Chicago Bears
9. Leonard Floyd OLB Georgia
56. Cody Whitehair OG Kansas St.
72. Jonathan Bullard DE Florida
113. Nick Kwiatkoski ILB West Virginia
124. Deon Bush S Miami
127. Deiondre’ Hall DB Northern Iowa
150. Jordan Howard RB Indiana
185. Deandre Houston-Carson S William & Mary
230. Daniel Braverman WR Western Michigan
Immediate Impact: OLB Leonard Floyd, OG Cody Whitehair, DE Jonathan Bullard
While the Bears like Pernell McPhee, Lamarr Houston and Willie Young at OLB they need speed off the edge pass rushing and Floyd can bring that and more. They didn’t trade up to get him to watch him sit. Whitehair was a nice pickup in the second round even if he isn’t exactly what they were looking for. He might get a shot at the LT job since he played there in college and he certainly isn’t any worse than their other options. Whitehair should be playing inside at LG but he’ll find his way onto the field somehow because the Bears need help there. Bullard is an instant starter at DE in the 3-4 and his versatility will be vital to Vic Fangio’s defense.
Best Value: DE Jonathan Bullard
Bullard was tagged with the dreaded “tweener” label because he wasn’t a pure DT or DE but he’s a fantastic football player that is going to be fantastic in Chicago. He’s an absolute steal in the third round because he has first round talent he just didn’t project to any one position so it was harder to find a place for him. He’ll find a home killing it on the defensive line and he’ll give Vic Fangio the ability to move pieces around and Bullard can do anything that is asked of him.
Sleeper: RB Jordan Howard
Everyone expects that Jeremy Langford will step in for the departed Matt Forte and that’s a reasonable assumption but nobody goes it alone at RB anymore and Ka’Deem Carey hasn’t exactly been lighting it up. Howard is a powerful back with quick feet and if he stays healthy he’ll take some of the load off of Langford and if Langford isn’t careful Howard might take a whole lot of the load off of him.
Overall Analysis
Floyd, Whitehair and Bullard are day one starters so that’s a good way to start off your draft. If the Bears hadn’t signed ILBs Danny Trevathan and Jerrell Freeman in the off season I would say Nick Kwiatkoski would have a chance at a starting job but as it is he’s just fantastic depth in the LB corps. Howard is a great get especially where they got him and 7th round pick WR Daniel Braverman could actually be a very nice inside slot receiver to complement their big outside guys Alshon Jeffery and Kevin White. The other three picks are all players projected to play safety; Deon Bush, Deiondre’ Hall and DeAndre Houston-Carson. Normally taking three guys at one spot is questionable but if you look at the Bears roster it’s completely understandable. They really like youngster Adrian Amos but Antrel Rolle is going to be 34 and missed most of last year with a knee injury and the rest of the depth chart isn’t helping much. All three safeties could stick pretty easily and one of them is very likely to start.
Detroit Lions
16. Taylor Decker OT Ohio St.
46. A’Shawn Robinson DT Alabama
95. Graham Glasgow C Michigan
111. Miles Killebrew SS Southern Utah
151. Joe Dahl OG Washington St.
169. Antwione Williams OLB Georgia Southern
191. Jake Rudock QB Michigan
202. Anthony Zettel DE Penn St.
210. Jimmy Landes LS Baylor
236. Dwayne Washington RB Washington
Immediate Impact: OT Taylor Decker, DT A’Shawn Robinson, C Graham Glasgow
Taylor Decker and Graham Glasgow are two hard-nosed, rugged, Big Ten battle-tested offensive lineman that fill huge needs for the Lions. Decker steps in at RT and is a gigantic upgrade that will not only protect Matthew Stafford better but will seriously improve the running game. Glasgow is a versatile interior player who I believe will take the center job away from Travis Swanson in short order. DT Haloti Ngata isn’t getting any younger and Tyrunn Walker is coming off an injury which means A’Shawn Robinson is possibly going to start and certainly going to play a ton.
Best Value: DT A’Shawn Robinson
Robinson got tagged as bit overrated because his production numbers weren’t great but that will happen when you share the defensive line at Alabama with Jarran Reed and next year’s sensation Jonathan Allen. Robinson can do everything on the line and he’ll be a ten-year anchor. He can cause enough havoc inside to free up Ziggy Ansah a bit too and that is going to help this defense big time.
Sleeper: SS Miles Killebrew
Killebrew has some deficiencies in coverage for sure but he’s an enforcer and hits like a ton of bricks. The Lions are counting on either Rafael Bush or Tavon Wilson to step in next to veteran Glover Quin but I think Killebrew could steal the job. The Lions could use someone to change the attitude a bit in their secondary and Killebrew could be that guy. I was going to go with Jake Rudock as the sleeper but I try not to get into fiction writing in these analyses.
Overall Analysis
New Lions’ GM Bob Quinn seemed to have a pretty good idea of what he wanted to do here and he did it well. Decker and Glasgow were nice additions to offensive line but he also grabbed Joe Dahl and while Dahl is most likely a backup at this point he’s got versatility to play tackle or guard and he’s good depth. He also didn’t stop with Robinson on the defensive line picking up DT Anthony Zettel who was really good value late and will make for a nice disruptive backup who will play 3rd down very well. LB Antwione Williams is probably just a guy but the Lions’ LB corps isn’t exactly teeming with talent so don’t count him out. Rudock and RB Dwayne Washington are most likely camp bodies that might make the practice squad. Some teams take flack if they draft a long snapper but I would say in this case since the Lions had 10 picks and they don’t have that many roster spots to fill on offense and defense grabbing a potential starting LS isn’t the worst idea.
Green Bay Packers
27. Kenny Clark DT UCLA
48. Jason Spriggs OT Indiana
88. Kyler Fackrell OLB Utah St.
131. Blake Martinez ILB Stanford
137. Dean Lowry DE Northwestern
163. Trevon Davis WR California
200. Kyle Murphy OT Stanford
Immediate Impact: DT Kenny Clark
The Packers are a good team with a pretty solid roster so they aren’t exactly looking for guys to come in and change their fortunes but Clark will get a lot of playing time. The Pack lost NT BJ Raji this off season and while Letroy Guion has experience he doesn’t move the needle. Clark is a big, powerful man with good athleticism and versatility. He’ll play at NT but also rotate outside to give Mike Daniels and Datone Jones some rest.
Best Value: OT Jason Spriggs
Are you kidding me? Getting Spriggs at #48 overall was grand theft. This kid is going to be a fantastic LT and David Bakhtiari should watch his back. The Packers took Spriggs because he was too good of value but they also recognize that with an expensive RT like Bryan Bulaga on the books a cheaper alternative at LT might be smart. Spriggs gets the year to back up and learn some things but he’ll eventually be a starter. It’s also a smart choice given the health issues the entire Green Bay line has faced over the years.
Sleepers: ILB Blake Martinez, OLB Kyler Fackrell
I’m listing both of these LBs because with Dom Capers calling the defense these two should become very nice chess pieces. The Packers didn’t grab an ILB early but Martinez is smart and talented enough to be a solid player inside so Clay Matthews can be used at OLB. Martinez may not start but he’ll play enough to get Matthews back to his pass rushing position when needed. Fackrell is actually a good pass rushing OLB himself and was coming off an injury this past year. He is good enough to make Nick Perry expendable sooner rather than later.
Overall Analysis
Clark, Spriggs, Fackrell and Martinez should all make the roster and contribute which is saying something on a team as good as the Packers. DE Dean Lowry is the type of 3-4 end they are looking for and with Mike Pennel facing a suspension it isn’t out of the realm of possibility that Lowry sticks on the roster early as a backup d-lineman. Trevon Davis is a fantastic athlete but he’s just too raw to break through on this WR depth chart. OL Kyle Murphy has the intelligence and talent to play multiple positions so it’s possible he gets a backup role too.
Minnesota Vikings
23. Laquon Treadwell WR Mississippi
54. Mackensie Alexander CB Clemson
121. Willie Beavers OT Western Michigan
160. Kentrell Brothers ILB Missouri
180. Moritz Boehringer WR Germany
188. David Morgan II TE UTSA
227. Stephen Weatherly DE Vanderbilt
244. Jayron Kearse SS Clemson
Immediate Impact: WR Laquon Treadwell
WRs went quickly in the draft and the Vikings had to “settle” for the 4th one off the board. Somehow they got lucky enough that the perfect one for them and the best one in the draft didn’t go first, second or third. Treadwell is a big, physical WR that will dominate in the red zone and make Teddy Bridgewater a very happy man. He’s the perfect complement to Stefon Diggs and gives the Vikings offense the dimension it’s been missing. Adrian Peterson is also going to love him because Treadwell blocks down field on running plays like a fullback.
Best Value: ILB Kentrell Brothers
Brothers fell into the fifth round because he’s seen as just a two-down LB that won’t see time on passing downs. I’m a little shocked because if he plays first and second down that’s still 2/3 of the plays by my count. It won’t matter because the Vikings have Eric Kendricks and Anthony Barr that never come off the field anyway. Chad Greenway is back for what I expect is his last year but after that Brothers can play MLB and Kendricks can take over Greenway’s spot and Brothers can sit on passing downs and just worry about dominating the run game.
Sleeper: SS Jayron Kearse
The Vikings ignored their need at safety opposite Harrison Smith until the 7th round where they grabbed Kearse. He’s a long, rangy safety that isn’t as physical as you would hope for a SS but he just needs to add some bulk. The Vikings signed veteran Michael Griffin from Tennessee and they have to hope he can hold up all year long but Kearse can make the team as a special teamer and bulk up and potentially replace Griffin next year. He has some talent he just need some time.
Overall Analysis
I love the Treadwell and Brothers picks for sure. CB Mackensie Alexander was a nice value pick as he slid into the second round and while he isn’t a major need right now because of Xavier Rhodes and Trae Waynes he will make a heck of a nickel corner and it never hurts to have three CBs. Willie Beavers is a developmental OT but with all of the signings in the off season on the offensive line he may find it hard to crack the roster. They already have starters LT Matt Kalil and RT Andre Smith plus Phil Loadholt and TJ Clemmings. The kid from Germany Moritz Boehringer is a nice story but he’s a practice squad player at best. Morgan and Weatherly are unlikely to crack the roster at TE and DE respectively so they may be practice squad guys too.
The Hott Read 