowhere to go at the snap. I don’t care what player is here. The Bengals should take the biggest, baddest mauler they can find and be happy with it and it seems my partner agrees. 

9. Carolina Panthers: Creed Humphrey OL, Oklahoma
    The Panthers spent every single pick last year trying to set a foundation for their Defense. They should try to do the same here with their offense. There is nothing that is becoming increasingly important than good interior line play so drafting Creed Humphrey should help what seems to be one of the worst inside running teams in the sport. 
    

10. Atlanta Falcons: Patrick Surtain II CB, Alabama
    The Falcons would get an absolute steal here if they were able to land Patrick Surtain here. A true lock down corner I may go as far out to say he is the best CB prospect I have seen since Ramsey (I know I said that about Okudah and Henderson last year but bear with me). Suratin already projects as a true man to man breaker with top end speed and an ideal height at 6’2”. I think he is one of the safest bets in the draft and the Falcons would be lucky to get him here considering they have been trying to fix their terrible secondary since the Super Bowl.

11. Detroit Lions: Shaun Wade CB, OSU
    The Lions are a dumpster fire at the current moment. They are kinda inept at all non offensive positions. For a team that is looking for some legit talent on defense why not get Jeff Okudah his just as special college teammate. It makes sense. If I were the Lions I would take advantage of the strength of the CB class this year and get a second lockdown CB next to Okudah and build from there.

12. Minnesota Vikings: Zach Wilson QB, BYU
    Kirk Cousins contract is up and it seems to coincide quite nicely with the end of the contending era of the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikes need to look for the future and build around their surprisingly young offense. Zach Wilson is a guy I expected not to like when I turned on the tape and boy was I wrong. He has elite mobility and arm flexibility that just pop off the screen. I would say outside of Lance he might be the most natural passer on the run in this draft. I think he is a perfect QB to lead the Vikings into the next era. 

13. New England Patriots: Kyle Trask QB, Florida
    Bill Belichick is clearly ready to move into the next era of Patriots football and honestly that starts with the QB. Bill needs to get this right and normally I have a policy when it comes to drafting QBs: don’t draft one that you don’t believe will become an elite QB. It says something about this class when I have at pick 13 my fifth QB who I do believe can be a star in this league along with the previous 4. Trask is a big dude who has spectacular touch to match his clever mobility. Like Wilson he is most special outside the pocket and while his arm talent isn’t like Wilson’s (few are) he does have the ability to make almost any throw from any angle and his size allows him a nice base to shed off would-be rushers. This is the guy I am positive Bill wants to start the next era of dominant Patriots football.

14. Denver Broncos: Liam Eichenberg OT, Notre Dame
    The Broncos are so close but they need size at the tackle position. Garrett Boiles has honestly been a failure at LT and it is time for the Broncos to get their stallworth from what seems to be THE offensive line producing school of the decade. Eichenberg is a 6’6 big man who has surprisingly agile feet which should help him in the pros. I think this is a pretty simple pick. Give Drew Lock the best opportunity to succeed. They started with his weapons, now finish it on the line.

15. San Francisco 49ers: Caleb Farley CB, Va Tech
    The 49ers barely miss out on getting the future of the QB in San Francisco  (however there is a bay area QB up in Wisconsin they should check in on) so they might have to settle with fixing their broken secondary. They cannot keep running the press bail system that is going faster and faster out of style, but if they insist on sticking with the big physical corners than Farley is your man. He is tall and deceptively quick for his size who is already one of the best press corners in the country. He could be a really good player in the NFL and would fit in with what Saleh asks his corners to do in the secondary.

16. Chicago Bears: Jaylen Waddle WR, Alabama
    The Bears are starved for playmakers on offense. They need to get a dynamic playmaker who can make things happen with the ball in his hand. Waddle is a special athlete even for the wide receiver position. He is special and the only reason he is available at 16 is because of his unfortunate injury. Still I think that he is simply too much of a talent to pass on but Kremer may be right in the insistence of improving the OLine.

17. Cleveland Browns: Rashod Bateman WR, Minnesota
    The Browns are looking for a dynamic playmaker as well. They don’t have many holes elsewhere and it is clear that the Odell experiment is over in Cleveland. Get a receiver who is not only skilled at route running but is a fantastic 50/50 ball threat. He’s not Odell but you have to start somewhere.

18. Indianapolis Colts: Devonta Smith WR, Alabama
    The Colts are a team with little holes. They lack any really on the defense and are surprisingly cap friendly heading onto next season. What they could use is yet again a dynamic playmaker opposite Michael Pittman. Pittman can be the possession guy while Smith can be the deep threat and underneath guy who can help open up the offense for Phillip Rivers next season.

19. Philadelphia Eagles: Rondale Moore WR, Purdue
    The Eagles tried to get Wentz more help last year and I say they do the same thing this year. Either Regor or Moore has to work at some point but I see superstar potential in Rondale Moore. I think I would be scared to see Moore on a drag route or slant when Reagot is going deep.

20. Arizona Cardinals: Wyatt Davis IOL, OSU
    The Cardinals are an ascending team but it should be obvious to everyone that they are too reliant on Kyler Murray to do everything. Their run game needs size in the center to help free up the passing game and furthermore give some room for Drake to run. Wyatt Davis is such a high floor interior guy the Cardinals should be rushing to the podium after this pick is made.

21.Miami Dolphins: Dillon Radunz OT, North Dakota State
    The Dolphins are looking better and better every week and have a nice foundation at the skill positions on each side. However they are missing a lot of size on both lines and need to improve dramatically. Radunz is a big body and is the best bet to be a foundation piece of the guys left.

22. Jacksonville Jaguars (via LAR): Daniel Faale OT, Minnesota
    Similar to the Dolphins, the Jags need a better foundation for their new signal caller. They should draft the biggest guy available to play LT for them. I Get the feeling the Jags are gonna have to be run heavy. Cam Robinson and Jawann Taylor have not worked the way they hoped it would, so betting more size and maybe moving one of them to guard is the optimal move.

23. Las Vegas Raiders: Dylan Moses LB, Alabama
    The Raiders are an ever improving team but they are missing their captain of the defense. Gruden loves his Linebackers that can do anything and you were to ask me the highest upside guy in this draft it would be Moses. Moses is a physical freak in the same vein as Jaylon Smith and Tremaine Edmunds and if he hits he could be a superstar in the league. That is the kind of player Gruden needs on defense that is filled with decent pieces but nothing elite.

24. Tennessee Titans: Kyle Pitts TE, Florida
The Titans here get a top 10 player in this draft at a position of need. Pitts reminds me of a more polished Evan Engram where he honestly could play receiver if he wanted to. He is lean and fast with a dangerous ability to slip through zones. He should be a QBs best friend and with the state of the Titans TE being what it is, they could really use that go-to weapon in the middle.

25. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Kwity Paye EDGE, Michigan
    The Bucs are trying to win this next year and to do that they need athletes rushing the passer. JPP and Shaq are good but they could use a true pass rushing specialist and that is what Kwity Paye offers. He offers an insane upside on the Line and pass rush to make an already stout defense even better. Plus I’m sure Brady would like his Michigan Man.

26. New York Jets (via SEA): Jaylen Mayfield OT, Michigan 
    The Jets just need offensive lineman. Plain and simple. Why not get a guy who is a natural RT and is currently playing RT for your burgeoning offensive line. Putting Mayfield who is a fantastic athlete for his size opposite the monster in Becton at LT is ideal. It gives Lawrence a good base to build around moving forward.

27. Baltimore Ravens: Rashawn Slater OT, Northwestern
With this pick, I don’t expect Slater to play Tackle. I expect him to move to Guard and move into the old Marshall Yanda role that is vacant. The Ravens are obviously a different team than they were last year without him and getting a skilled guy with the kind of power he possesses and this could be a scary line for the years to come. 

28. Buffalo Bills: Jay Tufele DT, USC
    The Bills need side up front. Point, blank, period. The Bills are too reliant on Hyde and white to carry the load on defense that teams elect to gash their terrible run defense. Tufele is a big motherfucker who can eat up gaps for the Bills. Easy pick here

29. Green Bay Packers: Sage Surrett WR, Wake Forest
    The packers finally get their first round WR.  They get a decent compliment to Adams’s big play ability in Surrett who can handle a Michael Thomas like skillset. He is a big possession receiver who has deceptively great speed to make the big play when needed. If the PAckers are trying to win a Super Bowl in the Rodgers window than they need to give him this opportunity to succeed. 

30. Kansas City Chiefs: Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah LB, Notre Dame
    The Chiefs are hitting the point where they need to start plugging up holes and the biggest on their team currently is LB. They are thin and have routinely been over reliant on blitzing to stop the run so having a true do everything MLB like JOK is gonna be great for the Chiefs. 

31. New Orleans Saints: Jaycee Horn CB, South Carolina
    The Saints need secondary help opposite Lattimore to really compete. They are too often getting into shootouts that they can’t win with the way they play football. They need to get their opposing offenses off the field because most of the time they are gonna be passing because of the pace the Saints play. 

32. Pittsburgh Steelers: Travis Etienne RB, Clemson
    The Steelers are so close to a Super Bowl. At this point in the draft all the QBs and CBs I would wanna take are gone so I got creative. I think the Steelers should pick the best player available at a position of need that isn’t talked about. Travis Ettienne is a fantastic speedster who can break free at any moment for a big score. Not only that but he absorbs contact very well for his play style and I think he could be the real Le'veon replacement and if not, he is a great compliment to what James Conner does. 



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A Deeper Look Into The NFL’s Upcoming Television Negotiations

11/12/2020

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By Adam Bressler, WCBN Sports
As the 2020 NFL season approaches its halfway mark, millions of fans are following the action on the field to see if their team will make the playoffs. However, behind the scenes, negotiations are taking place between the NFL and various media conglomerates that will shape how fans consume professional football for the next decade and beyond.
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Immediately following Super Bowl LVI on February 6, 2022, the current NFL broadcast contracts are set to expire. These contracts dictate which networks broadcast each game, what time slot each game is scheduled for and on what devices viewers are able to watch the games. The current contracts were negotiated in 2011 and are worth over $5 billion in total each year. 

During previous seasons, the NFL’s broadcast partners publicly stated that it would not start negotiating contract extensions until the NFL reached a new collective bargaining agreement with the NFLPA. The NFL players association approved this CBA on March 15, 2020, leading many to speculate that television negotiations would begin shortly after. However, earlier that week, Utah Jazz center Rudy Golbert tested positive for COVID-19, sending all of professional sports and American society into uncharted waters.

Both the NFL and its broadcast partners preferred to delay the television contract negotiations. The NFL executives were busy adjusting the upcoming season for an unimaginable virus, while television networks wanted to wait and see what effects the pandemic would take on professional sports and viewership patterns. Now that the season is underway as “normal” and television ratings have largely stabilized, preliminary contract negotiations are taking place.

Below, I examine the history of NFL television contracts and the economic considerations behind them, before speculating what the next round of television contracts might look like.

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A reluctant 2020 Detroit Lions Preview

9/11/2020

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By: Alex Drain

After a long hibernation period, the NFL is officially back. Fans of teams from across America will finally have our beloved national religion (move over, Jesus) on the gridiron again, a desperately needed event to distract us from a pandemic, raging wildfires, and a rapidly approaching presidential election. Unfortunately, if you’re a Detroit Lions fan like I, your life has been filled with moments where being subjected to the horrors of real life has seemed preferable to watching another NFL game. Still, we turn on the TV every Sunday and I will be eager to do the same this Sunday when the Lions take the field against the Bears.
Two years ago I wrote a preview of the Lions’ season for this website and was quite pessimistic, something that was confirmed by their subsequent 6-10 record. Last year I had a preview written but chose not to publish it- perhaps a good idea because I (obviously) did not see the team winning just three games. At least you can chalk that up to injuries. 

Now with the 2020 season just two days away, I present to you yet another preview of the Detroit Lions, this time their 2020 iteration. This article will go through a series of points about where I'm optimistic and where I'm pessimistic, starting with...

What I feel good about: The Passing Game
Last season the Lions’ offense was completely rejuvenated under the play calling of Darrell Bevell, and Matthew Stafford was playing the best football of his career until his injury. It goes without saying that if the Lions can’t get Stafford healthy, they have a 0% chance of going anywhere in the NFL this season. We saw that in the final eight games of last year (No, Chase Daniel is not fixing the team in the event of another Stafford injury). But after having a full offseason to heal, reports out of training camp are about as positive as they could be for Stafford’s health and if he is in the lineup, I feel extremely confident about the effectiveness of this passing offense. In the first eight games last year, the Lions were averaging 295 passing yards per game, which across a full season would’ve ranked third best in the NFL. Bevell’s play-calling was the sharpest I’ve ever seen from a Lions OC in my lifetime (not exactly a high bar, though) and Detroit weaponized play-action to lethal success. 

Reports out of camp are also positive about receiving corps: rookie WR Quintez Cephus has been the standout of camp, CB-turned-WR Jamal Agnew appears to be an interesting speedy weapon, and WR Marvin Hall is still around and should be good to make his one 35 yard catch per game. The Lions appear likely to carry 6 WR’s onto the roster and that’s because it’s a position of strength, not weakness. On top of those three, you have old faithful Danny Amendola, the slightly underrated Marvin Jones, and Kenny Golladay. Though Golladay doesn’t have a sexy name like a Mike Evans, he’s proved to be highly effective and gives the Lions a legit #1 threat. And on top of all of this you have tight end TJ Hockenson, who you hope makes the sophomore leap that most second year TE’s make. If he breaks out and becomes a 600ish yard guy, that’s another weapon. Oh and the Lions drafted DeAndre Swift in the early second round, who should play a big role as a receiving back. With a healthy Stafford, there’s a legit chance this passing game could make a run at the league’s best this year.


What I don’t feel good about: the running game










This meme I made sums up the last decade of being a Lions fan. Every year we hear that “this is the year the running game gets going” and every year it doesn’t happen. We were told that after Jahvid Best was drafted, after Reggie Bush was signed, after Ameer Abdullah was drafted, after the Lions signed TJ Lang and Rick Wagner, after Kerryon Johnson and Frank Ragnow were drafted, and again after TJ Hockenson was drafted last year. I’m not particularly down on the Lions running game, at least compared to previous years. It’s just I will not feel “good” about the running game until it actually happens. I have learned my lesson Lucy, I will NOT try and kick that football this year unless it’s on a goddamn tee and out of your grimy hands. I don't care about Swift being drafted or the signing/drafting of apparent maulers Halapoulivaati Vaitai and Jonah Jackson. The talent is there on paper but I. Will. Not. Be. Fooled. Again. 

What I feel good about: Offseason defensive pickups
The Lions didn’t have an offseason that got lots of chatter in the NFL circles and it makes sense. They didn’t sign the literal GOAT QB, or trade for a marquee WR for pennies on the dollar, and they didn’t hand out a monster deal to a top free agent like last season. But they made a handful of moves to beef up the defense that I think could have a big impact. We’ve parodied the way the Lions have tried to turn themselves into New England But In Michigan by signing guys they probably shouldn’t, but snaring Danny Shelton, Jamie Collins, and Duron Harmon were all good moves. Collins brings a steady veteran presence to a position that badly needed it (LB), Duron Harmon is  one of the more underrated safeties in the league, actually ranking in the top 25 of NFL safeties in PFF’s recent rankings, and Danny Shelton gives Detroit a probable starter at DT. On top of that, the Lions reeled in Desmond Trufant to replace Darius Slay at corner, which given their performances a year ago, is arguably an upgrade. These pieces are not high money or long-term deals but seem like they were intelligent uses of cap space to plug holes that were quite wide open a year ago. 

What I don’t feel good about: So uh… who’s playing DT?
By far the weakest spot on Detroit’s roster seems to be defensive tackle, where they are carrying the following players into week 1: Danny Shelton, Nick Williams, and John Penisini, with Da’Shawn Hand playing both inside and out on the line. Williams and Shelton were good signings who should be serviceable starters, as noted in the previous section, but beyond that this depth chart gets very grim. John Penisini was a 7th round draft pick in the spring, profiling as a space eater nose tackle. If Williams and Shelton can play a full 16 games, the Lions may be fine, but this is football. That’s probably not going to happen and if we actually have to see Penisini (and other guys from the practice squad) play a lot, it won’t be good for the Lions. And boy, if Penisini gets hurt, then you, the reader, might as well strap on your pads and head to Allen Park and suit up at defensive tackle because I’ve got nothin’ on who would play that spot. On the bright side, Da’Shawn Hand gives the Lions a chance for an impact player along the interior of the line, as he’s been very good when completely healthy. But through two years Hand being completely healthy has been something of a fleeting glimpse than something we can have any real faith in. 

What I feel good about: the secondary?
Detroit’s secondary was an utter catastrophe last season, ranking last in the NFL in passing yards against. They gave no real resistance to some of the best passing offenses they faced and the unit needed a complete overhaul in the offseason, something they mostly got. Trading Slay and signing Trufant was the first move, which I previously noted is probably an upgrade because Slay was quite bad last year. It was the worst season I’d seen him play since his rookie year in 2013, and while he could very well bounce back with Philly this year, it’s not like losing Slay means all that much given how poorly he played a year ago. Meanwhile, Trufant is a reliable, steady veteran. Though you’d ideally like a better #1 corner than him, you can also have a lot worse. As of this moment, the #2 corner would seem to be Amani Oruwariye, which is partly a function of Jeff Okudah’s inexperience, but also of Oruwariye’s growth. A 2019 draft pick who slid from the projected second round to the Lions in the fifth, Oruwariye looked much the part of a projected second rounder last season, one of the only bright spots in the secondary when he actually got to play.

Reports from training camp are quite positive about Oruwariye and I honestly don’t feel bad about him as the starting #2. Okudah will be a dude, and maybe this season, but it probably won’t happen right away. Okudah’s been greatly hurt by the fact the team didn’t practice all spring/summer and played no preseason games due to COVID. Ideally he should be a major contributor by midseason. At safety, I’m looking for Tracy Walker to make another jump after maturing into a quality starter last year, and I already mentioned the Harmon pickup, meanwhile second year player Will Harris needs to show some improvement. As a whole, I don’t think this group is the second coming of the Legion of Boom, but I am surprisingly okay with the secondary entering the season. Furthermore, I think they should be the strength of the 2020 defense. Even though that makes me incredibly nauseous to say, because calling the Lions’ secondary a strength just one year after the 2019 season feels like calling the city of Pripyat, Ukraine, a bastion of environmental health just one year after the Chernobyl meltdown. 


What I don’t feel good about: the coaching staff
On paper, this is a team that should have a shot to make a run. They’ve got what could be a lethal offense, they brought in a fair bit of talent to shore up the defense, and have a very good QB. But the cloud hanging over all of this is the utter lack of faith that I, and everyone in the football world, have in Matt Patricia and his staff. I’m not including Darrell Bevell in this, since he runs the offense on his own and I’ve already buttered him up with praise. But as for the defense and the team overall, this coaching staff has given us nothing to be optimistic about. It started with a catastrophe of a Monday Night Football debut back in 2018, where the Lions self-immolated on national TV and Matt Patricia looked on with a bewildered and hapless face. Then we heard complaints from veteran players about the toxic culture, and complete lack of respect from other coaches. Patricia has been uncompromising, stubborn, unlikable, and flatly, unsuccessful as a Lions head coach. The team made some necessary coaching moves in the offseason, firing struggling OL coach Jeff Davidson, and replacing 90 year-old defensive coordinator Paul Pasqualoni with Cory Undlin. I want to believe in these moves, but I’ve been given not an ounce of reason to believe from the past two years, and I won’t until the results give me reason to. 

What I feel good about: the winnability of the NFC North
As it stands right now, the Lions are the only team in the division that I think got demonstrably better in the offseason. Minnesota ran into cap hell and had to jettison their entire CB group, as well as Linval Joseph, Stefon, Diggs, and Everson Griffen, though they have restocked some of those areas with top draft picks, as well as excellent pass rusher Yannick Ngakoue. Minnesota still has great players across the roster, but there’s considerable uncertainty with the Vikings and it’s hard not to think there won’t be at least a small step back from them this year. Green Bay had a puzzling offseason where they spent their most valuable asset to pick a guy who probably won’t play this season (Jordan Love). The Packers didn’t make many moves at all and roll mostly the same team into the season, a team that I thought (and the Pythagorean theorem backs up) was supremely overrated. They were, according to expected W/L, more like a 10-6 team than a 13-3 one and I concur with that judgement. The Bears also didn’t make any real moves, losing a couple parts off the defense and bringing in Nick Foles, although Mitch Trubisky is the starter heading into week one. So long as Trubisky is the starter, it’s hard to feel like Chicago has a real shot to be a superpower. All told, I think nine wins could win the division, though you may want ten to be safe. For the record, Football Outsiders’ DVOA projections for the season see all four teams around 8-8 and that doesn’t feel that far off at this time. 

Concluding thoughts
The 2020 Lions season feels like a true crossroads for the future of the franchise. The current GM, coach, and QB are all on the line this year because if things fall apart again and the team finishes 4-12, I think the whole management group has to be fired and it’s time to draft one of Fields, Lance, or Lawrence in April and start over. But if the team makes a run, maybe Detroit keeps Stafford around and tries to build around him the way the Saints have with an aging Brees. Unfortunately it’s hard not to feel like 7-9/8-8 is the most logical prediction. That’s what the team probably was last season, had Stafford played a full 16 games, and while they’ve added a lot of pieces compared to that, the coaching staff remains the gargantuan question mark over all of this. 

A path for the Lions to make the playoffs probably runs through a monster offense and a passable defense. With the amount of firepower the offense has, as we stated previously, a top five finish is very much on the table. When you have that kind of unit on one side of the ball, you don’t need that much from the other side of the ball to be a playoff team. But you do need something and they didn’t have that last year defensively. The Lions need a defense that can get some stops. Not many, but some. If the defense can just hold opponents to 24 or so points per game against, while the offense surges to up 28 or so points per game for, over a sixteen game season that would translate out to a +64 point differential, which is indicative of a 10-6 team, roughly speaking. That should be enough to win the division. 

So Detroit doesn’t need the defense to be incredible, but just to get enough stops to let the offense do the work. And still I’m rather unsteady about whether that can happen or not, simply because of how poor the defense has been in the past two seasons. The other factor to discuss is the schedule, which is extremely front-loaded. The Lions will face Chicago at home week 1, which is a must-win. After that it’s @Packers, @Cardinals, and home against the Saints. Detroit will need to win at least one of those. Following another early bye week, it’s @Jags, @Falcons, Colts, @Vikings. That’s a tough first eight games, where again, just beating Jacksonville and scratching one win out is the goal. Get to 4-4, and then beat Washington and @Carolina to be 6-4. From there, finishing 4-2 down the stretch against Houston, @Chicago, Packers, @Titans, Bucs, and Vikings gets you to ten wins. It’s not easy, but that’s the path to 10-6. 

Unfortunately, that kind of schedule presents the possibility that a few things don’t go your way early on and then all of a sudden you’re 1-3 or 0-4 and then there presents the risk of the team giving up and quitting. The NFL is a league of supreme parity, where almost every week is going to a battle and just a couple breaks can flip your season. The Lions saw that first hand last year on a haunted Monday night in Green Bay. Which is why it’s perhaps most reasonable to expect roughly 8-8, but beware: due to both the talent level of the team, as well as the possibility of the coaching staff or frustration with it tanking the season, the tails of probability in either direction, are pretty fat.

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Watch Out for Trey Lance

7/7/2020

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As the 2020 season approaches I thought it would be time to start preparing for the 2021 Draft. This year has been dubbed as the, "Year of the Quarterback." While there have been a couple of those in the past, none quite compare to what the 2021 class is looking to show out. The class of 2018 had 5 QBs go in the first round and last year's class had 4 really good options at the position as well, but this year's class going in seems to be a horse of a different color. Justin Fields and Trevor Lawrence are the most hyped college prospects going into a season since Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota. Both project to be top 5 picks and look like future stars at the position, but I would like to bring a name to the table. North Dakota State quarterback Trey Lance may very well be my favorite QB already in this class. It's a hot take I know. The year will be spent calling Lawrence the Andrew Luck of this class, and that very well be the case. He is a special prospect in his own right but there is something about Lance that is catching my eye.
By now the media has caught up to Lance on their big boards.They seems to be aware that most draft outlets have him as a QB to look out for so they know that he has first round talent, but I really doubt that they have a full grasp on what makes Trey Lance so special at the position First off it's the name. I don't think I could have come up with a better QB name if I tried. Second it is his talent at the position. So much has been made of his 28-0 TD/INT ratio in his lone season as a starter for the Bison. While that is impressive (incredibly impressive), it seems to be all the media can muster about him other than the fact he played in a non power 5 school. Well I have seen every snap he has taken and I have noticed several elite traits for him at the position.

ARM STRENGTH
Anyone who pays even the closest attention to Lance notices his howitzer for a right arm. When Lance throws a ball his pops out of his hand. His deep ball accuracy is quite good, but what I noticed was how quickly the ball gets from A to B on short to intermediate routes. He rifles it into windows that others simply cannot hope to close. That is why he has been so deadly and hard to intercept, if he picks you out the ball is rarely one that is able to be picked off. While I believe that that is the purest example of his arm strength, obviously his deep ball is the purest example of the power in his right arm.
His deep balls are precise. They float in the air with a tight spiral almost unilaterally and most impressively to me, they get to their target particularly fast. This indicates that ball spins in the air really fast and Lance does not need a vast amount of arc with his deep throws. Only the true talents at the position posses the arm to accomplish this and Trey Lance is one of these guys. What even more impresses me with with lance is not just his throwing ability but his athletic ability as well.

ATHLETICISM
The NFL has evolved to a place where athleticism at QB is not so much an outlier or special occurrence but a necessity. Watching Lance it is clear to see that he is one of these guys. In the FCS Championship game, Trey Lance rushed 30 times so clearly the Bison trust him as a weapon there. Lance scored 14 times this season using his legs and routinely, that became the driving force behind why NDSU won every game they played last year.
His lateral agility is that of a wide receiver, but what is so clearly noticeable from Lance's game is his quick burst whenever he sees a rushing lane. He takes full advantage as to what the defense gives him up front and rarely are defenders able to reach him. Even more impressively, when they do reach him, they just seem to bounce right off. I haven't seen a QB shed tackles like this since Cam Newton. He is special. However, I do think this part of his game has benefited a lot from the lack of athleticism on defense in the Missouri Valley Conference. I think he has all the athleticism in the world, but he will not be shedding tackles and running by defenders in the NFL with the same ease as the FCS. Still, his athleticism is arguably the best in a very athletic draft class and all this combined manifests itself in what I find most valuable about him.

IMPROVISATION
I have not seen a quarterback look this comfortable when the play breaks down in a long while. He seems quite decisive when he either will tuck and run or decide to scramble and look for a receiver downfield. It is all over the tape but Lance, with regularity makes some of the pretties throws on the run you will ever see. The play is never broken with the ball in Lance's hand. Time after time the pocket breaks down and he throws a cross field laser to a receiver for 30+ yards. He is simply special. One play in particular stand out from his game against Northern Iowa. The play was obviously a designed bootleg to his left and the play was completely broken almost at the snap. Trey was about half way between the hash and the end zone before he evaded a would be tackler and reversed the field making it back to the other hash mark to throw a laser shot to his receiver 20 yards deep all while not even flinching as a corner is looking to square him up.
These aren't rare either, they are routine. This is what contributed heavily to 28-0 TD/INT ratio. The play is simply never broken enough and he is never uncomfortable enough to be forced to make a bad decision. I am positive that if he played at a power 5 school, he would look just as good as he does at NDSU. I have not dropped my jaw looking at someone's tape like I did time after time with Trey Lance. However perfectly I see him, he does come with some concerns.

CONCERNS
I really only have two major (minor) concerns with Lance. Number one is his quick nature to tuck and run. In today's NFL that may seem like a good thing, but personally, I want to see Trey look to scramble on a bad passing play than so quickly go for the run up the middle. I get it, he is faster and bigger than most LBs in his conference so it makes sense to take advantage. However, I want to see more looking to extend the passing play when the receivers are initially covered from him this year.
the second one is his intermediate accuracy. 28-0 makes the media scream how accurate of a thrower he is but I think that the stat is more representative of his poise than precision. Don't get me wrong, he is not inaccurate, in fact he is an accurate thrower. I just want to see more on the numbers throwing on intermediate routes than I saw last year. A lot of the time I saw receivers have to adjust a little too much to his throws, so I think that could use some fine tuning. But that really is a nitpick because I am confident that will improve. He is incredibly accurate under pressure and has the ability to fit the ball into short windows so fast that his accuracy almost doesn't matter.

CONCLUSION
Expect Trey Lance to rise up the boards even more so than he has already. Most boards have him as a top 10/15 prospect already going into the season but for me he is already the No.3 overall player on my board .(behind Lawrence and Sewell). He has all the skills and poise to be the kind of quarterback that teams gush about. I'll say it here for the record. The conversation right now is Lawrence or Fields with a heavy lean towards Lawrence. In my estimation, the conversation should be Lawrence or Lance with a lot of people with an eye towards Lance. I don't think it'll be a Lawrence and everybody else. It will be a 1 and 1a between the two.
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NFL TEAM-BY-TEAM DRAFT GRADES

4/30/2020

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Picture
By: Andrew Miller, Resident NFL Draft Expert
Round 1
  1. Cincinnati Bengals- Joe Burrow QB, LSU: A+
  2. Washington Redskins- Chase Young EDGE, OSU: A+
  3. Detroit Lions- Jeff Okudah CB, OSU: A
  4. New York Giants- Andrew Thomas OT, Georgia: B-
  5. Miami Dolphins- Tua Tagovailoa QB, Alabama: B
  6. Los Angeles Chargers- Justin Herbert QB, Oregon: A
  7. Carolina Panthers- Derrick Brown DT, Auburn: A+
  8. Arizona Cardinals- Isaiah Simmons LB, Clemson: A-
  9. Jacksonville Jaguars- CJ Henderson CB, Florida: A+
  10. Cleveland Browns- Jedrick Wills Jr. OT, Alabama: A
  11. New York Jets- Mekhi Becton OT, Louisville A
  12. Las Vegas Raiders- Henry Ruggs III WR, Alabama: A
  13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Tristan Wirfs OL, Iowa: A
  14. San Francisco 49ers- Javon Kinlaw DL, South Carolina: A-
  15. Denver Broncos- Jerry Jeudy WR, Alabama: A+
  16. Atlanta Falcons- AJ Terrell CB, Clemson: B+
  17. Dallas Cowboys- Ceedee Lamb WR, Oklahoma: B+
  18. Miami Dolphins- Austin Jackson OT, USC: B
  19. Las Vegas Raiders- Damon Arnette CB, OSU: D
  20. Jacksonville Jaguars: K’Lavon Chaisson EDGE, LSU: A+
  21. Philadelphia Eagles- Jalen Reagor WR, TCU: D+
  22. Minnesota Vikings- Justin Jefferson WR, LSU: A
  23. Los Angeles Chargers- Kenneth Murray LB, Oklahoma: A+
  24. New Orleans Saints: Cesar Ruiz IOL, Michigan: A-
  25. San Francisco 49ers- Brandon Aiyuk WR, USC: B
  26. Green Bay Packers: Jordan Love QB, Utah State: C-
  27. Seattle Seahawks- Jordyn Brooks LB, Texas Tech: C+
  28. Baltimore Ravens- Patrick Queen LB, LSU: A+
  29. Tennessee Titans- Isaiah Wilson OT, Georgia: A
  30. Miami Dolphins- Noah Igbinoghene CB, Auburn: C+
  31. Minnesota Vikings- Jeff Gladney CB, TCU: B-
  32. Kansas City Chiefs- Clyde Edwards-Helaire RB, LSU: B+
    Round 2


  33. Cincinnati Bengals- Tee Higgins WR, Clemson: B
  34. Indianapolis Colts- Michael Pittman Jr. WR, USC: A-
  35. Detroit Lions: D’Andre Swift RB, Georgia: B-
  36. New York Giants- Xavier McKinney S, Alabama: A
  37. New England Patriots- Kyle Dugger S, Lenoir-Rhyne: A
  38. Carolina Panthers- Yetur Gross-Matos EDGE, PSU: A-
  39. Miami Dolphins- Robert Hunt G, Louisiana, A
  40. Houston Texans- Ross Blacklock DT, TCU: B+
  41. Indianapolis Colts- Jonathan Taylor RB, Wisconsin: A+
  42. Jacksonville Jaguars- Laviska Shenault WR, Colorado: B
  43. Chicago Bears- Cole Kmet TE: Notre Dame: A-
  44. Cleveland Browns- Grant Delpit S, LSU: B+
  45. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Antoine Winfield S, Minnesota: A+
  46. Denver Broncos- KJ Hamler WR, PSU: A
  47. Atlanta Falcons- Marlon Davidson DL, Auburn: B-
  48. Seattle Seahawks- Darrell Taylor EDGE, Tennessee: C+
  49. Pittsburgh Steelers- Chase Claypool WR, Notre Dame: A
  50. Chicago Bears- Jaylon Johnson CB, Utah: A-
  51. Dallas Cowboys- Trevon Diggs CB, Alabama: A-
  52. Los Angeles Rams- Cam Akers RB, FSU: D
  53. Philadelphia Eagles- Jalen Hurts QB, Oklahoma: D-
  54. Buffalo Bills: AJ Epenesa EDGE, Iowa: A+
  55. Baltimore Ravens- JK Dobbins RB, OSU: A
  56. Miami Dolphins- Raekwon Davis DT, Alabama: A
  57. Los Angeles Rams- Van Jefferson WR, Florida: C
  58. Minnesota Vikings- Ezra Cleveland OT, Boise State: C+
  59. New York Jets- Denzel Mims WR, Baylor: B
  60. New England Patriots- Josh Uche EDGE. Michigan: A
  61. Tennessee Titans- Kristian Fulton CB, LSU: A
  62. Green Bay Packers- AJ Dillon RB, Boston College: F
  63. Kansas City Chiefs- Willie Gay LB, Miss St: B+
  64. Carolina Panthers- Jeremey Chinn S, Southern Illinois: A
    Round 3


  65. Cincinnati Bengals- Logan Wilson LB, Wyoming: A-
  66. Washington Redskins- Antonio Gibson RB, Memphis:C+
  67. Detroit Lions- Julian Okwara EDGE, Notre Dame: A-
  68. New York Jets- Ashtyn Davis S, Cal: A
  69. Seattle Seahawks- Damien Lewis G, LSU: B-
  70. Miami Dolphins- Brandon Jones S, Texas: C-
  71. Baltimore Ravens- Justin Madubuike DT, Texas A&M: A+
  72. Arizona Cardinals- Josh Jones OT, Houston: A
  73. Jacksonville Jaguars- Davon Hamilton DT, OSU: B-
  74. New Orleans Saints- Zack Baun LB, Wisconsin: A+
  75. Detroit Lions- Jonah Jackson G, OSU: B+
  76. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Ke’Shawn Vaughn RB, Vanderbilt: B-
  77. Denver Broncos- Michael Ojemudia CB, Iowa: A-
  78. Atlanta Falcons- Matt Hennessy C, Temple: A
  79. New York Jets- Jabari Zuniga EDGE, Florida: B-
  80. Las Vegas Raiders- Lynn Bowden WR, Kentucky: A
  81. Las Vegas Raiders- Bryan Edwards WR, South Carolina: C+
  82. Dallas Cowboys- Neville Gallimore DT, Oklahoma: A+
  83. Denver Broncos- Lloyd Cushenberry IOL, LSU: A+
  84. Los Angeles Rams- Terrell Lewis EDGE, Alabama: B-
  85. Indianapolis Colts- Julian Blackmon S, Utah: A-
  86. Buffalo Bills- Zack Moss RB, Utah: A-
  87. New England Patriots- Anfernee Jennings LB, Alabama: B
  88. Cleveland Browns- Jordan Elliott DL, Mizzou: A+
  89. Minnesota Vikings- Cam Danztler CB, Miss St: B
  90. Houston Texans- Jonathan Greenard EDGE: Florida: B+
  91. New England Patriots- Devin Asiasi TE, UCLA: A
  92. Baltimore Ravens- Devin Duvernay WR, Texas: A
  93. Tennessee Titans- Darrynton Evan RB, Appalachian State: B-
  94. Green Bay Packers- Josiah Deguara TE: Cincinnati: D
  95. Denver Broncos- McTelvin Agim DT, Arkansas: B-
  96. Kansas City Chiefs- Lucas Niang OT, TCU: A
  97.  Cleveland Browns- Jacob Phillips LB, LSU: B
  98.  Baltimore Ravens- Malik Harrison LB, OSU: A+
  99. New York Giants- Matt Peart OT, Uconn: A
  100. Las Vegas Raiders- Tanner Muse LB, Clemson: C
  101. New England Patriots- Dalton Keene TE, Va Tech: C
  102. Pittsburgh Steelers- Alex Highsmith EDGE: Charlotte: B
  103. Philadelphia Eagles- Davion Taylor LB, Colorado: A-
  104. LA Rams- Terrell Burgess S, Utah: C+
  105. New Orleans Saints- Adam Trautman TE: Dayton: A
  106. Baltimore Ravens-  Tyre Phillips G, Miss St: A-
    Round 4


  107. Cincinnati Bengals- Akeem Davis-Gaither LB: Appalachian State: B+
  108. Washington Redskins- Saadiq Charles OT, LSU: A
  109. Las Vegas Raiders- John Simpson G, Clemson: A+
  110. New york Giants- Darnay Holmes CB, UCLA: B
  111. Miami Dolphins- Solomon Kindley G, Georgia: A-
  112.  Los Angeles Chargers-Joshua Kelley RB, UCLA: C
  113. Carolina Panthers- Troy Pride Jr. CB, Notre Dame: A
  114. Arizona Cardinals- Leki Fotu DT, Utah: A+
  115. Cleveland Browns- Harrison Bryant TE, FAU: C
  116. Jacksonville Jaguars- Ben Batrch OL, St. John’s: A+
  117. Minnesota Vikings- DJ Wonnum EDGE, South Carolina: B+
  118. Denver Broncos- Albert Okwuegbunam TE, Mizzou: A+
  119. Atlanta Falcons- Mykal Walker LB, Fresno State: B
  120. New York Jets- LaMical Perine RB, Florida: C+
  121. Detroit Lions- Logan Stenberg G, Kentucky: A-
  122. Indianapolis Colts- Jacob Eason QB, Washington: A
  123. Dallas Cowboys- Reggie Robinson CB, Tulsa: B-
  124. Pittsburgh Steelers- Anthony McFarland RB, Maryland: A-
  125. New York Jets- James Morgan QB, FIU, B
  126. Houston Texans- Charlie Heck OT, North Carolina: B
  127.  Philadelphia Eagles- K’Von Wallace S, Clemson: B
  128. Buffalo Bills- Gabriel Davis WR, UCF: A
  129. New York Jets- Cameron Clark OT, Charlotte: B
  130. Minnesota Vikings- James Lynch DT, Baylor: A
  131. Arizona Cardinals- Rashard Lawrence DT, LSU: B+
  132. Minnesota Vikings- Troy Dye LB, Oregon: A+
  133. Seattle Seahawks- Colby Parkinson TE, Stanford: B
  134. Atlanta Falcons- Jaylin Hawkins S, Cal: D-
  135. Pittsburgh Steelers- Kevin Dotson G, Louisiana: A
  136. Los Angeles Chargers- Brycen Hopkins TE, Purdue: B-
  137. Jacksonville Jaguars- Josiah Scott CB, MSU: B-
  138. Kansas City Chiefs- LaJarius Sneed S, Luisiana Tech: C-
  139. Las Vegas Raiders- Amik Robertson CB, Louisiana Tech: A+ 
  140. Jacksonville Jaguars- Shaquille Quarterman LB, Miami: B
  141. Houston Texans- John Reed CB, PSU:C-
  142. Washington Redskins- Antonio Gandy-Golden WR, Liberty: A
  143. Baltimore Ravens- Ben Bredeson G, Michigan: A
  144. Seattle Seahawks- Deejay Dallas RB, Miami: C
  145. Philadelphia Eagles- Jack Driscoll G, Auburn: B
  146. Dallas Cowboys- Tyler Biadasz C, Wisconsin: A+
    Round 5
  147. Cincinnati Bengals- Khalid Kareem EDGE, Notre Dame: A
  148. Seattle Seahawks: Alton Robinson EDGE, Syracuse: B
  149. Indianapolis Colts- Danny Pinter G, Ball State: C+
  150. New York Giants- Shane Lemeuix G, Oregon: A
  151. Los Angeles Chargers- Joe Reed WR, Virginia: B-
  152. Carolina Panthers- Kenny Robinson S, XFL: A
  153. San Francisco 49ers- Colton McKevitz OT, WVU: B
  154. Miami Dolphins: Jason Strawbridge DL, North Carolina: B+
  155. Chicago Bears- Trevis Gipson LB, Tulsa: C+
  156. Washington Redskins- Keith ishmael C: SDSU: C+
  157. Jacksonville Jaguars- Daniel Thomas S: Auburn: C-
  158. New York Jets- Bryce Hall CB, Virgina: A
  159. New England Patriots: Justin Rohrwasser K: Marshall: B
  160.  Cleveland Browns- Nick Harris IOL:  Washington: A
  161. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Tyler Johnson WR: Minnesota: B+
  162. Washington Redskins- Khaleke Hudson S: Michigan: B+
  163. Chicago Bears- Kindle Vildor CB: Georgia Southern:C+
  164. Miami Dolphins- Curtis Weaver EDGE, Boise State: A
  165. Jacksonville Jaguars- Collin Johnson WR, Texas: C-
  166. Detroit Lions- Quentez Cephus WR, Wisconsin: B+
  167. Buffalo Bills- Jake Fromm QB, Georgia: A
  168. Philadelphia Eagles- John Hightower WR, Boise State: D
  169. Minnesota Vikings- Harrison Hand CB, Temple: A
  170. Baltimore Ravens- Broderick Washington DL, Texas Tech: B-
  171. Houston Texans- Isaiah Coulter WR, Rhode Island: C+
  172. Detroit Lions- Jason Huntley RB, New Mexico State: F
  173. Chicago Bears- Darnell Mooney WR, Tulane: C
  174. Tennessee Titans- Larrell Murchison DL, NC State: A
  175. Green Bay Packers- Kamal Martin LB, Minnesota, B
  176. Minnesota Vikings- KJ Osborn WR, Miami: C-
  177. Kansas City Chiefs- Mike Danna EDGE, Michigan- C+
  178. Denver Broncos- Justin Strnad LB, Wake Forest: B+
  179. Dallas Cowboys- Bradlee Anae EDGE, Utah: A

Round 6
180. Cincinnati Bengals-Hakeem Adeniji OT, Kansas: A
181. Denver Broncos- Netane Muti IOL, Fresno State: A
182. New England Patriots- Michael Onwenu IOL, Michigan: A
183. New York Giants- Cameron Brown LB, PSU- B-
184. Carolina Panthers- Bravvion Roy DL, Baylor: A
185. Miami Dolphins- Blake Ferguson LS, LSU: S for Snapper
186. Los Angeles Chargers- Aholi Gilman S, Notre Dame: A-
187. Cleveland Browns- Donovan Peoples-Jones WR, Michigan: A+
188. Buffalo Bills- Tyler Bass K, Georgia Southern: A
189. Jacksonville Jaguars- Jake Lutton QB, Oregon State: B
190. San Francisco 49ers- Charlie Woerner TE, Georgia: B-
191. New York Jets- Braden Man P, Texas A&M: A
192. Green Bay Packers- Jon Runyan Jr. G, Michigan: B+
193. Indianapolis Colts- Robert Windsor DT, PSU: B-
194. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Khalil Davis DT, Nebraska: A-
195. New England Patriots- Justin Herron OT, Wake Forest: B+
196. Philadelphia Eagles- Shaun Bradley LB, Temple: C
197. Detroit Lions- John Penisinsi DT, Utah: B
198. Pittsburgh Steelers- Antoine Brooks S, Maryland: C+
199. LA Rams- Jordan Fuller S, OSU: D
200. Philadelphia Eagles- Quez Watkins WR, Southern Miss: F
201. Baltimore Ravens- James Proche WR, SMU: A
202. Arizona Cardinals- Evan Weaver LB, Cal: A-
203. Minnesota Vikings- Blake Brandel OT, Oregon State: B-
204. New England Patriots- Cash Maula LB, Wyoming: D
205. Minnesota Vikings- Josh Metellus S, Michigan: B
206. Jacksonville Jaguars- Tyler Davis TE, Georgia Tech: B
207. Buffalo Bills- Isaiah Hodges WR, Oregon State: C+
208. Green Bay Packers- Jake Hanson C, Oregon: A
209. Green Bay Packers- Brian Stepaniak G, Indiana: C+
210. Philadelphia Eagles- Prince Tega Wanogho OT, Auburn: A
211. Indianapolis Colts- Isaiah Rodgers CB, UMass: B
212. Indianapolis Colts- Dezmon Patmon WR, Washington State: C
213. Indianapolis Colts- Jordan Glasgow S, Michigan: A
214.Seattle Seahawks- Freddie Swain WR, Florida: B
Round 7


215. Cincinnati Bengals- Marcus Bailey LB, Purdue: A+
216. Washington Redskins- Kameron Curl S, Arkansas: C-
217. San Francisco 49ers- Juauan Jennings WR, Tennessee: A
218. New York Giants- Carter Coughlin EDGE, Minnesota: A-
219. Baltimore Ravens- Geno Stone S, Iowa: A
220. Los Angeles Chargers- KJ Hill WR, OSU: A-
221. Carolina Panthers- Stanley Thomas-Oliver CB, FIU: B-
222. Arizona Cardinals- Eno Benjamin RB, ASU: A-
222.Jacksonville Jaguars- Chris Claybrooks CB, Memphis: B-
224. Tennessee Titans- Cole McDonald QB, Hawaii: A-
225. Minnesota Vikings- Kenny Willekes EDGE, MSU: A
226. Chicago Bears- Arlington Hambright G, Colorado: A
227. Chicago Bears- Lachavious Simmons OT: Tennessee St: B
228.  Atlanta Falcons- Sterling Hofrichter P, Syracuse: A 
229.Washington Redskins- James Smith-Williams EDGE, NC State: B+
230.  New England Patriots- Dustin Woodard IOL, Memphis: B+
231. Dallas Cowboys- Ben DiNucci QB, James Madison: C
232. Pittsburgh Steelers- Carlos Davis DT, Nebraska: A
233. Philadelphia Eagles- Casey Toohil LB, Stanford: B+
234. Los Angeles Rams: Clay Johnston LB, Baylor: A
235. Detroit Lions- Jashon Cornell DT, OSU: B
236. Green Bay Packers- Vernon Scott, S: TCU: B
237. Kansas City Chiefs- Thakarius Keyes CB, Tulane: B-
238.  New York Giants- TJ Brunson LB, South Carolina: A
239. Buffalo Bills- Dane Jackson CB, Pitt: A
240. New Orleans Saints- Tommy Stevens QB, MIss St: B+
241. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Chapelle Russell LB, Temple: C
242. Green Bay Packers- Jonathan Garvin EDGE, Miami: A
243. Tennessee Titans- Chris Jackson CB, Marshall: C+
244. Minnesota Vikings: Nate Stanley QB, Iowa: A-
245. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Raymond Calais RB, Louisiana: D
246. Miami Dolphins- Malcolm Perry RB, Navy: A
247. New York Giants- Chris Williamson CB, Minnesota: A-
248. Los Angeles Rams- Sam Sloman K: Miami (OH), F (or an A)
249. Minnesota Vikings- Brian Cole S, Miss St: A
250. Los Angeles Rams- Tremayne Anchrum G, Clemson: A-
251. Seattle Seahawks- Stephen Sullivan TE, LSU: D
252. Denver Broncos- Tyrie Cleveland WR, Florida: A
253. Minnesota Vikings- Kyle Hinton C, Washborn: B
254. Denver Broncos- Derek Tuszka EDGE, NDSU: A
255. New York Giants- Tae Crowder LB, Georgia: B

NFC EAST
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New York Giants 
    
 Round 1 No 4 ovr. Andrew Thomas OT, Georgia: B-
    I like the pick more than the grade suggests. I think Thomas was the right pick. They want to be a power run football team and I would say that Thomas is the safest of the power tackles at this point and the pick simply makes sense in terms of establishing a foundation. The B- comes from him being my No.4 ranked tackle. However, I think this was a really good pick by Dave Gettleman.

   Round 2  No 36 ovr. Xavier McKinney S, Alabama: A
    The Giants got a perfect miss of value and need here. The Giants are in desperate need since their last star Alabama Safety. Well they get a stud center fielder to be a real linchpin in their defense moving forward. It’s hard to say anything more than the Giants got a top 25 talent at 36 at one of their biggest needs.

Round 3 No 99 ovr. Matt Peart OT, Uconn: A
    This guy was one of my favorite players in this draft class. I was really excited since the end of the season about the dancing bear out of Uconn. I watch him and for a guy who is that tall and big, he is graceful with his feet and movement. One thing I’d like to see is more power from him, but that will come in the NFL and he is a huge human being as is. I think the Giants commitment to their line is commendable. Love the pick, and great compliment opposite Thomas

   Round 4 No 110 ovr. Darnay Holmes CB, UCLA: B
    A nice slot corner for the Giants. He is quick and great at using his hips. I think this is no more than a solid grade for a solid player that was a solid pick.

   Round 5 No150 ovr. Shane Lemeuix G, Oregon: A
    I love this pick. The Giants continue to revamp their OLine and getting this mauler upfront they continue to move towards a true power run game. Shane is great once he gets his hands on you. He is simply too big and powerful at the point of attack to not have value to the Giants. If he gets some help in pass protection, he could be one of the premier run blockers in football. At the very worst he’s a great backup okay starter. Love the pick.

    Round 6 No 183 ovr. Cameron Browns LB, PSU- B-
    A good tackler and could be a solid rotational LB with the Giants. I feel like they could have gotten someone with more upside and starter potential, but I think this guy is no slouch. A little old school LB never hurts anyone, decent pick.

Round 7 No 218 ovr. Carter Coughlin EDGE, Minnesota: A-
Another really solid draft pick by the Giants. A High motor edge rusher who has all the production in the world. He has natural instincts for the position and I think could be a great situational pass rusher or an amazing 3rd pass rusher. I think the Giants got a potential steal here at 218. 

Round 7 No 238 ovr. TJ Brunson LB, South Carolina: A
This is an outstanding pick by the giants. I had a higher grade on him than I did their most recent LB selection. This man is more of an athlete who impresses me by inviting contact. Great pick with great value.

Round 7 No 247 ovr. Chris Williamson CB, Minnesota: A-
Great character guy out of Minnesota who is incredibly smart in man coverage, even better in Zone. He might not be the elite athlete needed to start at CB, but he could be a reliable backup for years in the years to come

Round 7 No 255 ovr. Tae Crowder LB, Georgia: B
As Mr. Irrelevant, the Giants selected the backup linebacker at Georgia for years. I don’t expect much from him. But coming from Georgia you expect him to be a smart defensive football player and a contributor on Special Teams.

GRADE: A-
The Giants did well at addressing the offensive line. This draft is full of great value picks and big buys to help the power run game that is building in New York. There are some questionable picks in my mind, but overall Dave Gettleman did a great job in this draft. 
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Dallas Cowboys

Round 1 No 17 ovr. Ceedee Lamb WR, Oklahoma: B+
Getting Ceedee Lamb at 17 is great value. I just feel like the Cowboys have way more holes to plug up than spend their premium pick on a receiver in a deep class. Micahel Gallup showed real talent last year and I think they could go for the secondary or offensive line to replace the key pieces they lost this summer.

Round 2 No 51 ovr. Trevon Diggs CB, Alabama: A-
Good Pick here by Dallas. The player could be a real steal at 51. He could be a first rounder. The minus comes from the fact that for a team that should be contending this year, it is unlikely Diggs becomes a good starter until year 2 where he could be a Pro Bowler.

Round 3 No 81 ovr. Neville Gallimore DT, Oklahoma: A+
Again, value is the name of the game here. Gallimore is a quick penetrator with amazing hand usage. He really should not be here for the Cowboys so getting him is an outright steal. More than that he is exactly the kinda guy the Cowboys need inside. Perfect pick.

Round 4 No 123 ovr. Reggie Robinson CB, Tulsa: B-
Nice slot corner her, like the player but Jourdan Lewis has been one of the better slot corners in the league. Considering the Boys beefed up the secondary earlier with Diggs, this pick remains somewhat of a head scratcher. Like the player at almost exact value.

Round 4 No 146 ovr. Tyler Biadasz C, Wisconsin: A+
This is an amazing pick for the Cowboys. This man to me has all the first round talent in the world. He is a big man in the middle of the Wisconsin OLine. He fell here because of two surgeries he has had but if this works out they have a great replacement here for Travis Frederick. If the Cowboys had done this in round 2 it would have received the same grade.

Round 5 No 179 ovr. Bradlee Anae EDGE, Utah: A+
Another great value pick at a position of need for the Cowboys. Getting a tough edge rusher at this point of the draft, but getting one of the guys I was personally excited for takes the cake. The man is, in a word, tough. He’s a great tackler with a good floor for the NFL. Cannot believe he fell and the Cowboys get either a great no.3 rusher or a good compliment to Demarcus Lawrence. 

Round 7 No. 231 ovr. Ben DiNucci QB, James Madison: C
Sure. I have never seen a snap of James Madison football but I assume that the Cowboys have. I think after a great draft the Cowboys can afford to take a QB that catches their fancy late.

GRADE: A
A lot has been made about how great the value of Ceedee Lamb was. It was great value, in fact nearly all of the Cowboys picks were. My only problem is that the Cowboys want to contend this year. I am not sure they plugged up their holes enough to fill up their holes. Biadsz is about as good as you can do to replace Frederick, but is the addition of Trevon Diggs enough to replace what Byron Jones does for them. Time will tell but I don't know if this draft makes the Cowboys a better team.

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​Philadelphia Eagles

Round 1 No 21 ovr. Jalen Reagor WR, TCU: D+
The Eagles needed to draft a wide receiver, but I don’t know about Reagor’s value here and especially to the Eagles. The Eagles have a guy that already has his role. Reagor compares almost exactly to Desean Jackson so that’s redundant, plus Justin Jefferson who fits a perfect need for what the Eagles do on offense was there. Instead they opt for a receiver who they like. I like Regor but at 21 with who was on the board was just odd.

Round 2 No 53 ovr. Jalen Hurts QB, Oklahoma: D-
I like Jalen Hurts, but he was not the top QB on my board. Oh and they have a young entrenched starter in Carson Wentz. I get he’s injured, but I would recommend taking a QB in the fourth who is ready to step in for him. A QB in the second is supposed to be a future franchise QB. I cannot believe this pick. The Eagles should be gearing up for a Super Bowl run not looking to move on from the former MVP candidate. The D- is just because I like the player, but I cannot believe what the Eagles are doing.

Round 3 No 103 ovr. Davion Taylor LB, Colorado: A-
    I personally love this player. Dabion Taylor is a guy I thought was being underrated. He is quick and good in coverage, but I thought he was an underrated tackler as well. He will fit right in the Nigel Bradham role that is now vacated. The only reason there is a minus is because, while he does fill a need, there may have been better LBs on the board and the Eagles could have potentially gotten him much later. Still at least this pick makes sense to me.

Round 4 No 127 ovr. K’Von Wallace S, Clemson: B
K’Von Wallace is a solid pickup for the Eagles. I think that this issue should have been addressed earlier but Wallace can step into the role right away that Malcolm Jenkins left behind. He may not be able to be as good as Jenkins was, but I think there is little chance he is a bust at this spot.

Round 4 No 146 ovr. Jack Driscoll G, Auburn: B
I can never get mad at a team for drafting OLine help. Jack Dricoll is a solid power Lineman who excels at pulling. I think that he will succeed at his move inside when going to the Eagles. He will be benefiting from an excellent OLine so he will at worst be a solid backup and at best be a surprise really good starter with limited responsibilities. 
    
Round 5 No 168 ovr. John Hightower WR, Boise State: D
Odd that the Eagles would pick a second receiver at their last pick of real substance in the draft. On top of that the receiver they got is simply okay and not entirely traits-y. I don’t know but the Eagles have a bunch of John Hightowers on their roster including one that they drafted in the second round last year (Arcega-Whiteside). I feel like they shoulda gone for more of a freak at the position and try to get more height. If Alshon is truly gone, their only Red Zone threat is their TEs and that may not be enough.
    
Round 6 No 196 ovr. Shaun Bradley LB, Temple: C
More of a thumper and tackler than Taylor was before. The Eagles are pretty thin at LB but I can’t shake the feeling that Bradley wasn’t a great selection. I would have him in the late round 5 early round 6 conversation so here it is apt value but I think that the Eagles should address other issues than double dipping at WR and LB.

Round 6 No 200 ovr. Quez Watkins WR, Southern Miss: F
 I have not watched a lot of Southern Miss tape, I am going to be honest. However, I am going to reiterate my point that the Eagles should have addressed their other concerns before once again returning to the WR well. Normally you are drafting guys with traits this late, so presumably Watkins must have those. I think that a third WR is a little much for this team I’m afraid. The F ended up being for the draft strategy than for the player.


Round 6 No 210 ovr. Prince Tega Wanogho OT, Auburn: A
This is a slam dunk pick that fell into the Eagles lap. The tackle from Nigeria has been mocked as high as the end of the 2nd, and I had a 3rd round grade on him, so getting him here is exceptional value. Wanogho can occupy the swing tackle role that Halapoulivaati Vaitai commanded. Getting both Auburn tackles was the best move these Eagles made all draft.

Round 7 No ovr. 233 Casey Toohil LB, Stanford: B+
Good pick late. They may be triple dipping in the LB position, but scouts rave about Toohil’s intangibles and effort on defense. I think this guy will be a great gunner on Special Teams.

GRADE: C-
The Eagles draft is really confusing. I don't really understand what they are going for here. Howie Roseman has been one of the NFL's best GMs but his first two picks are just odd. Reagor was a major reach and I have no clue what they are doing with their second pick. Howie Roseman says they are married to Wentz and I kinda believe him. I don't know what the plan is but I assume they have one. They make up for a bad class with decent O Line picks later, but if anyone is looking at the Eagles line, that is not the biggest area of need.
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Washington Redskins 

Round 1 No 2 ovr. Chase Young EDGE, OSU: A+
I mean arguably the best player in the class at the second most premium position in the league. Hard to mess up this pick on this pick. Hard to mess up on the selection of a generational athlete at the pass rusher position. 

Round 3 No.66 ovr. Antonio Gibson RB, Memphis: C+
When a rebuilding team like Washington doesn’t have a second round pick, especially when every pick is the second pick in a round, you have to hit homeruns. I like Gibson. The man scored on what was it? 16% of his touches! However, I understand Guice is often injured but this seems like a luxury pick for a team that doesn’t have that leg to stand on. He could turn out to be the second coming of Tarik Cohen, but I still think it is a little too early for this selection

Round 4 No 108 ovr. Saadiq Charles OT, LSU: A
The Redskins had recently traded Trent Williams and in his stead they got a high floor athlete in Charles. The guy is a late 2nd/early 3rd round pick so getting him here is good value. If they can handle the off field stuff, he could be a decent starter for this team for years.

Round 4 No 142 ovr. Antonio Gandy-Golden WR, Liberty: A
A great selection here. By Washington. A perfect compliment to scary Terry. A great possession receiver at ideal 6’4” height. He can be a good large guy target for Haskins as he develops on top of his ability to make the first guy miss after a catch. These are the kind of receivers every team wishes they had.

Round 5 No 156 ovr. Keith ishmael C: SDSU: C+
I like the position that Washington is targeting here. I think there may have been better Centers here for them but I cannot argue with a guy they believe in. I get it, but I think that he may be limited against some of the bigger guys he will be facing in the division. 

Round 5 No 162 ovr. Khaleke Hudson S: Michigan: B+
I think Khaleke Hudson will ultimately be a solid role player in the NFL. A good athlete who is a quick (often to his detriment) decision maker. He is a hard hitter and will be a great blitzer at Safety and a nice gunner on special teams. I like the player, but I think this may be a round too early for him.

Round 7 No 216 ovr.  Kameron Curl S, Arkansas: C-
  In the 7th round it doesn’t necessarily matter what you pick, but I found the Kameron Curl pick far too similar to Hudson’s selection. Maybe they are drafting him specifically for special teams but I find Curl a similar player to Hudson but less athletic but better in pass coverage.

Round 7 No 229 ovr. James Smith-Williams EDGE, NC State: B+
    Nice flier on a guy with good production at NC state. I think he projects as a backup pass rusher.

GRADE: B-
A B- is generous for this class. There were really three of their premium picks that made sense to me and obviously Chase Young speaks volumes. I am not certain why they took a pass catching RB with their second pick bu to each their own. I just don't see a lot to really help develop Dwayne Haskins more. I just would have thought after Young Dan Snyder would have gone more towards the Broncos model of drafting than whatever this was. 

NFC NORTH 
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Detroit Lions
    
Round 1 No 3 ovr. Jeff Okudah CB, OSU: A
The Lions made the expected pick. A really great corner who has really no weakness in his game. The Lions’ brass is playing for their jobs and getting the best player available like this is always a good move. If it wasn’t for this, the Lions would be trotting out a banged up Desmond Trufant and Amani Oruwariye. 

Round 2 No 35 ovr. D’andre Swift RB, Georgia: B-
I just don’t understand the pick. I really don’t. The Lions spent a second round pick on a running back who worked out in Kerryon Johnson. I don’t know why they are turning to another RB especially with the GM and HC’s jobs on the line. I just can’t believe it. Swift may have the longest career of the top 4 RBs but he was of the 3 left, the 3rd best in my eyes. He is the best of the three to compliment Kerryon, however. I hope the Lions have a plan.

Round 3 No 67 ovr. Julian Okwara EDGE, Notre Dame: A-
 Their third selection is an all traits guy. An explosive athlete who has a rare burst, even if he might be a bit small for the position. This is the first real pass rusher the Lions have had since Ziggy Ansah, they are similar players. Okwara may not be as big as Ziggy was but he is every bit the athlete. Hopefully with his brother Romeo on the other side, they could become the rare elite brothers pass-rushing duo.

Round 4 No 75 ovr. Jonah Jackson G, OSU: B+
This is my kind of Guard. The Lions obviously like to invest in big guards with a mean streak and that is what you have here in Jackson. The man is the ideal size and height to be a mauler in the NFL. The Lions have been trying for years to be a true to form power run game. Jackson could be a foundational addition for the Lions. I think I would have picked a different guard but I cannot complain with Jackson here.

Round 4 No 121 ovr. Logan Stenberg G, Kentucky: A-
Great value here. Stenberg is a hog out there on the field. He may be limited in pass pro, but much like Jackson he is a big power pusher. The man knows he is big and strong and uses it. The Lions clearly want to be the biggest strongest line out there and these two guards can really be a stepping stone. 

Round 6 No 166 ovr. Quentez Cephus WR, Wisconsin: B+
I like Quintez a lot. A real burner with an amazing knack for picking off 50/50 balls. The Lions wanted to take advantage of this loaded WR class and they got their guy in the 5th. The B+ is because they passed on local Donovan Peoples-Jones who I had significantly higher.

Round 5 No 172 ovr. Jason Huntley RB, New Mexico State: F
I have never heard of Jason Huntley. That is not a great sign. I have read he is fast so that is something. However, regardless, the Lion’s selected Ty Johnson for the role that Huntley seems to be occupying last year. On top of drafting Swift, I just think this is a terrible pick for the Lions.

Round 6 No 197 ovr.  John Penisinsi DT, Utah: B
Nothing wrong with spending a late round pick on a space eater from Utah. It kinda is that simple.


Round 7 No 235 ovr. Jashon Cornell DT, OSU: B
They got their space eater for camp before, now they can get their penetrator. While he was a backup for a stacked line, he did have some flashes. I think he makes the roster.

GRADE: B

The Lions had a solid draft this year. If not for all the head scratchers revolving around the running back position this could have been an A.  They addressed their needs and got big guys up front. You can't be mad with size and speed and that is clearly what the Lions are going for. In a win this year mode, Bob Quinn made some smart picks and a few dumb ones. As to be expected.
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Chicago Bears

Round 2 No 43 ovr. Cole Kmet TE: Notre Dame: A-
It may be funny to joke about all the TEs that the Bears have had recently. This would realistically be their 5th shot at trying to find that mismatch at the position. However their best shot is Kmet. The only real threat to be in the first round of the TEs Kmet is a prototype. A great blocker with exceptional hands. He is built in the Gronk mold. If Pace can’t finally get their TE here, then when.


Round 2 No 50 ovr. Jaylon Johnson CB, Utah: A-
 Another great value pick for the Bears at a position of need. Johnson is exactly what the Bears look for in a CB: taller and physical. I think he will be a great compliment opposite Kyle Fuller as the Bears try to regroup their defense.

    
Round 5 No 155 ovr. Trevis Gipson LB, Tulsa: C+
The Bears needed depth at the position, but I had a7th round grade on the player. I think the Bears coulda done better with their limited draft capital. 

Round 5 No 163 ovr. Kindle Vildor CB: Georgia Southern:C+
The Bears selected a traits based project here but if I were them, I would have found a different spot to target. They need help at Guard and could possibly benefit from taking a WR in this class. 

Round 5 No 173 ovr. Darnell Mooney WR, Tulane: C
    The Bears needed to target a receiver, but there were simply better options available. Mooney is a pretty good route runner, but I doubt will be a real contributor to the Bears offense.

Round 7 No 226 ovr. Arlington Hambright G, Colorado: A
    This was a solid pick for a rotational guard. I think Hambright is a pretty good athlete for his size and a great value pick in the 7th.

Round 7 No 227 ovr. Lachavious Simmons OT: Tennessee St: B
    I have not watched Simmons before. I think there will be a record number of UDFA players taken in the draft considering the circumstances. I tend to trust teams on their small school projects in the 7th and considering the Bears could use any help at Tackle I gave it a B.

GRADE: B-
The Bears drafted a lot of players who I like and even more head scratchers. The Bears have been trying to get the TE position right for 5 years now and this may be GM Ryan Pace's last best shot at it. This draft comes down to their two second round picks, both of which I like. However for the rest of the draft, I found nothing but reaches and projects. Pace has been a really good drafter so here's hoping this all works out.
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Green Bay Packers

Round 1 No 26 ovr Jordan Love QB, Utah State: C-
    There is so much wrong with this pick. I tried to find a way to rationalize it because I love this player and his upside is real. But the Packers are a 13 win team with one game removed from the Super Bowl, so now is not the time to waste your first round pick on a QB. A player who will not play for you for at least 2 years. The Packers should be a contender and this makes no sense. This should have been a LB or WR period. I cannot believe this pick and the only reason the pick is a C- is because I believe in the player.

Round 2 No 62 ovr. AJ Dillon RB, Boston College: F
Again, I have no idea why this pick was made. They have 2 good running backs already. I assume this was made for the future, but you rarely wanna think two years down the road when stashing a RB in the second round. Plus this is a reach for the player. He is probably the best one trick pony power back in the draft, but this is ludacris. This might be the worst pick in the draft.

Round 3 No 94 ovr. Josiah Deguara TE: Cincinnati: D
    Again, how many times can I say WTF with the Packers. The Packers, after drafting an ill advised backfield player, take another. Sure his position says TE, but he is more of an H-back/FB. I just don’t get it. Plus this is my TE 8, I just don’t get this pick at all.


Round 5 No 175 ovr.  Kamal Martin LB, Minnesota, B
I like this player. He’s a really good player, but he has injury concerns. He is a great tackler with decent range and closing speed. However this pick is 175 selections into the draft and the Packers have not selected a pass catcher which is frankly atrocious. 


Round 6 No 192 ovr. Jon Runyan Jr. G, Michigan: B+
This may be the first solid pick the Packers have made so far. Runyan can be a great backup guard coming into the league with some upside to become a solid starter at the position. The Packers do have to plug holes on this line and Runyan could be solid wherever on this line.


Round 6 No 208 ovr. Jake Hanson C, Oregon: A
Another player I really like picked by the Packers. Hanson is a mauler at Center and has fun running over nose tackles. He has the Strength necessary to develop into a reliable starter at the position.

Round 6 No 209 ovr. Brian Stepaniak G, Indiana: C+
Again, a player I think can be really reliable as a backup. I just find it odd that the Packers are triple dipping at IOL before they draft a WR or actual TE.


Round 7 No 236 ovr. Vernon Scott, S: TCU: B
A decent developmental safety who could be useful on special teams or backup center fielder for the Packers. However it has been shocking to see not one pass catcher get drafted yet.

Round 7 No 242 6. Jonathan Garvin EDGE, Miami: A
This is the best value pick that the Packers have made. They selected a late fourth round graded faller in the 7th. However, it is their last pick and still not one WR. Not to mention you spent last years first on an EDGE rusher and have 2 really good pass rushers on contract so this may seem a little redundant.



GRADE:  D
D is generous for the Packers. It never bodes well when I don't understand what you are doing until the 5th round. It really comes down to this. The Packers were a game away from the Super Bowl. They should have drafted guys to get them over the hump this year. Instead, they use their first 3 picks on players who likely won't play or have a significant role. Even if they are looking towards the future with Love, the picks still don't make sense. I think this draft is a near wash. This is easily my least favorite draft and Aaron Rodgers has to be fuming.
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Minnesota Vikings

Round 1 No 22 ovr. Minnesota Vikings- Justin Jefferson WR, LSU: A
The Vikings capitalize on the Eagles bad pick and take a steal in the draft. No one expected Justin Jefferson to be here so the Vikings got one of the best pass catchers in the whole draft to replace Stephon Diggs.

Round 1 No 31 ovr. Jeff Gladney CB, TCU: B-
The Vikings make a really good trade down to make a solid pick. Gladney has all the speed and stickiness to stay on receivers, I just think this was a reach for him in my eyes. I had 3 other Corners roughly that I would have drafted for this team over him. I do understand I am the minority in this opinion, but at the end of the day, I think the pick was the right position but the wrong corner.

Round 2 No 58 ovr. Ezra Cleveland OT, Boise State: C+
The Vikings got another good player at a position of need, but there were simply better players at that position on the board. Personally I am a fan of this team heading toward a power run game but I think that clearly this signifies a zone blocking scheme because Cleveland will excel on the right side moving with Dalvin Cook. Not a bad pick but better value was there.

Round 3 No 89 ovr. Cam Danztler CB, Miss St: B
A great value pick by the Vikings here. Dantler is famed for shutting down Ja’marr Chase and that man man talent shows up on film. However, he may not be the fastest man and his 40 time is suspect. I think the Vikings got a steal in value here though. I also think that the team had other needs than to get their second CB. Still I like the pick. 

Round 4 No 117 ovr. DJ Wonnum EDGE, South Carolina:  B+
I’m a fan of the player, and the value as well as the need. However, I think getting a stand up edge rusher is something the Vikings have never really done before with Zimmer. You could argue Anthony Barr, but he is a do everything linebacker. Wonnum was made to rush the passer and rush the passer only. He’s good at it. B+for the pick but I am scared about scheme fit.  

Round 4 No 130 ovr. James Lynch DT, Baylor: A
Probably the best pick the Vikings made this draft. Lynch is an amazing penetrator and big enough to be a solid space eater at the line. He is a player who would not have been a surprise to see in the second round, so getting him here is a great value selection.

Round 4 No 132 ovr. Troy Dye LB, Oregon: A+
This is a personal favorite of mine in the whole class. I have been a major fan of Troy Dye and I think the Vikings got a steal here. He is an elite coverage LB in this class and can be a surprisingly good tackler. I think he may be a lot similar to Erick Hendricks, but I don’t think that will matter. Sometimes a good player is just too good to pass up and Troy Dye is one     of those guys at this point in the draft.

Round 5 No 169 ovr. Harrison Hand CB, Temple: A
He might need to work on his technique when going to the NFL, but I really like this player and the pick. The Vikings have shown they really like physical corners who have good ball skills. Getting Hand here is good value and allows them to plug up a depleted CB room.

Round 5 176 ovr. KJ Osborn WR, Miami: C-
I did not think Osborn would get drafted but when the Vikings have this many picks, I don’t fault you too much on selecting a guy you like. He may have a solid role as a No.4 receiver who could develop into a good slot receiver with his good route running leading the way

Round 6 No 203 ovr. Blake Brandel OT, Oregon State: B-
Late in the draft, try to get your favorite big boy. Can't blame them. Simply a good developmental lineman. Can’t teach size.

Round 6 No 205 ovr. Josh Metellus S, Michigan: B
I like Metellus as an athlete and think he could develop one day into a startin SS. I think on the Vikings he’ll be a decent blitzer and special temper. He could be simply a solid pick and at the worst, I think he’ll be a good backup safety. 

    Round 7 No 244 ovr. Nate Stanley QB, Iowa: A-
    They took a Kirk Cousins clone from Iowa in the 7th round. Cool. Drafting a QB is just good business. 

Round 7 No 249 ovr. Brian Cole S, Miss St: A
I love this pick. Cole is a prototype at Center fielder who hopefully can develop into a well rounded Safety. A great developmental pick.

Round 7 No 253 ovr. Kyle Hinton C, Washborn: B
Kyle Hinton is a big ball of Muscles. He has played everywhere on the line so hopefully he can develop into a utility lineman.

Minnesota Vikings: B+
Value was the name of the game for the Vikings here . The Vikings throughout the draft kept getting good value at areas of need. I think the offensive line may have been a bit more of an urgent issue than how they drafted but outdside of that their draft was really good if not anything spectacular. 
NFC SOUTH
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New Orleans Saints

Round 1 No 24 ovr.  Cesar Ruiz IOL, Michigan: A-
Great pick. When going for a Super Bowl, trying to bolstore your offensive line is the best way to do it. Cesar is a fluid athlete at an enormous size. He really is a specimen to behold and whether or not the Saints use him at Guard or Center, they will be getting an elite player. The minus is only because Patrick Queen was on the board and addresses a need that was greater than Cesar did. 

Round 3 No 74 ovr. Zack Baun LB, Wisconsin: A+
Just an outstanding pick by the Saints. This is a guy they could have selected in the first round and people call it a good pick, so getting him here is a steal. He is an amzing do all player who is the perfect compliment to Alex Anzalone. Baun is a lot like Kyle Van Noy. He is a good pass rusher and has some good size to him, but he is also exceptional in coverage, which is what the Saints defense is lacking from that position. Perfect pick here by the Saints.

Round 4 No 105 ovr. Adam Trautman TE: Dayton: A
Another inspired pick from the Saints. Tackling arguably their only piece of need with one of the best players available. After Kmet, Trautman was probably the best prototype TE in the draft. Getting him here in case Jared Cook spirals into old age is just a good deal. Saints are killing it.
    
 Round 7 No 240 ovr. Tommy Stevens QB, MIss St: B+
 Get a Qb who can double as a 6’5” Taysom Hill, makes sense. If this works, I’m super excited.

GRADE:A

The Saints didn't have a lot of volume in their picks, but they sure got quality at each spot. The Saints had very few needs on their roster and somehow escape with all of them filled. It's remarkable how well the Saints did in this draft. They got their TE, extra interior O lineman, and Coverage linebaker/edge rusher. Fantastic draft. 
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Carolina Panthers

Round 1 No 7 ovr. Derrick Brown DT, Auburn: A+
No complaints here. Take the blue chip prospects when you can in a rebuild. Brown can be a centerpiece in the vein of Quinnen Williams and Ed Oliver last year. The man is simply a brick s**-housemixed with a dancing bear. He has rare athleticism and size and should be right at home with the rebuilding Panthers.

Round 2 No 38 ovr. Yetur Gross-Matos EDGE, PSU: A-
Great value pick by the Panthers. The pan is a true power rusher with great speed to boot. If his play routinely showed consistent effort he would not be here. It is a risk on guys like this but I think he makes an excellent compliment to the speed rush on the other side with Brian Burns.

Round 2 No 64 ovr. Jeremy Chinn S, Southern Miss: A
Another great pick by the Panthers. A High upside guy from a small school. I like to think of him as mini Isaiah Simmons because he is just as ferocious and versatile as Simmons. Although I think Jeremy Chinn will probably be a Safety and Simmons will likely play LB. He will occupy the Kam Chancellor role in this Defense. A true enforcer with a good burst. I trust he will succeed in the NFL.

Round 4 No 113 ovr. Troy Pride Jr. CB, Notre Dame: A
Another great pick by the Panthers getting a player who fell due to athleticism concerns due to injury. I think PRide could be one of the better press corners in the draft if healthy so getting him here is both a risk and a steal. 


Round 5 No. 152 ovr. Kenny Robinson S, XFL: A
You could make an argument that Kenny Robinson played against the best competition of any prospect in the class. Being one of the two youngest players in the XFL last year and holding his own was incredible. He is a true center fielder and is a perfect compliment to Jeremy Chinn. Great pick by the Panthers.

Round 6 No 184 ovr.. Bravvion Roy DL, Baylor: A
This pick is brilliant on a lot of levels. It is more size in the middle with Derrick brown which is always a good thing. What is more important about this move is that he can be a medium for Matt Rhule as he transitions to the NFL. Having a guy who understands your coaching style and system with you as you make the NFL jump cannot be understated. 

Round 7 No 221 ovr. Stanley Thomas-Oliver CB, FIU: B-
Getting Speed in the secondary is always good for development. Taking a flier here isn’t the worst idea in the world.

GRADE: A+
Great draft by the Panthers. I think that the Panthers had the most underrated draft this year. One of 3 A+s for me in this draft, The Panthers get some great foundational as they try to get through this rebuild stage. Not one pick was wasted and not one pick outside the second should have an insignificant role this season.

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Atlanta Falcons: C


Round 1 No 16 ovr. AJ Terrell CB, Clemson: B+
I’ve heard people call this a major reach. I don’t really see it like that. He is an exceptional island corner. Rarely was he not asked to be shadowing the opposing team's top receiver. Sometimes that leads to guarding Ja’marr Chase in the national championship game and everyone in the world sees your worst game in college. It happens. I think the Falcons got a player they needed at the right value. 

Round 2 No 47 ovr,  Marlon Davidson DL, Auburn: B-
This is an okay pick. A lot more people were higher on Davidson and called him an EDGE rusher. I didn’t see it. I saw him in the NFL ideally in the Michael Bennett role. I think he is an interior penetrator in the NFL. For a team so enamored with speed and swiftness, this pick puzzles me. 

Round 3 No 78 ovr.  Matt Hennessy C, Temple: A
I gave this pick an A because I like the upside of the player. However, I am skeptical of the pick for one reason. On top of the injury concerns, Matt Hennessey is not one of these lineman who can play all over the interior. He is 100% Center. In case you haven’t noticed the All-Decade Center is still on the roster. The pick is clearly looking out for the future.
    
Round 4 No 119 ovr. Mykal Walker LB, Fresno State: B
    The Falcons love themselves speedy linebackers and they get another one here. I think they have invested a lot in the position. Perhaps this is Deion Jones insurance. Nevertheless, I think the player is about perfect value at this spot in the draft. Can’t be mad.

Round 4 134 ovr. Jaylin Hawkins S, Cal: D-
    I am just floored by the pick. I don’t know anyone who had this kid as draftable. To draft him this high shows there is some faith here, but I don’t know. I don’t see many draftable traits out of him and not even the consistency to warrant a selection even in the fifth round.

Round 7 No 228 ovr. Sterling Hofrichter P, Syracuse: A 
I will never scoff at drafting a Punter in the 7th.
GRADE: C
​I regard Thomas Dimitroff as one of the best GMs in the sport. However, this draft puzzles me. The picks they made ranged from reaches, to players I wasn't high on to their value picks being logjammed behind established starters. For a team that is trying to contend this year, I don't see the potential in this draft in the upcoming year.
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers: A-
No 13. Tristan Wirfs OL, Iowa: A
There were a big 4 when it came to offensive lineman. Moving up to secure the last of them is a great move by the Bucs. The Bucs are looking to win the Super Bowl this year (and maybe next). The quickest to transition to the NFL are always O Lineman especially those like Wirfs. This works especially because the Bucs will not need him to play LT. Instead he could be a Pro Bowl RT or All-Pro G. They have to protect Brady and establish the run game all in one. That is why you get Wirfs.

No 45. Antoine Winfield S, Minnesota: A+
How he fell into the Bucs lap is mind blowing. The man is the best center fielder in the class and is a special prospect at Safety. The Bucs need one thing in the secondary and that is range/coverage. Winfield has that in spades. GREAT pick by the Bucs.
No 76. Ke’Shawn Vaughn RB, Vanderbilt: B-
I have mixed feelings about this pick. As far as the player, he is amazing. He bounces off defenders often and is an exceptional receiver as well. I think the Buccaneers needed a RB, I just think there may have been better versions of Vaughn on the board. Also there is the issue of tread on his tires, but with a team trying to win now, that is not much of a concern. Love the player, may have picked someone else or a position that has more value in the third.

No 161. Tyler Johnson WR: Minnesota: B+
Another Gopher here for the Bucs and I really like this player. One of the most productive and skilled receivers in the class, he could be a great security weapon for Brady and the gang. I love the player, and the only reason this isn’t an A or A+ even is because I think the Bucs are set at receiver and might want to focus elsewhere. Still Can’t blame them for wanting to go after this elite receiver class.

No 194. Khalil Davis DT, Nebraska: A-
This Nebraska DT gets to learn from the greatest one to ever come out of that school. I think the Bucs could afford to get a little more size up front and that is exactly what you get from the Davis twins… SIZE.

No 241. Chapelle Russell LB, Temple: C
I cannot get mad at selecting a fast linebacker who will probably play special teams. 

No 245. Raymond Calais RB, Louisiana: D
I think you should have free range to do whatever you want in the 7th round. But I don’t know about drafting another RB, that is my only reservation.


Tampa Bay Buccaneers: A-
In a draft where the Buccaneers essentially used the draft as another Free Agency, I think the Bucs did pretty good. Early on they plugged two of their biggest holes with two of the best floor guys in the draft. The minus is only there becuase I think they could have gotten better value and gotten either higher floor players or looked at areas of greater need. But still, I really like this draft for the Bucs who are all in on this year.

NFC WEST
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Arizona Cardinals

Round 1 No 8 ovr. Isaiah Simmons LB, Clemson: A-
This grade is not relevant to Isaiah Simmons. Clearly he is a special athlete and deserves to be a top 5/10 pick. I also understand that it is about time they get their linchpin on defense. I just think that the team should really figure out their protection for Kyler Murray and use that as their premium pick.

Round 3 No 72 ovr. Arizona Cardinals- Josh Jones OT, Houston: A
If I knew the Cardinals were gonna get a steal in round 3 like this the Simmons pick would have gotten an A+. I was never a fan of Jones in the first round, but I think in the 3rd he’s a complete steal. Especially because he fits exactly what the Cardinals need: Pass Protection. He can come in on the left or right side and keep Kyler Murray upright. Great pick by the Cardinals

Round 4 No 114 ovr. Leki Fotu DT, Utah: A+
Another steal by the Cardinals. This time it was one of my favorite later round picks of the class. I love guys like this. A pure nose tackle with a mean streak. He is a space eater who is a perfect foundation piece for the newly rebuilt Cardinals defense.

Round 4 No 131 ovr. Rashard Lawrence DT, LSU: B+
Here is another DT I think was undervalued by the process. I think he was overlooked because of all the talent on the LSU roster. I think this big guy can be a real penetrator in the Cardinals defense. I think people think he is just a big guy in the middle, but I think he has a ton more upside than many believe.

Round 6 No 202 ovr. Evan Weaver LB, Cal: A-
Another great value pick by the Cardinals. I don’t think they meant to draft another LB but when they saw that Weaver had fallen, they couldn’t pass it up. He is a great tackler with good instincts. I think he could be a great back up to Simmons in the NFL. 

Round 7 No 222 ovr. Arizona Cardinals- Eno Benjamin RB, ASU: A-
I don’t think the Cardinals were expecting to draft another RB in this class but when Eno fell, how could you pass. I think this guy could be an excellent kick returner and change of pace back for Kenyan Drake. Great pick to end the draft by the Cards.

GRADE: A 
Cardinals did a great job at getting foundational pieces for them on defense. They got size on the line and the captain of their defense in Isaiah Simmons. They finally have upside on that side of the ball. On the other side their best value pick was their most consequential. They got Josh Jones to protect Kyler Murray. The Cards needed to get a lineman and to get starting value that late is perfect for them.
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Los Angeles Rams

Round 2 No 42 ovr. Cam Akers RB, FSU: D
I understand the urge to replace Gurley. But I wouldn’t do it with your premium picks. Especially when you don’t have a first round pick. Not to mention there was also a much better RB out there in JK Dobbins, as well as Cam Akers is a lot like their 3rd round pick last year in Darrell Henderson. Just odd.

Round 2 No 57 ovr. Van Jefferson WR, Florida: C
    Van Jefferson is a great route runner and worthy of being selected here. But is this really the position that the Rams need to target early? I think the Rams should have looked at their offensive line or linebackers. I like the player but I think this was just the wrong pick here.

Round 3 No 84 ovr. Terrell Lewis EDGE, Alabama: B-
Another curious pick. There is no doubt that he is a first round talent at EDGE rusher. But the injuries are real, like he might not play football again real if he has one bad hit. I think a team that is as scarily thin as the Rams really doesn’t have the room to take risks like this.

Round 3 No 104 ovr. Terrell Burgess S, Utah: C+
I think the Rams are waiting way too long to tackle real areas of need on their roster. Safety was kinda one that they needed, but Josh Johnson and especially Taylor Rapp have been great for them. As far as the player, I think he could be a good compliment to Taylor Rapp, but I don’t know if he will even start.

Round 5 No 199 ovr. Jordan Fuller S, OSU: D
Just another odd pick by the Rams. They had picked a safety earlier and have another safety on the roster who is the exact same kinda player and an even better athlete. They still have not addressed their offensive line.

Round 7 No 234 ovr. Clay Johnston LB, Baylor: A
I like this player, classic MLB. He literally looks like a Disney version of a MLB. He is a forceful tackler. May be a little slow but I think he can be a good role player. May be a little late for the Rams to have addressed this need.

Round 7 No 248 ovr. Sam Sloman K: Miami (OH), F (or an A) 
I rarely try to get cute with my grades but when I saw this my first thought was: Is Zuerlein really that hurt? If he is, I am giving this to my special teams in the 7th mandatory A. If not, they wasted a pick on a player who won’t play.

Round 7 No 250 ovr. Tremayne Anchrum G, Clemson: A-
I like the pick. Never a bad idea to bet on technicians from Clemson. I think the last pick in their draft is a little too late to be addressing this however.

GRADE: F
​I really don't get the Rams draft. They are forced to contend now, but they only decide to get luxary picks, skill players and players with MAJOR injury concerns. I think they didn't get one player who can be a foundational player and are hoping that McVay can scheme all these parts to be useful. I don't think the Rams had one pick in this draft that I thought was a good pick for them They get the only F of the draft.
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Seattle Seahawks

Round 1No 27 ovr. Jordyn Brooks LB, Texas Tech: C+
The rare Seattle trade up. What I found odd is the pick. I think the Seahawks are set at LB while they are contending. They need to get ready for the post KJ Wright/Wagner world sure, but they could contend this year. On top of that Patrick Queen is right there and this seems like the second best LB left was taken. But the Seahawks have a type and we will see how that works out for them.

Round 2 No 48 ovr. Darrell Taylor EDGE, Tennessee: C+
I like the player and the need for the need the team has. I thought he would end up being one of the steals of the draft later in on. To me he was a hidden gem. But that’s it, I don’t like the Seahawks drafting hidden gems at top 50 prices.

Round 3 No 68 ovr.  Damien Lewis G, LSU: B-
The Seahawks have a need in the interior of their line for sure. I like betting on an LSU big man even if I thought this would be a little early for him.

Round 4 No 133 ovr. Colby Parkinson TE, Stanford: B
I think the seahawks were the only team I wouldn’t give an A grade for drafting this player at this spot. He is an athlete at the position who is an exceptional blocker. The Seahawks currently have 3 Colby Parkinsons on their roster at the moment. Drafting another seems like overkill.

Round 4 No 144 ovr.  Deejay Dallas RB, Miami: C
The Seahwks work on a completely different wavelength than I do. I would not have drafted a RB if I were the Seahawks, even though Penny tore his ACL. They have a good corp of RBs on them. Getting this particular back is a little odd too. He is a good tackle shedder with decent wiggle but doesn’t have much burst and would ideally occupy a similar role to Chris Carson. Just curious to me.

Round 5 No 148 ovr. Alton Robinson EDGE, Syracuse: B
This is more of the spot where I thought Darrell Taylor would go. I think Alton Robinson can be a great EDGE rusher with his amazing bend and athletic ability. If he can get past his off field issues, he could be something special with Taylor moving forward.

Round 6 No 214 ovr. Freddie Swain WR, Florida: B
Just in the knick of time the Gators get their man from this WR class. He is a good route runner who I think could be a great 4th option potentially for the Seahawks. 

Round 7 No 251 ovr. Stephen Sullivan TE, LSU: D
Again teams should really be exempt from criticism in the 4th round. But they drafted another tight end and in this case, the wrong LSU tight end.

GRADE: C+
John Schneider had the most John Schneider draft of all time. Routinely picking players who wer 2-4th best at the position they took. They constantly reached on guys who probably would have been there later. They do this every year it feels like but I can't get too mad because it has worked. As far as my board goes its a C- but because John Schneider has done this before and it works, it's a C+
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San Francisco 49ers

Round 1 No 14 ovr. Javon Kinlaw DL: South Carolina: A-
The value here is an A+. Kinlaw is a top 5-7 player in this class. He is big and powerful and borderline unblockable at the Defensive Tackle position. Sound familiar? Essentially they traded Deforest Buckner for a pay cut at the position. I think he will have literally the exact same role as Buckner did.

Round 1 No 25 ovr. Brandon Aiyuk WR, USC: B
Kyle Shannahan got a guy who is exactly in the mold of what he wants. A taller guy with great hands who is great in the open space that Kyle can draw up. I don't thin I could have picked a better WR for them. I think he was at least 3-4 WRs down on my board but in the case of the 49ers and this deep class: get who you want. 

Round 5 No 153 ovr. Colton McKevitz OT, WVU: B
Get some offensive line depth. I love it. The draft for the 49ers was all about the early picks so I get trying to get a backup here for Trent Williams and Mike McGlinchey. 

Round 6 No 190 ovr. Charlie Woerner TE, Georgia: B-
Nothing that physically that really excites me but I trust the 49ers in their asessment of TEs. 

Round 7 No 190
 Juauan Jennings WR, Tennessee: A
The 49ers here get their value pick. They get a player who I thought is very similar to Aiyuk as a player. A good jump ball getter with really good physical traits for his size. Woulda liked any semblance of consistency, but I see what Kyle likes in him

​GRADE: B
The Niners selected to go for depth with their later picks which is totally fine, they need it. Their two first are really all that mattered on top of getting Trent Williams. They got a replacement for Buckner and Kyle Shannahan his second good receiver. Job well done for the Niners.
AFC EAST
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Buffalo Bills
Round 2 No 54 ovr. AJ Epenesa EDGE, Iowa A+
    I don’t think I could have come up with a better fit for a player if I tried. Epenesa will fit right at home opposite Jerry Hughes. Epenesa will be the big edge setter on the left while Hughes rushes the passer on the right. The man is not your traditional edge, he is more in the vein of Cam Jordan/Michael Bennett mold of messing up the play and breaking the line of scrimmage. Getting  a top 15 talent at 54 is always a no brainer. When it’s at a premium position of need, even better.

Round 3 No 86 ovr. Zack Moss RB, Utah: A- 
I love this player. He is in that Marshawn Lynch, north to south mode of running back that the Bills are missing. The bills are ready to contend now and getting a solid running game is a solid part of that. I think he is a perfect fit with Devin Singletary. There was a reason he didn’t get the bulk of the carries basically throughout the whole year. It is because the Bills want to establish a power run game and Moss is meant for that. The minus comes from perhaps a lineman now and RB later would have been a better strategy.

Round 4 No 128 ovr. Gabriel Davis WR, UCF: A
The Bills wanted to get in on the WR party that this draft provides. They always say that you are supposed to build your WR group like a basketball team. Right here, Davis is a lot like a power forward. He gets those 50/50 balls and he plays faster than his 40m time was. I think this is a great pick.

Round 5 No 167 ovr. Jake Fromm QB, Georgia: A
Probably the most publicized pick by the media from the Bills draft. I for one am not in the hot take business of drafting a big name QB means any reflects any distrust in their franchise QB. I think getting Fromm gets them a really good backup who has played in a lot of big games. Fromm is an incredibly smart QB who can fill in a pinch for Allen if worse comes to worse. Think of the NO Saints. Imagine if that team didn’t have Teddy Bridgewater for 5 games.

Round 6 No 188 ovr. Tyler Bass K, Georgia Southern: A
Taking the best kicker with the best leg in the class is always a great pick. No Problems.

Round 6 No 207 ovr. Isaiah Hodges WR, Oregon State: C+
At this point you are betting on traits and production. While Hodges doesn’t have the former like most receivers in this class do, he has been one of the most productive players in CFB in the last 3 years. He could develop into a really good possession receiver. 

Round 7 No 239 ovr. Dane Jackson CB, Pitt: A
He may be a bit slow but he plays with intensity at the line of scrimmage. I think that Dane could be a really good rotational corner in press coverage. 

​Buffalo Bills: A
Buffalo for the second year in a row had one of my favorite drafts in the league. I loved almost every pick they made. My only problem with their draft is while they did get great value at every pick, not one offensive lineman? seems a little odd to me.
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New England Patriots

    Round 2 No 37 ovr. Kyle Dugger S, Lenoir-Rhyne: A
    I could not think of a more Patriots player in the draft. A small school player who may be the best hitter in the class. I think the pick is perfect with Patrick Chung aging older and older. Bill may have gotten his fantasy player: a man who can really do anything on the football field with rare athletic ability.

Round 2 No 60 ovr. Josh Uche EDGE. Michigan: A
At the end of the second round the Patriots get a guy who could have gone at the top. Uche is special off the snap and plays with incredible power especially with his size. His ability to drop back into coverage is also amazing and that is what should excite the Patriots about his play. This is the Patriots replacement for Kyle Van Noy. They get the tasmanian devil, do everything players that the Pats love to develop. 

Round 3 No 87 ovr. Anfernee Jennings LB, Alabama: B
It always seems a little perfect when the Patriots select Alabama players. A really good power rusher when he wants to be and a surprisingly adept coverage linebacker. Bill may have gotten the perfect dollar store version of Dont’a Hightower. This is a guy who has Patriots written all over him.

Round 3 No 91 ovr. Devin Asiasi TE, UCLA: A
After years and years of speculation on what the Patriots would do at the TE position in a post Gronk world, they got their man in the third round. I personally think Asiasi is a special talent at the position with incredible athleticism. Clearly Bellichick saw that and was willing to gamble on success outside of a Chip Kelly offense. I think he probably has one of the biggest upsides at the position in this class.

Round 3 No 101 ovr. Dalton Keene TE, Va Tech: C
The Patriots spend their second straight selection on a TE. This one is a lot more in the Dallas Goedert, Robert Swain mode where this player is a little more of a tall and lean possession receiver. I think he could be a good compliment to Asiasi. I think they could have selected another position or a better TE however. 

 Round 5 No 159 ovr. Justin Rohrwasser K: Marshall:B
I will be honest. I really only “scout” 2-3 kickers a year. I had never heard of Justin Rohrwasser but I trust Bill Bellichick on the merit of kickers. Still 159 may be a little high to draft a kicker, but who am I to judge really. 

  Round 5  No 182 ovr. Michael Onwenu IOL, Michigan: A
    If there was one thing the Patriots were missing last year was size on their offensive line. In that regard they really have regressed from what we are accustomed to with the Patriots. With Onwenu the Patriots get the biggest, beefiest man on the entire Michigan OLine. He could develop into a really good power guy in the future or simply be a really good backup with size for the Pats.

Round 6 No 195 ovr. Justin Herron OT, Wake Forest: B+
Another good depth piece for the patriots. This time they get a really good athlete for the Tackle position who could play all over the Offensive line.

Round 6 No 204 ovr. Cash Maula LB, Wyoming: D
I think the Patriots are pretty set at LB to really bet on a guy who isn’t even that fast. I think this pick coulda gone somewhere else. Hopefully he can contribute on Special Teams.

Round 7 No 230 ovr. Dustin Woodard IOL, Memphis: B+
I have never heard of Dustin Woodard before. Neither has anyone else apparently  because I cannot find any real scouting reports on the guy. That must mean he will be Bill Belichick's pet project or something. I don’t know but in the 7th round, it’s not a bad idea to bet on a developmental lineman.

GRADE: A
​Another great draft by the Patriots. They did a good job of getting good, versatile athletes at major positions of need. Their first 4 picks are perfect and I wouldn't change a thing. My only concession is that it may have been nice to get a WR in this draft. The Patriots need one and frankly that is the only thing keeping this from an A+.
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New York Jets

Round 1 No 11 ovr. Mekhi Becton OT, Louisville A 
    New Yorkers should not be as skeptical as they are about Becton. The man is a freak, he’s huge, once he gets his hands you it’s over. I think getting my No.1 ranked OT at 11 is a pretty good deal. When you are rebuilding an offensive line like the Jets are, it is important to start with size in order to get a foundation. The Jets nailed this pick.

Round 2 No 59 ovr. Denzel Mims WR, Baylor: B
This is a grade specifically for my feelings on the player. I think he does not play as fast as he runs. I think he has an opportunity to be a special receiver if the speed translates. I would be a little skeptical and I personally would have taken a different receiver but I get that the expected value is probably dead on. This is pretty much where he was expected to go if not lower than he was.


Round 3 No 68 ovr. Ashtyn Davis S, Cal: A
One of the more underrated players in the class in my opinion. A prototypical center fielder, this track star uses his speed to win in the secondary. He reminds me a lot of Eric Weddle when I watch his tape and what is most surprising to me is that he was supposed to play CB when he walked on. I think he could play some CB in the NFL as well. I love this pick.

Round 3 No 79 ovr. Jabari Zuniga EDGE, Florida: B-
I like the player as a football player. He is a physically gifted player. I think that this may just be a risk for a team burned at the position before. He has elite speed and power at the position but has had work ethic and off field issues. Ironically he was Jachai Polite’s best friend in college and now goes to the team that gave up on him.

Round 4 No 120 ovr.  LaMical Perine RB, Florida: C+
It is always hard to give an unfavorable grade on a player I really like. Perine was a regular feature on the Andrew Miller Man Crush of the Year Award. I thought he would be the steal of the draft with his bowling ball style and a surprise burst. However, I don’t see how he fits in with the Jets when his ideal role overlaps with Le'veon’s skill set. I think the Jets should have used this pick elsewhere.


Round 4 No 125 ovr. James Morgan QB, FIU, B+
You know they got the traits-y developmental quarterback in the 4th round. I can’t really be all that mad at the pick. I really like what he could be. I just think that maybe they should have focused more on Sam Darnold.

Round 4 No 129 ovr. Cameron Clark OT, Charlotte: B
Alright the Jets are committing to size up front, I like it. Cameron Clark is a tackle now but I think he will eventually move into guard where his ferocity and size can really be of use. He has good instincts on how to use his massive frame, I think the Jets should be happy with this pick.

Round 5 No 158 ovr.  Bryce Hall CB, Virgina: A
    Probably the best value pick in the whole class for the Jets. Bryce Hall probably should have gone early third, so getting him here is a steal. He is one of the best press corners in this whole draft and also possess what I think is underrated athleticism. The only question for him are his medicals. If he can stay healthy, the Jets might have gotten a Day 1 starter late in the draft.

Round 6 No 191 ovr. Braden Man P, Texas A&M: A
    The Jets got the best leg and punter in the class. No complaints here.
GRADE: A-
The Jets had one of their best drafts in recent memory. Not one pick in this draft is a bad player. Some may question their fit into the offense or off field issues, but overall they were all good players. If not for the few risks the Jets took I would consider this a perfect draft class. Well done at getting Sam Darnold the help he needs. 
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Miami Dolphins 

Round 1  No 5 ovr. Tua Tagovailoa QB, Alabama: B
    It is no secret that I was a bigger fan of Herbert. I give all the credit in the world to the Dolphins for the smokescreen that went on to get Tua at 5. I just think Herbert was a better prospect. The B comes more from all the injury issues that may come up. Miami got their guy and now they have to lie in the bed they made.


Round 1 No 18 ovr. Austin Jackson OT, USC: B
This player may be a reach at 18, but the Dolphins need to protect their famously brittle new franchise QB. Of the tackles that were left, Jackson represents the best potential of the field. He had worse tape this year than many expected, but his 2018 tape was really good and he flashes that elite athleticism in a lot of games this year. With his blend of size and movement, he could just as easily be a star but he could also never start a game.

Round 1 No 30 ovr. Noah Igbinoghene CB, Auburn: C+
I gave this a C+ for the value. I think they could have gotten him in the second if they really wanted him. For a team with all those top 50 picks, early on I think they should go for more of a best player available approach. However this guy should be able to translate his great hip movement and speed into being a great slot corner with the new and improved secondary in Miami.


Round 2 No 39 ovr. Robert Hunt G, Louisiana, A
This may be a little bit of a reach for Hunt, but I don’t care. The Dolphins should double down on lineman, but in the case of Robert Hunt the Dolphins got the biggest, baddest mother shucker in the whole class outside Mekhi Becton. He is probably the best at using his size and bullying the trenches. I love this player and the pick.

Round 2 No 56 ovr. Raekwon Davis DT, Alabama: A
I love this pick as well. The Dolphins should be looking to get as many cornerbacks as possible and getting Davis is one of them. I think Davis was undervalued because of the way Alabama uses defensive tackles. They don’t ask them to pin their ears back all the time. With Davis at bare minimum you are getting a run stopper extraordinaire. He reminds me of a better version of A’Shawn Robinson. Great pick.

Round 3 No 70 ovr.  Brandon Jones S, Texas: C-
I just do not get this pick. In the third round they had so many better options at safety. Instead they get an okay one that I had a 6th round grade on. A C- is better because they have the capital to play with but I think this may be one of the worst value picks of the draft.

Round 4 No 111 ovr. Solomon Kindley G, Georgia: A-
Not great value but getting athletic lineman from big name schools is not a bad idea. Plus on top of this, they triple dip at lineman for Tua which is always a good thing in my eyes.

Round 5 No 154 ovr.  Jason Strawbridge DL, North Carolina: B+
Decent value pick here. While Davis is a penetrating run stopper, Strawbridge is a pure space eater. I really like this player and fits what Brian Flores does up there on his line. 

Round 5 No 164 ovr. Curtis Weaver EDGE, Boise State: A
The best value pick of the draft for the Dolphins. I think he woulda been a reach in the second where he was often mocked, but here it is a steal. His speed and bend will be a great second option from the underperforming Charles Harris. 

Round 6 No 185 ovr. Blake Ferguson LS, LSU: S for Snapper
I refuse to grade long snappers. I would give this grade an F if I could because you should never draft a LS earlier than the 7th and especially not in the top 200. 

Round 7 No 246 ovr. Malcolm Perry RB, Navy: A
I love this pick because he can be a good pass catching RB for the Dolphins who is incredibly smart. Plus being out of the Navy, he is used to the tough coaching style of Brian Flores.

Miami Dolphins : B
The Dolphins had a pretty pedestrian draft in my opinion. There were a bunch of good picks sprinkled in there for sure, but I think the reached on most of the players outside the second round. They did get their QB and get lineman to protect him but I think there were other places the Dolphins could have gone with all that draft capital. 


AFC North
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Cincinnati Bengals: B+

Round 1 No 1 ovr. Joe Burrow QB, LSU: A+

    This man is probably the best QB I have ever scouted. I do not throw this out there lightly, he is Peyton Manning. Not only is he smart, productive, and great under pressure, he just has a way about him that is simply unique. He is similar to Saquon Barkley where his intangibles are such a plus they are hard to ignore. He has a swagger about him and I think will take little to no time to get in the top 10 QB discussion. 

Round 2 No 33 ovr. Tee Higgins WR, Clemson: B
If it were based on value, I would give this pick an A. I also understand getting Joe Burrow his future No.1 target and getting that chemistry down quick. However, I just think that when you don’t have a great O line and you have 3 productive receivers outside AJ Green on your roster already, I think they should have waited for their receiver but I can’t blame them with taking one of the best players available in Tee Higgins. 

Round 3 No 65 ovr. Logan Wilson LB, Wyoming: A-
This is a pick I really like. I like getting a hard hitting linebacker when your defense really doesn’t have much of an enforcer. Wilson makes sense here but still, they have not drafted Burrow an offensive lineman and are saying to trot out their two 1st rounders who have not played either a full season or a season yet. I would be cautious if I were the Bengals. 

Round 4 No 107 ovr. Akeem Davis-Gaither LB: Appalachian State: B+
Another player I really like. His speed and coverage ability can be a great coverage to Wilson’s bruising mentality. I still think the Bengals should have looked at the offensive line. Just sayin

Round 5 No 147 ovr.  Khalid Kareem EDGE, Notre Dame: A
I like the idea of getting another good pass rusher opposite Carl Lawson. Carlos Dunlap is only getting older and Sam Hubbard hasn't amounted to much of anything. 

Round 6 No 180 ovr. Hakeem Adeniji OT, Kansas: A
Finally the Bengals address the offensive line. With Adeniji being the pick, it all makes sense. Clearly Jonah Williams is supposed to be the LT. Adeniji is an undersized tackle who could reliably play either RT or G in the NFL. He is a technician and is very good at getting leverage. That is why I think he would excel in the interior, something the Bengals desperately need. 

Round 7 No 215 ovr. Marcus Bailey LB, Purdue: A+
The A+ here is for value only. I like this player and the way he plays football a lot. He is a tru MLB who probably will be playing special teams. Considering the Bengals depth chart at linebacker, even Bailey may see a legitimate role early on. 

GRADE: B+
I like pretty much every player they drafted. They got nothing but good football players and 2 really good ones. They got a special QB prospect in Burrow and his future No. 1 option in Tee Higgins. I think they got a decent foundation for the future, the only thing keeping a draft with as good of a No.1 pick as they got is that they waited way too long to get protection for said QB. other than that decent draft. 


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Cleveland Browns

Round 1 No 10 ovr. Jedrick Wills Jr. OT, Alabama: A
It was no secret that the Browns were missing protection from the edges. Greg Robinson was their best tackle for crying out loud. To protect Baker, the Browns selected the best natural pass blocker in the class. His technique is flawless already and his footwork is phenomenal. Him and Conklin will combine for a solid base for Baker.

Round 2 No 44 ovr. Grant Delpit S, LSU: B+
I like the need and fit, but the Browns are risking a lot with this pick right here. I think they should have gone with the safer guy in Winfield here. But in Delpit they get a guy who was supposed to be a top 5 lock at the beginning of the year. The man has all the tools of a Jamal Adams. He’s twitchy, hard hitting and quick to a decision except he is better in coverage. The only problem is this season you saw him make a lot of mistakes. Hopefully the Browns can fix that problem, but it remains to be seen if the coaching staff is up to the task.

Round 3 No 88 ovr. Jordan Elliott DL, Mizzou: A+
One of my favorite picks in the entire draft. The Cleveland Browns lack interior pressure of any sort. Well here they get arguably one of the most underappreciated interior penetrators in the whole class. I love this pick, and I think the Browns got a steal here at 88.

Round 3 No 97 ovr. Jacob Phillips LB, LSU: B
A little bit of a reach here for a prospect I really like. Often overlooked by the rest of the LSU defense, he really is a good player in his own right. He is not the freak Patrick Queen is but he is a good athlete in his own right. Plus the Browns need to replace the surefire tackling ability of Joe Schoebert and Phillips can help with that problem.

Round 4 No 115 ovr.  Harrison Bryant TE, FAU: C
    The first real head scratcher from the Browns. I don’t get why they feel the need to draft an athletic TE when they spent a first round pick on Njoku and signed Austin Hooper to a big deal. I like the player, not the pick.

Round 5 No 160 ovr. Nick Harris IOL:  Washington: A
    Another great pick by the Browns here. Harris comes with an injury history, which is why he fell here. If he can stay healthy, the Browns got another big guy in the middle in case Austin Corbett continues to be a bust and more importantly can play all interior positions. 

Round 6 No187 ovr. Donovan Peoples-Jones WR, Michigan: A+
DPJ could probably have a case against Shea Patterson for $5 million because getting him in the 5th round is atrocious. The man is a pure athlete and I think with a better QB, he woulda been a first round caliber receiver. Getting him here is an absolute steal and it surprisingly fits really well. Odell on one side, DPJ eventually on the other with Jarvis in the slot. Great pick!

GRADE: A
GM Andrew Berry did a great jon in his debut draft as Browns GM. All across the board he got great value and possible superstars. I love everything that he did in this draft aside from drafting another athletic TE. Outside of that the draft was near flawless. They got lineman and secondary pieces the Browns. Baker now has the protection he needs and should have no excuses this season. 
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Baltimore Ravens

Round 1 No 28 ovr . Patrick Queen LB, LSU: A+
There is no reason that Patrick Queen should have been here for the Ravens, and there is no reason that he should have been the third LB taken, but here we are. The Ravens get the captain of their defense for years now. The Ravens have had trouble replacing Mosley and now they get their new MLB who is not only smart, but a freak athlete. Now that Ozzie Newsome is gone and it is okay for the Ravens to draft LSU players, the Ravens have gotten someone who is not far off from Devin White last year. The Ravens got a top 15 grade at 28 at their biggest area of need. WOW

Round 2 No 55 ovr. JK Dobbins RB, OSU: A
Another great pick here by the Ravens. The Ravens show they are committing to the run game for the future even in the post Mark Ingram future. They get the faster and more explosive version of Ingram now and the beauty is they can play both of them at the same time. Play Lamar, Dobbins and Ingram in the T formation and try to guess where the ball is going. The Ravens not only get their future they get their home run hitter at RB now, amazing pick and value.

Round 3 No 71 ovr. Justin Madubuike DT, Texas A&M: A+
The Ravens are allergic to bad draft picks this year. They got a second round interior penetrator in the third round. Madubuike is the kind of gap penetrator that will eat up space, sure, but he possesses a surprising burst with great hand usage to boot. I love this pick and it fills a need with Micahel Pierce out of town.

Round 3 No 94 ovr. Devin Duvernay WR, Texas: A
Another pick that gives the Ravens exactly what they needed. They have their deep threat and home run hitter in Hollywood Brown, they have their blocker in Willie Snead, they have their TEs and RBs, now they have their possession receiver with arguably the best hands in the draft in Devin Duvernay. 

 Round 3 No 98 ovr. Malik Harrison LB, OSU: A+
    How do great players keep falling into the lap of the Ravens. The Ravens got a classic hard hitting thumper in Harrison. Harrison, who was a known leader at OSU, will make a great compliment to Queen by being the tackler to Queen’s coverage. Amazing value getting a second round LB this late.

Round 4 No 106 ovr. Tyre Phillips G, Miss St: A-
The Ravens can’t stop. The Ravens have lost Marshall Yanda and are now looking to revamp their interior. The one constant for the Ravens over the years has been that they routinely have one of the biggest, baddest offensive lines in football year to year. They do that again by getting Tyre Phillips. They get the big dog from Miss St who knows how to use his power.

Round 4 No 143 ovr. Ben Bredeson G, Michigan: A
The Ravens can really do no wrong. The Ravens get another Guard who really knows how to use his power. Bredeson just screams Ravens when you watch him at Michigan. Getting him here is an absolute steal because I was of the mind that Bredeson should go in the second round. Spectacular value given to John Harbaugh and the gang with the seal of approval by his brother JIm. 

Round 5 No 170 ovr. Broderick Washington DL, Texas Tech: B-
Not the best value pick by the Ravens, but after a draft full of them I can forgive this. Plus, this man is classic Ravens: SIZE, and nothing but. He plays with a high motor and likes to bully people at the LOS. He seems meant to be developed into the next Micahel Pierce/ Brandon Williams for the Ravens.

Round 6 No 201 ovr. James Proche WR, SMU: A    
Yet another great pick by the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens were able to grab another elite possession receiver. Seriously, watch SMU film and show me a fall he doesn’t catch. He’s incredible. Getting him here is great value. They get another able body in that ever expanding Baltimore skill position group. 

Round 7 No 219 ovr. Geno Stone S, Iowa: A
    The Ravens do it again. They get a guy who I thought could go as high as the late third in the 7th. How?! They are very set at safety in Baltimore, but it can never hurt to have more smart and instinctual safetoes with good ball skills. Ideally he will be playing Special Teams, but he could be a really good role player early if he commits. 

GRADE: A+
I have not been this impressed with a draft class in a long while. Every pick was at great value, almost every pick you found yourself saying, "God how did he fall in their lap?" Again and again they got players at their positions of need who had no business being there. They got their athletic and tackling linebackers, they got their trademark size up front on both size, they got their home run hitter at RB, they got 2 really good possession receivers. There was not a pick outside of 170 overall where I did not consider giving them an A+. This is as close to a perfect draft one can possibly find.



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Pittsburgh Steelers

Round 2 No 49 ovr. Chase Claypool WR, Notre Dame: A
With their first pick in the draft the Steelers select one of the freaks of the class in Chase Claypool. Claypool was productive at Notre Dame but coming into the combine many expected him to move to TE. Then he had a combine unprecedented for people at his size outside Calvin Johnson. Seriously, him next to Ju-Ju is going to be fun. The pick is further bolstered by the fact that the Steelers, probably more than any franchise, know what they are doing when scouting receivers. 

Round 3 No 102 ovr. Alex Highsmith EDGE: Charlotte: B
I get what the Steelers are doing. They are getting a developmental pass rusher for Bud Dupree insurance. He can hopefully develop and use his athletic gifts to compliment TJ Watt. I just think this may have been a little bit of a reach for him especially for a team with so little draft capital.

Round 4 No 124 ovr. Anthony McFarland RB, Maryland: A-
The Steelers have been missing a real take it to the house threat in their backfield (and frankly their roster in general) for a while now. Anthony McFarland is certainly that. He has so much Tarik Cohen in his game, he is a threat if he touches the ball. There are supposed major diva concerns off the field, but thank god he went to the Steelers. Mike Tomlin is famed for the ability to handle egos like he is so I think he could excel in the yellow and black. 

Round 4 No 135 ovr. Kevin Dotson G, Louisiana: A
Another guy who just screams Steelers. He is powerful and big and all the things you think of when you think Steelers offensive lineman. There are injury concerns, but the Steelers need to replace Reuben Foster somehow, maybe this is it.

Round 6 No 198 ovr. Antoine Brooks S, Maryland: C+
The Steelers back of the secondary has been held by a lot of role players until Minkah came along. With Brooks coming in, they get a good compliment to Minkah. The only problem is… they already have that gut in Edmunds. When you don’t have a lot of picks, why draft duplicates. 
    
Round 7 No 232 ovr. Carlos Davis DT, Nebraska: A
    Gotta love the Steelers getting big bodies late in the draft. The Steelers are built on size up front and it never hurts to get more of it. 

GRADE: B+
The Steelers did a good job at getting needs taken care of. They got a lot of high upside guys in Claypool and McFarland as well as really good size in Dotson and Davis, I like that aspect. The rest of the draft may have been reaches and
redundancies for my liking but still, all in all great class.



AFC SOUTH
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 Jacksonville Jaguars

Round 1 No 9 ovr.  CJ Henderson CB, Florida: A+
    I think this was the absolute best pick. They have a decent line and when a team is rebuilding like they are, they should invest in the premium positions whose elite players aren’t often in FA. CJ Anderson is possibly the best man to man corner who has a real stick to him in coverage. Even more impressive are his ball skills and his  hip movement. I love this pick and I think throughout this whole draft process, I saw him as one of the underrated prospects. Great pick.

Round 1 No 20 ovr. K’Lavon Chaisson EDGE, LSU: A+
    The Jags are following the old model which got them to the AFC Championship game: When an elite defensive player falls to you, draft him. Plain and simple. Chaisson should not have been here. He is a top 12 player and pass rusher with some of the best athleticism in the class. Him and Josh Allen will make a fantastic pair moving forward. Hopefully they stick to this model and when they draft their QB, it’s not Blake Bortles. 


Round 2 No 42 ovr.  Laviska Shenault WR, Colorado: B
    I like this player but I think that the Jags didn’t really need him. I think they are pretty set with Dede and DJ Chark. I think that Shenault occupies the same role that Dede is currently in. I think they could have gone elsewhere, but getting a great do everything weapon like Shenault isn’t the worst thing in the world.
    
Round 3 No 73 ovr. Davon Hamilton DT, OSU: B-
    I think this is a reach for a team that has players at the position. They got a space eater, which they do need, but they have yet to really see what they can get out of Taven Bryan. I still think there were better players even at this position on the board, but hey, to each their own.

Round 4 No 116 ovr. Ben Batrch OL, St. John’s: A+
    Great pick. The Jags need offensive lineman. Getting bartch a little later than expected is a good steal. They get an athletic and little undersized tackler who is really good at using his power and leverage. He could play at LT or at RT depending on how they view Cam Robinson. Like this pick.

Round 4 No 137 ovr.  Josiah Scott CB, MSU: B-
    The Jags need more than simply one corner but I think they got one who is a little bit of a reach. I like his press ability that will be perfect in Jacksonville, but I question his speed and ability to stay with receivers long term. I don’t know I like the position, not the value.

Round 4 No 140 ovr.  Shaquille Quarterman LB, Miami: B
    I like this pick for the Jags. They need a second LB to Myles Jack. Especially one who is a more aggressive tackler. Shaw Quarterman fits the bill and he could be a future start moving forward in Jacksonville.

Round 5 No 157 ovr. Daniel Thomas S: Auburn: C-
I don’t like this pick. The Jags need a safety but not one that I think could be off the roster in years. I don’t think he’s the athlete needed to compete in the NFL for a starting role. I think he will be bound to a role, but will never stop. I think that the grade is only for the position, but the value is terrible. 

Round 5 No 165 ovr. Collin Johnson WR, Texas: C-
It sucks because I like this player. I really think that Collin Johnson could be great in another situation. But I don’t think that there is room for Johnson on the roster. They have enough receivers. They must not like one of them. I don’t like this pick for the Jaguars. They could have used high upside guys from other positions more.

Round 6 No 189 ovr. Jake Lutton QB, Oregon State: B
I think this is a contingency plan in case Minshew doesn’t work. Lutton was one of the few draftable players at the position. He is a good player with a good arm, but he probably won’t get the start. It is always good business to draft a QB, even late. 

Round 6 No 206 ovr. Tyler Davis TE, Georgia Tech: B
    They probably should have targeted the position earlier when draftable players were on the board. I don’t think this player will see meaningful snaps in the NFL. I think the position was of need and there is enough athleticism to make the pick possibly be worth it.

 Round 7 No 223 ovr. Chris Claybrooks CB, Memphis: B-
    No problem whatsoever taking a late round flier on a slot corner.

 Jacksonville Jaguars: A- 
I really like what the Jaguars did this draft. Jacksonville has gotten 2 elite defensive players with their first two picks. Then to get a player like Ben Bartch in the 4th along with Laviska in the 2nd means that the Jags have talent again. The Jaguars may have had some real reaches in this draft but the talent and athleticism they got should not be overlooked. Probably one of my favorite hauls of the draft. 

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Houston Texans

Round 2 No 40 ovr. Ross Blacklock DT, TCU: B+
A great player at the right value. My problem is when the Texans have the least amount of draft picks in the whole NFL, they should not be picking players who will not be protecting Desean Watson. Still I like his size to be the new DJ Reader.

Round 3 No 90 ovr. Jonathan Greenard EDGE: Florida: B+
I like this player as a pass rusher. Perhaps this says something about Whitney Mercilus’s position in the organization. Still I don’t see him on the field other than as a situational pass rusher.

Round 4 No 126 ovr. Charlie Heck OT, North Carolina: B
Finally they address the offensive line. The man is a big boy at 6’8” but my problem with the pick is that THEY HAVE THEIR TWO STATING TACKLES ALREADY. This man is a pure tackle, he might be too tall to play guard. I like the upside pick but I don’t see how she gets on the field barring an injury.

Round 4 No 141 ovr. John Reed CB, PSU: C

I hope Bill O’Brien is able to see something I don’t in John Reed. I think that he probably has no shot to be a meaningful starter in the NFL. They need CB help, but I don’t think this is it. I don’t like this pick really at all. A C is generous. 

Round 5 No 171 ovr. Isaiah Coulter WR, Rhode Island: C+
A player who I really like. A true speed option. Kinda like Brandon Cooks. I just think that they don’t need anymore receiving help. They have needs elsewhere. But I get not wanting to be left out of this receiving class.


Houston Texans: C-
I'm sorry but a C- is pretty generous. I don't know if this draft qualifies for a barely passing grade. They took players at positions they did not need to draft at and even worse when they got a position of need, they picked a major reach. On top of not having many picks the only reason they get a C- is because I don't hate the players they got early. 
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Tennessee Titans: A-

Round 1 No 29 ovr. Isaiah Wilson OT, Georgia: A
I love this pick. One of my favorite players in the draft he is perfectly suited for his role in Tennessee. He is big and will be moving people for Derrick Henry. It is that simple. They don’t come much bigger than Wilson, and his raw power will be something to behold in the NFL.

Round 2 No 61 ovr. Kristian Fulton CB, LSU: A
An amazing value pick here at a position of need. Malcolm Butler may not be healthy so they need a CB opposite Adoree Jackson. I love Fulton and his great man to man ability. The only worry is that he has kinda serious injury issues. That's probably why he fell, but if the Titans are going to win it all this year, they need to get steals like this wherever they can.

Round 3 No 93 ovr.  Darrynton Evan RB, Appalachian State: B-
One of the fastest RBs in the class as well as one of the best receivers, he immediately occupies the Dionn Lewis role. He is a true home run hitter for the Titans and that will be his use in TEN. However, I think this could have been addressed later and the Titans could go somewhere else.

Round 5 No 174 ovr. Laurell Murchison DL, NC State: A
The Titans get a true 3-4 DE. I think that is really where he will thrive. He is able to take up space but uses his power to get around tackles. I like the pick because they lost Jurrell Casey. I think if Murchinson is able to be a decent partner with Jeffery Simmons, then the Titans should be happy.

Round 7 No 224 ovr. Cole McDonald QB, Hawaii: A-
    Now that Mariota is gone they had to draft a new developmental backup. Cole McDonald has a cannon and is apparently one of the better leaders in this class. The minus os only for two reasons. One being the Titans going all in on this year, and two he cut his dreadlocks.

Round 7 No 243 ovr. Chris Jackson CB, Marshall: C+
Never heard of Chris Jackson. Am willing to concede to the GM when they draft in the 7th round at a position of need.

GRADE: A-
I like the Titans draft in a vacuum. All the players in this class I do really like. Outside the first 3 picks, I don't see much of a difference being made unfortunately and with their 3rd pick they certainly could have gone somewhere else and get a similar player later. The Titans have more holes than people think and could have used their picks a tad differently after the second round. Still the first two picks in big boy tackle Isaiah Wilson and the amazing steal of Kristian Fulton are good enough for an A- grade in itself. 



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Indianapolis Colts
No 34. Michael Pittman Jr. WR, USC: A-

    Love the pick. Not my No.1 receiver on the board but his size makes him a great compliment to 

No 41. Jonathan Taylor RB, Wisconsin: A+
Perfect pick and perfect spot for Jonathan Taylor. They run a power run game perfect for Taylor. Taylor will be at his best running behind that massive offensive line they have in Indy. He immediately will be the focus of the offense. He was my No.1 RB and will be great with the Colts. #RunTheDamnBall.

No 85. Julian Blackmon S, Utah: A-
Another great pick by the Colts. Julian Blackmon was a former CB who can be a stud at safety. His range is eye popping, and what I love even more is his willingness to throw his body around as a tackler. Him and Malik Hooker should make a great pair.

No 122. Jacob Eason QB, Washington: A
There could not have been a better situation for Eason to fall into. He goes to a team that has the offensive line and the weapons to really take advantage of his arm. He is a great prospect and could take some time to develop. If it works out how I think it will in Indy he could see time late in the year in Indy or at the earliest next year. Great pick.

No 149. Danny Pinter G, Ball State: C+
    I have not seen a snap of Ball State football. However I differ to Chris Ballard who has had a spectacular draft to get the last piece to their O line puzzle. 

No 193. Robert Windsor DT, PSU: B-
You get Deforest Buckner as your freak, you get Robert Windsor as your all encompassing run stopper. I love it.

No 211. Isaiah Rodgers CB, UMass: B
I like this guy a lot. He spent most of his time on the outside in college, but I think he could succeed at the slot role in Indy. 
GRADE: A-
The colts had one of the best first 4 picks in the draft. They were able to get an identity in the first two picks which is what they were lacking last year. They have an amazing line but nothing to really do with it. With their first pick they got an athletic compliment to TY Hilton in Pittman but even more importantly they got Jonathan Taylor. Taylor should immediately come in and be a threat to take it to the house every play and one of the true bell cows of the league. He could honestly be the rare rookie to lead the league in rushing. Getting a developmental QB in Eason in the 4th is also a great move by the Colts. All in all, it feels like the Colts finally will have a calling card on offense, one that they have been lacking since Luck's retirement.
AFC WEST
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Denver Broncos

Round 1 No 15 ovr.Jerry Jeudy WR, Alabama: A+
The Broncos get a guy I had as my No.3 overall player at 15. He is special. He is simply the best WR I think I have ever scouted. He is probably already one of the best route runners in the league with really good instincts in space. Watch Alabama tape and it is comical how often he is open. People say he is not fast but I really don’t understand where that comes from. He ran a 4.45 and he plays even faster. I love this player and he should be a great No.1 option for Drew Lock and is perfectly complemented by Courtland Sutton.

Round 2 No 46 ovr. KJ Hamler WR, PSU: A
I had KJ as my No.5 receiver overall so this is great value. He is probably the fastest guy in this class outside Ruggs and routinely burns really good corners in the Big Ten. I think the Denver Broncos have given Drew Lock 3 legitimate No. 1 options. He is a special athlete and you now have Jeudy the route runner, Sutton the jump ball guy, and KJ Hamler the burner and deep threat Watch out for Denver.

Round 3 No 77 ovr. Michael Ojemudia CB, Iowa: A-
    The rare Iowa corner who is more athlete than a prospect. I really like this guy. He flashes moments of brilliance in coverage at Iowa. If they are only more consistent, he coulda been a surefire second rounder. He needs to work on his ball skills and if he does he could be seeing starting minutes in the Denver rotation.

Round 3 No 83 ovr.  Lloyd Cushenberry IOL, LSU: A+
    Wow! The Broncos got a player who should have been a surefire early second rounder this late. He is going to start day 1 at center which allows Glasgow to move to his more natural position of guard. I love Cushenberry and his athleticism. He really should not have been here and I am surprised he is. The Broncos needed to leave with an improved Oline and receiving corp. Mission accomplished in my opinion. 

Round 3 No 96 ovr. McTelvin Agim DT, Arkansas: B-
The Broncos get one of the more athletic tackles in the class here. The Broncos have spent a lot of cap trying to get bigger up front. It is not a bad idea to get some variety up front. McTelvin excels in being a 5 tech where he can use his pass rush skills. My only problem is that I thought there were better DTs on the board. When you have a draft like the Broncos had, I can’t complain. 

Round 4 No 118 ovr. Albert Okwuegbunam TE, Mizzou: A+
Another great pick by Elway. Here not only do the Broncos get the best athlete at the position and my No.2 TE, they also get  Drew Lock’s favorite target in college. He is a special athlete who can be a real weapon split out wide. He ran WR numbers at the combine. Seriously this weapon core for the Broncos: Jeudy, Sutton, Hamler, Hamilton, Fant and now Okwuegbunam.This is getting scary. 

Round 5 No 178 ovr. Justin Strnad LB, Wake Forest: B+
Another great pick by Elway here. He is a true thumper tackler. He is really fun to watch. The Broncos currently have a lot of speed at the position, but they could use an old fashioned tackler at the position. 

Round 6 No 182 ovr. Netane Muti IOL, Fresno State: A
Another great pick by Elway, I sound like a broken record. Looking at him he is the prototypical NFL guard: big, strong and powerful. He is a massive human being and should fit right at home either starting or backing up in Denver. He may be limited in pass blocking, but you cannot ignore this kind of size.

Round 7 No 252 ovr. Tyrie Cleveland WR, Florida: A
John Elway can do no wrong even in the 7th round. He is a prototype at the position and a former top recruit at the position. He may have not reached the expectations lauded on him, but there is no shame in gambling on him finding his way in the mile high city.

No 254. Derek Tuszka EDGE, NDSU: A
Even with the second to last pick in the whole draft, they get value. They get a, “local” kid who had one of the most productive careers of anyone in the class. Even when playing against power 5 schools he popped. Getting him here the Broncos hope they can develop him into a good 3rd pass rusher. Well Done Broncos.

GRADE: A+
The Ravens may have had the best draft, but the Broncos may have had my favorite. The Broncos got Drew Lock two of my top 5 receivers in this draft (one being a top 3 player on my board) each with unique skillsets. On top of that they got one of the best lineman in the draft in Cushenberry as well as a great Athlete and former partner of Drew Lock in Albert O. All over the board, John Elway got value and steals as well as really good developmental players. I love this class by the Broncos well done.



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Kansas City Chiefs

Round 1 No 32 ovr. Clyde Edwards-Helaire RB, LSU: B+
    The Chiefs made a great selection here. Sure Helaire was my No.2 RB but I think he fits the best in Kansas City. He is the best combination of pass catcher and bowling ball. The Chiefs don’t need a home run hitter, just a guy with a great burst who can break tackles and catch the ball. Helaire is a really good RB prospect with the potential to be a star and make this potent offense even more unstoppable. 

Round 2 No 63 ovr. Willie Gay LB, Miss St: B+
The Chiefs try to fill up their hole at LB left by Reggie Ragland with this pick. I like Willie Gay and he has some special traits as an athlete. That is what the Chiefs need anyway, a linebacker who can get anywhere on the field fast. The Chiefs also have to accept the medical risks that come with him. Still they get a good starter at a position of need.

Round 3 No 96 ovr. Lucas Niang OT, TCU: A
Great pick here. The Chiefs get a second round tackle in the 3rd. With Eric Fisher probably at the end of his run, they get his eventual replacement here. Niang is a great athlete at the LT position, which is needed when blocking for a guy like Mahomes.

Round 4 No 138 ovr.  LaJarius Sneed S, Luisiana Tech: C-
    I don’t get this pick really. They are drafting an athlete sure, but he won’t see the field. He has the Honey Badger and Juan Thornhill to compete with. I don’t see the role he fits into. I wish the Chiefs went somewhere else.

Round 5 No 177 ovr.  Mike Danna EDGE, Michigan- C+
    A good athlete with decent production at Michigan. Danna projects to be the same role he served at Michigan: a third pass rush option. I think that he can succeed in KC, I just think they went for getting higher floor players.

Round 7 No 237 ovr. Thakarius Keyes CB, Tulane: B-
    Developmental CB in the 7th. I can’t be mad. They get a big physical corner who hopefully can be a solid depth piece.
GRADE: B
​The Chiefs didn't need splashy value to have a good draft. One player made this scary offense all the more scary. Edwards-Helaire is a perfect fit for what the Chiefs do on offense. He makes them bordeline unstopable on top of them gettign their Linebacker replacement and future LT. The rest of the draft are so so, but with literally the first pick, the Chiefs have all they need to win the Super Bowl again.
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Oakland Raiders

Round 1 No 12 ovr. Henry Ruggs III WR, Alabama: A
Great Snag here by the Raiders here. The Raiders need speed wherever they can get it and to get one of the fastests athletic freaks of the last decade gives John Gruden the Weapon he has been searching for.

Round 1 No 19 ovr.  Damon Arnette CB, OSU: D
For a guy who made his living making mock drafts of the first round, Mike Mayock reached on someone who probably would never be there. I had a generous third round grade on him due to his athleticism, but he has no experience covering the opponent’s best receiver. Such an odd pick in my mind

Round 3 No 80 ovr.Lynn Bowden WR, Kentucky: A 
I like this pick a lot. Similar to Ruggs, the Raiders are getting another specimen at the receiver position. Lowden has all the athletic traits to really excel at receiver when he fully develops. He was one of my sleepers in the whole draft and I like getting him here.

Round 3 No 81 ovr. Bryan Edwards WR, South Carolina: C+
That’s enough with the receivers. The Raiders need a lot of help at the position I grant you but 3 in the first 3 rounds is a little aggressive. Still they get a guy who is a lot like the often injured Tyrell Williams so I see where they are coming from. Like the pick not the position.

Round 3 No 100 ovr. Tanner Muse LB, Clemson: C
    Not my favorite pick I’ll tell you that much. I had a 7th round grade on the guy. A good tackler, which screams raiders, but not the athlete to be a future starter. When you draft players in the top 100 you have to consider them as possible long term starters. I don’t see him as much of a starter in the future. The C is because they really need a MLB and maybe Mayock knows more than I do about scouting. 

Round No 109 ovr. John Simpson G, Clemson: A+
    At pick 109 the Raiders get my No.1 overall guard. That’s great value. I think that the Raiders were a far cry from one of the best lines in football like they used to be. but with Simpson being the final piece, they could have the most powerful one. Seriously, Brown, Hudson, Simpson, Jackson are great and if the big boy Kolton Miller ever develops into a stud this could be a special group.  Great pick.

Round 4 No 139 ovr. Amik Robertson CB, Louisiana Tech: A+ 
In the end of the fourth the Raiders get a guy who I thought was on the same level as their 1st rounder. He may be a little small but his man to man skills are incredible and his ability to close in on balls sticks out on tape. I personally really like this guy and the Raiders get a real faller in the draft.

GRADE: B
The Raiders had a bunch of really good draft picks and ended with a bunch of really good value picks at areas of need. However the first round pick of Damon Arnette looms large in my grade. They got a player they could have safely selected later that early, with better CBs on the board. I also was not a huge fan of the Triple dip at receiver early. I think if you reshuffled the order in which the Raiders selected these players you would see a higher grade, but they made some REAL reaches here.
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Los Angeles Chargers
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No 6. Justin Herbert QB, Oregon: A

    It is no secret that I was in love with Justin Herbert. I saw all the tools that I want to see out of my franchise QB. He is fast and has great touch on the run. His cannon arm is obvious to anyone who watches. What is more impressive are the throws he makes while being hit. I love it. I think the world is sleeping on Herbert and getting a West Coast guy down to LA will hopefully get the local crowd excited for the Chargers. 

    No 23. Kenneth Murray LB, Oklahoma: A+
    A great move to get up here and select the captain of their defense. The Chargers have been missing a tackling machine in the middle of their defense and they get just that in Murray. Murray is a classic MLB with the correct amount of speed to be special. His instincts and athleticism should make him a legend in LA. 

No 112. Joshua Kelley RB, UCLA: C
    Listen I really like the player but I cannot condone this pick. The Chargers already have a two headed backfield and drafting a RB this early when the OLine is still putrid is not the best idea in my opinion. Kelley is a great athlete at the position sure, and he could develop into a star, but I think they should have gone elsewhere.

No 136. Brycen Hopkins TE, Purdue: B-
This is what I like to call Hunter Henry insurance. Hopkins is a great pass catcher with decent athleticism and literally nothing else. He does not block. I think that is what will make him a good compliment to Henry who does. Furthermore, it allows the Chargers to have a player who can duplicate the production of Hunter Henry if he gets hurt again.

No 151. Joe Reed WR, Virginia: B-
    Not the receiver I would have taken here but I like the idea of getting Herbert his slot corner for the future. Good pick but nothing too exciting.

No 186. Aholi Gilman S, Notre Dame: A-
    I like this value a lot. Gilman is an average cover safety with really good speed and exceptional tackling ability. MY only problem with the pick is that his talents are a little redundant with Derwin James. I think their plan is that whenever Derwin is at LB they will put Gilman out there as SS. I don’t know but there has to be a plan and I really like GIlman so A-.

No 220. KJ Hill WR, OSU: A-
Love this pick. Get the fastest burner left on the board. I find it hard to believe that the Chargers won’t have a use for him at the next level. He is too fast not to get home run looks or not to get an opportunity as a kick returner.

GRADE B

I like every pick the Chargers made here. They got a lot of talent in this draft not to mention that they got one of my man crushes to lead their football team in Justin Herbert. Their first two picks were slam dunk picks. they got 2 stars early. I think they are in good position entering this new post Rivers era. However, WHY DO THE CHARGERS NEVER VALUE OFFENSIVE LINEMAN?! I can't believe that a team that has been mocked for their lack of blockers did not draft a lineman in this draft, especially when they drafted a rookie QB. It is so perplexing and singlehandedly knocked this class from an A- to B. 
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5 thoughts on the 2020 Detroit Lions' Draft and Offseason

4/26/2020

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By: Alex Drain

The 2020 NFL Draft is now over, bringing to a close a main phase of the NFL offseason. With that in the books, it’s time to take a look at how the Detroit Lions fared and what we can take away from it. I’ve got five thoughts, so let’s dive right in: 


1. It’s now or never for the run game 

I feel like I have said this for 10 straight years. It was time for the run game when Jahvid Best was drafted in 2010, when Mikel Leshoure was drafted, when Reggie Bush was signed, when Ameer Abdullah was drafted, when TJ Lang and Rick Wagner were signed, when Kerryon Johnson was drafted, when TJ Hockenson was drafted and Darrell Bevell was hired, and now, when the Lions used three of their top four picks on run game help. While you could argue that every position (besides QB) is a position of need after you win just three games in a season, with the Lions spending a 2nd rounder on Kerryon Johnson just two years ago and Bo Scarborough proving mildly effective last year, RB was not one of the most pressing needs on the team. Thus, the selection of Georgia RB DeAndre Swift in the second round was met with some shock by fans. What was a more clear need, however, was at offensive guard after the departure of Graham Glasgow, and the Lions spent their third and fourth round pick on that position. 

Detroit has now spent first rounders in the Bob Quinn era on a tackle and a center in Taylor Decker and Frank Ragnow, who both grade out very highly in both the eye test and the Pro Football Focus metrics. They are the pillars of the line. The Lions then let Rick Wagner leave in free agency and replaced him with a new $50 M tackle, Halapoulivaati Vaitai. Then they spent a third rounder on Ohio State guard Jonah Jackson and a fourth rounder on Kentucky guard Logan Stenberg, the latter of whom is highly regarded as a run blocker than a pass protector. One of those two figures to start opposite of Joe Dahl at guard, who was largely fine a year ago. To top it all off, the Lions then spent their second rounder on Swift, who some saw as among the top RB’s in the draft, although opinions varied. Will this improve the Detroit run game? 

It’s hard to say. The Lions’ run game was not atrocious a year ago, finishing with 4.1 yards per carry, which was 22nd in the NFL, but there’s still a lot more room for improvement. That is especially true in short yardage situations and the red zone, where the Lions’ run offense was atrocious, with just 7 TD’s recorded a year ago on the ground. Drafting Swift probably doesn’t change that, as he’s a smaller, shifty back, as opposed to a burly mauler. But the addition of the new guards and Vaitai, who grades very highly as a run blocker, may. With the three different running backs now in the backfield, Johnson, Swift, and Scarborough, in addition to a re-tooled offensive line selected with emphasis on running, it’s now or never. Furthermore, OL Coach Jeff Davidson has exited the team after two (mostly unsuccessful) seasons at the helm and has been replaced by Hank Fraley, who seems to have a good track record of success. With all these changes and all the capital invested, it’s time, at long last, for the building to pay off in the run game. 

2. Expectations are high for Jeff Okudah 

The Detroit Lions used the highest draft pick they’ve had in a decade on Jeff Okudah, a CB out of Ohio State. He happens to be the highest a corner has been picked since 1997 and though that position generally comes with a steep learning curve, elite corner prospects in recent drafts have been able to make instant impacts. While the first CB didn’t come off the board until the back end of the first round last year, in 2018, 2017, and 2016 the first corner was picked in the top 11, and in two of those years, in the top 5: Denzel Ward to the Browns in ‘18, Marshon Lattimore to the Saints in ‘17, and Jalen Ramsey to the Jaguars in ‘16. Lattimore and Ward happen to both be former Ohio State Buckeyes, like Okudah, and both guys were Pro Bowlers as rookies. Though Ramsey did not get selected to the Pro Bowl as a rookie, he was a First Team All-Pro selection in year #2 and by all accounts was very good as a rookie.

Given that Okudah was both picked as highly as those players, and had nearly universal praise on his scouting report with no real faults in his game, that level of impact in year 1 is not an unreasonable expectation. The Lions are essentially betting that Okudah and free agent signing Desmond Trufant prove to be a better tandem at corner than Darius Slay and Rashaan Melvin did last year. While that is a risky gamble, since Okudah has never taken a snap in the NFL, Slay had his worst season in years in 2019 and
Melvin graded out very poorly, so that may not be as high of a bar to clear as some may think. However, the Lions don’t just need Okudah + Trufant to be an improvement. They need them to be a major improvement, since the Detroit pass defense finished among the worst in the league last season. Returning Justin Coleman and second year player Amani Oruwariye, who showed flashes as a rookie, rounds out what seems to be *on paper* not a bad CB group. Simply put though, the Lions need it to be. 

3. NFC North rivals have mixed offseasons 

In the case of the Green Bay Packers, the word “mixed” is quite generous. For a team that played in the NFC Championship Game just three months ago, the offseason has been strange, to say the least. The Packers watched fading TE Jimmy Graham walk out and join the Chicago Bears, which on the whole is not a major loss, but they signed no free agent help to replace him. Then they let RT Bryan Bulaga, still a productive NFL player, sign with the Los Angeles Chargers and the Packers replaced him by signing former Lions RT Rick Wagner. Wagner had an extremely mediocre career in Detroit and is now on the wrong side of 30. In the NFL Draft this weekend, the Packers declined to use their most valuable asset, a first round pick, to help the team now. Instead they picked QB Jordan Love, who could be a great player down the road, but will not see the field in 2020 unless Aaron Rodgers is injured. In the second round they selected RB AJ Dillon, an equally baffling pick given that RB is arguably the position of greatest strength on the Green Bay offense, with Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams already there. Finally, they selected  TE Josiah Deguara in the third round, which is a position with a notoriously steep learning curve in the NFL, making it quite unlikely that he has a major impact in 2020 either. All told, the Packers watched a couple starters walk out and replaced them with not a single player likely to have significant impacts. While the stellar Green Bay defense returns intact, the entire draft process was confusing. Though the Packers finished 13-3 last season, they were an extremely lucky team, with their expected W/L being just 10.0-6.0, actually worse than the Vikings, who were at 10.7-5.3. If the Packers’ luck runs out, and the roster got worse in the offseason, it’s hard to deem them much of a divisional favorite anymore. 

In Minnesota, the Vikings had a number of salary cap casualties this offeeason, including Stefon Diggs, who was dealt to Buffalo for a first round pick, Linval Joseph, Everson Griffen, Trae Waynes, and Xavier Rhodes. While most consider the Vikings to have had a very good draft, that saw them pick Justin Jefferson to replace Diggs, and a pair of corners in Jeff Gladney and Cam Dantzler (in addition to Mike Hughes, who has dealt with injuries off and on in his first two seasons) to replace the departed Waynes/Rhodes, they are plugging a number of holes with rookies and unproven young players. I think that Rick Spielman has done about as good of a job as Vikings fans could have hoped for in retooling the roster this offseason, but the cap squeeze casts some doubt on whether Minnesota can return to the playoffs. 

Chicago made some changes on the defense in the offseason, bringing in Robert Quinn to replace Leonard Floyd, signing Artie Burns and drafting Jaylon Johnson to replace Prince Amukamara at corner, and bringing in Deon Bush to replace Ha-Ha Clinton-Dix at safety. Many of those changes don’t seem to be the type to make major changes, and adding Jimmy Graham and Cole Kmet to an already deep TE position were their only “luxury” upgrades, both rather odd. At this point, it’s tough to see how any member of the NFC North got better this offseason, besides the Lions, who obviously have a lot farther to go to catch up to the division after last season. However, perhaps not as far you may think. While the Packers were extremely lucky last year, the Lions were extremely unlucky, per expected W/L. Here are the standings from last year based on expected W/L compared to the actual standings: 

Vikings 10.7-5.3 (actual: 10-6) 
Packers 10.0-6.0 (actual: 13-3) 
Bears 7.4-8.6 (actual: 8-8) 
Lions 6.0-10.0 (actual: 3-12-1) 

After years of being considered among the best divisions in football, the NFC North may now be one of the weakest. 

4. Is the roster better than it was four years ago? Well, at least it’s younger 

As someone who has started to lean more heavily into the “Fire Quinn and Patricia” train, I do respect the way that Quinn has gone to compile young talent and manage the cap space. Even if the 2020 Lions season goes down in flames and the Quinn regime were to be dismissed, he would leave behind a solid group of pieces to work with. Detroit’s RB tandem will have an average age of just 22 years old this season, TJ Hockenson will be 23, and Kenny Golladay will be 26. Taylor Decker, meanwhile, will be 27, Joe Dahl the same age, and Frank Ragnow only 24. Even Vaitai is set to be 27 this season, and the two new guards, Jackson and Stenberg, are both early 20s. Stafford, Marvin Jones, and Danny Amendola are the lone old men on the offense. Defensively, Tracy Walker will be 25 during the season, Okudah 21, Da’Shawn Hand 24, Trey Flowers 27, the Okwaras 25 and 22, Jahlani Tavai 24. That is a roster that even if this season goes poorly, leaves behind a lot more pieces for a hypothetical next regime to build with than the Mayhew group left behind to Quinn. Though obviously, we would all prefer for the 2020 season to pan out and lead to a return to the playoffs. Moreover, despite the large contract given to Stafford, the Lions still have the fourth most cap space in the NFL. Yes, that will go down after giving extensions to Golladay and Decker, but the cap mismanagement of the Mayhew era also seems to be a thing of the past. That is one development to be optimistic about. 

5. Optimism and causes for concern on both sides of the ball 

For this last thought, I’m simply going to list the areas of both offense and defense to feel optimistic and concerned about as we head into the summer after the offseason period: 

OFFENSE - Optimism
  1. DeAndre Swift has an instant impact and the tandem of Swift and Johnson, with Scarborough on third down, could be dynamic and explosive, giving OC Darrell Bevell lots to play with.
  2. The Lions should expect to get much more in both blocking and receiving out of TJ Hockenson. Looking at impact tight ends around the league, Ertz, Kittle, and Kelce, all three saw dramatic improvements in their numbers as second year players. That’s typical for the tight end position and if Hockenson can become a clear asset as a blocker, and a dangerous weapon in all phases of the passing game, that would be huge. 
  3. A healthy Matthew Stafford obviously improves the team greatly. The Lions went 0-8 after Stafford’s injury, and the QB had been having arguably the best year of his career before that. A full healthy season of Stafford could make all the difference. That’s a big “if” though.

OFFENSE - Concern 
  1. We’ve talked year after year about running the football and it never seems to happen. The Lions still ran into a brick wall on third down and in the red zone repeatedly, and I need to see evidence that it’s going to change before I can really believe it.
  2. Can this offense stay healthy? Marvin Jones has battled injuries repeatedly, so has Kerryon Johnson, and recently, Matthew Stafford. Can this group afford to lose key pieces? I’m hesitant to believe so. 

DEFENSE - Optimism 
  1. As stated previously, the CB room seems greatly improved.
  2. I liked the signing of Duron Harmon. He’s a guy with experience, should allow the Lions to use Tracy Walker more the way they want to, and free up Will Harris to play at the line of scrimmage. 
  3. Jamie Collins could be an upgrade to the LB group that struggled mightily last year, to put it kindly. He had a good bounceback season in Cleveland and knows the system, should be plug-and-play.

DEFENSE - Concern 
  1. So, uh, how are the Lions stopping the run? Signing Danny Shelton seems like a solid move and I like Da’Shawn Hand a lot, but he has struggled to stay on the field. Beyond those two, there’s Nick Williams, John Atkins, and sixth round pick John Penisini. Neither the front-line talent, nor the depth, is where you’d want it to be at that position. Trey Flowers is a good run-defending EDGE and the Okwaras will factor into this, but it’s hard not to have memories of two years ago before the Snacks Harrison trade, with the Lions being gashed ad nauseum up the middle.
  2. The pass rush still is a question mark. Trey Flowers is an excellent all around player, but not a pure pass rusher. Picking up Julian Okwara in the third round was a terrific pick, but can he be an instant playmaker and pass rusher? The Lions will use Collins, Tavai, Davis, and Will Harris to help pass rush but there are still major questions here. 
  3. Does anyone have any faith in Matt Patricia? Patricia was brought in to fix the defense and has done anything but that, fielding one of the worst units in the league last year. While they drummed out defensive coordinator Paul Pasquoloni and brought in Cory Undlin, which at least is a fresh set of eyes, Undlin is unproven. Moreover, Patricia was supposed to be The Defensive Guy. Through two seasons, we’ve seen no demonstrable improvement on defense and a grip on the locker room that seems tenuous, at best. That doesn’t bode well for 2020.

Image Credit: https://usatlionswire.files.wordpress.com/2020/01/usatsi_13949835.jpg
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An Open Letter to Eli Manning

1/26/2020

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Dear Eli Manning,
    
    I’m an 18 year old kid and honestly, I didn’t like sports as a small child. By the time I started watching sports and getting emotionally invested in the teams you were out there every game and as the rest of the team retired or left, as Victor Cruz went away, as Hakeem Nicks, Mario Manningham, Osi Umenyiora, and Justin Tuck went away, the one player left on the team from when I started watching was you. Now that’s over. No one from that 2011 team that I can recognize by name is still on the roster. It’s the end of an era.

    ​The first Super Bowl I watched was LII when the Giants played the Patriots for the first time. I watched because I was a loyal New Yorker and I had been to some Giants games in the past but when David Tyree caught that ball I had no idea about the significance of that play on my life. Over the next few years I started to watch weekly and really root for the Giants. My favorite sports moment of all time was watching Super Bowl XLVI with my best friend, a Patriots fan, and watching you go down the field in another drive at the end of the fourth quarter to put the Giants ahead for good. Everyone remembers the David Tyree catch but my personal favorite has always been University of Michigan alum Mario Manningham’s beautiful toe-tapping sideline catch that would not have ever happened without the perfectly placed pass from you. You gave me my favorite sports moment, thank you.

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Mario Manningham's toe-tapping catch on the sideline in the 4th quarter of Super Bowl XLVI
    That’s really what this comes down to: thank you for all you have done for my city and this team. I hate the New York Yankees so the only New York championships I’ve ever cared about are the ones hoisted by you with red, white, and blue confetti raining down. Whenever it seems like the Giants will never be good again I turn to the highlights from those great seasons and watch. Needless to say, these past few years have seen me going to those highlights more than a few times.
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Eli Manning on December 15th 2019, his last game in the NFL
    You’ve stayed playing for New York City for a long time, 16 whole years. You should know by now that New Yorkers are fickle creatures. Some may not think you’re all that great. They’re wrong. People across the sports world are debating about whether or not you’ll make the hall of fame. It’s ridiculous. Recency bias is defined by the oxford dictionary as “a common distorting effect within systems of performance appraisal. It refers to the appraiser assessing employee performance, not on work undertaken across the full performance management cycle, but only on recent events or activities that can be readily recalled.” They remember the years with Pat Shurmer and the greasy haired monster Ben McAdoo (who never should have started Geno Smith over you). They remember that your record in the past three years is 9-26. That’s honestly not great. What they forget is that without those past three years your record in the regular season is 108-91 and you are 8-4 in the playoffs. They forget that you’re 7th all time in passing yards, 7th all time in passing touchdowns, and 7th all time in passes completed. You are great, don’t let Stephen A. Smith tell you otherwise. You’re going to wear that golden jacket and it will belong on your shoulders.
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Eli Manning after winning Super Bowl XLII and taking down the 18-0 Patriots
    So what happens next? Do you join your brother in a calm and relaxing retirement? Do you become a quarterback coach for the Giants and continue grooming Daniel Jones for success? Do you even join a broadcasting team like Tony Romo? I have no idea and honestly, I couldn’t care less. You deserve a break. You’ve been in the NFL for 256 regular season games and started in 234 of them. You’ve broken Giants record after Giants record, done insane amounts of charity work, won two super bowls and were the MVP in both. Thank you for these past 16 years.

    Once a Giant, always a Giant.

    Signed,
        - Some New Yorker

Photo Credits:
The Star-Ledger
Bleacher Report
Giants Wire
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