Mitch
Crawled Through 5 FB Fields
I watched ESPN and flipped over to NFL Network from time to time. Here were my reactions to the picks:
1. HOU: Clowney, DE. I loved Gruden's enthusiasm for Johnny Football. Mel Kiper: "You can take the 10th ranked player at #1." Mel was talking like his rankings are set in stone. Then, Ray Lewis, said he would take Kalil Mack over Clowney, citing Clowney's lack of passion for the game. The when the pick was made, Lewis, as he did most of the night---recanted and started praising the pick. The smartest thing somone said---i think it was Mort or Adam Shefter---was that Romeo Crennell could turn Clowney into a star the way he did with Willie McGinest.
Bottom Line: Best talent in the draft---one of the more enigmatic personalities.
2. STL: Greg Robinson, T. The guy is raw but a beast in the running game. Then we find out the Rams are going to start him at LG. Man, how times have changed. If only the Cardinals had thought that way from the get-go with the big, raw physical tackles they took in the top ten. This leaves the Rams' tackle situation still in flux, however.
3. JAX: Blake Bortles, QB. Turns out---Bortles was the only QB the teams in the first 21 picks in the draft considered a franchise QB. Bortles has the entire package---we can see why BA&SK were so high on him. The question now is can he step right in and start and be effective from day one?
4. BUF: Sammy Watkins, WR. I felt that the Browns made a big mistake here---largely because Watkins is so much better a player than CB Justin Gilbert---it's not even close. Yes, the Browns get a 2015 1st and 4th---but still, they passed on an elite talent. Imagine Watkins playing opposite Josh Gordon. For the Bills---I give them credit---they didn't have to give up any other draft picks in this incredibly deep draft.
5. OAK: Khalil Mack, OLB. For a second there I had visions of Steve Keim trading up to this spot to take Mack. After all, who would know Mack better than new Strength and Conditioning Coach Buddy Morris who was mack's guru last year in Buffalo. But---I think the Raiders have had enough of dealing with the Cardinals---especially after Jared Veldheer's defection. The Raiders have been amassing some pretty hefty talent. They are going to be very interesting to watch. Not sold on Matt Schaub, however, and felt that Johnny Manziel would have been an electric pick here---but, then again, I'm not so sure they have the coaching versatility to cater their offense to Manziel.
6. ATL: Jake Matthews, T. The Falcons get the most polished and NFL ready prospect in the draft. Still kind of surprised the Rams didn't take him with their need at tackle and Jeff Fisher's affinity for the Matthews family.
7. TB: Mike Evans, WR. Maybe I am wrong but I think Evans is one of the most over-rated players in this draft. The most explosive WR available at this pick was Odell Beckham who would have been the perfect compliment to Vincent Jackson. Plus, the Bucs still have short and long term questions at QB.
8. CLE: Justin Gilbert, CB. The trade up one spot to take a non-physical CB who gets turned around a lot in coverage was mystifying. There's no way Mike Zimmer in Minnesota would have taken him. Weird. Passing on Watkins and Mack to take Gilbert.
9. MIN: Anthony Barr, OLB. This pick surprised me too. There is no way Anthony Barr is even close to DT Aaron Donald or ILB C.J. Mosley in terms of playing ability and leadership. Looks like an over-reaction for losing Jared Allen.
10. DET: Eric Ebron, TE. I get the reasoning, I just don't think he was anywhere near the BPA. I don't see Ebron being able to separate in the NFL the way he was able to at UNC.
11. TEN: Taylor Lewan, T. The o-line in Tennessee could well be the best in the NFL the next 4-5 years. But---the QB situation with Locker is iffy---not so sure CKW and Locker are a good match, either.
12. NYG: Odell Beckham, WR. Typically the Giants build up front especially when they have big holes up front. Beckham is dynamic and a good case for BPA. But the Giants better hope they can address other needs in a hurry.
13. STL: Aaron Donald, DT. Best value pick in the draft. Hat to see him go to the Rams and now we had better get our RG situation settled quickly because this guy can wreak havoc.
14. CHI: Kyle Fuller, CB. They were disappointed to see Donald go---but Fuller is the right answer otherwise. Gets to get groomed by Peanut Tillman.
15. PIT: Ryan Shazier, Ohio St. I think the Cardinals would have stayed at #20 had Shazier been there. Didn't see the Steelers in the mix for Shazier, but, I think he's a top 10 pick in this draft and definitely BPA at this point.
16. DAL: Zach Martin, G/T. Cowboys still reeling from missing out on Jonathan Cooper, Chance Warmack and Justin Pugh last year. This is an excellent pick for them, although their defense needs big-time upgrades.
17. BAL: C.J. Mosley, ILB. Doesn't the draft fall just right for the Ravens seemingly every year? It's uncanny.
18. NYJ: Calvin Pryor, S. Didn't see this one coming at all. thought they would take a CB or WR. But---again---the game is changing---as evidenced last year and this year in the first round: safeties are a hot commodity because teams now realize that strengthening the middle of the defense is of paramount importance.
19. MIA: Ja'Wan James, T. This was such a good pick---but one that likely could have been made after a trade down. I wondered if they were getting calls from the 49ers here. I wonder too if they feared the Cardinals would take Ja'Wan. In any case, this pick was smart.
20. NO: Brandin Cooks, WR. I knew the way the board was moving that Steve Keim would try to trade down. I was envious of the Saints taking Cooks---whom they will use correctly, as opposed to how the Rams did not with Tavon Austin. Quick separators pose huge problems and mismatches in today's game...which again is why teams are trying to load up at the safety position with versatile cover guys and hitters. I am just really happy the 49ers didn't get Cooks. They wanted him badly.
21. GB: Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, S, Alabama. Not a fit for the Cardinals because he's not a box safety, but a rangy back end FS. Seems like kind of a flake, but he's big and fast and has ball skills.
22. CLE: Johnny Manziel, QB. I am surprised he fell this far---and not convinced he fell to the right team. But, if he turns things around in Cleveland they will build a statue of him. Interesting too how high they supposedly are of Brian Hoyer. Not sure how this one is going to play out, but it should be fascinating to watch.
23. KC: Dee Ford, OLB/DE. This pick shocked me, especially seeing as how the Chiefs need a WR and some o-line help and they already have Hali and Houston on the edges. I still think the Cardinals would have taken Bucannon over Ford anyway.
24. CIN: Darqueze Dennard, CB. The Bengals have become one of the NFL's best drafters---they let the draft come to them, the way the Ravens do---which is why they are now in the playoffs every year. Dennard fits their defense to a tee.
25. SD: Jason Verrett, CB. I really liked this pick for the Chargers. I think he and Fuller are the best two CBs in this draft. Love the feet and ball skills.
26. PHI: Marcus Smith, OLB/DE. They've been wanting a pass rusher, but I was surprised they passed on WR Marquis Lee whom I believe is a better football player than Marcus Smith, who is kind of a tweener.
27. AZ: Deone Bucannon, S. The Cardinals jumped ahead of a lot of teams with this pick. Bucannon had a superior combine and when you go to the tape he jumps off the screen at you. Steve Keim played it right---not only picking up the #91 pick as a bonus---but in not trading down twice because quite possibly NE or SF would have hopped on Bucannon.
28. CAR: Kelvin Benjamin, WR. Solid pick at this point. I would have preferred Marquis Lee, especially as a replacement for Steve Smith. But the catch radius on Benjamin is a real plus.
29. NE: Dominique Easley, DE/DT. This pick was a surprise---I would have thought Tuitt or Hageman, but they are gambling on a superior talent when healthy.
30. SF: Jimmy Ward, S. I think they wanted Bucannon or Verrett, but think Ward's versatility will be just what they want. This is a good pick...and it makes me wonder if they will slide Reid down to SS.
31. DEN: Bradley Roby, CB. The run on DBs in this first round is significant. It shows how much emphasis teams are placing on their secondaries and it shows how high the teams have these DBs rated this year.
32. MIN: Teddy Bridgewater, QB. Bridgewater deserved a higher selection, imo. The Vikes got very good value here. Expect him to start sooner rather than later.
1. HOU: Clowney, DE. I loved Gruden's enthusiasm for Johnny Football. Mel Kiper: "You can take the 10th ranked player at #1." Mel was talking like his rankings are set in stone. Then, Ray Lewis, said he would take Kalil Mack over Clowney, citing Clowney's lack of passion for the game. The when the pick was made, Lewis, as he did most of the night---recanted and started praising the pick. The smartest thing somone said---i think it was Mort or Adam Shefter---was that Romeo Crennell could turn Clowney into a star the way he did with Willie McGinest.
Bottom Line: Best talent in the draft---one of the more enigmatic personalities.
2. STL: Greg Robinson, T. The guy is raw but a beast in the running game. Then we find out the Rams are going to start him at LG. Man, how times have changed. If only the Cardinals had thought that way from the get-go with the big, raw physical tackles they took in the top ten. This leaves the Rams' tackle situation still in flux, however.
3. JAX: Blake Bortles, QB. Turns out---Bortles was the only QB the teams in the first 21 picks in the draft considered a franchise QB. Bortles has the entire package---we can see why BA&SK were so high on him. The question now is can he step right in and start and be effective from day one?
4. BUF: Sammy Watkins, WR. I felt that the Browns made a big mistake here---largely because Watkins is so much better a player than CB Justin Gilbert---it's not even close. Yes, the Browns get a 2015 1st and 4th---but still, they passed on an elite talent. Imagine Watkins playing opposite Josh Gordon. For the Bills---I give them credit---they didn't have to give up any other draft picks in this incredibly deep draft.
5. OAK: Khalil Mack, OLB. For a second there I had visions of Steve Keim trading up to this spot to take Mack. After all, who would know Mack better than new Strength and Conditioning Coach Buddy Morris who was mack's guru last year in Buffalo. But---I think the Raiders have had enough of dealing with the Cardinals---especially after Jared Veldheer's defection. The Raiders have been amassing some pretty hefty talent. They are going to be very interesting to watch. Not sold on Matt Schaub, however, and felt that Johnny Manziel would have been an electric pick here---but, then again, I'm not so sure they have the coaching versatility to cater their offense to Manziel.
6. ATL: Jake Matthews, T. The Falcons get the most polished and NFL ready prospect in the draft. Still kind of surprised the Rams didn't take him with their need at tackle and Jeff Fisher's affinity for the Matthews family.
7. TB: Mike Evans, WR. Maybe I am wrong but I think Evans is one of the most over-rated players in this draft. The most explosive WR available at this pick was Odell Beckham who would have been the perfect compliment to Vincent Jackson. Plus, the Bucs still have short and long term questions at QB.
8. CLE: Justin Gilbert, CB. The trade up one spot to take a non-physical CB who gets turned around a lot in coverage was mystifying. There's no way Mike Zimmer in Minnesota would have taken him. Weird. Passing on Watkins and Mack to take Gilbert.
9. MIN: Anthony Barr, OLB. This pick surprised me too. There is no way Anthony Barr is even close to DT Aaron Donald or ILB C.J. Mosley in terms of playing ability and leadership. Looks like an over-reaction for losing Jared Allen.
10. DET: Eric Ebron, TE. I get the reasoning, I just don't think he was anywhere near the BPA. I don't see Ebron being able to separate in the NFL the way he was able to at UNC.
11. TEN: Taylor Lewan, T. The o-line in Tennessee could well be the best in the NFL the next 4-5 years. But---the QB situation with Locker is iffy---not so sure CKW and Locker are a good match, either.
12. NYG: Odell Beckham, WR. Typically the Giants build up front especially when they have big holes up front. Beckham is dynamic and a good case for BPA. But the Giants better hope they can address other needs in a hurry.
13. STL: Aaron Donald, DT. Best value pick in the draft. Hat to see him go to the Rams and now we had better get our RG situation settled quickly because this guy can wreak havoc.
14. CHI: Kyle Fuller, CB. They were disappointed to see Donald go---but Fuller is the right answer otherwise. Gets to get groomed by Peanut Tillman.
15. PIT: Ryan Shazier, Ohio St. I think the Cardinals would have stayed at #20 had Shazier been there. Didn't see the Steelers in the mix for Shazier, but, I think he's a top 10 pick in this draft and definitely BPA at this point.
16. DAL: Zach Martin, G/T. Cowboys still reeling from missing out on Jonathan Cooper, Chance Warmack and Justin Pugh last year. This is an excellent pick for them, although their defense needs big-time upgrades.
17. BAL: C.J. Mosley, ILB. Doesn't the draft fall just right for the Ravens seemingly every year? It's uncanny.
18. NYJ: Calvin Pryor, S. Didn't see this one coming at all. thought they would take a CB or WR. But---again---the game is changing---as evidenced last year and this year in the first round: safeties are a hot commodity because teams now realize that strengthening the middle of the defense is of paramount importance.
19. MIA: Ja'Wan James, T. This was such a good pick---but one that likely could have been made after a trade down. I wondered if they were getting calls from the 49ers here. I wonder too if they feared the Cardinals would take Ja'Wan. In any case, this pick was smart.
20. NO: Brandin Cooks, WR. I knew the way the board was moving that Steve Keim would try to trade down. I was envious of the Saints taking Cooks---whom they will use correctly, as opposed to how the Rams did not with Tavon Austin. Quick separators pose huge problems and mismatches in today's game...which again is why teams are trying to load up at the safety position with versatile cover guys and hitters. I am just really happy the 49ers didn't get Cooks. They wanted him badly.
21. GB: Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, S, Alabama. Not a fit for the Cardinals because he's not a box safety, but a rangy back end FS. Seems like kind of a flake, but he's big and fast and has ball skills.
22. CLE: Johnny Manziel, QB. I am surprised he fell this far---and not convinced he fell to the right team. But, if he turns things around in Cleveland they will build a statue of him. Interesting too how high they supposedly are of Brian Hoyer. Not sure how this one is going to play out, but it should be fascinating to watch.
23. KC: Dee Ford, OLB/DE. This pick shocked me, especially seeing as how the Chiefs need a WR and some o-line help and they already have Hali and Houston on the edges. I still think the Cardinals would have taken Bucannon over Ford anyway.
24. CIN: Darqueze Dennard, CB. The Bengals have become one of the NFL's best drafters---they let the draft come to them, the way the Ravens do---which is why they are now in the playoffs every year. Dennard fits their defense to a tee.
25. SD: Jason Verrett, CB. I really liked this pick for the Chargers. I think he and Fuller are the best two CBs in this draft. Love the feet and ball skills.
26. PHI: Marcus Smith, OLB/DE. They've been wanting a pass rusher, but I was surprised they passed on WR Marquis Lee whom I believe is a better football player than Marcus Smith, who is kind of a tweener.
27. AZ: Deone Bucannon, S. The Cardinals jumped ahead of a lot of teams with this pick. Bucannon had a superior combine and when you go to the tape he jumps off the screen at you. Steve Keim played it right---not only picking up the #91 pick as a bonus---but in not trading down twice because quite possibly NE or SF would have hopped on Bucannon.
28. CAR: Kelvin Benjamin, WR. Solid pick at this point. I would have preferred Marquis Lee, especially as a replacement for Steve Smith. But the catch radius on Benjamin is a real plus.
29. NE: Dominique Easley, DE/DT. This pick was a surprise---I would have thought Tuitt or Hageman, but they are gambling on a superior talent when healthy.
30. SF: Jimmy Ward, S. I think they wanted Bucannon or Verrett, but think Ward's versatility will be just what they want. This is a good pick...and it makes me wonder if they will slide Reid down to SS.
31. DEN: Bradley Roby, CB. The run on DBs in this first round is significant. It shows how much emphasis teams are placing on their secondaries and it shows how high the teams have these DBs rated this year.
32. MIN: Teddy Bridgewater, QB. Bridgewater deserved a higher selection, imo. The Vikes got very good value here. Expect him to start sooner rather than later.
