This is part 3 of the 3-part series grading some of the teams that stood out to me in the NFL draft. In this one, I am highlighting the teams that I have mix feelings about. These teams had some very good picks, and then some very questionable ones. Much more on this after the jump.
If you're just joining us, make sure to check out part 1 of the series as much of the disclaimer is included within.
THE WEIRD - These teams hit it out of the park on some of their picks, and then struck out on some. They had a mixture of very good picks along with some that I thought were questionable based on their needs and where those players were drafted.
Bills: As a fan and as someone who is evaluating prospects, I love their first 2 picks. I thought CB Stephon Gilmore was a fast-riser and I had him going to the Jaguars at 7th overall, so he's good value at a premium position of need for the Bills at 10. And then OT Cordy Glenn from Georgia fell to them in the 2nd round who reminded GM Buddy Nix of Marcus McNeil - another 2nd round pick he made with the Chargers in 2006. But the real question mark for me, I know I'm nitpicking here, was 3rd round pick WR TJ Graham. All off season Nix talked about getting a WR that is "open when he's not" a big bodied receiver who can go up and get it. TJ Graham is plenty fast but he's 5'11" on a good day. And he was rated to go in the 5th or later. The only other thing I didn't like about their draft was they failed to take a developmental QB prospect to groom behind Fitzpatrick...but in their defense they didn't really have a chance to do so with who was available when their turn came up.
Bengals: Based on pure talent alone, they had one of the best drafts. On paper, they likely got 4, maybe 5 starters. But I wasn't a fan of their 1st pick CB Dre Kirkpatrick who I think is more of a zone corner. My bigger problem with that pick is his character issue. His was fairly minor - he got caught with some weed. But the Bengals continue to play with fire and when you play with fire as often as they do, eventually you're going to get burned (see Jerome Simpson). And I know we're just talking about their draft picks here, but guess who signed oft-troubled LB Vontaze Burfict from Arizona State as an undrafted free agent. I think that's my biggest problem with some of their picks and they simply don't have a strong enough locker room yet to keep these kids in line. There's a reason why a team like the Patriots are able to get Chad Ochocinco to stop tweeting (now if they could just get him to get open) while Bengals keep getting arrested every off-season.
Broncos: They failed to get Peyton any new weapons in the passing game. For the most part, I liked the positions they picked, just not the players at that spot. I thought DT Derek Wolfe was a solid pick in the 1st and I actually love the move to nab developmental prospect Brock Osweiler to sit behind Manning. But then they took RB Ronnie Hillman in the 3rd, which I thought was a reach. I like him as a prospect; he reminds me a little of Darren Sproles. But he was a 5th round pick in my opinion and if they really liked him they could have had him in the 4th. The rest of the picks were similarly over-drafted, in my opinion, but what do I know?
Jaguars: I like their aggressiveness in moving up for Blackmon in the 1st and then landing DE Andre Branch in the 2nd. But then a punter in the 3rd round?! I hope he can also play linebacker. The rest of the picks were blah and more importantly they failed to draft offensive linemen - so much for keeping Blaine Gabbert upright. As far as Blackmon, I wouldn't have drafted him at #5 but if they thought enough of him then I like the fact that they were aggressive instead of emulating the Rams who somehow missed on an elite player drafting that high.
Patriots: A similar theme here as I really like both of their 1st round picks - DE Chandler Jones and LB Dont'a Hightower. Both will be starters and will add strength and speed to their front seven. But then they draft S Tavon Wilson, who I thought was a late-rounder at best, in the 2nd round. They also didn't have any 4th or 5th round picks due to trade-ups to pick Jones and Hightower. I thought their best value pick was CB Alfonzo Dennard from Nebraska - he has 2nd round talent who needs to get his head right.
If you're just joining us, make sure to check out part 1 of the series as much of the disclaimer is included within.
THE WEIRD - These teams hit it out of the park on some of their picks, and then struck out on some. They had a mixture of very good picks along with some that I thought were questionable based on their needs and where those players were drafted.
Bills: As a fan and as someone who is evaluating prospects, I love their first 2 picks. I thought CB Stephon Gilmore was a fast-riser and I had him going to the Jaguars at 7th overall, so he's good value at a premium position of need for the Bills at 10. And then OT Cordy Glenn from Georgia fell to them in the 2nd round who reminded GM Buddy Nix of Marcus McNeil - another 2nd round pick he made with the Chargers in 2006. But the real question mark for me, I know I'm nitpicking here, was 3rd round pick WR TJ Graham. All off season Nix talked about getting a WR that is "open when he's not" a big bodied receiver who can go up and get it. TJ Graham is plenty fast but he's 5'11" on a good day. And he was rated to go in the 5th or later. The only other thing I didn't like about their draft was they failed to take a developmental QB prospect to groom behind Fitzpatrick...but in their defense they didn't really have a chance to do so with who was available when their turn came up.
Bengals: Based on pure talent alone, they had one of the best drafts. On paper, they likely got 4, maybe 5 starters. But I wasn't a fan of their 1st pick CB Dre Kirkpatrick who I think is more of a zone corner. My bigger problem with that pick is his character issue. His was fairly minor - he got caught with some weed. But the Bengals continue to play with fire and when you play with fire as often as they do, eventually you're going to get burned (see Jerome Simpson). And I know we're just talking about their draft picks here, but guess who signed oft-troubled LB Vontaze Burfict from Arizona State as an undrafted free agent. I think that's my biggest problem with some of their picks and they simply don't have a strong enough locker room yet to keep these kids in line. There's a reason why a team like the Patriots are able to get Chad Ochocinco to stop tweeting (now if they could just get him to get open) while Bengals keep getting arrested every off-season.
Broncos: They failed to get Peyton any new weapons in the passing game. For the most part, I liked the positions they picked, just not the players at that spot. I thought DT Derek Wolfe was a solid pick in the 1st and I actually love the move to nab developmental prospect Brock Osweiler to sit behind Manning. But then they took RB Ronnie Hillman in the 3rd, which I thought was a reach. I like him as a prospect; he reminds me a little of Darren Sproles. But he was a 5th round pick in my opinion and if they really liked him they could have had him in the 4th. The rest of the picks were similarly over-drafted, in my opinion, but what do I know?
Jaguars: I like their aggressiveness in moving up for Blackmon in the 1st and then landing DE Andre Branch in the 2nd. But then a punter in the 3rd round?! I hope he can also play linebacker. The rest of the picks were blah and more importantly they failed to draft offensive linemen - so much for keeping Blaine Gabbert upright. As far as Blackmon, I wouldn't have drafted him at #5 but if they thought enough of him then I like the fact that they were aggressive instead of emulating the Rams who somehow missed on an elite player drafting that high.
Patriots: A similar theme here as I really like both of their 1st round picks - DE Chandler Jones and LB Dont'a Hightower. Both will be starters and will add strength and speed to their front seven. But then they draft S Tavon Wilson, who I thought was a late-rounder at best, in the 2nd round. They also didn't have any 4th or 5th round picks due to trade-ups to pick Jones and Hightower. I thought their best value pick was CB Alfonzo Dennard from Nebraska - he has 2nd round talent who needs to get his head right.
No comments:
Post a Comment