2017 NFC West Draft Review
Arizona Cardinals
- Haason Reddick LB Temple
- Budda Baker FS Washington
- Chad Williams WR Grambling
- Dorian Johnson OG Pittsburgh
- Will Holden OT Vanderbilt
- TJ Logan RB North Carolina
- Jonathan Ford FS Auburn
Immediate Impact: LB Haason Reddick, FS Budda Baker
The Cardinals lost a number of free agents in the off season and two of the important ones were ILB Kevin Minter and SS Tony Jefferson. Reddick is a versatile LB who can fill the ILB of Minter while adding a nice blitzer to the position. Baker is one of my favorite players and while he’ll have to compete with free agent signee Antoine Bethea for SS job I believe it will be his sooner rather than later.
Best Value: FS Budda Baker
Budda Baker is a tone setter for a defense. He isn’t the biggest guy on the field but he will be one of the most feared. He will pair with Tyrann Mathieu to be an incredible set of safeties. He could have been a first-round pick and while he didn’t last long into round 2 he is a very valuable pick up.
Sleeper: OG Dorian Johnson
The Cardinals need some help on the interior offensive line. Johnson isn’t going to set the world on fire but he’s an experienced player with the ability to play both OT and OG. The team seems set at OT but they could use another OG and they aren’t great at C. With his experience, I think they will give Johnson a shot at RG but don’t discount the possibility they try to turn him into a center.
Overall Analysis
The Cardinals win big with just Reddick and Baker but I like what they did otherwise too. WR Chad Williams has some character issues but he could turn out to be pretty good if he learns some life lessons from Larry Fitzgerald. If nothing else Johnson and Holden offer really good depth on the offensive line. TJ Logan could end up being a really solid complement to star RB David Johnson. S Jonathan Ford could provide some depth and valuable athlete on special teams.
Los Angeles Rams
Gerald Everett TE South Alabama
- Cooper Kupp WR Eastern Washington
- John Johnson FS Boston College
- Josh Reynolds WR Texas A&M
- Samson Ebukam OLB Eastern Washington
- Tanzel Smart DT Tulane
- Sam Rogers FB Virginia Tech
- Ejuan Price OLB Pittsburgh
Immediate Impact: TE Gerald Everett, WR Cooper Kupp
The team needs to get Jared Goff some weapons if they want to give him a legitimate chance to succeed. They didn’t have a first-round pick because of their trade up for Goff last year so they started off in round 2. TE Gerald Everett will have a chance to play because the Rams aren’t exactly loaded at TE. WR Cooper Kupp has the same opportunity because while the Rams signed free agent WR Robert Woods and they have Tavon Austin those guys don’t really scare anyone. Kupp doesn’t have elite speed and he’s not a superior athlete but he’s a reliable WR that can get open and will catch everything, that’s more than you can say about the rest of the WR corps.
Best Value: WR Cooper Kupp
He was an early 3rd round selection and that’s pretty good for a guy that could easily start on the outside opposite Woods.
Sleeper: WR Josh Reynolds
Reynolds has height and deep speed the rest of the team lacks at WR. He’s pretty skinny at 6’3 197 lbs. so he struggles if CBs get physical with him but if he can get off the line he could be a dangerous downfield weapon for Goff. Given the state of the rest of the WR corps Reynolds should make the team.
Overall Analysis
I’m not fan of this draft overall. TE Gerald Everett was an okay pick but the team should have looked to add protection up front for Goff, Everett isn’t a noticeable upgrade over the guys on the roster right now. Kupp was a good pick and FS John Johnson might have a chance to play because the team needs help in the deep middle on defense. I’m not sure an undersized DT like Tanzel Smart fits their new 3-4 defense under Wade Phillips and they already have the best one in football in Aaron Donald. OLB Ebukam and Price should be better schematic fits as pass rushing OLBs but Ebukam is really raw and Price has a problem staying healthy. Sam Rogers is a fine football player and I assume he’ll be core special teams guy because the FB position isn’t used much by anyone anymore, at least the Rams have one if they need one. The team did sign LT Andrew Whitworth from Cincinnati but he only plugs one hole on an otherwise weak offensive line. Not drafting any offensive lineman seems negligent on the part of the Rams front office and I don’t think this draft is going to enhance Jared Goff’s development much if at all.
San Francisco 49ers
- Solomon Thomas DE Stanford
- Reuben Foster ILB Alabama
- Ahkello Witherspoon CB Colorado
- CJ Beathard QB Iowa
- Joe Williams RB Utah
- George Kittle TE Iowa
- Trent Taylor WR Louisiana Tech
- DJ Jones DT Ole Miss
- Pita Taumoepenu OLB Utah
- Adrian Colbert CB Miami
Immediate Impact: DE Solomon Thomas, ILB Reuben Foster
There will be plenty of contributors for the 49ers from this draft class so I just picked out the top two. The team is transitioning their defense from a 3-4 to a 4-3 and Thomas gives them really good versatility playing inside or outside. He should team with previous 1st round picks Arik Armstead and DeForest Bruckner to give the defense multiple looks up front. Foster will be a tone setter. The defense has been missing its edge since Patrick Willis retired and Navarro Bowman got injured, Foster will bring back that edge.
Best Value: ILB Reuben Foster, TE George Kittle
Foster was an absolute steal at #31 as long as he keeps himself on the straight and narrow. He’s got an attitude off the field and the team will put up with it as long as he brings his attitude on the field. Kittle is going to show up and leap to the front of the TE position for this team. I think he comes out of camp as the starting TE. He’s a fantastic athlete and a phenomenal blocker and Kyle Shanahan is going to love him. A starting TE in the fifth round is great value.
Sleeper: QB CJ Beathard, RB Joe Williams
If you read Peter King’s Monday Morning QB column on Sports Illustrated website you’ll know just how much the coaching staff thinks of these two. Beathard has all the tools to be an NFL starter and he has a coach that seems willing to give him a shot. Brian Hoyer and Matt Barkley may be veterans but neither one of them is a major roadblock if Beathard plays well in camp. Williams is a guy with an incredible story (seriously, go read Peter King’s column) and while Carlos Hyde is a solid RB his style gets him banged up a lot. The depth chart behind Hyde isn’t stellar so Williams can play himself into a role
Overall Analysis
John Lynch did look like a rookie GM on draft day. He fleeced the Bears GM Ryan Pace for two extra 3rd round picks and a 4th rounder and still ended up with the player he wanted in Thomas. Then he moved back into the 1st round to grab his next favorite player, Reuben Foster, when he fell towards the end of the first round. That’s two guys that will absolutely define the 49ers defensive turnaround over the next several years. CB Ahkello Witherspoon didn’t get a lot of love in the pre-draft process but he’s a solid investment in the third round. Beathard and Williams were value picks no matter what anyone says. Kittle was a steal and WR Trent Taylor will push both Jeremy Kerley and Marquise Goodwin as a slot receiver. Jones, Taumoepenu and Colbert might normally be considered camp fodder but with the state of the 49ers roster and the change in defensive scheme don’t count these guys out.
Seattle Seahawks
- Malik McDowell DT Michigan St.
- Ethan Pocic OL LSU
- Shaquill Griffin CB UCF
- Delano Hill FS Michigan
- Nazair Jones DT North Carolina
- Amara Darboh WR Michigan
- Tedric Thompson SS Colorado
- Mike Tyson FS Cincinnati
- Justin Senior OT Mississippi St.
- David Moore WR East Central
- Chris Carson RB Oklahoma St.
Immediate Impact: OL Ethan Pocic
I’m not sure the Seahawks got anyone that will make a major impact but Pocic has the best chance. He mostly played C in college but the team already has Justin Britt there and he’s their best lineman. Pocic also saw time at OT and it’s possible they could try him at RT. It could be a case of deciding the best combination for the right side, Germain Ifedi is the current RG but he could be a RT too. So, they may try Pocic and Ifedi on the right side at both spots to see what works best.
Best Value: DT Malik McDowell
I’ve made no secret I don’t like McDowell but that is not because of his talent it’s because of his inconsistent effort. Whether you love or hate Pete Carroll you cannot deny he is one of the best motivational coaches in the game. If he can get McDowell to play up to his considerable potential then he just stole a top 10 talent with the 35th pick, that’s value.
Sleeper: WR Amara Darboh
Doug Baldwin is a very good WR, the rest of the WR corps leaves a lot to be desired. Tyler Lockett is coming off and injury and like Baldwin he is a smaller receiver. Jermaine Kearse and Paul Richardson are a little bigger but neither has established themselves yet. Darboh has great size at 6’2 215 lbs. and he brings a dimension not currently on the roster. He wasn’t a superstar at Michigan but he’s a solid guy and he could draw some coverage off of Baldwin.
Overall Analysis
Even if Carroll can motivate McDowell he’s the third DT at best behind Ahtyba Rubin and Jarran Reed. Pocic might start but he could easily just be a backup. The team seems to be putting the current Legion of Boom on notice with CB Shaquill Griffin, FS Delano Hill, SS Tedric Thompson and FS Mike Tyson. Perhaps Griffin steals the CB spot opposite Richard Sherman but the safeties are taking over just yet. Nazair Jones adds depth at DT and if he outplays McDowell I won’t be shocked. WR David Moore and RB Chris Carson are practice squad guys at best. I’m really surprised that the team only drafted Pocic and Mississippi St. OT Justin Senior on the offensive line. Senior looks like just a guy for depth and he’s not really going to push to improve the offensive line any time soon.
The Hott Read 