draft Page 5 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights
Grading the Saints' draft
New Orleans Saints,Grade: D,Best Pick: OT Kelvin Banks, No. 9 Overall,What We Liked: Banks is a good tackle who fits the mauling mold the Saints seem to look for. He feels a lot like Trevor Penning, but with more experience facing NFL talent and less frenzy. Jonas Sanker (No. 93) can fill a safety s...
Grading the Seahawks' Draft
Grade: A-,Best Pick: S Nick Emmanwori, No. 35 Overall,What We Liked: Lots of jumping on the fallers, a strategy that will always get my approval. Emmanwori and Elijah Arroyo specifically feel like players who fell more based on happenstance than actual inferior play. I like this as a landing spot fo...
Grading the Bears' Draft
Grade: A-,Best Pick: OT Ozzy Trapilo, No. 56 Overall,What We Liked: The Bears kept a good balance of need and overall player value for much of the draft. Starting off with Colston Loveland was a welcome surprise, as much of the buzz was around the inferior (sorry) Tyler Warren. Continuing to support...
Grading the Rams' draft
Los Angeles Rams,Grade: D+,Best Pick: LB Chris Paul Jr., No. 172 Overall,What We Liked: Really great pick for Paul, who projects as an early starter and is adept in pass coverage. That's an absolute steal deep into day three. Jarquez Hunter profiles as lightning to Kyren Williams' rumbling thunder. ...
Grading the Eagles' draft
Philadelphia Eagles,Grade: B+,Best Pick: LB Jihaad Campbell, No. 31 Overall,What We Liked: Days one and two felt like a coup. Letting the Eagles get a weapon like Campbell in their second level, and maybe even get some reps on edge, feels like we're asking them to run back a second Super Bowl in a r...
Grading the Raiders' Draft
Grade: A+,Best Pick: RB Ashton Jeanty, No. 6 Overall,What We Liked: The Raiders got a blue-chip guy at six, hard to argue with that. Jeanty is a big-time impact player for a team that never really had an offense that chugged. However, one great pick does not make an A+ draft class. The Raiders knock...
Grading the Dolphins' Draft
Grade: C,Best Pick: DT Kenneth Grant, No. 13 Overall,What We Liked: Effort was made to replace the big-time players who have left Miami for greener pastures. Kenneth Grant is clearly meant to be the next force up the middle similar to how Christian Wilkins operated for the Fins, and Dante Trader Jr....
Grading the Chargers' Draft
Grade: B,Best Pick: WR Tre Harris, No. 55 Overall,What We Liked: The Chargers picked up lots of talented players. The Omario Hampton pick should help the Chargers offense play more toward Harbaugh's strengths as a coordinator who loves to pound the rock. Tre Harris helps build out a wide receiver ro...
Grading the Steelers' draft
Pittsburgh Steelers,Grade: C- ,Best Pick: DT Derrick Harmon, No. 21 overall,What We Liked: Lots of big, strong men in this draft. Harmon and Yahya Black (No. 164) shore up the defensive tackle room, giving quick fixes to one-tech and three-tech, hopefully opening up edge rusher T.J. Watt and linebac...
Grading the Lions' Draft
Grade: B-,Best Pick: OG Miles Frazier, No. 171 Overall,What We Liked: The Lions continue their emphasis on size after solid results. Tyleik Williams is a big hog molly who can handle double teams with ease and should help build out a line that is hopefully less ravaged by injuries this year. Tate Ra...
Grading the Jaguars' Draft
Grade: B,Best Pick: CB/WR Travis Hunter, No. 2 Overall,What We Liked: That Travis Hunter trade was incredible. Getting two top-end weapons for the price of one is worth any amount of pick capital you have to pay to get up there. James Gladstone is making an incredible splash in his first year as a g...
Grading the Colts' Draft
Grade: B+,Best Pick: RB DJ Giddens, No. 151 Overall,What We Liked: The Chris Ballard strategy of taking exclusively pure athletes seems to have cooled off, as now Ballard is taking guys who also play good football. After a few years of middling draft classes, this is a group of guys you can feel con...
Grading the Titans' draft
Tennessee Titans,Grade: B+,Best Pick: QB Cameron Ward, No. 1 Overall,What We Liked: An all-around good draft for the Titans, who are putting together a crack offense in an attempt to actually win some games this year. Ward was the clear QB1 this year. His confidence and ability to handle lots of res...
Grading the Bengals' draft
Cincinnati Bengals,Grade: B-,Best Pick: Edge Shemar Stewart, No. 17 Overall,What We Liked: Stewart has an impressive physical profile that should pair well with Trey Hendrickson coming off the line. The Bengals need a big splash after stagnating after their Super Bowl run, and they need more than a ...
Grading the Texans' Draft
Grade: B+,Best Pick: Jayden Higgins, No. 24 Overall,What We Liked: The Texans kicked off the draft incredibly well, getting the dynamic wide receiver from Iowa State and Aireontae Ersery, two players who could immediately earn starting time on the Texans and will help return Stroud to rookie form. J...
Grading the Ravens' Draft
Grade: B,Best Pick: Malaki Starks, No. 27 Overall,What We Liked: Lots of good value early. The Ravens continued their strategy of taking advantage of teams not valuing safety and have now created an imposing secondary between Starks and Kyle Hamilton. Mike Green is a good upside play that far down t...
Grading the Panthers' draft
Carolina Panthers,Grade: B+,Best Pick: Edge Nic Scourton, No. 51 Overall,What We Liked: Getting two edge rushers (Scourton and Princely Umanmielen at No. 77) feels like a great maneuver to fill out the room. Especially adding Scourton to the mix, a crazy good power rusher whose hands will make waste...
Grading the Packers' Draft
Grade: C-,Best Pick: WR Matthew Golden, No. 23 Overall,What We Liked: Golden at 23 was impressive value that I would've salivated over if I was a general manager. He should be the top target for Love instantly and finally provide an alpha presence to that room of complementary pieces. GM Brian Gutek...
Grading the Bills' Draft
Grade: A-,Best Pick: DT TJ Sanders, No. 41 Overall,What We Liked: Incredible value outside the first round. Their three players after their first pick all had first-round buzz at some point in the draft cycle and will go a long way in rebuilding a defensive line that lacked intensity and sack produc...
Grading the Falcons' draft
Atlanta Falcons,Grade: B-,Best Pick: S Xavier Watts, No. 96 Overall,What we liked: The selections were impressive values in comparison to consensus; Jalon Walker (taken 15th) was seen by many as a potential top 10 pick thanks to his explosive nature; edge James Pearce's testing numbers make his pote...