Arizona Cardinals
Ray Ashworth
Best Pick: WR Rondale Moore
Biggest Reach: EDGE Victor Dimukeje
Biggest Steal: CB Tay Gowan
Verdict: The biggest head-scratcher for me early in the draft was the Zaven Collins pick. He’s a great athlete and talent isn’t the issue here, but he’s better suited in a 4-3 defense where he can be moved around and utilized as a traditional MLB or OLB. Collins is much bigger than Darius Leonard, but his tape is fairly similar. He’s a guy who can get you 100 tackles, 4 sacks, and 3 interceptions in a given year in the right scheme. If you go back and watch his tape against Oklahoma State you’ll see that they moved him all over the field, blitzing from the Sam and Mike linebacker positions, coming up with two sacks and multiple tackles for loss. They then played him as their sub linebacker in passing downs where he came up with an interception. With the Cardinals just drafting Isaiah Simmons last year, who they moved from safety to ILB, the landing spot seems as though it will bottleneck Collins’ strengths as he’s not suited to be a true 3-4 edge and isn’t as talented in pass coverage as Simmons to beat him out for the sub linebacker role, limiting him to a base defense role.
Their Rondale Moore pick, however, was a steal. There’s only one Tyreek Hill, but if there was ever a person to replicate him, it’s Moore. They have similar measurables and both ran 4.29 40 times, but the real comparison comes from Moore’s playmaking ability after the catch. He only played a combined seven games between 2019 and 2020, but if you go back to 2018, he had 37 missed tackles, which led all power five WR in the country. The tail end of their draft was very strong, taking three guys who all should have gone much earlier in Tay Gowan, James Wiggins, and Michael Menet. Overall, their biggest knock was that that they waited too long to address CB, while completely neglecting the TE position.
Overall Grade: B-
Devon Withers
Best Pick: WR Rondale Moore
Biggest Reach: LB Zaven Collins
Biggest Steal: CB Tay Gowan
Verdict: The Cardinals could have addressed their immediate cornerback need in the first round, however, Collins will be a proven playmaker in the NFL. The addition of Moore in the second round should be considered a steal, considering his ceiling is within the same tier as New York Giants’ Kadarius Toney. Trading up in the fourth round in order to grab Marco Wilson could be viewed as a reach, but Arizona maintained a successful draft for the most part.
Overall Grade: B+
Atlanta Falcons
Ray Ashworth
Best Pick: S Richie Grant
Biggest Reach: CB Darren Hall
Biggest Steal: C Drew Dalman
Verdict: Anyone who’s a football fan knows Kyle Pitts is a top 3 player in this draft, but I want to take the time to give the spotlight to Richie Grant. Grant got a lot of recognition after his Senior Bowl performance, but before that, he wasn’t talked about a whole lot. This kid is a do-it-all safety who can play the deep zone, can line up in man against the slot receiver, and makes big plays in the running game. He’s always around the ball. Grant was recruited out of high school as a wide receiver which shows on his tape, showing great hands and often high pointing the ball. He also shows great field awareness. If you go all the way back to even 2017, when Grant was fighting for playing time, and watch the final minutes against USF, you’ll see Grant show the wherewithal to punch the ball out forcing a fumble and clinching a 49-42 victory to help retain their perfect record. This is a player that I could see not only becoming the best safety in this draft class, but in a few years also being one of the best safeties in the entire NFL.
The Falcons started their draft off strong in the first three rounds, but five of their next six picks were reaches, with their lone bright spot being Drew Dalman. For a team whose defense was anemic last year, ranking 29th in yards allowed, three of your four best picks shouldn’t be on the offensive side of the ball. This team’s best days are also behind it and they are extremely close to blowing it all up and being in full-on rebuild mode, so as great as Kyle Pitts is, how many wins will a tight end truly bring to the table in a post-Ryan/Julio era?
Overall Grade: B
Devon Withers
Best Pick: TE Kyle Pitts
Biggest Reach: CB Darren Hall
Biggest Steal: OT Jalen Mayfield
Verdict: After declining Hayden Hurst’s fifth-year option, it’s clear that Kyle Pitts is viewed as the successor at the tight end position. The Falcons were shallow at the offensive front last season, so Mayfield being selected in the third round was a great value selection. While Hall is a talented prospect, it’s unlikely that he makes an immediate impact versus outside receivers. Atlanta needed to address their secondary needs through the draft, but didn’t do so until the fourth round.
Overall Grade: B
Baltimore Ravens
Ray Ashworth
Best Pick: WR Rashod Bateman
Biggest Reach: CB Brandon Stephens
Biggest Steal: G Ben Cleveland
Verdict: Bateman was exactly what the doctor ordered for Lamar Jackson. Hollywood Brown is a talented receiver but his skill set never truly meshed with Jackson. When watching Bateman’s tape he reminded me a lot of Davante Adams. He is a phenomenal route runner who often left his defender in the dust, showing great footwork and break at the end of his route. He’s got great hands and shows impeccable footwork when making sideline catches. He is also great in the scramble drill when the QB is in danger, knowing how to find the gaps in coverage for the open play. This is something Lamar had to deal with a lot last season, ranking 28th in the league in sack percentage. I was not as high on their second pick in the first round, however. Jayson Oweh shows a lot of promise, but he is extremely raw and is better suited in a 4-3 defense.
The Ravens had quite a few steals in this draft, but the one that stuck out to me was Ben Cleveland, who I had ranked as the 5th best guard in this draft. He can start day one and fill the void that was left when Marshall Yanda retired. He’s a big, gritty guard who plays nasty in the trenches and is frequently seen on tape getting low on his man and driving him. Tylan Wallace is another steal in the fourth round. People forget how great this kid was in 2018. He was a Biletnikoff finalist and only fell short to Jerry Jeudy, who was taken in the first round last year. And finally, Ben Mason. If you’ve never watched this kid’s tape I highly recommend you do so. He may be the best blocker coming out of college in the last five years and he landed in the perfect spot. Baltimore knows how to breed fullbacks. He’ll have to sit behind Patrick Ricard for a year, but this is a guy who I could see becoming the best fullback in the NFL within the next few years. Overall, this was a very tough team for me to grade because they did so many things right, but the only thing that held me back from giving them an ‘A’ were the Oweh and Stephens picks. Stephens was a flat-out reach and Oweh is far too raw for my taste. Olujari would have been the right pick at 31 and was a perfect fit for their system.
Overall Grade: A-
Devon Withers
Best Pick: WR Rashod Bateman
Biggest Reach: CB Brandon Stephens
Biggest Steal: CB Shaun Wade
Verdict: Both Wallace and Wade will prove to be steals for their respective rounds from this draft class. With the addition of Bateman in the passing game, Baltimore could receive immediate impact from their rookies. Ben Cleveland will have the chance to win the starting left guard spot if Bradley Bozeman shifts over to the center position. Without Orlando Brown on the roster moving forward, it would have been nice to see the Ravens address their offensive line needs some more.
Overall Grade: B+
Buffalo Bills
Ray Ashworth
Best Pick: EDGE Carlos Basham Jr.
Biggest Reach: OT Tommy Doyle
Biggest Steal: WR Marquez Stevenson
Verdict: There was a lot of buzz going into the draft about Buffalo trading up to snag Travis Etienne, but the Bills made the right move in the end staying put. The Bills ranked T-15th in the NFL in sacks last year, which on the surface doesn’t seem terrible, but when you dig deeper, they ranked 26th in hurry percentage and 23rd in overall pressure percentage (hurries+knockdowns+sacks). If that isn’t enough cause for concern, their sack leader in 2020 only registered five sacks on the year. With aging ends in Hughes and Addison, and Epenesa not working out, they made the right decision addressing their edge in back to back rounds. I believe Epenesa can still have success in this league, but he is much better suited as a 3-4 DE.
Gregory Rousseau fell down draft boards after opting out, as scouts took that time to nit-pick his limited tape. He has numerous technique issues but that can be fixed with proper coaching. Their best edge rusher in this class, however, could end up coming out of the second round. Basham had a streak of 23 straight games with a tackle for a loss (before it came to an end against Syracuse) which led the country. He has shown the versatility to play outside as a 5 through 9 technique rusher as well as inside as a 3 technique. My two knocks on him are that he needs to be more consistent wrapping up the ball carrier and that he tends to disappear late in games. Overall though, his tape is very impressive, with good games against highly drafted OL like Liam Eichenburg and Jackson Carman.
My biggest steal of their draft was Marquez Stevenson. He’s not a polished route runner, but the guy is a burner who can stretch the field and is untouchable in open space. This a guy you can draw up plenty of plays for and should be utilized in a lot of WR end-around plays as well as the kick return game. Spencer Brown is an interesting prospect as well, however. He is a freak athlete with insanely long arms but will need to polish his game before becoming an everyday starter.
Overall Grade: B+
Devon Withers
Best Pick: EDGE Gregory Rousseau
Biggest Reach: OT Tommy Doyle
Biggest Steal: DE Carlos Basham
Verdict: Over the last three years, the Bills have spent each of their first-round picks on defensive linemen. With Ed Oliver and A.J. Epenesa not reaching their potential to this point, I believe they found a prospect with exceptional qualities in Rousseau. Basham was receiving first-round buzz at one point, so selecting him at Pick 61 is great value for Buffalo.
Overall Grade: A-
Carolina Panthers
Ray Ashworth
Best Pick: WR Terrace Marshall Jr
Biggest Reach: OT Brady Christensen
Biggest Steal: DT Daviyon Nixon
Verdict: I’ll cut to the chase. Had Carolina taken Surtain with their first-round pick I probably would have given them an A+. Horn is an extremely talented corner, but he is far too grabby and will get flagged plenty of times in the NFL if he doesn’t clean that up. My biggest question mark, however, lies with Brady Christensen. He had a lot of good tape playing at BYU against weaker competition, but there are a lot of red flags. First of which is his 32 1/4 inch arm length. This alone could end up forcing him to move inside to guard. Secondly, his tape against the run. Unlike Ben Cleveland, who I talked about earlier, Christensen doesn’t show the necessary power to drive his defender back and is very stiff in the run game. But let’s get to what they did right, which was a lot.
Terrace Marshall was an absolute steal at the end of the 2nd round and an immediate upgrade over Curtis Samuel, who just walked this offseason. Marshall has a huge catch radius as well as the size to make contested catches at the NFL level. He’s an overall polished WR with very few holes in his game. I highly doubt he’ll continue the TD pace he had at LSU, but this is someone who could become Darnold’s go-to target downfield in 2021.
The real goldmine in this draft though, is what they did with their five picks following Christenson. The middle rounds are where you can win a draft and their stretch of Tremble, Hubbard, Nixon, Taylor, and Brown is arguably the best combination of picks made by any team in the middle to late rounds. The biggest steal of the bunch for me here is Daviyon Nixon. Once touted as a first-round pick, Nixon plummeted down boards as the draft got closer, but all this kid did was make plays and cause havoc in the backfield. He is someone I see becoming a late-round darling and a Pro Bowl talent at the next level. Their front seven is one of the youngest in the NFL and should make a big leap in 2021.
Overall Grade: A
Devon Withers
Best Pick: WR Terrace Marshall Jr
Biggest Reach: OT Brady Christensen
Biggest Steal: WR Terrace Marshall Jr
Verdict: Carolina already had a receiving core with plenty of depth, but the addition of Marshall in the back-end of the second round is tremendous value. Despite the injury history, his statistics speak for themselves. Marshall has scored 23 touchdowns across his last 19 games at the collegiate level. Reunited with former offensive coordinator Joe Brady, this pick will be well worth it.
Overall Grade: A-
Chicago Bears
Ray Ashworth
Best Pick: OT Teven Jenkins
Biggest Reach: G Larry Borom
Biggest Steal: QB Justin Fields
Verdict: This grade is weighed heavily on their first two picks. Giving up a first round pick in 2022 is never easy, but it was the necessary move. Justin Fields is easily the best QB to ever come out of Ohio State and was my #3 ranked QB in this class over Trey Lance. Meanwhile, Teven Jenkins was a day 2 steal. He’s technically sound and plays with a great knee bend. Long term he is probably best suited at right tackle, but his floor is extremely high. The rest of their draft was lackluster, which is expected when you don’t have picks in the third and fourth rounds, but Khalil Herbert and Thomas Graham Jr. will be solid depth position pieces long term.
Overall Grade: A-
Devon Withers
Best Pick: QB Justin Fields
Biggest Reach: CB Thomas Graham Jr
Biggest Steal: QB Justin Fields
Verdict: After trading up to grab Justin Fields outside the top 10, it’s difficult not to praise the moves Chicago made across the draft. The following day, the Bears traded up once again to select Teven Jenkins in the second round. There were a lot of rumors surrounding the stability around Chicago entering the 2021 season, but this draft happened to silence a lot of critics.
Overall Grade: B+
Cincinnati Bengals
Ray Ashworth
Best Pick: WR Ja’Marr Chase
Biggest Reach: G Jackson Carman
Biggest Steal: DT Tyler Shelvin
Verdict: From a talent standpoint, Ja’Marr Chase is obviously their best pick. He is an all-world talent and the chemistry is already there with Burrow from their LSU days, but sometimes the most obvious answer is the right one. In this case, that’s Penei Sewell. You just lost your franchise QB a year ago due to the lack of OL help and yet you disregard it for another shiny toy. WR wasn’t an immediate need and by passing on a HOF talent LT in the first, it led to them reaching on OT in the second round. The smart way to go would have been taking Sewell in the first round and reuniting Burrow with another LSU WR in Terrace Marshall in the second round.
The middle-round picks could be a foreshadowing of their plans on the defensive side of the ball come 2021. Last season the Bengals played a multiple defense but mainly came out in a 4-3. After bringing in Joseph Ossai, who is better suited as a 3-4 OLB, and Tyler Shelvin, who looks to be a 3-4 nose tackle, we could see the makings of a defense that could be playing a lot of 3-4 this year. Ossai is a great pass rusher who can also drop back into coverage. Meanwhile, Shelvin is a monster of a man who demanded double teams in college and was a much-needed addition in a division that plans on running the rock down their throat.
Overall Grade: B-
Devon Withers
Best Pick: WR Ja’Marr Chase
Biggest Reach: G Jackson Carman
Biggest Steal: EDGE Joseph Ossai
Verdict: Looking back, the Bengals should have taken advantage of selecting Penei Sewell in the first round and then grabbing a wide receiver in the second round. Instead, the front office reached on Carman based on their immediate need for offensive line support. There were nine other edge rushers taken before Ossai, but his value in the third round is undeniable.
Overall Grade: C+
Cleveland Browns
Ray Ashworth
Best Pick: LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah
Biggest Reach: CB Greg Newsome
Biggest Steal: WR Demetric Felton
Verdict: Denzel Ward and Greedy Williams have struggled to stay on the field consistently, so CB was a big need here. The problem with the Newsome pick, however, is that he has also struggled to stay on the field himself. During his three years at Northwestern he missed a combined 14 games due to injury and his style of play has to do with a big part of that. He is a reckless tackler and needs to be coached up in that aspect. When it comes to his coverage, he stood out to me specifically when playing zone. He has great hips and is quick to the ball. His one knock is that he often just goes for the breakup instead of forcing the turnover. Overall, they drafted a solid player, but my big concern with him is availability.
JOK fell to the second round due to a heart issue that came up late in the draft process. The decision to pass on him because of this will end up haunting the 31 other GM’s in the league for years to come. This kid is a star in the making. He has sideline-to-sideline speed and is exceptional in pass coverage. The Browns can use him as WILL linebacker or a third safety in big nickel formations. He’s also extremely disruptive in the backfield. If you go back and watch his tape against Clemson in November he had a sack, 2 TFL and a forced fumble in the backfield for a TD. If it’s not for him, they don’t win that game. If he has to get better in one area, however, it is his block shedding.
Looking at the rest of their draft, it was extremely strong. Schwartz has track speed to stretch the field, similar to Mecole Hardman. James Hudson is an athletic OT with great feet and can be an effective asset in the screen game, which Cleveland likes to use quite often with Chubb and Hunt. Tony Fields II is a tackling machine who will be an integral special teams piece and could eventually push for the Mike linebacker role as early as 2022. My steal of the draft is Demetric Felton. He’s a versatile RB/WR hybrid who can be moved all over the field. He has a lot of ‘Dexter McCluster’ in his game. Looking at their draft as a whole, it’s probably my second favorite draft on paper, and if Newsome can stay healthy this draft will turn out to be an A+.
Overall Grade: A
Devon Withers
Best Pick: LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah
Biggest Reach: WR Anthony Schwartz
Biggest Steal: LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah
Verdict: Even with the futures of Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry in question, selecting Schwartz in the third round felt like a reach. On the other hand, the trade up for Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah in the second round will be well worth it. He is a three-down player who has first-round talent.
Overall Grade: B+
Dallas Cowboys
Ray Ashworth
Best Pick: LB Micah Parsons
Biggest Reach: CB Nahshon Wright
Biggest Steal: LB Jabril Cox
Verdict: Well, if there’s one thing you can bank on with the Cowboys, it’s drafting players with character concerns. Micah Parsons and Kelvin Joseph both come to Dallas with a ton of baggage. What separates Parsons from Joseph, however, is he’s a HOF talent. Coming into the draft Parsons was my #1 ranked defensive player. He is one of the most athletically gifted LB of the last decade. He does have some issues in coverage, but the decision to take Cox in the fourth round can make up for much of that, as Cox was my #1 ranked LB in terms of pass coverage.
The Joseph pick is something that could come back to haunt the Cowboys. He’s a great press corner, but he’s extremely grabby and induces a ton of penalties, including personal fouls, hence amplifying his character issues. He’s also very stiff and slow to pick up on experienced receivers routes. If you go back and watch the tape against Florida, he was beat consistently and got burned by Pitts on a long TD. At the end of the day, whether it be because of inconsistent play or character issues, if I was to bet on one player who was picked early in this draft to not be in the NFL in a few years, it would be Kelvin Joseph.
Looking at the rest of their draft, it was full of reaches. Osa Odighizuwa is far too small and would have been better suited as a 3-4 DE. Chauncey Golston is a decent prospect but he struggles with his pass rush if his first move doesn’t work. Nahshon Wright was my biggest reach of the entire draft. I had a 6th round grade on him. He has good ball skills but he is far too slender and gets pushed around by bigger receivers. Wright is best suited for a zone coverage scheme. He’s also ineffective in the run game. He’s a poor tackler and struggles to get off of blocks. If there was one possible late-round gem it would be CB Israel Mukuamu. You can’t teach 6’4″ with 4.39 speed. He’ll be better suited as a safety in the NFL, however.
Overall Grade: C-
Devon Withers
Best Pick: LB Micah Parsons
Biggest Reach: CB Kelvin Joseph
Biggest Steal: LB Jabril Cox
Verdict: The Cowboys went defense-heavy in this draft, but there were plenty of reaches in the middle rounds. Parsons appears to the most NFL-ready prospect Dallas added, but there are still voids in on the defensive end. The additions of both Parsons and Jabril Cox almost guarantees the Cowboys will move on from Leighton Vander Esch after the upcoming season.
Overall Grade: C
Denver Broncos
Ray Ashworth
Best Pick: RB Javonte Williams
Biggest Reach: None
Biggest Steal: C Quinn Meinerz
Verdict: George Paton knocked this draft out of the park. It was just hit after hit. Patrick Surtain II is a complete player and arguably the best CB to be drafted since Jalen Ramsey. He was my highest graded man coverage corner and is the most sound tackler at the position. After watching his tape the only knock I could find on him was that he tended to bite on double moves. In the second round, they took Javonte Williams who could very well have the best career of any RB in this draft. You put on the tape and it’s like watching Nick Chubb 2.0. He’s a great between the tackle runner and rarely goes down on first contact. He’ll have to share the backfield with Melvin Gordon in year 1, but that job should be his come 2022.
Quinn Meinerz flew up draft boards after his breakout Senior Bowl week where he made light-work of top prospects Levi Onwurizike and Osa Odighizuwa. He’s a versatile IOL who can play center or guard. Meinerz shows great leg drive in the run game. Baron Browning will be a great contributor on Vic Fangio’s defense. He’ll slide over from OLB to ILB and help solve their woes at the position. His tape is very reminiscent of Lavonte David. He’ll have to work on his pass coverage skills if he wants to become a three-down backer though.
From rounds 5-7 there were plenty of hits, including Caden Sterns and Jamar Johnson, but the one that stands out here is Kary Vincent Jr. He fell down boards due to his 2020 opt-out as well as his injury history, but he is one of the top nickel corners in this draft. He has great zone coverage and an uncanny ability to read the QB’s eyes. He can also slide over to safety if needed and has the closing speed to cover the deep third of the field, as shown by his 4.36 40 time.
Overall Grade: A+
Devon Withers
Best Pick: CB Patrick Surtain II
Biggest Reach: None
Biggest Steal: C Quinn Meinerz
Verdict: The Broncos had a near perfect draft, but their only shortcoming was failure to address their quarterback situation for the future. Without drafting Justin Fields or trading for Aaron Rodgers, the front office is seemingly committed to Drew Lock for the time being. Trading up for Javonte Williams provides depth in the Broncos backfield, while Quinn Meinerz is perhaps the most underrated interior offensive lineman in this class.
Overall Grade: A
Detroit Lions
Ray Ashworth
Best Pick: OT Penei Sewell
Biggest Reach: LB Derrick Barnes
Biggest Steal: WR Amon-Ra St. Brown
Verdict: To build a great offense you want to start from the inside and work your way out and that’s exactly what Dan Campbell is doing in Detroit. With the addition of Penei Sewell, Detroit’s OL very well could elevate into the top 5 in the league. Meanwhile, on the defensive side of the ball, they drafted Levi Onwuzurike and Alim McNeil to shore up their DL. My two favorite picks in this draft outside of Sewell, however, were Ifeatu Melinfonwu and Amon-Ra St. Brown. After losing Golladay, Jones, and Amendola they were desperate for a resurgence at the position. St. Brown is a great route runner and the perfect slot receiver for Goff. Kupp made a living out of the slot, becoming Goff’s favorite target in Los Angeles, and I expect a similar bond to bloom in Detroit. As for Melinfonwu, he’s a big, lengthy corner who is the perfect complement to Jeff Okudah. He has to work on defending short inside routes, but his athleticism is off the charts.
Overall Grade: A-
Devon Withers
Best Pick: OT Penei Sewell
Biggest Reach: DT Alim McNeill
Biggest Steal: CB Ifeatu Melifonwu
Verdict: Selecting one of the top prospects in Penei Sewell was a great value pick for the Lions, as he maintains Pro Bowl-type talent. Their first three picks were on the offensive or defensive line, while the fourth-round selection of wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown could be another potential steal for Detroit.
Overall Grade: A-
Green Bay Packers
Ray Ashworth
Best Pick: WR Amari Rodgers
Biggest Reach: C Josh Myers
Biggest Steal: G Cole Van Lanen
Verdict: The Packers made sure to hit all of their draft-day needs early and often. The problem is that they continuously made need a priority over the best talent available. Their draft consisted of multiple reaches, including Eric Stokes and Josh Myers, when better players at the same position were still available. Their best pick of the draft, in terms of value, was Amari Rodgers. I had him ranked as a top 10 WR in this class. He’s great after the catch and should be able to fill the void in the slot that they lost after letting Cobb walk a few years ago. A sneaky late-round guy I like as well is Cole Van Lanen. He has experience at guard and tackle, which is what the Packers look for when drafting OL, however, long term he’s probably best suited as a guard at the next level. His biggest strength is his run blocking ability where he was often seen getting to the second level and helping Jonathan Taylor hit that 2,000-yard milestone.
Overall Grade: C+
Devon Withers
Best Pick: WR Amari Rodgers
Biggest Reach: CB Eric Stokes
Biggest Steal: WR Amari Rodgers
Verdict: Stokes did have first-round buzz, but wasn’t the best player available for the Packers in the first round. Adding Amari Rodgers in the third round should make Rodgers happy, despite the ongoing speculation on whether the quarterback will remain with the team. I also wasn’t a huge fane of defensive tackle Tedarrell Slaton in the fifth round, as he appears to be a very raw prospect who will be utilized primarily as depth at the position.
Overall Grade: C+
Houston Texans
Ray Ashworth
Best Pick: WR Nico Collins
Biggest Reach: LB Garret Wallow
Biggest Steal: TE Brevin Jordan
Verdict: With the Deshaun Watson scandal showing no end in sight, it was smart of Houston to cover their back in a possible worst case scenario. Davis Mills has a lot of upside, but he needs to work on the turnover problems. His best games were against Oregon State, who ranked 106th and 95th in total defense the last two seasons. Their second pick, Nico Collins, is a sure-handed receiver who can go up and get the 50/50 balls and thrives in the red zone. After losing Hopkins and Fuller they needed to bring someone new in.
Their biggest steal of the draft was Brevin Jordan in the 5th round, who I had ranked as the second best TE in this class. Ten years ago he would have been just another guy, but with the recent evolution of the TE position Jordan should be an elite weapon for the Texans. He is a dynamic receiver who is elite after the catch and can make guys miss. At Miami they frequently slid him over and had him play as a slot receiver.
The Texans had a successful draft for what they had to work with, but whenever a team is without three of their first four picks their draft grade is going to suffer. They also have numerous holes on the defensive side of the ball that they were unable to address due to the lack of draft capital.
Overall Grade: C-
Devon Withers
Best Pick: QB Davis Mills
Biggest Reach: LB Garret Wallow
Biggest Steal: TE Brevin Jordan
Verdict: By adding Davis Mills as their first pick in the 2021 Draft, it may speak volumes about the Deshaun Watson scandal from this offseason. The Texans had more immediate needs than the tight end position, but Jordan is a great value selection in the fifth round.
Overall Grade: C-
Indianapolis Colts
Ray Ashworth
Best Pick: EDGE Kwity Paye
Biggest Reach: DE Dayo Odeyingbo
Biggest Steal: None
Verdict: Kwity Paye was a much needed addition to the defensive front. Outside of Buckner and Houston, the Colts struggled to generate a pass rush. With Houston now a free agent, Paye can step right in and pick up where he left off. I wouldn’t be surprised if Paye steps in and leads this team in sacks in year one. He has great speed-to-power traits and incredible athleticism.
After a great start to the draft, the Colts had me scratching my head the rest of the way. Instead of addressing their LT position in round two, they take another pass rusher in Dayo Odeyingbo who I had ranked outside my top 10 DE’s. Not only is he coming off an Achilles injury, but he is also better suited as a 3 technique DE in a 3-4 scheme. The Colts were without a 3rd round pick, but from rounds 4-7 it was more of the same. Multiple reaches without ever addressing the LT or CB positions.
Overall Grade: D+
Devon Withers
Best Pick: EDGE Kwity Paye
Biggest Reach: DE Dayo Odeyingbo
Biggest Steal: EDGE Kwity Paye
Verdict: There was no reason for Paye to slip to the 21st overall pick, making him an absolute steal for the Colts. After that, however, Indianapolis missed on several fronts. Odeyingbo is coming off an Achilles injury, making him a risky selection in the second round. There was no immediate need for going with tight end Kylen Granson in the fourth round, while safety Shawn Davis in the following round is more of a special teams addition than anything else.
Overall Grade: C
Jacksonville Jaguars
Ray Ashworth
Best Pick: QB Trevor Lawrence
Biggest Reach: RB Travis Etienne
Biggest Steal: CB Tyson Campbell
Verdict: Any team that is able to land Trevor Lawrence in the draft is deserving of an A. He is the greatest prospect to come out of college since Andrew Luck. I was kind of surprised to see them draft his teammate, Travis Etienne, with their second 1st round pick, however. Etienne is an explosive back and has plenty of chemistry with Lawrence, but James Robinson proved himself to be a bell-cow back last year and is playing on a dirt-cheap contract. History has proven that it is never smart to reach on a runningback, especially when there are so many needs elsewhere.
The Jaguars came back strong in day two, drafting Tyson Campbell, who I had rated higher than his first round teammate Eric Stokes. He has great intangibles and smothers his receivers in man coverage. He has an eye for the ball and has a knack for knocking it away. He has the ideal size and speed for the position, he just needs to put it together consistently. If coached properly, he could end up being a top 5 CB in this draft .
One player I am much higher on than others is Walker Little. I didn’t expect him to go this high due to the 2019 injury followed by the 2020 opt-out, but this is a guy I had ranked as the 3rd best LT in this draft, from a talent perspective. Had he not opted out in 2020 he likely would have been a top 15 pick in this years draft. Little is extremely intelligent and has great footwork and hand placement. If you go back and watch his tape, he is constantly seen rag dolling his defender. He has a lot of rust to knock off and needs to polish his run blocking, but I wouldn’t be surprised at all if he became the best pass blocking LT in this draft at the next level.
Overall Grade: A
Devon Withers
Best Pick: QB Trevor Lawrence
Biggest Reach: None
Biggest Steal: CB Tyson Campbell
Verdict: By landing Trevor Lawrence with the first overall pick, the Jaguars are immediate winners from this draft. While this was a draft class that was deep at the running back position, Travis Etienne is going to be a playmaker in the NFL. The addition of Tyson Campbell was a steal in the early stages of the second round, as he comes with first-round talent. He was mismatched against DeVonta Smith in their collegiate matchup, but Campbell will translate to the NFL well.
Overall Grade: B+
Kansas City Chiefs
Ray Ashworth
Best Pick: C Creed Humphrey
Biggest Reach: DE Joshua Kaindoh
Biggest Steal: G Trey Smith
Verdict: For a team that traded away their first round pick for Orlando Brown, the Chiefs did a solid job overall. They brought in Creed Humphrey, who was my #1 rated center in this draft, as well as getting Trey Smith in the 6th, who plummeted due to a blood clot issue. Between the offseason additions and the return of Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, the Chiefs should go from one of the worst offensive lines in the league to the best.
Overall Grade: B-
Devon Withers
Best Pick: C Creed Humphrey
Biggest Reach: DE Joshua Kaindoh
Biggest Steal: LB Nick Bolton
Verdict: Nick Bolton slipped down draft boards and will be well worth the selection. However, the Chiefs didn’t address pass-rushing talent until the fourth round with Joshua Kaindoh. Even then, Kaindoh wasn’t the top available prospect at his position.
Overall Grade: B-
Las Vegas Raiders
Ray Ashworth
Best Pick: S Trevon Moehrig
Biggest Reach: OT Alex Leatherwood
Biggest Steal: C Jimmy Morrissey
Verdict: In typical Raiders fashion they shock the world and reach on a guy in the first round. Las Vegas had to do something to upgrade an offensive line that lost Rodney Hudson and Trent Brown, but there was plenty of better talent still on the board and Leatherwood is likely to be a guard, as opposed to tackle at the next level which devalues him further. The one saving grace of their draft was them moving up to grab Trevon Moehrig in the second round who slipped farther than he should have.
It’s easy to point out the Leatherwood reach, but an even bigger head-scratching move was them following up their Moehrig pick with two more safeties in the third and fourth rounds when they just used a first-round pick on Jonathan Abram in 2019. On the surface, it sounds as if the Raiders management isn’t sold on Abram long term, but their draft strategy doesn’t seem to have any rhyme or reason to it looking forward.
Overall Grade: D+
Devon Withers
Best Pick: S Trevon Moehrig
Biggest Reach: S Divine Deablo
Biggest Steal: S Trevon Moehrig
Verdict: The Raiders continue to make head-scratching picks in the first round, as the addition of Alex Leatherwood turned plenty of heads. However, the front office pulled off the perfect trade in the second round once Trevon Moehrig slipped down draft boards. Moehrig will provide the Raiders secondary with plenty of support moving forward.
Overall Grade: C-
Los Angeles Chargers
Ray Ashworth
Best Pick: OT Rashawn Slater
Biggest Reach: WR Josh Palmer
Biggest Steal: CB Asante Samuel Jr
Verdict: The Chargers came out of the gates firing with two surefire picks in Slater and Samuel Jr. It looked as though they were well on their way to an A+ grade, but things came crashing down from there. Josh Palmer was a massive reach, ranking outside my top 20 WR in this class. He struggles to create separation and relies on his big body to make contested catches. They then followed that up with Tre McKitty who I ranked as the 8th TE in the draft. He is a below-average route runner and is someone who will be a career backup at the next level.
Looking at the second half of their draft, they again did nothing special. Their best pick was Chris Rumph II who is a solid pass rusher, but is better suited for a 3-4 scheme. Overall, their draft started fantastic but was very anticlimactic.
Overall Grade: B-
Devon Withers
Best Pick: CB Asante Samuel Jr
Biggest Reach: WR Josh Palmer
Biggest Steal: CB Asante Samuel Jr
Verdict: Teams becoming desperate to add wide receivers allowed for Rashawn Slater to slip down draft boards. The selection of Asante Samuel Jr. in the second round was another bargain selection, as the fourth-round selection of defensive end Chris Rumph II could be prove to be another win down the road.
Overall Grade: B+
Los Angeles Rams
Ray Ashworth
Best Pick: DT Bobby Brown
Biggest Reach: WR Tutu Atwell
Biggest Steal: CB Robert Rochell
Verdict: The Rams came into this draft with a ton of needs on the offensive and defensive line as well as linebacker. They instead decide to ignore all of those needs and reach on a 5’9″ WR who weighed in at 149lb at his Pro Day. Tutu Atwell shows great short area quickness and burst but much of his best film comes from sloppy college-level arm tackling that won’t happen at the next level. If there’s one bright spot to this pick, he’s arguably the best kick/punt return specialist in this draft, but a second round pick is far too rich for a glorified kick returner. It’s essentially Tavon Austin all over again.
Overall Grade: F
Devon Withers
Best Pick: DT Bobby Brown
Biggest Reach: WR Tutu Atwell
Biggest Steal: DT Bobby Brown
Verdict: The Rams didn’t make their first selection until the second round, and felt like their biggest need was at the wide receiver position. Even if that’s the case, which it wasn’t, Tutu Atwell wasn’t the best available prospect at his position. A handful of these picks appeared to be head-scratchers, leaving plenty of questions entering the 2021 season.
Overall Grade: C-
Miami Dolphins
Ray Ashworth
Best Pick: EDGE Jaelan Phillips
Biggest Reach: S Jevon Holland
Biggest Steal: OT Liam Eichenberg
Verdict: The Dolphins came into this draft with a lot of capital. They solidified their top 3 biggest needs in WR, OL and DL right out of the gate. Their one early reach in my opinion however, was Jevon Holland. He was my 3rd rated safety in this class yet was taken as the #1 safety off the board. He did show great ball skills when he was at Oregon and played in the nickel at an elite level. Where he is lacking is the ability to play in the deep third of the field. He is best underneath when he can read the play and jump the route. He is also inconsistent in the run game and struggles to break away from blocks.
On paper this was a rock solid draft for the Dolphins. Their first five picks should be an immediate impact day one and should make a good push for the AFC East title in 2021.
Overall Grade: A
Devon Withers
Best Pick: EDGE Jaelan Phillips
Biggest Reach: S Jevon Holland
Biggest Steal: OT Liam Eichenberg
Verdict: After turning the Dolphins into a formidable team in the AFC East, Brian Flores and company have to be happy about the turnout of this draft. Both Waddle and Phillips are conservative picks for next level, while offensive tackle Liam Eichenberg could be a staple of the offensive line if developed appropriately.
Overall Grade: A
Minnesota Vikings
Ray Ashworth
Best Pick: OT Christian Darrisaw
Biggest Reach: RB Kene Nwangwu
Biggest Steal: G Wyatt Davis
Verdict: Christian Darrisaw is an immediate upgrade to Riley Reiff. Last season Darrisaw only allowed 6 pressures and zero sacks at Virginia Tech. He’s a true NFL left tackle and should drastically improve a Vikings line that ranked bottom 5 in the league in pass blocking last year.
Kellen Mond is an interesting developmental prospect. His tape reminded me a lot of Colin Kaepernick during his days at Nevada. He’s a smart decision maker and can extend the play with his feet. He needs to work on his accuracy issues as well his footwork, but he’ll have plenty of time with the coaches to fix that as Cousins is locked in as the starter for the next two years due to his giant cap hit.
Their biggest steal of the draft was easily Wyatt Davis. He’s arguably the best pass blocking guard in this draft and has Pro Bowl upside. The big worry with him is injury related, but if he can stay healthy Davis and Darrisaw should help Cook and Cousins immensely.
Overall Grade: B+
Devon Withers
Best Pick: OT Christian Darrisaw
Biggest Reach: RB Kene Nwangwu
Biggest Steal: G Wyatt Davis
Verdict: By landing a top three offensive lineman at the 23rd overall selection, the first round worked out well for the Vikings. The pick many aren’t going to talk about is the addition of quarterback Kellen Mond in the third round. With Kirk Cousins only having two years guaranteed on his remaining contract, Mond could turn out to be the potential heir.
Overall Grade: B+
New England Patriots
Ray Ashworth
Best Pick: QB Mac Jones
Biggest Reach: S Joshua Bledsoe
Biggest Steal: EDGE Ronnie Perkins
Verdict: Going into the draft I fully expected New England to trade up with Carolina to snag Mac Jones, but he ended up falling right into their lap. He lacks athleticism and sometimes relies too heavily on the RPO to make the quick easy completion, but he has all the intangibles you look for in a Belichick quarterback.
Christian Barmore was touted as a steal by many, but he is a very inconsistent player and tends to take plays off. He also needs to work on his run defense. If you watch his tape, he was often seen getting pushed back by run blockers. Barmore is best suited as an interior pass rush specialist at the next level.
Ronnie Perkins and Rhamondre Stevenson were two great picks out of Oklahoma. Perkins is an established 4-3 edge rusher who has also shown he can make plays in the run game. The past two seasons he had 24 TFL. I had a 2nd round grade on him so this is a great value pick here. Stevenson meanwhile, is someone I wasn’t as high on early on, but I fell in love with the more I watched his tape. He is so patient behind the line as he waits for his holes to develop. There were so many times I watched him where I was like “Woah, he reminds me of Le’Veon Bell”. New England may have dropped the ball during last year’s draft but they nailed it this year.
Overall Grade: B+
Devon Withers
Best Pick: QB Mac Jones
Biggest Reach: RB Rhamondre Stevenson
Biggest Steal: QB Mac Jones
Verdict: The Patriots were continuously mocked to trade up for a quarterback to become the successor of Cam Newton. Instead, they managed to pick Mac Jones with the 15th overall selection, who was projected to go as high as the third overall pick. The addition of Ronnie Perkins in the third round will be worthwhile as well, as the Patriots defense will be one of the most complete units next season.
Overall Grade: B+
New Orleans Saints
Ray Ashworth
Best Pick: LB Pete Werner
Biggest Reach: DE Payton Turner
Biggest Steal: CB Paulson Adebo
Verdict: After hearing all week leading up to the draft that New Orleans was looking to trade up for a CB, it was very shocking to see them pass on Campbell and Samuel Jr here to take, what is in my opinion, the biggest reach of the first round. Going into the draft I had a third round grade on Payton Turner. He plays too high and becomes very stiff after engagement with the blocker. His best tape vs top competition was his game against BYU. He frequently beat Brady Christensen inside and made things rough for Zach Wilson. But then again, I also say in my Panthers verdict that Christensen is a likely bust and will be forced to move inside at guard.
Pete Werner was a much needed addition to this linebacking group after losing Alex Anzalone this offseason. He can step in day one and start alongside Demario Davis and Zack Baun. Werner is a great open field tackler who can lay wood on the ball carrier. He is also capable of lining up man-to-man against the tight end and breaking up the play.
If Paulson Adebo can get back to his 2018 form this will end up being a steal for the New Orleans Saints. Once touted as a first round pick, he plummeted down draft boards after a down year in 2019 and opting out in 2020. Adebo is a great zone corner who has a knack for making the pass breakup. He can be exposed while playing man however, as he was often beat deep and was prone to biting on double moves.
Overall Grade: D+
Devon Withers
Best Pick: LB Pete Werner
Biggest Reach: DE Payton Turner
Biggest Steal: CB Paulson Adebo
Verdict: Payton Turner may be considered a reach, but given the state of the Saints’ defensive line, he will likely receive plenty of opportunities to earn his spot during his rookie season. Both Paulson Adebo and Pete Werner will give New Orleans much-needed support on the defensive end.
Overall Grade: C
New York Giants
Ray Ashworth
Best Pick: EDGE Azeez Ojulari
Biggest Reach: WR Kadarius Toney
Biggest Steal: CB Aaron Robinson
Verdict: The Giants got a haul in their trade with Chicago, receiving an additional first-round pick in 2022. The trade alone was worthy of an A+ grade. Taking Kadarius Toney after the trade back was questionable, however. The Giants just brought in Kenny Golladay and John Ross, adding to receiving core that already had Sterling Shepard and Darius Slayton. Toney is very shifty off the line of scrimmage and a solid route runner, but will probably be limited to a slot receiver role in the NFL. I personally had a second-round grade on him and thought they should have gone elsewhere.
This next pick was the pick of the draft for me. Azeez Olujari is the most polished pass rusher in this class and is best suited for a 3-4 scheme, which he was lucky enough to land in. I had him going to the Ravens in the first round leading up to the draft so this pick was a huge steal. Azeez Olujari is my pick to lead all rookies in sacks and win DROTY.
Aaron Robinson was a great value pick in the third round. He’s a physical corner who can knock his receiver off of the line of scrimmage. He has the versatility to play outside or move inside to nickel corner. He also made a drastic improvement in his tackling from 2019 to 2020.
In the 6th round the Giants took RB Gary Brightwell and CB Rodarius Williams. Brightwell was a reach and someone I expected to be an undrafted freee agent, but Williams was a steal this late. He’ll likely be buried in the depth chart for his first two seasons due to the depth at the position, but his playmaking skills should allow him to see playing time in the near future.
Overall Grade: B+
Devon Withers
Best Pick: EDGE Azeez Ojulari
Biggest Reach: WR Kadarius Toney
Biggest Steal: EDGE Azeez Ojulari
Verdict: Wide receiver Kadarius Toney doesn’t have the merit of being labeled as a first-round talent, but the compensation the Giants received in return for trading back made them instant winners. The addition of Azeez Ojulari is one of the biggest steals of the entire draft, as New York should be excited about the potential their draft class contains.
Overall Grade: A-
New York Jets
Ray Ashworth
Best Pick: WR Elijah Moore
Biggest Reach: CB Michael Carter
Biggest Steal: RB Michael Carter
Verdict: Zach Wilson and Alijiah Vera-Tucker were two solid picks to start the draft, but the real standout pick was getting Elijah Moore in the second round. This trio should give a huge boost to a Jets offense that was anemic last year. Moore is a very polished route runner and may be the best in this class. He knows how to find the holes in the defense and consistently left his defender on the break of his route. When I watched him I saw a lot of Antonio Brown in his game. Michael Carter is another steal in this draft and someone who I had rated as the 5th best RB in the draft. He’s quicker than fast and won’t burn you for the big play, but he’s a great one-cut back who can make his man miss. Him and Javonte Williams were the best 1-2 punch in college football last season.
My favorite late round pick was Hamsah Nasirildeen. He’s a versatile S/LB hybrid who’s great in the box and an explosive run defender. He would have gone much higher in the draft if it weren’t for the ACL tear he suffered in college.
Overall Grade: A-
Devon Withers
Best Pick: WR Elijah Moore
Biggest Reach: CB CB Michael Carter
Biggest Steal: RB Michael Carter
Verdict: This was an efficient draft for the Jets, who are working their way up from the bottom of the AFC East. New York moved up ten slots in the first round to find protection for incoming rookie quarterback Zach Wilson, as the front office selected Alijah Vera-Tucker. However, their best selection is wide receiver Elijah Moore, who will be prolific when it comes to yards after the catch.
Overall Grade: A
Philadelphia Eagles
Ray Ashworth
Best Pick: WR DeVonta Smith
Biggest Reach: DT Milton Williams
Biggest Steal: RB Kenneth Gainwell
Verdict: DeVonta Smith received a lot of criticism leading up to the draft due to his slight frame, but his tape has proved to me that his frame is irrelevant. Smith played top competition game in and game out, whether Waddle was in the lineup or not, and just continued to ball out. He has quick feet and is a phenomenal route runner. He’s got a fluid release and explosive out of his cuts. Those all translate to the NFL level. You can sign me up because I’m a DeVonta Smith believer.
Landon Dickerson is a natural leader on the offensive line. He has a lot of traits similar to Jeff Saturday. He plays smart football and effective out of the shotgun. He stays square and keeps his feet driving. If he can stay healthy, his talent should translate to a Pro Bowl level.
My favorite late-round pick by the Eagles was Kenneth Gainwell. He’s a home run hitter who finds the hole and explodes through it. He’s got a filthy juke move and is great at making the first man miss. Gainwell is also a weapon on third down in the passing game. I have Gainwell rated as the #1 receiving back in this class and the #7 overall RB in this class so that is quite the value in the 5th round.
Overall Grade: B-
Devon Withers
Best Pick: WR DeVonta Smith
Biggest Reach: DT Milton Williams
Biggest Steal: C Landon Dickerson
Verdict: The Eagles clearly had a priority in building around Jalen Hurts, and we saw that early on with the selections of DeVonta Smith and Landon Dickerson. While Dickerson is coming off an ACL injury, his potential upside could be worthwhile. He is diverse in the sense that he can play multiple positions on the offensive front for an Eagles line that desperately needs the support.
Overall Grade: B
Pittsburgh Steelers
Ray Ashworth
Best Pick: RB Najee Harris
Biggest Reach: OT Dan Moore Jr
Biggest Steal: EDGE Quincy Roche
Verdict: If you were to tell me Najee Harris is the best RB in this class you won’t get any argument from me. However, I’m not sold on paying for first-round RB’s. The Steelers are bound and determined to get back to pounding the rock, but the biggest issue last year was the run blocking line. Now the Steelers have lost Alejandro Villanueva and Maurkice Pouncey, so to go RB and TE with your first two picks I find to be a questionable move. I will admit, Freiermuth is the 2nd best run-blocking TE in this class, but not addressing OL with your first two picks left you with Dan Moore and Kendrick Green. The Steelers would have been much better off going with a four-round order/combination of Teven Jenkins in the 1st, Creed Humphrey/Quinn Meinerz in the 2nd, Trey Sermon/Michael Carter in the 3rd, and Brevin Jordan in the 4th.
Overall Grade: C+
Devon Withers
Best Pick: RB Najee Harris
Biggest Reach: OT Dan Moore Jr
Biggest Steal: EDGE Quincy Roche
Verdict: The Steelers haven’t maintained an efficient backfield since the days of Le’Veon Bell, and with James Conner out, the front office became desperate for support. I question why Pittsburgh waited until the third round to select their first offensive lineman. The Steelers are high on guard Kendrick Green and view him as an immediate starter, but offensive tackle Dan Moore Jr. won’t be as productive.
Overall Grade: C+
San Francisco 49ers
Ray Ashworth
Best Pick: QB Trey Lance
Biggest Reach: CB Deommodore Lenoir
Biggest Steal: S Talanoa Hufanga
Verdict: The 49ers made the right choice taking Trey Lance with the #3 pick. He needs to sit for a year to develop behind Garoppolo, but his ceiling is much higher than Mac Jones. Their second round pick, Aaron Banks, is a big nasty mauler who anchors in pass protection, but he needs to work on his footwork. This is an interesting landing spot for him because SF asks their lineman to slide over and make a lot of adjustments after the snap, which doesn’t play to Banks strengths.
Trey Sermon is a powerful runner who runs through arm tackles and makes his presence felt. He lacks speed and quickness, but he’ll be a great complement to Mostert in Shanahan’s scheme. My favorite late-round pick was Talanoa Hufanga. He’s a solid open-field tackler who benefits from playing in the box. He lacks top-end speed but he’s smart and takes great angles.He took the time this spring to learn from Troy Polamalu which could help further his game at the next level.
Overall Grade: B
Devon Withers
Best Pick: QB Trey Lance
Biggest Reach: CB Deommodore Lenoir
Biggest Steal: RB Trey Sermon
Verdict: Head coach Kyle Shanahan has had great pocket passers and mobile quarterbacks in the past, but has never had both. Trey Lance isn’t a flawless prospect, but there is plenty to love about him. With Jerick McKinnon off the roster, the addition of Trey Sermon in the third round is going to have its own impact.
Overall Grade: B+
Seattle Seahawks
Ray Ashworth
Best Pick: WR D’Wayne Eskridge
Biggest Reach: None
Biggest Steal: CB Tre Brown
Verdict: Seattle came into this draft with only three draft picks. They would have benefited from trading back and gaining some capital but they decided to stay put, which I believe was a mistake. Russell Wilson has made his frustrations known about wanting help on the offensive line, but they instead decided to take a WR in D’Wayne Eskridge. Eskridge blew up during Senior Bowl week and skyrocketed up draft boards but you have to protect your QB. You can have all the weapons in the world, but it won’t matter if he can’t get the ball to them.
Overall Grade: D-
Devon Withers
Best Pick: WR D’Wayne Eskridge
Biggest Reach: None
Biggest Steal: CB Tre Brown
Verdict: The Seahawks didn’t have a lot of draft picks to work with and didn’t select an offensive lineman to protect Russell Wilson until the sixth round. There weren’t any reaches across their three picks, but the priorities appeared to be out of order.
Overall Grade: C-
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Ray Ashworth
Best Pick: WR Jaelon Darden
Biggest Reach: OT Robert Hainsey
Biggest Steal: QB Kyle Trask
Verdict: This draft was a case of “the rich getting richer” as Tampa Bay brought all 23 starters back this offseason. Getting Joey Tryon in the first round was a luxury pick who can sit behind JPP for a year until he walks in 2022. Tryon is best suited as a 3-4 edge rusher so TB’s scheme should get the most out of his abilities. In the 2nd round they make yet another luxury pick in Kyle Trask to sit behind Brady until he retires. Trask was my 6th rated QB in this class. He showed flashes of greatness in the first half of 2020 as he looked like the eventual Heisman winner before it all came crashing down. Even so, Trask is a smart and accurate passer who can learn greatly from sitting behind Brady. Their best pick of the draft however, was Jaelon Darden. He was third in the NCAA in receiving yards in 2020, behind only DeVonta Smith and Elijah Moore. He obviously played against much lesser competition, but he has the ability to blow the top off of defenses and frequently makes defenders miss. His biggest issue during his career were drops and he can stand to improve his hands but this is a great value pick this late in the draft.
Overall Grade: B
Devon Withers
Best Pick: QB Kyle Trask
Biggest Reach: None
Biggest Steal: WR Jaelon Darden
Verdict: While it doesn’t appear that Tom Brady will retire any time soon, the addition of Kyle Trask provides the Buccaneers with a future at the quarterback position. Tampa Bay didn’t have a ton of immediate needs coming into the draft, so adding depth with Joe Tryon and Jaelon Darden were great moves as well.
Overall Grade: B
Tennessee Titans
Ray Ashworth
Best Pick: CB Caleb Farley
Biggest Reach: LB Monty Rice
Biggest Steal: CB Elijah Molden
Verdict: Caleb Farley is a high-risk/high-reward pick in the first round. Injury is obviously a concern but his talent is off the charts. He is an exceptional man coverage corner who blankets his receivers. He has the best recovery speed of any CB in this draft and doesn’t get beat deep. He also has great ball skills and is seen frequently laying out for balls to make the INT. His biggest weakness is his tackling. In his college career, he had 21 missed tackles on 89 tackle attempts. That has to be cleaned up at the next level.
Dillon Radunz is someone who shot up draft boards after an impressive Senior Bowl week. He was named “Overall Practice Player of the Week” after neutralizing Rashad Weaver, Patrick Jones II, Elerson Smith and numerous other pass rushers all week. With that being said, Radunz is a far superior run blocker. He has to improve on his lateral quickness in the passing game to stop the more elite edge rushers that the NFL has to offer. His overall game most resembles that of Garrett Bolles.
The biggest steal of their draft was Elijah Molden. He’s a great nickel corner and the perfect replacement for Desmond King. He’s also solid in the run game and a reliable open-field tackler.
Overall Grade: B-
Devon Withers
Best Pick: CB Caleb Farley
Biggest Reach: DE Rashad Weaver
Biggest Steal: OT Dillon Radunz
Verdict: The Titans made a calculated risk by selecting Caleb Farley in the first round, as his injury history caused him to slip to the 22nd overall pick. If healthy, however, Farley could very well be one of the top defensive prospects in this draft class. Selecting Dillon Radunz in the following round is a steal, as he will fill in the role left behind by Isaiah Wilson.
Overall Grade: B
Washington Football Team
Ray Ashworth
Best Pick: WR Dyami Brown
Biggest Reach: LB Jamin Davis
Biggest Steal: WR Dyami Brown
Verdict: A lot of experts were higher on Jamin Davis than I was coming into the draft. I had a mid-second round grade on him so this pick is a little rich for my blood. Jamin Davis is a phenomenal tackler and is always around the ball but he is still very raw. He tends to take bad angles on plays and struggles to shed blocks. As far as his pass coverage goes, he has had a few beautiful reads in coverage, like the zone lurk pick-six he had against Tennessee, but overall he tends to get beat a lot, especially when being lined up in man coverage.
Samuel Cosmi was a solid contributor for the Longhorns, playing left tackle and right tackle. As a pass blocker, Cosmi has good lateral quickness to cut off the edge against speed rushers. He needs to work on his knee bend as well as his physicality to be a reliable everyday LT, however. In the run game, he is extremely agile and is often seen getting into the second level. His best fit in the NFL is most likely at RT.
The biggest steal for Washington was easily Dyami Brown. He is arguably the best deep threat WR in this draft. He runs much faster on tape than his 40 time suggests. His tape reminds me a lot of Brandin Cooks. Two things Brown has to work on at the next level are 1. his ability to beat the press off the line and 2. expand his limited route tree.
Washington’s round 4-7 picks were nothing to write home about. John Bates is a solid blocker and Shaka Toney could turn out to be a solid starter down the line, but the rest of their picks will be long term backups.
Overall Grade: C
Devon Withers
Best Pick: OT Sam Cosmi
Biggest Reach: LB Jamin Davis
Biggest Steal: WR Dyami Brown
Verdict: The selection of Jamin Davis was a clear reach, but Washington made up for it with steals in Sam Cosmi and Dyami Brown in the proceeding rounds. The team has a clear void at the left tackle position, so I’m curious as to whether Cosmi will earn the starting spot in his rookie season.
Overall Grade: C+
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