NFL Draft Day 1: Pick by Pick Analysis & Winners and Losers

[Andy]

The first draft was an interesting one filled with lots of trades and surprise picks. I break down every pick and who did well and who didn't.

 

 

 

 

#1. Kansas City Chiefs select Eric Fisher (OT)

 

This was a bit of a surprising pick, but Fisher has tremendous potential and should be a pro bowler.

 

Grade: B+

 

#2. Jacksonville Jaguars select Luke Joeckel (OT)

 

Jags got their right tackle and longterm left tackle. Joeckel is the best player in the draft.

 

Grade: B+

 

#3. Miami Dolphins trade up (with the Raiders) to select Dion Jordan (OLB/DE)

 

This surprised me, and it shocked me when they picked Jordan. Should be a great edge rusher to compliment Ware.

 

Grade: B+

 

#4. Philadelphia Eagles select Lane Johnson (OT)

 

I think the Eagles had better options out there, but getting Johnson was good. This means they can move Herremans inside.

 

Grade: B

 

#5. Detroit Lions select Ezekiel Ansah (DE)

 

This probably fills their biggest need and they get a potential superstar in the deal.

 

Grade: A

 

#6. Cleveland Browns select Barkevious Mingo (OLB/DE)

 

This surprised many, but not me. I love Mingo as he can be a force for the Browns.

 

Grade: B

 

#7. Arizona Cardinals select Jonathan Cooper (OG)

 

Cooper is a perfect fit in this system, and should be a great protector.

 

Grade: A-

 

#8. St Louis Rams trade up (with the Bills) to select Tavon Austin (WR)

 

I love this pick, as he's the most versatile player in this draft that should really help them.

 

Grade: A

 

#9. New York Jets select Dee Milliner (CB)

 

Milliner is a great pick, as he should replace Revis, even though that's tough to do.

 

Grade: A-

 

#10. Tennessee Titans select Chance Warmack (OG)

 

Warmack is the perfect pick here, and he fits perfectly. He makes this O-line one of the best in the league.

 

Grade: A+

 

#11. San Diego Chargers select DJ Fluker (OT)

 

Taking Fluker was a bit of a reach, but O-line is a gigantic need that must be addressed.

 

Grade: B

 

#12. Oakland Raiders trade down (with the Dolphins) to select DJ Hayden (CB)

 

Hayden has really risen recently and the Raiders get bonus for trading down and getting the guy they always wanted.

 

Grade: A-

 

#13. New York Jets trade (with Bucs 4 days earlier) to select Sheldon Richardson (DT)

 

This surprised me, but Richardson is a potential star with tons of explosiness. Helps out their D-line a lot.

 

Grade: B+

 

#14. Carolina Panthers select Star Lotulelei (DT)

 

This was another pick as the Panthers got one of the top players on the board as well as filling their biggest need.

 

Grade: A+

 

#15. New Orleans Saints select Kenny Vaccaro (S)

 

They should have taken Jarivs Jones which was a perfect fit. Vaccaro is great too though.

 

Grade: B

 

#16. Buffalo Bills trade down (with the Rams) to select EJ Manuel (QB)

 

I've always like Manuel. This was a reach, but he has as much potential as anyone in the draft. He helps a big need too.

 

Grade: B-

 

#17. Pittsburgh Steelers select Jarvis Jones (OLB)

 

This was the third perfect pick of the night. Jones fills a big need and is the best player on the board.

 

Grade: A+

 

#18. San Francisco 49ers trade up (with the Cowboys) to select Eric Reid (S)

 

This was silly. Why trade up for a guy that was most likely going to fall to them. Obviously they know things I don't but still, Reid was a 2nd rounder.

 

Grade: C

 

#19. New York Giants select Justin Pugh (OG/OT)

 

This was another surprising one, but Pugh is very talented and versatile. He has 2nd round talent though.

 

Grade: B-

 

#20. Chicago Bears select Kyle Long (OT/OG)

 

This was another very surprising pick. Te'o was on the board, but they go with the raw 2nd round talent O-lineman. Helps a need, but still.

 

Grade: C-

 

#21. Cincinnati Bengals select Tyler Eifert (TE)

 

Eifert is a fantastic player who's good value here, but they have a fantastic tight end group as it is. They didn't need him.

 

Grade: B-

 

#22. Atlanta Falcons trade up (with the St Louis Rams) to select Desmond Trufant (CB)

 

I like this trade up. Trufant is a talented underrated cornerback who could help the Falcons right away.

 

Grade: A-

 

#23. Minnesota Vikings select Sharrif Floyd (DT)

 

The Vikings ended the skid of Sharrif Floyd. Floyd will be perfect in this system and has a great group of guys around him. Should be a star.

 

Grade: A

 

#24. Indianapolis Colts select Bjoern Werner (OLB/DE)

 

This is a solid pick for the Colts that helps out a need. Werner is athletic and talented with tons of potential.

 

Grade: A-

 

#25. Minnesota Vikings select Xavier Rhodes (CB)

 

This could be the best pick in the draft. Rhodes is an extremely talented corner, who fills a big need and is perhaps the best player on the board. What's more perfect than that.

 

Grade: A+

 

#26. Green Bay Packers select Datone Jones (DE)

 

This was an underrated, overlooked selection. Jones should be very good for that D-line with his versatility. This was also a need for them.

 

Grade: A

 

#27. Houston Texans select Deandre Hopkins (WR)

 

I like and don't like this pick. I love how they addressed a WR, but with Allen and Patterson on the board, I'm surprised they went with Hopkins, although my mock draft was correct here.

Grade: B+

 

#28. Denver Broncos select Sylvester Williams (DT)

 

This was another good selection. This was a need on their team and they got one of the top guys on the board.

 

Grade: A-

 

#29. Minnesota Vikings trade up (with the Patriots) to select Cordarrelle Patterson (WR)

 

I don't like the fact they gave away most of their draft for this pick, but getting Patterson was very good.

 

Grade: B+

 

#30. St Louis Rams trade down (with the Falcons) to select Alec Ogletree (LB)

 

This was the the final perfect pick of the night, makng it five. Ogletree is very good value here, and he helps out their biggest position of need.

 

Grade: A+

 

#31. Dallas Cowboys select Travis Frederick (C/OG)

 

This was a what the hell pick. Frederick is a great player, and I like him a lot, but he's a late 2nd round, early 3rd round player. This is a huge reach.

 

Grade: C

 

#32. Baltimore Ravens select Matt Elam (S)

 

Elam is a solid run support player that should help out that secondary.

 

Grade: A-

 

 

 

Winners and Losers

 

Winners

 

- Minnesota Vikings were the biggest winners. They got 3 great picks, that should and are expected to become immediate starters. All 3 help their biggest positions of need as well. This was a perfect draft for them, and put them up there or very close to the 49ers, Seahawks and Falcons in terms of talent.

 

- Oakland Raiders were winners as well. They were able to trade down, get an extra pick, and still get the player they wanted. That's what you call a good job.

 

- I really like what the St Louis Rams did too. They were able to get a potential superstar in Tavon Austin, and then were able to trade back and get Alec Ogletree which fills a huge need.

 

- Houston Texans did a nice job. Although picking Hopkins over Allen and Patterson is a question mark, they were able to find that perfect #2 receiver to play with Andre Johnson. That should help out their passing game.

 

- New England Patriots were winners. They didn't actually take anyone, but now have the deepest draft out of any team. They were able to get a king's ransom for that #29 pick and that should help them tremendously.

 

- Carolina Panthers, Tennessee Titans and the Pittsburgh Steelers all made perfect A+ picks.

 

- If you're an O-lineman, you made great money yesterday, as many teams made reaches for O-lineman.

 

 

 

Losers

 

- The San Francisco 49ers were losers. This is a team I was scared of going into the draft becuase they had a lot of options to do with their picks. They traded up which was expected, but they traded up to pick a player that had 2nd round talent. That doesn't make sense and that's why I call them losers.

 

- New York Giants were losers as well. I understand that guard is a need, but don't reach for a 2nd round talent guy. They could have gotten a similar guy in the 2nd round. That's why they lost thursday night.

 

- Dallas Cowboys were losers. They drafted a player that could have easily gone in the third round. It fills a need, but still, not good.

 

- Buffalo Bills were losers. I don't hate the selection of EJ Manuel, I just think that it would have been better to trade up with their 2nd round pick to get Manuel. It's not like he was going anywhere. They aren't big losers, but they didn't win.

 

- New Orleans Saints were losers. Kenny Vaccaro is a very good player, but with Malcolm Jenkins and Roman Harper at safety, it wasn't a big need. Pass rushing outside linebacker was and they passed on Jarvis Jones, a top 10 talent. Ouch!

 

- Chicago Bears were big losers. You don't reach for Kyle Long. They had some many great players to choose from, many filling needs on their team, and instead they reach for a boom or bust O-lineman. Not a good pick.

 

- Cincinnati Bengals were the final losers. Eifert is a talented player, but you don't take him when you got Gresham and Charles on your team. You don't need more tight ends. They need to fill other positions of need and a possible replacement for Andre Smith.They made a mistake with that pick.

 

- The final losers were quarterbacks. Geno Smith dropped out of the first, and EJ Manuel was picked over Ryan Nassib, who's college coach is the coach of the Bills. That's a big slap to the face.

 

[Nobody]

I don't see how you can give the Jets a B+ for Richardson. The only position they were completely set at was DE, not they have 3 young first round picks when the first two worked out so well? Awful pick. D. Only reason it isn't an F is that Richardson has talent. But this is like GB taking Geno. Good player, awful position.

[Dustin]

I agree with Nobody. Jets had an awful pick.

[buccolts]

And the only way to truly grade a draft is 2, 3, 4 years down the road.

I suppose it's fun though.

[Valpo2004]

Isn't it overstating it to say that this draft put the Vikings close in terms of talent to the Seahawks, Falcons, and 49er's??

 

You know what all of those teams have that the Vikings don't have???  A good starting quarterback.  That alone means they are behind those teams by far.  

[MTC]

You'll being way to generous for teams.

[jvan1973]

how does everyone get an A or a B