Houston Texans

16.  Kevin Johnson CB   Wake Forest

43.  Benardrick McKinney ILB   Mississippi St.

70.  Jaelen Strong WR   Arizona St.

175.  Keith Mumphery WR   Michigan St.

211.  Reshard Cliett OLB   South Florida

216.  Christian Covington DT   Rice

235.  Kenny Hilliard RB   LSU

Immediate Impact:  CB Kevin Johnson, ILB Benardrick McKinney

At first glance it doesn’t look like the Texans need a CB with Jonathan Joseph on board and the re-signing of Kareem Jackson but this team plays in a division currently dominated by Andrew Luck and the Colts.  The Texans don’t have any depth beyond Joseph and Jackson so Johnson immediately becomes the nickel corner and with the way the Colts are collecting WRs that’s going to be an important position.  He’s also likely to be Joseph’s eventual replacement.  McKinney immediately becomes a starter next to Brian Cushing at ILB if Cushing can stay healthy enough to start too.  McKinney has some issues to work on (he’s coverage skills are lacking) but he’s big, physical and a major upgrade over the current ILB talent.

Best Value:  WR Jaelen Strong

Getting Jaelen Strong in the third round is THE steal of this draft.  Strong was a first round pick in my opinion and he’s a top-notch starting WR in the league.  The Texans signed two veterans, Cecil Shorts and Nate Washington, to join DeAndre Hopkins but Strong will make his presence felt.  He’s big and physical and he proved he has more speed than he’s given credit for in scouting reports.  Strong is a playmaker that will make life easier on either Ryan Mallet or Brian Hoyer, whichever one wins the QB job.

Sleeper:  OLB Reshard Cliett

I’m taking a shot in the dark here because I’m not seeing a major sleeper in this draft class.  The Texans need depth at LB and OLB could need extra help if Jadeveon Clowney’s knee proves to be a chronic problem.  Cliett is more athlete than football player but he brings an intriguing athleticism to the position.  He’s not a classic pass rushing OLB and is more of a pursuit player so it’s possible he helps at ILB instead.  The Texans have Clowney, they hope, and Whitney Mercilus but not much else outside so if Cliett can show some versatility he could be useful.

Overall Analysis:

They took a CB everyone loves in Johnson, an ILB they desperately need in McKinney and got the absolute biggest steal of the draft in Strong so that’s a pretty good start.  WR Keith Mumphrey is a try-hard player but he will struggle to make this team as a WR unless he can prove to be a valuable special team’s player.  It’s possible that after Hopkins, Shorts, Washington and Strong that the Texans may want a very good special team’s player as their fifth receiver so don’t discount the possibility completely.  Christian Covington is a very talented but raw defensive lineman that I’m not sure is a great fit in an odd front but his talent was well worth a late pick.  RB Kenny Hilliard is an interesting addition given that the Texans drafted his former LSU backfield mate Alfred Blue last year.  They are similar style RBs and the both fit the style the team uses but Hilliard may find the depth chart hard to crack with Arian Foster, Blue and free agent signee Chris Polk ahead of him.  Hilliard is another guy that might make the roster if he shows special teams value.

Indianapolis Colts

29.  Phillip Dorsett WR   Miami

65.  D’Joun Smith CB   Florida Atlantic

93.  Henry Anderson DE   Stanford

109.  Clayton Geathers S   UCF

151.  David Parry DT   Stanford

205.  Josh Robinson RB   Mississippi St.

207.  Amarlo Herrera ILB   Georgia

255.  Denzell Goode OG   Mars Hill

Immediate Impact:  WR Phillip Dorsett

Dorsett has elite speed that sets him apart from most WRs but he still needs some work on actual WR skills like how to catch the ball consistently and being precise in his route running.  I don’t believe anyone from this draft class is going to have a major impact on the Colts team this year but Dorsett can be a playmaker and they will use him in certain situations.  Dorsett will find it hard to get a lot of snaps at WR with TY Hilton, Andre Johnson, Donte Moncrief and CFL import Duron Carter ahead of him but his impact could come in the return game.

Best Value:  CB D’Joun Smith

Smith is a very nice CB prospect that lacks the ideal length teams are looking for these days which is why he fell to the third round.  The Colts have Greg Toler and Vontae Davis as starters but Smith could be a slot corner now and eventually replace one of these two in the future.  He’s a good cover man and was well worth a third round pick.

Sleeper:  RB Josh Robinson

Robinson is 5’8 217 lbs. so he is basically Frank Gore’s clone.  Gore was signed to give the offense a legitimate running game and Daniel “Boom” Herron should be a nice backup given how he played at the end of last season but the Colts need depth.  Gore isn’t going to last forever, Herron is better as a complementary back and they can’t count on Vick Ballad to be healthy which means Robinson could get a shot.  He’s a powerful bowling ball type of runner and he won’t go down easy, if something happens to Gore Robinson could step in and he might be Gore’s long-term replacement.

Overall Analysis:

Dorsett and Robinson add some nice depth now with value down the line to the offense.  Smith and S Clayton Geathers should add depth to the secondary.  Geathers is a guy that can add some physicality to the secondary and given the state of their safety depth chart don’t count out Geathers getting some playing time.  Henry Anderson was a nice addition as a five-technique DE and his college teammate David Parry adds to the defensive line depth that could use it.  I wouldn’t expect Herrera or Goode to make the team.  The only issue I really see here is that the Colts didn’t address their offensive line like they needed to in the draft.  Dorsett was a luxury pick and when you just played in the AFC Championship game it’s okay to do that but they need to protect the long-term health of franchise QB Andrew Luck.  It’s nice to surround him with all kinds of weapons, and they have all kinds of weapons, but if he’s running for his life those weapons are useless.

Jacksonville Jaguars

3.  Dante Fowler Jr. DE   Florida

36.  TJ Yeldon RB   Alabama

67.  AJ Cann OG   South Carolina

104.  James Sample S   Louisville

139.  Rashad Greene WR   Florida St.

180.  Michael Bennett DT   Ohio St.

220.  Neal Sterling WR   Monmouth

229.  Ben Koyack TE   Notre Dame

Immediate Impact:  RB TJ Yeldon

Denard Robinson did a nice job last season when he finally took over for the ineffective Toby Gerhart but Robinson broke down physically because he isn’t built to be an every down back.  Yeldon is 6’1 226 lbs. and while his running style is a little too upright he is a punishing runner with good speed.  He will allow Robinson to be a versatile offensive weapon instead of a full-time RB.  His presence also takes some pressure off of Blake Bortles.

Best Value:  OG AJ Cann

Cann was considered a possible first round pick so grabbing him early in the third round was excellent value.  Cann has the ability to be a dominating OG or he could also be a center.  The Jaguars just signed free agent Stefan Wisniewski to be their new C so more than likely Cann will have to compete with Brandon Lindor at RG but he could win that job.  At the very least Cann provides valuable versatility backing up all three interior spots and waits for Zane Beadles contract to become untenable.

Sleepers:  WR Rashad Greene, DT Michael Bennett

Greene is one of my favorite WRs in the draft because he just gets the job done.  He isn’t a physically imposing player and while he’s fast he doesn’t have elite speed but he just understands the position.  The Jaguars spent two early draft picks on Allen Robinson and Marqise Lee last year and undrafted free agent Allen Hurns was a find but Greene will push for playing time.  Greene brings value as a return man and all three of those guys got dinged up at some point and Greene will shine if given a chance.  Bennett has always been a bit of a defensive line tweener, too small to be a DT and too slow to be a DE.  However, he’s always been a playmaker and oddly enough he reminds me of a similar player that plays for Seattle, a guy named Michael Bennett.  The veteran Bennett is a better player now but he faced a lot of the same questions when he entered the league as the rookie Bennett does now.  The rookie Bennett is tailor-made for Gus Bradley’s defense.

Overall Analysis:

The biggest news regarding the Jaguars draft class happened the week after the draft when #3 overall selection Dante Fowler Jr. tore his ACL during minicamp.  Having the one guy you were depending on to be your major playmaker on defense go down with a season ending injury is never good but Fowler should recover so next year it will be like the Jags had two first round picks.  I love what the Jags did on the offensive side of the ball adding Yeldon, Cann and Greene and I think 7^th round pick TE Ben Koyack could be a major steal.  Free agent signee Julius Thomas was obviously a major addition but Koyack adds nice depth and he can make some plays too.  Blake Bortles will have a couple of nice safety nets in Thomas and Koyack, always a good thing for a young QB.  I don’t like the fact that they virtually ignored their defense (a strategy made worse with Fowler’s injury) when their secondary is still one of the worst in the league.  The one defensive back they did draft was an in-the-box SS James Sample from Louisville and SS is the one position they actually have a potentially good player in Johnathan Cyprien.

Tennessee Titans

2.  Marcus Mariota QB   Oregon

40.  Dorial Green-Beckham WR   Missouri/Oklahoma

66.  Jeremiah Poutasi OL   Utah

100.  Angelo Blackson DT   Auburn

108.  Jalston Fowler FB   Alabama

138.  David Cobb RB   Minnesota

177.  Deiontrez Mount OLB   Louisville

208.  Andy Gallik C   Boston College

245.  Tre McBride WR   William & Mary

Immediate Impact:  QB Marcus Mariota, OL Jeremiah Poutasi

Zach Mettenberger can protest all he wants and say he isn’t going to just give up the starting QB job but that won’t matter because it is Mariota’s to lose.  Mariota is a great athlete, a great leader and a high character guy and the Titans are going to give him every chance to be the face of the franchise.  Mariota doesn’t fit the Ken Whisenhunt QB mold but if they can figure out an offense he can run he could be special.  The Titans drafted Taylor Lewan last year when they had Michael Roos and Michael Oher as their starting OTs and now they are both gone and Lewan will be thrust into the LT spot meaning they still need a RT.  Poutasi is a big and powerful man that would be best suited inside at OG but he’s a far better choice at RT than anyone else currently on the roster so he’s going to get thrown into the fire pretty quickly.

Best Value:  RB David Cobb

Cobb may also be an immediate impact player and I suppose if he is you could call him a sleeper but I’m going with great value here.  Last year’s rookie RB Bishop Sankey was fine but he wasn’t great and in Whisenhunt’s offense he’s better as a third down situational player.  Shonn Greene was supposed to be the power complement to Sankey but Greene just isn’t very effective anymore (he rarely has been in the NFL).  Cobb is a downhill power runner that fits the scheme and he certainly won’t wilt under the pressure of a ton of carries.  I completely expect Cobb to start by week 5 at the latest and that means the Titans got their starting RB in round 5.

Sleeper:  WR Tre McBride

All the talk about the Titans that wasn’t focused on Mariota was about their second round pick Dorial Green-Beckham and it’s for all the wrong reasons.  Tre McBride is a small school product that will initially have to make the team with his return ability but he could push some veterans out the door at WR.  He needs some refinement on his route running skills because unlike his college days he won’t be the best athlete on the field but this kid will work hard to get better.  Kendall Wright is the only real certainty on the WR depth chart and veterans like Justin Hunter and Hakeem Nicks better show up or the young guys are taking over.

Overall Analysis:

There is a common phrase used in draft analysis “love the player, hate the pick” and it can mean a few things; it can mean taking a player too high or that the player doesn’t fit the team or that the team should have done something else.  I have avoided that phrase in my analysis but it I’m going to use it now, I love Mariota but I hate the fit.  Mariota is everything you want your professional athletes to be as a fan and he’s everything the team wants in a franchise player because by all accounts he’s a genuinely great person.  Unfortunately I don’t think he’s a great fit for Whisenhunt.  Coaches in the NFL tend to coach what they know (unless you’re Belichick then you can do whatever and it works) and supremely gifted athletic QBs are not Whisenhunt’s style.  Maybe they will both prove me wrong.  The team followed up drafting the saint in the first round with the sinner in the second.  Dorial Green-Beckham has physical traits that rival Calvin Johnson but he has character traits that are more Josh Gordon.  If Green-Beckham can learn from Mariota and Tre McBride how to act he may have a chance to have a great career.  I like the late pick of OG/C Andy Gallik because he’s a good player that can back up all three interior positions and you rarely go wrong getting offensive linemen out of Boston College.   The choices of Mariota, Green-Beckham, Poutasi, Fowler, Cobb, Gallik and McBride shows that the team realizes their offense needs some help and all seven of those guys should make the roster.  The Titans didn’t address their defense in any meaningful way in the draft but that was their focus in free agency with the additions of OLB Brian Orakpo, CB Perish Cox and S Da’Norris Searcy.  Mariota and Green-Beckham are most likely to define this draft but there are some other good offensive additions.

Baltimore Ravens

26.  Breshad Perriman WR   UCF

55.  Maxx Williams TE   Minnesota

90.  Carl Davis DT   Iowa

122.  Za’Darius Smith DE   Kentucky

125.  Buck Allen RB   USC

136.  Tray Walker CB   Texas Southern

171.  Nick Boyle TE   Delaware

176.  Robert Myers OG   Tennessee St.

204.  Darren Waller WR   Georgia Tech

Immediate Impact:  WR Breshad Perriman, TE Maxx Williams

The Ravens made the wise decision to not overpay Torrey Smith but it meant they had to get some WR help in the draft; enter Breshad Perriman.  Perriman was a little overshadowed by Amari Cooper, Kevin White and DeVante Parker until he broke out at his pro day.  His blazing fast 40 time made him all the rage and he vaulted up the draft boards, luckily for everyone the hype settled down and he went later in the first round where he belonged.  He needs a chance to settle in and learn and now he gets to learn from Steve Smith and provide Joe Flacco with a deep receiver, as always the Ravens did well.  Maxx Williams was a steal because no one is certain of Dennis Pitta’s long-term status and Williams can step in and start if need be.  He’s not going to be the next Jimmy Graham but he might be the next Jason Witten.  As always the Ravens did well.

Best Value:  DT Carl Davis

The Ravens do the best job every year of consistently getting good value at almost every pick.  It’s hard to pick one so I’m going with Davis.  He was a potential late first rounder and getting him in the third is highway robbery.  The one knock on Davis is that he takes plays off and he really didn’t do a great job of convincing teams he won’t be that way in the pros but I have another prospective.  When Davis got to Iowa he was a big kid that was soft and just used his sheer size but over his first couple of years he transformed his body from a soft overweight kid to a powerful man.  He’s going to be fantastic in Baltimore’s system because he can move around on the line and give them many looks.  The Ravens did well.

Sleeper:  RB Buck Allen

I debated putting Za’Darius Smith or Nick Boyle here but Allen could make a difference sooner than either one of them.  The Ravens resigned Justin Forsett but until last season he hadn’t really accomplished much other than being a reliable backup.  If Forsett’s season was a one year wonder Allen could step in and make a huge difference.  New offensive coordinator Marc Trestman likes backs with skills like Matt Forte had for him in Chicago and that’s Allen.  If Forsett falters or doesn’t react well after having so many carries last year I’d put my money on Allen to step into the lead back role.  Again, well done.

Overall Analysis:

The Ravens are the best drafting team in the league and they have been since they have been in Baltimore.  I always seem to like their drafts and this year is no exception.  Perriman fills a huge need, Williams too and he was a steal, Davis was such great value, Za’Darius Smith is the type of player they get and turn into a good contributor and Buck Allen is a fourth rounder that has starting ability.  Two guys they took late that I like are TE Nick Boyle and WR Darren Waller.  Boyle was a small school TE with great athleticism that can develop behind Williams and I suppose if you’re going to take a shot in the 6^th round you might as well take it on a 6’6 240 lbs. receiver, Waller, you might strike gold.  My only question here would be that they had nine picks and the only defensive back they took was a raw CB out of a small school Tray Walker.  Their secondary could have used some help and someone that could have helped a little sooner. But like I said, they did well.

Cincinnati Bengals

21.  Cedric Ogbuehi OT   Texas A&M

53.  Jake Fisher OT   Oregon

85.  Tyler Kroft TE   Rutgers

99.  Paul Dawson LB   TCU

120.  Josh Shaw DB   USC

135.  Marcus Hardison DT   Arizona St.

157.  CJ Uzomah TE   Auburn

197.  Derron Smith S   Fresno St.

238.  Mario Alford WR   West Virginia

Immediate Impact:  TE Tyler Kroft

The Bengals need help at TE as Tyler Eifert is pretty much all they have and he’s coming off an injury.  Eifert isn’t known for his blocking regardless of his health and Kroft can actually excel there.  A team that has Jeremy Hill and Giovani Bernard at RB and Andy Dalton at QB should be looking to run more so while Kroft isn’t going to put up big numbers or get noticed much I think he contributes quite a bit this year and makes an impact.

Best Value:  LB Paul Dawson

Dawson was the 99^th pick and he is a starting caliber middle LB so it’s hard to argue with the value there.  The Bengals don’t appear to need Dawson right now but starting MLB Rey Maualuga is a limited player and free agent signee AJ Hawk isn’t any better.  Maualuga has the experience but Dawson will eventually unseat him.

Sleeper:  DB Josh Shaw

Shaw is best known for idiotic lie he told last year when he injured himself and tried to pretend he was a hero (Google it if you want to know more) but he’s actually a pretty solid prospect.  He played CB and safety in college but he’s probably best suited to be a FS and Reggie Nelson isn’t getting any younger.  Shaw could eventually replace Nelson and I think he’ll make a pretty solid safety.

Overall Analysis:

The Bengals are so good their first two draft picks were for the future and not a single player in this draft is needed to start this year.  I never thought I would write that sentence.  I’m not a huge Cedric Ogbuehi fan but I see some of the skills and physical gifts that make teams think he can be a future LT.  He’ll spend the season rehabbing his ACL injury and there is no pressure for him to play this year.  Jake Fisher could certainly contribute but with LT Andrew Whitworth, RT Andre Smith and backup OT Eric Winston around he probably won’t be needed.  There is a chance Winston could call it a career and Fisher becomes the swing tackle but it’s remote.  Kroft, Dawson and Shaw can all contribute as backups and on special teams but they are unlikely to be needed otherwise.  TE CJ Uzomah could make the team simply because of a lack of depth at TE and his ability to be used as an H-back.  Alford only makes the team if he’s an unbelievable return man and the Bengals can actually afford to carry someone for that specific role.  S Derron Smith was one of my underrated guys and if Josh Shaw finds a place at CB instead of safety Smith may be Nelson’s eventual replacement.  He’s a ball hawk and playmaker so don’t count him out.

Cleveland Browns

12. Danny Shelton DT   Washington

19.  Cameron Erving C   Florida St.

51.  Nate Orchard OLB   Utah

77.  Duke Johnson RB   Miami

96.  Xavier Cooper DT   Washington St.

115.  Ibraheim Campbell S   Northwestern

123.  Vince Mayle WR   Washington St.

189.  Charles Gaines CB   Louisville

195.  Malcolm Johnson TE   Mississippi St.

198.  Randall Telfer TE   USC

219.  Hayes Pullard ILB   USC

241.  Ifo Ekpre-Olomu CB   Oregon

Immediate Impact:  DT Danny Shelton, OL Cameron Erving

The Browns need help on both lines but getting a run-stuffing NT was priority #1 given how bad they were stopping the run last year.  Shelton is a whole lot of man to plug into the middle and he’s far more athletic than someone his size should be.  He will make the entire front seven better just being on the field.  Erving was an interesting choice for the Browns given the fact that his best position is probably C and they already have Alex Mack but Erving has versatility.  He could take over at RT or inside at OG depending on where they need him.  This may have been the Browns way of hedging their bet with Mack coming off an injury and having an out clause in his contract coming up but Erving will help somewhere next season.

Best Value:  RB Duke Johnson

Isaiah Crowell and Terrance West were solid rookies last year and they could form a nice duo but Johnson may make it a trio.  He’s not big so he probably isn’t going to be an every down back but he has skills that Crowell and West don’t have and depending on the offense they run he may fit better.  He’s a talented RB and getting him in round three was good value.

Sleepers:  OLB Nate Orchard, DT Xavier Cooper, CB Ifo Ekpre-Olomu (not this year)

Orchard is a DE/OLB that is more comfortable rushing with his hand on the ground but he’ll be a stand-up OLB for the Browns.  He was a highly productive player at Utah and he has superior pass rush skills compared to Barkevious Mingo.  Orchard could steal the OLB job from Mingo.  Cooper is a good pick and on the Browns line that was less than stellar last year he could make some noise.  Cleveland signed veteran Randy Starks and they have Desmond Bryant but Cooper could make for a nice rotation player.  Ekpre-Olomu would have been a second or third rounder if he hadn’t torn up his knee during practices for the College Football Playoff games.  He will sit out this season rehabbing but he’s a natural corner with great instincts and fluid movement that won’t be out worked by anyone.  The Browns spent a 2014 1^st round pick on Justin Gilbert and they were less than enthused with his work as a rookie. They are hoping for a turnaround in year two but if I were a betting man I would bet Ekpre-Olomu is a starting CB for the Browns in two years not Gilbert.

Overall Analysis:

Shelton, Erving, Orchard, Johnson and Cooper should all contribute this season and that’s a pretty solid haul in one draft.  The Browns aren’t exactly stacked at safety so fourth round pick Ibraheim Campbell could see some action too.  They drafted two blocking TEs in Malcolm Johnson and Randall Telfer so that could help the running game.  There was one big issue the Browns didn’t address and that was the passing game.  They didn’t grab a WR until they got Vince Mayle in round four and while he has nice size he isn’t exactly an upgrade over the middling veterans they signed in free agency.  They also didn’t address a pass-catching TE to replace the departed Jordan Cameron leaving veteran Rob Housler that job.  I suppose when you’re trotting out either Josh McCown or Johnny Maziel at QB you must figure it doesn’t matter who’s running the routes.

Pittsburgh Steelers

22.  Bud Dupree OLB   Kentucky

56.  Senquez Golson CB   Mississippi

87.  Sammie Coates WR   Auburn

121.  Doran Grant CB   Ohio St.

160.  Jesse James TE   Penn St.

199.  Leterius Walton DT   Central Michigan

212.  Anthony Chickillo DE   Miami

239.  Gerod Holliman S   Louisville

Immediate Impact:  OLB Bud Dupree, CB Senquez Golson

The Steelers are counting on an aging James Harrison, an ineffective Jarvis Jones and an unspectacular Arthur Moats at OLB so while Bud Dupree will need some refinement he won’t find playing time hard to come by.  Dupree is a gifted athlete with great size and this is a perfect situation for him.  The only position worse off for the Steelers than OLB is CB and while Golson isn’t the biggest CB he is tough and talented.  He’s an upgrade over their current depth chart and he’ll be starting sooner rather than later.

Best Value:  OLB Bud Dupree

Dupree had been climbing the draft boards late in the process due to his combination of size and athleticism but he slipped a bit because teams addressed other needs.  The Steelers could not have expected him to fall to their pick at 22 and had to be ecstatic when he was there.  He could have been a top 10 pick and no one would have questioned it so #22 overall is good value.

Sleepers:  CB Doran Grant, S Gerod Holliman

I said CB was worse off than OLB but it’s actually the entire secondary that needs help.  Cortez Allen was benched last season and William Gay isn’t getting any younger or any better so the door is open for Senquez Golson and fourth round pick Doran Grant.  Grant is more cerebral and more technician than he is athlete but he has starting ability and he certainly can’t be much worse than what the team has had the last few years.  Troy Polamalu’s retirement is a blessing in disguise because his play had fallen off quite a bit.  Holliman isn’t replacing Polamalu, that job falls to Shamarko Thomas for now, but the Steelers could use a playmaker in the secondary and that’s all Holliman does.  He’s a horrific tackler but he can cover and he makes great plays on the ball which is why he had 14 INTs last season.  The Steelers could use that kind of ball hawk.

Overall Analysis:

Dupree, Golson, Grant and Holliman should all contribute to a defense that needs an infusion of youth and talent.  Leterius Walton and Anthony Chickillo are interesting developmental prospects that I really like.  Walton is long and powerful and he could develop into a very good five-technique DE in a couple of years.  Chickillo is a bit of a tweener and teams weren’t sure if he should be a DE or a DT so he fell in the draft.  The Steelers might be best served by having him slim down a bit and trying him at OLB.  He may not be a great edge rusher but he can be a solid backup and a good run stuffer at that position.  While the Steelers rightfully concentrated on their defense their two offensive picks have a chance to really work out.  WR Sammie Coates drops too many passes but he was definitely worth the 3^rd round pick they spent on him.  He brings a different look with his size and physicality and while he’s at best going to compete for the 3^rd WR spot he has potential down the road.  TE Jesse James isn’t a fluid athlete and he’s not a natural pass catcher but he’s 6’7 261 lbs. and has potential.  The Steelers depth chart has Heath Miller and Matt Spaeth at the top and neither one is a spring chicken so James is a nice developmental prospect.

Denver Broncos

23.  Shane Ray OLB   Missouri

59.  Ty Sambrailo OT   Colorado St.

92.  Jeff Heuerman TE   Ohio St.

133.  Max Garcia C   Florida

164.  Lorenzo Doss CB   Tulane

203.  Darius Kilgo DT   Maryland

250.  Trevor Siemian QB   Northwestern

251.  Taurean Nixon   CB   Tulane

252.  Josh Furman DB   Oklahoma St.

Immediate Impact:  OT Ty Sambrailo, C Max Garcia

The Broncos offensive line wasn’t great last season and the biggest issues were at RT and C.  The team had moved Manny Ramirez to C and Louis Vasquez to RT to plug the holes but Ramirez was traded during the draft and Vasquez isn’t a long term solution at RT and is better at OG.  Add in the fact that new head coach Gary Kubiak wants to bring back the zone blocking scheme he’s used to and new blood was a must.  Ty Sambrailo is an exceptional athlete especially for his size and while Max Garcia doesn’t fit Kubiak’s usual mold he’s a better option at C than Gino Gradkowski.

Best Value:  OT Ty Sambrailo

Sambrailo is exactly what Kubiak likes and he will immediately plug in as a starter at RT and be a huge upgrade over Chris Clark.  Getting a starting RT in the second round with the 59^th overall pick is pretty good value.  It is also possible that if the Broncos have to make a choice about keeping Ryan Clady down the line Sambrailo could move over to LT.

Sleeper:  DT Darius Kilgo

Kilgo needs to work on his functional strength and he needs technique work but the Broncos need bodies at DT.  They simply don’t have many interior defensive line players and while they could still sign some free agents off the scrap heap Kilgo gives them a young guy who can play.  He isn’t going to rush the passer much but he can occupy some blockers to allow Von Miller, DeMarcus Ware and possibly Shane Ray to get to the QB.

Overall Analysis:

Shane Ray was the talk of draft week after his arrest for marijuana possession early in the week and couple that with the toe injury teams were talking about already and it looked like he was in for a free fall.  The Broncos actually traded up to grab him at 23 and while he didn’t fall as far as many thought he did slip a little.  Ray won’t be asked to take on a lot this season with the presence of Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware at OLB he will simply be a pass rushing specialist.  However, he better get ready for year two because Ware is 33 years old and isn’t likely to see 2016 in Broncos uniform.  They addressed their offensive line issues with two solid choices in Sambrailo and Garcia.  I had every intention of making TE Jeff Heuerman my sleeper choice here but he went and tore his ACL during minicamp last weekend so he’s out for the year.  He had a chance to make some waves and make some veterans nervous but he’ll have to wait a year.  The Broncos must have liked Tulane’s pass defense this season as they took both CBs Lorenzo Doss and Taurean Nixon along with Oklahoma DB Josh Furman, all three will provide training camp competition but not all three will make the team.  QB Trevor Siemian was just a shot in the dark at the position.

Kansas City Chiefs

18.  Marcus Peters CB   Washington

49.  Mitch Morse OL   Missouri

76.  Chris Conley WR   Georgia

98.  Steven Nelson CB   Oregon St.

118.  Ramik Wilson LB   Georgia

172.  DJ Alexander LB   Oregon St.

173.  James O’Shaughnessy TE   Illinois St.

217.  Rakeem Nunez-Roches DT   Southern Miss

233.  Da’Ron Brown WR   Northern Illinois

Immediate Impact:  CB Marcus Peters, OL Mitch Morse

If Marcus Peters keeps his nose clean he will be the best CB from this draft.  The Chiefs will likely be missing Sean Smith for the first two games of the season due to a suspension and Peters will fill in as the top CB.  He’s better than Phillip Gaines or Marcus Cooper and when Smith returns it won’t be Peters going to the bench.  The Chiefs traded for OG Ben Grubbs from New Orleans and they seem to want to give Eric Kush a try at center but Morse could push for the other OG spot.  He could also push for the RT spot potentially because Jeff Allen and Donald Stephenson don’t really inspire confidence.  Morse has versatility and the Chiefs’ line isn’t exactly stable so he is going to get a chance to play somewhere.

Best Value:  ILB Ramik Wilson

I like Wilson more than most and I actually love him here for the Chiefs.  Derrick Johnson has had a long and distinguished career in Kansas City but he’s almost 33 years old and coming off an Achilles injury, he can’t play too much longer.  The sad thing is his ILB position is in better shape than the other side.  The Chiefs need new blood and Wilson can be a starter and with his starting experience at Georgia he won’t be overwhelmed.  A fourth round pick that can step in as a starter is great value.

Sleeper:  CB Steven Nelson

Nelson is too short, too slow and he doesn’t have the fluidity of a great CB but the kid fights like hell and never gives up.  Sean Smith is entering the last year of his contract and Marcus Peters was drafted as his eventual replacement but the Chiefs don’t have great depth at the position and Nelson gives them that now and a guy that could become a starter opposite Peters down the line.  Phillip Gaines and Marcus Cooper are solid young corners who could develop but Nelson has just as good of a chance as they do.

Overall Analysis:

Peters, Morse, Nelson and Wilson are four pretty solid players that will help now as well as down the line.  WR Chris Conley was the star of the combine showing off elite athleticism but for some reason I just didn’t see it on the field.  He’s got deep speed but I’m not sure that’s a useful thing with Jeremy Maclin around, one deep threat receiver for Alex Smith might be too many.  There were WRs on the board that would have complemented Maclin better and given Smith a more effective duo (Sammie Coates and Justin Hardy come to mind).  The last four picks aren’t going to make a huge difference and are most likely headed for the practice squad because they need plenty of development.

Oakland Raiders

4.  Amari Cooper WR   Alabama

35.  Mario Edwards Jr. DE   Florida St.

68.  Clive Walford TE   Miami

128.  Jon Feliciano OG   Miami

140.  Ben Heeney ILB   Kansas

161.  Neiron Ball OLB   Florida

179.  Max Valles ILB   Virginia

218.  Anthony Morris OT   Tennessee St.

221.  Andre Debose WR   Florida

242.  Dexter McDonald CB   Kansas

Immediate Impact:  WR Amari Cooper

Leonard Williams was the best player in the draft Amari Cooper was a close second.  The only person that likes this pick more than I do is Derek Carr because his life just got a lot better.  Just before the draft the Raiders signed free agent WR Michael Crabtree and then they drafted Cooper which means Carr just went from driving a Pinto to driving a Porsche.  Cooper is a star and with a legitimate QB throwing to him he’ll be fantastic.  He also makes Crabtree better because Crabtree is better as a #2 WR than as a #1.

Best Value:  TE Clive Walford

Walford was arguably the second best TE behind Maxx Williams and they got him in the third round.  The Raiders TE depth chart isn’t exactly teeming with Hall of Famers so Walford can move up quickly.  He’s not a great blocker but he’s a good athlete and he’ll give Carr the safety net a good TE provides.  With Cooper, Crabtree and Walford the Raiders are actually surrounding their franchise QB with legitimate NFL caliber talent.

Sleeper:  LB Ben Heeney

Heeney is one of those linebackers that is too short and too slow but plays like his hair is on fire and coaches love him.  The Raiders signed Curtis Lofton in free agency to take over as their MLB but Lofton gets hurt a lot.  They also signed Malcolm Smith from Seattle and many people thing that is hedging their bet on Lofton but starting OLB Sio Moore is coming off yet another injury and they may need Smith to cover for him.  The Raiders don’t have a lot of depth in the LB corps so when Lofton goes down and Smith is covering for Moore Heeney might get plugged in at MLB.  He won’t be pretty to watch but he’ll play his heart out.

Overall Analysis:

Cooper is a homerun pick and Walford fills a huge need.  I’m not a huge fan of Mario Edwards Jr. especially for this team because I think he’s a better fit as a DE in a 3-4 defense because he lacks the pass rush skills to be a DE in a 4-3.  He can bulk up like he did last season and line up at DT but he’s far less effective at a higher weight.  Grabbing an OG late in the fourth round is fine and Feliciano might actually work out but I’m not sure he’s an upgrade over what they already have.  The LBs they took in the fifth and sixth rounds, Neiron Ball and Max Vellas, just are not the type of guys the Raiders need because they are too injury prone (Ball) and too raw (Vellas) to help any time soon.  Anthony Morris and Dexter McDonald might develop but it’s doubtful.  The Raiders definitely need to help out their return game but even a seventh round pick was a waste on Andre Debose.  The soon-to-be 25 year old sixth year senior out of Florida would have been available as an undrafted free agent.  The Raiders are not a strong enough team to carry a player that is solely a return man and there is virtually no chance Debose makes the roster as WR.  GM Reggie McKenzie had a great draft last year; I don’t think he followed it up with another one.

San Diego Chargers

15.  Melvin Gordon RB   Wisconsin

48.  Denzel Perryman ILB   Miami

83.  Craig Mager CB   Texas St.

153.  Kyle Emanuel OLB   North Dakota St.

192.  Darius Philon DT   Arkansas

Immediate Impact:  RB Melvin Gordon

Branden Oliver, Danny Woodhead and Donald Brown are not going to be able to fend off Gordon for the starting nod so they should all just focus on what ancillary role they can play in the offense.  Gordon is a homerun hitter that is actually a very good between-the-tackles runner and he can play all three downs.  The Chargers didn’t trade up two spots for a backup and Phillip Rivers will appreciate having a RB with Gordon’s skills lining up behind him.

Best Value:  RB Melvin Gordon

Both Todd Gurley and Melvin Gordon crashed the 1^st round party that RBs hadn’t been invited to for a couple of years and both were well worth it.  If you like players that have high ceilings and high floors Gordon is your man he was one of the safest prospects to take because he has very little bust potential.  He was certainly better than the fifteenth best prospect in this draft.

Sleeper:  OLB Kyle Emanuel

Emanuel is coming out of North Dakota St. which means everyone thinks he’s just some small school kid but North Dakota St. has been the best FCS program for quite a while.  Emanuel put up some big numbers and he certainly wasn’t playing against NFL level offensive lines but he has really good edge pass rushing skills.  The Chargers have Jeremiah Attaochu at one OLB spot and the oft-injured Melvin Ingram at the other one so Emanuel will have a shot at playing time.  It’s a major step up in competition but the North Dakota St. players seemed to always rise to the occasion against their biggest opponents.

Overall Analysis:

Love the Gordon pick, he’s a star waiting to happen.  ILB Denzel Perryman was too short and too slow for a lot of people’s tastes but he’s a gamer.  When he steals Manti Te’o starting job just remember I told you he would because I’m telling you he will.  Perryman is a tackling machine and his body may not hold up to playing ten years in the NFL but he’s going to tackle everything in sight for the next five.  CB Craig Mager was the first player off the board I didn’t know, it eventually happens every draft but it’s usually not at #83 overall.  The Chargers are taking a shot on another small school player with some raw skills but I wouldn’t bet on him making much noise any time soon.  The last choice of Darius Philon is a bit strange because he doesn’t look like a 3-4 defensive lineman.  He doesn’t have length of a five-technique DE and he is too small to be a NT so I wouldn’t count on him too much.  The Chargers only had 5 picks so they couldn’t hit a lot of needs but I think the 3^rd round pick they spent on Mager would have been more wisely spent on an offensive lineman like TJ Clemmings or Daryl Williams.  If they felt the need to get a CB there someone like Steven Nelson or Josh Shaw would have offered a quicker return.  Ignoring the offensive line all together seems strange given the holes they have left to fill.

Buffalo Bills

50.  Ronald Darby CB   Florida St.

81.  John Miller OG   Louisville

155.  Karlos Williams RB   Florida St

188.  Tony Steward OLB   Clemson

194.  Nick O’Leary TE   Florida St.

234.  Dez Lewis WR   Central Arkansas

Immediate Impact:  WR Sammy Watkins

The Bills didn’t have a first round pick in 2015 because they traded it to Cleveland last year to move up and draft Sammy Watkins.  Watkins had a solid rookie year on a team that had a less than stellar offense.  I’m fairly certain Watkins would be a much bigger playmaker if he had a great QB throwing to him and whether Matt Cassel is an upgrade or not over the now retired Kyle Orton he isn’t going to morph into a great QB.  Watkins already made an immediate impact and he’s poised to be their #1 WR for years to come now they just need a legitimate QB.

Best Value:  RB Karlos Williams

Williams is a 6’1 230 lbs. beast that should make a nice complement to LeSean McCoy and he should fit new offensive coordinator Greg Roman’s scheme pretty well.  Roman made a living having Frank Gore run everyone over in San Francisco and while McCoy is a more multifaceted player Williams’ style is running through people.  Williams has some red flags both on and off the field and he wasn’t always a RB at Florida St. but he’s just scratching the surface and if Rex Ryan can keep him in line he’s a steal at #155 overall.

Sleeper:  CB Ronald Darby

It may seem strange to pick the Bills’ first pick (their second rounder) as a sleeper but the Bills aren’t getting a lot of credit on the Darby choice because he probably isn’t going to contribute much this year unless there’s an injury.  The Bills have Stephon Gilmore, Leodis McKelvin and Corey Graham at CB but there are issues with each of them.  Gilmore just had his fifth year option picked up but he could price himself out of Buffalo if he has a good year.  McKelvin and Graham are both pushing 30 years old and McKelvin has a tendency to get hurt.  Darby may only be the fourth CB this year but he could easily be starting two years from now opposite Gilmore or in place of him.

Overall Analysis:

The Bills only had six picks and when you don’t have a lot of choices you can’t afford to miss on any of them.  They did pretty well but there isn’t a lot of room for error.  While CB wasn’t their top need Darby was a solid selection in round 2.  OG John Miller wasn’t a flashy pick (guards rarely are) he could earn playing time due to his strength and the Bills need to improve inside to aid their running game.  If Rex Ryan and Greg Roman want a power running game Miller fits the bill and Williams will get more carries then most will expect.  OLB Tony Steward adds depth at a position where they need it.  TE Nick O’Leary looks a lot like free agent signee Charles Clay minus the athleticism.  O’Leary isn’t going to wow anyone but he can make the team by playing TE, fullback, H-back and working his tail off on special teams.  The choice of WR Dez Lewis is a team taking a shot on a small school player and while the Bills WR corps looks solid with Watkins, Percy Harvin, Robert Woods and Marquise Goodwin not a single one of them is over 6’1.  Lewis is 6’4 so he could bring a dimension they don’t have.

Miami Dolphins

14.  DeVante Parker WR   Louisville

20.  Jordan Phillips DT   Oklahoma

114.  Jamil Douglas OG   Arizona St.

145.  Bobby McCain CB   Memphis

149.  Jay Ajayi RB   Boise St.

150.  Ced Thompson S   Minnesota

156.  Tony Lippett WR/CB   Michigan St.

Immediate Impact:  WR DeVante Parker

My second least favorite part of the draft (the least favorite is coming up) was watching a team that might actually be able to compete with the Patriots get a guy that can kill the Patriots.  Parker is big, fast and talented and he will make Ryan Tannehill a much better QB.  Parker can line up outside, opposite Kenny Stills with Jarvis Landry in the slot and teams can’t double cover them all.  Greg Jennings signed with the Dolphins because he thought he’d have a chance to play but now he’s the wily old veteran 4^th WR if he makes the roster.

Best Value:  RB Jay Ajayi

Ajayi lasted until the fifth round because teams had questions about the longevity of his knees.  Well the Dolphins need to win now if head coach Joe Philbin wants to stick around so it doesn’t matter if Ajayi’s knees hold up down the line because he can help now.  Lamar Miller played well last year behind a slightly improved line but he had no legitimate backup going into this season.  Ajayi is going to help a lot and Miller is in a contract year so if the Dolphins don’t want to pay him they already have a replacement.  Ajayi has great size and a fantastic skillset and getting a potential starting RB in the fifth round is very good value.

Sleeper:  WR/CB Tony Lippett

Lippett mostly played WR at Michigan St. but he did get some action at CB and while his skills are very raw there he is almost 6’3 which makes him an intriguing possibility at CB.  It will take some time and a lot of coaching but I think his physical gifts and natural athleticism will allow him to become a starting CB in a year or two.  With WRs seemingly getting bigger every year having a 6’3 corner would be nice.

Overall Analysis:

The Dolphins drafted two of my favorite offensive players in this draft with DeVante Parker and Jay Ajayi and really improved their offense with these two.  Parker is the type of #1 WR that can make a good QB great and Ajayi might be the steal of the draft.  DT Jordan Phillips was a nice get in the second round, he has first round talent and fourth round ambition but there are only so many people on the planet that are 6’5 329 lbs. that can move like he can.  The biggest knock on Phillips is that his motor doesn’t run all the time and he takes plays off but something tells me that might change when he lines up daily next to Ndamukong Suh.  Suh is despised throughout the league for his style of play but no one ever accused him of slacking off or not giving full effort.  The first time Phillips doesn’t go hard the coaches will be the least of his worries.  OG Jamil Douglas gives them another option on the inside and they need competition there.  Bobby McCain and Ced Thompson can add depth in the secondary and Lippett adds versatility if nothing else.

New England Patriots

32.  Malcolm Brown DT   Texas

64.  Jordan Richards S   Stanford

97.  Geneo Grissom DE   Oklahoma

101.  Trey Flowers DE   Arkansas

111.  Tre Jackson OG   Florida St.

131.  Shaq Mason C/G   Georgia Tech

166.  Joe Cardona LS   Navy

178.  Matt Wells OLB   Mississippi St.

202.  AJ Derby TE   Arkansas

247.  Darryl Roberts CB   Marshall

253.  Xzavier Dickson DE   Alabama

Immediate Impact:  DT Malcolm Brown, OG Tre Jackson

The Patriots lost long time NT Vince Wilfork to the Texans after they cut him for salary cap purposes and then they were handed a gift at the end of the first round when Malcolm Brown was still available.  It was such a great gift that not even Bill Belichick himself could trade the pick.  Brown has a ton of different skills and can line up and do pretty much anything Belichick wants him to including replacing Wilfork.  He’s a day one, no doubt starter and he’ll work very well with last year’s 1^st round pick Dominique Easley.  The interior of the offensive line had many issues to start last year and it wasn’t until they got healthy and had Bryan Stork, Ryan Wendell and Dan Connolly starting that things clicked.  Connolly is gone but Tre Jackson is a fantastic replacement and the fact that he was a teammate at Florida St. with Stork hopefully means he’ll pick things up quickly and not miss a beat.

Best Value:  DT Malcolm Brown

Brown was a legitimate candidate to be taken in the draft as early as Cleveland’s first pick at #12.  He wasn’t a player that was going to excite every fan base because he’s not a big name and he doesn’t play a glamour position but for a team like the Patriots that actually needed a guy like him he’s gold.  I usually go a little deeper in a draft for value but you can’t beat a legitimate top 15 prospect at an absolutely critical need at #32 overall.

Sleeper:  OG/C Shaq Mason

Mason is a fantastic run blocker and he probably dropped to the fourth round only because he’s 6’1 and not 6’3-6’4.  He’s strong and powerful but he needs to work on his pass blocking.  He’s also versatile because he could play any of the three interior positions which makes him an ideal backup and very likely to make the roster.  Last season when Stork got hurt the Patriots had to shuffle things but now Mason gives them a guy that can plug in if needed.  Mason also gives the Patriots a possible replacement for Wendell if they decide to move on from him.

Overall Analysis:

The Patriots had a fantastic 1^st round of the draft with Malcolm Brown and the 4^th round of their draft was incredible too.  The two potential starting guards in the fourth round was a smart move because they needed to get younger and improve their run blocking inside.  DE Trey Flowers was also a nice pickup as their first 4^th rounder.  He is stout against the run and is a solid pass rusher and he can fit into multiple fronts and he’ll make an excellent backup for now because of his versatility.  The rest of this draft is atrocious.  I like Jordan Richards out of Stanford as a player, he’s smart and he could make a nice duo with Devin McCourty.  He’s a better overall safety than Patrick Chung but taking him in the second round was completely unnecessary, he was a fourth round value.  DE Geneo Grissom would have been a reach in round five and taking him in the third was ludicrous.  Grissom looks great getting off the bus but he’s a complete wreck on the field.  I love the story of the Patriots taking a player out of Navy but drafting a long snapper in round five is borderline crazy add in the fact that he may have a five year commitment to fulfill before he could start his career and you’re not getting great value there.  Matt Wells, AJ Derby, Darryl Roberts and Xzavier Dickson are all good athletes that may have a chance in the NFL but they are all long shots to make the defending Super Bowl champs unless they can absolutely dominate on special teams.

New York Jets

6.  Leonard Williams DE   USC

37.  Devin Smith WR   Ohio St.

82.  Lorenzo Mauldin OLB   Louisville

103.  Bryce Petty QB   Baylor

152.  Jarvis Harrison OG   Texas A&M

223.  Deon Simon  DT   Northwestern St.

Immediate Impact:  DE Leonard Williams

The Jets picked sixth in the first round and somehow ended up with the best player in the draft.  When the Washington Redskins selected Brandon Scherff 5^th overall I was overjoyed for him and completely pissed because I knew what was coming.  Williams is a beast and he just joined the best defensive line in the league.  DEs Sheldon Richardson and Muhammed Wilkerson and NT Damon Harrison are the cornerstone of the Jets defense and now they have added Williams and are being coached by new head man Todd Bowles.  Williams will rotate at DE with both Richardson and Wilkerson (unless the Jets make the boneheaded move of trading Wilkerson) and while he won’t play as many snaps as a lot of guys that just means he’ll be fresher and cause more havoc.  Oh and he’s skilled enough that if they need him to he could play some NT to give Harrison a break.

Best Value:  DE Leonard Williams

I just debated this in my head because how is the 6^th overall pick great value when you have to use the 6^th pick to get him, well when he’s the best player in the draft and you can sit at #6 and still get him that’s great value.  Five years from now when people look back on this draft and see the player Williams has become they are going to ask “How did he last until 6^th?”  He might be the next JJ Watt.

Sleeper:  OLB Lorenzo Mauldin

I’ve been beating the Mauldin drum for a few weeks and of course he went to the team I hate the most.  He couldn’t have ended up in better spot because head coach Todd Bowles knows how to coach pass rushers and veteran OLB Calvin Pace is still around and he could be a good guy to learn from but Pace also needs someone to take a lot of snaps to keep him fresh.  Mauldin is going to be my dark horse candidate for Defensive Rookie of the Year because he’s an excellent pass rusher, he should get plenty of playing time even if he doesn’t start and he plays behind the best defensive line in football.

Overall Analysis:

I said before that when you don’t have a lot of picks you don’t have a lot of room for error and the Jets just had a draft with not a lot of picks and absolutely no errors.  I could write another 1000 words about Williams but it’s depressing me because he’s a Jet and I could probably do 500 more words on Mauldin but I don’t feel like torturing myself.  WR Devin Smith is a phenomenal deep ball catcher and wouldn’t you know it the Jets need one.  Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker are big-bodied guys that don’t have great deep speed and Jeremy Kerley has never beaten anyone deep.  Smith adds a dimension the offense needs.  OG Jarvis Harrison is huge and he isn’t a very fluid athlete but the Jets are counting on Willie Colon at one guard spot and he’s not getting any younger, Harrison could be his eventual replacement.  Now we get to the one guy that could really ruin it for me, QB Bryce Petty.  My saving grace after looking at the Jets defense, which looks really good on paper, is the fact that the Jets have Geno Smith and Ryan Fitzpatrick at QB.  Those two don’t scare me at all, although Smith might be better with Devin Smith around because he hasn’t had a deep threat yet in his career (Stephen Hill didn’t count because he couldn’t catch).  People say Petty has a long way to go to be an NFL QB but for the Jets that bar is a lot lower.  Marshall, Decker, Kerley and Smith (Devin not Geno) could make for a nice WR corps that a QB like Petty could manage.  If Geno doesn’t win the job early watch out for Petty because giving him a chance is a better bet than wasting another year watching Geno implode.  Watching the Dolphins draft DeVante Parker was the second worst moment of the draft, the Jets entire draft (especially the Williams and Mauldin picks) was easily the first.

Dallas Cowboys

27. Byron Jones   CB   Connecticut

60. Randy Gregory   DE   Nebraska

91. Chaz Green   OT   Florida

127. Damien Wilson   ILB   Minnesota

163. Ryan Russell   DE   Purdue

236. Mark Nzeocha   OLB   Wyoming

243. Laurence Gibson   OT   Virginia Tech

246. Geoff Swaim   TE   Texas

Immediate Impact:   CB Byron Jones

Brandon Carr hasn’t lived up to his lofty contract, Morris Claiborne has been a draft bust and Orlando Scandrick is unhappy with his contract which leaves the Cowboys with more questions than answers at CB.  Enter the uber-athletic Byron Jones and his 12’3 broad jump.  Jones missed a lot of time last year but he seems fully recovered from his injury and he could be a fantastic CB for the Cowboys.  He may allow them to cut Brandon Carr or let Orlando Scandrick walk and he certainly spells the end of Claiborne’s time with the franchise.  Jones has the potential to be a #1 CB but it may take some time.

Best Value:  DE Randy Gregory

I’m basing this purely on Gregory’s on the field potential because it is immense.  Gregory could be a top-flight edge pass rusher that the Cowboys have been looking for since DeMarcus Ware’s heyday.  They were obviously desperate to get one when they signed Greg Hardy in free agency and then the league handed down a 10 game suspension making Hardy a virtual non-factor.  Gregory is a great pure speed rusher and he could form a nice duo with last year’s rookie Demarcus Lawrence.  This is obviously all contingent on Gregory staying on the straight and narrow and avoiding the same fate as players like Josh Gordon and Justin Blackmon.

Sleepers:  WRs Antwan Goodley, George Farmer and Deontay Greenberry

I’m going a bit off-script with these choices as they were not draft picks but I’m not impressed with any of the Cowboys later choices.  These three WRs are undrafted free agents the team signed after the draft and while WR doesn’t seem like a big need given the presence of Dez Bryant, Terrence Williams and Cole Beasley the Cowboys are casting a wide net to find some help.  Goodley was highly productive in Baylor’s high flying offense, Farmer is a great athlete that struggled with injury issues at USC and Deontay Greenberry has a lot of upside.  One or more of these players could make this roster and contribute down the line.

Overall Analysis:

Jones and Gregory are both going to be counted on early by the Cowboys given the need they have at both CB and DE.  I’ve said I wasn’t as high on Jones before but my only issue was with the idea of him going in the upper half of round 1, being taken 27^th overall was an appropriate choice.  Gregory is the definition of a boom or bust pick, he could lead the league in sacks or he could be a year-long suspension waiting to happen.  OT Chaz Green is an interesting player because he has versatility and he could be Doug Free’s eventual replacement at RT.  He also seems to be injured a lot so he could continue that trend and never last.  LB Damien Wilson adds nice depth at LB and Laurence Gibson could do the same on the offensive line but neither player profiles as a starter.  I don’t like DE Ryan Russell simply because he wasn’t very productive at Purdue and TE Geoff Swaim has a chance to make the roster because the Cowboys need depth at TE but I think undrafted free agent TE Ray Hamilton has just as good of a chance.

Jerry Jones is crazy like a fox:  LSU OT La’el Collins was supposed to be drafted in round 1 until his pregnant ex-girlfriend was murdered and the police wanted to talk to him the week before the draft.  It was a tragic situation that unfolded slowly and every team decided not to take a chance drafting Collins in case he was involved.  After the draft was over Collins sat down with police to answer their questions and apparently take a polygraph test.  He reportedly passed the polygraph test and learned he was not the father of the unborn child.  Collins was an undrafted free agent just like dozens of other players except he was now coveted as it appears he had nothing to do with his ex-girlfriend’s death.  The Cowboys have arguably the best offensive line in the league but Collins wanted to be a Cowboy so he signed a guaranteed 3 year contract, something no other rookie free agent would get.  Jones took a chance on Randy Gregory during the draft and while some may see this as taking a chance too it’s looking more and more like Collins was unfortunately tied to a tragedy he had nothing to do with.  It’s still possible other evidence could surface but at this point the gamble seems worth it.  Collins may not break into the starting lineup right away given how good the Cowboys offensive line is but RT Doug Free isn’t getting any younger and Collins would form a nice set of bookend OTs in the future with LT Tyron Smith.

New York Giants

9. Ereck Flowers   OT   Miami

33. Landon Collins   SS   Alabama

74. Owa Odighizuwa   DE   UCLA

144. Mykkele Thompson   S   Texas

186. Geremy Davis   WR   Connecticut

226. Bobby Hart   OT   Florida St.

Immediate Impact:  OT Ereck Flowers, SS Landon Collins

When your first two picks are day one, no doubt starters you probably did alright.  I think Flowers went too high and if the Giants think he’s an eventual LT they will be highly disappointed but he’s a big upgrade at RT and having him pushes Justin Pugh inside to OG so that actually upgrades two spots.  Collins is already the best safety on the team he will become the enforcer on the defense.  He was seen as an in-the-box safety with limited coverage skills and the Giants will use that to their advantage because they lack that type of force at safety and at LB.  Collins is actually better in coverage than he’s being given credit for so he’s a major upgrade overall.

Best Value:  DE Owa Odighizuwa

Getting a versatile pass rusher like Odighizuwa in the third round is an absolute steal.  There are questions about his health due to some leg injuries he had previously at UCLA which is why he dropped and the Giants are the beneficiaries of that drop.  The Giants have won Super Bowls on the strength of their pass rush and that has been lacking the past few years.  Robert Ayers is not a great complement to Jason Pierre-Paul and Odighizuwa could step in pretty quickly to replace him.  He’ll be a starter before you know it and he will excel.

Sleeper:  S Mykkele Thompson

If the Giants line up rookie safeties Landon Collins and Mykkele Thompson in their starting lineup on opening day of the NFL season I won’t be the least bit shocked.  Thompson isn’t a great player but he’s a solid prospect and the Giants safety depth chart is seriously lacking.  Thompson has the range to be a FS and would make a nice complement to Collins’ more attacking style.

Overall Analysis:

I didn’t like Flowers at #9 overall but with Brandon Scherff off the board the Giants took the next best RT they could find.  I love the Landon Collins pick and he was fantastic value, same goes with Odighizuwa.  The last choice is interesting as Bobby Hart played OT at Florida St. but he profiles as an OG in the NFL.  He is athletically limited but at OG that wouldn’t be a problem and he has some time to grow since the Giants will have veteran Geoff Schwartz and new guard Justin Pugh holding down the fort around OC Weston Richburg.  Hart could develop over the next year or two and eventually replace Schwartz.  He’s probably never going to be a Pro Bowl type of player but he can be a better than average starter.

Philadelphia Eagles

20. Nelson Agholor   WR   USC

47. Eric Rowe   DB   Utah

84. Jordan Hicks   ILB   Texas

191. JaCorey Shepherd   CB   Kansas

196. Randall Evans   CB   Kansas St.

237. Brian Mihalik   DE   Boston College

Immediate Impact:  WR Nelson Agholor, DB Eric Rowe

The Eagles did well grabbing Jordan Matthews last year in the second round of the draft and he and Riley Cooper offer nice size at the position but over the past two off seasons the Eagles have lost DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin, well Agholor is their replacement.  Agholor offers good deep speed and is a shiftier player than Matthews or Cooper and he brings the added element of being a return man.  Rowe is 6’1 205 lbs. and the Eagles will give him every opportunity to grab the starting CB spot opposite Byron Maxwell.  He offers great size and physicality at CB much like Maxwell and would allow Walter Thurmond to play the nickel position but it may not be his best position.  Luckily for the Eagles Rowe’s best position, free safety, is also a huge need.  Rowe will find a place to make a difference no matter what and he’ll be a starter early whether it’s at CB or FS.

Best Value:  DB Eric Rowe

Rowe had moved up the draft board late in the process as teams looked at him more.  He’s a good athlete with great versatility and there was a lot of talk about him possibly going in the late first round.  Teams are looking for CBs that fit the Seahawks mold of bigger and stronger guys and Rowe is that.  Getting him at #47 overall was a very good value.

Sleeper:  CB JaCorey Shepherd

Shepherd was a WR that converted to CB so his technique is lacking and he’s not a good tackler but he has great ball skills and a feel for the passing game.  He may never be more than a nickel corner but if you’re going to take a shot on a player in the 6^th round of the draft you could do a whole lot worse.  He has ability and he just needs good coaching.

Overall Analysis:

I really like the Agholor and Rowe choices early on and they fill two great needs on this roster and I also like the additions of JaCorey Shepherd and Randall Evans later in the draft because it adds depth in the secondary.  My only question is with 3^rd round choice Jordan Hicks.  Hicks is an ILB in the Eagles scheme and with Kiki Alonso, DeMeco Ryans and Mychal Kendricks on the roster Hicks isn’t likely to contribute unless it’s on special teams.  In the 3^rd round the Eagles had a chance to grab a safety or a guard prospect that would have helped them immediately and those are two positions they didn’t really address.  Hicks is a limited player and he has an injury history that doesn’t inspire confidence.

Washington Redskins

5. Brandon Scherff   OT   Iowa

38. Preston Smith   DE   Mississippi St.

95. Matt Jones   RB   Florida

105. Jamison Crowder   WR   Duke

112. Arie Kouandjio   OG   Alabama

141. Martrell Spaight   LB   Arkansas

181. Kyshoen Jarrett   S   Virginia Tech

182. Tevin Mitchel   CB   Arkansas

187. Evan Spencer   WR   Ohio St.

222. Austin Reiter   OC   South Florida

Immediate Impact:  OT Brandon Scherff, OG Arie Kouandjio, DE Preston Smith

Two of the biggest issues the Redskins faced last season was poor protection for RGIII and not enough push in the running game to give Alfred Morris a fighting chance.  Brandon Scherff is an immediate starter at RT and while he may struggle with some pass rushers on the outside he is light years ahead of where the team was last season.  Scherff is one of the most dominating run blockers you’ll see and they should take advantage by running right.  Adding Arie Kouandjio in the middle of the fourth round means the entire right side of the offensive line may get a makeover.  Chris Chester is getting a little long in the tooth at RG and while Kouandjio isn’t a for sure starter I think he will take that job.  If the Redskins line up with Scherff and Kouandjio on the right side of their line their running game will be seriously improved.  DE Preston Smith will come in and take the OLB job vacated by Brian Orakpo and line up opposite Ryan Kerrigan but Smith has a lot of versatility and they will be able to move him all over including lining him up as a DE and at DT in passing situations.

Best Value:  DE Preston Smith

Smith’s value is in his versatility because he can line up as a pass rushing OLB, play with his hand in the dirt as a DE and when the Redskins want to use Trent Murphy on passing downs and keep their big DEs in the game Smith can move inside and rush from there.  In the right scheme with the right defensive play-caller Smith is weapon that the offense has to identify all over the field.

Sleeper:  RB Matt Jones

The Redskins have one power back in Alfred Morris but he’s backed up by smaller backs that can’t do what he does.  Enter Matt Jones the 6’2 231 lbs. back out of Florida.  I’m not a huge fan of Jones but he fits this team’s need for a backup RB that can sustain what Morris gives them.  With the addition of Scherff and Kouandjio on the line the Redskins should be a power running team and now with Jones they have more than one back that can do it.

Overall Analysis:

GM Scott McCloughan loaded up on the offensive side of the ball in an attempt to give RGIII one last chance to succeed or the team will move on.  Scherff and Kouandjio solidify the line, Jones gives them another power back and even WR Jamison Crowder can help.  The Redskins top three WRs are set with DeSean Jackson, Pierre Garcon and Andre Roberts but Crowder can make the team as a 4^th WR and his return ability can take some pressure off of Jackson and Roberts and make them more effective in their primary roles.  Smith filled their major need on defense for a pass rusher and while Spaight and Mitchel are unlikely to make the active roster they bring some possible depth.  The Redskins addressed their defense in free agency and their offense in the draft.  It’s probably safe to let Daniel Snyder out of the broom closet now but the Redskins should make sure McCloughan is making all the personnel decisions from now on.