Arizona Cardinals
29. Robert Nkemdiche DT Mississippi
92. Brandon Williams CB Texas A&M
128. Evan Boehm C Missouri
167. Marqui Christian SS Midwestern St.
170. Cole Toner OT Harvard
205. Harlan Miller CB Southeastern Louisiana

Immediate Impact: DT Robert Nkemdiche, C Evan Boehm
Nkemdiche will have the chance to play at multiple positions both as a DE and NT in the Cardinals 3-4 defense. Rodney Gunter was a find last season as a NT but they need a backup and Frostee Rucker is nothing special at DE so Nkemdiche could take over that spot. Boehm is highly likely to take the starting C job from A.Q. Shipley who is a career backup.

Best Value: C Evan Boehm
One of the reasons why you have to be quite exceptional at C to get drafted very high is because there are many capable centers later in the draft like Boehm. Getting a starting offensive lineman at a position of need with the 128th pick in the draft is the definition of value.

Sleeper: CB Brandon Williams
This pick felt like a bit of a reach at the end of the third round because Williams is a converted RB that has only played CB for a year. The thing is he is an exception athlete that could turn out to be a heck of a CB. He has good size but is extremely raw, however, if he can develop his skills he could be quite a find.

Overall Analysis
The Cardinals took a shot on Nkemdiche because he’s a physical freak with great talent and they have a history of keeping knuckleheads like him on the straight and narrow and if they can harness his talent they got a steal. He needs to keep his nose clean and stay motivated for that pick to pay off. I can’t knock the team for not getting a better outside pass rusher because they traded their 2nd round pick for Chandler Jones and he fits the bill very nicely. Williams may have been a bit of a reach but when your roster is pretty solid you can take a flyer once in a while. Boehm is an immediate starter and fills the one big hole they have on offense while Cole Toner is a smart OT that should make for a nice swing tackle option. Marqui Christian and Harlan Miller will come in and compete in camp but the Cardinals’ secondary is pretty solid so they might find it hard to make the roster.

Los Angeles Rams
1. Jared Goff QB California
110. Tyler Higbee TE Western Kentucky
117. Pharoh Cooper WR South Carolina
177. Temarrick Hemingway TE South Carolina St.
190. Josh Forrest ILB Kentucky
206. Mike Thomas WR Southern Mississippi

Immediate Impact: QB Jared Goff
Well he better make an immediate impact or trading away all of those picks to get him will seem foolish. The Rams have a solid defense and a top notch RB but they need a QB to make it all go. Goff will have a bit of a transition moving from his shotgun style spread attack to a pro style game with a heavy run influence but he should still beat out Case Keenum and if he doesn’t Jeff Fisher will be looking for a new job come January.

Best Value: WR Pharoh Cooper
Cooper was overshadowed in this draft class because there were a number of good WR rated similarly to him. He also played on a South Carolina team this last season that didn’t exactly make the most of his talents. He’s not the tallest WR but he’s well-built and has talent. He will make the Rams roster pretty easily, there isn’t a ton of competition, and he might develop right alongside Jared Goff for the future.

Sleeper: WR Mike Thomas
Not to be confused with Michael Thomas of Ohio St. this one is from Southern Miss and he was highly productive there. The Rams have Kenny Britt and Tavon Austin and now Cooper but Thomas knows how to get open and he has nice size which means he could impress pretty easily compared to his competition and become a weapon for Goff.

Overall Analysis
Obviously this draft leans heavily on Goff and I think he will do well because even though he is the #1 pick they are not leaning the franchise on him, it’s Todd Gurley’s team at the moment. Goff is a smart player who will do what he needs to do to make the transition and if he can find some weapons he will excel. TE Tyler Higbee could be one of those weapons but he has a big off-the-field issue to deal with, an assault charge. If he gets through that he could be quite important as the Rams TE depth is pretty lacking. The Rams continued their draft strategy of getting Goff some help with Cooper, Thomas and TE Temmarick Hemingway and like I said the TE group isn’t great. The one defensive player they took, LB Josh Forrest, is a developmental player that probably won’t make much of a difference.

San Francisco 49ers
7. DeForest Buckner DE Oregon
28. Joshua Garnett OG Stanford
68. Will Redmond CB Mississippi St.
133. Rashard Robinson CB LSU
142. Ronald Blair DE Appalachian St.
145. John Theus OT Georgia
174. Fahn Cooper OT Mississippi
207. Jeff Driskel QB Louisiana Tech
211. Kelvin Taylor RB Florida
213. Aaron Burbridge WR Michigan St.
249. Prince Charles Iworah CB Western Kentucky

Immediate Impact: DE DeForest Buckner, OG Joshua Garnett
The lines used to be a strength of the 49ers but they aren’t at the moment. Buckner is a star and he’ll be better than his former Oregon teammate and last year’s rookie Arik Armstead. He will be a starter in short order and one of the best players on a rebuilding defense. I’ll get to my thoughts on trading up for Joshua Garnett later but he’s an immediate starter at OG after they lost Alex Boone in free agency and aren’t exactly teeming with talent at the position.

Best Value: DE Ronald Blair
He’s a small school player from Appalachian St. but he’s a talent. He should fit well in the 49ers defense and he was a very good prospect to get at 142nd overall. The defense could use some new blood up front and Buckner and Blair are a solid start.

Sleeper: WR Aaron Burbridge
Anquan Boldin is a free agent that hasn’t been re-signed leaving deep threat Torrey Smith as the only proven player at WR. Burbridge doesn’t wow you with his physical skills but he has a great knack for getting open and making tough catches. He will be a favorite of whomever wins the QB job.

Overall Analysis
The Buckner pick was fantastic but it was blunted by the decision to trade a couple of picks to move back into the end of the 1st round to grab an OG. Garnett is a nice player but the 49ers could have waited for him or even gotten a different OG in the second round. The middle round choices of CBs Will Redmond and Rashard Robinson were peculiar because Redmond is coming off an ACL tear and Robinson was suspended last year at LSU, a bit high for both guys. OTs Theus and Cooper should add depth and competition on the offensive line. QB Driskell is a solid choice but he really only muddles the Blain Gabbert/Colin Kaepernick competition because he might be a better choice. RB Kelvin Taylor is talented player that can’t stay healthy, he should fit right in. The seventh round CB isn’t making the roster.

Seattle Seahawks
31. Germain Ifedi OT Texas A&M
49. Jarran Reed DT Alabama
90. CJ Prosise RB Notre Dame
94. Nick Vannett TE Ohio St.
97. Rees Odhiambo OG Boise St.
147. Quinton Jefferson DT Maryland
171. Alex Collins RB Arkansas
215. Joey Hunt C TCU
243. Kenny Lawler WR California
247. Zac Brooks RB Clemson

Immediate Impact: OT Germain Ifedi, DT Jarran Reed
Ifedi isn’t my favorite OT in this draft but he’s far better than anything they have on the roster and he give Tom Cable some talent to work with. He may be a better RT long term but he could hold down the left side next season if need be. Reed is an immediate replacement for free agent defection Brandon Mebane at DT. He’s a versatile player which will make him quite valuable to the Seahawks defense.

Best Value: RB Alex Collins
Collins is the perfect RB for the Seahawks power running game and I like his fit better than third round pick CJ Prosise, I like Prosise too but Collins could actually replace Marshawn Lynch and make Thomas Rawls recovery from his ankle injury less important.

Sleeper: DT Quinton Jefferson
Reed is the obvious choice to step into Mebane’s shoes but the Seahawks are a little short at DT and Ahtyba Rubin isn’t getting any younger. Jefferson can bring pressure from inside and he should make for a great rotational player right away. He could team with Reed as the starting duo in the future.

Overall Analysis
Ifedi and Reed addressed two major needs right away. Collins is the right fit at RB but CJ Prosise is a talented player too and he’ll bring a different skill set which should help the offense. TE Nick Vannett could be a nice complement to Jimmy Graham and if Graham gets banged up again Vannett is a better alternative than they have had in the past. Odhiambo and Hunt are developmental interior offensive line players that the team hopes Tom Cable can turn into contributors. WR Kenny Lawler and RB Zac Brooks probably aren’t making the team which is understandable for two 7th round picks trying to make a playoff team.

Atlanta Falcons
17. Keanu Neal SS Florida
52. Deion Jones OLB LSU
81. Austin Hooper TE Stanford
115. De’Vondre Campbell OLB Minnesota
195. Wes Schweitzer OG San Jose St.
238. Devin Fuller WR UCLA

Immediate Impact: SS Keanu Neal, LB Deion Jones
I’m going on record that I hate the Keanu Neal pick at #17. Just because I don’t like him doesn’t mean he isn’t going to play a lot given how bad the Falcons are at safety. Neal will start from day one at SS but that is an indictment of the position on the team not a reflection of him. Jones on the other hand I like a lot. He brings speed and athleticism the team needs and he should grab a starting OLB job pretty quickly.

Best Value: No great value picks in this group
They over drafted Neal, Jones was right about where he was expected to go and Hooper was slightly over valued because of how bad the TE position was in this draft.

Sleeper: OG Wes Schweitzer
I’m going with the guard because the guards on the Falcons aren’t great. Andy Levitre could resurrect his career but they still need another guard.

Overall Analysis
Neal was a reach supposedly because Dan Quinn sees him as his version of Kam Chancellor, his SS when he was defensive coordinator of the Seahawks. This is point where I point out that Chancellor was a fifth round pick back in the day and Neal isn’t Chancellor. Love the Jones pick and Austin Hooper might not be better than the TEs they already have but he’s worth a shot. De’Vondre Campbell could make the team but only because their LB corps is pretty sad. Devin Fuller is a speed demon that really hasn’t produced much. My biggest issue with this draft is the fact that Schweitzer was the only pick on the offensive line. They got a SS even if it was too early and they addressed LB with Jones and even Campbell but one late pick for a line that really could use some help at both guard spots and one tackle spot.

Carolina Panthers
30. Vernon Butler DT Louisiana Tech
62. James Bradberry CB Samford
77. Daryl Worley CB West Virginia
141. Zach Sanchez CB Oklahoma
252. Beau Sandland TE Montana St.

Immediate Impact: Umm…yep none.

Best Value: Yeah, I still got nothing.

Sleeper: CB Zach Sanchez
He was the third CB they took but I like his upside. Bradberry has good upside too but they got Sanchez with the 141st pick and Bradberry at 62.

Overall Analysis
DT Vernon Butler is a really underrated player and I was happy to see him go late in the first round but Carolina has two fantastic DTs already so his impact may be minimal this year. However, Star Lotulelei and Kawann Short were drafted the same year so the Panthers might have to make a decision to keep only one and Butler would replace the other. The other thing I didn’t like about the Panthers choice of Butler is they need outside pass rush help and Emmanuel Ogbah, Kevin Dodd and Noah Spence were all still available when they took Butler and they had to have similar grades. After the loss of Josh Norman to the Redskins once they rescinded his franchise tender GM Dave Gettleman didn’t panic and draft a CB high he just used three of his five draft picks at the position. I suppose he hopes he’ll strike gold like he did with former fifth round pick Norman. Beau Sandland is a TE that will struggle to make the roster. Finally, I really question how a team that got destroyed in the Super Bowl by the Denver pass rush didn’t address the line at all. Gemain Ifedi and Jason Spriggs were both available for the taking.

New Orleans Saints
12. Sheldon Rankins DT Louisville
47. Michael Thomas WR Ohio St.
61. Vonn Bell SS Ohio St.
120. David Onyemata DT Manitoba
237. Daniel Lasco RB California

Immediate Impact: DT Sheldon Rankins, WR Michael Thomas
The Saints need help upfront on the defensive side of the ball and they got it in spades with Sheldon Rankins. He’s a disruptor and he’ll take some pressure off of Cameron Jordan with an inside pass rush the team currently lacks. Michael Thomas is a great replacement for Marques Colston because he’s big and physical but lacks ideal speed just like Colston did. He will be an important target for Drew Brees and Brees will know exactly how to take advantage of his skills.

Best Value: SS Vonn Bell
Getting Bell towards the end of round 2 is a steal because he was in the round 1 discussion. The Saints have Jairus Byrd and Kenny Vaccaro at safety but Byrd makes too much money and Vaccaro hasn’t been as good as they had hoped.

Sleeper: RB Daniel Lasco
Lasco is coming off an injury but he’s a great athlete and the Saints RB corps isn’t exactly stellar. Mark Ingram is solid but unspectacular and CJ Spiller never stays healthy. Lasco could make the team and be a playmaker.

Overall Analysis
Rankins, Thomas and Bell are all great picks and should give the Saints exactly what they need at those positions. The Canadian player is a bit of a flyer but that has worked for them before. Lasco was a chance worth taking late.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers
11. Vernon Hargreaves III CB Florida
39. Noah Spence DE Eastern Kentucky
59. Roberto Aguayo K Florida St.
108. Ryan Smith CB North Carolina Central
148. Caleb Benenoch OT UCLA
183. Devante Bond OLB Oklahoma
197. Dan Vitale FB Northwestern

Immediate Impact: CB Vernon Hargreaves III, DE Noah Spence
Hargreaves should start opposite free agent pickup Brent Grimes and while that will give them two smaller CBs these two will be quite feisty. One way to make things easier on those two will be to get more pressure and that’s where Noah Spence comes in. The Bucs have needed an edge rusher for quite some time and if they can keep Spence out of trouble he should cause some trouble on the field for their opponents.

Best Value: Spence
Getting arguably the best pure pass rusher in the draft at #39 is quite a nice pickup. Obviously his character concerns and a less than impressive combine contributed to that fall but he has great pass rush instincts.

Sleeper: OT Caleb Benenoch
Benenoch isn’t pretty out there but Demar Dotson and Gosder Cheilus leave a lot to be desired at RT so anything is possible.

Overall Analysis
They started their draft off right by getting arguably the best CB and arguably the best pure pass rusher and then they went off the rails and traded two pick to move back into the second round to take Roberto Aguayo, he’s a kicker. You don’t trade valuable draft assets when you need help all over your roster so you can get a kicker. Don’t get me wrong Aguayo is the best kicker to enter the league in quite some time but that’s really good capital to give up for a kicker. CB Ryan Smith might compete for a spot on the roster as might Devante Bond but I wouldn’t count on him. FB Dan Vitale is a fantastic football player and I wouldn’t bet against him making the roster because he’s a jack-of-all-trades. He can play FB, RB, slot WR, H-back and he will play on all special teams’ coverage units. That’s not a bad guy to have around.

Dallas Cowboys
4. Ezekiel Elliott RB Ohio St.
34. Jaylon Smith OLB Notre Dame
67. Maliek Collins DT Nebraska
101. Charles Tapper DE Oklahoma
135. Dak Prescott QB Mississippi St.
189. Anthony Brown CB Purdue
212. Kavon Frazier FS Central Michigan
216. Darius Jackson RB Eastern Michigan
217. Rico Gathers TE Baylor

Immediate Impact: RB Ezekiel Elliott, DT Maliek Collins
I didn’t agree with the decision to draft Elliott because the Cowboys have bigger needs but that doesn’t mean he isn’t going to dominate in Dallas. Behind the Cowboys offensive line he is going to be a beast and while he has to beat out some competition it won’t be a problem for him because he is so good at everything. The Cowboys needs on the defensive line are more acute at DE but that doesn’t mean DT wasn’t a need. Collins will push the pocket and create some pressure along with stuffing up the middle.

Best Value: OLB Jaylon Smith (if he fully recovers)
There is zero value in this pick for 2016 because the Cowboys need to give Smith the time to recover from his horrific knee injury. If he can fully recover between now and the 2017 season he’s an incredible talent. Before his injury he was one of the three best defensive players in this draft (Jalen Ramsey and Myles Jack are the other two) and they got him at #34. His recovery might be a long shot but if he makes it back he’s the foundation of their defense for the next 6-8 years.

Sleeper: DE Charles Tapper
He could also be an immediate impact player considering the Cowboys need at DE given the situation with Randy Gregory and Demarcus Lawrence being sidelined to start the year. Tapper has some good athleticism and he can make a difference. Even once Gregory and Lawrence are back Tapper should give them some nice depth.

Overall Analysis
The only way a GM gets away with drafting a RB when the defense needs so much help is if that GM is also the owner. Jerry Jones wanted a shiny new toy and he got his precious RB. Ezekiel Elliott is a special RB because he’s fantastic all-around and he’s going to win Offensive Rookie of the Year in a walk but the Cowboys better hope they can win every game 42-35 because the defense is going to be rough. I like Collins and Tapper on the defensive line but they aren’t transforming the defense, Jaylon Smith might do that in a year but who knows. Dak Prescott was a nice pickup at QB and they certainly needed to get a youngster, he upgrades the backup spot right now and while I’m not sure he’s Romo’s heir apparent he’s better than anything they have been working with lately behind Romo. CB Anthony Brown may surprise but I wouldn’t count on it and taking former Baylor basketball power forward Rico Gathers is an interesting experiment but he’s farther away from contributing than Smith.

New York Giants
10. Eli Apple CB Ohio St.
40. Sterling Shepard WR Oklahoma
71. Darian Thompson FS Boise St.
109. BJ Goodson ILB Clemson
149. Paul Perkins RB UCLA
184. Jerell Adams TE South Carolina

Immediate Impact: WR Sterling Shepard, FS Darian Thompson
The Giants have Odell Beckham and then not much else at WR since Reuben Randle wasn’t re-signed and Victor Cruz has been injured a lot lately. Sterling Shepard is a great route runner and will immediately contribute in the slot and can bring some help on the outside too. Thompson was a lower round pick but the Giants safety position is pretty thin after second year man Landon Collins. Thompson has learning to do but he will be the best option coming out of training camp to pair with Collins.

Best Value: RB Paul Perkins
Good RBs are not hard to come by in the draft (don’t tell Jerry Jones) and getting a guy as accomplished as Perkins in the fifth round is why you wait. The Giants have Rashad Jennings but he’s just a guy and Perkins gives them another option. He’s a good back with plenty of skills and he may make either Jennings or more likely Andre Williams expendable. He’s a starting caliber RB.

Sleeper: LB BJ Goodson
The Giants LB corps is filled with mediocrity including free agent addition Keenan Robinson. Goodson is more run-stuffer than coverage backer but he’s solid tackler inside and might just steal a job because he’s too good to keep off the field.

Overall Analysis
I’m not wild about Eli Apple and certainly not at #10 overall but he has potential and with Janoris Jenkins and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie around he has some time. Shepard and Perkins could pay immediate dividends and even 7th round pick TE Jerell Adams has some athletic upside. Adams has a ways to go but he’s worth the investment. Thompson and Goodson are good backups at the worst. My only issue here is with what they didn’t do and that is they didn’t address the offensive line, at all, not one pick. I know Laremy Tunsil has some issues come up but when he dropped to them they should have taken a chance that they could keep him on the straight and narrow. If it’s Tunsil with the 10th pick and the rest of this draft after that this is a homerun, Apple lessens my enthusiasm for this group.

Philadelphia Eagles
2. Carson Wentz QB North Dakota St.
79. Isaac Seumalo OG Oregon St.
153. Wendell Smallwood RB West Virginia
164. Halapoulivaati Vaitai OT TCE
196. Blake Countess CB Auburn
233. Jalen Mills DB LSU
240. Alex McCalister DE Florida
251. Joe Walker ILB Oregon

Immediate Impact: Umm…I hear crickets.
They traded away a lot of high draft picks to move up to grab Carson Wentz and since there is no guarantee Wentz will be the starting QB it is tough to see anyone making a major contribution. Isaac Seumalo is a nice OG but they have veterans and he’s most likely just good inside depth this year because he can play all three interior positions.

Best Value: DB Jalen Mills
Mills is a bit skinny but he’s a very experienced player at both safety and corner meaning he won’t be overwhelmed stepping into the NFL. He’s not great but he’s very good value coming in the 7th round. The Eagles secondary isn’t loaded with Pro Bowl talent so Mills might make some noise.

Sleeper: RB Wendell Smallwood
Darren Sproles isn’t getting any younger and Smallwood has a similar skillset. Head Coach Doug Pederson comes from the Andy Reid school of offense and they like their backs to be multi-skilled and Smallwood is. He may look small because he’s a bit short but he’s well-built and well balanced. Ryan Mathews is never healthy for long either and may not be sticking around.

Overall Analysis
I’m a bit concerned about the Eagles approach because they had to rid themselves of Chip Kelly’s players which means they needed roster turnover but then they sacrificed picks to move up to get a QB that might spend the season as the #3 guy on the depth chart. It could be a long tough year in Philly and this draft isn’t likely to produce much hope this season. It will all eventually be judged by Carson Wentz’s career but there are going to be some major growing pains.

Washington Redskins
22. Josh Doctson WR TCU
53. Su’a Cravens LB USC
84. Kendall Fuller CB Virginia Tech
152. Matt Ioannidis DT Temple
187. Nate Sudfeld QB Indiana
232. Steven Daniels OLB Boston College
242. Keith Marshall RB Georgia

Immediate Impact: WR Josh Doctson, LB Su’a Cravens
Doctson doesn’t look like an immediate need but Pierre Garcon was hanging on to his roster spot by a string and it may have just snapped. Doctson can make a nice complement to DeSean Jackson and can become a favorite target of Kirk Cousins. Cravens doesn’t exactly have a defined position just yet because he can be a LB but he isn’t an exact fit in the Redskins defense but he can cover like a safety so he’ll likely play some sort of hybrid LB/S role which will suit him just fine. He can make plays all over the field and in coverage.

Best Value: CB Kendall Fuller
Like a lot guys in this draft Fuller is coming off a knee injury which dropped his value but I haven’t heard that he’s had any significant issues and he’s expected to be back. When healthy he’s a starting CB with significant upside. I think Fuller can be a top notch CB and he would pair quite nicely with Josh Norman and they make a deadly duo.

Sleepers: QB Nate Sudfeld, RB Keith Marshall
I really like the upside on Sudfeld because he’s an excellent passer with solid accuracy and a great arm. He’s really big and doesn’t move much but Jay Gruden could do some good things with him with a little time to develop. RB Matt Jones is a big, powerful back at 6’1 231 lbs. and while Keith Marshall isn’t small his game is predicated on his speed so he should make a nice complement to Jones. He’s a terrific athlete that just wasn’t able to stay healthy and played behind some really good RBs at Georgia (Todd Gurley and Nick Chubb).

Overall Analysis
Doctson and Cravens should get plenty of playing time to start out and if Fuller’s knee is recovered he’ll give Greg Toler and Bashad Breeland a run for their money opposite Norman. DT Matt Ioannidis is the kind of guy that does all the dirty work and doesn’t get a lot of credit and his ability to play all over the Redskins 3-man front means he’s a valuable piece for the defense. LB Steven Daniels should play on the inside of the 3-4 LB corps and they need the help. I really like this draft top to bottom, it is amazing what a real GM like Scott McCloughan can do compared to a meddling owner.

Chicago Bears

9. Leonard Floyd OLB Georgia
56. Cody Whitehair OG Kansas St.
72. Jonathan Bullard DE Florida
113. Nick Kwiatkoski ILB West Virginia
124. Deon Bush S Miami
127. Deiondre’ Hall DB Northern Iowa
150. Jordan Howard RB Indiana
185. Deandre Houston-Carson S William & Mary
230. Daniel Braverman WR Western Michigan

Immediate Impact:  OLB Leonard Floyd, OG Cody Whitehair, DE Jonathan Bullard

While the Bears like Pernell McPhee, Lamarr Houston and Willie Young at OLB they need speed off the edge pass rushing and Floyd can bring that and more.  They didn’t trade up to get him to watch him sit.  Whitehair was a nice pickup in the second round even if he isn’t exactly what they were looking for.  He might get a shot at the LT job since he played there in college and he certainly isn’t any worse than their other options.  Whitehair should be playing inside at LG but he’ll find his way onto the field somehow because the Bears need help there.  Bullard is an instant starter at DE in the 3-4 and his versatility will be vital to Vic Fangio’s defense.

Best Value:  DE Jonathan Bullard

Bullard was tagged with the dreaded “tweener” label because he wasn’t a pure DT or DE but he’s a fantastic football player that is going to be fantastic in Chicago.  He’s an absolute steal in the third round because he has first round talent he just didn’t project to any one position so it was harder to find a place for him.  He’ll find a home killing it on the defensive line and he’ll give Vic Fangio the ability to move pieces around and Bullard can do anything that is asked of him.

Sleeper:  RB Jordan Howard

Everyone expects that Jeremy Langford will step in for the departed Matt Forte and that’s a reasonable assumption but nobody goes it alone at RB anymore and Ka’Deem Carey hasn’t exactly been lighting it up.  Howard is a powerful back with quick feet and if he stays healthy he’ll take some of the load off of Langford and if Langford isn’t careful Howard might take a whole lot of the load off of him.

Overall Analysis

Floyd, Whitehair and Bullard are day one starters so that’s a good way to start off your draft.  If the Bears hadn’t signed ILBs Danny Trevathan and Jerrell Freeman in the off season I would say Nick Kwiatkoski would have a chance at a starting job but as it is he’s just fantastic depth in the LB corps.  Howard is a great get especially where they got him and 7^th round pick WR Daniel Braverman could actually be a very nice inside slot receiver to complement their big outside guys Alshon Jeffery and Kevin White.  The other three picks are all players projected to play safety; Deon Bush, Deiondre’ Hall and DeAndre Houston-Carson.  Normally taking three guys at one spot is questionable but if you look at the Bears roster it’s completely understandable.  They really like youngster Adrian Amos but Antrel Rolle is going to be 34 and missed most of last year with a knee injury and the rest of the depth chart isn’t helping much.  All three safeties could stick pretty easily and one of them is very likely to start.

Detroit Lions

16. Taylor Decker OT Ohio St.
46. A’Shawn Robinson DT Alabama
95. Graham Glasgow C Michigan
111. Miles Killebrew SS Southern Utah
151. Joe Dahl OG Washington St.
169. Antwione Williams OLB Georgia Southern
191. Jake Rudock QB Michigan
202. Anthony Zettel DE Penn St.
210. Jimmy Landes LS Baylor
236. Dwayne Washington RB Washington

Immediate Impact:  OT Taylor Decker, DT A’Shawn Robinson, C Graham Glasgow

Taylor Decker and Graham Glasgow are two hard-nosed, rugged, Big Ten battle-tested offensive lineman that fill huge needs for the Lions.  Decker steps in at RT and is a gigantic upgrade that will not only protect Matthew Stafford better but will seriously improve the running game.  Glasgow is a versatile interior player who I believe will take the center job away from Travis Swanson in short order.  DT Haloti Ngata isn’t getting any younger and Tyrunn Walker is coming off an injury which means A’Shawn Robinson is possibly going to start and certainly going to play a ton.

Best Value:  DT A’Shawn Robinson

Robinson got tagged as bit overrated because his production numbers weren’t great but that will happen when you share the defensive line at Alabama with Jarran Reed and next year’s sensation Jonathan Allen.  Robinson can do everything on the line and he’ll be a ten-year anchor.  He can cause enough havoc inside to free up Ziggy Ansah a bit too and that is going to help this defense big time.

Sleeper:  SS Miles Killebrew

Killebrew has some deficiencies in coverage for sure but he’s an enforcer and hits like a ton of bricks.  The Lions are counting on either Rafael Bush or Tavon Wilson to step in next to veteran Glover Quin but I think Killebrew could steal the job.  The Lions could use someone to change the attitude a bit in their secondary and Killebrew could be that guy.  I was going to go with Jake Rudock as the sleeper but I try not to get into fiction writing in these analyses.

Overall Analysis

New Lions’ GM Bob Quinn seemed to have a pretty good idea of what he wanted to do here and he did it well.  Decker and Glasgow were nice additions to offensive line but he also grabbed Joe Dahl and while Dahl is most likely a backup at this point he’s got versatility to play tackle or guard and he’s good depth.  He also didn’t stop with Robinson on the defensive line picking up DT Anthony Zettel who was really good value late and will make for a nice disruptive backup who will play 3^rd down very well.  LB Antwione Williams is probably just a guy but the Lions’ LB corps isn’t exactly teeming with talent so don’t count him out.  Rudock and RB Dwayne Washington are most likely camp bodies that might make the practice squad.  Some teams take flack if they draft a long snapper but I would say in this case since the Lions had 10 picks and they don’t have that many roster spots to fill on offense and defense grabbing a potential starting LS isn’t the worst idea.

Green Bay Packers

27. Kenny Clark DT UCLA
48. Jason Spriggs OT Indiana
88. Kyler Fackrell OLB Utah St.
131. Blake Martinez ILB Stanford
137. Dean Lowry DE Northwestern
163. Trevon Davis WR California
200. Kyle Murphy OT Stanford

Immediate Impact: DT Kenny Clark

The Packers are a good team with a pretty solid roster so they aren’t exactly looking for guys to come in and change their fortunes but Clark will get a lot of playing time.  The Pack lost NT BJ Raji this off season and while Letroy Guion has experience he doesn’t move the needle.  Clark is a big, powerful man with good athleticism and versatility.  He’ll play at NT but also rotate outside to give Mike Daniels and Datone Jones some rest.

Best Value: OT Jason Spriggs

Are you kidding me? Getting Spriggs at #48 overall was grand theft.  This kid is going to be a fantastic LT and David Bakhtiari should watch his back.  The Packers took Spriggs because he was too good of value but they also recognize that with an expensive RT like Bryan Bulaga on the books a cheaper alternative at LT might be smart.  Spriggs gets the year to back up and learn some things but he’ll eventually be a starter.  It’s also a smart choice given the health issues the entire Green Bay line has faced over the years.

Sleepers:  ILB Blake Martinez, OLB Kyler Fackrell

I’m listing both of these LBs because with Dom Capers calling the defense these two should become very nice chess pieces.  The Packers didn’t grab an ILB early but Martinez is smart and talented enough to be a solid player inside so Clay Matthews can be used at OLB.  Martinez may not start but he’ll play enough to get Matthews back to his pass rushing position when needed.  Fackrell is actually a good pass rushing OLB himself and was coming off an injury this past year.  He is good enough to make Nick Perry expendable sooner rather than later.

Overall Analysis

Clark, Spriggs, Fackrell and Martinez should all make the roster and contribute which is saying something on a team as good as the Packers.  DE Dean Lowry is the type of 3-4 end they are looking for and with Mike Pennel facing a suspension it isn’t out of the realm of possibility that Lowry sticks on the roster early as a backup d-lineman.  Trevon Davis is a fantastic athlete but he’s just too raw to break through on this WR depth chart.  OL Kyle Murphy has the intelligence and talent to play multiple positions so it’s possible he gets a backup role too.

Minnesota Vikings

23. Laquon Treadwell WR Mississippi
54. Mackensie Alexander CB Clemson
121. Willie Beavers OT Western Michigan
160. Kentrell Brothers ILB Missouri
180. Moritz Boehringer WR Germany
188. David Morgan II TE UTSA
227. Stephen Weatherly DE Vanderbilt
244. Jayron Kearse SS Clemson

Immediate Impact:  WR Laquon Treadwell

WRs went quickly in the draft and the Vikings had to “settle” for the 4^th one off the board.  Somehow they got lucky enough that the perfect one for them and the best one in the draft didn’t go first, second or third.  Treadwell is a big, physical WR that will dominate in the red zone and make Teddy Bridgewater a very happy man.  He’s the perfect complement to Stefon Diggs and gives the Vikings offense the dimension it’s been missing.  Adrian Peterson is also going to love him because Treadwell blocks down field on running plays like a fullback.

Best Value:  ILB Kentrell Brothers

Brothers fell into the fifth round because he’s seen as just a two-down LB that won’t see time on passing downs.  I’m a little shocked because if he plays first and second down that’s still 2/3 of the plays by my count.  It won’t matter because the Vikings have Eric Kendricks and Anthony Barr that never come off the field anyway.  Chad Greenway is back for what I expect is his last year but after that Brothers can play MLB and Kendricks can take over Greenway’s spot and Brothers can sit on passing downs and just worry about dominating the run game.

Sleeper:  SS Jayron Kearse

The Vikings ignored their need at safety opposite Harrison Smith until the 7^th round where they grabbed Kearse.  He’s a long, rangy safety that isn’t as physical as you would hope for a SS but he just needs to add some bulk.  The Vikings signed veteran Michael Griffin from Tennessee and they have to hope he can hold up all year long but Kearse can make the team as a special teamer and bulk up and potentially replace Griffin next year.  He has some talent he just need some time.

Overall Analysis

I love the Treadwell and Brothers picks for sure.  CB Mackensie Alexander was a nice value pick as he slid into the second round and while he isn’t a major need right now because of Xavier Rhodes and Trae Waynes he will make a heck of a nickel corner and it never hurts to have three CBs.  Willie Beavers is a developmental OT but with all of the signings in the off season on the offensive line he may find it hard to crack the roster.  They already have starters LT Matt Kalil and RT Andre Smith plus Phil Loadholt and TJ Clemmings.   The kid from Germany Moritz Boehringer is a nice story but he’s a practice squad player at best.  Morgan and Weatherly are unlikely to crack the roster at TE and DE respectively so they may be practice squad guys too.

 

 

 

 

 

He are some quick thoughts and reactions to Friday’s NFL Draft festivities.  This is mostly about Friday (not as much about Thursday) and I’m not covering every pick.

• The Cleveland Browns traded down twice in the first round to pick up multiple draft picks in an effort to add players to a thin roster but just because they went for quantity doesn’t mean they didn’t get quality.  DEs Emmanuel Ogbah and Carl Nassib don’t seem like perfect fits in the 3-4 defense but new defensive coordinator Ray Horton will figure out how to use them both because he desperately needs to find a way to get pressure on the QB and these two are naturals at that.  OT Shon Coleman is a fantastic story after beating cancer and he fill a huge need.  They need to put him in at RT and give last year’s pick Cameron Erving the job at C, that would get the offensive line moving in the right direction.  The choice of QB Cody Kessler looked strange considering higher rated QBs were still on the board but I actually like Kessler because he brings one trait a lot of guys don’t have and that is great accuracy.  Will he challenge RGIII for the starting job? Maybe. Will he be a solid backup for a long time? Absolutely.
• The Titans went quantity too with DE Kevin Dodd, DT Austin Johnson and  RB Derrick Henry in round 2 and then S Kevin Byard at the top of round 3.  The got some good quality too.  Dodd gives them a pass rusher they need and while it may take a little while for him to transition to their defense his pass rushing skills will translate quickly.  Johnson is just what they need at NT and his presence should really help Jurrell Casey.  The Derrick Henry pick may look like a luxury after they traded for DeMarco Murray but Murray is coming off a bad year and he’s only ever stayed healthy once so Henry is a nice hedge against that bet.  Henry isn’t my favorite player but he’s well worth the 45th selection and could pay off huge.  I don’t know much about Byard, he’s a safety out of Middle Tennessee St., but I do know they Titans need safety help badly.
• I have no earthly idea what the Cowboys are doing but they bought the biggest lottery pick in this draft LB Jaylon Smith.  Smith’s knee injury may never heal and he may never be the player he was but before the injury he was one of the top 3 defensive players in this draft (Jalen Ramsey and Myles Jack were the other 2).  If by some miracle Smith’s knee makes a full recovery he’s a future NFL Defensive Player of the Year guy.  I’m happy for Smith and I do hope we someday get to see him at full strength because he’s fun to watch.  I like their 3rd round pick DT Maliek Collins as a player but they needed a pass rusher and there were still a couple of good ones left.
• Nice pickup by the Chargers to get the best TE in a weak TE class.  Hunter Henry will more than replace Ladarius Green’s production and he’ll really make Phillip Rivers happy.  Their 3rd round pick is a sleeper too, if Max Tuerk fully recovers from his ACL injury he’ll be the starting center sooner rather than later and they really need help there.
• Speaking of Jalen Ramsey and Myles Jack the Jaguars stopped Jack’s free fall with the fifth pick of the second round and now they have both of these guys.  If Jack is healthy the Jaguars just won the draft and they didn’t need to pick anyone else.  The Jaguars defense has been completely overhauled this off season and these two could be the foundation of some long term success if Jack makes a full recovery.  They didn’t stop either as they added a really nice pass rushing piece in Maryland’s Yannick Ngakoue.  He might be a one-trick pony but he does one hell of a trick.
• The Buccaneers finally pulled the trigger on DE Noah Spence and he may be just the pass rushing jolt they need.  Pairing him on the outside with inside stud DT Gerald McCoy should be dangerous, good value pick.  Then they turn around and trade back up into the end of the second round to grab Florida St. K Roberto Aguayo, seriously?  I know the league changed the extra point rules and I know Aguayo is a fantastic kicker but that team has way bigger issues to deal with than kicker and not only did they use a second round pick but they traded picks to get that pick.  I love their first two picks of CB Vernon Hargreaves and DE Noah Spence and if they would have been trading back into round 2 to grab S Vonn Bell I’d be singing their praises but a kicker, terrible use of picks.
• Love WR Sterling Sheppard to the Giants, if I were Victor Cruz I’d be worried about my job security.
• The Bills got great value at #41 with LB Reggie Ragland, kid is a beast.
• The Ravens did it again and got a good player that is a great fit in OLB Kamalei Correa who gives them the future OLB they need for when Terrell Suggs and Elvis Dumervil call it quits.
• I like the Raiders 3rd round pick DE Shilique Calhoun better than their 2nd round pick DE Jihad Ward.  Ward is still really raw and while Calhoun can play a little soft I think Jack Del Rio and Ken Norton Jr. can light a fire under him.
• The Lion’s are killing it in this draft.  OT Taylor Decker was a steal in round 1 now they add a huge steal at a major need position with DT A’Shawn Robinson and then they grabbed C Graham Glasgow in the third.  Two starting offensive linemen and a stud DT, that’s how you do it.
• The Saints loved themselves some Ohio St. Buckeyes in round 2 with WR Michael Thomas and S Vonn Bell.  Thomas is a fantastic replacement for Marques Colston and Drew Brees is going to love him.  Bell was excellent value and they need help in the secondary.  Bell may make former free agent mistake Jairus Byrd expended sooner rather than later.
• The Packers couldn’t pass up OT Jason Spriggs because he was just too much value and again Ted Thompson gets a very good prospect, Spriggs is a future starting LT.  Kyler Fackrell is an interesting 3rd rounder because he’s been a pass rushing OLB in college and we shall see what Dom Capers does with him because he has some interesting skills.
• The Seahawks lucked into DT Jarran Reed who is a perfect replacement for the departed Brandon Mebane.  Then they grabbed talented RB CJ Prosise who should complement Thomas Rawls well.  TE Nick Vannett is a good pickup if they decide to use more two TE sets and finally OL Rees Odhiambo is another piece along with 1st rounder Germain Ifedi for a rebuilding offensive line.
• I wasn’t in love with the Texans 1st round pick WR Will Fuller because he drops too many passes but 2nd rounder C Nick Martin is a great pickup.  Martin starts day one and he will really help Brock Osweiler’s transition.  3rd rounder WR Braxton Miller is great pickup as an offensive weapon.  He has a lot to learn about player WR but I actually like him better than Fuller.  If they find a way to get the ball in both these guys’ hands that offense could be scary with Lamar Miller at RB and DeAndre Hopkins leading the way at WR.
• As a Patriots fan I give the Jets choice of QB Christian Hackenberg an A+.  I just hope he doesn’t regain his freshman year at Penn St. abilities any time soon.  The choice of OLB Jordan Jenkins from Georgia is a way better pick than people are talking about.  Leonard Floyd got all the press clippings while Jenkins did all the dirty work.  He could be damn good playing for Todd Bowles.
• The Falcons 2nd round pick LB Deion Jones is a way better pickup than their 1st round reach S Keanu Neal.  3rd round TE Austin Hooper is solid choice.
• I can’t argue with the Redskins picks at all.  S/LB Su’a Cravens is a nice pickup in round 2 but 3rd CB Kendall Fuller is a frickin steal.  Once Fuller is fully recovered from his ACL injury he’s a star CB.  Pairing him and Josh Norman will be huge.
• Not a Mackensie Alexander fan but the Vikings got great value with him.
• The Bengals missed out on the first round WRs but they got Tyler Boyd in round 2 and that’s just as good in my book.  He’s a sleeper next season.
• The Packers stole Jason Spriggs right out from under the Bears so the Bears bailed out and traded down and still got a very good offensive lineman in Cody Whitehair but he isn’t the LT prospect they needed.  They did get a huge steal in the 3rd round with DL Jonathan Bullard.  He’s a tweener but Vic Fangio will find ways to attack offenses with his new toys 1st rounder Leonard Floyd and now Bullard.
• I didn’t like the Steelers 1st round pick CB Artie Burns but I love their 2nd round choice of S/CB Sean Davis.  I don’t think he’ll be a CB for them but he is going to be a fantastic S and they have needed one for a while.  3rd round DL Javon Hargrave is a nice fit and replaces Steve McClendon quite well.
• The Patriots took CB Cyrus Jones, he’s a good player I just hope he can overcome the Patriots CB drafting curse.  Then they traded the pick they got for Chandler Jones.  In the third round they took a versatile interior offensive lineman Joe Thuney (because they just don’t have enough of those) then they took QB Jacoby Brissett for some inexplicable reason.  DT Vincent Valentine was a nice pickup and should be a nice backup to free agent signee Terrance Knighton.  Don’t worry I’m used to being disappointed in the Patriots drafts.
• For some reason the Dolphins took Alabama backup RB Kenyon Drake in round 3, I know he’s fast but he’s rarely healthy and there were better players left.
• The Ohio St. Buckeyes dominated the first 3 rounds of the draft setting a record with 10 guys drafted in the first 3 rounds.  That’s 10 out of the 98 picks, that’s more than 10% from one school.
• Here are the guys I can’t believe are still available; DT Andrew Billings, ILB Kentrell Brothers, RB Devontae Booker and to a certain extent QB Connor Cook.  There has to be something in the background of Billings whether it’s an injury, a drug test issue or something else dropping him because he’s a very good player and should have gone already.  Brothers is held back by his limitation as just an ILB but he’s going to start for someone next year.  Booker is being held back by his injury.  I can believe Cook doesn’t wow anyone but for Kessler and Brissett to go before him is strange.  I’m not as shocked that Hackenberg was taken before Cook because he has superior physical traits but Kessler doesn’t and Brissett is not nearly ready to contribute like Cook will.