NFC West Draft Review

Arizona Cardinals

• Josh Rosen (10^th, 1^st)   QB   UCLA
• Christian Kirk (47^th, 2^nd)   WR   Texas A&M
• Mason Cole (97^th, 3^rd)   C   Michigan
• Chase Edmonds (134^th, 4^th)   RB   Fordham
• Chris Campbell (182^nd, 6^th)   CB   Penn St.
• Korey Cunningham (254^th, 7^th)   OT   Cincinnati

Immediate Impact:  QB Josh Rosen, WR Christian Kirk

The Cardinals signed Sam Bradford and Mike Glennon as free agents but this will be Rosen’s team and I’m betting that happens sooner rather than later.  Bradford is injury prone and the offensive line isn’t great, that’s a bad combination.  Kirk is a speedy receiver who will be a fantastic complement to Larry Fitzgerald and become a Rosen favorite.

Best Value:  C Mason Cole

Cole is going to have to beat out veteran C AQ Shipley but I think he will.  He has experience at both OT and C and while the team needs help everywhere on the line he should become the rock in front of Rosen.  A good QB/C combination can really help an offense.

Sleeper:  OT Korey Cunningham

If you’re going to take a shot late in the draft on an offensive tackle grabbing a 6’6 318 lbs. guy with good athleticism and solid footwork is the way to go.  The team is counting on DJ Humphries at LT and Andre Smith at RT, not a great plan, Cunningham could end up being needed.

Overall Analysis

Rosen, Kirk and Cole should all be long time starters for the Cardinals.  Rosen was my favorite QB in this draft and getting him at #10 means the they didn’t overpay and they got a guy with a chip on his shoulder now.  Rosen was pissed he was the fourth QB taken and only went 10^th overall, that’s called motivation.  RB Chase Edmonds is undersized and given David Johnson’s skill set Edmonds might not see a lot of time.   Both CB Chris Campbell and OT Korey Cunningham are very good athletes that the team took fliers on hoping to strike gold at positions of need.

Los Angeles Rams

• Joseph Noteboom (89^th, 3^rd)   OT   TCU
• Brian Allen (111^th, 4^th)   C   Michigan St.
• John Franklin-Myers (135^th, 4^th)   DE   Stephen F. Austin
• Micah Kiser (147^th, 5^th)   LB   Virginia
• Ogbonnia Okoronkwo (160^th, 5^th)   OLB   Oklahoma
• John Kelly (176^th, 6^th)   RB   Tennessee
• Jamil Demby (192^nd, 6^th)   OG   Maine
• Sebastian Joseph (195^th, 6^th)   DT   Rutgers
• Trevon Young (205^th, 6^th)   OLB   Louisville
• Travin Howard (231^st, 7^th)   LB   TCU
• Justin Lawler (244^th, 7^th)   DE   SMU

Immediate Impact:  OLB Ogbonnia Okoronkwo

The Rams traded away their best pass rusher Robert Quinn because he didn’t really fit their scheme.  Okoronkwo should fit Wade Phillips 3-4 defense perfectly and he should excel.  He had first round pass rushing talent and other than Bradley Chubb and Marcus Davenport (two first-rounders) he was arguably the next best pass rusher in the draft.

Best Value: Okoronkwo

Seriously, the guy should be a day one starter and they got him in the fifth round.  Wade Phillips will turn him into an elite pass rusher.

Sleepers:  LB Micah Kiser, RB John Kelly

Kiser is a tackling machine but he’s seen as a two-down run stopping LB so he dropped in the draft.  The Rams have overhauled their LB corps and Kiser has a shot at one of the ILB spots and I wouldn’t be shocked to see him lining up inside flanked by Okoronkwo outside of him.  The team has Todd Gurley entrenched at RB but he doesn’t have much help in the backfield.  Kelly isn’t the player Alvin Kamara is but much like Kamara he might be better once he’s used properly.  Kelly should be a really nice complement to take a little pressure off of Gurley.

Overall Analysis

The Rams invested their first two picks in WRs, the first-rounder was traded for Brandin Cooks while the second-round pick was traded last year for Sammy Watkins.  The team spent 3 picks on developmental offensive lineman, Joseph Noteboom, Brian Allen and Jamil Demby.  None of these guys are expected to be major contributors this year but next season they have age and free agency to worry about.  Noteboom could be a potential replacement for Andrew Whitworth while Allen will almost certainly be counted on to replace John Sullivan.  The team has a really good defensive line with Michael Brockers, Ndamukong Suh and Aaron Donald but they got some bodies that might become depth.  Okoronkwo should be a starter but Trevon Young might also become a pass rusher they can use, under Wade Phillips tutelage he might really develop.

San Francisco 49ers

• Mike McGlinchey (9^th, 1^st)   OT   Notre Dame
• Dante Pettis (44^th, 2^nd)   WR   Washington
• Fred Warner (70^th, 3^rd)   LB   BYU
• Tarvarius Moore (95^th, 3^rd)   DB   Southern Miss
• Kentavius Street (128^th, 4^th)   DE   North Carolina St.
• DJ Reed (142^nd, 5^th)   CB   Kansas St.
• Marcell Harris (184^th, 6^th)   S   Florida
• Jullian Taylor (223^rd, 7^th)   DT   Temple
• Richie James (240^th, 7^th)   WR   Middle Tennessee St.

Immediate Impact:  OT Mike McGlinchey

The 49ers are looking to build around Jimmy Garoppolo and having a steady offensive line is a good place to start.  McGlinchey comes in and replaces the traded Trent Brown at RT and he fits Kyle Shanahan’s preferred offensive line type better than Brown did.  He can hold down the right side and is a potential replacement for Joe Staley down the line.

Best Value:  LB Fred Warner

Warner is a versatile LB and the team may need him in multiple spots.  Depending on what happens with Reuben Foster’s legal situation Warner may need to step in at MLB.  If Foster is around Warner might have a chance to beat out Malcolm Smith on the strongside.  If that doesn’t happen he could be a complement to Eli Harold on the weakside.  That’s good value in the third round.

Sleeper:  CB DJ Reed

The 49ers have Ahkello Witherspoon and Richard Sherman slated to start at CB but they are not deep and they could use a good nickel corner.  Reed is short at 5’9 but he’s quick and athletic and he’s perfectly suited to play the slot.  They are turning Tarvarius Moore into a CB from safety but he’s a bigger guy and it will take some time for him to make the transition.  Reed can be the slot guy immediately.

Overall Analysis

McGlinchey isn’t a star but he’s a quality OT and he should be just fine at RT.  Getting their offensive line in order was a priority and he goes a long way towards that goal.  WR Dante Pettis isn’t flashy but he’ll be productive.  He’ll run good routes and give Jimmy G a reliable target.  He’s also a top return man so he adds value.  Warner, Moore and Reed add depth on defense and that is well worth the middle round picks they used even if none of them become starters.  Marcell Harris is a hard-hitting safety but is going to have to make his name on special teams.  Not too sure Julian Taylor or Richie James make the roster but maybe practice squad guys.

Seattle Seahawks

• Rashaad Penny (27^th, 1^st)   RB   San Diego St.
• Rasheem Green (79^th, 3^rd)   DE   USC
• Will Dissly (120^th, 4^th)   TE   Washington
• Shaquem Griffin (141^st, 5^th)   OLB   Central Florida
• Tre Flowers (146^th, 5^th)   S   Oklahoma St.
• Michael Dickerson (149^th, 5^th)   P   Texas
• Jamarco Jones (186^th, 6^th)   OT   Ohio St.
• Jake Martin (186^th, 6^th)   DE   Temple
• Alex McGough (220^th, 7^th)   QB   Florida International

Immediate Impact:  RB Rashaad Penny

I have to say up front I didn’t like this pick, I like the player but not at 27^th overall.  Penny is the definition of productive and he is a powerful runner but he wasn’t the best back on the board and the Seahawks have much bigger needs.  Running back was on the list of needs but offensive line and tight end were bigger needs and that’s just on offense.  Penny could beat out Chris Carson as the starter but he isn’t that much better than someone they could have taken in the 3^rd round.

Best Value:  OT Jamarco Jones

They waited until the 6^th round and then they got lucky that a player like Jones was still available.  He doesn’t wow you with his ability but he is a solid OT.  For now, he’s penciled in as the backup to Duane Brown at LT but he could give Germaine Ifedi a run at RT.  He is the heir apparent to Brown who is aging.

Sleeper:  DE Rasheem Green

The team has lost Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril at DE and right now they are counting on reclamation project Dion Jordan to line up opposite the volatile Frank Clark.  Green isn’t flashy but he’s a pretty good DE and he has starter potential.  He’s also more reliable than Jordan or Clark for my money.  He could really give the Seahawks a nice DE they need.

Overall Analysis

Penny is a good player but for him to be the second RB off the board and go 27^th overall was a stretch.  For a team with much bigger issues this pick just seems odd.  Love the Green pick, great value at a need position.  TE Will Dissly is a blocker and while they can use him both in the run game and to help the offensive line pass block they may have reached for him even in round 4.  OLB Shaquem Griffin was the story of the draft and it’s a great story, him getting to go play with his twin brother and making the NFL with just one hand.  However, the better story is him going to a team that will actually understand how to use him.  There is no better team for him and Pete Carroll and new defensive coordinator Ken Norton, Jr. will find ways to use Griffin’s particular skill set.  Tre Flowers is a big DB they are potentially making into a CB.  Jones has starting potential early.  Not sure they needed a punter but they got a good one in Dickerson.  Martin and McGough are practice squad material.