Disclaimer: There is something everyone needs to know about this draft. Somewhere around the middle of round five this draft took a serious dive in quality. There were somewhere around 150-160 good prospects in this draft and then there was a cliff. Some teams reached before the 150th pick so the depth goes a little farther but by the time rounds six and seven came around, it got pretty bleak. There were a few contributing factors. One is the covid year has given players the opportunity to stay in college for an extra year and plenty of guys are taking that opportunity. Second is the name, image, and likeness (NIL) opportunities for guys to make money in college. Being a late round pick isn’t as attractive if you can get paid to be a good player in college. Finally, the transfer portal (coupled with NIL) means guys don’t have to go pro to cash in. If another school wants you more than the one you’re at (this is especially true for small school guys), just transfer somewhere and take the payday. There are usually between 100-130 early entry candidates for the draft, this year, there were less than 60 and it showed.
Arizona Cardinals
(4) Marvin Harrison Jr. WR Ohio St.
(27) Darius Robinson DL Missouri
(43) Max Melton CB Rutgers
(66) Trey Benson RB Florida St.
(71) Isaiah Adams OG Illinois
(82) Tip Reiman TE Illinois
(90) Elijah Jones CB Boston College
(104) Dadrion Taylor-Demerson S Texas Tech
(138) Xavier Thomas DL Clemson
(162) Christian Jones OT Texas
(191) Tejhaun Palmer WR UAB
(226) Jaden Davis CB Miami
Immediate Impact: WR Marvin Harrison Jr., DL Darius Robinson, CB Max Melton, G Isaiah Adams
The Cardinals had lots of picks and they needed to get some impact players, they did. These four will have and immediate impact but there are others who can be contributors too. WR Marvin Harrison Jr is going to be awesome and he’s going to make Kyler Murray very happy. Drew Petzing is the offensive coordinator and he’s going to use Harrison early and often. Also on offense, OG Isaiah Adams comes in from Illinois and there’s no chance he doesn’t beat out Elijah Wilkinson at LG. He immediately helps this offensive line.
On defense they needed even more help and Darius Robinson is just the type of big, powerful DE they can use in their front. They can mix and match him with various fronts and move him inside or out and he gives them a power rusher who can come from multiple spots. Max Melton is a very athletic CB who wasn’t considered one of the top CB prospects but still a good one. He isn’t a true #1 CB but he might have to play one for this team for at least a year. He’ll be one of the better CBs they have had in a few years.
Best Value: RB Trey Benson
The running game has been highly dependent on James Connor the past few years and they needed more help. Benson might be the best RB in this draft and they got him in round three. He’ll be a perfect complement to Connor for now and if Connor gets banged up, he’s ready to step in. Also, as Connor gets a little older, Benson will be the guy to step in as the starter.
Sleeper: OT Christian Jones
The team cut DJ Humphries and signed Jonah Williams from Cincinnati and apparently plan to play him as their LT. That seems odd since they drafted Paris Johnson Jr. last year and he would be a better LT and Williams played RT last year for the Bengals. I also think Jones might be a better long-term solution at RT than Williams who isn’t special at either spot. I think Jones could end up with the RT job with Johnson on the left.
Overall Analysis
This is a huge draft class with a dozen players. This team needed talent and depth and Monti Ossenfort did a fantastic job. Harrison becomes their top playmaker. Darius Robinson is their most talented defensive lineman. Max Melton is arguably their best CB. Trey Benson is a dynamic running back. Isaiah Adams is a starting level guard. The first five picks are going to help this team. TE Tip Reiman is a huge prospect who is a top-level blocker immediately at the position which makes him the perfect partner for Trey McBride who is the playmaking TE.
CB Elijah Jones isn’t a perfect prospect but in this secondary, he’s got a chance to earn a spot. The same is true for Dadrion Taylor-Demerson at safety. DE Xavier Thomas and OT Christian Jones were top recruits going into college and they offer good value late in the draft. The team just signed Zay Jones after the draft and with him and Marvin Harrison Jr. added to the corps it’s going to be harder for Tejhaun Palmer to make the roster. Jaden Davis may be an undersized seventh-round pick at CB but this team needs all the help they can get.
Los Angeles Rams
(19) Jared Verse Edge Florida St.
(39) Braden Fiske DT Florida St.
(83) Blake Corum RB Michigan
(99) Kamren Kinchens S Miami
(154) Brennan Jackson LB Washington St.
(196) Tyler Davis DL Clemson
(209) Joshua Karty K Stanford
(213) Jordan Whittington WR Texas
(217) Beaux Limmer C/G Arkansas
(254) KT Leveston OT Kansas St.
Immediate Impact: DE Jared Verse, DT Braden Fiske
The Rams are losing Aaron Donald to retirement and they knew they couldn’t replace him with just one player. They have decided to bring in multiple reinforcements on the defense line to get more pass rush and make up the difference that way. Verse fills a huge need as an edge rusher, something they needed even if Donald had returned. They also traded up in round two to get his Florida St. teammate Fiske. These two are used to working together and the team hopes that gives them a leg up so they can pay immediate dividends.
Best Value: DE Jared Verse
Verse was arguably the best overall edge player in the draft and because of the run on offense to start he fell to 19th overall. The Rams didn’t even have to move up to get a guy they really liked who fills a huge need.
Sleeper: S Kamren Kinchens
The Rams signed Kamren Curl in free agency and then drafted Kamren Kinchens and this could end up being their starting safety duo. Kinchens looks good when he’s playing football but he looked terrible when he worked out. He’s not a top athlete but when it comes to safety, intelligence and instincts can make up for a lack of athleticism. I would not have liked him as much in round two but he’s worth the round three pick they used on him.
Overall Analysis
It’s hard to argue with Rams strategy when they went defense with four of their first five picks, they needed help on that side of the ball. It’s also hard to argue with the players they took after how good their draft was on defense last year, they found some real bargains. Verse, Fiske, and Kinchens are starters or potential starters. LB Brennan Jackson gives them even more depth as a rusher and they needed that. I could argue they went a little early on Blake Corum but he’s almost a clone of Kyren Williams physically and stylistically and Williams was great when healthy last season. Now, if Williams gets hurt, they have a guy they can put in who’s style they know works in what they do.
DT Tyler Davis gives them more depth on the front line, they need that. They drafted a kicker which isn’t always a good idea but when you have this many picks, take a shot on one. Jordan Whittington is a big-bodied WR, if anyone makes him work, it’s Sean McVay. The last two offensive linemen are depth pieces. Limmer might have a future at center somewhere but they just moved Steve Avila there so he probably backs up at guard. KT Levenston was a tackle in college and he probably moves to guard. With Jonah Jackson’s health history, taking a couple of shots at interior offensive line isn’t a bad idea.
San Francisco 49ers
(31) Ricky Pearsall WR Florida
(64) Renardo Green CB Florida St.
(86) Dominick Puni OL Kansas
(124) Malik Mustapha S Wake Forest
(129) Isaac Guerendo RB Louisville
(135) Jacob Cowing WR Arizona
(215) Jarrett Kingston OL USC
(251) Tatum Bethune LB Florida St.
Immediate Impact: CB Renardo Green, OL Dominick Puni
The 49ers have a need at outside CB with Charvarius Ward holding down one spot and Deommodore Lenoir being better suited inside. I’m not the biggest Green fan but he’s an upgrade over Ambrey Thomas and his skillset fits the 49ers defense. He should start. Puni has a chance to earn a starting spot at either RG over Jon Feliciano or possibly at RT over Colton McKivitz. He should fit Kyle Shanahan’s scheme quite well.
Best Value: OL Dominick Puni
If Puni can win a starting job out of training camp, he’s a major value. He’s an upgrade for the offensive line at either position on the right side. Shanahan took him for a reason and it wasn’t to be a backup.
Sleeper: WR Jacob Cowing
Small and speedy but he’s good after the catch which makes him a good fit here. The team has questions after Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk at WR which is why they took Ricky Pearsall in round one. They went back to the well with Cowing later because they need depth. If they trade one of Aiyuk or Samuel than Pearsall steps up but they still need Cowing. He can work in this offense.
Overall Analysis
Ricky Pearsall is a solid WR prospect but his impact will be minimal unless this team trades Samuel or Aiyuk. With those two plus George Kittle and Christian McCaffrey as playmakers, the third WR in this offense is the fifth option at best, assuming he’s ahead of Kyle Jusczcyk. Green and Puni have starting spots available if they beat out middling talent ahead of them. Fourth round pick Malik Mustapha is a good safety prospect who could be their answer to losing Jimmie Ward last year. He’s small but mighty.
Shanahan then took a RB in round four, Isaac Guerendo, which shocks absolutely no one. Guerendo brings some serious speed to the position and he’s a big guy for having so much speed. He wasn’t a starter in college so he’s probably just a complementary back. I think Cowing can be a solid player if he gets a chance. OL Jarrett Kingston is a versatile player, never count out a lineman Kyle Shanahan drafted. The seventh round LB is probably not making the roster.
Seattle Seahawks
(16) Byron Murphy II DT Texas
(81) Christian Haynes OG UConn
(118) Tyrice Knight LB UTEP
(121) AJ Barner TE Michigan
(136) Nehemiah Prichett CB Auburn
(179) Sataoa Laumea OL Utah
(192) DJ James CB Auburn
(207) Mike Jerrell OT Findlay
Immediate Impact: DT Byron Murphy II, OG Christian Haynes
I don’t particularly care that Dre’Mont Jones, Leonard Williams, and Jarran Reed are the likely starters on the defensive line, Murphy is going to wreak havoc when he’s on the field. Mike Macdonald came from Baltimore where Justin Madubuike just had a huge year, Murphy is that type of disruptor. Haynes will start at RG with Laken Tomlinson at LG. Maybe he didn’t have as good of a year as some thought he would but watch him for any length of time and he’s clearly as starting NFL guard, good thing too because the Seahawks needed one.
Best Value: OG Christian Haynes
I don’t want to put too big of expectations on this guy but he’s really good. His awareness and instincts are just top-notch. I really thought he’d go higher so the Seahawks stole a good one.
Sleeper: CB DJ James
The Seahawks took his teammate Nehemiah Prichett almost 60 picks earlier than him but I like James a little more. He doesn’t show great speed on film and he’s a little skinny but Seattle has Riq Woolen and Devon Witherspoon to take on the bigger guys. I think James can stick around, find a spot as nickel corner when Witherspoon lines up outside and his CB skills will shine through.
Overall Analysis
This team stuck at #16 overall and Byron Murphy II fell into their laps, sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good. The Christian Haynes picks was also great since they desperately needed a starting OG and one of the best ones was still available in round three. LB Tyrice Knight is a guy I know little about since he played at UTEP but this team needs some depth at ILB so don’t count him out. TE AJ Barner is a good pickup because he’s a dirty work sort of player and should pair nicely with Noah Fant.
While I like James more than Prichett at CB both of these guys could help out. After Woolen and Witherspoon it’s not exactly a who’s who on the CB depth chart. These two can both make the roster and play especially if Coby Bryant is moved to safety. The two sixth round picks sandwiched around James were offensive linemen. This team has a lot of veteran players as backups on the offensive line so it’s going to be hard for two late round guys to make the roster.
The Hott Read 