JUST SAYIN’… ‘Bout Round One and Other Stuff
By John Cooney – PASS2Win.com – Re-published with permission
April 28, 2017
Don’t think Dalvin Cook’s mushy Combine work hurt? The projected 1st rounder is still on the board heading into round 2.
Well, the Browns certainly were busy brownies in the first trading down, out, up and back into the first stanza. After all the wheeling and dealing, Cleveland lands 2 potential star defenders and the best TE in this class. DE Myles Garrett and S/LB Jabrill Peppers were solid picks and TE David Njoku can pay off in spades. In the process, the QB-needy Browns passed on Mitchell Trubisky, Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson.
Cincy is still looking to cash in on their quality backup passer, AJ McCarron. With round 1 in the books, the asking price likely falls now to a 2nd-rounder. Browns may still have their QB here.
One last thought about the Browns’ penchant for trading out of franchise players. In the recent past, Cleveland’s trade downs/outs cost them Falcs’ WR Julio Jones and Eagles’ young riser Carson Wentz. Just Sayin’.
Da Bears turned Browns with the 2nd pick and nabbed 1-year starter Mitchell Trubisky as their QB… of the future? Didn’t they ink free agent Mike Glennon to a deal last month? Glennon is probably the starter for 2017, but now he has another rookie passer breathing down his neck. With the Bucs Glennon had the rug pulled out from under him when Jameis Winston got the draft call. How “up” will Glennon be facing another rookie challenger, knowing the Bears just invested heavily to bring Trubisky on board? Glennon’s 2017 stock just tanked.
‘Niners are now headed in the front office by a defensive guy, John Lynch. No surprise GM Lynch made moves to improve the D. DE Solomon Thomas was a great grab and rescuing ILB Rueben Foster from his free-fall was brilliant. SF better play great D; the O has to figure out how to score.
Let’s recall last month that 49ers’ GM Lynch said a QB “blew the doors” off their interview… hello DeShone Kizer in round 2? Nah, SF doesn’t own a 2nd rounder.
Jags’ did the right thing and got arguably the top RB in this draft class. Leonard Fournette is a bruising presence that will help open the passing lanes for Allen Robinson and company. Bye-bye Chris Ivory.
WR Corey Davis is a Titan. Not bad for a guy who has been injured and did not work out before the draft; 5th pick overall. I’d hold up on the race to pump Davis into starting FFB roles. He is coming off injuries, the Tennessee offense is RB-driven, Rishard Matthews is coming on as a true WR1 and TE Delanie Walker commands a bundle of targets each game.
Jets grabbed uber-safety Jamal Adams with pick 6. It’s a prudent move that helps the defense a bunch. Ah, Josh McCown is the starter at QB, though. Bryce Petty and Christian Hackenberg? Heads up on Davis Webb. But he sits until McCown is dinged or outplayed.
Chargers are super-charging the offense for an aerial show. Keenan Allen returns, Tyrell Williams emerged as a big, big-play threat and now QB Philip Rivers has TD-maker Mike Williams to target. And… the rushing lanes just got wider for super-back Melvin Gordon.
What? Gordon’s not a super-back? The Mike Williams pick helped Gordon more than any other Charger on offense.
Nice job by the Panthers!!! RB Christian McCaffrey with the 8th selection!!! Lord knows Cam needs help structuring his game; McCaffrey does that. Touch Machine for 2017.
Bengals went for Wow and got Wow! John Ross, IMO, is the best all-around WR in this draft. He is not only a 4.22-forty flash, but a superb router and a YAC monster. I’m telling you, CBs fear this guy! Now he’s paired up with arguably the best deep threat in the NFL, AJ Green. Helloooooo, Andy Dalton!
Chiefs were in the market for the QB of the near future with Alex Smith’s 2018 cap burden set to be a burden. Coach Reid sees his new Donovan McNabb with rifle-armed passer Pat Mahomes. Mahomes, however, is a riverboat gambler of a passer in a tightly wrapped conservative KC scheme. How does that work? A change in philosophy is brewing in Kansas City.
Don’t think so? Don’t dismiss the history of Coach Reid, who helped harness (kinda) the gunslinging ways of a guy named Brett Favre in Green Bay, coached up McNabb and for a brief time Mike Vick in Philly.
Just 2 RBs were nabbed in the first round this year (Fournette and McCaffrey).
CB Marshon Lattimore fell out of the top 10 but found a home on Boubon Street in New Orleans. Saints need more defense but Lattimore is a great start and a gift at 11.
With RBs Adrian Peterson and Mark Ingram in the house and the dealing of speedy WR Brandin Cooks, are the Saints retooling for a ground priority attack? If the defense is vastly improved and limiting points of the opposition, Drew Brees’ 5000 yard campaigns may be closing fast.
Well, the Texans didn’t get a chance to land home state hero Pat Mahomes, but Coach O’Brien got a winner (finally) when GM Smith traded a 2018 1st- rounder and selected QB Dashaun Watson. Book it right now, Watson is the starter day 1 of anything once his inks the contract.
Watson’s critics have to leave it alone here folks! The guy is a terrific QB, throws better than the 49 MPH he “posted”, will be as prepared as any QB via playbook study and film room details and has a bevy of playmaking weapons at his disposal. He’s got my early ROY attention. Just Sayin’!
Lucky 13? Cards went “Temple Tough” and called out meteoric rising OLB (or is he now a middle ‘backer?) Haason Reddick. He appears to be slated for inside LB snaps and is def an IDP to watch.
WR-needy Eagles may have wanted Corey Davis or John Ross, but how does it feel to want. Both were off the board by 14, so the Birds went with a much-needed DE. Derek Barnett will thrive under pressure DC Jim Schwartz.
But the Eagles are still damn needy at WR. Alshon Jeffery? Yeah, OK. He’s in a “show me” contract, but that never inspired Jeffery to greater heights in the past. If you don’t do the work off the field, you are likely not going to be ON the field much. Torrey Smith? He’s still in search of the 2nd dimension. Jordan Matthews? They didn’t trade him yet? YET!
Colts need defense. Colts always need defense. They got a head start for 2017 with the 15th slot selection of Malik Hooker, a top-10 talent at 15. Best safety in the draft! Do I see a Joe Mixon roll of the dice in round 2?
Lions or Vikings may have something to say about Mixon before the Colts do in the 2nd go.
CB Marlon Humphrey is now a Raven. The 16th pick has some press/man issues and has allowed swift WRs to get behind him while at ‘Bama. Ravens have been just as prone to WR burns the past few seasons. A “hmmmmm” pick if you ask me, especially for the draft savvy Baltimore brass.
Jonathan Allen really dropped. Washington is thrilled. The 17th draft slot brought top-5 talent to the Redskins front 7. Allen is a beast!
With the 18th pick, Tennessee got back at it and addressed the leaky secondary as well as energize the return game. DB/playmaker Adoree Jackson is in the house. Hey! Remember that “Exotic Smashmouth” offense Coach Mularkey ran last year. Jackson is an “exotic playmaker” that can go-go gadget in Mularkey’s toolbox.
Tampa Bay QB Jameis Winston is jumping for joy today. He’s got massive Mike Evans, dangerous DeSean Jackson and now awesome OJ Howard at TE. Suddenly RB is just a complimentary positon for the Bucs.
Broncos need help up front on offense and an attitude makeover. They got both when they used the 20th pick on nasty Garrett Bolles. Bolles has had various issues on his way to being drafted, but choir boys make lousy OTs. This helps the run game more than QBs Siemian and Lynch. (Lynch… really?)
Lions just couldn’t go for RB Joe Mixon here when LB Jarrad Davis was still on the board. Now, Davis just needs to stay on the field and avoid the dings. Mixon has to wait for round 2 (maybe).
Dolphins have to recharge the pass rush and got a jump-start when edge rusher Charles Harris fell in their laps. Ok, so he’s situational right now; but he’ll get to the passer. Terrific grab at 22.
Giants are on the clock at 23 and could really use a TE here. Wait! David Njoku is still there! The Giants rush up and Commish Goodell calls out… “Evan Engram, TE, Mississippi”. It’s not a bad choice, but Njoku is just such a great looking prospect with more to learn and grow.
CB Gareon Conley is a far better player than his 24th slot selection would suggest. An off-field accusation is hanging over his head, causing the free-fall. Hey! It’s the Raiders! Get the player and deal with the issue when the time comes. This is a huge winner pick on the field for Oakland/Vegas.
AT 25 Browns took Jabrill Peppers. The team needs everything, so Peppers is a great call. Can he play QB?
Black Birds moved up and over the Steelers and Cowboys to get the edge rusher they wanted. Only cost them a 3rd rounder, and now Takkarist McKinley is in Atlanta. Let’s remember it took Vic Beasley a year to figure it out, so McKinley may not pay off in year 1.
Bills traded down (a lot) ending with the 27th slot. Tyrod Taylor lives to play more downs in Buffalo at QB as the Bills secure a CB spot with Tre’Davious White. Solid decision.
Maybe the ‘Boys missed out on Takkarist McKinley, but they still got pass-rush value in Taco Charlton. Be patient Cowboy pokes; Charlton isn’t the excitingly swift type of pass rusher. He’ll get his share of QB take downs, but overall, I’ll be surprised if he nets stellar numbers.
Pick 29… the Browns again? Busy guys! Nice selection. David Njoku at TE… really nice. See Big Blue, even the Browns can get the TE spot right. HE’s a day-1 fantasy starter, fanballers!
Pittsburgh just lets the draft come to them. And they end up with TJ Watt. He just oozes Steeler linebacker, doesn’t he?
49ers roll the dice at ILB with plummeting Rueben Foster. There is word that the dinged-up Foster (and Combine flop) may not be out of the medical woods yet. Seriously, is anyone going to remember if Foster doesn’t pan out for Frisco as the 2nd-first rounder for the club? Especially with Solomon Thomas dominating? But IDP participants best avoid the ‘Bama ‘Backer.
The first rounds “Mr. Irrelevant” is OT Ryan Ramczyk. The Saints may have just locked up the draft’s best LT. More help for the run game?
There is huge value sitting out there in round 2. Who stops DeShon Kizer’s fall (NYJ, CLV, 3rd round)? Dalvin Cook is now a very enticing value in the 2nd (GB, PHL?). Is Joe Mixon now in play (GB, PHL, IND)? Hello Cleveland; QB?
3 very good CBs remain available in round 2; Quincy Wilson, Chidobe Awuzie.
WR/RB Curtis Samuel is just waiting for a creative OC to come calling. Packers, Bears, Saints?
2nd Round looks like this (for now):
1(33) Packers (From Browns)
2(34) Seahawks (From 49ers)
3(35) Jaguars
4(36) Bears
5(37) Rams
6(38) Chargers
7(39) Jets
8(40) Panthers
9(41) Bengals
10(42) Saints
11(43) Eagles
12(44) Bills
13(45) Cardinals
14(46) Colts
15(47) Ravens
16(48) Vikings
17(49) Redskins
18(50) Buccaneers
19(51) Broncos
20(52) Browns (From Titans)
21(53) Lions
22(54) Dolphins
23(55) Giants
24(56) Raiders
25(57) Texans
26(58) Seahawks
27(59) Chiefs
28(60) Cowboys
29(61) Packers
30(62) Steelers
31(63) Falcons
32(64) Panthers (From Patriots)
It ain’t perfect, but it’s excellent… Just Sayin!
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