Houston Texans
(3) Derek Stingley Jr. CB LSU
(15) Kenyon Green OL Texas A&M
(37) Jalen Pitre S Baylor
(44) John Metchie III WR Alabama
(75) Christian Harris LB Alabama
(107) Dameon Pierce RB Florida
(150) Thomas Booker DE Stanford
(170) Teagan Quitoriano TE Oregon St.
(205) Austin Deculus OL LSU

Immediate Impact: CB Derek Stingley, OL Kenyon Green, S Jalen Pitre
The first three picks for the Texans will become immediate starters. Stingley and Pitre will make up half of the starting secondary with Stingley becoming CB1 and Pitre slotting in at free safety. Pitre will also pair well with Desmond King as either can play slot corner or line up like a safety and be used in different ways. Kenyon Green initially looks like a starter at OG but I’m not ruling him out at RT until they say he’s starting somewhere else. He might be their best option at LG, RG and RT so they just need to see who else fits where and find the best combination of five. Green is a road grader in the run game wherever he lines up so he’ll start somewhere.

Best Value: RB Dameon Pierce
Marlon Mack, Rex Burkhead, and Royce Freeman are the names on the depth chart for the Texans so they drafted Dameon Pierce in round four. Pierce is a bowling ball, he’s built low to the ground and he has a thick lower body, he doesn’t go down easily. Drafting a run blocker like Kenyon Green and a RB like Pierce tells you all you need to know about the offense the Texans plan to run. Pierce should end up the starter at some point this season.

Sleeper: LB Christian Harris
The Texans have Christian Kirksey penciled in as their starting MLB and while Kirksey has had a solid career, he’s turning 30 this year and hasn’t always been the picture of health. Harris is a little undersized but he’s lightening fast and athletic as hell. He can learn a lot from Kirksey and will replace him, probably sooner rather than later. Harris also has the benefit of being an Alabama defender, those guys are usually pretty good.

Overall Analysis
Derek Stingley Jr. might be the best CB in this draft, Kenyon Green is going to be a really good offensive lineman for a long time, and Jalen Pitre is a potential star at safety. The Texans took a shot on WR John Metchie III. He had a knee injury late in the season but he could be back by the beginning of next year. He may not be at his best right away but he can be a help to this WR corps. The Harris and Pierce picks are the type of middle round picks that can help turn around a bad roster. DE Thomas Booker and OL Austin Deculus are a couple of guys who could add depth on the lines but probably aren’t going to make a big difference. Teagan Quitoriano isn’t likely to move the needle at TE either.

Indianapolis Colts
(53) Alec Pierce WR Cincinnati
(73) Jelani Woods TE Virginia
(77) Bernhard Raimann OL Central Michigan
(96) Nick Cross S Maryland
(159) Eric Johnson DL Missouri St.
(192) Andrew Ogletree TE Youngstown St.
(216) Curtis Brooks DL Cincinnati
(239) Rodney Thomas II LB Yale

Immediate Impact: WR Alec Pierce
The Colts traded for Matt Ryan so he should be here too but more importantly, they drafted a WR for him to use. It was basically Michael Pittman Jr. and a whole lot of nothing. T.Y. Hilton is still a free agent but he’s been injured and ineffective for a couple of years now. Pierce fits the size/athleticism combo the Colts like. He’s 6’3 213 lbs. of pure athlete. He needs to work on his route running but it’s not like the Colts have someone else who’s going to hold him off from starting opposite Pittman.

Best Value: OL Bernhard Raimann
Raimann was getting some first-round buzz late in the draft process but that was always a bit overblown. He’s little older of a prospect but he came to the game late so he’s still learning. He’s actually technically sound but he’s only been a lineman for a couple of years so his size and playing strength need to catch up. There’s a chance the Colts give him a shot at LT given their lack of options at the position so he could end up the starter there. I would advise signing a stopgap veteran like Duane Brown or Eric Fisher and giving Raimann a chance to develop but that might not happen.

Sleeper: S Nick Cross
The Colts have a way of finding safeties that aren’t highly rated and turning them into quality starters. Maybe that will be harder with out some of the defensive staff they lost when Matt Eberflus left to take the head coaching job in Chicago but let’s assume they can still do it. Cross is long, athletic, and fast and he should fit their scheme quite well. They aren’t very deep so he should get some time and he could be ready to take over as a starter in a year or two.

Overall Analysis
They traded away their first-round pick last year to get Carson Wentz, that went poorly. They had to trade away more picks to get Matt Ryan to make up for that mistake. It’s going to take a toll on their roster at some point. They need to hit on as many picks as they can and they got some solid ones. Pierce needs refinement but he has a high upside. TE Jelani Woods is an intriguing prospect as a huge athletic guy much like a guy they already have Mo Alie-Cox. They should know how to use him. They doubled up at TE in round six with Andrew Ogletree, another really tall guy who can be a weapon in the pass game, although he doesn’t block much at all. Raimann and Cross were third-round picks with Woods and they need to hit on those guys because that’s how they make up for not having higher picks due to all those QB trades. DL Eric Johnson, DL Curtis Brooks and LB Rodney Thomas II are all depth pieces for the defense that will have to fight to make the roster.

Jacksonville Jaguars
(1) Travon Walker OLB Georgia
(27) Devin Lloyd LB Utah
(65) Luke Fortner OL Kentucky
(70) Chad Muma LB Wyoming
(154) Snoop Conner RB Ole Miss
(197) Gregory Junior CB Ouachita Baptist
(222) Montaric Brown CB Arkansas

Immediate Impact: OLB Travon Walker, LB Devin Lloyd, C Luke Fortner
I’m a little apprehensive about what’s going to happen with Travon Walker. He’s a fantastic athlete but the Jaguars are planning on running a base 3-4 defense and having Walker be one of the pass rushing OLBs. That’s a fine plan for Josh Allen but Walker isn’t a refined pass rusher and now he’s going to be asked to be a standup LB. He’s going to have an impact, I just hope for his sake, it’s a good impact. Lloyd will be a stud at LB and they can use him as in ILB and blitz him from there, or he can play OLB too. Fortner gets the unenviable task of being a rookie starting center on an offensive line that has some questions. Hopefully for his sake, Brandon Scherff is healthy and lining up next to him at RG, that would ease his transition.

Best Value: Fortner
One of the reasons teams don’t normally take offensive guards and centers in round one is because guys like Fortner are almost always available in the middle rounds. Fortner can be a starter, and while he doesn’t necessarily project as a future Pro Bowler like a Tyler Linderbaum, he will get the job done for quite some time. The Jaguars needed interior offensive line help even after signing Brandon Scherff at RG and Fortner is a starter and they got in the third round.

Sleeper: LB Chad Muma
The Jaguars drafted Devin Lloyd and signed Foye Oluokun in free agency so they have two starting ILB, however, don’t sleep on Muma. He’s a three-down LB who can give Oluokun a breather or play for Lloyd if they want to use Lloyd outside at certain times. Muma was perhaps a luxury pick since they didn’t really need a LB but he was too good to pass on where they got him. He has starter potential down the line.

Overall Analysis
The Jaguars first four picks are good players. Walker, Lloyd, Fortner, and Muma all have starting potential and the first three should start right away. I’m a bit worried about how they plan to use Walker but I have more faith in Doug Pederson and his coaching staff than I had in the last Jags coaching staff. Walker was a big bet on a lottery ticket but if he lives up to his potential, he can be a franchise defining defender. Lloyd is going to be a stud early and while they had to pay a little draft capital to move up for him, he will make a difference on that defense. Fortner and Muma are third rounders who can really help this roster, this team needs talent.

RB Snoop Conner is a bigger back with some pop but he doesn’t have great speed. James Robinson and Travis Etienne would be ahead of him on the depth chart but they are both coming back from injury. There isn’t much else at RB so Conner will have every opportunity to show what he can do. The two CBs that were the last two picks are going to find it difficult to get snaps considering the team has Tyson Campbell, Shaquill Griffin, Darious Williams, and Tre Herndon ahead of them. Nice prospects but not great players.

Tennessee Titans
(18) Treylon Burks WR Arkansas
(35) Roger McCreary CB Auburn
(69) Nicholas Petit-Frere OT Ohio St.
(86) Malik Willis QB Liberty
(131) Hassan Haskins RB Michigan
(143) Chigoziem Okonkwo TE Maryland
(163) Kyle Philips WR UCLA
(204) Theo Jackson S Tennessee
(219) Chance Campbell LB Ole Miss

Immediate Impact: WR Treylon Burks
The Titans traded AJ Brown to the Eagles and then used the pick they got from Philly to immediately draft Brown’s replacement. Burks is a similar body style and should be able to do a number of things Brown did, he’ll just need some time to learn the offense. I love Burks and his power game should match Tennessee’s preferences just fine.

Best Value: QB Malik Willis
I probably dislike Willis as much as a prospect as anyone, he’s really raw and I never thought he was all that great. That said, he has loads of potential. He’s a great athlete with a plus arm and now he’s a third-round pick instead of a first-round pick which takes the pressure off. He has time to develop his game and he could be a starter is two or three years. If the Titans got their future starting QB in round three, that’s good value.

Sleepers: RB Hassan Haskins, WR Kyle Philips
The Titans rely heavily on the ground game and while they found some stopgap replacements for Derrick Henry last year when he was hurt, that’s a bad plan moving forward. Haskins is a big back with the type of power they like and while he may not have elite breakaway speed, he’s the best backup RB they have had in quite some time. He has a legitimate chance to be Henry’s eventual replacement too, Henry can’t play forever.

Philips is the quintessential slot receiver. He’s not big, he’s not all that fast, but he’s great inside and he’s fearless. Too many of these guys have thrived in the NFL and he can be the next one. He played in Chip Kelly’s UCLA offense so he needs to work on his route running but they can coach him up.

Overall Analysis
They made a major move trading AJ Brown and they are putting a lot of stock in Treylon Burks being the guy to replace him. I like Burks but Brown was a veteran who had really developed into a top WR. It’s a big ask. CB Roger McCreary is a guy I really like. He was a three-year starter in the SEC and top-notch cover guy the whole time. The knock on him was he has short arms, the WRs in the SEC thought his arms were plenty long. OT Nicholas Petit-Frere looks the part of a top OT but he just doesn’t play like one. For a guy his size he gets handled pretty regularly by defensive linemen, he has some serious work to do to be an NFL lineman. QB Malik Willis is another guy who looks the part, he’s fast, athletic, and can throw the football a mile. However, he’s really raw, pulls the ball down too quickly, and doesn’t read defenses all that well. He’s a work in progress.

I love the Haskins pick for the Titans, he’s a great fit. TE Chigoziem Okonkwo is the type of H-back/TE the Titans love. You have to like the commitment this franchise has to their sort of player. Philips is the exact type of slot receiver you take in the fifth round and he catches 70 passes in about three years. Theo Jackson is a solid backup safety prospect and they could use one of those. LB Chance Campbell is an athletic guy who’s limited in what he does. He’s probably a practice squad guy.

Atlanta Falcons
(8) Drake London WR USC
(38) Arnold Ebiketie OLB Penn St.
(58) Troy Andersen LB Montana St.
(74) Desmond Ridder QB Cincinnati
(82) DeAngelo Malone OLB Western Kentucky
(151) Tyler Allgeier RB BYU
(190) Justin Shaffer OL Georgia
(213) John FitzPatrick TE Georgia

Immediate Impact: WR Drake London, OLB Arnold Ebiketie
I am admittedly not the biggest Drake London fan but compared to the rest of the WR corps in Atlanta he might as well be Jerry Rice. He’ll be a starter and he will be the most productive WR on the team. He may not light up the league but that will largely be due to his QB who will either be Marcus Mariota or rookie Desmond Ridder. Ebiketie is likely to start at OLB and be their top pass rusher. That’s not setting the bar very high on this team considering their other top edge rusher is free agent pickup Lorenzo Carter. These are good players who are in situations where they will be relied upon.

Best Value: QB Desmond Ridder
He was the one QB in this class that I actually kind of liked, that’s high praise in this group. He was the second QB off the board and it didn’t come until round three. He’s got plenty of talent to work with and the only guy standing in his way of being the starter is Marcus Mariota. People have pointed out that Mariota played in Arthur Smith’s offense in Tennessee so he has familiarity, but he also got benched for Ryan Tannehill while playing in that offense. Ridder could be their starter.

Sleeper: RB Tyler Allgeier
I could have gone with Troy Andersen or DeAngelo Malone but Allgeier has a shot here to really make a difference. Cordarrelle Patterson emerged last year as an unexpected RB for them but he’s 31 and probably not the long-term solution. They signed Damien Williams and he’s a solid back but he’s 30 and not really a full-time back. Allgeier has good size, he’s a great scheme fit, and he’s a pretty talented guy. He’s not going to win a lot of foot races but he’s a good back that they can count on. I think he plays more this year than people think and he could be good long-term.

Overall Analysis
While Drake London wasn’t my favorite receiver in the draft, he’s a talented guy who is going to have a lot of opportunities. Ebiketie is in the same boat, not the best edge rusher in this draft but he’s going to have every opportunity to make plays for this defense. LB Troy Andersen is a great athlete who is just scratching the surface as a LB because he has only been playing the position for a few years. He could end up making Deion Jones or Rashaad Evans expendable very soon. Ridder was worth the gamble in round three, at worst he’s a high-end backup for the next decade.

DeAngelo Malone is another small school guy like Andersen but he could actually have immediate value as a pass rush specialist. He’s a little skinny but he plays with power and has plenty of pass rushing talent. Allgeier has a chance to be the RB on this team now and into the future. OL Justin Shaffer is an interior offensive lineman who’s a little limited but the team doesn’t have a lot of depth so he could make the roster. TE John FitzPatrick is a blocking TE who has a steep hill to climb but maybe his blocking gets him noticed.

Carolina Panthers
(6) Ikem Ekwonu OT North Carolina St.
(94) Matt Corral QB Ole Miss
(120) Brandon Smith LB Penn St.
(189) Amare Barno DE Virginia Tech
(199) Cade Mays OG Tennessee
(242) Kalon Barnes CB Baylor

Immediate Impact: OT Ikem Ekwonu
My favorite OT in the draft was Ekwonu, he’s not just a huge upgrade at LT from a skill perspective, he brings the nasty demeanor an offensive line needs. He has some work to do in pass protection but it’s all coachable, he’s a monster as a run blocker. Christian McCaffrey will love running behind this guy and whomever lines up at QB will be a lot safer.

Best Value: QB Matt Corral
I didn’t love the QB class when people were talking about these guys in round one but it’s hard to argue with taking a shot in round three. When your QB depth chart is Sam Darnold and PJ Walker, it’s almost required to take a shot. Corral has his flaws but he has plenty of upside and at worst, he’s your backup for the next four years. At his best, he replaces Sam Darnold as your starter during training camp, that’s good value.

Sleepers: DE Amare Barno, OG Cade Mays
The Panthers actually took two guys in round six that could turn out to be real players. Barno is a bit skinny for a DE but he’s got great speed, he knows how to set the edge against the run and if he learns some actual pass rush moves, look out. He has some work to do but the talent is there. Mays was a highly recruited offensive lineman who has some questionable injury history but he can be a beast. He’s likely an OG and the Panthers aren’t stacked there. They signed Bradley Bozeman at center and Austin Corbett for one guard spot but the rest of the roster isn’t scaring off Mays. He could do what his former Tennessee teammate Trey Smith did in Kansas City last year. Come in as a late round draft pick and beat out some veterans for the starting job. If he’s lining up at LG next to Ekwonu, Christian McCaffrey will find plenty of running room to the left.

Overall Analysis
The Panthers didn’t have their full complement of picks because they traded for Sam Darnold. They did the smart thing and took the LT they desperately needed in Ekwonu and he should be the long-term solution there. I really like that they also took Cade Mays in round six. His medicals certainly pushed him down a bit and he probably never really lived up to his recruiting hype but he’s a player. I could see Ekwonu and Mays ending up the starting left side of the Panthers offensive line this year. They made a move to trade a pick next year to get into the round three and grab Matt Corral as he was falling. It may prove to be costly but I think it was worth the gamble.

They moved up a bit to get LB Brandon Smith and that was less bold but also worth it. I’m not willing to hand Smith a starting job but beyond Shaq Thompson the LB depth chart is pretty fluid. Barno is a pretty good prospect to get in round six. He could end up just a pass rush specialist at DE or he could play some LB, he’s got good physical gifts. Speaking of physical gifts, CB Kalon Barnes was the fastest man at the combine. He doesn’t play as fast as his track speed and he’s a bit underdeveloped but Carolina has the ability to be patient with him.

New Orleans Saints
(11) Chris Olave WR Ohio St.
(19) Trevor Penning OT Northern Iowa
(49) Alontae Taylor CB Tennessee
(161) D’Marco Jackson LB Appalachian St.
(194) Jordan Jackson DE Air Force

Immediate Impact: WR Chris Olave, OT Trevor Penning
The Saints got aggressive before the draft and they kept it up during the draft by moving up to get Olave. He’s a great complement to Michael Thomas (assuming Thomas plays this year) and he’s the best #2 WR they have had in a long time. He’ll make Jameis Winston a better QB. Penning fills the LT spot vacated by Terron Armstead. Those are big shoes to fill but Penning doesn’t have to be everything Armstead was. He just has to be one piece of the puzzle for their very good offensive line.

Best Value: None
The Saints made some moves to get up and get Olave and Penning about where they were supposed to go or a little higher. None of the other picks were valued higher than they went.

Sleeper: LB D’Marco Jackson
Jackson is an undersized LB out of a small school who’s very smart and great leader. He’s basically Demario Davis 2.0, and now he gets to learn directly from Davis. Davis is 33 so he’s not going to be around forever and it is completely possible Jackson becomes his eventual replacement. He’s a good player who can be a starter eventually.

Overall Analysis
The Saints think they at least have a chance to compete for a playoff spot in the NFC and it’s hard to argue against them, the NFC isn’t exactly deep. They made some bold moves to fill some major holes with Olave at WR and Penning at LT. If they work out (and Jameis Winston is solid) they can be a playoff team. The moves cost them a chance to get more picks but they made the most of the guys they got. CB Alontae Taylor is a solid depth piece at CB and he has some potential to be a starter if needed. D’Marco Jackson isn’t going to change the defense this year, but he’s got potential. Jordan Jackson is a depth piece on a defensive line, which they need.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers
(33) Logan Hall DL Houston
(57) Luke Goedeke OL Central Michigan
(91) Rachaad White RB Arizona St.
(106) Cade Otton TE Washington
(133) Jake Camarda P Georgia
(157) Zyon McCollum CB Sam Houston St.
(218) Ko Kieft TE Minnesota
(248) Andre Anthony OLB LSU

Immediate Impact: DL Logan Hall
Tampa Bay hasn’t brought back Ndamukong Suh even though he’s still available as a free agent. He’s basically aged out and Hall is his likely replacement at DE on their three-man line. Hall is a bit of a tweener on the defensive line which makes him a solid fit at end. He isn’t going to light it up as a pass rusher but he’s a good player that fills big need.

Best Value: Hall
The Buccaneers traded down with Jacksonville to pick up extra draft capital and still took the guy they probably would have taken in round one. Hall was a late one/early two type of prospect but it’s always a good idea to get value if you can and the extra draft capital plus the player you want is the best of both worlds.

Sleeper: RB Rachaad White
They lost Ronald Jones, Giovani Bernard will be 31 this season, and Leonard Fournette shouldn’t have to play every down. White wasn’t the biggest name at RB but he’s a good prospect. He’s a good pass catcher out of the backfield and he has Tom Brady as his QB, he loves pass catchers out of the backfield. It may not happen this year for White if Fournette and Bernard stay healthy but that’s far from a given. He’s a solid bet to be a good back for this team at some point.

Overall Analysis
The Buccaneers have Tom Brady coming back which means they are going for it. They moved down a bit to get extra draft capital and then started filling holes. Hall will be a starter right away at DE. OL Luke Goedeke is a small school prospect who gives them some versatility but also has the potential to be a starter inside at OG right away. White brings value moving forward. TE Cade Otton is an intriguing prospect for a team that doesn’t have Rob Gronkowski back and could use his blocking. Otton is a solid pass catcher but he will bring a lot of value as a blocker and that’s where they are going to miss Gronk the most if he doesn’t return.

They drafted a punter in round four which is a little high but Camarda should start for them. On a team with only a few major holes to fill I won’t hold the punter pick against them too much. I like the Zyon McCollum pick a lot, he’s got a lot of upside. He’s 6’4 and very athletic. Under Todd Bowles tutelage, he could really excel. They doubled down on blocking TEs with Ko Kieft from Minnesota, he’s basically a small tackle. Andre Anthony is a pass rushing LB prospect from LSU I don’t see making this roster.

Arizona Cardinals
(55) Trey McBride TE Colorado St.
(87) Cameron Thomas DE San Diego St.
(100) Myjai Sanders DE Cincinnati
(201) Keaontay Ingram RB USC
(215) Lecitus Smith OL Virginia Tech
(244) Christian Matthew CB Valdosta St.
(256) Jesse Luketa LB Penn St.
(257) Marquis Hayes OL Oklahoma

Immediate Impact: WR Marquise Brown

The Cardinals traded their first-round pick to the Ravens for Brown, an inexplicable move if there ever was one. They did get the 100th overall pick too but this was a short-sighted move by a team with no plan. Brown goes to a team that will throw more and he’ll have to fill in as the #1 WR while DeAndre Hopkins is suspended. He’s a one-trick pony with his speed and they will regret this decision. He will put up some numbers but it won’t be because he’s good.

Best Value: DE Cameron Thomas
I thought Thomas was a second-round worthy and they Cardinals got him in round three. He can rush from multiple positions on the line and they desperately need pass rushing help. He has the size to line up in a couple of different positions on their defense and hopefully they can find him advantageous matchups.

Sleeper: OL Marquis Hayes
Somehow Hayes fell all the way to the seventh round. He’s not a great athlete and most think he will move inside to guard which would be fine if that’s what happens. Justin Pugh will be 32 and Will Hernandez has had an underwhelming career so far, there’s potential to play at OG. However, I wouldn’t count out Hayes at RT either. He has the length to play the position and Kelvin Beachem is going to be 33 this year. Hayes’ biggest issue is he plays too high, that’s a correctable problem with proper coaching.

Overall Analysis
Trading a first-round pick for Marquise Brown was a poor allocation of resources. They already have DeAndre Hopkins (even if he is suspended to start the season) and they will eventually have to pay Brown to keep him. They already pay Hopkins a ton and they have Rondale Moore. Brown is a luxury and he’s not worth as much as they will end up paying him (if they don’t pay him, they traded a first-round pick for a short-term WR). Then they went for another luxury by taking TE Trey McBride after they already paid Zach Ertz this off season. I like McBride but I would like him better on a team where he isn’t the fifth or sixth option in the passing game.

They went back-to-back DEs next with Cam Thomas and Myjai Sanders which fills a huge need. They need to get more pressure on the QB. Thomas is the bigger guy and can play more downs. Sanders is skinny but he has plenty of real pass rush skill and if they use him as a pass rush specialist to start, he will excel. After Sanders they had to wait 100 picks and then they took RB Keaontay Ingram from USC. I’m not sure he’s great but in round six you’re just looking for upside, he’s a great athlete with size. James Connor isn’t always the picture of health and Ingram adds the size Eno Benjamin lacks. OL Lecitus Smith is offensive line depth without the upside of Hayes. Christian Matthew is a bet on a big, athletic corner turning into something. Jesse Luketa is another pass rush specialist they are hoping works out.

Los Angeles Rams
(104) Logan Bruss OL Wisconsin
(142) Decobie Durant CB South Carolina St.
(164) Kyren Williams RB Notre Dame
(211) Quentin Lake S UCLA
(212) Derion Kendrick CB Georgia
(235) Daniel Hardy DE Montana St.
(253) Russ Yeast S Kansas St.
(261) AJ Arcuri OL Michigan St.

Immediate Impact: None
The Rams trade away their top draft picks every year. I suppose I could count Matt Stafford and Von Miller, they already helped the Rams win a Super Bowl, so that’s impact.

Best Value: RB Kyren Williams
Williams was a highly productive RB at Notre Dame both as a runner and a pass catcher. He fell to round five because he ran his 40 time like he was in slow motion. He’s not that slow and on the field and he’s quite elusive. Given the injury history the Rams have at the RB position Williams is great depth. He can be highly useful.

Sleeper: S Quentin Lake
The Rams don’t have a lot of needs right now but S Taylor Rapp isn’t signed long-term and they don’t have a lot of safety depth. Lake was a productive player at UCLA and he has great genes (his father is Carnell Lake). He has some things to work on but he won’t be counted on to be more than some depth this season but he has some upside moving forward.

Overall Analysis
The Rams don’t count on their drafts too heavily so these picks are mostly depth and some developmental guys. They took Logan Bruss, a guard out of Wisconsin, with their first pick in round three. Drafting a Wisconsin offensive lineman is usually a solid choice. He could compete for snaps inside where they lost Austin Corbett in the off season but they have veterans Bobby Evans and David Edwards. They bookended their draft with AJ Arcuri, an offensive lineman who’s gigantic but he isn’t making this roster. RB Kyren Williams was arguably their best pick.

They went heavy on secondary players. Decobie Durant is a tall, thin CB with some upside. S Quentin Lake is a pretty good prospect. CB Derion Kendrick was a potential top prospect who has some off the fields issues and he isn’t perfect on the field either. Now he’ll have a chip on his shoulder which could be a good thing, or a horrible thing. Russ Yeast is an undersized guy who could be a CB or a safety but is going to struggle to stick here. DE Daniel Hardy is a small school athlete who needs plenty of development.

San Francisco 49ers
(61) Drake Jackson LB USC
(93) Tyrion Davis-Price RB LSU
(105) Danny Gray WR SMU
(134) Spencer Burford OL Texas-San Antonio
(172) Samuel Womack CB Toledo
(187) Nick Zakelj OL Fordham
(220) Kalia Davis DL Central Florida
(221) Tariq Castro-Fields CB Penn St.
(262) Brock Purdy QB Iowa St.

Immediate Impact: QB Trey Lance
Well, it won’t be immediate because he was drafted last year. The 49ers traded their first-round pick in this draft to move up last season to take Trey Lance. He played in a few games last year when Jimmy G was hurt and he never looked ready to play. They hope he’s ready this year but they haven’t traded Jimmy G yet, so the jury is still out.

Best Value: WR Danny Gray
Regardless of what happens with Deebo Samuel Gray brings value because he’s not like the other receivers on this roster. Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk are the top guys and they are both better underneath and running after the catch. Gray is a deep speed guy who takes the top off the defense, they don’t have that guy. He can help move the safeties back and make more room for the running game, Aiyuk, and Samuel if he doesn’t get traded.

Sleeper: OL Spencer Burford
I think it’s a copout to go with the RB for the 49ers, also I’m not convinced he’s going to be great. Burford is light and mobile and looks like he was built in the Shanahan offensive lineman lab. They need some help at OG and Burford could be a guy they turn into a starter sooner rather than later. He seems like a solid sleeper choice.

Overall Analysis
Their first pick was second rounder Drake Jackson, an edge player from USC. He played a couple of different positions at USC and gained and lost weight depending on how they wanted to use him. Now he can focus on being a defensive end and getting his weight up where it needs to be and staying there. He’s a talented pass rusher who just needs a little consistency from his coaching staff and he should excel. He’s going to be buried a bit on the depth chart but the 49ers will figure out ways to use him. RB Tyrion Davis-Price is tough to pick against considering all RBs excel in Shanahan’s offense. However, I’m not a huge fan and I think they reached a bit. It’s possible his talent was hidden by the dumpster fire that was LSU football last year, but I feel like there were better RBs available. Love the Danny Gray pick, he fills a big need as a downfield guy.

They took a couple of small school offensive linemen; I would have liked to see them grab some guys who might be ready to help sooner. I’m not sure CB Samuel Womack is going to help as much as Tariq Castro-Fields who went about 50 picks later. Castro-Fields played against big time competition in the Big Ten. DT Kalia Davis is going to have a hard time making this team, there’s a lot of talent on the defensive line. QB Brock Purdy, Mr. Irrelevant, was an odd pick considering the team hasn’t traded Jimmy G yet. They have Trey Lance, Jimmy G, and Nate Sudfeld, they must have really wanted Purdy to be their practice squad QB next year.

Seattle Seahawks
(9) Charles Cross OT Mississippi St.
(40) Boye Mafe DE Minnesota
(41) Kenneth Walker III RB Michigan St.
(72) Abraham Lucas OT Washington St.
(109) Coby Bryant CB Cincinnati
(153) Tariq Woolen CB Texas-San Antonio
(158) Tyreke Smith DE Ohio St.
(229) Bo Melton WR Rutgers
(233) Dareke Young WR Lenoir-Rhyne

Immediate Impact: OT Charles Cross, OT Abraham Lucas, DE Boye Mafe, CB Coby Bryant
The Seahawks desperately needed OTs and they went out and drafted two starters. Charles Cross was, at worst, the third best OT in this draft and they took him with the ninth pick. He’s only played LT and now he’ll start at LT for Seattle. They came back around in round three and took Abraham Lucas, a RT from Washington St, who has only played RT, now he starts at RT. I don’t care if they think one of their veterans might hold these guys off, they won’t. I’m pretty certain Boye Mafe won’t start but he might already be the best pure pass rusher on this team. I was never his biggest fan but measuring him against guys like Darrell Taylor or LJ Collier and he becomes a lot better looking as an edge rusher. Bryant is the guy who started opposite Ahmad Gardner at Cincinnati and he took everyone’s best because no one wanted to throw at Gardner. He was so good he won the Thorpe award. He’s not an elite athlete but he’s a really good CB and the Seahawks don’t have a lot of those. Even if he doesn’t start, he’ll play a lot.

Best Value: Bryant
I understand that Bryant doesn’t test out athletically like some of the top CBs but getting him in round four is crazy. He’s a starting caliber CB in the NFL, that’s good value.

Sleeper: DE Tyreke Smith
He’s purely a situational pass rusher for now but this team needs all the pass rush they can get so he’s going to play. He doesn’t defend the run well and he’s not long like you want your pass rushers. However, he can get to the QB and that’s a skill every team needs more of. He’s not all that consistent in what he does but that what coaching is for and if they can unlock his talent a bit, he’s going to be good.

Overall Analysis
I love the fact that for the first time in a long time the Seahawks spent some real draft capital on the offensive line and got two good OTs (Russell Wilson has to be pissed they waited until they traded him to do this). I do love both Cross and Lucas but I do have one major concern. The Seahawks generally want to be a power running team and with Drew Lock slated to start at QB it seems they would want to lean into the even more. The problem is Cross and Lucas are both from pass happy schemes and they have plenty of work to do as run blockers. It’s one of the more puzzling draft fits in recent years. I never like the idea of Mafe as a first rounder but he went in round two and that was about right.

Seattle doubled down on their power running game taking Kenneth Walker III. I don’t think it bodes well for what they think of Chris Carson’s health and Rashaad Penny is on a one-year deal. Walker could be their starting RB in a year. Coby Bryant is the polished, ready to play CB while Tariq Woolen is the uber-athlete who needs a lot of coaching. Woolen is a unicorn if he works out, he’s a 6’4 CB. DE Tyreke Smith has serious upside. If he outplays Mafe I won’t be the least bit surprised. WR Bo Melton is a gadget guy and I might actually take him over D’Wayne Eskridge, the WR they drafted in round two last year (Melton was a seventh rounder). Dareke Young is a huge WR out of a small school, he’s not making this team unless the Seahawks really give up on Eskridge this soon.

Buffalo Bills
(23) Kaiir Elam CB Florida
(63) James Cook RB Georgia
(89) Terrel Bernard LB Baylor
(148) Khalil Shakir WR Boise St.
(180) Matt Araiza P San Diego St.
(185) Christian Benford CB Villanova
(209) Luke Tenuta OL Virginia Tech
(231) Baylon Spector LB Clemson

Immediate Impact: CB Kaiir Elam
This Bills roster was pretty complete going into the draft with one notable exception, CB. Elam was a guy they wanted and they moved up a couple of spots to get him. He will immediately start opposite Tre’Davious White and I think he’s an upgrade over Levi Wallace. They have needed a second CB for years, now they have a really good one.

Best Value: WR Khalil Shakur
Shakur was a highly productive player for Boise St. for a few years and there were plenty of people who thought he was a day two pick. The depth of the WR position and a few teams reaching for other players pushed him down and the Bills stole him in round five. I doubt the Bills had any intention of drafting a slot receiver but Shakur was just too much value in round five and they couldn’t pass him up anymore.

Sleeper: Shakur
I only call him a sleeper because he may not be very productive this season and we may have to wait a few years to see him really blossom. Shakur is best in the slot and the Bills signed Jamison Crowder, who is a master in the slot, and they brought back Isaiah McKenzie, who was really good there last year too. Crowder is only on a one-year deal so Shakur will have to wait his turn.

Overall Analysis
The Bills roster is pretty stacked so they went into the draft with very few needs. The big one was CB and they wanted Kaiir Elam and they got him. Elam is a tall CB and yet it doesn’t hinder his lateral quickness or ability to turn and run, that’s why he’s so good in coverage. He’s an immediate starter and he has potential to be an elite corner. The James Cook pick may have been a bit early and he was the third RB off the board. The Bills decided not to go for a bigger back and doubled down on the smaller, speedy pass catching back. Cook is that guy but I would have gone with the big back just to try to save some of the short yardage wear-and-tear on Josh Allen. They use Allen as that guy and I would want to save him from those hits. I would also say LB Terrel Bernard was an odd pick. They need LB depth but Bernard is a bit undersized but I guess they did decide to get a different type at LB from what they have, he’s the anti-Tremaine Edmunds.

WR Khalil Shakur was a great value pick and while he may be a bit player this year, he’s a great future asset. I’m usually against picking punters and kickers but I seem to be coming around because I don’t mind this punter pick either. Matt Araiza is known as the “punt god” out of San Diego St. and while he was the third punter taken, he was great value in round six. Araiza isn’t a nuanced punter; he basically just launches it every time with no regard for direction or hang time. That’s fine, the Bills are desperate for a punter and his big leg will be good for weather and wind in Buffalo. CB Christian Benford is small school guy who will struggle to make this roster. They need help at CB but probably not that badly. OL Luke Tenuta is a practice squad guy and so is LB Baylon Spector.

Miami Dolphins
(102) Channing Tindall LB Georgia
(125) Erik Ezukanma WR Texas Tech
(224) Cameron Goode LB California
(247) Skylar Thompson QB Kansas St.

Immediate Impact: WR Tyreek Hill
The Dolphins basically traded away this draft for Tyreek Hill. He going to make for a dynamic duo with Jaylen Waddle if Tua Tagovailoa can play well enough to use them. He’s arguably the most dynamic playmaker in the NFL and the Dolphins are swinging big to become a playoff team now.

Best Value: None
They had four picks in this draft and none of them are of particular value. They also gave up a bunch of draft capital to get Tyreek so it’s hard to say what the value of that was until we see if they are a competent team with him.

Sleeper: LB Channing Tindall
Tindall is a superior athlete who wasn’t really even a starter for Georgia and was maybe the ninth best player on that defense. You can’t teach a guy to be the athlete Tindall is so maybe the Dolphins coaching staff can refine him and find a role for him. There’s not a lot to choose from here so forgive me.

Overall Analysis
The Dolphins clearly went for win-now mode trading lots of draft capital this year and in future years to get Tyreek Hill and pay him a lot of money. Hill and Waddle can be one of the best WR duos in the NFL but it won’t matter if Tua can’t put it all together. The four-man draft class is of virtually no consequence and at best they are some backups and special teams’ players. They even wasted their seventh-round pick on QB Skylar Thompson who’s a scout team guy if he’s at his best. This is the Tyreek Hill draft, plain and simple.

New England Patriots
(29) Cole Strange OL Tennessee-Chattanooga
(50) Tyquan Thornton WR Baylor
(85) Marcus Jones CB Houston
(121) Jack Jones CB Arizona St.
(127) Pierre Strong Jr. RB South Dakota St.
(137) Bailey Zappe QB Western Kentucky
(183) Kevin Harris RB South Carolina
(200) Sam Roberts DL Northwest Missouri St.
(210) Chasen Hines OL LSU
(245) Andrew Stueber OL Michigan

Immediate Impact: OG Cole Strange
The worst pick of the first round goes to Bill Belichick, no surprise there. Belichick likes his guys and doesn’t give a damn about value. Strange better win one of the starting OG jobs but this pick only makes sense from a value standpoint if Strange ends up becoming their starting LT at some point. That’s hard to see right now.

Best Value: Haha
Belichick doesn’t know the meaning of draft value. He basically took every player at least a round too early, some more than that.

Sleeper: OT Andrew Stueber
It’s probably not great that the player I like the most in this class is the seventh-round guy they took as the 245th player in the draft. Stueber is a giant human at 6’7 338 lbs. and I have to assume he’s insurance against Trent Brown getting hurt again. The line really struggled when Brown went down and while Stueber isn’t quite as big as Brown (I know, that’s scary), he would be an upgrade as the backup RT. He may need a little coaching but I think Stueber could become a late round steal on the offensive line.

Overall Analysis
Overall, I hate this draft. Cole Strange might become the starting LG but you can find starting guards later in the draft. They traded back from 21st overall when Trent McDuffie was still on the board and they needed CB help. Clearly, they weren’t turned off by McDuffie’s lack of size because they drafted two undersized CBs later in the draft. Then they took Tyquan Thornton to be their deep threat, I only like this move if it means they trade away Nelson Agholor after his rough year last year. Thornton certainly brings the deep speed they’ve needed for years but he’s a skinny WR with small hands, I think he went a round too early. Romeo Doubs went in round four and I think he has a chance to be just as good of a deep threat.
They took Marcus Jones, a 5’8 175 lbs. corner in round three when guys like Coby Bryant and Jalyn Armour-Davis were still available. Then they doubled up on the small CBs with Jack Jones in round four. Belichick can’t stop collecting short CBs named Jones (Jonathan Jones is already on the roster). They needed CB depth but it would have been nice to get one big, outside CB prospect so you don’t have to count on Malcolm Butler and Jalen Mills there. He may have looked at his division and said small, fast CBs are great against Jaylen Waddle, Tyreek Hill, Stefon Diggs and Garrett Wilson. However, if you want to compete in the AFC you have to go up against Keenan Allen and Mike Williams with the Chargers, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and JuJu Smith-Schuster in Kansas City, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins in Cincinnati, not to mention Amari Cooper, Devante Adams, and Courtland Sutton; all guys on playoff contenders in the AFC. The Joneses are going to struggle to keep up.

Pierre Strong Jr. wasn’t a bad pick in round four if he can make the jump from South Dakota St. and eventually replace James White. The pick of QB Bailey Zappe in round four was puzzling. He’s the third QB at best (assuming he beats out Jarrett Stidham) and he’s a QB with a weaker arm than Mac Jones. Strange use of a fourth-round pick when there were still useful players on the board like Darian Kinnard, Zach Tom, Khalil Shakur, Tariq Woolen or Tyreke Smith. They inexplicably doubled up at RB with Kevin Harris because they just don’t have enough RBs apparently? Then they took a small school defensive lineman who isn’t making this roster, an OG from LSU who could probably start if they hadn’t taken an OG in round one, and then my favorite pick, OT Andrew Stueber. Oh yeah, Stueber could also play guard.

Sorry I rambled this long; I was hoping to talk myself into liking this draft. It didn’t work, I hate it more. And now I have to talk about how great the Jets draft was, this sucks.

New York Jets
(4) Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner CB Cincinnati
(10) Garrett Wilson WR Ohio St.
(26) Jermaine Johnson II DE Florida St.
(36) Breece Hall RB Iowa St.
(101) Jeremy Ruckert TE Ohio St.
(111) Max Mitchell OL Louisiana
(117) Michael Clemons DL Texas A&M

Immediate Impact: CB Ahmad Gardner, WR Garrett Wilson, DE Jermaine Johnson, RB Breece Hall
The Jets were aggressive and ended up with three first round picks and they moved up for Hall in the second. Gardner was arguably the best CB in the draft (I had him slightly behind Derek Stingley Jr) and he’s immediately their CB1. He pushes DJ Reed to CB2 and that’s where he can excel too. Wilson completes the WR trio with big WR Corey Davis and the slot guy Elijah Moore. Wilson is an excellent route runner, has great speed, and he’ll make everything easier for Zach Wilson.

They traded up for Jermaine Johnson because he fell towards the end of round one and he was too good to let fall any farther. He can ease in behind Carl Lawson and John Franklin-Myers but he’s going to play a lot of snaps. Hall slots in as the starting RB. He’s a better all-around back than Michael Carter and makes Carter more valuable as a complementary piece. Hall’s a perfect fit with the zone blocking scheme they run because one of his best traits is his patience.

Best Value: Johnson
He was considered at one time to be a potential top 10 pick and they got him at 26th overall. They had to trade up to get him but he’s well worth it. They needed to hedge against Carl Lawson coming back from injury and Johnson has starter ability.

Sleeper: OT Max Mitchell
They traded all their later picks to move up earlier so all seven of their picks came in the top 117 picks. Makes it harder to choose a “sleeper” but I’ll go with Mitchell. He’s a small school guy who needs some development but the Jets need help on the offensive line. It’s the one major area they didn’t address in the off season to help Zach Wilson. Mitchell could be needed and he’s actually quite well-suited for the Jets zone scheme.

Overall Analysis
I’ve basically talked about everyone. Gardner is now the top CB, Wilson is arguably the top WR, Hall will be the starting RB, and Johnson will play plenty at DE. Their fifth pick was Jeremy Ruckert in round three and he would have been an immediate impact guy if they hadn’t signed CJ Uzomah and Tyler Conklin in the off season. Ruckert is probably the best all-around TE in this class so he’ll be useful if needed but he may have to wait to get playing time. Mitchell fits their offensive lineman mold so he’s a decent bet to develop into something. DE Michael Clemons isn’t an elite athlete but he has size and some skills and the Jets defensive line isn’t deep. He won’t play as much as Johnson but he can be a very solid depth piece. Joe Douglas did a very nice job with this draft. If they sign a veteran or two on the offensive line, the Jets could be a problem. They aren’t going to be great unless Zach Wilson takes a massive step forward, but they aren’t going to be a pushover either.

Baltimore Ravens
(14) Kyle Hamilton S Notre Dame
(25) Tyler Linderbaum C Iowa
(45) David Ojabo DE/OLB Michigan
(76) Travis Jones DT UConn
(110) Daniel Faalele OT Minnesota
(119) Jalyn Armour-Davis CB Alabama
(128) Charlie Kolar TE Iowa St.
(130) Jordan Stout P Penn St.
(139) Isaiah Likely TE Coastal Carolina
(141) Damarion Williams CB Houston
(196) Tyler Badie RB Missouri

Immediate Impact: S Kyle Hamilton, C Tyler Linderbaum
Kyle Hamilton may seem like a luxury pick with the team that has Chuck Clark and the newly signed Marcus Williams at safety but Hamilton can be used in a lot of ways. He’s the perfect complement to Williams since he can come up in the box and let Williams cover deep or vice versa. Clark is probably on his way out because Hamilton is a more talented and cheaper alternative. Linderbaum was the best center in the draft and the Ravens just happen to need a new starter. They traded Marquise Brown to the Cardinals and then back two spots and still got Linderbaum, someone in Baltimore is living right. He’s the immediate starter and he should be in the Pro Bowl in a couple of years.

Best Value: DT Travis Jones
It’s actually both Hamilton and Linderbaum since they were two of the ten best prospects in this draft but I’m not going to belabor the point and Baltimore got great value with a number of picks. Jones was a freak at the Senior Bowl and it’s a little hard to believe he fell to round three. The Ravens wanted Jordan Davis in round one but Philadelphia traded up and stole him at 13. The Ravens rebounded by getting the second-best nose tackle, because of course they did, they’re the Ravens. Jones will be in the defensive line rotation quickly and will be a starter before too long.

Sleeper: CB Jalen Armour-Davis
The Ravens actually need some help at CB with Marcus Peters and Marlon Humphrey having some injury issues last year and the team having very little depth. The depth is worse with Tavon Young and Jimmy Smith gone. Armour-Davis was a highly touted recruit who took some time to find his footing at Alabama, understandable considering the level of talent they always have. He had a good year last year and he’s a big, athletic CB who is still getting better. He’s depth for now but Peters is aging and expensive so Armour-Davis could be his replacement in a year.

Overall Analysis
The Ravens’ draft is universally been lauded as fantastic. I have to agree. Kyle Hamilton was the best safety in the class and Tyler Linderbaum was the best center and it wasn’t all that close for either one. Getting two guys of that caliber with the 14th and 25th picks is highway robbery. After getting two immediate starters the Ravens grabbed David Ojabo in round two. He may not play at all this season after tearing his Achilles at his pro day but he has enormous potential beyond this year, very savvy move. Travis Jones is the second-best nose tackle in the draft and a human being that size shouldn’t move like he does, but he does. They needed to get younger up front and they got Jones and Ojabo. They came out of the first two days of the draft with four guys who could all be starters in 2023, GM Eric DeCosta is a master.

On day three the Ravens ended up with six picks, in the fourth round alone. OT Daniel Faalele, CB Jalen Armour-Davis, TE Charlie Kolar, P Jordan Stout, TE Isaiah Likely, and CB Damarion Williams. Faalele is a gigantic human who gives them a nice young developmental OT and a guy they can use if they need to use him. He isn’t the most refined guy but at a minimum, it’s a hike to get around him and that’s better than some of the guys they used at OT last year. Armour-Davis is a nice prospect to bet on. TEs Charlie Kolar and Isaiah Likely will be added to Mark Andrews and Nick Boyle at the position and it makes TE really good. They will likely run plenty of three TE sets, especially after trading away Marquise Brown. CB Damarion Williams is a solid slot corner they will take a long look at after losing Tavon Young. Some people don’t like that they drafted a punter but Stout was the best punter in the draft, Sam Koch is getting pretty expensive, and Stout was their eighth draft pick in the draft and one of six, fourth round picks they made. I have no problem with them taking a punter here, and I usually hate teams drafting punters/kickers. Finally, they also added RB Tyler Badie. I understand why after all the injuries they had at RB last year, however, if those guys are back healthy, Badie never sees a snap.

Cincinnati Bengals
(31) Daxton Hill DB Michigan
(60) Cam Taylor-Britt CB Nebraska
(95) Zachary Carter DL Florida
(136) Cordell Volson OL North Dakota St.
(166) Tycen Anderson S Toledo
(252) Jeffrey Gunter LB Coastal Carolina

Immediate Impact: DB Daxton Hill
Daxton Hill was the second-best safety in the draft after Kyle Hamilton, however, he’s actually a better coverage guy than Hamilton. Hill can line up at safety, slot corner, and if need be, he could play outside corner. He’s not afraid to tackle either, he’s a complete safety. They needed secondary help and Hill will bring it.

Best Value: CB Cam Taylor-Britt
I’m predisposed to hating Taylor-Britt because he played at Nebraska but he’s a pretty good CB. The Bengals have Chidobe Awuzie on one side and for now, Eli Apple on the other. If you ask me, I think I’ll take Taylor-Britt over Apple at this point. Daxton Hill may end up getting some work at CB but if Taylor-Britt can step up, Hill can be the slot guy, and Apple goes to the bench. A starting CB in round two is good value.

Sleeper: DL Zachary Carter
Carter is a bit of a tweener, he’s not really fast enough to be a DE, and he lacks the bulk to really dominate inside. He is better inside because he can use his quickness instead of sheer size. The Bengals have DJ Reader and BJ Hill at DT and not much else and Carter would give them a different look. If he plays mostly DT he can stick around, if they want him at DE, it’s probably not what’s best for him.

Overall Analysis
This was a small class and the Bengals did most of their heavy lifting in free agency. They did need some help in the secondary and Hill has a chance to be a star while Taylor-Britt can be a starter. They did also draft a bigger safety, Tycen Anderson, in the fifth round. He’s a different type of safety from Hill, he’s more of a box safety with size. They have some long-term questions at safety with Vonn Bell and Jessie Bates not signed beyond the year so I can’t fault them for doubling up the position.

Zachary Carter wouldn’t have been my choice in the third round at 95th overall if I was looking for an interior defensive lineman (Perrion Winfrey was still available), but I understand why they went defensive line. They also reached with OL Cordell Volson, a small school product out of North Dakota St. There were better guys available on the line that could have helped sooner. I do like their seventh rounder Jeffrey Gunter as a potential pass rush specialist early and a developing LB down the road.

Cleveland Browns
(68) Martin Emerson CB Mississippi St.
(78) Alex Wright LB UAB
(99) David Bell WR Purdue
(108) Perrion Winfrey DL Oklahoma
(124) Cade York K LSU
(156) Jerome Ford RB Cincinnati
(202) Michael Woods II WR Oklahoma
(223) Isaiah Thomas DL Oklahoma
(246) Dawson Deaton OL Texas Tech

Immediate Impact: WR David Bell, K Cade York
I love the David Bell pick so much. He isn’t the fastest guy, he isn’t the biggest guy, but he is one of the best, most instinctive WRs you’ll find. The Browns have Amari Cooper but Bell is going to become one of Deshaun Watson’s favorite targets, he just knows how to get open. The Browns drafted a kicker in the fourth round, which is really high, but they needed one. I’m not a fan of kickers getting drafted but I can’t say he won’t be impactful.

Best Value: Bell, DL Perrion Winfrey
Bell could be the steal of the draft. Winfrey was a star at the Senior Bowl after a very good season at Oklahoma. I really thought he was a second-round guy and he fell to the fourth. The Browns aren’t stacked at DT with Taven Bryan, Jordan Elliott, and Tommy Togiai so Winfrey is going to find playing time early.

Sleeper: RB Jerome Ford
Ford was a star at Cincinnati after transferring from Alabama. He’s a great all-around back and can carry a heavy load if needed. He may not play a lot this year if Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt stay healthy but they had issues doing that last season. Also, Hunt’s deal is coming to an end and Chubb is getting expensive. Ford is a nice insurance policy in case they can’t or don’t want to pay these guys moving forward. He has starter ability.

Overall Analysis
I didn’t list Deshaun Watson as an immediate impact because I’m fairly certain he’s going to be suspended to start the season. The Browns traded plenty of draft capital to get him but they still did pretty well in the draft. The Martin Emerson pick was a bit surprising since CB wasn’t a huge need. They just paid Denzel Ward a boatload of money and they just drafted Greg Newsome II last year in round one. They traded Troy Hill but Emerson isn’t a slot corner like Hill. Emerson is a long, athletic guy with some solid traits but a curious pick nonetheless. DE Alex Wright is the Browns taking a shot on a guy who’s built like an elite pass rusher but only plays that way once in a while. The David Bell, Perrion Winfrey, Cade York, Jerome Ford section of the draft was their best. Bell can start, Winfrey is better than Wright, York is their new starting kicker, and Ford was a value pick.

WR Michael Woods II isn’t making this team, the WR group is deeper than you think. On the other side of things, DE Isaiah Thomas, has a shot to make this roster. The DE position is pretty thin after Myles Garrett. OL Dawson Deaton is going to have a steep hill to climb, he’s headed to the practice squad.

Pittsburgh Steelers
(20) Kenny Pickett QB Pitt
(52) George Pickens WR Georgia
(84) DeMarvin Leal DL Texas A&M
(138) Calvin Austin III WR Memphis
(208) Connor Heyward RB/TE Michigan St.
(225) Mark Robinson LB Mississippi
(241) Chris Oladokun QB South Dakota St.

Immediate Impact: QB Kenny Pickett, WR George Pickens
Kenny Pickett will get his chance to compete for the QB job with Mitchell Trubisky and whatever you think of Pickett, he’s good enough to win that job. Trubisky isn’t some well-established, no doubt starter and Pickett’s a first-round pick. Pickens is a little different. He’s a supreme talent but he’s been known to be immature and it probably cost him a shot at being a first-round pick. Pittsburgh might just be the right environment to get the best out of him and get him to grow up a bit.

Best Value: DL DeMarvin Leal
Leal’s stock fell dramatically this last season after he was projected to be a high first-round pick after his 2020 season. He’s still a talented player and he needed to go to the right situation. Welcome to the right situation. Leal won’t have to start right away and he’ll only have to be a part of the rotation in Pittsburgh. He’s always been a bit of a tweener between DE and DT and that’s exactly what the Steelers like in him. He can learn behind Cam Heyward and Stephon Tuitt and eventually become a starter.

Sleeper: WR Calvin Austin III
This guy is a blur on the field. He’s really undersized at 5’9 and he’s barely over 160 lbs. but he’s fast as lightning. The Steelers may not need him much this year because they have Pickens, Chase Claypool, and Diontae Johnson. However, Johnson is coming up on wanting a new contract and the Steelers may not want to pay him if he continues to have issues with drops. Austin could be a ready-made replacement as the smaller, speedier complement to Pickens and Claypool.

Overall Analysis
As much as I hated the QB class I can see the appeal of Pickett to the Steelers. He’s older and ready to compete for the job right away. He played at Pitt and there’s a built-in familiarity that will make his transition pretty easy. Keep in mind he only has to be better than Ben Roethlisberger was last year, not Big Ben in his prime. However, since no other QBs went before the third round, you could argue they over drafted Pickett. They did get their QB so I can’t fault them for that. Pickens could be a massive steal if he keeps his head on straight and Mike Tomlin should help him do that. Leal was a value pick and I understand the intrigue with Calvin Austin III. Taking a flyer on a small WR with elite speed in round four is understandable and I like it better than people who take them in round two (that was a shot at both the Patriots and the Giants for their round two WRs).

I know the Connor Heyward thing is a nice story, he gets to be on the team with his big brother Cam, who is 11 years older than him. However, Connor is too short to be a TE, too slow to be a RB, and he doesn’t block well enough to be a FB. I don’t see him making this team unless he’s an excellent special teams’ guy. Mark Robinson is much the same at LB, he has to be a special teams’ coverage ace to have an impact here. The seventh round QB pick of Chris Oladokun is even weirder. Lots of seventh round picks are throw aways but this team has Mitchell Trubisky, Mason Rudolph, and Kenny Pickett who all believe they are competing for the starting job which means there’s barely going to be any snaps for anyone else to even take. Oladokun is headed to the practice squad and I’m not even sure it will be the Steelers practice squad.