2017 NFC East Draft Review
Dallas Cowboys
- Taco Charlton DE Michigan
- Chidobe Awuzie CB Colorado
- Jourdan Lewis CB Michigan
- Ryan Switzer WR North Carolina
- Xavier Woods SS Louisiana Tech
- Marquez White CB Florida St.
- Joey Ivie DT Florida
- Noah Brown WR Ohio St.
- Jordan Carrell DT Colorado
Immediate Impact: DE Taco Charlton, CB Chidobe Awuzie, CB Jourdan Lewis
The Cowboys desperately needed help at DE and CB and they wasted no time addressing those needs. Charlton is a big, powerful DE who can get to the QB and play the run and I think he’ll end up a starter in short order. Awuzie should also grab a starting spot at CB considering the Cowboys lost Morris Claiborne and Brandon Carr in the off season. Lewis is going to make an impact because he’s the perfect slot corner and the Cowboys need all the help they can get.
Best Value: CB Chidobe Awuzie
At one point Awuzie looked like he might slip into the first round of the draft but the Cowboys get him late in the second thanks to the depth at the position.
Sleeper: SS Xavier Woods
The Cowboys lost starting SS Barry Church and third safety JJ Wilcox in free agency and they need someone to step up alongside FS Byron Jones. Woods started for four years at La Tech and he could come in and take that starting job just due to his playing experience. One of the most underrated aspects to a safety’s game is intelligence and understanding and a guy that has four years of starting experience has plenty of that.
Overall Analysis
Charlton, Awuzie, Lewis and Woods have a legitimate chance to come in and become starters (Lewis would be a nickel corner but that like a starting job in the NFL nowadays). The Cowboys needed to solidify a defense that took some major hits in the offseason and they did that early and often in this draft. WR Ryan Switzer is an interesting player and his NFL comparison is current Cowboy Cole Beasley, if I were Beasley I wouldn’t get too comfortable. Switzer is a speedy, shifty WR that could excel in the slot and give Dak Prescott another weapon. White has a chance to stick because the Cowboys secondary is a bit decimated and a young athletic CB can be nice depth and a good special team’s contributor. WR Noah Brown is a wasted pick and I would have rather seen the Cowboys grab a guy like KD Cannon. Ivie and Carrell will provide some depth for camp and some competition at DT but probably won’t make much of an impact. The only curious decision was that in a draft full of really good TEs the Cowboys didn’t try to find someone to eventually replace Jason Witten, I mean he can’t play forever.
New York Giants
- Evan Engram TE Ole Miss
- Dalvin Tomlinson DT Alabama
- Davis Webb QB California
- Wayne Gallman RB Clemson
- Avery Moss DE Youngstown St.
- Adam Bisnowaty OT Pittsburgh
Immediate Impact: TE Evan Engram
Two things, Engram barely qualifies as a TE he’s more like a jacked up WR and I wholeheartedly disagree with this pick. Engram will make an impact because the Giants have virtually nothing at TE and Engram can line up inside and stretch the seam and make the Giants passing game potentially devastating. That might be mitigated if Eli Manning spends all day on his back.
Best Value: RB Wayne Gallman
He’s not flashy and he didn’t stand out in a group of RBs that’s pretty talented but Gallman has a chance to be a starter in New York. His competition is Paul Perkins who has a tendency to get beat up. Gallman is a power back by nature and he would be a superior complement to Shane Vereen. In short yardage, he’s considerably better than Perkins will be.
Sleeper: QB Davis Webb
He has a legitimate chance to be Eli’s successor especially considering the offensive line Eli will be playing behind for the near future. They may want to get Webb up to speed quickly because Eli may get beat up a lot. Webb is a talented QB with a great arm and this situation should allow him some time to adjust to a pro-style offense.
Overall Analysis
I hate the Evan Engram pick not because of Engram but because the Giants had their pick of any of the offensive linemen in the draft not named Garrett Bolles (he went three picks before their pick) and they passed on all of them. Their offensive line is atrocious and another season of Ereck Flowers at LT could spell the end of Eli Manning’s career (you think I’m joking, I’m not). The new, improved passing game with Brandon Marshall and Evan Engram added to Odell Beckham and Sterling Shepard won’t go very far with Eli either laying on the ground or having the play called back on Flowers’ holding penalties. Cam Robinson, Ryan Ramczyk and Forrest Lamp were all available and would have make better choices. Their second pick of Dalvin Tomlinson is spectacular especially with the free agent loss of Jonathan Hankins. Tomlinson was the unsung hero of Alabama’s defensive line and he will end up starting next to Damon Harrison. DE Avery Moss has a troubled background but it’s hard to bet against a DE the Giants picked. OT Adam Bisnowaty is a solid offensive line prospect but he’s not the solution to their problems. However, if I were the Giants I might give him a shot at LT in training camp just to see how it goes.
Philadelphia Eagles
- Derek Barnett DE Tennessee
- Sidney Jones CB Washington
- Rasul Douglas CB West Virginia
- Mack Hollins WR North Carolina
- Donnel Pumphrey RB San Diego St.
- Shelton Gibson WR West Virginia
- Nathan Gerry SS Nebraska
- Elijah Qualls DT Washington
Immediate Impact: DE Derek Barnett
The Eagles signed Chris Long who is closer to the end of his career than the beginning and Vinny Curry disappointed last season with 2.5 sacks. Brandon Graham and Marcus Smith could be fighting for their roster spots this season if Long looks good and Barnett is ready to contribute. Barnett is relentless and while he isn’t a guy that wows with his athleticism, he has a quick first step and never quits.
Best Value: CB Sidney Jones
There is a bit of a caveat to this, Jones isn’t likely to play this year at all. He tore his Achilles tendon at his pro day and needs to rehab but when he’s healthy he’s arguably the best CB in this draft. In 2018, I expect a healthy Jones to be a starting CB for the Eagles. Even if they have to wait a year getting him at #43 in this draft was a steal.
Sleeper: RB Donnel Pumphrey
Pumphrey is small but he’s also the all-time leading rusher in FBS history and you don’t achieve that by accident. Asking him to be a workhorse back at 5’7 176 lbs. would be stupid but this is a team that has used Darren Sproles to the best of his abilities for years. They will find the best possible way to use Pumphrey and yes that may include taking some of the carries away from Ryan Mathews. Of course, that’s pretty easy to do with as often as he gets hurt.
Overall Analysis
Barnett and Jones are future building blocks of the defense and I really like the Pumphrey pick. While they wait for Jones to be ready they drafted another CB Rasul Douglas, he’s a big CB that should contribute quickly. The two WRs, Hollis and Gibson, add depth and maybe some special teams value. SS Nathan Gerry is going to have to clean up his act and be a special team’s demon to make this squad. DT Elijah Qualls has an opportunity to make some noise on this defense. Fletcher Cox is a star but the Eagles traded for underachieving DT Tim Jernigan from Baltimore because they needed help inside. Jernigan is undersized and hasn’t exactly been lighting it up so far in his career. Qualls can be an anchor in the middle of the line with his size and athleticism that would free up Cox to wreak havoc.
Washington Redskins
- Jonathan Allen DL Alabama
- Ryan Anderson OLB Alabama
- Fabian Moreau CB UCLA
- Samaje Perine RB Oklahoma
- Monte Nicholson SS Michigan St.
- Jeremy Sprinkle TE Arkansas
- Chase Roullier C Wyoming
- Robert Davis WR Georgia St.
- Josh Harvey-Clemons FS Louisville
- Joshua Holsey CB Auburn
Immediate Impact: DL Jonathan Allen, RB Samaje Perine
Jonathan Allen was the steal of the first round. He has top 5 talent and he’s an immediate upgrade at DE for the Redskins and their 3-4 defense. Simply by showing up at practice he’s the best defensive lineman on the team. Perine is a more talented version of last year’s top Redskin’s rusher Rob Kelley. Kelley outplayed Matt Jones and took over as the starter because unlike Jones, Kelley is a big back who likes to hand out punishment when he runs. Well Perine is better than both of them and I think he’ll take that job over quickly.
Best Value: Allen, CB Fabian Moreau
Like I said Allen is the steal of the first round. Getting him at 17 is highway robbery. Moreau was a potential 1st round CB they got in round 3 because he tore a pectoral muscle during a workout after the season. Unlike Sidney Jones’ injury Moreau will make a recovery and play this year. He’s good enough to bump Bashaud Breeland off his starting spot if given the chance.
Sleeper: OLB Ryan Anderson
OLB Preston Smith took a step back last year after a good rookie campaign leaving Ryan Kerrigan as the only real pass rusher on the defense. Smith should bounce back but Anderson will be there to push him and be a situational pass rusher. Anderson played all over Alabama’s front seven and wreaked havoc repeatedly. He should do the same in Washington.
Overall Analysis
Allen, Anderson, Moreau and Perine will all contribute this year without question. I’m not a fan of the Monte Nicholson pick, he simply doesn’t excel at either run support or coverage, there were far better safety prospects available when he was chosen. TE Jeremy Sprinkle brings a different dimension than Vernon Davis and Jordan Reed at the position as he can be a very good blocker so that’s a nice pickup. Roullier brings nice versatility as a backup interior offensive lineman and Davis could be nice depth at WR. Harvey-Clemons is a talented athlete at safety and the Redskins could use some upgrades there he just has to stay out of trouble. Holsey can fight for a spot at the end of the roster.
The Hott Read 