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.

Dallas Cowboys
(24) Tyler Smith OL Tulsa
(56) Sam Williams DL Mississippi
(88) Jalen Tolbert WR South Alabama
(129) Jake Ferguson TE Wisconsin
(155) Matt Waletzko OL North Dakota
(167) DaRon Bland CB Fresno St.
(176) Damone Clark LB LSU
(178) John Ridgeway DT Arkansas
(193) Devin Harper LB Oklahoma St.

Immediate Impact: OG Tyler Smith
The Cowboys lost Connor Williams in free agency and they weren’t exactly teeming with talent on the interior of the offensive line. Enter Tyler Smith from Tulsa. He’s a small school prospect who played OT in college but he translates well to LG for them. He has the added bonus of being a guy who could move out to OT in a couple of years once Tyron Smith is done. For now, he starts next to Tyron Smith at LG.

Best Value: WR Jalen Tolbert
The Cowboys traded away Amari Cooper, they lost Cedric Wilson in free agency, and Michael Gallup is coming back from injury. It’s basically CeeDee Lamb or bust at this point for Dak Prescott. Tolbert isn’t going to wow anyone with routes but he’s faster than he looks and he can go get a deep ball. At this point he only has to beat out Steelers castoff James Washington and he’s basically getting starters snaps. That’s good value in round three.

Sleeper: DT John Ridgeway
The Cowboys took some guys with question marks, some on the field and some off. Ridgeway is a guy with one big answer, he’s a run stuffer in the middle. He’s 6’6 320 lbs. and brings the type of size the Cowboys don’t have at DT. I think he has a chance to make this roster and be big part of their run defense on first and second down.

Overall Analysis
Tyler Smith is a well-regarded prospect but he’s stepping up in competition so the transition could be a little bumpy. DE Sam Williams is an intriguing prospect with a whole lot of questions off the field. The Cowboys have said they thoroughly vetted him but call me skeptical given their history. He’s a talent but he may not be worth the headache. The Tolbert pick might end up being their best one next year, he can play. Jake Ferguson is the rare Wisconsin TE who doesn’t block but he gives them a nice backup pass catcher at the position. OT Matt Waletzko is a tall, lean guy who is going to need an NFL weight program to get his strength to a place where he can compete. He’s a solid bet on potential.

They spent their last four picks on some defensive players. CB DaRon Bland might seem like a longshot until you look at the Cowboys CB depth chart, he’s not their worst option. LB Damone Clark would have been taken earlier but he had spinal fusion surgery and there’s no guarantee he ever plays. He’s not going to play this season but they can hope he plays someday, he’s a talented guy. Ridgeway can play, he can make this team. Devin Harper might be a special team’s guy.

New York Giants
(5) Kayvon Thibodeaux OLB Oregon
(7) Evan Neal OT Alabama
(43) Wan’Dale Robinson WR Kentucky
(67) Joshua Ezeudu OL North Carolina
(81) Cordale Flott S LSU
(112) Daniel Bellinger TE San Diego St.
(114) Dane Belton S Iowa
(146) Micah McFadden LB Notre Dame
(147) DJ Davidson DL Arizona St.
(173) Marcus McKethan OL North Carolina
(182) Darrian Beavers LB Cincinnati

Immediate Impact: OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux, OT Evan Neal
When your make two picks in the top seven you expect they will contribute right away, these two will. Thibodeaux is the kind of pass rusher they have been looking for since Michael Strahan basically. Thibodeaux has the talent to be one of the elite rushers in the NFL, as long as he stays focused on the football. He’ll start opposite Azeez Ojulari and the two of them can wreak havoc in Wink Martindale’s defense. Neal should be the RT to bookend with Andrew Thomas for the next decade. The offensive line has been a problem for years for the Giants but Neal is one huge solution, literally, he’s 6’7 350 lbs. Daniel Jones and the Giants can’t blame the offensive line for their ineptitude anymore

Best Value: S Dane Belton
This isn’t even a homer pick just because he comes from Iowa. Belton is a little underrated by draft analysts but NFL teams know better. Belton played a hybrid position at Iowa as a LB/S yet he still had five picks last year. He’s a good tackler, he’s good in coverage and he has excellent ball skills. He doesn’t have one elite trait; he has a lot of very good ones. He’s going to play for the Giants because he’s good and they need his help. They only had two safeties on the depth chart going into the draft and now Belton’s versatility means he can be the third guy and actually play. He can cover in the slot, he can cover a TE or RB, and he can come up and tackle.

Sleeper: OG Joshua Ezeudu
Third round guards don’t get talked about a lot but Ezeudu deserves a little credit. He played multiple positions on the UNC offensive line, sometimes different positions on the same drive. He should settle in at guard for the Giants and they need the help. They signed Mark Glowinski at RG but at center and LG they only have guys like Jon Feliciano, Max Garcia, and Shane Lemieux, it’s not a murderer’s row to compete with. If he’s starting by week six, I won’t be surprised.

Overall Analysis
I may not have liked Evan Neal as much as Ikem Ekwonu or even Charles Cross but he’s a legitimate starting NFL OT with upside to be a Pro Bowler eventually. He solves the RT spot quite well. Thibodeaux has his detractors but I think it’s overblown that he doesn’t care enough about football, the guy’s a star pass rusher when he rolls out of bed. I understand the Wan’Dale Robinson has some playmaking ability but taking him 43rd overall when there were plenty of other WRs on the board feels like a reach. He’s really undersized, he has short arms, and even if they dump Kadarius Toney, he’s at best, the fourth WR on the team. Maybe they like him as a RB but that’s an even bigger reach. Their two third round picks were Ezeudu and DB Cordale Flott. Flott is a CB/S hybrid who can be a big slot corner and can match up inside with anyone. If they can find a defined role for him, he’s a solid addition to a secondary that needs some help.

TE Daniel Bellinger is a project but with the exception of Ricky Seals-Jones, they don’t have much at the position. I like Belton, Belton is going to play for this team. They drafted two LBs in the fifth and sixth rounds, Micah McFadden and Darrian Beavers. They’re depth pieces at best. DJ Davidson is a gigantic DT that might be able to help at NT and considering Justin Ellis will be 32 this year, he’s a solid addition. They also picked up another UNC offensive lineman Marcus McKethan, he’s a developmental guy at best.

Philadelphia Eagles
(13) Jordan Davis DT Georgia
(51) Cam Jurgens C Nebraska
(83) Nakobe Dean LB Georgia
(181) Kyron Johnson LB Kansas
(198) Grant Calcaterra TE SMU

Immediate Impact: WR AJ Brown, DT Jordan Davis
The Eagles traded one of their first-round picks to Tennessee for AJ Brown and signed him to a $100 million deal. It’s a lot of money but he’s a legitimate #1 WR to pair with Devonta Smith and they needed him. It means there’s no excuse for Jalen Hurts to struggle and they will find out if he’s their QB of the future or if they need to make a move next year for someone new. Davis is a beast at DT and he’s exactly what they need up front. A young, athletic freak to take the pressure off Fletcher Cox. He should be excellent in Philly.

Best Value: LB Nakobe Dean
Dean is an undersized LB with some injury concerns and that’s why he fell to the third round of the draft. I doubt either of those things will stop him from being an absolute menace on the Philly defense. He’s too good to not be a star. It’s possible his career doesn’t last as long as some guys because he might wear down, but he’s going to be a bright shining light for the next five years at least. He also gets to keep playing behind his personal protector Jordan Davis, that’s good for any LB.

Sleeper: TE Grant Calcaterra
They had a small draft class because of some trading so there’s not a lot of guys to choose from, so I’m picking Calcaterra. He once retired from football because of concussions and then transferred to SMU to restart his career. He has some nice skills and the Eagles don’t have a lot behind Dallas Goedert so he has a chance to stick around. If he stays healthy, he could be a solid addition.

Overall Analysis
The Eagles took the three first-round picks they started with and turned them into a move up for Jordan Davis, a first-round pick next year, and AJ Brown, that’s a good draft on its own. Then they drafted Cam Jurgens, the heir apparent to Jason Kelce, and stole Nakobe Dean in the third round. This draft weekend couldn’t have gone better unless someone in the draft room won the Powerball. Kyron Johnson is a speedy LB they could use in sub packages and I like Calcaterra. Good draft, all around.

Washington Commanders
(16) Jahan Dotson WR Penn St.
(47) Phidarian Mathis DT Alabama
(98) Brian Robinson Jr. RB Alabama
(113) Percy Butler S Louisiana
(144) Sam Howell QB North Carolina
(149) Cole Turner TE Nevada
(230) Chris Paul OL Tulsa
(240) Christian Holmes CB Oklahoma St.

Immediate Impact: WR Jahan Dotson, RB Brian Robinson Jr.
Dotson may have been drafted a bit too early but the run on WRs was in full force and the Commanders didn’t want to miss out. He isn’t the biggest WR you’ll find but he plays bigger and he’s used to making great catches. Dotson’s ability to reach out and grab a poorly thrown pass will come in handy with his new QB. Robinson isn’t one of the big name RBs in this draft but he is one of the big backs at 6’1 228 lbs. Washington has two smaller backs in Antonio Gibson and JD McKissic, Robinson will find a role as the guy between the tackles and in short yardage pretty quickly.

Best Value: QB Sam Howell
A year ago, Howell was in the conversation as one of the QBs to watch out for as the potential #1 pick in the 2022 draft. Well, they got him with the first pick alright, in the fifth round. Howell isn’t very big and he doesn’t have elite arm strength, however, he’s got guts and now he has a giant chip on his shoulder. Carson Wentz is far from a sure thing at QB and in 2020 when Howell actually had good talent around him at UNC, he was lights out. If Wentz falls apart, the Commanders would be wise to at least give Howell a shot and not just turn back to Taylor Heinicke.

Sleeper: Robinson
I said he’ll be the between the tackles and short yardage guy pretty quickly but he could be more than that. He’s a talented RB who runs hard, has patience, and they have no other back like him. I could see him becoming their starting tailback and them using Gibson differently. I like how he plays and with Wentz as their QB, they should run the ball more.

Overall Analysis
For now, forget the fact he went 16th overall, Dotson’s a player, he’ll be good. DT Phidarian Mathis was chosen not because of what he can be today but because he’s a great hedge against losing Da’Ron Payne when they can’t afford to pay him. Mathis was trained at Alabama just like Payne (and Johnathan Allen) and he will be ready to play when they need him. I like Robinson, that was a good pick. S Percy Butler has some holes in his game and he’s stepping up in competition but one look at the Washington secondary depth chart and I’m not counting him out.

Howell was well worth a fifth-round flyer and he could pay dividends sooner rather than later. Things have gone south with Wentz quickly on two different teams and I’m not sure Washington is the environment to bring out his best. TE Cole Turner is also a guy I would question until you look at the roster and see TE is basically Logan Thomas or bust, and Thomas has had some injury issues. Chris Paul isn’t the most famous Chris Paul and he’s wasn’t even the best offensive lineman from Tulsa, that was Tyler Smith who went in round one to Dallas. He’s got a long road ahead of him to make this team. CB Christian Holmes is a guy that lacks fluidity and likes to get handsy, that’s a tough combination to overcome.

Denver Broncos
(64) Nik Bonitto OLB Oklahoma
(80) Greg Dulcich TE UCLA
(115) Damarri Mathis S Pitt
(116) Eyioma Uwazurike DL Iowa St.
(152) Delarrin Turner-Yell S Oklahoma
(162) Montrell Washington WR Samford
(171) Luke Wattenberg OL Washington
(206) Matt Henningsen DL Wisconsin
(232) Faion Hicks CB Wisconsin

Immediate Impact: QB Russell Wilson
They traded multiple picks to finally solve their QB issue and one way or the other Russell Wilson will have an immediate impact on the Broncos’ fortunes. The rest of this draft class probably isn’t making much of an immediate impact.

Best Value: OLB Nik Bonitto
The Broncos didn’t have their own first or second round picks so their first one was the one they got in the Von Miller trade last year from the Rams. They got Bonitto with the last pick of the second round. He wasn’t necessarily valued a lot higher than that but he had potential to go early in round two. Bonitto will be a pass rush specialist behind Bradley Chubb, Randy Gregory, and Malik Willis. Chubb and Gregory have been known to miss time so depth is nice. Bonitto will flash in a designated pass rusher role.

Sleeper: DL Eyioma Uwazurike
The Broncos traded away Shelby Harris in the Russell Wilson deal and they don’t have a lot of depth or size on the defensive line. DT DJ Jones is the only really big guy and beyond Dre’Mont Jones and McTelvin Agim, they don’t have much else. Mike Purcell is the only backup and he’s 31. Uwazurike played multiple positions at Iowa St and he’s 6’6 320 lbs. He should be able to find some snaps to show he belongs and he has a chance to stick around and contribute.

Overall Analysis
You can’t evaluate the Broncos draft without considering the Russell Wilson trade. They gave up multiple draft picks and players to get him but he’s the first real answer they have had at QB since Peyton Manning retired. Wilson didn’t have a great year in Seattle but that offensive line was a disaster and he should have better protection in Denver. He also has some good offensive players around him. This draft class isn’t going to change their fortunes, only Wilson can do that.

Bonitto and Greg Dulcich are good depth pieces. Dulcich won’t unseat Albert O as the starting TE but they traded away Noah Fant and they don’t have any depth. Damarri Mathis and Delarrin Turner-Yell are undersized safeties who are going to find snaps hard to come by in the secondary and CB Hicks isn’t making this roster. Uwazurike has a shot to contribute. Henningsen is a good athlete but he feels like a practice squad guy. The interior of the Broncos line has been underwhelming at times so Luke Wattenberg has a chance to stick around. He’s not a starter but he’ll make Lloyd Cushenberry a little less comfortable.

Kansas City Chiefs
(21) Trent McDuffie CB Washington
(30) George Karlaftis DE Purdue
(54) Skyy Moore WR Western Michigan
(62) Bryan Cook S Cincinnati
(103) Leo Chenal LB Wisconsin
(135) Joshua Williams CB Fayetteville St.
(145) Darian Kinnard OL Kentucky
(243) Jaylen Watson CB Washington St
(251) Isaih Pacheco RB Rutgers
(259) Nazeeh Johnson S Marshall

Immediate Impact: CB Trent McDuffie, DE George Karlaftis, WR Skyy Moore
The Chiefs defense had some holes to fill and they filled them alright. McDuffie was one of the better cover corners in the draft. The only knock on him was he doesn’t have elite size. That doesn’t matter when you cover like he does. He may start quickly but if he doesn’t, he’ll at least be the nickel corner and there’s a chance the Chiefs use him a little bit like they used Tyrann Mathieu. The team has Frank Clark and not much else at DE and they should avoid moving Chris Jones back outside, he’s better at DT. Enter George Karlaftis. He may not have the athletic ceiling of guys like Travon Walker or David Ojabo, but he can start right now and his pass rush skills translate immediately. He’s a power end who’s going to make life hell for opposing offenses. WR Skyy Moore isn’t a Tyreek Hill replacement but he adds another piece to the WR puzzle. I wasn’t as high on him as some of the pre-draft hype but he went 54th overall, he was the 13th WR drafted and he’ll be playing with Patrick Mahomes. He’s in the early consideration for offensive rookie of the year.

Best Value: Moore
Look at what I just wrote. 54th overall and the 13th WR taken, that’s a steal. The team has Marquez Valdes-Scantling on the outside, JuJu Smith-Schuster in the slot and Mecole Hardman. I’ll actually take Moore over Hardman’s inconsistency. Moore can play in the slot or at the Z receiver and mix and match with Smith-Schuster and I think he’ll be more consistent for Mahomes than Hardman has been. The pre-draft hype got a little out of control but this was a value spot for him, he’s better than the 13th WR in this draft class.

Sleeper: OL Darrian Kinnard
Kinnard is not the most refined player to watch, that’s the nice way of saying he wins ugly, which is the nice way of saying he’s sloppy. His technique is all over the place and he doesn’t do things consistently. That said, the guy is a beast and he wins, a lot. Just because it isn’t pretty doesn’t mean it doesn’t work. Now the question is, how good can he be if a coach can clean up his technique? Andy Reid has had some experience coaching up offensive linemen. Kinnard played OT at Kentucky and most think he has to move inside in the NFL, not so fast. I think for now, he can become a backup all over in Kansas City and I wouldn’t count him out as a future RT. Let’s see what Reid can do with him. If I were RT Lucas Niang, I wouldn’t feel great right now.

Overall Analysis
This is a good draft that has a chance to be elite. The two first-round picks can start on day one. Skyy Moore was a steal and he puts Mecole Hardman on notice, it’s now or never to reach his potential. Bryan Cook was a good safety at Cincinnati. He’s athletically limited but he’s smart and he doesn’t get beat. He’s basically the good version of Daniel Sorenson. Leo Chenal is a tank at LB. He tested better athletically than he plays, but he plays like a madman and no one is running on him.

Joshua Williams and Jaylen Watson are two 6’3 CBs who are great athletes and are pretty raw as corners. Steve Spagnuolo is the defensive coordinator and he needed more corner help and he likes long corners so they got him two. They also drafted another safety in round seven, Nazeeh Johnson, who is very experienced but he’s thin as a rail. Kinnard is a bet on the coaching skills of Reid and his offensive staff, solid bet. RB Isaih Pacheco runs faster on a track than he does on the field and I have my doubts he sticks on this roster.

Las Vegas Raiders
(90) Dylan Parham OL Memphis
(122) Zamir White RB Georgia
(126) Neil Farrell Jr. DL LSU
(175) Matthew Butler DL Tennessee
(238) Thayer Munford OL Ohio St.
(250) Brittain Brown RB UCLA

Immediate Impact: WR Devante Adams
The Raiders traded their first and second round picks to get Adams and he’s the best WR on the team since…Tim Brown? I may be missing someone but don’t say Randy Moss because he was terrible for his short stint there. They aren’t going to get a lot from this draft class immediately, but Adams is arguably the best WR in the NFL.

Best Value: RB Zamir White
White is one of the better RBs in this draft and the Raiders got him in the fourth round, that’s solid value. They declined the fifth-year option on RB Josh Jacobs contract making this his last year before free agency and White is a good hedge against him leaving. He’s a legitimate potential starting RB. This is what teams should do, draft a RB in the middle rounds to replace a guy you really don’t want to give a second contract to.

Sleeper: OL Thayer Mumford
Mumford started at LT at Ohio St until they needed his versatility to move inside because Nicholas Petit-Frere couldn’t play anywhere but LT. He’s not a natural at guard so he didn’t have a great year. If the Raiders focus on developing his technique at OT and working on his functional strength a bit, he could be a future starting OT. I like his upside there better than their first-round pick from last season Alex Leatherwood.

Overall Analysis
The Raiders took some big swings this off season but none bigger than trading for Devante Adams and giving him huge money. He’s part of the calculus to this draft class because they gave up two picks for him. He’s arguably the best WR in football and they are in win now mode with him and Derek Carr having new expensive contracts. They spent big money in free agency so they don’t need this draft class to add too much but they got a few solid pieces here.

OL Dylan Parham is a bit undersized but he can be a mauler inside. Many teams think he can move to center and he may eventually do that for the Raiders, for now he will compete at OG. White may have to wait his turn with the Raiders having Josh Jacobs, Kenyan Drake, Brandon Bolden (a coaching staff favorite) and even Ameer Abdullah around, but 2023 might be his year. I actually think Josh McDaniels and that staff will use White, maybe more than Drake. Neil Ferrell Jr is a big-bodied NT type they can develop behind Jonathan Hankins who is over 30. Matthew Butler is the quicker penetrating DT; they can use that too. Mumford is nice OL depth with upside. RB Brittain Brown? I have no idea why they drafted him; he’s not making this roster.

Los Angeles Chargers
(17) Zion Johnson OG Boston College
(79) JT Woods S Baylor
(123) Isaiah Spiller RB Texas A&M
(160) Otito Ogbonnia DL UCLA
(195) Jamaree Salyer OL Georgia
(214) Ja’Sir Taylor CB Wake Forest
(236) Deane Leonard CB Mississippi
(260) Zander Horvath RB Purdue

Immediate Impact: OG Zion Johnson
The Chargers need help on the offensive line and Johnson is just the guy to do it. He has versatility to play OG or OT and some think he could eventually move to center. However, Johnson didn’t enjoy his time at OT and the Chargers have a center so they can just plug him in at guard and leave him there for the next decade. Justin Herbert says thank you.

Best Value: RB Isaiah Spiller
Austin Ekeler has a couple years left on his contract but he has a tendency to get banged up during the season. Joshua Kelley and Larry Roundtree III are nice players but they aren’t the guys to eventually replace Ekeler. Spiller is arguably the best all-around back in this draft and he could be their eventual starting RB. A fourth-round pick on a RB as talented as him when your starter has issues staying healthy, that’s value.

Sleeper: OL Jamaree Salyer
Salyer was the starting LT at Georgia last season. He isn’t your prototypical OT for the NFL and he probably has to move inside but I wouldn’t count on that just yet. The Chargers solved one OG spot with Zion Johnson but they need a RT also. Salyer could potential start out trying RT and I’m pretty sure he would be better than Storm Norton pretty quickly, that’s a low bar to clear. He does also give them the option of playing him at OG and moving LG Matt Feiler to RT, he’s played the position before. Either way, I think Salyer could end up a starter on the offensive line and he was somehow a sixth-round pick.

Overall Analysis
There are a few things to love about this draft. Zion Johnson has Pro Bowl potential at OG and I really like the pick-up of Salyer. RB Isaiah Spiller is a steal and he has starter potential at some point. They drafted safety JT Woods in round two and he gives Brandon Staley a third safety that I could see him using in sub packages. Woods can play deep while they move Nassir Adderley up and let Derwin James roam around. DT Otito Ogbonnia is a solid choice in round five. The Chargers signed a couple of DTs to help improve their run defense but Ogbonnia is a really tough run defender and he gives them some more depth inside. Teams ran on the Chargers defense at will last year, that’s going to be much tougher to do this year.

The last three picks aren’t as easy to like. You can certainly make the case the Chargers need more depth at CB but I’m not sure Ja’Sir Taylor and Deane Leonard are going to be that depth. Taylor is undersized and Leonard is underdeveloped in coverage. Taylor may bring some returner value but that’s it. RB Zander Horvath is one big RB, he’s built like a FB, he just doesn’t block like one. I don’t think Horvath is going to make this team as a RB, maybe they want him to play TE or special teams.

Chicago Bears
(39) Kyler Gordon CB Washington
(48) Jaquan Brisker S Penn St.
(71) Velus Jones Jr. WR Tennessee
(168) Braxton Jones OT Southern Utah
(174) Dominique Robinson DL Miami (OH)
(186) Zachary Thomas OL San Diego St.
(203) Trestan Ebner RB Baylor
(207) Doug Kramer OL Illinois
(226) Ja’Tyre Carter OL Southern
(254) Elijah Hicks S California
(255) Trenton Gill P North Carolina St.

Immediate Impact: CB Kyler Gordon, S Jaquan Brisker
Gordon wasn’t a favorite of mine but he’s solid CB prospect and he only has to be better than Kindle Vildor and Thomas Graham to earn the starting job opposite Jaylon Johnson, he’s at least that good. He’s tough, he’s physical and he’s athletic. Brisker is a guy I like quite a bit. He’s a freak athletically and he’s one of the most complete safeties in the draft. He does everything well and he does it well consistently. I would be shocked if he’s not starting opposite Eddie Jackson in week one.

Best Value: Gordon and Brisker
Getting two starters in the secondary in round two is very good value, especially when you don’t have a first-round pick. They made the most of that extra pick they got in the Khalil Mack trade.

Sleeper: OT Braxton Jones
This is one of my favorite project OTs in the draft. Small school guy with great length and instincts. He has all the makings of an elite offensive tackle he just needs an NFL caliber weight program and some coaching. His upside is high and he would be a perfect fit in the Bears new offense. I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if he’s the starting LT in a couple of years, maybe sooner if Teven Jenkins and Larry Borom can’t hold him off or stay healthy.

Overall Analysis
So many teams reach to fill needs early in the draft, teams with as many needs as the Bears, just take good players and let them win the job. The secondary wasn’t as big of a need as some of the other positions but Gordon and Brisker were too good to pass up. Then the Bears reached for Velus Jones Jr, a WR who’s a good return man but leaves a lot to be desired as a receiver. He’s also about to turn 25 years old after spending an extra year in college (for reference he’s older than AJ Brown, DK Metcalf and Mecole Hardman). I don’t like that pick. DL Dominique Robinson was a solid investment in getting an edge rusher on day three. They drafted RB Trestan Ebner who adds help on special teams and maybe becomes a Tarik Cohen replacement, if they’re lucky, feels like a wasted pick. S Elijah Hicks probably ends up on the practice squad as he’s coming off a foot injury and he’s a little undersized. They took a punter in round seven, not a terrible idea on your 11th pick in a draft.

In addition to OT Braxton Jones, the Bears hit the offensive line hard on day three, my main complaint would be they waited until day three. Zachary Thomas, Doug Kramer, and Ja’Tyre Carter were added as depth. Thomas could end up at either OT or OG, Kramer is insurance behind new center Lucas Patrick and Carter has versatility and athleticism to play about anywhere. When your line is as bad as the Bears line is, take as many shots as you can, I’m just not sure so many of them being on day three is helpful. All four of these guys could make the roster. Braxton Jones has potential to be a starter for sure but I could see Thomas pushing Dakota Dozier for a guard spot and Kramer can make the roster because of his intelligence and experience at center. Overall, a solid draft with a few whiffs, I think Velus Jones Jr is a wasted pick (there were better WRs available and even other better players at other positions), but I don’t hate the draft class overall.

Detroit Lions
(2) Aidan Hutchinson DE Michigan
(12) Jameson Williams WR Alabama
(46) Josh Paschal DE Kentucky
(97) Kerby Joseph S Illinois
(177) James Mitchell TE Virginia Tech
(188) Malcolm Rodriguez LB Oklahoma St.
(217) James Houston LB Jackson St.
(237) Chase Lucas CB Arizona St.

Immediate Impact: DE Aidan Hutchinson
Hutchinson is not only going to start on day one, he’s going to lead this team in sacks next season. That’s not setting the bar all that high but that’s still good for a rookie. The Lions drafted him not only for his ability to get to the QB but also because he will set the tone. He’s all football, all the time and he won’t let anyone slack off. Dan Campbell and GM Brad Holmes are trying to build a culture, Hutchinson lives it every day.

Best Value: WR Jameson Williams
It’s not so much that he was more valuable than the 12th pick, it’s the fact he was the fourth WR taken. Drake London went eight, and then Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave went with the two picks ahead of Williams. Detroit traded up to get into the middle of the WR run that was happening. He was the fourth WR off the board but he could very easily be the best WR in this class. He may not see any action this season, the Lions don’t have to rush him back from his knee injury, so it could take time. However, when he gets back, he could easily outshine this entire draft class.

Sleeper: LB Malcolm Rodriguez
The Lions are just teeming with mediocre LBs like Alex Anzalone, Jarrad Davis, and Shaun Dion-Hamilton. They need a legit playmaker and Rodriguez can be that guy. He’s undersized at 5’11 but he’s fast and has superior instincts. He will bring a special element to the Lions’ defense and he can be a nice chess piece for Campbell and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn to unleash. I can’t believe they stole him in the sixth round.

Overall Analysis
The Lions took almost a nanosecond to turn in the card for Aidan Hutchinson after the Jaguars passed on him. I’m not sure Hutchinson ever gets 16 sacks in a season but I would pencil him in for 12 a year for the next decade. They traded up to get Jameson Williams, it cost a bit to move from 32nd to 12th but Williams is worth it. He needs patience to recover from his knee injury and that’s fine, the Lions don’t have the QB to use his elite deep speed anyway. He has star potential once the Lions draft their QB of the future in 2023. I really like Josh Paschal as the DE opposite Hutchinson eventually. They do have Charles Harris and Romeo Okwara so Paschal will be a rotational guy for now but he was worth the second round pick they spent on him.

They took a rangy cover safety in round three, Kerby Joseph, he can help. They aren’t deep at safety and Joseph has good deep coverage skills. Aaron Glenn will find a way to use him.
In the back half of the draft, they took a TE who can play some H-back. They have no depth behind TJ Hockenson so James Mitchell could stick. Love the Rodriguez pick, he’s a keeper. Then they took James Houston from Jackson St, I know nothing about him except he basically looks like a small designated pass rusher type. Chase Lucas is a small CB from Arizona St. that they took in round seven. If you’re taking a shot in round seven, you might as well take an athletic guy like Lucas.

Green Bay Packers
(22) Quay Walker LB Georgia
(28) Devonte Wyatt DT Georgia
(34) Christian Watson WR North Dakota St
(92) Sean Rhyan OL UCLA
(132) Romeo Doubs WR Nebraska
(140) Zach Tom OL Wake Forest
(179) Kingsley Enagbare DE/OLB South Carolina
(228) Tariq Carpenter S/LB Georgia Tech
(234) Jonathan Ford DL Miami
(249) Rasheed Walker OT Penn St.
(258) Samori Toure WR Nebraska

Immediate Impact: LB Quay Walker, DL Devonte Wyatt
Quay Walker is a long, tall, rangy LB with some impressive athletic skills. He could easily find himself starting at ILB next to De’Vondre Campbell and the two of them will present problems for opposing offenses. Wyatt comes in to a situation where the Packers don’t have a lot of depth on the defensive line. They signed Jarran Reed but he’s bounced around a bit lately and he’s pushing 30. Kenny Clark is really good and Dean Lowry is solid but they need more help. Wyatt can play anywhere on their front line so he’s perfect for depth initially and he’ll earn a starting spot sooner rather than later.

Best Value: DE/OLB Kingsley Enagbare
At one time Enagbare was a potential first or second round pick. He certainly looks the part with his elite frame and size. He never quite translated it to the field and he often leaves you wanting more, but there is more there to get. Enagbare doesn’t show great power but he has some moves, he doesn’t have great speed, but there’s something there. If the Packers can unlock some of the potential he shows at times, he’s a steal in the fifth round.

Sleeper: OT Rasheed Walker
This is a prospect who went into last season with the potential to be a high round pick. Walker has some things to clean up from a technique standpoint but he’s big, long, and physical. You can’t teach a guy to be his size and have his athleticism. The Packers took a couple of offensive linemen before Walker who also have a chance to play on this team but Walker has enormous upside.

Overall Analysis
The Packers missed out on a WR in round one because the run on the top six WRs happened before their pick and they weren’t able to move up to get one there they liked. They pivoted and took two really good defensive players who can help them a lot on that side of the ball. Taking Quay Walker and Devonte Wyatt instead of reaching for WR was a smart move. Then in round two they were afraid they wouldn’t get a WR at all so they traded two late second round picks to move up and take Christian Watson. I understand the infatuation with Watson’s speed/size combination and his deep ball prowess but I’m not sold on him as the answer to their needs at WR. Watson isn’t a Devante Adams replacement; he’s the Marquez Valdes-Scantling replacement and I think that may disappoint some people. He runs a limited route tree and they are going to have to manufacture ways to get him the ball.

The Packers didn’t do much on defense after round one. Kingsley Enagbare has a chance to contribute as an edge rusher but Tariq Carpenter and Jonathan Ford are longshots for the roster. Carpenter is a safety/linebacker hybrid who’s only chance to make it is on special teams. Ford is a massive NT who is pretty raw and probably ends up on the practice squad. They did add some nice pieces to the offensive line. Sean Rhyan was a tackle in college but is probably a guard in Green Bay and they could use some more options inside. Zach Tom and Rasheed Walker are really good developmental tackles. With David Bakhtiari’s injury history and their lack of depth at the position, these two could get pressed into duty sooner than the team would like. They also drafted two more WRs; Romeo Doubs and Samori Toure. Weirdly, these two are also deep ball guys that probably replace Marquez Valdes-Scantling’s skill set more than anything. Apparently, the Packers’ passing offense is just going to be Aaron Rodgers chucking it deep. I actually think I like Doubs a little more than Watson if I’m being honest.

Minnesota Vikings
(32) Lewis Cine S Georgia
(42) Andrew Booth Jr. CB Clemson
(59) Ed Ingram OG LSU
(66) Brian Asamoah LB Oklahoma
(118) Akayleb Evans CB Missouri
(165) Esezi Otomewo DL Minnesota
(169) Ty Chandler RB North Carolina
(184) Vederian Lowe OL Illinois
(191) Jalen Nailor WR Michigan St.
(227) Nick Muse TE South Carolina

Immediate Impact: S Lewis Cine, CB Andrew Booth Jr.
The Vikings traded back in round one and ended up with the last pick and took Cine. He’s a very versatile safety who will start immediately next to Harrison Smith and he can eventually replace Smith as the leader of the secondary. Booth slipped a bit because of some injury issues but he’s a top-notch cover man and with Patrick Peterson aging and not much else at CB besides Cam Dantzler, Booth should play early and often.

Best Value: CB Andrew Booth Jr
Like I said, he has some injury concerns but the team expects him to be ready to play. He had a double hernia surgery and has some other stuff that made teams downgrade him on their boards. From a talent perspective he’s a first-round caliber guy and they got him 42nd overall, that’s good value. He has a really high ceiling for a guy they got in round two.

Sleeper: RB Ty Chandler
The Vikings have Dalvin Cook and he’s their guy for the next few years. Alexander Mattison is a fantastic backup who’s entering the last year of his contract and he’ll probably price himself out of Minnesota (you can’t pay two RBs a lot of money). Chandler transferred from Tennessee to North Carolina for his last year and had a good season. He has a great skill set and can fill in for Cook quite nicely. He’s a cost control option for the next four years and he can be a really good back for them.

Overall Analysis
The Vikings pulled off one of the stranger things I’ve ever seen in the draft, every single one of their picks they traded for, both up and down, every pick was traded in some way. Cine and Booth were excellent picks who will come in and help immediately and could be long time starters for the franchise. I was a little surprised by their two offensive line choices, not that they took offensive linemen, they needed the help, just who they took. Ed Ingram is a big power guard with less-than-ideal movement skills and while sixth round pick Vederian Lowe is a nice prospect, he doesn’t fit either. Unless new head coach Kevin O’Connell is changing the offensive scheme a lot, neither guy fits the mold of the Vikings scheme. I like Lowe as a developmental tackle but it’s tough to see the fit. Ingram brings power they don’t really have at guard but he’s not a zone blocker and does this mean they are giving up on Wyatt Davis or Ezra Cleveland already?

LB Brian Asamoah and CB Akayleb Evans are great athletes who need a lot of refinement at their positions. They are NFL caliber athletes but they have a long way to go to really help on defense. Esezi Otomewo is at best, a low end defensive line depth. Chandler is a useful piece now and moving forward. Even as a bad fit, I can see Lowe sticking around because they have no depth behind starting OTs Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill. WR Jalen Nailor is facing a steep climb to make this roster, they have plenty of WRs. TE Nick Muse may not have as much competition but he also lacks any particular skill that will stand out.