While unfair to quickly dissect and judge each NFL teams draft until at least three years after it has concluded, our quick natured society that hinges off instant updates and lightning feedback. Basing a teams review off the immediate reaction proceeding the draft although gives the public their quick fix and dopamine rush of their favorite teams typically turns out to be very inaccurate and far fetched. You dont have to jump back very far to notice this trend as the consensus 2014 draft weekend winner was the Cleveland Browns. Hilarious right?
The Browns on paper did infact have one of the better drafts starting at the top after they traded back and scooped up an extra first-round draft choice also known as a pouch full of gold platted NFL currency. After the drop back they pull the trigger on one of the best combine and pre draft performers cornerback Justin Gilbert. From there they drafted the most polarizing draft figure the league has seen in years in quarterback Johnny Manziel.
I dont need to get detailed in explaining how both draft picks turned out to be lemons and soured the Browns season and altered their winning plans for the foreseeable future. Lucky for them all was not lost as guard Joel Bitno was a day-one starter and finished the season as a showing off future pro bowl potential. Along with the Nevada product cornerback Pierre Desir and running back Terrance West look like solid contributors for both the short and long term.
The fact remains however, the instant reaction in which fans and the media deemed as the best draft of the group just a year later seems like nearly the exact opposite. Think about the fact the Browns who are depleted at the wide receiver position passed on the opportunity to draft Sammy Watkins while instead with the picks gathered from the trade back collected Gilbert (14’) and offensive lineman Cam Irving in the 2015 season, and salt gets buried deeper into the wound known as the Browns front office.
2015 Draft Weekend Winners
Pittsburgh Steelers: Its no surprise or coincidence the teams who are consistently pushing deep into the playoffs are the same teams that stay cool and calm on draft day waiting for the best talent to fall in their laps. Exactly the case here as the Steelers started their draft out by watching one of the best edge rushers in an ultra-talented class fall to them at pick 22 in Bud Dupree. Many pegged Dupree as a lock to be selected in the first 15 picks and even justified him being selected as early as number six to the New York Jets turning the pick into both a great addition of talent and value.
They followed that up with addressing their weakest position the secondary with two talented players with two different styles. Ole Miss Senquez Golson is a small yet twitchy ball hawk who led the nation in interceptions while Ohio State’s Doran Grant is a bigger more solid built cornerback who is made for the outside. Grant started for the Buckeye’s after Bradley Roby left for the NFL the year prior leading the team with five interceptions.
To throw the cherry on top the Steelers got another big physical wide receiver to pair up with last years mid-round gem Martavis Bryant. Auburn’s Sammie Coates was deemed to have first-round talent and potential but was too raw and struggled with ball location for any team to expunge their early selection however, to nab him with pick 87 was solid value and could pay huge dividends down the road with the strong arm of Ben Roethlisberger. Miami’s Anthony Chickillo could be the steal of them all for a sixth-rounder if they can figure out how to use him properly which may mean standing him up in their 3-4 defense unlike how the Hurricanes used him.
Draft Grade: A-
New York Giants: Not many better at the draft game than Giants general manager Jerry Reese who isn't afraid to go get the guys that he wants even if that means paying a little extra for it. He started out with the non-sexy pick of an offensive tackle from Miami who will help finally solidify the Giants offensive line and give a pure pocket passer like Eli Manning the proper time needed to dissect a defense.
Ereck Flowers is a mammoth of a man and has the rare athletic ability to thrive as a top-tier left tackle after he adjusts to the nuances of the NFL. The beginning of day-two was Reese’s power move up with the first pick of the second round when he stole arguably the best safety in the draft in Alabama's Landon Collins. While Collins has been mislabeled as a one dimensional in-the-box safety he will walk onto the Giants as a starter and will add a much needed physical dimension to the defense. Wanting one more starting caliber player the front office had to be ecstatic to learn UCLA defensive end Owa Odighizuwa. This guy was the best pure 4-3 defensive end in the entire draft with the ability with the speed and power to be a stable against the run and the pass.
All though Reese’s draft was top heavy with just three legitimate picks after trading up, each one will be an immediate impact for Tom Coughlin and fill the huge holes they had heading into this draft.
Draft Grade: A-
Minnesota Vikings: The Vikings have been a powerhouse drafting machine the past three years after Rick Spielman has been notorious for trading back up into the first-round having selected seven players on day-one the past three years. This year though he stayed put sticking to his guns and staying true to his board taking the best available player where he laid at pick number 11 and giving coach MIke Zimmer his pick at any cornerback he wanted. While he had many talented players to choose from ultimately Zimmer felt Michigan State’s Trae Waynes was the cream of the crop and best fit what Zimmer asks from his cornerbacks as a physical press player.
In the second round Spielman said he was ecstatic when Eric Kendricks fell to them at pick 45 after they viewed him as a three-down linebacker who was one of the most productive players ever at the position for the Bruins. Kendricks will pair up with his old teammate, former roommate, and good buddy Anthony Barr. The two have already spoken about how exciting the opportunity will be to play together again and noted they should pick up where they left off with good chemistry and understanding of their playing styles lining up next to one another.
Third-round pick LSU Danielle Hunter was considered a reach by some however, to many others was viewed as a fringe first-rounder based off talent and potential alone. Another physical freak for Zimmer to mold Hunter is long, lanky, and explosive at getting after the passer and can be equally as effective dropping back in coverage according to Spielman’s press conference. While it will likely take a season or two to hone his craft its his ability alone that coaches saw when they worked him out at the LSU pro day that sold them at the idea of him playing in the exotic defensive front seven.
While the team did a good amount of damage on the first two days it was day-three that showcased Spielman and his scouting staffs ability to pull the trigger on the best reamning talent at positions of need. The league was wowed to see offensive tackle TJ Clemmings fall as far as he did as another raw player was deemed to much of a project at this point to anoint him with any teams early picks. Still, the fact remained as Clemmings who has only played two years at tackle has just as much raw ability as anyone of his peers drafted in the first round. In fact many had Clemmings as one of the top-three for his position on their big boards proving the Vikings got a dynamite steal with their fourth-round selection. That addition along with the Oklahoma offensive tackle Tyrus Thompson give the team two great depth players to push the hot-and-cold Matt Kalil and give the Phil Loadholt a true back up if he were to get injured again as he landed on the IR last season. Maryland wide receiver Stefon Diggs is a home-run threat that is a dangerous return man and speedy slot receiver. While he doesn't fill what the Vikings need in a big physical presence outside the hashes, he does add another talented weapon in the arsenal for young Teddy Bridgewater.
Not many played the game this weekend better than Rick Spielman and now head into training camp with a new haul of talented players from their draft from their first pick to their last pick like the Vikings. When you start to think about their splashy and successful first-round picks from years past like Bridgewater, Xavier Rhodes, Harrison Smith, Sharrif Floyd, Anthony Barr and others you start to consider the real potential of young talent the organization possesses for today, tomorrow, and the future.
Draft Grade: A-
Stay tuned tomorrow when we highlight the losers of the 2015 NFL Draft.
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