999Bronco
NFL Draft pick
2015 Broncos - Super Bowl 50 World Champions
Posts: 1,268
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Post by 999Bronco on May 3, 2015 10:19:11 GMT -5
"I think we’ll look back and blame the media frenzy over Shane Ray for letting the next great pass rusher slip so far to a team that doesn’t even need him."
We do need him. Ware is falling off a lot faster than we thought he would. Lerentee McCray(You're thinking, who?!) is our best OLB behind Miller and Ware, and Ray allows us to use Ware a lot less and keep him fresh. After this season we might opt out of Ware's contract due to the money, and Miller might even follow the money to another town, so, yes, this is a huge need. Not right now, but in 1-2 years, hell yes.
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Post by Divebitch on May 3, 2015 11:32:34 GMT -5
Winston an A+ ? I'm saying bust. Two hours after the pick he instagrammed a picture of him with his jersey and hat on eating a big plate of crab legs. How stupid is that? Shows no respect for the law or his boss. He will self distruct. Couldn't someone in his group told him that is not a good idea? He obviously had it all set up and staged. Can you say Ryan Leaf? "DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM!" This is the biggest 'shit for brains' move I've seen in quite some time - and in record time! Understand that all he had to do for his draft party was a non-act. Just don't flaunt your crime - that's it. The crabs for the camera was a premeditated act, and like toilet humor, not humorous. So why would you wanna remind people of that?!? To me it sends out many possible messages, none of them positive. Lack of humility, lack of judgment, and lack of respect to many on many levels. While stealing $30 worth of pricey seafood is not a felony, he knows it's a crime, and was a willing participant. If he didn't know that much, then he's an idiot. There is no upside, lose-lose.
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Post by EagleDomiKnation on May 3, 2015 11:48:50 GMT -5
Winston an A+ ? I'm saying bust. Two hours after the pick he instagrammed a picture of him with his jersey and hat on eating a big plate of crab legs. How stupid is that? Shows no respect for the law or his boss. He will self distruct. Couldn't someone in his group told him that is not a good idea? He obviously had it all set up and staged. Can you say Ryan Leaf? "DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM!" This is the biggest 'shit for brains' move I've seen in quite some time - and in record time! Understand that all he had to do for his draft party was a non-act. Just don't flaunt your crime - that's it. The crabs for the camera was a premeditated act, and like toilet humor, not humorous. So why would you wanna remind people of that?!? To me it sends out many possible messages, none of them positive. Lack of humility, lack of judgment, and lack of respect to many on many levels. While stealing $30 worth of pricey seafood is not a felony, he knows it's a crime, and was a willing participant. If he didn't know that much, then he's an idiot. There is no upside, lose-lose. I can't do anything but like his Crab leg show. I love that he's smushing the shit right back in the medias face. He was given those crab legs by someone trying to be nice to him...then that persons dickhead boss went crying.
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Post by Divebitch on May 3, 2015 12:05:15 GMT -5
I can't do anything but like his Crab leg show. I love that he's smushing the shit right back in the medias face. He was given those crab legs by someone trying to be nice to him...then that persons dickhead boss went crying. @ dickhead boss. If you believe any of that...well I've nothing nice to say, so...
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Post by Juggs on May 3, 2015 14:47:24 GMT -5
AFC EAST: New England Patriots: Team Grade: B. I liked the Pats first round selection of Malcom Brown. Trey Flowers and Tre Jackson look like they'll both contribute, but day 2 was still underwhelming. New England probably had a net loss in free agency, so recovering talent was important in an arms race AFC East. They seem to have had the worst offseason of any team in the division. I doubt it will make any difference in the standings.
Malcom Brown, DT, Texas Grade: B+ This pick is a lot like the selection of Dominique Easley for the Patriots last year, and not just because of the position. Brown fits better in the 3-4 than Easley, and he doesn’t come with the ACL problems Easley had. He’s a great value for the end of round 1, but I’m concerned about him getting on the field the first year on a stacked Patriots roster that features Easley, Jabaal Sheard and Joe Vellano on the depth chart as well.
Jordan Richards, SS, Stanford Grade: C Yes, this pick was too early. I hadn’t watched him, so I went back and watched highlights and he looks like he can lay a hit. Other reports say he’s surprising in coverage and doesn’t make very many mistakes. Still, that’s not a great talent for the pick and it wasn’t a real need.
Trey Flowers, DE, Arkansas Grade: A- Flowers was tremendously productive at Arkansas and made up for any athletic short comings. He's a powerful 4-3 end with an infamous bull rush that moved double teams constantly. He's not fast enough off the snap and doesn't bend well enough off the edge. That doesn't matter much since he almost always rushes the passer on the inside. Underrated run defender, and a really good scheme fit in New England.
Geneo Grissom, DE, Oklahoma Grade: D There are a lot of problems with this pick that mitigate the athleticism that you’re getting. Grissom has only played defense one year and is coming off breaking his foot. He’s inconsistent and disappears in big games despite the size and speed attributes and occasional crazy spurts of production. Has never played 4-3 end, the logical position he’ll be as a Pat. He’s a likely bust who has a high ceiling if he can stay on the roster.
Tre Jackson, G, Florida State Grade: A The Pats got a falling talent at a position of need. Jackson was an excellent run blocker on the biggest stage at FSU. He’ll stay in the spotlight in New England, and he’ll need to keep his weight down from 340 where he was six months ago. Speed and weight problems were why he wasn’t an early second round pick.
Shaq Mason, G/C, Georgia Tech Grade: C This would be an A+ if the Pats had a starting job up for grabs at center. I don’t think Mason is big enough to play offensive guard. He’s short and has very short arms that lessen what he can do against the run. As a pass blocking center, he’s a great player. He doesn’t have the versatility to be active when teams only run 7 or 8 lineman on Sunday.
Joe Cardona, LS, Navy Grade: N/A I’m not grading this one. Good for the Pats for finding him. Even if I could watch him play or assess him in any way, how does one grade a long snapper? Accuracy? Consistency? Height?
Matthew Wells, LB, Mississippi State Grade: D Wells was barely on the field and is small and not athletic enough. I had no idea he was going to get drafted at all. I would be surprised if he makes the roster.
A.J. Derby, TE, Arkansas Grade: C+ Derby was an athlete without a position in college and high school. He has the measurables to be a scary weapon and scouts have noted he’s particularly talent after the catch. Still, this player didn’t have anywhere near a draftable grade coming in. This is the kind of pick that probably won’t make the roster, but could be an intriguing prospect that makes me look really bad if I go any lower. Played with Trey Flowers.
Darryl Roberts, CB, Marshall Grade: A- Marshall is an exception athlete as well. He brings immediate value as a return man and was one of the fastest corners on the board in a straight line. Unlike other speed demons, he’s big enough to stay healthy and get on the field as well. This was one of the last picks of the draft, which means that Patriots would be happy to get anything.
Xzavier Dickson, OLB, Alabama Grade: A A smart 3-4 pass rusher with surprising coverage ability. He’s big enough to come off the line and backup his former teammate Dont’a Hightower on the weakside. I’m impressed that the Pats two ultra late-round guys have very good chances at roster spots.
Buffalo Bills: Grade: B. The Bills were hamstrung by a pervious trade, but they good some good value with what they had to work with. Ronald Darby is a first round talent who went a round late, and Dezmin Lewis was one of the draft’s biggest steals. The rest of the picks only really provide depth, and the Bills didn’t do a great job addressing their needs with starters. Even if John Miller replaces the dreadful Chris Williams right away, the Bills still need upgrades at QB, RG, C, MLB and S to compete with Miami and New England.
Ronald Darby, CB, Florida State Grade A I had him ranked as my #2 cornerback and I think the Bills got an absolute steal. There isn’t a better corner in run support in the draft. Darby also times his hits well and plays the ball very well in the air. He fell in the draft because of his speed, height, and ability to trail receivers in man coverage. Everyone makes mistakes, and Darby made many, and when you don’t have top speed to make up for those mistakes, you usually are a second round pick. I still very much like Darby as an NFL prospect based on his hits. He’s Cortland Finnegan 2.0.
John Miller, G, Louisville Grade: C Miller probably shouldn’t have been a day two pick. He’s very athletic and gets off the snap quickly. He got overwhelmed by larger interior players frequently and he’s going up against Suh, Jordan Phillips, Brown and the Jets ridiculous defensive line. Miller is a candidate to move to center, where he’d get a slightly better grade.
Karlos Williams, RB, Florida State Grade: B- He’s a nice value in round 5 as a pure power back. If Williams were drafted a decade ago, we’d call him a fullback. He’s got great power and toughness as well as above average pass protection. He can also catch the football. He really offers very little as a first down runner and can’t consistently hit the hole. With Fred Jackson getting old, I’m okay with the Bills getting a powerful utility back, although I can’t understand why they did when they had so few picks to address their needs. He really does remind me of FJax now that he’s a Bill.
Tony Steward, OLB, Clemson Grade: C Steward was the man standing up behind Vic Beasley, and as a result he was always clean and a made a lot plays in against the run. Now he’s behind a similar talent in Buffalo, so he’ll get the same chance. He’s not athletic enough to get drafted and he’s too small to start without a year on the bench bulking up. However, I respect the Bills for going by the tape on this and getting a productive player.
Nick O’leary, TE, Florida State Grade: A This was a steal for Buffalo. O’leary is a pure flex tight end who could play wide receiver in a pinch. He’s got great speed, size, routes and hands. He offers basically nothing as a blocker though. His measurables are almost exactly the same size as Rob Gronkowski, which might be a hint on why Rex Ryan drafted him.
Dezmin Lewis, WR, Central Arkansas Grade: A+ The Bills got a 3rd round pick in the 7th round. Lewis may have been playing against weak competition, but he’s one of the best sleeper propsects in the draft. His size and straight line speed usually signify a player that’s just a deep threat, but Lewis is actually a natural route runner who can do it all. It’s very rare a 7th round pick makes a contribution right away, but the Bills got more than depth here. Miami Dolphins: Team Grade: B+. The Phins getting Devante Parker solidifies the draft grade by himself. Miami has added an immediate impact playmaker and a long shot offensive rookie of the year candidate. Jordan Phillips was the only other obvious starter, and he’s not without problems. The Dolphins depth picks were some pretty big risks that favored athletic talent over sound football skill. Ajayi and Lippett are big names that don’t project well.
Devante Parker, WR, Louisville Grade: A Parker was my second rated receiver ahead of Kevin White. His ability to pluck impossible catches away from defenders and take hits over the middle make him an elite prospect capable of being even better than Amari Cooper if he can polish his routes a bit. Great value at a position where the Dolphins can start him right away.
Jordan Phillips, NT, Oklahoma Grade: B- The Dolphins moved down in the second and still got a wooly mammoth of a player. Phillips is too big and slow for the 4-3. He’s way too slow off the snap and lacks ability as a pass rusher. He’ll eat runningbacks for lunch next to Ndamokung Suh. At 6’5 329’’ Jordan Phillips is bigger than 99% of lineman he’ll go up against.
Jamil Douglas, G, Arizona State Grade: B Douglas is a third round value who fell. I’m concerned about the weight and strength if he stays at guard. He’s got long arms and he’s great blocking on the pull though. Those two strengths aren’t complimentary though. The Dolphins also announced him at tackle, a position he’s never played. Great talent, weird pick.
Bobby McCain, CB, Memphis Grade: A Hard worker, elite speed, and he can hit. McCain is slot only due to his 5’9’’ height, even though he played outside in college. He’s a nickel-linebacker style player who shouldn’t have gone ahead of Quandre Diggs, but is a very similar, lesser known player.
Jay Ajayi, RB, Boise State Grade: D I didn’t like Ajayi as a player and that was before combine re-evals said that he has nothing left in his knees. NFL runningbacks need to be able to take a beating. Taking a medical risk at the position almost never works. Ajayi offers a lot as a receiving back and was hard to bring down in college.
Cedric Thompson, FS, Minnesota Grade: B Thompson got injured and didn’t play his last year in Minnesota, so I don’t know a lot about him. Good for Miami for finding someone who nobody was really looking at with one of their last picks though. Thompson’s a talent athlete for a depth guy. He’s big for a FS at 6’0 200. Tony Lippett, WR, Michigan State
Grade: F The Dolphins didn’t draft him to play WR, they took him at corner. There were some great college corners left who don’t need a two year investment with your last draft pick. There was no reason for Miami to take this guy other than his height and speed. He wasn’t a great receiver prospect either.
New York Jets: Team Grade: A. I’m going to assume that the Jets find a way to make Leonard Williams the day 1 starter. He’s an awkward fit in the 3-4, but he’s such a special athlete on the D-line that it won’t affect the grade much as long has he can contribute. The grade is really pulled up by later picks of Devin Smith, Lorenzo Mauldin, and Jarvis Harrison. The Bills did a rare thing of finding 4 guys in a draft class who look like they will play as rookies. Harrison might only rotate in, but he’s the future once he improves at run blocking. Leonard Williams, DT, Southern California Grade: B+ If the Jets don’t have a spot in their 3-4 base for Leonard Williams and they end up wasting either Muhammad Wilkerson, Sheldon Richardson, or their new toy, then they won’t have improved much, and this grade will be very low. If they make a trade and get a haul for Wilkerson as many expect, than this could be an A. Leonard Williams isn’t a good fit for the 3-4 and is smaller than both the Jets current starters. He makes up for that in part with great technique, but his quickness off the line is also a huge concern. I can’t believe the Jets didn’t deal Mo Wil on draft day. Edit: upgraded because new rumors say the Jets are likely to deal Muhammad Wilkerson.
Devin Smith, WR, Ohio State Grade: A+ Devin Smith was a forgotten gem. I would have graded him as an A in the top 10 based on what he’s done in the last six months alone. Not only was he unstoppable in the Buckeyes championship run while solidifying himself as college football’s best deep threat, he proved emphatically during the pre-draft process what the tape showed: he’s actually also a great route runner and underneath receiver as well. Smith can do it all and should be the #1 WR in New York from day 1.
Lorenzo Mauldin, OLB, Louisville Grade: A Mauldin’s pass rush moves jump out on tape. He’s a very creative rusher who seems to do something different every time. I thought this strength and get off from the line of scrimmage made him a better 4-3 rusher in the NFL, and that assessment is compounded by the fact that he didn’t bend well around the outside like a 3-4 linebacker has to do on most plays. It’s still a great value and talent for round 3 though. Mauldin can make a contribution year 1. Worth mentioning that the Jets got him while trading down.
Bryce Petty, QB, Baylor Grade: D If Petty were being drafted to come in and compete, or even be a career backup, then I could understand that. The problem is that he isn’t the guy I want stepping in right away or working with the scout team. Baylor’s spread is totally incompatible with the Jets power run offense. Petty is starting over from a mental state coming into the NFL. He has a cannon arm like Mike Glennon without much of a way to reel it in, and he’s got pretty good pocket awareness and good mobility. Petty has the skills to be an above average backup or limited starter, but not really in the Jets’ offense. This is head scratcher. Brett Hundley was available and absolutely should have been the pick.
Jarvis Harrison, G, Texas A&M Grade: A- Harrison was a steal in round 5. He’s an incredibly strong pass blocker on a team that didn’t run the football much. He’s an awkward fit for the Jets, but I love the talent and he shouldn’t have been passed up. He probably can’t start week one, but he’s the future at guard.
Deon Simon, NT, Northwestern St. Louisiana Grade: C C’mon, raise your hand if you remembered to scout Northwestern State at Louisiana for NFL prospects? This is an example of playing the “I’ll take him even though no one else knows his name” game. That’s okay to do in round 7. Scouting reports say Simon is a space eater and a great run defender. Simon is 24 and has injury concerns.
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Post by Juggs on May 3, 2015 14:53:06 GMT -5
Winston an A+ ? I'm saying bust. Two hours after the pick he instagrammed a picture of him with his jersey and hat on eating a big plate of crab legs. How stupid is that? Shows no respect for the law or his boss. He will self distruct. Couldn't someone in his group told him that is not a good idea? He obviously had it all set up and staged. Can you say Ryan Leaf? "DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM!" That did seem really stupid. He's an A+ because of his ability to play quarterback. If Winston meets his potential, we'll all look back and laugh about crab legs while the Glazers count their Lombardi trophies. As I've said, the rape charge is too concerning for me to ever draft him. It went unsettled through the process. The Bucs reportedly investigated Winston and left no stone unturned. I'm willing to take the chance that his career doesn't get derailed by that in giving him a good grade despite it.
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Post by Juggs on May 3, 2015 14:54:55 GMT -5
Juggs ....losing McCoy isn't a loss, because we replaced him with a better RB and got a potential Probowl LB for him. I think a B- is better for Agholor You know what I meant about McCoy. The Eagles were down pass catchers. I didn't mean it like they got worse at runningback. Murray was even better than McCoy last season, although I'm a bigger fan of McCoy's talents. Murray and Sproles is a really cool combination of power and speed.
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Post by Juggs on May 3, 2015 15:02:32 GMT -5
Juggs, you obviously don't understand that Williams can thrive in multiple techniques. That is why he was the top rated player in the draft. What makes you think at 300 pounds, he can't play all over the jets d line just as Wilkerson and Richardson do with the same weight and flexibility? Wilkerson is rumored to be traded also (as you said), and Williams can be seen as an immediate replacement. You also said Williams is smaller than his other d line starters, but he is taller than both of them, and weighs more than Richardson. Lack of research there, definitely. Go ahead and call it a C when the tititans probably should have taken him. Mariota has the potential to be great, but he is nowhere as appealing as an Andrew Luck nor was Winston. If he can't develop a deep ball or do well under center, he will never be better than Kaeperdick. Right now, you have an athletic QB with a ton to learn about the nfl and has proven nothing. I wouldn't be handing out A's when your last two first round QB's have been athletic busts either. Good luck in week 15 Tenn. The first line is condescending and wrong. I specifically wrote that he can overcome playing in the 3-4. His playing weight was 280 last year, not 300, and it's true that he doesn't have a 5tech's get off or size. He's a much better spot at the position he played his whole career. He even admitted himself he wanted to play for a 4-3 team because its where he thought he fit best. My whole grade revolved around the Jets taking him without an obvious spot to play because they had Richardson and Wilkerson. Now that it seems Wilkerson is on the way out the door, the pick is worth it. All your criticisms of Mariota fall flat. He hasn't developed a deep ball? First of all, that doesn't mean anything. There's no "development" involved. Mariota has fine arm strength and throws a very pretty lob. There's nothing wrong with his deep velocity. He's proven nothing? That kind of made me laugh. Well, he's a rookie. So in the NFL, sure I guess he's proven nothing. He's proven... pretty much everything you can prove in college football. Comparing Locker or Vince to Mariota is pretty funny. Mariota does come with some question marks as a football player. His inexperience calling plays and his tendency to scramble are things he'll need to work on. From a passing standpoint in the pocket, you really can't dock him much at all. You combine that with great mobility and spotless intangibles and you've got a potential franchise quarterback. If a team got what I think is a franchise QB, they're getting an A. If I'm sure, they're getting an A+.
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Post by Juggs on May 3, 2015 15:05:49 GMT -5
"I think we’ll look back and blame the media frenzy over Shane Ray for letting the next great pass rusher slip so far to a team that doesn’t even need him." We do need him. Ware is falling off a lot faster than we thought he would. Lerentee McCray(You're thinking, who?!) is our best OLB behind Miller and Ware, and Ray allows us to use Ware a lot less and keep him fresh. After this season we might opt out of Ware's contract due to the money, and Miller might even follow the money to another town, so, yes, this is a huge need. Not right now, but in 1-2 years, hell yes. Yeah, I usually mean "need" as right now. The Broncos didn't need a quarterback for the same reason. Ray will play year one and contribute of course. I love the pick.
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Post by Juggs on May 3, 2015 17:06:19 GMT -5
AFC NORTH: Pittsburgh Steelers: Team Grade: A-. The Steelers draft is really exciting. For a team stacked on offense that needed defensive help everywhere, they achieved that. Dupree, Grant and Holliman will produce right away and I think Golson will work out once he puts on weight. Pittsburgh didn’t miss on a single choice and came away with a great overall group of talent. I noticed they took several 4-3 college players. That falls on the coaching to help those defenders make the adjustment.
Alvin Dupree, OLB, Kentucky Grade: A- I can’t poke any holes in this. I had Dupree going much higher, and he’s a great fit for Pittsburgh’s defense. Standing up at linebacker last year should make an easy transition to playing on the left side opposite James Harrison and Jarvis Jones. The athletic wildcat linebacker brings some power back to Pittsburgh’s pass rush that looked weaker on paper than it had in year. I can’t believe they passed on Landon Collins and Randy Gregory however. Both those picks would have been A’s.
Senquez Golson, CB, Ole Miss Grade: B I messed up evaluating this pick until the draft. The tape I watched, Golson was making highlight reel plays in man coverage and not playing much in run support. I had him figured for an island corner who made up for being short with leaping ability and range. Still, 5’9’’ 175 is too small. That’s an injury risk waiting to happen and a liability playing the run. The Steelers got an outstanding cover man who teams will want to run towards.
Sammie Coates, WR, Auburn Grade: B Yes, he’s got bad hands. Yes, he’s one dimensional. No, the Steelers didn’t need him. Other than the last complaint, those are the kinds of things that make prospects fall to round 3, so it’s actually not a reach really. Coates speed and great ability to time the jump ball make him useful in a limited way. The fact that he’s 4th on the depth chart makes it puzzling in round 3. I know Weaton might leave next year, but you can’t count on that or really use it to justify a pick for a contender.
Doran Grant, CB, Ohio State Grade: A+ Now the Steelers got their run stopper. Grant and Golson are very much opposite style players, and by adding both the Steelers revamped their secondary. Grant is still good in coverage and anchored a national championship defense. The one question mark is why he didn’t make as much of an impact until his senior year. This is a phenomenal late 4th round pick.
Jesse James, TE, Penn State Grade: B James is an athletic right tackle who can catch a football. He’s not fast enough and runs some really poor routes even for a tight end where the expectations aren’t as high. He’s a great blocker with size and hands, and that gets you drafted. James is a special threat in the end zone.
Leterrius Walton, DT, Central Michigan Grade: C Walton is big and mean. He’s a 3-4 run defender who doesn’t bring much ability to get to the quarterback. He gets off the snap too slowly for the 3-4 and needs a lot of coaching. He’s more like an oversized 3 technique with awkwardly short arms at 32 inches. He’s also at risk of not making the roster since Pittsburgh runs an uneven front with only one logical side of the line for him.
Anthony Chickillo, DE, Miami Grade: B Why would you draft him and Walton? Do you really want to gut your current backups or start these guys on the practice squad? In addition, Chickillo was an oversized 4-3 defensive end. That’s a wild transition to a 5 technique that I can’t remember any college player successfully making. He’s too big and slow to play 3-4 OLB. He was highly productive, so I can’t go lower than a B, but I also can’t understand this pick.
Gerrod Holliman, FS, Louisville Grade: A+ The best pick of round 7 and maybe the best value of the entire draft, the Steelers struck gold. Holliman is probably the best cover safety in the draft and maybe the best cover safety in years. He can start day 1 as a single high safety. Don’t listen to the rhetoric that he can’t tackle. His technique is raw and it’s certainly not a strength, but at 6’1’’ 220, using that to right him off is stupid. I have frankly no clue why he fell. One GM said this year that “some great players just get lost in the process.” Holliman was one of them. I would give this a B or B+ if Holliman had been the Steelers first round draft pick. I rarely even consider the seventh round in grading the whole team, but this is Pittsburgh’s best selection.
Baltimore Ravens: Team grade: A. Three of the first four picks look like slam dunks. The pass rush somehow got better in Baltimore and needs at WR and TE were met early. Myers is a nice depth piece and Waller and Allen look like late round gems. This draft is an Ozzie Newsome special.
Breshad Perriman, WR, Central Florida Grade: B+ The guy even looks like Torrey Smith! The Ravens needed a deep threat, and Perriman is as close to a clone player of Smith as you can get, which also brings its drawbacks. Perriman’s inconsistent hands and tendency to disappear in games leaves some question marks on what his NFL production will look like. The pick is a great value, but the player needs a lot of work before starting every snap. That’s not something you necessarily want as a contender right now.
Maxx Williams TE, Minnesota Grade: D Williams isn’t a good enough athlete to play in the flex spot, and he’s not a blocker either. He brings size, strength, and a great leaping ability. He’s a project tight end who will help in the red zone, but his lack of skills at everything you need to do at tight makes him barely draftable. I have never understood why he’s the #1 ranked tight end in the class. Jeff Heuerman and Clive Walford both are better prospects. I think scouts got lazy here. The trade up makes this even worse.
Carl Davis, DT, Iowa Grade: A Can we just pretend this was Baltimore’s 2nd round pick and call it a day? Perriman is such a hit or miss prospect that Davis might be the best player from the Raven’s draft in three years. He apparently had a very rough combine interview and meeting schedule that caused the dominant 4-3 interior lineman to fall. He lit up the senior bowl practices as well.
Zadarius Smith, DE, Kentucky Grade: A Baltimore snagged two falling 4-3 superstars in a row. If they need to convert to a 4-3, they can probably do it. In all seriousness, the Ravens just added two elite athletes. Smith got the rare call-up from the Shrine to the Senior Bowl after winning MVP of the first all-star game. He’s a weird scheme fit to OLB, but I just don’t think that matters.
Javorius Allen, RB, USC Grade: B+ The Ravens love backs who can catch the football and that’s Javorius Allen. I’m not sure he’ll get many carries because Forsett and Talioferro are the fold, but he’ll replace what Ray Rice used to do as a receiver. Those skills get you snaps as a rookie.
Tray Walker, CB, Texas Southern Grade: C- I haven’t watched him, but from his measurables, he’s the kind of lanky athlete that Baltimore wants in the secondary. Still, this seems like a major reach in round 4.
Nick Boyle, TE, Delaware Grade: D Other than coming from Joe Flacco’s alma mater, what’s the point here? You’ve now got 5 tight ends on the roster. Boyle’s a monster at 6’4 270. I doubt he makes the roster, but he’s not an F because of his size and speed.
Robert Myers, OG, Tennessee State. Grade: A Underrated guy who reminds me of when Baltimore took Urschel last year. He’s a great form blocker who seems to be able to hand faster rushers even though he himself isn’t very athletic. Baltimore got a solid backup run blocker who can play 3 positions.
Darren Waller, WR, Georgia Tech Grade: A+ He’s the weird Georgia Tech wide receiver build of tall and fast with soft hands. Waller is the ultimate deep threat just in case Perriman doesn’t work out, I guess. I’m stunned he lasted this long. He averaged over 25 yards per catch in school and no NFL corner will beat him for a jump ball. He’s raw and played in the triple option, but that didn’t stop Demaryius Thomas.
Cincinnati Bengals: team grade: C-. The Bengals were a tough team to find contributors for because they have quality starters at most positions and are usually held back by having an only above average quarterback in Andy Dalton. That made it all the more important to use the early picks on the d-line or the linebacking core to get a contributor. Nobody in this draft other than Dawson is a guy I think will start or even get significant snaps. It’s a lot of backups who might start a season or two before the Bengals have to make a contract decision. Cincy didn’t improve the roster much here at all.
Cedric Ogbuehi, OT, Texas A&M Grade: B This is extremely hard for me to grade. I love Ogbuehi as a player and believe he could be the best offensive tackle in the draft class. He’s certainly the best on tape in pass protection, and the value was there. I’m also not worried too much about the ACL. My concern is how much he’ll contribute as a rookie due the Bengals not having a spot at offensive tackle. If Ogbuehi manages to start, I’m sure I’ll look back in a year and move this grade up to an A. He’s a great prospect.
Jake Fisher, OT, Oregon Grade: D It’s hard to get such a bad grade picking a tackle. I realize that both starting tackles for the Bengals are in contract years. Jake Fisher was a reach even in round 2 despite some analysts who loved him for reasons I never understood. Fisher looked pitiful on tape pass blocking, and constantly got caught holding. He doesn’t have the excuse of Oregon’s offense to blame for the flags if athleticism is supposedly his biggest strength. Fisher has an interesting skill set and he’s big enough, but the technique isn’t there on tape. Not adding a contributor in the first two rounds is awful.
Tyler Croft, TE, Rutgers Grade: F Croft is a tall red-zone threat who doesn’t offer much else as an every down receiver, or as a blocker. He was selected early in an awful class of tight ends and barely has a draftable grade. He’s going to be second or even third on the depth chart at a non-key position while the Bengals didn’t address the defensive line. This pick is whack.
Paul Dawson, ILB, TCU Grade: A Love it. The Bengals got him a round and a half late with a complimentary pick. Dawson is a productive speed rusher from a SAM linebacker spot. What makes him different from other rush linebackers is that he lays some really hard hits and doesn’t leave his gap when he shouldn’t. In fact, there were really now flaws at all in his tape. He’s a great player with some character concerns and size issues at 235 lbs.
Josh Shaw, CB, USC Grade: B I like Shaw’s athleticism and his tape. He doesn’t do a good enough job in man coverage and he takes too many risks that go wrong, but one thing he does incredibly well is disrupt catches without getting flagged. I know it’s a weird thing to give a guy a plus for, but I saw Shaw get his hands on contested balls every time he had the chance. Sterling Moore did that one time and made a career out of it. I think Shaw will overcome the character issues and on-tape flaws to make some key plays in sub-packages. Versatility as a safety-corner prospect doesn’t hurt.
Marcus Hardison, DE, Arizona State Grade: A- Hardison makes the pretty easy transition from a 5 technique to a 3 technique going to DT in Cincinnati. You can ignore the “DE” designation you might see on draft sites, he’ll replace Domata Peko day 1. He’s a great penetrating run-stopper with some of the best film of any d-lineman in the country. The sack total wasn’t there and he was too small for the position he played, but he’s easily big enough for 4-3 DT.
C.J. Uzomah, TE, Auburn Grade: B+ This pick makes taking Kroft look even worse. Uzomah should have been drafted ahead of him and plays a very different style that makes him draftable in a weak class. Uzomah is your old-school H-back who will line up in the backfield and do all sorts of tricky things in a complicated Bengals offense. He’s a great blocker and he’s actually got the size to go over people in the end zone. He will steal Kroft’s only chance at making the roster. He does everything better than Kroft and brings the H-back experience.
Derron Smith, FS, Fresno State Grade: B Derron Smith is an all-around free safety who can cover and lay a hit. He’s undersized and might move to corner, and he’s got significant injury problems that caused a decent talent to fall to round 6. If he can stay healthy on the bottom of the roster this pick can work out. It’s interesting that the Bengals would take him and Ogbuehi in the same draft. They really like value that fell due to injury.
Mario Alford, WR, West Virginia Grade: C+ Return specialist at with a skill set like Tavon Austin. Get the ball in his hands and he can be an electric playmaker. He really has no experience as a receiver working downfield and wouldn’t be draftable as that kind of player. Doesn’t have the weight/injury concerns that specialists often do. Cleveland Browns: Team grade: C. The Browns outdid my expectations with some great picks in the later rounds, but their overall haul isn’t strong. Danny Shelton, Duke Johnson, and Hayes Pullard are basically their day 1 and 2 if you re-order it, and that would make for a decent grade. Not getting help at receiver (Mayle doesn’t count) is stunning. The Browns roster didn’t significantly improve, but a few of the picks are going to make contributions. The Browns drafted two bust corners last year, and Gaines and IEO are risky as well despite having starter upside (very much like Gilbert and Desir).
Danny Shelton, NT, Washington Grade: B I was impressed with this choice a lot initially, but I toned down that excitement when I remembered that the Browns but Ahtyba Rubin this offseason. The former Browns nose tackle would start over Shelton today, so the Browns haven’t really gotten better. That said, Shelton is a great value as a run-stopper and will be on the roster for a long time because of that. I do however question a few things: his ability as a pass rusher, the Browns choice not to select a wide receiver or pass rusher, and how much impact a nose tackle will have on a team with holes everywhere.
Cameron Erving, C (Guard, apparently), Florida State Grade: D- This was the worst pick of round 1, and it’s not in dispute. Erving played incredibly poorly in 2014 at offensive tackle and moved to center where he improved and earned a day two grade. He probably wasn’t higher on most teams’ boards than Hroniss Grasu, but I could understand if he went ahead of him at center. Erving has never played guard in his career, and the Browns have Joel Bitonio and John Greco, two players who certainly will not be beat out of their jobs by a guy who’s never played the position, and wasn’t great at center or tackle. I see Erving making no contributions on the Browns as a rookie, and that’s shocking, because they have holes everywhere. The Browns could have thrown a dart with a blindfold on in the green room and hit a starter on their depth chart, and they managed to fuck it up. If you like this pick and disagree with me, I ask you to consider this question: is it really Cleveland’s priority to figure out who might be their center in 2016?
Nate Orchard, OLB, Utah Grade: C Orchard was a popular pass rusher pick early on in the process. He’s not a great athlete. He can arm-over bigger lineman very well and seems to get the quarterback despite lacking what you want athletically in a pass rusher. He was productive enough that you can overlook the big concern which was strength and bending around the edge. Picking him is a big gamble that his production translates. Liability when teams run at him.
Duke Johnson, RB, Miami Grade: A He’s a steal in round 3 who a lot of people are comparing to Darren Sproles. I think he’s more powerful, maybe like a Maurice Jones-Drew. He’s a great receiving back who defenders will lose in the trenches and he’s got elite speed. I think he’s immediately the best runningback on Cleveland’s roster and will produce for day 1 behind a pretty good offensive line.
Xavier Cooper, DT, Washington State Grade: B- Cooper gets an A or A- as a player. His tape is excellent and he was very productive even in the Pac-12. He’s a below average size for a 5tech d-lineman, on the very small end of where you want that position, but acceptable. He’d get a higher grade in the 4-3. The big complain here is Cleveland going or the D-line again when they need help everywhere but the trenches.
Ibraheim Campbell, SS, Northwestern Grade: B Campbell is great in coverage for a strong safety, and he’s big for his height. I actually see him playing better lined up doubling a team’s best receiver or handling a tight end than playing in the box. I like the pick, but once again, why is Cleveland getting a backup for Donte Whitner and ignoring their needs?
Vince Mayle, WR, Washington State Grade: F He’ll make the roster, but he shouldn’t. Mayle is a tall red zone threat without any real value as a receiver in any other capacity. He’s a Dwayne Bowe clone without the spectacular catch ability.
Charles Gaines, CB, Louisville Grade: A- Gaines is a pretty good value. He’s very small, but he plays an island role in man coverage. He doesn’t get burned often and got his hands on the ball often. He dropped 4 interceptions last season, although one got tipped up to Holliman. He’s a liability against the run and an injury risk, but he provides some value in a sub-package against a slot receiver.
Malcolm Johnson, TE, Mississippi State Grade: F I took notes on six players on the bulldogs and Johnson wasn’t one of them. He got announced for the Browns as a runningback despite only occasionally even playing H-back and never lining up in any kind of traditional role. There were hoards of better runningbacks, full backs and tight ends available. This pick is baffling on a Cleveland depth chart that already has two h-backs in Rob Housler and Jim Dray. Who needs a QB competition when you’ve got a third string h-back?
Randall Telfer, TE, USC Grade: C Telfer is another player I didn’t expect to get drafted, but at least he’s got a clear role as a blocking tight end. Telfer is a giant inline guy who coaches like and will probably make the roster. He was actually pretty productive all four years at USC despite not being fast or a good route runner.
Hayes Pullard, ILB, USC Grade: A+ Pullard being available in round 7 was one of the biggest surprises in the draft. He’s praised as being incredibly intelligent, in addition to a hard hitting cover two specialist with scheme versatility. He’s pretty small for a middle linebacker and that gave him some problems against the run. Playing WILL in a 3-4 minimizes the importance of that. I think he can bulk up and play all 3 downs. Starter for 4 years at USC.
Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, CB, Oregon Grade: A He’s a major risk because of the injury, but if he can recover from it, he’ll be a steal. That’s a big if according to rumors that his knee is permanently damaged. Ekpre-Olomu was a great run defender with ball skills to match. Don’t think his height makes him a slot guy. He played on the outside and leaped over some 6’5’’ guys and made it look easy. He was the #1 corner prospect in January for a reason. The injury is the only reason he fell. It’s not really a gamble to lock up IEO like a high priority free agent with one of the last picks of the draft.
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