The 2017 NFL Draft is less 24 hours away. Who will your team pick?
ROUND 1
Pick #1 Cleveland Browns
Myles Garrett – DE / Texas A&M
Best player in the draft. This was a no-brainer. Cleveland didn’t over think it. Love the pick, makes this team much better from day one. Will they get a QB later?
Grade = A
Pick #2 – Chicago Bears (Trade With San Fransisco 49ers)
Mitch Trubinsky – QB / UNC
The Bears surrendered two 3rds and a 4th to trade up one pick for Trubinsky. This was the first major surprise and reach of the first round. Trubinsky is raw and has limited tape, having only started 13 games in college. This pick is a huge gamble by Chicago.
Grade = F
Pick #3 – San Fransisco 49ers (Trade With Chicago Bears)
Solomon Thomas – DE / Stanford
Thomas is a versatile defensive player that many though the 49ers would take at #2, they got him at #3 and added 3 mid-round picks. John Lynch fleeced the Bears on this trade, love the pick and the fit.
Grade = A+
Pick #4 – Jacksonville Jaguars
Leonard Fournette – RB / LSU
Fournette is physical freak. Has a rare combination of power and fluidity as a 20+ carry a game tailback. The Jags have struggled to find a solid ground game for years, this should help that immensely.
Grade = B
Pick #5 – Tennesee Titans(From LA Rams)
Corey Davis – WR / Western Michigan
The Titans desperately needed help at receiver, and Davis may be the best in this class. He has great size, speed, hands, and runs great routes. He is also one of the best blocking receivers in this draft. Love the fit for this pick, but it seems like a reach at the time.
Grade = B
Pick #6 – New York Jets
Jamal Adams – S / LSU
The Jets needed help in the secondary and must have run to the podium when Adams fell in their laps. Adams was the most complete safety in the draft and is an elite talent. It’s hard to get a steal in the top six picks, but the Jets did tonight.
Grade = A+
Pick #7 – Los Angeles Chargers
Mike Williams – WR / Clemson
Williams is a solid need pick for the Chargers. They needed to give Phillip Rivers more weapons outside and WIlliams is the best player in this draft at attacking the ball in the air. A bit of a reach, but just like with the Titans the need at the position makes it worth it.
Grade = B
Pick #8 – Carolina Panthers
Christian McCaffrey – RB / Stanford
The Panthers needed to give Cam Newton some help in the ground game and McCaffrey is a swiss army knife type weapon. He can be an elite weapon either out of the backfield, in the slot, or in the return game. Great pick and even better fit. Panthers offense just got more deadly.
Grade = B+
Pick #9 – Cincinnati Bengals
John Ross – WR / Washington
The run on wideouts continues. Ross is the fastest player in the draft and is DeShean Jackson type receiver. This is a nice addition to the Bengals offensive arsenal. Pairing him with AJ Green gives Andy Dalton more options to attack opponents.
Grade = B
Pick #10 – Kansas City Chiefs (Trade With Buffalo Bills)
Pat Mahomes II – QB / Texas Tech
The Chiefs gave up next years and this years first rounders and an additional mid round pick so they good move up for their QB. I love Mahomes upside, but at #10 and with all the other assets surrendered this is a risky pick. With Alex Smith in place, this move has a Rodgers/Favre feel to it.
Grade = C
Pick #11 – New Orleans Saints
Marshon Lattimore – CB / Ohio State
The Saints needed help at corner and with reaches for QBs and WRs the best corner in the draft fell into their laps. Lattimore is an early Christmas present for New Orleans.
Grade = A+
Pick #12 – Houston Texans (Trade With Cleveland Browns, From Phi Eagles)
DeShaun Watson – QB / Clemson
The Texans need a QB and gave up this years and last years first rounders to get him. Tom Savage is not the long-term answer and possibly not even an answer in the short-term. If Bill O’Brien can get the most out of Watson, this pick will be worth it.
Grade = C+
Pick #13 – Arizona Cardinals
Haasan Reddick – LB Temple
Reddick is versatile, can play inside or outside backer. Can also play as an in the box safety or as a rush end. Great piece for the Cards D. Should make the Cards D even scarier.
Grade = A
Pick #14 – Philadelphia Eagles (From Minn. Vikings)
Derek Barnett – DE / Tennessee
Barnett is one the most productive sackmasters in college football. Had elite production in the SEC and has elite hand-usage when rushing the passer. He isn’t the most athletic prospect but his football IQ is off the charts. Should help out the Eagles pass-rush from day one.
Grade = B+
Pick #15 – Indianapolis Colts
Malik Hooker – FS / Ohio State
Hooker is the best deep-cover safety in the draft. Injury issues helped him fall to the Colts. This draft is weak along the O-line so this pick addresses the COlts needs on defense.
Grade = B+
Pick #16 – Baltimore Ravens
Marlon Humphrey – CB / Alabama
The Ravens desperately needed help at wide receiver, but the elite prospects went off the board early. Baltimore decided to address their issues in the secondary with Humphrey. Good player at a position of need, but the inability to once again add a receiver knocks this grade down a bit.
Grade = C+
Pick #17 – Washington Redskins
Jonathan Allen – DT / Alabama
The Redskins might still be pinching themselves this morning. The teams biggest need was a lack of talent along the defensive line and this was a draft bereft of it. Due to some injury concerns Allen fell to them here. Best player available at a pick of need, love all of it.
Grade = A+
Pick #18 – Tennessee Titans
Adoree’ Jackson – CB / USC
The Titans needed help in the secondary and Jackson is a developing player at the position. This seems like a bit of a reach to me, but all teams rate players differently. Jackson can also play a little on offense in the slot and is an elite return man.
Grade = C
Pick #19 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers
OJ Howard – TE / Alabama
Howard is the best all-around TE in this class. He is an elite receiver and good blocker, on pure talent he’s easily in the top 5 or 10 players in this class. An absolute steal for the Bucs here. Winston has another weapon to attack the middle of the field.
Grade = A+
Pick #20 – Denver Broncos
Garett Bolles – OT / Utah
The Broncos are in desperate need of a talent infusion on the offensive line, and Bolles is the most athletic lineman in the draft. He comes with a ton of baggage off the fied and is the oldest player in this draft, he turns 25 soon. It’s a weak class for linemen but hard to argue that this isn’t a reach.
Grade = C-
Pick #21 – Detroit Lions
Jarrad Davis – ILB / Florida
The Lions need help at linebacker and Davis is a beast. If he can stay on the field this is a great pick. Davis is an every down player able to play inside, outside and has the ability to cover. This pick fills a pressing need for the Lions.
Grade = B
Pick #22 – Miami Dolphins
Charles Harris – OLB/DE / Missouri
The Dolphins needed pass-rushing help and Harris was the best left on the board. Hopefully he can get to Tom Brady a few times.
Grade = B
Pick #23 – New York Giants
Evan Engram – TE / Ole Miss
The Giants havent had an elite TE since Jeremy Shockey. Engram is an Jordan Reed clone, match-up nightmare in the slot. Adding him to an offense with OBJ should terrify opponents. The team still has major issues along the O-Line but im not sure there were many answers in this draft.
Grade = A
Pick #24 – Oakland Raiders
Gareon Conley – CB / Ohio State
Conley is currently under investigation for rape back in Ohio. The allegations became public just days ago and its very early in the process. This is a very risky and irresponsible pick by the Raiders here. Conley is extremely talented and fills a need, but the risk and message sent by this move destroys the grade.
Grade = F
Pick #25 – Cleveland Brows (Trade with Houston Texans)
Jabrill Peppers – S / Michigan
The Browns picked this pick up in the Watson trade and used it to bring in the talented and versatile Peppers. The Browns need as much talent on both sides of the ball that they can get. If they can find the right position fit for him, this is a great pick.
Grade = B
Pick #26 – Atlanta Falcons (Trade With Seattle Seahawks)
Takk McKinley – OLB / UCLA
The Falcons are still trying to get past the painful way their season ended and could use more pass-rushing talent. McKinley has the ability to develop into an elite rusher on the outside. The Falcons love speed in their back seven, and Takk brings that in spades. Love the player, and the pick.
Grade = A
Pick #27 – Buffalo Bills (Trade With Kansas City Chiefs)
TreDavious White – CB / LSU
The Bills had the fewest picks in this draft and the trade with the Chiefs helped that. They lost Stephon Gilmore in free agency and White should help fill that void. Good value and adding KC’s 1st rounder next year boosts this grade.
Grade = A
Pick #28 – Dallas Cowboys
Taco Charlton – DE / Michigan
The Cowboys have been so desperate for pass rush help that they have taken risks on Greg Hardy and Randy Gregory in recent seasons. Charlton has talent and could plug into the line-up right away. Fills a big need but could be a slight reach.
Grade = C+
Pick #29 – Cleveland Browns (Trade With Green Bay Packers)
David Njoku – TE / Miami
The Browns moved back into the first round and took one of the drafts best athletes in Njoku. Cleveland is building their whole roster from the ground up and Njoku is a great building block. He’s an improving blocker but a match-up nightmare in the passing game. Great pick.
Grade = A
Pick #30 – Pittsburgh Steelers
TJ Watt – OLB / Wisconsin
Watt is the younger brother of the Texans superstar JJ Watt. He is a raw but improving edge rusher. Should help out the Steelers pass rush right away as the rest of his game develops.
Grade = B
Pick #31 – SF 49ers (Trade With Seahawks,Trade With Falcons)
Rueben Foster – ILB / Alabama
John Lynch had a better day then the rest of us. The 49ers used one of the picks acquired in the Trubinsky trade to move back into the first round and snag Foster. The 49ers were considering Foster with the second pick in the draft and have to be elated to get him here. If his baggage isnt an issue, this might be the best pick in the entire draft.
Grade = A+
Pick #32 – New Orleans Saints (From NE Patriots)
Ryan Ramczyk – OT / Wisconcin
This pick was acquired as part of the Brandin Cooks trade. The Saints don’t have a pressing need along the O-Line so this appears to be a best player available pick.
Grade = B
One round down, six more to go. The fun is just getting started…
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