Baltimore Ravens
- (14) Olaivavega Ioane OG Penn St.
- (45) Zion Young Edge Missouri
- (80) Ja’Kobi Lane WR USC
- (115) Elijah Sarratt WR Indiana
- (133) Matthew Hibner TE SMU
- (162) Chandler Rivers CB Duke
- (173) Josh Cuevas TE Alabama
- (174) Adam Randall RB Clemson
- (211) Ryan Eckley P Michigan St.
- (250) Rayshaun Benny DT Michigan
- (253) Evan Beerntsen OL Northwestern
Immediate Impact: OG Olaivavega Ioane, Edge Zion Young
Ioane is a plug-and-play OG who should step in and be an immediate starter at LG. His arrival moves John Simpson to the right side and those two will have their work cut out for them with an inexperienced center between them, assuming they don’t find a veteran soon. Ioane may be a rookie but he’s ready to step up to the challenge. Young’s path isn’t as clear with some veterans ahead of him but only Trey Hendrickson is a guaranteed starter. Tavius Robinson, Mike Green, and Adisa Isaac aren’t roadblocks to Young playing.
Best Value: WR Elijah Sarratt
The Ravens wanted to get size in the WR corps and while they picked Ja’Kobi Lane a round earlier, Sarratt is the player I like better. Lane is an inch taller, but Sarratt always plays to his size while Lane doesn’t always use his to his advantage. Sarratt can also play both inside and outside and could be used inside to run some of the stuff they used to use Isaiah Likely for. Sarratt is going to become a go-to guy for Lamar Jackson.
Sleeper: DT Rayshaun Benny
Somehow Benny fell to the seventh round of the draft, he is a far better player than that. The Ravens have a good starting front three if Nnamdi Madibuike is healthy, but he might not be. They don’t have a ton of depth and if Madibuike misses time, Benny could find himself getting some serious playing time. He’s a good player who fits their scheme, he’ll do well.
Overall Analysis
No team consistently gets more picks than the Ravens as they are experts at using the compensatory pick formula to load up in the middle rounds. Also, no one is better at just taking good players with their picks. Ioane is the cleanest prospect in the draft, he has no issues and slides into his starting spot with ease. Young is a good bet on a player with a high floor, at the very least, he’s a tough run defender on the edge. Clearly, the team wanted to upgrade at WR and while I like Sarratt better than Lane, Lane is still a nice addition to a WR corps that needs work.
The next three picks are all guys who should also contribute. Matthew Hibner was the first TE they took, and they followed it up later with Josh Cuevas. The team needed to double up at TE after losing Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar in free agency. Both players are solid all-around TEs so they shouldn’t be pigeon-holed into one specific role. They were sandwiched around CB Chandler Rivers. Rivers is a smaller CB who should be useful in the slot and give the Ravens a guy they can use to get a different look when they go nickel.
Their second fifth-round pick was RB Adam Randall. He’s a converted WR with incredible size, he’s 6’3 232 lbs. so he’s a big guy who can catch. They need depth behind Derrick Henry. They went with a punter in round six and considering they had double digit picks and a need for one, punter was a solid choice. Benny was their first seventh round pick, he’s a steal. Evan Beerntson probably doesn’t make this roster but after the way their guards played last year, I can understand the desire to just take another one.
Cincinnati Bengals
- (41) Casius Howell Edge Texas A&M
- (72) Tacario Davis CB Washington
- (128) Connor Lew C Auburn
- (140) Colbie Young WR Georgia
- (189) Brian Parker II OL Duke
- (221) Jack Endries TE Texas
- (226) Landon Robinson DL Navy
Immediate Impact: Edge Casius Howell
The Bengals decided to revamp their defensive front, and Howell is the final piece. DTs Dexter Lawrence and Jonathan Allen were added along with free agent DE Boye Mafe. Mafe and Myles Murphy will start at DE, but they still need some pass rush juice. Howell is an undersized rusher with short arms, but he can get the edge on just about any OT with his speed. Between Mafe, Murphy, Howell, and Shemar Stewart, the Bengals have plenty of edge rushers to send at the QB.
Best Value: C Connor Lew
Lew might be the best center in this class but he’s coming off an ACL tear, so he fell a few rounds. He may not be ready for the start of the season, but they have Ted Karras, so they don’t need him right away. Karras is 33 and entering the last year of his contract, Lew is his replacement, that’s good value in round four.
Sleeper: CB Tacario Davis
Davis was a third-round pick and that seemed a bit high considering where he was rated. However, he’s a 6’4 corner and those don’t grow on trees. The Bengals have some solid CBs but none of them are over 6’0 tall. Davis gives them another body type to play against some of the bigger receivers in the league. That could come in handy if he develops.
Overall Analysis
Howell and Davis are two defensive players who add different dimensions to the defense at their respective positions. The Bengals are clearly looking to finally upgrade their defense and while most of it came in free agency, these two are guys who could help. Connor Lew was only the first offensive lineman taken; they also took Brian Parker II. The thought was Parker was a potential center even though he played OT in college. With Lew on board, Parker is most likely going to be a utility guy who can fill in multiple spots. It’s never a bad idea to have a guy like that on your roster. He could eventually become a starting guard replacing Dalton Risner.
Between the two offensive linemen they took Georgia WR Colbie Young. Young is a developmental WR, but you can’t teach a guy to be 6’5 and they don’t have any big WRs besides Tee Higgins. They also took TE Jack Endries and while he was a late round pick, he could make this TE depth chart. With all the additions they made on the defensive line, seventh-round DL Landon Robinson probably won’t make this roster.
Cleveland Browns
- (9) Spencer Fano OT Utah
- (24) KC Concepcion WR Texas A&M
- (39) Denzel Boston WR Washington
- (58) Emmanuel McNeil-Warren S Toledo
- (86) Austin Barber OT Florida
- (146) Parker Brailsford C Alabama
- (149) Justin Jefferson LB Alabama
- (170) Joe Royer TE Cincinnati
- (182) Taylen Green QB Arkansas
- (248) Carsen Ryan TE BYU
Immediate Impact: LT Spencer Fano, WR KC Concepcion, WR Denzel Boston
The Browns traded down and still ended up with the OT they wanted, Spencer Fano. You can wonder about his long-term potential at LT, but he’ll start there immediately because he’s their best option. He’s not the longest OT and he’s got a slight build, but he has a chance to hold down the spot. The WR room needed a makeover and the Browns doubled up. KC Concepcion gives them a game breaker who can play the slot and give them some downfield juice. Somehow, Boston fell into the second round and right into the Browns’ lap. He instantly becomes their best perimeter threat and with Concepcion and Boston joining Jerry Jeudy, the WR group looks considerably better.
Best Value: S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren
McNeil-Warren probably wasn’t the first-round talent that mock drafts had him as, but he’s better than the 58th best player in this draft. The Browns have two solid staring safeties in Grant Delpit and Ronnie Harrison, but they don’t have much depth. He’s not going to step into a starting role but he’s going to be part of the rotation. They can use his size and athleticism as a weapon in what is already a very good defense.
Sleeper: OT Austin Barber
Barber was a very good OT for Florida and while he doesn’t seem like a high-end OT prospect, he could hold his own if necessary. He also has the ability to move inside to OG and he gives the Browns some depth. This team was looking to turn over their OL group and Barber is a nice long-term investment. It’s unlikely he could eventually be a starter at OT but also could be a solution for OG down the road.
Overall Analysis
The Browns had ten picks, and they did some really impressive work with those picks. The first four picks, Fano, Concepcion, Boston, and McNeil-Warren are all going to be major contributors. The next two picks were offensive linemen Austin Barber and C Parker Brailsford. Barber can be a good utility player for now and Brailsford gives them some depth at center. He’s a very undersized player but considering the size of the guards this team has right now, that wouldn’t be a problem.
LB Justin Jefferson and TE Joe Royer were fifth round picks like Brailsford. Jefferson is an athletic playmaker who can be a bit undisciplined, but he makes plays. Jefferson and McNeil-Warren were the only defensive players they took and like McNeil-Warren, Jefferson could get into the rotation. Beyond starters Carson Swesinger and Quincy Williams, they don’t have much depth at LB. Royer was one of two TEs they took, along with seventh rounder Carsen Ryan. Those two could both make the roster as there’s not much beyond starter Harold Fannin Jr. Their sixth-round pick was QB Taylen Green. He’s an elite athlete but not a good QB at this point. He’s worth a shot and he might even get one with the state of the Browns QB depth chart. However, there’s a chance he’s playing WR or TE in two years too.
Pittsburgh Steelers
- (21) Max Iheanachor OT Arizona St.
- (47) Germie Bernard WR Alabama
- (76) Drew Allar QB Penn St.
- (85) Daylen Everette CB Georgia
- (96) Gennings Dunker OG Iowa
- (121) Kaden Wetjen WR/KR Iowa
- (169) Riley Nowakowski TE Indiana
- (210) Gabriel Rubio DL Notre Dame
- (224) Robert Spears-Jennings S Oklahoma
- (230) Eli Heidenreich RB Navy
Immediate Impact: OT Max Iheanachor, WR Germie Bernard, OG Gennings Dunker
The Steelers got sniped by the Eagles when the Eagles moved ahead of them to take Makai Lemon, that may be a blessing in disguise. Iheanachor is a raw RT prospect but the combination of him and Germie Bernard in round two is better than any combination of Lemon and whatever OT they could have taken at 47 where they got Bernard. Iheanachor may take over at RT, and they move Troy Fautanu to LT to replace Broderick Jones who’s been a disappointment and has a neck injury. Gennings Dunker isn’t guaranteed to step in at LG where they need a new starter, but I wouldn’t bet against him winning that job.
Best Value: OG Gennings Dunker
Dunker is going to be moving from RT to OG in the NFL and the transition shouldn’t be too difficult for him. Iowa likes to train their lineman across multiple positions, so Dunker trained at guard early in his college career. He’s an ass kicker and they need him to step in at LG. Spencer Anderson was a seventh-round pick a few years ago, he shouldn’t be too much competition for Dunker. A starting LG at the end of round three is good value.
Sleeper: RB Eli Heidenreich
Heidenreich is more than just a good story. The Navy kid from Pittsburgh getting drafted by the Steelers while the draft is in Pittsburgh, can’t write it better than that. He’s a good player who just needs a coach to find a role for him. It might not be easy with the depth they have at RB and with the pick of Germie Bernard filling the third WR role. He’s a dynamic offensive weapon in the right hands and could add something to this offense.
Overall Analysis
The combination of Iheanachor and Bernard are going to be better than Makai Lemon and either Markel Bell or Austin Barber who were the next OTs left at 47th overall. Bernard might be the one rookie WR Aaron Rodgers won’t hate because Bernard is known for being where he’s supposed to be when he’s supposed to be there. He’s going to be a very good third WR for a team that got much better with his addition along with veteran Michael Pittman Jr. After years of talking about it, the Steelers finally fixed their WR issues.
The Drew Allar pick is quite polarizing, which is appropriate because his talent is tantalizing while his play can be frustrating. Allar looks like you want a QB to look getting off the bus, he’s 6’5 235 lbs. and looks like he was made in a lab. Unfortunately, while his arm is elite, his footwork can be a mess which causes him to be very inaccurate. If Mike McCarthy and his staff can fix his inconsistencies, Allar could be a starting QB in the NFL, it’s a big if.
CB Daylen Everette is another guy who looks the part at 6’1 with long arms and is athletic as hell. He also is extremely inconsistent on the field. Dunker is going to have to make the transition to guard but he’s going to be quite good once he gets comfortable inside. As much as I like Kaden Wetjen as a return man, taking him in the fourth round was a reach. He’s not enough of a WR to warrant playing time and any thought of him being a gadget guy for the offense went out the window when they took Heidenreich. Heidenreich is a bigger player who’s a better offensive weapon with the ball in his hands. Wetjen will be a dynamic returner but that’s all for now.
Riley Nowakowski is a TE/FB who is going to have to fight to make the roster but I’m not betting against him. He does too many things well and if I were any of the guys behind Darnell Washington and Pat Freiermuth, I’d be scared for my job. DT Gabriel Rubio brings some size to the defensive line if he can make the team. Robert Spears-Jennings can make this roster at safety, they aren’t that deep there.
The Hott Read 