Dallas Cowboys
27. Byron Jones CB Connecticut
60. Randy Gregory DE Nebraska
91. Chaz Green OT Florida
127. Damien Wilson ILB Minnesota
163. Ryan Russell DE Purdue
236. Mark Nzeocha OLB Wyoming
243. Laurence Gibson OT Virginia Tech
246. Geoff Swaim TE Texas
Immediate Impact: CB Byron Jones
Brandon Carr hasn’t lived up to his lofty contract, Morris Claiborne has been a draft bust and Orlando Scandrick is unhappy with his contract which leaves the Cowboys with more questions than answers at CB. Enter the uber-athletic Byron Jones and his 12’3 broad jump. Jones missed a lot of time last year but he seems fully recovered from his injury and he could be a fantastic CB for the Cowboys. He may allow them to cut Brandon Carr or let Orlando Scandrick walk and he certainly spells the end of Claiborne’s time with the franchise. Jones has the potential to be a #1 CB but it may take some time.
Best Value: DE Randy Gregory
I’m basing this purely on Gregory’s on the field potential because it is immense. Gregory could be a top-flight edge pass rusher that the Cowboys have been looking for since DeMarcus Ware’s heyday. They were obviously desperate to get one when they signed Greg Hardy in free agency and then the league handed down a 10 game suspension making Hardy a virtual non-factor. Gregory is a great pure speed rusher and he could form a nice duo with last year’s rookie Demarcus Lawrence. This is obviously all contingent on Gregory staying on the straight and narrow and avoiding the same fate as players like Josh Gordon and Justin Blackmon.
Sleepers: WRs Antwan Goodley, George Farmer and Deontay Greenberry
I’m going a bit off-script with these choices as they were not draft picks but I’m not impressed with any of the Cowboys later choices. These three WRs are undrafted free agents the team signed after the draft and while WR doesn’t seem like a big need given the presence of Dez Bryant, Terrence Williams and Cole Beasley the Cowboys are casting a wide net to find some help. Goodley was highly productive in Baylor’s high flying offense, Farmer is a great athlete that struggled with injury issues at USC and Deontay Greenberry has a lot of upside. One or more of these players could make this roster and contribute down the line.
Overall Analysis:
Jones and Gregory are both going to be counted on early by the Cowboys given the need they have at both CB and DE. I’ve said I wasn’t as high on Jones before but my only issue was with the idea of him going in the upper half of round 1, being taken 27th overall was an appropriate choice. Gregory is the definition of a boom or bust pick, he could lead the league in sacks or he could be a year-long suspension waiting to happen. OT Chaz Green is an interesting player because he has versatility and he could be Doug Free’s eventual replacement at RT. He also seems to be injured a lot so he could continue that trend and never last. LB Damien Wilson adds nice depth at LB and Laurence Gibson could do the same on the offensive line but neither player profiles as a starter. I don’t like DE Ryan Russell simply because he wasn’t very productive at Purdue and TE Geoff Swaim has a chance to make the roster because the Cowboys need depth at TE but I think undrafted free agent TE Ray Hamilton has just as good of a chance.
Jerry Jones is crazy like a fox: LSU OT La’el Collins was supposed to be drafted in round 1 until his pregnant ex-girlfriend was murdered and the police wanted to talk to him the week before the draft. It was a tragic situation that unfolded slowly and every team decided not to take a chance drafting Collins in case he was involved. After the draft was over Collins sat down with police to answer their questions and apparently take a polygraph test. He reportedly passed the polygraph test and learned he was not the father of the unborn child. Collins was an undrafted free agent just like dozens of other players except he was now coveted as it appears he had nothing to do with his ex-girlfriend’s death. The Cowboys have arguably the best offensive line in the league but Collins wanted to be a Cowboy so he signed a guaranteed 3 year contract, something no other rookie free agent would get. Jones took a chance on Randy Gregory during the draft and while some may see this as taking a chance too it’s looking more and more like Collins was unfortunately tied to a tragedy he had nothing to do with. It’s still possible other evidence could surface but at this point the gamble seems worth it. Collins may not break into the starting lineup right away given how good the Cowboys offensive line is but RT Doug Free isn’t getting any younger and Collins would form a nice set of bookend OTs in the future with LT Tyron Smith.
New York Giants
9. Ereck Flowers OT Miami
33. Landon Collins SS Alabama
74. Owa Odighizuwa DE UCLA
144. Mykkele Thompson S Texas
186. Geremy Davis WR Connecticut
226. Bobby Hart OT Florida St.
Immediate Impact: OT Ereck Flowers, SS Landon Collins
When your first two picks are day one, no doubt starters you probably did alright. I think Flowers went too high and if the Giants think he’s an eventual LT they will be highly disappointed but he’s a big upgrade at RT and having him pushes Justin Pugh inside to OG so that actually upgrades two spots. Collins is already the best safety on the team he will become the enforcer on the defense. He was seen as an in-the-box safety with limited coverage skills and the Giants will use that to their advantage because they lack that type of force at safety and at LB. Collins is actually better in coverage than he’s being given credit for so he’s a major upgrade overall.
Best Value: DE Owa Odighizuwa
Getting a versatile pass rusher like Odighizuwa in the third round is an absolute steal. There are questions about his health due to some leg injuries he had previously at UCLA which is why he dropped and the Giants are the beneficiaries of that drop. The Giants have won Super Bowls on the strength of their pass rush and that has been lacking the past few years. Robert Ayers is not a great complement to Jason Pierre-Paul and Odighizuwa could step in pretty quickly to replace him. He’ll be a starter before you know it and he will excel.
Sleeper: S Mykkele Thompson
If the Giants line up rookie safeties Landon Collins and Mykkele Thompson in their starting lineup on opening day of the NFL season I won’t be the least bit shocked. Thompson isn’t a great player but he’s a solid prospect and the Giants safety depth chart is seriously lacking. Thompson has the range to be a FS and would make a nice complement to Collins’ more attacking style.
Overall Analysis:
I didn’t like Flowers at #9 overall but with Brandon Scherff off the board the Giants took the next best RT they could find. I love the Landon Collins pick and he was fantastic value, same goes with Odighizuwa. The last choice is interesting as Bobby Hart played OT at Florida St. but he profiles as an OG in the NFL. He is athletically limited but at OG that wouldn’t be a problem and he has some time to grow since the Giants will have veteran Geoff Schwartz and new guard Justin Pugh holding down the fort around OC Weston Richburg. Hart could develop over the next year or two and eventually replace Schwartz. He’s probably never going to be a Pro Bowl type of player but he can be a better than average starter.
Philadelphia Eagles
20. Nelson Agholor WR USC
47. Eric Rowe DB Utah
84. Jordan Hicks ILB Texas
191. JaCorey Shepherd CB Kansas
196. Randall Evans CB Kansas St.
237. Brian Mihalik DE Boston College
Immediate Impact: WR Nelson Agholor, DB Eric Rowe
The Eagles did well grabbing Jordan Matthews last year in the second round of the draft and he and Riley Cooper offer nice size at the position but over the past two off seasons the Eagles have lost DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin, well Agholor is their replacement. Agholor offers good deep speed and is a shiftier player than Matthews or Cooper and he brings the added element of being a return man. Rowe is 6’1 205 lbs. and the Eagles will give him every opportunity to grab the starting CB spot opposite Byron Maxwell. He offers great size and physicality at CB much like Maxwell and would allow Walter Thurmond to play the nickel position but it may not be his best position. Luckily for the Eagles Rowe’s best position, free safety, is also a huge need. Rowe will find a place to make a difference no matter what and he’ll be a starter early whether it’s at CB or FS.
Best Value: DB Eric Rowe
Rowe had moved up the draft board late in the process as teams looked at him more. He’s a good athlete with great versatility and there was a lot of talk about him possibly going in the late first round. Teams are looking for CBs that fit the Seahawks mold of bigger and stronger guys and Rowe is that. Getting him at #47 overall was a very good value.
Sleeper: CB JaCorey Shepherd
Shepherd was a WR that converted to CB so his technique is lacking and he’s not a good tackler but he has great ball skills and a feel for the passing game. He may never be more than a nickel corner but if you’re going to take a shot on a player in the 6th round of the draft you could do a whole lot worse. He has ability and he just needs good coaching.
Overall Analysis:
I really like the Agholor and Rowe choices early on and they fill two great needs on this roster and I also like the additions of JaCorey Shepherd and Randall Evans later in the draft because it adds depth in the secondary. My only question is with 3rd round choice Jordan Hicks. Hicks is an ILB in the Eagles scheme and with Kiki Alonso, DeMeco Ryans and Mychal Kendricks on the roster Hicks isn’t likely to contribute unless it’s on special teams. In the 3rd round the Eagles had a chance to grab a safety or a guard prospect that would have helped them immediately and those are two positions they didn’t really address. Hicks is a limited player and he has an injury history that doesn’t inspire confidence.
Washington Redskins
5. Brandon Scherff OT Iowa
38. Preston Smith DE Mississippi St.
95. Matt Jones RB Florida
105. Jamison Crowder WR Duke
112. Arie Kouandjio OG Alabama
141. Martrell Spaight LB Arkansas
181. Kyshoen Jarrett S Virginia Tech
182. Tevin Mitchel CB Arkansas
187. Evan Spencer WR Ohio St.
222. Austin Reiter OC South Florida
Immediate Impact: OT Brandon Scherff, OG Arie Kouandjio, DE Preston Smith
Two of the biggest issues the Redskins faced last season was poor protection for RGIII and not enough push in the running game to give Alfred Morris a fighting chance. Brandon Scherff is an immediate starter at RT and while he may struggle with some pass rushers on the outside he is light years ahead of where the team was last season. Scherff is one of the most dominating run blockers you’ll see and they should take advantage by running right. Adding Arie Kouandjio in the middle of the fourth round means the entire right side of the offensive line may get a makeover. Chris Chester is getting a little long in the tooth at RG and while Kouandjio isn’t a for sure starter I think he will take that job. If the Redskins line up with Scherff and Kouandjio on the right side of their line their running game will be seriously improved. DE Preston Smith will come in and take the OLB job vacated by Brian Orakpo and line up opposite Ryan Kerrigan but Smith has a lot of versatility and they will be able to move him all over including lining him up as a DE and at DT in passing situations.
Best Value: DE Preston Smith
Smith’s value is in his versatility because he can line up as a pass rushing OLB, play with his hand in the dirt as a DE and when the Redskins want to use Trent Murphy on passing downs and keep their big DEs in the game Smith can move inside and rush from there. In the right scheme with the right defensive play-caller Smith is weapon that the offense has to identify all over the field.
Sleeper: RB Matt Jones
The Redskins have one power back in Alfred Morris but he’s backed up by smaller backs that can’t do what he does. Enter Matt Jones the 6’2 231 lbs. back out of Florida. I’m not a huge fan of Jones but he fits this team’s need for a backup RB that can sustain what Morris gives them. With the addition of Scherff and Kouandjio on the line the Redskins should be a power running team and now with Jones they have more than one back that can do it.
Overall Analysis:
GM Scott McCloughan loaded up on the offensive side of the ball in an attempt to give RGIII one last chance to succeed or the team will move on. Scherff and Kouandjio solidify the line, Jones gives them another power back and even WR Jamison Crowder can help. The Redskins top three WRs are set with DeSean Jackson, Pierre Garcon and Andre Roberts but Crowder can make the team as a 4th WR and his return ability can take some pressure off of Jackson and Roberts and make them more effective in their primary roles. Smith filled their major need on defense for a pass rusher and while Spaight and Mitchel are unlikely to make the active roster they bring some possible depth. The Redskins addressed their defense in free agency and their offense in the draft. It’s probably safe to let Daniel Snyder out of the broom closet now but the Redskins should make sure McCloughan is making all the personnel decisions from now on.
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